Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister Peter O'Neill attend the hand-over ceremony of the China-assisted Independence Boulevard in Port Moresby, PNG, on Nov. 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister Peter O'Neill attended the hand-over ceremony of the China-assisted Independence Boulevard here on Friday.

The road project has linked the national parliament house and the PNG capital's trunk roads, providing more convenient and efficient transportation conditions for the locals.

The Independence Boulevard connects the profound friendship between the Chinese people and the PNG people and bears the good wishes of the Chinese people to the PNG people, Xi said while addressing the ceremony.

Noting that Chinese construction companies have completed the road project with the highest standard and the fastest speed, Xi said he believes that the Independence Boulevard will bring about more convenience and prosperity to the local people.

China is willing to enhance mutual trust, expand communication and boost cooperation with PNG, and together build a road of prosperity, openness and friendship, he said.

PNG will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, which is a grand event for PNG and all the Pacific island countries, Xi said.

As PNG's good friend and good partner, China has provided support and assistance within its capacity to PNG in hosting the event, he added.

For his part, O'Neill said he is delighted to jointly attend the hand-over ceremony with Xi and thanked China for its long-term assistance to his country.

The Independence Boulevard project is a symbol of PNG-China friendship and of China's important support to PNG, the prime minister said.

Today is another key moment in PNG-China relations, as the inauguration of the boulevard will be a milestone in bilateral ties, O'Neill said.

Calling China a good friend of PNG, O'Neill said his country, which shoulders heavy task of national development, is willing to maintain strong partnership with China.

Xi arrived here Thursday to pay a state visit to PNG and attend the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.
By Express News Service

HUBBALLI: In a head on collision between a lorry and private tourist bus near Annigeri on Hubballi-Gadag Road, six tourists from Mumbai were killed on the spot and ten tourists sustained injuries.

The incident occurred on Saturday early morning near Bardapur village, when the bus driver hit the lorry coming from the opposite direction. The injured have been shifted to the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital (KIMS), while bodies of the deceased have kept at Annigeri government hospital.

The bus in which the tourists were travelling was heading towards Hampi from Hubballi and the lorry was coming from the opposite direction, said police. The tourists had stayed in Hubballi on Friday night after returning from Gokarna in Uttara Kannada district. They left Hubballi at 4.30 am on Saturday and with in an hour, the bus met with the accident.

The deceased, identified as Vishwanath, 75, Dinakar, 74, Ramesh Jayapal, 70, Sumedha, 65, Lahu, 65 and Suchitra, 65, were residents of Mumbai and were on a one week tour in state.

The owner of bus is from Bengaluru and Navalgund police are investigating further. The driver of bus, Veerabhadra, 35, who sustained injuries on his head and fractured his leg is under treatment at the KIMS hospital. The attendant Rajesh was also admitted to hospital.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: Confusion and anxiety prevailed at Kochi International Airport for more than 16 hours as activist and Bhoomatha Brigade president Trupti Desai arrived here declaring she will enter Sabarimala temple on Friday morning. The police, protesters and the airport authorities heaved a sigh of relief as she boarded a flight to Mumbai at 9.10 pm. However, Trupti said she will return and enter the temple to assert the rights of women.

Trupthi Desai waited for an entire day

at CIAL as protesters laid siege to

airport

The activist arrived at Kochi by an Indigo flight from Pune at 4.45 am. By the time the flight touched down, around 100 protesters reached the airport and started a Namajapa (prayer) protest declaring they will not allow her to proceed to Sabarimala. By the time it dawned, the numbers swelled and there were around 1,000 protesters squatting in front of the domestic terminal chanting Ayyappa mantra, forcing the police to stop all attempts to escort her outside the airport.

Though the police tried to arrange a cab for her, the cab drivers refused to go for the ride apprehending attacks. Meanwhile, Desai was resolute not to return without having darsan.

I want to inform the Kerala government that I will not return to Mumbai until I get darsan of Lord Ayyappa, she said in a video message to journalists. From the moment I reached Kochi, there have been non-stop protests outside the terminal, denying me the opportunity to proceed to Sabarimala. Though the police tried to take me out through the cargo section, the protesters reached there also. There were attempts to assault me. I booked taxis thrice, but the drivers withdrew as protesters threatened them. I have been confined to the airport lobby along with six other women activists without food and other facilities. They cant cow me down by these acts of vandalism, she said.

Meanwhile, the police and the airport authorities tried to broker peace, holding discussions with the protesters and Desai. However, she was adamant she will not return without visiting Sabarimala. Though Hindu Aikya Vedi leader R V Babu sent a letter to Desai requesting for talks, she didnt respond. BJP state general secretaries A N Radhakrishnan, K Surendran, Sobha Surendran, National executive member P K Krishnadas, party vice-president P M Velayudhan, spokesperson B Gopalakrishnan, district president N K Mohandas, Yuva Morcha state president K P Prakash Babu and others reached the airport. A sizeable number of women also participated in the protest. According to the police, the protest was peaceful.

The passengers who arrived at the airport had to face inconveniences as they had to wade through the sea of protesters. A Sangh activist said they have stationed squads at various locations on the Sabarimala route to foil any attempt to escort Desai to Sabarimala with police protection. Though the police booked a case against 250 protesters, the police never tried to forcefully remove them. Aluva DySP M J Soman held talks with the activist who maintained that she will visit the temple.



It is a high-security zone and no protest should be held in front of the airport terminal, CIAL MD V J Kurian told Express.

The airports functioning was not hit. We didnt ask police to remove the protesters. I held talks with Desai and those accompanying her and tried to convince them. She promised to consider my request, he said.

Police register case against 215 protesters

Kochi: The Nedumbassery police on Friday booked a case against 250 protesters for stopping Bhoomatha Brigade leader and activist Trupti Desai and thereby affecting the functioning of Cochin International Airport. According to the police, out of this, 200 protesters are unidentified and the remaining 15 are BJP workers who include BJP district president Mohandas, district secretary M N Gopi, BJP workers P M Velayudhan, Brahmaraj, Shanmugan, Rajagopal, K G Haridas, Radhakrishnan, Satheesan, Venkatesh, Ullas, Vishnu, K T Suresh and Saleesh. The police registered the case after tehsildars attempts to disperse the mob failed. The police charged them with Sections 147, 188, 341 and 506 (1) of the IPC.
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: The first day of the winter session of the Assembly started on a noisy note with the Opposition Congress and BJP members creating a ruckus over farmers issues forcing Speaker Pradip Amat to adjourn the House for the day.

After the obituary references were over, Leader of the Opposition Narasingh Mishra requested the Speaker to suspend the question hour and allow discussion on farmers issues on the basis of the adjournment motion notice given by the Congress members. The adjournment notice of the Congress was accepted by the Speaker for discussion on the day in the House.

However, the Speaker rejected the Congress demand for suspension of the question hour to start discussion on the issue. At this, agitated Congress members rushed to the well of the House shouting slogans against the State Government and demanding a discussion on several issues of the farmers relating to the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of paddy and the ongoing agitation by the Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS). The NNKS has launched a statewide agitation demanding right price for the produce of farmers and prestige and pension for them.

However, unable to run the House, the Speaker adjourned it till 12.14 pm. As the House reassembled, Congress and BJP members again entered the well shouting slogans. The Speaker adjourned the House for the day this time at 12.18 pm. Talking to mediapersons, the Leader of Opposition said the Congress had requested the Speaker to suspend question hour and start discussion on issues concerning the farmers in view of their importance.

He also criticised the State Government for trying to foil the agitation of NNKS in gross violation of democratic norms.Criticising the Congress members for disrupting the proceedings of the House, BJD MLA Sameer Dash said debate on farmers issues would have started as the Speaker had accepted the adjournment motion notice for discussion. People of Odisha who have rejected the Congress will not tolerate such behaviour of the members of the party in the House, he said.

Earlier, the House condoled the death of former government deputy chief whip Prasanna Kumar Pal, former MLA Banshidhar Sahu, Champeswar Mahakud, former Rifleman of 29 Battalion, Assam Rifles, former driver, CRPF Braja Mohan Behera and cameraman of Doordarshan Achyutananda Sahu.
By PTI

BHUBANESHWAR: The Odisha Assembly on Saturday accepted the "unconditional and unreserved" apology of Delhi based journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra for his statement against the state lawmakers and dropped the breach of privilege charges against him.

The relief for Mitra comes even as he remains in judicial custody since October 23 in connection with two FIRs lodged against him for his alleged "derogatory, mischievous and objectionable comments" on social media on art and culture of Odisha, Lord Jagannath and the Odia community as a whole.

The Assembly granted pardon to Mitra after accepting the recommendations of a House Committee that inquired into the allegations against the journalist.

The committee also recommended to the House to direct the state government to provide material to Mitra to educate him about the art, culture, history and the people of Odisha.

"The Assembly accepted the recommendations made by the House Committee which was set up to inquire into the question of alleged breach of privilege relating to the statement made by Abhijit Iyer Mitra," Speaker P K Amat said after a voice vote on the recommendations of the committee.

The chairman of the Committee, Narasingha Mishra, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, laid the report on the table of the House.

The committee was set up on September 20 after concerns were expressed by MLAs cutting across party lines.

Mitra was arrested by Odisha police on October 23 after he was charged with hurting religious sentiments, promoting disharmony and other offences in the two FIRs.

A case was registered at Konark police station in Puri district on September 19 under various sections of IPC, Information Technology Act and Ancient Monument & Archaeological sites & Remains Act against Mitra.

The second case was lodged at Saheed Nagar police station here on September 20 under various sections of IPC and IT Act against Mitra.

During its six sittings, the Assembly Committee met Iyer Mitra and sought an affidavit from him on the matter.

In his deposition, Iyer Mitra has said, "I apologise that because of my stupidity, I said very very stupid thing which I apologise for. I apologise. In a movement of confusion and stress I made this remark."

Committee member and BJD MLA Debi Prasad Mishra quoting the report said: "The manner in which Mitra has begged apology speaks that (it) is voluntary and therefore it needs consideration."

"In view of the above, the committee recommends that the august House may be magnanimous to consider and accept the apology begged by Abhijit Iyer Mitra for his statement made by him before the media against the Hon'ble Members of the august House and drop the matter," the committee said in its recommendations.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a preliminary chargesheet in the gutka case by naming all the six arrested persons in a move to prevent them from getting bail.

All six are entitled to statutory bail if the investigating agency fails to file charge sheet within 90 days of filing of first Information report.

This comes after CBI arrested the promoters and directors of Jayem Group  AV Madhav Rao, Uma Shankar Gupta and P V Srinivasa Rao, E Sivakumar, who was then posted on deputation as Food Safety Officer in Food Safety and Drug Administration Department, Ministry of Health, designated officer of Tiruvallur Food Safety and Drug administration department P Senthil Murugan and superintendent of customs and excise department N K Pandian.

Sources said that further investigation is on and a fresh chargesheet would be filed later.

The charge sheet has been filed after CBI raided 35 locations across Chennai, Tiruvallur, Tuticorin, Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), Mumbai and Bengaluru, which included premises of Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijay Baskar, Tamil Nadu DGP TK Rajendran, a former Chennai Police Commissioner S George, a former state minister BV Ramana and several other top officials of the central excise, food safety and health departments.

The gutka scam came to light on July 8, 2017, when Income-Tax sleuths searches offices and residences of Jayem Industries (now known as Annamalai Industries) which had been facing charges of tax evasion worth Rs 250 crore and seized diary containing incriminating evidences allegedly linking top officials of the State. The case further gained prominence after I-T sleuths stumbled upon letters exchanged between I-T department and top bureaucrats of the State over the case in November 2017.

Tax evasion

The gutka scam came to light on July 8, 2017, when Income Tax sleuths searched offices and residences of Jayem Industries, which had been facing charges of tax evasion worth Rs 250 crore and seized incriminating evidences allegedly linking top officials of the state.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Taking stock of the situation in districts affected by Gaja, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday directed the district administrations to carry out relief and rescue operations on a war-footing while deputing senior ministers to monitor and expedite relief works. He also said a detailed report on the damage would be sent to the Centre soon.

Putting the death toll in rain-related incidents at 13, Palaniswami said Rs 10 lakh each would be given as solatium to the bereaved families. Similarly, Rs 1 lakh each would be given to those who have suffered serious injuries and Rs 25,000 to those who suffered minor injuries.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh called up the CM and enquired him about the situation in the cyclone-affected areas and assured all possible assistance from the Centre in mitigating the situation arising due to the cyclone.

The Union Minister also directed the Home Secretary to monitor the situation and provide all help to the State administration.

During the telephonic conversation, the CM explained that relief works were apace on a war-footing and over 82,000 persons had been moved to relief shelters.

Meanwhile, in a statement here, Palaniswami said he had deputed State Ministers Dindigul C Sreenivasan, P Thangamani, SP Velumani, D Jayakumar and RB Udhayakumar to cyclone-hit districts to coordinate relief works. Already, Ministers R Kamaraj, OS Manian, MC Sampath, C Vijaya Baskar, R Doraikkannu and M Manikandan are on the ground, monitoring relief works in various districts.

The CM said he had deputed the following senior police officers to coordinate policing in cyclone-affected areas: ADGP (hqrs) M Ravi (Thanjavur), ADGP (Welfare) P Thamarai Kannan (Tiruvarur), ADGP (Armed Police), Mohammed Shakeel Akhter (Nagapattinam) and ADGP (Railways) C Sylendra Babu for setting right the damaged railway lines.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Amid high drama and rumours doing rounds from Friday evening regarding the arrest of Hyderabad-based revolutionary writer P Varavara Rao, Pune police arrested him from his Gandhi Nagar residence on Saturday late evening.

This development comes after the High Court at Hyderabad on Friday dismissed Varavara Raos plea to quash the case registered against him at Pune, in connection with the clashes at Bhima Koregaon. The court which told Varavara Rao to approach the Bombay High Court or the appropriate court, also told him to avail the remedies under law since the transit warrant given to the Pune police by a lower court had

become infructuous.

READ: Bhima Koregaon case: Prosecution submits emails to show activists' links with top Maoists

As a preventive measure, police in big numbers including women police from Hyderabad city police were deployed.

Meanwhile, tensed moments unfolded outside Siddamshetty Himasai Heights that houses Varavara Raos residence. His supporters gathered in huge numbers right from the morning and staged a dharna protesting his arrest and terming it as the state and Union governments attempt to shut public voices. They also demanded that they be allowed to meet Varavara Rao before he is arrested.

ALSO READ: Define the term Urban Naxal, asks historian Romila Thapar

Progressive Organisation of Women's (POW) leader Sandhya said if there is a case against him, they will arrest him and do their procedures, but why are we being stopped from entering his house or meeting him. If they are coming to arrest him as per the law, why will we protest? Arresting him itself for false cases is illegal and preventing us from entering is another violation of our rights,  she said.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: The Congress party will be cutting it close, with its final list of candidates for the Assembly elections scheduled for release on Saturday, just two days ahead of the last day for filing nominations. The list is the result of extensive discussions by senior party leaders held in Delhi over the past three days. Congress ally, Telangana Jana Samithi, is also set to announce its candidates on the same day.

While Congress had already announced 75 candidates in two phases, owing to widespread dissent and differences with TJS, the third list has been delayed. With just two more days remaining to file nominations, Congress High Command has decided to announce all its remaining candidates on Saturday.

As there were differences within the party and with TJS over some seats and candidates, the high command had invited everyone concerned for inputs. The central election committee has cleared the final list and even AICC president Rahul Gandhi has given his nod. The final list of candidates will be announced on Saturday, said Telangana Congress in-charge RC Khuntia speaking in Delhi.

RC Khuntia, AICC secretaries in-charge for Telangana and TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy have been camping at Karnataka Bhavan in Delhi over the past two days, to deliberate on the final list. The final list will have names of 19 candidates, as Congress is contesting in a total of 94 constituencies, leaving 25 to its allies. The last list assumes significance as constituencies represented by senior leaders like Ponnala Lakshamaiah, and constituencies sought by allies like LB Nagar and Jangaon, will be announced.

Even as Congress top leaders were working hard, leaving no stone unturned to address the bubbling dissent, and finalise seat sharing and candidates, TJS continued with its resistance. TJS chief Kodandaram expressed his displeasure over Congress not giving seats of their choice. Kodandaram also added to the suspense, saying that Congress had not spoken to him on about the Jangaon ticket, where it was speculated the TJS chief would contest from. He hinted that there could be friendly contests at a couple of seats.

It is learnt that TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy and Kodandaram met on Friday in Hyderabad. However, neither Uttam nor Kodandaram revealed anything about their discussions. According to sources within TJS, both parties have agreed on Medak, Siddipet, Dubbak, Malkajgiri, Wardannapet and Warangal East. The disagreement seems to be over Jangaon and Miryalguda. Meanwhile, it is learnt that Uttam Kumar will file his nomination on Saturday

PIL on delimitation of ceded mandals squashed

Hyderabad: In a relief to ECI and Telangana government, a division bench of the Hyderabad High Court comprising Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan and Justice SV Bhatt on Friday dismissed the PIL filed by Congress leader Marri Shasidhar Reddy seeking to declare the action of the Election Commission of India in proceeding with holding elections to the State assembly without delimiting the Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies related to the seven mandals which were included in the successor state of Andhra Pradesh pursuant to the AP Reorganization Act, 2014, by a suitable amendment to the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order 2008, as illegal. The standing counsel for ECI Avinash Desai submitted that the delimitation process of the seven mandals in Khammam district in Telangana was done in conformity with the AP Reorganization Act, 2014. Taking the submissions of the ECI counsel into consideration, the bench dismissed the PIL.

Nandamuri Suhasini to file nomination today

Hyderabad: TDP candidate for Kukatpally, Nandamuri Suhasini will file her nomination papers on Saturday. Film star MLA and uncle, Nandamuri Balakrishna will be with her on the occasion. The constituency has been allotted to TDP as part of the seat-sharing agreement among Grand Alliance parties. Suhasinis candidature came as a surprise to TDP cadres. Party leader Peddi Reddy, who was miffed at being denied the ticket, met with TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and announced his support for Suhasini.
By PTI

OTTAWA: Canada's postal service issued a plea on Friday for the rest of the world to stop sending in mail as its striking workers rejected the latest contract offer.

Canada Post, facing a huge delivery backlog as the labour unrest looked set to enter a fifth week, recently sweetened its offer to staff in a last-ditch effort to bring the rotating strikes to an end.

This followed a warning from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that his government was prepared to step in to settle the labour dispute ahead of the upcoming holiday season.

His government has faced pressure from online retailers including eBay to legislate an end to the strike before the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events, which start on November 23.

But a spokeswoman for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers told AFP the offer, due to expire on Saturday, was "unsatisfactory" and the union "will not be presenting it to members.

" Canada Post, meanwhile, said a backlog of deliveries that coincided with the start of the strike on October 22 has now extended to mail entering the country.

"As a result, we have been forced to advise international posts, including the United States Postal Service, that we are unable to accept incoming items until further notice," it said in an email.

The two sides have been in contract negotiations for nearly one year, with no success.

The rotating strikes have so far impacted more than 200 communities, including major cities Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver.

In Toronto alone, a record 260 trailers of parcels and packets were waiting to be unloaded, while in Vancouver more than 100 trailers were parked outside its plant.

Canada Post delivers two-thirds of the nation's online shopping and the last six weeks of the year are its busiest due to the holiday rush.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan said Friday that the Pakistani elite was involved in transferring national wealth abroad through money laundering, in a veiled attack on ousted premier Nawaz Sharif.

Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and his son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices.

Talking to a delegation of columnists here, Prime Minister Khan, without naming anyone, said the recent development of tracing the money stashed abroad to the tune of Rs 700 billion shows as to why the former rulers were seeking work permits.

"It is estimated that about a trillion dollars are transferred to rich countries from poor countries like Pakistan," Khan said.

The government has signed agreements with Switzerland, the UK and the US to have information about the ill-gotten money stashed in these countries by Pakistanis, he said.

Khan said his government inherited a huge deficit of current and fiscal account and was endeavouring to overcome the financial crisis.

The government decided to approach friendly countries to deal with this situation and overcame the financial crunch and balance of payments issue, Khan said, adding that his visit to China was highly successful.

"We need permanent solution to strengthen the economy on sound footing," he said.

The government is focusing on four areas including enhancing exports, promoting investment, boosting remittances and curbing the money laundering, Khan said.

Currently remittances worth USD 15 to 20 billion are being received through legal channels whereas almost same amount is being channelised through illegal means including Hawala, he said.

The expatriate Pakistanis were being facilitated to remit money through banking channels to enhance national revenues, Khan said.

Talking about massive losses in state-owned entities, he said unfortunately no one ever made any effort to promote true democracy in the country.

Khan said "kleptocracy was promoted wherein the rulers abused their powers for their own vested interests".

Sharif, 68, was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case in July, 2017 and subsequently jailed for 10 years in Avenfield corruption case.

His sentence was, however, suspended.

The three-time former prime minister and his family have denied any wrongdoing.
The Chinese market regulator is investigating the merger of two ride-hailing businesses, Didi and Uber's China branch, in accordance with the anti-monopoly law and regulations, an official said Friday.

Wu Zhenguo, head of the Anti-Monopoly Bureau of the State Administration for Market Regulation, told a press conference that the administration is working to comprehensively assess the deal's impact on competition and development of the industry.

China will crack down hard on monopolistic activity that damages consumer rights, Wu said.

Didi took over its U.S. rival's China business in August 2016, sparking concern over potential monopoly. The Ministry of Commerce said a month later it was investigating the merger.

The government pays high attention to competition in the new economy and adopts an inclusive and prudent regulatory principle, Wu said. "[China] gives full play to market competition for stronger innovative impetus in internet sectors, and works to strengthen regulatory rules and systems as well."

Wu pledged efforts to prevent market monopoly and barriers and to protect public interests.

During the press conference, the official also stressed that China's antitrust investigations are open and transparent, and that all market players, no matter state-owned, private or foreign-funded, receive equal treatment.

Forty-one percent of the antitrust cases handled by the former State Administration for Industry and Commerce target state-owned firms, while only less than 11 percent involve foreign companies, Wu said.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: India has sought from the US 24 multi-role MH-60 'Romeo' anti-submarine helicopters for its Navy at an estimated cost of USD 2 billion, defence industry sources here said Friday.

India has been in need of these formidable anti-submarine hunter helicopters for more than a decade now.

The deal is expected to be finalised in a few months, informed sources told PTI, days after US Vice President Mike Pence held a successful meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Singapore on the sidelines of a regional summit.

India has sent a letter of request to the US for an "urgent requirement" of 24 multi-role helicopters MH 60 Romeo Seahawk, sources said.

In recent months, there has been an acceleration in defence ties between the two countries, with the Trump administration opening up America's high-tech military hardware for India's defence needs.

Bilateral defence relationship was on top of the agenda of the Modi-Pence meeting in Singapore on Wednesday.

The meeting is likely to be followed by a summit-level bilateral between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump in Argentina on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting on November 30 and December 1.

Neither side has confirmed the meeting yet. According to sources, the MH-60 Romeo deal is expected to have an offset requirement.

Sources indicated that India plans to follow up this urgent requirement with a long-term plan to manufacture 123 of these helicopters in India.

Currently deployed with the US Navy as the primary anti-submarine warfare anti-surface weapon system for open ocean and littoral zones, Lockheed Martin's MH-60R Seahawk helicopter is considered the world's most advanced maritime helicopter.

According to industry experts, it is the most capable naval helicopter available today designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers.

MH-60 Romeo Seahawks would add lethal capabilities of the Indian Navy, which experts say is the need of the hour given the aggressive behaviour of China in the Indian Ocean region.

Lockheed over the years has emerged as a major American supplier of state-of-the-art defence military equipment.

"With this Seahawk deal the overall US-India defense trade will surpass USD 20 billion," an industry source said.

"The pipeline of opportunities for US defense firms can result in another USD 5 billion of sales in the next few years," the source added.

According to US Naval Air System Command, the MH-60R Seahawk missions are anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, surveillance, communications relay, combat search and rescue, naval gunfire support and logistics support.

As the Navy's next generation submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk is considered to be the cornerstone of the Navy's Helicopter Concept of Operations.

The MH-60R and its mission systems have replaced the US naval fleet's legacy SH-60B and SH-60F aircraft.
By Online Desk

A French woman has been sentenced to two years in jail for negligence after she was found guilty of keeping her baby hidden in maggot-infested boot of her car.

Rosa-Maria Da Cruz (50), a mother of four originally from Portugal, is accused of keeping her youngest daughter Serena hidden in the boot until she was nearly two, leaving her with serious learning disabilities.

The case was discovered in 2013, when a mechanic discovered the infant in the boot of the car while repairing it. The mechanic discovered that the baby was naked, filthy and dehydrated. She was also surrounded by excrement and maggots.

After a week-long jury trial a court in town of Tulle sentenced Da Cruz to five years in jail, three years of which were suspended, and ordered that she be monitored by social services for five years and receive psychiatric treatment.

Da Cruzs partner, Domingos Sampaio Alves, an unemployed bricklayer, insisted he had no idea his partner had given birth to another child.

She and Alves were allowed to keep their three older children, whom a paediatrician described in court as having been perfectly raised.

During the trial it emerged that she had had initially hidden the pregnancies of two of her other children from her partner, not wanting to face reality.

Serena, who turns seven next week and is in foster care, suffers from severe mental impairments, including irreversible autism, which medical experts have linked to sensory deprivation during her early months.

(With inputs from AFP)
By UNI

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Lahore, has refuted the allegations of former Punjab University vice-chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran.

Dr Kamran who has been on bail in an illegal appointments case alleged in an interview to a private TV channel that the NAB was involved in torture of suspects.

He alleged a suspect (Haji Nadim) in the Paragon Housing case was tortured before his family members. He also alleged that NAB had fixed cameras even in washrooms, reports Dawn.

Kamran said, "He was not allowed to meet with his family members and it forced him to sleep on floor in his cell".

He said former secretary to the Prime Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad had told him (in NAB Lahore) that the bureau had offered him to become approver against PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif.

Responding to Kamran's allegations, a NAB spokesman said since the case against him had been in the court, the bureau would fight it there.

"However, his allegations are baseless and concocted. Fawad Hasan Fawad had been shifted to jail on physical remand before the arrest of Dr Kamran. Similarly, Haji Nadim (who according to Kamran was subjected to torture) had been shifted to jail on judicial remand in June 18, more than three months before the arrest of Kamran," it said, adding the bureau allowed Kamran's wife to meet him every day and got his medical check-up on a daily basis.

He said Kamran was allowed to sleep on floor on his own request as he said he had a backache issue. The NAB advised Mr Kamran to better fight his case in court instead of media.

The NAB had arrested Dr Kamran and four other former administrative officials of the Punjab University over allegations of corruption, illegal appointments and nepotism on Oct 18. The main charge they are facing is 550 illegal appointments, mostly grade 17 and above between 2013 and 2016.

Dr Kamran was also accused of illegally appointing his second wife Dr Shazia Qureshi as principal of the Punjab University Law College (PULC). NAB earned the ire of the Supreme Court chief justice following the five teachers' appearance in court in handcuffs.

Later the NAB chairman suspended a senior official and repatriated the judicial personnel to their parent department on the matter.
By IANS

LONDON: UK's Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday chose a replacement Brexit secretary a day after the previous incumbent quit over the Conservative Party leader's provisional deal on the UK's withdrawal from the European Union.

May brought Stephen Barclay, a former health minister, into the cabinet, where he is to take over from Dominic Raab, who was one of two senior government officials, alongside work and pensions secretary, Esther McVey, to resign in protest of May's draft deal.

"The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Stephen Barclay MP to be Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union," a Downing Street statement said, reports Efe.

Former Home Secretary Amber Rudd replaced McVey.

Barclay campaigned in favor of Brexit ahead of the 2016 referendum.

Michael Gove, the current environment secretary, had been hotly tipped to replace Raab but announced earlier that he would remain in his cabinet post.

May now faced the tough challenge of pushing her proposed deal through the House of Commons, the lower chamber of UK lawmaking.

The UK was set to leave the EU on March 29, 2019.
By PTI

HALIFAX: The top US military officer said Saturday that it's problematic that American tech companies don't want to work with the Pentagon but are willing to engage with the Chinese.

US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford told the Halifax International Security Forum that the US and its allies are the "good guys."

"I have a hard time with companies that are working very hard to engage in the market inside China, then don't want to work with the US military," he said.

"I just have a simple expression: "We are the good guys."

Earlier this year, thousands signed a petition asking Google's chief executive to cancel Project Maven, which provides the Pentagon with the company's artificially intelligent algorithms to interpret video images and improve the targeting of drone strikes.

Google later said it would scuttle the project, according to published reports.

Dunford avoided mentioning Google by name but said companies that share intellectual property with Chinese entrepreneurs are essentially sharing it with the Chinese military.

Google is reportedly worked on a mobile version of its search engine that will comply with strict censorship controls in China.

"This is not about doing something that's unethical, illegal or immoral," he said.

"This is about ensuring that we collectively can defend the values for which we stand. That would be the argument I make to the tech companies."

Dunford said the US has had a competitive advantage since World War II because of public and private cooperation and noted that whoever masters artificial intelligence will have an edge in combat.

The Halifax International Security Forum attracts US military officials, senators, diplomats and scholars and is marking its tenth anniversary this year.

At the forum, a stirring video tribute was played of late Sen. John McCain.

McCain was a regular at the forum and his wife, Cindy, presented an award Saturday in his honor to the people of Lesbos, Greece for their work welcoming refugees.

"We've lost his voice now at a time when it was most needed," Cindy McCain said.

"It's up to us, now."
Chinese President Xi Jinping is delivering a keynote speech at the 26th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in Port Moresby, capital of Papua New Guinea (PNG), on Saturday.

During his speech, President Xi praised openness and cooperation between APEC economies, calling for a continued commitment to openness.

President Xi said that the world is undergoing major transformations and facing many challenges, and that mankind must decide between cooperation and competition.

Global growth is under the shadow of protectionism and unilateralism and we should take an inclusive approach and encourage interaction, Xi added.

This year's APEC is held in the Pacific island country of Papua New Guinea with the theme of "Harnessing Inclusive Opportunities, Embracing the Digital Future" and will run through Sunday.

Leaders and representatives from 21 member economies are expected to engage in discussions focusing on building common ground on trade to ensure economic growth, employment and better quality of life for people in the region.
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Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich).
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Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
A Fijian farmer learns Juncao technology at a demonstration center. Photo by Qu Xiangyu from Peoples Daily

Chinese President Xi Jinping, ahead of his state visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG), published a signed article on Wednesday titled "Set Sail on a New Voyage for Relations between China and Pacific Island Countries" on Post-Courier and The National, two newspapers.

Eighteen years ago when I was Governor of China's Fujian Province, I personally pushed for a demonstration project to help the Eastern Highland Province of Papua New Guinea with mushroom and upland rice planting. I am glad to learn that this project, still in operation to this day, has produced good economic and social benefits for the local community and become a success story in the growth of China-Papua New Guinea relations, Xi wrote.

The presidents words have drawn worldwide attention to Chinese Juncao technology (Jun means mushroom and Cao means grass).

Besides PNG, the Juncao technology is also prospering in other Pacific island countries. Former governor PetiLafanama of PNGs Eastern Highlands Province told Peoples Daily that the Chinese mushroom and rice technology has pulled local peopleout of the threat of famine, and increased their incomes.

A Fijian child shows his homemade mushrooms. Photo by Qu Xiangyu from Peoples Daily

China launched the Juncao project in PNG in 2000. The Juncao technology was invented by Lin Zhanxi, a professor at China's Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University. It cultivates edible and medicinal mushroom from special wild grass so that trees need not to be cut for mushroom growing. It is conducive to sustainable agricultural development.

Considering the underdeveloped local economy, Lin and his team repeatedly simplified the technology so that farmers could learn fast and grow high-qualitymushrooms.

Under the efforts of the Chinese technicians, Juncao technology was spread to 10 districts in three provinces of PNG. Juncao has become a very popular crop in the country thanks to its low cost and operability.

Under the help of Chinese experts, the Eastern Highland Province started growing rice for the first time in history. The Chinese experts also set two world records by developing a rice variety that can yield up to 8.5 tons per hectare, and a new planting technology that reaped 13 harvests in a year.

Farmers of the Pacific island countries, including Fiji, are becoming richer through planting Juncao, said professor Wu Shaofeng from an aided Juncao technology demonstration center in Fiji.

The crude protein content in mushroom grass equals to that in silage corn, Wu introduced. It is a favorite food of the herds that a hectare of mushroom grass can feed 30 cattle or 300 goats. As a result, the cattle and goat slaughter was substantively raised.

The aided Juncao center in Fiji, pushed by President Xi Jinping, is a technical assistance project jointly approved by leaders of the two countries. The aim for the project is to combine the traditional method of growing fungi on grass with the new mode of feeding livestock with mushroom grass through technical training and demonstration.

A Chinese expert teaches mushroom planting technology to Fijian farmers. Photo by Qu Xiangyu from Peoples Daily

It will increase income for farmers in not only Fiji, but also other countries in the southern Pacific region. Additionally, the environment-friendly approach offers a new way to deal with climate change and helps achieve sustainable development.

So far, the project has trained 938 local people and sent 45 Fijian agriculture officials and technicians to Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University for study.

Currently, more than 600 Fijian households are growing Juncao and mushrooms, and relevant products have been sold at local bazaars, and to restaurants and hotels. Juncao technology has been promoted to research stations under the Fijian Ministry of Agriculture, as well as animal husbandry enterprises and local households, lowering death rate of livestock in dry seasons.

A Fijian farmer surnamed Boer started growing Juncao about three years ago. He said more Fijians are falling in love with mushrooms as the crop has been greatly popularized by the Juncao project and local agriculture associations. Boer said his monthly income keeps rising, and sometimes it could reach as high as 10,000 Fijian dollars, or 31,000 yuan.

Chinas Juncao technology has been promoted to 105 countries across the world since 1992. Thirteen countries, including Thailand, Malaysia, Fiji, PNG, South Africa, Rwanda, Lesotho and Eritrea have established demonstration and industry development bases of Juncao projects, which has greatly promoted economic and social progress, Lin introduced.
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Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey).
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Julie Wurth is a reporter covering the University of Illinois at The News-Gazette. Her email is jwurth@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@jawurth).
Financial Secretary Paul Chan

The construction industry contributes more than 5% to Hong Kong's GDP, while employing about 9% of our workforce.

The results are visible, and visibly impressive. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, now the world's longest sea crossing, was commissioned only last month. The previous month, the Express Rail Link, connecting Hong Kong to the national high speed railway network, opened for business - and pleasure as well. Next year, the Liangtang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Crossing Facility will be up and running.

From a regional perspective, these links enhance our overall connectivity with the Mainland. In particular, they deepen our integration with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, while strengthening our singular position as Asia's world city.

During the construction stage, these infrastructure projects expand employment opportunities. And, upon completion, they boost economic prospects and improve our overall living environment.

It's not surprising, then, that the Government's annual infrastructural investment has soared from about HK$20 billion to more than HK$80 billion over the past decade. In the coming five years, the contract value of public and private construction works in Hong Kong altogether is estimated to reach HK$250 billion to HK$300 billion per year.

One of the upcoming major infrastructure projects we have in our plan is of course the Lantau Tomorrow Vision.

The plan will see artificial islands developed in stages. These could provide about 260,000 to 400,000 housing units, with about 70% as public housing, accommodating a population ranging from about 700,000 to as much as 1.1 million.

We will also build Hong Kong's third core business district on the artificial islands, creating some 340,000 employment opportunities.

We therefore need your help, to be sure. A stable supply of quality construction materials is essential for the upcoming reclamation projects  and for the many other infrastructure projects in the planning stage or on the horizon that will give shape and substance to Hong Kong in this 21st century.

The future must be built on productivity, on quality, safety and environmental performance. This demands innovation  from you, and from the construction industry as a whole.

That's why the Government now advocates "Construction 2.0", smart movement towards automation, industrialisation and digitalisation.

I'm pleased to hear that your industry has been developing, and promoting, the use of environmental and sustainable construction materials.

The adoption of manufactured sand to replace natural sand in cement plastering and reclamation work is a good case in point. M-sand, a by-product of aggregate production, is an environmentally friendly material in comparison with natural sand.

Since last month, the Development Bureau mandated the use of M-sand for plastering, rendering and screeding in new public works contracts. Working with the materials industry, the Government is exploring a wider application of M-sand and other green materials, including recycled glass and bitumen, in Hong Kong construction.

I understand that your association, working with a Rebar Processing Solution Committee, is promoting the use of off-site steel prefabrication. That's a step in the right direction. And the recently launched HK$1 billion Construction Innovation & Technology Fund will support the wider application of innovative construction methods and technology. Indeed, the use of prefabricated steel products is a designated item under the fund.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan gave these remarks at the Construction Materials Association Annual Dinner on November 13.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam

It has always been my conviction that Hong Kong's fundamentals are strong and Hong Kong people are talented. Despite being a small and open economy susceptible to global uncertainties, we are blessed with deep capital markets and a robust regulatory framework that will minimise any financial fallout. Indeed, the Hong Kong banking sector performed well in the first half of 2018. Of course in the same way the Hong Kong economy performed well in the first half of 2018, making a real growth of 4%. The aggregate profit of retail banks increased by nearly 25% in the first half of this year, year-on-year, while capital and liquidity positions remained strong. The average capital adequacy ratio of locally incorporated banks stood at 19.4%, well above the international minimum requirement of 8%.

But I believe the banking sector, like other sectors, will benefit from a more proactive government that stands ready to not only provide public service or regulate the market, but serve as a "facilitator" to create an environment that will enable our financial services sector to flourish while also acting as a "promoter" to market Hong Kong's strengths and competitiveness. Talking about promotion, I have brought with me a new publication on Hong Kong's financial connectivity and you can all pick up a copy when you leave this luncheon. We also need to play a more tech-savvy role to encourage innovation and technology in the banking sector. With this objective in mind, financial technology, or fintech, is a priority of my Government. As I outlined in my Policy Address last month, the Government believes in fintech. In order to accelerate its development, we have adopted a five-pronged approach: promotion, facilitation, regulation, talent and funding.

New-era payment system

Our long-awaited Faster Payment System is very much part of that approach. Launched in September, it sets in motion a new era for payment. The system is unique in supporting multi-currencies, instant payments on a round-the-clock basis and full connectivity between banks and stored-value facility operators. A common QR code standard was also launched. This enables retail payments across a variety of e-wallets, offering convenience to merchants and customers alike. By providing an open platform for access by retail banks and stored value facility operators in Hong Kong, the faster payment system provides a level playing field for healthy competition among banks and payment service providers, promoting innovation and bringing a more efficient and user-friendly service to the public, which will in turn benefit the banking industry as well. At last count, 21 banks and 10 stored-value facility operators have embraced the system. As the system is still young, we will need to work together - government, regulators, the banking industry and the business community in general - to ensure that the system runs seamlessly for all concerned.

Another important development is the promotion of virtual banking, a much anticipated innovation with the promise of promoting financial inclusion by serving the retail segment, including SMEs. More than 60 local and overseas companies have indicated interest in applying for a virtual bank licence, and about 30 applications have been received to date. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is now evaluating the applications and hopes to begin granting licences to virtual banks by the first quarter of next year.

As the Belt & Road Initiative gains momentum, demand for Hong Kong's financial services will surely proliferate. To help manage the demand, and create a clearing house for market information and communications, the HKMA set up the Infrastructure Financing Facilitation Office, the IFFO. To date, more than 90 stakeholders, including many from the banking sector, have joined the office as partners. Indeed, the Hong Kong Association of Banks, in co-operation with the Office, organised in May a "Building a Sustainable Belt & Road" seminar, focusing on the potential for Belt & Road "partnership between Hong Kong banks and development banks".

My Government is also working to promote Hong Kong's advantages. We have many, from our extensive corporate and investment banking networks to our deep capital markets, including the world's largest offshore renminbi market, and sophisticated financial and business services. Add our competitive and simple tax regime, and excellent communications and transportation networks, and it's clear we have what it takes to manage the treasury activities of multinational and Mainland corporations investing in the Belt & Road.

To create an even more tax-friendly environment for corporate treasury operations, we recently amended the Inland Revenue Ordinance, allowing interest deductions under profits tax for corporate treasury centres. The amendment also reduces the profits tax of qualifying entities by 50%. Industry feedback has been positive, with more than 140 corporations benefiting to date.

Risk management is essential to the projects of the Belt & Road, and we have the potential to emerge as the Belt & Road's risk management centre. A number of multinational insurers and reinsurers in Hong Kong have the experience and knowledge to underwrite major infrastructure risks. In this regard, the Insurance Authority and the China Banking & Insurance Regulatory Commission have come to an agreement. When a Mainland insurer cedes business to a qualified Hong Kong professional reinsurer, the capital requirements of the Mainland insurer will be reduced. This will increase the competitiveness of Hong Kong reinsurers in capturing reinsurance business ceded by Mainland insurers.

Greater Bay Area potential

The Insurance Authority is also setting up the Belt & Road Insurance Facilitation Platform. It will bring together key stakeholders to provide insurance and reinsurance services. It will also help Mainland companies taking part in Belt & Road projects find the insurance services they need right here in Hong Kong.

As for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, with nearly 70 million people and a collective GDP of about US$1.5 trillion, Hong Kong as an international financial centre is well placed to provide the financial services to support its development.

While physical connectivity in the Greater Bay Area has been much enhanced by the recent opening of two major cross-boundary infrastructure projects - the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed train and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, we plan to boost demand for cross-boundary financial services, thereby creating more opportunities for the financial services sector. We are also exploring ways to provide more financial services to Hong Kong residents living in the Greater Bay Area, from simplifying procedures for opening a bank account to allowing the use of Hong Kong e-wallets.

Indeed, some connectivity has already taken place. Hong Kong Fintech Week, which ended early this month, illustrates the promise of innovation and technology for Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. This five-day event, which drew more than 8,000 professionals from more than 50 economies, became the world's first cross-border fintech gathering, moving the proceedings to Shenzhen on the final day.

It's estimated that there are about 35 companies in the Greater Bay Area with a value of more than US$100 billion. My Government is committed to enhancing the competitiveness of our financial services sector so as to unleash the potential of these Greater Bay Area companies. We are determined to stay ahead of the curve, welcoming a new economic environment, while making Hong Kong's listing platform more attractive to issuers from a great variety of jurisdictions. That's why, earlier this year, we expanded our listing regime to allow the listing of companies from emerging and innovative sectors. As at the end of October, two companies with dual-class share and four pre-revenue biotech companies have listed on our stock exchange under the new regime. And by the way, also for the first 10 months of this year, Hong Kong ranked the world's number one in terms of funds raised through IPOs amounting to HK$250 billion.

The Greater Bay Area development is a great opportunity to cement our position as the key international gateway to the Mainland. With the support of the Central Government, multiple mutual access arrangements between Hong Kong and Mainland financial markets are in place. The launch of Stock Connect, Bond Connect and the mutual recognition of funds arrangement over the last few years are testimony to Hong Kong's indispensable role in the internationalisation of the renminbi and the opening up of the Mainland markets. And it was gratifying to hear President Xi himself acknowledging Hong Kong's contributions. Through the Greater Bay Area, we hope to expand further the channels for two-way, cross-border renminbi fund flow, strengthening financial co-operation within the region.

These, and many other promising opportunities, cannot become reality without the talent to drive them. With that in mind, I welcome the HKMA's recommendation which we have accepted to establish an Academy of Finance in Hong Kong in mid-2019. The academy will develop tomorrow's financial leaders, while serving as a centre for monetary and financial research.

The HKMA also launched the Fintech Career Accelerator Scheme with the Hong Kong Applied Science & Technology Research Institute and 12 banks in 2017-18 to expand the fintech talent pool in Hong Kong. The accelerator scheme was upgraded in January this year to help nurture talent at varying degrees of career development, offering a full-time placement programme, summer internships and a graduate programme organised with Cyberport and Hong Kong Science Park.

We also welcome fintech talent from the Mainland and overseas. Indeed, Hong Kong's first Talent List, which was launched in September to attract quality people from around the world in a more effective and focused manner to support Hong Kong's development, features 11 targeted professions, including fintech.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am confident that talent, coupled with the unwavering commitment of this Government as well as yours, will bring the banking and financial services sector as well as the Hong Kong economy to new heights. I look forward to working closely with you all as we take forward initiatives to consolidate Hong Kong's leading position as an international financial centre.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam gave these remarks at the Hong Kong Association of Banks Distinguished Speaker Luncheon on November 14.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is expected to inaugurate on Saturday the UN Biodiversity conference(COP 14) in the Egyptian Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh on Saturday, Presidency Spokesperson Bassam Rady said.

The Conference kicked off four days after African ministerial meetings discussed the continent's biodiversity priorities and future work plans.

According to Rady, Egypt is the first Arab and African country to host this event "which is the largest international conference of the United Nations in the conservation of biodiversity and ecological systems."

The conference is expected to discuss key measures to speed up actions to advance the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and review progress made towards its 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets, a set of agreed objectives on biodiversity conservation and sustainable use to be reached by 2020.

The gathering, which runs from 17 to 29 November, also aims to develop a post 2020 global framework on biodiversity to be adopted in Beijing, China, where the next round of the conference will be held.

Rady said that the conference is an important platform for enhancing cooperation and partnership among people from around the world to increase awareness about the importance of biodiversity.

The conference, chaired by Egypt until 2020, "will put more weight to Egypt's vision in related policies and decision-making, which will further enhance the country's leading role in this important field and reflect its interest in sustainable development issues thus attracting foreign investments to this sector," Rady added.

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Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung

Hong Kong is an open and free market. For 24 consecutive years, Hong Kong has topped the Heritage Foundations Index of Economic Freedom. In the 2018 Index, Hong Kong came first in a number of categories, including business freedom, trade freedom, financial freedom and fiscal health.

Freedom is not just a privilege enjoyed by large and established corporations. Across the city, small and medium enterprises thrive, and startups are bourgeoning. To provide a level-playing field for businesses to grow, Hong Kong establishes safeguards and regulations needed for healthy competition to take place, so that good performers stand a fair chance to win market share, while those who cannot make it can try again. For this reason, Hong Kong has long been amongst the top five markets in the World Banks Ease of Doing Business global ranking, which places great emphasis on market health for small and medium enterprises.

Competition safeguards

One key building block to maintaining a level-playing field in Hong Kong is our competition regime. Competition is a key driver of growth and one of the pillars of a vibrant economy. A robust competition regime ensures that the most efficient and innovative market players, big or small, can thrive, and new players may also enter the market with no barrier. To this end, the Competition Ordinance in Hong Kong came into full effect in 2015. The ordinance prohibits anti-competitive practices such as bid-rigging, price-fixing, market-sharing and abuse of market power. It is gradually making its mark across the economy.

Established under the ordinance as an independent authority, the Competition Commission has achieved a number of important milestones across its various facets of work, including taking a number of anti-competitive cases to court, in less than three years. Besides enforcement, the Competition Commission has also spared no effort in public education and giving sector-specific advice on compliance. As a result, both the business sector and the general public in Hong Kong are increasingly aware of the ordinance and how it works. There have also been concrete changes in business practices and culture. I trust that you would agree with me that rather than tying the hands of businesses, the Competition Ordinance provides better safeguards for them to develop and expand freely in Hong Kong.

The HKSAR Government never takes Hong Kong's economic freedom for granted. It is the bedrock of our success, the basis for growth, and the prerequisite for economic and social progress. In practice, this means regulations should be made and implemented to the effect that companies are not subject to unreasonable compliance risks and can realise their full potential as compliant businesses.

Balanced regulation

In deciding whether to regulate and if so, how much, Government bureaus and departments need to strike the right balance between protecting the citizen and limiting the impact on those being regulated, especially small, medium and micro businesses. Considering what form of regulation if any is needed throughout the legislative process requires careful regulatory impact assessments.

The purpose of regulatory impact assessments is to explain the objective of the regulatory proposal, the risks being addressed and the likely costs and benefits of options for delivering the objective. To this end, the HKSAR Government has a long-established mechanism to assess the implications of legislative proposals from different perspectives. The key elements include evaluating a range of options, including not regulating, and encouraging self-regulation where feasible. If regulation is needed, relevant policy bureau and departments need to consider how to ensure compliance by those affected.

While many believe that regulation can safeguard citizens, promote a prosperous economy and protect the environment, regulation can also impose costs on businesses, charities, voluntary organisations, and ultimately the citizen. And the effort involved in understanding and implementing new regulations can bear particularly heavily on small, medium and even micro businesses that are more vulnerable to changes in the business environment.

This is the reason why Government policy bureaus and departments are required to assess thoroughly the impact of every legislative proposal, including whether it is in conformity with the Basic Law as well as relevant provisions on human rights, any impact on the binding effect of the existing laws, as well as implications on the financial, economic, productivity, environmental, sustainability, family, gender and civil service. An assessment of the implications of a legislative proposal needs to be set out clearly in writing for consideration during the legislative process.

The HKSAR Government takes it upon itself to ensure that legislative proposals are put through proper and thorough consultation with the public, which includes the business community. In addition, the Legislative Council maintains its critical function of scrutinising bills and subsidiary legislation for any unintended or adverse impact on the business or other sectors. This system keeps regulatory impacts in check for business in Hong Kong.

Pragmatic government

Indeed, the current-term Government takes a pragmatic approach to "care", "listen" and "act" while being "innovative", "interactive" and "collaborative" in implementing our policy initiatives proactively. A case in point is the proposal to abolish the arrangement for "offsetting" severance payments and long service payments with Mandatory Provident Fund benefits. As you are aware, the Government has decided to further enhance the Governments financial support for employers, particularly the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

We will extend the period of the second-tier subsidy to 25 years. Together with the 12-year first-tier subsidy, the financial commitment of the entire government subsidy scheme will be significantly increased to $29.3 billion. We believe that the arrangement of significantly extending the period and increasing the commitment will go a long way in helping MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) make preparation relating to possible severance payments or long service payments payable by them.

Another good example is the proposal to extend the statutory maternity leave from the current 10 weeks to 14 weeks. If an employee is entitled to maternity leave pay under the Employment Ordinance, the employer will, together with the current 10 weeks statutory maternity leave pay, also provide her with maternity leave pay for the additional four weeks statutory maternity leave. The rate will be maintained at four-fifths of the employees average daily wages and be subject to a cap of $36,822 per employee. The cap may be adjusted from time to time. Employers may apply to the Government for reimbursement of the additional four weeks statutory maternity leave pay.

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung gave these remarks at the "Designing an Effective Regulatory Impact Assessment Framework for Hong Kong" seminar hosted by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce on November 15.
Mrs Lam (front right) attends the APEC Business Advisory Council Dialogue with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (front, second right), Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (front, second left) and Deputy US Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish (front left).

Chief Executive Carrie Lam (second left) attends the APEC CEO Summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam attended Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea today.

Mrs Lam joined the Women Political Leaders Breakfast Roundtable on the sidelines of the APEC meetings and shared with the participants the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Governments initiatives and family-friendly measures to provide equal opportunities for women's development.

She then spoke at a discussion session on the workforce of the future at the APEC CEO Summit.

Mrs Lam noted the HKSAR Government attaches great importance to education including free quality kindergarten education, life-wide learning and STEM education as Hong Kong needs talent and a labour force to maintain its competitiveness and advance economic development.

She added that the Government will strengthen support and create a favourable environment for start-ups as they will be pivotal to the economy in the future.

Mrs Lam attended other CEO Summit sessions that followed and listened to speeches by President Xi Jinping and leaders of the other economies.

During an afternoon meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Mrs Lam said trade between Hong Kong and Malaysia grew remarkably last year and quite a number of Malaysian students choose to study in the city.

The Chief Executive said she hopes co-operation and exchanges in various areas between the two places will continue to be strengthened.

Mrs Lam also took part in the APEC Business Advisory Council Dialogue with Leaders to exchange views on the multilateral trading system, inclusive economic growth, digital and innovation development and APECs future work.

She then participated in the APEC Leaders' Dialogue with Pacific Island Leaders to learn how APECs member economies and Pacific island countries can work together to meet the challenges posed by climate change.

The Chief Executive also attended a gala dinner hosted by Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill for leaders of various economies.
CHIEF Justice Luke Malaba yesterday breathed fire over some magistrates lackadaisical approach to high profile corruption cases, which has resulted in the collapse of cases and unjustified release of suspects on bail.



Addressing 46 magistrates manning the Special Anti-Corruption Courts at a training workshop in Harare, the judiciary boss said the lax approach by some magistrates was tantamount to laundering of criminals.



The two-day training meant to sharpen magistrates skills on how to effectively preside over corruption cases was attended by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi and other key players in the criminal justice system.



Minister Ziyambi, Police Acting Commissioner General Stephen Mutamba, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commissions head of investigation Mr Lovemore Findi and Zimbabwe Law Development Commission deputy chair, Mr Jonathan Zowa, presented papers at the crucial anti-graft training workshop.







Chief Justice Malaba urged judicial officers to treat graft cases with the seriousness they deserved.

The call came at a time Zimbabweans were criticising the entire justice delivery system over making noise when arresting public figures for corruption, but failing to effectively prosecute.





When people are arrested for corruption, a lot of noise is made, said Chief Justice Malaba. The next thing we hear of the granting of bail without good reasons. Some of the cases ended with some order for permanent stay of prosecution.





Do you think we can safely say we have a functionary criminal justice system under the circumstances? All the system would have done is to launder the criminals. Let us not be placed in the roles of facilitating the laundering of criminals.





Chief Justice Malaba called for severe penalties for those convicted of corruption cases so that the punishment is deterrent.





Where an accused person has been properly convicted of corruption, the sentences imposed by the courts must reflect the Governments and the societys expectations on the punishment to be meted out to offenders, he said.





To that end, severe penalties must follow every conviction for such offences.

Chief Justice Malaba said magistrates should not allow themselves to be captured by financially powerful criminals because they will end up making funny decisions that impact negatively on the security and the economy of the country.





Do not let the politics of corruption and power influence you, he said. At the end of the day, you make funny decisions. We have the laws to effectively deal with corruption, we have the systems in place, we have the body (magistrate) but we do not have the mind. The mind is being manipulated. It is being used by criminals.





Chief Justice Malaba urged magistrates to turn a blind eye on the status of an accused person, but to deal with the case brought before them in terms of the law.





You are not there to be influenced by the status of the person before you, he said. Have I not seen him on television? Is he not a minister?

Once you think of the status of the accused person, just know that you have lost it as a judicial officer.





You do not think of the person before you, but look at the allegations before you, what the law says and do justice. Once you do that, then be rest assured of our support and protection.





Chief Justice Malaba urged magistrates to be in control and not to succumb to the delaying tactics by some legal practitioners or prosecutors who always sought postponement of cases.





To be honest with you, we are acting unconstitutionally, he said.

Every case by virtue of the constitutional demand, must be expeditiously dealt with. There is no option. You are the presiding officer and you are in charge of the proceedings. If you have been allowing defence counsel to cause havoc in your court, that is the very basis of failure to understand your job. You have the responsibility to put a stop to all this. Who has the power of remand? It is you. It is neither the prosecutor nor the legal practitioner. They will, of course, abuse you if you do not know how powerful you are as a magistrate. That is the game of corruption. If you continue remanding cases when the witnesses are there, frustrating them and the investigations are complete, that is what we call corruption. Herald
(Newser)  Two portraits of Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher are emerging. In one, the highly decorated Navy SEAL is a coolheaded leader, medic, and sniper, who as his wife tells the New York Times, is that guy who runs into the burning building when other people are running out. In the other, Gallagher, who served eight combat tours, is alleged to be an unhinged war criminal who indiscriminately shot at civilians and posed with the bloody corpse of a teenage prisoner who he had stabbed to death. Gallagher, who returned from his last deployment in Iraq in May of last year, stands charged with 14 criminal counts, the Navy Times reports, including murder, aggravated assault, obstructing justice, and drug charges.

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Prosecutors outlined those chargesall of which Gallagher deniesthis week in a two-day Article 32 hearing at Naval Base San Diego. Accounts from other SEALs presented during the hearing include Gallagher gunning down a girl and an old man and shooting into civilian crowds, among other alleged atrocities. Some said they tampered with Gallaghers rifle to make it less accurate to protect civilians. Gallagher also is accused of trying to intimidate other SEALs to keep them quiet. During the hearing, held to determine whether Gallagher will go to trial, Gallaghers defense lawyer argued that the charges are falselies and rumors cooked up by SEALs under his command who chaffed at his gruff leadership style and wanted him to be removed. (Two SEALs and two Marines are charged with murder in the death of an Army Green Beret.)
(Newser)  It's over in Georgia: Stacey Abrams called a press conference Friday to acknowledge that Republican Brian Kemp will be the state's next governor, reports Politico. But Abrams made clear that she thinks Kemp, who oversaw the election as secretary of state, is guilty of foul play. "To watch an elected official who claims to represent the people in this state baldly pin his hopes for election on the suppression of the peoples democratic right to vote has been truly appalling, Abrams said, per the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

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So, lets be clear," she said. "This is not a speech of concession. Because concession means to acknowledge an action is right, true or proper. As a woman of conscience and faith, I cannot concede that. But my assessment is the law currently allows no further viable remedy. Abrams, who had been vying to become the nation's first black female governor, accused Kemp of "gross mismanagement" of the election, per the AP. Still, she said she would pray for his success. Kemp, for his part, praised his opponent's "passion, hard work, and commitment to public service." (Read more Stacey Abrams stories.)
(Newser)  Argentina's navy announced early Saturday that searchers found the missing submarine ARA San Juan deep in the Atlantic a year after it disappeared with 44 crewmen aboard. The vessel was detected 2,625 feet deep in waters off the Valdes Peninsula in Argentine Patagonia, the statement said. The navy said a "positive identification" had been made by a remote-operated submersible from the American ship Ocean Infinity, which was hired for the latest search for the missing vessel, per the AP. The discovery was announced just two days after families of the missing sailors held a commemoration one year after the sub disappeared on Nov. 15, 2017. The San Juan was returning to its base in Mar del Plata when contact was lost. Argentina had given up hope of finding survivors after an intense search aided by 18 countries, but the navy had continued searching for the vessel.

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The German-built diesel-electric TR-1700-class submarine was commissioned in the mid-1980s and was most recently refitted between 2008 and 2014. During the $12 million retrofitting, the vessel was cut in half and had its engines and batteries replaced. Experts said refits can be difficult because they involve integrating systems produced by different manufacturers, and even the tiniest mistake during the cutting phase can put the safety of the ship and crew at risk. The navy said previously the captain reported on Nov. 15 that water entered the snorkel and caused one of the sub's batteries to short-circuit. The captain later communicated that it had been contained. Some hours later, an explosion was detected near the time and place where the San Juan was last heard from. The navy said the blast could have been caused by a "concentration of hydrogen" triggered by the battery problem reported by the captain. (An Australian sub on "eternal patrol" was found last year.)
Social Solidarity Minister Ghada Wali ordered on Friday the ministry's directorate in Assuit governorate to dispatch relief aid to the flood-hit areas in the Upper Egyptian governorate.

The floods led to the total collapse of nearly 42 houses in "Ezbet Saaed" district, which is located at the foot of the mountain in Abnob.

The ministry said in a statement that it offered all necessary aid to the families of the victims.

It added it set up a camp that includes 17 makeshift tents and distributes 400 blankets and beds on the flood-affected residents.

It also noted that 100 pounds were given to every person in each affected family.

The directorate also coordinated with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including the Egyptian Food Bank and Relief and Emergency Foundation, to deliver relief aid, including food and clothes to the flood-affected persons.

It also had contacts with Dar Al-Orman Association to deliver quilts and Misr El-Kheir Foundation, which offered blankets and food cartons.

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(Newser)  Want to make $5,000? If you know who shot and killed a dolphin in California, the money is yours if you have info that leads to a conviction. "There is NO excuse for such brutality against these beautiful animals," Marine Animal Rescue of El Segundo writes on its Facebook page, next to an "upsetting" picture of the dolphin it retrieved Nov. 8 in Manhattan Beach after receiving a call about it, per NBC News. After the group had the dolphin undergo a necropsy, it was discovered the marine creature had died of a gunshot wound; a doctor was able to pull the bullet out of the dolphin, says MAR President Peter Wallerstein.

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"It's just a vicious act of brutality," he adds, noting that he's asked the National Marine Fisheries Service to open an investigation into the killing. Wallerstein says in more than 30 years in the field, he's never seen a shot dolphin. He's also not optimistic the perp will be caught"we very rarely find these people"but the $5,000 reward might help convince someone to offer up info. "What the reward does is put [the culprit] on notice," he says. (Sea lions and a seal were shot to death in a "heartbreaking" incident near Seattle.)
(Newser)  One protester was killed and 47 others were injured during roadblocks set up around France to demonstrate against rising fuel taxes, a new challenge to embattled President Emmanuel Macron, the AP reports. The protester was killed when a driver caught in traffic accelerated in a panic at Pont-de-Beauvoisin, near Chambery, a top state official says. Per French media reports, the protesters reportedly knocked on her car as she tried to take her daughter to the hospital. An investigation has been opened. Police say that three of the 47 injured in separate incidents at the protests are in serious condition, per the Interior Ministry, which adds that around 125,000 protesters were involved in about 2,000 demonstrations around France. Officials say that 24 people have been detained and 17 held for questioning.

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The ministry says security forces used tear gas in several places to unblock major routes. The government sent in police to monitor tens of thousands of gathering points, some non-declared in advance and therefore illegal. The taxes are part of Macron's strategy of weaning France off fossil fuels. Many drivers see them as emblematic of a presidency they view as disconnected from day-to-day economic difficulties and serving the rich. However, protesters and their supporters have voiced anger about other issues, too, including diminishing buying power. One retiree referred to the president as "King Macron." "We've had enough of it. There are too many taxes in this country," he says. (The price of gas in Manhattan almost hit $5 a gallon last spring.)
(Newser)  With about 3,000 Central American migrants having reached the Mexican border across from California and thousands more anticipated, the mayor of Tijuana said Friday that the city was preparing for an influx that will last at least six months and may have no end in sight, the AP reports. Juan Manuel Gastelum says there are 2,750 migrants from the caravan in Tijuana and that estimates by Mexico's federal government indicate the number could approach 10,000. "No city in the world is prepared to receive thisif I'm allowedthis avalanche," he says during a news conference at City Hall. "It is a tsunami. There is concern among all citizens of Tijuana." US border inspectors are processing only about 100 asylum claims a day at Tijuana's main crossing to San Diego, creating long waits.

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Asylum seekers register their names in a tattered notebook managed by migrants themselves that had more than 3,000 names even before the caravan arrived. Along the nearly 3,000 miles from the caravan's origin in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, to this city on the Pacific Ocean, the migrants have stopped in most places for only a single night, with some exceptions. That overwhelmed small towns in southern Mexico in particularbut only briefly. The migrants' expected long stay in Tijuana has raised concerns about the ability of the teeming border city of more than 1.6 million to handle the influx. Meanwhile, the AP notes that most US troops are in Texas and aren't allowed to carry out law enforcement duties, so migrants in Tijuana are unlikely to see them. (But troops have installed barbed wire and barricades.)
(Newser)  A homeless Australian man who shot to fame after using a shopping trolley to help police thwart last week's militant attack in Melbourne has been charged over a series of burglaries, the AP reports. Michael Rogers was hailed as a hero and dubbed "Trolleyman" on social media after emerging from a crowd with a trolley to try to ram a knife-wielding man who killed one person and wounded two others, as two police officers tried to subdue him. The man, Somali-born Australian Hassain Khalif Shire Ali, was fatally shot in the chest by one officer, with police later saying his actions were terrorism-inspired. Rogers, 46, became a media celebrity after the attack, his sudden fame also leading to $100,000 being raised for him in an online funding drive.

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But now his time in the spotlight has been extended for the wrong reasons. After media reports the police were seeking to question him, Rogers turned himself in on Friday night and was served with five charges relating to recent burglaries in the central Melbourne area. He was charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of theft, and committing an indictable offence while on bail. Rogers made a brief appearance in the Melbourne Magistrates Court, and is expected to appear again later this weekend to apply for bail. Donna Stolzenberg, director of the National Homeless Collective charity, which set up the online fundraiser for Rogers, said he was keen to do the right thing and hand himself in to police. She says the money raised for Rogers will be held in a trust fund for him. (Police say a couple and a homeless man cooked up a GoFundMe scam.)
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Egypt's Court of Cassation adjourned on Saturday the appeal case filed by the head of the Strong Egypt Party Abdel Moneim Abul-Fotouh, his son, and six members of the terrorist-designated Muslim Brotherhood against their placement on the terrorism list to 19 January to review documents.

Meanwhile, a Cairo Criminal Court extended on Saturday the detention of Abul-Fotouh for 45 days on several charges including publishing false news.

Abul-Fotouh, 67, was a leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood for more than three decades and a 2012 presidential candidate.

Abul-Fotouh was imprisoned in mid-February on charges of of publishing false news that would harm the national interests of the country, leading a group established against the provisions of the law, damaging the national unity and social peace, legitimizing going out on the ruler, changing the regime by force, and disrupting the public order and endangering the safety and security of society.

A week later, a Cairo criminal court placed Abul-Fotouh and 15 others on a terrorism list for upon a request by general prosecution "for committing hostile acts against the state and its institutions and crimes that require placement on the terrorism list.

Egypt's top prosecutor Nabil Sadek also ordered an asset freeze on Abul-Fotouh and 15 others for suspected ties to terrorism.

According to Egypt's "Terrorism Entity" law, individuals placed on the terrorism list are banned from travel, added on a watch list, and subjected to an asset freeze.

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In efforts to boost the Kingdoms air navigation systems and to align it with international standards, Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications announced the Implementation of Phase 2 of the ILS- CAT III Upgrade Project. Kamal Ahmed, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, and French company Aeroport de Paris Ingenierie signed an agreement yesterday (ADPI), for an amount of BD 930,200.

The ministry stated that the implementation is with joint efforts from MTTs Civil Aviation Affairs and the Bahrain Airport Company. Implementing CAT III, which ensures the highest level precision approach for aircraft landing on the runway, is part of the ministrys plan to develop and modernize the ILS operations at Bahrain International Airport (BIA). The system enables pilots to navigate and land safely in difficult weather conditions and low visibility, The ministry stated.

Mr. Ahmed said that the project involves installing additional lights on the runway and the development of auxiliary substations to support CAT III operations. I am pleased to announce that the MTT is about to appoint a consultant to upgrade the ILS operations at BIA to CAT III, which allow pilots to land in visibilities of up to 50m.

This involves installing additional lights on the runway and the development of auxiliary substations to support CAT III operations. This will enable enhanced safety and security during takeoff and landing and will help reduce the number of diverted flights from BIA, as well as prevent delays and protect the safety of passengers.
At a ceremony to be held on Sunday at the Gudaibiya Palace, His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa will hand over the Khalifa bin Salman Award for Sustainable Development to former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Mr Ban has been selected for the 2018 award, in recognition of his efforts in serving humanity, promoting peace and- security and achieving sustainable development goals.

Chairman of HRH Khalifa Bin Salman Al KhalifaAward for Sustainable Development, Shaikh Hussam bin Isa Al Khalifa, had named the award winner in September this year. The announcement was made during the Bahrain Forum: Shared Visions for a Successful Future organized by the Kingdom on the sidelines of the last UN General Assembly in New York.

Anna Tibaijuka, former Minister of Land, Housing and Human Communities of the Republic of Tanzania, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and former Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), was the winner of the previous version of the 2016 Award.

The first award was delivered in 2008 to the Green Brigade Project from the Republic of Burkina Faso, during the fourth session of the Fourth World Urban Forum held in Nanjing, China.
Kanoo Automotive and Industrial Equipment (KAIE) a subsidiary of the Ebrahim K. Kanoo conglomerate, has signed an agreement with partners Butzbach to expand their portfolio to include hangar doors. The deal, on the sidelines of the Bahrain International Air Show (BIAS) 2018, was signed in the presence of KAIE General Manager; Jamie Bowen, and Butzbach Area Manager; Simon Jones at the KAIE booth in the Trade Zone with functioning replicas of Butzbachs most popular products.

The Butzbach Group is the leading provider of hangar doors to owners of business aircraft, international airports, aircraft manufacturers, MRO companies and military installations. The company has installed more than 750 hangar door systems worldwide. On this occasion, Jamie Bowen stated, Butzbach has partnered with KAIE for some time now and their products are installed at many outlets in Bahrain.

Expressing enthusiasm at the new deal, Simon Jones commented, We know that this exclusive partnership will further enhance our business opportunities in Bahrain and the region. The KAIE stand is located in the Traders Zone of the air show and is showcasing a wide range of airport ground support and terminal hall services with global partners Butzbach, Stahlwille, Renner, Kuken, Dynabrade and SWF cranes.
Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon yesterday inaugurated what is expected to be the worlds tallest hydro-electric power plant, a $3.9 billion project that will turn the impoverished country into a key power producer in Central Asia. In a colourful ceremony deep in the Pamir mountains, the Tajik leader pushed a large symbolic button to applause from the audience to mark the first of six turbines in the Rogun hydroelectric dam going online.

Men in hard hats danced to songs about the dam and waved national flags. Rogun is light, Rogun is glory! went one of the songs. The power plant is expected to reach capacity of 3,600 megawatts -- the equivalent of three nuclear power plants -- when it is completed in a decade. The power plant will double energy production in the country of nearly nine million people, alleviating a long-lasting, debilitating national energy deficit.

Surplus energy will be sold to neighbours such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. Built on the Vakhsh River in southern Tajikistan, the plant is expected to reach a height of 335 metres (1,099 feet) when completed, becoming the worlds tallest hydro-electric dam. Today, Rogun -- overseen by the Italian company Salini Impregilo -- is still a vast construction site, with rocky earth covering the territory from which the powerful Vakhsh was diverted. In 2016, Rakhmon, a former collective farm boss, climbed into a bulldozer at a groundbreaking for the dam, in a sign of the presidents personal attachment to the scheme.

Plans to build a dam in southern Tajikistan date back to the Soviet era, but the project was scaled up in recent years. In 2017, Tajikistan raised $500 million from an inaugural international bond to help finance the construction. Authorities hope that when the project gains momentum it will generate money to finance further construction. Before the ceremony, Rakhmon discussed the construction of the plant with Cyril Muller, World Bank vice president for Europe and Central Asia.
Lietuenant General Mohamed Farid, Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces, travelled on Saturday to China at the head of a senior military delegation for an official visit to attend the fourth round of meetings of the Egyptian-Chinese military cooperation committee.

In an official statement, Egyptian armed forces spokesman Tamer El-Refaie said the Egyptian armys chief of staff will hold several important talks with a number of military officials in China to bolster the exchange of military experience and strength aspects of bilateral cooperation between both countries armed forces.



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Rauf Aregbesola, outgoing governor of Osun state, says he has not received salary since he assumed office as governor. Aregbesola ...





Rauf Aregbesola, outgoing governor of Osun state, says he has not received salary since he assumed office as governor.





Aregbesola said this on Ogbeni Till Day Break, a monthly interactive programme he introduced after he was sworn into office.





Aregbesola said he had been prudent with the resources of the state.





The state feeds me, fuels my car and covers my other expenses. This is why I see no reason to earn a salary. I have no house, save the one I built before I became governor of Osun, he said.





I have no bank account anywhere in the world. I have not earned a dime in salary since I became governor and I do not intend to so do.





My greatest achievement has to be our social investment program. Our people now refer to themselves as Omoluabis. If properly internalised, 50 percent of our problems as a race would have been solved.





As a matter of fact, we have not commissioned 10 percent of our projects. We will not be found commissioning hairdressing saloon and boreholes. We would only commission projects worthy of celebration.





Our school feeding program which we revived and expanded is live changing. We put together a youth empowerment program that is acclaimed worldwide.





Speaking on his successor, Gboyega Oyetola, the outgoing governor described him as a cerebral individual who does not have the same swagger like him.





Gboyega Oyetola is a cool, calm and brilliant goal-getter, but he is not a radical like me. He does not have my swagger but he is an extremely cerebral human being, he said.





I have no regrets in governance. Given another chance to govern, I would continue along this same path. To the glory of God, we have just won an election. There is no better way to demonstrate our political sagacity than that.





However, my party is different from me and if there are areas the party feels I could have done better, they are free to advise the incoming governor to make such amends.





It is extremely difficult to maintain our level of popularity over an eight-year period. We got into power at the eleventh hour but that of the incoming governor has been one of ease. Its a sign of things to come.




The individual is a single cog in an ever-moving mechanism-Max Webber (1864-1920)In the story of the Old Man and the Sea brilliantly scripted by Ernest Hemingway, courage, determination and perseverance are all the sustaining power of Santiago, the valorous fisherman, who was tormented for 84 days and left at the mercy of the elements of a virulent sea populated by dangerous predators bent on carting away whatever catch he makes.Although the vicious attacks by sharks strained Santiago to the limits and drained his fortunes as a gifted fisherman, the old man struggled to return home with the skeleton of the greatest catch of life to the admiration of distraught family members, friends, associates and tourists, becoming a hero of some sort in the end.The story of Ibrahim Mustapha Magu, who was promoted from Deputy to substantive Commissioner of Police in April this year and deployed by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2015 to head the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, bears similarity to the Old Man and the Sea.Clearly, although Magu is cut out for the job, having been a security man for many years and having spent many of his working years with the EFCC from the days of Nuhu Ribadu, the forces never wanted him there because of what he knows about the business.Thus, by the time Buhari announced his name as the nominee for the EFCC job in an acting capacity, Magu was like a Daniel thrown into the lions den. Although he says he is ready to lay down his life for the job he so loves so much, in his altruistic bid to kill corruption before corruption kills Nigeria, the forces arrayed against him have become so ferocious that he now cuts the image of a bewitched soul, straddled by enemies within and without and left at the mercy of his traducers, who are frontally opposed to Magu as a person, the crucial task assigned to him by the president and the techniques he has deployed to get the job done.Even Buhari has been hit below the belt by the turn of events surrounding Magus choice and confirmation, leaving him tongue tied. He has faced a revolt from within his inner circles and the National Assembly over the choice of the Borno State-born policeman in that when he appointed him as the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, he had taken it for granted that his confirmation by the Senate which is controlled by his party, the APC, would be a walkover. But he was dead wrong! Buhari did not also suspect that even within his cabinet, some well-placed persons, like the deposed Director General of the Department of State Service, Lawal Daura, a close associate, would stand on the way of Magus confirmation, not once, not twice, thereby questioning his integrity.In a bid to prevent the Senate from confirming Magu, the DSS prepared a 14-paragraph Security Report on Magu, and sent it directly to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, through the National Security Adviser. Magu labeled the report mere fabrications.But the presidency was bent on retaining Magu and later resent his name to the same Senate, which also used the same security report represented to them by the DSS to reject the nominee for the second time in three months, making it abundantly clear that lawmakers would not ratify Magus appointment at any rate and that there was no need to continue to seek their endorsement.The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, who actually forwarded Magus name to the Senate when Buhari was outside Nigeria at the time, made it abundantly clear that despite the rejection of Magus nomination by the Senate, something he saw as an affront on the president, Magu would remain the chairman of the EFCC as long as Buhari remained the President of Nigeria.While addressing journalists on Monday to mark his three years in office, Magu beat his chest in self adulation, jostling from one end of the table to the other with a sense of accomplishment, saying, Acting capacity does not hinder me from performing. Im focused in getting the job done rather than lobbying to be confirmed as chairman. I have worked here for three years and nobody can erase that record. I am not worried about non-confirmation.For me, it was an auspicious opportunity to contribute my quota to Mr. Presidents vision of a corruption-free nation.The opportunity to fully subscribe to President Buharis mantra to kill corruption before it kills us, was for me, the highest call to duty  one that required absolute commitment and passion.Indeed, the task of fighting corruption in Nigeria has never been, is not and can never be an easy one. The battle to make our dear country a place where foreign investors will be confident to invest in is, without doubt, one that must be fought by all Nigerians who love this country, if we are to make any appreciable progress.Perhaps, it is fair to describe the task of championing the anti-corruption crusade as one of the most difficult jobs in the world, because corruption always fights back viciously on many fronts. I have experienced this first-hand.Recall the many battles we have fought over the past three years: recall the monumental challenges that the corrupt people and those who aid and abet them have placed on our path; recall that during this period, armed men attacked and strangled a police man on guard duty at my farmhouse.Recall also that across the country, EFCC offices and officers including operatives, lawyers and media personnel have been physically attacked in the course of the discharge of our duties.Then also, recall the unprecedented vilification we have endured, for the simple reason that we answered the national call to service.Notwithstanding all that, we can still say that overall, for us as an anti-graft agency, it has been, so far, so good. The past three years have been very eventful, and in spite of the obstacles, we have consistently made progress in the areas of convictions, and particularly the recovery of assets stolen from our commonwealth.Magu, who flaunted the achievements of his three-year stewardship before journalists in his imposing office in Abuja, announced that EFCC under his watch recovered N794 billion, $261 million, 1.1 million and 407 mansions from looters.Magu also said that the commission convicted no fewer than 703 corrupt persons and institutions within the period under review.He said, In the three years that I have been in charge of EFCC, we have secured 703 convictions. The breakdown is as follows: 103 convictions in 2015, 194 convictions in 2016; 189 in 2017 and 217 from January 2018 till date, Magu revealed.My efforts at fighting corruption firmly within limits of the rule of law  BuhariLadies and gentlemen, in the past three years, we have set recovery records to the envy of virtually all law enforcement agencies in Africa.It is on record that about 90% of all recoveries in Nigeria is through the EFCC.  We have recovered over N794 billion, $261 million, 1, 115, 930.47, 8, 168, 871 within the last three years of my stewardship.Hundreds of properties such as filling stations, petroleum products, land, jewellery, automobiles, real estate, vessels, hospitals, company shares and heavy machinery and broadcast equipment have been seized from corrupt elements between 2015 and 2018.From 2015 to 2018, 407 mansions were seized, 126 have been forfeited finally and 281 are under interim forfeiture. Nine filling stations were seized and placed under interim forfeiture.Plots of land seized sums up to 98 of which 56 are under interim forfeiture, while 42 have been forfeited finally to the Federal Government.Two hundred and fifty nine (259) automobiles have been seized, 35 are under interim forfeiture while 224 have been forfeited finally.A hospital, St. Solomon Health Care Centre located at No. 24, Adeniyi Jones Street, Ikeja, Lagos, has also been forfeited finally. In 2016, 1500 metric tonnes of AGO and 3,035 Metric tonnes of LPFO were forfeited finally.Also, Base Transceiver Station (BTS) equipments in 36 sites across five Eastern States were forfeited finally on orders of court.A host of other machinery/equipments have been seized on interim basis, while we have obtained final forfeiture orders in respect of others. Jewellery worth millions of naira has been seized and is under interim forfeiture, he boasted.Notwithstanding the feat recorded by Magu, his joy may never be complete without being given the appellation of a substantive chairman of the EFCC. That perhaps, aptly explains why Magu hardly smiles despite the array of achievements he reeled out in three years. But like Daniel in the Bible and Santiago, the old fisherman in Hemingways book, and considering the orchestrated fights, twists and turns, which he has had to grapple with in the last three years, he may well console himself with the reality that his situation could have been far worse if not for the explicit support he continues to enjoy from the corridors of power.If not for anything, the words of the French writer, Michel Foucault, We need to cut off the kings head, must not be lost on Magu. He needs to understand that fighting crime and graft is not a tea party and cannot be won on a platter. Magu and his men must realise that while mere survival in Nigeria is a difficult task, fighting corruption, which has been deeply entrenched in the culture of the people, requires raw courage and tact.While the commission should not in any way try to appease anyone in the war against graft in order to save Nigeria and its people, it should however bear in mind the admonition of Thomas Hobbes that: The condition of man is a condition of war.But Magu must also be concerned about the opinion of many Nigerians who see the fight against corruption as one sided. Many government officials accused of corruption are hardly investigated. Many also in the ruling party accused of corruption are hardly invited or arrested by security agents. This gives some credence to those who believe that the anti-corruption fight is one sided. Magus must do himself and the government her serves the favour of debunking this through action.
Garba Shehu, spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari, says the opposition has more money than the government. Shehu said the amoun...





Garba Shehu, spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari, says the opposition has more money than the government.





Shehu said the amount of money spent by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during its convention in Port Harcourt should be a major concern to Nigerians.





He alleged that some opposition parties have taken it upon themselves to worsen the differences between Nigerians through religion and ethnicity.





article. This opposition, it must be said, has liquidity of the type that government itself does not have. The US Dollar rain by a major opposition party at their convention in Port Harcourt is a dire warning in this direction, he said in anarticle.

This contrasts sharply with the high level of discipline put in place through the Treasury Single Account (TSA) being implemented by the Buhari government.





It is a matter for great concern that the leading opposition parties have resolved to undertake a campaign clearly aimed at aggravating differences between Nigerians on the basis of especially religion, region and tribe.





A document in circulation, from the resolutions of a retreat in a foreign country by one of the parties makes no pretense about their plan to cause tension between various communities.





They have dramatically begun actions to destroy the integrity of the election process.





Even before the gates open for the race to begin, this country is already witness to a unique type of campaign based on unverified allegation or distortion propagated in the two chambers of the national assembly which are strangely led by opposition candidates in a minority party in the coming election.





He accused the opposition party of being bent on distracting the electorate by appealing to their sectional feelings.





He said the Buhari administration is carrying out reforms which no other government had ever done since the country gained independence in 1960.





For the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration at the center, initial moves towards 2019 have been about the effort to publicise the administrations achievements while at the same time dispelling negative propaganda by the opposition, he said.





While it is clear that the opposition is unprepared for a contest based on policies programs, and past records of work, they are bent on distracting the attention of voters by appealing to sectional feelings and throwing voters into confusion. Churches and Mosques and other places of worship are being recruited for election propaganda.





We are proud of our achievement, but we must first of all make the voter to illustrate where we are coming from because without doing that, it is hard for many to appreciate the enormous strides the nation has made under the present dispensation.





If we had continued with the pace, corruption and ineptitude that characterized the war against Boko Haram in 2015, it would have taken us decades to eliminate the terrorists hold om Nigeria territory and have them confined to a little corner in the country by the banks of the Lake Chad.





The Buhari administration has shown the ability to take hard decisions, in the nations interest as has been seen in dealing with the economy.




The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has dismissed allegations that he collected bribes of ab...

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has dismissed allegations that he collected bribes of about $80 million to manipulate the outcome of the party primaries in some states and FCT.





The party chairman spoke Friday night after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari.





Some aggrieved aspirants are accusing Mr Oshiohmole of collecting various sums in bribes to twist the primaries.





Speculations are also gaining currency that he was last week interrogated by the Department of State Service (DSS) over the outcome of the recently conducted APC primaries.





An online media outfit which allegedly accused the APC chairman of collecting about $80 million in bribes, however, reported that Mr Oshiomhole had become a target after refusing $500,000 bribe cash from one of the aggrieved APC governors.

It reported that the affected governor had wanted the APC chairman to adopt his anointed governorship candidate.





It was gathered that many godfathers and governorship candidates were desperate for tickets but Mr Oshiomhole stood his ground that he will not compromise party guidelines, it further stated.





But, Mr Oshiomhole, who spoke to State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, described the allegations of corruption against him as reckless insinuation.





No tree that will bear fruits that will grow in Sahara desert and the fact the publisher of Saharareporters himself is a presidential aspirant; we would soon find out the difference between Sahara and its reporters, and a green forest and its reporters.





The unfortunate thing here, however, is that people, who specialise in libels they take advantage of our peculiar judicial system.





When I was a governor in Edo state, they published all kinds of things against me. At a point I decided to go to court and my lawyer told me that I have to be ready to enter the witness box to make my case  whether I was ready to go through that humiliation.





What is in the governorship? Before I became the governor I entered the witness box and I know after being governor I can still go back there one day. So I went there and I won the case. They awarded damages in my favour.





But by the time you want to check the process of the guy who libeled you and so on, he sells himself everything put together he could not compensate for by legal fee not to talk of really mitigating my paying as a result of the judgment, he said.





On the forthcoming campaign programmes of the APC, Mr Oshiohmole revealed that the partys campaign for the 2019 presidential election would focus on character and integrity of the key candidates.





Mr Buhari is the APC presidential candidate while the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is presenting former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its candidate.





According to the party chairman, the APC is fully ready to flag off the campaigns soon.





He said: We are fully ready, we have done with our primaries and filled our nominations.





As you know, INEC still has a window between now and first of January to deal with issues of substitution. As of campaigns, we are ready.





We are going to announce the date and programme for our campaigns. My idea of kick-off will be the day we will do our first presidential rally where Mr President as our candidate and other candidates, party leaders will assemble in a venue that will be agreeable to all of us.





There will be two sets of messages. One, on what we have done in the past, without failing to remind people of where we were before, what we are going to do in the next four years, and a couple of things we believe we will be doing differently.





President Buhari if compared to the rest of the candidates, there is no basis to compare day and night. The real issue in this election is not going to be religion. It is not going to be about ethnicity.





Central to the issue and given our past experience as a country, we know that what makes a difference is the character, the issue of integrity of the candidates.





According to Mr Oshiomhole, the campaign is going to be focusing on character and integrity of those who want to govern the country.




The Presidency has reacted to an alleged audio of Senate President, Bukola Saraki revealing how much he spent campaigning for President ...

The Presidency has reacted to an alleged audio of Senate President, Bukola Saraki revealing how much he spent campaigning for President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2015 election.





Saraki had in the viral audio said he spent about N200m for campaigning for President Buhari in 30 states during 2015 election.





The Senate president lamenting in the audio also explained that he is angry with President Buhari because he was not compensated and has not benefited from the APC government since 2015.





He, however, promised that it will not be the same in 2019 as president Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Atiku Abubakar will make funds available and empower youths.





Reacting to the audio, Bashir Ahmad, Buharis Special Adviser on New Media in a post on Twitter agreed with all Saraki allegedly said.





According to Ahmad, the audio shows what opposition parties are fighting for ahead of 2019 elections.





This audio will make you understand what those people are really fighting for. (fighting for themselves ONLY, not for you or for the country).




The United Progressives Party (UPP) has adopted President Muhammadu Buhari as its candidate for next years general election. UPP Na...

The United Progressives Party (UPP) has adopted President Muhammadu Buhari as its candidate for next years general election.





UPP National Chairman, Chekwas Okorie, disclosed this to State House correspondents, after meeting with the President on Friday in Abuja.





Okorie said the adoption of President Buhari would be further confirmed when the UPP leaders meet on Tuesday next week.





He also denied reports that the people of the South East region have thrown their weight behind the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.




Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi attended on Saturday a military funeral procession in 6 of October city for Police Officer Colonel Satea El-Noemany who died on Wednesday in the UK after a long struggle to overcome injuries he sustained in July 2013.

El-Noemany, who was the deputy commissioner of Boulaq Al-Dakrour police station at the time, was seriously injured in the face during violent clashes on 2 July, 2013 between the police and supporters of then-Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in Bein El-Sarayat neighborhood in Giza.

He had undergone several operations and received treatment abroad in Switzeland and the UK since his injury.

The funeral services were attended by El-Noemany's family, colleagues, senior police officers, and families of other fallen police and army officers.

El-Sisi has renamed Al-Nahda Square in Giza after the fallen officer.

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Air strikes by the US-led coalition Saturday killed 43 people, mostly civilians, in a holdout of the Islamic State (IS) group in eastern Syria, a Britain-based monitor said.

Seventeen children were among 36 IS group family members killed in the village of Abu Husn in Deir Ezzor province near the Iraqi border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Another seven victims had not yet been identified as either civilians or IS fighters, it said.

The US-led coalition has been backing a Kurdish-Arab alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting to expel the IS group from the pocket around Abu Husn.

"It's the highest death toll in coalition air strikes since the SDF launched its attack against the IS pocket" in September, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The coalition has repeatedly said it does its utmost to prevent civilian casualties.

"The avoidance of civilian casualties is our highest priority when conducting strikes against legitimate military targets with precision munitions," spokesman Sean Ryan told AFP this week.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday he wanted his government to fulfil its term, putting the onus of triggering an expected early election on to a coalition partner.

Netanyahu has faced calls from his coalition members to hold a snap election after the resignation of Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Wednesday.

Lieberman quit over what he described as the governments too-soft policy on an upsurge of cross-border violence with Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, leaving the government with a razor-thin majority.

Israels Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, who heads the centrist Kulanu party, was the first coalition partner to call for an early election after meeting Netanyahu on Thursday.

Kahlons calls were echoed by Aryeh Deri, head of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party and by members of the nationalist Jewish Home whose head, Naftali Bennett, asked to succeed Lieberman as defense chief but was turned down by Netanyahu on Friday.

Netanyahu, who heads the right-wing Likud party said that he will meet Kahlon on Sunday in a last attempt to convince him not to bring down the government.

If the Kulanu faction doesnt bring the government down - there is a government, Netanyahu said on Twitter. All Likud members want to keep serving the country for another whole year until the end of the term in November 2019.

The loss of Liebermans Israel Beitenu faction leaves Netanyahu with control of just 61 of the 120 seats in parliament. Each of the remaining government factions now has the power to effectively dissolve the coalition.

Political analysts in Israel see an early election as a done deal, with Netanyahu and ministers trying to pin responsibility for bringing the government down on each other so as not to lose favor with their right-wing voter base.

Netanyahu is under investigation in a series of corruption cases, and there has been speculation that he may bring the ballot forward to win a renewed mandate while Israels attorney-general decides whether to indict him.

Both Lieberman and Bennett compete with Netanyahus Likud for right-wing voters and have spoken in favor of harsh Israeli military action against Gazas dominant Hamas Islamists.

A poll published on Wednesday by Israels Hadashot television news showed Likud falling by one seat from 30 to 29 after months of polls that have shown it gaining power. Only 17 percent of respondents were happy with Netanyahus Gaza policy.

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Over 1,000 Iranian Activists Back Jailed Environmentalists in Letter to Judiciary

11/16/18

By Michael Lipin, VOA

More than 1,000 Iranian civil society activists have signed a letter to Iran's judiciary chief urging him to resolve the case of eight environmentalists jailed since January and February on suspicion of being spies.

Iranian authorities detained seven of the environmentalists in January and the eighth in February. The seven detained in January are members of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation. Another member of that foundation detained in January, Iranian-Canadian university professor Kavous Seyed Emami, died in prison the following month in disputed circumstances.

In the letter posted Monday on a Teleram channel dedicated to Emami, the 1,124 signatories called on judiciary chief Sadeq Larijani to resolve "ambiguities" in the case of the eight detainees in a way that is transparent and respects their dignity.

The signatories, who include current and former government officials, artists, environmentalists and other civil society activists, said the detainees are renowned for their work in protecting Iran's wildlife and have not engaged in unlawful activity. The letter does not explicitly call for the release of the jailed environmentalists.

Iranian lawyer Mohammad Hossein Aghasi, who has sought to represent the detainees, said last month the judiciary revised its charges against five of them from espionage to "sowing corruption on earth," which could lead to the death penalty.

In an October 24 news conference announcing the revised charges, Tehran's chief prosecutor, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, accused the detainees of "seeking proximity to military sites under the cover of environmental projects and obtaining military information from those sites."

In a sign of division within the Iranian establishment, a fact-finding committee of government ministers who examined the case of the environmentalists announced May 22 that it found no evidence of spying by the detainees. The committee involved Iran's environmental department and intelligence ministry.

Iranian state-run news agency IRNA referenced the committee's exoneration of the environmentalists in a Monday report summarizing the civil society activists' letter to Larijani. But Iranian Vice President Isa Kalantari, who heads the environmental department, has said the powerful Iranian judiciary has blocked him and other officials from taking further action in the case.

Judicial officials have said Emami, the detained Iranian-Canadian environmentalist, committed suicide in prison, but overseas family and friends of Emami have cast doubt on that assertion.

In a statement released last month, the head of New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran, Hadi Ghaemi, said: "Nothing justifies the continued incarceration of these eight environmentalists, let alone charges leveled against them that could carry the death sentence."

"One detainee has already lost his life during this travesty of justice," Ghaemi added. "Iran should immediately release the remaining detainees to prevent further loss of innocent life."

This article originated in VOA's Persian Service.

About the author: Michael Lipin covers international news for VOA on the web, radio and TV, specializing in the Middle East and East Asia Pacific. Follow him on Twitter @Michael_Lipin
Customers of the defunct DKM Microfinance Limited have confirmed claims by the government that they have been paid a chunk of their investments that got locked up in the financial institution.



Alexander Obeng, Spokesperson for the affected customers, told Accra FM on Friday, 16 November 2018 that although there still remains a backlog to be cleared, the government has paid a huge portion of their investments.



Under the previous NDC government, the liquidator paid everybody GHS3,500 across the board irrespective of the amount a victim had invested with the firm. When the NPP took over, the liquidator raised the amount from GHS3,500 to GHS10,000, he said.



He added: So, it is true as the Finance Minister said yesterday in parliament that some of the monies have been paid. We, however, want the government to also pay the customers of the other companies. The issue is not only about DKM.



Mr Ofori-Atta told parliament when he delivered the 2019 budget on Thursday, 15 November that in addition to the clean-up exercise undertaken in the banking sector by the Bank of Ghana, the government has also taken steps to settle almost all claims of DKM customers.



Mr Speaker, you would recall that DKM Diamond Microfinance Limited had its licence revoked in February 2016 with considerable suffering imposed on depositors, without any meaningful response from the previous government.



That has significantly changed.



The official liquidator received 99,858 claims and the validated claims amounted to GHS502 million.



I would like to inform the country that out of the 99,858 claims, 79,708 (80 per cent) have been settled and depositors have been paid.



The government has set aside funds at the Bank of Ghana to pay the remaining 20 per cent of depositors upon validation.



An additional 12,612 claims have been fully provided for, but the customers have not as yet been able to show proof of deposit.







Source: classfmonline.com









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What if Socrates never had to take poison? What if Cleopatra never fell in love with Mark Anthony? What if colonialism never happened?



Those are some of the questions Darb 1718s second Something Else  Off Biennale promotional material asks.



The large-scale event (1 November-15 December) has visual art as its basis, with curator Simon Njami working with several international supporting curators as well as Darbs founding director, the artist Moataz Nasreldin, to fill the halls of Darb 1718 and other Downtown Cairo venues with the work of 90 (including 23 Egyptian) artists from all over the world.



In a kind of fringe segment, activities extend to cultural centres, embassies and old abandoned shops, with another 10 participants at least, including musicians and performers as well as artists.



Njami gave the artists a question to ponder: What if it did not happen? His purpose? Urging them to imagine a different world, one that differs in social, political, environmental, racial or gender terms.



As the aforementioned material reads, This edition is an invitation to think out of the box and an occasion to free our mind from the so-called truths we have been fed with.



Indeed, the title Something Else stresses the events unique character as rather more than a display of contemporary art works, however multinational or large. The Off Biennale also includes talks, workshops, panel discussions, film screenings and over 10 performances, and it partners with the Balassi Institute, the Goethe Institute and others. In this context it showcases art practices from different continents, let alone countries, and providing a truly remarkable opportunity to be close to the dynamics and vocabulary, the dreams and directions of contemporary art.





Off Biennale

Off Biennale

Off Biennale

Off Biennale

As we take in the show, not only do we gain access to contemporary art and the people behind it, examining works that combine different mediums as tools of expression, we are also invited to take a deeper look at life, civilisation and the gains and losses of human kind; we reassess centuries of history and the positioning of humans in historys ever-changing checkerboard of social, economic, political and environmental factors. Some works are direct, some cry out for attention, others send subtler messages.The dreams and fears, hopes lost and found emerge in the exhibition rooms as artists tackle the theme of what if it did not happen, with thought experiments as varied as what if the Chernobyl disaster did not happen, what if humans had a different form, what if hieroglyphs did not fall out of use.Often, figuring out the answer is the task of the viewer. Njamis question opens the door to various ideas and conjectures, from open-ended, vague imaginings to precisely detailed takes on current issues. Njami embraces creative minds from various generations and with all kinds of baggage, giving them borderless, unlimited freedom.For the Egyptian art scene it is a great opportunity to see an event by such a leading figure on the international curatorial scene. Born in 1962, Njami is a writer, lecturer and art critic as well as an independent curator; he has a remarkable portfolio of written works and an equally impressive record of large exhibitions and biennales, many with a focus on Africa (he was repeatedly in charge of Bamako Encounters, Biennale dArt contemporain de Dakar, among many others). Undeniably, his presence in Cairo through the period of the Off Biennale is one of the most important artistic events in Egypt in 2018 and the credit definitely goes to Nasreldin for making it possible.Unlike other biyearly, large-scale art events, which serve as a point of revision and reassessment and a source of knowledge of contemporary practices, the Off Biennale not only supplements the traditional format with fringe exhibitions and extra activities but also responds to Egypts very specific landscape. The countrys two biennales  held since the 1950s in Cairo and Alexandria  were both discontinued as of the 2011 Revolution. The Alexandria Biennale was revived in 2015, but it was limited to 17 artists from 13 countries all within the Fine Arts Museum, and it had many financial and operational problems. Salah Al-Meligui, then head of the Culture Ministrys Fine Arts Sector, hoped to revive the Cairo Biennale in 2016, but none of his successors has carried out the plan.According to Nasreldin, The Cairo and Alexandria biennales were among the most important artistic activities in Egypt.Since 2011, however, the two events  and, mostly, their absence  have raised questions about quality and the effect of politics on art.I thought this cannot be the end and decided to step in with an alternative, independently managed event. We launched the Off Biennale in 2015 as the Off event of the Cairo Biennale, which in fact no longer existed, but this hardly mattered since it was more of a concept than an actual pairing.I am not a curator myself, I am an artist. Darb 1718 is the place in which I try to support and help the cultural scene in Egypt. I wanted to do something different, even if this meant an Off or a margin to something that did not even exist. But it mustnt be forgotten that the concept did recall the core event, and how it used to exist.The operations of the Off Biennale follow international structures, inviting a curatorial team working under a head curator to bring practices from across the globe to one location, generating dialogue and networking. It departs from the outdated bureaucratic procedure through which the Culture Ministry biennales gathered work, according to Nasreldin: contacting the embassies of the countries to be featured, which then addressed the relevant government authorities asking for work to be featured.Darb, by contrast, works with numerous bodies and cultural players, and relies on internationally acknowledged curators to make the best choices, supporting both artists and curators as it does.In the first round of Off Biennale, which took place in 2015 and was our first attempt at such a huge event, we showcased work by 120 artists. This involved numerous challenges of course and sadly many of the problems were due to Egyptian artists who opposed the idea of the Off Biennale rather than supporting it. I cannot deny that the experience was physically and psychologically exhausting but it was also a very important lesson on artistic and organisational aspects of the project.When Nasreldin repeated the experience, this was not without its own problems.Among the many obstacles we faced was the financial side. Though numerous businessmen agreed to support the Off Biennale, they all eventually reneged on their promise, something of which 2015 Alexandria Biennale organisers also complained, and we had no choice but to continue working with Darb 1718s own funds. Of course I mustnt forget to mention support received from Al Ismaelia company who gave us Downtown spaces free of charge, Scib who contributed the wall paints, embassies and cultural centres which hosted performances or supported the artists invited, among other organisations.This was in addition to many artists (or their curators) arranging their own travel funds, as well as 23 of the Egyptian artists participating contributing work at their own expense. I hope thats a sign that the dynamic is improving over time. However, we still had to provide the events financial core, which was far from easy for us.It meant cheaper lighting and projection solutions, among other technical issues. Nasreldin salutes both the volunteers helping with this years Off Biennale and the amazing team I have in Darb 1718: just 12 people who carry this huge event on their soldiers. I couldnt wish for better, more passionate or more dedicated workmates.His assessment of the organisation is C+, but however self-deprecating he wants to be the success of the event  in terms of its importance, the values it carries and the extent to which it is spread across venues, practices, mediums, artists and curators  is beyond question. The first of three openings  on 1, 2 and 3 November  drew over 3,000 people and countless media outlets, including the events 10 partners. The hype is remarkable, and it is wholly positive in that it is enabling and promoting exposure, exchange and dialogue.According to Nasreldin, Weve also had positive feedback from the artists  e-mails full of thanks. They feel theyre taking part in a professional event worthy of their work.This is precisely the mission of the Off Biennale, and living up to it makes it one of the most important art events in Egypt today. It was probably in response to the Off Biennale, Nasreldin says, that the ministry announced plans for a Cairo Biennale revival in April 2019.Im not sure how realistic such plans can be, taking into account the very late date. Any biennale requires long and detailed preparation, a professional curator, supporting curators, a proper infrastructure, among many other elements.Nevertheless, if this happens, whenever it does happen, well work with the Cairo Biennale, adding to and not competing with it. We are all here to support the countrys art scene, he concludes.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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Two men from the northern part of Nigeria fought publicly following an argument about the performance of the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, and it was caught on video.



The young men were discussing about the state of the nation and one of them lamented that the country has become worse under the leadership of Buhari. The other warned him not to speak of the president in that manner because he has tried. This led to an argument which soon turned physical to the extent that others emerged to try to intervene.



Watch the video shared by Aishat Alubankudi below.









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Former President John Mahama has asked delegates of the National Democratic Congress to elect competent and dependable persons who can be trusted to lead the party to victory in the 2020 general elections.



He urged the over 9,000 delegates who will be voting to elect national executives at the partys National Delegates Congress in Accra today, not to allow themselves to be influenced in anyway in choosing the best leaders.



NDC elects national executives today for 2020 elections

Do not allow yourself to be influenced materially to decide your vote. We must elect an executive that is trustworthy, competent and in which our diverse membership all have a stake, he said in a good will message ahead of the congress.



Mr. Mahama who is seeking to lead the party once more into the next elections, said Ghanaians were willing to vote for change in the 2020 general elections due to what he described as unprecedented hardship imposed on the people by the Akufo-Addo government.





He said the message from the partys grassroots during his tour of seven regions has been to unite and work to deliver from this hardship.



The people of Ghana are ready and willing to change the negative course in the 2020 elections, he stated, indicating We, the NDC, cannot fail them!



He said the best option to ending the current hardship in the country is to win the 2020 elections emphatically to which end he said we must elect National Executives we can trust; executives who are hardworking and committed to the noble Victory 2020 agenda.



Mr. Mahama has meanwhile wished all party delegates traveling mercies to the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre where the congress is taking place.















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The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) goes to the polls today to elect executives to steer the affairs of the party ahead of the 2020 elections, amidst allegations of massive vote-buying.



Reports said former President John Mahama issued cheques to his favourites, Sammy Gyamfi, Joshua Akamba and others to win their respective positions.



Sixty five aspirants are vying for various positions in a contest that has become nasty. Some contestants are at each others throats.



With the division in the party at an all-time high, maximum security would be required at todays event to avert skirmishes.



About 8,500 delegates across the country are expected to converge on the Trade Fair Centre in Accra, to as it were, empanel a formidable Functional Executive Committee (FEC) to ensure victory.



Positions such as national chairman, vice chairmen, general secretary, deputy general secretaries, national organiser, deputy national organisers, communications officer, deputy communications officers, national executive committee members and the Zongo Caucus coordinator are up for grabs.



General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, also known as General Mosquito, who helped the party capture power from the NPP in 2008, would face an uphill task in maintaining his position.



In recent times, some stalwarts of the party have ganged up to boot him out of office.



General Mosquito is being challenged by his deputy Koku Anyidoho, who is seen by many as an inappropriate replacement for the old horse.



The decision by the current chairman, Kofi Portuphy not to seek re-election has left the chairmanship race open.



Former General Secretary of the party, Hudu Yahaya, former Member of Parliament (MP) for Keta, Dan Abodakpi, former Director of Elections and a vice chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and former Member of the Council of State, Danny Annang are all vying for the position.



Betty Mould-Iddrisu has been throwing jabs at one of the partys gurus which have attracted the attention of the media in the past few days.



Huudu Yahaya is in a better position to clinch the position due to his in-depth knowledge of the NDC.



Mr. Abodakpi, however, should not be written off, as he wields a lot of influence in the party from the south eastern side of the country.



He is said to be enjoying the support of former President John Mahama, who wants him to appease the Voltarians.



It is quite clear that the underdog in this race is the former director of elections, Ofosu Ampofo.



The former Greater Accra Regional Chairman, Daniel Adze Annang, who has been with the party since its formation on June 10, 1992, is also contesting for the position.



He was earlier enjoying the support of John Mahama, who poached him from Joshua Alabi Camp, before the former president switched to Abodakpi.



Amadu Sorogho, Said Sinare, Lawyer Adu Yeboah, Sherry Ayittey, Yaw Owusu Obimpeh, Alhaji Sumaila Mahama, Dr Kwame Ampofo, Awudu Azorka, Kojo Adu-Asare and Seth Ohene are contesting for the National Vice chairmanship positions.



Alhaji Nuru Hamidan, Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, Peter Boamah Otokonor, David Kwaku Worwui-Brown, Kojo Adu Asare, George Lawson, Abdullah Farakhan, Nii Dodoo Dodoo, Kale Cezar, Ephram Nii Tan Sackey and Evans Amoo are vying for the deputy general secretary slot.



For the National Organiser position, former National Organiser, Yaw Boateng Gyan, former Member of Parliament for Akwatia in the Eastern Region, Baba Jamal; a National Vice Chairperson, Anita Desoso and Communications Director, Solomon Nkansah, Mahdi Gibrilll and Akamba Joshua Hamidu, who enjoys the support of John Mahama, would slug it out.



Delegates would also choose between outspoken member of the party, Sammy Gyamfi, another Mahama lackey and deputy national communications officer, Fred Agbenyo, for the National Communications Officer position.



The success of todays exercise would depend on the efficiency of the law enforcement agents and conduct of party supporters at the venue.

Source: Daily Guide









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Audio Attachment: Click to listen to the Former President

Former President and founder of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Jerry John Rawlings has asked party members to listen.



He said to get back the spirit of the old days and win the 2020 elections, there is the need for the NDC to 'cultivate the habit of 'listening'.



The former President was addressing delegates at the 9th National Delegates Congress of the NDC.



About 9000 delegates are voting for over 60 candidates contesting for various positions in the party.



Addressing delegates at the election which is taking place at the Trade Fair Center, Accra, Former President Rawlings said: I have only one sentence message . . . I can imagine how we would wish for the spirit of the old days . . . is it possible to bring it back? That can only happen if we cultivate the habit of listening to ourselves. I want to make an appeal that we listen to ourselves.

Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Minority leader in parliament, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu at the partys 9th national delegates congress has revealed the New Patriotic Party [NPP] will be collapsing soon due to its level of deceit and building castles in the air.



Speaking to party delegates at the Congress which is being held at the Accra Trade Fair Center, Hon. Iddrisu said the NPP promised to make lives better for Ghanaians but are rather extorting money through the introduction of numerous taxes.



I can assure you that when you build a house with saliva the house collapses; the NPP's house will collapse and it will collapse because it was built on saliva he emphatically stated.



He further noted that none of the social intervention programmes promised by the ruling party has been embarked on and condemned comments from the NPP that the NDC did not embark on any social interventions while in office.



He finally wished all delegates the best and urged them to vote leaders who will lead the party to its forward march 2020 victory and work for the irresistible return of the NDC.





Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi/Peacefmonline.com









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The 9th National Delegates Congress of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is currently ongoing at the Ghana Trade Fair.



About 9000 delegates are expected to vote over sixty candidates vying for various positions in the party.



Positions such as National Chairman, Vice Chairmen, General Secretary, Deputy General Secretaries, National Organizer, deputy National Organizers, Communications Officer, deputy Communications Officers, national executive committee members and the Zongo Caucus coordinator are up for grabs.



National Chairman



Former General Secretary of the party, Hudu Yahaya; former Member of Parliament (MP) for Keta, Dan Abodakpi; former Director of Elections and a Vice Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo; Former Attorney General and Education Minister, Betty Mould Iddrisu and former Member of the Council of State, Danny Annang are all contesting the National Chairman position of the NDC.



General Secretary



The incumbent General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, popularly called General Mosquito, will be facing a tough opposition from his Deputy Koku Anyidoho who is hoping to overthrow him.



Fred Agbenyo and Sammy Gyamfi are also gunning for the Communications Director of the party.



Addressing delegates at the Congress, Former President John Dramani Mahama urged them to elect executives capable to lead the NDC back to power, come 2020.



"It is important to keep in mind that the choice we make here today will contribute to the determination of the future of the NDC and also of Ghana. We must therefore put our best foot forward to rescue Ghana from the abysmal performance of the Nana Akufo-Addo and New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration," he said.



Founder of the party, Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings also had "only one sentence message" for the delegates, saying "I can imagine how we would wish for the spirit of the old days . . . is it possible to bring it back? That can only happen if we cultivate the habit of listening to ourselves. I want to make an appeal that we listen to ourselves".



Watch an aerial footage of the Congress grounds below:





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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Popular Nollywood actor, Solomon Akiyesi, has praised the government for providing Ghanaians with stable power supply.



The actor, who was making his first visit to Ghana, says he is impressed that the past eight days have been very comfortable so far with no power interruptions.



I have always looked forward to working in Ghana because you and I know that theres been this long collaboration between Ghana and Nigeria. Ghana and Nigeria have come out strong in what they call Nollywood and Ghallywood, so I have always looked forward to coming around to blend with my Ghana patrons, he said in an interview with Selly Galley on Joy Prime.



The actor said he was really surprised that there were no lights out in any circumstance, something Nigeria cannot boast of.



I want to praise the government first of allThe government that understands the role power has to play in the lives of the economy of the nation, should be praisedI have been here for close to eight days and there has not been power failure, so its been so amazing, he said.



He was very excited about the great hospitality and the warm welcome he received from Ghanaians.



and two to three days ago, someone barge into my room and was like, Ah you cant be staying in your room like that come lets do [experience] Ghana, the actor recounted.

Source: Joy Prime | Kyoko Jean Kawagi









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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While regaining a lost or faded identity can be a very difficult task, Egypt is on the right road and is employing the right strategy

Egypt has embarked on the long-awaited mission of regaining its identity, which is a great relief to many. But relief is not enough, and embarking on a journey does not necessarily guarantee its accomplishment.

Regaining a stolen identity requires a clear vision, strong will and the courage to confess, face and rebuild.

Rebuilding an individuals identity can be a tough job, let alone rebuilding a whole countrys distinctiveness and personality. Borrowing ideas, strategies and advice from human development experts is always a good starting point.

One starting point would be to confess to ourselves that we are suffering from a post-lost and distorted and identity syndrome, a term that adequately fits Egyptian society in 2018. We woke up one day to discover that the Egypt we once knew was no longer there.

The Egypt that was once the ancient worlds lighthouse, the Arab worlds cultural powerhouse, and the modern worlds balance of power in the Middle East had showed signs of ageing and waning.

The Egyptian society that had remained as it was for hundreds, if not thousands, of years had turned from a hub of diversity and an example of peaceful and loving coexistence into an ugly monstrosity.

Extreme efforts had been made over the years to empty the society of its singularities and its good ingredients that had made Egypt stand out as it had over the centuries.

The task of turning Egypt into a deformed society was something looked on with enthusiasm by the Political Islam groups, which pushed to substitute the countrys unique cultural components with an obscurantist and retroactive culture.

This task enjoyed a success that left one bewildered, especially when reading reports issued by international and global institutions elaborating on the great job that successive governments in Egypt had made of preserving diversity and encouraging enlightenment and open-mindedness.

Had such institutions not seen what had been going on over the past few decades? How did they manage to turn a blind eye?

From the thousands of studies and reports, the following lines were included in a report prepared by UNESCO, the UN cultural body, in 2007.

Egypt is a country with an immense diversity of cultural expressions, and its government has always believed strongly in the importance of working and living together. Together, cultures can create a rich and strong tapestry and can be an engine for sustainable development for individuals, communities and countries. As the organisations Johannesburg Declaration said, our rich diversity... is our collective strength.

Yet, despite the UNESCO prescriptions Egypts collective strength was left to fade away. The cultural hegemony of Political Islam, based mainly on the teachings of the Muslim Brotherhood and fed with an imported culture dressed in Islamised garments, led to what Egypt has become today.

Looking at the streets of Cairo today, anyone who lived through the 1960s and 1970s and was familiar with the Egyptian film industry of the time and the forward-looking and enlightened society would think that the country had been hijacked.

However, this hijacking went unnoticed. The Islamists were allowed to succeed in turning Egyptian society upside down.

The Islamists succeeded in transforming popular consciousness and winning the support of a sizable majority for their worldview. This was not only evident in election results, whether parliamentary or associational, but also observed in the changed social attitudes towards Islam, said academic Hazem Qandil in an article called Islamising Egypt? published in January 2011 just days before the Arab Spring Revolution.

In his article, Qandil adds that the consensual conception of power offers important insights into the cultural aspects of modern state power. While a culture-oriented counter-hegemonic strategy might not lead to the conquest of political power, it could secure social support for a new regime, should it succeed in coming to power through other means.

A counter-hegemonic strategy could perform the important function of uniting the opposition and carrying it to the brink of political power, though it will not shift the balance of power between the opposition and the rulers.

Experts in personal development tell us that when we feel we have lost our individuality in a relationship, we may miss feeling independent and self-confident, having lost ourselves and let our identities fade away.

For societies, too, regaining a faded identity is a long road and includes many steps.

Experts tell us that looking back at what and how we used to be is a good start, which is why The Seven Pillars of Egyptian Identity, a book written by the late Coptic intellectual Milad Hanna and revived as a main reference at the recent World Youth Forum in Sharm El-Sheikh, is a crucial step and a very significant choice.

Such choices send significant messages, and the message here is that there is a road and a strategy to regain Egypts stolen identity.

Hanna tells us that the Egyptian identity has been influenced by both time and space. Time means history, where four civilisations have accumulated in the ancient Egyptian, the Graeco-Roman, the Coptic and the Islamic.

And space means geographical position, where Egypt lies at the heart of the Arab world, overlooks the Mediterranean, and is an important part of Africa.

Hanna says in his book that seven historical and geographical pillars, four temporal and three geographical, can be found in every Egyptian in one form or the other, but to varying degrees.

The Islamists hang onto the Islamic and Arab identity. The Coptic fundamentalists hang on to the ancient Egyptian and Christian identity.

Yet, Egypt remains the only country in the world that has such an accumulation of civilisations noted for their diversity and pluralism.

Diversity can make some people crave uniformity, and pluralism can threaten hegemony. Egypts road to regaining its true culture and identity may not be easy, but it is definitely worth the effort.

* The writer is a journalist at Al-Hayat newspaper.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 15 November, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Seven pillars for regaining Egypt

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The map recently appeared in a presentation at the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in June, and again in a presentation by mission engineers at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Germany last month.

As this is Chinas first independent interplanetary mission, teams will need to succeed on a range of technological challenges including orbital insertion and landing. The country recently made progress on that front with successful supersonic parachute tests and tests of a subsurface detection radar from a hot air balloon in October (link in Chinese).

Chinese media reports from early September said Tianying-6 sounding rockets were launched in western China to send a full-scale supersonic parachute to altitudes between 44 and 54 kilometers, simulating travel through the tenuous Martian atmosphere. The reports state the parachute opened successfully, providing valuable aerodynamic data and verifying subsystems. Similar tests were carried out by NASA on 7 September 2018 from Wallops Island, Virginia, for its own 2020 rover mission.

First Mars EDL attempt

According to a paper by a team from the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) presented at the Global Space Exploration Conference in Beijing in 2017, landing site selection has been a complex process in which flight system engineering constraints are balanced against science goals while still allowing the project's science objectives to be met.

The two demarcated areas are in relatively low-lying regions which offer advantages to first-time Mars entry, descent and landing (EDL) attempts, says Mason Peck, an associate professor at Cornell University and former NASA chief technologist.

The atmosphere of Mars is really inconvenient. Its too thick to ignoreso, aerothermal heating is importantbut too rarefied to offer an easy descent by parachute. So, the lower the elevation, the more atmosphere the spacecraft encounters on its way to the surface, and, therefore, it can decelerate more easily, Peck says. If one is unsure of ones decelerator technology, this is the best-odds approach.

The landing will involve the use of blunt body aerodynamics, deployment of a supersonic parachute and powered descent to safely set the rover down on Mars. Part of the team that developed the Change-3 lunar lander and rover, which successfully soft-landed on the Moons Mare Imbrium region in late 2013, is working on the mission, though Mars presents different and greater challenges: notably remoteness, more gravity, the presence of a thin atmosphere and less solar energy reaching the planet.

Its all very hard, says Peck. The smallest errors in orbit maneuvers or failure to correctly model the atmosphere can have catastrophic consequences. To date, about half of Mars missions have failed, although NASA has a very good track record.

The EDL sequence carries a lot of risk. Many technologies have to perform perfectly, for the first time: the aeroshell/heat shield, the aerodynamic decelerator (or parachute(s)), position and velocity measurement relative to the ground, and the landing subsystem, Peck says. Getting any one of these right is a remarkable technical achievement. Getting these all right is whats necessary to land on Mars.
 The privately established Uganda Local Government Association (ULGA) is in talks with the Ministry of Finance to have the membership fee for districts deducted straight from the Treasury, to save the Association the trouble of running after districts for membership fees.

According to the information availed from the Associations, ULGA is registered as an independent and non-profit making entity, whose membership comprised of Local Governments.

ULGAs intentions to prey on taxpayers money were communicated through a press in response to calls by Reagan Okumu, the Chairperson Public Accounts Committee-Local Government, who asked Parliament on Thursday to look into the activities of the Association for mismanagement of public funds.

During the plenary sitting, Okumu told Parliament that ULGA has been using taxpayers money collected from all districts, yet Government isnt under obligation to meet this cost.

Okumu argued that although ULGA is a private Association, this hasnt stopped the Association from collecting Shs6m from the 130 districts, an action he says was illegal and called for a forensic audit into ULGAs scheme.

He even said the Ministry of Finance had already deducted the funds right from the votes of the respective districts, but ULGA denied these allegations saying they havent received a penny from the consolidated fund.

In a statement authored by Gertrude Gamwera, Secretary-General, ULGA, she admitted that the Association is in talks with Ministry of Finance to have the money deducted right from the treasury.

She wrote: Indeed, whereas we do continue to rightly engage Ministry of Finance on the possibility of receiving our subscriptions through direct deductions from source and in particular the discretionary funding allocation to local government for our proper planning and execution of our mandate, an action properly supported by a resolution of our Annual General Assembly and supported by our mother Ministry of local government which appreciates our role as a key partner in development of local government agenda.

However, it is not known if the secretary to treasury, Keith Muhakanizi will agree to such a request as an approval to such a request is likely to open floodgates to other professional unions and other associations that bring together civil and public servants to have their membership fees charged right from the consolidated fund.

On allegations of receiving funds from the treasury, the Secretary-General noted: For the calendar year 2017 to date, we have not received such directly deducted subscriptions from Ministry of Finance as alleged.

The nasty bickering between MPs on the committee and ULGA became public this week after the committee handed over their investigative report into the annual audit reports to President Yoweri Museveni at State House Entebbe which highlighted the glaring corruption in local governments across the country.

In retaliation, ULGA fired back at Okumu accusing him of being insensitive and continuously painting an image in the country of corrupt and incompetent local governments.

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Here is a collection of the popular stories from the cryptocurrency and blockchain space this week.

Bitcoin drops Below $6,000, Market Cap Below $100 Bln

After months of staying relatively stable, the price of major cryptocurrency Bitcoin plunged below $6,000 this week. The sharp variation is believed to be due to the uncertainty surrounding bitcoin cash's hard fork. Other cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum and Ripple, also experienced a major sell-off. For the majority of the fall, Bitcoin was trading comfortably around the $6,400 range.

Tokyo police arrest 8 over $68 Mln cryptocurrency pyramid scheme

Eight people have reportedly been arrested in Tokyo for running a cryptocurrency pyramid scheme that collected 7.8 billion yen ($68.42 million) from thousands of investors in Japan. Police believe that the suspects tried to avoid prosecution by making transactions in cryptocurrencies, which does not fall under the country's financial exchange law. Six of the suspects admitted to the allegations.

Colorado issues cease and desist order to 4 crypto startups over ICOs

The Colorado Securities watchdog issued cease and desist orders to four cryptocurrency startups asking them to stop promoting unregistered securities to residents of the state. The latest actions were taken over Initial Coin Offerings solicited by Bitcoin Investments Ltd. (also doing as DB Capital), PinkDate, Prisma, and Clear Shop Vision Ltd. This brings the total number of cease-and-desist orders signed by Colorado Securities Commissioner Gerald Rome to 12.



Malaysian Universities using blockchain to Fight Counterfeit certificates

The Malaysian Ministry of Education launched an e-Scroll system for a consortium of Malaysian public universities to verify and validate degree certificates using a blockchain-powered web application. The need for such a system has arisen due to the increasing number of fake degrees and how easily available they are via the Internet. The system is developed and deployed by LuxTag, a blockchain-based anti-counterfeit and anti-theft solution provider.

Israel's Central Bank advised not to issue digital currency in near future

The Bank of Israel has been recommended not to issue central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the near future. The recommendation comes from an interdepartmental team formed in November 2017 to explore the feasibility of issuing CBDC. The team was established by the Central Bank Governor Dr.Karnit Flug. The team noted that it is necessary to continue examining the field and to follow developments around the world before there are proper grounds for a decision to recommend issuing digital currency.

Michigan Says No To cryptocurrency donations to political campaigns

The important ruling was made by Michigan's Department of State while replying to a letter sent by a Republican candidate who lost in the midterm election. William Baker, who sought election to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent District 60, was defeated by incumbent Jon Hoadley (D). Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are too volatile to qualify for such donations, according to the Secretary of State's office.

German Crypto Exchange Bitcoin Group SE Buys Investment Bank Tremmel

German cryptocurrency exchange Bitcoin Group SE acquired investment bank Tremmel Wertpapierhandelsbank GmbH, aiming to significantly expand its service portfolio. The purchase price was not disclosed, but the company said it is in the lower seven-digit euro range. The closing of the deal is expected to be in the first semester 2019 and is subject to relevant regulatory approval. With the acquisition, Bitcoin Group expects to obtain the use of Tremmel's banking license, which will help to significantly expand its crypto-related offerings



McAfee warns of Russian cryptojacking malware WebCobra

U.S.-based cyber security firm McAfee Labs has put out a warning about a new Russian cryptojacking malware called "WebCobra," which uses the victims computing power to mine for cryptocurrencies such as Monero and Zcash. The malware is believed to to arrive via rogue Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP) installers. McAffe says the WebCobra malware is observed across the globe, with the highest number of infections in Brazil, South Africa, and the United States.

Current Prices

Over the past one week, Bitcoin lost 12.3 percent or nearly $780, and was trading at $5547.37 on Coinbase.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Forex News
All eyes are on Papua New Guinea this weekend as it hosts what is arguably one of the biggest meetings a Pacific nation would have to accommodate in recent memory, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (A.P.E.C.) Summit.

With Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence among a host of high profile world leaders flying into Port Moresby for the event, this is as big as it gets for the Pacific.

And while specific A.P.E.C. business  whatever that is - will hardly raise interest in this part of the world, the one thing we know is that A.P.E.C. will only heighten the interest on the topic of chequebook diplomacy and the strategic battle between the big nations for control of the Pacific.

Which is fascinating because on the sideline of A.P.E.C., an even more interesting and relevant meeting to the Pacific, is taking place. This one involves our very own Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi who is among a host of Pacific leaders meeting with President Xi.

The official notes say that the meeting is an exchange views on bilateral ties and pragmatic cooperation. Well thats pretty neat diplomatic language, isnt it?

The truth is that for most Pacific countries, President Xis P.N.G. visit means Christmas has come a little early. Folks dont let the official language fool you; apart from the hello and how are you, there is no exchange of views in that meeting. Its Christmas time for the Pacific. This is the chance for the leaders of the Pacific to go with their shopping lists and beg for more aid assistance.

China knows this.

President Xis A.P.E.C. attendance is convenient because China knows the value of his presence in the Pacific at this particular time. Regardless of what the United States say, the absence of President Donald Trump speaks volumes.

Heres the thing, if you want to show a people that they matter, you show up and talk to them. You spend a few more days than just a fly by night visit, which is precisely what President Xi has done. Which means that once again, China wins this latest round.

Away from the Pacific China relations, its interesting to note the criticisms against Papua New Guineas Government in hosting A.P.E.C. P.N.G. Prime Minister Peter ONeills administration has attracted a lot of criticisms over the spending to host A.P.E.C. amidst a budget crisis, an outbreak of polio and reports about the lack of basic medicine.

According to the reports from P.N.G., one news outlet quoted P.N.Gs Catholic Bishops Conference highlighting the dire shortages of basic services while the government poured millions into A.P.E.C.

We share the concern of many about the huge amount of our limited resources being expended on this event which seems designed to entertain and impress the rich and powerful, said its president, Rochus Tatamai. Papua New Guineans are suffering and dying in order to make A.P.E.C. a success.

Well thats pretty sad isnt it?

But this sort of carry on shouldnt come as a surprise for us in Samoa. In fact, to be fair to the P.N.G. government, this scenario is not confined to them. Its quite a common problem in the Pacific, where leaders blow out millions on these grand events promising millions of tala in return at the expense of poor taxpayers.

Yet it hardly happens because no one ever does a proper cost and benefit analysis to measure the return on investment. We know this is true in Samoa.

The business community will have stories upon stories to tell about monies they were promised from these events, which never materialized. In some cases, many businesses lost a lot of money.

At the end of the day, these grand events are often and always about the personalities. They are done at the whim of leaders, who want to create a new legacy, whereby they would be remembered by. They dont care who suffers and whether the country benefits.

But someone has to pay for it. And where is the money coming from? The simple answer is this. From you, the silent submissive taxpayer. You will be taxed for every step you take in Samoa. The second option of course is aid, which opens the door to unsustainable borrowing, exposing the country to many risks. Keep in mind there is no such thing as a free lunch.

What is being used as collateral? All weve got apart from people are our marine and land resources. When you are desperate, none of that matters.

Which brings us to a point weve made before and we want to make again. Our leaders must sit down to look at the projects they are committing our people to, and ask if they are really necessary.

We are talking about the need for a proper cost and benefit analysis in relation to all these projects. Such an analysis will require us to look to the past to determine whether all the major events we have hosted actually added value to the lives of the people of this country.

You see, far too often, we become so excited about hosting such events with the notion that it will automatically inject millions of dollars into the economy. That hardly happens. Unless we are wrong?

What do you think?

Have a peaceful Sunday Samoa, God bless!
The Central Bank of Samoa (C.B.S.) is aware of people involved in the cryptocurrency scheme, especially OneCoin, who have received false promises from agents promoting the crypto asset.

C.B.S. Governor Maiava Atalina Ainuu-Enari told Sunday Samoan these are high profile people, including business people, who call their office asking for assistance in tracking their money.

I am aware there are people involved in the cryptocurrency business but I dont know specifically who is involved. I hear that there are people involved; there are those who have already invested in some if these crypto assets, Maiava said.

There is no law stopping people from investing, we can only warn them the risks they are getting themselves in because most of these cases, weve dealt with these cases before, despite the warnings they still went ahead and after a few months they come back to us and ask if we can trace this and that because they havent heard from the person.

So by that time we cant do anything. The international financial system moves very quickly, so the money we dont know where to trace it from.

Maiava said the promoters of these cryptocurrencies and agents live overseas and the locals usually send them money.

Despite of the warnings, they still went ahead and they get nothing in return. We can only warn the people, and we cant do much, she said.

I hear so many stories that some people who invested in the scheme was waiting for a payout in October and nothing came and so now OneCoin has changed their story telling them you dont get a payout, but you can use your investment to buy a land or a car in Australia.

And these are Samoans living here, so OneCoin is changing their story telling them you can buy real estate in Australia and they were shown pictures of cars and properties, and people are being dragged in more and getting attracted.

Maiva is calling on people who have been victims of these false promises to speak up about their experiences so that they can help others who are considering investing in the scheme.

These are people who call our office, and we tell them we cant help you because you are not giving us any details and also to speak out about it to let everyone know, but they dont want to speak out because of their reputation because some of them are really high profile people.

There are people who have been affected but do not want to speak out because of fear of ruining their reputation, being called stupid, but they are not helping other people.

Come out and speak to help other people because sometimes the pride gets the better of them and they will make up stories that they did get something in return, but you are not helping yourself or other people. They would get to the point where they would lie about it saying they did get something, she said.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Meeting on the sidelines of the 26th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Summit, the two leaders exchanged views on bilateral ties and pragmatic cooperation.

But Xis meeting with the leaders of eight Pacific Island states on Friday was not without controversy, with reports later emerging of the banning of local and international media from covering the discussionswith only members of the Chinese media given access to the conference venue.

During the meeting with Tuilaepa, Xi pointed out that the bilateral relations between the two nations face new opportunities for development.

He called on both sides to adhere to a high degree of political mutual trust, continue supporting each other on issues of their core interests and major concerns, expand cooperation in various fields within Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) framework and increase people-to-people exchanges.

Xi also said that China supports Samoa in hosting the 2019 Pacific Games and will continue supporting the country to improve its capability to tackle climate change.

Tuilaepa said since Samoa established diplomatic relations with China, it has firmly adhered to the One-China policy and expressed gratitude to China for assisting Samoa in infrastructure construction, which enabled it to upgrade its status from being a least developed country and promote its development.

The Prime Minister also added that Samoa is willing to advance major cooperation projects with China under the BRI framework.

The Chinese president also met Peter Christian, the Federated States of Micronesia president, Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna, Prime Minister Samuela Akilisi Pohiva of Tonga, Niue Premier Toke Talagi and the Fiji Defense Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola.

Pictures of local and international journalistswho were put on a bus and taken out of the conference venue in Port Moresbywere circulated on social media, triggering widespread condemnation. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), whose correspondent Natalie Whiting was among journalists asked to leave, reported that Chinese officials asked the media to vacate the premises.

Twenty-four hours after the meeting between the Chinese president and the Pacific leaders, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence told the 2018 APEC CEO Summit in Port Moresby that America does not want countries in the Indo-Pacific region to fall into the Chinese debt diplomacy, and instead choose U.S. development financing.

We dont drown our partners in a sea of debt. We dont coerce or compromise your independence. We do not offer a constricting belt or a one-way road, he said, before announcing that the U.S. will partner with Australia and P.N.G. to build a naval base on Manus Island IN P.N.G.

The 2018 APEC Leaders Summit in Port Moresby officially ends today.
An audit has revealed the Samoa Ports Authority operated above its $1.3 million overdraft limit in the 2013-2014 financial year.

The Authoritys cash flow crisis was highlighted in an audit report on the financial year 2013-2014 compiled by the Audit Office and submitted to the Parliament.

The audit report also highlighted the double payment of directors fees, and payments being made to some directors despite the dissolution of the board on January 18, 2011.

Inconsistencies in cheque amounts which differed from the amount banked was also a cause for concern for the inquiring auditors.

There was no checking done by the responsible personnel after banking. The deposit book was not stamped by the bank to verify that funds has been received and deposited in S.P.A.'s bank account, the audit report stated.

But the S.P.A., in response to the concerns highlighted in the audit, said its human resource department will carry out spot checks to ensure the tasks are being done correctly.

The audit also noticed inconsistencies in the receipt books and the bank deposit books with bank statements.

There was no evidence that goods and services were received or performed. Authorised personnel signature for approval of some payment vouchers are missing.

Some supporting documents for petty cash reimbursement were missing. Some payment vouchers were missing from the payment voucher files, stated the audit.

On human resource, the audit noted that the Samoa Ports Authority had difficulties monitoring staff attendancedue to the large number of workers in various locationswhere they were stationed.

We have also in the past discovered some staff who tends to sign other staff names and/or deliberately recording wrong information on attendance book.

They have been served Warning Letters and state in letter their breach of employment policy and how they are penalized accordingly as per Disciplinary Procedures in S.P.A Employment Policy, the audit added.

The audit noted

Auditors noted that for staff monitoring purposes, it was important all staff reported to their supervisors.
The World Bank is working with the Central Bank of Samoa (C.B.S.) on a real time payment system that would address any need for having a digital currency.

This is according to C.B.S. Governor, Maiava Atalina Ainuu-Enar, who was responding to the question on whether the Central Bank will consider issuing a digital currency for Samoa in the future.

Because digital currency is promoting that it would make it easier for payments to be carried out, but if you have a real time payment system, you dont need a digital currency, Maiava told the Sunday Samoan.

Central bank digital currency was one of the issues discussed during the Governors meeting, the consensus was we are not desperate and we are not there yet, we are working on our payment so that would be a real time settlement.

So that in itself will address any need for a digital currency because once you have a payment system that is real time settlement, you can clear anything at that very moment, so if you have a cheque that you want to cash out at another bank, you dont have to wait a week to clear that cheque, you will instantly know whether theres cash in that account or not.

Maiava explained the legal framework is already in place in Samoa, and the World Bank is now working with them as regulators to implement the real time payment system.

Weve already passed the law - National Payment System Act in 2014. So we have the legal framework in place, we just need the payment system to be in place, Maiava said.

If we have that system in place, theres no need for digital currency. Real time payment system has no risks because it involves all players in the financial system especially the commercial banks, so they are all linked, and any transaction that goes into the system is picked up by any client.

Maiava this is one of their approaches to ensure that Samoa is not left behind with the new innovations and technological changes.

This is something we are working towards, so we are going with technology, its always the case that in any country, regulation always lacks behind technology because of the fast pace of technology these days, she said.

Our approach to that is we want to work with the technology people, we want to know whats happening, give them that space to work for them to provide that service while we control it in a controlled environment like we monitor it. Once we know that it is safe, than we will open it up.

Its what we called regulatory sandbox we allow the vendor, or allow the person with the innovation to progress with that innovation but in a supervised environment, so we know the risk at that time and we address it before we open it up. This is the same approach thats been adopted by other countries in the region, in that way we dont hold back on innovation and technology and try and suppress it, but we allow it to develop.

Maiava said this is why they are advising that people let them know on the new types of technological innovations.

We need to license it, so that we can work with them because we need to know that these are all new technologies and we need to understand how it works, the framework, the mechanics of it in a controlled environment, because by doing that we will know the risks, minimize it before opening it. Thats our approach in terms of all these new technologies thats come up.
PARADISE, Calif. (AP)  President Donald Trump arrived in Northern California on Saturday to see firsthand the grief and devastation from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century amid confusion over how many people remain unaccounted for.

Authorities confirmed a new death toll of 71 and say they are trying to locate 1,011 people , even as they stressed that not all are believed missing.

California's outgoing and incoming governors, both Democrats and vocal critics of Trump, greeted him when he landed at Beale Air Force Base just north of Sacramento and got onto a helicopter. Gov. Jerry Brown and Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom welcomed Trump's visit, declaring it's time "to pull together for the people of California."

The blaze that started Nov. 8 largely destroyed the town of Paradise, population 27,000, and heavily damaged the nearby communities of Magalia and Concow. It destroyed more than 9,800 homes and at its height displaced 52,000 people.

Trump also was expected to stop in Southern California, where a wildfire recently killed three people and a gunman shot a dozen people to death at a country music bar in Thousand Oaks on Nov. 7 before killing himself.

The fire zone in Northern California is to some extent Trump country. He beat Hillary Clinton by 4 percentage points in Butte County in 2016.

But Trump has stirred resentment among survivors for blaming the fire on poor forest management in California, making the comments two days after the disaster on Twitter and reiterating them the day of his visit.

"If you insult people, then you go visit them, how do you think you're going to be accepted? You're not going to have a parade," Maggie Crowder of Magalia said this week outside an informal shelter at a Walmart store in Chico.

But Stacy Lazzarino, who voted for Trump, said it would be good for the president to see the devastation up close: "I think by maybe seeing it he's going to be like 'Oh, my goodness,' and it might start opening people's eyes."

Firefighters were reluctant to weigh in on Trump's visit, but some shared their thoughts.

Nick Shawkey, a state fire captain from rural Northern California, said Trump's visit was the mark of a good leader. But to imply the state was to blame for mismanaging the forests was based on a misunderstanding because much of the forest land in California is controlled by the U.S. Forest Service, he said.

"The thing he's tweeting about is his property," Shawkey said.

Paul Briones, a firefighter from Bakersfield, predicted Trump's visit would be a huge boost to the community, showing "that this on a national level is a priority."

More than 5,600 fire personnel were battling the blaze that covered 231 square miles (598 square kilometers) and was halfway contained, officials said.

Firefighters were racing against time with winds up to 40 mph and low humidity expected Saturday night into Sunday. Rain was forecast for midweek, which could help firefighters but also complicate the challenging search for remains.

"It's a disheartening situation," Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told reporters Friday. "As much as I wish we could get through this before the rains come, I don't know if that's possible."

The number of people unaccounted for grew to more than 1,000 on Friday. But Honea acknowledged the list was "dynamic" and could easily contain duplicate names and unreliable spellings of names.

The roster probably includes some who fled the blaze and do not realize they have been reported missing, he said.

"We are still receiving calls. We're still reviewing emails," Honea said. "This is a massive undertaking. We have hundreds and hundreds of people working on this."

Families searching for loved ones have scoured shelters and social media and say they understand the chaos of the situation, but the wait for information is agonizing.

For one family, good news arrived by telephone.

Monica Whipple said Friday that she was boarding a plane back to North Carolina when she got a call two days ago that her mother, Donna Price, had been found alive at a shelter.

"It was so crazy, I started crying in front of everybody," Whipple said.

For too many others, the wait has ended with bad news.

Sol Bechtold searched for his 75-year-old mother, Caddy, and provided DNA samples to authorities. As he drove back to his home in Pleasanton, California, he got a call from an officer and was told his mother's remains were found in her burned-down home in Magalia.

"It's hard to realize your mother is gone," Bechtold said.
Medicare is experimenting with a new direction in health care. Starting next year, seniors in many states will be able to get additional services such as help with chores and respite for caregivers through private Medicare Advantage insurance plans.

Theres a growing recognition that such practical help can have a meaningful impact on patients well-being  and reduce some costs for taxpayers. A couple of hundred dollars to install grab bars in the shower can prevent a fall leading to a broken hip, a life-changing injury.

That may also help elderly people stay in their homes longer.

The newly covered services are similar to what people might need if they required long-term care, said Howard Gleckman, a senior researcher at the nonpartisan Urban Institute think tank.

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It begins to break down the wall between long-term care and Medicare, which, with very few exceptions, has never paid for long-term care, Gleckman said.

Change is starting slowly. Policymakers have yet to figure out how to bring similar benefits to traditional Medicare, still the choice of 2 out of 3 seniors.

For years, Medicare has permitted private plans to offer supplemental benefits not covered by the traditional program. Think free gym memberships, transportation to medical appointments or home-delivered meals following a hospitalization.

The new benefits take that to a higher level, with Medicares blessing.

It is a big concept, in the sense that it is officially encouraging plans to get across the line into the many, many things that affect the health and well-being of beneficiaries, said Marc Russo, president of insurer Anthems Medicare business. I, for one, who have been in and around Medicare for decades, believe it pays.

Insurers under Anthems corporate umbrella are offering different packages in 12 of 21 states where they operate Medicare plans. They can include alternative medicine, like acupuncture, or adult day care center visits or a personal helper at home.

Other major insurers like UnitedHealthcare and Humana are participating. Its a calculated gamble for insurers, who still have to make a profit.

And the limited new benefits are no substitute for full long-term care coverage, which many people need for at least part of their lives and remains prohibitively expensive. Seniors trying to get long-term care through Medicaid, the program for low-income people, must spend down their life savings.

Medicare policy has not kept up with the times, said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., one of the authors of bipartisan legislation seen as a catalyst for expanded services through Medicare Advantage.

Wyden said hes working to bring similar options to traditional Medicare.

Clearly this is going to have to be an effort that is going to have to be built out, he added.

The changes represent a rare consensus at a time when health care issues are among the most politically divisive. Republican and Democratic lawmakers, as well as Seema Verma, the Trump administrations Medicare chief, are pulling in the same direction.

The idea of broader services through Medicare Advantage was embodied in a bipartisan Senate Finance Committee bill to improve care for chronically ill seniors. The Trump administration issued regulations in the spring trying to accelerate the changes.

According to Medicare, 12 insurers will be offering expanded supplemental benefits next year through 160 plans in 20 states, including California. In four other states and Puerto Rico, such benefits may be available to seniors with certain health conditions.

The guidance came out fairly late in the annual planning process, and thats one reason why some of these benefits may start out small, said Steve Warner, head of Medicare Advantage program development for UnitedHealthcare.

Medicare estimates that some 780,000 beneficiaries will have access to the new benefits next year. In-home helpers and support for caregivers are the most popular.

Consumer advocates recommend that seniors carefully weigh whether Medicare Advantage is best for them. If they dont like it, they can go back to traditional Medicare, but those with a pre-existing condition may not be able to buy a Medigap policy to help cover out-of-pocket costs. They can also switch to another Medicare Advantage plan.

Medicare doesnt pay the insurers more for offering added benefits. Under a complex formula, theyre primarily financed out of the difference between bids submitted by insurers and Medicares maximum payment to plans. If the companies bid below Medicares rate, they can return some of that to beneficiaries in the form of added benefits.

The new services will be offered by some Medicare Advantage plans in more than 20 states next year, and thats expected to grow over time.

There has to be a health-related reason to qualify, and costs will vary among plans. In some plans, theres no added cost. But limits do apply. For example, a plan may cover one day per week at an adult day care center.

Nearly 23 million Medicare beneficiaries, or more than 1 in 3, are expected to be covered by a Medicare Advantage plan next year. The private plans generally offer lower out-of-pocket costs in exchange for limits on choice of doctors and hospitals and other restrictions such as prior authorization for services. Its a growing business for insurers.

Medicare Advantage open enrollment for 2019 ends Dec. 7. But its not easy to use Medicares online plan finder to search for plans with expanded benefits, so beneficiaries and their families will have to rely on promotional materials that insurers mail during open enrollment.
Approval of a long-studied plan to restore Southern Californias only freshwater coastal lagoon by opening it to the ocean tides was delayed an additional six months Friday for further fact-finding and negotiations.

Directors of the San Diego Association of Governments granted the request by Oceanside and Carlsbad property owners, who threatened long and costly litigation if the decision doesnt go their way.

We are going to file action alleging the (environment impact report) is defective if SANDAG approves the document, said Paul Keller, a 40-year resident of the St. Malo Beach community in Oceanside. There are a lot of us who believe that the draft document is defective.

The 220-acre Buena Vista Lagoon on the Carlsbad-Oceanside border has been filled by rainwater and irrigation runoff since at least the 1940s, when a few of the original property owners built a weir, or low dam, near the inlet. The weir keeps out seawater and holds the freshwater at a minimum depth several feet above sea level.

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As a result, the lagoon is slowly filling with sediment and shrinking as a forest of cattails closes in.

Several board members said the lagoons artificial barrier should be removed, but they had questions about how that could be done and whether it would require taking private property through eminent domain.

Thats the only question that remains for me, said Director Mary Salas, mayor of Chula Vista.

The question is do you want to return (the lagoon) to a natural state, or do you want, through a compromise, to return it to a state other than that., said Director Ron Roberts, a member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

Earlier this week, a majority of the Carlsbad City Council voted to support the delay. A year ago, the council voted to approve the saltwater plan.

Oceansides SANDAG representative, Councilman Chuck Lowery, supported approval of saltwater alternative Friday, noting that the only people pushing for the delay are against it.

Property owners near the inlet and overlooking the lagoon have fought the saltwater plan for years.

The plan was scheduled to go to the SANDAG board in January, but was postponed and has been delayed repeatedly since then because of concerns raised by the property owners.

They say they prefer their views of the open water, that the open inlet would obstruct the beach and create a safety hazard for people walking on the sand. They say state and federal agencies only support the saltwater plan because it would provide mitigation credits for the regions transportation improvement projects.

The decision for saltwater was definitely predetermined a long time ago, said Jim Petronella, a Carlsbad resident and founder of the group Save the Fresh Water Buena Vista Lagoon.

SANDAG staff members had recommended the board support the saltwater plan, one of four alternatives examined in the projects environmental impact report.

The other alternatives were to keep the weir as it is and clean out the cattails and sediment, move the weir to the center of the lagoon to create a hybrid of half saltwater and half freshwater, or to do nothing at all.

Since we started this project, Ive not heard one person say that do nothing is the best solution, said SANDAG project manager Keith Greer.

Scientific studies show the saltwater alternative has the most benefits  the greatest flood protection, the best habitat for endangered species, the least stagnant water and the fewest mosquitoes, he said.

A broad group of environmental and conservation groups support the saltwater plan.

The decision should be based on science, not politics, said Diane Nygaard of the nonprofit Preserve Calavera, which she said represents 3,700 North County families.

Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation President Fred Sandquist also urged approval of the plan.

In six months, if you grant the extension, were right back here with the same issues, Sandquist said.

The state Fish and Wildlife Department, then Fish and Game, began studies for an EIR in 2001 and gave up in 2011 after reaching a standstill with property owners. SANDAG took over in 2012 at the request of Oceanside and Carlsbad.

Some of the property owners have said recently that after years of working for a freshwater restoration, they now would be willing to compromise on the hybrid version that was studied.

The hybrid version, which would move the weir to the Interstate 5 bridge that crosses the lagoon, would be more expensive and less effective, Greer said.

It would be less likely to get funding, he added, and many people are opposed to it.

Approval of the environmental documents would authorize the SANDAG staff to plan the project in greater detail, apply for permits and take other steps to make the restoration shovel-ready.

State and federal agencies require a project to be shovel-ready before they will allocate funding for it. Any construction is still years away.

Recent estimates place the costs of the saltwater project at $65 million, but its likely to go higher.

A similar project underway at the San Elijo Lagoon is budgeted at about $120 million.

philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @phildiehl
The Argentine government acknowledged Saturday that it lacked the proper technology to rescue the submarine just found deep in the Atlantic after it disappeared a year ago with 44 crew members aboard.

Defense Minister Oscar Aguad said at a news conference that the countrys navy lacks submersibles with modern technology capable of verifying the seabed to extract the ARA San Juan, which was found 2,625 feet deep in waters off the Valdes Peninsula in Argentine Patagonia.

He said officials still need to determine the next steps.

Earlier in the morning, the navy said a positive identification had been made by a remote-operated submersible from the American company Ocean Infinity. The company was responsible for the search for the missing vessel and was commissioned by the Argentine government.

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The discovery was announced just two days after families of the missing sailors held a commemoration one year after the sub disappeared on Nov. 15, 2017.

On Thursday, on the anniversary of the disappearance, President Mauricio Macri said the families of the submariners should not feel alone, and he delivered an absolute and non-negotiable commitment to find the truth.

Macri promised a full investigation after the submarine was lost. Federal police raided naval bases and other buildings last January as part of the probe, soon after the government dismissed the head of the navy.

The San Juan was returning to its base in the coastal city of Mar del Plata when contact was lost.

Argentina gave up hope of finding survivors after an intense search aided by 18 countries, but the navy has continued searching for the vessel.

The German-built diesel-electric TR-1700 class submarine was commissioned in the mid-1980s and was most recently refitted between 2008 and 2014. During the $12-million retrofitting, the vessel was cut in half and had its engines and batteries replaced. Experts said refits can be difficult because they involve integrating systems produced by different manufacturers, and even the tiniest mistake during the cutting phase can put the safety of the ship and crew at risk.

The navy said previously the captain reported on Nov. 15 that water entered the snorkel and caused one of the subs batteries to short-circuit. The captain later communicated that the problem had been contained.

Some hours later, an explosion was detected near the time and place where the San Juan was last heard from. The navy said the blast could have been caused by a concentration of hydrogen triggered by the battery problem reported by the captain.
The U.N. envoy for Yemen has announced that the countrys internationally recognized government and rival Houthi Shiite rebels have agreed to attend talks aimed at ending their three-year war, which has created the globes worst humanitarian crisis by pushing the Arab worlds poorest country to the brink of famine.

Martin Griffiths told the U.N. Security Council on Friday that he planned to bring the warring parties together soon in Sweden. He also said the Houthis and the government, which is backed by a Saudi Arabia-led coalition, were about to conclude an agreement on exchanging prisoners and detainees.

The spotlight has fallen on what many viewed as the long forgotten war in Yemen since the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on Oct. 2. Griffiths said he is determined to take advantage of the international attention and energy to move toward peace.

We must seize this positive international momentum on Yemen, he told the U.N.'s most powerful body. This is an opportunity at a crucial moment to pursue a comprehensive and inclusive political settlement to the conflict.

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Griffiths said preparatory issues for the meeting are close to being resolved and that he has sent the parties his vision for U.N.-led, inclusive Yemeni negotiations to end the war and restart a political transition process.

The conflict in Yemen began with the 2014 takeover of the capital of Sana by the Iranian-backed Houthis, which toppled the government of Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The Saudi-led coalition allied with the government has been fighting the Houthis since 2015.

Saudi-led airstrikes have hit schools, hospitals and wedding parties and killed thousands of Yemeni civilians. The Houthis have fired long-range missiles into Saudi Arabia and targeted vessels in the Red Sea.

Civilians have borne the brunt of the conflict, which has killed over 10,000 people and created what the executive director of the U.N.'s World Food Program said Friday is a catastrophe.

David Beasley, who just returned from a three-day visit to Yemen, told the Security Council that we do not need to wait for formal declarations about famine or even a full report to act.

I believe that because of what I saw and heard this week children are already dying, he said.

Beasley warned that starvation is on the horizon unless circumstances change  and change immediately.

Right now, he said, his agency is helping about 8 million people a month in Yemen but the situation has become extremely dire.

Of the 28 million Yemenis, we believe that as many as 12 million or more Yemenis  yes, thats right, almost half of the entire country  are just one step away from famine, Beasley said.

That number has doubled in the last year and a half and the situation is getting even worse, largely because of the collapse of Yemens economy and the sharp decline in its currency, he said.

To avert famine, Beasley said, the international community must combine increased humanitarian funding with an all-out effort to restore the Yemeni economy.

He said that will require scaling up assistance to help 12 million Yemenis, which would require about $150 million to $160 million a month. And it would require a cash injection of $200 million a month into Yemens economy to stabilize its currency and stave off economic collapse, he said.

Yemen is on the brink  so together we must act, Beasley said. Otherwise, he warned, we will be in the position of deciding which children live and which children die.

U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock, who warned the council on Oct. 23 that the economic crisis and escalating conflict had pushed Yemen closer to famine than ever before, also urged its members to take action now.

In addition to also urging the parties to negotiate an end to the conflict and the international community to boost aid, he called for a humanitarian cease-fire around key aid facilities, delivery of humanitarian and commercial imports to all Yemeni ports and onward to their final destinations, and funding to pay Yemeni pensioners and civil servants.

Britains U.N. ambassador, Karen Pierce, said she will circulate a Security Council resolution Monday to address the Yemen crisis and put Lowcocks requests into practice.

U.S. deputy ambassador Jonathan Cohen told the council: This war must end soon, and it wont end on the battlefield. He reiterated Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeos words: The United States seeks a cessation of hostilities in Yemen.

Lowcock noted that after an upsurge in fighting immediately after his Oct. 23 briefing to the council, there has been a welcome deescalation in the last two days.

But what we need to know is that this lull is going to be sustained, Lowcock said. It remains urgent for the parties to agree a cessation of hostilities.
Riding on the support of late-arriving ballots, Alex Villanueva fattened his lead over incumbent Jim McDonnell on Friday in the election for Los Angeles County sheriff.

In the latest vote tally by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Villanueva is ahead by almost 58,000 votes, with nearly 423,000 ballots left to be counted in a race that will be decided on provisional, conditional, miscellaneous and late absentee votes. Villanueva had 51.3% of the vote compared with McDonnells 48.7%.

Villanueva declared victory Friday evening based on an analysis of the vote tally, but he has not received a call from McDonnell, said Villanuevas spokesman, Danny Leserman.

McDonnell did not immediately respond to a request for comment. His campaign advisor, Steve Barkan, declined to make a statement about the latest total.

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The race remains one of the last in California that is hinging on the last piles of ballots.

Villanueva, a retired sheriffs lieutenant, has been buoyed in large part by Latino voters. He won an estimated 84% of the Latino vote, said Matt Barreto, a professor of political science at UCLA who also runs Latino Decisions, a polling and research firm.

Those results echo a Times analysis that found Villanueva did best in heavily Latino areas of the county, including Los Angeles, East L.A. and the east San Fernando Valley, while McDonnell carried the South Bay, coastal areas and northern parts of the county.

Barreto said he and his team predict Villanueva will be elected.

It is clear that his lead is growing, Barreto said. The votes that remain to be counted could diminish his lead somewhat, but we do not believe there is any way he can lose at this point.

The next vote totals will be announced Tuesday.

maya.lau@latimes.com

Twitter: @mayalau

UPDATES:

5:55 p.m.: This article was updated with the latest vote percentages.

This article was originally published at 5:25 p.m.
You with the purple shirt, said Ellen DeGeneres, pointing at Jim Madaffer in her studio audience on Tuesdays show. Were going to give you some music. His assignment, as one of only a handful of dads in the talk hosts audience that day, was to do the Dad Dab dance.

Thus, the chairman of the San Diego County Water Authority Board and California Transportation Commission member squeezed out to the center aisle and gamely gyrated to the music, earning a thumbs down from the show host.

Facebook friends advised that he keep his day job, that he refrain from a repeat performance and that he was so last year because he should be doing The Floss. There was also speculation that Dancing With the Stars might come next.

Madaffer took it all in stride. You go in as one of 400 people, never expecting anything like that, he said. Being in the audience that day was well worth it, though, because he got to see Ellens celebrity guest, actor Mark Wahlberg.

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What did the former San Diego city councilman receive for his national dabbing debut? When he and his wife, Robin, exited, they were handed gift bags of Ellen Show merchandise  T-shirts, coffee mugs and other items.

What they should have given me was a coupon for dance lessons, lamented Madaffer.

It takes an Army: Some fashion models at a recent Salvation Army Womens Auxiliary show didnt fit the usual model mold. Thats because their real job was becoming model citizens through help programs offered by the Salvation Armys Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC).

On this special day, though, the women were stylishly dressed in designer clothing and jewelry that had been donated for sale in Salvation Army thrift stores. Contributors had paid for their hair styling and make-up applications. Shy smiles brightened their proud faces as they made their way, some self-consciously, across the stage.

It was the auxiliarys Artistry of Tables and Fashions luncheon. But the major focus was on the six transformed ladies who currently live at the rehab center where they are completing a free six-month program aimed at recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.

Emcee Sandra Maas shared stories of their personal struggles with substance abuse and how they were turning their lives around through the Christian-based program. There was hardly a dry eye in the room as Karen, one of the six ladies, explained how her prior life of severe abuse led her to use drugs to mask the pain. She concluded her talk proudly: I have been transformed into the woman that God wants me to be.

The ladies, who ranged from late teens to about 50, never dreamed they would get to take home the stylish clothing and jewelry they were modeling, which averaged about $200 an outfit.

By the end of the event, auxiliary member Laurie Joseph was so moved, she felt compelled to do something special. So, she opened her purse and purchased the six outfits the models were wearing. Then she gave the items to the ladies to take home with them to the rehab center.

Young dancer Merrick Hanna, 13, found fame with his robotic dance steps on American TV, so the Encinitas middle schooler competed last month on reality TV in Germany. He won star status from judges of Das Supertalent and awaits for the winner to be announced in December. (Courtesy photo)

Dancing king: After becoming a semifinalist in Americas Got Talent and appearances on The Ellen Show, Spike TVs Lip Sync Battle Shorties and So You Think You can Dance: Next Generation, Merrick Hanna, who recently turned 13, thought he was done with reality TV appearances.

But then the North County eighth-grader got the sightseeing bug to visit castles in Germany and soon found a reason to travel there.

The young freestyle dancer, who specializes in hip-hop and animation  especially impersonating robots  used Google Translate to find a German song that told a story he liked, memorized the words and choreographed a dance.

When he got to Germany, he auditioned for that countrys version of Americas Got Talent, Das Supertalent. Just as normally taciturn judge Simon Cowell gave him rave reviews and a standing ovation during his Idol debut last spring, the judges of Das Supertalent, were charmed by the story Merrick told on stage through his robotic movements.

When the show aired Oct. 27, he became a star award winner  meaning all three judges gave him a thumbs up. Now he awaits the judges decision on an overall season winner in December. Meanwhile, the young dancing phenoms YouTube subscribers have exploded from 86,000 14 months ago to 271,908 today and his AGT performance, in the same period, has climbed from 13 million to 20 million online views. Merricks 157,000 followers on Instagram has zoomed to more than 665,000.

Plus, of course, got to see castles on the Rhine River. Not bad.

diane.bell@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1518

Twitter: @dianebellSD

Facebook: dianebell.news
San Diego State University has not seen any more meningococcal disease cases since an outbreak was declared on Sept. 28, suggesting that an undergraduate-focused vaccination campaign on campus is doing its job.

Many of the SDSU students who stood in long vaccination lines on campus in late September and early October are returning to student health services to get their second doses as education and awareness efforts continue, said Andrea Dooley, the universitys associate vice president for student affairs.

We are continuing to have the conversation about risk factors as were pushing out our second-dose campaign, Dooley said.

It was the B type of the bacteria that causes meningococcal disease that caused the SDSU outbreak which hospitalized three students, one in June and two more in September. Dr. Wilma Wooten, the countys public health officer, said Friday that subsequent genetic testing has shown that one of the cases was not linked to the other two.

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But she added that, because 5 percent to 10 percent of people carry the bacteria that causes the disease, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend that she say the outbreak is over.

The CDC recommends that we monitor for new cases for a full year, and thats what we will do, Wooten said.

Working together, the county and the university provided more than 7,500 doses of the meningococcal disease type B vaccine to undergraduates younger than age 24 who were determined to be at the greatest risk of infection.

The experience was especially confusing for parents and students, many of whom could see right there in their vaccination records that they had already been vaccinated against meningococcal disease.

We definitely had families who had thought that their child had already been vaccinated when, in fact, they had received the quadrivalent vaccine, Dooley said, referring to the vaccine that protects against types A,C,W and Y meningococcal disease-causing bacteria.

That four-type vaccine was added to the U.S. routine vaccination schedule for healthy adolescents and young adults in 2005. But Trumenba and Bexsero, two type B vaccines approved in 2014 and 2015, have not yet made it into the routine vaccination schedule.

Given what SDSU students, and those at several other universities, have recently experienced, the obvious question is why? Why didnt vaccine companies simply add type B to the four-type vaccine that has been on the market for more than a decade? And why, given outbreaks on college campuses nationwide, hasnt the government added type B vaccination to the routine vaccination schedule?

Taking the second question first, Dr. Mark Sawyer, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Rady Childrens Hospital and a liaison to the national Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, said numbers have kept such a recommendation from moving forward.

ACIP, he noted, recently reviewed the evidence to determine whether or not routine type B vaccination was warranted and ended up concluding that, while deadly, meningococcal disease is too rare for such a broad-based recommendation.

The dilemma is this, Sawyer said. Does it make sense to immunize the entire population to prevent a rare disease? Of course, if youre one of the very few people who do get sick, you will see this issue very differently than you do if youre responsible for protecting the public good.

Indeed, the most recent surveillance report from the CDC found that there were a total of 372 meningococcal disease cases nationwide in 2016 and 49 deaths. Just 130 of those cases, and 14 of the deaths, were caused by type B bacteria. By comparison, the CDC estimates that the flu kills between 12,000 and 56,000 people per year in the United States.

Why not add B in as a fifth strain? Well, thats a great idea, but researchers have not yet figured out how to do so.

Immunologist and microbiologist LJ Tan, chief strategy officer of the Immunization Action Commission, a nonprofit supported by the CDC that advocates for vaccination nationwide, said that researchers have not yet perfected the protein-attachment process called conjugation for type B as they have for other variants, preventing all five from appearing in the same formulation side-by-side.

A pentavalent vaccine is something that would be very useful, but men B has proven to be a tricky strain to work with. How we derive an immune response is different and the traditional way of making the first four strains hasnt worked with B, Tan said.

Correction: A previous version of this story omitted the associate designation from Andrea Dooleys title. We apologize.

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paul.sisson@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1850

Twitter: @paulsisson
The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey last month, contradicting the Saudi governments claims that he was not involved in the killing, according to people familiar with the matter.

The CIAs assessment, in which officials have said they have high confidence, is the most definitive to date linking Mohammed to the operation and complicates the Trump administrations efforts to preserve its relationship with a close ally. A team of 15 Saudi agents flew to Istanbul on government aircraft in October and killed Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate, where he had come to pick up documents he needed for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman.

In reaching its conclusions, the CIA examined multiple sources of intelligence, including a phone call that the princes brother Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, had with Khashoggi, according to the people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the intelligence. Khalid told Khashoggi, a contributing columnist to the Washington Post, that he should go to the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents and gave him assurances that it would be safe to do so.

It is not clear whether Khalid knew that Khashoggi would be killed, but he made the call at his brothers direction, according to the people familiar with the call, which was intercepted by U.S. intelligence.

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Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, said the ambassador and Khashoggi never discussed anything related to going to Turkey. She added that the claims in the CIAs purported assessment are false. We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations.

The CIAs conclusion about Mohammeds role was also based on the agencys assessment of the prince as the countrys de facto ruler who oversees even minor affairs in the kingdom.

The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved, said a U.S. official familiar with the CIAs conclusions.

The CIA sees Mohammed as a good technocrat, the U.S. official said, but volatile and arrogant, someone who goes from zero to 60, doesnt seem to understand that there are some things you cant do.

CIA analysts believe he has a firm grip on power and is not in danger of losing his status as heir to the throne despite the Khashoggi scandal. The general agreement is that he is likely to survive, the official said, adding that Mohammeds role as the future Saudi king is taken for granted.

A spokesperson for the CIA declined to comment.

Over the last several weeks, the Saudis have offered multiple, contradictory explanations for what happened at the consulate. This week, the Saudi public prosecutor blamed the operation on a rogue band of operatives who were sent to Istanbul to return Khashoggi to Saudi Arabia, in an operation that veered off course when the journalist was forcibly restrained and injected with a large amount of a drug resulting in an overdose that led to his death, according to a report by the prosecutor.

The prosecutor announced charges against 11 alleged participants and said he would seek the death penalty against five of them.

The assassination of Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Mohammeds policies, has sparked a foreign policy crisis for the White House and raised questions about the administrations reliance on Saudi Arabia as a key ally in the Middle East and bulwark against Iran.

President Trump has resisted pinning the blame for the killing on Mohammed, who enjoys a close relationship with Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior advisor.

Privately, aides said, Trump has been shown evidence of the princes involvement but remains skeptical that Mohammed ordered the killing.

The president has also asked CIA and State Department officials where Khashoggis body is and has grown frustrated that they have not been able to provide an answer. The CIA does not know the location of Khashoggis remains, according to the people familiar with the agencys assessment.

Among the intelligence assembled by the CIA is an audio recording from a listening device that the Turks placed inside the Saudi Consulate, according to the people familiar with the matter. The Turks gave the CIA a copy of that audio, and the agencys director, Gina Haspel, has listened to it.

The audio reveals that Khashoggi was killed within moments of entering the consulate, according to officials in multiple countries who have listened to it or been briefed on its contents. Khashoggi died in the office of the Saudi consul general, who can be heard expressing his displeasure that Khashoggis body now needed to be disposed of and the facility cleaned of any evidence, according to people familiar with the audio recording.

The CIA also examined a call placed from inside the consulate after the killing by an alleged member of the Saudi hit team, Maher Mutreb, a security official who has often been seen at the crown princes side and who was photographed entering and leaving the consulate on the day of the killing.

Mutreb called Saud Qahtani, then one of the top aides to Mohammed, and informed him that the operation had been completed, according to people familiar with the call.

This week, the Treasury Department sanctioned 17 Saudis it said were involved in Khashoggis death, including Qahtani, Mutreb and the Saudi consul general in Turkey, Mohammad Otaibi.

The CIAs assessment of Mohammeds role in the assassination also tracks with information developed by foreign governments, according to officials in several European capitals who have concluded that the operation was too brazen to have taken place without Mohammeds direction.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his government has shared the audio with Germany, France, Britain and Saudi Arabia.

In addition to calls and audio recordings, CIA analysts also linked some members of the Saudi hit team directly to Mohammed. Some of the 15 members have served on his security team and traveled in the U.S. during visits by senior Saudi officials, including the crown prince, according to passport records reviewed by the Washington Post.

The U.S. had also obtained intelligence before Khashoggis death that indicated he might be in danger. But it wasnt until after he disappeared, on Oct. 2, that U.S. intelligence agencies began searching archives of intercepted communications and discovered material indicating that the Saudi royal family had been seeking to lure Khashoggi back to Riyadh, the Saudi capital.

Two U.S. officials said there has been no indication that officials were aware of this intelligence in advance of Khashoggis disappearance or had missed any chance to warn him.

Trump has told senior White House officials that he wants Mohammed to remain in power because Saudi Arabia helps to check Iran, which the administration considers its top security challenge in the Middle East.
A suspected drunken driver crashed on Interstate 15 in Pala Mesa Saturday, then raced to a Murrieta hospital where his severely injured passenger died, the California Highway Patrol said.

A 23-year-old Torrance man was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.

Authorities said the driver, with two passengers in a black Honda Civic, may have made several brief stops along the way to the hospital.

The front seat passenger who died was a 20-year-old man from Winchester. His name was not released. A passenger in the back seat, a 21-year-old Torrance man, suffered moderate injuries in the crash, CHP Officer Mark Latulippe said. The Civic driver was unhurt.

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A truck driver called 911 about 5 a.m. reporting that a driver had pulled alongside trying to get into the truck scales near the San Diego-Riverside county line, according to the CHP online incident log. The driver told the trucker that they had been in a crash and needed to get to a hospital.

The vehicle then raced northbound on the interstate and the driver stopped at Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta, Latulippe said.

Officers found evidence of a crash on the freeway just north of state Route 76, near Stewart Canyon Road, where a yellow call box had been destroyed.

Two lanes of the interstate were closed during the investigation.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
San Diego firefighters battled a blaze at the Off Road Warehouse in Kearny Mesa on Friday night, authorities said.

It wasnt immediately clear what started the fire, which began a little after 8:50 p.m., according to a San Diego Fire-Rescue Department incident log.

It also wasnt immediately known how severe the damage was at the off road vehicle retailer on Balboa Avenue between Convoy and Mercury streets.

About a dozen fire engines, ladder trucks, water tankers and ambulances responded to the scene, according to the Fire Department.

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A pair of fire investigators were at the scene as of 11 p.m. as crews had apparently knocked down the flames.

No other details about the fire were immediately available.

Twitter: @Alex_Riggins

(619) 293-1710

alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com
A threatening message targeting black people was found scrawled in a library bathroom on the campus of MiraCosta College in Oceanside on Thursday, school officials and police said.

Campus police did not reveal the content of the message, which they described as a hate crime. It was found written in a stall in a mens restroom on the second floor of the library.

MiraCosta College President Sunita V. Cooke also called the incident a hate crime.

I am dedicated to the safety and well-being of our campus community, and will ensure we take all actions, to the full extent of the law, against any such acts, Cooke wrote in a statement released by the college. I am grieved by the expressions of hate. I am committed to journeying with you to build the community and future that aligns with our core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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The message was reported to the MiraCosta College Police Department, Oceanside Police Department and FBI as a hate crime, Robert Norcross, the campuss chief of police, said in a statement.

The College Police are investigating the incident and have an increased presence on all MiraCosta College campuses, Norcross said. The individual who committed this crime is considered a threat.

Police did not know the identity of the perpetrator, Norcross said.

A college spokeswoman said the message was immediately removed. Other bathrooms around campus were also checked, but no other such messages were found, she said.

Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call College Police at (760) 795-6640 or 6911 from any campus phone.

Cooke said she would make herself available Monday afternoon to speak with anyone who wishes to meet with me about the incident.

Staff writer Teri Figueroa contributed to this report.

Twitter: @Alex_Riggins

(619) 293-1710

alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com
San Diego police on Friday arrested a man they say grabbed a woman who was walking to her car in East Village and sexually assaulted her after pulling her into bushes.

Gary Ryan Cushinberry was found and taken into custody about 6:45 a.m. on 17th Street, about a half-mile from the site of the Nov. 5 attack.

The 51-year-old, who was on probation at the time of the attack, was booked into jail on suspicion of several sexual-assault charges, police Lt. Jason Weeden said.

Cushinberry is slated to be arraigned Tuesday, according to jail records.

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Around 11:30 p.m. Nov. 5, police said, the 26-year-old victim was walking alone to her car, parked on 13th Street between Island Avenue and J Street.

Someone grabbed her from behind and dragged her into bushes, where he sexually assaulted her, police said.

When the assault stopped, the attacker took off running, headed westbound on Island Avenue.

Last week, police released a composite sketch of the suspect.

In announcing the arrest, Weeden said several tips and leads helped investigators to identify their suspect.

Even with Cushinberrys arrest, the investigation into the incident remains active. Anyone with information about the case was asked to call the San Diego Police Departments sex crimes unit at (619) 531-2210 or San Diego County Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477.

Visit sdcrimestoppers.com to learn more about sending anonymous tips through email or mobile app.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
Deputies arrested a 14-year-old boy on suspicion of murder Friday, nearly two weeks after a mid-afternoon shooting near the Vista Transit Center left a 20 year old dead.

The Vista teenager was booked into Juvenile Hall, sheriffs Lt. Michael Blevins said. Because of the boys age, his name was not disclosed.

This marks the second arrest in the shooting. On Tuesday, deputies arrested Oceanside resident Issac Martinez, 19, on suspicion of murder.

Martinez pleaded not guilty Thursday to a charge of murder, as well as special circumstance allegation of lying in wait. He is also accused of personally firing a handgun.

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Just before 2:30 p.m. Nov. 4  a Sunday  authorities received multiple 911 calls reporting a shooting near the Transit Center, which is not far from the Vista Village shopping center.

Deputies arrived to find 20-year-old Jonathan Ruiz on a dirt path near the Transit Center on Olive Avenue.

The Vista resident was taken to a hospital, where he died shortly before 3 p.m., Blevins said.

Witnesses saw two males running from the scene, described as roughly between 17 and 20 years old.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
Three veteran San Diego County sheriffs deputies who opened fire on a suspect this week in Alpine, shooting and killing him when he allegedly charged them with a knife, have been identified publicly by sheriffs officials.

Daniel Ayala, 31, was identified Thursday as the suspect killed in the shooting, which happened just after 3 p.m. Monday at the Summit at Alpine apartment complex on Alpine Drive south of Interstate 8.

Deputies were sent to the complex at 2:50 p.m. after more than one person called about a man causing some type of disturbance, sheriffs homicide Lt. Michael Blevins said.

One of the callers indicated there was a subject yelling that he wanted to kill someone, Blevins said in a statement.

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Deputies arrived two minutes before 3 p.m. and attempted to make contact with Ayala, Blevins said. Its unclear what exactly happened next, but sheriffs officials said Ayala  whose 4-year-old son was inside the apartment  came out with a knife in his hand and advanced on the deputies.

Sheriffs Sgt. Chris Katra and Deputies Kevin Nulton and Sean McGillicuddy all opened fire, Blevins said. The deputies reported shots fired at 3:05 p.m., and rendered first aid to Ayala until paramedics arrived and took over the emergency medical help, according to the Sheriffs Department.

Ayala was pronounced dead at 3:19 p.m.

Blevins did not say how many shots were fired or how many struck Ayala. Investigators said there is body-worn camera footage of the incident, which remained under investigation Friday.

The footage has not been released to the public.

Katra has been with the Sheriffs Department for 18 years, McGillicuddy for 12 years and Nulton for 10 years. All are assigned to the departments Alpine substation.

Twitter: @Alex_Riggins

(619) 293-1710

alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com
The appointment of Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general has triggered a brewing controversy in federal courts, including one lawsuit from the state of Maryland seeking to block the appointment, another petition to the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to name Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to the post  and now a move by two San Diego defense lawyers to demand charges against their indicted clients be dropped.

Attorney Eugene Iredale says in motions filed in two cases federal court this past week that because Whitakers appointment violates two laws governing the succession process for attorney general, the case against his client should be dismissed because Whitaker is not a legally valid head of the Department of Justice.

In one motion on behalf of David Leppo, indicted two years ago in an alleged sport gambling ring that operated out of the Lucky Lady card room on El Cajon Boulevard in San Diego, Iredale argued that the law requires that for this case to be validly prosecuted in the name of the United States, the person ultimately and uniquely responsible for its prosecution  the Attorney General  must be properly appointed by the President in a statutorily valid and constitutionally permissible manner.

Leppo is set to go to trial in April.

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Iredale filed an identical motion Friday for a second client, former U.S. Homeland Security Investigations supervisor Johnny Martin, who is charged with lying to federal agents about providing information from a confidential law enforcement database to another person.

More may be on the way. Iredale said in an interview Friday that government prosecutors said in court they anticipate more challenges to Whitakers appointment and want time to file a comprehensive response. A hearing is set for Dec. 14.

Whitaker was appointed as acting attorney general by President Donald Trump on Nov. 7, the same day that former Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned under pressure. Whitaker served as Sessions chief of staff  a position that did not require the Senate review and approval.

Since then, critics have said the temporary appointment isnt legal because the attorney general has to be someone who has been confirmed by the Senate. They and many legal experts say that the job should go to Rosenstein, who was confirmed by the Senate.

White House lawyers have defended the appointment in a legal opinion that noted numerous times in history when presidents have appointed non-Senate-confirmed government officials to serve in high level positions.

On Friday, around the time Iredale was filing his motion, lawyers on a case seeking review by the U.S. Supreme Court raised a similar argument. That motion sought to get the high court to name Rosenstein as the defendant in the pending case, a gun-rights case filed by a Nevada man.

Iredale argued that a federal law, the Attorney General Succession Act, makes clear who succeeds the attorney general  and that it has to be someone who has been confirmed by the Senate. A second law, the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, also spells out the legal process.

While the case in front of the Supreme Court seeks to install Rosenstein as the attorney general, Iredales motion goes further  arguing that the cases against his client cant continue and have to be dismissed as long as Whitaker is the attorney general.

Thats because the attorney general, as the top Justice Department official, has responsibility and ultimate authority over all federal criminal cases. While actual case work is done by U.S. attorneys and assistants, the attorney general is the leader of the department.

Iredale said because Whitaker was not confirmed by the Senate he lacks the authority required by the law to prosecute cases. Iredale cited a 2017 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said that any action or function taken by someone in a federal office who is not authorized by law for the position shall have no force or effect.

If its an action of an official who is not properly authorized to be in that job, its null and void, he said outside court.

Likewise defense lawyer Knut Johnson in separate motions seeking dismissals for two clients argued charges should be dropped not only because Whitaker lacks Senate confirmation  but also because there is no Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney for San Diego.

Instead, Adam Braverman has been serving in an interim role, first by appointment by Sessions and when the time limit for that expired, under an appointment by the federal district judges here.

Johnson argued that a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision from 1999 held that U.S. attorneys are inferior officers who work under supervision from the attorney general. But now  with neither an attorney general nor U.S. attorney confirmed by the Senate  any prosecution is of no effect.

The legal challenges to Whitakers standing could reverberate further, including to people who have been indicted or charged with crimes in federal courts since Nov. 7, Iredale said. In the Supreme Court case, lawyers argued that resolving the question of Whitakers legal status to occupy the post is has important implications for the administration of justice nationally.

There could be similar challenges around the country, they said, and therefore there is a significant national interest in avoiding the prospect that every district and immigration judge in the nation could, in relatively short order, be presented with the controversy over which person to substitute as Acting Attorney General.

Twitter: @gregmoran

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com
The biggest gift the United States economy receives during the holiday season is robust shopping and gifting by American consumers.

While Black Friday boosts the bottom line for big box retail, and Cyber Monday is designed to persuade people to shop online, Small Business Saturday, on Nov. 24, encourages holiday shoppers to patronize brick and mortar businesses that are small and local.

As part of this effort, the city of Temeculas Office of Economic Development is working to spread the word before the busy holiday shopping season commences, with nine local businesses actively promoting the #ShopSmallTemecula campaign.

In Old Town, Temecula Lavender Company stocks soaps, candles, essential oils and other natural health and beauty products made with lavender. Located at 28561 Old Town Front St, Temecula, store hours on Small Business Saturday are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, visit lavendergiftshoptemeculaca.com or call (951) 676-1931.

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Temecula Olive Oil Company, family owned and operated, specializes in high quality oils made from locally grown olives, plus vinegars and other culinary gifts. The original retail shop and tasting room is located at 28653 Old Town Front St., Temecula, with additional locations in San Diego, Solana Beach, Seal Beach and Laguna Beach. Store hours on Small Business Saturday are 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit temeculaoliveoil.com or call (951) 693-4029.

From trinkets to furniture, vintage items, gifts for home decor and more fill the space at Main St. Market, 42031 Main St., Temecula. Small Business Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/MainstMarkettemecula or call (951) 308-1489.

With whole foods, responsibly sourced by owner Pia Maffei, Artisans Palate is a clean eating foodie paradise. Located in Palm Plaza, at 26459 Ynez Road, Temecula, Small Business Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit artisanspalate.com or call (951) 296-9647.

AR Workshop is a boutique DIY studio offering hands-on classes for all ages. Located at 31795 Rancho California Road, Temecula, AR Workshop will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Small Business Saturday. Class offerings that day include Cookies, Cocoa & Crafts DIY Holiday Ornaments, and the Pedestals, Planks, Boxes & Trays craft project. Reservations are required. For more information, visit arworkshop.com/temecula or call (951) 297-7515.

Designs On A Vine boutique features unique womens clothing, handbags and other accessories and an assortment of statement jewelry. Located at Temecula Town Center, 27536 Ynez Road, Temecula, the shops hours on Small Business Saturday are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit designsonavine.com or call (951) 506-2200.

Old Town Sweet Shop, located in Old Town at 28545 Old Town Front St., Temecula, features freshly made fudge, old-school candies that are still manufactured today, plus lots of retro items  metal signs, lunch boxes and more. The shop will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Small Business Saturday. For more information, visit oldtownsweetshop.com or call (951) 693-1919.

The Farmers Wife, a charming farm-themed boutique at 28459 Old Town Front St., Temecula, carries womens and childrens apparel, plus accessories, home decor and gift ideas. The boutique will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Small Business Saturday. For more information, visit facebook.com/TheFarmersWifeTemecula or call (951) 506-1606.

Pick up a batch of cookies, a fresh baked loaf of bread or a special occasion cake from the bakery, or take a break from shopping and grab a bite to eat from the cafe. Great Harvest Bread Company, at 31795 Rancho California Road, Temecula, is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Small Business Saturday. For more information, visit greatharvesttemecula.com or call (951) 676-0550.

temecula@sduniontribune.com
Democrat Stacey Abrams ended her historic quest to become the nations first black female governor Friday as Georgia officials prepared to certify the election in favor of Republican Brian Kemp.

But she did not go quietly.

Lets be clear: This is not a speech of concession, Abrams said Friday evening at her campaign headquarters in Atlanta. Concession means to acknowledge an action is right, true or proper. As a woman of conscience and faith, I cannot concede that.

With more than 3.9 million votes cast, Kemp, a President Trump loyalist, has maintained a steady lead of more than 54,000 votes. In order to trigger a mandatory runoff, the lead would have to shrink by more than 17,500 votes.

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After filing a flurry of federal lawsuits in the days after the election, Abrams said Friday she had come to the conclusion that the law currently allows no further viable remedy.

Now, I could certainly bring a new case to keep this one contest alive, she told reporters. But I dont want to hold public office if I need to scheme my way into the post. The title of governor isnt nearly as important as our shared title: voters. And that is why we fight on.

Rather than concede, Abrams said she would launch a new PAC, Fair Fight Georgia, to pursue accountability in Georgia elections. In coming days, she said, the group would file a major federal lawsuit against the state of Georgia for its gross mismanagement of the election and to protect future elections from unconstitutional actions.

Throughout the acrimonious campaign, Abrams complained that Kemp, who presided over the election as secretary of state until he resigned last week, had purged hundreds of thousands of voters from electoral rolls.

After election day, Kemp was quick to declare victory and appoint a chief of staff for his transition.

Abrams campaign, in turn, raised a barrage of complaints, saying they had heard from about 25,000 voters who had problems casting their ballots: some waiting for four hours at the polls or arriving at polling stations that had run out of paper ballots, they said, while others did not receive ballots or had their voter registration application rejected.

Yet some voters who encountered problems were still able to vote and the Abrams campaign did not have a definitive list of Georgians who ended up disenfranchised.

On Friday, Abrams acknowledged Kemp would be certified the winner, but she did not pull back from her criticism.

Under the watch of the now former secretary of state, democracy failed Georgia  Georgians of every political party of every race, every region, she said. To watch an elected official who claims to represent the people in the state boldly pin his hopes for election on the suppression of the peoples democratic right to vote has been truly appalling.

While Abrams defeat represents a major setback for Georgia Democrats, legal experts said Abrams would have faced an uphill battle in challenging the election result in court and requesting a do-over of the governors race. To do so, her attorneys would have to prove that tens of thousands of Georgians were blocked from voting in the election  enough to change the course of the result.

From a judicial perspective, the question is: Do we have enough evidence that the magnitude of these problems are such that it puts the actual result in doubt? said Edward Foley, a law professor at Ohio State University and author of Ballot Battles: The History of Disputed Election in the United States.

That would be a very, very difficult claim to prove factually, even though conceptually its available, he added. A judge isnt going to void an election unless they can show that the problem really undermines the outcome.

What Democrats wanted was to see her not giving up without a fight, said Andra Gillespie, associate professor of political science at Emory University. She demonstrated that, for sure. Once the judges have determined which votes have been counted, there is the question of what is to be gained by continuing to wage a court battle.

Though some true-blue backers would support a fight to the end, Gillespie said, Abrams could risk losing support from other Democrats if she dragged out the legal challenge to Kemps gubernatorial victory.

The big issue is does the Abrams strategy align with the state party strategy? Gillespie said. Would the national Democratic Party be supportive of it?

In an impassioned speech, Abrams vowed to channel her campaigns work into a robust demand for election reform, urging Georgia voters not to lose faith in democracy or turn away from politics under the belief it is rigged and rotten.

I implore each of you to not give in to that anger or apathy but instead turn to action, she said. The antidote to injustice is progress. The cure to this malpractice is a fight for fairness in every election held, in every law passed, in every decision made.

Acknowledging that her words stood apart from the rituals of typical political concession speeches, Abrams anticipated her critics would rebuke her for not adopting a conciliatory tone and for persisting with complaints of the fairness of election.

Im supposed to say nice things and accept my fate, she said. You see, as a leader, I should be stoic in my outrage and silent in my rebuke. But stoicism is a luxury and silence is a weapon for those who would quiet the voices of the people, and I will not concede because the erosion of our democracy is not right.

UPDATES:

5:15 p.m: The story was updated with Los Angeles Times staff reporting.

The story was first published at 2:54 p.m.
Federal judges have dismissed the federal case over the costs of the San Onofre nuclear plant failure, allowing a $5.4 million payment to the law firm of former San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre.

The plant north of Oceanside shut down in January 2012 amid a radiation leak as a result of abnormal tube wear in a replacement steam generator. The original cost sharing plan approved by the California Public Utilities Commission in November 2014 assigned 70 percent of the $4.7 billion in costs to ratepayers as opposed to utility company shareholders.

Aguirres firm opposed the plan, eventually winning a new deal that lowered the bill to utility customers by $775 million. Under the revised settlement, majority plant owner Southern California Edison agreed to pay the $5.4 million fee for Aguirres firm.

The California Public Utiltiies Commission approved the new deal, but when it came time to dismiss Aguirres original federal lawsuit, the agency attempted to block the legal fees as part of that process.

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Late Thursday night, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the case rather than grant the commissions request to send the matter back to a lower court for further litigation of matters including the legal fees.

Utilities commission lawyers had argued that the legal fees were unreasonable, even though Edison agreed to the payment and the costs will not be passed along to consumers.

Aguirre credited the federal appeals court for doing what state utility regulators refused to do.

The people of Southern California could not get a fair hearing at the CPUC, but they did get a fair hearing at the 9th Circuit, he said. Once they were given a forum where they could address the merit of their claims, thats what made it possible to settle the case.

Commission spokeswoman Terrie Prosper did not respond to a request for comment Friday. Previously, the commission declined to explain why it opposed closing a case after regulators formally voted to approve the revised settlement.

The federal lawsuit was filed in 2014, a few weeks before the utilities commission approved an agreement between Edison and consumer groups that assigned about $3.3 billion of the closure costs to ratepayers.

The case was dismissed by a federal judge in San Diego in 2015.

The 9th Circuit court in San Francisco agreed to hear an appeal of the 2015 ruling the following year -- a decision Aguirre said prompted the utility to begin discussing a deal to the lower costs to utility customers.

Early this year, with a federal appellate court hearing looming, the utilities and Aguirre & Severson announced the deal to shave $775 million from the amount of closure costs assigned to customers.

State utility regulators approved the revised agreement in July. Two months later, the commission asked the 9th Circuit to reject a routine motion to dismiss the case, saying the deal would undermine the agencys intervenor compensation program that awards money to consumer groups and other parties that contribute to commission decisions.

The federal judges did not address the commissions legal argument in its ruling late Thursday.

Plaintiffs motion to dismiss this appeal with prejudice pursuant to a settlement agreement is GRANTED, they wrote. Costs on appeal shall be apportioned as provided in the settlement agreement. The pending motions for judicial notice are deemed moot.

jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald
San Diego Councilwoman Barbara Bry is requesting an investigation into the McMillin Co.s handling of its lease at Liberty Station, particularly at North Chapel  the historic house of worship that most recently has been advertised as a potential restaurant or wedding venue.

The request comes after Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Councilwoman Lorie Zapf did not act on the request from Rep. Scott Peters and a host of constituents worried that McMillin is failing to comply with terms of its agreement with the city.

After numerous residents voiced their concerns about the uncertain future of the historic North Chapel, I decided that it was important to ask the City Attorneys Office to investigate the situation, Bry said Friday. Transparency is crucial when it comes to public trust and our residents deserve to have their questions answered.

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In a single-page memo, Bry directed City Attorney Mara Elliott to research a series of legal questions related to how the city-owned property at Liberty Station is being managed.

Specifically, Bry wants to know if the city can compel McMillin to keep North Chapel open to the public after Dec. 31, when it plans to close the church to two congregations, and if a federal historic designation protects the building from renovations or being used as a restaurant or retail space.

A spokeswoman for Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Christina Chadwick, released a statement saying, While we appreciate that an investigation could help this effort, the mayor has chosen a more direct approach to address the questions and concerns raised by the community and in the letter. Mayor Faulconer has directed staff to proactively work with the lease holder to ensure that the chapel remains open to the public for assembly purposes and any future use respects and maintains its historic elements in accordance with the law.

It was not clear Friday how much time the City Attorneys Office might need to research the legal issues presented. A spokesman for Elliott said in an email that the office would work quickly to respond to the councilwomans legal questions.

Please note that our office does not conduct investigations, wrote the spokesman, Gerry Braun. Its our understanding, however, that the mayor has already assigned staff to address some, if not all, of the non-legal questions posed by the council member.

McMillin, which previously asked city planners to review terms for a complete or partial sale of the companys 66-year lease on the city-owned property, has declined repeatedly to discuss its plans for the chapel or Liberty Station publicly. Company representatives did not respond to questions about the Bry memo Friday.

In recent weeks, McMillin has advertised the chapel as a possible restaurant venue. It also alerted the two congregations using the facility that they can no longer use the chapel after next month. The company issued a statement last week saying no plans for the property had been finalized.

The San Diego developer was selected as the master leaseholder for the 360-acre former Naval Training Center in Point Loma after the U.S. government closed the facility in the 1990s.

In exchange for exclusive rights to develop much of the property -- many of the homes at Liberty Station now sell for $1 million and higher -- the company was charged with renovating and managing dozens of the historic buildings remaining at the former Navy installation.

Peters, who represents the area in the U.S. Congress, asked Faulconer and Zapf in a letter last week to request the investigation but did not receive a commitment to do so. At a public meeting Tuesday, several speakers made the same request to the full council, but no action was taken.

Arlene Paraiso, one of the activists working to keep North Chapel open to the public, is among those who lobbied the City Council on Tuesday.

Im very happy to hear that one of the nine council members stepped up, Paraiso said Friday. But Im a little disappointed that it wasnt Zapf because its her area -- and that there werent others.

Paraiso, who belongs to one of the congregations that uses the church on Sundays, said it was a sacred place.

My dads funeral was there, she said. I cant imagine it getting gutted and then parties being there.

The memo to Elliott is not limited to the North Chapel, a looming Mediterranean-style building that was built in the early 1940s and served as the last place of worship for thousands of sailors and other recruits headed off to fight World War II.

Bry also wants the citys top lawyer to determine whether the nonprofit NTC Foundation managing the Liberty Station arts district is subject to state open-meeting and open-records laws.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported earlier this year that tenants say the foundation refuses to explain continuing rent increases, closes board meetings to the public and too often leases to restaurants and other retailers rather than to art-focused entities as the lease expressed.

What specific monitoring has been done to ensure that NTC is complying with the agreement signed with the city of San Diego? Bry asked in her memo.

The councilwoman also wants a better understanding of the various legal entities the NTC Foundation set up to capitalize on federal tax benefits available to historic properties -- and who is behind them.

How many limited partnerships and LLCs are taking advantage of the historic tax credit program administered by the U.S. National Park Service at Liberty Station? Bry asked. Once Measure J has been chaptered with the California Secretary of State, what are the disclosed names and identities of all natural persons of the limited partnerships and LLCs?

Measure J was approved by 86 percent of San Diego voters earlier this month. Among other things, it requires the disclosure of anyone who owns more than 10 percent of a company that contracts with the city and those who collect 10 percent of the contracted amount.

jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald
When California State University Chancellor Timothy White announced in January that I would become SDSUs president and the first female to serve in that role, I was excited and moved to lead this flagship institution given its history of path-breaking, innovative work in teaching, research, creative activity and community impact.

On behalf of more than 443,000 students, faculty, staff and alumni, I must pause to say how grateful we are for the communitys faithful and enthusiastic support of our SDSU Mission Valley vision since it was unveiled last year.

Related: SDSU West initiative promises must be kept

I do not take for granted that SDSU and the San Diego region are joined in this historic moment where we can reimagine and co-create a collective vision that will prepare our students to enter a competitive local and global economy  whether they are first generation or adult learners, undergraduates or graduate students.

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SDSUs plan for the Mission Valley site has been called a legacy project  purposefully. It is a time to focus on the work that will deliver what we have been imagining and needing for years.

We will expand the capacity of our world-class university to serve more local students at a time when demand is at an all-time high. We will see a multi-use stadium and a river park that will serve as a social hub and community gathering place for all San Diegans. We will support regional housing needs through the creation of faculty, student, middle-income and accessible housing. All of this will help SDSU produce the workforce San Diego needs, and we will enjoy the dividends for generations to come.

SDSU Mission Valley also comes during an unprecedented period in history. Many sectors of our society are experiencing rapid change, and we are called to help produce a workforce that is agile, innovative, collaborative and skilled to meet todays and tomorrows needs of our city, our region and the world.

The innovation district we envision in Mission Valley will further elevate SDSUs distinction among universities at a national level. It will bring SDSU into closer proximity with industry and research partners, co-locating our students and faculty with companies to yield new synergies, innovation, collaboration and economic impact for San Diego.

We are also poised to increase our funding through research grants. Most recently, SDSU received a $19.9 million award  one of the largest in SDSUs history  to create a new center for transdisciplinary research on health disparities throughout San Diego and Imperial counties. The project promises to be an economic driver for the region.

Also, SDSUs participation in the Safe-D National University Transportation Center, in which faculty in transportation engineering are studying automated vehicle technology, will provide regional expertise as San Diego serves as one of the nations test markets for self-driving cars.

Certainly, a project of this scale and scope will require that we work through challenges, but nothing worth doing is ever easy. SDSU will rely on its strong record of success building and funding projects, and those successes will drive us through our development in Mission Valley. We have a team that is deeply committed to ensuring the success of this project and has the breadth of experience to get it done.

Remember, we are not merely investing in buildings.

For every 10,000 students who earn an SDSU degree as a result of enrollment growth, our regional economy will enjoy an additional $200 million in annual economic output, 1,265 additional jobs and $68.7 million in annual labor income, according to the 2017 SDSU economic impact study.

We look forward to partnering with the community, City Council and mayor as we work over the next several months to negotiate the sale of the land. We share a sense of urgency and are prepared to complete this process quickly and ultimately begin construction in early 2020. We will also work to ensure that SDSU Mission Valley reflects our shared values. We will do this with openness and transparency and in the spirit of community that we value as a university. Where we stand now is only the beginning.

De la Torre is president of San Diego State University.
San Diego voters made their opinions clear on the future of the Mission Valley stadium site by approving Measure G. While I supported the opposing measure, I saw the overwhelming numbers and clear mandate from voters.

Today is a new day and I am committed to putting differences aside and working with San Diego State, Measure G supporters, the mayor and my council colleagues to implement the SDSU West plan.

Related: Why SDSU West will bring dividends for generations

Related: Public deserves a voice in planning Mission Valley stadium site

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The first step in this process is coming to terms for the sale of the property.

Unfortunately, rumors are already swirling around City Hall of plans to sell the property at less than market value and possibly give it away for free. This would be an extreme betrayal of San Diego taxpayers. SDSU proponents must keep the promises they made during the campaign and pay full market value for the property.

The property could be one of the most valuable sites west of the Mississippi. In fact, it was recently valued at $110 million by an independent appraisal.

The SDSU West proposal clearly states:

The People find, declare, and reason as follows: 1. The People of the City of San Diego desire to authorize and direct the sale of the Existing Stadium Site to SDSU, but only if such sale is at such price and upon such terms as the City Council shall deem to be fair and equitable.

There must be no accounting tricks or fancy legal maneuvers used to change the value of an independent appraisal. San Diego taxpayers were swindled in the past from bad stadium agreements and still pay millions annually to cover these costly mistakes. This time, for once, they deserve a fair deal.

Once a deal is made to sell the property, development of the stadium site is mostly out of the city governments hands. However, I strongly hope Measure G proponents and CSU trustees will keep the promises they made during the campaign. One of the most important is the creation of the San Diego River Park.

The river, now mostly closed off from the public, was once my playground as a child. While today it is clogged with pollution, invasive species and homeless encampments, the park has the potential to be a beautiful regional asset that San Diego families can enjoy for decades. The river park must be created.

High cost of housing continues to be a top problem facing San Diego residents. Sons and daughters are forced to move away from their families to different regions where they can afford to pay rent. I hope someday soon the housing stock will increase while mortgage and rent payments decrease.

To help with this goal, I urge the new owners of the stadium site to include all forms of housing, from affordable to market-rate, be included in development plans in addition to student and faculty housing.

Finally, the SDCCU stadium site is surrounded by neighborhood communities whom I represent. These neighborhoods will be directly affected by any new development. I strongly urge stakeholders to meet regularly with community leaders to receive their feedback.

Lastly, several members of the SDSU West steering committee involved in the construction and development sector pledged not to seek management or construction contracts if the voter initiative succeeded. As a measure of keeping good faith and trust with San Diegans, I hope these steering committee members will stay true to their word.

While I disagree with the plan, I recognize that I was on the losing side of the vote. The people have spoken and I give my word to implement the will of San Diego voters. Today is a new day and its time to turn the page and get to work. My door is open and I am happy to meet with anyone to ensure that this project is a success for our region.

Sherman represents District 7 on the San Diego City Council. The Mission Valley stadium site is part of District 7.
Wednesdays announcement that President Donald Trump would back a remarkably broad bipartisan coalition in support of federal sentencing and prison reform  joining Charles and David Koch on the right, the American Civil Liberties Union on the left and even some law enforcement groups like the Fraternal Order of Police  could be a landmark moment in the history of American criminal justice.

Or, if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells reported reluctance to bring a bill to a vote continues in 2019, it could be a blip. That would be a shame.

The measure, called the First Step Act, is more comprehensive than a similar bill that already passed the House. What are this versions chances? Some Senate conservatives oppose the version, and its odds may dip in January when Democrats, who want greater changes, take over the House. But the backing of a Republican president is crucial in that it undercuts criticism that Democratic supporters are soft on crime. That dated political mindset is a prime reason why some laws in the federal criminal code dont change even after it becomes obvious that they destroy redeemable lives and lock up tens of thousands of aging prisoners for whom recidivism is statistically highly unlikely. These laws are also extremely costly  yet dont stop the U.S. from having a significantly higher crime rate that most other developed nations. Its time for greater flexibility.

Trumps approach would give federal judges such flexibility in sentencing nonviolent drug offenders; would weaken the three strikes law and the mandatory sentence rules for some drug crimes; and would limit the use of stacking, which add years more in prison time for those convicted of using a firearm while committing a crime.

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These reforms would be paired with incentives and new programs such as job training to help inmates get new skills for life after prison. The bill would increase credits that reduce prison time for those with good behavior and offer new credits for those participating in rehabilitative programs. It would also spur officials to put prisoners close to their homes and ban shackling of pregnant women.

Some will say these reforms go too far or dont go far enough to help 183,000 federal prisoners in the U.S. Even if they are adopted, federal prison sentences will still be much longer than sentences common in other affluent nations. But the measure is called the First Step Act, and reformers rightly see this as a modest start toward larger reforms.

Given Californias experience with recent bold criminal justice reforms, modest initial steps make sense. Proposition 47, adopted in 2014, reclassified several nonviolent felonies as misdemeanors. But raising the threshold of when a theft is considered a felony to $950 has emboldened repeat offenders, especially addicts who steal to pay for drugs. The California Police Chiefs Association says the law has had the awful effect of reducing the number of those getting help in drug rehabilitation programs.

The states next major reform  Proposition 57, adopted in 2016  was also flawed. It was meant to make it easier for nonviolent felons to gain parole. But instead of evaluating which crimes were truly nonviolent, authors blithely used an already-existing list that classified horrific crimes such as violent child abuse and rape of an unconscious person as nonviolent. Theres now a court dispute over whether California authorities have to release these violent individuals, with one state court already ruling that Proposition 57 says they must be set free.

Both these laws were very well-meaning. But their unintended consequences could haunt future criminal justice reform efforts in the Golden State.

Members of the House and Senate need to enact the First Step Act and any future related legislation without such glaring problems. The cause of criminal justice reform is too crucial. That means reformers need to sweat the details to maximize the public support theyll need. Any McConnell delay gives congressional leaders an opportunity to win more support. They need to seize it as soon as possible.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

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Worried about the Woolsey fire northwest of Los Angeles, Gov. Jerry Brown said Thursday that there was an urgent need for authorities to finish the cleanup of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, a former nuclear research and rocket engine testing facility near Simi Valley. Brown is right. The state Department of Toxic Substances Control should expedite its efforts. The health risks of an inferno incinerating a toxic lab are scary to contemplate.

But the governors remarks underscored his absence on an issue of huge concern to residents of San Diego and Orange counties: the lethargic way Congress and the federal government have responded to the urgent need to clean up the shuttered San Onofre nuclear plant north of Oceanside. Southern California Edisons plan to store up to 3.6 million pounds of radioactive waste at the plant site is not remotely an acceptable long-term solution.

Initially, the Trump administration requested funds to revive a plan to build a national nuclear waste storage site in Nevada. But in October, President Donald Trump told a Reno TV reporter he was very inclined to oppose the plan. This unacceptable stalemate demands the attention of Brown, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris and the countys congressional delegation. Orange County Rep.-elect Mike Levin campaigned on this issue. He should lead on it, too.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

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Lightly edited comments from our online coverage.

Re Why was our president AWOL on Veterans Day? (Letter: Nov. 14): President Trump has done more for veterans than any president in recent memory. Obama offered up his fake, phony, fraud support of the military while doing everything in his power to gut the military and aid our worst enemies.

So why dont you try a little perspective in your piece? Oh yeah, thats right, the fake news media and the Democrat Party are one and the same. You phony journalists dont fool anyone anymore, you just think you do.

fleiger

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Joined June 29, 2017

What has Trump done for veterans? Please elaborate.

iefbr_14

Joined Feb. 01, 2017

Add this to the list of things that Fox News and the media would be complaining about nonstop if Obama had done this. Imagine if Obama skipped a ceremony honoring veterans.

john.poe95

Joined Apr. 19, 2016

Re Court denies SDG&E appeal; utility wanted customers to pay $379M for 2007 wildfire costs (Nov. 14): SDG&Es failed appeal of the CPUC decision in this case may have just cost PG&E and SoCal Edison billions of dollars. Not only does it confirm the commissions jurisdiction of this kind of case, it also locks in a precedent, making California investor-owned utilities liable for costs associated with wildfires caused by their equipment. The fact that PG&E emailed a customer announcing a scheduled outage to fix a nearby power line that was arcing and sparking very near where the Camp fire started the next day is a clear signal to sell any remaining PG&E stock you have.

Don Wood

Joined April 17, 2016

Re Migrant caravan arrives: Nation wrestles with the ramifications (Nov. 14): The wider we open the borders, the more people will come. And they will be heading to our state first because we offer them the most services. This isnt about gang violence as some are contending, it is about moving to a rich country and getting all the perks that come with that. Mexico after all has offered them all visas and it is a country where they would not have to learn a new language. Yet they still want to come to our country, where they will be waiting months and only have a slim shot at actually getting in.

Lasertop

Joined April 20, 2016

Even though the chances are slim to none that these wretchedly poor people seeking work and peace (not freebies or perks) will be admitted into the U.S. they are still willing to take that chance. These people are desperate but even more than that, they are determined.

neil_proffitt

Joined April 17, 2016

Re Solana Beach dives deeper into single-use plastics ban (Nov. 15): And the costs to local businesses increase. I prefer choice to regulation, but that is not the view of the City Council.

Canyon63

Joined Jan. 23, 2017

Just cut the portions by 1 to 2 percent. They are invariably too big already. And if the success of your business is dependent on the difference in price between plastic and paper straws, you are already a failure.

Erik.Hanson

Joined April 16, 2016

Letters and commentary policy

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Those of us who participated in the 2000 presidential election are getting political PTSD from the current gubernatorial and senatorial recounts in Florida. President George W. Bush was eventually declared winner in the Sunshine State (and thus the election) by 537 votes out of about 6 million cast. But for 35 long days of counting and challenging and pleading, it was mainly the lawyers in charge.

During this period, Bush did a lot of brush clearing on his Crawford, Texas, ranch. The bloody scratches on his arms indicated how his frustration was being unleashed against unlucky cedar trees. I worked on some victory remarks and had a concession speech ready just in case. But eventually, I went to movies during the day. I was too distracted to pay much attention, though I remember seeing the film version of Charlies Angels, because, well, Lucy Liu.

Nearly two decades later, the Florida electorate is still balanced on a political knifes edge. Yet one measure passed in the midterm by a lopsided margin, and may have a larger, more lasting influence than any contested race. Voters approved Amendment 4 to the Florida Constitution by a majority of nearly 65 percent.

This returned voting rights to more than a million people who have committed felonies (other than murder or sex offenses) and served their time. It was the largest expansion of the franchise since the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and womens suffrage.

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The U.S. Constitution specifically allows for the suspension of voting rights for those guilty of participation in rebellion, or other crime. But after passage of the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments  mandating equal political rights for African-American men  restricting voting rights became a priority for the forces of Jim Crow. In legal systems that routinely arrested and convicted black people on thin or false charges, bans on voting by felons were effective tools to ensure white supremacy.

Not many states now retain lifelong voting bans. The more frequent debate today concerns whether people on probation and parole should be allowed to vote. But these types of limitations (before Floridas change) still prevented voting by one in 40 adults in America, and one in 13 African-Americans. Amendment 4 solved about a quarter of this problem.

The arguments against felony voting bans are ultimately simple. How can you tell a man or woman leaving prison that they have paid their debt to society, that they should resume responsibility for their lives, and yet deny them the most basic right of a self-governing citizen? The denial of voting rights is a way to mark a returning citizen with an invisible scar or brand of stigma and suspicion. It says that we share some geography, but not really a community. And this type of distrust, or half trust, is an invitation to recidivism. Rather than helping ex-prisoners avoid violence, gain jobs and remake their lives, this expression of skepticism worsens the odds they strive against.

Right out of college, I worked at an organization named Prison Fellowship Ministries, which did outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families. My boss was Charles Colson, who had been incarcerated for crimes related to the Watergate scandal. He wrote: I served time in a federal prison. And while I paid my debt to society in less than a year, it took me 30 years to have my voting rights restored. Maybe Im not a good example, having been part of a national political scandal. But what about a young person, say, in his early 20s, who is convicted of three minor drug offenses? Once he serves his time, grows up and straightens out his life, should he be denied the right to vote again? I know politics is a bare-knuckled game, but demonizing an entire class of Americans for electoral gain is wrong.

Republicans have often opposed measures to expand the franchise, for fear it would hurt them politically. My considered response? Tough. There are two ways to respond to the hostility of minority voters toward the GOP. First, try to restrict the franchise through stealthy means. This strikes me as a wall of sand against the waves. It is undemocratic, unethical and eventually discrediting. Or second, compete for minority voters in a fairly constituted electorate. Republicans who find this impossible are practicing politics without inspiration, imagination and faith.

Beyond the political calculation is a moral question: When we talk about second chances in this country, do we really mean it? The voters of Florida have given their answer  not in a squeaker, but a landslide.

Gerson can be reached at michaelgerson@washpost.com.
Have you noticed your newspaper curling over? At least a few readers, including the readers rep, have.

This week Denny Brokaw from Carmel Valley emailed and asked why his paper was curling up when he tried to read it. Very annoying, he said.

I thought it must be something just Brokaw was experiencing. But then I sat at my desk, pulled out the paper I receive at home, and, by gosh, it was curling. I saw other copies of that mornings U-T and the Los Angeles Times, the U-Ts sister paper. The corners on some of them were curled, too. Then Barbara Vail of Carlsbad called Wednesday. She wanted to know what was up with the curling paper. That did it. I called the Times pressroom.

As many readers know, the U-T is printed at the Times plant. The pressroom guys confirmed that some curling is happening. Its because of the low humidity, they said. Dry weather will cause newsprint to curl at the edges. I assume readers in L.A. might be noticing the same thing, because both papers use the same newsprint.

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Not standing at attention. (K.C. Alfred - U-T)

Not at attention

Reporter John Wilkens heard from a few readers last week who spotted an error in a caption for a photo that accompanied his story on a Veterans Day ceremony at Mount Soledad. The story ran in print Tuesday.

The picture showed a man in a WWI uniform standing as part of the event.

The caption read, Paul Pintek, dressed as a World War I doughboy, stands at attention during Mondays ceremony at the Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial.

Incorrect, the readers pointed out. Hes standing at rest.

The photographer provided the original wording, which a copy editor used in writing the caption that appeared in print. Although, Pintek appears rigid with his eyes and head locked, he was not standing at attention. If that were the case, he would have had his arms at his sides and legs and heels together with the toes angled out.

Santa Anas is correct

A reader called last week to say that the Santa Ana winds that blew through the county should be called Santana winds.

U-T copy editor and weather reporter Rob Krier said he has heard this before, but Santana is incorrect. Indeed, the correct name is Santa Ana, The name derives from the Santa Ana Canyon in Orange County, one of the places that the winds whip through.

By the way, have readers noticed Kriers updated photo on the weather page? No more mustache.

adrian.vore@sduniontribune.com
A familiar pattern has emerged over the past decade with Facebook. A journalistic investigation or a watchdog group shows the worlds most popular social network  with more than 200 million users in the United States and more than 2.2 billion worldwide  has broken promises about safeguarding its users privacy or protecting them from manipulation by malign forces. Facebook co-founder and main owner Mark Zuckerberg apologizes for mistakes and promises his company will do better. Some cosmetic changes and even actual improvements occur, but before too long another story emerges showing still more broken promises.

This week, The New York Times published perhaps the most damning story yet. It showed that Zuckerberg and his Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandbergs approach in reacting to outside criticism goes beyond a practice of apology, denial and deflection to include efforts to discredit critics. It also raised disturbing anti-Semitic issues; while Sandberg and Zuckerberg  who are both Jewish  denied knowing anything about it, The New York Times reported Facebook hired a conservative opposition-research firm to link critics of the company to George Soros, a Jewish billionaire who is a powerful advocate of progressive causes and a frequent subject of right-wing conspiracy theories. Facebook severed ties with the firm following the report.

This is appalling. Facebook may have used the same smear tactics and disinformation as the alt-right groups it promised to prevent from using Facebook to spread hate. This shows the lengths the company will go to protect its business model of monetizing private information.

Some thoughtful observers think relatively small steps could protect users privacy. Having easy, concise rules requiring users to opt in before their information is shared and allowing those who opt in to see exactly what information about them Facebook has gathered may be ideas worth pursuing.

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But any assumption that smart regulation can reduce how Facebook is used to manipulate people has a huge problem: If Facebook were regulated as a media company and attempts were made to force it to do far more in policing content, that would very likely violate what Vox called the internets version of biblical law  a reference to Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. It holds that publishers (and internet service providers) cant be held liable for what users do on their websites.

Yet if Facebook were regulated as a tech company  as Zuckerberg hopes  then questions over the content it facilitates wouldnt even be germane.

So what to do about a company thats both hugely popular and inherently flawed? Perhaps the most promising idea comes from basic capitalism: hoping a deep-pockets, well-conceived competitor to Facebook emerges. A rival online portal with the same key features as Facebook  but one that kept promises about privacy  could succeed.

In its early years, Facebook overwhelmed inferior competition from MySpace. The more baggage Facebook acquires, the more vulnerable it gets. And if a formidable rival emerges, a Facebook that worried about its bottom line just might stop breaking promises  and start taking criticism seriously.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

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The Congressional District 50 race for 2018 was anything but conventional. In the interest of fair play, it would be my nature to congratulate the winner, but I cant. Heres why: The Hunter campaign ran, according to political analysts and fact checkers from both parties, the most disturbing and racist campaign of the 2018 elections. And the real topper, it came from a candidate indicted for 60 counts of criminal charges from the Department of Justice. How do you explain this election choice to your kids?

Not only is the nation laughing at this choice for Congress, they are shaking their heads and wondering why a district would elect a candidate who is unable to serve on Congressional committees (he was removed by Rep. Paul Ryan) and may go to jail, instead of selecting the candidate with a White House security clearance. I realize that many, if not most, held their noses and voted to keep the seat. I guess party over country was the priority for many.

The Hunter win is a serious loss for District 50. This choice for Congress will hurt us and your kids financially for years to come. What company would choose to build and invest in a district that voted in an ineffective representative who is most likely prison bound? Why would decent folks choose to move in the district that elected an indicted Congressman? If he is convicted, it will cost taxpayers a fortune for a special election. And, shockingly, he could refuse to leave and serve from prison.

Campa-Najjar put country over party and cared about your issues, unlike Hunter who has stated that hes not all that interested in what the other side thinks. Hunter wouldnt even debate Campa-Najjar. We never had a chance to ask these candidates questions about what matters to us.

Our positive takeaway from this election is that Ammar Campa-Najjar was able to rally and inspire a grassroots movement of supporters that the district hasnt seen in decades. Volunteers lined up 60 deep at campaign headquarters to spend their afternoons canvassing, phone banking and more.

Over 750 volunteers canvassed in the final weekends and the office was a hive of activity throughout the campaign. The energy and unity that will continue to live on and grow is to be celebrated.

I am heartened by all of the men and women I spoke with in Ramona who supported Campa-Najjar and refused to be sucked into the Hunter lies. The efforts may not have tipped the scales in the most Republican district in the state, but 2020 and the inevitable special election is not far off. So buckle up folks. The Hunter court date is early December and it ought to be interesting.

Susan Conrad is a Ramona resident.
A Superior Court judge indicated Tuesday that he will likely order Encinitas to start complying with the demands of two housing-related lawsuits at the end of the month, saying that the city appears to be unable to resolve the situation on its own through the ballot box.

Im not making a recommendation (today) that an impasse has occurred, but I think you can see where the court is going, Judge Ronald Frazier told the citys attorneys, and he recommended the various parties involved in the lawsuits consider mediating their conflict.

Frazier added that he couldnt order the city and the two groups suing it -- the Building Industry Association of San Diego and the housing advocacy group San Diego Tenants United -- to obtain the services of a mediator, but said it would be the prudent thing to do.

In a statement issued after the hearing, Mayor Catherine Blakespear said she wasnt sure mediation was really an option for the city, given the key issue at stake is whether the city must win voter approval for a state-mandated, housing planning document.

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I dont see how the city could mediate over the citizens right to vote, given that this right was established by a citizens initiative that voters approved in 2013, Blakespear wrote.

Encinitas is one of only a handful of cities in the state that are out of compliance with a state law, which requires cities to have certified Housing Element plans. Those plans spell out how cities propose to accommodate their future housing needs, particularly the needs of low-income residents.

The city has tried twice to win city voter approval for a housing plan. Two years ago, voters rejected the city-sponsored Measure T plan. The latest proposal -- the Measure U plan ---appears to have been turned down by voters in the Nov. 6 election.

Unofficial results show that 52.91 percent of the citys voters opposed the new plan, which would have up-zoned 15 privately owned parcels so their owners could build housing that exceeds current city height limits and building densities.

During Tuesday mornings court hearing, Frazier said he didnt think it was at all likely that the votes remaining to be counted would change the outcome. But he said he would wait to issue his decision until the county finishes counting any outstanding ballots and certifies the election results. He scheduled a new court hearing for 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 28.

The attorneys for the tenants group and the BIA told Frazier they hope his ruling will require the city to comply with state law within 120 days, or four months. However, they didnt agree on what punishment the court ought to wield to get the job done.

The lawyer for the Tenants United group, Parisa Ijadi-Maghsoodi, said her clients wanted an injunction preventing the city from issuing any building permits, except ones for low-income projects, until the housing planning situation is resolved.

Given the citys longstanding lack of compliance with state law, this is not an extreme request, she said.

Timothy Hutter, the BIAs attorney, said his clients wanted the city to be forced to comply with state housing law, but would not support the building moratorium proposal.

It was also opposed by the citys attorneys, who said it would embolden opponents of the housing plan.


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New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/16/2018 -- A new market assessment report on Medium Voltage Plastic Film Capacitors market provides a comprehensive overview of Medium Voltage Plastic Film Capacitors industry for the forecast period 2018 - 2025. The analytical study is proposed to provide immense clarity on the market size, share and growth rate across different regions. The profound knowledge and extensive examination of the trends from the yesteryear and future aims at offering the stakeholders, product owners, and marketing personnel a competitive edge over others operating in the Medium Voltage Plastic Film Capacitors market for the forecast period, 2018 - 2025.



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Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers:

- Arizona Capacitors

- AVX Corp

- Cornell Dubilier Electronics

- Custom Electronics

- Electro Technik Industries

- Hitachi AIC

- KEMET Corp

- Murata Manufacturing



Market Segment On the basis of Product, Report covers:

- Film-foil Capacitors

- Metallized Film Capacitors



Market Segment On the basis of Application, Report covers:

- A/D converters

- Filters

- Motor Run

- Peak Voltage Detectors

- Other



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- What is the estimated growth rate and market share and size of the Medium Voltage Plastic Film Capacitors market for the forecast period 2018 - 2025?

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- Who are the prominent market players and how have they gained a competitive edge over other competitors?

- What are the market trends influencing the progress of the Medium Voltage Plastic Film Capacitors industry worldwide?

- What are the major challenges and threats restricting the progress of the industry?

- What opportunities does the market hold for the prominent market players?



There are 14 Chapters to deeply display the Medium Voltage Plastic Film Capacitors market.



Chapter 1 covers the Medium Voltage Plastic Film Capacitors Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;



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Chapter 3 displays the competitive nature of the market by discussing the competition among the top manufacturers. It dissects the market using sales, revenue and market share data for 2018 and 2025;



Chapter 4, shows the global market by regions and the proportionate size of each market region based on sales, revenue and market share of Medium Voltage Plastic Film Capacitors, for the period 2018- 2025;



Continue



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Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/16/2018 -- Underwater refers to the region below the surface of water where the water exists in a swimming pool or a natural feature such as an ocean, sea, lake, pond, or river. A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. underwater hotels still have a long way to become a commercial reality. Underwater hotels can only be developed with the help of government support in the respective region. It is because they are massive construction projects and require a large sea surface to be cleaned.



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The Poseidon Underwater Resort , Water Discus Hotel , The Apeiron Island Hotel , The Manta Resort , The Lifeboat Hotel , Jules'Undersea Lodge , Huvafen Fushi Maldives , The Shimao Wonderland , Conrad Hilton , Utter Inn , Hydropolis.



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Table of Contents

Global Underwater Hotels Market Research Report

Chapter 1 Underwater Hotels Market Overview

Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Industry

Chapter 3 Global Market Competition by Manufacturers

Chapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by Region

Chapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions

Chapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type

Chapter 7 Global Market Analysis by Application

Chapter 8 Manufacturing Cost Analysis

Chapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers

Chapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders

Chapter 11 Market Effect Factors Analysis

Chapter 12 Global Underwater Hotels Market Forecast



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Press Release

November 16, 2018 Hibla Travelling Exhibition Goes to Frankfurt The Hibla ng Lahing Filipino Travelling Exhibition is now in Frankfurt, Germany until December 3, 2018, Senator Loren Legarda announced today. The National Museum of the Philippines, in partnership with the Office of Senator Loren Legarda and the Philippine Consulate General of Frankfurt launched the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino Travelling Exhibition at the Design Offices Work Loft Wiesenhttenplatz, Frankfurt last November 7. It features pina-seda woven fabrics including those handwoven and embroidered by Kalibo, Aklan weavers Nelda Tumbokon and Alan Tumbokon, and Laguna embroiderers Asuncion Castillo and Salvador Yasona. "I am proud of our efforts to promote our local weaving traditions in the international community and to bring them closer to Filipinos abroad through our Hibla travelling exhibitions," said Legarda. She added, "Traditional textiles are ties that bind. It links the past to the present and brings together cultures, which, no matter how diverse, has a commonality. It is in this premise that the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino textile gallery was born in 2012 and now has gone international." Legarda said that the travelling exhibition is an offshoot of the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles permanent gallery at the National Museum of Anthropology, which is her brainchild. The first Hibla ng Lahing Filipino Travelling Exhibition was held in London in October 2017, and was incorporated in the Cultural Diplomacy Program of the different Philippine Service Posts in Europe and United States of America, namely: Lisbon, Portugal; Madrid, Spain; Washington, D.C.; New York City; and Hawai'i. About Hibla Textile Gallery The Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles at the National Museum of Anthropology in Manila is the country's first permanent textile gallery. It is a project spearheaded by Senator Loren Legarda. During the soft opening of the gallery in March 2012, the National Museum also launched the Senator Loren Legarda Lecture Series on Philippine Traditional Textiles and Indigenous Knowledge, which explores the aesthetics, material culture and processes of ethnic identity along with skills and information-generation through fabric. It later evolved into interactive lectures and demonstrations featuring weavers and embroiderers from different parts of the country. In July 2017, the National Museum launched the first Hibla regional gallery, the Abel Iloko at the Ilocos Regional Museum and Satellite Office in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, which was also supported by Legarda. In October 2017, the first Hibla ng Lahing Filipino Travelling Exhibition was held at the Philippine Embassy in London. "We will have more Hibla travelling exhibitions and many more Hibla regional galleries will soon rise in our country, and we hope that someday we will have not only galleries, but one whole Hibla Museum. Through these we hope to promote greater support for cultural enterprises and creative industries of our indigenous peoples and deeper appreciation of our heritage," said Legarda.
Press Release

November 16, 2018 Speech of Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III

The 4th Chamber Connects

Conrad Manila

November 16, 2018 Undersecretary Rowel Barba, my classmate, the Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries here present, the private sector and business leaders here present, my fellow workers in government, and my fellow Filipinos, a pleasant Good Morning to all of you! I am happy to be with you today and give this address on the occasion of the 4th Chamber Connects: Ease of Doing Business - Its Impact to Local Government Units (LGU) and Local Business Constituency. I was invited to talk on the topic of Proactive Policies and Legislation in Promoting and Advancing the Economic and Business Development of the Country. The administration of President Rodrigo Duterte has formulated a long term vision of the Philippines where every Filipino enjoys a matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay. The foundation of this vision is based on three (3) "pillars" - which the government calls Malasakit, Pagbabago, and Patuloy na Pag-unlad as described in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) for 2017-2022. Malasakit entails enhancing the social fabric of our country. Government aims to reduce corruption, achieve efficient government service delivery, enhance administrative governance, strengthen the civil service, and reform the justice system to ensure fair and swift administration of justice. In so doing, public perception of the Philippine government will continuously improve and our people will be proud of being Filipino and that they fully trust their government. In the Senate, we support the vision of President Duterte and are partners of the executive in the construction of the pillars forming the foundation of this vision. To reduce corruption and achieve efficient government service delivery, we have recently passed RA 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018. This law is touted as a game-changer in battling the problem of red-tape and corruption in the delivery of government service. The term red tape is generally believed to have originated from the practice of Charles V, in the early 16th century, of using red tape to bind the most important documents, and separate them from ordinary documents which were bound with ordinary string. The term has now deteriorated to refer to a system of regulations and official actions which restrict or deny access to swift and quality government services, usually to encourage corruption or the giving of padulas. According to data from the World Bank, in 2017 the Philippines was ranked 113th among 190 economies in the ease of doing business, down from 99th in 2016[1]. The ease of doing business indicators are the following: starting a business (the Philippines ranked 173rd)

construction permits (101st)

getting electricity (31st)

registering property (114th)

getting credit (142nd)

protecting minority investors (146th)

paying taxes (105th)

trading across borders (99th)

enforcing contracts (149th), and

resolving insolvency (59th)[2] The new law doesn't address all the indicators for ease of doing business but it addresses a lot of them. This fact opens our eyes that the work of easing the doing of business in our country does not stop; we still have a lot of work to do! With this new law, the entire government bureaucratic processes shall be streamlined. No more red tape and no more corruption! Businesses can expect streamlined processes, reduced processing times from all government agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs). This is a landmark legislation that will have a direct impact on all citizens and the business sector. Once we create an improved ease of doing business climate in the country, we can expect the influx of foreign direct investment in addition to the expected surge in Filipino entrepreneurial spirit, and this explosion of economic activities will definitely generate more employment opportunities for all Filipinos. Aside from this, there are other Bills pending in the Senate which support Malasakit. We have SBN 1035 which seeks to create a National Commission Against Corruption in order to focus all government efforts to eradicate corruption. There is also SBN 641 which seeks to reform the Civil Service and several Bills seeking to right-size the National Government to improve public service delivery. On the matter of reforming the justice system, we have pending in the Senate SBN 509 and SBN 754 seeking to create a body to handle claims for unjust imprisonment. There is also SBN 1691 seeking to reorganize the judiciary. But I still believe that the best and most comprehensive proposal to promote efficiency in governance is Federalism itself. Through Federalism, there shall be devolution of powers, sharing of resources, and division of labor between national government and local governments. The second pillar which is the foundation of President Duterte's long term vision is Pagbabago. This pillar seeks to make it easier for the marginalized subsectors and people groups to participate in economic progress. As the Chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, I am committed to shepherd Bills which give marginalized groups greater opportunities to share in economic progress. One of these groups are the MSMES or the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Statistics from the DTI show that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) account for 99.57% (911,768) of the total establishments. Of these, 89.63% (820,795) are microenterprises, 9.50% (86,955) are small enterprises, and 0.44% (4,018) are medium enterprises. Clearly, therefore, an overwhelming portion of our business are micro enterprises. They are also the most vulnerable to the challenges facing businesses in the Philippines. I am also a supporter of inclusive business. Inclusive business is a private sector approach to providing goods, services, and livelihood on a commercially viable basis to people at the base of the income pyramid by making them part of the value chain of business as suppliers, distributors, retailers, or customers. My Committee is now conducting public hearings on several Bills and Resolutions, like SBNs 720 and 820, and SRNs 21 and 24, all seeking to promote, support, strengthen, and encourage the growth and development of micro, small and medium enterprises. It is generally believed that in order that we may advance economic and business development in the country, we need to protect the concept of competition in business, to accelerate structural reforms to enhance competition in sectors with high impact on jobs. In the 17th Congress, SBN 2282 entitled "An Act Promoting Fair Competition To Protect Consumer Welfare, Advance Domestic and International Trade and Sustained Economic Development by, Among Others, Regulating Monopolies, Anti-Competitive Agreements, Abuse of Dominant Position, and Anti-Competitive Mergers, Establishing the Fair Competition Commission and Appropriating Funds Therefor, and Other Purposes" was filed. The Bill was passed and has become law - Republic Act No. 10667, otherwise known as the Philippine Competition Act (PCA). It took effect on August 5, 2015 and its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) became effective on 18 June 2016. The PCA is said to be also a game-changing piece of legislation which will improve consumer protection and help accelerate investment and job creation in the country. The law is consistent with the government's goal of creating more inclusive economic growth. Open and free markets which are devoid of anti-competitive business practices are required so that businesses will thrive and grow. The rationale of the competition law is to promote efficiency on the part of business entities. The only way of competing with others fairly (and legally) is to ensure that one is more efficient than one's competitors. Efficiency is a result of good practices in managing resources which then result in the "right" prices of goods and services. The rivalry among businesses, therefore, will ensure that they try to outdo each other in terms of price in relation to the quality of their product. Firms would need to produce the best quality of products at the least cost, and sell at the price dictated by the market. Otherwise, they would lose their market share to their competitors. This will, of course, ultimately benefit the consumer. Hence, we should encourage an environment where businesses compete based on the quality of the products or services they provide and not on unfair or non-competitive practices. This will theoretically drive market prices lower and provide a plethora of quality choices for the consumers. In a nutshell, the PCA seeks to regulate and or prevent anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant positions, and anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions. The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) was created by law to enforce and implement the PCA and it has original and primary jurisdiction even with respect to entities that are under the regulatory jurisdiction of specialized government agencies. Just as we are pursuing measures to ensure that businesses compete primarily on the basis of the quality of the goods or services they provide, we should also make sure that the consumer is protected. In my Committee, I am also currently conducting public hearings on several Bills which seek to strengthen our laws on consumer protection. These are Senate Bills Nos. 838, 1241, 1489 and 1518. They all seek to amend portions of the Consumer Act of the Philippines. I am also currently in the process of hearing several bills on regulation of specific industries such as the Bamboo Industry Act seeking to promote the Philippine Bamboo Industry, the E-Commerce Roadmap Act, the Philippine Motor Vehicle Manufacturing Industry Competitiveness Act and the LPG Regulation Act to name a few. There have also been several public hearings conducted by my committee on the Senate Resolution seeking an investigation into the alleged proliferation of substandard and uncertified steel bars. The third pillar of the President's Philippine Development Plan is Patuloy na Pag-unlad. Under this pillar, the government seeks to lay down the foundation of an economic growth that can be further accelerated and sustained beyond the term of the Duterte administration. One of the ways the government hopes to achieve this is by maximizing and adopting science, technology and innovation. I often say that I regard myself as a scientist and mathematician, more than a lawyer. Hence, I fully support the development of science, technology, and innovation. In the upcoming campaign this 2019, I will be espousing the promotion of a "science culture" here in the Philippines, although I know that this topic is not a sexy topic for a campaign. Win or lose, I will follow what I believe, in my heart, is the right thing to do. For the long term survival of the Philippine Nation, we have to develop a science culture. Our bills and laws are well-written and well-intentioned. But the real test, as always, is in their implementation. As legislators with over-sight functions, we work closely with agencies tasked to implement the law to ensure that all the objectives of the law are pursued so that the business sector and the public feel the full benefits of the law. They are, after all, the intended beneficiaries of all these trade-related laws. I cannot over-emphasize, however, that the burden of promoting and advancing economic and business development in the country does not rest on the shoulders of government alone. As in all endeavors, we need the cooperation of the private sector to make these new laws succeed. We are often regaled with stories of how it is easier to just bribe somebody in order to evade enforcement of the law. As much as we in government are making efforts to eradicate this nefarious practice, so too should the private sector refrain from offering bribes to our government officers. We should respect one another enough to be professional in all our dealings. Some say that economic and business development is a whole of government approach. I say this is a whole of society approach. I am confident that if we will work together we will be able to enjoy a "matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay". Let us be productive citizens and a positive force for change that will lead us to achieving our vision of a Philippine society which is just and fair, which saves and shares, which is scientific and objective, safe and peaceful, educated and healthy, democratic, and which is, most of all, happy and free, with overflowing love of God and country. Maraming salamat po at mabuhay ang Pilipinas! ______________________ [1] https://tradingeconomics.com/philippines/ease-of-doing-business June 9, 2018 [2] http://business.inquirer.net/239704/philippines-ranking-world-bank-doing-business-2018 June 9, 2018
Villar graces field day showcasing innovations in seed technology

Sen. Cynthia Villar was keynote speaker and guest of honor during a field day showcasing the latest in seed technology and cultivation techniques, which was attended by 80 foreign delegates from 49 countries.

Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, commended East-West Seed for its work to help smallhold vegetable farmers grow better crops and higher yield.

With the theme "Better Seeds for a Better World," the field day took place at the Villar SIPAG Farm School in Bacoor, Cavite. It is a post-Congress tour of the 25th Asian Seed Congress held last November 12-16.

The activity attracted farmers and agricultural stakeholders as well as delegates from the seed industry in the Asia-Pacific Region.

"We are very happy that we have partners in the private sector that also make it their life's mission to help small farmers increase their incomes.

With the legislation we are pushing in the Senate, we are not only training farmers plant quality crops, we also want them to become seed growers engaged in seed production and trade," Villar said.

Among the new products showcased in the activity are tropical lowland heat-tolerant tomato, new highly pungent pepper with good aroma, new tropical butternut pumpkin, and waxy-sweet corn.

East-West Seed is one of the largest vegetable seed companies in the world. It has been a partner of the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG), in providing free trainings on modern farming techniques to farmers.

Under the rice tariffication bill passed on Third Reading by the Senate last Wednesday, among the programs which will be funded by the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, is the development, propagation and promotion of inbred rice seeds. This will be implemented by the Philippine Rice Institute.
Press Release

November 17, 2018 De Lima seeks creation of local boards for decent housing for poor Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has proposed a measure which seeks to create local housing boards and adopt the People's Planning approach, to ensure decent and affordable housing for the underprivileged families and protect them from unjust evictions and demolitions. De Lima filed Senate Bill (SB) No. 2092 amending certain provisions of Republic Act No. 7279, also known as the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 (UDHA), and adopt the people's planning approach as a primary mode of delivering shelter and related services for the urban poor. "The problem of homelessness is widespread," she said, mindful of the country's current housing backlog which stands at about two million. "[People's Planning] approach can help make the government housing program more responsive to the needs of poor families as it emphasizes community-initiated development plans that are being formulated by people's organizations themselves," she added. Under her measure, the local housing boards (LHBs) shall be established in all cities and first-class and second-class municipalities to ensure proper formulation, development, implementation, and monitoring of important local policies, including the preparation and approval of local shelter plans. Based on the figures from the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022, there are about 1,502,336 informal settler families (ISFs) all over the country and 40 percent of them are in Metro Manila. According to the Institute for Popular Democracy (IPD) and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), there are several loopholes in UDHA that result in inadequate protection for the rights of the ISFs. De Lima said her measure supports the comprehensive and continuing urban development and housing program whose success largely depends on the direct and meaningful participation of all stakeholders--including LGUs and affected communities--in the planning, implementation and monitoring processes. "It is hoped that the adoption of people's planning approach and the institutionalization of local housing boards can help make the housing and urban development program of the government truly transparent, participatory and inclusive," she said. To ensure that the basic right to adequate housing, such as availability, affordability, accessibility, among others, are protected and fulfilled, the Senator from Bicol said the CHR may be invited as an observer in the local housing board. Under the measure, LHBs are mandated to prepare and approve local shelter plan which shall form part of the city/municipality development plan and suggest recommendations for socialized housing sites and acquisition of lands for socialized housing and resettlement. "The LHBs will also have the power to grant or deny certificates of compliance on the availability and accessibility of basic services in any housing project or relocation site," she said. The Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development pointed out that unjustified failure or refusal of a mayor to constitute the LHB can subject him and other officials or employees responsible to disciplinary action. Despite being detained based on trumped-up drug charges, De Lima has continued to file meaningful legislative measures for the benefit of the Filipino people, including those from the vulnerable sectors of society.
Pence slams China's 'opaque' chequebook diplomacy, trade practices



Port Moresby, Nov 17 (AFP) Nov 17, 2018



US Vice President Mike Pence pilloried China's "opaque" chequebook diplomacy in a combative speech Saturday, taking aim at Beijing's business practices and warning trade tariffs would remain in place.

US-China trade tensions are likely to take centre stage at the APEC regional summit, with experts warning the spat could be catastrophic for the global economy, as the world's top two powers go head to head.

In a wide-ranging swipe at Beijing that covered everything from China's massive "Belt and Road" infrastructure initiative to allegations of unfair trade practices, Pence encouraged Pacific nations to embrace the United States.

Washington's diplomacy wouldn't involve a "constricting belt or a one-way road", he pointedly told CEOs from around the region.

He also put China on notice that it would need to make concessions in the confrontation over trade.

"We've put tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods and that number could more than double," he said.

"We hope for better, but the United States will not change course until China changes its ways".

Pence's comments came after Chinese President Xi Jinping told the same forum that protectionist actions were short-sighted and doomed to fail, stressing that there would be no winners from a trade war or a new cold war.

"Attempts to erect barriers and cut close economic ties work against the laws of economics and the trends of history. This is a short-sighted approach and it is doomed to failure," Xi told business leaders on the sidelines of the summit.

"We should say no to protectionism and unilateralism," Xi said, in a veiled attack on the "America First" policies of Donald Trump's administration.

APEC members the US and China have imposed tariffs worth billions of dollars of each other's goods and there is little sign of an immediate easing in tensions, with both sides threatening to step up action if necessary.

With concerns growing that rivalry between the US and China could escalate, Xi warned against going down that road.

"History has shown that confrontation -- whether in the form of a cold war, hot war or trade war -- will produce no winners," he said.
Pence says US to partner in Papua New Guinea military base



Port Moresby, Nov 17 (AFP) Nov 17, 2018



The United States said Saturday it will join forces with Australia in the development of a new naval base in Papua New Guinea, a project seen as a move to curb China's influence in the Pacific.

Australia, which has long-standing military ties with the US, has already announced plans to redevelop PNG's Lombrum Naval Base on Manus island.

Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday on a visit to Papua New Guinea. which is hosting the APEC regional summit. that the US would join forces in the project.

"The United States will partner with Papua New Guinea and Australia on their joint initiative at Lombrum Naval Base," he said.

"We will work with these two nations to protect sovereignty and maritime rights in the Pacific Islands. "

China has been showering billions of dollars in infrastructure loans on island nations in the Pacific, a region that is vital to international shipping and provides a stepping stone to project military and economic power.

Australia has been critical of Beijing's "soft diplomacy" and rising influence in the region, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned this month that confrontation must not define China's relationship with the US.

"Inevitably, in the period ahead, we will be navigating a higher degree of US-China strategic competition," Morrison said in a speech where he navigated a careful line between the alliance with the US and engaging a more assertive China.

Australia -- a member of the "Five Eyes" Western intelligence alliance -- now finds itself in the middle of one of the 21st century's geopolitical hotspots as a battle for influence in the South Pacific unfolds.

The Papua New Guinea naval base move came after reports that China had approached Vanuatu about the possibility of opening a military base there.
Pence says US to partner in Papua New Guinea military base



Port Moresby, Nov 17 (AFP) Nov 17, 2018



The United States said Saturday it will join forces with Australia in the development of a new naval base in Papua New Guinea, a project seen as a move to curb China's influence in the Pacific.

Australia, which has long-standing military ties with the US, has already announced plans to redevelop PNG's Lombrum Naval Base on Manus island.

Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday on a visit to Papua New Guinea, which is hosting the APEC regional summit, that the US would join forces in the project.

"The United States will partner with Papua New Guinea and Australia on their joint initiative at Lombrum Naval Base," he said.

"We will work with these two nations to protect sovereignty and maritime rights in the Pacific Islands. "

China has been showering billions of dollars in infrastructure loans on island nations in the Pacific, a region that is vital to international shipping and provides a stepping stone to project military and economic power.

Australia has been critical of Beijing's "soft diplomacy" and rising influence in the region, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned this month that confrontation must not define China's relationship with the US.

"Inevitably, in the period ahead, we will be navigating a higher degree of US-China strategic competition," Morrison said in a speech where he navigated a careful line between the alliance with the US and engaging a more assertive China.

Australia -- a member of the "Five Eyes" Western intelligence alliance -- now finds itself in the middle of one of the 21st century's geopolitical hotspots as a battle for influence in the South Pacific unfolds.

The Papua New Guinea naval base move came after reports that China had approached Vanuatu about the possibility of opening a military base there.
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Abe ends Australia trip with tribute to fallen Japanese submariners



Darwin, Australia, Nov 17 (AFP) Nov 17, 2018



Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wrapped up an emotional 24-hour visit to Australia Saturday by paying tribute to 80 Japanese sailors killed when their submarine was sunk as the two nations battled one another in World War II.

Abe, accompanied by his wife Akie, laid flowers at a memorial in the northern city of Darwin to the lost crew of submarine I-124, which was sunk off the nearby coast by the Australian warship HMAS Deloraine in January 1942.

The following month, Japanese warplanes began a series of air raids on Darwin which left more than 250 dead, the worst foreign attack ever on Australia.

Abe's visit to Darwin was the first by a Japanese leader to the city, and he and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison marked the occasion Friday with a vow to enhance strategic and military cooperation across the Pacific.

"Our common vision is of a free and open Indo-Pacific. We agreed to deepen our security and defence cooperation," Abe said following his meeting with Morrison.

The two men also paid their respects at a memorial to those killed in the Japanese air raids in an act reminiscent of the Japanese leader's visit to Pearl Harbor in 2016.

The emotional symbolism of the visit was underscored when Akie Abe shed tears as she visited a church and memorial paying tribute to local victims of the war and to joint Japanese-Australian efforts to clear Darwin harbour of shipwrecks.

Pastor Lauren Merritt of the Darwin Memorial Uniting Church told local media Akie Abe became emotional at how far the two nations had come since the war.

"When she was coming out of the church she was crying a little bit again, she was just so grateful for the story and overwhelmed by the friendship," Merritt told the NT News.

Abe later left Darwin for Papua New Guinea to take part in the APEC summit.
Pence says US to partner in Papua New Guinea military base



Port Moresby, Nov 17 (AFP) Nov 17, 2018



The United States said Saturday it will join forces with Australia in the development of a new naval base in Papua New Guinea, a project seen as a move to curb China's influence in the Pacific.

Australia, which has long-standing military ties with the US, has already announced plans to redevelop PNG's Lombrum Naval Base on Manus Island.

China's desire to build a military facility on Fiji's Blackrock, Manus or Vanuatu has spooked western officials from Canberra to Washington, who fear it would tilt the balance of naval power in the South Pacific in Beijing's favour.

They have been scrambling to respond with their own plans.

To that end, Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday on a visit to Papua New Guinea, which is hosting the APEC regional summit, that the US would join forces in the Australian project.

"The United States will partner with Papua New Guinea and Australia on their joint initiative at Lombrum Naval Base," he said.

"We will work with these two nations to protect sovereignty and maritime rights in the Pacific Islands. "

China has been showering billions of dollars in infrastructure loans on island nations in the Pacific, a region that is vital to international shipping and provides a stepping stone to project military and economic power.

Pence later told reporters the base would show US commitment to an "open and free Indo-Pacific" but would not been drawn on what US footprint there would be.

"Our commitment is to stand with countries across this region who are anxious to partner with us for security."

Australia has been critical of Beijing's "soft diplomacy" and rising influence in the region, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned this month that confrontation must not define China's relationship with the US.

"Inevitably, in the period ahead, we will be navigating a higher degree of US-China strategic competition," Morrison said in a speech where he navigated a careful line between the alliance with the US and engaging a more assertive China.

Australia -- a member of the "Five Eyes" Western intelligence alliance -- now finds itself in the middle of one of the 21st century's geopolitical hotspots as a battle for influence in the South Pacific unfolds.

The Papua New Guinea naval base move came after reports that China had approached Vanuatu about the possibility of opening a military base there.

arb/ric/je
Madrid, November 2018 (SPS) - President of the Algerian National Committee for Solidarity with the Sahrawi People (CNASPS), Said Ayachi on Friday advocated vigilance regarding possible manoeuvres by Morocco to disrupt negotiations with the Polisario Front scheduled for next month in Geneva under the auspices of the UN.



Shortly before the first round of negotiations between the Polisario Front and Morocco in Geneva, we remain open-eyed at the manoeuvres Morocco can resort to in order to parasitize these negotiations, Ayachi told APS, before the opening of the 43rd European Solidarity Conference for Support and Solidarity with the Sahrawi People (EUCOCO 2018) in Madrid.



The 43rd Conference comes a few weeks before the first negotiations between the Polisario Front and Morocco scheduled for 4-5 December in Geneva.



This meeting, which is planned on the initiative of the Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Horst Kohler, should mark the reopening of the peace process in Western Sahara, at a standstill since 2012.



After welcoming the decisions of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in favour of the Polisario Front, the CNASPS denounced the manoeuvres of Morocco and the EU to "circumvent and tinker with new agreements advocating an end to this legal misconduct by the European Commission".



As such, he accused the European Union (EU) of violating its own jurisdiction and urging the Union to abide by the laws.



Reiterating the support of the CNASPS to the Polisario Front for its major request to organize a self-determination referendum in favour of the Sahrawi people, Ayachi affirmed that the Committee "will accompany the Sahrawi people in the path of negotiations. (SPS)



062/SPS/APS
British Transport Police searching for a shooter who damaged a train at Wilmcote Station with an air gun.

A spokesperson for British Transport Police, said: Shortly after 10.30pm on 9 November British Transport Police (BTP) were called to Wilmcote station following reports that a train had been damaged by air gun pellets.

Officers attended and searched the location where it is believed two shots from an air rifle or BB gun were fired at a train, causing cracking to a window. No passengers or rail staff were injured during the incident.

Enquires are ongoing into this incident and anyone who was near to Wilmcote station and saw what happened is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 719 of 10/11/18.
The final quarter of 2021 is on its way and theres so much positivity about the rapid growth of the...
Firms shifting their headquarters from SL By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera View(s): View(s):

If there is one thing that business leaders and entrepreneurs detest is insecurity in the macro environment.

Businesses run according to forecasts and situations about the future. However, as much as businesses take into account uncertainty, the one thing all want to avoid at all costs is the volatility in the macro environment stemming from political stalemate, extremism, and political dysfunction.

Firms in IT and garments are starting to shift their head offices out of Colombo to Singapore owing to the political crisis, regressive taxations and the general environment for business that Sri Lanka now presents.

A CEO of a large software firm told the Business Times that by month end he will be shifting the headquarters to Singapore. We find it easier to do business in Singapore. Especially after the new tax system we were debating it as we find it very difficult when consolidating our accounts for certain expenses, etc and with the latest turn of events, we have decided to leave Colombo.

The countrys political risk has been fractured by the stand-off between former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and President Maithripala Sirisena.

A garment factory owner also had the same story to say as the CEO of the software firm. He said that with the new political situation they will be impacted with GSP + being shaky and their decision to shift came early this month. They have decided to shift to Singapore.

Political instability hurts most firms, he added noting this is mostly because employees are often forced to skip work due to strikes and other protests and this impacts on the businesses negatively. In addition, businesses like a region that is friendly and welcoming towards them and not an intimidating and surly dispensation, some others who are debating on whether to shift from Colombo or not said. The point here is that political insecurity hurts everything from profits to operations to the working conditions of the employees. Because of this businesses avoid it, an analyst added.
Long climb for a woman to be the countrys IGP By Quintus Perera View(s): View(s):

In Sri Lankas Police Department, women face discrimination with Ajith Rohana, Deputy Inspector General of Police, indicating this week that it would take at least another 15 to 20 years for a woman to be appointed the Inspector General of Police.

He made this comment while speaking at the media briefing of the launch of Women 50  Conference with a difference from Women in Management held last week at the Galle Face Hotel.

While it would take that many years for a woman to head the Sri Lanka Police, he indicated that there are women heading the police force in other countries.

He pointed out while the Police Department in this country was established by the British in 1855 it was only on November 16, 1957 that the first woman  Podi Menike was recruited to the Police Force. In 1980 the women cadre was only 500.

The number of women recruited was forced to be increased, due to the escalation of the war as more checkpoints were set up and the women were recruited to search for suspected suicide bombers.

He indicated that though the Police Force was slow in recruiting women, the historical text, Mahawamsa mentions that around 1,500 years ago queens were ruling the country while Sri Lanka has the honour of having the first woman prime minister. Thus he asserted that Sri Lanka needs courageous women to fight for their rights.

Quoting the book Elimination of Racial Discrimination in the United States, he said that it spoke of an inspiring and courageous woman  Rosa Parks and during 1955 racial discrimination was promiment with buses and restaurants having two sections for coloured people and non-coloured people.

According to the book, Mr. Rohana said that she defied this segregation rule and was arrested, charged and sentenced to 7 years rigorous imprisonment.

She appealed against the order to the Supreme Court and court temporarily released her. She initiated the infamous bus boycott in the Alabama State and thus people were checking into their workplace late making an impact on the economy.

From this emerged the Civil Rights Movement in the US and the civil rights protest march in Montgomery and he said that Sri Lanka too required such courageous women to defend their rights.

Dr. (Ms) Sulochana Segera, Chairperson, Women in Management (WIM) said that the Women Top 50 Professional and Career Women Annual Conference 2018 organized by WIM under the theme Price we pay for success will be held on December 4 in Colombo.

She said that the conference will be chaired, addressed and attended by women who have made their mark in the corporate world and will take the stage to share their personal journeys and the challenges to bring to the fore the real world experiences of a working woman.

She said that the conference recognizes and rewards women and their achievements, not only from well-known and listed corporates of Sri Lanka, but also women from the grassroots level who have shown exceptional qualities of leadership.

Described as a conference with a difference, the Women Top 50, the first of its kind to be held in Sri Lanka, will have former Minister Ms. Thalatha Athukorale, Ms Shiromal Cooray, Managing Director  Jetwing Travels and Dr (Ms) Maryam Shakeela, Chief Executive Officer, SIMDI Group of Companies, Maldives as keynote speakers.
STBC: Managing during turbulent times View(s):

The Sunday Times Business Club (STBC), which regularly discusses unconventional topics, is presenting a panel discussion at its next meeting on Wednesday November 28 at the Kingsbury Colombo on Managing a business during turbulent times.

The discussion will examine the challenges, ways of tackling these issues and lessons learnt (from previous scenarios) by the corporate sector and small businesses. National Chamber of Exporters President Ramal Jasinghe and President of the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka President Sujeeve Samaraweera are the panellists. A third, yet-to-be decided panellist will join the discussion.
Karus courage: One mans battle to save democracy View(s):

My dear Karu,

I thought of writing to you because you too are writing letters and issuing statements, while this paradise of ours continues to stumble from one crisis to another, thanks to Aiyo Sirisenas foolish and hasty actions which are motivated by his desire to cling on to the top job for another five years.

I know you are in a difficult situation, being the focus of all attention because Aiyo Sirisena chose first to prorogue Parliament and then to dissolve it, just so he could prevent the Green Man demonstrating support from a majority of MPs  until the top court intervened and Parliament was summoned again.

Karu, we know that you are not a political animal by nature. You took to politics rather late in life, after a successful career as a businessman and after a stint as an ambassador. You didnt embark on a career in politics to earn money as most people in the current Parliament appear to have done.

You have also been decent and transparent in almost all of your decisions. The only occasion when one may point a finger at you was when you betrayed the trust placed on you by the Greens and the Green Man over a decade ago and joined Mahinda maama supposedly to strengthen the war effort.

That experiment lasted just one year and you were soon back with the Greens. I dont know what Mahinda maama promised you then, but it was very clear that you didnt like the treatment you got. Since then, you have worked hard and won the respect and trust of the Greens all over again.

You did challenge the Green Man for the leadership seven years ago and lost  but no one can blame you for that. The Green Man was not very popular and Mahinda maama was running circles around the Greens after the war victory. In hindsight, the Greens probably made the wrong decision then!

Now, you are back in the firing line, Karu, not because you are with the Greens but because many people see you as the custodian of parliamentary democracy which has been threatened to the core by Aiyo Sirisenas actions. So, they expect you to protect democracy, especially in the days to come.

Until now, you have maintained that until Mahinda maama proves his majority in the House, the Green Man remains PM. You have also said that this is a coup without guns. While agreeing with what you say, we hope you will have the courage to act accordingly as well, in the coming weeks.

We saw what happened in the House this week. On Wednesday, though parliament met, Aiyo Sirisena didnt attend to open the new sessions of the House. Remember Preme? When he was impeached, he turned up and made a stirring speech. In contrast, Aiyo Sirisena didnt have the guts to do so.

The Opposition passed a vote of no confidence on Mahinda maama and his new government. That was very difficult for you because everyone was behaving like hooligans  and the Blues were preventing a vote by name because they knew that if that was done, they wouldnt have the numbers.

All hell broke loose on Thursday. Our honourable members were at each others throats, abusing each other, brandishing knives or letter openers and throwing waste-paper baskets at you and both the Greens and the Blues were at fault. It was democracy that was thrown in to the waste paper basket that day.

There was some hope that Friday would be a better day because some of the Greens had met Aiyo Sirisena and he had assured them that it would be business as usual provided some changes were made. The Greens should have known better  who believes a word of what Aiyo Sirisena says now?

Thursday was a walk in the park compared to what happened on Friday, when you were not even allowed to take your seat. Our Parliament and democratic system were made a mockery of. The law of the jungle prevailed. The so-called government wanted to prevent a proper vote and that they did!

It was as if there was a jail break and all the convicts had escaped. There was Borreley Pala, Kelaniye Prasanna, Kurunegala Johnny and Udatalwinney Lohan leading the charge. They stooped so low as to hurl water mixed with chilli powder  and it was the policemen who took the brunt of that assault.

While all this was happening, Mahinda maama was watching with Namal baby by his side. He didnt want to rein in his barking lapdogs. Why would he? After all, they were only trying to protect the Premiership that Aiyo Sirisena bestowed on him rather deviously, against all constitutional norms.

It was mob rule at its worst, taking over what was once called an august assembly. Watching this, we remembered what it was like when Mahinda maama was king and someone dared to oppose him. He and his men may have been in the opposition for a few years, but nothing, it seems, has changed.

Their faction is trying to blame you for all this, Karu because they say you didnt follow the proper procedure. Of course, you couldnt, because they didnt allow you to, by preventing a vote by name. If they did that, their government would fall, so we can expect this to go on for a few more weeks.

We admire your courage for doing what you did, at your age, without flinching or giving in. You had said, Karu, that you will protect democracy even at the cost of your life. We sincerely hope it will never come to that but, after what happened on Friday, I dont think we can guarantee that.

Yours truly

Punchi Putha

PS- Your actions this week remind me of someone saying if you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you. We hope you can do that in the next few weeks, Karu. All this started because someone lost his head  and we all know who that is, dont we?
Parliamentary democracy in the gutter as SLPP MPs run amok By Chandani Kirinde- Lobby Correspondent View(s): View(s):

The events of this week in Sri Lankas Parliament will no doubt be remembered for a long time to come for its infamy, but it will also be remembered for the extreme courage with which Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and Parliamentary officials who, in the face of unprecedented violence directed at them, braved it all to ensure that Parliamentary democracy did not bow down to thugs and hooligans who masquerade in the guise of elected representatives.

Through three trying days, both the Speaker and the officials were subjected to violence and intimidation by MPs loyal to Mahinda Rajapaksa, as they fought to prevent a vote in Parliament that would have shown clearly that President Maithripala Sirisenas Prime Ministerial appointee did not command the support of the majority in the House.

It was their desperation to prevent the vote that culminated in extraordinary scenes inside the Chamber on Friday, when the Speaker had to enter the Chamber through a side entrance, surrounded by close to 50 policemen, and conduct a 10-minute session of the House at a makeshift table, while the Serjeant-at-Arms held the Mace.

Parliament became a battleground for the SLFP-UPFA group and the Opposition parties led by the UNP, including the TNA and the JVP, following the Supreme Courts (SC) interim order on Tuesday, staying the gazette notification issued by President Maithripala Sirisena dissolving Parliament. With the SC ruling, Parliament, which had been prorogued by the President till October 14, reconvened and set the stage for a showdown between the two groups.

While Speaker Jayasuriya recognized Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister (PM) and his Cabinet members were given seats on the Government side, it was the decision by the Opposition to move a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against Mahinda Rajapaksa, which led to a complete breakdown in Parliamentary procedure.

An NCM moved by JVP MP Anura Dissanayaka and seconded by JVP MP Vijitha Herath was approved by the House on Tuesday, after standing orders were suspended. The Speaker announced that the business of the day would be decided by the House in the absence of an agenda for the day.

President Sirisena was informed by the Speaker the following day that he accepted that the NCM was duly passed, only to have the President reject it. On Thursday the President, who met with the Speaker and a group of MPs including Champika Ranawaka and Rajitha Senaratna, had advised them to bring in an amended NCM and have it duly passed, and that he would abide by its decision. Hence the Speaker decided to allow a second NCM on Friday, but before the commencement of sittings fixed for 1.30 pm on Friday afternoon, a group of UPFA MPs had already occupied the Speakers chair and surrounded the table, while others kept watch at the main entrance, so as to prevent the Mace being brought in.

The quorum bell which began ringing 5 minutes before 1.30 pm continued for over 45 minutes, while the UPFA MPs continued their antics, calling for the arrest of UNP MP Palitha Thevarapperuma, who was seen the previous day with a butter knife in his hands during the melee between the two groups.

It was against this backdrop that extraordinary scenes were played out in Parliament, and the Speaker had to enter the Chamber shielded by a ring of policemen, to hurriedly pass a second NCM before ending the session.

During the brief session, UPFA MPs not only hurled books, water and everything at their disposal at the policemen shielding the Speaker, but also water mixed with chili powder. Opposition Members also came under attack with several of them being injured.

From ousted PM Ranil Wickremesinghe to Opposition Leader R.|Sampanthan to leaders of political parties, opposed to Mahinda Rajapaksas appointment, called it the darkest day in the Parliamentary history of Sri Lanka, but those on the other side of the countrys political fault line kept to their mantra, attributing the blame for the disgraceful behaviour by their MPs to the conduct of the Speaker.

The public at large in this country have little regard for politicians, but the developments of this week have not only damaged the image of the politicians, but also done irreparable damage to Parliamentary democracy in the country.

As Speaker Karu Jayasuirya said in his letter to President Sirisena on Thursday, the Head of State has created an unnecessary conflict between the executive and the legislature. Whosoever may be the detractors in Parliament, it is the chain of events set in motion by the President on October 26 that had plunged the country down this abyss and paved the way for the subversion of Parliamentary democracy.

With a little more patience on his part, the President could have worked towards defeating the Budget of the Ranil Wickremesinghe government, which was due in a few days, which would have led to its fall and paved the way for him to legally appoint a PM and Cabinet of his choice. If the wish was to dissolve Parliament, here too, the President could have negotiated with all parties to come to a compromise, to pass a Motion in the House with a 2/3rd majority calling for dissolution. Instead he chose shortcuts and the repercussions of his short sighted and reckless actions have been amply seen in the past three weeks, not only in this country but worldwide.

With the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa, who clearly does not command a majority in the House, genies kept contained during the three and half years of yahapalanaya rule have been let out of the bottle, and President Sirisena has little control over them. Their behaviour has, unfortunately, been condoned, not condemned, by the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa and other seniors in the UPFA. Unless senior politicians step forward, irrespective of which side they belong to, things can only get worse for this country. As of now, the dark days of Parliamentary democracy in the country look far from over, and the worst may be yet to come.
Crisis meetings today in bid to end political turmoil that has engulfed the country

Presidents move brings unity to the once divided UNP; Sajith again refuses offer to be PM

Numbers issue showing signs of friction between Sirisena and Rajapaksa groups Be it for good or bad, right or wrong, there is perhaps no other political leader in independent Sri Lanka, than President Maithripala Sirisena, who has touched the lives of almost all his compatriots in so short a span of just three weeks.

With the stroke of a proclamation on October 26, he fell his onetime Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and foisted his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa. That galvanised a United National Party (UNP), which has long been in dissension mode within the party. The drubbing the UNP received at the local government polls on February 10, exposed its countrywide rating. That drove fear in them over facing Provincial Council elections and seemingly plausible excuses came one after another. Yet, the UNP supporters, now banded together are crowding the streets of Colombo to protest President Sirisenas actions. It has given more meaning to the first word of the partys name  United.

Even the UNPs bosom political ally, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), is on board. As details in the later paragraphs show, TNA leader Rajavarothayam Sampanthan pleaded with President Sirisena on Thursday night to re-appoint Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister. In its previous avatar as the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), the party demanded devolution of power after the unfortunate 1983 ethnic violence. It won Provincial Councils in the North to manage some of the affairs which were earlier with the central government. More are pending.

The hand in glove relationship between the UNP and the TNA grew over the past more than three years. So much so, the TNA supported the UNP and its allies in the previous regime to introduce new laws to put off PC elections through a mere gazette notification. In effect, that took away a privilege an earlier UNP administration gave Tamils to elect their own representatives in their areas. Now the Centre decides when they should choose. In south Sri Lanka, this raised questions on whether PCs were now necessary since the Centre could control their affairs as before. The two TNA leaders who now give a face to the alliance, Rajavarothayam Sampanthan and Matihiaparanam Abraham Sumanthiran have been issuing periodic statements in the recent weeks about the dire need to preserve democracy. Much the same way they assured those in the North that PC polls would be held even when the government was arming itself with legislation to postpone them through a gazette.

The TNAs new role, after Sirisenas actions, have had an impact on the northern people. There are largely three different schools of thought. Among those who are becoming increasingly hard line, there are strong apprehensions about TNAs sycophantic role. Some civilians believe ousted Premier Wickremesinghe could have delivered the Tamil demands. Others say they should forget the past and win over whatever demands possible from Premier Rajapaksa, said Nadesapillai Vithyatharan, Editor of Kaalai Kathir, a Tamil daily in Jaffna.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), another key player has remained a close ally of the then UNP administration. Responsible for maintaining that continued link is a controversial cabinet minister, a close confidante of ousted Premier Wickremesinghe. Other than some critical remarks over key UNP leaders, again to keep their membership happy, the JVP has studiously refrained from making any references to this minister. The two Muslim parties  the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the All Ceylon Makkal (Peoples) Congress (ACMC)  who collectively overturned calls by President Sirisena to join his ranks re-iterated their support to the UNP. Their MPs carried the message to the electorates that they were with Wickremesinghe.

The biggest beneficiary is Mahinda Rajapaksa, still the de facto leader of the Joint Opposition and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). Within days of his being sworn-in as Prime Minister, Rajapaksa flew in a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLFP) helicopter to Kataragama. Crowds thronged when he visited Kiri Vehera, one of the sacred places he most venerates. There was a volley of questions from those who greeted him. What are you going to do this time? Dont make the mistakes you made during your last regime, exhorted a member of the Buddhist clergy. I have come to the gods to apologise for the wrongs I did and to promise I will not repeat them, he said laughingly. This event and the crowds that gathered for a Wap Magul (harvest festival) in Wirawila, outside Tissamaharama, (together with President Sirisena) reflected an euphoric mood. Speakers spoke about the return of the son of the south. Rajapaksa who turns 73 years today will also be in Kataragama this morning.

Yet, there is no gainsaying that both Premier Rajapaksa and his closest advisor and ideologue Basil Rajapaksa had some egg or mud on their face. It was only after he was catapulted to the office of the Premier did he realize that he did not have the numbers to support a government in Parliament. Mama dena gena hitiye nehe or I was not aware, he confided in a close friend. Both the Premier and Basil had believed S.B. Dissanayake who had declared many a time during their secret dialogue that Gaana hari. Ekata baya wenna epa or the numbers are correct and therefore do not be frightened about it. Those words of Dissanayake had also been re-iterated to the duo by none other than President Sirisena.

The numbers issue is now showing signs of growing friction between Sirisena and the Rajapaksa groups. The President chaired a meeting of the partys parliamentary group on Friday night. He announced that he would under no circumstances re-appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister. He explained the same position to envoys of western missions whom he met separately on Friday. The Parliament, he told MPs, has to adopt a proper procedure and take a vote on the No Confidence Motion against the Prime Minister (Mahinda Rajapaksa). What they did on Friday morning was improper, he said. He was alluding to a vote by name which is likely tomorrow. Thereafter, he would consider a nominee. Sirisena then declared that the Joint Opposition has to find the 113 MPs to sustain the government in Parliament. He charged it is they who undertook to find the numbers  a claim flatly denied by the Rajapaksa side. Sources close to President claimed the promises for numbers had come particularly from Basil Rajapaksa and Namal Rajapaksa. The finger pointing makes clear neither side was sure. That may trigger another crisis.

In what seemed a response, Rajapaksa declared at a public meeting in Weeraketiya (his ancestral town) removing him by force or through unlawful means would be a difficult task.

Many are unaware that S.B. Dissanayake has been a colossal failure on an earlier occasion too. There again, he was unable to produce numbers and the move for a Vote of No Confidence against ousted Premier Wickremesinghe then ended up in a major flop. It all began on a day when President Sirisena flew to Kandy when violence was raging between groups of Sinhalese and Muslims in March this year. Later Sirisena was at the upper floor of the Presidents House in the hill capital with a towel wrapped around his waist. He was told that Dissanayake had arrived. He asked him upstairs and Sirisena lamented that he was finding it very difficult to work with Wickremesinghe. He (Wickremesinghe) was placing one obstacle after another in the work he did, he alleged.

Dissanayake promised to do something. That was when the politician from Hanguranketha told Sirisena he would speak to Mahinda Rajapaksa. In humour, Sirisena likened Wickremesinghe to a Naya (Cobra) and Rajapaksa to a Mapilla

(Cat snake). This developed into the No Confidence Motion against Wickremesinghe. Dissanayake could not produce the numbers that he promised and the motion was defeated in Parliament in April this year. Then came the October 26 decision to replace Wickremesinghe and anoint Rajapaksa. Thus, the broker who fooled a President and a Prime Minister, won a Ministerial post but left in its wake a major political crisis. The same broker denied publicly that he facilitated secret talks between Sirisena and Rajapaksa at his Battaramulla residence. There were at least two such meetings which neither Sirisena nor Rajapaksa denied, but Dissanayake kept denying.

Despite the drawbacks and stumbling blocks over a tie up with Sirisena, Rajapaksa, a seasoned politician who was the youngest MP to enter Parliament way back in 1970 maintained his public composure. He was aggressive when he spoke in Parliament on Thursday. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya declared when sittings commenced that he did not recognise either the Premier (Rajapaksa) or his Cabinet of Ministers. In a speech which was ostensibly on the basis of his being MP for Kurunegala, Rajapaksa declared; the President under the powers vested in him by the Constitution, invited me to accept the Premiership and form a government. I had the choice of either accepting that invitation or declining it. I could have simply said that it was best to allow the UNP government to continue in office for the remaining one year or so. However, we were the main opposition force in the country. We are the largest political party in the country. When the President hands the country over to us in order to prevent a major catastrophe from taking place, it is our duty to accept that responsibility.

Rajapaksa, so far, retains the political initiative he gained from Sirisenas hurry to get rid of Wickremesinghe. If that is not good news for some SLFPers, paradoxical enough, Sirisena has also ended up strengthening Wickremesinghes hand by enabling the UNP to rally behind him. On top of that, both Sirisena and Rajapaksa also have another new political detractor  Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, who has emerged as a hero for the UNP for the stance he has taken in Parliament.

Mahinda Rajapaksa told the Sunday Times I will continue as Prime Minister and offer as much relief as possible to the people. He was speaking on the telephone from Tangalle. He said upon his return to Colombo, he would meet his party MPs and planned later to have a discussion with President Sirisena. Ideologue and strategist Basil Rajapaksa appeared somewhat guarded or even cautious in a brief Q & A he gave the Sunday Times. See box story on this page.

Concerns heightened in Colombos diplomatic community, not only among western nations but also many others, over Sirisenas actions and decisions. To most, the first major worry was what would happen to investments made by companies in their countries in Sri Lanka. Would they be safe, they wondered. Another concern was both the constitutionality and legality of President Sirisenas actions. This clearly laid bare a huge drawback. Neither the Presidential Secretariat nor any of the agencies of the new government were able to cohesively explain the reasons or the rationale behind most of Sirisenas moves. This caused confusion not only in Sri Lanka but overseas too. Perhaps most in the government are still unaware that this caused enormous damage to President Sirisena and Sri Lanka. On the other hand, the UNPs effective publicity campaign, unmatched by any other, won it the eyes and ears of not only Sri Lankans but also the outside world. That has turned Sirisena into a villain without a defence.

It was no different on the economic front. The rupee continued to plunge vis-a-vis the US dollar. It was Rs 178.10 a dollar yesterday. The peak tourist season beginning this month saw cancellations of bookings from many countries. This is at a time when earnings of hoteliers are the highest during the current season. This is notwithstanding a multi-million rupee So Sri Lanka tourism development project in London. The new Tourism and Wild Life Minister, Wasantha Senanayake took his oaths and flew to London for the colourful event. He returned to Sri Lanka and crossed over, back again to the United National Party (UNP).

Like toads jumping from pond to pond in a rainforest, there were three others too when Parliament met last (Wednesday), November 14. They were Vadivel Suresh, Piyasena Gamage and A.H.M. Fowzie. Duminda Dissanayake, former SLFP General Secretary, who was also sworn in as Minister, took ill suddenly and admitted himself to a hospital. The four MPs said in unison that they did so to save democracy. It is creditable that both sides had other MPs who stood loyal to their parties and principles despite cash offers. One or two did yield. The four no doubt will go into Sri Lankas political history books as worthies who deserve no respect of the people who voted them.

Now, these developments  all the result of President Sirisenas actions and decisions  raise a very critical question. Was he not aware of the consequences that would arise? True, there has been constant friction between President Sirisena and then Premier Wickremesinghe. The latter, as is well known, has to bear a very large slice of responsibility for it as has been periodically revealed in these columns. Sirisena has explained publicly that he ignored it at one time for the UNP had helped him to come to power. This is an admission that there has not been checks and balances which a leader should ensure. Many important issues were forgotten, simply glossed over or completely ignored.

An example is how the former Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government vowed, ahead of both presidential and parliamentary elections, that they would try those under the previous Rajapaksa administration over allegations of bribery and corruption. For three years, little was done. It came to light that a minister close to the then Premier has even passed down information about investigations. He was calling for periodic reports from the Police which allegedly ended up in the hands of the targets lawyers.

Wickremesinghe was blamed for the situation which was exacerbated by his former ministers resorting to alleged bribery and corruption. Though not public, it is also alleged that President Sirisena has intervened on behalf of some important targets and their cases had gone to the backburner. One such case is only referred to now as Operation Eagle Eye. It is with elections round the corner that special courts have been set up and some cases are being expedited. The idea  the accused will be in jail when there are polls which would end in a walk over.

However, it has become increasingly clear in the past three weeks that Sirisenas only strategy is to resort to ad hocism. If such instances are with the guidance of advisors, it has become alarming. Reported in these columns last week was a claim to him by an advisor that a provision in the 19th Amendment relating to debarring the President from dissolving Parliament was smuggled in at the Committee stage. To the contrary, it was confirmed this week that it was very much in the draft Bill that went before the Supreme Court in March 2015. Of course, there remains a debate on how it got into the Constitution without a referendum. More so with an interpretation then President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga had received from the Supreme Court saying that the Presidents powers cannot be changed without a two thirds vote and a referendum.

The political tragi-comedy that has pushed Sri Lanka into a worst political turmoil began this week with issues reaching the Supreme Court. Seventeen different petitioners challenged in the Supreme Court the legality of President Sirisena dissolving Parliament. There were also six intervenient petitioners. A three judge Supreme Court bench chaired by Chief Justice Nalin Perera and comprising Justices Priyantha Jayawardena and Prasanna Jayawardene issued a stay order on the National Elections Commission not to proceed with arrangements for the elections set for January 5 next year. This is until December 7 by which time the SC would have finally made its order after hearing remaining petitioners on December 4, 5 and 6.

The ruling on Tuesday (November 13) sparked a new political crisis. With the dissolution of Parliament being made ineffective, the UNP went into action the same night. Their leaders spoke with the JVP and later to the TNA and other partners as well. Speaker Jayasuriya summoned a meeting of Parliament the next day, Wednesday (November 14)  the date set originally by the President for the ceremonial opening of Parliament.

That same evening, President Sirisena summoned a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC). It came in the wake of reports from the State Intelligence Service (SIS) of possible attempts at violence. In an unusual move, photographs of the NSC meeting was released to the media to convey a message to the public  the Armed Forces and the Police were firmly behind their Commander-in-Chief, President Sirisena. That exercise in itself underscored an element of unease and insecurity prompting a show of strength to those who opposed him.

President Sirisena and Premier Rajapaksa, backed by their respective parliamentarians, also had a crisis meeting at the Presidential Secretariat. Wimal Weerawansa, Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Dilan Perera urged that the Parliament be prorogued once more. Nehe, api muhuna demu, or, No, let us face it, declared Premier Rajapaksa. After the meeting ended, Basil Rajapaksa and Dullas Allahapperuma had joined the President and the Premier. It is there that Sirisena declared that he would not prorogue Parliament and face what comes. Basil Rajapaksa noted that their new found relationship has achieved four different things and Sirisena had done his duty by the country. The first was the removal of then Premier Wickremesinghe, the second swearing-in Mahinda Rajapaksa, third the prorogation of Parliament and fourth the dissolution of Parliament, he said. Hence, he said, both the President and the Premier should move forward together.

By then Sirisena had also rejected a letter sent to him by Speaker Jayasuriya conveying the adoption of the No Confidence vote on Premier Rajapaksa being passed in Parliament through a voice vote. He said that was wrong. Pointing out that at a time when a case is pending before a court of law regarding Parliament, your actions on the matter may be prejudicial to the essence of that case, Sirisena charged that the Speaker has sent him a list of signatures that have not been properly ratified by Parliament as evidence to claim that the said No Confidence Motion was passed.

Speaker Jayasuriya replied that it is with a patriotic gesture that I emphasize the fact that, I firmly believe that this dilemma can be unravelled through negotiations, for the sake of the august good governance objectives for which we all appear for and as a state which possess a legacy of matured democracy throughout seven decades. He added It is with great respect that I urge you on behalf of all the citizens of the country and the future generations to come, that expeditious measures be taken to save the nation from this catastrophe by lending your ears to the majority view of Parliament without further delay.

Jayasuriya pointed out that all 122 Members of Parliament who voted for the motion were present at the House yesterday. Amongst them were some Ministers and Members of Parliament of the government. Though I made a respectful request thrice appealing for their support to duly take the vote, I was not given any opportunity for taking such a vote and accordingly, in terms of the Standing Order 47(1) I had to take the vote by voices and declare that it had been passed by the majority.

Among the many meetings that Sirisena chaired was one with those from the United National Front (UNF) on Thursday night. He was heeding Speaker Jayasuriyas request for a dialogue to resolve issues. Besides him, those present were Kabir Hashim (UNP Chairman), Sajith Premadasa, Eran Wickremeratne, Talatha Athkorale, Lakshman Kiriella, Gayantha Karunatilleke, Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Mano Ganesan, Palani Digambaram, Rajavarothayam Sampanthan (TNA leader), Rauff Hakeem (SLMC leader) and Rishad Bathiuddin (ACMC leader).

President Sirisena opined at the meeting that the Vote of No Confidence adopted at the Parliament sessions on Wednesday was not correctly done and he could not accept it. He pointed out that you have the right to adopt a motion but the way it had been drafted is illegal. He was alluding to the preamble in the motion which read the extraordinary gazette issued by HE the President on October 26, 2018 under the numbers 2094/43, 2094 43 A and 2094/44 are against the Constitution. He pointed out that those gazette notifications were proclamations issued as head of the executive and could not be challenged by the legislature. They related to the removal of Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister, the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as his successor and the prorogation of Parliament.

Hence, Sirisena said they should present the motion again without the preamble and follow the correct procedure in Parliament to pass it. Thereafter, if the Speaker writes to him conveying that the motion has been passed following proper procedures, he would consider it. Then President Sirisena dropped a bombshell. He said they could bring any name but he would not re-appoint ousted Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. Those remarks raised very serious issues. The reason, he claimed, was because there were so many allegations against him. There is no constitutional provision empowering a President to refuse a duly elected citizen as a Premier. The Constitution (Article 43 (3) states The President shall appoint as Prime Minister the Member of Parliament who in his opinion is most likely to command the confidence of Parliament. Speaker Jayasuriya has declared that 122 MPs were backing Wickremesinghe in a 225 seat Parliament.

Please dont do that, Sir, pleaded TNA leader Rajavarothayam Sampanthan. SLMC leader and former minister Rauff Hakeem urged Sir, please give him another chance. So did ousted Justice Minister Talatha Athukorale. Sirisena said he would not compromise on the matter. Sirisena met his new government leaders including Premier Rajapaksa to brief them on the discussions. He also telephoned Basil Rajapaksa and told him what transpired. In a last minute bid since last meeting him, Sirisena also telephoned UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa on a close associates mobile phone to repeat his invitation to take over as Premier. Premadasa was not willing. He has already signed an affidavit supporting Wickremesinghe to be the Prime Minister.

There were also other issues playing out early this week. Last Monday evening, a group of senior SLFPers met at the Colombo residence of a minister from the south, now known for his repeated remarks at meetings contradicting one after another. The resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa, his son Namal Rajapaksa MP and many others from the SLFP had caused them unease and they were displeased. They discussed strategies. One of the speakers argued that President Sirisena should be asked to end his ties with Rajapaksa and re-appoint Wickremesinghe as Premier. This is notwithstanding an accord being reached between the two sides on the name of their common alliance  Sri Lanka Nidhas Podujana Peramuna (SLNPP). It is made up of the first three letters from the SLFP and the last two from the SLPP. A symbol is yet to be agreed upon but it is most likely to be the chair. The two sides have agreed to draft a new constitution for the alliance.

The UNF team went to Temple Trees, the official residence of the Prime Minister for a meeting with ousted Premier Wickremesinghe. There was consensus that a fresh Vote of No Confidence against Premier Rajapaksa, as requested by Sirisena, should be moved when Parliament sits on Friday. But other events were to trigger rowdy behaviour and hooliganism in the well of the House. A forewarning came when Speaker Jayasuriya met party leaders on two different occasions. First was when the new Leader of the House, Dinesh Gunawardena objected to the suspension of Standing Orders to take up the No Confidence Motion, this time without a preamble. Then came a complaint that two UNP parliamentarians, Palitha Thevarapperuma and Ranjan Ramanayake, allegedly carried knives in their hands when there was commotion in the well of the House on Wednesday. They wanted an inquiry into their conduct and their suspension.

Prime Minister Rajapaksa related the story to the Sunday Times. Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena told the Speaker that I am the Prime Minister and that should be accepted. It is only then that the Speaker could accept the No Confidence Motion against me. There cannot be a no faith vote on me as the MP for Kurunegala District. The UNP had been adamant not to do that.

The other matter raised was how two MPs, Palitha Thevarapperuma and Ranjan Ramanayake were carrying knives in the well of the House. He wanted the Speaker to deal with them. When an MP complained about two MPs wielding knives, the Speaker had replied that the next time they would come with swords, Premier Rajapaksa said. He said the MPs had surrounded the Speakers chair in protest against no action being taken. How can we go on like this in Parliament when a Speaker takes one side, he asked.

Speaker Jayasuriya denied he made remarks about a sword. He told the Sunday Times I was fulfilling a pledge made to President Sirisena to approve a fresh No Confidence Motion against the Prime Minister. I was prevented from taking my Chair. They threw chillie powder in the face of police officers. One was even slapped. As for the two MPs, the Police have launched investigations. A handful of MPs have brought Parliament to complete disrepute. This kind of rowdy behaviour by MPs should be condemned.

Rowdy scenes did play out in Parliament as a group of MPs took away the Speakers chair and surrounded his sitting area. Speaker Jayasuriya moved in with a posse of policemen to conduct business through portable loud hailer. He was able to take only a voice vote on the motion from a seat in the House. An MP threw chillie powder in the face of Police officers. Others hurled chairs and bound volumes of Hansard. Another MP stretched his hand and slapped a Police officer whose only fault was doing his duty. Thousands of Sri Lankans who watched this scene on live television saw the professionalism in this officer who stayed still unmindful of what happened. This criminal act, no doubt, angered the Police and will not bode well for the new government. It is in the best interest of both sides of the House to deal with the assailant as well as the thugs in MPs garb who threw chillie powder.

President Sirisena will hold crisis meetings today in a bid to resolve the political imbroglio that has engulfed the country. He has increasingly isolated himself after letting the genie out of the bottle with little or no foresight. Leave alone putting it back, whether he would have the vision to halt a deteriorating situation on many fronts remains a critical question. Sri Lankans, who were offered good governance, wait in anxiety.

Basil hits out at Speaker; calls for general elections He is credited with the formation of the Sri Lanka Podujana (Peoples) Party and for their remarkable victory at the local government elections in February this year. Though he is shying away from official titles, from a two storied office barely a kilometre away from Parliament, he runs the show. Asked what he does, he replies that I am a member of the party. That seems an understatement. He is the partys ideologue. He advises his brother MahindaRajapaksa. When President MaithripalaSirisena wanted to make peace with his predecessor, MahindaRajapaksa and make him Prime Minister, he insisted that Basil Rajapaksa should be present. At first, the strategist shied away even dodging calls from Sirisena. Then he relented. That was how meetings began at the Battaramulla residence of S.B. Dissanayake, The latter, kapuwa or broker denied the meeting, the fact that the talks led to an alliance is history. Here is a brief Q & A with Basil Rajapaksa: The vote of no confidence on the Prime Minister: Both motions have been wrongly done. It is simply due to the conduct of the Speaker who is very partial. The first motion, though he is aware, challenged the executive actions of the President. The Speaker is full well aware there is no provision for this in the Constitution. He was able to obtain only a voice vote then. The second time, they left out the references to proclamations issued by the President. The Speaker says he does not recognise a Prime Minister of a Cabinet of Ministers. Yet, he allows a no confidence motion against the Prime Minister. Then he gets a voice vote and claims it has been approved by Parliament. Must anything more be said on whose side Speaker KaruJayasuriya is? On dissolution of Parliament and call for elections: That is the best thing that could happen. Let the people decide. Casting a ballot on whom to elect is the biggest human right. Why should anyone stand in the way? Those who do so are frightened. On a majority vote in Parliament: Everyone knows that neither the UNP nor we have 113 in Parliament. Premier Rajapaksa commands the highest confidence in the House. We are certain of that. Numbers are not stipulated in the Constitution. This why President Sirisena appointed MahindaRajapaksa as Prime Minister. On the appointment of a Prime Minister: From the time of the Soulbury Constitution, the Parliament has never elected a Prime Minister. Under the present Constitution, it is the responsibility of the President. That power has been vested in him. How can the Parliament, like what the Speaker says, should appoint RanilWickremesinghe. On Parliamentary elections: We felt the shortest way is to join the government and go to the people for a fresh mandate. We were aware that local government elections have been put off for 13 months. On the Supreme Court stay order: We bow to the SC order. The matter is now sub judice and it would have been better if the Parliament waited till the final order was given. On joining to form a new government; We could not wait. The countrys assets are being sold- airports, harbours, highways etc. There were tax burdens on the people. An institution worth US $ 220 million was to be given out for $ 150 million. Prices of fuel products were being raised. In one year more nothing would have been left of the country. The UNP government ignored a plot to assassinate President Sirisena. Relations with the diplomatic community in Colombo: At a dinner at Prof. G.L. Peiris residence, PresidentSirisena explained to them our position. Some asked why we did not wait for a few more months. We explained the reasons. We want to go the people. Let them decide. We also told them that the Speaker has created an unpleasant situation by acting partially.
SriLankans new Chairman could not even take off View(s):

Bad memories were revived and the image of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa took a beating.It was over an announcement that the former controversial Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kapila Chandrasena had been named the Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier.

One source said the move came on the recommendation of Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, though this could not be confirmed. However, when Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, received a howl of protests, he directed that the appointment be immediately withdrawn. He has now appointed G.S. Vithanage, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport.

The role of Mr Chandrasena has become the subject of detailed scrutiny by a Commission of Inquiry appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena to probe both Mihin Lanka and SriLankan Airlines. It is headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Justice Anil Gunaratne.

Besides that, there are three different investigations being conducted against alleged serious irregularities committed by Mr Chandrasena.One such investigation, carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), related to tenders and other multimillion dollar transactions carried out by a company registered in Brunei. Detectives allege that the company belongs to a close relative and had been formed just days ahead of the opening of a major tender.

The Sunday Times has learnt that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is also conducting a separate investigation, in a case involving Mr.Chandrasena and a local businessman over an alleged foreign currency fraud involving duty free outlets at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

Meawhile, Mr. Chandrasena was requested to appear before the CID investigation unit to make a statement after summons were issued to him by the Commission of Inquiry.

Hooliganism for all the world to see

While it was a free- for- all in Parliament for three days in a row this week with fists and things flying all around, it was all played out in the front of camera with a large number of media personnel allowed into the Chamber. During the past three days, both Parliamentary proceedings and as other coverages in the House were covered by over 100 media personnel giving the latest news coverage of the unfolding events with comments from politicians on all side of the divide.

Coverage of the tumultuous sessions from inside the Chambers by the electronic media is unprecedented and is part of the liberalisation of coverage of parliamentary proceedings put in place by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya under whose watch live telecast of proceedings were started and the public galleries were opened for all.

Mango achcharu Mayhem in the House

The events which transpired in Parliament in the past few days have been viewed by the public due to live transmissions and recording of events by the media.

Some have gone on to condemn the incident, but others are making fun from what transpired there. One such incident was the throwing of chili powder mixed with water in which policemen and some of the MPs were harmed. Social media had many comments on them. One such comment said : I am sure the MPs are bringing chili powder and knives to make mango achcharu (pickle) in Parliament.

Another claimed that the UPFA members had been told to bring Chili powder while the UNP members had been told bring Mangoes to make the achcharu but as the UNP members failed to keep to their promise the UPFA members threw the chili powder at their opponents in disgust.

Another cartoon showed vendors selling packets of chili powder near Parliament.

JVP Leader Anura Dissanayake asked how MPs who were body searched managed to bring chili powder into the well of the House replied saying what is that for people who smuggle Ethanol into the country through Customs. The jibe was aimed at two UPFA MPs who were in the forefront of the mayhem in Parliament.

JVP MP Vijitha Herath was hit on his forehead by a book containing the Constitution and another copy of the Constitution that was thrown at TNA MP M. Sumanthiran ricocheted and struck the nose of former rugby player, UNP Minister Malik Samarawickrama.

Constitutional crisis leaves northern students on the streets

Confusion is spreading over the constitutional crisis in the country with two governments in place. A case in point is what happened in the Northern province which is now under direct Presidential rule. The latest victims were Northern school students who were only informed that the authorities had decided to close the schools due to bad weather after they arrived in their classrooms braving the gusty winds and the rains.

Some of the government school students were stranded on the streets when Provincial Educational authorities decided to close all schools on that day in-view of adverse weather situations caused due to cyclonic storm Gaja.The closure announcement was sent to schools by 8.30 a.m. By that time, majority of the students who are currently sitting for year-end term exams had turned up in the schools and were later told no exams would be held due to poor attendance of students as some parts were severely damaged due to heavy winds and rains.

Parents and students questioned why Provincial Educational department directed by Governor Reginald Cooray failed to issue an early announcement as authorities were taking many precautionary steps with Disaster Management authorities and other agencies as severe weather warnings were issued by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).

This is despite international weather stations and our Meteorology department warning that the northern province would face the impact of the cyclonic conditions.

Taxi Abey as Hilton Chief

Gamini Abeyratne better known as Taxi Abey is strongly tipped to take over as Chairman of Hotel Developers Ltd., the owning company of Colombo Hilton. President Maithripala Sirisena has asked the Ministry of Finance to make this appointment.

Criss-crossing Wasantha ignores S.B.s call

Polonnaruwa district MP Wasantha Senanayaka had seemingly realised that he jumped into a sinking ship. On Wednesday, he was back in action, this time to cross back to the UNP side having taken a ministerial portfolio in Mahinda Rajapaksas government only a few days earlier. On Tuesday he was seated inside a room on the ground floor of the Parliament complex writing a letter informing he was no longer with the Rajapaksa camp when his phone got buzzing. Our sharp eyed photographer who was watching from outside the glass door of the room captured the name of the caller as Sb Sec. Mr. Senenayake ignored the call and carried on with his letter writing.
The palpable horror in the house by the Diyawanna View(s):

As pro-Rajapaksa parliamentarians threw water lethally spiced with red chillie into the eyes of unarmed police officers valiantly guarding Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, the seventy-eight year old Speaker may take heart that his grace under fire will stand out as the most remarkable example of steadfastness in Sri Lankas parliamentary history. Images of him resolutely facing down parts of a chair, a copy of the Bible and the Constitution aimed at his head, as the House (euphemistically) sat this Friday will be indelibly imprinted in the nations memory for a long time.

The calling of police into the Chamber neccessitated by the extraordinary behaviour of Rajapaksa-led Sri Lanka Podujana Party (SLPP) supporters who sat in the Speakers Chair and the employing of chillie water, ironically a favourite torture tactic against alleged (Sinhalese) criminals and (Tamil) terrorists in Sri Lankas detention centres, were an ignoble first in the legislative assembly.

Enduring several vulgar indignities

Speaker Jayasuriya had to be huddled in a corner of the Chamber as more than twenty police officers and parliamentary staff stood their ground against the deadly rush of the SLPP, many of whom were regularly traipsing to court in corruption cases. As several vulgar indignities were visited on him, Kiplings words came to mind; if you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you This was a continuation of what transpired on Thursday when dustbins and other sundry objects were thrown at him and he was abused in filth.

Who answers for the assaults on public/police officers carrying out their duties? Why do we waste public funds on parliamentary sittings and in elections to send back reprehensible profligates who strut about in the Chamber shouting vulgarities, sit on chairs of parliamentary officials to comb their hair and sneakily pour bottles of water on the Speakers Chair? What will it take for the voters to send a powerful message of rejection to these un-worthies?

Meanwhile former President Mahinda Rajapaksa alleged to be choreographing this drama was chuckling in the Prime Ministers seat unmoved by votes of no confidence against him. But even strong supporters of the Rajapaksa brand in rural Sinhala Buddhist constituencies must balk at the ugliness on display as in fact, did many Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) parliamentarians. At no point even during the Rajapaksa decade was defiance so open, so crude and so contemptuous of parliamentary democracy as evidenced on Friday. If this is the show of brute strength now, the nation should surely shudder in expectation of what lies ahead once power is seized de jure.

A serious question for the President to answer

The SLPP/SLFP objection to the Speaker is that he acted partially to the United National Party (UNP). Taking that objection on, is the answer to let its members run riot in the House? If two UNP parliamentarians are alleged to have taken sharp objects into the House on Thursday, then let the law take its course. In fact, the issue here is very simple. Besides the UNP, the majority in the House consists of members of smaller political parties including minority parties and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) whose members were also attacked with chillie water by the Rajapaksa camp. As the Speaker reminded President Maithripala Sirisena in their famously acerbic exchange of letters, it was his duty to heed their call to uphold the authority of Parliament. Is the Speaker to blame for the fact that the Rajapaksa camp could not succeed in cross-overs despite bribes and Cabinet positions to change that majority?

Affirming a vote of no-confidence by voice is perfectly allowable by Standing Orders. Yet as one Sirisena loyalist and a lawyer to boot quite nonsensically insisted, this must be done in the proper way. That insistence may be valid if his rowdy colleagues did not boisterously prevent order in the House, refuse to collaborate in proceedings and sit in the Chair. In that background, the primer put out by the Office of the Prime Minister as to the procedure on a no-confidence motion must be tossed forthwith into the garbage bin.

So as Sri Lanka continues to lack a duly constituted Cabinet, a Prime Ministerand an effective Government, the President must answer a serious question. Ordinarily, he may be guided in his interpretation of the Constitution by the Supreme Court as expressly provided for in the constitutional text or by the Attorney General. He has not done that on all accounts. Instead, in his exchange of letters to the Speaker as well as earlier, President Sirisena reiterated that he had acted upon the advice of legal experts. If so, the President must answer as to who these expert/s are. He is bound to do so as Sri Lanka struggles in the grip of the worst democratic ordeal since independence due to this very advice.

Paying for past mistakes

But the enormity of constitutional subversion by the SLPP/SLFP aside, the UNP bears singular responsibility for this calamity. Those who marveled as to why the Rajapaksa clan inexplicably went home without a murmur following the 2015 Presidential election need to understand that the naked grab of power now is precisely what should have happened then. On both occasions, the Rajapaksa phenomenon was characterised by the same imperviousness to the law.

Close to four years ago however, that reaction was prevented by the enormous surge of popular will against which the anti-democratic forces retreated strategically, nursing their wounds and waiting for a comeback. The victory was however taken lightly and casually by the yahapalanaya coalition with the costly and counter productive gamble to delay corruption cases and worse against the Rajapaksa regime expecting that this would splinter the SLFP. The Central Bank bond scan and typically elite blind, deaf and dumb decision-making across constitutional, economic and social fronts created a perfect political storm that we are now in the eye of.

So while the UNP may weep at the death of democracy, there is a history lesson that must be learnt. Certainly the SLFP has split or as is the case, more swallowed up by the SLPP but at what enormous cost? And the awakening of dormant provincial and rural bases of the UNP will mean precious little if solid democratic re-ordering of the decision-making hierarchy does not follow.

Independent institutions, the last defence

But leaving alone party politics, there is reason to hope. The Rajapaksa-return has inspired the re-emergence of popular resistance. Critically, the countrys painfully recovering democratic institutions have withstood challenges so far. Amidst feverish speculation, the Supreme Court handed down a stay of the Presidents dissolution of the House until the matter is determined on its merits. The redoubtable Speaker has stood his ground against very heavy fire, physical and verbal. Both deserve the unstinting admiration of the nation. Meanwhile, the police and the military have kept their distance from a vicious political tangle that may have worked out very differently elsewhere in the region.

All this is to the good, even as we recoil in response to the palpable horror that is taking place in the House by the Diyawanna.
Violent orgy rules supreme in the Nations Bleak House of Bedlam The shocking sad state of Lanka today: Two Prime Ministers, two cabinets and even two Speakers to boot but no legit government View(s): View(s):

Democracy rose from the ashes this Tuesday evening when the Supreme Court salvaged its moribund corpus from the flames the Executive had engulfed it in, only to be plunged into worse hellfire on Thursday morn when an unruly parliamentary mob turned the bleak House to a house of bedlam, in their attempt to gain, through mayhem and brute force, what had been denied to them unequivocally by the apex court of the land. Democracy rose from the ashes this Tuesday evening when the Supreme Court salvaged its moribund corpus from the flames the Executive had engulfed it in, only to be plunged into worse hellfire on Thursday morn when an unruly parliamentary mob turned the bleak House to a house of bedlam, in their attempt to gain, through mayhem and brute force, what had been denied to them unequivocally by the apex court of the land.

But if Thursday s parliamentary fracas had seemed to resemble the scene at a toddy tavern on labourers pay night, Friday afternoons violent ruckus smacked even worse. In fact it demonstrated how Asias second oldest Parliament had sunk to its nadir, to the bottomless sewers from which, smeared in excreta, the former regime hoped to rise to power and did not give a rats posterior as to how they stank.

If there had been any need to prove that Mahinda Rajapaksa did not command the confidence of the majority of the House, this was the inconvertible evidence required. For had he had the 113 magic number tucked in his belt, there would have been no need for the dramatics.

First, lets take the chronology of events. On October 26, Friday night, the President first set the ball in motion and shoved the nation down the slippery slope to anarchy when he appointed his sworn enemy former President Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister in the misguided belief that he commanded the majority of the House, effectively sacking the incumbent Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe without whose indispensable support in 2015, Sirisena would have never risen to hold supreme office in the land but would, in Sirisenas own words uttered in January 2015, have been buried six feet below had the Rajapaksa regime returned to power.

Second, the next Friday, November 2, having doubts whether Rajapaksa could muster the necessary numbers in the House, Sirisena prorogued parliament to give time to Rajapaksa to collect the scalps. But it soon became clear that not all the resources at Rajapaksas command to entice the grasshoppers from the green green grass of the UNP turf could persuade many to take the quantum leap and fly off to the wild blue yonder, though of course, a handful of serial hoppers did. But the expected exodus never materialised.

Third, the following Friday, November 9, in yet another symptomatic burst of recurrent Friday Night Fever, the president took the extraordinary step to dissolve Parliament itself and to call for general elections, even though the constitution did not permit him to do so till four and a half years had passed in the life of this Parliament unless Parliament had urged him to do so with a resolution signed by a two thirds majority. This was the legal requirement in the 19th Amendment which Sirisena himself had introduced and got enacted by more than a five sixth majority in April 2015.

On Tuesday the thirteenth, after hearing over ten fundamental applications filed in the Supreme Court against the presidents midnight gazette dissolving Parliament contrary to the constitution, the Chief Justice Nalin Perera and two other Justices Prasanna and Priyantha Jayawardena unanimously held with the petitioners and granted an interim injunction which temporarily made invalid the presidential proclamation until final determination on December 7.

That indeed put the spanner in the presidential timetable and the timing could not have been better for the ousted UNF and their comrades the TNA and the JVP. For last week, in the midst of enormous pressure from the international community and locally, the president had issued a gazette reconvening Parliament on November 14. Thus, when the UNF and its partners walked into Parliament they were not gate crashing but were only arriving as the invited guests of the House which the Supreme Court had opened for business as usual.

As the Sunday Punch commented three weeks ago on October 29, two days after the President had appointed Rajapaksa as Prime Minister and just two weeks after he had appointed Justice Nalin Perera as the new Chief Justice:

If theres one blessed thing that he has done during these past four years, it is to have used all the four chances that presented before him to appoint the nations Chief Justice with great sagacity. To have chosen the best for the task, irrespective of his own political agenda. To have restored the independence of the judiciary and salvaged the respect from the depths which, in the public eye, it seemed to had fallen during Rajapaksa times.

After Parinda Ranasinghe who was appointed in 1988 by J. R. Jayewardene, Nalin Perera was one who had risen from the ranks, like a lotus from the mire, to bloom in the Supreme Court sun without a single spot of blemish on his petals. Again Sirisena had made the right choice. And it hardly took a half days work for the Constitutional Council to meet and unanimously approve the nomination.

And Chief Justice Nalin Perera who had said at his inauguration speech, I understand some may find it hard to believe that I stand here without a political bias or favouritism or a secret strategic personal agenda that brought me here: and had sworn on the Bible of his Christian faith and quoted chapter and verse from the Bible as to how a judge must discharge his judicial duties when he said:

Judges are asked to perform a function that is truly divine. The Holy Bible brings out this idea in the following way: I quote from 2 Chronicles 19:6-7: Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.

He said: Judges therefore may do well to realize and remember the seriousness of their vocation even before God. For if their office was meant to serve such a high cause, then the failure to rightfully do so on their part constitutes a grave offence.

And declared: It is indeed when truth alone triumphs in courts that we can expect people to have faith in the judicial system. As such the integrity of officers functioning in the administration of justice becomes a must. The actual good faith of judges and therefore the ability of the society to rest securely on the same is the bedrock of a successful judicial system. This truth makes the officers in this field strongly bound by a demand for the deepest form of personal and professional integrity  Chief Justice Nalin Perera has shown that in the face of stormy winds that must surely have visited him in the nations tempest, he had stood steadfast to his faith and to the solemn oath he had sworn to uphold with the Good Book as his witness.

But the Star of Hope that had shone so bright on Tuesday eve atop Hulftsdorp Hill did not glimmer for long when its shining rays and its holy spirit was barred entry to the House of Commons where the political mammon with scant regard for the rule of law held supreme sway with its batons and brawns.

When the business of the House commenced on Wednesday and the Speaker called for the no confidence motion to be voted on, members of the Rajapaksa fraternity raised a disruption that made it impossible for the Speaker to register the vote name by name. Instead he had to resort to declare that the no confidence motion against Rajapaksa had been passed by a voice test.

The Speaker conveyed the decision of the House to the president along with the signatures of 122 members of the House who had supported the no confidence motion against Rajapaksa. It was actually 126 when 4 MPs had crossed over on the floor of the House to claim solidarity with the ousted government.

The following day when parliament resumed its sittings the disruption by JO forces had moved from the vocal to the physical. That night the President met the party leaders and issued a statement stating that he could not accept the no confidence motion passed by Parliament against his nominee Mahinda Rajapaksa. And urged that it to be presented to the House and a new vote taken on a name by name basis. To this the UNF agreed.

Fridays business in the House was to do this, to prove beyond presidential wdoubt that Ranils party together with the TNA and JVP commanded the majority of the House. But perhaps knowing that it will meets its Waterloo, the JO storm troopers made certain that they not only occupied the Speakers chair with Pohottuwa MP Arundika Fernando sitting on it and later took it away with them, not only prevented the police escorting the Speaker to take his rightful seat but also attacked the police and threw chili powder mixed with water on them and on the front benchers of the UNF ranks including the JVP. But in the midst of it all, the Speaker Karu Jayasuriya managed with his police escort to make his presence in the chamber and with the parliamentary Mace behind him asked for a vote on the no confidence motion for the second time. And for the second time it was passed on a voice test.

But the president is still not satisfied. According to MP Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena., the president has called again for another acid test. For another vote to be taken. And most probably this will be held tomorrow, when Parliament is scheduled to resume its sittings. Unless the mob rules again and the sittings are postponed for another day.

In his letter dated November 14, addressed to the Speaker the President has stated that the Speaker should not forget that the leader of the UNP Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed as the Prime Minister by him, Sirisena, on January 9, 2015 even though Ranils UNP commanded only 41 seats in the House. Thats correct. But isnt it also correct that Sirisena had already entered into an agreement with Ranil to form a coalition government and as the budding leader of the SLFP under its own party constitution was confident enough to make up the deficit by the support of SLFP MPs to justify to the nation that Ranil did indeed command the confidence of the House. But can Sirisena say the same of Mahinda today? Especially when the majority in the House have proved him wrong?

But what was the root cause that, in the Speakers words in his letter to the President on Thursday night which stated, inter alia, Your Excellency, The country has plunged into a serious disorder owing to the decision taken by you on the 26th of October. The economy of the country, living conditions of the people, arrival of tourists, the goodwill earned by Sri Lanka at the international arena and the reputation you earned during your long political career are in the process of rapidly diminishing at the moment. An unnecessary conflict between the executive and the legislature has been created as a result. It is with great respect that I urge you on behalf of all the citizens of the country and the future generations to come, that expeditious measures be taken to save the nation from this catastrophe by lending your ears to the majority view of Parliament without further delay.

What was the root cause? Though it may now seem rather academic to many, isnt it the failure to address the original sin that made the duly elected Ranil Wickremesinghe in August 2015 as the leader of the party commanding the largest majority in Parliament and his appointment as Prime Minister on that basis alone, be now cast East of Eden by presidential dictate?

Under the 19th Amendment once the President has appointed a Prime Minster, he can only be sacked on certain grounds. Those grounds have not arisen to justify his removal. The question arises thus whether the President has violated the Constitution and acted ultra vires his constitutional powers when he arbitrarily appointed Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister whilst the incumbent premier still held legal office, neither having died, nor resigned nor removed by a no confidence motion or by Parliament rejecting the appropriation bill or the Governments statement of policy.

That too, like the dissolution of Parliament affair, would probably have to wait a Supreme Court judgment, not a G. L. Peiris ruling as a final say on the matter attendant with Executive blessings.

What this nation witnessed this week was the ultimate debasement of Parliament. Not done discreetly, not done secretly, but in the open, in the kind of transparency that the Yahapalana promise held to usher. At least, its one promise kept.

Its an eye opener. For we can now realise how fragile the nature of parliamentary democracy is in this land. And to think that it costs us all Rs. 5 million bucks each sitting to make it a theatre of violence for rogues and thugs to strut about displaying their prowess and muscle and throw the book of the constitution in the face of their opponents when argument fails and recourse to brutish behaviour is the only means available to achieve their ends. And that the public pay billions every year to provide for their grand life style, their perks, their privileges their duty free cars. No wonder some clamour for a new election to receive another duty free vehicle bonus.

We might as well have elected Welle Sudda, Gonawilla Sunil, Maradane Choope, Mariyakade Maggie Nona or a Gunasinghampura Savitra to the House as the Peoples representatives. It wouldnt have made the slightest difference. Nor would anyone have discerned the difference. And perhaps, they would have given the same performance, probably cheaper.

People power strikes blow for Democracy

They came in their numbers. Thousands of them. They came not for their bottle of arrack nor for their packet of rice. They came not in organised tour groups in busses paid for by their political sponsors and neither did they come for the cash. For there was none.

They came on their own two feet, at their own expense not for tot or bite or dough. They came to light a candle for democracy to ensure that its spirit will survive this generation. They came for the well being of this countrys present and its future. They came to cry freedom and to do so before the time was up and the hour too late.

This is the picture that tells it all. An inspiring picture of hope born of despair. A picture that reveals a peoples collective statement to their leaders  never mind on what side of the political divide those leaders maybe  that they would not look askance or wallow in apathy while their civil rights and their cherished liberties were being trampled unto the dust by political mobs and their democratic way of life lay in siege. And to give lip to the sonorous voice that sang in their hearts: Cry Freedom and let slip the Angels of Peace.

Instead of havoc and white ghouls on wheels.

Awake to the truth, my Lanka

Awake to the Truth, My Lanka

Hide not thy fears behind thy veiled curtain of tears

Or shield your eyes from damning horrors

Committed senseless in thy name. Awake to the Truth, My Lanka

Look not askance at the terrible deeds

Or turn away from grotesque works of warped acts

Wrought brazen in thy lambent flame

And in thy name Doth thou not feel

The blood flow from thy aggrieved breast

That shrieks not in pain but seeks protect

Truths deflowerers;

And bids save them from all moral blame

By pinning upon their pure snow white fleece

The rare red rose of righteousness

Where a rose never bled so red

And drooped in shame defiled . Let long denied dawn break, My Lanka

Upon an Age of Wisdom and Truth

And, with the rising sun, stiffen thy resolve

To make stern Laws reign and sweet Justice prevail

Akin to the days when Enlightenment held sway

And Freedom breathed in this land once Devas graced. Awake to the Truth, My Lanka

And cleanse away with thy pristine tears Times ignoble stain

That marks us all with the same tarred brush sans blush

As children of the soil where innocence bled

When inviolate purity perverse lust beheld;

Or forever sleep and be raped

Without a murmur of protest

Though the abomination resounds raising sacrilege

And makes the divine throne rumble with unbridled rage. Awake to Reality, My Lanka

Arise to the challenge that waits,

That calls thee this hour to vitiate

And triumph accursed twilights grim fate

For thy sons and daughters sake

Turn the tide and hates hell fires slake

Before its late, Awake O Mother

Awake to the Truth, My Lanka

Or doth thou fear death?

For if thou dread death

Death that stalks and is ever in our midst

And marks time till Providence calls for the sparrows fall

Death that comes to all will come to thee too

Whether thou hold thy peace and remain apathetic

Or find release from remorse by taking the course true

Death will come that comes but once to the brave

But visits oft the cowards bed

Will descend on thy door unbade

And the reapers scythe will fall on thy head

Don Manu
Wallowing in this chaos called politics View(s):

It was Karl Marx who famously said in the Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Napoleon that history repeats itself first as tragedy and then as farce. Even a cursory look at Sri Lankas political scene in the last couple of years shows that Marx was correct. Never has the countrys politics degenerated into an utter farce in such a short time.

Sri Lanka, despite all the highfalutin phrases that politicians used to describetheir new method and style ofgovernance,has increasing become ungovernable as the yahalapana promised four years ago turned into nopalanaya in one month or so.

Never in the countrys post-independence history has Ceylon/Sri Lanka ever faced such gridlock as has happened in the last few weeks turning this wonder of Asia into a comedy of errors.

Now the countrys legislature has been turned into a battle ground with anything that is moveable being hurled at The Speaker and the two sides, both claiming to be the legitimate government throwing abuse and fists believing that pugilistic prowess is the answer to the prevailing chaos.

It was President Sirisenas precipitous and ill-advised conduct (and unconstitutional some claim) that let slip the dogs of war turning Sri Lanka into an international disgrace.

It was said some time back that President Sirisena had once been shortlisted for a Nobel Prize, probably the Peace Prize. It seems the Nobel Prize committee had recovered from the faux pas it made when it awarded the prize to President Barak Obama even before he could do anything that would deserve turning Obama into a Nobel laureate.

Somebody must have beaten some sense into the collective heads of that committee for nothing was heard about Sirisenas nomination. Readers might recall how the committee and thousands of others were misled by the saintly appearance of Myanmars Aung San Suu Kyi who had launched a non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights and was awarded the Peace Prize in 1991.

Today those same persons who once hailed her as a champion of democracy and confronted the military junta that ruled Myanmar have dismissed Suu Kyi for aiding and abetting the military men and the un-buddhistic Buddhist monks responsible for instigating others to kill and maim the minorityRohingya people.

The one time heroine is today a pariah in the eyes of the world that was deceived by Suu Kyi whose hunger for power has overcome the principles she supposedly stood for earning the respect of people near and far.

The moral of the story is that if you swallow what politicians tell you then do so with a large dose of Epsom salt.

Sri Lanka might not have made its way into the long list of Nobel laureates. But then it has surely found a place in the Guinness Book of Records. The record that allowed Sri Lanka to stamp its name there is the kind of politics that Marx would have labelled farce.

Throw your mind back to the heady days of 2015 when a rainbow coalition set out to topple then president Mahinda Rajapaksa and a clutch of family members and associates. And the man they chose to challenge the leader was one of the presidents own colleagues who only a few days earlier had dined with him.

One of the principal parties that threw its weight behind Sirisena was the UNP led by RanilWickremesinghe. There is no point mourning today that Wickremesinghe was made prime minister when he had less than 50 party members in parliament.

Wickremesinghes appointment as prime minister was not the result of Sirisenas large heartedness. It was a quid pro quo for the UNPs substantial support for Sirisena without which Rajapaksas opponent would never have made it to the top, promising to turn his back on the presidency after a single term.

One does not have to remind the Sri Lankan people of the welter of promises that Sirisena made on election platforms while castigating the Rajapaksa government, pledging to dismantle the centres of corruption and to bring the corrupt to justice.

Given the ideological, policy and cultural differences between the UNP leadership and the Sirisena-led SLFP one suspected that fissures would appear before too long. It was after all a marriage of convenience, not a marriage of true minds.

While political pundits and a cabal of constitutional panjandrums are busy trying to unravel the mysteries of our basic law, making confusion even more confounded, the populace watches our leaders engage in rhetorical battle with diminishing sympathy for those they sent to the legislature.

Sri Lanka is not the only country in the world confronting crises that threaten to tear society apart. Here in the UK, Prime Minister Theresa May is fighting on two fronts over her plan for Britains withdrawal from the European Union.One day last week two more of her cabinet ministers resigned over disagreement with Mays negotiated plan for ending the relationship with the EU.

As I write this I am also watching the David Dimblebyprogramme Question Time. The first question fired at the panel of politicians and press was how long they thought Prime Minister May would last as Tory prime minister.

Till this time tomorrow, one panellistassertedconfidently while others had other ideas.

At least the British people and their representatives in parliament know who their prime minister is and which government is in power. The same cannot be said of Sri Lanka. We have the luxury of two leaders both claiming to be prime ministers though one was sacked by the president he helped instal in office and another appointed by the same president who in a previous avatar had denounced the leader he just made prime minister.

Sri Lanka now has not only two prime ministers but also two governments and multiple ministers and probably two ministers claiming salaries and perks for the same job.

In the meantime public officials are looking to the left and right not knowing whom they should serve, if they serve anyone at all.

Take one case which exemplifies the utter chaos that prevails. Last week the media carried a news item that KapilaChandrasena a former CEO of SriLankan Airlines was appointed the airlines chairman. Chandrasena was severely condemned by the Weliamunaboard of inquiry into Srilankan shortly after the yahapalana government came to power. The inquiry even said Chandrasena and the airlines then chairman should be charged for several acts that cost the loss-making airline more losses etc.

An ongoing Presidential Commission into SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka is hearing evidence under oath from senior employees of SriLankan which once again exposes dubious dealings of Chandrasena.

While this is going on, the new government that the President installed appointed the same Chandrasena who according to evidence before the commission has violated numerous rules and regulations while he was CEO, had now been appointed chairman of the same airline.

This must have shocked the aviation and tourism industry for the next day another individual was appointed chairman. As though this comedy was not enough to generate a good laugh, a day or so later still another person was named as chairman.

So this loss-making airline has had three chairmen in three days. The compilers of the Guinness Book of Records must be having their eyes peeled on Sri Lanka where records are tumbling by the day. The question is who is the dolt who first named Chandrasena as chairman? Is it the same person who made the subsequent appointments? Or are there more dolts in positions of importance such as the cabinet?

That is not all. The countrys legislature has been turned into a three-ringed circus. Unfortunately the public has been shut out of the galleries. Otherwise this is the place to visit to watch daily spectacles.

Let us admit it. Our own daily spectacles might not provide the grand drama of Roman gladiatorialcontests in times of peace. But seeing some peoples representatives receiving a blow or two must surely warm the cockles of the hearts voters who would like to do the same to their representatives but cannot.

But if the Treasury likes to make some money by selling entrance tickets to watch such pugilistic mayhem there would surely be queues forming outside to witness the Sri Lanka spectacles, never mind who is at the receiving end of the punches.

When the House of Commons meets to take a vote on the Brexit plan there will doubtless be acrimonious exchanges and back stabbings as some vote against their own party leader.

But all this is done in civilized ways and without money changing hands along with allegiance. Some months ago MPs adopted a Code of Conduct that was intended to bring discipline and respectability to the elected.

Obviously that was a futile exercise. It might be useful if candidates seeking election prove their ability to read and write. This might not stop the fisticuffs. But at least they will be able to read the code of conduct, not that it will do much good.
Sri Lanka on the brink View(s):

The secretly plotted Great October Revolution of the President has not just backfired on him, but it has turned the country of which he is the Head of State, upside down, and inside out.

In what has been a rare instance in the democratic world of a Head of State and of Government bringing his own Government down, the blame for the constitutional, political and countrywide pandemonium brought about by the knee-jerk reaction of October 26, 2018 must rest squarely at his doorstep and no one elses. Try as he might to shift the blame to the Speaker of Parliament, it was an utterly misconceived and terribly miscalculated move in the first place.

Mercifully, democratic institutions like an elected Parliament and an independent Judiciary, with whatever shortcomings, have stood the test and ensured the country does not lose its credibility entirely as a functioning democracy. The shenanigans in Parliament this week speak for themselves. In these circumstances, one must show appreciation to the countrys Armed Forces for standing by democratic values and not being tempted to intervene. Like what has happened in some other countries with weak and fragile democratic institutions and traditions, and when politicians have made a mess of things, such interventions only plunge nations deeper into the abyss.

Instead of backtracking in the face of two major blows, i.e. not having a majority in Parliament and the Supreme Court knocking down his decree to close down Parliament and have elections, the President has stirred the pot further. He has challenged the Speakers decision to recognise the Prime Minister by virtue of a majority of the House.

The Speaker was well within his rights to ask the Members of Parliament who among them they had the confidence in, to be the Prime Minister. It was after all the President who appointed a new Prime Minister based on the constitutional provision that said he shall appoint as PM, the MP, who in his opinion is most likely to command the confidence of Parliament.

That opinion itself was a contentious issue. It is a well established law that the President in exercising this discretion cannot act arbitrarily or capriciously. As one eminent legal expert pointed out; He cannot claim clairvoyant or other unfounded knowledge in deciding who is likely to command the majority of the House. He must have some definitive information and he clearly got caught to a dead rope.

What the Speaker did was to put that contentious issue to the test by way of a floor vote as demanded by what seemed to him the call by the majority of the 225 MPs. Those who opposed the vote now claim that it was not procedurally correct, and was a mere voice vote not properly counted, but it is clear that those who first said they commanded the majority of the MPs, have now shifted the goal post to calling for a general election instead.

There is a head-on collision between the Executive (President and Cabinet) and the Legislature (MPs). The Legislature now does not recognise the Cabinet. There is, therefore, an Executive (President and purported Cabinet insofar as the Legislature is concerned) that will not be able to get any laws passed by the Legislature. There will come a time when Executive orders from the President and/or the Cabinet will have their limitations, and the Government appointed by the President will come to a standstill.

The constitutional quagmire created has developed over the past 24 days into a prestige battle between the President and his choice of Prime Minister versus the Speaker and what is seemingly the majority choice of Parliament as Prime Minister. In the process, Sri Lanka has become the laughing stock of the international community, and a textbook case for autocrats who will cite the country as an example of what chaos prevails in democracies.

The Supreme Court stood tall this week in showing that even an Executive President must be subservient to the Constitution. That the 19th Amendment was poorly drafted and chaotically passed may be so, but it was passed by two-thirds of the MPs at the time nevertheless, and is now part of the Basic Law of this country. A retired professor of law now turned politician waxed eloquent when passing the 19th Amendment and even spoke of the merits of tying the Executive Presidents hands from dissolving a Parliament for four and a half years after an election. These days, he speaks with forked tongue.

While these politicians battle it out  as their lives depend on its outcome, in a power grab that has gone awfully wrong, the rest of the country remains baffled, disgusted and in a state of animated suspense over what could be mistaken for a tragi-comedy teledrama with some violent scenes thrown in. Only the innate sense of humour of Sri Lankans watching this circus and performing clowns is keeping the sanity of the nation intact.

This is why we have often commended the need for fixed dates for elections, like in the United States. There would be no need then for guessing games as is a national pastime now. Elected Governments would know the time frame of their mandate and be able to plan how they will put the country on the right track during that time to face the people on a fixed date. The countrys election date ought to be signposted and need not depend on what the stars portend for the incumbent Head of Government, or what one astrologer deems is an auspicious day for one person.

The Presidents argument, followed up by his choice of Prime Minister echoing the same theme that the country and its economy are in a perilous state may be good for electioneering, but it is still a downright dangerous supposition. Some seeking shortcuts to elections are proponents of the Doctrine of Necessity, a theory that enables state actors to justify unconstitutional acts by pleading necessity. This is the classic excuse for military interventions using the same doctrine.

A Cohabitation Government may not be the ideal political formula for running a country, but that was the will of the sovereign people in January and August of 2015, and it has to be allowed to run its course unless otherwise determined by the Constitution.

Having taken credit for the 19th Amendment and gone round the world proclaiming he was the only Executive President who voluntarily shed some of his powers to Parliament, the President now seems set to go against Parliament and the spirit of the Constitution, and the will of the people. Having descended into a deep hole he has dug for himself, the escape route seems to be the call for elections.

Todays meeting between the President, Speaker and the two Prime Ministers is therefore a make or break situation. Otherwise tomorrows Parliament can be another spectacle. And if the standoff continues as the world watches, this country will soon slide from the brink of anarchy into a pariah state.
Fantastic Beasts brings fantasy cinema back View(s):

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, a fantasy film directed by David Yates is now being screened in theatres in Colombo.

The films plot follows Newt Scamander and Albus Dumbledore as they attempt to take down the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, while facing new threats in a more divided wizarding world.

At the end of the first film, the powerful dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander.

But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody again and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise wizards and witches up to rule over all non-magical beings. In an effort to thwart Grindelwalds plans, Albus Dumbledore enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead.

Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.
Into a dark world; this time in words not music By Joshua Surendraraj Stigmata frontman Suresh De Silva to release his novel, Eternal Dark Requiem View(s): View(s):

It is one nightmare Ive always wanted to pen, says Suresh De Silva. The Stigmata frontman is not talking of his latest song but his newest book which is due to be released this week.

This follows his first volume of poetry- From Chaos to Catharsis- which was released last year.

In the absence of the light, youd find your eyes naturally embracing the darkness. Perhaps, the same could be said about the unknown, if you took the time to dive into it. Sureshs The Eternal Dark Requiem is a journey into a surreal world.

For one thing, Suresh wanted his book experience to be different to the norm. He is visual and cinematic when he writes and this trait can be obse-rved in his music as well. The Eternal Dark Requiem does not contain too many chapters, since it has a lot going on. Rather, as he puts it, it is more of a sequence of scene changes. Suresh does believe that despite it veering away from the traditional format, if a story has a good flow to it, it will keep people engaged.

His aim was to create a piece thats magnificent as it is maleficent. Like an Eden of sorts, or a wonderland. Except, in Sureshs mind a wonderland is more of a messed up place which the reader will have to figure out by reading the book.

The novel was meant to be of a place that brings out the worst in people. It tests how far we need to be pushed in order to reach a breaking point and from there on a salvaging point. What happens after this salvaging point is something, he has always been curious about.

Suresh has never been one to stick to genres and this is quite evident even in Stigmatas music. Though, he does admit to coming off as either a disturbing or provocative writer, he is reluctant to categorise his writing though it contains its share of sci-fi and gothic horror.

The story brings in Sureshs love for the heavy metal band Nevermore, Stephen Kings Shining, the Silent Hill Videogame story etc. Aside from this its also a fusion of The Omen, The Exorcist and essentially all that Suresh grew up on.

The story is not about a haunting in a ghost sense, rather its based on a lot of familiar things that scare people, but at the same time theres not a lot that would be familiar either, he says.

As the clock strikes 10 p.m. as our chat progresses, Suresh tells us he has never been someone who scares easily. Im a person who is comfortable in complete darkness. But after deep research for the book, he admits to sleeping with the light on for a few days.

His research touched on topics such as demonic possession, the Spanish Inquisition and particularly how the Portuguese revelled in different torture methods. I also had to read a lot of Sumerian and Babylonian mythology, he says, adding that he explored the paranormal and supernatural while perusing realtime footage, documentaries and case studies. Aside from this, he watched talks by behavioral scientists delving into the difference between sociopaths and psychopaths.

In his mind, hed deliberate, what if its not just people who are all these things? We do talk about evil spirits and good spirits too.

In this sense, The Eternal Dark Requiem is a fusion of different spectrums and Suresh hopes his readers would find it interesting.

Known for his mischievous streak, Suresh enjoys provoking people, because he does find it interesting to observe what makes them tick. This is why, he wants his readers to live in Requiem for a while and note what they feel about the place.

His creative well has run dry, he chuckles, because he has put everything into The Eternal Dark Requiem. But, Ill go wherever the pen takes me, he tells us whilst proudly looking at his now finished baby that is set to make its way into the world.

For more info log onto- https://www.facebook.com/events/347356355857932/?active_tab=discussion.

Gothic meets horror in a Lankan backdrop Suresh De Silvas new book The Eternal Dark Requiem will be launched on Saturday, November 24 at 7 p.m. at the Barefoot Gallery. Set against a Sri Lankan backdrop, the book edited by Lilanka Botejue merges history, romance, Gothic horror and shifting realities to weave out an intricate tale of thrilling intrigue. Suresh has picked a collective of talented personalities, who will read excerpts off the novel and bring it to light and life at the launch. The readers include Tanuja Perera Raymond, Rehan Almeida, Sean Amarasekera, Jayani Senanayake, Megan Dakshini and Yudhanjaya Wijeratne. Its an open event and the books priced at Rs. 2000 can be purchased at the launch while Suresh himself will be on hand to personally autograph the books.
Sri Lankan creative expression at A andK Lit Fest 2018 View(s):

If there was a place where creative expression in a variety of forms found inclusivity, it was indeed at the A & K Lit Fest held recently at the Mount Lavinia Hotel. Hosted for the 4th consecutive year, this years festival created a platform for local creative talent in the true Annasi and Kadalagotu style.

The warm up sessions were stages for budding writers, with the launch of the book The School Detective Gang by young Abdul Azeez, and creative writing workshops running parallel for adults and children. However, the entire attention of those present was directed at the next session Literature in Governance  the Politics of Writing with eminent politicians present not in their usual roles, but as those who have contributed to literature of their own accord. The discussion led by Malinda Seneviratne had Prof. Rajiva Wijesinhe, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and Imthiaz Bakeer Markar speaking about creativity and the effects of regulatory on it.

The diversity of creative expression continued throughout the day with Gihan De Chickera speaking about The inherent Sri Lankan ability to see humour in everything and Anoja Rajapathirana presenting a heartwarming session on Writing with Disabilities.

The late afternoon was dedicated to three distinct panels; Women in Writing, Science Fiction and Poetry Corner: from Bard to Verse, the latter featuring modern Sinhala poets. Each gained a significant audience, reconfirming an objective of the A and K Lit Fest from its inception  celebrating the diversity of literature in Sri Lanka.

Following Cornerstone Speeches  a panel, which was as diverse as it could be, demonstrating tips on comedy, publishing, writing and diplomacy- the closing session was a tribute to the venue of the A and K Lit Fest, the Mount Lavinia Hotel. Mohan Raj Madawala, whose novel Lovina brought to life the legacy of the hotel and presented the historical background to his book. The curtains came down on the festival with an amazing performance by up and coming Sri Lankan folk rock band Bambaroo, who also had a song specially titled Lovina.
Want to fly high with your own drone? By Heeran Lalvani View(s): View(s):

Thinking of getting yourself a drone? Drones or radio controlled (RC) aircraft seem to be everywhere these days. Simply stepping through Majestic City and Liberty Plaza, you will find a plethora of generic and Chinese name brand drones available at different price ranges and with features ranging from automatic stabilisation to collision warning systems and of course, cameras with a highlight on the ability to take epic selfies.

So does that mean you can simply walk into a shop, pick out a drone and fly it whenever and wherever? Its not that simple: you need to operate these devices in a safe and legal manner.

After all they do carry some weight and we wouldnt want them dropping out of the sky and injuring people on ground.

Most modern drones come well equipped and it is worth noting that the cheaper ones come with the least amount of technology and will be the hardest to fly. Investing in something a little more up the budget is highly recommended as with all the cool tech it comes with, there is also the safety aspect. To properly take advantage of these safety features one must first learn how to correctly set-up your drone for a flight. All this information is available in your owners manual and unlike other toys this one is a must-read. Remember, not all drones are the same and the features vary from brand to brand. Even if they are equipped with the same type of collision warning and avoidance systems, they always have their own unique way of operating. So take the time to read and understand. Different models of the same company may also work differently so for each and every device you own, you need to read the manual.

The next step would be to get it ready and fly right? Well no, its a little more complicated than that. Drones fly in the air so this means that they must operate according to the rules of the air. Over here we have the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAA) that is responsible for our airspace and as such depending on the type of drone, you will need to see if your drone and potential flight path require you to receive prior permission and registration.

According to the drone information pamphlet available on the CAASL website (www.caa.lk) if your drone weighs 200 grams or less, does NOT have a camera, is for leisure and educational purpose, will be operating at 150ft or less, at a private premises with the consent of the property owner or at public areas clearly marked for the purpose, it would fall into the Free from approval category and as such you will NOT be required to register prior to flying. If not then you WILL BE required to register your drone with the CAASL.

The registration process shouldnt take that long  wed recommend giving it about a week to have you up and running. Now the other question would be the cost. How much? This all depends on the intended operation including type of flying and location. All the necessary information is available in PDF format over at the CAASL website but for a single event it is around Rs.4000 and for operation of more than 30 days in a calendar year it would be around Rs. 33,000.

Now that we know how we can legally fly, let us move onto the safety aspect and the dreaded no fly zones. Lets state the obvious, drones are not yet waterproof, and we certainly do not recommend flights in the rain or in high wind conditions (this also reduces battery life as the motors work overtime to counter the wind and keep the aircraft stable).

The information pamphlet also clearly sets out areas forbidden for drone operations. They are: below or above electricity power lines as they can interfere with the drones compass and navigational equipment and also the transmitter making it hard to control or lead to the total loss of control; over congested areas; along or over roadways; along or over railways; over assembly of persons or public gathering; not on or within 5km boundary of any airports; proximity to communication towers and over national parks, archaeological sites, protected area or security establishments.

In addition to this it is worth noting that Colombo and its suburbs contain a couple of no-fly zones  this information is regularly updated on the CAASL website. Currently the permanent no fly zones would be a 2 km radius from the Parliament and other areas marked high security zones. A couple of other non-obvious flights that are not possible without prior approval would be night operations and operations from elevated surfaces such as rooftops.

In the end, yes, it is a lot of work just to be able to fly a drone, but that is how it should be. Even though these are consumer level equipment they are quite capable of causing injury to people on the ground and/or damage to property and as such you need to comply with the regulations. Moving with the mindset of our current society yes, it may be possible to get away without going through all this, but rules are rules, and these are set out for the safety of the general public (including yourself).

So you all you prospective drone pilots  head over to the links posted here and familiarize yourself. For those interested in a drone review we are currently testing out a DJI Spark as an entry-level drone so watch out for the review. Happy flying!

Check these out

Drone Operation information  https://www.caa.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=731&Itemid=1550

Drone information pamphlet  https://www.caa.lk/images/stories/pdf/Drones/Drone_Information_Pamphlet_13_03_2018.pdf
Bridging a special need through drama View(s):

The show is over but the impact of getting on stage and following their dreams will linger for a long time.and now the hope is to carry the message forward to encompass the whole country.

The message is all about drama therapy and its impact on both children and adults with special educational needs.

We used drama therapy as an educational tool, says Director Lt. Col. Prasanna Hettiarachchi of the Senehasa Education, Resource, Research and Information Centre (SERRIC) run by the Defence Ministry for around 320 children and young people in the age-group 2 to 24 years. SERRIC located at Narahenpita with state-of-the-art facilities, caters to children with special needs of personnel in the tri forces and police as well as 15% of civilians.

Lt. Col. Hettiarachchi says that everyone calls them special children without focusing on their needs, explaining that different children have different needs.

The ideas for the very successful show that they took to the stage on October 2, Childrens Day at the Bishops College auditorium, which got a standing ovation were garnered from the children themselves.

For Dr. Ravindra Ranasinha, Head of the Research Centre for Drama Therapy in Colombo 8, who is the only person in Sri Lanka to hold a doctorate in drama therapy, the links with SERRIC were forged when Consultant Psychiatrist Dr. Ravimal Galappaththi put him in touch with them and he offered a voluntary service.

He first entered SERRIC in March to train the trainers  to strengthen the skills of the 18 teachers to support the development of these children with special educational needs through drama therapy.

Into use he took the four basic drama therapy tools  story-telling, role-playing, movement and pantomime. Citing an example, Dr. Ranasinha says that a voice can be used in a story to let a child understand sound and echo it.

Echoing is a special aspect in special education, he says, pointing out that mirroring is also about getting the child to act the way you are acting through sound and performance.

According to him there is a neurological background to this  experiments with monkeys in France in the 1990s had shown that they had mirror neurons in the brain, as do humans. These mirror neurons help us to understand and imitate others. This aspect is important when it comes to special education, as some children who are non-verbal may not utter sounds but mirror actions. The need is to find out how they can communicate and socially interact with others, by finding action methods even imagination to enhance their verbal and non-verbal skills.

By September, SERRIC saw the potential of having a performance and needed guidance. The suggestion was that the children should act in a drama.

My approach was different, says Dr. Ranasinha. His recommendation was ethno-drama therapy which had been researched in Canada. This was the model that he wanted to bring to Sri Lanka.

It began as a research, after all protocols and consents had been taken. The teachers sat with Dr. Ranasinha and discussed what they knew about the children  were they verbal or non-verbal. Next they had two weeks to talk to the children, observe them and ask them and then identify what specific talents the children had and also what their wishes, hopes, thoughts, dreams and emotions were which made them total persons.

All this was brought in the form of raw data to Dr. Ranasinha who then analysed them.

We got four major themes, he says. They were:

Love

Hope

Cooperation

Happiness

Using not only the teachers but also the parents who were the best informers about their children, they were grouped under the different themes.

The teachers had never had this experience and even for the administrators it was a novel experience, he says, stressing there were doubts, yes strong doubts until the very last, but it paid off.

I like to be a bride, was a hope expressed by one child and they did make her a bride on stage, even though she was unable to verbalize it. A lot of work went into this simple action  the child going to a shop, selecting a dress, being dressed as a bride and then finally going on stage and getting her picture as a bride on a video wall.

Under cooperation was spotlighted twin autistic brothers helping each other  one assisting his brother to put on his shoes, then holding each others hands and tapping the palms, to show that they are part of a community.

Music and dance were very much a part of the programme and when one non-verbal child indicated that he would like to play the drums, a perahera was created, becoming part of the performance and also the community. This was while among the performers were also 30 children from Grades 8 and 9 from a school nearby who at first found it difficult to mingle with the SERRIC children but transformed within a few days proving that inclusivity was an advantage for both groups.

Another child with no hands and legs came onto the stage and drew a picture on the video wall using a pastel wedged between her lips, smilingly telling the audience: I can do things that you cant do, evoking a major response from the audience.

Everything was improvised based on what the children wanted to do, says Dr. Ranasinha, adding that slowly the performance structure took form.

The rehearsals were very moving to watch, MediScene understands, with the interaction obvious. Some smiled, some hugged and others just held hands and did not let go, though there was no smile. There was a dynamic space where talking was carried out sometimes without words but through smiles and expressions.

Social interaction was very good but now we need to check how the children felt. We need to find out how their lives have improved after this and a mechanism to do so should come from within the institution itself, says Dr. Ranasinghe, stressing that the children may not be able to do mathematics or English, but through the latent skills and talents they have we can restore their dignity.

Going public with their creativity

Drama therapy allowed these children and young adults to give expression to whatever they could do and this is medically beneficial, said Consultant Psychiatrist Dr. Ravimal Galappaththi, pointing out that it seemed to help harness those faculties that may have been affected by the brain damage suffered by these children which has led to social inhibitions. These children have a right to express themselves at whatever level they can and this is what drama therapy paved the way for them to do, making use of their creativity. Drama therapy also helped to identify the strengths of each and every child, while engaging and involving the family as well to bring about better communication, he pointed out. By going public, we hoped to bring about a change in attitude towards these children, reducing negativity and stigma, added Dr. Galappaththi.
All party committee to probe knife incident View(s):

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya will appoint a committee of MPs drawn from all sides to inquire into the incident in Parliament where MP Palitha Thevarapperuma was seen with what appeared to be a sharp instrument in his hand during the fracas in the House on Thursday.

Parliament officials said the Speaker had called for all the video footage which showed the object in the MPs hand and would study it before referring it to the Committee.

The Committee will be made up of MPs of the UPFA, the UNP and officials said.

Such matter should be referred to the Privileges Committee but the Committee has not been reconstituted since the new session began after prorogation and hence a special committee will be set up by the Speaker to inquire into the knife incident, officials said.

Meanwhile, UPFA Gampaha district Parliamentarian Indika Anuruddha said they had lodged a complaint with the Parliament Police. We have clearly seen in the video he has a knife in his hand. We informed the Speaker about it but he did not act on it so we lodged a complaint with the Police, he said.

Welikada Police said they have started on an inquiry but did not give details.

Mr. Thevarapperuma meanwhile denied bringing a knife into the Chamber and claimed it was a letter opener that was lying on the Speakers table. I grabbed it as another UPFA MP was reaching for it. I was safeguarding the Speaker and kept it in my hand. I did not use it against anyone, he said.

Meanwhile, Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayaka also dismissed opposition claims that he too carried a knife. I demand them to prove their claim. They are making false allegations in desperation, he said.

Twelve Policemen were injured in the fracas on Friday, they were treated at the Parliament medical center.

Police spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said the Police department was unable to initiate action on the matter as it occurred inside the Parliament chambers and involved Parliamentary Privileges.

He said that action would have to be taken in Parliament.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary officials are estimating the damage caused after some MPs ran amok inside the Chamber on Friday.

The Speakers Chair which was dragged down from its position by some UPFA MPs has not been damaged, an official said. The table on which the Mace is kept was toppled by some MPs and the damage is being assessed.

The microphone and other items on the Speakers table were damaged too while the gavel (hammer) used to call the House to order has been found after it was taken away by some MPs.Also damaged, were some books on the Speakers table.
Angry Sirisena breaks foundations of the pillars of democracy View(s):

In an extract that is circulating in social media, Chathurika Sirisena, daughter of President Maithripala Sirisena describes her father in her book Janaadhipathi Thaaththa (Presidential Father) as a very innocent man who however doesnt know what he is doing when he is angry. The younger Sirisena recalls an incident in Maithripala Sirisenas childhood where he was admonished by his own father with a knock on his head (tokka). In retaliation,Sirisena reportedly set fire to a lush paddy-field!

These days, Sirisena certainly appears to be an angry man, setting alight the countrys pillars of government. A fortnight after he summarily dismissed Ranil Wickremesinghe through a Friday night gazette notification, he issued another Friday night gazette on November 9, announcing the dissolution of Parliament and calling fresh elections. Many questioned as to whether he knew what he was doing.

That is because the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, introduced by his government with Sirisena himself working overtime and being personally present in Parliament to see it through, specifically precludes him from doing so.

Following the adoption of this amendment, Article 70(1) of the Constitution now reads: The President may by proclamation, summon, prorogue and dissolve Parliament, provided that the President shall not dissolve Parliament until the expiration of a period of not less than four years and six months from the date appointed for its first meeting, unless Parliament requests the President to do so by a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the whole number of Members (including those not present), voting in its favour.

The wording seems unambiguous. However, Sirisena- perhaps acting on legal advice- chose to act on another provision of the Constitution, Article 33(2)(c), which states that; In addition to the powers, duties and functions expressly conferred or imposed on, or assigned to the President by the Constitution or other written law, the President shall have the power to summon, prorogue and dissolve Parliament.

Sirisena and his advisors contend that the words in addition to imply that Article 33(2) can be read as a stand-alone provision, in isolation from Article 70(1). This would suggest that the President can dissolve Parliament at his whim and fancy, at any time when, even prior to the introduction of the 19th Amendment, there was a one-year time period during which the President was barred from doing so.

Sirisenas latest move was one of a three-pronged strike on the legislature within a fortnight. The dismissal of Wickremesinghe and the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa in his stead was followed by the prorogation of Parliament (an action he was entitled to, although he defied tradition by not consulting or informing the Speaker), culminating in the controversial dissolution of the House.

Sirisena has addressed the nation, explaining the reasons for his actions and citing irreconcilable differences with Wickremesinghe, in an attempt to justify his actions. Later he told a mass rally in support of the new Prime Minister that he had offered the post to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and UNP deputy leader Sajith Premadasa, which put Mahinda Rajapaksa in a bad light as if he was only an after-thought. But it also showed, that Sirisena first tried to split the UNP down the middle by offering the post to two senior UNPers.

Sirisenas recent actions are better understood in the context of his own political predicament. He leads a Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) group of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) which is growing smaller by the day and commands the loyalty of only about two dozen MPs. It suffered a drubbing at the hands of the newly formed Sri Lanka PodujanaPeramuna (SLPP) led by Rajapaksa at the local government elections. So, Sirisena has to forge a pathway for his own political survival beyond 2020 despite promising repeatedly during his presidential election campaign and even after his election that he would be a one term President.

Having already alienated the UNP with his vitriolic public comments and knowing that he wouldnt stand a chance if he ran on his own steam against a Rajapaksa fielded by the SLPP, Sirisena has chosen the alternative option: cosying up to the Rajapaksas again, offering the Premiership to Mahinda Rajapaksa and the prospect of being in government for his loyalists, while calling for a general election which, it was calculated based on the results of the local government polls and the lacklustre performance of the UNP in office, the SLPP-SLFP combine would win.

That would set the stage for MahindaRajapaksa to be Prime Minister, Sirisena would remain as President until the next presidential poll where Sirisena hoped he would be endorsed as the common candidate once again, albeit from the SLFP and the SLPP this time around- although it is unlikely Sirisena had any guarantees from the Rajapaksa camp about his candidacy. Still, he would have an exit route with the Rajapaksas in power and place without being hounded out for the treacherous act of decamping in late 2014 and defeating Rajapaksa.

Sirisena and his dealmakers led by the unscrupulous but equally garrulous S. B. Dissanayake, with Basil Rajapaksa handling the Rajapaksa faction, believed that if Wickremesinghes dismissal is made a fait accompli by Presidential fiat, UNP MPs would flock to Sirisena who could reward them with portfolios. The prorogation of Parliament would allow a timeframe for the dealmakers to swing into action and swell their ranks. This they did and about five UNPers did cross over but in the parliamentary numbers game, that was not enough. It was a fatal miscalculation.

Had Rajapaksa been able to demonstrate majority support in Parliament, the on-going political tussle would have ended for all practical purposes. Wickremesinghe and the UNP would have still complained of being dismissed unconstitutionally but that then would have been only a moot point: an academic issue for students of politics to debate about in the years to come. Instead, the best laid plans of Maithripala Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa have now gone awry.

It is not that Sirisena- and indeed Rajapaksa- were not forewarned. Their joint putsch to oust Wickremesinghe through a vote of no confidence in April this year failed for the same reason: not enough UNPers were willing to take the plunge against their leader. Having had that experience, Sirisena should have ensured that he was doubly sure of his numbers. Making an error once is pardonable; making the same mistake again smacks of political naivete, unbecoming of a President, or a former President, for that matter.

Annoyed and angry at this turn of events, Sirisena turned arrogant. Pushed into a tight political corner and ill-advised about the legal nuances of his decisions, Sirisena has attempted to cover up one bad decision with another, leaving a snowballing trail of political instability: the dismissal of Wickremesinghe was followed by the prorogation of Parliament which in turn was followed by its dissolution, which is now being challenged in court.

Rajapaksas judgement in this saga also needs to be called into question. Had he patiently waited in the wings, the government would have been his for the taking in 2020 because of the UNPs lack of empathy for the economic woes of the masses and its not so squeaky-clean record while in government. Instead, he chose to act like an old man in a hurry, perhaps concerned about the many prosecutions progressing against him and his family members.

As a result, Rajapaksa now faces the real prospect of being rejected by Parliament, an ignominy that a war-winning charismatic leader does not deserve in the evening of his political life. He, along with Sirisena have been the butt-end of satire on social media. Even more worryingly, the behaviour of his loyalists after returning to government- the takeover of state media and other institutions with lightning speed, mobs attacking several ministers at Rupavahini and Arjuna Ranatunga at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and the thuggery witnessed in Parliament  have reminded the masses of the darker side of the Rajapaksa era. The shocking appointment of someone under scrutiny by a Presidential Commission of Inquiry as Chairman of the national airline, only to be reversed within 24 hours when there was a public outcry was a pointer to the questionable Old Guard making a comeback.

The determination of the Rajapaksa faction to cling onto power by clutching at straws in constitutional clauses has not endeared them to the people either. Inadvertently, this may have even thrown a lifeline to the ailing UNP which now has issues- the abuse of power and the impunity towards the rule of law- which it can canvass before the electorate, arguing that the Rajapaksa they dethroned and his cohorts have not changed their mean ways.

Sirisena, by inviting Rajapaksa to take over the reins, has also unleashed another monster. Earlier this week, dozens of SLFP parliamentarians rushed to obtain membership of the SLPP, Rajapaksas new political outfit with the pohottuwa (flower bud) symbol. That is an indication that, if there ever is a tussle for leadership of the SLFP-SLPP combine, Rajapaksa will always be the winner. Sirisena can insist on his pound of flesh- the candidacy for the 2020 presidential elections- but he may never get what he wishes for.

He could also be accused of betraying the promises he made as a presidential candidate but he wouldnt be the first to do so. J. R. Jayewardene, while blaming Sirima Bandaranaike for not conducting a general election in 1975, refused a general election in 1982 when he was President, Chandrika Kumaratunga promised to abolish the Executive Presidency and so did Mahinda Rajapaksa. After all, politics, as Otto Von Bismark said, was the art of the possible.

For Sirisena however, the last few weeks have been spent trying to perfect the art of the impossible, stretching constitutional interpretations to their limit, confounding legal pundits and creating a constitutional crisis, the likes of which this country has not seen before. As a lawyer pointed out during Mondays Supreme Court proceedings, the President should not behave like Alice in Wonderland- or indeed, a bull in a China shop.

Sirisenas precipitous actions have created a nation in limbo with two Prime Ministers, a Parliament that is awaiting its fate from the Supreme Court and a government and Cabinet of Ministers that have lost a vote of no-confidence in Parliament. It is constitutional chaos at its worst and will take its toll on the economy and hurt Sri Lankas image as a vibrant and robust democracy for years to come. Sirisenas reputation as a democrat has been sullied forever and his credibility is in tatters.

Had Maithripala Sirisena kept his promises, his footnote in history would have acknowledged him as the man who steered the country away from an oligarchy where democracy and the rule of the law were dying a slow death. Unfortunately, he will now forever be remembered as the leader who didnt think twice about plunging the nation into anarchy, just so he could remain in power for a few years more.

Sadder still is the fact that Maithripala Sirisena elected on January 8, 2015 was a decent man and a democrat. In little less than four years, by October 26, 2018, the same Maithripala Sirisena has metamorphosed into virtual dictator and despot amply demonstrating that it is but a short step from the sublime to the ridiculous. Such are the powers of the Executive Presidency!
Any charges against Assange could help illuminate the question of whether Russia coordinated with the Trump campaign to sway the 2016 presidential election. It would also suggest that, after years of internal wrangling within the Justice Department, prosecutors have decided to take a more aggressive tact against the secret-sharing website.

Assange's name appears twice in an August court filing from a federal prosecutor in Virginia, who was attempting to keep sealed a separate case involving a man accused of coercing a minor for sex.

 Wrong Name in Filing

In one sentence, the prosecutor wrote that the charges and arrest warrant "would need to remain sealed until Assange is arrested in connection with the charges in the criminal complaint and can therefore no longer evade or avoid arrest and extradition in this matter." In another sentence, the prosecutor said that "due to the sophistication of the defendant and the publicity surrounding the case, no other procedure is likely to keep confidential the fact that Assange has been charged."

It was not immediately clear why Assange's name was included in the document, though Joshua Stueve, a spokesman for the Eastern District of Virginia, which had been investigating Assange, said, "The court filing was made in error. That was not the intended name for this filing."

The Washington Post reported late Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter, that Assange had indeed been charged. The Associated Press could not immediately confirm that.

It was not immediately clear what charges Assange, who has been holed up for years in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, might face.

 Assange Arrest a Priority for Sessions

But recently ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions last year declared the arrest of Assange a priority. Special counsel Robert Mueller has been investigating whether Trump campaign associates had advance knowledge of Democratic e-mails that were published by WikiLeaks in the weeks before the 2016 election and that U.S. authorities have said were hacked by Russia. Any arrest could represent a significant development for Mueller's investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to influence the election.

Barry Pollack, a lawyer for Assange, told the AP earlier this week that he had no information about possible charges against Assange.

The filing was discovered by Seamus Hughes, a terrorism expert at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, who posted it on Twitter and said, "To be clear, seems Freudian, it's for a different completely unrelated case, every other page is not related to him, EDVA just appears to have Assange on the mind when filing motions to seal and used his name."


Historic stay order on dissolution of Parliament By Ranjith Padmasiri View(s): View(s):

For the first time a court order was issued to suspend a Dissolution of Parliament, when the Supreme Court on Tuesday issued its order Staying the Gazette notification issued by President Maithripala Sirisena to Dissolve Parliament and hold fresh elections on January 5, 2019.

Political parties, organisations representing civil society and individuals filed 17 Applications, 10 of which were considered before the Stay Order was issued until December 7, with objections to be filed before November 19, counter objections on November 26 and written submissions by November 30. Further hearing of the petitions have been fixed for December 4,5 and 6.

The Bench comprised Chief Justice (CJ) Nalin Perera and Justices Priyantha Jayawardena and Prasanna Jayawardena .

Petitioners were TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, UNP General Secretary Kabir Hashim, JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem, Democratic Peoples Front leader Mano Ganesan, ACMC Leader Rishard Bathiudeen, Member of the Elections Commission Rathnajeewan Hoole, Attorney-at-Law Lal Wijenayake, Attorney-at-Law G.C.T. Perera, Mr Indika Gallage, Mr U.D. Aruna Laksiri, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives Dr Paikiasothy Sarawanamuttu and civil rights activist Chamara Sugathadasa.

The Attorney General, and the Chairman and members of the Elections Commission were cited as Respondents.

Intervening Petitioners were Dr Channa Jayasumana of the Rajarata University, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Leader Prof. G.L. Peiris, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader Udaya Gammanpila, Attorney-at-Law Premanath C. Dolawatta, MP Vasudewa Nanayakkara and Attorney-at-Law Gomin Dayasri.

Making his submissions, Kanag-Ishwararan P.C. counsel for Mr. Sampanthan told Court that under the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, the Presidents powers to Dissolve Parliament fell under Article 70 (1). He argued that, if Parliament is to be Dissolved before four-and-a-half years of its term is completed, it can only be done through a Resolution passed by a 2/3 majority. He insisted that Article 33, which gives the President powers to Summon, Prorogue and Dissolve Parliament, cannot be read in isolation from Article 70. He referred to the Dissolution of Parliament as an arbitrary and dictatorial act by the President and that it infringed the fundamental rights of the public. He, therefore, asked Court to issue an interim order Staying the extraordinary gazette issued Dissolving Parliament.

Lawyers appearing for the other Petitioners made their submissions in support of the arguments made by Mr Kanag-Ishwararan. They all requested that Court Stays the gazette Dissolving Parliament, as the Dissolution was unconstitutional.

AG Jayantha Jayasuriya argued that the Presidents gazzette was in accordance with the Constitution.

He insisted that Parliament had been dissolved constitutionally, and asked that Court rejects all petitions.
Parliaments darkest hour View(s):

In one of Parliaments most riotous days on Friday, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya is seen being given a cordon of protection by Police who interlocked arms to form a protective human barrier. The seemingly unruffled Speaker is seen speaking into a mic with the Serjeant-At-Arms, Narendra Fernando who is seen holding the Mace. Several MPs and Police Personnel were injured in what was one of the most disgraceful days in the history of Sri Lankas Parliament. Pic by Ishanka Sunimal
Precise and speedy treatment for malignant tumours By Kumudini Hettiarachchi With the unique TrueBeam Radiotherapy System, a first in Sri Lanka, Asiri Surgical Hospital launches Comprehensive Cancer Care Centre View(s): View(s):

The room plunges into darkness as the light switch is hit  but all those around the sophisticated machine, having accessed the area after walking literally through an airy maze, suddenly see green beams crisscrossing here and there.

They are laser beams that will be used to position the patient before the TrueBeam Radiotherapy System, a first in Sri Lanka, will give out high-precision radiotherapy treatment for malignant (cancerous) tumours ranging from very small to large, with minimal harm to normal tissue surrounding them.

Friday, November 9, saw the soft opening after a pirith ceremony of the Comprehensive Cancer Care Centre of the Asiri Surgical Hospital in Narahenpita, set up in collaboration with the American Oncology Institute with its motto of Precision cancer care.

While the formal launch is today (November 18), top officials of the Asiri Group of Hospitals including Asiri Health Chief Executive Officer Dr. Manjula Karunaratne and Asiri Health Director (Operations) Dr. Samanthi de Silva and senior oncologists and Asiri Surgical staff participated in the soft opening.

The TrueBeam Radiotherapy System is unique, Dr. Karunaratne tells the Sunday Times in an exclusive interview soon after the opening, as we watch the state-of-the-art machine with its rotating gantry-head moving this way and that.

Asia including India has only a few such machines, it is learnt.

Dr. Karunaratne also points out that local specialists will have the facilities to discuss the best patient management options online with experts from the University of Pittsburg in the United States of America.

With the TrueBeam Radiotherapy System, we can give a high dose of targeted radiation for tumour cells of all types, be they very small, as small as 0.5cm, or very large in any part of the body, says Consultant Clinical Oncologist Dr. Shama Goonatillake based at the Comprehensive Cancer Care Centre, pointing out that it is very effective in cancer treatment.

Any type of cancer which needs radiotherapy can be treated here, it is understood.

Referring to the TrueBeam Radiotherapy System, Dr. Goonatillake says it is the latest model in the world and comes with a wide-range of facilities.

This radiotherapy system is an advanced medical linear accelerator. It is fully-integrated for image-guided radiotherapy and radiosurgery and designed from the ground up to treat targets with enhanced speed and accuracy. It treats cancer anywhere in the body where radiation treatment is required including lung, breast, prostate, head and neck. Having the power not only to treat quickly, but also deliver highly precise dose rates are the systems hallmarks, he says, stressing that as such there is minimal damage to normal tissue surrounding the tumour cells.

The TrueBeam Radiotherapy System is complemented by the crucial CT (Computed Tomography) Simulator which will scan the cancer-affected area generating a series of images. The Radiation Oncologist will go through these images and contour the target volume treated. Then the CT Simulator will generate a 3-D (dimensional) view of the tumour, the Sunday Times learns.

Similarly, the CT Simulator can contour sensitive risk organs surrounding the tumour, says Dr. Goonatillake, pointing out that before each treatment, a verification scan would also be performed. This will be by the TrueBeam Radiotherapy System to ensure the accuracy of the therapy-targeting.

Before detailing the wide-spectrum of advanced treatment modalities available for clinicians through the TrueBeam Radiotherapy System, he explains what radiation oncology is all about.

Radiation therapy or radiotherapy uses high-energy ionizing radiation to shrink tumours and kill cancer cells. Radiation can be delivered in two ways  external beam radiation through the use of the linear accelerator which precisely aims radiation beams from outside the body at the cancerous tumour and brachytherapy in which radioactive particles called seeds are placed within the body on the tumour or close to the cancer cells.

As such, the advanced treatment modalities available through the TrueBeam Radiotherapy System (linear accelerator) will deliver external beam radiation. These modalities include:

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) which uses advanced software to plan a precise dose of radiation based on tumour size, shape and location. The radiation is delivered using hundreds of tiny radiation beam-shaping devices known as collimators to different areas of the tumour. This spares the surrounding healthy tissue and as such has fewer side-effects.

Rapid Arc Radiotherapy is a rotational form of IMRT but in which the daily treatment is shorter than IMRT. It is four times faster than IMRT and is better than IMRT in sparing healthy tissue.

Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) is a radiation delivery method for tumours located in areas of the body that may change between treatment sessions due to organ filling or movements while breathing. Thus during this radiation, repeated imaging scans enable adjustment of the dosage based on any small change that may have occurred after the previous treatment.

Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) targets small isolated tumours throughout the body such as cancers in the lung or liver. Higher doses of radiation are delivered in fewer sessions.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery is non-invasive treatment to primarily remove or wear away tumours usually in the brain. A very high dose of radiation is delivered in a single fraction, while minimizing dosage to healthy tissue. This technique is suitable for small, well-defined tumours that can be seen on a CT or MRI scan.

Improved soft-tissue visualization via iterative Cone-Beam CT (iCBCT) provides greater visibility of soft-tissue structures and enhancements to intra-fraction motion management techniques allow clinicians to know that the cancer treatment is delivered exactly as planned, says Dr. Goonatillake, who explains that the machine is completely digital with submillimetre accuracy and the HD MLC (high-definition multileaf collimator  0.25cm width) will help treat even small targets.

Dr. Goonatillake takes the Sunday Times through the processes a new patient will follow when seeking treatment at the unit. The patient will be registered with his/her details, referring doctor and radiation oncologist being recorded. The patients history will be taken, after which he/she will be triaged, vital signs recorded and documents collected and the Consultant notified to see the patient.

The consultation will lead to a diagnosis, investigations and planning of radiotherapy, with the nursing staff being advised to scan all important documents and get PET/CT/MRI CDs in DICOM (digital imaging and communications in medicine) mode, it is learnt.

The patient and family will also have financial counselling, says Dr. Goonatillake, explaining that thereafter there will be CT simulation with the radiation oncologist, physicist, therapy radiographer and assistant in attendance. The physicist will check the images and conduct body contouring/image fusion if needed and inform the radiation oncologist about contouring, with the prescription for the radiotherapy doses being written and the physicist informed for planning. There will be many checks after that and the patient-specific plan will be drawn up.

Before radiotherapy is delivered, we will irradiate the equipment through quality assurance. This will allow the radiation oncologist to be sure that the patient-specific plan is accurate. It is thereafter that the plan will be approved, adds Dr. Goonatillake.
Relief in battered north as cyclone moves away By Shaadya Ismail View(s): View(s):

The Meteorological Department said the damaging winds and rain along the northern coast have been decreasing from Friday as the cyclonic storm Gaja weakened into a deep depression and moved westwards away from Sri Lanka.

The severe weather destroyed 52 houses in the Jaffna district and left 700 other homes partially damaged, the Jaffna District Disaster Coordinating Unit said.

In Mannar, district authorities said 15 families had been displaced by floods but the weather was returning to normal.

The Met Department said almost 3,000 families, mostly in the Northern Province, had suffered losses due to flooding, cutting failures and damaged houses.

The department said thundershowers will occur in Central, Sabaragamuwa, North-Central, Uva and Western provinces in the evenings, and light showers in the East and Northern provinces in the mornings.

Landslips of varying degrees have occurred at least 500 times from October 7 to November 14. Less than 10 of these were landslides and the rest were cutting failures, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO)s Acting Director, Dr. Gamini Jayatissa said.

A cutting failure is a failure of unstable cuts in a slope made by people and affects only a small area, whereas a landslide affects a larger area and it happens due to both natural and man-made reasons, he explained.

Many houses built in hilly terrain is built on unstable slopes, resulting in frequent cutting failures, Dr. Jayatissa said, advising people to adapt building plans to sloping sites, siting houses on different levels and using retaining walls.

The NBRO has identified Nuwara Eliya, Matale and Kalutara districts as potential risk areas for landslides. Residents of the Hanguranketha and Walapane divisional secretariats in Nuwara Eliya, Ukuwela in Matale and Bulathsinhala, Mathugama, Ingiriya and Agalawatta in the Kalutara district have been warned of landslides.

The Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy said heavy rains had brought water levels at the six main reservoirs upto an average 85.6 per cent, with the Castlereagh reservoir at 86.6 per cent, Maussakelle at 81.6 per cent, Kotmale at 79.7 per cent, Victoria at 96.6 per cent, Randenigala at 99.2 per cent and Samanalawewa at 51.4 per cent.
Serjeant-at-Arms, Parliament police save the day for Parliamentary democracy By Chandani Kirinde View(s): View(s):

Friday could be considered the worst of days for Sri Lankas Parliament, but it was also a day when the mettle of Parliamentary officials were tested to the limit, as much as that of Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, in their efforts to ensure that Parliament sittings were conducted amidst all adversity .

For Parliaments Serjeant-at-Arms, Narendra Fernando, the Custodian of the Mace, which symbolises the authority of Parliament, it was a particularly challenging day to ensure that the Mace was brought into the Chamber and kept inside while the House was in session, while ensuring its safe passage, into and out of the Chamber of the Speaker of Parliament. This he successfully managed to do. Within less than 45 minutes, the Serjeant-at-Arms and his team laid out a plan and executed it successfully by ensuring that the Speaker and the Mace were brought into the Chamber in safety and taken out in the same manner.

Fridays incidents were the culmination of the disorderly and rowdy incidents of the two preceding days in the Chamber. By then things had reached an uncontrollable point for the Speaker. MPs supporting former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had come into the Chamber at least half-an-hour before sittings were to commence at 1.30 p.m. Seated on the Chair was Puttalam District MP Arundika Fernando conducting a mock session of Parliament, as his Parliamentary colleagues stood on either side, with Ratnapura District MP Pavithra Wanniarachchi leading the chorus calling for the arrest of UNP Kalutara district MP Palitha Thevarapperuma for bringing a knife into the House the previous day.

In anticipation of more unruly scenes inside the Chamber, the Serjeant-at-Arms had ordered that all extra books, files, water bottles and any other unnecessary items inside the Chamber be removed that day, while MPs were subject to strict body checks prior to entering the Chamber, so as to ensure that no dangerous objects were smuggled inside. What was left on the Speakers table was a bound copy of Erskine Mays Treatise on Parliamentary procedure, a copy of the Constitution and of Standing Orders.

The quorum bells began ringing 5 minutes prior to the time fixed for the commencement of sittings and continued for over 45 minutes, but as UPFA MPs continued to occupy the Speakers chair, it was impossible for the Speaker to come in and sit there. Colombo District National List MP Thilanga Sumapthipala, a former Deputy Speaker, stood by the main entrance door through which the Mace is carried inside, and attempts to bring in the Mace through this door would have, no doubt, been obstructed.

So, while the UPFA MPs were shouting themselves hoarse, the plans were drawn up to ensure that the House commences sittings, whatever the odds. First the Serjeant-at-Arms had sought permission from the Speaker to bring Police officers into the Chamber, to which he had agreed, as well as to conduct the proceedings in a makeshift location inside the Chamber. A team of 45 police personnel including five women police constables attached to the Parliament police were gathered and briefed on how operation Enter the Chamber was to be executed. SSP-in-Charge of the Parliament Police, Sarath Kumar, his predecessor in the post SSP Roshan Wijesinghe (now SSP Mt Lavinia Division), and Acting OIC Parliament Police Palitha Samarajeewa were in the team that planned the operation. The belts, badges and other paraphernalia on the uniforms of policemen who were to enter the Chamber were removed, as is done when Police enter the Parliament Chamber, so as to avoid injury in case of a brawl. An extra chair was brought into the Chamber for the Speaker, but was grabbed and taken away by Kurunegala district MP Johnston Fernando, only to be later flung at the policemen shielding the Speaker.

A chair used by the Parliament Chambers messengers was used as a substitute and a small table put in place to make up the ad hoc Speakers table. Three rings of Policemen shielded the Serjeant-at-Arms who was the first to enter the Chamber through the door on the side of the Opposition Lobby, with Mace in hand, followed by the Speaker. The dramatic scenes of the large number of policemen, arms interlocked, entering the Chamber, caught almost everyone by surprise. The Speaker was handed an FM microphone which had been made compatible with the Parliamentary Chambers audio system, so all MPs could hear him. He first announced that he had given permission for the Police to enter the Chamber and followed it up by calling on MP M.A. Sumanthiran to move the motion suspending Standing Orders, which was seconded by JVP MP Vijitha Herath. Then the Speaker called on JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake to move the amended No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government, and it was seconded by MP Vijitha Herath, as missiles in the form of books, files and other items flew in all directions. The copy of Erskine May that successive Speakers of the Sri Lanka Parliament have referred to over the years, was among the casualties in the hands of MPs turned hooligans.

Despite the relentless attacks on them, including having water mixed with chili powder thrown in their face, the ring formed by the policemen held strong till the conclusion of sittings which lasted less than 10 minutes. The Speaker put the NCM to the House and said a vote by name could be taken, but no one was listening. Then he put it to a voice vote and after MPs in the Opposition benches raised their hands shouting Aye, he announced the Ayes have carried the Motion, as not a single Nay was heard from those opposed to it. The House was then adjourned till tomorrow.

in the same manner in which the Speaker entered the Chamber, he exited it surrounded by the Policemen. Once out in the Lobby, with UPFA MPs running to prevent the Speaker from going to his room, an alternative route was taken, and the Speaker accompanied by the Serjeant-at-Arms, moved to the ground floor room of the SSP-in-Charge of Parliament Police Sarath Kumar, where the Speaker removed his cloak and was escorted to his vehicle and dispatched home. It was after a wait of at least half-an-hour that the Mace was taken back to the safety of its cabinet.
Sirisena to meet Ranil today Speaker and party leaders invited for meeting View(s): View(s):

By Our Political Editor

President Maithripala Sirisena will today meet leaders of political parties represented in Parliament including ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in a bid to resolve the three week long deepening political crisis.

This follows a telephone call made by Mr. Wickremesinghe yesterday to President Sirisena. The meeting has been scheduled for 5 p.m. Ahead of this meeting Mr. Wickremesinghe will be meeting the constituent parties of the United National Front (UNF).

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has also been invited for the meeting.

The meeting has been called over the Constitutional deadlock over this weeks parliamentary vote of No Confidence against Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his cabinet. President Sirisena is refusing to recognize this vote.

President Sirisena had been unable to meet them yesterday as he was in Polonnaruwa.

President Sirisena has held meetings on two different occasions this week, one with leaders of the United National Front (UNF) and the other a meeting of the government parliamentary group attended by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. At both these meetings the President asserted he would not under any circumstances, re-appoint Mr Wickremesinghe as Premier. He has offered the Premiership to UNP deputy leader Sajith Premadasa who has said that such a move would further complicate matters.

The immediate purpose of todays meeting is Parliaments adoption for a second time a No Confidence Vote against Premier Rajapaksa on Friday. The vote came at President Sirisenas request. At Thursday nights meeting with UNF leaders including Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, the President noted that the preamble to the motion taken up earlier has referred to gazette notifications  one on his removal of the Prime Minister, the appointment of a successor and the prorogation of Parliament.

He argued that Parliament had no power to challenge his executive actions and urged that the resolution be adopted without that preamble. He said he could then consider their request. Amidst commotion and rowdy scenes, Speaker Jayasuriya said the motion was adopted by a majority voice vote. Later, the Speaker conveyed the decision of Parliament only to be rejected by President Sirisena on the grounds that the voting was not proper. Parliament is likely to take up the matter for the third time tomorrow (Monday) when it meets in the afternoon.

Friction has also surfaced between President Sirisena and the Rajapaksa group after Presidents Sirisenas remarks at the government parliamentary group meeting. He said numbers to prove the governments majority would have to be found by the Rajapaksa group and that he had not offered to provide them.

In what seemed a response, Premier Rajapaksa told a rally in his ancestral town of Weeraketiya, he could not be forced out unlawfully or removed unlawfully.

SEE DETAILS IN POLITICAL COMMENTAR ON PAGES 14 AND 15
SL Army on war footing for Cyber Security By Asiri Fernando View(s): View(s):

The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has begun training communications specialists to counter emerging Cyber Security (CS) threats, Army Commander Lt.Gen. Mahesh Senanayake said this week.

With the rapid growth of technology and connectivity, CS is fast becoming a domain of war, espionage and criminal activity which constitute national security threats to nations, irrespective of their size and traditional military strengths, the Army Chief said at a press briefing in Colombo. He emphasised the need for awareness and being proactive in building CS resilience and defensive capabilities for Sri Lanka.

We need to improve our cyber space capabilities to match advancements made by foreign nations. The Sri Lanka Signals Corps (SLSC) must have the capacity to deal with these new threats and counter them in the future, he said.

The SLA was in the process of incorporating CS at doctrinal level and views the threats which arise from it as a national security concern, Lt.Gen. Senanayake said. Senior SLA Officers have expressed concern about the CS vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure in Sri Lanka and the general lack of awareness among the population.

To bring about awareness of the importance of CS, the SLA has organized a CS Symposium titled Wave, under the theme of Cyberspace, Perpetual Battlefront of the future and an ICT exhibition from November 28-29, at the BMICH, under the patronage of the SLSC which is celebrating its 75th Anniversary this year.

The exhibition will showcase modern and sophisticated electronic warfare equipment, CS platforms invented by SLA IT experts, the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), Police and private sector inventors, including universities and private companies. Around 160 stalls are expected to fill the exhibition at the BMICH. There will be a special stall to provide information to potential ICT professionals interested in serving in the SLA. The SLSC is looking to enlist skilled individuals to strengthen its ranks for CS operations. The exhibition is open to the public and will be attended by local, regional and global IT professionals, at the invitation of the SLSC. Among the invitees are experts from India, China, Russia, Pakistan and several other countries.

The SLSC, established in 1943, played a pivotal role during the Eelam War, providing communications, electronic warfare and signal intelligence to enable military operations and coordination between the armed forces. Recently, the SLCS raised the 12th Regiment, a specialized unit tasked with CS operations for the SLA. The SLA is in the process of digitising their records and information. Data security and network security are essential in todays security environment. The 12th Regiment SLCS works closely with the SLN, SLAF and other national security agencies such as the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT). The Regiment also conducts CS audits of vital SLA installations to assess their weaknesses and improve defences. The SLAF and SLN have also established CS units in the recent past.
So much at stake, US warns Sri Lanka By Asiri Fernando View(s): View(s):

There may be consequences for current and future defence and security projects between Sri Lanka and the United States if the Sri Lankan government does not uphold the law and democratic principles, the US Embassy said.

In August, the US State Department announced it would provide $39 million  pending Congressional approval  to the Sri Lankan military. The funding comes as a part of a broader initiative to strengthen security relationships with south and south-east Asian states. The funding is designed to enhance maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, peacekeeping capabilities and countering transnational crime capabilities in these countries.

The US also handed over an ex-US Coast Guard cutter to the Sri Lanka Navy in August. Once recommissioned, the 115m vessel would be the largest ship in the Lankan fleet.

This is obviously a critical time for the country and the United States is paying acute attention to unfolding events, US Embassy spokesperson David J. McGuire said.

With regard to ongoing or future projects and funding, we do not want to prejudge how the current political situation may be resolved and it is too soon to speculate on what consequences may come as a result. There is so much at stake, he continued. Sri Lanka has made great gains in terms of security, prosperity, and reconciliation. The US will continue to urge President Sirisena to reconvene parliament immediately to allow the democratically elected representatives of the Sri Lankan people to fulfill their responsibility to affirm who will lead their government.

Separately, the US Embassy in Colombo said firmly: President Sirisenas decision to dissolve the parliament poses a vital threat to Sri Lankas democratic institutions. The US State Department also tweeted deep concern as a committed partner of Sri Lanka after parliament was dissolved.

The US has actively engaged with Sri Lanka on security and military collaboration since the end of the civil war in 2009. The US, Japan and Australia have increased their military diplomacy with Sri Lanka.

Along with India, they have all expressed concern regarding Chinese investment into Sri Lankan strategic infrastructure, especially the maritime infrastructure such as Hambantota Port.

The government of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had issued assurances that Sri Lanka would remain neutral.

US foreign policy towards Sri Lanka considerably improved from January 2015, with more direct military-to-military exercises, exchanges and training programs. The US Marine Corps played an instrumental role in the genesis of the Sri Lankan Navy Marine Battalion last year.

The participation of senior US, Japanese and Australian military leadership at key Sri Lankan defence and security seminars during the last two months underscores the importance the countries have placed on ties with Sri Lanka.
STF guards ministries By Asiri Fernando View(s): View(s):

The Special Task Force (STF) has been deployed to thirty ministries to enhance security, Police Headquarters said last week.

The STF deployment will supplement Police officers already assigned to the ministries.

The move comes in the wake of information that some MPs who held ministerial portfolios were making attempts to return and resume duties.

They are deployed as a preventive measure, Police Spokesman, SP Ruwan Gunasekara said. Several STF teams are also on standby to respond to any necessity around Colombo a senior police officer said.

Security for the parliament and the Speakers residence will remain as before. Commenting on the police involvement in the fracas at Parliament last Friday, Superintendent Gunasekara pointed out that the officers of the Parliamentary Security Division responded to a request by the Speaker of the House to provide protection to conduct the Parliamentary sessions.
The unsung peoples resistance movement at Temple Trees By Namini Wijedasa and Kasun Warakapitiya View(s): View(s):

Since October 26, Temple Trees has been a camping ground for United National Party (UNP) supporters who see themselves as defenders of its beleaguered resident, Ranil Wickremesighe.

Why am I here? said 62-year-old Manel Jayasuriya from Maharagama. To protect the Prime Minister.

To lessen my pain, interjected 68-year-old Chandrasena Waduge, also from the same area.

We are ready to die to prevent the Prime Minister from being evicted, declared Colombo resident M Sivakumar who has spent day and night at Temple Trees since the crisis broke. The 47-year-old has lost his job at a construction site because he hadnt turned up for work.

The people mostly congregate in the long function hall, with its garish, patterned carpet. There are fewer in the mornings, just handfuls of supporters sitting idly in pockets. The room transforms at night. The air conditioning is switched on. People park in plastic chairs below the stage, glued to TNL news telecasts on a giant television screen.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner packs are served, on the dot. There is enough bottled water. Nescafe machines are routinely refilled. At teatime, there are short-eats like fish buns. After media highlighted how garbage was piling up, Colombo Municipal Council dump trucks visit twice a day. Its just as well the council is UNP-controlled.

But some recalled how both water and electricity supply was curtailed on October 27 and 28. They came to power with our votes and even took away our water, said 42-year-old Kumari Karunaratne from Gampaha.

The President doesnt see that his legal spouse is Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was sworn in before him legally, said an irate Sriyani Perera, a 58-year-old UNP member who heads an organization for women victims of political injustice. He cannot sneak in a sidepiece like Mahinda Rajapaksa and expect it to be ok.

Sriyani said she wont budge from Temple Trees. Like many others, she said she would die fighting to protect democracy. It was difficult to gauge how much of this was rhetoric. But several times during the past three weeks, the supportersreacting to rumours have surged towards the exits and entry points of Temple Trees to defend the gates.

It even happened on Friday afternoon. As ugly battles erupted inside Parliament in Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, those glued to television screens at Temple Trees heard whispers that Mahinda Rajapaksas crowds were on their way. They flocked towards the gates but were pacified by Special Task Force personnel who urged them to return to the hall.

The political polarization is stark and alarming. People are nervous. They speak of spies from the opposing side. One man was caught and handed over to the security division on Friday after he was seen taking video calls and scanning the area with his mobile phone. The anger UNP backers feel at what has happened is almost palpable. So is their sense of betrayal.

If we had lost at an election, I wouldnt feel this level of grief, said a man from Biyagama, while eating his dinner of rice and curry using a plastic chair as a makeshift table. If we had lost a no-confidence motion in Parliament, I still wouldnt be this sad. We are devastated that we made Maithripala Sirisena the President with UNP votes and he did this.

This was a common theme at Temple Trees. People repeatedly lamented at having squandered good UNP votes to help elect Mr Sirisena at the last Presidential poll. Those 6.2 million votes he got were mostly for the UNP, they said.

Members of Parliament amble in and out of the hall. They are mobbed for selfies and news. But the nerve centre of UNP operations is not accessible to the public. The main office is entered through separate gates which are manned by the Prime Ministerial Security Division (PMSD)and there are certainly more than the reported 10 personnel there.

The porch and driveway, with its gnarled old frangipani trees, of this inner sanctum are populated with local government and provincial council members, and other mid-level UNP officials. They are there to express solidarity, said Priyadharshai Ariyaratne, a Kotte Municipal Council Member.

Anoma Nakandala from the Horana Pradeshiya Sabha has been travelling to and from her home town nearly every day. It is often past 1am when she gets back, she said. But she will keep coming because in this situation, she does not feel like staying at home.

Inside the stately building on Friday night, UNP MPs are waiting in the Cabinet room for Mr Wickremesinghe to return from another meeting elsewhere in the premises. Among them is Gamini Jayawickrama Perera in a cheerful green and yellow shirt. His left eye is still red from the chili-and-water attack he had sustained in Parliament earlier in the day. He said he would see the doctor later.

Ravi Karunanayake and Malik Samarawickramawho has a plaster on his face over an injury he, too, received in Parliament stroll through the corridor near the Prime Ministers private office. This area is eerily quiet. There is nobody along the long passages. Only koi, swimming in the fish ponds, amidst the lotus plants.

In a secluded corner of the manicured lawn, six Buddhist monks recite prayers under a Bo tree lit by floodlights. There is a small crowd, palms together and eyes directed skywards. Bodhi poojawak, explained a member of the PMSD, quietly. Priests had also chanted pirith 24 hours a day too but that ended on Thursday.

Back in the hall, the crowds are preparing for another night in the rough. They sleep on chairs, on plastic sheets, on the carpet, even sheets of carboard. Among them is Dr Sinnaraja Vijeyarajan, a doctor from Kilinochchi. He has been at Temple Trees for 19 days.

On October 27, I was one of the first to enter this hall, he narrated, looking around. I took leave from my workplace in Colombo. During the initial days, he had organised crowds to come to Temple Trees from Kilinochchi. But as the days turned into weeks, it was not possible to sustain attendance because everyone had something to do.

It is likely that the crowds will lessen in coming days. But if Mr Wickremesinghe wants Temple Trees to turn into a symbol of political resistanceas he has said he doeshe has, at least for now, succeeded. How long this will continue and in what manner the standoff will end remains to be seen.

Kankanige Susantha Perera, a 52-year-old businessman, admits that there are fewer people now than there were before. But large numbers still stay overnight, in the fear that the President or illegal Prime Minister will try to get hold of Temple Trees, he said.

We are peaceful, here, we dont cause trouble, Mr Perera added. We sing at night. We enjoy ourselves. But we also know it is the darkest hour for this country and we are alert to respond to any possible incidents.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo thanked North Korea for cooperating to secure the release of a U.S. citizen, after the North announced it will deport the man who was detained in October for illegally entering the country from China.

"The United States appreciates the cooperation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the embassy of Sweden in facilitating the release of an American citizen," Pompeo said in a statement, using the North's official name. Sweden represents U.S. interests in North Korea in the absence of diplomatic relations.

The development was an unusually swift resolution to a case that could have further complicated reconciliation efforts between the United States and North Korea.

Pyongyang's official [North] Korean Central News Agency reported Friday that the U.S. man will be deported. "While being questioned, he said he had illegally entered the country under the command of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency," the news agency said. It was not immediately clear when the man would be deported.

Also Friday, KCNA announced that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un publicly inspected a new weapon for the first time in nearly a year, sending conflicting signals to the United States at a time of sensitive negotiations.


Three in the dock for Rs 4.7m cheque fraud By Kasun Warakapitiya View(s): View(s):

Police have uncovered a Rs 4.7 million cheque fraud by a financial institution employee and two accomplices.

The employee had stolen a blank cheque and forged the signatures of the company heads and cashed it, the director of the Colombo Fraud Bureau, SP Rohan Premaratne told the Sunday Times.

The theft had taken place on the morning of September 9 when the prime suspect, identified as Thilanka Abeyratne, removed two blank cheques held in reserve. He had learned that there were about 1,000 unused cheques in a cupboard for which the key was available.

The suspect had contacted his friend, a three-wheeler driver who operates at Pepiliyana identified as Indika Nawaratne, and sought his help to find a person who would cash the cheques, SP Premaratne said.

He said Abeyratne had printed cheques identical to the ones used in the office and copied the sigantures of finance division heads and heads of the company from previously-used cheques.

Meanwhile, the trishaw driver, had contacted a friend identified as M.A.V Prabath Janaka, a cab driver, who agreed to cash the cheque.

On September 10, Abeyratne had met Nawaratne and Janaka at Battaramulla and handed over the cheque. Janaka then went to private bank at Battaramulla.

However, the officials of the financial company learned that two cheques were missing and complained to the CFB on September 14. The company officials also gave us information about the bank, S.P. Premaratne said said.

The financial company officials found out from their bank that the cheques had been cashed at a private bank at Battramulla. Cash amounting Rs 4.7 million had been collected by the suspect, Prabath Janaka.

The company had told the CFB that the serial numbers were identical to the missing numbers. The CFB secured court permission to obtain more details of suspect Janakas identity card from the Commissioner of Persons Registration and phone logs from the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission.

The suspect was arrested at his residence and information was obtained about the other two suspects.

SP Premaratne said suspect Janaka had accepted Rs 200,000 for cashing the cheque, while suspect Nawaratne had pocketed Rs 1.2 million.

The main suspect had Rs. 600,000. The rest of the money had been spent on redeeming pawned jewelry and repairing his vehicle, SP Premaratne said.

The two suspects had been produced before the Colombo Magistrates Courts and were given surety bail. Janaka posted bail of Rs 500,000, while Nawaratne posted bail of Rs 500,000 each. The main suspect was further remanded.
Two funeral parlour staff enlarged on bail for alleged theft View(s):

Two employees of a funeral parlour were released on Rs 500,000 personal bail by Mahara Chief Magistrate Heshan De Mel this week, after they were produced in court in connection with the theft of goods from the parlour, including two artificial tusks and vases.

The two men who had allegedly stolen goods from their workplace and sold them to another place, were apprehended by Police after the owner of the funeral parlour lodged a complaint.

The case will be taken up again in February next year.

Investigations were conducted by OIC Sedawtta Police Perumal Padma Nanda and OIC Crimes, Sedawatta, K.S. Rajapaksa.
UNF asks Rajapaksa to move Resolution; take a vote View(s):

The United National Front (UNF) is to ask Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to prove his majority in Parliament when the House meets tomorrow afternoon.

UNF leaders are expected to ask President Maithripala Sirisena who appointed Mr. Rajapaksa as Prime Minister, to ask him to move a Resolution in the House, setting aside the proceedings that took place in Parliament this week, i.e. on November 14, 15 and 16 where Votes of No Confidence on the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government were moved by the UNP, TNA and JVP and voted upon. According to the Speaker, the No Confidence motions were carried by a voice vote as there was no request for any other form of voting according to Standing Orders of Parliament.

UNPs Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella said yesterday that the purported Government of Mahinda Rajapaksa could request Standing Orders to be suspended and the motion to be taken immediately. We will not object to that. We will allow a voice vote to be taken without any disruption. We will support electronic voting or even voting by name whichever the purported Government wants.

Mr. Kiriella said that a Prime Minister appointed in-between an election must show he commanded the majority of Parliament. He said Parliament had already voted against Mr. Rajapaksa and it was incumbent on President Sirisena to call on the leader of the party that had the most number of seats in Parliament, and could command the confidence of its majority be invited to be Prime Minister.

He said that President Sirisena had agreed to accept a voice vote in Parliament. The President had also agreed to take action against UPFA MPs who would misbehave during such a vote, but had gone back on his word, Mr. Kiriella said adding that several UNP MPs and the Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan were present when the promise was made.

UPFA spokesman and State Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella conceded that the President had agreed to a voice vote, but the vote had to follow proper procedure, he said.

He said that President Sirisena had not given a deadline for the UPFA to show its majority in Parliament. This comment came after Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) members met the President on Friday night after the commotion in Parliament that afternoon.
Appreciations View(s):

The life he led was a model for all of us to emulate

Shibly Aziz

Say to my brethren when they saw me dead,

And wept for me lamenting in sadness:

Thinking ye that I was the corpse you were to bury?

I swear by God, that dead one was not I

When I had formal shape, then was it my body

Served as my garment, I wore it for a while

A bird I am now; that body was my cage

But I have flown away leaving it behind as a token.

(The above is an adaptation of a famous poem written by Imam Ghazzali, one of Islams greatest scholars, and found under his pillow, a few hours after his passing in 1111 AD.).

Three weeks before he passed away, Shibly, his wife Fathima, my wife Rezani and I spent a relaxed Sunday evening watching the sun set over the sand mounds of the developing Port City, from one of Colombos highest points at Kingsbury Hotel. We spoke of many things; Shibly had been asked to suggest a replacement for himself in Sri Lankas Constitutional Council, a position he had held for three years and for which we tossed names randomly, deliberating on their credibility and ability to serve. We discussed the pros and cons of the Muslim Marriages and Divorces Act (MMDA), in which he had played a pivotal role and to which he reasoned out the steps that had to be introduced slowly, in measured strides, allowing time for all stakeholders to understand and appreciate the changes. The next day he was to see an ophthalmologist regarding an issue with one of his eyes and sight.

The issues of the eye and concerns connected to his heart were what led to the next three weeks of him being hospitalized and ultimately led to his passing, which no one quite expected to be so soon.

The outpouring of grief by the many relatives, friends, professional colleagues, school friends, corporate colleagues, politicians, government and civil society underscored that Shiblys value transcended way beyond family and relatives to have been a vital source of life-changing moments in many peoples lives, the community and society at large. To us, he was a family man. He loved his family profoundly. He was a devoted husband, father, uncle, brother and admittedly, my late mothers favourite.

The eldest son of Senior Advocate late M.H.A. Aziz from Galle and Jiffriya Idroos of Matara, Shibly Aziz, had his primary education at St Thomas Prep School in Kollupitiya and secondary education at Royal College, Colombo at which he excelled in his studies and is remembered for carrying away seven prestigious prizes at the College Prize Giving in 1962  the Shakespeare, E W Pereira and five other coveted prizes. He completed his LLB degree passing out with Honours from the University of Peradeniya.

After a short spell at the unofficial Bar, he joined the Attorney Generals Dept as a Crown Counsel in 1968 and gradually rose up its ranks to be Senior State Counsel, DSG, Solicitor General and finally the Countrys Attorney General in 1994. He was the youngest member of the Bar to be conferred Presidents Counsel. He resigned from his position as Attorney General prematurely, on principle, not wanting to be unduly politicized and compromise his ethics and values. Integrity was everything to him.

Shibly married Fathima, the accomplished daughter of Late Dr. A R.M. Waffarn and Mrs. Sithy Waffarn. He enjoyed holidays with their two sons, Afdhel, an internationally acclaimed Marketing Consultant who lives in California and Dr. Aadhil, a Consultant Physician, living in Melbourne, and their families.

He was the eldest of my siblings followed by my sister Minha, brother Imthiaz, myself and our youngest sister Ryhan (Babsy).

Shibly achieved much in his life, none of which he clamoured for but which came his way and he accepted it with the humility and dedication that was characteristic of him. Presidents Counsel, Attorney General of Sri Lanka, President of the Bar Association  the only lawyer to head both the official and unofficial Bar, member of the Constitutional Council, President of the Ahadiya Schools Federation, Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority and so many other positions he held in the community and society at large, sat lightly on his shoulders.

Last year, Fathima and he were part of my family delegation to Lahore and Islamabad, Pakistan to be a part of my being conferred the highest civilian award, Tamgha e Khidmat by the Government of Pakistan for promoting friendship, trade, investments and community oriented projects between the two countries. We were given a convoy of luxury vehicles but Shibly chose to travel in the van that my sons used and what fun they had!

That was Shibly  the essence of humility, simplicity, peaceful and unassuming, God fearing. As Attorney General, living in the government allocated house on Paget Road, the police guards who had never seen him on one instance, stopped him at the gate to ask who he was when he drove in. In his characteristic manner he answered saying I have come to see AG Mahattaya.

The life he led was a model for all of us to emulate. Arrogance, false pride, greed, egoism and petty mindedness were traits he abhorred. Positions didnt bother him nor did recognition or fame.

Thousands paid their last respects at his residence and at the funeral at the Jawatta Muslim Burial grounds. I have never seen such a massive crowd at a Janaza at Jawatta. Almost every person who condoled with me had something to say how Shibly had touched their lives in one way or another  lending a helping hand, mentoring, intervening and assisting in family and financial disputes, giving a letter of recommendation, free legal advice and consultations and so forth.

I pray that my brother Shibly will be blessed with the highest place in Jannathul Firdause. Inna lillahi we Inna ilaihi rajioon  From Allah (God) do we come and to Him is our return.

To the righteous soul will be said:

O thou soul in complete rest and satisfaction!

Come back thou to thy Lord-well pleased thyself, an well pleasing unto Him!

Enter then thou among my Devotees

Yea, enter thou my Heaven.

Sura Fajr verses 27-30 (Holy Quran).

Ifthikhar Aziz

Our lives go on but nothing is the same

Virginia Gauder Perera

Its been 12 sad lonely months since my wife / our two childrens mama, Virginia , passed away on November 18 from ovarian cancer. We remember you, love you and miss you darling

Ginny / mama.

With a broken heart and tears in my eyes, I can honestly say, this is by far the most difficult time ever. I know what cancer and treatment can do to a body and I sometimes wonder if the treatment is worth it in the long haul. It seems to do more harm than good, depending on the stage of the cancer  my wife was a stage 3 cancer patient.

Nothing was more painful than watching my wife suffer,trying to smile and remain positive, but after chemo , you know the person is physically changed and they suffer with this sadness, knowing deep within that a cure is beyond reach, but not giving up hope of a miracle..which was not be.

We think of you in silence and often speak your name

All we have are memories and your picture in a frame

Your memory is our keepsake with which well never part

God has you in His keeping we have you in our heart

Our lives go on without you

but nothing is the same

We try to hide our heartache

When someone speaks your name

The special years will not return

When we were all together

But with love in our hearts

you walk with us forever.

Tomorrow isnt promised was part of my status after my wife passed away. Ironically the truth of this sinks in as I ponder on the futility and unpredictability of life. I try to live each day leaving no place for regrets. None of us know when our final curtain call comes.

Rest in the arms of Our Lord Jesus, darling mama / darling Ginny

Your husband Wasanthakumar

With us you still remain

Charles Rex de Silva

Three years have passed, but our eyes are filled with tears,

You went away so suddenly, without a word,

Gifted as you were,you were complete in every way,

A loving husband, a devoted father and a caring brother,

You are far away, but we hold you close in our hearts

Reliving those happy times we spent, your laughter

filling our home.

You have gone away, but with us you still remain,

In our hearts, in our minds and in our lives,

You will be unforgettable.

Your loving wife Ranjini and sons Nishan and Dilan and family
Letters to the Editor View(s):

Educated young leaders, the need of the hour

I have lived in this country as a medical professional for nearly 70 years and have seen tragedies that have taken place from colonial times upto the time we received Independence in 1948 and what has taken place after that with old cronies in power.

We faced a terrible tragedy during the past fortnight due to the President, carrying out unconstitutional and illegal acts, which I have not heard of or seen happening in any other democratic country in the world.

He has betrayed three key persons over the past few years. Firstly he betrayed the SLFP when he left in November 2014 after a meal of hoppers. Next he betrayed Ven. Sobitha Thera, who was instrumental in making him the President of Sri Lanka in January 2015. The President promised, at his funeral three years ago, that he would carry out his wishes for the country by abolishing the Executive Presidency. Thirdly, he betrayed the UNP, which made him the President with 6.2 million votes, without ever having been the Prime Minister of the country.

All this has taken place in a matter of weeks, from October 26, during which time he sacked the Prime Minister of the country and appointed another. Within a span of two weeks, he dissolved Parliament, while in the process of appointing ministers and deputies to ministries in the new Cabinet.

I am sure the world will be laughing at the present impasse that has tragically befallen this paradise island.

It is high time that youth leaders come to the forefront. There are in 12 countries of the world currently led by young leaders, among them Emmanuel Macron of France (40 years), Justin Trudeau of Canada (46), Jacinda Alvern (38), Sebastian Kurz of Austria (32), Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (38) of Bhutan, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (38) of Qatar, Carlos Alvarado Quesada (38) of Costa Rica and of course, the highly controversial North Korean leader Kim Jong-un who is 35.

By and large, the young leaders are doing a wonderful job in those countries; they are all very educated and not corrupt.

Although more than 40% of the voting population in Sri Lanka is less than 40 years of age, it is pathetic that they are not represented by sufficient young Parliamentarians.

Im quite certain this country has enough and more highly educated young leaders who are professionals, who certainly can take over the reins of this beautiful country, which was ranked the No. 1 tourist destination in the world by Lonely Planet.

Unfortunately, in this country there is no minimum qualification required to be a Parliamentarian, unlike other categories of professionals in this country. No wonder, 1/3 of the Parliamentarians do not have at least the very basic minimum qualification which is the Ordinary Level pass.

I certainly hope that the younger generation of this country will rise up to appoint just and uncorrupt young leaders to man this sinking ship and guide it safely to port.

Prof Wilfred Perera Via email

Look into Presidents land law revelations

The Presidents speech revealed the existence of a Corridor of Deceit to pass important Statutes surreptitiously in spite of protests by the President and the Cabinet.

Every apolitical citizen in this country should be alarmed at the revelation made by the President regarding the capricious manner followed by a few elected members of Parliament to make laws, through this path to deal with the capital assets of our country, mainly land.

In his speech to the nation on October 26, 2018, the President said, Emergency Cabinet papers were presented to award tenders and massive construction awards were given despite objections at the Cabinet. One such example is the Kandy Highway project. Another is the Land Ordinance Special Act, which was presented to Cabinet last week. Then there was the paper on establishing a Land Bank. I lodged strong protests and postponed those Cabinet papers. Majority of Cabinet Ministers were against these projects.

If the last weeks Land Ordinance Special Act was passed by the Cabinet and then by Parliament, all the lands of our Motherland could be bought outright by foreigners without any difficulty. All the Agricultural settlements established by Honourable leaders like D S Senanayake, Bandaranaike and Gamini Dissanayake will be destroyed. This bill presented under the political and economic vision of Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe adversely affects the land rights of the country and must be totally blocked by us.

This is a dreadful disclosure. Sri Lanka has an abundance of professional organisations such as the Organization of Professional Associations, Bar Association, Law Society and many more which should have followed up when such situations were developing and initiated timely action to prevent them. I hope they are now alerted to study the statutes that the President mentioned, especially the Port City Act, Act to Grant Absolute Title to State Land and the Act to provide for the State Land Bank.

I had read in the newspapers that the statues relating to land have been drafted by teams of foreigners who were engaged on excessive fee structures. The public is not consulted. See Indian Express

http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2016/aug/13/English-laws-to-Apply-to-Colombo-Port-City-Says-Lankan-PM-1508855.html

English-laws-to-Apply-to-Colombo-Port-City-Says-Lankan-PM- which is being built with Chinese funds and expertise, . Indian Express 13.8 2016 and the Sunday Times Sri Lanka

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/170827/business-times/constitutional-amendment-required-for-port-city-laws-256014.html

It was reported that Hong Kong-based consultancy Baker McKenzie is to draft new laws on various sectors including the CIFC, Colombo International Financial City. A corporate and tax law expert had told the Business Times that while amending the Constitution is inevitable in this scenario, changing the Constitution wont be an easy exercise.

Western agencies and corporations compile and draft policies opening up the Sri Lankan economy to outside domination. According to newspapers, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a US Government body has a project unit established in the PMs office to provide expertise to draft statutes and policy for the Government

I am appalled to realize that the now existing Corridor of Deceit is a smooth vehicle that can easily pass through Cabinet, Attorney General and the Legal Draftsman to enact statutes, without the knowledge of the people of this country! Where are these statutes? Can we get them? Should we not study them? Over to the previously mentioned professional organisations of Sri Lanka.

Land is the invaluable capital asset of any country to be guarded jealously to sustain the sovereignty of the country. Will the existing procedures now in place change with the changing of the PM?

Bandula Liyanage Via email

Spare a thought for those of us lost in high-flown Sinhala

I am first and foremost a citizen of Sri Lanka, then a Muslim who can speak colloquial Sinhala but finds it difficult to understand what one may call high Sinhala with the result that much of the newscasts on our TV channels are beyond comprehension unless a brief translation is made auditorily or in the form of subtitles.

May I kindly appeal to the authorities in charge of our television channels to help out and not keep those like me in the dark, that would be unfair in an enlightened democracy like ours. I shall be most grateful myself and very grateful on behalf of those others who are in the same predicament as I am, especially when we would like to follow the news in times of crisis as we are in today.

Hussain Saibo Via email
Pret, Resort and Gala: New look CFW returns next year View(s):

The 16th edition of HSBC Colombo Fashion Week, scheduled to take place in March 2019 promises to be different, with the introduction of new platforms and perspectives. The event will offer the public multiple avenues to interact with fashion- from digital engagement to physical installations across the city.

HSBC Colombo Fashion Week: THE PREVIEW will consist of three show days, each day representing a specific style of clothing. These three styles will be presented each year to correspond with the global fashion calendar. This will enable HSBC CFW to be in sync with the international buying calendar. Retail buyers will play an integral role as Fashion Week in essence should be a preview to buy and should give designers the opportunity to retail in stores.

The three styles that will be showcased by HSBC CFW will be, Pret, Resort and Gala. Pret will consist of ready to wear (pret-a-porter) collections while Resort will feature holiday and swim wear and Gala will showcase statement pieces and occasion wear.

Speaking on next years event Dirk Flamer-Caldera, Chairman of CFW Holdings Pvt Ltd said, We are delighted to have HSBC as our Title Partner once again; it is always reassuring to have their commitment and belief behind the brand and its ability to effectively engage on both a local and global platform. Next year, there will be 24 designers showcasing across the three show days. The main focus of the event will be on FRESH home grown talent. There will no longer be a separate emerging designer platform; the very best of upcoming fashion design talent will be showcased on the main ramp. All participating designers will have access to a range of support services and resources through HSBC Colombo Fashion Week including manufacturing, print technology, textiles and accessories. Our goal is to empower and allow designers to become self-sufficient and sustainable on all fronts from the onset.

The established HSBC CFW subsidiary events  Fashion Films, Fashion and Food, Art Connect, Music Designed, CFW Afterparties will introduce exciting new facets and expansions. These events will be accessible to a wider demographic and feature a range of of Sri Lankan talent.

The Work Room formally known as Knowledge Workshops has been revamped and structured to be much more interactive and will feature local and international personalities who will share their skillset, philosophyand learnings with the city. Student Space is a new subsidiary event curated to be student- centric and will provide special permissions and opportunities. Together with Hi!! Online, CFW is launching CFW Influence; a digitally driven media programme to empower and inspire local (and Sri Lankas personalities based abroad) v/bloggers and influencers within the fashion context. The content turned out will be progressive, relevant and thought provoking.

HSBC CFW 2019 will also see the launch of Ramp2Retaila much anticipated, efficient retail platform that will be both a physical and digital platform allowing the smooth, timely transition of garment to buyer. The aim is to secure revenue for designers ensuring feasibility of participation, thus, reinforcing the event concept of preview to buy.

Another addition to the HSBC CFW portfolio is IslandSource which is a progressive initiative promoting traditional Sri Lankan crafts and resources. This year we have a new and very strong, professional team behind the show. There will be a specialist overseeing each component. We definitely have a demanding few months ahead of us but I feel we certainly have the right team in place to make the upcoming showcase a unique success, Dirk Flamer Caldera said.

We are delighted to support HSBC Colombo Fashion Week for the 12th consecutive year. With the proposed changes to the overall event in 2019, we are excited with the fresh new format and look forward to the additional subsidiary events such as Fashion Films, Fashion and Food, Art Connect, and Music Designed. More importantly we look forward to welcoming our customers at this much sought after event, said Mark Prothero, Chief Executive Officer, HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Designer applications for HSBC CFW: THE PREVIEW will open on November 19, 2018, details will be soon disclosed online.
Staircases that bring theatre to architecture View(s):

David Robsons new book is devoted to the staircase designs of master architect Geoffrey Bawa and demonstrates with over 30 examples how these formed an important partof his oeuvre. In so doing it identifies a number of key influences that contributed to their development: staircases of the Italian Renaissance that he studied whilst living in Rome in 1956; the staircases of German Baroque architect Balthasar Neumann about whom he wrote his thesis in 1957; and last but not least the staircases of ancient Sri Lanka.

Ruskin advised: Dont look at architecture, watch it! This was something that Bawa did throughout his life. Robson demonstrates how he was able to borrow ideas from the past and transform them into something new. Thus the entrance sequence of the Bentota Beach Hotel (now demolished) proceeds from a darkened portecochere to a richly decorated batik ceiling by Ena de Silva, echoing the staircase in Balthasar Neumanns Wurzburg Residenz which rises in similar fashion towards Tiepolos painted ceiling.

My own first assignment when I joined Geoffrey Bawas office in 1977 after completing my architectural studies in London, was to draw up his design for the corkscrew staircase in the Lydia Duchini House in Bentota, which appears in the cover of the book. This introduced me to Bawas unique way of developing a design in which function, structure, wit and aesthetics all played a part.

The book describes the extent to which Bawa enjoyed designing staircases and demonstrates that no two of his staircase designs were the same. This latter fact is revealed in the vast campus of the University of Ruhunu where it seems that every single staircase is unique. He was a master of architectural scenography and regarded a staircase as being potentially the most theatrical element of a building, as when he collaborated with Laki Senanayake to create a staircase in the form of a battle scene for the Lighthouse Hotel. A key element of Bawas design philosophy was the desire to give pleasure, something which he achieved effortlessly in his curving staircases for the children in St. Bridgets Montessori (now partly demolished).

All of this is revealed in Robsons clear and jargon-free text, illustrated with the beautiful photographs of Sebastian Posingis. Posingis is a Sri-Lanka-based photographer who grew up here and has provided photographs for The New Sri Lankan House (2015), In Search of Bawa (2016), and  The Island from Above ((2015).

Unfortunately a book of this scope cannot be all-embracing and it is regrettable that it does not include some of the many staircases in India that Bawa admired, such as those in the Amber Fort in Rajasthan, and the famous stepped wells of the Ahmadabad District.

Bawa also produced remarkable designs for lighting fittings that were manufactured by Belek Baas in a workshop at Lunuganga as well as designs for furniture and even ashtrays for his hotels. These could provide material for another book.

David Robson studied architecture in the Bartlett School of Londons University College. Between 1969 and 1971 he was a senior lecturer in the newly formed School of Architecture in the University of Ceylon Colombo. Between 1978 and 1982 he worked as a special adviser on Prime Minister Premadasas Hundred Thousand Houses programme and was responsible for the design of electoral housing schemes, model villages and the masterplan of Rampokunagama New Town.

In 1997 Bawa recruited David to help him write a monograph on his work. Unfortunately, Bawa suffered a debilitating stroke in 1998 and the book was eventually published without his direct involvement by Thames and Hudson in 2002. In 2004 David joined Amila de Mel to curate a major retrospective exhibition of Bawas work in the German Architecture Museum in Frankfurt. David has written several other books on Bawa.It is no exaggeration, therefore, to suggest that David Robsons writings have made an important contribution to the development of an architectural culture in Sri Lanka.

Book facts BAWA STAIRCASES by David Robson with photographs by Sebastian Posingis; Talisman; 2011 Price: Rs. 5,100

Available at Barefoot Bookshop Reviewed by C. Anjalendran
Follow the foreign lady and arrest the conceited rebel By Anton Jeyanathan View(s): View(s):

It was 1972 or 1973, after the 1971 insurrection and officers from the Intelligence Branch, which was then known as the Special Branch, were still following up intelligence and gathering information about Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna members to build up a dossier on the possible resurgence of the rebels.

During the course of our investigations, it transpired that a JVP cadre, whom we shall call Samwas a JVP activist who was active in the Tissamaharama Police area. Investigations and information obtained from suspects arrested from down south indicated that Sam was not a youth but a middle aged man, who was enrolled as a JVP member largely based on his claim that he had obtained training in guerrilla warfare in a foreign country.

We did not take seriously the claim that he had links with a foreign revolutionary group. But we kept him under the radar. We observed he was visiting a foreign embassy in Colombo. We also received information that he had been giving lectures to JVP cadres and pushing a plan to overthrow the Sirimavo Bandaranaike government.

We knew he was a bragger and trying to impress the JVP youth with his claim that he was trained overseas in guerilla warfare and he had been taught how to creep through barbed wire, kill sentries and seize weapons from police stations.

It may be recalled that the JVPs indoctrination programme consisted of five lectures. One of the lectures was on how to attack a police station and seize weapons.

Sam had claimed he had connections with an embassy of a European country and that he could obtain assistance from embassy officials for the revolution. He had also boasted that he was in possession of firearms.

On further probing, we found out he was meeting an attache, a mature lady, whenever he visited this particular embassy.

In the meantime, the Special Branch shared intelligence with the Prime Ministers Security Division (PMSD) about Sams plan to topple the government and his claim that he had fire arms.

The PMSD took serious note of the information, as it knew that there had been a plan by the JVP to kidnap the Prime Minister. It alerted law enforcement agencies about the threat, describing Sam as a dangerous criminal in possession of firearms.

Though efforts were made by the Special Branch to monitor the movements of Sam, it became rather difficult, as he did not have a fixed abode. In the alternative, we had mounted surveillance and used electronic intrusions to monitor the movements of the lady diplomat of the embassy.

Soon we found out that she had booked a ticket to travel from Ratmalana to Palaly in an Air Force aircraft. We were intrigued as to why she was travelling to Palaly, and the authorities decided that I should also travel on the same aircraft and follow her movements in Palaly and Jaffna. Having got ready I contacted a colleague of mine, the late T.M.B. Mahath (Tony), who was the Kankesanthurai ASP at that time. I shared with him the information we had gathered about Sam and his connection with the lady diplomat. As I was going alone, I requested my colleague to send a team of police officers to the Palaly Airport, in case I needed their assistance.

I emplaned at Ratmalana airport. The lady diplomat was already there. When the plane touched down in Palaly, I took time to disembark allowing the lady to disembark first. I observed that a team of Police Officers had already come. Without meeting them first, I followed the lady discreetly. She was looking for somebody to meet up with and then I saw her going up to the ticket counter to confirm her return flight. Meanwhile, I observed a middle aged man with a bandaged arm with splinters, hiding behind one of the pillars and peeping at the lady in an attempt to attract her attention. My intuition prompted me that the man with the bandaged arm was the most wanted Sam. I became a bit apprehensive, as I thought there could be a weapon hidden in the bandaged arm.

I looked around and saw the police officers in the jeep. I slowly sneaked up to the jeep and met them. Some of them knew who I was. I briefed them on the mission and that I had already located the man whom I had come looking for and the foreign lady who had come to meet him. I told them I was going to get Sam and I wanted their help. Both Sam and the lady made eye contact and walked towards the car park. As they walked towards a vehicle, I saw them talking to each other. At that moment, I decided that I had to act, though I was somewhat apprehensive of the hidden weapon in the bandaged arm. I signalled to the police officers and rushed towards Sam and apprehended him. The first thing I did, on apprehending him, was to unravel the bandage on his arm to make sure that he was not hiding any firearms and searched him thoroughly. Later, I got to know he had bruised his arm during a fall.

Having shown my Police identity card to him, I explained to him that I was taking him into custody as he was wanted by the Police in connection with a plan to assassinate the Prime Minister. The lady who was with him claimed that she was the holder of a diplomatic passport and that she had come to meet Sam, whom she described as a friend. I told her that I respected her diplomatic immunity, and was apprehending a Sri Lankan citizen who was wanted by the Police and that I was taking him to the KKS Police Station and if she so wished, she too could come to the Police Station independently.

I took Sam to the KKS Police Station in the vehicle provided by the uniformed staff and made my entries about the arrest and the arrangements to take him to Colombo. The lady diplomat also showed up at the Police Station and requested permission to speak to Sam. Her request was granted and she spoke to him in my presence. With my permission, she gave him some cartons of cigarettes. I, thereafter, politely told her that she could leave the police station as we had to continue our interrogation.

Unlike today, we did not have motor vehicles or aircraft to transport suspects and we had to make use of the night mail train to bring Sam to Colombo. I spoke to my colleague in KKS and obtained the services of two police officers to accompany me with the suspect during the train journey to Colombo. We brought Sam from KKS Railway Station to the Fort Railway Station in an ordinary compartment, having handcuffed him. During the train journey he kept us awake, regaling us with his imaginary and boastful deeds in the revolutionary army abroad, and how he was training the JVP youths to attack police stations and seize firearms. He also revealed how he got acquainted with the foreign lady from the embassy. He claimed that he bragged about his plan to kill the Prime Minister in a bid to impress JVP cadres.

At the Fort Railway Station, Special Branch officers took charge of Sam for further interrogation.

From what I learned from the few brief hours of travelling from KKS to Fort, my impression was that he was a conner and a bombastic boaster. Luckily, the dangerous criminal did not have any firearms with him when I apprehended him at the KKS Airport.

(The writer is a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police)
How can countries reduce poverty faster? By M Niaz Asadullah and Antonio Savoia View(s): View(s):

KUALA LUMPUR and MANCHESTER  Can the world end poverty by 2030, the target set by the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development? The UN General Assembly recently reaffirmed this deadline but conceded that meeting it will require accelerating global actions to tackle povertys causes. As the international community explores new solutions, lessons from the past could be instructive.

Poverty reduction has been central to development policy for decades. During the 15 years of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the predecessor to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the percentage of people living in poverty  defined as less than $1.90 a day  declined significantly, from nearly 27% in 2000, when the MDGs began, to about 9% in 2017.

At first glance, the rate of poverty reduction in the first few years of the SDGs has also been impressive. Between January 2016 and June 2018, an estimated 83 million people were lifted out of extreme poverty. And yet, to remain on track to meet the 2030 target date, about 120 million people should have escaped poverty during that period. Despite the welcome gains, the pace of progress has been less than satisfactory.

In a recent paper co-authored for the journal World Development, we examined what factors drive successful poverty reduction. Using poverty statistics from developing countries during the MDGs era, we assessed whether countries with higher levels of income poverty  that is, more people living on less money  experienced faster reductions in their poverty rates than economies with lower income-poverty levels. Using limits of $1.25 and $2 per person per day, we found that poverty tended to decrease faster in countries that started out poorer.

But these findings, while positive, tell only part of the story. In many countries, the end of poverty remains a distant goal. For example, at the current pace of poverty reduction, we estimate that Mali, where 86% of the population lived on less than $1.25 a day in 1990, will require another 31 years to eradicate extreme poverty altogether. But even in Ecuador, where only 7% of the population lived on less than $1.25 a day in 1990, eliminating poverty will take at least another decade.

The differing experiences of countries in Africa and Asia illustrate that while adoption of the MDG agenda did accelerate poverty reduction, the degree of progress has varied widely. In the early 1990s, poverty levels in Nigeria, Lesotho, Madagascar, and Zambia were similar to those in China, Vietnam, and Indonesia. But by the time the MDGs ended in 2015, the Asian countries had reduced levels of poverty dramatically; the African countries had not.

This divergence continues. Today, extreme poverty is mostly contained to Africa; according to the World Banks 2018 Poverty and Shared Prosperity report, 27 of the worlds 28 poorest countries are on the continent, and each has a poverty rate above 30%. In fact, at current rates of poverty reduction, more than 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa will still be poor in 2030.

Many factors have contributed to the shifting geography of poverty. In Africa, weak economic performance  fueled by conflict, ineffective policies, ethnic fragmentation, and external shocks  has made it more difficult for countries to fund poverty-alleviation programs. But the most important factor may be state capacity. After all, weak state institutions cannot effectively deliver public goods and services.

Of course, this leads to another question: what factors determine a states capacity? In general, states work better when ruling elites are bound by limits on their power. But administrative experience also plays a role. China, with a slightly longer period of modern statehood than most of its younger African counterparts, may simply have developed a greater ability to administer its territory.

And yet, whatever the reason for the variation, there is no doubt that state capacity is one of the key ingredients for successful poverty reduction. We found that during the MDGs, high-poverty countries with strong state institutions were able to reduce poverty twice as fast as countries with feeble capacity, and were more likely to achieve the MDGs target of halving poverty by 2015.

M Niaz Asadullah is Professor of Development Economics at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, and Head of the Southeast Asia cluster of the Global Labor Organization. Antonio Savoia is Senior Lecturer in Development Economics at the University of Manchester.

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2018.

www.project-syndicate.org
British food and travel writer, blogger and photographer, Fiona Dunlop, was in Malaga last week ahead of a six-day gastronomic tour of Andalucia and following the launch of her new book, Andaluz.

'Secret Andalucia' is the first tour Fiona is giving with the Torremolinos-based company, Toma and Coe; she explains that the owners of the company got in touch with her having read an article she had written for a UK newspaper about the area.

The ambitious schedule starts in Malaga with a visit to the Atarazanas market and includes trips to Frigiliana and Antequera in Malaga province as well as the Alhambra in Granada and the cave town of Guadix. It takes in what Fiona says is Europe's "only caviar farm" based in Riofrio, also in Granada province, as well as some time Almeria.

"It seems like a lot to pack in to six days but the people on the tour are all American this time and they are used to travelling long distances. Andalucia seems big to Europeans but for Americans it really isn't," explains Fiona, justifying the distances involved in the tour. It also includes picking olives in Antequera. "While we are visiting a caviar farm, I have made sure that the tour doesn't just include high-end gastronomic experiences," explains Fiona. She goes on to say that for her it is important to have experiences of "all levels" and the tour, which she will be repeating in spring 2019, aims to introduce the group to the vast range of culinary experiences to be had in the region.

A connection to Andalucia

Fiona highlights that she wanted to include "often overlooked" Almeria in the tour and adds that it is to be Spain's Capital of Gastronomy in 2019, which is similar to the UK's Capital of Culture initiative, but with the aim to promote the culinary traditions in different provinces.

The experienced traveller is no stranger to Andalucia and researching tours, as she has written a number of National Geographic guide books and has travelled extensively not just through Spain but all over the world. She says that her passion for travel was sparked at an early age when she and her family travelled a number of times between Australia, where she was born, and the UK, where her family is originally from, by boat.

However, she admits to having a "connection" with Andalucia, which stems from her parents owning a house in Mojacar in Almeria province when she was younger and then travelling through the region "in a 2CV in the late 1970s".

Her first food book, New Tapas, was published in 2006 and the inspiration came, Fiona explains, from "long journeys driving through Spain to write a guide book". Instead of sitting down to a full meal in a restaurant every night, Fiona discovered the ease of sitting at a bar and sampling the local tapas, like the locals. The book was translated into a number of languages and from there she went on to write books about north African and Mexican cuisine.

Her latest book, Andaluz, brings her back to the part of the world she confesses to being "most attached to," and aims to promote the influence that the Islamic period has had on Andalusian cooking. The book contains over one hundred recipes, the majority of which contain only ingredients that would have been available during the Al-Andalus period. "That means no tomatoes, no courgettes and certainly no mangoes or avocados," reveals Fiona. "There are lots of fish dishes and almonds, chickpeas and spices, which were introduced by the Berbers during that time; they are used heavily in the recipes," says Fiona, admitting that there are also recipes for gazpacho and porra, which obviously do include tomatoes. "You can't really write a book about Andalusian cuisine and not include gazpacho and porra," she admits.

Researching the book, which also includes interesting aspects of Andalusian history and culture, started about two years ago and Fiona visited a number of chefs, including Spanish, British and French, all living in the region.

She says that among the many things she learned, one of the most fascinating was about a 13th-century manuscript complete with authentic recipes from a Cordoba chef, Pepe Garca Marin, who has since died, who himself introduced the recipes into his own restaurants.

Apart from the spring tour, Fiona admits that she needs "some time to breathe" after the publication of Andaluzand has no more plans for books on the horizon.

She continues to write travel articles for UK newspapers and divides her time between the UK and Cordoba province, where she also owns a house.
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Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 17, 2018 08:42 1102 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877c8cec1 4 Editorial #Editorial,carbon-emission,35000-MW-program,clean-energy,greenhouse-gas,foreign-investment,renewable-energy,sustainable-development Free

The government is planning to embrace environmentally friendly developments in Indonesia. It is currently drafting the midterm development plan (RPJMN) for the 2020 to 2024 period, which will incorporate low carbon development.



The low-carbon development vision is projected to realize Indonesias nationally determined contributions (NDC) goals, as a consequence of its commitment to reduce emissions as per the Paris Agreement. In 2016, Indonesia pledged to reduce its emissions by 29 percent, or 41 percent with international support, against the business-as-usual scenario by 2030.



After the snail-paced signature program of generating 35,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity, most of which will be coal-fired, the low-carbon plan is a sign of progress by President Joko Jokowi Widodos administration to cut emissions.



Questions, however, remain over the plans feasibility. Among those is: How will the government extend the use of renewable energy, which, despite the prospect of lowering greenhouse gas emissions, requires large start-up investments?



Solar panels, for example, are still very expensive for households and businesses to install, with only a few hundred registered installations across the country, mostly in Greater Jakarta. Those installed in remote areas are the ones that are usually financed through international aid.



A household typically requires solar panels with a capacity of 1,000 to 2,000 watt peak, which costs between Rp 15 million (US$1,026) and Rp 30 million, an amount that only middle-upper households can afford.



Geothermal energy, which Indonesia has in abundance, is another difficult option, due to large initial investments and greater risks required to transform it into electricity.



Despite the hurdles, the government has braved the risks, but it will be hard without foreign investment.



Indonesia recently welcomed its first wind farm in Sindereng Rappang regency, South Sulawesi, which is the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia. Sidrap Wind Farm will produce 75 MW of electricity and can power up to 70,000 households. It is part of the 35,000 MW electricity program.



This renewable power project was made possible due to cooperation between UPC Renewables and a local firm, with a total investment of $150 million.



Another pressing issue is how to reduce emissions caused by the agriculture and forestry sector. The World Resources Institute recorded that this sector was the largest contributor to carbon emissions, with provinces that host large plantations, such as North Sumatra and Riau, topping the list.



Poor and unsustainable business practices that lead to deforestation and forest fires are known to contribute to the rise in emission levels. The key to success is not limited to the goodwill and vision of the low-carbon development plan. It requires the full support of the public, local governments and international community, all of whom can benefit from the countrys sustainable economy.
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Linkedin Catherine Chung (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network) Seoul  Sun, November 18, 2018 03:09 1101 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877c9febc 2 Lifestyle South-Korea,brands,luxury,rentals,designer,Women Free

It is 7 a.m. on a Monday. Hong Mi-jin, 35, an office worker in Seoul, makes a fresh pot of coffee and jumps into the shower. Twenty minutes later, she comes out with a big towel wrapped around her hair.

Rummaging through her closet, she picks out a Theory knit top and matching block skirt, Sandro tweed jacket and Givenchys Antigona bag -- a set of items rented from different luxury rental sites.

It is stressful for me to choose what to wear, what bag to carry, which heels to go with the wardrobe and so on. It just seems like I have nothing to wear. I am sure a lot of women can agree with me on that, Hong told The Korea Herald.

Hong represents a growing community of Korean women primarily in their 20s to 40s who prefer renting high-end goods from subscription services such as Series Eight, The Closet and Reebonz Korea.

Asked why she chooses to rent her wardrobe, Hong said the introduction of luxury goods rental services helped her prioritize living expenses and limit unnecessary spending on personal shopping.

By paying a monthly subscription fee of 79,000 won ($70), Reebonz customers, for example, can rent up to two bags a month. Customers opting for pricier premium plans are given the option to rent a bag from the most expensive or popular brands for up to 10 days for prices ranging from 9,800 won to 19,800 won.

Subscription-based business models have not seen much success in the local market compared to other countries. But, because luxury goods prices are so high compared to the low purchasing power of Koreans in their 20s and 30s, the (subscription) services are expected to see substantial growth in South Korea, said Choi Kang-sik, a professor of economics at Yonsei University.

Choi said that with more women wanting to rent luxury goods, rental companies must better communicate with luxury brands in order to bring better products to the table.

The power of luxury brands will always see an upward trend. The difference, now, will be that consumer groups wont be women visiting department stores. It will be the luxury rental companies who will be supplying the bags to the original customer base, he said.

Read also: Luxury sneakers: High style and a booming market

Even though popular American designer rental services such as Bag Borrow or Steal and Rent the Runway launched a decade earlier, designer subscription services garnered attention from local consumers starting in 2016, according to Series Eight CEO Kim Tae-hyun.

Kim, who co-founded Reebonz Korea with current chief Ha Dong-gu, left Reebonz to launch the startup Series Eight under the Value Art Architect Group last year. On the surface, the two companies share similar concepts with regards to lending customers a hand in renting high-end products.

If Reebonz sticks to a subscription model, Series Eight and its six-member team envisions a shopping platform beyond just a rental service where women can rent high-end bags whenever and for however long they please.

We essentially did not want to give the idea of pressuring women to pick a bag every month just because they are paying a certain amount. The pressure in itself ruins the shopping experience, Kim said.

In order for a business to be successful on a subscription-based model, it needs to provide convenience, value for the money and personalized experiences. Consumers will cancel services that do not deliver unique, excellent personalized experiences, according to Choi.

Park Sun-young, juggling being a mom and public relations director at an ad agency in Seoul, appreciates such unique value from subscription services. Unlike her younger colleagues who seem to have time to go shopping, Park would rather save money and time by renting her wardrobe online.

I think young women may feel its weird to rent designer clothing and carry handbags that are ultimately not theirs. But, look inside your closet. How many bags are just sitting on the shelf collecting dust? Park posed. Being a mom and having a job, the rental services make my shopping experience something I look forward to at the end of the night before I go to bed. Just scroll down, look through the catalogue and click order.

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This article appeared on The Korea Herald newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 17, 2018 08:02 1102 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877c8c717 1 City teenagers,cooking,korean-foods,learning,rehabilitation Free

Several teenagers from the Taruna Jaya Youth Education Home (PSBR Taruna Jaya) in Tebet, South Jakarta, have learned to cook Korean food, giving them the chance to work in Korean restaurants.

The teenagers learned to cook Korean food on Thursday starting from the basics to a level sufficient enough for them to find jobs in Korean restaurants, Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) business unit head Kim Byung-sam said.

We support the program to train the Indonesian teenagers, so they will be able to independently support themselves, Kim said in a press release on Friday.

The head of Taruna Jaya 1 PSBR, Dumyani, said Korean food was very popular, so he hoped that the cooking skills would be beneficial for the trainees in the future.

Teenagers trained at the center are poor school dropouts, neglected teenagers and orphans, among others.

PSBR Taruna Jaya was established in 1964 as a place to improve and restore the mental and emotional health of troubled teenagers through psychological counseling and disciplinary lessons. (cal)
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Linkedin Gemma Holliani Cahya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 17, 2018 15:33 1102 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877c962d6 1 National JT610,Lion-Air,Boeing-737-Max8,Boeing,Boeing-737,plane-crash Free

Following scrutiny over a defect in one of its best-selling aircrafts, United States plane manufacturer Boeing said it was confident about the safety of the 737 MAX, of which thousands have been sold worldwide.

Lion Air JT610, which used a 737 MAX 8, plummeted into the sea minutes after takeoff from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, nosing downward so suddenly that it may have hit speeds of 965.6 kilometers an hour before slamming into the water.

It was the first crash involving a MAX 8, raising concerns about the popular model, which is equipped with the latest technology, including an automated flight control that allows nose-down tail movements.

The National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), which is investigating the Lion Air crash, found that the plane had experienced an erroneous input from one of its Angle of Attack (AOA) sensors, which is suspected to be the result of the automated flight control feature, which had not been incorporated in previous models.

Boeing later issued a manual bulletin to notify pilots about the possible false input from the sensors and how to respond to it. This has only fueled the controversy surrounding the aircraft, with pilot unions arguing that they should have been notified earlier.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently looking into a possible design flaw in the aircraft design, The Seattle Times reported.

Boeing spokesperson Caroline Hutcheson said the company was taking every measure to fully understand all aspects of the Lion Air accident, as it was working closely with the investigating team and all regulatory authorities involved.

We are confident in the safety of the 737 MAX. Safety remains our top priority and is a core value for everyone at Boeing, she told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

Earlier, CEO Dennis Muilenburg told Fox Business Network that the aircraft was safe to fly as the company had spent thousands of hours of testing and evaluating and simulating.

As the Indonesian authorities have pointed out, initially there were some indications of an inaccurate angle attack signal that was being sent to the airplane, he said. And of course, the airplane has the ability to handle that and we have the procedures in place.
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Linkedin Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Batam  Sat, November 17, 2018 09:31 1102 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877c90c67 2 National VocationalEducation,Batam,intolerance,FPI Free

Dozens of residents of a housing complex in Batam, Riau Islands, and members of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) attacked on Friday a vocational school building, forcing the schools closure.

Suryadi, a community unit (RW) head in the Merlion complex in Batu Aji district, said the residents claimed the vocational school, recently opened by the Suluh Mulia Pioner Foundation, was built on an area designated for social and public facilities.

We want [the local administration] to build a state elementary school here, not the [vocational] school, he said.

The residents also reportedly complained that it was a Christian school.

Clashes occurred when a mob attempted to enter the school after it was discovered that Batam city administration had not sealed the school following earlier protests. They attempted to enter the building while another group of people inside the school, some believed to be carrying weapons, prepared to meet them. The residents smashed the schools signboard before dozens of police personnel on duty at the school stopped them.

Batam One-Stop Integrated Licenses Service Agency head Gustian Riau said the agency decided to revoke the school buildings construction permit (IMB) following the incident, but he was at a loss as to why the residents were only now expressing opposition. We have revoked the IMB, but during the buildings licensing process, no one objected, he said.

Nixon Sihombing, a lawyer who represents the foundation, said the protest was a result of incitement by outsiders. He said there had been no opposition to the school construction because it was planned as a regular vocational school.

It is also wrong for residents to accuse us of land grabbing. The housing developer has granted the land to us. They should have complained to the developer, he said.
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Linkedin Rachmadea Aisyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, November 19, 2018 08:22 1100 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877c9648d 1 Business #PostScript,economic-policy-package,economic-package,Jokowi-administration,foreign-investment,economy,business,tax-holiday,exports Free

The Indonesian government is going on a streak to weather down external shocks affecting the countrys economic performance.

After Bank Indonesia raised its seven-day repo rate by another 25 basis points to six percent on Thursday, the government announced on Friday that it had launched the 16th economic package aimed at relaxing regulations pertaining to investment.

The package comprises three main points, namely the expansion of the tax holiday, the adjustment to the negative investment list (DNI) and the provision of tax incentives for the mandatory saving of export earnings in Indonesian bank accounts.

Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution argued that the economic package should not be seen as pro-foreigner and should instead be perceived as a means to enhance productivity.

This republic is over 70 years old yet there are so many things that we do not have, Darmin told reporters at his office on Friday evening. As our economy has grown, our imports have exploded because we are not able to provide the goods ourselves.

The government noted Rp 14.4 trillion (US$985.23 million) worth of foreign capital entering Indonesia through government debt papers between January and November.

Darmin said it was a sign of confidence from foreign investors toward Indonesia despite the external situation going against the country, such as monetary tightening in the United States, which prompted investors to pull their money out of emerging markets and move it to the US.

Below are the economic stimulus measures:

New tax holiday

The new tax holiday in the 16th economic package expands the categories, duration and amount it applies to. A revision to Finance Ministerial Regulation (PMK) No. 35/2018 on the tax holiday will be issued, along with a new PMK to regulate a special tax holiday for smaller investments in special economic zones (SEZs).

The ministrys undersecretary for macroeconomics and finance, Iskandar Simorangkir, said President Joko Jokowi Widodo had instructed his office and the Finance Ministry to issue the two regulations by next week.

This is to strengthen both our upstream and downstream industries, so we are no longer just giving incentives to pioneer industries but also to smaller industries located in our SEZs, said Iskandar.

Inaugural export: Hongthai International, a company in the Special Economic Zone (KEK) Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Thursday starts to export its pinesap manufacturing industry products to Guangzhou, China, via Pantoloan Port in Palu. (JP/Ruslan Sangadji)

Eighteen sectors were offered various tax holiday incentives, with the new sectors being the processing industry based on agriculture, plantations or forestry and the digital economy.

With the new regulation, investments worth between Rp 100 billion and Rp 500 billion can now benefit from a 50 percent income tax reduction for five years.

Investments worth between Rp 20 billion and Rp 100 billion in SEZs are also eligible for the same incentive, whereas investments over Rp 100 billion in SEZs can be fully exempted from income tax for between five and 20 years.

Iskandar said the tax holiday expansion made Indonesia more progressive than its Southeast Asian export competitors.

Vietnam only has a 13-year maximum tax holiday [...] and the tax reduction in the latter eight years is only 50 percent, he said. Thailand and Malaysia also have a maximum 15-year tax holiday each.

The tax holiday privilege, said Iskandar, would be integrated and displayed in the Online Single Submission system so that businesses can easily take advantage of the benefits without having to report the privilege to other institutions when they apply for permits.

54 sectors now fully open to foreign capital

The new economic package revises the DNI by excluding 87 business sectors, thereby allowing them to benefit from partial or full investment from foreign investors.

Out of the 87 sectors, 54 are now fully open to foreign capital, such as offshore oil and gas drilling, clove and white cigarette production, certain categories of medical equipment production, dairy farming and fabric printing.

A farmer shows a bunch of cloves ready for harvest at his plantation in Ranakolong village, Kota Komba district, East Manggarai. (JP/Markus Makur)

Such a decision was made given Indonesias poor record in promoting investment in the past few years, with the latest Coordinating Investment Board (BKPM) data showing a 1.4 percent quarterly decline of investment growth in the third quarter, following a 4.9 percent decline in the second quarter.

With the decline, the BKPM has revised down this year's investment target to Rp 730 trillion from Rp 765 trillion.

The ministrys special staffer, Edy Putra Irawady, reassured that the revision of the DNI would not suppress opportunities for domestic investors, particularly those from small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

He also emphasized that the removal of the sectors from the DNI was based on the discretion of each ministry responsible for them, hence it would be up to each ministry to explain the benefits of allowing foreign investment in the sectors.

According to our data, most SMEs have less than Rp 10 billion in capital, whereas the amount of foreign capital should be far higher in order to enter the country, so the scale and the playing field [for both segments] are different, Edy said following the briefing.

Combined with a previous DNI revision, 95 sectors are now fully open to foreign and domestic investment, he added.

Many of these sectors had little or absolutely no investment interest [...] so we excluded them from the DNI for the sake of investment optimization and expansion, said Edy.

Similar to the new tax holiday, Jokowi mandated the administration to issue a new regulation pertaining to the DNI adjustment approximately a week after the economic package was launched.

Incentives for export earnings (DHE)

The third incentive prepared in the 16th economic package is to provide final income tax cuts for exporters who deposit their earnings (DHE) in designated bank accounts in order to provide liquidity to the domestic financial system.

The regulation stipulates that export earnings from mining, plantation, forestry and fishery sectors be deposited with domestic lenders who are authorized to conduct foreign exchange transactions or in branches of foreign lenders in Indonesia.

The ministrys special staffer on economic and political relations, law and security, Elen Setiadi, said a zero percent final income tax cut would be provided to exporters who deposit at least 90 percent of their earnings for more than six months, both in the form of US dollars or rupiah.

Various tax rates will also be applied to earnings deposited for less than six months, such as a 7.5 percent final income tax for US dollars and 5 percent final income tax for rupiah earnings deposited for three months.

The designated accounts will also be able to serve as the exporters escrow account, meaning that they will be able to withdraw money from their accounts to pay routine bills or dividends and keep the rest of the funds under Bank Indonesias supervision.

A cashier counts rupiah in an office in Jakarta. (The Jakarta Post/Nurhayati)

At the moment, exporters are only mandated to report and save their export earnings in any bank account in Indonesia, but not directly in the countrys financial system, Elen said on the occasion. Because they are mandatory, there will be administrational sanctions for those who do not do so.

The sanctions, he said, would be in the form of export restrictions, fines and eventually permit revocation for exporters, adding that the details were still being discussed by policymakers.

Elen reassured that the regulation was not a form of capital control as exporters were still allowed to deposit their earnings in currencies other than the rupiah.

We will not limit the use [of the earnings], so exporters can repatriate the funds to foreign investors. They are only mandated to come to Indonesia, not convert it into rupiah and will be given incentives [...] regardless of whether they are in the form of rupiah or US dollars, he said.

The incentives and sanctions will be regulated through a PMK and BI regulation, which will be established 30 days at the latest after the economic package was launched, and will be implemented by Jan. 1 next year. (ahw)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 17, 2018 15:41 1102 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877c99201 1 City pickpocket,transjakarta,crime Free

A hotel security officer claimed to have been harassed and assaulted by Transjakarta security officers after he was falsely accused of stealing a passengers wallet.

Faisal, 38, said he had merely picked up a wallet he had found on a bus and tried to return it to its rightful owner.

The incident took place in Utan Kayu, East Jakarta, while he was traveling home to Cilincing, North Jakarta, after completing a night shift on Thursday.

Faisal was giving back [the wallet] to the owner, but one passenger said he had stolen it, Faisals lawyer, M Al Marsyahdan, said as quoted by kompas.com on Friday.

The owner of the walled admitted that he had accidentally dropped it, wartakota.tribunnews.com reported, but the case did not end there.

The lawyer said Faisal was then asked to stay on the bus and was taken to Harmoni Station, where he was allegedly publicly humiliated.

Faisal was forced to wear a signboard saying, I am a pickpocket. He was forced to take off his clothes and pants and was told to sit there and walk around Harmoni Station, he said.

According to Marsyahdan, Faisal was also locked up inside the security room with eight security guards until 9 p.m. He was forced to admit that he was a pickpocket.

He was beaten and forced to make a statement letter admitting that he did the crime, Marsyahdan said.

Nuning Tyas, who is also Faisals lawyer, said her client had undergone medical check-up and reported the case the Central Jakarta Police.

Transjakartas director of operation, Daud Joseph, claimed he had not been aware of the incident.

I will find out [investigate the matter] first, then I will make a statement, Daud said. (gis/ahw)
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Port Moresby  Sat, November 17, 2018 12:51 1102 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877c93bdb 2 Politics Australia,Papua-New-Guinea,united-states,military-base Free

The United States said Saturday it will join forces with Australia in the development of a new naval base in Papua New Guinea, a project seen as a move to curb China's influence in the Pacific.

Australia, which has long-standing military ties with the US, has already announced plans to redevelop PNG's Lombrum Naval Base on Manus island.

Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday on a visit to Papua New Guinea, which is hosting the APEC regional summit, that the US would join forces in the project.

"The United States will partner with Papua New Guinea and Australia on their joint initiative at Lombrum Naval Base," he said.

"We will work with these two nations to protect sovereignty and maritime rights in the Pacific Islands."

China has been showering billions of dollars in infrastructure loans on island nations in the Pacific, a region that is vital to international shipping and provides a stepping stone to project military and economic power.

Australia has been critical of Beijing's "soft diplomacy" and rising influence in the region, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned this month that confrontation must not define China's relationship with the US.

"Inevitably, in the period ahead, we will be navigating a higher degree of US-China strategic competition," Morrison said in a speech where he navigated a careful line between the alliance with the US and engaging a more assertive China.

Australia -- a member of the "Five Eyes" Western intelligence alliance -- now finds itself in the middle of one of the 21st century's geopolitical hotspots as a battle for influence in the South Pacific unfolds.

The Papua New Guinea naval base move came after reports that China had approached Vanuatu about the possibility of opening a military base there.
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Linkedin Theresia Sufa (The Jakarta Post) Bogor, West Java  Sat, November 17, 2018 16:33 1102 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877c9a751 1 City caliphate,bogor,Bogor-Police,Gathering Free

An Islamist gathering set to take place at the Az Zikra Mosque in Sentul, Bogor regency, West Java, was canceled on Saturday, but nearly 1,000 personnel from the Bogor Police and Indonesian Military (TNI) remained to stand guard over the location.

They were deployed to maintain security on Friday.

The event, called Indonesia: The Starting Point for the Rise of Islam in the World, was canceled because organizers had failed to obtain a permit from the Bogor Police, who claimed the gathering was part of the Islamic caliphate movement that aims to replace the countrys political system.

Local mass organizations and university student groups have also opposed the event.

Bogor Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Andi Mochamad Dicky cited residents rejection as the basis of polices decision to withhold a permit.

Hadi Salam, a local cleric who chairs the gathering, said organizers had decided to cancel the event after it had to secure permission from the police.

We urge participants to remain calm and present good manners, he said in a statement on Friday.

He also urged participants from various regions who had arrived in Jakarta to visit local mosques and perform Itikaf (seclusion in a mosque).

The organizers scheduled all participants to meet in the National Monument (Monas) for a gathering on Sunday.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 17, 2018 17:30 1102 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877c9b7a6 4 City Sriwijaya-Air,Tangerang,attack,shooting,shooting-incident Free

A car owned by private carrier Sriwijaya Air was chased and shot at by unknown assailants in Benda district, Tangerang, Banten, on Friday, a company official has said.

The shooting took place on Friday morning at 6:03 a.m., Sriwijaya spokesman Willy told kompas.com.

He explained that a Sriwijaya driver named Arman had pulled over along Jl. Raya Bandara Soekarno-Hatta to look for an E-toll card that had fallen from the dashboard. Arman was on his way to Cibubur, East Jakarta, to pick up Sriwijaya Air crew members.

A black Honda Mobilio then approached him from the right. According to Arman, a man got out of the car and asked for Armans mobile phone. Two other men appeared and began walking toward Arman and his car. Growing suspicious, Arman decided to drive away.

He had moved only 10 meters when one of the men allegedly shot at him, which prompted Arman to speed up. The men got into the Honda Mobilio and began to chase him. Arman said he heard several more shots after that.

He got onto the Sedyatmo toll road, but the assailants continued to follow him.

The car was being chased and there was another gunshot heard. He managed to escape as he took the road heading to Pantai Indah Kapuk, while the Honda Mobilio took the right path to Grogol, Willy added.

Tangerang Police chief Sr. Comr. Harry Kurniawan said investigators have inspected the scene and questioned several witnesses. (sau)
It was an oft-repeated mantra of the hotly-contested US midterm elections: "Every vote counts."

That turned out to be true for a number of close races on November 6, but perhaps nowhere more so than in Kentucky.

Democrat Jim Glenn is poised to win a seat in the state's legislature by one vote after a final tally was announced Thursday, besting incumbent Republican DJ Johnson.

There were 12,637 votes cast in the district, which hugs the Ohio River along the northern border of the Midwestern state.

The vote totals were double-checked in each voting precinct and the result was the same: 6,318 votes for Johnson and 6,319 votes for Glenn.

"I was happy that the public got a chance to see that every vote counts," Glenn told TV station WEHT.

Johnson is considering whether to request a full recount of every vote, instead of the more cursory recanvassing of each voting location's totals that was just completed.

"At this point, we're still in the process, step one," he told WEHT.

If the final tally stands, the Kentucky district will be one of more than 300 across the country where Democrats gained state legislative seats in often tight races.

A US Senate contest in Florida was still undecided Friday with a hand recount underway.

Elsewhere in Georgia, Democratic candidate for governor Stacey Abrams said she will not win her race to lead the state, as she sharply criticized her Republican rival Brian Kemp and accused him of voter suppression.
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Linkedin Rizal Harahap (The Jakarta Post) Pekanbaru  Sat, November 17, 2018 17:33 1102 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877c9bb58 1 National wildlife,tiger,BKSDA,conservation,Riau,Indragiri-Hilir Free

After escaping a snare and hiding at a traditional market in Indragiri Hilir, Riau, for three days, a tiger was finally rescued on Saturday.

A rescue team from the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA Riau) shot the animal with a tranquilizer gun at 1:48 a.m. on Saturday while it was hiding in a pit under a stilted shophouse at a traditional market on Burung Island, an islet located in the regency.

We had to tear down the shops bathroom floor so that we could take out the tiger while it was sedated, said BBKSDA Riau head Suharyono.

The team struggled to remove the male tiger, which is estimated to weigh about 80 kilograms. The team also had to race against time as the sedative is only effective for two hours.

After it was successfully removed, the animal was placed in a cage and examined by three veterinarians.

It is approximately 3 years old, Suharyono said.

The vets found snare wounds on the tigers front left and back right legs, while one of its fangs was fractured, which likely occurred during its attempt to break free from the snare.

The tiger will be sent to a conservation center in Dharmasraya, West Sumatra, which is operated by the Arsari Foundation.

From Indragiri Hilir, it will be taken by a speedboat to Tembilahan, a district in Indragiri Hilir, and later transported by truck to Dharmasraya. Considering the rampant hunt on tigers, the agency said the journey would be guarded by police and military personnel.

Suharyono said the BBKSDA was investigating how the tiger got trapped in the market as the islet is not its natural habitat.

We named [the tiger] Atan Bintang. Atan means young bachelor in Malay while bintang means star, because we rescued him at night under the stars, he said.
Family Planning or Planned Parenthood means different thing to different people living within certain communities. For instance, some United States citizens, opposing abortion, consider Family Planning as an organization that kills unborn children. Other U.S. citizens who believe that abortion is a constitutional right for a woman to choose whether to born or to abort a child, praise family Planning as an institution that saves a life. Or, in poorer communities such as Liberia, many patients praise Family Planning because it conducts pregnancy test, cancer test; administers vaccinations; distributes contraceptive pills, etc., for a minimal fee or no free.



Additionally, many Liberians would praise the Planned Parenthood Association of Liberia (PPAL) if it appropriated grants in accordance with the intent of the donors, government, etc. For example, how did PPAL spend its share, if any, of the $279M that Liberias international partners appropriated within the 2016/2017 Budget as per page # 31 of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare? How much, if any, did it receive from the Liberian government as reimbursement for its personnel that performed services on behalf of the Liberia government? Did it expense personnel costs in the same way International Planned Parenthood Federation-IPPF (i.e., its foreign partner) allocated grants between programs and administrative costs?



Liberians will not know PPALs expensing method without a report. Its Website does not provide a financial report but does link a reader to IPPFs, which appropriated $398K for Liberia in 2016. I have emailed PPAL and asked for PPALs financial records. Without PPALs records, let us review the industry by looking at the 2017 annual reports of IPPF, U.S. Planned Parenthood, Finland Planned Parenthood, and Australia Planned Parenthood.



ITEM LIB. P/HOOD INTER. P/HOOD U.S.A. P/HOOD AUS. P/HOOD FIN. P/HOOD TOTAL REVENUE $102M $1,459M $63M $19M GOV. GRANT 84M 543M GRANT (RELATED PARTY) $398K 17M GOV. GRANT TO REV. RATIO 82% 38% 0% TOTAL EXPENSES: 94M PROGRAM EXPENSES 51M 822M 49M 13M PRO. EXP. TO REV. RATIO 50% 56% 78% 68% CENTRAL NON-P/EXPENSES 15M 256M 3M 5M PERSONNEL & TRAVEL COSTS 13M CONSULTING EXPENSE 2M REGIONAL NON-PRO. EXP.. 20M PERSONNEL & TRAVEL 13M CONSULTING COSTS 1M TOTAL NON-PROGRAM EXP. 46M NON-PRO EXP. TO REV RATIO 45% 17% 4% 26% TOTAL ASSETS 92M 1,413M 16M 13M CASH & INVESTMENT 72M 844M 8M 1M CASH TO ASSETS RATIO 78% 60% 50% 7% CASH TO GOV. GRANT RATIO 70% 57% 0% 0%

GOV. IS GOVERNMENT; REV. IS REVENUE; PRO. IS PROGRAM; EXP. IS EXPENSE;

It would have been a good idea to review how much of the revenue PPAL allocated for programs and administrative expenses. However, should one assume, without PPALs records, that it adopted the appropriation method of IPPF and, or the method of the U.S. Planned Parenthood? Or, did it imitate the method of the Parenthood-Australias or the Parenthood-Finland? IPPF, located at 4 Newhams Row, London, SE1, United Kingdom, reported that it allocated 51% of its revenue on programs and 45% on administrative costs. The program appropriation included $23M allocated for Africa and $398K for Liberia. Similarly, the U.S. Planned Parenthood spent 55% on programs.



On the other hand, the Finland Planned Parenthood and Australia Planned Parenthood received zero grant from their respective governments; and appropriated more than 68% and 78% for programs respectively. Again, IPPF (i.e., PPALs foreign partner) did not only spend 45% of its revenue on non-program activities but kept $72M cash in its bank accounts, which was 78% ($72/$92) of its total assets. Similarly, the US Parenthood kept $844M cash in its bank accounts, which was 57% of the money (grants) received from its government. This financial arrangement is troubling since, for example, 57% of the U.S. Parenthoods revenue (i.e., the sources of its cash) came from U.S. taxpayers.



Keeping 78% CASH of IPPFs total REVENUE or keeping 56% CASH of U.S. Parenthoods total ASSETS was not prudent. Why do I say so? This is because an increase in IPPFs allocation based on government revenue might compel the GOVERNMENT cut program funding. On the other hand, an increase in cash in bank accounts will compel the NGO to reduce funding for PROGRAMS. More so, keeping a significant amount of cash idle might discourage some donors from funding needed programs. Similarly, within the bank industry, loan officers do not approve loan applications made by managers who keep huge cash idle.



Besides the inefficiency of these two institutions, NGOs owned by the World Bank have and continue to underperform. In 1999, the Operations Evaluating Department of the World Bank reported that World Bank-owned NGOs unsatisfactory performance rate was 33%. The author of the report determined the 33% rate by reviewing governments projects financed by borrowed money from the Bank. (Inweb90.worldbank.org). The report advised Bank-owned NGOs to improve performance if it wanted governments to continue to borrow money from the Bank.

Without a report from PPAL, some readers might think its shortcomings, if any, are not different from the poor performance of World Bank-owned NGOs, IPPF or what anti-NGOs advocates has alleged against the American Planned Parenthood. The anti-NGOs activist stated that womens health services to be provided by Planned Parenthood are dropping:

Breast Exams  11.6% drop in services; Cryotherapy [Cancer Screening/Prevention;

Procedures  17.9% drop in services; Colposcopy [Cancer Screening/Prevention]

Procedures  12.8% drop in services; Overall Cancer Screening & Prevention  2.5% drop in services; Genital Warts (HPV) Treatments  15% drop in services

HPV Vaccinations  6.7% drop in services; Pregnancy Tests  7.9% drop in services

Birth control information and services provided  4.6% drop in services; Reversible Contraception Clients, Women  3.6% drop in services; Emergency Contraception Kits  17.6% drop in services; Female Sterilization Procedures  18.5% drop in services.

In closing, the Liberian government should share with the public whatever report PPAL might have submitted to authorities if PPAL fails to provide reports of its activities.

SOURCES:




President George Manneh Weah Stricken Statistics on the Need for a Radical Socio-Economic Reform in Liberia (the 1970s -2018):

It is an exigent imperative to point out that Liberia needs a broad-based development agenda for its socio-economic transformation. This is a fact that the nation has been lagging behind in all most all spectrums of development, especially, in the area of infrastructures and market-driven human capital. For instance, only 10% of 11, 400 km of roads are paved. 60% of the unpaved road is in a terrible condition. Only less than 3% of the population is connected to power-grid; the nation is one of the highest costs of electricity in the World at a rate of 39 Cent per KHW. The high unemployment rate has witnessed an increment from 2.30% in 2016 to 2.39% in 2017, according to the International Labor Organization. Considering these frustrating statistics on the economy and infrastructures, President George Manneh Weah declared upon his popular victory at 2017 polls that his administration would be a Pro-poor one. That means it will place more emphasis on issues and projects that anticipated and aimed at taking thousands of underprivileged Liberians out of poverty and unbearable standards of living through its social and economic projects across the nation. The plan will remain the core development strategy for the Weah led administration until 2023. It is, however, pertinent to state that prior to this new agenda, the former President had also designed the Agenda for Transformation (AFT) which was not fully implemented until it got replaced by It is an exigent imperative to point out that Liberia needs a broad-based development agenda for its socio-economic transformation. This is a fact that the nation has been lagging behind in all most all spectrums of development, especially, in the area of infrastructures and market-driven human capital. For instance, only 10% of 11, 400 km of roads are paved. 60% of the unpaved road is in a terrible condition. Only less than 3% of the population is connected to power-grid; the nation is one of the highest costs of electricity in the World at a rate of 39 Cent per KHW. The high unemployment rate has witnessed an increment from 2.30% in 2016 to 2.39% in 2017, according to the International Labor Organization. Considering these frustrating statistics on the economy and infrastructures, President George Manneh Weah declared upon his popular victory at 2017 polls that his administration would be a Pro-poor one. That means it will place more emphasis on issues and projects that anticipated and aimed at taking thousands of underprivileged Liberians out of poverty and unbearable standards of living through its social and economic projects across the nation. The plan will remain the core development strategy for the Weah led administration until 2023. It is, however, pertinent to state that prior to this new agenda, the former President had also designed the Agenda for Transformation (AFT) which was not fully implemented until it got replaced by PAPD of the current government. The PAPD is a hope for many Liberians and the yardstick of the success of the Weah-led government. The projected gains of the agenda, if met, will be considered a paradigm shift of Liberias economic recovery and infrastructural development. Nevertheless, the program like any other national transformative agenda is confronted with many challenges, as it will be detailed in subsequent discussions.

From the historical context, it can be claimed that the 2018 Liberia is not too different from Liberia in the 1970s in terms of disparity between the poor and wealthy class. In other words, inequality is still wide and the line between the masses and the so-called bourgeois is still thick. In 1970, less than 20% of the labor force was employed in the formal modern sector, while 74 percent was employed in low-productivity agriculture. Concessions employed only 7% of workers, notwithstanding their large share in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and exports. Salary disparity across the sectors was stark: A mere 3.9 % of the population controlled more than 60 % of income, and a large share of the benefits from enclave sectors was repatriated by foreign investors. By the 1970s, the government was trying to counteract these trends, but the efforts were too little, too late. With the global decline in commodity prices during the late 1970s, expected revenue flows from natural resource rents failed to materialize, and the governments fiscal position deteriorated. Liberia began a long-term economic decline, which was exacerbated by a subsequent military coup and ultimately outright civil conflict. (see Agenda for Transformation: steps towards to Liberia RISING 2030). According to the World Bank, the extreme poverty in Liberia is more than 50%. That means more than two million Liberians are living under the poverty line. This indicates that previous efforts since the 1970s have never yielded any proper fruition in terms of equitable distribution of wealth through inclusive and comprehensive development that can touch everyones life within the Republic. Therefore, there is an exigent need to review the nations development policies in order to tackle and address the root causes of poverty and underdevelopment. Hence, the President Weahs PAPD with its four cardinal pillars  if it is well executed and implemented- will be a great step and good continuation for the attempted previous efforts to shift the paradigm of development and socio-economic reforms in Liberia. According to Mrs. Sara Walter, the Countrys Director of USAID in Liberia The launch of the PAPD will have long-term positive effects for Liberias future. (Menkor, 2018). She also pointed out that the PAPD plan lays out a bold vision and provides a framework for advancing national development priorities as the government works to implement this agenda in the best interest of Liberians. (Menkor, 2018).

Relational Correlation between the PRS, AFT, and PAPD:

The Pro-Poor Agenda for Development and Prosperity is a continuation of previous efforts exhibited by the former administration, which was led by the Ex-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Liberia is a poverty-stricken nation. Thus, inclusive and comprehensive economic growth have been embodied in predecessors of the PAPD such as the Ellen-led Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) followed by Agenda for Transformation (AFT). All of those socioeconomic policies sought to reduce the gap between the poor and the wealthy through equitable distribution of wealth, transparency in the governance process and addressing the infrastructural deficit in the country. The PRS - a three-year development plan (208-2011) - had five pillars: security, economic revitalization, governance and the rule of law, infrastructure and basic facilities. These fundamental pillars of the PRS were designed to address poverty and its root causes in Liberia. However, it considerably achieved in some areas such as peace and security, relative restoration of the rule of law and building infrastructure. Among the direct impacts made by PRS were inter ilia, construction, and pavement of nearly 2500km of the road, electrical generation capacity increased from practically zero to 23 megawatt (MW). As a result, exports have increased from US$175 million in 2006 to US$295.2 million in 2011. Nonetheless, there was still an urgent need to put a new strategy together to further address poverty, weak infrastructure, and fragile peace and governance structures as a result of that, AFT was instituted by the previous administration as well. Therefore, the connection can be established between these two economic programs of the previous administration and the current one by saying that PAPD aimed at addressing Liberias abject poverty and weak institutional and infrastructure system. Of course, these were somehow embodied in the predecessors of PAPD even though the problems were not fully addressed and remedied.

Relational Correlation between PAPD & International Development Programs:

The PAPD is a national agenda that aims at narrowing down the economic and infrastructural problems in Liberia. However, in order for this ambitious development policy to succeed, it has to be in line with some regional, continental and global development agenda to ease the persuasion of external partners such as IMF, AfDB, EU, and Liberias development partners in the Middle East to fund and finance the program. Hence, this piece chooses the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals ((SDGs) and the 2063 agenda of the African Union (AU) to compare and see the correlation between these two development initiatives at both continental and global levels and Liberia's PAPD. The 2063 Agenda is a long-term strategic plan for socio-economic reforms on the African continent spearheaded by the African Union. It builds on and seeks to accelerate the implementation of past and existing continental initiatives for growth and sustainable development; these are vividly noticed in the PAPD. Meanwhile, the United Nations' SDGs or Global Goals according to the UNDP "are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity". The overall objective of the SDGs is to reduce abject poverty and narrow the gap between the poor and rich through humanly and decent lives for the people of the planet. Hence, if careful perusal and analysis are done on the four pillars of PAPD, it would be concluded that they are in line with the United Nations SDGs.



Challenges of PAPD:

It is undeniable fact that PAPD encounters huge challenges to successfully achieve its four cardinal pillars, which are: 1. Power to the people. 2. Economy and job. 3. Sustaining peace. 4. Governance and transparency. However, having said that the agenda has many challenges is not exceptionally labeled on the PAPD alone. Any national development program even in highly advanced nations can face a set of obstacles. Especially, Liberia is being crippled in almost all of these pillars. This means that the government has to invest a lot of efforts and resources both tangible and intangible, human and financial to have these pillars in full or achieve some in the set period. Because the task is too huge, and five years period is too short but not impossible to make a remarkable achievement if good modalities and coordinated teams are put into place. Further, the nation is being faced with huge economic downturn since Mr. Weah took over the office. This situation even led the World Bank to project that Liberias fiscal year will likely experience a budget shortfall or fiscal deficit at about 5% of its GDP or $USD 112 Million dollars. However, the recent announcement by the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) indicates that it is in a better position to generate US$647.6 million 2018-2019 fiscal year according to Thomas Doe, Commissioner General of LRA. (Yomah, 2018). Besides, rising and securing the confidence of development partners and investors to raise about 6.2 billion to finance the agenda calls for coordinated and strong policy reforms. Furthermore, Samuel P. Jackson, a renowned Liberian economist has extensively written on the challenges that face PAPD faces, which can be summed up by saying that the program is highly aspirational but considering the economic, social and infrastructural realities on the ground makes him be a little bit skeptical about the timely success of this ambitious plan of the Weah-led administration (Jackson, 2018). Nevertheless, these challenges are simply capable to be used as opportunities for the CDC-led government lay down a formidable foundation for the socioeconomic reform in Liberia.



Prospects of PAPD:

Realistically and optimistically, there are a lot of positive prospects for the Pro-Poor Agenda for Development and Prosperity to shift the paradigm of economic recovery, improving on infrastructures and other connected and annexed development programs. This thesis is based on the fact that the previous administration had relatively laid down the foundation in many of those areas that President Weah-led government is focusing on now, though the method and acceleration might be different. In addition, security and peace which are the backbone of development had been relatively sustained over the last decade since the Civil War ended in 2003. Notwithstanding the nation is still listed as a fragile state according to the International Monetary Fund, (IMF, 2018). Nevertheless, it has made lots of progress in sustaining its stability for all most 15 years now since the Accra Peace Accord was signed and sealed in 2003. These above-mentioned indicators are clear signs for the successfulness of the PAPD if it takes other measures into considerable accounts such as accountability, swiftness in its development projects implementation with less bureaucracy and red-tapism. These have been over the years the major obstacles for having impact-driven development agenda on the masses in Liberia. It is highly projected and anticipated that PAPD will make a big success in improving on the nations dilapidated road infrastructures which, if done, will set a roadmap for resuscitating the economic and domestic revenue generation. Building road infrastructure will play a pivotal role in booming agricultural production from rural areas, it will also ease decentralization of commercial activities thus creating thousands of job opportunities and demonrovializing (Not centralizing governance in Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia) the economy.



Recommendations:

This work, however, recommends to the government of Liberia these following points as mechanisms to ensure and assure the proper implementation of the four cardinal pillars of PAPD - power to people, economic and job, sustaining peace and governance and transparency -; (i) Zero tolerance to corruption, it is never a novel to discuss financial malpractices at all levels of implementation of such an ambitious project of the government, because it can be the major obstacle that can simply change the opportunity to calamity in any progressive journey for national development programs. This was emphatically pointed out by Mrs. Sara Walter the USAIDs Country Director to Liberia during the launching of the Agenda when she said, Achieving targets in the Pro-poor Agenda will require tradeoffs, hard work sacrifice, zero tolerance for self-enrichment. Thus, Mr. President needs to double up and further strengthen his effort in fighting misappropriation of the public fund when he really wants to be successful in achieving this promising agenda (PAPD). (ii) Effective Public-Private Partnership (EPPP), it is fact that can never be denied that Liberias national budget is unable to carry out its development aspiration under the frame of PAPD if more than 85% of the budget is consumed by recurrent expenditures. That means less than 15% of the budget is being allocated for the capital investment, which is the core for sustainable development. Of course, this percentage is categorically unable to help the government to achieve its Pro-poor agenda in five years. Therefore, among the many options and alternatives is to form an effective partnership with the private sector by creating smooth, smart and less bureaucratic investment climate. Privatization with its various formula is highly needed and must be employed for Liberias development drive. For instance, encouraging the private sector to engage into building operating and transferring (BOT) or building, transferring and operating (BTO) or building own-operate (BOO) and other forms of EPPP as urged and encouraged by section (73) of the Public Procurement and Concessions Act of 2005.

This practice can lessen the burden on the government, at the same time, it can expedite the development pace. (iii) holding persuasive and effective conversations with the nations major development partners such as the World Bank, IMF, African Development Bank, USAID, the United States Government, European Union, African Union, China and Liberias economic partners in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE among others. In other words, economic diplomacy needs to be atop of Liberias foreign relations in order to attract foreign direct investment in billions of dollars to fund the PAPD. (iv) Encouraging the Liberianization Policy by encouraging local technicians, engineers, and business to adopt and claim the ownership of the agenda, this is because that PAPD is not but a process of the socioeconomic recovery scheme of the State. As such, long-term mechanism needs to be instituted for sustainability and reliability on local skills and firms to continue this lofty and supercilious adventure. Empowering local firms will have more and direct economic impact on people than foreign businesses. This does not mean in any way not to work with others, but the nation is developed and promising if its people are positively engaged in its development programs. (vi) Investing in capacity building and preparing reliable and market-driven human resources through investing in education especially vocational training in the most needed fields. For example, construction, carpentry, IT, electrical engineering, entrepreneurship, and others. This will help young people who constitute two-thirds of our population to gradually graduate from poverty, and eventually equip them to not only be productive employees but also be job-creators and innovators. Finally, demonrovialization of public goods and services will also play a significant role in helping the Weah-led administration to achieve this ambitious and socioeconomic revolutionary agenda (PAPD).



About the Author: Mory DA Sumaworo is a Ph.D. Candidate in Law (IIUM), Malaysia. Founder and Executive Director of the African Institute for Development Research (AIDER) @MSumaworo. mory6140@gmail.com




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MATSAPHA  The Minister of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) is ready to do business unusual, by setting goals as soon as possible.

The Minister, Princess Sikhanyiso, has already set goals that have to be met by her ministry as soon as possible.



The first one being that she wants three bills, the Cyber Crime Bill, Electronics Communications Bill and Data Protection Bill to be passed into law.

Speaking during her first official public appearance as a minister at the ICT Fair, that was held at the University of Eswatini (UNESWA), Princess Sikhanyiso said these laws were needed to protect emaSwati.



Worth noting, the princess addressed the gathering which comprised students, exhibitors, lecturers and businesspeople in vernacular.

She explained that the reason she made her remarks in siSwati was because she wanted to cement the ministrys objective of promoting the language. Her statement was received with a rousing applause.



The minister then mandated the UNESWA Vice-Chancellor, Professor Justice Mandla Thwala, to ensure that the history of emaSwati formed part of the institutions curriculum.



Pleaded



She then pleaded with the girlchild not to doubt herself, by saying information and technology was meant for males only.

The princess emphasised that this perception was wrong.



She pointed out that her ministry was planning to educate emaSwati about the importance of electing women into political positions. However, she said it was also important for women to understand that they needed to support each other.



On another note, Princess Sikhanyiso stated that there was a need to establish a database in the country on skills possessed by the youth.

She said the reason being that about 60 per cent of the countrys population was made up of the youth.

According to the recent census, the minister said the countrys population stood at 1 093 238.



I was shocked to learn that a majority of this figure was made up of infants and toddlers, whose ages range from zero to four years old.

This is the dependent population. There are 130 208 of them. Then you compare that figure with those of the elderly, which stands at 9 019, she said.

She also encouraged financial institutions, such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and others to assist the country.



Encouraging



The minister also stated that they were encouraging people to utilise technology profitably with no malice intended.

She noted that some people used their skills to hack into other peoples accounts, especially on social media.

With a smile, Princess Sikhanyiso revealed that someone had created a fake Facebook page using her details.
By Trend





Illegal visits by some European MPs to the occupied Azerbaijani territories are not a personal initiative, Aydin Guliyev, political expert and editor-in-chief of the Baki Khabar newspaper, told Trend.

New facts prove that these visits are an integral part of an international criminal network, he said.

The facts show that some well-known members of the PACE and the European Parliament carry out a mission to support separatist tendencies in various countries by all means, they encourage activities aimed at violating the territorial integrity of states and carry out this crime under the direct instruction of the Armenian mafia, he noted.

This was once again confirmed by Albanias including Cypriot MEP Eleni Theocharous in the list of undesirable persons for criminal activities against the constitutional norms of that country, he said. Earlier, Theocharous was included in the list of undesirable persons for constant unlawful visits to Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh region occupied by Armenia and a criminal case was initiated against her. The biography of this person includes facts of legal prosecution by Ukraine for supporting ethnic separatism.

The expert said all this testifies that Theocharous receives all possible support from the Armenian mafia.

The close cooperation between Theocharous and Kaspar Karampetyan, a Greek by origin, who is an active lobbyist of the Armenian separatism against Azerbaijan, gives reason to draw very serious conclusions, the expert noted.

Karampetyans financing illegal visits of all European MPs, including Theocharous, to the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, brings clarity to many issues," the expert said.

In this context, the investigation materials of the German special services in connection with the Armenian mafia in that country are of particular interest, he noted. These materials provide interesting information on the close cooperation of the Armenian mafia with the MPs of the German Bundestag, who made an illegal visit to Nagorno-Karabakh, with Albert Weiler, the founder of the German-Armenian Forum, as well as with Armenias envoy in Germany.

Guliyev said that the Armenian mafia supports all centers of separatism in Europe and organizes visits to the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The worst thing is that this symbiosis of political mafia, behind which Armenia stands, is already getting roots in such international structures as PACE and the European Parliament, he noted. The illegal visits to Nagorno-Karabakh by some representatives of Europe and their attempts to recognize the separatist regime created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories can be explained only by the above-mentioned ties.

He noted that it is time to investigate the fact that European political entities have fallen under the influence of the Karampetyan-Theocharous group.

This is an important issue from the point of view of universal peace, security and well-being in Europe, Guliyev added.




Radamel Falcao (32 ans) aurait transmis son curriculum vitae au Real Madrid, en vue de laider a ameliorer son secteur offensif.

Si lon en croit les informations relayees par Marca, lattaquant colombien cherche une porte de sortie et a propose ses services au triple champion dEurope. Son profil serait a letude, du cote des dirigeants madrilenes. Ces derniers pourraient envisager de le prendre jusquau terme de la saison.

Le media souligne la situation delicate du club monegasque et indique que ce dernier serait favorable au fait de se separer de son gros salaire.
The new opening hours of the National Archaeological Museum, the Byzantine and Christian Museum and the Epigraphic Museum in Athens

Greek culture ministry has changed the opening hours of the National Archaeological Museum, the Byzantine and Christian Museum and the Epigraphic Museum in Athens this Saturday, due to the celebrations to mark the anniversary of the Polytechnic Uprising on November 17, 1973, ANA reports.

The opening hours of the museums, for this Saturday only, are as follows:

National Archaeological Museum: 08:00 to 13:00

Byzantine and Christian Museum: 09:00 to 13:00

Epigraphic Museum: 08:00 to 13:00

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: Hoverfish License: CC-BY-SA
Historic routes can play a major role in revealing the unique history, culture and natural assets of territories along them, becoming a powerful promotional tool and a unique instrument to increase tourism competitiveness for many destinations

Madrid, Spain, 16 November 2018  Following the first edition held two years ago, the 2nd International Congress on World Civilizations and Historic Routes (15-16 November) concluded today in Sofia, Bulgaria. In the framework of the European Year of Cultural Heritage and the EU-China Tourism Year, the event explored how tourism along historic routes can help to safeguard and promote tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

Organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Ministry of Tourism of Bulgaria, the congress explored the role of national and regional public bodies in enhancing of historic routes, particularly across nations. It gathered Ministers from four continents, as well as public and private experts representing iconic cultural tourism routes including Route 66, the Way of Saint James (Camino de Santiago), the Phoenicians Route and the Silk Road.

Historic routes can play a major role in revealing the unique history, culture and natural assets of territories along them, becoming a powerful promotional tool and a unique instrument to increase tourism competitiveness for many destinations, said UNWTO Deputy Secretary-General Jaime Cabal opening the event.

Nikolina Angelkova, Minister of Tourism of Bulgaria, outlined her plans to advance cultural tourism in Bulgaria. Cultural tourism can play a key role in turning Bulgaria into an all-year-round tourism destination. We are considering creating an ancient civilizations route incorporating UNESCO monuments, which would better acknowledge and promote the Balkan region as a tourism destination, she said.

Discussions centred on identifying best practices in tourism development, management and promotion that can help to harness the tourism potential of historic routes, enhance the value of their cultural heritage, and preserve their authenticity. Successful examples were exchanged of well-developed and managed historic routes, with a focus on ways to maximize tourisms socio-economic impacts for local communities and contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals.

In recent years cultural tourism has emerged as a major driver of demand, in line with travellers growing interest to immerse themselves in tourism experiences such as local rituals and traditions. The congress produced a useful set of recommendations that can provide guidance to all tourism stakeholders interested in harnessing the potential that cultural heritage routes offer for enhancing the attractiveness and competiveness of destinations.

Video recordings of the 2nd International Congress on World Civilizations and Historic Routes will be uploaded early next week.

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
The downward trend of the crisis reversed during the last couple of years mainly due to Athens tourist boom and the expansion of Airbnb short-term renting in the citys center

Athens Ermou, the citys main retail street, is the 15th most expensive retail street in the world according to Cushman & Wakefields annual Main Streets Across The World Report, greekreporter.com notes in the following article:

The average annual rent along Ermou Street reached 3,000 ($3,750) per square meter in 2018, while last year the average rent was 2,640 ($3,000).

Ermou was ranked among the ten most expensive streets in the planet before the financial crisis. That changed dramatically during the last several years, with 2013 being the year with the lowest rents and Ermou sinking to the 31st position among the worlds most expensive retail streets.

More specifically, the average annual rent prior to the crisis was 4,320 ($4,905) per square meter while in 2013 it had dropped to 1,800 (2,045) for the same amount of space.

The downward trend reversed during the last couple of years, nevertheless, mainly due to Athens tourist boom and the expansion of Airbnb short-term renting in the citys center. These developments led big firms to invest millions of euros in the street, giving it a chance to obtain a new look and attract many more consumers, locals and tourists alike.

The first five most expensive retail streets in the globe, according to the same report, are located in Hong Kong, New York, London, Paris and Milan.

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: ChristosV License: CC-BY-SA
Boursa Kuwait has announced the launch of an Over the Counter Market (OTC), a new trading platform for those companies that are not listed on the bourse.



The new market will serve as a trading platform for companies that are not listed on Boursa Kuwait.



OTC transactions will be carried out through licensed brokerage offices working under Capital Market Authority bylaws and Boursa Kuwait rules for the OTC market, said a statement from Boursa Kuwait.



The newly introduced market aims to create a transparent environment by bringing buyers and sellers together using fully supervised mechanisms. The trading platform will adopt the clearing and settlement procedures, it stated.



Boursa Kuwait said it has also developed a comprehensive offering for OTC market transactions, where records of shareholders will be subject to the maintained by Kuwait Clearing Company.



The OTC platform will facilitate transparent trading to protect investors interests, it added.



CEO Khaled Abdulrazzaq AlKhaled said: "Introducing an OTC market will help strengthen Kuwaits economy by creating and diversifying the investment opportunities for both investors and business owners who are eager to venture into new territories, but to whom protective mechanisms are of great importance."



"As the first offer of its kind in the region, this important step showcases Boursa Kuwaits efforts to not only support the local investment community but, first and foremost, position Kuwaits capital market as a leader in the region," he noted.



The bourse said the OTC was a market developed by Boursa Kuwait as a supplement to the current exchange and is the only market in the region specific to the electronic trading of unlisted stocks.



Since its establishment in 2014, Boursa Kuwait has been committed to raising the standards of the Kuwaiti market, facilitating the development of a sound, internationally recognized, leading regional exchange, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabia has announced a major housing developement programme under which more than 19,000 residential units will be built in major areas of the kingdom for beneficiaries of its Sakani scheme.



The Housing Ministry, represented by the Sakani programme, has already signed five agreements with four real estate development companies for the setting up of these villas and townhouses, reported Arab News.



The signing ceremony was held in the presence of the Housing Minister Majed bin Abdullah Al Hogail and other senior government officials including those from the ministry and Real Estate Development Fund besides the CEO of the National Housing Company.



Under this programme, a total of 19,359 housing units will be set up in Riyadh, Jeddah, Buraidah and Al Khobar for Sakani beneficiaries, stated the report.



Of the five projects, Murooj Jeddah will include 10,000 housing units, while Luluat Al Bahar in Jeddah will have 8,000, Tanal in Riyadh around 1,008, Areen in Al Khobar 273 and Basateen Al Qassim in Buraidah around 78 housing units.



The projects will include dedicated sites for mosques, parks and government agencies, it added.
Bahrains leading property and facility management company Real Search will be offering a range of services to buyers and renters of properties at the winter edition of Gulf Property Show, a boutique showcase for real estate sector in the Northern Gulf.

To be held from November 21 to 24, Gulf Property Show at The Avenues - Bahrain complements its flagship event that takes place annually every April, said the organisers Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE).

Real Search currently manages over 3,000 units, and is striving to continue to lead in the sector of property and facility management.

Its portfolio of properties managed by Real Search include Dar Al Salam Port in Reef Island; The Breaker, the highest precast tower in the Middle East region; The Treasure in Dilmunia Island, Meeds National Residential Project of the Year for 2018; 360, in Durrat Marina, The Grand, The Tweet and Business Bay in Seef District, The Homes in Hamala, Spark Residence and Storm in Juffair, The One, La Vida, Dar Tower and Plus Tower in Busaiteen, The Nest in Sanabis and Dragon Apartments in Diyar Al Muharraq.

Each property managed by Real Search is provided a 24-hour service ranging from security to concierge services.

Real Searchs services include extensive research for home buyers, assessing the community that best fits the buyer, factoring in lifestyle and matchmaking a suitable home.

The company provides added value advice including assistance with decor and furnishing to match the clients requirements. Whether it is for rent or sale, the properties managed by Real Search are diversified to cater all clients, said the statement from HCE.

Real Search general manager Abdulrahman Alkooheji said: "Gulf Property Show is Bahrains largest and leading event for property and real estate development. The brand of the platform is very strong, so the addition of the mall event fulfills our business goals to promote our companys capabalities to ensure that buyers and renters get the best value out of their investment and ensure convenience of living in their dream home."

"Real Searchs team of multinational professionals listen to the clients and offer financial advice along with detailed reports to the properties they have invested in. From home staging to online listing and viewing, their agents are equipped with all the necessary tools to market properties invested in for sale or rental," Jubran Abdulrahman, the managing director of organisers HCE.

"This invaluable service will enhance the investor experience at Gulf Property Show," he stated.

The Gulf Property Show carries the strategic sponsorship of El Mercado Village and the strategic organizational support of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority of Bahrain (Rera), Survey and Land Regulatory Bureau (SLRB) and the Urban Planning and Development Authority of Bahrain.

HCE have partnered with Colours Events & Exhibitions for the operational organisation of the Avenues  Bahrain event and have added Careem as the ride partners to facilitate easy access to the event for visitors.-TradeArabia News Service
Dubai carrier Emirates was a star attraction at the Bahrain International Airshow, thanks to its A380 aircraft, which drew over 11,000 visitors in three days to its stand.



The largest operator of the A380 with 105 in its fleet flying to 50 destinations, Emirates was aldo the first airline to order the double-decker aircraft.



Over 114 million passengers have flown the Emirates A380 since it commenced operations in 2008.

The A380 that was on display at the event carried the distinctive decal of UAE's founding father Late Sheikh Zayed.



Emirates 100th A380 was open to both trade visitors and the general public, allowing them a glimpse into the largest commercial passenger aircraft in the world.



The aircraft boasts 14 luxurious First Class Suites, 76 flatbed seats in Business Class, and 429 generously pitched seats in Economy Class. The aircraft also featured the newly refreshed OnBoard Lounge.

The A380 fleet has also flown over 129,000 round trips and has travelled over 1.765 billion km.



The Emirates Flight Training Academys Phenom 100EV was also on display for the first time at the Bahrain Airshow which welcomed nearly 2,000 visitors.



Emirates has been operating to the Kingdom of Bahrain since 2000 and today serves the destination with 28 weekly flights.-TradeArabia News Service
Armenia Proposes Keeping CSTO Secretary General Post - Ambassador to Russia

NOVOSIBIRSK, November 17 (Sputnik) Armenia does not hide that it would like to retain the post of secretary general of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and has already offered its new candidate for this post, Armenian Ambassador to Russia Vardan Toganyan told reporters on Saturday.

On November 2, Armenia prematurely recalled its representative at the post of the CSTO Secretary General, Yuri Khachaturov, and his deputy Valery Semerikov became the organization's acting head. At the same time, Yerevan insists it should retain the leadership until 2020.

"The heads of state have already agreed that they would decide on this on December 6 at an extraordinary summit ... Therefore, we will wait for December 6. Armenia, of course, proposed the candidacy, and we didn't hide it. We want to continue [holding the post of the CSTO secretary general]," the ambassador said without specifying the name of the candidate.
Bahrain Plans to Launch 1st Satellite by End of 2020 - Space Agency Head

MANAMA, Nov 16 (Sputnik) Bahrain plans to launch its first satellite by the end of 2020, Chief Executive of the National Space Science Agency of Bahrain (NSSA) Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Asiri told Sputnik on Friday.

"We expect to launch our first nanosatellite by the end of 2020. This will be a small CubeSat satellite designed for the study of the environment. The nanosatellite will transmit data for weather forecast, as well as information on emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere at the enterprises of Bahrain," Al Asiri said on the sidelines of the BIAS-2018 airshow.

He noted that Bahrain was currently focused on developing small satellites, but expected to start making bigger ones for national needs in the future.
Demonstrators burn Sachin Pilot's effigy in Tonk

Jaipur, Nov 17 (UNI) Demonstration and slogan shouting in protests against denial of Congress ticket to some aspirants continued at the various places in Rajasthan and New Delhi on Saturday.

Supporters of former Minister Brij Kishore Sharma held demonstration at the party state headquarters here in protests against denial of ticket to Sharma, the son of former Gujarat Governor late Nawal Kishore Sharma.

However, Mr Sharma said that despite his dismay over dropping his name he would continue to be the most disciplined worker of the party and will perform any of the task assigned to him by the leadership.
Iran, Iraq Plan to Create Free Trade Zone, Boost Trade to $20Bln - Rouhani

MOSCOW, November 17 (Sputnik) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told reporters on Saturday that he and his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih had agreed to create a free trade zone.

Earlier in the day, Rouhani and Salih held a meeting in the Iranian capital of Tehran, during which they discussed bilateral cooperation and regional development.

"We have agreed to create a free trade zone between the two countries, which will enable us to launch joint ventures," Rouhani said at a press conference held after the meeting, as broadcast by Press TV.
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Washington, Nov 17 (UNI) The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of US has found that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul last month.

The CIA version contradicts the Saudi governments claim that the Saudi prince was not involved in the killing, Washington post said in a report.

The CIAs conclusion about Mohammeds role was also based on the agencys assessment of the prince as the countrys de facto ruler who oversees even minor affairs in the kingdom. The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved, said a U.S. official familiar with the CIAs conclusions.

UNI XC JAL 0540
Lebanon will not accept nationalisation of Syrian refugees: Minister

Beirut, Nov 17 (Xinhua) Lebanese caretaker Minister of Displaced Affairs, Mouin Merhebi, said on Saturday that Lebanon is committed to hosting and protecting Syrian refugees but it is completely against their nationalization, local media reported.

"Lebanon insists on securing a safe and voluntary return of Syrian refugees to their homeland by providing them with legal guarantees for a secure return, "Merhebi was quoted by the National News Agency as saying.

Merhebi's remarks came during a conference held in the offices of the Ministry of State for Planning Affairs to discuss the situation of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
Male (Maldives), Nov 17 (UNI) New President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Saturday held a crucial meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here and sought Indian assistance for housing, increased development as well as for establishing water and sewerage systems in outlying islands.

"Prime Minister Modi assured President Solih of Indias firm commitment in assisting the Maldives to achieve sustainable social and economic development," a Joint Statement issued here at the end of the meeting said.

The two leaders, while noting the "resilience" of the relations between India and the Maldives, expressed confidence in the renewal of the close bonds of cooperation and friendship with the election of Mr Solih as the President of the Maldives.

It was perhaps one of the first major diplomatic engagement held by the new Maldives President immediately after the swearing in.

During their meeting, both leaders agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean and being mindful of each others concerns and aspirations for the stability of the region. The two leaders expressed their unwavering commitment and support for increased cooperation in combating terrorism both within the region and elsewhere, the Joint Statement said.

According to the statement, President Solih thanked Prime Minister Modi for visiting the Maldives (on Saturday) to participate in the presidential inauguration ceremony while for his part, Mr Modi thanked President Solih for the special gesture of inviting him to the Inauguration Ceremony.

Mr Modi also conveyed greetings and compliments from the people of India to the people of the Republic of Maldives on consolidation of democracy, which is essential for peace, prosperity and stability.

President Solih also briefed Prime Minister Modi on the dire economic situation facing the country as he takes office. The two leaders discussed ways in which India can continue development partnership, particularly to help the new government in meeting its pledges to the people of the Maldives.

Prime Minister Modi assured President Solih of Indias firm commitment in assisting the Maldives and also conveyed Indias readiness to extend help in every possible way and suggested that both sides should meet at the earliest to work out details as per requirements of the Maldives.

Prime Minister Modi also welcomed the expanding opportunities for Indian companies to invest in the Maldives in different sectors for the mutual benefit of both countries.

Recognizing that nationals of both countries travel extensively between the two countries, the leaders also agreed on the need for facilitating easier visa procedures.

Both the leaders invited each other for respective state visits at the earliest.

The elections in Maldives were keenly watched international event in the region. The opposition Maldivian Democratic Partys candidate Mr Solih emerged victorious over incumbent president Abdulla Yameen in the election held on September 23.

Mr Modi's visit to the Maldives was cancelled in 2015 due to the political situation in that country.

Last Indian Prime Minister to visit Maldives was Dr Manmohan Singh in 2011.

There were diplomatic hassles between India and the Maldives during the stint of the outgoing

President Abdulla Yameen, who had imposed several restrictions on judicial and civil and political liberties.

Prime Minister Modi's visit at the swearing in of the new President at the latter's invitation is seen as part of a series of steps to improve bilateral ties.

Congratulations to Mr. @ibusolih on taking oath as the President of the Maldives. Wishing him the very best for his tenure ahead. Looking forward to working with him to strengthen bilateral relations between our nations, PM Modi tweeted after the ceremony.

Prime Minister later departed for Delhi.

"The visit emphasized India's role as a reliable neighbour, supporting Maldives in its progress and security," MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

"Had productive discussions with President @ibusolih," Mr Modi wrote in another missive on the micro blogging site.

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Pompeo, S. Korean minister meet to coordinate on Peninsula issues

WASHINGTON, Nov 17 (Xinhua) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had met with South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon to coordinate on issues related to the Korean Peninsula, the State Department said Friday.

Pompeo and Cho "affirmed their commitment to close coordination" and "discussed ways to deepen coordination so that inter-Korean cooperation and progress on US-DPRK negotiations toward denuclearisation remain aligned," according to a statement issued by State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert.

The official KCNA news agency of the the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) reported earlier on Friday that Kim Jong Un, the country's top leader, visited the testing ground of the Academy of Defence Science and supervised the test of a newly developed ultramodern tactical weapon.
Putin's upcoming visit to Serbia to help solidify Russian-Serbian ties - Lavrov

MOSCOW, Nov 17 (Sputnik) The upcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Serbia, where he is expected to hold talks with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic, will contribute to the further strengthening of Moscow-Belgrade ties, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Vucic on Wednesday expressed hope that Putin's January visit would become the most productive ever in terms of substance and the number of agreements to be signed.

"We believe that the results of the upcoming high-level talks will contribute to further strengthening of multi-aspect Russian-Serbian ties," Lavrov told Srpski Telegraf newspaper.
Rohingya will not be forced to leave : Bangladesh

United Nations, Nov 17 (UNI) UN Childrens Fund UNICEF welcomed confirmation from the Bangladesh authorities that Rohingya refugees will not return to Myanmar against their will, amid reported ongoing rights violations there.

Hundreds of thousands of Muslim Rohingya have fled Myanmar for Bangladeshs Coxs Bazar camps since late August 2017, amid widespread and systematic violence perpetrated against them.

An investigation commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council maintained that the violence was principally committed by the countrys security forces,particularly the military and many violations amounted to the gravest crimes under international law.
Russia Hopes for deputy Foreign Ministers' talks on fighting terror with US in near future

MOSCOW, Nov 17 (Sputnik) Moscow hopes that a Russian-US meeting on the level of deputy foreign ministers, dedicated to fighting terrorism, will be held in the near future, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said.

"We hope that a meeting between deputy foreign minister of the two countries on fighting terrorism will be held in the near future," Antonov said in an interview with the Russian NTV broadcaster.

The ambassador also expressed hope that he will organize the dialogue between Russian parliamentarians and US congressmen the next year.
Russia to supply weapons to Belarus if needed: Russian ambassador

MINSK, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) Russia is ready to provide Belarus with weapons if needed, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Mikhail Babich told reporters.

"All necessary assistance will be provided in a format and quantity that will be consistent with the situation," Babich said Friday here when asked whether Russia is ready to supply missiles to Belarus if threats are detected from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Russia never separates itself "from Belarus in the defense sector," the ambassador said. Babich said that from 2012 to 2015, NATO adopted an active policy of expanding eastward to deploy various military facilities near the borders of Russia.
Russia confirms 33,996 new Covid-19 cases over past 24 hours: Response Center 23 Nov 2021 | 5:57 PM Moscow, Nov 23 (UNI/Sputnik) Russia has confirmed 33,996 new Covid-19 cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative total to 9,400,835, the federal response center said on Tuesday. see more..

ICRC urges access to humanitarian relief for civilians in Africa's conflict zones 23 Nov 2021 | 5:54 PM Nairobi, Nov 23 (UNI/Xinhua) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Tuesday called for unimpeded access to humanitarian relief for civilians in areas affected by conflict in Africa. see more..

Turkey issues warrants for 112 soldiers over failed coup 23 Nov 2021 | 4:57 PM Istanbul, Nov 23 (UNI/Xinhua) Turkey on Tuesday launched massive operations against 112 soldiers and former military school students over their suspected links to a failed coup attempt in July 2016, media reported. see more..

Malaysian, Chinese central banks renew bilateral currency swap arrangement 23 Nov 2021 | 4:25 PM Kuala Lumpur, Nov 23 (UNI/Xinhua) Malaysia's central bank Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and China's central bank the People's Bank of China (PBOC) have renewed the bilateral currency swap arrangement for a term of five years, with the size maintained at 180 billion yuan or 110 billion ringgit, the BNM said on Tuesday. see more..
United nations, Nov 17 (UNI) The United nations Childrens Fund, UNICEF, has voiced concern and alarm at reports that up to 30 children have been killed during recent violence in Al Shafa village, in eastern Syria.

Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement that the killings demonstrate that the war on children is far from over in Syria.

Mr. Cappelaere added that the Syrian war, which has now lasted almost eight years, has been marked by a complete disregard for the fundamental principle of protection for children, UN said in a statement. Between January and September 2018, the United Nations has verified the killing of 870 children  the highest number ever in the first nine months of any year since the start of the conflict in 2011. These are only verified cases, with actual numbers likely to be much higher.

More than 5 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance, with almost half forced to flee their homes. Many families have lost everything  including, for those who have fled the country, the protections that come with citizenship.

UNICEF is making critical efforts to minimize the impact of the crisis on children, including in the life-saving areas of health, nutrition, immunization, water and sanitation, as well as education and child protection.

Mr. Cappelaere called on warring parties to protect all children, no matter where they are in Syria and no matter whose control they live under.

UNI XC JAL 0524
US, Ukraine say to boost strategic cooperation against Russia

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) The United States and Ukraine announced on Friday that they would set up three working groups, including one focused on security, with an aim to "withstand Russian pressure."

The announcement came after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin met on Friday as part of the 2018 US-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission Meeting in Washington, DC.

The three working groups planned include one focused on security, another on the rule of law and humanitarian issues and the third on the economy and energy, the two sides said in a joint statement issued through the US State Department.
UTSA Honors College student awarded fellowship from Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) at Purdue University.

(Nov. 6, 2018) -- A UTSA Honors College student is the recipient of the 2018 Focus Forward Fellowship and hopes to share the untold stories of female veterans and service members who may be struggling with mental health problems and trauma due to sexual assault and other tough circumstances.

Jennifer Brett enlisted in the U.S. Navy soon after high school and served for 20 years as a Sonar Technician, working on ships and instructing other sailors.

During her military service, Brett experienced sexual assault and said she didnt let terrible experiences define her. Instead, she made it her mission to support other women who experienced similar traumas.

After retiring from the Navy in May of 2016 and moving with her family to San Antonio, Brett decided to pursue her bachelors degree at UTSA.

The Massachusetts native and mother of two, is a multidisciplinary studies major enrolled in the UTSA Honors College. Brett is currently studying topics affecting women in the military community.

Thats my background. I was in the military for a long time and know the challenges women face firsthand, said Brett.

Brett secured the opportunity to network and hear the stories of several successful women from across the nation during the 2018 Focus Forward Fellowship hosted by the Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. The fellowship is designed to help student, women veterans build skills, leadership and a sense of community with their peers.

The Honors College student was one of about 20 women selected from 18 different colleges and universities, representing five branches of service, to be chosen for this fellowship.

This was a transformative experience in a lot of ways. I gained professional development skills, learned about different leadership styles, had my resume reviewed and got tips on how to be successful during interviews, said Brett.

Brett says the experience changed her life and she now has a support system of empowering female colleagues and mentors that she speaks to regularly.

The fellowship continues with web-based activities, while shes at UTSA, that allow her to learn tips on how to apply for graduate school and achieve her professional goals.

I know the obstacles female veterans and service members face and I want to make sure women in the military get the opportunity to have their stories told. We dont hear or tell their stories enough, said Brett. In many cases, women are hesitant to share their experiences, especially if they suffered serious trauma.

Brett is majoring in anthropology with minors in womens studies and linguistics. She is expected to graduate in December of 2019 and plans to attend graduate school and is considering becoming a professor one day.

My goal is to somehow get these womens stories on paper to be saved. The world doesnt know the impact weve made on the military, explained Brett.
By WestKyStar & MSU Staff Nov. 17, 2018 | 02:32 PM | PADUCAH

Murray States Paducah Regional Campus is located in a state-of-the-art facility just off I-24 that features a full-service staff to advise and assist students as well as expert faculty members who teach in a variety of disciplines. The campus includes offerings of Murray States nationally ranked programs and provides access to quality educational opportunities in the Paducah area.



We provide flexible course delivery methods that meet the needs of the adult student who may have many responsibilities other than those required in their role as a student, said Jennifer Frazier, director of the Paducah Regional Campus. Courses are offered during the day, evening and on weekends when needed, allowing students to follow their dreams while staying close to home.





Integrated studies, in particular, serves as a degree completion program at the Paducah Regional Campus that is designed with returning adult students in mind: offering a flexible curriculum schedule, possible credit for professional experiences and a wide variety of fields of study tailored to students' interests.





The Paducah Regional Campus also features 2+2 programs for students attending West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) and seeking to earn a bachelors degree. Additionally, a number of hybrid and online bachelor's, master's certificates and doctoral programs are available.



Murray State University recognizes the importance of serving adult and non-traditional students throughout our region, said Dan Lavit, executive director of the Center for Adult and Regional Education. Many students desire to pursue higher education but cannot put aspects of their life on hold while doing so. Murray States Paducah Regional Campus is proud to serve adult and non-traditional students with flexible and convenient program offerings."





Several new degree offerings are now available at the Paducah Regional Campus, too, including a masters degree in occupational therapy and an accelerated masters degree in mass communications with a public relations concentration . New undergraduate offerings include a bachelors degree in organizational communication and a bachelors degree in logistics and supply chain management.





Were always looking to better serve Paducah and the surrounding region by expanding our offerings with the types of programs that best suit local needs, Lavit said. Our partnership with WKCTC enhances our ability to provide a workforce that is prepared to help the region grow."



The Adult Student Open House will take place Thursday, Nov. 29, from 5 to 7 pm at the Paducah Regional Campus, 4430 Sunset Ave. Free Murray State admissions applications will be offered to those who apply during the open house. Advisors will also be available to talk with students in both one-on-one and breakout information sessions about academic and financial aid opportunities. Children in attendance will be able to participate in a number of activities, including taking pictures with Murray States mascot, Dunker. Refreshments will be served with door prizes and giveaways available as well.





Call 270-809-4753 or visit murraystate.edu/paducah for more information about the Murray State University regional campus in Paducah.

Murray State University is hosting an Adult Student Open House on November 29 from 5 to 7 pm at the Universitys Paducah Regional Campus to highlight the many opportunities available for adult students interested in earning their bachelors or masters degrees.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Nov. 09, 2018 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 09, 2018 | 04:23 PM | PADUCAH

Grocery shoppers can donate to local food pantries while they shop on Saturday, November 17.



Groceries for Good is a community-wide food drive that will help stock the pantries of nine different local charitable organizations in Paducah and three in Massac County. People can donate food to help families in need at the 26th annual food drive. In addition to canned goods, donations accepted include dry food items, baby items, hygiene products, cleaning supplies and paper products.



"I think it's a great way to recognize the blessings that we have individually, and a great way to start out the holiday season of giving," event coordinator Lisa O'Rourke said. "It puts everything into perspective as we go into the holiday season."



Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., participating grocery stores in McCracken and Massac counties will accept donations. They are the three Kroger stores in Paducah, Banks Market in Lone Oak, Cash Saver on Jackson Street, Forthman Foods IGA in Kevil, Food Giant in Reidland, Big Johns and Save-A-Lot in Metropolis.



McCracken County donations will be taken to Paducah Tilghman High School where volunteers will sort the donated items and prepare them for distribution to the nine local agencies. Service agencies will collect donated goods for delivery to families during the holidays.



McCracken agencies participating are The Salvation Army, Family Service Society, Hope Unlimited Family Care Center, Martha's Vineyard, Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center, Paducah Cooperative Ministry, Paducah Day Nursery, River City Mission and St. Vincent de Paul. Massac County agencies include Hope Unlimited, Cope Food Pantry, and Guardian Family Services.



In 2017, the event raised more than $46,000 worth of food and saw over 450 volunteers. O'Rourke said more volunteers are still needed for this years event.



Volunteers include local Boy and Girl Scout troops, youth groups, community members, and students from Paducah Tilghman, McCracken County and St. Mary high schools.



The event is sponsored by The Paducah Sun and The Metropolis Planet, and all proceeds remain local.



For more information on volunteering or to make a cash donation, contact Lisa ORourke at lorourke93@gmail.com or 270-559-6490.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Nov. 16, 2018 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 16, 2018 | 10:43 PM | PADUCAH

Purchase Area Sexual Assault and Child Advocacy Center, or PASAC, announced Friday that they are changing their name to reflect their mission in a modern era where prevention is discussed as much as intervention.



Executive Director Lori Brown explained that the new name, Lotus, represents the spirit of survivors of sexual violence.



"The lotus grows out of the mud, the murk, and grows toward the conditions where it can really thrive, and blooms into one of the most remarkable, beautiful flowers," she said.



The flower does this every day, and Brown said, "For us, it perfectly reflects the healing journey of our survivors, that amazing resiliency. But it also reflects our expanded mission of what we're doing in the community. Our goal for a collective, unified community that supports survivors, that meets survivors with compassion and belief, and a community that says, 'this type of violence is no longer OK,' and takes the responsibilty to work together for us to end this violence."



She recognized some local students from Calloway and Marshall County High Schools who have participated in the "Green Dot" bystander intervention program. Over the last five years, researchers say they have observed a significant reduction in sexual violence perpetration and victimization among students where these programs are in place.



Brown said, "I've been in this work for a long time - 25 years - and I remember a day when we thought prevention wasn't possible, and that is no longer the day. We know prevention is possible."



She thanked those who attended the announcement Friday night, saying the crowd that was there was a glimpse of what they hope to continue doing: providing sanctuary for survivors and working with them, while getting community partners and other providers involved to be a part of their progress.



Brown said, "We hope our mission of supporting survivors, strengthening families, and empowering communities to end violence is all of your mission, too."
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Nov. 17, 2018 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 17, 2018 | 07:07 AM | PADUCAH

A woman was arrested Friday afternoon on warrants and additional charges outside the McCracken County Jail.



According to the McCracken County Sheriff's Department, someone contacted them about 47-year-old Melissa K. Lane, who was visiting the jail, saying there were warrants for her arrest. As she was leaving, a deputy spoke to her and she allegedly gave false information about her identity. When the deputy told Lane he knew there were warrants for her arrest, she attempted to get in her vehicle and leave.



When the deputy told Lane she was under arrest, she reportedly began to fight him, punching him while trying to get her key in the car's ignition. After she was removed from the vehicle, deputies say she continued to struggle in the northbound lane of South 7th Street, but was eventually taken into custody.



Lane was arrested on the two warrants from Fayette County for 2nd degree possession of a forged instrument, and faces additional charges of resisting arrest, assault 3rd degree on an officer, and wanton endangerment 1st degree.



She was taken back into the jail and incarcerated.


By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 16, 2018 | 03:24 PM | ARLINGTON





The city of Arlington will present their "Christmas Around the Block" parade on Saturday, December 1 at 10 am, and they're looking for participants from anywhere in the region.Grand Marshals of the parade will be Robert and Cynthia Hocker, the owners of Hockers, Inc., the oldest family-owned business in Carlisle County. It was established in 1897.Businesses, churches, farmers, civic organizations, schools, marching bands, classic cars, ATVs/RTVs, and horse owners are encouraged to participate in the parade. Decorated entries are encouraged, but not required. Trophies will be awarded for best float, recreational vehicle, tractor, equine entry and cutest pet. Those who participate in the parade will line up at 9 am.Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available for photos immediately after the parade at the Joy Center of Arlington First Baptist Church. Soup, chili, sandwiches and refreshments will be provided.For more information on the parade call Arlington City Hall at 270-655-2261 or Jane Hobbs at 270-841-0069.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Nov. 16, 2018 | GRAND RIVERS

By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 16, 2018 | 05:01 PM | GRAND RIVERS

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet advises motorists that lane restrictions on the I-24 Tennessee River Bridge at mile marker 30 will remain in place during heavy Thanksgiving travel periods, and recommends taking a detour if possible.



Unexpected construction delays during installation of new joints on the bridge have made it necessary for traffic in both directions to be reduced to one lane with a 12-foot maximum load width.



Significant traffic delays will likely occur between exits 27 and 31 during peak travel times.



KYTC suggests drivers consider an extended alternate route via I-69 South and US 68 East between Calvert City and Cadiz.



The suggested alternate adds about 18 minutes of travel time, but it may help motorists avoid delays of an hour or more at mile marker 30 when holiday traffic is heaviest.



Message boards along I-24 eastbound at the Kentucky-Illinois state line and the Kentucky-Tennessee state line will be used to alert drivers to the work zone backup and the likelihood of significant delays.







The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet advises motorists to consider the following alternate routes:





I-24 EASTBOUND Alternate Routes



US 62 Eastbound to KY 453 Northbound at Exit 27



Detour between the I-24/US 62 Calvert City Exit 27 Interchange along US 62 eastbound to KY 453 northbound to the I-24/KY 453 Grand Rivers Exit 31 interchange.



I-69 Southbound to US 68 Eastbound at I-24 Exit 25



At the I-24/I-69 Exit 25 interchange, take I-69 southbound to the US 68 Draffenville Exit 47 interchange, then follow US 68 eastbound to rejoin I-24 at the Cadiz Exit 65 Interchange.





I-24 WESTBOUND Alternate Routes



US 68 Eastbound Exit 65 to I-69 Northbound



Take the US 68 Cadiz Exit 65 interchange, follow US 68 West to the I-69/US 68 Draffenville Exit 47 interchange, then travel I-69 North to rejoin I-24 at the I-24/I-69 Exit 25 Interchange near Calvert City.



KY 453 Southbound to US 62 Westbound at Exit 31



Detour between the I-24/KY 453 Grand Rivers Exit 31 Interchange and the I-24/US 62 Calvert City Exit 27 Interchange.








Nearly 170 dogs were rescued on Monday from a puppy mill near the Minnesota border in northern Iowa, according to a report from the Des Moines Register.The commercial breeding operation, known as White Fire Kennel, was keeping the dogs inside a home and in barn-like structures, Tim Rickey, vice president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) field investigations and response, told the Register.All of the dogs were Samoyeds, a breed of large herding dog with a thick, white, double-layer coat famous for herding reindeer in Siberia, and ranged in age from young puppies to nine years old. They were kept in overcrowded conditions with no access to clean water, the Register reported. Along with the dogs, four neglected cats were also found inside the residence.The investigation was set into motion by the Worth County Sheriffs Office several months ago when local animal welfare groups became aware of the breeders inability to properly care for her animals and alerted local authorities, Emily Schneider of the ASPCA told Teen Vogue in an email. The Worth County Sheriffs Office contacted the ASPCA for assistance with evidence collection, removal, and sheltering of 160 dogs from an inhumane commercial breeding facility often referred to as a puppy mill in Worth County.Were pleased to be able to support the Worth County Sheriffs Office in removing these animals from this heartbreaking situation and providing them with much-needed care and treatment, Schneider told Teen Vogue.Worth County Sheriff Dan Fank told the Des Moines Register that law enforcement tried to work with the individual [operating the kennel] in addressing the growing concerns about the welfare of her animals over the past several months and, unfortunately, met resistance.Many of the dogs were found in filthy, dilapidated kennels in below-freezing temperatures with minimal protection from the elements, the ASPCA said in a statement, according to the Des Moines Register. There is debris scattered throughout the property as responders work to safely remove fearful and under-socialized dogs.Many commercial breeding operations prioritize profit over the well-being of the animals, often producing puppies that suffer from health and behavioral problems, Schneider explained to Teen Vogue. Dogs at these facilities are often kept in crowded, unsanitary conditions without adequate access to veterinary care, food, water, or socialization.The owner, a woman living alone, has criminal charges pending against her, according to another reporter from the Register. Schneider said, Animal neglect charges are pending based on evidence collected by ASPCA experts in support of the investigation.The dogs are all being cared for at a temporary shelter, according to the newspaper, and none of the pups were critically injured. The ASPCA laid out what the next steps are for the rescued pooches.As you can imagine, these dogs have gone through a lot in the past 48 hours, but theyre settling in nicely at the temporary shelter and its wonderful to see these dogs enjoying treats and enrichment toys in their kennels, Schneider wrote. Over the next couple days, ASPCA veterinary and behavior experts will be conducting medical exams, as well as implement behavior enrichment protocols such as providing socialization, treats, and toys until disposition is determined by the court.Weve received many inquiries from pet lovers expressing interest in adopting these dogs, and we ask for their patience as these animals are considered evidence in an active case led by the Worth County Sheriffs Office, Schneider explained. We hope to assist the Sheriffs Office in giving people an opportunity to adopt when the time is right, and we plan to keep the public updated as the case goes through the court process.While none of the dogs can be adopted yet, you can still donate to the ASPCA in the meantime.The ASPCA has rescued countless dogs from puppy mills across the nation and has been active in promoting legislation at both the state and federal levels to strengthen regulations and improve oversight of the standards of care of dogs in commercial breeding facilities, Schneider said. The ASPCAs Barred From Love campaign urges the public to speak out against cruel breeding and also encourages dog lovers to adopt from a local shelter or rescue group or learn how to identify a responsible breeder.




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Education secretary visits Wrexham school to launch consultation on anti-bullying

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Nov 17th, 2018

The Welsh Government cabinet secretary for education has visited a Wrexham high school to launch the draft guidance on anti-bullying and toolkit.

Ysgol Y Grango, in Rhosllanerchrugog, was selected to host the North Wales regional consultation event for young people of secondary school age.

Thirty students  ten each from Ysgol Y Grango, Ysgol Rhiwabon and St Josephs  attended the event, which coincided with national Anti-Bullying Week on Thursday 15th November.

The consultation period comes after almost two years of extensive engagement by the Welsh Government with schools, local authorities, education practitioners, Estyn and children and young people to ascertain how the current Respecting Others guidance should be changed and updated to ensure it continues to be effective and relevant.

As part of the wider public consultation process, Welsh Government commissioned Dynamix, a company specialising in bespoke training and consultations, to facilitate workshops for children and young people to give their feedback on the new anti-bullying guidance and supporting toolkit.

Kirsty Williams, cabinet secretary for education, told the group that the guidance is being revised as it was introduced before the advent of social media.

She emphasised the role that children have in stopping bullying and reminded them that they have the power to change things for the better, tackling bullying head on.

Mrs Williams also spoke of the role of parents in eradicating bullying; cyber bullying in particular.

She told the students that there was a great deal of information on the Hub relating to keeping yourself safe online and that a new campaign had been launched yesterday on this very topic.

After listening to the ministers address and participating in a short question and answer session, the students took part in the workshop and discussed what they felt needed to be done to combat the problem of bullying in schools.

Three of the Ysgol Y Grango students, Kyle Preston, Simu Umama and Charley Edwards, members of the schools anti-bullying mentor group, an initiative proposed by the pupil body, were invited to a televised interview with the minister.

Mrs Williams answered each of their questions about: the monitoring of bullying incidents and the potential to use any new technologies to help in the reporting and recording of bullying in schools, whether there was an improvement or increase in the numbers of reported incidences of bullying across Wales, and what changes she expects to see as a result of the draft guidance.

Steve Garthwaite, headteacher of Ysgol y Grango, said: At Ysgol y Grango we are very proud of our work on anti-bullying over the years, through initiatives such as the peer mentoring programme, SAP (Student Assistance Programme), our youth worker programme, the anti-bullying roadshow and our anti-bullying mentor group.

We are therefore pleased to host the launch of the new draft anti-bullying guidance, to welcome Welsh Government ministers to the school and to facilitate the national pupil consultation.
Ground-breaking games development course at Glyndwr secures three national awards

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Nov 17th, 2018

A ground-breaking games development course at Wrexham Glyndwr University has seen its staff and alumni secure three national awards.

At the UK Games Fund Awards in Dundee last Wednesday, Senior Lecturer in Computing Richard Hebblewhite scooped Community Contributor of the year after being nominated for his outstanding contribution to local and regional games industry development.

His games development teams innovative Enterprise Lounge won the Tranzfuser Local Hub of the Year award.

The Lounge, based in the university, offers support to both current students and graduates throughout the process of building their own game development studios  as well as expert guidance and mentoring.

Finally, Static Shell Studios, a games studio made up of former Glyndwr alumni, won the Tranzfuser award  aimed at studios who have been through the Tranzfuser games development programme and gone on to release their own games.

Its an absolutely great feeling to have the work we do here at Glyndwr recognised by the industry  Ive woken up this morning still smiling, said Richard.

Im delighted to see Static Shell win their award  theyre already making their mark in games development and this news can only add to their well-deserved reputation.

Im also delighted that the work we are doing in the university to help teams develop their studios has been recognised  and of course, Im also very pleased to have won an award myself!

You can find out more about Wrexham Glyndwr Universitys BSc (Hons) Computer Game Design and Enterprise degree here.
Hightown HMO plans rejected after residents warn of impact on their community

This article is old - Published: Friday, Nov 16th, 2018

Plans to create a six-bedroom house in multiple occupation (HMO) in Wrexham have been rejected after residents warned it would tear their community apart.

Proposals were submitted to Wrexham Council to convert an existing house on Beechley Road in Hightown to accommodate a total of seven people.

However, after members of the authoritys planning committee carried out a site visit today, they chose to go against the advice of officers and refused the application. They were greeted at the property by members of the Beechley Road Residents Association carrying placards, including one which read Dont Turn Beechley Road Into A Ghetto.

Neighbours raised a number of concerns about the plans, including issues over parking and fly tipping as a result of the six existing HMOs on the street.

They have previously presented a petition with 90 signatures against the development.

John Harding, chair of the association, said: A line has to be drawn somewhere to ensure the quality of life of long term residents is maintained, and in our opinion this is where the line should be drawn.

There has already been an adverse impact on house prices in the road as a result of decisions taken in the past by the planning department.

This deterioration can only accelerate given the authoritys perceived plan of allowing properties in the road to become nothing more than cheap accommodation for short term residents and the problems they bring with them.

We see this as a direct attack on our future and will do our utmost to prevent this from happening.

After committee members returned to the Guildhall, they were told that the proposals complied with all of the councils policies.

Chair Mike Morris warned that valid grounds would need to be found for refusal.

But several politicians voiced their frustration at the increasing number of HMOs, including the areas councillor Graham Rogers, he said: Having visited the site, and I know the site very well, my concerns are still on parking and the four spaces, the double yellow lines at a very busy junction, the speeds at excess of what they are supposed to be and 90 residents have signed a petition which we should take the cognisance of.

He was supported by Cllr Paul Jones, who said: Its very disappointing that our planning policy and planning guidance is inflicting yet another HMO on a community in Wrexham. The area is not saturated with HMOs, but its going in the wrong direction. HMOs done in the wrong way cause considerable problems for that community.

It will be the people in that community baring the consequences whichever way it goes.

Cllr Rogers said the plans should be refused on the grounds of parking and access, despite being told the highways department had no issues.

His recommendation was backed by eight votes to four.



Earlier we wrote about new yellow paint from Wrexham Council this week refreshing restrictions in town ( https://t.co/FRT1j5vvpg ) Pic via @LiamRandallLDR who is with Councillors in Hightown of their Planning Committee bus on double yellows  pic.twitter.com/GrroxdV7by  Wrexham.com (@wrexham) November 16, 2018

By Liam Randall  BBC Local Democracy Reporter (more here on the LDR scheme).
Scheme to create next generation of lifesavers sees over 26,000 trained in first aid

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Nov 17th, 2018

A year-long scheme run by Wales leading first aid charity saw over 26,000 people trained in communities across Wales.

A grant of 36,000 was awarded to St John Cymru by the Morrisons Foundation, to help create the next generation of lifesavers from September 2017 to August 2018.

The income allowed St John Cymru to fund two dedicated community trainers; one full-time and the other, on a part time basis.

In total over 244 community training sessions were held across the year and saw schools and communities from both North and South Wales learn essential first aid skills such as; how to manage an incident, cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) treating an unresponsive casualty, bleeding and choking.

Jon Phillips, director of training at St John Cymru said: With the support of the Morrisons Foundation we were able to train 26,305 people in vital first aid, superseding our target of 17,000 for the year.

Our training has been shown to equip potential lifesavers not only with first aid skills but other valuable and transferable skills such as; confidence and team work.

Wed like to take this opportunity to thank the Morrisons Foundation for helping us work towards creating the next generation of lifesavers in Wales, he added.

St John Cymru is celebrating 100 years of being there for people across Wales. The organisation firmly believes first aid is for everyone and continues to strive towards achieving its goal of a first aider in every home in Wales.

The Morrisons Foundation supports charities making a positive difference in local communities. Since launching in 2015 the Morrisons Foundation has donated over 18m to help good causes across England, Scotland and Wales.

More information about St John Cymru and its community training can be found here or call 0345 678 5646.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Farm Share distributed more than 100,000 pounds of frozen meat and fresh fruits and veggies on Friday, just in time for Thanksgiving.

Farm Share is a food nonprofit organization based in Florida and they distributed fresh food to families hit hardest by Hurricane Michael.

"It's a great thing farm share is a wonderful thing we don't change a dime for the food we give it out to the public and folks really and truly need it thought it was best to have this event this time of year for thanksgiving as well as coincide with he hurricane so were helping hurricane victims as well," said Facility Manager, Dave Reynolds.

Organizers estimate about 1,000 cars were filled.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL/AP) - Joshua Quick was honored at the Florida State University Board of Trustees meeting on Friday.

Quick was given the key to the City of Tallahassee Thursday night due to his quick thinking and physical efforts in the Hot Yoga tragedy.

FSU President John Thrasher along with the board gave him a surprise of a lifetime.

They have committed $30,000 of their personal money to help cover law school costs for Quick.

"We don't have a key to give him, but I will tell you what we are going to do with the dean's leadership. We are going to start an effort to raise enough money to take care of his expenses at law school," said Thrasher.

The Law School Dean and President Thrasher made the first donations in this fund.

Quick is a second-year law student at Florida State.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Human trafficking, knowing how it works and who's at risk are major keys to stopping the crime from happening.

We attended a public information session on Friday to learn more on the issue.

According to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, Florida ranks third in the nation for the number of human trafficking cases.

According to the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center, just last year, 2,247 human trafficking cases involving people under the age of 18 were reported in Florida.

The Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center works out of the Big Bend Area and hopes to decrease this number.

The Kearney Center filled with people who wanted to know the basics of how to spot human trafficking and how to stop it.

Some of the main topics at the meeting included knowing what behaviors put someone at risk of becoming a victim, identifying characteristics that put people at risk of becoming victims, and educating potential bystanders about how they can take action.

One organizer expressed why fighting against this issue is so important.

"Those people who are vulnerable to being human trafficked, the people who need help if they are being trafficked, to me its just a basic human right to be free from this," said Robin Thompson, Executive Director of Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center. "I want to do whatever I can as a member of the community, as and attorney, as an advocate to help anyone who is affected."

One of the main points Thompson taught people on Friday was if anyone comes across a suspected victim, immediately report it to police and sheriff departments so they can investigate it.

Organizers of the event warn people that after natural disasters, such as hurricanes, reports of human trafficking are at their highest because confusion is high and people are at their most vulnerable.

So, it's important to stay aware of your surroundings. To find out more ways you can get involved visit surviveandthrive.org
File Photo: Top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un (L) shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore before the first-ever DPRK-U.S. summit, on June 12, 2018. (Xinhua/The Straits Times)

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said here Thursday that the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) should have more patience and dialogue to build trust.

"It is important to have patience and to continue dialogue so that the U.S. and the DPRK can increase mutual understanding and build trust," Cho said at a forum in Washington.

Cho said that the skepticism held by some experts was reasonable given the past failures of negotiation, but "past failures offer great lessons that can lead to future success."

Cho said that South Korea, the United States, and the DPRK should abide by the agreements reached by their leaders and implement those agreements to achieve a complete denuclearization and establish a peace regime.

South Korea would continue to support the denuclearization process by communicating with both the United States and the DPRK to keep the process on the right track, he said.

Cho also reiterated that inter-Korean relations should be improved at the same pace as the denuclearization. He expected that senior-level talks between the DPRK and the United States could be rescheduled soon to make some progress on practical actions.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a visiting DPRK senior official was originally scheduled to meet last week in New York, but the meeting was postponed to an unspecified date.

The first-ever DPRK-U.S. summit was held in Singapore on June 12. According to a joint statement signed by the leaders of the two countries, the United States would provide security guarantee to the DPRK in return for Pyongyang's commitment to denuclearization.

Following the leaders' meeting, the U.S.-DPRK talks were once stuck in an impasse due to differences over the scale of denuclearization, U.S. sanctions, and whether to issue a war-ending declaration.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-16 23:45:12|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIJING, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- China firmly opposes those actions under the pretext of "freedom of navigation and overflight" to undermine the sovereignty and security interests of littoral countries along the South China Sea, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying made the remarks at a news briefing when answering a question related to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence's recent comment that South China Sea "doesn't belong to any one nation, and the United States will continue to sail and fly wherever international law allows."

"We have long said that freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea has never encountered any problem," Hua said, adding that "up to now, no country had ever provided any evidence of problems with freedom of navigation or overflight in the South China Sea."

"It can be seen that the so-called issue of navigation freedom is non-existent," Hua said.

China's position is very clear. The Chinese side is willing to join hands with other regional countries to firmly ensure freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all countries under international law, she said.

"May I trouble you to remind the U.S. relevant individual that the United States has yet to ratify the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS)," the spokesperson said.

"If the U.S. side can at an early date ratify and abide by UNCLOS, then I think this will benefit even more the protection of peace and stability in the South China Sea," she added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 00:20:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MOSCOW, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Russian senior officials on Thursday pledged to further develop the cooperation in law enforcement and security between the two countries to bolster bilateral ties.

Guo Shengkun, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Secretary of Russia's Security Council Nikolai Patrushev made the pledge when they co-chaired the fifth meeting between China and Russia on institutional cooperation in law enforcement and security.

Guo, also head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, said that China and Russia are each other's most important and primary partners for comprehensive strategic coordination.

This year has witnessed three successful meetings between the presidents of the two countries, which has injected strong impetus into the high-level development of bilateral relations in a new era and set a model of harmonious coexistence of major countries with shared borders, he added.

Guo noted that the cooperation in law enforcement and security is an important part of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination.

Regarding the implementation of the significant consensus reached by the two leaders as their core task, China and Russia are giving full play to the law enforcement and security cooperation mechanism and actively implementing the results of previous meetings, so as to provide a solid guarantee for the development of bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields, said Guo.

Noting the increasingly complicated international situation, Guo hoped that the two countries take the meeting as an opportunity to carry out pragmatic law enforcement and security cooperation, so as to constantly enrich the connotation of the partnership.

For his part, Patrushev said bilateral relations are at the highest level in history.

The two countries have also carried out cooperation at higher levels under the strategic guidance of the two presidents, he said.

Patrushev called for implementing the consensus reached between the two heads of state and carrying out cooperation in various fields including law enforcement and security.

This will help promote the continued development of bilateral relations and achieve more results, he added.

The two sides also had in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues of common concern.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 03:31:07|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ISLAMABAD, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed and 10 others injured in a bomb blast in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi late Friday, local media and police officials said.

Irfan Bahadur, senior superintendent police, said that the blast took place under a bridge in the Quaidabad area of Karachi, the provincial capital of southern Sindh province.

He added that the nature of the blast was not known, and police had launched an investigation in the incident.

The injured were shifted to a hospital in the city, where several of them were said to be in critical condition.

Security personnel cordoned off the area after the blast and launched a search operation.

No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah had directed hospital authorities to provide the best medical treatment to the injured people.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 03:41:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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JUBA, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Friday lauded the resilience and contribution of various local humanitarian organizations towards conflict mitigation and provision of life saving support to civilians displaced by conflicts in the world's youngest nation.

Manase Lomole, the chairperson of South Sudan Relief Rehabilitation Commission (RRC), said during an ongoing national NGO expo that unwavering commitment and hard work of local humanitarian workers enabled them to reach millions of displaced civilians residing in temporary shelter and mitigate their suffering.

The annual South Sudan NGO Forum National NGO Expo takes place from Thursday to Saturday in the capital city, Juba.

Lomole said the international relief agencies contributed immensely toward mitigating the humanitarian crisis which left seven million people vulnerable and staring at the risk of starvation.

"The notion that you have come here (South Sudan) to seek for money is not more than the risks you have taken to come here," said Lomole in Juba.

The conflict in South Sudan that erupted in December 2013 has claimed thousands of lives while creating one of the world's largest humanitarian crisis.

South Sudan has a total of 22,428 local humanitarian workers and an estimated 1,400 international NGO workers.

The 2018 Aid Worker Security Report disclosed that 158 major incidents of violence against 313 aid workers in 22 countries occurred last year, in which 139 people were killed with one-third of attacks occurring in South Sudan.

The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that at least 98 aid workers were killed during the South Sudan conflict, mostly international aid workers.

Lomole said the NGO expo will motivate local humanitarian workers and help in post-conflict reconstruction in the wake of the South Sudan rival leaders signing the final revitalized peace agreement on September 12 in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

"The peace agreement that was signed by our leaders both in government and opposition is here to stay and nobody in his right mind wants to drag us back to war," said Lomole.

Lomole expressed optimism for creating conducive environment for humanitarians to work in former hotspots like Yei river state in the central region after the recent compromise on ceasefire and opening of humanitarian corridors between government troops and the main rebel group, the Sudan People's Liberation Army-in Opposition (SPLA-IO).

Andrea Noyes, deputy head of OCHA, said that local humanitarians are the backbone of emergency support in South Sudan despite operating in a challenging environment.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 03:41:11|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. security and aerospace company Lockheed Martin has begun to build an experimental aircraft to test quieter supersonic flight, which could support a quiet supersonic commercial travel in the future.

The company, which is famous for high-tech aerospace products such as F-35 and F-22 jet fighters, said on Friday that it began manufacturing the first part for the X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology aircraft.

The aircraft was designed to cruise at 55,000 feet at a speed of about 940 miles per hour while creating a noise as loud as a car door closing rather than a shocking sonic boom, which is the enormous volume of noise generated whenever an object travelling through the air at a speed faster than the sound.

According to Lockheed Martin, the X-59 will conduct its first flight in 2021, collecting community response data on the acceptability of the noise generated by the aircraft.

The company said that this will help U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to "establish an acceptable commercial supersonic noise standard to overturn current regulations banning supersonic travel over land."

In April, NASA awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth nearly 250 million U.S. dollars to to design, build and flight test an aircraft capable of reaching supersonic speed without creating the deafening sonic boom.

"The start of manufacturing on the project marks a great leap forward for the X-59 and the future of quiet supersonic commercial travel," said Peter Iosifidis, Low Boom Flight Demonstrator program manager of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works.

"The long, slender design of the aircraft is the key to achieving a low sonic boom. As we enter into the manufacturing phase, the aircraft structure begins to take shape, bringing us one step closer to enabling supersonic travel for passengers around the world," Iosifidis added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 03:51:14|Editor: mmm

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- The United States space agency NASA and European officials celebrated in Florida's Kennedy Space Center on Friday the arrival of a powerhouse that would propel NASA's new capsule to the moon in an unmanned flight planned for 2020.

"The service module will provide power, air and water to the Orion spacecraft on missions to send humans to the Moon and beyond," said NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine on his Twitter account.

Orion's European Service Module arrived from Germany on Nov. 6, 7 years after NASA announced it would rely on the European Space Agency to provide the critical flight hardware.

The European component "allows us to take people farther into space than we've ever gone before, so it is a really big event for all of the Orion program," said NASA's Orion program manager Mark Kirasich.

Orion, NASA's next-generation moonship, is slated to fly near the moon with a mega rocket developed by NASA, known as SLS for Space Launch System.

Its future missions include a manned journey, with the goal of building an outpost just beyond the moon that could enable lunar landings and Mars expeditions, according to NASA.

The Orion capsule once flew 5,800 km above Earth in 2014, but its flight on SLS has been repeatedly delayed.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 05:36:36|Editor: mmm

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A protester attends a demonstration in Chemnitz, eastern Germany, on Nov. 16, 2018. German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday clarified her refugee policy during her visit to the eastern city of Chemnitz, a place regarded as the center of several severe xenophobic protests months ago. While Merkel was busy defusing doubts, hundreds of protesters gathered and marched in Chemnitz with some shouting slogans like "Merkel must go." (Xinhua)

BERLIN, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday clarified her refugee policy during her visit to the eastern city of Chemnitz, a place regarded as the center of several severe xenophobic protests months ago.

In a town hall dialogue with the local residents, under more of an unfriendly atmosphere, Merkel urged people to reject "hatred and lies", defending her welcoming policy that allowed more than one million asylum seekers into Germany since 2015.

Merkel said although she was under heavy criticisms, she managed a deal with Turkey that stop the influx of migrants and therefore she "managed a lot" during the crisis, echoing her "wir schaffen das (we will manage it)" rallying call.

She admitted that more should be done to integrate the migrants and those who committed crimes should be punished.

Talking on the issue of the UN pact to regulate the treatment of migrants, Merkel said her opinion was often distorted by opponents and Germany's support of such deal was out of its own interest, adding it would deter the illegal migrants from African countries.

"What we cannot do is letting those who spread hatred and incitement to set our daily agenda," Merkel said.

While Merkel was busy defusing doubts, hundreds of protesters gathered and marched in Chemnitz with some shouting slogans like "Merkel must go".

The city broke out a series of riots three months ago after a fatal stabbing of a German man suspiciously by two migrants. Some far-rights activists and extremists gathered at the city and several xenophobic attacks took place.

Merkel's visit was considered long-awaited, and the mayor of Chemnitz Barbara Ludwig criticized her coming was "too late".

Merkel, however, explained that her timing was intended to not to polarize the situation.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 06:51:54|Editor: Li Xia

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Chinese Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ma Zhaoxu (L, front) addresses a Security Council meeting on South Sudan, at the UN headquarters in New York, Nov. 16, 2018. Chinese Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ma Zhaoxu on Friday called on the international community to provide more humanitarian assistance and economic support to South Sudan. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ma Zhaoxu on Friday called on the international community to provide more humanitarian assistance and economic support to South Sudan.

As the country trapped in long-term conflicts, the social and economic development of South Sudan is very backward, basic living needs are not met, said the Chinese diplomat, at a Security Council meeting on South Sudan.

The conflicts have also caused a large number of people displaced. The peace and stability of South Sudan will be affected If these issues cannot be solved in time, said Ambassador Ma.

He urged the international community to increase the economic support to the country, especially in the fields of agriculture, energy, infrastructure, education and health care.

Ma said it is necessary to fully respect South Sudan's dominance in handling domestic affairs and encourage the government of South Sudan to play its own initiative. The international community should provide assistance according to th needs of the country and people and avoid imposing solutions.

Ma also underlined the important role of women in the reconstruction, saying that China supports women of South Sudan to play significant role in the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, and supports the government to fully protect the rights of women and children, he added.

In order to help South Sudan improve its medical standards, especially to improve women's medical conditions, the Juba Teaching Hospital and Rumbek Women's Hospital were built, said Ma, adding that China will, as always, support and constructively participate in the peace process in South Sudan and play a constructive role in achieving lasting peace and sustainable development in South Sudan.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 07:01:56|Editor: mmm

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David Beasley (R, Rear), Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), briefs the journalists on his recent trip to Yemen, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, on Nov. 16, 2018. The situation in war-raged Yemen is "a catastrophe," David Beasley told reporters here Friday. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- The situation in war-raged Yemen is "a catastrophe," David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), told reporters here Friday.

Noting that both the food security situation and the economic conditions in the country are "deteriorating," Beasley, head of the food aid arm of the United Nations, said that Yemen "is not on the brink of a catastrophe," stressing "this is a catastrophe."

Beasley has just finished a trip to Yemen and is staying at the UN headquarters in New York, briefing both the Security Council and reporters about the situation in Yemen.

Beasley told reporters that he was very much concerned with the overall situation in the country, noting that food prices are "skyrocketing," people have no cash and no jobs and the country has no "liquidity" to inject into the economy.

Efforts to avert mass starvation in war-torn Yemen will be doubled, the WFP announced last Friday.

About 8 million people in Yemen are in an "emergency situation," a category recognized as a step below famine, the WFP said.

It added that an upcoming assessment, later in November, is expected to show that as many as 14 million people will be in an emergency classification.

It indicates that half of Yemen's population is a step away from starvation, the WFP has warned lately.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 07:16:57|Editor: ZD

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LONDON, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) envoy to Britain on Friday said that 1.5 million British people are living in deep poverty.

UN envoy Philip Alston said in his report that about 14 million people are living in poverty in Britain, with 1.5 million of those being unable to afford basic essentials, a group of people he called "destitute".

Alston said that child poverty could rise by 7 percent over the eight years from 2015 to 2022, possibly taking the child to 40 percent.

Alston was critical in his report of the government's policy of austerity, adopted in 2010 in the wake of the financial crisis at a time when the government's borrowing was very high as it struggled with lower tax revenues and higher expenditures on social security.

"It is patently unjust and contrary to British values that so many people are living in poverty," Alston said.

Other criticisms Alston had were aimed at tax policy, funding for the National Health Service (NHS), education and municipal services where central government support budgets have been cut since 2010.

Catherine Colebrook, IPPR, chief economist and associate director for economic policy at London-based social policy think-tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said poverty was a problem in Britain, despite the country's status as a developed nation and on some measures as the fifth largest national economy in the world.

Colebrook told Xinhua in an exclusive interview that she did not think Alston's report was a harsh judgment.

"No, I don't think so. Alston's assessment was made on the basis of a comprehensive look at the evidence, combined with a tour of the UK regions and nations to better-understand how poverty manifests itself in the UK in 2018," Colebrook said.

"It's disturbing that we won't cast a critical eye on the level of poverty in this country more often ourselves," she added.

Alston visited nine British cities and consulted widely with experts in the field of social policy to complete his 24-page report which will be delivered to the UN in Geneva early next year.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 07:47:01|Editor: ZD

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NEW YORK, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- The third annual No-Boundaries International Art Exhibition kicked off at Columbia University in New York City on Thursday, highlighting a Chinese educator's bold vision about the power of art to transcend borders.

Themed "One Tree, One City," the exhibition features more than 150 artworks by children in grades K-12 from 15 countries, including China, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Kenya.

Launched in 2016 by Yan Baitong, a Chinese teacher, the annual event aims to build an international art and educational platform by connecting young artists regardless of nationality, languages or culture.

"I hope the project will help cultivate children's social responsibility and their caring about the nature through visual arts," Yan, who has been dedicated to children's art education for years, told Xinhua.

"This year's exhibition focuses on public welfare: observing the life and energy of trees, emphasizing the interconnectivity of our lives and trees. The artworks indicate children's observations and appreciations for the environment, showing us their love for this world via art," she added.

Judith M. Burton, a professor from Teachers College of Columbia University, said the art show presents a unique opportunity to leverage the power of the arts as a lingua franca that connects human beings across geographical, linguistic and cultural borders.

This year's exhibition was officially launched in Beijing in July and will travel to Paris in France, Nairobi in Kenya and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The exhibition's New York tour runs from Nov. 15 to Nov. 29.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 07:52:03|Editor: mmm

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UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- The UN envoy for Yemen said Friday he plans to visit Hodeidah next week to work toward a UN supervision over the Yemeni port that handles 80 percent of the humanitarian relief to the war-torn country.

"I plan to visit Hodeidah next week ... to revisit a UN supervisory role (for the port)," Martin Griffiths, the special envoy of the secretary-general for Yemen, told the Security Council.

He added he is encouraged by the recent calls from the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels as well as the Saud-led coalition backing the government "for the UN to step forward" in this regard.

Over the summer, the UN envoy made some progress to reach a negotiated handover of the port to the UN. He vowed: "Let us build on this rather than retreat from this."

In June, the coalition started an operation to retake from the Houthis the port, a vital lifeline for a country already teetering on the brink of famine.

Recent reports have said the coalition have abandoned this attempt to capture Hodeidah without any gains amid concern about a humanitarian catastrophe.
Lion Air crew members throw flowers into the sea to pay tribute to the victims of crashed Lion Air JT 610 on an Indonesian navy ship in waters of Tanjung Pakis, Karawang, West Java Province, Indonesia. (Xinhua/Zulkarnain)

JAKARTA, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Parents of a killed passenger in Indonesia's Lion Air plane crash had lodged a lawsuit against plane maker Boeing, citing lack of instructions in its flight manuals on significant changes in the new plane, the lawyer of the family said in a statement.

The lawsuit was lodged in Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, the United State on Nov. 14, a lawyer at Colson Hicks Eidson & BartlettChen LLC Law Firm Curtis Miner said in the statement released on Thursday.

"The lawsuit was filed in on behalf of our client H. Irianto, father of Dr. Rio Nanda Pratama who died when the Boeing 737 Max 8 plummeted into the sea," Miner said in the statement.

Pratama took the doomed Lion Air JT 610 flight to fly back to Pangkalpinang after attending a conference in Jakarta. The young doctor was supposed to get married on Nov. 11.

The Boeing 737 Max 8 plane serving Lion Air JT 610 crashed 13 minutes after take off from international airport of Soekarno-Hatta on Oct. 29, killing all 189 people onboard.

The U. S. aviation supervisory agency, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has issued order to review Boeing aircraft's safety procedures, including information conveyed to airlines operating Boeing 737 Max 8 related to the new flight control system applied in the aircraft.

The automated flight control system was not found in the previous models of Boeing 737.

The new flight control system in Boeing 737 Max 8 was intended to help pilots in dealing with air stream anomalies in the sky that may risk the flight.

The system would push the plane's nose down to regain control on the plane as automatic response to such anomalies.

The anomalies were allegedly prompted by glitch in the plane's air stream censor of Angle of Attack (AOA) that led the system to push the nose down, which eventually could not be controlled by the pilots.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 11:07:35|Editor: mmm

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PORT MORESBY, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared that his government will fight against rising trade protectionism.

Addressing the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council in Port Moresby on Saturday, Morrison re-affirmed his commitment to the open market.

He underlined the importance of showing people around the world "what happens when you are open and work in partnership.

"You create jobs, you build prosperity and you create a more stable and secure region," Morrison said.

"The test for us now is to stand up for the economic values we believe in, and show how they work by improving living standards and lifting millions of people out of poverty."

In a statement released ahead of his speech on Saturday, Morrison said that APEC was critical to Australia's vision for a stable and prosperous region.

"I will use this opportunity to advocate Australia's long-standing interests in open trade and investment and to reinforce Australia's commitment to the Pacific," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 11:07:35|Editor: mmm

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PORT MORESBY, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Saturday called for better polices to prevent inequality from being widened due to the advance of new technology and automation.

Delivering a speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit held here in the capital city of Papua New Guinea, Mahathir said economies now must deal with "the age of disruption," particularly technological disruptions.

As policymakers seek to adjust strategies and practices to deal with the radical change, the challenge is how to ensure no one is left behind, said Mahathir.

"We can expect more disruptions ahead when we become more automated, with unskilled and even skilled workers becoming less and less relevant," he said, adding that people must be careful that the disruption should not widen inequality as it would be bad for growth and social stability.

The prime minister called for policies to be accessible and affordable to citizens, and take care of those losing out in the advance of technology.

He also called for cooperation at the international level on how to best manage technological disruptions, stressing that fairer and more genuine cooperation between the developed and developing economies can help deal with the disruption.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 11:37:40|Editor: ZD

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SYDNEY, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- A major drought nearly two decades ago could be behind a widespread move by native wildlife in Australia's island state Tasmania toward suburban areas, according to latest research.

The animals were being spotted in places where there were no sightings before the year 2000, local media quoted University of Tasmania researcher Menna Jones as saying on Saturday.

"We all know possums live in the suburbs, but are amazed at how many other wildlife species appear to be quite at home living in the suburbs far from the bush," the researcher told the ABC news channel.

The dry spell in 2000 sparked a change in the animals' behavior, pushing them closer to suburban water sources, she said.

The findings were part of a research project that included residents in state capital Hobart earlier this year allowing high-tech cameras to be installed on their properties, where Tasmanian devils, quolls, bandicoots and other native animals were tracked, with many of them living up to 2 kilometers from forested areas, the channel reported.

Wallabies, eastern barred bandicoots, pademelons and brushtail possums were some of the wildlife reported living closest to the city, according to the findings.

Three hundred Hobart residents also filled out surveys describing the animals in and around their backyards.

The "citizen scientists" did a stellar job helping to track the approaching wildlife, the researcher said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 12:22:46|Editor: ZD

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CARACAS, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela and Russia are seeking to expand bilateral cooperation, including in the agricultural and mining sectors, a Venezuela senior official said Friday.

"We've decided to include the areas of agriculture and mining, given the strategic importance of both areas in national development," said Tareck El Aissami, vice president of the economy, at a meeting of the Russia-Venezuela High Level Commission in Caracas.

Embracing the agriculture and mining sectors, the core areas of cooperation between the two countries will be expanded to five, which already included the energy, commercial and military technology areas, he said.

El Aissami announced that some related agreements between the two countries will be reviewed and finished in the Venezuelan capital by the end of the year.

During the first half of 2019, the Commission will meet in Russia and the agreements will be presented along with action plans and a timeline of implementation, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 12:22:46|Editor: ZD

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had met with South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon to coordinate on issues related to the Korean Peninsula, the State Department said Friday.

Pompeo and Cho "affirmed their commitment to close coordination" and "discussed ways to deepen coordination so that inter-Korean cooperation and progress on U.S.-DPRK negotiations toward denuclearization remain aligned," according to a statement issued by State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert.

The official KCNA news agency of the the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) reported earlier on Friday that Kim Jong Un, the country's top leader, visited the testing ground of the Academy of Defence Science and supervised the test of a newly developed ultramodern tactical weapon.

Speaking about the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a press briefing on Thursday, Nauert said: "We have a long way to go. We believe in giving diplomacy a chance."

"When the President (Donald Trump) and Chairman Kim are next able to meet, whenever that does take place -- we think probably early in the next year -- we expect that those four elements of the Singapore summit will be addressed by the two leaders," she added.

The first-ever DPRK-U.S. summit was held in Singapore on June 12. According to a joint statement signed by Trump and Kim, the United States would provide security guarantee to the DPRK in return for Pyongyang's commitment to denuclearization.

Following the leaders' meeting, the U.S.-DPRK talks were once stuck in an impasse due to differences over the scale of denuclearization, U.S. sanctions, and whether to issue a war-ending declaration.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 13:27:54|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIJING, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- From January 1, people of 53 nationalities will be able to enjoy a 144-hour visa-free period when transiting through Xiamen and a number of other Chinese cities.

According to the National Immigration Administration earlier this week, eligible passengers entering the cities of Xiamen, Qingdao, Wuhan, Chengdu and Kunming will be allowed to stay in the same city for up to 144 hours before they need to exit the country.

Those who transit through Qingdao will also be allowed to stay elsewhere in Shandong Province during the period.

A valid travel document and a relevant connecting ticket are required.

At present, such passengers are allowed a visa-free stay of up to 72 hours in those five cities.

Since 2013, the State Council has approved 72-hour visa-free transit for eligible foreign travelers across 18 cities, and later extended the period to 144 hours in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Shanghai, the neighboring provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu, as well as the cities of Shenyang and Dalian in Liaoning Province.
File photo taken on July 3, 2016 shows an Afghan vendor prepares food ahead of Eid-al-Fitr festival in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah)

by Abdul Haleem

KABUL, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Pine nut trees grow wild in Afghanistan, mostly in the mountainous provinces of the conflict-battered and economically impoverished country.

Local businessman hope to export the homegrown pine nuts with Afghanistan branding to China with the opening of the China-Afghanistan air corridor on Nov. 6.

Farmers and traders of the pine nuts in the Loya Paktia region said their product has been exported to several countries with a Pakistani label in the past.

Zakim Khan said happily that Afghan pine nuts have found their way to China after President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani inaugurated the China-Afghanistan air corridor, with the first flight containing 20 tons of pine nuts leaving Kabul for China on the same day.

Up to 23,000 tons of pine nuts are produced each year in Afghanistan, according to a statement from the Presidential Palace, the country will export between 700 million to 800 million U.S. dollars worth of pine nuts to China annually through this air corridor.

To encourage pine nut farming and related businesses in Afghanistan, President Ghani announced Nov. 6 as National Pine Nut Day and said that Afghans would celebrate the day each year.

Nearly 90 percent of Afghan pine nuts, according to local traders, were exported to Pakistan in the past and from there to other countries with a Pakistani brand.

However, the opening of the China-Afghanistan air corridor has raised hope among Afghan businesspeople of exporting their pine nuts to China, the world's second-largest economy.

"Producing, processing and exporting them to China and other countries would benefit Afghanistan and its people and eventually bring great changes to their living conditions," Khost governor Hakam Khan Habibi told Xinhua.

Welcoming the step as a good omen for finding a new market, the head of Khost's Pine Nuts Traders Union, Shahzada, told Xinhua with confidence that "exporting pine nuts to China would earn fame for Afghanistan and its valuable seeds" and help them to find their way to many more countries.

The official also opined that investing in promoting pine nuts and their processing would also create job opportunities to hundreds of thousands of people at home in addition to improving the country's impoverished economy.

According to Musafir Quqandi, the spokesman for the Commerce Ministry, Afghanistan displayed its pine nuts alongside many more local products in the recently concluded China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai.

Afghanistan will achieve more fame and benefits from selling its high-quality dried fruits, particularly pine nuts, if properly invested in, said Afghan Acting Finance Minister Hamayoun Qayumi at an economic council here recently.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 14:08:01|Editor: Liangyu

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BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming state visit to Brunei will open a new chapter in the friendly relations between the two countries, China's ambassador here told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Yang Jian said the trip, which comes at the invitation of Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, caps a traditional friendship that dates back to ancient times and has kept growing closer.

Citing Chinese historical documents, Yang said exchanges between China and Brunei, then known as Boni, began during the Western Han Dynasty dating back to more than 2,000 years ago, and bilateral trade started from the Song Dynasty some 1,000 years ago.

During the Ming Dynasty, famous Chinese explorer Zheng He's fleet visited Boni, and a Boni king visited then Chinese capital Nanjing, said Yang, adding that unfortunately the king died of illness later and, in line with his will, was buried in Nanjing, and the tomb is now a national historical and cultural site.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1991, the two countries have witnessed frequent high-level contacts and rapid development of bilateral ties, said the ambassador.

With mutual trust and support, China and Brunei have enjoyed growing exchanges and cooperation in various fields as well as deepening understanding and friendship between the two peoples, Yang said.

In 2013, the two sides upgraded bilateral ties to a strategic cooperative relationship, she recalled, noting that with the care of the leaders of both countries, China-Brunei ties have become a model of relations between big and small countries featuring mutual respect, equality and win-win cooperation.

The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Xi five years ago has added an unprecedented boost to the economic and trade cooperation between China and Brunei, said the ambassador.

She added that since Brunei, along with other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, became a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), bilateral economic and trade cooperation has further picked up steam.

Now China is Brunei's largest source of imports, and more and more Chinese enterprises are coming to invest and develop businesses in Brunei, said Yang.

Construction of the two countries' largest joint venture, the Hengyi petro-chemical project, is moving forward smoothly, said Yang, adding that after going into operation in 2019, it will bring remarkable economic and social benefits and boost local employment.

Meanwhile, the development of the Brunei-Guangxi Economic Corridor is making tangible progress, and bilateral cooperation is also gaining traction in such fields as harbor operation, sea farming, and spice processing and trade, said the ambassador.

Over recent years, people-to-people exchanges have also intensified, Yang said, noting that Brunei citizens have been allowed to visit China visa-free since 2003, and Chinese travelers to visit Brunei with visa on arrival since 2016.

With more and more Chinese cities launching direct flights to Brunei, around 52,000 Chinese tourists visited the Southeast Asian country in 2017, setting a new record and making China the biggest source of international visitors to Brunei, Yang said, adding that the growing exchanges in such areas as education, culture, media and youth have brought the two peoples ever closer.

On global and regional affairs, the two countries share a wide range of common interests, understand and support each other on issues involving their core interests and major concerns, and jointly promote the stable development of China-ASEAN ties, said the ambassador.

Both sides adhere to the dual-track approach in appropriately handling the South China Sea issue and jointly safeguarding the region's peace and stability, Yang said.

She pointed out that Brunei is geographically located in the central area of the ASEAN region and the core of the East ASEAN Growth Area, and it is also an important partner of China in the joint building of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road with ASEAN and other parties.

Brunei boasts excellent infrastructure and a good investment environment, said the ambassador, adding that the two countries share broad prospects in cooperation within both bilateral and multilateral frameworks.

Xi's state visit will open a new chapter in China-Brunei friendly interaction, and with the joint efforts by leaders of the two countries and by the two peoples, bilateral cooperation will bear even richer fruit, she added.

"China is striving to build a great modern socialist country, while Brunei is working hard to realize the Brunei Vision 2035," Yang said. "The two countries can synergize their development strategies, explore new growth points in bilateral cooperation, and expand collaboration under the Belt and Road Initiative, so as to create a better future for the two peoples and make more contributions to regional prosperity and stability."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 14:18:04|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIJING, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Trade experts have called for efforts to push forward the building of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP).

The free trade arrangement covering all Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies will not only help to promote the free flow of trade and investment in the region, but also support a more open Asia-Pacific economy, they said.

Jia Xiudong, a researcher with the China Institute of International Studies, said rising unilateralism and protectionism have brought uncertainties to growth in the Asia-Pacific region, and most countries intend to strengthen economic cooperation to boost demand.

Economic globalization remains an irresistible trend, and "the proposal of building the FTAAP is desirable for most APEC economies," Jia said.

The FTAAP proposal was initiated in 2004 and written into the declaration of the APEC meeting in 2006. During the 2014 APEC meeting in Beijing, the initiative made a breakthrough with APEC members unanimously adopting the FTAAP Beijing Roadmap to achieve the goal.

Experts expect the initiative to get a boost as leaders gather in the South Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea for the 26th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

On Tuesday, Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Jun voiced China's hopes that the Port Moresby APEC meeting will propel the building of an open economy and map out a correct direction for future development.

"With opposition to protectionism and unilateralism, China will work with all parties to safeguard the multilateral trading system, and push for the building of the FTAAP," Zhang said.

Bai Ming, from the research department of the Ministry of Commerce, said the APEC, covering some of the world's major economies, should set an example for trade liberalization.

Established in 1989, the 21-member APEC is the Pacific Rim's premier economic forum aimed at supporting sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific. Its member economies account for 60 percent of the world's GDP and 50 percent of global trade.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 14:38:10|Editor: Chengcheng

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KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least seven Taliban militants and three government security personnel were killed and eight others, including five insurgents, wounded following a fierce clash in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province, an official said Saturday.

The clash broke out at about 03:00 a.m. local time, when Taliban militants launched a grouping attack on security check posts in Charkhab and Bagh-e-Mir areas of Khan Abad district.

Police forces returned fire, resulting in the death of seven insurgents and three policemen, said Inamudin Rahmani, the provincial police spokesman.

Five insurgents and three security personnel have also been injured in the firefight, said the spokesman.

The source did not give details if civilians suffered in the fighting.

Taliban has not commented on the incident.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 14:38:12|Editor: Yurou

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Cheesemaker Pam Hodgson receives an interview with Xinhua in Wisconsin, the United States, on Oct. 24, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

by Xu Jing, Xia Lin, Miao Zhuang

CHICAGO, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Pam Hodgson grew up on her family's dairy farm in Darien in the U.S. Midwest state of Wisconsin. She has engaged in cheesemaking for over two decades, and was the only two females among the 58 certified master cheesemakers in the state known as "America's Diaryland."

"My maternal grandfather was a world cheesemaker and our daughter is a cheesemaker as well right now in Wisconsin," the 56-year-old master cheesemaker told Xinhua recently.

"My career goal when I was a child was to be a dairy farmer, like my parents, and that took me to the University of Wisconsin (UW) in Madison," she said.

After finishing college, Hodgson worked on the farm side of the dairy industry and eventually moved to the manufacturing. She started her cheesemaking career at a cheese plant in 1991.

"It was a very good fit for me to become a master cheesemaker," she said.

In Hodgson's eyes, to be a certified master cheesemaker reflects a long-term commitment to making cheese.

One needs to become a licensed cheesemaker first, which takes two years; then keep making cheese for at least 10 years before they can apply to the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker program, she said, adding after that, there is a three-year apprenticeship and an extensive exam.

Wisconsin is the only U.S. state that requires its cheesemakers to be licensed to craft cheese for retail consumption. Currently, there are about 1,200 licensed cheesemakers making over 600 varieties and styles of cheese in the state.

As a master cheesemaker, Hodgson especially highlighted the quality of milk.

"All of our milk is locally sourced within 75 miles (120 km) of our dairy plant. That's very important," said Hodgson, who is also one of the several certified master cheesemakers working for renowned Sartori Company which is located in Plymouth, Wisconsin, and produces branded Sartori Cheese.

Craft is another thing Hodgson stressed. "At Sartori, our cheeses are handcrafted and also hand finished," she said.

Hodgson admitted that cheese making has changed a lot in 80 years, and people are interested in experiencing more flavors and different varieties of cheese.

Hodgson and her company are cooperating with the Center for Dairy Research in University of Wisconsin in Madison to test experimental cheeses in small batches in the latter's pilot lab.

"We want to try out on a small scale before bringing them back into our plant and making bigger batches," she said.

"I just want to keep creating new types of cheese," Hodgson added. "I believe through innovation we have new flavors and styles of cheese yet to be discovered."

"The thing with cheese making is it's a life's work, there are always challenges, there's always something new to experiment with and try to make better. It's a holistic, challenging career. It's really a calling," she added.

Learning that Sartori Cheese has appeared in the Chinese market, Hodgson was very excited.

"I sincerely hope that the Chinese consumers try our cheeses and I hope they find them delightful. We have a variety of cases for them to explore," she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 14:53:15|Editor: Liangyu

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by Xinhua writer Fei Liena

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG), the first by a Chinese head of state to the Pacific island nation, is igniting a "China passion" among the PNG public.

Xi met with PNG Governor-General Bob Dadae, held talks with PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, unveiled a China-PNG friendship school and witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperation documents.

The two sides agreed to lift their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, opening a new chapter in the development of China-PNG friendly relations.

IGNITING EXCITEMENT

People in PNG are excited about the Chinese president's historic visit and look forward to more interactions between the two countries.

China's support has boosted the nation's social and economic development, many in the Pacific island country told Xinhua, and they expected bilateral relations to be further enhanced following Xi's visit.

Ahead of Xi's visit, O'Neill told Xinhua that PNG is committed to cementing friendship with China, promoting Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation and building a mutually beneficial bilateral relationship.

"The relationship between China and Papua New Guinea is very cordial, very strong and growing every year," he said, adding that the two sides now share the same stances and values on many global issues.

"Within a short period of time, you have been able to lift six or seven hundred million people out of poverty into a middle class. No other country in the world can achieve that, and this is a great example for any developing country, and we can learn from the success of China and build our own countries using that kind of experience and capacity," he added.

PNG Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato told Xinhua that China is an "important friend" and "a new development partner" of PNG. He expected both countries to further implement the cooperation projects following Xi's visit.

According to Justin Tkatchenko, PNG's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) minister, the PNG people are "very, very excited" about Xi's visit.

"This is a historic visit to PNG. For the first time ever we are having the Chinese president coming to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea," he said. "The people are just really looking forward to physically seeing the Chinese president here in our country."

BRINGING SUPPORT

Tkatchenko applauded China's early announcement of support for PNG to host the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, saying "the relationship between our prime minister and the president and our two countries is very, very strong."

O'Neill also voiced appreciation of China's support for PNG to host the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

Peter Numu, governor of PNG's Eastern Highlands Province (EHP), has been following the news about Xi's visit and has read his signed article.

"I saw that he mentioned Eastern Highlands Province in regard to mushroom and upland rice project, which myself and my people were blessed," he told Xinhua, referring to the cooperation projects of Juncao and dry-land rice cultivation between China's Fujian province and PNG's EHP since 1997.

Kila Vali, a farmer from central PNG, was also following the news. "China has helped us a lot. Look at the schools here, the road before the parliament," he said. "They help teach us how to plant rice. This is important for people here who live by planting to sustain their lives."

"The visit and the meeting will help the two countries come together to bring out more projects," he said with a big smile.

STRENGTHENING TIES

David Toua, a PNG representative on the APEC Business Advisory Council, described Xi's visit as "a combination of a lot of positive activities between China and PNG."

"We view it as a great honor. It is a privilege to have the head of state of China to visit PNG to endorse all of the assistance and good work that China has been committed to PNG over the last years," he said.

He also lauded Beijing's commitment to multilateralism and trade liberalization, which he said serve as "the cornerstone of APEC." "So any time a world leader ... calling for multilateralism and trade liberalization, they have the endorsement of APEC," he added.

Raphael Uranguai, a liaison officer, was busy working at the International Convention Center in Port Moresby. "This building was built by China," he said.

"President Xi's visit will further strengthen the state relationship and our friendship," he said, adding that China has had fast growth, from which others "have a lot to learn, like technology, education, health care and culture."

During his visit, Xi also met with leaders of other Pacific island countries that have diplomatic ties with China to deepen cooperation in various fields, including such issues of mutual concern as climate change.

"I feel China's presence here is a bonus," said Tkatchenko. "China has come on board with many major infrastructure projects and developments that will shape our country now and into the future."

(Xinhua reporters Bai Xu, Zhan Yan, Mo Huaying, Wang Wendi, Zhang Ning, Levi Parsons and Yan Hao contributed to the story.)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 14:58:17|Editor: mmm

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. petroleum demand in October hit its strongest level since 2006, according to statistics released on Friday.

The statistical report released by the American Petroleum Institute (API) show that U.S. petroleum demand in October rose by 3.3 percent month on month to 20.8 million barrels per day.

On a year-on-year basis, the demand in October rose 3.9 percent.

Gasoline demand in October was 9.5 million barrels per day, a new record for the month of October.

U.S. petroleum exports in the month were 7.6 million barrels per day, up for a second consecutive month following a setback in August.

"Strong petroleum demand is a continued reflection of a strengthening U.S. economy," said Dean Foreman, chief economist of the API.

API is a national trade association with more than 600 members, including large integrated firms as well as firms specializing in certain business segments.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 18:03:47|Editor: Li Xia

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NEW DELHI, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- The China-India Youth Dialogue 2018 was held in the Indian capital in an effort to promote the people-to-people and cultural exchanges and relations between the two countries.

In a speech delivered at the event on Friday, Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui said China-India ties have entered the fast track of development after an informal summit in central China's Wuhan in April this year.

"The sound bilateral relations and friendly cooperation have provided solid basis and opportunities for youth exchanges," he said.

The Chinese envoy called for more bilateral exchanges in various fields, such as sports, cinema, education, engineering, among others and he also called for expanding the scope of exchanges among the youth.

"We encourage more Indian students to study in China and more Chinese students to study in India," he said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a congratulatory message to the event.

In his message, Modi said, "The dialogue will provide a platform for the youth of both the nations to build a 'Great Wall of Trust and Cooperation' between the two countries."

Jointly organized by the Chinese Embassy and the Confederation of Young Leaders, the event offered a platform to exchange views, learn from each other, enhance mutual understanding and friendship and was attended by more than 150 participants from both sides.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 18:23:49|Editor: xuxin

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BUENOS AIRES, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Argentina's ARA San Juan submarine, which went missing a year ago, has been located some 800 meters near the Valdes Peninsula in the southern Atlantic, the Navy said Saturday.

The U.S. company Ocean Infinity, contracted by the Argentine authorities to search for the missing submarine, made the discovery.

On Thursday, the U.S. company detected an unknown object, named Object 24, on the ocean floor. Closer inspection using a remote-controlled submersible revealed it to be the missing vessel.

"Through the observation made with an ROV at 800 meters deep, positive identification has been given to #AraSanJuan," the Navy tweeted.

The navy lost contact with the submarine on Nov. 15 last year, about 430 kilometers from the Argentine coast. It was on its way back to the naval base at Mar del Plata on the country's east coast with 44 crew members on board.

A massive international search was launched after the submarine went missing, but hopes of finding the crew alive dimmed and the search was scaled down weeks later.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 18:23:50|Editor: xuxin

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ISTANBUL, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Intractable issues in foreign relations are lingering, but Turkey is seeing improvement in some fronts after the introduction of a presidential system in July.

For analysts who spoke to Xinhua, the new system has brought about no shift in Turkey's foreign policy, yet they differed on the country's performance under the watch of a more powerful President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

MAJOR PROBLEMS NOT SETTLED

If the West is careful to entertain good ties with Ankara, it is mainly because it needs Turkish help in reshaping the Middle East, observed Haldun Solmazturk, a security and foreign policy analyst.

"None of the major problems Turkey has with the U.S. and the EU have so far been settled," said Solmazturk, who chairs the Incek debates at the Ankara-based 21st Century Turkey Institute.

Turkey officially switched from a parliamentarian system to an executive presidency as Erdogan took office in early July after winning the presidential election the previous month as the leader of the Justice and Development Party, which has been in power since 2002.

Ties between Ankara and Washington, two NATO allies, were highly strained until recently, but relations seem to be on the path of normalization after a Turkish court released a U.S. pastor from prison last month.

In an apparent bid to further improve ties with Ankara, Washington announced last week rewards for information on three top members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), an armed Kurdish organization fighting against the Turkish state.

For Mesut Hakki Casin, a security and foreign policy analyst who teaches at Istanbul's Istinye University, Turkey's performance in foreign policy has been largely good since the adoption of the executive presidency.

"Decisions can be taken faster in a presidential system," Casin said, arguing that Ankara has successfully dealt with various crises in diplomacy since June.

There has been no change in Turkey-NATO ties, he noted, underlining the importance the military bloc attaches to Turkey.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said last week that it was "impossible to envisage the defences of Europe" without Turkey, calling Ankara a key ally in fighting against terrorism and instability in Syria and Iraq.

Turkey's foreign policy is now increasingly shaped and conducted by a small group of advisors in the President's Office, said Ilhan Uzgel, a foreign relations analyst who taught at Ankara University.

Both Uzgel and Solmazturk think that the part played traditionally by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the General Staff in shaping foreign policy has been much eroded in the last couple of years.

"Turkey is like a ship caught in a strong storm," argued Solmazturk.

NO CHANGE IN ORIENTATION

None of the three analysts have seen any change in Turkish foreign policy orientation after the new political system was ushered in.

Erdogan had already had the habit of conducting foreign relations with a small group of advisors, based largely on his personal choices even before the switch to the presidential system, said Solmazturk.

A Security and Foreign Policy Council with advisory powers was established following the June elections within the presidential office. However, its 10-odd members were only appointed early last month.

The reason why Ankara-Washington ties have not soured enough is that the U.S. wants to keep Turkey in check as it still needs Turkish tolerance toward the Syrian Kurdish militia known as the People's Protection Units (YPG), maintained Solmazturk.

Turkey is highly vexed by the U.S. support for the YPG and its unwillingness to hand over a Turkish cleric accused of masterminding a coup bid in the country in July 2016.

Despite Ankara's harsh criticism, the U.S. has continued to arm the YPG, which Ankara sees as the Syrian offshoot of the PKK.

"As to the EU, it needs Turkey's help regarding the refugee issue," said Solmazturk.

A quartet summit on Syria, hosted by Erdogan in Istanbul last month, was widely praised in local media as Ankara's success in foreign policy.

What made the summit particularly noteworthy was the presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron along with Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

"The fact that some European leaders were also present at the summit indicates that Turkey has, other than Russia, also Europe at its side amid differences with Washington," said Casin.

"Turkey pursues a balanced policy just as the case during the World War II," he added.

Since the so-called Arab Spring, Turkish ties with many of the countries in the Middle East have soured. Ties with Syria, where Ankara still backs so-called moderate rebel groups, and Egypt remain highly troubled to this day.

Both Solmazturk and Casin agreed that one area of failure in Turkish foreign policy is the Libya case.

Earlier this week, a Turkish delegation headed by Vice President Fuat Oktay withdrew from a conference on Libya in Italy due apparently to opposition by some of the warring factions in the North African state.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 18:33:51|Editor: Li Xia

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Aerial photo taken on Nov. 17, 2018 shows China's research icebreaker Xuelong, also known as the Snow Dragon, berthing in the port of Hobart, Australia. China's research icebreaker Xuelong docked in Australia's port of Hobart Saturday morning to replenish supplies, the last time it will do so before sailing to the Antarctic. The icebreaker, also known as the Snow Dragon, is on China's 35th Antarctic research expedition. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)

ABOARD XUELONG, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- China's research icebreaker Xuelong docked in Australia's port of Hobart Saturday morning to replenish supplies, the last time it will do so before sailing to the Antarctic.

The icebreaker, also known as the Snow Dragon, is on China's 35th Antarctic research expedition.

During the stay in Hobart, the research team will upload supplies including fuel and food, as well as some research equipment, said Han Yanji, an official in charge of general management of the Antarctic mission.

Some 26 researchers will also board the vessel here, said Han.

The ship is scheduled to leave Hobart Sunday evening and sail toward China's Zhongshan Station in Antarctic, said Shen Quan, captain of Xuelong.

The ship has traveled some 5,000 nautical miles (about 9,800 km) since it set out for this mission from Shanghai on Nov. 2.

According to its plan, the research expedition will work on facility maintenance and upgrading at China's Antarctic stations, conduct a maritime environment investigation, and make preparations for the construction of a new research station on Inexpressible Island.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 18:43:53|Editor: Li Xia

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PORT MORESBY, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered here Saturday a keynote speech titled Jointly Charting a Course Toward a Brighter Future at the APEC CEO Summit.

The following is the full text of the speech:

Jointly Charting a Course Toward a Brighter Future

Keynote Speech by H.E. Xi Jinping

President of the People's Republic of China

At the APEC CEO Summit

Port Moresby, 17 November 2018

Honorable Prime Minister Peter O'Neill,

Chairman Isikeli Taureka,

Members of the business community,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good Morning! It gives me great pleasure to come to the picturesque city of Port Moresby and meet with you on board Pacific Explorer. As we brave the rough waters of the global economy and confront the many risks and challenges, it is all too befitting that we have come together on this ship to chart the course for future development and cooperation.

The theme of this CEO Summit, "Inclusion in the Age of Disruption: Charting a Common Future", couldn't be more important. The world today is going through major development, transformation and change. While economic globalization surges forward, global growth is shadowed by protectionism and unilateralism. A new revolution in science, technology and industry is in the making; but old driving forces are yet to be replaced by new ones. The international landscape is undergoing profound changes, but imbalance in development is yet to be addressed. The reform of the global governance system is gathering momentum, but improving its efficiency remains a major challenge.

The changes we are encountering in the world are unseen in a century. Changes create opportunities, but more often than not, they are accompanied by risks and challenges. Mankind has once again reached a crossroads. Which direction should we choose? Cooperation or confrontation? Openness or closing one's door? Win-win progress or a zero-sum game? The interests of all countries and indeed, the future of mankind hinge on the choice we make.

A review of the world's modern history clearly shows that different choices would lead the world onto different paths.

In the Asia-Pacific, the establishment of APEC is such a success story. Its birth and growth echoed the historical trend of openness and integration, our region's fervent desire for development and our people's need to meet challenges through cooperation. Openness and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific has not only boosted its prosperity but also injected vitality into the vast ocean of global economy. Today's Asia-Pacific has the world's most dynamic and promising economy, which is recognized as a key engine driving global growth.

However, not all that happened in the past are success stories. Mankind has learned lessons the hard way. World War II, for instance, plunged mankind into the abyss of calamity in the last century. Not far away from where we are meeting now are the sites of the fierce Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II. Today, this part of the ocean has long restored its peace and calm, but never should we forget the lessons of history.

An ancient Chinese philosopher observed that one needs to clean the mirror before taking a look at himself and that one should learn the lessons of the past before making decisions of the day. In reviewing history, we should draw its lessons to prevent the recurrence of past tragedies. Facing the surging historical trend, we need to ask ourselves: How can we steer the right course for global economic development? How can the international community find an effective way of conducting global governance? I believe it is imperative that we keep the following focuses:

First, we should focus on openness to create more space for development. Economic globalization is the sure way for the human society to achieve development, and the multilateral trading system has created opportunities for us all. In today's world, countries' interests are so closely intertwined, and the global supply chain, industrial chain and value chain are so closely connected. We are all links of the global chain of cooperation; increasingly, we are becoming one and same community with shared interests and a shared future.

This is the working of the laws of economics, a fact no one can change. We need to gain a keen appreciation of this underlying trend of our times and view the changing world for what it is and, on that basis, respond to new developments and meet new challenges in a responsible and rules-based way. Attempts to erect barriers and cut the close economic ties among countries work against the laws of economics and the trend of history and run counter to the shared desire of people around the world. This is a short-sighted approach and it is doomed to failure.

Each era faces problems of its day. Problems themselves are not to be afraid of; what truly matters is for us to take a right approach to resolve the problems. Resorting to old practices such as protectionism and unilateralism will not resolve problems. On the contrary, they can only add uncertainties to the global economy. Only openness and cooperation can bring more opportunities and create more space for development. This is a well proven historical fact. One who chooses to close his door will only cut himself off from the rest of the world and lose his direction.

APEC is a pioneer in building an open global economy. As the Bogor Goals are set for 2020, we should set our sights on post-2020 cooperation and endeavor to build a free trade area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP). We should say no to protectionism and unilateralism, uphold the WTO-centered multilateral trading system, make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all, and expand converging interests and share opportunities through opening-up and cooperation.

Second, we should focus on development to deliver more benefits to our peoples. More than anything else, we should strive to deliver better lives to our people. Every country is entitled to an equal right to development; and no one has the right or the power to stop people in developing countries from pursuing a better life. We should strengthen development cooperation and help developing countries eliminate poverty so that people in all countries will live better lives. This is what fairness is essentially about; it is also a moral responsibility of the international community.

We should make the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development a part of our national development strategies, promote coordinated advances in the economic, social and environmental fields, pursue inclusive development in keeping with our respective national conditions, and forge equal and balanced global development partnerships. Developed countries should honor their commitments on official development assistance and increase support to developing countries.

We should give priority to development in international economic policy coordination and have a clear focus on development when adopting policies and rules on trade and investment, IPR protection, the digital economy and other areas. By doing so, we can create more opportunities and a more enabling environment for the development of all countries as well as robust drivers and a stable environment for global growth. The principle of "special and differential treatment", which is a cornerstone of the WTO, is not to be challenged. Otherwise the very foundation of the multilateral trading system will be shaken.

Third, we should focus on inclusiveness and promote interactions. We live on the same planet. It is home to more than 200 countries and regions, 2,500-plus ethnic groups and over 7 billion people. Trying to erase their differences will not work. Such differences are not a hindrance to exchanges, still less a cause for confrontation. Diversity and interaction between different civilizations, social systems and paths can provide strong impetus for human progress. We should reject arrogance and prejudice, be respectful of and inclusive toward others, and embrace the diversity of our world. We should seek common ground while putting aside differences, draw upon each other's strengths and pursue co-existence in harmony and win-win cooperation.

When it comes to choosing a development path for a country, no one is in a better position to make the decision than the people of that country. Just as one does not expect a single prescription to cure all diseases, one should not expect a particular model of development to fit all countries. Blindly copying the development model of others will only be counterproductive, so will be any attempt to impose one's own development model on others.

Fourth, we should focus on innovation to tap new sources of growth. Breakthroughs are being made one after another in frontier areas such as information technology, life sciences, smart manufacturing and green energy, and new materials, new products and new business forms are replacing existing ones at a faster pace. Big data, 3D printing and artificial intelligence, which we read about only in science fiction in the past, are now part of our daily life. The future is already with us.

In a boat race, those who row the hardest will win. If we do not move proactively to adapt to the surging tide of new scientific revolution and industrial transformation, we risk missing valuable opportunities or even falling behind the times. What we should do is to lose no time in making every effort to explore new growth drivers and development paths, and remove all institutional obstacles holding back innovation. We should boost innovation and market vitality and deepen international exchanges and cooperation on innovation so as to better meet our respective and common challenges in development.

The sweeping new scientific revolution and industrial transformation will have a profound impact on the mode of production, way of life and values of human society. The need to strike a balance between equity and efficiency, capital and labor, technology and employment has become a common challenge for the international community. If not handled properly, this issue will further widen the wealth gap between the North and the South. We should gain a keen understanding of the complex dimensions of this issue and make the right decision. This will enable us to steer the new scientific revolution and industrial transformation in the right direction.

Scientific and technological innovations should meet people's needs. Every country is entitled to benefit from such innovations made through both their own efforts and international cooperation. Scientific and technological innovations should not be locked up or become profit-making tools for just a few. The IPR regime is designed to protect and encourage innovation, not to create or widen the scientific and technological divide. We should develop policy institutions and systems that are responsive to the new scientific revolution and industrial transformation, and foster an enabling environment for international cooperation that will deliver the fruits of innovation to more countries and peoples.

Fifth, we should focus on a rules-based approach to improve global governance. With the painful lessons of two world wars in mind, countries established the global governance framework underpinned by the United Nations and composed of the IMF, the World Bank, the WTO and other institutions. This framework, while not an ideal one, represents an important step in human history. Indeed, it has been pivotal to global peace and development in the past decades. We must strengthen rules-based global governance if we are to achieve stability and development. Rules should be formulated by the international community, not in a might-is-right way. Once the rules are made, they should not be followed or bent as one sees fit, and they should not be applied with double standards for selfish agendas.

For the system of global economic governance to be equitable and efficient, it must keep up with the times. We should advance the reform of the global governance system on the principle of conducting consultation and collaboration for shared benefits. This reform should be advanced on the basis of equality, openness, transparency and inclusiveness. Developing countries should have more say and greater representation in this process. Disagreements should be resolved through consultation. Attempts to form exclusive blocs or impose one's will on others should be rejected. History has shown that confrontation, whether in the form of a cold war, a hot war or a trade war, will produce no winners. We believe that there exist no issues that countries cannot resolve through consultation as long as they handle these issues in a spirit of equality, mutual understanding and accommodation.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Friends,

In 1978, China embarked on the great journey of reform and opening-up. Over the past 40 years, the Chinese people, with vision, hard work and perseverance, have forged ahead and taken a historic stride. We have stood up, become prosperous and grown in strength. We the Chinese nation are moving forward toward great rejuvenation.

-- Over the past 40 years, the Chinese people have blazed a new trail and made solid progress. With enterprise and grit and through self-reliance, we have turned China into the world's second biggest economy, making tremendous advances in our country's development and the improvement of people's lives. It is the relentless efforts of the Chinese people that have made China what it is today!

-- Over the past 40 years, the Chinese people have embraced the world with open arms. China has pursued its development through opening-up. As a result, China's import and export of goods have grown by 198 times and those of services by over 147 times. China has attracted more than US$2 trillion in foreign investment. It has become the world's biggest trader of goods, the biggest tourism market and a major trading partner with over 130 countries.

-- Over the past 40 years, the Chinese people have pursued development with a single focus and made lives better for ourselves. Guided by a people-centered development philosophy, between 1978 and 2017 China raised its per capita disposable income by 22.8 times, lifted 740 million people out of poverty and doubled the number of jobs created. We have achieved free compulsory primary and middle-school education nationwide and established the world's biggest social safety net. Thanks to these accomplishments, our people now feel more secure and have a greater sense of fulfillment and contentment.

-- Over the past 40 years, the Chinese people have pursued our own development to achieve development for all. China has stayed on the path of peaceful development, got actively involved in global economic governance, and actively supported other developing countries in their development. We have implemented responsible macroeconomic policies and contributed a significant share of global growth. We have played our part in responding to the Asian financial crisis and the global financial crisis. By so doing, China has contributed its vision and input to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Five years ago, I announced the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which aims to enhance connectivity among countries and regions, promote interconnected development, and create new space for global growth. This initiative has won wide international endorsement in the past five years. China has signed BRI cooperation documents with over 140 countries and international organizations, and a large number of cooperation projects have been launched under this Initiative.

Let me make this clear: the BRI is an open platform for cooperation. It is guided by the principle of consultation and collaboration for shared benefits. It is not designed to serve any hidden geopolitical agenda, it is not targeted against anyone and it does not exclude anyone. It is not an exclusive club that is closed to non-members, nor is it a "trap" as some people have labeled it. Rather, the BRI is a major and transparent initiative with which China shares opportunities and pursues common development with the rest of the world. In April next year, China will host the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, and we welcome members of the Asia-Pacific business community to this event.

As we look back over the four decades of reform and opening-up, we in China are more convinced than ever before that only through reform and opening-up can China develop itself. Going forward, China will take an even more responsible approach, be even more open and inclusive, and strive to achieve even higher quality of growth. By doing so, as it develops itself, China will make greater contributions to the common prosperity of the world.

China will continue to significantly expand market access, strengthen IPR protection, and do more to increase imports. Since the beginning of this year, China has announced a host of new measures for further opening-up, which include the following: creating a more attractive investment and business environment, significantly lowering the tariffs for 1,449 consumer goods and 1,585 industrial goods, further cutting the tariffs for automobiles and auto parts to 13.8 percent and 6 percent respectively, and eliminating tariffs on all imported anti-cancer drugs. With a new round of tariff cuts coming into effect on 1 November, China's overall tariff rates have been reduced to 7.5 percent, lower than the majority of developing countries and beyond the commitment China made upon its accession to the WTO. China has released a new negative list on foreign investment, and will further open up finance, automobiles, aircraft, ships and other sectors. According to a recent World Bank report, China has moved up over 30 places in the ease of doing business ranking over the past year and is among the economies with the most significant improvement. China views all companies, both Chinese and foreign, as equals. China welcomes and encourages fair competition among them, and will fully protect their legitimate rights and interests.

A week ago, the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) was successfully held in Shanghai. It was attended by 172 countries, regions and international organizations, over 3,600 companies, and more than 400,000 Chinese and foreign buyers. Deals worth US$57.8 billion were sealed. The Hongqiao International Economic and Trade Forum, held as part of the Expo, attracted over 4,500 leading personalities from various sectors around the world. With such actual steps, China has demonstrated its commitment to trade liberalization and opening-up of its market. I wish to welcome you all to the second CIIE to be held next year. I am confident that the large market of China, with a population of close to 1.4 billion, will be a source of dynamic growth for the global economy.

Many of you present today have witnessed, contributed to and benefited from China's reform and opening-up, and have forged a special bond with China. The business community is an important force driving the economic development of the Asia-Pacific and the wider world. As entrepreneurs, you should bring out your best and ride the waves of economic globalization. I hope you will continue to share your insights with decision makers, encourage countries to adopt positive and practical policies and carry out extensive economic and technological cooperation. Together, we can open a new horizon for the common development and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific and the world at large.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

We APEC member economies are brought together by the Pacific Ocean. I was looking at the vast ocean when I boarded the ship, and it struck me that we are all indeed fellow passengers in the same boat. Let us keep the steering wheel steady and paddle in the right direction so that the ship of the global economy will brave winds, break waves and sail to a brighter future.

Thank you!
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 18:43:54|Editor: xuxin

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- The United States and Ukraine announced on Friday that they would set up three working groups, including one focused on security, with an aim to "withstand Russian pressure."

The announcement came after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin met on Friday as part of the 2018 U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission Meeting in Washington, DC.

The three working groups planned include one focused on security, another on the rule of law and humanitarian issues and the third on the economy and energy, the two sides said in a joint statement issued through the U.S. State Department.

The groups will meet regularly to discuss areas of mutual concern and advance joint objectives, they said.

The United States confirmed its commitment to maintain sanctions against Russia related to its behavior against Ukraine, while Ukraine reaffirmed that joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) remains a strategic priority.

Russia has yet to respond to the announcement.

Relations between Kiev and Moscow have been deteriorating since early 2014 over Crimea and armed conflicts in eastern Ukraine. The two sides have put in place sanctions against each other, while the United States has also put in place sanctions against Russian individuals and entities, citing what it said was Russian aggression against Ukraine, which Moscow denied. Moscow also accused Ukraine of unfriendly actions against Russian citizens and entities.

The U.S. State Department has also said that it might impose another round of sanctions on Russia over the latter's alleged involvement in the nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain in March.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 18:53:58|Editor: xuxin

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LOS ANGELES, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California have found new information about the size and reflectivity of `Oumuamua, the first interstellar object discovered within our solar system last year.

"We estimated the size and reflectivity of `Oumuamua as a comet-like body, and suggested a science-based explanation for the various observations," David Trilling, lead author on the new study and a professor of astronomy at Northern Arizona University, told Xinhua on Friday.

`Oumuamua, which means "a messenger from afar arriving first" in Hawaiian, was discovered on Oct. 19, 2017 by astronomers at the University of Hawaii.

On Sept. 19, it sped past the Sun at about 315,400 kilometers per hour (kmh), fast enough to escape the Sun's gravitational pull and break free of the solar system, never to return.

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope was one of many telescopes pointed at 'Oumuamua in the weeks after its discovery that October.

Scientists found 'Oumuamua was too faint for Spitzer to detect. However, the "non-detection" puts a new limit on how large the strange object can be, said a paper published recently in the Astronomical Journal and coauthored by scientists at JPL in Pasadena, California.

"The fact that 'Oumuamua was too small for Spitzer to detect is actually a very valuable result," Trilling said.

Subsequent detailed observations conducted by multiple ground-based telescopes and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope detected sunlight reflected off 'Oumuamua's surface. Large variations in the object's brightness suggested that 'Oumuamua is highly elongated and probably less than half a mile (about 800 meters) in its longest dimension.

But Spitzer tracks asteroids and comets using the infrared energy, or heat, they radiate, which can provide more specific information about an object's size than optical observations of reflected sunlight alone would, said the paper.

Using three separate models that make slightly different assumptions about the object's composition, Spitzer's non-detection limited 'Oumuamua's spherical diameter to between 1,440 feet (440 meters) to 460 feet (140 meters) or perhaps as little as 320 feet (100 meters).

The new study also suggests that 'Oumuamua may be up to 10 times more reflective than the comets that reside in our solar system, according to the paper.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 18:54:00|Editor: xuxin

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MINSK, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Russia is ready to provide Belarus with weapons if needed, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Mikhail Babich told reporters.

"All necessary assistance will be provided in a format and quantity that will be consistent with the situation," Babich said Friday here when asked whether Russia is ready to supply missiles to Belarus if threats are detected from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Russia never separates itself "from Belarus in the defense sector," the ambassador said.

Babich said that from 2012 to 2015, NATO adopted an active policy of expanding eastward to deploy various military facilities near the borders of Russia.

Regarding the ongoing negotiations of deploying a Russian military base in Belarus, the ambassador said it is irrelevant.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said earlier this month that Belarus will need more effective weapons if NATO continues to "intimidate" by deploying bases in Poland, or in some other ways.

However, the president has also said there was no need to deploy military bases of other countries, including Russia, in Belarus, adding that the ongoing conversations are just nothing more than chatter.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 18:59:01|Editor: Yang Yi

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Nancy Wangari Ndirangu, director of Centrofood Industries, delivers a speech concerning her experience of attending the China International Import Expo (CIIE) during a reception held in Nairobi, Kenya, Nov. 16, 2018. "The Chinese market could be the catalyst that will propel my company into the big league," Ndirangu told Xinhua here on Friday. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

By Ronald Njoroge

NAIROBI, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Nancy Wangari Ndirangu has always dreamed of transforming her family-owned agro processing firm into a multinational giant.

The director of Centrofood Industries has just returned from the China International Import Expo (CIIE) with orders from Chinese clients.

"The Chinese market could be the catalyst that will propel my company into the big league," Ndirangu told Xinhua on Friday during a reception held by the Chinese embassy in Nairobi.

She said that Chinese consumers were very receptive of her tomato sauce products as she was able to sell all the samples she travelled with to China.

"We have been overwhelmed with inquires and we are now narrowing down to those with the best offers," she added.

Ndirangu said that she hopes to commence shipping her organic brand of tomato sauce to China, beginning January 2019.

"We hope to begin selling small quantities and grow gradually as we develop our products to meet the specific needs of Chinese customers," she added.

Centrofood Industries' current portfolio of products includes chilly and garlic sauce, fruit juices and jams as well as bottled drinking water.

The first CIIE that was held in Shanghai between November 5 and 10.

Kenya, which was represented by President Uhuru Kenyatta, was one of the African countries with a country pavilion.

Austin Mucheso, acting chief manager product, market development and promotion at Export Promotion Council (EPC), said that China is one of the largest importers of goods in the world.

"We are therefore putting all our energy into China to ensure we get our products into the lucrative market," Mucheso said.

He said that Kenyan products that have potential to be successful in China include coffee, tea, macadamia nuts and other manufactured products.

Irene Mumo, director of Trueways Enterprise, also participated in the CIIE. Mumo said that her organic honey emerged as a favorite for Chinese consumers who are embracing healthy foods.

She added that she secured large orders from Chinese consumers and is currently looking for finance to expand her operations.

Mumo noted that another challenge she will face in exporting to the Asian country is lack of enough quantities.

"I therefore plan to begin aggregating honey from small scale farmers from across the country in order to supply to my clients," she revealed.

She observed that in order to penetrate the Chinese market, she will package her products in small dosages in order to ensure that they remain fresh.

Fridah Mbaya also reaped rewards from her participation at the CIIE. The director of Nyumbani Coffee Enterprises hopes to introduce Kenya's renowned coffee to Chinese consumers.

"The only challenge I experienced was the need to upgrade packaging in order to appeal to sophisticated Chinese buyers," Mbaya said.

The women entrepreneur said that she hopes to benefit from the coffee drinking culture that is taking root in major Chinese cities.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 19:04:01|Editor: xuxin

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ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- The 11th extraordinary summit of the African Union (AU) on Saturday kicked off at the AU headquarters in Ethiopia's capital to primarily advance the institutional reform of the 55-member Union.

In the two-day session, the AU heads of states are expected to consider detailed proposals for making the AU Commission more effective and performance-based institution, which is the heart of the reform.

"The purpose of this extraordinary summit is to advance the institutional reform of our Union. Events on our continent and across the world continue to confirm the urgency and necessity of this project," said Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who is also current chair of AU.

Kagame said the goal is to make Africa stronger and give our people the future they deserve.

Speakers at the opening of the summit reiterated that the reform is timely as Africa is faced by pressing issues due to events both inside and outside the continent.

Recurring domestic strife, violence, emerging threats on the continent and increased competition in the international arena are among the factors that are said to make the AU reform relevant and timely.

In his opening remarks, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission, reiterated focus areas of the reform including strengthening strong link between decision and actions, as well as financing of the Union.

"Beyond the effort on the structure and procedures, the reform is also a matter for political will. Indeed the most fundamental aspect which is going to the change for the better is linked to the strengthening and strong link that we are establishing between our statements and our actions," said the Chairperson.

"It is with this spirit that we are going to translate our aspirations of Agenda 2063 in to realities," he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed urged political commitment of African leaders to fully implement the financing decision, which he said "remains the heart of the reform."

At the core of the AU, reform process is the design and establishment of a sustainable financing mechanism to ensure that AU not only stands firmly on its own feet but can also shape and drive its agenda, the premier has noted.

In 2012, AU member states covered just 3 percent of the AU budget, which increased to 14 percent in 2017.

And to sustain the efforts of financing and reduction of financial dependence on external partners, Prime Minister Ahmed underlined that Africans must create the necessary growth.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 19:14:04|Editor: xuxin

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KABUL, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Fighting in the insurgency-battered Afghanistan has claimed 66 lives, mostly Taliban fighters over the past two days, officials said Saturday.

The government forces in crackdown against militants, launched a well-coordinated offensives against Taliban in Chakhat Payen area of Ashkamesh district in the northern Takhar province early Saturday and besides recapturing several villages also killed five militants forcing the militant group to flee the area, provincial police spokesman Abdul Khalil Asir said.

According to Asir, no security personnel have been harmed in the ongoing operations.

Similarly, fighting between security forces and the Taliban group in Khan Abad district of the neighboring Kunduz province claimed the lives of 10, including seven Taliban insurgents and three police personnel on the same day Saturday.

Five more insurgents and three more security personnel sustained injuries in the fighting which lasted for few hours, Kunduz police spokesman Inamudin Rahmani said.

Moreover, during operations against Taliban hideouts in Khogiani district of the eastern Nangarhar province launched Friday night, the government forces killed 30 militants and injured several others, according to a statement of provincial administration.

The Afghan forces' operations, backed by fighting aircraft, have also killed 21 Taliban fighters and injured four others in Qarabagh district of the eastern Ghazni province since Friday, said an army statement released Saturday.

Clashes in Afghanistan have intensified as the warring sides have obviously been attempting to gain more grounds and consolidate positions ahead of snowfall and freezing winter in the mountainous country.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 19:24:06|Editor: xuxin

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TEHRAN, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Iraq announced here on Saturday that both are ready to boost cooperation in all sectors despite the U.S. sanctions.

The remarks were made in a meeting between the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his visiting Iraqi counterpart, Barham Salih.

Iraq is determined to expand comprehensive ties with the Iran in his term, Salih said according to the Press TV.

Baghdad attaches great significance to the expansion of its relations with Tehran, he said, adding that much work still needs to be done to elevate the current level of bilateral relations to a new high.

The Iraqi people would never forget Iran's support for them in fighting terrorists, Salih was quoted as saying.

Also, Rouhani said his country would try to raise the level of annual trade between the two neighbors.

"The economic trade between the two countries hits about 12 billion U.S. dollars (per year) and, through bilateral efforts, we can raise this figure to 20 billion dollars," Rouhani said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 19:59:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with his Chilean counterpart Sebastian Pinera in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on Nov. 17, 2018. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his Chilean counterpart Sebastian Pinera here Saturday, vowing to lift bilateral ties to a new height.

The meeting occurred on the sidelines of the ongoing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, held in Papua New Guinea's capital city of Port Moresby.

Chile was the first South American country to establish diplomatic ties with China, and the bilateral ties have long taken a lead among China-Latin America relations, said Xi, hoping bilateral cooperation could enter a new stage under current circumstances.

Xi extended congratulations to Pinera on his second term as Chilean president, saying China-Chile comprehensive strategic partnership, under the guidance of the two heads of state, would open up a new chapter, achieve new development and make more contributions to overall China-Latin America cooperation.

China and Chile have already signed the inter-governmental agreement on the Belt and Road Initiative, and the next move in this regard is to define key areas and projects and strive for early harvest, said the Chinese president.

Xi stressed the role of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, adding that the two sides should take the opportunity of upgrading of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to expand the scale of trade, optimize trade structure, deepen investment cooperation, and press ahead major interconnectivity projects.

Xi proposed holding a series of celebrations as the year of 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of establishment of China-Chile diplomatic relationship.

China is willing to step up cooperation with Chile in areas like technology and Antarctic affairs, he added.

China supports Chile hosting APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting next year, and will work jointly with Chile to push forward the construction of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, said Xi.

Pinera highlighted the solid foundation and robust development of Chile-China relations, saying that China is Chile's biggest trade partner and major investment source country, and that the FTA upgrading provided a broader prospect for further cooperation.

Chile will work with China to enhance high-level exchanges, deepen cooperation in areas like trade, investment, infrastructure, technology, and join hands to promote the Belt and Road construction, uphold free trade and build an open world economy, said Pinera.

Pinera said Chile hopes to maintain communication and coordination with China and make next year's APEC meeting a success.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 20:04:16|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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People visit the "From/To: the Frontier of Chinese Art Education" co-hosted by China Acadamy of Art and San Francisco Art Institue in San Francisco, the United States, on Nov. 16, 2018. The China Academy of Art and San Francisco Art Institute, both prestigious art schools in their respective countries, on Friday opened an exhibition and a symposium here to explore the role of art in the modern technological age. (Xinhua/Dong Xudong)

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- The China Academy of Art and San Francisco Art Institute, both prestigious art schools in their respective countries, on Friday opened an exhibition and a symposium here to explore the role of art in the modern technological age.

The exhibition, entitled "From/To: the Frontier of Chinese Art Education," brings the works of more than 40 faculty members of the China Academy of Art (CAA), including oil paintings, ink paintings, sculptures and installments, to San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) to showcase the distinct Chinese art world and the evolution of traditional Chinese art.

The exhibition, which includes two parts at the SFAI's Chestnut Street campus and Fort Mason campus, will run through Dec. 9.

The exhibition was designed by CAA's faculty and students, which started by inviting artists to ask 90 questions about art.

The questions aimed to generate conversation around the future role and mission of art academies in the modern technological age, said CAA President Xu Jiang.

"The 'from/to' reflects the international vision of CAA. We hope the artist communities in San Francisco and even in the United States can better understand China's art education through the exhibition," said Xu.

Founded in 1928 in Hangzhou as the first art academy with a comprehensive academic program, CAA is honored as "the cradle of modern art education in China."

With over 9,000 students, it upholds its historic mission of revitalizing national art through its support of traditional art forms, while continuing to champion the innovative contemporary works of modern-day Chinese visual culture.

The exhibition is accompanied by a two-day symposium and film series, entitled "Poverty of Sensibility -- Panel 21: Art/Education in the 21st Century III."

Leading scholars from China and the United States, including professors of art history and practice, curators, and art program directors from art schools, galleries and museums, are invited to speak at the symposium from Friday to Saturday.

Xu said CAA was the first art school to start exchange programs with overseas colleges following China's opening-up and reform policy in 1978, and SFAI became the first art school in the West to establish contact with it 32 years ago.

Early this year, the two schools signed an agreement in Hangzhou to strengthen exchanges through exhibitions, symposiums and student exchange programs.

According to the agreement, SFAI will organize an exhibition and co-host a symposium at CAA in Hangzhou next year.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 20:04:17|Editor: Yurou

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Tunisian students pose for a group photo during an award ceremony, an academic activity of Huawei in Tunisia "Seeds for the Future", in Tunis, Tunisia, on Nov. 16, 2018. This program consists of selecting engineering students with knowledge in telecommunications and computing, said Mohamed Ben Fekih, Tunisia's program manager for "Seeds for the future." (Xinhua/Adele Ezzine)

TUNIS, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese company Huawei in Tunisia will subsidize three Tunisian winners of its ICT competition to visit China to participate in the global competition in advanced technology in 2019.

Huawei awarded the prizes of its ICT competition on Friday evening.

The international competition in advanced technology will take place at Huawei's Shenzhen headquarters. Huawei ICT Competition 2018 has brought together 40,000 students from more than 800 universities and colleges in 32 countries.

Hassen Hosni, a 22-year-old student from Tunisia's Private University, is one of the three winners to visit China.

He said Huawei-Tunisia training has great impact on the professional career of Tunisian students while offering them diplomats and certificates.

At the award ceremony, another academic activity of Huawei in Tunisia "Seeds for the Future" was also launched.

This program consists of selecting engineering students with knowledge in telecommunications and computing, said Mohamed Ben Fekih, Tunisia's program manager for "Seeds for the future."

"Tunisian students will receive training to become familiar with industrial technology and inform them of what is happening in the sector," said Zhang Qian, director of Huawei in Tunisia.

"Students, universities and the entire system of industry will benefit from the links between education sector and industrial sector. This will allow students to widen their vision and know how to promote themselves for the future," said Zhang.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 20:39:25|Editor: Yurou

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Displaced people from Jaghori and Malestan districts are seen in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Nov. 17, 2018. More than 3,800 families have fled their homes as fighting continued in Jaghori and Malestan districts of the eastern Ghazni province, the head of Natural Disaster Management Authority for the restive province said Saturday. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah)

KABUL, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- More than 3,800 families have fled their homes as fighting continued in Jaghori and Malestan districts of the eastern Ghazni province, the head of Natural Disaster Management Authority for the restive province said Saturday.

"A total of 3,807 families from Jaghori and Malestan districts have left their houses for safer places including the capital city of Kabul, Ghazni city and Bamyan province since the Taliban attack," Hafizullah Gulistani told Xinhua.

Fierce fighting has been continuing since Taliban militants launched massive offensive against Jaghori and Malestan districts on Nov. 7.

The clashes have also claimed numerous lives including civilians.

According to Gulistani, 150 families from Jaghori and Malestan districts have migrated to Kabul, 2,500 others to Ghazni's provincial capital the Ghazni city; while 1,157 more families have taken refuge in central Bamyan province.

The Defense Ministry has ordered the security forces to intensify operations against anti-government militants across the insurgency-battered country including Jaghori and Malestan districts.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 20:54:26|Editor: xuxin

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By Lyu Tianran, Frank Kanyesigye and James Gashumba

Kigali, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan scholars defend the political environment in the central African country on the trial of former presidential aspirant Diane Rwigara for forgery and inciting insurrection.

The verdict of the case,in which her mother Adeline Rwigara was co-accused, is expected on December. 6. On the other hand, the businesswoman, who failed to fulfill all the requirements for being nominated as a candidate in 2017 presidential election, alleged that the charges are political motivated, according to some media reports.

The former presidential aspirant, who was unknown in Rwandan politics until last year's presidential election, has drawn attention of some overseas media since her announcement of the intention of running for the presidency.

Rwandan foreign minister Richard Sezibera said earlier this month in a tweet that Rwigara is not facing jail for "speaking up", but for activities "deemed criminal under Rwandan laws."

Later, Rwandan president Paul Kagame told media on the sidelines of the Paris Peace Forum that the justice of Rwanda "works freely."

Rwanda has political pluralism with several political parties being represented in the parliament, and it has developed an equal political system to include women in decision making in its political system, said Ismael Buchanan, Dean of the School of Economics and Governance at the University of Rwanda.

Anyone can make a political statement in Rwanda as long as he or she abides by the law, Buchanan told Xinhua.

"Today's Rwanda is characterized by equality and the rule of law," he said, noting that the country has reconciled its population and built unity, and continues to register progress in every aspect.

Rwanda's political environment is stable and has played a central role in the economic transformation of the country, he added.

There is positive development in Rwanda's political environment, as a number of opposition political parties like the Social Democratic Party and the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda have representatives in the parliament, said Christopher Kayumba, senior lecturer of School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Rwanda.

Kayumba added that many legislators in the parliament are women,

Rwanda is a stable country with a stable political environment, which is why the country is attracting huge foreign investments that has accelerated its economic growth, Kayumba told Xinhua.

For Frederick Golooba-Mutebi, researcher and writer on politics and public affairs, the country's political environment is of "a very particular kind."

The researcher added that it is "a guided and consensus-driven democracy" that is governed by rules and conventions agreed by various political forces after the liberation struggle in 1990s and the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Although the consensus allows for various freedom, there are also limits of these freedom for reasons related the government's determination to maintain peace, promote unity and cohesion, while also for preventing the re-emergence of divisions and contestation that past instability, war and ultimately the genocide are attributed, he said.

The 1994's genocide claimed about 1 million lives, mostly ethnic Tutsis.

Scholars also talked about tendencies that some media reports on the case have shown.

Reporting of the Rwigara's case and others involving politicians or political activists is prone to simplification, whereby media reduce the matters involved to "political persecution," said Golooba-Mutebi.

Politicians or political activists may be accused of prosecutable offences that have nothing directly to do with politics, but instantly their trials are portrayed as politically motivated because of their association with opposing or criticizing the government, he said, adding that this applies to the case of Rwigara.

The public is misinformed by some media reports on the case, said Gatete Nyiringabo Ruhumuliza, a research fellow of governance.

The political environment in the country is stable, but some media prefer not to focus on actual development policies of the country, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 21:19:32|Editor: xuxin

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NAIROBI, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan police said Saturday they have rescued 169 foreigners from human trafficking incidents in different locations in Nairobi.

In the first incident, the detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the victims who are all aged between 19 and 45 years are currently in safe custody after being rescued on Friday evening.

"Detectives acting on information from the public yesterday (Friday) evening rescued 79 foreigners - 75 Comorans, three Ugandans and one Congolese at Mlango Kubwa area within Starehe," said the DCI in a statement issued in Nairobi.

It said the foreigners were rescued by police acting on a tip off, noting that the detectives have already commenced investigations to nab the perpetrators of this heinous crime.

The DCI also said 90 other victims were rescued from different parts of Nairobi. They included 86 Comorans, three Ugandans and a Somali national.

"Detectives have already commenced investigations to establish the status of the foreigners, so that necessary action may be taken," DCI said.

The Kenyan authorities have blamed the vastness of the region for the runaway influx of foreigners into Kenya through Moyale on Kenya-Ethiopia border and the porous border with Somalia.

But refugee rights organizations and aid agencies have blamed poverty in Africa for the rising cases of human trafficking.

They said that the huge supply of labour both skilled and unskilled makes them vulnerable to criminal syndicates.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 21:39:34|Editor: Yang Yi

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on Nov. 17, 2018. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo here on Saturday and reached a series of important consensus on deepening ties.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ongoing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, which was held in Papua New Guinea's capital city of Port Moresby.

Both China and Indonesia are major developing countries and emerging economies and they share similar position in many fields, said Xi, adding that the Chinese side is willing to maintain high-level communication with Indonesia and guide the development of bilateral ties from a strategic height and long-term perspective.

Noting that the two countries have signed a memorandum of understanding last month on the Belt and Road Initiative and Indonesia's Vision of Global Maritime Fulcrum, Xi called on the two sides to actively push forward relevant cooperation.

China attaches importance to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Corridor initiative proposed by President Widodo, and is willing to launch substantive cooperation with the Indonesian side in this regard at an early date, said the Chinese leader.

China is ready to receive more imports from Indonesia, and advance bilateral cooperation on finance, e-commerce and cultural exchange, Xi said.

China is willing to work with Indonesia to promote the optimization and upgrading of relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), push for more progress in East Asia cooperation, and strengthen bilateral communication and coordination within multilateral frameworks including the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and the G20, Xi said.

He said that China will enhance communication and coordination with Indonesia within the framework of APEC, so as to achieve positive progress at the APEC meeting this year, continue to push for the economic integration in the Asia-Pacific, and inject new impetus into the economic development of the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

Widodo, for his part, congratulated China on the success of the just-concluded China International Import Expo, and thanked the Chinese side for its help in the relief work after the earthquake and tsunami recently hit Indonesia.

The Indonesian president said that he was pleased to have reached a series of important cooperation agreements and consensus with China, hoping to strengthen bilateral cooperation in a wide range of fields.

Indonesia supports the development of ASEAN-China relations, and is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with China in international and regional affairs, said the Indonesian president.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 21:49:36|Editor: Yang Yi

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on Nov. 17, 2018. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in here Saturday, calling for deepening the strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries and strengthening communication on the Korean Peninsula issue.

The consensuses reached between the two heads of state have been implemented effectively over the past year, and the bilateral ties have steadily improved and developed, Xi told Moon on the sidelines of the 26th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Port Moresby, the capital of the Pacific island country of Papua New Guinea.

Xi urged the two countries to continuously deepen their strategic cooperative partnership and jointly make positive contributions to lasting peace and prosperity in the region.

The two sides should continue to give full play to the guiding role of high-level leaders, respect the core interests and major concerns of each other, strengthen communication, build and consolidate mutual trust, and properly handle sensitive issues, the Chinese president said.

He called for greater efforts from both sides to jointly promote the Belt and Road Initiative, accelerate the second-phase negotiations of the bilateral free trade agreement, and optimize and upgrade their mutually beneficial cooperation.

Xi also proposed that the two sides strengthen coordination and cooperation within multilateral frameworks such as APEC, G20 and the China-Japan-South Korea trilateral meetings.

For his part, Moon extended congratulations on the success of the first China International Import Expo, which was held in Shanghai a week ago.

The bilateral relations are now showing a trend of quick recovery, with exchanges and cooperation in various areas picking up markedly, he said.

The South Korean side is willing to make joint efforts with the Chinese side to deepen cooperation, thus benefiting the two peoples, Moon said.

On the Korean Peninsula issue, Xi said that the situation on the peninsula has shown positive changes over the past year, and the peninsular issue has on the whole gone back to the right track of dialogue and consultation.

Facts have proven that our endeavors are effective, he said.

With the leadership of President Moon, South Korea has been committed to promoting the easing of tension on the peninsula, and carrying out reconciliation and interaction activities between the south and north, Xi said.

China supports efforts by the two sides to continuously improve their relations, Xi said.

Currently, the Korean Peninsula situation is at a crucial stage, he said, noting that China and South Korea should enhance communication, and coordinate with each other to advance the process of denuclearization and push for the establishment of a peace mechanism on the peninsula.

The key is that all parties concerned should meet each other halfway, show flexibility, continue their talks and make the talks yield results, Xi added.

Moon said that South Korea and China share common interest in safeguarding peace and stability in Northeast Asia.

The South Korean side thinks highly of and very much appreciates the vital role of China in promoting the easing of Korean Peninsula situation and the settlement of the peninsular issue, he said, adding that South Korea stands ready to coordinate and cooperate with China more closely in this regard.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 21:54:39|Editor: xuxin

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WELLINGTON, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand is joining its voice and influence with others in the international community to better protect biodiversity by joining the Sharm El-Sheikh Declaration.

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage joined other political leaders at the event to discuss global biodiversity at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) High Level Segment in Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt on Thursday.

"This declaration comes at a pivotal point for nature," Sage said, adding despite significant efforts, global biodiversity continues to decline.

New Zealand has started to develop a new national biodiversity strategy, she said.

"With many of New Zealand's native plants and wildlife found nowhere else in the world, we have an international responsibility to safeguard them for their own sake, and for present and future generations," the minister said.

The declaration focuses on the importance of mainstreaming biodiversity across relevant sectors of the economy, with a particular emphasis on energy and mining, infrastructure, and manufacturing and processing, as well as health.

"It was important to New Zealand that the declaration acknowledges the importance of circular economy principles to ensure less waste is created and more reuse is possible," said Sage.

The meeting of the parties to the Convention, which continues over the next two weeks, will establish a pathway towards the adoption in 2020 of a new global biodiversity plan.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 22:09:41|Editor: Li Xia

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BEIJING, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in many regions across China have pledged support for private enterprises in a bid to stimulate economic growth and boost job creation.

Beijing municipal government is offering customized services to help privately-owned firms address a wide array of issues.

Local authorities and social capital have set up a capital pool of 35 billion yuan (5 billion U.S. dollars) to help ease liquidity risks for publicly-traded firms which have pledged shares as collateral for loans, Beijing mayor Chen Jining said in an interview, adding authorities will support private firms to issue bonds to raise funds.

Many firms in share pledge financing face the risk of margin calls when they need to deposit additional money to bring up the margin account to maintenance levels. If they fail to pay up when the stocks prices fall below the level agreed upon, lenders can sell the pledged shares, thus triggering further market volatility.

"The city government in Beijing will clear investment hurdles and open private capital to over 60 projects with a total investment of 100 billion yuan," Chen said.

The Shanghai municipal banking and insurance regulator ordered local lenders to optimize lending policies and eliminate discriminative barriers, to create a level playing field to increase lending to private businesses.

The regulator urged the expanding of financial channels and providing sufficient financial services for private firms at different growth stages.

It also called for more innovative products to increase the availability of loans for small- and micro-sized enterprises and regulate administrative fees and reduce borrowing costs for the private sector.

South China's Guangdong Province, known for its booming private sector, has the largest number of private firms and the highest related tax revenues in China. The province issued a package of policies to support private companies, including lowering the prices of gas and electricity for industry use and favorable loans to small- and micro-sized companies.

In the old industrial base of Heilongjiang, local authorities will continue to improve the business environment. Measures include reduction of taxes and fees, lowering financing costs, creating a level playing field, and a crackdown on intellectual property right violations and investment hurdles.

The spate of measures across the country came after the central Chinese authorities pledged substantial policy support for the private sector, including tax cuts and easier financing.

The private sector plays an important role in the Chinese economy, contributing more than 50 percent of tax revenue, 60 percent of gross domestic product, 70 percent of technological innovation, 80 percent of urban employment and 90 percent of new jobs and new firms.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 22:14:42|Editor: xuxin

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BEIRUT, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Mohamed Saleh, Sidon's head of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, called for measures to recover trade between Lebanon and India, local media reported Saturday.

"Trade between the two countries dropped in the past year. Lebanese exports to India dropped from 24 U.S. million dollars in 2014 to 12 million dollars last year, while Lebanon's imports from India down from 400 million dollars to 300 million dollars," Saleh was quoted by the National News Agency as saying.

Saleh's remarks came during his meeting with an Indian delegation headed by Ovessa Iqbal, the Charge d'Affaires of the Indian Embassy in Lebanon.

He said that the private sectors in both countries in addition to diplomats must cooperate to encourage the participation in exhibitions and conferences in India and Lebanon.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 22:14:43|Editor: xuxin

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NAIROBI, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- As Kenya is getting closer to grow genetically modified cotton next year to boost the textile industry, jitters are growing over the crop amid low awareness on its benefits and dangers.

President Uhuru Kenyatta in June asked technocrats in the health and agriculture ministry to explore the prospects of farming the genetically modified cotton, commonly referred to as Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton.

The move took the east African nation a step closer to joining Botswana, Sudan and South African in growing the crop, with January 2019 set as the launch date for commercialization of the cotton.

Thereafter, farmers are expected to start growing the crop for commercial purposes, therefore, creating some 50,000 jobs.

The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) is currently carrying out open field tests for the Bt cotton in Kisumu and Busia in western Kenya, among other areas, ahead of the commercialization.

Bt cotton is genetically modified to contain proteins that are harmful to boll worms, the main pest affecting cotton, according to KALRO.

But as the plan gathers speed, some agriculture lobby groups are opposing the introduction of the cotton, noting it is not safe for human and animals.

Besides, they note that awareness among the public remains low on the benefits of the crop as a 2012 ban on GMOs in Kenya remains in force.

"We are exploring the possibilities of farming Bt cotton and profiling the crop as the panacea to lift the textile industry," said Anne Maina, national coordinator of the Kenya Biodiversity Coalition.

Yet the 2012 ban on GM food imports is still in force and there is no public education and engagement on whether we are ready for this technology, Maina added.

Maina asked the government to look into the health effects that GMOs have on human and animals before they introduce them.

"Almost 60 percent of cotton products are used by animals and human beings and only 40 percent go to the textile industry," she said.

"Cotton seedcake is used in making animal feeds. These animals would later be consumed by human, meaning people would be eating the GMOs."

Layla Liebetrau, programs lead at Route to Food Initiative, noted that Bt cotton would make farmers use more agrochemicals, standing in the way of using ecological agricultural practices.

The country must have a dialogue among sectors and stakeholders before adopting and promoting Bt cotton, she said.

Karen Nekesa, Africa Biodiversity Network programs coordinator, similarly, called on the government to consider food safety and environmental protection before commercializing Bt cotton.

Charles Waturu, KALRO's director of Horticulture Research Institute, however, in a recent interview allayed fears on Bt cotton, noting compared to normal cotton seeds, Bt cotton yields up to some 500 kg per acre and the crop is safer.

Other genetically modified crops under trial in Kenya are drought tolerant maize, bio-fortified sorghum, cassava and gypsophila paniculata cut flowers.

Last year, the National Biosafety Authority (NBA), which regulates all activities involving genetically modified organisms in Kenya, approved environmental release and placing on the market of genetically modified Gypsophila cut flowers in Kenya.

"The GM Gypsophila has been improved through modern techniques by adding a few genetic elements responsible for new range of colours from dark purple and red to light pink coloration in flowers from a model plant called Arapidopsis," said NBA.

Kenya is keen on commercializing the cotton to improve its manufacturing.
At least 40 civilians are killed on Nov. 17 by intensified U.S.-led airstrikes in eastern Syria, state news agency SANA reports. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani)

DAMASCUS, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 40 civilians were killed on Saturday morning by intensified U.S.-led airstrikes in eastern Syria, state news agency SANA reported.

The airstrikes targeted the village of al-Bukan near the town of Hajin, 110 km southeast of Deir al-Zour province in eastern Syria, said SANA.

The attack is part of incessant airstrikes targeting the last Islamic State (IS)-held pocket in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour.

SANA said the village of Bukan has become almost empty as people started fleeing the U.S.-airstrikes, which are carrying out the "scorched land" tactic.

Over the past week, the U.S.-led strikes killed over 100 civilians, SANA added.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the coalition airstrikes killed 43 civilians Saturday, including 29 children and women.

The watchdog group said the "massacre" is the largest on the eastern bank of Euphrates River in eastern Deir al-Zour since the U.S.-backed operation against IS started over 10 weeks ago.

U.S.-led airstrikes on the last IS-held pocket on the eastern bank of Euphrates River have recently intensified as the U.S.-backed Kurdish militias were planning a second wave of attacks on the IS after a failed attempt on Sept. 10.

A day earlier, the observatory said the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces has amassed around 1,700 fighters over the past 24 hours as part of the preparation for another wave of attack on IS positions east of Euphrates.

On Saturday, the Syrian Foreign Ministry renewed in a statement its call on the UN to form "an independent international mechanism" to investigate the "crimes of the Washington coalition" and punish the perpetrators.

The Syrian government has long questioned the intention of the U.S.-led operations in this oil-rich area inside Syria.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 22:44:49|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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PARIS, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- In a fresh confrontation with French President Emmanuel Macron, people angry at rising tax on fuel on Saturday blocked motorways across the country.

Dubbed "Yellow Vests" movement, the latest anti-Macron action, was created on social media after several groups have called for blockades and go-slow operations across French cities to oppose the planned fuel tax and the rise in diesel's price, the most commonly used car fuel in France.

About 124,000 people were taking part in 2,000 protests at roundabouts and motorway exits, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said.

Traffic was backing up on several highways, as a result of the blockade of roads by protestors in many regions.

Pictures showed scores of "Yellow Vest" protestors gathered in the Champs Elysees, the French capital's most vibrant avenue, and tried to disrupt traffic at crosswalks.

"Macron, resignation," chanted protestors while they were heading to the Elysee Palace under the watch of anti-riot police.

The public anger is also reflected in opinion polls. An Odoxa survey released on Friday showed 74 percent of respondents support the movement.

Most Saturday's protests were relatively calm. But, some incidents were reported as drivers not taking part in the social action tried to get around the blockades.

At a blockade on a road in Savoie, southeastern France, a driver, panicked when protesters surrounded her car and began banging on the roof, accelerated and rammed into the crowd. She hit a female protestor who succumbed to her injuries.

The motorist was bringing her sick daughter to the doctor when the protestors blocked her way, Interior Minister Castaner said in televised remarks.

The minister added 47 people were injured. Three of them were in serious situation.

"I call for caution, vigilance and responsibility of all, faced with the risk of organizing undeclared rallies on the public roads," Castaner said.

In late 2017, the National Assembly, where Macron enjoys a large majority, approved an energy bill aimed at rising domestic carbon tax to 39 euros (44.5 U.S. dollars) this year, 47.5 euros in 2019 and 100 euros by 2030 as part of energy transition.

These higher taxes started biting and ignited social roar as oil prices surged recent months.

Standing firm on the fuel tax hikes, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe earlier this week announced a plan worth 500 million euros to help motorists with the lowest incomes, in a move to appease angry public and silent critics.

"The majority hears the remarks, the emotion, sometimes the anger expressed by the French, but going from a system such as it was conceived to a new one always causes difficulties," the prime minister said.

"But, we are convinced that doing nothing against CO2 emissions ... would not be up to the challenges," he added. (1 euro = 1.142 U.S. dollar)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 22:49:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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GABORONE, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Botswana plans to start offering tourists visas on arrival, effective on Nov. 24, the southern African nation's Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism said Saturday.

In a telephone interview with Xinhua, the deputy Permanent Secretary in the tourism ministry Thabang Botshoma said Botswana is doing everything with her power to ensure that the country's doors are open to the world.

"President (Mokgweetsi) Masisi made the announcement when addressing the 45th meeting of the High Level Consultative Council (HLCC) on Thursday in Gaborone," Botshoma said.

Botshoma said the Botswanan leader has given Botswana's Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs a grace period until Nov. 24, 2018 to amend the immigration rules and procedures to accommodate the visa-on-arrival process.

According to Botshoma, the development will result in Botswana becoming the latest African nation to relax visa requirements in a bid to improve tourism and the ease of doing business in the southern African country.

Dorcas Makgato, Botswana's Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs Minister also confirmed the development.

She said her ministry is busy amending some rules and procedures regarding the inflow of visitors into the country.

Makgato said it has been strenuous for tourists, wishing to visit the southern African nation which is endowed with flora and fauna as well as an avalanche of business opportunities, from the countries required to apply for a visa first.

She said tourists were expected to apply for a visa at Botswana's embassy in their native countries or a country closer to them. And the process would take not less than 14 days to be approved or disapproved, said Makgato.

On its twitter page, Business Botswana expressed much excitement about the offering of a tourist visa at point of entry saying this will improve the ease of doing business in Botswana.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 23:09:54|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIRUT, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Caretaker Tourism Minister Avedis Guidanian on Saturday called on Lebanese citizens to stage nationwide protests in a bid to pressure Lebanese officials to accelerate government formation.

"If economic bodies and Lebanese citizens decide to protest, I will be the first one to take part in these demonstrations," he was quoted by the National News Agency as saying.

Guidanian said that Lebanon is wasting tremendous opportunities in the absence of an active government.

However, he said that growth in the tourism sector was seen in the first half of this year despite the absence of a cabinet and Lebanon's incapability of taking part in worldwide exhibitions.

Lebanon is estimated to receive 2 million tourists by the end of 2018, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 23:35:00|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RAMALLAH, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Palestinian and global journalists from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) protested the Israeli imposed restrictions against Palestinian journalists in a march on Saturday.

The Israeli forces at the Israeli Qalandia military checkpoint located between Ramallah city and East Jerusalem threw tear gas toward the journalists to disperse them.

The journalists put on their body armor vests with the IFJ slogan and raised their international press cards, highlighting that their march was a peaceful protest.

IFJ chief Philippe Leruth told Xinhua that "we have a meeting for our executive committee in Ramallah to express our solidarity with the Palestinian colleagues, who suffer from harassment, not only from the Israeli police or the Israeli forces."

The peaceful demonstration received brutal reaction with strong tear gas, he said.

"I am a journalist. I have seen tear gas in my country, but not that kind. It shows that Israel is scared of free journalists," he went on.

Chairperson of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS), Nasser Abu Baker, said that "the Israeli occupation carried out a crime against the whole world today, all world's journalists, the representative of over 800,000 journalists."

"The IFJ is now requested to take new measures to stop those crimes against us and the world journalists," Baker added.

The protest came on the sidelines of the IFJ executive meeting held in West Bank's city of Ramallah for the first time.

On the sidelines, the IFJ and the PJS will hold an international conference to highlight the Israeli assaults against Palestinian journalists.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-18 00:05:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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NEW DELHI, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Two youths have been abducted and killed by armed militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir over the past two days after the killers took them to be "police informers," local media reported on Saturday.

Two other youths have also been abducted, but their whereabouts are not known yet, said the media reports.

Video of one of them being executed has gone viral on social media in the country since Friday. The killers are heard as saying in the video that the victim was a police informer, and warned the people to check that their children were not police informers, otherwise they would also be killed in the same way.

According to the Hindustan Times, a 19-year-old man identified as Huzaif Ashraf was killed hours after he was abducted along with two other civilians by militants in south Kashmir's Shopian on Saturday, police said.

It came just 48 hours after a bullet-riddled body of a teen was found in neighboring Pulwama district.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-18 00:05:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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YAOUNDE, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people were killed in Cameroon's commercial city of Douala early Saturday after the brake of an oil tanker failed along the main road of a neighborhood called "Village," police sources told Xinhua.

"Many of those who died were commercial motorcyclists who parked along the road waiting for passengers. They were all hit by the tanker," the source said, adding that a woman and baby were among the victims of the accident.

A witness, 45-year-old Jean Ekoka, said several people who were discussing along the road were injured and some were rushed to the hospital.

"The tanker came from nowhere on full speed rolling over motorcycles and people. Luckily the tanker that was carrying oil did not explode," Ekoka told Xinhua.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-18 00:15:11|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIRUT, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese caretaker Minister of Displaced Affairs, Mouin Merhebi, said Saturday that Lebanon is committed to hosting and protecting Syrian refugees but it is completely against their nationalization, local media reported.

"Lebanon insists on securing a safe and voluntary return of Syrian refugees to their homeland by providing them with legal guarantees for a secure return," Merhebi was quoted by the National News Agency as saying.

Merhebi's remarks came during a conference held in the offices of the Ministry of State for Planning Affairs to discuss the situation of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Merhebi said that the international community did not fulfill all of its promises to Lebanon when it comes to the basic needs of refugees.

The Russian strategy for the return of refugees "can only be successful by securing funds for it while ensuring the international legal, security and socio-economic guarantees for the returning refugees," he noted.

Meanwhile, Dmitry Lebedev, the political advisor at the Russian Embassy in Lebanon, said that the success of a voluntary return for Syrian refugees requires a consensus in the international community to finance the reconstruction process in Syria.

Lebanon is hosting 976,000 registered Syrian refugees, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, while the government estimates the true number of Syrian refugees in the country at 1.5 million.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-18 01:40:21|Editor: Lu Hui

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A helicopter flies near the Leaders' Conference Centre in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on Nov. 14, 2018. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)

by Xinhua writers Fei Liena, Huang Yinjiazi, Luo Jun

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- "I was looking at the vast ocean when I boarded the ship, and it struck me that we are all indeed fellow passengers in the same boat," said Chinese President Xi Jinping in his keynote speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit held here Saturday on cruise ship Pacific Explorer.

"As we brave the rough waters of the global economy and confront the many risks and challenges, it is all too befitting that we have come together on this ship to chart the course for future development and cooperation," he said, using vivid images.

With protectionism and unilateralism now casting a long shadow over the prospect of the global economy, and a multitude of changes underway across the globe, mankind has once again reached a crossroads.

"Which direction should we choose? Cooperation or confrontation? Openness or closing one's door? Win-win progress or a zero-sum game?" Xi's remarks prompted pondering among listeners.

And his proposals later in the speech emphasizing openness, inclusive growth and innovation inspired many who are concerned about the future of the Asia-Pacific.

OPENNESS FOR MORE DEVELOPMENT SPACE

Openness brings progress, while closeness leads to backwardness. In his speech, Xi said: "Economic globalization is the sure way for the human society to achieve development, and the multilateral trading system has created opportunities for us all."

Any attempt to erect barriers and cut the close economic ties among countries "is a short-sighted approach and it is doomed to failure," he noted.

Joahnna Esquivias, APEC Voices of the Future delegate from the Philippines, who was on board Pacific Explorer for Xi's speech, told Xinhua that "President Xi's speech was truly inspiring and focused on a future of prosperity shared by all."

Esquivias agrees that there are no winners in trade wars and looks forward to the implementation of Xi's various proposals in the coming years.

When asked to comment on Xi's speech, David Morris, trade commissioner with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, said that "openness and cooperation are the only way to ensure inclusive and sustainable development."

The achievements of APEC and the WTO have proven the benefits of free trade and open economies, and countries should "all recommit to further opening up," he said.

"Partnership trumps confrontation every time. There are many examples across the Asia Pacific of how effective partnerships have been developed, based on mutual benefit and understanding and respecting each other's interests," Morris added.

John Kongoi, managing director of a telecom company in Papua New Guinea (PNG), said he was impressed by Xi's remarks on openness. "It (openness) is important, because business, finance, trade will improve, not only in PNG, but also elsewhere."

Donald Campbell, international co-chair of Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, echoed Xi's remarks about the world being at a crossroads. "We are either going to be closed or we are going to be open, so from my point of view he (Xi) said all of the right things."

Chen Hong, director of Asia Pacific Studies Center at East China Normal University, called Xi's speech "a good dose of medicine" against the current global situation weighed on by protectionism and unilateralism.

INCLUSIVENESS FOR COEXISTENCE & WIN-WIN

"We live on the same planet," President Xi said in his speech. "Diversity and interaction between different civilizations, social systems and paths can provide strong impetus for human progress."

Just like one single prescription can not cure all disease, there is no particular development model that fits all countries, Xi said, in a bid to emphasize the necessity of inclusiveness.

Andrew MacIntyre, director of the Australian APEC Study Center at RMIT University in Australia, said: "I understood him (Xi) that development in the Asia-Pacific region needs to include everyone. That is, we must ensure no nation is excluded and that within each nation, there is opportunity for all people."

"I also understood him to be saying that we needed to accept a diversity of developmental models and no nation should try to impose its developmental model on others," he added.

According to Morris from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, fair, open and transparent business environments will be even more important in the next phase of the fourth industrial revolution, to make sure that "the benefits of new technologies are widely shared and nobody is left behind."

Meanwhile, Campbell asked people to look deeper into Xi's remarks. "We need to look more broadly at economic growth than just trade. Trade is an important driver, but it doesn't benefit everyone in the same way naturally, so you have to take measures to make sure that everybody is included. That people have jobs, that there is a social security system, that your infrastructure is there."

"No country can take the path of 'me only' or 'me first'," said Chen Hong. "Nobody should judge others by its own development path, let alone impose it on others."

"The Pacific Ocean is big enough to converge various countries and people to develop together," he explained. "China will be based in the Asia-Pacific, and make it prosper."

CHINA'S GREATER ROLE

In his speech, Xi recalled the great achievements China has made in the 40 years of reform and opening-up. "It is the relentless efforts of the Chinese people that have made China what it is today!" he said.

He called on business leaders attending the summit to actively participate in China's Belt and Road Initiative and the annual China International Import Expo. "I am confident that the large market of China, with a population of close to 1.4 billion, will be a source of dynamic growth for the global economy," he said.

Chen Yushu, a representative at the APEC CEO Summit, told Xinhua after hearing Xi's speech that the APEC members should closely cooperate under the Belt and Road Initiative and that will "make the world even better."

Morris sees the Belt and Road Initiative as a great contribution by China to "help build the infrastructure and connectivity needed across the developing world and beyond."

He also spoke highly of China's 40 years of reform and opening-up, calling it a "milestone", as it has made it possible for strong economic growth and the huge change in people's lives n the country.

Jenik Radon, a professor from the School of International and Public Affairs in Columbia University, also hailed China's achievements in the past four decades. "It was fantastic. Hundreds of millions of people have been taken out of poverty. Many are better educated. That is very incredible."

To PNG businessman Kongoi, it is a practical choice to join the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. "APEC members can join the Belt and Road Initiative to set up infrastructure, not only in building roads, ports and bridges, but also in building digital infrastructure, so that every one has access to internet, especially in countries like PNG," he said.

Away from the APEC venue, Xi's speech also made a shockwave online, with many internet users applauding his remarks.

Facebook user Yuan Long posted a comment on the video of the speech that Xi's thoughts "resonate with the needs of the times. His advocacy of a global community with a shared future reflects his philosophy of leadership." Enditem

(Xinhua reporters Zhan Yan, Bai Xu, Hao Yalin, Wang Wendi, Mo Huaying, Mao Pengfei and Zhang Ning also contributed to the story.)

(Video reporters: Qiu Bo, Chen Qiman, Hu Jingchen, Zhou Jinming; Video editor: Liu Yuting)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-18 02:40:28|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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by Raimundo Urrechaga

HAVANA, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- With its foundational ideas and precepts, Havana Film Festival reaches its 40th anniversary this year, readjusting itself to new times, technologies and requirements of the current cinematographic panorama in Latin America.

"We have arrived here after four decades going through very complex times and the festival has managed to survive, reshaping itself to our reality and contemporary cinema," said Ivan Giroud, president of the event during a press conference on Friday to present the upcoming edition.

From Dec. 6-16, Havana will once again become the capital of Latin American cinema in an event that captivates Cubans who make long lines to attend the presentations of long-awaited films.

Founded in 1979 by late Cuban leader, Fidel Castro and the island's intellectual, Alfredo Guevara, the New Latin American Film Festival of Havana is currently a regional reference in the international film circuit and a true cultural event in the Caribbean nation.

Giroud, who assumed the presidency of the contest after the death of Guevara in 2013, said the festival maintains its foundational precepts and aesthetics fundamentally aimed at presenting the Latin American and Caribbean reality to the public through the big screen.

However, he said this year due to fewer theaters to project films and technological limitations, the organizers chose to rearrange the program to show fewer motion pictures compared to previous years.

"We have been more selective to choose movies in order to schedule a film or documentary several times and in that way a greater number of people can appreciate them," he added.

In this edition, 373 audiovisual pieces from 40 countries were programmed, half of which are coming from Latin America and the Caribbean.

"In competition, we have 20 fiction movies, 22 short and medium-length films, 25 documentaries and 26 animated motion pictures, among other categories," said the Cuban intellectual.

The countries most represented in the event are Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, the United States and Cuba.

The event will also pay tribute to the most famous Cuban film director, Tomas Gutierrez Alea, with exhibitions, movie projections and a seminar on his career and thinking.

In addition, there will be special presentations of films such as "Roma," by Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron, and "BlacKkKlansman" of famous U.S. director Spike Lee.

A special moment will be the debut in Cuba of the film "Yuli" by Spanish director Iciar Bollain, which tells the story of legendary Cuban dancer Carlos Acosta, who for more than 10 years was a leading figure of the Royal Ballet of London.

"We will also have international guests such as Michael Moore who will present his documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, American actor, Matt Dillon and Puerto Rican actor, Benicio del Toro, among others," he said.

At the inaugural gala, where Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel is expected, special awards will be handed out to institutions and filmmakers who have supported this event for four decades, according to organizers.

Also, the documentary "El Pepe, a supreme life" by Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica, about the life of former Uruguayan president Jose Mujica will be screened.

The New Latin American Film Festival of Havana aims to recognize and disseminate cinematographic works that contribute from their meaning and their artistic values to the enrichment and reaffirmation of Latin American and Caribbean cultural identity.

Among its participants throughout its history have been the Colombian Nobel Prize winner, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and high-profile actors and directors like Robert Redford, Francis Ford Coppola, Harry Belafonte, Geraldine Chaplin, Victoria Abril and Pedro Almodovar, among others.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-18 02:50:29|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan President and current chairperson of the African Union (AU), Paul Kagame, on Saturday hailed the lifting by the UN Security Council of the sanctions against Eritrea.

Kagame made the remarks at the opening of the 11th AU extraordinary summit at the headquarters of the Union in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.

The United Nations Security Council last Wednesday adopted a resolution lifting the sanctions imposed on the Horn of African nation since December 2009.

This action will contribute to the ongoing process of normalization in the Horn of Africa sub-region, Kagame has noted.

He has also commended Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia and President Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea for their courageous actions and others for working with the two leaders.

Following the decision of lifting the sanctions, different institutions in Africa, including the AU and the East African bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), have hailed the adoption.

The decision is a further step towards the consolidation of the recent positive developments in the Horn of Africa, marked by an improvement of bilateral relations between the countries of the region, the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said in a statement on Thursday.

Meanwhile, welcoming the decision, IGAD executive secretary Mahboub Maalim on Friday lauded regional leaders in general, and Eritrea in particular for all the efforts that helped UNSC to lift the sanctions.

Maalim said the historic normalization of the relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea is going to have a very positive ramification in the region in terms of cooperation and also towards peace, security and stability.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-18 03:00:30|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) on Saturday launched a peace fund aimed to promote peace and security in Africa.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of the AU peace fund, Rwandan President and current AU Chairperson Paul Kagame, said the fund will work towards ensuring that peace and security challenges are solved by African mechanisms.

Kagame was speaking on the sidelines of the 11th AU extraordinary summit of heads of state from November 17-18, currently being held in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

"The peace fund would work at a starting budget of around 100 million U.S. dollars annually, with AU member states so far contributing 60 million U.S. dollars to the peace fund," said Kagame.

Kagame praised 42 AU member states who contributed to their share of the peace fund while he urged the 12 remaining AU member states to fill the remaining quota.

Moussa Faki Mahamat, AU Commissioner, for his part said the peace fund will be overseen by a board of trustees comprising five esteemed African personalities and two development partners: the European Union and the United Nations.

"The board of trustees would have a five-year term, with the option of extending it for another five-year term, and will monitor the proper utilization of finances for peace and security activities," said Mahamat.

The AU hopes to use the peace fund to work towards conflict avoidance, peace support and post conflict reconstruction talks.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-18 03:45:35|Editor: Yurou

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TRIPOLI, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Libya's eastern-based House of Representatives (parliament) announced Saturday that the UN special envoy for Libya does not object to replacing the current Tripoli-based Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord.

During the recent international conference on the Libyan crisis held in Italy's Palermo, Speaker of Libya's parliament, Agila Saleh, and UN Special Envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, had a sideline meeting.

According to the speaker's media advisor, Salame expressed no objection on any possible joint decision made by the parliament and the Higher Council of State to replace the Presidential Council.

The Presidential Council has been appointed based on a UN-sponsored political agreement signed by the Libyan parties later in 2015 in order to end the country's political crisis.

However, the country remains politically divided between authorities in the east and the west, both competing for legitimacy.

In October, both of the parliament and the Higher Council of State announced that they agreed on forming a new Presidential Council consisting of a president and two deputies, instead of the current one which has a president and eight deputies.

Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid insecurity and chaos, ever since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-18 04:05:37|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BUDAPEST, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced Saturday plans to make Budapest one of the best capitals of Europe by 2030.

"Today, Budapest is at the gates of enormous developments, and the next decade will be the most successful of the city's history ever," Orban said at a press event with Mayor of Budapest Istvan Tarlos held on the occasion of Capital's Day.

The Capital's Day commemorates the birth of modern Budapest, created 145 years ago by the joining of Buda, Pest and Obuda.

"By 2030, Budapest could be one of the most vibrant and viable cities in Europe, the continent's safest capital city with a high quality of life," Orban said.

He added: "The city administration and the government would need well-organized, hard, joint work, and that was why we established the Council of Municipal Development, in agreement with the Mayor Istvan Tarlos."

The reconstruction of the City Park, the Opera House, the Museum of Applied Arts and the refurbishment of metro line 3 are the presently ongoing major projects.

"In addition, the Council of Municipal Development will soon have to decide on the new National Pentathlon Center, on the restoration of the historic buildings of the Buda Castle," Orban told. "The construction of a new South-Buda central hospital will also begin in the near future."

"We are thinking in projects worth thousands of billions of forints over a decade-long period," Orban concluded.

At the press event, Orban and Tarlos also signed a cooperation agreement between the government and the city of Budapest, assuring the funds necessary for the completion of the projects.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-18 05:05:46|Editor: Yurou

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LONDON, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May revealed Saturday how she ended one of the busiest days of her time in Downing Street by going home to do the washing.

May spent the weekend contacting leading Conservatives, seeking to win support for the draft Brexit agreement agreed earlier this week by the majority of her front bench ministers.

So far a threatened challenge to May has not materialised, with political commentators saying the required 48 names needed among MPs to trigger a vote of no confidence had not yet been reached.

More leading supporters rallied to May's support, with environment minister Therese Coffey saying in a radio interview Saturday that May would win a vote of no confidence very convincingly.

Coffey said she was confident May has delivered on the result of the 2016 EU membership referendum, adding the withdrawal agreement is only temporary.

Media reports in London also said Saturday that five leading ministers are hoping to persuade May to make changes to her draft Brexit proposals.

The five ministers were named widely in media reports as Andrea Leadsom, leader of the House of Commons, Environment Secretary Gove, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, and International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt.

They specifically want to change the part regarding the arrangements for the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland which has been one of the main sticking points in talks with Brussels.

Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail newspaper Saturday, May gave a rare glimpse of life behind the scenes for Britain's most important politician.

Describing her determined demeanor during the interview as a "picture of calm under the circumstances", the newspaper asked May about the day this week when she faced hours of questions in the House of Commons, and was told that four of her ministers, including her Brexit Secretary had resigned.

May, who is diabetic and relies on insulin, had an air of steely composure as she talked candidly about her marriage, her faith, and how she copes with plotters within her own Conservative Party.

She said of her week: "It's been a pretty heavy couple of days", admitting to the Mail that when she went up to her Downing Street living area late on Wednesday the first thing her husband Philip did was to pour her a whisky.

May told the Mail she could not survive the pressure cooker of politics without her husband at her side.

"I always say he is my rock. It's hugely important to have somebody there who is supportive of you, not involved in the intricacies of politics, but there to provide human support," said May candidly.

The couple met when they were both at Oxford University when, according to May, he was as politically ambitious as she was.

"He thinks what I am doing is important for the British people, though he doesn't put it like that. He says 'Keep going, this matters, keep doing the right thing,'" added May.

May also said her husband feels the pain of the vicious personal attacks on her by Conservative Party critics even more than she does.

She told the Mail: "It's often harder for the other half because they are watching it and feel protective and think 'Why are they saying that to my wife?' He does feel some of the hurt himself -- he's bound to. We've been married for 38 years, that's a long time."

After talking about the domesticity of home and family life, May, said the Mail, went onto the defensive when the topic turned to Brexit.

When challenged over claims that the European Union (EU) would be able veto Britain leaving the EU customs union, May retorted: "No, no, no, no. In the future we will leave customs union."
Members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and US soldiers patrol the Kurdish-held town of Al-Darbasiyah in northeastern Syria bordering Turkey on November 4, 2018. (AFP PHOTO)

MOSCOW, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 18 Syrian servicemen were killed in an attack by militants in the Syrian province of Latakia, the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation said Saturday.

Illegal armed formations attacked outskirts of the cities of Aleppo and Hama, as well as the localities of Tall Alush in Aleppo province and Safsara in Latakia province over the past day, the center said in a statement published by the Russian Defense Ministry.

"As a result of the attack in Safsara in Latakia province, 18 Syrian servicemen were killed and one Syrian serviceman was wounded," it said.

The center called on leaders of the militants in the Idlib de-escalation zone to cease hostilities and move toward a peaceful settlement.

Meanwhile, humanitarian missions were carried out during this period, with 450 food sets distributed among residents in a settlement in the Dei ez-Zor province and a ton of bread sent to a district to the south of Aleppo, it said.

The center has so far carried out a total of 1994 humanitarian actions, delivering 3124.2 tons of aid to Syrian residents.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-18 06:20:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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JERUSALEM, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that he would meet Sunday with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon in a last effort to prevent snap elections.

Netanyahu tweeted that if Kahlon's Kulanu party, one of the coalition members, "will not overthrow the government, there will be a government. We must not overthrow a right-wing government."

Netanyahu added that all members of his Likud party "are interested in continuing to serve the country for another full year until the end of the term in November 2019."

The parliament elections are expected to be held in March 26, 2019 and a final decision is expected on Sunday after talks between the heads of the coalition factions.

The main reason for the snap elections is the resignation of Israel's Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who demanded a harsh response against Hamas' rocket attack on southern Israel.

The head of the Jewish Home party, Naftali Bennet, then demanded to be appointed as minister of defense, but was refused by Netanyahu.

Following Netanyahu's tweet, Kahlon said in a television interview that he supports the early elections because of the weakening of the coalition without Lieberman's faction.

Kahlon added that he is not worried that he will be accused of advancing the elections, and that "this spin does no longer affect me, the Likud should stop threatening."

Kahlon said he did no object to Bennett's appointment as defense minister.

Earlier on Saturday, Bennett said in a television interview that "there is no government, we are going to elections, it is best to shorten this bad period."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-18 06:41:01|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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HELSINKI, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Hoping to become a European hub for electric car battery production, the Finnish government and mining sector believe the relevant metal ore reserves and technological knowhow will convince Asian investors.

Of the key metals for the batteries, nickel and cobalt are already being mined and processed in Finland, and the first lithium mine in the European Union (EU) is expected to open in Finland in 2019.

This autumn the construction of a plant producing battery chemicals started in the Terrafame nickel mines in Sotkamo, northeastern Finland. When completed in 2021, it is to produce 170,000 tons of nickel sulfate annually, estimated by newspaper Helsingin Sanomat to be sufficient for a million car batteries, and cobalt sulfate matching 300,000 batteries.

In lithium production, partially state owned Keliber company announced this week the start of a test program to produce lithium hydroxide, increasingly preferred by battery producers.

Lauri Ratia, chairman of the state majority owned Terrafame mining company, on Saturday highlighted confidence in proving that Finland is "a stable and predictable environment" for car battery manufacturing.

Talking to newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, he admitted that competition is hard though.

Matti Hietanen, CEO of the fully state owned company Finnish Ore Processing, which controls the government holdings in mining, said recently Finland needs Asian companions.

"Asian manufacturers dominate and they have projects elsewhere in Europe. Our unique raw material reserves and sustainable production give us a good basis for talks with the Asians," he said on national radio Yle.

RISK REHAB EFFORT

The battery industry hype in Finland is partially a spinn-off of a mining industry disaster and a rescue operation that could have ended with a failure and futile spending of public money.

In 2015 the original operator of the Talvivaara nickel mines went bankrupt, following a major environmental disaster due to problems encountered in its biodissolving based nickel and zinc production.

As the cleanup of the vast contaminated areas, including waterways, would have been a public expense anyway, the Finnish government took the risk of a second attempt. An initially wholly government owned mining company, Terrafame took over the site and operations.

This autumn, while the trial of the environmental crimes against the executives of Talvivaara mining company was still in the news, Terrafame attained profit and full production. Problems in the biodissolving process have been overcome.

The state ownership of Terrafame has since gone down to 69 percent. The largest private investor is Singapore based Trafigura. Under current rules, the state ownership cannot go under 50.1 percent. At a later stage Terrafame can become publically listed.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-17 22:33:45|Editor: Yamei

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China, Indonesia agree to promote bilateral cooperation

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo here on Saturday and reached a series of important consensus on deepening ties.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ongoing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, which was held in Papua New Guinea's capital city of Port Moresby. Full Text

Xi, Moon meet on bilateral ties, Korean Peninsula situation

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in here Saturday, calling for deepening the strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries and strengthening communication on the Korean Peninsula issue.

The consensuses reached between the two heads of state have been implemented effectively over the past year, and the bilateral ties have steadily improved and developed, Xi told Moon on the sidelines of the 26th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Port Moresby, the capital of the Pacific island country of Papua New Guinea. Full Text

Xi meets Chilean president, pledges closer ties

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his Chilean counterpart Sebastian Pinera here Saturday, vowing to lift bilateral ties to a new height.
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...
Pennsylvania gaming regulators say Mike Giammarino is unsuitable to operate a restaurant in a casino because of alleged links to organized crime. Giammarino, shown here in 2013 in Gennaro's Tomato Pie in South Philadelphia, is fighting back. Read more

Michael Giammarino says it wasn't his idea to open an offshoot of Lombardi's Pizza in Parx Casino in Bensalem. But two intermediaries said Parx was eager to host his famous New York restaurant, and a deal was struck.

That was when his problems began.

Law enforcement officials in late 2016 told gaming regulators that organized crime was attempting to get a toehold in Pennsylvania casinos via Lombardi's, which was founded in New York's Little Italy and claims to be America's oldest pizzeria.

Last December, only weeks before Lombardi's was scheduled to open in Parx, investigators for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board moved to revoke Giammarino's 2016 permit. Investigators said he was unsuitable to be a gaming service provider "due to his associations with reputed organized crime members."

Parx paid Giammarino $155,000 for his investment but dropped Lombardi's like a scalding slice. It opened the restaurant this year under the name Oliveto.

But Giammarino did not go away. He had run a Lombardi's outlet on 18th Street near Rittenhouse Square until 2005, and had operated a South Philadelphia restaurant, Gennaro's Tomato Pie, until 2017. He wanted to clear his name. "Everybody's going to make the assumption that I'm mobbed up, and it's not true," he said in an interview.

The 53-year-old restaurateur challenged the revocation. Giammarino said he barely knew the two intermediaries who recruited him  a New York cannoli merchant who is an alleged associate of the Gambino crime family, and a South Philadelphia ex-convict best known as the victim of a Mafia hit man's electric drill.

And Giammarino said he had no idea that the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, the agency overseeing the port, had named his stepfather, John Brescio, as a captain in the Genovese crime family. Brescio was the public face of Lombardi's in New York.

"I just don't understand how all these people's misdeeds got basically tattooed on me," Giammarino said at an appearance last month before the gaming board, which is scheduled to rule on the revocation on Nov. 28.

PGCB investigators portrayed Giammarino as a clear risk. "Everywhere our investigators looked in this matter, they found histories of drug trafficking and ties to organized crime," Michael Roland, a lawyer with the board's Office of Enforcement Counsel, said at the Oct. 31 hearing.

Roland urged the gaming board to reject any casino supplier with even a whiff of organized crime connections. "We encourage the board to take a zero tolerance policy to any association with organized crime by any applicant or licensee," he said.

Giammarino said the only black mark against him was a misdemeanor drug conviction when he was 20, which he disclosed in his gaming board application and for which he expressed remorse. He says his legal challenge is about restoring reputational damage.

But the matter also ventures into uncharted territory for gaming regulators, who will be pressed to define more precisely what makes a person unsuitable to do business with a Pennsylvania casino.

State law requires that the gaming board grant service-provider permits only to people of "good character, honesty and integrity" whose past activities or associations "do not pose a threat to the public interest or the effective regulation and control" of gaming.

A hearing examiner in August sided with the pizza-shop owner, saying the gaming board's Office of Enforcement Counsel (OEC) had "failed to prove by a preponderance of evidence" that Giammarino's management firm, Sonic Services Inc., was unsuitable to provide casino services.

"The problem with OEC's mafia infiltration narrative is that it begins with an allegation that is not supported by the record," the hearing examiner, Jay R. Lantzy, said in an August report to the gaming board.

Rather than adopting the zero tolerance policy recommended by Pennsylvania investigators, Lantzy recommended following the guidance of New Jersey courts, which he said establish a more lenient standard of "fundamental fairness and due process" to determine the suitability of a licensee.

Giammarino, in an interview last week, said the allegations against him were "ridiculous" and "totally without merit," and called investigators "very vindictive."

"It's not what they think it is, but unfortunately they have a lot of time and money invested in this, and they're used to getting their way," he said. "Let's just hope the board sees it for what it is and does what I think is the right and just thing."

By all accounts, Parx's courtship of the pizzeria owner was complicated and drawn out, and involved several intermediaries with colorful nicknames and shady histories.

In 2014, the casino was looking to expand its food offerings, according to the hearing examiner's report. Five Parx officials, including Paul Greco, the current general manager, and Anthony Ricci, the chief executive of Greenwood Racing Inc., the casino's parent company, met with John DeLutro, the owner of a New York pastry shop, and Joseph DeSimone, a regular Parx patron.

A Parx entourage later traveled to New York to visit DeLutro's pastry shop, Caffe Palermo, in Little Italy. Ricci said the cannolis were very good, according to testimony, and Parx officials decided they wanted DeLutro's shop at the casino.

DeLutro, who is known as "Baby John," then walked the Parx contingent around the block to Lombardi's Pizza on Spring Street. John Brescio, who managed the store, gave them a tour and some pizza. The Parx emissaries were favorably impressed with Lombardi's.

After departing New York, they asked DeLutro to explore whether the pizzeria would also set up shop in the casino.

Giammarino rejected DeLutro's overtures. Parx officials, meanwhile, abandoned plans to do business with DeLutro after doing some research and discovering he had an extensive criminal history. Law enforcement officials called him an associate of the Gambino crime family.

DeLutro did not respond to phone messages and emails.

In 2015, Joseph DeSimone picked up where DeLutro left off and sought to connect the Lombardi's owner with Parx.

DeSimone, 65, who was present during the initial Parx meeting with the pastry shop owner, approached Giammarino at his South Philadelphia restaurant, Gennaro's Tomato Pie. Giammarino said he had never met DeSimone before but was impressed that DeSimone immediately got a Parx official on the phone to set up a meeting.

As talks between the pizza shop owner and Parx got underway, Giammarino said he made it clear that DeSimone was not a partner in the project, though he told Parx officials he might pay DeSimone a small finder's fee for making the introduction. They eventually signed a deal in 2016.

Giammarino said he had no idea that DeSimone had a criminal history.

DeSimone, interviewed at his South Philadelphia house last week, acknowledged that he had been aligned with Philadelphia mob boss John Stanfa in the early 1990s. DeSimone also occupies a small, uncredited role in local Mafia lore after John Veasey, a mob hit man, assaulted him with an electric drill. DeSimone was identified only as "Joe Fudge" in Veasey's dramatic 1995 courtroom testimony.

DeSimone said he has gone straight since his 2005 release from prison for conspiracy, and he now makes a living from Social Security, odd jobs, and work as a "consultant," connecting parties in business deals. He says he is shopping a screenwriter's script to potential investors. The condition of his unheated, two-story, rented rowhouse, with a hole in the living room ceiling from leaking pipes, suggests he has not been entirely successful.

DeSimone said that Giammarino is "100 percent legit," and that he introduced the pizza shop owner to Parx officials because he hoped to earn a commission, not because he was getting a foothold in the casino for the mob. He is still unhappy with Giammarino that he never got a finder's fee.

Parx permanently banished DeSimone from the casino on Christmas Eve last year, three days after the gaming board moved to revoke Giammarino's permit. A Parx spokeswoman declined to comment.

Lantzy, the hearing examiner, discounted Giammarino's associations with DeLutro and DeSimone. "If anything, the evidence established that Joseph DeSimone had associations with the general manager of the Parx as opposed to Michael Giammarino," he wrote.

But he said Giammarino's relationship with his stepfather, John Brescio, was "more problematic."

Brescio married Giammarino's mother, Joan Volpe, in 1996, when Giammarino was an adult, and the stepson said did not know his stepfather well. He had heard Brescio had done jail time  it was for gambling, drug, and conspiracy offenses in the 1970s and 1980s  but Brescio was not in trouble by the time he became his stepfather.

The only public evidence connecting Brescio to organized crime was a May 2017 news release from the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, which named Brescio as a captain in the Genovese crime family. Giammarino said it was the first time he had ever heard of an alleged mob association involving his stepfather. Brescio did not respond to requests for comment.

Brescio, along with Volpe, restarted Lombardi's Pizza in the mid-1990s with the blessing of the Lombardi family after it had been out of business for more than a decade. Brescio presented himself as the owner in public and to the parade of celebrities, including Jack Nicholson, who stopped in to have a pie, though it was actually Brescio's wife who was the sole shareholder, according to gaming board testimony.

When Volpe died without a will in 2011, ownership transferred to Brescio, her husband. Brescio transferred ownership through a trust to Giammarino in 2012 in accordance with Volpe's wishes that her son take ownership, according to the gaming board record.

But Brescio maintained some legal ties to the trust, which the gaming board investigators cited as proof that the restaurant was associated with organized crime. Brescio renounced all legal claims on the restaurant this year.

Gaming regulators maintained that Giammarino's associations were not innocent, but a concerted effort by the Mafia to get their hooks into Parx.

But the hearing examiner wrote that based upon the evidence, he could not find that Giammarino's relationship with Brescio "was anything but innocent, a familial relationship brought about by virtue of John Brescio marrying Michael Giammarino's mother."
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump said Friday that he intends to nominate former industry lobbyist Andrew Wheeler as the Environmental Protection Agency's next administrator, a move that would ensure a continued deregulatory push at the agency.

Trump made the impromptu announcement during a Medal of Freedom ceremony at the White House, saying that Wheeler had done a "fantastic job" as the agency's acting administrator in recent months. Wheeler took the helm in early July after Scott Pruitt resigned amid mounting ethics scandals.

During his brief tenure as the EPA's acting chief, Wheeler has proved far different from the man he replaced. Where Pruitt was a politician who enjoyed the limelight and trappings of Cabinet life, Wheeler has long worked behind the scenes on energy and environmental policy and generally avoids public attention. Along with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie, Wheeler represents the sort of technocrat who has risen through the ranks after an initial Trump Cabinet pick stumbled.

But Wheeler and his predecessor have this much in common: a zeal to deregulate. Wheeler made clear from the start that he intends to carry out many of the regulatory rollbacks set in motion under Pruitt, and to pursue new ones.

"I will try to work to implement the president's agenda," Wheeler told The Post shortly after he took over the reins at EPA this summer. " I don't think the overall agenda is going to change that much, because we're implementing what the president has laid out for the agency."

In the months since, Wheeler has continued to advance Trump's agenda, proposing rules to loosen carbon limits on power plants and relax fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks. Those proposals, along with moves to change the way the agency calculates the health benefits of new air pollution standards, have sparked sharp criticism from environmental and public health groups.

But Wheeler also has struck a more conciliatory tone with career employees at the agency, emphasizing that he once served in their ranks and that he values their service. He also has postponed some of Pruitt's more controversial regulatory plans, including one relaxing emissions rules for long-haul trucks that place older engines in newer bodies, known as glider kits.

Just this week, Wheeler announced a plan to impose stricter limits on nitrogen oxide emissions from heavy-duty trucks, winning praise from both the trucking industry and the American Lung Association.

Wheeler, like his predecessor, undoubtedly will have the support of industry.

"Andrew's steady hand will help ensure a balanced approach that will continue both environmental progress and economic growth," said Karen Harbert, president of the Chamber of Commerce's Global Energy Institute.

Scott Segal, an energy lobbyist at the Bracewell law firm, called Wheeler "a good pick."

"Andrew Wheeler's background shows that he has the capacity to advance an appropriate balance of energy, environmental and economic considerations in a manner consistent with open administrative process and respect for rule of law," he said in a statement.

Wheeler stands a strong chance of winning Senate confirmation, though his nomination is still likely to spur a serious debate. He won approval for his current job in April on a 53-to-45 vote, with three Democrats supporting his nomination. At the time, several Democratic senators questioned his past work for Murray Energy, one of the nation's biggest coal companies, as well mining firms and other energy interests.

The top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Thomas Carper of Delaware, said in a statement that he would evaluate how Wheeler has performed in recent months before deciding whether to back his nomination.

"If the president intends to nominate Andrew Wheeler to be the Administrator of EPA," Carper said, "then Mr. Wheeler must come before our committee so that members can look at his record as acting administrator objectively to see if any improvements have been made at the agency since he took the helm."

His fellow Democrat, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, was less diplomatic.

"I hoped Scott Pruitt's policy dirty work would dry up after he left the EPA in disgrace, but proposals like the forthcoming rule to weaken or eliminate protections against mercury emissions make it clear Andrew Wheeler plans to continue that capture with rollbacks of vital environmental protections," Whitehouse said in a statement.

Environmentalist activists also were quick to criticize the idea of Wheeler as EPA chief.

"In normal times, a zealous fossil fuel apologist and the top official in charge of protecting children's health from pollution would be two separate people with conflicting agendas," said Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group. "But this is the Trump administration, where a former top coal lobbyist could become administrator of the EPA."
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence listens to Australian Prime Minster Scott Morrison during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018. Read more

HONG KONG  Vice President Mike Pence and Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered dueling speeches Saturday that offered a window into how the two governments are seeking a truce over tariffs  but remain fundamentally at odds over economics, diplomacy and the race for global influence and primacy.

Pence, taking the stage shortly after Xi at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Papua New Guinea, launched a pointed and wide-ranging criticism of China, not just over its commercial practices but also over its transcontinental infrastructure projects and military activity in the South China Sea.

Reiterating U.S. commitment to Asia, Pence saved his most pointed words for Xi's flagship foreign policy initiative  the infrastructure investment plan known as the Belt and Road Initiative  as he warned countries about accepting Chinese loans for port and transportation projects scattered from Pakistan to Indonesia.

"We don't drown our partners in a sea of debt. We don't coerce or compromise your independence," Pence said. "We do not offer a constricting belt or a one-way road."

The United States "offers a better option," he said as he unveiled a new regional transparency initiative and $60 billion in U.S. investments for the region.

The Trump administration has voiced a far harder line against China and its growing footprint and rising assertiveness, spurring talk on both sides of the Pacific of a new cold war. But the U.S. president's absence was conspicuous this week at two major Asian summits where Xi, instead, dominated the limelight.

The Chinese president delivered a more conciliatory address on Saturday as he warned that "confrontation, whether in the form of a hot war, cold war or trade war, will produce no winners."

He dismissed criticism of his Belt and Road Initiative as a debt "trap" and instead positioned himself as a leader of the developing world who could help lift up poor countries in its orbit.

"Many of the entrepreneurs present here are witnesses, contributors and beneficiaries of China's reform and opening up, and have formed an indissoluble bond with China," said Xi, who appeared to make an oblique jab at U.S. criticisms of human rights abuses in Asia by defending alternative models of development.

"We should be less arrogant and prejudiced," he said. "What kind of road a country takes, only the people of that country can decide."

In Trump's absence, Pence and national security adviser John Bolton have spoken forcefully about the U.S. agenda in Asia, with Pence sharply rebuking Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi over the treatment of Rohingya Muslims in her country.

Pence on Saturday acknowledged that the spillover from U.S.-China competition is "felt" by many Asian countries, and reiterated that the U.S. wanted a better relationship with Beijing.

The two governments are hoping when the two leaders meet in Argentina in a few weeks to thrash out a deal that could at least freeze escalating tariffs.

"China knows where we stand," Pence said. "As the president prepares to meet with President Xi at the G-20 Summit in Argentina, we believe that progress could be made."

But Pence took a hard line against Chinese expansionism in Asia as he announced a plan to redevelop a naval base in Papua New Guinea with Australia.

He vowed that the U.S. navy would continue to sail through waters claimed by China in freedom of navigation operations. A series of operations this year led to a near-collision in September when a Chinese destroyer cut off a U.S. warship near the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, where the Chinese military has deployed missile systems.

Pence himself flew earlier this week over the Spratlys in Air Force Two in what he told The Washington Post amounted to a "freedom of navigation mission in and of itself."

"We will continue to fly and sail wherever international law allows and our national interests demand," Pence said in his address Saturday. "Harassment will only strengthen our resolve."
A woman holds a poster during the funeral prayers in absentia for Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi who was killed last month in the Saudi Arabia consulate, in Istanbul, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. Read more

President Donald Trump on Saturday spoke with CIA Director Gina Haspel, who briefed him on the agency's finding that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Washington Post first reported Friday that the CIA had assessed with high confidence the Saudi leader's role, based on multiple sources of intelligence.

But the president had already been shown evidence of the prince's alleged involvement in the killing, and privately he remains skeptical, Trump aides said. He has also looked for ways to avoid pinning the blame on Mohammed, the aides said.

Trump spoke with Haspel and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his flight to California to tour areas damaged by the wildfires, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters aboard Air Force One. It was not immediately clear what the officials said, and the president made no immediate comments on the matter after landing.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert issued a statement Saturday that did not directly address the CIA's findings about Mohammed or mention him.

"Recent reports indicating that the U.S. government has made a final conclusion are inaccurate," she said. "There remain numerous unanswered questions with respect to the murder of Mr. Khashoggi. The State Department will continue to seek all relevant facts. In the meantime, we will continue to consult Congress, and work with other nations to hold accountable those involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi."

The Post and other media outlets have reported on the CIA's assessment but have not said the U.S. government reached a conclusion about what happened to Khashoggi.

The president's skepticism has put him at odds with the findings of the CIA and senior intelligence officials.

Haspel and John Bolton, the national security adviser, have briefed Trump on the intelligence community's findings, with Haspel offering pieces of evidence that show lieutenants of Mohammed were directly involved in the killing, according to people familiar with the matter.

In conversations with his intelligence and national security advisers, the president has seized on the question of whether evidence shows that Mohammed "ordered" Khashoggi's death, asserting that his advisers haven't offered him definitive proof. He has also asked CIA and State Department officials where Khashoggi's body is and has grown frustrated that the journalist's remains haven't been found.

Khashoggi was a contributor to The Post's Global Opinions section.

Referring to the crown prince, Trump told reporters Saturday, "As of this moment, we were told that he did not play a role; we're going to have to find out what they say."

The president didn't specify who had said Mohammed had played no role.

The CIA did not respond to a request for comment.

But within the White House, there has been little doubt that Mohammed was behind the killing.

"This is a situation where everyone basically knows what happened," said one adviser who talks to Trump often. This person said Trump has repeatedly criticized how Mohammed has handled the situation and has said it is clear they are hiding facts.

The Saudis have offered contradictory explanations for what happened to Khashoggi after he stepped inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage.

Once inside, Khashoggi was set upon by a team of Saudi agents who had flown to Istanbul to kill him, according to intelligence assessments by the United States and European governments. The team is thought to have dismembered Khashoggi and disposed of his remains.

The CIA analyzed audio recordings from inside the consulate, which were provided by the Turkish government, as well as intercepted phone calls, according to people familiar with the matter. One of those calls was placed by a member of the hit team from inside the consulate to a senior aide to Mohammed, informing him that the killing had taken place, according to people familiar with the call.

The Saudi government has insisted that the prince knew nothing of the operation, which it has blamed on rogue actors who went beyond their authority in a mission meant to bring Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia. Khashoggi had written critically of Mohammed's policies and was living in a self-imposed exile in Virginia out of concern for his safety in his native country.

"The claims in this purported assessment are false," Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, said of the CIA findings. "We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations."

For more than a month, Trump has struggled to balance his interest in maintaining strong relations with the Saudi government with growing pressure in Congress and around the world to punish the Saudi regime. Trump has told aides that he wants Mohammed to stay in power and that he sees the Saudis as the best strategic check on Iran and as a vital source of oil. Mohammed has a close relationship with Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and senior adviser who helps to lead the administration's Middle East strategy.

This past week, the Saudi public prosecutor acknowledged that a team of Saudi agents had killed Khashoggi, but he claimed that they had been sent only to bring him back to Saudi Arabia. The prosecutor has brought charges against 11 people he characterized as part of a rogue operation, and he said he would seek the death penalty for five of those involved.

The U.S. Treasury Department also announced that it would freeze the assets of 17 Saudi individuals and prohibit companies from doing business with them.

On Friday evening, Kirsten Fontenrose, the National Security Council official in charge of U.S. policy toward Saudi Arabia, resigned, administration officials said. The circumstances of her departure weren't clear. But Fontenrose had previously been placed on administrative leave, according to people familiar with the matter.

Fontenrose had played a key role in the administration's decision about which Saudis to sanction in response to Khashoggi's killing, these people said.

Fontenrose's departure was first reported by the New York Times.

Trump has accused the Saudi government of trying to cover up its role. But he has looked for ways to avoid blaming Mohammed, aides and advisers said. He has thought about scenarios in which Mohammed would not have known what his underlings were doing, one adviser said.

"It is possible that this took place without his knowledge," Trump said in an interview last month with The Post. "And now they are trying to clean up a mess."

That also contradicts the CIA's findings. The agency determined that because Mohammed exercises absolute authority in the kingdom, it was inconceivable that an operation of such scale  involving 15 agents traveling internationally on government aircraft  could have been completed without the prince's knowledge and authorization, according to people who are familiar with the agency's conclusions.

Moreover, several members of the hit team can be tied directly to Mohammed. Some worked on his security detail, and others have traveled in the United States at the same time as the prince or other senior Saudi officials, passport records and other public information show.

Trump has made clear to European allies that he is uninterested in a joint response to the killing, even as pressure mounts to hold the Saudi regime accountable, according to a diplomat briefed on the calls.

The adviser who talks to Trump said: "If the president had his way, he would stay entirely out of the Middle East and all of the problems. This is a problem that he wants to go away."

  

The Washington Post's John Hudson, Anne Gearan and Missy Ryan contributed to this report.
A Burlington County doctor was arrested Friday and charged with participating in a fraud conspiracy that cost health-care programs $20 million, federal prosecutors said.

Bernard Ogon, 45, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Dickson in Newark and was released on $500,000 secured bond.

Prosecutors said Ogon was paid by telemedicine companies to prescribe expensive compound medications, and he did so with little or no information about the patients.

Often the prescriptions were filled out by the companies before he signed them, prosecutors said.

Benefit programs, including the provider of benefits for members of the military and their families, suffered more than $20 million in losses, prosecutors said.

If convicted, Ogon faces a maximum 10 years in prison.
Acting Camden School Superintendent Katrina McCombs iat her office in the new headquarters for the Camden school district. The photos on the shelf are from the old school administration building. They were taken of school children for a calendar for the district. Read more

As a youngster growing up in Camden, Katrina McCombs decided at an early age she would not follow the same career path as her parents, both educators.

But she did  first in the classroom as a kindergarten teacher, and now as the interim superintendent overseeing South Jersey's largest district, which has struggled to boost student performance.

"I never even in a million years thought I would be sitting in the seat as an acting superintendent," McCombs said recently. "It was never an aspiration. I was going to be a doctor."

McCombs, 48, believes she is prepared for the biggest challenge of her career, figuring out the next steps for Camden, a struggling state-run district that has become a model for the changing landscape of urban public education.

"We've made some great gains, but we have a long way to go," she said.

New Jersey Education Commissioner Lamont O. Repollet appointed McCombs in June to lead the Camden school system as acting schools chief. She wants the job permanently and is believed to be the early favorite for the position when the state Department of Education launches a national search for the post.

She replaces Paymon Rouhanifard, who was brought in by Gov. Chris Christie to transform the failing district in 2013, a few months after a state takeover. He stepped down in June and threw his support behind McCombs, who served in his administration as a deputy superintendent for four years.

"Someone local should step up and carry the district forward," Rouhanifard said in April when he announced his resignation.

>>READ MORE: Camden schools superintendent says he's stepping down from the best job

Rouhanifard left behind a district different from the school system he inherited. During his tenure, five of the city's most struggling schools were turned into "Renaissance" schools. More Camden public school students are enrolled in charter and Renaissance schools than traditional public schools. The iconic Camden High has been demolished and the district headquarters moved from the waterfront to a vacant neighborhood school.

He is credited with improving the graduation rate from 49 percent to 70 percent and cutting the dropout rate from 21 percent to 12 percent in five years. Ten of the city's schools once rated among the worst public schools in the state have been removed from that list.

Critics, however, said Rouhanifard focused too much on creating schools while students in traditional public schools continue to lag. Some longtime residents never fully warmed up to Rouhanifard  only the fourth outsider to serve as schools chief.

McCombs, who has spent her entire career of nearly 25 years in Camden, has won praise from Mayor Frank Moran as well as advocates and civil rights leaders who battled fiercely with Rouhanifard over issues such as class size, enrollment, and substitute teachers. She has held a series of community meetings to hear from parents and residents, and they have given her an earful.

"For her, this is not just an accession. She just really worked her way up and dedicated her life to education," said Keith E. Benson, president of the Camden Education Association. "She knows the dynamics of public education from all dimensions."

Born and raised in the city's Whitman Park section, McCombs graduated from Camden High in 1987, where she was a popular student and cheerleader. She sang in the choir at Antioch Baptist Church. Her father, Gary Shaw, a longtime science teacher at Woodrow Wilson High, and her mother, Eunice Young, a paraprofessional and later an elementary school teacher, encouraged her to pursue a career in education.

"I was not going to teach," she recalled with a smile.

The oldest of three daughters, McCombs had a different plan. She graduated from Lehigh University and earned a bachelor's in behavioral science and neurosciences. She later obtained a master's from Columbia University in psychological counseling and a master of public administration at Rutgers University.

While an undergraduate, McCombs fell in love with teaching and returned to Camden as a kindergarten teacher at Mickle School, the neighborhood school her mother attended as a youngster. She later became a child therapist and a middle school English teacher before climbing to administrative positions as a vice principal and principal.

Since taking the helm, McCombs has spent the summer on a listening tour, crisscrossing the city of about 70,000 residents. She said she wants input from the stakeholders: parents, students, teachers and residents to help shape her vision for the district.

"She took on all comers and was able to respond. That's not an easy thing to do in Camden," said longtime resident and former Camden NAACP president Kelly Francis, who attended a recent meeting with McCombs in the Parkside section. "I was very impressed."

Among the concerns that McCombs has heard from the community that she plans to address is a request for more minority teachers, especially black males. Like public schools nationwide, Camden has a shortage of black male teachers in the classroom, roughly 9 percent of its 700 are teachers. Black and Hispanic students represent 98 percent of the student population.

A big question also remains about when the state will relinquish its control over the school system. State education officials have not indicated how much longer Camden will remain under state supervision. Three other takeover districts  Newark, Paterson, and Jersey City  are moving toward a return to local control.

"You could bring in Mickey Mouse, but the state is still calling the shots," Francis said.

McCombs acknowledges a tough road ahead to improve student achievement in a district plagued for years by poor test scores, a low graduation rate, and a high dropout rate. There are no immediate plans to close more traditional public schools, she said.

For the 2018-19 school year, the district expects to enroll 6,800 students in the city's 18 traditional public schools; 4,350 in 11 charter schools, and 3,850 in 11 Renaissance schools, which are publicly funded and privately operated.

Married and the mother of two teenage daughters, McCombs says that her new job is "humbling" and that she wants the best for all of Camden's children, regardless of the type of school they attend. Her mother, 67, who still lives in the city, along with an extended family, is her biggest champion.

"I think she can persevere. It's not going to be an easy task," said Young. "I always keep her in prayer."
In Drexel Hill, officials and residents are fiercely debating a proposal to turn the Drexeline Shopping Center, a Delaware County institution, into a town center. An overall of the complex on June 7, 2018. Read more

When Peggy Wilson first heard talk of a Drexeline Town Center, she was hopeful.

Then came the details. The center is set to include an expanded ShopRite, an apartment building, a new Wawa, a medical complex, and a large building of self-storage units.

"Maybe don't call it a town center and get our hopes up," Wilson, 65, said with a laugh.

Wilson is one of many Drexel Hill residents who have taken to packed zoning meetings and Facebook forums to voice their concerns about the Drexeline Town Center, a $100 million project that would replace the dated Drexeline Shopping Center on 17 acres near busy Route 1 and State Road.

One of their gripes: The center won't look like the Shops at Ellis Preserve, which opened in 2016 in Newtown Square. Or the King of Prussia Town Center, which has become a bustling destination near the mall. Or Collegeville's Providence Town Center, which next year will celebrate its 10-year anniversary.

Those are the real town centers, they say, and this Delaware County neighborhood deserves this type of restaurant- and shop-filled center.

"It would be nice if it made you drive by and say, 'Wow that's something special,' " said Don Fields, 47, a Drexel Hill resident who has run for Upper Darby Township Council in the past and been outspoken about the proposal. "When you go by Ellis Preserve, you want to drive in.  A lot of people feel like this development isn't aiming high enough."

"There are different types of town centers," said Upper Darby Mayor Tom Micozzie, noting they did not want to close ShopRite or the Anthony's Ristorante and Banquet Center on the property. "We didn't have an alternative."

Over the last decade, faux main streets have exploded across the region  particularly in suburbs that don't have the authentic-seeming downtown strips of West Chester, Media, and Phoenixville. Nationally, however, this trend isn't new.

"It's been around for, oh, 9,000 years,"said Christopher B. Leinberger, a developer who grew up in Drexel Hill and is now chairman of the Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis at George Washington University. "This is the way we were building cities until around the 1950's."

In the late 20th century, there was "pent-up demand" for driveable suburban development, Leinberger said, but then the pendulum swung back. More and more 21st-century suburbanites want walkable urban communities where they can live, work, and play without leaving their local social circle.

"Philadelphia is behind the trend on this," Leinberger said. "This is what the market is demanding."

"The old retail model of just an old suburban shopping center  that doesn't work anymore," said developer P. David Bramble, of MCB Real Estate LLC, which bought the Drexeline site in 2016. "These need to be places where people can have experiences."

As for opposition to the Drexeline proposal, Bramble and Micozzie said developers met with local officials early on to discuss what would best serve residents. Medical centers are especially important for the area's aging residents, Micozzie said, and the apartments would attract millennials, who would be a brief trolley ride into the city.

Bramble called Drexeline "damaged," "tired," and "outdated." It was clear residents wanted something new. The developers' challenge, he said, then became "delivering something people intend to use."

Seven miles away, another Delaware County town has done just that.

Newtown Square boasts Ellis Preserve, a 218-acre center with apartments, corporate offices, a gym, a hotel, and a retail area. Near the intersection of Route 252 and West Chester Pike, people can walk from Mod Pizza to Chipotle Mexican Grill to the brunch spot First Watch to the more upscale Firepoint Grille, and stop at shops along the way.

"The community of Newtown takes full advantage," said Steve Spaeder of Equus Capital Partners, which developed the Preserve. "We've delivered something here the community really enjoys."

But Bramble said the frameworks of other centers would not necessarily have worked at the Drexeline site, which sits on Darby Creek and is not entirely flat.

"What works in King of Prussia won't work in Upper Darby," Bramble said. "Site constraints are everything."

Upper Darby Township Democratic councilwoman Barbarann Keffer said she believes more could have been done despite those constraints.

"I don't know of any town centers that have storage units," Keffer said "That doesn't draw people here. There would never be a storage facility in Radnor or Newtown Square."

"Do I like the six-story office building [with the storage units]? No," Micozzie said. "But there's nothing else that could've gone there" on a slope near Darby Creek.

Wilson frequents the Drexeline shopping center  to visit her eye doctor, pick up odds and ends at the Ace Hardware, and buy groceries at ShopRite. When she pushes her cart through the cramped aisles, she thinks about how the complex needs sprucing up.

"It's pretty run-down looking at this point," Wilson said. "I don't think we're resistant to the idea of it being upgraded."

One recent afternoon, the ShopRite parking lot was packed. But the adjacent strip of storefronts  a part of the complex once home to shoe, uniform, and electronics shops  was desolate. Even signage for the shopping center was fading.

Pat Burns, the owner of the Drexeline ShopRite, said his store, which has existed under various names since 1980, is struggling to keep up with competition.

If the proposal is approved, ShopRite would expand to become a 75,000-square-foot "interactive" store with a new pharmacy, a family restaurant, a full-time nutritionist on site, and space for cooking classes, he said.

"It's great for us," Burns said. "It's great for the community."

Roberta Snow, 63, who lives less than a mile from the center, agrees.

"The idea that someone has proposed something that would deal with the whole parcel is a good idea," Snow said. "It's not getting any younger."

The zoning board is expected to rule on the center's application later this month. Bramble said he hopes to begin construction within a year.
Danger on the street. Blue flasher on the police car at night. Read more

In less than a 12-hour span, three people  including a man who police say was attacked by a group  died early Saturday morning in separate incidents across Philadelphia.

In North Philadelphia, police are investigating an attack that took place around 10:20 a.m. Saturday on the 6600 block of Limekiln Pike, leaving a 20-year-old man dead after being assaulted by a group with an unknown weapon, possibly a hammer.

Police said the man was taken to Einstein University Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition and later pronounced dead.

Earlier, around 2:30 a.m. in South Philadelphia, three men were shot  one fatally  at the intersection of 26th Street and Passyunk Avenue, police said.

According to 6ABC, off-duty officers nearby said they heard the gunshots and rushed to the scene, where they found the passenger-side car door riddled with bullet holes, and gun shell casings littering the road.

A 28-year-old man died after being shot multiple times throughout his body, police said.

A 31-year-old man and a 25-year-old man, both shot in the right shoulder, were hospitalized and listed in stable condition, police said.

In what police said is an unrelated incident, a 20-year-old man was shot multiple times throughout his body while sitting in a vehicle on the 3900 block of Howland Street in Juniata Park.

He was transported to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:23 a.m., police said.

No arrests have been made in any of the incidents, and all three are under investigation, police said.
Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Saturday said the Congress fielded former BJP leader Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra Singh from her Jhalrapatan constituency in the upcoming assembly polls as it could not find any other candidate. Her remark came a few hours after the Congress released it second list of 32 candidates, fielding Manvendra Singh against her from Jhalrapatan constituency.

"The Congress could not find any candidate and he (Manvendra Singh) was to be given ticket from somewhere and therefore, he was sent here (Jhalrapatan)," Raje said addressing the public after filing her nomination papers in Jhalawar district. "But they should know that it is not a fight of one person, this is a contest fought by Jhalawar and Rajasthan, which is a family," she said.

The chief minister was accompanied by party leader Shahnawaz Hussain, her son and Jhalawar MP Dushyant Singh, among others. Reacting to the Congress announcement, state BJP president Madan Lal Saini said the decision will have no impact and the party will retain the seat. He said Singh, who left the BJP and joined the Congress last month, is not a big name and will face defeat.

"There will be no impact on results and the chief minister will retain the seat," he told PTI. Saini said being born in a Rajput family does not give anybody a "big name". Raje had retained her Jhalrapatan seat in the 2013 assembly election with a margin of 60,896 votes by securing 63.14 per cent of total 2,28,977 votes.

Congress candidate Meenakshi Chandrawat, who stood on the second position, had secured 29.53 per cent votes in the polls. Raje has been representing Jhalrapatan seat in the House of 200 assembly seats since 2003.

Manvendra Singh, who had won Barmer district's Sheo assembly constituency in 2013, joined the Congress last month in New Delhi after quitting the BJP. His father Jaswant Singh was denied ticket by the party in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections following which he contested polls as an independent candidate and lost the seat to BJP's Sonaram.

The decision of not allowing Jaswant Singh to contest the Lok Sabha polls antagonised many in the Rajput community who held Raje responsible for ignoring him for an "outsider". Disgruntled with the BJP, Manvendra Singh held a 'Swabhiman' rally in Barmer and quit the party in September.
Amaravati: Congress on Saturday released its third list of 13 candidates for the upcoming December 7 Telangana Assembly elections. The grand old party in its first and second list announced names of 10 and 65 candidates.

The Congress has teamed up with TDP, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) to form a "grand alliance" for the upcoming polls. It has allotted 14 seats to Telugu Desam Party (TDP), eight to Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and three to Communist Party of India (CPI). However, the CPI has been pushing for at least five seats, though it said it would remain in the alliance.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on the other hand, has so far announced names of 93 candidates for the state assembly elections.

The Telangana Legislative Assembly Elections are scheduled to be held on December 7 to elect members from 119 constituencies. The counting of votes will take place on December 11.
New Delhi: Congress on Saturday expelled Spardha Chaudhary from the party for six years on disciplinary grounds after she alleged that Sachin Pilot was taking money for tickets for the upcoming Rajasthan elections.

Congress had, on Thursday, released its first list of candidates for the December 7 elections in the state but Chaudhary did not get a ticket to contest elections from Fulera. She later alleged that state party chief Pilot had taken money in lieu of tickets for the crucial elections. On Saturday morning, her supporters even staged a protest outside Rahul Gandhi's official residence in Delhi. The ruckus was a major embarrassment for the national party which is looking to upstage BJP and Vasundhara Raje in Rajasthan. Pilot's car was also surrounded by Chaudhary's supporters for a brief while.

This led to the Congress suspending Chaudhary, who was the vice president of the state women's wing.

Meanwhile, there have also been reports of in-fighting among top Congress leaders Pilot and former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot over ticket distribution. Both, however, are contesting the elections and have attempted to put up a united front in public.
New Delhi: Actor Salman Khan, who was shooting for Ali Abbas Zafar's 'Bharat', suffered an injury on the sets while filming a sequence. Though details about the incident have not emerged yet, reports said that the actor was in Punjab when he received an injury after which he decided to fly back to Mumbai for the treatment.

Now, as per latest updates, after recuperating from the injuries, Salman on Saturday flew back to Punjab's Ludhiana to resume the shoot of 'Bharat'. The actor was today captured by the shutterbugs as he arrived at the Mumbai airport.

Here are some of his photos from the airport:

(Photo courtesy: Yogen Shah)

As per reports, 'Bharat' is said to be in its last stage of shooting. The film is

The shooting of 'Bharat' started almost three months ago. Salman along with Disha Patani kick-started the first schedule of the film at a studio in Mumbai and reportedly shot for a Holi dance sequence. Later, the film made headlines after Priyanka Chopra walked out of the project due to her engagement with Nick Jonas. After Priyanka's ouster, Katrina Kaif was taken on board as the leading lady of the film. The second schedule of the film was shot in Malta in August this year.



Last week, Salman and Katrina headed to Ludhiana to shoot for the next and the final schedule of the film. The team also shot few sequences in Chandigarh for which a Wagah Border set was created.

'Bharat' is one of the highly-anticipated films of 2019. The period-drama is being produced by Atul Agnihotri and will be set across different time periods, that spans over 60 years. The film will also have some war sequences. As per the report, the film will show events such as the Hungnam Evacuation during the 1950 Korean War. Salman will reportedly sport five different looks in the film.

The film also features Nora Fatehi, Tabu and Jackie Shroff in pivotal roles with Varun Dhawan in a cameo. It is slated for release next year.
New Delhi: After wrapping up the Kargil and Indore schedule of Abhishek Varman's period-drama 'Kalank', the team is all set to head to Rajasthan to shoot for the next schedule. 'Kalank' is being produced by Karan Johar, Sajid Nadiadwala and Fox Star Studios and features an ensemble cast of Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Madhuri Dixit, Sonakshi Sinha, Kunal Khemu, Aditya Roy Kapur and Sanjay Dutt.

'Kalank' will see Varun and Alia coming together on the big screen for the fourth time after 'Student Of The Year', 'Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya' and 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania'. The film is scheduled to release on April 19, 2019.

The shooting of 'Kalank' is currently underway in Dahisar. It has been reported that Varun will be filming for some high-octane action sequences for the film for which a huge sports arena has been set up in Dahisar. The report also stated that Varun will be required to shoot bare chest for the scene for which he has been training for a long time.

The report also stated that although Alia will not be a part of the action sequences, she will have an important crossover scene. Apparently, this is one of the main sequences of the film after which the entire crew will head to Rajasthan.

Reports are there that the shoot of 'Kalank' is expected to wrap up by early next year with a grand song sequence featuring Varun, Alia, Aditya and Sonakshi.

Speaking of the film, veteran actress Madhuri essays the role of Ishmat, a courtesan while Alia plays her student. The film also stars Kiara Advani and Kriti Sanon in special appearances. Sonakshi, who plays a poet in the film, will be paired opposite Aditya while Sanjay Dutt will be seen as Alia's father. Incidentally, late actress Sridevi was originally signed for the character role played by Madhuri.
PATNA: A 10-year-old boy fell into a sewer here Saturday afternoon and search operations by teams of NDRF and SDRF personnel were on to locate the child, officials said.

The search operations by National Disaster Response Force will continue till the boy is located, an NDRF official said.

The boy named Deepak fell through a manhole in Shri Krishna Puri locality of the city at around 1.30 pm while returning home after delivering lunch to his father Guddu Ram.

A nearby sump house was shut off within minutes of his fall so that the boy did not get carried away a long distance by the current, official sources said.

The rescue teams were carrying out their operations from two ends and so far about 80 per cent of the total length of the sewer and the operation was being hampered by "highly muddy water and silt," they said.

Local residents gathered at the spot in large numbers and alleged that the manhole had been "lying uncovered for months".
Chandigarh: Brigadier (retired) Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, hero of the Longewala battle against Pakistan in 1971, passed away at age 78 on Saturday.

Brigadier Chandpuri passed away at a city hospital in the early morning hours. He had been suffering from cancer. He is survived by his wife and three sons.

Brigadier Chandpuri had joined the Indian Army in 1962 and was commissioned to the 23rd Battalion of The Punjab Regiment. He was part of several UN peacekeeping missions but it is his heroics while defending the Longewala post in Rajasthan - with just 120 soldiers and against a sizeable Pakistani infantry brigade and armoured battalion - that made him an inspirational figure not only for fellow soldiers but for citizens at large. His inspirational leadership ensured that the approaching Pakistani force was sent back scampering.

Border, a Bollywood movie based on the battle, showcased the valiant efforts of the soldiers at Longewala. Brigadier Chandpuri's character was played by Sunny Deol in the movie.

For his bravery, valour and spirit, Brigadier Chandpuri was the recipient of many awards and honours. Prominent among these were the Maha Vir Chakra - for defending the Longewala Post, and the Vishisht Seva Medal.
Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday asserted that India cannot put pressure on French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation to share details of offset partners related to the Rafale deal just because the Opposition wanted to know the same.

Dassault, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in the Rafale fighter jet deal, is obliged to share details of the offset partners under contract with India, but has a year's time to do so, she said.

"Just because my Opposition wanted to know it (offset partner details) yesterday, I cannot put pressure on my OEM saying the Opposition wants it now, give it now. "By rule, they can tell me even next year," news agency PTI quoted the minister speaking at the annual ET Awards.

"I am waiting for it. Once I come to know, I will tell you. Before that, why should I speculate based on news reports?" she said.

Sitharaman explained that as part of the Rs 58,000 crore deal, the French firm has to give details of the offsets of over 30 per cent of the total contract value, and the Indian government has the right to know the same before giving it the required credits for the same. She said the Congress, which had alleged a scam in the deal, was moving from one point to another after being unable to prove anything and hoping that something would stick to the BJP-led government.

The Congress first alleged the deal was signed to benefit an offset partner with a malafide intention and is now questioning the "haste" shown by the prime minister in concluding the contract, the BJP leader said.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi influenced the Rafale deal to save "debt-ridden" Reliance group chairman Anil Ambani's business.

The Centre and the Reliance group have repeatedly denied any irregularities or favouritism in the deal, under which the country is buying 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition.

Last week, the Centre told the Supreme Court that as per the Defence Offset Guidelines, the OEM was free to select its Indian Offset Partners (IOPs) for implementing the offset obligation in the deal. "There isn't anything wrong with the procedure, with the methodology, with the price, with the technical details, with the list of ammunition...So they (Congress) do not know how far they have to go on with it hoping that something will stick on to us," the defence minister said.

Sitharaman asserted that the Rafale controversy will not be able to blemish the Centre's record on corruption and added that it had achieved feats like making defence acquisitions middlemen-free. "For a party which has never had that kind of approach for governance with transparency, they think they probably will definitely be lucky to get something sticking on to us," she said in an apparent dig at the Congress.

The minister also said that her ministry had been able to increase the 'Make in India' component for purchases. She said a proposal was on the anvil to induct women into institutions like the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, but it will take long for posting women in border areas.
NEW DELHI: In a major development, Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, who had accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other Aam Aadmi Party MLAs of assaulting him, has been transferred.

Prakash has been transferred to the Department of Telecommunications, said an official order, as reported by new agency PTI.

He had alleged being beaten up by AAP MLAs in the presence of Kejriwal at the Chief Minister`s residence on the night of February 19, 2018, where he had been called for a late-night meeting. The case was filed the next morning and Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal were arrested and sent to judicial custody.

Court later granted bail to Delhi CM Kejriwal, deputy Manisha Sisodia, 13 other AAP MLAs involved in the case.

Earlier this week, the Delhi High Court sought the response of Delhi government and others to Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash`s plea challenging the fresh breach of privilege proceedings initiated against him by the Assembly. Justice Vibhu Bakhru asked the Delhi government, Lt Governor and Delhi Assembly`s committees to file a response to the plea and listed the matter for further hearing on November 27.
AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan was on Saturday granted anticipatory bail by a Delhi court. The bail was given to Khan in connection with a case lodged against him for creating ruckus at the inaugural ceremony of Signature Bridge in the national capital.

Special Judge Arun Bharadwaj, while granting bail to Khan, said that it was not a case where the custodial interrogation was required.

"It is directed that in the event of arrest, the applicant (Khan) shall be released on furnishing a personal bond or Rs one lakh and one surety of like amount to the arresting officer," the court said.

the order, however, directed Khan to join the investigation and not tamper with evidence or influence witnesses.

Three cases were registered at New Usmanpur police station under North East district in connection with the incidents during the inauguration of Signature Bridge following complaints from Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari.

Advocate Irshad, appearing for Khan, had moved the application for anticipatory bail saying the MLA feared that he will be arrested by the police.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari had on November 6 filed a police complaint against Khan who had allegedly misbehaved with him during the inauguration of the Signature Bridge. Tiwari also wrote a letter to the DCP northeast demanding action against the AAP legislator.

Several workers of the Delhi BJP had earlier protested outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence demanding action against his party MLA Amanatullah Khan.

The protesters shouted anti-Kejriwal slogans outside his civil lines residence.

Police deployed at the CM's residence used water cannons and resorted to mild lathi-charge to disperse the agitating BJP workers.

During the inauguration of Signature Bridge, Tiwari had alleged that he was heckled, pushed and threatened by AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan and his party workers.

The BJP MP also alleged that a few policemen too misbehaved with him.

"The policemen who entered into a scuffle with me have been identified. The additional DCP-I of this area is saying that some AAP volunteers were injured. I will show them what the police is in just four days," an agitated Tiwari said.

Tiwari and his supporters had reached the venue of the inaugural function allegedly carrying black flags.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia were not present when the protest took place.

Tiwari had expressed displeasure over not being invited to the function and took a dig at the Kejriwal government, saying he would be present at the bridge to welcome the Chief Minister.



A statement issued by the party later said, ''AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan attacked the Delhi BJP president at the instance of Kejriwal".

Khan categorically denied the charges.



"Why was he (Tiwari) there and trying to come on the stage? What was his intention? Why didn't the police stop him? I was just trying to stop Tiwari from coming on the stage. His allegation that I threatened to shoot him is laughable," the AAP leader said.

When he (Manoj Tiwari) was trying to climb the stage I stopped him, I didn't push him. It was obvious from his actions that if he was successful in climbing the stage he would have misbehaved or attacked CM and Deputy CM, Amanatullah Khan said.

A video of the alleged incident also emerged in which Khan could be seen shoving Tiwari and scuffling with him close to the stage where the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleague were attending the inaugural function.

"A police call was made from the spot and now we are going to lodge a complaint at Usmanpur police station," said Neelkant Bakshi, co-convener of Delhi BJP's social media cell.

Tiwari said he had gone to the venue to share the moment of joy with people, but he was threatened.

"See the politics of Arvind Kejriwal. In the night Manish Sisodia tweeted that you are welcome, but why did Delhi Police raise barricade there when I reached there along with 1,200 people? The agitated AAP volunteers created the ruckus and an MLA who is on bail threatened to shoot me and pushed me," the BJP leader said in a tweet.
A day after killing a youth in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on charges of being an Army informer, terrorists on Saturday abducted and killed a 19-year-old in Shopian. "Terrorists on Saturday killed a civilian in a brutal act of terror in Shopian district after he was kidnapped earlier in the day from Saidpora area," news agency PTI reported quoting a police official.

The official said a throat-slit body was found from an orchard area in Hermain village of the south Kashmir district. The deceased has been identified as Huzaif Ashraf (19), a resident of Manzgam area of the neighbouring Kulgam district.

"Huzaif's body was handed over to his family after completion of the medico-legal formalities," the official said. He said a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and the investigation has been initiated in the matter.

Earlier, terrorists had abducted and later killed Nadeem Manzoor, a resident of Safanagri area, on Thursday night, police had said.

A video was released by Hizbul Mujahideen purportedly showing terrorists killing a youth, who was alleged to be an Army informer, reported PTI.

The video, which has gone viral on social media, shows terrorists pumping a volley of bullets into Manzoor, whose body was recovered Friday morning, as reported by PTI.

The terrorist outfit has claimed responsibility for the killing.

In another video shot before his killing, Manzoor, in terrorists' custody, is seen telling them that he informed the Army about the presence of terrorists in his native village, as reported by PTI.

"I saw the terrorists in the village and when I reached home, I gave a missed call to an Army officer. The officer called me back and I told him that there were terrorists in our village near my home," Manzoor is heard telling the terrorists. Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo, in an audio message released along with the video, defended Manzoor's killing, saying he was an informer of the Army.

"Manzoor informed the Army about two terrorists who were then killed in an encounter," Naikoo said, referring to a November 6 gunfight in Safanagri area of Shopian. Naikoo said the youth had confessed to tipping off the forces due to greed. "We do not want to kill anyone, but they (informers) are forcing us. We will expose more such videos in the future and traitors will face a similar fate," he said.

The Hizbul Mujahideen commander also warned panchs and sarpanches of "justice", saying "they should wait for their turn".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attended the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September.

During the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, Modi was sitting beside former Maldivian presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga also attended the ceremony.

Congratulations to Mr. @ibusolih on taking oath as the President of the Maldives. Wishing him the very best for his tenure ahead. Looking forward to working with him to strengthen bilateral relations between our nations. pic.twitter.com/HryxQQMadt  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 17, 2018

Modi interacted with leaders from the Maldives and other parts of the world during the oath-taking ceremony at the National Stadium.

Solih, 54, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, had surprisingly emerged victorious over incumbent president Yameen in the election held on September 23.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said, "Congratulations to Mr. @ibusolih on taking oath as the President of the Maldives. Wishing him the very best for his tenure ahead. Looking forward to working with him to strengthen bilateral relations between our nations."

On arrival in the Maldivian capital, Prime Minister Modi was given a red carpet welcome and was received by Maldives Parliament's new Speaker Qasim Ibrahim.

This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.

In a series of tweets ahead of the visit, Modi had tweeted, "I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development." He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future.

"We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister had said.

The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then.

India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year. India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Maldives capital Male on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Solih defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September.

This is PM Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.

After arriving at Male, the PMO took to Twitter saying, "Deepening our connect with a valued maritime neighbour. PM @narendramodi begins a historic visit to The Maldives. He will join the oath-taking ceremony of President-elect @ibusolih shortly."

"I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development," Modi said in a series of tweets ahead of the visit.

He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future.

"We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister said.

Modi also congratulated Solih on his victory in the recent elections and wished him "the very best for his tenure". "India and the Maldives share a strong partnership rooted in history, strong bonds between our peoples, and their shared aspiration for peace and prosperity. My Government's vision of inclusive development 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas' extends to all our neighbours too," he said.

Modi also said he will convey to Solih his wish to work with the new Maldives government in different areas to boost bilateral ties. Solih, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate who surprisingly emerged victorious over incumbent president Yameen in the election held on September 23, had extended the invitation during a phone call by Modi.

The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then.

India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including the imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year. India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.
Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala on Saturday wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh seeking CISF security cover for Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu citing 'growing threat perception to his life'.

In a letter addressed to Singh, the Congress leader stated that Sidhu has always been a high-risk target but there was a marked escalation in the threats after he joined Congress leaving the BJP.

Surjewala alleged several Akali Dal and BJP leaders, including BJP president Amit Shah, of disparaging remarks and threatening tone to Sidhu, as he has "taken on Akali Dal (Badal) as also their anti-people policies, besides exposing the unholy nexus bewteen Akali Dal (Badal) and certain criminal elements on numerous occassions".

He pointed out that the MHA has given security cover to S Bikram Singh Majithia, former minister and MLA of Akali Dal (Badal) aginst whom Sidhu has taken up "cudgels on numerous occassion".

The Congress leader urged Singh to ask relevant police officials for a report on the gravity of the concerns raised by him.

Surjewala highlighted that in 2014 Sidhu's security cover was withdrawn by the SAD-BJP government and was later reinstated after protest.

Pointing out that Sidhu being an outspoken critic of Modi govt's policies there has been a 'growing threat perception to his life'.

He also said that Sidhu has been travelling extensively throughout the country for campaining and electioneering and though adequate security was being provided to him within Punjab, the state police personnel can't b assigned the responsibility of security in the rest of the country. The Congress leader requested Singh to provide Sidhu the cover bereft of political differences and rivalries.
Thiruvananthapuram: After waiting for more than 12 hours at the Cochin International Airport due to protests, Pune-based activist Trupti Desai decided to head back, calling off her plan to visit the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala over concerns of law and order in Kerala. She said that unlike this time, they will not announce their arrival in Kerala, adding that her women group will follow 'guerrilla tactics' the next time.

"Police told us that they will provide us security the next time we visit. We decided to return as we didn't want violence due to us. This time we went there after announcing, the next time we won't announce but follow 'guerrilla tactics'," she said.

Founder of the Bhumata Brigade, Desai, who then went to Mumbai, was stuck inside the city airport as agitated devotees of Lord Ayyappa staged protests outside it, demanding the activist to drop her plan to visit the holy hill shrine till she attains the age of 50 years.

"We have come here to protest. Trupti Desai should try going there after attaining 50 years of age and not before that. She won`t be allowed to step inside the temple before that. There are so many devotees working towards this and stopping other women too," an agitated protester in Mumbai said.

The activist and the other women were later brought out with the help of CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) jawans and Mumbai police personnel.

Although the seven-member group led by Desai arrived at the Cochin International airport on Friday early morning, the protesters did not allow her to proceed to Sabarimala Temple.

The team had to wait for the entire day inside the airport as no cab driver agreed to take her team to their destination - Sabarimala temple. In the wake of protests carried out against her visit at the Kochi airport, the activist said that Kerala police advised her to go back to Pune.

Speaking about the episode at the Cochin Airport, Desai said, "Protesters were resorting to violence, to hooliganism, they should not have done that. They call themselves lord Ayyappa's devotees but I don't think can be his devotees. They were verbally abusing us and threatening us."

She added, "We were stopped at the airport. If they wanted to oppose us, they should have protested in Nilakkal but they knew that if we reached Nilakkal, we would advance to Pamba and return after Darshan. So they were scared and stopped us at the airport."

As the Temple reopened on Friday for a two-month long pilgrimage season, Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was imposed in Nilakkal, Pamba, and Sannidhanman as a precautionary measure.

The social activist had, on November 14, written a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, stating that she would not leave the state if she was not allowed to enter the holy hill shrine.

The temple had witnessed a string of protests from devotees when it opened for monthly pujas for five days in October and two days early this month.

This is the third time that the Temple has opened after the Supreme Court lifted restrictions on the entry of women into the temple.

Over 3,700 persons have been arrested so far and 546 cases registered against various people for violence during protests across the state after the top court permitted women of all ages to pray at the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala.

(With inputs from agencies)
Srinagar: National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah on Saturday described the killing of a youth by suspected militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district as deeply disturbing, saying there can be no justification for such an act.

"The cold-blooded murder of an 11th standard student by the Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit is deeply disturbing. There can be no justification for this act & should force those who sympathise with these outfits to question how these murders make Kashmir a better, freer place," Omar posted on Twitter.

The former J&K chief minister was reacting to the abduction and killing of Nadeem Manzoor - reportedly a Class XI student - by the militants on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday at Niklora in Pulwama, police had said.
Voting is underway for the panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir amid calls for a boycott by political parties. Polling will be held in six districts of the Kashmir Valley, two in Ladakh and seven districts in the Jammu region. 427 candidates are in the fray for 536 Sarpanch Halqas and 5,951 candidates for 4,048 Panch wards for the first phase of the Panchayat polls.

The National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the CPI(M) have announced that they will stay away from the elections.

Jammu & Kashmir: Voting underway for the first phase of Panchayat elections; Visuals from polling stations in Ganderbal (pic 1) and Budgam (pic 2&3) pic.twitter.com/cfa8RUEHm3  ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018

The NC, which earlier boycotted the municipal and panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir, however, called for Assembly polls saying it would fight that election to prevent the BJP from "installing its proxies via the backdoor".

"The (NC) working committee decided to stay away from polls was limited to ULB (urban local body) and panchayat elections. The decision had nothing to do with the assembly or Parliament elections. We will fight to win the forthcoming elections so as to defend Article 35 A/Article 370 and to prevent the BJP from installing its proxies via the backdoor as they have started doing," said party provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani.

Jammu & Kashmir: Voting is underway for the first phase of Panchayat polls; Visuals from a polling station in Rajouri's district's Manjakote pic.twitter.com/VxcenlaPTs  ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018

The NC leader said the party took a stand to stay away from the municipal and panchayat elections in wake of the "vacillating approach" of the Centre towards Article 35A and Article 370. "We have already requested (J&K) Governor S P Malik to plead for the deferment on next hearing of Article 35A in the Supreme Court till the formation of a popular government in the state. And, he has principally agreed to our suggestion."

The PDP and the CPI(M) have announced to stay away from the electoral exercise due to the legal challenge to Article 35-A of the Constitution in the Supreme Court. While separatists have called for a boycott of the polls, militants have threatened to target anyone taking part in these elections.
New Delhi: When reality bites, it can be hard. Similarly this weeks Weekend Ka Vaar couldn't have been more hard-hitting and explosive. While some of the contestants had to face host Salman's wrath for being unreasonable on the show, some were reprimanded for supporting the wrong people.

However, one person, who paid the ultimate prize for not following the rules of the house even the after several warnings, was Shivashish Mishra. In spite of repeated warnings from Bigg Boss, Shivashish did not accept the decision of going to the Kaalkothri.

As a result of his arrogance, Shivashish became the first contestant of this season to be expelled from the house. Host Salman also felt bad for him, as he felt that he was still not guilty of his mistakes and did not value the show.

However, it wasn't Shivashish who had angered Salman the most in the house. Salman was also upset with Karanvir and told him about the open letter that his wife had written complaining that the show humiliates Karanvir and shows him in bad light. Karanvir was embarrassed at this revelation and apologised to Salman, saying he had no idea about what had happened.

On the other hand, a surprise was awaiting Jasleen Matharu in the Khaas room. Anup Jalota had come to visit Jasleen and clarify all the allegations put on Jasleen and him. Jasleen was excited to meet him and was soon left dejected when Anup Jalota claimed that there is some confusion regarding their relationship. Anup denied that there is no romantic alliance between them and they are just Guru-Shishya.

Will Shivashishs elimination bring a change in the behaviour of the contestants?
Weeks after Maharashtra State Women's Commission (MSWC) issued a notice to Bollywood veteran Nana Patekar, against a complaint of harassment lodged by Tanushree Dutta; the former's lawyer Aniket Nikam refuted the allegations leveled by the latter.

Patekar's lawyer Aniket Nikam, told ANI, "All allegations against him (Nana Patekar) are false and far from the truth".

In October, Tanushree sought help from MSWC, as she called for a full-fledged investigation in regard to this issue.

Acting in accordance with Tanushree's complaints, MSWC sent notices to Nana Patekar, director Rakesh Sarang and choreographer Ganesh Acharya. The women's body directed them to file a reply within 10 days.

"We have taken cognizance of Tanushree Dutta's complaint and have asked her to appear before the commission within 10 days. We have sent notices to people against whom Tanushree has filed a complaint, asking them to appear before us within 10 days," said Vijaya Rahatkar of MSCW.

Tanushree alleged that Patekar misbehaved with her on the sets of 'Horn Ok Pleasss' in 2008 while shooting for a special dance number for the movie.
Mumbai: A motorbike brand has reportedly approached Telugu hunk Prabhas for an endorsement deal. The superstar, who is gearing up for Sujeeth Reddy's big-budget film Saaho, is in talks with the brand for a multi-crore deal.

According to a report in DNA, the brand wants Prabhas on board because he is popular across the country. For the unversed, Prabhas became a pan India heartthrob after SS Rajamouli's two-part magnum opus Baahubali became a massive hit. Prabhas essayed a double role in the visual effects extravaganza. The first part (Baahubali: The Beginning) released in 2015 while the second (Baahubali: The Conclusion) hit theatres in 2017.

"Currently, Prabhas and his team are in talks with a major motorbike brand for a multi-crore deal for their pan-India campaign," DNA quoted a source as saying.

Prabhas, who turned 39 on October 23, shared a video clip as a token of thanks with his fans. The video clip titled Shades of Saaho - Chapter 1 was intriguing and visually captivating.

The futuristic film marks the Telugu debut of Bollywood beauty Shraddha Kapoor and her first with superstar Prabhas.

The film will release in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi languages and will also star Neil Nitin Mukesh, Mandira Bedi, Jackie Shroff, Vennela Kishore, Mahesh Manjrekar, Chunky Panday, Jackie Shroff and Tinnu Anand in supporting roles.
Mumbai: Bigg Boss fame contestant Manu Punjabi will host a YouTube show titled 'No filter Batein'.

Excited about the show, Manu said in a statement: "`No Fileter Batein` will be a chat show where people will come and talk about the turning points of their life. They will expose their their life incidences which can be motivating for others."

Manu was last seen hosting 'Date To Remember'.
Kolakta: A fire broke out at 'The 42', an under-construction residential skyscraper in Kolkata. Three fire tenders have been rushed to the spot. No casualties or loss to property reported yet.

The 42 is a residential skyscraper in located Kolkata's Chowringhee, a central business district of the city.

West Bengal: Fire breaks out at 'The 42', an under-construction skyscraper in Kolkata. Three fire tenders rushed to the spot. No casualties or loss to property reported yet. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/a9uRKeZiaP  ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018

More details awaited.
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States has reportedly concluded that it was Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who had ordered for the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey.

Khashoggi was a vocal critic of many domestic and international policies of Saudi Arabia and had fled the country to become a US resident. On October 2, he was in Istanbul and had gone to the Saudi embassy here but never returned. It is widely suspected that Saudi agents assassinated him and the role of bin Salman is being questioned.

According to a report in The Washington Post, CIA officials have said they have a 'high level of confidence' that the assassination of Khashoggi had links to bin Salman. The CIA has reportedly examined a number of sources of intelligence that prove that bin Salman had called for the hit job. Many top-ranking officials in the United States are also reasonably confident that an assassination on foreign soil - and that of a US resident - could not have happened without the bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, in the know.

The main investigations, however, are being led by Turkish officials with the local prosecutor here alleging that Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi embassy and that his body could have been melted using acid and even poured down a drain.

Apart from outrage all over the world directed against the Saudis, the US has also come under fire because President Donald Trump has failed to send out a strong message on the incident. Earlier this week, the US did impose economic sanctions against 17 Saudi officials for links to the assassination - a move welcomed by a few US allies. Many others maintain that the US needs to do far more to ensure that the Saudis do not go scott-free.

As for the Saudis themselves, it is reported that they may not have expected their covers to be blown and may not have predicted the enormous backlash and condemnation. Little wonder then that the Saudis first insisted that Khashoggi had left the embassy in Istanbul and they did not know where he was. They would then refute allegations that 15 men had flown specially to Turkey for the assassination and said that they were merely tourists. They then admitted the 15 weren't just tourists. Saudis would then say that Khashoggi was choked to death in a fist fight - an accident. There have even been some statements which seek to show that the 15 men may have acted outside of their assigned role and duties.

The u-turns galore from the Saudis have created further backlash.
PARADISE, California: Family members and survivors on Friday sought news of the 630 people considered missing after the deadliest wildfire in California history reduced much of the town of Paradise to ash and charred rubble, and killed 63. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire, said the blaze, named the Camp Fire, was now 45 percent contained, up from 35 percent on Thursday, even though it had grown slightly to 142,000 acres (57,000 hectares).

With nearly 12,000 homes and buildings burned, refugees from the fire have taken up residence in tents or their vehicles and filled evacuation centres to overflowing. Search teams, meanwhile, are in burned-out areas looking for bodies - or anything else that might carry human DNA for identification purposes.

Cal Fire said the Camp Fire death toll held at 63 overnight, but Miranda Bowersox, spokeswoman for the Butte County Sheriff`s office, warned the number of missing people would fluctuate.

"The overall number will go down but in the short term we expect will see new reports of people missing," she said.

In some cases, those unaccounted for have likely survived but not yet notified family or authorities that they are alive, or relatives may not yet have reported people missing. Poor cellphone coverage after the fire has also made communications difficult.

Last weekend, the Butte County Sheriff`s office initially put the total of missing people at 228, many of whom have now been accounted for. But as fresh reports from relatives caused the list to rise to 130 from 103 late Wednesday, 297 by Thursday morning and 630 as of Thursday night.

The fire - which roared through Paradise, a town of 27,000 people in the Sierra foothills 175 miles (280 km) north of San Francisco, on Nov. 8 - is among the deadliest to have hit the United States over the last century.

Authorities attribute the death toll partly to the speed with which flames raced through the town, driven by wind and fuelled by desiccated scrub and trees.

Weather conditions now are helping the firefighting effort, Nick Pimlott, a Cal Fire engineer, told KRCR TV. He said the winds had died down, allowing crews around Lake Oroville to the southeast of Paradise to construct fresh lines to contain the fire.

Many on the missing list are over the age of 65. Local officials and realtors have long sold Paradise as an ideal place to retire.

Brandon DuVall of Seattle said he last communicated with his retired father, Robert DuVall, in July after his father had bought a new pickup and camper. He received a call earlier this week that his father`s remains might have been found and now will go to California to provide a DNA sample.

Relatives of retired U.S. Navy veteran David Marbury, 66, are waiting to hear from him. No one has managed to speak with him since the wildfire began.

On Thursday, Marburys landlord confirmed to relatives that his duplex in Paradise had burned down. Sheriffs officials told them his car was still in the garage. "I really hope hes still alive and were going to be able to see him," Marburys niece Sadia Quint, 30, told Reuters by phone. "We just hope that hes still with us."

`WHY AM I HERE?`

Some in Paradise were experiencing survivors` guilt. "You`re like, `Why am I here?`" Sam Walker, a pastor at the First Baptist Church of Paradise, told WBUR radio. "`Why is my family all here? Why are our churches still standing?` I don`t know. My house is gone, like so many others. Thousands of additional structures remain threatened as firefighters, many from distant states, try to contain and suppress the flames.

More than 300 California National Guard troops are in the area searching for remains, as well as filling logistical, medical and administrative roles. Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Angle said seven soldiers from his battalion lost their homes in the fire, including one woman who asked to help with the recovery effort because it was better for her piece of mind to be part of it.

There have been other smaller blazes in Southern California, including the Woolsey Fire, which is linked to three fatalities and has destroyed at least 500 structures near the Malibu coast west of Los Angeles. It was 57 percent contained. Scientists say two seasons of devastating wildfires in California are attributable to drought that is symptomatic of climate change.

Republican US President Donald Trump is due to visit the fire zones on Saturday to meet displaced residents. Critics say Trump politicized the fires by blaming them, without supporting evidence, on bad forest mismanagement by California, a largely Democratic state. Trump threatened to withhold federal assistance.

Smoke from the Camp Fire has spread broadly. Public schools in Sacramento 90 miles (150 km) to the south, and as far away as San Francisco and Oakland, cancelled classes for Friday due to poor air quality. Some of Paradise`s older residents who had lost their homes were concerned about where they would live.

"I`m just very hopeful I can work something out for the future," Norris Godsey, 82, told the San Francisco Chronicle at a church evacuation centre in Chico. "If thats not possible, I dont know what Ill do."


The situation in the hostilities zone remains under control of the Joint Forces Operation

None of Ukrainian servicemen didnt die or sustained injuries in the Joint Forces Operation zone in Donbas on November 16, 2018. The press office of the Joint Forces Operation reported on Facebook.

As it is reported, five shelling of the militants were recorded in Donbas over the day.

In particular, the militants used grenade launchers and small arms against the positions of Ukrainian forces in the areas of settlement Luhanske, Marinka and Shyrokyne, near Vilny farmstead they used 120mm and 82mm mortars.

No one from the personnel of the Joint Forces died. The situation in the hostilities zone remains under control, reads the message.

Earlier today, a serviceman from Ternopil region was found dead in Dnipro.
The occupiers shelled positions of Ukraine's Armed Forces ten times over the past 24 hours

A serviceman of the Joint Forces died in the combat zone in eastern Ukraine due to the enemy shelling. The press office of the Joint Forces Operation reported that on Facebook.

Over the last day, November 16, the Russian occupiers opened fire at the Ukrainian positions ten times and used the weapons prohibited by the Minsk Agreements on six occasions.

Related: Militants violate ceasefire regime 5 times in Donbas

The militants shelled strongholds of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from 82mm and 120mm mortars in the direction of Svitlodarsk near Novoluhanske and in Popasna direction near Vilne.

The enemy has also used 82mm mortars, heavy machine guns and small arms in the Azov region having attacked the positions of the Ukrainian forces near Shyrokyne.

Related: Ukrainian soldier died in Donbas combat zone

According to the intelligence, two occupiers were wounded over November 16.

From the beginning of November 17, the enemy used 82 mm and 120 mm mortars against the positions of the Joint Forces in the areas of Novotoshkivske and Zholobok. In addition, the occupiers attacked the defenders of Hruntove, using grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms.
Ukrainian soldier received fatal injuries in Donbas conflict zone on Saturday, November 17. This was announced by the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) headquarters in the evening report on Facebook.



As of 18.00, the pro-Russian militants violated the ceasefire 7 times, 6 times firing at the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine using weapons prohibited by the Minsk Agreements.



Militants attacked the districts of Stanytsia Luhanska, Zholobok, Novotoshkivske, Orikhove, Marinka, and Hnutove using various types of weapons.



"The situation in the JFO area remains under the control of the Ukrainian military," the headquarters assured.

Earlier we reported Russia intended to cooperate with any new Ukraines authority to solve the conflict in Donbas peacefully, as the Russian President Putin said, TASS reported.

Nevertheless, we think that there is no other way, and we will have to agree on something. I hope, that people who will head the state in the future, whoever it is will come to the conclusion that there is no other way, except the peaceful one, and it is important to implement Minsk Agreements, he said.

At the same time, Putin did not predict whether the situation in Ukraine would change after the elections. He spoke against the meetings in Normandy format during the pre-election campaign in Ukraine calling them pointless. Besides, the President of Russia accused Ukraine of non-fulfillment of Minsk Agreements, which became a tradition.

Earlier, Heiko Maas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, stated that all the efforts of the participants of the Normandy format are taken to develop UN peacekeeping mission project in Donbas.
The Head of the Ministry of Defense claimed that forces set at ready due to the threats towards Ukraine

Open source

Ukraine is ready to react at threats in the Sea of Azov and other areas. Minister of Defense Stepan Poltorak claimed this, as 112 Ukraine reports.

We have heard of these threats constantly, and it was not only connected with the Sea of Azov but with the threats like reaching Kyiv in two hours and destroying our major cities, including our capital. I think that we need to draw conclusions. We and I as a minister of defense draw such conclusions, we are ready to react and take measures in accordance with our capabilities, our tasks and our strategy, in case it is needed, he claimed.

Related: Russia threatens to 'shut down' Sea of Azov for any Ukrainian vessel

We will properly act against threats both in the Sea of Azov, the Black Sea and in other areas of responsibility of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, he summarized.

Earlier, Iryna Lutsenko, the Presidents Representative to the Verkhovna Rada, Ukrainian people's deputy, stated that if Russia blocks Azov Sea, Ukraines reaction will be vigorous.

Related: Why is the Sea of Azov so important?

Previously, Ukraine arrested 15 ships that entered ports of the annexed Crimea. This is due to the Ukrainian law that claims the ports of Crimea (Yevpatoria, Kerch, Sevastopol, Feodosiya, Yalta) closed. The respective legislative acts were approved in April and June 2014.

Thus, any vessel that enters the closed seaports and terminals in the occupied Crimea breach the Ukrainian and the international law. Such action is considered an undermining of Ukraine's sovereignty and results in responsibility for the vessel's owner, operator and the crew.
112 International

The Parliament of Ukraine should fully involve internally displaced persons and labor migrants in the electoral process. This was said at a briefing by MEP Rebecca Harms, according to RBC-Ukraine.



After the meeting with the Electoral Commission, we would like to recommend parliament to pass laws that will include internally displaced persons and labor migrants in the electoral process. This is necessary to allow all Ukrainians to vote. We also recommend applying a gender quota during parliamentary elections, said Harms.
He will take part in the security forum and hold a series of meetings

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin will be in Canada on a working visit on November 17-18. This was reported on Saturday by the press service of the Foreign Ministry.



The main purpose of the visit is to participate in the Halifax International Forum on Security.



"As part of the forum, the minister is going to participate in a panel discussion, hold a number of bilateral meetings, in particular with Canadian Minister of National Defense Harjit Sajjan, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Ian Shugart, members of the Canadian Parliament, NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gethemuller, US senators and congressmen," told the press service of the Foreign Ministry.



Before the visit to Canada, Klimkin visited the USA, where he had already held a number of meetings.

Earlier Ukraines Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin met with Kurt Volker, the U.S. Special Representative to Ukraine, during his working visit to the U.S. The parties have discussed the further steps towards countering Russian aggression, as Kateryna Zelenko, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, reported on Twitter.

According to her, Klimkins visit to the U.S. began with his meeting with Volker.

The steps on the international platforms for countering Russias attempts to legitimize the occupation have been agreed. The political pressure has to be enhanced, Zelenko wrote.

Earlier, Volker said that instead of meeting the Minsk Agreements, Russian Federation and moving towards peace in Ukraine, Russian Federation is subsidizing corrupted leaders of the militants and conducts sham elections in Donbas.
Earlier it was reported that Ukraine is ready to respond to threats not only in the Sea of Azov, but also in other directions.

Open source

The United States condemns Russia's aggressive actions in the Sea of Azov. This was said in a joint statement of the Ukraine-U.S. Strategic Partnership Commission, published on the Ukrainian Embassy website.



"The United States condemned Russia's aggressive actions against international sea carriers moving along the Black and Azov Seas and through the Kerch Strait to Ukrainian ports. Both sides stressed that Russia's aggressive activities in the Sea of Azov created new security issues, economic, social and environmental threats to the whole Azov-Black Sea region ", said in a statement.
The White House works on termination of building the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline, expecting Ukraine to join the NATO

Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State promised the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin assistance of the United States in the fight against the Russian aggression. It was mentioned in the joint statement of the diplomats based on the talks of the U.S.-Ukraine strategic partnership commission.

Related: Poroshenko urges U.S. and European Parliament representatives to increase sanctions against Russia

The United States condemned Russias aggressive actions against international shipping transiting the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait to Ukrainian ports. Both sides underscored that Russias aggressive activities in the Sea of Azov have brought new security, economic, social, and environmental threats to the entire Azov-Black Sea region.

The United States confirmed its commitment to maintain sanctions against Russia related to its aggression against Ukraine until Russia fully implements the Minsk agreements and returns Crimea to Ukrainian control.

The United States welcomed Ukraines prolongation of the law on special order of self-government in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions on October 4, highlighted the many steps Ukraine has taken to implement the Minsk agreements, and called on Russia to fulfill its commitments under the agreements. The United States and Ukraine demanded the immediate release of all Ukrainian political prisoners unjustly held in Russia and the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including Oleg Sentsov, Oleksandr Kolchenko, Volodymyr Balukh, Server Mustafaiev, Emir-Usein Kuku, and many others.

The two sides condemned the illegal so-called elections in Russia-controlled Donbas on November 11. The sides reiterated these sham elections, orchestrated by Russia, contravene Russias commitments under the Minsk agreements and flout UNSC Resolution 2202 (2015).

The United States welcomed Ukraines NATO aspirations, reaffirmed by the 2008 Bucharest Declaration, and looked forward to one day welcoming Ukraine into the Alliance.

The United States and Ukraine underscored that securing Ukraines European future and safeguarding the country from Russian malign influences requires continued reform and strong democratic institutions, in particular a free press, vibrant civil society, and an independent judiciary delivering impartial justice, reads the claim.

Related: U.S., Poland to cooperate in military sphere for deterrence of Russia, - Pentagon

We dont want our European friends to fall victim to the political and economic manipulations undertaken by Russia in Ukraine when it dropped its Soviet shackles, Mike Pompeo claimed.

The Head of the Department of State stressed that Ukraine has no great friend than the United States in the struggle to preserve its national sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression.
The U.S. has also condemned the actions of Russia in the Sea of Azov

Open source

The United States of America will maintain sanctions against Russia until it fulfills the Minsk Agreements and returns Crimea back to Ukraine. Reads the joint statement of U.S. - Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission published on the website of the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States.

Related: Bloomberg assesses sanctions' damage to Russian economy

The United States confirmed its commitment to maintain sanctions against Russia related to its aggression against Ukraine until Russia fully implements the Minsk agreements and returns Crimea to Ukrainian control, reads the message.

The United States has also condemned the aggressive actions of Russia against international maritime transporters headed to Ukrainian ports through the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.

Related: Poroshenko urges U.S. and European Parliament representatives to increase sanctions against Russia

Earlier, the U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order on increasing sanctions against the Russian Federation because of its aggression towards Ukraine.

Later, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko held a meeting with the delegation of the U.S. National Democratic Institute and the European Parliament, and urged to strengthen sanctions against Russia due to its interference in the electoral process in Ukraine.
Open source

The United States of America wants to see Ukraine a full-fledged member of NATO. This was said in a joint statement of the Ukraine-U.S. Strategic Partnership Commission, published on the Ukrainian Embassy website.



"Ukraine has once again confirmed that NATO membership remains its strategic priority, which was recently enshrined in national legislation. The United States welcomes Ukraines aspiration to join NATO and once expect to congratulate Ukraine as a competent member of the Alliance," the report said.



The United States supports the efforts of Ukraineaimed at the implementation of the security reforms indicated in the Law on the National Security of Ukraine, and also notes the continued participation of Ukraine in international peacekeeping and security operations around the world.



As reported, the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on September 3, 2018 submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a draft of amendments to the Constitution on the foreign policy course of Ukraine.
On October 11, the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate supported that the autocephaly provision for Ukraine is prolonged

Open source

Church cant be a political organization. His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy claimed this on the air of Inter TV channel.

A church cannot be a political organization. Perhaps, it's fashionable and we would probably be applauded today if we became like this, we would be in the service not of saving the human soul, but in the service of the political system  But we will answer the God, and also history will judge us, Onufriy claimed.

Reportedly, the Russian Orthodox Church decided to completely cease the Eucharistic relations with the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Related: Law on transfer of St. Andrew's Church to Ecumenical Patriarchate takes effect

On October 11, the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate supported that the autocephaly provision for Ukraine is prolonged. Also, it has officially approved Constantinople as Ukraines mother-church. Besides, the Synod lifted the anathema from Filaret, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate, and Makariy, the Primate of Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. Filaret stated that a united Jubilee Bishops' Council would take place soon to create a unified Ukrainian local church.

In addition, the Ecumenical Patriarchate recognized Russias Orthodox Church annexation of Kyiv metropole in 1686.
Open source

Major Vadym Berezinsky, head of the Dilove Border Guard Service, died at the hospital on the evening of November 17. He was injured by cigarette smugglers in the Zakarpattya region a few days ago. This was announced by the head of the State Border Service of Ukraine, Petro Cygykal on Facebook.



On my own behalf and from all the staff of the State Border Service, I express words of deep sympathy and grief to the relatives and friends of the officer. He was a true example of conscientious fulfillment of his professional duty. The person who committed this senseless and extremely cruel act - attacking the border guard, is already in the police. We hope that justice will be strict and fair. But today we have lost an officer, parents lost his son, and children - his father, "wrote the head of the State Border Service.

An incident occurred in Zakarpattya region, westernmost Ukraine, where a car driver ran over an employee of the State Border Guard. Oleg Slobodyan, the spokesman of the agency wrote this on Facebook.

In the small hours of Friday, the servicemen of the State Border Guard and their Romanian colleagues detained two smugglers and ten packages of tobacco products on the Romanian side of the border.

'Soon after that, the border guards detained a man in the diving suit - in the Dilove border section, not far from Tysa river. He carried no documents, but he had a lot of money that he supposedly got for making the illegal deal. During primary investigative actions, another unknown perpetrator ran over the head of the Border Guard unit. The Border Guard officer sustained heavy injuries. The ambulance car took the serviceman to the intensive care unit. The border guard's condition is extremely grave', Slobodyan said, specifying that the man was in a coma.
47 people were injured during protests against rising fuel prices in France. This is reported by France Info with reference to the Ministry of the Interior of the country.



Earlier it was noted that during the rally one protester was killed, a woman was hit by a car.



In addition, about 24 detainees reported, 17 of which were taken into custody by the security forces. On the Champs Elysees in Paris, police used tear gas against the protesters.



Part of the demonstrators gathered near the residence of the French President Emmanuel Macron, demanding his resignation.



In total, more than 2,000 rallies of various sizes are being held in the country, in which up to 125 thousand people take part.

Earlier we reported on France's intention to invest 3,6 billion euros (4,2 billion dollars) on the modernization of its military satellites. It was reported by Europe 1.

"We will install observation cameras on our satellites so that we know who is approaching us," said Defense Minister Florence Parly.

She also noted that the goal is not making war and transforming the space into a space of war, but to make France capable of protecting itself.
Border officers in Zhuliany airport didn't allow a Russian citizen who had a tied ribbon of Saint George on his luggage to enter Ukraine. State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported.

Yesterday, border officers found a suitcase with anti-Ukrainian symbols on it, in particular, the ribbon of Saint George, at the checkpoint in Zhuliany airport during a border control of flight from Belarus. Subsequently, they found the owner of the suitcase. He turned out to be a Russian citizen who had a private visit to Ukraine, had a return ticket and enough monetary allowances, reads the message.

The symbol the Russian arrived with is prohibited in Ukraine. This is why the individual was refused in crossing the state border and banned from entering Ukraine for the next three years.

Related: Rector of Moscow Ecclesiastical Academy banned from entering Ukraine for three years
It happened - and yet, it's not the time to celebration; we're to explain the reason below

Let us start with the words of thanks. We really need your gratitude; and you gave it to us. You gave us 25,000 signatures to protect our right to work for you.

Yet, it is still not the time to celebrate. The reason is simple: this is not the end, but the first step towards the main goal, the protection of freedom of speech in our country.

This is the first step we have made together with you. It was you who gave us the tool to make this step, to involve the President of the state and hear his opinion concerning the situation.

Petition in support of 112 Ukraine gets 25,000 signatures, screenshot president.gov.ua

Concerning the situation, when the Verkhovna Rada creates a dangerous precedent, which might lead to completely unpredictable consequences.

Concerning the situation, when even the peoples deputies admit that the Parliament should not deal with the issues beyond its competence.

Related video:

Concerning the situation, when the European diplomats and journalists, worried about what happened, are ready to come to Ukraine to join our fight for the right to tell the audience the truth.

Finally, concerning the situation, when during the voting, peoples deputies violate the regulations and push the buttons, which is completely unacceptable for the country that sees itself as a part of Europe.

Now we have every right to ask the President what he thinks about all this. And this is our second step.

It is difficult as the situation with the counter of the signatures remains unclear. The counter shows the number which is much lower than the actual amount of the signatories.

We have already said that we hoped it was just a technical problem. Yet, the time passed and the problem has not been solved.

And, you know Now, we are no more patiently waiting for the problem to be solved. We demand it be solved as soon as possible.

The struggle goes on.
IRS Cash Cache

Sixty-three percent of America, or 33 US states and municipalities, have now decriminalized or legalized cannabis or allow citizens to access and use cannabis medicinally. But all the states rights in the country cant outrank the federal governments classification of cannabis, aka marijuana, as a Schedule I drug. The state of New Mexicos medical cannabis program has already netted over $54.2 million in sales revenue from a drug that the US federal government still considers on par with harmful, highly addictive drugs like heroin or cocaine. Nationally, American cannabis businesses did almost $9 billion in sales during 2017, according to BDS Analytics.

Cannabis murky micro vs. macro American legal status is exemplified by the medical and recreational cannabis industrys effective designation as cash-only, unbankable businesses. As reported by Quartz, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is struggling to handle cannabis companies cash tax payments and issue refund payments. The IRS doesnt require that payments be made in cash and has produced guidelines for banks working with cannabis clients; yet 70 percent of all legal cannabis businesses remain unbanked. This cash-in-hand setup is largely attributable to banks not wanting to deal with the internal compliance procedures required when banking an emergingand still technically, federally illegalindustry.

Reform in the East

The Southeast Asian country of Malaysia, officially known as the Federation of Malaysia, may be more well known for its conservative drug laws, harsh sentencing and affinity for capital punishment than for its own considerable natural beautythink beaches and rainforestsor its multicultural mix of Indian, Chinese, Malay and European cultural influences. On Aug. 30, Malaysia sentenced 29-year-old Muhammad Lukman to death for selling medical cannabis oil.

While Malaysian death sentences for drug offenses remain very much the norm, BBC News reports that drug policy reform advocates both within and outside the country have forcefully protested Lukmans fatal conviction to some avail. A petition boasting the signatures of thousands of citizens, including those of high-profile politicos, have rallied momentum to Lukmans cause. Reform-minded PM Mahathir Mohamad has called for a review of the case, and governing coalition MP Nurul Izzah Anwa pronounced Lukmans death sentence a miscarriage of justice. Malaysias Cabinet has now briefly discussed marijuanas medical value and have begun early, informal talks in the process of amending draconian Malay cannabis law and prescribed punishment.
Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman star as the legendary reporters who exposed the cover-up of the "third-rate burglary" at Washington's Watergate apartments. A panel discussion follows the film.

Fake News: Journalism Goes to Hollywood is a film and discussion series hosted by Devin OLeary, chief film critic at the Weekly Alibi. Following screening of the feature film, OLeary and a guest reporter or scholar will explore how journalism is represented through cinema. The series examines the role of the press in democratic societies and invites the audience to engage in conversation with the guests about the future of journalism.

"All the President's Men," is director Alan Pakula's thriller starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman as legendary reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein who doggedly exposed the attempted cover up of the "third-rate burglary" at Washington's Watergate apartments that turned into a national crisis and led to the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon. On everybody's top 10 lists of movies about journalism.

ABOUT THE PANELISTS

JAMES MCGRAFF MORRIS is an author of biographies and narrative nonfiction. He is currently writing a biography of writer Tony Hillerman. Morris has written extensively for newspapers and magazines, as well as some academic journals. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Morris spent a decade as a journalist, a decade working in the book and magazine business, and a decade as a high school teacher. He is the former president of Biographers International Organization, of which he was among the original founders.

MELISSA SEGURA, Emerson Fellow, is an investigative reporter with BuzzFeed News. Her reporting focuses on the intersection of justice, class and race. As a fellow, Segura will write a book detailing the major fault lines within the criminal justice system from arrest to conviction to appeal. The book builds upon her 2017 landmark investigation detailing how a group of predominantly working class, Latina women from Chicago uncovered evidence suggesting a police detective framed at least 51 of their sons, brothers, or husbands. Her series, Broken Justice in Chicago, has led to the exoneration of nine men who had each spent decades behind bars. In 2018, the series earned her the George Polk Award in Journalism for local reporting and recognition as a finalist for Harvard's Goldsmith Award.

JEFF PROCTOR is an investigative reporter for New Mexico In Depth. Previously he was an investigative reporter/producer for KRQE-TV, the CBS affiliate in Albuquerque, and prior to that he was the justice system reporter for the Albuquerque Journal. Jeffs work has received numerous local, state and regional awards. In 2013, he was a finalist for the American Bar Associations Silver Gavel Award for his reporting on systemic civil rights abuses by the Albuquerque Police Department. And in 2012, Jeff received the William S. Dixon First Amendment Freedom Award from the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government for advancing transparency in the state.

This FREE program is part of the Journalism, Democracy and the Informed Citizen series made possible by the Democracy and the Informed Citizen initiative, administered by the Federation of State Humanities Councils. The initiative seeks to deepen the publics knowledge and appreciation of the vital connections between democracy, the humanities, journalism, and an informed citizenry.
En el marco de la Cumbre APEC en Papua Nueva Guinea, Canciller @NestorPopolizio y Ministro de Asuntos Exteriores de Nueva Zelanda, @winstonpeters, suscriben acuerdo de servicios aereos entre ambos paises, que contribuira a la conectividad aerea del Peru con el Asia Pacifico. pic.twitter.com/BtCzmZdSBN
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker defense minister Davit Tonoyan has fired several military commanders in connection with the deadly military truck crash that took place earlier in November. Several others have been sanctioned with disciplinary actions, defense ministry spokesperson Artsrun Hovhannisyan said on Facebook.

At the same time, Hovhannisyan said that these sanctions do not relieve those responsible from possible criminal liability if found guilty.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan has breached the ceasefire in Artsakh more than 80 individual times from November 11 to November 17, the defense ministry of Artsakh said.

The ministry said that Azerbaijani forces fired nearly 700 rounds from various caliber small arms during the violations.

The Defense Army units are strictly adhering to the ceasefire and confidently continue their military service, it said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
The UK is cementing its deep and special relationship with Oman for generations to come with the opening of a new Omani-British Joint Training Base. As part of his visit to Oman for the culmination of Exercise Saif Sareea 3, the UKs largest exercise in 17 years, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson underlined the UKs enduring commitment to Oman and highlighted the importance of protecting peace and stability in the Gulf.



UK and Omani forces trained, lived and worked side by side during Exercise Saif Sareea 3. (Picture source: British MoD)

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: Our relationship with Oman is built on centuries of cooperation and we are cementing that long into the future with the opening of our new joint base. We stand as a beacon of stability in the region. This has never been more important as malign activity by hostile states and violent extremist organisations seek to undermine stability and subvert the rules-based order on which we all rely. UK troops will deploy to the joint training base in March 2019 to work and train alongside our Omani partners, building on the successes of Exercise Saif Sareea 3. For decades to come, it will support a variety of combined and joint training activity in the challenging and austere environment that 5,500 UK personnel have experienced over the last month.

The exercise also tested the interaction and collaboration between civilian and military structures, providing valuable lessons about ensuring we deploy the right combination of tools to tackle the complex threats we face today.

The Defence Secretary also attended the Exercise Saif Sareea Fire Power Demonstration which involved both UK and Omani personnel who have been living and exercising side by side for the past five weeks. The exercises culmination saw thousands of soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen from both nations execute a set piece battle across the desert. Mr. Williamson also met the Sultan of Oman and Omani Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs signalling his intent to sign an agreement of enduring defence commitment early next year, reflecting on wider cooperation beyond defence; and reaffirming the deep cultural links and economic ties.

Britain will open a new military base in Oman next year, sending hundreds of troops to the sultanate in the same month it is scheduled to leave the European Union. The announcement was made by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, as he observed the joint military exercise. The base will house hundreds of British troops and will be used as a training facility for the Omani armed forces. The announcement comes two years after the countries signed a comprehensive military training agreement, and just weeks after Mr Williamson succeeded in securing an extra 1 billion in funding for the military in last months budget. It is scheduled to open next March. Mr Williamson said the move would strengthen Britains regional security commitment. The symbolism of this Omani British base opening as we exit the European Union I hope isnt lost on people, he said.
In November 2018, during an official ceremony, Ukrainian army has taken delivery of more 70 pieces of new military equipment and combat vehicles as an upgraded version of the T-72 MBT Main Battle Tank, wheeled armored personnel carrier BTR-3, VARTA, Novator and anti-tank missile systems.



In November 2018, Ukrainian army has taken delivery of 70 pieces of new military equipment including weapons and combat vehicles (Picture source: UkroboronProm)

Ukrainian Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksandr Turchynov says the enterprises of the Ukraine's state-run military-industrial concern Ukroboronprom have transferred over 3,500 units of weapons and military equipment to the Ukrainian army over the three quarters this year, including over 2,000 units of brand new and modernized weapons.

For many years, the Ukrainian defense industry has developed and manufactured many new military equipment including armored and main battle tanks, naval and aviation equipment, rocket and artillery weapons, air defense systems, communications, and electronic warfare equipment.

At the ceremony, the Ukrainian army has received 70 pieces of weapons and military equipment, in particular, modernized T-72 main battle tanks, new BTR-3 Armored Personnel Carriers APCs, high-precision Stugna-P and Korsar anti-tank missile systems, Delta mobile 360-degree radar, newest Varta and Novator wheeled armored vehicles, as well as Ukraine-made 82mm mortars.



Ukrainian army T-72K main battle tank (Picture source Ukroboronprom)

The T-72 is an old Soviet-made main battle tank, but the Ukrainian defense industry continues to modernize the tank, offering more firepower and protection than the previous versions.

The T-72K is fitted with the 'Knife' reactive armor, also called Nozh or Nizh. Knife modules differ from other ERA modules in that they are specifically designed to eliminate or minimize damage to adjacent modules, thus allowing for a 200% to 300% increased effectiveness against multiple weapon impacts, compared to other ERA module designs. The upgraded T-72K is also equipped with digital secure communication and satellite navigation systems.



Ukrainian army Korsar anti-tank weapon system (Picture source: Ukroboronprom)

The Korsar is a light, portable anti-tank missile system designed and manufactured by Ukrainian state enterprise State Kyiv Design Bureau. The system consists of a transport launching container (TLC) with RK-3 guided missile, missile launcher, and a guidance unit.

The optical sight of the Korsar anti-tank weapon system is fitted with an 8x magnified view used for observation and aiming. The semi-automatic laser beam allows the operator to aim at the targets located at a distance ranging between 100m and 2.5km.

The anti-tank guided missile of the Korsar can destroy targets up to a range of 2.5 km and has a maximum flight time of 13 seconds at the maximum range.



Ukrainian army Stugna-P anti-tank weapon system (Picture source Ukroboronprom)

The Stugna-P is an anti-tank missile system designed and manufactured in Ukraine. Stugna-P has been developed by Kiev-based Luch design bureau to compete with foreign models of the same class.

The Stugna-P is able to destroy low-altitude, slow-moving aerial targets. The laser-guided system has a range of 4,000 meters and can penetrate armor up to 800 millimeters thick. The operating temperature range is from - 40 to +60. Stugna-P is able to destroy armored targets on all terrain condition in various climatic conditions at a distance of 100 to 4,000 meters.



Ukrainian army VARTA 4x4 wheeled armoured vehicle personnel carrier. (Picture source Ukroboronprom)

The VARTA is a 4x4 wheeled armored vehicle designed and manufactured by Ukrainian Armour Company. The vehicle is designed to be used as an APC (Armored Personnel Carrier). It can carry 10 military personnel including driver and commander, as well as 8 infantrymen.

The VARTA is based on a MAZ-5434 4x4 military truck chassis. It can run at a maximum speed of 110 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 600 km in road conditions and 400 km off-road. The hull of the vehicle is protected against 7.62 mm caliber armor piercing incendiary bullets. VARTA utilizes a V-shape bottom structure and anti-mine seats, providing crew protection to withstand detonation of charges up to 6 kg of TNT.



Ukrainian army Novator 4x4 wheeled armoured personnel carrier (Picture source: Ukroboronprom)

The Novator is a 4x4 armored vehicle personnel carrier also designed and manufactured by the Company Ukrainian armor. The vehicle was designed to be used for different types of missions as surveillance and reconnaissance, border patrolling, special missions, medical evacuation and more.

The Novator is based on a Ford F550 chassis which can accommodate up to five equipped soldiers. It has a length of 5.80 m, a width of 2.405 m and a height of 2.164 m for a gross vehicle weight of 9,000 kg, including a payload capacity of up to 1,000 kg.
THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlas Blockchain Group Inc. (CSE: AKE) (XFRA: A49) (OTCPINK: ATLEF) (the Company or Atlas) today provides an update detailing term particulars concerning a proposed concurrent financing as previously announced on October 11, 2018 in respect to its entry into a non-binding letter of intent dated October 8, 2018 (the Letter Agreement) between the Company and Isracann Biosciences Inc. (Isracann), a private British Columbia company.

Operationally located in Israel, Isracann aims to embark on an industrial-scale cannabis farming enterprise targeting both domestic and international commercial opportunities. With three (3) agreements in-place, the venture holds rights to over 580,000 square feet of prime agricultural land with preexisting production permits equivalent to Canadian ACMPR cultivation licensing. Israel has been a leader in cannabis research for over 50 years and further enjoys extremely favorable climatic conditions, both of which strategically factor into premium product development opportunities. Proximally located to Europes undersupplied markets ideally situates Isracann with potential access to a consumer base, which based on population alone, is larger than the size of the USA and Canada combined.

The Letter Agreement contemplates a proposed business combination transaction (the Acquisition) pursuant to which the Company will acquire all the issued and outstanding common shares of Isracann in exchange for common shares of the Company (the Atlas Shares). The Acquisition is an arms length transaction and is expected to constitute a fundamental change under the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the CSE).

Prior to the closing of the Acquisition, Atlas will complete a non-brokered offering of subscription receipts of the Company (the Subscription Receipts) at $0.17 per Subscription Receipt for gross proceeds of at least $5,000,000 to a maximum of $15,000,000 (the Offering). Each Subscription Receipt will entitle the holder to receive, upon satisfaction of certain escrow release conditions, and without payment of additional consideration, one unit in the capital of the Company (each, a Unit). Each Unit will be comprised of one Atlas Share (pre-consolidation basis) and one Atlas Share purchase warrant (each, a Warrant) (pre-consolidation basis). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Atlas Share at $0.34 per Atlas Share for two years following the date of issuance.

The Company may complete a portion of the Offering pursuant to conditions described in Multilateral CSA Notice 45-318  Prospectus Exemption for Certain Distributions through an Investment Dealer (CSA 45-318) and the corresponding instruments, orders and rules implementing CSA 45-318 in the participating jurisdictions (collectively with CSA 45-318, the Investment Dealer Exemption). In accordance with the Investment Dealer Exemption, the Company advises that, as at the date hereof, there is no material fact or material change in respect of the Company that has not been generally disclosed.

Closing of the Offering is subject to a number of conditions, including receipt of all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals, including the approval of the CSE.

All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus a day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities laws. A finders fee may be paid in connection with the Offering to eligible arms length finders in accordance with CSE policies. The aggregate net proceeds from the Offering will be used to complete the Acquisition and to provide general working capital.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. None of the securities to be issued pursuant to the Acquisition or the Offering have been or will be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any state securities laws, and any securities issued pursuant to the Acquisition and the Offering are anticipated to be issued in reliance upon available exemptions from such registration requirements pursuant to Rule 506(b) of Regulation D and/or Section 4(a)(2) of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable exemptions under state securities laws. In addition, the securities to be issued pursuant to the Acquisition and the Offering under an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act will be restricted securities as defined under Rule 144(a)(3) of the U.S. Securities Act and will contain the appropriate restrictive legend as required under the U.S. Securities Act. Any public offering of securities of Atlas to be made in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus containing detailed information about Atlas and management, as well as financial statements.

About Isracann Biosciences Inc.

Isracann, is an Israeli-based cannabis company, focused on becoming a premier cannabis producer offering low-cost production targeting undersupplied, major European marketplaces. Based in Israel's agricultural sector, Isracann will leverage its development within the most experienced country in the world with respect to cannabis research. The company has secured agreements with three (3) licensed Israeli producers for medicinal marijuana cultivation.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Charlie Kiser

Charlie Kiser

Chief Executive Officer

The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ, materially from the Companys expectations are disclosed in the Companys documents filed from time to time with the Canadian Securities Exchange, the British Columbia Securities Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission, the Alberta Securities Commission, and the Alberta Securities Commission.

Contact

Atlas Blockchain Investor Relations

+1(604) 343-8661

info@atlasblockchaingroup.com

www.atlasblockchaingroup.com
ROBYN WUTH | GoldCoast.com.au

COLOURFUL Gold Coast, Queensland, businessman Bob Purdy - known as 'Cobra Bob' - was shot dead in Mt Hagen at the weekend.

The businessman, who famously repossessed everything from cruise ships to skyscrapers, was shot in what was believed to be a botched robbery in the dangerous town.

It is understood Mr Purdy died instantly.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed the death of a 62-year-old man in Papua New Guinea.
A cloud of uncertainty hung over the institution and, even as the reform process continued, there was much anxiety. Nevertheless, changes were made and the year ended successfully.

The moves against Schram had continued even though a government enquiry under retired judge Sevua cleared him of allegations about fake credentials even as it identified irregularities in the former regime.

Students and members of the university community fought against this. Then Schram was effectively deported when he wasnt allowed to return to PNG after holidays in early 2013. In the leadership vacuum, a loyal interim team was formed to administer the university.

But from the start the Schram era was hampered by resistance from elements of the former corrupt regime both within and outside Unitech as there was a succession of moves to try to get rid of the vice chancellor.

Prior to the appointment of Schram in 2011, Unitech was known to be in a bad shape and led by a corrupt regime. Schrams arrival in 2012 provided hope that a change in leadership would lead to a change in the universitys fortunes.

LAE - The University of Technology, Unitech, was very much affected by the events surrounding the advent, stormy passage and eventual dismissal of vice chancellor Dr Albert Schram.

Albert Schram at Singapore Airport after escaping detention on trumped up charges in Papua New Guinea. His arrest caused an international scandal and seriously dented PNG's reputation

The following year, 2013, started badly for the university with its leader banned from entering the country. Students and members of the Unitech community not for the first time were ready for the fight. Promises and commitments were made by the authorities which dampened the opposition.

The interim team tasked to run the university meanwhile became compromised as they seemed to lose interest in the return of the vice chancellor and became more focussed in retaining their interim offices.

Albert Schrams employment contract was still legally effective but he was stranded in Australia. Those clouds of uncertainty had grown very dark indeed.

Then in February 2014, students and members of the community rose up again to fight for the return of their legitimate leader. The interim team, except for the registrar, was replaced by more trusted individuals. The Unitech community found the retention of the registrar rather awkward and feared it may lead to future difficulties.

But a new council with a new chancellor was appointed and this provided the impetus for the vice chancellors return. Schram regained a work visa and was welcomed back. Here was another opportunity for the university to overcome the obstacles to a better future.

Later in 2014 a substantive management group was appointed which comprised all the interim team. The year ended with a general atmosphere of success and a widespread feeling that a new era had dawned in the recovery and development of the university. It was summed up on the launching of the theme, Make Unitech Fly.

The period beginning in 2015 put the university well on course to bounce back, address its immediate issues and chart a course for the future as driven by a new council and Dr Schram nad his team.

It was noteworthy that, despite all that had occurred and his own fluctuating fortunes, since 2012, Schram had managed to institute many changes such as campus infrastructure rehabilitation; building 23 staff houses and ending the off-campus students residences saving K3 million.

Between 2015 and 2017 he embarked on internal changes to remove the corrupt culture, upgraded internet infrastructure and introduced campus wi-fi, improved financial management, fostered donor funding, introduced mechanisms to sustain normalcy through emergency periods, developed the concept of the Uni City revenue investment project and increased training opportunities for national staff.

But, in the new council, rumbles continued. There were claims of irregularities in the vice chancellors overseas trips and because of disputed promotions and appointments. There were also renewed claims that Schram had failed to provide a copy of his PhD credentials  claims that were not only challenged but accompanied by Schram publishing the credentials on the internet.

After a short, nasty conflict between the council and the vice chancellor, Schrams employment was terminated in February 2018. The university council had the mandate to execute such a decision. If Schram had stayed in the job, the fight against corruption in Unitech since 2012 would have progressed to the end of his employment contract. But this did not happen.

So the position of vice chancellor is up for appointment again and it is hoped that a suitable candidate will be selected to provide the university with much needed transparent and competent leadership. Whoever is appointed must be a new person who does not have the slightest allegiance to anyone associated with Unitech in the past.

Coincidently, the position of registrar is also up for appointment. Remember the concerns about the awkwardness of the acting registrars retention? The university requires a new face and again the appointee is best to be someone without the slightest allegiance with anyone associated with the past.

To set the record straight, the irregularities alleged against Dr Schram at his termination were not evident in 2012 to 2014 when the community fought for their legitimate vice chancellor. If they were evident he would not have been shortlisted at the outset.

In my view, the allegations against Schram arose from those who were aligned with the corrupt regime prior to his appointment in 2011. In the spirit of honesty, fairness and transparency how could anyone lay such claims against a new vice chancellor before he had even performed his duty?

We should also reflect on the Sevua Report of 2012, which was sanctioned and paid for by the national government but quickly abandoned after the 2012 event. The prime minister Peter ONeill had personally visited Unitech to announce the enquiry.

Contained in the report are issues that had significant bearing on the university. The content of the document cannot be taken to be false and thus rejected. Nor can the recommendations be abandoned as they hold the keys to rectify Unitechs dark history. Justice needs to be allowed to take its course for the benefits of the enquiry to be realised.

The responsible authorities have a moral duty to execute the recommendations of the Sevua Report for the betterment of the university. It is an important document resulting from the fight by genuine stakeholders and the Unitech community, who await and watch for its implementation.

To ignore the report would be unwise and leave many dents in the life of Unitech and in those people who were implicated. There are those whose reputation and integrity are hanging on the report who deserve and have the right to clear their name. There is however a disturbing rumour that the report is now water under the bridge.

Unitech must rise from its gloomy days and it now requires leadership that is selfless, transparent and competent. It also needs leadership that is willing to sacrifice and set a firm model for the whole organisation to emulate. It needs a leadership that can influence the university and instil a concrete culture of regrowth cemented in pride.

Make Unitech fly must still be the vision. In steering through the storm, the university needs an astute leader who is able to exert the required authority and draw a clear line to say yes or no and push indecision aside. All these are the traits of the kind of leader Unitech truly needs. These were the core of the two fights of 2012 and 2014. The overwhelming majority stood for these values and Dr Schrams appointment was believed to be the answer.

When Dr Schram returned from exile in 2014 and began his proper leadership he led with the zeal the community believed in until later when concerns begin to emerge on irregularities in some of his decisions.

The list of allegations against him mounted to warrant an investigation after which the universitys highest authority, the council, reached its decision to terminate him early in 2018. This was said to be done for the best interests of the university.

The move by the council demonstrated its vigilance and now it has a paramount duty to steer the course for Unitech towards a brighter future. It now also has to fix the mess created by the corrupt regime where one of the controversial positions is that of deputy vice chancellor, a position originally intended to be made obsolete by the appointment of three pro vice chancellors due to the expansion of the university.

The university council should now remove this redundant office and fill the position of pro vice chancellor, planning and development. This too needs to be filled by a completely new person who does not have any slightest allegiance with anyone.

In these two articles, I have discussed the impacts on Unitech of the recent turbulent period of its history. The goal of this journey was to change the leadership of the organisation in the interests of its improvement to excellence. This was much needed as the university was declining under a corrupt regime from the council through to its senior management.

It was the uprising that brought the desired change. A new council was formed which paved the way for a new management team. Some progress has been achieved but Unitech needs to continue to move to recovery and attain a bright future.

So was what happened to Unitech a fight or a crisis? The choice of the word really depends on where you stand.

There are those who involved in the events who found themselves on whichever side based on their allegiance and benefits. There are those who do not have any idea about what has happened or were just ignorant and swayed by false rumours and influenced by the crowd. Cunningly, there are also opportunists who capitalise on the present state for their selfish agendas. The majority who know the truth choose to remain silent, which is a wise move by them.

Would a community overwhelmingly rise up in 2012 and 2014 for a corrupt vice chancellor? No they were honest, genuine and concerned to begin a good era for the university and its future. The students who fought in 2012 and 2014 had all departed by 2017. But they would surely speak out for their genuine patriotic stance for the university.

The majority of staff who participated in the fight could speak out if given an opportunity, such as a public forum, but they know they have not lost anything and are wise to remain silent.

The university as a body inflicted by the decisions of various stakeholders throughout the period cannot speak. But if it could, it would probably say it had experienced more of a fight than a crisis. That said though, the recent period has nearly crippled the university, which awaits the right person to occupy the controversial but key position of vice chancellor.

It seems time to rewind to 2011 but to say the fight was worth it. I believe in the power of positivity that manifested then and in periods since and which will surely move again for the benefit of Unitech. And so it was truly a fight and not a crisis.
Chinese officials who are organising the official opening of the Chinese-funded six-lane road have refused to give audio feeds to media personnel, Gunga wrote in a WhatsApp message. Microphones belonging to both local and international media have been removed.

EMTV journalist Theckla Gunga who was assigned to cover the presidents visit reported that just after 11am Chinese officials accompanying the president ordered the microphones removed from a speaker next to which they had been placed to record the speeches.

It began in parliament when Chinese president Xi Jinping was giving an address after a guard of honour.

PORT MORESBY - Papua New Guineas freedoms of speech, expression and access to information were challenged yesterday when Chinese officials barred both PNG and non-Chinese media from attending meetings at three APEC venues.

Chinas behaviour to foreign journalists casts doubt on the sincerity of its vows to treat people with respect

The officials allowed Chinese state owned broadcaster CCTV to record Xi Jinpings speech. Gunga and other journalists spent about 10 minutes arguing with the Chinese officials but were still refused.

One hour later, EMTV Online reporter Merylyn Diau-Katam faced another group of Chinese officials at the gate of a Chinese government funded school.

Before the president arrived a bus full of Chinese media personnel were driven into the gate on a bus, she said. And when we wanted to go in, we were told our names were not on the list even though we had APEC accreditation passes.

No media. No media, a Chinese official said.

Diau-Katam was not the only one refused entry. In the group was a photographer from Japanese public broadcaster, NHK, and other media. A PNG government official also spent several minutes arguing with the Chinese security to let him in.

At 5pm on Friday, Chinese officials again booted out local and international media from a meeting between the Chinese president and Pacific Island country leaders.

EMTV anchor and senior journalist Meriba Tulo was among others told to get out of the meeting while Chinese media were allowed into the room.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation was also told to leave. And Post Courier senior journalist Gorethy Kenneth said Chinese officials from Beijing were initially angry with the presence of international media.

I said: We are here to cover the meeting, our names have been submitted. And they said: No, all of you get out,' Kenneth said.
Pence said the US vision for the region was about collaboration, not control.

"We will work with these two nations to protect sovereignty and maritime rights in the Pacific islands."

"The United States will partner with PNG and Australia on their joint initiative," he said.

Now US vice-president Mike Pence has announced his country will join in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Lombrum.

Australia recently announced its own plans to redevelop the decrepit Lombrum naval base in a bid to lock China out from developing its own facility in PNG.

PORT MORESBY - The United States will join forces with Australia and Papua New Guinea in the redevelopment of a naval base in Manus, a move designed to curb China's influence in the Pacific.

A ragged PNG Kumul flag flies at HMPNGS Tarangau, Lombrum Naval Base, with HMAS Choules in the distance

Empire and aggression have no place in the Indo-Pacific - this is a region where every nation large and small must be permitted to prosper and thrive, he said.

"We don't offer constricting belts or a one-way road," he said in a line apparently meant to mock China vaunted One Belt, One Road initiative.

The Lombrum base will ensure that the US and Australian have a deep water port big enough for aircraft carriers and other warships.

The scale of the US commitment is not known and it is not clear whether US vessels will be permanently based in Manus.

PNG now finds itself in the middle of one of the 21st century's geopolitical hotspots as a battle for influence in the Pacific unfolds.

The APEC meeting in Port Moresby has presented itself as a piece of political theatre, with the Pence statement taking the prize for best prop so far.

It represents a dramatic escalation of effort by the US and Australia to grab the strategic initiative in the Pacific from a resurgent China.

China has showered billions of dollars of infrastructure loans on island nations, some of whom sit astride sea lanes vital to international shipping and which provide potential bases to project military and economic power.

In his own speech to APEC, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison sought to tread carefully between his countrys military alliance with the US and critical trade relationship with China.

"Inevitably, in the period ahead, we will be navigating a higher degree of US-China strategic competition," he said.

The Pence announcement is likely to irritate president Xi Jinping and stir tensions with China. At the time of writing Xi had not responded to the Pence statement nor to his taunt on belt and road.

The planned base redevelopment has already generated criticism from Manus, where people believe they were played for mugs on the Australian development of refugee camps on the island.

In an earlier speech to APEC, president Xi warned against the escalation of trade and military tensions, saying a "hot, cold or trade [war]" could spell catastrophe.

"Mankind has once against reached a crossroad. Which direction should we choose? Cooperation or confrontation, openness or closing one's door?"

Sources: AFP, News Ltd, ABC, SBS
A group of Western ambassadors in Beijing reportedly wrote a letter demanding that China explain its persecution of the Uighur ethnic minority.

China subjects the Uighurs, a majority-Muslim ethnic group, under an unprecedented amount of surveillance, and is accused of imprisoning up to 1 million of them in detention camps and re-education centres.

The Chinese foreign ministry on Friday lashed out at the reported letter, calling the ambassadors "very rude."

China snapped at a report that Western ambassadors in Beijing were planning a rare coordinated meeting to grill officials in Xinjiang, western China, over their persecution of the Uighur ethnic minority.

Reuters reported on Thursday that 15 ambassadors wrote a letter demanding a meeting with Chen Quanguo, the Communist Party secretary on Xinjiang believed to be the architect of the crackdown, so he can explain human rights abuses against the majority-Muslim, Turkic-speaking group.

China has launched an unprecedented crackdown on the Uighurs, subjecting them to thousands of facial-recognition cameras, forcing them to download apps that track their mobile phone activity, and allegedly imprisoning up to 1 million of them in detention and re-education camps where many endure psychological and physical abuse.

Beijing justifies its Uighur crackdown as a counterterrorism measure, and has characterised the re-education centres as "free vocational training" camps that make life "colourful."

But despite Beijing insisting its Uighur camps are fun, it has consistently refused to allow UN inspections.

Xinjiang

China's foreign ministry on Friday lashed out at the reported letter, calling the ambassadors involved "very rude."

Spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters: "I think this is very rude and we cannot accept that."

"We hope that as ambassadors, they can truly fulfil their responsibilities and obligations, play a positive and constructive role in helping their countries to understand China in a true, comprehensive and three-dimensional way, and to promote mutual trust, friendship and cooperation between China and the countries they represent," she added.

Story continues

Hua also accused the signatories of hypocrisy, claiming that all of China's ethnic groups - including the Uighurs and Hans, which are dominant in China - live in harmony and that the Uighur camps were a means of assimilating Uighurs.

Hua said: "I think you may wish to interview these ambassadors to China and ask them whether they have done their homework seriously before writing this letter. Do they not know that in China, apart from the Han and Uighurs, there are 54 other ethnic minorities?"

"You can also ask them whether in their own countries, such as the US and Canada, ethnic minorities have to learn English as well? If ethnic minorities learn English, would this be considered the eradication and forced assimilation?"

The US was not part of the letter to Chen, which carried the names of ambassadors from Britain, Canada, France, Switzerland, the EU, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, Norway, Estonia, Finland and Denmark, Reuters reported.

Canada reportedly spearheaded the writing of the letter.

Earlier this week Beijing told Congress to back off in response to a bipartisan bill designed to punish China over its persecution of its Muslim ethnic minority, known as the Uighurs.



Read more:

China tells Congress to back off after planned legislation looks to sanction Beijing over imprisoning Muslims


* U.S-China criticise each other at APEC summit

* U.S. vice president vows to continue tariffs

* China says U.S. protectionism damaging global growth (Adds Pence to "carry back" proposal for Taiwan FTA, paragraph 21)

By Tom Westbrook, Charlotte Greenfield and Philip Wen

PORT MORESBY, Nov 17 (Reuters) - The United States and China swapped barbs over trade, investment and regional security at an Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit on Saturday, as growing fault lines among members suggested little prospect of consensus at the weekend meeting.

Speaking in the Papua New Guinean capital, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said there would be no end to American tariffs until China changed its ways, after its president, Xi Jinping, warned that the shadow of protectionism and unilateralism was hanging over global growth.

Illustrating the impasse between the world's two largest economies, a diplomat involved in negotiating an APEC leaders' declaration told Reuters trade was a sticking point, and the host nation was having trouble finding language acceptable to all.

Pence took direct aim at Xi's flagship Belt and Road programme, which China has been promoting to Pacific nations at APEC, saying countries should not accept debt that compromised their sovereignty.

"We do not offer constricting belt or a one-way road," Pence told the APEC CEO summit, a precursor to the official leaders' meeting, held on a cruise liner tethered in Port Moresby's Fairfax Harbour.

China's efforts to win friends in the resource-rich Pacific have been watched warily by the traditionally influential powers in the region - Australia and the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump is not attending the APEC meeting, nor is his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

Xi, who is staying in Port Moresby, has been feted by PNG officials and stoked Western concern on Friday when he held a meeting with Pacific island leaders, in which he pitched the Belt and Road initiative.

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Speaking before Pence, Xi said there was no geopolitical agenda behind the project, which was unveiled in 2013 and aims to bolster a network of land and sea links with Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

"It does not exclude anyone. It is not an exclusive club closed to non-members, nor is it a trap as some people have labelled it."

There have been concerns that small countries that sign up for infrastructure projects will be left with debt burdens they cannot service, something Pence highlighted.

"Do not accept foreign debt that could compromise your sovereignty. Protect your interest. Preserve your independence. And just like America, always put your country first," he said.

Sri Lanka formally handed over commercial activities in its main southern port of Hambantota to a Chinese company last December as part of a plan to convert $6 billion of loans that Sri Lanka owed China into equity.

Soon after Pence spoke, Australia said it was joining the United States and Japan in a partnership that would help countries in the region develop infrastructure priorities, a possible alternative to China's Belt and Road.

REGIONAL SECURITY

Pence also said the United States would join Australia to help Papua New Guinea build a navy base on its Manus Island, which was a U.S. base in World War Two.

The plan comes after China emerged as a possible developer of the deep-water port, which analysts say could impact the West's ability to navigate in the Pacific while offering China a site close to U.S. bases in Guam.

"The United States of America will continue to uphold the freedom of the seas and the skies, which are so essential to our prosperity," Pence said.

In a meeting that could irritate Beijing, Pence had talks with Taiwan's envoy to APEC, Morris Chang.

Beijing considers Taiwan a wayward province of "one China", ineligible for state-to-state relations, and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.

Despite Taiwan's lack of diplomatic recognition by the majority of countries, APEC allows it to participate as an economic, rather than political, entity.

Pence later told reporters travelling with him he would "carry back" a Taiwan proposal for a free trade agreement.

DOUBLE TARIFFS?

There were differences between other APEC members, with some calling for radical change to trade systems while others argued for a return to the status quo on globalisation.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad warned globalisation was leaving some people behind and fuelling inequality.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison mounted a defence of free trade, saying a billion people had been lifted out of extreme poverty since 1991 because of the jobs and cheaper goods that free trade brought.

Xi told delegates that the shadow of "protectionism and unilateralism" hung over global growth and erecting barriers and cutting ties was short-sighted and doomed to fail.

But Pence made it clear that the United States would not back down, saying it could more than double the $250 billion of Chinese goods subject to tariffs.

"The United States though will not change course until China changes its ways," Pence said.

Trump and Xi are due to meet at a G20 meeting in Argentina late this month, raising some hope that trade tension could ease.

Trump is pressing China to reduce its huge bilateral trade surplus and make sweeping changes to its policies on trade, technology transfers and high-tech industrial subsidies.

China has denied that U.S. companies are forced to transfer technology and sees U.S. demands on rolling back its industrial policies as an attempt to contain Chinas economic rise.

Sebastian Pinera, the president of Chile, which will host next year's APEC, called on the two powers to find a resolution.

"This is a very good opportunity to ask the U.S. and China to find ways to end their tariff and trade war which benefits no one," he told the forum.

"Both countries will have to change course."

(Reporting by Tom Westbrook and Charlotte Greenfield; Writing by Colin Packham, Wayne Cole and John Mair; Editing by Himani Sarkar, Robert Birsel)
President Donald Trump has been asking advisers lately about whether Vice President Mike Pence is loyal, according to people familiar with the discussions cited by The New York Times on Friday.

The question, which The Times said had been asked repeatedly, alarmed advisers and could indicate possible doubts Trump may have about his second-in-command.

Some people in the White House described Pence as a loyal supporter of the president, and Pence himself has made clear in public statements that he is committed to Trump and his agenda.

According to The Times, outside advisers have suggested Pence may not be a strong running mate for the 2020 presidential election.

White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley brushed off the rumours, saying that Trump "absolutely supports the vice president."

President Donald Trump has been asking advisers lately about whether Vice President Mike Pence is loyal, according to people familiar with the discussions cited by The New York Times on Friday.

The question, which The Times said had been asked repeatedly, alarmed advisers and could indicate possible doubts Trump may have about his second-in-command.

Some people in the White House described Pence as a loyal supporter of the president, and Pence himself has made clear in public statements that he is committed to Trump and his agenda.

According to The Times, outside advisers have suggested Pence may not be a strong running mate for the 2020 presidential election.

The advisers who floated the idea reportedly believe that Trump ought to select a vice presidential candidate who appeals to female voters - a demographic with which Trump struggles to appeal to - despite his claims that he is already "doing well with women."

Other sources told The Times that Trump's inquiry about Pence's loyalty was actually in reference to Nick Ayers' fealty to his cause. Ayers, Pence's chief of staff, is reportedly a front-runner to replace White House chief of staff John Kelly, who has long been rumoured to be on his way out.

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Trump hit back at the report Saturday morning, telling reporters outside the White House that Pence is "100% loyal" and has been a "trooper" within the administration.

Hours later, Trump tweeted to lash out at the "phony story" and insisted he "can't imagine any President having a better or closer relationship with their Vice President then the two of us."

White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley reportedly brushed off the speculation on Trump's alleged doubts about Pence, saying the president "absolutely supports the vice president and thinks he's doing an incredible job helping to carry out the mission and policies of this administration.

Pence hasn't always been complimentary of Trump. He expressed disapproval of him as a candidate during the 2016 presidential race after the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape revealed Trump boasting about manhandling women.

Pence said at the time that he was "offended by the words and actions" in the recording - a statement Trump has reportedly not forgotten.

People familiar with Trump's thinking suggested that after loyalists like his longtime personal attorney Michael Cohen, turned on him, Trump has become paranoid about who his allies and enemies are.

"It's quite likely that the president has been reflecting on who's loyal, who's not loyal ... and he's starting to be paranoid in a way that's almost feral," Pulitzer Prize winning biographer Michael D'Antonio said during a CNN interview on Friday. "This is a cornered animal who really can't be trusted by anyone."

Despite Trump's questions about Pence, he has not indicated he would look for a new running mate for 2020.

During a press conference earlier in November, Trump jokingly turned to Pence and asked "Mike, will you be my running mate," to which Pence responded by nodding and raising his right hand.

"Thank you," Trump said. "OK, good. The answer's yes, OK? That was unexpected, but I feel very fine."
Air strikes by the US-led coalition Saturday killed 43 people, mostly civilians, in a holdout of the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, a Britain-based monitor said. Seventeen children were among 36 IS family members killed in Abu Husn village of Deir Ezzor province near the Iraqi border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Another seven victims had not yet been identified as either civilians or IS fighters, it said. The US-led coalition has been backing a Kurdish-Arab alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting to expel the jihadists from the pocket around Abu Husn. "It's the highest death toll in coalition air strikes since the SDF launched its attack against the IS pocket" in September, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. The coalition has repeatedly said it does its utmost to prevent civilian casualties. "The avoidance of civilian casualties is our highest priority when conducting strikes against legitimate military targets with precision munitions," spokesman Sean Ryan told AFP this week. IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" in land it controlled. But the jihadist group has since lost most of it to various offensives in both countries. In Syria, the group has seen its presence reduced to parts of the vast Badia desert and the pocket in Deir Ezzor. The coalition has since 2014 acknowledged direct responsibility for over 1,100 civilian deaths in Syria and Iraq, but rights groups put the number killed much higher. Air strikes by the US-led coalition killed 43 people, mostly civilians, in a holdout of the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, a Britain-based monitor said
Syrian regime forces retook control of the last southern holdout of the Islamic State group Saturday, as a monitor said air strikes killed dozens in a remaining jihadist pocket in the country's east. More than seven years into Syria's grinding civil war, multiple forces are battling to push IS out of its remaining scraps of territory in the country. On Saturday, regime forces retook the southern area of Tulul al-Safa as the jihadists pulled back into the desert after months of fighting, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Pro-government fighters regained control of the volcanic plateau between the provinces of Damascus and Sweida "after IS fighters withdrew from it and headed east into the Badia desert", Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. The withdrawal likely came "under a deal with the regime forces" after weeks of encirclement and air raids, he said. In recent weeks, air strikes on the Tulul al-Safa pocket had increased and hundreds of regime fighters were sent as reinforcements, the Observatory said. State news agency SANA reported regime forces had made "a great advance in Tulul al-Safa" and said they were combing the area for any remaining jihadists. That victory has whittled down the jihadists group's territorial control to a single pocket in the east of the country, where it faces a separate assault by US-backed forces. - Civilians killed in far east? - A Kurdish-Arab alliance supported by a US-led coalition has been fighting to expel IS from that far eastern patch near the Iraqi border since September. The Observatory said coalition air strikes early Saturday on the village of Abu al-Husn in Deir Ezzor province killed 43 people, including 36 family members of IS fighters. "It's the highest death toll in coalition air strikes since the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched its attack against the IS pocket" in September, Abdel Rahman said. Seventeen of those killed were children, he said, while seven of the dead remained unidentified. A spokesman for the US-led coalition confirmed strikes in the area of Abu Husn, but said they had not harmed any non-combattants. "No civilian casualties are associated with the strikes in question," spokesman Sean Ryan told AFP. "The coalition takes great measures to identify and strike appropriate ISIS targets in order to avoid non-combatant casualties," he said, using another acronym for IS. The Observatory says coalition air raids have killed 234 civilians including 82 children since September 10, when the SDF launched the offensive on the eastern IS holdout. It says 625 jihadists have been killed in strikes and clashes in the area during the same period. The SDF assault was slowed by a fierce jihadist fightback, and then briefly put on hold to protest Turkish shelling of Kurdish militia positions in northern Syria. - 'Careful advance' - SDF commander Redur Khalil said Saturday that operations were ongoing. "There has been an advance on the ground in the past days but it is a careful advance due to fields of landmines, trenches, tunnels and barricades set up by IS," he told AFP. IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" in land it controlled. But the jihadist group has since lost most of it to various offensives in both countries. Regime forces had been fighting IS in Tulul al-Safa since a deadly jihadist attack in July. That fighting has killed 240 regime fighters and 420 IS jihadists, the Observatory says. In the July 25 attack, IS killed more than 260 people, most of them civilians, in a wave of suicide bombings, shootings, and stabbings across Sweida province in the bloodiest assault on the Druze minority of the war. Followers of a secretive offshoot of Islam, the Druze are considered heretics by the Sunni extremists of IS. Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people since it erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. Since 2014, the US-led coalition has acknowledged direct responsibility for over 1,100 civilian deaths in Syria and Iraq, but rights groups put the number killed much higher. Members of the US-backed SDF attend a funeral on November 6, 2018 for a fellow fighter killed in battle against the Islamic State group Syrians displaced from Deir Ezzor and its surroundings walk on November 15, 2018 through a camp in northeastern Hassakeh province
English French

MONTREAL, Nov. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Fraser Institute today published its annual rankings of Quebec secondary schools, identifying the schools across the province that are improving or falling behind.



The Report Card on Quebecs Secondary Schools 2018 ranks 452 public, private, francophone and anglophone schools based largely on results from provincewide tests in French, English, science, mathematics and history.

Whether they are choosing a school or already have children enrolled, parents use our rankings to find out how a school is doing over time or when compared to other schools, said Yanick Labrie, Fraser Institute senior fellow.

In this years ranking, 52 schools showed statistically significant improvement including public and independent schools and English and French schools. Across Quebec, 50 schools experienced declining performance.

The fastest-improving school provincewidePaspebiac in Gaspesieimproved its rating from 5.1 out of 10 in 2013 to 7.7 this year.

Jeanne-Mance secondary school in Montrealthe third-fastest improving school in the provinceimproved from 0.3 out of 10 in 2013 to 3.1 this year. Notably, 50 per cent of its students have special needs (EHDAA).

All too often, principals and teachers try to excuse a schools poor performance by blaming the characteristics of the students or communities they serve, but our Report Card proves that any school, no matter where its located or what challenges its students face, can succeed, Labrie said.

See detailed results of all 452 schools at www.compareschoolrankings.org .

10 fastest-improving secondary schools in Quebec (fastest at the top) School Location Overall rating in 2013 (out of 10) Overall rating in 2017 (out of 10) Paspebiac Paspebiac 5.1 7.7 Saint-Stanislas Saint-Jerome 5.8 8.0 Jeanne-Mance Montreal 0.3 3.1 Pierre-Dupuy Montreal 1.8 4.5 Royal Vale Montreal 5.2 7.6 Leblanc Laval 3.9 5.8 Massey-Vanier Cowansville 3.6 5.5 Frenette Saint-Jerome 4.7 6.7 du Coteau Mascouche 4.0 5.5 La Porte-du-Nord Chibougamau 5.0 7.3

MEDIA CONTACT:

Yanick Labrie, Senior Fellow

Fraser Institute

communications@fraserinstitute.org

To arrange media interviews or for more information, please contact:

Bryn Weese

Media Relations Specialist, Fraser Institute

(604) 688-0221 ext. 589

bryn.weese@fraserinstitute.org

Follow the Fraser Institute on Twitter and Facebook
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his US counterpart Donald Trump Friday agreed on the need to prevent any cover-up of journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder, a Turkish presidential source said after a phone call between the two leaders. Turkish media claimed Ankara has more evidence, including a second audio tape discrediting Saudi Arabia's version of Khashoggi's killing. Erdogan and Trump "agreed to shed light on the Jamal Khashoggi murder in all its aspects and that any cover-up of the incident should not be allowed," the presidential source said. The phone call came a day after Saudi prosecutors announced charges of ordering and carrying out the murder against five men and said they would be recommending the death penalty. The US placed sanctions on 17 suspected of involvement. The prosecutors also exonerated the kingdom's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of directing the killing. - Symbolic funeral- Khashoggi's son Salah on Friday received dozens of mourners including Saudi officials and businessmen in the coastal city of Jeddah, an AFP photographer saw, while state media said funeral prayers were offered in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Last month, Salah traveled to Washington after the government lifted a travel ban, where he told CNN that he wanted to bury his father in Medina with the rest of his family. Dozens of people meanwhile paid homage to Khashoggi at a symbolic funeral in Istanbul. In the absence of a body, the crowd gathered at Fatih mosque in front of an empty platform traditionally reserved for the coffin. Supporters from the newly-formed Jamal Khashoggi Friends Association were among the mourners. "We decided to hold the prayers as we are convinced that his body will never be found," Fatih Oke, executive director of the Turkish-Arab Media Association (TAM) of which Khashoggi was a member, told AFP. The ceremony was "a message delivered to the world to say that the murder will not go unpunished and that justice will be served," said Ibrahim Pekdemir, an Istanbul resident who attended. Yasin Aktay, a close friend of Khashoggi and advisor to Erdogan, strongly criticised the Saudi version of events. "They want us to believe that the killers themselves made the decision to assassinate Jamal Khashoggi, we do not believe in this story," he said after the prayer. "We will continue to ask who are the true contractors" of the murder. Turkey has insisted it was a premeditated killing. - Second audio tape - The Turkish daily Hurriyet reported, meanwhile, that Turkey has more evidence, including a second audio tape of 15 minutes, contradicting the Saudi version of events. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir has blamed the murder on a "rogue operation" by individuals who "exceeded their responsibilities". Abdulkadir Selvi, a pro-government columnist in the Hurriyet daily, claimed Friday that the newly-obtained audio tape proved that a 15-member "killer team" waiting in the consulate before Khashoggi's arrival was discussing how to carry out the murder. The tape, recorded shortly before the journalist arrived to obtain paperwork for his forthcoming marriage to a Turkish woman, clearly showed the murder was planned in advance, he said. The first tape allegedly proved that Khashoggi was strangled. Turkey also has evidence that the team made international calls after the murder, said Selvi. Erdogan has said the order to murder Khashoggi came from "the highest levels" of the Riyadh government, but stopped short of pointing the finger at Crown Prince Salman. Saudi prosecutors said Thursday they would seek the death penalty for five accused who "are charged with ordering and committing the crime." But they said the prince had "no knowledge" of Khashoggi's killing. Turkey said the Saudi statement was "insufficient", with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu saying Ankara was not fully satisfied with the Saudi thesis. The US sanctions targeted two top aides of Prince Mohammed as well as Mohammed Alotaibi, who was the consul general in the Istanbul consulate when Khashoggi was murdered. But senior US politicians said Thursday the moves were far from adequate. Salah Khashoggi and his relatives receive mourners in Jeddah In the absence of a body, supporters gathered in front of an empty place traditionally reserved for the coffin at Istanbul's Fatih mosque Funeral prayers were also offered in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina


A Dunkin Donuts owner called the police on a customer after arguing over the companys free Wi-Fi policy.

On Facebook, Tirza Wilbon White posted the conversation she recorded with franchise owner Christina Cabral at a Dunkin Donuts in Fairfax, in the US state of Virginia, on November 7, minutes after arriving at the store.

Ms White had frequented the store for the past two years, purchasing coffee and working on her laptop while using the companys free Wi-Fi service.

I had just sat down when a woman I had never seen before walked up and asked, Are you going to buy coffee?' Ms White, a former assistant professor at the University of Maryland and mother of two, told Yahoo Lifestyle.

I told her I planned on buying coffee after I got settled, but not if it were mandated.

According to Ms White, the woman, who identified herself as a quality control official, gestured toward another black customer, saying that he had purchased food before using Wi-Fi.

Tirza Wilbon White, who says she was racially profiled at a Dunkin Donuts store in Virginia. Source: Tirza Wilbon White/ Facebook

Ms White responded by asking Ms Cabral if a nearby white customer was held to the same standard, and Ms Cabral ordered that she purchase coffee or leave.

When Ms Cabral walked away, an employee informed Ms White that she was, in fact, the owner.

So Ms White, sensing that discrimination was involved, approached Ms Cabral to clarify the policy.

In one of three separate videos Ms White posted to Facebook, Ms Cabral says, I get to make my own rules. I need to ensure safety to my customers.

She also cited previous customers who caused trouble without making purchases. Its nothing against you, she says. Were just trying to make our customers feel safe.

When Ms White suggests that only she and the other black customer were asked to make purchases, Ms Cabral says: Oh please. Dont get into the racial profiling. Its my family. I find that offensive.

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After the women argue, Ms Cabral picks up the phone. Youre offending me, she explains, dialling 911.

Because Im not your skin colour, youre going to come at me that Im racially profiling? I treat everyone the same  and now I am going to call the authorities because youre recording me without telling me.

Ms Cabral told Ms White that she treats everyone the same and her accusations were offending her. Source: Tirza Wilbon White/Facebook

A franchise owner attempted to bully me, Ms White wrote on Facebook.

She lied about corporate policy, attempted to force me to make a purchase to be in the store because she has a loitering problem. She called the police to force me to leave when I told her she was profiling the gentleman and me.

In her mind, I was the people who loiter. In reality, I was a customer in her store, until yesterday, and I have been for more than 2 years.

I am still angry, more than 24 hours later, and I want justice for the humiliation I experienced, wrote Ms White.

Please share this and help me get justice. The owner, Christina Cabral, and her family own several Dunkin Donuts locations throughout Maryland and Virginia.

I am not the only one they have treated this way, but hopefully, I will be the last one they treat this way.

For all the videos I've seen of racial profiling, I am now in their company. Yesterday another gentleman and I were Posted by Tirza Wilbon White on Thursday, November 8, 2018

In the second video, a police officer arrives and immediately instructs Ms White to leave the store because she wants you to.

Am I in trouble if I choose not to leave? she asks the policeman.

He replies: Yeah, if you choose not to leave, I will order you to leave.  I would issue you a summons and then if you dont sign the summons, then I would have to arrest you. Ms White ultimately agrees to leave.

On Wednesday, Ms White reported on Facebook that two Dunkin Donuts spokespeople had called her to apologise.

A Dunkin Donuts representative also sent a statement to Yahoo Lifestyle: We and our franchisees want every customer who walks into a Dunkin restaurant to be treated with dignity and respect. This did not happen in a situation at a restaurant in Fairfax, Virginia.

We have apologised to the customer, on behalf of both the brand and the franchisee who owns and operates this restaurant, but we know that is not enough.

The statement continued: Our franchisees are independent businesspeople, who so long as they comply with the law, may set their own policies in regards to certain things like Wi-Fi usage and whether to limit its use to only those who make a purchase.

However, we are focused on helping our franchisees best serve our diverse customer base and are currently exploring how we can improve every aspect of our restaurant operations from store signage, recommended policies, and training for franchisees and their crew members.

We are committed to doing better.

I'm writing to provide an update on my encounter at Dunkin Donuts and to thank all of you  so, so many  who shared Posted by Tirza Wilbon White on Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Ms White says the matter is still unresolved. I feel sad and frightened. It hurts deeply, she tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

People have remarked how calm I was, but as a black person, Ive learned to perform for my safety. I know that if I had been dressed differently in yoga pants, a hoodie, and speaking in a black vernacular, I may have had a worse outcome.

She adds: Im scared for other people who may have responded more authentically in a less controlled manner when theyre being humiliated. And those are the people I spoke up for.

The scholar of 15 years compares her experience to other viral videos. We often see white people stop black people in public spaces and more or less ask them to defend their existence, she says.

When a black person doesnt justify the inquisition  providing their address, their intention, their right to occupy space  the police are weaponised.
Global powers are set to clash next week as the world's chemical arms watchdog meets for the first time since it was rocked by allegations of Russian spying. The Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons in The Hague faces difficult talks over a new investigative team that will start work next year to apportion blame for attacks in Syria. Moscow has warned the OPCW risks becoming a "sinking Titanic" over new powers which would also allow it to probe incidents like the Salisbury nerve agent attack on a Russian double agent. But the darkest shadow over the meeting will be the expulsion of four Russians accused by Dutch authorities in October of trying to hack into the watchdog's computer system. New OPCW director-general Fernando Arias admitted in an interview with AFP on Monday that the watchdog was "going through a difficult moment" given recent events. Key member states including Russia, the United States, Britain and France will all be able to have their say during the meeting, as will all 193 countries involved in the body. Former Spanish diplomat Arias, who took over as chief earlier this year and will give the opening address at the meeting on Monday, insisted however that the toxic arms body was "more needed than ever". Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013, the OPCW is responsible for upholding the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention to end the use of all toxic arms. So far it says it has overseen the destruction of 96.5 percent of the world's chemical arms stocks. "The main goal is to consolidate the organisation and think that more than 21 years of success has to be preserved," Arias said. - 'Very strong team' - But in recent years it has seen its role expand to cover the investigation of a wave of chemicals attacks in the Syrian civil war, as well as the March 2018 Salisbury attack and the 2017 killing in Malaysia of a half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Top of the agenda this week will be discussions on how to implement the new powers that member states agreed on at a special meeting in June to let the OPCW attribute blame for attacks. Arias said the that the OPCW was setting up a "very small but very strong team that will be in charge of identifying the perpetrators in Syria", involving around nine or ten members. The head of the team had already been picked and it would start work early next year, with a mandate to go back and try to point the finger for all chemical attacks in Syria since 2013. The OPCW is due soon to release a full report on a chemical attack in the Syrian town of Douma in April. An interim report said chlorine was detected but not nerve agents. But the watchdog will also be able to attribute blame for future attacks anywhere in the world, so long as it is asked to by the country on whose territory where the incident happened. The Salisbury attack that sickened double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter -- while left-over nerve agent left a British woman dead -- has added to the pressure for such powers. "Salisbury means for us we have to adapt to the new risks and challenges," Arias said. Russia and Iran, which are closely allied to Syria, have strongly opposed the new powers, saying they risk making the OPCW too political. The Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons in The Hague faces difficult talks over a new investigative team that will start work next year to apportion blame for attacks in Syria New powers would also allow the OPCW to probe incidents like the Salisbury nerve agent attack on a Russian double agent
Massachusetts is joining the growing list of US states where Americans can walk into a shop and legally buy recreational marijuana, with two stores due to open next Tuesday. The Cannabis Control Commission issued notices Friday for two outlets to start selling to adults legally without a prescription in three days. The stores will operate in Leicester and Northampton, both west of Boston. "There probably will be a big crowd," said an employee at the Northampton dispensary, which already sells medical marijuana to those with a prescription, and who answered the telephone to AFP. "I'd recommend you wait till after Thanksgiving," he added of the upcoming US family holiday celebrated next Thursday. According to the law passed by Massachusetts, marijuana cannot be consumed while driving nor in public places. Adults aged 21 or over get up to one ounce (28.5 grams) of cannabis or five grams of marijuana concentrate. The US federal capital Washington and 10 states -- Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington -- have legalized marijuana for recreational use. Most other states allow for limited use of medical marijuana. It remains outlawed at the federal level. The two stores in Massachusetts will be the first on the US East Coast able to sell marijuana for recreational use. "Licensees underwent thorough background checks, passed multiple inspections and had their products tested, all to ensure public health and safety," said Steven Hoffman, chairman of the Cannabis Control Commission in Massachusetts. "As patrons look forward to visiting Massachusetts stores, we hope they will do their part by first familiarizing themselves with the law and understanding what is required of responsible consumers," he added. Last month, Canada became the world's first major economy to fully legalize cannabis, making good on a 2015 campaign promise by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The US federal capital Washington and 10 states have legalized marijuana for recreational use
Nigerian troops repelled an attack on a military base in northeastern Borno state in which a soldier was killed and four others were injured, military and militia sources told AFP Saturday. On Wednesday jihadists from IS-affiliated Islamic State West Africa Province killed three soldiers when they temporarily seized control of another base in the town of Kareto, 200 kilometres away. In the latest attack on Friday, the jihadists in several trucks carrying anti-aircraft guns attacked a base in the Kekeno village near the garrison town of Monguno, the sources said. The militants were pushed back after a prolonged fight that lasted almost three hours with aerial support and reinforcements from Monguno. "The terrorists made desperate efforts to overrun the base but were pushed back after heavy fighting," a military officer in Maiduguri said. "Unfortunately we lost one soldier in the encounter and four others sustained injuries," the officer, who asked not to be named, added. There was no indication of Boko Haram casualties. Details of the attack were slow to emerge as telecommunications infrastructure has been destroyed by fighting and there are strict controls on movement in rural Borno state. "The insurgents could not enter the base despite their number and heavy weapons," said a civilian militia fighting the jihadists who gave a similar account. "I learnt one soldier was killed and a few others were wounded," the militia said, Residents of Kekeno fled to Monguno following the attack, Monguno resident Adamu Sheriff said. "Boko Haram attacked Kekeno around 5:30 pm (1630GMT) and engaged soldiers for almost three hours before they were forced out", said Sheriff who arrived Maiduguri on Saturday. It was the second attempt by Boko Haram to takeover the base in two months. In September the jihadists made a failed attempt to seize the Kekeno base and were pushed back after hours-long battle. The Nigerian military said on Saturday the spokesman of an IS-affiliated Boko Haram jihadists faction was killed in the encounter with government troops. In a statement on its Twitter account the military said Sale Ahmad Sale alias Baban Hassan identified as a member of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) was killed in a joint operation by the army and air force. "The killing of the media leader is indicative of efforts by the NA (Nigerian army) to eliminate key members of the sect," the statement said. The military did not say when the joint opearation was conducted. In September 2012 soldiers shot dead Boko Haram spokesman Abul Qaqa at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Kano after he was tracked down through his phone signal. The leader of Boko Haram offshoot Ansaru was also killed in a raid on his hideout in Kano around the same time. Gali's death brings to three the number of Boko Haram's media commanders to be killed in the group's nine-year armed campaign to establish a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigeria. In a December 2016 recording Boko Haram factional leader Abubakar Shekau said he executed the group's spokesman Abu Zinnira over a plot to oust him as the leader. In recent months, Boko Haram has carried out repeated attacks on military bases in Borno state, although the army has strongly denied reports of heavy troop casualties. Nigerian authorities maintain the group, whose insurgency has left more than 27,000 dead since 2009, is on the verge of defeat despite an upsurge in attacks in recent months. Map of Nigeria locating Boko Haram attacks in Borno State
A former Central African Republic militia leader nicknamed "Colonel Rambo" arrived on Saturday in The Hague, where he will stand trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court. Currently a lawmaker, Alfred Yekatom's extradition was the first of its kind from the CAR. "The suspect arrived in the detention centre", said ICC spokesman Fadi El Abdallah of the former army officer, who was the target of US sanctions in 2015 for suspected attacks against Muslims, civilian deaths, and for using child fighters. After being elected to parliament in 2016, Yekatom, 43, was arrested in October for opening fire inside the legislature while its new president was being elected. ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda welcomed the extradition, saying it "advances the cause of justice in the Central African Republic" and promising that she would continue to pursue her "quest for truth and justice". Pierre Brunisso from the International Federation of Human Rights watchdog added that it sent "a strong message to the leaders of armed groups". "Those who think they can claim an amnesty at the negotiating table are mistaken," he said. The ICC said Yekatom would be tried for "alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity" carried out by so-called anti-balaka militias. The court launched an investigation in September 2014 into crimes committed in the country since 2012. A three-judge bench of The Hague-based court's pre-trial chamber issued an arrest warrant against Yekatom last Sunday. "The Chamber is satisfied that the overall supporting evidence is sufficient to establish reasonable grounds that Yekatom bears criminal responsibility," the judges said in the warrant, made public by the ICC late on Saturday. This included acts of murder, torture, deportation and using child soldiers younger than 15 years in the anti-balaka group between December 5, 2013 and August 2014. In continuing violence the CAR, however, a Tanzanian peacekeeper died late Friday after an attack on a United Nations base and a priest was found burned to death, the UN and the Catholic Church said after sectarian clashes that claimed nearly 40 lives. The soldier died of injuries sustained in the raid on the base in Gbambia in the country's west, the UN mission MINUSCA said. - Revenge attacks - An armed group called Siriri, created this year by Fulani cattle herders, operates in the area. Led by a man named Ardo Abba, its purported aim is to thwart attacks by cattle rustlers. The UN said the group had attacked Gbambia in mid-June. A Tanzanian UN peacekeeper died that month after Siriri staged an ambush in the region. Meanwhile, the priest's charred body was recovered in the central town of Alindao, Father Mathieu Bondobo, vicar-general of the main cathedral in Bangui, told AFP. On Friday, the UN said 37 deaths were confirmed in Alindao -- including that of another priest -- while 20,000 people were affected by the violence. "Thousands" were forced to flee. The bloodletting began Thursday when Christian militiamen killed Muslims, prompting revenge attacks during which a church was set ablaze. Alindao is a stronghold of the Union for Peace in CAR (UPC), a Muslim militia. It has witnessed chronic fighting in recent months that has also killed other UN soldiers and a humanitarian aid worker. - 'Disastrous' situation - One of the world's poorest nations despite a rich supply of diamonds and uranium, the CAR has struggled to recover from a 2013 civil war that erupted when President Francois Bozize, a Christian, was overthrown by mainly Muslim Seleka rebels. In response, Christians, who account for about 80 percent of the population, organised vigilante units dubbed "anti-balaka" in reference to a type of machete. In September, the UN warned of a "disastrous" humanitarian situation in the region, which it said was under the control of armed groups. The government controls only a small part of the country. The UN has about 12,500 personnel deployed in the CAR as part of its MINUSCA mission, one of the world body's largest peacekeeping forces. Central African Republic MP Alfred Yekatom was arrested in October after he fired a gun inside the parliament in Bangui UN peacekeepers have also been targeted in the recent CAR unrest The UN warned in September of a 'disastrous' humanitarian situation in a part of the CAR it said was under the control of armed groups
Tens of thousands of Czechs rallied in Prague on Saturday calling for Prime Minister Andrej Babis to resign as the country marked the 29th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution that toppled the communist regime. Crowds gathered in several parts of the capital to raise pressure on Babis, a billionaire who faces criminal charges over alleged EU subsidy fraud dating back a decade ago. He is suspected of abusing EU funds to build the luxury Stork Nest farm near Prague in 2007-2008. On Monday, Czech media quoted Babis' son as saying he was forcibly sent to Crimea to thwart a fraud inquiry into his father's past business dealings. Some protestors also accused the premier of collaborating with the communist secret police StB prior to the government's non-violent overthrow in 1989. "It is inadmissible that someone under investigation and a StB collaborator is prime minister," said Mikulas Minar, head of a group that organised a protest by around 20,000 people in the city centre. The protesters chanted "resignation" and "shame", and a wreath that Babis had laid a day earlier in honour of the non-violent 1989 revolt was discarded on Saturday. The Czech premier faces a vote of no-confidence on November 23, but President Milos Zeman has said he would rename Babis to the post even if he fails to obtain approval by lawmakers. Meanwhile, reporters from the Seznam Zpravy news website recorded an interview in Switzerland with Andrej Babis Jr., 35, who said he had been kidnapped to prevent him from testifying against his father. Babis Sr. said his son suffers from schizophrenia, a claim the latter has dismissed as "a lie". The Czech premier vowed Friday he would "never resign, never" before leaving to meet his son in Switzerland. Protesters in Prague rally against Prime Minister Andrej Babis Tens of thousands of Czechs have called for Prime Minister Andrej Babis (silhouette)to resign owing to alleged EU subsidy fraud
China and the US crossed swords Saturday ahead of an APEC summit, duelling over protectionism, trade tariffs and "chequebook diplomacy" as they laid out sharply contrasting visions for the Pacific Rim region. In combative back-to-back speeches at a business forum held on a hulking cruise ship moored in Port Moresby, Xi Jinping and US Vice President Mike Pence pulled few punches. The feisty exchanges laid the ground for what could be a fiery encounter between the Chinese leader and President Donald Trump at next month's G20 in Argentina. Xi lashed out at "America First" trade protectionism and stressed that global trade rules should not be applied "with double standards or selfish agendas" -- in a thinly veiled swipe at Washington. The world's top two economies have been embroiled in a spiralling trade war, imposing tit-for-tat tariffs on each other's goods in a confrontation experts warn could torpedo the global economy. Xi urged the world to "say no to protectionism and unilateralism", warning it was a "short-sighted approach" that was "doomed to failure". For his part, Pence vowed US tariffs would remain in place unless Beijing "changes its ways". "We've put tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods and that number could more than double," he told CEOs from around the region. Amid fears diplomatic and trade friction could spill over into the military sphere, Pence announced the US would join forces with Australia in the development of a new naval base. And in a move likely to irritate Beijing, he also briefly met Taiwan's APEC representative. Trump decided to skip the summit in Papua New Guinea, leaving the door open for Xi, who arrived two days earlier for a state visit and has been the undoubted star of the show. Xi opened a new road and a school in Port Moresby, where he was serenaded by dozens of people from various tribes sporting parrot feathers, possum pelts and seashell necklaces. - 'Staggering debt' - The APEC summit of leaders from 21 countries across the region has developed into a tussle for influence between an increasingly assertive China and a more withdrawn US. This appeared to be borne out by the first "family photo" of leaders, which featured Xi front and centre while Pence was absent. But in his speech, Pence lashed out at Chinese largesse in strong terms, mocking the Belt-and-Road initiative that sees China offering loans to poorer countries in the region to improve infrastructure. The vice president urged Pacific nations to embrace the United States, which, he said, did not offer a "constricting belt or a one-way road". He said the terms of China's loans were "opaque at best" and "too often, they come with strings attached and lead to staggering debt". "Do not accept foreign debt that could compromise your sovereignty," he said. "We don't drown our partners in a sea of debt... We don't coerce, corrupt, or compromise your independence. The United States deals openly and fairly." As if pre-empting the criticism, Xi defended the plan amid attacks it is akin to "chequebook diplomacy" to further Chinese interests in the region. He denied there was a "hidden geopolitical agenda... nor is it a trap as some people have labelled it". And the Chinese leader warned that no one would gain from heightened tensions between the US and his emerging superpower. "History has shown that confrontation -- whether in the form of a cold war, hot war or trade war -- will produce no winners," he said. Pence too stressed that Washington wanted a "better relationship" with Beijing -- if it respects its neighbours' sovereignty, embraced "free, fair and reciprocal trade" and improved its human rights record. - 'Raskols' - Officially, the leaders will discuss improving regional economic cooperation under the theme of "embracing the digital future" but the punchy speeches set the scene for a tense gathering. In the absence of Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the summit itself has been relatively low-key and the focus has turned to the venue Port Moresby. The capital of Papua New Guinea has been ranked as one of the least liveable cities for expatriates, with a high level of crime, often perpetrated by feared street gangs known as "raskols". Delegates have been advised not to venture out alone -- especially after dark -- and officials and journalists have been hosted on massive cruise ships moored in the harbour due to safety issues and a dearth of hotel rooms. Nevertheless, in a last-minute change-of-heart, Pence decided to stay overnight in the city rather than fly in and out from Australia as originally planned. Resplendent in shiny red or yellow patterned shirts, the leaders enjoyed a respite from negotiations at a gala dinner before starting the formal talks on Sunday. Chinese President Xi Jinping said erecting trade barriers was short-sighted and doomed to failure Chinese President Xi Jinping said erecting trade barriers was short-sighted and doomed to failure US Vice President Mike Pence stressed that Washington wanted a 'better relationship' with Beijing Papua New Guinea has rolled out the red carpet for the visiting leaders, serenading them sporting parrot feathers, possum pelts and seashell necklaces


The Reforms China Needs



Under pressure from Donald Trumps tariffs, China might be tempted to try to stimulate aggregate demand using short-term measures, much as it did after the 2008 global economic crisis. A better strategy, however, would be to focus on structural reforms.



Shang-Jin Wei









NEW YORK  This year marks a decade since the global financial crisis erupted. For the United States, 2018 is very different from 2008. The economy has gone from the brink of collapse to the brink of overheating, thanks to a massive tax cut enacted when growth was already robust. The attitude toward China has also changed dramatically. Recognition that cooperation with China was necessary to manage global demand has given way to protectionism and hostility.



Yet, for China, 2018 feels similar to 2008 in an important way: negative shocks originating in the United States pose a significant threat to its economic growth. In 2008, the shock was a decline in demand for its exports, owing to the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the ensuing global financial crisis. Today, it is the trade war initiated by US President Donald Trumps administration.



The risks China faces are not entirely outside its control. The situation could be made worse if the country repeats the policy responses of 2008  namely, relying exclusively on massive fiscal and monetary stimulus to prop up demand.



While the authorities response a decade ago did avert a sharp recession, it also paved the way for many other problems, including soaring debt levels for local governments and state-owned enterprises (SOEs), the expansion of shadow banking, the re-emergence of excess capacity in several sectors, and a decline in the relative strength of private firms. The Trump administration has invoked some of these consequences as justifications for its trade war.



In these circumstances, China might be tempted to double down on stimulating aggregate demand with short-term measures like channeling more infrastructure investment through local governments and further credit easing for state-owned firms. But that approach would risk creating another decades worth of problems. A better strategy would be to focus on structural reforms.



For starters, private firms need to know that they are competing with SOEs on a level playing field in terms of regulation and law enforcement, access to bank loans and other resources, and opportunities to secure government contracts. Non-state-owned firms have been the most important source of growth in the last four decades, so it is encouraging that Peoples Bank of China Governor Yi Gang emphasized this principle of competitive neutrality in a recent speech. So far, this term has not been repeated by higher-level leadership. But the government should formally adopt it as a guiding norm for economic governance.



Similarly, when it comes to foreign trade and investment, China should adopt a principle of government neutrality to regulate cooperation and contractual negotiations, including technology transfer, between foreign and domestic firms. More broadly, it should continue to reduce barriers to trade and investment by foreign firms in China, including by following through on the announced relaxation of restrictions on foreign financial firms operating in the country. Such measures would raise Chinese households real income by enhancing their purchasing power, while strengthening the competitiveness of the countrys corporate sector by putting pressure on less efficient domestic firms. Chinas own experience following its accession to the World Trade Organization suggests that greater openness ultimately brings more prosperity to its households.



Establishing greater labor-market flexibility is the third structural reform China needs. Since the mid-1990s, the combined mandatory contribution rate for public pensions, medical care, and other benefits has officially been very high  about 50% over the wage bill, which is higher than the median contribution rate in OECD countries. Yet weak enforcement long meant that domestic firms largely ignored those costs. Then, in 2008, the authorities began to enforce the contribution rate vigorously, which squeezed firms. Add to that a requirement that firms must offer a long-term contract to any individual after two consecutive short-term contracts and pay a hefty severance package if they need to downsize the workforce. As a result, the economys ability to handle negative shocks and adjust the composition of employment has been severely diminished.



Given Chinas productivity levels and stage of development, a combined mandatory contribution rate of about 35-40% for all government-provided benefits would be more appropriate. The adoption of that rate, together with other measures to enhance labor-market flexibility, could boost Chinas economic resilience considerably.



A final reform that would go a long way toward fortifying Chinas economy would be a temporary reduction of the corporate-income and value-added tax rates. I suggest a temporary tax cut for two reasons. A temporary cut would put far less pressure on the public budget than a permanent one, while simultaneously providing more incentive for firms to invest. In this sense, such a cut would amount to both supply-side reform and aggregate demand management.



Chinas leaders are aware of the need for most of these reforms; indeed, they have made supply-side reform their official policy mantra. But, so far, they have been focusing on reducing excess capacity and deleveraging, rather than on measures that will boost private entrepreneurs confidence, reduce the economys vulnerability to shocks, and buttress growth. Given that two of these reforms  competitive neutrality and greater openness to both domestic private-sector firms and international firms  would also help to assuage the US, the moment to act could not be better.





Shang-Jin Wei, a former Chief Economist of the Asian Development Bank, is Professor of Chinese Business and Economy and Professor of Finance and Economics at Columbia University.
A rare Sumatran tiger that was trapped beneath the floor of a shop for three days has been rescued, an Indonesian official said Saturday. The three-year old male was freed from the 75 centimetre (30 inch) crawl space on Burung Island in Riau province at about 1:50 am, the local conservation agency said. "After the tiger was successfully put to sleep we opened up part of the shop's foundation to do the evacuation," Suharyono, head of the Riau conservation agency, told AFP. The 80-kilo (180-pound) animal was treated by veterinarians for minor wounds on its legs and cracked canines, officials said. The big cat became stuck between two buildings in the densely populated market area on Wednesday before freeing himself and then becoming trapped again beneath the building. Video footage showed the tiger lying on its belly between two concrete foundations, unable to move. The tiger has been transported to a rehabilitation centre. Sumatran tigers are considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. There are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild and environmental activists say they are increasingly coming into conflict with people as their natural habitat is rapidly deforested. Sumatran tigers (like this one in Taronga Zoo in Sydney) are extremely rare, with fewer than 400 left in the wild
Turkish police Saturday freed eight academics and activists detained the day earlier in hugely controversial raids on suspects allegedly linked to a prominent financier of civil society activities jailed for the past year. The United States and EU had expressed concern over Friday's detentions, which targeted academics and activists deemed to have ties to the philanthropist and businessman Osman Kavala. Turkish prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 20 people, with 14 suspects rounded up in the raids. However eight of those detained were freed on Saturday after giving testimony to police while six were still being questioned, the DHA news agency reported. DHA did not give the identities of those released. But they included the prominent mathematician Professor Betul Tanbay of Bogazici University, according to the European Mathematical Society which had recently elected her as vice president. Professor Turgut Tarhanli, Professor of Law and Human Rights at private Bilgi University, was also among those released, NTV television said. Kavala is chairman of the Anadolu Kultur (Anatolian Culture) foundation which aims to overcome differences within Turkish society through culture and the arts, has sought to reach out to neighbouring Armenia. All suspects, including those released, remain accused of "creating chaos and mayhem" and "seeking to overthrow the government" in 2013 anti-government protests triggered by the planned development of Istanbul's Gezi Park. Kavala worked closely with foreign missions on civil society projects and his jailing has alarmed Turkey's Western allies as well raising concerns of a clampdown on freedom of expression under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Washington was "very concerned" by the arrests and urged Turkey to release all those held "arbitrarily". "Transparency, rule of law, and freedom of expression and association are fundamental elements of every healthy democracy," she said in a statement. EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic described the detentions as "alarming", adding that the "widespread pressure on civil society representatives" flew in the face of Turkey's declared commitment to human rights, The operation also targeted Anadolu Kultur executives, including deputy chairman Yigit Ekmekci, board member Ali Hakan Altinay, coordinator Asena Gunal, and consultants Meltem Aslan and Cigdem Mater. Kavala, who is regularly compared by pro-government Turkish media to liberal US billionaire George Soros was arrested on October 18, 2017. He was remanded in custody of seeking to overthrow the constitutional order. Turkey has faced repeated criticism it is cracking down on opponents of Erdogan in civil society, in particular in the wake of the July 15, 2016 failed coup bid. The United States and EU had expressed concern over the detentions, which targeted academics and activists deemed to have ties to the jailed philanthropist and businessman Osman Kavala
Two migrants have drowned off the coast of Sardinia and another eight are missing after they tried to swim to land from their drifting boat, the coastguard said on Saturday. The wooden boat carrying 13 migrants, reportedly Algerian, lost power on Thursday and 10 of them decided to try to swim to land, an Italian coastguard statement said. "The (three) surviving migrants said that after the engine failure about one kilometre (over half a mile) off the island of Toro, 10 of the 13 occupants jumped into the sea to swim to the coast," it said. Boats, planes and helicopters were deployed to find them, with two bodies recovered and the search ongoing. Italian government figures say that 1,167 Algerian migrants have arrived in Italy so far this year.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday promised Ukraine to fight the planned Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, saying the project undermined European security. Pompeo said Ukraine had "no greater friend than the United States" in its struggle against "Russian aggression" as he met the embattled country's foreign minister, Pavlo Klimkin, in Washington. "We'll keep working together to stop the Nord Stream II project that undermines Ukraine's economic and strategic security and risks further compromising the sovereignty of European nations that depend on Russian gas," Pompeo told reporters as he stood next to Klimkin. "We do not want our European friends to fall prey to the kind of political and economic manipulation Russia has attempted in Ukraine since it cast off its Soviet shackles," Pompeo said. The pipeline, which has also been criticized by Poland and other former Soviet bloc countries, aims to double the capacity of the existing Nord Stream I pipeline by the end of 2019 -- further allowing Russia to bypass Ukraine, its traditional route to supply Europe. Germany, backed by France and Austria, has billed the project led by Russia's Gazprom as a way to ensure stable and lower-cost energy. US lawmakers led by the late senator John McCain passed legislation opening the path to sanctions against investors in the pipeline, although the ultimate decision lies with President Donald Trump. The US leader has sent mixed signals, berating Germany as "totally dependent" on Moscow for energy but also warming to President Vladimir Putin. Trump caused consternation at a July summit in Helsinki where he appeared to accept Putin's denials of interference in the 2016 US election and, ahead of the meeting, sounded open to recognizing Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea. Pompeo reiterated his post-summit statement of US opposition to the takeover of Crimea, a Black Sea peninsula of Ukraine whose population is largely ethnically Russian. "The United States will never accept Russia's attempted annexation of Crimea," Pompeo said. "We will continue to impose consequences until Moscow fully implements the Minsk agreements and returns control of Crimea to Ukraine," he said, a week after the United States slapped sanctions on Russians over business dealings on the peninsula. The 2015 Minsk summit laid out a ceasefire and international monitoring in eastern Ukraine. But a pro-Russian insurgency has persisted, with a death toll that has crossed 10,000. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Ukraine had "no greater friend than the the United States" in its struggle against "Russian aggression"
The crushed wreck of an Argentine submarine has been located one year after it vanished into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean with 44 crew members, in the country's worst naval disaster in decades. Experts say raising the ARA San Juan submarine would be an enormous undertaking costing a billion dollars or more. Defense Minister Oscar Aguad said Argentina had "no means" to do so. The navy located at the submarine at a depth of more than 800 meters (2,600 feet), the navy tweeted, confirming the vessel had imploded. Relatives of the dead sailors were seen hugging each other, holding their heads in despair and crying inconsolably. The Seabed Constructor, a ship owned by US search firm Ocean Infinity, made the discovery Friday, one day after the first anniversary of the disappearance. The ship had set out in September in the latest attempt to find the San Juan, whose disappearance cost the navy's top officer his job. The navy lost contact with the submarine on November 15, 2017, about 450 kilometers (280 miles) from the coast while it was traveling northward from Ushuaia, at Argentina's southern tip. Admiral Jose Villan, the navy's new top commander, said that the rough terrain on the ocean floor made it difficult for search vessels, which had already trawled the site, to find the sub. Pieces that were 11, 13 and 30 meters long were spotted in a "moon-like zone with craters and canyons," said Navy Captain Enrique Balbi, adding that the hull had been "crushed inwards." Aguad met earlier with family members to show photos taken by an underwater robot. They showed a propeller, the sub's bow with torpedo-launching tubes and an upper section of the vessel lying on the ocean floor. "We are all destroyed here," said Yolanda Mendiola, the mother of crewman Leandro Cisneros, 28. - 'Never forget' - "I still had hopes that they could be alive," Luis Niz, the father of a missing sailor, told reporters, even though President Mauricio Macri's government had declared two weeks after the sub's disappearance that there could be no survivors. A small group of family members protested outside the naval base Saturday, holding a banner emblazoned with the number "44" -- for the lost crew members. Another banner declared, "44 Hearts of Steel -- Never Forget!" Lawyer Sonia Krescher questioned the timing of the sub's discovery, saying it was "weird" coming after the one-year anniversary of its loss. "We are going to ask them to refloat it," she said. "We need to see the bodies and know what happened." Cecila Kaufmann, who lost her husband Luis Leiva, added: "now that they've found it, they need to give us back our loved ones." The discovery came the day after a somber ceremony, attended by Macri, at the San Juan's Mar del Plata base. Macri said the "whole truth" about what happened can now be examined. But he made no reference to whether there would be an attempt to raise the wreck. The Seabed Constructor made its discovery before leaving for maintenance in South Africa. Searchers decided to check an area that bad weather had previously prevented them from examining. - Massive search operation - Equipped with cameras that can submerge 6,000 meters below the surface, the vessel was set to receive a $7.5 million reward for finding the missing sub. Ocean Infinity was also assigned the task of hunting for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which vanished without trace in March 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Experts say the submarine would have been crushed by water pressure once it dropped below about 600 meters. They believe that water seeped inside through a defective snorkel valve, triggering the tragedy. The San Juan's loss was the first major tragedy to hit Argentina's navy since the Falklands War against Britain in 1982. Argentina's navy has been criticized for its clumsy handling of the case since first reporting the San Juan -- one of the country's three submarines -- was overdue at Mar del Plata on November 16, 2017. It took naval officials days to acknowledge that the old, German-built submarine had reported a problem with its batteries in its final communication. And it took them 10 days to say there had been an explosion on board, which experts said was likely linked to the battery problem. An air and sea search involved 13 countries followed. Argentina has spent more than $25 million in its search operation. Argentine navy submarine ARA San Juan docked in Buenos Aires in 2014 Admiral Jose Villan (R), the Argentinian navy's new head, explained that the particular relief of the seabed had complicated its discovery Relatives of ARA San Juan crewmembers arrive at a Navy hotel in Mar del Plata Families of the missing crew had kept pressure on the government not to give up the search Part of the ARA San Juan wreck is seen underwater
Democratic challenger Anthony Brindisi is the likely winner of the 22nd Congressional District race.

Five of the district's eight counties have finished counting absentee ballots and Brindisi has increased his lead over Republican U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney. As of Friday, he holds a 3,098-vote advantage over the GOP incumbent.

Brindisi received a boost Friday when Broome County finished its absentee ballot count. He received 2,959 additional votes to Tenney's 1,640. He won one of the 22nd district's largest counties by a nearly 9,000-vote margin, 40,365 to 31,382.

While Brindisi gained votes in Democratic strongholds, he also topped Tenney in GOP-friendly areas. In Herkimer County, which Tenney won on election night, Brindisi received more absentee votes, 659 to 579. And despite Tenney being the overall winner in Madison County, Brindisi was supported by more absentee voters, 1,063 to 739.

Brindisi won the absentee ballot count in Cortland County, 612 to 405. Tenney received more absentee votes in Oswego County, 484 to 359.

Where the NY-22 race stands

NY-22 Brindisi Tenney Broome 40,365 31,382 Chenango 6,803 8,755 Cortland 9,209 7,375 Herkimer 8,451 10,366 Madison 12,808 13,296 Oneida 38,263 37,307 Oswego 5,766 9,587 Tioga 1,918 2,417 TOTAL 123,583 120,485

NY-22: Election night and absentee ballot counts

NY-22 Election Night Absentees Results Brindisi Tenney Brindisi Tenney Broome 37,406 29,742 2,959 1,640 Chenango 6,803 8,755 Cortland 8,597 6,970 612 405 Herkimer 7,792 9,787 659 579 Madison 11,745 12,557 1,063 739 Oneida 38,263 37,307 Oswego 5,407 9,103 359 484 Tioga 1,918 2,417 TOTAL 117,931 116,638 5,652 3,847

Absentee ballots in three counties  Chenango, Oneida and Tioga  haven't been counted. The biggest prize is Oneida, which Brindisi won by nearly 1,000 votes on election night.

With 5,538 absentee ballots to count, Tenney needs 4,319 to go her way to win the race.

Ellen Foster, Brindisi's campaign manager, is confident they won "a decisive victory."

"The ballots counted this week confirm what we saw on election night," she said. "Voters across the 22nd district wanted change, and they chose an independent voice who will work for them in Washington."

The remaining absentee ballots will be counted next week.

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John Flanagan will continue to lead the New York state Senate Republicans.

Republicans met in Albany Friday and chose Flanagan, a Long Island GOP senator, over state Sen. Catharine Young, of Olean, for the leadership post.

The vote was 14 to 9. Flanagan's bid was supported by three other downstate senators and 10 from upstate. Young's backers all hail from upstate.

Cayuga County's state Senate delegation was split. State Sen. Pam Helming voted for Young. In an interview with The Citizen last week, the Canandaigua Republican hinted that she would support an upstate senator  Young wasn't a candidate, at least publicly  for minority leader.

"I definitely think there is an opportunity for upstate to take over leadership," she said, adding later: "This might be an opportunity for an upstate leader who again can be an advocate for our area."

In a separate interview, state Sen. Jim Seward didn't blame Flanagan for the election defeats that cost Republicans seats. Come January, the GOP will hold 23 of the 63 seats in the chamber.

Seward, R-Milford, supported Flanagan in 2015 when he ran for majority leader against state Sen. John DeFrancisco, a Syracuse-area Republican. Flanagan was successful in that race, and has led the GOP conference for the past three years.

"He did everything possible in terms of fundraising and directing campaigns," Seward said of Flanagan's contributions to the Senate Republicans' election efforts. "It was just a tsunami hit, particularly in the downstate region. It cost us seats. It was that kind of year. You can't blame it on our leader ... I am comfortable with him staying."

Joining Seward in supporting Flanagan was state Sen.-elect Bob Antonacci. Antonacci, who won the 50th Senate District race to succeed DeFrancisco, received significant backing from Flanagan and Senate Republicans in one of the most competitive races in the state.

The race was close, but Antonacci defeated Democratic candidate John Mannion by two percentage points.

With Flanagan remaining as GOP leader, it's likely his second-in-command will be an upstate senator. The current deputy is DeFrancisco, who Flanagan named as deputy majority leader in 2015. But with DeFrancisco's retirement, the No. 2 post will be vacant.

Young, as Flanagan's top challenger, is a candidate for the role. State Sen. Fred Akshar, a Binghamton-area Republican who supported Flanagan in the leadership vote, has expressed interest in serving as deputy.

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Why November to April Might Be the Best Time to Invest in the Stock Market



By Randall W. Forsyth





Photograoh by Mark Wilson/Getty Images







From the worst of times, relatively speaking, the stock market ought to be heading into its very best of times. That is, if history is any guide in this period without precedent.



How lousy October was for stock investors depends on which yardstick one uses. Most Barrons readers feel their losses in dollars, so the $2.4 trillion drop in the value of U.S. common equities, by Wilshire Associates reckoning, probably hits closest to home. In percentage terms, last months drop of 7.29% in the Wilshire 5000 was the biggest since September 2011.







What made October especially painful was that there were few places to hide. Long-term Treasury securities historically have provided a buffer for equities, but as this column has pointed out (most recently a few weeks ago), there has been a regime change between the two asset classes. Instead of rallying as it has in the past when stocks have swooned, the 30-year Treasury bond suffered a 5.36% negative return, according to Ryan Labs.



Bianco Research, which first put forth the regime-change hypothesis, observes that investors have tried to replace the shock absorbers of bonds with lower-volatility stocks. That hasnt been entirely successful, however, as Evie Liu reported last week.



To be sure, global stock markets have labored against a number of notable headwinds, notably the Federal Reserves tightening of monetary policy, via both interest-rate increases and contraction of the central banks balance sheet, plus escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China. But from the standpoint of the calendar, U.S. equities are entering what historically has been their most profitable period.



It should come as no surprise that politics plays a big part of it. The midterms will be blessedly over after Tuesday, and history says that stocks do better in the aftermath of these elections.



According to data compiled by Yardeni Research, the S&P 500 has been up in the 12 months following every midterm election since the middle of the last century, with gains from 1.1% in the post-1986 vote stretch (which included the Oct. 19, 1987, crash) to 33.2% in the year after the 1954 election.



That positive pattern appears to relate more to the four-year presidential cycle, however. The span from the fourth quarter of the second year of an administration through the first and second quarters of year three has been the best nine-month period for the Dow Jones Industrial Average in presidential cycles dating back to 1896, according to a report by John Lynch, LPL Financials chief investment strategist, and Jeffery Buchbinder, LPLs equity strategist.



The final quarter of year two of a presidential term, the one were in, averaged a 4% return for the Dow. That was followed by gains of 5.2% and 3.6% in the two subsequent quarters. They ascribe this pattern to tendencies of presidents to boost the economy with pro-growth policies ahead of the elections in the fourth year.



As for the party in control of the executive and legislative branches, history also is on the side of the bulls. The combination of a Republican president and a split Congressthe most likely outcome from Tuesdays elections, with the Democrats widely predicted to win the House of Representatives, and the Republicans favored to retain control of the Senateresulted in an average annual return of 15.7% for the S&P 500 since 1950, the second-best among the permutations, according to the LPL note. The best mix for stocks is a Democratic president and a GOP Congress. That has produced an 18.3% annual return, a record heavily aided by the 1990s dot-com bubble. In either case, those outcomes support the conventional wisdom that Wall Street likes gridlock.



Even without the impact of Washington politics, the stock market has entered the best six months of the year. November marks the start of what might be called the flip side of the hoary sell in May notion, according to the pattern famously first described by the Stock Traders Almanac.



Looking back to 1950, the publication found that if you had invested $10,000 in the Dow only during the six-month periods from Nov. 1 to April 30, and sat out the other six months, youd have amassed $1,008,721 through 2017, a 7.5% average return. If you had done the opposite and been invested in the Dow from May 1 through Oct. 31 and out of the market the other (profitable) six months, your $10,000 would have grown to just $11,031, or a mere 0.6% average return.



That this simplistic, semiannual calendar pattern should persist is intellectually unsatisfying. Jeffrey Hirsch, the Stock Traders editor in chief, responds that the models success might reflect the fact that many mutual funds fiscal years end on Oct. 31, which means they sell losing positions for tax reasons ahead of that date.



But he mainly insists that humans behave in repeatable patterns, which accounts for recurring market tendencies. Thats even so now, when so much trading is controlled by computers, he contends, because people construct the algorithms that run the machines.



There have been notable exceptions to bullish November-April patterns, including in 1970, in the wake of the U.S. invasion of Cambodia during the Vietnam War; the 1973 OPEC oil embargo; and the 2008 financial crisis. And given the lack of precedent for the current political climate, past results are no guarantee of future returns, to coin a phrase.
The town of Sennett will get help from the state to finance a multi-million dollar water infrastructure project.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office announced this week that Sennett will receive $1,781,400 through the state's Water Infrastructure Improvement Act program. The funding will cover 60 percent of the cost of the project.

The total cost is $2,969,000.

In August, the Sennett town board decided to advance the water system upgrades. The project includes replacing water mains on Depot, Healy and Jericho roads, and additional lines on Grant Avenue.

New water mains will be added on Mutton Hill and County House roads. The new lines will be connected to a new 300,000-gallon water storage tank, which at a price tag of $1.47 million accounts for nearly half of the project's cost.

Sennett Supervisor Peter Adams explained in an email Thursday that the project will benefit residents in the town's Water District Nos. 1 and 3, and replacing the water tank that's been offline since 2008 will provide better fire protection.

The benefits of the new tank will extend to residents in the village of Weedsport who receives water from the town. Adams raised the possibility that it may benefit Brutus residents, too, if the town connects to the Sennett water system.

"With a new tank in place, we will be able to backflow water from the new tank all the way up to Staples/BJ's should the Auburn supply line be compromised," Adams wrote. "We had strong support from the city of Auburn, the county, the village of Weedsport, town of Brutus, and the Sennett Fire Department to pursue this water infrastructure upgrade and water storage tank replacement."

The installation of new water lines on Mutton Hill and County House roads will cost $545,000. Replacing the existing water mains on Depot, Healy and Jericho roads will cost $953,000.

Adams said the town board is discussing next steps with the town's legal representatives and engineering firm, MRB.

The town prepared to finance the project through two bonds, but also applied for several grants. The funding through the state Water Infrastructure Improvement Act was one of the avenues pursued by the town.

With the award from the state, Adams called it "small steps in the right direction."

"We are very thankful to the state of New York for considering our grant request and for honoring our request," Adams added.

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A move to change party affiliation by two members of the Cayuga County Legislature may cause a shift in power between Democrats and Republicans just a short time before the yearly reorganization meeting in January.

Legislature Chairman Patrick Mahunik, of Auburn, filed Friday to switch parties from Democrat to unaffiliated, while Auburn's District 10 legislator, Joseph Bennett, switched from Democrat to Republican in the wake of a primary election challenge.

The move switches the Legislature from a Democratic majority of 8 to 7 to a Republican majority of 8 to 6, although Mahunik, as an independent, said he will caucus with Republicans.

Several county officials Friday said they were unsure what the change will require from a procedural perspective, for example whether or not new majority and minority leaders will be selected before the end of the year. County Administrator J. Justin Woods said county staff has been researching the issue.

Representatives from both sides, however, said the change will likely have little effect on votes in the Legislature in the short term.

Current Majority Leader Elane Daly, D-Auburn, said the party had effectively not had a working majority already, as Bennett frequently voted his own way and Mahunik was elected to the chairmanship largely through the support of Republicans.

Bennett himself said much the same, noting that he continued to vote for what he personally felt was best regardless of the opinions of either party.

"It's still going to be Joe Bennett voting the way he thinks people here in the district would want him to vote," Bennett said.

However, the move is likely to affect which party controls the chair next year, as Mahunik said when speaking with The Citizen that he plans to keep his promise to serve in the position for only a year.

"Last year I said I was doing it for a year and that was it, and I'm going to stick with it," Mahunik said.

Mahunik said his goal for the year was to provide space for first-year administrator Woods to work free from legislative micromanaging, and was confident that if Republicans controlled the chairmanship they would nominate someone with a similar mindset.

Minority Leader Michael Didio, R-Auburn, said the news of Bennett and Mahunik's switch was a boost to Republicans, but was unsure as to what it meant for the majority and minority, as well as the chair position, saying both sides would have a firmer grasp of the situation by the end of December.

"We've just got to wait and see," Didio said.

As for why they decided to switch affiliations, both Bennett and Mahunik cited a dissatisfaction with the local Democratic committee.

For Bennett, the issue began in the summer when he faced a primary election challenge from fellow Democrat Mike Zank. Bennett was required to run in a special election this year after temporarily resigning from the Legislature before being reappointed in order to qualify for his retirement benefits from Cayuga Community College.

Even after winning the primary election and later the general election, Bennett said he received almost no support or even contact from the local committee besides a few select members.

"It was almost like they disowned me," Bennett said.

The primary challenge and lack of support from the party was especially irksome, Bennett said, as the term for the special election is only for one year.

Cayuga County Democratic Committee Chair Ian Phillips could not be reached for comment Friday. However, when discussing the primary elections with The Citizen this summer, Phillips repeatedly pushed back against Bennett's assertion that the party or the committee had opposed him.

According to Phillips, the committee made no endorsement in the race because it was not clear that Bennett would need to run in a primary until after the monthly meeting in which endorsements were made. Phillips personally supported Zank, but in a non-committee capacity, he said at the time.

Additionally, Zank said he was the one who approached the committee about running, rather than being recruited.

Based on conversation with the Cayuga County Attorney, Bennett said it seemed likely being reelected would count as his third term, the most allowed for Legislators, even though he had planned to retire from politics at the end of his regular term anyway.

The switch to Republican is somewhat ironic for Bennett, as it was that party that filed a legal challenge against him when first elected, alleging that his employment with CCC at the time should bar him from serving on the Legislature.

After a year, during which Bennett was not allowed to vote as a Legislator, the matter was ultimately settled when Bennett was allowed to vote on anything except college-related matters.

Since then, Bennett said "it's always been like nothing happened."

"It took its course. It settled out and let's just move on," Bennett said. "The Republicans have always treated me with respect, and they know I'm not going to vote their way."

While he briefly weighed changing to unaffiliated, Bennett ultimately changed to Republican after the party helped him campaign during the primary after it became clear the Democratic party would not support him, he said.

Mahunik said his decision came partly because he didn't agree with the county committee as a whole and its attempted influence on the Legislature.

"I just don't feel that my political beliefs and how we do things, they don't really agree with the local Democratic party and the way they make decisions," Mahunik said.

If new elections for majority and minority leader are not required right away, the new party leaders as well as a new chair will be decided at the Legislature's yearly reorganization meeting in January.

Staff writer Ryan Franklin can be reached at (315) 282-2252 or ryan.franklin@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @RyanNYFranklin

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Good Chance of Seeing 15 Meteors per Hour on Oregon Coast This Weekend

Published 11/16/2018 at 5:49 PM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff





(Oregon Coast)  There's a lot of space debris hitting the Earth right now, and the Oregon coast may get a glimpse of it.

Jim Todd, astronomy expert with Portlands OMSI, said the Leonid Meteor shower is peaking this weekend, thanks to gobs of tiny particles from comet Tempel-Tuttle hitting the planet. Todd said scientists expect the weekend peaks to hit around 15 meteors per hour, and luckily for the Oregon coast and most of Oregon there will be clear skies.

Look for Saturday and Sunday night to have the most fireballs, Todd said.

Usually the most meteors fall in the dark hours before dawn, Todd said. The waxing gibbous moon sets around 2:00 a.m. this weekend.

Some spectacular sights were already caught by cameras.

Last night, NASA's network of all-sky meteor cameras detected five Leonid fireballs over the USA, numbers that will grow as we enter the weekend, Todd said.

Todd said the Leonids have a pleasant reputation for storming.

The Earth is drifting through a dense cloud of dusty debris from the comet right now, which makes for what can be thousands of meteor per hour appearing to come out of the constellation Leo  although that number only happens a few times a century. In 1833, the world saw some 100,000 Leonids each hour. The storms of 1998, 99, 2001 and 2002 also yielded incredible numbers.

This is not a storm year, however, according to SpaceWeather.com. The filament this planet is passing through is not very dense. In fact, its zooming between the thicker areas.

The weather for the Oregon coast looks bright and clear at night. Saturday and Sunday will be sunny during the day, and then mostly to completely clear in the evenings. Nighttime lows will be around the upper 40s, which will make it chilly. Make sure you dress appropriately.

If theres a lot of mist head to higher areas, like the overlooks above Manzanita, Cape Foulweather near Depoe Bay, and the overlooks near Yachats. Most beaches of the coastline should be prime for viewing, however. See more of these high vantage spots below.

More for stellar sights during the day, see the new Oregon Coast Sky Cams - Web Cams page. You'll find a growing list of known and unknown cams, including Yachats, Depoe Bay, Seaside, Cape Kiwanda and more.

Oregon Coast Lodgings for this event - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours







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A legislative panel is hiring a special outside investigator to get answers from Gov. Roy Cooper about his creation of a $57.8 million discretionary fund tied to payments from Atlantic Coast Pipeline partners.A Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations subcommittee voted Wednesday, Nov. 14, to probe whether Cooper's conduct was legal. The special investigator might be empowered to take depositions of executive branch officials and serve subpoenas.Lawmakers wonder if the discretionary fund was a pay-to-play scheme.said Senate Majority Leader Harry Brown, R-Onslow, subcommittee co-chairman. He said the governor rebuffed lawmakers' public and private attempts to get answers for nearly nine months. Materials supporting those efforts were released earlier in the day.Brown said.Requests for a response from the governor's office were not answered. Cooper has failed to respond to previous requests for information on the unusual fund, which Carolina Journal first reported (see complete set of stories here ). He maintains the fund was voluntary, and set up for economic development, renewable energy projects, and environmental mitigation.During the committee meeting state Rep. Dean Arp, R-Union, and Sen. Paul Newton, R-Cabarrus, showed five versions of the memorandum of understanding the governor hammered out with the pipeline developers from Dec. 13, 2017, to Jan. 23. As the versions evolved, Cooper gained moreontrol over the fund and higher payouts.The lawmakers said some information was missing from the Department of Environmental Quality website related to the permitting process, some was removed, and reappeared, and some new items were added.They said DEQ technical staff and a hearing officer recommended approving the permit so pipeline construction could proceed. Yet a draft denial letter was written during this process - something typically done at a much earlier phase if problems were detected.Newton said. He wondered if the threat of a denial was used to force pipeline developers to capitulate to Cooper's demands.Newton said the pipeline partners signed off on the memorandum of understanding after the denial letter was drafted and given to Linda Culpepper, DEQ Division of Water Resources interim director. She replaced Jay Zimmerman, who was removed from the position after making progress towards approving the permit.The lawmakers said Cooper's discretionary fund was compensatory mitigation - a process outside state laws or regulations. But the parties already had agreed the pipeline developers would pay DEQ $11 million to cover environmental damage and repairs based on an established formula.Arp told CJ after the meeting. While not accusing Cooper of a crime, he said lawmakers need to know why Cooper required payments from the pipeline coalition not mandated by law.Arp said. "Pay to play."Asked if the special investigator ask whether Duke Energy, Dominion Energy, and other pipeline partners suggested setting up the $57.8 million fund while they were seeking permit approval, Arp said the legislature does not have the power to control private companies' actions.Arp said.Duke Energy wouldn't answer CJ's questions on several issues: If the pipeline operators thought the governor was coercing them into paying the extra money; who initiated the idea of paying tens of millions of dollars more than the formula; and why the fund was negotiated outside the regulatory framework. Instead, a spokeswoman said Duke made hundreds of revisions on the 600-mile project to meet permit guidelines, and develop mitigation measures in all three states through which the pipeline passes.said Tammie McGee, spokeswoman for Piedmont Natural Gas, a unit of Duke Energy. They've sent no funds to the state.Testifying before the subcommittee, Therese Vick of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League said her organization also had trouble getting Cooper to respond to public information requests about the mitigation fund. Her organization thinks there were many reasons to deny the permit, she said,she said. The group's attorney sent a letter demanding answers under the public records law and got no response. Vick thinks Cooper wanted the additional money to calm environmentalists upset about approving the permit.
The N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Commission is trimming the number of products it lists because, to be blunt, some of those items - i.e. bottles - just aren't selling.In an email to suppliers Wednesday, sent on behalf of ABC administrator Agnes Stevens, the goal is providingSo, de-list products that aren't selling for products that do. We get that.The state would do well to offer more hard-to-find and specialty items. Products from Willett Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, for instance. Or Buffalo Trace bourbon, which is plentiful in other states but nearly impossible to find in North Carolina.The same goes for products by North Carolina distillers, which are sometimes tough to buy, depending on where people live and shop.The timing of the email raises questions.ABC's strategy, according to the email, would, in December,The ABC Commission website showed 2,695 items, as of Nov. 1, the ABC says.Why so quickly? To be fair, ABC spokeswoman Kat Haney says the November email sentStill, constitutional concerns, arise, which Jon Guze, director of legal studies at the John Locke Foundation, explains here . The new ABC rules are akin to a state statute prohibiting brewers from producing more than 25,000 barrels a year unless they use a distributor as a means of selling it to retailers.What Guze writes about also applies to the state's distillers:Some of the state's largest brewers have done just that.Granted, the threshold for sales for N.C. distillers is lower, but it could prove problematic for many.At $25 a bottle, ABC stores would need to sell about 450 bottles from a distiller to earn $1,000 in profits, according to estimates from Joe Coletti , a senior fellow at JLF who specializes in fiscal and tax policy analysis.Fact is, many small distillers will fall by the wayside. Startups will stall.Says Haney,Haney says.But will that be enough?The state could avoid possibly putting these North Carolina producers out of business by allowing distilleries to sell an unlimited number of bottles from their distilleries, without requiring them to ship products to Raleigh to store in a warehouse. Much like the Virginia model, in which distillers, in effect, become individual ABC stores, under the respective local boards.Also allow distillers to sell mixed drinks, loosening archaic rules on putting them on par with breweries and wineries. For many N.C distillers, that would be the next logical place to go toward revamping a monopolistic system with its roots in Prohibition.


This is the new version of Affetto, the robot child head that's a testbed for synthetic facial expressions. According to the Osaka University researchers who birthed Affeto, their goal is to "offer a path for androids to express greater ranges of emotion, and ultimately have deeper interaction with humans." From Osaka University:



The researchers investigated 116 different facial points on Affetto to measure its three-dimensional movement. Facial points were underpinned by so-called deformation units. Each unit comprises a set of mechanisms that create a distinctive facial contortion, such as lowering or raising of part of a lip or eyelid. Measurements from these were then subjected to a mathematical model to quantify their surface motion patterns.





While the researchers encountered challenges in balancing the applied force and in adjusting the synthetic skin, they were able to employ their system to adjust the deformation units for precise control of Affetto's facial surface motions.





"Android robot faces have persisted in being a black box problem: they have been implemented but have only been judged in vague and general terms," study first author Hisashi Ishihara says. "Our precise findings will let us effectively control android facial movements to introduce more nuanced expressions, such as smiling and frowning."
Amazon is already known for providing dangerous working conditions, anti-union activities and treating their blue collar workforce like a disposable commodity. Since they're already screwing folks at work, it must have seemed like a natural progression to screw them at home too.

From Politico:

Amazon's plans to expand into Long Island City may cost Mayor Bill de Blasio  and New York City  approximately 1,500 units of affordable housing. Two sites that will house the future offices of the e-commerce giant were originally intended for residential development, before Amazon chose them in a nationwide contest for its new headquarters. Most  if not all  of that intended housing is now off the table.

According to Politico, the 14.7 acres of land Amazon's plopping out of their grossly subsidized new headquarters complex in Long Island City is owned by a company called Plaxall. Before Amazon came along, Plaxall was gearing up to ask New York City administrators for permission to build close to 5,000 new homes on their property. 1,250 of these homes would have been earmarked for use by low and middle-income earning families. In addition to this, Amazon's NYC complex is also eating up turf from a second company, TF Cornerstone: they were ready to build a complex that would contain 250 low-income housing units on the dirt where Amazon is building their new HQ. That's not going to happen anymore, either.

Greed is nothing, if not consistent.

Image via Wikipedia Commons


For a generation, big box stores have swept across America, using predatory pricing and other dirty tricks to kill the independent retail sector; they used their corporate lobbying muscle to tempt cities and towns into handing out massive corporate welfare checks to lure them to town, and now, with the help of hustling contingency lawyers, they are promulgating a property-tax scam called "the dark store theory" that is cutting their taxes in half or more, with further reductions every year, and no end in sight.

The "dark store theory" holds that property taxes on thriving, super-profitable big box stores should not be based on how much the property sold for, plus the capital investment, minus depreciation  instead, these stores should be valued based on the selling price of nearby failed big-box stores that have been sold at knock-down prices.





Big box stores used their generous municipal subsidies to overbuild across American towns, creating a glut that resulted in widespread closures after the financial crisis. Because big box stores are so terribly built  shoddy construction, weird layouts, and not even enough freight docks to use as a warehouse  the shuttered stores sell for a tiny fraction of their book value.





But even though the big boxes are shuttering their stores like crazy, the remaining stores are still profitable  thanks to the overinvestment in big box stores during the rampup phase, all the local retail that might have competed with the remaining stores has collapsed. That leaves locals with no choice but to drive longer distances to the remaining stores to shop, meaning that the predatory mega-retailers now get to spend less to do the same business.





Entrepreneurial corporate lawyer/consultants like Detroit's Michael Shapiro (who is credited with inventing "dark store theory") and Minnesota's Robert Hill have made a fortune for themselves and for big box stores by filing costly court challenges to the stores' tax assessments, arguing that their property taxes should be based on the price of the abandoned, unsuccessful nearby stores, not on the standard formula of sale price plus improvements minus depreciation.





These lawyers seek reductions of fifty percent or more on property tax bills, and return year after year to drive those bills even lower. The small towns they hit  who often can't afford to litigate against multinational, private-equity-backed retail giants  roll over.





Towns that have granted these tax concessions are going broke. Ste St Marie, MI has slashed city pensions; Escanaba, MI has cut its library hours; and so on. Meanwhile, town residents and small businesses are facing rising tax bills as their cities seek to close the gap left by the sweetheart treatment the big boxes are getting.





Wisconsinites in 24 towns voted to end "dark store theory" tax treatments in ballot initiatives in this month's elections. But that's only a few towns in one states, and meanwhile the epidemic rages on.



Still, it's going to be tough: Don Millis, a prominent tax attorney who represents retailers and a lobbyist for the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the top advocacy group for big business in these parts, sits on the legislative committee assigned to review the issue. Other states have proposed legal fixes, too, but in Indiana, the one state that managed to pass anti-dark store theory legislation in 2015, lobbying pressure led to its weakening the year after it was passed. The state tax board has continued to sympathize with retailers, who keep launching appeals. If Wisconsin managed to change its laws, Hill told me, lawyers like him would just redouble their efforts. "That's when we'll grab the pitchforks and get the Constitution involved," he said.



After the Retail Apocalypse, Prepare for the Property Tax Meltdown [Laura Bliss/Citylab]





(via Naked Capitalism)





(Image: Mike Mozart, CC-BY; Hgrobe, CC-BY-SA)


Cindy Hyde-Smith is a Mississipi GOP Senator is going into a runoff election against her Democratic opponent, Black man named Mike Espy who might end up the first Black Mississipi Senator since 1883; she made headlines last week with a joke about attending a "public hanging."



The day after the lynching remark, the FEC recorded a $5,000 donation from Google to Hyde-Smith's campaign. Google insists that they made the donation earlier, with the discrepancy unexplained.





Google attributed their support of Hyde-Smith's campaign to her "pro-growth policies for business and technology" but added that they "do not condone these remarks and would not have made such a contribution had we known about them." Google has not asked Hyde-Smith to return the funds.

Hyde-Smith was endorsed by Donald Trump during her race (and well before Google donated to her campaign). Since Trump's election, Hyde-Smith "voted in line with Trump's position more often than any other Republican senator." She has a 0% approval rating from the ACLU and is a lifetime member of the NRA, and supports a total ban on legal abortion; she is on record as supporting Trump's Muslim ban. In her official capacity, she has opposed and attempted to block same-sex marriages.





Hyde-Smith followed up her remarks about public lynchings with a "joke" about the desirability of using voter-suppression techniques to make it harder for "liberal folks" to vote.





Hyde-Smith has insisted that her remarks are all intended in jest and attributes the controversy to humorlessness among her opponents.



"While we support candidates who promote pro-growth policies for business and technology, we do not condone these remarks and would not have made such a contribution had we known about them," reads the statement. Google has yet to ask that the donation be returned, nor why they decided to support Hyde-Smith's campaign in the first place. In response to the donation, Civil rights group Color of Change has also asked its 1.3 million members to hold Google accountable. "To ensure Google never funds a candidate like this again, we call on you to immediately and publicly define a clear values path for giving to political candidates," the organization stated in its statement. "Candidates who in engage in racist and white supremacist language and rhetoric, or support discriminatory policies should never receive financial support from Google."

Google donates $5000 to Cindy Hyde-Smith after lynching comments [Kia Morgan Smith/The Grio]
- Rapper, Cassper Nyovest came from humble beginnings in Mahikeng in the North West Province

- He often shares stories of his struggles growing up and becoming who he is - A successful multimillionaire rapper

- The Mahikeng native, who owns R6million worth of cars, a massive home in the Johannesburg Northern Suburbs and is known for his splurging, is a real inspirational rags to riches story

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Multi-platinum selling rapper, Refiloe Maele Phoolo, known to South Africans as Cassper Nyovest, is the epitome of success.

Nyovest, who wears his heart on his sleeve, often shares his life struggles and stories of his humble beginnings in interviews, and in his lyrics.

The rapper was born and raised in Mahikeng, a town in the North West Province, South Africa. After failing grade 10, he made the brave decision to drop out of school to move to Johannesburg, and pursue his career as a rapper and producer. He often speaks of his younger sister, Tsholofelo, who gave him R50 to catch a taxi from Mahikeng to Johannesburg to pursue his dreams. As a thank-you, the successful muso, who was discovered by the Late Motswako legend, Hip Hop Panstula, named his first album after her.

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Since the release of his first album, the Doc Shebeleza hitmaker has not been shy about showing off his growing wealth and lavish lifestyle on social media.

Briefly.co.za learned that the Mahikeng native, who is said to own over R6 million worth of cars, his own record label and a massive home in the Johannesburg Northern Suburbs, can often be seen posing with his goodies.

As if that wasnt enough to leave fans inspired and some a little green with envy, Nyovest bought a second Bentley to accompany his first.

Being uber successful does come with its problems. The multimillionaire rapper constantly has to defend his wealth on social media.

READ ALSO: Entrepreneur Edward Molatela Kgarose makes yoghurt from sweet potatoes

Hes not lying. According to The Net Worth Portal, Cassper Nyovest is one of the top five richest musicians in South Africa, with a 2018 net worth just shy of R10 million.

He may be flashy, but time and time again Cassper Nyovest has proven that he is an example of how focus and sheer determination to achieve ones dreams will lead to extraordinary success.

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Source: Briefly.co.za
Denise Zimba stumbled onto a wedding venue that still uses slave quarters and decided to speak out against them. She took to social media to express her disgust and shock that a wedding venue would be alright with what she called racism.

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Gorgeous actress Denise Zimba was recently angered when she saw a wedding venue that still has its historical slave quarters.

Denise thought the idea of slave quarters is very outdated, as reported by ZAlebs.

She took to social media and shared a video and photo showing how the wedding venue offers the use of the slave quarters.

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Nooitgedacht Estate, the venue in question, is a residential area as well as a wedding venue.

Here's what she had to say:

So, these stupid motherf***s think that it's still ok to write on their website, for wedding venues, out of all things, what is it called? A 'slave quarter'.

Looking at wedding venues, and as a black woman living in Cape Town, this just reminds me that we have a long way to go.

@Nooitestate !!!!!!!! Looking at wedding venues, and as a black woman living in Cape Town, this just reminds me that we have a long way to go .. For one to even get married at this venue and allow such, says a lot about your character ... Who authorized this to begin with???

READ ALSO: Cassper released the full #FillUpMosesMabhida line-up, and its lit

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News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

WHY NELSON CHAMISA CALLED HIS SUPPORTERS STUPID

National Patriotic Front Spokesman Jealousy Mawarire has sensationally alleged that Alpha Media Holdings Boss Trevor Ncube attempted to burn his wife at a date not revealed.The firebrand politician was responding to Ncube's statements where he accused MDC President Nelson Chamisa of being an unprincipled and immature person.Said Mawarire, "What is worse calling people stupid or attempting to burn a spouse? Trevor nyarara zvako, you are an arsonist and women abuser. During sixteen days against gender based violence, it is animals like you which need taming."Trevor Ncube did not respond to Maswarire's accusations.Ncube had said:- end justifies the means- inciting violence allegations- fear of #August1Inquiry - lack of sound advice- immaturity- totally unprincipled person- part of life in Nelson Chamisa political bubbleThe MDC leader on Thursday evening backtracked on the remarks he made about his supporters who demonstrated on August 1 demanding the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to release results for the presidential election.Chamisa, had earlier on described the violent August 1 demonstrations by his supporters as stupid and uncalled for in a desperate attempt to cleanse himself of blame for the post-election violence that resulted in the death of six people.Said Chamisa, "My remarks to condemn those who killed or injured the innocent, burnt cars and destroyed property on 1 August used words that regrettably created the wrong impression. The people have a constitutional right to demonstrate peacefully. Any discomfort caused is sincerely regretted."
News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

In a move that has been viewed as a desperate attempt to sing for his next supper, embattled whistleblower William Mutumanje (Acie Lumumba) has called for the immediate release of millionaire Genius Kadungure who is facing charges of tax evasion. #freeGinimbi if you are not going to arrest politicians who actually steal from the poor DAILY. What kind of government enjoys impoverishing its people? Until Grace Mugabe and her children are also probed please GTFOH!."Mutumanje lashed out.Social media users who commented on Mutumanjes statements accused him of being an opportunist who is seeking the attention of Kadungure.On Friday a Harare Magistrate Bianca Makwande has denied bail to Genius Kadungure saying the decision is based on the interest of justice.In her ruling latter during the day Mrs Makwande said although the state had consented to granting bail, it would not be in the interest of justice to grant him as he is also facing other cases of fraud.Kadungure is allegedly in trouble over a suspected $22 million tax fraud scam and other related cases bordering on corruption and fraud.Another businessman Wicknell Chivayo was picked up by Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) on allegations of bribing Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) chairperson Nyasha Kazhanje with $10 000.Kazhanje, who is also the director of Terminal Engineers, allegedly received $10 000 from Intratek for showing favour to Chivayo.He reportedly failed to recuse himself from ZPC meetings where it was resolved not to terminate Intratek's contract but pay its subcontractors despite failing to fulfil its obligation.Kazhanje has since appeared in court and is currently on remand.
News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

A petition to President Emmerson Mnangagwa by Chief Vezi Maduna pleading with him to act on the marginalisation of Matabeleland and to set up a commission of inquiry into the Gukurahundi genocide has sharply divided Matabeleland chiefs.Political activist Nothiwani Dlodlo said, "The following Chiefs are against Chief Vezi Maduna s petition to President Mnangagwa; Chief Mtshana, Chief Masendu, Chief Ngungumbane and Chief Siansale then the rest of Chiefs are 100% supportive."Chief Vezi Maduna was reportedly admitted at United Bulawayo Hospital on Friday when his blood pressure shot up after getting frustrated by the District Intelligence Officer for Filabusi as Mr. Mlotshwa who instructed the powerful Ndebele Chief to report to him every time he intends to leave Filabusi.In a wide circulated letter addressed to President Mnangagwa, Chief Maduna Mafu accused Mnangagwa of pushing a tribal agenda which has led to the economic marginalisation of the Matabeleland.Said the Chief , "The issues that I want to discuss with you are: the secret issuance of 17 Mining Executive Prospecting Orders (EPO) which costs $20 per ha/year in Matabeleland South e.g. the EPO for Lithium which covers Shapi-Mashongola-Gwatemba in Guyu-Ntepe-crossing Tuli rivers, this means we have no land as chiefs for economic devolution which you proclaimed since all mining EPOs were given to Harare guys and considering precedence mining EPOs have over any activity in that area or land ."Grabbing of prime agriculture land using fronts like (1) Trek at Maphisa (2) Schweppes as Zhobe Dam in Beitbridge. I have information whose interest these companies are serving as business fronts at the expense of the local people."Chief Maduna also pointed out that the composition of senior public officials in the ministries of local government, information, energy, agriculture and the public service commission was a sign of tribalism at play."There is no one from Matabeleland, is that how the new dispensation treats Matabeleland people after years of suffering from 1981 to 1987 Ndebele Genocide (Gukurahundi)," he said.This has been public talk in every Ndebele homestead, kindly find time to discuss with me and my delegation issues raised in this letter. To me it proves why you have been pushing for economic devolution knowingly that behind our back as chiefs you systematically and secretly took all strategic economic drives, sites and minerals in Matabeleland.
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."

Scientists and journalists alike were reminded of that oft-quoted phrase by famed cosmologist Carl Sagan when authors of a study published in Nature admitted this week that they needed to issue a correction. The study was widely covered by outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, BBC and Scientific American.

While the correction, which has yet to appear, may provide fodder for climate change skeptics, many in the scientific community are praising the authors for their quick action after recognizing their error. And some believe this is a reminder that there are inherent flaws in journal publication.

The study was led by Ralph Keeling, a professor in the geosciences research division at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Using a novel method that measures oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air from around the world, the researchers concluded Earth's oceans are absorbing 60 per cent more heat than estimates by the UN-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

I accept responsibility for these oversights. - Ralph Keeling, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Soon after it was published on Nov. 1, independent researcher Nic Lewis wrote there was a "major problem" with the study. While Lewis acknowledged that its method was novel and "certainly worthy of publication," he found errors in the calculations that, he concluded, underestimated the uncertainty of the findings.

Three days later, the authors acknowledged the error, said they were redoing the calculations and preparing a correction to be published in Nature. The new calculations are expected to bring the oceans' heat absorption rate more in line with IPCC estimates.

"These problems do not invalidate the methodology or the new insights into ocean biogeochemistry on which it is based, but they do influence the mean rate of warming we infer, and more importantly, the uncertainties of that calculation," Keeling said in a response published on the website Real Climate.

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"I accept responsibility for these oversights, because it was my role to ensure that details of the measurements were correctly understood and taken up by co-authors."

Nature says it's looking into the matter "carefully."

"We take all concerns related to papers we have published very seriously and will issue an update once further information is available," the weekly journal said in a statement to CBC News.

Imperfect system

Ivan Oransky, a health journalism professor at New York University and co-founder of Retraction Watch, a website that tracks errors in science journals, believes that, while the error was unfortunate for the authors, part of the issue lies in the amount of faith the public  and journalists  put in the peer-review process.

"Science is done by human beings," said Oransky. "When we start to think about peer review as a magical process that, somehow you put in something that may have some issues, but somehow the peer reviewers find all the problems, and then we should trust everything that's peer reviewed, we're setting ourselves up for failure."

He still believes in the process, but says it's not the catch-all that scientists and journalists believe it is.

"We need to stop thinking that just because something is peer-reviewed means that it's a Good Housekeeping seal of approval," Oransky said.

Pauline Askin/Reuters

An important thing to consider, says Keeling, is that peer reviewers aren't necessarily equipped to carefully pore over calculations. They may not even be experts in that field, particularly if the paper spans different disciplines, as was the case with this one.

"It didn't get seen by every audience that should have seen it, so perhaps we should have sent it to some of these other audiences for review," Keeling told CBC News.

"That would perhaps be a lesson that I take from this: that particularly in a paper like this, it should have been circulated among other colleagues even informally. That would've been helpful."

With division running deep between climatologists and those who believe they are simply being alarmist, there's the danger that other studies will be dismissed as a result of this or any other study where an error has been made.

But Oransky says that it's hot-button topics  like climate change, vaccines or GMOs  that are usually scrutinized far more closely than other topics. This, he says, could be a good thing, but if errors are present, it doesn't invalidate the research or the issue.

"What happens now is, 'See? The climate change researchers made a mistake.' So you have this logical fallacy that everything that they've ever done is flawed and we can't trust any of it," Oransky said.

"Well, that's not true either. We don't live in a binary world, and we do ourselves a disservice when we act like it."
By Munsif Vengattil and Paresh Dave (Reuters) - Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said on Thursday the world's largest social media service would create an independent body to review user appeals of content takedowns, saying his company should not by itself be making "so many important decisions about free expression and safety." Details of the body are still evolving, but the goal is to increase accountability of removal decisions and ensure they are not being driven by commercial reasons, Zuckerberg told reporters on a conference call. His announcement came as part of an update on Facebook's Transparency Report, which discloses how the company deals with inappropriate content, requests for user data by governments and claims of users infringing intellectual property rights. Facebook has been under for fire for the last two years for its self-admitted slow response to a range of issues related to problematic content. U.S. intelligence agencies found that Russian operatives spread propaganda on Facebook during the 2016 presidential election. Other governments and human rights investigators warned about its sluggish removals of extremist content, which Facebook has improved upon. Facebook has continued to release more data about its content moderation practices to address criticisms. "Were in a much stronger place than we were in 2016," Zuckerberg said. "Weve also made progress on getting harmful content off our services more broadly." The company also plans to increase transparency about policy changes in the coming weeks. Free speech activists on Tuesday called on Facebook to release appeals data too. For the first time, Facebook on Thursday revealed data on bullying and harassment content, saying it had identified about 2.1 million such posts on its service between April and September, with about 15 percent identified proactively before user complaints. Even though Facebook identified more than 2 million posts as problematic, it said in its report it could not estimate the true prevalence of bullying content because such activity can be very personalized and therefore hard to detect. New problems continue to emerge. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar said on Thursday she will ask the Justice Department to look in to a media report saying Facebook hired an outside public relations firm to attack critics including some elected officials. She warned that such action could raise campaign-finance issues. Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Klobuchar. LEGAL REQUESTS Facebook disclosed a steep rise in legal requests for user data from Indian authorities, up 36 percent in the first half of 2018 compared with a year ago. In the first half of 2017, such requests were up 23 percent from the previous year. Facebook provided data in about 53 percent of Indian cases. Censorship requests in Russia and Pakistan rose sharply. Facebook said it restricted access in Russia to "extremism, self-harm, and suicide promotion" content that allegedly violate local laws. In Pakistan, items allegedly violated bans on "blasphemy, harassment, anti-judiciary content and condemnation of the country's independence." (Reporting by Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru and Paresh Dave in San Francisco; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Matthew Lewis)
The federal government announced a $153-million injection Friday for an oceans 'supercluster,' a network of businesses and researchers tasked with generating new technologies and income for the Atlantic region.

That funding will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the private sector, and the federal government estimates the supercluster will add 3,000 jobs and $14 billion to the Canadian economy over the next decade.

Seamus O'Regan, MP for St. John's South-Mount Pearl, said that the combined strengths of both small and large companies in the region will allow for people to remain in Newfoundland and Labrador rather than looking for work outside of the province.

According to government, small startup businesses can invest within the supercluster, opening doors for them to collaborate and succeed on the global market.

"You can move around your credentials, you can still live here at home and you can take on new challenges," O'Regan said.

"The more people we keep here, and the more that they develop their strengths, the more permanent that job base becomes."

Small fish, big pond

The move would propel at least one St. John's startup into a new market.

Ocean tech company Seaformatics now sells the Waterlily, a portable water- and wind-powered turbine, for hikers and other outdoor adventurers  but the idea was originally meant for scientists, studying at sea for extended periods.

"It was a tough market for us to get into," said Andrew Cook, Seaformatics' CEO. "We just didn't have enough capital to build the demo units and get the tech out there, get people using it. It was much easier to get into the consumer market."

Katie Breen/CBC

In Seaformatics' case, given funding like the kind offered by the oceans supercluster, their chicken-and-egg dilemma  needing customers for cash, but needing cash to make products and secure customers  would have been an non-issue.

With development money injected straight into small groups of researchers, Cook suggests, marine tech companies won't have to rely on snazzy marketing or leisure applications to compile enough capital for the bigger-picture ideas.

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"This forces people to cooperate on a grander scale," he said. "It will expand opportunities. You're going to get bigger products, more advanced systems coming out of this."

Working out the kinks

The funding announced Friday is part of the government's country-wide Innovation Superclusters Initiative. Other superclusters include digital technology, protein industries, next generation manufacturing and AI-powered supply chains.

The plan for this supercluster, according to government, is to move forward with developing emerging technology to strengthen ocean industries.

Those include marine renewable energy, fisheries, aquaculture, oil and gas, defence, shipbuilding and marine transportation.

Katie Breen/CBC

"The thing that is more important to the success for the region, and for the country, is how well we collaborate together," ocean supercluster CEO Kendra MacDonald said.

Exactly how that collaboration plays out remains to be seen.

According to MacDonald, intellectual property agreements are in the works to iron out the details on who or what will own any research developed through the collaboration process within the ocean supercluster.

"That is a risk," said Cook. "The way it could work is a bigger company could just go in and gobble up your [intellectual property]. If you're in on a project, everybody's supposed to have access to that."

The federal government is projecting that the ocean supercluster will create more than 3,000 jobs and add more than $14 billion to Canada's economy over 10 years.

With files from Katie Breen

Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
Kanye West has donated $150,000 to the family of Jemel Roberson, who was the black security guard tragically killed by police after he subdued a shooting suspect.

West, 41, made the outstanding donation on the GoFundMe page the 26-year-olds family created following his murder on Nov. 11.

A fan account took a photo of Wests 10 donations of $15,000 and shared the screenshot on Instagram Friday.

Roberson, who was the father of a 9-month-old son, was in uniform and wearing a hat, emblazoned with the word security, while holding down the alleged assailant early Sunday at Mannys Blue Room Lounge in Robbins, outside of Chicago, Illinois. Roberson also was holding his licensed firearm at the time, WGN-TV reported.

When officers from the neighboring suburb of Midlothian responded to the shooting, they encountered Roberson holding somebody on the ground with his knee in his back, with his gun in his back, witness Adam Harris told the TV station.

Everybody was screaming out, Security!  Harris told WGN. He was a security guard. And [police] saw a black man with a gun, and basically killed him.

Midlothian Police Chief Daniel Delaney confirmed the shooting by his departments officer who encountered a subject with a gun, and said in a statement, The subject the officer shot was later pronounced deceased at an area hospital.

Jemel Roberson

The security guard employed by the bar was trying to save peoples lives, according to Gregory Kulis, an attorney for the Roberson family, as reported by Chicago TV station WLS. He was working security because a shooting had just taken place in the establishment.

On Monday, Robersons mother, Beatrice, filed a lawsuit alleging the violation of her sons federal civil rights against the village of Midlothian and the unnamed Midlothian officer who shot Jemel. Beatrice is seeking more than $1 million in damages, CNN reported.

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RELATED: A Mystery Killer with Duck Feet Shot Two Men in the Head Over Two Days in Chicago

This was going to be my babys first Christmas with his dad and now hes going to miss out on everything, said Avontea Boose, the mother of Robersons 9-month-old son, according to the Associated Press.

According to witness accounts, a fight had allegedly broken out in the bar when someone began firing a gun. Five people were shot but the injuries to four of them, including the alleged shooter, were not life-threatening, said Sophia Ansari, a spokeswoman for the Cook County Sheriffs Office, according to The New York Times.

The police-involved shooting of Roberson is under investigation by the Illinois State Police.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is seen on the balcony of the Embassy of Ecuador in London in 2017. (Photo: Peter Nicholls/Reuters)

In December 2011, two former members of Lulz Security, or LulzSec  a hacktivist group notorious for penetrating or disrupting a number of corporate and governmental targets like Fox.com, Sony Pictures, gaming websites and the CIA  were discussing a new friend and partner.

That contact, according to Hector Xavier Monsegur, writing under the fictitious name Leon Davidson, was WikiLeaks founder and CEO Julian Assange.

Between you and me, Ive been working a lot with the internals of WikiLeaks, wrote Monsegur, who commonly went by the nickname Sabu  and who became infamous for becoming an FBI informant.

Before lulzsec broke apart, they came to us to hack the entire government of iceland, he continued, sending a message over encrypted chat service Jabber to fellow hacker Jeremy Hammond, who was later convicted in 2013 for hacking private intelligence firm Stratfor.

The chats appear to reveal a specific instance when Assange may have specifically solicited a crime  the theft of official documents from within the Icelandic government.

While the chat log references an apparent request made by Assange, it does not include any direct communication from the WikiLeaks founder.

Assange, who had gained notoriety for publishing hundreds of thousands of U.S. diplomatic cables and Army reports revealing classified details about the Iraq War from Army intelligence officer Chelsea Manning, has consistently shielded his work behind the First Amendment  while simultaneously selling his brand, on cellphone cases and mugs, as the first intelligence agency of the people.

The chat logs, part of a 100,000-page trove of documents currently in the Department of Justices possession, were obtained and published by independent national security journalist Emma Best on Thursday. Best tells Yahoo News the chats are part of the Justice Departments sealed files, and which the department has verified across multiple sources, including Monsegurs hard drives and WikiLeaks own devices.

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They have a fairly good idea of what Julian knew and when, she told Yahoo News.

Neither the Justice Department, nor Assanges attorney, Barry Pollack, immediately responded to a request for comment.

Also on Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. government had a sealed indictment awaiting Assange  a revelation that was mistakenly revealed in an unrelated court transcript out of the Eastern District of Virginia, first discovered and shared on Twitter by Seamus Hughes, a counterterrorism researcher at George Washington University.

Its unclear what those charges under seal might include, however, the chat transcripts could provide some clues.

While transparency advocates and First Amendment activists have consistently worried that Assanges arrest and conviction would set a bad precedent for the media if Assange is charged with espionage for publishing classified documents, its possible the charges will have to do with his solicitation of those materials.

I believe with a degree of confidence that any charges against Julian Assange originating from the EDVA likely include violations of the [Computer Fraud and Abuse Act] and possibly allegations related to the soliciting of criminal acts, wrote Andy Stepanian, a former consultant for WikiLeaks and co-founder of the Sparrow Project, a small public relations firm focused on transparency and freedom of information.

The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, enacted in 1986, makes it illegal to access or remove information from a digital device without permission.

Stepanian has consistently advocated that Assange be held accountable, particularly for allegations of sexual violence against women and his role in publishing hacked material from the Democratic National Committee, passed along by criminals who the U.S. intelligence community has concluded were agents of the Kremlin. However, the case against Assange for publishing classified documents or for acting as a co-conspirator to hackers may be difficult to prove.

Journalists everywhere should be concerned if Assange is accused of espionage for publishing classified documents, behavior many journalists routinely engage in, Stepanian argued on Twitter.

And even if Assange is not charged as a publisher, but rather for aiding or soliciting hacks, the sentencing guidelines associated with the law are so broad and draconian the accused can face decades for merely sharing hacked materials, Stepanian wrote.

Because the reported charges against Assange were disclosed through an inadvertent court filing in the Eastern District of Virginia, there is no information about what conduct the charges relate to or what crimes are alleged. Whatever the content of the charges, however, evidence of collusion between WikiLeaks founder and hackers would make it hard for Assange to defend himself on First Amendment grounds.

You always needed one more thing, said Matt Miller, a spokesman for the Justice Department during the Obama administration, of the First Amendment issues involved with prosecuting figures like Assange, not just publishing, but somehow working with the leaker in a way that was criminal.

In 2011, authorities in Iceland launched their own investigation into WikiLeaks and the hackers.

Sabu, or Monsegur, resurfaces his work with WikiLeaks and Assange in a second chat log session in January 2012. Is it out that we gave emails to WikiLeaks yet? he asks Hammond, appearing to confirm that WikiLeaks request to steal information had been fulfilled.

No, replies Hammond, suggesting that they wait to see what WL/JA think of all this first, referring to WikiLeaks and Julian Assange.

Monsegur continues to say he is waiting to hear from WikiLeaks on the Icelandic hacks they had requested, as he was able to own islandics governments secretary [SIC].

However, Assange had not received the material yet because his assistant who they refer to as Q, Sigurdur Thordarson, had been traveling. (Thordarson also later became an FBI informant.)

According to Best, who is in possession of the remainder of the chats, there were other targets of hacks.

There are multiple high-profile thefts of information the government is also interested in, including WikiLeaks publication in March 2017 of detailed descriptions of CIA hacking tools, which it titled Vault 7. One source familiar with the matter told Yahoo News that both the intelligence agencies and Justice Department, separated by a firewall, were both immediately interested in investigating WikiLeaks and Assange for that particularly painful disclosure, exposing CIA tools and potentially allowing criminals to imitate their techniques.

The theft and publication of secret hacking tools such as Vault 7 would be evaluated on the same legal basis as the publication of any other stolen information. Classified is classified, explains Miller, the former Justice Department spokesman.

The inadvertent court filing indicated that the reported charges against Assange were filed in the Eastern District of Virginia by prosecutors associated with the U.S. Attorneys Office in that district. The jurisdiction and the prosecutors involved indicate that its unlikely that the charges relate to the special counsel investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and WikiLeaks role in publishing emails stolen from the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign.

A prosecution for those activities would more likely be filed in Washington, D.C., where the affected Democratic National Committee servers were located, and brought by the special counsels office itself.

That said, its notable that this summer, federal prosecutors with the special counsels office included hints in the indictment of a group of Russian intelligence officials that they may also charge WikiLeaks and Assange as part of the underlying conspiracy to steal documents from the hacking victims.

The indictment, which refers to WikiLeaks as Organization 1, includes quotations from messages sent by WikiLeaks to the Russian intelligence teams Guccifer 2.0 persona. On or about June 22, 2016, the prosecutors wrote, Organization 1 sent a private message to Guccifer 2.0 to [s]end any new material [stolen from the DNC] here for us to review and it will have a much higher impact than what you are doing. The bracketed text indicating Assange was asking for stolen material was added by the prosecutors.

The indictment also quotes a message from WikiLeaks that specifically seeks anything [H]illary related on an urgent basis because the [Democratic National Convention] is approaching and she will solidify [B]ernie supporters behind her after.

None of the messages included in the special counsels indictment are smoking gun evidence that Assange was in league with the Russians; however, they suggest federal prosecutors, who have appear to have access to communications between the Russian intelligence officials and WikiLeaks, are operating on that theory.

I think the Special Counsel may have far more evidence than weve seen publicly about Assanges cooperation with Russia on a number of matters over the years, former federal prosecutor Elizabeth de la Vega said, pointing to a news article from 2017 as evidence for her suspicion. When you combine that history and the evidence of active Hillary-related info, and view it through the lens of a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. in the election, its no longer solely an Espionage Act violation that would raise issues of press freedom.

For any indictment and prosecution of Assange to proceed, he would need to leave the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where hes sought refuge since June 2012, and be brought to the United States. Ecuadors new President Lenin Moreno has indicated he has become weary of his longtime guest, and may be more open to releasing him to British authorities.

CNN reported in late May that Assanges status in the embassy was in jeopardy, a reality his lawyers have become increasingly worried about, particularly now that a sealed indictment has been revealed.

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By Joyce Lee and David Brunnstrom SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea's leader witnessed the test of a newly developed high-tech weapon, the country's state media reported on Friday, while Pyongyang also released a U.S. prisoner, sending conflicting signals at a time of sensitive negotiations. Kim Jong Un's visit to the test site of what North Korea's state media called a "tactical weapon" that could protect North Korea like a "steel wall" threatened to sour the diplomatic atmosphere at a time when negotiations between North Korea and the United States appear to have stalled. However, the U.S. State Department sought to play down the development, suggesting it would not derail efforts to persuade North Korea to give up a nuclear weapons program that has the potential to threaten the United States. "We remain confident that the promises made by President Trump and Chairman Kim will be fulfilled," a spokesman for the U.S. State Department said. At an unprecedented summit in June, U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim in Singapore agreed to work toward denuclearization and peace on the Korean peninsula and establish new relations. But the agreement was short on specifics, and negotiations have made little headway since. North Korea's KCNA news agency did not identify the weapon tested but called the test a success. The only picture released by state media showed Kim standing on a beach surrounded by officials in military uniforms with no weapons visible. The description of the weapon as "tactical" appeared to rule out larger strategic weapons, such as a ballistic missile or a nuclear bomb, which North Korea demonstrated until last year, raising fears of a new Korean war. But testing of any new weapon threatens to raise tensions with Washington, which has upset Pyongyang by repeatedly stressing that international sanctions must remain in place until North Korea gives up its nuclear weapons. A source familiar with U.S. assessments said the United States was still evaluating the test, but was not particularly alarmed. The source said the announcement was low key by North Korean standards, suggesting that Kim did not want to stir things up too much, even while delivering a warning. In an apparently conciliatory gesture, North Korea also announced on Friday it was releasing an American citizen detained since October after he "illegally" entered North Korea from China. Pyongyang identified the man as Bruce Byron Lowrance. The State Department declined to identify the citizen and did not provide details about him. But in a statement on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has led the U.S. negotiating effort with North Korea, thanked North Korea and Sweden for cooperating to secure the release. North Korea has held previous American detainees for longer, and Washington has accused Pyongyang of using them as bargaining chips. WARNING TO WASHINGTON Adam Mount of the Federation of American Scientists saw the test announcement as a warning to Washington. "Theyre trying to signal that they are willing to walk away from talks and restart weapons testing," he said. "It is the most explicit in a series of escalating statements designed to send this message." Kim this year declared his nuclear force "complete" and said he would focus on economic development. But North Korea has increasingly expressed frustration at Washington's refusal to ease sanctions and recently threatened to restart development of its nuclear weapons if more concessions were not made. A meeting in New York planned this month between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korea's Kim Yong Chol, a senior aide to Kim, was postponed. However, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday said Trump planned to meet Kim again in 2019 and will push for a concrete plan outlining Pyongyang's moves to end its arms programs. Choi Kang, of Seoul's Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said Friday's announcement was more likely aimed at reassuring the North Korean military rather than trying to torpedo diplomatic talks. "North Korea is trying to show its soldiers that they are becoming high-tech and keeping a certain level of military capability, while trying to eliminate dissatisfaction and worries inside its military," he said. The test may also have been a response to recent small-scale military drills by the United States and South Korea, which Pyongyang said violated recent pacts to halt "all hostile acts." said Yang Uk of the Korea Defence and Security Forum. Kim said the weapons system tested was one that his father, Kim Jong Il, had taken a special interest in during his life, personally leading its development. International weapons experts noted the officials with Kim included a leader of North Korea's artillery corps. Kim's last publicized military inspection was the launch of the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile a year ago, though he engaged in at least eight other military related activities this year, South Korea's Unification Ministry said. While it has conducted no nuclear or missile tests since last year, North Korea has continued to showcase its conventional military capabilities, including at a large military parade in its capital, Pyongyang, on Sept. 9. (Reporting by Joyce Lee and Josh Smith; Additional reporting by Jeongmin Kim in Seoul, and Matt Spetalnick, David Brunnstrom and Mark Hosenball in WASHINGTON; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and James Dalgleish)
By Jonathan Barrett PORT MORESBY (Reuters) - The governor of Papua New Guinea's Manus Island said on Friday he had not been consulted on a navy base to be built with Australian help, hinting he could obstruct the port which is seen as an Australian bid to protect its Pacific interests. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Nov. 1 Australia would fund development of the base on Manus island, shortly after China emerged as a possible developer of the deep-water site. Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, has for decades enjoyed largely unrivalled influence in the Pacific until China recently turned its attention to the region. Manus provincial governor Charlie Benjamin told Reuters the development had to benefit Manus residents but he had not been consulted about the plan. "I have my people living on the island and we are the ones affected," Benjamin said. "The government might have the right but if we decide to put our foot down, there will be problems." Communities in sprawling, resources-rich PNG have at times opposed decisions made by the central government. Benjamin, a member of PNG's parliament, has previously sparred with the central government over detention center facilities used on the island as part of Australia's controversial "offshore detention" policy. Manus Island is PNG's smallest province with a population of about 50,000 people. Neither Australian nor PNG have released details of the agreement. Australian and PNG government spokesman were not immediately available for comment on Friday. Morrison has said the agreement to build the base was not a response to China's growing influence in the region, but was part of a longstanding relationship with PNG. PNG's navy is made up largely of patrol boats, mostly donated by Australia, and landing craft. Australia's navy would make visits to the new base, Morrison said. (Reporting by Jonathan Barrett; Editing by Robert Birsel)
A traffic stop developed into a shootout on November 11 when a man leaned from a car to fire at a police officer in Tontitown, Arkansas.

The driver had been asked to pull over after police witnessed a traffic violation. After initially refusing, he stopped the car, at which point, police dash-cam footage shows a man engage in a shootout with the police officer, then driving off and escaping the scene.

The vehicle was later spotted by a police officer in Springdale, about six kilometers from the location of the first incident. Shots were exchanged again. Following another pursuit, the man, who was wounded in the left shoulder, was arrested.

He was taken to Northwest Medical Center, where he was treated and released into police custody.

The man faces four charges of attempted capital murder and one charge each of fleeing, terroristic act, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

No police personnel were injured in the incident. Credit: Washington County Sheriffs Office via Storyful
A top manager and contractor on the Lower Churchill hydro megaproject says questions about his pay should be forbidden when he takes the stand at the Muskrat Falls inquiry on Monday.

Lawyers for Paul Harrington filed what they acknowledged was an "11th hour" Supreme Court application Friday.

They were seeking an order allowing Harrington to "refuse to disclose information related to his rate of pay and compensation to the inquiry."

He also sought a declaration that "any record, document or thing which discloses this information may be withheld from the commission."

Twitter/@NalcorEnergy

Harrington's lawyers said in court documents that releasing these details "would not serve the public interest, but would cause undue financial harm to him and his consulting company."

His Supreme Court action is now on hold, pending Commissioner Richard LeBlanc's decision on how to deal with the matter at the inquiry on Monday.

Separate court action to block pay info release

Harrington has a separate application before the courts, seeking to block the release of his pay details under access to information laws. CBC News filed that request this past summer.

That matter has been on hold because of a recent decision in a separate case that could have an impact on the privacy arguments being made. That separate case, involving the province's teachers' union, may be on the way to the Supreme Court of Canada  if the nation's top court decides to hear it.

If the inquiry releases his pay details before the legal process in all those matters plays out, his lawyers say, "Mr. Harrington would be denied this opportunity to have his day in court."

Commission counsel says pay is relevant to inquiry

But lawyers for the commission said in court filings that Harrington's pay information is relevant to the mandate of the inquiry.

"The compensation paid to Mr. Harrington or his company was included in the cost estimates for the project, and forms part of the construction costs of the Muskrat Falls project," associate commission counsel Kirsten Morry wrote in an affidavit.

Story continues

"As a primary project manager, Mr. Harrington was a key decision-maker within Nalcor Energy before and after sanction of the Muskrat Falls project," Morry added.

"The compensation Mr. Harrington or his company received could have had an effect on his motives or actions."

'Disturbed' by comments in affidavit

At a hastily-assembled court hearing late Friday afternoon, Harrington's lawyer, Deborah Hutchings, said she was "disturbed" by Morry's comments.

"I'm very concerned about the rights of my client," Hutchings said.

"I'm concerned that he is going to be put on trial."

But Chief Justice Raymond Whalen asked her: "What's he going to be put on trial for?"

Hutchings indicated that commission counsel could be trying to show that Harrington has influenced the project based upon his remuneration.

"What's wrong with that?" the chief justice replied.

"I find that very offensive," Hutchings said, noting that all parties are supposed to be treated fairly and saying this was "beyond the scope" of the inquiry.

Court action on hold, for now

In the end, after the lawyers took a break to confer, the chief justice ruled that Harrington's Supreme Court application will be put on hold  at least for now.

Both sides will now wait to see how the commissioner handles the situation at the inquiry on Monday.

CBC

Harrington is scheduled to be on the stand for three-and-a-half days next week.

The inquiry is examining what went wrong at Muskrat Falls, which is years behind schedule and billions over budget.

Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
By Katie Paul and Rania El Gamal DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is defying U.S. calls to mend ties with Qatar despite signs that pressure to end another regional crisis, the Yemen war, has had an impact on Riyadh since the killing of a prominent journalist. Jamal Khashoggi's murder at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 caused a global outcry, opened Saudi Arabia to the possibility of sanctions and damaged the image of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Washington believes it has more influence over Riyadh as its ally tries to repair the damage to the kingdom's standing, and wants to use this leverage to end the Yemen war and rebuild Gulf unity against Iran, four sources familiar with the matter said. On one front, there is movement. In an apparent response to U.S. and British pressure for a ceasefire in Yemen by the end of this month, the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-aligned Houthi rebels halted an offensive on the main port city of Hodeidah on Thursday. Maintaining pressure on Riyadh, Washington imposed sanctions on 17 Saudi officials for their role in Khashoggi's killing later on Thursday, and U.S. senators introduced draft legislation which, if it became law, would suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia over the journalist's death and the Yemen war. Saudi authorities did not respond to requests for comment. A U.S. State Department spokeswoman said Washington had been calling for a resolution throughout the Qatar and Yemen crises. "We continue to engage on both of these issues with our partners in the region, including Saudi Arabia," the spokeswoman, Heather Nauert, said. "Gulf unity is essential to our common interests of confronting Irans malign influence, countering terrorism, and ensuring a prosperous future for all of our Gulf partners." QATAR RIFT RUNS DEEP The United States sees Saudi Arabia as a crucial player in the efforts to build unity in the Gulf to contain Iran's influence in the Middle East, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Riyadh soon after Khashoggi's killing. But Washington sees the Yemen war as a destabilizing factor in the region and wants an end to the conflict, which has killed more than 10,000 people and pushed Yemen to the brink of famine. Saudi Arabia and its ally, the United Arab Emirates, also now have reasons to exit the war as it has proved costly and reached stalemate. Since the death of Khashoggi, a Saudi national and U.S. resident who was critical of the Crown Prince, U.S. officials have also sought to sway Riyadh over its row with Qatar. Gulf unity, which Washington considers a bulwark against Iran, was shattered when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed trade and transport ties in June 2017, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism and Iran -- charges Doha denies. "They are seizing the opportunity to try to end the Qatar dispute," a source with knowledge of U.S. policy said. Washington had wanted Gulf unity restored, to help contain Iran's influence in the region, before new sanctions went into force against Tehran over its nuclear program on Nov. 4, two of the sources said. Western hopes that Riyadh might mend ties with Doha had been raised by a comment Prince Mohammed made on the strength of Qatar's economy at an investment forum on Oct. 25. But diplomats and Gulf sources say they have seen no new ideas or concrete moves by Riyadh or its allies to end the row with tiny but wealthy Qatar. "I don't see any change on Qatar. The crown prince's message was interpreted wrongly. He was sending a message to America ... 'Don't get worried about Qatar because you still have a strong economy in Qatar'," one Arab diplomat told Reuters. Each of the boycotting countries is an ally of Riyadh and has longstanding political and security differences with Qatar. A Gulf source said Prince Mohammed, known as MbS, would avoid any move that could be interpreted as weakness as he tries to recover from the diplomatic fallout over Khashoggi. Riyadh offered contradictory explanations for Khashoggi's disappearance before saying he was killed in a rogue operation. King Salman, who stepped in to defuse the crisis, has stood by his chosen heir, in whose hands he has concentrated power. CONTAINING THE CRISIS Kuwait said this month there was a "positive view to contain the Gulf crisis," and a source familiar with U.S. policy said diplomats were putting forward a plan on Qatar. But neither side seems ready to cede ground. Qatar's foreign ministry spokeswoman said last month that Khashoggi's death should serve as a "wake-up call". Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker said on Tuesday he did not expect a thaw soon. "I am very pessimistic about this. With the current (Saudi and UAE) leadership I don't see that there is any way that things may be loosened up," he told reporters. "The only face-saving way for them to get out is to apologize." Abu Dhabi says the dispute is not a priority, according to three diplomats and other sources familiar with Gulf policy. "The Qataris are raising the price for resolving the crisis," said one Western diplomat. "The Emiratis are happy to keep the Qataris isolated." Qatar and UAE authorities did not respond to requests for comment. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi continue to reassure Washington that the dispute will not deter the formation of a proposed Middle East security alliance, which would include Doha, diplomats said. They said the UAE still strongly supports MbS against Iran and on his economic and social reforms, seen by Abu Dhabi as essential to replicating the UAE model of a business-friendly, tolerant Muslim society to combat extremism. "The Emiratis see Saudi Arabia as the only choice to lead the region. They haven't blinked in their belief that Riyadh's reform plans are the best and only option," said Elizabeth Dickinson, Senior Analyst for the Arabian Peninsula at the International Crisis Group. (Additional reporting by Stephen Kalin in Riyadh, David Brunnstrom in Washington, Dmitry Zhdannikov in London, Belen Carreno in Madrid, Eric Knecht in Doha and Ghaida Ghantous in Dubai; Writing by Ghaida Ghantous; Editing by Timothy Heritage)
At the 2017 IPCPR Trade Show, La Flor Dominicana showcased a new offering called La Volcada. La Volcada is the latest in a series of limited production releases we have seen over the past few years by La Flor Dominicana. Other releases include Chapter One (2013), Capitulo II (2014), La Nox (2015), Andalusian Bull (2016), and La Volcada (2017). Late in 2016, the Andalusian Bull made history as it captured the prestigious #1 cigar of the year award by Cigar Aficionado magazine. While Andalusian Bull was in high demand, La Flor Dominicana fans were looking for an encore, and La Volcada was going to provide that cigar. Late in 2017/early in 2018, retailers started seeing La Volcada hit the shelves. Today we take a closer look at this cigar.

The name La Volcada pays homage to the Tango dance. La Volcada is one of the more famous steps in the Tango dance. It is the point where both partners in the dance lean forward. La Flor Dominicana Company owner Litto Gomez was born in Spain, but grew up in Uruguay. In 2016, Andalusian Bull paid homage to his birth country of Spain, where the Andalusian Bull is popular. With La Volcada, Gomez now pays homage to Uruguay, which is the country he would grow up in. Its not the first time Tango has been referenced in a La Flor Dominicana release as one of the sizes of the La Flor Dominicana 1994 line is known as Tango.

Without further ado, lets break down the La Flor Dominicana La Volcada and see what this cigar brings to the table.

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

Wrapper: San Andres Mexican

Binder: Ecuadorian Corojo

Filler: Dominican

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Factory: Tabacalera La Flor

Vitolas Offered

At press time, La Volcada is offered in one size  a 7 x 48 Churchill. There are plans for a second size in 2019 in the form of a 4 1/4 x 42 Short Corona.

The Churchill size is presented in 20-count boxes.

Appearance

The San Andres Mexican wrapper of the La Volcada had a classic roasted coffee bean color. There was a slight amount of mottling on the surface of the wrapper. There also was a light coating of the oil. There were some visible veins while the dark color of the wrapper did a nice job at hiding the wrapper seams. The cap of the cigar is finished with a swirled pig-tail.

There are two bands on the La Volcada. The primary has a black circular field on the front. On the band is the initials LFD in white script. To the upper right of the band is an image of a tango dance in metallic red. The sides of the band have a light-colored chain link pattern on a black background. The entire band has dark red and white trim around the edges.

The secondary band is also black with dark red and white trim around the edges. On the center of the band is the text La Volcada in white script font. To the left and right there is a light-colored chain link pattern on the black background.

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw

Instead of pulling off the pig-tail cap of the La Flor Dominicana La Volcada, a straight cut was used to remove the cap and the pig-tail simultaneously. At this point, it was time to move on to the pre-light draw phase. The dry draw delivered a mix of coffee, wood, and a slight amount of spice. Overall this was a satisfactory pre-light draw. At this point, it was time to light up the La Volcada and see what the smoking phase would have in store.

Tasting Notes

The start of the La Flor Dominicana La Volcada delivered a mix of coffee, classic wood, cedar, bakers spice, and some mixed pepper notes. The coffee and cedar moved to the forefront early on, and about midway through the first third, the coffee took over as the sole primary note. The classic wood joined the cedar and spices in the background. The cedar, bakers spice and pepper alternated in intensity. On the retro-hale, there was a mix of cedar and white pepper.

Later in the first third, the coffee notes of the La Volcada became richer. Meanwhile, the bakers spices started to dissipate and was replaced by a citrus note. The citrus remained in the background. Just past the midway point the pepper and cedar notes both increased in intensity. The cedar notes increased at a more rapid rate and the end of the second third these notes rejoined the coffee in the forefront.

The final third was similar to how the second third closed out. The cedar seemed to have a slight edge over the coffee. The pepper notes were a little more prominent, while the more distant background still had notes of wood and citrus. This is the way the La Volcada came to a close. The resulting nub was slightly soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn

The La Flor Dominicana La Volcada maintained a straight burn path from start to finish. There was a slight amount of jaggedness on the actual burn line, but this proved to be more cosmetic than anything and didnt require any more touch-ups above the norm. The resulting ash had a light gray color. This was an ash that was on the firmer side. Meanwhile, the burn rate and burn temperature were both ideal.

Draw

The draw to the La Volcada struck a nice equilibrium of resistance and openness. I also found this cigar produced a decent amount of smoke. This was a low maintenance cigar to derive flavor from.

Strength and Body

Regarding both strength and body, the La Flor Dominicana La Volcada is a cigar that started out medium. Throughout the smoking experience, I found the intensity level to remain relatively constant for both attributes. There also was a nice balance between the strength and body as neither attribute overshadowed the other.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

La Flor Dominicana built a reputation for delivering some of the most powerful smokes out of the Dominican Republic. Over the past few years, the company has been focusing on dialing back on the strength while continuing to be high on flavor. The La Volcada is a great example of such a cigar  following in the footsteps of La Nox and Andalusian Bull. Its also a cigar that continues to get better with age, so Im curious to see where this cigar will be in 12 to 18 months. In the meantime, its still an enjoyable cigar that delivers some nice flavors. La Volcada delivers a nice amount of spices, it doesnt deliver overwhelming spice. This is a cigar I could recommend to a novice or experienced cigar enthusiast. As for myself, this is a cigar Id smoke again  and buy multiples for the humidor.

Summary

Key Flavors: Coffee, Cedar, Citrus, Classic Wood, Pepper, Bakers Spice

Burn: Excellent

Draw: Excellent

Complexity: Medium

Strength: Medium

Body: Medium

Finish: Very Good

Rating

Value: Buy Multiples

Score: 90

References

News: La Flor Dominicana to Launch La Volcada at 2017 IPCPR

Price: $15.10

Source: Purchased

Brand Reference: La Flor Dominicana

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop
A Russian-made children's cartoon show has been accused of being part of the Putin propaganda machine.Masha and the Bear focuses on the relationship between a slight but imposing young girl and her protector, a huge bear.In one Masha even dons a Soviet border guard's hat as she repels invaders from the Bear's carrot patch.Critics said this was a metaphor for how Russia protects its borders.The show, which has more than 4.18 million subscribers on YouTube and an accumulative 40 billion views, is produced in English in Moscow but has still drawn the ire of intellectuals in Russia's neighbouring states.The show has also recently ramped up its retail efforts, been added to Netflix and expanded to Spanish.Last year, Finland's top newspaper - Helsingin Sanomat - quoted a lecturer at Tallinn University's Communication School as claiming that the bear symbolised Russia and was designed to place a positive image of the country in children's minds.The lecturer, Priit Hobemagi, said that the series was a 'beautifully presented' part of a campaign that is dangerous for Estonian national security.Anthony Glees, an intelligence expert from The University of Buckingham told The Times: 'Masha is feisty, even rather nasty, but also plucky.'She punches above her weight. It's not far-fetched to see her as Putinesque.'Russia's state media have refuted the claims from the likes of Estonia and Lithuania.They have also branded the concerns in the Baltic states as 'pathological' Russophobia.The company who produce the popular cartoon, Animaccord, said the show is an independent project that has never received state funding.
A mother-of-two discovered an airport parking firm worker drove her car 500 miles while she was on honeymoon after she was sent a fine including a photo of someone else at the wheel.Zoe Parr, 42, was furious when she realised her BMW 123d M Sport was used while she was in Jamaica and was even taken on a shopping trip to an AsdaShe arrived home to a fine for overstaying in the supermarket car park on a date when her car was supposed to be in the care of Manchester Airport Parking Services Ltd.The 70 fine included a CCTV camera snapshot of what looks like a man driving into the shop car park in Oldham in her car, taken on the second day of her holiday.Ms Parr then discovered her car had clocked up nearly 500 miles while she was away.The supermarket dropped the fine but she claims the meet and greet parking company is still refusing to apologise or refund her booking four months after the incident.The firm was last month dubbed 'the world's worst airport parking meet and greet' and accused of losing cars and damaging a Range Rover in a collision with a bus.Ms Parr, of Wolverhampton, said: 'I think that it's completely unacceptable what they have done.'They have been using it as a freebie because the petrol tank was empty when it returned to us.'It's was absolutely appalling behaviour from a professional meet and greet car parking firm.'For them to have taken the car out for their own personal use whilst we were on holiday is quite cheeky really.'Ms Parr and her new husband, who does not wish to be named, jetted off from Manchester Airport on a two-week honeymoon break to Montego Bay in Jamaica, on July 7.After booking with Manchester Airport Parking Services Ltd, Ms Parr recorded a mileage of 50,000.She said they chose the firm because the website boasted customers get a 'happy experience with every stay'.But when she landed back in Manchester a fortnight later, she discovered there was an extra 469 miles on the clock, leaving the petrol tank virtually empty.Ms Parr said: 'When the man came to drop it off it suddenly, he just dropped the keys in my hand and dashed away rapidly.'That was when we got into the car and released that something isn't quite right.'There were crumbs all over the back seat and the petrol light was on so I knew then that the car had been driven.'The 70 fine from Parking Eye said the vehicle arrived at 9.16am before leaving at 10.36am.Ms Parr said: 'We were simply gobsmacked. We immediately called Asda and explained the situation and they agreed to drop the charge.'We called Manchester Airport Parking Services Limited and demanded answers.'We complained that the company had been driving our vehicle but they just simply ignored us and said "someone will get back to you".'This is clearly not the professional service you expect from an airport car service.'In August, 70 appeared in her bank account from the company which Ms Parr said she assumed was to cover the fine.She added: 'This was extremely odd. We then phoned Greater Manchester Police to report what had happened with the car.'However after a few weeks of investigation, we were told that we could not prosecute because they don't know who the driver was at the time of it being in Asda.'Ms Parr claims she has contacted the company seven times but said she has not had an explanation.She added: 'Every time I rang the company, I was just told that someone would get back to me but I never heard anything back.''I have gone through hell trying to find out what happened to our car, it's actually spoiled our honeymoon completely.'I feel like I have been burgled because the police cannot do anything in taking action against this firm.'The whole experience has been absolutely disgusting.'Manchester Airport Car Parking Services has not responded to a request for comment.The firm has previously been accused of losing cars, racking up speeding tickets and damaging a valuable Range Rover in a collision with a bus.One young family with a three-month-old baby claimed they were stranded for hours after the company allegedly crashed their car into a tree in June this year.The family claim they had to pay the recovery bill for the wreckage and have been told the company will not pay up to replace it.
Janardhan, speaking to the media along with Mr Suddala Devaiah and former minister Vijaya Rama Rao, criticised AICC leader R.C. Khuntia and TPCC chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy (in the pic) saying they had made maya in the name of Mahakutami.

Hyderabad: A rebels front is forming in the state to take on the parties that disappointed them in the upcoming elections. All major political parties have denied tickets to leaders who have decided to contest as rebels.

The rebels are planning to fight the elections with a common symbol. Rebel candidates from the Congress and TD held separate meetings to decide their future course of action.

Former minister and Congress leader Boda Janardhan who was denied the Chennur ticket has taken the initiative to bring all rebels onto one platform. He held the first meeting of rebels on Thursday night and a follow-up meeting on Friday.

TD rebels met at a hotel at Jubilee Hills and discussed what they would do next.

Mr Janardhan, speaking to the media along with Mr Suddala Devaiah and former minister Vijaya Rama Rao, criticised AICC leader R.C. Khuntia and TPCC chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy saying they had made maya in the name of Mahakutami.

Mr Janardhan said 40 rebels had attended his meeting. He said the initial plan was to form a front of disappointed Congress aspirants, but those from the TRS and TD were also approaching them.

Mr Vijaya Rama Rao said the selection of Congress candidates was not done in a transparent manner. Tickets were given to candidates who did not even have party membership, he said.

Mr Vijaya Rama Rao alleged that Congress tickets were given to rowdy sheeters, bank robbers and to those who make settlements. Rebel candidate Dharmapuri Ravindar said that in the name of wining horses, the Congress had given tickets to lame horses.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week makes fleeting foreign voyages in between domestic electioneering, where he faces multiple and crucial elections to several state Assemblies in the Hindi belt, which had catapulted him into power in 2014. Domestic imperatives will in fact dominate even more strongly as the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections begins in 2019. In the past, Prime Ministers have scaled back their foreign commitments in similar circumstances, but for Mr Modi foreign policy has been a tool in his political image-making.

However, the external environment is today more challenging than during the first three years of his prime ministership, and there are fewer successes on offer.

He had two major overseas trips this week. The first was to the annual Asean summit in Singapore, on the sidelines of which were held both the India-Asean summit and the East Asia Summit (EAS), consisting of the 10 Asean nations and Japan, South Korea, China, plus India, Australia and New Zealand, besides Russia and the United States. The East Asia Summit is the premier gathering in Asia for strategic discussions on political, security and economic challenges. The Asia-Pacific Economic Partnership (Apec) summit, of which India is not a member, was held immediately after the EAS in Papua New Guinea. The G-20 meets in Argentina later this month. The challenges before the region are many, but the trade battles between the US and China, with tit-for-tat tariffs, is affecting business sentiments across the world. The absence of US President Donald Trump at the EAS and Apec summits, with Chinese President Xi Jinping attending the latter, has sent out a signal of modified, if not declining, American interest in the Asia-Pacific. The EAS was also dominated by China driving the discussion towards its favoured Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which was the Chinese response to the earlier proposed Trans Pacific-Partnership, that the US under President Trump has abandoned. India tried to introduce its conditions for its fruition, but would find tepid support from within the Asean bloc. With China dominating the space vacated by the US and Japan and Australia lowering their resistance, India turns to thoroughly survey its immediate periphery to secure its core interests at least there.

Chinas assertiveness since the 2008 financial crisis has seen the Chinese presence incrementally expanded in South Asia, particularly in Indias maritime neighbourhood. The Chinese stranglehold on Sri Lankan infrastructure, particularly at the Hambantota and Colombo ports, discomforted India as the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa bent over backwards to satisfy Beijing. Mr Maithripala Sirisenas election as President in 2015 did reverse the process, now stymied by the constitutional coup by Mr Sirisena and Mr Rajapaksa, ousting incumbent Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. This imbroglio still remains unresolved as the countrys highest court struck down the dissolution of Parliament and Mr Rajapaksa was unable to demonstrate his majority.

Mr Rajapaksas return may not, however, restore Sri Lankas China tilt, as it was his flirtation with China that caused the debt bubble resulting in the Sirisena government having to cede control over Hambantota port and its contiguous zone. But a similar drama is now playing out in the Maldives. In late September, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the joint Opposition candidate, was elected as President, defeating the incumbent Abdulla Yameen, who was hanging onto power by unconstitutional means since 2013. His presidency, like that of Mr Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka, saw the rapid intrusion of China in Maldivian infrastructure development, including the suspected leasing of some islands in perpetuity for potential military or reconnaissance use. The new President will be inaugurated on November 17. Meanwhile, two former Presidents are back in public view  with Mohammed Nasheed returning from exile and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Mr Yameens half-brother, released from internment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted the invitation to attend, though a subsequent stand-alone visit was being speculated on as Maldives was the only Saarc neighbour that he had refused to visit while Mr Yameen was in power. China will be represented by its culture minister.



Maldives occupies a crucial maritime position, just 400 km from Indias Malabar coast. Despite 1,200 islands, most of its population of about 325,000 is crammed on one main island. It has the negative distinction of the largest per capita contribution of fighters to global jihadi outfits like the Islamic State and Al Qaeda. Thus, for India, it has a two-fold significance  that it should not allow Chinese predatory infrastructure capture or be radical Islams nursery. Among those released from internment is Sheikh Imran Abdulla of the Religious Conservative Party, who will somewhat influence the new government. India will seek a stabile Maldives that only democracy can provide.

Before Prime Minister Modis arrival in the Maldives on Saturday, India has speed-delivered, after a refit at Visakhapatnam, a Coast Guard vessel. Maldivian exports have dropped this year and consist mainly of marine products. But the principal foreign exchange earner is tourism. How the new government rebalances between India and China will define Indo-Maldivian relations. In the past, some projects like the airport were seized from Indian firm GMR and perhaps passed into direct or indirect Chinese control. India would seek transparency over what, if any, islands have been leased to China. Maldivians have the Malaysian, Sri Lankan and now even Pakistani concerns before them about the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) turning into debt traps.

However, India must realise that Chinas presence in its maritime domain is unavoidable. Both nations must learn to coexist. Indias resistance to Chinas BRI is getting isolated as even Japan and Australia are now grabbing the business opportunity in BRI projects across the Asia-Pacific. India should judge Chinese projects in its maritime neighbourhood by smarter red lines, which cannot mean a zero Chinese presence. Chinese tourists bring huge revenues to tourist destinations, including potentially to the Maldives, although the upper end is dominated by Europeans. Prime Minister Modis visit provides a good opportunity to begin this dialogue.
Rescuers conduct search operation in the waters of Ujung Karawang, West Java, Indonesia after a Lion Air plane crashed into the sea. (Photo: AP)

Jakarta: The family of an Indonesian man killed in a Lion Air jet crash is suing Boeing, alleging that the accident may have been caused by a problem with the flight-control system in its newest 737 plane.

The father of Rio Nanda Pratama filed the lawsuit on Wednesday in the US state of Illinois, where the plane manufacturer is headquartered, over the death of the young doctor who was to have married his high-school sweetheart this week. Pratama's fiance Intan Syari, 26, has made headlines after she posed alone for photos in a wedding gown that she was to have worn at the couple's nuptials in Indonesia. Syari said her husband-to-be had asked in jest that she carry on with the photo shoot if he did not return from what turned out to be a fatal trip.

The 26-year-old man was among the 189 people killed when the Boeing 737-MAX plunged into the Java Sea on October 29, less than 20 minutes after leaving Jakarta on a routine flight to Pangkal Pinang city.

There were no survivors.

The 737-MAX in question had only begun service for budget carrier Lion Air in August.

Questions have swirled about Boeing's alleged failure to tell airlines and pilots about changes to an anti-stall system that is being investigated for its possible links to the crash. The jet's engines are heavier than those installed on prior versions, meaning the plane can stall under different conditions. Boeing made modifications to the anti-stall system without informing air carriers and their crews, according to the Allied Pilots Association.

"The government investigators typically will not make a determination of who is at fault, and just compensation to these families will not be provided by the governmental investigations," Curtis Miner from US-based firm Colson Hicks Eidson, which filed the lawsuit, said in a statement.

"That is the critical role of private lawsuits in a tragedy like this."

There is still no answer to what caused one of the world's newest and most advanced commercial passenger planes to crash. A preliminary report is expected at the end of the month.

Pratama's family could not be immediately reached.
A man works at an e-scooter assembly line of a motorcycle factory in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Photo by Reuters

With 46 percent of APEC firms planning to increase their investments in the country, Vietnam tops the region in business attraction.

According to the "PwC 2018 APEC CEO Survey" recently released by professional services company PwC, China came second with 45 percent, followed by the U.S. and Australia at 44 percent, and Thailand at 39 percent.

It also found that international trade is likely to continue being a source of growth for Vietnam-based firms. Four out of ten Vietnam-based businesses expect an increase in revenue opportunities because of a new bilateral trade agreement, while this figure for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) as a whole was three out of ten.

A multilateral trade agreement will also bring more opportunities, according to 34 percent of respondents in Vietnam, higher than that the APEC figure of 30 percent.

Only seven percent of respondents in Vietnam expect to see an increase in barriers to moving goods across borders next year, while the APEC rate was over three times higher at 23 percent.

Dinh Thi Quynh Van, general director of PwC Vietnam, said: "With major trade deals like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and ASEAN-Hong Kong FTA on the horizon, Vietnam has the potential to attract even more investment and generate new cross-border business opportunities."

However, businesses also have to face challenges, especially in recruiting people with the right skills and experience, she said.

Almost three out of ten businesses said that they are struggling to fill job positions with the people/skills they need.

The gap is felt acutely in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) skills area with 76 percent of respondents in Vietnam stating that their governments need to do more to train STEM professionals. This rate was higher than the APEC rate of 65 percent.

Only 4 percent of business leaders in Vietnam said the government was doing enough in this area, lower than the APEC rate of 14 percent.

They also said that there are a number of other areas that need to be improved in Vietnam, leading with "improvements to the digital infrastructure."

Digital infrastructures are foundational services that are necessary to the information technology capabilities of a nation, such as data centers and communications satellite.

"While businesses need to determine their infrastructure requirements and communicate them, the government's role is to understand these requirements and introduce policies and regulations for the sustainable development of digital infrastructure," Van said.

The survey polled 1,189 business leaders from among all 21 APEC economies from May to July.
Sport

Pakistans premier Imran Khan named International Sports Personality by MBR Awards

Imran has served the sports both as a player and an administrator. He was the first Pakistani captain to steer them to the World Cup glory in Australia in 1992. He still remains the only in 50-over World Cup as Pakistan are still waiting for their second title.
Hanoi health officials check on a girl suffering food poisoning after having a party at her nursery school. Photo by VnExpress/M.T.

Two Hanoi hospitals admitted 188 children and three teachers with food poisoning symptoms between last Wednesday and Friday.

The patients, students and teachers from the Xuan Non Nursery School in Dong Anh District suffered high fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Director of the Dong Anh General Hospital, Chu Dinh Nang, said they received 115 children and one teacher. Two children were later transferred to the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases and another three have been discharged. The remaining 110 children and one teacher are still being treated at the hospital.

The Bac Thang Long General Hospital has admitted 73 children and two teachers, said director Do Quang Thuan.

Nguyen Khac Hien, head of Hanoi's Department of Health, told VnExpress that all the patients had food poisoning symptoms.

Preliminary investigations show that during lunch time on Wednesday, the Xuan Non Nursery School threw a party for its students and teachers to celebrate the Vietnamese Teachers' Day. The meal was a buffet of sausages, beef, sticky rice, fried rice, boiled vegetables; they were served orange juice, yogurt and cake in the afternoon.

Some children started displaying symptoms of food poisoning Thursday morning and were rushed to hospital, while the rest of the affected children showed similar symptoms in the afternoon.

The Hanoi's Food Safety Department is investigating the lunch served on Wednesday and Thursday at the kindergarten.

Food poisoning is not an uncommon occurrence in Vietnamese schools and workplace canteens.

Last month, 55 children were hospitalized with food poisoning after having meals at a church service in Ho Chi Minh City.

Earlier the same month, 300 children at a primary school in the northern province of Ninh Binh were rushed to hospital with food poisoning after lunch.

In December last year 142 children of the An Phu Primary School in HCMCs District 2 were hospitalized and diagnosed with gastrointestinal infections after eating food served in the school.

The offenders in such cases are rarely taken to court.

Data from the General Statistics Office shows more than 1,200 people were affected in 44 cases of food poisoning in the first half of this year. Seven of them died.
Vietnam's 79,000 HIV patients are under no treatment. Photo by Shutterstock/Jarun Ontakrai

Vietnam has managed to treat just 84 percent of its HIV patients. Thousands of infected citizens are in dire danger.

Vietnam is keeping track of 175,000 people with HIV, but it has only provided antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to 130,000 patients.

According to data from the HIV/AIDS prevention agency under the Ministry of Health, the actual number of HIV patients in Vietnam, including those under management and those not receiving treatment, is 209,000.

While HIV cannot be cured by the ARV drugs, they are very effective in keeping the virus under control, helping patients live long active lives.

There are 45,000 patients that still have no access to ARV, Hoang Dinh Canh, deputy head of the agency, told a Thursday meeting on HIV/AIDS in Hanoi.

This means the total number of HIV patients without access to treatment is 79,000.

John Blandford, director of the HIV program of the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Vietnam, said that the ARV is the best method to prevent the virus from being transmitted via sex.

When HIV patients receive ARV every day, it can keep the viral load low, which means the chance of HIV transmission through sexual acts is insignificant.

Those do not receive treatment can spread the virus in their community through sexual intercourse, Canh said.

Sexually transmitted infections are the most common among HIV patients, with the number of patients who are gay men increasing fast, said Do Huu Thuy, also with the HIV/AIDS agency.

It is estimated that there are about 170,000 gay men in the country, Thuy said.

The health ministry is implementing a preventive treatment plan for post HIV exposure with anti-HIV medications for the 2018-2020 period.

The project will be implemented in 11 cities and provinces with the target of having 5,610 people using the medication by late next year.

In the first half of this year, Vietnam detected 3,500 new HIV patients, 1,824 of whom contracted AIDS. 814 people died.

Compared to the same period last year, the number of new HIV infections has decreased by 30 percent, AIDS transmission by 27 percent, and deaths by 2 percent.

Vietnam has been struggling to find funds for its HIV/AIDS programs after foreign donors started to pull out when Vietnam achieved middle income status. These funds are expected to dry up completely by 2020.

By then, these drugs are scheduled to be provided under Vietnams health insurance system.

According to experts in the field, the lowest cost for treatment for one HIV patient per year exceeds VND4 million ($172), but for those who are drug resistant, the cost can be seven to eight times higher.

Drug resistance rises because people halt treatment halfway or do not follow properly the assigned treatment regimen.
Two Vietnamese exchange high school girls were reported missing in Moncton City, New Brunswick Province, Canada, on Monday. Photo by Shutterstock/Russ Heinl

Two Vietnamese exchange students were reported missing in Canada earlier this week, the CTV News Atlantic reported Thursday.

Ngan Ngoc Nguyen and her cousin Diu Thu Thi Nguyen, both 17-year-old high school students, were reported missing Monday by the families they have been staying with in the eastern province of New Brunswick, local police said in a press release.

They were last seen on November 9 when they boarded a bus heading for Montreal City, Quebec at a bus depot in Moncton City.

Police speculated the girls might have been heading towards the Toronto City area in Ontario.

A search operation is ongoing, with the police enlisting help from the public.

Last year, the number of Vietnamese students in Canada grew 89 percent from 2016, from about 7,900 to about 15,000, according to official figures from the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada, cited by the Canadian Bureau for International Education.

There were around 130,000 Vietnamese studying abroad at all levels last year, and their top five destinations were Japan, the U.S., Australia, China and the U.K., according to government figures.

UPDATED: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the girls have been found safe in Toronto on November 21.
Vietnam is the most popular Southeast Asian destination among South Koreans this winter, the Yonhap reports.

The Golden Bridge in the Ba Na Hills, Da Nang City, has proven to be a very popular tourism attraction. Photo by Shutterstock

With 33.7 percent of total reservations, Vietnam is the most popular Southeast Asian destination for South Koreans this year, according to the South Korean news agency.

It cited Hanoi Tour, a prominent travel agency in South Korea, as saying South Korean bookings to Southeast Asian countries for December ranked first among all overseas reservations.

Thailand and the Philippines are also popular destinations for South Koreans.

The report said Da Nangs renowned resorts contributed to Vietnams popularity.

It also noted that as winter arrives in the last month of the year, South Koreans look for warmer climes in Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries.

Besides the Southeast Asian nations, Japan occupies 18 percent of all reservations, while in December 2017, it claimed first place at 44.8 percent.

Vietnam a favorite escape from South Korean winter Vietnams Golden Bridge among worlds top travel photos this year

Earlier, in June, Ticket Monster Inc., one of the largest travel booking sites in South Korea, listed Da Nang among top 10 summer destinations for South Koreans, based on bookings for July and August.

South Koreans have become one of the biggest groups of visitors to Vietnam in recent years. In 2017, Vietnam welcomed 2.4 million Korean visitors. In the first ten months of this year, the number was more than 2.8 million, a 48.3 percent year-on-year increase, according to Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

A 15-day visa exemption for South Korean tourists and frequent direct flights between the two countries have also contributed to making Vietnam a top draw.

Besides flights from big South Korean cities like Seoul and Busan, seven direct flights per week between Da Nang and Daegu in South Korea are expected to be launched next month.
Thailand could become the first Asian country to legally recognize same-sex couples under a bill that would allow civil partnerships.

But campaigners say it fails to address major concerns of LGBT+ people.

Public consultations on the bill were held this week and a revised version will go to the cabinet for approval by the end of the year, said Nareeluc Pairchaiyapoom, a senior official at the government department handling the bill.

It gives same-sex couples the right to register unions, as well as to property and inheritance, but does not recognize marriage between same-sex partners.

"The civil partnership bill is the first step to giving equal rights to everyone," said Nareeluc at the last of the public hearings on Friday.

"The final goal is same-sex marriage, but that requires more time and several actions to amend the civil code and get everyone on board. We will proceed step by step," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

A largely conservative Buddhist society, Thailand has nonetheless built a reputation as a place with a relaxed attitude toward gender and sexual diversity.

Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1956, and authorities actively promote the country as an LGBT+-friendly destination.

A survey of social attitudes toward sexual orientation and gender identity found two-thirds of respondents had no objection to same-sex unions, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Yet LGBT+ people face considerable discrimination and stigma, and the civil partnership bill stops short of granting key rights, said Wannapong Yodmuang, an activist with the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand, an advocacy group.

"We are not happy. The bill does not give us the right to be a family or to raise a family," she said.

"We recognize that amending laws and bringing new legislation is tough, but LGBT people must have the same rights as heterosexual people; there can be no compromise."

Same-sex couples cannot marry and do not have parental rights. The bill also raises the age of consent from 17 to 20 for homosexual people, she said.

Law professor Vitit Muntarbhorn said the provisions of the bill - which needs approval from the National Legislative Assembly before it can become law - were "modest."

"It is an initial stepping stone toward what LGBT people really want  a change in the law to allow for marriage rights," said Vitit, a former UN independent expert on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Across Asia, conservative values and deep-rooted biases have hamstrung progress on gay rights.

Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei ban sexual relationships between men, and Indonesia has seen an increase in raids targeting LGBT people.

Vietnam allows same-sex weddings, but no legal recognition or protection of such unions.

Taiwans constitutional court in May last year declared same-sex couples had the right to legally marry.

But little progress has been made since, with a series of public votes set for Nov. 24 to decide whether same-sex unions should be written into law.
The United States is committed to supporting efforts to rid the Arabian Peninsula of the threat posed by the terrorist organization known as Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP.

Qasim al-Rimi is the leader of AQAP. Born in Yemen in 1978, al-Rimi trained terrorists at an al-Qaida camp in Afghanistan in the 1990s. He subsequently returned to Yemen and became an AQAP military commander.

In 2005 Al-Rimi was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted in Yemen of plotting to assassinate the U.S. Ambassador to Yemen. However he escaped from a Yemeni prison after serving one year.

In May 2010, the Department of State designated al-Rimi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224.

Al-Rimi is linked to the September 2008 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa that left 10 Yemeni guards, four civilians, and six terrorists dead, and the December 2009 attempted suicide bombing by underwear bomber Umar Farouq Abdulmutallab aboard a U.S.-bound airliner.

Al-Rimi was named emir of Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, in June 2015. The following month, he swore allegiance to al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and called for renewed attacks against the United States.

The U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice Program has increased its reward for information leading to the identification, location, arrest, and or conviction of Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula leader Qasim al-Rimi from up to $5 million to up to $10 million

More information about the al-Rimi reward offer is available on the Rewards for Justice website at www.rewardsforjustice.net.

The United States remains committed to bringing terrorists to justice wherever they may lurk.
Yuriy Boiko, a co-chairman of the Ukrainian party Opposition Bloc and its parliamentary faction, will run for president as the sole candidate of the Opposition Platform For Life in March 2019, Vadym Rabinovych, the leader of the For Life party, said on Friday.

Speaking on the NewsOne television channel, Rabinovych said the Opposition Platform For Life council decided to nominate Boiko as the candidate from the united opposition.

Rabinovych said on Thursday that he would not run for president but would lead the party ticket in the elections to the Verkhovna Rada in the fall of 2019.

Boiko and Rabinovych signed an agreement on setting up the Opposition Platform For Life on November 9.

The nascent association vowed to decide whom to nominate as its candidate in the presidential elections in November and said its members would conduct the parliamentary campaign together.
The European Union Foreign Affairs Council will meet in Brussels on Monday to assess the situation surrounding Ukraine, a high-ranking EU official said.

During Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin's visit on Thursday, EU representatives shared their concerns with him about Ukraine and the Sea of Azov, the official told journalists on condition of anonymity in Brussels on Friday.

In listing the issues that the EU is concerned about in the context of Ukraine, the official mentioned the recent elections in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), which the EU did not recognize, the construction of the Crimean Bridge without Ukraine's consent and its consequences for Ukrainian and European sea transportation, and the situation surrounding the illegal annexation of Crimea as a whole.

The EU official cited earlier statements by High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and a European Parliament resolution.

Asked whether new EU sanctions on Russia could be discussed in the context of the events in eastern Ukraine, the official said that, while he was unaware whether such a discussion could take place, the EU is concerned about the situation as such.

He said the meeting's agenda does not include sanctions.

Asked to comment on the navigation after the construction of the Crimean Bridge, the official said that, based on the EU's information, the new ship inspection procedures applied by Russia take an unwarrantedly long time and cause delays that lead to economic losses, while Russian representatives give different information. He said the parties agreed to remain in touch on the matter.
Next year, a meeting of the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission will be held in Kyiv, Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has said.

"Next year, this Commission (the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission) will be in Kyiv," Klimkin said on the air of Voice of America program on Channel 5 on Friday evening.
The president of Moldova leads the ranking of the people's confidence among all Moldovan politicians, as is seen from a public opinion poll conducted by the International Republican Institute (IRI).

The poll findings made public in Chisinau on Friday show that 27% of Moldovan citizens trust Igor Dodon, 14% leader of the Dignity and Truth Platform Party (PPDA) Andrei Nastase, 13% Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) leader Maia Sandu, 6% Prime Minister Pavel Filip and 6% Democratic Party leader Vlad Plahotniuc.

As many as 4% each trust Party of Socialists Chair Zinaida Greceanii, Party of Communists leader Vladimir Voronin, and Ilan Shor, the leader of a party named by himself.

As many as 3% trust Our Party leader Renato Usatii, and 2% each Gagauzia administration head Irina Vlah and parliamentary speaker Andrian Candu.

At the same time, 27% of those polled said they do not trust any of the Moldovan politicians.

On the other hand, ruling Democratic Party leader Vlad Plahotniuc has the highest anti-ranking: as many as 70% of the respondents have a negative and only 22% a positive attitude toward him. As many as 47% of those polled view President Dodon positively and 47% negatively; 40% view Andrei Nastase positively and 46% negatively. Maia Sandu is liked by 34% and disliked by 58% of the respondents.

Almost half of Moldovan citizens support Dodon's performance as president, 14% disagree with some of his decisions, and 34% absolutely disagree with his position.

Asked to assess the work done by the government led by Prime Minister Pavel Filip, only 7% said they are fully contented with its performance, 26% partially contented, and 37% are unsatisfied with it.

Asked what the government should give priority to in its work, 35% mentioned salaries and pensions, 25% creating new jobs, 15% countering corruption, and 10% addressing the problem of emigration.

Asked to assess the performance of the parliamentary majority led by the Democratic Party, 49% said they disagreed with the lawmakers' decisions, 17% partially disagreed, 21% partially agreed, and only 6% are fully satisfied with the lawmakers' work.

Also, 46% of the respondents are of the view that the parliament is unreceptive to the people's needs, 32% that the lawmakers care about the people's problems only partially, and only 1% fully. Asked to say how they saw the work of local self-government bodies, 60% said they were satisfied with their work fully or partially and 35% said they were unsatisfied.

As for Chisinau, only 22% of the city dwellers are satisfied with the work of the municipal administration, while 66% hold the opposite view. Moreover, 67% of Chisinau residents disagreed with the annulment of the mayoral election results.

The public opinion poll of 1,503 respondents aged 18 and older was conducted on the entire territory of Moldova except for Transdniestria.
U.S. confirms its commitment to maintain sanctions against Russia related to its aggression against Ukraine

The United States and Ukraine consider it necessary to further strengthen Kyiv's capacities to confront "Russian aggression," the U.S. Department of State has said.

"Both sides decided that a robust UN-mandated international security force in the areas of Donbas controlled by Russia, including the Ukraine-Russia international border, would create the necessary security conditions for the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements," a joint statement by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin reads.

The statement was posted by the U.S. State Department following a meeting of the bilateral strategic partnership commission held in Washington.

It says that "the United States confirmed its commitment to maintain sanctions against Russia related to its aggression against Ukraine until Russia fully implements the Minsk agreements and returns Crimea to Ukrainian control."

Both sides decided that a robust UN-mandated international security force in the areas of Donbas controlled by Russia, including the Ukraine-Russia international border, would create the necessary security conditions for the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements.

"The United States condemned Russias aggressive actions against international shipping transiting the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait to Ukrainian ports," the statement reads.

"Russia's aggressive activities in the Sea of Azov have brought new security, economic, social, and environmental threats to the entire Azov-Black Sea region," it says.

The sides also "underscored the need for continued gas transit through Ukraine, and emphasized their opposition to energy projects that threaten European energy diversity and security."

"In particular, the United States and Ukraine stressed the importance of continued coordination to stop proposed Russian pipelines that would hurt Ukraine's economic and strategic stability, such as Nord Stream 2 and the second line of TurkStream," it says.

They decided to create three new bilateral working groups focused on Security and Countering Russian Aggression; Rule of Law and Humanitarian Issues; and Economy and Energy. These groups will meet regularly to discuss areas of mutual concern and advance joint objectives. The 2018 Strategic Partnership Commissions meeting featured inaugural sessions of each working group.
The people affected by fighting in Donbas have received over EUR 15 million of humanitarian aid from the Pope.

"This action was announced so that Ukrainians do not feel lonely and abandoned. It was intended for those who are victims of the war in the east, for those spheres where people simply had to survive," the Apostolic Nuncio of Ukraine, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti told an Interfax-Ukraine press conference in Kyiv on Saturday.

The money was raised at Catholic churches across Europe at the call of Pope Francis, he said.

"The result was very generous: over EUR 11 million to which the Pope added another 5 million of his own funds," Gugerotti said.

Bishop Eduard Kava, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Lviv said that of the raised sum EUR 6.2 million was spent on warming houses and social facilities in Donbas: solid-fuel boilers were installed, buildings insulated, houses restored. Some 107,000 Donbas residents benefited from this type of aid.

Another EUR 2.4 million was used on medical treatment of 440,000 victims and EUR 5.7 million paid for food supplies and essentials.

Furthermore, EUR 1 million was used for psychosocial support for the children and their parents through psychological rehabilitation centers and to organize relevant children's camps.

Thus, the total sum sent for helping Donbas victims amounted to EUR 15.3 million.

The organizers were able to use it freely in the Ukraine-controlled part of Donbas but struggled when they tried to help people living in the occupied parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Kava said.

"For a long time we were looking for a possibility to get in there with the aid which was realized in very small amounts through our parishes... It was only a half a year ago that we were able to agree with the Red Cross, the only international organization which can operate there," Kava said.

"Now they are implementing, on our behalf, the project aimed at delivering food and medications to the people since none of the possibilities we used yielded a result," he said.
U.S., EU experts give more than 50 recommendations to prepare for 2019 elections in Ukraine

The delegation of the National Democratic Institute (U.S.) and deputies of the European Parliament have prepared 51 recommendations to get ready for the 2019 elections in Ukraine, in particular, they recommended Facebook opening an office in Kyiv, regional director of programs of the Eurasian region at the National Democratic Institute Laura Jewett has said.

Facebook should open an office in Ukraine and, together with other digital platforms, unite to fight disinformation ... If we are talking about fighting Kremlin interference to ensure stability in the country, then social networks and digital platforms should help Ukraine in these aspirations. All candidates must have equal access to the media. You also need to combat with the negative impact of misinformation. It is necessary to make efforts to combat manifestations of political corruption, including falsification, and to monitor the financing of parties, she said at a press conference in Kyiv on Saturday.

According to Jewett, it is also necessary to adhere to the equal gender representation of women and men.

Candidates' campaigns should rest on constructive proposals, be aimed at unification, and the media should note that this is political advertising, not information, she explained.

In turn, MEP Dariusz Rosati noted the intensification of misinformation in Ukraine.

Our recommendations are aimed at encouraging the Ukrainian authorities to adopt key reforms in the electoral legislation and beyond, which will help ensure that the elections are fair and transparent, he explained.

MEP Rebecca Harms clarified that the need to introduce a proportional electoral system instead of a mixed one had been discussed at a meeting with Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Andriy Parubiy.

After the meeting with the CEC (Central Electoral Commission) we recommended the parliament include internally displaced persons and labor migrants in the electoral process, she added.

In addition, the delegation recommended that resources be provided to the CEC for updating technical tools to combat cyber attacks.
KYIV. Nov 17 (Interfax-Ukraine) - The people affected by fighting in Donbas have received over EUR 15 million of humanitarian aid from the Pope.

"This action was announced so that Ukrainians do not feel lonely and abandoned. It was intended for those who are victims of the war in the east, for those spheres where people simply had to survive," the Apostolic Nuncio of Ukraine, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti told an Interfax-Ukraine press conference in Kyiv on Saturday.

The money was raised at Catholic churches across Europe at the call of Pope Francis, he said.

"The result was very generous: over EUR 11 million to which the Pope added another 5 million of his own funds," Gugerotti said.

Bishop Eduard Kava, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Lviv said that of the raised sum EUR 6.2 million was spent on warming houses and social facilities in Donbas: solid-fuel boilers were installed, buildings insulated, houses restored. Some 107,000 Donbas residents benefited from this type of aid.

Another EUR 2.4 million was used on medical treatment of 440,000 victims and EUR 5.7 million paid for food supplies and essentials.

Furthermore, EUR 1 million was used for psychosocial support for the children and their parents through psychological rehabilitation centers and to organize relevant children's camps.

Thus, the total sum sent for helping Donbas victims amounted to EUR 15.3 million.

The organizers were able to use it freely in the Ukraine-controlled part of Donbas but struggled when they tried to help people living in the occupied parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Kava said.

"For a long time we were looking for a possibility to get in there with the aid which was realized in very small amounts through our parishes... It was only a half a year ago that we were able to agree with the Red Cross, the only international organization which can operate there," Kava said.

"Now they are implementing, on our behalf, the project aimed at delivering food and medications to the people since none of the possibilities we used yielded a result," he said.
Kirkuk, Iraq, Nov 16, 2018 (AFP)

Iraq's central government has agreed with Kurdish authorities to resume oil exports from Kirkuk, the oil ministry said Friday, a year after federal forces seized the lucrative fields.

Iraqi security units took the fields from Kurdish forces in October 2017, in retaliation for a controversial independence referendum in the Kurdish region.

But since the pipeline to neighbouring Turkey ran through Kurdish-held territory, there was no way to take significant sums of oil out of Kirkuk, so exports stopped.

On Friday, oil ministry spokesman Assem al-Jihad said Baghdad and Arbil had agreed on restarting them.

"The federal government and the government of the Kurdish (autonomous) region of Iraq reached a preliminary agreement to resume oil flows starting today from the Kirkuk fields through the KRI's pipeline to the Ceyhan port in Turkey," he told AFP.

He said between 50,000 and 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) would be exported through the Kurdish pipeline.

A source from the state's North Oil Company confirmed that oil had begun pumping out of Kirkuk at 10:00 am (0700 GMT) on Friday morning, describing it a test.

"It began as an experiment with 50,000 bpd and will later reach an average of 80,000 bpd," the source added.

The Kirkuk fields have changed hands several times in recent years in a tug-of-war over one of Iraq's most oil-rich regions.

The Kurds took Kirkuk in 2014, as the Islamic State group swept across parts of Iraq's north, and began exporting to Turkey from there through their own pipeline at around 420,000 bpd.

Last year, federal forces seized the fields but could only take around 30,000 bpd out by tanker truck to Iran.

The federal government had pledged to renovate their own parallel pipeline, but experts said it would take two years.

The announcement is one of the earliest victories for Iraq's new Prime Minister Adel Abdel-Mahdi, a previous oil minister known for his good relations with Kurdish authorities in Arbil.

It also comes less than two weeks after Washington re-imposed sanctions on Iran's oil, energy and finance sectors.

Baghdad was granted a 45-day waiver from the sanctions as long as it came up with a plan to wean itself off of Iranian-imported gas and electricity.

Iraq is OPEC's second-largest oil exporter at 4.5 billion bpd. Oil exports make up almost the entirety of the government's revenue, bringing in $8.5 billion last month.
An influential parliamentary leader in Iran has lambasted Europe for failing to find a city to host the so-called Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), initiated by EU to protect trade with Iran against newly reimposed U.S. sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

No EU country has been willing so far to host the operation for fear of provoking U.S. retaliation.

Describing Tehran-EU relations as "ever luxurious", the chairman of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian parliament, Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh reiterated on Thursday, November 15, "Our relations with Europe have always been superb but ineffective in neutralizing the US sanctions imposed on Iran."

"Europe's dithering in finding a city to host SPV has raised serious doubts among Iranian leaders about the relationship with EU" Falahatpisheh maintained.

Implicitly threatening EU, the independent MP argued, "Iran-EU ties are facing a serious challenge since their negotiations have led to no tangible results for Tehran, and have even had negative impacts on the mutual relations."

In the meantime, Irans Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi echoed Falahatpisheh's comments on Thursday by calling on EU countries to fulfill their economic obligations to facilitate trade with Iran in the face of US sanctions.

Abbas Araqchi asserted Tehrans adherence to the commitments of the2015 nuclear deal, or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying it is time for Europe to fulfill its economic promises along with the political commitments.

The Iranian official made the remarks during a meeting with senior Italian officials in Rome.

Discussion on the JCPOA and ways to preserve trade and economic cooperation between Iran and Italy in the face of US sanctions are part of the topics reviewed during his one-day visit to Italy, Fars News Agency (FNA), a website affiliated with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) reported.

Without any elaboration, Araqchi told reporters in Rome, "US abandonment of the nuclear deal has posed challenges to the 'security' of Europe, region and the international system."

Tehran-EU negotiations have been dragging on for months, while the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeatedly insisted that Iran should not count on Europes proposed package to fix the nuclear deal following Washingtons exit from JCPOA.

We do not want to fight with Europe, but these three countries (France, Germany and the U.K.) have proven that, on the most sensitive issues, they follow the US, Khamenei asserted on May 23.

Meanwhile, the United States increased pressure on Iran Thursday by renewing warnings to European businesses intending to interact with the country and voiced support for Iranians protesting policies of the Islamic Republic.

U.S. Special Representative Brian Hook warned on Thursday that European banks and firms who engage in a special European Union initiative to protect trade with Iran will be at risk from newly reimposed U.S. sanctions.

"European banks and European companies know that we will vigorously enforce sanctions against this brutal and violent regime," he said in a telephone briefing with reporters.

The JCPOA was signed in 2015 by Iran, the European Union and the Group 5+1 of countries (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States plus Germany). The deal stipulated the gradual easing of sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran restricting its nuclear program.

US President Donald Trump announced Washington's withdrawal from the deal last May and reimposing wide-ranging sanctions on Iran.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has changed some of top and middle ranking commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) during the past year.

The extent of and frequency of these changes among Iran's top military men have been unprecedented during the four decades since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

The changes could have been an attempt to cope with the escalation of protests against the regime, renewed activity of opposition groups, the ongoing economic crisis, as well as international pressures on Iran.

At the same time, such a mission has made IRGC the main body to safeguard the regime and ensure its survival. The implication could be further suppression of protests in Iran and creating more insecurity in the region.

Top Level Changes

In late August, Khamenei appointed Alireza Tangsiri as the commander of IRGC's naval force and moved the former commander, Ali Fadavi to the position of IRGC coordinating deputy commander. The latter was a move to introduce harmony between the IRGC military and internal security missions.

While appointing Fadavi, Khamenei mandated him with "acquiring all-out preparedness to defend the Islamic revolution and its achievements." Fadavi is an officer trusted by Khamenei and decorated by him for detaining US marines in the Persian Gulf in 2016.

Two months before the two appointments, IRGC commander Mohamad Ali Jafari selected Brigadier General Jamaleddin Abroumand as his deputy at the Soft War Headquarters. This was a major promotion that made the headquarters more important.

In March, Jafari appointed IRGC General Mohamad Hossein Sepehr as deputy chief of the Basij militia, an organization specialized in controlling large gatherings and suppressing protests. While introducing him, Jafari highlighted the fact that "As the revolution turns 40, the enemies are trying hard to target itand there are problems in the country that we need to solve." This was an elaborate reference to major demonstrations that shook more than 100 Iranian cities some eight weeks before Sepehr's appointment.

Meanwhile, a few weeks before that, Khamenei replaced his representative at the IRGC with a more hardliner cleric, Abdollah Hajisadeqi.

Changes At Provincial Level

The same kind of change also took place at the provincial level, particularly in the strategically important Tehran Province. A new commander was appointed for the Tehran Province IRGC, aka Seyyedalshohada Corps, but was soon replaced by an even more loyal officer, Brigadier Hassan Hassanzadeh in October.

The Greater Tehran IRGC, aka Mohammad Rasoulallah Corps, the main IRGC force in charge of the capital's security also underwent changes as Khamenei was not happy with IRGC's performance during widespread demonstrations in December 2017 and January 2018.

The IRGC security forces had already been reinforced and their commanders changed following the 2017 ISIS attack on the Iranian Parliament. In a structural change, two different forces were separately mandated to keep Tehran secure against attacks and protests. One of these commanders, Esmail Kosari who had served as an MP for two rounds, is well known as a top security official rather than a military commander.

Meanwhile, a new commander was appointed for Khatam ol-Anbia HQ, the IRGC's financial conglomerate. Mohamad Saeed, 50, has been with IRGC for over 30 years before taking over the force's economic behemoth.

From Strait of Hormuz To Street Protests

The widespread changes in IRGC's command are meaningful and significant. Generally, strictly controlled regimes such as the Islamic Republic of Iran keep rotating commanders between geographical locations in a bid to prevent alliances among officers that could be instrumental in any coup attempt.

It appears that Khamenei and his top security men have put IRGC in charge of the country's security. On the other hand, the officers who have been replaced with new commanders have had unusually long service records, serving between 6 to 12 years each at their last position.

International sanctions, the US pull-out from the nuclear deal with Iran and the Trump administration's seriousness in confronting Iran could have been part of the reason why changes have been made. At the same time, frequent protests in Iran have increased fears about the decline in the regime's legitimacy and ability to control the population.

This clear and present danger, coupled with the implication of a fragile economy must have led Khamenei to appoint more loyal, hardliner and fresh commanders, with more interest in security than military affairs, at the core of the country's armed forces.

On the military side, new hardliner commanders such as Tangsiri, who is very well known for his anti-US stance, have sworn to take part in suicide missions against U.S. forces. This is a commander IRGC Navy needs when threatening to shut down the strait of Hormuz. "If the time comes, there are men wrapped in explosives who would hit themselves against US warships," Tangsiri has been quoted as saying.

It appears that the IRGC is now the main force to safeguard the regime and ensure its survival. The implication, could be further suppression of protests in Iran and creating further insecurity in the region.

The views expressed by the author are not necessarily those of Radio Farda
Several clergymen leading Friday Prayers in Iran have praised the execution of two gold and currency dealers in their sermons on November 16 and urged the authorities to continue their tough policy.

Two dealers arrested late September after the Iranian currency rial suffered huge losses this year, were hanged on November 14, in what was seen as an unusually short legal process. Vahid Mazloumin and Mohammad Ismail Ghasemi were accused of "disrupting the economic system".

Friday Prayer Leaders of Tehran and many other cities praised the judicial authorities for their decisive approach and warned others not to "wage war against God", which is considered the most serious crime in the Islamic Republic.

Prayer Leaders (Emam Jome'e) are chosen from the ranks of clergy loyal to Iran's Supreme Leader ayatollah Ali Khamenei and usually echo policies heralded from the top.

Rights group Amnesty International immediately condemned the execution, calling it "abhorrent" and said it followed a "grossly unfair show trial".

Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi has also condemned the decision, calling the fast-track trial "illegal" and accusing Iran of trying to pacify its people who are angry with the country's deteriorating economic situation.

Ayatollah Khamenei ordered judicial authorities on August 11 to prosecute people suspected of "financial corruption" and demanded verdicts to be "carried out swiftly and justly."

Economists have warned that strong-arm tactics targeting businessmen can only have a short-term restraining impact on preventing devaluation of the Iranian currency.
Several labor rights groups in Iran have reported that protests by Haft Tappeh (Tapeh) sugar mill workers continued on Saturday.

The workers accompanied by their families marched in Shush, southwestern Iran, gathering near the governor's office to draw attention to their demands.

In the meantime reports also speak of anti-riot police being stationed in and around the complex in the early hours of Saturday. Up to three busloads of security forces have arrived from different cities of Khuzestan province.

Labor organizations say in their social media posts that the arrival of anti-riot forces signal a plan to break the workers' strike.

Haft Tappeh workers have been on intermittent strikes and protests for almost a year, for the mismanagement of their privatized complex, which has resulted in late payment of wages and lack of production by the factory.

The workers demand an end to the private ownership and either a takeover by workers or a combination of ownership in which they can have a voice in running the business.

The once profitable complex was privatized in dubious circumstances a few years earlier and its current owner appears to be on the run from the authorities for non-payment of dollar denominated loans from government banks.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

France doesnt recognize the illegal regime created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and doesnt maintain any relations with those who consider themselves the leaders of this regime, the French Foreign Ministry said in a message, RIA Novosti reported.

The ministry was commenting on the visit to France by head of the separatist entity created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

As a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group, France is working to find a peaceful and sustainable solution and impartially fulfills its mission of a mediator, the message said.

On Nov. 15, Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry said that Frances constant double standards approach makes Azerbaijan reconsider its ties with that country.

"Bako Sahakyans visit to France, presenting himself as the head of the separatist regime established in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, is another unsuccessful attempt to encourage that puppet entity at the international level," the Foreign Ministry said.

France, which created conditions for that visit and accepted "representatives" of the illegal regime, by this step not only violates the spirit of bilateral relations and the signed agreements, but also demonstrates disregard for supremacy of norms and principles of international law and the undertaken obligations, reads the statement.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Matanat Nasibova - Trend:

Azerbaijans Embassy in France has sent a note of protest to the countrys Foreign Ministry, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys acting spokeswoman Leyla Abdullayeva told reporters in Baku Nov. 17.

She was commenting on the visit to France by the head of the separatist entity created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

In this regard, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry made a specific and categorical statement, she said.

Abdullayeva noted that Azerbaijan assesses such a step by France, a country that is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, which created conditions for the visit of the representative of the illegal regime and for holding certain meetings there, as encouragement of the occupation regime.

We believe that this step by France casts doubt on its objectivity and impartiality, she added. In this regard, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Paris handed over a note of protest to the French Foreign Ministry.

On Nov. 15, Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry said that Frances constant double standards approach makes Azerbaijan reconsider its ties with that country.

"Bako Sahakyans visit to France, presenting himself as the head of the separatist regime established in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, is another unsuccessful attempt to encourage that puppet entity at the international level," the Foreign Ministry said.

France, which created conditions for that visit and accepted "representatives" of the illegal regime, by this step not only violates the spirit of bilateral relations and the signed agreements, but also demonstrates disregard for supremacy of norms and principles of international law and the undertaken obligations, reads the statement.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Matanat Nasibova - Trend:

Armenias illegal activity in the occupied Azerbaijani territories is one of the main problems, and this issue should not only be discussed as part of events organized inside the country, but also abroad, Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliaments committee on international relations and inter-parliamentary ties Samad Seyidov said.

He made the remarks Nov. 17 at an international conference entitled Illegal activity in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and the responsibility of third parties in Baku.

He noted that periodically the Azerbaijani delegation raises this issue at the level of international structures in order to draw attention to the situation in the occupied territories.

This issue has been submitted for discussion to the Council of Europe, and I think that it is necessary to hold conferences of the current level in international structures, in Europe and, possibly, with the participation of Azerbaijani MPs, he said. I consider it very important to hold a conference of such content in a multilateral format. This would be the most effective way to find mechanisms for solving this global problem, which is of great importance for Azerbaijan. In the current situation, it is necessary to provide detailed information based on real facts related to the illegal use of the occupied Azerbaijani territories by Armenia for enrichment purposes.

He noted that the OSCE Minsk Group should pay special attention to this problem, the mission of which shouldnt consist of idleness that it has shown all these years, but the maximum use of all instruments of pressure on the occupier country - Armenia.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Matanat Nasibova - Trend:

Armenia is barbarously exploiting natural resources in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and is causing environmental damage to these lands, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys acting spokeswoman Leyla Abdullayeva said.

She made the remarks Nov. 17 at an international conference entitled Illegal activity in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and the responsibility of third parties in Baku.

She noted that the illegal activities of Armenia in the occupied territories primarily violate the laws of Azerbaijan.

She said that at the same time, this fact is gross violation of the principles and norms of international law.

As a result, these facts should be regarded as violation of the principle of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, as well as the requirements of the Geneva Convention, she noted. It is obvious that Armenia is trying by any means to continue occupying foreign territories and consolidate the status quo in order to further strengthen its military presence in Azerbaijani territories.

Abdullayeva added that all these steps negatively affect the entire region.

The resettlement policy of ethnic Armenians to occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region demonstrates the attempts of the Armenian side to change the demographic background in the territory of Azerbaijan, and this fact shouldnt remain outside the attention of the international community, she said. The facts of settlement of Syrian Armenians in the occupied Azerbaijani territories are intended not only to improve the demographic situation of Armenia, but also to create real obstacles for the return to Nagorno-Karabakh of the Azerbaijanis expelled from their native land.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.17

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

If French MPs meet with Bako Sahakyan, head of the separatist regime, created in occupied Azerbaijani territories, that could be contrary to France's status as OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing country, Matthew Bryza, former US ambassador to Azerbaijan and former co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, told Trend Nov.16.

He was commenting on the visit of Sahakyan to France.

Sahakyan has also visited the United States and Russia, which had no discernible impact on either the Minsk Group co-chairs' mediation efforts or on the bilateral relations of Azerbaijan with the co-chair countries, noted Bryza.

He pointed out that Azerbaijan is an important partner and friend of all three countries, and its importance is growing.

Of course, if the French government and/or parliament treated Sahakyan as anything other than a private person, that could cause serious tension in Azerbaijan's relations with France. I don't expect that to occur. That said, individual French parliamentarians may decide to meet with Sahakyan on an individual basis, which I would view as inappropriate and contrary to France's status as a Minsk Group co-chair, Bryza concluded.

Earlier, Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Frances constant double standards approach makes Azerbaijan reconsider its ties with that country.

Bako Sahakyan's visit to France, presenting himself as the head of the separatist regime established in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, is another unsuccessful attempt to encourage that puppet entity at the international level, the Foreign Ministry said.

France, which created conditions for that visit and accepted "representatives" of the illegal regime, by this step not only violates the spirit of bilateral relations and the signed agreements, but also demonstrates disregard for supremacy of norms and principles of international law and the undertaken obligations, reads the statement.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

An international conference entitled Illegal activity in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and the responsibility of third parties has kicked off in Baku.

The conference, organized by the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of Azerbaijan, is attended by responsible persons of Azerbaijans Presidential Administration, the Foreign Ministry, MPs, representatives of embassies in Azerbaijan, as well as foreign guests.

Opening the conference, director of the Center for Strategic Studies Farhad Mammadov said that investigations of the relevant state agencies about the illegal activity of Armenians in the occupied Azerbaijani territories will be presented.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev informed about the results of the illegal activity of Armenians in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

There are plans to sign many documents between Azerbaijan and Belarus, Deputy Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev told reporters in Baku Nov. 17.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Belarus cover the political, economic, trade, military-technical, cultural, humanitarian and other spheres, Hajiyev said.

He noted that the trade turnover between the countries is constantly growing.

In the near future, the Azerbaijani president is scheduled to visit Belarus, he said. Such visits are of intensive nature, and many documents are planned to be signed as part of this visit.

Hajiyev noted that the visit will give an even more serious impetus to the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Belarus.

These issues were widely discussed during the reception of Ambassador of Belarus to Azerbaijan Gennady Akhramovich by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, said Hajiyev.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

Visits to a number of countries, in particular to the co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, by people who present themselves as representatives of the illegal regime created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories are one of the constituent elements of illegal actions in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, Deputy Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev told reporters in Baku Nov. 17.

Hajiyev said that France is one of the co-chair countries, and the essence of the mediatory mission requires that a mediator country show balanced attitude and avoid taking biased steps.

There are such phenomena as the twinning process of some French cities with occupied territories and cities of Azerbaijan, visits to France by people presenting themselves as leaders of the illegal regime, Hajiyev noted. We consider this to be incompatible with the commitments undertaken by France as a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group, and this should be stopped.

He said that in this context, Azerbaijans diplomatic mission will express the countrys serious discontent to the French side.

The Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region also expressed its attitude to this issue, said Hajiyev. If such a person as Bako Sahakyan visits France, equality should be ensured in relation to communities. If we consider the issue as part of the human rights, both communities are equal, thus, special treatment of one community and violation of the rights of the other community is gross violation of human rights. Therefore, if France and other countries want to contribute to the conflicts settlement process, first of all, the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories should be ensured and the right of IDPs to return to their homes should be guaranteed.

He added that as part of this process, a dialogue between the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno-Karabakh region should be encouraged.

Therefore, the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries and the world community in this direction would be useful, he said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Details added (first version posted on 14:40)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

Visits to a number of countries, in particular to the co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, by people who present themselves as representatives of the illegal regime created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories are one of the constituent elements of illegal actions in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, Deputy Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev told reporters in Baku Nov. 17.

Hajiyev said that France is one of the co-chair countries, and the essence of the mediatory mission requires that a mediator country show balanced attitude and avoid taking biased steps.

There are such phenomena as the twinning process of some French cities with occupied territories and cities of Azerbaijan, visits to France by people presenting themselves as leaders of the illegal regime, Hajiyev noted. We consider this to be incompatible with the commitments undertaken by France as a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group, and this should be stopped.

He said that in this context, Azerbaijans diplomatic mission will express the countrys serious discontent to the French side.

The Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region also expressed its attitude to this issue, said Hajiyev. If such a person as Bako Sahakyan visits France, equality should be ensured in relation to communities. If we consider the issue as part of the human rights, both communities are equal, thus, special treatment of one community and violation of the rights of the other community is gross violation of human rights. Therefore, if France and other countries want to contribute to the conflicts settlement process, first of all, the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories should be ensured and the right of IDPs to return to their homes should be guaranteed.

He added that as part of this process, a dialogue between the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno-Karabakh region should be encouraged.

Therefore, the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries and the world community in this direction would be useful, he said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

Trend:

Azerbaijan will present a note of protest to the US for issuing a visa to Bako Saakyan, Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"According to the mass media reports Bako Saakyan, the so-called leader of the separatist regime created in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia traveled to the United States of America. Entering of the representative of illegal regime to the USA and allowing the promotion of the separatist regime in the US contradicts the commitments of this state as the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, as well as the numerously stated official position of the United States on non-recognition of the separatist regime. This step also damages the negotiation process over the settlement of the conflict," the statement reads.

The ministry said that providing of visa by the United States to the representatives of the separatist regime raises serious questions about the visa procedures of the USA.

It is very strange that the liberalization of the US governments approach to visa issuance is applied only to the leadership of the separatist regime created in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and not other illegal entities of the former Soviet Union."

"Individual sanctions should be applied with regard to such war criminals, persons involved in the occupation of the Azerbaijani territories and ethnic cleansing of the hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis," the ministry said.

"Such steps serving to promotion of the illegal separatist regime raise questions on sincerity of the USA in its relations with Azerbaijan. Strong protest of Azerbaijan will be presented to the US through diplomatic channels," the statement reads.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Ilhama Isabalayeva - Trend:

There are plans in Azerbaijan to amend the rules for calculating compulsory state social insurance contributions.

In this regard, amendments to the law On Social Insurance are envisaged.

In accordance with the proposed additions to the law, Azerbaijans Ministry of Taxes, in accordance with the established procedure, will impose financial penalties for the late submission of the report on compulsory state social insurance contributions, charge interest for the late payment of compulsory state social insurance contributions and return the surplus from social insurance contributions.

The law is also being amended regarding the contributions from monthly income.

In accordance with the proposed changes, the social insurance contribution from the salary of up to 200 manats will be 25 percent. Three of these 25 percent will be paid from the employees income and 22 percent will be paid by the employer.

If the employees salary exceeds 200 manats, it is proposed to apply another deduction principle: the employee pays 6 manats and 10 percent of the amount exceeding 200 manats, and the employer pays 44 manats and 15 percent of the amount exceeding 200 manats.

It is also proposed to amend the law regarding compulsory state social insurance contributions of insured persons who receive income from activities not related to hired labor.

For people engaged in entrepreneurship, contributions are proposed to make 50 percent of the minimum wage for construction and trade workers and 25 percent for those working in other spheres.

For those working on the basis of a civil law contract, contributions are proposed to make 25 percent of the income from the source of payment. For special notaries, contributions are proposed to make 25 percent of the tenfold minimum salary.

For legal entities and individuals paying royalties, contributions are proposed to make 15 percent of the royalty.

For members of Azerbaijans Bar Association, independent auditors, independent correspondents, contributions are proposed to make 20 percent of the income.

It is expected that the proposed changes to the law will enter into force on January 1, 2019.

(1.7 manats = 1 USD on Nov. 17)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

Trend:

The deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Labor and Social Policy, Musa Guliyev proposed to apply excise taxes on energy drinks and set minimum prices for wines in Azerbaijan.

Musa Guliyev made the proposals at a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Labor and Social Policy on Nov. 16.

Guliyev noted that the use of excise rates for energy drinks, which seriously undermine young people's health, is very important.

"Azerbaijan is among the countries where energy drinks are sold very cheap. None of them is produced in Azerbaijan, it may even be that some of them are imported purposefully, and not only for the purpose of business, but also in order to undermine the health of the young generation. The caffeine content in energy drinks is four times the norm," Guliyev said.

He also proposed that minimum prices should be set for wines and alcoholic beverages.

"There are excellent wineries in Azerbaijan. Their experts say that the wines, which cost 5-6 manats, are offered in wedding houses for three manats under the same brand. These wines are made by the same wedding houses. Therefore, it is necessary to establish minimum prices so that these wineries can sell the wine they produce. If such a price is established, deductions to the budget will increase," Guliyev said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Rashid Shirinov  Trend:

As many as 16 documents on the implementation of joint projects were signed during the First Interregional Forum Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan, according to the official website of the prime minister of Kazakhstan.

The meeting was chaired by First Deputy Prime Ministers of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Askar Mamin and Ochilboy Ramatov. The forum was also attended by the heads of the regions of the two countries.

In particular, agreements were signed on the mutual recognition of visa regimes and creation of a joint venture between KTZ Express and Uzavtotranstekhnika Scientific and Production Center. Also, KazTransGas and Uztransgas signed an agreement on the transportation of natural gas through the territory of Uzbekistan.

Mamin noted that 2018 was successful in bringing the two peoples closer together in cultural, trade and economic areas.

"Mutual trade is growing at an accelerated pace. The trade turnover for the first 9 months of 2018 amounted to more than $2 billion, which is more than 40 percent higher year-on-year," he said.

Mamin added that the most important areas of cooperation between the two countries should be industry, construction, transport, transit, tourism, etc.

Ramatov, in turn, noted that the partnership between the two countries has a solid foundation and a long-term perspective.

"Currently, there are 260 enterprises in Uzbekistan with Kazakh capital in various sectors of the economy. The holding of the year of Uzbekistan in Kazakhstan will be the starting point for increasing cooperation in all spheres," the first deputy PM of Uzbekistan said.

It is worth noting that the trade turnover between the two countries in 2017 increased by 31.2 percent and amounted to $2 billion. Exports from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan grew by 35 percent to $1.3 billion in 2017, while imports from Uzbekistan increased by 25.1 percent to $735.2 million.

Presidents of the two countries set a task to increase the trade turnover to $5 billion by 2020.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @ShirinovRashid
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Elnur Baghishov - Trend:

During the first seven months of the current Iranian year (started March 21, 2018), more than 576,000 tons of products worth over $2.919 million were exported to Qatar from Irans Hormozgan province, said Mohammad Abbasi, deputy chairman for trade and trade development issues of the Hormozgan Industry, Mine and Trade Organization, Shata News Agency reported.

He added that the Shuyu Port in the Parsian County at the border crossing of Hormozgan, Bushehr and Fars provinces is the nearest port of Iran to Qatars Al-Ruwais Port located at a distance of 102 nautical miles.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Elnur Baghishov - Trend:

The US intends to tighten sanctions and stop Irans oil exports, Hedayatollah Khademi, a member of the Iranian Parliaments Energy Commission, said in an interview with ILNA.

There are several traditional customers of Iran that freely buy Iranian oil, he said, adding that the US doesnt consider the interests of other countries when tightening sanctions.

The US knows well that Irans oil exports cannot be reduced to zero, he said. However, if countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE increase their oil production and if the countries buying Iranian oil cooperate with them, this will definitely inflict a blow to Iran.

The US aims that Iranian oil customers choose such countries as the UAE and Saudi Arabia as an alternative for oil supplies, he added.

Khademi said Iran should warn its customers not to do so.

The US strives to stop exports of Iranian oil and has imposed sanctions on maritime and ships insurance, he noted.

In case if the ships arent insured and no foreign currency is earned from the sale of oil, it will be a major blow to Iran, Khademi noted.
Tehran, Iran, Nov.16

Trend:

An Iranian official has dismissed the report by Reuters that said the Islamic Republic has agreed with Iraq to trade gas and energy supplies for food.

"Iraqis have suggested to pay for gas in Dinar," ISNA reported quoting Spokesperson for Iranian Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters' Union Hamid Hosseini, as he called the Reuters report a lie.

Reuters published the news quoting two Iraqi officials claiming the agreement between two countries to exchange food items for gas.

"This news is not true and is propaganda. Iraq has announced that its ready to pay for the gas in Dinar," Hosseini said, adding that Iraqi ports aren't capable of supplying food items to Iran.

"Iraq itself is a major food importer from Iran," said Hosseini.

The US has granted Iraq a waiver to import Iranian gas and energy supplies as well as food items but the exemption will last only 45 days.

According to Reuters, the Iraqi official stated that Iraq seeks to extend the deadline where in exchange for gas, Iraq is to "pay food and humanitarian items to Iran".
Tehran, Iran, Nov.17

Trend:

The Governor of the Central Bank of Iran Abdolnaser Hemmati, has promised to facilitate the return of foreign currency revenues from exports, back to the country.

"Its natural that due to unfair sanctions, the return of foreign currency revenues of the exports to the country, faces complication and problems. The CBI will consider the rules and regulations to provide necessary adjustments in this area,", Hemmati's message on his Instagram account said.

"The promise to return the foreign currency revenues back to economy will include a combination of different methods of supplying currency to the Integrated System for Hard Currency Transactions (NIMA) or to insert currency in the form of payment order and banknotes to currency exchange agencies or importing order registrations. Certainly other solutions will be considered as capital outflow is contrary to economic development of the country," he added.

"After discussing the issue with the financial experts in the private sector, the CBI has adopted certain directives to ease the process for the exporters that will lead to return of foreign currency revenues of exports to the country's economy. The estimated revenue in this year will be $47 billion. We expect the cooperation between exporters, the CBI and the government. Our actions, including exporters in these turbulent time, will be judged by the people," he noted.
Father of a Kyrgyz citizen sentenced to death in Iraq appealed to the Ombudsman of Kyrgyzstan Tokon Mamytov, 24.kg reports referring to Kylym Shamy human rights center.

The man asked the Ombudsman to assist in extradition of his daughter. The father claims that the woman is not guilty of anything. Her husband took her to Iraq. She did not know that he was fighting as part of ISIL.

Tokon Mamytov is currently working on this issue. But its too early to talk about some kind of positive resolution, human rights activists said.

Recall, three citizens of Kyrgyzstan with ten young children are in a womens prison and are waiting for a sentence from the Baghdad court.

Women are accused of terrorism and illegal crossing of the state border of Iraq. They were taken to the Middle East by their husbands, who joined the Islamic State terrorist group, and after their death they were left to the mercy of fate.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 18

Trend:

A Video Link Conference was held at the Embassy of Republic of Uzbekistan in Islamabad on Saturday between the Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the members of Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Council (UPBC), Pakistan's Dispatch News Desk agency reported.

More than 50 representatives from the business community of Islamabad and Rawalpindi attended the meeting.

The speakers from both the sides expressed their enthusiasm and keen interest in exploring and exploiting the business opportunities existing in Pakistan and Uzbekistan and also the investment opportunities in the fields of textile, information technology, hospitality/tourism, agriculture and agricultural machinery, raw construction material mainly cement industry, and mutual exchange of students in academic programs.

The Uzbek Ambassador Furqat Sidikov expressed his enthusiasm regarding the development of new firms and companies in Uzbekistan which will help to foster smooth and good trade relations between Uzbekistan and Pakistan via importing/exporting the goods through Afghanistan.

The UPBC Deputy President Khalid Taimur highlighted the major activities/events of the Uzbek-Pakistani Business Council to improve the business environment and development of entrepreneurship in Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

The Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan as well as the Chairman of the UPBC Adkham Ikramov highlighted the activities of the Uzbek-Pakistan Business Council and reforms in Uzbekistan to improve the business environment and the development of entrepreneurship in the republic.

The Head of Department of Export Support Fund for Small Businesses and Private Entrepreneurship under the National Bank of Uzbekistan Shohruh Alikhanov presented on the prospects for the development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and Pakistan.
Tehran, Iran, Nov.17

Trend:

US sanctions will not bring Iran to the negotiating table, said Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, the head of Iran's Planning and Budget Organization.

Iran itself is a wealthy country with a large economy, which can continue its journey even under sanctions. Therefore, US cannot stop Iran's progress, Iranian media quoted him as saying.

"An opinion poll about US sanctions shows that 70 percent of the people believes Iran can pass through these conditions with appropriate planning, and I also believe that the United States cannot bring the Iranians to the negotiating table," said the head of the Plan and Budget Organization, referring to a poll of people about the US sanctions.

The UN's nuclear watchdog said on November 12 that Iran is abiding by the deal reached in 2015 with major powers that aimed at preventing Tehran from building atomic weapons in exchange for economic incentives.
Following the national anthem of the two countries were performed, the presidents reviewed the guard of honor and then introduced the high-ranking delegations to each other, irna.ir reports.



Bilateral talks between Hassan Rouhani and Barham Salih will begin after the official reception ceremony.



Deepening bilateral, regional and international relations as well as enhancing political, economic, commercial and cultural cooperation are among the Iraqi president's goals to visit Tehran.



On October second, Salih won the presidential election and was elected as the third president of Iraq after the fall of deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussain.



This is Salih's fourth regional trip and the first trip to Iran since he assumed office.



He had previously visited Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.



During presidential campaign, Salih specified his position regarding US sanctions on Iran, saying, 'As an Iraqi presidential candidate and an Iraqi citizen, I say Iranians welcomed us with open arms during the jihad against Saddam. There is no doubt, therefore, that we will sympathize with the Iranians and we do not want them to get hurt.'



'Sanctions against Iran will have repercussions for Iraq as well. So why not defending our neighbor?' Sahil added.
SpaceX received approval Friday from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its ambitious constellation of thousands of broadband satellites. The FCC is worried, however, what the dramatic expansion of man-made objects in low orbit will mean for the growing problem of space junk, Sputnik reported.

Earlier this year, the FCC gave SpaceX permission to launch 4,425 low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, and on Friday it signed off on another 7,518. These 11,943 satellites will form the expansive Starlink broadband network, designed to provide worldwide high speed internet access by ensuring that at least one satellite is always above the horizon for anyone on Earth, the Verge noted.

The novelty behind SpaceX's approach comes from its extremely low altitude: whereas present internet satellites orbit at roughly 900 miles above Earth, Starlink will be much closer, which the company says will massively boost signal strength and connection speed to levels comparable with cable and fiber systems. The first batch will orbit at around 700 miles up, but the second, larger batch will be very close to the Earth: only 200 miles above our heads, Ars Technica noted.

"From providing high-speed broadband services in remote areas to offering global connectivity to the Internet of Things through 'routers in space' for data backhaul, I'm excited to see what services these proposed constellations have to offer," FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said Friday. "Our approach to these applications reflects this commission's fundamental approach: encourage the private sector to invest and innovate and allow market forces to deliver value to American consumers."

The FCC gave SpaceX six years to launch half of the Starlink constellation and nine years to get the whole fleet up, or it'll require a waiver. The project is expected to have a total cost of $10 billion to develop.

"SpaceX can resubmit this request in the future, when it will have more information about the progress of the construction and launching of its satellites and will therefore be in a better position to assess the need and justification for a waiver," the FCC wrote.

Right now, SpaceX has only two of those roughly 12,000 satellites in orbit: TinTin A and B, two test satellites it launched in February. The company has dramatically increased its launch capacity this year, with four more scheduled for a total of 22 launches. It's expanded its payloads, too, with a scheduled launch on Monday carrying 71 small probes for various commercial enterprises on a Falcon 9 rocket dubbed the "SmallSat Express," Sputnik reported. With Starlink's satellites expected to be of similar size  between 220 and 1,100 pounds  an ambitious effort could at least put all of them into orbit at its present launch pace.

In addition to SpaceX's massive operation, the FCC approved three other companies with much smaller projects: 140 satellites for Kepler, 117 for Telesat and 78 for LeoSat, meaning that Friday the agency voted to permit the placing of 7,859 more human-made objects into orbit.

When you consider there are only 1,886 operating satellites orbiting Earth right now, and the concerns already raised about space debris with those numbers, the concern about dangers from collisions or rogue objects from increasing that number six times over becomes much more acute.

In addition to functional objects that might collide, there are roughly 500,000 pieces of space junk flying around, many of which are so small "they can't be tracked," according to NASA, the US space agency.

"One of the issues that we have with the space junk problem," Alice Gorman, an internationally recognized leader in the field of space archaeology and senior lecturer at Flinders University, told Sputnik earlier this year, is that "we don't know precisely where a lot of objects are."

"When you try to model these millions of bits of stuff circling around the Earth in order to make space safer for functioning satellites, it's just so complex; it's a really difficult task," she explained.

In April, a prototype satellite dubbed RemoveDEBRIS was launched into orbit by the European Commission and a number of private partners to test a space trash removal effort that involves capturing debris with a harpoon and net, Sputnik reported.

As a result of the space junk issue, the FCC asked SpaceX to submit debris mitigation plans.

"[W]hile we appreciate the level of detail and analysis that SpaceX has provided for its orbital-debris mitigation and end-of-life disposal plans, we conclude that the unprecedented number of satellites proposed by SpaceX and the other NGSO FSS [fixed-satellite service] systems in this processing round will necessitate a further assessment of the appropriate reliability standards of these spacecraft, as well as the reliability of these systems' methods for deorbiting the spacecraft," the FCC said. "Accordingly, we condition grant of the application on SpaceX presenting and the Commission granting a modification of this space station grant to include a final orbital debris mitigation plan."

Starlink's novelty has inspired the Pentagon, too, which seeks to pioneer a generation of cheap, disposable, lightweight satellites through its Blackjack program, spearheaded by the Defense Department's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Sputnik reported.

In May, DARPA announced a $117.5 million project to adapt Starlink's technology for spy and navigation satellites to replace the US military's aging fleet of giant and expensive satellites, which it fears are vulnerable to interception or interruption by hostile powers such as Russia and China in the event of conflict. Project developer Paul Thomas told Space.com that if all goes well, the US could have a 90-satellite constellation in operation at a 620-mile altitude by 2022. Geostationary satellites presently orbit at a distant 22,000 miles away.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison will use his first meeting with Xi Jinping to draw a line under recent tensions with China, analysts said, as Canberra straddles the fence in the growing rivalry between Washington and Beijing, South China Morning Post reports.

Morrison will rub shoulders with the Chinese president at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Papua New Guinea this weekend as relations warm between the sides after one of the rockiest years for ties in recent memory. It seems to me that both Beijing and Canberra are very keen to see an end to the freeze weve seen  a reset, you might call it, said Hugh White, a defence and intelligence analyst at the Australian National University (ANU). Morrison cant repudiate what was done, but he has I think toned down the rhetoric far enough and been careful enough in his comments.

Relations soured dramatically after former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull called out China by name while introducing new anti-foreign interference laws last year, thrusting into the open long-simmering concerns about Beijings growing influence across the region.

Since replacing Turnbull after a leadership coup in August, Morrison, who leads the centre-right Liberal Party, has softened the rhetoric while embarking on a flurry of diplomatic activity to mend fences with Beijing.

I think its important to note that differences on policy havent really been the problem, said James Laurenceson, deputy director of the Australia-China Relations Institute in Sydney. The biggest part of the problem for Australia-China relations over the last 18 months has been the rhetoric.

Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Trade Minister Simon Birmingham visited China days apart in their first trips to the country as part of Morrisons administration. Paynes meeting with her counterpart Wang Yi was the first by an Australian foreign minister on Chinese soil in almost three years, in what The Australian newspaper dubbed a great leap forward for relations.

In his first big foreign policy speech on November 1, Morrison emphasised Australias vitally important relationship with China even as he stressed the importance of a strong US presence in the Asia-Pacific. On November 12, he said Australia did not want to choose between Beijing and Washington, its biggest trade partner and principal defence ally, respectively, but would enhance relations with both. The more stable the region is, the more prosperous the region is, Morrison, who previously served as treasurer, told the Australian Financial Review.

He talks about prosperity as being the No 1 priority, even ahead of security, said Euan Graham, a senior fellow at the Sydney-based Lowy Institute. Thats an interesting nuance because its characteristically the first responsibility of any state to deliver security.

Laurenceson said Morrison appeared to be signalling a return to the pragmatism of past Australian governments when it came to dealing with China.

He said he would return to former prime minister John Howards approach to dealing with China, which is a very pragmatic one, he said. We work with them when we can, we work with them in areas where we have common interests, and well set aside the differences.

Against the backdrop of rising Chinese influence in its backyard, Australia has in recent years hewed closely to the US line on issues such as the South China Sea, while at the same time maintaining some distance from its ally. Although Canberra officially supports the right of navigation in the sea, it has not joined the US in conducting freedom of navigation patrols through the disputed waters.

Australias basic strategy for the last couple of decades has been to walk both sides of the street, said White from the ANU. That is, weve been trying to assure America that we are willing to support them as they resist Chinas challenge to the US role in Asia, and weve been trying to [convince] the Chinese we dont.

Morrison has notably not emulated the Trump administrations increasingly combative rhetoric toward Beijing, typified by Vice-President Mike Pences recent anti-China speech that drew comparisons to the barbs traded between Washington and Moscow during the cold war. In his recent foreign policy speech, Morrison went as far as to warn of the risk of China-US ties being defined by confrontation.

Thats a new message, thats a pretty significant message, White said, adding that this led to the freeze being relaxed with the first visit by Trade Minister Birmingham and then Foreign Minister Payne some weeks back.

Hes gone out of his way to make it clear that he values the relationship with China and hes not prepared to line Australia up in an anti-China coalition and thats exactly what Beijing wants to hear.

Even where clear points of contention with Beijing exist, Morrison has indicated a preference for quiet diplomacy over public confrontation. Asked whether he would challenge Xi on the mass detention of Uygurs in Xinjiang, which has ensnared at least three Australian citizens, Morrison said he would discuss human rights concerns but not engage in showboating.

At the same time, Morrison has given little reason to suggest a major shift in policy towards China. Australias effort to counter investment by Beijing in tiny island nations like Tonga and Vanuatu still stands  last week, the prime minister announced A$2 billion (US$1.45 billion) in new grants and loans for Pacific nations.

Under Turnbull, Canberra openly voiced disquiet about China potentially undermining the sovereignty of developing nations residing within Australias traditional sphere of influence by providing them with unsustainable loans. In a sign of tensions lurking beneath the surface, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang on Tuesday called on Australia to abandon a cold war mentality when it came to the Pacific islands. In Chinas state-owned Global Times on the same day, Yu Lei, a research fellow at the Research Centre for Pacific Island Countries, questioned whether Australia was serious about the healthy and lasting development of positive relations.

The South Pacific will loom larger than any other geographical backdrop to the meeting and Australia is fighting to regain and retain its influence, especially when Xi Jinping is rumoured still to be planning a second set of summits with South Pacific leaders while hes there, said the Lowy Institutes Graham.

So even as ties between Canberra and Beijing look to return to an even keel, questions remain about the long-term sustainability of Australias balancing act between superpowers.

When I look at the US, I see a country that is struggling to adjust to the rise of another major power, and it wouldnt surprise me at all if we get some pressure, said Laurenceson from the Australia-China Relations Institute, referring to the likelihood of future demands by Washington for Canberra to choose a side.

We do think the US presence in Asia is very important to our security, and as long as that fundamental division [exists] between Chinas basic strategic objectives and Australias, then theres always going to be, if you like, a problem there, said the ANUs White. No one wants to back a loser in this race.
A human rights organisation has accused the Hungarian government of breaking the countrys strict immigration laws by helping a fugitive former Macedonian prime minister to claim asylum, telegraph.co.uk reports.

Nikola Gruevski, who served for 10 years as prime minister, should have turned himself in to the Macedonian authorities on November 8 to begin a two-year jail sentence for corruption, but instead went on the run.

He surfaced in Budapest earlier this week despite having no passport, and claimed asylum, saying that he had received death threats at home.

Gruevski enjoyed a strong relationship with Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, when in office, and his arrival may have flouted tough anti-illegal immigration laws introduced by the Orban government.

Andras Lederer, advocacy officer on the refugee programme at the Helsinki Committee, a Budapest-based organisation that handles asylum cases, said that Gruevski has no legal grounds for an asylum claim under these same laws.

The law has been broken, I cant see any other explanation for what is happening here, he told The Telegraph.

The law is very clear. If you enter the country without a valid travel document or visa, you cant apply for asylum, and you are pushed back [across the border].

If he has no valid passport then there is no way he could have got into the country legally, he added.

The police should take him down to the Hungarian-Serbian border and send him back into Serbia. This is what happens to everyone else who is not an ex-prime minister.

Exactly how he got to Budapest remains something of mystery.

Korrieri, an Albanian newspaper, printed a picture of Gruevski apparently at the wheel of a Hungarian diplomatic car at the Albanian-Montenegrin border, but where he went after that, and how he got into Hungary has yet to be revealed.

The Hungarian government has said denied assisting the convict leave his home country.

The government has also stated that Gruevskis asylum case will be dealt with in accordance to Hungarian and international law.

It also said that given the death threats made against him, Gruevski will be allowed to submit his asylum request in Budapest rather than in a border transit zone.
Austrias foreign minister, who is boycotted by Israel due to her affiliation with the far-right Freedom Party, on Thursday vowed to fight against anti-Zionism and to stand up for the Jewish state in international forums, timesofisrael.com reports.

Israelis are somewhat justified in feeling that the European Union treats their state unfairly, Karin Kneissl said, pledging to change that.

I know that many Israelis feel that  while there exist strong bilateral ties with a number of European countries  the relationship with the EU on a whole never quite lives up to its full potential, she told The Times of Israel in an exclusive interview. And there is something to that.

Austria, which is currently holding the EU presidency, is actively working toward that goal, she asserted.

Israels neighbors are not Switzerland and Liechtenstein, it would do Europe good to remember this sometimes.

She also spoke about the need to confront both anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism and expressed satisfaction over proposed legislation that would grant descendants of Austrian Holocaust survivors Austrian citizenship.

So far, Kneissls overture has not been reciprocated by the Israeli government, but that may change soon.

Since she was nominated for the foreign minister position by the Freedom Party, known by its German acronym FPOe, Israeli officials currently refuse any contacts with Kneissl (a lone lawmaker, Likuds Yehuda Glick, openly embraces her, as he believes Israel should cooperate with the FPOe).

But the government of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz continues to urge Israel to lift the boycott, if not of the FPOe than at least of Kneissl, who is not formally a member of the party. Several officials in Vienna and Jerusalem have told The Times of Israel this week that, while Israel is not planning to engage with FPOe members, it may consider establishing contacts with Kneissl in the near future.

Kneissl, who wrote her doctoral thesis in international law about the concept of borders in the Middle East, declined to comment on this hypothetical question, but indicated that she was keen on interacting with Israeli diplomats.

The Vienna-born foreign minister, who lived in Israel for two years, defended the FPOe against accusations of anti-Semitism and xenophobia by Israeli officials and Austrias Jewish community.

FPOe head, Vice Chancellor and Interior Minister Heinz-Christian Strache, has repeatedly emphasized that there is no space for anti-Semitism in his party.

I am absolutely convinced that neither he nor any other member of this government is anti-Semitic or tolerates anti-Semitism, she added. In fact, Mr. Strache takes a keen interest in Israel, its history and culture.

The government in Vienna  a coalition of FPOe and Kurzs center-right Peoples Party  has clearly stated its support for Israel and Austrias Jewish community and vowed to fight anti-Semitism, she said.

I am confident that over time, even those who still have their doubts will come to appreciate that these are not only empty words.

The controversial academic-turned diplomat also said she was looking forward to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus planned visit to Vienna next week, calling it a strong confirmation of our profound bilateral bonds.

Later on Thursday, however, Netanyahu cancelled the visit due to the current political crisis in Israel. It would have been the first trip to Austria of an Israeli prime minister since 1997.
Five people, including four children, have been confirmed dead following an early Friday fire incident in Nigeria's northwestern state of Kebbi, a local official said, Xinhua reported.

A mother and her three children, as well as another child in the bungalow, were killed in the blaze, according to local authorities.

Sani Dododo, head of the State Emergency Management Agency, told reporters that the fire was thought to be ignited by an electric heater.

Dododo said state authorities had launched an investigation to further determine the cause of the fire outbreak.
Ten people have been injured in the Mexican state of Sonora as a bus carrying migrants from Honduras collided on Friday with a police car, which was accompanying the caravan of migrants bound for the United States, Sputnik reported citing local media.

According to the Excelsior newspaper, the bus rolled over as a result of the collision. Eight Hondurans and two policemen sustained injuries.

Those injured were taken to hospital. The rest of the migrants were later transported to the town of Sonoyta, where there were given food and necessary assistance.

Recently, some 40 buses with migrants have entered the state of Sonora, and are on their way to the border city of Tijuana, where some 2,000 migrants have already gathered in the hope of crossing into the United States.

The caravan set out from Honduras in the direction of Mexico and the United States on October 13 hoping to obtain asylum. According to UN estimates, the caravan includes more than 7,000 migrants. However, Mexican authorities have said that the caravan marching through its territory included around 3,600 migrants.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has invited companies from the Asia-Pacific region unfamiliar with projects of the Russian Far East to participate in the Eastern Economic Forum in 2019, TASS reports.

"Many companies from the Asian-Pacific countries are using those unique opportunities (created for businessmen in the Far East) today. I would gladly invite those who have not yet seen it for themselves to jointly work at the platform of the Eastern Economic Forum that will be held in Vladivostok," he said at the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Port Moresby.

Medvedev described the projects that are planned to be implemented in the Far East, noting that "the scope of the work is immense." "We have tried to create the most comfortable environment for the business activity that can be compared with all best analogues in the world.".
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkey demands the US to stop supporting the PYD/YPG terrorist groups in northern Syria, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said, commenting on photos of the US military consultants with terrorists, Turkish media reported Nov. 17.

Akar said that the US promised not to support the PYD/YPG terrorists, but the photos once again prove the close ties between the US and the PYD/YPG terrorists.

Despite that the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group has been mainly eliminated in Syria, the US still considers the PYD/YPG its allies, he noted.

Earlier, press-secretary of the Turkish president Ibrahim Kalin also urged the US to stop supporting the PYD/YPG terrorist groups.

Support for the PYD/YPG is tantamount to directly or indirectly aiding the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) terrorist group, Kalin said.

He noted that Washingtons position on the PYD/YPG is manifestation of double standards in the fight against terrorism.

Turkey doesnt accept the separation of terrorist groups into good and bad ones, Kalin said.

Our fundamental expectation from the US, which is our NATO ally, a country that we regard as a strategic partner, is that they completely stop cooperation with the PYD/YPG (Syrian wings of the PKK terrorist group), he said.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
The United States will join Pacific ally Australia to build a naval base on Papua New Guineas Manus Island, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said, amid a push by regional powers to lock in alliances and secure access to key infrastructure, Reuters reports.

The plan, which comes on the heels of Chinas emergence as a possible developer of the deep-water site, was unveiled on Saturday at a Asia-Pacific forum hosted by Papua New Guinea (PNG) where world leaders voiced competing visions on how trade should be conducted in the region.

Analysts say a Chinese presence on Manus Island could impact the Wests ability to navigate the Pacific while offering Beijing close access to U.S. bases in Guam.

Manus Island was a major U.S. naval base during the Second World War, playing a key role in Washingtons Pacific strategy. Recently, it has hosted one of Australias two controversial offshore immigration detention centres.

Pence said the United States would partner with Australia and PNG on the Manus Island port project.

We will work with these nations to protect the sovereignty and maritime rights of Pacific islands as well, Pence said.

And you can be confident, the U.S. will continue to uphold the freedom of the seas and the skies.

Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, has for decades enjoyed largely unrivalled influence in the Pacific until China recently turned its attention to the region.

The United States has had a long-running dispute with China over maritime routes in the South China Sea. That has extended to the Pacific over concerns Beijing may use its increased influence, backed by its emerging status as a major bilateral lender to island economies, to secure access to infrastructure that could be used for military purposes, including deep-water ports and wharfs.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on November 1 that his country would fund development of the base on Manus Island with the support of the PNG government.

But neither party has sought support from local residents, Manus Island Governor Charlie Benjamin has said. Communities in sprawling, resources-rich PNG have at times opposed decisions made by the central government.

Manus Island is PNGs smallest province with a population of about 50,000 people.

Australian and PNG government representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

PNGs navy is made up largely of patrol boats, mostly donated by Australia, and landing craft.

Morrison has previously said that Australias navy would make visits to the new base on Manus Island.
The Trump administration on Friday voted for the first time against a United Nations resolution that condemned Israels occupation of the Golan Heights, haaretz.com reports.

While the resolution passed easily through the UN General Assembly, with 151 yes votes and only 2 no votes, the American position represented a policy shift that could also have implications for the future. The U.S. has previously abstained from voting on the move.

The only other country other than the U.S. who voted against the resolution was Israel itself. Israel has been lobbying the Trump administration and Congress to recognize its sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which were captured from Syria in the 1967 Six Day War. So far the administration has stated it is not considering such a move, but the UN vote on Friday could hint at a change on that front.

The administration stated that it is voting against the resolution because it is extremely biased against Israel and did not provide a position on the sovereignty issue in its statement.

The Israeli government thanked the Trump administration and specifically the U.S. ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, for the vote.

In a press release announcing that the U.S. would vote no, Haley said that the U.S. "will no longer abstain when the United Nations engages in its useless annual vote on the Golan Heights."

The resolution is "biased against Israel" and in light of tensions on the Syrian border, there is no justification for supporting the move, the statement said.

The Syrian regime's "atrocities prove its lack of fitness to govern anyone," the statement read, adding that the Iranian presence inside Syria presents "major threats to international security" and that "ISIS and other terrorist groups remain in Syria."

"This resolution does nothing to bring any parties closer to a peace agreement. The United States will vote no," the statement said.

Following the announcement, Israel's ambassador to the UN Danny Danon thanked Haley for her decision to vote "no on a despicable resolution."

"It is time the world distinguishes those who stabilize the region from those who sow terror," he wrote on Twitter.

Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan also responded. "The Golan is part of Israel and it will always be. There is no sane person who thinks that the Golan will return to the murderer Assad and the Iranian regime, which is trying to establish a 'Syrian Hezbollah' in the region," he tweeted.

Chairman of the Yesh Atid party, Yair Lapid, thanked Haley and reiterated that the Golan Heights is part of Israel. "It's time for the rest of the world to recognize that reality too," he tweeted.

In a separate tweet in Hebrew, Lapid praised the decision as "another step in the right direction."

In October, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the Golan Heights remains under Israeli sovereignty otherwise "Iran and Hezbollah will sit on the shores of the Sea of Galilee."

"Israel in the Golan Heights is a guarantee for stability in the surrounding area," Netanyahu said in a speech in the Golan Heights. The event took place against the backdrop of the arrival of Russia's S-300 missiles to Syria.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he had not yet been briefed on the CIAs conclusions regarding the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but that he would speak with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the CIA about the issue later on Saturday, Reuters reports.

The CIA believes Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the countrys de-facto ruler, ordered Khashoggis killing, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday.

But Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House before flying to California, also reiterated that he had been told the crown prince had not played a role in the journalists death.

We havent been briefed yet, Trump said. We will be talking with the CIA later and lots of others. Ill be doing that while Im on the plane. Ill be speaking also with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince, was killed in October at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul when he went there to pick up documents he needed for his planned marriage.

Trump and top administration officials have said Saudi Arabia should be held to account for any involvement in Khashoggis death and have imposed sanctions on 17 Saudis for their role in the killing.

But they have also stressed the importance of Washingtons ties with Riyadh, even while U.S. lawmakers have called on the administration to punish Saudi Arabia over the murder.
The CIA believes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, complicating President Donald Trumps efforts to preserve ties with a key U.S. ally, Reuters reports.

The sources said the CIA had briefed other parts of the U.S. government, including Congress, on its assessment, which contradicts Saudi government assertions that Prince Mohammed was not involved.

The CIAs finding, first reported by the Washington Post, is the most definitive U.S. assessment to date tying Saudi Arabias de facto ruler directly to the killing.

The Saudi Embassy in Washington rejected the CIA assessment.

The claims in this purported assessment is false, a spokeswoman for the embassy said in a statement. We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, on a visit to Papua New Guinea, told reporters traveling with him that he could not comment on classified information.

The murder of Jamal Khashoggi was an atrocity. It was also an affront to a free and independent press and the United States is determined to hold all of those accountable who are responsible for that murder, he said, but added that Washington wanted to preserve its relationship with Saudi Arabia.

The State Department declined to comment.

Trump and top officials of his administration have said Saudi Arabia must be held to account for any involvement in Khashoggis death, but they have also stressed the importance of the alliance.

U.S. officials have said Saudi Arabia, a major oil supplier, plays an important part in countering what they see as Irans malign role in the region, and Trump has repeatedly said he does not want to imperil U.S. arms sales to the kingdom.

While the Trump administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on 17 Saudis for their role in Khashoggis killing, many lawmakers think the United States should take a tougher stance, and the CIAs findings are likely to embolden that view.

Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government and a columnist for the Washington Post, was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 when he went there to pick up documents he needed for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman.

Khashoggi had resisted pressure from Riyadh for him to return home. Saudi officials have said a team of 15 Saudi nationals were sent to confront Khashoggi at the consulate and that he was accidentally killed in a chokehold by men who were trying to force him to return to the kingdom.
KYODO NEWS - Nov 17, 2018 - 09:17 | All

Toyota Motor Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. said Friday they have started building a new $1.6 billion car plant in Huntsville, Alabama with an eye on starting operations in 2021 and creating up to 4,000 jobs.

The new factory will have the capacity to produce 300,000 vehicles per year, with Toyota planning to manufacture Corolla cars and Mazda aiming to launch a new crossover model for the North American market.

The plant marks Mazda's return to American manufacturing operations after pulling out in August 2012. It currently has a manufacturing plant in Mexico.

In August last year, the two carmakers announced they will form a capital tie-up to step up cooperation in areas including electric vehicle development, while also unveiling a plan to invest some $1.6 billion to build a new U.S. plant.

Alabama is the fifth largest producer of cars and light trucks in the United States. With more than 150 automotive suppliers as well as carmakers, there are approximately 57,000 auto manufacturing jobs in the state.

As part of Friday's groundbreaking, the Toyota-Mazda alliance donated $750,000 to support programs that will encourage and motivate local students to pursue a career in the advanced manufacturing field.

(U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama) [Getty/Kyodo]
KYODO NEWS - Nov 17, 2018 - 09:10 | All, World

Leaders from the East Asia Summit group of countries indicated they are concerned about the Rohingya refugee crisis in a statement released Friday on their meeting in Singapore.

The leaders from the 18 countries said in the statement that they "discussed the humanitarian situation in Rakhine State, which is a matter of concern."

[Pool photo]

Noting that Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed to repatriate the first batch of verified refugees to Myanmar in the near future, it said the EAS countries are willing to support Myanmar in the process of bringing back the "displaced persons," referring to the Rohingya Muslims.

"We stand ready to support the repatriation process, and noted Myanmar's commitment to ensuring safety and security for all communities in Rakhine State as effectively as possible to facilitate the voluntary return of displaced persons to Myanmar in a safe, secure and dignified way," it said.

It added that the leaders "expect the Independent Commission of Enquiry established by the Government of Myanmar to seek accountability by carrying out an independent and impartial investigation of the alleged human rights violations and related issues."

The EAS encompasses the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus the United States, Russia, Japan, China, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

The EAS statement echoed the phrasing of a chairman's statement issued on the ASEAN leaders' own meeting earlier in the week.

ASEAN's statement also used the word "concern," marking the strongest language ASEAN leaders have used regarding the Rohingya crisis since it erupted in August 2017 and apparently defying their past policy of non-interference in the domestic affairs of member states.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who attended the summit meetings during the week, was severely criticized by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

(Rohingya refugees gather to shout slogans at a refugee camp in Teknaf) [Getty/Kyodo]

The EAS chairman's statement also said that the leaders see the need for regional action to tackle marine debris pollution in the region.

They "recognized that marine debris pollution is a global concern and that cooperation in this area among EAS participating countries is instrumental to address the transboundary nature of this issue."

They also "highlighted the importance of regional action and innovative solutions to prevent and reduce marine plastic debris in the region."

The EAS statement also said that the leaders "expressed support for further strengthening maritime cooperation among EAS participating countries."

After comparing notes on the issue of security in the contested waters of the South China Sea, the leaders "took note of some concerns on the land reclamations and activities in the area, which have eroded trust and confidence," it said.

The leaders also discussed the progress of negotiations between China and ASEAN for a code of conduct on the South China Sea. The statement said some leaders "underscored the importance for the COC to be consistent with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea."

On the issue of security on the Korean Peninsula, they urged North Korea "to fulfil its stated commitment to complete denuclearization and its pledge to refrain from further nuclear and missile tests."

They also said they "are committed to international efforts to bring about the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula which will contribute to peace and stability in the region."
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Maldives' capital Male on Saturday to be present at the swearing in ceremony of countrys new President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Prime Minister is the highest ranking leader attending the ceremony. He will be accompanied by a high level delegation including National security adviser and foreign secretary. PM will also have bilateral talks with Solih after the swearing in ceremony. He will return to New Delhi late evening.

This is the first visit of PM Modi to Maldives and marks the beginning of a new chapter in Indo- Maldives ties.

The ties between the two nations were strained during the rule of outgoing President Abdulla Yameen and this will be the first high level visit in last three years. The visit is likely to give a new momentum to bilateral ties under the new government and Solih is expected to visit India in near future.

The smooth transfer of power will mark the re-establishment of democracy in Maldives as well as a most important diplomatic boost for India.An understanding may be reached during PM Modis visit to advance the existing Indian projects and bring new investments in the nation.

The outgoing government had postponed a number of Indian projects, including a training academy for the Maldivian police and setting up of a coastal radar surveillance system. Indo-Maldivian defence partnership is expected to be lengthened to cover various areas in the maritime sector.
Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatts next film Brahmastra is being directed by Ayan Mukherji. This movie is a talk of the town since its beginning. One of the major reasons that are keeping the film in the b-town headlines is because the real-life couple Ranbir and Alia will be seen sharing the big screen space for the very first time.

The makers of Brahmastra have started with the next schedule shooting for their upcoming film. Post shooting in Bulgaria, the cast and crew started shooting in Mumbai this week and at last, few pictures of the lead stars from the sets of Brahmastra have leaked to social media.

As earlier Reports revealed that the actors were shooting for high-octane action sequences and now, some new pictures have been made the way on social media. These pictures shared by fan clubs. In pics Ranbir Kapoor is seen browsing something in his phone while Alia Bhatt, sitting beside him on the chair looks quite disappoint. From the picture it seems to be more like Alia had a clash or is sadden with Ranbir for some cause.

The movie also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Dimple Kapadia, Mouni Roy and Nagarjuna in key roles. Brahmastra was to release on Independence Day next year but Karan Johar recently announced that it has been delayed to Christmas next year and tweeted, PART 1!!!! #BRAHMASTRA #CHRISTMAS2019 @DharmaMovies written and directed by AYAN MUKERJI. Now The film will be clashing with Salman Khans Kick 2.
The Cau Do water plant pours fresh water into its system before supplying water to residents in Da Nang. The city had lacked clean water due to rising level of salinity in the Cau Do River.  VNA/VNS Photo Lan Anh


SEATTLE -- Nov. 16, 2018 -- A majority of the HIV-infected cells that persist in HIV-infected individuals even during suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) originated from cellular proliferation, not viral replication, according to new research published in Nature Communications.

Reducing the population size of this "reservoir" of infected cells represents the largest challenge for cure of HIV. Based on these results, study authors believe reducing cellular proliferation could help to deplete the reservoir and potentially lead to a functional cure.

Led by Drs. Dan Reeves and Josh Schiffer in the Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the research team combined mathematical models and immunological insight to understand how the genetic signature of HIV-infected cells could explain their origin.

"Our approach was inspired by ecology," said Dr. Reeves, the study's first author and research associate in the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division at Fred Hutch. "We adapted tools to characterize the reservoir of HIV-infected cells more realistically, inferring the mechanism of generation from the proportions of unique and identical genetic signatures."

When HIV infects a healthy cell, it inserts its own DNA into the human chromosome, leaving behind a unique genetic signature. If the virus replicating itself were the cause of latent HIV reservoirs, the study authors suggest, this genetic signature would contain unique integration sites and different mutations in the DNA of infected cells.

In fact, they found a majority of genetic signatures were identical, indicating that persistence within HIV reservoirs is the product of normal CD4+ T-cell mitosis. Both to maintain a stable population of cells and in response to foreign antigens, CD4+ T cells routinely undergo proliferation every few months. HIV DNA is copied into daughter cells along with human DNA each time this normal process occurs.

ART has been an effective tool in helping HIV-positive individuals live healthy lives since the late 1990s. HIV researchers have since been working to understand why reservoirs of HIV-infected immune cells remain at low levels during ART treatment, and how to identify and purge infected cells. The study authors believe that reducing proliferation of specific immune cells, CD4+ T cells, could greatly deplete HIV reservoirs and potentially lead to a functional HIV cure. Possible approaches for depleting the infected cells might be gene editing, cellular immunotherapy or latency reversing agents.

Dr. Schiffer, senior author of the study and Associate Member in the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division at Fred Hutch commented, "We see parallels in achieving functional cures in both HIV and cancer; for example, the difficulties of remission and relapse, and how combination therapies could be successful in bringing either disease to undetectable levels in the body."

Schiffer and colleagues are conducting a clinical trial to test whether the lymphocyte anti-proliferative drug mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) could be effective at stopping the proliferation of HIV-infected immune cells in people undergoing ART. MMF is already licensed for use in preventing graft-vs.-host disease following stem cell transplant and reducing the risk of rejection after organ transplant. Schiffer refers to this approach of adjusting the rate of division as a "compound interest cure," which, if successful, could significantly deplete or eliminate latent HIV reservoirs.

###

The study used state-of-the-art sequence data from leading groups at the University of Washington/Fred Hutch, University of Sydney and Johns Hopkins University. All other data supporting the findings of the study are available within the study, which is available through a creative commons agreement.

Dr. Reeves is supported by a Washington Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship. This work was also supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health, Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis Virology Research and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council. Study authors report no conflicts of interest.

Media Contact:

Claire Hudson

O: 206.667.7365

Email: crhudson@fredhutch.org

At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, home to three Nobel laureates, interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists seek new and innovative ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. Fred Hutch's pioneering work in bone marrow transplantation led to the development of immunotherapy, which harnesses the power of the immune system to treat cancer. An independent, nonprofit research institute based in Seattle, Fred Hutch houses the nation's first cancer prevention research program, as well as the clinical coordinating center of the Women's Health Initiative and the international headquarters of the HIV Vaccine Trials Network.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana University Philanthropic Venture Fund, which provides capital to faculty, students, alumni and staff at all IU campuses to help them further develop their research and innovations into startup companies, has invested in Vascugen Inc., a regenerative medicine company.

Vascugen is focused on finding therapies to repair human tissue damaged by reduced blood flow due to disease or injury. The company has received additional investment from other Indiana-based investors, including Indianapolis entrepreneur Dr. Donald Brown. Brown founded Interactive Intelligence, which he sold in 2016 for $1.4 billion, and LifeOmic, a precision medicine company.

Vascugen CEO Carter Cliff said the Philanthropic Venture Fund's investment enables the company to refine and scale processes to produce a clinical-grade product.

"It also helps us support our pharmaceutical partnerships and further develop our intellectual property estate, including technology recently licensed from the IU Innovation and Commercialization Office," Cliff said.

Teri Willey, IU Research and Technology Corp. managing director and fund manager, said Vascugen was selected for the investment for several reasons.

"Vascugen is developing regenerative medicines based on technology developed at Indiana University," Willey said. "The company has assembled a world-class team to advance a pipeline of new therapeutics with the potential to address multiple unmet medical needs that afflict patients in Indiana and globally."

The IU Philanthropic Venture Fund was originally envisioned in the Bicentennial Strategic Plan as part of the university's continuing efforts to contribute to the economic vitality of Indiana. It is initially capitalized at $15 million but has the potential to reach $50 million or more, and it will be funded in large part with designated, tax-deductible gifts to the university.

Funding is put to work through equity investments primarily at early stages of company development. To qualify for investment, companies must commercialize IU intellectual property or be led by an IU alumnus plus exhibit clear commercial potential, and have the ability to attract follow-on funding and experienced management.

###

About the Indiana University Philanthropic Venture Fund

The IU Philanthropic Venture Fund is an Indiana University-affiliated fund launched in 2018 through the vision and generosity of IU alumni and friends supporting IU discoveries best developed through a new venture. The fund is managed by IU Research and Technology Corp. personnel who work with the IU Innovation and Commercialization Office; alumni, faculty and staff and the venture and economic development communities to identify and develop IU opportunities for investment.

About Vascugen Inc.

Vascugen is a regenerative medicine company engaged in the development of advanced therapies to treat incurable conditions caused by loss or degeneration of blood vessels. The company has exclusive, worldwide rights to a broad patent portfolio for its platform technology that enables the functional restoration of blood vessels in any organ or tissue, as well as rights covering related products and services for research, diagnostics, therapeutics, tissue engineering, organoid and 3D bio-printing applications. Driven by innovation and a team of scientific and clinical thought leaders, Vascugen was founded by Dr. Mervin C. Yoder, a pioneer and noted expert in the field of vascular stem cell biology.
Through Jan. 23, 2022

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield Downtown

Special Music Events

Open during normal museum hours. From Muddy Waters to REO Speedwagon, Cheap Trick to Earth Wind and Fire and Chance the Rapper, the Land of Lincoln has produced some of the most highly celebrated music in rock history. Musicians, legendary radio stations, and musical gear have shaped the sonic history of Illinois and the world.This exhibit will showcase the achievements and contributions of Illinois finest in music. Written by award-winning author, documentary-producer and former Chicago Sun-Times Columnist and Critic, Dave Hoekstra.And you just might see an Illinois musician performing or being interviewed by a visiting radio personality or podcasterState 217-558-8844
(Adds Lagunas Norte sale process, background)

By Susan Taylor and Zandi Shabalala

TORONTO/LONDON, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Barrick Gold Corp , soon to become the world's largest bullion miner, is interested in adding more copper assets as long as the red metal is accompanied by bullion, executives said on Friday.

Barrick, which expects to complete its $6.1 billion takeover of Randgold Resources Jan. 1, outlined plans for exploration, expansion, streamlining and asset sales at an investor presentation in London.

Structured under regions in North America, South America and Africa and the Middle East, Barrick spent the last four days focusing on where to take the merged company, said Randgold Chief Executive Officer Mark Bristow, who will be Barrick's new CEO.

Barrick is open to copper assets "as long as that copper is a component or co-product to the gold," said Rod Quick, who heads Randgold's projects and evaluation and will do the same in the merged company. "Or, unless that copper project will enhance our strategic partner network."

In Africa, Barrick is open to exploiting its "substantial footprint" in the Democratic Republic of Congo to acquire world-class deposits, said Willem Jacobs, who heads Randgold's operations in central and east Africa and becomes Chief Operating Officer of Barrick's Africa and Middle East region.

In Zambia, Barrick aims to lower costs at its "relatively low-grade" Lumwana copper mine, he added, noting the country's new mining code stands to materially affect margins.

Barrick said it is keen on exploration outside its operating base, flagging South America's Guyana Shield, which crosses Suriname, Guyana and French Guyana. It also wants more exposure in Canada.

Rob Krcmarov, executive vice president of exploration, said Barrick is interested in "copper opportunities" within its operating regions that meet investment criteria.

To approve projects with potential for more than 5 million ounces of gold, Barrick will require a 15-percent rate of return, based on a $1,000 gold price, said Quick. Projects with more than 3 million ounces of gold, need a 20-percent return.

Barrick expects stronger operating cash flows, non-core asset sales and lower overhead and interest costs will help it increase future dividends, said Randgold Chief Financial Officer Graham Shuttleworth, who takes the same role at Barrick.

Talks are underway to sell Barrick's Lagunas Norte mine, said Mark Hill, COO of Latin America. Barrick said in August the Peru mine was an example of the non-core mines it would look at selling. Reuters reported last year that Barrick was exploring options, including the sale of all or part of, Lagunas Norte. (Reporting by Susan Taylor in Toronto and Zandi Shabalala in London Editing by Richard Chang and Grant McCool)
FILE PHOTO - The logo of Bombardier is seen during the Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition fair (LABACE) at Congonhas Airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil August 14, 2018. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker

(Reuters) - The Canadian province of Quebec's securities watchdog said on Thursday it asked Bombardier Inc (BBDb.TO) to halt stock trades under a plan set up to facilitate share sales by certain senior executives at the company.

The Autorite des marches financiers (AMF) said in a statement released after markets closed that it is "reviewing" transactions and "various announcements" related to Bombardier's creation of an Automatic Securities Disposition Plan on Aug. 15.

Automatic Securities Disposition Plans allow executives with insider knowledge to sell their stock based on pre-arranged instructions provided when they are not in possession of any material undisclosed information. Bombardier's plan allowed for certain executives to sell their stock as part of their overall performance-based compensation. (https://bit.ly/2TdkbeG)

The plane- and train-maker's stock dropped 5 percent in Toronto trading on Thursday before the AMF's statement, closing at C$2.09 a share.

Bombardier's stock plunged after the company reported a disappointing free cash flow forecast on Nov. 8, sending its shares down more than 23 percent on that day.

The AMF would not specify on Thursday why it was taking these steps related to the plan. It asked the company to suspend all sales of securities under the plan until further notice and to notify the executing brokers.

Montreal-based Bombardier said in a statement that it intends to "fully cooperate with the AMF in its review," and will "suspend all sales of securities" related to the plan "until further notice."

(Reporting by Laharee Chatterjee in Bengaluru and Allison Lampert in Montreal; Editing by Dan Grebler)
(Adds Vice President Pence's comment, paragraphs 6 and 7)

By Mark Hosenball

WASHINGTON, Nov 16 (Reuters) - The CIA believes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, complicating President Donald Trump's efforts to preserve ties with a key U.S. ally.

The sources said the CIA had briefed other parts of the U.S. government, including Congress, on its assessment, which contradicts Saudi government assertions that Prince Mohammed was not involved.

The CIA's finding, first reported by the Washington Post, is the most definitive U.S. assessment to date tying Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler directly to the killing.

The Saudi Embassy in Washington rejected the CIA assessment.

"The claims in this purported assessment is false," a spokeswoman for the embassy said in a statement. "We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations."

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, on a visit to Papua New Guinea, told reporters traveling with him that he could not comment on classified information.

"The murder of Jamal Khashoggi was an atrocity. It was also an affront to a free and independent press and the United States is determined to hold all of those accountable who are responsible for that murder," he said, but added that Washington wanted to preserve its relationship with Saudi Arabia.

The State Department declined to comment.

Trump and top officials of his administration have said Saudi Arabia must be held to account for any involvement in Khashoggi's death, but they have also stressed the importance of the alliance.

U.S. officials have said Saudi Arabia, a major oil supplier, plays an important part in countering what they see as Iran's malign role in the region, and Trump has repeatedly said he does not want to imperil U.S. arms sales to the kingdom.

While the Trump administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on 17 Saudis for their role in Khashoggi's killing, many lawmakers think the United States should take a tougher stance, and the CIA's findings are likely to embolden that view.

Story continues

Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government and a columnist for the Washington Post, was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 when he went there to pick up documents he needed for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman.

Khashoggi had resisted pressure from Riyadh for him to return home. Saudi officials have said a team of 15 Saudi nationals were sent to confront Khashoggi at the consulate and that he was accidentally killed in a chokehold by men who were trying to force him to return to the kingdom.

DEATH PENALTY

Turkish officials have said the killing was intentional and have been pressuring Saudi Arabia to extradite those responsible to stand trial. An adviser to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday accused Saudi Arabia of trying to cover up the murder.

Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor said on Thursday that he was seeking the death penalty for five suspects charged in the killing. The prosecutor, Shalaan al-Shalaan, told reporters the crown prince knew nothing of the operation, in which Khashoggi's body was dismembered and removed from the consulate.

U.S. officials have been skeptical that Prince Mohammed would not have known about plans to kill Khashoggi, given his control over Saudi Arabia.

The Post, citing people familiar with the matter, said the CIA's assessment was based in part on a phone call the crown prince's brother, Prince Khaled bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, had with Khashoggi.

Prince Khaled told Khashoggi he should go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents and gave him assurances that it would be safe to do so, the Post said.

The newspaper, citing people familiar with the call, said it was not clear if the prince knew Khashoggi would be killed but that he made the call at his brother's direction.

The prince said in a Twitter post on Friday that the last contact he had with Khashoggi was via text on Oct. 26, 2017, nearly a year before the journalist's death.

"I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the US government to release any information regarding this claim," Prince Khaled said.

The Post said the CIA also examined a call from inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul after Khashoggi's killing.

Maher Mutreb, a security official who has often been seen at the crown prince's side, made the call to Saud al-Qahtani, a top aide to Prince Mohammed, to inform him the operation had been completed, the Post said, citing people familiar with the call. (Reporting by Mark Hosenball; Additional reporting by David Alexander and Jeff Mason Editing by Tim Ahmann, Sonya Hepinstall and Tom Hogue)
Mail-in ballot envelope/courtesy photo

Mail-in ballot envelope/courtesy photo



A federal judge slammed Florida for repeatedly failing to anticipate election problems, and 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 laughing stock of the world, election after election, and we chose not to fix this, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker said in court.



Walker vented his anger at state lawmakers but also Palm Beach County officials, saying they should have made sure they had enough equipment in place to handle this kind of a recount. Walker also said hes not happy about the idea of extending recount deadlines without limit.



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 v. Gore decision, by locking in procedures that dont allow for potential problems.



A total of six election-related lawsuits are pending in Tallahassee. Earlier Thursday, Walker ordered that voters be given until 5 p.m. Saturday to show a valid identification and fix their ballots if they havent been counted due to mismatched signatures.



Floridas 67 counties have faced a 3 p.m. Thursday deadline to finish recounts that could determine the next senator and governor in one of Americas top political battlegrounds. Republicans said they would immediately appeal.



State officials testified that nearly 4,000 mailed-in ballots were set aside because local officials decided the signature on the envelope didnt match the signature on file. If these voters can prove their identity, their votes will now be counted and included in final official returns due from each county by noon Sunday.



Meanwhile, the ongoing recount threatens to stretch into the weekend. The election supervisor in Palm Beach County, a Democratic stronghold, warned they may not meet Thursdays initial deadline. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Democrats want that looming deadline set aside, and other lawsuits could lead to more delays.



More than a week after Election Day, an immediate resolution seems remote.



Once the machine recount is complete, state law requires a hand review of races with margins of less than 0.25 percentage points. This almost certainly means another recount in the Senate race, with unofficial results showing Republican Gov. Rick Scott ahead of Nelson by 0.14 percentage points.



Also, the election wont be certified until Tuesday, even though the machine recount may essentially bring a conclusion to the governors race, where Republican Ron DeSantis leads Democrat Andrew Gillum by 0.41 percentage points in unofficial results.



Nelson, a three-time incumbent, has defended his legal strategy that resulted in Walkers ruling, saying in a statement Wednesday that it remains the most important goal of my campaign to make sure that every lawful vote be counted correctly in this Senate race, and that Floridians right to participate in this process is protected.



Republicans, however, say in their own lawsuits and motions that Democrats are trying to change the rules after the voting didnt go their way.



We will continue to fight to defend Florida law and uphold the will of the voters, said Chris Hartline, a spokesman for Scott.



Nelson and Democrats had wanted Walker to order the counting of all mail-in ballots rejected for a mismatched signature, arguing that local election officials arent handwriting experts.



Walker said he could not go along with that suggestion.



Let this court be clear: It is not ordering county canvassing boards to count every mismatched vote, sight unseen, Walker wrote in his 34-page ruling. Rather, the county supervisors of elections are directed to allow those voters who should have had an opportunity to cure their ballots in the first place to cure their vote-by-mail and provisional ballots now, before the second official results are fully counted. This should give sufficient time, within the states and counties current administrative constraints, for Floridas voters to ensure their votes will be counted.



Lauren Schenone, a spokeswoman for Scott, called Walkers ruling baseless and said they were confident it would be overturned by the Atlanta-based appellate court.



The developments are fueling 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 Donald Trump, have argued without evidence that voter fraud threatens to steal races from the GOP.



Just when state officials will get recount results from all counties remains unclear. Tallying machines overheated earlier this week in Palm Beach County. That caused mismatched results with the recount of 174,000 early voting ballots, forcing staffers to go back and redo their work.



The countys Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher said the machines underwent maintenance right before the election, but I dont think they were designed to work 24/7.



Gary Fineout and Brendan Farrington report for the Associated Press.
Saudi Arabia is slashing oil shipments to US, a tactic that boosts prices and may rile Trump

Saudi Arabia is loading fewer barrels on ships bound for the United States, a tactic that has boosted oil prices in the past.

Sending less oil to the United States means U.S. crude stockpiles are more likely to fall, and shrinking inventories tend to push up oil prices.

The move could spark a new conflict with President Donald Trump, who wants to drive down energy costs for Americans.

Saudi Arabia is slashing shipments of crude to the United States, a move that appears calibrated to boost oil prices after a swift and punishing sell-off .

The move could put the kingdom at loggerheads with President Donald Trump , who wants to drive down energy costs for Americans and frequently accuses the Saudi-led OPEC cartel of jacking up oil prices.

The Saudis are loading fewer barrels on ships bound for the United States this month, continuing a trend that began in September, according to an analysis by tanker-tracking firm ClipperData. The firm's loading estimate suggests that U.S. imports of Saudi crude oil could soon fall toward the lowest levels on record.

Sending fewer barrels to the United States means U.S. crude stockpiles are more likely to drop, and shrinking inventories tend to push up oil prices. It's a tactic the Saudis used last year to amplify their main strategy for draining a global crude glut and propping up the market: cutting output alongside fellow OPEC members, Russia and several other producers.

The maneuver shows how Saudi Arabia's efforts to manage the oil market have evolved. During the 2014-2016 oil price crash, traders closely monitored weekly U.S. stockpile data to see whether oversupply was shrinking or growing. As the world's biggest exporter, Saudi Arabia realized it could nudge the data in a direction that boosts the cost of crude.

"It worked so well in 2017 for [the Saudis] to cut flows to the U.S. because people could see the inventories dropping because U.S. data is so timely and transparent," said Matt Smith, head of commodities research at ClipperData.

Story continues

"The markets have become more transparent through tanker tracking," Smith said. "You can see those changes being implemented more, and [the Saudis are] aware of that."

November's drop in Saudi barrels bound for the United States follows a six-week oil market rout that saw prices plunge 25 percent into bear market territory. It also comes after Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih warned on Monday that OPEC, Russia and several other producers may soon launch a fresh round of price-boosting output cuts .

Shortly after Falih issued the warning, Trump took to Twitter to voice his disapproval with that plan.

@realDonaldTrump Hopefully, Saudi Arabia and OPEC will not be cutting oil production. Oil prices should be much lower based on supply!

But Saudi Arabia may not be swayed by Trump's pressure campaign. In recent days, Smith and other energy analysts have claimed that Trump essentially duped OPEC and its allies into raising output earlier this year.

The analysts say Trump's threats to impose harsh sanctions on Iran, OPEC's third-biggest producer, played a part in convincing the producers to stop capping output and start pumping more oil. But Trump ultimately allowed some of Iran's biggest customers to keep importing its oil, which meant the oil squeeze the alliance feared never materialized.

Consequently, the producers put even more oil into a market that is swinging toward oversupply, giving traders another reason to sell off crude futures and push prices lower.

While the Saudis are probably not happy about that outcome, Smith says cutting oil shipments to the United States does not appear calibrated to punish Trump. Instead, it's simply about preventing another oil glut and boosting prices.

Cutting production while shrinking shipments to the United States offers "the biggest bang for the buck," according to Smith.

Still, it's a direct challenge to Trump's goal of pushing oil prices even lower.

On Sunday, Falih, the Saudi energy minister, said the kingdom's oil shipments would fall by 500,000 barrels per day in December. The following day, he said OPEC and its partners could slash their collective output by 1 million bpd next year.

ClipperData figures show the Saudis are loading roughly 600,000 bpd on tankers bound for the United States this month, down from more than 1 million bpd in July and August. If official trade figures end up matching ClipperData's loading estimates, U.S. imports of Saudi crude are heading toward record lows.

Saudi loadings for the U.S. market rebounded through August after the OPEC alliance hiked output. Those shipments generally take six to seven weeks to reach U.S. shores.

"The last of that has just been hitting the U.S. Gulf in the last few weeks," Smith said. "But now, as those export loadings have dropped off in September and October, that means there's going to be a dearth of deliveries as we close out the year."

On Thursday, government data showed U.S. crude stockpiles rose for an eighth consecutive week, jumping by 10.3 million barrels. The drop in Saudi shipments in recent months could soon help to whittle away at those inventory levels.





More From CNBC


Stating she cannot succeed in the contest for Georgia governor due to deliberate and intentional voter suppression, Democrat Stacy Abrams said in a public address, This is not a speech of concession. Immediately afterwards, she said she plans to file a federal lawsuit challenging Georgias gross mismanagement of elections, according to the Associated Press.

Abrams fell short on Election Day and in the 10 days since, as votes put her opponent, Republican Brian Kemp, always in the lead. Kemp was the Georgia Secretary of State until his resignation a day after the election. Abrams remained about 18,000 votes short of a result that would have required a runoff between her and Kamp in December.

She had considered filing a lawsuit that, if she prevailed, would have force the state to hold a new election. That was under consideration as recently as the morning of Nov. 16, but the candidate opted against that direction.

While secretary of state, Kemp used a controversial exact match procedure for voter registration that left 53,000 potential voters in limbo days before the election. That group was 70% African American.

In a speech on Nov. 19 right at the cutoff for Georgia counties to certify election results, Abrams delivered a speech in which she said, I acknowledge that former Secretary of State Brian Kemp will be certified as the victor in the 2018 gubernatorial election. However, Abrams said Kemp had relied on suppression of the peoples democratic right to vote that was deliberate and intentional.
SunPower Corporation SPWR recently announced that it has reached an agreement with Cabot Corp. CBT to install a 1.12-megawatt (MW) solar project coupled with 940 kilowatt hours (Kwh) of integrated energy storage system at Cabot's Business and Technology Center in Billerica, MA. The construction of the project is scheduled for summer 2019.



The project will also be supported by the new Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program, established by Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to encourage development of solar energy in the state.



SunPowers Solar Potential



Currently, the company aims to leverage its experience in commercial solar-plus-storage and adapt to the residential market, which is expanding rapidly. To this end, the company plans to grow the footprint of its Equinox and Helix complete solutions in its residential and commercial businesses. The company currently has more than 9 megawatts of storage operating or under contract at 28 customer sites and plans to further fortify the scope of its residential solar-plus-storage activities in 2019.



SunPower is proactive in entering new markets like those of England, Greece, France, Israel and Malta. Internationally, the company is gaining traction from the markets such as Mexico and Chile. To this end, in August 2018, SunPower announced two international projects. Per the terms of the deal, the company will supply its high-efficiency solar panels for the Sonnedix 46.6 MW Tono project in Iwate prefecture, Japan. Also, SunPower will supply 4 MW of high-efficiency SunPower E-Series solar panels for a ground-mounted solar power system in Amman, Jordan.



Growing Solar Demand



Per the latest release from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), solar generation in the United States will rise 26.4% from 212,000-megawatt hour per day (MWh/d) in 2017 to 268,000 MWh/d in 2018 and increase 13.1% to 303,000 MWh/d in 2019. The above projection from EIA indicates a massive addition of solar generation in the electricity production mix.



Such forecasts conclude that there will be higher demand for solar panels and modules including SunPowers products, thus offering significant growth prospects for global solar players.



To this end, other solar companies are also solidifying foothold in the global solar space like Canadian Solar CSIQ, which currently has multiple late-stage utility-scale solar power projects under construction. Another company in the same arena, JinkoSolar Holding Co. JKS, also boasts multiple global solar projects in its pipeline.



Price Performance



Shares of SunPower Corp. have outperformed its industry in the last three months. The stock has declined 5.4% versus the 7.8% decline of its industry.

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U.S. President Donald Trump points to the crowd after delivering remarks at an event for "supporting veterans and military families" at the White House in Washington, U.S. November 15, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis

By Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he may not impose more tariffs on Chinese goods after Beijing sent the United States a list of measures it was willing to take to resolve trade tensions, although he added it was unacceptable that some major items were omitted from the list.

Trump has imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese imports to force concessions from Beijing on the list of demands that would change the terms of trade between the two countries. China has responded with import tariffs on U.S. goods.

Washington is demanding Beijing improve market access and intellectual property protections for U.S. companies, cut industrial subsidies and slash a $375 billion trade gap.

The relationship between the two countries has deteriorated in recent months, and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday said China needed to change its behaviour to avoid a new cold war with the United States.

The U.S. tariff rate on $200 billion in Chinese goods is set to increase to 25 percent from 10 percent on Jan. 1. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on all remaining Chinese imports - about $267 billion more in goods - if Beijing fails to address U.S. demands.

"We may not have to do that," Trump told reporters at the White House. "China would like to make a deal.

But Trump added that there were "four or five big things left off" the list of 142 items sent by China.

"They sent a list of things that they're willing to do, which is a large list, and it's just not acceptable to me yet." he said. He did not detail the omitted items.

Trump said, however, he was confident the missing items would be addressed in any deal struck with China.

"I think we'll probably get them too," he said.

Trump's softening line on tariffs gave a modest lift to stocks.

Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Argentina later this month.

Story continues

Officials have played down the probability that the two will make a deal to end their trade war at the meeting. One source briefed on the offer said it was just a "rehash" of previous offers China had made.

But if Trump holds fire on further tariffs, the Chinese offer may have contained enough for Washington to engage fully in negotiations for a deal.

The United States had said it would not restart negotiations on a trade deal until it saw a concrete response to China on its demands, although informal talks between the two on trade restarted earlier this month after Trump and Xi talked via telephone.

Reuters reported this week that China sent the written response to U.S. demands on Monday, ending a months-long wait.

The Chinese document included 142 items divided into three categories: issues China was willing to negotiate for further action, issues it was already working on and issues considered off limits, a U.S. official told Reuters on Thursday.

Trump's team of economic advisers have voiced conflicting views on doing a deal with China. Some, such trade adviser as Peter Navarro, advocate taking a hard line on trade until China makes deep economic forms.

Others, such as economic adviser Larry Kudlow, want to see reforms but have pressed for a deal to avoid further disruption to trade between the world's two largest economies.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by Makini Brice; and Simon Webb,; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Tom Brown)
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Some people like to shop on Black Friday. Others like to get outside and recreate. Those in the latter group might wish to take advantage of F
The Colorado Springs area added nearly 15,000 jobs in the 12 months ending Oct. 31, giving the region the fourth hottest job market in the nation.

That 5.2 percent growth rate ranked behind Midland, Texas; Ocean City, N.J., and Kankakee, Ill., according to data released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Like all jobs reports, the growth rate will eventually be adjusted downward in March when more complete employment information is available, an economist said.

Nearly 60 percent of the jobs were added by the areas military contractors and the tourism industry, but federal, state and local governments, retail and construction also added more than 1,000 jobs each. The information sector was the only major sector with declining employment during the 12-month period.

The fast pace had at least one local economist concerned that a slowdown is inevitable.

Im wondering whether Colorado Springs will be able sustain this level of growth, said Tom Binnings, senior economist for Summit Economics, a Colorado Springs research and consulting firm.

The local economy is hitting on all cylinders right now with military contractors benefiting from increased military spending, the hospitality industry benefiting from a strong tourism season and all of the hospital expansion we are seeing on the north end of the city.

St. Francis Medical Center and UCHealth Memorial Hospital North are undergoing major expansions, and Childrens Hospital Colorado is building a pediatric hospital at Memorial North campus. All are expected to be completed early next year and add hundreds of employees.

Tatiana Bailey, director of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Economic Forum, said local job growth has been accelerating for the past four years and is broad-based across a wide variety of industries and skill levels. She said the median (or midpoint) annual salary for jobs posted with the Pikes Peak Workforce Center is approaching $80,000.

The areas growth rate in the year through the end of October was the highest in nearly 19 years. The 12-month job growth rate through the end of September was 5 percent and has accelerated every month this year except June.

The growth rate likely will be revised downward  by half or more  in March as part of an annual process that incorporates data from quarterly unemployment insurance reports most employers are required to file, said Ryan Gedney, senior economist for the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. The monthly data is compiled from surveys of employers and was often revised upward in recent years.

The Springs area growth rate was nearly twice the 2.7 percent statewide growth rate during the same period, which tied for sixth with Florida and New Mexico as the nations sixth-highest rate. Despite the strong job growth, Colorados unemployment rate rose for a fourth consecutive month to 3.2 percent in October from 3.1 percent in September as people joined the states job market faster than employers added jobs. Colorados jobless rate, which is compiled from a survey of households, was 3 percent in October 2017.

Contact Wayne Heilman 636-0234 Facebook www.facebook.com/ wayne.heilman Twitter twitter.com/wayneheilman
The use of original-source documents in history lessons has become popular nationwide, but the work of Colorado Springs School District 11 teachers has caught the attention of the Public Broadcasting Service.

Several D-11 teachers, administrators and students will discuss the merits of the instructional approach Tuesday during the nationwide broadcast of PBS NewsHour, airing at 6 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on Rocky Mountain PBS.

Our goal is to use historical documents to study history and not just rely so much on the textbook, said Michael Butler, who team teaches eighth-grade history at Sabin Middle School with colleague Scott White.

A PBS film crew spent time in their classroom last week and also went to Fremont Elementary School.

The topic of discussion: primary source-documents in teaching students about Thanksgiving.

Primary- or original-source materials are first-hand accounts of who was at the event at the time of the event, recording history, Butler said.

In a lesson about Thanksgiving, Sabin students studied paintings from the 1900s and compared those to a letter written in 1621 by Edward Winslow, the main document describing the nations first Thanksgiving.

Kids used that letter to determine the accuracy of the paintings, White said.

Sabin students also have examined letters regarding the 1803 Louisiana Purchase that were written by President Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, who established financial credit for the United States to obtain the $15 million French-controlled territory.

And theyve looked at letters from the 1791 ratification of the Bill of Rights.

History has changed a lot in the last 10 to 15 years, White said, and there are a lot of resources for teachers to get a hold of these documents.

Stanford University, the University of California in Berkeley and the Gilder Lehrman Center for Slavery, Resistance and Abolition are among the places Butler and White have turned to find online and hard-copy materials.

We still want to have the stories to understand the history of the country, but were also teaching kids to use historical skills  or be historians, White said.

Butler said the approach focuses kids on being able to form an opinion, take a position, make a claim and provide evidence to support your position.

It often doesnt matter which position a student chooses, as long as critical thinking and evidence-based reasoning is part of the equation, he said.

Butler and White, along with other D-11 teachers, have been employing the instructional model for eight years and have received training in how to adopt the methodology.

Many other local schools also rely on original-source materials, including The Classical Academy. Theyve been part of history classes since the charter school in Academy School District 20 opened in 1997.

Using living books, written by experts with a passion for the subject matter fits with the charter schools definition of education as a life where inspirational ideas and truth are recognized to be the real food for a childs mind, said Wes Jolly, director of academic services.

The materials allow students to engage with the minds of those during that moment in history  read their words, experience their feelings, better understand the context  without being filtered through the lens of others, Jolly said.

That usually sparks discussion and develops better understanding of the exact point and time in history, or the issue at hand, he said.

This does not mean we shy away completely from secondary-source material or textbooks, Jolly said, but when weighing between the two, a good primary or original source is preferred.

Butler and White never hear students say that their history classes are long or boring.

We hear theyre hard, Butler said. We expect a lot, and it is difficult.

But its also fun, the teachers said, because they dont just stand in front of the classroom and lecture.

Students are not just sitting there, White said. They are constantly having to do something.

Contact the writer: 719-476-1656.
Calhan High School senior Lynda Hannum has been asking her brother to let her weld for years, and she got her chance Friday. Not at home, but at a business-sponsored, hands-on look at electrical, plumbing, welding and construction trades.

I was so excited to be here, she said. I was the only girl out of my entire class who decided to come.

Lynda was one of 50 high school students from Calhan High, Mitchell High and Atlas Preparatory charter school who got their hands dirty, as representatives from Heating and Plumbing Engineers, Encore Electric and White Construction Group showed kids what a career in trades might entail.

The event was impressive enough to sway Lyndas mind about her path.

Most girls are like welding and plumbing are for dudes, its not something I want to do in life, she said. Its something thats fun to know. Being here made me second-guess my future  Im going to start looking into colleges for welding.

Sponsored by Rocky Mountain Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, the event was held as part of National Apprenticeship Week.

Students learned about the advantages of apprenticeship programs, participated in hands-on demonstrations and heard a panel discussion featuring young professionals talking about careers.

Colorado is facing a shortage of skilled labor in the construction industry and related trades, according to organizers.

And high school students are often not aware of apprenticeships, which can lead to high-paying jobs, they said.

Roberto Martinez, a senior at Mitchell High School, said he liked learning how to wire stuff and is interested in possibly becoming a journeyman electrician.

It was interesting; it showed us the diversity in electrical and plumbing and the opportunities, he said. Teachers pressure us to go to college because thats the way to go, but this part of the industry is dropping because there are so little people going into it.

Gazette photographer Dougal Brownlie contributed to this article.
Democrat Jena Griswold, the attorney and first-time candidate who unseated Secretary of State Wayne Williams in a blue wave that pummeled Republicans up and down Colorados ballot, says she knew she had a chance a year ago when she attended a candidates forum in a small town on the eastern plains.

Sixty people showed up to a four-hour-long forum in Brush, Griswold said. I thought, Theres some interest and some momentum here.

Griswold had come out swinging a few months earlier, blasting Williams while the incumbent was navigating the controversy created by the Trump administrations request for Colorado voter registration data.

Although Williams insisted he would only turn over public data available to anyone who asked for it, he came under sustained fire for quickly agreeing to comply at the same time Republican election officials in other states rebuffed the White House, some even suing the administration to block the request.

Within weeks, thousands of Colorado voters had canceled their registration.

A flurry of legal challenges eventually led the White House to shutter the commission, but not before Griswold had what became one of her main lines of attack on Williams.

As secretary of state, I will demand that the federal government respects Coloradans constitutional right to vote and our rights to privacy. I will ensure that every Coloradan can exercise his or her constitutional right to vote, enhance our elections cybersecurity, increase campaign finance transparency, and make government easier for Coloradans, Griswold said when she launched her campaign, enumerating the issues she would hammer through the election.

Our messages were really resonating, especially now when were seeing untypical leadership coming out of Washington, Griswold said after the election.

She raised nearly $1 million, more than three times what Williams brought in, and spent much of it to air a TV ad that depicted the Estes Park native working her way through school as a waiter and selling her car for $400 to pay for a plane ticket to attend law school on the East Coast.

Still, political observers were stunned on election night when Griswold, 34, defeated Williams, the only incumbent on the statewide ballot and a former El Paso County commissioner and clerk and recorder.

With a small number of votes still left to tabulate a week after the polls closed, Williams was trailing Griswold by about 7.5 percentage points.

Shes the first Democrat elected to the post in 60 years and will be the first Democratic woman to hold the office, which runs Colorados elections and keeps track of businesses and charities that operate in the state.

With her victory still fresh, Griswold said she was eager to get to work.

We are full-steam ahead trying to organize the transition, she said, adding that Williams has been very gracious.

The people in the Secretary of States Office do a great job, she said. I want to lead the office in an innovative way.

She said shes meeting with the offices staff to look at next years budget and is getting in touch with county clerks  many of whom endorsed Williams  and other groups, including America Votes and Common Cause, to work out her policy agenda.

I want to do as much as we can to increase transparency. I think Colorado can be a leader on campaign finance transparency and disclosure, she said. Ive been talking about wanting to audit campaign finance filings. We have to create the mechanism to do that.

Its premature to discuss what her legislative package might look like in detail, Griswold said, but it will likely include tweaking the legal definition of electioneering and requiring more paid-for-by disclosures on campaign material.

She also campaigned on requiring presidential candidates to disclose their federal tax returns to get a spot on Colorados ballot  a proposal aimed at President Donald Trumps refusal to release his returns in 2016, breaking with decades of tradition among major party candidates.

Griswold said shes also exploring how to require more transparency from nonprofits whose donors to political campaigns are shielded under law, including entities known as C4s  named after a section of the federal tax code.

C4s dont have to give to an (independent expenditure committee, or IE) at all. They can urge their donors to give directly to the IE. But in the instances where they want to, lets make sure that real people are being reported, Griswold said.

The basic idea is, under constitutional law, you cant require a C4 to blanket-disclose all its donors, because a donor might not want the money to be used politically. What we can do is put the burden on the C4 and say, First and foremost, you dont have to do any IE spending at all. If you choose to do so in Colorado, you have a duty to talk to your donors and ask them, Do you want your money being spent for political purposes?

If so, she said, that money would have to be disclosed on state campaign finance reports.

Those campaign finance laws are important, Griswold said. Theyre about the right of a citizen in a democracy to know whos trying to influence the outcome of elections.

Griswold, who lives in Louisville, has spent plenty of time abroad, from a stint as a high school foreign exchange student in Argentina to work investigating crimes against humanity in Venezuela with a human rights group while she was in law school.

She spent a semester in Botswana while attending Washington states Whitman College and studied salsa dancing on a post-graduate fellowship that took her to Japan, Germany, Brazil, Panama, Spain and Puerto Rico. Fluent in Spanish, Griswold also speaks Portuguese and has a basic understanding of Arabic, French and Setswana, mostly spoken in southern Africa.

After working for a couple of years as an attorney, she was part of the 2012 Obama campaigns voter protection team. Gov. John Hickenlooper tapped Griswold to open and run an office representing the state of Colorado in Washington, D.C. After that, she returned to Colorado and worked as an adviser to the states Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.

Before running for secretary of state, Griswold operated a small law firm, representing marijuana concerns and conservation groups.

Another focus once she takes office, Griswold said, will be maintaining Colorados cybersecurity lead when it comes to voter registration and election operations, which won national acclaim for Williams as Colorado has been routinely ranked as the safest state to conduct an election.

I dont want to be alarmist at all; I want to be a realist, Griswold said. Just because SCORE  the states online voter registration system  didnt go down this year doesnt mean we dont have to fortify it. Its the same with cybersecurity.

She said she received a congratulatory call from Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner right after the election and told him she wants to work with him on federal funding for cybersecurity.

Its something I plan to really fight for, to make sure our systems are ready to go. I think theres a lack of leadership out of Congress and the White House on this. We have to continue to innovate, Griswold said.

We have taken major steps forward, but its not something that stops. Youre always trying to get ahead of what can happen. The 2020 election is right around the corner.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to correct the name of the plaintiff's attorney and to remove certain identifying information about the woman involved.

A former Colorado Springs Walmart employee endured two years of hell after a supervisor divulged she was HIV-positive and falsely warned co-workers they could be at risk, said a lawyer who is suing the company on her behalf.

In a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday, the woman, identified anonymously as Jane Doe, said she suffered debilitating health setbacks from the stress of being ostracized after her condition became a source of gossip at Walmart Neighborhood Market, 665 N. Murray Blvd.

They treated her like a complete pariah  a leper, the womans lawyer, Eudoxie Dunia Dickey, said, describing how co-workers wouldnt touch her client or even make eye contact.

The suit alleges egregious violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Colorado anti-discrimination laws and federal medical privacy protections. Walmart Stores Inc. is the sole defendant named.

Randy Hargrove, a Walmart spokesman, declined to comment on the allegations in detail, saying, We respect the privacy of our associates and take allegations like this seriously.

The woman was on medical leave battling life threatening illness when she received a letter on Christmas Eve 2014 notifying her that her leave had run out and that she would either have to come to work the next day or be terminated. When she responded that she was too ill to come in, she was fired.

The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Denver, alleges her ouster was retaliation after the woman complained about her treatment through internal channels at Walmart, including to the store manager and a company ethics hotline.

After receiving her complaints, Walmart conducted what Dickey described as a sham investigation, saying they found no evidence of wrongdoing. The finding came even though two employees told the woman the supervisor had been gossiping about her, Dickey said.

Later, the same supervisor accused of disclosing the confidential information was transferred to a different shift and became her boss. The lawsuit alleges the woman subjected her to repeated trumped up disciplinary actions that affected her ability to petition Walmart for a transfer to a different shift or position.

Her filing of the suit was delayed by a lengthy investigation by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The agency found reasonable cause to conclude the woman was harassed because of her disability and subjected to retaliatory disciplinary action after complaining, according to the complaint.

Dickey described the woman as a Colorado Springs grandmother who unknowingly contracted HIV from a former husband in 2007.

When she transferred to the Walmart Neighborhood Center in 2012, she informed two supervisors of her HIV status because she anticipated having to take time off for treatment.

Her position required no physical contact with customers or other employees, and wasn't in food service. The woman is trained in universal precautions for any potential exposure, Dickey said.

After word of her illness leaked, she struggled to go to work each day, suffering panic attacks and occasionally throwing up on the way.

Her doctors believe that her work-related stress was causing her health to really collapse. While she was working there, she developed meningitis, once for 10 days, Dickey said.

Gossip about her clients health condition played on longstanding stigma, without basis in medical science, Dickey said.

Infected blood or bodily fluid must enter a persons body before they are at risk of infection, including from sexual activity and sharing needles, according to the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical center based in Rochester, Minn.

You cant become infected with HIV through ordinary contact, according to an advisory on the clinics website. That means you cant catch HIV or AIDS by hugging, kissing, dancing or shaking hands with someone who has the infection.

Walmart declined to enter into mediation through the EEOC, suggesting it intends to take the case to trial, if necessary, Dickey said.

She said her client seeks whatever a jury thinks is fair.

This is really not about the money for my client. She wanted to make this public. Its so outrageous what happened here, and its so unnecessary. She doesnt want something like this to happen to anyone else.
A two-year legal saga over the gang rape of a 13-year-old Colorado Springs girl ended in bedlam Friday, with relatives of the reputed ringleader protesting his sentence by shouting taunts at prosecutors and victims family.

After a judge sentenced Jacolby Hasan Williams to 16 years to life in prison  the minimum sentence under the law  his mother and supporters filed out of court and erupted in a stream of invective in the hallway, much of it obscene.

Fher grandfather, fher family and fthe girl, Williams mother shouted at piercing volume, apparently referring to the teenage victim.

The group of roughly a dozen people followed a police sergeant and members of the prosecution team to the elevator, focusing their anger on lead prosecutor Christina Perroni.

You did this because youre a white (expletive), a woman shouted through a gap in the door moments before it closed.

While displays of emotion are common in court, the tone of Fridays outburst was unusual, capping a case that seized headlines, and aroused passions, across the country. The presiding judge, Michael McHenry, received death threats from people who believed he was too lenient in accepting plea deals from four of Williams co-defendants. In each case, the judge did so at the request of the prosecution and defense attorneys.

Williams was among five men and a 16-year-old boy arrested in December 2016 after the girl reported that she was pinned to a bed and raped by all six in Williams apartment. At a two-week trial in April, a jury convicted Williams of two counts of sexual assault, one including the allegation that force was applied, requiring a mandatory prison term.

He had faced an indeterminate sentence of 16-48 years on the top charge. Under Colorados stringent sentencing scheme for sex offenders, Williams can be held for the rest of his life, until he is deemed safe for release to the community.

After Williams trial, the girls claim on the stand that she was held down against her will was disputed by newly discovered evidence: Six minutes of cellphone audio capturing the girls voice as she apparently signals her willingness to perform a sex act.

That media file resulted in prosecutors tossing all charges against Williams 16-year-old brother, who would not be barred from sexual activity with a consenting 13-year-old under Colorado law.

The same isnt true for Williams, who was 19 at the time, meaning the 13-year-old wouldnt be lawfully able to grant consent.

In August, McHenry denied a motion for a retrial for Williams based on the new evidence, saying it was impossible to know what happened before or after the 6-minute period, and that forensic evidence showed the girl suffered injuries.

Retaining his composure after the sentencing, Williams uncle, John Baptiste Williams Jr., said his nephew was deprived of a fair trial and that McHenry isnt a fair judge.

The audio was discovered after Colorado Springs police used newly acquired technology to circumvent the password on Williams teenage brothers phone. During his comments at sentencing, McHenry defended his decision, saying that while he believed a jury should have heard the audio, he could not conclude that it met the legal threshold to overturn the convictions.

Williams intends to appeal and seek a new trial, one of his public defenders, Nathan Ojanen, said in court.

The victim wasnt present in court. According to her family members, she has been in mental health treatment programs and other counseling since the sexual assault.

The girls grandmother said she has been harassed on social media and fears going out in public.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story said the victim had been in drug treatment since the sexual assault. The story has been changed to show it was mental health treatment.
Santa Claus raises his hands in victory after he and Mayor John Suthers with the help of three little helpers finally got the Christmas tree to light up after the third attempt on Saturday November 18, 2017 in Colorado Springs.
The Speidell chain, better known as The Green Solution, has amassed 48 Colorado licenses to grow, manufacture and sell cannabis products and has spread to five other states and Canada. Their ambitious company mission, like many of Colorado's big marijuana players, is to go global.
A Republican lawmaker has asked Colorados attorney general to investigate whether Gov. John Hickenlooper broke the law by allegedly touring a Tesla electric-car factory in Nevada shortly before ordering the state Department of Public Health and Environment to set up a low-emissions vehicle program that would financially benefit Tesla.

State Sen. John Cooke of Greeley wants Attorney General Cynthia Coffman to look into whether Governor Hickenlooper accepted benefits from a corporation days before taking an official state action that provided direct financial benefit to the same corporation.

Cooke in his letter referred to allegations that Governor Hickenlooper flew on private corporate jets owned by Tesla, Inc. or its majority owner Elon Musk.

Hickenlooper spokeswoman Jacque Montgomery said Friday that the allegations in Sen. Cookes letter to the AG are false. The governor has never flown on a plane owned by Elon Musk or Tesla. He also has never visited a facility in Nevada.

Colorado Politics has contacted Cooke and Coffmans office for comment but has not heard back.

The letter refers to an earlier ethics complaint filed Oct. 12 with the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission over Hickenloopers alleged travel on private jets. The complaint was filed by former Republican Speaker of the House Frank McNulty, who butted heads with the governor when he was in the Legislature, and his newly formed Public Trust Institute.

The states ethics law limits third-party payments for travel to attendance at a convention, fact-finding missions or trips paid for by nonprofits under certain conditions.

The trips were paid for by for-profit companies, the McNulty/Public Trust Oct. 12 ethics complaint said, and were not related to state business, giving that travel the appearance of impropriety.

Cookes letter, first reported by The Denver Post, said one aspect of the earlier complaint goes beyond the purview of the ethics commission and should be investigated by the attorney general.

The [Public Trust ethics] complaint appears to demonstrate that Governor Hickenlooper flew on private corporate jets owned by Tesla, Inc. or its majority owner Elon Musk. The complaint also references the fact that Governor Hickenlooper appeared to travel by private aircraft to tour a Tesla, Inc. facility in Nevada. In fact, Governor Hickenlooper has actually communicated to multiple individuals that he traveled to a Tesla facility on a private jet after his [April] visit. Governor Hickenlooper flying on corporate jets owned by Tesla, Inc. and not reporting it would be a violation of state law, Cooke wrote in the Nov. 14 letter.

McNulty said that Tesla travel is not a claim under the complaint he filed and that the ethics commission has not been asked to look into that specific trip.

But the complaint does make reference to press accounts that Hickenlooper was in Dall in April to officiate at the wedding of Kimbal Musk, a Boulder resident and Elon Musks brother.

The ethics complaint includes a list of trips made by Hickenlooper, including April 8 travel from an unspecified location, landing at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield, an airfield that serves private planes for corporate travel. While there are no public records showing that Kimbal Musk owns private aircraft in Colorado, the ethics complaint said, Elon Musk does own at least two private planes.

Here is the much bigger problem, the Cooke letter continued: On June 19, 2018, just two months after Governor Hickenlooper appeared to have accepted illegal benefits from Tesla, Inc., Governor Hickenlooper signed Executive Order B 2018 006 that unilaterally directed his appointees at the states Air Quality Control Commission to undertake rule-making to establish a Colorado Low Emissions Vehicle program (LEV) that provides direct and substantial financial benefits to Tesla, Inc. In fact, Tesla, Inc. is the only company that initially receives financial benefits from the new program launched by the governors June executive order.

The Tesla factory, near Reno, Nev., is known as the Gigafactory. It opened in 2016 with full build-out planned by 2020. The factory manufactures ion-lithium battery packs for Tesla electric cars and trucks.

On June 18, Hickenlooper signed the executive order that tasked the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment with developing rules for a Low Emissions Vehicle program, similar to efforts made in California and 12 other states.

The orders purpose, the governor said, was to fight back against an April 23 Trump administration order rolling back greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency standards for vehicles that could result in higher carbon dioxide emissions in Colorado and that could thwart Colorados clean energy goals.

The ethics commission is scheduled Monday to begin discussing how it will investigate the Public Trust Institute complaint. It is the second complaint on travel filed against Hickenlooper; a 2013 complaint lodged by Compass Colorado over Hickenloopers travel to a Democratic Governors Association meeting was dismissed in part because the governor was a featured speaker at the event, which is an allowable use of state resources.

The departments Air Quality Control Commission would also be asked to adopt those rules, no later than Dec. 30. The commission met on Thursday and again on Friday to review those proposed rules. It voted 8-0 to approve the rules over the objections of the states auto dealers association.

In a statement, Colorado Auto Dealer Association President and CEO Tim Jackson said, Today, Colorados Air Quality Control Commission rubber-stamped Californias vehicle emission regulations. This will add a $2,110 tax to the sticker price of average new vehicles in Colorado, a tax that will be even higher on the SUVs and trucks that Coloradans prefer. This is hard-earned cash that the typical new vehicle buyer in Colorado will not recover and will have the biggest negative impact on working families and the economically disadvantaged.
Grand Old Partisan salutes David Jerome, born in Detroit this day of 1829. The industrious youth worked the family farm and rafted logs on a river and clerked at a store and mined for gold in California. While a Republican state senator during the Civil War, he recruited and enlisted as colonel of the 23rd Michigan Infantry. He later was a governor's military aide.

Jerome took part in revising the state constitution. President Ulysses Grant named him an Indian Commissioner. In 1880, he won the governorship. His administration focused on improving railroads and other infrastructure.

Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ryqKsJZoQN0

Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement.

Each day, his Grand Old Partisan blog celebrates more than sixteen decades of Republican heritage. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states so far.

Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision.

Buy the book at Amazon

See www.youtube.com/q?v=IzxKCiXc5Qc for a brief video of a Texas Republican praising Back to Basics for the Republican Party.

"This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!"

"Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before."

and

"one of the best books I ever read"
Grand Old Partisan celebrates statehood for Oklahoma. This day in 1907, Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed it to be part of the Union.

"Oklahoma has become a State," he noted, "standing on a full equality with her elder sisters, and her future is assured by her great natural resources."

At the President's insistence, the Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory had been merged. Representative Edward Hamilton (R-MI) wrote the enabling act for this momentous step, and the GOP-controlled 59th Congress passed it.

Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fgiF9omZA6I

Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement.

Each day, his Grand Old Partisan blog celebrates more than sixteen decades of Republican heritage. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states so far.

Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision.

Buy the book at Amazon

See www.youtube.com/q?v=IzxKCiXc5Qc for a brief video of a Texas Republican praising Back to Basics for the Republican Party.

"This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!"

"Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before."

and

"one of the best books I ever read"
The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoards Dairyman.

Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center announced on Thursday, Lauren Hofland will be leaving her post as the current Executive Director for the organization. Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center offers over 15,000 sq. ft. of interactive, interpretive and educational exhibits for all ages, plus the Land OLakes Birthing Barn, where visitors to the Center can see a live calf being born. In addition, visitors can experience a tour to a working dairy farm, purchase farm themed gifts in the Gift Store, and enjoy farm-to-table fare at the Wisconsin Cafe including a scoop of Cedar Crest Ice Cream.

Hofland, brought on board in 2017 to create policies, develop procedures and staff the organizational structure necessary to move Farm Wisconsin from the building phase to the operations phase, has been instrumental in the successful opening of the Center in late July of this year. Her charge, to pull elements together across the multiple functions and components of Farm Wisconsin, rally staff, board members, and investors to bring the Center to life and open the doors to the public, has resulted in a vibrant, new tourism destination asset for the State of Wisconsin.

Our goal is to take visitors beyond the barn and educate how Wisconsin agricultural producers make food, fiber and fuel-safely, humanely and sustainably, stated Board President, Julie Maurer of Soaring Eagle Dairy, Lauren has been key in our ability to transition from a development project, to an open attraction at the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center. She met the goals and objectives for which she was charged, and her list of accomplishments reflect her strong organizational and leadership skills. In moving forward from Hoflands transition from the Center, the Board of Directors will seek a new Executive Director to handle the leadership reins around daily operations, growing the business of the Center and continued fund raising for the Center.

Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center, also known as the Wisconsin Agricultural Education Center was a vision of Norval Dvorak, a staunch Wisconsin agricultural advocate. Dvorak, who passed away on October 1, 2015, was a close family friend to Hofland making the Farm Wisconsin project a personal one for her. It was a great honor for me to be able to play a role in making Norvals dream a reality, stated Hofland. I would not have taken on such a demanding task for anybody else, and I dont think any other Board of Directors could have turned this $13 million idea into Wisconsins most important agri-tourism destination.

Hoflands departure is slated for November 14, at which time she will resume her consulting business, Saint Claire Consulting. Previously, Hofland headed up corporate giving at Kohler Co., was the executive director of the Cedarburg Cultural Center, and served as the Assistant Manitowoc County Executive.

Farm Wisconsin Discover Center is located at 7001 Gass Lake Road in Manitowoc County, Town of Newton. The Center is open 7 days per week from 9 AM  5 PM. For more information on the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center offerings, visit: www.farmwisconsin.org or call 920-726-6000.




As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ
In fact, Maryam Rajavi has enshrined her commitment to end this brutal, archaic sentence in the ten-point plan for a Free Iran, which is set to be implemented once the mullahs fall and Maryam Rajavi takes over for the six-month transitional period.

But why does Maryam Rajavi oppose the death penalty and think that it should be condemned to the ash heap of history?

Well, first off, Maryam Rajavi sees that most democracies have either abolished the death penalty all together or limit it to the most serious cases (i.e. murder).

The mullahs in Iran use it frequently. According to Amnesty International, the Iranian Regime carried out 507 executions last year, under supposed moderate Hassan Rouhani, although Maryam Rajavi noted in a speech on the International Day Against the Death Penalty that the true number is much higher because of the secrecy that enshrines the Regime.

In fact, Iran is widely known as the worlds leading executioner by capita.

Maryam Rajavi said: The death penalty is a tool for terrorizing the society and a significant instrument for preserving the regime. Both factions benefit from such endless savagery to prolong the regimes rule.

The main targets of the Regime by sheer number alone are non-violent offenders, juveniles, and political prisoners. In fact, 120,000 members of the Iranian Resistance have been executed since the Regime took power, with the 1988 massacre taking the lives of 30,000 political prisoners in just one summer.

Secondly, Maryam Rajavi notes that the Regime uses the death penalty largely against the people fighting for freedom in Iran; the people who support Maryam Rajavi and her quest for a free Iran. They also executed at least two of her siblings for political activism.

Maryam Rajavi urged the Iranian people to stand up against the executions and prevent the mullahs from using this oppressive sentence via any means. She also called on international governments to make their economic and political relations with Iran conditional on an end to executions.

Maryam Rajavi said: Thousands upon thousands of Iranians have been sent, one by one, to the gallows or before the firing squads over the past 40 years, under the mullahs rule. They are no longer able to feel the warmth of the sun and the energy of life, but as a result of their sacrifice, the dawn is near for the Iranian nation and the mullahs religious tyranny is doomed to go.

Thirdly, Maryam Rajavi recognises that the death penalty is just one of the malign ways in which the Regime seeks to silence its opponents; explaining that the other methods, including assassinations and terrorist attacks, go straight the heart of Western democracy and that the two are intrinsically linked.

If the death penalty is abolished, so too will be the Iranian Regimes attacks in the West.
In his remarks, Jeffrey outlined the expanding network of Iranian terrorist proxies. Tehran has long sponsored Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Palestine. But in recent years, a number of other Iran-backed militias have grown up in the region, often seeming to emulate the Hezbollah model. These include Shiite partisan groups in Iraq as well as those that are providing support for the Assad regime and what is left of the regular military in Syria. The US government and other opponents of the Iranian regime also accuse it of providing assistance and strategic direction to the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

As this network continues to grow in both size and organization, there is a clear risk of its multiple components becoming increasingly close-knit under the banner of Iranian resistance to Western influence. This prospect is, of course, regarded with great concern by the Trump administration and other entities that are striving to both expose and disrupt Tehrans terrorist infrastructure. Jeffrey underscored those concerned in his remarks on Thursday, arguing that if collective action is not taken to mitigate Irans regional influence, its terrorist network could develop into a threat much like the one that was posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in recent years.

In order to prevent that outcome, Jeffrey recommended stability ops to break Irans meddling influence. And according to Newsweek, the State Department representative also pointed to Saudi Arabia a particularly effective American partner in carrying out such operations. This reflects the Trump administrations ongoing efforts to expand upon regional partnerships that can be expected to advance American interests while counterbalancing adversaries. Furthermore, it speaks to what Newsweek identifies as a shifting mission in Syria, from the defeat of ISIL to the expulsion of the Islamic Republic and all its militant allies.

This is a goal that the Trump administration hopes to accomplish with the help of the aforementioned economic sanctions. In justifying withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action last May, the president called attention to the Iranian regimes expanding influence and its destructive role in regional conflicts, arguing that sanctions relief had been misappropriated to support those activities.

This argument was also effectively repeated by the State Department this week. Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty reported on Thursday that Nathan Sales, the Departments counterterrorism coordinator, had informed reporters of the total figures regarding Irans spending on regional militant organizations. Approximately 700 million dollars per year is reportedly dedicated to Hezbollah, while Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups receive an additional 100 million. This leaves 200 million dollars in annual spending, the recipients of which were not identified by Sales, though they presumably include the Iraqi, Syria, and Yemeni Shiite militias that have created some of the most recent concerns for Middle Eastern stability and global security.

Also under Irans influence are separatist and rebel groups operating inside the territory of the regimes regional adversaries, including Saudi Arabia. Mohammad Ali Jafari, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, was presumably referring to these entities when he declared on Thursday that Saudi Arabia would soon be targeted by Iranian activities that would prove to be covert but painful. According to Tehran Times, Jafaris comments were made in response to purely verbal Saudi attacks, which Iranian officials described as empty rants.

Jafari also took aim at the United States with the same speech, saying, for instance, that Americas authority and dignity are on the decline, and the day will come, much sooner than expected, for the full elimination of this satanic power. His remarks did not rise to the level of explicit terror threats against Western adversaries, but the presence of such threats has been made a matter of public record over the past year.

In August, two individuals were indicted in an American federal court for spying on behalf of the Islamic Republic. At least one affidavit from a federal investigator involved in the case specified that some of the suspects activities had evidently been designed to set the stage for terrorist attacks on Iranian opposition activists on US soil. This conclusion was made all the more credible by the fact that less than two months earlier, on June 30, European authorities disrupted a plot by Iranian operatives to set off explosives at the Iran Freedom rally, which had been organized near Paris by the National Council of Resistance of Iran.

Even in the wake of arrests relating to this case and the spying activities, Iranian plots continued to target the West, as evidenced by another arrest in Denmark in late October. That arrest was related to apparent plans for the assassination of opposition activists living in Copenhagen. The announcement by Danish authorities was accompanied by government officials pressuring their European counterparts to take action to rein in Irans belligerent activities. In this way, Denmark has joined the US in the effort to bring greater international focus to Irans history of terrorism.

While Denmark appears to be focused only on that threat as it applies to Western powers, the White House has taken a much broader view. But whether looking solely at Europe or also at the Middle East, it is arguably important to note that the threat is not limited to bombings and assassinations, but includes growing capabilities in the area of cyberterrorism as well.

This is the message being expressed by such cybersecurity experts as Brett Bruen, the president of Global Situation Room, Inc. In a report on the Iranian cyberterrorism threat published on Friday, Fox News quoted him as saying, We are very likely to see Tehran in the coming days and weeks target American interests, in retaliation for the re-imposition of nuclear-related sanctions. Other such experts have previously reported upon significant levels of growth in Irans hacking capabilities and its organization of online campaigns involving direct attacks, illicit information gathering, and also social media disinformation of the sort that Russia used in an effort to influence the 2016 US presidential election.

The growth of Irans potential and actual cyberterrorism activity follows the same trajectory as the development of its traditional terrorist infrastructure, and some commentators have been quick to link these two phenomena together. As Fox pointed out, a recent report by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies concluded that the Islamic Republic could be expected to lash out both online and offline in the midst of ongoing threats from both the international community and the domestic population.

Iranians in numerous cities and towns have been participating in anti-government protests since the beginning of the year, many of which explicitly call attention to the same financial misappropriation that the US president used in justifying his withdrawal from the nuclear deal. One of the ways in which the regime has sought to keep these protests under control is through expansions in its already vigorous restrictions on the internet and social media.

Speaking to Fox News about the Iranian cyber threat, one State Department official called attention to this situation, saying, The Iranian regime prevents its own people from using the Internet in an attempt to bar them from obtaining information or connecting with the outside world, and yet the Iranian leadership uses it freely for their own nefarious purposes.
However, these benefits were not shared equally in the country, with the Iranian people continuing to live in poverty, while the Regime lined their own pockets, increased the powers of their malign Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its elite branch the Quds Force, and funded yet more militias and terror groups across the region.

Luckily, the international community finally seems to be doing something about this  largely thanks to new US sanctions on Iran  in order to combat Irans malign abuse of its economy.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) spokesman Gerry Rice issued an ultimatum to Iran, giving it until February 2019 to strengthen its anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing rules, something that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) agreed with.

Marshall Billingslea, the US Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing, who currently presides over the FATF, said: We expect Iran to move swiftly to implement the commitments that it undertook at a high level so long ago. In line with that, we expect that it will have adopted all of these measures by February. If by February 2019 Iran has not yet done so, then we will take further steps.

Following the implementation of the nuclear deal, Iran promised to implement FATFs 10 reforms, but so far, they have not. Irans leaders might be shrugging off the repercussions of not meeting international standards, but the consequences can be extremely severe.

If Iran fails to meet the FATF or IMF requirements, it will end up back on the international money laundering blacklist, which would mean that foreign investors, banks and financial institutions would be reluctant to do business with the country.

This combined with US sanctions will seriously damage the Regimes economy.

The mullahs may we make promises about delivering reform, but, as evidenced by the past 40 years, this does not mean that they will. After all, terrorism financing is a key part of how the mullahs keep control and they are not going to give that up. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has even denied the need for any reform.

Dr. Majid Rafizadeh wrote: In other words, financing terrorism is the raison detre of the Iranian regime. That is why Khamenei has repeatedly slammed any effort by parliament to ratify treaties to comply with global financial standards Halting terror financing and money laundering would mean that the regime would lose its ability to fund and sustain its militia groups and proxies.

As a result, the Islamic Republic, which is the top state sponsor of terrorism in the world, will not attempt to clamp down on its terror financing.

The IMF, FATF and UN should have tackled the Iranian Regime for these infractions decades ago, as Iran poses a threat to the global financial system.

The FATF, IMF and UN need to level appropriate sanctions against Irans economy immediately to cut off the flow of funds to terror groups.
Three Found Guilty of Attempted Murder in Compton Shooting That Wounded Child

Three gang members have been found guilty for shooting at a group of men and wounding a young boy in a passing car last year, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office announced.

Luis Julian Beltran Perez (dob 6/2/95), Edgar Manuel Rosas (dob 7/7/83) and Salvador Sanchez (dob 10/20/97) all were found guilty late yesterday of two counts of attempted murder as well as three counts of shooting at an occupied motor vehicle.

The jury also found true allegations of use of a firearm and that the shooting was committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, and in association with a criminal street gang.

Deputy District Attorney Shannon Cooley of the Hardcore Gang Division said Perez also was found guilty of three counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter and the jury found the attempted murders were willful, deliberate and premeditated.

Sentencing in case TA143448 is scheduled on Jan. 24 in Department C of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Compton Branch. All three defendants face life in state prison.

On June 7, 2017, Perez, Rosas and Sanchez confronted a group of men standing in front of a liquor store near Atlantic Avenue and Compton Boulevard in Compton.

Perez then retrieved a gun and began shooting at the group, the prosecutor said. One of the stray bullets struck a 4-year-old child in the head who was sitting in a passing vehicle, the prosecutor added.

Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, Compton Station, responded to the area within minutes and transported the child in their patrol car to the hospital, where he received immediate life-saving medical attention, the prosecutor said.

The case was investigated by the Sheriffs Department.

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Friday, November 16, 2018

A document published in the local Oregon news suggests that the Northern Oregon Regional Corrections Facility suggests that local sheriffs were encouraged to release inmates detained on criminal grounds in order to make more bed space available for immigration detainees. According to the Oregon Public Radio article, last year the ICE contract resulted in approximately $900,000 in federal funds for the jail, which was more than 11 percent of the 2017-18 total budget.

It is worth acknowledging that the email in which jail officials were encouraged to "make room" for ICE detainees is from September 2016, prior to the Trump Administration.

-JKoh

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2018/11/oregon-public-radio-oregon-jail-has-released-inmates-while-saving-space-for-ice-detainees.html
Chinas world-famous Peking University has moved to strengthen Communist Party control and limit dissent.

The move follows demonstrations across the country. Those protests were called to publicize issues such as labor rights and sexual abuse.

Peking University, often called "Beida" for short, has a long history of student activism.

On November 14, the school warned its students against taking part in demonstrations of support for labor-rights activism.

Recent labor-rights demonstrations involved some former Peking University students. The university said that students would be held responsible if they challenged the law.

Earlier, the Communist Party committee at Beida reportedly set up groups to carry out inspections as well as control and management of the schools grounds. That information comes from a document released by the committee. The Reuters news agency saw a copy of the document.

The committee held a meeting for all its members on November 13. At the meeting, the committee said one recent Beida graduate who went missing after labor protests had been working with an illegal organization.

Reuters reported that a representative of Peking University said the school was not able to immediately comment on the meeting or warnings to students.

A history of activism

Peking University is set on a huge, tree-covered campus in northwestern Beijing. Its students helped to launch the anti-imperialist May Fourth Movement in 1919. They also were involved in the pro-democracy Tiananmen protests in 1989.

But student activism has been increasingly limited during the presidency of Xi Jinping.

Current and former students of universities have joined with labor activists at protests called to support factory workers fighting for the right to setup their own labor union. International news media have reported on the movement.

The Communist Party announced in October that Qiu Shuiping had been named as the new party secretary at Peking University. Observers say the appointment is a sign of greater restrictions on students. Qiu is a former head of Beijings state security office. He has little experience as a school administrator.

Activists disappear

Last weekend, at least 12 labor activists went missing in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Wuhan. Most of them were college students or recent college graduates.

Five of the missing were recent graduates of Beida. One of them, Zhang Shengye, was taken by unidentified men and put into a car on the Beida campus. The university told Reuters that the incident was a lawful seizure by police of a suspect and did not involve students.

The incident led to action by a group of students who described themselves as a concern group for missing Peking university graduates. Last Sunday, the group gave out information about Zhang and others who had gone missing.

On Monday and Tuesday, warnings reportedly were given to students who had spoken out or supported the labor rights movement. One of those students said the warnings came from teachers, parents and what appeared to be policemen in plain clothing. The student spoke with Reuters, but did not want to be identified.

That person also said students were told Peking University officials formerly had protected them from punishment or other action. The student added that anyone who demonstrated in support of the missing students would no longer be protected.

No one explained what laws the student group had broken or why people had been seized on campus, the student added.

Zhang Shengye was someone who was concerned about society, cared about the lower classes and was close to workers, the student told Reuters. Why would someone like that be treated like this?

Im Ashley Thompson.

Ashley Thompson adapted this VOA story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

_________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

dissent - n. public disagreement with an official opinion, decision, or set of beliefs

challenge - v. to question the action or authority of (someone)

management - n. the act or process of controlling and dealing with something

graduate - n. a person who has earned a degree or diploma from a school, college, or university

campus - n. the area and buildings around a university, college, school, etc.
A federal judge has ordered the administration of President Donald Trump to immediately return the press documents of a reporter with the American television network CNN.

CNN had taken legal action against the Trump administration after the White House removed the press pass of political reporter Jim Acosta.

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly announced his decision at a hearing Friday morning. The judge said Acostas pass must be reactivated to permit him to enter the White House for news conferences and other events.

The ruling is temporary, however, with the judge describing it as very limited in nature.

The White House said it would follow the judges order, but planned to develop rules for more orderly news conferences.

The Trump administration removed Acostas press pass following an especially heated news conference last week. Acosta questioned Trumps use of the word invasion to describe groups of Central American migrants heading to the United States. Acosta then refused to give up a microphone when Trump said he did not want to hear anything more from him.

Trump told Acosta, CNN should be ashamed of itself, having you work for them. You are a rude, terrible person.

CNN sued the White House days later. The network claimed that Acostas first and fifth amendment rights had been violated. The first amendment of the U.S. Constitution bars Congress from passing laws that harm the freedom of the press. The fifth amendment of the Constitution says, in part, that a person cannot lose their freedom, property or life without due process of law.

The judge said Friday he had not found that the First Amendment was violated.

But he ordered Acostas pass to be returned for now because he said CNN was likely to win on its fifth amendment claim -- that Acosta did not receive notice or explanation before his pass was taken from him.

Im Ashley Thompson.

The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

ashamed - adj. feeling shame or guilt

rude - adj. not having or showing concern or respect for the rights and feelings of other people

microphone - n. a device into which people speak or sing in order to record their voices or to make them sound louder
Activists who helped start the 2014 Umbrella Movement protests in Hong Kong go on trial Monday.

Benny Tai, Chan Kinman and Chu Yiu-ming face charges, including plotting and inciting to carry out a public nuisance, as well as incitement to incite a public nuisance.

The three defendants face up to seven years in prison.

The three are described as being the first to propose in 2013 what later became called the Umbrella Movement. The movement was then called Occupy Central with Love and Peace.

The protestors were partly influenced by the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City at about that time.

The Hong Kong activists were seeking to increase openness in the citys process for electing high officials. They also wanted mainland China to keep its promise to permit greater voting rights.

Chan said the group did not expect to face serious charges. He said past activists who took similar action had faced charges related to gathering large groups.

They would just be charged for unauthorized assembly or participation in unlawful assembly, Chan said.

Chan said he did not expect charges that can carry so much prison time.

Chan and Tai are both established college professors and Chu is a Baptist minister. They are unlike other young activists in the Umbrella Movement, such as Joshua Wong who became world famous at the age of 18.

Wong has expressed concern about the three men. He noted that they became democracy activists before he was born. He said he was especially worried about Chu, who is in his seventies.

The three will be tried along with six other defendants who face similar charges. These include legislators Tanya Chan and Shiu Ka-chun.

The media has called the whole group, the Umbrella Nine.

Hong Kongs Department of Justice said the trial is opening four years after the protests because of its complexity and the amount of evidence involved.

The department said it would not comment on the charges against the nine. It also said it did not know the number of people who faced charges as a result of the protests.

The demonstrations in 2014 took place in several areas of Hong Kong for 79 days. Activists were seeking direct election of the citys top leaders and full voting rights for citizens by 2017. Mainland China had promised Hong Kong the expanded rights as part of the plan that returned the city to Chinese control.

About 220 protestors linked to the Umbrella Movement have faced charges since the end of 2014. One rights activists list says that 78 have been found guilty.

Protest leaders Nathan Law, Alex Chow and Joshua Wong are the best-known activists to face trial. At first, they were sentenced to community service. An appeals court later changed their sentences to six to eight months in jail. Hong Kongs Court of Final Appeal cancelled that ruling in February.

Chan said he hopes something similar will happen to the Umbrella Nine.

The Court of Final Appeal had already made a ruling saying as long as people act out of conscience and as long as people are not involved in violence they shouldnt be sent to jail, Chan said.

Chan added that judges in the lower courts can have very different opinions. Those decisions can be changed by higher courts. But you know, for the appeal process, it can take years, he said.

Im Mario Ritter.

Erin Hale reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

nuisance n. something that is annoying or that causes trouble or problems

unauthorized adj. without permission, not authorized

participation n. the act of taking part in something

conscience n. the part of the mind that makes you aware of your actions as being either morally right or wrong

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The Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year istoxic.

The British publisher defines the adjective toxic as poisonous. The word first appeared in English in the 1650s. It came from the Latin word toxicus, meaning poisoned.

The Latin word itself actually came from the Greek term toxon, meaning bow. In ancient Greece, fighters with bows would put poison on the points of their arrows.

Why was toxic chosen?

Oxford chooses a Word of the Year that best describes the mood of the past year. The word also should have lasting potential as a term of cultural importance.

Oxford said its data showed a 45 percent rise in searches for the word toxic on its website in 2018.

The searches began with the toxic chemical poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Britain. Then, in Syria, a toxic chemical weapon attack killed at least 40 people and led to a missile strike from the United States.

The public also was concerned about toxic gas after a series of hurricanes and other storms. Others worried about the burning of toxic waste in India and toxic air pollution around the world. In the American state of Florida, huge numbers of dead fish washed up on the beaches because of toxic algae.

But the increasingly common phrase toxic environment has nothing to do with pollution. Oxford says people searched for this phrase in connection to unpleasant workplace environments, including the worldwide walkout of Google employees. They were protesting sexual wrongdoing, unequal pay and discrimination.

Others wanted to know about toxic relationships, especially connected to the #MeToo movement against sex abuse and the confirmation hearing of Brett Kavanaugh as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

And the runners-up are

The word gaslighting was another top word of 2018, Oxford says. It defines the word as the action of manipulating someone by psychological means into accepting a false depiction of reality or doubting their own sanity.

It says the word has been used to describe claims by the administration of President Donald Trump that the media are spreading fake news. Gaslighting is also used to describe the British government position on Brexit  Britains withdrawal from the European Union.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Hai Do wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

bow - n. a weapon used for shooting arrows

potential - n. a chance or possibility that something will happen or exist in the future

hurricane - n. an extremely large, powerful and destructive storm with very strong winds

algae - n. simple plants without leaves or stems that grow in or near water

manipulate - v. to change something in an unfair or selfish way

depiction - n. the description of something or someone using words, story...

sanity - n. the condition of having a healthy mind
For this turkey leg barbacoa, the legs are slowly, sexily braised in beef stock flavored with bay leaves, paprika, cumin, cloves, oregano, lime juice, vinegar. Not your grandmas Thanksgiving now, is it?!

Looking for a way to prepare turkey thats a little different than the usual holiday fare? These braised turkey legs offer an ideal (and eye-catching) solution. Slowly cooked in a tangy, spice-spiked braising liquid, the turkey is then shredded and ready to be smothered with chile sauce and your favorite fixings. Tuck it into a taco, stuff it in a quesadilla, pile it atop a baked sweet potato, or let us know what you did in a comment below.Angie Zoobkoff

Turkey Leg Barbacoa For this turkey leg barbacoa, the legs are slowly, sexily braised in beef stock flavored with bay leaves, paprika, cumin, cloves, oregano, lime juice, vinegar. Not your grandmas Thanksgiving now, is it?! Hank Shaw Prep 1 hr 10 mins Cook 2 hrs 30 mins Total 3 hrs 40 mins Entrees Caribbean 4 to 6 servings 5 / 4 votes Print Recipe Ingredients US Metric For the barbacoa  4 turkey legs (from 2 turkeys)

 2 bay leaves

 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

 1 teaspoon ground cumin

 1 teaspoon ground cloves

 1 teaspoon oregano (Mexican if possible)

 1 tablespoon kosher salt

 1 sprig epazote (optional)

 1/2 cup lime juice

 1/2 cup cider vinegar

 1 quart store-bought or homemade beef stock or venison stock

 1/4 cup lard or vegetable oil (optional)

 Smoked salt (optional) For the chile sauce  2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil

 1 large onion chopped

 4 garlic cloves chopped

 4 dried guajillo chiles de-stemmed, seeded, and torn up

 4 dried ancho chiles de-stemmed, seeded, and torn up

 2 dried or canned chipotle or cascabel chiles de-stemmed, seeded, and torn up

 Salt black pepper and lime juice to taste To serve  Cilantro shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, chile sauce* and/or hot sauce Directions Make the barbacoa In a large, heavy, lidded pot combine the turkey legs with the bay leaves, paprika, cumin, cloves, oregano, salt, lime juice, vinegar, and stock. Add the epazote if using. If the meat is not completely submerged, add enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook at a very gentle simmer until the meat falls off the bone, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the turkey legs from the braising liquid and let cool. Reserve the braising liquid as you may perhaps need some for the chile sauce and then you can use the rest however you please, perhaps in a ramen bowl garnished with some of the turkey barbacoa. Make the chile sauce While the meat is cooking, heat a medium skillet over medium heat and warm the lard or oil. Toss in the onions and cook until softened and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and the torn-up chiles and mix well. Cook for 1 minute and then add enough water to barely cover. Season with salt and simmer until the chiles are tender, about 15 minutes.

Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. You want it to be the consistency of barbecue sauce. Add salt, black pepper, and lime juice to taste. The sauce will keep for about a week in the refrigerator.

When the turkey is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin. Shred the meat and, if your meat looks on the lean or dry side, add the lard or vegetable oil. If desired, sprinkle the meat with the smoked salt. You can serve it as-is, or jazz it up with the addition of chile sauce, cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, or chile or hot sauce. Print Recipe Notes Rabbit Barbacoa To make rabbit barbacoa, simply substitute 6 rabbit legs (from 3 rabbits) for the turkey legs.

Recipe Testers Reviews

Originally published November 17, 2018

Recipe  2018 Hank Shaw. Photo  2018 Holly A. Heyser . All rights reserved. All materials used with permission.

If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
author: Mark Melnicoe

Amid fears of a slowing economy in China came the news this week that Alibaba's sales surpassed $30 billion on Singles' Day.

For the uninitiated, Singles' Day, or Double 11, comes on Nov. 11 and is China's version of Black Friday. Only much bigger.

Alibaba (NYSE: BABA), through its Tmall and Taobao platforms, sold $10 billion worth of items in the first hour of last Sunday  between midnight and 1 a.m. The frenzy continued through the rest of the day and, when the dust settled, Alibaba had sold some $30.8 billion worth of merchandise.

"If you take Prime Day which happened this summer, Amazon reported $4 billion this year, which is a really strong number but in comparison it's kind of cute," Danielle Levitas, executive vice president of market insights at App Annie, which provides mobile data and insights, told CNBC

As the big U.S. shopping season, including Black Friday, approaches this year, it's instructive to look at last year's numbers. On Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2017, shoppers put out $7.9 billion and $6.6 billion, respectively. Combined, that was less than half of what Alibaba alone sold on Singles' Day this year. Chinese e-commerce rivals such as JD.com and Suning also had big sales promotions.

What does this say about China's consumer economy? Actually, not much. It says that young people remain ready and willing to shop on Singles' Day, which has become a highly promoted extravaganza featuring Alibaba's live streaming of international pop culture celebrities. This year featured Mariah Carey, Allen Iverson, Miranda Kerr, and Cirque du Soleil, among others.

They are used to rev up shoppers just before the opening bell, and sure enough, Alibaba's sales hit $1 billion in the first minute and a half.

A Slowing Market ...

But beyond Singles' Day, consumer sales may be slowing across China. Online retail sales in the third quarter of this year dropped by 12 percentage points compared to the second quarter, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics.

"While the sales figures are inarguably large, they may still be masking deeper insecurities among Chinese consumers amid an increasingly uncertain economic outlook, exacerbated by the trade confrontation with the U.S.," said a client alert from a Dezan Shira & Associates, a consultancy that advises companies trying to succeed in China's markets.

The company noted that, while the overall numbers were impressive, growth was slower than the previous year and there were fewer sales of high-value goods. Indeed, there seemed to be a pragmatism in shoppers' choices, as they loaded up on discounted cosmetics, health supplements, clothing, mobile accessories and day-to-day consumer goods.

"I just bought some daily necessities because they are cheaper than on other days," Carol Wu, a risk management professional in Shanghai, told me via WeChat.

If that is typical, as seems likely, then retail sales may slow for the next couple of months after people loaded up on Singles' Day. Still, this shows that China's young consumers  the envy of so many global companies  are willing to spend despite the headwinds facing the economy.

... Yet Its Dominance Remains

China's dominance of e-commerce, meanwhile, appears destined to continue.

"China's middle class is significantly bigger than the total U.S. population and the country is more technologically savvy," Levitas told CNBC. "You combine the size of the population, their sophistication, acceptance, and preference for mobile and it's not surprising that the U.S. and something like Prime Day's success will be substantially smaller."

On the other hand, not all Chinese shoppers are so sophisticated. One unidentified man shared on WeChat that, while in a drunken stupor, he accidently bought a live pig, a peacock, and a giant salamander.

According to the South China Morning Post, the man posted screenshots of his sales transactions showing he bought a "live Thailand micropig for 278 yuan ($40), a live blue peacock for 390 yuan and a live wild salamander weighing between 1.4 and 1.6 kilograms for 288 yuan."

Exotic animals aside, Singles' Day helped Alibaba solidify its position as the world's leading online commerce site. The company has cut estimates for its revenue growth by 5 percent for this fiscal year, and its stock has tumbled 16 percent this year. But since its showing on Singles' Day, Alibaba has rallied $16 a share to $156 as of Thursday.
The US Senate Thursday killed efforts to block the sale of military hardware worth $300 million to Bahrain, which is part of the Saudi-led coalition waging war in Yemen.

Efforts led by Sen. Rand Paul to block the arm sale to the tiny Gulf monarchy fell as 77 lawmakers voted against with only 21 in favor.

The US administration is mulling plans to sell to Bahrain 120 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System M31 Unitary Rocket Pods and 110 Army Tactical Missiles System M57 T2K Unitary missiles. The US will also provide associated training and support.

Rand Paul, member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is a staunch opponent to the war in Yemen and has been calling for an end to the US support for the Saudi-led coalition in a conflict that has caused over 10,000 deaths most of them civilians. The US lawmaker believes a refusal to sell the military weaponry will herald the beginning of US withdrawal from the war.

I would like to vote directly that we should not be at war in Yemen, not be involved with supplying refueling or bombs to the Saudis and the Bahrainis and their coalition, Paul said in a floor speech.

Im not asking that we end our alliance, Im not asking that we sanction them, Paul said. Im only saying, stop one sale of arms to send a message that we are done with the war in Yemen, that we are no longer going to sell weapons to countries that are fighting this war in Yemen, that the war must come to a close.

Opponents of the bill argue that Bahrain is a critical ally as it hosts a US military base hosting 7,800 American troops in addition to US Navys Fifth Fleet used to protect US interest in the region.

Bahrain is a critical ally to us, said Sen. Bob Menendez also member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

It hosts the US Navys 5th Fleet, providing a vital naval base from which the US protects its national security interests in the Gulf and throughout the region, and its willingness to host our naval forces also places Bahrain at greater risk from attack from Iran or terrorists seeking to do harm to the United States.

They also believe that the efforts are wrong as they target a country that is not directly connected to the war.

For us to block sales to the country of Bahrain that is housing one of our most important naval bases over something that has nothing to do with them, but has something to do with another country, is not a pragmatic nor a sensible step, said Sen Bob Corker who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
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Black Friday will take place on 23 November 2018, and while it is primarily a US phenomenon, South Africa is bracing itself for a large number of specials.

South African shoppers went crazy for Black Friday deals last year, especially over high-end technology products such as TVs and smartphones.

Technology and PC hardware fans are also in for a busy day, with many major technology stores offering discounts on a range of products, from graphics cards to drones.

MyBroadband spoke to a large selection of online tech stores to determine whether they would be hosting Black Friday sales.

PC Link Computers

PC Link Computers told MyBroadband it would host a sale over a few days for Black Friday.

We have negotiated with our suppliers and have arranged massive savings on most of our items, PC Link Computers said.

The company added it will host its Black Friday Sale from Thursday until Monday to accommodate customers who will only be paid on 25 November.

We will be running specials on a number of items, but we are unable to confirm anything at this point of time, PC Link Computers said.

The Gadget Shop

The Gadget Shop will run a Black Friday sale from 23-25 November, with 20% off all products except for DJI drones, and up to 50% off selected products.

We will also be running buy one get one free specials on selected products, the retailer said.

The Gadget Shop added that it would run Cyber Monday online-only deals.

Matrix Warehouse

Matrix Warehouse confirmed to MyBroadband that it would run a Black Friday special from 16-26 November.

FirstShop

FirstShop said it would run Black Friday deals from 21-27 November 2018.

Product categories which will be discounted include laptops, desktops, monitors, hard drives, PC components, headphones, speakers, and PC peripherals.

Wootware

Wootware founder Rory Magee confirmed that the retailer would host a Black Friday sale, with discounts on a variety of products.

He said the store will have a good mix of products on special across its most relevant categories.

Raru

Raru director Neil Smith said the retailer has not yet determined its product list for its specials, but would definitely be hosting a Black Friday sale.

Rebel Tech

Rebel Tech founder Rune Ravnsborg told MyBroadband that the retailer will host a Black Friday Sale for one day only.

Now read: Makro gives first details on Black Friday 2018 sale
The opening clash in a titanic legal battle over whether PG&E should pay for the damage caused by the October 2017 firestorm in the North Bay will start with the Atlas fire in Napa County, which burned nearly 52,000 acres, destroyed 783 structures and killed six people.

Set to begin in September 2019, the trial will provide the first venue for people who lost property or loved ones in the North Bay fires to bring evidence against PG&E before a jury and argue the utility giant failed to maintain its equipment or prepare for high winds predicted days in advance.

The trial will be a central stage for PG&E, whose maintenance record and safety measures have come under heavy scrutiny in California, where the latest record-breaking inferno, the Camp fire in Butte County, has destroyed more than 10,000 homes and businesses and claimed at least 63 lives.

The utility is under heavy financial pressure amid speculation its equipment may have sparked the Camp fire. It has already been sued by people who lost homes in the blaze.

PG&E faces liabilities exceeding $15 billion in the 2017 fires. Its representatives have staked out a public defense that last years hot, dry weather conditions were beyond the utilitys control, and that increasingly destructive fires in the state are reflective of a dangerous new era ushered in by climate change.

Attorneys representing thousands of plaintiffs  home and business owners, municipalities and families of those killed in the 2017 fires  have pushed back, pointing to state investigations that found PG&E power lines and equipment sparked at least 17 of last years major wildfires. In 11 of those cases, Cal Fire said its investigators found evidence showing the utility was in violation of state safety laws, forwarding the reports to local prosecutors for review.

A Cal Fire report on the most destructive 2017 blaze, the Tubbs fire, is pending.

Plaintiff Norma Quintana, who lost her Napa home of nearly 30 years in the Atlas fire, said she is thrilled her case will be tried first. She initially was reluctant to join a lawsuit, but came to believe it necessary for fire survivors to promote better public policy and a safer electrical grid.

This is what I want PG&E to understand: Our house is where we find solace and a sense of safety, said Quintana, an artist and photographer who lost decades of work. And whats happened is people now dont feel safe.

In all cases, plaintiffs claim the investor-owned utility failed to adequately maintain its power equipment or properly prepare for hazardous risks associated with its infrastructure.

PG&E had asked the court to start the trials with the Tubbs fire before the other cases because it was the most destructive and deadly of the 2017 wildfires, igniting near Calistoga in northern Napa County and racing west overnight to burn entire Santa Rosa neighborhoods to the ground. The Tubbs fire alone killed 22 people and caused an estimated $8 billion in damage in Sonoma County, where more than 5,300 homes were lost in the fires.

San Francisco Superior Court Judge Curtis Karnow acknowledged there was serious debate around the cause of the Tubbs fire in his Nov. 2 decision to prioritize the Atlas fire case.
Did you catch what Elle Snow said earlier this month? She is a human traffic survivor and founder of Game Over who spoke Nov. 8 at a joint Soroptimist forum in St. Helena.

Snow was targeted by a pimp and turned into a prostitute. She was targeted. A nice guy with a nice car showed interest in her when she was 19 and working three jobs. They went on a few dates and then, when he had his claws in her, he moved back home to Sacramento. He called her every day and found out all about her. By design, for the express purpose of trafficking her. This didnt happen overnight, but it did happen. For eight months she lived in a world that she hadnt known existed. And shes lucky to have escaped it.

One of the slides in Snows presentation detailed how a trafficker defines a target. These 12 characteristics are instructive and just a start. They are:

Any vulnerability

Lack of supervision

Disabilities

Drug addiction

Sex industry involvement

Economic struggles

Marginalized people

LGBTQ community

People of color

Homeless/runaways

Foster youth

Previous abuse

During the presentation, Snow told her story and I cant get it out of my head. At 19, she seemed like such a normal young woman, and she was. She was targeted. And turned into a prostitute.

Until she was 6 or 7, Snow said she was very privileged. Then, her father developed a brain tumor and did not go to the doctor. Instead, he turned to alcohol. Things only got worse, and he abandoned his family, a wife and five children. They moved from Oregon to Humboldt County, where they lived in poverty. When I was 10, my older brother started showing signs of psychosis, Snow said. Hurting and killing animals. Then, he turned to hurting Snow and two younger children. Snow said it was her duty to protect her younger siblings.

A year later, she came forward and told the authorities that her uncle, who was a registered sex offender, had molested her, not once, but an unknown number of times. Thankfully, Snow said, she was believed  not everyone who comes forward is believed.

By the time she was 15, Snow was working and three years later, she was living in rural Humboldt County, working three jobs, including managing a restaurant.

She met a guy, who was attractive, clean cut, smart and smooth. He had a good car. The two went out a couple of times and at 19, she thought he was the perfect man. In fact, he was too good to be true.

He left Humboldt County and went back to Sacramento  Snow never asked much about him, including why he had so much time to be with her. They talked every day for about a month and he wanted to know all about Snow. First, the questions were simple, such as, whats your favorite music? but then they got personal, wheres your Dad? and tell me all about the abuse you suffered from your uncle? and what did your uncle look like, what clothes did he wear, how did he wear his hair?

At the end of the month, he wanted to take Snow away for a three-day vacation. He picked her up, met Snows mom, shook her hand, and Snow said when they arrived at their destination, it was nighttime. I didnt know enough to pay attention to the address, she said.

At some point during the evening, they drank a little bit and the boyfriend showed Snow his gun. They went to bed. The next morning, I woke up and then entered a whole new world that I didnt know existed, Snow said. There was a man standing in front of her, holding a skirt and high heels. He told me to get up, it was time to get to work.

Over the next couple of days, Snow found out there was no way out  the men took her shoes and wallet, threatened her life and threatened the lives of her family. If I didnt do this, Snow was told, the men would take my 14-year-old sister.

Shortly, the men moved her to a brothel in Walnut Creek. They told Snow that being a prostitute is just what she was made for, that she was oversexualized, and thats why her uncle molested her. The man running the brothel looked exactly like her uncle. By design. To terrorize and abuse Snow.

Three of the women in the brothel were lined up and every half hour, there was another man who wanted sex. The men broke Snow in, she said, just like a cowboy would break in a horse.

Then, she was trafficked throughout the Bay Area. She escaped twice and was successful the second time by calling law enforcement. I ended up quitting that day, she said, when she was 21 or 22. In 2014, she testified against her boyfriend, the man who turned into her pimp, and he was sentenced for 10 1/2 years, although he only served four. He was released from prison earlier this year.

I found out it was called sex trafficking, she told the crowd in St. Helena. I thought I was a criminal, a prostitute.

Snow founded Game Over, a nonprofit anti-sex trafficking organization. In addition to helping survivors and raising local awareness, Game Over is currently training community members, service providers, foster parents and law enforcement to recognize the signs of sex trafficking throughout the nation. For more information, call 707-382-5360 or visit itsgameover.org.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline is 1-888-373-7888 or text Be Free to 233733.

Snows talk was sponsored by Soroptimist International of St. Helena and St. Helena Sunrise. Both groups are committed to stopping human trafficking.

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Napa County supervisors extended a moratorium on commercial cannabis activity in the unincorporated areas through 2019, though not without taking some heat over what cannabis supporters perceived as fear-mongering.

The Board of Supervisors at Tuesdays meeting passed the moratorium ordinance. The move gives supervisors more time to decide if the unincorporated county should allow commercial cannabis grows and a dispensary and, if so, to craft regulations.

Anne Steinhauer of the Napa Valley Cannabis Association didnt like the tone of the ordinance.

It is full of fear-based tactics, misinformation and misdirection, Steinhauer said. It absolutely does not in any way represent the legal cannabis industry today.

The ordinance says that, without sufficient regulations, commercial cannabis activity poses a threat to public health, safety and welfare. One danger is increased crime because dried, processed cannabis is worth $1,400 to $1,700 a pound.

The strong odor of cannabis creates an attractive nuisance, alerting persons to the location of valuable plants and increasing the risk of burglary, armed robbery or other violent crimes, the ordinance says.

Increased emergency room visits can result from minors accidentally ingesting cannabis. Calls to poison control centers doubled following the start of commercial cannabis sales in Colorado in 2014, the ordinance says.

Cannabis use by adolescents in Napa County is already higher than the state average. Drugged driving rose in Washington and Colorado after cannabis legalization in those states. The federal government lists cannabis under a classification at risk for severe psychological and/or physical dependence, the ordinance says.

The Napa Valley Cannabis Association objected to the ordinance, not because of the moratorium, but because of such claims.

We encourage you to remove the incendiary language, Steinhauer told supervisors.

In one area that has legalized cannabis, a taxed and regulated industry contributes a net of more than $35 million to the local economy, Steinhauer said. She disputed the idea that legalized cannabis leads to increased youth use.

Deputy County Counsel John Myers said the ordinance describes what could happen with unregulated cannabis activity, not regulated activity.

Those reasons are a basis of why we need a moratorium to begin with, he said.

The county needs the moratorium to maintain the status quo while it works on regulations of its own. Otherwise, commercial cannabis activity here would be at the whim of the state, he said.

Supervisors kept the language in the ordinance.

It comes across as biased and I get thats how its viewed, Supervisor Ryan Gregory said. When this comes back, I want a really healthy objective review by this Board of what we want to do in the future. Im committed to that, despite what this says.

Eric Sklar of the Napa Valley Cannabis Association said the way to reduce crime associated with cannabis is to make cannabis legal in all of its aspects. He urged supervisors to have regulations for commercial cannabis cultivation in place by June.

Its a dereliction of duty not to do that, he told supervisors.

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A sign in Todd and Tracy Walkers living room pronounces an end to the year-long, Atlas-fire detour in their lives: Its so good to be home.

Their 1943 Soda Canyon farmhouse was one of several hundred houses incinerated during the October 2017 wildfire. On Nov. 9, they moved into their new home on the same site.

Its exciting and it felt good, Tracy Walker said. But it was also very eerie with the smoke in the air, the smell of smoke, the ash.

Even as they moved into their reborn house, the Camp fire was destroying Paradise and other towns in the Sierra Nevada foothills 150 miles to the north. The smoke from 8,000 burning homes blanketed the Napa Valley and Soda Canyon.

Todd Walker said a longtime friend had to evacuate because of the Camp fire, though his house ended up surviving. In addition, the death of 18-year-old Vintage High School graduate Alaina Housley in the Thousand Oaks bar shooting left an emotional pall over Napa Valley.

With all of that weighing on the Walkers minds, the Nov. 9 move-in was a mixed experience.

It was surreal, Todd Walker said.

Still, as the sign says, its good to be home. The Walkers moved in just in time to celebrate Thanksgiving and their 30th wedding anniversary in coming days.

The Walkers return also apparently broke new ground. County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza dropped by and told them he believed this to be the first completed, rebuilt Napa County home after the wildfire. Without a doubt, it is among the first.

This is beautiful, Pedroza told the Walkers as he looked at their new living room and kitchen.

They didnt replicate the house they lost, which they had lived in for a year after moving to Soda Canyon from the city of Napa. Rather, they shrunk the house from 2,600 square feet to 1,800 square feet.

The old house had separate rooms for the kitchen and living room, in the style of the 1940s. The new house merges the spaces in the modern style, with a stove on an island. This is a farmhouse, 2018-style, comfortable, yet still simple.

We wanted the farmhouse look, Todd Walker said. Fortunately, you can do that without fancy Corinthian marble imported from Italy.

Even though the Walkers had occupied their new house only three days earlier, their living area on this recent day was free of boxes or any sign of move-in chaos. They had seemingly finished unpacking.

We dont have quite as much stuff, Todd Walker said with a laugh.

Not after the night of Oct. 8, 2017, a date that will live in local history for all the wrong reasons. Thats when winds topping 60 mph turned Atlas Peak and Soda Canyon into an inferno.

Todd Walker looked out the kitchen window after 10 p.m. to make certain the wind wasnt damaging trees. He saw the brushy hill that looms across the street topped by smoke that reflected a red glow.

It was time to leave and quickly. Todd and Tracy Walker, Todd Walkers mother and a niece drove away on Soda Canyon Road after checking on a neighbor.

I never felt like I was in imminent danger, Todd Walker said.

The Walkers, like many others, were under-insured and they ended up several hundred thousand dollars out-of-pocket on the rebuild. But Todd Walker said he felt supported by the contractor, the county and others.

If theres anything to come out of this story, its optimism, Todd Walker said.

The Walkers salvaged only a few items from the fire. A barbecue looks untouched, though it sustained a slight amount of damage from melting. A white chair swing still hangs from one of the few oaks that wasnt charred.

Even though the fire destroyed the house, blackened trees and melted a car engine, a donkey and several goats somehow survived in a fenced-in area.

The Walkers could have decided they had enough of a rural canyon with brush that can burn. Todd Walker said hes certain there will be more fires in the area. Still, he noted the 1943 farm house had survived for decades before finally meeting its demise.

Their new house should have a better chance of surviving if fire comes again. It has such fire-resistant features as a metal roof, fiber cement siding and a cement porch floor pressed to mimic wood.

A 30th wedding anniversary can be occasion for a night on the town. But, as that sign in the living room says, Its so good to be home  home, at long last  so the Walkers may make other plans.

Stay home and cook in our new kitchen, Todd Walker said.

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Assessor John Tuteur is officially free of the threat of removal from his elected office stemming from 2017-18 grand jury charges of corrupt or willful misconduct.

Napa County Superior Court Judge Mark Boessenecker on Thursday dismissed the case. He had said during a Nov. 9 hearing that he was inclined to take this action, but had some concerns with the wording of the dismissal order submitted by Tuteurs attorney.

Tuteur on Thursday said the state Attorney Generals Office submitted a dismissal order and that is what Boessenecker signed.

Its unfortunate this process took place, Tuteur said. Im glad its over. The time and money spent was wasted, but the results are what I had hoped for and expected.

Court hearings in the Tuteur case lacked drama, given the accusations, Tuteurs defense and the Attorney Generals Office response all came through court filings. Several hearings focused for the most part on whether the grand jury had to release investigative materials and transcripts.

Even the Nov. 9 hearing that focused on the charges themselves proved short and without tensions, given the Attorney Generals Office had already decided the evidence presented to the grand jury didnt warrant prosecution.

The grand jury made four accusations against Tuteur last March after an Assessors Office employee approached the grand jury with complaints against Tuteur.

One grand jury charge involved a 2008 error assessing a cell tower lease on the Tuteur familys south Napa County ranch. The Assessors Office found the error in 2016. The grand jury accused Tuteur of failing to pay $20,000 in back property taxes.

Tuteurs defense said the chief appraiser continued working on the complicated corrections until this year. The ultimate back tax ended up being $1,453.

The dismissal order says the count fails to allege willful misconduct by the defendant and is not supported by sufficient admissible evidence.

Other accusations involved how Tuteur has administered the states Williamson Act, which provides a tax break to farm owners in exchange for keeping land in agriculture.

For example, 80 percent of vineyard property owners and 40 percent of grazing land owners failed to return complete questionnaires with agricultural income information in 2016. Tuteur failed to take action to make these Williamson Act beneficiaries comply, the grand jury charged.

The dismissal order says the count fails to allege a mandatory duty of the defendant and is not supported by sufficient admissible evidence. It uses similar language for the remaining two counts.

Tuteur has been Napa County Assessor since 1987 and won another four-year term last June. The office also includes the Recorder/County Clerk office that has Tuteur overseeing elections as the Registrar of Voters.

The grand jury also brought up Williamson Act issues in a separate report not involving the Tuteur charges. The county Board of Supervisors disagreed that the agricultural tax breaks have lax local oversight, cost taxpayers and do little to buttress existing laws protecting wine country farmland from development.

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A woman was arrested for stealing diapers, baby blankets, baby clothes, PediaSure, orange juice, batteries and more in American Canyon, police say.

Employees of the Walmart Supercenter say Oakland resident Desirea Raquinan Washington, 40, loaded up her bronze minivan and fled from them, according to a statement released Friday by the American Canyon Police Department.

Officers pulled her over on Highway 29 near South Kelly Road. Washington was still out of breath, police say.

She was driving on a suspended license and had more than $1,200 worth of stolen items in her car, according to police. California shoplifters can be charged with a felony if they steal more than $950 worth of items.

She made several trips to steal the bounty, said American Canyon Police Chief Oscar Ortiz. There's a big black market for items such as baby diapers and baby formula, he said.

Washington was arrested on suspicion of a felony charge of grand theft and a misdemeanor related to driving on a suspended license. She remained in custody as of Friday evening, according to jail records.

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The midterm elections have made it all but certain that some Democrats will introduce impeachment resolutions against President Trump after the new Congress begins in January. Speaker-in-waiting Nancy Pelosi downplays talk of impeachment and seems unlikely to use any such resolutions to initiate hearings or schedule an actual impeachment vote. But others are less circumspect.

On Sunday, Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y. - the likely incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, traditionally responsible for impeachment hearings - told CNN's Jake Tapper about Trump's reported hush payments to women during the 2016 campaign: "It may be an impeachable offense if it goes to the question of the president procuring his office through corrupt means." Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., poised to take the House Intelligence Committee helm, on the same day hinted to The Washington Post that Democrats would investigate Trump's retaliations against media sources that have reported news about him that he doesn't like as abuses of "instruments of state power." His phrasing carries import; abuse of power has been a common charge across the many articles of impeachment introduced against previous presidents. Special counsel Robert Mueller is expected to send Congress a report on his findings on Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether Trump attempted to block the investigation.

Already, more than three-quarters of self-identified Democratic voters in this month's elections support impeachment, exit polls found. And they may well be right that Trump's actions - on several fronts - could clear the threshold of "high crimes and misdemeanors." But no one should suffer illusions about the likely result of any impeachment attempts.

Being deemed unfit for office - the condition intended by the Founders to trigger impeachment in the House - has never been enough to get the Senate to remove a president. History suggests that there wouldn't be a successful conviction by two-thirds of senators without two other conditions in place: A chief executive must also be deeply unpopular. And booting him from office must seem more advantageous for the opposition in the next election than letting him remain there.

_ _ _

"If he be not impeachable whilst in office," William Davie told his fellow Constitutional Convention delegates in the summer of 1787 about the proposed president, "he will spare no efforts or means whatever to get himself reelected." A couple of weeks later, Elbridge Gerry added his view of impeachments: "A good magistrate will not fear them. A bad one ought to be kept in fear of them."

The delegates eventually agreed that an unfit president could be impeached (basically, indicted) for "Treason, Bribery, or High Crimes and Misdemeanors" by a majority vote in the House. Charles Black offers an admirable working definition of the latter phrase. "High crimes and misdemeanors," he says, "ought to be held to those offenses which are rather obviously wrong, whether 'criminal,' and which so seriously threaten the order of the political society as to make pestilent and dangerous the continuance in power of their perpetrator."

In today's context, Black's take on high crimes and misdemeanors is narrow enough to reject overzealous claims such as "Trump should be impeached because he is undermining America's proven alliances," but remains wide enough to encompass either the president's attempts to curtail an investigation of himself or hush payments made to women in violation of campaign laws.

Although presidents have not been impeached as often as some founders probably would have predicted, two of the first 42 presidents did suffer that rebuke. In both cases, the required vote of two-thirds of senators to convict and remove the impeached chief executive, in a trial with the chief justice presiding, failed to materialize. History could repeat itself soon.

_ _ _

Andrew Johnson, succeeding the assassinated Abraham Lincoln in 1865, quickly began provoking Congress by paroling leading Confederate officials, appointing governors for unreconstructed Southern states, and supporting those states' right to institute discriminatory "black codes." He routinely vetoed civil rights and other bills.

Overriding vetoes and other means of political obstruction weren't enough for the so-called Radical Republicans on Capitol Hill. They wanted Johnson out of office - and they had a unique setup to do so. For the first time in American history, the president's opposition held not only a majority in the House of Representatives but also a two-thirds majority in the Senate, sufficient for both impeachment and removal.

Lawmakers laid a trap. In February 1867, they overrode Johnson's veto of the Tenure of Office Act, which required the Senate's consent for the president to fire and replace identified executive branch officers, including the secretary of war - at that time Edwin Stanton, a strong advocate of U.S. military occupation of the South. On Feb. 21, 1868, Johnson removed Stanton, who refused to leave his office even to go home or to Cabinet meetings.

Capitol Hill erupted. The House held a quick vote on Feb. 24 and impeached the president. Johnson, however, managed to squeeze out exactly the number of votes he needed after the Senate's two-month trial to prevent his removal.

Why didn't the Senate remove this deeply unpopular president - and what does that tell us about a potential Trump trial?

First, the articles against Johnson were weakly drawn, mostly relying on his violation of the ill-conceived Tenure of Office law - hinting that any articles of impeachment against the president now must be based on established law, not trumped-up charges.

Second, in 1868, the president agreed to arrange jobs for a few undecided senators' constituents and stop obstructing congressional Reconstruction plans - indicating that even if a majority vote in the House impeaches Trump, he could pick off some senators who remain on the fence and deflect a conviction.

Third, the law of the time directed that Johnson's successor if impeached would be Ohio's Benjamin Wade - the Senate's president pro tempore - who was, to put it mildly, unsuited for the presidency. (For years, he dared challengers to attack him in the Senate, having prominently placed two loaded pistols on his desk when he came into the chamber.) This suggests that if Trump were impeached, senators would be looking more carefully than they have to date at how Vice President Pence is comporting himself; if he fails any of their tests, Trump is on safer ground.

And fourth, many Republicans in 1868 weren't looking for a post-impeachment wild card because they were already highly likely to take the White House within months with the election of the widely popular Ulysses S. Grant. Counterintuitively, then, the stronger the Democratic front-runners for the 2020 nomination look against Trump as the next presidential election approaches, the weaker the odds become of any post-impeachment removal before 2020.

_ _ _

President Richard M. Nixon would not have resigned but for the sword of impeachment hanging over his head. The system ultimately worked: It got rid of the man who had proven himself unfit.

In late July 1974, after the Supreme Court ruled 8-0 that Nixon had to turn over tapes of White House conversations in which the president sought to obstruct justice, the House Judiciary Committee passed, with some Republican support, three articles of impeachment - covering obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and refusal to obey congressional subpoenas - and sent the articles to the full membership, along with a report of more than 500 pages.

On Aug. 20, 1974, the House accepted the impeachment report by a vote of 412-3. By then, however, Nixon had already given up - having resigned from office Aug. 9.

For those seeking to get Trump out of office, the lesson from Nixon's era seems clear: They must focus on getting the president to see both that there is no viable escape route and that there is some inherent value in saving the country from the spectacle of the president being walked out of the Oval Office against his will after a guilty Senate verdict.

_ _ _

The Republican majority in the House generally considered Bill Clinton's behavior with White House intern Monica Lewinsky and his lying about it afterward both reprehensible and worthy of impeachment. But Democrats came to view it primarily as the case of an ashamed man trying to hide private sexual conduct - bad, no doubt, but not a constitutional travesty. The House in late December 1997 nevertheless passed two impeachment articles that focused on his perjury and obstruction of justice, shifting attention to the Senate. There, on Feb. 12, 1998, the articles didn't even get a majority, much less the two-thirds needed for conviction.

Through it all, despite their solemn vow, each senator couldn't help but have one eye on the polls. Even before the impeachment, 65 percent of Americans in a Gallup poll thought Republicans in Congress were attacking Clinton unfairly over a private matter; even 39 percent of Republicans agreed. Through the impeachment proceedings, the president's approval ratings went up, not down.

Trump's approval ratings, while low, have not eroded substantially since taking office. Instead, he maintains a solid support base that appears unwilling to ditch him lightly. That constituency may take an impeachment vote in the House as a shot of courage, which in turn could embolden Trump to hunker down and fight it out no matter what the damage to government institutions and norms.

It became hard for senators in the Clinton case to see the key issue for their vote as "Did he do the things he is accused of?" or "Are they high crimes and misdemeanors?" Many, if not most, instead saw a different question driving their votes, one we can imagine even more easily today: "Am I with this popular president or am I against him?"

To save himself from the indignity of impeachment, but probably also to keep a prolonged trial from paralyzing the country, Nixon ultimately resigned. If facing probable conviction and removal, we should hope that any president would do the same.

Without a dramatic turn of events, however, it's unlikely that the Senate as currently composed would take Trump down even if the House were to impeach him. For Republican senators, his popularity among the party base will keep them in check. Many Democratic senators, for their part, probably relish the opportunity to use Trump's record and his behavior in office so far against him in the 2020 presidential race and thus take back the White House

Absent the president's own party turning on him, which took down Nixon but seems unlikely in the foreseeable future, removal from office via impeachment will remain a steep mountain to climb - as kicking a president out without the direct input of the people should be.

This article is an adapted excerpt from " How To Get Rid of a President: History's Guide to Removing Unpopular, Unable, or Unfit Chief Executives ." Priess writes on the presidency and national security. He is a former CIA intelligence officer and a visiting fellow at the National Security Institute of George Mason University. His newest book is "How To Get Rid of a President: History's Guide to Removing Unpopular, Unable, or Unfit Chief Executives."
On Election Day, the Trump administration, and his allies in Congress faced their first real test, and so did voters.

Voters overwhelmingly rejected the politics of pollution, as they returned control of the U.S. House of Representatives to Democrats and gave Democrats their largest gain since Watergate.

Candidates who put action on climate change front and center were the biggest winners. Pundits and political consultants once thought climate change was a distant concern and not an issue that would energize voters.

But as fires rage from Chico to Malibu, people can plainly see, feel, and smell the impact of climate change. And they made their feelings clear at the ballot box.

There was a time, not that long ago when the idea of Republican Congressman Darrell Issa being replaced by a Democrat who advocates for clean energy seemed far-fetched. But that is precisely what happened in Californias Congressional District 49, in San Diego and Orange counties.

There, environmental advocate Mike Levin soundly defeated the Issa-endorsed candidate, Republican Dianne Harkey. Among the many issues in this race, perhaps the starkest dividing line was the environment.

Moved by his strong environmental record and vision on renewables, the California League of Conservation Voters was quick to endorse Levin. The League of Conservation Voters ran an $800,000 campaign condemning her support of offshore oil drilling.

Voters spoke by electing Levin.

Further up the Orange County coast, Harley Rouda appears headed to victory over 30-year incumbent Dana Rohrabacher. Katie Hill defeated Congressman Steve Knight in the district that includes parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

We environmentalists helped make clear to voters that unlike Republicans Rohrabacher and Knight, Rouda and Hill oppose offshore oil drilling, support our public lands, and will use their positions in Congress to combat climate change.

A similar story happened in legislative races.

Four years earlier, Big Oil helped unseat Democratic Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi of Torrance. Muratsuchi regained his seat two years ago. This year, he placed climate change and opposition to offshore oil drilling at the forefront of his platform. And he easily won what was thought to be a swing district.

The message is clear: Californians are prioritizing action on climate change at a whole new level.

Muratsuchis race wasnt isolated.

Voters in Salinas elected Democrat Robert Rivas, the author of Californias first county-wide ban on fracking, to Assembly, despite overwhelming spending by Big Oil.

Rivas took every opportunity on the campaign trail to discuss how changing temperatures and increased drought and floods are threatening agriculture, making action on climate change crucial.

Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and Lt. Gov.-elect Eleni Kounalakis campaigned heavily on protecting our coast. And voters overwhelmingly rejected Proposition 6, preventing the repeal of the gas tax. That, too, sent a clear message that Californians value our public transportation and infrastructure, and are willing to pay to fund these crucial investments.

All this raises the question of what our new environmental majorities in the House will mean for California.

We hope to see greater oversight to counter abuses by the Trump administration and cabinet officials. We also expect Democrats will use their position to block Trumps assaults on our public lands and work to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The Republican-controlled Congress allowed funding for this important program to expire in September, despite overwhelming public support for the LWCF.

No analysis of Tuesdays election can be complete without considering the crucial role that voter turnout played in many of these contests. As some states move to restrict voting, California is expanding and empowering voting.

We in the environmental movement must redouble our efforts to advance a pro-environmental agenda and resist the politics of pollution.

Part of that will be to help to advocate for further modernization of our political process and creating a more inclusive system. By increasing Californias electorate, we will be able to better address climate change and inequality. Dramatically changing who can and who does vote is the key to continuing Californias global climate leadership.

Mary Creasman is chief executive officer of the California League of Conservation Voters. She wrote this commentary for CALmatters.
Opposition MP: Situation in Armenia's judiciary is impacting security issues

Armenia PM calls UN Under-Secretary-General's attention to facts of destruction of Armenian heritage

Ruling party MP: If Russia's proposals are acceptable for Armenian premier, they are in Armenia's interests

Putin, Pashinyan and Aliyev to hold talks in Sochi on November 26

Armenia Ombudsman: Baku's Armenophobia is policy aimed at maintaining hostility between two peoples around the world

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Opposition MP: Armenia FM stated that Turkey has proposed new precondition: corridor

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YEREVAN.  Armenias acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will demand explanations from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko for discussing the present-day situation at the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) with the ambassador of Azerbaijan, a non-member country of this organization.

Im astonished that a man who has been in the status of the head of a state for thirty years can allow himself [to take] such a move, Pashinyan on Friday told reporter. And of course, I shall demand clarifications from the president of Belarus; and not just from the president of Belarus.

The acting PM of Armenia said he will demand explanations also from Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev for making a statement contrary to the overall arrangements, especially for the fact that, after the closed meeting of the CSTO summit, Nazarbayev had stated that the Belarusian representative would be appointed as the new CSTO Secretary General.

No one had the right to make such a statement because decisions at the CSTO are made by consensus, and we [Armenia] have clearly expressed our position, Pashinyan said. Its very important that we have a very clear conversation with the allies within the framework of the CSTO, and that it be clear to each and every one of the sides as to what obligation it has toward the others.

Armenias acting PM added that this matter was discussed also during his telephonic conversation on the same day with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that Armenia continues the discourse with its CSTO partners so that they ultimately reach mutual understanding.

Video from Shant News
YEREVAN.  There is no doubt that during the election campaign season, anti-Russian slogans and moods will become more active by some political forces in Armenia, analyst Aram Safaryan said at a press conference on Saturday.

But in his words, it is indispensable to continue the course which Armenia follows for more than 25 years, and not to create tension in relations with Russia.

The course of Armenias foreign policy has always differed by [the fact] that it has had a multi-vector orientation, he noted. And it should not be permitted that Armenia turns into an arena for a West-Russia confrontation.

The analyst added, however, that considering many factors, it is necessary to maintain the special level of relations with Russia.

The political forces [of Armenia] should take into account the fact of close cooperation with Russia, Safaryan stressed, in particular.

He added that the new Armenian authorities need to increase the level of relations with Russia.

Eleven political forces in Armenia will vie for parliamentary seats in the snap voting on December 9.

And the 12-day election campaign season will kick off on November 26.
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Ruling party MP: If Russia's proposals are acceptable for Armenian premier, they are in Armenia's interests

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The spokesperson for Belarusian Foreign Ministry A. Glaz commented on the statement of the Armenian acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

The corresponding comment was published on the website of the Foreign Ministry of Belarus.

Apparently, the Acting Prime Minister of Armenia thinks he is an international prosecutor authorized to punish or pardon.

Perhaps this was acceptable in the case of the former CSTO Secretary General, Armenian citizen Yuri Khachaturov. But in interstate relations there are quite clear rules of protocol and etiquette, the statement said.

According to the statement, Pashinyan has not yet realized that the rules of the so-called street democracy are not acceptable in big politics.

Earlier, Pashinyan demand explanations from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko for discussing the present-day situation at the CSTO with the ambassador of Azerbaijan, a non-member country of this organization.

Armenias acting PM added that this matter was discussed also during his telephonic conversation on the same day with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that Armenia continues the discourse with its CSTO partners so that they ultimately reach mutual understanding.

Armenia acting PM to demand explanations from Belarus, Kazakhstan presidents
A man dies and thousands of yellow flowers appear out of nowhere to shower his body. A band of gypsies come into town and gifts its citizens a flying carpet, which does not at all surprise them but amuses them.

Such is the fantastical, magical world of Macondo, the mythical city at the center of the novel One Hundred Years of Solitude by Nobel Prize winner Colombian born writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The real and magical mix is a style called magic realism, a genre that has become associated with Latin American literature. The book tells the tale of the multigenerational Buendia family; it is considered one of the best literary works of the 20th century.

Now 175 engravings and sketches illustrating it will be part of a new exhibit at the University of Miamis Otto Richter Library. Colombian artist Pedro Villalba Ospina, who devoted more than 20 years of his life to its creation, sketched the exquisitely detailed pages of various scenes and characters from the tale. The exhibit commemorates the 50th anniversary of the publication of the book.

I became intrigued by the possibility of this exhibit when I learned about the subject of the work: the novel by the Nobel-winning author is often considered the premier representation in literature of magical realism, said Charles D. Eckman. dean of UM Libraries. The artists beautiful evocation of the characters, places, and events from this book is a moving experience for anyone familiar with the novel.

Eckman added that seeing the etching on the librarys wall creates a sense of immersion in this marvelous story.

Villalba Ospina became enamored with the novel when he first read it as a high school student in Colombia. His teacher was a friend of Garcia Marquez and taught the class with real passion and knowledge, he said. Villalba Ospina, worked as an illustrator, taught art and restored antique furniture, but slowly the idea of illustrating his favorite novel took a hold of him.

During his years creating the engravings and drawings, he read the novel at least 25 times, he said. His engravings began to gain popularity and were exhibited in various venues in Colombia. In 2005, Villalba Ospina had the extraordinary honor to meet Garcia Marquez at a cultural event in Cuba. Garcia Marquez spent a long time perusing the etchings and drawings of his literary work. He liked what he saw and recognized in the illustrations the foliage and fauna of his hometown Aracataca, the town that was the basis for Macondo, said Villalba Ospina.

He asked me several questions about my research and my work, said Villalba Ospina, and then Garcia Marquez added with humor: Looking at your work makes me want to read the novel again.

In 2007, Villalba Ospinas literary agent Carmen Balcells and the writer commissioned an illustrated book with the drawings and etchings.

The 57-year-old artist never imagined that a love for the poetic sensibilities of a literary work and his passion for reading would lead him to such recognition.

I always worried while I was working that my work was disciplined and good enough to live up to the novel because the book is so loved by so many worldwide, he said.

Tuesday, Nov. 20, he will be the guest of honor at the opening of the exhibit at the Richter Library, which will be followed with a reception. .A question and answer session with Villalba Ospina (in Spanish) will be part of the event. The opening remarks will be given by Omar Vargas, of UMs Department of Modern Languages and Literatures.
Posted by Mike Levine | November 9, 2010

Update #1 November-09-2010 06:57 PDT:

Fans of the current naming convention for Ram trucks can breathe a sigh of relief. Ram spokesman Dave Elshoff has given PickupTrucks.com a firm rebuttal of this information, calling word from our sources "completely wrong."

"There have been no discussions whatsoever, nor any consideration given to changing the names of our incredibly successful and award-winning Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks nor our 3500, 4500 and 5500 Ram Chassis Cab trucks," Elshoff said.

-----

To accommodate plans for a Dodge Dakota replacement under the Ram truck brand, Chrysler is said to be considering a name change for its pickups, two sources have told PickupTrucks.com.

The current Ram truck line is split into the 1500 half-ton and 2500/3500 heavy-duty series. That naming scheme has been used since 1994, when the 1994 Dodge Ram 1500 was introduced with revolutionary styling that helped Dodge triple its share of the light-truck segment by 1998.

Chrysler dropped the Dodge name from its pickups last year in an effort to develop a stronger brand identity from its long-overshadowed line of Dodge cars.

In trying to figure out a new name for the Dakota successor under Ram trucks, Ram execs are said to have thought about two names: Ram 1000 and Ram 100. Were told theyre leaning toward Ram 100 because it sounds better, but in doing so, Ram would also change all of the truck names to follow a similar naming convention. Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 would be replaced by Ram 150, 250 and 350.

While that might seem like Ram is trying to find a free ride off Fords F-Series pickups, the best-selling line of full-size trucks, thats not necessarily the case. Dodge's 1981-1993 pickup lineup consisted of D150, D250 and D350 two-wheel-drive and W150, W250 and W350 four-wheel-drive models.



1990 Dodge Ram D150

Would consumers welcome Ram 100, 150, 250 and 350 trucks?

If the sales success of the F-150 is any indication of the importance or lack thereof of pickup truck nomenclature, 150 certainly does not mean less than 1500, said Dave Sullivan, manager of product analysis at AutoPacific, an automotive consulting firm. The Dakota name will most certainly not be missed, and bringing the Ram 100 name to consumers would further streamline the use of the Ram brand.

Were told by our sources that the Dakota replacement is best described as a 2011 Dodge Durango with a cargo box. It will share the same unibody platform, along with the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

While Dakota sales have consistently fallen year-over-year as the truck has aged along with other midsize pickups truck buyers havent embraced the notion of a unibody midsize pickup. Honda hoped to sell 50,000 unibody Ridgeline pickups per year when the truck came to market in 2005 for the 2006 model year, but in 2009 only 16,464 units were sold.

Chrysler will have to make sure its Dakota replacement is firmly associated with its more larger, more capable stable mates.

The biggest advantage this could have for Chrysler/Ram is they would have a true pickup truck lineup, as many other OEMs have neglected their smaller offerings to focus on full-size pickups, Sullivan said. The Ranger, Colorado/Canyon, Dakota and even the Japanese OEMs have neglected their smaller trucks in search of more profits. Ram could be positioning themselves for a winning lineup if/when gas prices spike again. This gives Chrysler a way to get more volume out of one platform without having to make a large investment on an all-new platform. The Grand Cherokee has impressive towing capability for a unibody vehicle and offers up a proven platform that is ripe to be transformed into a pickup.

Our sources say that Chrysler has commissioned a market research company to see what truck buyers think of the all-new naming scheme.

What do you think?
Posted by PickupTrucks.com Staff | January 16, 2011



Photos and Words by Jim McCraw; above photo courtesy of Ford

Ford Motor Co. made some history over the weekend when it did a complete engine tear-down and inspection of a "torture tested" 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V-6 used in the latest F-150 at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Auto shows, like NAIAS, typically showcase the latest metal in fancy displays bathed in brilliant lights and staffed with beautiful spokesmodels. Theyre about as far as you can get from the garages that all cars and trucks will eventually require a visit to for service and maintenance. But for an hour Saturday, Ford turned part of its spotless blue and white display space inside Detroits Cobo Hall into a service bay for the last chapter of the F-150 EcoBoost torture test.



The front of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 prior to the start of the teardown in front of an estimated audience of more than 1,000 people at the 2011 Detroit auto show.

In case youre one of the three or four people who havent been following the F-150 EcoBoost torture test story online, heres a recap:

A production EcoBoost V-6 engine, serial number 448AA, was randomly selected off the assembly line at Fords Cleveland engine plant. The dual-overhead-cam power plant was shipped to dynamometer cell 36B in the Ford Dearborn engine labs and run for 300 hours to replicate the equivalent of 150,000 customer miles, including repeated temperature-shock runs when the engine was cooled to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit and then heated to 235 degrees.

The engine was then shipped to Ford's Kansas City truck plant and installed in an F-150 4X4 crew-cab pickup. It was driven to Nygaard Timber in Astoria, Ore., and put to work as a log skidder, dragging a total of 110,000 pounds of logs across the ground to demonstrate its 420 pounds-feet of torque.



The front engine cover, intake manifold and heads are removed from the engine to expose the valvetrain.

From there, the truck was driven across the country to Homestead Miami Speedway, where it was hooked up to a trailer carrying two of Richard Pettys Ford Fusion racecars, a load of 11,300 pounds, and run continuously around the track for 24 hours, averaging 82 mph and covering 1,607 miles.

It was then taken to Davis Dam in Arizona, where it bested both the 5.3-liter Chevy Silverado V-8 and the Ram 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 in an uphill towing contest pulling 9,000 pounds up a 6 percent grade on Highway 68.

Finally, the 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost engine was shipped to Mike McCarthys race shop in Wickenburg, Ariz., and installed in his 7,100-pound F-150 race truck. McCarthy practiced locally for 1,200 miles and raced the truck in the SCORE Baja 1000, the toughest off-road race in North America, finishing first overall in the new Stock Engine class after 1,062 race miles.



A close-up photo of three pistons still inside their cylinders. Note the carbon buildup on the piston crowns.

McCarthy said the engines fuel economy was so good compared with his previous V-8 engines that he was able to skip two planned fuel stops during the Baja event, which helped him win the class.

After Baja, the thoroughly thrashed and raced engine was shipped back to Ford headquarters in Dearborn, Mich., and dyno-tested once again. It was found to produce 364 horsepower and 420 pounds-feet of torque, just one horsepower less than its rating and exactly the same output as its nominal torque rating, according to Ford.

More From PickupTrucks.com:

A leakdown test was performed to measure how well the engines 24 intake and exhaust valves and piston rings were still able to seal the cylinders. One cylinder was found to have a cautionary 13 percent air loss past the combustion chambers seals, while all other cylinders were acceptable with single digits of air leakage.



Pistons and crankshaft displayed on a parts table.

Oil pressure at idle on the dyno was normal, in the mid-40 psi range.

After the dyno, engine 448AA, which had never been opened or inspected, was shipped to the Detroit auto show where, on Saturday, it was torn down for inspection in front of a live audience of more than a thousand Ford engine enthusiasts and their families.

The teardown was narrated for the audience by Jim Mazuchowski, Fords chief engineer for V-6 engines. Powertrain engineer Phil Fabien explained the advantages of things like turbocharging, direct fuel injection and twin independent variable cam timing while engine technicians Chris Brown on the right bank and Chris Rahill on the left bank took the engine apart using a pair of air wrenches and hand tools.



The engine's four camshafts - two per cylinder bank to control intake and exhaust valve timing.

As they went, the engine parts were laid out on three huge tables so that when the tear-down was complete, the engineers and the audience could take a closer look. During the tear-down, engineers Steve Matera, Kirk Sheffer and Jeanne Wei organized the parts and made some key measurements.

Valve lash, which measures valvetrain clearance between the camshafts and valves, was checked at 0.17 mm on the intakes and 0.38 mm on the exhausts. Thats well within normal range for both, according to Ford. Crankshaft end play was measured at 0.12 mm, also acceptable.

The timing chain, which controls valve timing and synchronizes engine operation, was still within normal tolerances. With age, a timing belt loses tension, and a hydraulically operated timing chain tensioner is used to compensate for slack. The tensioner has 10 teeth that work like a ratchet to maintain tension. The EcoBoost V-6 used three teeth, well within the timing chains operating specs.



Exhaust side view of one of the engine's two turbo assemblies.

We didnt get a photo of the valves, but they had carbon deposits similar to that found (and seen in pictures) on piston combustion surfaces.

Visual inspection of the cylinder heads, twin turbos, piston crowns, ring lands, rod bearings and cylinder bores by the engineers and your correspondent showed no major signs of anomalous wear after 163,000 miles of endurance testing. The main bearings showed cosmetic grooves but not excessive wear through the metal.

Engineer Wei said each and every part would be taken back to Fords labs to be checked with scales, cameras, lasers, micrometers and other measuring tools to get the final details on the rich, full life of EcoBoost V-6 engine 448AA.

You can see the disassembled engine with your own eyes until Jan. 23 at NAIAS.

Please see our Facebook page for more photos.
Thousands of Google employees around the world walked off the job briefly on Thursday to protest the companys handling of sexual harassment in recent years.

Employees everywhere from New York and California to Singapore and London took to the streets with signs and chants around 11 a.m. (in local time zones) demanding change following a New York Times report last week, which revealed that Google paid million dollar exit packages to male executives accused of misconduct.

Time is up on sexual harassment! organizer Vicki Tardif Holland shouted at a protest in Cambridge, Massachusetts, surrounded by about 300 people, according to the Associated Press. Time is up on systemic racism. Time is up on abuses of power. Enough is enough!

Hundreds gathered around the world with signs boasting poignant messages, including: What do I do at Google? I work hard every day so the company can afford $90,000,000 payouts to execs who sexually harass my co-workers.

Google employees everywhere were outraged after the Times revealed Andy Rubin, creator of the Android mobile software, left Google with a $90 million payout from the company after Google determined that a sexual misconduct claim against him was credible.

The New York Times story contains numerous inaccuracies about my employment at Google and wild exaggerations about my compensation, Rubin said in a statement in response to the Times article. Specifically, I never coerced a woman to have sex in a hotel room. These false allegations are part of a smear campaign by my ex-wife to disparage me during a divorce and custody battle.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Google officials expressed their support for the employees, noting that Google has evolved as a company.

Obviously its been a difficult time. This anger and frustration within the company, we all feel it. I feel it too. At Google we set a very, very high bar and we clearly didnt live up to our expectations, officials said in the statement. And which is why we felt it was important to express our support for the employees today. And the first step you take in these things is to acknowledge and apologize for past actions, for the pain they caused. We sincerely did that to the company.

Story continues

But, for the employees, the protest is a long time coming.

Its just unfair that the women who are being attacked have to speak to the people above them in order to get change to happen, Taylor Reifurth, a freelance editor at Google, told CNN. Because sometimes their abusers are the ones above them and in charge of promoting them or in charge of their jobs. Its a lose-lose situation.

Photos supposedly of the protest showed large groups of people at Googles Zurich, Tokyo, Berlin and Singapore offices, CNN reported. Meanwhile, a group of Google employees was seen walking out of the companys headquarters in London.

Were walking out in support of those whove been harassed anywhere in the workplace, and to ensure that perpetrators are not rewarded and are not protected, Sam Dutton, a Google developer advocate, told CNN.

In the wake of the initial report, Google revealed that it had fired 48 people for sexual harassment in the past two years  and none of them received an exit package, according to the Times.

The protest comes just weeks after McDonalds employees in 10 cities organized a strike to highlight the companys handling of sexual harassment claims. And the walkout follows the headline-making #MeToo movement.
Dear Newsie Readers,

Newsie has now permanently ceased it's services as of Friday 20th December 2019.

Newsie has been an owner-funded operation since day one.

Coming up to three years old, while we still firmly believe Newsie has a place in the New Zealand media landscape, the cost in both time and money has become too burdensome for the owners to continue alongside other ventures.

With the current government looking to restructure public broadcasting, and seemingly supporting NZME buying a ring-fenced Stuff, the time seems right to call it a day.

Should it happen, the combination of NZME and Stuff will ensure New Zealands national media will die a death by a thousand opinion-based articles.

Newsie has always tried to stick to balanced news, to inform readers of the facts of a situation, amid being largely ignored by government. Hopefully, one day someone else will take up the challenge to fight the good fight.

The good news, however, is that there were no job losses as a result of Newsie closing. Thanks to careful structuring, everyone involved in Newsie will retain their current positions.

We hope you all have a happy Christmas and new year. Stay safe, and stay out of the news.

The team at Newsie
(Bloomberg) -- Kai-Fu Lee, a prominent Chinese venture capitalist and former president of Google China, said his investment firm may scale back in the U.S. if relations between the two countries deteriorate further.

Lee, the chairman and chief executive officer of Sinovation Ventures, said his firm would likely try to lure talent from the U.S. to China instead of investing in American businesses. Lee said his next steps will hinge on a planned meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump at the Group of 20 nations summit in Buenos Aires. Lee didnt specify what would need to happen to forestall his retreat.

Our U.S. strategy is pending on the Argentina meeting, to see if there is a U.S. strategy, Lee said in an interview with Bloomberg at the CEC Capital Summit, an annual event in California hosted by a Beijing investment bank. We dont have to invest in the U.S.

Founded in 2009, Sinovation Ventures was one of the first Chinese VC firms with a presence in the U.S. Other global firms, including Sequoia Capital and GGV Capital, have propelled their brands using a similar strategy that promises entrepreneurs a bridge between the worlds two largest economies. Sinovation Ventures manages about $2 billion between six funds in U.S. and Chinese currencies. It holds shares in more than 300 companies, most of which are in China. The financial impact of a U.S. pullout for the firm would be muted.

Ninety-five percent of our past money was invested in China, so that could easily be 98 percent or 100 percent if thats what it takes, Lee said. We may end up with two internets. We may end up with two sets of AI. We may end up with two sets of internet governance principles.

Lees uneasiness reflects a common feeling among Chinese-rooted investors doing business in the U.S. The Trump administration has blocked or delayed deals, large and small, between U.S. and Chinese tech companies. In the first five months of the year, Chinese acquisitions and investments fell to the lowest level in seven years, a drop of 92 percent, according to Rhodium Group, a global economic and policy research firm.

Story continues

In August, Congress gave the Treasury Department the authority to strengthen the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., or CFIUS, an inter-agency panel that reviews cross-border business transactions for national security risks. Under new rules, even a small investment can be flagged for CFIUS review.

CFIUS regulation is probably the most worrisome for us all, Lee said. The easy thing for us to do is to look for smart, technical Chinese people in America and bring them back to China. That is what the current American policy is forcing us to do. That cant be good for the future, but if youre in my shoes, what other choice do you have?

Talks between the U.S. and China to settle a tit-for-tat trade war have made little progress since May, with tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports due to rise to 25 percent in January from 10 percent. A key point of contention for the U.S. has been allegations that China engages in widespread intellectual property theft. Trump intends to focus on broad themes with Xi at the G-20 and potentially set a framework for the two countries to work together, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Thursday. Ross said he doesnt anticipate the U.S. and China will secure a full deal by January.

Lee said his initial goal for Sinovation Ventures in the U.S. was to help companies there reach Chinese consumers and then the rest of the world. His investments in the U.S. focus on robotics, artificial intelligence and education technology, with stakes in startups that make autonomous delivery robots, energy data collection tools and AI to improve factory production.

If our founders were half American and half Chinese, if our money was half American and half Chinese, then both countries gain, Lee said. It should be doable, but the current trade dispute seems to make that an impossibility. So, we are actually on the path to increasingly separate the two parallel universes.

(Updates with additional quotes in the fifth paragraph. A previous version corrected the first paragraph to show that investor may scale back in the U.S., not that he will.)

To contact the reporter on this story: Selina Wang in San Francisco at swang533@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jillian Ward at jward56@bloomberg.net, Mark Milian

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2018 Bloomberg L.P.
Saudi Arabia has been slashing oil exports to the United States over the past two months, in what looks like a move to force a reduction in the worlds most transparently reported inventories that could put the Saudis on a collision course with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said that oil prices should be much lower.

The Saudis started to reduce shipments to the United States in September, and this month they are loading around 600,000 bpd on cargoes en route to the United States, down from more than 1 million bpd in July and August for example, CNBC reports, quoting figures from ClipperData.

According to ClipperData estimates, Saudi oil exports to the United States could soon reach their lowest levels on record.

The Saudi tactic to send reduced volumes to the Stateswhich regularly reports every week crude oil inventoriessucceeded last year.

Reduced Saudi oil imports tend to reflect in lower weekly U.S. inventories, while in the past weeks, crude builds have been weighing on oil prices, together with fears of an oversupplied global market and signs of slowing economic and oil demand growth.

It worked so well in 2017 for [the Saudis] to cut flows to the U.S. because people could see the inventories dropping because U.S. data is so timely and transparent, Matt Smith, head of commodities research at ClipperData, told CNBC.

Due to seasonally lower demand, Saudi Arabia will reduce its supply to the global markets by 500,000 bpd in December compared to November, Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said this weekend. On Monday, al-Falih affirmed that OPEC will do whatever it takes to balance the market, admitting that the cartels analysis shows that another cut of 1 million bpd may be required.

The comments from Saudi Arabia sent oil prices up early on Monday, before President Trumps latest tweet aimed at OPECHopefully, Saudi Arabia and OPEC will not be cutting oil production. Oil prices should be much lower based on supply!contributed to a 7-percent oil price plunge on Tuesday.



By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
- US refinery runs have remained largely stagnant at 16.4 MMbpd, ahead of this weeks restart of the 410kbpd Whiting refinery in Indiana.

- Regardless of this discrepancny, the US oil sector will have to fight its way through the current period of crude oversupply.

- Even though crude imports rose by 270 kbpd w-o-w, the extent of the crude buildup most likely disguises a discrepancy between real and reported crude export volumes.

- US Commercial crude stocks increased for the eighth week in a row, adding in a hefty 10.3 MMBbl w-o-w hike, reaching 442.1 MMBbl.

OPEC played a significant role in reversing the price dynamics, stating that it might return to production cuts if need be. Moreover, ongoing reports of Russia and Saudi Arabia cooperating on oil pricing issues supported crude prices. On Friday, Brent traded in the $67-68 per barrel interval, whilst WTI moved towards $58 per barrel.

Crude has continued its downward slide, edging lower for the sixth consecutive week amid solidifying concerns about a potentially oversupplied market. On Tuesday prices plunged by 5 dollars, the worst day for crude trading in the past three years. Prices have, however, partially rebounded since, ending the 12 day falling streak.

Crude has continued its downward slide, edging lower for the sixth consecutive week amid solidifying concerns about a potentially oversupplied market. On Tuesday prices plunged by 5 dollars, the worst day for crude trading in the past three years. Prices have, however, partially rebounded since, ending the 12 day falling streak.

(Click to enlarge)

OPEC played a significant role in reversing the price dynamics, stating that it might return to production cuts if need be. Moreover, ongoing reports of Russia and Saudi Arabia cooperating on oil pricing issues supported crude prices. On Friday, Brent traded in the $67-68 per barrel interval, whilst WTI moved towards $58 per barrel.

1. US Crude Stocks Continue to Rise Amid Falling Product Stocks

(Click to enlarge)

- US Commercial crude stocks increased for the eighth week in a row, adding in a hefty 10.3 MMBbl w-o-w hike, reaching 442.1 MMBbl.

- Even though crude imports rose by 270 kbpd w-o-w, the extent of the crude buildup most likely disguises a discrepancy between real and reported crude export volumes.

- Regardless of this discrepancny, the US oil sector will have to fight its way through the current period of crude oversupply.

- US refinery runs have remained largely stagnant at 16.4 MMbpd, ahead of this weeks restart of the 410kbpd Whiting refinery in Indiana.

- Gasoline inventories dropped by 1.4 MMbbl w-o-w, largely due to imports decreasing by more than 300kbpd on the week, to a total level of 226.6 MMbbl.

- Distillate stocks have fallen for eight consecutive weeks by a cumulative 21 MMbbl, reaching 119 MMbbl - the lower limit of the five-year average range.

2. Iraq Going Against the Tide with December OSPs

(Click to enlarge)

- SOMO has lifted prices for European and US cargoes, running counter to Saudi Arabias easing of prices for December 2018 loadings.

- Saudi Aramco has cut its Arab Medium price (Ras Tanura basis) delivered to the Mediterranean by 30 US cents, whilst SOMO has the similar quality Basrah Light by 20 US cents.

- Basrah Light prices for Asia were kept at the same level, whilst Basrah Heavy cargo premiums to Asian customers will be increased by 50 US cents.

- This means SOMO has gone back to the traditional Middle Eastern setup  Basrah Light is at a 10 US cent discount to Arab Medium.

- Interestingly, SOMO has cut the December price of Kirkuk crude heading to Europe by 1.25 USD per barrel to this years record level of -4 USD per barrel.

- It has to be noted, however, that SOMO does not market Kirkuk crude currently  all the volumes are exported by the Kurdistan Regional Government instead. There are talks that SOMO might restart some Kirkuk exports in the upcoming weeks.

3. Kuwait Keeps Its Crude Competitive vis-a-vis Saudi Arabia

(Click to enlarge)

- The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) raised its Asia-bound official selling price for Kuwait Export Crude (KEC) by 15 US cents per barrel, keeping it competitive against Arab Medium which was previously raised by 20 US cents.

- Thus, the Asian KEC-Arab Medium discount has gone back to 40 US cents per barrel after the last months five-year high of 35 US cents per barrel.

- KPC followed the footsteps of Saudi Aramco regarding European supplies, too  Saudi Aramco cut the Arab Medium FOB Sidi Kerir price by 40 US cents and the FOB Ras Tanura by 30 US cents per barrel, KPC went for 50 and 40 US cents per barrel, correspondingly.

- Moreover, KPC rolled over the Northwest Europe prices from November, whilst Saudi Aramco has raised Arab Medium by 60 US cents per barrel.

4. Asian Refiners Lose Out on Switch From South Pars Condensate

Source: OilPrice data.

- South Korean and Japanese refiners that previously went heavy on refining the Iranian South Pars Condensate (SPC) are set to lose out from switching to other supply streams.

- Most of the potential SPC substitutes are significantly heavier than the 62 API Iranian supply, substantially changing the yield structure for the worse.

- The Australian 50 API Ichthys condensate yields up to 15 percent of fuel oil, whilst SPC yields little to none of it.

- Another potential substitute, the American Eagle Ford Condensates metals content is a worry, too - it contains 15 times as much nitrogen, 30 times as much mercury and double the amount of arsenic, compared to SPC.

- Moreover, due to the heterogeneity of Eagle Ford (its API might be anywhere between 50-60 API), its quality might vary from cargo to cargo, making it all the more difficult for Asia-Pacific refineries to adapt to it.

- For those not having splitters that can cope with Eagle Ford or Ichthys, Australias 63 API North West Shelf Condensate will be the most optimal way out.

5. ADNOC Moves Further Into Indian Strategic Storage

(Click to enlarge)

Source: OilPrice data.

- ADNOC signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve to store crude at the 2.5 Mmt Padur storage facility in the southern state of Karnataka.

- This marks the second step in Phase I of the Indian Strategic Reserves program, which stipulates the creation of three storage sites in Padur, Mangalore and Vishakhapatnam.

- ADNOC already uses up to half of Mangalores 1.5Mmt storage capacity, having supplied the first shipment this May.

- India does not have to pay for the crude in return for allowing ADNOC to use its underground storage and has the first right to the oil in case of an oil shortage.

- Otherwise, ADNOC, which accounts for 7 percent of Indian crude imports, is free to sell it to Indian refiners.

- It is expected that the second half of Padur capacity will be allocated to Saudi Aramco.

- India already has 5.33Mmt worth of strategic storage capacity, and to two new sites in Odisha and Karnataka that are set to be built in the next few years will increase its capacity by a further 6.5 million tons.

6. Gazprom Neft Strikes Oil Again in the Okhotsk Sea

(Click to enlarge)

Source: Gazprom Neft.

- Gazprom Nefts latest discovery, Triton, was drilled in the Ayashskiy license blocks in water depth of 80 meters, unearthing at least 1 billion barrels of oil reserves.

- It was estimated that the Bayutinskiy prospect contains around 700 million barrels, so the results of the drilling surpassed initial expectations.

- Triton is found close to the Neptune, a 2017 discovery which turned out to be the one of the largest in Russias Sakhalin offshore  Neptunes in-place reserves are estimated at 3 BBbl and recoverable ones at 0.91 BBbl.

- Before Neptune and Triton (the field naming follows a pattern, since Triton was the son of Neptune in Roman mythology) it was estimated that the Ayashskiy area contained up to 5TCf of gas, however, the discoveries testify to a more oil-bearing zone.

- Gazprom Neft does not rule out the participation of foreign partners, Mitsubishi was rumoured to be interested in closer cooperation regarding offshore Sakhalin.

7. China Stores Iranian Condensate in Southeast Asian Waters

- According to Platts, an Iranian VLCC (Dover) has transferred this week part of its 2 billion barrel cargo of South Pars Condensate to the Vanguard floating storage vessel, operated by the Chinese Kunlun Company.

- There seems to be a larger trend behind this as Chinese companies are increasingly seen storing Iranian volumes in Southeast Asian international waters.

- Two other Iranian-owned VLCCs are currently located in the region, most probably waiting for a ship-to-ship transfer to offload their cargoes into floating storages there.

- The number of ships used for floating storage in Indonesias Nipah and Malaysias Tanjung Telepas areas has been gradually growing in the past weeks.

- At least three Iranian fully laden VLCCs are now currently around Chinas port of Dalian as floating storage.
On November 19th, President Putin will stand shoulder to shoulder with President Erdogan during a ceremony to celebrate the completion of the first string of Turk Stream. The subsea gas pipeline will transfer 15.75 bcm directly from mainland Russia to Turkey. The capacity will double after the second string is completed. The pipeline will be operational at the end of 2019. Despite several setbacks, mutual interests concerning security and trade have ensured the strengthening of cooperation between Russia and Turkey in the face of opposition from the West. The first string of Turk Stream, which is almost completed, is important for bilateral relations. The second string, however, will service the European market and is a sign of Gazproms successful strategy in the face of opposition from the EU and several European countries.

(Click to enlarge)

Rising tensions between Russia and the West after the crisis in Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea made Moscow reconsider its massive South Stream project. The pipeline would circumvent Ukraine and transport 63 bcm of natural gas to Europe via Bulgaria. The unbundling legislation and strong opposition from both Brussels and several European countries made Gazprom ditch South Stream and opt for a smaller albeit equally important Turk Stream. The strategy has worked as European companies are scrambling to participate in the project.

(Click to enlarge)

South Streams backyard

Pricing disputes between Russias Gazprom and Ukraines Naftohaz Ukrayiny in the 2000s created a need on the Russian side to decrease transit dependency. After Nord Streams success, South Stream would have connected consumers in southeast Europe directly with Russias vast gas resources. Critics point out that state-controlled Gazprom intends to increase pressure on Ukraine by depriving it of billions of dollars in transit fees and weakening its negotiating position. The latter would be achieved by reducing the countrys transit importance. Moscow, however, insists that the projects arent a malign plan vis-a-vis Ukraine, but have the goal of improving energy security in the region.

While both the first and second string reduce transit through Ukraine, the latter is more important for political and symbolic reasons. Gazprom has yet to decide which direction the second string of Turk Stream will be heading: north into South Streams backyard or west into Greece and finally Italy. Bulgaria has already increased the capacity of the Trans-Balkan pipeline to 15.75 bcm in a bid to receive the entire volume of the second string. Despite Sofia not being the strongest candidate, it makes sense from a strategic point of view.

Whether it is for political reasons Moscow intends to increase pressure on Ukraine or the improving of energy security in the region, the goal decides the means. In this case, Turk Stream should be substituting natural gas coming from Ukraine in order adhere to Gazproms goal. The prime reason of the western route through Greece is the larger market of Italy, while southeast Europe would still receive its gas from Ukraine.

Political principles vs. economic goals

Moscow maintains close diplomatic relations with both Greece and Italy. Romes incumbent Prime Minister Conte recently visited Moscow in a show of support where he hinted that the European sanctions on Russia are counterproductive. He didn't provide an answer on whether Italy will veto the half-yearly extension of EU sanctions due this December. It is, however, reasonable to assume that natural gas was on the agenda. Whether the choice will be made for Greece and Italy is not yet clear.

Related: Natural Gas Markets Remain Ultra Tight

The existing interconnector between Turkey and Greece is currently operating at a low 6 bcm capacity while 10 is the max. So, there is the spare capacity to use without additional investments. Gazprom is also looking into the frozen plans for the Interconnector Turkey-Greece-Italy or Poseidon pipeline which was shelved after it lost to the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline or TAP.

(Click to enlarge)

From an economic point of view, it makes sense to facilitate the larger and more wealthy market of southern Europe. However, high costs of constructing a subsea pipeline and competition from TAP make it less plausible. TAP is in a far more advanced stadium with construction plans ready and financing secured. Furthermore, the consortium in charge of the pipeline has another trump card Gazprom cant surpass: backing from the EU.

Gazproms success

Although Turk Streams capacity is half compared to South Streams, the pipeline has the potential to significantly impact European markets. Despite efforts by Brussels to halt Russian projects in Europe, Moscow seems assured that it will succeed: Nord Stream 2 is already under construction, Turk Streams first string is nearly completed, and the second one will follow soon. What is striking in the case of the second string, is the scrambling by Greek, Bulgarian, and Italian companies and politicians to receive natural gas from the Turk Stream pipeline. With every passing day it becomes ever more likely that these pipelines will be completed.

By Vanand Meliksetian for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Even if some Japanese refiners resume Iranian oil purchases thanks to the U.S. waiver, refiners have just a small window to clear all related transactions, so they are likely to finish loading potential cargoes from Iran by the end of March 2019, uncertain that their waiver will be extended beyond May, industry and trade sources tell S&P Global Platts.

Japan was one of eight Iranian oil customers who received a U.S. waiver to continue importing Iranian oil at reduced volumes for 180 days after November 5, the day on which the United States reinstated sanctions on Irans oil, shipping, banking, and insurance industries.

Japans Economy and Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko said after the waivers were announced that following the suspension of all shipments of Iranian crude to Japanese refineries ahead of the U.S. sanctions, Japanese refiners were now preparing to resume Iranian oil imports.

Even if some refiners decide to resume exports next year, they may be able to load Iranian oil only in January and February, and probably March, according to various industry sources who spoke to Platts. First, refiners would want to have cleared all Iran-related transactions ideally by end-April. Then they will be able to use the Japanese government-backed shipping insurance for Iranian cargoes at the end of March, when the current insurance coverage expires. In addition, by that time, the United States will have expected more cuts from Iranian oil customers even with the waivers, and its not clear whether any waivers would be extended beyond the six-month period ending in May.

Still, there will be at least one Japanese refiner probably importing Iranian oil early next year. A source with a Japanese refiner told Platts that the refiner plans to soon launch talks with National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) for possible shipments, and has already contacted banks to resume oil imports.

The many uncertainties surrounding the waivers and the insurance coverage, however, continue to prompt Japanese refiners to look for alternative oil supplies, industry sources told Platts.

Before the sanctions snapped back, Japans imports from Iran averaged 164,900 bpd between January and September, accounting for 5 percent of all Japanese oil imports, according to government data.



By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The UKs draft withdrawal agreement for leaving the European Union lacks clarity, which could be damaging to the UK oil and gas industry with increased costs for retaining skilled workers, analysts warn.

Earlier this week, the draft Brexit divorce deal from the EU was published, and according to analysts, it contains a lot of uncertainties in many areas.

Its bringing even less certainty than we had before. We dont know if we will be leaving the customs union and its asking more questions than are being answered which I think will be disturbing for the oil and gas industry, David Gibbons Wood, a business and economics lecturer at Robert Gordon University (RGU), told The Press and Journal.

Companies will react quickly once there is clarity regarding the investment and trading backdrop, but the current uncertainty is not helping the industry, according to Wood.

Yet, oil and gas is a global sector, not just an EU one, so there could be less damage compared to other industries, he noted.

According to Fiona Cincotta, a senior analyst at City Index, the UK North Sea oil and gas industry will definitely feel the cost of keeping skilled EU workers.

Given that Brexit, with or without Theresa Mays deal, looks to restrict movement of people between UK and EU and vice versa the impact on the sector could be large, especially in an industry where competition for talent is fierce, Cincotta told The Press and Journal.

Oil & Gas UK, the sectors trade association, welcomed the publication of the draft Brexit deal, but said that it would need time to analyze its potential impact on the industry.

Our focus remains on securing the best outcome for the UKs offshore oil and gas industry. That is, protecting the offshore industry from future EU regulatory changes, minimal friction between the UK and EU, maintaining a strong voice in Europe, protecting energy trading and the internal energy market and protecting our licence to operate, Oil & Gas UK chief executive Deirdre Michie told The Press and Journal.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
About Me Oscar Bartoli Washington, DC, United States Avvocato, giornalista pubblicista, collabora con molti media italiani. Risiede negli Stati Uniti dal 1994 e vive tra Washington D.C., Los Angeles e Bangalore (India). Consigliere comunale per il Partito Liberale a Palazzo Vecchio (Firenze) porta ancora addosso i segni delle percosse che i 'compagni' comunisti di allora gli hanno dato per essere andato a parlare nelle piazze dove comandava solo il PCI. Ha lavorato per molti anni nel gruppo SMI,leader europeo nel settore metalli non ferrosi, successivamente nell'IRI come responsabile dei contatti con i media e in seguito direttore IRI USA. Ha insegnato per dieci anni alla scuola di giornalismo della Luiss e per due anni alla Catholic University di Washington DC. Tiene un corso sulla comunicazione nel Master di Relazioni Internazionali dello IULM di Milano. Rotariano da decenni ha contribuito a creare due Club a Roma, e' stato presidente del Cassia Romana ed attualmente fa parte del Washington Rotary Club. Da giovane, per pagarsi gli studi ma, soprattutto, perche' gli piaceva, ha lavorato come chitarrista - cantante suonando nelle case del popolo, circoli cattolici, night clubs, radio e televisione. View my complete profile

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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wrapped up an emotional 24-hour visit to Australia Saturday by paying tribute to 80 Japanese sailors killed when their submarine was sunk as the two nations battled one another in World War II. Abe, accompanied by his wife Akie, laid flowers at a memorial in the northern city of Darwin to the lost crew of submarine I-124, which was sunk off the nearby coast by the Australian warship HMAS Deloraine in January 1942. The following month, Japanese warplanes began a series of air raids on Darwin which left more than 250 dead, the worst foreign attack ever on Australia. Abe's visit to Darwin was the first by a Japanese leader to the city, and he and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison marked the occasion Friday with a vow to enhance strategic and military cooperation across the Pacific. "Our common vision is of a free and open Indo-Pacific. We agreed to deepen our security and defence cooperation," Abe said following his meeting with Morrison. The two men also paid their respects at a memorial to those killed in the Japanese air raids in an act reminiscent of the Japanese leader's visit to Pearl Harbor in 2016. The emotional symbolism of the visit was underscored when Akie Abe shed tears as she visited a church and memorial paying tribute to local victims of the war and to joint Japanese-Australian efforts to clear Darwin harbour of shipwrecks. Pastor Lauren Merritt of the Darwin Memorial Uniting Church told local media Akie Abe became emotional at how far the two nations had come since the war. "When she was coming out of the church she was crying a little bit again, she was just so grateful for the story and overwhelmed by the friendship," Merritt told the NT News. Abe later left Darwin for Papua New Guinea to take part in the APEC summit.
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte's firing spree of corrupt public service is not yet over, as he announced Friday, November 16, that he would axe another government official supposedly involved in corruption.In

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte's firing spree of corrupt public service is not yet over, as he announced Friday, November 16, that he would axe another government official supposedly involved in corruption.

In a speech delivered in Papua New Guinea, Duterte hinted that he would sack another erring public official when he returns to the Philippines.

Sinabi ko, I will try to stop corruption. Lahat (I will stop all irregularities). Two months early, I fired a Cabinet member for lying, he said during his meeting with the Filipino community in Port Moresby.

Nobody would foist a lie like that. Nag-init ang ulo ko (I am becoming short-tempered when you do that). And since then, marami na ako (I have fired many) until now. And when I go back, meron na naman. Talagang tatanggalin kita. Sorry na lang (I will fire another. I will really fire you. I feel sorry for you), he added.

The President, however, did not mention the name of the government official who will face dismissal.

He also failed to cite reasons for the impending firing of the alleged public servant.

Since he assumed office in 2016, Duterte has already booted out dozens of government officials, including those who are close to him, because of either corruption allegations or supposed frequent overseas trips.

In October, Duterte announced that he had fired the last Left-leaning official in his Cabinet, Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod. Maglunsod is also the last high-ranking official axed by Duterte so far.

The President, amid his anti-corruption crackdown in government, reiterated his order that all government officials must first get a clearance before they could travel abroad.

So ngayon, walang Cabinet lahat (So now, there will be no special treatment to all, including the Cabinet). They have to get a clearance. Wala na 'yang... Pati 'yung mga kaibigan ko (There will be no special treatment. Even my friends have to follow rules), Duterte said.

Sabi ko, hindi tayo magkaintindihan sa pera ng tao, umalis ka (I said, if we cannot understand each other when it comes to taxpayers' money, then you must leave), he added. (SunStar Philippines)
CEBU Archbishop Jose Palma has urged the faithful to pray for the blessings they received in 2018 and for President Rodrigo Duterte.He appealed to the public not to cheer on the chief executives unflattering

PRESIDENTIAL son and former Davao City vice mayor Paolo Pulong Duterte is running for congressman in 2019 midterm elections to take revenge on opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, President Rodrigo Duterte claimed on Friday, November 17.

Duterte said his son wanted to secure a seat at the House of Representatives to get back at Trillanes.

Ayaw ko sanang ikwento 'yun but si Pulong, ang ano niyan, gaganti talaga iyan. He will be running for congressman. Tabla sila diyan (I don't want to share this but Pulong will take revenge on Trillanes. He will be running for congressman. They're even there), the President said in a speech delivered before the Filipino community in Papua New Guinea.

This time, I think he is running for congressman kasi napahiya. Hiniya ni Trillanes eh. He was summoned to Congress. Ganun si Trillanes. Bibirahin niya 'yung pamilya mo, hindi ikaw, at tapos tatawagan niya, kagaya nung mga pulis, he added.

(This time, I think he is running for congressman because he was humiliated. He was humiliated by Trillanes. He was summoned to Congress. That's Trillanes. He will attack your family, not you, then he will summon you just like the police.)

In a series of Senate probes into the controversial P6.4-billion shipment of illegal drugs in the country conducted last year, Trillanes accused Paolo of being involved in the rampant narcotics trade, but the latter denied the allegation.

The senator's claim had prompted the former Davao City vice mayor to resign from post in December last year.

But on October 12, Paolo filed his candidacy for congressman in Davao City's First District.

Trillanes, on the other hand, is on his third and final term as senator. He did not file any certificate of candidacy for next year's polls before the Commission on Elections.

To end the rivalry between his son and Trillanes, Duterte suggested that the two should just get engaged in a shootout.

Ang sabi ko, 'Magkaaway man kayo ni Trillanes. Pagdating ninyo sa Congress, mag-barilan kayo' (I said, You and Trillanes are enemies so when you meet in Congress, you can shoot each other'), he said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

At mamatay ka, ililibing kita. Pero that's how it is (If you die, I will bury you. But that's how it is), Duterte added, referring to his eldest son. (SunStar Philippines)
There are no winners in a trade war, Xi Jinping tells Apec summit as he urges leaders to defend globalisation

President Xi Jinping said China was committed to giving more market access to foreign companies as he criticised protectionism and called on the Asia-Pacific nations to protect the global trade system amid ongoing tensions with the United States.

Addressing the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Papua New Guinea on Saturday, Xi also defended Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, insisting it was neither a closed club nor a debt trap.

Xi told delegates: The world is currently going through big changes, the trend of globalisation must go forward, but unilateralism and protectionism are overshadowing economic growth.

Mankind will have to choose between cooperation or resistance  opening up for mutual benefits or a zero-sum game.

To applause from the audience he also warned: History has shown that confrontation, whether in the form of a cold war, a hot war or a trade war will produce no winners.

China is currently locked in a escalating trade war with the United States, but Xi did not directly mention the United States or Donald Trump in his speech.

However, he said protectionism would not solve any problems, adding that globalisation was an irreversible trend.

Many countries interests are closely intertwined these days. They are all connected by global supply chains. We are all linked. Short-sightedness will not make us successful. Mankind has again reached a crossroads. Which direction should we choose: cooperation or confrontation?

We must seek common ground and put away our differences. We must pursue coexistence and closely cooperate with one another for a win-win outcome.

One of the major US grievances with China concerns the alleged theft of intellectual property and forced technology transfers. But Xi argued in his speech that intellectual copyright protection should not be used to increase the technology divide and called for a global governance system.

Story continues

He said China remained committed to opening up to foreign companies and would protect their rights, adding: China welcomes fair competition  China will continue to expand market access. China will continue to strengthen IPO protection and do more to increase imports.

Xi also defended the Belt and Road Initiative  an ambitious transcontinental infrastructure project  following faced increasing criticism that will trap poorer countries into unsustainable levels of debt.

It is guided by collaboration for the shared benefit of the international community, not designed to serve any hidden political agendas, the Chinese president told delegates, announcing a belt and road summit in Beijing in April.

It does not cause a debt trap as some have labelled it. Rather it is a transparent project that brings common development to the world.

Xis latest comments come as he prepares for his meeting with Trump at the G20 summit in Argentina at the end of the month.

Overnight, Trump said he was optimistic about resolving the trade dispute with China after receiving a response to his demands from Beijing.

China wants to make a deal, Trump said. They sent a list of things they are willing to do, which is a large list and it is just not acceptable to me yet. But at some point I think that, we are doing extremely well with respect to China.

The US president is not attending the Apec summit, sending Vice-President Mike Pence in his place.

But Pence, who is flying in from Australia every day rather than staying in the host nation, was not present for Xis speech.

Screens in the media centre showed his convoy leaving Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby as Xi began his speech.

Pence addressed the conference after Xi had finished speaking, but the Chinese president did not to listen to his speech.

Despite Trumps absence the United States says it is committed to developing an Indo-Pacific strategy to counter Chinas growing influence.

As part of that strategy, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced US$300 million funding for security cooperation in the region in August.

This is in addition to the US$113 million economic initiatives US has also unveiled in investment in digital economy, energy and infrastructure.

The Apec economies account for 60 per cent of global gross domestic product and 47 per cent of global trade, according to the groups statistics.

This article There are no winners in a trade war, Xi Jinping tells Apec summit as he urges leaders to defend globalisation first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.
THE Philippines and Papua New Guinea have signed a five-year memorandum of agreement (MOA) that aims for greater cooperation on agriculture between the nations, Malacanang said on Saturday, November 17.The

THE Philippines and Papua New Guinea have signed a five-year memorandum of agreement (MOA) that aims for greater cooperation on agriculture between the nations, Malacanang said on Saturday, November 17.

The MOA, signed by the two countries on Friday, November 16, covers tie-up on rice and grain production, including the development of hybrid species; production of coconut, cocoa, coffee, rubber, and palm oil; horticulture production; aquaculture and inland fish farming; post-harvest development; livestock breeding; and improvement in breeding cattle and goat.

The five-year pact also includes training on bio-security mechanism and systems for monitoring, including sanitary and phytosanitary measures; agribusiness development; infrastructure development like irrigation facilities and abattoirs; and agricultural research, education and training.

Under the MOA, the two nations would likewise invest in agriculture; exchange professionals, scientists, and technicians; transfer genetic materials and technology; exchange scientific and technical information; and collaborate on studies and research.

Both parties can also organize workshops, symposia, training courses, and exhibition on related subjects, the Palace said in a statement.

Under the agreement, the sending country shall cover the expenses for international travels and related cost while the receiving state shall be responsible for the expenses related to transportation and board and lodging, it added.

The MOA was signed the day President Rodrigo Duterte arrived in Port Moresby to participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' Meeting.

Philippine officials also inspected on Friday the 25-hectare Philippines-Papua New Guinea Rice Demonstration Farm inside the Pacific Adventist University outside Port Moresby, Malacanang said.

The leased facility seeks the establishment of a model seed farm that can be a source of certified rice seeds for commercial and smallholder farmers of Papua New Guinea.

Story continues

The Philippines and Papua New Guinea have signed a rice cooperation agreement.

In August, at least 19 Filipino farm technicians and tax-free supplies and equipment were sent to Port Moresby to spearhed the development of the demo farm, which includes irrigation and planting of initial rice seeds.

The rice demonstration farm will be showcased during the Apec Economic Leaders' Meeting in Port Moresby on Saturday and Sunday, November 18. (SunStar Philippines)
THE Philippines is willing to establish schools in Papua New Guinea, in an effort to help the Pacific nation in developing its education and livelihood sectors, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday,

THE Philippines is willing to establish schools in Papua New Guinea, in an effort to help the Pacific nation in developing its education and livelihood sectors, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday, November 16.

Duterte made the pronouncement, as he expressed gratitude to Papua New Guinea for accommodating the Filipinos residing and working in the host country.

In exchange, the President said he was ready to send skilled teachers to Port Moresby and provide vocational skills training to the Pacific country's citizens to develop well Papua New Guinea.

I really thank you, Governor and the Prime Minister [of Papua New Guinea], that you have accommodated us and I've heard that you have treated us very well. I tell you the Filipinos who are here are really very industrious and the bright ones. You can take advantage of the expertise, he said during his meeting with the Filipino community in Papua New Guinea.

I am offering you, you know I was looking at... We can come here. We can establish schools and if you want a university, and we are good at that, we will try to help you," Duterte said.

Papua New Guinea is a home to over 40,000 Filipinos, according to a data from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The DFA also noted that more than 200 Philippine companies are currently operating in Papua New Guinea.

In May 2018, Duterte received Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill during his official visit to the Philippines.

The President said he would meet with O'Neill on Saturday, November 17 at the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

He, however, did not disclose issues that he would raise during his meeting with the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister.

The Philippines provides important services to the citizens of Papua New Guinea, which include agricultural expertise, assisting local rice growers to improve yields and maximize efficiency.

In his speech, Duterte advised Papua New Guinea to prevent multinational firms to encroach on their lands.

Story continues

Duterte told Papua New Guinea to not allow big money to enter and instead take time to develop.

Most of the lands in the Philippines are not food crop. There are no more lands where we can plant to eat the palay (rice). It's overtaken by multinationals. Be careful about that, the President said.

You may but do not allow the encroachment of multinationals because at the end of the day, what you would get is the salary of your people, and yet, the bulk, it's multinational. The bulk of the money goes to the company and goes everywhere, he added. (SunStar Philippines)
The Onca Puma nickel mine in Brazil's northern Para state is blamed for contaminating the Catete river, which prosecuotrs said had a "severe" impact on the Xikrin and Kayapo tribes

A Brazil appeals court on Friday ordered mining giant Vale to pay two indigenous tribes $26.8 million over river contamination that harmed public health, the prosecutors' office said Friday.

The Onca Puma nickel mine in Brazil's northern Para state, in operation for a decade, is blamed for contaminating the Catete river, which prosecutors said had a "severe" impact on the Xikrin and Kayapo tribes.

In a statement, the prosecutors' office said the contamination affected food availability and the Xikrin tribe's drinking water.

It meanwhile added bathing in the river also caused skin and eye irritation, with some cases of birth defects and serious illnesses reported.

The court ordered Onca Puma's operations be suspended until Vale fulfils its social and environmental obligations, including a compensation program for those affected.

Vale told AFP it would appeal to restart mining operations.

"Expert reports demonstrate that the venture causes no harm to the Catete river and the indigenous communities," it said, adding its operations were authorized by local environmental authorities.

 2018 AFP
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Chinas pork industry is struggling to contain the spread of African swine fever, which has now reached the southwest of the country  one of its major pig-producing areas.

Ten of 16 pigs infected with the virus have died at a farm in Yibin, Sichuan province, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Friday. In central Hubei province, another 13 pigs died from the disease on Thursday following reports of an outbreak there last month.

African swine fever has now spread to most of Chinas pig-farming regions, and Sichuan is one of the biggest.

The first reported case was confirmed in Liaoning province in August, followed by cases across the northeast in Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia and Hebei. Liaoning remains the worst-hit province in the country.

Outbreaks have since been discovered in southern pork-loving region, including in Fujian. To date, 18 of Chinas 31 provinces and regions have been affected by the disease and more than 100,000 pigs have been culled in an effort to stop the virus from spreading.

In Guangdong, Xu Jianxian, who has 20,000 pigs at his farm in Zhaoqing, said he was doing everything he could to prevent an outbreak.

I have not heard of any infection in Guangdong province  I have very good prevention measures in place, Xu said. I try to avoid letting outsiders into my pig farm, I vaccinate all my pigs and I disinfect the farm twice a week.

The virus is transmitted by ticks and direct contact between animals, as well as contaminated food, animal feed and people travelling between places. But there is no vaccine or cure available for African swine fever and the mortality rate can be as high as 100 per cent. It has not yet been known to infect humans.

The outbreak in China could have spread from Russia, according to a China Newsweek report. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) found the strain of virus in Chinese pigs was similar to the one in Russia, Georgia and Estonia. An outbreak in Irkutsk in Siberia, 1,000km from the Chinese border, in March last year was the first time the disease had spread into eastern Russia.

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China reversed an embargo on Russian meat products in July 2016 and the Russian meat industry is expected to make up to US$1 billion from exports to China by 2020. It began exporting pork to China in August but border inspections have been finding smuggled pork products since 2016, according to China Newsweek.

Meanwhile, Russia has said that the African swine flu outbreak in China was likely to have spread through pork imports from the European Union, Reuters reported.

The FAO warned in March that the infection could spread further into Southeast Asia, and neighbouring Taiwan has already begun taking precautions. On Thursday, Taiwan raised fines for tourists who illegally bring in meat products from outside the country from NT$15,000 (US$490) to NT$300,000, according to The Liberty Times. It is also cracking down on online shops that sell products made with Chinese pork.

In Hong Kong, Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee on Sunday said authorities had been in close contact with their mainland counterparts to monitor the outbreaks. We are all very concerned, Chan said, adding that cleaning and disinfection of abattoirs, farms and other high-risk places would be stepped up.

A spokesman for the citys Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said imports of breeding pigs from the mainland were suspended when the virus was detected and it had reminded local pig farmers to strengthen biosecurity measures.

Additional reporting by Naomi Ng

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Syrian regime forces retook control of the last southern holdout of the Islamic State group Saturday, as a monitor said air strikes killed dozens in a remaining jihadist pocket in the country's east. More than seven years into Syria's grinding civil war, multiple forces are battling to push IS out of its remaining scraps of territory in the country. On Saturday, regime forces retook the southern area of Tulul al-Safa as the jihadists pulled back into the desert after months of fighting, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Pro-government fighters regained control of the volcanic plateau between the provinces of Damascus and Sweida "after IS fighters withdrew from it and headed east into the Badia desert", Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. The withdrawal likely came "under a deal with the regime forces" after weeks of encirclement and air raids, he said. In recent weeks, air strikes on the Tulul al-Safa pocket had increased and hundreds of regime fighters were sent as reinforcements, the Observatory said. State news agency SANA reported regime forces had made "a great advance in Tulul al-Safa" and said they were combing the area for any remaining jihadists. That victory has whittled down the jihadists group's territorial control to a single pocket in the east of the country, where it faces a separate assault by US-backed forces. - Civilians killed in far east? - A Kurdish-Arab alliance supported by a US-led coalition has been fighting to expel IS from that far eastern patch near the Iraqi border since September. The Observatory said coalition air strikes early Saturday on the village of Abu al-Husn in Deir Ezzor province killed 43 people, including 36 family members of IS fighters. "It's the highest death toll in coalition air strikes since the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched its attack against the IS pocket" in September, Abdel Rahman said. Seventeen of those killed were children, he said, while seven of the dead remained unidentified. A spokesman for the US-led coalition confirmed strikes in the area of Abu Husn, but said they had not harmed any non-combattants. "No civilian casualties are associated with the strikes in question," spokesman Sean Ryan told AFP. "The coalition takes great measures to identify and strike appropriate ISIS targets in order to avoid non-combatant casualties," he said, using another acronym for IS. The Observatory says coalition air raids have killed 234 civilians including 82 children since September 10, when the SDF launched the offensive on the eastern IS holdout. It says 625 jihadists have been killed in strikes and clashes in the area during the same period. The SDF assault was slowed by a fierce jihadist fightback, and then briefly put on hold to protest Turkish shelling of Kurdish militia positions in northern Syria. - 'Careful advance' - SDF commander Redur Khalil said Saturday that operations were ongoing. "There has been an advance on the ground in the past days but it is a careful advance due to fields of landmines, trenches, tunnels and barricades set up by IS," he told AFP. IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" in land it controlled. But the jihadist group has since lost most of it to various offensives in both countries. Regime forces had been fighting IS in Tulul al-Safa since a deadly jihadist attack in July. That fighting has killed 240 regime fighters and 420 IS jihadists, the Observatory says. In the July 25 attack, IS killed more than 260 people, most of them civilians, in a wave of suicide bombings, shootings, and stabbings across Sweida province in the bloodiest assault on the Druze minority of the war. Followers of a secretive offshoot of Islam, the Druze are considered heretics by the Sunni extremists of IS. Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people since it erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. Since 2014, the US-led coalition has acknowledged direct responsibility for over 1,100 civilian deaths in Syria and Iraq, but rights groups put the number killed much higher.
The press club caught at the centre of controversy for hosting a pro-independence activist has extended an invitation to Hong Kongs leader and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its annual reception, but it looks like ultimately only the Chinese diplomats might show some goodwill.

Florence de Changy, president of the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC), confirmed that Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngors office has declined to attend the clubs Diplomatic Cocktail reception, despite her being the guest of honour last year.

I have no idea if its related to Mallets case, de Changy said, referring to the clubs vice-president and Financial Times Asia news editor, Victor Mallet, whose visa renewal was rejected by Hong Kong authorities after he moderated the talk given by Hong Kong Independence Party founder Andy Chan Ho-tin. It is perfectly understandable that the Chief Executive cannot attend every year as guest of honour.

I have no idea if its related to Mallets case

Florence de Changy, president, Foreign Correspondents Club

A spokesman from the Chief Executives Office said Lam was preoccupied on the day on which the event is scheduled. He added the FCC only made a general invitation to Lam, rather than one to attend as speaker or guest of honour as it did last year, and such an invitation would commonly be turned down.

Meanwhile, the club also invited diplomats from the Hong Kong office of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attend the reception. It was understood that the ministry may send representatives although there has been as yet no official reply. It was unclear if any senior rank officers would be considering attending.

The FCC was strongly criticised by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs after hosting Chan in August, despite the ministry earlier lobbying and warning against the talk. Lam has also called the talk as regrettable and inappropriate.

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The row surrounding the FCC continued as Mallets work visa application was rejected in October. After nearly four hours of questioning by immigration officers earlier this month at Hong Kong International Airport Mallet was denied entry to the city.

While the government repeatedly declined to comment on the specifics of the case, critics have linked it to Mallets role in moderating Chans talk. Mallet was also the acting president of the club at time.

Mallet was scheduled in town this week to formally resign from the FCC and hand over his duties at the Financial Times.

The FCC announced on Saturday that New York Times digital editor Jennifer Jett would succeed Mallet as the clubs vice-president.

We continue to call on the Hong Kong SAR government to provide a reasonable explanation for its refusal to allow Victor entry to Hong Kong and its refusal to renew his work permit, the club said in the statement.

Speaking separately, de Changy also stressed the club would continue to invite people across the political spectrum.

On a podcast posted on the Financial Times website on Friday, Mallet avoided mention of his own case or the Hong Kong National Party. Comparing his most recent spell in the city to his previous assignment from 2003 and 2008, he noted Hongkongers growing resentment when he returned in 2016 and spoke of Hong Kong becoming another Chinese city.

Mallet cited the earlier disqualification of pro-independence lawmakers from the Legislative Council, and said the case declared that certain discussions are off the limit.

Beijing is narrowing the space for political participation in Hong Kong, Mallet said on the podcast. Obviously whats happening is not as serious as Xinjiang and in the western part of China, but the freedom that Hong Kong people are used to is quite rapidly being eroded, unfortunately.



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A tiny, delightful morsel

Indian author Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvis latest offering, The Rabbit and the Squirrel, is likely to baffle librarians and booksellers, for it defies conventional genres.
JOHOR BARU: The Education Ministry welcomes the efforts of all parties to combat drug addiction. Its minister, Dr Maszlee Malik, said combating drug addiction required the integrated efforts of all parties, in both the public and private sectors. The ministry will cooperate with any parties regarding this effort. I hope all state Education Departments will provide the avenue for anybody who wants to help.  I hope more parties will come forward to help the ministry in this effort. If more people come forward to help then it will be easier to combat this menace, said Maszlee after launching a drug recovery programme organised by the Johor Baru Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) division women wing (Srikandi) and Narcotics Anonymous with the support of the National Anti-Drugs Agency and Rumah Hijrah. Present were Johor Baru PPBM Srikandi chief Azlinda Abd Latiff and state education director Shaharudin Sharif.





Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik says he hopes more parties will come forward to help the ministry combat the drug menace.

Maszlee said he hoped that other PPBM divisions would emulate the Johor Baru Srikandi in organising a drug recovery programme to help addicts kick their habit and to support recovering addicts. This is the first time that a political party has organised such a programme. I hope this will be emulated not only by other PPBM divisions, but also by other parties.  New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
Sri Lanka's largest political party Saturday asked Facebook to protect the identity of its supporters, fearing a crackdown by what it called the "illegal" government. The Indian Ocean nation has been in crisis since last month with two men claiming to be prime minister, MPs brawling in parliament and the administration paralysed. It began on October 26 when President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as premier and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse. In chaotic scenes in parliament this week, Rajapakse lost two votes of no confidence but he is refusing to go and Sirisena has yet to acknowledge the motions. On Saturday Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) wrote to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg asking the US firm not to cooperate with Rajapakse's administration. "We urge Facebook to refrain from disclosing information about... users of the platform to any officials of the illegal government unless it is properly sanctioned by a court of law," the UNP said. The UNP had also complained that its official page was blocked by Facebook on Thursday ahead of a mass rally it organised to express solidarity with Wickremesinghe, who insists he is still prime minister. Sirisena ordered a ban on Facebook across Sri Lanka in March after blaming it for spreading hate speech and fuelling intercommunal violence that led to the deaths of three people and destruction of property. Since then, Facebook had said it was deploying more staff to identify and remove inflammatory material from Sri Lankan users. This week Sri Lankans had to rely on social media to watch their lawmakers fighting and throwing chilli powder after the main telecommunications company stopped its live broadcast.
Militants have killed five Filipino soldiers and wounded 23 others in a major ambush by members of a notorious Islamist kidnap-for-ransom group, the Philippine military said Saturday. The soldiers were searching for hostages taken by the Abu Sayyaf group when the gunmen attacked them on the southern Philippine island of Jolo on Friday, regional military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Gerry Besana told reporters. "The effort is part of our mission to rescue the remaining hostages," Besana said. The Abu Sayyaf is a loose alliance of several hundred armed militants formed in the 1990s with seed money from Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network. Friday's clash was one of the deadliest since an Abu Sayyaf faction joined other foreign and Filipino militants in seizing the southern Philippine city of Marawi last year, leading to a five-month battle that claimed more than 1,100 lives. The Abu Sayyaf is now believed to hold "less than 10" hostages, Besana said. The group is based in the strife-torn southern islands but its members began in 2016 to kidnap sailors in the waters between Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. The militants have also raided and taken hostages from resorts in the southern Philippines and neighbouring Malaysia. Most of the hostages have been ransomed off for huge amounts of money and several were beheaded, including two Canadian tourists in 2016. A Dutch birdwatcher abducted on a nearby island in 2012 is believed to be among those still in Abu Sayyaf's hands. The Dutchman's Swiss colleague escaped in 2014 after grabbing a kidnapper's machete and killing him. The soldiers who survived Friday's ambush did not see any hostages during the 90-minute clash near the town of Patikul, Besana said.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, President Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Photo-illustration: Yahoo News; photos: AP)

With friends and allies like Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the Trump administration must wonder: Who needs an actual enemy like Iran in the Middle East? Almost from the moment that Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi  a legal resident of the U.S. and a contributor to the Washington Post  disappeared mysteriously into the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul in early October, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has shrewdly exposed Saudi lies to humiliate a regional rival, keep the story in the headlines and thwart President Trumps attempts to salvage his administrations chummy relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The scandal now threatens the U.S. Middle East alliance structure and the Trump administrations strategy to isolate and contain Iran.

With carefully choreographed leaks, Erdogans government has continually undermined a shifting Saudi narrative that originally had Khashoggi leaving the consulate in good health, then dying of strangulation during a brawl with Saudi officials, and then falling victim to a rogue hit squad. Even President Trump has characterized Saudi explanations as one of the worst in the history of cover-ups, and the most recent version released Thursday is unlikely to put the crisis to rest. The Saudis now say a 15-member team of intelligence and security personnel, many with suspiciously close ties to the crown prince, was dispatched to bring Khashoggi home alive. Instead, the team leader supposedly made an on-the-spot decision to kill Khashoggi with drugs and then dismember his body for disposal.

A man holds a poster showing Saudi Crown Prince Muhammed bin Salman and journalist Jamal Khashoggi, describing the prince as an assassin and Khashoggi as a martyr, in Istanbul, Nov. 16, 2018. (Photo: Emrah Gurel/AP)

Turkish officials, who say they have audio recordings that document the slaying, dispute that latest version. The capture team included an autopsy expert who reportedly carried a bone saw and quickly moved to dismember the body. The audio, which the Turks have shared with the United States and other allies, also reportedly captures the hit team leader instructing a superior over the phone to tell your boss the mission was accomplished. U.S. intelligence experts believe the boss is almost certainly a reference to the crown prince, known as MBS, who exerts nearly complete control of Saudi security and intelligence agencies.

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Late Friday, the Washington Post reported that the CIA had concluded with high confidence that the killing was personally ordered by MBS.

Erdogan has called Khashoggis death a savage murder that shocks the human conscience.

The irony of Erdogan standing up for the human conscience and journalistic protection is not lost on close observers, who note that under his increasingly autocratic rule, Turkey has become by far the most prolific jailer of journalists in the world. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Turkey presently keeps more journalists behind bars than China, Russia and Egypt combined. In the World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without Borders, Turkey now ranks 157 among 180 nations. After a failed 2016 military coup against his rule, Erdogan has also arrested tens of thousands of perceived political opponents, stifling dissent and drawing the reins of power in Turkey increasingly into his iron fist.

Erdogan speaks at the airport in Ankara about the killing of Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. (Photo: Presidential Press Service via AP, Pool)

The Khashoggi murder has given Erdogan enormous leverage to claim the moral high ground and frame the debate in a way that diminishes his regional rival MBS and drives a wedge between Washington and Saudi Arabia, said Aykan Erdemir, a former member of the Turkish Parliament who is a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy in Washington. Whats lost in that framing is that Erdogan is an authoritarian Islamist leader who has made a career out of trying to undermine the U.S.-led liberal international order. He routinely jails journalists and political opponents, engages in hostage diplomacy with the United States, continues to defy sanctions on Iran, undermines U.S. military operations against ISIS in Syria, and has engineered a strategic pivot toward Iran and Russia. And the Khashoggi crisis has only made him more daring and emboldened.

Khashoggis death thus leaves the Trump administration torn between two tyrants. One is widely believed to be responsible for the assassination of a U.S.-resident journalist as well as for the worlds greatest humanitarian crisis, in Yemen, where the Saudi military is pursuing a scorched-earth campaign against Iranian-backed rebels. The other, Erdogan, is a persistent human rights offender who takes Americans hostage for diplomatic leverage and increasingly aligns his country with U.S. adversaries such as Russia and Iran. Hanging in the balance is the administrations strategy for making MBS and Saudi Arabia the linchpin for containing Iran and reaching a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. That strategy is predicated on an unusually close personal relationship that Trump son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, formed early on with MBS, which led to Trumps decision to make Saudi Arabia the first country he visited as president last year.

The Saudis have assumed a huge role in the Trump administrations Middle East policy based largely on the Trump familys close relationship with MBS and the House of Saud, which is the kind of family-to-family relationship that the Saudi royals are really comfortable with, but not how you would expect a democratic republic like ours to conduct its foreign policy, said Eric Edelman, a former U.S. ambassador to Turkey and currently counselor at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington. So while I credit the Trump administration for recognizing Iran as the greatest strategic threat in the region, their strategy is now tied to a very rash and impulsive MBS, who seems to have serious judgment issues. On the other side of the Khashoggi issue, you have another authoritarian and impulsive ally in Erdogan, who is doing everything in his power to use the crisis to take the Saudis down a peg in international opinion and undermine U.S.-Saudi relations.

Trump holds a chart highlighting arms sales to Saudi Arabia during a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office in Washington in March. (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP)

Whether or not MBS survives the Khashoggi scandal, the Trump administration has probably invested too heavily in the U.S.-Saudi partnership to risk a serious break. After tearing up the Iran nuclear deal, the Trump administrations plans for containing Tehran, ending a catastrophic conflict in Yemen and reaching any accommodation between Israeli and the Palestinians all run through Riyadh.

While Turkeys determination to expose the complicity of Saudi leaders in the Khashoggi slaying should be applauded on human rights grounds, over the long term it may not obscure what some observers see as an ongoing strategic divergence between Washington and Ankara.

After taking a beating in recent years for his human rights record, Erdogan is leveraging the Khashoggi scandal to hold himself up as the principled international player, which is kind of absurd, Steven Cook, a senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of Neither Friend Nor Foe: The Future of U.S.-Turkey Relations, said in an interview. Turkeys domestic oppression, military incursion into Syria and strategic tilt eastward, he notes, all point to a more fundamental divergence of interests and values. While Turkey remains a NATO ally formally, you cant really say its a partner of the United States any longer.

James Kitfield is a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency & Congress.

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Art imitates life

Ashim Shakyas artwork is a time machine that merges decades and histories. It takes observers to a surreal Kathmandu, where the cityscape is a platform on which is staged a play where artefacts and deities frolic.
A senior Hong Kong prosecutor charged with indecently assaulting three colleagues died after jumping from his 37th-floor flat on Saturday morning.

Sources said Vincent Wong Wing-sum, 49, jumped from the balcony of his Mong Kok flat after leaving a suicide note.

Wong had been on bail, charged with four counts of indecent assault. He made his first appearance at Eastern Court on Wednesday. Three women, identified in court only as X, Y, and Z, said he attacked them between December 2014 and April this year at Queensway Government Offices in Admiralty.

A police source said Wongs mother-in-law visited him at his flat at about 9am, and said Wong appeared normal.

Wong left a suicide note, before jumping from the balcony of his flat on the 37th floor, landing on the seventh-floor podium. The source said the flat was tidy and no suspicious items or medication were found.

According to the source, Wong had revealed in his note that he suffered from depression for years and had been seeing a psychiatrist.

He also mentioned he had different views on the four indecent assault allegations against him, the source said.

He also mentioned he had different views on the four indecent assault allegations against him

Police source

Police confirmed a 49-year-old man, surnamed Wong, fell from a height on Hoi Fan Road, Mong Kok, at 9.58am.

The security guard at the block called police after a man fell and landed on the podium. The man was certified dead at the scene, a police spokeswoman said.

A separate police source confirmed the man was Vincent Wong.

A senior lawyer who spoke to Wong last week said he had been in good spirits.



Kevin Steel, Wongs lawyer in the case, said he was deeply saddened and expressed condolences to Wongs wife. He declined to say how Wong had planned to plead.



Wong worked at the Department of Justices prosecutions division for more than 20 years, and was recently responsible for advising on High Court cases. After his arrest in June, he was asked to take an extended leave of absence.

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In a statement, the department said: We express profound sadness and will provide all the necessary assistance to his family.

Former director of public prosecutions Grenville Cross described Wong as a very bright prosecutor who served as his junior counsel in several cases in the appeal courts. He was always ready to go the extra mile on difficult cases, and this was very helpful, Cross said.

If you, or someone you know, are having suicidal thoughts, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on +1 800 273 8255.



This article Prosecutor facing indecent assault charges dies in fall from Hong Kong flat first appeared on South China Morning Post

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President Donald Trump expressed sadness Saturday at the devastation caused by fires in a California town, but persisted in his controversial claim that forest mismanagement was responsible for the tragedy, which has killed 76 and left more than 1,200 listed as missing. "This is very sad," Trump said after surveying the remains of Paradise, where nearly the only people out on the road were emergency services workers, surrounded by the twisted remains of a community incinerated by the flames. "They're telling me this is not as bad as some areas; some areas are even beyond this, they're just charred," he added after looking at a street lined with melted cars, tree stumps and the foundations of wrecked houses. The deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history, the so-called Camp Fire, has now claimed 76 lives after authorities on Saturday confirmed five more victims. The blaze has devoured an area roughly the size of Chicago, destroying nearly 10,000 homes and more than 2,500 other buildings. In Chico, near Paradise, Trump met with firefighters and other first responders at a makeshift headquarters. Senior fire officials recounted how quickly the blaze spread, complicating evacuation efforts, as Trump studied a huge map spread across a table showing where fires continue to burn. Reviving an earlier controversy, Trump repeated his claim that California had mismanaged its forests and was largely to blame for the fires. "I'm committed to make sure that we get all of this cleaned out and protected, (we've) got to take care of the forest, it's very important," Trump said in Paradise. Days ago Trump threatened to cut federal funding to California over its alleged "gross mismanagement" of forests. - Fire haze - Brian Rice, president of California Professional Firefighters, called Trump's earlier remarks "ill-informed", noting the federal government had cut spending on forest management. Asked if he believed climate change had played any role in the fires, Trump again pointed to the forest "management factor" and insisted that his "strong opinion" remained unchanged. Trump has long been skeptical of man's role in global warming despite mounting scientific evidence that the burning of fossil fuels is heating the planet and leading to more extreme weather. The inferno erupted November 8, laying waste to Paradise in the northern foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains and sending thousands fleeing. The Camp Fire and another huge blaze have created a serious smoke problem across vast areas of the country's largest state. When Trump stepped out of Air Force One at Beale Air Force Base north of capital city Sacramento, the sun struggled to cut through haze so dense it covered the base like a fog. More than 1,200 people were listed as missing from the Camp Fire, according to a list issued Saturday by the Butte County Sheriff. Sheriff Kory Honea has said there could be duplicate names and some people who had escaped could be unaware they were listed as unaccounted for. More than 300 people recorded as missing have already been found. The Republican president was accompanied on his visit by son-in-law Jared Kushner and chief of staff John Kelly. - Living in tents - They were met on the tarmac by Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom, both of them Democrats in a state that leans strongly that way. As they drove through the state, several signs thanked Trump for coming but one called him a "moron". Roslyn Roberts, 73, who fled from her home in Paradise, said she voted for Trump but disagreed with his views about forest management. "I would tell him that this fire has nothing to do with forest mismanagement. Thousands and thousands of homes got destroyed with no trees around," she said at a shelter set up by the American Red Cross in a church. In Chico, volunteers had erected a tented encampment for evacuees. The Camp Fire has burned 149,000 acres (60,000 hectares) and was 55-percent contained late Saturday, California's fire service said. Authorities said 47,200 people had been evacuated because of the fire and nearly 1,200 were living in shelters. Much of the work is now focused on Paradise, where many retirees were unable to get out in time. Rescuers with sniffer dogs have been conducting house-to-house searches. Three other people have died in southern California in a blaze dubbed the Woolsey Fire, which engulfed parts of Malibu and destroyed the homes of several celebrities. That inferno, about two thirds the size of the Camp Fire, was 84 percent contained Saturday as Trump surveyed the damage at well-to-do homes there. California's tragedy touched the heart of Pope Francis in Rome, where on Sunday he sent out "a special prayer... to those affected by the fires that are ravaging California." burs-sms-oh/it/jj
Market monitoring: Authorities ordered to take stern action

The Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumer Welfare Protection Committee on Friday directed the concerned government authorities that look after market regulation to take stern action against businesses that engage in dishonest practices.
Tanzania is looking to draw tourists and funding from Hong Kong, with officials from the east African nation visiting the city on Friday to pitch a wide range of investment and travel opportunities.

Dr Annie Wu, the new Honorary Consul of the United Republic of Tanzania in Hong Kong and Macau, said building such connections would enable Hong Kong to better plug into mainland Chinas global trade strategy, the Belt and Road Initiative.

Although Tanzania and other African nations have long had close financial ties with China through the belt and road strategy and other direct investment, they often missed Hong Kong as a potential partner, according to Wu.

When African countries think about China, they all go to Beijing, then on to Shanghai and Guangzhou. Thats the normal trend, but they never come to Hong Kong, she told the Post, noting this was because they overlooked the citys unique status under one country, two systems.

She was referring to the principle by which Beijing governs Hong Kong and allows it a high degree of autonomy.

The beauty of one country, two systems is that [it allows us to be] more flexible at doing business, [with a] rule of law more in line with the Western system, and communication [thats] in English, said Wu, who was appointed to her role as honorary consul in September.

The visit by the delegation was part of a 12-day tour of major Chinese cities. It was planned after Beijing's pledge to further open Chinas market to Africa, made during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in September.

When African countries think about China, they all go to Beijing, then Shanghai and Guangzhou ... but they never come to Hong Kong

Annie Wu, Tanzanian honorary consul

The tour comes before the launch of the first direct flights between China and Tanzania, known for destinations like the volcanic Mount Kilimanjaro and beaches of Zanzibar.

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The Tanzanian group, which comprised government and tourism representatives, added Hong Kong to their trip in a bid for investment dollars and access to the luxury tourism sector, as opposed to the mass market that they said mainland China could provide.

The primary focus for Hong Kong was investments and high-end tourists. We believe if we have high-level investment we are going to have high-level visitors from Hong Kong, Aloyce Kashindye Nzuki, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Tanzanias Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, told the Post.



Foreign direct investment from Hong Kong would put Tanzania firmly on the map Nzuki said.

In a speech on Friday to local travel companies and investors, he pointed to a host of sectors in which his country is seeking investment.

Officials said they added Hong Kong to their tour on Wus advice, but they already held interest in the Pearl River Delta, in particular because of close business ties with Guangzhou.

Air Tanzanias direct flights to Guangzhou, starting in February, would also benefit Hong Kong tourism via the newly opened high-speed rail link between the two cities, said Devota Kasanda Mdachi, managing director of the Tanzania Tourist Board.

Nearly 30,000 visitors travel to Tanzania from Hong Kong and China annually.

Mdachi predicted the new flights and partnerships forged with travel companies on this tour would triple tourism volumes from China and Hong Kong.



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A British supermarket chains viral commercial about an orangutan left homeless because of deforestation from palm oil planting was slammed as a cheap publicity stunt by a major industry body on Friday.

The Christmas ad  which features a cartoon orangutan telling a little girl that its jungle home had been destroyed  has racked up millions of views on social media and sparked the trending hashtag #NoPalmOilChristmas on Twitter.

The multi-billion-dollar palm oil industry was not impressed by the Iceland ad, dubbed Rang-tan, which calls for consumers to be aware of the environmental impact of the worlds most widely used vegetable oil.

Banning palm oil is not the solution. Boycotting is not the solution, Darrel Webber, chief executive of the Malaysia-based Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), told AFP on Friday.

Retailers margins are very small these days. The cheapest way to get publicity is the best way for them, he added.

Frozen food specialist Iceland has previously announced it would stop using palm oil, found in everything from margarine and biscuits to soap and shampoo, over concerns that it causes widespread environmental destruction.

WATCH: Orangutan refuses to leave its tree, attempts to stop bulldozer with its bare hands

We have not removed palm oil from our own label food as a marketing gimmick, but to raise public awareness of the continuing destruction of the rainforest, Iceland managing director Richard Walker said in an email to Bloomberg News.

By doing so we hope to apply pressure to the palm oil industry to deliver the genuinely sustainable product that it has long been promising.

A petition with almost one million signatures is calling for the ad to be aired on British television after it was blocked for being too political.

The supermarket chain is now reportedly planning to release a life-size animatronic orangutan on Britains streets to draw attention to the issue.

Firms in Malaysia and Indonesia, which dominate global palm oil production, have been routinely accused of deforestation and using slash-and-burn forest clearance that destroys the habitats of under-threat species, including orangutans.

The post UK supermarkets viral orangutan ad slammed by palm oil giant appeared first on Coconuts.
United States to pursue cooperation with Hong Kong on trade, despite Congressional report urging rethink of ties

Washington has stressed it will pursue cooperation with Hong Kong on trade and economic policies, despite a Congressional expert report urging a rethink of the city's special trading status distinct from China.

The State Department said on Saturday that while it was aware of the report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USSC), the US recognised Hong Kong as a semi-autonomous city in China, governed by a separate system.

The United States supports the principle of one country, two systems, and pursues cooperation with Hong Kong as a special administrative region of China, in keeping with the US-Hong Kong Policy Act, a department spokesman said.

The city is treated as a separate trading entity under the act, which was passed in 1992 in preparation for Hong Kongs return from British to Chinese rule five years later.

The departments statement came amid a heated debate in Hong Kong on the USSC report and a possible shift in US trade policy towards the city.

The report, prepared by an expert panel, warned of Beijings encroachment on the citys rule of law and freedom of expression. It cited the recent ban on the pro-independence Hong Kong National Party and the de facto expulsion of veteran British journalist Victor Mallet, who moderated a talk by the partys leader, Andy Chan Ho-tin.

It recommended that US lawmakers press the Department of Commerce and other departments to assess the countrys policy of exporting sensitive technology, as it relates to the US treatment of Hong Kong and China as separate customs areas.

While the US showed no sign of altering its trading relationship with Hong Kong, the State Department, without giving specific examples, said the freedoms of speech, association, assembly and the press  as enshrined in Article 27 of the citys constitution, the Basic Law  were fundamental to the two systems framework and should be protected.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor earlier criticised the USSC report. She said its authors saw relations between the city and mainland China through a coloured lens, and warned that any change to the US-Hong Kong trading relationship would harm both sides.

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US Consul General Kurt Tong on Friday did not specifically address whether the US government would subscribe to USSCs recommendation. He said only that the administration looked forward to continuing conversations with the Hong Kong government about the two systems framework, among other policy issues.

A local government spokesman said in response to the US State Departments comments on Saturday that Hong Kong and the US have all along enjoyed close trade and economic relations, with the city being the ninth-largest export market for the US.

Hong Kong is conferred a unique status under the Basic Law and one country, two systems policy as a separate customs territory, the spokesman added.

Some US lawmakers have previously proposed private bills to amend the policy act, including pushes for annual reviews of Hong Kongs autonomy. Two bills tabled last year never passed.

The USSC has not responded to a request for comment.

International relations scholar Simon Shen Xuhui of the Chinese University of Hong Kong said the special treatment given to Hong Kong by the US was a window for American companies to invest in mainland China.

As long as the US still sees Hong Kong as a window to China, and Beijing does not abuse this by opening the floodgates to allow state-owned enterprises to operate in Hong Kong, the US trade policy towards Hong Kong is not likely to change in the short run, Shen said.

Unless the [US-China] trade war becomes entirely a zero-sum game in future, then there could be a fundamental change.

The US trade policy towards Hong Kong is not likely to change in the short run

Simon Shen, Chinese University

New Peoples Party lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, also an adviser to Lam, said the USSC had always been aggressive in its annual reports but noted there was a long way before the recommendation is translated to State Department policy.

US and Hong Kong have a long-standing cooperation with sensitive technology exported to Hong Kong, Ip said. They know our system.

She added that human rights issues were only one out of a range of factors when the US considered its trade policy towards an economy.

Ip Kwok-him, another adviser to Lam, described the USSC report as political campaigning, but added that the US might suffer more if its export to Hong Kong was restricted.

Civic Party leader Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu said while there was no real threat of Hong Kongs special status with the US being revoked, the USSC recommendation was unusual and should not be taken lightly.

The report was made under a bipartisan commission and its hard to tell if lawmakers would take the opportunity to use Hong Kong as a bargaining chip in the trade war, Yeung said.

He added that the local government should work to address the international communitys concern and faithfully implement the two systems principle.

This article United States to pursue cooperation with Hong Kong on trade, despite Congressional report urging rethink of ties first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.
ANI

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 22 (ANI): Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor recently unveiled a poster of 'Jersey', the Hindi remake of the 2019 Telugu blockbuster of the same name. Along with sharing the new poster, the actor also revealed that the trailer of the film is releasing tomorrow.
Despite less than favourable weather, thousands of marchers, decked out in colourful outfits, took to the streets on Saturday for the annual Hong Kong Pride Parade, with the focus being a call for equality legislation and gender-neutral facilities in the city.

The marchers gathered at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay before heading off at 3pm for Edinburgh Place in Central. Organisers put the attendance at 12,000, while police estimates were around 4,300. The march was followed by a religious service offered by Blessed Ministry Community Church and Covenant of the Rainbow, a coalition of LGBT-friendly Hong Kong religious organisations.

With the chosen theme for this year, Call for the Law, Equality for All, marchers continued their years-long call for legislation against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and also for more gender-neutral facilities, such as toilets and changing rooms for transgender people. The march this year celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Event organisers had earlier said they expected the record turnout, up from 10,000 in 2017, fuelled by a coming referendum in Taiwan on amending its civil law to allow same-sex marriages.

On the numbers this year, parade spokesman Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit said: We can see a growing number of people joining the parades, and this is in line with an earlier University of Hong Kong survey which showed that a larger proportion of Hongkongers support equality for LGBTs.

He said he hoped the government would include gender-neutral facilities in future designs for the city.

My most urgent call is for legislation against sexual orientation discrimination, to protect us against all sorts of unfair treatment in working environment and elsewhere

Anson Liu

In Taiwan, a series of public votes are due on November 24 after the self-ruled islands constitutional court declared in May last year that same-sex couples had the right to legally marry, setting a two-year deadline for legalisation. It was the first such ruling in Asia.

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This years parade comes on the heels of a landmark decision in July by Hong Kongs Court of Final Appeal to grant same-sex partners spousal visas previously available only to heterosexual couples.

Hong Kong does not currently recognise same-sex marriages and does not have any legislation against discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Anson Liu, 29, a local member of the LGBT community, said: We have come today to express the difficulties facing us all along. And to call for equality and human rights that we deserve.

My most urgent call is for legislation against sexual orientation discrimination, to protect us against all sorts of unfair treatment in the working environment and elsewhere.

This is the fourth time Liu has joined the parade.

As on previous occasions, the parade also attracted marchers from outside the city.

Momo Yuan, 29, an activist from Guangzhou said she was exploring her sexual orientation and came to the city on Saturday just for the event.

Inequality against the LGBT community is not just a regional issue but a global one. The equal rights LGBT movement is not just a movement for them. It will also shape how society sees equality issues.

Also present at the march were religious groups opposed to pro-LGBT legislation.

Roger Wong Wai-ming, convenor of the Family School Sexual Orientation Discrimination Ordinance Concern Group, said he disapproved of legalising same-sex marriage, which, he believes, would violate human rights, including freedom in education.

It will force society to accept homosexual relations. And it will limit parents rights to teach their children, he said.

Before the march, the worlds first openly gay prince, Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil from India, was among a list of guests giving their support to the local LGBT community in speeches.

Attendees also included several Hong Kong legislators and the chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission, Alfred Chan Cheung-ming, as well as more than 10 diplomats from countries including the United States, Britain and France.

Chan said before the march that he was happy to see slow but good progress made by the LGBT community, and urged the government to move forward on the issue concerning basic human rights.

The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said the government was committed to promoting equal opportunities for people of different sexual orientations and transgenders on the basis of upholding the existing institution of marriage. This would be based on fostering inclusiveness, mutual respect and non-discrimination in the community.

As was the case last year, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip Tak-kuen declined invitations to attend the event.

This article Weather rains on Hong Kong Pride parade but marchers call for equality legislation is undimmed first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.
Conflict victims, Army officials will join Bangkok junket

Nepal Army officials and conflict victims will accompany cross-party leaders on the Swiss-funded junket to Bangkok where they will discuss a possible course to conclude the transitional justice process that has been going on for more than a decade.
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Incoming congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez visited Capitol Hill this week for an orientation program for newly elected representatives. Conservative commentators relished the opportunity to take a few shots at their new favorite political punching bag. On Thursday, Eddie Scarry, a Washington Examiner writer with a long history of making misogynistic ad hominem attacks and taking surreptitious photos of womens rear ends, tweeted a photo of Ocasio-Cortez walking down a hallway:

Heres the screenshot, since he deleted it. pic.twitter.com/i8P2VxnO3a  Robert McNees (@mcnees) November 16, 2018

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The tweet was immediately attacked from all corners of the left-leaning internet, with burns coming from meme-makers, who posted the text of Scarrys tweet with photos of famous ridiculous jackets, as well as two of todays wokest dictionaries: Dictionary.com (Girl. Noun. A female child, from birth to full growth. E.g. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is not a girl.) and Merriam-Webster ( The Ratio: when the whole entire internet gets together to dunk on you). Even right-wing propagandist Mike Cernovich told Scarry to delete the tweet, which he did, replacing it with a claim that hed merely pointed out that the incoming congresswoman looked well put togetherELEGANT evendespite suggestions shes struggled.

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Before Scarry deleted the evidence, Ocasio-Cortez hit back:

If I walked into Congress wearing a sack, they would laugh & take a picture of my backside.



If I walk in with my best sale-rack clothes, they laugh & take a picture of my backside.



Dark hates light - thats why you tune it out.



Shine bright & keep it pushing. https://t.co/mRq5wn0v9A  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 15, 2018

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It was a good response and an accurate analysistheres no possible way for her to prove shes worthy of her stature to a group of people who arent arguing in good faith. But it was disappointing to see Ocasio-Cortez capitulate to Scarrys insulting and flawed line of reasoning. Whether or not she got her outfit off the sale rack, she shouldnt have to justify her spending decisions to prove her working-class roots or current financial precarity. People of all income levels need clothes, and while clothes appropriate for a white-collar working environment arent always cheap, they are available at most price points. And if Ocasio-Cortez had indeed splurged on a blazer to wear to her first visit to the Capitol as an incoming member of Congress, it would have been a logical decision in an industry that places a premium on professional appearance.

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Ocasio-Cortez has at least two years in public office ahead of her, and if the buzz around her congressional candidacy is any indication, shes going to be in the public eye for a lot longer. She should stop taking shallow insults seriously now, because theyre not going to let up. For better or worse, shes become a boogeyman for the right. The less credence she gives the purveyors of these potshots, the more theyll come across as the hysterical scaredy-cats they are.

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The GOP will try to portray Ocasio-Cortez as a hacky-sack player with a Che Guevara poster in her college dorm room.

The rights obsession with Ocasio-Cortez isnt merely flimsy. Its self-refuting. Conservatives and liberal naysayers diminish the congresswoman-elect as a know-nothing millennial whose election was a fluke driven by demographic changes (read: voters blindly ticking a box for the candidate who looks most like them). But if they actually believed she was a naif with no capacity to effect change, they wouldnt be hyperventilating over her ascent. During his (ultimately successful) campaign for governor of Florida this summer, Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis called out this girl, Ocasio-Cortez, or whatever she is for having no clue what shes talking about. When a gubernatorial candidate chooses a then-28-year-old politician in a state 1,000 miles away as his target before shes ever taken office, you know shes onto something.

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Its not hard to see why Ocasio-Cortez is a perfect straw-man villain for the right: Shes young, Latina, working-class, a woman, and a self-identified socialist. But Republicans are even more scared of Ocasio-Cortezs ideas than they are of her identities. After all the unfounded claims that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would steer the country toward socialism, heres someone who actually would. (Bernie Sanders is a socialist, too, but hes also a jovial white grandpanot enough of an other to merit a total pile on from the right.) By elevating Ocasio-Cortez to national prominence, Republicans hope to cast the entire Democratic Party in her image, making a party establishment that wasnt too thrilled with her win seem like a bunch of radical, freedom-hating communists. It behooves the GOP to talk most about the Democrats its base likes the least.

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The trouble is, whenever conservatives think theyve caught Ocasio-Cortez espousing a position too terrifyingly leftist for America, she ends up sounding reasonable instead. Recall when Fox News host Sean Hannity posted a list of her supposedly radical positions on screen. There were a few that might sound scary to conservatives (federal jobs guarantee, abolish ICE, Medicare for all) but plenty that seemed like things just about everyone likes (support seniors, clean campaign finance, criminal justice reform). The more the right tries to signal its disapproval of the Ocasio-Cortez agenda, the more it sounds jealous that progressives are more amped about her than conservatives are about, I dont know, Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Even so, the GOP will squeeze all the mileage it can out of the stereotype of socialists as brainless bleeding-heart idealists. It will try to portray Ocasio-Cortez as a hacky-sack player with a Che Guevara poster in her college dorm room, or a teary-eyed activist who likes screaming incendiary slogans but has never read a policy paper. Theyll hop on her every slip-up; shell have to be twice as smart to get half the respect of Republican lawmakers who deny the existence of climate change and dont know how the deficit works. Ocasio-Cortez would be best served by ignoring their insulting tweets and condescending callouts. Her future is in the Democratic Party, not the Republican one, and her ideas speak for themselves.
Six weeks after the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the CIA says it has concluded that responsibility for ordering the hit goes to the very topSaudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Washington Post reports the American intelligence agency had received new information that bolstered its hypothesis that the crown prince likely signed off on the operation that saw a team of 15 Saudi agents fly to Turkey ahead of the murder.

In addition to audio recordings from inside the Saudi consulate during the murder of Khashoggi, the Post reports the CIA included in its assessment a phone call made by the crown princes brother, Khalid bin Salman, who is also the Saudi ambassador to the United States. Khalid called Khashoggi, and during the exchange, he reportedly assured the Washington Post columnist that he would be safe to go to the Saudi consulate to pick up documents he needed for his upcoming marriage to a Turkish woman. The Post notes its not clear if Khalid knew that Khashoggi would be murdered once there, but he made the call at the crown princes direction. A recording of a phone call made from inside the consulate immediately after the killing by a security official often seen by the crown princes side to one of his top aides in Riyadh saying tell your boss  the deed is done further bolstered the working assumption that Crown Prince Mohammed was aware of the operation.

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The Trump administration, which imposed sanctions Thursday on 17 Saudis involved in the Khashoggi assassination, has struggled to come up with a coherent response to the Saudi regimes awkwardly evolving story about what happened and why. This week, the Saudi government announced charges against 11 alleged participants in the murder; the state prosecutor said he would seek the death penalty in five of those cases. The move seems more aimed at creating the appearance of punishment, an institutional deflection of responsibility from the very top, than an actual attempt to get to the bottom of what happened, which doesnt seem to be much of a mystery in Riyadh. Trump, who sees the crown prince as an ally and a trading partner and a like-minded chum somehow, very clearly wants to help inoculate him from fallout from the murder. The general belief across the Trump administration, including the CIA, is that its better to have Crown Prince Mohammed in charge in Saudi Arabia than the alternative. The CIA sees Mohammed as a good technocrat, the U.S. official said, but also as volatile and arrogant, someone who goes from zero to 60, doesnt seem to understand that there are some things you cant do,  the Post reports. CIA analysts believe he has a firm grip on power and is not in danger of losing his status as heir to the throne despite the Khashoggi scandal.

On Saturday morning, despite mounting evidence, Trump continued to run interference for the crown prince. We havent been briefed yet. The CIA is going to be speaking to me today, Trump told reporters Saturday morning at the White House before departing for California. As of this moment we were told that he did not play a role. Were going to have to find out what they have to say.
U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly restored CNN reporter Jim Acostas White House press pass on Friday, finding that the government had likely revoked his credentials without due process. The decision was straightforward and legally soundbut it was received with some surprise, because the president who appointed Kelly to the bench was also a named defendant in the case: Donald J. Trump. Vox put that fact in its headline; the Drudge Report highlighted it in a tweet; and virtually every outlet, including Slate, noted the fact in its write-up of the ruling.

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Is it really that remarkable that a Trump-appointed judge ruled against Trump? It shouldnt be, since federal judges are supposed to be shielded from politics. And yet it is reasonable to find Kellys independence pleasantly surprising. More so than his predecessors, this president has made clear that all of his judicial nominees will come to the bench with a precooked ideology that favors his party. Its tempting to assume that these judges are also biased toward the administration. Fortunately for the republic, its not that simple. Not all of Trumps nominees are party hacks. But far too many appear to have been chosen for their fidelity to the GOP platformand to the president himself.

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Plenty of writers, myself included, tend to note who appointed a particular judge when writing about his or her rulings. Its a journalistic convention that, for better or worse, readers have come to expect, which illustrates just how cynical Americans have become about our ostensibly independent judiciary. Article III of the Constitution foresees judges who are sheltered from partisanship by their life tenure, as well as the Senates advice and consent function. In an era without entrenched political parties, the Framers seemed to think the wisdom of the Senate, combined with insulation from electoral whims, would create a judiciary capable of applying the law dispassionately.

That didnt happen. The Supreme Courts celebrated decision in Marbury v. Madison, which affirmed judicial review over federal laws, was shaped by a partisan dispute. Its notorious ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandfordwhich was leaked to President-elect James Buchanan before its releasewas little more than a failed extralegal effort to resolve the slavery dispute. There are, no doubt, great moments in judicial independence, like United States v. Nixon, authored by Chief Justice Warren Burger, a Richard Nixon appointee. But in recent years, the courts best-known rulings have featured five GOP appointees issuing decisions that benefit the Republican Party: Bush v. Gore, Citizens United, and the travel ban case, Trump v. Hawaii.

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Its startling to see Kelly do the right thing because there are so many reasons for him to do the wrong thing.

Trump has taken judicial partisanship to the next level. On the campaign trail, he declared that he would apply a litmus test for Supreme Court candidates: He would only nominate individuals, he said, who opposed Roe v. Wade and supported D.C. v. Heller, establishing an individual right to bear arms. (Hillary Clinton similarly boasted of her liberal litmus tests.) Trump also confirmed that he had a litmus test for all judicial nominees, requiring them to defend the religious liberty of religious corporations, adoption agencies, and colleges to engage in discrimination. He swore to appoint conservative judges to draw support from the right flank of his party. And he called Chief Justice John Roberts disgraceful for daring to uphold most of the Affordable Care Act.

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Today, these comments seem unexceptional, because Trump has destroyed our brains. But Barack Obama did not pledge to appoint liberal judges, nor did he attack the merits of judges who ruled against his policies. George W. Bush forswore any litmus test, vowing instead to appoint individuals who will strictly interpret the Constitution. Strict constructionism is a mode of interpretation, not an ideology. And while most of the judges Bush selected were conservative, he did appoint a number of centrists, particularly to the lower courts.

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Once in office, Trump did exactly what he promised. In addition to selecting vigorously anti-abortion, pro-gun judicial nominees, his advisers screened for hostility to the administrative state. Former White House Counsel Don McGahn was disarmingly candid about this goal: He said he wanted to limit the ability of executive agencies to interpret and enforce the law, because its decisions tend to trend to the left. That is only true if you think it is a left-wing pursuit to implement federal statutes that limit pollution, protect endangered species, bar predatory lending, outlaw housing discrimination, ensure workplace safety, and regulate health insurance. McGahn effectively imposed another litmus test on nominees: They must be willing to block federal agencies from carrying out their statutory duties.

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These obligations do not necessarily compel loyalty to the president himself, only to his broader agenda. But Trump has left no doubt that he expects judges to toe the party line. When judges rule against him, the president attacks them personally, sometimes on Twitter, other times on national television. He accuses judges of undermining national security and facilitating Democratic obstruction. The message here is apparent: If you rule against the president and his policies, you risk triggering his very public ire.

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Kelly is a qualified, evenhanded jurist. But he would have to be superhuman to ignore the immense political pressure that weighs on him in the Acosta case. Its startling to see him do the right thing because there are so many reasons for him to do the wrong thing. We expect Trumps nominees to do what Trump expects of them. That mindset marks a challenge to the Framers plan for an impartial judiciary. Over the long run, its a recipe for a weakened judiciary, as progressives may come to view the courts as hopelessly tainted by Trumpian partisanship.

Kellys decision on Friday was a victory for the legitimacy of the courts. But Trumps nominees will remain on the bench for decades, and not all of them will be so independent. When Trump appointees overturn Roe v. Wade and demolish the New Deal, a large number of Americans wont view them as faithfully interpreting the Constitution. Theyll recognize that these ostensibly unbiased judges are helping Donald Trump fulfill a campaign promise.
Reporter: Is there any way to prevent this from happening again, Mr. President?

Trump: We have been talking about that on the ride over. I think were all on the same path. We have to do management, maintenance, and we will be working also with environmental groups. I think everybody has seen the light. And I dont think we will have this again to this extent. Well have to work quickly, but a lot of people are very muchthere has been a lot of study going on in the last little while, and I will say I think youre going to have, hopefully, this will be the last of these, because this was a really, really bad one. I know Gavin is committed, were all committed, to getting all of this cleaned out and protected.

We have to take care of the floors, the floors of the forest. It is very important. You look at other countries, they do it definitely and it is a whole different story. I was with the president of Finland and he said, Were a forest nation. He called it a forest nation. And they spend a lot of time on raking and cleaning and doing things, and they dont have any problem. And when it is, it is a very small problem. So I know everybody is looking at that  to that end. And its going to work out, its going to work out well.
Proving, once again, that President Donald Trump trusts literally no one, in the wake of the midterm elections last week, Trump has reportedly been wondering aloud to aides: Is Mike Pence my guy? Trump was asked point-blank in a press conference last week whether Pence would be his running mate next time around, to which Trump responded, theatrically, in the affirmative. Despite that public gesture, however, the New York Times reports that, according to a dozen Trump aides and confidantes, the president has been probing his advisers over whether Pence is loyal or not.

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Mr. Trump has repeated the question so many times that he has alarmed some of his advisers, the Times reports. The president has not openly suggested dropping Mr. Pence from the ticket and picking another running mate, but the advisers say those kinds of questions usually indicate that he has grown irritated with someone. Thats not a particularly good sign for Pence coming from the most intensely selfish and, arguably, most disloyal human being since the advent of human beings. Even worse for Pence, the Times reports that the answers Mr. Trump gets to his question have varied, depending on whom he asks. Yikes.

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Evaluating the role of a VP is not out of the ordinary due diligence for a president running for re-election, but when the president has fired or run off an extraordinary number of his top staff, the prospect of Trump noodling the value of Pence carries more weight. In the Mike Pence Is Loyal column is the reality that Pence, as vice president, has not only carried Trumps water, he has shown no problem lying for the president, affirming the fictional reality that Trump erects around himself. Being willing to lie repeatedly, publicly, and often humiliatingly, seems like a pretty important job requirement for Donald Trumps VP. How does Mike Pence do on that front? Check. Check. Check.

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In this notoriously conniving White House, though, some aides are apparently pushing the line that Pence did his job of convincing evangelical voters in 2016 that Trump could be trusted on their issues, but with that relationship now looking rock-solid, maybe its time to find someone new who addresses another of Trumps many, many deficiencies with voters. Namely, someone who makes him less toxic to female voters, who have been decamping in droves from the new, Trumpy GOP.

On Saturday, Trump addressed the Times article in typical fashion:

The New York Times did a phony story, as usual, about my relationship with @VP Mike Pence. They made up sources and refused to ask me, the only one that would know, for a quote....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 17, 2018

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....I cant imagine any President having a better or closer relationship with their Vice President then the two of us. Just more FAKE NEWS, the Enemy of the People!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 17, 2018

No, I dont question his loyalty at all. He is 100 percent loyal. It was a phony story, Trump told reporters at the White House Saturday morning. Mike Pence is 100 percent  not even a doubt about it in my mind. Hes been a trooper. Hes been with me from as soon as I won the primaries. I could not be happier.

So its totally happening then?
The first time Dartmouth neuroscience graduate student Vassiki Chauhan met former professor Bill Kelley, she says, it was after being hit by his car. The impact knocked her down and sent her belongings flying across the street; she later heard that he and his girlfriend (who was allegedly driving) had been drinking earlier that day. A few months later, Kelley suggested Chauhan dress as roadkill for Halloween, and proceeded to call her by that nicknameRoadkillfor the next two years.

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That allegation might as well be a metaphor for all the others from the 72-page class-action lawsuit against the trustees of Dartmouth College that was filed Thursday in federal court in New Hampshire. The complaint, made on behalf of Chauhan and six other current and former students, alleges rampant gender discrimination, sexual assault, and sexual harassment perpetrated by three tenured professors in the schools department of psychological and brain sciences. (One retired under pressure last summer; the other two resigned in the weeks that followed.) If its assertions are accurate, then Kelley and his colleague Paul Whalen in particular have been on a cruel and reckless path for quite some time, without even pausing to look in their rearview mirrors.

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Ive been following this scandal since fall 2017 and have reported on the Dartmouth PBS departments long history of inappropriate behavior, as well as prior allegations of sexual harassment made against one of these professors (who was subsequently promoted). The claims made in this weeks lawsuit, though, are far more disturbing than anything thats yet come out.

For one thing, this weeks lawsuit has multiple accusations of rape. The suit alleges, for instance, that Whalen forced Chauhan to engage in nonconsensual intercourseand refused to wear a condomafter having cajoled her into a night of drinking. The complaint says Chauhan sought out medical attention after this encounter, and that Whalen told her she was being paranoid for doing so. At one point, according to the filing, he asked that she meet him at a bar to celebrate the results of medical testing shed decided to pursue following the rape.

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Those events are alleged to have occurred several weeks after several of the plaintiffs had reported sexual misconduct by Whalen, Kelley, and the third professor, Todd Heatherton, to Dartmouths Title IX office, PBS department chair Dave Bucci, and Director of Graduate Studies Thalia Wheatley. The complaint alleges that no immediate action was taken to protect the graduate students.

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Another plaintiff in the suit, Kristina Rapuano, says that Kelley tweaked arrangements for her travel to an academic conference such that she would arrive a day earlier and need to stay in his hotel room. The two went out drinking and ended up having sex that night, the complaint alleges, despite her having been so intoxicated that she could not consent and does not remember what happened. The filing characterizes this as a sexual assault.

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Beyond these allegations, the plaintiffs describe a pervasive, suffocating culture of harassment and retaliation in the Whalen and Kelley labs. Even incidental details are astonishing. Take the allegation that Kelley hosted students for tubby time hot-tub parties at his house, for example; or that he played an adult content version of Charades with them while drinking; or that hed inform his students that he preferred boobs that have a natural, ski jump shape. Hes also alleged to have regularly accessed students cell phones without permission to send out inappropriate messages to others; and to have texted a student instructions to masturbate, along with photos of himself having sex with various people.

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Whalen, for his part, is alleged to have trapped a graduate student in his office and tried to force his hands down her pants. Hes also alleged to have told a different student, while staring at her breasts, that it was important for her to put a lot of sunscreen on her chest area. According to the lawsuit, he informed a third female student whom hed harassed and belittled that he was a benevolent sexist.

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There are stories of bullying and retaliation when women tried to speak up, too. Students are said to have been called goody two shoes and bitches when they refused to go out drinking with their professors. Other graduate students say they were ostracized in personal and professional ways for rebuffing sexual advances. Whalen is alleged to have told female graduate students that Dartmouth protects its male professors and that a woman in the department who had previously complained of harassment realized that her action backfired. She got what was coming to her, of course, the lawsuit says, claiming to quote him: you dont bite the hand that feeds you.

The lawsuit treats these men as specimens for analyzing more expansive claims about systemic sexism and institutional failure.

The alleged incidents of abuse are made more overwhelming by the degree to which they repeat themselves. As you read through the narrative laid out by the plaintiffs, Kelley and Whalen start to seem like interchangeable characters or generic stand-ins for one another. After a while, the question of which groping and controlling party bro made each demeaning comment and nonconsensual advance fades into the background.

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Thats a striking side effect of these womens decision to speak out in such detail: The sorts of behaviors they allege cause many harms, great and small. An especially pernicious one, I think, results from the way in which these professors are said to have treated their students and mentees like a common pool of targets, rather than as individuals. Kelley is said to have made a spectacle of rating women on his Papi scale of hotness, and how much hed like to bang them. The lawsuit claims that Whalen told a student that she was an 8.5 out of 10 (and should act accordingly). According to the allegations, these professors turned their female students into data plotted out in one dimension.

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By coming forward now, and in this way, the plaintiffs have flipped the script. Now each tells a story for herself, and its the men they say are predatorsKelly, Whalen, and also Heathertonwho have been collapsed into a set of laboratory observations. The lawsuit treats these men as specimens for analyzing more expansive claims about systemic sexism and institutional failure. Its fitting that the ex-professors are not the defendants in this lawsuit, but rather its exhibits.

In this theyve followed in the footsteps of the high-schoolers who survived the shooting in Parkland, Florida, last February. Theyre focused on something bigger than the individuals who treated them so poorly. The lawsuit asks the court to mandate programs, policies, and remedial action from Dartmouth in order to remedy the gender discrimination and sexual harassment (as well as $70 million in damages). The plaintiffs are also media-savvy and well-organized, directing press inquiries to their strategic communications firm and laying out their goals for the lawsuit in short video statements on social media. Im fighting to demand policies that respect the reputations and careers of victims, says Chauhan, and to ensure that the process of reporting is not more traumatizing than the incidents reported.

For two years, the lawsuit claims, Bill Kelley called this woman Roadkill. We know whos in the drivers seat now.
Hate speech, misinformation, harassment, terrorism, sexual exploitation: The publics demand that social media do more about these and other daunting problems is growing. Many feel that social media are failing us, as users and as a society. Some argue that the problems are persistent because the platforms arent truly interested in solving them, or that they are too immense in scope, across nations and cultures and languages, to be tamed.

But the problem is, I think, even more fundamental. The very premise of content moderation, as it is performed by every major social media platform, is fundamentally flawedbecause it is done by the platforms on our behalf.

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We are reaching the limits of this on our behalf approach. Social media platforms cannot know my values, or how they differ from yours, or from someone halfway across the planet. Discerning what is and is not cruelty, or obscenity, or fraud, cannot be left to a single entity. No matter how well they do it, platforms can never fully separate the job of overseeing the platform from the need to profit from it. Even if they could, they can never convince skeptics that the two arent hopelessly entangled. Most of all, there are some decisions that belong to the community affected by themthat must be contested in public, by the public.

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Facebook may finally be reaching the same conclusion.

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In a post Thursday, titled A Blueprint for Content Governance and Enforcement, Mark Zuckerberg tried on some humility, acknowledging that his platform is regularly exploited by those who circulate propaganda and hate, and that its massive team of content moderators frequently makes the wrong decisions about what to leave up and what to take down. Then he proposed something new:

In the next year, were planning to create a new way for people to appeal content decisions to an independent body, whose decisions would be transparent and binding.  First, it will prevent the concentration of too much decision-making within our teams. Second, it will create accountability and oversight. Third, it will provide assurance that these decisions are made in the best interests of our community and not for commercial reasons.

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Not much explanation follows. As some have noted, this isnt even the first time Zuckerberg and Facebook have floated this idea, and Thursdays announcement only proposes this for next year, with nearly every detail still to be worked out. Its hard not to be a little skeptical of the timing, given that Facebook spent Thursday reeling from Wednesdays revelations in the New York Times about the companys internal turmoil over misinformation and its decision to hire an opposition PR team to aggressively fend off criticism. The story shows no signs of slowing as more details emerge about the PR tactics it undertook, questions persist about what executives knew and when, and reports leak about tanking morale at Facebook.

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Regardless of the timing, I want to take the proposal seriously, at least as a possibility. Because if it is handled well, this could represent an important new model for content moderation, providing a true counterbalance to the sometimes hesitant, often techno-utopian mindset at Facebook and other major platforms. And handled poorly, it could be little more than window dressing meant to distract from Facebooks glaring problemsor it could erode users faith in these platforms even further.

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When members of Facebooks content policy team recently asked my advice on this policy, I said as much, and I raised a few questions about how this oversight might work. How Facebook ends up answering three core challenges will matter determine whether this works, or whether it will only make problems worse.

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1) Who will take this on? Facebook should be savvy enough not to appoint a gaggle of young, white tech bros. But it would be all too easy to populate the council in narrow and familiar ways. Already, some elders are emerging from the tech companies to occupy that trusted adviser role, in informal spaces like conferences and advisory boards, and it would be easy for Facebook to tap them for this. But how different is their perspective? Similarly, the internet engineering community has anointed its own greybeards, often looked to for advice on the future of the internet. Theres also a slightly broader group of Silicon Valley digerati who circulate from platform to platform, from tech company to venture capital firm to think tank, and already play an advisory role through informal advice, conference discussions, TED Talks, and the like. Drawing from these pools would do little to expand what this oversight could offer.

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So, who then? Facebook might be tempted to look to other such entities as a model. Perhaps something akin to the Supreme Court, with lawyers specializing in these issues? But while Facebook should seek out independent, accomplished, and judicious minds, they should not let that produce an older, white, American, culturally elite panel. And there are many kinds of expertise that could be brought to bear beside the law.

Facebook may be thinking of this oversight body as a kind of proxy for the users. In Thursdays post, Zuckerberg says, Just as our board of directors is accountable to our shareholders, this body would be focused only on our community. Zuckerberg has overused the word community for so long as to have rendered it nearly meaningless: Its absurd to call 2.2 billion people a community and pretend that it means anything deeper than people who use Facebook. It is unclear the council being focused on that community means: Concerned for? Representative of? Beholden to?

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Facebook is global, so members of this council should be, too. The impact of Facebooks choices is felt differently in places like Brazil, or Myanmar, or India, or Germany, than in the United States. The concerns and expertise of these places should be represented. The Facebook user base has more women than men, so the council should, too. And activists, journalists, parents, performers, and community leaderswho all use Facebook in different ways, and thus bring different forms of expertise to bearought to be incorporated.

Its absurd to call 2.2 billion people a community and pretend that it means anything deeper than people who use Facebook.

2) How will it work, and when will it intervene? Facebook, to its credit, has improved its response times over the years: Flagged content is now reviewed within 24 hours, and more and more content is proactively identified for review by detection software. Those who might want to appeal a decision they felt unfair would want a similarly rapid response, so their post could be reinstated when it is still relevant. What kind of responsiveness could they promise?

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When Facebook enlisted fact-checking organizations to help identify misinformation and conspiracy, it handed a small number of people an enormous task. It was no surprise they could not have the instant and broad impact Facebook promised. An independent oversight council will face similar challenges, and its presence should not let Facebook off the hook. Facebook should be able to handle the mundane and obvious violations, and even the mundane and obvious appeals requests. This council should be reserved for the disputes that represent the kind of decisions that should be publicly contested because the answer is not clear, and because the process of deliberating them independently and publicly has its own societal value.

That would include challenging images such as the napalm girl photo from the Vietnam War, beheading videos produced by ISIS, and speakers like Alex Jones. Those kinds of test cases allow the public to grapple with the lines that are being drawn and might give those lines legitimacy in the process. Facebook might even find that it wants to hand some of the hardest cases off so they can be deliberated in public hands.

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3) With what authority? Zuckerberg promises that the decisions of this oversight council will be binding. This is the most intriguing possibility here: Facebook and the other social media platforms have largely wanted to retain the right to make these decisions on their own terms. Making the decisions of this group binding would be a powerful change. I could easily imagine Facebook backtracking on this, inserting caveats meant to allow it to overrule decisions it doesnt like. Its not easy for the king to tie his own hands. In addition to being binding in the specific instance, would decisions made by this council set precedent for Facebook moving forward? In the pursuit of true oversight, Facebook should be bold by daring to make the councils decisions both binding and precedent-setting. That would allow it not just to reshape individual decisions, but also to serve as independent input for Facebooks policies and processes themselves.

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Making the decisions binding would also enhance the public legitimacy of this council. There is a risk that it will appear to be Facebook merely overseeing itself. One way to address this would be for Facebook to partner with an independent organization, one with its own legitimacy as a fair and respected actor in this domain. If that worked, the availability and authority of this council might eventually be offered to other platforms that also could benefit from similar oversight. Independent oversight, if it is implemented thoughtfully, could represent a significant shift not just in how Facebook moderates, but in the underlying logic of moderation itself.

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This doesnt have to be a perfect arrangement straight out of the gate, and we shouldnt expect it to be. If what we really want is government oversight, this isnt itand that could still happen. If what we really want is not a council but a council of councils, with every nation having its own group to weigh its own values, this is not it eitherthough it could grow to be over time. But even if this could just be a slight shift in gravity, a change in kind thats better than the model we currently have, it is worth nurturing. Imagine if Twitters Trust and Safety Council, an advisory board that has been in place for years, were given independent and binding oversight on hard cases. Perfect? No. Better than the current system? Almost definitely.

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Of course, all this will likely be overshadowed by Facebooks latest scandal. Perhaps the councils debut in 2019, if it happens, will be overshadowed by the next scandal. We cant have a proper discussion about what independent oversight looks like, today, without it being wrapped in the revelations about Facebooks internal turmoil and external tactics. Unfortunately, this is not mere coincidence or bad timing: The very idea of independent oversight is meant to bolster our trust in the platform, and it will only work if we trust the platform to implement it carefully. These days, trust in Facebook is in short supply.
Anup Ojha is a reporter for The Kathmandu Post primarily covering social issues and human interest stories. Before moving to the social beat, Ojha covered arts and culture for the Post for four years.
The most important discovery served during Muslims prayers.

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Discoveries of European importance were found in the lower part of Filakovo Castle during the archaeological research that ended a few days ago.

Archaeologist and director of the Filakovo Castle Museum, Viktoria Tittonova, explained that they opened four large probes this year: two at the place where toilets are supposed to be built. The new building will be embedded in the ground, so archaeologists had to research an area of 11 x 6 metres.

We found silver coins, ceramics, pipes, knives and even vessels and sacks with the remains of grains, Tittonova said, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

Read also:

Read also: Archaeological research at Cicva castle revealed connecting corridor Read more

However, the most interesting find is a Shia prayer disc, clay disc that Muslims put on the forehead when praying and turning toward the graves of their saints in former Persia.

We found out what the object is in cooperation with our colleagues from Hungary, Tittonova noted, as quoted by TASR.

It is another discovery that documents part of Filakovo's history from 16th and 17th century, when the town belonged to the Ottoman Empire.

Fortification walls

Archaeologists sunk two other probes near a small bastion from 17th century comprising the remains of the town fortification system.

We wanted to follow the connection of town wall ruins to their outer part, the director explained to TASR. During the expansive renovation in he 1980s, two above-ground stone corners were bricked up in the bastion, showing the connection of town walls. But Tittonova said that they do not know if the walls really connected in that location or the walls were randomly located there.

This part of the research showed the remains of an older fortification phase that was accompanied with wooden palisades.

We also have confirmed that the above-ground corner walls from the 1980s are built on former foundations, Tittonova noted, as quoted by TASR.

This finding is important not only in scientific terms but also the lower castle renovation project being implemented by the town as the castle owner within the Interreg project. The municipality obtained about a million euros for the revitalization of the lower castle and the partial reconstruction of the castle.
Authoritarian societies squander the possibilities of human achievement, of lives lived to their fullest, writes the US ambassador to Slovakia.

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As Slovakia marks the Day of Struggle for Freedom and Democracy on November 17, we should pause to consider the ongoing relevance of the protests of 1989 and the Velvet Revolution.

Ordinary Slovak and Czech students, later joined by their fellow citizens, courageously took to the streets to protest Soviet-backed authoritarianism and call for democracy and sovereignty. It was the student protests of 1989 and the subsequent revolution that paved the way for democratic reforms and for Slovakias return to the Western community of democracies, ushering in an era of unprecedented peace, stability, prosperity, and sovereignty for the Slovak people.

While celebrating the courage of the protesters, particularly the success of the Velvet Revolution, we must also remember that the struggle for freedom and democracy did not end with the collapse of Communism, with the establishment of an independent Slovakia, or even with Slovakias successful integration into the European Union and NATO. Citizens of free, democratic states must carefully safeguard, constantly renew, and continually perfect their societies.
Returning from exile is a fine thing, but no one talks about how exhausting it is.

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For some time now Ive been admiring the dynamism of Zuzana Palovic. I knew her in Bratislava as a Slovak who grew up in Canada, and who as an adult rediscovered a love of her homeland. She wrote a book of portraits of Slovaks who have returned home, called The Great Return. It was published this year, just as I returned from Slovakia to Canada. While Ive never read it, I like to think I can guess what might lie between the covers.

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Read also: Slovak migrant shares the stories of other migrants to understand her own Read more

I know, for example, that theres a lot about moving home that you wouldnt expect. Most of all: how exhausting it is. You would think that leaving home and moving to a strange country would be the hard part, but it isnt. The sense of adventure, of discovery and forward motion, helps you not to notice what you now lack: family and friends, the safe and the familiar. For every day that you hunger for a conversation in English, there are many others when you are driving to Kosice at night, or talking with strangers at a tiny pub in Zdiar, or visiting Kokava for the first time  and the exotic banishes all desire for the mundane.

Coming home, on the other hand, is more complicated.
The inaugural Harvest Series wrapped up on Friday (November 16) with sensational performances from Ontario sired sophomores Phantom Seelster and Johnny Bravo.

A pair of series finales for colts and geldings took place on Fridays 10-race card with a full field of 10 clashing on the pacing side and a field of six battling on the trot.

Phantom Seelster completed the sweep of the Harvest Series with a strong 2-3/4-length victory in the $47,500 final for pacing colts and geldings.

Driven by Louis Philippe Roy, Phantom Seelster got away second and enjoyed a two-hole ride behind Westslucky Terror, who cut out fractions of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:26.

Shadow Moon made a first-up bid in the middle half to apply some pressure, but began to fade nearing three-quarters, which forced a cover-riding Mission Three and Foot Solider three-wide.

Phantom Seelster and Roy had room to slide out of the two-hole at the top of the lane, surged by Westslucky Terror to claim the lead and pulled away from his rivals for a 1:54.2 victory. Mission Three finished second, while Foot Solider was third and Westslucky Terror fourth.

Trained by Richard Moreau, Phantom Seelster entered the Harvest Series winless in 14 starts this season and now exits with three wins in 17 outings. The gelded son of Mach Three teamed up with a different driver in each of the three Harvest Series legs, partnering with Bob McClure and Trevor Henry in the preliminary rounds.

Phantom Seelster has now earned $55,270 this season following the series sweep, while his career numbers now sit at six wins and $98,935 earned for owners Gestion Mastel Inc., Conrad Leber and Marcel Barrieau.

A $2 win ticket on Phantom Seelster returned $3.

Johnny Bravo continued his winning ways with a 1:58.2 victory in the $43,900 final for trotting colts and geldings.

Driven by Jean Bernard Renaud, Johnny Bravo was parked around the first turn and had to be pushed to clear Charlie Ona Harley for the top spot. Once in command, Johnny Bravo posted fractions of :57 and 1:27.4.

In the stretch, Johnny Bravo was able to seal the deal by holding off a late push from Draft Year, who sat fourth for most of the mile, for a length victory. Charlie Ona Harley finished third, while Master Switch was fourth.

A gelded son of Johnny William, Johnny Bravo entered Fridays final off a victory in the second leg and a runner-up finish in the first leg. The Paul Walker trainee has now won three of his last four starts to improve his record to four wins in 12 starts.

Unraced as a two-year-old, Johnny Bravo has now earned $59,400 for owner/breeders Paul Walker and Julie Walker.

He paid $4.20 to win.

The Harvest Series was open to Ontario three-year-olds, who were non-winners of $30,000 in 2018 as of September 30.

Friday evenings card also saw another edition of the $30,000 Fillies and Mares Preferred Pace. Seven-year-old Exhilarated put an end to Kendall Seelsters winning streak by muscling by in the final strides for a thrilling victory.

Kendall Seelster got things her own way, posting fractions of :28, :57.1 and 1:24.2. Exhilarated enjoyed a two-hole ride behind the heavy favourite and took her shot in the lane along with the other four mares in the field.

A six-across finish developed with Exhilarated just getting by in the final stride for a 1:53.3 victory. Kendall Seelster finished second, beat a head, while P L Hurricane was third.

Trained by Carmen Auciello, Exhilarated and driver Jonathan Drury went off at odds of 12-1 and were entering Fridays contest off back-to-back fourth-place finishes. The veteran mare now has 11 wins and $198,620 earned in 41 starts this season for owner Auciello Stables.

Exhilarated pushed her career numbers to 36 wins and $589,130 earned with the upset victory.

She paid $27 to win.

Live racing continues Saturday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Post time is 7:10 p.m.

To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(Woodbine Mohawk Park)
Saturday, November 17, 2018

The California State Bar has released the results from the July 2018 bar exam. The overall pass rate was 40.7%, down 8.9 percentage points from last year and a 67-year low. For California ABA-accredited law schools, the pass rate was 64%, down 6 percentage points from 2017. The mean scaled MBE was 1404 compared with the national average of 1395 (a 32-year low).

The Recorder, Nearly Six in 10 Failed California's July 2018 Bar Exam:

The results mirror lower bar scores in other states. The percentage of successful test-takers in Pennsylvania, Texas [results by school], New York [results by school], Florida [results by school], and Indiana all dipped year over year. ... But Californias nearly six-in-10 failure rate is shocking for a state that has tried to boost scores by shortening the test by a day and conducting studies of the notoriously difficult exam.

State Bar of California, State Bar Releases July 2018 Bar Exam Results:

"I want to congratulate the thousands of applicants who passed the July 2018 California Bar Exam. Were also troubled by a low pass rate, and are working to better understand the reasons behind this national trend," said Leah T. Wilson, Executive Director of the State Bar of California. "Over the last 18 months we have conducted four distinct studies on the California Bar Exam designed to determine if the passing score is appropriate and the content valid. While these studies did not suggest that changes to either should be made at this time, the State Bar takes seriously its commitment to ensuring integrity and fairness in the admissions process. We have just launched a California Attorney Job Analysis Study to collect information about the knowledge and skills that entry level attorneys need. This job analysis will form the basis of a new review of the exam itself to ensure that the Bar Exam is relevant and actually testing whats needed."

The first meeting of the working group for the Job Analysis Study will be held on December 10, 2018, at the State Bars San Francisco office. The study is currently expected to be published in December 2019.

The State Bar is also looking forward to the evaluation of the Productive Mindset Study, which may assist the State Bar and California law schools in developing mechanisms to help students better position themselves for success on the Bar Exam.

Update:

https://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2018/11/july-2018-california-bar-exam-pass-rate-falls-to-67-year-low.html
Leaders vow zero cost jobs for migrant workers

Government officials and ministers from 12 labour source countries including Nepal have agreed to work together to relieve migrant workers from recruitment cost that they have to bear while applying for foreign employment.
Mardi mountain madness

The Mardi Himal trail is an incredible trekking route, where the terrain varies from dense forests to rugged rockscapes and mountain landscapes.
New study picks out 5 sectors for growth

A new study by the World Bank and International Finance Corporation has picked out five priority sectorstourism, agribusiness, education, health and information technologythat Nepal should focus on to boost sustainable investment and accelerate productivity for comprehensive economic growth.
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LUXEMBOURG-VILLE -- A big-hearted couple from the capital have rewarded their loyal and hardworking cleaning lady with an unprecedented raise of 25 cents per hour.

Peter and Mirjana Hansen, who own a four-bedroom house in Cents, delivered the news to their employee on Friday afternoon as she was hunched over and pouring out a bucket of grey water into the driveway.

Cleaning lady, please stand before us, said Mr. Hansen, his wife at his side. You have faithfully served this household for five years, performing your tasks discreetly and without complaint.

I admit that when we you first showed up at our doorstep in response to our ad, I was reluctant to pay you 12 euros per hour, which seemed an extortionate sum, especially considering that when we lived in Athens the going rate was closer to six euros per hour, said Mrs. Hansen. I feared that such a generous starting wage would make you lazy and greedy, and that it would offer little incentive for you to work hard.

Im pleased to report that I was wrong, she continued. More often than not you have met our expectations.

Aware that the cleaning ladys ego must not be inflated too much, Mr. Hansen pointed out that her performance did leave some room for improvement.

At times your ironing is less than satisfactory, and I am referring to the five or six times that I have found traces of wrinkles underneath the collars of my work shirts, he said. Also, it did not slip my notice that on March 18, 2016, you neglected to clean the underside of the toilet in the kids bathroom.

That said, I am confident that in 2019 you will make a serious effort to avoid such oversights, he continued. And to demonstrate our faith, we have decided to grant you a raise.

We hereby increase your hourly wage to 12 euros and 25 cents, Mrs. Hansen said. Effective next month.

And if everything goes well, well consider giving you another raise in a mere five years time, Mr. Hansen said.

Still wearing rubber gloves, the cleaning lady, 56, took the hands of her employers.

Oh kindly sir and madam, Im not worthy of your beneficence, she sobbed before breaking into her native tongue -- a language about which her employers have never bothered to inquire. Im but a humble cleaning lady who considers herself blessed to serve such a fine household.

Mrs. Hansen patted the womans arm and reminded her to spend extra time on the spare bedroom in preparation for the arrival of guests.

Sources indicate that with the extra euro per week, the cleaning lady plans on saving up for a few years to afford a dream trip to Echternach.

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Mountain Shadows in Wayanad is just the place for a dreamy vacation
Producer Changa; Storytelling Chet

Nepali bureaucrats all seem to be under a malaise that invites much criticismthey do their 9-5 jobs without any conviction or any motivation to perform, since at the end of the month, they will be paid regardless. The team behind Changa Chet seems to be afflicted with the same syndrome.
As Ho Chi Minh City-based Marie Curie High School was poised to celebrate its centenary anniversary, students of the schools chemistry club came up with a brilliant idea of handcrafting artistic container candles to mark the special occasion.

Container candle is a non-flammable container filled with wax and a wick. Students of the Marie Curie chemistry club added a touch of creativity to the products, making candles with pictures seen through their glass containers.

Nguyen Cong Thai Son, the clubs facilitator, explained that he chose to make candles because the items can promote the image of the school, and they are so cheap and easy to make.

The process is quite easy and our club member can proceed after my brief instruction, said Son.

According to 11th-grader Ha Vi, it would take around half an hour from start to finish.

It requires dedication and caution, Vi said. Melting the wax, in particular, needs extra attention due to the risk of getting burned.

Vu Minh Duc, a tenth-grader, said that this candle making experience is extremely practical.

There are three steps to make a container candle.

The students started with positioning the wicks in the middle of the mason jars, adding some sand to the bottom, and putting in several shells and small pebbles, plus and a little picture of the school.

First off, measure the length of candlewicks.

Melting paraffin proves most challenging due to risk of getting burned.

The second step involves melting the paraffin in a pan until the point of boiling, followed by putting in some pleasant fragrance oils and touching up with glitter.

Add a foundation of sand to the bottom of the containers.

Beautiful finished products.

Finally, the students filled the mason jars with the boiling paraffin and let them cool off to get the final unique products.

Other than container candles, the chemistry club members also showcased plant sprouts in test-tubes and homemade hand wash liquid gels at the schools 100th anniversary on Saturday morning.

Pouring boiling wax into the jars.

The Chemistry Club has around 30 members.

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An office staff of Ho Chi Minh Citys biggest obstetrics hospital has spent the last six years seeking birth certificates for a number of children abandoned at the infirmary, and is always willing to have her name appear in the mother section on the documents.

Le Thi Kim Thuy is in charge of guaranteeing birth certificates for children left by their parents at the Tu Du Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital.

She has since become the mother of abandoned children at Hoa Binh (Peace) Village, a charity center of Tu Du that is home to numerous orphans and children whose parents refuse to give them a family.

Mother on birth certificates

Many of Thuys acquaintance advised her against being legally bound to the children as it may cause complications in the future.

Whenever she is given such a piece of advice, Thuy would fearlessly respond that she is not scared of anything because this is my destiny, my debt to the world.

It was only five months ago that Kim Thuy found another newborn left on the stairs of the hospital in District 1.

The baby boy weighed 3.3 kilograms and had a chubby face with black hair.

Thuy is always reduced to tears when she finds a new child abandoned at the hospital, as most of such unfortune kids are left there right after birth with their parents nowhere to be found.

There are even children born elsewhere but are left at Tu Du.

Usually the parents leave their children where a lot of people come in and out, apparently to make sure that someone will find and help the newborns.

Most of those parents leave no traces behind so the childrens wish to find their origin is near hopeless, Thuy said sadly.

No matter how tiring and how much time it is going to take me, I am going to help the families reunite. The children were born without their parents by their side, which is a sad thing and a huge misfortune, the generous woman added.

Among many children she helped, a girl born in 2014 left her with most emotions as the baby has the same birthdate with her.

Thuy named the baby girl after herself when she was taking care of the babys birth certificate as she believed it was a destiny, and a memory to remember.

A true home

Most newborn orphans left at Tu Du Hospital are put in Hoa Binh Village.

The charity center was established to help abandoned and disabled children, and Agent Orange victims.

However, the center will soon be closed as another one is being developed in the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City.

Only 36 residents, whose ages range from three to 37 years old, currently live in the center according to Thai Thien Huong, chief nurse of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department.

Two thirds of the children at Hoa Binh were abandoned since birth.

21-year-old Pham Thi Thu Thuy (right), a disabled orphan of Hoa Binh Village, got accepted to the Ho Chi Minh City University of Education. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The charity home has succeeded in creating a true home for the unfortunate residents besides providing a shelter for the children.

Moms at Hoa Binh Village had done everything for me that you [my biological mother] could not and I believe that is love, Vo Thanh Giang, one of the Hoa Binh Villages residents, wrote in a letter to the mother she does not know.

Thank you, moms [staff at Hoa Binh Village], for turning this home into the happiest place in the world.

What makes the staff of Hoa Binh Village charity center the happiest would be seeing the children who grew up here become successful in life despite their setbacks.

A class with disabled children and orphans at Hoa Binh Village. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Dang Minh Bang, a student at University of Architecture in Ho Chi Minh City, Tran Minh An, who studies at the University of Information Technology, and and Pham Thi Thu Thuy, student of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Education are the three most admired residents of the center as the caring mothers keep mentioning these names as role models for others.

The three have defied their serious disabilities to make it to those outstanding and highly competitive universities.

Bang, 20, has only one leg left, and he also suffers from syndactyly, a condition in which fingers on both of his hands are fused together, while 23-year-old An has dislocated spine and an abnormality in the throat.

In the meantime, Thuy, 21, suffers from carpenter syndrome that leaves her head unusually pointed at the top and can cause permanent brain damage, as well as disabled legs that force her to walk on her knees.

* A letter to an unknown biological mother from Vo Thanh Giang, one of the Hoa Binh Villages residents

Translation:

Ever since I was born, I have lived in Hoa Binh Village. I do not have the privilege as other children because you do not hold me, feed me, or take me to school or to other places.

I do not get to be scolded when I do something wrong, neither do you teach me what is right. I was born in the inappropriate time, is that right, mom?

But mom, I am not mad at you or feel sad. I believe you did not want to leave me behind, it was just that life was too tough for you, is that right, mom?

Moms at Hoa Binh Village had done everything for me that you could not and I believe that is love. Thank you, moms, for turning this home into the happiest place in the world.

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Thanks to its close proximity to the famed Son Doong Cave in the north-central Vietnamese province of Quang Binh, the Doong mountain village has become a must-visit attraction for tourists before they explore the worlds biggest natural cave.

Doong is a small community of about 42 people belonging to the Bru  Van Kieu ethnic minority group. The villages primitive rustic charm, free from the exploitation thats hit several other ethnic minority villages in the highlands, has made it top spot for explorers to visit on their way to Son Doong cave.

Natural beauty

Being a small unexplored mountain village, there is only one rocky trail leading to Doong and onward to the heart of Phong Nha  Ke Bang National Park, known for its greenery, dense trees, and countless of layers of leaves which appear to swallow anyone that walks in.

Being surrounded by thick layers of trees, even the hottest days seem comfortable in the shady village of Dong.

The trail leading to the village is dotted with animal footprints, lined with streams, and flanked by highlands. Tourists are often surprised when wild animals appear from behind rustling bushes as they make the three hour trek into Doong.

Doong sits atop a plateau nestled in the highlands, presented to those below as if upon a stage. And most visitors agree its well deserving of that spotlight. Its seclusion has created a mixed aura of originality and mystery around the village.

Overlooking the village are layers of mountains that guard it and watch over its residents.

As sun sets, patch of fog descend on the rooftops and clouds rest atop the mountains, juxtaposing the shiny green blanket of leaves and scorching hot sun that swallows the village in daytime.

Primitive village

Phong Nha  Ke Bang is one of the most well-preserved forests in Vietnam.

In the area near Doong lies a thousand-year-old tree with a trunk so big it takes 12 people to give it a hug.

Even though the village is located in the central region of Vietnam, one of the hottest areas of the country, its 1,000 meter altitude means temperatures rarely top 25 degrees Celsius.

The ideal weather turns the primitive community into an ideal stop after the long trek.

Here, tourists not only get the chance to see the beautiful scenery, but also the opportunity to experience the life of an ethnic minority member in a Vietnamese village.

As many say, Doong is wild, primitive, and naive just like its people.

With no electricity, cement-covered streets, or phone service, one can take a break from a modern life while observing Doong villagers daily activities such as hunting and vegetable farming, in addition to trying out the local cuisine.

Many Doong villagers have never had an opportunity to leave the village, especially the children, and the presence of foreigners still needs some getting used to.

Being secluded from the rest of the society, Doong villagers maintain a type of self-sufficient economy which is becoming increasingly rare throughout the developing world.

Thanks to this system, the village is able to remain true to its traditions and avoid integration with the modern world.

Every five to seven days, male members of the community, along with their pack of dogs, set out into forest to hunt for animals.

The villagers do not use modern tools like guns and electric nets to hunt; instead they resort to the traditional way of surrounding their prey with the pack of dogs, and catching it after it gets exhausted from being chased.

According to Nguyen Van Tuong, a Doong villager, the community does not hunt rare or endangered animals in the forest.

Even when we fish, we dont dare catch more than we need since we have to leave some for other meals as well, the villager said, explaining that they only use nets and hands to fish in order to maintain their delicate harmony with the environment.

Despite being poor, the villagers are generous towards tourists are rarely ask anything in return.

When the tourists pass the community, they are usually offered potato soup, or different kinds of potatoes native to the region.

After being warmly welcomed by Doong community, many tourists leave behind food to show the appreciation.

A final stop before reaching Son Doong cave

With an increasing amount of people becoming interested in visiting Son Doong cave, many tourism companies try to differentiate themselves by including a trip to Doong in their tour packages.

Among many people who fell in love with the primitive village is Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, a member of a ruling royal family of the United Arab Emirates who visited Son Doong cave in 2014.

What impressed him the most was the isolation and primitiveness of the community, as well as the naive, surprised, and confused looks from the children there who had seen a middle-eastern men.

Al Nahyan is determined to come back to the village with his family.

Some tourist companies intend to work with villagers to turn the area into a tourist spot and improve the living standards of people here.

We intend to let tourists stay in the village for longer periods of time so that they can experience more during their trip to Son Doong because Doong villagers still keep their cultural and traditional values, a tourist company representative shared.

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Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc left Hanoi on Friday night for Papua New Guinea to attend the 26th APEC Economic Leaders Meeting on November 17-18 at the invitation of the Oceanian country's Prime Minister Peter ONeill.

The premier was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung, and Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

This year marks Vietnams 20-year membership in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Vietnam is among a few APC members having hosted APEC summits twice, in 2006 and 2017. It is also among the most active members in proposing ideas and projects, authoring more than 100 projects in various fields. The Southeast Asian country has held many positions in APEC committees and working groups. Its business community also actively participates in and makes many recommendations to APEC. Vietnam will continue to accompany APEC in the next development period, join hands in building a strategic vision on an Asian-Pacific community of peace, stability, dynamism, innovation, and prosperity, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said in an article titled 20 years in APEC: from a strategic vision to Vietnams imprints.

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Ho Chi Minh City is expected to have more standardized public restrooms as a private company behind a pilot project to modernize public toilets in the southern metropolis has successfully installed four such facilities under a pilot scheme.

Tien Phong Environmental Technology JSC has submitted its project to build public toilets that meet ASEAN standards in Ho Chi Minh City to relevant agencies.

The company is running four such model facilities in District 1, and has been recently told by the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Department of Planning and Investment to refine and complete its proposal for further implementation.

ASEAN standard

Tien Phong Environmental Technology has installed four smart restrooms near the bus station on Ham Nghi Street in District 1, according to company director Nguyen Xuan Sang.

The facilities were built in line with the ASEAN Public Toilet Standard (APTS), which was published in 2012 in response to the negative reaction most Western tourists expressed after using toilets in Southeast Asian countries.

APTS was established as a guide for member states to ensure quality, comfort, safety, and proper waste management of public toilets at tourist destinations within the region in regard to each countrys culture.

To guarantee the comfort of the customers, the toilet cabins have many built-in features including reflective walls made of stainless steel, automated functions such as spraying, washing, and flushing, hand-washing sink, and automated hand-driers, among others.

Additionally, installed screens in the toilet allow the users to see outside of the cabin they are in so that they can keep an eye on their motorbikes against thieves, as well as knowing if other people are waiting for their turn outside.

More importantly, the cabins were built to avoid any unfortunate incidents, especially those related to health.

Motion sensors installed on the ceiling can detect if someone is experiencing a seizure, and an emergency button located 30 centimeters from the floor to call for help are two features crucial to guarantee the safety of users.

It costs VND380 million (US$16,500) to install such a standardized and smart toilet cabin, Sang said.

3in1 bus stops

Tien Phong Environmental Technology also suggested in its proposal to the Ho Chi Minh City administration that the standardized public restrooms should be attached to local bus stations to make the public transportation more attractive to passengers.

Sang sells the idea of building 3 in 1 bus stations, those with a smart restroom and multifunction kiosk, across the city to increase the facilities convenience, and encourage the use of buses in lieu of personal vehicles in the crowded metropolis of ten million.

The project proposes high-tech waiting spots at bus stops with handy functions including automatic doors, air conditioner, and touch screens to look up the bus route information.

The multi-purpose stands are planned to manage, operate, and guarantee both safety and cleanliness of the kiosk, including the toilets, mostly using technology.

Tourist information, bus tickets, and other instructions will be available on the kiosks screens, which will be connected to municipal departments and agencies to provide precise information, especially those regarding the citys planning and paperwork procedures.

The 3 in 1 bus stops should also feature ATMs or booths that sell top-up mobile phone cards or accept utility payments to generate revenue to cover maintenance and operation costs, as well as employees wages.

In its proposal, Tien Phong Environmental Technology suggested building these 3 in 1 bus stops at nine locations in Districts 1, 3, and 9, and Tan Binh and Tan Phu Districts, as well as at eight rest areas of long-haul bus routes.

These proposed locations will be examined if they meet standards in terms of water supply or waste management.

The departments involved in building the toilets are required to work with Tien Phong Co to finalize the project before being granted official approval from the Ho Chi Minh City administration.

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1. Yes. Nonprofit youth organizations are underfunded in the city. Its a good decision.

2. Yes. In conjunction with city-run programs, it will provide needed opportunities.

3. No. The money should be used to benefit all residents, not just the citys youth.

4. No. The funds should be invested in the area where the project is being developed..

5. Unsure. Its hard to say whether its an appropriate use of the money.

Vote

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As more road constructions are being carried out at the end of the year, many old trees in Ho Chi Minh City have been damaged by the roadworks.

Eleven crepe myrtle trees and many ta-khian trees in District 4 were found damaged with broken branches, fragmented roots, and scratched trunks, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Greenery Park Limited Company.

Some are even at risk of dropping onto roads, threatening the safety of many passers-by.

The trees are grown along Khanh Hoi Street from Hoang Dieu intersection to Ben Van Don intersection.

The company attributed the damages to careless roadwork ongoing there.

Trees grown on both sides of Khanh Hoi street in District 4 suffer from wounds after the roadwork. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Similarly, on Nguyen Khac Nhu Street in Co Giang Ward, District 1, the toll roadworks caused on the ancient trees are clearly visible.

These cases are being reported to authorities.

Moreover, many old large trees are suspected of being continuously poisoned to death.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport had previously called on the police to investigate similar cases of trees dying of poisoning. However, no cases were ever resolved, raising concerns among people.

Dead tree in front of a construction on 35 Tran Quang Khai Street, Tan Dinh District. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Dried tree trunk in front of one of the constructions on 3/2 Street in District 10. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Dried tree trunk in front of one of the constructions on 3/2 Street in District 10. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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A 44-year-old man in southern Vietnam poured gasoline around his house, with his wife and two children locked inside in an apparent attempt to burn the whole family, following a quarrel with the woman on Friday night.

The wife was rescued at 10:30 pm the same day, two hours after the man started to lock them up in their house, according to the police.

The children, a 13-year-old girl and her year-old sister, were also brought to safety at first light on Saturday, after the man left the scene without actually set the house on fire.

The incident took place in Ben Cat Town of Binh Duong Province.

The married couple had allegedly had a fight that night, before the man, known only as M., threatened his wife and children at knifepoint to stay inside while he locked the doors and started to pour gasoline over the house.

The house of the family in the incident is seen in this photo. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Upon receiving report from local residents, police in Ben Cat dispatched three fire trucks and more than ten law enforcement officers to the scene, where they encouraged the husband, who also locked him inside the house with his family, to release his wife and children.

However, the law enforcement officers had to break down the door to get into the house as M. did not go out.

Officers managed to rescue the wife, while the two young children were still controlled by the father in the bedroom.

To avoid mishaps, the law enforcement officers did not continue to break into the bedroom but stayed outside.

M. eventually let go of the two young children and took advantage of the tiredness of police officers and darkness to flee the house at the dawn on Saturday. Fortunately, none of the mother and daughters was injured.

During initial investigation, the 49-year-old wife said that she told M. to sign in a divorce form at around 8:00 pm on Friday as the husband has no stable occupation and gives little support to the family.

The woman did not expect that the action would lose M.s temper and led him to threaten her if [the wife] divorces him, he will burn the whole family.

Firefighters are on the attempt to rescue the two young children at 00:00 am on November 17, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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Pioneering screenwriter Eleanor Witcombe, who wrote The Mavis Bramston Show, Number 96, and My Brilliant Career has died.

She was born in Yorketown, South Australia, but left in 1939 to live first in Brisbane and then in Sydney. She studied at the National Art School, and then joined the Mercury Theatre School when it was founded in 1946.

She began writing plays for children in 1948, and was writing for radio at the time of her departure to England in 1952. While there, she studied youth theatre and worked for the BBC.

On her return to Sydney in 1957, she wrote for radio, co-wrote two stage shows, and in 1963 adapted Smugglers Beware (1963) for television.

This was followed by a long spell with The Mavis Bramston Show and its sequels. Other television credits include Pastures of the Blue Crane, Seven Little Australians, Number 96,Water Under the Bridge, Jonah and The Harp in the South.

One of her first film scripts was The Getting of Wisdom (1977), followed by the adaptation of My Brilliant Career (1979).

Eleanor was one of the first members of the Australian Writers Guild, having joined in 1966, where she fought for writers rights, fees and royalties in the newly resurgent Australian film and TV industry.

Angela Wales Kirgo, former Executive Director of the Australian Writers Guild, said, Eleanor Witcombes place in the history of Australian screenwriting is assured not just by her wonderful screen adaptations of a series of Australian iconic classics, but by her outsize personality and fierce passion for the rights of writers. And she knew whereof she spoke, since aside from the prestigious adaptations, she worked right across the spectrum  radio plays, childrens theatre, The Mavis Bramston Show and Number 96, for starters.

Whether she actually was a founding member of the AWG or not Im not sure, but she was certainly a very early member and had she had a full proprietary interest in it.

She was a feisty and outspoken member and a character to be reckoned with. Whenever she appeared at the door of my office, I knew we were in for a wild ride. I loved her and loved her company.

Source: AWG
Today marks the 70th Birthday of Prince Charles, known officially as the Prince of Wales. As the firstborn son of the Queen, Prince Charles is also set to be our next monarch as the first heir to the throne and the first in a long line of future kings' of England. Prince Charles is also father to Prince William and Prince Harry.

In honour of the Prince of Wales, Buckingham Palace has released a list of "70 facts about HRH The Prince of Wales." The list has been split into five categories that include; Early life and Family, Military, Charities, Interests and Official duties.

According to The Guardian, Prince Charles also enjoys; "Flint-knapping, hedge-laying and cheese-making."

70th birthday celebrations

The Prince himself has also been a guest editor for Country Life Magazine special to celebrate his birthday, where he described becoming a septuagenarian as an "Alarming realisation that I have reached the biblical threshold of three score years and ten." Prince Charles also described his love of Red Squirrels, and how he often lets them run around his home, Clarence House.

The Queen will be hosting a birthday banquet, at Buckingham Palace for her eldest son, an event that will be attended by his family, close friends as well as European Royalty. The Queen will give a speech at the birthday celebration in honour of her eldest son and his 70th year.

The Prince of Wales will also be attending a tea party where he will meet with others who are in their seventieth year.

Among his many military titles and achievements, the Prince is also affiliated to eighteen military regiments. In honour of his military affiliation, the Welsh Guards Band played Happy Birthday on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace, and at midday, the Kings Troop RHA gave the Prince of Wales a 41 gun salute.

Heir to the throne

While awaiting his time to become King, the heir to the throne has been involved in charity work and is a representative of more than 420 charities. One of which includes his own charity The Prince's Trust, which was founded in 1976 when Prince Charles was just 28. The aim of the Trust is to help vulnerable young people aged 11-30, with a range of programmes to accommodate any needs they may have.

The Prince has also visited over 100 countries throughout his royal duties, and it has been reported that along with his wife the Duchess of Cornwall, have participated in more than 600 visits since 2017. Prince Charles has also passed his charitable ways down to his sons, who have followed their father's lead in many ways when it comes to royal duties.
Before Walt Disney came up with the iconic Mickey Mouse, he had another animated star. Oswald the Lucky Rabbit starred in 26 short films. However, some of them went missing and only 19 had survived the years since Disney created them.

A Japanese high school student bought one of them, but only recently realised just what he had. Now 84, it was Yasushi Watanabe bought one of a few Oswald the Lucky Rabbits films.

Japanese man has a rare Walt Disney film

Released by Walt Disney Studios in the US in 1927, Neck n Neck was one of a few copies of the Film ending up in Japan.

Watanabe was still at school when he bought the film at a toy wholesalers market in Osaka. While at the time he obviously enjoyed watching the film, it was only recently that Watanabe understood the significance of his purchase from so long ago.

The BBC quotes the Japanese Asahi Shimbun newspaper as reporting on the story. Watanabe had recently read a book with the title Oswald the Lucky Rabbit: The Search for the Lost Disney Cartoons. The book was published last year by David Bossert, one of many people who have worked on Walt Disney animated movies over the years.

Bossert wrote that the Walt Disney Studios had created 26 animated films starring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, but that they only had 19 of them.

Collectors had joined the film studio in searching for the missing films over the last 90 years. After Watanabe read the book, he got in touch with the author about his precious find, which is now confirmed to be Neck n Neck.

Neck n Neck starring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

As noted by Uproxx, the short film tells a story about a police chase, where a dogged policeman on a motorbike, pursues Oswald and his girlfriend, travelling in a car.

The chase follows a steep mountain road, showing the motorbike and car stretching to round the steep bends in the road. This was a device used frequently by Walt Disney in a lot of his later films.

The following is an example of one of Oswald's stories.

Japanese Disney fan

Watanabe told the Japanese media that he has been a Disney fan for many years.

He said he is happy to have played a role in the discovery of the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit film. Meanwhile, the director of the Walt Disney Archives, Becky Cline, said they were delighted to discover a copy of the film still exists.

Bossert said the discovery of the Walt Disney film was very exciting, adding that he is hoping to screen the film at a Los Angeles event for animation scholars.
The death of Adnan Khashoggi inside the Saudi embassy in Ankara has stirred a hornet's nest. Much of the credit for unraveling the brutal killing and dismemberment of the body inside the Saudi embassy must go to the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He followed up the disappearance of the journalist a known critic of Saudi Arabia and crown prince Salman with great zeal and Turkish investigating agencies were able to unravel the sequence of events that led to the killing of Khashoggi. Turkish intelligence also shared the information with other agencies like the CIA.

The Telegraph has reported that the CIA has "concluded" that the highest authority in Saudi Arabia probably gave the order to kill the journalist and directly points the finger at Crown Prince Salman himself.

Allegations

The allegation is that the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly ordered the assassination of the journalist.

It is now revealed that Khashoggi, was lured into the embassy with assurances that he would be safe but at the same time a diabolical plot was hatched to kill him. The Chicago Tribune has reported that the CIA has revealed that the Saudi Ambassador to the USA, Khalid Bin Salman who is the brother of the Crown Prince reportedly received a call from the crown prince to take steps to kill the journalist.

How verifiable is this news? It is reported that this call was intercepted by the CIA as reported by the Washington Post.

Crown prince

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly denied that the Crown Prince had any involvement in the death of Khashoggi, who had been a fierce critic of Mohammed bin Salman.

The latest revelation will jack up pressure on Donald Trump who has seemed to be soft on Saudi Arabia for geopolitical reasons as it is the foremost US ally against Iran.

Mr. Trump had earlier claimed that the murder was probably the handiwork of rogue agents.

The Crown Prince has put himself in soup. He had tried to make a name as a man who was out to take the kingdom from archaic times to the modern age. The killing of Khashoggi inside the embassy in Turkey which has recently decided to purchase Russian military hardware, will, however, act as a dampener to his ambitions.

The international outcry over the murder of Khashoggi has put the prince and the Saudi intelligence agencies in the dock.

Future

The kingdom has tried to show some transparency by arresting 11 people, and the prosecutor has asked for the death penalty for five of them. It's a moot point if these sentences will ever be carried as the revelations show that the trail of the killing leads right to the highest echelons of the Saudi monarchy. Saudi Arabia will be under pressure as it already faces a lot of dissents that could even lead to a civil war.
The Financial Stability Board started publishing the rankings in response to the financial crisis.

Royal Bank of Scotland has been dropped from a list of the worlds most important banks, signifying the lender will no longer be required to hold extra capital in case it fails.

The Financial Stability Board (FSB) removed the British state-owned bank from its list of global systemically important banks that it started publishing following the 2008 financial crisis.

The banks included on the list have to ensure they hold enough capital to cover possible losses in order to avoid being saved by the State.

A decade ago, RBS was rescued from collapse by the British government with a 45.5 billion bailout. The state currently owns 62% of the bank, having recently reduced its stake from 70%.

RBS said: We note this decision by the FSB which reflects our progress in building a much simpler, safer UK-focused bank.

The FSB also removed Danish bank Nordea from its ranking, while Frances Groupe BPCE was added.

US-based investment bank JP Morgan Chase topped the list and remained the worlds most important bank.

RBS last month paid out its first dividend in 10 years after reaching a long-awaited 4.9 billion US dollar (3.7 billion) settlement with US regulators over claims that it mis-sold mortgages in the run-up to the financial crisis.

It was considered the largest of a string of legacy issues that the bank is starting to put to rest since its bailout.
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran and Iraq could raise their annual bilateral trade to $20 billion from the current $12 billion, President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday, despite concerns over the impact of renewed U.S. sanctions.

Rouhani's remarks, after a meeting with visiting Iraqi President Barham Salih, came two weeks after the United States restored sanctions targeting Irans oil industry as well as its banking and transportation sectors.

"... through bilateral efforts, we can raise this figure (for bilateral trade) to $20 billion in the near future," Rouhani said in comments broadcast live on state television.

"We held talks on trade in electricity, gas, petroleum products and activities ... in the field of oil exploration and extraction," Rouhani said.

Baghdad is seeking U.S. approval to allow it to import Iranian gas for its power stations. Iraqi officials say they need more time to find an alternative source than a 45-day waiver granted to it by the United States.

"It will be important to create free trade zones at our shared border and to connect the two countries' railways," Salih said.

"We will not forget your support for the Iraqi people in the fight against (Iraqi dictator) Saddam (Hussein). Neither do we forget Iran's stand in the recent fight against terrorism," added Salih, an Iraqi Kurd.

"UNITY"

Salih later met Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who called for maintaining unity among ethnic and religious groups in Iraq and resisting foreign interference.

"The only way to counter plots (by Iraq's enemies) is by strengthening the unity of all Iraqi groups, including Kurds, Arabs, Shi'ite and Sunnis," Ayatollah Khamenei said, according to his website.

"Some governments in the region and outside of it hold a deep grudge against Islam ... and Iraq, and interfere in Iraq's internal affairs and they must be strongly resisted," he said.

Story continues

Iran accuses the United States and its regional rival Saudi Arabia of exploiting divisions among Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims. Washington and Riyadh denounce Iran as fuelling conflicts in countries including Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.

"We seek to boost cooperation (with Iran) at all levels ... in order to serve the interests of both countries," the website quoted Salih as saying.

Iran wields wide influence in Iraq, its smaller neighbour, where its Revolutionary Guards played a key role in training and arming the mainly Shiite militias that helped defeat Islamic State.

Iraq imports a wide range of goods from Iran, including food, agricultural products, home appliances, air conditioners and car parts. Iranian goods imports to Iraq were worth about $6 billion in the year ending March 2018, or about 15 percent of Iraqs total imports for 2017.

Iraqi officials told Reuters last week that Iraq had agreed to sell foodstuffs in return for Iranian gas and energy supplies. Iranian trade officials denied that any food-for-gas scheme could be set up as Iran was a net exporter of food to Iraq.

"We have exported more than $6 billion to Iraq in the past seven months and we could import goods for that amount but not food items," Yahya Al-e Eshaq, head of the Iran-Iraq chamber of commerce, was quoted as saying by the ILNA news agency.

A spokesman for an association of Iranian gas and petrochemicals exporters said Iraq wanted to pay for the gas imports in its dinar currency, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.

(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Gareth Jones and Robin Pomeroy)
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday became Japan's first leader to visit the Australian city of Darwin since it was bombed by Japanese forces during World War Two, underlining the strength of their crucial alliance.

Abe and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison laid wreaths at Darwin's Cenotaph war memorial before observing a minute's silence to acknowledge war dead and strengthen a bond that has evolved in the decades since.

"We acknowledge our history and we commemorate our sacrifice and loss today, but importantly, we have further strengthened our great relationship as good friends and great partners," Morrison said.

"We acknowledge the special strategic relationship based not only on our deep shared values and interests but our deeply held beliefs."

The leaders of both nations reaffirmed their strategic bond, and pledged to invest in infrastructure in the Pacific and south of the subcontinent, in a counter to the growing influence of China which has stepped up lending as part of its Belt and Road policy.

The leaders also underlined their commitment to free trade and to denuclearise the Korean peninsula as they commemorated soldiers lost in battle.

"I extended my condolences in honour of all the fallen soldiers, and renew my bow towards peace," Abe said.

"Thanks to the devoted efforts of many, Japan and Australia have achieved reconciliation, and have become special strategic partners."

Two months after the Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Japanese air forces began bombing the northern Australian port city, the first time the global conflict reached Australian soil.

The first two raids on Feb. 19, 1942, killed about 250 people, according to the Australian War Memorial. Ships, aircraft, and civil and military facilities were destroyed.

There were a further 62 Japanese raids up to November 1943, but the War Memorial said none was as heavy as the first two, and most caused no damage or casualties.

Story continues

Abe's visit also marks the start of exports from the $40 billion Ichthys gas project, one of Japan's biggest ever foreign investments.

Ties between Australia and Japan have improved steadily since the 1950s, including a 2007 "joint security pact" on coordination on matters dealing with maritime and aviation safety.

A $13.5-trillion regional free trade agreement between Australia, Japan and nine other countries takes effect next month.

(Writing by Byron Kaye; Additional reporting by Melanie Burton and Sonali Paul in MELBOURNE and Karishma Luthriain SYDNEY; Editing by Nick Macfie)
FILE PHOTO: Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borissov looks at Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov during a swearing-in ceremony in the parliament in Sofia, Bulgaria May 4, 2017. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgarian deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov resigned on Friday after several weeks of street protests over remarks he made about disabled rights activists.

Simeonov, who oversaw economic and demographic policy, is one of the leaders of the United Patriots, an alliance of nationalist parties that together form the junior coalition partner in the centre-right government of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov that took office in May 2017.

Simeonov had called the activists "shrill women" and suggested that they were "speculating" with their sick children. He apologised a week after his comment became public and only after a meeting of the coalition partners.

Borissov himself had apologised on Simeonov's behalf but also said he could not seek his resignation without putting the government at risk, as the ruling coalition has just a one-seat majority in parliament.

Simeonov's party is expected to continue to support the government.

The opposition Socialists and the ethnic Turkish MRF party had also demanded Simeonov's resignation and boycotted sessions in parliament.

"I am handing in my resignation following the continued media campaign against me," Simeonov said late on Friday in the government building.

"This campaign is damaging the government's rating and authority and is becoming an obstacle to its normal work. This is something I cannot afford,".

"It is not just about me, it is not about the party I lead, it is about the ruling government, which I think is extremely successful," he said.

Borissov has accepted his resignation, the government press office said.

The opposition has stepped up pressure on Borissov's government ahead of elections for the European parliament and local elections next year.

(Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova and Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
A county commissioner in Leavenworth, Kansas, was facing calls for his resignation after he made comments about a master race while speaking to an African-American city planner at a commission meeting Tuesday, November 13.

The Kansas City Star reported that Commissioner Louis Klemp made the comment when Triveece Penelton, a city planner with the Kansas City consulting company Vireo, was explaining development options in the area.

In footage shared on the Leavenworth County Kansas YouTube account, Klemp can be seen explaining his dissatisfaction with the proposal. I dont want you to think Im picking on you because were part of the master race, Klemp says. You know you got a gap in your teeth, youre the masters, dont ever forget that.

Klemp had previously made a series of controversial comments at a public meeting in 2017, the Kansas City Star reported.

Leavenworth County Commissioner Robert Holland called on Klemp to resign, saying he was ashamed of his colleagues comments. Credit: Leavenworth County Kansas via Storyful
Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during the opening ceremony of the China-Aid PNG Independence Boulevard Project ahead of the APEC summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 16 November 2018. Mast Irham/Pool via REUTERS

Thomson Reuters

By Philip Wen

PORT MORESEBY (Reuters) - China has made a strategic decision to "stand together with fellow developing countries" such as Papua New Guinea, President Xi Jinping said on Friday, the first full day of his state visit to the Pacific island nation.

The visit, ahead of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit Xi will address on Saturday, comes amid heightened trade and diplomatic tension in a region that was until recently an almost exclusive sphere of influence of staunch U.S. ally Australia.

"Together we can go on to build many more roads to prosperity, openness and friendship," Xi said just before opening a new Beijing-funded six-lane boulevard, bedecked with red flags for the occasion.

APEC was established almost 30 years ago to remove barriers to trade in an area home to numerous tiny island economies reliant on third party aid and loans.

China, which is stepping up its presence in the region, has recently faced criticism from some PNG officials for its lavish gifts, given at the potential expense of aid and development.

PNG is rich in resources, particularly oil and gas, and has strategically placed ports.

Xi was the first world leader to arrive in Port Moresby for APEC, at which China has said it will announce "important measures for further cooperation", a phrase Western diplomats believe probably means formally extending its Belt and Road plans into the Pacific.

Xi is scheduled to meet the leaders of several Pacific countries on Friday afternoon.

First proposed by Xi in 2013, the Belt and Road promotes expanding land and sea links between Asia, Africa and Europe, with billions of dollars pledged for infrastructure development.

PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said on Friday he valued the strong support of the Chinese government to develop PNG.

(Reporting by Philip Wen in PORT MORESBY; additional reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Writing by Jonathan Barrett; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

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One protester was killed and dozens were injured as demonstrators blocked roads across France on Saturday, November 17, to protest rising taxes on fuel, Le Monde reported.

The demonstrations were coordinated by the Yellow Vests movement, whose supporters often wear high-visibility jackets while protesting.

Le Monde, citing Frances Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, said one protester was killed by a motorist in Pont-de-Beauvoisin in Savoie on Saturday morning. Dozens of people were reported to have been injured, including a police officer, as more than 1,000 demonstrations took place across the country, the outlet reported.

This footage shows police and demonstrators in Martigues, France. Credit: celinecceline via Storyful
OXFORD, England (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trumps former political strategist, Steve Bannon, said on Friday that the European Union was trying to thwart Brexit.

Bannon, a former chairman of the right-wing Breitbart.com website and an architect of Trumps 2016 election win, has set up a movement to elect right-wing nationalist and populist members in European Parliament elections next May.

The EU's elites, he said, did not want Brexit.

"You see what's happened. They have no intention of letting you guys leave - none. Zero," Bannon said at the Oxford Union debating society, though he gave no evidence other than saying the EU had made the divorce negotiation difficult.

"They've made it as hard as possible, they will continue to make it as hard as possible," Bannon said.

The United Kingdom is due to leave the EU on March 29, 2019. In the June 23, 2016 EU referendum, 17.4 million voters, or 52 percent, backed Brexit while 16.1 million, or 48 percent, backed staying in the bloc.

EU leaders have repeatedly said they are saddened by the UK's decision to leave and that they will respect the decision.

British Prime Minister Theresa May struck a divorce deal with the EU this week, though opponents in her divided party are trying to topple her because they think the deal would keep the UK too close to the EU after Brexit.

Bannon faced several hundred protesters in Oxford who accused him of being a racist. Police officers eventually escorted the 64-year-old into the Oxford University society's historic debating chamber through a back entrance.

(Reporting by Jack Hunter, editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
In this photo released by Greek Prime Minister's office, Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, left, and Church head Archbishop Hieronymos arrive for their meeting at Maximos Mansion in Athens on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. Greece's left-led government and the country's powerful Church say they have struck a tentative deal to end decades of discord over the exploitation of large tracts of real estate both claim as their own. (Andrea Bonetti/Greek Prime Minister's Office via AP)

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Greece's powerful Orthodox Church says it wants priests to remain civil servants, rejecting part of a recent government offer to switch a payroll system for clergymen.

The church's governing Holy Synod said Friday that it had voted unanimously "to retain the existing payroll status of the clergy and laymen of the Church of Greece."

Earlier this month, left-wing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called on the church to back a series of government proposed reforms aimed at settling decades-old property disputes and moving priests off the state payroll to a separate publicly-funded structure.

Tsipras had met Church leader, Archbishop Hieronymos, and later said the scheme would free up 10,000 new positions in the public sector amid hiring restrictions that remain in place after the country's international bailouts. Hieronymos had appeared to agree with the proposals at the Nov. 6 meeting.

Currently trailing conservative rivals in polls, Tsipras is facing a general election next year.

The number of salaried employees on the state payroll was reduced by nearly 20 percent during three successive bailouts, dropping to some 560,000. They include military and police personnel, teachers and university staff and public hospital workers and well as state administrative staff.

The Greek Church has frequently been at odds with the Tsipras government which legalized same-sex civil partnerships, and revised the school curriculum to increase references to other major religions.

The government is seeking church support for a proposed constitutional revision that would be finalized by the next parliament and would include provisions to scrap the religious oath for lawmakers, declaring the Greek state "religiously neutral."

More than 90 percent of Greek citizens are baptized Orthodox Christian, according to official estimates.

In Friday's Holy Synod decision, the church said it wished to have continued dialogue with the state and announced it would establish a special commission to examine "issues of common interest."

___

Follow Gatopoulos at http://www.twitter.com/dgatopoulos
ANTIGUA, Guatemala (AP)  Leaders at a summit of Ibero-American nations called Friday for development and assistance for the poor to alleviate waves of migrants fleeing poverty, violence, political instability and persecution in the Americas.

More than a dozen presidents and King Felipe VI of Spain met in the colonial Guatemalan city of Antigua as large numbers of people have been migrating from places such as Venezuela and parts of Central America. Thousands of mostly Hondurans traveling in a caravan have been arriving in recent days at the Mexican city of Tijuana, across the border from San Diego.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto called on leaders to sign a global pact on migration in Morocco next month.

"It is true that the best way to avoid having people migrate involuntarily is by promoting, among other things, internal development in our nations," Pena Nieto said.

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez blamed emigration from his country on a coffee crisis and climate change, which he says has caused droughts.

Migrants in the caravan have said repeatedly that they left due to poverty, violence and insecurity in Honduras.

Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado called for dialogue to resolve festering political crises in Venezuela and Nicaragua.

Host President Jimmy Morales of Guatemala said the summit aimed to "renew the region's commitment to sustainable development."
I grew up near Irelands border when it was a hard border, though we had yet to learn the term. The border was guarded with customs posts and military fortifications, and often there were searches and questions. Many people are determined to avoid seeing such infrastructure on the border again after the UK leaves the EU.

The new draft deal between Theresa May and the EU seems to have been shaped in important ways by this determination. Assuming that the deal is accepted by Westminster  a big assumption  there is still a lot left undecided in the 585 page document, and gaps to be filled during future negotiations. What will Irelands border look like after Brexit? It still feels as if anything is possible.

The border was created in 1922 when 26 of Irelands counties became an independent state, while six remained in the United Kingdom. It was a hard border to some extent or another until two events in the 1990s: the peace process and the creation of a customs union across Europe, including both parts of Ireland.

A sense of place

Irelands border got me thinking about aspects of place and space. Not all coordinates are equal. Two Irish hedgerows might look the same, with the same March songbirds and September berries, but one is just a hedgerow, whereas the other might be the frontier between two countries. That hedgerow is actually marked on the map, with a borderline symbol that is loaded with meaning and contention.

Recently I returned to Irelands border to walk it, map it and write a book. I was interested in the people for whom the borderland is home. I became fascinated by paths they had cut across this invisible line, and the homemade bridges they had placed across streams that straddle the 310-mile border.

In contrast, I also mapped the borders defensive architecture. My project took on some urgency when the UK voted to leave the EU, when suddenly this border of rivers, bogs, farms and forests became central to the way that would happen. It had always been my intention to give border voices a platform, and now more people were interested in listening.

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www.suzannelacy.com , Author provided

This year, American Suzanne Lacy was artist-in-residence for the Belfast International Arts Festival and was commissioned to produce work on Irelands border, in collaboration with border communities. Lacy is an artist of public practice  by getting people together for discussions, events, activities, she choreographs conversations.

She brought me on board for part of the project called the Border Peoples Parliament. This event was held in the grand marble hall of Stormont, Northern Irelands parliament. We gathered around 150 people from the borderland, aiming for a mix of backgrounds and ages. On the night we ate a meal together and I conducted some interviews and made recordings.

The border peoples manifesto

Participants were asked to consider various questions about the borderland and their lives on it. For the last part of the night, they were given sheets of paper on which to respond to our questions. Some wrote postcard-length comments, others extended letters. I was charged with taking their words and distilling them into a single border peoples manifesto.

In creating the manifesto, I wanted to use border peoples own phrases, with as little meddling as possible. I changed the point-of-view voice into first person plural  we and our  but in every other way endeavoured to be true to the source material, capturing both the overall message and the language in which it was expressed. I also wanted to capture some of the tone and the accent of borderland voices, hence the appearance of well-worn phrases such as: You dont rush border people.

The manifesto had to be turned around quickly and I had no idea at the beginning whether it would be a smooth or difficult task. I dont think anything like it had been done before  and certainly not on Irelands border.

Author provided

Open and invisible

I had been concerned that there would be much disagreement in the comments  equally valid but oppositional statements that would never sit together in the same document. But this was not really an issue in the end. There were pro and anti-Brexit voices, but both were united in calling for the border to remain open whatever the future. The term invisible border was used often.

Points of pride emerged. The border landscapes beauty was often mentioned alongside a desire to preserve it. Border peoples tolerance, neighbourliness and an ability to get along despite political differences were frequently referenced. Several said that we should all learn history  learn it so we dont have to repeat it, but at the same time remember to live for the future.

Author provided

All of this and more went into the nine points of the manifesto. The colour yellow was a theme of all Suzanne Lacys Across and In-between border projects (which also included a film, The Yellow Line, projected on to the side of the Ulster Museum in Belfast) and so the document came to be called the Yellow Manifesto.

It has proved popular on social media and in the press after being launched on BBC Radio 4s Today programme by Lacy on October 23 2018. Immediately afterwards she travelled to the Houses of Parliament and gave copies to MPs.

In Westminster it seems the border is constantly discussed  but only as a problem or an obstacle to Brexit. For me and the population of the borderland, it is important to let people see that it is also a home, the basis of livelihoods and even a place that is loved.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Garrett Carr does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The Brexit process started in March 2017 with the triggering of Article 50, allowing two years to complete the process. The main story since then has been of postponing difficult decisions in the hope that something would turn up. Ministers have insisted they have a mandate from the people but have struggled to agree on what it entails in practice. Negotiations within the UK government have been as difficult as those with the EU.

It might have been expected that, before March 2019, we would have a clear idea of what Brexit would look like. Instead, we have a 20-month transition period, which the UK government has been calling an implementation period. It is neither a transition nor an implementation phase, but the period in which the real negotiation of what Brexit means will take place; it can be extended once by agreement of both parties.

What has been achieved now is the minimum required for the formalities of withdrawal: the financial settlement; an agreement on citizens rights; and an ambiguous commitment on the Irish border question. The talk in recent months has suggested that the Irish border is the last remaining obstacle to a deal. This is misleading, as the Irish border stands in for a much larger set of issues on which discussions have barely begun  from the single market to trade to regulations.

Red, red lines 

At the beginning of the process, the UK government laid down a series of red lines. These included withdrawal from the single market, the customs union and the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union, and no differentiated Brexit for the different parts of the United Kingdom. These have all been breached.

The Chequers agreement in July 2018, which formed the basis of the UK negotiating position, conceded that the UK would align with EU standards in manufactured and agricultural goods, a central principle of the single market. The new agreement concedes the customs union in the form of a single customs territory.

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This is purportedly to deal with the Irish border, but extending the customs union to the whole UK also serves a wider purpose. British manufacturers have been telling the government that they need a customs union to secure frictionless trade and their just-in-time production chains.

The Irish government wants to maintain access to markets in Great Britain. The idea is that the customs agreement is a backstop, to be superseded by an overall trade agreement with the EU. Yet, unless that agreement also includes customs union, it is difficult to see how it could serve the purpose  since you need customs union to prevent the hard border. The UK can also withdraw from it only with the agreement of the EU. And differential treatment for Northern Ireland is certain to spark demands for a special deal for Scotland, as the Scottish government proposed in December 2017.

During the transition, meanwhile, the UK will be subject to the Court of Justice of the European Union. Thereafter, disputes about agreements will be subject to binding arbitration, another form of supranational jurisdiction. Arbitration panels will have to follow the Court of Justices interpretation of EU law.

Like Oslo, but different

The UK will therefore remain tied to the EU and have to accept many of its policies. This bears comparison with the Norwegian model (the European Economic Area) that was explicitly rejected at the outset  though with some differences. The UK will be tied to the EU customs union, which Norway is not. It will not enjoy all the single market benefits, which Norway has (except in agriculture and fisheries).

It will not, like Norway, have a consultative voice in the making of EU policies. The UK will not be bound to accept free movement of workers, but this question might come back in return for access to EU markets, especially in services.

Finally, there is to be a differentiated Brexit for Northern Ireland, which will be more closely tied into the customs union and product regulation. There is to be a special designation of products as UK (NI), and a need to meet both UK and EU regulations.

Brexit was never going to be easy, especially after the UK government rejected off-the-shelf solutions such as the European Economic Area. What it has ended up with  customs union and bits of regulatory alignment  looks rather like the model at which the Labour Party, after its tortuous internal arguments has arrived, not that Labour will agree.

Had both parties started off with the Norway model, they might have found common ground and a clearer and more comprehensible arrangement. Instead, to cite Lewis Carroll, they have been hunting a Snark.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Michael Keating does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Mexico Monterrey Nuevo Leon homicide crime scene soldiers

REUTERS/Daniel Becerril

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's highest court on Thursday overturned a contentious new security law aimed at regulating the long-time use of the military against drug cartels, a day after the president-elect's team said it was impossible to pull troops from the streets.

Nine of 11 Supreme Court justices vetoed the measure, which President Enrique Pena Nieto sent to the court for constitutional review after signing it in December.

The law intended to set out the rules under which armed forces can target organized crime, formalizing former president Felipe Calderon's deployment of the military to the streets some 12 years ago. An estimated 170,000 people have died in the ensuing conflict and thousands more have gone missing.

Human rights groups warned the law could open the door to abuses by the military, already accused of human rights violations.

The nine judges said Congress does not have the authority to legislate on "domestic security." They called the law "unconstitutional" and said only the executive branch can dispatch troops.

Mexico City marine soldier crime scene

REUTERS/Carlos Jasso

President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who takes office Dec. 1, has vowed to radically alter Mexico's strategy to fight violence, including pardoning low-level drug offenders and addressing root causes such as poverty.

Alfonso Durazo, Lopez Obrador's future security minister, said at a press conference on Wednesday "there is no way" to withdraw armed forces from the fight against organized crime, because they are more trustworthy and capable than the police.

He added that the government would propose forming a National Guard that would take over the army's role half-way into Lopez Obrador's six-year term. The body would comprise 50,000 people from the army, navy and federal police.

Senator Mario Delgado, a leader of Lopez Obrador's National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), said the party next week will present an initiative to reform the constitution and allow a future National Guard to patrol the streets.

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The opposing National Action Party (PAN) rejected the plan.

"Lopez Obrador's proposal completely abandons the civil path and opts for a military proposal," said party president Marko Cortes.

(By Diego Ore; writing by Daina Beth Solomon; editing by Grant McCool)

NOW WATCH: These are the kind of profits Mexican drug cartels are making

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The Commons leaders comments came after reports a group of ministers want late changes to be made to the withdrawal agreement made with Brussels

Andrea Leadsom has said there is still time for more to be done on the Brexit deal as the Conservative Party continues to row over Theresa Mays withdrawal agreement with Brussels.

The Brexiteer Commons leader said she supports the Prime Minister but suggested there is an opportunity before a special European Council meeting on November 25 to get the best possible deal for the UK.

Her comments came after Brexiteers vying to oust Mrs May were warned their efforts could drive Remain-voting Tories to attempt to stop Brexit entirely.

Be very clear. If an agreed deal on leaving between the Govt and the EU is voted down by purist Brexiteers, do not be surprised if consensus on accepting the result of the Referendum by Remain voting MPs breaks down. Parliament will not support no deal. https://t.co/dx5CBigNDs  Alistair Burt (@AlistairBurtUK) November 17, 2018

In a sign the Tory civil war over Brexit is not slowing down, Middle East Minister Alistair Burt warned rebels the consensus that pro-EU MPs should reluctantly respect the 2016 referendum result could break down if she is toppled.

Mrs Leadsom has been reportedly been leading a group of Brexiteer Cabinet ministers who want to tweak the deal Mrs May agreed with the EU after two years of talks to make it more acceptable to them.

Confronted in her constituency by Sky News, Mrs Leadsom said she was absolutely determined to support the PM in getting the best possible deal for the UK as we leave the EU.

She added: There is still more to be done and we do still have more time before the EU Council at the end of the month so Im absolutely committed to getting the Brexit that 17.4 million people voted for.

At the end of a bruising week for the Prime Minister, she used an interview with the Daily Mail to tell her critics their alternative plans for Brexit would not solve the main problem  the North Ireland/Ireland border backstop arrangement.

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She told the newspaper: People say if you could only just do something slightly different, have a Norway model or a Canada model, this backstop issue would go away. It would not. That issue is still going to be there.

Some politicians get so embroiled in the intricacies of their argument they forget it is not about this theory or that theory, or does it make me look good.

It came after a tumultuous week including the departure of Brexit secretary Dominic Raab and Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey, plus the launch of a high-profile insurrection on the back benches to remove her from office.

She responded by bringing former home secretary Amber Rudd, who quit over the Windrush scandal, back into Cabinet to replace Ms McVey at the DWP.

Mrs May will continue her attempts to sell the deal to sceptical MPs and the public with a live interview on Skys Ridge on Sunday.

But there seems little sign of the sides coming together.

Mr Burt, whose role spans the Foreign Office and Department for International Development, attacked a tweet by Steve Baker, deputy chairman of the European Research Group, in which the latter promoted a lawyers legal case against the agreement reached with Brussels.

Mr Burt wrote: Be very clear. If an agreed deal on leaving between the Govt and the EU is voted down by purist Brexiteers, do not be surprised if consensus on accepting the result of the Referendum by Remain voting MPs breaks down.

Parliament will not support no deal.
More and more Polish citizens living in the UK after considering moving back to their homeland amid ongoing uncertainty over Brexit, the ambassador has said.

Polish ambassador to the UK Arkady Rzegocki said he hoped a strong Polish community would remain after Brexit but he acknowledged some Poles were contemplating either a return home or a move to another country.

Mr Rzegocki, who was on his first official visit to Northern Ireland, said he hoped migrants would be welcomed in the UK after it exits the EU as he highlighted the important role they play in the countrys economy.

I have to say more and more people are thinking about coming back to Poland, some of them are thinking about different countries, different European countries, he said.

The ambassador said other factors were also motivating decisions to move home, such as the relative strength of Sterling and Polish Zloty, economy improvements in Poland, and simply a desire to reconnect with relatives.

But he said Brexit uncertainty was having an influence, saying: For sure uncertainty is not good for the future.

I am sure as Polish came here during the Second World War and they are part of the society from this time they will be an important part of the British society also in the future.

Our work and our challenge is to cooperate despite of Brexit.

We focus mostly on the negotiation process but there is life after Brexit  thats why many people are working hard to make these links as strong as possible also after Brexit.

Mr Rzegocki has a number of engagements on his four-day visit to Northern Ireland (David Young/PA)

The ambassador expressed relief that an upsurge in hate crimes against Polish people in the UK in the wake of the 2016 Brexit referendum had not lasted.

Mr Rzegocki said Poland had itself dealt with an increase in migrants in recent years.

The truth is there is a huge contribution of Poles and European Union citizens to the British economy and British culture and I think everybody should appreciate that, he said.

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Poland became a country of many migrants during the last few years and we really are happy that so many people wanted to work and live in Poland and I think a similar situation should be in Britain.

Its difficult to image some parts of the British economy without migrants, so I hope that everybody understands that.

Mr Rzegocki has a number of engagements on his four-day visit to Northern Ireland, including a concert to mark the centenary of Polish independence and the unveiling of a new monument to two Polish RAF squadrons based in the region during the Second World War.

He said he wanted to spread knowledge about the historic Polish contribution to Northern Ireland and wider UK society.

I am very glad that they (Polish citizens) integrate well and work hard and give a lot of contribution to Northern Irish society, but from my perspective we can co-operate even closer, he said.
Australian Border Force simultaneously released 16 videos of Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton, on November 16, warning refugees and potential migrants that Australias borders are reinforced.

The same video was released in multiple languages; Rohingya; Sudanese Arabic; Sinhalese; Nepalese; Kurdish Sorani; Bahasa Indonesian; Burmese; Urdu; Vietnamese; Pashto; Dari; Tamil; Farsi; Bengali and Arabic. The languages chosen indicated they were targeted at people smugglers as well as asylum seekers and migrants.

It is unclear what Dutton says in the videos, as they have been dubbed, but the words Operation Sovereign Borders are mentioned, and the number 33 can be seen in subtitles, indicating a warning to migrants that 33 boats were blocked from Australia in five years.

The video description states: Australia has reinforced the security of its maritime borders with additional maritime and aerial surveillance resources. Anyone who tries to enter Australia illegally by boat will be stopped. Regional processing arrangements will continue and no-one subject to regional processing will be resettled in Australia.

The videos were posted to YouTube one day after US Vice President Mike Pence told Myanmar de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi at the ASEAN summit that the violence against the Rohingya was without excuse. In August 2018, UN investigators deemed the Myanmar armys actions against the Rohingya people as gravest crimes against civilians and described the violence as ethnic cleansing.

On Friday, November 16, a boat carrying 106 Rohingya Muslims was intercepted near Yangon. It was allegedly headed to Malaysia. Credit: ABF TV via Storyful
WASHINGTON (AP)  The family and attorney of an Iranian-American dual national held in Tehran say his health is rapidly deteriorating and are appealing to the Iranian authorities to allow him to leave for medical treatment.

Babak Namazi, the son of Baquer Namazi, is asking Iran "to show mercy to my father."

Baquer Namazi, 81, has been held in Iran for over two years. He and his son Siamak Namazi were convicted of collaborating with a hostile power in 2016 and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The elder Namazi has been diagnosed with narcolepsy in addition to battling a heart condition in prison.

Babak Namazi and the family's attorney say they believe direct engagement between the U.S. and Iran is "critically important" to secure the release of the elder Namazi.

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Leave-supporting Stephen Barclay has been promoted to Brexit Secretary from his ministerial role in the department of health.

The relatively unknown politician, who is the MP for North East Cambridgeshire, replaces Dominic Raab.

Mr Raab dramatically resigned from the cabinet on Thursday over the draft Brexit withdrawal agreement.

Esther McVey also quit the cabinet alongside five other ministerial resignations over the proposed deal on Thursday.

Mr Barclay said he was "delighted to accept" the role of secretary of state for exiting the European Union.

He added: "We now need to keep up the momentum to finalise the withdrawal agreement and outline political declaration and deliver a Brexit that works for the whole UK.

"Looking forward to working with a talented team of ministers and officials to do just that."

He will be taking on a stripped-down version of the role, limited to the domestic delivery of the withdrawal, preparations for different Brexit scenarios and passing legislation.

Prime Minister Theresa May will be taking sole control of the negotiations with Europe.

Reaction to his appointment has been mixed, with chief secretary to the treasury Liz Truss calling him a "star".

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, now vice chairman of Leave Means Leave, wrote: "The new Brexit Secretary is completely unknown to the British public, the civil service is really in charge of these negotiations."

In a brief blog post on Mr Barclay's website from March this year, he wrote: "Jeremy Corbyn recently confirmed that Labour are taking a position that will mean the UK cannot have an independent trade policy after Brexit.

"This means that under Labour we would be unable to sign our own trade deals around the globe."

He went on: "Brexit is a defining moment in the history of our nation. We will be forging an ambitious new partnership with Europe and charting our own way in the world to become a truly global, free-trading nation."

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Mr Barclay is Britain's third Brexit secretary.

David Davis held the role between July 2016 and July 2018. When he quit he said it looked "less and less likely" the party would deliver on the Brexit result".

Mr Davis was followed by Mr Raab, who quit after just over four months in the role.

Mr Barclay was appointed as minister of department of health and social care in January 2018. He was previously economic secretary to the treasury from June 2017 to January 2018.

From 2010 to 2014, he served on the public accounts committee and served as assistant government whip from May 2015 until July 2016.

Mr Barclay lives with his wife and two children in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. He qualified as a solicitor in 1998.

Before entering politics, he worked as an insurance company lawyer for Axa Insurance, as a regulator for the Financial Services Authority, and as director of regulatory affairs and then head of anti-money laundering and sanctions at Barclays Retail Bank.

Mr Barclay's promotion came as former home secretary Amber Rudd was named the new work and pensions secretary.

Mrs Rudd had been forced to step down seven months ago after she admitted "inadvertently misleading" parliament over targets for removing illegal immigrants.
Trump visits California as wildfire death toll rises and more than 1,000 missing

President Donald Trump expressed sadness Saturday at the devastation in a California town, as more than 1,000 people remain listed as missing in the worst-ever wildfire to hit the US state.

Two huge blazes have created a serious smoke problem across vast areas in the state, and when Trump stepped out of Air Force One at Beale Air Force Base north of capital city Sacramento, the sun was struggling to cut through haze so dense it covered the base like a fog.

"This is very sad," Trump said after surveying the remains of Paradise, where nearly the only people out on the road were emergency services workers, surrounded by the twisted remains of the incinerated town.

"They're telling me this is not as bad as some areas; some areas are even beyond this, they're just charred," he added after looking at a street lined with melted cars, tree stumps and the foundations of wrecked houses.

The deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history, the so-called Camp Fire, has now claimed 71 lives.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told reporters the number of people unaccounted for had soared, from 631 to 1,011, in 24 hours as authorities received more reports of people missing, and after earlier emergency calls were reviewed.

The fire has devoured an area roughly the size of Chicago, destroying nearly 10,000 homes and 2,400 other buildings.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told reporters the number of people unaccounted for had soared, from 631 to 1,011, in 24 hours as authorities received more reports of people missing, and after earlier emergency calls were reviewed.

"I want you to understand that this is a dynamic list," Honea told reporters. He said that on a positive note, 329 people who had been listed as missing have now been accounted for.

"The information I am providing you is raw data and we find there is the likely possibility that the list contains duplicate names," he said, adding that some people who had escaped could be unaware they were listed as missing.

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'Forest management' dispute

The president was accompanied on his visit by chief of staff John Kelly and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner.

They were met on the tarmac by Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom, both of them Democrats in a state that leans strongly that way.

Along his drive, several signs thanked Trump for coming but one called him a "moron."

In Chico, near Paradise, Trump met with firefighters and other first responders at makeshift headquarters for emergency services.

High-ranking fire officials recounted how quickly the fire spread, complicating evacuation efforts, as Trump studied a huge map spread across a table showing where fires continue to burn.

Keeping alive an earlier controversy, Trump repeated his claim that California had mismanaged its forests and was largely to blame for the fires.

"I'm committed to make sure that we get all of this cleaned out and protected, (we've) got to take care of the forest, it's very important," Trump said in Paradise.

Brian Rice, president of California Professional Firefighters, called Trump's earlier remarks "ill-informed," noting the federal government had cut spending on forest management.

Asked if he believed climate change had played any role in the fires, Trump again pointed to the forest "management factor" and insisted that his "strong opinion" -- he has been skeptical of man's role in global warming -- remained unchanged.

Roslyn Roberts, 73, who was forced from her home in Paradise, said she voted for Trump but disagrees with him.

"I would tell him that this fire has nothing to do with forest mismanagement. Thousands and thousands of homes got destroyed with no trees around," she said at a shelter set up by the American Red Cross in a church.

In Chico, just west of Paradise, volunteers had erected a tented encampment for evacuees.

"Just trying to make it day by day. It's all we can do," said Dustin Kimball, who worked at the Paradise cemetery.

The Camp Fire has burned 148,000 acres (60,000 hectares) and was 55 percent contained by Saturday, California's fire service said.

Authorities said 47,200 people had been evacuated because of the fire and nearly 1,200 were living in shelters.

Smoke from the fire forced schools to close in San Francisco on Friday and the city's iconic cable cars had to suspend service. The Golden Gate Bridge was shrouded in thick smog.

Losing hope

Much of the rescue work is now focused on Paradise, where many retirees were unable to get out in time.

Rescuers with sniffer dogs have been conducting a painstaking house-to-house search.

"I'm still going to keep on looking and hope for the best," Jhonathan Clark told AFP. He was hunting for his brother, sister-in-law and nephew.

Three other people have died in southern California in a blaze dubbed the Woolsey Fire, which engulfed parts of Malibu, destroying the homes of several celebrities.

That inferno, which is about two-thirds the size of the Camp Fire, was close to 80 percent contained by Friday.

Adding to the misery of Camp Fire survivors, an outbreak of the highly contagious norovirus has been reported at several shelters. Twenty-five people had to be hospitalized, health officials said.

While the cause of the Camp Fire remains under investigation, a lawsuit has been filed against the local power company, PG&E, by fire victims claiming negligence.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
Unified Communications Week in Review: 8x8, RingCentral, Avaya & More

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By Maurice Nagle

Web Editor By Maurice NagleWeb Editor

The cloud era is upon us, and the dawn of a new day has arrived. Technology is in the midst of a major transformation as a result of cloud computing, and one area most notably grabbing attention is the unified communications space. So, with the weekend upon us, theres no better time than the present to take a look back at the week that was in unified communications news: Time for the Week in Review!





Last week, we posted Part 1 of our interview with Avayas (News - Alert) Jon Alperin, who will be speaking at the upcoming The Future of Work Expo. Heres Part 2 of the conversation with Alperin, who is director of partnerships and alliances for DevConnect (News - Alert) and A.I.Connect at Avaya. See what Alperin reveals HERE.

Avaya announced an enhanced Avaya Desktop Experience open SIP solutions to support an improved UCaaS user experience. The user experience is evolving, and the next generation of communications experience will feature an array of compatible devices and new levels of personalization. All the details are HERE.

8x8 (News - Alert) Inc.s U.K. subsidiary has joined forces with Workair, a cloud provider in Ireland. The move follows by a few months 8x8s announced partnership with cloud provider Itancia out of France. Through its partnership, Workair will be to bring the 8x8 X Series to its customers. The X Series provides business collaboration and contact center voice and video communications capabilities via the cloud. Complete coverage is HERE.

The mobile workforce wants to see the digital age deliver a new generation of solutions capable of offering communication and collaboration regardless of location or device. RingCentral (News - Alert) announced the arrival of a new mobile app that promises to reinvent the communications and collaboration experience with a new unified mobile app. Everything you need to know is HERE.

Come back early and often for your fill of all things Unified Communications. See you next week!
Sen. Lindsay Graham disclosed on Tuesday, November 13, he would support a bill to protect special counsel Robert Muellers Russian investigation. The Republican senator added that he did not feel the bill was needed, as he feels there is no movement to get rid of Mueller, but he was willing to do whatever it takes to make peace with the Democrats.

Even though there is not any indication that President Trump or any of his administration is thinking about getting rid of Mueller, Graham says it would be a good idea to protect the investigation for the future.

In April, The Hill reported Graham co-sponsored a bill that protected the Mueller investigation, stating that only a senior official can fire Mueller, or any other government appointed a special counsel. I think it's important to point out that Trump says the investigation is a perjury trap.

Democrats weigh in on the bill

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D) voiced his concerns about how Matthew Whitaker could impact the Russian investigation. His biggest fear is the newly appointed attorney general could fire Mueller and replace him with someone who would rule in the POTUS favor. Trump named him as temporary attorney general after Jeff Sessions firing last week.

Rudy Giuliani says there are 'possible traps' among Mueller's written questions for Donald Trump https://t.co/6DjJj8g91f pic.twitter.com/eVxKaGiDsO  Newsweek (@Newsweek) November 16, 2018

The Democratic senator urged every American to really look at the appointment of Whitaker as the head of the Department of Justice.

He believes that it should concern the whole countrynot just the Democrats and Independent parties. Schumer believes that Whitaker has prejudged the Mueller investigation and he could create a national crisis by firing the special counsel.

Trump isn't going to fire Mueller

Even though the Democrats continue to panic that President Trump wants to fire Mueller, Graham continues to insist that they have not considered that notion.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

In fact, he said that most Republicans are in support of the bill that would support Robert Mueller. USA Today reported Graham said that both parties want this investigation to wrap up and publish the final Russian collusion findings.

Here's Lindsay Graham on Sean Hannity last night, threatening House Democrats that if he's in charge of Senate Judiciary and they investigate Trump-Russia, he'll investigate whether "political bias" in FBI Hillary Clinton email server and Trump-Russia probes. pic.twitter.com/SSjTVFDGoD  Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) November 15, 2018

Graham added that he believes that Republican Party does not feel they need to support the bill to protect Mueller, as the investigation is not under any threat.

I feel Trump is not going to pull the plug on it nor fire the special counsel. As a measure to appease the Democrats, Graham is willing to support the bill. Will Trump continue hiding from the meeting? Do you think Robert Mueller's investigation is at risk? Do the Democrats have a reason to feel that Trump would shut down the investigation?
Scheana Marie attended the Vanderpump Dogs Gala on Thursday, November 15, and she did so with a date, who may be her new boyfriend. After spending the past several months with rumored boyfriend Adam Spott, the "Vanderpump Rules" cast member is now sparking reports of a new romance with a man named Max Boyens.

Scheana and Max were super adorable," an eyewitness at the event revealed to Us Weekly magazine on November 16. "[Max] had his arm around [Scheana] and was kissing her forehead. According to the report, Max works with Scheana's co-stars, Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz, at their recently opened restaurant and bar in West Hollywood, California, TomTom.

Although Scheana Marie said it was hashtag too soon to open up about Max and the nature of their relationship, she did acknowledged that Adam Spott, who she was believed to be dating until a very short time ago, was not attending Thursday night's event.

Scheana Marie recently labeled Adam Spott as her best friend

Was Adam Spott friend-zoned by the reality star? Just days ago, while attending the People's Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California, Scheana told Us Weekly magazine that Adam has been her best friend for a year-and-a-half. "Maybe its more, maybe its not, youve got to watch and see! she teased. However, in the recently released trailer for the seventh season of the show, Scheana Marie was hardly seen and her love life wasn't mentioned.

Scheana Marie will share her dating life on 'Pump Rules'

While not much was seen of Scheana Marie in the trailer, she told Us Weekly magazine that she would be seen going on some dates on the show, and not just with Adam Spott. In fact, she said she would be featured as "single Scheana." Youll see new friendships, old friendships, new  theres just a lot," she explained.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

"Im just excited about it."

Although it's hard to say who Scheana is dating, if anyone, she and Adam seemed to be quite cozy with one another on October 27, when they attended the Los Angeles Dodgers' MLB playoff game. That said, in the weeks since, Scheana hasn't posted any new photos of herself with Adam. Instead, she's been seen only by herself and with her other friends in Los Angeles.

To see more of Scheana Marie, Adam Spott, and their co-stars, don't miss the upcoming season of "Vanderpump Rules," which premieres on the Bravo Network on Monday, December 3 at 9 p.m. No word yet on whether or not Max Boyens will be featured.
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Peter Mandaville and Shadi Hamid at the Brookings Institution:

The discussion of Islam in world politics in recent years has tended to focus on how religion inspires or is used by a wide range of social movements, political parties, and militant groups. Less attention has been paid, however, to the question of how governmentsparticularly those in the Middle Easthave incorporated Islam into their broader foreign policy conduct. Whether it is state support for transnational religious propagation, the promotion of religious interpretations that ensure regime survival, or competing visions of global religious leadership; these all embody what we term in this new report the geopolitics of religious soft power.

The paper explores the religious dimensions of the Saudi-Iranian rivalry, looking at how the Islamic outreach strategies of the two governments have evolved in response to changing regional and global environments. We assess the much-discussed phenomenon of Saudi Arabias export of Wahhabism, arguing that the nature and effects of Saudi religious influence around the world are more complicated than we ordinarily think.

More here.
By Ruth Anderah.

The High Court in Kampala has been asked to reverse the appointment of Prof. William Bazeyo to the post of Makerere University Deputy Vice Chancellor.

Prof. Anthony Mugisha ; a candidate who lost the job to Prof Bazeyo wants the court to issue orders staying the approval of Prof. Bazeyo until such a time when the main case is heard and determined.

In the main petitioned filed by prof. Mugisha before court, he contends that Makerere University is mandated under the Universities and other tertiary institutions Act to have a Deputy Vice Chancellor in-charge of finance and administration.

That when the said post was advertised, a search committee was appointed to select the suitable candidates for the job.

He goes on to state that out of the five candidates, the Search Committee found only him and Prof William Bazeyo as the suitable candidates who met the criteria .

That however instead of recommending or forwarding the names of the said two candidates that met the criteria to the University Senate, the Search Committee took it upon itself to compare the two candidates and declared Prof Bazeyo the best candidate; something that prof. Mugishasays was beyond its mandate.

He is however quick to clarify that at the time he was only an associate professor and now at the time of his application in 2018, he is a full professor, something that he claims him even more suitable than how he was in 2013.

Through his lawyers of Wameli & Co. Advocates he wants court to quash and set aside the process and acts undertaken by Makerere University organs in the appointment of Prof Bazeyo as Deputy Vice Chancellor.
Fran Korten in Yes! Magazine:

For decades Marjorie Kelly has looked for ways that businesses can better contribute to the good of society. In 1987, after getting a masters degree in journalism, she founded Business Ethics magazine to showcase socially responsible corporations. But after 20 years as president and publisher, she sold the magazine. She had come to an epiphany: Encouraging individual corporations to behave better was an insufficient route to improving society. Significant change would require a shift in the ownership structure of business. Kellys 2012 book, Owning Our Future,lays out ways to expand democratized ownership models, including employee ownership.

Through the Fifty By Fifty Network, which Kelly co-founded with Jessica Rose, she is now putting those ideas into action. Fifty By Fifty is based at the nonprofit Democracy Collaborative, where Kelly is executive vice president. It aims to increase the number of employee-owners in the United States from 10 million today to 50 million by 2050. Its a shift they believe will transform our economy and our democracy.

More here.
Medical marijuana dispensary fee will be $10,000 in Aberdeen

The Aberdeen City Council reduced its medical marijuana dispensary license in a last minute amendment before adopting the city's 2022 fees.
SEATTLE  A Washington state task force on critically endangered Northwest orcas is calling for a temporary ban on boat tours as part of a slate of recommendations to Gov. Jay Inslee ahead of the next legislative session.

The group wants to suspend whale-watching boat tours focused on the orcas for between three and five years. It made three dozen recommendations to save a species whose population is at its lowest in more than 30 years.

The moratorium would apply to all boat traffic intended to view southern resident killer whales in Puget Sound but doesnt affect boat trips for viewing other whales in the region, such as gray or transient whales.

Disturbances and noise from boats can interfere with the whales ability to find food or communicate.

Critics say the proposal doesnt address the larger issue of dwindling food supply. They add it would be devastating for the local whale-viewing industry.

The orcas plight has captured global attention as starvation reduces their numbers. Just 74 animals are believed to be remaining in the area.

The endangered orcas struggle from pollution, boat noise and lack of chinook salmon, which have been declining because of dams, habitat loss and overfishing.

The task force ordered further study of the prospect of tearing down dams to help fish migrate and restore the salmon population.

Some argue the best way to get more salmon to the starving whales is to tear down four dams on the lower Snake River, a tributary of the Columbia River. Critics say doing so would hurt the livelihood of many who depend on those dams for navigation, recreation and hydropower.

Inslee said he will review the proposals before finalizing his state budget and policy priorities next month. The state Legislature convenes in January.
HELENA, Mont.  About 66 million years after two dinosaurs died apparently locked in battle on the plains of modern-day Montana, an unusual fight over who owns the entangled fossils has become a multimillion-dollar issue that hinges on the legal definition of mineral.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that the Dueling Dinosaurs located on private land are minerals both scientifically and under mineral rights laws. The fossils belong both to the owners of the property where they were found and two brothers who kept two-thirds of the mineral rights to the land once owned by their father, a three-judge panel said in a split decision.

Eric Edward Nord, an attorney for the property owners, said the case is complex in dealing with who owns whats on top of land vs. the minerals that make it up and addresses a unique question of mineral rights law related to dinosaur fossils that no court in the country has taken up before.

His clients own part of a ranch in the Hell Creek Formation of eastern Montana thats rich with prehistoric fossils, including the Dueling Dinosaurs whose value had been appraised at $7 million to $9 million.

Lige and Mary Ann Murray bought it from George Severson, who also transferred part of his interest in the ranch to his sons, Jerry and Robert Severson. In 2005, the brothers sold their surface rights to the Murrays, but retained the mineral rights, court documents said.

At the time, neither side suspected valuable dinosaur fossils were buried on the ranch, court records said. A few months later, amateur paleontologist Clayton Phipps discovered the carnivore and herbivore apparently locked in battle. Imprints of the dinosaurs skin were also in the sediment.

A dispute arose in 2008 when the Seversons learned about the fossils  a 22-foot-long (7-meter-long) theropod and a 28-foot-long (9-meter-long) ceratopsian.

The Murrays sought a court order saying they owned the Dueling Dinosaurs, while the Seversons asked a judge to find that fossils are part of the propertys mineral estate and that they were entitled to partial ownership.

It had wider implications because the ranch is in an area that has numerous prehistoric creatures preserved in layers of clay and sandstone. Paleontologists have unearthed thousands of specimens now housed in museums and used for research.

But fossils discovered on private land can be privately owned, frustrating paleontologists who say valuable scientific information is being lost.

During the court case, the Dueling Dinosaurs were put up for auction in New York in November 2013. Bidding topped out at $5.5 million, less than the reserve price of $6 million.

A nearly complete Tyrannosaurus rex found on the property was sold to a Dutch museum for several million dollars in 2014, with the proceeds being held in escrow pending the outcome of the court case.

Other fossils found on the ranch also have been sold, including a triceratops skull that brought in more than $200,000, court records said.

The 9th Circuit decision on Nov. 6 overturned a federal judges 2016 opinion that fossils were not included in the ordinary definition of mineral because not all fossils with the same mineral composition are considered valuable.

The composition of minerals found in the fossils does not make them valuable or worthless, U.S. District Judge Susan Watters of Billings wrote. Instead, the value turns on characteristics other than mineral composition, such as the completeness of the specimen, the species of dinosaur and how well it is preserved.

The Seversons had appealed, arguing previous court cases determined that naturally occurring materials that have some special value meet the definition of minerals.

Attorneys for the Murrays asked the 9th Circuit this week for an extension of a Nov. 21 deadline to petition the judges to reconsider or for a hearing before an 11-judge panel.
BOSTON  Two marijuana stores in Massachusetts were given the green light Friday to begin selling to recreational customers next week, making them the first commercial pot shops in the eastern United States.

Both stores, one located in Northampton and the other in Leicester, said they would open Tuesday morning after the Cannabis Control Commission, the states marijuana regulatory agency, authorized them to begin operations in three calendar days.

The announcement ends a long wait for commercial sales to begin in Massachusetts. The states voters legalized the use of recreational marijuana by adults 21 and older in 2016, but its taken more than two years for state legislators and regulators to reach the point where the first stores can finally open.

The target date for retail sales had been July 1.

The commence operations notice from regulators requires the stores to wait three days before opening so they can coordinate with local officials and law enforcement. The openings are expected to draw big crowds, based on the experiences of other legal U.S. states and Canada when they first launched recreational sales.

The Northampton store, operated by New England Treatment Access, said it would open for recreational sales at 8 a.m. on Tuesday. Cultivate Holdings, which operates the Leicester store, said its doors would open at 10 a.m. the same day.

This signal to open retail marijuana establishments marks a major milestone for voters who approved legal, adult-use cannabis in our state, said Steven Hoffman, chairman of the cannabis panel, in a statement. To get here, licensees underwent thorough background checks, passed multiple inspections and had their products tested, all to ensure public health and safety as this new industry gets up and running.

Legal marijuana advocates, who had complained about the slow pace of regulatory approvals in the state, cheered the news Friday.

We can rightfully squawk about state delays and problematic local opposition, but the fact remains that were the first state east of the Mississippi to offer legal, tested cannabis to adult consumers in safe retail settings, said Jim Borghesani, a spokesman for the group that led the ballot question to legalize recreational pot.

Borghesani called it a historic distinction for Massachusetts.

Recreational marijuana is currently sold in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, California and Nevada. Maine voters also approved a legalization question in 2016, but stores in that state are not expected to open until next year at the earliest.

The first Massachusetts stores are in the central and western part of the state, but there are currently no stores approved to open in the greater Boston area. That means that, for now, more than half of the states population will not have easy access to recreational marijuana.

Many cities and towns in Massachusetts have resisted cannabis businesses, with some imposing outright bans and others making it difficult through zoning restrictions or other conditions.

The stores opening next week currently operate as medical marijuana dispensaries and have pledged to continue serving their registered patients.

New England Treatment Access looks forward to providing legal marijuana to our customers, but we want our patients to know that we will never waver from our commitment to them and their needs, said Norton Albaraez, a spokesman for the company.

The store has a separate area for medical marijuana patients, and they will not have to wait in the same lines with recreational customers to enter the facility.

The company has already had ongoing discussions with local officials about traffic, parking and other public safety issues and is confident of a smooth opening, Albaraez added.
Only five school districts in the state are A districts.

The state Public Education Department officially released statewide 2017-2018 district report cards on Friday, which include a letter grade calculated by a weighted average of individual schools grades.

Overall, district grades have remained steady, PED Secretary-designate Christopher Ruszkowski told the Journal.

Nearly 50 percent of districts  44 out of 89  got a C.

For a second year in a row, Albuquerque Public Schools got a C as its overall district grade  a jump from the D it earned in 2015-2016.

APS has some of our states best performing schools and some of our lowest performing schools, which parents and family deserve to know, he said.

APS did not provide comment.

APS stands alongside other big districts that got a C, including Roswell Independent School District, Gallup-McKinley County Schools, Los Lunas Public Schools and Las Cruces Public Schools.

Fifteen schools got a B, including Rio Rancho Public Schools, which also received a B last year.

Rio Rancho spokeswoman Beth Pendergrass said the district is pleased it maintained a B and will spend time reviewing the report to identify areas for improvement.

Twenty-two districts got Ds, and three earned Fs.

Santa Fe Public Schools, Bernalillo Public Schools and Belen Consolidated Schools each dropped a letter grade from the year prior with Ds for the 2017-18 school year.

That is a concerning trend, Ruszkowski said.

Santa Fe Superintendent Veronica Garcia said the drop in grade wasnt unexpected, given that district grades are based on individual school grades that were released in August.

This isnt anything new, she said. Theyve already graded our schools and (district grades) are heavily weighed on school grades.

Last week, during the districts State of Our Schools luncheon, Garcia predicted that 2018-2019 was going to be a breakthrough year for the district. She said building a strong foundation, getting teachers up to speed on standards-based instruction, aligning curriculum among teachers and professional development programs would help make it happen.

New Mexicos 2018 public school grades  primarily grounded on student growth in reading and math and measured partly through end-of-the-year exams, including PARCC  showed that 12.9 percent of individual schools in the state received an A grade and 14.6 percent of schools received Fs, according to PED data.

The goal of the report cards is to give people a snapshot of how an entire district is doing per several measures, Ruszkowski said.

Historically, they have been used to inform the public, families, policymakers and district officials, he said. There are no specific interventions directly linked to the district report cards.

Other information people can find on the report card:

 Student demographics;

 Graduation rates;

 National Assessment of Educational Progress results and PARCC performance;

 School board training and teacher credentials; and

 District expenditures.

Journal staff writer T.S. Last contributed to this report.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

A University of New Mexico regents public proclamation that the institution offers a poor product is drawing criticism as being disrespectful and potentially harmful.

Tom Clifford, a member of UNMs governing board for the past 2 years, said during Thursdays Board of Regents meeting that the universitys failure to graduate a greater percentage of students might be to blame for its sinking enrollment. Half of the universitys first-time freshmen earn a degree within six years  a rate he flouted.

(The other) 50 percent of our customers get nothing of value they can show, Clifford said. They get debt for coming here. Thats not a good product, folks. We dont have a good product.

UNM interim Provost Richard Wood disputed Cliffords characterization during the meeting, noting the university has doubled its four-year graduation rate since 2013 and has better results than many institutions serving students from similar socioeconomic backgrounds.

Now others in and around the university are registering their concern.

It is reprehensible that a regent, a person brought on to serve the university, would characterize an enrollment dip in such a manner, Faculty Senate President Pamela Pyle said in a written statement to the Journal. This endemic disrespect is unfathomable and does not recognize all the good that is the University of New Mexico.

Rob Burford, president of the universitys Staff Council, said staff adamantly dispute that UNM has a poor product, and many employees are frustrated by what Clifford said.

Numerous staff have shared with me how upset they are with Regent Cliffords comments, as these comments take away from all the great work that faculty and staff do here at UNM, Burford said in an email. Additionally, what he stated takes away from all of the hard work that students put into their degrees they are so proud to have earned.

Clifford did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

Gov. Susana Martinez appointed Clifford to the UNM board in mid-2016. The state Senate never confirmed him, but Martinez re-upped him with single-year recess appointments in 2017 and 2018. His current term ends Dec. 31. His is one of five UNM regent seats Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham can fill when she takes office.

Former UNM regent Jack Fortner said Cliffords harsh words were unconstructive and disparaging. Fortner  who served 18 years on the board before resigning last year  said the role of a regent is to fight for the university, and that such a statement could actually make UNMs enrollment problems worse by dissuading potential students.

Certainly, if theres something that you see that needs to be addressed (as a regent), its OK to address it publicly, Fortner said. But I think theres a fine line between disparaging the university and trying to address problems.

Cliffords comments came as the board questioned administrators about this falls unexpected 7.2 percent enrollment loss. Officials have pinned the decline on a confluence of factors, from a better local economy to the states stagnant population growth. Wood said surveys also show fewer Americans believe a college degree is worth the cost, despite evidence of lifetime financial and health benefits.

But Clifford, at the meeting, said UNM is naive to think thats the issue.

We dont have a good product, he said. We need to improve this product, and telling ourselves its because people dont understand what a good product we have, thats ridiculous.  Thats how we get the reputation for being ivory tower, out-of-touch people.

Neither Regent President Rob Doughty nor UNM President Garnett Stokes addressed Cliffords comments during Thursdays meeting.

But Stokes said in a statement Friday that UNM offers outstanding educational, social and cultural opportunities for students.

While we definitely strive to improve in certain areas, our success is reflected in every Lobo who graduates, she wrote.

Doughty also provided a written statement to the Journal on Friday.

UNM is the best product in New Mexico higher education because we are always looking for ways to improve, he wrote, touting UNMs rapid graduation rate gains and relatively new programs like Aim to Achieve that incentivize students to finish in four years.
SANTA FE  The District Attorneys Office in Las Cruces is making a fifth run at prosecuting Tai Chan, a former Santa Fe County sheriffs deputy accused of fatally shooting a fellow deputy in Las Cruces after a night of drinking.

A criminal complaint for voluntary manslaughter charges and an arrest warrant were filed in Dona Ana Magistrate Court Friday by the Las Cruces Police Department against Chan for the death of Jeremy Martin.

District Court Judge Conrad Perea recently dismissed a prior voluntary manslaughter case against Chan brought by District Attorney Mark DAntonios office because the office didnt go to a grand jury or preliminary court hearing to determine probable cause.

Chan previously was tried twice for murder in the death of Martin, 29, in 2014 at the Hotel Encanto in Las Cruces. Both trials ended in a hung jury. Perea also ruled earlier this year that Chan could not be prosecuted for murder a third time on double jeopardy grounds, because of errors by another judge at the end of second trial.

This is really the definition of insanity, John Day, Chans lawyer, said Friday of the new charge.

Its just insane to keep trying this case over and over again. Thats what happens when you have a D.A. with an ego problem.

He called the warrant for Chan vindictive and said he plans to file in District Court a request for sanctions against DAntonio. He says the arrest warrant was filed as payback for the judge throwing out DAntonios first effort to charge Chan with manslaughter. He said Chan has been out of custody over the last four years.

(DAntonio) clearly had his ego bruised and hes emotionally upset and trying to take it on Tai, which is totally inappropriate, said Day.

However, when reached Friday evening, Dona Ana D.As. office spokesperson Roxanne McElmell said there is new evidence that has come to light that apparently led to the request for an arrest warrant. McElmell did not know specifically what that new evidence was.

McElmell described Fridays refiling as the offices way of going through the procedures as the judge requested when the first manslaughter case was dismissed.

The night Martin was killed, he and Chan were staying in Las Cruces on the way back from delivering a prisoner to Arizona. The two deputies argued and drank heavily at a bar, and then returned to their room at the Hotel Encanto. Martin died after being shot five times in the back and arm. Ten shots were fired from Chans duty weapon. But who shot the gun first and who was the aggressor were disputed at trial.
A woman is dead and two other people are in the hospital after a suspected drunken driver crashed into their truck Thursday night on the side of the highway near Vado, according to New Mexico State Police.

NMSP spokesman Dusty Francisco said Ruben Rojas, 63, was heading east on Interstate 10 around 11 p.m. when for unknown reasons he crashed into a truck and an unoccupied car parked on the shoulder, killing Michelle Cuaron, 57, and injuring two of her passengers.

The spokesman did not give the condition of the other two people injured.

The vehicles were on the shoulder parked waiting for a tow truck, Francisco said. Alcohol does appear to be a contributing factor to the crash.

Rojas was booked into Dona Ana County jail on charges of homicide by vehicle, two counts of great bodily harm by vehicle, aggravated DWI, open container and expired drivers license.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Magistrate Court, Rojas had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and smelled like alcohol when officers found him in his truck.

When asked what happened, Rojas told police he did not remember and he possibly fell asleep.

He stated he was just driving around and he got lost, an officer wrote.

Police say Rojas admitted to drinking some beers before the crash and performed poorly on sobriety tests.

The crash is still under investigation and no additional information is available at this time, Francisco said.

According to the court database, this is Rojas second aggravated DWI and open container arrest.
Strap in, its all going to get crazier.

More than a week after the final votes were cast, but not necessarily counted, its now looking like the Democrats had a blue wave after all.

It didnt seem like it at first. Election night was more of an emotional roller coaster than youd expect in a true rout. As of this writing, many of the Democrats favorite candidates didnt win. And the Republican seawall was stronger and more important than people realized.

The Senate map was the most favorable that Republicans have seen in a century. Gerrymandering helped the GOP hold a lot of House seats and even gain in the Senate. So did demographic sorting, which can look like gerrymandering but isnt.

But the fact remains: The GOP had the worst midterms since Watergate. Democratic gains among young people, the college-educated and, in particular, suburban Republican defectors were historic and will have long-lasting consequences.

The GOP coalition is shrinking and aging. The Democratic coalition is growing and getting younger.

But it still doesnt quite feel like it, in part because President Trump refused to follow his predecessors example and admit defeat.

In 2006, under similar circumstances, President George W. Bush conceded he took a thumpin. In 2010, Obama acknowledged he was shellacked.

Trump, on the other hand, called the results a tremendous success and a big victory proving that the American people like me.

Its dawning on Democrats that they had a big night. The challenge, however, is that it doesnt mean much in the short term. Nancy Pelosi, the presumptive incoming speaker of the House, cant do much to check Trump legislatively.

This puts the Democrats in a bind similar to the one the GOP was in under Obama. A common talking point on the populist right is that the establishment over-promised and under-delivered during the Obama presidency. And thats true.

But so did the populists. Both factions promised that Congress could stop Obama and repeal Obamacare if they just had enough votes, or if enough RINOs went along with a government shutdown. It wasnt true. And that fueled an enormous amount of resentment on the right  resentment that cleared a path for Trump.

Now its the Democrats turn. According to exit polls, the vast majority of Democrats favor impeaching Trump now. Many Democrats avoided talking about impeachment, but they vowed to hold Trump accountable.

To be sure, the Democrats can investigate the president with all the intensity of a zealous prison guard snapping on his rubber glove to search for smuggled contraband. But that wont stop Trump from dominating virtually every news cycle and occupying the headspace of liberals on a daily basis for the next two years. Nor will it weaken the resolve of Trumps base to rally to his defense.

The things Trump does that most enflame liberal passions are beyond the Democrats power to check. He can still tweet and troll the media with abandon. He can still use executive authority on immigration. And he can still send an unprecedented number of judges over Pelosis head to the Senate  gird your loins for the impotent Democratic rage that would follow if Trump gets a third Supreme Court pick.

Pelosi may want to hold off on impeachment proceedings, at least until special counsel Robert Mueller releases his report. But its doubtful the Democratic base shares her patience. And it remains unlikely that Mueller will find anything that would induce a third of Senate Republicans to vote to remove Trump from office. Removal requires 67 Senate votes.

This could create the same dynamic that led 17 Republicans to throw their hats into the ring in the 2016 presidential primaries. The Obama team poured attention on Trump because they thought it would make the GOP look bad. Instead, they elevated him. Its likely Trump could pursue the same strategy with some Democratic firebrand.

Trump never won a majority of primary votes. He merely had a strong and loyal enough following to get a plurality in a divided field. The bigger the field, the fewer votes you need to win. The greater the passion in the base, the more incentive there is to pander to it.

And thats why its all going to get even crazier.
So, did you hear? Democrats and Republicans in Washington have promised to cooperate in finding solutions for the countrys lingering problems! After the mid-term elections they promised they would try really, really hard to work together. Color me skeptical. But there is one legislative area where there does seem to be honest bipartisan collaboration: criminal justice reform.

It has finally dawned on lawmakers that all those years of imposing mandatory minimum sentences was largely to blame for our grossly over-bloated prisons. Taking away a judges discretion to deal with defendants individually, and adjust their sentences accordingly, was foolish. It meant the low-level, non-violent person who answered the drug kingpins telephone was often sentenced just as harshly as the drug kingpin. Those in this low-level category now make up a full 25 percent of our federal prison population.

Congress has also become aware of the prosecutorial tactic known as stacking firearm offenses. A startling case in point came in Utah several years ago when Weldon Angelos, a first-time drug offender, was caught selling $1,000 worth of marijuana. Prosecutors added enhancements to their sentencing recommendation because during his sales Angelos was alleged to have been carrying a gun. That added 5 years to his sentence. But after police located more guns at his home prosecutors stacked two more 25-year sentences on top. Under law, Judge Paul Cassell was forced to impose a 55-year sentence.

If he had been an aircraft hijacker, he would have gotten 24 years in prison. If hed been a terrorist, he would have gotten 20 years in prison. If he was a child rapist, he would have gotten 11 years in prison, Judge Cassell said in a television interview. And now Im supposed to give him a 55-year sentence? Thats just not right. The judge championed leniency for Angelos and he was ultimately released after serving 12 years.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, a shocking 94 percent of convicts saddled with stacked sentences like Angeloss are people of color. Ninety-four percent. Think about that.

And those who make our laws have finally come to understand that if you treat a prisoner with a bit of dignity during incarceration, and help them find a job right away, the recidivism rate is greatly reduced.

The sentencing reform bill that is pending and may soon be passed into law also folds in the First Step Act, which was passed by the House last May. The act reforms the federal prison system in important ways. It returns prisoners to life on the outside sooner if they take educational, vocational or faith-based courses. Ten earned credits are awarded for each 30 days they stay in class, and those credits can be spent by the prisoner to transfer into a halfway house, home confinement or community supervision to finish out their sentence. The act compels the Bureau of Prisons to get inmates job-ready and provide an ID card for every person upon release. Placing prisoners in facilities close to their families is encouraged so visits can help the convict feel eager to return to family life. The legislation also lowers lifetime mandatory minimum sentences to 25 years, reduces the disparity between cocaine and crack-related offenses retroactively and bans the current practice of shackling pregnant women during birth.

This year will see some 42,000 federal inmates leave prison. The number jumps to more than 600,000 if you count those released from state and local lockups. Its just common sense that if these people are given a helping hand in their effort to find jobs and make positive changes in their lives, public safety will be enhanced. Future taxpayers will be created, family structure can be mended.

Im not sure enough business people know about The Work Opportunity Tax Credit program, which gives employers a federal tax credit of up to $9,600 for each ex-con hired. The incentive is granted to those who hire from several target groups, including veterans, welfare recipients and ex-felons employed no later than one year after their release. Many states and municipalities offer similar tax breaks.

The leaders in reforming our deeply flawed criminal justice system have to come from Capitol Hill, and I hope they can pass this much needed legislation before the end of the year, as hinted. But we citizens can also help change the atmosphere for sincere former prisoners by realizing that a felony conviction may not be as serious as it sounds.

The person standing in front of you, simply asking for a second chance, may be the victim of stacking by prosecutors under orders to win the most stringent sentences possible. They may have done a stupid thing by aiding a career criminal but truly seek redemption and a better way of life. Get to know their stories. Studies show these employees often make the best workers because once hired they truly value their jobs. They will look out for you since you looked out for them.

Diane@DianeDimond.com.
High on many peoples list of things to be thankful for this week?

The midterm general election  with all its advertisements, polarity and negativity  is over.

And while at minimum there was a 50-50 chance of anyones selected candidate prevailing, theres a 100 percent certainty that come Jan. 1, many of our various governments will have a very different look. Considering how diverse our nation, states and communities are, and the many challenges we face, thats a good thing. We are, after all, supposed to be a representative democracy. As the National Council of State Legislatures points out:

Ever since Americans first raised the cry of No taxation without representation, they have insisted upon having a voice in their government. Indeed, the framers of the Constitution ensured in our countrys founding document that the voice of the people would drive our government. Look almost anywhere in the United States today and you will find some type of representative body, from Congress and state legislatures to school boards and student councils.

In 2019 many of those representative bodies will look a whole lot more like the melting pot that is America.

A record-breaking 100 women have been elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. And within that group are Congress:

 First Native American women, New Mexicos own Debra Haaland and Kansas Sharice Davids, who is also the second openly LGBT congressperson.

 First Muslim women, Minnesotas Ilhan Omar and Michigans Rashida Tlaib. Omar is also the first Somali-American member of Congress; she came to the U.S. more than two decades ago as a refugee.

 First African American woman to represent Massachusetts, Ayanna Pressley.

 First African American woman to represent Connecticut, Jahana Hayes.

 First Hispanic women to represent Texas, which is nearly 40 percent Hispanic, Sylvia Garcia and Veronica Escobar.

 Youngest woman, New Yorks Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, age 29.

In addition, New Hampshire will send its first openly gay congressman to Washington, D.C., Chris Pappas. And Arizona and Tennessee will send their first women to the Senate, Kyrsten Sinema and Marsha Blackburn, respectively.

Yet while the ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation of Congress is changing, perhaps the biggest color shift on the Hill is to camouflage. America elected or re-elected 76 veterans; they will join 15 veterans in the Senate who were not up for re-election.

State government will also look more like America. While USA Today lauded N.M. governor-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham in its Nov. 8 cover story Women blaze new trails, New Mexico has been out in front when it comes to electing candidates who look like the electorate. Lujan Grisham is replacing fellow Hispanic female Gov. Susana Martinez.

Just to the north, Colorado Gov.-elect Jared Polis is the first openly gay man to be elected governor. Iowa, South Dakota and Maine have elected their first female governors: Kim Reynolds, Kristi Noem and Janet Mills, respectively. And Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, the first bisexual governor in U.S. history, won re-election.

Residents of a minority-majority state like New Mexico understand how important it is to have leaders who dont just look like many of those they are leading, but who also share similar experiences and values with them. Those commonalities can lead to more informed decisions  on important issues including war and defense spending, budgets and social programs, civil rights and federal, state and local protections and regulations.

And whether or not their candidate(s) won, more informed decisions are something every Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Green, Independent and minority party member should be able to support.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA TERESA  New Mexicos busiest border crossing is expected to experience delays because U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers from here are among those deployed to Arizona and California to prepare for the migrant caravan.

Some of those CBP officers departed on charter flights from El Paso on Thursday after the first families in the migrant caravan from Central America arrived in the Mexican border city of Tijuana.

CBP announced it was diverting a large number of specially trained CBP officers from Santa Teresa in New Mexico and El Paso and Tornillo in Texas and advised that would lead to longer than normal wait times at area ports beginning Wednesday.

Cross-border travelers should expect lanes to be closed and anticipate processing times to increase, said El Paso Director of Field Operations Hector Mancha. We suggest reducing or consolidating your cross-border trips, and if you must cross the border, build extra time into your schedule to accommodate these expected delays.

Usual wait times in the area range from 20 to 45 minutes, according to CBP, although some border crossers report it can take more than an hour to traverse in some areas.

A total of 573 CBP officers nationwide were sent to meet the caravan, CBP said, but the agency did not provide a breakdown showing where the officers are based or how long they will be away from their usual assignments.

The staffing shortage is expected to impact pedestrian and vehicle traffic, as well as commercial trucks using area ports, including the Santa Teresa border crossing.

We certainly dont want to see wait time increase, said Jerry Pacheco, CEO of the Santa Teresa-based Border Industrial Association. That affects commerce, that increases costs. That causes inefficiencies.

An estimated $22 billion in goods move through the port of entry, which accounts for more than half of all of New Mexicos global exports, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Here at Santa Teresa were often on the razors edge of not having enough agents, Pacheco said. The regulars and the locals really have to pay for this. To me, its obvious rather than spending money on a border wall.

Border residents in the southern New Mexico region will have to contend with delays even during rush hour when the All Lanes Open Initiative is in effect between 6 and 10 in the morning to ease the commute for thousands of people who cross to work or attend classes on the U.S. side, including New Mexico State University students.

Predicted delays at the border could not come at a worse time for New Mexico retailers, who depend on shoppers from Mexico. Those shoppers spend an estimated $2 billion a year in the region, according to the Borderplex Alliance, which promotes economic development in the Las Cruces, El Paso and Ciudad Juarez region.

Some of those shoppers are visitors from the interior of Mexico, including Chihuahua, who prefer to bypass heavy traffic in Juarez by taking the Santa Teresa border crossing, which is a short drive from an outlet mall and Interstate 10.

Border crossings increase during the holiday season along with wait times as families from Mexico visit relatives on the U.S. side. Some also plan their Christmas shopping trips to take advantage of Black Friday and other deals.

Both big box stores and small shops benefit. The Chocolate Lady in historic Mesilla already has Christmas candy on display.

Mesilla is a destination spot, said Lucy Rathgeber, the Chocolate Lady manager.

Located right on the plaza, the shop sees the number of customers triple on weekends, according to Rathgeber.

Its Little Mexico because we have so many that come here, she said.

Rathgeber said she hopes the craving for hand-crafted chocolate will outweigh the hassle of waiting in long lines to cross the border.

Everybody likes sweets, she said.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

A massive land swap approved Friday  following decades of work  will make it easier to bring water and electricity to Navajo Nation families living in northwestern New Mexico, officials said.

The exchange conveys about 71 square miles of state trust land  small parcels scattered across Cibola, McKinley and San Juan counties  to the Navajo Nation.

The State Land Office, in turn, will receive about the same amount of land  in Cibola and Socorro counties, near the Alamo reservation, which is also part of the Navajo Nation. The state will lease the land back to the Navajo Nation.

The deal allows each side to consolidate its land holdings and limit the checkerboard jurisdiction of state, federal and tribal lands in rural New Mexico.

Its all about getting water and electricity to families that never had it, and also to complete some of the roads we have out there, Navajo President Russell Begaye said Friday after signing paperwork in Albuquerque.

Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn, a Libertarian whose term ends next month, said the exchange will make it easier to manage state trust lands while generating the same amount of revenue or more.

Its just good for both the nation and the state, Dunn said. The state gets consolidation, we will get the same income, and we solve a lot of the checkerboard issues.

Attempts at a swap, he said, date back at least to then-Land Commissioner Jim Baca, who served from 1983-86 and 1991-93.

Begaye said the complex map of different jurisdictions has made it difficult to secure the legal rights needed to build roads and utilities for Navajo families. In some cases, surveyors made mistakes and people built homes  even two cemeteries  on what was actually state land, he said. In other areas, he said, a paved road will stop abruptly because another government agencys approval was needed to continue.

Some of the parcels exchanged Friday are near Chaco Canyon, a sacred site with ancient ruins, in the Four Corners area.

This is a historic area for Navajos, Begaye said, so to be able to get these lands back, especially around Chaco, its important.

Dunn said theres still more work to be done. He estimated there are more than 150 square miles in the area that still ought to be traded.

Dunn said he briefed Land Commissioner-elect Stephanie Garcia Richard, a Democrat, on the exchange this week.

Garcia Richard, a state representative from the Los Alamos area, takes office Jan. 1. The Journal wasnt immediately able to reach her Friday.

Dunn didnt seek re-election and steps down Dec. 31.

The land exchanged was worth about $15 million for each side.
DALLAS  A Mississippi woman was in custody Saturday a day after she traveled to Texas and abducted two girls from their home, authorities said.

Crystal Gaylene Edwards, 33, was being held in the Rankin County, Mississippi, jail on two counts of kidnapping and another count of sale of narcotics.

Edwards was acquainted with the girls family and appeared at their home northeast of Dallas early Friday morning, according to police. Authorities didnt specify how the girls, ages 8 and 11, are related.

Police in Josephine, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Dallas, said in a statement that Edwards lured the girls from the home, but didnt explain how she did so without alerting adults or others in the home.

Police in Texas, working with the U.S. Marshals Service and officers in Edwards hometown of Pearl, Mississippi, tracked Edwards and the girls to Jackson, Mississippi, where she was apprehended later Friday. The girls werent physically harmed and were placed in the custody of Mississippi Child Protective Services pending their return to Texas.

Authorities have not indicated a motive in the case but said this was not a random kidnapping.

Jail records dont indicate whether Edwards has an attorney yet.
WASHINGTON  About a half dozen House Republican women gathered this week for a somber, post-election dinner.

Exchanging thoughts about the brutal results for GOP candidates, they realized something depressing, according to one attendee. That small dinner group represented about half the total number of Republican women who would serve in the House next year.

Just 13 GOP women have won election so far to serve in the next Congress, down from 23 this year. With a half dozen races yet to be resolved, the House GOP  the minority party next year  is all but certain to have the lowest number of women in its ranks since 1994.

That drop off came amid a national political climate that saw female voters sharply break from Republicans. Women favored Democrats over Republicans for Congress, 59 percent to 40 percent, according to exit polls.

Its set off an internal debate within the Republican Party about how to address this crisis, both in terms of appealing to female voters and then recruiting and retaining women in Congress.

I think the Republicans have to get off of defense on this issue, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said Friday in an interview.

Cheney was the uncontested winner this week in the race for House Republican conference chairwoman, which puts her in charge of the partys communications and messaging strategy. She will become the partys highest profile woman in Congress, trying to rebuild and rebrand its battered image.

Assuming the No. 3 leadership post, Cheney will reach a level no woman has ever before climbed among House Republicans. (The outgoing chair, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, is No. 4 in leadership ranks while Republicans are in the majority.)

Cheney, who worked on Middle East policy in the State Department, brings a profile and level of clout among Republican women that has long been missing. But she does not see any need for course corrections on policies relating to women, arguing that Democrats create silos for female issues that treat women in a condescending way.

Ive always felt like it was very paternalistic to do what the Democrats do, she said. Its offensive to women.

She believes that issues like security and a strong economy cut across gender lines and that if Republicans made that argument better, and had more women making that pitch, they would win more support.

We need more women running for office, no doubt, Cheney said.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., could not agree more. At a forum Tuesday for candidates running for leadership posts, Stefanik stood up and motioned to a room overwhelmingly filled with white male faces.

Take a look around, she told the GOP lawmakers. This is not reflective of the American public.

Stefanik said she then asked Reps. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the minority leader candidates, what their plans were to recruit and elect more women.

I was struck that I really didnt get an answer, she recalled in an interview Friday.

As head of candidate recruitment the past two years, Stefanik focused on finding women to run, landing more than 100 candidates.

But many women flamed out in GOP primaries against male counterparts, and those that did break through could not swim above the Democratic wave in the general election. Just one new Republican woman, so far, will be sworn in for her first term in January.

Yet when Cheney and Stefanik look across the aisle next year, they will see a record number of female Democrats, with at least 89 women.

Donald Trump won two years ago despite more than a dozen women accusing him of improper conduct or sexual assault, charges he denies. After his win, the Democratic Party and liberal activists focused early on recruiting and advancing female candidates. The reaction to the #MeToo movement further encouraged Democratic women, culminating in the clash over sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the GOPs treatment of his accusers.

Kavanaugh denied the allegations. Trump mocked one of his accusers, Christine Blasey Ford, at a campaign rally while Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee released an explicit statement that purported to describe the sexual preferences of another woman who had accused Kavanaugh of misconduct.

Cheney believes those Senate confirmation hearings galvanized conservatives and did not scare away Republican women in suburban battleground districts. She said the allegations, and how Democrats handled them, demonstrated they were willing to play games with a serious matter and the ensuing liberal protests had the effect of really scaring people.

Stefanik took a more nuanced view, believing that the terrible standing with women was pretty well baked before last months confirmation vote.

We were having problems with women voters before that, she said.

Emilys List, the political committee focused on electing women supporting abortion rights, spent $14 million in the primary season and another $23 million on their behalf in the general election.

Republicans have several groups trying to emulate that approach, but nothing remotely as powerful as Emilys List.

Stefanik, 34, and Cheney, 52, did not face financial hurdles in their first races. Stefanik was a domestic policy adviser in the Bush White House from 2006 through 2009 and worked on Mitt Romneys 2012 presidential campaign, providing her a ready-made network for her competitive 2014 campaign.

Stefanik has decided to back away from her recruiting role at the National Republican Congressional Committee to focus solely on helping women win GOP nominations and then get elected.

Im playing in primaries, she said.

Cheney easily defeated several veteran Wyoming Republican men in her 2016 primary, tapping her familys national network to raise more than $2 million that year.

In her new leadership role, Cheney sees her main focus as sharpening the partys message. She intends to do a lot more than just stand behind McCarthy, the incoming minority leader, to provide a better visual backdrop.

She wants to go after Democrats for supporting a socialist economic policy like single-payer insurance and how such a national health program would limit womens medical choices. That would be a disaster, she said.

Cheney has hit what has previously been a glass ceiling for GOP women. No Republican woman, in the House or Senate, has ever moved up to party whip, leader or House speaker.

It took her father, Richard Cheney, who served in the House from 1979 to 1989, more than eight years to get elected conference chairman.

His daughter reached that leadership post after just two years. She plans to be a force for a while, with the potential to break some Republican glass along the way.

Its a very special place, she said.


By Oh Young-jin





BTS has apologized for wearing a T-shirt bearing the photo of an atomic bomb exploding in Japan and sporting a wardrobe resembling Nazi symbols.







The global K-pop sensation said it was not its intention to cause distress among the victims but nonetheless offered apologies for those who suffered.







In moral and business terms, it is a sensible decision for the band that has a worldwide following to get these controversies behind it quickly.







But one thing remains perplexing  how Japan, more specifically its ultra-nationalistic elements, and Jews, more exactly their advocacy organization, are embracing each other.







Emperor Hirohito's Japan was a member of the World War II Axis that included Hitler's Germany and Mussolini's Italy. German Nazis slaughtered Jews by the millions. Koreans had been under Japanese colonial rule for 36 years until Allied forces defeated Japan.







So it would look more natural for Jews to embrace Koreans over Japan, an aggressor that teamed up with Germany, the perpetrator of the Holocaust.







Was it due to ignorance of history or aspirations of the victims to identify with the victors?







Now, it is expected that an unrepentant Japan would make an issue of the T-shirt, which resulted in the cancelation of BTS appearances on TV Asahi and other channels.







The backlash came days after Korea's Supreme Court ruling that allowed Koreans to seek damages from Japan over their forced labor during the colonial period.







It angered Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his ultra-conservative friends, who also fear that hallyu, or the Korean cultural wave, will take over their country.







So a big fuss was made over the photo of the T-shirt taken more than a year ago.







But it is one thing to apologize to the victims of the bombs, who also included many Koreans, but it carries the risk of enabling imperial Japan to feign as victim.







Japan did invade Korea, China and other Asian countries, killed a lot of people and mobilized human resources for its war effort against the United States. The U.S. atomized Hiroshima and Nagasaki to force Japan to surrender.







If Japan blames anybody, it should be U.S.







President Barack Obama did not make any apology when he visited Hiroshima in May 2016.







Japan has offered apologies for its misdeeds against Korea only to have Abe withdraw them.







Japan still absurdly claims that "comfort women"  Korean and Chinese women who served at Japan's army brothels  were volunteers. The scheme appears to be a calculated race against the dwindling number of survivors who are succumbing to old age and sickness after years of living in disgrace and ostracism.







To Koreans, the whole episode is like Japan screaming bloody murder on Korea, its victim, in an irrational reversal of roles.







A rabbi filled the critical missing gap in Japan's leap of logic by linking the two unlikely allies when he accused BTS of "mocking the past."







"Wearing a T-shirt in Japan mocking the victims of the Nagasaki A-bomb is just the latest incident of this band mocking the past," said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean and director at the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center, Sunday.







Can't this rabbi see it is Japan that is mocking the past? Japan argues that its colonial victims, such as Korea, should thank it for industrialization.







The rabbi said: "The result is that young generations in Korea and around the world are more likely to identify bigotry and intolerance as being 'cool' and help erase the lessons of history."







Can this rabbi see that he is helping Japan erase the bigger lessons of history? Abe says Japan would stop apologizing to the victims because the country has paid damages. It is as if it sees its crimes against humanity settled with a fistful of dollars and that Japan should move on, turning away from the truth that a future without reflections of past mistakes would be a ticket to recidivism.







We Koreans laud Jews for their persistence in chasing Nazi perpetrators to the last one and bringing them to justice, and Germans for trying to repent over the horrible deeds against Jews so as not to repeat them.







We are trying to apply the Jewish formula in settling history issues with Japan.







But the rabbi has singlehandedly put the wisdom of the Jewish example into doubt because his words basically tell us that its rule applies only to their chosen case.







Does he represent the whole Jewish attitude? Or is it an isolated case?







If the first were the case, it would surely be a great disappointment. Quo vadis?







, foolsdie5@koreatimes.co.kr) is the digital managing editor of The Korea Times.



Oh Young-jin ( foolsdie@gmail.com
Social Frontier (SF), the Bangalore-based technology company assisting brands with data-driven solutions, has witnessed some interesting trends in brand marketing techniques post the festive season. Almost 65% of its clients running paid performance campaigns have been focusing more on data-driven marketing strategies. Backed by technology and results, Social Frontier has emerged as an ROI-driven expert. The one-stop-shop solutions provider arms marketing teams with the best Artificial Intelligence (AI)driven software to manage digital advertising in-house.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking over various client campaigns and AI chatbots have made selling simple. The former can help a business save a lot of money and expand to newer markets. The trends are proof that companies do not wait for the end of the quarter to analyse data anymore. They have rather started incorporating real-time and predictive responses in their marketing strategies.

Speaking about this, Mr Abdulla Basha, Co-Founder, Social Frontier, said, Estimates indicate that rightly targeted and appropriately executed strategies can boost a brand by over 300%. In light of this, it is encouraging to note that brands are shifting to data-driven solutions, something that our analyses also indicate. These solutions give them a competitive advantage through accurate customer insights, which are becoming the guiding principle behind decisions. With consumers spending more time watching videos online, brands have a huge opportunity to leverage video ads to reach their target audience.

About 25% of Social Frontiers clients consider programmatic buying to achieve their end objective. Apart from this, there has been a 33% rise in video ads compared to regular festive offers; 15% increase in mobile users; 7% increase in social conversions compared to the normal app and website conversions; and a 22% increase in overall cost per acquisition (CAC) across all industries put together. The latter can be attributed to a change in FB ads and algorithms. Marketers are demanding more transparency from publishers, brands and networks. With blockchain, machine learning, and automation, brands will have more data available to them than ever.

Social Frontier specializes in cross-channel digital marketing integration. The company recently launched Kintegra Labs, a powerful Social Media Marketing Intelligence Tool. The platform will help brands improve their social engagement and increase the possibility of reaching the appropriate target audience through research analysis and market insights.

Adding further, Mr Basha, said, At Social Frontier, we have developed Kintegra, an AI and machine learning-backed marketing automation suite. This technology helps businesses increase their return on investment (ROI) and reduce the complexities involved in scaling digital marketing campaigns.

Social Frontier automates and optimizes social paid marketing spends across channels to deliver the most efficient returns for the money spent. The company believes that while brands and companies spend on performance marketing for immediate results, a portion of the overall marketing budget should be spent on brand building for the long term. The company is paving the way for innovation across all marketing channels.
Envisioning to grow with a robust momentum in the global dog treats industry, Bangalore-based dog treats brand Dogsee Chew has appointed Mayank Sohar as its Marketing Director. The brand has brought onboard the experienced marketer to leverage his expertise to drive its global expansion. As the Marketing Director, Mayank is tasked with augmenting the marketing functions, launching new products and innovations, and establishing Dogsee Chew as a reputed brand on the international stage.

With over 12 years of experience in marketing, operations, and financial management in distinctively challenging circumstances across various established companies as well as startups, Mayank has established himself as a marketing expert in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry. Equipped with a post graduate degree in marketing from the Institute of Management Technology in Ghaziabad, he spearheaded the launching of Crocin Advance in India and has also led the marketing campaigns for Kingfisher beer.

In 2011, Mayank had a brief but successful entrepreneurial stint as the co-founder of Equilibriyum, a company which provided healthy meals to corporate offices in Gurgaon. He was extensively involved in setting up operations, leading marketing campaigns, vendor management, HR, developing client pipeline, and maintaining client relationships, backed by a small but dedicated team. His efforts were pivotal in helping Equilibriyum garner notable clients like GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Ltd., Boston Consulting Group, Bain Consulting, and Shell, among others.

Mayank has also worked with several renowned companies like United Breweries and Godrej Consumers Products Ltd., successfully leading the re-launch campaign of Godrejs Ezee Winter Wash as its Brand Manager. He has also managed the brand Crocin and the product pipeline development for Horlicks Extensions portfolio during his two stints at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare.

Sharing an insight on this appointment, Bhupendra Khanal, Founder and CEO, Dogsee Chew remarked, Mayank has more than a decade-long experience in FMCG brand building and marketing. He has achieved several remarkable milestones throughout his career and has successfully carved his niche in marketing. His expertise, combined with his entrepreneurial experience, makes him the ideal person to drive Dogsee Chews global expansion. We are very happy to welcome him on board the team and are looking forward to setting new benchmarks together.

Expressing his joy about joining the team, Mayank Sohar, Marketing Director, Dogsee Chew said, The dog treats industry has an immense growth potential. The natural dog treatssegment, in particular, remains largely unexplored. Having been in the FMCG industry for so long and having seen how trends shape up, I am very positive about the fact that Dogsee Chew will soon become the preferred natural pet treats brand for consumers across the globe.

Having joined Dogsee Chew in August 2018, Mayank has since been building the brand on a global stage through his proficient managerial and leadership skills, in addition to implementing various marketing strategies and best practices.
Frapp.in the student friendly mobile app is fast changing the landscape of experience and earning for students in campus. This app empowers students to find internships or earn money through online or campus work.

The app provides an alternative to traditional internships that not only provides financial freedom but in a way provides an avenue for students to understand financial prudence giving them an early start to making money.

While internships on Frapp.in provide students the requisite experience that they clamour for to be industry ready, not all students have an internship bent of mind and would often want to explore opportunities that are easier and fun. Additionally, sometimes internships are unpaid roles that wouldnt interest many students. Keeping this mind, Frapp.in app developed a unique proposition called Missions

Missions are a quick way to learn and earn either in cash or earn rewards. A mission is a handful of simple tasks that a student can complete for a brand or company, either online or on campus. These missions are often fun, engaging and are usually very simple to complete.

Missions are a set of engaging tasks that students can perform for companies either digitally or on their campus. Students apply for and complete Missions directly on their Frapp.in app and get rewarded by companies in the form of cash, goodies and certificates. Frapp.in App with its unique proposition understands the importance of students needs to be independent and stay motivated. Marketing to young audiences and reaching Indias generation Z with impactful campaigns are becoming very challenging says Niranjan Nakhate, co - founder at Frapp.in.

While emphasising the need for missions, he further elaborated, Traditional campus ambassador programs no longer work. We are building a platform for brands to work with students in unique and creative ways.

Brands can create missions for students to work as campus ambassadors, complete tasks on campus such as putting up posters, work as digital micro-influencers, or even become a task force for the brand.

Students have worked as ambassadors for brands such as Starbucks, Sony Music, Jet airways, fbb and Sunburn and have created content on Instagram, represented brands on campus, visited stores and distributed vouchers. Students dont need to have tremendous following on social media to become influencers, nor do they need special talents or skills.

There are all kinds of Missions on Frapp.in and every student can find something for his or her interests. We want Missions to be accessible to all kinds of students across India says Armaan, cofounder at Frapp.in.

The concept of Missions is novel, and students have shown lot of interest in signing up for these opportunities. The Frapp.in team launched Missions based on the learnings from the market. Over 40% of companies were posting marketing, campus ambassador or student influencer based internships on Frapp.in. The reasons for campus ambassador programs failing were difficulty in coordinating with students, improper task management and campaign creation, and lack of bandwidth to administer these programs. The above data along with relevant insights from the student groups, contributed significantly in the development of Missions in the Frapp.in App. With Missions, students are not only able to execute tasks but also earn money or reward points that keep them motivated and engaged.
The Quint is happy to announce Me, the Change  an editorial initiative that focuses exclusively on the aspirations of first-time women voters in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Facebook has partnered with the initiative as a presenting sponsor.

Me, the Change will showcase the stories of determined young women who have battled adversity to achieve the extraordinary, inspiring and changing the lives of others through their work. The initiative will host an event to felicitate these achievers to spark a discussion on the issues that matter to first-time women voters ahead of the 2019 elections. The Quint will use Facebook as an exclusive platform to amplify the stories covered under this initiative and ensure it reaches as many people as possible.

As part of the initiative, The Quint will conduct a nation-wide survey to understand what first-time women voters seek from the new government. Throughout the initiative, we will invite stories from, and of young women achievers. The Quint will also promote a Go Vote initiative to educate young women about the power of their vote.

The initiative will go on-ground in multiple states and host regional chaupals with women voters in the run-up to the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram.

Why First-Time Women Voters?

The 2019 Lok Sabha elections are touted to be a turning point in Indias history. According to contemporary research and data, the election will be greatly influenced by three factors; the number of first-time voters, their tendency to be politically unaffiliated, and social media's ability to shape political consciousness.

In this zoomed-in demographic, first-time women voters are seldom given attention. They are working hard, overcoming extraordinary hurdles, and slowly but steadily changing lives. But what do they want  a good salary? The freedom to marry a partner of their choice? More access to information? Or equal opportunity to make their mark? Me, the Change was born out of these questions, and through video stories, on-ground events, a national survey and comprehensive coverage, The Quint will endeavour to highlight the aspirations of young women in India.

Commenting on the role of the woman voter in Indias political landscape, Ritu Kapur, CEO and co-founder of The Quint said, There is a quiet but strong emergence of the young Indian woman as a vote bloc. What better way to celebrate democracy then, than to provide a megaphone to this feisty voice that can push women-centric issues to the fore and bring gender parity to electoral politics? Through Me, the Change, The Quint wants to showcase the aspirations of Indias first-time women voters.

Be it transforming their communities, working on the next big innovation, breaking conventions through music and art, or redefining the rules of business, young women from villages and small cities are achieving the unimaginable. Theyre at the forefront of how India will change in the next decade. The question is, are we ready for them? #MeTheChange
In addition to a well-described behavioral phenotype that includes hyperphagia, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, disruptive behavior, and an increased risk for mood disorders, recent evidence also suggests that some individuals with PWS have repetitive behavior and social deficits reminiscent of autism spectrum disorders."

"Cutaneous and ocular pigmentation were evaluated in 29 individuals with the Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). Criteria for hypopigmentation included the presence of type I or II skin, the lightest skin type in the family by history, and iris translucency on globe transillumination. On the basis of these criteria, 48% of the PWS individuals were hypopigmented. The presence of hypopigmentation correlated with a small interstitial deletion on the proximal long arm of chromosome 15; however, this deletion was also found in individuals who did not meet the full criteria for hypopigmentation. Hairbulb tyrosinase activity and glutathione content, as well as urine cysteinyldopa excretion, were low in PWS individuals with and without hypopigmentation and did not separate these two groups. We conclude that hypopigmentation is found in a significant proportion of individuals with PWS and that the hypopigmentation may be associated with a deletion of the long arm of chromosome 15. The mechanism for the hypopigmentation is unknown." Hypopigmentation in the Prader-Willi Syndrome HERE

Key Points: random genetic mutation (another way of saying there is not a reason and they do not know why), light-colored hair and skin

Similar to autism, individuals with Angelman Syndrome display the following behaviors: hand-flapping, little or no speech, attention deficits, hyperactivity, feeding and sleeping problems, and delays in motor development. These individuals may also engage in biting and hair pulling. Many tend to have a stiff-legged gait and jerky body movements. " Angelman Syndrome HERE

Angelman Syndrome "When the OCA2 gene is also deleted from chromosome 15, a person with Angelman syndrome is likely to have light-colored hair and skin, compared to family members. This occurs because the OCA2 gene controls the protein that produces the pigment melanin, which provides color to hair, skin and eyes. Most cases of Angelman syndrome occur even though there is no history of the disorder in the patients family. The syndrome often is a result of a random genetic mutation that occurs during the formation of cells early in embryonic development. The cause remains unknown in about 10 to 15 percent of Angelman syndrome cases. Angelman syndrome affects all genders, races and ethnic groups. However, the vast majority of cases in the United States involve Caucasians, according to the Angelman Syndrome Foundation." HERE

There may be more but for the sake of making a point, I will focus on these. Notice there is a pattern of hypomelanin and autism in each.

decided to investigate more about autism and this melanin connection. Though I have been in the autism world almost 15 years since Megan was diagnosed, some of this information was new to me and some I knew a little about but have learned much more. Looking up "melanin" and "autism" together brought me to these disorders: 1-Angelman Syndrome 2-Prader-Willi Syndrome 3-Hypomelanosis of Ito 4-Rett Syndrome 5-Tuberous Sclerosis 6-Neurocutaneous Syndrome

By Teresa Conrick In Part 1 (HERE) , we learned that Autism appears to have a melanin connection with Parkinson's, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Melanoma, Tourette's, Dystonia and Schizophrenia. Melanin appears to be lacking or not functioning properly thus causing quite possibly, the motor disturbances and/or neurodegeneration that is shared among these increasingly diagnosed diseases. This may happen as those who have poor melanin then lack the ability to detoxify , ie -"the resulting melanic component serves an additional protective role through its ability to chelate and accumulate metals, including environmentally toxic metals such as mercury and lead.." HERE

Autistic-like symptomatology in Prader-Willi syndrome: A review of recent findings HERE

Key Points: hypopigmentation, mechanism for the hypopigmentation is unknown, lightest skin type in the family by history, deletion was also found in individuals who did not meet the full criteria for hypopigmentation.

Hypomelanosis of Ito

"Hypomelanosis of Ito (HI) is a syndrome with hypopigmented whorls of skin along the Blascho lines. The old name, Incontinentia pigmentosa achromiance was probably used because HI appears to be the negative image of incontinentia pigmentosa. This disorder is inherited as an autosomal  dominant trait with variable penetrance and the implicated genes are 9q33 and q11-13, Xp11. Chromosomal mosaiscm is believed to be the reason that hypomelanosis of Ito is so varied in phenotype. Hypopigmented skin lesions appear as whorls or streaks on any part of body and tend to progress onto uninvolved areas. The cutaneous lesion is often associated with developmental and neurological abnormalities. Pyramidal tract dysfunction, mental retardation and seizures are common neurological signs. Ophtalmologic disorders are also present."



A rare case of hypomelanosis of ITO HERE

"Hypomelanosis of ito is frequently associated with autism"



"Twenty-five children with hypomelanosis of Ito are reported: 10 of them had autism, 3 showed autistic-like features, 1 had previously shown autistic features which had subsequently faded, 2 had disintegrative psychosis. The 9 remaining children were all mentally retarded and 5 of them were more markedly retarded in their speech development. The hypothesis is considered that a dysfunction of *melatonin (* Translation error- this should be "melanin" - HERE) may favour the development of both skin depigmentation and autistic behaviour through an altered production of corticotrophin-releasing hormone and, in turn, of proopiomelanocortin. HERE

"Two girls and a boy showing autistic behaviour and fulfilling the criteria for autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome or atypical autism were diagnosed as having hypomelanosis of Ito syndrome. It is suggested that skin changes indicating underlying neurocutaneous disorders be meticulously looked for in all cases with autism and autistic-like conditions." "Hypomelanosis of Ito in three cases with autism and autistic-like conditions." HERE



Key Points: hypopigmented whorls of skin, cutaneous lesion is often associated with developmental and neurological abnormalities



Rett Syndrome

"Autopsy studies in nine girls dying between 4 and 17 years, and sural nerve and muscle biopsies from two girls aged 3 and 17 years showed:..... mild diffuse cortical atrophy with increased amounts of neuronal lipofuscin and occasional mild gliosis, but without signs of a storage disorder; (3) underpigmentation of the zona compacta nigrae, which showed fewer well-pigmented neurons for age and fewer melanin granules per neuron.." "Neuropathology of Rett syndrome " HERE

Key Points: underpigmentation of the zona compacta nigrae, fewer melanin granules

We will focus on lipofuscin later.

Tuberous Sclerosis

"About 50% of people with TSC have learning difficulties ranging from mild to significant, and studies have reported that between 25% and 61% of affected individuals meet the diagnostic criteria for autism, with an even higher proportion showing features of a broader pervasive developmental disorder. A 2008 study reported self-injurious behavior in 10% of people with TSC. Other conditions, such as ADHD, aggression, behavioral outbursts and OCD can also occur. Lower IQ is associated with more brain involvement on MRI."



"Some form of dermatological sign will be present in 96% of individuals with TSC. Most cause no problems but are helpful in diagnosis. Some cases may cause disfigurement, necessitating treatment. The most common skin abnormalities include:



 Facial angiofibromas ( "adenoma sebaceum"): A rash of reddish spots or bumps, which appear on the nose and cheeks in a butterfly distribution. They consist of blood vessels and fibrous tissue. This socially embarrassing rash starts to appear during childhood and can be removed using dermabrasion or laser treatment.



 Ungual or subungual fibromas: Also known as Koenen's tumors, these are small fleshy tumors that grow around and under the toenails or fingernails and may need to be surgically removed if they enlarge or cause bleeding. These are very rare in childhood but common by middle age.



 Hypomelanic macules ("ash leaf spots"): White or lighter patches of skin that may appear anywhere on the body and are caused by a lack of melanin. These are usually the only visible sign of TSC at birth. In fair-skinned individuals a Wood's lamp (ultraviolet light) may be required to see them.



 Forehead plaques: Raised, discolored areas on the forehead.



 Shagreen patches: Areas of thick leathery skin that are dimpled like an orange peel, usually found on the lower back or nape of the neck.



 Other skin features are not unique to individuals with TSC, including molluscum fibrosum or skin tags, which typically occur across the back of the neck and shoulders, ''cafe au lait'' spots or flat brown marks, and poliosis, a tuft or patch of white hair on the scalp or eyelids." "Tuberous Sclerosis Symptoms" HERE

Key Points: Hypomelanic macules, lack of melanin, "cafe au lait" spots

Neurocutaneous Syndrome

"A 6-year-old male with apparently isolated mental delay, speech delay, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, epilepsy, and subtle and insignificant skin dyschromias. Investigators ruled out genetic syndromes, congenital infections, fetal deprivation, perinatal insults, intrauterine exposure to drug abuse, and postnatal events such as CNS infections as possible common causes of brain impairment. Being all further test negative, the patient exhibited an ultrastructural defect of the skin, identical to that previously described [Buoni S, Zannolli R, de Santi MM, Macucci F, Hayek J, Orsi A et al. Neurocutaneous syndrome with mental delay, autism, blockage in intracellular vesicular trafficking and melanosome defects. Eur J Neurol 2006;13:842-51], suggesting that some cell compartments, such as rough endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, Golgi apparatus, and the vesicular zone (racket) of Birbeck granules, sharing similar components, can be altered, resulting in a common defect in cell trafficking, associated to melanosome defects."

Key Points: ruled out genetic syndromes etc, defect in cell trafficking associated to melanosome defects



This pattern made me continue to look and question how this could happen. Reading up on melanin, I saw that tyrosine was a precursor to melanin production, associated with melanosomes. That flung open all new doors and like my fellow writer at Age of Autism, Adriana Gamondes, mercury was popping up with melanin.



The skin lightening issue of mercury definitely included my investigations of melanin and these neurodegenerative disorders. I found this one first and it got my interest:

"In the present study, we investigated the dermal absorption of mercury and its accumulation in the tissues of albino and pigmented mice treated with two brands of mercury containing skin-lightening creams for a period of one months at different intervals. Mercury levels were measured in a total of 133 and 144 liver, kidney and brain tissue samples of albino and pigmented mice. Significant differences in the mercury levels were observed between the albino and pigmented mice. This emphasizes the protective role of melanin against mercury toxicity." "Comparison of mercury levels in various tissues of albino and pigmented mice treated with two different brands of mercury skin-lightening creams." HERE

It got more interesting:

"Inorganic mercury compounds are also widely used in skin-lightening soaps and creams, due to the ability of the mercury cation to block the production of melanin pigment in the skin." "Elemental Mercury And Inorganic Mercury Compounds: Human Health Aspects"

HERE

And More specific:

"The pharmacologic activity of the skin-light-eners occurs as the mercury blocks the production of melanin pigment in the epithelial melanocytes, thus lightening the skin over time." "Inorganic: the other mercury." HERE

As Adriana reported, even the Chicago Tribune, not a fan of mercury causing autism, reported the same thing:

"Mercury, a known toxin, is banned in skin-bleaching or lightening creams. The products are used to lighten complexions, eliminate age spots or diminish freckles. Mercury is sometimes illegally added to creams because the metal blocks production of melanin, which gives skin its pigmentation. Mercury is rapidly absorbed through the skin and can cause severe health effects, including neurological and kidney damage." "FDA widens mercury-skin lightening cream investigation" HERE

So then I decided to investigate this phenomenon in other species:

"Ovigerous females of the estuarine crab Chasmagnathus granulatus were exposed to mercury (0.1 mg/L) during the entire, early, or late embryonic development. Particularly, hypopigmentation of body chromatophores was the abnormality that showed the highest incidence, this incidence being greater when ovigerous females were exposed to mercury either during the totality or just the first half of the egg incubation period. In contrast, the effect of mercury on the morphology and pigmentation of eyes was greater when the exposure comprised the totality or just the second half of the incubation period. These results correlate with the timing of both body pigment synthesis and eye formation during embryonic development. Although these abnormalities have been observed in the same species with other heavy metals, such as zinc and copper, the responsiveness during the early and late embryonic development was different with mercury." "Toxicity of mercury during the embryonic development of Chasmagnathus granulatus (Brachyura, Varunidae) HERE

Could flu shots with thimerosal act in this same manner or what about living near a coal fired power plant?

"Heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Se, Zn) were shown to increase the incidence of albinism. Metal-induced albinism resulted from exposure of both adult fish and eggs." "Accelerated Rate of Albinism in Channel Catfish Exposed to Metals" HERE

Albinism was the extreme version of hypomelanin so I thought that might show a clue:

"Oculocutaneous albinism is a hypomelanotic skin disorder. Oculocutaneous albinism is infrequently reported in association with childhood autism when compared to tuberous sclerosis and hypomelanosis of Ito. However, Rogawski et al [11] had reported co-morbidity of oculocutaneous albinism and childhood autism in two boys and Delong [12] in a recent description of families of individuals with childhood autism had noted additional feature of oculocutaneous albinism in some families in addition to major affective disorder and special talents. Going by the observation of this present case report and the report of these two previous reports in the literature [11,12], the question arises whether childhood autism has any genetic and clinical relationship with oculocutaneous albinism. "Childhood autism in a 13 year old boy with oculocutaneous albinism: a case report" HERE

This study on albinism really interested me as these were not babies born with autism:

"2 tyrosinase-positive albino boys, 1 Caucasian and 1 American Negro, manifested moderate retardation and autistic behaviour. It is postulated that the as yet unidentified metabolic defect in albinism may be responsible for the CNS disorder in these 2 boys."

"Oculocutaneous Albinism and Mental Disorder A Report of Two Autistic Boys" HERE

Well, Yale dropped the ball as that was in 1978 and I have not seen anything since on melanin-autism from Yale. How is it that 2 boys "manifest", kind of like regress, into autism, both having zero melanin, and not one researcher since thought that was significant?

"Oculocutaneous Albinism and Mental Disorder A Report of Two Autistic Boys"

HERE

At this point, I want to bring up that word, lipofuscin. It came up when looking at the autopsies of the girls who had Rett's diagnoses. I saved it until now as it needed to be place in a certain manner and this is a good spot. I did gasp when I looked it up initially on Wikipedia:

"Lipofuscin is the name given to finely granular yellow-brown pigment granules composed of lipid-containing residues of lysosomal digestion. It appears to be the product of the oxidation of unstaurated fatty acids and may be symptomatic of membrane damage, or damage to mitochondria and lysosomes. Aside from a large lipid content, lipofuscin is known to contain sugars and metals, including mercury, aluminum, iron, copper and zinc."

HERE

So here was another pigment, which also looked to scavenge metals, being found in autopsied bodies of those with an autism diagnosis. Investigating this more found these:

"Impaired language function is a principle criterion for the diagnosis of autism. The present study of brain from age-matched autistic and control subjects compared brain regions associated with the production and processing of speech. Striking differences in the density of glial cells, the density of neurons and the number of lipofuscin containing neurons were observed in the autistic group compared with the control group. The autistic group exhibited significantly greater numbers of lipofuscin-containing cells in area 22 (p<0.001) and area 39 (p<0.01). The results are consistent with accelerated neuronal death in association with gliosis and lipofuscin accumulation in autism after age seven. Production of lipofuscin (a matrix of oxidized lipid and cross-linked protein more commonly associated with neurodegenerative disease) is accelerated under conditions of oxidative stress."

"A Microscopic Study of Language-Related Cortex in Autism" HERE

That seemed very significant. I like Wikipedia but thought I needed more verification on what lipofuscin was so again looked for more:

"The objective of our study was to investigate the toxic effects of mercury on northern pike. Liver color (absorbance at 400 nm) varied among northern pike and was positively related to liver total mercury concentration. The pigment causing variation in liver color was identified as lipofuscin, which results from lipid peroxidation of membranous organelles. An analysis of covariance revealed lipofuscin accumulation was primarily associated with mercury exposure, and this association obscured any normal accumulation from aging. We also documented decreased lipid reserves in livers and poor condition factors of northern pike with high liver total mercury concentrations."

"Mercury toxicity in livers of northern pike (Esox lucius lucius) from Isle Royale, USA" HERE

And this:

"Eighteen stranded Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) examined postmortem were sampled for histologic study. All cases were examined for ferric ion and lipofuscin. Chemical analysis for mercury was conducted on 12 of the animals by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Nine animals were found to have excessive lipofuscin in both liver and kidney. The evidence suggests that the excessive pigment accumulation is related to toxic effects of Hg and presents as increased active liver disease. "Liver abnormalities associated with chronic mercury accumulation in stranded Atlantic bottlenose dolphins." HERE

and this convinced me as well:

"A male subject became exposed to metallic mercury vapor at work in 1973. He never returned to work again and died of lung cancer in 1990. Ultrastructurally mercury could be demonstrated by elemental x-ray analysis within lipofuscin deposits. The lipofuscin content was increased in the mercury positive nerve cells as demonstrated by a strong positive autofluorescence." "Demonstration of mercury in the human brain and other organs 17 years after metallic mercury exposure." HERE



At this point, I need to say that there is more but my point, I hope, is made that research in this area is deplorably LACKING and children are SUFFERING as a result. We have seen melanin is deficient in many children receiving an autism diagnosis as well as an increase in another type of pigment, strongly suggestive of mercury exposure in both instances. Genes do not even come close to explaining this. True research into environmental causes, especially mercury, needs to be done. Dan Olmsted and Mark Blaxill's book, "The Age of Autism: Mercury, Medicine, and a Manmade Epidemic," will do much to educate on this denied and disturbing issue. I'll leave you with one more study. This one I could not find anything other than the title. I did try contacting the authors but to no avail. It looks like it could have been a warning sign but again, no one noticed.



Med J Aust. 1972 Dec 30;2(27):1484-6.

Melanin in the ascending reticular activating system and its possible relationship to autism. Happy,R Collins,JK

PMID: 4655127 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]



Teresa Conrick is Contributing Editor for Age of Autism.




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The image of a Florida felon has gone viral on social media after the mans image was posted by the Escambia County Sheriffs Department.

In just a few days the image of Charles McDowell, who has an unusually large neck, attracted 30 million Facebook views and added 20,000 followers to the departments social media page.

Sheriff David Morgan said that while the attraction to the felons appearance may appear frivolous in nature, it actually could serve some good.

Further mugshots of McDowell.

"That increases our reach so we expect to get more tips and hopefully more captures as a result of this one particular post," Morgan told WKRG in an interview.

McDowell was booked into the Escambia County Jail Sunday and was granted a $57,000 bond on multiple drug possession charges and attempting to elude police.
Greg Griggers, the Alabama district attorney who was injured in an ambush-style shooting in Demopolis Thursday, says he will be back to work Monday morning.

Just to put some of the speculation and rumors to rest. Im good. Ill be back to work Monday, he said at a press conference late Friday afternoon. Ive got a few holes I didnt have before yesterday morning, but other than that Im good.

Griggers appeared to have a bloodshot left eye.

He thanked the two officers who were there with him at the time of the shooting. He also thanked the other first responders and doctors who rushed him to the hospital Thursday afternoon.

Thats a gratitude I wont ever be able to repay. It was a crazy day, Griggers said.

Griggers, serves as district attorney of Greene, Marengo and Sumter counties in Alabamas 17th Judicial Circuit.

Demopolis Police Chief Tommie Reese confirmed during a press conference Thursday afternoon that Griggers was shot, but would not say where on his body. He was rushed to the hospital and released later Thursday.

Alabama State Bureau of Investigation Capt. Jason Roberts said no further updates on the investigation are available at this time.

We are not ready to update any further at this point. Please pray for Griggers family and pray for the Smith family as well, Roberts said during the press conference. If you have any info about the incident or if you have any insight into Mr. Smiths mindset, please contact ALEA/SBI tip line.

Submit tips to SBI by calling 1-800-392-8011 or submit a tip online here.
An Enterprise man charged with the murder of two people that were killed more than 10 years ago was denied bond during a hearing Tuesday.

Robert Aaron Hvarven, 41, was charged in October with the capital murders of James Matthew Helms, 30, and Scott Allen Heib, 20, who were both killed in 2007. Both men were fatally shot at their home and were later discovered after not showing up for work at the Bell Helicopter company in Ozark. The men were roommates.

Investigators believe that Hvarven was obsessed with an affair that Helms was having, according to court documents.

Hvarven had been a suspect since 2008 but Coffee County District Attorney Tom Anderson said that probably cause could not be found.

The investigation gained momentum in 2014 with the discovery of new evidence, but an arrest was still not warranted at the time, Anderson said. In October of 2017, Enterprise was joined by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Cold Case Unit and the investigation began to move forward. After almost a year of hard work and determination, the investigators were able to develop new information and leads that led to a Coffee County Grand Jury issuing the capital murder indictment.
At least three people died in a fiery crash on Interstate 20 East near Pell City Friday night, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Three people have been pronounced dead and others were injured in the crash, said Cpl. Steve Smith. Smith did not say how many others were taken to the hospital for treatment.

The victims of the crash have not been identified.

The crash happened just after 7 p.m. near the 158 mile marker, officials said.

St. Clair County- State Troopers are working a multi vehicle, fatality crash on I-20 EB at the 158 mile marker. The east bound lanes are shut down at this time and traffic is being re routed around the crash site. Expect delays and seak an alternate route if possible.  Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (@ALEAprotects) November 17, 2018

Witnesses told AL.com they saw one vehicle catch fire immediately after the crash. However, troopers have not said what caused the crash.

Drivers should seek alternate routes. Traffic is being diverted at the 156 mile marker. Expect delays.

AL.com journalist Laura Goldman contributed to this story.
A Hoover man is behind bars after authorities said he was caught selling cannabidiol-infused birthday cake mix and pet treats, among other things, at his northern Shelby County store.

Harry Marion Autry, a 38-year-old Hoover man, was taken into custody Thursday by the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force. Authorities said he is the owner of The CBD Store, which is part of a chain of stores that reportedly sell edibles, creams, lotions, pills, water-soluble hemp oil and pet products.

The products are CBD-based, which is a chemical derived from the cannabis plant. The products are not supposed to contain the psychoactive component THC.

Task force commander Capt. Clay Hammac said investigators carried out a search and seizure warrant at the Inverness store on U.S. 280. The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences confirmed that products confiscated during the raid contained controlled substances.

As investigators seized the inventory from within the store, Hammac said, multiple field tests were conducted on site, all of which returned positive test results for the presence of controlled substances.

According to arrest affidavits in the cases against Autry, authorities seized 71,120 grams of cannabidiol-infused products including: 120 grams of CBD-infused birthday cake mix; 86.5 grams of CBD vape oil and 54 grams of CBD K9 treats.

Autry is charged with three counts of distribution of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance. He remains in the Shelby County Jail on bonds totaling $35,000.
Authorities are searching for an Auburn man who has been missing for more than a week.

Auburn police said Bruce Crandall Eckert Jr., 26, has not been seen or heard from since Nov. 8. On that day he spoke on the phone with a close family member who lives in Mountain Brook.

It is believed that Eckert left the area on his own accord; there is no indication of foul play at this point in the investigation.

He is described as a white male, 6-feet, 2-inches tall and weighing 220 pounds. He has brown eyes and brown hair, with a full mustache and beard.

Anyone with information on Eckerts whereabouts is asked to call the Auburn Police Department Detective Section at 334-501-3140, the anonymous tip line at 334-246-1391, or the 24-hour non-emergency number at 334-501-3100.
A group of elders, frustrated with state response, protect forest from looting against backdrop of rising deforestation.

Rovieng, Cambodia  At the edge of a forest on the northern plains of Cambodia, an indigenous community is building its own security system.

It comprises a small outpost made of timber confiscated from illegal loggers at the main access point looters use as they look to rob the forest of its riches.

For the communitys self-appointed forest patrol, it is a key line of defence when most indigenous people have been reduced to bystanders as their ancestral forests are felled.

We cant depend on the law, its too slow, says Ruos Lim, the 67-year-old patrol leader.

A group of mostly tribal elders, they see themselves as vigilantes, tasked with defending the forests that provide them with food and income.

Day and night, we will lead our children and grandchildren to protect our livelihoods from all intruders, says Lim, who believes that if the forests are destroyed, next goes the community, its traditions, its language, and potentially an entire way of life.

Banking on the forests

The forest has wild fruit, timber and honey.

This place is a special kind of bank, says Lim. We invest by nurturing the forest, and there is always plenty to take out.

He has lived his entire life in the tiny village of Bang Khanphal, which backs the Chom Penh forest, part of the 242,500-hectare Beng Per Wildlife Sanctuary.

Chom Penh has provided the village with building materials, food and higher-value products like honey and resin for trading.

Deforestation in the Beng Per Wildlife Sanctuary from 2000 to 2017, using data from Hansen, UMD, Google, USGS and NASA [Licadho]

For Lims grandparents  members of the Koi indigenous minority, with populations through the north of Cambodia and across the border into Thailand  the forest was the communitys only source of wealth.

The trees, the streams, the mountains are our gifts to our children, Lim said late one night, swinging in an old hammock and puffing on wild tobacco rolled in a leaf. The forest is their inheritance and we must protect it from the thieves.

But as deforestation has increased, indigenous people are forced to venture further into Beng Per to find products of value, putting Chom Penh, at the heart of the sanctuary, increasingly under threat.

Satellite images show grids of rubber plantations eating away at the lush green Beng Per Sanctuary.

In 2013 alone, Beng Per lost 12.4 percent of its forest cover, according to satellite data by Licadho, a Cambodian rights group. It has lost at least 33 percent since 2000.

We are the only active patrollers here

For more than two decades indigenous communities have been fighting against a wave of investment from agribusinesses, foreign and local, that bought permission from the central government to clear, according to Licadho, more than half of Cambodias arable land, an area roughly the size of El Salvador.

This land is then leased to concessionaires, mostly well-connected tycoons, who use it to launder billions of dollars worth of luxury timber stolen from the surrounding forests. Once the wood makes it onto a concession, its as good as legal, its source untraceable.

National parks and wildlife sanctuaries, where logging is prohibited, became targets of those hired to cut down trees for concession owners.

And as the oldest and most valuable trees were picked off, reclassified as degraded forest, they were turned into plantations.

In Southeast Asias most corrupt country, according to Transparency International, poorly paid rangers have little incentive to confront logging cartels with the cash and connections to bend the law.

In remote areas, groups like the rangers tend to work for the highest bidder, says Marcus Hardtke, a German environmentalist who has been chronicling the illegal timber trade in Cambodia since 1996.

In these situations, the local communities are the final and only line of defence for forest and wildlife.

A Koi man digs for lizards and spiders to eat [Matt Blomberg/Al Jazeera]

In reality, we are the only active patrollers here, Lim says. The rangers only concern is who pays for their fuel.

Journalists and environmental watchdogs have published evidence tying unlawful deforestation to the highest levels of authority in Cambodia, including the prime ministers office.

In 2011, Try Pheap, an associate of Prime Minister Hun Sen with a 10,000-hectare rubber plantation in Beng Per, donated $100,000 to build a ranger station for the sanctuary.

Global Witness, a watchdog that was kicked out of Cambodia after releasing a damning expose of the timber industry, labelled Pheap a timber gangster destroying Cambodias last forests and robbing indigenous communities of their livelihoods.

A group of indigenous Koi people are given a lesson in forest sustainability after they were found cutting down trees on the edge of Chom Penh [Matt Blomberg/Al Jazeera]

In a 2015 report, Global Witness said: The very officials in Cambodia who should be stopping [illegal logging] are conspiring to ensure that contraband wood enjoys safe passage and is exported as seemingly legitimate lumber.

Despite evidence, Phnom Penh has rejected such reports.

Every so often, a new enforcement drive is launched, such as in 2016, when the prime minister ordered military police in helicopters to fire rockets on illegal loggers without mercy.

No rockets were fired, and, in recent months, with deforestation again on to the national agenda, the prime minister recycled his rockets and helicopters measure using almost identical language.

Lim plays with a crude rifle found at an illegal logging camp [Matt Blomberg/Al Jazeera]

Neth Pheaktra, a spokesman for the Environment Ministry says that the government supports community patrols and would act on any reports of illegal logging.

He says that clear-cutting protected forests was necessary to develop the country and create jobs and that an environmental effect assessment was conducted before each concession was handed over.

We found that [there would be] no impact on the sanctuary, he says.

The challenges in Beng Per started in the sanctuarys southeast, and as the destruction churns towards Chom Penh, Lim and his band of vigilantes are bracing for further looting.

And in the world of illegal logging, no one is safe.

About 200km east of Chom Penh, a military police officer, a government ranger and a conservation worker were murdered earlier this year after confiscating chainsaws from loggers inside a protected area.

The suspects, Cambodian soldiers, are in prison awaiting trial.

Defending their riches

Lim and his men have turned their regular forest jaunts into rolling patrols.

Their mission is to stop Chom Penh from being pillaged, and they use a combination of education, scolding and threats.

On a clear day in August, two patrol teams left Bang Khanphal village before dawn, on foot and in opposite directions to look for intruders.

The main party departed hours later, on a ko yun  or mechanical cow  a long, flat trailer attached to a diesel engine on wheels.

They carried fuel, hammocks and four days worth of rations: 30kg of rice, 10 litres of rice wine, energy drinks and salt. Everything else would come from the forest.

Patrol members stand by a post they erected marking the boundary of the Chom Penh forest. [Matt Blomberg/Al Jazeera]

Aside from locals coming out of their earth-floor homes to stop the party and offer a winter melon or some spices for the trip, the planning and departure was carried out with military precision, and later that day, when the patrol hit the southern reaches of Chom Penh, Lims background bubbled forth.

This is the war zone, he said.

At the age of 21, Lim joined the Khmer Rouge, rising from lowly village spy to the head of a local security unit whose area encompassed parts of Chom Penh.

At 67, he claims that he never killed anybody in battle or lost control of his forest.

Today, his front line is marked by chainsaw-scarred trees and piles of freshly cut timber  the remnants of battles won and lost.

If we find thieves here today, Lim says, a patrol team of six in tow, it will make me very happy.

The pillagers the patrol eventually encountered, however, were mainly opportunists. Ninety percent of the thieves the patrol finds are Koi people whose community forests have been razed, driving them closer to Chom Penh in search of a quick buck.

Some days they find a single piece of wood, some days they find nothing, Lim explained later, as he rested in his hammock. They dont know how to find a job. Theyve lost their forests, their farms  its all been cleared. Thats why they come looking.

Having to scavenge for a livelihood is exactly the fate he is trying to keep from his people.

A patroller fashions a new handle for his scythe at a makeshift camp [Matt Blomberg/Al Jazeera]

One afternoon, after tracking the buzz of chainsaws to a makeshift loggers camp just outside Chom Penh, Lim called out, The rangers are here, the rangers are here. Come and face us.

Three young men caked in sweat and sawdust emerged and faced a group of grandfathers carrying pick axes and knives. They sat in the dirt as Lim stood over them and delivered an impassioned scolding.

Do you understand how important the forest is to your people, he said. Have you forgotten who you are?

The loggers said theyd heard rumours the forest would soon be cleared and replanted with rubber and decided that they may as well get a piece of the loot.

Its a trick to make you cut down your own forest, Lim said. You are listening to outsiders and they have made you crazy about money.

In about a dozen encounters with loggers on the patrols four-day trip, only one group tried to escape. The patrollers tracked them down later in their village and handed them over to the police.

The rest accepted their punishment, a vocal beatdown from a local elder they knew, feared and respected. One absorbed his lecture and then joined the patrol team.

The patrol team prepares to change direction after hearing the sound of a chainsaw in the distance [Matt Blomberg/Al Jazeera]

Reporting for this story was supported by the Earth Journalism Networks 2018 Asia-Pacific Story Grants.
Coding is empowering a new generation of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip and helping many find work.

Gaza  When Yasmin Helles was an English literature student at a Gaza college, she would spend most of her time online looking for information that could help her in academic life.

She always wondered who designed these websites, making all this information available.

She wanted to become that person.

Six months ago, the 24-year-old saw an advertisement by Gaza Sky Geeks (GSG), a rapidly growing business and tech incubator, calling for young graduates to enrol in the first coding school in the beleaguered Palestinian territory, which only recently saw yet another round of deadly Israeli air raids.

Helles took the unexpected step of quitting her job as an English teacher to spend more time pursuing her dream.

Now, she has joined the coding academy.

I said to myself Yes, that was what I wanted,' Helles told Al Jazeera in GSGs main room, a computer lab, taking a respite from typing lines of code.

I'm proud that I can now build a mobile app to serve a large slice of people who need it. Ibrahim Al-Sheik, 23-year-old computer engineering graduate

Employment beyond the siege

Yasmin left her job as an English teacher to join Gaza Sky Geeks [Fedaa al-Qedra/Al Jazeera]

Gaza is home to roughly 2 million people and experiences one of the highest unemployment rates in the world  more than 50 percent are without work.

The unemployment is a product of its isolation. Gaza has been under an Israeli blockade, assisted by Egypt under the governments of former President Hosni Mubarak and current leader Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, since 2007.

But Gazans are finding opportunities beyond the besieged strip. There is a rise in entrepreneurial start-ups and tech accelerators, providing residents of the strip with outside opportunities previously unavailable.

GSGs coding school was established in 2017 with funding from the likes of Google and London-based coding boot camp Founders & Coders. It aims to empower students to be full-stack developers, which means they will be able to handle software building for mobile, computer and web.

Graduates learn to deploy production-grade software online and secure high-quality jobs with companies or work as freelance developers.

To join the academy, one doesnt have to have a prior technical background; it requires full-time availability, English language skills at an intermediate level and the motivation to become a professional software developer. It teaches programming to anyone regardless of their specialisation and technical knowledge.

Gender parity, peer-led

The academy also values equality. Gender parity is required for those who enrol in its 16 seats, a rare thing in the conservative Gaza Strip.

Though Helles had no previous experience in coding, she challenged herself and qualified for enrolment, winning a seat out of the eight of reserved for females.

In comparison, a Reuters report from May showed that about one in three employees at Google, Facebook and Apple is a woman.

GSGs managers boast female participation in their programme is higher than in Silicon Valley, Helles said.

Helles expressed her pride in being one of the girls involved in the tech industry, which is largely a male-dominated, tiny field in Gaza.

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The curriculum is taught in peer-led, project-based groups of four students. They make up the teams which find problems and solve them in logical ways to finally design a website.

Students in the academy study the same curriculum taught in the Founder & Coders, a UK-based coding school.

Because the coding programme is part of an international organisation, foreign mentors and facilitators can obtain Israeli permits to regularly enter Gaza to follow the process of the curriculum.

Once they complete the programme, graduates are competent full-stack developers able to work in big teams, build complete prototypes in order to test their ideas, work with clients and manage the life cycle of a product, Helles explained.

Gazas already high unemployment is even worse among the youth, reaching 70 percent, according to recent numbers by the World Bank.

Ambitious and smart graduates like Helles who are fortunate enough to attend GSG see the coding boot camp as a sliver of hope that prevents them from joining the army of unemployed.

The academy follows graduates in the labour market, providing them with quarterly assessments and guidance on their work.

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GSG also tracks their progress in the market as a means of support, whether they are working in companies, ministries and banks or as freelancers who find work online.

Providing opportunities

In addition to the blockade, and the recent flare-up of violence, the Gaza Strip has suffered three Israeli wars that severely damaged its infrastructure. Israeli restrictions and intra-Palestinian fighting between Hamas and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority impede infrastructure rehabilitation.

Electricity is available for four hours a day, water is undrinkable and travel is severely limited.

These issues worsen Gazas dire economic situation. While general unemployment sits at 50 percent, the youth unemployment rate is roughly 70 percent, economist and media official from the Gaza Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Maher Tabaa, told Al Jazeera.

Demand for jobs is higher than supply, Tabaa continued, causing graduates to work at low wages despite their high qualifications.

There are about five tech and business incubators and accelerators in Gaza, but there is no estimate of the job opportunities they create.

These tech accelerators have helped Gaza find success in the field of software and information technology despite the scarcity of possibilities, Tabaa continued.

Passing knowledge

Ibrahim Al-Sheik, 23-year-old computer engineering graduate from Gazas Al-Azhar University, told Al Jazeera that writing code has proven to be the fastest way to find work in the besieged strip.

His time with GSG not only helped him find work, but also equipped him with a skillset to succeed.

It was a wonderful experience that had a positive impact on my personality, Sheik said of his participation in the programming camp.

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Through his time at the academy, he learned skills like self-confidence, self-reliance, teamwork, and good communication with clients, all while improving his English. The Academy has added a lot to me, Sheik said.

Sheik is using these skills for the benefit of others. He created a chat website to connect patients dealing with mental health issues with doctors who provide online consultations.

Im proud that I can now build a mobile app to serve a large slice of people who need it.

GSGs coding school is free, but enrolees are required to transfer what they learned to the students in the next cohort.

Sheik looks forward to passing the skills and knowledge he learned from the GSG programme.
Across the world, democracy is in retreat, but thats not the case in Southeast Asias two biggest Muslim countries.

In October, Latin Americas most populous nation, Brazil, elected as president Jair Bolsonaro, a former military man and historically fringe, far-right senator known for his pro-gun, pro-torture views. In 1999, he told Brazilian television, Elections wont change anything in this country. It will only change on the day that we break out in civil war here and do the job that the military regime didnt do: killing 30,000. If some innocent people die, thats fine. In every war, innocent people die.

Elsewhere in the world, Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Recep Erdogan, Viktor Orban and Rodrigo Duterte are some of the names that have dominated headlines as leaders who are spearheading the worlds reported march towards authoritarianism. In January, the Economist Intelligence Units Democracy Index for 2018 reported that electoral democracy was continuing its disturbing retreat the world over. The TIME magazine recently declared that a new archetype of leader has emerged. Were now in the strongman era.

If this is true of Brazil, the United States, China, Russia, Turkey and even the Philippines, it is not so in the Malay Archipelago.

In May, Malaysian politics was changed irrevocably with the election of its opposition for the first time in 60 years of independence. Accountability, openness and democratic progress appear to be finally within reach.

While many Western observers continue to argue that Islam is incompatible with democracy  Indonesia and Malaysia beg to differ. With the former already the strongest electoral democracy in Southeast Asia and the latter an unlikely late bloomer, the two countries are leading the charge for democratic politics in their immediate region, and perhaps the world.

Reformasi

As Malaysia went to the polls in May, Indonesia was celebrating 20 years of Reformasi  a word in both Malay and Indonesian which means reform, specifically of the democratic kind. Protests from a broad civil society coalition of students, Muslim groups and women in 1998 saw Indonesias outrageously corrupt dictator of more than three decades, Soeharto, step down.





It has since seen the unshackling of its media; the emergence of non-traditional political actors including trade unionists, rights activists and feminists as well as a forceful re-emergence of Islamists; and the establishment of a range of anti-corruption and human rights protection institutions.

Indonesias wildly popular if somewhat goofy President Joko Jokowi Widodo has been accused of authoritarian tendencies, particularly after the outlawing of the Hizbut Tahrir group, which campaigns for Indonesia to adopt Islamic law and become a caliphate, under a controversial presidential decree in July 2017.

But unlike most heads of state in the region, he is less about smearing the media and threatening NGOs than he is about shoring up support through building rural infrastructure and giving land rights to indigenous groups. He likes groovy jackets and giving away push bikes to kids.

Indonesias smaller, richer cousin Malaysia had lagged behind in its own Reformasi. But come May 2018, Prime Minister Najib Razak was turfed out by the electorate despite incessant gerrymandering and a rigged voting system. His demise came largely due to accusations he stole hundreds of millions of dollars from the sovereign fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad or 1MDB and the return to politics of now-PM Mahathir Mohamad.

When in power between 1981 and 2003, Mahathir was known for his intolerance of critics and has since admitted to serving as a dictator. Shortly after being elected in May, however, the 93-year-old took to Twitter to chastise authorities for arresting a man who had allegedly slandered him and Islam on Facebook. I dont agree with the action taken against those who criticise me, he said.

Rights concerns

Electoral democracy is not everything. Democracy is typically understood as requiring strong separation of powers and the protection of human rights. Like their Southeast Asian neighbours, both Indonesia and Malaysia have checkered human rights records. Law enforcement and the legal systems of both countries remain corrupt and inadequately independent.

The year 1965 saw the massacre of up to a million leftists in Indonesia  one of the worst mass killings of the 20th century for which the perpetrators are yet to face any consequences. Malaysia still organises its society along the lines of race and class, providing benefits to the Malay-Muslim majority in a system that elsewhere would be described as apartheid. In both countries, anti-LGBT sentiment has grown in recent years, sparked by growing Islamic conservatism and pushes for same-sex marriage and other LGBT equality struggles in the West.

Nevertheless, both states were the only in ASEAN to criticise Myanmar in a timely manner for the atrocities carried out against its Rohingya population, sending more than 700,000 people into neighbouring Bangladesh since August last year.





Indonesian civil society organisations routinely criticise the government on a range of rights issues and stage public protests. Rapid domestic change is also afoot in Malaysia. Last month, the government announced it would bring in a moratorium on the death penalty with the view of abolishing it. The government has also said it will remove a pink tax on menstrual products.

Most importantly, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is finally able to do its work unobstructed. Authorities have raided former prime minister Najib Razaks properties, seizing jewellery and luxury handbags worth millions of dollars. In September, he was arrested for alleged abuse of power, while his wife Rosmah Mansor was detained last month over money-laundering accusations.

While it faces ongoing political threats, Indonesias Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) remains one of the most important, independent institutions of the democratic era. Just this April, it took down the speaker of the house, Setya Novanto, jailed for 15 years for corruption, sending a strong message to the nations political class.

Despite Samuel Huntington famously proclaiming in 1993 that Islam has bloody borders, neither Malaysia nor Indonesia has fought a full-scale, international war since the Bornean Confrontation of the 1960s, in which Indonesia fought against colonial powers to oppose the formation of Malaysia. Neighbouring Australia, meanwhile, which then sent troops to repel the Indonesians, has fought in the Vietnam, Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and has joined the coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Middle East.

Indonesias leadership within ASEAN has ensured decades of peace. None of the member states has fought each other since the 1980s. Former diplomat and dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School in Singapore, Kishore Mahbubani, has even argued that the bloc deserves a Nobel Peace Prize.

The democrats in ASEAN are Muslim

Conservative pundits in the West have long argued that Islam is incompatible with democracy. But since 2004, Indonesia has held competitive elections deemed free and fair by international observers.

If the 1990s was a decade of reform and political transformation in Southeast Asia, then the first two decades of the twenty-first century have seen disappointing dividends, concluded former editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review, Michael Vatikiotis, in his 2017 book Blood and Silk. Across the Mekong region, most ASEAN states have increasingly adopted the Peoples Republic of Chinas mode of autocratic capitalist development.

A different story, however, is playing out in the Malay part of archipelagic Southeast Asia. Having campaigned on the issue, Malaysias new government has cancelled several projects it deemed threatening to state sovereignty, while the Indonesian opposition has vowed to review Chinas Belt and Road project if elected in the 2019 presidential elections. Both countries are careful to maintain good relations with the West and India, as well as their trading partners in the Middle East.

Much of the world may be having its doubts about democracy. Even in the Asia Pacifics veteran democracy Australia, a recent poll showed that a third of the population favoured an authoritarian or strongman type leader. But in the Muslim Malay world, it looks like democracy is here to stay.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Navy lost contact with ARA San Juans 44 crew following an explosion on board in November 2017.

The wreckage of an Argentine navy submarine that exploded and disappeared one year ago was located in the Atlantic Ocean on Friday, said the navy, crushing the last hopes for relatives of the 44 crew.

There has been positive identification of the ARA San Juan, at a depth of 800 metres, a statement on Twitter from the navy said.

The Seabed Constructor, a vessel owned by US search firm Ocean Infinity, which set out in September on the latest attempt to find the San Juan, made the discovery.





The navy lost contact with the submarine on November 15, 2017, about 450km from the Argentine coast. It was on its way back to base from Ushuaia at the southern tip of Argentina.

I still had hopes that they could be alive, Luis Niz, the father of one of the missing sailors, told reporters, even though the government of President Mauricio Macri had earlier declared that there were no survivors from the San Juan.

We are with the other relatives. They are going to show us the photos. They say that our youngsters are inside, said Yolanda Mendiola, the mother of crewman Leandro Cisneros, 28.

We are all destroyed here.

The navy has been fiercely criticised for its handling of the operation since first reporting the submarine overdue at Mar del Plata on November 16, 2017.

It was only several days into the tragedy that navy officials acknowledged the old, German-built submarine had reported a problem with its batteries in its final communication of November 15.

Nearly 10 days later, the navy confirmed there had been an explosion on board, which experts said was likely linked to the battery problem.

Relatives of crew members have demanded that the sub be quickly retrieved [Telam via AFP]

Several senior officers were dismissed, including navy chief Marcelo Srur.

Finders fee

An air and sea search involved units from 13 countries but the majority withdrew before the end of 2017.

The Seabed Constructor is equipped with cameras that can be submerged to a depth of 6,000m. It was to receive a reward of $7.5m if it found the missing sub.

Before it departed for its mission, Luis Tagliapietra, whose son Alejandro was a lieutenant on the San Juan, described it as the last opportunity to find them.

Ocean Infinity was also assigned the task of searching for the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 which vanished without trace in March 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the San Juans disappearance. The judge heading the case has so far heard testimony from 70 people but says she is no closer to knowing what happened.

Families of the missing crew had kept up pressure on the government not to give up on the search.

Several grieving mothers of the missing have turned up every morning in protest at the submarines home base in Mar del Plata.

The submarine disappeared on the edge of the Argentine shelf where depths plummet from 200m to more than 3,000m.

Experts say the sub would have been crushed by water pressure once it dropped below about 600 metres.
Thousands of internally displaced people flee site in Alindao, in latest violent incident in Central African Republic.

More than 40 people have been killed and dozens wounded in Central African Republic (CAR), in an attack on a Catholic mission sheltering 20,000 refugees, according to a regional legislator.

The violence in the town of Alindao, some 300km east of the capital, Bangui, began on Thursday when Christian militiamen known as Anti-balaka killed Muslims, prompting revenge attacks.

A church was burned, forcing thousands of people to flee, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the CAR (MINUSCA) said.

We have counted 42 bodies so far, but we are still searching for others. The camp has been burned to the ground and people fled into the bush and to other IDP (internally displaced person) camps in the city, Etienne Godenaha, Alindao legislator, told the Reuters news agency on Saturday.

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A humanitarian source also said that more than 40 people were killed, according to Reuters. The UN on Friday said 37 deaths had been confirmed in Alindao, including that of a priest.

On Saturday, the Catholic Church said that the remains of a second priest were recovered in Alindao.

We found his charred body, Father Mathieu Bondobo, the vicar-general of the main cathedral in Bangui, told the AFP news agency.

The violence came just weeks about 10,000 people ran to a hospital in Batangafo, some 400km north of Bangui, after armed groups looted and burned thousands of homes, three camps hosting 27,000 displaced and a market in the city.

In a statement on Saturday, MINUSCA condemned the latest violence that resulted in the loss of life, mass displacement of internally displaced people and the destruction of property.

It also said it had implemented security measures to protect civilians who sought refuge near the missions military outposts.

Over 642,000 people are internally displaced in #CARcrisis

Persistent violence results in recurring displacements #NotATarget

Over 27,000 IDPs in Batangafo town have been brought to their knees after a site was burned #SaveLives

@rochdi_najat listens to their plight pic.twitter.com/STZE4SOX4B  OCHA CAR (@OCHA_CAR) November 16, 2018

One of the worlds poorest nations despite a rich supply of diamonds and uranium, the CAR has struggled to recover from a 2013 civil war that erupted when President Francois Bozize, a Christian, was overthrown by mainly Muslim Seleka rebels.

In response, Christians, who account for about 80 percent of the population, organised vigilante units dubbed Anti-balaka.

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The conflict has killed thousands of people and caused the displacement of a fifth of the countrys 4.5 million population. More than 642,000 have been internally displaced, according to the UN.

Despite electing a new leader  President Faustin-Archange Touadera  in 2016, the country has continued to face political instability and tit-for-tat inter-communal violence.

The Norwegian Refugee Council said last year that the conflict in the CAR topped its list of the worlds most neglected displacement crises.

The UN has about 12,500 personnel deployed in the CAR as part of its MINUSCA mission, one of the world bodys largest peacekeeping forces.

The UN Security Council voted on Thursday to temporarily renew the mandate of the mission until December, amid heated debates about its ability to stem the unrest.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday again hit out at the International Criminal Court, asserting that he would not submit himself for trial in The International Criminal Court because some of its judges are idiots. Duterte spoke before the Filipino community in Papua New Guinea on Friday. Duterte does not recognize the ICC, saying that it is an EU creation, and that it is not the International Court of Justice. He claimed that some of its judges are probably pedophiles and drunkards. So why would I allow myself to be tried by a few idiots? He also renewed his threat to slap one of ICC prosecutors who is in Manila.The ICC wants to begin soon its investigation into alleged human rights violations of the Duterte administration that led to the thousands of deaths linked to his war on illegal drugs. Recently, a lawyer sued Duterte before the ICC for allegedly committing crimes against humanity, also stemming from the rising number of deaths related to his war on drugs.
Once nicknamed Rambo, Alfred Yekatom is accused of leading 3,000 Anti-balaka fighters blamed for 2013-2014 atrocities.

Alfred Yekatom, a war crimes suspect wanted for alleged atrocities against Muslims in the Central African Republic (CAR), has been extradited to The Hague to stand trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The announcement by the tribunal on Saturday came days after issuing a warrant against Yekatom  a sitting member of parliament once nicknamed Rambo  for his alleged criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity

The ICC launched an investigation in September 2014 into crimes committed in the resource-rich but poor country since 2012.

A former army officer, Yekatom is an ex-militia leader within the so-called Anti-balaka movement, which was carrying out a systematic attack against the Muslim population.

The Netherlands-based court alleges that Yekatom commanded some 3,000 Christian Anti-balaka fighters responsible for atrocities committed in the CAR between December 2013 and August 2014.

In 2015, he became the target of US sanctions for suspected attacks against Muslims, civilian deaths and for using 153 child fighters.

Yekatom was elected to parliament in 2016. He was arrested in October for opening fire inside the legislature while its new president was being elected.

Ongoing violence

Commenting on the extradition, Pierre Brunisso, from the International Federation of Human Rights watchdog, called it a strong message to the leaders of armed groups.

Those who think they can claim an amnesty at the negotiating table are mistaken.

The International Federation for Human Rights also welcomed Yekatoms transfer to ICC custody.

The move confirms the authorities commitment to cooperate with the ICC when they are unable to pursue those most responsible for war crimes, Drissa Traore, a vice president of the federation, said.

But in continuing unrest, a Tanzanian peacekeeper died late on Friday after an attack on a United Nations base and a priest was found burned to death following violence earlier this week in Alindao town that killed dozens of people and forced thousands of others to flee.

The CAR has struggled to recover from a 2013 civil war that erupted when President Francois Bozize, a Christian, was overthrown by mainly Muslim Seleka rebels.

In response, Christians, who account for about 80 percent of the population, organised vigilante units dubbed Anti-balaka.

The conflict has killed thousands of people and caused the displacement of a fifth of the countrys 4.5 million population. More than 642,000 have been internally displaced, according to the UN.

The world body has about 12,500 personnel deployed in the CAR as part of its MINUSCA mission, one of its biggest peacekeeping forces.
Chinas President Xi slams protectionism, as US VP Pence says Washington could double tariffs on Chinese goods.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has warned that economic protectionism is overshadowing global growth and urged countries to pursue free trade policies.

One who chooses to close his door will only cut himself off from the rest of the world and lose his direction, Xi told a summit of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) chief executives on Saturday.

Xi urged the world to say no to protectionism and unilateralism, warning it was a short-sighted approach that was doomed to failure.

Speaking after Xi, US Vice President Mike Pence told the summit that Washington will not change its approach until Beijing changes its own trade policies.

He also warned that the US could double the tariffs already imposed on Chinese goods.

We have taken decisive action to address our imbalance with China, he said. We put tariffs on $250bn in Chinese goods, and we could more than double that number.

The US will not change course until China changes its ways.

The two countries have been involved in an escalating trade war this year, imposing tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods, and have said that the tariffs could be increased.

Experts have warned that the tit-for-tat trade war could seriously harm the global economy.

Pence slammed terms of Chinas international loans as opaque at best [Fazry Ismail/AP Photo]

The APEC summit in Papua New Guinea of leaders from 21 countries across the region has developed into a tussle for influence between an increasingly assertive China and a more withdrawn US.

Saturdays summit of CEOs is the precursor to the official leaders meeting, which will take place on Sunday.

Xi criticised America First trade protectionism and stressed that global trade rules should not be applied with double standards or selfish agendas.

In a rebuke to China, Pence met with the representative from Taiwan, a self-governing island which China considers to be part of its own territory.

He also announced the US would join with Australia in the development of a new naval base.

Pence also mocked Chinas Belt-and-Road initiative, under which China offers loans to poorer countries in the region to improve infrastructure.

He said the terms of Chinas loans were opaque at best and too often, they come with strings attached and lead to staggering debt.

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Do not accept foreign debt that could compromise your sovereignty, he said.

We dont drown our partners in a sea of debt We dont coerce, corrupt, or compromise your independence. The United States deals openly and fairly.

In his own address, Xi defended the policy, saying there was no hidden political agendanor is it a trap as some people have labelled it.

He also warned that no one would gain from the tensions between Beijing and Washington.

History has shown that confrontation  whether in the form of a cold war, hot war or trade war  will produce no winners, he said.

Pence also said that The US wanted a better relationship with China, if it respects its neighbours sovereignty, embraced free, fair and reciprocal trade and its human rights record.

Reporting from the Papua New Guinean capital Port Moresby, Al Jazeeras Andrew Thomas said the Saturday speeches set a competitive rather than a cooperative tone for the summit.

[Pence and Xi] represent the two biggest economies that are part of the APEC group, he said. Mike Pence used his speech to take a lot of digs at China, particularly the way that China goes around making loans President Xi was all about [US President] Donald Trumps tariffs. Trump might not be here but his policies are certainly being talked about.

Thomas added that the fringe events at the summit provided more insight into the wider geopolitical aims of the participants, with China looking to boost support for its position on Taiwan.

It is the bilateral meetings, the sideline meetings that perhaps tell us more about whats going on here, Thomas said. President Xi on Friday night hosted a reception for Pacific island leaders, particularly those he invests heavily in, in terms of aid and investment projects, but also, interestingly, only those Pacific island countries that recognise China and not Taiwan.

Meanwhile, across town, Taiwan hosted its own event for the smaller number of countries that recognise it.

So, just [as] with aid and investment, food and drinks receptions come with strings attached. If you want them from Chinas President then you better recognise China and not TaiwanIts that geopolitical context thats on show here, as much as its about the official talks.

Trump is set to meet Xi at the G20 summit in Argentina next month.
The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, US media reported on Friday, a finding that contradicts Saudi government assertions that he was not involved.

According to the Washington Post, who first reported the CIA conclusion, US officials expressed high confidence in the CIA assessment, which is the most definitive to date linking MBS to the killing and complicates President Donald Trumps efforts to preserve ties with one of the closest US allies in the region.

Both the Washington Post and the Associated Press cited unnamed officials familiar with the CIA conclusion.

The accuracy of the reports could not be immediately verified.

US Vice President Mike Pence, on a visit to Papua New Guinea, told reporters travelling with him that he could not comment on classified information.

The murder of Jamal Khashoggi was an atrocity. It was also an affront to a free and independent press and the United States is determined to hold all of those accountable who are responsible for that murder, he said.

We are going to follow the facts, the vice president said, also adding that the US wanted to find a way of preserving a strong and historic partnership with Saudi Arabia.

The State Department and the CIA declined to comment.

Khashoggi, a contributing columnist for the Washington Post, was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 when he went there to pick up documents he needed for his planned marriage.

A critic of the Saudi government, Khashoggi had resisted pressure from Riyadh for him to return home.

Saudi Arabia initially rejected its officials were behind the killing, but as Turkish authorities continued to leak evidence of high-level involvement, Riyadh eventually admitted its agents carried out the killing with a series of contradictory explanations.

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Turkish officials have said the killing was intentional and have been pressuring Saudi Arabia to extradite those responsible to stand trial. An adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday accused Saudi Arabia of trying to cover up the murder.

His remarks came after Shaalan al-Shaalan, Saudi Arabias deputy public prosecutor, said he was seeking the death penalty for five suspects charged in Khashoggis killing. Al-Shaalan told reporters the Saudi crown prince knew nothing of the operation, in which Khashoggis body was dismembered and removed from the consulate.

Assurances given to Khashoggi

In Fridays report, the Washington Post, citing people familiar with the matter, said the CIA reached its conclusions after examining multiple sources of intelligence, including a phone call that the princes brother, Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the US, had with Khashoggi.

Khalid told Khashoggi he should go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents and gave him assurances that it would be safe to do so, the Post said.

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The newspaper, citing individuals familiar with the call, said it was not clear if Khalid knew Khashoggi would be killed but that he made the call at his brothers direction.

Ambassador Khalid bin Salman said in a Twitter post on Friday the last contact he had with Khashoggi was via text on October 26, 2017, nearly a year before the journalists death.

I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the US government to release any information regarding this claim, he tweeted.

The ambassador posted a second tweet, which he said included the embassys full response to the Washington Post report.

Unfortunately the @washingtonpost did not print our full response. This is a serious accusation and should not be left to anonymous sources. Our full response was the following: pic.twitter.com/vo1JcNAswx  Khalid bin Salman    (@kbsalsaud) November 17, 2018

In it, an embassy spokesperson said the claims in this purported assessment are false.

We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations, the spokesperson added.

Overwhelming assessments

Glenn Carle, former CIA deputy national intelligence officer for transnational threats

The CIA would have been certain in its conclusion of bin Salmans involvement before it was leaked to the media.

There are two parts to how the CIA would have made its assessment:

First, it would have asked What happened? Who did this? Whos responsible? It would have then canvassed all of its sources  human sources, technical sources, open sources, and each report would have been assessed for reliability. They would have then said, for example, The source has been repeatedly substantiated and corroborated.

Then, you will have the same assessment made for each report, whether its telephone intercept or not. Then, those reports will be brought together with the assessment report to say they concord, that there is no dissonance.

Second, they would assess the next part: What is the likely consequence of this? That gets into tealeaf or crystal ball reading, and that is based on the experts understanding of how power is wielded in Saudi Arabia.

In this instance, the report is overwhelmingly, uniformly from what one can sense, in agreement that MBS was responsible. Until it had overwhelming assessments by multiple sources, the agency would have not reached that conclusion.

The reports on the CIA assessment come a day after the US sanctioned 17 Saudi nationals allegedly involved in Khashoggis murder, including bin Salmans top aide, Saud al-Qahtani.

Many US politicians welcomed the sanctions, but said they did not go far enough and that MBS should be included.

Separately on Thursday, a bipartisan group of US senators introduced legislation seeking to punish Saudi Arabia over Khashoggis killing and for the kingdoms role in the devastating war in Yemen.

Thunderbolt

Al Jazeeras Andrew Simmons, reporting from Istanbul, said the consequences of the reports on the CIA assessment is adding to the pressure on US President Donald Trump to take action.

Were waiting to see what he will do after his stated reluctance to hold Saudis leadership responsible for the killing. Congress is putting pressure on him now. The CIA is evidently briefing people, possibly against Trumps wishes, Simmons said.

So, what is next? There may be an international investigation, or a joint US-Turkey investigation. However, the bottom line is; this case has escalated so dramatically now. The news about the CIA assessment is a thunderbolt, seemingly confirming the suspicions of so many people, he added.

Speaking to Al Jazeera from Singapore, Evan Resnick of the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies said the reports of the CIA assessment are highly credible.

This basically reconfirms what most of us already suspected, that the plot of the assassination goes right to the top of the Saudi regime and the crown prince, Resnick said.

It is explosive but the question is; how credible will the president of the United States see this evidence? It is an open question as to how seriously he will take this intelligence, even as most of us take it quite seriously. Clearly, he has many reasons to want to whitewash this case, the foremost being his policy to contain Iran, for which Saudi Arabia is acting as his lynchpin, Resnick added.
UN envoy says representatives from the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels will attend negotiations in Sweden.

The UN envoy for Yemen has said the countrys warring parties have agreed to attend negotiations in Sweden aimed at ending more than three years of brutal war.

Martin Griffiths told the UN Security Council on Friday that the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels had shown a renewed commitment to work on a political solution to end a war that has driven millions to the brink of famine.

I have received firm assurances from the leadership of the Yemeni parties  the government of Yemen, of course, first, and the Houthis  that they are committed to attending these consultations, he said.

I expect them to appear for those consultations and indeed, so do the Yemeni people, who are desperate for a political solution to a war in which they are the main victims.

Griffiths said he planned to travel to the rebel-held capital Sanaa next week to finalise arrangements and even offered to travel with the Houthi delegation to Sweden if thats what is needed.

No date for the talks was announced.

One little child - I remember his little feet were sticking out of the blanket, and it was kind of cute, and I went and tickled the little feet thinking I'd get a little smile, and it was like tickling a ghost. Nothing there. David Beasley, head of the UN World Food Programme

The new round of peace talks to end the war, which has killed more than 56,000 people according to a recent estimate, was initially scheduled to take place in November but had been pushed back to late December.

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Griffiths said the Saudi-UAE military alliance had agreed to logistical arrangements to pave the way for talks including medical evacuations out of Sanaa.

He added that he was close to reaching a deal on an exchange of prisoners and detainees, in a further confidence-building measure in advance of planned talks.

This is a crucial moment for Yemen, he said, warning that a flare-up of fighting on the ground could derail the peace effort.

We are tired of the blood and the killing

A number of countries have recently called for a cessation of hostilities between the Saudi-UAE military alliance and Houthi rebels, among them the US, Britain and France.

On Monday, the UK is expected to present a draft resolution to the Security Council to address the conflict, Ambassador Karen Pierce said.

The UK and the US have sold more than $12bn-worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia since Riyadh intervened in the war in 2015.

Earlier this week, pro-government forces suspended an offensive on the rebel-held port of Hodeidah, a major entry point for humanitarian aid and vital goods to Yemen.

The UN envoy said he would also travel to Hodeidah next week to discuss plans for the UN to take over control of the port and oversee the arrival of aid deliveries and supplies.

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This would address concerns from the Saudi-UAE alliance that weapons were being smuggled into Yemen for the Houthis through the port.

In the capital Sanaa, Yemenis pleaded with the international community to help broker a settlement.

We are tired of the war, the blood and the killing, Hassan Abdel Kareem, a father of seven, told the AFP news agency.

Weve had enough. It is time to start rebuilding Yemen, and Yemen will need every person in it to be rebuilt.

Back from a recent visit to Yemen, the head of the UN World Food Programme warned that the country faced a full-blown famine in around six months.

What I have seen in Yemen this week is the stuff of nightmares, of horror, of deprivation, of misery, David Beasley told the council. Children are already dying.

Eight million people are affected by severe food shortages, according to UN officials, who warn that up to 14 million  or half of Yemens population  are at risk of famine.

One little child, I remember his little feet were sticking out of the blanket, and it was kind of cute, and I went and tickled the little feet thinking Id get a little smile, and it was like tickling a ghost. Nothing there, he added.

Years of war

The conflict in Yemen, the Arab worlds poorest country, began when the Yemeni government slashed fuel subsidies in the summer of 2014, prompting massive protests in Sanaa.

The Houthis seized the opportunity and marched south from their stronghold of Saada province to the capital, where they toppled Hadis government.

Concerned by the rise of the Houthis, a Saudi-led military coalition, backed by the United States, intervened in 2015 with a massive air campaign aimed at reinstalling Hadis government.

Since then, data collected by Al Jazeera and the Yemen Data Project has found that more than 18,000 air raids have been carried out in Yemen, with almost one-third of all bombing missions striking non-military sites.

Weddings, funerals, schools and hospitals, as well as water and electricity plants, have been hit, killing and wounding thousands.
Tens of thousands of people blocked roads across France during yellow vest rallies against the rising price of fuel.

Tens of thousands of people across France have protested against high fuel prices, in mass rallies that turned violent when clashes erupted in parts of the country and a protester was accidentally run over and killed by a car.

An estimated 240,000 people gathered on Saturday at 2,000 locations, blocking roundabouts and motorway exits as part of what has been dubbed the yellow vests protest.

The movement, named for the high-visibility jackets worn by protesters, erupted on social media last month with calls for mass blockades of roads and highways.

Protesters blame a 20-percent rise in diesel prices in the last year on the so-called green taxes under President Emmanuel Macron.

At Pont-de-Beauvoisin, in southeast France, a woman trying to get her daughter to the doctor panicked when protesters surrounded her car and started banging on the roof. She accidentally struck and killed a woman in her 60s, the interior ministry said.

In Paris, protesters holding Macron resign! signs and singing the national anthem partially blocked the Champs Elysees in the heart of the French capital.

A group of protesters blocking a motorway in Antibes [Eric Gaillard/Reuters]

Al Jazeeras Neave Barker, reporting from Paris, said violent clashes broke out between the police and protesters, during which the security forces used tear gas.

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About 227 people were injured  seven seriously  and 117 detained, with 73 then taken into police custody.

Among those injured was a police officer in the southern town of Grasse.

The protesters were united in two things: the first was the symbol of their protest, the yellow vest they were wearing, and the second was that they were angry and frustrated at the president in the hike of petrol and diesel, Barker said.

He added that the protesters were demanding that big businesses and industries should be the ones to bear the burden of the green taxes imposed by the government, and not ordinary drivers.

Waning popularity

Anger over the high fuel prices has resulted in Macrons popularity taking a hit over the recent months  from 39 percent in July to 21 percent in October.

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According to an opinion poll last week, 73 percent of respondents backed the yellow vests movement, a much higher figure than in other protests since Macron was elected on a reformist platform last year.

Protesters say he is neglecting the lower and middle classes, pointing to tax cuts he has pushed through for high earners and companies.

Last week, the French government announced a series of measures to try and quell the anger over fuel prices, including energy subsidies and higher bonuses towards cleaner vehicles.

In a TV interview this week, Macron admitted he had not succeeded in reconciling the French with their leaders and that we have probably not given them enough consideration.
Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams has vowed to sue the United States state of Georgia for gross mismanagement of the gubernatorial election after withdrawing from the race.

Abrams, who aimed to become the countrys first black woman governor, on Friday acknowledged at a news conference that she had lost an election to Republican Brian Kemp, accusing him of voter suppression.

Let be clear, this is not a speech of concession because concession means to acknowledge an action is right true or proper  I cannot concede that, she said.

Following Fridays appearance, Abrams tweeted she would be suing Georgia for the gross mismanagement of this election and to protect future elections from unconstitutional actions.

In the coming days, we will be filing a major federal lawsuit against the state of Georgia for the gross mismanagement of this election and to protect future elections from unconstitutional actions. #gapol  Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) November 17, 2018

Abrams, a 44-year-old Yale-educated lawyer, has been a Democrat in the Georgia legislature for about 10 years, serving as minority leader from 2011 to 2017 in the traditionally Republican southern state.

Unofficial returns showed Kemp, the 55-year-old businessman who oversaw the election as Georgias secretary of state, ahead by about 60,000 votes out of nearly four million cast on November 6.

Kemp had been secretary of state since 2010 [Chris Aluka Berry/Reuters]

Kemp declared himself governor-elect the next day and stepped down as Georgias secretary of state, though thousands of absentee and provisional ballots remained uncounted.

Kemp issued a statement late on Friday noting the election was over and hard-working Georgians are ready to move forward.

We can no longer dwell on the divisive politics of the past but must focus on Georgias bright and promising future, he said.

The election is over and hardworking Georgians are ready to move forward. We can no longer dwell on the divisive politics of the past but must focus on Georgias bright and promising future. #gapol (1 of 3)  Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) November 16, 2018

The race grabbed the attention of the nation, with Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey campaigning for Abrams in the final days and President Donald Trump holding a rally for Kemp.

Trump praised the Democrat in lauding Kemps victory, tweeting: Congratulations to Brian Kemp on becoming the new Governor of Georgia. Stacey Abrams fought brilliantly and hard  she will have a terrific political future! Brian was unrelenting and will become a great Governor for the truly Wonderful People of Georgia!

Kemps victory is an important marker for Republicans ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Kemps narrow margin already suggests that Georgia, a state Trump won by five percentage points in 2016, could be a genuine battleground in two years.
Andry Rajoelina and Marc Ravalomanana expected to contest December 19 second round of voting.

Two former presidents of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina and Marc Ravalomanana, have topped polls in the countrys latest election, results have shown, and are set to compete in a runoff next month.

Neither won the 50 percent of votes required for a first-round victory, with Rajoelina at 39.19 percent and Ravalomanana at 35.29 percent, according to final results from the countrys CENI election commission released on Saturday.

The runoff was scheduled for December 19.

Hery Rajaonarimampianina, who was running to hold onto power, secured only 8.84 percent of the vote, the commission said, before adding that the turnout at last weeks election was 54.3 percent.

All three candidates, of a total 36, have alleged fraud and malpractice by election authorities, and the result will be subject to fierce legal appeals.

Regional and international observers reported very minor anomalies during the voting process.

We have adopted three rules of conduct: transparency, impartiality and independence, CENI President Hery Rakotomanana said as the final results were announced on the Indian Ocean island.

We have not accepted any orders from anyone in this election  no favours have been given to anyone.

Both leading candidates hope to claim a first-round victory through the courts.

Ravalomananas campaign welcomed the final results, but Hanitra Razafimanantso, an official from his TIM party, said it would make use of the right of appeal to the Constitutional Court in view of election irregularities.





Rajoelinas campaign team was not present when the results were announced, and has already filed an application to the Constitutional Court over alleged fraud in the vote counting.

The court will proclaim the official results after reviewing candidates complaints.

Madagascar is one of the worlds poorest countries, according to World Bank data, with almost four in five people living in grinding poverty.

But the frontrunners spent huge sums during the first round on flashy campaign rallies, helicopters and giveaways such as free T-shirts for supporters.

Past political violence

A European Union observer mission said Monday that it had noted candidates committed breaches ahead of the November 7 poll.

Both Ravalomanana and Rajoelina were banned from running in the last election in 2013 under international pressure to avoid a repeat of the deadly political violence that engulfed the island in 2009.

Ravalomanana, 68, and Rajoelina, 44, are bitter rivals. It is the first time they have faced each other at the ballot box.

Over half of eligible voters cast a ballot in one of the worlds poorest countries [Henitsoa Rafalia/EPA-EFE/AFP]

Ravalomanana ruled from 2002 to 2009 until he was overthrown in a military-backed coup that installed Rajoelina, who was in power until 2014.

Rajaonarimampianina succeeded him, ruling until earlier this year.

Rajaonarimampianinas attempts to change the electoral laws this year backfired, sparking nearly three months of sometimes violent protests in the capital Antananarivo.

The demonstrators forced Rajaonarimampianina to accept a consensus government tasked with organising the election in the former French colony, which is burdened by a long history of coups and unrest.

African Union observers have called on the contenders to show restraint and respect the law.
Washington, DC  A week and a half after the United States midterm elections, the true scope of a vote that brought Democrats control of the House of Representatives but left Republicans, the party of President Donald Trump, holding power in the Senate is coming into view.

Democrats gained at least a 231-to-198 majority in the House, while Republicans held onto and will likely expand a 51-to-47 majority in the Senate, with some races in both chambers yet to be concluded.

Its a contradictory outcome that reflects both the deep political divisions within the US and, increasingly, the antiquated quirks of the American Constitution that stem from the nations beginnings in 1787 as a federation of self-governing states.

It shows that majoritarian democracy does not directly translate at the electoral level and the idea of The Will of the People is intervened by the structural arrangements endemic to the American Constitution, said John Jackson, a visiting professor at the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University.

In effect, we can easily come out with minority rule and thats what weve had, and what we continue to have in the recently concluded elections, Jackson told Al Jazeera.

US Senate

In the US Senate, as set out in the Constitution, each of 50 states is represented by two senators, meaning the populations of large states like California and New York are underrepresented while small states like Alaska and North Dakota are overrepresented. Indeed, the incoming Republican majority in the Senate represents 26 million fewer people than the Democrat minority.

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More than four million people who live in Washington, DC, and territories like Puerto Rico, Guam and American Samoa are not represented in the Senate at all.

The disparity in the US Senate matters has become a more pronounced problem as Senate Republican leaders have abandoned old rules that required a 60-vote majority to approve lifetime judicial appointments to the federal bench. Trumps Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed by a narrow majority of Senators representing 41 million fewer Americans than the losing side.

Looking forward, political analysts say it is quite likely that a Republican-controlled Senate, representing a minority of Americans, would block policy prescriptions and legislation favoured by a future Democrat president and majority Democrat House of Representatives.

Electoral College

Similarly, the US Electoral College, which determines the outcome of presidential contests, is based on state-by-state apportionment of delegates. In 2016, Trump won the election over Hillary Clinton by a 306-to-232 Electoral College margin while losing the nationwide popular vote by nearly three million.

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In 2000, former president George W Bush fell short of Al Gore in the popular vote but won the election with a majority of Electoral College delegates after the US Supreme Court halted a recount in Florida and awarded the state to Bush.

Trump won in 2016 because he narrowly swept Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, a feat that may be difficult for him in 2020 after Democratic wins in those states on November 6.

Pennsylvania Democrat Senator Bob Casey won re-election handily by a 55.6 percent majority and Democrats picked up three House seats in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh from Republicans. In Michigan, Democrat Senator Debbie Stabenow won with 52.2 percent and Democrats picked up two House seats around Detroit. In Wisconsin, Democrat Senator Tammy Baldwin won with 55.4 percent and a Democrat defeated the incumbent Republican Governor, Scott Walker.

In Arizona, Democrat Kyrsten Sinema won a US Senate seat for the first time in decades and a Democrat won in Nevada signalling what may be a significant shift towards Democrats in the Southwest.

Can the system change?

Indeed, what looked like a modest win for Democrats on November 6 is proving to be a wider and deeper victory, even if the Senate remains out of reach.

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Broadly speaking, nationwide, Democrats expanded their base from urban to suburban areas, while Republicans held rural districts.

House Democrats did very well in districts where Clinton won in 2016 but Republican members of Congress remained in office, or in districts where Trump did slightly better than Clinton. Democratic gains were fewer in conservative districts that Trump carried by wider margins in 2016.

But Democratic gains might well have been greater, were it not for heavily gerrymandered congressional districts in states like Ohio, Wisconsin and North Carolina. Gerrymandering occurs in the US when state legislatures draw boundaries for congressional districts that favour one party over another. Republicans gained an upper hand in this practice after the 2010 election when they won a large number of state legislatures and governorships.

We are seeing something like a 54 to 46 percent split in the vote but Democrats are emerging with something like 52 percent of the House seats, said Chris Hughes, a lawyer at FairVote, an advocacy group seeking reforms to the US election system.

So even in a huge wave year for Democrats, when they win the national popular vote by eight points, they are still out on two percent of seats because of the way districts are drawn and the way our voting method itself functions, Hughes told Al Jazeera.

A body of academic research by constitutional scholars shows just how unrepresentative the US system has become. Yet, as a practical matter, there is very little that can be done to change the system, short of winning elections. While the Constitution can be amended in theory, any changes require approval by two-thirds of the states, a nearly impossible threshold in the modern era.

Looking ahead to 2020

Democrats have started to fight back against the Republican advantage in gerrymandered states. Former Obama attorney general Eric Holder is heading a new Democratic organisation, the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, that is focusing first on redrawing the congressional maps in Virginia, which will elect a new legislature next year. Many states will go through a redistricting process in 2021 after the 2020 census is completed.

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Illustrating the redistricting challenge, FairVote projects that 358 House seats  190 Republican and 168 Democrat  are highly likely to remain in each partys hands in 2020. The battle for control of the House of Representatives will be fought in only 77 potentially competitive districts, more of them held by Democrats.

We can predict a week after the election that 84 percent of seats will go to the same party in 2020 with fewer and fewer seats being competitive, Hughes said.

In the Senate, the geographical advantage Republicans held in Novembers election will flip to Democrats in 2020 and 2022. Of the 33 senators facing re-election next year, nine Republicans are likely to face competitive challenges, while perhaps four or five Democrats will be forced to defend their seats. That means control of Senate is likely to rest on outcomes in only 14 key battleground states.
Refugees, including Syrians, become volunteer tour guides in Oxfords history museum as part of an integration scheme.

Oxford, United Kingdom  Leaning in closely over a brass sphere the size of a clenched fist, Hussein Kara Ahmed explains to his audience the mechanical workings of the worlds only complete surviving spherical astrolabe, created by a 15th-century Islamic craftsman named Musa.

A Syrian refugee who fled deadly violence in his home city of Aleppo and arrived in the United Kingdom six months ago via Turkey, Ahmed is giving one of his first tours at Oxfords History of the Museum of Science, home to an impressive collection of Islamic astronomical instruments.

He has been preparing for four months for his debut performance as part of the Multaka Oxford scheme, which trains refugee volunteers to curate, research and engage with museum visitors in the historic university town.

When I first joined the Multaka programme, I felt so happy already because the collection came from my culture and religion, he told Al Jazeera. I wanted to join because its my right to talk about the collection and my culture.

Multaka, which means meeting place, is a model which was established in Germanys capital, Berlin, in 2015. It aims to aid integration and cultural understanding by encouraging refugees and migrants to explain their own cultural history to the public, both through Arabic and English.

Multaka is a programme established in Berlin in 2015 [Ruairi Casey/Al Jazeera]

So far, 26 recently arrived volunteers from Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Oman have taken part in the programme in Oxford.

Participants broaden their vocational and language skills through organising events, writing blog posts and conducting research on museums artefacts.

Next year, they will also begin working with a collection of Arab textiles in the towns Pitt-Rivers Museum.

The museum is changing whos speaking about the museums, so its about bringing different voices in, different layers of interpretation, said Nicola Bird, Multaka Oxfords project manager.

We have these amazing Islamic, Arabic and Middle Eastern collections and we have lots of people we work with from that area who can actually enrich the interpretation and actually be the public face for the collections.

The programme works two ways, says Mohammad Al Awad, a participant and former assistant professor at the University of Damascus, who worked on archaeological sites in Palmyra, Bosra and the Syrias Hauran region, and studied in France for several years.

The museums collection allows him to learn more than ever about the golden age of Islamic science, while also contributing his own expert knowledge and insight into the Middle Easts history.

Its an opportunity to speak together, for learning together, for living together, for sharing our culture together, he said.

Weve seen families from the Middle East and this is their first time [going to a museum in the UK]. This will encourage them to go other times to a museum. This is a step for integration.

For Mohammed, exchanging cultural knowledge and engaging with the local community is the perfect way for his family to settle into their new lives in the UK.

I speak with people as my neighbour in Syria, or in France. Its similar, I dont think the other person is different  We have [different] things but we live together.

More than 11,000 Syrian refugees have been resettled in the UK since 2015 and about 8,000 more have been granted asylum in the country since Syrias civil war broke out in 2011.

Refugees can contribute an enormous amount to the UK, bringing a wealth of skills and experience that are really valuable, said Lisa Doyle, director of advocacy at the Refugee Council.

Its fantastic to see initiatives and projects like these, which support refugees to integrate in the UK by giving back to the country that granted them protection, as well as providing opportunities for them to meet people in their new communities.
Comment comes after report says Washington is looking at extraditing Gulen in bid to ease Ankaras pressure on Riyadh.

US President Donald Trump says Washington has no plans to extradite Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish religious leader accused by Ankara of orchestrating a deadly coup attempt more than two years ago.

No, its not under consideration, Trump said on Saturday when asked whether such move was being contemplated.

His comments came days after NBC News reported that the Trump administration had looked at possibly extraditing Gulen to Turkey in an attempt to ease Ankaras pressure on Saudi Arabia, which has increased following last months killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

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According to the NBC report, Trump officials asked law enforcement to look into Gulens residency status in the United States and the possibility of reopening the Turkish request for extradition.

Saudi Arabia is a key ally of the US, and NBC said Trump could use Gulen as a bargaining chip in an attempt to relieve some of Turkeys pressure on Saudi Arabia.

Along with the allegations over the failed coup on July 15, 2016, which killed about 300 people, Turkey also accuses Gulens group of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, in particular, the military, the police and the judiciary.

Gulen, an opponent of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who lives in exile in the US state of Pennsylvania, has denied the accusations.

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Turkey has designated Gulens network, which runs charities, schools and businesses across the world, as a terrorist organisation and has launched a widespread crackdown on suspected members since the coup bid.

It formally asked the US to arrest and extradite Gulen in August 2016, the month following the failed coup but, so far, he has been able to stay in the US.

After the failed coup, thousands of Turkish officials, law enforcement officers, soldiers, human rights activists and others were arrested for alleged links to Gulen and his network.

The most recent arrests took place in September when Turkish officials arrested 61 soldiers for connections to Gulen.
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights found Venezuela responsible on Friday for failing to prevent, investigate or punish extreme violence against a young woman who was kidnaped, raped and tortured in 2001.

The ruling sets a much-anticipated legal precedent and could have implications for victims and survivors worldwide.

The case centres on the abduction, rape and torture of Linda Loaiza Lopez Soto, who was 18 years old at the time.

After being rescued three months after the kidnapping, Lopez had to undergo multiple surgeries for her injuries and disfigurement. She then faced a David-and-Goliath-like quest for justice against her well-connected abductor.

Months of re-victimising proceedings ended in a conviction of her assailant on lesser counts. This prompted her to seek justice elsewhere. She studied law and took her case to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Fewer than one in 100 petitions ever reach this international tribunal, and this was the first time Venezuela was before the Court for gender-based violence.

In its decision on Friday, the court held Venezuela responsible, because of its gross omissions, for the torture and the sexual slavery Lopez suffered, as well as for preventing her access to justice.

Today I can tell the women of Venezuela and Latin America that have not been able to obtain justice for the violations of their rights within their countries that a reparation is obtainable, said Lopez. This is positive jurisprudence that can be used to protect the human rights of women across Latin America and around the world.

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The court ordered Venezuela to revisit the criminal case, pay Lopez and her family compensation, and provide for her lifelong medical and psychological care. The ruling also asked Venezuela to finance any further post-secondary studies for Linda and her siblings, whether in Venezuela or abroad.

The ruling equally ordered Venezuela to acknowledge its responsibility in a public act of recognition and establish prevention mechanisms to prevent such cases from recurring. This includes a curriculum on gender-based violence and discrimination, to be incorporated into the national education system at all levels, which will explicitly bear the name Linda Loaiza.

Historic precedent

Although the courts decision is only binding in Venezuela, it creates a powerful international precedent that could benefit women worldwide.

What makes this case so unique is that it tested the states responsibility for the actions of a private citizen. By nature, human rights cases have focused on the actions of State officials.

Lopezs lawyers argued that by failing to act, investigate, punish or prevent the extreme violence she faced, the state was guilty of acquiescence and thus responsible for violence committed by a non-state actor. They also argued that state prosecutors revictimised Lopez over years of traumatic and discriminatory court proceedings.

Linda Lopez works in her foundations office in 2005 [Jen Ross/Al Jazeera]

This ruling is also the first within the Inter-American System to classify violence against a woman committed at the hands of an individual as torture.

This decision by the Inter-American Court sets an historic precedent in terms of violence against women and the discrimination they frequently face when accessing justice, said Elsa Meany, Senior Attorney with the Washington-based Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL).

It could lay the foundations for Venezuela to carry out structural changes in its laws, public policies and administration of justice, Meany said in a statement.

She told Al Jazeera prior to the decision that Lopez herself has helped develop guidelines to ensure appropriate medical care for victims of gender-based violence, so their treatment wont do further harm.

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Liliana Ortega, one of Lopezs representatives from CoFAVIC, detailed her tireless efforts to inspire other survivors during a court hearing in February.

She has managed to transcend her own personal story in favour of a collective quest. A well-deserved and recognized human rights defender, Linda is an example of courage, persistence and resistance, Ortega said.

When the state of Venezuela executes the full content of the sentence, I'll be able to speak about justice. Until then, impunity persists. Linda Loaiza Lopez Soto

Pointing out that Venezuela does not have a great record of complying with court decisions, Meany said its response could be complicated by the fact that Venezuela is undergoing a crisis of massive political and economic proportions, and we dont know what the outcome will be in the short-term.

Venezuela was informed of the ruling earlier this week, but have not responded to the decision. Officials were not immediately available for comment.

During the hearing, Venezuelas lawyer accepted the states failure to ensure a proper criminal investigation in Lindas case, or a fair trial within a reasonable timeframe. He also apologised on behalf of Venezuela for the inadequate performance of the organs of the justice system in the criminal proceedings to punish the terrible acts of violence against women that [Lopez] suffered.

Lopez said shes encouraged by the silence-breaking #MeToo movement and hopes her story will inspire survivors to report violence to police and persevere in seeking justice.

But after so many years of legal disappointments, she is careful not to get ahead of herself.

When the state of Venezuela executes the full content of the sentence, Ill be able to speak about justice. Until then, impunity persists, she said.
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.
The day before Maines November 6 gubernatorial election, Governor Paul LePage announced that if Democratic nominee Janet Mills won, he planned to move to Florida. In fact, he was moving regardless who won.

The Sunshine State is regularly the top destination for migrants fleeing Maines frigid winters and high taxes. It has one of the nations worst overall tax burdens while Florida boasts one of the best.

Florida is fortunate to be gaining a resident with LePages conservative values. Too many liberals move to low-tax states like Florida to escape the crime, taxes, corruption, and dysfunction of their home states only to bring the values of the ancien regime with them.

The upshot is that destination states incrementally turn purple, then blue. In time, the expats new homes mirror the old-guard liberal enclaves like New York, Maine, and New Jersey they fled.

Witness recent trends in Arizona, Florida, and Texas.

While researching this article, I disinterred a July 2013 letter to the Philadelphia Inquirer which illustrates my point.

A pregnant 31-year-old woman described her frightening encounter with 10 bike riding teenage thugs while walking home on her quiet residential Philadelphia Center City street.

Suddenly, with no warning, she was on the ground pinned under a bike, eye-to-eye with a little boy looking as terrified as me trying to steal my belongings, fists raised.

Bloodied but undaunted, to her the mugging was an occasion to reaffirm her liberal bonafides. Brimming with compassion, the lingua franca of liberalism, she straightaway exonerated the pre-pubescent felon, proclaiming that she and her husband are proud to raise their family in the diverse culture of the city.

Furthermore, the brave couple are staunch opponents of racial profiling. The tragic Trayvon Martin incident had reinforced their beliefs.

Admittedly, her encounter with the flash mob on bikes has caused her (oh so delicately and (reluctantly) to question some of these beliefs. Nonetheless, she remains a caring and compassionate human being.

She is not angry at the perp, nor scared. Shes just sadsad that (she is) about to raise a baby among people who would hurt a pregnant woman. sad that I dont know how to teach my child that stereotypes arent real when something like this happens.

The problem with stereotypes is that they are grounded in reality.

Above all, shes most sad for the boy who knocked me over (and his friends who just stood there). With so much anger, so much hate, and a propensity to commit violence on me (and my giant belly) in what direction is his life leading?

Touching.

Coincidently, an Inquirer article later that week afforded a glimpse of where her boy assailants life may be leading.

Nineteen-year-old Justine Mackie, arrested after a gunfight with police and the FBI, confessed to killing three people in an early July 10-day spree of violence.

Both Mackie and his brother (who was killed in the gunfight) have long juvenile records and walked away from juvenile facilities mere days before the killing spree.

Mr. Mackie told police that if he had been the one with the gun instead of his brother, he would have shot until the magazine was empty.

I suspect Mr. Mackies journey began with purse snatchings, juvenile court, and a series of juvenile facilities where therapists plumbed the root causes of Mr. Mackies propensity to commit violence. According to most juvenile justice experts, Mr. Mackie wasnt evil; he was troubled.

Columnist Thomas Sowell once wrote that as far back as the 18th century, the left has struggled to avoid facing the plain fact of evil. The left uses Every kind of excuse, from poverty to an unhappy childhood, to explain and excuse evil. Yet seldom is there a speck of evidence that thugs are troubled, and often there is ample evidence that they are in fact enjoying themselves, as they create trouble and dangers for others.

Mr. Mackie is a testament to the efficacy of this junk science.

Clearly, our compassionate victim is of like mind.

One day, however, after one or two more such incidents, without a word being spoken, she and her husband will decide to relocate to a leafy suburb where reality is less likely to disturb their cherished beliefs about themselves and the world about them.

A close-in historically bed rock Republican Philadelphia suburb will thus acquire a bluer tint.

And troubled youths like Justine Mackie will continue to ride their bikes on quiet Center City streets.

P{hoto credit: Ergo Sum
Children, or adults with a childish perspective, see the world differently from mature adults. In the world of children, they are the sun around which others revolve, and they view the world from that perspective. They are egotistical and myopic. Their thoughts and opinions reflect that self-obsessed point of view. I, Me and My are the most important pronouns in their thoughts and in their speech.

One characteristic of children, which grows out of their ego-based view of their world, is that compromise is not a part of their nature. Their way is right. Why compromise? Doing that would be a betrayal of the truth, which they feel compelled to defend with all their being.

As they grow older, their self-centered orientation evolves into that frustrating know-it-all attitude that makes them think that they are always right while their parents and other adults cling to everything that they consider to be outmoded and untrue. They are convinced that what they believe is the truth and only the truth. In their minds, the only people who know anything are those who agree with them.

Not uncommon among children, and among adults clinging to the importance of me attitudes, is a tendency to bully those who look different, who act differently, who have different beliefs, or who are inviting targets because they are unable to counter the aggression.

Decent members of society condemn such abuse toward others, as they should. Bullying is a wrong, whether it be physical, verbal, psychological, social, or political, and we should fight back against it. Political correctness is intended to bully us into abandoning our beliefs and our values. Politicians who do not accept the results of valid elections are committed to forcing their will upon the people. Laws that do not protect us or are not enforced are steps toward depriving us of our liberty.

Which brings us to freedom and rights. Most of us readily endorse freedom and rights. However, too often in our haste to support and protect our own interests, we overlook the other side of the freedom coin. There we find such fundamental concepts as responsibility and respect. There can be no freedom or rights for any of us unless the rest of us accept our responsibility to assure the freedom and rights of everyone else in our society.

One verity to keep in mind is that my freedom stops at the border of the freedom of all the others around me who have freedom rights equal to mine. Our tasks are to respect the beliefs of others as we expect them to respect ours and to be responsible for protecting the freedom and rights of others.

In addition, all adherents of freedom and rights in our society should keep in mind that freedom does not mean liberty to do as we please, to insist upon our beliefs for everyone, or to infringe upon the freedom and rights of others.

Another verity, to which everyone should adhere, is that our freedom does not, does not, give us the right to accost and to destroy those who do not agree with us.

Jesus said, Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

In our current uncivil and destructive political climate, we search hopefully for examples of leaders who are willing to stand up bravely against constant attacks on our freedom and our rights.

Although the numbers of those who support rights are few, the news seems to be filled with those who are willing to sacrifice our liberty in order to implement their ideas and to force their beliefs on all of us.

One example is the recent confrontation at a White House press conference between a reporter and the President. It was clearly evident that the reporter did not attend that press conference to ask a question and to report the Presidents reply. He came purposely to bully the President into admitting that he was wrong because his belief did not adhere to what he, the reporter, believed. Not only did he consciously disregard the right of the President to have his own belief he also denied the right of the other reporters to ask questions during the press conference. He would not relinquish the floor when asked politely to do so. In addition, he rudely refused to turn over the microphone to an innocent intern, a failure by a public figure to respect her and her rights.

Subsequently, the President rescinded the reporters pass, which has prompted an outcry that doing that is contrary to the reporters rights under the Constitution. (When Barack Obama ordered the removal of a disrespectful reporter from a press conference, the other reporters applauded.)

Another example is that of a politician who would say anything or do anything to become President of the United States. She is absolutely convinced that all those deplorables throughout our country will be lost if they do not have her to lead them out of their deplorable state into the promised land which only she can provide. Of course, what is standing in her way are those very same deplorables, who voted for President Trump, which is a festering sore in her mind and in the mind of her progressive supporters. In fact, she declared recently that she and her followers cannot be civil to those people until they believe as her progressive followers do, or more correctly, as she does.

Of course, many other cases reveal this same childish insistence upon believing as they do, or they will make us sorry for clinging to our beliefs rather than converting to the truth. There are a number of instances when families have been denied their freedom to have a meal in a restaurant, to be safe in their own home, to be considered innocent until proven guilty, to be protected from harassment, to discuss different points of view at universities, etc. (Above the door at one of the entrances of New Cabell Hall at the University of Virginia is the following quote from the founder, Thomas Jefferson, Here, we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead nor to tolerate any error as long as reason is left free to combat it. How astonishing that such a profound statement could have been made by a detestable white man who owned slaves!)

One sees all these things happening in the land of the free and wonders about our future.

Are we heading toward a slippery slope leading to chaos filled with politically correct thinking, newspeak, and eventually dictatorial rules and regulations?
Only a few of the left-wing parties expressed themselves directly after the midterm elections, while others took some time to formulate their position.

Let's start with the avant-garde of the American leftists -- the Communist Party USA. Immediately after the elections, the communists declared a "historic victory." Communists clearly do not hide their sympathies. They fully support their ideological fellows -- the Democrats -- and rejoice in the loss of a Republican majority in the House of Representatives. Consequently, one gets the impression that they both receive talking points from the same source. The rhetoric of the Communists and Democrats is similar. They say all the followers of Trump are fascists, as they relentlessly talk about the blue wave. And now, after tirelessly speaking out against U.S. Attorney General Sessions for the last two years, they turn to come to his defense after his dismissal by Trump.

Another well-known left-wing party  the Democratic Socialists of America (the party that young Barack Obama joined immediately upon arrival in Chicago) -- clearly positions itself as the leader of the left-wing movement in the United States. In their statement after the elections, the Democratic Socialists do not hide the fact that the young communist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York and the anti-Semitic Rashid Tlaib from Michigan are members of the DSA who went to Congress under the banner of the Democrats. At the post-election victory party, the fresh member of Congress Tlaib danced, not with the U.S. flag, but with the flag of Palestine. So it is not surprising that this partys position towards Israel, for example, parallels that of the Democrats and the Communists. Democratic Socialists also talk about global warming, support for LGBTQIA + (I still cant remember what the Q stands for, and now + sign has appeared), and about Trump-the-racist.

The loudest-voiced leftist party in America is the Revolution Communist Party USA. This party, as usual, is trying to look like an independent left party. Immediately after the elections, they tried to distance themselves from both Republicans and Democrats. The Communist revolutionaries brought down all the standard epithets of Marxism to the "ruling class," and they did not forget, of course, to add the phrase that Trump is Hitler reincarnated. In fact, what else could be expected from those who seriously propose changing the U.S. Constitution to the constitution of the Socialist Republic of North America?

As for the American Green Party, it is difficult to answer the question  are they similar to Marxists, or are these Marxists similar to Greens as two peas in a pod? Judge for yourself  the press releases of the Green Party as a result of the elections are practically no different from the press releases of the Democratic Party and other left-wing parties. However, the Greens were forced to admit that their difficulties in the state of Georgia are connected to the methods of suppressing the opposition, introduced by the Democratic Party of Georgia back in 1943.

The Working Families Party, a breakaway from communists 20 years ago, does not hide its enthusiasm about the fact that dozens of members of this party won the election. The Working Families Party rightly notes that the newly elected House of Representatives will be "the most progressive in a generation."

The revolutionary Socialist Alternative party does not hide its joy of the fact that many of the newly elected members of the House of Representatives are socialists. The Alternative Socialists complain about Trumps reactionary regime while they correctly emphasize that as a result of the elections, many anti-Trumpists got purged from the Republican Party.

The Marxist-Leninist Workers World Party sums up the results of the elections in a very original way. They call the victory of the Democrats illusory and call for the rejection of both capitalist parties -- the Republicans and the Democrats.

The only more or less significant Trotskyist party in America is the Socialist Equality Party. The party is a member of the Fourth International. The Trotskyists are trying to soberly assess the situation and note that many socialists who have gone to Congress diligently concealed their socialist roots and membership in socialist parties. Also, the Trotskyists criticize the Democratic party for the fact that it turns out to have made a "sharp turn to the right." They blame the Democrats for having some positions "to the right of the Trump administration." However, no one is surprised that the Trotskyists have declared the Democratic party "pseudo-left." Who would dare to be to the left of the Trotskyists?

Many left-wing parties in the United States did not express their opinion on the past elections. The official organization of the young communists -- League of Young Communists USA -- is still silent on the election. To this day, there is no word from The Marxist U.S. Marxist-Leninist Organization, League of Revolution for New America, Party for Socialism and Liberation, the Trotskyist Socialist Workers Party, and many others.

However, apart from ideology, all the leftist parties of the United States are united by the amazing ability to transform election day into election week, and then into election month. Moreover, if you gave free rein to the Trotskyists, then their slogan, "permanent revolution" would be replaced by the slogan, "permanent elections."

Differences in the assessment of the current events by the American leftist parties are not something extraordinary. Traditionally, the leftists criticize all those who appear to be to the right of themselves. Therefore, for example, the Trotskyists are always criticized only on the right, and no one criticizes them on the left. There is simply no one to the left of them in the American political spectrum.

The nonstop bombarding of Trump with political mud for two years has prevented Democrats and all other leftists from seeing the actual dynamics of what is happening in the White House. Additionally, this applies not only to the left but also, (judging by the recent vote on the post of minority leader in the House of Representatives) to the right-wingers. Indeed, during the first two years of his first presidential term, Trump once again abandoned the ideas and symbols of the party to which he formally belonged. It seems that only American conservatives have noted this dynamic, and this gives them some hope.

The results of the elections in 2018 mean that Trump has finally abandoned both the Democratic Donkey and the Republican Elephant. Now the tenant of the White House is the Lion, the leader of the American conservatives, Donald J. Trump.

Gary Gindler, Ph.D., is a conservative blogger at Gary Gindler Chronicles. Follow him on Twitter.
Enough is enough! Our judiciary's encroachment on the executive has been a developing problem for some time. Liberal judges have been finding excuses to overrule President Trump's actions since the day he took office. Even if the President eventually wins the issue in a higher court, the judiciary acts so slowly that, by that time he does, the issue is often moot.

Now a judge has just ordered the White House to reinstate Jim Acosta's White House pass. If the President cannot control who comes to his own press conferences, what can he control? Are judges going to start rendering opinions about what bills he must sign and which ones he must veto? If we are attacked, will a judge instruct the President on when and how he can act to defend us?

In response to this outrage, the President should do two things immediately. First, he should announce that there will be no more White House press conferences till this matter is resolved to his satisfaction. Give Jim Acosta his pass, but make it useless. Second, he should call for the immediate impeachment of the judge that issued this order. I'm not sure there would be enough votes in the House to impeach, but he should do it anyway. At some point, you have to fight back.

On a longer-term basis, it's time for Republicans to start acting like Democrats. As things stand now, Democrats are happy with the judiciary. Liberal judges happily intrude on executive decisions of the President, and conservative judges do not. Democrats do not want to reign in the judiciary because it is actively supporting their agenda. If conservative judges start acting like liberal judges, then the Democrats will be forced to change their tune. Let's appoint some activist conservative judges to the bench and see how the Democrats like it. I know this goes against conservative principles, but, sometimes, you have to fight fire with fire.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is not the only high-profile Democrat proving to the public that its dangerous to let younger Democrats near power. Representative Eric Swalwell, whose district is in the suburbs of the Bay Area (of course), is not nearly as smart as he thinks he is. Which makes him dangerous to his own party. Swalwells already announced that he is thinking of running for his partys presidential nomination (at 38 years old, hes eligible under the constitutional requirement of a minimum age of 35), and obviously wants to appeal to the radical left of the Democrats base that adores Cortez.

That may explain this series of tweets, starting with an open admission of his intent to confiscate private firearms:

Swalwell is smart enough to anticipate a furious reaction (Twitters reason for existence), which he got (language alert):

And thats when he went off the rails:

And was immediately called out for violating the first rule of nuclear warfare: never make a threat you arent prepared to carry out:

And started by backtracking by pretending that the response was dramatic but that the threat to use nukes wasnt:

What hes done here is provide a fundraising, voter registration, and turnout driver for those who own guns and those who are protected by a gun owner. For decades, Democrats have hewn to the line that they want only common sense gun control because they realize that the potential for outright confiscation drives voters away (and also is likely to be held unconstitutional). But not Swalwell.

Now, he has literally gone nuclear with his rhetoric, creating a powerful mental image of a powerful government using its military capabilities to enforce gun confiscation (Posse Comitatus be damned, incidentally).

But he still thinks he is smarter than the rubes who called out his use of language. Keep it up, Eric. Sharing your inner totalitarian with the public is a great idea.

Hat tip: The Right Scoop
Bay cleanup yields tons of garbage

posted November 17, 2018 at 10:10 pm by Joel E. Zurbano November 17, 2018 at 10:10 pm

The Manila Bay weekend cleanup campaign initiated by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority yielded more garbage as agency personnel collected seven truckloads or more than 27 tons of waste. This is the third Saturday that the MMDA gathered individuals to pick up and haul trash on the shoreline of the Manila Bay this month. On Nov. 3, the collected garbage weighed about 27 tons followed by 34 tons last week.MMDA chairman Danilo Lim said the cleanup drive, aimed to promote environmental consciousness, involved 200 agency streetsweepers and was participated in by employees and teams from the city government of Manila, Coast Guard, Manila Bay Sunset Partnership Program, Rotary Club members, and college students. Most of the waste collected were bamboo poles and driftwood which had been carried by currents from nearby fish pens, water hyacinths, plastics, household trash, and sorts of garbage thrown indiscriminately into esteros and creeks.

COMMENT DISCLAIMER: Reader comments posted on this Web site are not in any way endorsed by Manila Standard. Comments are views by manilastandard.net readers who exercise their right to free expression and they do not necessarily represent or reflect the position or viewpoint of manilastandard.net. While reserving this publications right to delete comments that are deemed offensive, indecent or inconsistent with Manila Standard editorial standards, Manila Standard may not be held liable for any false information posted by readers in this comments section.
How deliciously satisfying is creepy porn lawyer Michael Avenatti's fall? The man who announced his intention to run for the Democratic nomination of president in 2020 has just been evicted from his law offices in Newport Beach, is facing domestic violence charges after beating up his girlfriend, and has become a pariah on the left.

All in the space of a week.

Avenatti didn't even bother showing up for his eviction hearing.

Los Angeles Times:

In a brief hearing at Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, Judge Robert J. Moss affirmed his Oct. 22nd order that Avenatti and his staff vacate their ocean-view suite in a building across from the Fashion Island mall. He ordered them to leave by Monday. Avenattis longtime law firm, Eagan Avenatti, skipped $213,254 in rent payments due over four months, leading the landlord, the Irvine Co., to sue for eviction. After the landlord won the case last month at a one-hour trial that Avenatti skipped, the Orange County Sheriffs Office posted a notice at the law office ordering the firm to vacate the premises by 6 a.m. on Nov. 1. Avenatti requested a reprieve that won him a delay until Fridays hearing, which he also did not attend. Moss asked Mark Kompa, the landlords attorney, if he had heard from Avenatti. Kompa said he spoke to the celebrity lawyer on Tuesday. There were other events that transpired so I havent heard from him since then, Kompa said.

Those "events" included being arrested. The champion of the #MeToo crowd and a leader in the "resistance" to Trump now finds himself broke and ruined. Naturally, the left never heard of the guy - or, at least, they wish they hadn't.

Salon:

So air heads like Alyssa Milano now disavows Avenatti? Just what did the left expect from a guy who represents clients that reputable lawyers wouldn't touch? The glory-hunting Avenatti put his own interests above those of his clients and people are suprised that he's gotten torched?

Avenatti follows a long line of leftist heroes who eventually make such complete idiots of themselves, that the left eventually tip toes away pretending they weren't important to begin with.

Anyone remember Cindy Sheehan? She's the woman who lost a son in Iraq who camped out on President's Bush's ranch because she only wanted to "talk" to him. Her behavior eventually became so erratic and her words so extreme, that the left started to ignore her until she ended up on the extreme fringes of the movement.

There have been others who were lionized by the left for a time, only to disappear a short while later when their usefulness came to an end. Now that it's happened to Avenatti, it only remains to be seen whether he ends up in jail or as a late night punchline for some comi.
Pueblo Sin Fronteras, the open-borders group that organized the migrant caravan, has had an easy time of it, racking up propaganda victory after propaganda victory as its group snaked through Mexico.

They put the tiny number of women and children in the group up front for the news cameras with the media obliging them to create the perception that the entire group was just women and children fleeing gangs instead of largely military-aged unemployed young men.

They brazenly waved the Honduran, Guatemalan, Mexican and Salvadoran flags in a bid to signal they aren't looking for 'mercy' from the U.S., they consider entering the U.S. a matter of right as nationals of those countries.

They busted down the gates of Mexico's southern border to signal to the world that Mexico's efforts to enforce its own border are utterly useless.

They kept the group together when there were signs it was splitting apart, the better to retain their power of numbers in order to make demands.

They got the Mexican authorities to feed, house, bed, medicate, and escort them throughout their journey to the U.S. border, signalling their clout over that sovereign nation. And it helped that like revolutionaries swimming among fishes, as Mao used to say, they got the Mexican locals to offer aid as well in the hopes that the group would continue on their way away from them.

The list goes on. Arriving in Tijuana, they hopped the border fence and danced around in plain view of U.S. lawmen, daring them to stop them, presumably through opening fire, and then when they didn't, they racked up another propaganda victory by exposing U.S. powerlessness to stop them. After that, they hopped back into Mexico with no consequences.

There's just one thing they didn't calculate for: The rage of Tijuana's locals, whose anger is growing at the prospect of migrants camping out all over their city streets and neighborhoods, bringing crime, garbage, homeless encampments and disorder. Here's a screengrab from KGTV and you can see the whole confrontation at this link here:

Tijuana is a pretty orderly and prosperous place in Mexico, much more so than Mexico's impoverished south (where Mexico's government cordially invited the migrants to settle), and the prospect of caravan migrants setting up camps for months in TJ as they await to be processed for their fake asylum claims into the U.S, is bringing about the same reaction you'd expect to see from the Rancho Bernardo or La Jolla areas of San Diego, were the thousands of migrants to set up camp there instead.

Based on two local television news reports, from ABC10 and CBS 8 of San Diego, the problem is worse than it's being reported in the national press.

KGTV, the ABC affiliate, and KFMB, the CBS affiliate, both reported that violent fights have broken out with rocks, punches, hurled beer cans and other thuggery. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that at least a thousand of the Tijuana residents have banded together into a social media group to save their neighborhoods from the migrants. There are also reports that the Tijuana cops aren't putting up with this, and already have arrested and jailed five of the caravan migrants, two for starting fights and three for doing drugs. How nice to think they traveled 2,000 miles to reach the inside of a Tijuana jailhouse. Here's some of the local sentiment from KGTV:

Some Tijuana residents are frustrated with the growing number of Central American migrants that have gathered along the border in hopes of gaining asylum in the U.S. Tijuana resident Cesar Baltazar, who legally crosses the border on a regular basis to work in the U.S., told 10News, "In Plaza Tijuana, they're already fighting. I mean, all the residents there don't want them there." On Wednesday night, a confrontation between Mexican nationals and some members of the immigrant caravan escalated into violence. The fight inflicted injury on both sides, including one man seen on cell phone video with a bloody eye. They're unknown, that's the thing, Baltazer said. "They're unknown. They're strangers."

and this:

"[Tijuana] has a lot of crime. They have a lot of murders. They have a lot of drug usage. So, they don't want those problems from Central America to come over here, he told 10News. Tijuana resident Georgina Parra added, "Everyone is in disagreement. Aside from them trashing our city, they're making caravans outside and talking badly about Tijuana."

The Tijuana people don't like those insults, and rightly so - Tijuana is so much nicer a place than the countries these migrants left, and to see new arrivals coming in by the busload to insult them is kind of rich, so the local disgust is understandable. Nor is it warranted. Few of the real Tijuana residents ever move to San Diego, given the ease they would have do that, and the fact that they actually don't.

And it's actually getting some coverage, something the migrant caravan planners didn't calculate for. With the prospect of migrants having to camp out in TJ for six months before they can get released into the U.S. to work a few years before their asylum claims are rejected, there is going to be resistance. And it will only get worse as time grinds on and frustrations build. I can see some of the TJ people and their elected officials pressuring the U.S. to process the fake asylum claims more quickly, but the U.S. may be in a position to resist that. If it does, the caravan is going to be left to explain why it shouldn't be run out of town as angry Tijuana residents get angrier.

Who would have thought it would come to this?
The fight over the president's appointment of Matthew Whitaker for attorney general took an unusual turn on Friday, when lawyers representing a defendant in a gun case before the Supreme Court, asked the justices to rule on the legality of Whitaker's appointment.

The plaintiff was challenging the law that prevents him from purchasing a firearm because of 2 previous convictions for non-violent crimes. Since current Attorney General Jeff Sessions was named in the suit, his lawyers asked the justices to rule on whether Whitaker was the legitimate attorney general.

Reuters:

There is a significant national interest in avoiding the prospect that every district and immigration judge in the nation could, in relatively short order, be presented with the controversy over which person to substitute as Acting Attorney General, the lawyers, led by prominent Supreme Court advocate Thomas Goldstein, wrote in a court filing. The court is not required to decide one way or another and could simply ignore or reject the motion. Michaels lawyers argued that Rosenstein, the departments No. 2 official, should have succeeded Sessions under a federal law that vests full authority in the deputy attorney general should the office of attorney general become vacant. Some of the same lawyers behind Fridays motion also are involved in a similar effort brought before a federal judge on Tuesday. In that case, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh asked a federal judge to bar Whitaker from appearing in an official capacity as acting attorney general in the states ongoing lawsuit against the Trump administration over the Affordable Care Act healthcare law. Maryland also argued that Trump violated the so-called Appointments Clause of the Constitution because the job of attorney general is a principal officer who must be appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The Justice Department on Wednesday defended the legality of Whitakers appointment, saying Trump was empowered to give him the job under a 1998 law called the Federal Vacancies Reform Act even though he was not a Senate-confirmed official.

Putting aside all the legal manuevering, the question should be as chief executive, does the president have the right to appoint whomever he chooses to serve in any capacity he desires? Apparently, the left believes that they should have the final say in who serves the president and in what job. Perhaps they could be helpful and supply a list of positions Trump, as president, will be allowed to fill.

The president has good reason not to trust Rosenstein, who has demonstrated his partisan leanings in the past. Is that reason enough to legally pass him over?

Trump shouldn't have to put up with an attorney general who wants to see him impeached. I'm not buying the "professionalism" argument - the same argument used to explain away the extreme partisanship of FBI investigators who gleefully went after Trump. The idea that anyone's personal animus can be stifled enough to carry out a neutral, non-partisan investigation is absurd. But that's the argument being made to name Rosenstein acting AG rather than Whitaker.

SCOTUS may simply ignore the request from attorneys - a likely outcome since the matter hasn't been adjudicated in the lower courts. But if the Supreme Court wants to send a message to Trump's enemies that he is the president and can name his own acting AG, they are more than welcome to do so.
Every year in November, more than half a million high school students across South Korea sit for the examination of their lifethe infamous Suneung or CSAT (College Scholastic Ability Test). Its a grueling eight-hour session of back-to-back exams where students are tested on Korean, English, mathematics, social studies, history and sciences. Its the single most important test any Korean student ever takes in their life. How they perform that day determines which university the student goes to, which in turn affects their job prospects, their income, where they live and even their marriage.

Its such a critical exam that authorities try to accommodate as much as possible to make the day easier for the students. For that single day, the exam becomes the priority of the entire nation.

Students take the annual College Scholastic Ability Test at a high school in Seoul. Photo credit: Ed Jones

On exam day, work start an hour late so that rush hour is delayed and roads are clear for students on their way to the exam. Sometimes police officers escort students to the examination centers. Shops, banks and even the stock market opens late. Air planes are grounded during the listening test so that students taking exams near the airport are not disturbed by planes taking off and landing. The entire country comes to a standstill.

Crowds of people, often younger classmates, teachers and friends line the streets to the exam center, singing and chanting, and offering chocolates and good luck tokens to the examinees. Nervous parents gather in temples and churches, clutching photos of their children and praying for their success.

The pressure to perform well in CSAT creates a frightening amount of stress and depression among students. Suicides are not unheard of.

Most students do worse on the actual exam than the practice ones because there is so much pressure. Even students who did well on the practice tests will do badly on the day because of the nerves involved, the 19-year-old Lee Yeon-soo told Aljazeera.

Related: Shanghai Marriage Market

Because there are only a handful of prestigious universities in the country, the competition is intense.

The chances of getting into a really top school are the chances of you getting hit by lightning, student Han Jae Kyung jokes.

Students cheer for their seniors in front of a college entrance examination hall. Photo credit: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters

There is so much social pressure to attend the best colleges that many students take the test multiple times, which itself is a cause for shame as it indicates that the student is not intelligent enough.

Inability to perform according to their expectation, and sometimes to that of their parents, often drives students to suicides.

Preparing for the exam is a life-consuming endeavour.

From 6pm to 10pm, we have after-school study sessions. We review what we learned that day and study for what we're going to learn the next day, Lee Yeon-soo explains. On the weekends, some of us have tuition. Some people go to five or six sessions. The government has made this law that the tuition centers should close by 10pm, but some still break the law and lock the doors after 10pm, but have university prep classes until 2am.

"I feel like Koreans have a disease, she laments. The 'busy' disease. Students are busy studying all the time. They don't have a life away from studies. Schools have become a prison. I think this is a characteristic of being a Korean. It's like this for adults who work, too.
The name Iceland is a misnomer. In reality, the country is stunningly green, especially during summer, and only about ten percent of Iceland is actually covered with permanent ice. This is largely due to the warm North Atlantic ocean that keeps the island's climate warm and its coasts ice-free throughout the winter, despite being located so close to the Arctic.

Legend has it that Icelands Viking settlers chose such a morose name to keep out people looking to settle in new lands. They hoped that the word ice would discourage people from coming here and discovering that their island was actually green and bountiful. But that is just a myth. Truth is, Iceland had many names in the past. When the Norse explorers Naddador first landed on Iceland, it was snowing and so he named the country Snland. Later, when Swedish Viking Garar Svavarosson arrived, he named the island Gararsholmur (Garars Isle). In the 9th century, a Viking named Floki Vilgerarson went in search of Gararsholmur. When he reached there he was very ill-prepared for the winter. While waiting for spring one day, he climbed a mountain and was disheartened to see a fjord full of icebergs. It was sheer disappointment that led him to give the island its current name.

Jokulsarlon glacier lake, Iceland. Photo credit: Txetxu Rubio/Flickr

So ice, as it turns out isnt as plenty in Iceland as it name might suggest. Sure there are floating icebergs which you could theoretically mine ice from, and glaciers which you could break with a pickaxe to fill your glass, unless you want to draw the wrath of environmentalist, iceeven in icy countriesare manufactured. But here is the thing: Iceland is notoriously expensive.

Because of its remote location and unfavorable climate, like many northern islands, Iceland relies heavily on imports for many products including oil, wheat, vegetables and other food. This means that things are very expensive in Iceland, and correspondingly Icelandic people enjoy some of the highest salaries in the world. This leads to high labor cost and anything that is manufactured in Iceland eventually turns out to be expensive as well. Its a vicious circle.

It turns out that ice imported from other countries are as much as forty percent cheaper than ice produced in Iceland, despite the fact that electricity is incredibly cheap in Iceland because of the countrys abundant hydroelectric and geothermal resources. So Iceland imports tons of ice from Norway, Britain and even the United States. This ice is sold to grocery stores to keep produce as well as meat and fish fresh.

A typical Icelandic landscapewaterfalls and lots of greens. Photo credit: Lenny K/Flickr

While some might argue that transporting ice between countries has a detrimental impact on environment because of all the greenhouse gases the ships emit, one must not forget that Iceland already has a lot of inbound shipping for all the variety of things the country cant produce. So it makes sense to utilize this existing transport service to import some ice rather than try and make it at home. It makes more economic sense to use their cheap electricity for more power intensive operation such as aluminum smelting. As much as one-fourth of all electrical energy produced in the country goes towards aluminum production, placing the country at 11th place among aluminum-producing nations in the world.

Iceland also enjoys a lot of free trade among European nations ever since it became a member of the European Free Trade Association in 1970. A lot of capital, labor, goods, and services between Iceland, Norway, and the EU countries can make free cross-border movement. This also includesas you have guessedice. Importing ice to Iceland is tax free, which helps to keep prices low.

A lonely house stands near the Eyjafjallajokull glacier on the south coast of Iceland. Photo credit: Vincent Moschetti/Flickr
Papua New Guinea, PH ink agri deal

posted November 17, 2018 at 10:20 pm by PNA November 17, 2018 at 10:20 pm

A five-year Memorandum Of Agreement for greater cooperation on agriculture was signed between the Philippines and Papua New Guinea on the sidelines of the attendance of President Rodrigo R. Duterte at the 26th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders Meeting on Friday. A statement from Malacanang said among the areas of cooperation under the agreement include a tie-up on rice and grain production, including the development of hybrid species; production of coconut, cocoa, coffee, rubber, and palm oil; horticulture production; aquaculture and inland fish farming; post-harvest development; livestock breeding; and improvement in breeding cattle and goat. It also covers training on bio-security mechanism and systems for monitoring, including sanitary and phytosanitary measures; agribusiness development; infrastructure development such as irrigation facilities and abattoirs; and agricultural research, education, and training.Moreover, there will also be investment in agriculture; exchange of professionals, scientists, and technicians; transfer of genetic materials and technology; exchange of scientific and technical information; and collaboration on studies and research. Both countries can also organize workshops, symposiums, training courses, and exhibition on related subjects.

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They are fools and are like the terrorist group ISIS. This was how President Rodrigo Duterte described the Magdalo Party in a scathing speech he delivered before the Filipino community in Papua New Guinea. Be careful with Magdalo. Be careful of yang partidong Magdalo. Ito yung mga rebeldeng sundalo na nagkalat diyan sa Makati pati sa Peninsula Hotel. And they destroyed everything, parang ISIS ang mga buang. Its members know nothing but kill, pick a fight, and shame people, the President said. Wala silang alam kung di to kill, maghahamon, magbastos. Be careful again with military lalo na yang mga rebelde tapos na-rehab because they were extended pardon by Aquino (former President Benigno III], ayon. According to the President, when the party assumed power, they began to feel they are invincible. Magdalo has for its members Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Rep. Gary Alejano, who is running for a Senate seat in 2019. Alejano, meanwhile, hit back at the president and said that the Magdalo party is not a terrorist group. The Magdalo are not terrorists. It is extremely flippant and utterly disrespectful for the President to liken us to terrorists, Alejano said in a statement. Being former soldiers, we have risked our lives on many occasion to fight terrorists and protect our country from enemies of the state, Alejano, a staunch critic of the Duterte administration, added.Alejano also cried foul over what he described as the Presidents insult and disrespect to the Magdalo groupwhich has been critical to the President and his administration. He said Magdalo has been an advocate of anti-corruption. When we were assigned in different parts of the country, we saw first-hand the poverty and lack of government services for Filipinos. Worse, we saw the corrupt activities of government and military officials while the people and soldiers on the ground were struggling. This led us to stage the Oakwood and Manila Peninsula protests to air our grievances and expose the widespread corruption in government, Alejano said. It was not our intention to sow fear or terror or to shoot it out with the military and police. In both the Oakwood and Manila Peninsula incidents, we did not fire a single shot nor harmed anyone, Alejano said. He said the Presidents attacks against the Magdalo group are part of intimidating and silencing the opposition which only highlights his dictatorial tendencies. Instead of answering the policy issues of subservience to China and the growing poverty of our people, the Duterte administration chooses to divert the attention of the people to baseless accusations and drama-filled rhetoric, Alejano said. He pointed out that his group criticizes the government not just for the heck of it. Opposition is not destabilization. Contrary to what the President believes in, opposition is necessary for a democracy. Dissent should be viewed as points of improvement in governance to be able to forward more sound policies and improve government services, Alejano said.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. U.S. President Donald Trump has renewed the national emergency with respect to Iran that was first declared in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter, the White House said.

On November 14, 1979, in Executive Order 12170, the President declared a national emergency with respect to Iran pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) and took related steps to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States constituted by the situation in Iran.

Our relations with Iran have not yet normalized, and the process of implementing the agreements with Iran, dated January 19, 1981, is ongoing. For this reason, the national emergency declared on November 14, 1979, and the measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond November 14, 2018. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency with respect to Iran declared in Executive Order 12170.

The emergency declared in Executive Order 12170 is distinct from the emergency declared in Executive Order 12957 on March 15, 1995. This renewal, therefore, is distinct from the emergency renewal of March 12, 2018.

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress, the White House said in a press release titled Text of a Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect To Iran.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador Arman Kirakossian, Head of Permanent Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the OSCE, delivered remarks at the 1200th session of the OSCE Permanent Council in response to the annual report of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, the Armenian foreign minister told Armenpress.

In his remarks Ambassador Kirakossian thanked the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs for the efforts put for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict and added that 2018 is marked with an important anniversary: in February 1988, the regional council of the peoples deputies of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast made a decision asking the Soviet Armenia and Soviet Azerbaijan to approach with understanding to the will and dreams of the Armenian population of Karabakh and agree on the transfer of the Oblast from Azerbaijan to Armenia. It was stated that Azerbaijan, in response to this appeal of self-determination, carried out violence, deportations, crimes and unleashed a war.

Ambassador Kirakossian stated that since that time the status and security of Artsakh became the most important elements of the conflict settlement.

The Armenian side highlighted that today the Armenian people highly value democracy and human rights, which was approved this spring by the peaceful and democratic changes that took place in Armenia as a result of which early parliamentary elections will be held this December.

Talking about the position of the new Armenian leadership on the conflict settlement, the Ambassador outlined several key points:

The first one  the status and security of the Artsakh people are one of the most important issues for the conflict settlement and are the absolute priority of Armenia.

The second one  the people and authorities of Artsakh must have a decisive voice in the conflict settlement process. Any attempt to isolate Artsakh and its people from the conflict settlement process contradicts to both the causes of the conflicts origins and the existing reality. Artsakh is populated by its native people who historically constantly comprised an absolute majority, including at all stages of the conflict.

The third one  Armenia continues supporting the efforts of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs (Russia, US and France) aimed at settling the conflict exclusively through peaceful means.

The fourth one  the conflict cannot have a military solution, and the military scenarios should be rejected unconditionally. The 2016 April military adventurism had a negative impact on the peace process. The current positive dynamics, which was formed as a result of the recent meetings and the agreements reached in Dushanbe, must be followed by an implementation of actions aimed at strengthening trust and security already agreed upon in Vienna, St. Petersburg and Geneva, which in its turn will strengthen the OSCE presence in the conflict zone.

The fifth one  the creation of atmosphere contributing to peace requires not only reduction of tension and introduction of monitoring mechanisms, but also preparing people to peace. The hostile rhetoric and maximalist positions question the possibilities of mutual concession.

Ambassador Arman Kirakossian also thanked the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and his team for strengthening the ceasefire regime and the trust between the sides. He expressed confidence that the only international presence in the NK conflict zone and the only OSCE presence in South Caucasus play an important role in mitigating the tension in the Line of Contact and the border.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker minister of culture Lilit Makunts is participating in the VII St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum in Russia.

Within the framework of the event the Armenian caretaker minister will have meetings with her Russian counterpart Vladimir Medinsky, Hermitage Museum director Mikhail Piotrovsky, as well as officials and cultural figures from other countries taking part in the event, the culture ministry said.

On the sidelines of the forum Armenia and Russia will sign the Armenian Culture Ministry and Russian Culture Ministry 2019-2021 Cooperation Program."

The St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum annually attracts thousands of experts in the field of culture from all over the world: starts of theater, opera and ballet, renowned directors and musicians, public figures, representatives of authorities and business and academic communities. The Forum is organized by the Government of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Russian Federation.

The Forum is developing in three directions at the same time. A large-scale business programme will be of interest to specialists in different areas of culture. The festival programme includes multiple cultural events for city residents and guests of St. Petersburg. The business platform creates conditions for implementing projects and signing agreements in the field of culture.

This year there will be a large-scale professional and public flow programme, with a number of Russian and international premieres of shows, concerts, exhibitions and many other events for various audiences. Guest countries of the VII St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum will present their business and cultural programmes and various theme programmes, such as the Festival of Festivals.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Acting deputy prime minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan received Veronika Nikishina, Member of the Board - Minister for Trade of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), the Armenian government told Armenpress.

During the meeting the officials discussed the process of integration at the Eurasian space and the talks over privileged trade relations with the third countries, as well as the existing issues.

They specifically touched upon the organizational works for the upcoming talks between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Egypt. The Armenian side will be the main coordinator during the talks.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Chief of Staff-Secretary General of the Parliament of Armenia Ara Saghatelyan took part in the International Conference organized by GIZ in Kyiv on November 13-15, the Armenian Parliament told Armenpress. It was dedicated to Strengthening Parliaments Oversight Function in Eastern Partnership Countries.

During the conference the participants discussed the current challenges in reforming parliamentary administrations in Eastern Partnership (EAP) countries, the importance of the scientific research-analytical centres for further Parliaments reform, as well as the challenges for a stronger cooperation between supreme audit institutions (SAI) and parliaments in EAP countries.

Ara Saghatelyan delivered remarks at the Conference, which runs as follows:

Dear colleagues and friends,

I thank GIZ for the invitation and giving us the opportunity to have interesting discussion. Such meetings are indeed of great value and importance from the perspective of moving forward the reforms of parliament administrations, exchange of experience and getting to know new and interesting approaches in this field of public service.

The practical application of the new ideas discerned from the evolving discussions in such platforms is very important in order to boost the analytical and research capacities in the parliaments, to deepen interagency cooperation and improve the overall efficiency of our work.

In Armenia these questions are more than of just current interest, since  as you know  in 2018 our country transformed from semi-presidential into a parliamentary form of governance and at the moment we are in the stage of adapting to the new system. This new form of government presumes a re-evaluation of the parliaments role in the decision-making and in formulating the domestic political agenda, as well as certain improvement of the capacities of responding to new challenges.

In the meantime, the transition to parliamentary system yielded to increased burden of responsibility on the National Assembly. Therefore, large scale reforms, including in the Administration, became more important and inevitable.

Dear colleagues,

The reform process in the parliamentary administrations requires continuity since we always have to provide for synchronization between the functions of the entire parliamentary infrastructure and the daily needs and expectations of the members of parliament. The administration also has to serve as guarantor for the full and appropriate legislative, representative, oversight (inter alia on budgeting) and other functions.

The purpose of the ongoing reforms in the National Assembly of Armenia is to create most fertile grounds for the MPs to carry out their constitutional authority and functions. By favorable conditions I imply the creation of such systematized and effective means for the National Assembly Administration to serve the needs of the parliament and its various bodies  the Parliament Speaker, deputy speakers, MPs, standing committees and factions.

Unfortunately, the reforms process is not very smooth and homogeneous, often times we face various problems and challenges which slow down our pace.

I am convinced that in the early stages of these reforms the biggest challenges are the optimization of the structure of the NA Administration and its synchronization with the changing political needs and socio-economic conditions, as well as the expectations of the parliamentarians and the public. At this stage, as a general rule, we encounter some internal resistance between those implementing the reforms and those staffers who are hesitant to leave their comfort zone and experience difficulties in terms of acquiring new knowledge and skills. Its here that certain technical hardships pop up, including for the reasons of absence of full coordination in the Administration, duplication of functions  among other issues  which is the laundry list to address in the course of the reforms.

The next challenge is to ensure relevant competency of the staffers and engage high quality experts for the needs of the parliament. Noting the budgetary restrictions, its close to impossible to compete with the private sector. The professionals, as a rule, prefer to work in the private sector as a good expert expects a reasonable pay.

Budgetary restrictions also impede carrying out exchange programs, or limit the scope and frequency of those. Therefore, I think, the inability to ensure continuous flow of exchange programs and trainings to learn best practices overseas is the Achilles heel of all parliamentary Administrations.

My own analysis shows, that the next issue to address, perhaps, is the lack of proper and full understanding of the role and purpose of the parliament  either in the other branches of power or the public. This perhaps is a result of the lack of relevant political culture.

The other segment of issues refers to the financial support of the Administration and its financial independence. Meantime, its highly important to streamline and simplify the processes of validating the expenses with relevant fiscal agencies. From this perspective, as a challenge we must highlight the importance of readiness of the government to establish a proper level of dialogue and develop certain standards of communication, including within the frameworks of due processes of parliamentary oversight.

The lack of institutional collaboration with the expert community is yet another issue to address. I will save this for our next discussion today.

Dear colleagues,

Perhaps, I would not be too wrong to conclude that the issues listed so far more or less reflect the challenges we all struggle within our administrations. But there is one other problem, or rather a challenge, that is knocking on our doors. Thats the challenge of time. The modern, technologically advanced internet society, that is easy- going, instantly informed, fast to change mood and as much fast to submit demands on one hand, and our more institutional, serious and comprehensively reflective structures on the other  are vividly moving farther from each other day by day. If we can be fully honest about it, we all observe this. Our Administrations, even those most established, are like a well taken care of, seriously looking traditional Rolls Royce luxury cars, that is reflective of every turn it makes, drives without violating the traffic rules. They used to tackle issues of public behavior by affecting popular thinking and demands with its solid look alone. Today we have a qualitatively different situation. Now our Rolls Royce cars must serve a new society that is shaped by figuratively speaking, a skater sliding between cars, by tweets, comments on Facebook walls, selfies and copy-pastes from Wikipedia. I mean the speedy, easy-going, not too deep, simple and most importantly  the inclusive is new reality, when the object of politics now by all means wants to also become the implementer. That is our new reality. Now the question is  whether our more traditional structures are ready to face this. I think the answer is  not entirely.

Today an MP expects our technical assistance in helping them to come online on Facebook for live broadcast in the first place, and not necessarily in assisting to put together a two-day international conference. Of course, I hereby bring only surface-level examples but that is only to make sure my points are illustrative enough. Yet my point is simple. We have to be able to save the traditional, the institutional, the Rolls Royce, but we ought to ensure that we catch up the skater who doesnt go too far away in between cars and through crossroads. Otherwise we are going to miss the connection between us, which is not desirable at all. I am sure we will have opportunities to seriously discuss this in many occasions.

In conclusion, once again let me express my gratitude to the organizers and all colleagues for this timely, highly useful and productive discussion.

I thank you for your attention and look forward to exchanging views on the above.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian addressed a message to the participants of the international scientific conference titled Hidden Treasures Unearthed: Armenian Arts and Culture of Eastern Europe which is being held in Los Angeles on November 16-18, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The President said Armenia attaches great importance to the works and events aimed at the preservation, study and presentation of the Armenian cultural heritage across the world.

The Armenian cultural heritage, especially in the European space, is part of the common values we share together today. This heritage also enriches the identity of the bearers of these values making an individual more developed spiritually, perceptive and ready to listen to and respect others.

Thanks to the experience, skills and knowledge of living in a multicultural environment, Armenians contributed to the development and progress of their countries of residence, became an indispensable factor of the international trade and commodity exchange, and this factor left a trace in the thinking, psychology and behavior of Armenians, as well as affected Armenias political fate.

Today, when Armenia has reaffirmed the independence acquired 100 years ago in a small part of its historical lands, the revelation and study of the civilized past of the Armenian people, the completion of its history receives an importance from the perspective of the formation and future of contemporary Armenian society. I hope it will help us, the contemporary Armenians, inside or outside, to better understand who we are, where we come from and where we move on, the President said and thanked the organizers, wishing productive work to the conference participants.

The conference has been organized by the Narekatsi Chair in Armenian Studies at UCLA in cooperation with the Paul Getty Museum. The coordinator of the conference is famous expert on Armenian studies Peter Cowe. The conference is attended by specialists of the field from over a dozen countries, including Armenia.
Hi there. My partner eill be coming to oz for 3 months but we have a multiple entry tourist visa so looking to take advantage of that.



I usually send money by moneygram over to the Philippines for few hundred dollers.



I know there are restrictions on how much cash you can take out of the Philippines and I'm sure there will be the same restrictions bringing cash into oz right?



My partner is worried about sending money from the Philippines to Australia. Obviously to get the best rates, but more concerned who is safe company to go with?



She just thinks send by money gram from her end but wanted to hear from those that have done it from the Philippines?

My partner is in cavite not far from manila.
PINOYS IN PAPUA. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and several members of his Cabinet stand at attention during the singing of the Philippine national anthem during his meeting with the Filipinos based in Papua New Guinea at the Filipino Community Center in Port Moresby on Nov. 16, 2018. Presidential Photo

President Rodrigo Duterte, attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Papua New Guinea, said another topbut unidentifiedgovernment official would be fired by him on his return to the Philippines, Malacanang said Saturday. The President, who cut short his three-day visit to Papua New Guinea, is expected to arrive Sunday morning in Davao City. He came from Singapore where he participated in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo declined to name the official but said the government official was involved in graft and corruption. In his speech before Filipino community in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Duterte said he would try to stop corruption and needed to return, because there would be another official to be fired.I will really remove you. Sorry," Duterte said during a meeting with the Filipino community last Friday night. In line with his campaign to weed out corruption in the bureaucracy, Duterte said he had fired several officials including a Cabinet member whom he caught lying during a Cabinet meeting. The President was originally scheduled to attend the APEC economic leaders summit on Nov. 17 and 18 to push for closer economic integration in the region. The Palace released a revised itinerary of the President and was scheduled to leave Papua New Guinea and arrive at the Davao City international airport on Sunday morning. The Palace assured that despite the Presidents absence in some APEC events, the Philippines continued to support the chairmanship of Papua New Guinea. On the drugs campaign, the President said in his speech I have remaining three (years). I hope that I can put in place something. There are over 40,000 Filipinos in the country, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs. Duterte assured the Filipino workers in Papua New Guinea that the administration had gained momentum in fighting corruption and illegal drugs.Moreover, he said he had also fired several members of his government, including police personnel, who were accused of abuses and wrongdoings but acknowledged that it continued to be a problem. Do you know why illegal drugs continues? Because its money and its very hot, Duterte said, stressing that several police personnel were drug coddlers themselves. Last week, Duterte said he wanted the entire government machinery to participate in the administrations aggressive crackdown on illegal drugs. I will issue a memorandum circular directing the entire government machinery to mobilize its assets and to take an active role in governments anti-illegal drug campaign nationwide, Duterte said. The President said he also wanted to create a task force on anti-illegal drugs composed of different law enforcement agencies. What we have is the moving forward to eradicate illegal drug trade, activate a National Anti-illegal Drug Task Force, Duterte said. He said the task force would be composed of the personnel assets from the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Customs, Philippine Coast Guard and other agencies of the government. In the same speech before the Filipino community, Duterte downplayed his move to endorse election bets overseas, saying election rules did not apply since he was in a foreign land. In his speech, Duterte expressed support for Senate bet, former police chief Ronald dela Rosa, saying the nation needed someone like him. The President then went on to defend his move, saying any campaign rule would not apply to him because he was not in the Philippines.
I am an Australian citizen looking to bring my girlfriend (been together 4 years) over from the US. The one hitch is that she has been living in the US illegally for the past 20 years. She was brought over legally from Venezuela when she was 10 years old and then overstayed her visa. What I would like to know is how will this impact the application process for a spousal visa? Will she need to return to her home country first?
WLTP

Well, we are now back on the matter and that's because we've brought along a 2019 Audi R8 Police Car.With its V10 motor and its loud naturally aspirated soundtrack, the R8 would make for a proper Autobahn traffic control vehicle - keep in mind that the German highway network has multiple derestricted sections, which allow drivers to go flat out.The render we have here comes from social media label J.B. Cars, with this managing to achieve its goal via small changes - note that the R8 has been gifted with a roof-mounted light bar, front-grille lights, as well as decalls on the sides and the frunk lid.As indicated by the small fixed wing found at the posterior of the vehicle, the model used for this pixel play is the R8 V10 performance (this replaces the V10 plus), which pushes its 5.2-liter V10 motor to 620 horsepower and 580 Nm (428 lb-ft), which makes for a boost of 10 hp and 20 Nm of twist.One of the reasons for which the power upgrade was introduced is that the 2019 model is slightly heavier than the car it replaces. The German engineers were forced to introduce extra hardware in order for the vehicle to cope with the stricteremissions testing in Europe.Of course, the close sibling of the second-generation Audi R8, namely the Lamborghini Huracan, is also preparing for its mid-cycle revamp.And since we're talking renderings, we'll remind you that we've already featured a pixel stunt showcasing the 2020 Huracan. As the spyshots have proved, most of the visual changes are set to take place at the back, while multiple Huracan Performance-inspired visual changes are coming.
B737 MAX Crash

Paul, From a 14,000 hour ATP rated pilot that has flown all B737 types (except the Max), my guess is that your guess is right. Crews these days rely so much on information that when a glitch happens their minds turn into jello and become passengers themselves. The same effect happened to AF447 that crashed in the Atlantic Ocean after the crew failed to identify that the A330 was in full stall condition. Basic flying skills are gone. Students are learning to fly in G1000 equipped aircraft and then transition to highly automated airlines. The industry knows this, but it seems that it is cheaper for insurance companies to pay for accident claim onde in while, than it is to rever back to old fashioned training. And life goes on

Eduardo Letti

Boeing ultimately remains responsible for system designs that may confuse and retard corrective reactions by the crew. Airbus designed a confusing, and not quite ergonomic, flight control system on the A330 and others, where the right seat did not know what the left seat stick position was for pitch or bank. So damn basic. Bad design will bite every time. I can see it now. A fix or fixes, PR cleanup, blame the PF.

Rafael Sierra

We tend to jump on foreign maintenance and pilots executing sub-standard performance as the first source of an overseas aviation accident. I noted the terms of cannibalizing old airliners for parts in one of the news releases regarding this accident. Kind of hard to cannibalize a new airplane series. I believe we might find a competent crew flying a properly maintained, almost new airplane, executing perfectly an emergency response to what was initially thought a runaway trim situation. Boeing and the FAA need to be as thoroughly investigated as will be Lion Air, the crew, and maintenance. Somehow, i have the feeling the FAA and Boeing will not have the same scrutiny.

Jim Holdeman

Whats worse than some black box thats trying to be helpful? Multiple black boxes, EACH of which is trying to be helpful. Accountability is the bedrock of autonomy. When it comes to non-autonomous automation, woe betide the poor shepherd who oversees a herd of earnest and helpful but unaccountable cats  er, boxes.

Tom Yarsley

Having lived and flown in Jakarta, I can comment on some of the unique factors surrounding accidents there, including the Lionair and Adamair 574 situational-awareness losses. Being on the equator, visibility is always limited due to haze and clouds. Being at the end of the world, spare parts are routinely cannibalized from other airliners. And not being native English speakers, some nuance is lost when pilots learn new systems and procedures (though one of the Lionair pilots was Indian, so may have had more fluency.) My suggestions are: 1) CRM in case of a problem should be that one of the pilots looks out the window vigilantly. 2) Captain VanderBurghs videos should be translated to Indonesian and added to their training syllabus. Unlike the USA, theres only a few flight schools in the country, all oriented to the professional pilot. I dont have any answers for Surabaya, which is prone to torrential rains resulting in standing water on the runways, thus overruns. Just avoid it.

James Briggs

The stabilizer can kill. Auto trimming, when it malfunctions, can kill. Direct control to elevator and stab should always be available. The mindset of designers is to protect the system from pilot mistakes. This is actually worse than the best solution, which is the availability of raw data and basic control untweaked by air data. Also better information and training. We had to get to this basic debate eventually. Seems as if both Airbus and Boeing (Embraer?)need to be regulated by FAA, and the other certifying agencies. This is not a case of Luddism, but rather an over-ambitious and arrogant design industry. Trouble is that they seem to wish to get rid of pilots. Money again.

Peter Duffey

How is it possible for a major aircraft manufacturer to install a flight control system in the aircraft and NOT inform the pilots? If this kind of mistake can make it past FAA scrutiny then what purpose does aircraft certification serve?

Mark Sletten

This is not the first time a manufacturer forgot to inform the pilots. In december 1991 SAS flight SK751 with a pretty new MD-81 had an emergency landing near Stockholm because of ice sucked into the engines. The pilots werent able to throttle down the engines due to new software that prevented throttling down during flight at altitude. The plane crash landed on a snow-covered field, but all survived. Some organizations are seemingly too big to handle even essential safety-related information.

Peter Olsen

Is Diamonds Hybrid-Drive Electric Airplane a Good Idea?

My answer would be a combination of Yes, the industry has to go in this direction and Wouldnt pure electric be a better idea?. Of course the latter would be near perfect and might one day be what we are flying with. However, the value of developing and supporting hybrid systems now is evident. It acts as a technological driver (gathering experience, jumping-off point for more advanced ideas and systems, proof of concept) and a solution that can work practically now or at least very soon. It is better than doing nothing until the hoped-for perfect solution arrives, which it never will (even full electric propulsion will have its downsides and distractors).

Peter Mueller

Vegas Tower Controller Incapacitated

Ponder this for a moment.said controller already worked 8 hours that day too. She was back on a mid shift after a meager 8 hours off since her last 8 hours at work. Consider this.the FAA continues to be derelict and negligent in considering multiple studies from the likes of NASA about fatigue and the schedules controllers work. Studies also show, that a controller that has worked 16 of the last 24 hours is the equivalent of drunk when they drive home from that mid shift. All facts based on studies from reputable third parties. Hope she recovers from whatever ailment she encountered. Of course these opinions are of my own belief and all that jazz and not of the Agency itself.

Kevin K.

As a former FAA (center) controller when it comes to staffing at FAA facilities when it comes to the public ignorance is truly bliss. The FAA has always placed the bulk of its controller staff on daytime hours (6AM-10PM), as thats when the majority of traffic is flying. During that same time period is when most of the supervisory staff works as well. However, beginning after 10PM, and from midnight until 6AM (the midshift), staffing is usually pared to a bare minimum. And that supervisory staff that the FAA thinks is so critical during the day is reduced to a single manager at the centers (who cant even see the controllers hes overseeing without wandering through the control room). At smaller facilities there is often no manager. The result is during midshift hours controllers are often working alone. That means if they need help for any reason (including a medical emergency) there is often no one immediately on hand to assist. Thus, although unfortunate, its not a surprise that this sort of thing doesnt happen more often.

TBT

My heart goes out to the controller who became ill and I hope she makes a speedy recovery. It will be interesting to get more information on the underlying safety net, I am sure there is more to this than meets the eye. I would be amazed if no pilot went to another frequency or a cell phone to call for help as the controller was obviously in some difficulty, if not pain. I hope that we learn from this event, perhaps a process is put in place to allow lone controllers to call for assistance when they are in difficulty, or requires them to check in periodically. When I worked in an industrial laboratory we had a lone worker protocol that ensured our safety and ability to call for assistance.

Christopher Roberts

Pilot Error Cited In Fatal C-130 Crash

Like most accidents this event could/should be used as a case study for basic root cause analysis and Human Factors training. Yes the MX Team did not use the specific tool that the technical orders call for, but the article does not go the next step by stating  Why. They couldnt use it because all but one of the Wings tools were out of service. Yes the Flt.Crew may not have been prepared for the flight, but there is plenty of blame to go around. In my opinion the Wing Command (CO, MX Officer, Engine Shop Leadership, etc.) is more at fault for not supplying the maintenance crew with the proper tooling, and for sending them on a mission that they could not complete I/A/W all orders.

Gerry Shutrump
Pharma was happy when President Trump first released his blueprint to lower drug prices, which mainly targeted industry middlemen, not drugmakers, and relied on private-sector competition, not direct government intervention.

But things have taken a turn.

First, the administration proposed requiring pharmaceutical companies to include drugs sticker prices in their TV ads. Industry says its a violation of the First Amendment, and theres a real debate over whether that information would be very useful.

Next came a plan to base Medicares payments for certain drugs on the prices European countries pay  in other words, to piggyback off of single-payer or highly socialized health care systems. Thats a pretty big plot twist for a Republican administration.

Yes, but: Industry will have ample opportunities to kill both of these proposals, and both could end up having modest impacts even if they do end up happening.

The bottom line: Divided government probably wont produce a grand bargain on drug pricing. The industry is still very powerful, and Congress' ideological differences are still real.

But pharma nevertheless will be on worse footing in January than it is today, and its on worse footing today than it was a year ago.

Its increasingly at odds with what seemed like a friendly administration, and its losing some of the allies on Capitol Hill who could help fight Trumps most dramatic plans.

Go deeper: Read the rest of Axios' Deep Dive on prescription drug prices
There are only 13 days until President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are to meet in Argentina  and the leaks, rumors and guesses are flying fast.

The big picture: The best case scenario appears to be a tariff ceasefire with some sort of framework deal to keep talking, but based on what I am hearing, even that may be a stretch.

If Vice President Mike Pence speaks for the Trump administration on China policy, then his comments in an interview with Josh Rogin of the Washington Post should quell any optimism for a deal. There's little prospect that China would agree to much of what Pence lays out. Rogin writes:

Pence told me in an interview that Trump is leaving the door open for a deal with Xi in Argentina, but only if Beijing is willing to make massive changes that the United States is demanding in its economic, military and political activities. The vice president said this is Chinas best (if not last) chance to avoid a cold-war scenario with the United States... Pence said China must offer concessions on several issues, including but not limited to its rampant intellectual property theft, forced technology transfer, restricted access to Chinese markets, respect for international rules and norms, efforts to limit freedom of navigation in international waters and Chinese Communist Party interference in the politics of Western countries. If Beijing doesnt come up with significant and concrete concessions, the United States is prepared to escalate economic, diplomatic and political pressure on China... He believes the U.S. economy is strong enough to weather such an escalation while the Chinese economy is less durable.

What they're saying

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross commented on the prospects for the meeting yesterday, per Bloomberg:

The big event is going to be the one-on-one meeting with President Trump and President Xi at the G-20 down in Argentina. All this other stuff is just preparatory until that. Thatll set if there is going to be a real framework... [It cant be expected that the two presidents will] get into intimate details -- how much LNG and how much this and that. Its going to be big picture, but if it goes well, itll set the framework for going forward... We certainly wont have a full formal deal by January. Impossible.

An unnamed senior U.S. official spoke with Reuters yesterday and downplayed the possibility of a breakthrough deal with China anytime soon. Reuters reports...

Chinas written response to U.S. demands for trade reforms is unlikely to trigger a breakthrough at talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping later this month... The Chinese document included 142 items divided into three categories: issues the Chinese are willing to negotiate for further action, issues they are already working on and issues they consider off limits... The items on Beijings non-negotiable list were unacceptable to the United States, the official said, and the overall list deserved to be looked at with skepticism in part because China has previously made pledges on economic and trade reforms that it had not fulfilled.

What we're watching

Expect more leaks, speculation and probably market-moving tweets between now and the meeting. Asset Management firm Miller Tabak, I think, nailed it in their prediction of how Trump might communicate with the markets between now and the meeting,

As CNBC's Carl Quintanilla tweeted:

"POTUS 'is VERY sensitive to the movements in the stock mkt. The last thing he wants to do is have the mkt flat on its back going into the #G20 mtg .. Therefore, we think it's very likely that he'll tweet [or leak] more positive [China] news' -- Miller Tabak"

Quick take: At some point, wont there be Presidential China Deal Tweet Fatigue?

What we're hearing: A source tells me to expect Liu He, top economic policymaker and Xi's point man for the trade negotiations, to come to D.C. after Thanksgiving for the talks.

Go deeper: China Fund Managers Have Low Expectations for Xi-Trump Meet (Bloomberg)
By Trend

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) welcomes the creation of the Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey (Lapis Lazuli) international transport corridor, Turkmenistans Altyn Asyr TV channel reported.

This statement was made at a meeting between President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Takehiko Nakao in Ashgabat.

The increased potential for cooperation on the Caspian Sea was stressed at the meeting. After signing the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, there are prospects for future joint projects, including pipeline construction and development of marine resources.

The possibilities for creating international transit corridors, in particular, along the Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey route and further in the European direction, were also considered.

The agreement on transit and transport cooperation along the Lapis Lazuli route was signed by Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey in November 2017.

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By Trend

There are plans in Azerbaijan to amend the rules for calculating compulsory state social insurance contributions.

In this regard, amendments to the law On Social Insurance are envisaged.

In accordance with the proposed additions to the law, Azerbaijans Ministry of Taxes, in accordance with the established procedure, will impose financial penalties for the late submission of the report on compulsory state social insurance contributions, charge interest for the late payment of compulsory state social insurance contributions and return the surplus from social insurance contributions.

The law is also being amended regarding the contributions from monthly income.

In accordance with the proposed changes, the social insurance contribution from the salary of up to 200 manats will be 25 percent. Three of these 25 percent will be paid from the employees income and 22 percent will be paid by the employer.

If the employees salary exceeds 200 manats, it is proposed to apply another deduction principle: the employee pays 6 manats and 10 percent of the amount exceeding 200 manats, and the employer pays 44 manats and 15 percent of the amount exceeding 200 manats.

It is also proposed to amend the law regarding compulsory state social insurance contributions of insured persons who receive income from activities not related to hired labor.

For people engaged in entrepreneurship, contributions are proposed to make 50 percent of the minimum wage for construction and trade workers and 25 percent for those working in other spheres.

For those working on the basis of a civil law contract, contributions are proposed to make 25 percent of the income from the source of payment. For special notaries, contributions are proposed to make 25 percent of the tenfold minimum salary.

For legal entities and individuals paying royalties, contributions are proposed to make 15 percent of the royalty.

For members of Azerbaijans Bar Association, independent auditors, independent correspondents, contributions are proposed to make 20 percent of the income.

It is expected that the proposed changes to the law will enter into force on January 1, 2019.

(1.7 manats = 1 USD on Nov. 17)

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By Trend

Today Azerbaijan marks National Revival Day.

On the first days of 1988, Armenia started its evident aggression against Azerbaijan. Seeing Moscow and particularly the head of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev's indifferent attitude towards these events, the Armenians started mass deportation of the Azerbaijanis from their native lands in Armenia under the instructions of the Armenian government.

More than 200,000 Azerbaijanis were deported from their homes, killed by the Armenians. Gorbachev and the rest of the USSR leadership had no reaction to the Armenian vandalism.

In early February 1988, Armenians carried out revolts in Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and even raised the issue of joining those lands with Armenia.

Azerbaijani people expressed protest to the government. Slogans, portraits and flags carried by the Azerbaijani citizens proved their belief to Moscow and local authorities at that time. But getting no serious answer from Moscow and the then government, people from every corner of the republic moved to Baku and gathered on Azadlig Square (Lenin Square at that time), held meetings and evidently expressed their protest.

Azerbaijani people started indefinite rally on Azadlig Square against the anti-Azerbaijani policy of the USSR on Nov.17, 1988. It was a real national liberation movement. The Soviet troops dispersed the nationwide rally in early December. These events are regarded in Azerbaijan as the start of the national liberation movement and the main factor in gaining independence.

November 17 has been marked as the Day of National Revival since 1992.

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By Trend

On Friday November 16, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received Mr. Cyril Muller, Vice-President of the World Bank for Europe and Central Asia, news.tj reports.

According to the Tajik presidents official website, Rahmon expressed gratitude to the World Bank for understanding of the importance of the Roghun hydroelectric power project for Tajikistan.

Mr. Muller arrived in Tajikistan to attend the ceremony of introducing the first unit of the Roghun hydroelectric power plant (HPP) into operation.

Recall, in response to the request of the bordering countries and especially Uzbekistan, the World Bank has financed the Techno-Economic Assessment Study (TEAS) conducted by consortium of Coyne et Bellier, Electroconsult and IPA Energy + Water Economics, and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) conducted by Poyry. The ESIA was published on June 16, 2014 and the TEAS in July 2014. Overall, the ESIA stated that Most impacts are rather small and easily mitigated, if mitigation is required at all. and that There is no impact of the category strong negative, mitigation not possible, which would have to be considered as a no-go for the project.

Cyril Muller joined the World Banks Europe and Central Asia region as Vice President on 1 July 2015.

Previously, from 2011 to 2015, he was Vice President for External and Corporate Relations. Prior to that, he was the Director for Banking and Debt Management in the World Bank Treasury, responsible for modernizing the financial products available to member countries and providing public debt management advisory services.

From 2005 to 2010, he served as the World Banks Special Representative for Europe, based in Paris. His main responsibilities were managing the dialogue with European governments and institutions.

Muller has held a range of positions across the World Bank since 1991, with an external break in service from 2000-2005. He holds economics degrees from Neuchatel University in Switzerland and New York University.

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Public school teachers threatening a nationwide sit-down strike on Nov. 29 got the same raise as other government workers under the Salary Standardization Law, yet enjoyed comparatively more benefits than their peers in public service and would even get raises to their allowances soon, Education Secretary Leonor Briones told Manila Standard. In a telephone interview late Friday, Briones said she would have to find out the legal implications of a strike planned by the members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, and added she would wait to see what their other demands are. Even then, public school teachers can expect a raise in their so-called chalk allowance from P3,500 to P5,000 by next year and a similar increase to their anniversary bonuses, the Education chief told the Standard. Briones noted that this was on top of their unique benefits as teacherstwo months worth of paid vacation leave during summer when school is out and two weeks paid vacation during the Christmas holidays. No other [government] employee receives that benefit, she said. We also have to consider how to compensate other people in government, like the guidance counselors, engineers and nurses [also employed by the Department of Education]. We have to see the perspective of the national government, which has to treat its many children equally as much as possible. [The SSL increase] is for everybody, Briones added. In a press conference Friday, ACT laid out its plans to demonstrate the teachers unhappiness over the programmed P551 wage increase next yearwhich they said was inadequate as they were overworked and underpaidas provided by the SSL. The law that improved government workers salaries is covered under Republic Act 10717 (the General Appropriations Act of 2016) and Executive Order No. 201, series of 2016, both signed by then-President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. In May, President Rodrigo Duterte promised to raise public teachers salaries but admitted doubling their salaries, as lobbied for by groups like ACT, may not be possible at this time.But I cant double it. We cant afford. Im not blaming anybody, but there are simply too many Filipinos. We lack resources, Duterte said during a teachers conference in his hometown of Davao City last May 4. Briones also noted that giving into the groups demands would widen the public school teachers gap with their private school counterparts, who are already crossing over to the government institutions because the salaries there are already much better, even when compared to school systems abroad. Its an interesting phenomenon. Private schools in the provinces are already closing down because they cant catch up with the [teachers] salaries and benefits in public schools, the Education chief said. We have to see what their other demands are, but on first glance, how many billions [of pesos] will you need to give increases to over 800,000 teachers? Briones asked. So we shall see what other benefits we can give them without breaking the law, and not widen their gap with other government employees. At a news conference in Quezon City on Friday, Joselyn Martinez, ACT-Philippines chairperson, said they would hold a series of actions in Metro Manila and other regions. On Nov. 19, we will go to the Senate to submit the signatures we have gathered to demand a wage increase, she said. On Nov. 29, we will have a nationwide sitdown strike, the highest form of strike. Teachers will not teach. They will go outside of their schools, while some will [just] stay at the [school] gate or quadrangle to dramatize our sentiments to President Duterte that we are not happy to get an increase of P551 [in 2019], Martinez added. Teachers who do strike may be charged with refusal to perform official duty, gross insubordination, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, and absence without leave, according to Republic Act 4670 or the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers. The penalty for striking is a suspension of six months to one year for the first offense, and dismissal from service on the second offense.
By Trend

Annageldi Yazmyradov has been appointed Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources of Turkmenistan, according to the Turkmen presidential decree.

Yazmyradov previously held the position of the head of the Baharden district of Turkmenistans Ahal region.

Former head of the Turkmen Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources Ovezmyrat Enermyradov was dismissed from this post due to his transfer to another job.

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Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Areas of fog early, becoming mostly sunny this afternoon. High 66F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 42F. Winds light and variable.
WashingtonThe US Central Intelligence Agency has concluded Saudi Arabias powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, US media reported Friday, citing people close to the matter. The United States assessment directly contradicts the conclusions of a Saudi prosecutor one day prior, which exonerated the prince of involvement in the brutal murder. But The Washington Post, which broke the story, said the CIA found that 15 Saudi agents flew on government aircraft to Istanbul and assassinated Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate. Queried by Agence France-Presse, the CIA declined to comment. Khashoggi, a Post columnist, had gone to the consulate to obtain documents necessary to marry his Turkish fiancee. Saudi Arabiawhich quickly dismissed the reported CIA findings has repeatedly changed its official narrative of the October 2 murder, first denying any knowledge of Khashoggis whereabouts and later saying he was killed when an argument degenerated into a fistfight. In the latest version presented by the Saudi prosecutor on Thursday, a 15-member squad was formed to bring Khashoggi back from Istanbul by means of persuasion -- but instead ended up killing the journalist and dismembering his body in a rogue operation. The CIA examined multiple intelligence sources, the Post said, among them a phone call between the princes brother the Saudi ambassador to the United Statesand Khashoggi. The ambassador reportedly told the late journalist that he would be safe to go to the consulate in Istanbul and get the papers he needed. But a Saudi embassy spokesperson said that Ambassador Khalid bin Salman had never discussed anything related to going to Turkey with Khashoggi. Amb Prince Khalid bin Salman has never had any phone conversations with (Khashoggi), the statement posted on the ambassadors Twitter account said. The claims in this purported assessment is false, it said. The US intelligence agency also said in determining the crown princes role it considered him a de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia: The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved, the Post quoted an official as saying.That official dubbed Prince Mohammed a good technocrat -- but also someone unpredictable who goes from zero to 60, doesnt seem to understand that there are some things you cant do. The New York Times later reported that the CIA findings were also based on calls from the kill team to one of the crown princes senior aides. But the paper said that while the intercepts showed Prince Mohammed was working to lure Khashoggi to Saudi Arabia, the crown prince had not said in the calls that he wanted Khashoggi killed. The Times cited officials as saying US and Turkish intelligence so far have not found direct evidence connecting the prince to Khashoggis killing. AFP Following the reports, US Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday said Washington is determined to hold all of those accountable who are responsible for that murder. On the sidelines of an APEC summit in Papua New Guinea, Pence described the Saudi journalists killing as an atrocity and an affront to a free and independent press but declined to comment on classified information. The CIA conclusions threaten to further fray relations between Washington and longtime ally Riyadh, which has sought to end discussion of the murder and rejected calls for an international investigation. We are going to follow the facts, said Pence. But he added the US wanted to find a way of preserving a strong and historic partnership with Saudi Arabia. On Thursday, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on 17 people, including close aides of Prince Mohammed, suggesting a coordinated effort between Riyadh and Washington to pre-empt the threat of harsher actions from an outraged US Congress. US President Donald Trump has shied away from directly blaming the Crown Prince but on Friday agreed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that any cover-up of the incident should not be allowed.
From Nov. 17 to 29, representatives from countries all around the world will meet for the 2018 United Nations Biodiversity Conference. During the conference held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, the global community will discuss ways to halt biodiversity loss and protect the worlds ecosystems. But why should we care about what governments do to address the issue of biodiversity? What is biodiversity anyway, and what does it have to do with the rest of us? Here are the short answers. Biological diversity, or biodiversity for short, refers to the richness of life on Earth. Biodiversity helps in providing food and water to billions of people. It also provides very valuable services to the economy. It provides services to you right now, even if you do not know it. Ultimately, it might end up saving youror your loved oneslife. Unfortunately, biodiversity is declining around the world, and the global community is racing to find strategies to stop this decline before it is too late. For a couple of reasons, those of us in the Philippines or who are Filipino citizens have a special role to play in these efforts. First, the Philippines is one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth. Second, biodiversity in the Philippines is seriously under threat. Let me expound on the above points. There are several ways to measure biodiversity. It can be measured in terms of how many different kinds of living things there are (in other words, how many species). It can be measured in terms of the variety of genes. It can also be measured in terms of the variety of ecosystems. Whatever way it is measured, conserving biodiversity is important for so many reasons. Here are three of them. First, biodiversity provides services that are necessary for humans. For example, a diversity of plant life and soil microbes is important in purifying and protecting our water supplies. According to the Biodiversity Information System for Europe, ecosystems such as forests and wetlands provide clean water at a much lower cost than man-made substitutes like water treatment plants. For so many around the world, these ecosystems are the only thing supplying them with clean water.Second, biodiversity protects human health and saves human lives. For example, biodiversity is known to regulate and control the spread of infectious diseases. One way this can happen is through the suppression of disease-carrying organisms such as flies and mosquitoes. As a result, damage to biodiversity can translate to the spread of epidemics. According to the Co-operation on Health and Biodiversity, the outbreaks of SARS, Ebola, Marburg, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, avian influenza and malaria have been attributed to human impacts on biodiversity. Biodiversity also protects human lives by decreasing the damage from natural hazards. For example, forests protect communities from flash floods. Similarly, mangrove forests also protect nearby communities from storm surges. According to one research, the loss of mangrove forests would put 3.5 million people and roughly $400 million at risk. Third, biodiversity provides the resources to improve human health. For example, many Filipino scientists are fighting to protect the countrys biodiversity because many of our local organisms are likely sources of medical products ranging from pain relievers to new antibiotics that can replace our increasingly ineffective arsenal. One of these days, you will probably need a medical treatment that would not have been possible were it not for biodiversity. This list could be a lot longer. Biodiversity improves air quality and agriculture, provides billions of pesos in ecological services, feeds millions of people, has high cultural and aesthetic value, and so on. Ultimately, there should be one in this long list of reasons to convince you to join the fight. As mentioned above, we in the Philippines are in a special position to protect biodiversity. The Philippines is one of the worlds 17 megadiverse countries and has been called the center of the center of marine biodiversity in the world. On the flipside, the Philippines is also one of the worlds biodiversity hotspots. These hotspots are places where biodiversity is both high and under serious threat. The threats to biodiversity are huge and interrelated: habitat destruction, pollution, over-exploitation, and climate change. We humans are transforming the face of the Earth because of our growing population and its corresponding demands for resources, energy, and space to live and grow food. The wheels of the global system seem to relentlessly turn toward further destruction of our environment. However, we can help address this issue if we use the political process to nudge our government to honor its international commitments to protect biodiversity. We can also harness the power of social movements to pressure the big economic players to help in the efforts to preserve the richness of life on Earth.
Four Harris County deputies are being sued for excessive force and false arrest of a pregnant woman in a wheelchair.

Sheketha Holman said she received a call in November 2016 that her pregnant daughter was being slammed into a car at a Valero gas station on Northborough. Holman alleged in a complaint that Harris County deputies Leland Fairchild, Dinnie Calhoun and Jose Gonzalez arrested her without explanation, as Deputy Rawltyn Hart watched.
Miss World Philippines 2018 Katarina Rodriguez

Katarina Rodriguez is currently in Sanya, China representing the Philippines at the 68th edition of the prestigious Miss World pageant.
The drama over the competition to be the next speaker of the Texas House of Representatives didnt last long. In fact, it never really got started. Just days after House Republicans started seriously considering who their next leader might be, state Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, ended the discussion. He says he has enough votes to be the next speaker, and no one is saying that he doesnt. The upcoming vote on the first day of the new session next year appears to be a formality.

The good news for all Texans in this result is that Bonnen did attract some Democratic support. Republicans lost 12 House seats in this months election but still have an 83-67 margin in the chamber. Most Republicans pledged their support for Bonnen, but so did 31 Democrats.
The following hospital and health system credit rating and outlook changes or affirmations occurred in the last week, beginning with the most recent:

1. Fitch affirms 'BBB-' rating for Prime Healthcare

Fitch Ratings assigned a "BBB-" issuer default rating on Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare and affirmed its "BBB-" rating on outstanding bonds.

2. Fitch affirms 'AA-' rating for ThedaCare

Fitch Ratings assigned a "AA-" issuer default rating to Appleton, Wis.-based ThedaCare and affirmed its "AA-" rating on its outstanding bonds.

3. Moody's affirms Bryan Health's 'A1' rating

Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "A1" rating on Lincoln, Neb.-based Bryan Health, affecting $71 million of debt.

4. Moody's assigns 'A1' rating to Munson Healthcare

Moody's Investors Service assigned an "A1" rating to Traverse City, Mich.-based Munson Healthcare's proposed revenue bonds.

5. Moody's affirms 'A1' rating for Self Regional Healthcare

Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "A1" rating on Greenwood, S.C.-based Self Regional Healthcare, affecting $100 million of outstanding revenue bonds.

6. Moody's affirms 'Aa1/VMIG 1' rating for Renown Health

Moody's Investors Service affirmed its 'Aa1/VMIG 1' ratings on Reno, Nev.-based Renown Health's outstanding revenue bonds.

7. S&P upgrades Southeast Health rating to 'BBB+'

S&P Global Ratings raised its long-term rating on Dothan, Ala.-based Southeast Health from "BBB" to "BBB+."

8. Fitch upgrades Heartland Health rating to 'AA-'

Fitch Ratings upgraded its rating for St. Joseph, Mo.-based Heartland Health, which includes Heartland Regional Medical Center and Mosaic Life Care, from "A+" to "AA-" and assigned an issuer default rating of "AA-."

9. Moody's affirms 'A2' rating for Hendrick Medical Center

Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "A2" rating for Abilene, Texas-based Hendrick Medical Center, affecting $111 million of debt.

10. Moody's affirms 'A1' rating for Beaumont Health

Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "A1" rating on Southfield, Mich.-based Beaumont Health's outstanding revenue bonds.

11. S&P drops underlying rating for Wayne County Hospital Authority to 'A'

S&P Global Ratings lowered its underlying ratings for Wayne County Hospital Authority, which includes Jesup, Ga.-based Wayne Memorial Hospital, from "A+" to "A."

12. Fitch affirms 'BB+' rating for Jennie Stuart Medical Center

Fitch Ratings assigned a "BB+" issuer default rating to Hopkinsville, Ky.-based Jennie Stuart Medical Center.

13. Fitch revises UnityPoint Health's long-term rating to 'AA'

Fitch Ratings revised its long-term rating for West Des Moines, Iowa-based UnityPoint Health from "AA-" to "AA."

14. Moody's assigns 'Aa3/VMIG 1' rating to Atrium Health

Moody's Investors Service assigned an "Aa3/VMIG 1" rating to Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health, which operates legally as Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority.

15. Moody's downgrades Major Health Partners' rating to 'Baa3'

Moody's Investors Service downgraded the rating for Shelbyville, Ind.-based Major Health Partners from "Baa2" to "Baa3."
Each year, Nike holds a benefit for Portland, Ore.-based Doernbecher Children's Hospital, part of Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. The benefit, which has raised $24 million for the hospital in the past 15 years, revolves around six hospital patients who design shoes and apparel alongside Nike designers, according to Adweek.

Here are five things to know about the event:



1. The fundraiser, called Doernbecher Freestyle, began in 2003. Nike's former creative director, Michael Doherty, pursued the campaign after joining Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation's board of directors in the early 2000s. He credits his son for coming up with the idea of including Nike designers in developing new shoes to sell online.



2. Mr. Doherty and some of his Nike co-workers began visiting Doernbecher to develop the program. The hospital brought six pediatric patients into the program, who were provided one of six shoe platforms to build out. Since its first year, 91 pediatric patients have helped design Nike shoes for auction, according to Adweek.



3. The auction for the first six shoe designs brought in $60,000 for the hospital. After Nike's retail team got involved and featured the shoes in Nike stores, that total began to increase. Nike's 2016 Freestyle collection raised $1.8 million for the hospital, and $2.6 million in 2017.



4. This year, brands outside of Nike like Salesforce and 3M sponsored the fundraiser for the first time. External partners play a large role in boosting sales, 100 percent of which go to Doernbecher.

5. "The best part of the program is the engagement of the kids and the fact that their designs, every year, are their own story," Mr. Doherty said, according to Adweek. "And because of that, it's a unique collection."

For the full report, click here.



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When used correctly, data and analytics foster great potential to help improve healthcare systems and clinician performance. However, choosing which data set to decipher and how to best explain data outcomes to physicians can be a daunting task.

For hospitals looking to make the switch from fee-for-service into the realm of value-based care, applying data effectively can be critical to making decisions. Panelists at Becker's Hospital Review 7th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable in Chicago, Nov. 12-14, discussed some of these dilemmas and shared insights on the most important steps to take when applying data to improve healthcare outcomes.

1. Prioritize data to specific situations. Health systems maintain copious amounts of data, so choosing which data set to even begin with can be difficult. Kayla Pelegrin, MD, chief clinical officer of data informatics at 3M, advises starting with data you know has been standardized.

"Start with data that's much smaller and a more trusted set, instead of trying to go out and gather as much data as you possibly can. Because the challenge is how do you drive insight and knowledge out of the data you already have? So, start with smaller data sets that are more standardized, more well-known, and then expand that clinical knowledge from there as opposed to trying to start with your largest data set and not being able to pull anything out of it."

2. Meet with physicians to present data. Once you have extracted a data set, the new challenge becomes communicating that information with your physician. Jim Gera, president of Fusion5, part of the healthcare logistics company Owens and Minor family, stresses meeting with the physician a few times to walk him or her through the data in a way that explains what the numbers represent.

"What I've done before is shown [the physician] all [of the system's physicians] ranked in a simple spreadsheet but blinded because you want to show the cost and outcomes. You want the physicians to all start figuring out which one of those blinded names is them, and who's performing poorly and who's performing better. Once they start to get engaged, unblind the data. Now everybody can see transparently who's performing. And be very transparent and open with the data. As soon as you start to establish that process tell them  'hey, here's our interpretation of what's happening with the data, and here's where we think there may be some solutions. Let's have a follow-up discussion to see if that's where we can make an impact.'"

3. Physician leaders can help communicate data outcomes. While Dr. Pelegrin agrees interacting with physicians in person is an effective way to explain data results, she also points out the person delivering the information should ultimately be someone the physician can relate to.

"I think physicians tend to respond better when the message is delivered by another clinician. It doesn't necessarily have to be a physician or a nurse, but somebody who has lived in their role and actually understands it. Having a data analyst come in and review [data performance] with a physician [the physician's] going to throw that person out of the room. Or, they might be polite and just ignore the information that's provided. So, I think part of on the front end I would make sure that you find one or two clinicians, physicians, nurses, whoever, that have strong reputations and relationships within the organization. It will really, really go a long way in those physicians adopting the change and even believing in the results."
Boston-based Partners HealthCare President and CEO David Torchiana, MD, said the institution has halted merger discussions with Wellesley, Mass.-based insurer Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, The Boston Globe reports.

Here are four things to know:

1. Partners and Harvard Pilgrim, the state's second-largest insurer, began discussions about a potential deal in May, and have spent several months discussing a deal.

2. In a conversation with executives from The Boston Globe, Dr. Torchiana said Nov. 15 the organizations are not ruling out a future combination, but said negotiations as they stood were becoming too complicated. He also noted the deal would be subject to extensive regulatory review.

"Now isn't the right time to try to push something like that ahead. I don't think either organization is sure that it's something that's actually possible to achieve ... in this environment right now where there's such intense scrutiny of every move," he said, adding that both institutions were also unsure "whether or not  we're functionally organized to be able to pull it off."

3. The deal comes as several other organizations in New England seek to merge, effectively fighting Partners for market share in the state. One such combination includes the proposed merger of Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Burlington, Mass.-based Lahey Health and three other healthcare organizations. Partners is also pursuing a deal with Providence, R.I.-based Care New England.

4. Dr. Torchiana told The Boston Globe the abrupt exit of Harvard Pilgrim's former CEO in June did not contribute to the decision to halt negotiations, instead stating "the complexity of [the deal] was really what gradually crept up on us."

More articles on transactions and valuations:

Partners, Care New England end partnership talks with Lifespan

UPMC inks affiliation with Somerset Hospital

WellSpan completes 4th acquisition in 5 years
The number of Americans without health insurance was 28.5 million in the first six months of 2018, 20.1 million less than when the ACA was signed into law in 2010, according to CDC data cited by Bloomberg.

Of adults aged 18-64 with health insurance, 70 percent were covered by a private health plan in the first half of 2018. Only 8 million, or 4 percent of this population, purchased private health plans through the ACA exchanges.



The uninsured rate in states that did not expand Medicaid was 18.1 percent in the first half of 2018. That's double the uninsured rate of states that expanded Medicaid, according to the report.

For the full report, click here.



More articles on payers:

CHS to divest 2 South Carolina hospitals by Dec. 31

Forbes releases 30-under-30 in healthcare 2019

How CHS, Tenet, HCA, LifePoint and UHS fared in Q3
Johnston Press, which owns newspapers including the News Letter and Derry Journal, is preparing to enter into administration. (PA)

Johnston Press, which owns newspapers including the News Letter and Derry Journal, is preparing to enter into administration.

The publisher had recently been looking at ways to refinance 220m of debt that became repayable in June this year.

At its most recent trading update, Johnston reported a hit to revenues, mostly due to changes in Google and Facebook algorithms.

In a statement, the publisher said that "following considerable interest in the formal sales process" it was decided that none of the offers received delivered sufficient value.

Speculation that the publisher might be sold had been growing since it announced a strategic review in March 2017.

In confirming the move towards administration, the publisher said all options to refinance or restructure the debt had been explored and that "it had not been possible to find a solution acceptable to our financial stakeholders".
To say Netflix's latest culinary show, The Final Table, is dramatic doesn't quite do it justice. A huge midnight blue set in what looks like an aircraft hangar, it's kitted out in slick, reflective work surfaces that flash with every swipe of a knife blade.

Hosted by Andrew Knowlton, editor-at-large of Bon Appetit magazine, it's a global competition featuring 12 pairs of chefs tasked with cooking the national dishes of Mexico, Spain, England, Brazil, France, Japan, the US, India and Italy.

The challenge is to avoid being eliminated by each country's appointed "greatest" chef - and a gaggle of hungry critics and celebrity ambassadors - to take a seat at the Final Table alongside the planet's most respected culinary icons.

In the British episode, it's the turn of presenters Gary Lineker and Cat Deeley and food critic Jay Rayner, who demand a twist on the classic fry-up from the competitors.

They jolly their way through over-salted sausages and souffled eggs - not a bottle of Heinz tomato ketchup in sight - before things get truly serious and chef Clare Smyth enters the arena.

At just 40, Co Antrim-born Smyth is a giant of the food world. The first and only female chef in the UK to hold three Michelin stars - while chef patron at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay - she now runs her own two Michelin star restaurant in London, Core, and has also cooked for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The challenge she set the contestants didn't involve baked beans and hash browns, though. Instead, Smyth presented an opportunity to make the most of the British pea.

She is sanguine on her role in ejecting contestants, who are her peers, from the show.

"There has to be a winner," she says. "Everyone understands if that's not been their day. It's a really big challenge, they have everything thrown at them."

Having previously appeared on MasterChef and Saturday Kitchen - and despite the epic manner of The Final Table - Smyth wasn't overawed by the telly experience.

There's still the tricky matter of having to navigate judging and eating, with an audience, on camera. How do you do it without chucking sauce all over yourself?

"Yeah, it happens," says Smyth with a laugh. "They can edit it out."

"We're so used to being on show anyway, for our guests," she adds, referring to the open Core kitchen, where her team clatter away in preparation of dinner service, like an orchestra rehearsing their scales. "It's what we do."

Despite Knowlton's bemused assertion at the beginning of the show that British food has "somehow" become worthy of recognition, Smyth accepts we might not be as renowned for our cuisine as other cultures "yet, the culinary scene's phenomenal".

She says: "Right across the UK we have brilliant, world-leading restaurants and we have a generation of chefs that have really made it their own."

Smyth is undoubtedly one of them, but nudge the phrase "celebrity chef" towards her and she'll look out of the window and reply "erm, no".

She has been named best female chef at the World's 50 Best Restaurant awards 2018, earned five AA rosettes for Core and has an MBE for services to the hospitality industry.

Her role, as she sees it, is "always very much being here, in the restaurant - that's what I enjoy".

Precise and highly organised - vital, if you spend up to nine hours a day doing service, run the business side of the restaurant, turn up on Netflix and walk the dog every day - there is also a stillness and a calm to Smyth. You cannot imagine her yelling at her sous chef, or throwing pans.

Perhaps surprisingly, that's a principle that threaded through her years working with the notoriously fiery Ramsay.

"When Gordon was in our restaurant, he wasn't that shouty," she says. "You're always going to get a bit of heat in kitchens."

That pressure, she adores, but even in an industry still dominated by men, and often riddled with systemic bullying, sexism and a poor work-life balance, the pressure she puts on herself has consistently outweighed the demands of outside forces.

"I always felt I had a lot to prove," she says. "I always knew what I wanted to achieve and so I was harder on myself. Maybe I was sometimes unnecessarily hard on myself.

"I've worked very hard, it's not just happened overnight. I don't pinch myself and think, 'I'm lucky'. I think, 'I left home at 16 to become a chef and I worked for it' and we've got a long way to go."

The Final Table is available on Netflix from Tuesday.
The internet is having a huge impact on our eating habits. Twenty years ago, if you had nerves of steel or knew a friendly driver, you could phone a Belfast taxi and ask for half a stone of potatoes, a pound of butter and 20 Regal to be delivered. It wasn't a popular service because a lot of drivers would chase you for even asking.

But now, delivery companies with bikes, scooters, vans and cars are queueing up for your business. Tesco, Sainsbury's, pizza companies and Chinese takeaways will drop anything you want to your door. Deliveroo and Just Eat will cover a few miles' radius to make sure your Singapore noodles arrive hot and your Al Gelato dark chocolate sorbet is still frozen hard.

But is the online order and delivery system in danger of eating itself? Last weekend I noticed a relatively new Japanese restaurant in Belfast's Donegall Pass being talked about on Twitter in the most complimentary way. Kamakura Sushi had a grip on a few tweeters so I thought I'd pass by on my way home from dropping off daughter No 1 to the airport on a bleak Sunday night.

A cosy, brightly lit interior lies behind a mood enhancing sliding door. Loads of bright colours and a couple of Japanese kimonos attached to the back wall leave you in no doubt as to the part of the world you have entered.

I ask for the take away menu. "There is no takeaway menu. You have to order online." I explain that I'm here now and couldn't I just order from the regular menu and they could put it in takeaway boxes? "No. you have to order online for takeaways. If you're sitting in, you can order from the menu." Something at the back of my mind stirs. It's a memory of Falling Down with Michael Douglas. Google it.

I shrug and drive back to the house. The advisor goes online to see what Kamakura has to offer and very gently suggests that it looks really good. There's gyosa, shichimi, udon noodles and rice dishes. It's all there. And plenty of vegetarian stuff too, she adds, nodding to the younger teen.

I really didn't want to have to go back out and certainly not to the order-online-only place, but in the name of food journalism and to check it out for your erudition, we start ordering. Soon we are at nearly 60. But the advisor points to the 20% discount for a first order. I key in the time I'd like to pick it up (how does "never" sound?) and head back out into the night grumbling.

A few minutes later I'm staring at those kimonos again and a cartoon-like rendition of the famous Japanese painting, The great wave off Kanagawa.

A charming woman pops out from the back clutching three large parcels, apologising for the delay (two minutes). I melt, I thank her, we have a chat about the place and then I take the parcels and drive home. What lies within is quickly revealed and soon we can see why the prices are elevated.

Noodles are as good as Paul Rankin's in the Roscoff golden years; pork gyoza steamed dumplings have been lightly grilled to produce a tasty little char which works beautifully with the minced, spiced pork. The katsu chicken comes in proper modern TV dinner compartmentalised tray with rice and salad and a separate pot of curry sauce. Sushi is fresh, the small tuna rolls spiced and hot. It's all excellent and heart-warming.

Highlight of the lot is the house mixed tempura which features a prawn, a squid ring, a piece of white fish and softshell crab as well as large, thinly sliced rings of courgettes, aubergines and asparagus in a transparent tempura batter.

Kamakura Sushi is worth a dip. It's expensive but the quality is there. There are a few gripes about what certain things mean on the online menu ("hosomaki sushi tuna rolls (8)" would indicate eight pieces but only six are there) but by and large, it all appears fresh, its tasty and you can order it to pick up at a time that suits you. Thankfully, the computer-says-no thing is a temporary aberration.

The bill

Hosomaki tuna roll 6

Pork gyoza 5.50

House mix tempura 9.80

Yasai tempura (veg) 6.80

Norimaki salmon avocado 7.30

Chicken katsu curry 12.80

Steamed rice 2

Fried noodles x 2 6

Total 56.20
DUP leader Arlene Foster is said to be "annoyed" that Northern Ireland's business leaders have come out in support of Prime Minister Theresa May's draft Brexit withdrawal agreement.

The Irish Times has reported that Mrs Foster warned business leaders that they were in danger of being exploited for political reasons.

Read More

Four influential lobby groups joined together to hail the withdrawal agreement as a "welcome step forward".

The Confederation of British Industry NI, Federation of Small Businesses NI, Institute of Directors NI and NI Chamber of Commerce said the deal "provides some much needed clarity that local businesses have been calling for".

The Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) claimed a no-deal Brexit would be "absolutely disastrous" for the local farming and agri-food sector.

Mrs Foster is understood to be unhappy about Secretary of State Karen Bradley's briefing on the Brexit deal to the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Thursday.

She allegedly told chamber members that she was unhappy with business leaders attitude to the proposed deal and said that they did not understand the risk the agreement posed to the union.

However Mrs Foster also said she thought that the deal had no chance of being approved by Westminster.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the DUP's view of the deal has not changed.

"While we respect their opinion, we disagree with their conclusion that this is the best deal we can get for Northern Ireland," he said.

"We believe that a border in the Irish Sea is not in the interests of either our farmers or our business owners, because Great Britain is by far our biggest and best market.

"It is our view that anything that creates barriers between Northern Ireland and Great Britain in economic terms is not good for our economy."

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds said that the proposed agreement "sold out" Northern Ireland.

His party are unhappy that the deal will see Northern Ireland aligned with EU rules and remain part of the single market with checks on some goods coming in from the UK to Northern Ireland, if the Brexit backstop is implemented.

The choice is now clear, we stand up for the United Kingdom, the whole of the United Kingdom, the integrity of the United Kingdom or we vote for a vassal state, Mr Dodds told the House of Commons on Thursday.
Independent MP Lady Sylvia Hermon has said she is considering voting for the proposed EU withdrawal agreement.

The North Down representative said she will need "personal assurances" from the Prime Minister before she commits to supporting the plan when it comes before the House of Commons.

Speaking to the BBC, Lady Hermon said she expects to meet Theresa May to discuss support.

She said she is "not happy with everything" in the agreement but said having no deal would be worse for unionism.

"There are things I need clarification from the Prime Minister herself. I need her to look me in the face and say 'don't be worried about that' or 'I can guarantee this'," she told Inside Politics.

"I need assurances from the Prime Minister before I will finally give my vote to this particular deal.

"However, I would be very surprised if I were ever to find myself on the same page as Sammy Wilson and Jacob Rees-Mogg."

Lady Hermon said she was "in discussions" with Mrs May about setting up a meeting.
The draft withdrawal agreement represents a significant piece of work and deserves to be scrutinised closely given the importance of the issues at stake.

The Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association (NIFDA) and its members have done so and fully understand the implications of the agreement and specifically how it impacts on trade in Northern Ireland.

It is our business to understand custom arrangements, the global SPS food safety regime and the world of compliance and regulation.

Armed with all this knowledge and experience, we are well positioned to assess the merits of this deal.

In this context, NIFDA has welcomed the draft withdrawal agreement and sees it as a significant step forward.

Like many other Northern Ireland business bodies, it is our considered opinion that it now provides a way to deliver a smooth exit and an orderly transition to the future relationship with Europe, bringing a degree of clarity which has been lacking for so long.

Critically, it ensures we avoid a 'no-deal' Brexit, which would have been disastrous for Northern Ireland, particularly for the agri-food sector, on which our economy is so reliant.

We simply could not absorb increased customs, tariffs and regulatory costs on trade between Northern Ireland and the EU which would inevitably occur in a no-deal scenario.

While we of course know too well the concerns raised by our members in this regard, we have also noted analysis by the Government itself which was recently reported by the BBC.

This analysis estimated that in a no-deal scenario, the agri-food sector in Northern Ireland would take the brunt of the damage, with NI goods exports falling by up to 1.1bn annually compared to the proposed backstop scenario.

Anything close to that magnitude would clearly have major implications for business and jobs here.

While we accept that this agreement may not be perfect, and further clarification on certain aspects will be required, we are firm in our belief that it is vastly preferable to a no-deal scenario.

It offers us an effective insurance policy in the interim period until any new trading relationship is agreed.

A UK-wide solution that avoids a hard border and allows Northern Irish firms frictionless access to markets in Britain, Republic of Ireland and the European Union could be immensely beneficial to the local economy. Importantly, it offers our members and the wider Northern Ireland economy the best chance of surviving and thriving in a post-Brexit world, which surely should be everyone's aspiration.

We would therefore urge all our political leaders to join with the local business community to support this deal and work together to ensure that the interests of our economy and society take priority over party politics.

They should view the deal as a potential opportunity for Northern Ireland to trade freely within the UK and with all its future trading partners, as well as the EU and all its future trading partners - thereby delivering the best of both worlds.

This could give Northern Ireland an unprecedented competitive advantage over other parts of the UK or EU, which could help transform our economy.

If there are any concerns about constitutional issues associated with this deal, surely economic prosperity and stability of this nature offers the best opportunity for continued peace and protection of the status quo.

Brian Irwin is chairman of the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association
The incident took place in the Glasvey Walk area. Credit: Google.

Police have appealed for information after a concrete shed was burned in an arson attack in west Belfast on Friday night.

The incident occurred in the Glasvey Walk area around 7.30pm.

The roof and the contents of the concrete shed were destroyed in the blaze.

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene and extinguished the fire. No-one was hurt in the incident.

We are treating this incident as arson and would like to hear from anyone who saw suspicious activity in the area earlier in the evening," Sergeant McCartney said.

If you have any information that could help our investigation into what happened, please contact us on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 1140 of 16/11/18.

"Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime."
We want to see a sensible and orderly exit from the European Union which delivers on the result of the referendum for the UK and at the same time works for our neighbours in the Republic of Ireland too.

For us, leaving the European Union without agreement has never been a preferred outcome.

We are not a party of no deal. However, the deal before us would irreparably damage the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom. This is a seminal moment for our nation.

We respect everyone's right to examine the Prime Minister's draft deal, to interpret it as they see fit and to challenge our views where they feel it is appropriate.

However, our position on the proposed deal is in line with what we have said both in private and in public for many weeks. This should come as no surprise to local representatives of business including agri-food.

The draft agreement would establish significant differences between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

In legal terms, Annex 5 to the Protocol would mean Northern Ireland remaining in EU single market rules for goods, including food standards, while Great Britain is not.

Economically it would mean vastly increased checks on food and agriculture products entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain. Practically this creates new barriers for businesses, including supermarkets seeking to fill shelves across our province.

Others can choose to frame it differently but in our eyes such a solution cannot be described as anything other than a border in the Irish Sea.

While this paints a picture of immediate disruption - even when UK and EU rules are aligned - the greater unknown of this plan is how that disruption could evolve and grow if and when the rules between sides diverge.

Although this deal may give certainty to trade on day one, that certainty is far from guaranteed for months and years down the line.

There is no legal guarantee on preventing divergence within the UK internal market during the operation of the backstop. Commitments to 'best endeavours' are not enough.

Keeping Northern Ireland in the EU's state aid framework also raises the potential for differences in support and incentives provided to businesses in different parts of the UK.

Hospitality Ulster have highlighted fears that the plans could halt Northern Ireland's campaign for cutting tourism VAT and abolishing air passenger duty.

It is also clear that a new Joint Committee would have the power to restrict the maximum level of future support provided to farmers in Northern Ireland.

The deal on the table fails to deliver the referendum result in every part of the UK. It leaves our province subject to the rulings of the European Court of Justice. It creates a democratic deficit whereby Northern Ireland would become subservient to EU legislation with zero representation.

In real terms, Dublin legislators would have influence over the rules governing us while elected representatives in Belfast or London would have none.

This violates the principle of consent. It also extends the role of the devolved institutions and North-South bodies and grants a Joint Committee significant input into local affairs.

This collectively amounts to a breach the Belfast Agreement.

The wording of the draft withdrawal agreement also ensures that Dublin and Brussels hold an active veto on whether the backstop ceases to apply in Northern Ireland in the future.

Both options - the review mechanism or extension to the transition period - fail to allow the UK to unilaterally move away from the arrangements should it wish to do so.

This could leave us in an indefinite limbo and make it harder to leave the backstop than to leave the EU itself.

The ability to supersede the backstop 'in whole or in part' also expresses a danger that Great Britain may be able to leave the backstop but Northern Ireland may have to remain.

We would be handcuffed to the EU with Brussels holding the keys. That's not taking back control.

We are not alone in our resolve to oppose the risks this deal presents to the Union. Departing Cabinet members hold to our view that this agreement would break up the United Kingdom. Labour has described it as 'a de facto border in the Irish Sea'.

The parliamentary debate in the coming days should not be framed as a binary choice between a bad deal or a no-deal.

We believe there is widespread cross-bench support for a deal with the EU - but not this deal.

We will not, as some have suggested, step back from our commitments to defend the security of the Union and protect the long-term economic interests of Northern Ireland.

Ultimately neither can be guaranteed by this deal and for that reason the DUP cannot in good conscience support it.

Diane Dodds is a DUP MEP
A number of events are planned across Northern Ireland to celebrate the victory of Ashers' Bakery in the so called 'gay cake' case.

The bakery's owners, the McArthurs, won a landmark discrimination appeal at the Supreme Court in October.

Read More

The court ruled that Ashers Baking Co had not discriminated on grounds of sexual orientation, religious belief or political opinion in declining to decorate a cake with the message "Support Gay Marriage".

Judges unanimously agreed the bakery had objected to the message and not the messenger.

Now the News Letter has reported that The Christian Institute, who supported the McArthurs throughout the case, are planning to hold a number of events to "mark the win".

It is understood that the McArthurs will not be at the events.

The institute has said that the meetings are to "acknowledge the goodness and faithfulness of God throughout the case and explain the implications of the ruling for Gospel freedom and freedom of speech".

Speakers from the Christian Institute will lead the events.

The events will take place at the Templeton Hotel, Templepatrick, November 30, 12:30pm, the Lodge Hotel, Coleraine, November 30, 8pm, the Seagoe Hotel, Portadown, December 6, 8pm, Corick House Hotel, Clogher, December 7, 12:30pm and the Iron Hall Evangelical Church, Belfast, December 7, 8pm.
Calls have been made for bus lanes to be opened up to all traffic on Saturdays to encourage more people into Belfast's beleaguered city centre in the run up to Christmas.

Councillors and traders have called for the rules to be relaxed over the next six weeks, which are crucial for retail, so that consumers can drive to the shops without worrying about hefty fines or troublesome traffic jams.

Belfast - recently named the UK's worst congested city - has recently experienced worsening snarl-ups across the road network, with many disgruntled motorists blaming bus lanes for exacerbating the problem.

And now, following the Primark fire, which has devastated footfall and consumer spend over the last two months, there have been calls to ditch the Saturday bus lanes and open up the city to commerce this Christmas.

Bus lanes on the Belfast Rapid Transit route in the city centre, which facilitates the city's brand new purple Gliders, operate from 7am until 7pm from Monday to Saturday.

Retail NI boss Glyn Roberts said it would be a great imitative to allow all vehicles to use bus lanes on Saturdays and he stressed the importance of keeping bus lane timings in check.

"We've always said bus lane operating times should be constantly reviewed by Translink so that it remains efficient for everyone affected by them," he said.

Former High Sheriff of Belfast and two-time mayor Jim Rodgers said the "massive reduction in traffic" in the city on Saturdays compared to weekdays made the bus lanes superfluous.

"Bus lanes should only operate from Monday to Friday and be open to all vehicles on Saturdays for the economic welfare of Belfast, especially as Christmas approaches," said the UUP politician.

"People want to be able to drive into the city to buy their presents and not have to worry about getting fined because they've driven in a bus lane by mistake. It's a real issue and it needs urgent attention."

Alderman Tom Haire, who supports the operation of 12-hour bus lanes during the week, said he favours a free flowing road network at the weekend, where all lanes are open to all traffic.

"All traffic needs to be able to access the city centre on a Saturday for the overall economic wellbeing of Belfast - and now would be a good time to make that happen," the DUP man said.

Independent councillor Declan Boyle said ditching the bus lanes on Saturdays was essential for the city's economic revival.

"Bus lanes are right up there with the cost and difficulty of car parking in Belfast as major deterrents to shoppers," he said.

"Bus lanes should only operate at peak times during rush hour and at no other time. Saturdays should definitely be out."

A Translink spokeswoman said: "We want to make public transport as attractive as possible and keep the city moving.

"Bus lanes help us bring more people into the city centre and with the launch of our Christmas package this week, including fare offers and special services, bus lanes are an important role in successfully delivering this." A spokeswoman said the Department for Infrastructure has invested 90m in the Belfast Rapid Transit Glider system in keeping with the draft Programme for Government's aim to encourage people to choose sustainable forms of transport.

"In order for Glider to be successful, the services must be able to operate smoothly along the routes," she said.

"The bus lanes are vital to ensure bus services can operate at a high frequency and on time to help guarantee journey time reliability.

"This will in turn make public transport a more attractive option and encourage more people to leave their cars at home.

"Evidence from Translink is that while bus patronage on a Saturday is lower than on weekdays it is still significantly higher than on a Sunday.

"In addition, bus frequency is similar on a Saturday to that on weekdays. In view of this, and the need for consistency to avoid confusion, it is therefore equally important to have bus lane priority on a Saturday.

"The department recently provided additional funding of 500,000 to enable Translink to deliver a high impact festive campaign, offering major fare discounts and extra services."
A Belfast solicitor says he has been engaged by three former patients of suspended Belfast neurologist Dr Michael Watt.

Ciaran Moynagh said that, depending on the outcome of further investigations, legal action may be taken against the Belfast Trust on the grounds of clinical medical negligence.

In May, health officials revealed they were contacting around 2,500 health service patients and just over 110 private patients after a Royal College of Physicians report raised concerns about Dr Watt.

At the end of last month, it was announced that an additional 1,044 former patients of Dr Watt would be recalled.

It is the largest patient recall in Northern Ireland's history.

Mr Moynagh, a partner in Phoenix Law, said he is in the "very early stages" of acting on behalf of three of Dr Watt's former patients.

"I will be consulting with clients with a view to issuing preliminary letters of claim to the Belfast Trust to indicate the circumstances of the clients, what happened, and to request medical notes," he said.

"The next step after that would be to get an independent expert, probably from outside of this jurisdiction, to do a report.

"The Belfast Trust has a duty of care and it must properly monitor its doctors and nurses."

Mr Moynagh said the patients had suffered stress as a result of being informed during the recall process that they may have been misdiagnosed.

"It is shocking," he added.

"They think they are getting the best treatment, they are compliant with a course of medication, they are reviewed, sometimes on a biannual basis, and then to be told that they may not have what they were previously diagnosed with causes a lot of anxiety.

"This is a very specialised area, the medicine is complex and patients put their faith in the trust and in the person providing their care.

"Very few people are going to go for a second opinion or question what they are being told, so they are reliant on the trust to give sound advice.

"When that is questioned it can lead to them calling everything into question.

"They are left asking, 'Should I take the tablets or not, and how do they affect me?'

"It puts them and their families under a lot of stress - it can affect their personal lives and relationships, their employment.

"They may try to limit their lives to try and stay healthy, so it can limit them in other areas of their lives."

An independent inquiry, chaired by Brett Lockhart QC, has been established to review the recall of neurology patients by the Belfast Trust.

The terms of reference involve investigating the circumstances which led to the patient recall for the period between November 2016 and May 2018, and to evaluate corporate governance procedures and arrangements within the Belfast Trust.

It will also review the Belfast Trust's handling of relevant complaints or concerns, identified or received prior to November 2016, and participation in processes to maintain standards of professional practice, including appraisals.

The inquiry will then make recommendations to the Department of Health.

Last month, the inquiry announced the details of its public engagement process for patients, former patients, relatives of patients and health care workers who have had experience of neurology services in the Greater Belfast area before or since 2008 up until June this year.

Asked last month whether the independent inquiry had been in contact with Dr Watt regarding him giving evidence to it, a spokesperson said it "is not appropriate for an ongoing inquiry to detail which individuals will or will not be invited to attend the inquiry".
Hundreds of mourners gathered at a west Belfast church yesterday to pay tribute to a "selfless" teacher.

Fionnuala Kennedy, who was 28 and originally from the Glen Road area, died at the Royal Victoria Hospital on Monday after an accident at her Lisburn home two days earlier.

The mother-of-one lived there with her son Lorcan and partner Ciaran Hughes, who is also a teacher.

Pupils from St Teresa's Primary, Mr Hughes' school, and from Sir Oliver Plunkett's where Fionnuala taught, formed a guard of honour as the coffin was carried into the church.

A heartbroken Ciaran bore his "amazing" partner's coffin along with five others.

Many could only pay their respects in the grounds of the chapel, such were the number of people there.

After family tributes, Fr Brendan Hickland led the funeral mass.

He praised Fionnuala's "generous and selfless ways".

"Many times as a teacher, she'd have spoken to her pupils about the resurrection during Easter time," he said.

"That message she was teaching was rooted in her life.

"Through her organ donation, so many others will be kept alive because of research. Surely that's a sign that Fionnuala knew she could give life beyond her own death."

Fr Hickland told the congregation of a time when the P2 teacher told him that at her own funeral, she didn't want mourners to wear black.

"For those of you who are wearing black, don't feel bad, because you weren't to know," he said light-heartedly.

He continued: "She had a level of generosity, a level of selflessness. This level of giving without counting the cost.

"That level of generosity and selflessness are two qualities of her nature created in the likeness of God."

The priest outlined what he called the importance of giving love, whatever the cost.

Using a phrase he was told by a family member, Fr Hickland said: "Shout it from the rooftops, life is so very precious."

Earlier this week, St Oliver Plunkett's principal Paddy McCabe paid tribute.

He had said: "Fionnuala's commitment to her children, her parents and the whole school family will live long in the memory, but not as long as her smile and infectious laugh.

"The shock we are feeling as a school community pales into complete insignificance compared to the grief of her family."

Fionnuala is survived by her partner Ciaran, son Lorcan, parents Fiona and Paul, sisters Caoimhe and Eimer, brothers Paul and Eamonn, niece Rioghnach and the wider family circle.
A doctor involved in the Hyponatraemia Inquiry has been called to appear in front of a professional standards panel

A doctor involved in the Hyponatraemia Inquiry has been called to appear in front of a professional standards panel.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) has set a date for a hearing into the fitness to practise of Dr Robert James Murray Quinn starting in February.

Dr Quinn is the first doctor to be called in front of the MPTS since the publication of the damning Hyponatraemia Inquiry report in January this year. He was a paediatric consultant who was working at Altnagelvin Area Hospital when he was asked to review the care given to Lucy Crawford prior to her death.

Lucy, the youngest child of a family of three, was admitted to the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen on April 12, 2000.

She was transferred to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children the following day and died on April 14, 2000 at just 17 months old.

John O'Hara, chair of the Hyponatraemia Inquiry, found that "Lucy's death was caused by a glaring medical error".

Lucy died as a result of hyponatraemia, which is the term for a low level of sodium in the blood stream causing brain cells to swell with too much water.

She was one of five children whose treatment and deaths in Northern Ireland hospitals were examined by Mr O'Hara.

In 2008 her parents asked for personal reasons that her death be removed from the inquiry.

While that wish was respected, the inquiry's chairman said the issues raised by her death remained vital to the wider community.

In his subsequent report, Mr O'Hara raised concerns about the decision to appoint Dr Quinn to review Lucy's care, given the fact that he knew some of the doctors who had treated her.

He said: "It is clear to me that Dr Quinn did not approach his task with the necessary degree of professional detachment.

"His familiarity with the organisation and the people who had retained him plainly influenced him."

Mr O'Hara added: "(Dr Quinn) should not have carried out this work on behalf of the trust, and should not have been asked to do so."

The inquiry chair also criticised some of Dr Quinn's findings, which he said "individually and cumulatively gave the trust reassurance when its clinicians ought to have been subject to criticism".

The MPTS hearing in February will consider allegations that following Lucy's death, Dr Quinn "attended a meeting and failed to highlight comments made by a colleague in (Lucy's) medical records or take account that the fluids given to the patient could have been a contributory factor."

It is also alleged that, in June 2000, Dr Quinn prepared a written report in which he failed to record information relating to Lucy, reached the wrong conclusion in respect of fluids administered, and gave a misleading impression of the care provided to Lucy.

According to the General Medical Council (GMC), Dr Quinn is currently registered without a licence to practise.
Northern Ireland's business groups have come together to give a cautious welcome to the proposed Brexit withdrawal agreement.

The positive opinions of senior representatives of the business community on the prospects for a Brexit deal are an important corrective to the easy but misleading voices of the politicians.

The latter have not appreciated the careful and considered drafting of the deal to minimise and make the impact of Brexit acceptable.

For many businesses, the deal now on the table achieves what has seemed an illusory outcome: the best of both worlds.

Northern Ireland businesses have been slow to state the gains and/or risks that they are facing.

Quietly, senior managers have been well aware of the risks of no deal - the fear of the cliff edge of red tape, customs tariffs and a very segmented market place.

There has been a greater understanding of the motivation, for Northern Ireland-based businesses and businesses based in the Republic of Ireland, of the UK and EU negotiators' efforts to minimise the scale of economic disruption that might come with a harsh, ill-considered Brexit.

The local business organisations accept that the draft deal is 'by no means perfect'. However, it is 'a welcome step forward'.

As an initial assessment this is encouraging and counters some of the misplaced hectoring.

Managers who want to see the economy protected deserve to be allowed to influence decisions that will affect jobs, living standards and skills. Their collective voice is a critical addition to the democratic processes.

Accepting the deal now proposed by the UK and EU will provide a working base on which businesses can plan more sensibly for production, exports, investment and greater innovation.

The nature of Brexit means that some of the threats to business and employment will remain, but the threats will be much smaller.

The relative attractions of a business based in Ireland, relative to the UK, have been enhanced by the very process of Brexit.

However, a managed deal, minimising or removing a trade and services border on this island, will be an important partial corrective.

There is a price to secure the best of both worlds for Northern Ireland. Goods exported from Northern Ireland to GB would proceed as now. Goods exported from Northern Ireland to anywhere in the EU of 27 states would be accepted as from within the internal EU market, so long as they met the regulatory standards of the EU.

Starting in 2018/19, those regulatory standards already apply. Change in those standards is a considered and infrequent event.

For most exporters this commitment - admittedly to standards reviewed by the EU - will be modest and well publicised.

With straightforward anticipation, Northern Ireland exporters will have the advantage of tariff-free access to GB and the EU.

The so-called border in the Irish Sea will be a series of some checks that goods landed in Northern Ireland, with acceptable UK standards - but lacking EU standards - do not find a 'back-door' into the EU through the Republic of Ireland.

The extra degree of business administration as envisaged by the UK-EU deal should be small and very acceptable as a method of protecting Northern Ireland business.

The business organisations have now made a clear and overdue statement that the draft UK-EU deal is a worthwhile compromise.

John Simpson is an economist
Leading business organisations in Northern Ireland have pledged their support to the draft Brexit deal.

Four influential lobby groups joined together to hail the withdrawal agreement as a "welcome step forward".

It came amid mounting pressure for the DUP to drop their opposition to the text.

The Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) claimed a no-deal Brexit would be "absolutely disastrous" for the local farming and agri-food sector.

However, last night a senior DUP figure said the party's view on the agreement had not changed. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he did not believe it was the best deal for Northern Ireland.

It follows days of chaos over the Brexit plan agreed between the UK and the EU.

As the fallout continued yesterday:

Stephen Barclay was named the new Brexit Secretary as Prime Minister Theresa May set about filling her cabinet after several of her top team quit.

Speculation grew that the PM's critics have the numbers required to trigger a confidence vote within days.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar admitted it would be "very difficult" to avoid a hard border in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann branded the inclusion of the backstop in the withdrawal text as a "monumental error in judgment".

The proposed deal has sparked chaos within the Conservative Party since it was unveiled on Wednesday. Mrs May's premiership is hanging by a thread with a series of ministerial resignations and calls from her own MPs for her to stand aside.

A vote of no confidence in her leadership could take place as early as next week.

The DUP - which Mrs May relies on to stay in power - are also unhappy.

Yesterday, however, leading business organisations representing Northern Ireland issued a joint statement in support of the draft agreement.

The Confederation of British Industry NI, Federation of Small Businesses NI, Institute of Directors NI and NI Chamber of Commerce said the deal "provides some much needed clarity that local businesses have been calling for".

"While by no means perfect, it provides a platform to move onto the critical next stage and allows work to begin on the formulation of a comprehensive future trade deal," it said. "Crucially, the provision for an extended transition period offers our members the flexibility and time to adjust to a new relationship with the EU which they must be allowed to do in as smooth and orderly a manner as possible."

It repeated warnings that a no-deal Brexit would be "deeply damaging" and would represent "a very bad outcome" for businesses, consumers and the economy.

Earlier, the UFU, which represents thousands of farmers, many of whom would traditionally vote DUP, called on the party to vote for the text.

UFU chief executive Wesley Aston told the Nolan Show: "We want to make sure we avoid a no-deal situation. No deal for Northern Ireland agri-food and farming in particular would be absolutely disastrous and we have made that patently clear over this last while."

He added: "We would support the deal going through and against that background we would ask the DUP to consider voting for this deal."

UFU president Ivor Ferguson told the Belfast Telegraph independent reports had concluded that a no-deal Brexit would have disastrous consequences for farm businesses and the economy here.

He said: "Ultimately, we would have preferred a UK-wide solution. However, this agreement does provide an insurance policy to prevent a no deal outcome."

Brian Irwin, chairman of the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association, also hailed the draft withdrawal agreement, saying it "provides a way to deliver a smooth exit and an orderly transition to the future relationship with Europe".

But speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the DUP's view of the deal has not changed.

"We very much respect that there are people within the business community and farming who have a different view to us on Brexit, and indeed many of them campaigned against Brexit in the first instance," he said.

"Therefore it comes as no surprise that they would want to support a deal that keeps Northern Ireland locked into the EU in terms of both customs and the single market.

"While we respect their opinion, we disagree with their conclusion that this is the best deal we can get for Northern Ireland. We believe that a border in the Irish Sea is not in the interests of either our farmers or our business owners, because Great Britain is by far our biggest and best market.

"It is our view that anything that creates barriers between Northern Ireland and Great Britain in economic terms is not good for our economy."

Earlier, the Lagan Valley MP faced criticism over comments on the BBC's The View when he was asked to respond to comments supporting the deal from the UFU and the Northern Ireland food and drink sector.

"I don't believe they have read the detail of this, they have not read the 500 pages," he had said.

Ian Marshall, a former UFU president turned Irish senator, accused Sir Jeffrey of being "disrespectful".
The burglarly took place in the Hillsborough Old Road area of Lisburn.

A man in his 70s underwent a horrendous ordeal during a "sickening" burglary in Lisburn on Friday evening.

The incident took place at his home in the Hillsborough Old Road area.

He returned home around 5.30pm and as he opened the front door he was bundled inside by two men who kicked him and placed him on a chair before pushing him off it.

They then tied him to the chair leg with a cable tie and threatened to injure him with hedge trimmers and a pair of serrated cutters.

One of the burglars stayed with the man while another searched the house.

They made off from the property with a sum of cash, the victim's watch and his car, a grey Toyota RAV 4.

The man eventually managed to free himself and raise the alarm at neighbour's house around 6.10pm.

He was not physically hurt but was left badly shaken.

We would appeal to anyone who saw a number of men acting suspiciously in the area of the Hillsborough Old Road around 5pm last night to contact police. We also want to trace the movements of the RAV 4 that was stolen and would again ask anyone who may have seen it leaving the area around 6pm last night to let us know," Detective Constable Maxwell said.

This was an invasive and sickening attack on an older man and we would urge anyone with information about it to contact detectives in Lisburn on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 1004 of 16/11/18.

"Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime."
A man in his 30's has been left with potentially life changing injuries after being shot a number of times at a house in Londonderry.

Police came under attack while attending the scene.

The incident occurred in the Rinsmore Drive area on Friday night.

It was reported that shortly before 9:10pm a man in his 30s was shot a number of times at a house in the area.

The man received gunshot wounds to his arms, legs and to one of his hands. It is also believed the man was attacked with iron bars during the incident with injuries to his legs and arms.

He has been taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries that are potentially life changing.

Enquiries are continuing but police are treating it as a paramilitary style attack.

This vicious and barbaric incident has left a man with potentially life changing injuries and the recklessness shown by those involved in carrying out this attack in a build-up residential area should be condemned," Detective Chief Inspector McCubbin said.

There can be no justification for this type of attack and needs to stop. The local community should be outraged this shooting incident took place in their area.

Officers who attended the incident to keep the local community safe came under attack from missiles at the scene. Police will continue to serve their local communities and everyone must work together to bring those to justice for this offence.

We are appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident or who saw anything suspicious in the area to contact detectives in Strand Road on 101, quoting reference number 1290 16/11/18. Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.
A murderer is on the run in Northern Ireland after escaping while on day release.

Samuel McKinley, 57, is serving a life sentence for the murder of a man in Southampton in 1996, but he absconded while on day release from Maghaberry Prison, Lisburn, on Thursday.

It is not the first time McKinley has evaded police, having escaped a number of times since 2002.

He is known to have connections in East Belfast and the Ards/Ards peninsula area, and originates from Shankill, Belfast.

Police described him as being around 5ft 10in, of a heavy build and with a fresh complexion.

A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Prison Service said: Mr McKinley had been returned to custody in February of this year following the revocation of his licence.

Since his return to custody Mr McKinley has been granted four previous periods of temporary release, in response to recommendations from the Parole Commissioners. The Northern Ireland Prison Service are working with the Police Service of Northern Ireland to return this prisoner to lawful custody.

The Prison Service cannot hold people indefinitely and pre-release testing is a vital component in preparing prisoners for release back into society.
As artificial intelligence continues to make inroads into human medicine, James Zou, PhD, assistant professor of biomedical data science at the School of Medicine, has found another use for it: animal medicine.

When pets visit an animal hospital, veterinarians type out notes in paragraph form to document the visit. Theres no systematic or widespread infrastructure in place for pet electronic health records. And while hand-captured notes work fine to document one visit, in one clinic, it limits how the data can be used and shared.

Unlike human electronic health records, there arent standardized ways to map free text typed on a computer into codes that denote a specific type of disease, Zou said. So there are millions of vet clinical records that are essentially wasted because theyre so cumbersome to work with. Clinics dont have the infrastructure to extract information from these medical records, but theres a lot of really interesting information in them, and they might even come to bear on human health.

Now, Zou and his team have devised a solution, DeepTag, rooted in artificial intelligence. DeepTag is an algorithm that essentially reads the typed-out notes from a vet and predicts specific diseases that the animal may have. It boils down the paragraph of medical notes into codes that represent certain ailments, symptoms or diseases.

A paper describing DeepTag was published Oct. 24 in npg Digital Medicine. Allen Nie, a machine learning researcher, and research scientist Ashley Zehnder, DVM, PhD, share lead authorship.

Scanning for key words

Theres been a tremendous amount of progress in the ability of AI to understand and apply natural language, Zou said. AI is now much better at understanding human languages and being able to respond to them, and were leveraging that progress to build algorithms that can scan across the paragraph to actually read the clinical notes and interpret each word, he said. Were not explicitly telling the algorithm what words are associated with what disease. Instead, its finding the key words that are associated with specific diagnoses.

In training the algorithm, Zou collaborated with the College of Veterinary Medicine at Colorado State University, where a group of veterinary experts annotated more than 100,000 clinical notes, assigning disease codes to each case. Nie used that data set to teach the algorithm the types of notes that paired with a particular disease. Then, the group further validated the algorithms accuracy by testing it on pet clinical data collected from private veterinarian offices.

Broadly speaking, DeepTag would allow veterinarians to track the prevalence of disease in pets, and in the future could be a tool to track clinical trials for animals.

A win-win

Before a drug makes it to clinical trial in humans, its typically tested in mice or rats for efficacy and safety. But the biology of small rodents can be quite different from that of a person. A dog, larger in size and in some ways more reflective of human biology, could more accurately indicate how a human might respond to a treatment, once the hypothetical treatment passed the rodent stage."

Dogs, which were the majority of patients that we documented using DeepTag, are very good candidates for many of the drugs scientists develop for humans, Zou said. And theres a growing interest in pharmacology and biotechnology to try to test, for example, new cancer treatments in dogs  it could be a win for both humans and their pets.

Likewise, just as is the case for sick people, theres sometimes a lack of sanctioned options to treat disease in pets, and clinical trials would be their best bet at recovery. But until now, theres been little infrastructure to keep tabs on how animals fair on new therapies.

Since the paper published, Zou has been discussing applying the DeepTag algorithm to large veterinary clinics around the country, and locally in the San Francisco Bay Area. Soon, Zou said, his team will have a publicly available platform that veterinarians anywhere in the world can use. Once the platform is online, any veterinarian could go and use the platform to annotate their notes and see the results in real time, he said.

Other Stanford co-authors include postdoctoral research scholar Arturo Pineda, PhD; assistant professor of biomedical science, Manuel Rivas, DPhil; and professor of biomedical data science and of genetics Carlos Bustamante, PhD.

Researchers from Colorado State University and Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, also contributed to the work.

The research was supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

Stanfords Department of Biomedical Data Science also supported the work.
Police are working to locate convicted murderer Samuel McKinley (57) who absconded from Maghaberry Prison on unsupervised day release.

McKinley first went missing on Thursday.

He is serving life for stabbing his friend Robin Stoddart to death during a drinking session in Southampton in 1996.

The convicted killer is originally from the Shankill area of Belfast and has connections to East Belfast and the Ards/Ards peninsula area.

He is described as being of around 5 10 in height, of heavy build and having a fresh complexion.

Since 2002, he has absconded from day release or breached his pre-release/licence conditions on a number of occasions.

Anyone who knows of Mr McKinleys whereabouts is asked to contact detectives at Musgrave on 101, Inspector McLean said.

A Northern Ireland Prison Service spokes said that McKinley had been returned to prison after breaching his license.

"Samuel McKinley is unlawfully at large from Maghaberry Prison after he failed to return from a period of temporary release. Mr McKinley had been returned to custody in February of this year following the revocation of his licence," the spokesperson said.

"Since his return to custody Mr McKinley has been granted four previous periods of temporary release, in response to recommendations from the Parole Commissioners. The Northern Ireland Prison Service are working with the Police Service of Northern Ireland to return this prisoner to lawful custody.

"The Prison Service cannot hold people indefinitely and pre-release testing is a vital component in preparing prisoners for release back into society."
Police have said they are "increasingly concerned" for the whereabouts of missing woman Chung Ting Xie.

The 52-year-old was least seen in the Ulsterville Avenue area on Friday November 2 around 6pm.

She is described as being 58 in height, short brown hair and medium build.

Police would appeal to Chun Ting or anyone who knows her whereabouts to contact police in Musgrave Street on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 1318 3/11/18.
Police are investigating a shooting incident in west Belfast on Friday.

Sometime between 1:30am and 6am, it was reported that a shot was fired at a house in the Closnamona Court area.

It is believed that a shotgun was used during the incident and damage was caused to the front door of the property.

No one was injured during the incident but a female resident was left badly shaken.

Police believe the incident may be linked to a car being damaged at Aitnamona Crescent in the early hours of Friday morning.

One man has been arrested in relation to the damaged vehicle and has been released on police bail.

Police are continuing to appeal for anyone with any information about these incidents or who witnessed anything suspicious in the area to contact detectives on 101, quoting reference number 166 17/11/18," Detective Sergeant Doherty said.

"Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.
A young Co Tyrone man killed in a motorway accident brought "joy and affection" into the lives of his family and friends, his funeral heard yesterday.

Monsignor Colum Curry was speaking as Darryl Thompson (22), from Beragh, was laid to rest. He was killed after being hit by a car on a section of the M1 last Saturday night.

In his homily to mourners at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Beragh, the parish priest said the experience of death is always difficult, but the death of a young person in the prime of his life is particularly difficult.

"It's hard for any of us to understand why a young man with youth and energy on his side should be taken from us so tragically. It doesn't make sense," Mgr Curry said.

"There will always be a feeling that there was so much more that Darryl could have done. He had more in life to offer and to achieve if only circumstances had been kinder to him but sadly it was not to be.

"We think of all that Darryl has accomplished and the affection he has left behind. His family have a wealth of lovely memories to treasure of someone special, who lived life to the full and never settled for anything less than 100%. That was reflected in his work as a competent mechanic who loved working with cars.

"He had the same interest in diggers and like his father before him, he was passionate about driving a digger from an early age."

Mr Thompson's father Tony (38) died in a motorbike crash in 2006. His uncle Dermot Loughran (36) was killed in similar circumstances three years later.

Mgr Curry added: "We are grateful for the life Darryl had, the way he lived that life and the tremendous joy and fun he brought into people's lives. He was a loyal friend with a smile that was always contagious."

The priest paid tribute in particular to Mr Thompson's mother Edwina facing further heartache.

"Parents shouldn't have to bury their children - it isn't fair. Darryl's family and friends have every right to feel angry, bitter and outraged but at the wake in recent days we found the very opposite. They were so dignified and their attitude exemplary.

"Underpinning all of that there was a sense of the depth of the faith that has sustained them in the past and which will fortify them in the future. They have been an inspiration to all of us."

Mr Thompson is also survived by his sister Katie (21), brother Jack (5), stepfather Keith Clarke, girlfriend Megan, grandparents and wider family circle.

Yesterday police issued a further appeal for information about the fatal collision. A man in his 20s was arrested following the incident and released on bail pending further enquiries.

Officers are appealing for anyone who was travelling between junction 14 and 15 on the M1 motorway near Tamnamore last Saturday at around 10.20pm who witnessed the collision or may have dash-cam footage to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 1477 November 10.
A large number of Queen's University Belfast students have been targeted in a tax refund scam.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said that students across the UK were being targeted by scammers with fake tax refunds in an attempt to steal money and person details.

HMRC confirmed that a large number of scams had been reported involving students at Queen's.

The scammers are using seemingly legitimate university email addresses (for example @uc.ac.uk) in order to avoid detection.

HMRC said that it was the largest direct attack on students it had ever seen with thousands of fraud attempts reported in the past few weeks.

Often HMRC related email scams spoof the branding of GOV.UK and well known credit cards in attempt to look authentic. The recipients name and email address may be included several times within the email itself.

Fraudulent emails and texts will regularly include links which take students to websites where their information can be stolen. Between April and September this year, HMRC requested that 7,500 of these phishing sites be deactivated. This compares to around 5,200 requests during the same period in 2017.

Sinn Fein further and higher education spokesperson Caoimhe Archibald said that the scams were of growing concern.

"Attempted telephone and online scams are an ongoing and increasing problem, with the scammers always attempting to devise more sophisticated and plausible ways to try and secure your personal computing and online banking details," the East Londonderry MLA said.

I would urge people to be constantly vigilant and to make sure to warn elderly family members in particular to the wide variety of attempted cold call scams that are going on.

Director of Action Fraud, Pauline Smith urged students to remain vigilant.

Devious fraudsters will try every trick in the book to convince victims to hand over their personal information, often with devastating consequences. It is vital that students spot the signs of fraudulent emails to avoid falling victim by following HMRCs advice," she said.

Together with HMRC, we work tirelessly to stop fraudsters in their tracks and to prevent unsuspecting members of the public from falling victim to fraud.
Irelands deputy premier has warned British politicians to sign up to the current Brexit agreement or risk facing a chaotic no-deal that would see the United Kingdom crashing out of the European Union.

Simon Coveney said people are too quick to write off Prime Minister Theresa May, saying she has shown resilience, courage and a reality check to Brexiteers in Westminster.

He rejected suggestions the Irish government is preparing for a hard border  adding the way to avoid it is to sign up to the current agreement on the table.

Speaking ahead of Fine Gaels Ard Fheis, the Foreign Affairs Minister admitted it will be difficult to find an alternative deal that will prevent a hard border.

If we are forced into that situation we will have to look at ways in which that can be avoided but that will not be easy, he said.

It is a far more sensible approach to support what is being negotiated over the last two years as a way that we know provides the guarantees that we have looked for and insisted on that there will be no physical border or infrastructure or checks or controls and that is an issue that goes beyond commerce and trade.

We have made it very clear that our contingency plans include east/west trade preparations  we are not going to prepare for border infrastructure on these island.

That is why we have been so firm that any deal that was signed off needed to deal with this issue comprehensively.

People have a choice to make  its either this deal or a chaotic no-deal Brexit or potentially it triggers a series of events that unravels that whole project itself.

Mr Coveney also said Sinn Feins refusal to take their seats at Westminster is skewing the debate as there is no Nationalist voice in the House of Commons.

Sinn Feins seven MPs refuse to take their seats as they do not recognise the UK Parliaments right to legislate for any part of Ireland.

Mr Coveney said: The debate that is taking place in Westminster has a direct impact on Ireland and for the first time there is no Nationalist voice from Northern Ireland.

That is skewing the debate because there is only one perspective being expressed.

Its not a balanced reflection for Northern Ireland as a whole.

I would certainly like to see Sinn Fein giving the perspective of the people they represent in Northern Ireland and I would like to see Sinn Fein being part of voting on what happens to the deal thats being signed off.

If this vote in Westminster is lost by two or three votes and Sinn Fein are standing outside speaking to the media but not using their seven votes, then people will rightly ask some serious questions of them.

European Affairs Minister Helen McEntee will travel to Brussels with Mr Coveney on Monday before she travels with Taoiseach Leo Varakdar to the European Council next Sunday.
Bridges Family Practice at the Bryson Street building on land owned by Landmark East

Dee Stitt and former First Minister Arlene Foster attend the Social Investment Funds Belfast East Employability Project

Some of the high-profile figures who sat on Social Investment Fund steering groups which awarded cash to organisations to which they had links can be named today.

Among them are former loyalist prisoners Dee Stitt and Adrian Bird, former DUP Lord Mayor of Belfast Brian Kingston, and DUP Assembly Speaker Robin Newton.

In addition, former UUP councillor and Ukip candidate Bob Stoker sat on the Belfast South SIF steering group, which awarded 635,000 to a project by the South City Resource and Development Centre.

Mr Stoker is an employee of South City Resource and Development Centre. He lists himself online as the organisation's chief executive.

And director of the Falls Community Council, Gerry McConville, was a member of the Belfast West SIF steering group, which awarded 3.5m to a project to develop a building owned by that organisation.

Last week's Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) report revealed how 18 voluntary and community groups receiving capital funding from a steering group also had a director, trustee or employee who was a member of that group. In total, these bodies received more than 12.4m of SIF funding, and had 15 individuals on the steering groups.

The NIAO report slammed "significant failings" in the 93m SIF, set up to support projects tackling deprivation.

The report identified "a number of serious concerns" in the initial stages of the SIF, including "conflicts of interest which were not always appropriately dealt with".

And it revealed that the Executive Office "does not hold a clear audit trail in relation to the award of public funding".

Agreed in March 2011 and administered by the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister (now the Executive Office), the SIF aimed to make life better for those living in targeted areas by reducing poverty, unemployment and physical deterioration.

But critics at the time described it as a "tribal carve-up" of public money into "slush funds" for DUP and Sinn Fein pet projects.

Last week we revealed how DUP MLA Mr Newton sat on a SIF steering group that awarded 1m to an initiative belonging to an organisation of which he was a board member.

He is a former director of charity Landmark East, which owns the Bryson Street site on which the Bridges Family Practice doctor's surgery is now located.

SIF handed over 1m for the redevelopment of the previously derelict site into the purpose-built community health centre, while Landmark East contributed around 200,000.

But the funding arrangement was criticised by the NIAO report, after the GPs operating from the site entered into a 25-year lease with Landmark East.

The Health and Social Care Board agreed to fund the annual lease costs of 90,000, which will equate to 2.25m over the life of the lease.

And we can now reveal that the Belfast East SIF steering group on which Mr Newton sat also awarded a separate sum of 187,000 to another Landmark East project.

The Best of the East project, since renamed EastSide Visitor Centre, saw the construction of a visitors' centre on the Newtownards Road for which Landmark East is the project promoter organisation.

Chief executive of EastSide Partnership and Landmark East, Maurice Kinkead, revealed that the visitors' centre is also built on land that Landmark East owns.

Meanwhile, loyalist Dee Stitt was a board member of Kilcooley Community Forum prior to the organisation gaining charitable status.

He also sat on the South Eastern SIF steering group, which awarded 651,000 for a pitch, changing facilities and community space - an initiative promoted by Kilcooley Community Forum.

According to the Executive Office, Kilcooley Community Forum has not received any funding.

It said that the project has "completed the design phase which has clarified the costs and practical issues associated with the proposal".

"In line with good practice, the business case is kept under review and given cost increases the business case is being revised and will require re-approval."

The Executive Office added that "this project will be delivered by Newry Mourne and Down District Council as the lead partner and they will receive the funding awarded to the project".

The NIAO report says that lead partners are "responsible for the development, management and administration of projects and have overall financial responsibility for each project".

Meanwhile, former UDA prisoner Bird sat on the South Eastern SIF steering group, which awarded 456,000 to extend the existing premises at Laganview Enterprise Centre and create a Healthy Living Centre.

Mr Bird is the chairperson of Laganview Enterprise Centre.

He is also director of The Resurgam Trust charity, which manages the enterprise centre.

And the Resurgam Trust manages West Lisburn Community Centre, a building owned by Lisburn and Castlereagh Council, which has been renamed the Resurgam 3D Youth Centre.

The South Eastern SIF steering group awarded 575,000 to this project to construct a youth centre in Lisburn's Old Warren estate.

The lead partner for both projects was Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.

Former Lord Mayor Mr Kingston is a director of Argyle Business Centre, which has had 440,000 ring-fenced by the Belfast West SIF steering group for an extension to provide additional space and encourage new business start-ups. Mr Kingston also sat on the Belfast West SIF steering group. The project is at the design stage.

In addition, Mr McConville, sat on the Belfast West SIF Steering group, which awarded 3.5m to the St Comgall's project to develop a community hub on the site of a former school.

The Falls Community Council is the project promoter, and Mr McConville revealed that the organisation also owns the St Comgall's building.

The project is currently in design phase and not yet operational.

Final management of the St Comgall's project, which is being delivered by lead partner Belfast City Council, is still to be determined.

Mr Stoker sat on the Belfast South SIF steering group, which awarded 635,000 to the South City Resource and Development Centre.

The funding is aimed at purchasing and refurbishing a derelict building for community use.

Mr Stoker lists himself online as chief executive of South City Resource and Development Centre.

He told the Belfast Telegraph that he was employed by the organisation at the time that he sat on the SIF steering group, and remains an employee.

The Executive Office has said that it "recognises that there were shortcomings in the early stages of SIF and welcomes the acknowledgement by NIAO that, once projects became established, governance improved".

There is no suggestion that any of these individuals or groups have done anything illegal.
Theresa May has said she cannot guarantee the support of the DUP for her draft Brexit plan - but denied having a 'testy' exchange with Arlene Foster over the details.

The DUP have warned they will review the confidence and supply arrangement for propping up Mrs May's Government should the proposed deal make it through Parliament.

And while admitting the DUP leader had raised 'concerns', the Prime Minister said her Government was "still working with the DUP".

Speaking on LBC radio during a live phone-in yesterday, programme host Nick Ferrari asked Mrs May if she was aware of reports that sources close to Mrs Foster say the DUP were set to withdraw their support unless there was a change of Prime Minister.

Mrs May ducked the question, replying: "I'm aware of lot of things that are written and rumoured.

"I haven't had a testy exchange with Arlene Foster. We have had exchanges with the DUP. They've raised some questions with us, some concerns and yes, we're looking at those and looking at what we can do in the UK to reassure not just the DUP but the people of Northern Ireland."

One caller from Londonderry told Mrs May: "I actually feel the Prime Minister's deal will be of huge benefit to the region. Can the Prime Minister give any reassurance that the bespoke deal won't be scuppered by her confidence and supply partners, the DUP?"

Mrs May admitted she had a lot of persuading to do, adding: "I am confident that MPs, when they see this deal, will see it's in the best interests of the UK. My job is to persuade first and foremost my Conservative benches, and those who are working with us - and the DUP are working with us on confidence and supply. I want to be able to say to every MP I believe this is the best deal for the UK.

"What we have negotiated is to make sure there's no customs border down the Irish Sea. It was absolutely crucial to me that we didn't have Northern Ireland separated off in that sense. We are maintaining the integrity of the United Kingdom.

"What the EU wanted was effectively to separate Northern Ireland out, away from the rest of the UK. We said no. They wanted a customs border down the Irish Sea but in October they finally accepted to do it in a different way.

"The point of the backstop is to say that even if we can't get our future relationship agreed by the beginning of 2021 we need to make sure that Northern Ireland's border is still fully open with Ireland."

During the show, Mrs May was told to quit, and to make way for Jacob Rees-Mogg. One caller from Gillingham labelled Mrs May a "modern-day Chamberlain", referring to the former premier notorious for his appeasement of Hitler. "I would like you to stand up for our country and stand up for what's best for our country. Appeasing a foreign power and locking us in forever is not doing that," he said.

Mrs May replied: "No I don't, and the reason is this: We are not going to be locked in forever to something that we don't want."
Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann has blasted the inclusion of the backstop in the withdrawal agreement as a "monumental error in judgment".

He said his party "cannot and will not" support the draft deal.

Mr Swann claimed the proposed plan will see Northern Ireland "potentially drift farther away" from the United Kingdom.

"In the unlikely event that the agreement makes its way through Parliament, its impact will be felt for decades to come," he said.

"The impact may not necessarily happen immediately but as the months and years pass, the implementation of the disastrous backstop will see Northern Ireland potentially drift farther away from the rest of the United Kingdom unless action is taken to reverse its effects.

"It will act as an incentive for Scottish nationalists, who will use every excuse under the sun to destabilise another part of the United Kingdom."

Mr Swann criticised the DUP for the agreement, which he said had "happened on their watch".

"They failed in their primary duty to protect the integrity of the Union and its people. They told the people of Northern Ireland that they had the ear of the Prime Minister, they said that they had influence at the heart of the UK Government," Mr Swann said.

"The DUP were asleep at the wheel.

"They bear enormous responsibility for what has happened.

"They either misused whatever influence they had or were so full of their own hubris that they didn't see what was coming down the tracks."

Mr Swann also said the Irish Government should "be careful what it wishes for" just hours before he addressed an event at Fine Gael's conference.

"Despite repeated warnings to tone down the language and act like good neighbours, the brash behaviour of the Irish Government led by Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney may yet lead to a place where none of us want to go," the UUP leader said.

"A no-deal Brexit isn`t in anyone`s interests, but if they continue to pursue an aggressive stance in future negotiations, they will continue to raise the hackles of even the most mild mannered of unionists across the United Kingdom.

"For us, the Union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland comes first."
The leader of Northern Irelands Ulster Unionist Party has urged members of the Republic of Irelands leading political party to be cautious of their words when it comes to Brexit.

Robin Swann sounded the warning as he addressed a side event at the Fine Gael annual conference, Ard Fheis, in Dublin.

He said while relations between the two parts of the island have improved in the last two decades, Brexit has caused a strain, adding that some comments made by Fine Gael members recently have been received like a poke in the eye by unionists in Northern Ireland.

Mr Swann said he wants to see relations improve  but that means being honest with each other.

Expand Close UUP leader Robin Swann, left, with Irish Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan during the event (Tom Honan/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp UUP leader Robin Swann, left, with Irish Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan during the event (Tom Honan/PA)

Good neighbours must be honest with each other, and that means speaking up when you think the other has overstepped the mark, he said.

Irish Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan and Business Minister Heather Humphreys were in the audience for his address.

Former SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell, ex-Alliance Party leader John Cushnahan, Ulster Unionist MLA Steve Aiken and former Ulster Unionist MP Danny Kinahan were also present.

Mr Flanagan extended a warm welcome to Mr Swann and the other visitors from Northern Ireland.

He said they should feel able to speak freely and emphasised that both he and his party care very deeply about Northern Ireland.

The former Irish foreign affairs minister said at one stage he was spending more time in Belfast than in his own constituency.

Great attendance & thoughtful contributions from speakers including @RobinSwannUUP & @AlMcDonnellSB at the Northern Ireland session @ #FGAF18 pic.twitter.com/RNrQPFpEKk  Charlie Flanagan (@CharlieFlanagan) November 17, 2018

He said as Justice Minister he is now focused on security, and welcomed what he termed the historic high in co-operation between the Police Service of Northern Ireland and An Garda Siochana, at which point he paid tribute to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, a former PSNI officer.

I am tired of (Unionism) being portrayed to those looking on from outside Northern Ireland as being snide and obnoxious and exclusive. I came here today, not just to challenge you on your approach, but to also challenge your perceptions. Robin Swann

On Brexit, Mr Swann said his party wants to see the best deal possible for the UK, and with that Northern Ireland.

He added that while the Irish Government said they want to see a deal that protects Northern Ireland too, it has not felt like we were working to achieve the same objective.

He said: To be honest, comments from members of this party sometimes were delivered like a poke in the eye to unionists.

Our party has been clear that we do not want to see the reintroduction of physical structures at the border on the island of Ireland.

But we did not see the same understanding from your government for our concerns about a hard border in the Irish Sea and problems that created for us both as unionists and as an economy which relies heavily on our place in the United Kingdoms single market.

Expand Close Mr Swann urged better co-operation with Ireland on Brexit (Tom Honan/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Mr Swann urged better co-operation with Ireland on Brexit (Tom Honan/PA)

A sea border is a direct challenge to the Belfast Agreement and the principle of consent and is not a concern that should just be waved away.

Given that, at this time, it seems very unlikely that the current withdrawal agreement will progress, there must be a change in tact from your Government and other parties in the south.

Selective reading of the Belfast Agreement and Ireland first rhetoric will only serve to stretch relationships.

The reality is that the geography of these islands means we rely heavily on each other.

An aggressive negotiating stance now may lead to adverse consequences in the future.

A bad deal, or no deal, with be catastrophic for us all.

It is in all our best interests that a withdrawal agreement and future relationship is reached that works.

In the weeks ahead I would urge caution over language, and to have thought for how statements and soundbites will be heard in Northern Ireland  as Terence ONeill once put it, sensible restraint and common prudence.

I spoke recently at Queens University and I delivered the same message to unionism  that we must be careful with our words.
Tanzanias reformist President John Magufuli this week ordered a 94 percent increase of cashew nuts prices to protect farmers from effects of dwindling prices.

According to a government statement, President Magufuli, aka as the Bulldozer, has ordered soldiers to buy up the estimated 220,000 tons of nuts at $1.44 per kg, higher than the price companies were willing to pay.

The state-owned Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank was ordered to release the necessary funds for the purchase of these cashews, the statement said. The state-owned cashew processing plant, where raw nuts are shelled, is also to be taken over by the army.

The Tanzanian governments move could lead to a global shortage as the East African nation exports 75 percent of the regions cashew crop, according to the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council Foundation.

Tanzanias export revenues doubled to $540 million last year from $270 million in 2016, official data shows. President Magufuli, accused by his critics of becoming increasingly authoritarian, restores industrialization to the heart of governmental policy in a way unseen since the 1970s.

Domestic processing and tax revenue is central to that plan as is government discipline, thrift and tax collection.

The Bulldozer has also fired thousands of officials deemed corrupt or underperforming. Salaries that had been paid to 13,369 ghost workers were halted and those involved punished.

Analysts and investors warn the presidents combative approach is putting at risk what has been one of sub-Saharan Africas fastest-growing economies.
The high street chemist service is heading for collapse despite a 104m rescue package, it has been warned

The high street chemist service is heading for collapse despite a 104m rescue package, it has been warned.

Health bosses announced a cash injection for the community pharmacy service, with 9m made available across Northern Ireland up to the end of March 2020 to address pressures.

The development comes after drugs retailers warned they were on the brink of stopping supplying medication to some pharmacists as they can't pay their bills with community pharmacists saying "the outlook is bleak".

Revealing details of the funding, Richard Pengelly, the Department of Health's permanent secretary, said it will help ensure local people continue to be able to access the most visited provider among the health service.

He admitted officials are unable to meet all the demands of community pharmacists.

John Clark, the chair of Community Pharmacy, said the funding package fails to address the difficulties faced by the service.

"Patients will suffer, medicine supply will be disrupted and pharmacies will shut," he said.
One of Northern Ireland's most prominent hospitality figures has said businesses and voters should never forgive the DUP if it fails to grasp what he said was the opportunity proffered by Theresa May's draft Brexit deal.

Bill Wolsey, managing director of the Beannchor group, said Arlene Foster's party had scored "a spectacular own-goal" over its opposition to the deal being championed by the under-pressure Prime Minister.

The businessman, whose hospitality portfolio includes The Merchant Hotel, Bullitt, the Dirty Onion and the Little Wing franchise, was speaking as he was named Personality of the Year at yesterday's Belfast Telegraph Property Awards at the Crowne Plaza in Belfast.

In a hard-hitting speech in front of a room of around 600 people from across the property industry, Mr Wolsey urged businesses to speak out.

"Now we have an opportunity to do something. We need to encourage our politicians to grasp that opportunity. This is no longer a time to keep our head down," he said.

"We have an opportunity because of Brexit to have a foot in both camps. What an opportunity we have for business and when business is strong, that makes the community strong and it's good for all.

"Unfortunately we're represented by politicians, some who have the political vision of Blind Bart, and some who are weighed down heavily by prejudice from the past.

"I think we, as a business community, and the voters of the future, should never forgive them if they don't take this opportunity to improve the lot for all in this country."

The speech followed comments from DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson suggesting that businesses had failed to fully understand the implications of the draft EU withdrawal paper.

The list of groups here backing the deal to date includes the Ulster Farmers' Union, CBI, NI Chamber and the Federation of Small Businesses.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Pictured l-r: Sarah Little, Bill Wolsey, Petra Wolsey and Gail Walker. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 17. Property Personality of the Year  Bill Wolsey Bill Wolsey Director of Beannchor Group Presenter: Sarah Little INM Publishing Director, NI Pictured l-r: Pamela Ballantine, Bill Wolsey, and Sarah Little. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Property Personality of the Year  Bill Wolsey Bill Wolsey Director of Beannchor Group with his wife Petra Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Property Personality of the Year  Bill Wolsey Bill Wolsey Director of Beannchor Group with his wife Petra Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 17. Property Personality of the Year Bill Wolsey Bill Wolsey Director of Beannchor Group Presenter: Sarah Little INM Publishing Director, NI Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Chris and Claire Gordon pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Craig Service, Laura Philips and Derek Wilson pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 James Burleigh, Kathryn Barry and Conor Mooney pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Aaron Dickie, Alastair Chambers, Colin White and Les McCracken pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Anna Maria McAlindon, Adrian Kerr, Fiona McFall, Alison Nesbitt, Mark Thompson and Kathryn McIvor pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Brendan Dorrian, Gerarcd McCann and Brendan Wilson pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Karen McGarvey and Pamela Ballantine pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Philip Smyth, David McIlroy, Pamela Ballantine, Thomas McIlroy, Steven Rossetto pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Ross Adams and Joanne McGillan pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Richie Lavery, Moyah Lavery and Mark McBride pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Petra and Bill Wolsey pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Colin and Jayne Logan pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Fiona Rice, Sandra McCullough, Julie Atkinson, Samantha Shannon and Naomi Traynor pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Fiona Hutchinson, Chris Millar and Sonia Millar pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Stephen Gray and John Minnis pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Colin and Jayne Logan pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Gemma McStravick, Julie McBride, Kevin Caldwell, Una Lavery, Davcid Fusco, Anne Smyth and Paddy McKarney pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Helmut Elstnar, Claire Martin, Graeme Morris, Marina McBride and Kevin Flanner pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Fergal Rooney and Colm McGurk pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Glynis Hobson, Mark Graham and Victoria Dunne pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Michael and Nicole McKervey pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Petra and Bill Wolsey pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Curtis Barrett, Heather Barrett, Brian Barrett and David Startin pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Ian Craig, Andrew Frazer and Ciaran McGivern pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Fergal Rooney and Colm McGurk pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Mary Kim Doherty, Emma Cooper and Barbara Creed pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Graham Pierce, Catherine Cooney, Celia Worthington, Alan Nappin and John Gilmartin pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Clare and John Lavery pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Clare and John Lavery pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Ian Craig, Andrew Frazer and Ciaran McGivern pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Carine Fullerton, Julie-Ann Murphy, Kelly Porter and Lynn Taylor pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Carine Fullerton, Julie-Ann Murphy, Kelly Porter and Lynn Taylor pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Templeton Robinson directors and staff pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Sarah Little, Paul McErlean and Karen McGarvey pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Mary Kim Doherty, Emma Cooper and Barbara Creed pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 James Fairley and Victor Branco pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Kevin Caldwell, Anne Smyth, Sarah Little and Mark Corry pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 The CPS team pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Shauna Hammond and Ciara Mathews pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Kevin Caldwell, Gail Walker and Anne Smyth pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Bethany Telford, Jill McCormick, Gary Adair and Sian Wells pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Shauna Hammond and Ciara Mathews pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 4. Property Deal of the Year Presenting Award: Neil Logan, Wilson Nesbitt Winner: Simon Brien Residential Highly Commended: Savills L-R Pamela Ballantine, Simon Brien and Neil Logan. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 1. Award: Commercial Fit-Out of the Year Presenting Award: Billy Wallace, Managing Partner and Chairman of WH Stephens Winner: RPP Architects Ltd Highly Commended: McCue Crafted Fit L-R Pamela Ballantine, Mark Higgins, Harry McConnell and Billy Wallace. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 2. Award: Best Interior Design of the Year Presenting Award: Mark Corry, Marketing Manager of Harry Corry Winner: Atelier Interior Design L-R Pamela Ballantine, Mark Corry, James Fairley and Victor Branco Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 2. Award: Best Interior Design of the Year Presenting Award: Mark Corry, Marketing Manager of Harry Corry Winner: Atelier Interior Design L-R Pamela Ballantine, Mark Corry, James Fairley and Victor Branco Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 The team from Hagan Homes pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Paul McErlean and Professor Alastair Adair pictured at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 3. Award: Commercial Development of the Year Presenting Award: Dawson McConkey, Partner and Head of Real Estate of Carson McDowell Winner: Karl Asset Management Highly Commended: Lacuna Developments L-R Pamela Ballantine, Aran Blackbourne, Simon Moon and Dawson McConkey. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 12. Residential Development of the Year Presenting Award: Clare Stokes, Corporate Banking Manager, First Trust Bank Winner: Lotus Homes L-R Pamela Ballantine, Samantha Shannon, Paul O'Rourke and Clare Stokes. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 7. Young Architect of the Year Presenting Award: David and Daniel McIlroy, RTU Winner: Fergal Rainey - McGurk Architects Ltd Highly Commended: Jonathan Spence - Doherty Architects L-R Pamela Ballantine, David McIlroy and Fergal Rainey. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 6. Architectural Practice of the Year (Residential) Presenting Award: Ben Turtle, Director of Savills Winner: BGA Architects Ltd L-R Pamela Ballantine, John Lavery and Ben Turtle. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 10. Best Property Marketing of the Year Presenting Award: Brian Barrett, Managing Director, Barrett Group Winner: Hagan Homes L-R Pamela Ballantine, John Toner, Jim Burke and Brian Barrett. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 9. Innovative Use of Smarthome Technology Presenting Award: James Burleigh Commercial Manager of Openreach Northern Ireland Winner: Portland 88 by Barnett Developments L-R Pamela Ballantine, Ryan Dougan, Guil Nascimento, and James Burleigh. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 8. Young Agent of the Year Presenting Award: Anna-Marie McAlinden, Director of Mills Selig Winner: Natasha Rodgers - Rodgers & Finney Highly Commended: Jordana Stoney - John Minnis Estate Agents L-R Pamela Ballantine, Anna-Marie McAlinden and Natasha Rodgers. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 15. Residential Estate Agency of the Year (Sole Branch) Presenting Award: Graeme Norris, Regional Manager, Progressive Building Society Winner: Colin Graham Residential Highly Commended: Rodgers & Finney L-R Pamela Ballantine, Graeme Norris and Colin Graham. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 14. Commercial Estate Agency of the Year Presenting Award: Mark Blair, Partner, A&L Goodbody Winner: Lisney Highly Commended: Osborne King L-R Pamela Ballantine, Declan Flynn and Mark Blair. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 13. Residential Lettings Agency of the Year Presenting Award: Michael Wilson, Associate for TLT Winner: Pinpoint Property Ltd L-R Pamela Ballantine, Nicholas Brennan and Michael Wilson. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 11. Best Property Management Company Presenting Award: John McMahon, Managing Director of Keystone Law Winner: Simon Brien Residential Highly Commended: Gordon Estates Management L-R Pamela Ballantine, John McMahon, Rory Gibson and Thomas O'Doherty. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th November 2018 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2018 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast. 14. Commercial Estate Agency of the Year Presenting Award: Mark Blair, Partner, A&L Goodbody Winner: Lisney Highly Commended: Osborne King L-R Pamela Ballantine, Declan Flynn and Mark Blair. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E / Facebook

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Leaving the stage to rapturous applause and a chorus of congratulations yesterday, Mr Wolsey doubled down on his criticism of politicians, putting the DUP firmly in his cross-hairs.

"I think this has been a spectacular own-goal by the DUP and rather than understanding that, they're compounding this mistake," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"I would be supportive of what's on the table.

"It was obviously a very difficult task that was put in front of Theresa May, because the Brexiteers had absolutely no plan at all.

"She has tried to battle through with a right-wing that won't listen to anything. What she has come up with, while not perfect, is a compromise which I think Northern Ireland has done very well out of.

"This gives us an opportunity to make us an attractive investment opportunity for multinational companies.

"Why our politicians don't accept that, I don't know. It's one that should be grabbed with both hands."

Mr Wolsey said he believed his position reflected that of most businesses.

"I think if you asked any of the 550 people in there, would they grasp this opportunity? Absolutely yes," he added.

"They wouldn't be prevaricating and talking about bringing down Theresa May, they would be welcoming this with open arms.

"Everybody thinks this deal is far better than no deal. It's better than we could have expected and going forward, we can perhaps build on the unique geographical position we have."

He also rejected the DUP's argument that the draft withdrawal deal would undermine Northern Ireland's position in the Union.

"History tells us that any country that has full employment and a contented people, they are not going to break that status quo," he said.

"This is not weakening the Union, if anything it's probably strengthening the Union.

"How the DUP can fail to see this is beyond me, and probably beyond most of the people in that room."
Theresa May has warned her Tory opponents their alternate Brexit plans would not make their problems disappear as she faced a continuing gruelling battle to win over sceptical MPs.

After bolstering her Cabinet by bringing back former home secretary Amber Rudd, Mrs May warned that the so-called Norway and Canada models favoured by her most hardline critics would not solve the issue of the Irish border backstop.

It came after a tumultuous week that saw the departure of ministers including Brexit secretary Dominic Raab and work and pensions secretary Esther McVey, and the launch of a high-profile insurrection on the back benches to remove her from office.

Ms Rudd pleaded with Tory rebels to back the Prime Minister and her Brexit deal on her return to Government as the new Work and Pensions Secretary, saying: This is not a time for changing our leader.

But the Prime Ministers critics believe they have the numbers required to trigger a confidence vote within days.

And Brexit-supporting ministers led by Andrea Leadsom are reportedly set to work together on measures to make the deal more acceptable to them.

But in an interview with the Daily Mail, Mrs May bluntly told them their alternatives would not work.

She said: People say If you could only just do something slightly different, have a Norway model or a Canada model, this backstop issue would go away. It would not. That issue is still going to be there.

Some politicians get so embroiled in the intricacies of their argument they forget it is not about this theory or that theory, or does it make me look good.

Mrs May appointed Stephen Barclay as her new Brexit Secretary, the third this year, but the role has been further downgraded as the Prime Minister will in future take sole control of negotiations on EU withdrawal.

Leave-supporting Mr Barclays job will be limited to the domestic delivery of EU withdrawal, preparations for Brexit either with or without a deal and shepherding legislation through Parliament.

He said: We now need to keep up the momentum to finalise the withdrawal agreement and outline political declaration and deliver a Brexit that works for the whole UK.

The reshuffle came just hours after Michael Gove offered the Prime Minister a lifeline by staying on in his Cabinet role.

The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Stephen Barclay MP @SteveBarclay to be Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union @DExEUgov  UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) November 16, 2018

Mr Barclays appointment came after Mr Gove reportedly turned down the post, saying he would only take it if he could renegotiate the EU withdrawal agreement.

Downing Street declined to say whether the Brexit Secretary post had been offered to anyone else before the North-East Cambridgeshire MP, saying only: He was the Prime Ministers choice for the job.

Party chairman Brandon Lewis said the Prime Minister is prepared for anything, when asked on BBC Radio 4s Today programme if she was prepared for a leadership challenge.

He added: I think that whatever deal, when we see various different organisations and groups talk about different ways of leaving the EU  Norway, Canada, all of these things  what we have to be clear about  is all of those require a backstop.

Irelands deputy premier has warned British politicians to sign up to the current Brexit agreement or risk crashing out of the EU without a deal.

Simon Coveney said people were too quick to write off Mrs May, saying she has shown resilience, courage and a reality check to Brexiteers in Westminster.

Speaking ahead of Fine Gaels Ard Fheis (conference), he warned it will be difficult to find an alternative deal that will prevent a hard border.

If we are forced into that situation we will have to look at ways in which that can be avoided but that will not be easy, he said.

Delighted to accept role at DExEU. We now need to keep up the momentum to finalise the Withdrawal Agreement & outline political declaration & deliver a Brexit that works for the whole UK. Looking forward to working with a talented team of ministers & officials to do just that. https://t.co/3KSUI0Xe2I  Steve Barclay (@SteveBarclay) November 16, 2018

It is a far more sensible approach to support what is being negotiated over the last two years as a way that we know provides the guarantees that we have looked for and insisted on that there will be no physical border or infrastructure or checks or controls and that is an issue that goes beyond commerce and trade.

David Davis, who was Brexit secretary before Mr Raab, had earlier used a series of tweets to again urge Mrs May to seek a looser deal with the EU.

He said the United States would be ready to start negotiating a free trade deal with Britain immediately after Brexit if Theresa Mays plan is ditched, while making a trip across the Atlantic.

The former Brexit secretary revealed he had spent several days in Washington talking to US Government Trade and Treasury officials while Westminster had been reeling from high-profile resignations and questions over the Prime Ministers future.

They have already started on the procedures to allow negotiations to start immediately once we leave the EU in March, he said.

This will not be possible if we accept the Governments proposed deal with Europe, which will block every avenue of negotiation with America.

We have to have a Canada+++ deal to allow us to have a free trade deal with America.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has admitted it would be "very difficult" to avoid a hard border if the UK crashes out of the EU without a deal.

Mr Varadkar also warned about trying to unpick the draft withdrawal agreement, saying it could unravel.

Prime Minister Theresa May is facing a potential no confidence vote over the proposed Brexit deal. She faces an angry backlash from Eurosceptic Tory MPs and the DUP, who prop up her Government.

Yesterday Mr Varadkar continued to express hope that the deal will be passed, but said he appreciates that Mrs May will have "quite the battle" to get the deal through Parliament.

The Irish government has consistently said it will not accept a hard border. But Mr Varadkar conceded that in a no-deal scenario "it would be very difficult to avoid a hard border".

He said Ireland would "no doubt" be asked to implement EU laws to protect the Single Market and Britain would have to implement World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.

He said: "The only way we can avoid a hard border is by an agreement that covers customs and regulations. We have that now."

Mr Varadkar said he doesn't see much room for renegotiating the current deal, warning that doing so could see it "unravel".

He suggested that "as reality kicks in" and the "precipice approaches" there may be more MPs willing to support the deal as "the best possible outcome that can be achieved".

The Taoiseach said Ireland is continuing to make preparations for a no-deal Brexit, saying "We have to be prudent" while insisting he's "much more confident now that worst case scenario won't arise".

He added: "The truth is no country can be fully prepared for a no-deal Brexit. It would be an extremely chaotic situation...and we might find ourselves after a few weeks of chaos signing up to an agreement much like the one we have now."

Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said that there are no contingency plans being prepared for a hard border, whether there is a deal or not.

He said that the way to avoid a hard border is to support the deal that has been agreed by the EU and the UK.

Mr Coveney warned that coming to a solution that would maintain the soft border if the UK crashes out "won't be easy".

But he refused to be drawn on how a hard border could be avoided, adding: "In the absence of that deal being approved...it would be difficult to put an alternative to that that prevents a hard border, but we will do that if necessary."

Speaking to reporters at the start of Fine Gael's Ard Fheis, he said: "We've been very clear that there is no eventuality where Ireland would prepare for border infrastructure."

Mr Coveney pointed out that UK ministers including Karen Bradley have said that "deal or no deal, we will avoid border infrastructure".
Police have arrested 85 people following a mass environmental demonstration.

The arrests came as a result of Saturdays Extinction Rebellion climate change protests around London, the Metropolitan Police said.

Most have been detained under the Highways Act after hundreds of people staged sit-ins on five of the capitals central bridges.

Saturdays action on Lambeth, Westminster, Waterloo, Blackfriars and Southwark bridges gave bands and speakers the opportunity to address the crowds and followed a week of protests around the UK under the Extinction Rebellion banner.

On Monday, 22 people were arrested after protesters blocked traffic and glued themselves to entry gates at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

On Wednesday, more activists were detained following action near Downing Street and at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in Westminster.

One organiser of Saturdays event warned of starvation in the UK if there is no change to environmental policy.

Gail Bradbrook claimed: We could easily be facing starvation in the UK if the weather effect continues as it is.

We need to be building resilience in our communities, she added.

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Dr Bradbrook said: Weve basically got three demands  one is that the Government have to tell the truth.

People think that climate change is something happening to somebody else at some other time but its coming home.

We need to go to net zero carbon really quickly. And were also asking for a peoples assembly so people can decide how the change happens.

Well know when governments are doing different things, it could feel like a war, a beautiful war. Its going to be huge.

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On Saturday, campaigners expressed anger at the current state of climate policy.

One protester, Lewis, who described himself as being involved in environmental civil disobedience for more than 10 years, claimed current trends are making the world uninhabitable.

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He said: Were living in a time where we know were destroying the planet through our activities causing dangerous quantities of CO2.

Were destroying the life systems on which we depend and are on course to turn the planet into something uninhabitable.
Climate change protesters have warned of starvation in the UK as hundreds of activists caused major disruption in a mass demonstration on London bridges.

Gail Bradbrook, one of the organisers of Saturdays Extinction Rebellion sit-down protests on five central London bridges, claimed that if the Government does not change environmental policy, we could easily be facing starvation in the UK if the weather effect continues as it is.

We need to be building resilience in our communities, she added.

Dr Bradbrook said: Weve basically got three demands: one is that the Government have to tell the truth. People think that climate change is something happening to somebody else at some other time, but its coming home.

We need to go to net zero carbon really quickly. And were also asking for a peoples assembly so people can decide how the change happens.

Well know when governments are doing different things, it could feel like a war, a beautiful war. Its going to be huge.

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Saturdays action on Lambeth, Westminster, Waterloo, Blackfriars and Southwark bridges gave bands and speakers the opportunity to address the crowds, before a planned gathering in Parliament Square later.

It follows a week of protests around the UK under the banner Extinction Rebellion.

On Monday, 22 people were arrested after protesters blocked traffic and glued themselves to entry gates at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

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On Wednesday, more activists were detained following action near Downing Street and at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in Westminster.

The organisers estimate that 50 people have been arrested for protest action this week.

On Saturday, campaigners expressed anger at the current state of climate policy.

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Lewis, who described himself as being involved in environmental civil disobedience for more than 10 years, claimed current trends are making the world uninhabitable.

He said: Were living in a time where we know were destroying the planet through our activities causing dangerous quantities of CO2.

Were destroying the life systems on which we depend and are on course to turn the planet into something uninhabitable.
Johnston Press has announced it is preparing to enter administration. (Philip Toscano/PA)

The chief executive of Johnston Press has reassured staff of a brighter future after the company announced it was preparing to enter into administration.

In an email to staff seen by the Press Association, David King said the publisher will apply for court approval to be sold to a newly-incorporated group of companies controlled by creditors.

It informed staff they would continue to be paid and should turn up to work as normal, with their contracts to be transferred to the new company.

Mr King is set to stay on as chief executive and said operations will continue uninterrupted, with newspapers and websites being published as usual.

He said: This has not been an easy decision for the board.

However, having explored a range of other options, this is the best available course of action and it is one that offers a chance for a brighter future for our business.

One of Britains biggest publishers, it has more than 200 titles in print and online, including the i, The Yorkshire Post and The Scotsman.

Very concerning news - makes stark reality of the intense pressures on the press https://t.co/knEfUhSoPz  Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) November 16, 2018

The publisher had recently been looking at ways to refinance 220 million of debt which is due to be repaid in June next year.

In the email to staff, Mr King said: At its peak, the companys debt reached 793 million.

We have all worked incredibly hard to reduce those debts. And we have done so against a relentlessly tough market backdrop.

At its most recent trading update, Johnston reported a hit to revenues, mostly due to changes in Google and Facebook algorithms.

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Mr King said this meant the company had to re-cut our cloth to match the new reality.

In a statement from Johnston on Friday, the publisher said following considerable interest in the formal sales process, it was decided that none of the offers received delivered sufficient value.

The board has concluded that there is no longer any value in the ordinary shares of the company, the statement added.

Johnston will be de-listed from the London Stock Exchange as part of the process on Monday, Mr King said.

He also revealed the 250 members of the current workforce in the defined benefit pension scheme will see future payments affected by the restructure, in line with pension protection fund (PPF) payment rules.

Speculation that the publisher might be sold had been growing since it announced the strategic review in March 2017.

In August 2018, the companys share price spiked, surging by as much as 70% in afternoon trading amid rumours that a mystery buyer was quietly snapping up more stock.

Johnston Press going into administration is a grim day for local newspapers and another deeply worrying one for local democracy. https://t.co/wljZ8CgkVf  Tom Watson (@tom_watson) November 16, 2018

Following the announcement Health Secretary Matt Hancock, formerly a culture secretary, tweeted to say the news was very concerning.

Makes stark reality of the intense pressure on the press, he added.

Shadow culture secretary and deputy Labour leader, Tom Watson, also tweeted his concern about the late Friday announcement, adding that he will be reaching out to unions and staff over the weekend.

In a second tweet he said: Johnston Press going into administration is a grim day for local newspapers and another deeply worrying one for local democracy.

Leeds North West Labour MP, Alex Sobel, tweeted to say he was sad that Johnston which owns The Yorkshire Post and the Yorkshire Evening Post was going into administration.

Local papers raising local and regional issues are vital for our democracy, he added.
Andrea Leadsom said there was time for more to be done on the Brexit deal before the European Council meeting on November 25 (PA)

Andrea Leadsom has said there is still time for more to be done on the Brexit deal as the Conservative Party continues to row over Theresa Mays withdrawal agreement with Brussels.

The Brexiteer Commons leader said she supports the Prime Minister but suggested there is an opportunity before a special European Council meeting on November 25 to get the best possible deal for the UK.

Her comments came after Brexiteers vying to oust Mrs May were warned their efforts could drive Remain-voting Tories to attempt to stop Brexit entirely.

Be very clear. If an agreed deal on leaving between the Govt and the EU is voted down by purist Brexiteers, do not be surprised if consensus on accepting the result of the Referendum by Remain voting MPs breaks down. Parliament will not support no deal. https://t.co/dx5CBigNDs  Rt Hon Alistair Burt (@AlistairBurtUK) November 17, 2018

In a sign the Tory civil war over Brexit is not slowing down, Middle East Minister Alistair Burt warned rebels the consensus that pro-EU MPs should reluctantly respect the 2016 referendum result could break down if she is toppled.

Mrs Leadsom has been reportedly been leading a group of Brexiteer Cabinet ministers who want to tweak the deal Mrs May agreed with the EU after two years of talks to make it more acceptable to them.

Confronted in her constituency by Sky News, Mrs Leadsom said she was absolutely determined to support the PM in getting the best possible deal for the UK as we leave the EU.

She added: There is still more to be done and we do still have more time before the EU Council at the end of the month so Im absolutely committed to getting the Brexit that 17.4 million people voted for.

Some politicians get so embroiled in the intricacies of their argument they forget it is not about this theory or that theory, or does it make me look goodPrime Minister Theresa May

At the end of a bruising week for the Prime Minister, she used an interview with the Daily Mail to tell her critics their alternative plans for Brexit would not solve the main problem  the North Ireland/Ireland border backstop arrangement.

She told the newspaper: People say if you could only just do something slightly different, have a Norway model or a Canada model, this backstop issue would go away. It would not. That issue is still going to be there.

Some politicians get so embroiled in the intricacies of their argument they forget it is not about this theory or that theory, or does it make me look good.

It came after a tumultuous week including the departure of Brexit secretary Dominic Raab and Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey, plus the launch of a high-profile insurrection on the back benches to remove her from office.

She responded by bringing former home secretary Amber Rudd, who quit over the Windrush scandal, back into Cabinet to replace Ms McVey at the DWP.

Mrs May will continue her attempts to sell the deal to sceptical MPs and the public with a live interview on Skys Ridge on Sunday.

But there seems little sign of the sides coming together.

Mr Burt, whose role spans the Foreign Office and Department for International Development, attacked a tweet by Steve Baker, deputy chairman of the European Research Group, in which the latter promoted a lawyers legal case against the agreement reached with Brussels.

Mr Burt wrote: Be very clear. If an agreed deal on leaving between the Govt and the EU is voted down by purist Brexiteers, do not be surprised if consensus on accepting the result of the Referendum by Remain voting MPs breaks down.

Parliament will not support no deal.
Police are appealing for witnesses after three pedestrians were injured after being hit by a car in Aberdeenshire.

Emergency services were called to Burn Lane in Inverurie at around 2.50pm on Friday.

The incident involved a silver Ford Fiesta car, three pedestrians and two parked vehicles.

The female casualties  aged 76, 54 and 40 were taken by ambulance to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Their injuries have been described as serious.

The road was closed for several hours while emergency services attended the sceneSergeant Andrew Meikleham

The car driver, an 82-year-old man, received minor injuries and was released from hospital.

Sergeant Andrew Meikleham, of the Road Policing Department, said: Anyone who witnessed the collision or who saw the silver Ford Fiesta beforehand, is urged to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference number 2280 of November 16.

The road was closed for several hours while emergency services attended the scene but has now reopened and we pass on our thanks to road users and local people for their patience during this time.
The state of Lagos in Nigeria on Tuesday approved the wearing of hijab in public schools.

The subject of wearing hijabs in school often stirs intense debate across Nigeria. In 2014, a Lagos High Court ruled against the wearing of hijabs in schools. An Appeal Court upturned this judgment in 2016, however, stating that the ban was discriminatory against Muslim students.

According to a communique released by the office of the governor, students will now be allowed to wear hijabs on school uniforms but urged the parents and students to ensure that the hijabs are short, smart, neat and in the color of the school uniform.

The communique also indicated that the government was willing to ensure compliance to the new directive by asking school officials to avoid comments that could jeopardize the law.

The Muslim society in Nigeria has hailed the Lagos hijab directive as a commendable intervention.

The Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) in a statement called on female Muslim students to enjoy their rights without fear of molestation.

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, also congratulated the state government adding that the decision was courageous and a victory for the right thing.

Nigeria is roughly equally divided between Christians and Muslims, and more than 200 ethnic groups generally live peacefully side by side.
Johnston Press, which publishes The Yorkshire Post, is in administration (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Union bosses are calling for jobs and newspaper titles to be protected as publisher Johnston Press enters administration.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) called for meaningful guarantees for the companys staff following the announcement of the move on Friday.

The publisher is seeking approval to be sold to a newly-incorporated group of companies controlled by creditors.

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet welcomed commitments from company managers to avoid job losses and protect staff contracts, but said there were significant concerns over the long-term intentions of any new owners.

Forcing the pension scheme into the PPF is a terrible blow for all of those members of the scheme and their future retirement plans, whilst the new owners are rewarded with a company free of its responsibilities and obligations to its pension fundMichelle Stanistreet, NUJ

She said: We want meaningful guarantees on the future and integrity of these titles and the livelihoods of staff, and a commitment that this is not a transition leading to a carve-up of the group motivated by asset-stripping rather than a commitment to journalism and publishing.

As part of the administration process, 250 employees in the defined benefit pension scheme will see future payments affected by the restructure, in line with pension protection fund (PPF) payment rules.

Forcing the pension scheme into the PPF is a terrible blow for all of those members of the scheme and their future retirement plans, whilst the new owners are rewarded with a company free of its responsibilities and obligations to its pension fund, Ms Stanistreet said.

One of Britains biggest publishers, Johnston Press has more than 200 titles in print and online, including the i, The Yorkshire Post and The Scotsman.

The company had been looking at ways to refinance 220 million of debt which is due to be repaid in June next year.

Speculation that the publisher might be sold had been growing since it announced the strategic review in March 2017.

Very concerning news - makes stark reality of the intense pressures on the press https://t.co/knEfUhSoPz  Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) November 16, 2018

However, in a statement released on Friday Johnston Press said that despite considerable interest in the company, it had not received high enough offers.

The board concluded that the companys shares no longer held any value.

In an email sent to staff, chief executive David King sought to reassure employees of a brighter future for the company.

He explained that at its peak the publishers debt reached 793 million and that colleagues had worked incredibly hard to reduce it against a relentlessly tough market backdrop.

Staff were told operations will continue uninterrupted, with newspapers and websites being published as usual.

They were also told they would continue to be paid and should turn up to work as normal, with their contracts to be transferred to the new company.

Reacting to the news, Health Secretary Matt Hancock, formerly the culture secretary, tweeted it was very concerning.

Makes stark reality of the intense pressure on the press, he added.

Johnston will be de-listed from the London Stock Exchange as part of the process on Monday, when further talks will also be held with the NUJ.
A rather strange shrine to actor Danny DeVito at a university in New York has got the internet talking.

The shrine, which was located in a bathroom at Purchase College, State University of New York, comprises pictures of the Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor as well as coins and other such things.

Its  interesting.

@DannyDeVito yo. My college has a secret room that worships you. Come visit!!!!!!!!! SUNY Purchase come through -me and my friends pic.twitter.com/6HMqr85HQx  Kait (@terreeslavie) October 10, 2018

Images of the shrine have caused quite a stir on Twitter but Kaitlin Balfe, 18, a student at SUNY Purchase, told the Press Association: I found out about the shrine through a friend who went. It was super low key, not a lot of people knew about it.

The shrines funny. You walk in and peoples offerings are just obvious junk (they) had in their pockets.

I left a coin when I went the first time, and later went with a friend with pictures of Danny we printed out.

Its kinda just a huge meme that really would only be found at SUNY Purchase.

Like, no one who goes here is at all surprised its there. Its people who dont go here who are freaking out.

The shrine was reportedly shut down once the school found out about it but not before the man himself had been alerted.

Thank you for this message that aligns with our efforts in sustainability. We will be sure to spread the word about trash in the ocean as well as rum hams. Youre welcome at Purchase anytime. pic.twitter.com/KS0vtKEyni  Purchase College, SUNY (@SUNY_Purchase) November 16, 2018

Your shrine honors me, DeVito tweeted.

My heart is filled with love and garbage. Tomorrow, as you may know, is my name day.

Do something that makes you feel good. Above all be kind to each other. Pick up trash, recycle, and be aware of plastics in the ocean.

The Purchase College Twitter account has since contacted DeVito regarding the shrine, tweeting: Wed like to say were surprised, but our students are well known for their creativity and sense of humor. @DannyDeVito wed love to welcome you on campus to meet your super fans.

Students at the college appear to have gone one step further, with a petition doing the rounds which aims to secure DeVito as the Purchase College Commencement Speaker for 2019.

Is this the start of a blossoming relationship between the school and the actor?
Relatives of the missing crew of the ARA San Juan submarine marked the year anniversary of the vessels disappearance earlier this week (AP Photo/Vicente Robles)

Searchers have found a missing submarine deep in the Atlantic a year after it disappeared with 44 crewmen aboard, the Argentinian navy has said.

The ARA San Juan was detected more than 2,600 feet deep in waters off the Valdes Peninsula in Argentine Patagonia, a statement said.

The navy said a positive identification had been made by a remote-operated submersible from the American ship Ocean Infinity, which was hired for the latest search for the missing vessel.

The discovery was announced just two days after families of the missing sailors held a commemoration one year after the sub disappeared on November 15, 2017.

On Thursday, on the anniversary of the disappearance, Argentinas president Mauricio Macri said the families of the submariners should not feel alone and delivered an absolute and non-negotiable commitment to find the truth.

He promised a full investigation after the submarine was lost. Federal police raided naval bases and other buildings last January as part of the probe, soon after the government dismissed the head of the navy.

Expand Close Relatives of the crew of the ARA San Juan embrace in mourning after a ceremony remembering the one year anniversary of the disappearance of the submarine (AP Photo/Vicente Robles) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Relatives of the crew of the ARA San Juan embrace in mourning after a ceremony remembering the one year anniversary of the disappearance of the submarine (AP Photo/Vicente Robles)

The San Juan was returning to its base in the coastal city of Mar del Plata when contact was lost.

Argentina gave up hope of finding survivors after an intense search aided by 18 countries, but the navy has continued searching for the vessel.

The German-built diesel-electric TR-1700 class submarine was commissioned in the mid-1980s and was most recently refitted between 2008 and 2014.

During the retrofitting, the vessel was cut in half and had its engines and batteries replaced. Experts said refits can be difficult because they involve integrating systems produced by different manufacturers, and even the tiniest mistake during the cutting phase can put the safety of the ship and crew at risk.

The navy said previously the captain reported on November 15 that water had entered the snorkel and caused one of the subs batteries to short-circuit. The captain later communicated that it had been contained.

Some hours later, an explosion was detected near the time and place where the San Juan was last heard from.

The navy said the blast could have been caused by a concentration of hydrogen triggered by the battery problem reported by the captain.
President Donald Trump waves as he arrives on Air Force One at Beale Air Force Base (Evan Vucci/AP)

US President Donald Trump has taken a helicopter tour over the northern California landscape scorched by a killer wildfire.

A full cover of haze and the smell of smoke greeted the president upon his arrival at an Air Force base, as did the governor and his successor.

Mr Trump planned to hear from those leaders about the dire situation and talk to first responders.

He was later was expected to travel several hundred miles south to visit victims of a recent country music bar shooting.

Look forward to being with our brave Firefighters, First Responders and @FEMA, along with the many brave People of California. We are with you all the way  God Bless you all! Mr Trump tweeted while heading west on Air Force One.

Landing at Beale Air Force Base, he was greeted by Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom, both Democrats. Trump boarded Marine One without making public remarks.

The president, who left Washington early on Saturday and did not expect to return to the White House until well past midnight, planned to get a first-hand look at the devastation from the wildfire that has destroyed the town of Paradise and heavily damaged the outlying community of Magalia.

At least 71 people have died and authorities are trying to locate more than 1,000 people, though not all are believed missing.

More than 5,500 fire personnel were battling the blaze that covered 228 square miles (590 square kilometres) and was about 50% contained, officials said.

Mr Trump also was expected to stop in Southern California, where a gunman killed a dozen people at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks on November 7 then ended his own life.

Expand Close Firefighters search for human remains in a trailer park in Paradise that was destroyed in the wildfires (John Locher/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Firefighters search for human remains in a trailer park in Paradise that was destroyed in the wildfires (John Locher/AP)

The president has struggled to convey empathy to victims of national disasters and tragedies.

His first reaction to the fires came in a tweet last week: There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor.

Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests.

Nature and humans share blame for the wildfires, but forest management did not play a major role, despite Trumps claims, fire scientists say.

Expand Close Donald Trump greets California Governor-elect Gavin Newsom as Governor Jerry Brown watches on (Evan Vucci/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Donald Trump greets California Governor-elect Gavin Newsom as Governor Jerry Brown watches on (Evan Vucci/AP)

Mr Trump stuck to the theme in his remarks just before departing on Saturday when he outlined what he planned to discuss with Mr Brown and Mr Newsom.

He said We will be talking about forest management  The one thing is that everybody now knows that this is what we have to be doing and theres no question about it.

It should have been done many years ago but I think everybodys on the right side.

Mr Trump, who has long feuded with the political leaders of heavily Democratic California over issues such as immigration and voting, has also threatened to withhold federal payments to the state.

After being criticised for his response, the president has shifted gears, expressing words of encouragement to first responders and those of sympathy for hit victims.

It seems that many more people are missing than anyone thought even possible, Mr Trump told reporters in Washington, saying he looked forward to meeting fire responders and firefighters who have been incredibly brave.

But when he was asked by Fox News in an interview set to air Sunday whether climate change played a role in the number of serious fires, he said maybe it contributes a little bit  the big problem we have is management.

He added he was surprised to see images of firefighters removing dried brush near a fire.

This should have been all raked out, he said.

Mr Brown and Mr Newsom said on Friday they welcomed the presidents visit and now is a time to pull together for the people of California.
From the ashes of a mobile home and RV park, US President Donald Trump said he had to come to the heart of Californias killer wildfire to fully grasp the scale of the desolation wrought on the landscape.

Were going to have to work quickly  hopefully this is going to be the last of these because this was a really, really bad one, the president said on Saturday.

He pledged improved forest management practices would diminish future risks.

I think everybodys seen the light and I dont think well have this again to this extent, Mr Trump said in Paradise, the town largely destroyed by a wildfire ignited on November 8 that he called this monster.

At least 71 people have died across northern California and authorities are trying to locate more than 1,000 people, though not all are believed missing.

More than 5,500 fire personnel were battling the blaze that covered 228 square miles (590 square kilometres) and was about 50% contained, officials said.

Its going to work out well but right now we want to take care of the people that are so badly hurt, Mr Trump said from what remained of the Skyway Villa Mobile Home and RV Park.

Expand Close President Donald Trump talks to Mayor Jody Jones as he visits a neighbourhood in Paradise impacted by the wildfires (Evan Vucci/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp President Donald Trump talks to Mayor Jody Jones as he visits a neighbourhood in Paradise impacted by the wildfires (Evan Vucci/AP)

He noted there are areas you cant even get to them yet and the sheer number of people unaccounted for.

I think people have to see this really to understand it, Mr Trump said.

Several burned-out cars were nearby. Trees were burned, their leaves gone. Homes were totally gone, some foundations and twisted steel remained, as did a chimney.

The fire was reported to have moved through the area at 80mph.

Expand Close Mr Trump gets a briefing from first responders and local officials at an operations centre responding to the wildfires (Evan Vucci/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Mr Trump gets a briefing from first responders and local officials at an operations centre responding to the wildfires (Evan Vucci/AP)

The president later toured an operation centre, met response commanders and praised the work of firefighters, law enforcement and representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Weve never seen anything like this in California, Mr Trump said.

The president took a helicopter tour en route to Chico before he toured Paradise.

A full cover of haze and the smell of smoke greeted the president upon his arrival at Beale Air Force Base near Sacramento, where he was met by Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom, both Democrats.

Expand Close The president surveys the scene (Evan Vucci/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Trump left Washington early on Saturday and did not expect to return to the White House until well past midnight.

He was expected to travel several hundred miles south to visit with victims of a recent country music bar shooting.

A gunman killed a dozen people at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, north of Los Angeles, on November 7 before taking his own life.

Mr Brown and Mr Newsom said on Friday they welcomed the presidents visit and now is a time to pull together for the people of California.
Russian cargo ship Souz FG with the Progress MS-10 takes off from the launch pad at Russias main space facility in Baikonur, Kazakhstan (Roscosmos/AP)

A Russian Soyuz rocket has sent a cargo ship on its way to the International Space Station, a successful launch clearing the way for the next crew to travel to the space outpost.

The launch of the Russian Progress MS-10 resupply ship from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan marked the fourth successful lift-off of a Soyuz since a launch with crew members had to be aborted last month.

A Soyuz-FG rocket carrying Nasa astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos Alexei Ovchinin failed two minutes into its flight on October 11, activating an automatic rescue system that ensured a safe landing of their capsule.

Expand Close CSA astronaut David Saint Jacques, Russian cosmonaut leg Kononenko and US astronaut Anne McClain are the next crew who will be launched in a Soyuz (Pavel Golovkin/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp CSA astronaut David Saint Jacques, Russian cosmonaut leg Kononenko and US astronaut Anne McClain are the next crew who will be launched in a Soyuz (Pavel Golovkin/AP)

A Russian investigation attributed the failure to a sensor that was damaged during the rockets final assembly.

Since the mishap, two Soyuz rockets were launched successfully from Plesetsk in northwestern Russia, while a third lifted off from French Guiana carrying satellites into orbit.

They were of a different subtype than the rocket that failed in October, but the one that lifted off Friday was the same version.

The Progress ship is set to dock at the space station on Sunday, delivering almost three tons of food, fuel, water and other supplies to the crew, Nasas Serena Aunon-Chancellor, Russian Sergei Prokopyev and German Alexander Gerst.

Russia's Progress cargo craft blasted off on its way to the station today at 1:14pm ET. It will arrive at the orbital lab Sunday with about 6,000 pounds supplies and goodies for the crew. https://t.co/dtUGpS6U3G pic.twitter.com/CxuByrSI7J  International Space Station (@Space_Station) November 16, 2018

In a separate supply mission, Northrop Grummans Antares rocket with Cygnus cargo spacecraft is scheduled to lift off on Saturday and dock at the station on Monday.

The current crew is scheduled to return to Earth next month after the arrival of their replacements.

American astronaut Anne McClain, Canadian David Saint-Jacques and Russian Oleg Kononenko are set to go up on December 3.

A beautiful vehicle, cant wait to take it for a few spins around the Earth! https://t.co/hOERGY8XEj  Anne McClain (@AstroAnnimal) November 12, 2018

Speaking on Thursday at the Star City space training centre outside Moscow, Ms McClain voiced confidence in the Soyuz despite Octobers aborted launch.

We trust our rocket. Were ready to fly, she said.

I think what we learned from the inside in October was how safe this rocket was.

A lot of people called it an accident or an incident, or maybe want to use it as an example of not being safe.

But for us its exactly the opposite because our friends came home, the systems worked and they worked exactly as they were designed.
Donald Trump has said he very easily answered written questions from special counsel Robert Mueller, although he speculated that the questions had been tricked up to try to catch him in a lie.

Theyre all done, the president told reporters at the White House on Saturday before leaving for California, adding that his responses will soon be submitted to Mr Muellers team.

We do that next week, he said, in what signals a new phase of the inquiry.

In a swipe at the investigation into 2016 election interference and possible ties between Moscow and the Trump campaign, the president said earlier that you have to always be careful when you answer questions with people that probably have bad intentions.

Mr Mueller has signalled a willingness to accept written answers on matters related to collusion with Russia. Mr Trumps lawyer Rudy Giuliani has said repeatedly the president would not answer Mr Muellers questions on possible obstruction of justice.

During months of negotiations with the special counsel office, Mr Trumps lawyers have repeatedly counselled the president against sitting down for an in-person interview.

Mr Muellers year-and-a-half-long investigation has produced guilty pleas and convictions from several top Trump aides even as the special counsel and the White House have engaged in lengthy negotiations about how  or if  the president would give evidence.

Though he spent hours with his lawyers, Mr Trump on Friday insisted: My lawyers dont write answers, I write answers.

The presidents remarks were fresh evidence of his return to the ominous rhythms of the Russia probe after spending weeks enjoying adulation at campaign rallies before the midterm elections.

Despite his insistence that he is very happy with how things are going, his frustrations with the probe have been evident everywhere from his Twitter feed this past week to his private grousing that the special counsel may target his family.

There is also the criticism he is getting over his choice for acting attorney general, as well as late-arriving election results that have largely been tipping towards House Democrats.

The inner workings of the Mueller investigation are a total mess, Mr Trump tweeted on Thursday. The investigators do not care how many lives they can ruin, he wrote.

A day later, he tried to put a rosier shine on the situation, telling reporters: Im sure it will be just fine.

The president continued to maintain his innocence while launching new broadsides.

After a relative lull in the run-up to the midterms, the Russia probe has returned to the forefront of Washington conversation. There has been widespread media coverage of two Trump allies  Roger Stone and Jerome Corsi  who say they expect to be charged.

The president has expressed concerns behind closed doors that Mr Mueller is closing in on his inner circle, including potentially his eldest son.

For months, the president has told confidants he fears Donald Trump Jr, perhaps inadvertently, broke the law by being untruthful with investigators after a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer, according to one Republican close to the White House.

Mr Trump has also complained about efforts in the Senate by his long-time foe, senator Jeff Flake, to introduce legislation to protect the special counsel, according to the officials and Republicans.

Additionally, Mr Trump has told confidants in recent days that he is deeply frustrated by widespread criticism of his choice of Matthew Whitaker for acting attorney general, according to officials.

Mr Whitaker has been a vocal opponent of the special counsel probe.
US intelligence officials have concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a US official said.

The Saudi government has denied the claim, which was first reported by The Washington Post.

The conclusion will bolster efforts in Congress to further punish the close US ally for the killing.

The Trump administration this week sanctioned 17 Saudi officials for their alleged role in the killing, but politicians have called on the administration to curtail arms sales to Saudi Arabia or take other harsher punitive measures.

Saudi Arabias top diplomat has said the crown prince had absolutely nothing to do with the killing.

Expand Close Members of Arab-Turkish Media Association and friends hold posters as they attend funeral prayers for Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi (Emrah Gurel/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Members of Arab-Turkish Media Association and friends hold posters as they attend funeral prayers for Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi (Emrah Gurel/AP)

Mr Khashoggi, a Saudi who lived in the United States, was a columnist for the Post and often criticised the royal family.

He was killed October 2 at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

Turkish and Saudi authorities say he was killed inside the consulate by a team from the kingdom after he went there to get marriage documents.

This week, US intelligence officials briefed members of the Senate and House intelligence committees and the Treasury Department announced economic sanctions on 17 Saudi officials suspected of being responsible for or complicit in the killing.

Among those targeted for sanctions were Mohammed al-Otaibi, the diplomat in charge of the consulate, and Maher Mutreb, who was part of the crown princes entourage on trips abroad.

The sanctions freeze any assets the 17 may have in the US and prohibit any Americans from doing business with them.

Also this week, the top prosecutor in Saudi Arabia announced he will seek the death penalty against five men suspected in the killing.

Expand Close Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi died in October (Virginia Mayo/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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The prosecutors announcement sought to quiet the global outcry over Mr Khashoggis death and distance the killers and their operation from the kingdoms leadership, primarily the crown prince.

President Donald Trump has called the killing a botched operation that was carried out very poorly and has said the cover-up was one of the worst cover-ups in the history of cover-ups.

But he has resisted calls to cut off arms sales to the kingdom and has been reluctant to antagonise the Saudi rulers.

Mr Trump considers the Saudis vital allies in his Mideast agenda.

The Post, citing unnamed sources, also reported that US intelligence agencies reviewed a phone call that the princes brother, Khalid bin Salman, had with Mr Khashoggi.

The newspaper said the princes brother, who is the current Saudi ambassador to the United States, told Mr Khashoggi he would be safe in going to the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents he needed to get married.

The newspaper said it was not known whether the ambassador knew Mr Khashoggi would be killed. But it said he made the call at the direction the crown prince, and the call was intercepted by US intelligence.

As we told the Washington Post the last contact I had with Mr. Khashoggi was via text on Oct 26 2017. I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the US government to release any information regarding this claim.  Khalid bin Salman    (@kbsalsaud) November 16, 2018

Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi embassy in Washington, said that claim was false.

She said in a statement issued to The Associated Press that the ambassador met Mr Khashoggi in person once in late September 2017.

After that, they communicated via text messages, she said. The last text message the ambassador sent to Mr Khashoggi was on October 26 2017, she said.

Ms Baeshen said the ambassador did not discuss with Mr Khashoggi anything related to going to Turkey.

Ambassador Prince Khalid bin Salman has never had any phone conversations with him, she said.

You are welcome to check the phone records and cell phone content to corroborate this  in which case, you would have to request it from Turkish authorities, Ms Baeshen said, adding that Saudi prosecutors have checked the phone records numerous times to no avail.

The ambassador himself tweeted: The last contact I had with Mr Khashoggi was via text on Oct 26 2017. I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the US government to release any information regarding this claim.
When historians come to explain the diplomacy of the UK-EU negotiations on Brexit and the Northern Ireland backstop, perhaps they will consider it to be the 21st century version of the 19th century Schleswig-Holstein question. Famously, Lord Palmerston described it thus: "Only three men in Europe ever understood it. The first was Prince Albert, who is dead; the second, a German professor who became mad; I am the third and I have forgotten all about it."

Who would have thought, before 2016, that the Irish border would be at the heart of British and European politics? Who would have thought that the Irish border would re-emerge, like Churchill's dreary steeples of Fermanagh and Tyrone, to drain the life out of another British Government?

It was said of the original Irish Question that solving it required the brains of a Gladstone and the balls of a Munster Fusilier. With deference to the gender of the current Prime Minister, the same can be said of Brexit. It seems that, despite two years of effort, Mrs May has failed.

Eyes glaze over at the details of customs and regulatory compliance in the 30-odd pages directly devoted to Northern Ireland in the Withdrawal Agreement. Despite the mind-numbing details, Northern Ireland is not an outlier. It is central to the politics of the Union. Its position raises a question which is not new.

In 1982, the political scientist Richard Rose - who wrote in 1971 the ground-breaking study on Northern Ireland, Governing without Consensus - asked what might appear to be an academic question: Is the United Kingdom a State? Interestingly, he took Northern Ireland to be a test case. It is worth re-visiting his arguments - for they sound very familiar almost half a century later.

Rose's starting point was that a modern state must have control of its "territorial boundaries". Though Westminster was formally sovereign in Northern Ireland, he continued, constitutional legality was not proof that the United Kingdom is a state. For this to be so, Westminster must "maintain the integrity of the United Kingdom, and not treat Northern Ireland as if it were an alien land or a colony". On that basis, he thought that Westminster failed and he concluded: "In effect, Westminster handles the problem of Northern Ireland by denying the integrity of the United Kingdom."

One could argue - as many did at the time - that Rose's view was too fundamentalist. It was unable, for example, to contemplate devolution, which he considered an intolerable qualification of Westminster sovereignty. Moreover, Northern Ireland meant that the United Kingdom was not a state because it had a "unilateral" right to secession.

Of course, today we have devolution in Scotland and Wales, as well as Northern Ireland. And the right to secession (or consent) is acknowledged as a general constitutional principle, as the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014 confirmed.

Yet on Brexit, we are back to Rose's fundamental question. Is the UK a state? And Northern Ireland is once again taken as the case study to determine the answer. And the balance between Northern Ireland as an integral part of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland as a special case is what Unionist politicians (and not only them) think has been got profoundly wrong in the Withdrawal Agreement.

The unionist position - articulated by the DUP - is that on Brexit, the United Kingdom must be one and indivisible. The country voted as one in 1975 as well as in 2016. Leaving should be the same as joining and that isn't the case. Like the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement, criticism of the proposed deal is similar: London has capitulated to Dublin's demands and prioritised nationalist demands over unionist principle. Pitched as a British problem, the argument is that any Northern Irish divergence from the rest of the country - would become the Scottish special case, then the Welsh special case and then the undermining of the Union. That would be madness and, like Palmerston's German professor, those whom the EU would wish to destroy they first make mad.

Of course, Rose wasn't blind. Northern Ireland was - in his own words - indubitably different. But it is the extent of differentiation in the Withdrawal Agreement - especially the drift in the future - which has led to its rejection by those unionists who matter, the 10 DUP MPs. They think it a constitutional enormity, giving Brussels and Dublin power without representation or responsibility in Northern Ireland. Moreover, they reject the economic argument that the deal will give Northern Ireland a 'best of both worlds', Hong Kong-like, position in relation to EU and GB markets.

Why indeed would the Irish Republic encourage a more advantageous rival to its own economic model north of the border? It is a good question.

We are where we are. I can't recall any political condition so debilitating (or mad) in British politics. However sincere Mrs May is about her achievement (and I have immense respect for her tenacity as well as her appreciation of, if not admiration for, Geoffrey Boycott) nothing I have read or heard about the Parliamentary arithmetic convinces me that she has sufficient support for her deal, not even the potential of securing freedom to achieve freedom. Nigel Dodds is in the same place as Jeremy Corbyn - and (whisper it softly) Tony Blair.

Where should we go now?

My view is a simple one.

Since 2016 we have been working away from an answer for Northern Ireland and not towards it. The answer is valid for the rest of the United Kingdom, as Ruth Davidson and - remember - Mike Nesbitt, argued. The answer is to remain in the EU. That - to me - was the sensible unionist and conservative position. Brexit intimated dis-union and radical disruption. So it has proved - and no deal would be disastrous.

Logic (maybe not politics) intimates a new referendum. The Prime Minister intimated that no Brexit is a possibility.

Since their opponents appear happy with the Withdrawal Agreement, maybe all unionists should advocate remain, having their constitutional cake and eating it.

Arthur Aughey is Emeritus Professor of Politics at Ulster University. His publications include The Politics of Northern Ireland: Beyond the Belfast Agreement (2007) and Nationalism, Devolution and the Challenge to the UK State (2001)
If anyone is in doubt over the desire of dissident republicans to create mayhem and cause death and destruction, then the discovery of a substantial arms dump in west Belfast should dispel such thoughts

If anyone is in doubt over the desire of dissident republicans to create mayhem and cause death and destruction, then the discovery of a substantial arms dump in west Belfast should dispel such thoughts.

These were serious armaments - assault rifles, sawn-off shotguns, a high-powered rifle with a silencer attached, three pipe bombs and more than 100 rounds of assorted ammunition.

This pocket arsenal was perfect for dissidents whose only aim in life is to launch attacks on the security forces and prison officers.

The discovery of the weapons may have been fortuitous, but not so lucky as the residents of the property where they were stored - apparently without the knowledge of the householder.

Incredibly, the dissidents put such volatile munitions as pipe bombs and ammunition in a boiler house where the heat would have almost certainly caused some of them to explode.

It was fortunate that only the boiler house caught fire uncovering the terrorist stash. There was no way of predicting what could have ensued if the fire had spread or the fuel feeding into the boiler house had exploded rather than simply catching fire.

Nothing could better exemplify the nihilism and total disregard for the community which dissidents hold than this incident. It is clear they did not care about the consequences of their actions. The words of the current series of television advertisements stating that paramilitaries don't protect communities, but rather seek to control them, rings so true. The dissident republican groups - the New IRA are in the frame for this incident - are beyond any reason.

They have no political agenda, no rationale for their actions and no way of being reached through negotiation.

The only way to deal with these groups and to get them off the streets and behind bars where they belong is through law enforcement. However that requires a flow of information from the communities in which they operate and whose safety they obviously despise. Lift that phone.
The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday unanimously lifted sanctions against Eritrea.

Hailing the recent and historic rapprochements in the Horn of Africa, the Security Council on Wednesday decided to lift the arms embargo, travel bans, assets freeze and targeted sanctions previously imposed on Eritrea.

The UN Security Council slapped Eritrea with an arms embargo and further sanctions in 2009 for its alleged support for Al-Shabaab  an Al Qaeda-affiliated insurgent group based in Somalia.

Since the sanctions were imposed, Eritrea has lobbied and fought hard against them. Asmara has repeatedly dismissed the assertion and blamed a clique in Washington and Ethiopias Tigrayan Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) for being behind the sanctions.

In its Wednesday resolution, the Security Council welcomed a September meeting between the Presidents of Djibouti and Eritrea. It underlined the importance of continuing efforts towards the normalization of relations between the two countries and settlement of the border dispute.

As a reminder, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia have signed a joint agreement of cooperation this year, and leaders of the three countries have met personally on three different occasions  something that had not happened in years.

The office of the prime minister of Ethiopia in a statement released late on Wednesday, congratulated Eritreans, saying the decision by the United Nations would have far-reaching effects in improving the stability of the Horn of Africa region.
At least five soldiers were killed and more than two dozen others wounded in a gunbattle with Abu Sayyaf militants who were holding hostages in the southern Philippines, the military said on Saturday.



The incident was the deadliest for Philippine soldiers in the restive south so far this year.



The clash broke out Friday afternoon in Lianga, a village in Patikul town on remote Jolo island, as patrolling soldiers encountered nearly 50 heavily armed Abu Sayyaf fighters, regional military spokesman Col. Gerry Besana said.



The fighting lasted about two hours, leaving 23 soldiers wounded apart from the five dead.



The enemies were holding hostages at the time of encounter. Until now, theres an ongoing pursuit operation, Besana said, adding the militants were led by Commander Almuder Yaddah.



The bodies of the dead soldiers would be airlifted to nearby Zamboanga City while the wounded were being treated at a military hospital, he said.



The Abu Sayyaf, or Bearers of the Sword, is the most violent of several Muslim rebel factions operating in the southern Philippines.



It was responsible for the worst terrorist attacks in the country, including a ferry bombing in Manila Bay that killed more than 100 people in 2004.



Currently, the militants are believed to be holding 12 hostages, including three Indonesians, one Vietnamese, one Dutch national and seven Filipinos. They beheaded an elderly German captive last year after his government failed to fork over ransom, while two Canadians were also killed in 2016.



Another Abu Sayyaf faction led by Isnilon Hapilon, the acknowledged leader of the extremist group Islamic State in the southern Philippines, engaged government forces in a five-month battle that destroyed much of Marawi city, also in the south. The vicious firefights killed 930 militants, 165 soldiers and 47 civilians, officials said.
The prize has been awarded for his pioneering work on molecular motor proteins, which are crucial for the functioning of living cells.

Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) recently celebrated its 10-year milestone and announced the winners of the Infosys Prize 2018 in six categories - Engineering and Computer Sciences, Humanities, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Social Sciences. The Prize, given annually, celebrates the success of the recipients in science and research by recognizing their achievements in each category. It carries a pure gold medal, a citation and a prize purse, the amount for which has been increased to $100,000 (or its equivalent in Rupees) this year, tax free in the hands of winners in India.

The Infosys Prize 2018 for Life Sciences has been awarded to Roop Mallik, Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai for his pioneering work on molecular motor proteins, which are crucial for the functioning of living cells.

Mallik has identified and measured forces needed to transport large particles inside cells, and demonstrated their role in fundamental processes such as targeting pathogens for their destruction and moving lipid droplets for fatty acid regulation in the liver.

He completed his post graduate work in Physics at Allahabad University. Mallik later joined the TIFR for doctoral research in Condensed Matter Physics. He moved to problems in experimental biology after completing a PhD in Physics. Mallik received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Biology in 2014.
Heads of Six Tbilisi Kindergartens Dismissed

By Tea Mariamidze

The heads of six Tbilisi kindergartens have been dismissed in 10 days after Tbilisi Nursery Management Agency revealed violations as a result of the monitoring.As the agency says, the Directors of the 50th, 169th, 145th, 111th, 109th and 131st kindergartens were dismissed mainly for some violations regarding management and finances.Several different kinds of significant problems have been identified in the kindergartens. In particular, financial violations have been identified, also improper disposal of funds. There are violations in terms of food ration. As a result of monitoring, hidden products were also discovered in the kindergartens, the Nursery Management Agency explained.The agency added that they will send the results of the monitoring to the law enforcing agencies for further investigation.Tbilisi Mayor, Kakha Kaladze stressed that no one will be forgiven if their misconduct affects childrens food ration.The monitoring in kindergartens is periodically undergoing. As I mentioned before, we will not let anyone misappropriate state funds or childrens food, he stated.Kaladze explained that politicizing the issue before the second round of the presidential elections in the country is inappropriate.The dismissals have nothing to do with politics. The monitoring is still undergoing and I want to make the system, where 24,000 people work, more developed and accessible for everyone, the mayor added.After becoming the Mayor of Tbilisi, Kaladze also changed the food menu in the state kindergartens. The new standard of nutrition in kindergartens entered into force on January 1st, 2018. According to the standard, the amount of bread, cookies, confectionery products that contain more than 15% of fat was reduced to the minimum.The standard also prohibits regular consumption of such products which contains a high rate of sugar, salt or fat. Moreover, the new menu includes more meat, dairy products and fruits.
No Pardon for Mikheil Saakashvili

By Levan Khutsishvili

On November 13, 2018, a lawyer from Georgian Young Lawyers Association - Revaz Adjaradze declared that former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili will be detained even after pardon if he crosses the Georgian border.As Adjaradze explains, until the verdict of the person is not held and the convict does not have the status of a sentenced, he/she cannot be pardoned. Currently, Mikheil Saakashvili has a verdict on 2 cases and in two cases he has been sentenced to imprisonment. If Grigol Vashadze, presidential candidate from United Opposition becomes the president and pardons Saakashvili, the former president will be detained anyway for other cases with the sentence of imprisonment: the case of TV Imedi, dispersal of demonstration on November 7, 2007, the acquisition of the property of Badri Patarkatsishvili and embezzlement of the funds belonging to the Special State Protection Service. For the Cases of Sandro Girgvliani and Valeri Gelashvili, the Tbilisi City Court declared Saakashvili as guilty. The decision of the City Court on the Girgvliani case was left unchanged by the Court of Appeal, after which the defense side appealed the cassation procedure and the case of beating Valeri Gelashvil is still under the discussion at the Court of Appeals."As regards current affairs in the Court of Appeal, it does not matter at which stage the case is discussed in the appeal or in the supreme, since the judgment of the first instance, the person is considered convicted. With the right granted by the constitution, the president can apply for the pardon of the convicted person. Consequently, President has no restriction to pardon a convict, regardless of whether the case is in the Supreme or Appeal court. As for the other case where the imprisonment has been imposed as a preventive measure, the person is in charge of being accused and not convicted. When a person is deemed accused and not convicted unless the first instance has been sentenced, the President does not have the right to pardon the accused and consequently, if Saakashvili crosses the Georgian border, he will be detained immediately, " - said Revaz Adjaradze.According to Revaz Adjaradze, Grigol Vashadzes promises do not change much for Mikheil Saakashvili, though former president of Georgia has already stated that he will not ask for pardon to Vashadze. This can be used by United Opposition against Georgian Dream, when they say that if Vashadze becomes the president, Saakashvili will be returned to Georgia.
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PR Newswire

MCLEAN, Va., Nov. 16, 2018

MCLEAN, Va., Nov. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Often cited top financial advisor, Larry Rosenthal, who is also President of the Rosenthal Wealth Management Group in Northern Virginia and Baltimore, offers five sure-fire ways to slash spending, helping gift-givers stay out of The Poor House and still light up the faces of young and old alike this holiday season.

5. Start managing expectations early. Since people in a budget crunch can't really afford the presents they are expected to provide, they need to start early in terms of telling friends and family what realistic levels of gift giving will be. If they still want to give you more, then that's fine. This approach avoids awkward gift exchange disparities and your kids and other loved ones know what to expect on the morning of

4. Make a plan. Make a list. Get organized. Don't be the one who just heads out early in the morning with a notion of "figuring it out" on the fly. That is a prescription for financial bloodletting. Your bank account will need a tourniquet after that. You'll be hearing "clear" all day from the electric paddles being used to keep your accounts from terminal redlining.

3. Use way more "thought equity" and way less "cash equity" in your gift-giving purchases. Really, really dig deep and give some thought to who you are buying for and what their likes are. If they are big coffee drinkers, for example, give them an inexpensive gift card to a local coffee shop that you know they frequent. Or you could go one better and save even more by buying them a bag of a really cool or exotic coffee blend. If they paint, buy them a specialty brush. If they play guitar, don't look to buy them another one. Buy them a set or two of high-end strings that will breathe new life into their existing guitar.

2. Time is indeed money. Save it and shop online. Yes, it is a cliche but make no mistake, it is an absolute truism. And it will save money by both saving you gas ($2.50ish a gallon), time and cash because you can price compare items in seconds, thus assuring the best value possible on your purchases. And pay attention to the "free shipping" component. Big savings to be had there!

And number one is..

1. Make a beeline to local thrift stores  Salvation Army, Goodwill and all other mom and pop thrift stores. The savings and deals there are ridiculously good all the time. Sure, you have to be smart when buying used stuff but if you are cash strapped, it is a way to insanely leverage your funds. Does teenager Billy need new music speakers? How does $10 for a pair of $200 speakers sound? Does he need a TV for his bedroom? How does $40 sound? Sure it won't be Ultra High Def, but come on. Does little Johnny need a bike? No problem. If he will frown because it may not gleam like the new ones, then include a rag and a can of chrome polish in his stocking and let him invest some sweat equity in his new ride. In the long run, he may appreciate it even more. In this category, I would also include both eBay and Craigslist. Craigslist has the advantage of providing for you to both see the product before accepting a deal and meeting the seller as well. Further, there are never any shipping costs with Craigslist products since they are pretty much local cash and carry.

As a much sought after financial advisor, Rosenthal has appeared regularly on Fox Business News and has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, CNNMoney, U.S. News and World Report, CNBC's The Nightly Business Report, The Washington Post, USA Today, Money, Bloomberg, The Chicago Tribune, The Fiscal Times, Kiplinger's Retirement Report, Consumer Report's Money Advisor, The Washington Times, Financial Planning, Financial Advisor and others.

Rosenthal has been providing financial counseling in the Washington, DC area for about three decades. Additionally, he has co-authored the book "Financial Success in the year 2000 and Beyond." His next book is expected out early in 2019.

Rosenthal is also the host of "Making Money Sense," a radio show that has aired every Saturday morning on D.C.'s WAVA from 9:00  10:00 a.m. since 2004 and is now nationally simulcast via satellite on SiriusXM 131, Family Talk channel.

(Note: Securities and investment advisory services offered through Voya Financial Advisors  member SIPC. Rosenthal Wealth Management Group is not a subsidiary of, nor controlled by Voya Financial Advisors. Review index: 37620837.)

Media ContactRobert Johns703-330-3100Rosenthal Wealth Management Group9265 Corporate CircleManassas, Virginia [email protected]

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Lelectricite est devenue, de nos jours, un besoin dune importance majeure, et cela, dans tous les domaines dactivite. Que ce soit dans les maisons ou []
For Conscience and Country

ON A BRIGHT AND EARLY JUNE MORNING IN 1968, halfway through one of the most tumultuous years in American history and days before I was to graduate, there came a knock on my door at what was then called the Senior Center. It was Bill Bechtold, my fellow English major, Masque and Gown colleague, and friend. He had come to report that Robert Kennedy had been shot earlier that morning in Los Angeles. In his voice and demeanor there was a combination of fury, disgust, and disbelief.

In the final six months of our college years, the peace and serenity afforded by Bowdoins sheltering pines had been pierced by news of carnage in Vietnam, two political assassinations, rebellions in the inner city, and a stunning upheaval in Washington. A generation was now in open and passionate defiance of their parents values and convictions. With assassinations and social chaos threatening the pillars of American civilization, novelist John Updike wondered whether God had given up on the United States. Late in the first month of 1968, the notion that the United States might effect a triumphant and honorable exit from Vietnam was brutally shattered by the Tet offensive. In one brazen attack on January 31, Communist troops seized the US Embassy in Saigon and held it for several hours. While the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong suffered staggering losses in the overall onslaught, the offensive was nonetheless a brilliant propaganda victory for Hanoi. The uprising served to inspire the antiwar presidential campaign of Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy. In March, his legions of freshly groomed college students mobilized to secure him an improbably impressive showing in the New Hampshire primary, where he faced sitting President Lyndon JohnsonJohnson scraped by with 48 percent of the vote to McCarthys unexpected 42 percent. The shock of Tet and the surge in McCarthys political fortunes convinced Johnson that war in Vietnam was unwinnable. And so, on March 31, he stunned the nation with an announcement that he would not be a candidate for reelection in November.

View image caption Senior photos from the 1968 Bugle. Top row: Nathaniel Harrison, Gary Roberts, Jeff Richards, Anthony Buxton, Chester Freeman. Bottom row: Michael Rice, Carroy Ferguson, Rick Read, Richard Berry.

With Johnson out of the way, New York Senator Robert Kennedy, a far more passionate antiwar campaigner than the bookish, mercurial McCarthy, announced his own candidacy for the Democratic nomination. The groundswell rolling inexorably to victory in November, and an early end to the war, was unstoppableor so it seemed. In April, the mayhem that Vietnam had become for US troops seemed to come home. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who a year earlier had committed the power of his conscience and courage to opposing the war, was assassinated in Memphis. His murder ignited an explosion of outrage and violent protest in African American urban communities around the nation. Between January and June of 1968, there were 221 significant antiwar demonstrations at 101 colleges across the country that involved nearly 40,000 students. Bowdoin was not among them. Bowdoin men at the time were not infrequently chided for being apathetic and apolitical, too consumed with planning their careers to engage with the wider world. And the antiwar movement was indeed slow to make its way up to Brunswick, but it did get there. By June 1968, Bowdoin students were engaging in weekly antiwar vigils on the Brunswick Common and attending rallies and demonstrations in Augusta, Boston, New York, and Washington. A few days before graduation, I was among about a dozen seniors who gathered on the steps of the Walker Art Building to sign a statement vowing never to serve in the US military as long as it was at war in Vietnam.

We were a minority on campus, but hardly a persecuted one. My encounters with classmates who defended the US campaign in Vietnam, and in several cases who were to serve there in the US military, were always civil and restrained. The Bowdoin family remained intact.

I was an ardent supporter of the war as a freshman, but my patriotic flame began to flicker a bit sophomore year, notably with the launch of a US air campaign against North Vietnam, a nation that had done the United States no palpable harm. Still, it had never occurred to me that I might actively protest the war. That would change one

memorable night in November 1965, when I attended a talk by Professor Reginald Hannaford of the English department, a Quaker and a pacifist. I can no longer recall precisely what he said. What I can recall is the effect his words had on mewords that endowed conscientious defiance of ones government with legitimacy and honor. Here was someone who thought and cared deeply about political morality, who was struggling to resolve the question of where a mans duty layto his conscience or his country.

It was a life-changing moment. In 1973, Richard Nixon would abolish the draft, and college seniors would be free to face post-college life choices like employment versus graduate school. That was a luxury denied to those of us who, from January to June 1968, contemplated life beyond Bowdoin, when we would no longer be protected by our undergraduate draft deferments.



Hovering ominously over anxious late-night conversations in the Moulton Union cafeteria or at Bills, a favorite downtown Brunswick watering hole, were the draft and the war and the frightening decisions we would have to make: to obey and serve or defy and resistor perhaps dodge. Graduate school deferments were not assured, and so options were stark and few: enlistment in the regular forces or the National Guard, escape to Canada, conscientious objection, the Peace Corps perhaps, or underground resistance and a possible federal prison sentence. I made my choice, and it was from a village in Senegal, as a member of the Peace Corps, that I followed the momentous events of the final six months of 1968, when hopes for decisive action to end the war were dashed. In August, at the close of a convention in Chicago that produced horrifying images of police assaulting demonstrators, Vice President Hubert Humphrey won the Democratic Party presidential nomination. My classmates and I shared difficult decisions and a senior year of great turmoil, but our stories are each uniquely our own. On the occasion of our fiftieth reunion from Bowdoin, some of them shared theirs with me:
Connecticut was an established name early in the 1600's in particular reference to the Connecticut River. The word itself was translated from the Indian name "Quinnehtukqut" and means "beside the long tidal river."

The Constitution State (Official)

John Fiske, the historian, claimed that The Fundamental Orders of 1638-39 comprised the first written constitution in history. Though this claim has been disputed by some, it remains a landmark document. It is thought that many of the features of the Federal Constitution were drawn from this document. The General Assembly designated Connecticut "The Constitution State" in 1959.

The Nutmeg State

Nutmeg, the powder used for seasoning foods, is ground from the seed of the fruit of the Nutmeg Tree, Myristica fragans . A couple of stories exist as to the origin of this nickname. One story has it that this nickname came about as a comment on the ingenuity and shrewdness of the citizens of the state. In a story, perhaps originated by Sam Slick, it is claimed that the people of Connecticut were so ingenious and shrewd that they were able to make and sell "wooden" nutmegs to unsuspecting buyers. A variation on this story maintains that purchasers did not know that the seed must be ground to obtain the spice and may have accused yankee peddlars, unfairly, of selling worthless "wooden" nutmegs. It may be that these wooden nutmegs were whittled by idle sailors on ships coming from the spice island and sold as souvenirs.

The Blue Law State

This nickname was a result of the notoriety propagated by the first government of New Haven Plantation's "Blue Laws." Blue Laws are laws that regulate public morality. Some contend that these Blue Laws were so-named because they were written on blue paper or bound in blue books. Others contend that there is no real evidence that any of these so-called Blue Laws were ever codified. Being that as it may, the stories surrounding the Blue Laws of Connecticut earned the state this nickname.

The Brownstone State

Connecticut was once famous for its Brownstone Quarries at Portland. Brownstone was used to build mansions and public buildings. In the 1800s, the quarry employed 1,500 men from Sweden, Ireland and Italy and operated a fleet of 25 ships to transport the stone down the Connecticut River to Boston, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and London. In May, 2000, 51 acres that comprise the town-owned Portland Brownstone Quarries were named a National Historic Landmark by the Department of the Interior.

The Freestone State

This nickname was applied because of the formerly valuable freestone (sandstone) quarries in the state of Connecticut.

The Provisions State

This nickname originated during the Revolutionary War when Connecticut provided most of the food and canons to the forces.

The Land of Steady Habits

This nickname came about because of the strict morals of the people of the state.
A union representing Irish pilots says it would wait for a preliminary report into last months fatal Indonesian air crash that has raised questions about Boeings 737 Max planes.

The Irish Air Line Pilots Association, which is affiliated with trade union Forsa, said it would not comment until the preliminary report into the Lion Air disaster, which killed 189 people on October 29.

The preliminary report is expected six weeks after the disaster, which happened when the 737 Max plane crashed into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff.

The worlds largest aircraft maker, Boeing, has said the 737 Max is safe, saying it has gone through thousands of hours of testing.

However, Lion Air and a number of US-based pilot unions have said Boeing has questions to answer about a feature that can cause the plane to dive inadvertently.

The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, the Allied Pilots Association at American Airlines Group, and the Air Line Pilots Association, which represents United Continental flight crews, raised concerns publicly this week.

Airlines around the world have scrambled to order the new 737 Max since Boeing announced production, because of its improved fuel, range and weight efficiency.

Boeing has almost 4,800 orders for the 737 Max from almost 100 airlines in the coming years.

More than 200 have so far been delivered. Lion Air has more than 200 ordered, in addition to the 13 in its current fleet.

The Indonesian body charged with investigating the Lion Air crash, the National Transportation Safety Committee, has said pilots on the doomed flight were receiving erroneous speed readings, a problem that had occurred on three previous flights.

It has also said an inbuilt safety feature inadvertently caused a command for the plane to dive.

Despite the findings so far, aviation experts have said there is no compelling reason yet to doubt the overall safety of the 737 Max, saying the recordings should not been enough to cause the Lion Air flight to crash.
Two people have been arrested after heroin worth an estimated 2.1m was seized at Dublin Airport yesterday.

15kgs of the drug were found hidden in the luggage of a woman in her 50s who had arrived in the airport from Lahore in Pakistan.
Health Minister Simon Harris has joined the chorus of Fine Gael ministers who have threatened a general election unless Fianna Fail sign up to a deal to extend the life of the minority government.

He called on Fianna Fail to stop delaying Confidence and Supply talks, warning the current deal has only days left to run.

Mr Harris, speaking at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis in CityWest, said the snails' pace of the ongoing talks between the parties is no longer tolerable and a conclusion must be arrived at.

What could plunge the country into an election is if people don't recognise that Confidence and Supply deal that expires in a matter of days, he said.

For quite a while now, Micheal Martin has been debating with himself as to when it ends but what is clear, it ends when all the budget issues are passed. We are within days of the Finance Bill concluding its passage through the Oireachtas.

"So within a number of days the Confidence and Supply deal will be no more unless it is replaced with something else, he said.

As a party, the Taoiseach has been leading our effort to getting engagement on this reality and it was always 'sure we will wait until next week' when we asked Fianna Fail.

We exchanged letters and we have Micheal saying please don't write to me, please do not Tweet me. It is going on and on and on.

Lads we are standing here now and it is November. The Finance Bill is going to pass very shortly. I want to know and the people want to know does this Government have an ability to continue, he added.

We need that certainty, we are in an environment where political stability is badly needed. We do not want an election. But we won't continue in office without knowing whether we can get on with our jobs, he said.

He hit out at Fianna Fail's Brexit spokeswoman Lisa Chambers, accusing her of sniping at the Government in relation to the Brexit deal, agreed between the EU bloc of 27 and the British Government.

Rather than the sniping and the criticism from the sidelines, these talks need to get on with and need to be concluded, he said.

Ms Chambers had criticised the Government for being overly triumphant on Wednesday night in the wake of the agreement being reached on Brexit.

Ms Chambers, speaking on RTE Radio 1, cited criticism from ex-Fine Gael minister Lucinda Creighton who said the tone taken by the Government was inappropriate.
Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin hit out at juvenile comments from Fine Gael ministers who he accused of angling for an early General Election.

Speaking at his party's Presidential Dinner in Dublin, Mr Martin was speaking to the media in the wake of a string of criticism from Cabinet members at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis.

I can't explain the sort of juvenile behaviour by some ministers today. They need to stand back and acknowledge the stability and the consensus across the Dail on the Brexit issue, he said.

Mr Martin was pressed about the slow pace of Confidence and Supply talks, which are heading into their fourth week, but he was adamant that the review of the past three budgets is fully warranted.

In terms of Confidence and Supply, it is written down in black and white that there would be a review. We don't agree with the Taoiseach that everything is going swimmingly. We don't agree that things are moving on housing, on health. We don't agree on the broadband question. It has been an abject failure, Mr Martin told reporters.

Leader @MichealMartinTD takes questions from reporters ahead of the Presidents dinner this evening #AnIrelandforAll pic.twitter.com/ENNIvTYwcJ  Fianna Fail (@fiannafailparty) November 17, 2018

These are issues we need to interrogate, these are serious issues which merit substantive review. We have never bought into the idea of 'sign on the dotted line, everything is going fine, he said.

It was very clear that the first item on the agenda at the Cabinet on Wednesday was how do we pull off an electoral stroke and force a General Election. That is what Government Ministers were at last Wednesday. It tells its own story about who wants an election and who is causing instability, he said.

In his speech to guests, Mr Martin said: And for all of the posturing weve heard from Citywest - Fine Gael ministers and their leader need to remember that they dont get to spend a year trying to destabilise their own government and then start delivering lectures about stability.

In entering this review weve ignored the spinning and attempts to introduce preconditions. We have insisted on a substantive review of the current state of priority issues and plans for the future.

Mr Martin said serious political issues are being played out in Westminster and the deal agreed between the EU and the British Government is in doubt of being accepted by MPs in the House of Commons.

There are really serious issues within the British system. Theresa May is going to find it hard to get the deal through parliament. I wouldn't write that off, he said. Mr Martin said the concept of a second referendum has gathered momentum in the UK and it cannot be discounted given the events of the past week.

She probably does not have the numbers to get the deal over the line but I think we need to take it one step at a time and be cautious, he added. Mr Martin said under the deal Northern Ireland can still get the best of both worlds.

At a time when dark forces are seeking to push Europe backwards we will campaign for an Ireland which supports a more active and effective European Union, he said.

Mr Martin attacked the Government's record on housing saying it is getting worse not better.

Twelve months ago at his last party conference the Taoiseach announced 'the plan is working'. He even claimed that the homelessness figures had turned a corner and were getting better.

"Yet today there are 800 more children homeless than there were on the day the Taoiseach took up office. Despite the ongoing efforts to massage the figures, there are almost 10,000 people homeless today, he said.
Tanaiste Simon Coveney has declared that Fine Gael are "election-ready" as ministers laid down a demand that talks with Fianna Fail on the government support pact conclude soon.

Speaking at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis in City West, Dublin, Mr Coveney made it clear that he and the party wants negotiations with Fianna Fail to wrap up quickly.

Fine Gael was ready to face a snap general election if it cannot get clarity from Fianna Fail over renewing the current deal, he stressed.

We will not stay in government without clarity in terms of the Confidence and Supply agreement.

You cannot run a government working week to week...Thats why these negotiations are serious in terms of trying to provide stability, he said.

Mr Coveney added that Fine Gael did not want this process to go on forever but said he is happy with how the talks are progressing to date.

However, other ministers were equally eager for a poll, if needs be.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said that the printing machines for posters or campaign material were well oiled.

The Tanaiste also did not pull back from suggesting Fine Gael were ready to face voters if a new mandate was needed.

He said: We are a party that is election-ready we are certainly not taking for granted the successful outcome of the Confidence and Supply discussions.
Fine Gael has been accused of having a poke in the eye of unionists after the party's outspoken support for the Brexit withdrawal deal.

Unionists visited the Fine Gael Ard Fheis this weekend and told ministers in a debate on the North that a bad deal would be catastrophic for all concerned.

Ulster Unionist Party leader Robin Swann told a room of Fine Gael delegates that nobody wanted to see new infrastructure along the border.

However, a border along the sea for the North would be a direct challenge to the Good Friday Agreement, he claimed.

Unionists, including the UUP and DUP, are concerned that trade rules and regulatory alignment will be different for the North and the rest of Britain.

Mr Swann said that, given it was very unlikely the current deal before the Tory-led administration in London would progress, that the Irish government needed to change its tactics.

The aggressive stance now being taken, claimed Mr Swann, could lead to consequences in the future.

He said he would urge caution with the soundbites

Mr Varadkar has said there is no other deal on the table and that the proposed agreement when it emerged last week was one of the better days in politics.

But Mr Swann told Fine Gael ministers a bad deal would be catastrophic for us all and it was now time for sensible restraint and common prudence.

He said unionists were also tired of being portrayed as "snide" or "obnoxious".

Furthermore, recent remarks by Fine Gael figures over the draft text of the withdrawal deal were a poke in the eye of Unionists, a suggestion to suck it up over the backstop, he claimed.

Nonetheless, Business Minister Heather Humphreys defended the draft deal and said it would give the North a status akin to Hong Kong, allowing the province to trade with both the EU and Britain.

Education Minister Joe McHugh also agreed with the UUP leader that the Irish government did want to see a border along the Irish Sea with Brexit.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan also agreed on the call for cautious remarks over Brexit.
Samcro's participation in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday was described by trainer Gordon Elliott as "50-50'' on Saturday afternoon.

The Grade One contest has been much-anticipated all week, as it due to feature a showdown between Elliott's star and the Willie Mullins-trained Faugheen, not to mention Supasundae.

However, Elliott has been at pains all week to stress his runner would need a suitable ease in the ground to take his chance, and that remains the case.

Talking at the track after arriving following a flight from England, he said: "I'm nervous enough and I'd be 50-50 about whether I would run him. I'll walk it again in the morning.

"There was a lot of drying there today - it's tricky enough.

"You can't blame the racecourse either, it's the way the weather is. Watering it isn't ideal.

"I'll see - I'm not quite sure. I'd love to run him, but I'm not going to take a chance."

Connections of Supasundae are happy with his condition ahead of his reappearance.

His last seven runs have all been in Grade One company and he has not been out of the first three, winning the Irish Champion Hurdle and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle when last seen.

To prove his versatility, Jessica Harrington's eight-year-old also finished second in the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham over three miles, and he is set to mix and match this season, too.

"Supadsundae has come back very well from his summer break and we're very happy with him ahead of Sunday's race," said Kate Harrington, assistant to her mother.

"He had a gallop after racing at Naas on Saturday and he is as fit as we would expect him to be without a run at this time of year. Last season he was unbeaten over two miles and ended up by winning the Champion Hurdle at Punchestown and it is a track he likes.

"He's so versatile that we'll probably mix it up with him again and possibly go for the Hatton's Grace after this and then back up to three miles, but he is a horse that just gives everything on the day so we are looking forward to seeing him out again on Sunday."

PA
In the prelude to the APEC summit advertisements promoting China Aid adorned bus stops across Port Moresby. PNG Prime Minister Peter ONeil has also been a regular visitor to Beijing in recent years. Australia is the Pacifics biggest donor and our aid spending has traditionally focused on health, education, agriculture and governance. There's been a commitment to build the capacity and resilience of recipients. China has a different brand of assistance. It tends to offer confessional loans for high-profile infrastructure projects. Chinese firms are often involved in the construction. Thats what makes Morrisons Pacific pivot so revealing. Australia seems to be following Beijings lead with the new emphasis on infrastructure. Morrison says the new Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific will invest in essential infrastructure such as telecommunications, energy, transport, water and will stretch our aid dollars even further.

This shift in strategy comes in the wake of savage cuts to Australias foreign aid. Our development assistance to poorer nations has slumped to 22 cents for every $100 of national income, the lowest share on record. And yet Morrisons Pacific pivot apparently involves no commitment to increase spending. We are doing it from within budget, he said. We have undertaken a rigorous prioritisation of our foreign policy and aid and defence and police strategies and plans to make the Pacific a priority. Government is all about making choices, its about setting priorities, its about focussing on the things that you believe are most important and thats what we have done as a government  not by running up a big bill but by making choices to make a priority of the Pacific, whether its in our aid program or elsewhere. It is unrealistic to think Australia can sustain its current development assistance and respond to growing regional competition with China without increasing aid spending.

If the Pacific pivot simply draws resources away from the long-established focus of Australian aid to the Pacific, including health, education and disaster preparedness, that would have lasting humanitarian consequences. As the biggest donor in the region, Australian aid underpins basic services that are crucial to many Pacific communities. The chronic health problems plaguing PNG, the APEC host, underscores the importance of this contribution. Earlier this year polio made an unwelcome return to PNG almost two decades after the country was officially declared free of the virus. At least 21 polio cases have been confirmed in an outbreak blamed on low immunisation rates and a deteriorating health system. Tuberculosis, a disease now rare in Australia, is one of PNG's biggest killers. Theres evidence that malaria and even leprosy are on the rise in PNG, which also has some of the highest child malnutrition rates in the Asia-Pacific. The prevalence of such serious diseases in PNG presents an enduring health security threat to Australia given its close proximity.

Well targeted Australian investment to improve infrastructure in Pacific nations could be positive but it should not come at the expense of our support for life-saving health services. Loading Majella Hurney from the aid agency Save the Children said it is in Australias interests to invest in the development of the Pacific, but this should not be driven mainly by the desire to counter Chinas influence. The question we should be asking is: what is the most effective way to spend our taxpayer-funded aid budget, rather than how should we compete with China? she says. Australias foreign aid allocations should be driven by the needs of Pacific nations and based on evidence of the most effective way to support sustainable development in our region.
Dangerous storms with hail and damaging winds have swept Queensland's south-east.

The wild weather struck the Gold Coast, Noosa and parts of Gympie, Scenic Rim, Redland City and the Sunshine Coast on Saturday afternoon.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of flash flooding and large hailstones with heavy rain as the storm moves north.

"It's expected to continue its northern trend over the next few hours and it should drift off the coast around Hervey Bay later this evening," BOM meteorologist Andrew Bufalino said.

EARLIER: Large hail, damaging winds and heavy rain are expected to hit south-east Queensland, with the possibility of very dangerous thunderstorms on Saturday afternoon following a hot and humid day in Brisbane.
A property developer is taking a gamble on the impact of faster internet speeds in south-east Queensland to include a mix of small office apartments in a Sunshine Coast unit complex.

The successful move on the Sunshine Coast to lure faster internet access has prompted developer Habitat to take a SOHO gamble at the Sun Central development at Maroochydore.

SOHO  which once referred only to Londons swinging bohemian Soho district  now means "small office home office".

What is old is new again. Developer gives a new take on 'living above the fish and chip shop' as new small office apartments included in Maroochydore development.

In the United States and Canada, it is expanding quickly, with the ease of internet access and simple set-up of the home office.
A housing development 16 years in the making, soured by a bitter feud before being stalled for years by bureaucracy, will finally go ahead.

Residential blocks in the significantly downscaled South Jerrabomberra estate, on land known as Tralee, are set to hit the market.

Village Building Company chief executive Travis Doherty with the master plans for the South Jerrabomerra Estate. Credit:Lawrence Atkin

Village Building Company has development approval for the first stage of more than 600 homes, with a total of about 1200 planned.

The plans include 318 individual housing lots and 312 townhouse lots. In the first release, 75 single residential lots will be sold.
Lets trumpet our harebrained dismay. Lets deplore imagined crimes With letters to The Canberra Times. Alas, some unkind people, scoffing at the burgher NIMFs for their whinges, may stoop to calling the NIMFs NIMFomaniacs and their irrational ideas NIMFomania. It will be a shame if that happens. One imagines that Donald Trump, a narcissus with a contrived tangerine complexion and an absurd hairstyle must spend a lot of time in front of mirrors. What must they think of him, these mirrors?

The Readers: Whats that, Ian? Mirrors that think? The Columnist: All will be explained in a moment, ye intrigued millions. But first I explain that for two reasons mirrors are much on your columnists fanciful mind. One reason is that in one of my University of the Third Age (U3A) jamborees we have just discussed a thought-spawning poem about mirrors by the unhappy Sylvia Plath (1932-1963). The poem is Mirror and its tragic author (she committed suicide at 30) is very much in the bookish news right now because of the publication of a new volume of her tormented letters. Lots of you will remember the 2003 movie Sylvia starring Gwyneth Paltrow as Sylvia and craggy Daniel Craig as her brooding and testosteroney husband the poet Ted Hughes.

Then, as well as this Sylvia connection with mirrors, my relationship with my homes mirrors has been suffering unusual stresses in recent weeks. The thought-triggering poem is Sylvias Mirror in which a mirror, alive and articulate, tells us something about its personality and work and thoughts. I am not cruel, only truthful, it reports. And yet it admits that sometimes its commitment to truthfulness does cruel things. Sometimes, the mirror tells us, it is a lake in which a woman getting older and uglier sees her reflection every day: In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman/Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish. Meanwhile in my own home I have been trying to avoid my mirrors during my course of a famous and common anti-cancer skin treatment. Let me explain. Grown up now I realise, too late, that Australia is no place for a white man. But naively in the mid 1960s as a teenage English post-pubescent I fell for an Australian Liberal governments bribing of me to bring my desirably Nordic/Scottish complexion and genes (just what White Australia needed) to sun-scorched Australia.

Outdoorsy decades later my Australia-inappropriate skin is complaining. Like so many palefaces of my age and race I have a dermatologist prescribing me a well-known cancer-defying ointment. Famously this potion (let us call it Zombiedix, not quite its real name) when applied to the face, temporarily disfigures the face with scarlet blotches. Coinciding as the worst of the Zombiedix treatments ravages did with Halloween I went trick or treating. Everyone marvelled (after their initial recoil of horror) at the ghastly realism of my Zombie mask. No wonder then, that for the few largely indoor weeks of my disfigurement I tried especially hard to elude and outwit my homes mirrors. But of course one doesnt need to be on a course of Zombiedix to be very wary of mirrors. It is enough to be of a certain age (like ugly Trump I am 72) and so to be unhappy about being increasingly gnarled and gargoyley. To shave, looking in the mirror, is to be met every morning by an uglier and uglier fish. Those of us who, ageing, flinch away from our mirrors, should feel a deepening respect for Rembrandt who continued to paint unflinching self-portraits in old age, unflinchingly portraying his nose as the ugly potato it had become. If Trump, 72, painted self-portraits he would by now be painting fake likenesses in which he looks eerily like the young Robert Redford or like the young and blue-eyed and amusingly Anglo-Saxon Jesus one sees in those images of Our Redeemer popular with Roman Catholics.
Michael Rogers, the man who faced down a murderous terrorist armed only with a shopping trolley in Bourke Street last Friday, has been granted bail after facing court on burglary charges.

But he has been barred from entering Melbourne's city centre under the conditions of his bail.

Magistrate Bob Kumar granted bail on strict conditions: that he must reside at a Caroline Springs address, report daily to Caroline Springs police station and abide by a 9pm-6am curfew.

Michael Rogers was confronted by a media pack outside Melbourne Magistrates Court after he was granted bail. Credit: Chris Hopkins

Rogers, 46, is barred from entering the CBD except for attending court appearances, legal appointments and the Court Integrated Services Program.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The security agents came for Adeham Abliz late on a Thursday night. That day, September 8, 2016, had been much like any other in the 59-year-old Uighur mans life in the city of Ghulja in north-western China. Abliz, a shopkeeper, had performed his five daily prayers, starting with fajr at dawn through to isha after dusk. He had wandered through the neighbourhood and brought home groceries after a day of fasting in the lead-up to the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha. He would not be allowed to finish dinner. Around 11pm, two officers in plain clothes arrived at the house. We need to talk to you about something. You need to come with us, they told Abliz, a devout Muslim who had provided religious teaching in the local community and kept religious texts in his house  marking him as a subject of suspicion for the Chinese Communist Party. Abliz and his family resisted, demanding to know why he was being taken. Ignoring their desperate pleas, the two men escorted him outside and took him away. That was the last time I saw my father with my own eyes, says his daughter, Meyassar Adham. The same day, she had been granted a visa to join her partner in Australia. Advised by her migration agent to urgently get out of Xinjiang province, she left a week later, bound for the safety of the Adelaide suburbs.

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Her father was promptly sentenced to two years in prison for his religious practices. In September this year, it became clear he would not be set free. Now 61, Abliz was transferred to a mass detention camp, joining hundreds of thousands in a vast re-education network established over the last two years in Xinjiang, known as East Turkestan by independence-minded Uighurs. In the camps, they are forced to renounce their religion and culture and adopt Communist ideology. Reports suggest people have been abused and tortured for failure to comply. Meyassar Adham fears for her father, who is detained in a mass detention camp in China. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Adham, raising one child and pregnant with another, is haunted by the memories. For members of Australias 3000-strong Uighur community, the story is not unusual. Fairfax Media has conducted extensive interviews with more than a dozen Uighurs in Adelaide; all have relatives in detention and are struggling with the burden of knowing  or not knowing  the fate of parents, siblings, partners, grandparents, cousins, uncles, aunties and friends swept up in the unprecedented crackdown. Increasingly helpless and desperate, the Australian-based Uighurs felt compelled to go public with their stories and identities despite the risks. Their accounts  while consistent with a growing body of information aired by journalists, academics, human rights groups and the United Nations  are difficult to independently verify, given the lack of transparency around the Chinese governments activities.

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There are common themes in many of the testimonies. A difficult departure from home seeking a better life; growing alarm from afar as the crackdown intensifies; contact with family becoming impossible as authorities prohibit contact with the outside world; sporadic warnings about the danger, sometimes conveyed in code or through third parties; scant details, desperately sought; children and elders left without people to take care of them. Horigul Yusuf came to Australia in 2005, reunited with her husband after seven years apart. The religious family had a long and difficult history with the CCP. In Adelaide, she joined the largest Uighur community in Australia  about 1500 people across 300 families. All of Yusufs brothers have been detained in internment camps or sentenced to prison. The 52-year-old last spoke to her elderly parents on October 22, 2017. It was a short and sharp conversation, she says. Her parents warned her to cease contact. People threatened us and said if you contact relatives overseas, we will send you to prison. They forced us to sign a paper saying we wont be in contact, she recalls her mother saying during the call. Horigul Yusuf sheds tears as she speaks about her brother Abdulahad Yusuf. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Horigul Yusuf's grief has affected her life in Adelaide's suburbs. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Yusuf, a proud woman with intense, dark eyes, is visibly burdened by her familys struggle and overcome with emotion as she talks about it.

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We live in this country freely and without difficulty. We can do whatever we want. But at the moment, its so hard for us. I cant even explain. I cant express how difficult it is. I dont want to socialise with anyone, I just want to be at home and think about my family, she says. The Uighurs have had an uneasy relationship with Chinese rule for centuries. In the decades following the collapse of the Qing dynasty in 1912, there were multiple and short-lived efforts to establish an independent state. Communist revolutionary Mao Zedongs forces then established control in 1949, incorporating Xinjiang into the Peoples Republic of China. In the decades since, the CCP has met ongoing resistance and extremism with an iron fist. Following outbreaks of unrest and a string of high-profile terror attacks, peaking in 2014, the Chinese government escalated efforts to curb Islamic practises and separatist sentiment. The authorities have banned religious clothing, including the face veil, and "abnormal" beards. Parents have been banned from giving their children names deemed religious. The government has rolled out an immense network of security cameras and identification and body scanners in public places as part of a highly advanced surveillance state. Police interrogate citizens at checkpoints, search phones for suspicious material, lock down access to once-bustling public places, and forcibly collect voice recordings and biometric data. Fears are growing the cutting-edge surveillance methods could ultimately be deployed across China and exported internationally. Fairfax Media recently visited Xinjiang, observing the all-consuming security apparatus in action. A Uighur woman and a child sit under China's national flag and a CCTV camera in Urumqi, Xinjiang. Credit:Fairfax Media Photos from Sayfudin Shamseden's photo album of relatives and friends who entered the internment camps. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The centrepiece of the campaign has come in the form of the detention camps, now described as vocational training centres by authorities that, until recently, denied their very existence. Estimates about the number of detainees range from hundreds of thousands to a few million, with the United Nations highlighting reports of up to 1 million as credible.

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The camps appear to vary across the region, with some detaining people 24/7 while others allow detainees to go home at night. Reports suggest the camps are filled on a quota basis, with people targeted by local authorities indiscriminately and without specific charges. Once the government focused its efforts on politically active and observant Muslims. Now the campaign captures all Uighurs and other minorities. Last week, Australia was among 13 governments to raise Xinjiang in a scheduled UN Human Rights Council review of Chinas record. Australias representatives outlined alarm at the numerous reports of large numbers of ethnic Uighurs and other Muslim groups held incommunicado and often for long periods without being charged or tried. The official statement warned the measures would exacerbate, not prevent, extremism. Since acknowledging the existence of the camps, the Chinese government has released propaganda material presenting an idealised image of the facilities, where happy trainees enjoy transformation through education. This week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the world to ignore gossip and said the measures would prevent terrorism. The CCP appointed a hardliner called Chen Quanguo as its top official in Xinjiang in 2016. Chen made his name as the party chief in the neighbouring province of Tibet, where he suppressed Buddhist resistance to CCP rule. Under his authority, security spending has expanded dramatically. Nursa Mehmetjan, a 45-year-old woman from Ghulja  known as Yining in Chinese  was on the cusp of escaping the deteriorating situation in early 2017. She got engaged to Adelaide man Muhammad Abdullah and was set to join him within months. Muhammad Abdullah with a photo of his missing fiancee Nursa Mehmetjan. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen But after a two-week rendezvous in Malaysia with Abdullah, Mehmetjan returned home and the Chinese government put a stop to her plans. First, she was interrogated and her passport was taken away. In February 2018, she was taken to a nearby camp where she remains.

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Beijing: Tensions between China and the United States were on full display at the APEC CEO summit in Port Moresby, with Chinese President Xi Jinping warning of the need to uphold the global institutions pivotal to peace shortly before US Vice-President Mike Pence launched a blistering attack on China to the same audience.

Warning of the painful lessons of World War II, Xi said: "History has shown that confrontation, whether in the form of a cold war, a hot war, or a trade war, will produce no winners."

Xi Jinping at the APEC CEO Summit in Port Moresby. Credit:AP

Speaking shortly afterwards, Pence bluntly told the audience of Asian and Pacific leaders: "Do not accept foreign debt that could compromise your sovereignty ... Know that the United States offers a better option.

"We don't drown our partners in a sea of debt, we don't coerce, corrupt or compromise your independence".
Loading "The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved," said a US official familiar with the CIA's conclusions. The CIA sees Mohammed as a "good technocrat," the US official said, but volatile and arrogant, someone who "goes from zero to 60, doesn't seem to understand that there are some things you can't do." CIA analysts believe he has a firm grip on power and is not in danger of losing his status as heir to the throne despite the Khashoggi scandal. "The general agreement is that he is likely to survive," the official said, adding that Mohammed's role as the future Saudi king is "taken for granted." A spokesperson for the CIA declined to comment.

Over the past several weeks, the Saudis have offered multiple, contradictory explanations for what happened at the consulate. This week, the Saudi public prosecutor blamed the operation on a rogue band of operatives who were sent to Istanbul to return Khashoggi to Saudi Arabia, in an operation that veered off course when the journalist "was forcibly restrained and injected with a large amount of a drug resulting in an overdose that led to his death," according to a report by the prosecutor. The president has asked the CIA where Khashoggi's body is and has grown frustrated that they have not been able to provide an answer The prosecutor announced charges against 11 alleged participants and said he would seek the death penalty against five of them. The assassination of Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Mohammed's policies, has sparked a foreign policy crisis for the White House and raised questions about the administration's reliance on Saudi Arabia as a key ally in the Middle East and bulwark against Iran. President Donald Trump has resisted pinning the blame for the killing on Mohammed, who enjoys a close relationship with Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and senior adviser. Privately, aides said, Trump has been shown evidence of the prince's involvement but remains skeptical that Mohammed ordered the killing.

The president has also asked CIA and State Department officials where Khashoggi's body is and has grown frustrated that they have not been able to provide an answer. The CIA does not know the location of Khashoggi's remains, according to the people familiar with the agency's assessment. Among the intelligence assembled by the CIA is an audio recording from a listening device that the Turks placed inside the Saudi consulate, according to the people familiar with the matter. The Turks gave the CIA a copy of that audio, and the agency's director, Gina Haspel, has listened to it. Donald Trump this week. Credit:AP The audio shows that Khashoggi was killed within moments of entering the consulate, according to officials in multiple countries who have listened to it or been briefed on its contents. Khashoggi died in the office of the Saudi consul general, who can be heard expressing his displeasure that Khashoggi's body now needed to be disposed of and the facility cleaned of any evidence, according to people familiar with the audio recording. The CIA also examined a call placed from inside the consulate after the killing by an alleged member of the Saudi hit team, Maher Mutreb, a security official who has often been seen at the crown prince's side and who was photographed entering and leaving the consulate on the day of the killing.

Loading Mutreb called Saud al-Qahtani, then one of the top aides to Mohammed, and informed him that the operation had been completed, according to people familiar with the call. This week, the Treasury Department sanctioned 17 individuals it said were involved in Khashoggi's death, including Qahtani, Mutreb and the Saudi consul general in Turkey, Mohammad al-Otaibi. The CIA's assessment of Mohammed's role in the assassination also tracks with information developed by foreign governments, according to officials in several European capitals who have concluded that the operation was too brazen to have taken place without Mohammed's direction. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his government has shared the audio with Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.

In addition to calls and audio recordings, CIA analysts also linked some members of the Saudi hit team directly to Mohammed himself. Some of the 15 members have served on his security team and travelled in the United States during visits by senior Saudi officials, including the crown prince, according to passport records reviewed by The Washington Post. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan in Paris recently. Credit:AP The US had also obtained intelligence before Khashoggi's death that indicated he might be in danger. But it wasn't until after he disappeared, on October 2, that US intelligence agencies began searching archives of intercepted communications and discovered material indicating that the Saudi royal family had been seeking to lure Khashoggi back to Riyadh. Two US officials said there has been no indication that officials were aware of this intelligence in advance of Khashoggi's disappearance or had missed any chance to warn him. Khashoggi "was not a person of interest," before his disappearance, and the fact that he was residing in Virginia meant that he was regarded as a US person and therefore shielded from US intelligence gathering, one of the officials said.

Trump has told senior White House officials that he wants Mohammed to remain in power because Saudi Arabia helps to check Iran, which the administration considers its top security challenge in the Middle East. He has said that he does not want the controversy over Khashoggi's death to impede oil production by the kingdom. One lingering question is why Mohammed decided to kill Khashoggi, who was not agitating for the crown prince's removal. A theory the CIA has developed is that Mohammed believed Khashoggi was a dangerous Islamist who was too sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood, according to people familiar with the assessment. Days after Khashoggi disappeared, Mohammed relayed that view in a phone call with Kushner and John Bolton, the national security adviser, who has long opposed the Brotherhood and seen it as a regional security threat. Mohammed's private condemnation of the slain journalist stood in contracts to his government's public comments, which mourned Khashoggi's killing as a "terrible mistake" and a "tragedy."
Three people have been confirmed dead in the Woolsey fire. The remains of five more people were found on Saturday: four in the decimated town of Paradise and one in nearby Concow, bringing the number of dead to 76. However, authorities warned the death toll is likely to rise as fire-devastated areas are opened up to support services that are combing the areas for remains. The remains of a store in Paradise, California. Credit:AP Air Force One landed at Beale Air Force Base in northern California on Saturday morning, local time, with Trump. his son-in-law White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and White House chief of staff John Kelly aboard. Trump also had three politicians in his touring party: congressmen Kevin McCarthy, Ken Calvert and Doug LaMalfa, who represent the California districts of Bakersfield, Corona and Richvale respectively.

Even as he attempted to strike a more conciliatory tone following a series of tweets in which he blamed California's forest management for the fires, the touring party did strike an oddly partisan note: the three politicians in Trump's party were all Republicans. The party was met on the tarmac at Beale by California Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom. President Donald Trump talks with California Governor-elect Gavin Newsom and Paradise Mayor Jody Jones during a visit to a neighbourhood destroyed by the wildfires, on Saturday. Credit:AP Asked about the President's tweet storm, LaMalfa told US media that the fallout stemmed from the timing of the tweets and not the "substance of the argument". "Without forest management, things can go wrong," La Malfa said.

The central flaw in the "forest management" argument, however, is that the two major fire fronts - Camp and Woolsey - are not taking place in forested areas, but rather areas that are designated in forest management as "wildland-urban interface". Those are areas where undeveloped woodland and rural communities are adjacent. Governo-elect Gavin Newsom, FEMA Director Brock Long, President Donald Trump, Paradise mayor Jody Jones and Governor Jerry Brown tour the Skyway Villa Mobile Home and RV Park, during Trump's visit of the Camp Fire in Paradise, California on Saturday. Credit:AP According to the United States Department of Agriculture, California, as well as Texas and Florida, has one of the highest levels of human population in wildland-urban interface areas. In addition, the most of California's forests are not actually managed by the state at all.

Two federal agencies, the Forest Service and the Interior Department, manage 57 per cent of California's forests, private, commercial (timber) and Native American interests control an additional 40 per cent and just 3 per cent are managed by state or local agencies. Later, after touring the burnt remains of the town of Paradise, which is all but destroyed in the wake of the fire, Trump said he was stunned by the scale of the devastation. "People have to see this to really understand it," he said. ""Hopefully this will be the last of these, because it was a really, really bad one. "Nobody would have ever thought this could have happened," Trump added. "The federal government is behind you, we're all behind each other."

Trump said federal authorities would work with the state and also with environment groups to find a better strategy for forest management. "I think everybodys seen the light," Trump said. Asked by media if his opinion on climate change had altered, Trump said it had not. Residents wave to a motorcade during President Donald Trump's visit of the Camp Fire in Chico, California. Credit:AP Smoke and ash from the fires has also contributed to a sharp drop in air quality in fire-affected parts of California, the National Weather Service has warned.

Drops in air quality stemming from the Camp fire, for example, have been reported as far afield as Sacramento and San Francisco. Many schools and universities in northern California remain closed; San Francisco also suspended its cable car service on Friday to encourage residents to remain indoors until the air quality improved. At 5pm Sunday, local time, the air quality index in San Francisco was reporting at 153; to put that in context any score below 50 is considered "good", results of between 151 and 200 are considered "unhealthy". A tourist from San Diego takes a selfie as smoke from the Camp Fire fills the air in San Francisco, California, on Friday. Credit:Bloomberg In "unhealthy" conditions, people with heart or lung issues may encounter respiratory distress, and older adults and children are recommended to avoid prolonged or heavy exertion.

Loading The town of Lincoln, which is located north of Sacramento, is reporting an air quality index of 315, which is in the "hazardous" band; in such conditions outdoor movement of any kind is not recommended as the air quality is so poor. Breathing air which is in over-300 range for a day is roughly the equivalent of smoking 14 cigarettes, according to a scientific paper published in 2015. Fire stations in northern California were issuing "N95" masks to residents; they are white breathing masks which filter out 95 per cent of airborne particles. But authorities were also issuing warnings to that unless the masks were used properly - with a complete seal around the mouth and nose and the nose-lock pinched tight - they were not only useless, they risked increasing the amount of inhaled carbon dioxide.

The masks were also mostly unsuitable for children and men with facial hair, authorities said. The weather service also warned of strengthening winds up to 80kph and low humidity, and the additional threat of rain in parts of California, as autumn temperatures cooled ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday next week. Though many might welcome the fire-suppressing power of heavy rain, rainfall in the wake of bushfire exposes the damaged soil surface to the risk of mudslides. It will also further the complicate the search for remains in burned out areas, such as Paradise, in northern California. Butte County sheriff Kory Honea said the situation was disheartening.
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Greenlight Bookstores pick: Well-Read Black Girl, edited by Glory Edim

In this collection of essential reading, Glory Edim consolidates the celebration, contemplation, and joy she fostered in her book club-turned-online community. Authors including Tayari Jones, Jesmyn Ward, and Jacqueline Woodson discuss their childhoods, their memories, their work, and the books and writers that shaped them. This anthology is an exploration of the power of literature  whether it reflects or changes the reader, how its effects morph with time, and why the perspectives it highlights matter. Through this lens, you will learn what has frustrated and inspired these extraordinarily well-read women, and be encouraged to drift into your own literary daydream.

 Ben Hoffman, Greenlight Bookstore [686 Fulton St. between S. Elliott Place and S. Portland Avenue in Fort Greene, (718) 2460200, www.greenlightbookstore.com].

Words picks: Blue Horses, by Mary Oliver

The phrase life is about the little things comes to mind whenever I read a Mary Oliver poem. This collection of honest and gentle poems takes your hand and ushers you to find serenity in the stillness of nature. Her poetry serves to remind you of the sweet whimsy in simplicity, the serendipity of daily life and, ultimately, helps to heal a weary mind.

 Jasmine Romero, Word [126 Franklin St. at Milton Street in Greenpoint, (718) 3830096, www.wordbookstores.com].

Community Bookstores pick: Tentacle, by Rita Indiana

The award-winning Caribbean novelists latest confabulation offers up a vision of the post-apocalyptic near future in the vein of Margaret Atwood and Ursula K. Le Guin. Our heroine, Acilde, must travel back in time to save civilization from itself, with the help of a sentient sea anemone. A heady work of science-fiction that draws on traditional Yoruban and Voudon myth. A gem.

 Samuel Partal, Community Bookstore [43 Seventh Ave. between Carroll Street and Garfield Place in Park Slope, (718) 7833075, www.communitybookstore.net].
This comes after its stake sale offer in the open market got a tepid response  only 0.19 per cent oversubscription option was exercised despite provisioning a 6 per cent green-shoe option. Sources in Coal India suggested that so far around 1,000-1,200 online applications have been received while the offline submissions are yet to be collated. After all these submissions come, we need to collate and check if employees subscribing to company shares are ...

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.

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There is nothing small about Walt Disney World. It is made up of four separate theme parks in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., near Orlando, with combined annual attendance of 56 million. The resort sprawls across 25,000 acres, an area nearly twice the size of Manhattan. A steel beam needed to build an Avatar attraction last year was so massive that Disney had to borrow crawler-transporters from NASA. Now Disney World  and Disneys global vacation empire  is about to get much, much bigger. With its television business facing significant challenges in the ...
Indian-American Thomas Kurian, former President of product development and a respected technologist, is going to head Cloud from early next year, the tech giant has announced.

The current of Cloud Diane Greene will continue through January, working with Kurian to ensure a smooth transition and will remain a Director on the board of Alphabet, Google's parent company.

Hailing from Bengaluru, Kurian who worked at for 22 years reportedly quit over disagreements with Executive Chairman and CTO Larry Ellison over the future course of the company as Cloud business gets highly competitive.

"Kurian, a respected technologist and executive, will be joining Cloud on November 26 and transitioning into the Google Cloud leadership role in early 2019," Greene said in a statement on Friday.

According to Google Sundar Pichai, under Greene's leadership, Cloud has become an incredible business built on Google's decades of investment in infrastructure, data security, and AI.

"We're really excited to welcome Thomas whose product vision, customer focus, and deep expertise will be a huge asset to our growing Cloud business," he said.

Under Greene's leadership, Google Cloud has moved from having only two significant customers and a collection of start-ups to having major Fortune 1,000 enterprises betting their future on Google Cloud.

"We've built a strong business together -- set up by integrating sales, marketing, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Google Apps/G Suite into what is now called Google Cloud," she noted.

Kurian said he "is excited to join the fantastic Google Cloud team at this important and promising time".

"I'm looking forward to building on the success of recent years as it enters its next phase of growth."

Kurian stepped down from in September.

A member of Oracle's Executive Committee for 13 Years, he led 35,000-people software development team in 32 countries with an R&D budget of $4 billion.

Kurian helped in the transformation of Oracle's products with introduction of leading suite of Cloud Services, led 60 software acquisitions and Oracle's 45 Cloud data centres.

His twin brother, George Kurian, is of California-based Hybrid Cloud data services and data management company and a member of the Board of Directors.
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.



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The debt-ridden telecom sector in requires urgent implementation of regulatory reforms, specially reduction in levies on service providers, for promoting investment in the country, a senior official said Friday.

"We support India's bold National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP). Digitisation will require significant investment and urgent regulatory reforms. I have to summarise this in most blunt way. I will put like this. You cannot simply drive digital on gravel roads," Group External Affairs Director, Joakim Reiter said at an event.

The officer said that the sector in is undergoing through significant financial stress with industry debt reported at $150 billion and the targets under NDCP including service through 4G for all, the technology cycles will require massive investment.

"Vodafone alone has done much as it can to cover some of the investment gap that has been facing for quite some time. Over last 10 years we have provided $34 billion in terms of to build telecom infrastructure of India.

"Actually this week we have announced additional $1.5 billion and our partner have put equivalent amount on the table," he said.

He said that there is urgent need for the implementation of regulatory reforms so as to make sure that it addresses the current cash flow crunch facing the industry and allow investment in "current infrastructure and infrastructure of the future."



"Tax and levies are still very high, putting additional stress and adding to the cost of running the The NDCP implicitly recognises the majority of the root causes for the financial stress and have set out various strategies which we welcome very much," he said.

Telecom Secretary at the event said a lot of reforms have already happened in the sector with ease of doing coming into the telecom department. We will continue aggressively at these areas and address them," Sundararajan said.

She said some people look at only challenges not at the opportunities.

"I suspect that it is precisely this oversight where you thought it was challenge to take and 4G and this is exactly where other people have seen opportunity and leapfrogged," Sundararajan said while acknowledging that there is financial stress in the industry which needs to be changed.

Under National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) government envisages to provide 50 mbps of connectivity to every citizen in next five years, create 4 million jobs, reduce spectrum cost and other levies and attract investment to the tune of USD 100 billion.

"I am looking forward to working with you on the fibre first initiative. We have already submitted a common utility framework as well as draft to the Committee of Secretary will discuss that. On Right of Way I have told COAI (industry body) that we will have a national workshop in December with state government," Sundararajan said.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Chairman RS Sharma too acknowledged issues being faced by telecom players in rolling out telecom networks in some states and said it needs to be resolved by making states partner in the process.

"We have right of way rules and they are backed by law. Somehow there is resistance from some of the states. Many states are not going ahead with that. Probably we need to come with actual operational policies which will make states partner into the whole process," Sharma said.

The said that he has been informed that some states and local bodies charge to the tune of Rs 10 million (Rs 1 crore) per kilometre for laying optical fibre while the cost of the cable is around Rs 15,000 per kilometres.
This article was first published on June 14, 2013. Business Standard is republishing this article as Alyque Padamsee passed away on November 17, 2018 Advertising doyen Alyque Padamsee on six decades of brand marketing. Advertising has come a long way and also gone back a long way.

In the 1970s, brands were more focused and did more research. Some of the greatest campaigns of those times, like soap brand Liril, were born out of research. But today there's research paralysis nothing moves unless research is done. After doing research, they say let's do more ...
Finance Minister Saturday said barring the CBI from probing cases in states was akin to "declaring sovereignty in the matter of corruption".

The and governments Friday decided to withdraw the general consent given to the (CBI) for probing cases in those states.

The government's move was prompted by "the fear of what is likely to happen", Jaitley said, adding that only those who had "a lot to hide" feared the central agency.

"Somebody has yesterday declared his sovereignty in the matter of corruption by saying that I won't allow investigative agencies to enter. This is governance adventurism at its worst," he said, speaking at the Economic Times Awards event here.

Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters in after releasing the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) manifesto for the polls, Jaitley said, "It is only those who have a lot to hide will take the step of saying let the CBI not come to my state."



"There is no sovereignty of any state in the matter of corruption," he said in response to a query.

"It is believed that Andhra's move is not motivated by any particular case, but by the fear of what is likely to happen. I am not saying anything more than that at the moment," the BJP added.

"We have a federal structure in and under that federal structure, the CBI was created initially for the employees of the central government and then, to investigate certain kinds of very serious cases in the states, which were referred to it either by the states or courts," he said.

Referring to the alleged Saradha chit fund scam and the Narada sting operation, Jaitley said in Bhopal, "Saradha and Narada in cannot be wiped off merely by saying that for the future, I de-notify the CBI.

In and West Bengal, the CBI would now need permission from the state government to carry out any investigation except those ordered by courts and against central government officials.
Mehul Choksi's counsel told a special (ED) court on Saturday that his client was medically unfit to travel from Antigua to India to record his statement.

Sanjay Abbot, Choksi's counsel, told the court, "Presently he is not medically fit to travel. So his statement can either be recorded through video conferencing or ED officers can go to Antigua and record his statement or wait for three months if his conditions improve, he will come back to record his statement."

The court was hearing the Enforcement Directorate's application to declare Choksi as a 'fugitive economic offender.'

On November 6 this year, Deepak Kulkarni, an associate of fugitive businessman Choksi, was arrested by the ED in Kolkata upon his arrival from Hong Kong.

Kulkarni was the director of Choksi's dummy firm in Hong Kong. The (CBI) and the ED had earlier issued a lookout circular against him.

Earlier in September, Choksi had said that all allegations levelled against him by the ED were "false and baseless." Calling himself a "soft target in a small country," Choksi had said that he was undergoing media trial in connection with the alleged $2 billion Bank (PNB) fraud scam.

Choksi also held the public sector bank PNB responsible for misinforming the probe agencies, adding that it was unprecedented how his company came to a complete standstill without thorough investigation.
Thousands of pilgrims offered prayers at Lord Ayyappa temple in early Saturday, the first day of Malayalam month of 'Vrischikom,' even as a 12-hour strike against the preventive detention of a Hindu Aikya Vedi leader began. Pilgrims, including children, queued up in large numbers since the temple opened at 3 am.

The temple had opened Friday evening for the two-month-long annual pilgrim season as a stand-off continued over the entry of menstrual age women into the shrine. All regular pujas began this morning under the supervision of the new Melshanti (chief priest) Vasudevan Nampoothiri.

Amid unprecedented security, State Transport Corporation buses were bringing pilgrims from Nilackal to Pamba and no services had been stopped, KSRTC sources said. Shops and hotels near the temple complex were open.

However, normal life was hit elsewhere in the state as the strike progressed; buses and auto-rickshaws remained off roads in several areas.

KSRTC Managing Director Tomin J Thachankary said the corporation was running buses in with police protection to help pilgrims reach the temple.

In Balrampuram near Thiruvananthapuram, protesters attacked a KSRTC bus and damaging its windows, he told PTI.

In the state capital, passengers had a tough time in getting vehicles to reach their respective destinations due to the hartal. Many patients and their relatives were unable to reach the regional cancer centre and Thiruvananthapuram medical college hospital.

The Aikya Vedi state president, K P Sasikala, who was on a pilgrimage to the Ayyappa shrine, was taken into "preventive custody" near Marakkootam, close to Sabarimala, at 2.30 am after she allegedly defied the orders, police said.

Police had decided not to allow devotees enter the temple premises when it was closed for the night.

Sasikala was stopped by them late Friday night when she was on her way to the shrine with the traditional "Irrumudikettu" (offerings to Lord Ayyappa carried by devotees on their head) as the temple would have been closed by the time she would have reached there.

She was later taken to Ranni police station.

Sudheer, leader of another outfit, was also taken into preventive custody.

Aikya Vedi protesters, meanwhile, gathered outside the Ranni police station and Erumeli and began "Nama Japa" protests Saturday morning.

Condemning the police action, BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai said the state government's effort is to "destroy" the pilgrimage.

"Government wants to destroy the traditions of Sabarimala. Why was Sasikala and Sudheer arrested? The BJP will strengthen its protests and support the hartal," Pillai told reporters at Kozhikode.

VHP state president S J R Kumar alleged that Sasikala was "arrested".

"Some other activists have been taken into preventive custody," Kumar told PTI at Kochi.

The temple opened Friday evening, for the third time since the Supreme Court lifted the ban on entry of women of menstrual age, though no girl or woman pilgrim in the 10-50 age group has been able to offer prayers because of resistance by devotees and activists opposing any change in the temple tradition.

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the shrine, has made it clear that it would approach the apex court either Saturday or Monday, seeking more time to implement its September 28 verdict permitting women of all ages to offer prayers at the

Devotees are facing difficulties at Pamba as floods destroyed the facilities there.

Muthu Karthick, a pilgrim from Chennai, said there are no facilities at Pamba... No water, toilets are filthy causing difficulties to devotees," he lamented.

However, at the Sannidhanam (temple complex) the facilities are better.
The US Central Intelligence Agency has concluded Saudi's powerful Crown Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, The Post reported Friday, citing people close to the matter.

The US assessment directly contradicts the conclusions of a Saudi prosecutor one day prior, which exonerated the of involvement in the brutal murder.

According to the CIA findings, 15 Saudi agents flew on government aircraft to and assassinated Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate, the Post said.

Queried by AFP, the CIA declined to comment.

Khashoggi, a Post columnist, had gone to the consulate to obtain documents necessary to marry his Turkish fiancee.

has repeatedly changed its official narrative of the October 2 murder, first denying any knowledge of Khashoggi's whereabouts and later saying he was killed when an argument degenerated into a fistfight.

In the latest version presented by the Saudi prosecutor on Thursday, a 15-member squad was formed to bring Khashoggi back from "by means of persuasion" -- but instead ended up killing the and dismembering his body in a "rogue" operation.

The CIA scrubbed multiple intelligence sources, the Post said, among them a phone call between the prince's brother -- the Saudi to the -- and Khashoggi.

The reportedly told the late that he would be safe to go to the consulate in and get the papers he needed.

The US intelligence agency also said in determining the Crown Prince's role it considered him a "de facto ruler" in Saudi Arabia: "The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved," the Post quoted an official as saying.

That official dubbed Mohammed a "good technocrat" -- but also someone unpredictable who "goes from zero to 60, doesn't seem to understand that there are some things you can't do."

The CIA conclusions threaten to further fray relations between and key ally Riyadh, which has sought to end discussion of Khashoggi's murder and rejected calls for an investigation.

On Thursday the slapped sanctions on 17 people, including close aides of Prince Mohammed, suggesting a coordinated effort between and Washington to pre-empt the threat of harsher actions from an outraged US Congress.

US has shied from directly blaming the Crown Prince but on Friday agreed with Turkish that "any cover up of the incident should not be allowed.
Prime Minister said Friday that the Pakistani elite was involved in transferring national wealth abroad through money laundering, in a veiled attack on ousted

Sharif, his daughter and his son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in through corrupt practices.

Talking to a delegation of columnists here, Prime Minister Khan, without naming anyone, said the recent development of tracing the money stashed abroad to the tune of Rs 700 billion shows as to why the former rulers were seeking work permits.

"It is estimated that about a trillion dollars are transferred to rich countries from poor countries like Pakistan," Khan said.

The government has signed agreements with Switzerland, the UK and the to have information about the ill-gotten money stashed in these countries by Pakistanis, he said.

Khan said his government inherited a huge deficit of current and fiscal account and was endeavouring to overcome the financial crisis.

The government decided to approach friendly countries to deal with this situation and overcame the financial crunch and balance of payments issue, Khan said, adding that his visit to was highly successful.

"We need a permanent solution to strengthen the economy on sound footing," he said.

The government is focusing on four areas including enhancing exports, promoting investment, boosting remittances and curbing the money laundering, Khan said.

Currently, remittances worth $15 to 20 billion are being received through legal channels whereas almost same amount is being channelised through illegal means including Hawala, he said.

The expatriate Pakistanis were being facilitated to remit money through channels to enhance national revenues, Khan said.

Talking about massive losses in state-owned entities, he said, unfortunately, no one ever made any effort to promote true democracy in the country.

Khan said "kleptocracy was promoted wherein the rulers abused their powers for their own vested interests".

Sharif, 68, was disqualified by the in the in July, 2017 and subsequently jailed for 10 years in Avenfield corruption case. His sentence was, however, suspended. The three-time former prime minister and his family have denied any wrongdoing.
Sri Lanka's largest political party on Saturday asked Facebook to protect the identity of its supporters, fearing a crackdown by what it called the "illegal" government.

The Indian Ocean nation has been in crisis since last month with two men claiming to be prime minister, MPs brawling in parliament and the administration paralysed.

It began on October 26 when President sacked as premier and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse.

In chaotic scenes in parliament this week, Rajapakse lost two votes of no confidence but he is refusing to go and Sirisena has yet to acknowledge the motions.

On Saturday Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) wrote to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg asking the US firm not to cooperate with Rajapakse's administration.

"We urge Facebook to refrain from disclosing information about... users of the platform to any officials of the illegal government unless it is properly sanctioned by a court of law," the UNP said.

The UNP had also complained that its official page was blocked by Facebook on Thursday ahead of a mass rally it organised to express solidarity with Wickremesinghe, who insists he is still prime minister.

Sirisena ordered a ban on Facebook across in March after blaming it for spreading hate speech and fuelling inter-communal violence that led to the deaths of three people and destruction of property.

Since then, Facebook had said it was deploying more staff to identify and remove inflammatory material from Sri Lankan users.

This week Sri Lankans had to rely on social media to watch their lawmakers fighting and throwing chilli powder after the main telecommunications company stopped its live broadcast.
Hackers linked to the Russian government are impersonating U.S. State Department employees in an operation aimed at infecting computers of US government agencies, think tanks and businesses, two cybersecurity firms told Reuters. The operation, which began on Wednesday, suggests Russia is keen to resume an aggressive campaign of attacks on US targets after a lull going into the Nov. 6 U.S. midterm election, in which Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives, according to CrowdStrike and FireEye Inc (FEYE.O). US intelligence agencies have charged that ...
America's Ivy League elite Dartmouth College has been slapped with a $70 million lawsuit by seven women accusing trustees of ignoring years of sexual abuse, harassment and rape of female students.

The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in New Hampshire, alleged that three professors from the university's department of psychology and brain sciences perpetrated more than a decade of gender discrimination, sexual assault and harassment, despite trustees being aware of complaints.

The suit is expected to revive a debate about sexual boundaries at universities across the United States, which has come under renewed scrutiny in the wake of the #MeToo reckoning with sexual harassment.

On Friday, President Donald Trump's education secretary proposed to change the way in which sexual assault is investigated at US universities, giving more rights to the accused and narrowing the definition of harassment.

Survivors' advocates criticized the new measures from Betsy DeVos, which also seek to restrict the notion of sexual assault, limit evidence that is admissible and allow accusers to be cross-examined.

The lawsuit said Dartmouth "knowingly permitted three of its prominent (and well-funded) professors to turn a human behaviour research department into a 21st Century Animal House," in reference to the 1978 frat house movie.

"For well over a decade," continued the 72-page suit, female students at the department were "treated as sex objects by tenured professors Todd Heatherton, William Kelley and Paul Whalen.

"These professors leered at, groped, sexted, intoxicated and even raped female students," and conditioned faculty mentorship and support on students participating in an "alcohol-saturated 'party culture,'" the suit said.

They "conducted professional lab meetings at bars, invited students to late-night 'hot tub parties'" and invited undergraduates to use "real cocaine during classes related to addiction as part of a 'demonstration.'"

Cognitive neuroscientist Kristina Rapuano, 30, a postdoctoral researcher at Yale University and one of the plaintiffs, says Kelley forced her to drink to excess before sexually assaulting her at a conference in California.

The lawsuit claimed that Dartmouth, in the leafy town of Hanover in the northeastern state of New Hampshire, knew about the professors' bad behaviour for 16 years, from at least as early as 2002. The suit was filed on Thursday.

When a group of graduate students reported sexual harassment and sexual assault in 2017, the lawsuit says Dartmouth took no immediate action and encouraged the students to continue working with the professors.

The college waited nearly four months before placing the three professors on leave and in October 2017 the attorney general of New Hampshire opened a criminal investigation into the allegations.

The private university, where some 6,400 students are enrolled and where the total estimated cost of first-year attendance is $74,000, allegedly did nothing despite even being informed that students were in therapy.

"One graduate student explicitly told these administrators that this was a 'life or death situation,' and someone would commit suicide if Dartmouth refused to act," the lawsuit said.

In a statement, Dartmouth said the three professors had been sacked earlier this year and banned from campus and insisted that sexual misconduct had "no place" at the university.

"We respectfully, but strongly, disagree with the characterization of Dartmouth's actions in the complaint and will respond through our own court filings," it added.
The United States will not back down from its trade dispute with China, and might even double its tariffs, unless Beijing bows to US demands, Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday. In a bluntly worded speech at an Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit in Papua New Guinea, Pence threw down the gauntlet to China on trade and security in the region. "We have taken decisive action to address our imbalance with China," Pence declared. "We put tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods, and we could more than double that number." "The United ...
Taking a veiled swipe at the US, Chinese President said on Saturday that countries which embrace protectionism are "doomed to failure" and a trade war will have no winners.

"History has shown that in confrontation, whether in the form of a cold war, a hot war or a trade war, will produce no winners," Xi said in a speech at the Asia-Pacific Cooperation Forum (APEC) CEO summit in the Papua New Guinea capital city.

US Vice-President Mike Pence later said he was prepared to "more than double" the imposed on Chinese goods.

China and the US, the world's two largest economies, have been engaged in a tit-for-tat trade war this year. The White House said its were a response to Beijing's "unfair" trade policies.

Speaking at the event, Xi said that the world needs common rules of global governance that do not respond to selfish agendas and added that only openness, as well as cooperation, can bring more opportunities and create more space for development.

"Disagreements should be resolved through dialogue and consultation, rather than trying to form 'exclusive blocs' or 'impose criteria on other countries'."

Xi further said that "attempts to erect barriers and cut close economic ties work against the laws of economics and the trends of history".

"This is a short-sighted approach and it is doomed to failure," he added, warning that those who close their doors "will only cut himself off from the rest of the world and lose his direction".

But Pence -- who spoke at the forum directly after Xi -- said the were a response to the "imbalance" with China.

"The US, though, will not change course until China changes its ways," he said.

The forum was founded in 1989, accounts for 59 per cent of global GDP, forms a market of 2.85 billion consumers -- around 40 per cent of the world population -- and aims to establish a free trade zone among the 21 member economies by 2020.

This year's summit hopes to speed up the implementation of a number of free-trade agreements, in the face of growing trade tensions between China and the US.

The trade dispute began when the administration of US President imposed tariffs worth $250 billion on imports from China and Beijing responded by imposing tariffs worth $110 billion on imports from Washington.

Pence's remarks came a day after Trump told reporters he was confident a deal between China and the US "will be made".

However, he said a number of key issues had not been included on a list for negotiation ahead of December's G20 summit in Argentina, meaning it was "not acceptable" yet to the President.
Sri Lanka has been reeling from a turbulent political crisis for almost a month, when President Maithripala Sirisena on October 26 abruptly sacked then-Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and installed the now-ousted Mahinda Rajapaksa, the country's former President, as the new premier.

The power struggle has left the Sri Lankan democratic system in tatters, with massive protests being held by the United National Party (UNP), where its members and supporters of Wickremesinghe have repeatedly called President Sirisena's move as "unconstitutional".

Even Wickremesinghe voiced his views, asserting that he was legally still the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. He and his supporters have accused Sirisena of staging an "undemocratic coup".

Sirisena further suspended the country's Parliamentary proceedings until November 16. Amid rising demands by legislators to end the political crisis in the South Asian island nation, the Sri Lankan President preponed the date to reconvene the Parliament on November 14.

Defending his decision to oust Wickremesinghe, the Sri Lankan President claimed that the former's political conduct was unbecoming of civilised politics, as he grossly violated the principles of good governance. Sirisena asserted that political change was necessary, as Wickremesinghe "destroyed the concept and the noble expectations of good governance by his actions during the last few years."

Sirisena then called for a snap election to be held on January 5. Amidst the political chaos, the Sri Lankan Supreme Court stepped in and suspended Sirisena's order to dissolve the island nation's Parliament and call a snap general election. The court will hear more arguments and would deliver a verdict next month.

The Sri Lankan President remained defiant, saying that he would not re-appoint Wickremesinghe, in what was a move, considered by many, to allow Rajapaksa to buy more time to gain legislators, in order to prove his majority in the Parliament.

China, whose protege is Rajapaksa, was backrolling this entire process.

The political turmoil in Sri Lanka turned topsy-turvy, when Rajapaksa, was defeated in the Parliament during a 'No-Confidence' motion on November 15. The No-Confidence motion against Rajapaksa was passed after 122 members voted against him in the 225-member House. In an unusual turn of events, the Parliament became a virtual war-zone, when the legislators got into fistfights, hurled objects at each other and even tried to attack Speaker Karu Jayasuriya following Rajapaksa's loss in the trust vote.

The Parliament was reconvened in Colombo after the UNP lawmakers approved a motion of no-confidence in Rajapaksa's "purported" cabinet. They even passed motions declaring President Sirisena's move as illegal.

Following this major upset for Mahinda Rajapaksa, he is using his money and muscle power to obstruct functioning of the House, and also intimidating his opponents and their supporters. An atmosphere of absolute terror now prevails in the country, with the complicity of President Sirisena, who is allowing Mahinda Rajapaksa's goons a free run.

Legislators supporting Rajapaksa, hurled chairs at police officers and throw chilli powder at the leaders of opposing parties.

"They (MPs of Sirisena - Rajapaksa faction) have assaulted me by using a copy of the Constitution, and they have used chilli powder mixed with water to attack the MPs," The Guardian quoted Member of Parliament, Vijitha Herath, as saying on Friday.

With Sirisena vehemently rejecting the no-confidence vote against Rajapaksa, Speaker Jayasuriya said that Sri Lanka as of now does not have a Prime Minister or a Cabinet.

While the Parliament is expected to be reconvened on November 19, there is still no clear sign on whether the political turmoil would come to an end soon.

The political parties are now waiting for the Supreme Court's verdict next month to see if the House will be dissolved and elections will be announced or whether the Wickremesinghe-led government will continue in office.

Many countries, including India and the United States, are closely watching the developments in the island nation, and have called on the Sirisena government to act as per the Constitution and refrain from committing violence and to restore democracy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Argentine submarine with 44 crew members on board, which went missing exactly a year ago, has been recovered from deep within the Atlantic Ocean.

The submarine identified as ARA San Juan was located almost 2,600 feet below the ocean's surface by a private company contracted by the Argentina government after an international search failed to find the vessel.

The New York Times quoted the Argentine Navy, who took to twitter saying, "There has been a positive identification of the #AraSanJuan." A spokesman for the navy further added, "Based on the state of the submarine, we will have to determine what happened."

The submarine disappeared during a routine trip from Ushuaia in the Patagonia region to Mar del Plata in Buenos Aires province. Eight days later, while the recovery operations were still continuing, the Argentine navy announced the news of an explosion that was recorded near the submarine's last known location, just hours after its final communication with the military on November 15, 2017.

The vessel's captain reported that water had entered the snorkel and caused one of the submarine's batteries to short circuit.

However, on the same day, the captain called back to say the issue had been resolved. The submarine was never heard from again.

The international search operation, of which the United States, Russia, Brazil, Chile, Great Britain, Norway, France, Peru, and other countries, were a part of, failed to locate the submarine.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a puppet for the wealthy and influential people, adding that the party's intent and policies are aimed at further enhancing the wealth of the rich.

Addressing a press conference here, Sidhu said, "The BJP is a puppet for the rich. They (rich) have a key, which they turn and make them (the BJP) bend to their will. I don't have to prove anything I say, the numbers and the figures from their governance are proof enough."

Sidhu then shifted the focus of his onslaught on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation move, saying, "The Prime Minister's campaign (in 2014) was built on the promise to get all the black money abroad back to the nation and distribute it among the poor. That 90 lakh crore black money is real. But nobody stores it in gunny bags or in the trunks of their car. Black money is kept in the form of jewellery, lands, assets, foreign banks etc. In the dark of night, you made a ludicrous declaration, saying 'we will get all the black money in the country through demonetisation'."

He further stated that the move was paradoxical, saying, "If the black money was in India, how 99.3 per cent notes returned to banks? What was the purpose? You broke the back of the informal, cash-dependent economy of the country."

He also attacked BJP president Amit Shah.

"A bank, where merely Rs 13 crores used to be deposited throughout the year, within five days Rs 735 crores were deposited. From where did it come? If it was actually deposited, 12000 people would have to deposit Rs two and a half lakh each. Amit Shah needs to answer. Only poor people suffered during that disaster, name one rich person who was stuck in the same queues," Sidhu said.

"On the other hand, you have all government banks giving loans to the tune of hundreds of thousands of crores, name one private bank which has given loans to defaulters. Nirav Modi, Mallya sahab, Choksi ji, who managed to escape the country, the sons of your friends were their lawyers. And while they escaped the country, what is your equation with Adani sahab, who is still here. He has a loan of one lakh crores, the debt of the Chhattisgarh farmers is 3,200 crores," Sidhu added.

The Congress leader further stated that whoever raises questions is labelled an anti-national, is discredited.

He also accused the Prime Minister of looking out for the interests of big oil companies like Reliance and Essar instead of the common man when international oil prices fell from 150 USD per barrel during the UPA government to the current price of 40 USD per barrel.

"You built the statue for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who used to promote the idea of 'Akhand Bharat'. What are you trying to prove? Do you not resort to Hindu-Muslim to polarise people?" Sidhu said.

Replying to questions pertaining to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's challenge to the Congress about breaking the shackles of family and appointing an outsider as the party president, Sidhu, in reference to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's 10-year-term, said, "Let party president be, we appoint outsiders as Prime Ministers. Is the Prime Minister not a bigger post than party president?"

When asked about the controversy surrounding his visit to Islamabad for Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's oath ceremony, Sidhu said, "Is the Prime Minister jealous that he was not invited? Is he jealous that he went to Pakistan uninvited (for Nawaz Sharif's birthday).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
United States President Donald Trump on Friday asserted that China is eager to make a deal with the US, amid a bitter trade tiff between two of the world's largest economies in the past few months.

Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office here, Trump was quoted by The Hill saying, "China wants to make a deal". He added that any deal with Beijing would have to be "reciprocal."

"They sent a list of things that they're willing to do, which was a large list. I think we'll have a deal. We'll find out very soon. We want to have a reciprocal trade," he continued.

Continuing his tirade against China for "taking advantage" of US in terms of trade, Trump said, "We can't have a trade that's meant for stupid people, and that's the way they took advantage of our country."

Trump's comments came as Washington and Beijing have been engaging in an escalating trade war from the past few months, with both nations slapping high tariffs on each other's goods and imports. This has led to the straining of ties between the two nations.

In September, Trump imposed 10 per cent tariffs on Chinese products amounting to USD 200 billion. Beijing then retaliated with tariffs worth USD 60 billion on American goods. Both the countries have threatened new waves of tariffs in the near future.

The Trump administration has been slapping tariffs on China, claiming that the US was "being treated unfairly in trade" and accusing Beijing of "stealing intellectual property". China, on the other hand, chided the US for indulging in "trade bullying.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Saturday spoke to Tamil Nadu Health Minister Dr. C Vijaya Baskar regarding the situation in the state caused due to cyclone Gaja and assured all possible help from the Centre.

Earlier in the day, S Balachandran, Deputy Director General of Meteorology (DDGM), India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the cyclone is expected to intensify further by Saturday evening and move further westwards.

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E. Palaniswami regarding the situation in the state and assured all possible help on behalf of the Centre.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister confirmed that 11 people have lost their lives after the landfall of cyclone Gaja. He also announced that the government will provide Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh to those injured severely and Rs 25,000 to people who have suffered minor injuries.

Cyclone Gaja crossed Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast between Nagapattinam and Vedaranniyam on Thursday evening and unleashed mayhem in several districts of the state including Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, and Thanjavur.

Apart from Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh were also impacted by the cyclonic storm which is likely to bring heavy downpour and strong winds to several parts of the region for the next couple of days.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Pune Sessions Court on Saturday granted a 45-day extension to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file charge sheet in activist Narendra Dabholkar murder case.

The court had earlier granted 90-day period, which will expire on November 18, to CBI to file the supplementary charge sheet against five of the six accused.

On Thursday, the CBI told the court that it has invoked terror charges against the accused- Sharad Kalaskar and Sachin Andure-in the case as the murder was committed to create "terror" in the society. The probe agency had also urged the court to grant a further extension of 90 days to file charge sheet against the accused.

The CBI arrested six people including Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member Virendrasinh Tawde, Andure and Kalaskar, in connection with the murder case. The probe agency had filed a charge sheet against Tawde in 2016.

Dabholkar, who was the founder of Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) was shot dead on August 20, 2013, by bike-borne assailants while returning home from a morning walk.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bollywood actor Dalip Tahil offered condolences to the family of his mentor Alyque Padamsee. The renowned advertising professional passed away in Mumbai at 90.

"When I was 14, I came to Mumbai and didn't know anybody. I did theatre for some time and then I met the king of theatre, Padamsee. I started off with him in the industry and he had faith in me as he offered me some great roles. He was my teacher. All that I have achieved in my life is because of Aleque," Tahil told ANI.

"I think Padamsee was and will always remain an iconic figure in India. First and foremost, he was a theatre man and then an advertising man," he added.

Other Bollywood actors, including Boman Irani and Arshad Warsi, also extended their condolences on social media.

Padamsee was best known for his role as Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1982 historical drama 'Gandhi'. Regarded as the Father of Modern Indian Advertising, Padamsee was honoured with Padmashri in 2000 by the President of India.

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Reacting to a federal court's ruling which ordered the White House to reinstate CNN reporter Jim Acosta's press credentials, President Donald Trump on Friday warned the scribe that he could be thrown out if he "misbehaved" at future press conferences.

"Yeah, it's fine. I mean, it's not a big deal," Trump said in an interview with Fox News.

US District Judge Timothy Kelly, in his ruling, ordered the White House to reinstate the scribe's press pass, thereby allowing him to cover events and pressers at the White House.

"What they said though is that we have to create rules and regulations for conduct, etc., etc. We're doing that, were going to write them up right now. It's not a big deal. And if he misbehaves, we'll throw him out or we'll stop the news conference," the US President was quoted by The Hill as saying.

Recalling the verbal spat with Acosta, who is CNN's chief White House correspondent, Trump said, "We had a lot of reporters in that room, many, many reporters in that room and they were unable to ask questions because this guy gets up and starts you know doing what he's supposed to be doing for him and for CNN and you know just shouting out questions and making statements, too."

On Tuesday, CNN filed a lawsuit suing Trump and his associates, seeking an immediate restoration of the press credentials of Acosta. The lawsuit was a response to the White House's suspension of Acosta's press pass, known as a Secret Service "hard pass", last week for an unspecified duration.

The revocation of Acosta's press pass came after a fierce exchange with the US President during a news conference last week. The reporter had repeatedly asked questions on migrant caravan's movement in Central America and Russian investigation, before Trump had ordered an intern to take the mic from Acosta.

The American broadcaster claimed that the removal of Acosta's White House press pass constituted a violation of his First Amendment rights to freely report on the government. CNN also alleged that the administration had violated Acosta's due process rights by revoking his credentials without warning.

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The 12th meeting of India-UK Joint Working Group on counter-terrorism was held in New Delhi on Friday.

The Indian delegation was led by Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary (Counter-Terrorism), Ministry of External Affairs of India, while the United Kingdom's delegation was led by Jane Marriot, Director of the Joint International Counter-Terrorism Unit.

According to a press statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. They exchanged views on current counter-terrorism challenges including countering radicalisation and violent extremism, combating the financing of terrorism and preventing the use of the internet for terrorist purposes. They agreed to strengthen cooperation in dealing with these challenges.

The two sides shared assessment on the prevailing terrorist threats globally and in their region including cross-border terrorism in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.

The two delegations also deliberated upon measures to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation through regular exchange of information, mutual capacity building efforts, sharing of best practices and mutual legal assistance, the statement said.

Cooperation in multilateral fora such as United Nations and Financial Action Task Force was also discussed.

The next India-UK Joint Working Group meeting on counter-terrorism will take place in London in 2019 on a mutually convenient date.

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At least six tourists died and more than 10 were critically injured in a road accident near Hubli on Highway 63.

The accident took place when a bus, carrying a team of Mumbai based travelers, had a head-on collision with a lorry. Six of the tourists, who were headed to Hampi, died at the spot.

The district police rushed to the spot and injured were admitted to the Hubli KIMS hospital for treatment.

The deceased have been identified as Vishwanath (76), Dinkar (74), Ramesh Jaipal (70), Sumedha (65), Lahu (65) and Suchitra (65).

A case has been registered in Annigeri Police Station and an investigation in the matter is underway.

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Her speech Friday effectively puts a stop to the contest.

Abrams would have been Georgia's and the country's first female African American governor and the first Democrat to win a statewide race there since 2000.

The candidate announced she would file a federal suit against Georgia for "gross mismanagement" of the vote.

The latest tally showed Abrams is roughly 55,000 votes behind Kemp - and in need of more than 17,000 votes to force a December 4 runoff. Abrams is no longer affiliated with the group that she says signed up more than 200,000 potential new voters, but majority never made it onto the rolls.

Lawrence-Hardy told the AP that Abrams will weigh legal considerations alongside her belief that many of her backers - particularly minority and poorer voters who don't regularly go to the polls - heeded her call to participate and ran into barriers.

A spokesman for the Kemp campaign didn't answer his phone and didn't immediately respond to a text message seeking comment after Abrams' speech. But even if she knows can't prove it, she continues to say it's why she lost.

A federal judge in Atlanta late Wednesday handed down an emergency injunction ordering that absentee ballots rejected throughout the state because of an inaccurate or missing birth date be validated and tallied. Judge Jones ruled that counties will not be required to accept absentee ballots with incorrect residence addresses and counties will not be compelled to accept provisional ballots cast by people who voted in a different county than where they are registered to vote.

The secretary of state's office has instructed counties to complete the reviews by 5 p.m. Friday. Throughout this process, we have issued detailed guidance to county officials regarding compliance with these orders and, where necessary, recertification of their results. He also declined to order that provisional ballots cast by voters who went to a precinct in the wrong county be counted. To comply with orders by U.S. District Judges Jones and May, all counties were required to count absentee by mail ballots where those ballots were previously rejected exclusively due to missing or inaccurate dates of birth.

The Abrams for Governor campaign released an ad today on their contention that voters faced lots of problems at the polls and encouraging them to report their stories.

They want people to call their voter protection hotline at 1-888-730-5816. Abrams had been fighting to include additional provisional and absentee ballots into the count, hoping that could help her close the roughly 18,000 vote deficit she needed to force a runoff next month.

Kemp's victory allowed the Republican Party to maintain its grip on power in Georgia, which has not elected a Democrat as governor since 1998.

Top Abrams advisers outlined her prospective case to The Associated Press.

Georgia's election law permits the losing candidate to challenge election results based on "misconduct, fraud or irregularities ... sufficient to change or place in doubt the results".

On Friday evening in Atlanta, Abrams held true to that.

The election took place on November 6th and Kemp has even declared himself the victor, but the Abrams campaign and several other organizations have raised issues (and brought lawsuits) concerning strict policies Kemp enforced that prevented people from casting a traditional ballot if their named differed in any way from the name on the voter roll.

Unofficial returns showed Kemp ahead by roughly 60,000 votes out of almost 4 million cast on November 6.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May has appointed Stephen Barclay, a junior health minister, as the new Secretary.

The development comes after Dominic Raab resigned from the post over the draft deal.

May's spokesperson confirmed the news while adding that Barclay would primarily work on getting the British Parliament's approval for the draft agreement, while May would take care of negotiations with the

Similarly, Amber Rudd was appointed as the work and pensions minister in place of Esther McVey who had also tendered in her resignation due to the draft Brexit deal recently agreed on by the UK and the EU.

May has strongly defended her draft deal amid calls for no-confidence and a flurry of resignations.

"This is a deal that delivers on the priorities of the British people," May told reporters at a press conference held after she presented the draft agreement to the British Parliament where Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg launched a tirade against May while submitting a letter of no-confidence.

Around 21 Conservative MPs have called for May's ouster publicly, according to CNN.

The draft agreement includes 185 articles, 3 protocols, several annexes and is 585-pages long.

On June 23, 2016, citizens of the United Kingdom had voted to leave the EU after which the UK had formally notified the European Council of its exit by evoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty on March 29, 2017.

The United Kingdom will leave the EU and all its institutions on March 29, 2019, and move into a 21-month transition period, according to the draft deal.
The Editor's Guild of India has released an updated list of members, which includes names of former Union Minister M. J. Akbar and Tarun Tejpal, both of whom have been alleged of sexual misconduct by their women colleagues.

Senior journalist Gautam Adhikari, who has also been accused of sexual harassment, is also on the list.

This comes despite a number of members of the guild calling for the removal of those who have been accused of sexual harassment by women.

Akbar has been accused of sexual misconduct during his days in the media industry by at least 20 women. The storm around the journalist-turned-politician gathered momentum after the #MeToo campaign raged in India.

The 67-year-old resigned from his post of Minister of State for External Affairs on October 17 owing to the growing flak he faced over the allegations.

The guild had earlier directed Akbar to withdraw the defamation case he had filed against journalist Priya Ramani, who was one of the first women to openly name the former minister.

Former Tehelka editor, Tarun Tejpal was accused of rape by one of his junior colleagues on November 7, 2013. Tejpal allegedly sexually assaulted the complainant in the elevator of the Grand Hyatt in Panaji, where Tehelka was holding its annual Think Fest. A Goa trial court had charged Tejpal with rape, sexual harassment and wrongful restraint to which he had pleaded not guilty.

Earlier in October, the Editor's Guild had, taking note of alleged sexual harassment and assault of women journalists, released a statement condemning all "predatory conduct by such men". It had also assured solidarity with women journalists who have brought the critical issues in public debate.

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The meeting in Moscow last week, which saw the participation of a Taliban delegation and officials from nearly a dozen countries, was the first and positive step towards ensuring a long-lasting peace in Afghanistan, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai said.

Karzai told Kazakhstan State TV on Friday that no representative from the Afghan government had participated in direct negotiations between the Taliban and US officials in Qatar. He also expressed hope that such meetings would break the ice in ending the decades-long war in the country, TOLOnews reported.

"In the peace talks in Moscow, which was the first time such a talk was taking place in a major regional capital of the with the neighbours of Afghanistan all present there including from Kazakhstan and where delegations of the Taliban and delegations of the Afghan Peace Council sat together, the Afghan ambassador was there in that meeting, so, we see it as a positive step, a first step, that will definitely give us results and we hope it will continue to keep convening and keep looking for a solution eventually that suits all of us," Karzai elaborated in the interview.

Karzai's comments came as Zalmay Khalilzad, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador, who is on a four-nation visit to Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar from November 8 to 20, held the second round of talks pertaining to the Afghan peace process.

Khalizad is slated to visit Afghanistan later on Saturday after concluding the deliberations with Afghan, Emirati and Saudi officials in Abu Dhabi. The US envoy also met with Taliban representatives in Doha earlier this week.

During the meeting that was held in Moscow on November 9, the Taliban said that the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan is the only way for maintaining peace and security in the region. Quoting sources, Tolo News reported that the statement was passed by the Taliban representatives who attended the meeting.

A delegation of Afghanistan's High Peace Council (HPC) members, which also attended the summit, in addition, said that the Afghan government would not need the help of any foreign power after peace is established.

The meeting was inaugurated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who looked forward to establishing direct talks between Kabul and the Taliban.

He said that the meeting was aimed at removing the Islamic State (IS) terrorists entirely from Afghanistan that has almost become a permanent base point from where terrorist attacks are being carried out in Central Asia and further.

The Afghan foreign ministry said that the Ashraf Ghani administration would welcome efforts by any country that could help in establishing peace and stability in the war-torn country.

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Three educational institutions that have been built by India were inaugurated in Nepal on Saturday.

The Shree Saraswati Tika Higher Secondary School has been built with an Indian assistance of 37.10 million Nepalese Rupees. Nepal's Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari inaugurated the school in a ceremony that was also attended by Dr Ajay Kumar, the Embassy of India in Nepal's Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) and the Mayor of Kaski Man Bahadur GC in attendance.

On the same day, the DCM and Kaski's Mayor also inaugurated the Shree Laxmi Adarsha Multiple Campus in Lekhnath and the Shree Gupteshwor Mahadev Multiple Campus in Pokhara. India has given 48.40 million Nepali Rupees and 41.10 million Nepali Rupees respectively towards the institutes.

All the institutes have a healthy percentage of girl-students, with Shree Laxmi Adarsha Multiple Campus having a percentage of 85 per cent girl students, while The Gupteshwor Mahadev Multiple Campus' student body comprises 80 per cent girls.

"The newly built infrastructure (Conference Hall, Computer Lab, Library, etc.) will not only boost learning environment for students but also enhance access to to needy, poor and marginalised students of Kaski, Syangia, Parbat, Myagdi, Tanahun districts," an official statement mentioned.

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Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said that his government had no plans to restrict the jurisdiction of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the state.

Parameshwara's remark comes close on the heels of Andhra Pradesh government's decision to withdraw the 'general consent' to the CBI to conduct raids and carry out investigations on the Central establishments in the state.

Talking to reporters, Parameshwara said that "I do not know what drove Andhra Pradesh government to state that the CBI will now have to seek prior permission before entering the state for official work. We have not experienced anything like this. Hence, there is no need to issue such notification."

As per rules under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act of 1946, in accordance with which the CBI was formed, the agency has complete jurisdiction over Delhi, but it can also enter the other states with the 'general consent' of that state governments.

The Andhra Pradesh government earlier on Friday also vested the state investigation agency with the responsibility of CBI duties in the state.

The order was passed by the state government on November 8, three months after it gave the general consent to the CBI to exercise its powers and jurisdiction in the state

The development comes after Naidu pulled out from the Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the demand for 'special status' to Andhra Pradesh.

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Odisha Assembly on Saturday passed a motion to forgive journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra who had allegedly made 'derogatory remarks' against MLAs, Odisha, and the Konark Sun Temple.

On the first day of the Assembly Session, a House Committee which was formed to investigate the matter recommended the remission in its report which was submitted to the Assembly Speaker Pradeep Amat.

On the basis of the Committee's recommendation, a motion to forgive Mitra was moved in the Assembly, which was accepted by the House. It is worth mentioning that he had already apologized before the Committee.

The Committee also recommended providing him books on Odisha's history and culture.

On November 7, a camp court at Jharpada Jail had reserved its verdict on Abhijit Iyer Mitra's bail plea and extended his judicial custody for 14 days.

On November 3, journalist Mitra had deposed before the House Committee of Odisha assembly and submitted an affidavit over his alleged derogatory remarks against the state legislators and the Konark Sun Temple.

On October 23, Mitra was arrested by the Bhubaneshwar Police in connection with the case filed at Saheed Nagar police station over his derogatory remarks against legislators and Konark Sun Temple. He was taken into custody by the state police after he appeared before the House Committee of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.

During a visit to the Konark Sun Temple on September 16 this year, Mitra had posted a satirical video on Twitter, where he made derogatory remarks insulting Odisha, its culture, tradition and the lawmakers.

Mitra was initially arrested by the Odisha Police on September 20 from Delhi on the charges of hurting religious sentiments. A Delhi court later granted him bail against a bond of Rs 1 lakh and directed him to join the investigation at the Konark police station.

He then moved the Supreme Court for bail, where his plea was quashed. On October 11, Mitra wrote an apology letter to the House Committee and the Speaker of the Odisha Assembly over his derogatory remarks and other offenses he is accused of.

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One person was killed in the southeastern French Isere department while 47 others were injured during protests against fuel price hikes in the country.

The French radio station 'France' said that three people were seriously injured.

During the protests, the agitators blocked the main transport highways, petrol stations and suburban supermarkets in some places, reported Sputnik.

The protestors also blocked the way to Charles de Gaulle airport and shut down the main highways of the capital city. The mass staged a demonstration near the Elysee Palace.

According to CNN, France's oil industry federation said that Paris saw a diesel price surge of 16 percent this year, rising from an average of Euro 1.24 per liter to Euro 1.48, and even hitting Euro 1.53 in October.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attended the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih at the National Stadium here. After attending the ceremony, PM Modi left for India.

Marking his maiden visit to the island nation in the Indian Ocean, Modi had reached the Maldives around 15:45 pm in the evening. He congratulated Solih over his win in the recently held Presidential election of Maldives.

Just a day before his scheduled visit, Modi had written a post on his Facebook account, saying "I am delighted to visit Male, the capital of the Republic of Maldives, our close and friendly neighbour, to attend the historic Inauguration Ceremony of President-elect H.E. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih."

"I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Solih the desire of my Government to work closely for realization of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity, and human resource development," he mentioned while reaffirming his faith that his visit will "herald a new era of even closer exchanges and cooperation between our two countries.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend Maldives' President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's swearing-in ceremony today in the island-nation.

Just a day before his scheduled visit, Prime Minister Modi had written a post on Facebook, saying "I am delighted to visit Male, the capital of the Republic of Maldives, our close and friendly neighbour, to attend the historic Inauguration Ceremony of President-elect H.E. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih."

He further congratulated Solih and added that the recent elections in the island nation "represents the collective aspirations of the people of the Republic of Maldives for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future".

"India and Maldives share a strong partnership rooted in history, strong bonds between our peoples, and their shared aspiration for peace and prosperity. My Government's vision of inclusive development 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas' extends to all our neighbours too. We in India strongly desire to see a democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," Prime Minister Modi wrote.

"I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of my Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity, and human resource development," he mentioned while reaffirming his faith that his visit will "herald a new era of even closer exchanges and cooperation between our two countries."

Solih emerged victorious in the high-octane elections held in the island nation on September 23 this year which saw the ouster of outgoing president Abdulla Yameen.

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President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday paid tribute to renowned ad film-maker Alyque Padamsee, who passed away in Mumbai at the age of 90.

President Kovind took to social media to extend his condolences.

"Sorry to hear of the passing of Alyque Padamsee, creative guru, theatre personality and doyen of our ad industry. My condolences to his family, friends and colleagues," read the tweet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief following the demise of the advertising veteran.

"Saddened by the demise of Shri Alyque Padamsee. A wonderful communicator, his extensive work in world of advertising will always be remembered. His contribution to theatre was also noteworthy. My thoughts are with his family and friends in this sad hour," wrote Modi.

Padamsee was best known for his role as Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1982 historcial drama 'Gandhi'. Regarded as the Father of modern Indian advertising, Padamsee was honoured with Padmashri in 2000 by the President of India.

Bollywood actors, including Boman Irani and Arshad Warsi, also extended their condolences on social media.

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Civilians in Hodeidah are facing a military onslaught unless the UN Security Council acts this evening to press the warring parties in Yemen to protect civilians and ensure full humanitarian access, Amnesty International said.

As for the date expected for holding the announced peace talks in Sweden, it will be on November 29 as stated in the draft resolution. "I will also be happy to travel myself, if necessary, with the delegation to the consultations", Griffiths said.

He added that he was close to reaching a deal on an exchange of prisoners and detainees, in a further confidence-building measure in advance of planned talks.

He said all sides to the conflict, including the Houthis, the Yemeni government, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - another main player in the coalition - as well as the worldwide community want the fighting to end.

He said a complete ceasefire was not necessary for peace talks but significant fighting, for example in Hodeidah, would make meaningful dialogue hard.

The Saudi-led coalition has ordered a halt in its offensive against Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen's main port city Hodeidah, three sources said on Thursday, in an apparent concession to Western pressure to end the war.

In the House, Democratic lawmakers voiced frustration Wednesday after Republican leaders blocked debate on a resolution that would direct the president to end the United States military's support of Saudi-led forces within 30 days, and until Congress authorises such support.

This would address concerns from the coalition that the weapons are being smuggled into Yemen for the Huthis through the port.

"We are exhausted of the war, the blood and the killing", Hassan Abdel Kareem, a father of seven, told the AFP news agency.

Eighty percent of food imports to impoverished Yemen pass through Hodeidah.

"He said 'every day about 50 children are brought to us". Nearly 18 million people are considered hungry and 8.4 million severely hungry in Yemen, whose population is 29 million.

The conflict in Yemen began with the 2014 takeover of the capital of Sanaa by the Houthis, which overthrew Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi.

The former British diplomat said he believed it was possible to resolve the near four-year conflict between Houthi rebels, allied with Iran, and government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition, but he warned of dire consequences if efforts fail.

Also both Mark Lowck, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Executive Director of the UN World Food Program, David Beasley are expected to present their reports on Yemen. Otherwise, he warned, "we will be in the position of deciding which children live and which children die". Coalition attacks have also impacted central areas of the city, including around al-Thawra hospital last weekend, an assault which caused hundreds of patients and staff to flee in terror.
Stepping up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi has challenged the former to participate in a debate over the details of the Rafale fighter jets deal signed with the French government.

Speaking to media here on Saturday, Gandhi claimed that the Prime Minister will not be in a position to answer his questions over the alleged scams in the deal.

"I challenge Modi Ji to come on stage anywhere, anytime and debate over Rafale with me for just 15 minutes. I will talk about Anil Ambani, HAL, French President's statements and the pricing of the jets. I will say that Defence Minister said clearly that it's Prime Minister who did it. The Prime Minister did not follow the procedure. The CBI Director was removed at 2 am. He will not be able to answer my questions," he said.

Reiterating his claim, the Congress chief said that Prime Minister Modi's demonetisation drive has benefited few of his "businessmen friends" in the country.

Talking about the unemployment crisis ensuing in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, Gandhi said that the incumbent Chief Minister Raman Singh has failed to provide employment in the state despite ruling for 15 years.

"Raman Singh has been in power for the last 15 years and Prime Minister Modi has completed four and a half years in government at the Centre and both the governments have failed to fulfill their promise to generate employment opportunities for the youth," he said.

Gandhi added that once the Congress party comes to power in the state, government job vacancies will be filled. "After Congress government comes to power, government job vacancies will be filled and it will also stop the practice of outsourcing of jobs, which is being done in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh", he added.

He also promised that within 10 days after coming into power, the Congress party will waive off the loans of Chhattisgarh's farmers. "Secondly, you all were told that you will get a bonus. For the last two years, you have not been getting the same. Not only we will resume this practice, but we will also compensate for the bonus of these two years, which BJP failed to do," he said.

The first phase of voting in Chhattisgarh was held on November 12, while the second phase is due on November 20.

The counting of votes will be held on December 11.

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The Supreme Court on Saturday dismissed the review petition of Odisha's businessman, Mahimananda Mishra seeking modification of the apex court's previous order wherein it refused bail to him in a murder case.

Mahimananda, who is believed to be the second largest billionaire businessman of Odisha was named as an accused in the murder of a shipping company executive, Mahendra Swain in 2016.

"We have carefully gone through the review petition and the connected papers filed therewith. We do not find any ground, whatsoever, to entertain the same. The review petition is, accordingly, dismissed," a division bench of the apex court, headed by Justice L. Nageswara Rao and also comprising Justice Mohan M Shantanagoudar, said, in their order.

On September 23, the top court had dismissed Mahinananda's bail application on the grounds that he might tamper with evidence if he is granted a bail.

Challenging this order, Mahimananda had filed a review petition before the apex court seeking a modification of the same.

Earlier today, Vipin Nair, Advocate on Record (AoR) appearing along with lawyer PB Suresh for Swain, had strongly opposed the bail of Mahimananda on the ground that if the accused would be given bail, he might tamper with evidence and influence the witnesses in the case.

According to the prosecution, there was a business rivalry between Mahimananda and Swain. The prosecution claimed that the murder was committed at the behest of certain people including Mahimananda, who had also threatened to kill Swain.

Ranjeet Kumar, senior Supreme Court lawyer and former Solicitor General, appearing for Mahimananda, argued that he was released on bail in May this year by the Odisha High Court and no further allegations were levelled by the police against him.

"There are no allegations against him of trying to tamper with the evidence or intimidating the witnesses after being granted bail by the Odisha High Court," Kumar said.

He further submitted that there are no allegations of fleeing or absconding against Mahimananda and merely on the apprehension of the police, without any prima facie proof, the liberty of the Mahimananda cannot be curtailed.

Mahimananda's lawyer also argued that any additional condition may be imposed on his client by this court, if necessary as part of the bail.

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Former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden on Saturday voiced his concern over the indictment of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on the basis of unspecified documents. He has been charged in the United States after unsealed court documents inadvertently revealed his name.

Sputnik reported that the former NSA contractor is himself facing capital punishment in the US for leaking classified information on numerous US secret surveillance programmes. He has been granted a political asylum in Russia, at present.

The Justice Department has prepared an indictment against the WikiLeaks founder in which prosecutors inadvertently mentioned charges against him. The information was contained in a court filing in an unrelated case. The charges are unclear since they were not revealed.

Sources confirmed Snowden's concern that the US Justice Department's alleged plans to prosecute Assange may turn out to be a dangerous precedent for stifling press freedom.

Sputnik quoted Snowden, having said in a statement, "Whether you like Assange or hate him, the theories used in a potential Espionage Act prosecution would threaten countless reporters at the New York Times, Washington Post, and the many other news outlets that report on government secrets all the time. While everyone will have to wait and see what the charges detail, it's quite possible core First Amendment principles will be at stake in this case."

Edward Snowden, who leaked classified information on numerous US secret surveillance programs in 2013, faces espionage charges in the US and may face life imprisonment or even capital punishment if he is ever tried on the US soil. The political asylum he received from Russia later that year is expected to expire in 2020 unless extended.

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Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday wrote to Home Minister Rajnath Singh and sought the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) security cover for Congress leader and Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu citing 'growing threat perception to his life.'

In the letter, Surjewala has claimed that the there has been a marked escalation in the threats to Sidhu since he left the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and joined the Congress.

"Now that Sidhu is a legislator and a senior Cabinet minister of the Congress party as also an outspoken critic of Modi government's policies, there seems to be a growing threat perception to his life. As the Congress party's campaigner, Sidhu is traveling extensively throughout the country during elections as also on other party programmes on a regular basis," a portion of the letter by Surjewala reads.

The letter further outlines the fact that security provided to him by the Punjab government isn't extendable throughout the country. "While the state of Punjab has provided him adequate security, Punjab Police personnel cannot be assigned the responsibility of security in rest of India," reads the letter.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu said that the BJP is a puppet for the wealthy and influential people, adding that the party's intent and policies are aimed at further enhancing the wealth of the rich.

Sidhu also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was jealous of him as Imran Khan did not invite him to attend his swearing-in ceremony as Pakistan's Prime Minister.

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Ruling out the possibility of tying up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the Congress to form the government in Chhattisgarh, former state chief minister and Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) founder Ajit Jogi on Saturday asserted that his party's alliance with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Communist Party of India (CPI) would get absolute majority.

"Our (JCC, BSP and CPI) alliance is very strong and is fully confident of getting an absolute majority in the state," Jogi said at a press conference here.

"We will not extend support to BJP or the Congress. Our alliance is capable of forming a government," he added.

On September 20, BSP supremo Mayawati, at a press conference, nominated Jogi as the chief ministerial candidate. A pre-poll alliance between the BSP and JCC was also announced on the same day. Around eight months prior to this, Jogi too had reportedly said that he would contest from the Rajanandgaon seat against incumbent Chief Minister Raman Singh.

However, Jogi's son Amit, on October 19, announced that his father will not contest the upcoming state assembly elections, but will instead campaign for the alliance parties.

Last month, the JCC had also announced an alliance with the CPI in order to strengthen their foothold in the Naxal-hit Bastar region.

The first phase of elections in Chhattisgarh comprising of 18 seats, distributed in eight Naxal-affected districts, was held on November 12. Polling for the remaining 72 seats is scheduled for November 20, and the counting of votes will take place on December 11. A total of 1,291 candidates are in the fray.

In 2013 assembly elections, the BJP bagged 49 seats, Congress got 39, Bahujan Samajwadi Party and an Independent candidate got one seat each in the 90-member assembly.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP), an ally of the (BJP), said on Saturday that all was not well in the NDA in and that it would not tolerate insults anymore.

Ahead of RLSP's state executive meeting in Patna, party spokesman Madhav Anand said: "The RLSP will not tolerate insult anymore by the BJP."

The party meeting comes a day after RLSP chief and Union Minister Upender Kushwaha failed to meet BJP president in

"Kushwaha tried to meet twice to discuss some issues but he was not given time for it," the spokesman said.

Upon his return from the national capital, Kushwaha told the media that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United (JD-U) has been trying to split the RLSP and to destroy him.

"Attempt is being made to split the RLSP as is hell-bent to destroy me," the Minister said.

There were speculation that Kushwaha was scheduled to make an announcement regarding his continuation in the NDA.

"There will be a big explosion by Kushwaha, it will come as a big setback for the BJP," RLSP Nagmani said.

The grand alliance of the Rashtriya (RJD), and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) were hopeful that the RLSP will join them soon.
Amid a show of strength by two warring Chautala brothers, elder brother Ajay Singh Chautala on Saturday announced he and his sons will float a new political party next month. With this, the split in the INLD's first family is official.

The INLD is Haryana's main opposition party. Dushyant and Digvijay Chautala are the great-grandsons of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal.

Ajay Chautala, who had been expelled from the Indian National Lok Dal by his father and the party's national president Om Prakash Chautala on Wednesday, said the new party would be announced at a rally on December 9.

"I wish well for Billu (younger brother Abhay Singh Chautala) with the INLD. We will float a new political party next month," Ajay Chautala told his supporters who had gathered in Jind town, about 190 km from Chandigarh, on Saturday.

Ajay had called a meeting of party office-bearers and supporters in Jind on Saturday for a show of strength after his two sons, Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala and his younger brother, Digvijay Chautala, were expelled from the INLD by Om Prakash Chautala on Nov 2.

Ajay Chautala, who came out from Tihar prison on parole recently, was expelled from the party on Wednesday for "anti-party activities" after he remained adamant on holding the rebel meeting and rally in Jind. Ajay was also removed as the secretary general of the party.

Following a parallel meeting of INLD legislators and leaders in Chandigarh on Saturday, Abhay Singh Chautala, the younger son of Om Prakash Chautala, said the developments of the day had clearly shown where affiliations of party leaders were.

At least 15 INLD legislators attended the party meeting held in Chandigarh by the Abhay Chautala camp.

An INLD spokesman later said that only three legislators and four district presidents "failed" to turn up.

"I have no ambitions to be the chief minister. I tried my best to unite the party leadership," Abhay Chautala said on Saturday.

At the parallel meeting in Jind, Ajay's legislator wife Naina Chautala and MP son Dushyant Chautala attended while most other top leaders stayed away.

INLD state president Ashok Arora had on Wednesday termed the meeting called by Ajay Chautala on November 17 at Jind as "unconstitutional and illegal."

The action against them followed activities of both youth leaders and their supporters when they tried to project Dushyant as the chief ministerial face in Haryana for assembly polls next year.

O.P. Chautala and his elder son, Ajay, were convicted in the JBT (junior basic teacher) recruitment scam in January 2013. Both were sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Central Bureau of Investigation court in Delhi.

The father and son have been barred from contesting elections due to the conviction.

The INLD has been managed by Chautala's younger son Abhay Singh Chautala, who has been the leader of opposition in the Haryana Assembly, since then.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Argentine Defence Minister Oscar Aguad on Saturday admitted that the government lacks the means to refloat the ARA San Juan submarine, which was found this morning in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean a year after it disappeared, and said the next steps will be to gather all the information possible and consider what to do.

"I'd say no, we don't have the means. We don't have the undersea equipment. Nor do we have ROVs (remotely operated underwater vehicles) that can reach those depths. Nor do we have the equipment to haul up a ship of this kind," Aguad told a press conference in Buenos Aires, reports Efe.

For his part, navy Chief of Staff Jose Luis Villan said that refloating the sub, as the families of the crew members demand, has two limits: the legal one, since it is the judge investigating what happened to the ARA San Juan who must decide exactly when the wreck can be removed, and the other is the technical one.

"When we originally asked the company (Ocean Infinity, put in charge of the search two months ago), its people said that while they had some clues, they had neither the exact location nor the exact depth nor the exact mass of the ship that would have to be refloated," and asked for "prudence" since they only had preliminary information, Villan said.

Aguad said the next steps are to get all the documentation in the hands of the US company to study it and "see what to do," adding that the government wants to discover the truth and do the right thing, since everyone, but mostly the families "of the 44 heroes," need to know what happened.

For months a court has attempted to determine what really went wrong with the submarine, as did the navy and an investigative commission in Congress.

The navy, which confirmed that the place the sub imploded at some 500km (300 miles) off the coast in an area of undersea canyons about 900 meters (3,000 feet) deep, coincides with the area from which the commander of the ARA San Juan communicated with those onshore for the last time on Nov. 15, 2017.

"All the ships (at the beginning of the search in 2017) concentrated on this area since there was almost no doubt about the submarine's route because of its last contact with those onshore and because of the place an explosion was reported," Aguad said.

He said they were notified last Thursday night that the company had reviewed all the maps it had and found the point of interest.

"The company said it was ordered to return to the spot where a promising sighting was made," Aguad said, adding that it was last night at midnight when naval authorities confirmed that the image was the missing submarine.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday lashed out at banks saying they are not making financial closures for infrastructure projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore despite a "golden opportunity" and blamed the Reserve Bank for creating "more complications".

"One problem presently I am facing is -- We have at least 150 projects with cost involvement of Rs 2 lakh crore. The financial closures in the banks is becoming a very tough thing for the investor," he said at the ET Awards for Corporate Excellence.

The Minister flagged the funding problem a day before the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is to hold its board meeting in the backdrop of a tiff with the central government on several issues including a liquidity crunch and placement of limits on extension of loans on some banks.

"It is the appropriate time for the Reserve Bank to support infrastructure in the country as far as growth rate is concerned. But many times the circulars issued by the Reserve Bank are creating more complications," the Minister said.

Gadkari said there were 403 projects with a cost involvement of Rs 3.85 lakh crore when he took charge as the minister and his department, which had a good track record, alone saved the Indian bankers from non-performing assets (NPA) of about Rs 3 lakh crore.

Further, he said while bankers supported the contractors when they were not in a good position and there were several other problems like land acquisition and environment issues, they are not doing it now when things have improved and there is a good response.

"... the economic situation is good, the government is transparent, decision making process is fast and it is a golden opportunity for the investors and contractors. I don't know what is the reason that the banks are not making financial closures," the Minister said.

Gadkari said if the banks were to support the infrastructure projects, his department, which contributed 3 per cent to the country's GDP last fiscal, would account for 3.5 per cent.

"If the banks support me, I am giving the guarantee that my department will make 3.5 per cent of contribution in the GDP. All projects are economically viable, IRR (rate of return) is good but this (financial closure) is the problem," he said.

Asked whether he brought up the issue with RBI Governor Urjit Patel, Gadkari said it was not his job and he did not want to meet him due to a bad experience.

"My experience is not good. There is no point in meeting him. One should meet those where there is some benefit, some work gets done," he said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 10-member inter-ministerial central team (IMCT) began visiting 17 drought-hit districts across Karnataka for spot assessment of the losses incurred by farmers and the people, an official said on Saturday.

"The 10-member team, divided into three groups are on a three-day tour of the 17 drought-hit districts in the state to assess the grim situation arising out of deficit monsoon rains," a senior revenue official told IANS.

The team, led by Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare Joint Secretary Amitabh Gautam, has been split into three groups to visit the affected districts simultaneously.

The first group is visiting Ballari, Davangere, Raichur and Yadgir; second group Bagalkote, Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag and Vijapura; and third group Chikaballapura, Chitradurga, Kolara and Tumukuru.

"The central team will meet state officials of the departments concerned on Monday in Bengaluru for discussing the drought situation in the state for the report to be submitted to the Prime Minister's Office," the official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 10 assured a state delegation, led by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, in New Delhi that he would send the team to assess the damage caused by drought in 17 interior and northern districts of the state.

"The delegation sought Rs 2,000 crore package for rehabilitation and rebuilding of infrastructure in the affected regions in the state from the central government," said the official.

A cabinet sub-committee assessed the losses due to drought and sent a report to the central government for relief aid in October.

State Revenue Minister R.V. Deshpande, Public Works Department Minister H.D; Revanna, Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Byre Gowda were part of the delegation.

The Chief Minister also told Modi that half the state's area faced drought due to weak monsoon.

The state has been facing drought conditions during the last 13 years. As per preliminary estimates, 15 lakh hectares of agricultural and horticultural crops have been affected, with an estimated loss of Rs 8,000 crore.

"There has been a prolonged dry spell in September, which resulted in about 50 per cent crop production loss," Deshpande said earlier.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Global growth is shadowed by protectionism and unilateralism", Xi told delegates, saying that erecting barriers and cutting ties was a short-sighted approach doomed to fail.

Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday on a visit to Papua New Guinea. which is hosting the APEC regional summit. that the U.S. would join forces in the project.

"History has shown that confrontation, whether in the form of a Cold War, hot war, or trade war will produce no winners", Xi said. Sign-up now and enjoy one (1) week free access! He said the USA was working to improve relations with Beijing, and pointed to Trump's upcoming meeting with Xi as an opportunity for progress.

We don't drown our partners in a sea of debt, we don't coerce, corrupt or compromise your independence.

China's growing military prowess and debt-fueled economic aid to smaller countries has increased concerns that it could seek a base for its armed forces in the Pacific or Indian Oceans.

Pence tweeted that he would discuss "Trump's commitment to prosperity, security and freedom in the Indo-Pacific".

The Chinese leader also took a direct swipe at US President Donald Trump's administration.

Trump is set to meet Xi at the G20 summit in Argentina next month.

Xi also defended his country's massive "Belt and Road" infrastructure initiative amid attacks that it is akin to "chequebook diplomacy" to further Chinese interests in the region.

The White House says its tariffs are a response to China's "unfair" trade policies.

But on Saturday Xi appeared to give no concessions to United States complaints that China's technology advances had been built on intellectual property theft.

Xi and Trump are set to meet in two weeks during the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires, a face-to-face laden with high stakes as the USA and China try to settle the escalating trade war.

US President Donald Trump has chose to skip the APEC summit, which some critics say has left the stage free for China to bolster its influence in the region.

"China has taken advantage of the United States for many, many years and those days are over", he told the meeting of world leaders.

"By withdrawing from multilateral trade agreements and pursuing unilateral tit-for-tat tariffs that are damaging not just for the USA and China, but for the broader regional and global trading system, the Trump administration is putting itself at odds with America's Asian allies and partners", he said. "And just like America, always put your country first", he said, adding that the United States was a better investment partner.
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi challenged the Congress to appoint a non-Gandhi as party president for five years, former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday listed out the names of Congress presidents from outside the Gandhi family.

Chidambaram, in a series of tweets, also said that he was "grateful" that the Prime Minister is concerned about who is elected as Congress President, questioning if Modi will spend half the time and speak about demonetisation, Goods and Services Tax (GST), Rafale, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

"To jog PM Modi's memory: among the Congress Presidents since 1947 were Acharya Kripalani, Pattabhi Sitaramayya, Purushottamdas Tandon, U. N. Dhebar, Sanjiva Reddy, Sanjivaiah ... Kamaraj, Nijalingappa, C. Subramanian, Jagjivan Ram, Shankar Dayal Sharma, D.K. Barooah, Brahmananda Reddy, P.V. Narasimha Rao and Sitaram Kesri," he said.

The senior Congress leader also said that the party was proud of the humble origins of post-Independence leaders like "Babasaheb Ambedkar, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Kamaraj, Manmohan Singh and many others. Pre-Independence, there were thousands like them".

Attacking the Prime Minister, he said: "Grateful that PM Modi is concerned about who is elected as Congress President and he devotes a lot of time talking about it. Will he spend half the time and speak about demonetisation, GST, Rafale, CBI and the RBI?

"Will PM Modi speak about farmers' suicides, massive unemployment, lynchings, rape crimes against women and children, anti-Romeo squads, gau rakshak vigilantism and increasing terror attacks?"

Modi, on Friday, hit the party after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's remarks that a "chaiwala" (tea-seller) became Prime Minister because of Jawaharlal Nehru's commitment to democracy.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The opposition CPI-M on Saturday held a massive protest rally here, and threatened to launch an agitation if the workers of the ruling BJP continued to physically attack the Left cadre.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leaders alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers on Thursday and Friday attacked South Tripura Zilla Sabhadhipati Himanshu Roy and party legislator Narayan Chowdhury at Belonia and Bishalgarh respectively.

The ruling BJP, however, denied these allegations, saying that the CPI-M was only trying to malign the state government and the party.

According to the CPI-M leaders, at least 50 party members were seriously injured in these violent attacks and the vehicles of the Zilla Sabhadhipati and the MLA were also damaged.

CPI-M leader Pabitra Kar told reporters here on Saturday that since the BJP-led alliance came to power in Tripura in March, the ruling party workers backed by their MLAs and leaders have been attacking the Left workers, damaging thousands of houses, shops, and business establishments.

"Today (Saturday), we organised a protest rally. If the attacks continue, we would organise a massive agitation not only within the state but in other parts of the country as well," said Kar, a former Deputy Speaker of the Tripura assembly.

He said that a CPI-M delegation led by deputy leader of the assembly Badal Chowdhury recently met Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb over the issue.

"Over 7,000 CPI-M cadre have fled their residential areas due to the repeated attacks by the BJP workers. An unprecedented economic crisis has been prevailing in the state as rural jobs have almost vanished," Kar alleged.

Hundreds of CPI-M and other Left party offices were either damaged or have been forcibly occupied by the BJP workers over the past nine months, he charged.

According to a statement by the CPI-M, a meeting was organised at the party office in Bishalgarh on Friday to commemorate the November Revolution. The meeting was addressed by CPI-M Politburo Member and former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.

"Around 200 BJP workers gathered in front of the venue of the meeting and shouted threatening slogans for several hours. Later, the BJP workers attacked many CPI-M members when they were about to participate in the programme or leaving the venue after the event," the statement added.

BJP spokesman Nabendu Bhattacharjee said that the CPI-M has hatched a conspiracy to malign the state government and the ruling party.

"In both Belonia and Bishalgarh incidents, the frustrated CPI-M cadre who nursed grievances against the party leaders attacked their comrades. Both the incidents were pre-planned. Over 15 BJP workers were also injured in the CPI-M attack and police lathicharge," he told the media.

According to Bhattacharjee, no BJP worker was involved in these incidents.

--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 on Saturday said that he would welcome a government shutdown if Congress does not approve funding for a wall on the US-Mexico border, media reported.

Trump made those remarks to reporters before travelling to Northern California to get a first-hand look at the wildfires that have claimed 74 lives and left more than 1,000 missing.

"We're talking about border wall, we're talking about quite a big sum of money, about $5 billion," the head of state said, reports Efe.

"I think probably, if I was ever going to do a shutdown over border security, when you look at the caravans, when you look at the mess, when you look at the people coming in, this would be a very good time to do a shutdown."

Trump said, however, that he did not think that would be needed and that he could get support for a wall from the opposition Democratic Party.

"I don't think it's going to be necessary, because I think the Democrats will come to their senses, and if they don't come to their senses, we will continue to win elections," he said, noting that the GOP kept its majority in the Senate in the November 6 legislative balloting.

The Democrats, however, won back control of the House of Representatives from the Republicans in that mid-term vote.

Trump's legislative allies are expected to include funds for a border wall in the remaining appropriations bills that the lame-duck Congress must approve by a December 7 deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, has said repeatedly that he would like to secure approval for $5 billion in wall-related appropriations.

But Democrats, whose support is needed because appropriations bills require 60 votes in the 100-seat Senate and Republicans have a slim 51-49 majority, have said they will only accept $1.6 billion in additional funding.

A total of $1.6 billion in funding for the border wall, Trump's signature campaign promise, was approved in July 2017 as part of a $658 defence spending bill.

The new Congress will convene on January 3.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief of Islamic Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, Yehia Sinwar on Friday warned Israel not to wage any future military offensive on the enclave that his movement has been ruling since 2007, media reported.

Sinwar's warning was made during a popular eulogy for seven Hamas militants who were killed on November 11 in a gun battle with a special Israeli army undercover force in east of the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis.

The eulogy ceremony was held near the house of Noor Baraka, the top Hamas militant, who was among the seven killed in the gun battle, reports Xinhua news agency.

The ceremony was attended by the Egyptian security intelligence delegation.

"I advise the occupation (Israel) not to repeat the experience of sending a special military undercover force because next time we will clean the Israeli prisons," said Sinwar, referring to kidnapping soldiers and exchanging them for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

In response to the killing of seven Hamas militants, Hamas armed wing and other Gaza-based militant groups fired barrages of rockets into Israel.

Israeli war planes fired back and destroyed around 80 buildings and constructions that belong to Hamas, including its television station and other security headquarters.

"It is the first time in the history of the Palestinian armed struggle that 13 Palestinian armed wings in the Gaza Strip worked together in one joint operation room," said Sinwar, referring to 400 rockets fired in two days into Israel.

Sinwar went on saying that the Israeli blockade that had been imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2007 has to be ended, adding that "it will end by the peaceful marches of return, and if not, we have other means and methods to break it."

Sinwar said that he has sent a message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and "his new defense minister" that "Gaza only prepares death for you and the rockets of resistance have become more in terms of numbers, accurate and destructive."

Meanwhile, Sinwar called on Fatah Party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, his movement's rival, and all other Palestinian factions to sit together at one table, end internal division and agree on unity and partnership.

Earlier on Friday, 23 Palestinians were shot and wounded by Israeli soldiers' gunfire during the weekly protests, known as "the Marches of Return and Breaking the Israeli Siege," in eastern Gaza Strip close to the border with Israel.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Seen as a fresh revival of ties between India and the Maldives, the two countries agreed to work on peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and new Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Saturday.

"The two leaders, while noting the resilience of the relations between India and the Maldives, expressed confidence in the renewal of the close bonds of cooperation and friendship with the election of Solih as the President of the Maldives," a joint statement issued following the meeting said.

"During their meeting, both leaders agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean and being mindful of each other's concerns and aspirations for the stability of the region," it stated.

"The two leaders expressed their unwavering commitment and support for increased cooperation in combating terrorism both within the region and elsewhere."

Prior to the meeting, Modi attended the swearing-in ceremony of Solih in the Maldives' capital.

Modi was the senior-most foreign leader to attend the ceremony in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation that went through immense political turmoil under former President Abdulla Yameen.

This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives and the first prime ministerial visit from India to that country since 2011.

Solih, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, emerged victorious over Yameen. His term is expected to continue until 2023. He is the seventh President of the Maldives and the third to be elected under the country's new Constitution.

Following his victory in the Maldives presidential election in September, Solih invited Modi to attend his swearing-in ceremony during a telephonic conversation.

The island nation's relations with India became strained during Yameen's rule, with tensions peaking after New Delhi criticised Male's refusal to enforce a Supreme Court ruling quashing the convictions of nine opposition figures, among them former President Mohamed Nasheed, who had gone into exile.

Nasheed returned to his country following Solih's election.

During his speech after the swearing-in, Solih, speaking in Dwivehi, said that his country "will endeavour to fortify existing ties with India".

"Maldives will hereupon bolster its shared role to retain enduring peace and harmony of the Indian Ocean," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar quoted him as saying.

During the swearing-in, Nasheed sat beside Modi and the two were seen chatting animatedly. Former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunge was also sitting along with them.

Under Nasheed, relations between India and the atoll nation had improved greatly.

Former President Yameen was seen as anti-India and pro-China while new President Solih is perceived to be pro-India.

China's increased influence in the Indo-Pacific region sent ripples around capitals across the world. India, the US, Japan and Australia then last year revived a quad they had formed to work for peace and prosperity in the region.

Solih greeted Modi with a warm embrace at the presidential office ahead of their meeting after the swearing-in ceremony.

According to the joint statement, Modi thanked Solih for the special gesture of inviting him to the inauguration ceremony.

"President Solih also briefed Prime Minister Modi on the dire economic situation facing the country as he takes office," it stated.

"The two leaders discussed ways in which India can continue development partnership, particularly to help the new government in meeting its pledges to the people of the Maldives."

Solih highlighted the pressing need for increased housing and infrastructure development as well as for establishing water and sewerage systems in the outlying islands.

On his part, Modi assured Solih of "India's firm commitment in assisting the Maldives to achieve sustainable social and economic development".

"He also conveyed India's readiness to extend help in every possible way and suggested that both sides should meet at the earliest to work out details as per requirements of the Maldives," the statement said.

Modi also welcomed the expanding opportunities for Indian companies to invest in the Maldives in different sectors for the mutual benefit of both countries.

Under Yameen, the Maldives, like several other countries in the region, had come under a debt trap under Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) infrastructure push.

According to the joint statement, the Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs will make an official visit to India on November 26 to hold further discussions and to prepare for the forthcoming state visit of Solih to India.

Solih also invited Modi to make an official visit to the Maldives in the near future which the latter accepted.

Earlier in the day, Modi was accorded a red carpet welcome on his arrival here with the Speaker of the Maldives Parliament, Qasim Ibrahim, receiving him at the airport.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal was on Saturday stopped by authorities from entering Haryana's Karnal district after protesters from the state's ruling BJP blocked a road that he was to take.

The local authorities stopped Kejriwal's cavalcade in Panipat district itself, around 85 km from Delhi, citing security reasons.

AAP Haryana convener Naveen Jaihind told media that the authorities did not remove the BJP protesters but instead prevented Kejriwal from moving ahead.

The BJP protesters blocked the road near the Munak Canal. Many protesters carried posters asking Kejriwal to go back. They also carried black flags.

Assandh sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Anurag Dhalia defended the action to stop Kejriwal saying that it was done due to security reasons and to prevent a law-and-order situation.

The BJP activists were enraged by statements made by Kejriwal on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal issue on which he did not support Haryana's demand for water through the SYL canal.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Bigg Boss" fame contestant Manu Punjabi will host a YouTube show titled "No filter Batein".

Excited about the show, Manu said in a statement: "'No Fileter Batein' will be a chat show where people will come and talk about the turning points of their life. They will expose their their life incidences which can be motivating for others."

Manu was last seen hosting "Date To Remember".

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Gautam Rode loses voice on set of 'Kaal...'

Television actor Gautam Rode lost his voice while shooting for the second season of "Kaal Bhairav Rajasya".

Gautam had to shout and speak dialogues loudly for the character of Veervardhan and this eventually took a toll on his health.

But this didn't stop him from shooting as he feels "it comes as a part and parcel of the industry".

"I always believed in playing a character that look real and convincing. Even for the shoot of 'Kaal Bhairav', where I had to shout on the top of my voice and be rough, the makers insisted to give a fake shot, however I disagreed and decided to keep it real.

"Of course, such characters have a toll on the health and its own consequences, but I think it comes as a part and parcel of the industry. I have been drinking hot water and taking medicines to have a better voice and throat," Gautam said in a statement.

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Niyati Fatnani plays challenging role in 'Nazar'

Actress Niyati Fatnani, who is currently playing the double role of Daivik Pia and Chudail Dilruba in the supernatural show "Nazar", finds it challenging to play distinct characters simultaneously.

"When I heard that I would be playing a dual role on the show, I was excited and happy that I would get a chance to challenge myself as an actor. I even had some tutorial sessions on understanding it, and practised the laugh and the evil expressions...

"As challenging as it is to play two distinct characters simultaneously, I loved every bit of donning this dual responsibility on screen. I am glad that I got an opportunity to venture into an unknown territory and try something so different," Niyati said in a statement.

StarPlus show "Nazar" also features actors Monalisa and Sreejita De in pivotal roles.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy on Saturday promised action in the recent murderous attack on Agnes Kharshiing, a frontline women's rights activist, and her aide campaigning against alleged illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state.

"I will do whatever is necessary and whatever action I have to take. But more than that, I am not at the liberty to say anything to you," he told journalists.

He said he will discuss the issue with Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and the Director General of Police R Chandranathan.

On November 8, Kharshiing along with Sangma and Kurbah were brutally assaulted by a group of people after the activist lodged a complaint on the illegal mining and transportation of coal in the district.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered an interim ban on "rat-hole" coal mining in Meghalaya from April 17, 2014, after the All Dimasa Students' Union and the Dima Hasao District Committee filed an application before it, alleging that the water of the Kopili river was turning acidic due to coal mining in the Jaintia Hills.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has said he will consult his cabinet colleagues whether the murder attempt on Kharshiing warrants a judicial or a CBI probe.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attended the swearing-in ceremony of new Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih here.

Modi was the senior-most foreign leader to attend the ceremony in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation that went through immense political turmoil under former President Abdulla Yameen.

Solih, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, emerged victorious over Yameen. His term is expected to continue until 2023. He is the seventh President of the Maldives and the third to be elected under the country's new Constitution.

The island nation's relations with India became strained during Yameen's rule, with tensions peaking after New Delhi criticised Male's refusal to enforce a Supreme Court ruling quashing the convictions of nine opposition figures, among them former President Mohamed Nasheed, who had gone into exile.

Nasheed returned to his country following Solih's election.

During the swearing-in ceremony, Nasheed sat beside Modi and the two were seen chatting animatedly. Former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunge was also sitting along with them.

Under Nasheed, relations between India and the atoll nation had improved greatly.

Former President Yameen was seen as anti-India and pro-China while new President Solih is perceived to be pro-India.

Following his victory in the Maldives presidential election in September, Solih invited Modi to attend his swearing-in ceremony during a telephonic conversation.

Earlier in the day, Modi was accorded a red carpet welcome on his arrival here with the Speaker of the Maldives Parliament, Qasim Ibrahim, receiving him at the airport.

--IANS

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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday filed a fresh chargesheet against two people for smuggling high-quality fake Indian currency notes (FICN) in 2015.

NIA filed the third supplementary chargesheet against Saddam Hossain, 24, a resident of Kamrup district in Assam, and Syed Imran, 27, of Mandya district in Karnataka before the Special Court in Vijayawada.

NIA has charged them under Sections 489B (using as genuine, forged or counterfeit currency notes or bank notes), 489C (possession of forged or counterfeit currency notes or bank notes) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and various provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

The case relates to the seizure of high-quality fake currency notes of face value Rs 5,01,500 by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in Vizag from the possession of Saddam Hossain while he was returning from Malda in Guwahati-Bangalore Super-fast Express on September 21, 2015.

NIA had earlier filed two chargesheets naming Saddam Hossain, Amirul Hoque, Roustam alias Rustam SK and Mohammed Hakim.

The NIA alleged that the accused had hatched a criminal conspiracy with the intention to threaten the monetary stability of the country by procuring and circulating high- quality fake Indian currency notes.

--IANS

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Police say 47 people have been injured across France as demonstrators hit the streets in protest at gas price increases.

The protester was killed when a driver caught in traffic accelerated in a panic at Pont-de-Beauvoisin, near Chambery, said Louis Laugier, the top state official in the eastern Savoie region.

According to the French Ministry of Internal Affairs, about 1,000 protests are now underway, in which 50,000 people are taking part across the country.

Drivers in France are protesting rising fuel taxes by blocking roads across the country. Officials said 24 people have been detained and 17 held for questioning.

An estimated 50,000 demonstrators were participating in the protests, and some incidents occurred as drivers not taking part tried to get around the blockades, police sources said.

"This isn't just about fuel prices, this is about President Macron and his government and also this feeling of a division between what many describe as the urban elite, represented by President Macron, and ordinary working people". In the northern town of Hazebrouck, a lorry driver mounted a pavement and injured two protesters.

Protesters pledged to target tollbooths, roundabouts and the bypass that rings Paris on Saturday.

The government sent in police to monitor tens of thousands of gathering points, some non-declared in advance and therefore illegal. "There are too many taxes in this country", he told The Associated Press.

Named for the high-visibility jackets worn by the protesters, the "yellow vests" say they are being squeezed by years of fuel tax increases that have driven prices to levels not seen since the early 2000s.

The taxes they are angry about are part of President Emmanuel Macron's strategy to move France away from fossil fuels.

"We've had enough of it".
Ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar should hand over charge since the state administration under his leadership has been paralysed for eight months, a BJP ally said here on Saturday.

"The central committee of the party has resolved to urge the government to find a replacement for Parrikar, who is ill, at the earliest," Deepak Dhavaliakar, President of the ruling alliance party Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), told the media after a meeting of the central committee.

"Because of his illness, administration has been paralysed for eight months. He should hand over charge to someone else as soon as possible."

Parrikar is suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer and has been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New York and Delhi for nearly nine months.

He returned from New Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences on October 14 and has not moved out of his private residence, for any official event since.

The Opposition as well ruling coalition allies have demanded the Chief Minister's resignation, claiming that the administration has come to a standstill.

Expressing support for mining dependants in the state, Dhavalikar said that his party would participate in an upcoming protest meet at Delhi's Jantar Mantar grounds, during the forthcoming winter session of Parliament, to seek resumption of the banned mining sector.

"The MGP will participate in the protest meet by mining dependants at Jantar Mantar in solidarity with mining dependants seeking resumption of mining in Goa," he said.

Mining in Goa was banned in February by the Supreme Court, faulting the state government for irregularities in granting second renewals of 88 mining leases, while also directing the state government to allot the mining leases afresh.

BJP leaders in the state as well as National President of the party Amit Shah has assured that the Centre will work out a mechanism to resume mining in Goa at the earliest.

Resumption of mining in Goa is a key issue in the coastal state in the lead up to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

--IANS

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Pune police on Saturday arrested Maoist ideologue Varavara Rao here for his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A police team from Pune arrested the revolutionary writer after searching his house and took him to Pune on a transit warrant.

The arrest was made after his extended house arrest came to an end.

The police took the action a day after the Hyderabad High Court refused to set aside the transit remand order issued by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Hyderabad, on August 28 facilitating the Maharashtra Police to take Rao to Pune.

The police had arrested Varavara Rao on August 28 and taken him to Pune. The same day Pune police had conducted raids on some other activists across the country for their alleged links with Maoists.

The Supreme Court had directed the police to keep the activists under house arrest. Following the apex court order, Varavara Rao was brought back and kept under house arrest.

--IANS

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Ace designer Raghavendra Rathores Gurukul School of Design (GSD) hosted a workshop celebrating comic book legend Stan Lee and puppetry with young design students.

Gurukul School of Design, Jaipur, which has been founded by lifestyle designer Raghavendra Rathore and later, was joined by Amrapali Jewels as partners, will conduct a very special workshop themed "Celebrating Stan Lee and the endangered Art of Puppetry", a statement said.

As many as 29 young design enthusiasts and students from Pune attended the workshop hosted at the GSD campus on Saturday.

Actor and ex-Miss India Worldwide Shivani Wazir Pasrich interacted and engaged with the students on the unique philosophy of GSD, the journey of becoming a fashion entrepreneur and importance of well-rounded

The session was followed by the workshop where the students created concepts by drawing inspiration from their favourite Marvel characters through the traditional craft of puppetry.

Manoj Bhat and his family, known for showcasing the dying craft of puppetry at heritage properties in Jaipur, will engage and educate students on the technicality of making a kathpuli/puppet along with translating the traditional craft into a modern design.

Their final creative concept will be followed with a 15 min puppet show.

"The mind of a designer is like a sponge that keeps absorbing constantly. Any cues on aesthetics that are unique & selective, trigger imaginative storms in the mind. At GSD we inspire young design enthusiasts to use the old to create something new and extraordinary..

"Through this puppetry workshop, the students celebrated Stan Lee and worked with the age old art of puppet making to rethink designs," said Rathore in a statement.

Tarang Arora, Amrapali Jewels and Partner, GSD noted that "Anything can trigger the design process, From small artefacts, textures on walls, or crafts, all connect to create new interpretations of fashion.

"We at GSD aim at working with this unique curriculum and allow students to immerse in understanding the dying arts of India. This way their designs will carry traditions and yet cater to the modern times we live in," said Arora.

Known for co-creating Marvel's beloved superheroes like Spider-Man, The X-Men, The Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Daredevil, Black Panther and Doctor Strange, Lee died at the age of 95 after suffering from Pneumonia.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Rajasthan Congress on Saturday suspended party leader Spardha Chaudhary after she accused state party chief Sachin Pilot of taking money for ticket distribution.

Livid at being denied a ticket despite assurances from the party for fielding her from Phulera, Chaudhary accused Pilot of irregularities in ticket distribution while her supporters staged a demonstration outside Congress President Rahul Gandhi's residence in the national capital.

She has been suspended from the party for six years on grounds of indiscipline, said a party source.

The Congress, which released its second candidate list, fielded Vidyadhar Choudhary from Phuelra.

The 200-member Rajasthan assembly goes to the polls on December 7.

--IANS

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The Iranian Interior Ministry announced on Saturday that the country's security forces are ready for anti-terror operations on Pakistani territory.

To guarantee the security of common borders, Tehran is prepared for counter-terrorism operations on Pakistani land under the supervision of the Pakistani forces, Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency.

The minister made the remarks in response to the abduction of 14 Iranian border guards by a Pakistan-based Iranian Sunni rebel group in October.

Iran has refrained from any operation against the terrorists on the other side of its border with Pakistan so far, the Iranian minister said.

"It is because we wanted to respect Pakistan's sovereignty."

Fazli said that Iran expected the Pakistani government to enhance security measures along the common borders.

A total of 14 Iranian border guards were kidnapped by the extremist group, Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice), in Mirjaveh border point in Iran's southeastern Sistan and Balochistan province on October 16 and were transferred to Pakistani territory.

On Thursday, five of the abducted border guards were freed in Pakistan.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three persons were killed in Ayodhya district of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday when the driver of their vehicle lost control and it turned turtle, police said.

The vehicle was carrying pilgrims who were returning to Barabanki from Ayodhya after performing the 14-kosi "Parikrama", according to the police.

Over a dozen people have been injured in the accident of which three are critical and have been admitted to a local medical facility. The critically wounded have been rushed to the Trauma Centre at King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow.

The deceased belonged to Dariyabad in Barabanki.

--IANS

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The US State Department here on Saturday said that the country has not made a final conclusion on the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The US media quoted insiders earlier on Friday as saying that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has concluded the Saudi crown prince had ordered to kill Khashoggi, reports Xinhua news agency.

In a statement issued on Saturday, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that "recent reports indicating that the US government has made a final conclusion is inaccurate."

"There remain numerous unanswered questions with respect to the murder," she said.

The State Department will continue to seek all relevant facts, consult Congress and "explore additional measures to hold those accountable who planned, led or were connected to the murder," she added.

However, Nauert noted that the US side will "maintain strategic relationship" with Saudi Arabia.

Earlier on Saturday, US President Donald Trump told the media before he left the White House for California that he had not been briefed about the case by the CIA.

"The CIA will be speaking to me today," he said. "As of this moment, we were told that he did not play a role. We're going to have to find out what they say."

"We also have a great ally in Saudi Arabia. They give us a lot of jobs and a lot of business and economic development. They have been a truly spectacular ally in terms of jobs and economic development," he said, noting "I have to take a lot of things into consideration" when deciding what measures to take against the kingdom.

US media later quoted White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders as saying that Trump had spoken with CIA Director Gina Haspel and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from Air Force One, without giving further details.

Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, has been missing since he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. The Saudi authorities said that Khashoggi died in a "brawl" in its consulate.

After releasing the results of its initial investigations, the Saudi Public Prosecution announced that 18 people were arrested over their alleged connections with the killing.

The US Congress has urged a thorough investigation in the murder of Khashoggi, and threatened to take more actions against Saudi Arabia if those responsible were not held accountable, such as suspending the US military sales to Saudi Arabia and sanctioning the kingdom.

The State Department in October said that 21 Saudis suspected of involvement in the case were being revoked of their visas.

On Thursday, the US Department of the Treasury imposed sanction on 17 individuals over their alleged roles in the killing of Khashoggi.

--IANS

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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said that the US appreciates the release of an American citizen by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

In a statement issued by the State Department, Pompeo said, "The US appreciates the cooperation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the embassy of Sweden in facilitating the release of an American citizen." Xinhua reported.

The DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported earlier on Friday that the country had decided to deport a US citizen detained for illegally entering the country.

The US citizen, named Bruce Byron Lowrance, was detained on Octoter 16 in the DPRK, the KCNA said, adding that during the investigation, Lowrance confessed he made the entry under the direction of the US Central Intelligence Agency.

The report did not say when Lowrance would be deported.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 17 (IANS/Monggabay) In November 2012, a tigress and her two cubs began a journey from their home in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Uttar Pradesh. She had somewhat uncharacteristically left the forest. Over the next two years, this tigress is recorded to have travelled 260 km -- from the Amariya region in Pilibhit, along the Devha river, criss-crossing through the densely-populated village areas of Gularia Bithra, Khali Nawada, Bishanpur, Surajpur, Bhadsara, Dhaki, all the way up to Kanpur, where she was finally sighted in February 2014. A close-knit team comprising officials of the state's Forest Department and tiger conservators of WWF-India were on the trail of this feline family.

The sketchy story from their sightings, pug mark tracking and camera-trap images unraveled that she was accompanied by her cubs for part of the journey, negotiating past villages, through sugarcane fields and grassy landscapes. On several occasions, she would enter the forest for short durations, only to return to her new habitat. The team speculated whether she had moved out of the forest to protect her cubs from aggressive males. Months later, in September 2014, they also spotted her cubs, now sub-adults, back in Amariya, apparently living and operating independently. Not a single incident of attack on humans or livestock was recorded through this epic journey of this majestic feline and her cubs.

Recently, another nursing tigress's tryst with humans in Maharashtra's Yavatmal region did not end so peacefully. Thirteen humans had been found dead in Yavatmal's Ralegaon forest since June 2016, and Avni or T1, a six-year-old tigress with two 10-month-old cubs, was alleged to have been involved in several of these deaths.

According to a Maharashtra Forest Department official, an investigation had proved that she was responsible beyond doubt for at least two of those deaths. On November 2, this "man-eater", as she was referred to, was shot dead -- by a sharp-shooter appointed by the Forest Department -- in the Borati jungles that are under the jurisdiction of Ralegaon police, according to news reports that quoted police sources.

Defending the circumstances of Avni's death, Sunil Limaye, Maharashtra's additional principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), explained that the Pandharkawada forests house approximately seven to eight tigers. Avni and her two cubs occupied 160 square km of this forest. Over two years, based on various circumstantial evidence, the department suspected Avni and a male, T2, of having caused several human deaths. At that point, though, the evidence was not forensic.

"In August, we investigated and managed to find clear evidence of Avni being responsible for at least two of the recent killings. Based on these findings the courts ordered us to capture or kill the tigress. The death of the forest dwellers was a grave loss to their families. These people, whose livelihoods depend on the forests, feared for their lives. We followed the courts' orders and were saddened by the tigress's death. But we had no other choice," he said.

Controversies and political banter surround Avni's death today. activists and animal lovers question whether the mother tigress could have been saved, or at least captured. Meanwhile, a bitter battle of words has erupted between a Union minister and a state minister, both belonging to the same political party. On Friday, November 9, media reported sources in the Maharashtra government as stating that the yet-to-be-released autopsy report "yielded clear evidence of foul play". It quoted a state government official: "The forensics clearly show that the tigress was not charging at the team, but instead going somewhere else... If she was charging at the team, she would have been shot in her face or chest, not her shoulder."

Juxtaposing this story of loss of life, both human and animal, against the epic journey of the Pilibhit tigress, raises several questions. Could Avni have been monitored like the Pilibhit tigress to avoid such a tragedy? Could locals have been better informed to control panic about a "man-eater"?

Did Avni truly turn rogue and kill people since 2016? Even as news reports on her post-mortem reveal that she had not eaten anything for at least a week, Dr. Jimmy Borah, tiger biologist and consultant at Panthera, an international organisation working on the conservation of wild cats, said: "A nursing tigress would probably only attack human beings for self-defense, if she feels her cubs are threatened. It is highly unlikely that she would choose humans as food for her cubs."

Highlighting the apathy in the investigation process, Borah said, "Tigers are very intelligent animals. They might target easy prey, like livestock and humans, if they are injured or old and weak. A healthy animal would never target humans. If the concerned tigress was suspected of killing 13 people since 2016, it should have been investigated much earlier, given the advancement in forensic tests and methods today."

He said that to safeguard the human population and in the larger interest of saving a wildlife species, it becomes imperative to "remove problem animals" sometimes. "Doing so will help in generating larger public support, especially from communities living in the fringes of protected areas and depending on the forests for their livelihood. However, identifying a problem animal is a herculean task that involves strong evidence, including forensics." He stated that if an animal is identified as a problem, the best forest departments and states can do is to ensure that standard protocols and guidelines are followed closely.

On Avni's orphaned cubs, Borah says: "The best option is to leave them alone. If they have learnt to hunt (other animals), they might probably do well. 'Rescuing' them would be pointless."

(In arrangement with Mongabay.com, a source for environmental news reporting and analysis. The views expressed in the article are those of Mongabay.com. Feedback: gopi@mongabay.com)

--IANS

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Over the past decade, the American comics publishing house Marvel has become one of the great global cultural juggernauts, thanks to its billion-dollar movies and its half a dozen television shows.

Last week, the man whose name is associated with Marvel more than any other, its former editor-in-chief Stan Lee, died at the age of 95  setting off worldwide mourning of the sort usually seen when a great movie star dies. Lee, however, was a familiar face; he had made dozens of short, special appearances in Marvel superhero movies, and waiting for the Lee cameo was part of the ...
No wonder that the first ghost he invites to stay with him is Sir Donald Ramsey (George Baker), an Englishman mistakenly killed by Bengali revolutionaries of the early 20th century. Mistaken assassinations were not uncommon, the most (in)famous being Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki throwing bombs at a wrong carriage to murder Magistrate Kingsford. The next ghost is yesteryears actress Kadabala Dasi (Swastika Mukherjee), who dies after being spurned by her lover. Her trick of appearing in a mirror behind a contemporary actress while she puts on make-up is straight out of Oscar Wildes The Canterville Ghost.





References to literature and cinema are a many in Bhooter Bhabishyat. For instance, while planning how to shoot a section of the narrative set in the early 1970s  the high noon of the Naxalite movement  Ayan says he will use a hand-held camera, like Mrinal Sen, referencing the opening shots of the auteurs classic Padatik (1973). The Naxalite in is Biplab Dasgupta, who is encountered by the police  not an uncommon way for a Bengali to die, especially in some sorts of movies and books. The other ghosts are a Kargil martyr, a rock musician who ODs during a writers block, a young girl who killed herself on learning that her lover had abandoned her after taking money from her industrialist father, a refugee from East Bengal who fell off a train, and finally a cook who had served in Nawab Siraj ud-Daulahs army. In a stunning cameo, one of the many in his long career, Saswata Chatterjee plays Haatkata Kartik  the ghost of a political goon with only one arm, who has bumped off by his protege.

So, it is indeed a surprise that having populated his first film with so many ghosts, Anik Dutta, the writer and director of Bhooter Bhabishyat, was spooked during the recent Kolkata Film Festival. What made him uncomfortable, in his own words, was the monopoly of a particular politicians face in posters and placards all over the hallowed halls of Nandan cinema, the primary venue of the festival, and the Academy of Fine Arts campus all around. At a panel discussion, he said that visitors to the festival could not be faulted for thinking there was one filmmaker in Bengal these days: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

When I walked in through the gates, I saw the Nandan logo designed by Satyajit Ray hemmed in by big flexes with someones face  a political leader not related to films. When I went for a panel discussion, I just aired my view in a humorous way, Dutta told NDTV. His humour, however, received brickbats with many supporters of the CM accusing him of being politically motivated  haunted by the ghosts of the Left, according to one imaginative Twitter commentator. Others called him a mediocre director with only one hit film to his name. The two films he has made after  Aschorjo Prodip and Meghnad Badh Rahasya  have not do as well as the first one at the box office.

To be fair to Banerjee, she has never claimed to be filmmaker. She has written poems, criticised by some to be no better than doggerel. So what? Too many Bengalis write bad poetry anyway. She has made paintings as well and sold them at high prices, much to the chagrin of many artists who are unable to do so. Her exhibitions have been held at galleries reserved for the creme de la creme of the art world. Critics have claimed that there is not much aesthetic merit in her works but tell that to her patrons. How many can claim to hang a canvas in their drawing room signed by the chief minister?

Maybe, she will also make films one day. Will being at the helm of a film set be too different from being at the helm of a state government? Of course, this remains in the realm of speculation. Actors  Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, MGR, N T Rama Rao, Jayalalitha, to name a few  have successfully negotiated the trappings of state craft. I dont know if any successful political leader has forayed into tinsel town, but wouldnt that be a wonderful idea for a film? Incidentally, Duttas next project is titled Bhabishyater Bhoot  the ghosts of the future.
The Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on what it claimed is fresh proof of irregularities in the is a precursor to a "massive storm" the government is about to face.

Pawan Khera said Modi cannot escape his political and constitutional responsibility and accountability in the "biggest defence scam" of India and for truth to prevail, the only route is to order a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe in this "scandal".

The government has denied any wrongdoing in the deal while the has dismissed as "lies" allegations of corruption levelled by the

Khera said that a 'management meet note' of Reliance Infrastructure, prepared by ICICI, the country's largest private sector bank, is another proof of Modi government's "involvement" in the Rafale scam.

He said the note claimed that has formed a joint venture with French major Dassault for execution of offset obligations, as a part of the 36 Rafale fighter jet purchase valued at Rs 590 billion.



He said that note has pegged this opportunity from Rafale at Rs 1.05 trillion and Dassault Reliance JV will provide performance based logistics for 50 years.

Later, Khera shared with journalists a 'management meet note' on Reliance Infrastructure, a brokerage house report prepared by firm, ICICIDirect.com, on the basis of a meeting with the Anil Ambani group firm's management.



Khera alleged that another undisputable evidence has come to the fore that establishes the "deliberately hiked" commercial cost of 36 Rafale deal signed by Modi on April 10, 2015.

"The silence of the government on the new skeletons that have tumbled out of their Rafale scam cupboard is a precursor to a massive storm," he told reporters.

The Congress said the prime minister "cannot escape from his moral, political, legal and constitutional responsibility and accountability in the 'biggest defence scam' of India".



"Everyday, new sets of irrefutable evidences are lining up at the doorstep of prime minister Modi which cements the charges of 'squandering interests', 'brazen crony capitalism', 'kickbacks and corruption' and 'serious illegalities' that have taken place in the 'murky saga of Rafale scam'."



Claiming that price does not cover under the so-called secrecy pact that the government is talking about, he asked why the prime minister and his government were hesitant to disclose the price of the fighter jets.



"What is the price per of the 36 deal signed by prime minister Modi on April 10, 2015 in France...

"What is stopping the to reveal the commercial cost of the as well as the details of the offset obligations," he asked.

Khera said if Dassault in its annual report can reveal the price per aircraft, if can reveal the aircraft price and if a retired bureaucrat and former 'Head of Finances' in Defence Ministry, can reveal the benchmark price, why the government cannot.



The Congress had Thursday accused Modi of compromising interest on the Rafale issue, with party chief alleging that the latest skeleton to tumble out of the "Rafale cupboard" is that there is no guarantee by the French government backing the deal.

The Congress also accused the prime minister of accepting in the (CCS), chaired by him, the higher 'benchmark price' of Euro 8.2 billion instead of Euro 5.2 billion for the 36 aircraft, despite objections by the and the then not approving it.

The opposition party also charged Modi with waiving the condition of arbitration between India and France by converting it into an arbitration between the supplier company Dassault and Indian Government, as also changing the venue of arbitration from India to
A 10-year-old boy fell into a sewer here Saturday afternoon and search operations by teams of NDRF and SDRF personnel were on to locate the child, officials said.

The search operations by National Disaster Response Force will continue till the boy is located, an NDRF official said.

The boy named Deepak fell through a manhole in Shri Krishna Puri locality of the city at around 1.30 pm while returning home after delivering lunch to his father Guddu Ram.

A nearby sump house was shut off within minutes of his fall so that the boy did not get carried away a long distance by the current, official sources said.

The rescue teams were carrying out their operations from two ends and so far about 80 per cent of the total length of the sewer and the operation was being hampered by "highly muddy water and silt," they said.

Local residents gathered at the spot in large numbers and alleged that the manhole had been "lying uncovered for months".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 20 members of a gang involved in the supply of illicit liquor, including its kingpin, were arrested in connection with a police officer's murder in neighbouring Chandrapur district of Maharashtra, police said Saturday.

Police sub inspector Chhatrapati Chide (45), attached to Nagbhid police station in Chandrapur, was crushed to death allegedly by liquor smugglers on November 6, an official said.

Chide and four other police personnel were conducting a routine check of vehicles allegedly involved in illegal transportation of liquor on the Gosikhurd canal road when the incident happened, he added.

"The incident had occurred when PSI Chide tried to catch the vehicle carrying illegal liquor. A day after the incident, Shahjad Shaikh, the alleged kingpin of the gang was arrested," the official said.

Shaikh has been involved in the transportation of illicit liquor since the past few years, he said adding that during the probe police apprehended a liquor shop owner Vishal alias Pappu Advani.

Based on the inputs given by the duo, police arrested driver of a vehicle and a co-passenger. Thereafter, three persons, who were found purchasing the liquor were also nabbed, he said.

"So far we have arrested at least 20 people, including main accused, and busterd the liquor smuggling racket. All the accused were part of the gang involved in liquor smuggling from Nagpur to Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts," he said.

Apart from Chandrapur, Wardha, a place associated with Mahatma Gandhi, and Gadchiroli have also been declared 'dry' districts by the state government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 38-year-old Dalit man was allegedly killed and his body dumped outside his house here, police said Saturday.

Manoj Kumar had gone to work and did not return home. Later, his body was dumped outside his house at Hareti village under Purkazi police station in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh.

According to the police, a case has been registered against three people -- Surender, Yashpal and Sukhbir -- based on a complaint by the brother of the deceased.

Family members of the deceased staged a protest against the killing.

The police said the accused were on the run.

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A 61-year-old Indian has been shot dead by a 16-year-old boy in the US state of New Jersey, media reports said Saturday.

Sunil Edla, who was to travel to India this month to visit his mother for her 95th birthday and celebrate Christmas with family, was killed outside his apartment in Ventnor city on Thursday night, The Press of Atlantic City reported.

Known for playing piano during church services at Chelsea Community Presbyterian Church in Atlantic City, he was a father of two and grandfather.

He was a 30-year resident of Atlantic County and worked in Atlantic City's hospitality industry.

An autopsy revealed that he died of multiple gunshot wounds, the report said.

The accused, whose name is being withheld due to his age, has been arrested from Egg Harbor City, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G Tyner said Friday.

He was charged with murder, felony murder, robbery, carjacking, unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a handgun for unlawful purpose.

The motive behind the killing was not immediately known, police said.

Police believe the teen shot Edla and took his car. Atlantic City police found the vehicle later.

"He (Edla) was humble. He never argued. I helped him when he came to US in 1987. I was very close to him," his cousin Raj Casula was quoted as saying in the report.

On Thursday, Edla was leaving his home to work the overnight shift at the North Carolina Avenue Rodeway Inn in Atlantic City, his family said.

He started his car then went back in the house briefly. After walking back down the second-floor apartment stairs, he was shot on the sidewalk and left for dead, the report said.

Ventnor police Chief Doug Biagi said they have posted an officer in the neighborhood "just to ease anybody's fears".

"Everyone was calling him and talking to him because he was leaving for India so soon. He had everything planned out for months... He was leaving on the 27th and he planned everything he was going to do in India for every day," Casula said.

His neighbour Fred Borsani said he did not hear the incident just two homes down, possibly due to the storm, the report added.

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A day after killing a civilian in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on charges of being an Army informer, militants Saturday abducted and killed a 19-year-old in Shopian, police said.

"Terrorists Saturday killed a civilian in a brutal act of terror in Shopian district after he was kidnapped earlier in the day from Saidpora area," a police official said.

He said a throat-slit body was found from an orchard area in Hermain village of the south Kashmir district.

The deceased has been identified as Huzaif Ashraf (19), a resident of Manzgam area of the neighbouring Kulgam district.

"Huzaif's body was handed over to his family after completion of the medico-legal formalities," the official said.

He said a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been initiated in the matter.

Militants had abducted and later killed Nadeem Manzoor, a resident of Safanagri area, on Thursday night, police had said.

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Air strikes by the US-led coalition Saturday killed 43 people, mostly civilians, in a holdout of the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, a Britain-based monitor said.

Seventeen children were among 36 IS family members killed in Abu Husn village of Deir Ezzor province near the Iraqi border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Another seven victims had not yet been identified as either civilians or IS fighters, it said.

The US-led coalition has been backing a Kurdish-Arab alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting to expel the jihadists from the pocket around Abu Husn.

"It's the highest death toll in coalition air strikes since the SDF launched its attack against the IS pocket" in September, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The coalition has repeatedly said it does its utmost to prevent civilian casualties.

"The avoidance of civilian casualties is our highest priority when conducting strikes against legitimate military targets with precision munitions," spokesman Sean Ryan told AFP this week.

IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" in land it controlled.

But the jihadist group has since lost most of it to various offensives in both countries.

In Syria, the group has seen its presence reduced to parts of the vast Badia desert and the pocket in Deir Ezzor.

The coalition has since 2014 acknowledged direct responsibility for over 1,100 civilian deaths in Syria and Iraq, but rights groups put the number killed much higher.

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Argentina's navy announced early Saturday that searchers found the missing submarine ARA San Juan deep in the Atlantic a year after it disappeared with 44 crewmen aboard.

The vessel was detected 800 metres (2,625 feet) deep in waters off the Valdes Peninsula in Argentine Patagonia, the statement said.

The navy said a "positive identification" had been made by a remote-operated submersible from the American ship Ocean Infinity, which was hired for the latest search for the missing vessel.

The discovery was announced just two days after families of the missing sailors held a commemoration one year after the sub disappeared on November 15, 2017.

On Thursday, on the anniversary of the disappearance, President Mauricio Macri said the families of the submariners should not feel alone and delivered an "absolute and non-negotiable commitment" to find "the truth".

Macri promised a full investigation after the submarine was lost. Federal police raided naval bases and other buildings last January as part of the probe, soon after the government dismissed the head of the navy.

The San Juan was returning to its base in the coastal city of Mar del Plata when contact was lost.

Argentina gave up hope of finding survivors after an intense search aided by 18 countries, but the navy has continued searching for the vessel.

The German-built diesel-electric TR-1700 class submarine was commissioned in the mid-1980s and was most recently refitted between 2008 and 2014.

During the USD 12 million retrofitting, the vessel was cut in half and had its engines and batteries replaced. Experts said refits can be difficult because they involve integrating systems produced by different manufacturers, and even the tiniest mistake during the cutting phase can put the safety of the ship and crew at risk.

The navy said previously the captain reported on November 15 that water entered the snorkel and caused one of the sub's batteries to short-circuit. The captain later communicated that it had been contained.

Some hours later, an explosion was detected near the time and place where the San Juan was last heard from. The navy said the blast could have been caused by a "concentration of hydrogen" triggered by the battery problem reported by the captain.

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The Bihar police Saturday attached property of former state minister Manju Verma, evading arrest under the arms act following recovery of ammunition from her home during a CBI raid in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal case.

Armed with a court order, the police initiated the process of attaching Verma's property at Arjun tola village here.

Amid tight security, the police removed the grill, doors, door frames of a house belonging to her, superintendent of police Awakash Kumar said.

All articles inside the house were seized during the operation initiated under sections 82 and 83 of Criminal Procedure Code. It lasted for around five hours.

Earlier in the day, a property attachment notice was pasted on Verma's house, Kumar said.

Verma had stepped down as the minister for social welfare in August, following reports that her husband, Chandrashekhar Verma, had close links with Brajesh Thakur, the prime accused in the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal.

Over 30 girls were allegedly raped and sexually abused at the shelter home.

A few days later, the CBI raided Verma's Patna residence besides her in-laws' home at Cheria Bariarpur in Begusarai from where a cache of ammunition was seized. A case was then registered against her.

She moved an application for anticipatory bail before a Begusarai court which was turned down and a similar plea was rejected by the Patna High Court.

Her husband surrendered before a Begusarai court on October 29.

The Supreme Court earlier this week rapped the Bihar police for failing to arrest the former minister and directed the DGP to appear before it in person on November 27 if she was not nabbed by then.

Police are conducting raids in Bihar and Jharkhand to arrest Verma, who has been evading arrest for over a month and has been proclaimed an "absconder".

On Thursday, the JD(U) suspended Verma from the party's primary membership.

Bihar Director General of Police K S Dwivedi on Friday said the police are making "tremendous efforts" to arrest her.

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The opposition CPI(M) in Tripura has alleged that 35 of its party workers, including the MLA of Kamalassagar constituency, were attacked in different parts of the Bishalgarh sub-division on Friday.

CPI(M) workers Saturday took out processions in Agartala against the alleged attack on Friday.

The party, in a statement issued on Friday night, alleged that the ruling BJP workers attacked their supporters, activists and leaders in different parts of the Bishalgarh sub-division, including the MLA of Kamalasagar constituency, Narayan Chowdhury.

The ruling BJP said that the CPI(M)'s allegation was false and baseless.

"This is their propaganda model to give false statement to turn false into truth. Nothing such has happened in Bishalgarh," the BJP spokesperson in Tripura, Ashoke Sinha, said on Saturday.

"Our chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb has strongly directed police to be neutral and take appropriate actions against the hoodlums, irrespective of any party affiliations. The allegations are completely false and baseless," he said.

According to the CPI(M)'s statement a meeting was organised at a hall at the party's office in Bishalgarh, to commemorate the November Revolution.

The programme was scheduled at 2 pm. CPI(M) politburo member Manik Sarkar, the former chief minister of Tripura, was the main speaker, it said.

According to the statement, the BJP workers gathered in front of the venue of the meeting since 12 pm on Friday and attacked many CPI(M) workers when they were about to enter the hall to attend the programme.

The BJP workers also threatened them of dire consequences if they entered the hall, the statement added.

The CPI(M) statement also said that MLA Narayan Chowdhury's vehicle was stopped. The MLA and two other party workers were assaulted, it said.

Bijon Dhar, Tripura party unit secretary and central committe member also said that Narayan Chowdhury was attacked.

He also said that Manik Sarkar, who was among those present at the meeting, was not attacked.

He (Sarkar) in fact stayed back at the Bishalgarh party office for about two hours to ensure that the party members and supporters who attended the meeting reached their homes safely.

"A group of miscreants pelted stones at the MLA's vehicle at Rastar Matha in the evening when he was returning home. Then a few activists of CPI(M) accompanying him fled the scene in fear. But no one was injured in the incident. I also went to the residence of the MLA, but he was not at home at that time. I would meet him again," the Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Bishalgarh, Mihir Lal Das, said.

Das denied that CPI(M) workers were not allowed to enter the meeting hall at Bishalgarh on Friday.

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A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator and a Congress leader on Saturday resigned from their respective parties after they were denied tickets for the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly election.

Tarun Rai Kaga, the BJP MLA from Chohtan seat in Barmer district, forwarded his resignation to the party's state president, Madan Lal Saini, and announced to quit

The party dropped Kaga from the constituency and gave the ticket to the its former district president, Aduram Meghwal.

In Jaipur, former Congress MLA Babulal Nagar, who was the food and civil supplies minister in the Ashok Gehlot government, resigned from the party, alleging a conspiracy against him to deny a ticket.

"I have worked hard for the party, but a conspiracy was hatched against me and I was not given a ticket from Dudu seat. I will go among the public and seek their opinion on Monday. I will contest as an Independent candidate if the people of my constituency demand this," he said.

Nagar was jailed in October 2013 in a rape case, but he was acquitted by a lower court last year, following which the complainant had an filed appeal against the decision in the high court.

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Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel Saturday accused the BJP governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra of neglecting farmers and youths.

Patel, the face of the campaign of Gujarats Patidar community for reservation in government jobs and education, said the BJP is just playing instead of solving the problems of farmers and youths.

The 25-year-old Patidar leader was speaking at a public meeting organised by the Maratha Foundation at Kalyanrao Ghugre Stadium here in Central Maharashtra.

Patel feared there will be "dark days" ahead for farmers and youths in the country.

"The BJP government does not want to improve condition of farmers as it wants to play politics," he said.

Patel said people should overcome fear and raise their voice to get their basic rights.

"If we do not say anything against the government, we would be deprived of fundamental rights. I have been jailed for raising my voice against the government, but did not fear in doing so," he said.

A large number of farmers have committed suicide in states ruled by the BJP, Patel said.

During the last few years, 1,300 farmers have committed suicide in Gujarat, while the number of such cultivators is 5,000 in Maharashtra, he claimed.

Patel supported the Maratha community's demand for reservation in jobs and education and said the Maharashtra government should take a decision on the issue at the earliest.

On Thursday, the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission submitted its report on the social and economic conditions of the Marathas, with a government source saying the panel has favoured quota for the community.

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AIIMS- has sent blood samples of people found positive for in to Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, to ascertain whether the virus strain is the same as the one that infected patients in Jaipur, an ICMR official said Saturday.

If the strain is found to be the same as the one detected in Jaipur, it will be established that the virus was transported by someone who travelled from to Madhya Pradesh, the official said.

Also, an analysis of strains collected from Jaipur, the centre of the latest outbreak of the disease in north India, has suggested they do not have the known mutations linked to foetal microcephaly, a serious birth defect in newborns delivered by infected mothers, according to the Ministry.

The number of Zika cases has mounted to 127 in Madhya Pradesh, including the death of two people who had tested positive for the virus.

The deceased an 18-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman were suffering from the infection and other "serious" diseases. Therefore, it cannot be said that they died due to Zika , officials had clarified.

Of the 127 people, 40 are pregnant women, the official said.

People have tested positive for in seven districts of This includes 44 cases reported from Bhopal, 20 from Sehore, 29 from Vidisha, two each from Sagar and Hoshangabad, and one each from Narsinghpur and Raisen.

A central team is reviewing the situation and assisting the government to replicate measures and the action plan implemented in and Ahmedabad to contain the disease, the ICMR official said.



has reported 159 cases of Zika infections while Ahmedabad has reported one case so far.

In India, the first outbreak of the Zika virus was reported in Ahmedabad in January 2017 and the second in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district in July that year. Both these outbreaks were successfully contained through intensive surveillance and vector management.

During the latest outbreak of the virus in the country, the first case surfaced on September 22, when an 85-year-old woman tested positive for the virus in Jaipur. Since then, the number of Zika cases have risen to 153 in Rajasthan.

In Madhya Pradesh, an intensive screening exercise is underway and vector control measures have been intensified. The government has issued an advisory to district administrations to take steps to check mosquito breeding.

The state department has advised pregnant women not to visit the affected areas.

The Zika virus, transmitted through the aedes aegypti mosquito, causes fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain.

It is harmful to pregnant women, as they can pass the infection to her foetus during pregnancy or around the time of birth leading to microcephaly, a condition in which a baby's head is significantly smaller than expected.

The disease is under surveillance of the Union Ministry although it is no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under the WHO notification since November 18, 2016.
Bilaspur division with 24 Assembly seats, the highest among the five divisions in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, is expected to play a crucial role in deciding the winner.

Bilaspur division, located in the centre of the state, comprises five districts -- Bilaspur, Mungeli, Korba, Janjgir-Champa and Raigarh.

While the first phase of polls in Chhattisgarh for 18 seats took place on November 12, the second phase for the remaining 72 constituencies will be held on November 20.

In the 2013 polls, the 24 seats in the five districts of Bilaspur division saw a neck-to-neck contest with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning 12, the Congress 11 and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) winning one.

The BSP, which won Jaijaipur seat in the division, however, managed to come second in two constituencies and third in seven.

With the BSP tying up with former chief minister Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J), a three-way fight between the BJP, Congress and the Jogi-led alliance is very much on the cards.

While the BSP is contesting 10 of the 24 seats in Bilaspur division, the JCC(J) has fielded candidates on the rest.

"People are fed up with the of the BJP and the Congress in the state and this time they are considering our alliance as an option to bring change," BSP's state chief Omprakash Batchpayi told PTI.

"The alliance is in a good position in Bilaspur division and will win more than 12 segments there," he said confidently.

The Mayawati-led party had got 4.27 per cent of votes in the 2013 Assembly polls, a decrease from the 6.11 per cent it garnered in the 2008 polls.

On the other hand, Jogi's new outfit is seeking political space in the state, and Bilaspur region, with a sizable presence of people from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, is expected to help the new party.

Of the 24 seats, five are reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category and four for the Scheduled Caste (SC).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BSP supremo Mayawati have campaigned in the region, a reflection of its significance.

The opposition Congress, which was trying to forge an alliance with the BSP, believes the Jogi-led alliance will not affect its chances.

State Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel said, "Jogi is going to lose the election from Marwahi. There is no question of the alliance affecting the prospects of the Congress. We are confident of improving our tally and win more seats in this division."



Ajit Jogi is contesting from Marwahi segment where the BJP and the Congress have fielded new faces Archana Porte and Gulab Singh respectively.

The Congress has fielded 10 new faces in this division this time.

Marwahi, Kota, Akaltara, Jaijaipur, Pamgarh, Lormi, Bilha, Chandrapur, Sarangarh and Shakti constituencies are among keenly watched seats from Bilaspur division during the second phase of voting on November 20.

The Kota seat will see a three-cornered contest between incumbent MLA Renu Jogi (JCC-J), Vibhor Singh of the Congress and BJP's Kashi Sahu.

Similary, in Akaltara seat, Jogi's daughter-in-law Richa Jogi (BSP) is likely to give a tough fight to Saurabh Singh (BJP) and incumbent MLA Chunnilal Sahu (Congress).

In Lormi Seat, former MLA Dharmjeet Singh (JCC-C) has been pitted against incumbent MLA and BJP candidate Tokhan Sahu and Congress's Shatrughan Chandrakar.

The lone BSP MLA Keshav Chandra, who has been renominated from Jaijaipur, is pitted against BJP's Kailash Sahu and Congress' Anil Chandra.

Bilaspur is a prominent seat where a close contest is expected between state minister Amar Agrawal of BJP and Congress' Shailesh Pandey.

Eyeing a fourth consecutive term, the ruling BJP believes the Mayawati-Jogi alliance would impact the Congress' prospects in the election.

"Jogi's party would affect Congress votes, not that of the BJP in this election. We have set a target of winning 65 seats in Chhattisgarh, of which, more than 15 will be from Bilaspur division," BJP state spokesperson Sanjay Shrivastav said.

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Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday said India cannot put pressure on French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation to share details of offset partners related to the Rafale deal just because the Opposition wanted to know the same.

Dassault, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in the Rafale fighter jet deal, is obliged to share details of the offset partners under contract with India, but has a year's time to do so, she said.

"Just because my Opposition wanted to know it (offset partner details) yesterday, I cannot put pressure on my OEM saying the Opposition wants it now, give it now.

"By rule, they can tell me even next year," the minister said at the annual ET Awards here.

"I am waiting for it. Once I come to know, I will tell you. Before that, why should I speculate based on reports?" she said.

Sitharaman explained that as part of the Rs 58,000 crore deal, the French firm has to give details of the offsets of over 30 per cent of the total contract value, and the Indian government has the right to know the same before giving it the required credits for the same.

She said the Congress, which had alleged a scam in the deal, was moving from one point to another after being unable to prove anything and hoping that something would stick to the BJP-led government.

The Congress first alleged the deal was signed to benefit an offset partner with a malafide intention and is now questioning the "haste" shown by the prime minister in concluding the contract, the BJP leader said.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi influenced the Rafale deal to save "debt-ridden" Reliance group chairman Anil Ambani's business.

The Centre and the Reliance group have repeatedly denied any irregularities or favouritism in the deal, under which the country is buying 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition.

Last week, the Centre told the Supreme Court that as per the Defence Offset Guidelines, the OEM was free to select its Indian Offset Partners (IOPs) for implementing the offset obligation in the deal.

"There isn't anything wrong with the procedure, with the methodology, with the price, with the technical details, with the list of ammunition...so they (Congress) do not know how far they have to go on with it hoping that something will stick on to us," the defence minister said.

Sitharaman asserted that the Rafale controversy will not be able to blemish the Centre's record on corruption and added that it had achieved feats like making defence acquisitions middlemen-free.

"For a party which has never had that kind of approach for governance with transparency, they think they probably will definitely be lucky to get something sticking on to us," she said in an apparent dig at the Congress.

The minister also said that her ministry had been able to increase the 'Make in India' component for purchases.

She said a proposal was on the anvil to induct women into institutions like the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, but it will take long for posting women in border areas.

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Central agency NAFED has said it is not in a position to procure groundnut from Gujarat during Kharif 2018-19, citing irregularities in procurement and storage in the previous season.

Gujarat Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil shared with the media Saturday a letter written by executive director (pulses and oilseeds) of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) to other departments of the Union Ministry of Agriculture.

The letter said that in view of irregularities in procurement and storage of groundnut during Kharif 2017-18, NAFED is "finding it difficult to undertake procurement in the state of Gujarat" this season.

Another reason it cited was non-utilisation of 3.37 lakh tons of groundnut procured in 2017-18, as the state government failed to meet its commitment to "utilise price support system (PSS) stock of groundnut under the Public Distribution System (PDS)".

The letter is dated November 15.

"I would like to ask the Gujarat government who should be held responsible for the sufferings of farmers due to non-procurement of groundnut," Gohil said, reiterating the Congress' demand of inquiry by a high court judge into mismanagement in storage of PSS groundnut in Gujarat State Warehousing Corporation (GSWC) godowns.

"The government should also let farmers know how it would compensate them," he said.

Criticising the GSWC for not "following the standard operating procedure for safe storage of procured stock," NAFED said in the letter that this led to incidents of fire and adulteration of stock.

"The organisation suffers from acute shortage of trained manpower and the godowns hired by them are often far from procuring areas...It would be better to task Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) or any other such agency to do the same before procurement is undertaken," it said.

The Gujarat government had committed to utilise PSS stock of groundnut procured last season under PDS, but around 3.37 lakh tons are still lying in godowns, it said.

Reacting to NAFED's letter, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala said the government will find a way to purchase the stock from farmers.

"When the price of the groundnut was down, the Central government helped farmers under this policy (PSS). If an institution withdraws (from the process), it does not stop the process. We will find a solution to this," Rupala told reporters.

Groundnut stocks worth Rs 31 crore procured by NAFED were destroyed in fires at godowns at Gondal and Shapar in Rajkot district this year. A stock stored in a private godown at Pedhla was found adulterated with sand and stones.

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The CPI(M) Saturday said the CBI was investigating cases in West Bengal under court orders and no state government could "obstruct" such probes.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury asserted that the Left party was against the misuse of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for political gains and expected the probe agency to favour neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

"We are against the misuse of the CBI for political purposes. We are in favour of justice, not in favour of Modi or Mamata," he told reporters at the CPI(M) office here.

The West Bengal government Friday withdrew the "general consent" accorded to the CBI to conduct raids or probes in the state.

The decision came close on the heels of a similar step taken by the Andhra Pradesh government.

Differentiating between the stand of his party and that of Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief, on CBI, Yechury said, "We are (even) against the misuse of the CBI in favour of Mamata Banerjee."



CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat pointed out that the Left party had earlier "criticised the delay by the CBI in a court-ordered inquiry against Mamata Banerjee".

Several TMC leaders are under the scanner of the CBI and other probe agencies for their alleged involvement in the Saradha chit fund scam and in connection with the Narada sting operation.

Yechury said the CBI, which had the powers of the police, had to take the consent of the state governments since law-and-order was a State List subject according to the Constitution.

However, he added that the central probe agency could investigate matters pursuant to court orders.

"The CBI investigations in West Bengal are under court orders. The agency can undertake investigations after court orders and no state government can obstruct those," the CPI(M) leader said.

Banerjee had extended support to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu over the issue, saying, "What the Chandrababu Naidu government has done is absolutely right. We will also look into the rules under which it was done. Earlier, there was no need to use such provisions, but we need to do it now as the BJP is using the CBI and other agencies to pursue its own political interests and vendetta.

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China's Belt and Road initiative will lead to colonisation, subjugation of Tibet and exploitation of natural resources in the region, the head of the Tibetan Government in exile has said.

Touted as Chinese President Xi Jinping's ambitious project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) focuses on improving connectivity and cooperation among Asian countries, Africa, China and Europe.

"Tibet is the blueprint of the BRI. Our experience with the road initiative connecting China with Tibet has not been good," Lobsang Sangay, the president of the Central Tibetan Administration told PTI in an interview during his visit to Washington DC this week.

"One road lead to hundreds of roads in Tibet now, routes, and one railways is leading to three or four railways. One airport led to 30 airports six military airfields. Conveniently, all these roads, railways and airport are connected to haul out natural resources and minerals from Tibet," he explained.

This, he said, is very damaging to water, air and land of Tibet.

"For us, one road leads to the colonisation of the Tibet, one road leads to extraction of all kinds of minerals and natural resources. Hence, for us, the one road leads to net loss," Sangay said in response to a question.

Making a strong case against China's ambitions BRI initiatives, Sangay in his interaction with the American leadership told them they need to see what happened with Tibet due to the BRI. He told the American leadership that the world should learn from the Tibetan experience so they can avoid it.

"That's my advice," he said.

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Actor Chris Hemsworth has wrapped his India shoot for upcoming Netflix thriller "Dhaka".

The "Avengers: Infinity War" star took to Instagram to say goodbye to his Indian fans and informed that the film's shooting will now shift to Thailand.

"That's a wrap for the India portion of our shoot, next stop Thailand. Can't say enough how grateful we are to the people of India for letting us run riot through the streets while shooting what I think could be some of the most intense and exciting action sequences ever done," he wrote.

The 35-year-old Australian actor credited director Sam Hargrave for taking the film to "a whole new level" with its action sequences.

He also posted a video on Instagram where he is being followed by scores of his fans on a street. He is shown waving to them as he gets in his car.

The film, which marks the directorial debut of Hargrave, follows Rake (Hemsworth) who has been hired to liberate a kidnapped Indian boy, being hidden in Bangladesh capital, Dhaka. Physically brave but an emotional coward, the man has to come to terms with his identity and sense of self.

Director duo Anthony and Joe Russo have penned the script and they will also produce the feature via their AGBO banner.

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The CIA has concluded that Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, contradicting the Saudi government's assertions that he was not involved, according to a media report.

The death of Khashoggi, a onetime insider turned critic of the crown prince and a resident of the US, has spurred a wave of international anger against Saudi Arabia and its ruler.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, was last seen entering the kingdom's consulate on October 2 to obtain paperwork for his marriage.

Saudi Arabia had offered a series of contradictory explanations for Khashoggi's death. After repeated denials, Saudi Arabia finally admitted Khashoggi had been murdered at the compound but blamed it on a "rogue" operation.

American officials have expressed high confidence in the agency's assessment, which is the most definitive to date, allegedly linking Saudi Arabia's crown prince to the killing, according to The Washington Post.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) found that 15 Saudi agents flew on government planes to Istanbul and carried out the killing at the Saudi consulate, the report said, adding that it could complicate President Donald Trump's efforts to preserve US ties with one of the closest American allies in the region.

"The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved," a US official familiar with the CIA's conclusions, told the daily.

Saudi Arabia has denied any such linkage. Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, said that the claims in the CIA's "purported assessment are false. We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations."



According to the report, it is CIA assessment that the crown prince who is the defacto ruler of the country would survive the crisis.

Officially Saudi Arabia has blamed the brutal murder of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to rogue elements. Khashoggi was forcibly restrained and injected with a large amount of a drug resulting in an overdose that led to his death, alleged the Saudi prosecutors, who has sought death penalty for 11 of its officials.

Turkish investigating agencies provided the CIA an audio recording that proves the brutal murder of Khashoggi. After his killing, one of those involved in it called Saud al Qahtani, then one of the top aides to Mohammed, and informed him that the operation had been completed, according to people familiar with the call.

A conclusion that the crown prince was responsible for the murder of Khashoggi could endanger the US relationship with Saudi Arabia, The Wall Street Journal said.

"The assessment that the Crown Prince ordered the murder is not surprising but it significantly undermines the administration's effort to whitewash the Saudi prince," Bruce Riedel, a former top CIA and White House official, who is now at the Brookings Institution think tank, told The Wall Street Journal.

"It raises the question why the crown prince has not been sanctioned by the Treasury Department, Riedel said.

"The CIA just concluded that MBS, the Saudi Crown Prince, ordered Khashoggi's killing. Every literate person knows that MBS continues to order the killing of thousands of civilians in Yemen. It's time for the US to stop supporting MBS's war in Yemen. Congress must act," Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna said in a tweet on Friday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah on Saturday described the killing of a youth by suspected militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district as deeply disturbing, saying there can be no justification for such an act.

"The cold blooded murder of an 11th standard student by the Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit is deeply disturbing. There can be no justification for this act & should force those who sympathise with these outfits to question how these murders make Kashmir a better, freer place," Omar posted on Twitter.

The former J&K chief minister was reacting to the abduction and killing of Nadeem Manzoor -- reportedly a Class XI student -- by the militants on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday at Niklora in Pulwama, police had said.

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Reputed doctors at a conference on Saturday here said that medical errors can prove very costly to patients but suppressing them could be even more dangerous.

"Unless a conducive environment is created when errors can be expressed, it will be difficult to take corrective measures," they cautioned speaking at the Medicon International 2018 here.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Deepak Dwarkanath, Vice President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said, "In this profession, no one goes to work to cause errors, rather all try the best for the patient. But if there is any error, then it should be dealt with honesty, openness and candour."



The conference, supported by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, aimed at updating core knowledge and recent advances in various branches of medicine to trainees, general and specialist physicians to overcome these hurdles.

"More awareness has to be created about general healthcare to keep critical diseases at bay," he said adding that they were working in that direction.

Dr Sujit Kar Purkayastha, Managing Director of Peerless Hospital and B K Roy Foundation, which organised the conference along with the Association of Physicians of India, stresed the need of general physicians, since good consultation is assuming more importance than random use of technology.

Prof. F E Udwadia, Consultant Physician and Director of the Intensive Care Unit at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai, said "While technology changes rapidly, knowledge accumulates from the day of entering the medical school and continues till the end of the career."



To a question on government initiative to bring poor people in the country under the coverage of medical insurance, he said the government should make sure the benefits reach out to common people without any hindrance.

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BJP president Amit Shah launched a broadside against the Congress Saturday, terming



the party an "ATM" that dispensed "false promises", instead of development, when problems were inserted in it.

Addressing a rally here ahead of the second and final phase of the Chhattisgarh polls, Shah accused the Congress of not doing anything for the state (part of Madhya Pradesh earlier) during its 55-year rule.

He also lavished praise on the incumbent Raman Singh government for turning Chhattisgarh into a developed state from a "bimaru" (ailing or backward) one.

"The Congress is known for making false promises. I say this several times, the Congress is such an ATM that if you insert a problem in it, you do not get development in response, but false promises," Shah told the gathering.

The BJP chief ridiculed the leaders of the Congress, including its president Rahul Gandhi, for "daydreaming" that the opposition party would form government in the state.

He alleged that the people of Chhattisgarh did not get adequate electricity under the Congress's watch and setting up a factory too was a pipe dream in the Naxal-hit state.

"The same Chhattisgarh is taking India forward in the production of aluminium, steel, cement. Chief Minister Raman Singh has done that job," Shah said.

The election to the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly is being held in two phases. The first phase of polling for 18 seats was held on November 12. The second round of voting for the remaining 72 seats will be held on November 20 and the results will be announced on December 11.

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The Congress Saturday released its third list of 13 candidates, including former PCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah, for the December 7 Legislative Assembly polls in Telangana.

Lakshmaiah, who also served as a minister in the Congress government in undivided Andhra Pradesh till 2014, had failed to find berth in the previous lists.

Lakshmaiah would contest from his Jangaon assembly segment. It was speculated that the Jangaon seat would go to Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS), a partner in the "grand alliance" for the elections.

The alliance comprises Congress, TDP, CPI and TJS.

As part of the alliance, Congress would contest in 94 assembly segments (out of total 119). With the release of the third list, the party has so far declared candidates for 88 seats.



Meanwhile, TDP has declared Kuna Venkatesh Goud as its nominee from Sanathnagar in Hyderabad. The announcement is bad news for Congress leader Marri Sasidhar Reddy who represented the constituency earlier.

Sasidhar Reddy, son of former Chief Minister Marri Chenna Reddy, is a key Congress leader in Telangana. He was Vice Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) during UPA regime at the Centre.

The process of filing nominations began Monday with the Election Commission issuing a notification in this regard.
The Consultative Committee Meeting of Defence Ministry on Indian Coast Guard reviewed the operational preparedness, infrastructure development and coastal security mechanism of the maritime security agency, officials said Saturday.

The panel was chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Her deputy Subhash Bhamre, MPs from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Indian Coast Guard Director General Rajendra Singh along with senior officials of the defence ministry were also present at the meeting.

She also laid emphasis on modernisation of the ICG with the Definitive Action Program 2017-22 which envisages acquisition of 43 ships, 20 aircraft and other infrastructure.

The defence minister and the delegation were also briefed about the coastal security mechanism and preparedness of Coast Guard to tackle maritime emergencies.

The Coast Guard's initiative of making fishermen the 'Eyes and Ears of Coast Guard' was appreciated, the officials said.

Sitharaman also lauded Coast Guard personnel for multiple successful search and rescue missions, humanitarian aid, assistance to fishermen and increased surveillance capability,they said.

The defence minister said the next meeting of the Consultative Committee will be on ordnance depots.

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: The death toll in cyclone 'Gaja' has touched 33 and left a trail of destruction across Tamil Nadu with 30,000 electricity poles and over a lakh trees getting uprooted, Chief Minister K Palaniswami said Saturday.

He maintained that the impact of cyclone was less as 82,000 people were evacuated to 471 relief centres well in advance. However, 20 men, 11 women and 2 boys died in cyclone related incidents, he said.

As of now, 1,77,500 people have been housed in over 351 camps, the chief minister said, adding food, and medical amenities were being provided to them by the government.

The Chief Minister, speaking to reporters at Vanavasi near Salem, said that cattle, including goats, and wild animals including deer, have perished.

"It has now been estimated that uprooted trees alone were 1,27,000. There is a possibility of the numbers going up," he said.

While 30,000 electricity poles have either got mangled or fallen down, 105 sub-stations (electricity distribution stations) have been affected, he said, adding 10,000 personnel have been rushed to the affected areas to repair them.

Ten out of 26 Combined Drinking Water Schemes in coastal districts have been set right and people were being provided drinking water. Over a lakh people had benefited by medical camps -to prevent epidemics- in affected regions,Palaniswami said, adding he would inspect the storm hit areas Sunday.

On complaints from people in cyclone hit districts that they did not get food, he said there was no such thing anywhere. Food was stocked in advance to make it available for people.

"District Collectors and ministers from the respective districts are camping in affected areas and carrying out relief operations on a war footing."



Milk was sought and it has been despatched, he said, adding five more ministers, including D Jayakumar, and R B Udaya Kumar, have been deputed to cyclone hit districts to oversee relief work.

The navy has also augmented the government's relief efforts, with one helicopter sortie flown from INS Parundu, the Indian air naval station at Uchipuli in Ramanathapuram district, to assess the damage in and around Ramanathpuram.

Two ships "Chetlat" and "Cheriam" were diverted to Karaikal to assist state authorities in relief work, a defence release said.

Three ships at Chennai and two at Visakhapatnam were on stand by to augment relief efforts at short notice, it said.

The navy has also positioned a Dornier detachment at Arrakkonam, about 78 from Chennai, to facilitate damage assessment and any other assistance that may be needed.

The main opposition party DMK expressed grief over the loss of lives while PMK and a farmers' body demanded adequate compensation to ryots, whose crops had been destroyed.

DMK chief M K Stalin, in a tweet, claimed that 36 people have lost their lives in the cyclone and expressed his grief.

The leader of the opposition, who Saturday embarked on a tour of storm affected regions, said the cyclone has caused large-scale destruction in Cauvery delta districts like Tiruvarur.

He said the livelihood of the common people, including farmers and fishermen, had been severely hit.

PMK chief S Ramadoss demanded that the government declare Vedaranyam (Nagapattinam district), Mannargudi (Tiruvarur), and Pattukottai (Thanjavur) as disaster struck regions and implement rehabilitation schemes.

He wanted Rs 50,000 compensation for coconut trees as per a scheme announced by the government for acquiring land for Salem-Chennai expressway.

Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, a CPI(M) affiliated farmers' body, demanded a proper enumeration of losses to standing crops. A compensation of Rs 20,000 for a coconut tree, Rs 25,000 per acre for paddy, and Rs one lakh an acre for plantain were among its demands.

"Coconut trees over thousands of acres of farmland have been completely uprooted, causing irreparable damage to ryots. It will take many years to grow again these trees," it said



Top actor Rajinikanth, extending his sympathies to the affected people, said "relief assistance" by his Rajini Makkal Mandram functionaries should continue.

The Met office, meanwhile, said the Northeast monsoon has been active over Tamil Nadu. Some regions experienced heavy rainfall, with Sivaganga recording 17 cm followed by the hill station of Kodaikanal (14 cm) between Friday and Saturday morning.

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Union Finance Minister on Saturday defended demonetisation, saying it was a "highly ethical" move and not a political one.

His statement comes a day after Prime Minister and engaged in a war of words during the respective election rallies over the decision suddenly announced in November 2016 to junk a bulk of the currency in circulation.

"It was a highly ethical move," Jaitley told reporters in response to a query over "It was not a political move."



Jaitley was speaking after releasing the BJP's manifesto here ahead of the November 28 Madhya Pradesh Assembly election.

The minister said has increased the tax return filings and also increased the revenue of the states and the Centre immensely.

president on Friday criticised the government over demonetisation, saying it was the "biggest scam" of India.

Addressing a rally in Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh ahead of the second phase of voting on November 20, Modi claimed people did not have issues with demonetisation, but "only a family".

The prime minister claimed the was "worried" that he took away all the money its "minions and friends" had stashed under their beds and in sacks in one stroke.

Modi had said his government was investing the money recovered post- on carrying out public works and funding welfare schemes.
As Delhi's air quality remained severe on Saturday, authorities extended till November 12 the ban on construction activities, industries using coal and biomass, and entry of trucks, while the CPCB issued show cause notices to police departments and officials of Delhi-NCR over "non-compliance" of the Supreme Court order on sale and bursting of fire crackers.

New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi Saturday took a dig at the Narendra Modi dispensation, saying many people knew the cost of the Rafale fighter aircraft deal but the government considered it a "national secret" that could not be revealed to the Supreme Court.

Jammu: An Army soldier was killed Saturday in sniper fire by Pakistani troops, while two BSF personnel were injured in cross-border firing along the Line of Control in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

Sunday



Patna/New Delhi: Union minister and RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha Sunday attacked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over reports that two legislators of his party could join the JD(U), and said he would apprise BJP chief Amit Shah of the "humiliation" he had suffered at the hands of Kumar.

New Delhi: Slapped with a show-cause notice to its Governor Urijit Patel from the CIC, the Reserve Bank of India has sought time till November 26 from the commission, highest adjudicating body in RTI matters, for furnishing its response.

New Delhi: Candidates failing to put out advertisements listing their criminal records during electioneering could face contempt of court proceedings and those publishing wrong info about their rivals' criminal antecedents could end up paying penalty for indulging in corrupt practices, the Election Commission has said.

Monday



New Delhi: Delhi's air quality turned 'severe' Monday as the pollution level increased due to unfavourable meteorological conditions, even as the Supreme Court-appointed EPCA directed authorities to allow construction only during the daytime and not charge toll from heavy vehicles stationed at Delhi border.

New Delhi: The Centre Monday disclosed to the Supreme Court the pricing details for the 36 Rafale jets that were negotiated on "better terms" and said it "completely followed" the Defence Procurement Procedure laid out in 2013 and secured the CCS approval before the deal that has whipped up a political storm was inked with France.

Bengaluru: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar died at a private hospital here in the early hours of Monday after battling lung cancer for several months, hospital authorities said.

Tuesday



New Delhi: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that the Nehruvian legacy was being "undermined" by those presently in power who have "contempt" for the country's first prime minister for all that he did to build an India which they want to change for the "worse".

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: Four days ahead of the start of the peak pilgrimage season in Sabarimala, the Supreme Court Tuesday agreed to review its verdict that allowed entry of women of all age groups to the hilltop temple in Kerala which had sparked violent protests but refused to grant a stay.

New Delhi: The raging political row over the Rafale deal escalated further on Tuesday with the Congress dismissing as "manufactured lies" claims by the CEO of French plane maker Dassault Aviation that there was no wrong-doing in the contract and Rahul Gandhi firing a fresh salvo at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over it.

Wednesday



New Delhi: Delhi's air quality "improved significantly" on Wednesday as overnight rains washed away bigger pollutants even as the Supreme Court-appointed EPCA recommended implementation of either the odd-even scheme or imposition of a complete ban on non-CNG private vehicles if the pollution level in the city spikes again.

Sriharikota (AP): India Wednesday successfully put into orbit its latest communication satellite with its heaviest rocket and the new space mission is expected to serve the communication needs of people in the remote areas of the country.

Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi: Social activist Trupti Desai Wednesday said she would visit the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala along with six other women in the previously banned 10-50 age group on November 17 but it was stoutly opposed by a right wing activist, sparking fears of a fresh confrontation.

Thursday



Thiruvananthapuram: An all-party meeting Thursday failed to end the deadlock over the Supreme Court verdict that lifted the ban on entry for women of menstrual age to Sabarimala temple which was wrapped in an unprecedented security blanket on the eve of its opening for the two-month long annual pilgrim season.

New Delhi: The publisher of the National Herald newspaper, which was ordered by the Centre to vacate its premises here by November 15, got a last minute breather Thursday with the Delhi High Court directing status quo till November 22.

New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of compromising national interest on the Rafale issue, with party chief Rahul Gandhi alleging that the latest skeleton to tumble out of the "Rafale cupboard" is that there is no guarantee by the French government backing the deal.

Friday



Amaravati/Kolkata: Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal governments have withdrawn their "general consent" to the CBI to conduct raids and investigations, as the Opposition alleged states were losing faith in central agencies due to their "misuse" by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

New Delhi: The CVC probe into corruption charges against CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma has come out with "very uncomplimentary" findings on some of them and also found some required further investigations, the Supreme Court said Friday.

New Delhi: At least 13 people have lost their lives and over 81,000 others were affected after Cyclone 'Gaja' hit the Tamil Nadu coast early Friday, the National Emergency Response Centre (NERC) said.

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Economic offences pose a direct challenge to the nation's health and wealth, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said Saturday.

The world must wake up to this new challenge and adopt appropriate measures to deal with it, Naidu said while speaking at The Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence here.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code enacted by the government has begun to turn the wheel, he said, adding that some big resolutions have happened and banks are getting back their money.

"There is now a change in mindset. There is greater eagerness to settle dues in a timely fashion. Because promoters know that once they are dragged to the NCLT, they could lose their companies. Banks are expected to recover over Rs 1.5 lakh crore of bad debts this year itself," he said.

"What does this clean-up mean? It is obvious that credit will go to those with bankable ideas and not to those with clout and connections. This is the democratisation of credit.

"The insolvency law epitomises the new way of doing business where there is no discretion in allocation of resources, there is no interference from the government, and banks take decisions based on merit of the proposal. Efficient allocation of capital is the bedrock of a robust modern economy," Naidu said.

There has been a clear demonstration of resolve, sense of purpose and urgency on the part of the central and state governments, corporations, entrepreneurs, investors and all other stakeholders to collectively strive for building a new India, where the aspirations of all the citizens will be fulfilled, he said.

"The formalisation of the economy can be gauged by the rapid rise in the number of income tax payers. While the total direct tax collection in 2013-14 was Rs 6.38 lakh crore, the total income tax collection for 2017-18 was Rs 10.02 lakh crore, an increase of 57 per cent in four years," the vice president said.

"We need to convert challenges into opportunities and ensure a nine per cent GDP growth on a consistent basis to improve the quality of life of our citizens. The country can leapfrog in development by adopting innovative solutions across all sectors from education to urbanisation, from health to infrastructure," he said.

It is believed that if India maintains an eight per cent growth rate consistently, we can become a USD 10 trillion and the third largest economy in the world, he said.

Naidu cited a PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) report which suggested that up to 40 per cent of India's USD 10 trillion economy in 2034 could be derived from new solutions.

Such solutions are likely to be implemented with 25-30 per cent less resources than those required by traditional solutions, he added.

"I have recently toured three countries in Latin America and three countries in Africa. I was overjoyed to hear from the heads of state in all these countries that Indian industrialists and businessmen have made significant contribution to their national economies.

"They welcomed Indians to their countries and strengthened bilateral economic ties. I find that there is vast scope for all of our industrial and business houses to make a mark in the global marketplace," he said.

"I also found during my recent visits that there was tremendous enthusiasm to invest in India. There was also widespread appreciation for the growth, reforms process and massive transformation taking place in India in recent times. I also found that the world is looking towards India for investment and for technology and innovations," Naidu said.

Indians for decades have been playing an important role in global technology landscape, he said.

"In fact, two of the world's biggest technology companies -- Google ( Sundar Pichai) and Microsoft (Satya Nadella) -- are led by Indian CEOs. More and more India-trained professionals are taking top positions in the world. The latest to join the high profile post of CEOs are Kalyan Krishnamurthy in Flipkart and Manik Gupta as Chief Product Officer in Uber," he said.

Naidu stressed the need for "eschewing the politics of populism and moving towards politics of pragmatism" which he said will benefit society in the long term.

"Freebies are not a solution. It is important to improve living conditions, create opportunities, reach the unreached, fund the unfunded and recognise the un-recognised --that is the way forward. This is the real democratisation of economy and democracy," he said.

He also recalled the trusteeship concept propounded by Mahatma Gandhi to establish a truly egalitarian society where the wealthy part with their wealth for the welfare of the poor.

"India's moment has arrived. I urge corporate India to rise to the occasion and join in building a new and prosperous India," he said.

The vice president also stressed on the use of digital and online services in governance to end the "meet and greet" (corruption) culture and cited an instance where a businessman had expressed pleasant surprise that no "demands" (bribe) were made while he was dealing with a (BJP) minister.

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Nearly 300 students participated in an fair here on Saturday to help the aspiring Indians realise their dream of pursuing higher studies in Ireland.

Ireland has become the most preferred destination for Indian students going for higher

At present, around 3,000 Indians study at Irish universities and colleges, and that number is rising fast due to practical courses and work opportunities after graduation.

"This fair aims to provide a transparent and delightful opportunity for the students to grow personally and professionally. We aspire to help students and institutions to achieve their goals as efficiently and effectively as possible," said Barry O'Driscoll, Senior Education Adviser in Ireland.

"Also, this fair's goal was to create opportunities for Indian counterparts to form business partnerships with local institutions with a common goal to bring the highest standards in education system," he said.

Twenty Irish universities participated in 'Education Ireland Fair'. The fair, attended by approximately 300 students in Delhi, will span five cities wherein professors of prominent universities and educational institutes of Ireland will meet students.

It will conclude in Chennai on November 25. Apart from Delhi and Chennai, the fair will be organised in Pune, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

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Experts and doctors from top institutions in India and abroad gathered here Saturday to deliberate on treatment outcome in an effort to find protocols to standardise and optimise treatment in the country.

At the day-long meet, doctors discussed and shared opinions on standards and protocols for diagnosis, pathological reporting, chemotherapy, new surgical procedures including robotic surgery, recording complications and follow-up.

The experts emphasised on multi-modality approach for better outcomes.

Formation of Treatment Outcome Group (RCTOG) is an initiative of BLK Super Speciality hospital to standardise and protocolise treatment.

Like in the west, is becoming a major problem in our country. Incidence of rectal cancer has increased in the country during the last two decades.

It is supposed to be third-most common cancer. The reason for increasing incidence is urbanisation, junk food, smoking, alcohol, red meat, genetic predisposition and obesity.

VP Bhalla, director, BLK Centre of Digestive and Liver Diseases (CDLD), said, "To treat rectal cancer effectively multiple specialties like radiology, pathology, GI surgeons, medical and radiation oncologist have to come together and formalise a strategy. This is called multi-modality approach."



Nearly 50 doctors, including from AIIMS, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Max Hospitals Tata Memorial hospital and CMC, Vellore, participated in the meeting.

The move will help institutions in delivering standardise treatment through set guidelines for rectal cancer patient.

According to Deep Goel, director, Surgical Gastroentero Onco, Bariatric and Minimal Access Surgery, BLK hospital, "This is an effort which is being done first time in the country and first meeting of RCTOG was very promising in achieving its set goals. In absence of standards and protocols, treatment for rectal cancer could not be optimised and that resulted in varied outcomes".

"There was an urgent need to standardise and protocolise treatment for uniformity and better outcomes. Multi-modality approach will bring in immense benefits to the people suffering from rectal cancer," he added.

"This group is also going to initiate a registry in which multiple institutes and specialists will share their data which will help us in creating awareness, joint research protocol, training of younger medical professionals and better treatment outcome," Goel said.
Social networking giant Facebook, which has been under scrutiny over fake and data leaks on its platform in India and other markets, received 16,580 requests for data from the Indian government during the first six months of 2018, over 68 per cent higher than the year-ago period.

According to Facebook Transparency report, the platform offered "some data" in 53 per cent of the cases.

"Facebook responds to government requests for data in accordance with applicable law and our terms of service. Each and every request we receive is carefully reviewed for legal sufficiency and we may reject or require greater specificity on requests that appear overly broad or vague," the report said.

The report revealed that the total requests for data from Indian government stood at 16,580 between January to June 2018, against 12,171 similar requests logged in July to December of 2017 and 9,853 requests registered in January to June of 2017.

Facebook, which has over 200 million users in India, counts the country among its largest userbases globally. Earlier in the year, Facebook had courted controversy when UK-based data mining firm Cambridge Analytica was accused of harvesting personal data of 87 million global users of the social networking platform, illegally, to influence polls in several countries.

The company had drawn flak on the issue from policymakers across the world, including the Indian government that had shot off two notices to Facebook over the data breach. In response to the first notice of the Indian government, Facebook had admitted that nearly 5.62 lakh people were "potentially affected" by the data breach incident.

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Finland has summoned Russia's ambassador to answer allegations that Moscow was behind the jamming of GPS signals in Lapland during recent NATO exercises, the foreign ministry in Helsinki confirmed Saturday.

Ambassador Pavel Kuznetsov "has been invited to the ministry on Monday to discuss the GPS issue," spokeswoman Hanna Paivarinta told AFP.

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila has said the jamming of GPS satellite signals in the Arctic region had put civil aviation at risk.

The jamming coincided with Trident Juncture 18, NATO's biggest military exercises since the end of the Cold War, held several hundred kilometres (miles) from Norway's border with Russia from October 25 to November 7.

Prior to the manoeuvres, Russia had vowed to "retaliate", calling the exercises "anti-Russian".

On Thursday, Finland said it stood behind Norway's assessment that Russian ground forces in the Kola peninsula, close to the border with Norway and Finland, were responsible for jamming the signals.

"The source of the interference is obvious to us, and Norway has the same experience," Finnish foreign minister Timo Soini told the national agency STT during a visit to Washington on Friday.

"When the time comes for reaction and dialogue, we will have those conversations, but not in public," Soini added.

Russia has denied the allegation as "baseless".

The disruption led to Finnish and Norwegian civil airspace operators issuing warnings to pilots that navigation signals in northeast Lapland were unstable.

In September 2017, Norwegian authorities reported jammed GPS signals affecting civil flights in the north of the country during Russia's large Zapad military exercise.

"The foreign ministry has on several occasions in the past raised the question with Russian authorities," Norway's defence ministry said at the time.

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The ban on the import of fish into Goa would continue and the state was not bothered about "any threats" on the issue, state Health minister Vishwajit Rane said Saturday.

The Goa government on November 10 announced a ban on import of fish into the state for six months against the backdrop of a scare that formalin, a potential cancer-causing chemical, was being used to preserved fish.

Rane's comments come amid media reports that some people in Karwar in neighbouring Karnataka had stopped fish-laden trucks from Goa from entering there.

Earlier a Maharashtra MLA had reportedly threatened to disallow Goa-based trucks from entering the neighbouring state's Konkan region in protest against the fish import ban.

"Let Maharashtra and Karnataka do what they want. We are not going to lift the ban. We have imposed the ban to stall any illegal transport of fish into Goa without complying with FDA (Food and Drug Administration) directives," Rane said Saturday.

"Goa is not bothered about any threat from anyone. Our concern at present is to eliminate the fear of formalin from the minds of our consumers and we are committed to do that," he added.

He said that anyone opposed to the state's fish import ban was free to approach court.

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Meghalaya Health Minister A L Hek Saturday laid the foundation Stone for the 50-bedded Integrated AYUSH Hospital at Sohra in the state.

The minister expressed happiness that after years of continuous efforts and proposals, the Ministry of AYUSH under the National AYUSH Mission has allotted sanction for the setting up of two hospitals, one in Sohra and the other at Ri Bhoi District.

"The government wants to promote the concept of Health Tourism at Sohra. The place is adorned with a natural scenic beauty known throughout the world making it a sought after tourist destination attracting visitors from around the country and the world over," Hek said at the function.

He said that through this centre, the practises of local and traditional healers would also be integrated with the AYUSH programme which will help to revive and promote the ancient and traditional methods of healing.

He also cited the example of Kerala, where its health tourism, promoted through the traditional systems of medicine like Ayurveda and Siddha, attracts tourists from all over the world.

Sohra MLA Gavin M Mylliem said that it was a privilege and a matter of pride for the people of Sohra that such a hospital was being set up in the region.

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Four notorious dacoits were arrested from the forests of Chitrakoot district in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, police said.

Following a tip off, an anti-dacoity team laid seige to the Lakhanpir Pahar. After night-long combing operations in the forests, four members of the Babli Kol gang were arrested, they said.

Those arrested were identified as Munna, Langra, Lavkush and Amit alias Lalla, they added.

Lavkush and Amit suffered gunshot injuries and the other two were also injured after falling from the hill, the police said.

All four have been admitted to a hospital.

A .315 bore rifle and live cartridges were recovered from them, the police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Four juveniles were apprehended for allegedly partially damaging an idol in a religious place in Kavi Nagar area here, police said Saturday.

The four minor barged into the religious place, tried to vandalise idols kept there and fled the spot, Senior Superintendent of Police Upender Agarwal said.

He said the incident came to light when a woman noticed two other teenagers approaching towards the temple. She raised alarm immediately following which one of the boys was caught by the locals and handed over to police.

Tension prevailed in the village after the locals gathered at the Sanjay Nagar police post, demanding the minors' arrest, the SSP said.

A local leader pacified the villagers but while they were returning back to their homes, some men allegedly tried to damage other community's religious place.

The act was prevented due to deployment of police in the area, they said, adding 40 unidentified people involved in the matter were booked.

An FIR has also been registered against the four juveniles.

Police said situation in the area was calm and quiet and additional police force deployed in the village.

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The 49th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will come to a close with the world premiere of German film "Sealed Lips".

Director of the film, Bernd Bohlich, director of photography Thomas Plener and actors Barbara Schnitzler and Swetlana Schonfeld will attend the screening.

The 100-minute long film has been produced by Eva-Marie Martens and Alexander Martens.

"Over the years, German films have carved a niche for themselves in world cinema, courtesy some stellar work produced by German filmmakers. We are ecstatic to have one such film from Germany as the Closing Film of IFFI 2018.

"And to have its World Premiere here, is an icing on the cake. We look forward to having the Director and the cast of the film with us for the premiere," Directorate of Film Festivals said in a statement.

IFFI, to be held from November 20 to 28 in Goa, will be showcasing 212 films this year.

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: ISRO Saturday successfully placed the high throughput communication satellite GSAT 29 in its final geostationary orbit.

This was done after carrying out the final orbit raising operation by firing the liquid apogee motor engine for 207 seconds, the space agency said.

The Indian Space Research Organisation's heavy-lift rocket GSLV-MkIII-D2 on November 14 successfully injected into orbit GSAT-29, intended to meet the communication needs of people in remote areas in the North East and Jammu and Kashmir.

Soon after the launch of the 3,423 kg satellite from Sriharikota, about 100 km from Chennai, scientists at the Master Control Facility at Hassan, Karnataka monitored it and engaged in orbit raising operations to enable it reach its final destination.

ISRO said in its website Saturday "Final orbit raising operation of #GSAT29 has been successfully carried out today by firing the Liquid Apogee Motor engine for 207 seconds.

The satellite is in its final GEO Stationary orbit now. Both solar arrays & reflectors have deployed."



The GSAT-29 satellite is intended to serve as a test bed for several new technologies.

The Ka and Ku band high throughput transponders would provide communication services to remote places in the North East and Jammu and Kashmir, besides aid the Centre's Digital India programme.

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The Special Operations Group of Rajkot Rural Police arrested two persons Saturday with heroin worth Rs 44 lakh.

Acting on a tip-off that some persons were selling heroin near Pipaliya village in Gondal taluka, the SOG team conducted a raid, a police official said.

"During patrolling, we received a tip-off that some persons were trying to sell heroin. We raided a place near the border of Pipaliya and arrested two persons with 440 grams of heroin," said inspector M N Rana.

The arrested persons were identified as Mahesh Bhojaviya (25) and Imtiyaz Dodhiya (23), both residents of Jangaleshwar in Rajkot district.

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The Guwahati Theatre Festival has kicked off with the idea to present the best of Indian theatre to the discerning audience here and has gone on to become a much awaited event in Assam's annual cultural calendar, organisers said.

The third edition of the three-day festival began on Friday evening with 'Laughter Therapy', featuring television actor Mona Singh of 'Jassi jaisi koi nahin' fame, and three more plays are scheduled to be staged over the next two days, Festival Chairman Sunit Jain told PTI.

"We began with the passion and idea of facilitating people to witness and be enthralled by a plethora of top-notch stage artists of the country," said Jain.

In the previous editions, noted theatre personalities such as Shabana Azmi, Arundhati Nag, Bhavna Pani, Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Rajat Kapoor, Neil Bhoopalam, Saurabh Shukla and Kalki Koechlin took part in the festival.

"The Festival has fired the imagination of the people and given our dear city a certain character," he added.

The festival will feature 'Detective 9-2-11' Saturday and on the concluding day it will have two plays-- 'Foreign Body' and 'Stories in a Song'.

Directed by Atul Kumar, 'Detective 9-2-11' is a gripping, nerve-wracking but thoroughly exhilarating escape drama featuring Neil Bhoopalam, Sukant Goyel and others.

'Foreign Body', a 100-minute play in English language, is a solo show by Imogen Butler-Cole about hope, healing and forgiveness after sexual assault.

'Stories in a Song' tells stories of musical forms such as kajri, thumri, dadra, khayal, remixes and more and is directed by Sunil Shanbag.

Theatre workshops conducted by Namit Das and Atul Kumar for schools and college students respectively are also a part of the ongoing festival.

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BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said Saturday if the Hindus unite then no one could stop the construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya.

He said it was the fundamental right of Hindus to offer prayers at the birthplace of Ram and added that even the Supreme Court would agree on the issue of their faith.

Swamy was addressing a conference at the BHU's Swatantrata Bhavan organised in the memory of former Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal.

He said Muslims can offer prayers at any other place but Hindus sentiments were associated with the place where Lord Ram was born and so the temple must be built there.

He said if the Hindus unite then no one could stop the construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Swamy said efforts would be made to declare "Ram Setu" as a national heritage.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad president Champat Rai appealed to the students to unite for building the temple.

He said the Ram temple was matter of prestige for Hindus.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India is looking forward to working closely with new Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to strengthen bilateral relations with the strategic Indian Ocean island nation.

Prime Minister Modi held talks with Solih after attending his swearing-in ceremony.

The two leaders, while noting the resilience of the relations between India and the Maldives, expressed confidence in the renewal of the close bonds of cooperation and friendship with the election of Solih as the President of the Maldives.

During their meeting, both leaders agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean and being mindful of each other's concerns and aspirations for the stability of the region.

Solih, 54, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, had surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in the election held on September 23.

During the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, Modi was sitting beside former Maldivian presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga also attended the ceremony.

Modi congratulated President Solih and also interacted with leaders from the Maldives and other parts of the world during the oath taking ceremony at the National Stadium.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar said that President Solih in his address to the People's Majlis (Parliament) asserted that the Maldives will endeavour to fortify its existing ties with India.

"Maldives President Solih in his address to the People's Majlis:We will endeavour to fortify existing ties with India. Maldives will hereupon bolster its shared role to retain enduring peace & harmony of the Indian Ocean," Kumar tweeted.

PM @narendramodi had a warm meeting with President @ibusolih. PM conveyed that India looked forward to working closely with #Maldives in further deepening our partnership underpinned by historical ties and friendship.

On arrival in the Maldivian capital, Prime Minister Modi was given a red carpet welcome and was received by Maldives Parliament's new Speaker Qasim Ibrahim.

This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.

"The visit reflects India's commitment to assist the Government & people of Maldives in their endeavour to build a peaceful, democratic & prosperous country, Kumar tweeted.

In a series of tweets ahead of the visit, Modi had tweeted, "I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development,"



He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future.

"We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister had said.

The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then.

India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year. India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.

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Iraq's President Barham Salih began a visit to Iran on Saturday, where he pledged to improve relations less than two weeks after the US restored oil sanctions that had been lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran, which has had major influence over Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, is hoping to maintain exports to its neighbour despite the renewed sanctions.

Iraq is Iran's second-largest market after China, buying everything from food and machinery to electricity and natural gas.

At a joint briefing after their meeting, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said they discussed increasing trade in electricity and oil products and the establishment of free trade zones along the border.

He said they also discussed joint oil projects and improving transport links between the two countries.

Trade between the two countries was some USD 7 billion in 2017, and they have vowed to boost it to USD 8.5 billion this year. Rouhani said it could eventually reach USD 20 billion a year.

Salih also pledged to improve ties, and suggested the formation of a "new regional system" including Iraq and Iran, one based on "political integrity, national interests and cooperation between nations and governments." He did not elaborate.

President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in May. United Nations monitors say Iran still abides by the deal, in which it agreed to limit its uranium enrichment in return for the lifting of international sanctions.

Since then, Trump announced what he billed as the "toughest ever" sanctions against Iran, and the country has seen its oil exports plunge and its currency lose more than half its value.

The full brunt of the measures came into effect November 5 when the US re-imposed oil and banking sanctions.

The US, which provided crucial military support to Iraq in its battle against the Islamic State group, has granted Iraq a 45-day waiver to allow it to continue to purchase gas and electricity from Iran.

Salih said Iraq should not be "a field for struggle between conflicting demands and wills".

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The Jammu and Kashmir government has directed the deputy commissioners of various districts to identify the state land that can be handed over to security forces as soon as possible, officials said Saturday.

Divisional Commissioner Sanjeev Verma convened a meeting with the deputy commissioners of Jammu division and security forces regarding identification of the land for police, the CRPF and the BSF, an official spokesman said.

The meeting was attended by Jammu IGP S D S Jamwal, DIG CRPF (North Jammu) P C Jha, DIG CRPF (Jammu sector) M P Bahuguna, DIG BSF (Jammu) Indraj Singh, Jammu Deputy Commissioner Ramesh Kumar, Samba Deputy Commissioner Sushma Chouhan and senior functionaries of the Jammu Development Authority.

All the deputy commissioners of Jammu Division also attended the meeting through video conferencing.

Senior officers of security forces apprised the divisional commissioner of their requirement of land in various districts of Jammu division, he said.

Verma asked the DCs to hand over the land identified by them in their respective districts to the security forces at the earliest, the official said.

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Defying militant threats and boycott calls by separatists, 64.5 per cent of electorate voted in the first phase of Panchayat elections in Kashmir while an impressive turnout of 79.5 per cent was recorded in Jammu region on Saturday.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shaleen Kabra said the state recorded 74.1 per cent polling in the first phase of Panchayat elections Saturday held in 47 blocks, including 16 blocks in Kashmir, 21 in Jammu and 10 in Ladakh region.

Kabra said the polling passed off peacefully, except for minor clashes and stone-pelting incidents in Mendhar in Poonch district.

Repolling has been ordered at a polling centre in Atholi in Kishtwar district due to technical snag, the official said.

The turnout in rural areas was significantly higher in Kashmir Valley unlike during the recent urban local bodies elections where barely four per cent of the electorate voted.

Separatists who asked people to boycott the polls had called for a strike Saturday. Major regional parties -- the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party -- had decided not to participate in the local bodies polls.

As per officials, total polling percentage in Kashmir division was recorded 64.5 per cent as 1.05 lakh of 1.63 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the Valley on Saturday, they said.

Giving details, they said Srinagar district recorded 21.8 per cent followed by 30.14 per cent in Budgam, 70 per cent in Kupwara, 69.1 per cent in Baramulla, 56.2 per cent in Bandipora, 60 per cent in Leh and 77.7 per cent in Kargil.

The total polling percentage in Jammu division was 79.5 per cent as 2.35 lakh voters out of 2.95 lakh voted, they said.

In Jammu region, polling per cent in Kishtwar was recorded 74.1 per cent, 78.9 per cent in Rajouri, 78.7 per cent in Poonch, 83.6 per cent in Udhampur, 80.8 per cent in Doda, 80 per cent in Kathua and 78.2 per cent in Ramban, they added.

The officials said the total number of electorate in Kashmir was 1,35,774.

There will be eight more phases of Panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

The first phase polling was held in 47 blocks, including 16 blocks in Kashmir, 21 in Jammu and 10 in Ladakh region.

The polls are being held after a delay of two years when the state is under the Governor's rule. The counting of votes will be held on November 27.

A senior BJP leader of Jammu and Kashmir and his brother were shot dead by suspected militants in Kishtwar district Thursday night, officials said.

Ahead of the polls on October 31, BJP state secretary Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet were shot dead by suspected militants while they were returning from their shop in Kishtwar district.

The two were fired upon from close range at a dark, narrow lane leading to their house, officials had said.

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: Kerala's startup ecosystem got a major fillip as the state government Saturday signed aMemorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus BizLab, a global aerospace accelerator, part of the Airbus group.

The MoU was exchanged between Siddharth Balachandran, Leader, Airbus Bizlab India and Dr Saji Gopinath, CEO, Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here.

Under the MoU, an Innovation Centre will be set up in Thiruvananthapuram, which will be the nodal body for planning and executing all the activities to help the startups.

The ceremony was attended by Tom Jose, Chief Secretary, M Sivasankar, Secretary, Kerala IT; Margit Hellwig-Boette,German Consul General; M C Dathan, Scientific Advisor to the CM; Hrishikesh Nair, CEO, Technopark, among others.

"We are confident that this partnership with Airbus Bizlab will help embed innovation in the industrial ecosystem of Kerala. It will up-skill the local youth and will enhance employability," Vijayan said.

Airbus BizLab will also provide support and mentoring for startups in Kerala and conduct regular workshops and discussions with experts from aerospace and defence sectors, a press release said.

Further, the France-headquartered company, which has set up facilities in Bengaluru, Toulouse (France), Hamburg (Germany) and Madrid (Spain) to create a global network of business accelerators, is to run training programmes to acquaint participants with aerospace technologies.

Also, the company will identify opportunities for Kerala to adapt aerospace technologies across sectors and bring all the relevant Airbus teams and startups to demonstrate technologies.

After successful demonstration, it will help the innovation centre to sign partnerships and deploy the technologies.

"It is a landmark agreement that will give a huge fillip to Keralas efforts to nurture innovations and startups in the aerospace and defence sectors.

It will help the startups in the state to leverage the expertise of Airbus in transforming their innovative ideas into scalable businesses," according to Tom Jose.

The initiative aims to foster local talent in the aerospace domain and help promising startups to contribute towards shaping the future of flying not only in India but the world,Anand E Stanley, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia.

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Dubai will play host next week to the 87th International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) General Assembly 2018.

Held for the first time in the UAE, the INTERPOL General Assembly Nov. 18 through Nov.21 will bring together officials of public security departments and global experts to discuss vital safety and security issues, reported the UAE news agency WAM.

Delegates will identify the most important challenges, explore the future role of technology and artificial intelligence in the fight against terrorism and organized crime and discuss ways to enhance cooperation to make the world a safer place.

Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police Major General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri welcomed the event as a platform to discuss security challenges and unite global efforts to combat transnational organized crime.

With the rapid development of knowledge, science and technology, the security landscape is evolving rapidly and becoming more complex and globalized, he noted, adding that in line with the UAE Centennial Plan 2071, Dubai Police is implementing Artificial Intelligence technologies across its services, in a bid to anticipate future challenges, potential threats and crime trends.

For the past few years, UAE police worked closely with local, regional and international police forces on various initiatives ranging from capacity building to drug seizure and prevention of crimes, Maj-Gen Al Marri said.

As INTERPOLs supreme governing body, the General Assembly, composed of delegates appointed by the governments of member countries, meets once a year and takes all the major decisions affecting general policy, the resources needed for international cooperation, working methods, finances and programs of activities.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has courted a controversy over his remarks on rape incidents, with the Congress condemning the statement, saying the state government's "anti-women mindset" was exposed.

At a function in Kalka town of Panchkula district on Friday, Khattar said, "The incidents of rape have not increased... Rapes used to take place in the past and even today as well. (Only) the concern (over such incidents) has increased.

"The biggest concern is that in 80 to 90 per cent of rape and eve-teasing cases, the accused and the victim know each other. In many cases, they know each other for a long time and, on one day, when there is an argument (between them over some issue)... an FIR is lodged, saying: 'He has raped me'," Khattar had said.

Hitting out at the chief minister, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala termed the statement deplorable.

"Anti-Women Mindset of Khattar Govt Exposed! Haryana CM Khattar ji makes an utterly condemnable remark. Blaming Women for complete failures to control Rapes & Gangrapes? Deplorable!," Surjewala tweeted.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that he is looking forward to working with new Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to strengthen India's bilateral relations with the strategic Indian Ocean island nation.

Prime Minister Modi attended the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September.

During the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, Modi was sitting beside former Maldivian presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga also attended the ceremony.

Modi congratulated President Solih and also interacted with leaders from the Maldives and other parts of the world during the oath taking ceremony at the National Stadium.

Congratulations to Mr. @ibusolih on taking oath as the President of the Maldives. Wishing him the very best for his tenure ahead. Looking forward to working with him to strengthen bilateral relations between our nations, Modi tweeted.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar said that President Solih in his address to the People's Majlis (Parliament) asserted that the Maldives will endeavour to fortify its existing ties with India.

"Maldives President Solih in his address to the People's Majlis:We will endeavour to fortify existing ties with India. Maldives will hereupon bolster its shared role to retain enduring peace & harmony of the Indian Ocean," Kumar tweeted.

Solih, 54, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, had surprisingly emerged victorious over incumbent president Yameen in the election held on September 23.

On arrival in the Maldivian capital, Prime Minister Modi was given a red carpet welcome and was received by Maldives Parliament's new Speaker Qasim Ibrahim.

This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.

"The visit reflects India's commitment to assist the Government & people of Maldives in their endeavour to build a peaceful, democratic & prosperous country, Kumar tweeted.

In a series of tweets ahead of the visit, Modi had tweeted, "I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development,"



He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future.

"We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister had said.

The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then.

India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year. India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan said Saturday that the Maratha community's demand of quota in government jobs and educational institutions has been "almost fulfilled".

Mahajan met activists of the Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) at Azad Maidan here, appealing them to call off their hunger strike over various demands of the community.

"The main demand of quota is almost fulfilled...We have taken decisions, but there is a need to expedite implementation...We will hold meeting in two-three days. We will take positive steps," Mahajan told reporters later.

MKM said that following the minister's assurance, it was calling off the protest.

"We are calling off the strike hoping the demands we raised will be fulfilled in the winter session of the legislature," MKM leader Sambhaji Patil told reporters.

"But there will be an explosion across Maharashtra if we are betrayed," he said.

Opposition Leader in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who met MKM protesters earlier Saturday, warned of a breach of privilege motion in the House as the report of the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission on socio-economic conditions of the Marathas was "leaked".

Government sources had said that the report favours quota for the community.

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/ --



Customer Centricity World, an annual event organised by Hansa Cequity will be held on 23rd November, 2018 at St. Regis, Mumbai



Customer Centricity World 2018 aims to bring together business leaders, academics, marketing practitioners, data scientists and Martech specialists to discuss how customer-centricity matters in all aspects of an organisation and the growing need for businesses to follow a customer-centric approach to create positive customer experiences. An annual event organised by Hansa Cequity, Customer Centricity World strives to spur more conversations on evolving consumer dynamics, demands and expectations and the need for organisations to build a more customer-centric culture.

The exponential growth of technology is influencing consumer behaviour and changing the way they engage with companies. In addition, vast amount of data, technology platforms and social media are providing unprecedented access to information, giving rise to more informed and demanding customers. Today, for brands to influence acquisition, support retention and improve engagement with existing customers, it is vital to recognise the value of enhancing customer relationships - from every customer touch point and over customers' life time.

Customer Centricity World 2018, which will bring together distinguished industry experts, promises to open more dialogues on the rise of the power of connected marketing and how organisations can harness and leverage data, analytics, technology, Martech tools and digital platforms to become more customer-focused.

At Customer Centricity World 2018, industry leaders will share their views on the core principles for redefining customer relationships and applying data analytics to enhance loyalty. Speaking about the summit, S Swaminathan, CEO, Hansa Cequity stated, "Today, brands will have to keep pace with changing market and consumer dynamics to meet customer expectations. By utilising data and technology, organisations can gain better customer insights, generate customer engagement across their life cycle and most importantly start to build a culture that puts the customer at the centre and align business processes to develop a culture of innovation. At CCW 2018, renowned thought leaders and proven business experts will lead sessions on driving improved customer value, loyalty, advocacy and successfully executing customer-centric strategies to deepen customer experiences."



The roster for CCW 2018 includes guest keynotes, panel discussions, breakout sessions and themed networking. Attendees will learn from experienced practitioners and strategists on the need to continually evolve data driven strategies to meet changing needs and expectations, improve usage of technology and to navigate the challenges in redesigning business functions to create value in a customer-centric way.

Register Here to attend Customer Centricity World 2018.

About Hansa Cequity



A leading data driven marketing company in India, Hansa Cequity helps businesses leverage customer strategy, data, technology, analytics, marketing automation, digital to deliver adaptive and more personalised customer experiences. Offering solutions that personalises marketing efforts and drives greater operational flexibility, Hansa Cequity helps small, mid-sized to large enterprises explore a suite of marketing and analytics tools to gain deeper insights, create meaningful omnichannel experiences, understand and engage one customer at a time, at scale.

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As thousands of migrants in a caravan of Central American asylum-seekers converge on the doorstep of the United States, what they won't find are armed American soldiers standing guard.

Instead they will see cranes installing towering panels of metal bars and troops wrapping concertina wire around barriers while military helicopters fly overhead, carrying border patrol agents to and from locations along the US-Mexico border.

That's because US military troops are prohibited from carrying out law enforcement duties.

What's more, the bulk of the troops are in Texas hundreds of miles away from the caravan that started arriving this week in Tijuana on Mexico's border with California after walking and hitching rides for the past month.

Still, for many migrants the barriers and barbed wire were an imposing show of force.

Angel Ulloa stood on Tijuana's beach where a wall of metal bars more than 20 feet high cut across the sand and plunged into the Pacific. He watched as crews on the US side placed coils of barbed wire on top.

A border patrol agent wearing camouflage and armed with an assault rifle part of a tactical unit deployed when there is a heightened threat walked in the sand below where the men worked. A small border patrol boat hovered offshore.

"It's too much security to confront humble people who just want to work," said Ulloa, a 23-year-old electrician from Choloma, Honduras, who joined the caravan to try to make his first trip to the US.

Now, he and his two friends were rethinking their plans. They tried to apply for a job at a Wal-Mart in Tijuana but were told they need a Mexican work permit.

So they were considering seeking asylum in Mexico but were unsure of giving up their dream of earning dollars.

"We're still checking things out," he said.

On Friday, people walking through one of the world's busiest border crossings into Mexico passed by a pair of Marines on a 20-foot lift installing razor wire above a turnstile.

Nearby Army Sgt Eric Zeigler stood guard with another soldier. Both were military police officers assigned to protecting the Marines as they work.

The 24-year-old soldier from Pittsburgh spent nine months in Afghanistan.

"It's very different over there, obviously. It's a lot more dangerous," Zeigler said.

He said he was surprised when got his deployment orders sending him to the US-Mexico border.

"But I'm happy to go where I'm needed" he added as a man walked by carrying shopping bags headed to Tijuana.

The US military has deployed 5,800 active-duty troops to the US-Mexico border.

So far, more are not expected, despite President Donald Trump's initial assessment that 10,000 to 15,000 were needed to secure the border against what he has called an "invasion" of migrants. Most in the caravan of several thousand are families, including hundreds of children.

Another 2,100 National Guard troops are have also been deployed since April as part of a separate mission. Like the military troops, they are not allowed to detain illegal crossers. Instead, they have been monitoring cameras and helping to erect barriers.

Of the 5,800 soldiers and Marines, more than 2,800 are in Texas, while about 1,500 are in Arizona and another 1,300 are in California.

All US military branches, except the Coast Guard, are barred from performing law enforcement duties.

That means there will be no visible show of armed troops, said Army Major Scott McCullough, adding that the mission is to provide support to Customs and Border Protection.

"Soldiers putting up wire on the border and barriers at the ports of entry will be the most visible," he said.

Marines and soldiers share the same duties in California and Arizona. These include erecting tents, setting up showers and arranging meals for troops working on the border, and assigning military police to protect them.

There are no tents or camps being set up to house migrants, McCullough said.

Medics are on hand to treat troops and border patrol agents not migrants for cuts, bruises and any other problems.

Combat engineers whose duties on the battlefield include setting up tactical obstacles to prevent the enemy from moving freely are using their expertise to string wire on border walls and erect temporary fencing, McCullough said.

Construction engineers have been assigned to weld together barriers and move shipping containers to act as walls.

In Laredo, Texas, about 100 soldiers have been installing three layers of razor wire along the Rio Grande, working on the banks during the day and on the bridges at night to minimize the disruption to cross-border traffic.

The current mission is scheduled to end December 15 for now. It's unclear how much it will cost and military leaders have refused to provide an estimate.

Critics have questioned the wisdom of using the military on the border where there is no discernible security threat. Since the November 6 elections, Trump has said little about the matter and no border threat has materialised.

Some border communities fear the barricades will scare off Mexican shoppers. The city council in Nogales, Arizona, slashed a proposed bonus for all employees in half over concerns about how the military's presence would affect its sales tax revenue after the military closed off two lanes at its border crossing.

Defence Secretary Jim Mattis defended the deployment during a visit to the Texas border this week, asserting that in some ways it provides good training for war.

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A militant was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday, Defence sources said.

Acting on specific intelligence about NSCN cadres carrying out extortion from villagers, Assam Rifles personnel swiftly launched an operation, Kohima-based Defence Spokesman Col Chiranjeet Konwar said.

But the spokesman did not specify which faction of the NSCN was carrying out extortion.

During search of the area, the security personnel noticed a few suspected cadres trying to flee.

"They challenged the militants and asked them to surrender. However, the fleeing militants opened fire on them and they retaliated and brought down controlled effective fire on the fleeing militant and eliminated one cadre," the spokesman said in a release.

The other cadres, however, managed to escape using cover of dense foliage.

During search operation, the security forces found the hardcore cadre who had succumbed to bullet injuries.

A HK33 automatic rifle, large quantities of ammunition and other documents were also recovered from the dead rebel.

The police said that the dead militant belonged to the NSCN(U).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A senior police officer was gunned down by unidentified militants in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, police said.

Muhammad Naeem Kakar, who served as a deputy inspector general of police, was going home after offering prayers when the militants struck.

DIG Quetta, Abdul Razzaq Cheema, said the attackers fled unhurt from the site.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but Cheema said it was difficult to say whether it was a targeted killing or a result of personal enmity.

Police officers in the troubled Balochistan province have frequently been targeted by militants.

Kakar was a senior officer having served as DIG special branch and on other important positions in the province.

In recent years, most targeted attacks against policemen have been claimed by the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

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Mizo National Front (MNF) general secretary Lalruatkima Saturday blamed the Congress government in Mizoram for the state's underdevelopment and corruption and said his party would ensure good governance and an accountable government, if voted to power in the coming Assembly polls.

The MNF is contesting all the 40 seats in the November 28 state Assembly election.

Lalruatkima told reporters that the present Congress government had never taken the moral responsibility for the bad road conditions in the state, the scarcity of essential commodities or the collapse of a bridge.

If voted to power, the MNF would combat corruption by establishing the Lokayukta and ensure good governance and a government that was accountable, transparent and responsive, he said.



The MLA accused the Congress government, Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and his younger brother Lal Thanzara, who had been looking after the Public Works portfolio for 10 years, for the extremely bad road conditions in the north-eastern state.

He alleged that the duo had awarded contracts only to a few non-tribal contractors, who were overburdened with work orders, which caused a delay in the completion of works.

The "horrible" condition of the roads in the state was a result of a quid pro quo (a favour or advantage granted in return for something) nexus between Lal Thanhawla, Lal Thanzara and the non-tribal contractors, Lalruatkima alleged.

"The government awarded contracts worth Rs 122.52 crore to the Sunshine Overseas Corporation during 2010-2015, the company in which Lal Thanzara had a 21.6 per cent share," he said.

A bailey bridge over the Tuirini river between Sesawng and Khawruhlian had collapsed in February, killing one person and injuring others. Under pressure from the opposition parties, Lal Thanzara had owned the moral responsibility for it and the MNF had demanded his resignation for alleged negligence of duty.

Lalruatkima said decentralisation of power would be among the topmost priorities for the MNF if it came to power.

Other focus areas would be health and education, the MNF leader said, adding that his party would introduce a system of annual recruitment of doctors, teachers and nurses through the state Public Service Commission as was being done for the state civil and police services.

The poll results will be announced on December 11.
The ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh Saturday released its manifesto promising measures for the well-being of cows and protection of the Narmada River, similar to what has been mentioned in the Congress' "vachan patra".

The BJP manifesto promised that well-equipped cowsheds would be increased and they would be set up in each division of the state.

MP goes to polls on November 28 and counting of votes will take place on December 11.

It also said that a drive would be initiated to protect the holiness and flow of the Narmada river, revered by Hindus.

As part of the drive, saplings would be planted along the river to protect its banks, it said.

The ruling party's manifesto also spoke of setting up a managing authority to mitigate the problems faced by temple priests as well as a hike in honorarium for them.

Besides, the manifesto also has other sops for temples in the state.

"The BJP has come up with these measures after getting 12,000 suggestions. The party had constituted 24 teams to reach out to them," said senior BJP leader Vikram Verma.

Earlier, the MP government had accorded five religious leaders the rank of minister of state after one of them, Namdev Das Tyagi, popularly known as Computer Baba, threatened a march to expose illegal mining along the Narmada.

However, a month ago, he parted ways with the state government, accusing it of having no respect for the Narmada and failing to check rampant illegal mining along the river.

On November 10, the Congress had released its manifesto with references to Lord Ram, Narmada river and cow urine.

It promised a "spiritual department" in the state, as well as plans to promote Sanskrit.

It spoke of developing 'Ram path'-a mythical route taken by Lord Ram during his 14-year exile- in MP's Chitrakoot and the commercial production of 'gaumutra' (cow urine) and 'kanda' (cowdung cakes).

The manifesto also talked of setting up 'gaushalas' (cowshed) in every village panchayat and making arrangements for the upkeep of injured cows.

It had a host of measures for the conservation of the Narmada, including developing religious places along the river at a cost of Rs 1,100 crore as well as enacting the 'Maa Narmada Nyas Adhiniyam' for its conservation.

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Former president Pranab Mukherjee Saturday called for massive decentralisation in institutional building and questioned the legal authority of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

He said there was a need to further strengthen the Panchayati Raj system and maintained that concentration of power in the hands of the Centre and the PMO would affect the functioning of a democratic country like India.

The veteran politician was at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) here to deliver a lecture on "Articulating Policy and Institutional Agenda for Future Transformation of India."



Replying to a question from the audience as to why political parties shied away from the issue of empowering local institutions and governments, Mukherjee said, "In institutional building, there should be massive decentralisation."



Citing the example of the PMO, he said it had found a place in "our political vocabulary and "civil servants, politicians, parliamentarians know that a very powerful institution has been developed".

"But a simple legal question can be put as to where is its authority? In the text of the Constitution, 415 articles, 12 schedules -- I do not find anywhere that any power has been given to the PMO," Mukherjee added.

He said an institution like the PMO would "overload our own ways of functioning" and "eat our entire energy and activity".

The former president, however, was quick to add that he cited the PMO as an example and had no "grudge" against the institution.

Mukherjee said India could not imitate the presidential form of government, where the president "enjoys all the power" and is the "real executive".

"In India, the real executive is a collective body, the cabinet, accountable to Parliament, another collective body. And Parliament is accountable to its people, its elector.

"Therefore, talking of institutional building, there should be massive decentralisation," he said.

The former president said he agreed with a parliamentarian who had coined a phrase while seeking to devote many more "subjects" to the Panchayati Raj system, suggesting "a simple transfer of three Fs -- function, functionary and funds".

"You will see that 3.3 million panchayats will be more effective than 31 state legislative assemblies or two Houses of Parliament.

"Therefore, what is needed is decentralisation and massive transfer and devolution to build up the institutional strength of our democratic system," he said.

Mukherjee rued that the institutions created by our "founding fathers" like parliamentary democracy, the comptroller and auditor general (CAG), an independent judiciary had "in the recent past come under severe strain and their credibility has been questioned".

"If the institutions of democracy are under pressure, it is time for serious thinking," he said, while stressing the need to "re-establish the faith of people in the institutions of democracy."



Talking about bureaucracy, Mukherjee said it was "one of the biggest hurdles for our development and we must rectify this".

"I do not mean that the bureaucracy has not made its contribution. They have made a substantial contribution. But at the same time, we shall have to keep in mind that the world is changing very fast.

"And we shall have to keep abreast of this change, adjust ourselves, adapt ourselves, make it flexible, so that we can take the advantage that we want to formulate and articulate our policy in institutional democracy," he said.

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Trade between Morocco and France grew by an annual average rate of 5.8% between 2010 and 2017, standing at 109.3 billion dirhams, Moroccos finance ministry said in its statistics.

Between 2016 and 2017, trade between the two countries expanded by 6% as Moroccan exported 56.8 billion dirhams to France and imported 51.9 billion dirhams.

France took 22% of Moroccan exports becoming the kingdoms second trading partner after Spain. In turn, Morocco imported 11.9% of its needs from France.

Morocco is Frances 22nd largest supplier and 23rd largest customer.

The automotive sector topped Moroccos exports to France as the Kingdom is home to two plants of French car manufacturers Renault and Peugeot.
Noted classical dancer Sonal Mansingh said Saturday women face several challenges in the society but should never allow men to infringe on their personal space.

Speaking at an interactive session at the Bharat Chamber of Commerce here, the 74-year-old Padma Vibhushan awardee said that in a career spanning over six decades, she has never allowed anyone to cross the "Lakshman Rekha".

Referring to the #MeToo movement in the country, she said, "I had never allowed anyone to cross the 'Lakshman Rekha'.It was my space and I guarded it. We (women) have to be strong".

She sought "education, empowerment and enlightenment" for men who disrespect women and said there was a need for strengthening the social fabric.

Mansingh, who was nominated to Rajya Sabha earlier this year, said that in Parliament everyone expected her to speak on women's issues.

"But women's issues are not separate from economy, environment issues. They all coalesce," the Bharatnatyam and Odissi dancer said.

She said even if there were women prime ministers and presidents all over the world, there remained a glass ceiling for women.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Odisha Assembly on Saturday accepted the "unconditional and unreserved" apology of Delhi based journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra for his statement against the state lawmakers and dropped the breach of privilege charges against him.

The relief for Mitra comes even as he remains in judicial custody since October 23 in connection with two FIRs lodged against him for his alleged "derogatory, mischievous and objectionable comments" on social media on art and culture of Odisha, Lord Jagannath and the Odia community as a whole.

The Assembly granted pardon to Mitra after accepting the recommendations of a House Committee that inquired into the allegations against the journalist. The committee also recommended to the House to direct the state government to provide material to Mitra to educate him about the art, culture, history and the people of Odisha.

"The Assembly accepted the recommendations made by the House Committee which was set up to inquire into the question of alleged breach of privilege relating to the statement made by Abhijit Iyer Mitra," Speaker P K Amat said after a voice vote on the recommendations of the committee.

The chairman of the Committee, Narasingha Mishra, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, laid the report on the table of the House. The committee was set up on September 20 after concerns were expressed by MLAs cutting across party lines.

Mitra was arrested by Odisha police on October 23 after he was charged with hurting religious sentiments, promoting disharmony and other offences in the two FIRs.

A case was registered at Konark police station in Puri district on September 19 under various sections of IPC, Information Technology Act and Ancient Monument & Archaeological sites & Remains Act against Mitra.

The second case was lodged at Saheed Nagar police station here on September 20 under various sections of IPC and IT Act against Mitra.

During its six sittings, the Assembly Committee met Iyer Mitra and sought an affidavit from him on the matter.

In his deposition, Iyer Mitra has said, "I apologise that because of my stupidity, I said very very stupid thing which I apologise for. I apologise. In a movement of confusion and stress I made this remark."



Committee member and BJD MLA Debi Prasad Mishra quoting the report said: "The manner in which Mitra has begged apology speaks that..(it) is voluntary and therefore it needs consideration."



"In view of the above, the committee recommends that the august House may be magnanimous to consider and accept the apology begged by Abhijit Iyer Mitra for his statement made by him before the media against the Hon'ble Members of the august House and drop the matter," the committee said in its recommendations.

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In an unusual attack on his party's ally Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, Uttar Pradesh BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey said Saturday its chief Om Prakash Rajbhar was a "necessary evil" and comments made by him "should not be taken seriously".

Rajbhar, a state minister, has often been critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and policies of its governments at the Centre and in the state.

"The region where Om Prakash Rajbhar's party is having presence, we are having good relationship with its supporters, workers and office-bearers. But, 'bolchaal' (attitude) of Rajbhar is not appropriate," Pandey told PTI in an interview.

The BJP leader referred to an eastern UP folklore to target the SBSP leader.

In the folklore, a woman used to head towards her paternal home after frequent tiff with her husband, while her in-laws and others used to placate her. Later, the village decided that no one will try to placate her. After she moved out of the village, she caught hold of a goat and started crying that even it was not stopping her from leaving her in-laws' place.

"Similar is his (Rajbhar's) situation," Pandey said.

The UP BJP chief said there is a "limit" to getting angry virtually every day and reproach. "Hence, I say that his statements should not be taken seriously," Pandey said.

Asked whether the BJP will try to persuade the disgruntled ally, Pandey said, "We are running a government in the state with overwhelming majority. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are doing exemplary work. On such a large 'rajpath', in political arena, there are some necessary evils (anivaarya buraai) who accompany you. As of now, it is Om Prakash (Rajbhar) who is a necessary evil and accompanying (us)."



The BJP leader claimed that the entire Rajbhar community was with the saffron party.

In the 2017 UP assembly elections, the SBSP contested eight seats and won four of them. Rajbhar became a cabinet minister holding the portfolio of backward class welfare and divyangjan empowerment.

Attacking the UP government for renaming Faizabad and Allahabad, Rajbhar had said it negated India's "Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb" (composite culture).

The SBSP leader said that instead of changing names of cities, districts and railway stations, the BJP should start with changing names of its prominent Muslim leaders.

"The BJP changed names of Mughalsarai and Faizabad. They say these were named after the Mughals. They have national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Uttar Pradesh minister Mohsin Raza - three Muslim faces of the BJP. They should change their names first," he had said.

He has also been critical of demonetisation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Eyeing a return to power, Madhya Pradesh's longest-serving Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is not leaving any part of this large state uncovered while campaigning for the assembly elections and on his way, he carries home-cooked food and manages with small naps inside his chopper in between rallies.

Responding to chants of 'Mama, Mama' - his popular moniker -- by children, Chouhan tells them their 'mama' (maternal uncle) would take care of them, while in rallies he never misses any chance to take a dig at leaders of the Congress, which is trying hard in these elections to return to power.

"Jab Tak Rahega Diggi (former Congress CM Digvijay Singh) tab Tak jalegi dibbi," Chouhan said during his campaign trail on Saturday, referring to the Congress rule till 2003 and alleging that the people felt at that time that they would have to manage with kerosene lamps as long as Digvijay Singh was in power.

The BJP is banking on Chouhan's image for returning to power in the state for the fourth consecutive time, while the Congress leaders feel there is a strong anti-incumbency factor against Chouhan, who has been the chief minister since 2005.

For Chouhan also, listing his government's achievements has equal importance in his speeches as his description of the situation during the Congress's rule till 2003 in the state.

He alleges that the Congress leaders have become frustrated after being out of power for so long and therefore, they don't like his development work.

Dressed in his trademark kurta pyjama with jacket, as he headed for Ratangarh in Jawad assembly constituency in Neemucu district on his Bell helicopter, Chouhan said, "They are away from the chair for 15 years and when now they see that I am coming back to power for the fourth time, Congress leaders get angry and level baseless allegations."



"Even their president Rahul Gandhi is doing so and not even spared my son by dragging his name in the Panama paper leak case," the chief minister told PTI in between his electioneering.

Chouhan, who just released the party's vision document for the crucial assembly polls, said, "The scheme announced to benefit small and marginal farmers will prove to be a game changer."



"Unlike loan waiver scheme announced by the Congress, the BJP's scheme will give the farmers right to live with dignity," he said.

In the midst of the flight, Chouhan had a neatly packed home-cooked lunch and also shared the same with fellow passengers.

The chief minister, who remains in campaign mode 24x7, read points of the speech to be given and took a quick nap to give rest to his throat.

Soon after, he woke up to ask the pilot how much time was left to reach the next destination.

There is hardly any time for a proper sleep when the election campaign is in full swing, said his accomplices.

After having tea on board, Chouhan explained why it was important to issue a separate manifesto for women.

"They constitute half of our population and it was in my heart to do something for them. They still suffer a lot and therefore, we have made various provisions for them," he said.

When asked about anti-incumbency against his government, Chouhan dismissed such reports and said his government has done a good job on the developmental front and the high voting per cent will definitely be in his party's favour this time also.

In the 2013 polls, Madhya Pradesh recorded a poll turnout of 72 per cent and this time the Election Commission has set a target to take it to 80 per cent.

When asked about his brother-in-law Sanjay Singh Masani joining the Congress recently, he said "It will not have any impact."



On his expectations on the number of seats that his party is expecting, Chouhan said "BJP has set a target of 200 plus and we will form the government for a record fourth time in a row."



The elections for all 230 seats will take place on November 28 and votes would be counted on December 11. In the 2013 elections, the BJP won 166 seats.

When asked about political ambitions of his wife, Sadhna Singh, Chouhan said "She is my strength and she support me in all my endeavors."



Asked about his son, Kartikey's chances of entering politics, he said at present he will pursue a career in law.

When told that he made a good beginning in the field of law as he has filed a defamation case against Congress President Rahul Gandhi for dragging his name in the Panama paper leak case, Chouhan just laughed.

As the chopper started receding, Chouhan informed that the venue Ratangarh is one of the most interior area in Jawad constituency in Neemucuh district bordering Rajasthan.

People greeted Chouhan by waving at him and taking his photos with ubiquitous cellphone, as his calvacade approached the venue,.

He assured those present, especially children that their Mama, as he is popularly known will take care of them.

"Kids call me Mama I love you and I also respond them by stating I love you too," Chouhan said with children yelling 'Mama Mama'.

After the meeting Chouhan took a medicine in the chopper Khadradi to keep his throat in better condition for the next meeting at Budha in Mandsaur district, as the next destination on a day scheduled with as many as six public meetings.

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The proposed grand alliance of opposition parties will be a "coalition of rivals" which cannot govern the country and its fast-growing economy, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said here Saturday.

The country has paid a heavy price for such "experiments" in the past, he said at the annual Economic Times awards function.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had recently met Congress president Rahul Gandhi in an attempt to bring opposition parties together against the BJP-led NDA ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

"What is being attempted today is perhaps more disastrous than any adventurism of the past. It's a coalition of rivals. Can the world's fastest moving economy, can the largest democracy, ever be governed by a coalition of rivals," Jaitley asked, without naming any party or leader.

"And a coalition of rivals doesn't work. We have seen that. We have experimented with these kind of coalitions and the country paid a very heavy price," he said.

He said the country had coherent economic policies when there was a strong political leadership.

"The kind of adventurism with a combination of rivals which is being attempted is a certain recipe for a disaster," the finance minister said.

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Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will Sunday embark on a day-long visit to the UAE where he will hold talks with the top leadership of the Gulf country and seek investment opportunities, the Foreign Office said Saturday.

Prime Minister Khan visits the UAE at the invitation of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan al Nehyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE's Armed Forces.

He will be accompanied by Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Petroleum, Power and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce.

"Matters of bilateral, regional and global interest will be discussed in the meeting between the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince," the Foreign Office said.

The two sides will discuss the possibility of assistance package by the UAE to Pakistan as well as investment in Pakistan, officials in the Foreign Office said.

Khan paid a brief visit to the UAE in September and the two sides had discussed cooperation in the economic area.

Later, a business delegation from the UAE visited Pakistan to explore investment opportunities in the country.

The Foreign Office said the prime minister will also meet Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE.

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A peacekeeper died after a UN military base was attacked by unidentified gunmen in the west of the volatile Central African Republic, the UN mission in the country said Saturday.

The soldier died late Friday of injuries after the raid on the base in Gbambia at about 2000 GMT, MINUSCA said. He died in hospital.

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The United States said Saturday it will join forces with Australia in the development of a new naval base in Papua New Guinea, a project seen as a move to curb China's influence in the Pacific.

Australia, which has long-standing military ties with the US, has already announced plans to redevelop PNG's Lombrum Naval Base on Manus island. Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday on a visit to Papua New Guinea, which is hosting the APEC regional summit. that the US would join forces in the project.

"The United States will partner with Papua New Guinea and Australia on their joint initiative at Lombrum Naval Base," he said.

"We will work with these two nations to protect sovereignty and maritime rights in the Pacific Islands."



China has been showering billions of dollars in infrastructure loans on island nations in the Pacific, a region that is vital to international shipping and provides a stepping stone to project military and economic power.

Australia has been critical of Beijing's "soft diplomacy" and rising influence in the region, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned this month that confrontation must not define China's relationship with the US.

"Inevitably, in the period ahead, we will be navigating a higher degree of US-China strategic competition," Morrison said in a speech where he navigated a careful line between the alliance with the US and engaging a more assertive China.

Australia -- a member of the "Five Eyes" Western intelligence alliance -- now finds itself in the middle of one of the 21st century's geopolitical hotspots as a battle for influence in the South Pacific unfolds.

The Papua New Guinea naval base move came after reports that China had approached Vanuatu about the possibility of opening a military base there.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited new Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to India during the two leaders meeting here Saturday.

Prime Minister Modi, who was on a day-long visit to Maldivies, held productive talks with Solih after attending his swearing-in ceremony.

"Prime minister Modi extended an invitation to President Solih to make a State Visit to India at his earliest convenience. President Solih accepted the invitation with pleasure," Ministry of External Affairs said.

"The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives will make an official visit to India on November 26 to hold further discussions and to prepare for the forthcoming State Visit of President Solih to India," it said in a statement.

During the meeting, President Solih also expressed hope that Prime Minister Modi will make an official visit to the Maldives in the near future, the statement said, adding that Modi "gratefully" accepted the invitation.

The Prime Minister also interacted with leaders from the Maldives and other parts of the world during the oath taking ceremony.

Modi, who was on the first visit to the Maldives as prime minister, was accorded a red carpet welcome.

Solih, 54, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in the election held on September 23.

The ties between India and the Maldives came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China.

Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5.

India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners.The emergency lasted for 45 days.

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The BJP has deferred its proposed "rath yatra" in West Bengal next month again owing to poll campaigns in other states, a party official said Saturday.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state general secretary Sayantan Basu said party chief Amit Shah would now kick off the "yatra" on December 7 from Coochbehar district, instead of Birbhum district, as was planned earlier.

Due to the ongoing poll campaigning in five states, the party decided to reschedule the dates for the "rath yatra" (chariot march) in West Bengal, Basu said.

The fresh dates were -- December 7 from Coochbehar district in the north, December 9 from Gangasagar in the south and December 14 from the Tarapith temple in Birbhum district, he added.

Shah is scheduled to attend the programmes on all three dates.

Initially, the "rath yatra" was planned to begin on December 3, 5 and 7 from Birbhum, Coochbehar and Gangasagar respectively. But the dates were rescheduled in the last week of October to December 5, 7 and 9 respectively.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had mocked Shah's proposed "rath yatra" as "Ravan yatra" Friday and asked Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers to carry out "purification and unity marches" at all the places through which the BJP's chariots would pass.

Five states -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Telangana and Chhattisgarh -- are set to go to the polls between November 12 and December 7. The results will be declared on December 11.

Basu said the "yatra" would be taken to all the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state with each of the three chariots covering 14 seats.

At the conclusion of the "yatra", the party planned to hold a rally in Kolkata, which was likely to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he added.

Sources in the saffron party said the decision to take out the "rath yatra" was taken during Shah's two-day visit to the state in June.

Buoyed by its performance in the last West Bengal panchayat polls, the BJP has prepared its 2019 Lok Sabha election blueprint, targeting at least 22 parliamentary seats in the state.

The saffron party currently has two Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal -- Asansol and Darjeeling.

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The recent call launched by King Mohammed VI to neighboring Algeria for dialogue is an offer to address the challenges facing the two countries and the entire Maghreb region.

This is the substance of Washingtons response to the Kings proposal for a direct, open and frank dialogue with Algeria to dispel the transient and objective differences that are impeding the development of relations between the two neighboring countries.

Improving relations between Algeria and Morocco would enable both countries to address common bilateral and regional issues, the State Department said.

The US government has urged Algeria and Morocco to realize that improved relations between the two countries would help them to address common bilateral and regional issues such as terrorism, illegal immigration, drug trafficking and economic integration, said the State Department.

The kings proposal came in the speech marking the celebration by Morocco of the 43rd anniversary of the Green March on November 6. The Sovereign also suggested the setting up of a joint political mechanism for dialogue and consultation to break the stalemate in bilateral relations, and reiterated his commitment to work hand in hand with the Algerian brothers.

The Kings proposal was met with praise from the international community, as a step mirroring the Kingdoms good faith and determination to build a strong Maghreb Union.
Sohrabuddin Shaikh's brother said here Saturday that Tulsiram Prajapti had told him about Shaikh's alleged abduction by the Gujarat Police and subsequent death in a fake encounter in November 2005.

Prajapati, Sohrabuddin's associate, was himself killed in an alleged fake encounter in 2006.

Rubabuddin Shaikh, Sohrabuddin's brother, deposed before the special CBI court here.

He stood by his statement to the CBI that his brother Sohrabuddin was killed in a fake encounter while Sohrabuddin's wife Kausar Bi was raped and later killed by police.

"Sohrabuddin's associate Tulsi Prajapati had told me he was present when my brother was killed. When I asked him why he was not killed, he said as he was a Hindu, he could not be branded as a terrorist along with Sohrabuddin, a Muslim," Rubabuddin Shaikh told the court.

A relative told him on November 26, 2005 that Sohrabuddin had been killed and the family will have to claim the body from the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, he said.

"We went to Ahmedabad to claim the body. We visited the Anti-Terrorist Squad office where I asked an officer why my brother was killed and also asked about Kausar Bi's whereabouts," Rubabuddin said.

He got no reply, he said, adding that he also wrote a letter to the Gujarat Police but did not get any response.

"In January 2007 I filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking action against Gujarat and the Rajasthan Police officials involved in the encounter. I also filed a Habeas Corpus (produce the person) petition seeking to know the whereabouts of Kausar Bi.

"The Gujarat government, in response, informed the Supreme Court that she too had been killed," Rubabuddin said.

Sohrabuddin Shaikh, an alleged gangster with links with terrorists, and his wife were killed in an alleged fake encounter in 2005 by the Gujarat Police.

His aide Prajapati was killed in another alleged fake encounter in 2006 by Gujarat and the Rajasthan Police.

Of the 38 people charged by the CBI in the case, 16, including BJP chief Amit Shah and senior officers of Gujarat and the Rajasthan Police, were discharged by the trial court.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prajnesh Gunneswaran outclassed compatriot Saketh Myneni in straight sets to win the USD 150000 Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger title here on Saturday.

In the all-Indian summit clash, Gunneswaran thrashed Myneni 6-2 6,2 under an hour to improve his ATP rankings from 144 to 110.

The Chennai lad did not allow Myneni to make a comeback in the entire match as he smashed heavy serves and forehands to neutralise his opponent.

Gunneswaran played with lot of confidence, unlike the last time he met Myneni in an ATP Challenger event.

"I knew it would be tough playing Prajnesh (Gunneswaran). Yes, I made far too many errors. Credit should go to Prajnesh, whom I found a tad confident in this match, compared to the last time I played where he was tentative," Myneni said in the post-match press conference.

More than anything else, Gunneswaran started off very strongly in both the sets which derailed the confidence of a tired looking Myneni.

"Saketh (Myneni) looked tired. Hence I said to myself that I should not give away and sustained pressure on him. From outside 6-2 6-2 wins looks easy, but it wasn't. The walkover in the quarterfinals also helped me save some energy coming into the finals," Gunneswaran said.

Though Myneni sent down four aces compared to Gunneswaran's two, the later won 57 points out of the total 97 while the former managed to win 40.

On the first serve points won, there was hardly any to differentiate between the two players, as Gunneswaran won 75 per cent while Myneni 73 per cent in the entire match.

But Myneni committed far too many unforced errors that ruined his day.

"It is very tough to play against left-handed players as they have heavier spin in their shots. Also many right-handed players are not used to left-handed players," Myneni said.

Myneni made a late surge in the second set after being down 0-40 in the fifth game. He saved breakpoint twice against Gunneswaran, but failed to hold hold on, eventually allowing his opponent to break and clinch the title.

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Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of insulting farmers and said the country will not tolerate this.

Gandhi tagged on Twitter a video of the prime minister's speech during the poll campaign in Chhattisgarh, where he alleged that people were hiding their black money under beds and in wheat stocks in their homes before the note ban.

The Congress chief asked if absconders like Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, who have allegedly committed bank frauds, have ever sown wheat.

Have you seen Mallya, Mehul bhai and Nirav Modi sow wheat.

"Modiji, don't insult the farmers. You first indulged in a scam by collecting farmers money by noteban and handed it over to your suit-boot friends. Now you are saying that farmers' money was black money. India will not tolerate this insult of farmers, Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.

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Stating that Railways should not be blamed for the Amritsar accident, Railways minister Saturday said it had nearly eliminated unmanned railway crossings.

"In six months, we have eliminated 3,400 of the 3,479 unmanned railway crossings that existed on the Indian railway network," Goyal said, adding the remaining few would be done away with soon.

He said, usually, the Railways used to eliminate up to 1,100 such crossings per year but in order to increase safety and curb accidents, he had instructed staff to do away with the problem in six months in April.

The minister also said the Railways should not be blamed for accidents like the one at Amritsar, which left 61 people dead, saying people had come on to the tracks there.

The accident took place on October 19 when a crowd attending a Dussehra function spilled on to the tracks and got mowed down by a train.

Goyal informed that capital investments done by the Railways have risen 2.5 times in the first four years of the government as compared to the ones under the previous UPA government.

He also acknowledged that the railways was under invested on operations and added that investments are essential for a lot of aspects like safety and to ensure that the network is contemporary.

The minister said a few people will always be opposed to projects like the bullet train and pointed out that some within the Railway Board were opposed to introducing Rajdhani trains when the proposal was mooted in 1969.
Top functionaries of the government and the ruling BJP Saturday discussed the situation in Assam arising out of the exclusion of 40 lakh people during the update of the NRC, officials said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval reviewed the ongoing exercise to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC), a list of Assam's residents.

The meeting stressed on the need for ensuring inclusion of all genuine Indians in the NRC, an official privy to the meeting said.

The Supreme Court has fixed December 15 as the deadline for filing of claims and objections for inclusion of names in the NRC.

The meeting came amidst reports that the central government was considering a proposal to grant work permits, among other measures, to people living in Assam who do not qualify for inclusion in the NRC.

The central government's move to amend the Citizenship Act, to grant Indian nationality to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan also figured in the meeting, the official said.

As per the bill, these designated classes of people will be granted citizenship after six years of residence in the country, instead of 12, even if they don't possess any proper document.

A large section of people in Assam have vehemently opposed the Citizenship Amendment Bill saying it will nullify the provisions of the 1985 Assam Accord which fixed March 24, 1971 as the cut-off date for granting citizenship to illegal immigrants.

A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is currently examining the provisions of the bill and the panel is expected to table its report in the Winter Session of the Parliament beginning December 11.

The chief minister briefed the meeting about the situation arising due to the protests against the bill, recent violence perpetrated by the ULFA and the general law and order situation in Assam, another official said.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Director Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain were among those who attended the meeting.

The update of the NRC, a massive Supreme Court-monitored exercise to identify genuine Indian nationals living in Assam, excluded over 40 lakh people from the draft list published on July 30, creating a huge political controversy.

The exercise is aimed at identifying illegal immigrants in the state and it was carried out only in Assam, which faced an influx of people from the neighbouring Bangladesh since the early 20th century.

When the NRC was first prepared in Assam way back in 1951, the state had 80 lakh citizens.

As per the 2011 census, Assam's total population is over 3.11 crore. The process of identification of illegal immigrants in Assam has been widely debated and has become a contentious issue in the state's politics.

A six-year agitation demanding identification and deportation of illegal immigrants was launched by the AASU in 1979.

It culminated with the signing of the Assam Accord on August 15, 1985, in the presence of then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

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Syrian regime forces Saturday took back control of the Islamic State group's last holdout in southern Syria after months of fighting, a war monitor said.

Regime forces retook Tulul al-Safa, between the provinces of Damascus and Sweida, "after IS fighters withdrew from it and headed east into the Badia desert", the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Regime forces have been fighting the jihadists in the area since a deadly July attack on the Druze minority in Sweida province.

In recent weeks, air strikes on the Tulul al-Safa pocket had increased and hundreds of regime fighters were sent as reinforcements, the Observatory said.

The jihadists' withdrawal was likely "under a deal with the regime forces" after weeks of encirclement and air raids, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

State agency SANA reported regime forces had made "a great advance in Tulul al-Safa" and said they were combing the area for any remaining jihadists.

In the July 25 attack, IS killed more than 250 people, most of them civilians, in a wave of suicide bombings, shootings, and stabbings across Sweida province.

The jihadists also kidnapped around 30 people -- mostly women and children -- during the deadliest assault on Syria's Druze community in the seven-year civil war.

Twenty-three of the hostages have since returned home, while the remainder appear to have died or been executed by the jihadists.

The province is the heartland of the country's Druze minority, which made up roughly three percent of Syria's pre-war population -- or about 700,000 people. Followers of a secretive offshoot of Islam, the Druze are considered heretics by the Sunni extremists of IS.

IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" in land it controlled.

But the jihadist group has since lost most of it to various offensives in both countries.

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A right-wing group has threatened to perform a puja inside the Taj Mahal, alleging that some Muslims have defied an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) notification banning namaz except on Fridays.

A CISF commandant said an inquiry was being conducted into the reported incident of namaz being offered on Wednesday.

The locals are insisting that they be allowed to go inside for prayers daily. Muslim leaders blamed the ASI for fomenting communal trouble on false pretexts.

Commenting on the alleged incident, Govind Parashar, the district head of the Rashtriya Bajrang Dal, said, "We want those, who had violated the Supreme Court orders, to be punished, otherwise, we should be allowed to perform aarti."



The ASI had claimed that it was following an earlier Supreme Court directive.

Meanwhile, photos appeared Saturday on social media, purportedly showing three women entering the Taj Mahal carrying 'Ganga jal' and chanting "Om Namah Shivaya".

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The S-400 Triumf air defence missile system to be procured from Russia would provide requisite security to India from neighbouring countries with "territorial ambition", a senior Air Force official has said.

The S-400 Triumf is a next-generation mobile air defense system capable of destroying aerial targets at an extremely long range of up to 400 kilometres.

The new missile defence system would give India an edge to protect its territorial integrity, Eastern Air Command's Air Officer Commanding in Chief, Air Marshal R Nambiar, told reporters Friday.

"The system would be in India in the next 23 months," said Nambiar, who was one of the Indian delegates who had visited Russia for negotiations to procure the missile system.

Notwithstanding the US pressure of sanctions, India inked the defence deal on October 5 during the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin. As per the deal, New Delhi will get five regimental sets of S-400s for $5 billion.

In its neighbourhood, India has countries with territorial ambitions and need to protect its boundaries, Air Marshal Nambiar said here.

The signing of the deal assumes significance as China, too, has signed a deal with Russia to procure the same missile system.

Nambiar said India is building its own air defence missile system known as Programme AD.

The indigenous missile system, being built by the Defense Research and Development Organisation, is at an advanced stage of deployment, he said.

He said the is far more superior in terms of performance compared to China's fourth and fifth generation fighter aircraft like the recently-tested Chengdu J-20 stealth multi-role fighters.

Nambiar has flight tested the
: Senior Congress leader M Sasidhar Reddy, son of former Chief Minister in undivided Andhra Pradesh M Chenna Reddy, Saturday expressed disappointment over not being given a ticket for the December 7 Telangana assembly polls, saying the reason given was that he would lose.

Reddy, a former Vice Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), traditionally contests from Sanatnagar in Hyderabad, but the seat has been alloted to TDP as part of seat-sharing among partners of the "grand alliance" for the polls.

An angry Reddy hit out at Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N Uttam Kumar Reddy for denying him the seat.

"It's not the question of an individual seat that was denied to me. The reasons given for that is something which is very upsetting, as propagated by Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy," he told PTI.

"It was very forcefully argued by him that I will lose. That is the reason why he wants to leave it to TDP. The basis for that is supposed to be his survey," he said.

However, an online poll by a TV channel gave him 68 per cent winning chances against his TRS rival, he said.

The denial of ticket to him sends out a wrong message to the rank and file that loyalty and contributions have no value and "all that matters is the personal agendas of these leaders", Reddy said.

He also alleged that the PCC leadership had misled the high command.

"I don't blame the Congress high command. Because of the constraint of time, elections in various states and the rallies and all that the Congress president is attending. Four-five states are going for polls," he said.

Reddy said he got a call from senior party leaders in Delhi and that he was on the way to airport to leave for the national capital.

Meanwhile, several other aspirants who failed to get tickets voiced their protest and some of them said they would form a front to contest the elections.

Congress sources said that a committee of party leaders would speak to those who were denied tickets.

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The Supreme Court has agreed to examine a plea seeking contempt action against the chief officer of a municipal council in Karnataka and a private contractor on allegations of mass culling of stray dogs.

A bench of Justices N V Ramana and M M Shantanagoudar issued notice to Wilson VT, Chief officer of Municipal Council of Sakaleshapura town, and contractor V George Robert and sought their response in four weeks.

Advocate Siddharth Garg, appearing for petitioner animal rights activist Neveena Kamath, said the contempt proceedings should be initiated against the two respondents for willfully disobeying the specific directions of the apex court.

He said that on November 18, 2015, the apex court had directed that all local authorities and panchayats should strictly follow the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960 and the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2001 and that no "subterfuge or innovative methods" to circumvent the order of the court will be tolerated.

Garg said the PCA Act 1960 and the ABC Rules, 2001 prohibit any wanton catching and relocation of stray dogs and only allow catching for the purpose of sterilisation and relocation back to the same place, where the stray dogs were picked up.

According to the petition, Wilson had given contract to George to catch and then relocate stray dogs within his municipality.

George was paid Rs 91,537 for catching and relocating 350 stray dogs.

"It must be made clear that the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and the ABC Rules, 2001 only allow catching then sterilising, vaccinating and then relocation at the very same place. They do not allow any such catching and dislocating," the plea said.

It said that the respondents have "deliberately and willfully" violated the orders of this court and contempt proceedings should be initiated against them.

"If such violations are not dealt, swiftly and sternly, by this Court then it will send a very wrong message to society that the orders of the apex court can be trifled with and there are no consequences for even the most open and egregious defiance. The actions of the Respondents are making a mockery of the majesty of this Court and invite the wrath of this Court to its fullest extent," the plea said.

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King Mohammed VI has appointed this Saturday economist Driss Guerraoui President of the Competition Council, in replacement of Abdelali Benamour.

Driss Guerraoui, an expert on social issues, has been holding, since February 2011, the position of Secretary General of Moroccos Economic, Social and Environmental Council.

During the appointment ceremony, King Mohammed VI emphasized the importance of the missions devolved to the Competition Council by the Constitution and by law, which make it an independent institution, entrusted with ensuring transparency, and equity in economic relations, particularly through the analysis and regulation of market competition, the prevention of anticompetitive practices and economic concentration and monopoly maneuvers, a statement by the Royal office said.

In this connection, the Sovereign has instructed the new President, and through him all the Council members, to make sure the institution performs its tasks fully, independently and with neutrality. The Sovereign also insisted on the need for the Council to contribute to upgrading sound economic governance, strengthening the competitiveness of the national economy and enhancing its capacity to create value and jobs.

Also on Saturday, King Mohammed VI appointed Mohamed Abouelaziz as Secretary General of the Competition Council, the statement said.

The Council is composed, in addition to the President, of 12 members appointed by decree of the Head of Government. Two magistrates, member of the Council, are proposed by the High Council of the Judiciary.

The Sovereign afterwards appointed Omar Seghrouchni as President of the National Commission for the Control of Personal Data Protection (CNDP).

This Commission seeks to protect individuals when it comes to personal data procession. It is responsible for verifying that personal data processing is lawful, legal and does not violate privacy, fundamental rights and freedoms, the Royal Office statement said.

During the audience, the King instructed Omar Seghrouchni to see to it that the Commission strengthens its mechanisms and means to accompany technological and legal developments, for a better protection of citizens rights and the personal character of their data.

The National Commission for the Control of the Protection of Personal Data (CNDP) is composed, in addition to its president, of six members appointed by the King, at the proposal of the Head of Government and the Speakers of the two Houses of Parliament.
Six members of a family, including three children, were killed Saturday in a road accident in Surendranagar district of Gujarat, police said.

The mishap, involving a truck and the car in which the victims were travelling, took place near Chotila town, around 160km from Ahmedabad, a police official said.

Members of a family, including three children and an elderly woman, were returning home after visiting a relative at Anandpur village in Chotila taluka when a truck carrying plastic materials collided with their car while overtaking it, said the official from the Chotila police station.

Six of the car occupants died on the spot, he said.

The deceased were identified as Niraj Gohil (38), Dinaben Gohil (35), Dhirajben Gohil (60), Nidhi (13), Shivang (6) and Ayushi (7), he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar held a meditation session in Sharjah, one of the emirates of the UAE, and imparted lessons on how to lead a happy and stress-free life to nearly 5,000 migrant workers from 20 countries, including Pakistan.

The Art of Living (AOL) founder embarked on a four-day maiden visit to the UAE on Thursday on an invitation from the ruler of Fujairah, Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi.

Addressing the workers at the Sharjah Expo Centre on Friday, he explained how one can lead a happy and stress-free life through ancient techniques of meditation.

The meditation session was attended by around 5,000 workers from 20 countries including India, Sri Lanka, Philipines and Pakistan.

Earlier in the day, the spiritual guru visited a labour camp for South Asians in Sharjah and held a discourse on happiness.

Around 1,000 people from 10 countries took part in the happiness programme organised by the local chapter of the AOL at the labour camp.

Addressing the blue collar workers at the camp, the 'gurudev' said the most important thing in life is to be happy always.

"Meditation helps you to overcome tough times. Even in odd situations, we have to remain calm. Any job we take up has to be completed with sincerity," he said, adding, "Time has an important place in everyone's life and all the activities should be time-bounded."



Sri Sri also noted that manpower from India played a major role in the development of the UAE.

In the evening, to a packed audience at Dubai World Trade Centre, he began a two-day discourse - 'Unveiling Infinity' - based on the rare Kashmiri scripture, Vigyan Bhairav.

The discourse was attended by a large gathering, including women members from the royal family of the UAE.

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: Tirupur Exporters Association Saturday urged the union government to negotiate and enter into a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Russia to reap the benefit of the potential market there as that country had given the green signal to Bangladesh for duty free imports.

The green signal from Russia to Bangladesh, a competing country, would increase their exports, TEA President Raja M Shanmugham, said in a release.

In 2017-18, Russia imported Rs 241 crore worth knitwear garments and Rs 295 crore worth woven garments from India, he said, adding that as Russia is importing more winter based garments, there was a need to concentrate on manufacturing synthetic garments.

He pointed out that India has already negotiated with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) comprising Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia without any progress.

Raja Shanugam said that he has sent a requisition letter to the Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu on the need to expedite the FTA with Russia.

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Officials on Saturday recovered a boat that sank in rough weather off Thailand's southern resort island of Phuket in July, killing 47 Chinese tourists.

Two tour boats sank off Phuket on July 5.

Tourists from one boat were rescued, while the sinking of the double-decker Phoenix left 47 Chinese tourists dead.

The accident was one of Thailand's worst tourism-related disasters in recent years.

The boat was raised from the 45-meter-deep (148-foot-deep) sea floor on Saturday by a crane ship operated by a salvage company from Singapore, officials said.

The recovery operation itself faced many obstacles. The first company, hired to salvage the boat, lost a member of its team during the operation and failed to lift the boat.

A group of senior police officers witnessing the raising of the boat stood in silence for one minute in commemoration of the victims.

The Phoenix, covered in brown algae and sludge, will be towed into a pier in Phuket.

Police will inspect it as part of their investigation into the tragedy.

Five people have been charged so far, including the owner and two operators of the Phoenix.

They have been accused of negligence causing death, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Officials said other people are also under investigation, including some at the company that built the boat.

More than 9.8 million Chinese visited Thailand in 2017, accounting for the biggest share of the 35.38 million total foreign tourists.

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Three security personnel, including one BSF jawan, were injured after suspected militants carried out a grenade attack at the Manipur Assembly complex, the police said.

The incident occurred at around 5.55 pm Friday near the sentry gate of the complex at the heart of the capital town, they told reporters here.

All the injured, two private security personnel and the BSF jawan who hailed from Madhya Pradesh, were admitted to the RIMS hospital. They are stated to be out of danger, an attending doctor said.

One unexploded grenade was recovered from the spot and was defused by bomb experts.

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Amid tight security, thousands of pilgrims offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa shrine early Saturday, the first day of Malayalam month 'Vrischikom,' even as a BJP leader was taken into preventive custody as the day wore on and removed from Nilackal, the base camp.

Earlier, a 12-hour dawn-to-dusk hartal called by Hindu outfits against the preventive detention of a right-wing woman leader caught devotees unawares and disrupted life in Kerala.

The Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the shrine, said it would move the Supreme Court Monday seeking more time to implement the apex court order allowing women of all age groups to pray at the temple.

BJP general secretary K Surendran was taken into preventive custody Saturday night and removed from Nilackal, as he tried to leave for the hill shrine, the police said.

BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai said the police action against Surendran has created an "extremely dangerous" situation.

He said he has informed Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the "seriousness" of the situation.

BJP workers will observe a "protest day" in the state tomorrow and block traffic on the highways, he said.

Chanting Ayyappa mantras, BJP activists are staging a protest in front of the Chittar police station in Pathanamthitta district where Surendran has been detained.

In Thiruvanathapuram, BJP workers took out a march to the Secretariat and blocked traffic protesting the police action against Surendran.

Police used water cannons to stop them.

Mary Sweety, a 46-year-old woman, who had made a vain bid to trek to the shrine when it was opened last month, tried her luck again, but beat a hasty retreat after protesters blocked the bus she was travelling in at Chengannur, about 30 km from Pampa, late Saturday.

She has been sent back to Thiruvananthapuram, police sources said.

The temple had opened Friday evening for the two-month-long annual pilgrimage season as a stand-off continued over entry of menstrual age women into the shrine.

All regular pujas began this morning under the new Melshanti (chief priest) Vasudevan Namboodiri's supervision.

Pilgrims, including children, queued up in large numbers since the temple opened at 3 am.

Police is maintaining strict vigil in and around the temple complex and are using drones to monitor the movement of pilgrims at Nilackal, the base camp.

Elsewhere, life was disrupted following the shutdown over the preventive detention of Hindu Aikya Vedi state president K P Sasikala early Saturday.



DGP Loknath Behara met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and briefed him about the law and order situation.

"Security arrangements are in place to ensure the safety of the devotees so that they can have a smooth darshan, keeping all rituals intact," IGP Vijay Sakhare said.

On the large presence of police personnel,Pathnamthitta collector P B Nooh said "there are many khaki clad policemen around. That is for the safety and security of devotees."



The temple complex and nearby areas had witnessed protests from devotees when it was opened for monthly pujas for eight days in October and early this month against the LDF government's decision to implement the apex court verdict allowing women of all age groups to pray at the shrine.

Social activist Trupti Desai, who arrived at Kochi airport Friday en route to Sabarimala, was forced to return to Maharashtra following over 13-hour protests from devotees.

About 500-odd women in the 10-50 age group had booked for darshan through a police online portal. However, police sources were tightlipped when asked if any women had sought protection to offer prayers.

At various places, hartal supporters forcibly downed shops' shutters, prevented vehicles from plying causing hardship to people.

A CPI(M) leader's son and his journalist daughter-in-law were attacked allegedly by protesters trying to enforce a shutdown at Kuttiady in Kozhikode district Saturday.

Party district secretary P Mohanan's son Julius Nikithas and wife Saniyo Manomi, working with a leading Malayalam news channel, were attacked as they were going to a hospital in a car to visit a patient, police said.

Sasikala was taken into preventive custody at 2.30 am Saturday after she allegedly defied directions not to spend the night near the temple complex.

Police had decided not to allow devotees enter the temple premises when it was closed for the night.

Sasikala, who was on a fast at the Ranni police station, protesting her detention, was later produced before the sub-divisional magistrate, who is also the Thiruvalla Revenue Divisonal officer (RDO), and granted bail.

She later told reporters that if her health permits, she would like to go to Sabarimala.

Devaswom (temple administration) minister Kadakampally Surendran hit out at the Hindu outfits and the BJP, saying the hartal was a "proclamation of war" against Ayyappa pilgrims.

Slamming hartal supporters, Opposition leader in the state assembly, Ramesh Chennithala described it as "needless" and "unpardonable" and flayed BJP for extending support.

BJP president P S Sreedharan Pillai said the detention of Sasikala and others was "illegal".
: The Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS), a partner in the "grand alliance" (comprising Congress, TDP, CPI and TJS), Saturday announced four candidates for the December 7 assembly elections in Telangana.

The four nominees include Kapilavai Dileep Kumar (Malkajgari in Hyderabad), Janardhan Reddy (Medak), Chindam Raj Kumar (Dubbak) and Bhavani Reddy (Siddipet).

The party is expected to contest eight seats as part of the alliance. The total number of assembly segments is 119.

TJS said in a media release that other details would be announced Sunday.

November 19 is the last date for filing nominations.

TJS is headed by M Kodandaram, who was the Chairman of the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC). The JAC was in the forefront of the separate Telangana agitation.

It comprised several political parties, including TRS and various people's organisations.

However, differences cropped up between Kodandaram and the TRS after the latter assumed power in separate Telangana in 2014.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Donald Trump has played down a court decision that forced him to restore the press pass credentials of CNN's correspondent Jim Acosta and threatened to walk out of future press briefings if reporters do not act with "decorum".

The press pass of Acosta, CNN's White House Correspondent, was suspended last week after an altercation he had with President Trump during a conference. The White House had accused him of placing his hand on an intern. Acosta and the CNN has denied the allegations.

A federal US court on Friday ordered the White House to immediately reinstate the press credentials of Acosta in a ruling seen as a major victory for mediapersons.

Trump played down the ruling, saying it wasn't "a big deal".

But, he said, "people have to behave", adding his staff were "writing up rules and regulations" for the press to abide by, including sticking to the agreed number of questions.

"If they don't listen to the rules and regulations we'll end up back in court and will win," Trump said. "But more importantly, we'll just leave, and then you won't be very happy."



"You can't take three questions and four questions and just stand up and not sit down," he added. "Decorum. You have to practice decorum."



CNN this week it filed a lawsuit against the White House urging the court to reinstate the press pass of its Chief White House Correspondent.

In his order, US District Judge Timothy Kelly asked the White House to restore the press pass for Acosta that gives him regular access to the White House grounds to cover events and press conferences.

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President Donald Trump arrived in Northern California on Saturday to see firsthand the grief and devastation from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century amid confusion over how many people remain unaccounted for.

Authorities confirmed a new death toll of 71 and say they are trying to locate 1,011 people , even as they stressed that not all are believed missing.

California's outgoing and incoming governors, both Democrats and vocal critics of Trump, greeted him when he landed at Beale Air Force Base just north of Sacramento and got onto a helicopter. Gov. Jerry Brown and Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom welcomed Trump's visit, declaring it's time "to pull together for the people of California."



The blaze that started Nov. 8 largely destroyed the town of Paradise, population 27,000, and heavily damaged the nearby communities of Magalia and Concow. It destroyed more than 9,800 homes and at its height displaced 52,000 people.

Trump also was expected to stop in Southern California, where a wildfire recently killed three people and a gunman shot a dozen people to death at a country music bar in Thousand Oaks on Nov. 7 before killing himself.

The fire zone in Northern California is to some extent Trump country. He beat Hillary Clinton by 4 percentage points in Butte County in 2016.

But Trump has stirred resentment among survivors for blaming the fire on poor forest management in California, making the comments two days after the disaster on Twitter and reiterating them the day of his visit.

"If you insult people, then you go visit them, how do you think you're going to be accepted? You're not going to have a parade," Maggie Crowder of Magalia said this week outside an informal shelter at a Walmart store in Chico.

But Stacy Lazzarino, who voted for Trump, said it would be good for the president to see the devastation up close: "I think by maybe seeing it he's going to be like 'Oh, my goodness,' and it might start opening people's eyes." Firefighters were reluctant to weigh in on Trump's visit, but some shared their thoughts.

Nick Shawkey, a state fire captain from rural Northern California, said Trump's visit was the mark of a good leader. But to imply the state was to blame for mismanaging the forests was based on a misunderstanding because much of the forest land in California is controlled by the U.S. Forest Service, he said.

"The thing he's tweeting about is his property," Shawkey said.

Paul Briones, a firefighter from Bakersfield, predicted Trump's visit would be a huge boost to the community, showing "that this on a national level is a priority." More than 5,600 fire personnel were battling the blaze that covered 231 square miles (598 square kilometers) and was halfway contained, officials said.

Firefighters were racing against time with winds up to 40 mph and low humidity expected Saturday night into Sunday. Rain was forecast for midweek, which could help firefighters but also complicate the challenging search for remains.

"It's a disheartening situation," Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told reporters Friday. "As much as I wish we could get through this before the rains come, I don't know if that's possible." The number of people unaccounted for grew to more than 1,000 on Friday. But Honea acknowledged the list was "dynamic" and could easily contain duplicate names and unreliable spellings of names.

The roster probably includes some who fled the blaze and do not realize they have been reported missing, he said.

"We are still receiving calls. We're still reviewing emails," Honea said. "This is a massive undertaking. We have hundreds and hundreds of people working on this." Families searching for loved ones have scoured shelters and social media and say they understand the chaos of the situation, but the wait for information is agonizing.

For one family, good arrived by telephone.

Monica Whipple said Friday that she was boarding a plane back to North Carolina when she got a call two days ago that her mother, Donna Price, had been found alive at a shelter.

"It was so crazy, I started crying in front of everybody," Whipple said.

For too many others, the wait has ended with bad

Sol Bechtold searched for his 75-year-old mother, Caddy, and provided DNA samples to authorities. As he drove back to his home in Pleasanton, California, he got a call from an officer and was told his mother's remains were found in her burned-down home in Magalia.

"It's hard to realize your mother is gone," Bechtold said.

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At least two people were killed and 10 others injured as a bomb exploded near a flyover in Pakistan's port city of Karachi on Friday.

Some vendors were selling fruit and other items of daily use near the flyover at Quaidabad locality of the city when the bomb went off, damaging buildings and triggering panic in the densely populated area, police said.

Officials investigating the blast said that at least 500 grams of explosives were used in the home-made explosive device, the Express Tribune reported.

The blast killed two teenagers, aged 18 and 16, and injured 10 others, officials said.

Soon after the blast, Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) officials reached the site of the incident and defused a second bomb, with at least two kilograms of explosives.

The officials said that the blast was pre-planned and the objective was to draw first responders and people to the blast site after the first bomb exploded and then detonate the second bomb.

If the second explosion had happened, the losses would have been much higher, an official said.

The 10 injured have been shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for treatment.

Nobody has so far claimed responsibility for the blast.

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Britain's arts minister has imposed an export bar on a unique watercolour painting depicting a traditional musical performance in mid-18th century northern India in an attempt to find a UK buyer for the 550,000-pound artwork.

Michael Ellis, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, is hoping a museum would be interested in acquiring 'Trumpeters' by Nainsukh of Guler (1710-1778).

The painting is described by experts as a delicate miniature of a "rarely found calibre", showing seven village musicians on a terrace, striking differing poses and faces, while energetically blowing the exceptionally long Pahari horns called Turhi, in the hill region of northern India.

It has been categorised as a fine example of Nainsukh of Guler's trademark gift of detailed observation and complex directional composition.

"Nainsukh's artistic influence has been felt around the world for generations and this piece demonstrates the outstanding aesthetic importance of his work," said Ellis.

"I hope that this piece can be kept in the UK, not only for its beauty, but to help further the study of Indian art and history," he said.

The artist is considered to be one of the most acclaimed of the Pahari Movement, a major and popular genre of Indian miniature painting during the period.

Some of his other works are exhibited in public collections in the UK, including the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum.

The miniature is an example of the colour and light of India which inspired its first owner, renowned artist Winifred Nicholson (1893-1981), whose works have been exhibited in world-leading galleries including the Tate.

"Nainsukh of Guler's beautiful miniature of musicians is a masterpiece unparalleled in North Indian art. But the exuberant gestures and puffed-out cheeks of the trumpeters bear a remarkable resemblance to the trumpeters depicted some 300 years earlier by the Italian Renaissance artist Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506) in his series of paintings, now in Hampton Court, showing the Triumph of Caesar.

"These paintings were repeatedly reproduced as prints over the coming centuries, initially by Mantegna himself. Did Nainsukh see, and was he influenced, by the prints when preparing this watercolour?" said reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA) member Peter Barber.

RCEWA, which made the recommendation to defer the export licence on the painting, said it offers a British gallery, museum or library the opportunity to acquire the piece.

Like the Mantegnas, it would then remain in the UK and the connections between two great works of Asian and European arts could be further investigated.

The recommendation was made on the grounds that the painting is of outstanding aesthetic importance and of significant use in the study of Indian history.

The decision on the export licence application for the painting will be deferred until February 15 next year in the hope of finding a buyer.

This may be extended until May 15, 2019 if a serious intention to raise funds to purchase it is made at the recommended price of 550,000 pounds.

RCEWA is an independent body, serviced by the UK's Arts Council, which advises the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on whether a cultural object, intended for export, is of national importance under specified criteria.

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With an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Saturday flagged off a bike rally from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi.

Adityanath and his cabinet colleagues participated in the "Kamal Sandesh bike rally" organised by the BJP across the state.

Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya was seen riding a motorcycle in Prayagraj.

"Took part in the Kamal Sandesh bike rally in Prayagraj. The only message being disseminated by this rally is to ensure a comprehensive win for the BJP under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Maurya said in a tweet.

Union minister Manoj Sinha participated in the bike rally from Ghazipur.

"Despite efforts made by 'siddhaant-viheen rajnaitik dal' (political parties deprived of principles), they will not be able to reach a consensus on prime ministerial candidate," he said.

In Lucknow, party workers from different polling booths gathered at Jhulelal Vatika for the bike rally.

President of BJP's Lucknow mahanagar (city) unit Mukesh Sharma rode a motorcycle, while the deputy chief minister was the pillion rider.

"In the past four-and-half years, the developmental work done by the prime minister has been exemplary. The opposition is indulging in negative It cannot speak on development. The Centre has worked extensively to improve the conditions of farmers," Sharma told reporters here.

UP ministers Brijesh Pathak, Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Ashutosh Tandon along with Lucknow mayor Sanyukta Bhatia and several other BJP MLAs participated in the bike rally.

Joshi said BJP workers have worked hard to spread awareness about various schemes of both central and state governments.

UP BJP general secretary Pankaj Singh, who took part in the rally from Gorakhpur, said, "The BJP government is working on its agenda of development and the benefits of welfare schemes are reaching to the actual beneficiaries. I am sure that the BJP will win the 2019 parliamentary elections.

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Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma and other ministers participated in a motorcycle rally organised by the BJP to propagate the work done by both central and state governments ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Party workers from different polling booths gathered at Jhulelal Vatika for the motorcycle rally.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had organised a "Kamal Sandesh Yatra" across UP to garner support for the general elections.

President of BJP's Lucknow mahanagar (city) unit Mukesh Sharma rode a motorcycle, while the deputy chief minister was the pillion rider.

"In the past four-and-half years, the developmental work done by the prime minister has been exemplary. The opposition is indulging in negative It cannot speak on development. The Centre has worked extensively to improve the conditions of farmers," Sharma told reporters here.

When asked to comment on the prices of petrol and diesel, he said, "The current prices of petrol and diesel are lesser than those prevailing during the Congress rule."



UP ministers Brijesh Pathak, Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Ashutosh Tandon along with Lucknow mayor Sanyukta Bhatia and several other BJP MLAs participated in the bike rally.

Joshi said BJP workers have worked hard to spread awareness about various schemes of both central and state governments.

"They have also helped people to ensure that their names are mentioned correctly in voters list. This is a display of enthusiasm among the party workers. I am confident that in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP will register a clean sweep," she said.

Bike rallies were held at all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

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Eight persons, allegedly belonging to a pro-Left outfit of the Jadavpur University, were arrested when they assembled in front of the Nandan premises on Saturday where the 24th Kolkata International Film Festival was hosted, to stage a demonstration, police said.

A total of 10 persons allegedly belonging to the "pro-Maoist" United Students Democratic Front (USDF) gathered in front of Nandan premises at around 2.05 pm and were trying to stage a protest demonstration, a police official told PTU.

"They tried to hold demonstration over various issues including Jangalmahal. It was then that police from Hastings Police Station intervened and arrested eight demonstrators which included two women," the police official said.

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Telugu poet Varavara Rao, accused of having Maoist links, was Saturday taken into custody by the Pune Police from Hyderabad in a case related to Elgar Parishad conclave, a senior official said here.

Rao was so far under house arrest in Hyderabad.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Pune Police) Shivaji Bodakhe said an extension of his house arrest granted by the Hyderabad High Court expired on November 15.

On October 26, the Pune Police had taken into custody co-accused Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves, while Sudha Bharadwaj was taken into custody the next day.

Left-leaning activists Rao, Ferreira, Gonsalves, Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha were arrested in August after the Pune Police conducted raids at various places in the country in connection with the Koregaon Bhima violence case.

Navlakha has not been taken into custody yet.

The police alleged that the activists had links with the Maoists, who backed Elgar Parishad held in Pune on December 31 last year. The Parishad, the police alleged, instigated violence near Koregaon Bhima war memorial in Pune district the next day.

However, the activists were put under house arrest on Supreme Court's order. The apex court subsequently said the Pune Police can go ahead with the probe.

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Walt Disney once said, "I hope we never lose sight of one thing- that it was all started by a mouse" and as Mickey, the beloved cartoon character, turns 90, the company is throwing "the world's biggest mouse party".

Mickey Mouse first appeared in 1928 cartoon film "Steamboat Willie" and since then, he has been an inseparable part of many lives.

"We are pulling out all the stops. We are celebrating not just around the company but around the world. We have the world's biggest mouse party going on at all our theme parks around the world, which will stretch over twelve months," Dana Jones, director of enterprise franchise management at the Walt Disney Company, told PTI.

Fans can also get their own Instagram moment with the ongoing "Mickey: The True Original Exhibition" in New York. The immersive experience is inspired by Mickey's iconic status and his impact in popular culture.

"This is an experiential exhibition, which is a very Instagram-able event and blends fine art with the things that we can see, touch and feel. We hope that it will travel to other places as well," Jones said.

India also features in the company's grand plans for Mickey's birthday celebrations.

"India is one of the important markets for us. We have a great short cartoon that Mickey did a couple of years ago in which he was in India speaking in Hindi. Mickey showed the world that India has a special place in his heart.

"There's not a country in the world where Mickey is not known and not loved. And we're focusing as much as possible on India... We are really trying to highlight the relationship Mickey has with India," Jones added.

Mickey is the largest character franchise in India with over 30 million products sold in 2017. To build a connect with the younger generation, Disney launched 'Stay Fit with Mickey & Minnie" programme in 3000 schools in metro cities such as Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai.

"We are always looking for new content opportunities for Mickey. The great thing about Mickey is that he lives in a cartoon version of our world so the opportunities to have adventures with him and his friends are endless," Jones said.

With such storied life, it seems that everything that is to be explored has already been explored in Mickey's life but Jones said the company has always tried to keep the cartoon character relevant.

"We are constantly making sure that Mickey is where people are consuming content. So, a lot has been focused on Mickey's digital presence. Over the last few years, we have made sure that Mickey has an Instagram handle and a Facebook handle. It's such a timeless character," she said.

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San Francisco International Airport says nearly 200 flights have been delayed because of low visibility and smoke caused by wildfires in Northern California.

Airport spokesman Doug Yakel said that as of noon on Friday about 15 per cent, or 195 flights, have had delays averaging 45 minutes.

On Thursday, about 500 were delayed, representing about 40 per cent of the airport's flights. The airport averages about 1,250 flights per day.

Yakel said smoke was the main factor in low visibility conditions, with visibility at about 2.4 kilometers Friday compared to 16 kilometers on a normal day.

The airport is urging travellers to check with their airlines or the airport's website for their flights' status.

Schools across the San Francisco Bay Area were closed Friday as winds carried smoke from wildfires in Northern California that blanketed towns and cities hundreds of miles (kilometers) away.

Authorities say it is hard to get a handle on the number of missing in the aftermath of Northern California wildfire that is the deadliest in the country in at least a century.

The number has fluctuated from day to day, with the latest report standing at more than 600 unaccounted for. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea acknowledged the list is "dynamic" and includes reports from the disaster's frantic early hours.

Some who are on the ever-evolving list have been confirmed as deceased by family and friends on social media. Others have been located safely, but authorities have not yet marked them as found.

In last year's Northern California wine country wildfires, Sonoma County authorities at one point listed more than 2,000 people as missing. But they slowly whittled down the number.

In the end, 44 people died in a that series of fires in several counties.

Hundreds of people displaced by the Northern California wildfire have lined up outside a mall in the city of Chico where the Federal Emergency Management Agency set up an assistance center inside what used to be a Sears department store.

Authorities have so far counted 616 structures were destroyed and 183 damaged by the deadly Southern California fire.

The latest numbers issued Friday morning reflect damage assessments in 57 per cent of the burned area.

Containment of the fire has also increased to 69 per cent of the fire zone encompassing 396 square kilometers of suburbs and wilderness west of Los Angeles.

Officials say they have contained almost half of a Northern California deadly blaze that razed a town and killed at least 63 people.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Friday the wildfire that destroyed the town of Paradise is now 45 per cent contained, up from 40 per cent Thursday morning.

The department says the blaze has charred 575 square kilometers, destroyed 144 apartment buildings and 9,700 homes.

Forecasters are predicting rain early next week for the Northern California area where a deadly blaze that decimated a town continues to burn a week after it started.

The wet weather could help firefighters extinguish the massive blaze earlier than expected.

At least 63 people were killed after the fire swept through Paradise and other communities on Nov 8.

Fire officials in Northern California say the list of 631 people missing in the nation's deadliest wildfire in a century probably includes people who fled the blaze and don't know they're being sought.

The Northern California fire that began a week earlier obliterated the town of Paradise. Searchers have pulled bodies from incinerated homes and cremated cars. But in many cases, the victims may have been reduced to bits of bones and ash.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A woman attempted suicide after allegedly slitting throats of her two children because of an "unhappy marriage" in south Delhi's Hauz Rani area on Saturday, police said.

Police were informed about the incident at around 10.50 am, they said.

Mohsina (30), along with her two children was rushed to a hospital by her family and neighbours where her three-year-old daughter died. The woman and her one-and-a-half-year old son was in critical condition.

According to police, the woman had an argument with her husband on Friday night about him coming home late and drunk, following which he went to his parents' home in an opposite building.

He stayed there while his mother came to Mohsina's house, they added.

In the morning, Mohsina's mother-in-law came back to her house leaving her with the children, police said, adding it was during this time that Mohsina allegedly attacked her children and also tried to kill herself.

Mohsina's father is an assistant sub-inspector with the Delhi Police while her husband sells holiday packages at a mall in Saket.

Her family claimed that she was in an unhappy marriage and the incident was triggered due to it. Her in-laws claimed that she would often get upset when her husband returned home late and the couple had fights over it earlier.

The spot was inspected by a crime team and forensic experts. Further investigation is underway, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Dmitry Zhdannikov and Ahmed RasheedLONDON/BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq on Friday restarted exports of Kirkuk oil, halted a year ago due to a standoff between the central government and Kurdistan's semi-autonomous region, after a new government in Baghdad agreed a tentative deal with Erbil. The development is a win for the U.S. government, which has been urging both sides to settle the dispute and resume flows to help address a shortage of Iranian crude in the region after Washington imposed new sanctions on Tehran.U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on Twitter that resumption ...
BELFAST (Reuters) - Northern Irish business groups lined up to back Prime Minister Theresa May's draft Brexit agreement on Friday and put pressure on her allies from the British province to drop their staunch opposition to the plan.May has faced widespread disapproval of the withdrawal deal unveiled this week both from within her Conservative party and from the 10 MPs from Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) who prop up her minority government.May hopes the support that began to emerge from UK business on Friday will help her sell the deal. In Northern Ireland, four major ...
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By Jessica Resnick-AultNEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil ended slightly firmer after volatile trading on Friday, supported by expectations that the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries would agree to cut output next month, though prices fell for the sixth straight week amid global oversupply concerns.OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia is keen for the major producers to cut output by about 1.4 million barrels per day, around 1.5 percent of global supply, to support the market, sources told Reuters this week. But other producers, including Russia, have been reluctant to agree to a cut. Brent ...
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday Iran and Iraq could raise annual bilateral trade to $20 billion from the current level of $12 billion.Rouhani's remarks, in a meeting with visiting Iraqi President Barham Salih, came about two weeks after the United States restored sanctions targeting Iran's key oil industry as well as its banking and transportation sectors. "Today, the economic relations between the two countries reach about $12 billion (per year) and, through bilateral efforts, we can raise this figure to $20 billion," Rouhani said in remarks broadcast live ...
Former Union minister P Chidambaram Saturday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for targeting the Congress, reminding him of the party's legacy by listing out the names of its presidents from outside the Nehru-Gandhi family.

He asked the prime minister to now speak on the Rafale aircraft deal, unemployment and suicide of farmers during his rule.

In an election rally in Chhattisgarh on Friday, Modi had asked the Congress to make a Congressman, from outside the Nehru-Gandhi family, president of the party for five years.

In a series of tweets, Chidambaram listed out the names and said the Congress was proud of the humble origins of its post-Independence leaders like Babasaheb Ambedkar, Lal Bahadur Shastri, K Kamaraj and Manmohan Singh and many others besides thousands others during pre-Independence days.

"To jog PM Modi's memory: among the Congress Presidents since 1947 were Acharya Kripalani, Pattabhi Sitaramayya, Purushottamdas Tandon, U N Dhebar, Sanjiva Reddy, Sanjivaiah, Kamaraj, Nijalingappa, C Subramanian, Jagjivan Ram, Shankar Dayal Sharma, D K Barooah, Brahmananda Reddy, P V Narasimha Rao and Sitaram Kesri (sic)," he said.

In a dig at Modi, Chidambaram said he was grateful that the prime minister was "concerned" about who is elected as Congress president and he devotes a lot of time talking about it.

"Will he spend half the time and speak about demonetisation, GST, Rafale, CBI and the RBI?

"Will PM Modi speak about farmers' suicides, massive unemployment, lynchings, rape crimes against women and children, anti-Romeo squads, gau rakshak vigilantism and increasing terror attacks?" he said.
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At one stage in decades past, there were 15 adult stores in the now-industrial suburb of Fyshwick. There were brothels, fireworks sellers but also small mum and dad operators. Now, turn down any street in Fyshwick and youll find warehouses, industrial sites and big businesses. But if you look carefully, tucked in amongst them are the longstanding locals. David Hand started working as a smash repairer from a shop in Lyell Street 45 years ago. Within six months of starting the job, hed bought the business. "Fyshwick in those days consisted of only Pirie and Isa Street, and Tenant Street was about as far as you could go," Mr Hand said. "Back then it was just mechanics and panel beaters, you never saw any women out here. Now there's more women in Fyshwick than men. There's now a coffee shop on every street." Mr Hand has three adult children, one now manages the smash repairs shop, and the two others own and work in Two Hands cafe, just down the road. Since Mr Hand first came to Fyshwick, he's seen the suburb expand in area and diversity. "There used to be lots of blue-collar workers here. In the last 15 or 20 years there's been even more professionals." Plumbing showroom and warehouse Southern Innovations managing director Warwick Buetler also recalls Fyshwick as a small place with small businesses, but in recent decades many more big-name businesses have moved in. "There were lots of mum and dad operators. Whether they were panel beaters or car yards, there were a lot of smaller shops," he said. "A lot of the stores back then are much the same as they are now and you can still see remnants of them all over Fyshwick." He said Fyshwicks location, close to the city, northern and southern suburbs and Queanbeyan, was its drawcard. Mr Beutler said the plumbing business started in a small block on Wollongong Street in the late 1970s, when Fyshwick was the only option for industrial operations. "Many of the places in Fyshwick had much smaller operations then. The business owners back then were a lot closer together than they are now, he said. The outlet shopping centre and bigger business like Harvey Norman and Bunnings moved into Fyshwick in the 2000s, expanding the suburbs footprint even further. Family-run businesses like Watson Blinds, who have been in the area for 50 years, also expanded. Director Kevin Watson, whose dad established the company, said the older businesses in Fyshwick have had to adapt in order to survive the changing times. "It's always been a retail hub, all of the furniture stores gravitated to here," Mr Watson said. "Back in the early days there used to be quite a number of family-owned hardware stores, especially around Pirie Street. Now those places have been squeezed out by Bunnings." Over 50 years, the blinds business has moved several times to accommodate their growth, first from Isa Street to Pirie Street and then to Wollongong Street. Mr Watson said he remembers a time when the network of business owners was strong, but that faded over time. "It was a lot more intimate, most owners were local as opposed to national companies," he said. "It's still a major retail hub and the place to be on a Saturday morning." Meanwhile, as day turns to night in Fyshwick a different type of clientele emerges. As long as Fyshwick has been an industrial hub, it's also been known for brothels, adult shops and the place to go for fireworks. While firework sales were banned in 2009, Fyshwick's sex industry remains. A boom during the 1970s and 80s even saw an adult store the size of a supermarket pop up. One of the longest serving adult stores Hello Sexy, previously Adult World, has been in Fyshwick since the 1980s. Employee Jessica Dunk said the industry was at its peak during that time, but the customer base back was very different. "Back when they first opened in Fyshwick, it was still quite taboo, and women wouldn't really enter," she said. "The concept of adult stores were a lot more male-orientated and being dark and dingy." At one point there was as many as 15 adult stores just in Fyshwick, but the internet soon took over and multiple stores shut their doors. Ms Dunk said about five stores remain - they're the ones that have adapted to changing times. She said attitudes to sex have changed, and adult shops are more couple-friendly than they used to be. Smash repairer Mr Hand said the changing atmosphere in Fyshwick began with the banning of fireworks. While streetscapes and businesses have adjusted over the years, Mr Hand said it's only a matter of time before the suburb becomes unrecognisable again. "Just about everything has changed now," he said. "All the changes have been good for Fyshwick.

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His name has become so synonymous with the Canberra property empire he's built that it's understandable when the MC slips up as she introduces Nick Georgalis. "Nick Geo-," she says, catching the mistake just in time. "Nick Georgalis." Mr Georgalis approaches the microphone, looks out at the crowd gathered to mark the launch of the Tryst high-rise apartment complex and a sales centre that looks more like a luxury car dealer's showroom, and grins. "Mr Geocon," he quips, to laughter from the crowd. "That's alright, I'm used to being called that." In the boardroom at Geocon's Fyshwick headquarters a week later, the company's founder and managing director speaks with the same confidence and exuberance with which he charms a room full of clients and VIPs. He answers questions without a moment's hesitation and puts forward a passionate pitch for his home city when he sits down with the Sunday Canberra Times to discuss his role in leading Geocon to become the dominant player in the capital's housing market. The born and bred Canberran is a fast talker and a natural salesman, keen to talk up the role Geocon is playing in transforming not only the city's skyline, but its mentality. "[Canberra has] grown from a city where people wanted to move away to a city that people want to move to," Mr Georgalis says. "Canberras always had a problem attracting people to it because it didnt come with a lifestyle. Now, that changes." Mr Georgalis started Geocon in 2007, initially building freestanding homes in the Canberra suburbs. Since then it has become a multi-unit specialist and is now ranked the fourth-largest residential multi-unit builder/developer in Australia. The company has an annual turnover of more than $400 million and more than 250 staff helping deliver its bulging portfolio of hotels and most notably, high-rise complexes dominated by apartments. But the company's most ambitious projects, like the $1 billion Belconnen Republic precinct that will include Canberra's tallest building, a 113-metre tall residential tower, are still to come. Mr Georgalis says Geocon will start work on more than 2000 units this financial year, ramping up from 906 in 2017-18. While many in the capital believe Geocon is pushing boundaries, Mr Georgalis says that's a matter of perspective and with the light rail project and precincts like Republic and the Kingston Arts Precinct on the way, joining the existing international airport, Canberra is starting to resemble major international cities. "If you picked a city like Sydney or Melbourne or Hong Kong or wherever, and someone looked at the density of our projects, theyre actually low-rise and not very dense projects," he says. "So its really a matter of perspective. "The reality is we take an international view and a national view on things and we dont try and size ourselves up to anyone in the ACT." Geocon is making waves outside Canberra, striking a deal with major players including international investment bank Goldman Sachs, which is funding the fast-tracked Republic development, and partnering with powerful Sydney investor and money lender Mark Bouris. But the company remains focused solely on the ACT region, and Mr Georgalis says he has no plans to change that any time soon, declaring that Geocon won't look to build outside the region for at least another five years. "We understand the ACT market intimately," he says. "Theres no need for the group to expand outside of the ACT because we want to be very good at what we deliver here. "We actually think that people have underestimated how much Canberra is really going to grow." Mr Georgalis says Geocon's analysts believe the ACT's population will hit 600,000 by 2030, sooner than governments and economists expect. He says the population boom will only exacerbate the "structural undersupply" that led him to take Geocon down the path of specialising in high-density multi-unit projects in the city and town centres, with the company having started out building townhouses in the suburbs. He says the market is crying out for apartments in the midst of a "dangerously low" vacancy rate - assessed by SQM Research as being 0.6 per cent in Canberra - dismissing any suggestions there are too many apartments appearing too quickly on the city's skyline. With rental yields among the highest in Australia, Mr Georgalis says the best investment in the country is in our own backyard. "A lot of people dont really realise whats happening in Canberra and realise the demand for property," Mr Georgalis says. "They might see high-rises being built, and more than ever, but theyre all sold. "Ill use the example of our Grand Central Towers, [which has] 430 apartments. "Weve just started demolition on a 20-month program and theres only about 50 units left to sell out of 430." While he's a born and bred Canberran, no one could accuse Mr Georgalis of living in a bubble. He gets up early every day to read newspapers and stay up to date with world events, and offers his views on topics including New Zealand's ban on foreign buyers purchasing property - a decision he finds baffling because fewer investors means fewer properties are available to rent. He also regularly compares his vision for parts of Canberra to other cities, likening the Kingston Foreshore to Sydney's Darling Harbour, Belconnen to the Parramatta CBD, and Braddon to Surry Hills in Sydney or St Kilda in Melbourne. "All of a sudden its got this likeness of major international cities," Mr Georgalis says of Canberra, praising the international airport and light rail project, which he says have put the city on the map for global investors. So while Canberra's newest number plates would have you believe we live in "the bush capital", Mr Georgalis sees a modern metropolis that is anything but. "When people hear the words 'bush capital', they would think you'd see Akubras, R. M. Williams, belt buckles and cowboy boots because that's what the bush is in Australia," he laughs. "If you go to places like Mt Isa and Townsville, that are bush cities, that's what [the phrase] represents. "The Australian bush isn't Canberra, the Australian bush is something very different. "[The phrase 'bush capital'] is something people may have liked to have used to tone down people delivering ambitious projects." If there's one word to describe Mr Georgalis and Geocon, it's ambitious. But he's keen to point out that this story is not just about him or his company. It's also about Canberra, a place the likes of Goldman Sachs and Mark Bouris have put their faith in as a sophisticated, emerging city. Mr Bouris, a self-described "fairly conservative investor", doesn't mince his words. "You are no longer the bush capital," Mr Bouris told the launch of Geocon's High Society development in July. "Canberra's evolved. Canberra's not boring. Canberra's f---ing cool. There, I said it."

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As energy prices and temperatures soar in Australia, so too does the use of confusing words in the energy debate. The most recent addition to the energy sector's bulging lexicon is "fair dinkum power", a term coined by the federal government that has now been reappropriated, and trademarked, by high-profile entrepreneur Mike Cannon-Brookes. While the adjective "fair dinkum" evokes uncomplicated, simple truths, the reality is that the phrase has no actual meaning when describing the qualities of energy. It is just the latest in a long line of terms used to sway the energy discourse in Australia. The ongoing heated and high-profile tussles over Australia's energy future are hardly surprising given the enormity of what's at stake. Not only have energy and climate issues had a large influence over political fortunes over the past decade, the energy sector represents quadrillions of dollars of capital, invested mostly in legacy 20th century infrastructure, and as the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, it is impossible to ignore the industry's role in global warming (to use the less ambiguous term than climate change). With so much at stake, it's not surprising that the situation is a tinderbox, where a single word or headline can have far-reaching ramifications for voters, investors, and workers. Unfortunately, rather than using clear, accessible language which empowers audiences with facts, what we have is an overload of energybabble. As economist Richard Denniss, who coined the term econobabble, notes, this "is a terrible way to encourage a productive public debate. But it's a great way to stifle one, and to confound and confuse Australians. That's the reason we hear so much of it." So how do we cut through the energybabble and get to the fair dinkum facts? Here's a look at the implicit and explicit meanings of some of the most commonly used energy terms. Fair dinkum power: Scott Morrison coined this term in a conversation with Alan Jones in September, and it has become a catchphrase for the government ever since. While the term has never been explicitly defined, it is widely considered to be code for coal power, with claims that this polluting energy source is the reliable and patriotic power source Australians want. Baseload: This originally referred to the minimum amount of power that should be consumed by the grid at all times in order to prevent coal fired generators from being turned off, as they take many hours to start up again. Today, the term usually refers to generators that are dependent on this baseload because they cannot run at a low output or adjust their output quickly - unlike variable, renewable energy generation. While in the past baseload power was considered essential to avoid time-consuming and costly coal generation shutdowns, it's far less essential today because variable demand can easily be met with flexible generation. Intermittent: This term describes things that switch on and off suddenly and without warning. The term is used to undermine wind and solar as unreliable, because they depend on weather effects that can change quickly and unpredictably. It ignores the fact that we have many solar panels and wind turbines connected across the country, whose combined output becomes smoother with every new installation. This strategy of pooling diverse resources is central to how we manage the grid, by combining individuals' intermittent use of lights, kettles, air-conditioners etc. Variable: A more apt way to describe the characteristics of solar and wind power, capturing the changing output of these generators while avoiding the inaccurate implication that generation is unreliable. The term was defined by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory to "consist of those forms of power generation that depend on a primary energy source that varies over time and cannot be stored". Not all renewable generation is variable; geothermal and biomass for example use renewable fuels, but their fuel can be stored, with power produced when needed. The electricity output of variable generators can also be stored, for example in batteries or the pumped hydro power facilities which are being added to wind farms. These storage systems are said to "firm" the output of these generators. Dispatchable energy: Energy that is available exactly when it is needed. This matches people's personal expectations of turning on appliances at will, giving the term political traction. The term implies a high level of control, where grid operators can call upon an asset to generate a required amount of energy at precisely the required time. While this is an important characteristic, the reality is that only a small fraction of our generation resources need to be dispatchable, because our demand can almost always be met through a diverse collection of variable generators. Batteries are emblematic of dispatchability because they can respond extremely quickly (with the added benefit of being able to absorb power). Fossil fuel generators are also dispatchable, but are not fast or flexible, which are the crucial characteristics in our future grid. Alternative: A word to describe non-fossil fuel energy sources such as renewables and nuclear energy. It implies renewables are a non-mainstream minority, but the soaring popularity of renewable energy puts paid to this myth. The energy system is undergoing a once-in-a-century transformation that is full of opportunities and challenges. The significance of what is at stake is hard to overstate, and changes will benefit some more than others. If we are to have any hope of achieving an orderly transition that maximises Australia's fantastic natural resources and benefits all Australians, we need to have clear and honest conversations and sensible and stable policies. The words we choose to use are important. As an energy industry we have a duty to communicate the inner workings of our sector clearly and simply, and to bust myths and implied falsehoods whenever we spot them. Politicians, meanwhile, would do well to present their priorities and policies transparently, and act in the best interests of current and future generations of Australians. That's fair dinkum leadership. Dr Bjorn Sturmberg is the Research Leader of the Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program at the Research School of Engineering, ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science.

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When I was growing up, one of my favourite shows was Beyond 2000, a science show that explored what technological advancements would greet us after the year 2000. While I still dont have a hover car, never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the internet, or that I would be able to carry it around in my pocket on my smartphone. Even now, when I Skype my friends and family from my smartphone, I never lose the feeling that I am living in the future. But we spend much less time thinking about the social conditions which enable technological advancements. Gadgets that just 30 years ago seemed like something out of an episode of The Jetsons are not just made by people in a laboratory. It takes a whole society to support scientists and inventors, which is much easier in a society with economic equality. Gadgets arent much good if not many people can afford to buy them. Wealth of Nations Nobel laureate and economist Professor Joseph Stiglitz - here in Australia to accept the 2018 Sydney Peace Prize for his groundbreaking work showing that inequality is not inevitable, it is created - this week gave a clear and succinct explanation when he addressed the National Press Club. Professor Stiglitz said the growth of the wealth of nations is based on two things: firstly, advances in science and technology, like the polio vaccine and wi-fi; secondly, better systems of social organisation, like democracy, the rule of law and a free press. All of this requires systems of truth-telling, of ascertaining, discovering and verifying what the truth is Professor Stiglitz said. While Professor Stiglitz is famous for his work on inequality, it is his comments on climate change and truth-telling institutions that struck a chord with me. No New Coal Mines Australia has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28 per cent by 2030. But, despite its best efforts to bury the truth, the government cannot hide the fact that Australias greenhouse gas emissions are rising because we continue to mine and burn the fossil fuels that cause global warming. The Coalition government under Scott Morrison insists Australia will meet its miserly Paris commitment. Environment Minister Melissa Price is stuck repeating We have a strong track record of meeting emissions reduction targets, but she finds it impossible to articulate how we will meet it or when emissions will stop rising, other than a vague plan to "build one billion trees". It wont be any time soon. Now that reducing emissions is no longer a goal of energy policy, Energy Minister Angus Taylor appears determined that the government will not only underwrite new coal-fired power stations, but that the government will take on the liability for future carbon risk  transferring all the economic risk of investing in dud coal plants from private companies to Australian taxpayers. To make matters worse, Australia has plans to double its thermal coal exports, making Australia the Saudi Arabia of coal. Professor Stiglitz outlined the problem: Coal is going to become obsolete. The world will not tolerate coal. But from the point of view of Australias exports, given that there is this diminishing market for coal, opening up another mine is going to actually depress the global price of coal exports. You are going to be hurting yourself. "Whats particularly of concern to many people is the fact that your employment will go down because the new mines are going to be very automated." The Australians foreign editor Greg Sheridan, author of several books and distinguished fellow of the Australia India Institute at the University of Melbourne, described this analysis as inane nonsense... you have to be an intellectual to believe that kind of stuff. Certainly, one could not accuse Sheridan of using his intellect with such comments. But Sheridan need not listen to intellectual. He could just take Adani Mining CEO Jeyakumar Janakaraj at his word when he said Adanis Carmichael mine will be utilizing at least 45 driverless trucks. All the vehicles will be capable of automation. When we ramp up the mine, everything will be autonomous from mine to port. So, not many coal jobs there. Or Sheridan could take the word of the International Energy Agency (IEA), which last year declared the coal boom is over and this month found that thermal coal exports will fall by nearly 60 per cent by 2040 as the world moves to limit global warming to below 2 degrees. In a depressed market, any new coal mines will displace workers in existing mines in the Hunter Valley and elsewhere across Australia. Global warming is a scientific reality the Morrison government can ignore, but not without negative consequences for Australias economy and future prosperity. But Im sure when the other two thirds of the corals of the Great Barrier Reef are bleached, Australians will be comforted by the profits we generated for coal companies. Truth-telling institutions While the Liberal governments under Morrison, Turnbull and Abbott have lied with the blatant enthusiasm of the Trump administration - remember hapless press secretary Sean Spicer insisting the inauguration day crowds were the biggest ever! - a succession of Liberal governments have shown contempt for institutions that underpin civil society like the Australian Human Rights Commission, the judiciary and the ABC. These are the kinds ofinstitutions that Stiglitz describes as those dedicated to "truth-telling". The Abbott government became hysterical when Australian Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs released the commissions inquiry into children in detention. Government ministers personally attacked Professor Triggs and basically declared war against the commission. Three years later, kids are still rotting away on Nauru. Last year, three senior Coalition government ministers narrowly avoided contempt of court charges after making comments attacking Victoria's judiciary. The court admonished the ministers for failing to respect the doctrine of the separation of powers, one of the key pillars of any democracy. And finally, the Coalition governments under Tony Abbott, then Malcolm Turnbull and now Scott Morrison have done their level best to undermine our beloved public broadcaster. Tony Abbott gutted the ABCs funding in the 2014 horror budget. Malcolm Turnbull presided over further budget cuts, as well as several wasteful inquiries at the behest of rival commercial media organisations seeking to quash competition. And now the Morrison government intends to compound the folly of the Abbott decision to cut funding for the ABCs Australia Network. It is sensible to restore the functions of the Australia Network, our voice in the region and a tool of soft diplomacy, but it is idiotic to give taxpayers money to the commercial broadcasters to do it instead. Commercial medias main goal is to make a buck, while the ABC charter sets out its clear obligations to citizens and makes it accountable to the public in a way no commercial broadcaster can be. This is privatisation of public broadcasting by stealth, and it must be stopped. Were now well beyond 2000, but unless we take Professor Stiglitz advice to protect the role of science and the truth-telling institutions like the ABC which underpin civil society, we risk retarding the growth of the wealth of our nation and our ability to give all Australians the "fair go" Scott Morrison is so fond of talking about. Ebony Bennett is Deputy Director of The Australia Institute. @ebony_bennett. The Australia Institute is an Impact Partner of the 2018 Sydney Peace Prize and Professor Joseph Stiglitz visited Canberra as a guest of The Australia Institute and the Sydney Peace Foundation.

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If I were a Labor warrior, thinking cautiously ahead about political warfare from mid-2019  after Labor had taken government - I might be judging that no present preparation could repay the investment more than a very strong focus on Josh Frydenberg, Scott Morrisons Treasurer. Of the Coalitions big players of today, few have a future. But Labor should want to be sure that the one who does, the Treasurer who has yet to deliver a budget, should have a past by the time the election is over. On the face of it, Morrison is gone for all money, not only as Prime Minister, but as any sort of Liberal leader after he has led the party to a defeat bigger than that which seemed likely with Malcolm Turnbull. His fate was sealed probably even before he took the top job. Most voters had made up their minds about the government before he moved from the Treasury to the Lodge. History will likely think that his efforts since to establish himself and retrieve the partys fortunes worsened the governments position. If that is what happens, the person best placed to pick up the reins of a shattered and demoralised Liberal Party will be Josh Frydenberg. The next leader will almost certainly be someone of the next generation. It seems unlikely that Liberal survivors would judge any of that generation much better than Frydenberg. Frydenberg is not seen as having been intimately involved in the destructive wars of personality and ideology which might cost the coalition what could well be 25 seats, including those of some of those whose plotting drove the government down. The image and reputation that Frydenberg will be bringing to the electorate, after electoral defeat, will be as Treasurer. Most voters have no reason to remember, favourably or unfavourably, anything he did for the environment, or cheap electricity, or for any of his stunts with the Abbott governments deregulation agenda. It will be for perhaps eight months' work as Treasurer, from August this year, that he will be remembered. No doubt all his fundamental instincts and principles in economic management are sound, whether by the general Liberal Party canon or in neoliberal terms. He is not regarded as an ideologue, even if he has, over the years, faithfully and sincerely believed in each of the Abbott, then Turnbull, the Morrison slogans about debt and deficit disasters, the urgent need to reduce debt and government spending, particularly on health, education and social welfare. It is not his fault that he has charge of the nations economic levers during what appear to be its last months in power, and at a time when a pragmatic and desperate prime minister is prepared to throw money at any problem or interest needing to be appeased. Morrison has seemed to make it clear that there is no limit to the amount of public money that will be thrown at any political problem if the spending of it might win a vote, retain a vote, or neutralise some criticism being made of the Prime Minister. Inconvenient policy, even, to a degree containing sacred tenets about the maintenance of a cruel refugee policy, are up for argument and modification if they can appease a critical constituency. Decisions arrived at calmly, after consideration of all the competing arguments, can be junked in a minute if it might help slow the flood at a byelection. The Prime Minister is even prepared to trash the prestige, authority and dignity of his office, and to play a local, national and internationally embarrassing Aussie caricature in the hope that voters might like him, or at least pity him. Not all of this will be at Frydenbergs door, now or in opposition. But his role now in finding money, often in billion dollar lots, for unvetted impromptu projects can be and should be, because it involves the office of Treasurer. And it will not only be what he has permitted to be done, but the public words he has used to justify and rationalise the expenditures, as good and appropriate for the economic (as opposed to political) circumstances of the moment that will come to embarrass him. The public has a longer memory than one might think. More importantly, so do ones political enemies, whether from the other side, or perhaps even ones own. Peter Costello understands the problem. He seethed because Howard always put his personal political interests ahead of Costellos. But he also, according to Costello, put his own interests ahead of the economys needs. Formally, of course, Howard was economically frugal and reform-oriented, as was Costello. Again and again during the Howard government Costello found himself taking most of the political hard knocks in improving the economic arithmetic, only to see Howard suddenly splurge savings which had been made. Or to see him retreat from hard-won victories if they came to be perceived by voters or commentators as mean and tricky. In his memoirs Costello told of how, asked by Howard, he prepared a list of potential affordable new spending initiatives which could be announced as election policy. He came up with an array of expensive, but he thought, potentially attractive, alternative proposals, any one of which might do and be manageable within a responsible budget.. To his horror, Howard announced the lot. The fruits of economic rigour of the early Howard years, and of the political courage which saw the development of the GST and some other reforms found itself dissipated. The later Howard governments lived off the bounty of a mining boom, and, partly so as to reduce Labors options when it won government, gave an unsustainable proportion of the spoils back as personal income tax cuts. Costello could do little more than make his frustration clear. But by then, at least, he had made his reputation as a model conservative treasurer, and he did not have to wear the obloquy of some of the seriously bad economic decisions, or promises, made as Howard sought to cling to power. Frydenberg, by contrast, has not acquired any reputation as any sort of guardian of the economy, protector of the economic bottom line, or person who has subjected every spending or revenue proposal to close and principled scrutiny. (Nor did Scott Morrison, under Turnbull) Over most of the last year of Morrisons treasurership, the economic triumvirate have been squireling away resources for a 2019 election campaign, and beginning the pork-barrelling announcements which, they hoped, would buy off bits of electorates, or party interests, so that the government could pull rabbits out of hats. Morrison still knows the strategy, and seems to have extended to himself an even bigger budget or election bonanza. But it is now Frydenberg who must make it happen. Josh has to make the books look good. Canberra journalist, lobbyist and raconteur Richard Farmer has told tales of having worked as an adviser to NSW Labor premier, Barry Unsworth, before the 1988 elections (which were to see Nick Greiner elected in a landslide). Farmer was writing the policy speech, and preparing the list of promises to voters. It was clear, and many said it, that the commitments and promises were at the height of fiscal and economic irresponsibility, and that the state could simply not afford to deliver on them if Labor were, contrary to the opinion polls, re-elected. But Labor knew that it had no chance of winning the election, and so there was no chance at all that it would ever be called upon to deliver on the promises, or to find the resources to do so. It was simply seeking to save the furniture  to attempt to limit the size of the swing so that the party would have the members, the staff and the resources with which to regroup. Todays voters are probably harder to fool. The coalitions position is deteriorating. Morrison is now leader only because the Liberals see him as least worst. None of his colleagues judge him to be wise or agile enough to bring the coalition back into contention, or even more clever, pragmatic and flexible than Peter Dutton. If any did, once, they are already disappointed but have to live with the consequences. All his colleagues, or a majority of them, hoped and expected that the rout would be more containable under Morrison, and that, as a result, the coalition could limp to Canberra with perhaps 50 members of the House of Representatives  in ordinary circumstances, with a bit of luck, with a chance of being back in power by 2025. Frydenberg may be personable , likeable and (perhaps) socially liberal enough to be marketable to both the survivors living under the Liberal umbrella and the broader electorate. But his potential will be sapped if Labor is hammering him, now, and after the election, for his role in allowing the Coalition to trash its reputation, such as it is, for economic management and fiscal prudence in a desperate attempt to save a doomed government. Even many Liberals will think it will have earned defeat (and time in the corner) for its disunity, disloyalty, lack of discipline and pure bastardry and sabotage it involved. All Liberals, naturally, want the coalition to win, perhaps with an increased majority. Only a few would seriously claim that it deserved to, even after contemplating the horrors that they say will come as a consequence of election of a Shorten government. The now hip and twittering Frydenberg is now, ex officio, one of the demonisers-in-chief of the risks of a Shorten government. He twittered this week for example, that If you own your own property - under Labors plan, it will be worth less. If you rent your own home - under Labors policy, you will pay more. Only the Coalition can be trusted to keep your taxes low and keep the economy strong.  That might be the basis of a good set of campaign slogans  but only if he and the Liberals are seen to have any cred. The way the Morrison government is going, spending like drunken sailors as they try to stave off defeat, that cred  and the next oppositions moral credit at the bank  could become a shrinking commodity. It will not be only the performance of the Treasurer which will be closely scrutinised. So too will his department. In August, Treasury got a new secretary, Philip Gaetjens, a career public servant but one who was, before this appointment, chief of staff to Scott Morrison. Though I should be surprised if there were to be a night of the long knives with departmental secretaries if Labor is to be elected, it would be fair to say that Gaetjens is probably the secretary regarded with most suspicion by Labor. It reminds of the speech made to Treasury officers in 2007 at about the same time of the election cycle before Howard was swept from power. Ken Henry, another Treasury Secretary once held in suspicion by the Liberals because he had worked in Paul Keatings office, reminded his troops that the election season always put to the test any departments capacity to ensure that our work is responsible, and not just responsive." How successful we are will impact on our integrity as public servants and our long-term effectiveness. Divisions will be under pressure to respond to the growing number of policy proposals leading up to the calling of an election and once the election is called. At this time, there is a greater than usual risk of the development of policy proposals that are, frankly, bad. More so than at other times, we need to be mindful of the high opportunity cost of proposed policy actions, to advocate sound and wellbeing-enhancing policy action  capacity building measures, better functioning markets, less system complexity and greater fiscal discipline  and to educate others on the full implications of policy interventions in the current economic circumstances. We will confront uncommon policy challenges this year. But keep in mind that in every challenge there is an opportunity. Let me draw together some of the strands: we can make a difference to the wellbeing of Australians by our rigorous analysis and taking advantage of the opportunity to pursue further reform. Wise words. But they cost Henry his performance bonus that year, after someone leaked the speech, and the government was embarrassed. It is not, of course, only about Frydenbergs ambitions, or his capacity to find opportunity for himself in a disaster for his party. Its about the nations welfare, and its sound finances and the public interest. Its about the long term rather than the short term. The public rather than the private good. The politician who cannot juggle that in the public interest is not fit for higher office. Frydenberg has yet to show that he has what it takes. Jack Waterford is a former editor of The Canberra Times jwaterfordcanberra@gmail.com

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Photo: The Canadian Press In this Nov. 16, 2018, photo, first lady Melania Trump walks with President Donald Trump as they leave a Medal of Freedom ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018.

It turns out there is more than one Trump who can employ a few well-chosen words as a poison dart.

With a bombshell public statement this week, it was first lady Melania Trump who revealed her ability to carry out a political hit. Her extraordinary call for the removal of a top administration official forced the president to banish a top aide, exacerbated tensions within the White House and provided fresh insight into the first marriage.

Above all, the moment showed that the enigmatic first lady is increasingly prepared to flex her muscles. While it was President Donald Trump who repeatedly promised to shake up his Cabinet and staff, it was his wife who forced one of the first moves after the midterm elections. And while first ladies have long held unique positions of influence in the White House, Mrs. Trump's very public power play was an unusual move befitting an unconventional White House.

"There have been similar activities on a less publicized scale, but it came out after the fact. We've never seen a first lady have her office make a public statement like that," said Katherine Jellison, chair of the history department at Ohio University and an expert on first ladies. "It will be interesting to see if this is the new Melania."

Jellison and others said the best comparison would be Nancy Reagan's conflict with White House Chief of Staff Donald Regan. But while that clash eventually became well known, Mrs. Reagan never issued a public statement.

Mrs. Trump, who appeared with her husband Friday at a White House ceremony to honour Medal of Freedom honorees, did not address the controversy directly.

The target of Mrs. Trump's ire was Deputy National Security Adviser Mira Ricardel, who was said to have clashed with East Wing staff over logistics for the first lady's trip to Africa last month.

A White House official said Mrs. Trump's staff spent weeks working through "proper channels" to seek Ricardel's ouster but that the situation came to a head earlier this week after reporters learned of the friction between Ricardel and the East Wing and began asking questions. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal White House deliberations.

On Tuesday, the East Wing issued a terse and head-snapping statement about Ricardel: "It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honour of serving in this White House."

A day later, Ricardel was gone from the White House.

The statement from Mrs. Trump's office caught some senior White House officials by surprise. A White House official who was not authorized to speak publicly said there was a widespread feeling that the highly public spat reflected poorly on the West and East wings, reinforcing the idea that the administration is volatile and making the first lady look vengeful.

Both President Trump's spokeswoman and National Security Adviser John Bolton issued glowing statements about Ricardel. The White House insisted she would move into a new administration role, though it was not clear what that position would be. Privately, insiders acknowledged that there was no way for Ricardel to stay in the West Wing once the first lady made her feelings known.

As the week closed, it appeared clear that the situation had heightened already fraught tensions between the two wings of the White House, with senior officials from Chief of Staff John Kelly and Bolton on down unhappy with how Ricardel, a Trump loyalist, was treated.

Mrs. Trump is considered an influential adviser to her husband. In an ABC News interview last month, she said there are people in the White House whom she and the president cannot trust. She declined to name anyone but said she had let the president know who they are.

"Well," she added, "some people, they don't work there anymore."

Asked if some untrustworthy people still worked in the White House, Mrs. Trump replied, "Yes."

The first lady has consistently pushed the boundaries of what is an entirely voluntary role. She opted to stay in New York for the first months of the administration so that the couple's son Barron could conclude the school year and she has kept up a limited public schedule since arriving in Washington.
Photo: National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces Jody Thomas is the deputy minister of national defence.

The deputy minister of national defence has told a NATO meeting in Halifax that Canada is satisfied that it is spending what it requires to meet its alliance and other military commitments.

Jody Thomas held fast to the government's stance on defence spending on Saturday, despite some pointed questioning about Canada's commitment following her presentation before NATO's defence and security committee.

U.S. Republican congressman Michael Turner, the committee's acting chairman, asked whether Canada intends to table a plan for meeting the two per cent of GDP standard for defence spending that was agreed to by alliance members at a summit in Wales in 2014.

"Many of the nations that are here are either meeting their two per cent or have in place a plan to reach the two per cent," said Turner. "Canada is one of those countries who has not yet put forward a commitment to reach the two per cent although that is a commitment that Canada joined in making at Wales."

Thomas stuck to the Liberal government's line, saying Canada intends to increase its defence budget by 1.46 per cent by the end of 2024.

"Canada's defence budget is growing by 70 per cent as a result of Strong, Secure, Engaged (Canada's defence policy)," said Thomas. "We also on the ground are leading a significant number of operations, and we have never not participated in a NATO commitment or operation."

She also reiterated that Canada believes it contributes to the alliance in a "qualitative" way through an active participation in the alliance.

"The defence budget is a significant increase in funding for national defence and our prime minister is very satisfied with that contribution."

But Bob Stewart, a member of the United Kingdom delegation, reminded Thomas that Canada agreed to the commitment, adding that it's "crucial" it be honoured.

Stewart, a Conservative MP, then questioned Canada's current defence spending commitment.

"It's something like 1.12 per cent at the moment and honestly, it's not enough," said Stewart. "There are many nations that are not doing enough and I include my own nation ... we have all got to contribute more and help the United States that bears the burden."

Thomas shot back that Canada's funding includes its commitment to North American Air Defence (NORAD) and she stated that there are "inconsistencies" in the way the military budgets of member countries are assessed.

"The fact is that who counts what differs from country to country," she said.

A report released by NATO ahead of last July's alliance summit in Brussels, predicted Canada would spend 1.23 per cent of its GDP on defence this year  less than last years level of 1.36 per cent. That leaves Canada ranked 18th out of the alliances 29 members.

The decline is largely attributed to two one-time expenses last year, including a retroactive pay increase for service members that was included in the governments defence policy, and a $1.8-billion payment into the account that provides pensions for Forces members and their dependents.

In an interview with the Canadian Press, British Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach, who is chairman of the NATO Military Committee, praised Canada for its "very strong support for the alliance."

Peach pointed to ongoing naval exercises and Canada's support for NATO's forward deployment in the Baltic states along with its support for the training mission in Iraq.

With regards to the two per cent target he remained diplomatic, saying that NATO officials have maintained there are three elements to the overall funding conversation.

"There is defence spending which is about the money, there's then a description and important modernization adaptation of NATO's capabilities of which Canada plays an important role," Peach said.

"And then there's the question of contributions and I've already set out how pleased we are with the range of Canada's contributions."
Media Statement For Immediate Release: Friday, November 16, 2018

Contact: Media Relations,

(404) 639-3286

CDC has updated its notice of a Salmonella Reading outbreak linked to raw turkey products with recall information for ground turkey that may be contaminated with Salmonella. The updated information is at Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Infections Linked to Raw Turkey Products.

On November 15, 2018, Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales, LLC, in Barron, Wisconsin recalledexternal icon approximately 91,388 pounds of raw ground turkey products. Do not eat, sell, or serve recalled Jennie-O brand ground turkey products. Recalled turkey was sold in 1-pound packages, and is marked with the establishment number P-190 inside the USDA mark of inspection. Packages have use-by dates of Oct. 1 or Oct. 2, 2018. Throw recalled turkey away, or return it to the store.

Ill people in this outbreak report buying many different brands of raw turkey products. A single, common supplier of raw turkey products or of live turkeys has not been identified that can account for all the illnesses in this outbreak.

Consumers should not eat recalled turkey, and should carefully handle and cook any other raw turkey. Always cook turkey thoroughly to prevent food poisoning. General ways you can prevent Salmonella infection include washing hands before, during, and after preparing food; and cooking turkey to an internal temperature of 165F, as measured with a food thermometer. Thaw turkey in the refrigerator, not on the counter. More prevention advice can be found here: Food Safety Tips for your Holiday Turkey .

###

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESexternal icon
Introduction: For African-Americans, the Civil War was more than the divergent paths the Northern and Southern sections of the country embarked upon, but it became to represent America living out the true meaning of its creed and principles by affording and extending the hands of liberty and freedom to all its citizens, and as the pretenses of the War evolved, the emancipating of those held in human servitude and bondage became the overlying sign of victory. Upon the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln, a seed that professed that A New Birth of Freedom had been planted, as a subsequence tens of thousands of African-Americans enlisted in the Union forces in droves. Due to their hardships, labor and exemplary service, today we can all partake in the blessings that liberty and freedom bestows. The Unity Group of Chattanooga hereby issues this appeal to action to honor them for their service as we call on the Greater Chattanooga community to pay respectful and timely tribute to the dedicated service and legacy that the United States Colored Troops have left by erecting a Memorial/Monument to their memories at Chattanoogas National Cemetery, which was erected in large measure due to the fruits of their immeasurable time, skill and labor.

Whereas: There are over 880 African-American men at the National Cemetery in Chattanooga buried under the acronym USCT - United States Colored Troops; and

Whereas: There is no monument at the National Cemetery in Chattanooga that translates the acronym or recognizes the efforts of these brave men; and

Whereas: These men served in the United States Army to protect their own liberty and advance the cause of freedom against those who would have sustained and succumbed them to the inhumane and immoral vestiges associated with slavery; and

Whereas: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration has noted, by the end of the Civil War, 179,000 black men (10 percent of the Union Army) served as soldiers in the U.S. Arm; 19,000 enlisted in the Navy; with valor they participated in over 400 engagements; 16 went on to receive the Medal of Honor; over 21,000 men enlisted in Tennessee, which ranks behind only Louisiana and Kentucky; and

Whereas: Throughout the duration of the War, African-Americans performed in a wide variety of details and functions, including as: rearguard patrol, carpenters, chaplains, personal attendants, cooks, scouts, spies, steamboat pilots, and conscripted laborers which often included the burying of the dead; and

Whereas: On Dec. 25, 1863, the Commander of the Cumberland, Gen. George H. Thomas -- The Rock of Chickamauga -- issued General Order 296 creating the Chattanooga National Cemetery and assigned oversight of its erection and completion to the Army's chaplain Thomas B. Van Horne; and

Whereas: U.S.C.T. units stationed in Chattanooga such as the 14th, 16th, 18th, and in particular the 44th, would serve with bravery and gallantry during many pivotal conflicts which helped to preserve the Union, including the First and Second Battles of Dalton and the decisive Battle of Nashville that thoroughly defeated the last remnants of Hoods Confederate Army of Tennessee; and

Whereas: The men of the 42nd U.S.C.T. were entrusted with securing and relocating the graves of fallen soldiers within a 50-mile radius, would clear and prepare the grounds for burials, and assist with the overall layout and design of this very Chattanooga National Cemetery; and

Whereas: Historians such as E. Raymond Evans in Contributions by United States Colored Troops (USCT) in Chattanooga and North Georgia (2003), Stuart C. McGehee (Military Origins of the New South: The Army of the Cumberland and Chattanooga's Freedmen, 1988), Bobby Lee Lovett (The Negro's Civil War in Tennessee, 1861-1865, 1973), and Noah Andre Trudeau, (Like Men of War: Black Troops in the Civil War 1862-1865, 1998), have noted the history and achievement of U.S.C.T. during the Civil War, including those associated with our region; and

Whereas: For the last two decades, in addition to numerous battlefield markers, several National Cemeteries have sought to be more inclusive by depicting an accurate portrayal and historical analysis of the significant hardships and contributions of U.S.C.T. in helping to preserve the Union and advance the cause of freedom, and amongst these are a storyboard that retells the contributions of U.S.C.T. in the Philadelphia National Cemetery (2017) and the United States Colored Troops National Monument in Nashville, Tennessee (2003); and

Whereas: There is a Memorial Circle of Honor with 27 engraved granite monuments, starting in 1992, to honor the various men and women for their different contributions to the Armed Forces which notably excludes and fails to include the service and sacrifice of U.S.C.T.;

Therefore be it Resolved, that the Unity Group of Chattanooga calls for a proper and fitting monument and marker to be erected by the African-American community which accurately details and depicts the contributions of USCT in service to this nation and community in preserving and upholding the most basic and fundamental of America's creed and principles, that we are all created equal and endowed with unalienable rights; and

Therefore be it Resolved, that the Unity Group recognizes and appreciates the great human cost and sacrifice displayed by the U.S.C.T., in fatigue duties, in the performing of menial labor, tasks and undertakings, and on the field of battle; and

Further, we call on the Chattanooga National Cemetery and Veterans Administration to be more inclusive of the contributions of U.S.C.T. by recognizing the great labor hardships and human cost endured by the 42nd U.S.C.T .in erecting and completing our National Cemetery; and



Finally, we call on the greater Chattanooga community to aide and assist in this effort by contributing to the creation and erection of one or more granite markers at the Chattanooga National Cemetery to honor the African American men and women of the United States Colored Troops and other military units buried here in Chattanooga so they will always be recognized and remembered.

Humbly submitted by,

The Unity Group of Chattanooga

Sherman E. Matthews Jr., Chairman

Drafted by Eric Atkins and Tom Kunesh






Police said a Soddy Daisy woman slammed into a stopped vehicle with a couple and three children inside at Hixson Pike and Cassandra Smith Road. It was found that she had been arrested for DUI earlier in the day and released.

Anita Charlene Claridy, 53, of 9823 Dallas Hollow Road, was charged with DUI second offense, three counts of reckless aggravated assault, vehicular assault, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, not having insurance, following too close and failing to exercise proper care.

In the incident on Nov. 3, all five people from the car that was hit went to the hospital by ambulance. it was found that a nine-year-old girl was said to have been unconscious for a few minutes after the wreck. She had a possible concussion. A two-year-old boy had abdominal pain. The husband struck his head and the wife had a swollen right eye.

Police said one witness said Ms. Claridy was weaving in and out of traffic prior to the wreck. Another said she did not appear to have touched her brakes prior to the crash.

Police said Ms. Claridy was slow to respond to questions. She said she has no insurance.

She denied she was intoxicated at the time of either of the arrests.
Chairman of the National Peace Council, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante, is unhappy with the trend that seems to point the involvement of Christians in corrupt and negative acts.



Speaking at the climax of the 60th anniversary of the Church of Christ Spiritual Movement in Cape Coast, the Chairman of the Peace Council said the development is unfortunate and urged Christians to change in order for the country to develop.



70 percent of the people in Ghana claim to be Christians but in spite of this fact, the police have a very hard time. 70% of the countrys problems are Christian problems because we pay lip service. Thats why we are where we are, he averred.



He is worried about the crime rate and related corrupt activities in the country but is certain that once Christians change their ways, things will improve.



Most Rev. Prof. Asante was, however, full of praise for the Church of Christ Spiritual Movement in the achievement of their 60th-anniversary milestone.



The National Peace Council Chairman also admonished Christians to be wary of pastors who preach about themselves.

Source: The Publisher









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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In recognition of National Apprenticeship Week, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and Chattanooga State Community College announce a partnership to work together with business, industry and other educational partners to grow apprenticeship programs in the service area.

Chamber CEO and President Christy Gillenwater said that according to the Department of Labor, for every dollar spent on apprenticeships, employers can expect to see approximately a $1.50 return on investment. The earn while you learn apprenticeship model shows that 9 out of 10 apprentices are employed after completing their apprenticeship with an average salary of $60K per year, said ChattState President Dr. Rebecca Ashford. Not only that, but workers who complete apprenticeship programs earn $300K more over a career than peers who dont, she added.

Heid King, Hamilton County Schools Work-based Learning coordinator at Gestamp, explained the success of the first registered high school-based apprenticeship program in the state, which is embedded at Gestamp.

Chattanooga States Economic and Workforce Development Vice President Bo Drake said that there are more than 1,000 occupations that can be apprenticed, and we have every intention of expanding these programs into other high demand, high wage fields. Mr. Drake went on to say that the Industrial Maintenance program through the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) would be ChattStates first College-Sponsored, Registered, Non-Union Apprenticeship Program enrolling for fall 2019 (pending Department of Labor approval).

Graduates from Industrial Maintenance are highly skilled in mechanical and electrical maintenance, motor and sensor control, and programmable controls to earn a FANUC robot industry certification, said Dr. Jim Barrott, executive vice president of Chattanooga States TCAT. Dr. Barrott explained that program graduates can expect a starting salary of $18 to $25 an hour, the program boasts a 100 percent job placement rate, and graduates are highly sought after by companies in the region.

Molly Blankenship, vice president of Talent Initiatives for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, closed out the program with a call to action to business and industry to work alongside the Chamber and Chattanooga State to grow apprenticeship programs in the community. Blankenship invited prospective students and companies to learn more at chattanoogastate.edu/apprenticeships.

For more information, contact Economic and Workforce Development Vice President Bo Drake at (423) 697-2606.
Blondiva Madden, 69, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, passed away on Wednesday, November 14, 2018.

Blondiva was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond C. Madden Sr.; mother, Evelyn Jackson; father Will E. Byrd; nephew, Ollie Peters II.

Blondiva is survived by her husband, Herman Thomas of Chattanooga; four sons, Raymond Madden, Jr., Richmond Madden, Sr., Marvin Madden and Leonard Whitlock, all of Chattanooga; host of sisters, brothers, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.



The family will received friends on Monday, Nov. 19, from 3-6 p.m. at the funeral home and on Tuesday from 2-3 p.m.



Funeral services for Blondiva will be conducted at 3 p.m. in the funeral home chapel.

Interment will follow in Highland Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Advantage Funeral & Cremation Services, 1724 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, Tn. 37404, 423 265-4414.

Please visit our website to share your memories at www.advantagefunerals.com.
Linde has been awarded a contract from the Chinese chemical and energy company Inner Mongolia Huineng Coal Chemical Co Ltd. to supply a mid-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant near Beinichuan in Inner Mongolia. With a nameplate capacity of 750,000 tons of liquefied natural gas per annum, this will be Linde's seventh and largest LNG plant to date in China.



Linde's Engineering Division will be responsible for engineering, procurement, and site services for the LNG plant. The plant's technology is based on Linde's proprietary LIMUM(R) (Linde Multi-Stage Mixed Refrigerant) process. It provides best-in-class energy efficiency according to Linde. In addition, the plant's technology is based on proprietary core cryogenic heat exchangers.

The Linde Group, Munich, Germany

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'A Scene From Hell': Christians Talk Being Bloodied, Pelted Wih Stones, Metal by Muslim Mob in Kenya Christian Post Contributor | 17 November, 2018 by Stoyan Zaimov

Christian survivors of a stoning in Kenya from September which led to two deaths have described what they called a "scene from hell" at the hands of a Muslim mob.

The attack in Elwak town, Mandera, on Sept. 13 was sparked by the police killing of three al-Shabaab militants. Hardline Muslims, blaming Christians for the actions against the terror suspects, rounded up Christian construction workers, killing two and injuring another two, International Christian Concern reported.

Jacob Mutua Mativo, one of the survivors, has now shared details of the stoning, explaining how he and others were working on the rooftop of a building when they saw "the local Muslim men and women had engulfed the construction site and everybody was now looking for a space in the fence to escape."

The Christian workers were pelted with stones, timber, and metals as they got down from the construction site and fled for their lives.

"I saw two of my colleagues already lying down, oozing blood from multiple injuries," Mativo said. "I thought they were still alive. While trying to jump over the fence, I was hit on the head by a huge sharp stone and another flying piece of wood broke my left arm. I passed out. That is all that I can remember."

Musee Kiema told the persecution watchdog group that the believers were subjected to a "scene from hell."

"It was so swift such that before we could dash out for safety, every corner was occupied by the angry mob, baying for our blood. Before I could jump over the barbed wire fence, several stones had already hit me. I saw my friend, Joseph Mwatha Mwangangi, was knocked down ahead of me close to the fence. I knew death had visited us," the survivor explained.

One of the victims of the stoning at the time was identified as Fredrick Mukanda Bahati. A local pastor who wasn't named said that he and the other Christians had only been trying to earn a living.

"We are not safe at all and this incident shows how Muslims hate believers in Christ. We have known it is the armed militants belonging to the al-Shabaab that kill people, but now we have discovered that even our close Muslim friends can commit atrocities against us," the pastor said.

Al-Shabaab radicals, while based in Somalia, have for years been murdering Christians in Kenya. They have often specifically separated them from Muslim residents, and executed them for their faith.

One such recent attack saw al-Shabaab militants ordering travelers off a bus, and forcing them to produce their identity cards. They made the passengers recite the Islamic creed to prove their allegiance to the faith, but two Christians, Fredrick Ngui Ngonde and Joshua Ooko Obila, refused and were shot dead.

A witness who wasn't named told ICC that the men "refused to obey the jihad fighters and remained adamant that Christ is their savior and they cannot deny the Christian faith."

Read more about persecution of Christians in Kenya on The Christian Post.
Christian Women's Shelter Sues City Over Complaint Saying It Must Admit Transgender Females 17 November, 2018 by Michael Gryboski , |

A faith-based women's shelter in Alaska has filed a lawsuit against the state's most populous city for pressuring it to admit men who identify as women.

The Downtown Soup Kitchen Hope Center of Anchorage filed the lawsuit earlier this month in response to issues surrounding a complaint against the nonprofit over a recent incident in which staff sent a trans-identified person to a hospital rather than allow the biological man to stay at the facility.

"The Anchorage Municipal Code prohibits public accommodations from denying services based on sex or gender identity or stating those services will be denied. It also forbids property owners or their agents from communicating any preference or limitation on the use of real property based on sex or gender identity," read the lawsuit, in part, which was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.



"Hope Center has not violated this law. It is not a public accommodation, and the code exempts homeless shelters, like Hope Center. But the last eight months, Anchorage has used the code to investigate, harass, and pressure Hope Center to admit men into its women's only shelter, and to stop Hope Center's exercise of its religious beliefs."

Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative law firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona, which is representing Hope Center, directed The Christian Post to a statement on their website.

"If Anchorage succeeds, it would not only force a religious ministry to abandon its mission and message, but also force homeless women to sleep alongside and interact with men in intimate settings  even though those women may have been beaten, raped, or sexually assaulted by a man the day before," said the ADF.

Read more about Christian Women's Shelter Sues City Over Complaint Saying It Must Admit Transgender Females on The Christian Post.
Egypt: Man Wielding 'Sharp Tool,' Quran Attacks Christians at Prayer Service Christian Post Contributor | 17 November, 2018 by Leah MarieAnn Klett

Christian worshipers in Cairo, Egypt, were left injured after a man wielding a "sharp tool" and a Quran attacked them during a prayer service as he shouted "Allah is great."

International Christian Concern reports that on Nov. 11, a 22-year-old man entered the Church of St. George through a room intended for baking bread for the Lord's Supper during a prayer service. The intruder hit the baker on the head with an iron rod while shouting, "Allah is great." When another Christian attempted to rescue the baker, he was also injured.

Police arrived at the scene and arrested the man, claiming he carried out the violent attack because of mental health problems and drug use. However, local believers dispute such an explanation, calling it a thinly veiled attempt to hide the Islamic extremism prevalent across Egypt.

"The media uses words which don't reveal the truth," one local believer told ICC. "Now we have discovered that that this was a young man, not an old one. Also, he was holding a Quran and sharp tool [while] injuring some people on their heads. The media's role is to reveal the reality and not to hide information to make the Coptic Christians] calm down."

Another local Christian, Majeed, added, "It's too awful. I can't imagine that we should adapt to these incidents. Lies and lies and lies. ... I'm sure that this criminal will not be punished."

"Mentally ill, what?! How the media manipulates us!" exclaimed Hani, another local Christian.

Claire Evans, ICC's regional manager, praised police for "responding quickly" to the incident at St. George's Church, but urged the international community not to "forget the context of the attack."

"It is not unusual for the Egyptian authorities to claim that something other than Islamic extremism drives the less publicized incidents of persecution," she said. "The situation surrounding Egypt's Christians will not improve unless there is honesty in confronting why these kinds of incidents happen. We must continue to keep Egypt's Christians in our prayers."

Read more about Egypt: Man Wielding 'Sharp Tool,' Quran Attacks Christians at Prayer Service on The Christian Post.
Leading Pastors Discuss Dangers of 'Celebrity Culture' in Church, How Body of Christ Should Respond Christian Post Contributor | 17 November, 2018 by Leah MarieAnn Klett

In recent years, a number of high-profile evangelical church leaders have fallen from their pedestals  and the landing has been anything but soft. Often, the story goes like this: A "celebrity pastor" with a wide sphere of influence falls prey to sin, leaving in his wake a trail of chaos and disillusionment.

From sexual impropriety to alcoholism, these moral failures are met with shock and disbelief from many in the Christian community. What exactly went wrong?

Jimmy Evans, senior pastor of Gateway Church, a multi-campus church in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, told The Christian Post that the problem often begins when pastors isolate themselves  from others, from accountability, and ultimately, from the truth.

"We're all human beings, and I believe pastors who fall put themselves in a position of secrecy," he explained. "I've never met a pastor that didn't have the same basic temptations as the other guy. The difference is how we deal with it."

Isolation, Evans contended, is one of Satan's greatest weapons.

"The devil works in the darkness," he said. "As pastors, we need to not put ourselves in a position of living a private life away from the eyes of others. That's why pastors fall, and it can happen to any pastor. It's the way we carry ourselves, the way we relate to people around us, whether we're honest or dishonest."

Scott Sauls, senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and author of From Weakness to Strength: 8 Vulnerabilities That Can Bring Out the Best in Your Leadership, told CP that pastors become more susceptible to isolation as their ministry grows.

"The bigger your church becomes, you begin to have more fans and admirers than you do actual friends," he said. "It's really important to be surrounded by people who are close enough to you, that they can express concern with you and your character and help steer you toward toward Christ. Pastors need to welcome this kind of friendship, community, and accountability."

Thanks in part to the rise of social media, the "celebrity pastor" phenomen is relatively new. And while the Gospel is able to reach formerly uncharted territory, so, unfortunately, are scandals within the Body of Christ. What once remained within the four walls of the church are now able to creep into a watching, scornful world.

Ronnie Floyd, senior pastor of Cross Church of Northwest Arkansas, explained that humans are made to worship. It's no surprise then, that in a celebrity-obsessed culture, worship is often directed toward an influential pastor or charismatic church leader. But when congregants put their pastors on pedestals, he warned, the results are disastrous.

"There is always the danger to idolize a pastor," he said. "But they are men. And that's what the country and church is being reminded of  pastors are just men. We live a very fast life today, and when we're not careful, we become careless in the way we live. We can't let our guard down. That's why God says, 'Guard your heart.'"

Sauls clarified that the problem doesn't necessarily lie with the "celebrity" aspect. There are, he said, healthy "celebrity pastors," adding, "That's why we have the Francis Chans and Tim Kellers and others of the world."

But sometimes, people who attend well-known churches aren't committed to Christ or His Church; rather, their allegiance lies with the engaging, influential pastor. Unfortunately, he said, these leaders may have extraordinary gifts  but questionable character.

"And that's why we see a lack of humility and sometimes even a moral collapse, even among well-known pastors," Sauls explained. "Staying anchored in the truth and the simple ordinary aspects of daily faithfulness, I think, is much more important than chasing spectacular sermons and spectacular worship events."

"It's much better," he added, "to be shepherded, led, and pastored by a person with average gifts but a beautiful character than it is by someone with incredible gifts but average or below average character."

Read more about pastors as celebrities on The Christian Post.
Most Pastors Don't Feel Qualified to Address Touchy Sexual Issues, Abuse in Church: Survey Christian Post Reporter | 17 November, 2018 by Brandon Showalter

New research reveals that while pastors routinely face questions about sexuality issues, particularly areas of pain and brokenness, few feel qualified to speak to them.

The survey  Sexuality & the Church in America I: Are Pastors Responding to Sexual Challenges Within the Church?  which was released Wednesday and explores how American pastors are addressing sexual issues within their congregations was based on research conducted by Barna Group on 410 senior Protestant pastors. The research was sponsored by The Brushfires Foundation, True North Freedom Project and Covenant Eyes.

Results showed that 99 percent of pastors surveyed dealt with at least one question about sexuality in the past year, and 27 percent handled 13-18 different issues brought by church members or staff.

The report also shows that seven in 10 pastors are approached many times a year with concerns about sexual brokenness, with 22 percent approached on a monthly basis or more. However, when pastors were asked about their qualifications for handling sexual problems, less than a third of them reported that they felt "very qualified" to address 15 of the 18 sexual issues in the survey.

Among the issues addressed were marital infidelity, porn use by both husbands and wives, sexting, sexual abuse or assault, and struggles with same-sex attraction. The most common of the sexual issues in the study pastors hear about is marital infidelity, with eight in 10 pastors reporting being approached about it within the past year.

And on average, pastors were approached by the members of their churches or staff about nine of 18 sexual issues over the past year. Only seven issues were ranked by at least one-quarter of pastors as being among those they feel "very qualified" to address.

"I have spoken with many pastors who are trained heavily in theological matters, but have very little actual pastoral training. Theologically, it is easy to simply say that a behavior or thought is wrong or immoral, but living out our faith in a sinful world is messy and not so easily handled, especially since most people under 40 have been thoroughly influenced by a sexualized culture from youth," said Daniel Weiss, founder and president of the Brushfires Foundation in an email to The Christian Post Wednesday, when asked what he believes is at the root of the breakdown and the phenomenon of so many pastors feeling unqualified to speak these topics. (Disclosure: this reporter is a member of the board of the Brushfires Foundation).

"Sexuality has challenged humans from the very beginning because it is so essential for God's plan for human thriving. If God made human sexuality to present an earthly picture of divine communion, then it is no accident that our human relationships are under so great an attack."

While the Church has not always been skittish about sex, it often has, he added.

"Even so, the first Apostles address it clearly and without equivocation. Our bodies are meant to honor God and the way we practice chastity and fidelity within marriage is a clear witness to the greater love of God. The world was as amazed at such a witness 2,000 years ago as it is now."

In order to engage the subject effectively, Christian individualism and the accompanying mindset has to die, he went on to say.

"God did not create us to live alone or in weak community. He made us in His image and likeness, a robust, interpersonal community flowing with love and self-giving. How many of our churches really look like this today? Very few, but this needs to change.

Read more about sexuality and the American church on The Christian Post.
Perfect Beauty in an Imperfect World Christian Examiner Contributor | 17 November, 2018 by Mark Klages

The morning sun peeked over the Smoky Mountains revealing the elaborate, crystalline beauty of the ice that the twenty-nine degree fog deposited on the trees overnight. The sunlight shined through myriad temporary gems that highlighted the absolute brutal beauty of nature. With the rising of the sun, still strong in mid-November, the temperature would rise and the ice would subside, giving way to the enduring beauty that is Tennessee's Smoky Mountains.

As I sat mesmerized by the beauty of God's creation, I wondered at the equal perfection of God's plan. The land itself had recently sustained lethal forest fires that left it scarred and devoid of life, yet here on this cold November morning, the resilience and dominance of life was unmistakable. Many of the trees that in 2016 were charred beyond recognition sprouted with new life in the spring and have since returned to their full glory. Now, in the fall when the temperatures drop below freezing and the fog brings ice to the branches that were once burned, the brutality and beauty of it all is mesmerizing.

That dichotomy of ice and fire is not lost on me as I sit here in the mountains of Tennessee reveling in the recovery of nature while California burns, lives and livelihoods lost. In that message of loss, though, are the twin tales of salvation and resurrection. In Tennessee, the design of nature, the slopes and runs of the hills, and the valiant efforts of the men and women who worked to halt the advancing flames worked in concert to save what could be saved and ultimately reclaim nature for nature. In California, where the seeds of some native trees lie dormant until fire sets them free, the implement of salvation lay quietly awaiting the freedom wrought only by fire. Following winter, when snow and rain soak the ground, the springtime sun and temperatures will work their magic and fresh trees will grow and resurrect the land. Life will return to the California hills and the beauty of God's creation will once again rule the day.

"These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith  of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire  may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:7, NIV)

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." (Heb 12:11, NIV)

In painful times, whether the loss of a home or even a loved one in a fire, nobody wants to hear that God's plan is perfect, that the trials we face now will build character (Romans 5:4), and that God is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes (Rom 8:28). We argue that God is good and a good God wouldn't use evil means, like the unfortunate death of our loved ones in a forest fire, to advance His good purpose. However, despite the truth that we humans brought imperfection into God's perfect plan, God still takes evil and turns it to good. While we cannot see that goodness during times of struggle (Heb 12:11), we can rest assured that God's perfect plan, just like the one I witnessed in Tennessee's Smoky Mountains, will work all things for His good.

So, my challenge to all us Christians today is to be strong and rely on God's promises when our strength fails. Be compassionate for those in trials because they often cannot fathom the goodness of God in their pain. And be prayerful in either circumstance because God is good, whether our reality supports it or not. In the end, when the fire fades and the ice melts, the beauty of God's plan endures.

My prayer is for God's grace to be sufficient to those that were lost, may He be merciful to those who have lost, may He bring healing and forgiveness to all, and compassion to those who help.

Mark Klages is an influential contributor, a former US Marine and a lifelong teacher who focuses on applying a Christian worldview to everyday events. Mark blogs at https://maklagesl3.wixsite.com/website under the title "God Provides where Hate Divides," with a heart to heal social, political, relational, and intellectual wounds through God's divine love and grace. Mark can also be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-klages-04b42511/.
The Cuban government generally keeps most of the salaries of state employees working overseas as part of the socialist state's "international missions".

Then president Dilma Rousseff with doctors of the More Doctors program. Cuba said roughly 20,000 doctors saw millions of patients in areas such as the Amazon rainforest and slums of major cities. They managed to provide health coverage to a universe of up to 60 million Brazilians at the moment when they accounted for 80 per cent of all the doctors who were taking part in the program. "Such humane acts should be respected and defended".

'We still do not have Bolsonaro as president and he already unprotects and owes about 8,000 doctors to his people, ' architect Manoel Rocha told Prensa Latina, referring to the withdrawal of that number of Cuban doctors due to the disdainful and offensive statements made by the elected governor.

No one is a secret that 'Cuban doctors work in inhospitable areas of hard access, where Brazilians do not want to go and when doctors leave, health rates will worsen, ' the urban planner from Rio Grande do Sul says.

The billions of dollars in revenues represent the most important source of export earnings for the Communist-run government.

Las reacciones ante el "Radiowart" de Miguelo en "Pasapalabra"

" Miguelo protagonizo uno de los episodios mas insolitos del popular programa de concursos de CHV, Pasapalabra , tras inventar una banda llamada" Radiowart ".

Selecta sub-20 se queda sin boleto al Mundial

La figura del equipo mexicano, Diego Lainez , se mantuvo en la cancha solo 62 minutos y continua sin anotar en la presente edicion.

Watch the first trailer for Netflix's A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding

Last year, the streamer unleashed one of the season's most talked-about Christmas TV movies with A Christmas Prince , and this year brings the anticipated sequel.

Cuba sends thousands of doctors to work around the world in exchange for payment directly to Havana.

In addition to years of accusations of running a slavery operation, countries participating in the Cuban doctor exchanges have lamented the insufficient training the doctors receive at Cuban medical schools. That drives many doctors to complete foreign missions in order to earn cash for important expenses like home repairs, appliances or a motor vehicle.

The Cuban authorities pointed out that Bolsonaro questioned the preparation of the Cuban doctors and wants to condition "their remaining in the program to the revalidation of their medical degrees" and that they would be "contracted individually". He also said Brazil had no way to verify if the doctors were truly qualified. "I couldn't be an accomplice of that". "These unacceptable conditions make it impossible to maintain the presence of Cuban professionals in the program".

Bolsonaro's pick of career diplomat Ernesto Araujo, 51, underscored Brazil's sharp turn to the right and the reversal of almost a decade and a half of diplomacy under leftist Workers Party governments that focused on alliances with South American allies and ideological partners - including Cuba. "The Brazilian people will understand who bears the responsibility for the fact that our doctors can't keep providing their support and solidarity in that nation". Andrea Rodriguez contributed from Havana.
Corrections

An article on May 2, 2016 incorrectly reported that attorney Michael Kaplen represented the NFL. In fact, Mr. Kaplan's interests directly oppose the Class Counsel as well as the NFL. In addition, the following quote was incorrectly attributed to Mr. Kaplen who never stated such statement: "This latest appeal is heartbreaking news for the 99 percent of the retired player community that has supported this agreement. We will continue to forcefully defend this important settlement through the appeals process. Go to Article 

An article on April 19 incorrectly reported that Dino Rizzo was on staff at Church of the Highlands in 2011. Rizzo was a staff at Healing Place in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at the time Go to Article 

A previous version of this story attributed a statement on Pastor Jimmy King's comments to John Dyer, executive director of Communications and Educational Technology at DTS. The comment should have been attributed to DTS president Mark L. Bailey and has been updated in this version of the report. Go to Article 

An earlier version of this article incorrectly described John Blandford as working for Online for Life. Mr. Blandford works for Heroic Media. Go to Article 

An article on Friday, November 14, 2014, about a Muslim prayer held at the National Cathedral incorrectly described the Cathedral as a Catholic church. It is an Episcopal church. Go to Article 

An article on October 26, 2014 incorrectly reported that church elders that wrote a joint letter asking Pastor Mark Driscoll to resign were fired. Justin Dean, communications manager for Mars Hill Church, said they were not fired. Go to Article 

An article on August 5, 2014 incorrectly stated that NewSpring Church was in North Carolina, it is in South Carolina. Also The Gauntlet summer youth program is in its ninth year, not its eighth. Go to Article 

An article on Nov. 5, 2013, incorrectly reported that the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C., was built on the same grounds as Graham's childhood home. Billy Graham's childhood home was actually moved and reassembled on the library site, not the original site. Go to Article 

An article on Monday, Oct. 21, 2013, incorrectly attributed the quote "The first impact was a moral indiscretion by a lead pastor. Next a building program was overspent resulting in a mortgage that created financial stress on the church. Over the years a couple of lead pastors and staff pastors have left and started other churches in the Orlando area," said Rhoden. "The changing music climate in the church world has been a challenging issue. While these factors are not the sum total of the reasons for the decline, they represent the lion share," to Debbie Carey. The quote was made by Dr. Bob Rhoden, Orlando-area Calvary Assembly's interim pastor. Go to Article 

An article on Friday, Sept. 27, 2013, reported that the Center for Inquiry is located in Hartford, Conn. CFI is located in Amherst, N.Y. Go to Article 

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'A scene from Hell': Christians talk being bloodied, pelted with stones, metal by Muslim mob in Kenya

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Christian survivors of a stoning in Kenya from September which led to two deaths have described what they called a "scene from hell" at the hands of a Muslim mob.

The attack in Elwak town, Mandera, on Sept. 13 was sparked by the police killing of three al-Shabaab militants. Hardline Muslims, blaming Christians for the actions against the terror suspects, rounded up Christian construction workers, killing two and injuring another two, International Christian Concern reported.

Jacob Mutua Mativo, one of the survivors, has now shared details of the stoning, explaining how he and others were working on the rooftop of a building when they saw "the local Muslim men and women had engulfed the construction site and everybody was now looking for a space in the fence to escape."

The Christian workers were pelted with stones, timber, and metals as they got down from the construction site and fled for their lives.

"I saw two of my colleagues already lying down, oozing blood from multiple injuries," Mativo said. "I thought they were still alive. While trying to jump over the fence, I was hit on the head by a huge sharp stone and another flying piece of wood broke my left arm. I passed out. That is all that I can remember."

Musee Kiema told the persecution watchdog group that the believers were subjected to a "scene from hell."

"It was so swift such that before we could dash out for safety, every corner was occupied by the angry mob, baying for our blood. Before I could jump over the barbed wire fence, several stones had already hit me. I saw my friend, Joseph Mwatha Mwangangi, was knocked down ahead of me close to the fence. I knew death had visited us," the survivor explained.

One of the victims of the stoning at the time was identified as Fredrick Mukanda Bahati. A local pastor who wasn't named said that he and the other Christians had only been trying to earn a living.

"We are not safe at all and this incident shows how Muslims hate believers in Christ. We have known it is the armed militants belonging to the al-Shabaab that kill people, but now we have discovered that even our close Muslim friends can commit atrocities against us," the pastor said.

Al-Shabaab radicals, while based in Somalia, have for years been murdering Christians in Kenya. They have often specifically separated them from Muslim residents, and executed them for their faith.

One such recent attack saw al-Shabaab militants ordering travelers off a bus, and forcing them to produce their identity cards. They made the passengers recite the Islamic creed to prove their allegiance to the faith, but two Christians, Fredrick Ngui Ngonde and Joshua Ooko Obila, refused and were shot dead.

A witness who wasn't named told ICC that the men "refused to obey the jihad fighters and remained adamant that Christ is their savior and they cannot deny the Christian faith."

Heartbroken relatives talked about seeing their loved ones in Heaven. Ngonde's wife, Penianh Mwatha, explained that they have a 2-year-old son who has now been made fatherless.

"I don't know what my future will be, but I am persuaded that one day we shall see him in Heaven," the widow said back then through tears.
California fires: Will Graham says Christians should be 'first ones' responding as death toll rises

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Will Graham, grandson of the late evangelist Billy Graham, has urged Christians to help victims of the California wildfires, saying that believers "should be the first ones to be responding because we represent the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords."

"I think as Christians, we should be the first ones to be responding because we represent the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, and we should be the first ones responding to anybody in need," Graham told CBN News.

"Pray with them; help with physical needs as well, and there's going to be a lot of physical needs going forward," he continued.

California is experiencing the deadliest wildfires in its history, as at least 59 people have died and some 130 people remain unaccounted for, including many in their 80s and 90s. The number of those missing, authorities say, is only expected to rise.

Just 35 percent contained as of Thursday morning, the "Camp Fire" alone has destroyed a staggering 8,650 homes and scorched 138,000 acres in Northern California. Overall, more than 10,000 structures have burned down, officials said. As a result of the fires, air quality alerts have been issued for about a dozen cities, including San Francisco, Napa and Chico, California.

Graham told CBN that chaplains with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team have already been deployed near Sacramento to provide physical and spiritual assistance to those suffering due to the fires.

"We send chaplains simply just to sit there and pray with people; cry with people; hold people," he shared. "People have lost everything  they're devastated, and they don't even know where the next step begins. And we just sit there, and we just start praying."

"We'll see some people come to know Christ, but I don't think we've ever been there when someone said, 'No, don't pray for me,'" he said. "People in times like this, they say, 'You know, I'll do anything I can; I need help any way I can, so they'll say, 'Pray for me.'"

Samaritan's Purse, the humanitarian organization led by Will Graham's father, Franklin, will also be on the ground providing disaster relief.

"There's going to be a lot of heartaches, and I know a lot of people have died," he said. "More people died in this fire than any other fire in U.S. history. ... It's a very sad time ... you can't replace humans, so here we just simply pray and pray that God would minister to them in their time of grief."

The pastor went on to pray that wildfire victims would "cry out" to God in "this great time of need," adding: "But Lord, I pray that we as a Church, as Christians, and as a society, we come along these people and help these people and minister to them."

On Facebook, Franklin Graham urged his 7 million followers to pray for all affected by the inferno: "Would you pray especially today for all those in the paths of these deadly fires and especially for the families whose loved ones were killed? Also we need to pray for protection and strength for the many firefighters who are battling these blazes 24/7."

What triggered the fires is yet unknown, but experts say the blaze continues to be fueled by strong winds, low humidity, and dry terrain caused by prolonged drought.
Christian Comedian John Crist Says Celebrity Pastors Are His Friends: I'm Not About Tearing People Down

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Popular Christian comedian John Crist whose roast of several high-profile preachers in a video called "Celebrity Pastor Fantasy Draft" has racked nearly five million views on Facebook alone, recently clarified that the roast was not intended to demean the preachers because they are his friends.

"I think there might be a misconception about my videos or what I'm trying to do. All these pastors are friends of mine. They're all buddies. I attend all of their churches, I've read all their books. I'm just not in the business of tearing other people down. We'll gently roast some people about their outfits or some things they do on twitter or the internet but I'm not here to come after anyone's theology," he said in an announcement on Facebook in September.

While it's fine to disagree with certain pastors, Crist urged critics to "be careful" with their criticism and their labeling some, such as Joel Osteen, Andy Stanley and Rob Bell, as heretics. He noted that if they disliked the messages of the pastors so much, the best course of action would be to not listen to their sermons or buy their books.

"We're all just waiting for an opportunity to destroy people," he lamented.

"If you're looking for me to be the voice of ... 'yeah, get him, tear him down,' you're not going to find that here."

The Christian comedian explained that a "roast" is not about shaming people. He is also not a fan of targeting anyone's personal life.

"There was a pastor a year or so ago who got let go from his church because he had a[n] alcohol problem and somebody tweeted at me 'dude somebody so and so just got, you should roast him.' I was like 'What?' What planet do you live on that it's funny to make fun of someone with an addiction?' I'll make fun of somebody driving a Lexus or something superficial like that but I'm not here to come after anyone's personal life," Crist said.

He also mentioned why he chose not to include Willow Creek Community Church in the "Celebrity Pastor Fantasy Draft" video.

"No amount of views or retweets is worth taking a shot at somebody that's dealing with something," he explained. Willow Creek founding pastor Bill Hybels resigned this year after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct from several women. Hybels denied all accusations.

Crist made it clear: "If you're in the business of coming after anyone's character or integrity, it's not welcome on my page."

In a personal defense of Stanley, who leads North Point Community Church, he explained that he was in Atlanta for the holidays, attended North Point and was convicted about things in his own life.

"If you don't think Andy Stanley is preaching the Bible, honestly, take it somewhere else," he said.

Crist also discussed attending Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, and how that changed his mind about the work of the church.

"I went to Joel Osteen's church last fall, I walked in there and was ready to roast it and I saw divorce care, financial peace, free counselling, and I was like 'Oh Jeez.' Honestly ... I walked into his church with a bunch of rocks ready to cast ... I honestly had to just drop them," he said.

"Again, all these pastors would probably tell you the same thing. You are more than welcome to not agree with their sermons or to not read their books ... but to publicly post on the internet that this man is a heretic, just be careful," he warned.
Christian jargon 'broken,' 'authentic,' 'surrender' not very biblical: Theologian

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A theologian has warned that the way believers use some popular Christian jargon today  including "broken," "authentic" and "surrender"  is not very biblical but taken from secular culture.

Dan Doriani, who is vice president of strategic academic projects and professor of theology and ethics at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, said in The Gospel Coalition that some terms that many Christians use today either take on meanings that aren't really biblical or are more tied with secular concepts.

"'Broken' is an interesting case. In my circles (perhaps not yours), certain pastors and teachers often tell their people they are broken or need to face their brokenness. Without completing a study of Hebrew and Greek terms, it may be enough to say that 'broken' typically appears between 100 and 200 times in standard English translations and that the sense is almost always negative, often sharply negative," he pointed out.

Doriani noted that there are several issues with the modern use of the word in a church setting, however.

"We sometimes hear a person glorying in his brokenness: 'I feel so broken.' They seem to mean they grieve their sin, but it's an odd way to say it and can have a prideful ring, as if one is glorying in his humility. Second, 'broken' drives out other, more biblical terms like 'sin.' A disciple once told me, 'My campus minister never told me I was a sinner or committed sins. I was simply broken,'" he wrote.

"So 'broken,' which sounds like a disability, not a moral problem, displaces sin and rebellion. I don't want to banish 'broken.' The term can label problems; for example, a broken political system. But a statement like 'God comforts his broken children' is ambiguous. Is sin in view? Third, this shows that overusing 'broken' can supplant clearer biblical language."

He continued by arguing that the terms "surrender," "transparency" and "authenticity" don't have any biblical basis at all.

"The Bible never uses 'surrender' in the jargon-laden sense of making peace with God through faith. And 'transparency' and 'authenticity' never appear in Scripture. Still, Christians often command believers to surrender to God and be more authentic. When we adopt opaque concepts, we may baptize secular concepts that sound quasi-Christian," he warned.

Doriani, who is also a council member of The Gospel Coalition, argued that it is important to get language right when it comes to theological and ethical discussions.

"Someone once said men will fight about important things and that a religion that utters pious phrases but shrinks from controversy will never stand. So let us strive to use the right words in the right way, for the sake of Christ and his church," he said.

"I don't ask that everyone guard their every word, but I do propose that leaders draw our language  words and meanings  from Scripture as much as possible, seeking to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5)."

Meanwhile, Greg Morse of desiringGod.org earlier stressed the importance of using clear language when communicating the Gospel rather than obscuring it with "Christanese."

"Telling the world about Christ in foggy terms is the bane of our evangelism," he wrote.
Christian ministries providing rapid response to aid thousands left homeless by California wildfires

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Churches and ministries are gearing up to help those in California affected by the major wildfires that are devastating parts of the state.

In recent days, California has experienced the deadliest wildfires in its history, as at least 44 people have perished in the flames, 42 alone from the "Camp Fire" in the northern part of the state.

Fueled by dry weather and heavy winds, the Camp Fire is also blamed for having destroyed over 7,200 structures and burning up more than 115,000 acres, CBS News has reported.

Some ministries have already begun to send aid to the state. Convoy of Hope's Disaster Services team announced Friday that they were bringing supplies like water, food, and blankets to their facility in Chico, California, for distribution to the needy.

"We currently have product in California from our response to the Redding Fire earlier this year," said Jeff Nene of Convoy of Hope.

"Our partners in the area have immediate access to bottled water and cots and can start distributing them as needed to help those affected by the fires."

Adam Edgerly, lead pastor for the Culver City-based Newsong LA Covenant Church, told The Christian Post on Tuesday that while his church is not close to the fires, the area is still dealing with air quality issues connected to the blazes.

"There are members of the congregation, myself included, who have friends who lost their homes," said Edgerly, who explained that they're currently helping "a friend sort through the rubble of their former home."

"As soon as we know which churches close to the fire line are assisting families, it would be great for churches across the country to send donations to them," he added.

Chaplains with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team have already been deployed near Sacramento to help comfort those who are suffering due to the fires.

"The chaplains are there to try to help people get through just the next hour of their life," said Al New, the Rapid Response Team's manager of emergency response and logistics.

"We are definitely praying for the first responders, the firefighters, and that some way, somehow, the weather would change and we'd get a lot of rain."

David Jeremiah, author, radio host, and senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California, emailed a statement to supporters praying for "the safety of the residents in harm's way, those risking their lives to fight the fires, for the healing of those recovering in hospitals, and for the recovery of those whose homes and ways of life have been stolen by the fires."

"And in the words of the Apostle Paul, I pray for all the victims that they will experience the nearness of 'the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all of our troubles,'" added Jeremiah.
Christians dragged out of cars and beaten, haunted with fear as Asia Bibi case tears Pakistan apart

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Christians have been dragged out of their cars and beaten, and said they are "haunted" with fear of Islamic radicals as the blasphemy case of Christian mother Asia Bibi tears Pakistan apart.

Romana Bashir, a Christian rights activist in Islamabad, said in an interview with CNN that blasphemy laws have been used to target followers of Christ in the Muslim country for years, but the fallout of Bibi's acquittal has been truly severe.

Hardliners have blocked the streets, burned cars, and rioted through cities, angry at what they perceive to be the Pakistan Supreme Court's giving in to pressure by deciding to free the Christian mother, instead of confirming her 2010 death sentence.

Peter Jacob, the executive director for the Center for Social Justice in Lahore, said that there have been cases where rioters have asked people in cars to tell them their religion. If they were found to be Christian, "they were taken out of their cars and beaten up."

He warned that "the mental and psychological scars" that the Christian community are suffering will endure in the "current climate of fear."

Large-scale Islamic radical attacks in Pakistan have decreased in the past year, though some church-going believers, such as those at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Rawalpindi, have admitted that they are constantly having to be careful.

One gatekeeper at St Joseph, who didn't wish to share his name, said that he is "grateful for the presence of the military close to the church," but that the sense of fear has "begun to haunt him" since Bibi's acquittal.

Christians face discrimination in Pakistan in a variety of different ways, such as being offered only low-skilled jobs and kept at the bottom of society.

The blasphemy laws, which, such as in Bibi's case, can put believers on death row even if they claim to be innocent, create a whole new dimension of terror, Bashir explained. She said that one of the biggest problems is that when non-Muslims are accused of blasphemy, "the entire community is branded and labeled with the crime."

"When you are accused you cannot live in the same place, your family is under threat, your entire locality is under threat, you must run, you must leave everything you love behind. The impact is very severe," she explained.

Bashir, who in 2012 was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to serve as adviser for the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims, said that progress in terms of trust between Muslim leaders and Christians is being broken apart due to the blasphemy controversy.

"People on both sides are now afraid to come forth, there is no middle ground for discussion, there is no air for reconciliation, it's like the bridges of harmony have been burnt in the aftermath of acquittal," she said.

Bibi's fate meanwhile remains uncertain, with the Christian mother of five not yet allowed to leave Pakistan, due to the pressure hardliners are putting on the government.

Several Western countries have said that they are looking into ways of helping Bibi and her family, though it is not yet clear who will offer her asylum.

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau was the latest on Monday to suggest his country might step up.

"We are in discussions with the Pakistani government," Trudeau told AFP in France.

"There is a delicate domestic context that we respect which is why I don't want to say any more about that, but I will remind people Canada is a welcoming country," he added.
Type of Christians key to Trump victory less likely to pray for him: Barna

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The Christians that the Barna Group believes were key to President Donald Trump's 2016 victory, due to their movement away from Democrats, do not largely pray for the commander-in-chief, according to the evangelical research organization.

Earlier this month, Barna released a report that included a compilation of recent research that they conducted on various politics-related issues.

Among their findings, Barna reported that as of early 2017, around the time Trump was sworn in as president, 37 percent of American adults said they pray for the president.

"Evangelicals were the group most active in their prayer, along with majorities of groups with an active Christian faith," noted Barna earlier this month.

"These prayers were just as common among black Americans as among white Americans, but less common among those who profess a non-Christian faith or fall into the category of notional Christians."

Barna defines "notional Christians" as people who identify as Christian and likely attend church, but do not consider themselves to be "born-again."

Barna found that while their research indicated that "Notional Christians" were a key factor in Trump being elected, only 35 percent report praying for the president.

According to Barna's post-election report, "perhaps the most significant faith group in relation to the Trump triumph was notional Christians. These individuals ... have supported the Democratic candidate in every election since 1996. On average, notionals have given the Democratic candidate 58 percent of their votes. That trend was broken this year as Hillary Clinton took just 47 percent of the group's votes while Trump was awarded 49 percent. Given that notionals are by far the largest of the five faith segments, that transition was a game changer for the Republicans."

Among evangelical Christians, a group that strongly supported Trump, 88 percent reported praying for Trump. By contrast, 18 percent of non-Christian religious believers reported praying for the president.

Unlike most polling on evangelicals, Barna defines evangelicals based upon beliefs, a set of nine questions, rather than self-identification.

Barna drew from a 2017 survey of 1,109 American adults with a sampling error of plus or minus 2.9 percent.

The survey was one of multiple recent findings that Barna highlighted in response to the midterm elections, with the organization explaining that they believed this and other findings "may help provide contextor prompt more questionsabout our present political moment."

Last year, it was reported that some theologically liberal churches, All Saints Episcopal Church of Pasadena, California among them, were going to refuse to state Trump's name in their prayers for him.

"We are in a unique situation in my lifetime where we have a president elect whose name is literally a trauma trigger to some people," said All Saints Church Rector Mike Kinman, as reported by local media outlet Pasadena Now in 2017.

"Whereas before we prayed for 'Barack, our president,' we are now praying for 'our president, our president elect, and all others in authority.' This practice will continue for at least the near future."

The Rev. Alice Rose Tewell, associate pastor at The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., told The Christian Post in an interview last year that her congregation will "pray for our political leaders from all backgrounds during our worship service."

"We have and we will continue to pray that our next president would act on with justice and mercy for each person throughout our nation and the world," said Tewell.

"We pray that our next president will turn from the rhetoric of his campaign and instead stand up for the rights of the immigrant and refugee, the rights of women and children, the rights of people of color, the rights of those who live with disabilities, the rights of the LGBTQ community, for the rights of those living without homes or in unstable conditions, and for all who are lack enough opportunity, chances at a good education, and healthcare."
About Me Scott Because prophetic scriptures are found throughout the bible, it is obvious that a comprehensive, systematic approach would be useful, if not necessary, for the understanding of prophecy. Past prophecies have been fulfilled in a literal manner, as confirmed by the dating of these writings and historical records of confirmation. These past prophecies also serve as a model of how to interpret future prophecies. A literal view of prophecy clearly indicates a certain sequence of events will occur within a single generation, concluding with the Tribulation and Second Advent and these events will be obvious. The prophetic signs appear to be present in this generation and we believe these signs are revealed in the news from around the world. View my complete profile
Church discipline is 'meant to produce joy' not oppression, theology professor says

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Congregations should practice church discipline for staff and members, says a theology professor who believes the practice is "meant to produce joy."

Jeremy Kimble, assistant professor of theology at Cedarville University and elder at Grace Baptist Church in Cedarville, Ohio, was recently interviewed by Dallas Theological Seminary professor Darrell Bock on the podcast "The Table."

In an episode posted online on Tuesday, Bock asked Kimble about the concerns some have with the concept of church discipline, namely that it can create "a pretty grim congregation."

"Everyone's keeping an eye on everyone to make sure that they're dotting all their i's and crossing all their t's. And there's the danger of almost a kind of legalism setting in the atmosphere, and almost an oppressive kind of environment," said Bock.

Kimble responded that he felt it's important for church discipline to be done with a proper recognition of "what sin actually is," noting that with sin "we reject what is life giving and pure and good, for what is going to produce death and destruction."

"If we can get back to that doctrine of sin, we can then start saying something like, 'Discipline is done for progress and joy in the faith.' It's not meant to produce a, as you said, a grim, austere kind of environment. It's meant to produce joy," replied Kimble.

Kimble then drew a parallel to when a parent disciplines a child and explains to them that "I'm doing this because I love you."

"You always feel as a kid like, 'Aw, that's not true,' but it's loving in actuality, and the long game is that we want joy in Jesus," continued Kimble.

"It's to awaken the sinner to their need for repentance, and Corinthians says to keep the community of faith pure, to not let sin spread as it could."

Bock and Kimble agreed that when elders examine whether to discipline a church member, the process must have extensive deliberation.

"The worst thing you want to do is discipline someone who doesn't deserve it, and deal with whatever the array of factors might be that could be in play. So it's a very, very deliberative process," Bock said.

There is also a potential legal dimension, Bock added, noting that, "in an American legal context," practicing discipline "might get the church into trouble."

"We have some good lawyers in our church that are able to give us some guidance in that regard, as well, to know what kinds of documentation do we need," Kimble replied.

"If you're committed to membership and discipline, and you want to do those things biblically and correctly, and you get into that process, you have to be able to account for, not just church realities, but world realities."

In July, the Kentucky-based Cave City Baptist Church garnered controversy for a news story focused on how the congregation removed several people from their membership roles for various offenses, including low attendance and giving.

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary administrator Hershael York defended Cave City Baptist in a series of Twitter posts, asking the Lexington Herald-Leader, which reported the matter, "if the Rotary Club dismissing members for non-attendance and non-payment of dues is noteworthy."

"Church membership is a covenant relationship. We are accountable to the Lord and to one another," York tweeted earlier this year.

"Worship attendance, service, communion, the ministry of the Word, submission to the elders, and holiness are not arbitrary requirements of membership but mandatory commands of Jesus."
Colorado U denies apologetics student group official status for requiring members be Christian

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Christian students who have tried for three years to get official status for their campus apologetics group at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs have filed a lawsuit claiming their religious freedom rights have been violated.

UCCS' chapter of the Ratio Christi apologetics alliance filed a lawsuit in federal court on Wednesday accusing the university administration of violating the free exercise clause of the First Amendment by refusing to grant the group recognition because the group requires that members and leaders share the organization's Christian beliefs.

The group allows students of any and no faiths to attend their events and any student can become a member of Ratio Christi so long as they support the organization's purpose and beliefs, according to Alliance Defending Freedom, the nonprofit legal group representing the student group.

According to the law group, the university's Ratio Christi has even had some Hindus and atheists attend their meeting to learn more about Christ.

The lawsuit argues that the school's student organization policies and practices are "neither neutral nor generally applicable because they represent a system of individualized assessment."

It adds that the policies and practices are unfair because they "grant university officials unbridled discretion when evaluating requests from student organization for 'registered' or 'recognized' status (and the accompanying resources), and thus, they establish a system of individualized assessments."

The lawsuit asserts that other student groups at the university are allowed to "require that their officers share the organization's beliefs."

In fact, the lawsuit points out, there is already a Christian student group recognized by the university that requires its leaders to faithfully attend church. That group's leadership agreement even requires leaders to "challenge unbelievers to be open to the belief that the Bible is true and Jesus is who He says He is."

Additionally, another Christian group on campus requires officers to agree to a statement of faith.

The lawsuit notes that fraternities are allowed to have only men and sororities are allowed to have only women, while the university's Trans Student Union is allowed to require members and leaders to "believe that transgender people are the gender they say they are." According to the lawsuit, the Trans Student Union threatens to revoke membership or officer roles to anyone who engages in "transphobic comments or behavior."

"Like any other student group at a public university, religious student organizations should be free to choose their leaders without the government meddling," ADF Senior Counsel Travis Barham said in a statement. "It would be absurd for the university to require the vegan student group to appoint a meat-lover as its president. Likewise, the University of Colorado shouldn't force Christian students to let atheists or other non-Christians to lead their Bible studies in order to become a registered club."

Not having official status with the university prevents Ratio Christi from accessing the benefits and funding that campus student groups are eligible to receive. According to ADF, lacking official status keeps the group from holding events on campus and limits the group's ability to recruit new members.

Because of that, the group is in danger of dying off, says ADF.

"Despite claiming inclusiveness and diversity as its core values, the University of Colorado is failing to foster real diversity of thought and is, instead, discriminating against a Christian group based on its beliefs," ADF Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer, director of the ADF Center for Academic Freedom, said in a statement. "Today's university students will be tomorrow's legislators, judges, university presidents, and voters, but at the University of Colorado, students are learning the wrong message: that government can dictate who can lead certain student groups. It's vital that public universities model the First Amendment values they are supposed to be teaching to students."

The lawsuit filed against the University of Colorado comes as the University of Iowa has faced similar lawsuits for kicking Christian groups off campus for requiring that their leaders be Christian.

In August, the University of Iowa reinstated dozens campus groups that were derecognized over the summer because of leadership policies the school deemed to be discriminatory. The move to derecognize the students groups came as the school was sued by the group Business Leaders in Christ after that group was booted off campus last year.

A court order forced the school to temporarily reinstate Business Leaders in Christ.

But the move to reinstate the campus groups came after a lawsuit was filed by InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship in August.

A jury trial is scheduled for March 2019 in the Business Leaders in Christ case.

In March, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship filed a lawsuit against Wayne State University in Michigan after its local chapter was re-recognized by the university. The school later reinstated the group when faced with the legal pressure.
Dave Ramsey says pastors must stop telling 'broke' people to tithe, must first address debt, budget

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Dave Ramsey has urged pastors to refrain from preaching sermons about tithing "to broke people"  unless they first address debt and budgeting from the pulpit.

During a recent interview, the CEO of Ramsey Solutions and author of Financial Peace University, said that he regularly tells pastors to stop stressing the importance of tithing to congregants who aren't good stewards of their money.

"Unless," he clarified, "you've done two sermons on ... debt  one on getting out of debt and one on getting on a budget."

"That's the ratio for me instead of just tithe, tithe, tithe," he said. But when pastors fail to address debt and setting a budget, he said, the reaction to a sermon about tithing is often "yeah right, I've got a light bill. That's a great spiritual concept. Maybe someday I'll get around to that.'"

Getting out of debt leads to giving, the financial expert said, "Because if you're out of debt and on a budget and you love Jesus, I think tithing is a natural thing that occurs."

Still, Ramsey detailed his "incredible love of pastors," describing most of them as "underappreciated" and "underpaid," adding that pastors "could take that same skill set in the marketplace in most cases and make more money."

In an address delivered at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting in June, Ramsey told pastors: "When you stand up in front of your congregation, you're looking at a large number of people who do not have the ability to handle their money."

"Quit preaching tithe lessons to broke people," he said. "Let's teach them how to get on a budget. ... The natural byproduct of a Jesus lover when they have money is giving."

During the session, Ramsey offered Financial Peace University to pastors at the SBC for free, saying, "We want you to go through the class as our gift to say thank you for who you are and how you serve the Kingdom of God."

The best-selling author said his life was changed when a Christian businessman pointed him to Jesus after he lost everything he owned due to poor money management.

"I met Jesus on the way up," he shared. "I got to know Him on the way down. With a brand-new baby and a toddler and a marriage hanging on by a thread, we finally hit bottom at 28 years old. We were bankrupt. I remember standing in the shower with it so hot I could barely stand it, and I would stand there and cry because I didn't know what to do. I was so scared I couldn't breathe."

After embracing Christianity, Ramsey said he decided to handle his finances differently, contending that "When the Word of God intersects your life, it changes the trajectory of your life permanently."

According to statistics, only around 10-12 percent of all Christians actually tithe, or give one-tenth of their income to the Church.

In an op-ed for CP, Chuck Bentley, CEO of Crown Financial Ministries, encouraged believers to tithe regardless of their financial situation: "Remember that giving is not a tax or a legal requirement to please God, but a voluntary act of worship. It is a tangible way to express our love to God," he explained. "Give, even if you can only afford $1. As you give, ask God to multiply it for His Kingdom."

"At the same time, I recommend that you begin to save so you can establish an emergency savings account," he added. "It is important to give first, then save next, even if it is a very small amount in each category! By working on these goals simultaneously, you will begin to make important changes in the way you manage your income."

"When the offering plate comes your way, thank God for all He's given you and that your heart's desire is to give more to Him," Bentley said. "Don't worry that your gift is small. It's between you and God!'
'Defecating on the altar': Myanmar's spiritual assault on Kachin Christians

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WASHINGTON  Kachin Christians in Myanmar are facing an "existential threat" and "will not be able to continue" in the next one or two generations amid an ongoing civil war between Kachin rebels and the Myanmar military, an activist has warned.

Gum San Nsang, president of the United States-based international advocacy group Kachin Alliance, is calling on international governments to place targeted sanctions on the Myanmar military as over 130,000 Christians in the Kachin state have been forced to flee from their homes in the past seven years thanks to the military attacks on numerous civilian villages.

"We have an existential threat. We as a people believe that we will not be able to continue within one to two generations," Gum told believers gathered for the fifth annual Night of Prayer for the Persecuted Church hosted by the nonprofit One Body in Washington, D.C. on Saturday. "That is an imminent threat to our identity. Because I can't practice my own language, my children will not have the capacity or ability to learn their own language. We are not able to construct a sanctuary or a church."

Gum was one of several Christians speaking about the persecution in their homelands at D.C.'s Chinese Community Church, which is just a few blocks away from D.C.'s Calvary Baptist Church.

According to Gum, it was the offerings from Calvary Baptist Church that sponsored a missionary to travel to Kachin to spread the gospel during the 19th century.

As Burma is a predominantly Buddhist nation, Kachins are a small Christian minority in Burma's northern Kachin state that borders China. In Kachin, a majority of the population is Christian thanks to the impact of 19th century missionary work by American Baptist Adoniram Judson and other Western missionaries.

"We came to the Lord because of the missionary work from the United States and just a few blocks from here. The offerings from the Calvary Baptist Church sent a missionary from our land and took us from bondage of animism to a newfound freedom," Gum explained. "This place is very sacred to us as a Kachin."

But now the Christian community that American missionaries once harvested is in much need of humanitarian assistance as thousands are living as internally displaced people in Baptist churches throughout the Kachin state.

While much attention has been given to military's assault on the majority-Muslim Rohingya communities in the Rakhine state last August that drove over 700,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh, Gum told The Christian Post that the Myanmar military tried to do the same thing with the Christian Kachin civilian population but China would not let Kachin people enter into the country so they were forced to find refuge within the Kachin state.

"Same case with the Karen [minorities] too. Back in the 90s, [Karen minorities] all fled to Thailand. This is a repetition, I would say it is like a Russian roulette," Gum said of the Myanmar military assault on ethnic and religious minority communities in the northern part of the country. "It has been for a seven decades of this kind of misery."

But in the last seven years since the end of a ceasefire between the Myanmar military and Kachin ethnic rebels, Gum said over 400 villages have been destroyed.

"The military is attacking non-combatants and the civilian population is not spared but used as a retribution and as a collective punishment for supporting these nonstate actors," Gum said. "This is more of a deliberate attempt to oppress and to persecute people. This is along ethnic and religious line. So, the state itself manifests itself through ethnic and religious-based violence."

Gum said that in many cases, villages and churches are destroyed through aerial bombardment.

"We have had systematically reporting of where you see destruction, ransacking, pillaging of our churches and desecration of our sanctuaries," he detailed, adding there have been reports of rape as well. "These are deliberate attempts to suppress the indigenous populations and Christian minorities."

Gum added that the Myanmar military attacks on the Kachin Christians are more than just ethnically motivated because there have been cases where military troops have defecated on church altars or desecrated sacred objects. For Catholic churches, Gum said, troops have destroyed statues of Mary.

"It is a reminder of second-class citizen sentiment," he told CP. "That is more of an attack against a spirituality."

"These are all deliberate intents," he told CP. "You don't see that with the [Buddhist] pagodas. The Kachin population makes about 30 or 40 percent of the total state's population. However, the displaced population, meaning the people that have to flee because of war are predominantly Christians. That casts a state intent to drive out, displace or persecute people of a different religion."

With over 130,000 displaced, Gum added that the government won't provide aid to the displaced communities and is blocking aid from United Nations and other international providers from reaching the troubled population.

Although Myanmar has a civilian-led government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the government doesn't express much control over the military.

Gum, though, said many had hoped that Aung San Suu Kyi would do more to "stand up" to the brutal actions of the Myanmar military. He wishes that she would use her platform to call to foster a "genuine reconciliation."

"Reconciliation does not mean appeasement to the army," he stressed.

Gum warned that the United States government has over the past several years taken a false view that there is a transition going on in Myanmar.

"Around 2010, 2011, when Burma reported itself as a transition to Democracy, the U.S. literally opened its arms hoping that people had changed or rebuked a past of barbarism," he explained. "When Obama administration began its pivot to Asia, it said, 'If you unclench your fists, we will extend our hand.' It was under that premise that we began engagement. Then, the mill-to-mill training of human rights were taught because they wanted to transition and it was understood that they were going to transition to a better place and a better-standing army. After six, seven years of engagement, because they do not have a genuine desire to change, still they are committing these barbaric acts after these many years."

Gum contended that the U.S. has a "moral duty to stand up to this regime and call this regime atrocity an atrocity."

"If it is a genocide, [call it] a genocide and not erect a facade as if there is a transition going on," he stressed.

"At the core itself, it is still a very repressive regime that still has the audacity to burn 700 children under six into a bonfire," he added. "We propose that the U.S. government support a mechanism to archive a dossier for all these atrocities and we have to seize mill-to-mill engagement until certain benchmarks are met. We can't be shaking hands with the rapists and the army that acts like an ISIS. There is countless evidence to show that many actions done by the Burma army is only replicated by ISIS."
Democrats 'basically godless,' 'God will not bless America' due to abortion: Former SBC president Former SBC President Warns 'God Will Not Bless America' Unless Sacredness of Unborn Life is Protected

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The Democratic Party is not a political party but rather a "basically godless" religion, Houston megachurch pastor and former Southern Baptist Convention President Ed Young said on election night.

The 82-year-old senior pastor of Houston's Second Baptist Church, one of the largest Baptist churches in the United States, is receiving backlash for comments he made while attending a watch party last Tuesday for outgoing Republican Rep. John Culberson.

As the 9-term incumbent was defeated by the Planned Parenthood-endorsed Democrat Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for Texas' 7th congressional district, Young issued remarks over the microphone following a concession speech from Culberson.

Young told the Republican crowd about "what we're up against."

"It's no longer a [political] party," Young can be seen saying about the Democratic Party in a video of the remarks broadcasted by KHOU. "It's some kind of religion that is basically Godless."

Young continued by stating that "as long as America  and this is represented by every Democrat I know  does not believe in the sacredness of the life in the mother's womb, God will not bless America or make us a great nation."

The Christian Post contacted Second Baptist Church of Houston and asked for Young to elaborate on his comments. The request for comment was declined through a church representative.

Although Young is known for his social conservative political views, his remarks drew the ire of other religious leaders in the Houston community and beyond.

Joel Goza, a former pastor who serves as the visiting Scholar of Race, Religion and Politics at the University of St. Thomas, told KHOU that arguments such as Young's are symbolic of "one-dimensional thinking in a three-dimensional world."

"We have very problematic political realities facing our nation," Goza said.

On Twitter, former faith adviser and staffer for President Barack Obama, Michael Wear, told Young that he "would be happy to introduce you to faithful Christians who are Democrats."

"Your remarks here are wrong and irresponsible...especially in this moment," Wear asserted.

Some Christians prefer Democrats because they feel inspired by their faith to call for social justice and social action that they feel is best carried out through the agenda of the Democratic Party.

Additionally, left-leaning Christians leaders have argued that Jesus' call to help the poor, orphaned, downtrodden, refugees and other marginalized individuals in society should inspire voters to vote against Republicans and President Donald Trump's agenda.

Many conservative Christians, however, can't look past the Democratic Party's staunch support for abortion and Planned Parenthood as well over 300,000 unborn lives are terminated every year. Additionally, some conservative Christians can't overlook the Democratic Party's stance on LGBT issues because they see it is an embrace of sin.

Young's comments came on the same day that a church polling place in Florida received backlash over a pastor's sign suggesting that there is a level of hypocrisy if Christians vote for Democrats.

The sign outside of the Grace of God Church in New Port Richey on election day read: "Don't vote for Democrats on Tuesday and sing, 'Oh, how I love Jesus' on Sunday."

The sign was erected by Pastor Pastor Al Carlisle, who took issue with the Democratic Party's stance on issues like abortion, same-sex marriage and immigration.

"It's directed at those who profess to be Christians," Carlisle told Bay9News. "There is a line drawn in the sand by Jesus that we ought not cross."

A Pasco County official has assured that Grace of God Church will no longer be used as a polling place in the future.

Young is no stranger to speaking out about politics.

In 2015, Young was heavily involved in a church-led campaign to overturn a transgender bathroom ordinance passed by the city of Houston. The ordinance was overturned by the city's voters during a 2015 voter referendum.

"The bottom line is if we open up our facilities when someone can choose their sexual orientation, those who believe that men should use men's facilities, and women should use women's facilities, we will be discriminated against," Young said in a sermon at the time, according to Houston's pro-LGBT magazine OutSmart. "It is totally deceptive and it is deadly, and I trust that you will vote no, no, no, because it will carry our city further and further and further down the road of being totally, in my opinion, secular and Godless."

In 2010, Young produced a sermon series called "Healing Broken America," which "addresses the need to heal our broken worldview and the need to heal our broken Washington."

Young is the father of another popular megachurch pastor named Ed Young.
'Duck Dynasty's Missy Robertson says daughter's journey with cleft palate strengthened family's faith

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Missy Robertson, "Duck Dynasty" star and wife of Jase Robertson, has reflected on her daughter Mia's journey with a cleft lip and palate and shared how her battle has strengthened the entire family's relationship with Jesus Christ.

Robertson told The Christian Post that since her birth in 2004, Mia has undergone "numerous" surgeries to correct her cleft lip and palate, the latest being this past summer.

While Mia, now 15, is doing "really, really well" physically and is now a varsity cheerleader in high school, Robertson admitted the journey has been "long and arduous."

"What most people don't understand is that when a child is born with a cleft lip and palate, it's not just the quick fix," she told CP. "Every child is different; they don't all fit into the same box. You can't predict, when a child is born, just how many surgeries they're going to have. So I've quit predicting how many more surgeries she'll have when people ask me. The biggest thing I've learned is to sit back and take everything one day at a time."

Yet, Robertson told CP that the experience hasn't "tested" her family's faith; rather, it's forced them to rely on God in a deep and powerful way.

"We really had to understand quickly going into everything that we can't control this and that God's in control," she shared. "He has His arms around our child. He loves our child more than we do. He is the one that's making all of this work, and we just have to do the best that we can for her with the things that we know and rely on God for everything else."

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In 2014, the Robertsons started the Mia Moo Fund to help other families who are facing similar situations. According to the Center for Disease Control, each year in the United States, about 2,650 babies are born with a cleft palate and 4,440 babies are born with a cleft lip with or without a cleft palate.

"We wanted to help families find the best craniofacial specialists for their children instead of going to the guy down the road who sees one or two cases a year," she explained. "We wanted the financial obstacles to be removed, we wanted to make it easier for parents to find the best care for their children."

The Mia Moo Fund's most recent fundraiser was "Poker at the Plantation," a poker tournament on Oct. 26 on the Robertsons' plantation. The event, which raised nearly $90,000 for the Mia Moo Fund, was filled with fun and games, including a carnival, silent auction, potluck, and a poker tournament.

"If you know anything about the men in our family, they are very competitive, and so sometimes poker gets a little heated, especially between Si and Jase," Robertson said with a laugh. "Sometimes Jase leaves mad at Si, sometimes Si leaves md at Jase. So it was just a fun, fun night with live music, good food, and encouragement."

Guests of honor included 22 families, each personally helped by the foundation. Robertson told CP she wanted the families to have a "fun day where they could forget about doctors, surgeries, and people looking at them differently."

The day also included a group therapy session for parents of children with cleft palate, facilitated by a licensed family counselor and personal friend of the Robertsons.

"A lot of people don't understand what these families are going through," Robertson said. "It was a wonderful time for these families to get together, to share stories, and to encourage one another."

Robertson said she wants to encourage parents going through difficult seasons to remember that God is in control of even the most devastating situations.

"These things don't happen by accident; God knows that they're going to happen, and so we need to put that power and trust in Him," she said. "He created us and He loved us enough to want to have a relationship with us. Our main goal in life should be to reach out and have a relationship with God."

"Then," she added, "reach out to people around you that will undertsand and will love you through these situations. We were created for community, both with God and with people."

More information on the Mia Moo Fund and donation opportunities is available online at miamoo.org/collections/donations.
Early depiction of Jesus discovered in Israel: Curly hair, long face, 'not like Western image'

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A newly discovered artistic depiction of Jesus in the ruins of an ancient Israeli church portrays Christ differently from Western conceptions, with curly hair and a long face.

Art historian Emma Maayan-Fanar told Haaretz that the painting was discovered in the ruins of Shivta, formally a Byzantine farming village in Israel's Negev desert.

"His face is right there, looking at us," Maayan-Fanar said of the eroded painting found at the ruins of a church, meant to depict Jesus' baptism.

She explained that unlike Western perceptions that often portray Jesus with flowing long hair, the Shivta painting depicts Him with short curly hair, a long face and an elongated nose.

The exact date of the artwork is not yet known, though Shivta is believed to have been founded sometime in the 2nd century C.E.

Another painting of Jesus in the ruins of Shivta discovered earlier symbolizes the transfiguration, but does not depict His face.

Though the ancient village was first discovered in 1871 and has been the subject of much archaeological work, Maayan-Fanar believes she is the first to discover it is Christ's image underneath the centuries of dirt on the painting.

"I was there at the right time, at the right place with the right angle of light and, suddenly, I saw eyes," the art historian recalled. "It was the face of Jesus at His baptism, looking at us."

Dror Maayan, her husband, took hi-res photographs of the site, which further allow the image lost for over 1,5000 years to become clearer.

The find is said to be "extremely rare," given that early depictions of Jesus' physical appearance are practically non-existent in Israel.

The question of what Jesus really looked like has long been the subject of debate by historians and theologians. A book earlier in 2018 by Joan E. Taylor, professor of Christian origins and Second Temple Judaism at King's College London, tackled that precise question, and looking at what His skin and hair color, height, and attire might have been.

"The early depictions of Jesus that set the template for the way he continues to be depicted today were based on the image of an enthroned emperor and influenced by presentations of pagan gods. The long hair and beard are imported specifically from the iconography of the Graeco-Roman world. Some of the oldest surviving depictions of Jesus portray him as essentially a younger version of Jupiter, Neptune or Serapis," Taylor wrote in The Irish Times.

He said that in reality, Judaeans of Jesus' time were closest biologically to modern-day Iraqi Jews.

"In terms of a colour palette then, think dark-brown to black hair, deep brown eyes, olive-brown skin. Jesus would have been a man of Middle Eastern appearance. In terms of height, an average man of this time stood 166 cm (5 ft 5 in) tall," the author of What Did Jesus Look Like? suggested.
Egypt: Man wielding 'sharp tool,' Quran attacks Christians at prayer service

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Christian worshipers in Cairo, Egypt, were left injured after a man wielding a "sharp tool" and a Quran attacked them during a prayer service as he shouted "Allah is great."

International Christian Concern reports that on Nov. 11, a 22-year-old man entered the Church of St. George through a room intended for baking bread for the Lord's Supper during a prayer service. The intruder hit the baker on the head with an iron rod while shouting, "Allah is great." When another Christian attempted to rescue the baker, he was also injured.

Police arrived at the scene and arrested the man, claiming he carried out the violent attack because of mental health problems and drug use. However, local believers dispute such an explanation, calling it a thinly veiled attempt to hide the Islamic extremism prevalent across Egypt.

"The media uses words which don't reveal the truth," one local believer told ICC. "Now we have discovered that that this was a young man, not an old one. Also, he was holding a Quran and sharp tool [while] injuring some people on their heads. The media's role is to reveal the reality and not to hide information to make the Coptic Christians] calm down."

Another local Christian, Majeed, added, "It's too awful. I can't imagine that we should adapt to these incidents. Lies and lies and lies. ... I'm sure that this criminal will not be punished."

"Mentally ill, what?! How the media manipulates us!" exclaimed Hani, another local Christian.

Claire Evans, ICC's regional manager, praised police for "responding quickly" to the incident at St. George's Church, but urged the international community not to "forget the context of the attack."

"It is not unusual for the Egyptian authorities to claim that something other than Islamic extremism drives the less publicized incidents of persecution," she said. "The situation surrounding Egypt's Christians will not improve unless there is honesty in confronting why these kinds of incidents happen. We must continue to keep Egypt's Christians in our prayers."

Egyptian authorities have faced increasing criticism for failing to address Islamic extremism in the country and protect Christians from escalating violence. The country is ranked 17th on Christian support organization Open Doors' 2018 World Watch List of the countries where it's most difficult to be a Christian.

Earlier in November, Islamic extremists murdered seven and injured at least 20 others after they left worship at a monastery in Egypt. The Islamic State claimed responsibility, saying on its Amaq news service that the attack had been in retaliation for the arrest of "our chaste sisters."

Amid widespread outrage, the Interior Ministry said Egyptian forces had killed the 19 militants responsible for the massacre.

However, a similar attack occurred on a bus near the same monastery last year, leaving 29 Christians dead, prompting many to question the effectiveness of the Egyptian government's strategy in combating Islamic extremism.

"The reality is that the Islamic State has successfully executed an attack on the same road, next to the same monastery, one year apart," Timothy E. Kaldas, an analyst with the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, told The New York Times. "That really calls into question the quality of government efforts to enhance security, particularly in Minya, where the Christian minority has been targeted relentlessly."

In Rome, Pope Francis denounced the violence. "I pray for the victims, pilgrims killed just because they were Christian," he told worshipers at St. Peter's Square on Sunday.
Episcopal Church head Michael Curry responds to bishop's refusal to allow gay marriage in diocese

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The head of The Episcopal Church has said that he's deciding on what actions to take after the bishop of a New York State-based diocese has refused to officiate same-sex wedding ceremonies.

Bishop William Love of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany released a lengthy pastoral letter last week stating that he will not allow same-sex weddings in his churches, despite a recently approved resolution mandating them for all dioceses.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, who supports same-sex marriage and leads the mainline Protestant denomination, released a statement earlier this week explaining that he's "assessing the implications of the statement and will make determinations about appropriate actions soon."

"We are committed to the principle of full and equal access to, and inclusion in, the sacraments for all of the baptized children of God, including our LGBTQ siblings," said Curry.

Curry also said that he believed the Church is tolerant of different points of view on marriage, adding that those who adhere to the biblical definition of marriage should not be forced to officiate same-sex unions.

"As members of the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12), we also are committed to respecting the conscience of those who hold opinions that differ from the official policy of The Episcopal Church regarding the sacrament of marriage," continued Curry.

"It should be noted that the canons of The Episcopal Church give authority to all members of the clergy to decline to officiate a marriage for reasons of conscience, and Resolution B012 of the 79th General Convention does not change this fact."

The Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, president of the Episcopal Church's House of Deputies who supports LGBT marriages in all forms, also released a statement in response to Love's pastoral letter, highlighting the denomination's support for LGBT relationships.

"We recognize the Holy Spirit at work in the marriages of LGBTQ people and we know that there are Christians who have been drawn further into fidelity and service to the world by living in committed same-sex partnerships and marriages," stated Jennings. "When we celebrate these marriages, the entire church is blessed by the love and fidelity of these faithful couples."

Earlier this year, the Episcopal Church General Convention passed Resolution B012, which allows congregations to perform same-sex weddings even in dioceses where leadership objects. The new policy is scheduled to take effect on Dec. 2.

While the new resolution still gives clergy the right to refuse to perform gay weddings, bishops who oppose same-sex marriage rites must call on another bishop who does not oppose such unions to provide pastoral support for the couple and a clergy for the ceremony.

In addition to the Diocese of Albany, the other impacted dioceses include Dallas; North Dakota; Springfield, Illinois; Tennessee; the U.S. Virgin Islands; and two of the denomination's Florida-based dioceses, the Diocese of Florida and the Diocese of Central Florida.

This contrasts with a resolution passed by the General Convention in 2015 that allowed bishops opposed to same-sex marriage to maintain a ban on such unions within their diocese.

Love took issues with this new resolution, officially stating that the same-sex marriage rites approved earlier this year "shall not be used anywhere in the Diocese of Albany by diocesan clergy (canonically resident or licensed)."

"Jesus is calling the Church to follow His example. He is calling the Church to have the courage to speak His Truth in love about homosexual behavior  even though it isn't politically correct," said Love.

"Sexual relations between two men or two women was never part of God's plan and is a distortion of His design in creation and as such is to be avoided. To engage in sexual intimacy outside of marriage between a man and women, is against God's will and therefore sinful and needs to be repented of, NOT encouraged or told it is OK."

Love also said that he believes both his denomination and overall Western society "have been hijacked by the 'Gay Rights Agenda,'" and that pro-LGBT Episcopalians have been "received into believing a lie that has been planted in the Church by the 'great deceiver'  Satan."

"There is no doubt The Episcopal Church and now the Diocese of Albany are in the midst of a huge storm that can rip us apart if we are not careful. That is exactly what Satan wants," Love added.

"We don't have to play his game. If we focus on what divides us, we will be destroyed. If we focus on what unites us  our Lord Jesus Christ  He will get us through to the other side. I pray the Lord will help us to see one another as He sees us; to love one another as He loves us; to forgive one another as He forgives us."
ERLC, faith-based coalition urge Congress to repeal parking tax on churches, nonprofits

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A coalition of some 32 faith-based organizations joined with the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention Tuesday in calling on Congress to repeal a provision in the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that will force churches and other historically tax-exempt organizations to file federal and likely state income tax returns on parking benefits.

"Churches ought not be seen by the government as untapped sources of tax revenue. While the effect this section of the tax code may very well have been unintended, it must be remedied. As the American founders clearly understood, the power to tax is the power to destroy. The proper separation of the state from the church is at the heart of our American project. This section of the tax code, however, blurs those lines in harmful ways," ERLC President Russell Moore said in a statement on the provision.

While churches have long been subject to file IRS Form 990-T as long as they generate unrelated business income, the new law, Section 512(a)(7), will now require many more churches and tax exempt organizations to file the form because the federal income tax is now applied to parking benefits.

In the letter sent to members of Congress, the coalition argues that churches and non-profits will lose about $1.7 billion in ten years with the new tax.

"Whatever purpose Section 512(a)(7) was intended to serve cannot justify extracting $1.7 billion in taxes from nonprofits and houses of worship within just 10 years. While the organizations and houses of worship will pay these taxes, it is the people they serve who will ultimately suffer from this massive diversion of funds from civil society to the government. We believe these impacts from Section 512(a)(7) were surely unintended and unanticipated. We therefore call upon you to repeal Section 512(a)(7) through any appropriate legislative package before the end of this calendar year," the coalition asked.

Earlier this summer, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability also launched a campaign to repeal the new tax noting that it would also create significant administrative challenges for some small churches.

"Working in the church world most of my career, my guess is that prior to this provision, there's probably only one or two percent of churches in America that file form 990-T so we're really talking about two issues," ECFA's president Dan Busby told The Christian Post in an earlier report.

"We're talking about a financial issue. We're gonna have to pay a tax on providing employee parking and two  which may be more important  is the administrative piece of this. To file a return with which they are not familiar. If you can imagine, small churches across America have to file a form 990-T that they've never even heard of. And probably they're gonna need to secure professional advice and pay a professional to file the return, even though the money may not be a significant amount, it's just a ridiculous provision that was put in the law," he said.

Others who endorsed the letter on Tuesday included: Gerald Causse, Presiding Bishop, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Jerry Silverman, CEO, The Jewish Federations of North America; Leith Anderson, president, National Association of Evangelicals; Nathan Diament, executive director for public policy, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America and His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
'Her faith is under fire': Franklin Graham supports Calif. Christian student attacked for LGBT views

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Prominent evangelical leader the Rev. Franklin Graham has expressed his support for a California Christian student who was attacked for her views on LGBT issues.

The head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association took to Facebook on Tuesday to state his support for Isabella Chow, a University of California-Berkeley student senator facing calls to resign because she believes gender is biological and not a choice.

"Isabella Chow's faith is under fire," said Graham, whose post as of Wednesday morning has gotten over 41,000 likes and more than 30,000 shares.

"Students have called her a 'horrible person' and a 'mental imbecile'  all because she is a Christian voicing her biblical convictions. There seems to be zero tolerance for Christians  and for the truth of Jesus Christ."

Graham also said that he agreed with Chow when she said, "I can love you and still disagree with you."

"Pray for Isabella and other Christian students operating in the hostile environments of many of today's secular university campuses," continued Graham.

Chow garnered controversy when she abstained from a vote on a resolution meant to denounce President Donald Trump's recent proposal to return to the original definition of "sex" in the federal Title IX statute.

In explaining her decision to abstain, Chow said in a statement that even though she believes in God's love for all people she could not vote against her faith.

"As a Christian, I personally do believe that certain acts and lifestyles conflict with what is good, right and true. I believe that God created male and female at the beginning of time, and designed sex for marriage between one man and one woman," said Chow.

"For me, to love another person does not mean that I silently concur when, at the bottom of my heart, I do not believe that your choices are right or the best for you as an individual."

Many on campus criticized her decision and have demanded that she resign. Chow's own party, named Student Action, cut ties with the her over her position.

"As a party, we are committed to ensuring that the rights and dignity of the Queer and Trans community on this campus are guaranteed. As a party, we are committed to establishing and defending access to reproductive health services," stated the party.

"While we respect Senator Chow's leadership and community work, we cannot allow the actions of our elected officials to oppose what in our assessment is inviolable  reproductive health and wellness resources, legal protections for survivors of sexual violence, and community space for vulnerable members of our student body."
Hundreds remember Christian newlyweds killed in helicopter crash at memorial service

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An estimated 2,000 people showed up at the Belleville United Methodist Church in Texas last Friday to pay final respects to a newlywed Christian couple who died shortly after their wedding less than a week earlier.

According to ABC 13, an estimated 2,000 people filled Bellville's United Methodist Church and its overflow area, and spent some four hours remembering the late couple, William Troy Byler and his new wife, Bailee Raye Ackerman Byler, who were described as being meant for each other in separate obituaries.

"Will brought so much positivity and happiness to her life and they were inseparable. We know there are angels among us for they showed up that starry night to fly them to their eternal home. Bailee Raye will be truly missed by all who knew her. Until we meet again there will not be a moment her and Will are not in our hearts with plenty of memories to share," Bailee's obituary said.

"If you knew Will, you knew he loved with every being in his body. He never met a stranger and would do anything for anybody at the drop of a hat. He wore his heart on his sleeve. It shined through the biggest dimples you have ever seen with the sweetest smile. Will was always the life of the party and kept a smile on everyone's face. Will had so many friends that were near and dear to his heart," the late groom's obituary explained.

"When Will met Bailee he was forever changed. She was his saving grace. He knew she was his soulmate from the beginning. Bailee made his eyes brighter and his smile bigger. She was his world and he would do anything to make her happy. Will's love for the Lord showed in how he loved Bailee. They had a special kind of love. A love that was too perfect for this broken world. Now they will have a perfect marriage and spend an eternal honeymoon together with Our Savior," it added.

Bailee was the only daughter for her parents while William was his parents' only son.

A separate funeral was held for Bailee a day earlier at Turning Point Church of Vidor. Proceedings at both events were kept private.

Those who were not able to share in the funeral on Friday paid their respects in different ways in Belleville Square where flowers were placed in front of a store owned by the Byler family. White ribbons were also wrapped around brown poles to remember the couple.

"I think it symbolizes more of what we would ... want to portray rather than doing black even though it was such a tragedy. It's kind of our town's way of ... letting them know we're lifting them up. And we're lifting them up in faith. We're lifting them up in prayer because as we know, that is what is going to get them through this," Melissa Weiss, who works next to the store owned by Byler's grandmother, and where his mother also works, told ABC 13.

"It's just such a tragedy that the other family had to lose their only daughter. This family had to lose their only son," she added.

Shortly after they left their wedding reception in Texas, Steven Kennedy, justice of the peace for Uvalde County Precinct 1, told CBS News that the couple had died in the crash minutes after on Nov. 4., about 10 miles northwest of Uvalde.

Gerald Douglas Lawrence, who federal officials say was a "very experienced" pilot was also killed along with the newlywed 24-year-old college seniors.

Jacob Martinez, who filmed the couple's wedding and final moments before they would board the ill-fated helicopter, said they were in high spirits during the send-off from family and friends.

"We sent them off with something that they will remember," he told KENS 5. "It chokes me up because I saw them get in the helicopter, which seemed to be fine."
India: Christians' homes destroyed by extremists, families convert back to tribal hinduism amid fears

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At least three Christian families have converted back to a tribal religion in Jharkhand state, India, after Hindu extremists destroyed their homes, leaving them in fear of losing their land and resources.

Morning Star News reported that five families in Lisiya village, West Singhbhum District, returned home from a worship service in October to find that one of the homes had been destroyed by tribal movement Adivasi Ho Samaj.

Adivasi Ho Samaj, who are reportedly under the influence of Hindu extremists, destroyed the home of Christian Sidiu Bari and his family as a warning to believers that they are not welcome.

"They damaged Bari's roof, threw away their clothes and utensils, and took away a sum of 20,500 rupees [$280]," area resident Subod Sinku said. "Even after all this, they were not done. There was lot of verbal abuse and verbal grilling that continued for at least a week after the [Oct. 18] incident."

Threatened with losing their lands and being expelled from the village, three of the Christian families decided to convert back to the tribal religion of Sarnaism.

"Pastors and Christians from Lisiya and surrounding village churches tried to encourage them to continue in the Christian faith in these testing times," Sinku said. "But we were only able to get Sidiu Bari to write a complaint and report the matter to a local police station."

Another anonymous source told MNN: "The situation in Jharkhand is turning worse since the Ho Samaj joined hands with the RSS [Hindu extremist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh], holding meetings to instigate the tribal population against their own brethren for choosing to follow Christ."

Sinku affirmed that he and other Christians have been warned that they will not receive their share of the land if they do not abandon their faith in Jesus.

"Putting faith in Christ is a matter of heart, and gradually as a new convert from the Adivasi religion grows in fellowship with other Christians, one's entire lifestyle gets transformed," Sinku added.

"You learn many things. You become particular about hygiene, your intake of food, dressing, and you are not afraid to move to the city for education and get a job. This is not how indigenous tribes live. And, they think that we can afford the clothes, food and education from the supposed amount we received because of conversion to Christianity. It is completely false."

Christian communities in the area continue to suffer other forms of persecution as well, such as worship services being interrupted and church buildings being taken over and converted for other purposes. Hindu hardliners have often accused them of forcefully converting villagers to the Christian faith, though church leaders have denied that conversions are being forced.

In another attack in July, Pastor Srinivas Sapa told persecution watchdog group International Christian Concern that Hindu radicals in the village of Sangameshwar, north of Hyderabad, destroyed the only church building there.

"All that the Hindu radicals want is for Sangameshwar to be a 'Christian-free' village," Sapa said.

"Of all the 50 odd Christians who are native to Sangameshwar, most were born in the village and are now panicked over the situation," he added.

The pastor warned that even when courts side with Christian churches when it comes to land disputes, radicals take the law into their own hands and attack believers.
Liberty University professor charged with attempted murder of wife

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Michael Hiskey, Liberty University's senior director of academic planning and operations who also serves as a business professor at the popular evangelical Christian University in Lynchburg, Virginia, remained in jail Wednesday on charges of attempted murder, abduction and kidnapping as well as assault and battery of his wife.

Court records cited by The News & Advance said Hiskey, 27, was booked into the Blue Ridge Regional Jail on Nov. 4 stemming from an incident the same day. He was denied bond in Lynchburg Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court last week but at a court hearing Tuesday, he was granted a $50,000 bond on condition that he stay out of Virginia except for court appearances.

In addition to staying out of Virginia, Judge Ed Burnette, also required that Hiskey wear a GPS monitoring system and receive mental health treatment.

An official at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail confirmed with The Christian Post Wednesday morning that Hiskey was still locked up and if no one posts his bail, he is likely to remain in custody until Feb. 4, when he is set to appear in court again.

Neither officials at the Lynchburg Police Department or Liberty University responded immediately to questions from CP about Hiskey on Wednesday.

Police told WSET however that Hiskey was involved in a domestic violence strangling incident and his victim appeared to be physically okay.

Liberty University also said in a statement that Hiskey had been suspended from his duties.

"As of November 5, 2018 Michael Hiskey was suspended from his position as Academic Operations Analyst pending the outcome of this matter," the statement from the university said.

According to Hiskey's LinkedIn profile, in 2009, he started Everybody's Joe Somebody, a non-profit that helped lonely people.

"I have a story. You have a story. Everybody has a story. Have you ever heard of 'Joe schmo' or 'Joe nobody?' There is no such thing. Everybody has a 'Joe Somebody' and everybody is a 'Joe Somebody,'" the project notes on Facebook. "Everybody's story deserves to be heard, and when you don't feel like there is someone there to listen, there is."

The Bay Area Community Church where Hiskey says he worked as a youth leader for three years in Annapolis, Maryland, could not immediately confirm his time at the church on Wednesday.
Megachurch Pastor Fired for Viewing Porn Talks About Overcoming His Addiction, New Pastor Job

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UPDATE 1 P.M. FEB. 2, 2019: A member of Lake Country Church contacted The Christian Post to object to Scott Crenshaw being labeled as the churchs interim pastor.

Crenshaw says he was brought on by the churchs founding pastor in October after the churchs pastor, Randy Thomas, was fried.

The member who contacted CP said that Thomas was let go by church elders, not by a vote of the church body as indicated in the churchs bylines.

Crenshaw still says he's an interim pastor of Lake Country Church. However, he and a division of church members are now worshiping at another location under the same church name while Thomas continues to pastor at the Lake County Church building in Fort Worth.

Pastor Scott Crenshaw said he felt like a rock star when he was senior pastor of the multicampus New River Fellowship Church based in Weatherford, Texas.

After helping Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston grow its young adults worship ministry, Crenshaw went onto become New River's senior pastor and helped expand the congregation from one campus to three and from about 500 members to over 2,500.

But that all came to a crashing halt in 2016 when his departure from the church for "viewing inappropriate images" on his church computer made national headlines.

It was then that Crenshaw and his family were forced to seriously address a problem affecting their family that data show a majority of Christian men have some sort of struggle with  an addiction to pornography.

"Technology was my downfall but now technology is helping my restoration process," Crenshaw told The Christian Post in an interview on Monday.

A little over two years removed from his fall from grace, Crenshaw is now serving full-time as an interim pastor at Lake Country Church in Fort Worth, Texas, a role he began about six weeks ago.

Crenshaw's return to full-time ministry follows the nearly two-year journey that he and his wife, Renee, have been on in their quest to liberate Crenshaw from the grips of sexual addiction and heal the emotional harm that Crenshaw's addiction has caused to his wife of 31 years.

"When all this came down, I had three overseers. These were the men that were there for me in case of emergency," Crenshaw explained. "One of my overseers was on staff at a megachurch in Dallas. They pointed us to a ministry called Pure Desire and they pointed us to a man named Dr. Ted Roberts."

The road to recovery

The Crenshaws flew out to Portland, Oregon, to meet with Roberts, a former megachurch pastor who founded Pure Desire Ministries along with his wife to provide "hope and freedom from sexual addiction" with a biblically-based and clinically informed approach to recovery.

"I hurt my wife. I betrayed her. I stole from our marriage," Crenshaw said. "It is not just me that needed healing. She needed to learn how to trust me again and learn to deal with the wounds that were inflicted on her."

"When I walked into Dr. Roberts' office, I was shame ridden," he added. "I had so much guilt. It was all my fault. It was me. I owned every bit of it. The beautiful thing was that I had a wife that said, 'If it is your pain, it's my pain too.'"

When the Crenshaws got back to Texas after meeting with Roberts and his wife, Dianne, they were told that they would be prefect candidates for the Pure Desire program.

For the next year-and-a-half, the Crenshaws met online every other week with Ted and Dianne Roberts. Roberts suggested that the Crenshaws take part in separate small group sessions  one for men and the other for women.

Crenshaw told Roberts that he had tried other small men's groups in the past for those struggling with pornography addiction that didn't produce the desired liberation they were looking for.

But Roberts informed Crenshaw that the key to success is "having someone who knows how to walk you into freedom."

"In the past, I had confessed this to pastors. I had been in prayer lines. I was in small groups and I never could find just complete freedom," Crenshaw said. "It is when you find the people that know the steps out of it."

The Crenshaws took part in weekly small groups in Dallas.

For Crenshaw, his group featured people struggling with different types of sexual sin  prostitution, pornography, strip clubs and homosexuality.

"We are walking through material in men's group and being transparent with each other," he said.

Meanwhile, Renee Crenshaw was in a group with women going through similar issues with their husbands.

Through the program, Crenshaw was also connected with other pastors in his area who suffered the same struggle but were about a year further down the road to recovery than he was. The pastors were able to counsel, lead, guide and encourage him in one-on-one settings.

"If the statistics are right, 70 percent of men in America struggle in this area," Crenshaw said. "I am learning about it. This whole time I thought I was the only one, as a minister, struggling with this. You would see the articles about pastors falling to affairs but where was the guy with the pornography? It was liberating meeting these men face-to-face and talking to them and hearing their stories as well."

In addition, Crenshaw did his own research and started listening to podcasts addressing the dangers of pornography and steps to healing.

"What the church doesn't talk about, I started finding the communities of people that were," explained Crenshaw.

Accountability measures

As a nonnegotiable element of Crenshaw's participation with Pure Desire, he had to submit to accountability measures. These included putting a parental passcode on the television that only his wife had access to and putting the accountability software Covenant Eyes on his phone, computers and devices.

Crenshaw also uses Victory App, an app that provides "a strategic battle plan for liberty in the struggle against pornography."

"Every device in our home is on lockdown," Crenshaw said. "Dr. Ted said this is nonnegotiable."

Now that Crenshaw is two years along in his road to recovery, he has found ways to help other families and communities struggling with this problem.

Crenshaw also helped a church in Utah launch a small group that is being attended by about 30 men every Sunday night, he said. That same church has since started a group for women and plans to start a group for teens.

Crenshaw said that he and Renee are also providing support for a 60-year-old man and his wife after he was removed from church over pornography.

"I know God has called me to be a minister. I want to minister to men who are having those kinds of struggles," Crenshaw said. "My wife says that the tools that God is using on me right now are the tools that God is going to put in my toolbelt."

Return to preaching

After leaving New River, the Crenshaws searched for a church community where they could heal. Crenshaw was reached out to by Bishop Gary Oliver, the pastor of the Tabernacle of Praise in Fort Worth.

"He reached out to me and brought me in and said, 'Scott, I want you and your wife to come and worship here anytime you want," Crenshaw recalled. "We want you to be able to heal here. We got to that church and the church embraced us and loved us."

About six months after the Crenshaws began worshipping at the Tabernacle of Praise, Oliver asked Crenshaw to come on board as a pastor on a part-time basis.

During this time, Crenshaw reflected on ways he erred in running his ministry at New River.

"We just started developing and we were praying and seeking God and seeing people get saved. The church just naturally grew and it grew to 2,500 people [and] now we have three campuses," Crenshaw said of New River. "While all this has taken place, I got little kids coming up to me saying, 'Pastor Scott, you are a rock star.' On the inside, I was listening to them and I started believing my press."

"Instead of leaning on God, I started leaning on what Group magazine had to say or what Steven Furtick was doing this week that could work over here," Crenshaw continued. "I really thought that we could figure everything out on our own. I was drinking from false wells."

Now Crenshaw is serving at Lake Country Church in Fort Worth, a fellowship of about 150 that is hungry to grow.

"These are some loving people who have a wonderful history," Crenshaw said. "We are just trying to get these guys to a very healthy level that gets them ready for their next pastor that is going to come in."

Crenshaw said that he doesn't plan to stay at Lake Country on a permanent basis and doesn't know how long he will be serving there.

"I am looking to walk with this church for however long they want me to," he added. "They have a wonderful staff and I really hope to work with the staff on some of the operating day-in-and-day-out procedures. I want to see this church reach out into the community and get healthy structures and systems behind the scenes inside the church. They are loving people and doing some wonderful work. I look at things and ask, 'How can we do it better?' We want to do things better in everything we do."

Crenshaw said he would like to see more churches be more proactive in working with ministries like Pure Desire in order to aid the many families affected by sexual addiction in their congregations.

"I would encourage churches of any denomination or sizes to go to the experts and find the material that is out there and make it available inside of your church. If 70 percent of men and 50 percent of pastors are struggling, then this is something that needs attention," he stressed.

"Most of the time, the leadership of the church won't address this until it affects them. I am telling them that it is already affecting them. I would encourage them to go to the professionals and not to try and figure this out on their own."
Megachurch pastor Victor Couzens wanted for aggravated harassment, NYPD confirms

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NEW YORK  Embattled megachurch pastor Victor Couzens, of the 5,000-member Inspirational Bible Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, is wanted for aggravated harassment, the New York City Police Department confirmed Thursday.

"Victor Couzens is wanted for aggravated harassment which took place on October 23rd. There are no arrests at this time. The investigation is ongoing," the NYPD's Office of the Deputy Commissioner, public information, said in response to a query from The Christian Post.

The announcement comes two weeks after the NYPD confirmed that detectives were investigating a complaint filed by 30-year-old model Andrea Garrison who alleges she was threatened with blackmail unless she recants certain claims about a sexual relationship she had with Couzens.

Garrison, who is one of several women who have publicly said they engaged in long-term sexual relationships with Couzens, also suggested that Couzens could face charges for making explicit videos of her without her consent.

In a recent CP report, Garrison said that her decision to speak out about her experience with Couzens was to draw attention to a culture of silence that has enabled pastors to exploit women in the black church without penalty.

"I feel like, at this point, it's no longer what he did to me, what he did to the other women. It's no longer about that. It's about the fact that the Church allows this. That the Church is OK with this. The Church is OK with sending threats to people who are just trying to expose something that's bad happening," Garrison said. "I'm tired of this type of stuff being swept under the rug and I'm tired of being hushed when all this could have been avoided with him just keeping it real."

Couzens did not immediately respond Thursday when told that he is wanted by the NYPD but did express in earlier emails that while the sexual exploitation of women in the church is "one of tremendous concern in the body of Christ," Garrison is not a victim.

"Although your subject matter is one of tremendous concern in the body of Christ. And it needs to be addressed. Your primary source (Andrea Garrison) doesn't fit into that context," he said.

"There have been people who are actual victims of clergy malpractice and abuse. My heart goes out to them. However, that is not what this situation is. And unfortunately you have been misled simply by what Andrea has told you," Couzens explained.

There have been calls for Couzens to step down from his pulpit because of his alleged fornication with multiple women.

In a recent message, however, he pointed to the story of how David committed adultery with Bathsheba in the Bible and had her husband Uriah murdered to cover his sin yet still remained king,

"[Uriah] would know when his wife's belly starts showing that it wasn't his baby. David sent the man back to the front line of the battle and arranged for his murder. And you mad with me cause you heard I had two girlfriends at the same time," he told his congregation.

"But you shout on Psalm 23, written by a man who was an adulterer and a killer, but I'm wrong," he said.
Most pastors don't feel qualified to address touchy sexual issues, abuse in church: Survey

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New research reveals that while pastors routinely face questions about sexuality issues, particularly areas of pain and brokenness, few feel qualified to speak to them.

The survey  Sexuality & the Church in America I: Are Pastors Responding to Sexual Challenges Within the Church?  which was released Wednesday and explores how American pastors are addressing sexual issues within their congregations was based on research conducted by Barna Group on 410 senior Protestant pastors. The research was sponsored by The Brushfires Foundation, True North Freedom Project and Covenant Eyes.

Results showed that 99 percent of pastors surveyed dealt with at least one question about sexuality in the past year, and 27 percent handled 13-18 different issues brought by church members or staff.

The report also shows that seven in 10 pastors are approached many times a year with concerns about sexual brokenness, with 22 percent approached on a monthly basis or more. However, when pastors were asked about their qualifications for handling sexual problems, less than a third of them reported that they felt "very qualified" to address 15 of the 18 sexual issues in the survey.

Among the issues addressed were marital infidelity, porn use by both husbands and wives, sexting, sexual abuse or assault, and struggles with same-sex attraction. The most common of the sexual issues in the study pastors hear about is marital infidelity, with eight in 10 pastors reporting being approached about it within the past year.

And on average, pastors were approached by the members of their churches or staff about nine of 18 sexual issues over the past year. Only seven issues were ranked by at least one-quarter of pastors as being among those they feel "very qualified" to address.

"I have spoken with many pastors who are trained heavily in theological matters, but have very little actual pastoral training. Theologically, it is easy to simply say that a behavior or thought is wrong or immoral, but living out our faith in a sinful world is messy and not so easily handled, especially since most people under 40 have been thoroughly influenced by a sexualized culture from youth," said Daniel Weiss, founder and president of the Brushfires Foundation in an email to The Christian Post Wednesday, when asked what he believes is at the root of the breakdown and the phenomenon of so many pastors feeling unqualified to speak these topics. (Disclosure: this reporter is a member of the board of the Brushfires Foundation).

"Sexuality has challenged humans from the very beginning because it is so essential for God's plan for human thriving. If God made human sexuality to present an earthly picture of divine communion, then it is no accident that our human relationships are under so great an attack."

While the Church has not always been skittish about sex, it often has, he added.

"Even so, the first Apostles address it clearly and without equivocation. Our bodies are meant to honor God and the way we practice chastity and fidelity within marriage is a clear witness to the greater love of God. The world was as amazed at such a witness 2,000 years ago as it is now."

In order to engage the subject effectively, Christian individualism and the accompanying mindset has to die, he went on to say.

"God did not create us to live alone or in weak community. He made us in His image and likeness, a robust, interpersonal community flowing with love and self-giving. How many of our churches really look like this today? Very few, but this needs to change.

"So too, does our weak or nonexistent efforts at disciple making. Sexuality is part and parcel of a whole new way of life for a Christian. Yet, without teachers, mentors, friends, and family to help us through the daily practice of living out our faith  failing, being forgiven, and moving forward again  we cannot change the devastating impact of the sexual revolution on the Church."

The pastors were surveyed during the final week of October 2017 and hailed from a variety of denominations including mainliners like American Baptist, United Methodist, and Presbyterian Church U.S.A. in addition to nondenominational evangelicals.

Two-thirds of pastors "agree strongly" that churches should help people through these issues, yet just 56 percent of pastors who make less than $40,000 annually say so. This contrasts with the 70 percent of pastors who make $60,000 per year who responded similarly about the role of the church in these matters.

Although the survey focuses on pastors, no Christian should think that addressing sexuality is the sole job of the pastor, Weiss explained.

"It is clear from our research and common experience that our pastors are overwhelmed. We need to rethink our organization structures and training to make it possible for the whole church to pursue sexual discipleship together. This work must be integrated into, not isolated from, the lifeblood of the church's main ministry," he said.
New York State Episcopal Church Bishop Reaffirms Ban on Gay Marriage in Diocese

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A bishop of The Episcopal Church whose diocese is based in the capital of New York has announced that his churches will not perform same-sex marriage ceremonies.

Earlier this year, the Episcopal Church General Convention passed a resolution allowing for congregations to perform gay weddings even in dioceses where leadership objects. The new policy is scheduled to take effect on the first Sunday of Advent, Dec. 2.

This stood in contrast to a resolution passed by the General Convention in 2015 that allowed bishops opposed to same-sex marriage to maintain a ban on such unions within their diocese.

Bishop William Love of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany released a lengthy pastoral letter on Saturday officially stating that the gay marriage rites approved earlier this year "shall not be used anywhere in the Diocese of Albany by diocesan clergy (canonically resident or licensed)."

"Jesus is calling the Church to follow His example. He is calling the Church to have the courage to speak His Truth in love about homosexual behavior  even though it isn't politically correct," stated Bishop Love.

"Sexual relations between two men or two women was never part of God's plan and is a distortion of His design in creation and as such is to be avoided. To engage in sexual intimacy outside of marriage between a man and women, is against God's will and therefore sinful and needs to be repented of, NOT encouraged or told it is ok."

Love also stated that he believes that both his denomination and overall Western society "have been hijacked by the 'Gay Rights Agenda,'" and that pro-LGBT Episcopalians have been "received into believing a lie that has been planted in the Church by the 'great deceiver'  Satan."

"There is no doubt The Episcopal Church and now the Diocese of Albany are in the midst of a huge storm that can rip us apart if we are not careful. That is exactly what Satan wants," added Love.

"We don't have to play his game. If we focus on what divides us, we will be destroyed. If we focus on what unites us  our Lord Jesus Christ -- He will get us through to the other side. I pray the Lord will help us to see one another as He sees us; to love one another as He loves us; to forgive one another as He forgives us."

At their triennial convention in Austin, Texas in July, the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops and House of Deputies passed Resolution B012, which allows same-sex couples to be married by clergy in eight dioceses that had previously not allowed marriage rites for same-sex couples.

While the new resolution still gives clergy the right to refuse to perform gay weddings, bishops who oppose same-sex marriage rites must call on another bishop who does not oppose such unions to provide pastoral support for the couple and a clergy for the ceremony.

In addition to the Diocese of Albany, the other impacted dioceses include Dallas; North Dakota; Springfield, Illinois; Tennessee; the U.S. Virgin Islands; and two of the denomination's Florida-based dioceses, the Diocese of Florida and the Diocese of Central Florida.

Long Island Bishop Larry Provenzano, who proposed the B012, told Episcopal News Service in an interview earlier this year that he considered the resolution "a really important moment for the church."

"We do this without there having to be one side wins and one side loses. Very much like the theme of the whole convention, there's a great movement for the church to really be the church in this time," stated Bishop Provenzano.
Nicole Kidman opens up about her belief in God, reveals she once wanted to become a nun

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Nicole Kidman shared information about her faith and belief in God while promoting an upcoming film.

In the December/January of issue of Allure magazine, Kidman, who was raised in an Irish Catholic family, sported a diamond-studded crucifix, which she said was a gift from her grandmother that she wears all the time.

"I'm spiritual in the sense that I absolutely believe in God," she told Allure while gripping her crucifix in her hand.

She went on to reveal that she once thought of becoming a nun.

"I loved the idea of being a nun. Obviously, I did not choose to go that path, but I was very drawn to it," Kidman added.

The 51-year-old is the star of the new film, "Boy Erased," where she plays a pastor's wife. Her role of Nancy Eamons is the wife of a small-town Baptist pastor who put their son in a "gay conversion" program after discovering that he is gay.

While the filmakers reportedly didn't want to "throw God under the bus," the film does not present a Christian worldview on issues related to sin and sexuality. Christian film review site Movieguide said the movie "correctly criticizes some bad theology by Christian leaders but ultimately also endorses immoral behavior while inserting some foul language and a graphic scene of homosexual rape."

Ex-gays have argued the film is inaccurate in its portrayal of Christian ministries that help those struggling with same-sex attraction.

"The mother is struggling herself, and there's a truth to it," Kidman said of her role. "She changes. She's the one that changes, and I love that. I think that's really beautiful."

Once linked to Scientology, the actress recently opened about about being estranged from her two eldest children that she and devoted Scientologist Tom Cruise adopted. Her kids decided to live with Cruise after their her divorce to the actor in 2001 and they chose Cruise's religion.

"They are adults. They are able to make their own decisions. They have made choices to be Scientologists and, as a mother, it's my job to love them," she shared with Australia's Who magazine. "And I am an example of that tolerance and that's what I believe  that no matter what your child does, the child has love and the child has to know there is available love and I'm open here. I think that's so important because if that is taken away from a child, to sever that in any child, in any relationship, in any family  I believe it's wrong. So that's our job as a parent, to always offer unconditional love."

In 2014, a video of the actress and her husband, country music star Keith Urban showed Kidman's Christian roots as the couple sang a popular Christian hymn during a hospital visit.

The two visited Monash Children's Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, in the suburbs of Australia, while in town for the Swisse Celebrate Life Ball. The Swisse Celebrate Life Ball is an Australian fundraiser for two children's hospitals, according to Deseret News.

Urban and Kidman toured the neonatal ward visiting kids with cancer, with gifts in hand. The couple sang "Amazing Grace" for the children and staff who were noticeably appreciative. Fans sang right along with them as they surrounded the two, hundreds gathered to catch a glimpse and meet the couple at the hospital.

Kidman displayed her worship song knowledge when she helped her husband remember the second verse of the song.
Nigeria 'aiding' Boko Haram by freeing hundreds of jihadis who've repented, activist warns

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WASHINGTON  The Nigerian government is "aiding and abetting" the deadly Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram by releasing captured militants who have "repented," a Christian activist has said.

As the Borno state-based Boko Haram has made a name for itself as one of the world's deadliest terrorist outfits, the Nigerian government appears to be paying "lip service" to the terrorist group, human rights activist Stephen Enada warned last weekend.

Enada, who fled from persecution in Nigeria in 2016 and was granted temporary non-immigrant worker status in the United States, spoke on Saturday night in front of believers gathered for the fifth annual night of prayer for the persecuted church hosted by the nonprofit group One Body in Washington, D.C.

Before giving his call for prayer to those gathered at the Chinese Community Church in Chinatown, Enada sat down with The Christian Post to speak about the ongoing persecution of Nigerian Christians. Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria and radicalized Fulani attacks targeting Christian villages and farms in the Middle Belt have killed thousands this year.

"It has been explained away by the government that Boko Haram has been decimated," Enada, co-founder of the International Committee on Nigeria, explained. "But that is not true because most of the attacks on soft targets are still going on."

The Nigerian military has claimed that it has completely "defeated" Boko Haram, a radical Islamic insurgency that began in 2009 and has killed tens of thousands of Christians and others across Nigeria, Chad, Niger and northern Cameroon, and forced about 2 million to flee.

However, news reports of abductions and attacks carried out by the terrorist outfit over the past several months have indicated that a government defeat of Boko Haram has not yet been completed. Additionally, Enada said the group still controls some territory.

"It is not eradicated. If the government says that Boko Haram has been eradicated, that is a big lie," Enada said. "I keep on telling people that when you talk about these insurgents in Nigeria, our government has actually paid some lip service to it."

Enada warned that at the same time the military forces are fighting against Boko Haram insurgents, the government has released hundreds of other captured Boko Haram insurgents "saying that they have repented."

"It is like sort of a granting the terrorists amnesty," Enada explained. "That just tells you that this is really showing that the government of Nigeria is actually aiding and abetting these folks. These are folks that have unleashed terror on the community and now at this time, the government is taking it upon themself to set them free."

As recently as two months ago, Enada explained, the government released about 500 suspected Boko Haram insurgents.

In January, the government released 244 "repentant" Boko Haram suspects who have undergone rehabilitation.

"At the end of the day, it shows that these insurgents are actually supported, or maybe the government gives them comfort," Enada contended. "So now, it just shows anybody anywhere in the world that it is good to terrorize. Afterall, if [the terrorists] say [they] have repented, they will be granted a reprieve or they will be reintegrated into community."

In February, the government released about 475 suspected Boko Haram suspects. According to Reuters, the government was not able to charge them with crimes "due to lack of sufficient evidence against them."

Enada accused the Nigerian government of "obstructing justice."

"Our judicial system is clear that criminal elements and terrorist activities are subject to prosecution," he continued. "For government not to submit these insurgents for prosecution means they are obstructing justice."

Enada said there isn't much information available on what has happened with the Boko Haram suspects that have been released from detention. He said he doesn't know if they have been integrated into society or if they are planning to regroup and "unleash terror again."

"But what this has actually shown everybody is that the act of terrorism in Nigeria is not bad because government will definitely forgive you if you come out and say you are sorry," he added.

Along with killing of over 20,000 people since 2009, Boko Haram is also responsible for the abduction of thousands of boys and girls.

Enada also spoke out against the Nigerian government's response to attacks by Fulani herdsmen on Christian farms and villages in Nigeria's Middle Belt. Fulani are a nomadic ethnic group of livestock herders.

Over the summer, it was reported that as many as 6,000 people, mostly women and children, have been murdered by Fulani herdsmen since January.

Enada, who fled from Nigeria after his cousin was killed by Fulani herdsmen in the Benue state, said that Fulani herdsmen have taken after radical groups like Boko Haram in the last seven or eight years.

Enada said there are similarities to Boko Haram in the way Fulani herdsmen are now attacking communities and farms with "sophisticated weapons" in order to drive out the indigenous population and occupy the land.

"Recently we have seen Fulani militias have Boko Haram branding and wreaking havoc in communities with sophisticated weapons and anyone who stands in their way is killed or decimated. When this happens, they occupy," Enada said. "It is not that they are unknown. It is just that government is looking the other way. If someone is a terrorist and overruns a community, the government should make sure certain people are arrested and prosecuted."

Enada said he isn't sure why the government isn't doing more to help return the occupied land to its rightful owners and prosecute the Fulani culprits.

Enada reasoned that it could just be "complacency" or maybe the fact that Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari is ethnically Fulani.

"Maybe this has limited his moral authority as a leader," Enada said. "These communities and villages have been displaced and ransacked and you see Fulani imposing themselves in that community. They are not arrested or being persecuted. Rather, it is just government inaction showing us that government is culpable."

With government inaction, Enada and his International Committee on Nigeria are lobbying foreign governments to apply pressure on Nigeria to protect its citizens.

"In 2016, it reached the highest level of persecution in the Benue state when one of my cousins were killed, 500 women and kids killed and good folks were killed," Enada said. "I asked myself, 'What can I do?' I started to look at the international approach to it."

The International Committee on Nigeria is calling on the U.S. to send a special envoy to Nigeria to help in "coordinating an adequate response to the crises in Nigeria" and "counter the increasing violence in Nigeria."

Last week, Assistant Secretary for the State Department Bureau of African Affairs Tibor P. Nagy visited with Nigerian government officials in Abuja during his trip to West Africa.

"Nigeria has several very, very serious issues going on at the same time. We have the crisis in the Northeast," Nagy stated prior to leaving on his trip. "We have the historical problems in the Middle Belt, which, unfortunately, recently has led to serious loss of lives."
Ohio Megachurch Pastor Had 'Multiple' Women, Bishop Paul S. Morton Confirms

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Bishop Paul S. Morton, founding presiding bishop of The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International which encompasses some 5,000 churches and 1 million members, confirmed on Saturday that his "spiritual son," who leads a megachurch, engaged in "multiple" sexual relationships. Morton apologized to the women involved.

"I was recently made aware of a situation involving one of my spiritual sons, Bishop Victor Couzens, being involved in multiple relationships that caused me concern. I spoke with Bishop Couzens about his actions as they were not in alignment with the level of character I expect of pastors, especially one that is my spiritual son. He has repented and tendered his resignation as the Bishop of College of Elders of Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship," Morton said in a statement.

"Though I understand the relationships were consensual, I want to also offer an apology to the young ladies involved as well as the body of Christ for this situation. People of God, we must maintain high standards. I'm not perfect but I'm determined to present myself to God as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God which is my reasonable service," said the Full Gospel founder who previously admitted to having a daughter out of wedlock.

Couzens led the 5,000-member Inspirational Bible Church  City of Destiny in Ohio. As of Monday morning, Couzens was still listed as senior pastor of the church.

Morton's apology came after Andrea Garrison, a 29-year-old New York City model who said she had a long-term sexual relationship with Couzens and planned to move in with him as recently as last month, publicly demanded that Couzens apologize to her for allegedly getting engaged to another woman and lying about the nature of their affair.

"I felt stupid, I felt used, I'm hurt, [he] publicly humiliated me, tried to lie on me, tried to tell people I got no receipts. I got more receipts than you could ever imagine," Garrison explained in an interview with Larry Reid Live on Wednesday where she presented photos of them together as recently as this summer.

"Church checks, [evidence] from other women coming at me with receipts. It's a lie. It's not cool," she insisted of the evidence she has to back up her story.

Garrison stood by her story in an interview with The Christian Post on Monday morning and shared explicit evidence of the relationship she had with Couzens.

She said she was intimate with Couzens as recently as three weeks ago and was led to believe that she and the megachurch preacher began a steady relationship in April after enjoying an on-and-off sexual relationship since 2011.

She was devastated to learn recently, however, that her relationship with the pastor was not exclusive.

"I never knew that there was another girl [fiancee']. As far as I knew, whenever I would ask he would always say I was the only one. He didn't want me sleeping with anybody else. He didn't want me doing this. He didn't want me doing that. I was the only one. He would fly me out constantly between New York and Cincinnati. He would fly me out to Miami. You know we would spend more time together, he would have me come to the house for like a week. I would cook, clean, do laundry," Garrison told Reid.

Prior to her interview with Reid she also defended her "truth" in an extended broadcast on Facebook Live last Tuesday.

She told Reid that she would have privately moved on with her life after discovering Couzens' alleged deception but she felt forced to respond after he publicly dismissed their relationship and painted her as a liar in a Facebook post that has since been deleted.

"Social media makes it possible for anyone to accuse anyone of anything and it seemingly be taken as gospel. No receipts! Just accusation and innuendo. On top of the fact that there are some that lurk around looking for an opportunity to condemn others. Based on what they heard or what someone else has said. Those people are never 'your' people," Couzens reportedly wrote in the since deleted Facebook post.

"At 41 years old I have come to understand [that] ultimately people are going to believe what they want to believe. And that's fine. It's not my responsibility to chase and respond to every accusation. Or give a commentary on what's true and what's not true. Especially when grown people suddenly become childish about their adult decisions.

"I have NEVER professed to be perfect! But what I am for sure is AUTHENTIC and REAL! And the LORD knows me by my name and my good works," Couzens continued in the post shared by Reid.

The Christian Post reached out to Inspirational Bible Church  City of Destiny on Thursday and spoke with elder Tracy Lee, who also serves as executive administrator at the church. She was asked if there was any response from the church's elder board regarding the allegations against Couzens and whether or not he was still at the helm of the church.

"I actually can't answer that for you because I don't know," Lee said.

Couzens, who has served as the senior pastor of Inspirational Bible Church since July 2000, previously held many high-profile positions such as the role of third vice president of the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc.  Young Pastors and Ministers Division. He has also been a recipient of the Ohio Humanitarian Award presented by former Governor George Voinovich, a member of the Governor's Task Force on welfare reform, and a community liaison concerning non-violence. Couzens further served as a member of the Northern Kentucky University African American Advisory Board, the Springfield Township Strategic Planning Committee, National Heritage Advisory Board, and has been a host and co-host on The Word Network.

Garrison, revealed in her Facebook Live broadcast on Tuesday that she met Couzens in the summer of 2011. She said she understood he was recently divorced from his ex-wife, Tara. What she didn't know, she said, was that Couzens and Tara still lived in the same house and still had a sexual relationship despite being divorced.

She said when she discovered the situation through the pastor's ex-wife she cut ties with him and did not communicate with him for years.

Several years after that, they rekindled their friendship and continued their on-and-off relationship. In April, she said they got really close and he suggested that she move to Cincinnati and live with him and his children.

She said she began making serious plans to move in September before she discovered his alleged deception.

"If he would have told me the truth, I would have been mad, I would have cussed him out from here to next week, but it would not have made it to social media. I would have respected his choice and moved on," she said.

"It's the fact that he lied and then continued to lie and continued to lie and then publicly lied. So I want a public apology. And I don't want just a public apology for me. I want a public apology for me and the other women. He owes me an apology and he owes all the other women an apology because it's not cool. You don't do that to people," she added.

in a second interview with Reid, who says he pastored for 20 years, the model and another unidentified woman who claims she was also in a relationship with Couzens for eight years, alleged that staff at his church as well as members of his family were aware of their relationship.

"I have been to the church. I have met all of his armor bearers. I was introduced to them as his lady, as his girlfriend," the unidentified woman, whom Reid said he verified, noted.

The woman, who is an educator, shared a story similar to Garrison's experience, noting that Couzens also encouraged her to move to Cincinnati to be with him. During their time together, she alleged that Couzens paid for her education with "church checks" and took her on trips to places like Paris, France.

Things fell apart in June, she said, after the pastor allegedly treated her in a "nasty" manner when she tried to inquire about another young woman who was popping up around them at a conference. She had already given her employers 60 days' notice and started making other plans for the move when she said she chose to cut Couzens off and move on with her life.

Garrison also told Reid that "all the elders [at his church] know who I am." She said she remains upset because she only discovered Couzens' deception less than three weeks ago and had gone farther in making plans to move to Cincinnati to be with the pastor than the other woman had.

"I was supposed to move with him October 24. He had me enroll my kids in school. He had me put my two weeks' notice. He had me give my landlord a 30-day notice. All that," Garrison said.
Pastor and best-selling author reveals how parents can fight 'demonic hierarchy' targeting children

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Best-selling author and pastor, Kenneth Ulmer, shares how parents can fight "the demonic hierarchy that targets our children" and replace generational curses with important blessings for the family in his new book, Passing the Generation Blessing: Speak Life, Shape Destinies.

Ulmer, pastor of Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood, California, told The Christian Post that Satan will attack the hearts and minds of the next generation in any way he can, whether through outward sins like drugs and pornography, or internal tendencies like dishonesty and gossip.

"I believe the war begins in the spirit realm as we wrestle against the demonic hierarchy that targets our children," he said. "However, I don't think the battle remains in the invisible realm. I believe we are called to be so involved in our children that we first of all prayerfully identity the enemy that is attacking our child."

But this revelation can only come through prayerful discernment an intentional involvement, investment, and interest in the life of the child, Ulmer charged.

"I often say, if the Lord said I could only ask for one spiritual gift, I would pray for the gift of discernment," he said. "I'm talking about the kind of divinely revealed insight into the struggle the child is facing that only God can give. It's the kind of inspired intuition that can hear what the child does not say, and see what the child tries to hide."

"On a more practical level, get in the trenches with the child," he said. "School, PTA, leisure time, hobbies, all can be open doors (that the enemy wants you to stay out of) that become paths of participation in the battles of the child. ... One cannot adequately impact the next generation long distance."

Ulmer's book, featuring a foreword from actor and two-time Grammy Award-winner LL Cool J, says that the Bible clearly states the significance and responsibility of personal sin and its generational potential.

"The traits of the parents become the tendencies of the children," he explained. "Or, to put it another way, what you 'do' see in the parent, you 'may' see in the child."

To better equip their children for the future, parents must first admit and acknowledge their own sinful tendencies, the pastor advised.

"I think far too many of us parents posture ourselves as being so far removed from our children; more often 'above' our children in the sense that we sometime subtly, sometimes overtly, imply that we have NOT been there and done that," he said.

The father-of-three clarified that confessing and repenting of sin "is not an exercise in hanging out your dirty laundry before your child."

"The sharing should be in principles and not necessarily particulars, but a sensitive opportunity to declare the forgiving, cleansing power of a loving God to your child," he said.

Scripture is clear that there are unseen forces fighting for the hearts and minds of children, Ulmer explained. Parents, then, have an obligation to stand up for their children, to pray for them, and to look out for them.

"Don't give up on your child," he said. "You have about a dozen or so years to make a lasting impression on your child. You will come to the point where you must say as my mother said when she dropped me off at the University of Illinois, 'Well, son, Mama's gonna put you in the hands of the Lord!'"

Passing the Generational Blessing released nationwide Oct. 30. To learn more or to order the book, click here.
Proposed Amendments Could Close Churches, Seminaries in Bulgaria, Christian Leaders Fear

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Religious leaders in Bulgaria have spoken out against proposed changes to a religious law in Bulgaria that could result in the closure of many Christian churches and seminaries.

Christian leaders in the Balkan nation have sounded an alarm about two proposed draft laws being advanced in Bulgaria's parliament that would revise the country's Religious Denominations Act.

The Bulgarian Evangelical Alliance sent a letter to the European Evangelical Alliance last week last week warning of the restrictions the proposed amendments could have on evangelical churches' right to worship.

The amendments, which passed in first reading last October, would hold that Bulgarian citizens may only carry out liturgical activities if they have completed theological education in Bulgaria or have a foreign diploma recognized by Bulgarian government institutions and state-sanctioned denominations.

The BEA explained that one of the laws bans religious activities in buildings that do not serve a religious purpose and would require membership of at least 300 people for a religious group to attain "status of judicial entity."

According to the BEA, one of the draft laws would give the right to open religious schools and train denominational ministers to Eastern Orthodox and Muslim faiths only while all other faiths will be "discriminated" against because they do not have as many believers in Bulgaria.

"Both draft laws install heavy restrictions for foreigners to perform religious duties in the country," the letter from BEA president Rumen Bordjiev warns. "The only way a foreigner (a missionary, a preacher, a teacher, an evangelist, etc.) could conduct worship service or preach a sermon would be if he is doing it jointly with a Bulgarian ordained minister."

The New York-based World Evangelical Alliance, which serves an international network of churches in 129 nations, also voiced concern with the draft laws.

WEA stressed that the draft laws threaten "to force evangelical churches and institutions to close or face unbearable and discriminatory administrative burdens" and "has implications on the funding and financial management of religious communities as well as on the training and appointing of clergy."

If the amendments are passed, WEA warns that existing theological seminaries are "at risk of shutting down" and evangelical pastors "may no longer be able to conduct worship services." The international ministry body added that "acceptance and use of donations will be subject to government approval and limitations."

"The proposed law legalizes state interference in the affairs of religious communities, which invariably comes at the expense of religious freedom," WEA Secretary General Bishop Efraim Tendero said in a statement. "At a time when governments worldwide face the challenge of strengthening freedoms while maintaining security, we call on Bulgaria and other democratic countries to lead by example and to strengthen the right to religious freedom rather than to weaken it."

According to Bordjiev, donations from outside of Bulgaria will only be allowed if they are used for building construction or social aid. Church donations from outside Bulgaria would need "preliminary permission issued by the state Committee of Religious Affairs."

"In other words, no foreign sponsorship will be allowed for operation of Christian-run medical centers, for educational activity, for publishing literature, for cultural events, for small businesses, for volunteer initiatives, etc.," Bordjiev wrote

After the first reading passed last month, there has been a period for comment on the amendments before its final drafting. That comment period ends on Friday.

Leaders of the BEA have demanded to be invited to speak to the parliament committee in charge of discussing the legislation and has also demanded a meeting with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.

The evangelical community is not alone in voicing its displeasure with the proposed amendments.

A variety of evangelical groups, including the Baptist Union of Bulgaria, were involved in demonstrations against the proposed amendments in front of the Parliament in Sofia after Church on Sunday.

Additionally, Baptist World Alliance General Secretary Elijah Brown and European Baptist Federation General Secretary Anthony Peck expressed their concerns about the proposed amendments in a letter to Borissov on Nov. 8, according to Baptist Standard.

"No state, we believe, should be in a position to control the training and activities of ecclesiastic ministers, nor should a state favor one faith expression over another," the letter stated. "The Bulgarian constitution rightly guarantees freedom of religion; we urge that this principle be adhered to as the right of all the Bulgarian people."

Catholic leaders have also voiced concern with the proposal.

Christo Proykov, Apostolic Exarchate of Sofia, said in an interview earlier this year that the the proposed amendments are "discriminatory."

The bill is backed by the the Bulgarian Socialist Party and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and aims to "prevent interference of foreign countries, institutions and persons into religions and religious affairs."
Tim Keller on evangelicals and politics, social justice, how churches should treat non-Christians

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Timothy Keller spoke with The Christian Post about media perceptions of evangelicals and politics, the debate over whether Christians should support social justice, and what the book of Jonah teaches the Church today about how to treat non-Christians.

In The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God's Mercy, which was released Oct. 2, Keller, author and founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, examines Jonah's moral messages, especially in regards to how believers should treat those who are of a different race and religion.

"God wants us to treat people of different races and faiths in a way that is respectful, loving, generous, and just," wrote Keller in the newly released book.

In an Oct. 29 interview with The Christian Post, Keller explained that as a pastor, he has preached on Jonah multiple times over the years, with the application of the message changing from time to time.

For example, when he preached about it while serving a church in Virginia decades back, he applied the book to race relations; in 2001 at the Manhattan-based Redeemer Presbyterian, the application came to the issues surrounding 9/11.

"Basically, I would preach the book pretty much the same way, but the applications changed over the years because the situation changed," said Keller.

CP's interview with Keller focused on multiple topics, including how well American churches are treating those with different religious beliefs, whether "social justice" is compatible with Christian teaching, and his thoughts on the apparent trend of younger evangelicals opting to leave the Republican Party. Below are excerpts from that interview.

CP: On multiple occasions in your book, you point out that the pagans acted better than Jonah, showing us that "Christians should be humble and respectful toward those who do not share their faith." How well do you believe American churches do that?

Keller: It depends on the church and where they are, but in general not terribly well, I don't think. I think there certainly is in almost all American churches, certainly the evangelical churches, they always express concern for the lost. So they express concern for people of other faiths or no faith. But there are other ways in which the attitudes sometimes are paternalistic.

Many, many churches and Christians, when they do evangelize nonbelievers, are harsh and condescending. I have seen it. So I would say, even though Jonah did eventually go to Nineveh, he went to the city to preach there, but he didn't love the city. And he didn't love the people at all, didn't love them or respect them. And clearly, that's one of the messages of the book is that it's not enough just simply to preach at people, you also have to love and respect them, too. So you shouldn't just be preaching at nonbelievers, you should be caring, respecting, and listening to them as well. So yeah, I think that's one of the messages of the book.

CP: In your book, you wrote "We deserve the critique of the world if the church does not exhibit visible love in practical deeds." In your opinion, right now where does the current American church most deserve "the critique of the world"?

Keller: There's so much emphasis [in the news media] on "all evangelical Christians are backing Donald Trump and the Republicans." And of course the world church, which is largely non-Anglo, non-white, is more politically diverse. You cannot characterize worldwide evangelicalism as simply conservative or liberal.

In some ways they're more liberal because there's a lot more poor people, a lot more nonwhite people who care about justice, but at the same time they are very conservative when it comes to sex and gender and things like that. So they're looking at the American church and they are asking questions. They're saying "Why aren't you caring more for the immigrant?" "Why aren't you caring more for the poor?"

I think that the media tends to simplify everything, tends to generalize. And so, in some ways I don't think that's completely fair, but it's partly fair. So that the world and the world church are looking at the evangelical church and thinking right now, the American evangelical church has been caring more about its own political power than it does about the outsider, the marginalized. I don't think that's completely fair, because I think there are plenty of churches that are not like that. Plenty. Nevertheless, there's enough that I think there's criticism.

CP: In Chapter 7, you noted that Jonah's ministry in Nineveh involved both social reform and preaching about God's judgment. Recently, there has been a debate in evangelical circles over whether "social justice" is compatible with Christianity. What is your view?

Keller: Jesus asks "what does it mean to love my neighbor?" Jesus points us to a man in the Good Samaritan parable, he's pointing us to a man who gives social, practical, material, medical, economic help to a man of a different race and religion. Here's a man of a different race and religion, he's picking him up and he's risking his life, and he's spending money on him, and then Jesus says "go and do likewise."

The Bible says, Christians have got to not just evangelize people, they also got to be loving their neighbor. And they see their neighbor in trouble, they're supposed to go out there and they're supposed to help them, even materially, even economically. We have to do whether they believe like we do or not. In other words, we have to help our neighbor even if they are not Christians.

They say, "oh yeah, yeah, yeah, that's the Good Samaritan parable, but that's not social justice." And I'm thinking, well then I don't know what you mean. I just don't even know what you mean, because you can call it what you want, but that's what you have to do. You don't just evangelize, you also have to love your neighbor in the practical way.

And that includes people who are not Christians. So I could say, you call that what you want, but that's what the Bible says.

And I usually find with the people who say that Christianity is not compatible with social justice is usually they have in their mind a government imposed, centralized economy, high taxes, redistribution of wealth, that happens through a kind of a socialist government-run economy.

I always say, I don't think the Bible speaks directly to that. I can imagine somebody making a case for it, because we're supposed to care about the poor. But I can also see a good case from the Bible being made against it, because the Bible talks about private property. And the importance of private property. So I would say what the government should be doing today with regard to tax structure and how much it should be helping the poor, that is not something the Bible speaks directly to. It's not something I'm speaking directly to and I'm talking about Christians supposed to do. And Christians are supposed to pour themselves out for the needy, for the marginalized, we're supposed to be Good Samaritans.

I would consider that to mean justice, but other people think by the term justice, that they're talking about government intervention and the economy. And I am not going there.

We are supposed to be not only evangelizing our neighbors, but loving our neighbors like the Good Samaritan. I would call that "social justice."

If you don't want to call it that, fine. I think we should all agree that we have to do that.

CP: In Chapter 11, you argue against Christians should never allow the Church to align with any one political party. Some, The New York Times among them, have argued that young evangelicals are moving away from the Republican Party, and increasingly they consider themselves "politically independent" or "politically homeless." What is your opinion of this apparent development?

Keller: That there's a lot of evangelical young Christians who feel homeless politically, I do agree with that.

African-American evangelical Christians tend to be Democrat; white evangelical Christians tend to be Republican. The ones I know, on both sides, are really pretty significantly uncomfortable in their parties. So the black Christians I know say that though they like many things that the Democrats do, it's become so secular and so anti-religious in many ways that they often are feeling very, very out of place. And I know a lot of white evangelical Christians who also have felt that the Republican Party doesn't talk enough about the importance of racial justice, etc., so they are feeling a little alienated.

When you say "homeless," The ones I know about usually do still end up pretty much following one party or another, but they  I hate to say it this way  but they kind of hold their noses too.

Most of the ones that feel homeless are still trying to deal with one party or the other, which I think is good, frankly.
Trump announces support for prison reform bill after major evangelical backing

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President Donald Trump officially announced his support for a prison reform bill called the FIRST STEP Act, and hailed pastors such as Paula White for fighting for it.

"Today, I'm thrilled to announce my support for this bipartisan bill that will make our communities safer and give former inmates a second chance at life after they have served their time. So important," Trump said at the White House on Wednesday while surrounded by bipartisan leaders backing the bill.

"We're all better off when former inmates can receive and re-enter society as law-abiding, productive citizens. And thanks to our booming economy, they now have a chance at more opportunities than they've ever had before. It is true. Our economy is so strong, that when people are getting out of jail, they're actually able to find jobs," the president continued.

"And I have three instances of companies that hired people coming out of prison, and they are so thrilled by the performance of these people. And now they're doing it more and more and more. And a lot of people are seeing this. It's great."

The FIRST STEP Act aims to reduce the federal recidivism rate by expanding training and educational programs that are helping inmates prepare for life outside of prison. Moreover, it would open up the door for eligible inmates to earn time credits to complete their sentences in halfway homes or in-home confinement.

The bill also seeks to ban the shackling of pregnant inmates in labor, and to place a 500-mile limit on how far inmates can be incarcerated from their families.

The legislation has stalled in the Senate after it passed the House of Representatives by a 360-59 vote. The latest developments indicate that Senate leadership has now reached an agreement on language in the legislation with the White House.

Supporters of the bill, including black pastors who have met with Trump to discuss its benefits, had been hoping to secure the president's backing, which they now have, as he vowed to sign the document when presented before him.

In his speech on Wednesday, Trump made special mention of his spiritual adviser, Paula White-Cain, who leads New Destiny Christian Center in Florida.

When talking about the incentives for prisoners, he said that they include "vocational training, educational coursework, and faith-based programs. And I want to thank Paula White, very much, because I know you very much wanted that  thank you, Paula  that reduce their chances of recidivism, and, in other words, reduce their chances of going back to prison substantially."

Trump said that his administration has worked closely with law enforcement regarding the legislation, ensuring that it will remain "tough on crime" and support the "tremendous work of our police and the tremendous job that law enforcement does throughout our country."

"We're honored that seven of the major police organizations, including the Fraternal Order of Police and the International Association of Police Chiefs, have fully endorsed this bill," he pointed out.

White revealed on Twitter that more than 2,000 evangelical pastors signed a letter in support of the FIRST STEP Act, calling it "the most significant effort at criminal justice reform to be passed in a generation."

Trump referenced the letter and said that the faith community in America has shown "unbelievable support" for the bill.

"Americans from across the political spectrum can unite around prison reform legislation that will reduce crime while giving our fellow citizens a chance at redemption. So if something happens and they make a mistake, they get a second chance at life," he noted.

"Today's announcement shows that true bipartisanship is possible. And maybe it'll be thriving, if we're going to get something done. When Republicans and Democrats talk, debate, and seek common ground, we can achieve breakthroughs that move our country forward and deliver for our citizens."

Major faith-based nonprofits serving prisoners and their families, such as Prison Fellowship, said that the agreement between Trump and the Senate is crucial.

"Prison Fellowship applauds the President and the members of the Senate and House for reaching this agreement and taking a substantial step forward for justice," said James Ackerman, president and CEO of Prison Fellowship.

"Now it is critical for Members of the Senate to act in a swift manner to pass this amended bill."

Craig DeRoche, senior vice president of Advocacy and Public Policy, commented, "A vote against this bill is a vote against public safety, religious liberty, and our deeply held belief in redemption.

"This legislation will help people transform their behavior and lives while they are incarcerated and this will make our communities safer, lead to more success and less crime. Prison Fellowship believes this bill can pass with an overwhelming bipartisan vote and that the enactment of the FIRST STEP Act will pave the way for more values-driven reforms to come."

Heather Rice-Minus, vice president of government affairs for Prison Fellowship, previously told The Christian Post that Trump's relationship with the faith community and his meetings with pastors on the issue have played a big part in securing his support for the initiative.

"Having him hear from those pastors and know that he would have the ability to impact some of their communities I am sure was in the front of his mind going into the meeting with Sen. [Chuck] Grassley and others who wanted to see a broader approach to justice reform," Rice-Minus told CP in August.

Watch Trump's full remarks on the FIRST STEP Act below:
United Methodists, Episcopalians one step closer to 'full communion' with each other

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The United Methodist Church and The Episcopal Church are one step closer to entering into an agreement in which they will be in full communion with each other.

At a multiday meeting held last week, the UMC Council of Bishops voted to approve the preparation of legislation to carry out the full communion proposal, titled "A Gift to the World: Co-Laborers for the Healing of Brokenness."

"In the fractured human community there is a great need for the realization of the unity among the followers of Christ Jesus," stated the Preamble.

"This proposal for full communion between The Episcopal Church and The United Methodist Church is an effort to bring our churches into closer partnership in the mission and witness to the love of God and thus labor together for the healing of divisions among Christians and for the well-being of all."

If approved, this full communion agreement will mean that each church officially recognizes the other as a partner in the faith, the validity of each other's baptism and Eucharist, and can share clergy.

The proposed agreement clarifies that while the full communion proposal is not "a merger of our churches," it is nevertheless based on "the vision given to us by Jesus, who prayed that we may all be one (John 17:21)."

"We are blessed in that neither of our churches, or their predecessor bodies, have officially condemned one another, nor have they formally called into question the faith, the ministerial orders, or the sacraments of the other church," continued the proposal.

The two mainline Protestant denominations officially began their bilateral dialogues in 2002, with the Episcopal-United Methodist Dialogue Committee announcing the draft proposal for full communion last year.

"The relationships formed over these years of dialogue, and the recognition that there are presently no theological impediments to unity, paved the way for this current draft proposal," read the 2017 letter in part.

"We believe that this proposal represents a significant witness of unity and reconciliation in an increasingly divided world and pray that you will join us in carrying this work forward."

At present, the UMC is already in full communion with other Christian denominations, including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Moravian Church.

The UMC is expected to act on the proposed agreement at their 2020 General Conference and then the Episcopal Church will do likewise at their 2021 General Convention.
'How will we explain this?' US bishops shocked, disappointed as Pope Francis bars action on sex abuse

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Top U.S. bishops have admitted their disappointment and frustration as the Vatican has blocked immediate action on the child sex abuse scandal.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was preparing for its annual meeting in Baltimore on Monday when officials received a letter from the Vatican ordering a halt to any actions on the issue, until a global summit at the Holy See scheduled for February takes place.

"It makes it look like we don't care," said Bishop Thomas Daly, of Spokane, Washington, speaking of the delay.

"No reason is good enough for the laypeople who expect the bishops to act .... How are we going to explain this to the people back in our dioceses?" he asked, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president of the USCCB, echoed the frustrations at his opening remarks at the conference.

"We are not, ourselves, happy about this," DiNardo said. "We're disappointed, because we were moving along on this."

The child sex abuse scandals have swept through Catholic countries around the world, including America. In August, a 1,300 page report by a Pennsylvania grand jury exposed systematic cover up of abuse by Catholic hierarchy across the state, concerning 301 priests who abused over 1,000 children in the past several decades.

"Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing. They hid it all," Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said at the time.

The report came weeks after former cardinal and archbishop of Washington D.C., Theodore McCarrick, was stripped of his title, following "credible and substantiated" evidence that he was also involved in sexual abuse.

DiNardo asked for forgiveness on Monday from survivors of abuse in his speech.

"Where I have not been watchful or alert to your needs, wherever I have failed, I am deeply sorry. The command of our Lord and Savior was clear. 'What I say to you, I say to all: watch!' In our weakness, we fell asleep. Now, we must humbly beg God's strength for the vigil ahead," the bishop said.

U.S. Catholic officials continued making it clear they disagree with the Holy See's decision to delay action, however.

The Vatican "doesn't seem to appreciate the depth of the situation that we are facing here on the streets," said Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois.

"People are looking for us to do something. I think this will unfortunately be seen as a delay and an inadequate response," he added.

Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago and a close ally of Pope Francis, said that the Vatican wants to make sure that Catholic leadership around the world is on the same page for February's major meeting.

"It is clear that the Holy See is taking seriously the abuse crisis in the church, seeing it as a watershed moment not just for the church in this country but around the world in putting so much emphasis on the February meeting," Cupich offered.

Others, such as Christopher Hale, a senior fellow at Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, said that the development cannot put the Vatican in a positive light, however.

"Francis' record on sex abuse is frankly indefensible," Hale said.

"Today just continues down this sad road of not getting it and not responding correctly."
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Last updated on Sept 22 2021

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Last updated on January 29, 2019

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After suffering a heart attack and having quadruple bypass surgery, a man awakened to find himself in a Catholic hospital with Nuns taking care of him. As they nursed him back to good health, one of the Nuns asked if he had health insurance. "No, unfortunately not," he replied. "Do you have any money in the bank?" asked the Nun. "No. No money in the bank either," the man said. "Do you have any relatives you could ask for help?" the Nun continued. The man replied, "I only have a spinster sister who is a Nun." At this remark the Nun became irritated. "Nuns are not spinsters;" she said demonstrably, "Nuns are married to God!" "Alright then," said the man, "Send the bill to my brother-in-law."

Your sister may not be a Nun, but if Christ is your Savior, you have a rich, heavenly Father who knows your every need.

Jesus said, "Don't worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided" (Mt. 6:31-32).

It's characteristic of people who don't know God to be anxious about money and all the problems that arise when it's running short. But this shouldn't be the case for people who have learned to relate to God as their loving heavenly Father.

God is not uncaring, capricious, or unpredictable. He loves his children better than we love our own. Jesus also said, "What man among you, if his son ask him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Mt. 7:9-11).

Moreover, it makes little sense to live one's life just around making a living, which can be an endless drudgery of existing to pay bills. However, this is the way most people carry on their lives.

Steven J. Cole on Bible.org shares a marvelous story that illustrates this point.

"An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

"The Mexican replied, 'Only a little while.'

"The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish.

"The Mexican said that he had enough to support his family's immediate needs.

"The American then asked, 'But what do you do with the rest of your time?'

"The Mexican fisherman said, 'I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening, where I sip wine and play my guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, senor.'

"The American scoffed, 'I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats. Eventually, you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then to L.A. and eventually to New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise."

"The Mexican fisherman asked, 'But senor, how long will this all take?'

The American replied, 'Fifteen to twenty years.'

'But what then, senor?'

The American laughed and said, 'That's the best part. When the time is right, you would announce a stock offer, sell your company stock to the public, and become very rich. You would make millions.'

'Millions, senor? Then what?'

"The American said, 'Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings, where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.'

Don't worry when it seems you don't have enough to make ends meet. Don't live your life the way most people do  caught up in a vicious cycle of trying to get more and more so you won't have to be worried about money, or so you can live in ease.

Focus instead on the higher things of life. Nurture and develop your relationship with God through Christ. Make God's business your business, placing it above all other business and the Lord will take care of everything else.

Tell your creditors to get in touch with your brother-in-law. Well, no, perhaps its best not tell them that unless a Nun is your sister. But neither should you be consumed with anxiety. You can trust your heavenly Father and turn the matter over to him.

Rev. Mark H. Creech is executive director of the Raleigh-based Christian Action League of North Carolina Inc.
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Whenever we hear a preacher instruct us to turn to the book of Malachi, we think, "Oh no, he's gonna preach on how much money we should give the church." I assure you that in this article we are not going to talk about how much money we should give. Hidden in this beautiful book by the prophet Malachi is a delightful smorgasbord of other truths. God starts out by saying in chapter one verse two "I have loved you, saieth the Lord" In many ways He then goes on throughout the whole prophecy to show us many ways He does love us!

In recent years, through the mouths of many prophets, in many places, God has said He is getting ready to pour out a great last days revival. Some churches are adding on to their buildings in anticipation of a fulfillment of these prophecies. I just happened to have visited one today. It's so exiting when people do things by true faith, a faith which is birthed in prayer, and truly led by the Spirit of God. With those same prophecies' sub topics of prophetic importance are discussed. Sub topics in prophecy are directives to steps that are necessary to the accomplishment of the major thing God says He is going to do.

One of the subtopics of the revival prophesies is that God has said by His Spirit that He was going to clean up the priesthood of this nation. Furthermore, he has declared that He will start from the top of leadership down. Indeed, over the past few years we have seen a shaking, and a cleansing, and a purging going on in the Body of Christ, even though we may have not fully recognized it as such. Priests have been removed from their priesthood. Some have gone to go to jail. Pastors have had to step down from their pulpits and resign their churches due to exposed moral failures. Others in ministerial leadership have had things hidden in darkness exposed. Yes, I believe God is cleansing His church and preparing the body for a great last days outpouring of His Spirit on America! Praise be to God for His holiness! Amen?

Starting in chapter one verse six the prophet Malachi goes right after the priests. "A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master : If I then be a father where is mine honor? and if I be a master where is my fear? saieth the Lord of Hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, wherein have we despised thy name? Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say Wherein have we polluted Thee? In that ye say "The table of the Lord is contemptible." (The table of the Lord was another word for the altar at that time.)

The Lord through the next several verses deals not with how much people are giving, but the condition of the sacrifices that they are offering. In other parts of the scripture, God is very clear concerning the fact that the animals that were to be offered to Him were to be without blemish. The animals were to be best from the flock or herd. Fruit or grain offerings were to be from the first fruit that was harvested. God our Heavenly Father made it clear that He was expecting to be honored as a father, and feared as a master of servants. He held the priests of that day responsible for the fact that the people were offering God their leftovers. They were offering Him moldy bread and blind, lame and sick animals. In verse eight (I love His sarcasm) God says,"Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you? says the Lord Almighty." Malachi 1:8 (NIV)

In verse nine the priests are admonished to "beseech God" or plead with God for mercy because Malachi says "This has been done by your hands" priests. In other words you have done this priests, now repent!

Due to the excess of teaching on grace in the churches today, the thought of serving a God that might be a little demanding turns many people off. When was the last time you heard a sermon on hell preached in your church, or the "Fear of God" or the "Judgment of God?" More than likely, never! Brother Nolan, are you suggesting that is all we should ever preach?" Not at all. The Word of God is a beautiful bouquet of truths spanning the wonderful spectrum of the true character of God. Men of God, pastors, priests, teachers, mixing these important topics in with your teachings on God's love and grace provides the bedrock of healthy spiritual balance.

Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are you making the altar of God contemptible by offering moldy bread? Are you preaching old dead manna sermons that have not been birthed today on the altar of God's fire? Fresh baked bread! Are you offering blind, lame and sick offerings or even encouraging God's people that it is ok to do so? Are you condoning five minute prayers at the end of a long tiring day, half hearted giving, hard hearted attitudes full of unforgiveness as acceptable unto the Lord?

Verse ten says "Who is there among you that would shut the doors for naught? Neither do ye kindle fire on my altar for naught! I have no pleasure in you says the Lord of Hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand!"

While God wants to send revival, are we shutting the doors to the people who need it most through our polluted offerings and attitudes? Blocking God's blessings? Do we neglect actions such as prayer, fasting, and spending hours in God's Word, actions which allow holy fire to burn on His altars? Could God be saying, as to the priests of Malachi's day, "I cannot accept an offering at your hand? May God help us all!

Rev Nolan J Harkness is the President and CEO of Nolan Harkness Evangelistic Ministries Inc. since 1985. He spent most of his adult life working in youth ministry. He also felt the calling of Evangelist/Revivalist and traveled as the door was open holding evangelistic meetings in churches throughout the Northeast. His website is www.verticalsound.org.
Christians in Pakistan living in fear after Asia Bibi's acquittal

Christians have been dragged out of their cars and beaten, and said they are "haunted" with fear of Islamic radicals as the blasphemy case of Christian mother Asia Bibi tears Pakistan apart.

Romana Bashir, a Christian rights activist in Islamabad, said in an interview with CNN that blasphemy laws have been used to target followers of Christ in the Muslim country for years, but the fallout of Bibi's acquittal has been truly severe.

Hardliners have blocked the streets, burned cars, and rioted through cities, angry at what they perceive to be the Pakistan Supreme Court's giving in to pressure by deciding to free the Christian mother, instead of confirming her 2010 death sentence.

Peter Jacob, the executive director for the Center for Social Justice in Lahore, said that there have been cases where rioters have asked people in cars to tell them their religion. If they were found to be Christian, "they were taken out of their cars and beaten up."

He warned that "the mental and psychological scars" that the Christian community are suffering will endure in the "current climate of fear."

Large-scale Islamic radical attacks in Pakistan have decreased in the past year, though some church-going believers, such as those at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Rawalpindi, have admitted that they are constantly having to be careful.

One gatekeeper at St Joseph, who didn't wish to share his name, said that he is "grateful for the presence of the military close to the church," but that the sense of fear has "begun to haunt him" since Bibi's acquittal.

Christians face discrimination in Pakistan in a variety of different ways, such as being offered only low-skilled jobs and kept at the bottom of society.

The blasphemy laws, which, such as in Bibi's case, can put believers on death row even if they claim to be innocent, create a whole new dimension of terror, Bashir explained. She said that one of the biggest problems is that when non-Muslims are accused of blasphemy, "the entire community is branded and labeled with the crime."

"When you are accused you cannot live in the same place, your family is under threat, your entire locality is under threat, you must run, you must leave everything you love behind. The impact is very severe," she explained.

Bashir, who in 2012 was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to serve as adviser for the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims, said that progress in terms of trust between Muslim leaders and Christians is being broken apart due to the blasphemy controversy.

"People on both sides are now afraid to come forth, there is no middle ground for discussion, there is no air for reconciliation, it's like the bridges of harmony have been burnt in the aftermath of acquittal," she said.

Bibi's fate meanwhile remains uncertain, with the Christian mother of five not yet allowed to leave Pakistan, due to the pressure hardliners are putting on the government.

Several Western countries have said that they are looking into ways of helping Bibi and her family, though it is not yet clear who will offer her asylum.

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau was the latest on Monday to suggest his country might step up.

"We are in discussions with the Pakistani government," Trudeau told AFP in France.

"There is a delicate domestic context that we respect which is why I don't want to say any more about that, but I will remind people Canada is a welcoming country," he added.

Courtesy of The Christian Post
Dozens killed in attack on Catholic mission sheltering refugees in Central African Republic

More than 40 people were killed and dozens wounded in Central African Republic in an attack on a Catholic mission sheltering 20,000 refugees, a regional lawmaker said.

The attack happened on Thursday in Alindao, a town 300 km (200 miles) east of the capital Bangui. Thousands of people were forced to flee when the mission was set on fire, the United Nations said.

"We have counted 42 bodies so far, but we are still searching for others. The camp has been burnt to the ground and people fled into the bush and to other IDP (internally displaced person) camps in the city," Alindao lawmaker Etienne Godenaha told Reuters.

A humanitarian source confirmed that more than 40 people were killed.

U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Central African Republic Najat Rochdi said in a statement: "This vicious cycle of repeated attacks against civilians is unacceptable."

Thousands have died and a fifth of Central African Republic's 4.5 million population have fled their homes in a conflict that broke out after mainly Muslim Seleka rebels ousted President Francois Bozize in 2013, provoking a backlash from Christian anti-balaka militias.

Depite electing a new leader in 2016, the country has continued to face political instability and tit-for-tat inter-communal violence.
Pastor under fire for asking man dressed as woman to leave his church

Pastor Antonio Rocquemore of Power House International Ministries in Chicago, Illinois, is coming under fire from advocates of the LGBTQ community for publicly rebuking a male member who came to his church dressed as a woman Sunday night.

In response, Rocquemore said the male member had been repeatedly warned that he would not be allowed to dress like a female during worship service.

A clip of Rocquemore's open rebuke of the church member, who was not identified in the video, was first highlighted by Christian James Lhuillier, who insisted that the member should not have been rebuked.

"Some of y'all are going to have to excuse my language but I am tired of this sh*t. In a place that is supposed to be a place of change, a place of deliverance, whatever you want to call it why would you destroy someone in front of a room full of people?" Lhuillier asked.

"This is the kind of bullsh*t that causes people to go home and commit suicide. Sh*t like this is the reason that the church has no power in 2018 because they are so worried about the wrong things. I know drag queens and transsexuals that can pray you out of sickness faster and some of these preachers that collect your love offerings every Sunday," he continued.

"I would have turned that church clean out do you hear me!!!!!!!!! It's time for us to stand up for what we believe and stand in our truth and walk away from these ministries that bash who we are. Too many illegitimate relationships have been created trying to conform to a mold you were never meant to fit. I have a great deal of respect for the house of God. But I wish upon wishes upon wishes that had been me. The city of Chicago would never forget my name!" Lhuillier ended.

The clip has since been viewed more than 100,000 times.

In the complete recording of the service on the church's Facebook page, Rocquemore's public rebuke of the member begins after about 25 minutes of spirited praise and worship. He also prefaced the rebuke with comments about biblical standards of holiness.

"The presence of the Lord is here ... if you stop believing, standing for something, you will fall for anything. And God can't move the way he wants to because of the standard. He set a standard. Stand by him, even if it costs you friends because you'll always be approved by heaven. I'm at a point in my life where I'd rather heaven be pleased with me than people speak to me. Speaking to me don't bother or stop where I'm going," he said.

He then warns his members to guard their minds before calling out the young man dressed like a women to step out into the aisle of the church.

"Can you leave my church and go put on man clothes?" he asked firmly.

"And don't come here like that no more," he continued as someone can be heard in the video declaring "thank you Jesus!"

"I hold a standard in here. Whatever you do on the outside is your business, but I will not let drag queens come in here. And if you're gonna come in here you're gonna come in here dressed like a man .... If you're a man, dress like a man. If you're a woman, dress like a woman. I'm not going to allow it. My salvation is more important and God is holding me accountable," he added. "... you will not be wearing weaves and heels and fooling people up in here."

In a follow-up response to those criticizing his rebuke of the young man, Rocquemore explained that the young man has been a member of his church for several months and had expressed a desire to reflect manhood as expressed in the Bible.

As a part of his agreement in joining the church, Rocquemore said, the young man said he would abide by the rules of the church. He said that the church had also been working privately with him and warned him several times about dressing appropriately for church.

"He was not put out the church because he was gay. First of all I don't bash nothing. I don't separate sin. Sin is sin. There is no need to bash one or the other if you're preaching the word," Rocquemore said.

"... When you join my church, all the rules and regulations is told to you then. If you ever slip up [on the rules] we would still take you privately and go over them again. This particular situation, this young man was told several times in private. I went to him personally myself," the pastor said.

Rocquemore said he warned him about the church rules and told him he couldn't "dress like a female" in church. He verbally agreed to follow the church's rules but he still continued dressing like a woman.

On Sunday night, when he challenged the pastor publicly during the worship service, Rocquemore said he was forced to rebuke him publicly.

"He challenged me publicly and I challenged him back publicly. I asked the young man to leave. There was no security taking him out ... sir can you please change clothes," he said.

Courtesy of The Christian Post
Inside many Houston companies, theres a growing sense that they need more innovation. The word is being thrown around on a daily basis in offices, meeting rooms, and board rooms across the city and beyond.

The reasons behind this activity are real and omnipresent - technology advances, startups, commoditization, competition, evolving purchasing behaviors and new marketplaces. Despite innovation efforts made by various companies, the efforts are still very young at most companies based on a KPMG-sponsored survey benchmarking innovation impact conducted by Innovation Leader earlier this year.

For most companies big and small, the first obstacle is simply defining innovation, and how it can impact their organization.

Defining innovation

A lot of business leaders have defined innovation in a variety of ways, but fundamentally innovation is broken down to three types.

 Incremental - sometimes called core or horizon one, these typically impact existing customers or markets. They involve new, improved, refined or incrementally better products and services. These are usually tied to the core business.

 Adjacent - these innovations often called horizon two, typically involve expansion to an adjacent business or customer segment. The innovations usually leverage the companys expertise in new or innovative ways.

 Transformational - often referred to as breakthrough or horizon three, involves the creation of entirely new businesses to serve new markets and customers. Considered the most high-risk style of innovation, transformational innovation often requires new capabilities, and yields totally new products and markets.

Now what?

Making innovation happen for any company is challenging. Typically, innovation leaders point to their own companys inability to act on signals or developments critical to the future of the business as a major obstacle. Even organizations with strong sensing mechanisms can struggle to coordinate a timely, sustained response to act on signals of change. Internal politics, culture, governance, funding, incentives, metrics and other factors have tripped up even the most agile companies.

Ultimately, an initiative can take on a life of its own and end up ensnared in organizational politics, with priorities that overlap and compete with those of other initiatives.

Leaders should consider addressing obstacles to making innovation happen by establishing the following protocol:

 Establishing an accountable leader for sensing signals of change in the market and identifying whats relevant (cut through the noise).

 Building processes to understand the scope, scale and time horizon of potential impacts from market disruptors.

 Ensuring someone is holding the organization accountable for taking action.

 Making seed funding available to explore areas where you cannot yet assess the scale of impact and timeframe.

 Implementing a disciplined process to ensure the right innovation investment mix between incremental, adjacent and transformational.

 Considering carefully whether an innovation should be built internally, acquired or developed through an alliance.

As leaders think about innovation as a strategic priority, they need to look beyond technology, products and services and create a culture that fosters and encourages innovation. Business leaders need to create an environment that rewards innovative behavior in their people in order for the company to stay relevant. Innovative thinking can come from anywhere in a company, and we should remember that innovation is everybodys responsibility and anyone can be an advocate for change.

For Houston, industries that have been active in innovation include healthcare, energy & utilities, financial services, government/public sector. Clearly, innovation is happening all around us, and as soon as companies can embrace the concept, recognize its disrupt or be disrupted, and benefit from an innovative culture, the faster they can continue to grow and prosper.

Mike Nolan is the Vice Chair of Innovation & Enterprise Solutions at KPMG LLP, and hes based out of Houston.
Days after a security guard was charged with aggravated assault for allegedly shooting a suspected thief and a 6-year-old girl outside a T-Mobile store at Tidwell near Airline Monday, the teenager's family called for more severe charges against the guard.

Christopher Jermaine Bradley, 28, opened fire in the direction of a McDonald's near the scene as 18-year-old Earnest Hudson exited the store, and struck the teen several times, police said. During this chaos, his gunfire also struck a 6-year-old girl in the leg while she was sitting in her father's car in the fast-food restaurant drive-thru, prosecutors said during a probable cause hearing.

OFFICER INVOLVED: State trooper kills suspect at NW Houston Wingstop

Hudson's family held a press conference at the scene of the shooting Friday afternoon alongside activist Quanell X to urge Bradley be charged with attempted murder of Hudson.

"He did not steal a cellphone from T-Mobile, he never had a gun, he never had a knife, he didn't have so much as a stick," Quanell X said. "Why is it that this security officer took it upon himself to become judge, jury, executioner, and he's only charged with shooting the young girl?"

Activist is saying the security guard had no right to shoot Hudson for assuming he had stolen a phone, and also alleges that Hudson had not committed any crimes. Said witnesses saw the guard standing over Hudsons body and shooting him. pic.twitter.com/Rg3s7luuhi  Massarah Mikati (@MassarahMikati) November 16, 2018

Police said Hudson had allegedly stolen an iPhone from the mobile store, setting off alarms as he walked out. However, Quanell X denied that, saying it was a miscommunication with an employee of the store.

"And even if he believed (Hudson) had committed a crime, it's not your duty to shoot that kid," he continued.

Cora Washington, Hudson's mother, buckled at the knees as she described Hudson's medical state through tears -- in an induced coma in the intensive care unit at Ben Taub Hospital after six surgeries.

Hudsons mother couldnt keep herself together as she talked about her son, who they say is still in Ben Taub Hospital and has had 6 surgeries. pic.twitter.com/sOpTVlgOrz  Massarah Mikati (@MassarahMikati) November 16, 2018

The bullet struck the girl's leg, resulting in a need for surgery to treat her fractured femur, prosecutors said.

The family of the young girl pressed charges against Bradley, prosecutors said. He is being held in jail on a $30,000 bail amount.
For nine years now the students at Longfellow Elementary have been the bellwether for the hottest toys in Houston. The HISD magnet school caters to students with an interest in the creative and performing arts.

Each year a group of fifth-grade students at the Braeswood Place area school hold a press conference for assembled media to ask them the tough questions about what is on their radar each year with the toys supplied each year by Target.
UPDATE: On Monday, a spokesperson for Pabst provided the following statement via email:

"Since 1844, Pabst has been offering authentic, great tasting and affordable beers to all Americans. From our flagship brand, Pabst Blue Ribbon, to our local legends, which include Rainier, Lone Star, Old Style, Stag, Stroh, Natty Boh, Olympia, and others  these iconic brands all have rich histories and deep roots in communities across the country. We are deeply disappointed that MillerCoors, the U.S. subsidiary of multinational brewing conglomerate Molson Coors, has willfully breached our 19-year agreement in an effort to stomp out the competition.

Even though MillerCoors' market power is much larger than Pabst's, we will not allow this industry bully to push us around. We are confident that the court will see MillerCoors' fabricated "capacity" concerns for what they are: a thinly veiled, bad faith attempt to unlawfully hurt a competitor."

________________________________________________________________

Life isn't all beer and skittles. We may soon bid adieu to a Texas icon as the future of Lone Star Beer doesn't look bright, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Pabst Brewing Company, which owns "The National Beer of Texas," could end up on the losing end of a legal dispute with MillerCoors, leaving us all with a tear in our last Lone Star Beer.

What's the battle of the two beer brands about?

MillerCoors is under contract to brew all of Pabst's labels through 2020, and it is not looking to renew.

That means it could be curtains for Lone Star, plus fellow Texas brewing company Pearl and the 19 other Pabst-owned beer brands, from Old Milwaukee to Colt 45 Malt Liquor.

A court trial over the dispute, happening now, is expected to run through November.

Trial woes: Pabst says MillerCoors is trying to put it out of business

Lone Star Brewing Company launched in 1940 when Kansas-based Muehlebach Brewing Company purchased a San Antonio brewery from the Champion Brewing Company.

In the 1940s, Lone Star Brewing parted ways with Muehlebach. It was purchased and sold three times, including to two out-of-state companies, before Pabst bought it in 1999.

Eventually, Lone Star Beer achieved iconic status as big as the state it's named after, even being featured in the 1980 film Urban Cowboy starring John Travolta.

The fight is on (video): MillerCoors and Pabst Are in a Courtroom Brewing Battle

Marcy de Luna is a digital reporter specializing in social media, the famous, and food. You can follow her on Twitter @MarcydeLuna. Read her stories on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | Marcy.deLuna@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message
The deaths of Atascocita High School students Salma Gomez and Chloe Robinson in an alleged drunk driving accident sparked an investigation of alcohol sales to minors by the Harris County District Attorneys Office.

The initiative has led to the arrest of eight store clerks who allegedly sold alcohol to minors in the Lake Houston area. Humble, Atascocita and Crosby area gas stations were targeted.

All arrests were made around the end of August, law enforcement officials said.

Harris County DAs Vehicular Crimes Investigator Chuck Cornelius said while the DAs office was first phase of the investigation the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission was doing routine sting operations in the area.

Right around that time (TABC) was doing a minor sting (operation) in the Humble, Atascocita, Crosby area unrelated to this case, Cornelius said.

TWO TEENS KILLED: Attorney denies Humble store clerk sold alcohol to minor before fatal crash

Once the warrants were filed Cornelius asked Harris County constables from precincts 3 and 4 to facilitate the arrests in their respective areas.

Cornelius said 11 criminal cases were filed by the TABC. Out of those 11 cases Precinct 4 made five arrests and Precinct 3 made three arrests.

What the TABC does is they have minors that are under the age of 18 and they have a minor sting program, they go into a store, pick up a beer and go to the counter and when the clerk says How old are you? (the minor) has to say theyre 18 years old or show them their ID, which for minors is going to be the vertical ID, Cornelius said. Its more of what you call an integrity check that the clerks are doing what theyre supposed to be doing, therefore if they dont, if they do sell (the alcohol) then the minor leaves and TABC goes in there and identifies the clerk and gets all the information and then brings the criminal case for us to file.

TABC Public Information Officer Chris Porter said the TABC has conducted 1,600 minor sting operations in the Houston area over the last year including bars, restaurants and gas stations and only 181 violations were found, a total compliance rate of 89 percent which ties the overall average for the state.

All who were arrested appeared in court and were charged with a misdemeanor and fined with a bond up to $1,000.

ALCOHOL-RELATED ARRESTS: HPD arrested 51 on felony DWI charges in September

Selling alcohol to minors is a concern across the entire state, but particularly in the Houston area, which has one of the highest rates of drunk driving-related fatalities, Porter said. The good news is, most retailers are getting the message that selling alcohol to minors is not only a crime, but a serious public safety problem.

The following stores in the Lake Houston area were found in violation of selling alcohol to a minor by the TABC:

Aldi

14130 FM 2100, Crosby

AM/PM Food Mart

122 Atascocita Road, Atascocita

Campos Meat Market

14045 FM 2100, Ste. 170, Crosby

CVS Pharmacy

8000 N. Sam Houston Pkwy., Humble

Fuel Maxx

6047 Beaumont Hwy., Crosby

G.S. Liquor

105 Kenning Road, Ste. 15, Crosby

Seven Day Market

14130 Old Humble Road, Humble

Shop N Fuel

2920 Atascocita Road, Humble

Texaco Food Mart

14925 Old Humble Road, Humble

Tobacco Mart

6500 FM 2100, Ste. 400, Crosby

Walgreens

9510 N. Sam Houston Pkwy., Humble

kaila.contreras@chron.com
Texas Southern University is now hosting five Houston BCycle stations at its Third Ward campus.

The local bike share organization partnered with TSU staff to determine the ideal locations: Student Life Center  East, Student Life Center  West, Student Recreation Center, University Towers and University Courtyard Apartments.

Students and staff will now be able to make short trips on campus and connect to Houston BCycles larger, 82-station network across the city. With stations at University of Houston and in nearby neighborhoods like Downtown, Midtown, East End, and the Museum District, Houston BCycle and TSU hope to encourage use of the bikes in place of single-occupant car trips.

Were absolutely honored to bring bike sharing to TSUs campus, especially considering the bike lane upgrades that Mayor Turner and Commissioner Ellis are helping fund in the area, said Beth Martin, Executive Director of Houston Bike Share, the 501(c)3 nonprofit that operates Houston BCycle. We know this mini-network will provide a fun, healthy, sustainable and affordable way for students and staff to get around on campus and connect to the rest of the Houston BCycle network with stations throughout the city.

Commissioner Rodney Ellis, a vocal and longtime supporter of the benefits of bike transit, helped provide funding for the five new stations at TSU.

As a proud alumnus of Texas Southern, I couldnt be happier about working with Houston BCycle to bring more safe, affordable transportation choices to the TSU community, said Commissioner Ellis. For many Houstonians, especially students, owning and maintaining a car can be a hardship. Expanding BCycle to TSU will improve the quality of life for everyone on campus and give more people the freedom to travel throughout the city in an affordable and environmentally conscious way.

In a push for equity and affordability, Houston BCycle offers low-cost membership plans and discounted rates for those working for and pursuing higher education. For $5 per month, TSU students and staff will get unlimited rides throughout the entire Houston BCycle system. For members, each ride is covered for up to an hour and overage fees are $3 per 30 minutes.

Even for those without access to the student/staff university discount, Houston BCycle is $9 per month, making it the cheapest form of public transit in Houston. Anyone can purchase a membership in minutes at houstonbcycle.com and start improving their commute.

TSU is committed to providing convenient, fun and healthy options for our students, staff and faculty members, said TSU President Dr. Austin A. Lane. Wed like to thank Commissioner Ellis, TSU Student Regent Kennard Jones, and Houston BCycle for making this happen. Given our proximity to the Columbia Tap Rail-Trail, we look forward to seeing the red bikes rolling in, out and around our beautiful campus.
The Johnny Nelson Katy Heritage Museum now is home to a boat used to rescue residents stranded after Hurricane Harvey hit the community.

Andy Wohlgemuth, Bass Pro Shops-Katy community/social media coordinator, donated the boat to the city along with a plaque on Nov. 15.

When the Harvey flood devastated Katy, the city reached out to Gov. Greg Abbott, who then reached out to our owner Johnny Morris, explained Wohlgemuth. Johnnys response was Whatever you need, whatever it takes which set in motion the transfer of some 80 boats from our manufacturing facility in Lebanon, Mo. Within 24 hours, the boats arrived, were supplemented by 20-some boats already in our inventory, and then made available to the Texas National Guard, the City of Katy and other first responders.

Although the store was officially closed, our general manager Steve Dooley kept the doors open so the first responders could use it as a base of operations for a couple of days, continued Wohlgemuth. During that time we also made available to these brave folks anything they needed  like a mountain of beef jerky, dry socks, gloves, rope, batteries, flashlights, you name it. All with no strings attached and no expectation of payment.

After the boats began to filter back in, we looked at the scratches and dents on them. It occurred to us that each scratch and dent was a story. Our thought was to choose a boat, get the community to sign it, and donate it to the Katy Heritage Museum. To this end, I contacted the mayor and received his hearty approval. We then took the boat to the 2017 Katy Rice Harvest Festival , as well as displayed it in our lobby for a few weeks, giving the community an opportunity to sign it. The boat was completely covered with signatures, expressions of appreciation, and inspiring messages, said Wohlgemuth.

A lot of people signed it, said Katy Mayor Chuck Brawner. They signed every inch, bottom, sides and edges. Some were affected by the flood and may have been in that exact boat. That boat saved a lot of lives, added Brawner. It has meaning. That boat had dents, dings and was beat up from rescues.

He called the accompanying plaque presented by Bass Pro absolutely beautiful, and said it will be mounted in front of the boat. The mayor added, It was a wonderful thing for Bass Pro to supply the boats. The boats were really needed in the initial stages of rescue.

Floodwaters had damaged the museum, so Bass Pro Shops waited for the city to give a date for the boat-donation ceremony, Wohlgemuth said. The city hosted a May 24 rededication ceremony of the museum as it was renamed after Nelson, a former mayor and city administrator, who founded the museum that first opened in 2002.

Although I do not have specific details, I know our company responded in the same manner to the communities elsewhere in the country, who were devastated by flooding during the 2018 hurricane season as well, added Wohlgemuth.

The boat is a TRACKER Topper 2031 jon. The museum is located at 6002 George Bush Drive in Katy.

karen.zurawski@chron.com
Deputy superintendent Ken Gregorski has been filling the superintendents seat at Katy Independent School District board meetings since July and now he will have the position in own right. At least for the time being.

During their Nov. 12 meeting, Katy ISD trustees identified Gregorski as their new acting superintendent, taking over for the embattled Lance Hindt who announced his resignation in May after he was named in decades-old bullying allegations. Gregorskis first day as acting superintendent is set for Dec. 1 while Hindt wraps up his Katy ISD career on Jan. 1.

This I believe is our strongest and best option, said school board vice president Bill Lacy. It pains me so much that we have to do this.

Some board members pushed for hiring a search firm to guide the boards search for a new superintendent while others said the current climate in Katy - owing to the Hindt controversy - might discourage top quality candidates from putting themselves into contention. The board had hoped to have the position filled by March but now that seems unlikely.

I dont feel that a March replacement for a superintendent is possible. There needs to be a little more time and a little more conversation among the board members, said board secretary Ashley Vann. Katy is the best school district in the state. We need to take the time to remind people out there of it and stop listening to the negativity thats trying to take the good people down.

Vann was formerly Katy ISDs board president but stepped down from the position at the same time Hindt announced his resignation as superintendent.

Gregorski will continue to work with Hindt while both are at Katy ISD, officials said.

My fellow trustees and I believe that Katy ISD needs a leader who will continue to support the high quality leadership within, maintain our standard of student excellence and advance the groundwork that has already been laid, current Katy ISD board president Courtney Doyle said.

Katy ISD trustees Rebecca Fox, Dawn Champagne and Susan Gesoff said the district should hire a search firm to find their new top educator. Fox, a former board president, said she has worked with three superintendents including being directly involved in the hiring of two of them.

Its a very daunting task. Its one of the most important thing that we as trustees do, Fox said.

In addition to mounting the daunting effort to find possible candidates, Fox said a search firm will help market Katy to people who live outside the Houston area. A search firm doesnt just wait for the applications to come. They talk to them and approach them, she said.

Katy is a premier school district, Champagne said, and deserves to be able to pick from the very best possible candidates for its next superintendent.

Only a search firm could provide this, she said.

Trustee George Scott vigorously advocated against looking outside Katy ISD for the next superintendent, slamming what he characterized as despicable political thuggery from some quarters in the community.

We have outstanding educational professionals here tonight and in every school campus, Scott said. There are times to go outside but an external search now would send an insulting message to our entire professional staff and jeopordize the stability of critical initiatives.

Scott said the outgoing superintendent did a superior job of getting the right people to the right place in Katy ISD.

The educational professionals that KISD needs at this time are already here, he said. Our professionals who live and breath to serve our children and their families do not deserve the chaotic turmoil of topsy-turvy management change that some board members appear more than eager to embrace and unleash.

Overcoming some of the negative attention aimed at Katy will be a challenge for the board and whoever takes the superintendents job, Doyle said.

We want our community to trust the next superintendent who is going to be taking the seat up here, she said. I have the utmost confidence in Mr. Grigorski.

Hindt announced his resignation from Katy ISD on March 9 after Katy businessman George Gay accused him of being his youthful tormentor. In addition, he has been accused of plagiarizing work from another post graduate student while he was working on a doctoral degree at the University of Houston. Hindt will receive a separation pay of about $700,000 once he leaves the district.

As deputy superintendent, Gregorski was responsible for campus support, including human resources and area assistant superintendents, for the 63 campuses in the Katy ISD. He was assistant superintendent for human resources at the Allen ISD before coming to Katy.

mike.glenn@chron.com
With the cost to expand Northpark Drive approaching $90 million, members of the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 10 are seeking solutions to fund the project.

The TIRZ board met 8 a.m. Thursday at the Kingwood Community Center to discuss shortfalls in funding spured by its lifespan limitations, requirements from the city of Houston and growing costs associated with the project during its monthly meeting.

There are two phases to the expansion. The first  the overpass project  aims to expand the roadway from Hwy. 59 to Russell Palmer Road and the second  the reconstruction project  will pick up from there until Woodland Hills Drive.

But youre still short (of the money you need), said TIRZ consultant Ralph De Leon regarding the last of the four scenarios regarding amassing funding for the project. Youre short on cash needed for the construction of the overpass and youre substantially short, about $8 million short, on the reconstruction project.

Other challenges to the expansion were also brought up at the meeting. After telling board members that the City of Houston remains supportive in the project, Jennifer Curley, the senior staff analyst from the Mayors Office of Economic Development, reminded them of the projects location being outside of the city boundaries.

She also said that the projects cost is now $86 million. Councilman Dave Martin later elaborated that the increase  the previously reported number was $50 million  is due to concerns over development in the floodplain or Chapter 19.

Northpark was an evacuation route for residents in Kingwood  it flooded during Harvey, Martin said. Thus we have to now go back and redo the engineering and redo the design plan because we now have to raise Northpark to get it above the 500-year floodplain level.

As stated in the guidelines, that level equals to 2 feet above the 500-year floodplain.

Martin also pointed out another important matter  extending the lifespan of the TIRZ. It will expire in 2028 and that time frame will affect the completion of the Northpark Drive expansion. A longer lifespan will allow the TIRZ to borrow more money at a better rate.

Were asking for a 20-year extension to 2048, he said. If we dont get it, we dont do projects.

Before moving on to other items, TIRZ 10 Chairman Stan Sarman asked if board members have any other questions because we dont have anything to get approved for us.

Intersection improvements

Rachel Ray-Welsh of Walter P. Moore then provided the latest on intersection improvements. Both the Northpark and Kings Crossing intersections with West Lake Houston Parkway are waiting for the city to turn on the signal. Also, one of the ramps at Kings Crossing needs replacement.

Battery backup units were also requested for both signals and they have been ordered.

Preliminary survey for both the Willow Terrace and Woodland Hills intersections were collected. A Mills Branch Corridor Study will go into design eventually when the data collection phase is finished.

nguyen.le@chron.com
Where in the world is Kylie Jenner? According to social media: Houston.

On Friday, posts about the reality TV star and makeup mogul being in the Bayou City began popping-up, and the reality TV star seemingly posted from posh sushi spot, Nobu Houston.
November is National Caregivers Month, a good time to remember that caregiving affects us all in deeply personal ways. In the words of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter: There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.

The typical family caregiver is a 49-year-old female taking care of an older woman, usually her mother, for a period of nearly five years. She will devote at least 20 hours a week to helping her loved one with tasks like trips to the doctor, bathing and dressing, meal preparation, and chores around the house. Along with being a caregiver, she has a full or part-time job, so caring for her loved one is done in her spare time.

For some family caregivers, their role is more involved as they care for a loved one 24 hours a day, seven days a week, often performing complicated medical tasks like wound care, injections, and medication management  the kind of assistance once in the domain of only doctors or nurses.

Bottom line: family caregivers do remarkable things every day to care for their loved ones, but this labor of love is not without its challenges. For family caregivers who provide assistance for more than 21 hours a week, sacrifice time away from family and friends, or live with the loved one for whom they are caring, that stress is increased.

One study by the Center for Secure Retirement found that nearly 9 in 10 middle-income people in midlife said family caregiving was harder than they anticipated, necessitating more emotional strength, patience, and time than expected.

The vast majority of older Texans want to remain in their homes as they age, and family caregivers make that possible. Without this help, too many older Texans would end up in costly institutions  often paid for through Medicaid.

With more than 3.35 million unpaid family caregivers in Texas providing an estimated 3.2 billion hours of care each year, this silent army is the backbone of elder care in our state, providing unpaid care valued at approximately $35 billion annually. The value provided by these unpaid family caregivers is more than the entire Texas Medicaid program, federal and state spending combined. Texas cant afford for these caregivers to stop providing such valuable assistance.

This is a big job and caregivers could use a little help. Thats why AARP is working for common sense solutions like increasing funding for respite care, which allows family caregivers to take a hard-earned break and know that their loved one is being cared for.

Providing unpaid family caregivers with respite care means they can go to a doctors appointment, the grocery store, or just enjoy a few minutes when they are not on call, a cost-effective way to help them manage stress and continue to support their loved one.

One way Texas caregivers can access respite care is through the states Aging and Disability Resource centers. Funds from these centers provide caregivers with a break, help them develop skills and manage stress.

During next years legislative session, AARP will fight to increase funding for the Lifespan Respite Caregiver Program so that more family caregivers can get the break they need. Funding respite care is a cost-effective way to support unpaid family caregivers who provide essential care to their loved ones, keeping them out of costly institutions.

This November and each day, AARP will continue to represent the millions of family caregivers across Texas who pour their hearts into helping their older loved ones stay at home  where they want to be. A little bit of assistance goes a long way to help caregivers keep doing what they do. Funding respite care is both an act of human compassion and a smart way to safeguard our states finances.

Bob Jackson is the director of AARP Texas.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar wants to make prescription drug pricing more transparent.

We agree, but his well-intentioned plan will only confuse and mislead consumers. Whats the good of listing drug prices in advertising if almost no one pays that list price? When patients say, My drugs are too expensive, theyre not talking about the list price  theyre talking about their co-pays at the pharmacy.

While pharmaceutical companies determine a drugs list price, known as the wholesale acquisition cost (WAC), health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) determine what patients will actually pay for those drugs. These payers negotiate discounts and rebates from drug companies that can reach 40 percent or 50 percent off the WAC price. Unfortunately, these health care middlemen keep much of those savings and pass only a paltry portion of the discounts on to consumers.

Even more troubling is that unlike other health care sectors, patients co-pays and co-insurance are often based on the higher list price rather than the significantly discounted payer cost. According to a 2017 study by Amundsen Consulting, more than 50 percent of commercially insured patients out-of-pocket spending for brand name biopharmaceuticals was based on full list price, with no discounts included.

When patients complain about the high cost of drugs its because their co-pays have grown significantly. Today many insurers require a co-insurance payment of 20 percent to 40 percent of the cost for innovative drugs for serious and life-threatening conditions, such as Multiple Sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Over the last five years, pharmaceutical spending has increased by 38 percent while the average individual health insurance premium has increased by 107 percent. During the same period, rebates, discounts and fees paid by the biopharmaceutical industry to insurers and PBMs have risen from $74 billion to $153 billion.

Fortunately, President Donald Trump and Congress have taken some steps in the right direction. The president recently signed legislation outlawing PBM-imposed gag clauses, which prohibited many pharmacists from voluntarily informing customers that paying for a drug out of pocket was less expensive than their copay.

And Food and Drug Commissioner Scott Gottlieb is working to increase competition between brand name companies and generics.

A key problem with Mr. Azars transparency effort is that it doesnt provide consumers with any context or insights into the complexity of the drug-pricing ecosystem. Nor does it change the convoluted incentives that leave most of the negotiated savings with middlemen instead of patients.

Whats the solution? Real, complete, honest consumer-friendly pricing transparency that gives patients the ways and means to become smarter, savvier value-conscious shoppers in the healthcare marketplace by giving them clear, understandable and relevant pricing information.

Rather than opting for the cheap, politically expedient trick of blaming Big Pharma, our national leadership should insist that all members of the health care ecosystem create expert-vetted, user-friendly education programs so that patients know the real costs of what theyre buying, where the profits are going and, most importantly, how they can use this knowledge to become savvier consumers.

Peter J. Pitts, a former FDA associate commissioner, is president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest. Merrill Matthews is a resident scholar with the Institute for Policy Innovation.
Grand Lakes residents turned out Saturday morning to protest a proposed cell tower being built adjacent to their neighborhood.

Sporting protest signs, a small but vocal group let the construction company  Vertical Bridge  know how they feel about the proposed tower.

Cell tower up; Property values down; 140ft tower = eyesore; Radiation is Dangerous; and T-Mobile keep our kids safe were among the messages presented by protestors.

Vertical Bridge could not immediately be reached for comment.

COMING SOON: Katy soon to identify Boardwalk District anchor hotel

On its website, Vertical Bridge says it works with municipalities, carriers, and site acquisition resources across the country to build new towers in prime locations. We find the locations that resolve coverage gaps and capacity concerns and implement a fast and flexible solution for clients.

Protest organizers claim that the cell tower will be built right next to the Grand Lake neighborhood and the public backlash is intense. Nearly 400 households have signed the petition letter against this cell tower and more signatures will be collected on the coming weekend.

rkent@hcnonline.com
The crowd assembled the afternoon of Nov. 11 at Second Baptist Church-West Campus paid tribute on Veterans Day to those military veterans who served but also gave a warm send-off with applause, handshakes and homemade signs to those who are just beginning a military career.

Texans Embracing Americas Military organized its sixth send-off and last one of the year with participation and support of various community groups include Katy Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9182, Katy American Legion Post 164, Katy Elks Lodge No. 2628, District 22 U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land, District 132 state Rep. Mike Schofield, R-Katy/Cypress, city of Katy officials and police and fire departments from Waller, Harris and Fort Bend counties.

I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart who has been part of this from the start, said Ralph Oliver, who founded and launched the send-off program in Katy earlier this year.

U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps called the names of those who have enlisted to join the service. Thirty-names are listed as enlistees.

Keynote speaker Lt. Col. Sam Robins said, Military service means being on a team forever. As a veteran, you help connect the public with the military.

Robins, whose service included Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, earned honors that include a Bronze Star with a 3 oak leaf cluster, a Purple Heart and a Combat Infantry Badge. He told the young enlistees that military service provides training that makes them desirable employees as leaders and professionals after their tour of duty is complete.

Recognizing veterans in the audience, he asked them to stand up and called Nov. 11 a celebration of patriotism, service and sacrifice by those who served in the U.S. military.

Representatives of the American Legion, Katy Elks Lodge and Katy VFW presented a challenge coin, an American flag and a blue star package respectively to each enlistee.

Everyone in this room is your family now, said Oliver after commenting that some enlistees didnt have family who attended. Youre not alone anymore. Katy and everyone else is your family and were very proud of you.

Those words also were repeated to the audience in a video broadcast of President Donald Trump who applauded the service of veterans and saluted their sacrifice. You have earned our freedom, said Trump, who called veterans Americas greatest national treasure and best role model.

Also delivering a salute to veterans was Ernie Cormier, judge advocate of American Legion Post 164, who read a poem that he wrote about the 11th of November. On this day we celebrate those who bravely fought all our foes, he said. Veterans who served and fought for love of country and not for glory sought.

karen.zurawski@chron.com
Robin Melodick, Special Agent with DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration,) spoke to the North Shore Republican Women at the November Meeting at Bentwater Country Club, Montgomery.

She has been a criminal investigator with DEA for approximately 14 years. She is currently assigned to the Task Force in the Oklahoma City District Office. During the course of her career, Robin has worked in various locations across the US, including Orange County, CA, Los Angeles, CA, New York, NY and El Paso TX, conducting and participating in investigations that have resulted in the successful arrest and prosecution of many criminals. She has also seized thousands of kilograms of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, ecstasy and other black-market pharmaceutical pills, along with millions of dollars in US Currency and hundreds of firearms. Some of Robins day-to-day activities include, but are not limited to the following: conducting surveillance, executing search and arrest warrants, writing reports, interviewing arrestees, victims and informants, and testifying in court.
Fort Bend History Association / Fort Bend History Association

Kick off the holiday season with a festive celebration at the turn-of-the-century Dew house. On Sunday, Dec. 2, from 1 to 4 p.m., visit the DeWalt Heritage Center in Kitty Hollow Park to see the home decorated for the Christmas season and enjoy wassail, cookies, house tours and music by local school groups.

Santa Claus will also make an appearance during this free family event.
Houston is among the top cities in the U.S. and Canada for finding employment, according to a new study examining job listings.

Each day, an average of 4,188 listings are added to Houston's pool of available jobs, found data journalism site Thinknum. Overall, nearly 130,000 jobs are available at a given time in Bayou City.
Almost two months after Bexar County deputies caught a man having sex with a minor outside a San Antonio strip club, they arrested the man again when a continuing investigation uncovered he had been forcing the girl into prostitution and having her recruit others, officials said.

Eric Taylor, 24, was taken into custody on one charge of continuous trafficking of persons.

He remained silent as he was taken to the magistrates office.

READ ALSO: Medical professor among 14 arrested or charged with child sex crimes in October in Bexar County

Taylor was initially arrested during a prostitution sting at the MGM Cabaret, which deputies believed was a hot spot for prostitution. Deputies found him in his car with a 16-year-old girl who was a runaway from out of town, Salazar said. At the time, authorities believed Taylor's arrest was unrelated to the prostitution bust.

But investigators continued looking into Taylor. And they kept interviewing the girl, knowing that often victims are willing to open up more over time.

RELATED: Prostitution operation at San Antonio strip club leads to unrelated child sex crime arrest

The girl told deputies Taylor would get her work at strip clubs across the state with fictitious documentation. She also said Taylor forced her into prostitution, making $1,000 a day off her, authorities said.

To make matters even worse, Taylor was inducing her to recruit other young females," Salazar said.

Detectives believe Taylor pimped out at least 10 women, some of whom are runaways and juveniles. The MGM has been shut down and heavily fined since the prostitution sting. Salazar said his team is not finished investigating that case.

READ ALSO: 15-year-old girl sexually assaulted on San Antonio lazy river

Were cautiously optimistic were going to make more arrests in this case, Salazar said. To anybody else that might find themselves as a codefendant, wed rather they approach us now as a witness before we come looking for them.

Anyone with additional information on Taylor or any other instances of human trafficking is asked to call investigators at 210-335-6000.

Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | fsabawi@mysa.com|@FaresInSA
The Spring ISD board of trustees approved funds on Tuesday that will be used toward improving safety and security at Wells Middle School as one of the projects on the list of the $330 million bond approved by voters in 2016.

Wells will be the first campus to upgrade its doors, security cameras and control access to the building.

Wells is a campus of reasonable size. Its not quite as big as a high school, not quite as small as an elementary school, chief operations officer Mark Miranda told the board during its work meeting.

The district will spend $762,833 as a first guaranteed maximum price on upgrades at Wells Middle School as its pilot campus before moving on to upgrading other campuses.

The changes will include the installation of new hardware for card readers on exterior doors.

The card access will eliminate the need for physical keys to be used on campuses and the cards can be replaced or removed from the districts system if they are lost by teachers or staff members.

The doors will also be video-monitored in case of unauthorized access, or exiting from the building.

Theres not just one thing that keeps students safe in a building, Miranda said.

Other campuses have had fences installed on the perimeter of the school and have had brush cleared out to improve visibility.

Miranda said the district has also purchased additional metal detectors for its high school campuses.

All campuses are expected to have security upgrades completed before the 2019 school year.

The next safety and security package will include Dekaney and Wunsche High Schools, the Spring Early College Academy, Bailey Middle School, Meyer and Burchette Elementary Schools.

mayra.cruz@chron.com
The trip from California to Texas took about three days in wintry weather, but actor John Schneider said hes ready to get up on stage.

Schneider will headline at Main Street Crossing after Thanksgiving with songs about life, love and tragedy.

I get in a warm bar with a warm drink and play some music, he said.

While hes also known as Bo Duke in the Dukes of Hazzard and Clark Kents father, Jonathan, in Smallville, Schneider also plays country music and released his first album in 1981.

This year, he released his 20th album titled ODYSSEY, which features 52 songs.

As a performer, Schneider said he enjoys telling stories by acting and singing.

I get nervous not acting or singing, he said.

Schneider said his songs are inspired by the good and bad things that have occurred in his life.

In recent years, natural disasters have been a big tragedy in his life.

The Woolsey Fire in California recently destroyed the Paramount Ranch, which housed the set for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman in which Scheinder co-starred.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: Hollywood celebs lose home, many flee as wildfire rages

Its unrecognizable. All the buildings are gone. Everything is gone, he said.

In 2016, his ranch in Louisiana was flooded by high water, which damaged his home, furniture, appliances and vehicles on the property.

The resulting damage inspired him to create the album Ruffled Skirts, which he released later that year.

In a very real way, if it werent for the worst year of my lifeI wouldnt be touring; there wouldnt be this music. My life would be entirely different, he said.

Schneider will be performing with Debbie Glenn and Southern Disposition at Main Street Crossing on Friday, Nov. 23 at 8 p.m.

Visit mainstreetcrossing.com for more information.

mayra.cruz@chron.com
Intro

Greetings! I am a political scientist , specializing in International Relations , my research and teaching focus on ethnic conflict and civil-military relations . I watch way too much TV, and I like movies as well so I tend to write about both and find IR stuff in pop culture. I rant alot about American politics and sometimes about Canadian politics. I like to take ideas I once learned a long time ago and apply them to whatever strikes my fancy.


Four candidates, including a pair of Democratic state representatives, have filed for the Dec. 11 special election for Senate District 6 to replace U.S. Rep.-elect Sylvia Garcia, a Houston Democrat who resigned after she won a seat in Congress last week.

State Reps. Carol Alvarado and Ana Hernandez, also Houston Democrats, were among the candidates to file by the 5 p.m. Friday deadline. Also seeking the Senate seat is Martha Fierro, a Republican who serves as a precinct chair for the Harris County Republican Party, and Democrat Mia Mundy, a consultant at a Houston-based recruiting firm.
A Houston police officers is being evaluated by paramedics after her cruiser flipped in a crash Friday.

The crash happened around 4 p.m. on the East Freeway frontage road near Wayside Drive, according to the Houston Police Department.

Police said the driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash might have ran a red light before slamming into the cruiser.

The force of the crash caused the officer's cruiser to flip, police said.

The extent of the officer's injuries, as well as the injuries of anyone else involved, is unclear. Both were taken to local hospitals.

It's unclear if the officer was en route to a call, although the cruiser's emergency lights were still flashing as it lay upside down.

Detectives with the Houston Police Department Vehicular Crimes Division are investigating.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message
When the legendary Dr. James "Red" Duke Jr. died in 2015 at the age of 86 it was the end of an illustrious and innovative era of medicine in Houston.

The man delivered homespun health advice on nationally syndicated television in an easy, folksy style that was one part cowboy and one part wildcatter. He also founded the Life Flight helicopter ambulance system, which has transported countless trauma patients to a hospital just in the nick of time.

FROM 2015: James 'Red' Duke, iconic surgeon who started Life Flight, dies at 86

Now Memorial Hermann  Texas Medical Center is honoring the man who saved thousands of lives during his own time on earth with a special tribute.

Vaugh Construction, overseeing the construction of the new Susan and Fayez Sarofim Pavilion at the hospital, has installed a large steel outline of red cowboy boots on the hospital's Memorial Hermann Life Flight helipad on the new pavilion.

The hospital made the announcement and shared photos of the display on Friday, which would have been Duke's 90th birthday.

THEY DON'T MAKE THEM LIKE THIS ANYMORE: Dr. James 'Red' Duke and Houston's other inspiring modern icons

It was Duke who established the trauma unit at Memorial Hermann, making the hospital the go-to place to work on those in dire medical straits. Life Flight, the first air ambulance service, was also his brainchild.

He also was on the front line of the trauma unit at Parkland Hospital in Dallas that tended to President John F. Kennedy and Governor of Texas, John Connally on Nov. 22, 1963. The team couldn't save the gravely wounded Kennedy, but their work on Connally ensured the leader lived three more decades.

The installation will remind medical professionals and others of the "John Wayne in scrubs" that paved the way for generations to come. It will join a handful of other small tributes to the man on the complex, including two busts.

The trauma institute at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center is named in his honor and there are red boot prints are on the floor facing every trauma bay in the emergency center at hospital.

The Sarofim Pavilion is scheduled to be completed in 2020.

Craig Hlavaty covers Houston history and pop-culture. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | craig.hlavaty@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message
The smells of doner kabobs and sounds of energetic Middle Eastern music floated through downtown Houston Saturday, as people swarmed to Jones Plaza for the 26th annual Houston Turkish Festival.

Houston is home to 3 million people, but a very small percentage of these people ever have the opportunity to travel to the other end of the world and experience Turkish culture, said Ozlem Adra, president of the American Turkish Association of Houston. With this festival we bring Turkey to them.

With everything from Turkish art, dancing and music; to a traditional grand bazaar filled with trinkets like Turkish coffee cups, jewelry and bags; to of course food like doners, falafel and Turkish flatbreads; Houstonians get to experience a piece of the rich and diverse culture without the expensive and long flight.

Karen Couey, who was attending the festival for the second time Saturday, said Houstons diversity attracts her to a multitude of cultural festivals in the city  especially when the weather is beautiful.

I like international stuff, international food, the music and songs, said Karen Couey. Its fantastic, I like to support that.

Couey was standing in front of the booth of Enes Baskan, where he was selling traditional Turkish calligraphy and glass art.

It is very important in Turkish culture because back in the day, (some art) was forbidden, so the artists in the past expressed themslves with some other arts like calligraphy, said Baskan, who traveled from San Antonio for the festival. The importance is to bring that back to the art in the present time.

Morad Jasmin, a ceramics teacher at the Harmony School of Fine Arts and Technology, also presented traditional Turkish art with his blue-themed ceramic plates, delicately painted with floral and geometric designs, and Arabic calligraphy.

This art is very difficult, said Jasmin, who is originally from Erbil, Kurdistan and moved to the U.S. in 2005. Each plate takes three or four days.

Jasmin demonstrated how he makes the plates  freehand drawing intricate designs, painting the color on with a thin horsehair brush, then the glaze with a thicker one, before eventually putting the plates in an 1,800-degree oven for almost 30 hours.

While most of the expected 13,000 to 14,000 attendees are not Turkish, the festival is a comforting connection to home for the Turks who do attend.

For Elvin and Evren Keles, who moved to Houston from London last year, the festival has been a great opportunity to connect with the Turkish community in Houston  estimated to be about 10,000 people. Plus, the food is very good, like we have at home, Elvin said.

And were drinking our own beer! she added, holding up a bottle of Efes.

The festival, which charges a $10 entrance fee, will open its doors again at 11 a.m. Sunday.
Texas health officials are warning parents to avoid giving infants honey because it may lead to botulism, a rare illness caused by toxins.

Texas Department of State Health Services announced Friday that four babies were hospitalized in the past few months because of the illness.
A top Gulf Cartel member wanted in connection to a May 2013 killing in Dallas was arrested by Mexican police in Monterrey, Mexico, according to a news release from the Department of Homeland Security.

Luis Lauro Ramirez-Bautista, who is also known as "la Mora" and "la China," attempted to flee a police checkpoint Wednesday morning before he was brought into custody, according to the news release.
Axios, the bulleted list chimera of tech and journalism, conceived according to the premise that Media is brokenand too often a scam, is experimenting with a new format: smart brevity longform.

Confused? Megan Swiatkowski, Axioss Associate Director of Communications, explained in an email pitch, its how to go deep, but write short.

If you are still confused, let me venture an explanation: Its a Wikipedia article in newsletter form for the ruling class. Or, Mike Allens not-so Tiny Letter.

The venture into smart brevity longform launched on May 28, 2018, with a morning newsletter, this one about China. Axios AM Deep Dive, as these newsletters are called, read like a bunch of Axios articles organized by theme and stacked on top of one another. They are, as Swiatkowski explains, bar stool to bar stool analysis of a given topicwritten in bulleted lists with lots of embedded links to even more Axios articles. Each newsletter features contributions from the Axios reporters on the beat at hand. There is the opportunity to go deeper, with links offset by a bolded proclamation to Go deeper. That directs the reader to the Axios site for more informationthis information is usually just more articles, videos, and graphs on the Axios website. Not much different than the other embedded links. The goal, according to Swiatkowski, who spoke to the CJR, is to make people smarter faster.

ICYMI: How a problematic NYT article shows how newsrooms are out of touch with the communities they cover

Since then, smart brevity longform, appearing on Saturdays (but not every Saturday) has covered topics like robots, trade, health care, climate, demographics, threats, 5G, and the midterms. Despite the Axios language, it all seems a fairly standard online media project: SEO-optimized articles, with lots of links to other pages on the site. The kind that anyone who has worked as a proletariat cog in the machinations of content churn knows very wellthe SEO chum bucket of clickbait. Swiatkowski says that topics are picked because of their importance and relevance to peoples lives. Its high quality information, she tells CJR. Its objective. Its good journalism.

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Axios declined to share click-through rates on the links in the smart brevity longform newsletter, but Swiatkowski says that the Axios AM newsletter has an open rate of about 45 percent.

Who is the intended audience? Surely anyone who is curious about, say, robots, could Google robots. And those informed enough to know about when the robots are coming for our jobs are probably not relying on an email newsletter to explain this to them. Swiatkowski says the audience for smart brevity longform ranges from the Fortune 500 company executive to the college kid who wants to know more about the world. She explains, Were just looking for that smart engaged audience, whos actively seeking it. (It here means information, I think. Or really long newsletters. In the end, the audience seems amorphous and ill defined.)

Among Axioss audience, there has been a lot of positive reader feedback, Swiatkowski adds. People have taken the time to reply to Mike Allens emails. Leonardo DiCaprio retweeted part of the climate change deep dive newsletter.

Trump's plan to prop up coal and nuclear power plants could cause a higher number of pollution-related deaths, according to a new study https://t.co/yygkG7c2rm  Axios (@axios) July 5, 2018

Other people are tweeting about it, too, though not always to endorse the stylistic flair of smart brevity longform.

ah yes, the classic enemy of climate change.. divisiveness https://t.co/qGbGlyzfvE  Ashley Feinberg (@ashleyfeinberg) November 12, 2018

Axios is ready to throw in the towel on climate change; a reporter doesn't see hope for big solutions. Sad shrug. The solutions I see emerging everywhere are small ones. They'll add up. Maybe one day they'll all gel, but that mightn't be entirely crucial. https://t.co/gaYiWZUrkE  John Upton (@johnupton) November 12, 2018

There is one major political party on earth that is full of climate change deniers and that is the GOP, but leave it up to Axios to make it a both sides issue. https://t.co/OBCNbUcIiC  Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) November 12, 2018

When asked about the pushback that the climate change piece in smart brevity longform has received, Swiatkowski replies, These are topics that matter, theyre topics that different people have different views on. Pairing news, reporting the facts, were gonna use smart analysis on this. She adds, Were living in an incredibly polarized environment, thats kind of the point of it.

ICYMI: Newspaper investigates after veteran reporter accused of making up sources

Axios has also received criticism of the smart brevity format, which is supposed to get rid of all the shit thats distracting about other journalism. All the shit thats distracting is, apparently, paragraphs and complex sentences.

But pro-paragraph journalists, like Ashley Feinberg of the HuffPost, arent buying the the bulleted hype. Feinberg wrote in a story about Axios journalist Jonathan Swan that the Axios style is a horse race sensibility, the chumminess with power, the aggressive sell job bleeding into the journalism, the fetish for information for its own sake, denuded of context.

Alex Shepard, writing in the New Republic, noted that Axios founders Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei are making Axios seem radical, when really its the same scoop-obsessed, insider-y journalism they perfected at Politico, just briefer.

Maybe smart brevity isnt so smart.  Richard Wolffe (@richardwolffedc) September 24, 2018

The smart brevity longform experiment, which appears, at least on the surface, to address these criticisms, is just more of the same. More bullets, more bold faced sign posts telling you Why it matters, Go deeper, and The bottom line. The effect is a steamrolling of nuance in favor of sounding smart at a cocktail party. The smart brevity longform on the financial crisis includes this line about Millennials: For many in the generation of young adults who came of age during the financial crisis, owning big-ticket items like houses and cars is no longer seen as wiseor necessary. And the take away from that insight? The bottom line: Formative financial anxieties were cemented just as the iPhone and other mobile devices arrived, enabling the rise of sharing and gig-economy services like Airbnb and Uber.

Thats it. Thats what you need to know about millennials. Nothing else about how we get paid less and have greater debt. Nothing on how our healthcare has been gutted, housing is unaffordable. No self reflection about the ways the economy benefits the few at the cost of the many. Just that we dont like to spend.

But all of this criticism doesnt matter to Axios. Feinbergs article includes part of a leaked audio recording of a staff meeting, wherein Nicholas Johnston, the Axios editor-in-chief, says that when it comes to criticism of the site, well, basically, haters to the left. Our profile is going to get bigger and bigger and bigger, Johnston tells his colleagues. And were going to have more cool successes. And you know what? Were on HBO, Splinter.com, and youre not. Youre fucking laid off by Gizmodo. Im sorry. So theyre going to come after us on this kind of stuff.

Smart brevity longform, on the other hand, has been so successful by Axios standards that the company recently hired Megan Marco to oversee the smart brevity longform newsletter. Marco previously worked at The Wall Street Journal, where her title was digital content strategy editor.

I spoke to Marco on her first day on the job. She declined to share specific topics she hopes to cover in the future, but she did note that her assignment comes with a lot of flexibility. And there is a list of future topics, which according to Marco, Some of it will be stuff that youre curious about like whats going on with this, I keep hearing about it, and some stuff it will be we realize that this is important as journalists and were gonna spend some time writing about this and hope that that makes an impression, it will be both.

When asked if Axios has plans to host these newsletters on the site in a more SEO friendly way, Marco, noted that theyd be silly not to explore all options.

In 1709, Alexander Pope wrote An Essay on Criticism, in which he observed, A little learning is a dangerous thing; drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: there shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again. Or in smart brevity lingo: Thinking you know when you dont know is the worst kind of ignorance.

ICYMI: NPR kills journalists piece over her accent

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Lyz Lenz is a writer based in Iowa. Her writing has appeared in Pacific Standard, Marie Claire, Jezebel, and the Washington Post. Follow her on Twitter @lyzl.
In what appears to have been a cut-and-paste error, a routine filing in a completely unrelated court case revealed on Thursday that the Justice Department has finally laid charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The filing was a request for the court to seal all documents related to a case involving a man named Seitu Sulayman Kokayi, but instead of referring to him, the filing used Assanges name, saying: due to the sophistication of the defendant and the publicity surrounding the case, no other procedure is likely to keep confidential the fact that Assange has been charged.

The filing went on to say that the case would need to be sealed until Assange is arrested in connection with the charges in the criminal complaint and can therefore no longer evade or avoid arrest and extradition. Both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal later confirmed through anonymous sources that charges have been laid against the WikiLeaks founder, who has lived in the Ecuadorean embassy in London for six years. Assange claimed asylum in 2012 so that he wouldnt be charged with espionage by the US (although critics note he was also evading sexual assault charges in Sweden).

While the details of the charges remain unknown, press freedom and First Amendment advocates are afraid prosecution of the WikiLeaks founder could be a slippery slope that would threaten traditional journalists and publishers. Although the shadowy organization is not officially a journalistic one, receiving classified documents from a source and then publishing them is something many media organizations do routinely. Jameel Jaffer of the Knight First Amendment Institute said that prosecution of Wikileaks for publication of classified infoif thats the focus of the indictmentwould represent a profound threat to press freedom.

I don't agree with everything in this post, but @ggreenwald is right that the prosecution of Wikileaks for publication of classified infoif that's the focus of the indictmentwould represent a profound threat to press freedom. https://t.co/Of4zm6e1nv  Jameel Jaffer (@JameelJaffer) November 16, 2018

The Justice Department has been trying to come up with a way to charge Assange ever since WikiLeaks first started distributing classified documents in 2010, including military data leaked by former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning (who was later charged with espionage), as well as tens of thousands of diplomatic cables. But the governments legal teams were reportedly afraid that any attempt to charge Assange for simply receiving and publicizing classified information would run head-first into First Amendment protections for freedom of the press.

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As The Washington Post put it in 2013, the Justice Department ran into a New York Times problem. In other words, if the government tried to indict Assange, it would also have to lay charges against the Times and other news organizations who published classified information. A former Justice Department spokesman told the Post at the time: There is no way to prosecute him for publishing information without the same theory being applied to journalists. Thats because the First Amendment doesnt protect traditional journalists or organizations specifically, it protects a free press.

I hope people see how precedent the Trump admin wants to get against WikiLeaks under the Espionage Act can easily be turned around and used on mainstream reporters. Hard to overstate how dangerous it would be for press freedom. https://t.co/pmrRN435h4  Trevor Timm (@trevortimm) November 16, 2018

At one point, the government was said to be considering conspiracy charges, based on the theory that Assange could have encouraged Manning to steal the classified information, rather than just being a passive recipient. The Justice Department reportedly spent a lot of time looking through logs of chat discussions between Manning and Adrian Lamo, a former hacker who turned Manning in and later gave evidence against her, saying she bragged about her connections to Assange and how WikiLeaks had set up a private server for her to upload information. But in the end, the Obama administration shied away from charging Assange.

Since then, WikiLeaks has been caught up in the intrigue surrounding the 2016 election and the release of emails from a hacked Democratic National Congress server, emails many believe may have helped swing the election in Donald Trumps favor. The president at one point congratulated WikiLeaks for doing so, and members of his campaign appear to have been in contact with the organization on a number of occasions. But releasing those emails may have also provided an opening for the Justice Department to indict Assange, provided it can prove he was actively involved in coordinating the hack.

Before it can make that case, of course, the Justice Department would have to get Assange extradited to the US, something that might prove difficult to do unless the Ecuadorean government chooses to give up its protection of him (he could also fight extradition in the British courts if he was arrested there). But regardless of what the US tries to prove about his motivation or behavior, free-press advocates will be watching closely to see whether the attempted prosecution of Assange crosses a line into an attack on journalism in general.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Mathew Ingram is CJRs chief digital writer. Previously, he was a senior writer with Fortune magazine. He has written about the intersection between media and technology since the earliest days of the commercial internet. His writing has been published in the Washington Post and the Financial Times as well as by Reuters and Bloomberg.
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Domestic violence, Glenmont Road: At 11:40 p.m. Nov. 12, a woman, 50, reported that her son, 16, and her grandson, 13, got into a physical altercation as they argued about gambling money and a dice game.

The woman's husband spoke to both of the boys, but then the grandson attempted to take out his anger on his grandmother. The boy tried to punch his grandmother in the face, but she dodged the punch. The man then held the boy down until police arrived.

The woman told officers that her grandson has tried multiple times in the past to strike her. The boy was taken to the county juvenile detention center on a domestic violence charge.

Domestic violence, Mayfield Road: At 3:40 p.m. Nov. 10, a woman, 26, went to the police station to report that she had been assaulted by the father of her child.

The woman told police that the man, also 26, picked her up from work at a supermarket and was upset that she was late getting out of work. The man became further upset at her "tone" when she said she was late because she needed to pick up food for him and their child, 2.

As they drove, the man punched the woman in the face, then dug his fingernails into her face. The couple's child was in the back seat.

When their car reached the woman's mother's house, the couple got out of the auto and the man hit the woman in the face with an open hand, threw her to the ground, the slapped her. When she tried to call police, he broke her phone.

The woman signed complaints against the man for domestic violence, assault and child endangering. Police are seeking the man.

Assault, Dresden Road: At 1:40 a.m. Nov. 10, police were called to a home on a report that a woman had been struck and was unconscious.

Officers arrived to find the woman standing in the driveway, her face bloodied and her lip swollen. The woman, 33, said that a man who was still inside the house had grabbed her head and slammed it into a wall.

Police arrested the man, 26, for assault.

Officers had been called to the same home the night before for a similar incident in which the woman, bloodied, said the man who assaulted her was someone she knew from living on the streets. She said she did not know the man's name or whereabouts.

On Nov. 10, however, the woman said the man had been inside the house when police had been present the day before. The man was the suspect in both days' incidents.

Police also noted that while in the house, a second woman was unconscious in an upstairs bedroom. It is believed this woman was also injured by the suspect. All of the involved parties appeared to have been drinking alcohol.

Further, police reported that there were nine children sleeping inside the house, several on a living room couch. None of them had a bed. The children ranged in age from 4-12. Police reported this finding to the child abuse hotline 696-KIDS.

Drug possession, Overlook Lane: At 4:45 p.m. Nov. 11, police received a call about two suspicious men who were overheard by a witness stating that they were going to enter parked cars in the area.

Police searched the area for the suspects' car and, upon seeing it, learned that the owner had a suspended license. When an officer turned his cruiser around to drive back to the suspect's car, the man who had been in the driver's seat was no longer in the vehicle.

As officers spoke to the man, 56, and the woman, 28, who had remained in the car, they heard a resident yelling from across the street for a man to get out of his back yard. This trespasser was the owner of the car.

The car's owner later said he saw police turn around and he ran because of his suspended license. Police checked the car and found in the trunk heroin and syringes.

The car's owner, 55, was arrested for drug possession. The car's other occupants were sent on their way.

Disorderly conduct, Berkshire Road:

At 12:55 p.m. Nov. 13, police were dispatched to a home where a woman, 49, reported that two men she allows to live in her house, 20 and 19, had argued and then began to physically fight.

The older man told police that the younger man had taken a picture of his Social Security card the day before. The older man retaliated by breaking the other man's laptop computer, leading to the fight.

Police charged the older man with disorderly conduct and removed him from the home. The younger man was also charged with disorderly conduct, but was permitted to stay in the home.

If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  A Cuyahoga County judge on Thursday took the unusual step of banning an imprisoned former police officer from setting foot in the city he once policed or talking to any current officers on the force for three years after she granted his request for early release.

Common Pleas Court Judge Nancy Fuerst also ordered ex-East Cleveland police officer Denayne Davidson-Dixon not to have any contact with Jesse Nickerson, the man Dixon drove to a field and challenged to a fight last year, then later tried to convince not to show up for court hearings to testify against Dixon.

Fuerst sentenced Dixon in May 2017 to two years in prison after he pleaded guilty to attempted felonious assault, interfering with civil rights, obstructing justice and carrying a concealed weapon. He was scheduled for release in February after getting credit for time served.

Fuerst granted a motion filed earlier this year for Dixons early release and placed him on three years of probation and ordered him to stay in a half-way house until he has job and a permanent place to live.

Dixon and Nickersons case were prominently featured in Season 3 of Serial, the podcast that spent a year examining the criminal justice system in the Cleveland area.

The podcast chronicled Nickersons experience after he came forward, including his claims that current East Cleveland police officers have been following him to physically intimidate him.

Two East Cleveland officers who showed up to Thursdays hearing, including one who wore a sweatshirt that read blood, sweat, respect, did not alleviate Nickersons fears. That officer, who identified himself to prosecutors as John Hartman, had previously arrested Nickerson.

I dont mind him getting out, Nickerson told Fuerst in court. I just think that these officers in the courtroom, theyre going to retaliate for me even coming up here.

Fuerst told Nickerson that she would craft a decision to honor Nickersons wishes to remain unthreatened, and asked who in the public portion of the courtroom were East Cleveland police officers.

Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Matthew Meyer told Fuerst that his office was concerned about Nickersons safety should Dixon get released. Dixon attacked Nickerson and had his fellow police officers approach him afterward, Meyer said.

Mr. Nickerson needs to live in peace and not have to fear from any reprisal or any retaliation as a result of him coming forward and being willing to testify against police officers, Meyer said. That cant happen.

For his part, Dixon said whatever problem he may have had with Nickerson is gone. He said he is focused on getting a job after he got his commercial driving license in prison. He added that he wants to reconnect with his family and his six children.

(Nickerson) will never have to worry about me doing anything as far as any type of retaliation or anything, Dixon said. I just want to go on with my life and be done with this.

A man in the back of the room who was not a police officer, Martin Powers, said he saw Dixon buying meals for less fortunate residents while he was on the force.

They never mention any of that, the good things that he does for the city, Powers, who owns a mechanic shop, said. They only want to talk about what he did wrong.

The officers in the courtroom turned their backs and refused to comment when a cleveland.com reporter approached them after the hearing. They huddled with Dixons lawyer, Timothy Hess, in the back of the courtroom for several minutes after the hearing to discuss when he would be released.

East Cleveland Police Chief Michael Cardilli told cleveland.com in a phone interview after the hearing that he didnt think the officers in the courtroom were on-duty Thursday morning, and that he doesnt keep track of his officers when theyre not working. He said he didnt know why the officers would have attended the hearing.

If they knew about it, they may have wanted to be there for their own personal reason, Cardilli said. And theres nothing wrong with that.

Nickerson told cleveland.com after the hearing that the officers had previously arrested him in a case where the charges were eventually dropped. Nickerson said he understood why Fuerst ordered Dixon to stay out of the city and not to talk to police officers, but wondered how it was going to be enforced.

At the end of the day, whos going to stop you from talking to your friends, Nickerson asked. The people who are supposed to enforce it are the cops, and the cops are his buddies.

To comment on this story, please visit Fridays crime and courts comments page.
ELYRIA, Ohio -- A Lorain County grand jury indicted an Elyria man and an Arizona woman Thursday in the slaying of an Oberlin man found dead in September in an Elyria elementary school parking lot.

Phillip Tucker, 21, of Elyria, who also has an address in Paso Robles, California, was indicted on two counts of special felony aggravated murder, three counts of special felony murder, two first-degree felony counts of aggravated robbery, two counts of felonious assault, one count of theft and one count of receiving stolen property, according to Lorain County Court of Common Pleas records.

Gloria Watton, 18, of Prescott, Arizona, is charged with two counts of special felony complicity to murder, two first-degree felony counts of complicity to aggravated robbery, two second-degree felony counts of complicity to felonious assault and a fourth-degree felony count of complicity to theft, court records show.

The pair is accused in the fatal stabbing of 38-year-old Barry Allen Spreng, Jr., of Oberlin.

Elyria police responded about 2:20 a.m. Sept. 5 for a call about a man passed out in the Windsor Elementary School parking lot. Officers found Spreng in the parking lot with several stab wounds. EMS pronounced him dead at the scene, police said.

Later that afternoon, police announced their search for three people wanted in the investigation into Sprengs death.

Tucker and Joshua Phillip Alexander Hohn, 19, of Prescott, Arizona, were charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, police said. Detectives advised that Watton was a person of interest in the case who might be traveling with Tucker and Hohn.

Police believed the trio had Sprengs stolen 2007 Hyundai Sonata. The car was spotted Sept. 6 in Oklahoma, according to the Canadian County Sheriffs Office.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol tried to pull over the Sonata, but it sped away and led law enforcement on a chase that reached more than 100 mph, the Canadian County Sheriffs Office said.

Hohn, the driver, lost control of the car and crashed near Oklahoma City. Hohn suffered critical injuries and was hospitalized.

Hohn has not been extradited to Ohio, court records show.

Tucker was also hospitalized and later processed to be extradited to Lorain County.

Watton was not in the vehicle at the time of the crash, police said. She was extradited to Lorain County in September and her case was bound over Oct. 2 to the grand jury.

Tucker is being held on $3 million bond, while Watton is held on $2 million bond, according to court records.

To comment on this story, visit Fridays crime and courts comment section.
SOLON, Ohio  Our brunch and breakfast series continues as we check out Rose Italian Kitchen. Heres a look at what to expect:

Location + hours: 6140 Som Center Road, Solon. Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Menu or buffet? Menu.

About the place: Its at the southwest corner of U.S. 422 and Ohio 91, about 20 miles from downtown Cleveland. The restaurant is decorated with tasteful art, from old photos to modern art pieces. Youll hear the Godfather theme, Dean Martin crooning Volare, and music from Frank Sinatra and Harry Connick on a Sunday morning.

About the menu: Five breakfast dishes include a range of flavors. French Toast looks to satiate the morning sweet tooth, with mascarpone, chocolate chips, strawberries and maple syrup. A frittata (baked eggs, penne, crispy bits of prosciutto, artichokes, spinach, parmesan, fruit) was souffle-like, tasty and served in a small skillet. A chefs omelet and breakfast sandwich also are on the menu, along with apps, pizzas, pasta, burgers and salads.

Dont miss: A breakfast calzone was about 10 inches long with a side of pomodoro. Resembling a first basemans mitt, it contains sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, peppers, onions, mushrooms and mozzarella. The sausage was more breakfast-like; it was not spicy and overly fennel-loaded, like you would expect in a dinner entree. The peppers and onions were not doused in grease. Youll be sharing or taking some of this home, or both. Its huge.

Nice touch: As a nosh, a warm rounded loaf of bread is difficult to resist, and served with a side of sweet butter.

About the drinks: Five variations of Bloody Marys  with a loaded skewer  are offered.

Previous coverage: Rose Italian Kitchen (owned by the company that operates Burntwood Tavern) opened this year  story, photo, video

Have a brunch spot youve wondered about and want us to visit? Email me.

Previous eats: Northeast Ohio breakfast-brunch spots weve tried:

111 Bistro - Medina

35 Brix - Green

Akron Family Restaurant - Akron

Alley Cat - Cleveland (Flats East Bank)

Bay Diner - Bay Village

Beau's on the River - Cuyahoga Falls

Big Al's Diner - Cleveland (East Side)

Blue Canyon Kitchen & Tavern - Twinsburg

Blue Door Cafe - Cuyahoga Falls

Bomba Tacos & Rum - Akron

Bonefish Grill - Independence

Brim Kitchen + Brewery - Willoughby

Burntwood Tavern - Brecksville

Check Please Cafe - Grafton

The Cheesecake Factory - Lyndhurst

The City Diner - Cleveland

City Works - Orange Village

Creekside Restaurant & Bar  Brecksville

Deagans Kitchen & Bar - Lakewood

The Eye Opener - Akron

Fat Cats - Cleveland (Tremont)

Fire Food and Drink  Cleveland (Shaker Square)

First Watch - Fairlawn

Flour - Moreland Hills

Flury's Cafe - Cuyahoga Falls

Flying Fig - Cleveland (Ohio City)

Fred's Diner - Akron

Fresh Start Diner - Twinsburg

Gabe's Family Restaurant  Cleveland

Galaxy - Wadsworth

Gandalf's Pub & Restaurant - Valley City

The Girves Brown Derby - Medina

Hofbrauhaus - Cleveland (Downtown)

Jennifer's - Strongsville

Kelly's cafe - Brunswick

Lamp Post - Akron

Luxe Kitchen & Lounge - Cleveland (Gordon Square)

Michael's A.M. - Akron

Mom's Deli & Grille - North Royalton

Mustard Seed Market & Cafe - Fairlawn

Noble Beast Brewing Co. - Cleveland (Downtown)

Perk Cup Cafe & Grill - Berea

Punch Bowl Social - Cleveland (Flats East Bank)

Rosewood Grill - Hudson

Soho Chicken + Whiskey - Cleveland (Ohio City)

Tartine Bistro - Rocky River

Tony's Family Restaurant - Parma

Twisted Citrus - Canton

Urban Farmer - Cleveland (Downtown)

Valley Cafe - Akron

Village Diner - Orange

Wally Waffle - Akron

Yours Truly - Mentor
SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio  Former Cuyahoga Common Pleas Judge Lance Mason, who spent nine months in prison for beating his then-wife in front of their children, is accused of fatally stabbing the woman Saturday morning at his Shaker Heights home, according to three sources.

Mason was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the death of his estranged wife, Aisha Fraser Mason, at his home on Chagrin Boulevard near Normandy Road, the sources said.

The house where the stabbing happened is near where police reported that a Shaker Heights police officer was hit by a car fleeing a domestic violence incident. The officer, who was in his cruiser at the time of the crash, was taken to the hospital and his condition was unknown.

Agents with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are at the scene assisting Shaker Heights police.

Shaker Heights police did not respond to multiple messages seeking comment until more than seven hours after the slaying, when the department issued a release stating only that Fraser Mason had been killed and that her estranged husband had been arrested.

The refusal by the department to release details of the case in a timely manner continues the pattern of four years ago, when the suburb failed for more than 36 hours to provide its resident with an account of Masons attack on his wife. More than 24 hours after the attack, then Mayor Earl Leiken refused even to to confirm that Mason was sitting in the Shaker Heights Jail.

After Masons release from prison, he was hired by Cleveland Mayor Frank Jacksons administration as a minority business development director. The city said in a statement later in the day Saturday that Jackson fired Mason from his $45,000-per-year job because of his arrest.

"I extend my deepest condolences to the family of Ms. Aisha Fraser, especially to her children, Jackson said in a statement.

Lizette Jordan, who identified herself as a longtime friend of the Masons, spoke well of both Mason and Fraser Mason. She said she wasnt aware of any issues between the two after the 2014 domestic violence incident.

The only issues they ever had is when they argued about the girls, Jordan said, referring to their two children. He really loved those girls though.

Mason in August 2014 punched his then-wife 20 times and slammed her head against the dashboard of his car five times, breaking her orbital bone.

The couples children were in the back of the car when the attack occurred. Mason, who previously served in the state legislature, was a sitting Cuyahoga County judge when the attack happened.

Mason drove home after the attack. A family member reported to Cleveland police that he might attempt suicide, but Mason surrendered. Officers searching his home at the time found smoke grenades, semi-automatic rifles, a sword, a bulletproof vest and more than 2,500 rounds of ammunition from the home.

Mason pleaded guilty to felonious assault and domestic violence and was sentenced to two years in prison.

He was granted judicial release nine months later. Part of his petition for early release included a letter to Fraser Mason in which he apologized to her, asked for her forgiveness and said he deeply regretted what happened.

Mason wrote that he failed as a husband, father, and a man, and promised that once he realized he was broken he became a better father and man, the letter said.

My responsibility was to love and protect you, Masons letter said. Instead of loving, protecting and providing for you and our daughters, I have provided a terrible example, and exposed you to rage and violence.

Fraser Mason, who needed reconstructive surgery on her face, filed for divorce two days after the incident. The divorce case is still pending.

Fraser Mason also won a $150,000 judgement in a civil case after suing her ex-husband for damages after the attack.

Mason was barred by law from ever being a judge again. His law license was suspended indefinitely in December 2017.

cleveland.com reporter Robin Goist contributed to this report.

Correction: The post is updated to reflect the stabbing happened at Masons Shaker Heights home, not Fraser Masons. Court records show that the address of the stabbing was Masons home. Shaker Heights police as of 12:30 p.m. Monday have not answered questions seeking clarification.
The Republican-run Ohio House of Representatives never forgets why voters send it to the Statehouse  to limit womens access to abortion, and to boost gun peddlers profits. House Republicans dont let themselves get distracted by trivial side issues, such as public school funding (ruled unconstitutional 21 years ago).

For 1997, the year that Ohios Supreme Court ruled that Ohios school funding system unconstitutionally overrelies on property taxes, Ohio real estate owners were charged $7.2 billion in taxes. (Ohios public schools receive about two-thirds of every $1 in real estate taxes.) For 2015, latest year at hand, owners were charged $15.7 billion in real estate taxes.

In 2017, women obtained 20,893 abortions in Ohio. In 1997, year of the school-funding ruling, women obtained about 35,000 abortions in Ohio. That is, (unconstitutional) property taxes, up; (constitutional) abortions, down. So the Republicans who run Ohios House do the logical thing: Go after abortion. Not property taxes. (Still, House Republicans first love remains the right to shoot. On Wednesday, they passed a stand-your-ground gun bill. Yee-haw!)

The state Senates supposed to check and balance the House, and vice versa. But both are GOP-run, and lots of those Republicans daydream about yammering on C-SPAN as members of Congress. So they dont rock the boat. They get with the Republican program: Ignore Ohioans real burdens. and distract voters with grandstanding over abortion, guns or sexuality.

Attacking sexual minorities seems to be a GOP fave. In 2020, when Donald Trump will seek re-election, dont be surprised if GOP operatives cook up a statewide Ohio ballot issue that, somehow, some way, could fetter the rights of transgender Ohioans. Object: to boost Republican turnout.

GOP managers did much the same in 2004 with a statewide ballot issue to ban same-sex marriage. Goal: to bloat Dubya Bushs second-term Ohio turnout. Republicans fretted that Massachusetts Democrat John Kerry might (even in the middle of a war) deny Bush a second term.

Bush would have carried Ohio anyway. Fact is (attention, Sen. Elizabeth Warren) Ohio doesnt seem to want a Massachusetts Democrat in the White House: Not JFK in 1960; not Michael Dukakis in 1988; not John Kerry in 2004.

No, Ohio is not yet a pure red state

Nov. 6s election has spawned an interesting side effect. Out-of-staters just know Ohio has become a red state or a purple state, or something besides what Ohio still is: a state with a GOP edge that  given the right issues and the right candidates  Democrats can and do win.

As someone at a Columbus gathering recently pointed out, Ohioans backed George H.W. Bush for president in 1988 even as they gave liberal Democratic U.S. Howard M. Metzenbaum a third term. Whats more, Metzenbaum beat GOP challenger George V. Voinovich by 607,000 votes, while Bush bested Dukakis in Ohio by about 477,000 votes.

Ohio twice voted for Bill Clinton and twice for Barack Obama. And Obamas 2012 Ohio popular vote (2.83 million votes) virtually matched Trumps 2016 Ohio popular vote (2.84 million votes).

As for 2016, unfairly or not, voters seemingly dont warm to Hillary Clinton. And she ignored the Great Lakes states. True, Democrats avalanche-scale margins in such Ohio counties as Mahoning (Youngstown) and Trumbull (Warren) are gone for good. Thats because, in Washington and Columbus, Democrats took Mahoning and Trumbull voters for granted. Metzenbaum and John Glenn could have landed big federal offices (i.e., jobs) for Youngstown and Warren the way Robert C. Byrd did for West Virginia. They didnt. Now, General Motors Lordstown plant is in jeopardy. Along the Mahoning, GOP presidential margins will grow.

Meanwhile, the number of Ohios metropolitan regions, and the ethnic range of Ohios people, far exceed, say, Indianas  a state that, for unfathomable reasons, some people think Ohio is starting to resemble politically, although Indianapolis is to Cleveland what Wonder Bread is to pumpernickel.

No question, Ohio has had its problems. Unlike Indiana, though, the Buckeye State has never elected a Ku Klux Klan member its governor. For good (Northeast Ohios Western Reserve, in the fall) or bad (the General Assembly, any day of the week), theres no place like Ohio, politically or otherwise. Not even a state next-door.

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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Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (C) visits Innovation and Technology fair at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, Massachusetts, March 25, 2018.

The CIA has determined that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, NBC News reported Friday, citing a person briefed on the CIA's assessment.

The CIA declined NBC News' request for comment Friday night.

The Washington Post, which first reported the CIA findings, said the U.S. intelligence agency has high confidence in its findings. Khashoggi was a resident of the United States from Saudi Arabia, and he was a columnist for the Washington Post.

The Saudi Embassy in Washington denied the reports.

"The claims in this purported assessment are false," the embassy said in a statement. "We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations."

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would speak with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the CIA about Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October, Bloomberg said on Twitter. This according to a Reuters report.

Khashoggi died after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on Oct. 2. Saudi Arabia has said that Khashoggi died in an altercation at the consulate, but its explanations around the journalist's death have changed more than once.
Coca-Cola's $5.1 billion acquisition of U.K. coffee chain Costa was less of an effort to take on giants like Starbucks than a move to create a new type of coffee experience, Coca-Cola President and CEO James Quincey tells CNBC.

To Quincey, who joined Jim Cramer for an exclusive interview Friday, the coffee industry has split into three overarching parts: the "ready-to-drink piece," the "at-home" segment and immediate consumption at coffee shops.

"The biggest piece is in immediate consumption channels. And, actually, while coffee shops exist, the biggest piece is the rest," Quincey said on "Mad Money." "Helping other customers have a store in a store and executing coffee within other people's outlets is a big opportunity for them, and I think there's a lot of white space to do a lot better around the world."

Coca-Cola, a $213 billion beverage maker, was criticized by some for paying too much for Costa, a former Whitbread subsidiary with nearly 4,000 international locations, most of them in the United Kingdom.

But the U.K.-born Quincey, who pegged coffee's total addressable market at roughly $500 billion, sees a yet-unlocked opportunity to deliver quality coffee quickly at existing locations like gas stations and convenience stores.

"Our idea is not to go head to head" with companies like Starbucks and Nestle, which made a $7 billion licensing deal with Starbucks in May, the CEO said.

"Whether you want to call it food service or partnering with customers to get stores on, the express is like the top-end vending machine for coffee that gets a barista experience, whether it's in a petrol station, a convenience store, at work," Quincey said. "We have store in stores in cinemas. So there's a massive opportunity to partner with customers to sell more coffee, really high-quality barista coffee, in someone else's store."

But where coffee provides opportunities, cannabis seems laden with obstacles, Quincey said, addressing Coca-Cola's likelihood to break into the rapidly expanding marijuana market.

While some alcohol brands are already exploring ways to create drinks infused with THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, Coca-Cola would only consider incorporating CBD, the plant's non-active, medically inclined component, in its products, the CEO said.

"The way I think about ingredients is the following: Is it legal? Is it safe? And is it consumable?" Quincey said. "Is it legal? It's not legal in the U.S. It's not even legal for beverages in Canada yet. Is it safe? Science is out. We believe our consumers want to trust us that our beverages are indisputably safe, and therefore, we want to see consensus science behind any ingredient, whichever one it is."

"We want to sell drinks that people can drink each day. So it's not like you have something once," the CEO continued. "You have one a day. And if you can't cross [off] those three things of legal, safe and consumable, it's not an ingredient that's going to work for us."

Coca-Cola's stock hit a new 52-week high in Friday's trading session, ultimately closing up 0.86 percent at $50.17 a share. The company third-quarter earnings report in late October impressed Wall Street, with 30-percent profit growth and a double-digit sales jump in the company's Coke Zero Sugar brand.
Google employees arriving after bicycling to work at the Googleplex in Mountain View, CA.

Google could pay upwards of $110 million, without subsidies, to buy large swaths of land in San Jose, according to a new city document detailing its negotiations with the company on its plan to build a mega-campus 15 miles south of its headquarters.

The plan describes sites that cover around 21 acres, some owned by the San Jose Redevelopment Agency, others by the City of San Jose.

"Google will pay full freight for land, taxes, fees, and additional community benefits like affordable housing, in stark contrast to other cities handing out billions in local tax dollars to attract big companies," San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said in a statement. "We offered Google no subsidies, and they didn't ask for them."

The city's statement reads like a swipe against Amazon, which spent more than a year soliciting cities to offer perks to land its new new headquarters, then announced earlier this month that it would split the headquarters between Arlington, Va., and Queens, New York. Amazon could net $2.2 billion in tax incentives from local governments for those offices, plus a third office in Nashville, Tenn.

The San Jose City Council will vote on whether to sell the parcels of land to Google on December 4.

Google has previously said that its mixed-use campus will accommodate 15,000 to 20,000 employees and include offices, retail space, and thousands of residential units.

The project has drawn some controversy.

Proponents of the deal expect it to revitalize San Jose, which is the only major U.S. city that has a higher population at night than it does during the day, reflecting its status as a commuter community despite its population of over 1 million. Critics fear it could exacerbate gentrification and inequality in the area.

Earlier this month, two non-profit groups sued the city, alleging that nondisclosure agreements that officials signed about the land deal were illegal.

WATCH: Meet the man behind Google Assistant's personality  Ryan Germick
A view of the waterfront of Long Island City in the Queens borough of New York, along the East River, on November 7, 2018.

Long Island City  one of New York City's hottest up-and-coming neighborhoods  is about to get a whole lot hotter, thanks to Amazon. The Seattle-based digital behemoth announced Tuesday that it had selected the Queens, New York, enclave as a location for its second headquarters and planned to make a $2.5 billion economic investment there, as well as create 25,000 jobs. But this is just the latest news for LIC. In 2017, Long Island City was America's fastest growing neighborhood, and it's the fastest growing one in New York City, with an increasingly young population (51 percent under the age of 34) who have been gentrifying the area. It's now home to over 150 restaurants, bars and cafes (some of them Michelin-starred); more than 39 arts and cultural institutions, including MoMA PS1, a leading modern art space; five waterfront parks; and 32 hotels, with 43 more in the works. One person who has witnessed the neighborhood's transformation is Jonathan Forgash, 51, a local entrepreneur who runs culinary service Servana. He lives on the northern fringe of Long Island City and has been in the neighborhood since 1995, well before hipsters started crossing rivers and bridges to get there. "For the longest time, Long Island City was a nothing neighborhood with a semi-industrial mix of businesses and some residents  it was a quiet place with the greatest views in the world," Forgash tells CNBC Make It. "Then developers discovered that it's just one subway stop away from Manhattan." Shiny glass condo towers started to rise around 2006, according to Eric Benaim, 40, founder of local real estate company Modern Spaces. The waterfront began to transform, thanks to green spaces like Gantry Plaza State Park, home to the landmark neon Pepsi-Cola sign. And critically acclaimed restaurants like M. Wells, in MoMA PS1's cafeteria, started popping up too.

Pepsi Cola billboard on Long Island City in New York. Adam Jeffery | CNBC

M. Wells, which earned a Michelin star in 2015, now has a second location in LIC  a steakhouse hidden in an old auto body garage. Others in the culinary world have staked their claim: Rising star Cosme Aguilar opened Casa Enrique, a sophisticated Mexican restaurant that the Michelin guide inspectors lauded for its "amazingly complex menu," and Mu Ramen, a buzzing ramen shop was opened by a veteran of Per Se. Dan Kluger, the chef who helped ABC Kitchen win a James Beard Award, just announced that he will open a restaurant within the JACX, a multiple-tower real estate project.

Hotels from millennial favorite Aloft to boutique spots like Paper Factory Hotel (in what else but a 100-year-old paper factory) have hip and eclectic decor, amenities like trendy coffee and cheaper rates than Manhattan.

And the neighborhood is a draw for artists and creative types. PS1 now has popular summer concert series Warm Up and performance series VW Sunday Sessions, among other events. There's performance space The Chocolate Factory, where the Obie-winning programming "tends toward the highly physical, the interdisciplinary and the avant-garde," according to Time Out New York. Kaufman Astoria Studios was the original home of Paramount Pictures, but these days, television shows like Netflix's "Orange is the New Black" and movies are shot there and the original commissary is a restaurant.

Brands like Macy's, Ralph Lauren, Gwynnie Bee and Madewell have opened offices in Long Island City, though the local retail tends toward boutiques and thrift stores. "It's a melting pot in Long Island City," says TJ Kawamura, 25, a data science strategist for real estate asset manager Compound. He moved to Long Island City a year ago from Miami, but was born and raised in Manhattan. "It's an oasis away from Manhattan. And being in real estate, I like being in areas that are quickly developing and seeing how the changes happen in real time." Oliver Reimers, 33, is another transplant, who moved from Frankfurt, Germany, after getting hired as manager of corporate counsel for JetBlue Airways, which opened a cool office in Long Island City in 2012. He lives in one of the new high-rise towers with a basketball court and a rooftop pool overlooking the skyline, paying $2,970 a month for a one-bedroom apartment. "I have friends in Manhattan who have a studio for about the same price  and they're facing the wall of the building next door," says Reimers, who has embraced everything the neighborhood has to offer. "It's like it's own little village. It has everything you need and it's cheaper than going out in Manhattan." Forgash also says that he loves how far the neighborhood has come. "I appreciate the gentrification. It's a playground for adults and kids," he says. Not everyone is as excited, of course. Michele Melnick, 45, a longtime resident who runs a technology consulting firm in nearby Long Island, tells CNBC Make It that there are problems with the neighborhood's infrastructure  including overcrowded subway cars, traffic jams, lack of parking, and buildings with flooding issues. "None of these real issues are being addressed, and the truth is that anyone who lives here and has to live with this, they know that nothing is going to happen overnight," says Melnick. And gentrification has its casualties: 5Pointz Aerosol Art Center, a space covered in graffiti murals on old buildings, which Time Out New York once called "the city's most spectacular showcase of street-art talent," is being turned into the 5 Pointz condos, for example.
Chinese President Xi Jinping reacts during a session at the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia.

Chinese President Xi Jinping intends to visit North Korea next year after receiving an invite from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, South Korea said in a statement from its presidential office on Saturday.

Xi told South Korean president Moon Jae-in in a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit in Papua New Guinea that he would "make time" to visit North Korea next year.

Xi added that China would continue to play a constructive role in building peace on the Korean peninsula, Kim Eui-kyeom, spokesman for South Korea's presidential office, said at a briefing after the meeting between Xi and Moon.

This comes at a time when negotiations between North Korea and the United States appear to have stalled over how to remove the Pyongyang's nuclear weapons.

At an unprecedented summit in Singapore, U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim agreed in June to work toward denuclearisation and peace on the Korean peninsula and establish new relations. But the agreement was short on specifics, and negotiations have made little headway since.

Xi's trip to North Korea would be the first by a Chinese president since his predecessor Hu Jintao's visit in 2005. Xi travelled to North Korea in 2008 as a vice president.

Amid existing international sanctions on North Korea following its weapons tests, China is Pyongyang's sole major ally and a key economic lifeline for the isolated country.

China appears to have relaxed enforcement of sanctions on Pyongyang, as relations between China and North Korea have thawed after the long-time ally of Beijing began to engage with the United States this year, a U.S. congressional commission said earlier this week.

China's account of the bilateral meeting in Papua New Guinea made no mention of Xi planning to go to North Korea.

Xi said that in the past year, the situation on the Korean Peninsula had undergone positive changes returning to the "correct track" of talks, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.

"At present, the situation on the peninsula is at a critical stage," the ministry cited Xi as saying.

China and South Korea should strengthen communication and coordinate the process of promoting the denuclearisation of the peninsula and establishing a peace mechanism, Xi said.

"The key is that the parties concerned meet each other half way, show flexibility, and are able to talk and for those talks to get results," he said.

Trump's summit no-show worries Asian leaders

The two leaders agreed that a second summit between Washington and Pyongyang and a planned visit by North Korean leader Kim to Seoul would be an "important breakthrough" in resolving the situation on the peninsula, according to South Korea's presidential office.

The South Korean presidential spokesman said Xi was also willing to come to South Korea next year at a convenient time.

South Korea's presidential office issued a transcript of its briefing on the meeting in Port Moresby.

Reporting by Ju-min Park and Soyoung Kim; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by Tom Hogue
REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

Amazon will soon have more than 50,000 jobs to fill. The company announced this month it will open two new headquarters, one in New York City, and the other in northern Virginia, and that the average salary will be more than $150,000. Wondering if you could be a contender? CNBC talked with former recruiters at the e-commerce giant about what candidates should expect. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they're bound by agreements not to speak publicly about their time at the company.

Brian was a recruiter at Amazon for six years. The hiring process is "extremely competitive," he said. He'd typically bring in around seven candidates for an in-person interview for every one position he filled. "How many folks do the online assessment or a phone screen?" he said. "That could be 20 to one." The company's 14 leadership principles, he said, play a big role in the interviews. Come equipped, he said, to tell personal stories that demonstrate these values, which include customer obsession and frugality. "This is how they measure cultural fit," Brian said. Candidates are asked to submit references, he said. "Anything you can give on a personal level, like from a co-worker will stand out," Brian said. Amazon also has a new online guide to help prepare candidates for the application process.

Ray, a former recruiting associate at Amazon, said hiring managers increasingly prefer people who have a specific skill set over those who can do many tasks somewhat well. "There needs to a core strength that you have that you really want to contribute to the team's mission," he said. "My advice to most people is to be intentional  know exactly what you want to do at the company." Recruiters can't respond to every applicant, he said, but candidates should look at the process as they would dating. "If someone doesn't get back to you," Ray said, "take that as a stance of where they are in terms of interest."

Ryan was a recruiter at Amazon for more than three years. He said the best way to apply for a job at the company is on its careers website, and added that people should reach out directly to recruiters, as well. "Most recruiters, especially at Amazon, where you are competing against other Amazon recruiters, check applicants every day," Ryan said. Quick tips:  Don't just apply on Amazon's careers website. Reach out to their recruiters on LinkedIn.  Make sure your resume is well-formatted and typo-free.  Study the company's 14 leadership principles, and be prepared to talk about how you've demonstrated them.  Techies should brush up on their computer science skills, and be ready for a coding test.  Some applicants will also have to write an essay. Finding these people shouldn't be hard. Most recruiters have a special LinkedIn license that allows applicants to message them over the platform for free, Ryan explained. "Reach out to ones that are in the division you want to work at," Ryan said. Update your social media profiles, Ryan said, adding that Amazon recruiters search for talent on LinkedIn, GitHub and Stack Overflow. Be on the lookout for the hiring events that Amazon holds at various cities, Ryan said. It's crucial that your resume is well-formatted and typo-free, he said. "Say you're a developer; if your resume has mistakes, it makes me wonder  and definitely hiring managers  how clean your code is," Ryan said.
For the first time in history, scientists have detected the first interstellar object ever observed.

In October 2017, an elongated interstellar object named "Oumuamua"  the first to enter the solar system  was detected by a survey telescope in Hawaii. A new study published this week in the Astronomical Journal, coauthored by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, uncovered new information that suggested there was a limit to how big Oumuamua actually is, and gave astronomers a better indication of its size.

Scientists have been looking for signs of extraterrestrial life for decades. So does the appearance of Oumuamua mean the elusive "E.T" has finally been detected? Perhaps: Experts say it is exceedingly unlikely, but the possibility can't be ruled out just yet.

"I personally think the odds are much better that is something natural, but I don't want to dismiss the possibility that it could be from an alien civilization. But we have to have an open mind," Michael Wall, a writer at Space.com and a biologist, told CNBC recently.

Scientists believe Oumuamua is shaped like a cigar, approximately 400 feet long and 40 feet wide. However, they are only able to guess based on its changing brightness as it spins.

But scientists' biggest unanswered question is the object's thickness. As far as the scientific community is aware, there is no naturally occurring object that is as big as Oumuamua that appears so thin at the same time, increasing the likelihood that it was created by another life form.

Given the speed the object is moving, experts believe that it may be a light sail  an object that is thin enough to be pushed by the sun or another star, almost like a plastic bag in the wind, according to Matija Cuk, a research scientist at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute.

Seth Shostak, a SETI research fellow, told CNBC that for that to be true, Oumuamua would have to be about a millimeter thickabout as thick as 5-10 sheets of paper stacked together.

According to Wall, scientists originally hypothesized that Oumuamua was a comet or an asteroid. However, both theories were ruled out: Unlike comets studied here on earth, this object does not have a tail, nor jets of gas that a comet would normally emit.

If Oumuamua is not a comet or an asteroid, chances of it being a light sail increase. According to SETI's Cuk, it is possible that outside our solar system, composition of space objects are different.

"Maybe in other solar systems comets could be made differently," Cuk said. That suggests the object could be naturally occurring, despite the fact that nothing like it has ever been seen anywhere near earth before.

Shostak said there are likely many objects similar to Oumuamua in the depths of space. This time, the object "hit the bullseye" by reaching the earth's solar system.

"This implies a number of these things are drifting through the cosmos, as ubiquitous as fire hydrants," Shostak said.

These objects have also likely reached our solar system in the past and gone unnoticed. Scientists are building another telescope similar to the one in Hawaii that detected Oumuamua. Once it is completed in Chile, it will be used to search for similar objects.

"Unless a miracle has occurred, these are entering our solar system all the time. This is just the first one we've found," Shostak said. He acknowledged the alien hypothesis was plausible, adding that Oumuamua acted more like a rock than a spaceship.

"If they really wanted to target our solar system, they'd hang around longer and probably come closer to the earth," he said.

Scientists also would have been able to detect any sort of signal the object had if it were as advanced as a cell phone, Shostak said. That does not prove anything, but decreases the likelihood that it was deliberately sent.

Oumuamua is now drifting further away from our solar system. The longer the distance, the harder it will be for earthlings to study it. Yet as technology increases, scientists may discover more objects similar to Oumuamua, perhaps in the next three to ten years.

"If we don't keep finding them, this will be increasingly peculiar," Shostak said.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addresses the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit September 24, 2018, one day before the start of General Debate of the 73rd session of the General Assembly at the United Nations in New York.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday Iran and Iraq could raise annual bilateral trade to $20 billion from the current level of $12 billion.

Rouhani's remarks, in a meeting with visiting Iraqi President Barham Salih, came about two weeks after the United States restored sanctions targeting Iran's key oil industry as well as its banking and transportation sectors.

"Today, the economic relations between the two countries reach about $12 billion (per year) and, through bilateral efforts, we can raise this figure to $20 billion," Rouhani said in remarks broadcast live on Iran's state television.

Iraqi officials told Reuters last week that Iraq has agreed with Iran to exchange Iraqi food items for Iranian gas and energy supplies.

Baghdad is seeking U.S. approval to allow it to import Iranian gas for its power stations, and officials say it needs more time to find an alternative source than a 45-day waiver granted to it by the United States.

Iraq imports a wide range of goods from Iran including food, agricultural products, home appliances, air conditioners and spare car parts. The goods element of Iranian imports to Iraq was about $6 billion for the 12 months ending March 2018, about 15 percent of Iraq's total imports for 2017.

There are also energy contracts between the two countries contributing to a volume of trade of $12 billion last year.
Jessica Lessin, founder of The Information, a subscription news service. Courtesy of The Information

Comcast Ventures had seen enough. Years of researching business models, seeing their portfolio's performance and watching digital media startups struggle had made an impression. The venture capital firm made a decision: unless it found an extraordinary idea or entrepreneur, it would no longer put seed money behind advertising-driven media companies.

"Starting an ad-supported business is really, really tough," said Daniel Gulati, a Comcast Ventures partner, in an interview. "As a general thesis, we are not actively looking to invest in seed companies that have an advertising-based business model." It's a shift in thinking for Comcast Ventures, which has put money behind advertising-based models before, including 2009 and 2010 investments in Vox Media and a 2016 funding of finance news network Cheddar. (Comcast Ventures is owned by Comcast, which also owns CNBC parent company NBCUniversal.) The reason for the shift comes down to two tech giants: Facebook and Google. The duopoly has dominated digital advertising and both companies are only increasing in scale and market share. Their targeting capabilities, given all of their data, is "second to none," Gulati said. "As their growth accelerates, the opportunity for new companies diminish." As a result, subscription fees are hot -- a return to how most media (newspapers, magazines, cable TV) prospered for decades. This week alone, New York Media, the owner of New York Magazine, announced its sites would be paywalled. That was soon followed by paywall announcements by Verizon's Yahoo Finance and Uzabase's Quartz. Bloomberg, Axel Springer's Business Insider, Conde Nast's Vanity Fair and Wired, and a bunch of other online magazines introduced or hardened their paywalls this year. The New York Times, Wall Street Journal (owned by News Corp), The Financial Times (owned by Nikkei) and The Washington Post (owned by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos) made that decision even earlier. "For many years, the popular narrative has been that readers simply weren't willing to pay for content online," said Eric Stromberg, a venture capitalist at Bedrock Capital. "The only way to win was to build an engine of free articles that were monetized through ads and shared on social networks. Paywalls wouldn't scale. You were destined to have a niche audience if you had a paywall. We're starting to see a shift. I expect we'll see it more powerfully over the next few years."

The trouble with ads

The biggest opposition to subscription services has been the idea that you can't charge for content that can be aggregated or summarized by free online services. "You can't put the genie back in the bottle," media executives would lament. People can't be re-trained to pay for what they're already getting for free. With that thought in mind, investors poured billions into ad-driven media companies in the 2000s, and a couple have gone on to become worth billions. But the successes have come with caveats. Vice Media has been the gold standard, earning a valuation of $5.7 billion in June 2017. Yet earlier this month, Disney wrote down some of its investment in Vice by 40 percent, suggesting a declining overall valuation. Buzzfeed has built itself into a company that tops $1 billion in value. Still, Buzzfeed missed its 2017 revenue forecast by up to 20 percent, the Wall Street Journal reported last year, pushing back hopes of an initial public offering indefinitely. Vox Media, the owner of sites including SBNation, Eater and The Verge, also missed internal revenue forecasts and is not planning to go public any time soon, said people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because the company's financials are private. Among smaller companies, virtually everyone is desperate to sell, said Ben Lerer, CEO of Group Nine Media, a digital media holding company that owns brands including Thrillist, NowThis and The Dodo.

Ben Lerer Cameron Costa | CNBC

The difficulties of surviving on advertising and the recent success of high-profile paywalls has led entrepreneurs interested in news to return to subscription-based models. Many media companies reliant on advertising lost touch with their audience, said Jessica Lessin, the founder of subscription-based technology website The Information, which in five years has grown from a start-up of two reporters to a company of 36 employees. Lessin believes reliance on advertising led to extreme and outrageous headlines and other editorial decisions that put advertisers before readers. "It's insidious," Lessin said. "When I talk to brands and advertisers, they want to sponsor a video series and determine who is being interviewed. Publications are doing shadier and shadier things. I know of a publication that had a brand that bought substantial advertising in magazines, and the publication gave them the right to veto coverage of a competitive brand. People have to think that through." While it's possible that existing businesses can make the dual revenue streams of advertising and subscription work, it's not smart for a brand new business to try both, said Gulati. "If you're starting today, you have to ask yourself, do I want to be running two businesses in parallel?" Gulati said. "They're very different models. With subscription, you've got significant skin in the game. You've got to be best in class to keep an audience. On the advertising front, you have a whole different set of priorities. You need a sales force. There are different variables for how to drive revenue. If you're going to start a business from scratch, I'm not sure you can do both well from the get go."

A subscription success story: The Athletic

The Athletic has become a force in sports journalism in less than three years, hiring beat writers from newspapers across the country and acclaimed national reporters, including baseball writer Ken Rosenthal and basketball reporter Shams Charania. Founders Alex Mather and Adam Hansmann knew from the first day that they didn't want to be an ad-supported business. They'd come from a subscription-based business, the fitness company Strava, and saw how forcing customers to pay for a product increased its quality.

Alex Mather Source: Alex Mather

Creating a subscription-only sports website, when so much sports content is free, seemed counter-intuitive. But they decided they could stand out by focusing on in-depth, local stories with an emphasis on analytics and film breakdown from previous games. Generating revenue from advertising, they realized, actually worked against their idea. "Advertising at its core is looking for breadth, not depth," Mather said in an interview. "Behaviors that lead to more eyeballs tend to be stories that apply to as many people as possible. That means, for a sports site, you over-index on LeBron (James), the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Yankees. You want eyeballs. Over time, that really affects your editorial team. They start asking, 'how can I turn this story into more eyeballs?' That's wrong for the long-term success of our product." Mather and Hansmann had to convince investors that their business could scale as subscription-only. Focusing on sports was key to convincing VC firms, including Comcast Ventures and Bedrock Capital, to be early investors. After draining their bank accounts and putting in about $100,000 of their own money ("Our wives are very wonderful women," Mather noted), The Athletic kicked off in Chicago in 2016. The pair hired veteran reporters, some who had recently been laid off, and soon earrned the trust of enough readers to become profitable. A few hundred subscribers turned into a thousand. When the Cubs won the World Series in November of that year, the site saw a surge of new customers. The data suggested readers would keep paying to read coverage of the National Hockey League's Chicago Blackhawks, the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls, and the Cubs. The argument for how to scale the business became straightforward -- repeat the Chicago playbook in markets across the country. Nearly three years later, The Athletic is now in 47 markets with 300 employees, 275 of which are reporters. The last time the company shared subscriber numbers, at "more than 100,000," it was only in 15 markets. While Mather wouldn't disclose new customer metrics, he said the growth in subscribers was roughly concordant with growth in markets, suggesting more than 300,000 subscribers.

The Athletic currently charges $45 for an annual subscription ($3.75/month -- a 25% limited time promotion rate) and $9.99/month for a monthly subscription. As a purely speculative thought experiment, one could imagine that the average revenue per annual user is $60. Multiply that by 300,000 subscribers, and that's about $18 million in annual revenue. That would only cover the cost of 300 employees if the average employee earned $60,000 a year in salary and benefits. Mather admits The Athletic is not breaking even yet, but says it's profitable in early markets. Mather says the next phase for the Athletic is to transition into creating more audio and video content, which could generate new revenue streams, including potential sponsorship and advertising opportunities. "We're not religious about subscription," said Mather. "It's what we believe will lead to the best content we can create."

The Netflix effect

The pricing strategy of $9.99 a month is not an accident. It's a buck less than what Netflix charges for its most popular streaming subscription in the U.S. "Netflix serves as a bar in users' minds," said Mather. "A subscriber knows how much they pay for Netflix, and everything else is in relation to that." A sports-only website gave a customer less utility than all of Netflix, Mather said, but the site's personalized coverage (a subscriber gets to choose what sports and teams to see on the site or mobile app) and mix of professional and collegiate reporting led to the pricing decision after months of early experimentation. The metrics around The Athletic were "best in class," said Bedrock Capital's Stromberg, whose firm co-led a $40 million Series C financing in the company last month. The Athletic's subscriber retention rate is around 90 percent, the company said. The key to subscription media businesses becoming profitable is to create a "positive flywheel," Stromberg said. "With these models, as you increase your subscriber bases, you increase revenue, which leads to more writers, better writers, more content, and that brings in more subscribers, which brings in more revenue," Stromberg said. "It's a virtuous cycle." The Athletic's writers know when an article they've written entices new subscribers from internal data, Mather said. Instead of sharing readership numbers, which aren't important to the business model because there's no advertising, the editorial staff pays attention to metrics around engagement  especially those that lead to new subscriptions, he said.

Axios: The counter-argument

Not everyone agrees that subscriptions are the only way to success. Group Nine's Lerer, who is also a partner at VC-firm Lerer Hippeau, said there's still way too much money being pumped into TV advertising compared to online. That displacement should right itself over the next few years, giving many digital media entities a piece of a growing pie beyond just Google and Facebook. Blindly shutting off advertising for subscriptions is a long-term mistake, Lerer said. Having a dual revenue stream ultimately leads to a healthier business, he said. "Our belief is we're still in early innings of what business models look like in digital," Lerer said. "If we find smart people with editorial approaches that are differentiated, those will be interesting businesses for us to invest in, regardless of the business model." Lerer Hippeau believed it found one in 2016 in Axios, the politics-heavy news website co-founded by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen and Roy Schwartz. Axios is one of CNBC's Upstart 100 companies for 2018.

Axios had $12.5 million in advertising revenue in its first year and is on track to double that amount in year two, VandeHei said. The company says it's also expecting a big jump in year three that could double revenue again, from $25 million to $50 million. The Axios co-founders all came from Politico, the political website that VandeHei co-founded. Politico found success creating free content, building a brand and an audience, and surviving on advertising revenue. VandeHei knew it could work, and that was his pitch to VCs including Lerer Hippeau and NBC News, who were both part of a Series A funding round. (NBC News is part of NBCUniversal, CNBC's parent company.) VandeHei said his concern with starting a subscription-only business was that it could have difficulty scaling. Instead, he hoped to build the largest audience possible by making Axios's reporting available to everyone. Then, when the ad growth looked as it was dying down, Axios could add in a subscription option as a new revenue stream. While VandeHei was keenly aware that Facebook and Google were gobbling up the majority of digital ad dollars, he believed Axios could thrive by targeting advertising from companies looking to promote their brands rather than get customers to buy a particular product. For instance, Axios allows advertisers to write sponsored posts that appear in its newsletters. "That space has done even better than we would have thought," VandeHei said in an interview. "That's the space for us, The Atlantic, Quartz, The New York Times  it's been a growth business for quite a long time."

Getting to the same place

Like The Atlantic, Axios isn't dogmatic about its business model. "What we're looking for is a signal that we see that our doubling of year-over-year ad revenue is starting to slow," VandeHei said. "Once you see it, then about 18 months before it happens, you want to begin an additive subscription business." In other words, the longer Axios stays free, the longer you'll know its advertising business is flourishing. Its eventual subscription business won't eliminate the free product, VandeHei said. Rather, it will be a premium package designed "to go above and beyond what you've already trained customers to expect for free." This is similar to Politico Pro, the subscription service that launched about four years after the free version of Politico.

Mike Allen, co-founder and Executive Editor of Axios REUTERS|Brendan McDermid
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a signing of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Act in the Oval Office of the White House on November 16, 2018 in Washington, DC.

President Donald Trump awaited a briefing Saturday from the CIA on the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi after a U.S. official said American intelligence agencies had concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing.

The Saudi government has denied that claim.

"We haven't been briefed yet. The CIA is going to be speaking to me today," Trump told reporters before leaving the White House for a visit to California. "As of this moment we were told that he did not play a role. We're going to have to find out what they have to say."

Trump said he will be talking with "the CIA later and lots of others" while he was on Air Force One, and would also speak with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. In his remarks outside the White House, the president spoke of Saudi Arabia as "a truly spectacular ally in terms of jobs and economic development."

"I have to take a lot of things into consideration" when deciding what measures to take against the kingdom.

Trump's remarks came as the State Department on Saturday said the U.S. government has not made a final conclusion on who was involved in Kashoggi's killing.

"Recent reports indicating that the U.S. government has made a final conclusion are inaccurate," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement. "There remain numerous unanswered questions with respect to the murder of Mr. Khashoggi."

Nauert said the State Department will continue to seek facts and work with other countries to hold those involved in the journalist's killing accountable "while maintaining the important strategic relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia."

The intelligence agencies' conclusion will bolster efforts in Congress to further punish the close U.S. ally for the killing. The Trump administration this past week penalized 17 Saudi officials for their alleged role in the killing, but American lawmakers have called on the administration to curtail arms sales to Saudi Arabia or take other harsher punitive measures.

The U.S. official familiar with the intelligence agencies' conclusion was not authorized to discuss it publicly and spoke only condition of anonymity Friday. The conclusion was first reported by The Washington Post.

Saudi Arabia's top diplomat has said the crown prince had "absolutely" nothing to do with the killing.

Vice President Mike Pence told reporters traveling with him at a summit of Pacific Rim nations in Papua New Guinea that he could not comment on "classified information." He said Saturday "the murder of Jamal Khashoggi was an atrocity. It was also an affront to a free and independent press, and the United States is determined to hold all of those accountable who are responsible for that murder."

The United States will "follow the facts," Pence said, while trying to find a way of preserving a "strong and historic partnership" with Saudi Arabia.

Khashoggi, a Saudi who lived in the United States, was a columnist for the Post and often criticized the royal family. He was killed Oct. 2 at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Turkish and Saudi authorities say he was killed inside the consulate by a team from the kingdom after he went there to get marriage documents.

This past week, U.S. intelligence officials briefed members of the Senate and House intelligence committees, and the Treasury Department announced economic sanctions on 17 Saudi officials suspected of being responsible for or complicit in the killing.

Among those targeted for sanctions were Mohammed al-Otaibi, the diplomat in charge of the consulate, and Maher Mutreb, who was part of the crown prince's entourage on trips abroad.

The sanctions freeze any assets the 17 may have in the U.S. and prohibit any Americans from doing business with them.

Also this past week, the top prosecutor in Saudi Arabia announced he will seek the death penalty against five men suspected in the killing. The prosecutor's announcement sought to quiet the global outcry over Khashoggi's death and distance the killers and their operation from the kingdom's leadership, primarily the crown prince.

Trump has called the killing a botched operation that was carried out very poorly and has said "the cover-up was one of the worst cover-ups in the history of cover-ups."

But he has resisted calls to cut off arms sales to the kingdom and has been reluctant to antagonize the Saudi rulers. Trump considers the Saudis vital allies in his Mideast agenda.

The Post, citing unnamed sources, also reported that U.S. intelligence agencies reviewed a phone call that the prince's brother, Khalid bin Salman, had with Khashoggi. The newspaper said the prince's brother, who is the current Saudi ambassador to the United States, told Khashoggi he would be safe in going to the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents he needed to get married.

The newspaper said it was not known whether the ambassador knew Khashoggi would be killed. But it said he made the call at the direction the crown prince, and the call was intercepted by U.S. intelligence.

Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, said that claim was false.

She said in a statement issued to The Associated Press that the ambassador met Khashoggi in person once in late September 2017. After that, they communicated via text messages, she said. The last text message the ambassador sent to Khashoggi was on Oct. 26, 2017, she said.

Baeshen said the ambassador did not discuss with Khashoggi "anything related to going to Turkey."

"Ambassador Prince Khalid bin Salman has never had any phone conversations with him," she said.

"You are welcome to check the phone records and cell phone content to corroborate this -- in which case, you would have to request it from Turkish authorities," Baeshen said, adding that Saudi prosecutors have checked the phone records numerous times to no avail.

The ambassador himself tweeted: "The last contact I had with Mr. Khashoggi was via text on Oct. 26, 2017. I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the U.S. government to release any information regarding this claim."

--Reuters contributed to this article.
Here's instances across the country when politicians have blocked constituents on social media:

In May, a federal judge ruled that President Donald Trump can't block users on his "@realDonaldTrump" Twitter account, which he has argued is his personal account, according to Bloomberg. The judge said the account constitutes a public forum, and the plaintiffs in the lawsuit must be unblocked. The U.S. Department of Justice has promised to appeal the ruling, according to Reuters.



In Missouri, the Columbia Missourian discovered former Gov. Eric Greitens blocked users on Facebook from asking questions on Facebook Live town halls. In response, Greitens' office created new "official" accounts and moderation guidelines. Gov. Mike Parson was doing it too, until the Kansas City Star reported on the issue.

In Maryland, the Washington Post reported that Republican Gov. Larry Hogan had blocked 450 people from his Facebook page over the course of the two years hes been in office.

In Kentucky, the Courier-Journal discovered through a records request that Republican Gov. Matt Bevin was blocking nearly 600 users on his Facebook and Twitter.

In California, the First Amendment Coalition threatened a lawsuit before Democrat Gov. Jerry Brown revealed he had been blocking over 1,500 accounts on Facebook and Twitter.

In Virginia, a federal judge ruled the chair of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors violated a constituent's First Amendment rights when she blocked him on Facebook for 12 hours.

In Texas, the Texas Tribune looked at the direct messages Gov. Greg Abbott received on Twitter and found that while he rarely responds to them in writing, records suggest he may take them into consideration. However, Abbott refused to fulfill The Austin American-Statesmans records request for a list of blocked accounts.

In Pennsylvania, PublicSource found that a Pittsburgh City Councilwoman was blocking several constituents on Facebook. She said she uses her page for personal means, but the ACLU of Pennsylvania planned to send her and four other elected officials letters before possibly pursuing legal action.

In Michigan, the Lansing State Journal found that Michigan state agencies and public officials, including the governor, were blocking or muting nearly 800 users combined.

In Utah, NPR member station KUER in Salt Lake City sat down Utah state Sen. Todd Weiler for a conversation with a constituent he blocked on Twitter. Before the call was up, Weiler said he had unblocked the constituent.

Across the country, ProPublica reported that government officials at various levels were facing similar repercussions and lawsuits.
As the Chequers proposal unravelled back in July, Downing Street found itself caught short, and ended up implementing a hurried and belated charm offensive to try to stem the unhappiness among the Tory grassroots. Its fair to say that rearguard action, which included the rare step of a conference call with the Prime Minister for Association chairmen, met with only limited success.

Evidently the Party leadership was mulling that experience as it prepared its plan to sell in its proposed Brexit deal. This time round, to their credit, they have been rather more swift to open up  the Prime Ministers LBC phone-in this morning was followed by another conference call in which she and Brandon Lewis spoke to Association chairmen late on Friday afternoon.

Despite the widespread frustration and disillusionment with her, it remains the fact that events like these calls have some pulling power. Even though it took place during working hours, I gather in excess of 300 local Party officers dialled in, as May took 17 questions in the course of 45 minutes. Im told there was no bluster or speech at the start, but a focus purely on Q&A  reflecting a better understanding of what the audience actually want from a conference call.

The overall tone seems to have been one of polite discomfort, among a naturally loyal core audience. No-one had a pop at her, one of those listening in told me, I got the impression that people want to support her, but are struggling.

Most appeared supportive of the PM but worried how to sell the deal. Lots of concern about the backstop and no unilateral exit. Lots [of callers] said theyd had representations from members. Im not sure there was a single person excited over [the deal]. Another association officer on the line was more blunt, describing the call as a load of arse-kissing. Both cited the fact that Downing Street staff screen questions beforehand as limiting the likelihood of any more direct criticism.

The detailed topics of concern were largely the same as those heard in public  the status of Northern Ireland, lots of concern about the backstop and no unilateral exit, as well as questions over who the independent arbitrator would be on the UKs future, and concern over how we can trust [the] EU [to] play fair.

The Prime Ministers replies do not seem to have shifted the dial with those I spoke to. They were mostly pre-scripted answers, one listener felt, while others were deeply sceptical of her claim that the EU believes the backstop to offer an advantage to the UK. Another association officer reports a heavy reliance on the argument that we dont intend to use this backstop, with no answer on who the independent arbitrator would be, or reassurance on the right to vary from EU rules. Overall, one listener described her message as being If [the draft deal] falls in parliament, no going back to Brussels. She thinks that is honestly the best deal well get. Another, asked if May had changed his mind, replied simply No. Not at all.

Its certainly better to be on the front foot in trying to explain the Prime Ministers position to local Party officers, rather than being belatedly forced to do so in a panic like back in July, or simply leaving the voluntary Party out of the discussion entirely as happened so often in the past. It would be no bad thing if doing so was to become a standard fixture in the process of announcing major decisions, just as Chancellors build briefings for business groups into their outreach programmes as standard.

However, even leaving aside the difficulties of this particular decision, and of this particular Prime Minister, the format still needs some work. Everyone participant I spoke to was acutely aware that the questions are pre-screened before they are allowed through, which not only chills debate but also instils a degree of scepticism among the audience as to the degree to which theyre hearing scrutiny or propaganda. Its also felt to be slightly insulting that senior activists who give vast amounts of time to the Party are treated as though they need to be vetted before being allowed to speak to their own leader.

The call system itself has a few problems  on both the Chequers call and todays some association officers were either not called at all or had their connection dropped part-way through. Im aware of people of all opinions who have been struck by the glitch, so it seems to be genuinely arbitrary, but in an atmosphere febrile enough to require such a call some have inevitably drawn the conclusion that they were being deliberately excluded from the conversation. That might be unfair  it certainly seems to be mistaken  but its a perception nonetheless, and one Downing Street would do well to eliminate by fixing the problem.
Bob Seely: This deal isnt perfect. If it can be improved, great. But lets not make the best the enemy of the good.

Bob Seely is a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, and is MP for the Isle of Wight.

Like many people, I am conflicted about the proposed Brexit Withdrawal Deal so, rather than present a polished argument to you, I am instead going to outline why, on balance and with reservations, I am continuing to support Theresa May.

I voted for Brexit. So did my constituency. I want a proper Brexit.

This deal isnt perfect. Negotiations have not been well handled. Too much emphasis was probably placed on damage limitation rather than seeing Brexit as a liberating opportunity. Other mistakes have been made. Our 39 billon contribution should be phased in with results. I despair of the Governments managerial approach just when we need decisive leadership and vision.

However, the deal is not awful. We will have a points-based immigration system. We will regain control of borders. The Government is confident that it can strike trade deals  in most areas  and 80 per cent of our economy is in services. We will (eventually) control our laws. Provided these claims are true, then this is near enough what the British people want, whilst respecting the 48 per cent who voted Remain.

It seems to me that the central issue is one of trust. The European Research Group and other Brexit groups fear the backstop, and the inability of the UK to withdraw unilaterally from it  if I understand correctly. The fear is that the EU will breach this trust by using the backstop to tie the UKs hands permanently. It involves a temporary single customs territory, thus keeping the UK in a customs union until a permanent agreement. That agreement is assumed.

I dont like the EU, but I believe that these fears are probably unfounded. If the EU abuses its veto powers in relation to the backstop, it will harm their long-term interests as much as ours. The whips here assure us that the EU does not want the UK staying in a backstop longer than necessary, since they believe it would give us an unfair competitive advantage. It is temporary.

Other attacks in the Commons this week on the deal were from Labour opportunists, or from those who wanted to overturn the result by calling for a so-called peoples vote. We had a peoples vote:. The people voted in 2016. Who do these campaigners think voted in 2016? Badgers? Only members of the Lords?

In the Commons, the Prime Minister was damned by all sides, yet she was poised and balanced in her responses. Her voice didnt rise, and she remained measured and patient. Most of the amateur dramatics from MPs from all sides failed to reach their target. Pantomime questions received pantomime reactions. However, Nigel Dodds intervention rang home, as did Mark Francois. The session was at times painful.

There are three options now.

First, a new referendum, which makes a mockery of the original decision to hold a referendum. In the UK, the people are sovereign. We must respect this. I despair of those who think otherwise. Do we really want to become as other European political elites, only treating our people as sovereign when it suits us? What a betrayal of our values that would be.

Second, No Deal. I do not believe the foolish scare stories of Remainers now any more than before. I dont believe No Deal will be a catastrophe, but I would prefer not to take the risk. I remember the 1990s.

Third, support this deal. If we can renegotiate part of it, great. But until and unless we have something better, Id rather a Brexit bird in the hand, however impure it is for some Jesuitically-inclined colleagues, than a perfect Brexit forever somewhere over the rainbow. Henry VIII took Britain out of the European system. Elizabeth I completed the task. Neither Rome nor an independent Britain were built in a day.

Paul Waugh wrote yesterday that Conservative MPs  possibly even MPs from across Parliament  are now divided between pragmatist and idealists. I think that is right.

I am a pragmatist. I have no desire for ideological perfection. Ideological purity would mean rejecting his deal as a threat to the Union which I believe  yes, okay, hope  is more a theoretical danger then real. Ideological purity also means rejecting the deal because we do not want to leave. I reject both.

Finally, we need to remember, Government is here to govern.

We need to get back to our focus, governing for the people. With respect to my colleagues, I fear a few risk forgetting the world outside Westminster. People are fed up with Brexit and we are running out of time. We have 135 days before we leave. No deal risks months of delay and uncertainty. We will be blamed. Saying Labour are divided wont wash. Maybe my ERG colleagues  whom I very much respect  are correct, and their in-boxes are full of thousands of outraged emails withdrawing support. There arent many such emails in my in-box. In my in-box are emails from people concerned about planning, health, tax and education. People want us to get on and govern and fix peoples everyday dramas.

We need to make the best of what we can get. Brexit will be difficult. It will change how we are perceived. There will be greater risk. Remainers will distrust us for years. From next spring on, although negotiations will continue, we need to relentlessly focus on delivering our domestic agenda and getting the free trade deal around the world. We need to be working our socks off for the British people. My priority is a Government that delivers for my constituency  the Isle of Wight  and our nation.

My fear is not a mediocre Brexit  it is a Britain governed by Jeremy Corbyn, leading to a worse Brexit or a reverse of Brexit. I do not want to risk a Labour Government during a period of such uncertainty. My priority is keeping Corbyn out of power, delivering a Brexit we can live with and showing by our actions that we remain the natural party of Government. Our overriding moral duty is to govern and govern well.

It maybe that my support is redundant anyway if the Commons is now set against the Prime Ministers deal. But on balance, and with reservations, I continue to support the Government. I hope I am right to do so.
When Theresa May set out her strategy for the Brexit negotiations, she set out three goals: to take back control of Britains money, laws, and borders.

As the talks have progressed, more issues have emerged  not least Northern Ireland and the territorial integrity of the UK. So this month we suggested a further five points to consider.

They are: would the deal hive off Northern Ireland? Does it threaten to break up the Union? Would it trap the country in a customs union? Does it hand over money for nothing? And does it more closely resemble Chequers, or Canada?

Below, we take a look at how the Prime Ministers proposals measure up against these yardsticks.

Are we taking back control of our money?

Probably. Were paying the so-called divorce bill as part of the Withdrawal Agreement, so wont be able to use it as leverage during the future relationship. Lee Rotherham also points out that theres little mention of the UK regaining our share of EU assets, despite lots of mention of our liabilities to the bloc.

Perhaps more ominously, we will continue paying in during the initial transition period, and if we choose to extend it Article 138 says that our contributions will be established at an appropriate level by the Joint Committee. One Labour MP compared this to signing an insurance agreement without knowing what the excess was.

The question is whether, or how, we end up disentangling ourselves from the EU during that period. Some of these issues may only become clear when the future relationship is negotiated.

Are we taking back control of our laws?

When it comes to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, the negotiators seem to have made some progress. Compared to the EUs initial proposals (which a former ECJ judge denounced as leonine) its role is substantially reduced, and the idea that it would be the mediating institution in disputes between the UK and the EU is gone. One analyst has dubbed this a solid win.

On the other hand, this piece in the Financial Times suggests that the role of the ECJ, especially during the transition, could be much greater than the above analysis suggests, and that it might in effect remain the ultimate arbiter of UK-EU disputes.

Beyond that, there are other points of concern. First, Rotherham reports that the deal locks the UK into the European Convention on Human Rights, precluding any possibility of repatriating judicial supremacy to these islands  a longstanding Conservative ambition, and one shared by the Prime Minister.

Moreover, there was extensive level playing field provisions (Annex 4) which would prevent future British governments from setting independent policy in a broad range of areas, and Rotherham suggests that the section on equivalence could end up with Britain in in a fax democracy version of a Regulatory Union, and probably in a form of Customs Union.

Finally, there is the salient fact that the backstop proposals, if implemented, dont contain any procedure for the UKs unilateral withdrawal (at least not without resiling from our entire negotiated relationship with the EU). This is a serious curb on the practical power, if not the technical sovereignty, of Parliament.

CCHQ is taking pains to combat the idea that the backstop is inescapable. In an email to the National Convention, Brandon Lewis writes:

If both sides agree the future relationship is ready we would leave the backstop. This judgement would need to be taken in good faith and with view to their commitment on best endeavours.

If there is a disagreement, a special conference would try and resolve the differences.

If that failed to reach an agreement it would go to independent arbitration as to whether the NI protocol is still needed to meet its objectives.

According to Article 170, independent arbitration means the International Bureau of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, an intergovernmental organisation based at The Hague. The five-person panel will comprise two members apiece from the UK and the EU, plus one independent member, whittled down from a shortlist of 25 (Article 171).

On the face of it this could allow the UK  if it had a very strong case  to climb the chain of appeals and have EU objections to withdrawing from the backstop overridden at the PCA. That doesnt seem a likely scenario, however, and cant be spun  as Lewis is trying to do  as a practical, reliable means of quitting the backstop.

Are we taking back control of our borders?

Eventually, probably. The Withdrawal Agreement at least doesnt commit the UK to maintaining freedom of movement in perpetuity, and it has been argued in some quarters that the Government has actually managed, to an extent, to divide the four freedoms and secure some form of market access without unlimited EU immigration.

However, the UK will have to maintain our current policies  including freedom of movement  at least until the end of the transition period in 2021. Unless a full future relationship has been negotiated by then (and experience doesnt offer much grounds for optimism) we will then probably use our one-off extension of the transition period, further prolonging freedom of movement.

If we revert to the backstop, freedom of movement comes to an end, but at present that option looks likely to be so unpalatable that few prime ministers would choose to enter it if they can help it.

The upshot of all that is that is that we arent locked in to freedom of movement indefinitely, but we probably wont be able to introduce new controls for years.

On a final note, Rotherham suggests that, despite what David Mundell and other Scottish Conservatives have been saying about the UK becoming an independent coastal state, in fact the fate of British fishing stocks is still on the table.

Will it hive off Northern Ireland?

The barriers are less than they might have been  it doesnt look as though there will be a customs border down the Irish Sea  but Northern Ireland is still a case apart under the proposed backstop, which is why it features in a huge share of the deals text.

Whilst the customs union provisions will be UK-wide, Ulster will remain additionally subject to a range of single market rules and other EU laws including VAT and excise (Article 9), Agriculture and environment (Article 10), the single electricity market (Article 11), and in part state aid (Article 12).

This will put Northern Ireland in the problematic position of having its economy regulated by a foreign legislature in which it is unrepresented (although MEPs from the Republic of Ireland might try to claim that mantle), and with the explicit intention of prioritising its alignment with the EU and Irish markets rather than the British one, despite the latter accounting for vastly more of its external sales.

Since the British Government will also have no right to withdraw, this means that Northern Irish voters will have no democratic control over important areas of law via either Stormont or Westminster.

However, RTEs Tony Connelly has tweeted to explain how the EU intends to allow GB-NI trade to run smoothly and it sounds a lot like the combination of targeted checks, back-office enforcement, and technology that was supposedly incapable of allowing for a frictionless north-south trade border without the backstop. A Dutch customs expert has also told MPs that a technical solution on north-south trade is perfectly practical (video available).

If Dublin and Brussels are sincere when they say that their goal is simply to ensure smooth trade and avoid giving would-be terrorists obvious targets, this holds out some hope that the customs element of the backstop could be obviated entirely by a proper north-south arrangement.

However, it may be very difficult to get this done in practice. As the Prime Minister told the Commons on Thursday, under these proposals the backstop cannot be revived once it is set aside. That will make the other side very wary about doing so.

The problem of Single Market rules, however, would remain regardless.

Does it threaten to break up the Union?

The backstop poses several potential dangers to the integrity of the United Kingdom, both in relation to Northern Ireland and elsewhere.

First, there are the long-term ramifications of the Northern Irish economy potentially re-aligning away from the mainland in the course of a decade (or longer) locked into structure that gives preferential treatment to north-south commerce, and of Irish politicians unofficially  but probably publicly  presuming to act on its behalf inside the EU.

Ian Lucas, the Labour MP for Wrexham, highlighted the extraordinary way in which the agreement handles GB-NI trade in a question to the Prime Minister on Thursday.

Not to be under-estimated either is the damage this could do within political unionism. Northern Irelands position in the United Kingdom has not been strengthened by its almost complete political isolation, and if the links forged over the past couple of years were burned in the process of passing this deal it would represent a significant step backwards.

But the backstop isnt just a problem for Northern Ireland. As Joanna Cherry, an SNP MP, has pointed out, such a high-alignment and asymmetrical arrangement makes life much, much easier for separatists across these islands. Not only does it restore the high floor for ongoing relations which made independence in Europe so saleable, but it throws in an added advantage in that Scotland could theoretically regain its status as a rule maker whilst not missing out on any trade with rUK.

This, and not just solidarity or high unionist principle, is presumably why both David Mundell and Ruth Davidson threatened to resign in the event of a withdrawal agreement which offered differential treatment for Ulster. Since thats exactly what weve got, their u-turn on this is hard to explain.

Nor is all quiet on the Welsh front: during questions in the Commons yesterday a Plaid Cymru MP once again illustrated the dangers of the backstop by asking May to assure him that there would be no border between England and Wales if the latter were to adopt the Northern Irish settlement.

Would it trap the country in a customs union?

There seems a very strong chance of this. As previously explained, the backstop would lock the UK into a customs union without the ability to withdraw unilaterally. Worse, that would be a customs union in which the Government had no input into the rules.

Of course, neither side officially wants the backstop to come into force. But there are reports that, on the EU side at least, it is viewed as something to be built out on when constructing the future relationship, rather than merely a refuge of last resort if the negotiations falter. There is therefore a risk that integration on this level becomes the basis of the future partnership.

Does it hand over money for nothing?

Our editor posed the following question: Since a future trade deal will be covered by an unenforceable political declaration  not the Withdrawal Agreement  what safeguards are there against shelling out 40 billion for nothing?

The short answer seems to be not many. The political declaration on the future relationship is broad-strokes, to say the least, and whilst it could potentially shape up into a good agreement there are also plenty of areas where things could go wrong from Londons perspective. Rotherham also sets out in his Brexit Central piece several ways in which he thinks the financial settlement is unfair on Britain.

What is certain is that if the UK hands over the entire divorce bill it wont be able to use those billions, and the threat of the EU being under-funded, as leverage during the negotiations. (The IEA have suggested one way in which London might split the payments, holding back 19.8 billion earmarked for outstanding budget commitments.)

Chequers or Canada?

This one we cant definitively answer. The withdrawal agreement is not the future relationship, and the document we have on the latter is too short to draw clear conclusions from. A lot will depend on how the negotiations go between next March and the ultimate end of the transition period in 20XX (note: not even 202X!).

Whether or not an all-UK Canada arrangement is possible seems to depend on whether the Government can negotiate to have the EUs minimal-friction, tech-enabled, and intelligence-led customs arrangements applied to north-south trade from Northern Ireland instead of east-west.

However, there are ominous indicators. As our editor highlighted on Friday morning, the final spur for Dominic Raabs resignation was the insertion, without his knowledge, of a commitment to pursue  ambitious customs arrangements that build on the single customs territory provided for in the Withdrawal Agreement. That doesnt entirely close off the path to Canada, but it heavily skews the parameters of the negotiations towards a settlement that looks more like Chequers.
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CORNWALL, Ontario  Rachels Kids is organizing their first ever Suds & Sap fundraiser. Taking place Jan. 11 and 12 at the Cornwall Civic Complex, Suds & Sap is a new fundraiser to support the work of Rachels Kids.

Rachels Kids is a local non-profit that receives no government funding and relies entirely on the generosity of donors and sponsors. Rachels Kids works to support children with autism and through the House of Hope they make the lives of kids sick with cancer a little easier anyway they can, whether it be through donating gas money to go to the hospital, or a gaming system to help end isolation.

Ticket prices for Suds & Sap are $60 for general admission, or $80 for VIP tickets. VIP ticketholders get to skip the line and also will have their own private area to enjoy their favourite suds and sap products. There are only 100 VIP tickets and they are expected to go fast.

We wanted to hold a Canadian themed event, said Rachels Kids Executive Director Kim Lauzon. Winter is very Canadian and following that is maple syrup season. We wanted to go for a rustic Canadian theme. You can show up in jeans and that would be fine.

Lauzon expects there to be 15 to 20 vendors at the show including larger breweries like Labatt and Molson. Labatt and Molson are also entering prizes for an early bird draw. Those who buy their tickets before Dec. 11 will be entered for a chance to win box seat tickets to an NHL game in Ottawa or a Basket of Cheer, which includes an umbrella and two tickets to see the Montreal Canadiens.

Entertainment at the event will be familiar to any regulars at the Glengarry Highland Games. Bands include Bang on the Ear, Hadrians Wall, the Shiners and Fridge Full of Empties.

The money raised at this event will help us sustain programs that we currently offer, said Lauzon. This event is something fun we are helping to bring to the community.
CORNWALL, Ontario  The Cornwall Community Police Service (CCPS) officially welcomed a new Chief of Police, Danny Aikman, and Deputy Chief of Police, Shawna Spowart, on Friday, Nov. 16 at Nav Canada.

At around 11 a.m., dignitaries were piped into the Change of Command and Change of Colour ceremony. Following our National Anthem, speeches were made by Mayor Leslie OShaughnessy, Police Board Chair Andre Rivette, retiring Chief Daniel Parkinson and other notable attendees.

Retiring Chief Parkinson spoke briefly about his gratitude towards his colleagues and reflected on the last 15 years serving in our community. Parkinson thanked the Board for allowing him to be a part of the selection process for the new Chief and Deputy Chief, who he believes are well trained to replace him.

I know that Shawna and Danny will be a very effective team together, said Parkinson.

Chief Aikman is the seventh Chief of Police in Cornwall since amalgamation in 1957. Aikman said that the Viscount Alexander childrens choir was set to sing during the event but was unfortunately unable to due to bus cancellations.

Aikman said he was feeling an immense sense of gratitude as he has so many people to thank for helping him throughout his career to achieve his many accomplishments. He became emotional thanking his family and encouraged attendees to sing his granddaughter, Ella, Happy Birthday as she will turn 4-years-old on November 17.

Looking forward, Chief Aikmans first tasks as new Chief will include developing a Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan with the new City Council, and implementing a CCPS Employee Wellness Plan to keep employees healthy, resilient and safe in the workplace and their daily lives. Aikman also plans to continue programs introduced by retiring Chief Parkinson.

We will refine our efforts towards crime prevention through employing a system (of) evidence based policing, applying the concepts of analytics to police activity, said Aikman.

New Deputy Chief Shawna Spowart thanked her family and colleagues for their support throughout her career. Spowart moved to Cornwall when she was only 21-years-old and didnt know anyone in the city. She was hired, as Aikman and staff were impressed with her maturity and accomplishments. Since then, she has moved through various ranks to become the first female, Deputy Chief for our city.

I am so proud to be a serving member of this police force, said Spowart, who commended her colleagues for their hard work. Spowart said that not only do officers act as social workers and addiction councilors, they are always a shoulder to cry on.

Both Aikman and Spowart took an Oath during the Changing of Command.

Father MacDonald and Abdollah Vakily spoke before the Changing of Colour ceremony. The ceremony commemorated previous service and endorsed looking forward to change.
CORNWALL, Ontario  The Cornwall Community Police Service (CCPS) is requesting the assistance of the public in providing a safe environment for participants in the Santa Claus Parade as well as its spectators. The parade will commence at 5 pm from St-Lawrence Intermediate School located at 1450 Second Street East and will travel westbound on Second Street from Anthony Street to York Street. Traffic will not be allowed on Second Street from 4:30 pm until the end of the parade.

Please note that No Parking signs will be posted on Second Street from Anthony Street to Augustus Street. We ask for the publics assistance with having all vehicles moved from Second Street prior to 4:30 pm. CCPS officers will use their discretion to tow vehicles in contravention of the posted signs.

Officers will be on scene to ensure the safety of the participants and the general public. Detours may be necessary in order to reduce the interaction between vehicles and pedestrians, as well as parade participants.

The CCPS would like to thank you for your co-operation in advance and for your continued support in making this a safe and enjoyable parade.

In addition to the street closures for the Santa Claus Parade, there will also be a street closure on Montreal Rd. between McConnell and Baldwin avenues until 4 p.m. for the Santa Street Hockey Tournament.
Each year, more and more annual cultural exchanges are held in each country, creating a climate for people of both sides to learn about the other culture with more depth and understanding.

In Vietnam, Japanese comics have long been a part of childhood memories, with the love of Japanese culture and people going back generations. Over two decades ago, Japanese manga comic books were so appealing that they covered almost all the shelves in every local bookstore. Most millennials today are fans of popular Japanese anime characters like Doreamon, Pokemon, and Maruko, which helped to cultivate qualities such as a hardworking ethic, creativity, and integrity. Many even decided to learn the Japanese language and study there when they grew up.



Nguyen Thuy Huong, 25, said she was familiar with Japanese culture via comics and movies when she was a child. Therefore, she decided to learn Japanese language by applying to the Japanese Faculty at the Hanoi University. At first, she found it quite difficult to grasp because of the unfamiliarity with non-Roman characters. Thanks to the support of Japanese lecturers, she became more hardworking and confident, striving to master a language considered one of the most challenging for learners.

She said she frequently visited the Japanese Foundation Centre for Cultural Exchange (JF) in Hanoi to read Japanese books and improve her language skills. It is here that she made friends with many Japanese nationals and other Vietnamese who shared her ambitions and passion for the foreign culture.

Le Mai Phuong, 28, a graduate of economics at Osaka University, said she hopes to work as a university lecturer teaching economic subjects in Japanese upon returning home, adding that she wants to instil what she knows about the country and people into students as she believes that language and culture will be the most lasting and effective cooperation.

Nguyen Anh Xuan, a Vietnamese student in Japan, speaks about Japanese people with respect and appreciation. He said they generally live low-key lifestyles, but are quite friendly and sociable with foreigners. In particular, they have special sentiments towards Vietnamese people, lauding Vietnamese students as hardworking, smart, and kind.

He said he has learnt from their persevering spirit, strong national unity, and high sense of community.

The Japanese people have shown the world their bravery in the wake of the past tsunami. They are shining examples of strong will and perseverance to overcome adversity. Such qualities beat the harshness and cruelty of nature. After the disaster passed by, they returned to normal life without any complaints. All the Vietnamese students here adore their resilience.

I love this country, I love Japanese people, Xuan said, adding that he wants to focus on studies to foster further relations between Vietnam and Japan upon his return.

In recent years, it is not only more Vietnamese people living and working in Japan, but also more Japanese people travelling to Vietnam, thus expanding the Japanese-speaking community in the country. While they may come to Vietnam for different purposes, for study or leisure, they have one thing in common: experiencing something interesting in Vietnam and understanding Vietnam better.

Uchida Chikage, a Japanese language collaborator from the JFs Asia Centre, worked for several secondary and high schools in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue in 2015. Returning to Vietnam in 2016 under the Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, she taught Japanese to Vietnamese nursing staff in Hanoi. During her two years in Vietnam, she said she was inspired by their diligence, politeness, and openness.

She expressed her wish to engage in other activities to serve as a bridge between Vietnamese and Japanese students, hoping that her affinity with Vietnam will help support this dream.

Office worker Kana Yasako has been in Vietnam for nine years and keenly remembers her visits to the JF Centre in Hanoi, where she sparked some friendships with local Vietnamese students. They help me practise Vietnamese, take me to good restaurants, introduce me to their friends, and show me the local culture and scenery.

Not only does Kana Yasako want to stay a long time in Vietnam, but she also wants to change the way Japanese people think about the country. Some Japanese that have never been to Vietnam think that the country is still ravaged by war and backwards. I know it better now, this is my second home.

According to the JFs Centre for Cultural Exchange, established in Hanoi in March 2008, the number of Japanese firms in Vietnam and Vietnamese people or students in Japan is rising, proving stronger impacts on politics-diplomacy, economy, academics, and art.

The number of Japanese language learners in Vietnam surged from 44,272 in 2009 to 64,863 in 2015, while the total of those taking Japanese language proficiency tests soared five-fold to 71,242 in 2017 from 13,856 in 2008.

Director of the centre Ando Toshiki said the JF has launched many activities to raise mutual understanding between Japan and various countries worldwide  including in culture-arts, Japanese language teaching, and promoting Japanese studies and intellectual exchanges  thus thus fostering connectivity between Japan and the world.

He said, together with the increase in the number of Japanese language learners, the motivations for their studies have also been increasingly diverse. Therefore, taking teaching approaches suitable to each purpose is a must, and learner-oriented approaches are increasingly important in Vietnam.

We want to make contributions to human resources development for a global society of peace and prosperity via experiments in Japanese language education, he said.

In culture and arts, we also hold film festivals, concerts, dance performances, and support the publication of Japanese literary works in the Vietnamese language, thus introducing diversity of Japanese culture to Vietnam. We appreciate exchanges between Japanese and Vietnamese cultural ambassadors and artists, and more broadly, with those in Asia.

Vietnamnews
BRIDGEPORT  With many juvenile offenders ending up back on the streets shortly after theyre arrested, police are stumped about how to keep them out of trouble.

Its catch and release, said Bridgeport Police Chief Armando Perez. A lot of these kids dont see a future  We want to show them that if they dont pick a new path, they could become the victims of homicides or the shooters in homicides or end up in jail.

But ideas on what can be done range widely  from calls to lock up repeat offenders to changing how juveniles are treated in the eyes of the law.

Earlier this year, Fairfield County police chiefs gathered to discuss what they say has been a bump in crimes committed by minors, mainly focused on car thefts and break-ins.

Bridgeport Sgt. Jason Amato said those crimes have snowballed.

Theyre stealing these cars to commit heinous acts, he said, adding that police tracked trends of minors using stolen cars when they do a shooting, steal other cars or commit a home invasion.

A big problem is that there are seemingly no consequences for the most part, Perez said.

Others say what minors need is more help, not more severe consequences.

We strongly believe that juveniles need resources and support, said David McGuire, President of the Connecticut American Civil Liberties Union.

If someone under 18 commits a crime, they can be held for seven days with a judges approval. Once that week is up, the juvenile is re-evaluated by a judge, who will decide if they are released.

During the era of Live PD television filming in Bridgeport in late 2016, a minor on the North End was arrested for firing a gun. Police got a judges approval to detain him.

It sends a message to juveniles about what they can and cant get away with, Amato said, adding that for a minor to be held, police must prove that the young person is a threat to the public or has access to weapons.

The Bridgeport Police Department works alongside Project Longevity, a group violence reduction strategy organization, to find ways to lessen juvenile crime.

Project Longevity focuses on the families, not just the minors in trouble. In some cases, the organization has guided families through relocation efforts.

Sometimes they just need help, said Bridgeport Project Longevity Program Director Harold Dimbo. Some parents have been crying out for years. In many cases, we havent been able to pay attention. And then we all watch those youths become adult offenders.

McGuire said a more family-focused, community approach with resources would be best.

More Information Violent crime offenses per 100,000 juveniles between ages 10 and 17: -Rape: 7.6 -Murder: 2.6 -Robbery: 57.6 -Aggravated assault: 83.7 Property crime index offenses -Burglary: 95.4 -Larceny/theft: 401.3 -Motor vehicle theft: 47.2 -Arson: 7.3 All data provided by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The data is from 2016, the most recent year available. See More Collapse

Getting young people community support and helping their families goes a long way, he said.

Dimbo and police agreed a proactive route helps with juvenile offenders.

Were working to build that trust, to talk to parents and let them know whats going on, Perez said.

When a juvenile gets arrested, or is known to officers for what police call a negative reason, police and local leaders will meet with the juvenile and their family.

We want them to see what path theyre going down and to see there are other options, theres another world out there, Perez said.

Police provide a typed letter to the juvenile, explaining that they know what theyre doing and that theyre hoping to get the young person back on the right path, Perez said.

But McGuire wasnt sure about the long-term effectiveness of that.

Juveniles brains dont work the same as an adults brain  theyre not fully formed, he said. Theyre not going to react to those threats the same way adults would.
BRIDGEPORT  City Finance Director Kenneth Flatto has put an end to side scrap-metal sales in the Public Facilities Department and taken control of an off-the-books petty cash fund that contained the proceeds.

I have worked with Public Facilities to make sure what they did have (in petty cash) has been brought back into a regular city account and deposited, Flatto told Hearst Connecticut Media late this week.

He said his office received a little over $6,000.

The Bridgeport Police Departments Office of Internal Affairs, in response to an anonymous letter sent to the City Council, is probing the scrap-metal sales.

Normally scrap metal collected at Bridgeports transfer station is sold to dealers and the proceeds are deposited in the city budget.

The unsigned letter accused Public Facilities, run by John Ricci, of perpetrating a scam  selling some of the material on the side for cash and quietly reaping $25,000 over two years, with no accountability.

Ricci, in an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media earlier this month, admitted his department had an off-the-books, petty cash fund accumulated from the sale of any scrap metal left over from city construction projects or municipal clean-ups.

Ricci said that around $5,500 was collected over three years. He said the money was used to boost employee morale by purchasing birthday cakes, cultural/social event tickets and other perks; to pay for meals and accommodations for public facilities staff who work during snowstorms and other severe weather; to buy all-weather apparel for employees; to make quick, minor parts purchases; and to donate to causes like food pantries, youth sports, funerals or Toys for Tots.

But that separate scrap-metal fund violated the citys rules for disposing of municipal property, according to a memorandum Flatto sent to all department heads Thursday.

Under Chapter 8 of the City Charter, the director of finance has the responsibility for disbursement of all moneys ... and shall keep or cause to be kept complete books of accounts showing all financial transactions of the departments of the city,  Flatto wrote. It is imperative that all incomes derived from the various operations of city departments, including from any surplus property, be properly accounted for and that an funds derived from such transactions be deposited into the proper city bank accounts.

Flatto told Hearst that he had no knowledge of Public Facilities scrap-metal petty cash fund before it was publicized.

In his memorandum Flatto also asked any departments that may have similar off-the-books funds give his office the money and any related documents by Monday. Flatto said, So far those that have responded have indicated no   meaning no so such petty cash funds exist.

Ricci, a close friend and political ally of Mayor Joe Ganim and of Democratic Town Chairman Mario Testa, told Hearst he inherited the petty cash arrangement when the mayor hired him to run public facilities in 2016. But some ex-department employees have told Hearst that the previous fund contained contributions from staff, not revenues from scrap-metal sales.

Stamford Police and the Chief States Attorneys Office investigated a similar scrap-metal controversy in that city eight years ago. According to the findings, Stamford municipal workers had for years been selling small quantities of scrap metal for cash, and using the proceeds  no more than $3,000 annually  for morale-boosting purposes like annual Christmas parties.

Law enforcement officials found no evidence that either the employees or the supervisors kept any of the cash for themselves. But Stamford tightened its scrap-metal policies and, as a result, increased revenues to the city.
A $75,000 federal grant awarded to Connecticut Sea Grant will advance the goal of restoring shellfish beds in Long Island Sound, opening the way for the commercial, recreational and environmental benefits.

This effort will help us to identify areas throughout the Sound that are available for restoration, and tell us whats really suitable, said Tessa Getchis, aquaculture extension specialist with Connecticut Sea Grant.

The grant project, which will be conducted in partnership with the state Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Aquaculture and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, will fund analysis of environmental conditions and human use patterns in various areas of the Sound.

The grant funds came from the U.S. Department of Agricultures Natural Resources Conservation Service.

It would include a preliminary map of potential shellfish restoration areas, Getchis said. Project partners will work in collaboration with town shellfish and harbor management commissions, city planners, coastal engineers and the commercial shellfishing industry to better understand local opportunities and constraints.

Town agencies, environmental professionals and groups interested in joining as partners in the project are encouraged to contact Getchis. Work will begin this fall, with a report identifying potential restoration areas to be released in two years. The report could be used as the basis for various groups to apply for funding to undertake specific restoration projects, Getchis said.

This will put restoration practitioners in a position to get their projects funded, she said. We also want to provide funding agencies the confidence that they are funding high priority, state-supported efforts.

Multiple goals

About 20 percent of Connecticut waters of the Sound are already designated for commercial or recreational shellfishing - mainly clams and oysters. That amounts to approximately 80,000 acres of the total 388,000 acres of the states portion of the estuary it shares with New York State. The states commercial shellfishing industry generates an estimated $30 million in revenue annually. But non-harvested beds are also desirable for the important ecosystem functions they perform.

Rebuilding historic shellfish beds for the habitat value they provide to other estuarine organisms, as well as to improve water quality and stabilize shorelines against erosion, has been a goal of Long Island Sound restoration plans for more than a decade, according to Harry Yamalis, environmental analyst with DEEP.

Recent interest in restoration projects has come from a variety of other private and governmental groups. The Connecticut Shellfish Initiative, a project launched in 2014 to spur the growth of aquaculture, also pointed to the need to address hurdles to shellfish bed restoration to help achieve the associated ecosystem benefits.

Were trying to bring all the groups together that have an interest in restoration, so that they can lend their expertise to this planning process, Getchis said.

Yamalis, a member of the shellfish initiatives steering committee, said he and others are looking to promote the restoration of oyster reefs for their habitat value, where no harvesting would be allowed.

Healthy water

David Carey, director of the state Bureau of Aquaculture, noted that shellfish beds have historically been an important part of the Long Island Sound ecosystem and key contributor to the states economy. Multimillion-dollar investments to upgrade wastewater treatment plants over the last three decades have set the stage for a resurgence in shellfish growth, particularly oysters.

This effort has a high degree of probable success because of Connecticuts favorable water quality and its abundant healthy oyster resource that continues to recruit strongly, Carey said.

The future task, he added, will be to manage the new beds so that investment in restoration pays off over the long-term. One of the main challenges facing areas suitable for restoration is the accumulation of fine sediments carried with river and stream flows, Carey said. These must be controlled for shellfish beds to flourish.

Carey added that the areas most in need of restoration may be that way because of impaired water quality, and that the state will also need to ensure that there is adequate outreach to enforce closures of areas off-limits to public harvest.
FAIRFIELD  Police are preparing warrants to arrest an unidentified woman on animal cruelty charges after the remains of five dogs were found inside a Prince Street home on Wednesday.

The remains were discovered after the propertys landlord went into the home with a plumber to see whether water pipes there were frozen, Fairfield police Lt. Robert Kalamaras said. After seeing the carcass of one dog, the landlord called police, and they obtained a search warrant enter the building, Kalamaras said Saturday.
The visit, at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, takes place at a time when the two countries will celebrate the Vietnam Year in Russia and Russia Year in Vietnam during 2019-2020, the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on fundamental principles of Vietnam  Russia friendly relations in 2019 and the 70th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2020.



On March 1, 2001, Vietnam and Russia signed a joint statement on strategic partnership. Later on July 27, 2012, both sides issued a joint statement on further strengthening bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

Over the past years, Vietnam  Russia political ties with high trust have been incessantly strengthened. The exchange of high-level visits has created a strong foundation to develop comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations.

Both sides established the annual diplomatic-defence-security strategic dialogue mechanism at the permanent deputy ministerial level in 2008 and a strategic dialogue mechanism at the defence deputy ministerial level in 2013. They also conducted regular political consultations at the deputy ministerial level within the framework of cooperation between the two foreign ministries.

The two countries have maintained the Inter-Governmental Committee on military technical cooperation at the defence deputy ministerial level. Russia is now the top important partner of Vietnam in the field. Both sides launched the first defence strategic dialogue at the deputy ministerial level in December 2013, the second in March 2016 and the third in November 2017.

Sharing the same views on many regional and global issues, the countries agreed to work closely together at international forums such as the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and the ASEAN Regional Forum. Russia backed Vietnams run for a seat at the United Nations Economic and Social Council for the 2016-2018 tenure while Vietnam also supported Russias bid for 2017-2019.

Vietnam actively assisted Russia in joining ASEM in October 2010 and the East Asia Summit in 2011.

On economic-trade ties, the two nations maintained the operation of the Inter-Governmental Committee for Economic, Trade and Scientific-Technological Cooperation which was established in 1992. In October 2018, the committee convened the 21st meeting in Moscow. The Vietnam  Russia Business Council was set up to facilitate bilateral trade and investment. The two countries recognised each other as market economies in 2007.

Two-way trade rose from US$2.2 billion in 2015 to $2.7 billion in 2016 and $3.55 billion in 2017. Vietnam mostly exports mobile phones, apparel, farm produce, and seafood to Russia while importing petroleum, iron and steel, fertiliser, machinery and equipment.

Russia now ranks 23rd among countries and territories investing in Vietnam with 116 projects worth a total of $990 billion, mostly in oil and gas, manufacturing, mining, transportation, telecommunications, and aquaculture.

Vietnam currently invests in 22 projects worth nearly $3 billion in Russia, predominantly in Rusvietpetro and Gazpromviet oil and gas ventures, Hanoi  Moscow cultural-trade centre, TH True Milks milch farming and agriculture, among others.

As energy brings significant revenues to the two State budgets, Rusvietpetro, Vietgazprom and Gazpromviet ventures were established to expand oil and gas projects in Vietnam, Russia and the third countries, apart from Vietsovpetro.

On cultural exchange, Cultural Days in Vietnam and Russia are held annually and alternately. Russia remains among the top 10 sources of tourist arrivals in Vietnam. The number of Russian tourists soared from 176,000 in 2012 to 300,000 in 2013, 364,000 in 2014, 340,000 in 2015, 430,000 in 2016 and 570,000 in 2017.

In the past, Russia offered training courses to nearly 40,000 Vietnamese officials and experts in diverse areas. In 2011, Russia provided 345 tertiary and post-tertiary scholarships for Vietnamese students, which rose to 400 in 2012 and 70 others for nuclear experts, 600 ones in 2014, 795 in 2015, 855 in 2016 and 953 in 2017. More than 5,000 Vietnamese students are studying in Russia.

Both sides conducted about 60 research and technological transfer projects while joint work at the Vietnam  Russia Tropical Centre have brought about positive outcomes.

The two countries localities established cooperative ties, especially between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Moscow, Saint Petersburg. In November 2013, the Hanoi  Moscow Centre for Culture, Trade and Hotel was inaugurated in Moscow.

About 60,000  80,000 Vietnamese nationals have been living and working in Russia for nearly two decades, contributing to the host countrys development.

Since 1991, over 100 cooperation documents were signed in the fields of economy, trade, investment, oil and gas, nuclear power, education-training, science and culture, and military technology.

Vietnam has attached importance to stepping up its comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia in a result-oriented, sustainable and efficient manner.
FAIRFIELD  A Fairfield Ludlowe High School student is suing a teacher and the town, alleging she suffered injuries after a teacher threw a book that hit her head.

Sinead Klik and her mother, Sara Darcy Klik, have requested $15,000 or more in damages in the suit filed last month in state Superior Court in Bridgeport. The Board of Education and Ludlowe Headmaster Greg Hatzis are also named as defendants.

In the complaint, Sinead claims Ludlowe teacher Mary LaPierre-Grasso threw a Spanish book, striking her in the head. According to court documents, the incident took place on Sept. 30, 2016, at around 1:40 p.m.

Sinead, then 17, was in Spanish class, when she was, suddenly and without warning, struck in the head by a Spanish dictionary/book that was thrown across the classroom by the defendant, Mary LaPierre-Grasso, the lawsuit states.

As a result, Sinead sustained several injuries  including head and brain injury, concussions, neck pain and migraine headaches  causing considerable medical treatment and expenses, according to the lawsuit.

As a further result of the negligence and carelessness of the defendants, the plaintiff incurred considerable expenses for medical treatment, hospital treatment, diagnostic testing, evaulations, therapy and medicines and may be obliged to do so in the future, the suit reads.

The lawsuit also alleges the Board of Education and Hatzis failed to monitor school personnel to ensure their conduct would not harm students.

Superintendent Toni Jones said the event was accidental.

The class was handing out textbooks and when the book was tossed it unfortunately hit the student, Jones said in an email. There has never been a belief that it was intentional by the teacher. It was an unfortunate accident. We will continue to work with the family.

Fairfield Public Schools Human Resources confirmed LaPierre-Grasso is currently employed as a world languages teacher at Ludlowe. It is unclear in the lawsuit if Sinead continues to attend the high school.

As of press time Friday recently elected Board of Education Chairman Christine Vitale, LaPierre-Grasso and Hatzis did not respond to a request for comment.

Sinead and Sara Darcy Klik, as well as their attorney Stephanie Roberge, were also unavailable for comment.

First Selectman Michael Tetreau declined to comment, citing the case was pending litigation.

The attorney for the defendants, Robert Lotty, filed a motion for an extension, which was granted, giving the defendants until Dec. 22 to respond.

*Correction: The previous headline on this story, Lawsuit claims Ludlowe teacher threw book at students head, was edited to clarify the lawsuit does not indicate whether the thrown book was intentionally aimed at the student.
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
All-Star volleyball match to showcase top players in area

The 35th Johnstown Area vs. Somerset Area All-Star Volleyball Match will be contested Wednesday at Somerset High School.
WASHINGTON  There is fraud in Floridas U.S. Senate race.

Mitch McConnell just perpetrated it.

Florida has still not certified a winner in the contest between Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Rick Scott. Elections officials are recounting the vote after the initial tally showed the two separated by a mere 13,000 votes of some 8 million cast.

But the Senate majority leader, re-elected to that position by his colleagues Wednesday, decided not to trouble himself with such technicalities. On Wednesday morning, he stood by Scotts side in the Capitol and declared Scott a senator. Were here this morning to welcome our six new Republican senators that allowed us to continue our majority, the Kentucky Republican said, introducing Scott and the five new duly elected Republican senators to the press.

Governor Scott, CNNs Ted Barrett called out. Do you still contend that theres fraud going on in Florida with this recount?

Scott, the current Florida governor, forced a thin smile and looked away. McConnells lips curled into a smirk. Aides shooed the cameras and journalists from McConnells office; the coming-out photo op for the new senator was done.

Scott has leveled the stunning accusation, without evidence, that Nelson is trying to commit fraud to win this election. He has said his Democratic opponent, a three-term senator, is just here to steal this election.

President Trump, seeing opportunity to trash another American institution, joined in, saying, also without evidence, that ballots are missing or forged and massively infected. He said officials in Broward and Palm Beach counties are trying to find votes for Nelson.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which is under Scott, has no active investigation of fraud. The Florida Department of State, also under Scott, has seen no evidence of criminal activity. A Broward County judge, rejecting Scotts request to impound voting machines, said those alleging fraud must provide evidence.

But there is abundant evidence of something: an antiquated voting system that cant keep up. In Palm Beach, the elections supervisor said its outdated equipment overheated, causing figures to not add up as it attempted to meet the recount deadline of Thursday. Equipment problems in Broward also delayed the recount.

There is deep cynicism in Republicans complaining about the lengthy recounts and, worse, suggesting fraud is the cause: They voted down funds for updated voting equipment for states. Senate Republicans on Aug. 1 blocked Vermont Democratic Sen. Patrick J. Leahys plan to send $250 million to states for cybersecurity and replacing outdated election equipment. A few weeks later, the bipartisan Secure Elections Act stalled in the Senate, in part because we didnt have the level of Republican support we needed, Rules Committee Chairman Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said.

The $380 million Congress has authorized amid the Russian hacking (the first substantial funding since the aftermath of the 2000 election) is but a sliver of the $1 billion to $2 billion it would cost to get states voting systems up to date, according to Lawrence Norden of New York Universitys Brennan Center for Justice.

Last weeks voting problems  in Georgia, South Carolina, Michigan and New York, as well as Florida  are a direct result of Washingtons neglect. You cant have it both ways, Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos tells me. You cant scream about all the delays were having while also not stepping up and providing the resources we need.

But Republicans prefer to scream fraud when the voting systems they starved inevitably break down. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., joined Scott and Trump, saying Democrats are trying to steal a seat in the U.S. Senate. McConnell pronounced himself concerned.

McConnell continues to rival Trump in the harm hes doing to the institutions of democracy. He destroyed the campaign-finance system, using legislation and lawsuits to build the current era of unlimited dark money. He destroyed the last vestiges of bipartisan cooperation in the Senate with his year-long stall of Merrick Garland and his use of the nuclear option to seat two Supreme Court justices. Now, he is thwarting efforts to sustain the integrity of the nations voting systems  and then, when it inevitably fails, exploiting the failure to his advantage.

Maybe Scott will win when all the votes are counted. But, as Jeremy W. Peters of the New York Times observed Tuesday, even if Nelson wins, it is not unthinkable that Republicans would consider using their majority power in the Senate to refuse to seat Mr. Nelson and to give the seat to Mr. Scott instead.

As if on cue, McConnell on Wednesday morning declared Scott a new Republican senator  before bothering to learn the outcome of the election.

Dana Milbank is syndicated by the Washington Post Writers Group.
CHICAGO  Charities often ask for donations around the holidays because thats when people are likeliest to be feeling generous, but hunger runs rampant every month of the year, and it actually peaks for children in the summer when school is out.

Food banks in particular tend to time their drives around Thanksgiving, because so many people are out stocking up for the big dinner that it doesnt seem like too much of a sacrifice for shoppers to throw an extra package of stuffing, a can of concentrated soup or a box of cake mix into the food bin at the door of their local supermarket.

This is a good deed, and no one should be dissuaded from attempting to make a local familys holiday dinner a little fuller or sweeter.

In fact, Im usually the one doing the nudging, asking readers to be generous because a whopping 40 million Americans, including more than 12 million children, experience food insecurity or day-to-day hunger.

But in the 13 years Ive been urging generosity at turkey time, the scope of the problem  and of the solutions  has expanded in many directions.

The percentage of the U.S. population experiencing low or very low food security has gone up over the past decade due to the failure to recover from the Great Recession, the decrease in the number of high-paying middle-skill jobs and the rise of low-paying service-sector occupations.

And the world is burning up.

Thats not hyperbole. If you think it is, try telling that to the people who are fighting to survive the California wildfires, which, as of this writing, had claimed dozens of lives, left hundreds missing and rendered untold numbers displaced.

Which is where the food banks come in.

Feeding America, the nations largest hunger-relief organization, works year-round to position emergency food supplies throughout the country. So when earthquakes, hurricanes or wildfires hit, member food banks are ready to deploy food, water, equipment and supplies with a network of 2,400 trucks. Then the organization stays in communities to help them with long-term disaster recovery efforts.

Right now, the organization is coordinating in California with the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, as well as with FOOD Share, Inc. and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, among many others.

Sue Sigler, executive director of the California Association of Food Banks in Oakland, told me theyre supplying food to shelters and evacuation centers, and coordinating with local governments and first responders to ensure the right type and quantity of food gets to those who need it.

Unfortunately, because we saw this type of devastation during the Tubbs Fire almost exactly a year ago, we know that there is a long-term recovery that needs to be supported with food, Sigler said. Folks who have lost homes and employment will take many years to become self-sufficient again, so there is both an immediate and long-term need for food assistance.

Most people experiencing food insufficiency are well past the point of just needing a can of crispy fried onions to sprinkle on top of a green-bean casserole.

The reality is that the enormity of the need requires sophisticated logistics to transport fresh milk, meats, fruits, vegetables and other foods and staples long distances from corporate donors and bulk sellers in far-flung warehouses to the people who need them.

This is why, generous readers, if you really want to make an impact on the lives of people who dearly need nourishment, please open your wallet.

With respect to how people can help, cash donations are the most preferable, Sigler said. Food banks obtain food at far below retail cost, and have many other costs as well, such as extra staffing, transportation costs, and much more.

Please find a way to donate the cost of a box of cereal or a value pack of mac and cheese to your local food pantry or pantries, which you can find online at bit.ly/2NN8eZ6.

Or find a little extra in the months budget to donate to the tens of thousands of people who wont have a home for Thanksgiving because of the California fires or other disasters.

Giving your extra dollars via website or text or app may not feel as good as plunking packaged food into a bin at the grocery store, but it will go further, and help more people than you can imagine.

Esther Cepeda is syndicated by The Washington Post Writers Group.
Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.




The Keystone State has traditionally been a strong advocate for higher education, especially in providing aid directly to students so they can choose the college or university that is the right fit for them and their education.

In my view, that has made our state more innovative and competitive, increasingly efficient, and a model for how to fuel economic and social development through support for higher education. In simpler terms, Pennsylvania is the national leader in funding higher education for students with financial need.

Fifty-five years ago, Pennsylvanias executive and legislative branches created the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) as a vehicle to administer grant support to students with demonstrated financial need based on family income.

From the beginning, students were able to choose whether to use the grant at a community college, a public four-year college, or a private higher education institution.

Extending the aid to private institutions  which award 49 percent of college degrees in the state while receiving only 10 percent of state funding  is certainly an efficient use of resources as it limits the need for more funding at state universities. We have more than 90 private institutions of higher education in Pennsylvania to complement the public university system.

Another astute action was to make PHEAA a provider of student financial aid services nationally, including loan servicing and financial aid processing through American Education Services. PHEAA receives its revenues nationally, but the funds support Pennsylvanias students after covering operating costs.

Since 2005-06, PHEAA has provided a multi-million dollar supplement each year to the benefit of students in every institution of higher education in Pennsylvania. That amount has risen to about $100 million annually out of a total grant budget of approximately $400 million. Unfortunately, the amounts used to supplement the state-funded program have been draining reserves, so state government is being asked to fund PHEAA grants fully for the upcoming year.

It could have a negative impact on PHEAAs loan servicing business if state legislators are unable to maintain necessary reserves. As such, I am hopeful the executive and legislative branches of state government will fully fund PHEAA completely in order to support both student need and the ongoing successful business model.

PHEAA is taking an additional step that deserves support, as it began making loans directly to Pennsylvania students. The recent announcement of the loan program provides a route for students and families to receive a lower cost loan than what they would have received from the for-profit sector in the form of a PLUS loan. Furthermore, any profit to PHEAA will once again go to supporting operational costs and grants to present and future Pennsylvanians.

That is again good news for students, their families, and taxpayers. Through strong management and carefully planned operations, PHEAA is ready to make loans more affordable while providing substantial grants that do not need to be repaid.

We all want education that is accessible to all capable students and is affordable. This is a thoughtful and astute way to support Pennsylvanias students. Those students, in turn, will be our future civic leaders, fellow citizens and neighbors, and skilled workers who will build a stronger economy in our state.

Thomas J. Botzman, Ph.D., is president of Misericordia University in Dallas, Pa., the oldest four-year institution of higher education in Luzerne County. Misericordia University ranks in the top tier of the Best Regional Universities  North category of U.S. News and World Reports 2019 edition of Best Colleges. The Princeton Review recognizes MU as a 2019 Best Northeastern College and Money Magazine includes Misericordia in its 2018-19 Best Colleges list.
Whatever you think of Theresa Mays politics, this week it has been hard not to admire her resilience, her true grit, her determination to persevere and nail down this blasted Brexit imbroglio  or perish in the attempt.

I will see it through, she said on Thursday, amid a bonfire of vanities and under the thickening pall of assorted ministerial careers going up in smoke.

As resignations thumped onto her desk and Brexiteers stepped up their pygmy attacks on her authority, the embattled Prime Minister did not shirk from her duty. She put on her green glass beads and a dab of lipstick, then sallied forth to face the hostile world.

She made a statement, took a press conference, did a radio interview, held her own within the gathering storm. It all suggested a type of fortitude that borders on the superhuman.

Theresa May arrives back at Downing Street on Friday after her LBC phone-in to sell her Brexit deal to the public, after days of Westminster drama following the draft agreement

Yes, she looked tired, sometimes even exhausted. Baggy of eye and surely weary of the constant criticism from all quarters, there was a fleeting moment, one that every woman dreads, when she seemed near to tears in public. Please, anything but that! Disaster was averted when somehow Mrs May beat back the sobs and soldiered on, as dry-eyed and determined as ever.

Women from all walks of life and all sides of the political divide looked at the prime minister with fresh admiration. From millennial Corbynistas to stalwarts in the blue rinse brigade, we could only applaud her stamina and composure under such terrible pressure. Never mind Mrs Ms plucky Abba Dancing Queen antics at the party conference, much more impressive is this steel-plated super trouper, especially one who displays courage under sustained Boris-fire.

Meanwhile, any female employee who has ever worked in a male-dominated industry, struggled in a treacherous work environment or howled in powerless frustration at the Men In Suits Who Wont Listen will keenly appreciate her selflessness and sense of duty. At least Mrs May has delivered a deal. If they dont like it, where are all their brilliant ideas to solve the problem?

The beleaguered Prime Minister has somehow endured 30 months of tortuous Brexit negotiations; a banquet of political bile served with side dishes of infighting, mockery, abuse and treachery  and thats just from her own party. She has also been ostracised in Brussels, humiliated in Salzburg and belittled at every step of the way by men like Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk, whom history will not treat with reverence.

Men who should know better, but dont. Men who would never treat another man in the some disrespectful and occasionally repellent way they treated her.

Yet the Prime Minister has never complained, never put herself forward as a victim and never buckled.

Instead she has forged on with her impossible task, thrashing around in a constitutional and political mess that was not of her own making. She has tried to make the best of it and Im still glad she is in charge, despite everything.

Mrs May during a press conference in Downing Street on Thursday. She has faced a series of ministerial resignations and a plot to oust her by hardline Brexiteer MPs

Who else has her capacity for thankless slog, or her willingness to put in the hard yards? When the going got tough, former PM David Cameron and ex-Chancellor George Osborne left Westminster sharpish to pursue their own (highly lucrative) interests, both men taking more out of politics than they ever put in, unlike Theresa.

Rising to the top job after the elite chumocracy and Flashman swagger of their era, Mrs Mays middle-class sensibilities and head girl diligence seemed to be just what the country needed.

She was the studious only child, the vicars daughter; the dry stick, duty-first politician who went from the Home Office to Downing Street, to become the unlucky Conservative leader handed the poisoned chalice of delivering Brexit.

No doubt she longs for the day when she can relax at her constituency home in the Berkshire village of Sonning with devoted husband Philip. He is the semi-retired City businessman who heats up quiches for her suppers and no doubt wonders how much more of this his wife can take.

For the moment, the lonely Mrs May staggers on in a febrile political world where ambition is naked and so are the hostilities. She has been magnificent in her quietude and resolve over this torrid week, but for how much longer can she stay in power? The more terrifying question is this: who would replace her?

In the meantime, it is good to know that Mrs May is a church-going Christian who believes in the power of prayer  she will certainly need all of them now. She took the blows, and did it her way  but where do we go from here?
For me, the most revealing moment of this week's disgraceful political melodrama was not anything Theresa May said to the cameras or in the Commons. It was a brief aside, overheard by a political journalist on Thursday afternoon outside the Palace of Westminster.

Jacob Rees-Mogg had just finished speaking to the Press after publishing his letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister. And as the journalists crowded round, his manservant, the Tory MP Steve Baker, tried to pull his master away.

'Come on Jacob,' he muttered. 'I know you love it.'

Mr Baker probably thought nobody was listening. But Channel 4's Michael Crick heard him. And I am glad he did, because that remark perfectly captures the contemptible irresponsibility that has seized sections of the Conservative Party in the past few days.

'I know you love it.' They should put up a plaque with those words outside the Palace of Westminster, as a warning to future parliamentarians.

Theresa May, pictured outside Downing Street, said in 2016: 'What the Government does isn't a game. It's a serious business that has real consequences for people's lives'

Our country is contemplating the greatest constitutional crisis since World War II. Our entire economic future is uncertain.

Our business leaders are paralysed by uncertainty; our relationship with our closest neighbours hangs in the balance; even the integrity of our united kingdom seems perilously fragile.

The stakes, in other words, could not be higher. But Mr Rees-Mogg is enjoying himself.

It is all just a game to him, as it is to so many of the opponents of Mrs May who have taken to the airwaves in recent days. He is loving it. And that, I think, says it all.

Two years ago, during the chaotic, back-stabbing campaign to succeed David Cameron after the EU Referendum, I wrote in the Mail that Westminster had succumbed to 'a belief in the importance of individual ambition; a childish thirst for melodramatic grandstanding; and a deep sense of narcissism, with the fate of the nation too often wrapped up in the advance of one man's career'.

At the time, only one contender struck me as having the pragmatism, maturity and integrity to handle the colossal challenge of negotiating our exit from the EU. That person was Theresa May.

For as she said at the time: 'What the Government does isn't a game. It's a serious business that has real consequences for people's lives.'

She was right then, and she is right now. And she deserves far, far better than to be betrayed by posturing ministers such as Dominic Raab and Esther McVey.

Yes, Mrs May's deal is less than perfect. She admits as much herself. But did anyone really think that she would return from Brussels with the perfect deal? Did any sane person really believe the EU would give us everything we wanted?

Did they really believe that the Irish would miraculously drop their insistence on a soft border with Northern Ireland? Did anyone really believe the ultra-Brexiteers' nonsensical claims that Germany's car manufacturers would somehow 'force' Angela Merkel to cave in?

There are, of course, conspiracy theorists who think Mrs May deliberately plotted to get a bad deal for this country. Similarly, some of her critics claim that some other Prime Minister would have got a better deal  though what that deal would be, and crucially, why the EU would accept it, they never quite specify.

Still, let's pretend they are right. Let's pretend that Boris Johnson, such a risible failure as Foreign Secretary, or David Davis, such a drab ineffectual Brexit Secretary, would have got a miraculously better deal.

Even if that were the case  and it isn't  the plain fact is that this is the only deal on the table. The EU have already indicated that they will not contemplate a major renegotiation. Though there might, just might, be tiny concessions to be granted as the cliff edge begins to crumble beneath their feet, there is absolutely no reason to believe they are bluffing. All the time, the clock is ticking. At 11pm on March 29, Britain will leave the EU. If we do so without a deal, then almost all economists, business leaders and civil servants agree that the consequences will be disastrous.

They might be wrong, of course. But when so many people's livelihoods depend on it, what sane person wants to take that gamble?

Jacob Rees-Mogg (pictured) and his cronies may welcome the prospect of a no-deal Brexit. But they are precisely the people who claimed that the EU would roll over in the negotiations

In reality, the pygmies sniping at Mrs May care little for Britain's future. They are much more interested in their own political future.

The prime exhibit is her former Brexit Secretary, Dominic Raab, who flounced out of her Cabinet on Thursday morning. He handed in his notice just in time to make the breakfast news bulletins and ignite his leadership campaign.

In his resignation statement, Mr Raab set out two objections to Mrs May's deal. First, he dislikes the fact that it envisages a slightly different regulatory regime in Northern Ireland. Second, he is displeased that the so-called backstop arrangement, which we might not need, makes it impossible for us to leave the customs union without the EU's agreement.

As it happens, I'm not delighted about these things either. I doubt anybody is. So I eagerly read on to see Mr Raab's alternative.

And what do you know? There wasn't one. Not even the slightest hint of one. The reason is that a plausible, realistic alternative  which means one that the EU will accept  just does not exist.

In an ideal world, the EU would have rolled over. They would have ignored the complaints of the Republic of Ireland, waived all future British payments into their budget, allowed us bespoke access to the single market and allowed us to strike our own trade deals with whoever we liked. But we do not live in an ideal world. For in an ideal world, the EU would never have come into existence.

A single supranational entity covering the entire European continent, it represents everything that British policymakers have tried to avoid for centuries. We fought against the Spanish empire of Philip II, the French empires of Louis XIV and Napoleon, the German empires of Kaiser Wilhelm II and Adolf Hitler precisely because we hated the thought of a single power controlling Western Europe.

But when France and Germany came together in the early Fifties, there was not much we could do about it. At first we tried to ignore it. Then we formed our own rival free trade association, EFTA, which was a complete flop.

In 1960, Harold Macmillan wrote in his diary that we faced a 'grim choice' of joining the Common Market, or allowing it to become 'a boastful, powerful 'Empire of Charlemagne', now under French but later bound to come under German control'.

He chose the former, although Charles de Gaulle vetoed British entry in 1963 and we had to wait another ten years.

What Macmillan realised, and what all his successors have had to face, is that we cannot simply wish the EU away.

Even the late Margaret Thatcher, the Brexiteers' heroine, knew that. She was a pragmatist to her fingertips, not a posturing bomb-thrower.

That was why, during the first European referendum in 1975, she campaigned to Remain, even wearing a jumper bedecked with the flags of the European member states. And although she won a handsome budget rebate for Britain in the early Eighties, as Prime Minister she never took us out. Quite the reverse: it was Mrs Thatcher who pushed hardest for the creation of the single market, which we are about to leave.

As it is well known, she later changed her mind, becoming a staunch Eurosceptic after she left office. But given her record of pragmatism and  yes!  compromise, I have no doubt she would have recoiled from the strutting antics of Mr Rees-Mogg and his associates.

Don't get me wrong: none of this means I think we should betray the result of the 2016 referendum.

Theresa May, pictured giving a press conference at Downing Street on Thursday, has faced a week of political drama with ministerial resignations and a plot to unseat her as party leader

A second referendum would be profoundly undemocratic, socially damaging and an unforgivable insult to the 17.4 million who voted Leave.

But to pretend, after all these long months of talks, that we can leave entirely on our own terms is simply deceitful. Did you ever hear of a divorce settlement in which one partner got everything and the other nothing? The basic reality is that leaving the EU was always going to be a trade-off. In a world in which the EU exists, we have to weigh up competing priorities. If we were only interested in money, it would probably have been better to stay in. If we were only interested in sovereignty, it would be better to crash out.

But most normal, sane people by which I do not mean people who parade through London demanding a second referendum, mutter darkly about Mrs May's treachery, stage preening press conferences at Westminster and time their resignations for personal advantage  want a bit of both. We want more national sovereignty  for example, over our borders  but we don't want to crash our economy into the gutter. We want to be able to strike trade deals to suit ourselves, but we don't want our businesses to lose their crucial EU supply chains.

And that, more or less, is what Mrs May's deal represents. Is it perfect? No. Is it pragmatic, in the best traditions of the Conservative Party? Yes.

Would Mrs Thatcher have got a better deal? I don't think so. She might have made more of a fuss, swung her handbag around and made better speeches. And she might have done a better job of selling it.

But not even the Iron Lady would have been able to change the basic facts of political life. She would have compromised; she almost always did.

And here are the really crucial questions. Is there a better deal on the table? Would it be possible to get a new deal before March? Is it plausible that the EU would give us such a deal? Is it really worth risking the chaos of crashing out without a deal?

My answers are no, no, no and definitely not.

Mr Rees-Mogg and his cronies may welcome the prospect of a no-deal Brexit. But they are precisely the people who claimed that the EU would roll over in the negotiations. They were wrong then. Why should they be right this time?

In reality, a no-deal Brexit would be an economic and political calamity worse than the Winter of Discontent in the Seventies, worse than the three-day week and potentially even more damaging than the Great Depression.

A chaotic Brexit would also risk handing power to Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell, who would seize the chance to send Britain lurching to the far Left, with horrific and irreparable consequences for millions of ordinary families, as well as for our global reputation, international allies and the future of our economy.

Does Mr Rees-Mogg want Jeremy Corbyn destroying our Armed Forces? Does Ms McVey want John McDonnell disarming our police? Does Mr Raab want John McDonnell renationalising everything in sight?

Are they really so arrogant, so narcissistic, that they would inflict a Corbyn government on Middle Britain? I cannot believe it.

Whatever you think of Mrs May's deal, a woman who has served the country with such conspicuous commitment, integrity and sense of duty deserves better than to be betrayed by a moral degenerate like Boris Johnson, an intellectual vacuum like Esther McVey or a preening mountebank like Jacob Rees-Mogg.

I doubt that Mrs May has enjoyed the past few days, mind you. But she is not in politics to enjoy herself. For unlike Mr Rees-Mogg, she knows that it is not a game.
Theresa May is still in charge. That is the indisputable fact which defines the political landscape this weekend.

Not Boris Johnson. Not Jacob Rees-Mogg. Not Jeremy Corbyn. Not Michel Barnier.

Buoyant, unbroken and very much in command, Mrs May has survived the departure of two Cabinet ministers and a host of junior members from her Government.

This mass defection amounts to the most sustained attempt yet to remove her from office. Yet this remarkable lady, bloodied but unbowed, battles on.

There's still talk at Westminster that the 48 names necessary to call a leadership election can be mustered.

Perhaps.

Theresa May (pictured in Downing Street yesterday) is still in charge. That is the indisputable fact which defines the political landscape this weekend

Yesterday was the third time in the past six months that we've been told that the number of names has approached 48.

Ready to wound. Afraid to strike. This is the undignified and indeed cowardly condition that afflicts Mrs May's enemies.

How utterly contemptible. Yet I believe that a leadership challenge might well strengthen Mrs May. It would enable her to silence her critics and see off her attackers.

Undoubtedly, many political observers take the opposite view. I have had several conversations with intelligent people who know the Tory Party like the back of their hand. They are convinced the Prime Minister is finished.

They tell me the sense of betrayal, disgust and anger among Tory activists at Theresa May's Brexit deal cannot be exaggerated. They say that mutiny is raging like wildfire through the Conservative Party in the country.

And they add that Mrs May has alienated many potential Cabinet allies by her management style. She is too secretive. She works with an inner team of advisers and does not consult colleagues. She lacks leadership qualities.

All this is true. And many sources tell me this  Remainers as well as Brexiteers.

Yet outside, in the country at large, people see something else. Voters take note of an indomitable lady who will not be deterred from pursuing her vision of Brexit.

Increasingly, she is gaining the admiration of the British people. And increasingly the British people are feeling alarm and even disgust at the Tory rebels who seek to topple her.

Ordinary voters see a Tory Party that has gone barking mad, with Mrs May the lone voice of sanity at the helm.

I believe there is at least a measure of truth in this popular perception, which reflects a distressing trend of modern politics.

Go back to the post-war era from Churchill to Thatcher, and the Tories were a mass political party with millions of members. At its height, one in ten of the adult population of Britain was a paid-up Conservative. This meant that the Tories had profound links into mainstream society.

Nowadays, the total membership barely exceeds 100,000.

Many of these are splendid people, but often they are past retirement age.

Many of the younger members, however, take what can only be called an unhealthy interest in politics. They are ideologically motivated. From this meagre pool, many Tory MPs emerge. They are not well balanced. To be frank, some of them are a little odd. Not quite 16 annas to the rupee.

This defines the average member of the European Research Group, the body which has been mobilising to destroy the PM.

The group's organiser Steve Baker is an example. He's a highly intelligent and hard-working man. Not a bad person by any means.

But he's also an obsessive, and that means he lacks a sense of proportion.

The danger is that in the hothouse atmosphere of Westminster, these political nerds get far too excited. They talk to each other far too much. They are lacking in judgment.

The judgment problem shows through with their choice of an alternative leader to Mrs May. The one they seem to want at the moment is David Davis, the former Brexit Secretary. This notion is preposterous, as Simon Fraser  the former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office  pointed out yesterday.

This is what he tweeted: 'David Davis was a terrible Brexit Secretary. He could hardly be bothered to go to Brussels and rapidly lost respect there.'

Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg poses for a picture in Westminster on Friday. He is one of the Tory plotters who has submitted a letter in an attempt to force a confidence vote

All true, I am afraid.

And the same applies to Dominic Raab, Mr Davis's successor  and another favourite of the ERG.

Michael Gove, the Environment Secretary, is another case in point. On Thursday, he tried to humiliate Prime Minister May when she offered him the vacant post of Brexit Secretary.

Gove  the commander-in-chief of Westminster's political nerds, who has spent his entire adult life in the media/Westminster hothouse  tried to insist on conditions. He said he would accept the job only if he could renegotiate Mrs May's treaty.

The Prime Minister called his bluff and stared him down. Gove retreated, and after spending 24 hours in a huff contemplating resignation, resolved to stay in the Government.

Result: victory for Theresa May. Many male politicians have made the mistake of underestimating the Prime Minister. Gove is merely the latest example.

Mrs May has proved this week that she's much tougher than she looks. But then she needs to be because the failed Cabinet mutiny is only the start of her problems.

She faces another giant test when her deal comes before the House of Commons, probably in early December.

Once again, the odds look desperate. The Democratic Unionists indicate they will vote against, smashing Mrs May's makeshift Commons majority.

A sizeable number of Tories  who knows how many  will do the same.

The arithmetic is dire. The Prime Minister looks doomed to defeat.

Perhaps, but Theresa May is looking more and more like a political Houdini.

As the Conservative rebels discovered again this week, their leader possesses nerve and courage which, I am afraid, puts them to shame.

Amber has her credit restored

Amber Rudd, pictured tonight, has made a dramatic return to Theresa May's Cabinet calling on Tory rebels to 'think again'

The return of Amber Rudd to the Cabinet is welcome. The inquiry into the Windrush scandal which forced her resignation cleared her of misconduct or incompetence.

This meant that it was only natural justice she should be brought back into Government for another chance. Moreover, her presence is urgently required at the Department for Work and Pensions, where the outgoing Esther McVey had failed to get a grip. Amber Rudds central challenge is to defend the excellent Universal Credit reforms in face of Labour threats to abolish the new system.

That means dealing sensitively with the inevitable teething problems. I expect Ms Rudd to make a success of her new post.

I am less certain about the new Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay. Indeed, like many people, I have only the faintest idea who he is. Yet Mr Barclays obscurity does not matter, since it is clear that he will not be allowed anywhere near the remaining Brexit negotiations. The real power will lie with a civil servant, the negotiator Olly Robbins.

Given the unhappy fate of the previous two incumbents, David Davis and Dominic Raab, its a pity the Prime Minister didnt just abolish the post altogether.

Charitable - for Miliband

Plans are reportedly in motion to bring former Labour foreign secretary David Miliband back to Britain to lead a new centre party.

They should be put into reverse following news that Mr Miliband is earning 680,000 a year for running the International Rescue Committee, a U.S. charity. Such sums are hard to justify in private business, and obscene and morally wrong in the charitable sector. Shockingly, Mr Milibands charity receives millions of pounds in overseas aid. That should be halted at once.

This week, peers voted to overturn a ruling by the House of Lords commissioner for standards, and block the suspension of Lib Dem peer Lord Lester for alleged sexual harassment. This ruling demonstrates yet again that the Lords is a morally corrupt and indeed worthless institution in urgent need of root and branch reform.
Britain, the fifth largest economy in the world, is a country in the grip of social calamity and economic disaster all rolled into one.

No, were not talking about the political fallout from Brexit, but the consequences of a decade of austerity, according to the UNs grandly titled special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Philip Alston.

Following a 12-day tour of the nations most deprived hotspots, and speaking to what can only be described as highly selective witnesses, the Australian lawyer concluded that ours was a nation characterised by a punitive, mean-spirited and often callous approach to the disadvantaged.

Brimming with self-righteous indignation at his press conference yesterday, Professor Alston sounded like imperial pro-consul delivering his verdict on an errant province.

The UN expert Philip Alston (pictured in Newcastle this week) said today that 14million people in the UK are in poverty

Invited here by the Government, Professor Alston began his odyssey of orchestrated despair on November 5 and took in London, Cardiff, Oxford, Newcastle, Glasgow and Belfast, where he spoke to charities, pressure groups, academics, trade unions, food bank organisers, and homelessness campaigners as well as their clients.

He also made a special trip to Jaywick, the Essex coastal village that has been labelled the most deprived place in England.

Despite its tiny size and a population of less than 5,000 people, the village has become the ultimate symbol of decline, an economic morality tale for professional grievance-peddlers. So, of course, he had to stop off there.

Brazilian academic Raquel Rolnik, the UNs special rapporteur on housing, claimed in 2013 that the Tories withdrawal of spare bedroom subsidies  falsely dubbed the bedroom tax by Labour  for social tenants amounted to a violation of human rights

I would argue that Professor Alston and his team, although independent human rights experts, are marinated in progressive orthodoxies, and went into their investigation with their script about Tory cuts already written.

Dressing up their preconceived notions as new evidence, I believe they have simply regurgitated what they were told by Left-wing activists and lobbyists.

More spending, more welfare, and more taxes are, of course, the UNs solution to the supposed soaring levels of poverty they have identified.

Meanwhile, they have totally ignored the other side of the story  that, for all its flaws, modern Britain is a remarkable success story, combining economic growth with dynamic enterprise and a strong civic infrastructure.

There are, of course, pockets of real deprivation, but our country has far lower unemployment than the rest of Europe as well as the first national health service in the developed world to be universally free at the point of use.

Professor Alston rails against recent benefit cuts here, but such measures were badly needed to break the destructive cycle of welfare dependency and promote unprecedented job creation, which is the most effective route out of poverty.

In truth, his conclusions should come as no surprise. They bear the hallmark of every other biased UN study inflicted on Britain.

Earlier this year, the Zambian-born law academic E Tendayi Achiume, the UN special rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, announced that Britain had witnessed explicit racial, ethnic and religious intolerance in the wake of the 2016 EU referendum and there were historically rooted structures of exclusion and discrimination that pre-dated it.

Her declaration was a travesty of the truth. Britain is still one of the most tolerant nations on earth, able to absorb significant immigration without social upheaval.

Following a 12-day tour of the nations most deprived hotspots the Australian lawyer concluded that ours was a nation characterised by a punitive, mean-spirited and often callous approach to the disadvantaged

South African law professor Rashida Manjoo, the UNs special rapporteur on violence against women, absurdly declared in 2014 that Britain had the most sexist culture on the planet  this in a country where both the head of state and the Prime Minister are female!

Just as grotesque was the verdict of Brazilian academic Raquel Rolnik, the UNs special rapporteur on housing, who claimed in 2013 that the Tories withdrawal of spare bedroom subsidies  falsely dubbed the bedroom tax by Labour  for social tenants amounted to a violation of human rights.

Its hard to take seriously a supposed expert who was reared in Marxist dogma and who once, as a student, sacrificed a chicken to Karl Marx. Not for nothing is Miss Rolnik known as the Brazil Nut.

In her native Brazil, more than 12million people live in squalid slums without basic facilities, while another 50million are estimated to have inadequate housing. That certainly puts her gripes about Britain into perspective.

Indeed, such a charge applies to all the UNs politically motivated condemnations of Britain.

We have to endure pompous lectures from a parade of these special rapporteurs about our institutional iniquities, yet inequality, lack of welfare support, sexual oppression and ethnic conflict are all far worse in the developing world.

That is where the UN should be concentrating its fire, but it doesnt, because such an approach would not fit the quasi-Marxist template of Western repression that it has embraced.

Instead, it lashes out at critics  especially Britain.

Earlier this month, the UNA-UK, an independent British organisation that supports the work of the United Nations, criticised several British politicians  including the Prime Minister Theresa May  as being the source of comments that led to misleading, hostile and occasionally racist reportage that undermined UN initiatives in the UK.

What is so sickening is that we are actually paying for all this meaningless censure from the United Nations.

Britain is the sixth biggest contributor to the UN, paying roughly 90million a year  about 4.5 per cent of the organisations core 2.1billion annual budget.

But so much of this lavish funding is squandered, not only in subsidising our doctrinaire critics, but also in bureaucracy, waste, perks, duplication and mismanagement.

Even worse are the never-ending scandals, such as the notorious oil-for-food saga in which UN contractors took millions in kickbacks from a programme aimed at maintaining essentials supplies to Saddam Husseins Iraq when sanctions were imposed in the Nineties.

Similarly, UN peace-keeping personnel have been involved in a string of appalling examples of sexual abuse around the world, exploiting the vulnerable people they were meant to protect.

Further shameless hypocrisy can be seen in the structure of the UN, in which countries such as Saudi Arabia and China, which have appalling human rights records, are given membership of its Human Rights Council.

Such behaviour makes a mockery of the noble, humanitarian impulse that inspired the creation of the United Nations in 1945.

The organisation should get back to its roots and put its own house in order, instead of acting as a dreary, permanent ally of the British Left.
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Army rifleman Joel Sardi can pinpoint the exact moment after his accident that he knew his girlfriend of almost a decade, Elisa, was the woman he was supposed to marry.

After walking down a flight of stairs, losing his balance and falling over the hand railing to land on his back three metres below, the 27-year-old became an instant quadriplegic in 2014.

He'd previously spent eight months deployed in Afghanistan.

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Lying in hospital after the tragic accident which saw him shatter his C5 vertebrae Elisa - who flew from Victoria to Adelaide where it happened - stood by his bedside (pictured the night Joel proposed)

After walking down a flight of stairs, losing his balance and falling over the hand railing to land on his back three metres below, the 27-year-old became an instant quadriplegic in 2014

Lying in hospital after the tragic accident which saw him shatter his C5 vertebrae, Elisa - who flew from her home in Victoria to Adelaide where it happened - stood by his bedside.

'We had been dating for six years at this point. I turned to her and said that if this was too hard, or she didn't want to deal with whatever the future holds for me (we had no idea how good or bad my injury was) that she could say her goodbyes, walk away and I'll never hold any grudges, I would completely understand,' Joel told FEMAIL.

'She smiled, looked at me and said "there's nowhere else I'd rather be right now". That was the moment I knew. Those words have never left me, nor has her support.'

'She smiled, looked at me and said "there's nowhere else I'd rather be right now". That was the moment I knew. Those words have never left me, nor has her support,' Joel said

After spending three more years standing proudly by his side, Joel organised a special dinner one night whilst in California undertaking a nine month spinal rehabilitation program

After spending three more years standing proudly by his side, Joel organised a special dinner one night whilst in California undertaking a nine month spinal rehabilitation program.

Unbeknown to Elisa, Joel and his trainers had been practising a special new exercise, and that night Joel got himself down on one knee and asked Elisa to marry him.

While trying to organise their nuptials earlier this year, the happy couple responded to a once-in-a-lifetime competition being held by Melbourne's Sea Life Aquarium: an all-expenses-paid wedding surrounded by some of the world's most intriguing animals.

Their entry spoke candidly about the adversity and physical hardships they'd experienced together - and the enduring love that kept them together all these years.

Unbeknownst to Elisa, Joel and his trainers had been practising a special new exercise, and that night Joel got himself down on one knee and asked Elisa to marry him

'Our wedding day was actually 10 years to the day of our first date,' Joel said

They were named as the winners.

'Our wedding day was actually 10 years to the day of our first date,' Joel said.

It took six months for Joel and Elisa to bring their dream wedding to life, celebrating on Saturday October 20 in the Coral Atoll room at the aquarium, surrounded by 185 guests, as well as some new fishy friends.

'Our wedding was an absolute party. Everyone danced all night, and loved the fish tanks around the room. We decided to hire a vintage couch for us to sit on at the ceremony, to get the wheelchair out of the picture,' Joel said.

'Our wedding was an absolute party. Everyone danced all night, and loved the fish tanks around the room. We decided to hire a vintage couch for us to sit on at the ceremony, to get the wheelchair out of the picture,' Joel said

Sea Life Melbourne events coordinator Grace Cullinan said permanent ramps, lifts and full-carpet flooring provided an easy and accessible venue for Joel, who personalised his wheels with a fitting 'Just Wed' number plate for the special occasion

'It looked really nice to be sitting naturally. We included everybody for our first dance, making it everybody's first dance of the night, really getting the whole wedding party in the mood to have a great night.'

Sea Life Melbourne events coordinator Grace Cullinan said permanent ramps, lifts and full-carpet flooring provided an easy and accessible venue for Joel, who personalised his wheels with a fitting 'Just Wed' number plate for the special occasion.

'Thousands of couples entered Sea Life Melbourne's "Win a Wedding" competition, but Joel and Elisa's story really stood out as a deserving couple who have been through so much together.'
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK Everyones voice was suddenly lifted; And beauty came like the setting sun: My heart was shaken with tears; and horror Drifted away ... From Everyone Sang by Siegfried Sassoon (English poet and writer, 1886-1967) Advertisement

Dear Bel,

My son is 24 and lives with me and my husband (his stepdad). Weve been supporting him since he left school at 16. He started using cannabis as a teenager, greatly influenced by his father (heavy drug user, alcoholic and serial adulterer).

Psychotic episodes began at 18 and he was committed to a mental health hospital for two months. Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and anxiety disorder, he was given repeat prescriptions for medication  which he still refuses to take. He cant hold down a job for any longer than a few weeks

Our home has a small, self-contained annexe. We thought it an ideal living arrangement for him, in return for some contribution to board and bills, particularly as his girlfriend now lives there.

We could earn around 600 a month rental income, which would help our retirement  but, of course, were not getting a penny. The girlfriend isnt making much effort in her job search.

We only want a small contribution from them  far less than theyd have to pay commercially. My husband and I have smallish pensions. Supporting them is putting a considerable strain on us  and not just financially.

I thought Id always be there for my son. Now my family all tell me tough love is needed. But Im unable to separate his behaviour from his mental health issues. Where does one end and the other begin? I love my son, but really dislike him. Hes unreasonable, manipulative, controlling, a liar and hates authority in any form.

Just like his father. He refuses to consider work he considers beneath him, and flies into an uncontrolled rage if challenged.

He threatens to commit suicide if I dont give him money and self-harms in front of me in his rage  banging his head and cutting his arms. Ive tried to persuade him he needs professional help but he refuses. I paid for private counselling  to no avail.

Ive helped him gain employment and get a place on the Princes Trust programme, but nothing works out. I even have to make an appointment to see him  to fit in around his internet gaming!

All this puts a strain on my marriage. My husband is supportive but has no time for my son, who wont talk to him.

Were happy and want to live in peace, but I cant bring myself to kick my son out.

Desperate, we went to Relate. The counsellor said there is nothing wrong with our marriage, but I need to learn to divorce my son. This makes me feel like a complete failure as a mother. Can you help?

EVELYN

This week, Bel advises a reader whose 24-year-old son lives at home with her and her husband, his step-dad. The mother explained how they've been supporting him since he left school at 16

From time to time in the past, I have featured a similar problem  and always find them very difficult. As a daughter, as well as a mother, I can identify (for reasons too private for here), so I want you to know I understand.

Most parents like to think theyd always offer an endless fountain of unconditional love to their offspring  only to be devastated when the terrible day comes and the well runs dry. You sum it up with simple, heartbreaking honesty when you write: I love my son but really dislike him.

Is there such a thing as unconditional love? The answer must be no  because if, for example, you discover that the person you thought you loved had done something utterly vile (murder, to name one extreme), you might well realise the limits of love.

In the end, moral revulsion and/or shame can all but obliterate a memory of deep affection. And it does sound to me as if you are reaching that stage now.

Lets be honest: your son is the product of a toxic marriage and now youre clearly seeing your ex-husband mirrored in his nature and his actions.

That man made you bitterly unhappy, and now his son is doing the same thing. In your uncut letter, you tell me that perceiving the similarity (genetic connection) between the two men makes you doubt your sons behaviour is entirely due to his mental health issues. Whatever the truth, surely you cannot sustain this level of self-sacrifice.

Any parent will understand your conflict. But most people will also find it hard to believe that you have put up with this young man sponging (with his girlfriend) and being abusive for so long.

His behaviour may be the result of a cluster of factors  but its still intolerable. Whats more, not only are you not helping him, there is a lot at stake for you.

If, one day, your husband were to snap and leave, then your resentment of this difficult, damaged son would be absolute. The Relate counsellor was right.

Y ou cannot sacrifice the marriage for the sake of the son. You and his father divorced; now it is time to make the break with your son.

Action must be taken. I would downsize  putting the house on the market as soon as possible. Then you wont be kicking him out (as you put it), but making him move on.

I would also talk to the girlfriend in private and ask her to help him take control of his life.

They wont do that while under your roof, so the best way to help would be to make them take responsibility at last.

Dear Bel,

I appreciate some people may not think this is a proper life problem and I will fully understand if you feel your valuable time is being wasted, but of course there are reasons for me asking.

My question is short and simple: is 100 per cent trust really possible or even right when in a relationship with someone?

Or is it too high an expectation and asking too much of them  and therefore is demanding such trust just plain selfishness?

I really dont know and my mind is going round in circles because I simply cant come to a conclusion. I would therefore find any theories you can put forward  as well as your own wise opinion  helpful.

SARA

Trust is certainly at the heart of many life problems on this page, and there must be a thorny personal dilemma behind this intriguing email.

Since the earliest times, philosophers have wrestled with the notion of Truth and Falsehood, with the ancient theologian Augustine of Hippo writing that falsehood occurs when something is thought to be which is not.

So when the falsehood is believed by someone who trusts, that trust is abused  even if they dont discover the deception. If I believe someone is good, but that goodness is a mask, then I am deceived. If I find out, I will find it hard to place future trust in others.

Hard, but not impossible. If trust is abused, its only sensible to learn from that experience and be wary.

But the cynic takes it a step further and scowls, No one can be trusted  and that bleak statement is clearly wrong. Many people can be trusted; the world happens to be full of honourable souls. At the beginning of Shakespeares Alls Well That Ends Well, the Countess gives plenty of advice to her departing son Bertram (as mothers will!), including this gem: Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. If we could all live by that, the world would be a happier place.

But she doesnt say trust everybody. That would be reckless. Betrayal is as much a part of human experience as is the deep loyalty of soldiers to their mates and happy spouses to their partners.

You ask is 100 per cent trust possible or even right when in a relationship?

Surely it depends on whats happened before? None of us enters a new relationship with a clean slate. If youve been hurt, if your trust has been abused, self-preservation should make you careful.

Sadly, some people (mostly women, I think) fall into a pattern of trusting serial cheats, while their friends watch in disbelief. Why do they trust it will be all right this time? Honestly, I dont know. Nor do I understand why women are conned into sending money to men theyve met on holiday or online. Yes, theyre needy of love  but to trust their savings to a stranger? Thats not trust, but culpable gullibility.

I feel dubious about 100 per cent trust, because I suspect that, if the circumstances were right, even the most upright person could be unfaithful. Thats why I think couples are wise not to spend too much time apart. You never know.

Yes, I am cautious, sceptical  but that doesnt rule out optimism.

It is only wise to be aware of all the faults in human nature, but that doesnt mean you cant love  or forgive. If you discover your spouse has had an affair and ended it, you can forgive  as long as both of you realise that trust, once broken, can never be restored. Forgive and forget? I dont think so.

So, Sara, I think you must love with eyes wide open, not expect the one you love to be perfect  and trust (meaning hope) that when human beings accommodate each others weaknesses, then they can stumble into joy.

And finally... when words are a force for good

As you read this, I shall be in Glasgow, speaking at the 40th anniversary conference of the charity Sands. It is an important voice for all those who have experienced the grief of stillbirth or neonatal death.

How this came about is my story  which I share here (and it happens to be 49 years since my first article in the press) as evidence of the power of journalism.

When my second son was stillborn at full term in November 1975, I poured my misery into a long letter to a friend  which I turned into an article I sent on spec to the Guardian newspaper. They published it on January 8, 1976  and it opened a floodgate. Back then, nobody talked about stillbirth.

Now somebody had. Hundreds of people wrote to me (and to the paper)  one of whom was a psychiatric social worker, Hazelanne Lewis.

Bel answers readers questions on emotional and relationship problems each week. Write to Bel Mooney, Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT, or email bel.mooney@dailymail.co.uk. A pseudonym will be used if you wish. Bel reads all letters but regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence. Advertisement

She, too, had suffered  and now reached out through the press, with a view to turning the private grief into something bigger, more useful. We communicated  and to cut a long story short, this resulted in the foundation of The Stillbirth Society, now called Sands.

Meanwhile, my original article had been reprinted in the Los Angeles Times, where it made waves again. I went on to do interviews and broadcast on the effects of a stillbirth  how people had to understand the permanent nature of this particular bereavement, how the medical profession had to change attitudes, and so on. Its quite strange to look back and realise how little people knew.

Nowadays theres a much greater understanding of bereavement (although still not enough) in society  and Im glad to have played a part.

Today, Hazelanne Lewis and I are both keynote speakers, as new patrons of Sands. There is much work to be done to improve maternity care.

You know, 43 years ago, when my son was born dead, I vowed to turn grief into something positive. Now my life has come full circle  but wouldnt have done so without the extraordinary power of the written word.
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Zara founder Amancio Ortega's glamorous daughter Marta Ortega and her new husband Carlos Torretta pulled out all the stops for their glitzy wedding cocktail party with star studded guests.

The pair tied the knot on Friday 16 November and celebrated the union with a welcome cocktail party at the Royal Yacht Club in La Coruna, where Marta's retail tycoon father hails from.

The star studded bash included guests such as Bruce Springstein's daughter Jessica as well as television personalities such as Spanish Master Chef's Samantha Vallejo Nagera who stunned in a bright pink two piece suit with a white shirt underneath.

Father of the bride! Amancio Ortega and Flora Perez (left) attended Carlos Torretta and Marta Ortega's wedding

Samantha Vallejo Nagera stunned in a bright pink two piece suit with a ruffled shirt (left) while model Eugenia Silva cut an elegant look in a black and gold dress with a waist belt

The new couple were all smiles as they held hands on the way into their cocktail party. Carlos Torretta (left) went for a more relaxed look and had unbuttoned his shirt while his new wife Marta (right) went for a sleek black suit

This is while Spanish model Eugenia Silva also attended the nuptials donning a glitzy black dress, accesorised with a big chunky waist belt.

Other guests included the 20th Duke of Feria, Raphael de Medina, who attended with his wife Laura Vecino. The pair were married in 2010 and Spanish media dubbed the event the 'Wedding of the Year' and the couple also featured on the front cover of 'Hola!', the Spanish version of the UK's Hello magazine.

Spanish model and actor Jon Kortakarena, who has previously landed campaigns with major fashion houses such as Just Cavalli, Versace, Giorgio Armani, Bally, Etro, Trussardi, Diesel, Mangano, Lagerfeld, Pepe Jeans but notably H&M, Zara, Guess and Tom Ford was also in attendance.

Other guests arrived including Jon Kortakarena (back left) Rosauro Baro (back right) Eugenia Silva (back centre)

Rafael de Medina (left) and Laura Vecino (right) were also in attendance at the star studded cocktail party, hosted at a yacht club

He arrived with Spanish actress Amaia Salamanca and her husband Rosauro Varo Rodriguez, who have been married since 2010.

Today Marta and Carlos are set to celebrate their union with a huge bash at the nearby equestrian centre billionaire businessman Mr Ortega, once the richest man on earth who still holds a top ten spot in the world's most wealthy, had built for her.

It will be the second time at the altar for Marta, previously married to showjumper Sergio Alvarez Moya with whom she has a five-year-old son.

The couple were beaming when they arrived and were pictured (above) holding hands and smiling

The proud parents: Amancio Ortega (right) waves to photographers as his wife Flora Perez flashes a smile (left)

They can't stop smiling! The glamorous pair couldn't stop grinning as they walked to the party hand in hand

Around 400 people are expected to attend the party tonight at the Casas Novas equestrian centre, twice as many as six years ago when Marta, 34, married her first husband.

Although male guests have been told to wear tuxedos, her dad is expected to don a black suit made at one of the local factories of multinational clothing firm Inditex which has internationally-recognised Zara as its flagship store.

The intimate civil ceremony took place at the family home in Galicia.

Amancio Ortega (right) and Flora Perez (left) attended the ceremony and for the after party donned black ensembles

Roberto Torretta and Marta Ortega pose before their civil wedding on November 16, 2018 in A Coruna, Spain

Marta Ortega (left) wore a gorgeous ensemble which had been designed by Valentino (right)

Designer's son Carlos, known by friends as Charly, has dated a string of beauties including bestselling author Danielle's Steel's daughter Victoria Traina and Victoria's Secret model Sigrid Agren.

He returned to Spain at the start of last year after working in New York as a representative of models including Adriana Lima and Kim Kardashian's half-sister Kendall Jenner.

Spanish newspapers have branded the impending union the "wedding of the year."

The groom's father, Spanish designer Roberto Torreta, and his mother Carmen Echevarria were pictured arriving at the cocktail party in A Coruna on Friday

Forest green appeared to be a popular choice for the wedding (left), while one stylish guest opted for a stylish maxi dress for the bash

Spanish model and actor Jon Kortajarena, who lives in east London, is also on the guest list as well as Eugenia Silva, whose husband Alfonso de Borbon is a cousin of the country's King Felipe VI.

Swiss boarding school-educated Marta is the daughter of Amancio Ortega and his second wife Flora Perez, a member of staff he started an affair with while still married to his first wife Rosalia.

She studied business management in London and trained as an assistant in Zara on Oxford Street where Kate Moss, who modelled there, reportedly rebuffed her friendly overtures.

Guests including Maria Luisa Perez (left), dressed in a stylish pink mini dress, were photographed arriving at the party

The groom's parents Roberto Torretta and Carmen Echevarria were seen arriving at the cocktail party celebrating the wedding of Marta and Carlos

The Inditex group heiress counts Athina Onassis, the only surviving descendant of Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis, among her friends.

Her railwayman son's father, now 82, is a self-made man who left school at 13 and is currently ranked sixth richest man in the world, just behind Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, with a fortune of DOLLARS 70 billion.

He stood down as president of Inditex in 2011 but is still the majority shareholder with 60 per cent of the firm's shares.

In October 2015 and September 2016 he was briefly named ahead of Bill Gates as the world's wealthiest person by Forbes magazine.

One guest opted for a stylish jumpsuit (left) while another opted for a printed midi dress (right) for the cocktail party at the Royal Yacht Club

Juan Carlos Rodriguez Cebrian, the general director of Inditex, and Antonio Rodriguez Ortega (right) were seen arriving at the wedding

Guests arrived in a series of glamorous ensembles for a cocktail party in A Coruna, after Marta and Carlos tied the knot in an intimate ceremony
Superbugs, or antibiotic resistant bacteria, are a top concern among public health officials worldwide, but a handful of scientists may have found an unlikely solution: viruses culled from sewage, swamps and soil.

There, viruses, called bacteriophages, arent like the ones that cause the common cold, Ebola or the flu.

Bacteriophages, or phages, are unique viruses that dont harm humans but - as their name literally means - they are bacteria eaters.

But they are picky eaters. Each phage specifically targets a single kind of bacterium, so these treatments are tailored to each infection and only useful (for now) in narrow instances.

Critics say that phage therapy is still less effective than regular antibiotics and that the viruses so quickly leave the system that they would only be minimally effective.

But a pioneering program at the University of California, San Diego, is using phages to treat people with no other hopes left  and its working.

Bacteriophages (pictured) are viruses that target and destroy specific bacteria - even antibiotic resistant ones. Yet the once-maligned treatment for infections is rarely used

ANTIBIOTICS KILL MOST BACTERIA BUT PHAGES HONE IN ON ONES THAT ESCAPE 'BROAD SPECTRUM' DRUGS

Antibiotics, as we have all heard our doctors say, are broad spectrum.

They target anything with a hard exterior shell - a trait shared by all bacteria cells, but not human or animal ones.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF PHAGES: THE NEWEST OLD BACTERIAL INFECTION TREATMENT The American program may be innovative, and unique in this country, but phages are hardly new, let alone rare. Bacteriophages were discovered in 1915 and, by 1919, prolific microbiologist Felix d'Herelle brought phage therapy to the forefront of medicine when he cured several seemingly hopeless cases of childhood dysentery using his novel method. But then penicillin was invented, in 1928, and phages fell out of fashion. Felix d'Herelle was among the first scientists to successfully treat bacterial infections with phages Penicillin seemed to treat everything and was widely adopted in the West. It and subsequent antibiotics have remained the gold standard since, becoming ubiquitous. 'By the 1930s, it became no longer tactical for the US [to pursue phages] and most phage research went to the former Soviet Union,' explains Dr Robert Schooley, co-director of UCSD's phage progam, IPATH. 'Until now, research on phages has not been empirically rigorous, because whoever has had [phages] in their hands has not been capable of it.' For decades, Georgia was the only country with an active phage therapy program, and the 'Soviet' treatment had a bad rap in the eyes of Western scientists. Now, we better understand the very different mechanisms and utilities of phages and antibiotics. Advertisement

Penicillin, for example, interferes with any bacteria's ability to build cell walls, leaving the microorganisms fatally exposed.

Each bacteriophage, on the other hand, is tailor-made to feed on a specific germ.

Phages are the most populous organism on the planet, and nearly infinite in their diversity.

For just about every bacteria, there is a phage. Where bacteria thrive, so do phages.

But each simple virus will only prey on bacteria with an outer shell that exactly matches its own. Once it finds one, it latches onto the bacterium's exterior, eventually infecting it.

A cell's component parts are primarily a factory for making more of itself. When phages get inside the cell, they take over the factory, tinkering with all of the equipment so that the host actually reproduces more phages.

Once the host cell is full to the brim with phages, the new brood of viruses bursts through the cell wall, killing the bacterium and setting off to hunt more hosts.

They are precise and efficient killing machines, unlike antibiotics, which are more blunt instruments, known to effectively wipe out infections, but also to mess with the healthy bacteria that populate our guts.

The catch is that phages have to be exact matches to work, so more time and effort has to be spent precisely diagnosing the bacterial culprit for any given infection.

Then, additionally more time and money has to be spent identifying or engineering the perfect phage weapon.

Antibiotics are more of a 'one-size-fits-all' solution to bacterial infections. They are cheaper to make, and more potential targets mean more potential customers to pharmaceutical companies.

But then came antibiotic resistant superbugs.

PHAGES ARE SAVING (A VERY FEW) PATIENTS THAT HAVE RUN OUT OF OPTIONS

Amid the rise of superbugs and the fall of antibiotics, phages have been having something of a renaissance in the US scientific community.

In Georgia and a handful of Eastern European countries, scientists have long been selling mail order phage therapies to be self-administered by patients who have developed antibiotic resistance and are in dire straights.

But in 2015, no one in America was using phages to treat humans. There weren't even any trials.

That year, while UC San Diego professor Dr Steffanie Strathdee's husband, Dr Tom Patterson, became deathly ill while the two were in Egypt.

He had developed a cyst behind his pancreas, the drain that doctors placed through his stomach took on fluid, and Acinetobacter bacteria that was resistant to antibiotics grew there.

Dr Strathdee works with Dr Schooley and the two of them launched a desperate search for a treatment. Phages were their best hope.

And it worked. Tom went from comatose on his death bed to awake alert, and on his way to recovery in a matter of days.

Dr Schooley and Dr Strathdee were amazed - and found a professional calling.

The two founded and became co-directors of the Center for Innovative Phage Applications and Therapeutics (IPATH) at UCSD.

Dr Steffanie Strathdee (left) found phage therapy through a colleague and the US Navy when her husband, Tom Patterson was on his death bed. The treatment worked, Tom is health, and Dr Strathdee co-founded UCSD's center for phage therapy - the only one in the US

IPATH is the only phage therapy program in the US. So far, the doctors there have treated six patients in their facility and another six who were dying in other hospitals throughout the US.

Phage therapy is not FDA-approved, so they can only treat patients in emergency situations.

'So far, it's used to treat serious multi-drug-resistant infections,' Dr Schooley said.

'It's useful for people who have infections for which we don't have good antibiotic options.'

That includes patients who are especially prone to antibiotic resistance, such as people with cystic fibrosis, medical device implants and transplant patients.

Paige Rogers, now 23, was born with cystic fibrosis that makes her prone to infections. To manage the disease, she's been on antibiotics for much of her life.

When she was 21, the life-sustaining drugs stopped working against her pseudomonas infection. After nearly a month in a Texas hospital, she was sent home - essentially, to die.

Like Dr Strathdee had, Paige's family grasped at every straw on the internet, eventually getting in touch with Russian, and then American, scientists working on phage therapy.

He found another scientist, Dr Ben Chan, working on his own at Yale University to experimentally treat patients with phage therapy.

Antibiotics could no longer treat 23-year-old Paige Rogers's pseudomonas infection - until she started phage therapy

Paige has now had two phage therapy treatments, which she received through a nebulizer, 'like a regular breathing treatment,' she told Daily Mail Online.

Not much happened after her first treatment in December 2017, and in February she had another. By March, Paige was starting to feel something.

'I noticed myself all of a sudden have a lot more energy and wanting to do things and being able to do things,' she said.

Paige still has pseudemonas, and has to undergo regular antibiotic treatments, which have become effective again since she started phage therapy.

'I thought the pseudomonas wasn't ever going to get better and that was probably what was going to be what lowered my lung function until the time of my death, because there was nothing we could do,' Paige said.

'Now, I feel like I can actually have a normal life. Before, I thought pseudomonas was probably going to take my life early, but now I know I can get rid of the pseudomonas, even if I'm using a combination (of treatments) - but it's because of the phages that I have the use of antibiotics back.'

Paige became one of five that Dr Chan has treated successfully, but she would like to see that number grow exponentially and for phage treatment to be expanded to more people.

'I dont think it should have to get to the point where youre out of options for you to be able to use it,' she said.

'If I was able to use phage therapy a long time ago, I wouldnt have gotten to the point of having to be almost on my death bed and having scarred lungs from having this infection the last couple of years.'

SOON, PHAGES WON'T JUST BE FOR THE SICKEST PATIENTS - BUT THEY MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE

Dr Schooley says phages could become increasingly important to patients outside these narrow population soon.

'We are stalling out,' he says.

'There are not a lot of brand new approaches in the pipeline that seem like they'll be game-changers for the spread of the bacterial index.

'Antibiotic resistance is now in every corner of the globe. We've managed to radically change the flora of this planet - I would argue, not unlike climate change.'

THE RISE OF SUPERBUGS IS RINGING IN THE FALL OF ANTIBIOTICS When bacteria have been exposed to antibiotics too often, they can 'learn' how to beat the drugs, evolving to be resistant 'superbugs.' Each year, an estimated two million people in the US are infected with superbugs and at least 23,000 of them die because all antibiotics available fail against the bacteria ailing them. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) have classified antibiotic resistance a top priority as it is expected to kill as many as 2.4 million people by 2050. Curbing over-prescription of antibiotics will be key to slowing the spread of superbugs - but we still need a way to treat these infections. Scientists have managed to make new antibiotics that overpower resistant bugs, but progress has been slow. Advertisement

And bacteria aren't going to slow down and wait for us to catch up.

'We've unleashed all of these pathogens that will continue to evolve over time,' Dr Schooley says.

'We're going to need to find some way to deal with them. Antibiotics don't seem to have all the answers we need.'

It's not just the scientists working on phage therapies that see this need. Experts on antibiotic resistance are on board, too.

'Any new therapeutics - especially novel ones - are super important in our battle against bacterial infections and resistance,' says Dr Jason Newland, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Washington University, St Louis, and antibiotic resistance expert.

He says that phages are 'fascinating,' but warns that they need more study, particularly with an eye to the possibility that bacteria could learn resist the viruses, too.

'Theyve been fighting one another for billions on billions of years. Bacteria have probably fought some [phages] already,' Dr Newland says.

'A phage is like an antibiotic, just a novel way of doing it. Bacteria are going to get smart, maybe going to figure out a way to change their outer membrane.

'We dont know the mechanism or what its going to be but we should be prepared that the bacteria will change themselves to make themselves resistant.'

But that's not a reason to write phages off.

'Overall, I am high-fiving people for [phage therapy]. Let's study it, let's make sure it's safe and effective for adults and children and babies and everyone,' Dr Newland says.

We could find out if and how quickly that might be the case, 'within years,' though, Dr Newland says - if capital gets invested in studying phages.

Dr Chan is hoping to launch the first phage clinical trial for cystic fibrosis, and IPATH is looking to start its own clinical trials in the near future as well.

PHAGE THERAPY FACES A FUNDING PROBLEM: IT MIGHT SAVE LIVES BUT IT WON'T BE A BLOCKBUSTER DRUG

Money and regulation present challenges to the search (and testing) for another way, however.

'We all know the biggest barrier, thats finances,' Dr Newland says.

With warnings of antibiotic resistance spreading, pharmaceutical companies and the US government are both stepping away from bacterial infection treatments because revenues from antibiotics have gone down, says Dr Schooley.

Dr Newland says: 'People are working on it, but were seeing drug companies get out of the antibiotic/antimicrobial business because they dont see a lot of money in it.'

'You're not going to make a ton of money like you would off diabetes drugs that patients are going to be on forever.'

He says that small companies are working on alternatives to antibiotics, like phages, but, 'they need to be bought up by the big guys' to have the funds they need for clinical trials.

'It's really a big problem.

Plus, phages in particular aren't as cheap to make as antibiotics, despite recent advancements.

'There's been a radical change in the last two years,' says Dr Schooley.

'We are much better at being able to quickly identify [bacteria and their matching phages] and of cleaning up a phage after it's been produced in the lab, so it can be given to patients safely through an IV.'

The UCSD team mines its 'library' of phages and then creates a 'cocktail' of the viruses to give to patients.

For infections like staph, Dr Schooley says they can create a cocktail that will 'knock out 80 to 90 percent of organisms.'

Plus, they've worked out how to test 'if the bacteria is susceptible to the phage cocktail and know within hours' if a their phage 'library' matches up to the patient's bacterial 'library.'

Continuing to build up these phage libraries 'would be a step that would further personalized medicine with biologic, natural modes of therapy,' Dr Schooley says.

Personalized medicine is a buzz word among doctors and patients alike, but it doesn't have the ring of a big pay day to drug companies.

'They're easy to make ... but if you're trying to sell them, they can only be used for one patient at a time,' Dr Schooley says.

'That's a very different business model.

'But I actually think it's quite a lack of imagination and courage to invest in this. A lot of people in pharma are just sitting on their hands, and they're missing the boat.'
FOX 8 by George Saunders (Bloomsbury 9.99, 64 pp)

FOX 8

by George Saunders (Bloomsbury 9.99, 64 pp)

First published in 2013, George Saunderss short story about a talking fox was, until recently, available free online.

Now, with sleigh bells (and cash tills) ringing, its being re-released as an illustrated hardback to trade on the American authors newfound recognition after winning last years Man Booker for Lincoln In The Bardo, his ghost story about Abraham Lincolns son.

Another high-concept tearjerker, Fox 8 is narrated by a fox who amazes his peers by learning the Yuman language.

Things go wrong for him when, witnessing our capacity for thoughtless destruction and cruel violence, he learns a bitter truth about humankind, to whom the fox directs his mournful tale.

It tugs the heartstrings, yet I cant help feeling that the gimmicky phonetics (one nite I herd something that made me think twise) work overtime to keep this treacly parable the right side of trivial.

Not for nothing did Saunders omit it from his celebrated collection Tenth Of December.

E.E.G.

E.E.G. by Dasa Drndic (MacLehose 14.99, 400 pp)

by Dasa Drndic (MacLehose 14.99, 400 pp)

A nightmarish excavation of 20th-century bloodshed, the novels of Croatian writer Dasa Drndic  who died this year aged 71  make tough reading in more ways than one.

Like her previous book, Belladonna, E.E.G. follows Andreas, a Croatian psychologist still crossing Europe while meditating on World War II and its aftershocks in the Baltic and the Balkans, ravaged by the Soviets as well as the Nazis.

His brutally relentless monologue digs into his family history while circling the question of how far occupying forces were aided by collaborators, or spinelessly loyal humanoid lice, as he says in one typically caustic phrase.

Sometimes, the rancour can be blackly funny, but overall, the book is deliberately comfortless, the effect of Dasa Drndics narrative style, a little like overdosing on Wikipedia.

Pelting us with a blizzard of real-life atrocities, it almost dares you to zone out, which perhaps only goes to show  with wicked neatness  how such horrors might occur in the first place.

THE LITTLE SNAKE by A. L. Kennedy (Canongate 9.99, 144 pp)

THE LITTLE SNAKE

by A. L. Kennedy (Canongate 9.99, 144 pp)

Another teeny-tiny hardback eyeing its way into this years Christmas stockings is this playful novella-length homage to Antoine de Saint-Exuperys classic 1943 French fable The Little Prince.

Set in the present, in a never-named city of extreme wealth and poverty, A. L. Kennedys reboot features a shape-shifting snake, Lanmo, who befriends schoolgirl Mary.

When hes not looking out for her by transforming into a skipping rope to teach playground bullies a lesson, hes roaming the planet as a kind of freedom-fighting Jolly Reaper, sinking his fangs into a cruel millionaire tycoon and a rabble-rousing autocrat.

As Lanmo watches Mary grow up and fall in love, Kennedys fable skips lightly across some fairly daunting terrain, from social inequality to the inevitability of death.

Sweet, sad, but always a hairsbreadth away from whimsy, its told in a soothing tone that, for better or worse, makes you feel as if youre sitting cross-legged on a classroom carpet.
Fraudsters are bombarding university students across the country with large numbers of fake tax refund emails, the taxman has warned.

Her Majestys Revenue and Customs said it is the first time it has seen a tax scam attack directly targeting university students in such high volumes.

It said it had received thousands of fraud reports from students across the UK in just a few weeks.

HMRC has warned students are being deliberately targeted in a new scam telling them they have received a tax refund

The scammers are using seemingly legitimate university email addresses to appear convincing - such as "@qub.ac.uk".

Fake emails may promise people they are owed some money in an attempt to obtain their personal information. They may appear to suggest to students that their university has been informed that they are due a tax rebate from HMRC.

With the scrapping of maintenance grants in 2015 and student loans often failing to fully cover the cost of living, cash-strapped students lured by the prospect of a tax refund might well seem a tempting target for scammers.

One example of a fake tax refund email received by a former University of Kent student

Another example of fraudulent email.

Fraudulent emails and texts will regularly include links which take students to websites where their information can be stolen, or will include a password protected PDF document.

One email seen by This is Money that was sent from an account addressed 'Secured_Revenue_HM_GB_Service_Refunddfrith01@qub.ac.uk' told the recipient that a guide document to help with the refund application was attached, and that failure to provide correct documentation on the day will delay the progress of your application.

HMRC's tips to avoid being caught out: - Recognise the signs - genuine organisations like banks and HMRC will never contact you out of the blue to ask for your Pin, password or bank details. - Stay safe. Do not give out private information, reply to text messages, download attachments or click on links in emails you were not expecting. - Take action. Forward suspicious emails claiming to be from HMRC to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and texts to 60599. - If you suffer financial loss, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use its online fraud reporting tool. - Check gov.uk for information on how to avoid and report scams and recognise genuine HMRC contact.

HMRC said it is encouraging all universities to raise awareness of scams, and many have already started taking action to warn their students of the risks.

HMRC is also encouraging all students to be aware of the potential tax scams.

It said it has had relatively high volumes of reports to its 'phishing' service relating to the following universities - Aberdeen, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Imperial College London, King's College London, Manchester Metropolitan, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth, Queen Mary (London), Queen's (Belfast), Southampton, Sussex, University College London and Warwick.

HMRC has also had reports relating to other universities.

It said it has used cutting-edge technology to block half a billion phishing emails since 2016.

Financial Secretary to the Treasury Mel Stride said: HMRC will never inform you about tax refunds by email, text or voicemail.

If you receive one of these messages it is a scam. Do not click on any links in these messages, and forward them to HMRC's phishing email address.

Director of Action Fraud Pauline Smith said: It is vital that students spot the signs of fraudulent emails to avoid falling victim by following HMRC's advice.'
Councils have called for a ban on DIY vehicle-clocking devices as the number of estimated potentially dangerous cars with false mileage on UK roads has hit 2.3million.

Car-clocking - or the practice of falsifying a car's mileage - has increased by 25 per cent between 2014 and 2016, according to the latest available data by HPI.

The Local Government Association said mileage correction tools  which are widely available for sale online from about 100 - should be banned 'to help reduce clocking'.

Falsifying figures: Car-clocking has increased by 25 per cent between 2014 and 2016

A legal loophole means that correcting car odometers is legal, but knowingly selling a car which has been clocked is not.

While the traditional reason for car clocking is dealers wanting to make a quick buck by inflating the price of the vehicle, nowadays it is also private car owners turning to car clocking to avoid forking out penalties.

That is because many new cars are bought using PCP deals - or personal contract purchase - which require the buyer to state how many miles they will cover in the car during the term of the contract.

If a driver covers more miles that their finance agreement dictates, they will be stung for every mile they go over limit.

That's why it's often cheaper for drivers to pay a 'mileage correction firm' to turn back the odometer and escape these, despite facing the risk of hefty fines and even jail sentences if caught doing so.

A proposed EU ban on companies providing mileage correction services was supposed to be in place by May this year, and the LGA is calling for the legislation to be implemented as soon as possible and retained under UK laws after Brexit.

How to avoid buying a clocked car Here are a few ways to avoid getting stung by a car whose indicated mileage is far short of what it has really covered: 1. Check its history: Check with the DVLA for previous MOTs that show the cars mileage 2. Check its condition: are there too many stone chips, too much seat wear? 3. Drive it: drive a few versions of the same car: does one seem soggier than the rest? If so, why? 4. Quiz the seller: don't be afraid of asking questions they may rather not answer. 5. Check before you take delivery: When collecting the car, check it shows the same mileage as when first viewed. Its not unknown for the mileage to be reduced for a viewing, then to go back up once the car is being collected.

The LGA said recent council prosecutions have involved a van sold with 89,000 miles on the clock when it was found to have travelled more than 243,000 miles.

In another case, a high end Range Rover showed 77,000 miles when inspected by officers, but the true mileage was nearly double at 131,000 miles.

The problems that can be caused by a clocked car are numerous, from brakes and tyres wearing out more quickly than expected to major components failing before they should.

Unknowingly buying a clocked car also means that servicing schedules may be mixed up, so the car wears out faster. A timing belt change may be missed  and if it snaps, the engine gets destroyed, resulting in a very big bill.

UK motorists spend an estimated 800million per year because of clocking, according to HPI data.

One in 16 vehicles being checked has a mileage discrepancy, which means there could be 2.3million clocked and potentially dangerous cars on UK roads, the LGA said.

However, Britain's councils, which are responsible for policing the crime, are still probing few cases.

Nottinghamshire County Council has received 67 reports of car clocking  about three a month - in the past two years, the LGA said.

The LGA, which represents 370 councils in England and Wales, is urging people to check a vehicles history thoroughly before buying to avoid becoming a victim of fraud.

Simon Blackburn, chairman of the LGAs Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: 'Car clocking is a rising major fraud which not only rips off motorists but can have dangerous implications.

'Unscrupulous dealers are tricking unsuspecting buyers into paying thousands of pounds more for a vehicle with false mileage, which could put their safety at risk and lead to expensive repair bills if it is in a poorer condition than has been suggested.

'Anyone buying a second-hand car should make thorough checks to ensure that the vehicle is showing its true mileage and that its service history and MOT certificate are accurate.'

Anyone who suspects they have bought a clocked car should contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 040506.
On your bike: Dara Khosrowshahi arrived at Uber last year

Viewers of HBO's sharply observed comedy Silicon Valley will know that tech chiefs are curious, other-worldly creatures.

They have a disarmingly over-chummy demeanour, wear clothes they're the wrong side of 40 for and prefer to talk about saving the rainforest rather than profit and loss.

Some appear so health-obsessed you can imagine them having kale juice fed intravenously.

What a hoot if next season the show's producers could find a cameo for Dara Khosrowshahi.

Uber's charismatic chief ('Cause-Row-Sha-Hee', since you ask) is an investment banker gone rogue.

Once a suited-and-booted Wall Street dealmaker, he's now happily imbibing the Palo Alto Kool Aid, sporting three-day stubble and dressing like he's just stepped out of a J Crew catalogue.

Khosrowshahi might be head of the world's most famous cab firm, but when he speaks you'd be forgiven for thinking he's working on a cure for polio.

He arrived at Uber last year with a big reputation and even bigger salary from Expedia, which he turned from a fledgling online booking site into the world's biggest travel agent.

So keen was he was to join that he chose to forgo half of a $95m share incentive supposed to have tied him to Expedia until 2020.

Why he forsook $45m to join Uber was anyone's guess. Hampered by accusations of gender discrimination and intellectual-property theft, the firm had also become a byword for public relations cock-ups, many of them caused by Khosrowshahi's predecessor, Travis Kalanick, who, inter alia, was recorded verbally abusing one of his drivers. He later apologised.

As chalices go, Khosrowshahi looks to have picked up a poisoned one. But observers say the Iranian-born father of four has enough swagger to drink it, spit in it, pass it back and ask for seconds.

He certainly knows a thing a two about adversity. After growing up under the Shah in Iran, where his family ran a pharmaceuticals company, the Khosrowshahis were forced to flee during the revolution, when Dara was just nine.

Four years after escaping to New York, Khosrowshahi's dad returned to care for his ailing father and couldn't leave again for six years, leaving Dara's mother to bring up him and his brother alone.

With most of their assets seized by the ayatollahs, what little money the Khosrowshahis took with them they spent on the children's education. It proved a worthy investment.

His brother Kaveh also enjoys a decent career at investment bank Allen & Co. Not bad for two boys growing up amid students chanting: 'Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.'

It was at Allen & Co where Khosrowshahi started his career, joining after an engineering degree at Brown University in 1991. He caught the eye of one of the bank's biggest clients, media mogul Barry Diller, back then one of the industry's foremost rainmakers, who persuaded him over to his firm IAC.

In 2001 they crafted a $1.3 billion deal to buy Expedia from Microsoft. Their timing couldn't have been worse.

Just days after the deal closed, 9/11 happened, effectively shutting down the travel industry overnight. Sod it, said Diller, people are always gonna want to take holidays.

After Khosrowshahi was made chief executive in 2005, he embarked on an outward expansion strategy, snapping up brands such as Trivago and Hotels.com. Within ten years, revenues quadrupled to $8.7 billion. Diller, in turn, made Khosrowshahi America's highest-paid chief executive. Diller tried his best to keep him, but when the Uber job came up, Khosrowshahi couldn't resist the chance to improve a stuttering company.

He's spent the past year apologising  a lot. Mainly in London, where mayor Sadiq Khan revoked Uber's licence a month after Khosrowshahi's arrival amid allegations drivers were treated appallingly. Stories were legion of long hours, poor pay and few employment rights. There have been safety concerns too. Sexual assaults reported to Uber were not passed on to the police promptly.

Khan has placed Uber on probation for another year. Then he'll decide whether Khosrowshahi means what he says about improving Uber's culture. Or whether, like his passengers, we're all just being taken for a ride.
Royal Mail's annus horribilis continued yesterday as Credit Suisse cut its target price and joined other City banks in questioning the sustainability of the company's dividend amid a profits slump.

The stock slid 2.9 per cent, or 9.4p, to 316p, a record low and nearly a full 50 per cent below its May peak of 631p.

The latest sell-off marked another setback for chief executive Rico Back, who only this week defended his bumper pay packet that is worth as much as 2.7m a year on top of the 5.8m 'golden hello' he received when he replaced Moya Greene on June 1.

Royal Mail downgrade: Credit Suisse cut its target price

Analysts at Credit Suisse said they think shares are worth 301p, down from an earlier target price of 339p. Royal Mail shares floated at 330p in 2013 but this year has seen the departure of Greene as well as chairman Peter Long, a blazing row over fat-cat pay and a 57 per cent slide in profits.

David Madden, an analyst at CMC Markets, said the downgrade was 'no surprise' following Royal Mail's 'disappointing' results. He said: 'Adding to the pressure on the stock is the chatter about a possible general election. The Labour Party have suggested they would renationalise the firm, and that is weighing on investor confidence too.'

Selling pressure also hit Melrose, the industrial group that paid 8 billion for engineer GKN, which was the day's biggest casualty with a fall of 6 per cent, or 11.05p, to 171.45p.

Turning to the wider market, the FTSE 100 opened a healthy 40 points higher only for sentiment to be dented by the Tory infighting over Brexit. The blue-chip index closed the day 0.3 per cent lower, or 24.13 points, at 7013.88.

As Theresa May faced a no-confidence vote, so City investors gave the thumbs down to the banks, with Royal Bank of Scotland leading the fallers with a 3.3 per cent drop, or 7.3p, to 216.9p.

'Lower interest-rate hike expectations, coupled with the fear that a no deal Brexit could bring chaos to trade, are raising worries over the performance of UK banks going forward,' said IG market analyst Joshua Mahony.

Hutchison China Meditech (off 19.4 per cent, or 1085p, at 4515p) had 700m wiped off its value as flagship treatment Fruquintinib stumbled in a final-stage lung cancer trial. In a study of 527 patients in China, Fruquintinib slowed the disease but failed to improve survival rates to any significant degree over existing treatments.

Among the tiddlers there was disappointment for those thrill-seekers who chased Tom Co Energy from a low of 3.22p earlier this week to 5.64p after the stock was suspended.

SVS Securities terminated its broker appointment with immediate effect and ended an agreement to act as agent for the shale exploration and technology company's 532,350 share placing, saying its reputation was 'likely to be prejudiced' by continuing its work for the company.

It was lift-off time for shares in mining minnow China Nonferrous Gold as the shares soared 40.4 per cent, or 1.61p, to 5.6p after it said it is processing 2,000 tons of ore a day from its operation in Tajikistan.

Friday's change in fortunes is probably cold comfort for investors who bought at the start of the year when it traded at 19p.

It is Thanksgiving next week in the US, but just which UK company will win the award for biggest turkey when a welter of blue-chips report?

A year ago it was Centrica (up 0.8 per cent, or 1.2p, at 145.25p), which sounded the earnings alarm.

Let's hope there isn't a repeat next Thursday when the British Gas owner delivers its pre-close trading statements. Updates from B&Q owner Kingfisher, Easyjet and caterer Compass Group will also be keenly eyed.
RBS has been dropped from a list of the world's most important banks  meaning it won't have to hold extra cash to protect itself against the risk of future collapse.

Dropped: The Financial Stability Board removed RBS from the list it created after the 2008 crisis

The Financial Stability Board removed it from the list it created after the 2008 crisis.

Those on it must hold enough capital to avoid needing to be saved by the state.

RBS said that it 'reflects our progress in building a much simpler, safer UK-focused bank'.
The painful and pricey task of buying car tyres should become easier with the launch of a new online comparison service.

Motokiki promises to simplify the process, allowing motorists to pick replacement tyres based on their efficiency and performance as well as price and the location of a fitter.

The website has been co-founded by Debra Williams, a former chief executive of Confused.com, the first of the UK's online motor insurance comparison services.

To check your tyres, try the 20p test. Push the coin into the tread and if the outer rim disappears the tyre is legal. If it is still showing then it is time to buy a new one

Williams is applying the same 'whole of market' concept to tyre and fitter choice as Confused does for insurance and she says the aim is to improve the 'highly stressful' buying experience.

There are plenty of pitfalls to consider when replacing tyres. Many people are unaware that if they buy their cars on finance they must use approved tyre makes. The same rule can also apply for the period a motor is under a manufacturer's warranty. Williams says: 'You could get a hefty bill for not returning a car on a finance deal with the correct tyres.'

Motorists often buy new tyres based on price alone  ignoring other issues such as noise level, fuel efficiency and performance in wet weather.

Most people go to their nearest fitter to get tyres changed and never know whether it represents the best choice or price. Often a more expensive tyre saves money over the long term because it is more fuel efficient.

There are online tyre replacement services available already such as BlackCircles and Lovetyres. But they select from their own stock of tyres  and you need to tell them the size in advance.

Motokiki promises to simplify the process of buying car tyres, allowing motorists to pick replacement tyres based on their efficiency and performance as well as price and the location of a fitter

With Motokiki, owners tap in their car registration number which re- veals a picture of their motor with a list of permitted tyre sizes. By giving their postcode details, they get a list of the nearest fitters and those prepared to come to you.

The website also reminds buyers whether they might need to consider the issues of warranties or financing before making their choice. Key details about the tyres on sale via the website are provided, including fuel efficiency, wet grip performance and external noise levels.

The first two are graded from A to G (with A the best) and noise is shown by a three-wave icon (similar to the wi-fi symbol). A single bar is the quietest and three bars the noisiest, which meet the current legal maximum of permitted decibels.

Motokiki says tyres lose energy when they are moving, causing so-called 'rolling resistance' which can use up as much as 20 per cent of a car's fuel. By switching from a G to an A grade tyre a motorway driver could save nearly 90 a year in fuel costs while an inner city motorist driving at lower speeds could save nearly 150. Keeping tyres properly inflated is also key to extending their life.

According to the RAC, car owners should get at least 20,000 miles out of their front tyres and double that from the rear. But it depends on the quality of tyre, condition of roads used and the driving style of the vehicle owner

Watch out for cowboy operators that sell bargain-priced used tyres. With the price of replacing four tyres often running into several hundred pounds, it can be tempting to fall back on these operators. But bargain basement fitters often store stock incorrectly or, worse, peddle tyres with dangerous bulges or chunks taken out of them.

Road safety group Tyre Safe regularly highlights the issue of part-worn tyres. A thousand people a year are killed in accidents resulting from defective or under inflated tyres. Tyre Safe also wants it to be made compulsory for retailers and fitters to point out the efficiency labels to customers  so they know what standard of tyre they are purchasing.

According to the RAC, car owners should get at least 20,000 miles out of their front tyres and double that from the rear. But it depends on the quality of tyre, condition of roads used and the driving style of the vehicle owner. Unnecessary weight can take its toll on tyres. By removing roof racks and emptying boots of heavy clutter tyres will last longer and save on fuel.

Motorists with tyres worn beyond the legal minimum can face a fine of 2,500 per tyre  plus three points on their licence. If all four fail that could mean a 10,000 fine and the risk of disqualification. Insurers may also reject any accident claim if tyres are found to be beyond the legal minimum. To check your tyres, try the 20p test. Push the coin into the tread and if the outer rim disappears the tyre is legal. If it is still showing then it is time to buy a new one.

Alternatively, use a credit card  employing the outer rim nearest the magnetic strip as the gauge. You can also purchase a special gadget for the job. An Analogue Tread Depth Gauge costs 5 at Halfords.
Nikki de Bruin, co-founder of Stride, says the programme combines business theory with practical experience

Schools participating in an entrepreneurial programme have made 24,000 profit since it was set up four years ago.

The Stride Putting Young Minds to Work initiative sees pupils aged 11 to 13 create a mini-business with a small 40 cash loan.

In the 2017/18 academic year, 219 such businesses were set up from scratch by year six to eight pupils, making a total profit of nearly 8,000.

Profits have then been spent in numerous ways ranging from giving them to chosen charities, buying books, outings or parties for pupils.

The scheme consists of an eight-session business and enterprise programme for pupils.

They have to imagine, plan and create mini businesses from scratch with the small cash injection.

Nikki de Bruin, Stride's co-founder, said: 'Stride is injecting the fourth "R", what we call real life experience, into the education system by designing unique programmes combining business theory with practical experience, all delivered by trainers with a business background.

'The aim is to reinforce theory and build skills through learning-by-doing.'

A team from the Newland House School in Twickenham made the highest profit of 227.25 through their 'Penguins on Ice' theme where they sold handmade felt penguins and slushies.

The school's impact report showed that through one enterprise course, five mini businesses were created by 25 pupils.

The Newland House School's 'Penguins on Ice' theme which made nearly 230 in profit

Through investing 350 hours of their time the children made a 734.42 profit collectively.

Stride says the Newland House School is its pilot school and based on its success with pupils, teachers and governors, it was inspired to offer the course to other schools.

Another team from the Snowfields Primary School in London made 67.23 profit from an income of 70.98  a 95 per cent margin.

Through their 'Fun is Everything' theme they made their profits through selling handmade notepads from recycled paper and decorations.

Snowfields Primary School with its 'Fun is Everything' theme and wares which saw one team make just over 67 off an income of 70

Stride said the school had participated in the programme, via sponsorships since academic year 2015/ 2016 and there are now siblings who have returned from senior school to support their brothers and sisters.

Stride says: 'It has also been a good way to involve parents in the school community as they are invited to attend the Enterprise Fair.'

Each course culminates in a final event which sees school's teams competing against each other to win the Perfect Pitch award.

Following participation in the course pupils showed a better understanding of entrepreneurship

This is achieved through children presenting their research, marketing plans, budgets and products to a team of judges.

These are then put to the test 'in market' as they go on sale at stalls at schools.

Children that participate in the programme get a Stride work experience accreditation certificate and awards are given for the most profit made as well as the team that gave the best presentation

Stride also issues schools with Impact Reports, which can be used to share parents, governors and inspectorate bodies.

Stride works with schools, charitable organisations and businesses and offers a range of business courses, which reach younger children (year five) and also older children (years seven to 10).

This year, Stride introduced new courses designed for children from years 11 up to sixth form.
Michelle Obama said she felt anxious before giving her emotional New Hampshire speech in 2016 condemning Donald Trump for bragging about sexually assaulting women in a recording more than a decade ago.

The former first lady recalled Thursday in Inglewood, California during a conversation with Tracee Ellis Ross that she had gotten to the point where she was less concerned about what people thought about her words when she addressed Trump's comments on the infamous 2005 Access Hollywood tape.

She admitted: 'It was also (Barack Obama's) second term. I was like "I'm done with caring what people think." It's time to put some truth out there.'

Former first lady Michelle Obama spoke at the Becoming: An Intimate Conversation with Michelle Obama event at the Forum on Thursday in Inglewood, California

Obama felt anxious before giving her New Hampshire speech in 2016, she has revealed

Obama wrote the outline of her speech while sitting in a waiting room as her mother was having back surgery.

She wanted to speak up after the controversial revelation that Trump had told a room with TV personality Billy Bush inside: 'Grab em by the pussy. You can do anything.'

He was speaking about women as he filmed a cameo on the set of Days of Our Lives.

Mrs. Obama said about the 2016 speech at an event in support of Democrat Hillary Clinton: 'When I'm telling the truth, I'm not afraid. I was anxious about giving it. I know how I feel, and what I wanted to do at that time was take women to that place where we know how we feel when we are demeaned.

'We have all experienced that at some point in time. Women don't have the platform to say it out loud.'

She wrote the outline of her speech while sitting in a waiting room as her mother was having back surgery, Obama revealed to Tracee Ellis Ross (right)

Obama didn't mentioned Trump's name but added at the event that she 'hated bullies'

Becoming came out Tuesday, the same day Obama launched a national book tour

Former First Lady sold more than 725,000 copies of her book on first day Friday

Mrs. Obama's comments came at an event with black-ish actor Ross at The Forum.

She was promoting her best-selling book Becoming, which was released this week.

Her memoir had one of the year's biggest debuts, selling more than 725,000 copies on the first day Crown Publishing said on Friday.

The figures include sales and pre-orders of the former first lady's memoir and account for hardcover, audio and e-books editions for the United States and Canada.

Mrs. Obama never mentioned Trump's name on Thursday, but said she 'hated bullies'.

'I don't know if men really understand what we bear as women,' she said. 'The sad thing is that women aren't safe in this world. We are at risk to be cut all the time. I wanted to bring voice to women who know what that feels like.

'You're just putting up with some man's voice saying some stuff that is inappropriate and out of line, and they think it's a joke. It has a lasting impact. ... You have the power to vote against it.'

Obama had impressive sales and pre-orders of her memoir and account for hardcover, audio and e-books editions

She entered the stage to Alicia Key's Girl on Fire in her second stop of her 12-stop arena book tour. She kicked her tour off in a talk with Oprah Winfrey in Chicago.

Ten percent of ticket costs are being donated to local charities, schools and community groups.

Much of the 90-minute conversation between Mrs. Obama and Ross was filled with laughter.

They talked about Mrs. Obama having a panic attack, getting marriage counseling and joked about her husband's walk being 'sexy' but annoyingly slow sometimes.

In the book, Mrs. Obama mentions a time when she had a fist fight with a girl while growing up on Chicago's South Side.

'You did? A physical fight?' Ross asked.

She added: 'Those are the only fights you had on the South Side. What? You thought people were debating? No, girl. We were throwing down - like, kickin'.'

The former first lady's husband, daughters, mother and brother gave their impressions of her maturation in a video montage.

Her mom talked about how her daughter initially disliked politics and Barack Obama said he showed up to their first date late.

Earlier Thursday, Mrs. Obama made a surprise visit to an early education center located in Skid Row in the downtown Los Angeles.

She spent time reading with a group of four-year-old children from an underserved area of the city.

Former first lady Michelle Obama reads a book Para Los Ninos on Thursday in Los Angeles

Obama speaks with a school girl during a surprise appearance

Former first lady Michelle Obama reads a book to school children

Obama gave the school children a high five during a surprise appearance
The US Coast Guard has showed off the massive haul of cocaine they have seized from traffickers heading to America.

A multinational operation led to the seizure of 18.5 tons of cocaine, worth $500million on US streets.

The drugs were taken from boats off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America

The confiscated drugs were unloaded on huge pallets at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Thursday.

U.S. Coast Guard members stand behind 18.5 tons of cocaine that were intercepted in international waters along with the cooperation of law enforcement authorities from Mexico, Central and South America

A U.S. Coast Guard agent oversees the unloading of cases of cocaine with a combined street value of $500million

During a recent investigation, U.S. law enforcement authorities helped intercept a fleet of boats transporting cocaine along the Eastern Pacific Ocean

Working in conjunction with other U.S. law enforcement agencies as well as their counterparts in the other countries, the Coast Guard Cutter James crew was able to intercept 15 drug smuggling vessels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, according to a press release from the U.S. Coast Guard.

A Coast Guard video shows a raid conducted at night in which a man operating a boat that was leading a minor fleet is dumping the drugs into the choppy waters.

The Cutter James was responsible for nine seized cases containing an estimated 19,288 pounds of cocaine off the busy waterway.

A multinational search spearheaded by the Coast Guard Cutter Campbell was responsible for seizing a case with an estimated 5,441 pounds of cocaine.

The U.S. Coast Guard also seized 39 tons of cocaine during a five month period from February to September. The drugs were worth $1.151billion

A night operation in the choppy waters forced a smuggler to dump cocaine bundles off his boat

The Coast Guard Cutter James ship was responsible for nine seized cases containing an estimated 19,288 pounds of cocaine off the busy waterway.

'It takes a network to defeat a network, and we will continue to expand our capabilities and leverage these partnerships to amplify our impact and stop this illegal trade which threatens our national security and breads instability in our partner nations,' said Capt. Jeffrey Randall, commanding officer of the Cutter James.

The third largest seizure, led by the Coast Guard Cutter Spencer, decommissioned nearly 4,497 pounds of cocaine from a smuggling boat.

A separate transnational search led by the Coast Guard Cutter Active captured two cases carrying 3,148 pounds.

The operation, which included the participation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, led to the arrest of 49 people, according to Navy Times.

The Coast Guard had previously delivered 39 tons of seized cocaine to Port Everglades on five different occasions from February to September which carried a staggering street value of $1.151billion, the Sun Sentinel reported.
Parts of Cairns are in lockdown after United States Vice President Mike Pence touched down in Queensland.

With US President Donald Trump electing to stay on home soil, Pence will instead attend Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Papua New Guinea.

Basing himself in the tropical city in Far North Queensland, Pence will fly to PNG each day.

He is expected to outline Australia's role in the Indo-Pacific and call for greater economic development to bring the region prosperity.

US vice-president Mike Pence (pictured left) with wife Karen Pence after arriving in Australia

Other global leaders, such as Canada's Justin Trudeau, have chosen to stay in Port Moresby for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings, which start on Saturday.

Pence, best known as Trump's right-hand-man, is staying in Cairns for security reasons  and it was on full display on Friday.

Even before Pence was escorted to the Cairns Hilton, the luxury hotel was already under the guard of Queensland Police.

Pence's security detail conducted a series of security checks around the hotel  with local police patrolling the area.

Queensland Water Police are also guarding the harbour this weekend.

US vice-president Mike Pence (pictured centre) moments after his arrival in Australia

US vice-president Mike Pence (pictured) is basing himself in Cairns this weekend for the global APEC meetings

The watertight security came as Cairns Airport staff conducted frantic last-minute meetings, with the White House believed to have changed the Vice President's arrival time at the eleventh hour.

At this stage, it is unclear how long the US delegation will base themselves in Queensland.

The APEC meetings, hosted in Papua New Guinea for the first time, conclude on Sunday.
A bridal magazine has announced it will close just months after it sparked outrage for refusing to feature same-sex weddings.

Founders Luke and Carla Burrell, who are Christians, announced they would close White Magazine on Saturday after advertisers withdrew sponsorship.

A farewell note published on White Magazine's website on Saturday said the couple had recently experienced 'a flood of judgement' and lost a number of advertisers.

White Magazine founder Luke and Carla Burrell (pictured left and right) announced the closure of their wedding publication on Saturday after advertisers withdrew sponsorship

White Magazine has announced it will close just months after it sparked outrage when its stance on same sex marriage was revealed

The Burrells became target of an intimidation campaign in which their staff were threatened and one individual warned their house would be burned down.

'We have had to recognise the reality that White Magazine is no longer economically viable,' their online post said.

The couple said they started the magazine twelve years ago to tell a different kind of story about marriage and deter from commercialised weddings.

They said after the Australian law was changed to allow same-sex couples to marry they were repeatedly asked why the magazine didn't feature 'all couples'.

'White Magazine has always been a secular publication, but as its publishers, we are Christian. We have no agenda but to love,' the farewell note stated.

'We have no desire to create a social, political or legal war, which only divides people further and does more damage than good.'

The couple said, as a result of a 'flood of judgement', a number of advertisers withdrew sponsorship, which had a negative financial impact on the business.

'A campaign was launched targeting the magazine, our team and our advertisers.

'Couples who have featured in our magazine have also been the subject of online abuse despite their individual beliefs. Were really saddened by this.

A farewell note published on White Magazine's website on Saturday said the couple had recently experienced 'a flood of judgement' and lost a number of advertisers

'The result has been that a number of advertisers withdrew their sponsorship out of fear of being judged, or in protest,' the message said.

The closure comes just months after a text message between Ms Burrell and a photographer revealed the publication's refusal to feature gay couples on its cover.

In September, photographer Lara Hotz reached out to Ms Burrell after she noticed White Magazine didn't make any reference to gay couples.

'I couldn't find any same sex marriage content that they had ever published, or any comments from them about it,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

Ms Hotz, whose photography frequently appears in the magazine (pictured left and right), says she wants the 'influential' magazine to be open about its position

Ms Hotz, whose images have graced the cover many times before, said she felt confident bringing up the subject given her previous relationship with the magazine.

But when the editor didn't reply, she reached out again - only to receive a blatant refusal via text, which said the magazine wouldn't feature gay couples.

Ms Hotz, who is married to her female partner, said she felt discriminated against and undervalued by White's previously unspoken policy.

Separately, many advertisers, photographers, videographers and celebrants have also taken to social media to share stories about their interactions with White.

At the time, Ms Hotz said the issue was more than just a difference of opinion between White Magazine and herself.

In the magazine's farewell note on Saturday, the Burrell's said it had become clear that the magazine was unable to continue given the circumstances.

'As much as we love what we do and are inspired by the positive impact its had, we need to draw the curtain on this part of our lives, for now.

'We hope that one day soon our society can learn to accept peoples differences and different points of view and love each other no matter what,' the message stated.
The family of a high school student are outraged after the man who fed her drugs and raped her as she died from an overdose was given just three years in prison.

Brian Varela, 20, from Washington, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, third-degree rape, and unlawful disposal of remains as part of a plea deal in the February death of 18-year-old Alyssa Noceda.

But Superior Court Judge Linda Krese said Thursday she could not sentence Brian Varela to more than two years and 10 months behind because it was the most prison time permitted for someone with no prior criminal record, the Daily Herald reported.

Krese admitted that she was 'surprised, even outraged' by the inadequacy of the sentencing guidelines and told the court she has seen car theft cases with more serious penalties.

Varela raped the girl in his bedroom, gave her drugs and sent semi-naked photos of her to her friends as she lay dying, instead of calling emergency responders for help.

Alyssa Noceda (left) was raped by Brian Varela (right) as she lay dying of an overdose after taking a cocktail of drugs that he had given her

Noceda's mother (pictured) expressed anger over the sentence and plans to appeal it to the Supreme Court

'Im not sure the Legislature really contemplated something like this,' Krese said.

Varela told detectives that Noceda came to a party on February 3 northeast of the Seattle suburb of Lynnwood.

In Varela's room, he said Noceda snorted Percocet and also ingested liquid marijuana, court documents said.

Tests later showed she had taken a fatal mix of fentanyl and alprazolam, a generic name for Xanax.

She collapsed within a minute of mixing the two, Varela told detectives. Authorities said Varela never sought help and instead sent semi-nude photos of her to friends with the text: 'LOL, I think she od'd, still breathing'.

Varela played an online game until he fell asleep and woke up in the morning to find Noceda's lips blue, court documents said.

Tests later showed Noceda had taken a fatal mix of fentanyl and alprazolam, a generic name for Xanax, before she died

Brian Varela told detectives that Noceda came to a party on February 3 northeast of the Seattle suburb of Lynnwood

He went to work at Dairy Queen and his co-worker contacted police a few days later after Varela said he didn't know if Noceda was still alive when he was having sex with her.

Court records state that he told a friend that she died having sex with me.

Alyssas mother, Gina Pierson, said she cried when she learned of the sentence he was going to receive.

She told KOMO News: I really dont think its hit me yet. I just feel shock and disbelief, p****d off.

Instead of calling emergency responders, Varela played a video game and went to sleep as Noceda lay dead on his bed

Varela said his actions were foolish and he 'deserved whatever sentence I get'

He could have done anything, but he chose to play a game and go to sleep.

Its a joke. Three years for taking somebodys life. Usually people who do stuff like this dont get away with a slap on the wrist. I just keep thinking Ill never see her again.

Gina Pierson said she had been trying to call and text her daughter that night.

Pierson wrote to Noceda at 10.17 pm on February 3. 'Do you know the person youre with very well?, be careful. Pierson woke up a few hours later.

Nocedas loved ones stood in front of the judge and called Varela a monster and a murderer

Some of Noceda's friends were upset as the Judge handed down the lenient sentence

Why is your phone off? she texted her daughter at 2.37 am. Call me, please, I want to know youre OK. Please be safe.

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.

In court Thursday, Varela said only: 'I'm sorry for my foolish actions. Whatever I get is what I deserve'.

Noceda's aunt, Rachelle Palmer said: 'You might as well let him walk free with that kind of time.

Pierson and her family plan to take the fight to the state legislature and challenge those sentencing guidelines.

In a packed courtroom Thursday, friends and family wore matching black hoodies with Justice-4-Alyssa printed across the back. The front showed Noceda, with angel wings sprouting from her shoulders.

One by one for about a half-hour, Nocedas loved ones stood in front of the judge and called Varela a monster and a murderer.

Some of them broke down in the courtroom as Judge Krese handed down her sentence.
Thousands of students fear they will miss out on top marks because they didn't understand what the word 'trivial' meant in an exam paper.

Year 13 students at schools across New Zealand claim the wording of the History Causes and Consequences essay was confusing and unfair.

The exam had a question asking students to write an essay based on whether they agreed with the quote 'events of importance are the result of trivial causes', from Julius Caesar.

Taieri College student Logan Stadnyk told Stuff many of his cohort were thrown off by the 'unfamiliar word' and thought trivial meant 'significant'.

Thousands of students are protesting over the inclusion of the word 'trivial' in a question in their final exam paper

Poll Should teenagers know the definition of the word 'trivial'? Yes No Should teenagers know the definition of the word 'trivial'? Yes 630 votes

No 14 votes Now share your opinion





'Trivial isn't a word that you hear too frequently, especially not if you're in Year 13,' he said.

He said a definition of the word should have been included in the exam.

A petition was created in the hopes of that examiners would show some leniency.

'The word which many students were not particularly familiar with meant that student's had to write the essay based on their own understanding of the word,' the petition read.

The year 13 students at schools across New Zealand claim the wording of the History Causes and Consequences essay was confusing and unfair

'Many of which were different to what the word actually means; meaning that the true potential of many students are going to be covered.

'This petition is made for the government to recognise the true potential of the students and mark the essay based on the student's own content and understanding of the event.'

A spokesperson for the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) said the process of marking has not been changed as a result of the petition, but students will always be marked on their content, and will not necessarily be penalised for misinterpreting the word 'trivial'.

'The language used in the question, such as the word 'trivial', was expected to be within the range of vocabulary for a NCEA Level 3 History student,' she told The Guardian.
Michael Tracy Anderson, 38, was taken into custody Thursday

A white supremacist from Green Bay Wisconsin 'planned to attack law enforcement with acid and had a 'clandestine laboratory' in a basement covered in Nazi memorabilia, it has been claimed.

After a SWAT team, bomb squad and hazmat searched a property Michael Tracy Anderson, 38, had access to but did not own on Friday, authorities reportedly found a beaker of urea nitrate, an explosive fertilizer ingredient that has been used in terror attacks in numerous locations, including the World Trade Center in 1993.

Assistant District Attorney Wendy Lemkuil said during his probable cause court appearance Friday they found: 'Nazi and SS paraphernalia and Aryan race things all over the basement.'

Law enforcement was called to the property Thursday after Anderson's mother complained he was part of the Aryan Brotherhood, plus had knives, swords and possibly firearms in the home.

She told dispatchers he had threatened to throw acid on police and that he would 'go down fighting to the death because he's already dead,' Green Bay Press Gazette Lemkuil said.

When they arrived they spotted a vehicle leaving, and loop around the block before his girlfriend jumped out motor wearing only a shirt and underwear, and ran back into the home.

Law enforcement also found a .22-caliber handgun with paperwork listing Anderson's name and address.

He had a crack pipe and recipe for extracting pseudoephedrine, the ingredient used in manufacturing methamphetamine.

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Cops were called about a domestic disturbance at a Green Bay, Wisconsin home (pictured)

A SWAT team, bomb squad and hazmat discovered a woman hiding in the basement Friday

The unidentified woman was taken to hospital and questioned

Anderson said the chemicals found were for business use but Green Bay police Captain Jeremy Muraski said they were still investigating.

Authorities also discovered his girlfriend in the basement Friday as they searched the hideout of the man who is 'known to officers'.

Anderson has 19 previous convictions that include offenses relating to hate crime, domestic abuse and possessing a firearm as a felon. He was arrested for Disorderly Conduct in 2012.

He boasts tattoos such as one with the words 'Nordic Pride' and is believed to be a behind an anti-Semitic Facebook page.

When they entered the home they discovered the containers of liquids and powders that could create explosives when used together.

'They discovered a large volume of hazardous-type chemicals in the basement of the residence. Things that we're not used seeing -- you know, normal cleaning chemicals and things like that -- but things that were more hazardous or volatile in nature,' Police Captain Jeremy Muraski said.

Redwood Ave. chemical investigation Green Bay Police are holding a news conference on Redwood Ave., where we expect new details about a large amount of chemicals found in the home. Article at https://www.wbay.com/content/news/Hazardous-chemicals-found-in-Green-Bay-home-500598332.html Posted by WBAY TV-2 on Friday, November 16, 2018

'The chemicals as they sit individually might not pose a hazard, but the tricky part is if they would come in contact with each other, if any of them were spilled, if they're in containers that are breaking down or not really designed to handle that type of chemical. In a household situation that's something you worry about much more so than in an actual chemistry lab.'

Neighbors were ordered out of their homes around noon and weren't allowed back until 5pm Thursday.

It was only until teams searched the property  which Anderson does not own but has regular access to  that the female was found hiding in the basement.

Fire and EMS crews arrived at the scene and the woman was transported to hospital, reports Action 2 News.

Anderson is 'known to officers' and boasts a 'Nordic Pride' tattoo

Anderson's mugshots stem from an arrest for Disorderly Conduct in 2012

Anderson is 'known to officers' and believed to be a behind an anti-Semitic Facebook page

Interview with Captain Muraski about hazmat situation Posted by WBAY TV-2 on Thursday, November 15, 2018

It's not known whether the woman remained there during the evacuation or returned later on. She was not arrested but detectives planned to question her.

Anderson (pictured 2012) faces a felon firearm possession charge

'Some of those materials have been taken as samples and will be going through laboratory settings, things of that nature. As of this point, though, the house is safe, the neighborhood is safe,' Muraski said.

'Whenever you find a bunch of industrial-type chemicals, you know, it could be something very innocuous. It could be something where somebody is running some sort of small business out of their home.

'It could be something people are using to manufacture drugs or of course in a much more severe situation possibly manufacturing explosives-type devices. As of this time, we don't have any conclusion that any of those things is going on.'

He added about Anderson who remains in custody: 'The male was apparently described as being somewhat verbal to officers, but I'm not aware of any deployment of weaponry or anything like that.'

The state must file any additional charges against Anderson by November 28.
Kellyanne Conway, changed her Twitter bio on Friday shortly after her husband compared the Trump administration to a 'sh*tshow in a dumpster fire'.

'The "Kellyanne Conway" in "Kellyanne Conways Husband,"' her bio now reads.

The change came shortly after her husband, George Conway, was interviewed on the Skullduggery podcast, produced by Yahoo News.

George, a conservative attorney, said in the interview that he decided not to pursue a plum job in the Trump administration's Department of Justice when it became clear the president would constantly be crossing swords with the agency.

'I'm watching this thing and you know its like, the administration is like a sh*tshow in a dumpster fire,' he said. 'If I got this door prize, Im going to be in the middle of a department hes at war with. Why would anybody want to do this?'

He was under consideration to be director of the DOJ's civil division but withdrew his name last year.

'The "Kellyanne Conway" in "Kellyanne Conways Husband,"' Kellyanne Conway's bio now reads

The change came shortly after her husband, George Conway (right), was interviewed on the Skullduggery podcast and stated: 'I'm watching this thing and you know its like, the administration is like a sh*tshow in a dumpster fire'

It was also revealed that Trump's senior White House counselor sees her husband's criticisms of the president as a violation of their marriage.

Ben Terris, who interviewed Kellyanne earlier this year, said during an appearance on CNN that he's 'sure shes not happy'.

'She told me that she finds it disrespectful when George tweets negative things about the president,' said Terris.

'She said it was like almost akin to going against marriage vows, thats how disloyal it could seem at times,' he added.

But just hours later, Kellyanne changed her Twitter profile to: 'Mom. Patriot. Catholic. Counselor.'

Ben Terris, who interviewed Kellyanne earlier this year, said during an appearance on CNN that he's 'sure shes not happy'. But just hours after changing the bio, Kellyanne replaced it with: 'Mom. Patriot. Catholic. Counselor'

Trump's former campaign consultant George Gigicos and Kellyanne Conway speak in the lobby of Trump Tower in November 2016

During the podcast Kellyanne's husband went on to say that he remembered his reaction to 'the Comey firing, and then you got [Trump] going on TV saying, "I had Russia on my mind," and its like, "Oh, no." And then Im driving home one day from from New York and its like "Robert Mueller appointed special counsel," and then I realized, this guy is going to be at war with the Justice Department'.

Conway, already a prominent critic of the president, formed an organization of right-wing lawyers this week whose goal is to push back against Trump.

Charter members of the group, called Checks and Balances, include former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, former acting Attorney General Stuart Gerson, former Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty and former Deputy White House Counsel Phillip Brady.

Missing from its mission statement is any mention of Conway's wife, who helmed Trump's White House quest and became the first woman to successfully bring a presidential campaign across a November finish line.

He told the podcast's hosts that he was immensely proud of her for rescuing a presidential campaign that was 'in the crapper' when she took its reins, even though the result is something he views with disgust.

'My wife did an amazing thing ... She basically got this guy elected. She steadied that boat. He was in the crapper when she took that campaign over,' he said.

'He's just trying to get publicity for himself,' Trump told DailyMail.com last week, saying he doesn't know Mr Conway

Conway has become a visible Trump antagonist; his tweeted barbs become instant news because of a perception that they create friction with his more famous spouse.

'I dont think she likes it,' he said, 'But Ive told her, I dont like the administration so its even.'

'If I had a nickel for everybody in Washington who disagrees with their spouse on something that happens in this town, I wouldnt be on this podcast,' he added. 'Id be probably on a beach somewhere. And the fact of the matter is, when it comes down to things we disagree about, we agree on most policy things.'

He pulled no punches about his disdain for the president's heavy-handed approach to the DOJ, which included firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions last week.

'It was appalling. Were talking about somebody [Trump] who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States,' said Conway, 'and to criticize the attorney general for permitting justice to be done without regard for political party is very disturbing'.

Conway took issue last week with Trump's appointment of Justice Department Chief of Staff Matt Whitaker as acting attorney general.

In a New York Times op-ed, he and a former acting US solicitor general from the Obama administration argued that the selection was unconstitutional.

And though it's believed that his wife, a well-regarded pollster before she joined the Trump team, may be upset about her husband's recent remarks about the Trump administration, she seemed unfazed on Sunday.

During a Fox News interview that the critique from inside her own household doesn't faze her.

'It doesn't affect me or my job at all,' she said. 'I've never been doing better personally or professionally. People argue about the Constitution every day. That's why we have the United States Supreme Court. That's why we have an entire U.S. circuit court system.'

George Conway formed an organization of right-wing lawyers this week whose goal is to push back against Trump. The credo of 'Checks and Balances' was signed by 14 prominent right-wing attorneys including former top State and Justice Department officials

'He and his co-author have one opinion, the president and his attorneys have another,' she shrugged. 'Respectfully, I offer my advice to the president in private. I don't need to put it on the opinion pages, because I'm counselor to the president.'

As he departed the White House for France on Friday, President Trump chuckled when DailyMail.com asked him if George Conway's op-ed was flawed.

'You mean Mr. Kellyanne Conway?' he jabbed.

'He's just trying to get publicity for himself. Why dont you do this: Why dont you ask Kellyanne that question, all right? She might know him better than me. I really dont know the guy.'

Ms Conway told Fox News two days later that 'the "Mr. Kellyanne Conway" comment is instructive.'

'People describe my husband as "Kellyanne Conway's husband" more often than they describe him by his first name. So I'm sure the feminists are really cheering me on today.'

The Times was first to report the formation of Checks and Balances, which came on the eve of the conservative Federalist Society's annual meeting in Washington.

The Federalist Society's executive vice president, Leonard Leo, has been all-in with Trump, collaborating on the selection of 170 federal judges.

So far, 91 of them have been confirmed and seated, including Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

But Lori Meyer, who is married to Federalist Society president Eugene Meyer, is among George Conway's 'Checks and Balances' inner circle.

'My particular concerns are all the disinformation and spin that comes out almost every day,' she said, referring to the Trump White House.

'It makes it impossible for any real dialogue to be had.'

John Bellinger, a member who was once Secretary of State Condoleezza rice's top legal adviser, said that conservative lawyers 'are not doing enough to protect constitutional principles that are being undermined by the statements and actions of this president.'
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Samurai swords, cutlasses, machetes, zombie knives, guns  all seized by police in just one week. The haul, just some of which is shown here, is proof of the terrifying reality of the crime epidemic plaguing our capital.

The weapons were acquired by Metropolitan Police officers during routine stop and search incidents across Londons boroughs.

The city didnt have to wait long for its first knife crime victim to fall this week.

At around 11.30am on Monday, it was business as usual at the Costa coffee shop on the main street in the North London suburb of Arnos Grove.

Machete discovered on a youth in Greenwich after his friend taunted police for taking a short food break, left, and imitation firearm found on a man outside Brixton Tube on Thursday, right. While harmless, such weapons cause real alarm

Kukri knife found during a stop and search in Plumstead last weekend, left, and machete found in Lambeth on Wednesday night, right. No youre right, stop and search clearly doesnt work!! says police tweet

Then, for reasons which are not yet clear, there was a disturbance and a customer plunged a knife into another. The victim was critically injured and had to be airlifted to hospital.

The assailant, described by witnesses as a man in his 20s wearing a suit, ran from the cafe but an arrest was subsequently made.

A blood-stained knife was recovered on the pavement near the scene. Crime scene photos showed a short blade with a black handle, the likes of which you might find in your kitchen drawer.

This sort of thing never used to happen in Arnos Grove. But this is London in 2018. And knife crime is business as usual for a city beset by a spike in frequently fatal violence.

Pictured: Zombie knife picked up in Redbridge. The weapons were acquired by Metropolitan Police officers during routine stop and search incidents across Londons boroughs

Pictured: Imitation automatic pistol with magazine. Found on a male in Hackney on Thursday night

Ten minutes later, and 14 miles away across the Thames from the Costa incident, a 62-year-old widow was found dead at her home in Balham. A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

This death was a milestone. It took the number of homicide cases in the capital since the start of 2018 past the total for the whole of 2017, excluding terror attacks.

And there are six weeks of this year still to go. In February and March, Londons homicide figures even topped those of New York, whose citizens hold 50,000 gun permits, as well as there being many times more illegal firearms on its streets.

In London, however, the main killer is not the gun but the knife.

Fearsome knife seized by Barking and Dagenham police yesterday, left, and combat knife discovered during stop and search in Orpington last weekend, right

Pictured: Hunting knife in the possession of a 16-year-old girl in East Finchley. The haul, just some of which is shown here, is proof of the terrifying reality of the crime epidemic plaguing our capital

The majority of murder investigations in 2018  68 out of 119 have been stabbings. Thirty of these were of boys and young men aged 15-24, mostly black, mostly in the poorer neighbourhoods.

Another nine in this age group were shot dead. During the whole of 2014 the Metropolitan Police recorded only 91 homicide cases. This was a huge drop from the 164 in 2007, so it has been worse.

But disturbingly the trend is on the rise again.

Never mind assault rifles, the knife deaths came with machine gun rapidity in South London around the start of this month.

Pictured: A combat knife recovered from a stop and search in the east London borough of Tower Hamlets last weekend

Cutlass-style machete from last weekend in Brent, left, and Samurai-style sword and scabbard hidden down a youths trouser leg on an Islington estate on Tuesday, right

On Halloween adored father Rocky Djelal, 38, was fatally stabbed in broad daylight in Southwark Park in Rotherhithe.

The following day, 15-year-old Jay Hughes was killed in Bellingham, South-East London.

A single stab wound to the heart was inflicted by a large knife wielded by a hooded figure who looked little older than Jay.

The victim was standing outside a chicken shop. All this was caught on CCTV. The size of the knife, the stringy assassin and the obvious intent are horrifying. The next day the slaughter continued. Malcolm Mide-Madariola, 17, was fatally knifed outside Clapham South Tube station.

Imitation pistol discovered during a stop and search in Tower Hamlets on Sunday, left, and Zombie knife picked up in Dagenham, right

Then a respite  two days before Ayodeji Habeeb Azeez, 22, was stabbed in Samos Road, Anerley, also in South London.

The following day John Ogunjobi, aged 16, was killed in Tulse Hill around midnight.

Johns death was another milestone. The 250th stabbing death in Britain in 2018, demonstrating the knife-crime epidemic is not Londons alone.

And in the early hours of yesterday officers released a picture of the camouflaged hunting knife they found in the possession of a 16-year-old girl in East Finchley.

Many of the finds were a result of Territorial Support Group (TSG) units  specialist crime teams within The Met  acting on intelligence, such as the large zombie knife found by an anti-gangs unit in a block of flats in Dagenham.

Pictured: Knives uncovered in a stop and search of a car in West Hendon, in the London Borough of Barnet, last weekend

Pictured: Machete seized by Greenwich Gangs Unit from a car in Woolwich dockyard area on Thursday night

Others were the result of intuition. On an estate in Islington on Tuesday a young man was stopped and found to have a lethal Samurai style sword in a scabbard tucked down his trouser leg.

Sometimes the bravado of the weapons carriers brings about their downfall.

In Woolwich, also on Tuesday, a youth taunted members of an anti-gang unit for taking a short food break.

The officers turned the tables and searched both him and a friend, who was found to be carrying a machete with a blade more than a foot long. Why is this happening and what is to be done?

Police spending was slashed in the austerity budget of 2010. Since then the UK police force has lost 20,000 officers and seen its budget reduced by 12.3 billion.

But effective police tactics  as well as more resources  are also needed.

And, as this horrifying haul demonstrates, stop and search is an immensely useful tool when it comes to removing dangerous weapons from our streets.

Amid a collective panic and much soul searching  London Mayor Sadiq Khan claimed it would take ten years to fix  much discussion has focused on policing, gang membership and drug crime. The latter two drive much of the violence behind the murder statistics.

It is likely these zombie knives, machetes, swords and imitation firearms carried on the capitals streets are just the tip of the iceberg.

But they do demonstrate why and how there has been an upsurge in bloodshed.
The story of Rang-tan, the baby orang-utan who has taken up residence in a girls bedroom, is already this years most talked-about Christmas advert.

And thats despite the fact that supermarket chain Iceland has been banned from showing the cartoon on TV.

UK advertising regulatory body Clearcast has deemed the advert, narrated by Dame Emma Thompson and originally put together by Greenpeace, too political.

But the issue it highlights is one a mounting body of evidence shows needs to be addressed: the production of palm oil.

As those who have seen the cute but hard-hitting production (its all over the internet) will know, the cartoons orange-haired star has had to move out of her rainforest home because of the destruction wrought by the production of palm oil.

The controversial Iceland advert is already this years most talked-about Christmas advert despite the fact that supermarket chain Iceland has been banned from showing the cartoon on TV

Here we talk you through this controversial issue, and highlight the palm oil-free alternatives that can help you save Rang-tan and her friends . . .

WHAT IS PALM OIL?

Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil that comes from the fruit of oil palm trees. The trees are native to West Africa, where it has long been an agricultural crop, but it ended up in Southeast Asia more than 100 years ago as an ornamental crop.

Its the worlds most widely used vegetable oil  66 million tons is produced every year  and consumption is on the rise, with the oil appearing in all manner of products.

It was first planted commercially in Malaysia in 1917, and Indonesia and Malaysia now account for 85 per cent of the global supply. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), 42 other countries also produce it.

The advert follows the story of Rang-tan, the baby orang-utan who has taken up residence in a girls bedroom after losing his home

Incredibly efficient, the plant produces more oil per land area than any equivalent vegetable oil crop, hence its rapid rise. Palm oil supplies 35 per cent of the worlds vegetable oil demands on just under ten per cent of the land allocated to oil crops.

Its versatile, odourless and colourless, and has a high melting point so it is semi-solid at room temperature, keeping spreads spreadable. The WWF says its also resistant to oxidation (giving products a longer shelf-life) and stable at high temperatures (giving fried products a crispy texture).

This explains why it is estimated to feature in about half of all supermarket products.

SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

PRODUCTION has expanded at a frightening rate. Oil palm plantations are already said to cover more than 27 million hectares of the Earths surface  an area the size of New Zealand  and production is expected to triple by 2050.

The spread of palm oil has been blamed for major deforestation in some of the most diverse habitats. Given that this is largely unfolding in Indonesia and Malaysia, thats where Rang-tan comes in.

Vast areas of rainforest  once home not just to orang-utans, but also to tigers, elephants and rhinos  have been cleared to make way for oil palms. Already endangered animals such as the Borneo pygmy elephant, Sumatran rhino and orang-utans have been put at risk. An estimated 25 orang-utans are killed every day, and Icelands advert is dedicated to them.

People are losing their homes, too. And thats not to mention the question marks surrounding working conditions, and any impact of forest loss on climate change.

HOW ABOUT SUSTAINABLE OIL?

In recent years there has been a drive towards more sustainable sourcing and production of palm oil. But campaign groups views on how realistic this is differ.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil was formed in 2004 due to concerns about the impact of mass production. It is intended to set a global standard for palm oil production, with stringent criteria for producers, and a certification process to signal to buyers that the products they buy contain palm oil from a sustainable source.

In 2010, many of Britains most popular brands pledged that by 2020 they would no longer buy palm oil from any supplier involved in the destruction of forests.

But Greenpeace says that while responsible production is possible and does happen, questions remain over how reliable the system is. It says its research shows a string of leading brands are still sourcing from suppliers involved in clearing the rainforests.

As for switching to a different oil? The WWF says that to get the same amount of alternative oils, such as soybean or coconut oil, you would need between four and ten times more land. This would shift the problem to other parts of the world and further threaten habitats.

WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR?

Palm oil has many different guises.

Here are some of the ingredient names the WWF says to look out for: Vegetable Oil, Vegetable Fat, Palm Kernel, Palm Kernel Oil, Palm Fruit Oil, Palmate, Palmitate, Palmolein, Glyceryl, Stearate, Stearic Acid, Elaeis Guineensis, Palmitic Acid, Palm Stearin, Palmitoyl Oxostearamide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Kernelate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Sodium Lauryl Lactylate/Sulphate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Ethyl Palmitate, Octyl Palmitate, Palmityl Alcohol.

From soap to chocs, what to swap

Most manufacturers insist they use sustainably sourced palm oil.

Some of the products that still use palm oil are chocolate, soap, shampoo and lipstick however most manufacturers insist they use sustainably sourced palm oil

CHOCOLATE

Palm oil can give chocolate its smooth, shiny appearance and prevents melting.

This week Greenpeace said it had evidence that suppliers to Cadburys parent company Mondelez had destroyed 70,000 hectares of rainforest since 2016.

Mondelez International insists it is committed to eradicating deforestation in the palm oil supply and actively working with suppliers to ensure palm oil is fully traceable.

It added that 12 suppliers who did not meet company standards had been excluded.

Product containing palm oil: Cadbury Dairy Milk buttons.

. . .and one that doesnt: Montezuma organic smooth milk chocolate giant buttons.

ICE CREAM

Palm oil helps make it smooth.

Product containing palm oil: Tesco vanilla ice cream.

. . .and one that doesnt: Yeo Valley organic vanilla ice cream.

BREAD

Palm oil is often used in baking as it is semi-solid, like butter.

Product containing palm oil: Kingsmill 50/50.

...and one that doesnt: Essential Waitrose wholemeal medium sliced.

BREAKFAST CEREAL

The oil helps its crunch.

Product containing palm oil: Jordans Country Crisp.

. . .and one that doesnt: Dorset Cereals oat granola.

PEANUT BUTTER

The oil, which is also used in margarine, aids spreadability.

Product containing palm oil: Asda smooth peanut butter.

. . .and one that doesnt: Meridian organic crunchy peanut butter.

SHAMPOO

Our hairs natural oils are restored by palm oil.

Product containing palm oil: Head & Shoulders.

. . .and one that doesnt: PHB Ethical Beauty shampoo.

ROAST POTATOES

The oil is often in frozen roasts.

Product containing palm oil: Aunt Bessies homestyle roast potatoes.

. . .and one that doesnt: Waitrose roast potatoes in goose fat.

SOAP

The moisturising oil removes dirt and oil from skin and hair.

Product containing palm oil: Dove Beauty Cream Bar (Sodium Palm Kernelate).

. . .and one that doesnt: Lush Fresh Farmacy facial soap.

WASHING LIQUID

Refined palm oil is used in many cleaning products.

Product containing palm oil: Ariel original washing liquid (Sodium Palm Kernelate).

. . .and one that doesnt: Ecozone laundry liquid.

CANDLES

Palm oils high melting temperature makes it ideal for candles.

Product containing palm oil: It features in Ikea candles.

. . .and one that doesnt: Bloomtown Botanicals candles.

LIPSTICK AND LINER

The oil holds colour well, is hard to melt and is tasteless.

Product containing palm oil: Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Liner.

. . .and one that doesnt: Neek.

PET FOOD

Palm oil makes biscuits crispy.

Product containing palm oil: Tesco Christmas pudding biscuits for dogs.

. . .and one that doesnt: Lilys Kitchen Sun Shiny Day snack bar for dogs.

VITAMINS

Chewy ones often use the oil.

Product containing palm oil: Bassetts orange and cranberry multivitamins.

. . .and one that doesnt: Viridian High Five multivitamin.
The New Jersey couple facing 10 years in prison for raising more than $400,000 in a crowdfunding scam meant to go toward bettering the life of a homeless man have broken up.

Katelyn McClure's lawyer on Friday revealed the pair had parted ways with her accusing ex-boyfriend Mark D'Amico of taking advantage of her when they both used the story of Johnny Bobbitt, 34, win the affections and funds of donors.

'They are not living together anymore and she's not taking his calls,' attorney James Gerrow told Fox 29. In response to whether McClure believes D'Amico betrayed her, the legal rep said there was 'no question about that'.

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Katelyn McClure and her boyfriend Mark D'Amico have split since they got in trouble for a crowdfunding scam

McClure's lawyer says she was taken advantage of by D'Amico and homeless veteran Johnny Bobbitt (pictured) who they claimed gave his last $20 to help her when she was stranded

Attorney James Gerrow said Friday: 'They are not living together anymore and she's not taking his calls.'

It was based on the feel-good tale of a homeless military veteran using his last $20 to help McClure buy gas after she allegedly became stranded on a highway in Philadelphia.

Bobbitt, who is originally from North Carolina but had been sleeping rough under the I-95 bridge in north Philadelphia.

It all went wrong for the trio when Bobbitt filed a civil case against the couple, which has been put on hold until December while an investigation into potential criminal proceedings related to the raised money plays out, DailyMailTV learned.

In the civil suit, Bobbitt says they used the account as a 'personal piggy bank' to 'fund a lifestyle they could not otherwise afford'. It led to authorities searching the couple's home in September and finding lavish belongings.

But the entire story - including Bobbitt's innocence - was a complete lie a prosecutor said Thursday. They realized something was amiss among the details which hinted at Bobbitt's involvement.

Bobbit (left) was arrested Wednesday while McClure and D'Amico surrendered the same day

They became part of a viral sensation when Bobbitt, 34, was shown on camera spending his last $20 to buy gas for McClure

Bobbitt was arrested Wednesday night by US marshals in Philadelphia and remained in custody Thursday on probation detainers and a $50,000 bond. A message was left with a previous attorney of Bobbitt's.

D'Amico, 39, and McClure surrendered to authorities Wednesday night and were released.

'Less than an hour after the GoFundMe campaign went live, McClure, in a text exchange with a friend, stated that the story about Bobbitt assisting her was "completely made up",' Burlington County prosecutor Scott Coffina told a press conference.

The homeless veteran sued the couple who he said hadn't given him all the money they should have

'I had to make something up to make people feel bad,' McClure said in a text - one of 60,000 reviewed by prosecutors - to a friend.

In one text exchange in March 2018, McClure worried that she and D'Amico had less than $10,000 remaining, but D'Amico wasn't concerned as he believed they'd make more money off a book deal for a titled pitched as No Good Deed, Coffina said.

Coffina added: 'She did not run out of gas on an I-95 off-ramp, and he did not spend his last $20 to help her.'

The prosecutor added: 'D'Amico, McClure and Bobbitt conspired to fabricate and promote a feel-good story that would compel donors to contribute to their cause.'

The three were charged with 'theft by deception' and conspiracy to commit such a theft. A spokesman for the prosecutor's office said they would be seeking jail sentences 'of some length' which could be between five and 10 years.

GoFundMe plans to reimburse the 14,000 donors, who contributed $403,000 to the November 2017 campaign, the prosecutor said.

He said the money, donated to the homeless man, Bobbitt, would be refunded to people who saw the story and contributed to him through a GoFundMe page set up by the then-couple, D'Amico and McClure.

McClure's attorney Gerrow said the defendant tried twice to meet with law enforcement to stop the scam and when she tried to halt the fundraising, GoFundMe did not allow it.

Then authorities believed something was amiss in the story Bobbitt told them

The couple have shared photos on social media of themselves taking a helicopter ride and a trip to Disney during luxury vacations to Las Vegas and LA

'Kate was being used by both Mr. D'Amico and Mr. Bobbitt and because D'Amico knew she was a very kind person also a bit naive they set up,' Gerrow said.

He added about her reluctance to reveal the scam after they appeared on the likes of Good Morning America speaking about the Good Samaritan and promoting their crowdfunding page: 'What she was concerned about is people will stop giving to causes like this because at her core, she wanted to help this man.'

GoFundMe said organizers of campaigns are in complete control of them and says McClure received communications to make sure she understood that.

Originally aiming for just $10,000, the money was supposed to be spent on a home and a truck for Bobbitt, as well as a trust and retirement fund. Bobbitt believes he received about $75,000, including the value of the camper van and truck that the couple bought him but registered in their names.

The couple have shared photos on social media of themselves taking a helicopter ride and a trip to Disney during luxury vacations to Las Vegas and LA. They also posted pictures of shopping sprees and front-row seats at a Broadway show.

They insisted that they had done nothing wrong and had not spent a single dollar on themselves.

The two set up the GoFundMe page for Bobbitt (left), which became embroiled in controversy as they've been accused on living high on the money

D'Amico, 39, did admit to spending $500 from the fundraising campaign at SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia, though he insists he paid it all back with his winnings.

D'Amico had previously said the couple believed Bobbitt shouldn't get the money until he was clean and would spend it responsibly, while the couple have shared photos on social media of themselves taking a helicopter ride and a trip to Disney during luxury vacations to Las Vegas and LA.

He told The Philadelphia Inquirer in September: 'Giving him all that money, it's never going to happen. I'll burn it in front of him.'

Around that time Bobbitt entered a 30-day residential rehab program, his lawyer, Christopher Fallon Jr, told DailyMailTV on September 8.

In a joint statement issued on September 6, GoFundMe and the law firm representing Bobbitt had said he will get an amount equal to the balance he didn't receive through the fundraiser.

GoFundMe said it gave $20,000 to an account set up by his attorney to help him during the investigation.

'The entire campaign was predicated on a lie,' Coffina said. 'It was fictitious and illegal and there are consequences.'
The CIA has concluded that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The agency says Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination in Istanbul, the Washington Post reported on Friday, a finding that contradicts Saudi government assertions that he was not involved.

The Post said U.S. officials have expressed high confidence in the CIA assessment, which is the most definitive to date linking Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler to the killing and complicates President Donald Trump's efforts to preserve U.S. ties with one of the closest American allies in the region.

The CIA has concluded that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince (left) ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi (right)

It comes after the Saudi government said the killing of Khashoggi was carried out by 'rogue elements' acting beyond their brief.

Turkey has more evidence contradicting the Saudi version of Jamal Khashoggis murder - including a second audio recording, it was reported last night.

A second voice recording - said to be 15 minutes long - clearly reveals that the murder of the Washington Post columnist had been premeditated, the Hurriyet newspaper in Turkey said.

That would directly contradict the statement of the Saudi prosecutor, who has insisted that the original instructions issued to the hit squad were either persuade Khashoggi to return to Saudi Arabia or - if he refused - kidnap him.

Saudi officials said Thursday that five members of the squad faced the death penalty on charges of killing Khashoggi, but exonerated the countrys powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of involvement in the murder.

Dissident Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, was murdered at the Istanbul Saudi consulate

Khashoggi, 59, a mild critic of the crown prince, was killed and dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 after making an appointment to collect papers for his upcoming wedding.

It comes as hundreds of people gathered to perform funeral prayer in absentia for Khashoggi at the Fatih Mosque in Istanbul.

Turkey has said the murder was carried out by a team of Saudis who travelled to the city for that purpose.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the order came from the highest levels of the Riyadh government, but stopped just short of pointing the finger of blame directly at the crown prince.

A tough critic of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Khashoggi, disappeared after he entered the Saudi consulate (pictured) in Istanbul on October 2 to collect a document

Abdulkadir Selvi, pro-government columnist in the Hurriyet daily, said key findings in the Saudi prosecutors statement did not overlap with the evidence in the hands of Turkey including two voice recordings.

He claimed that the first seven-minute voice recording proves that Khashoggi was strangled but the second tape recorded shortly before the journalist stepped into the consulate clearly shows the murder was planned in advance.

The second tape proves the 15-member killer team seated inside the consulate before Khashoggis arrival was discussing how to carry out the murder, he said.

Turkey has also evidence that the team made international calls after the murder, he added.

Hatice Cengiz, fiancee of murdered Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, reacts while watching a tribute video to her husband at the commemorative ceremony

Saudi prosecutors on Thursday announced indictments against 11 people and said a total of 21 individuals were in custody in connection with the killing.

Shalaan al-Shalaan, the kingdoms deputy public prosecutor, requested the death penalty for five who are charged with ordering and committing the crime and for the appropriate sentences for the other indicted individuals.

But he exonerated Saudis de-facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman by laying ultimate blame for Khashoggis killing at the feet of two lesser officials.

Executions in Saudi Arabia are usually carried out publicly by beheading with a sword.
The bomb squad has been called to a freeway in Sydney after a van carrying 'explosives' rolled.

The vehicle crashed just after 9am on the M7 freeway near Cecil Hills in Sydney's west.

Police were called to the scene, where they found explosives generally used on railway tracks sprawled across the multi-lane road, 9News reported.

The bomb squad has been called to a freeway in Sydney after a van carrying 'explosives' rolled

Railway track explosives are small detonators which are strapped to the railway line.

When the wheel of a train passes over it and puts pressure on it, the small explosive detonates and makes a loud sound, signaling other trains nearby to stop.

They can be used to as a warning or signal in fog, or to alert drivers of a possible breakdown or delay on the track ahead with another train.

The explosives were found on the road but also scattered across the nearby bush and grassland.

Bomb squad detectives equipped with protective gear worked on Saturday afternoon to remove them safely.

Traffic in both directions was heavy for some time after the incident but has since eased.

While the cause of the crash is still unknown, police say nobody was injured as a result.

The vehicle crashed just after 9am on the M7 freeway near Cecil Hills in Sydney's west
A grieving mother believes crucial new evidence will finally unlock the mystery surrounding her daughter's brutal murder.

Patsy Lleiss, 87, is hopeful that a new lead will help police catch the attacker who has still not faced justice for the 1984 killing.

Patsy's daughter Lesley Patricia Larkin, 31, was found naked and covered in blood at her apartment in Noosa Heads 34 years ago.

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Lesley Patricia Larkin (pictured) was murdered in 1984 - her killer remains at large, but Larkin's mother is hoping a recent fresh lead will end her personal anguish

Until now police have struggled to make progress on the case but officers now know that Lesley was frightened and experienced distressing incidents in the run up to her death.

For the first time, Ms Lleiss feels she as though she will at last find out the truth about Lesley's death.

'It's the first time I've felt really positive there might be some outcome and understanding about what happened and how it happened,' she said.

'I really feel as though something is going to break open.'

Larkin moved to Noosa Heads, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, in an attempt to re-establish herself.

She found work as a waitress and was a regular beach goer.

On November 9, 1984, a neighbour found Larkin inside her unit, naked and lying in a pool of blood on her bed.

She had been bludgeoned several times in the head and died the next day in the Royal Brisbane Hospital.

Lesley Patricia Larkin (pictured) was found murdered in 1984 - the identity of her killer remains a mystery - her mother hopes a fresh lead will end her anguish

Her mother has asked anyone who knew Lesley to cast their minds back to any unusual conversations in the lead up to her death.

'Just try to remember anything Lesley said that you might have just thought was a bit odd,' Ms Lleiss told the Courier Mail.

'I would just urge people, if there is anything to come forward.'

A State Government reward of $250,000 remains on offer for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of those responsible for Larkin's murder.

Detective Inspector Dave Drinnen said this new lead had helped to ramp up the investigation.
With a baby on the way, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are keen to move up the property ladder from the two-bedroom Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace.

Royal insiders had widely expected the Queens cousin, the Duke of Gloucester, 74, and his Danish-born wife, Birgitte, 72, to move out of their lavish 21-room Apartment 1 to make way for Prince Harry and Meghan.

But I hear there is a spanner in the works: Birgitte wants to stay put in the apartment, which is right next door to Prince William and Kates huge home.

With a baby on the way, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are keen to move up the property ladder

Birgitte doesnt want to leave, one of her friends tells me. And why should she? She and her husband are still full-time working members of The Firm and they were given their apartment by Her Majesty.

A Kensington Palace spokesman insists its not true that Harry and, in particular, Meghan covet the Gloucesters spacious home.

Intriguingly, a royal source tells me that Harry and the American former actress may leave the confines of Kensington Palace altogether.

Harry and Meghan want to move, and need more space, but they dont want to live next door to William and Catherine, says the source.

Kensington Palace with Nottingham Cottage, Harry and Meghan's current residence, circled

They will soon have separate offices and separate lives, so it would make sense for them to live further afield. There is no reason why their London home has to be at Kensington Palace. There are plenty of other options, including using their own money to buy their own place.

The two couples currently share a joint household at Kensington Palace but it was reported last month that they are considering a formal division. The split would create separate courts to reflect their increasingly different responsibilities.

The princes country homes are 130 miles apart, with Williams family at Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, and Harry renting a converted cow shed in Great Tew, Oxfordshire.

Catherine and Meghan live very different lives, adds the source. And that is likely to become more marked over time.

Johnny V Good! Depp jams live at Chuck Berry tribute

Johnny Depp put his troubles behind him as he reeled and rocked into the wee wee hours with Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood (below).

The Hollywood actor  the subject of abuse allegations by ex-wife Amber Heard  made a surprise appearance at Soho club Ronnie Scotts for a tribute to rock n roll legend Chuck Berry with the Ben Waters Band.

Depps in town for the premiere of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald, and I have to say, he was pretty Johnny V Goode!

Johnny Depp put his troubles behind him as he reeled and rocked into the wee wee hours with Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood

Will Birley buy back heirloom?

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this painting due to go under the hammer at Christies next Tuesday has a tale to tell.

Its a portrait by Sir Oswald Birley of his son Mark, creator of Annabels nightspot in Londons Mayfair.

Mark included it among the fixtures and fittings when he sold the club to Richard Caring as part of a 100 million deal in 2007. The sale devastated Marks son Robin, who had run Annabels until they fell out.

This painting by Sir Oswald Birley of his son Mark is due to go under the hammer at Christies next Tuesday

Now, Caring is selling the picture, with a guide price of 20,000 to 30,000, after moving Annabels to a bigger venue. Friends of club rival Robin say he was disappointed that Caring did not offer him the painting first.

He owns a collection of his grandfathers works and named one of his own clubs Oswalds after him.

The pal adds: It wouldnt surprise me if Robin buys the picture on Tuesday.

Strictly has a siren-like draw for the likes of Ed Balls, Sir Vince Cable and Ann Widdecombe, but not every political figure is prepared to take cash to make a spectacle of themselves on prime-time TV.

I hear the BBC has made repeated bids to persuade Gina Miller, who fought for a Commons vote on Brexit, to appear on the show. Its a pity, but she always politely declines, cha cha chas my informant at the Beeb. Her spokesman tells me: Shes flattered, but, honestly, it is not really her thing.
The Copernicus Sentinel-2A satellite takes us over Fogo, Cabo Verde. This small volcanic island, which can be seen in the right of the image, is about 25 km in diameter and home to around 35 000 people.

The combined population of the nine inhabited islands that make up the Republic of Cabo Verde is estimated to be 550 000. These islands lie in the Atlantic Ocean, around 600 km off the west coast of Africa.

The black area in the island's centre is the crater of the Pico do Fogo - Fogo's highest point stands at 2800 m, and is also the highest peak in the entire Republic of Cabo Verde. It last erupted in November 2014 to February 2015, totalling 77 days of activity. In some places to 75% of the buildings were destroyed, mostly by lava.

In the northeast of the island, vibrant green highlights a vegetated area, where coffee is grown. There is a long tradition of coffee growing here, although the semi-arid climate and reduced rainfall in recent years make this a challenge. Other crops grown on the island include peanuts, oranges, tobacco, and beans. More arid and rocky areas are shown in a mix of yellow and orange.

In the bottom left of the image we can see the island of Brava, with three islets above: Rombos-Grande, Luis Carneiro, and Cima.

The Sentinel-2 mission for Europe's Copernicus programme monitors our changing lands.

This image, which was captured on 22 January 2018, is also featured on the Earth from Space video programme.

- Download the full high-resolution image.

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
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A major emergency training exercise simulating a terrorist attack has taken place in Dublin to prepare authorities in the event of a potential incident in the Irish capital.

Garda specialist personnel, first-responders and some 50 actors were involved in playing out a fake attack on the grounds of Dublin City University's campus on Friday evening.

The Garda led the multi-agency training exercise, which involved specialist police response units, the National Ambulance Service, the Defence Forces and Dublin Fire Brigade.

Two members of the elite Garda Emergency Response Unit participated in a terror training exercise in Dublin last night

The police unit, along with 50 actors and members of the fire and ambulance service participated in the training exercise which was planned to respond to a terrorist attack on Dublin City University's campus on the city's north side

Different garda units were involved in the exercise, including unarmed officers - who would most likely be the first on scene of a genuine terrorist attack, followed by regional firearms units and then the elite Emergency Response Unit

It was designed to test the response capabilities of Ireland's primary responders.

The staged university attack started with a car being driven into by-standers on the campus.

At first it was reported to Garda control centre as a road traffic collision but within minutes it was elevated to a terrorism incident when a number of assailants exited the car and starting stabbing and shooting people.

In the real-time tiered response system, local Garda units responded followed by members of the Armed Support Unit and the Emergency Response Unit, as well as multiple ambulances and Dublin Fire Brigade units.

One of the assailants was shot dead in the simulation before two other terrorists retreated into a nearby a building and took a number of people hostage.

As part of the training exercise, armed gardai stormed the building and they managed to shoot the two assailants and retrieve the hostages safely.

Gardai described the exercise, dubbed Operation Barracuda, a success. The focus of the exercise was on saving lives. All of the hostages were liberated.

It was designed to replicate the resources that would by typically available on a Friday night.

Actors played the role of rampaging terrorists who shot bystanders in the university campus near Ballymun in Dublin

These ERU officers are shielded behind a motorised ballistic shield as they clear a corridor on the university campus

The simulated exercise was designed to test the level of communication between the different emergency service agencies

Donal O'Driscoll from the Garda's special tactics and operations command said one of the reasons it had gone well was because Ireland was ahead of the curve when it came to identifying potential issues responding to an attack because the Garda was operationally experienced in counter-terrorism.

He said they had also adopted successful strategies that police in France and UK had found useful during actual terrorist incidents in those countries.

Deputy Garda Commissioner John Twomey said the agencies had come together to prepare for a potential real-life emergency.

He said: 'It's about how communications work in a real life incident.

'We know there would be difficulties and challenges, we know that information would be changing by the second. It's about how we manage all that.'

Gardai said they had adapted strategies used by police in France and the UK when dealing with terror attacks

Assistant Garda Commissioner John Twomey said the exercise was very important as each of the agencies involved had been training on their own for the past 18 months and have the opportunity to co-ordinate their activities

At first it was reported to Garda control centre as a road traffic collision but within minutes it was elevated to a terrorism incident when a number of assailants exited the car and starting stabbing and shooting people

Superintendent Liam Geraghty said the terrorism threat in Ireland remains at moderate although it is kept under review

Here, two gardai appear to be moving one of the actors playing the part of a suspected terrorist who has been wounded

The exercise started initially as a reported road traffic accident which escalated into a full scale terrorist attack

He said each agency had prepared for the training exercise individually over the past 18 months but the simulation was about making sure they can work together quickly and effectively.

Commissioner Twomey added: 'It's hugely important and critically important that we know the challenges we're going to face and the only way we can do it is by doing exercises like these.'

Superintendent Liam Geraghty said important lessons can be learned from such simulations.

He said: 'We learn what's may have gone wrong and what has gone right and we learn and develop a framework going forward.'

He said the current threat level of a terrorist attack in Ireland had remained unchanged at moderate.

He added: 'The threat level here for Ireland at the moment remains at moderate which means an attack is always possible but is unlikely at this stage.

'But we always keep that under review.'

The training exercise took place in Dublin City University's campus yesterday evening. Gardai warned locals to expect a heavy police presence and not to be concerned about the increased activity

Planners wanted the exercise to escalate from a normal policing incident to a terrorist attack to replicate the confusion of a real incident

Teams of gardai cleared areas of the college while their colleagues evacuated casualties outside for medical attention

The training exercise , named Operation Barracuda, took place in Dublin City University last night. The 'blood' in this image is not real
Facebook's technology is detecting just a tiny proportion of the abusive posts by bullies and trolls, it has emerged.

The firm said it had taken action on two million abusive posts in three months alone.

But just 15 per cent were detected by Facebook itself, with the company relying on users to root out the rest.

Artificial intelligence and algorithms fail to understand nuances in posts which might mean a message is abusive, the social network admitted.

Just 15 per cent of abusive posts are detected by Facebook itself. The stark figure came after the Duke of Cambridge called for social media firms to do more to fight cyberbullying [File photo]

The revelations came a day after Prince William accused social media giants of allowing bile and hate to remain online.

A Facebook transparency report published on Thursday night contained data relating to bullying for the first time.

Online trolling could be especially harmful to minors, the site admitted. But it added: Bullying and harassment are highly personal by nature.

In many instances, we need a person to report this behaviour to us before we can identify or remove it.

Of the 2.1million abusive posts which were spotted from July to September, a user had got in touch to raise concerns in 85 per cent of cases, the report found.

Prince William took a swipe at entrepreneurs such as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, appearing to accuse them of putting profits over values. He said: For too many families, phones and social media shattered the sanctity and protection of our home'

The small number spotted by Facebook tools means millions of similar posts are likely to remain up.

Online hate can lead to tragedy, as the Daily Mail reported yesterday. Writing in the paper, Lucy Alexander told how her son Felix took his own life at 17 after years of bullying. She said social media kicked in when Felix was around 14 and the bullying became unstoppable.

The stark figures in Facebooks report come after the Duke of Cambridge called for social media firms to do more to fight cyberbullying.

William said: For too many families, phones and social media shattered the sanctity and protection of our home.

I am worried that our technology companies still have a great deal to learn about the responsibilities that come with their significant power.

He took a swipe at entrepreneurs such as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, appearing to accuse them of putting profits over values.

The US billionaire swerved a question about the royals comments during a media call on Thursday night, reeling off site rules instead.

Following a brief pause, he said: We are going out of our way to proactively enforce the policies using this combination of AI systems and just dramatically growing the review team.

Theres also a big issue, on social networks, and in media more broadly, which is that people are just more likely to engage with more sensationalist and provocative and sometimes more negative content. We think that is bad.

Earlier in the conversation, he had likened protecting the site to tackling soaring crime.

He said: No one expects crime to be eliminated completely, but you expect things will get better over time. When you connect more than two billion people, youre going to see all the good and the bad of humanity.

'These really are not issues that you ever fix. They are issues that you manage over time  and we need to get them to a good level.

Online trolling could be especially harmful to minors, the site admitted. But it added: Bullying and harassment are highly personal by nature. In many instances, we need a person to report this behaviour to us before we can identify or remove it' [File photo]

But the expectation that we should have is that there are going to be ongoing content issues.

If we are giving people a voice, some people are going to be posting bad stuff.

The transparency report also revealed the reams of disturbing material being posted on Facebook.

From July to September nine million posts containing sexualised or abusive images of children were taken down. Facebooks technology was able to find 99 per cent of them.

The site is also still being used by scores of online trolls and bad actors hiding behind fake accounts, with 1.5billion taken down in the last six months alone.

The figure equates to half of the sites monthly user base.
The host of 'A Place In The Sun' has opened up about an attempted kidnapping ordeal in Mexico which left her 'terrified'.

Danni Menzies, 30, who was working as a model in Mexico City, was the target of a gang who stalked her and friend before trying to bundle her into a car and drive off.

Miss Menzies, originally from the village of Kenmore in Scotland was able to get free and run away before returning to her apartment to find her door lock tampered with.

The host of 'A Place In The Sun' has opened up about an attempted kidnapping ordeal in Mexico. Danni Menzies (right), 30, who was working as a model in Mexico City, was the target of a gang who stalked her and friend before trying to bundle her into a car and drive off

Miss Menzies, originally from the village of Kenmore in Scotland was able to get free and run away before returning to her apartment to find her door lock tampered with

The well-liked TV presenter has described the 'terrifying' experience and admitted being so scared she armed herself with a pair of scissors to fight off would-be attackers.

Miss Menzies aid she was a 'walking beacon' because she is a 'blonde and 5 foot 10 inches,' in an interview with the Daily Record.

She said: 'One had driven past and reversed up to us and another came around the corner from the other direction.'

The well-liked TV presenter has described the 'terrifying' experience and admitted being so scared she armed herself with a pair of scissors to fight off would-be attackers

Miss Menzies added: 'It was terrifying. I spent the last night in Mexico City with my suitcase pushed up against the door and a pair of scissors in my hand.' Miss Menzies believes the experience prepared her for moving to London ahead of her role on A Place In The Sun

'They threw open a car door and they tried to throw me into one of the cars. I managed to get free and we just ran.'

Miss Menzies added: 'It was terrifying. I spent the last night in Mexico City with my suitcase pushed up against the door and a pair of scissors in my hand.'

Miss Menzies believes the experience prepared her for moving to London ahead of her role on A Place In The Sun.
A prolific criminal lawyer is accused of soliciting cocaine from clients, joining them for drug-fuelled parties at strip clubs and sexually harassing his female clients.

Adam Magill, 47, is a former police officer and one of Queensland's most decorated lawyers, frequently appearing in murder cases and formerly representing rugby union star Karmichael Hunt.

But new police allegations against him, detailed in court documents obtained by the Courier Mail, reveal the tactics Magill allegedly used in his work.

Prolific criminal lawyer Adam Magill (pictured) has been charged with a slew of fraud offences

He is accused of behaving unprofessionally with his clients, including South African-born Natalie Lucas (pictured), with whom he fathered a child while her partner was imprisoned

Magill is facing charges of aggravated fraud, fraudulent falsification of records and aggravated money laundering after a full investigation by the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC).

He encouraged his clients to pay with cash and would source cocaine from them, police will allege.

'Sourcing cocaine from a client and associates of clients, which is corroborated through witness statements; and he has arranged for a former staff member to collect and deliver cocaine to him,' investigators claim in the documents.

'Communications with female clients of a sexual nature, including the request for photographs; engaging and associating with clients in licensed premises for the purposes of consuming alcohol and or cocaine together.'

The documents allege Magill and his client, Piet Ta, were seen consuming cocaine in a strip club during an ongoing court case in which Ta delivered cash to the defendant.

He also began an affair and fathered a child with South African-born Natalie Lucas, whose partner, alleged bikie associate Ivan Tesic, was one of his jailed clients.

He and Ms Lucas started a two-year relationship after her alleged bikie associate fiance, Magill's client, was jailed

The pair had a daughter, with Magill claiming he pays more than the mandated child support

Ms Lucas, 28, claims Tesic threatened Magill after she called off their five year relationship while he was remanded in custody in 2014.

'Ivan thought that (my relationship with Magill) was going on beforehand,' Lucas said.

Magill described Ms Lucas as a 'wonderful mother' and claimed he pays a 'much higher than mandatory' child maintenance to ensure his daughter, now aged two, enjoyed the best quality of life.

Allegedly linked with several bikie gangs, Tesic is on remand and remains behind bars while he awaits trial for charges relating to drug trafficking and possession.

Magill (pictured) has been granted bail and will re-appear in court later in the month

Magill has indicated he intends to fight the charges against him.

He was one of many arrests made as a result of the CCC's 18-month investigation.

His firm's former colleagues Corey Cullen, Mitchell Cunningham and Nathan Hounsell were all charged with fraud offences.

Lam Ta, a former client of Magill's, was also arrested and charged with aggravated fraud and aggravated money laundering.

Magill successfully applied for bail. The court will reconvene on November 26.
A grandmother with dementia has been found alive after she was missing for four days.

Hyungleeb Lee, 70, was found safe and well in the Kuraby region in Brisbane, an hour and a half's walk from Calamvale, the suburb she calls home.

At about 9am, Mrs Lee was found with a number of minor injuries, including cuts and bruises believed to be from a possible fall.

Hyungleeb Lee (pictured), 70, was found safe and well in the Kuraby region in Brisbane, an hour and a half's walk from Calamvale, the suburb she calls home

At about 9am, Mrs Lee was found with a number of minor injuries, including cuts and bruises believed to be from a possible fall

Queensland SES volunteers found an injured Mrs Lee among bushes and trees away from the main road.

She was transported to hospital for treatment.

The lucky break was 'unbelievable', 7News reported.

On Wednesday, police shared fears for the grandmother's safety and well-being, saying she could become easily disorientated and confused.

Police commenced a land search around land around Beaudesert Road, Compton Road, Gowan Road and the Logan Motorway.

The lucky break in discovering the woman four days after she went missing was 'unbelievable'

Queensland SES volunteers found an injured Mrs Lee among bushes and trees away from the main road

On Wednesday police shared fears for the grandmother's safety and wellbeing, saying she could become easily disorientated and confused

The area included suburban streets and houses, as well as parklands and scrubland.

They also urged members of the public to check their yards, open garages or sheds for any signs of Mrs Lee.

She was found 100 meters east of the Gateway Motorway overpass near Compton Road.

She had been staying at a respite centre near the area, with one of her carers telling 7News she had gone missing before.

But they said she was always found nearby.

By Friday, 35 police and emergency workers were dedicated to bringing Mrs Lee home, and were door-knocking locals, checking all CCTV in the region and using all-terrain vehicles to hunt in the dense bushland.
The over-65s will be urged to get their flu jabs next week as part of a major publicity drive.

NHS bosses will inform them there are now plenty of vaccines in stock following widespread shortages at GPs and chemists.

Thousands of older patients have not yet had their jabs just weeks away from the flu season, which usually begins in December.

The problems have been blamed on the introduction of a new and more effective jab which was ordered-in very late in the year.

Thousands of older patients have not yet had their jabs just weeks away from the flu season, which usually begins in December

New stocks were expected to have been delivered to surgeries by yesterday afternoon and NHS officials say there is more than enough to go round.

Professor Jane Cummings, the chief nursing officer for England, is due to appear on TV news bulletins on Monday urging patients to get vaccinated.

She is expected to encourage the over 65s to go back to their GPs even if they have previously been sent away.

The interviews will form part of NHS Englands annual Stay Well Campaign, which urges the public to look after themselves over winter to avoid falling ill.

This years campaign will have a particular focus on urging the over 65s to get their flu jabs amid concerns that many have given up.

Yesterday a survey of 650 family doctors by Pulse - a magazine for GPs - showed that two thirds had run out of the vaccine, known as Fluad.

Dr Marie Williams, a GP from Blackpool, told the magazine that the last few weeks had been a complete debacle.

Doctors say they were only given instructions from NHS England to switch to the new vaccine in February, four months after they had bought in their stocks.

They usually order flu jabs in September and October, up to a year before they are administered to patients for the following flu season.

The manufacturer Seqiris says that NHS Englands decision in February did not give them enough time to produce all the vaccines by September.

As a result, they have had to make them in batches - the third and final lot was meant to have been delivered by the end of this week.

Many surgeries had no vaccines in stock when were meant to be running their flu immunisation clinics in September and October.

NHS England on the other hand say doctors had plenty of time to order the new jabs and change the dates of their flu clinics accordingly.

Next week's campaign is expected to claim that there is now a surplus of one million vaccines for the over 65s.

Up to 8.5 million jabs have been made whereas only 7.5 million older patients are expected to want them.

Last week the Mail revealed how shortages had been reported in Devon, Kent, West Sussex, Essex, Middlesbrough, Derbyshire and Liverpool.

One pharmacist in Bristol said he was turning away 15 patients a day and did not expect new supplies until after Christmas

An elderly patient in Billingshurt, West Sussex said there was a queue twice around the car park for the dwindling stock at her local GP surgery.

The over 65s are offered the flu jabs for free on the NHS either from their GP surgeries and pharmacies.

Usually they are extremely prompt at coming forward and uptake rates are much higher than in other groups including pregnant women and the under-fives.

This year however only 52 per cent have had the vaccine so far, compared to 65 per cent this time last year.
A jury has found a Wisconsin man guilty of first-degree murder for killing a Missouri mother who prosecutors say forced her daughter to pretend she was disabled.

Nicholas Godejohn faces a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2015 killing of 48-year-old Clauddine 'Dee Dee' Blanchard.

The jury spent just two hours on the deliberation, according to KY3.

His attorneys don't dispute he fatally stabbed the woman, but argued the 29-year-old has autism and was manipulated by Blanchard's daughter, whom he met on a Christian dating website.

Nicholas Godejohn faces a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2015 killing of 48-year-old Clauddine 'Dee Dee' Blanchard

He was found guilty of first-degree murder on Friday

Jurors had to decide whether Godejohn committed first-degree murder or a lesser crime.

The daughter, 27-tear-old Gypsy Blanchard, is serving a 10-year prison sentence for second-degree murder. Relatives say she was forced by her mother to use a wheelchair and undergo unnecessary medical procedures.

Blanchard was the first witness to testify for the defense after prosecutors wrapped up their presentation on Wednesday, The Springfield News-Leader reported .

'I wanted to be free of her hold on me,' Blanchard said. She went on to add: 'I talked him into it.'

It's the latest twist in a bizarre case that was the subject of the 2017 HBO documentary 'Mommy Dead and Dearest.'

Gypsy Blanchard takes the stand left during the trial of her ex-boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn (right) on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in Springfield, Mo

Clauddine Blanchard (right) had essentially kept her daughter (left) prisoner in their home and for years her to use a wheelchair and to undergo unnecessary medical tests

Friends and attorneys say Clauddine Blanchard had essentially kept her daughter prisoner in their home, which was provided by Habitat for Humanity. Blanchard for years forced her daughter to use a wheelchair and to undergo unnecessary medical tests.

Gypsy Blanchard had had little formal schooling, according to investigators, and friends believed she was severely ill and developmentally delayed. It turned out, she was perfectly healthy.

Blanchard said she met Godejohn on a Christian dating website in 2012 and that they carried out a secret relationship, including in text messages that prosecutors read earlier in Godejohn's trial.

Prosecutors have argued that Godejohn plotted for more than a year before he stabbed Clauddine Blanchard. His attorneys argue that he is autistic and therefore does not have the mental capabilities required for premeditation.

Gypsy had little formal schooling, according to investigators, and friends believed she was severely ill and developmentally delayed

The child is seen above receiving medical treatment for illnesses that were not real

Gypsy said her mother hit her, punched her and starved her. Once after she tried to run away, she said, her mother chained her to a bed for two weeks

But under questioning from prosecutors, Gypsy acknowledged that Godejohn dominated their relationship, with him being the 'master' and her the 'slave.'

She testified that her mom made her believe that she had muscular dystrophy, cancer and other ailments.

She said it wasn't until she was 19 that she began to understand that she wasn't as sick as her mom said, and that it wasn't until her arrest that she realized how healthy she was.

She said she was too afraid of her mom to tell doctors the truth. She said her mother hit her, punched her and starved her. Once after she tried to run away, she said, her mother chained her to a bed for two weeks.

'I feared her more than I feared anyone else,' she said.

Blanchard, seen Wednesday in court, said she met Godejohn on a Christian dating website in 2012 and that they carried out a secret relationship, including in text messages that prosecutors read earlier in Godejohn's trial

She said she first met Godejohn in person in March 2015, when he visited from Wisconsin.

In text messages presented earlier in the trial, Godejohn and Gypsy generally discussed love, sex and planning a life together - until June 2015, when they began discussing needing duct tape and knives in the days before Clauddine Blanchard was killed.

Godejohn and Gypsy often referred to each other's darker impulses, with Godejohn's discussing his 'evil side' that he said 'enjoys killing.' Gypsy's darker side was called 'Ruby' in the texts.

Clauddine Blanchard's body was found after her friends noticed a post on her Facebook page stating, 'That (expletive) is dead.'

Prosecutors also played a tape of an interview with Godejohn conducted after he and Gypsy Blanchard were arrested at his home in Wisconsin. In the interview, Godejohn said he killed Clauddine Blanchard because Gypsy 'asked me to.'

'She felt it was her only way to be with me,' he said.
Downing Street last night declared the Lords should no longer be able to mark their own homework  after they voted to block the suspension of a peer accused of groping.

Lord Lester faced being kicked out until 2022 after an inquiry found he had offered to make campaigner Jasvinder Sanghera a baroness if she had sex with him.

But he dodged punishment after peers voted 101 to 78 to reject the sanction recommended by the Lords Committee for Privileges and Conduct.

The Prime Ministers spokesman yesterday said she believed there should be no place for harassment, abuse or misconduct in politics.

Downing Street has declared that the Lords should no longer be able to mark their own homework after they blocked the suspension of Lord Lester who was accused of groping

Asked if the Lords should be able to mark their own homework in cases like this, the spokesman added: The House of Lords is currently considering the independent grievance and complaints procedure that has been adopted in the Commons.

'If that is approved later this year that is a good thing.

Miss Sanghera yesterday told Radio 4s Today programme: Lord Lester had the advantage of lobbying his friends and his peers.

They were the ones that could have a say in deciding the vote, and that was wholly unfair.

Campaigners are angry that peers sent the case back to the Lords Committee for Privileges and Conduct for reconsideration.

An inquiry found he had offered to make campaigner Jasvinder Sanghera a baroness if she had sex with him. The Lord dodged punishment after peers voted 101 to 78 to reject the sanction recommended by the Lords Committee for Privileges and Conduct

Bex Bailey, an activist raped at a Labour event in 2011 who was discouraged from reporting it, tweeted: Im contacting the peers who voted against this to express my disappointment...

Lord Lester, 82, was found to have become obsessively attracted to Miss Sanghera, 53, as they worked together in 2007.

The leading human rights barrister persuaded her to stay with him and his wife at their 3million home after she missed her train.

But she claimed that in the car there, he repeatedly grabbed her thigh instead of the gearstick. During a subsequent Lords visit, he reportedly her: If you sleep with me, I will make you a baroness within a year.

Lord Lester denies the claims.

The Lords Committee for Privileges and Conduct will meet next week to consider options following the vote to block Lord Lesters suspension.
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Family, friends and hundreds of fans have gathered in Sweden to pay tribute to the electro-house musician Avicii, who took his own life aged 28 in April this year.

The popular DJ, whose real name was Tim Bergling, was found dead in the luxury farmhouse retreat in the city of Muscat, in Oman, on April 20.

This evening, the streets of Stockholm were packed with fans as they entered the baroque Hedvig Eleonora church where the star's father, Klas Bergling, was among the many to speak about his son's life and legacy.

After his death, his family released a statement revealing that Avicii did not want to go on and had been struggling with mental health issues at the time of his death.

'He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace,' the statement said.

Despite a meteoric rise to success following the release of hit-single Le7els in 2011, Avicii announced in 2016 that he would not longer perform live, following years health problems caused by stress and alcohol abuse, as well as severe anxiety

In the documentary, Avicii, a self-confessed introvert, speaks frequently about using alcohol as a crutch to be able to perform, drinking every day during his hectic tour, and to help him with his crippling anxiety and stress.

In 2014, Bergling was again hospitalised and forced to have his gallbladder and appendix removed.

Avicii made a fortune during his short career, cashing in $28million in 2014 alone, earning $250,000 a night when playing out sold-out shows, according to GQ

Family, friends and hundreds of fans have gathered at the baroque Hedvig Eleonora church in Sweden to pay tribute to the electro-house musician Avicii, who took his own life aged 28 in April this year. The popular DJ, whose real name was Tim Bergling, was found dead in the luxury farmhouse retreat in the city of Muscat, in Oman, on April 20

The streets of Stockholm were packed with Avicii fans tonight as they entered the baroque Hedvig Eleonora church where the star's father, Klas Bergling, was among the many to speak about his son's life and legacy. After his death , his family released a statement revealing Avicii did not want to go on and had been struggling with mental health issues at the time of his death

His father, Klas Bergling, was among the many to speak about his son's life and legacy. Avicii made a fortune during his short career, cashing in $28million in 2014 alone, earning $250,000 a night when playing out sold-out shows, according to GQ

Despite a meteoric rise to success following the release of hit-single Le7els in 2011, Avicii announced in 2016 that he would not longer perform live, following years health problems caused by stress and alcohol abuse, as well as severe anxiety

A recent documentary, Avicii: True Stories shed light on the extreme pressure he was under, performing 320 shows in a single year. At the age of 21 he was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis - a potentially life-threatening inflammation of the pancreas - due in part to excessive drinking
Teenage girls taking the contraceptive pill may face a higher risk of depression.

Taking the most popular form of the Pill puts 15 to 17-year-old girls at a 52 per cent higher risk of needing drugs for depression and anxiety.

Synthetic sex hormones, used in the Pill to prevent pregnancy, are believed by experts to have a potentially negative effect on emotions.

A study of more than 800,000 girls and women in Sweden found girls up to the age of 19 who take contraceptive pills are more likely to be prescribed anti-anxiety drugs and anti-depressants.

Vicky Spratt said, 'I felt like my brain had gone off. It felt mouldy and I just remember thinking if this is what the rest of my life is going to be like, I dont know if I can live it because I dont want to live like this'

Meanwhile a survey of more than 1,000 British women aged 18 to 45 found a quarter felt the Pill had negatively affected their mental health.

The results are presented in an episode of BBC2 factual series Horizon, which features women talking about panic attacks and suicidal thoughts after taking the Pill.

Positives and negatives of the Pill POSITIVES OF THE PILL It protects against pregnancy with 99 per cent effectiveness when used perfectly. It protects against ovarian, bowel and endometrial cancer. Doctors prescribe it to help with poly-cystic ovaries, endometriosis and heavy and painful periods. It can help to improve acne. NEGATIVES OF THE PILL It increases the risk of breast cancer by 20 per cent, although that is only an extra 13 cases per 100,000 women. It increases the risk of blood clots, but only by an extra 10 cases per 10,000 women a year at most. Some studies have linked it to depression and anxiety, while low-dose oestrogen pills may lower womens sex drive. While it is a myth that the Pill makes women fat, it can initially cause weight gain of up to 4.5 pounds (2kg) from water retention. Advertisement

Professor Anne MacGregor, a specialist in sexual and reproductive healthcare at Barts Health NHS Trust in London, said: There is absolutely no doubt that some women, when they start taking the pill, experience a lowering of their mood.

If this is going to happen, it will happen within a few months of starting a contraceptive. This can often be resolved just by switching to a different pill.

Around 3.5 million women in Britain take the Pill, which has been available in this country since 1961.

The latest figures on the Pill and mental health come from a study of 815,662 girls and women aged 12 to 30 in Sweden, whose prescriptions were tracked for up to one year.

Almost half were taking the Pill, among whom 3.7 per cent went on to be prescribed anti-depressants, anti-anxiety drugs, sedatives or sleeping pills.

That compared to just 2.5 per cent of women and girls not on the Pill.

Among 15 to 17-year-old girls taking the combined pill, which is most popularly used and include a pill-free week a month, the risk of being put on psychiatric drugs rose by more than 50 per cent, but the risk leapt by 83 per cent for those taking a progestogen-only pill.

For 18 to 20-year-olds, taking the progestogen-only pill meant almost a third greater risk of a prescription for anxiety or depression, with an eight per cent greater risk for this age group on the combined pill.

Problems with mood are one of the most frequently stated reasons for girls and women coming off contraception.

Synthetic versions of the natural hormones progesterone and oestrogen, made in the laboratory to stop women releasing an egg each month and prevent pregnancy, are thought to work together in the brain to affect mood.

Some experts believe contraception may help to explain why women are twice as likely to suffer from anxiety and depression, and that teenagers may be more vulnerable to the hormones they contain.

A Danish study two years ago analysed data on more than a million women and girls aged 15 to 34 over six years, finding those taking the combined Pill were 23 per cent more likely to end up on anti-depressants.

Dr Zoe Williams, the GP who presents the Horizon programme The Contraceptive Pill: Is It Safe? next Wednesday, said: We are aware that some people taking the Pill can have problems with their mental health, but we dont yet know the Pill is causing this.

However now, whenever I put a woman on the Pill, I ask her to keep a three-month diary of changes in her mood, as changing to a different Pill could solve any problems which arise.

Dr Diana Mansour, of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, said: Some women do experience mood change with hormonal contraception but others believe it is better.

The recent Scandinavian study does not necessarily mean that hormonal contraception caused the depression. It may mean that women who use hormonal contraception are more likely to see their doctors on a regular basis and therefore report mood change.
The launch of the Cygnus space freighter from Northrop Grumman has slipped another day due to inclement weather at the Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Atlantic coast.

Cygnus is now scheduled to launch atop the Antares rocket Saturday at 4:01 a.m. EST with a much improved weather forecast.

The U.S. resupply ship will deliver approximately 7,400 pounds of food, fuel and supplies to the station two days later. Flight Engineer Serena Aunon-Chancellor will command the Canadarm2 robotic arm to capture Cygnus Monday at 5:20 a.m. Commander Alexander Gerst will back her up and monitor telemetry from the vehicle during its approach and rendezvous.

The Progress 71 (71P) cargo craft from Russia is at the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad in Kazakhstan ready to blast off Friday at 1:14 p.m. EST. Prokopyev will be monitoring the Russian resupply ship when it arrives Sunday for an automated docking to the rear port of the Zvezda service module at 2:30 p.m.

The International Space Station Program is testing the use of artificial intelligence today to contribute to mission success aboard the orbital laboratory. Meanwhile, the space residents from the U.S., Germany and Russia continued more human research and prepared for the upcoming U.S. and Russian space deliveries.

CIMON, or Crew Interactive MObile CompanioN, is a free-flying robotic assistant based on artificial intelligence currently being tested on the station. The astronaut support device from ESA (European Space Agency) was powered up and commissioned today by the station commander inside the Columbus lab module. The CIMON technology seeks to demonstrate astronaut-robot interaction by answering crew questions, assisting with science experiments and navigating autonomously in the lab.

Cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev and fellow crewmates Gerst and Aunon-Chancellor started Thursday with ongoing eye checks. Gerst and Serena swapped roles as Crew Medical Officer scanning each other's eyes including Prokopyev's using an ultrasound device with guidance from a doctor on the ground. The data is downlinked to Earth real-time and helps scientists understand how microgravity affects astronaut vision as well as the components and shape of the eye.



On-Orbit Status Report

Northrop Grumman 10 (NG-10) Robotics Onboard Training: Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the Mobile Servicing System (MSS) in support of the crew's Cygnus Offset Grapple practice. During the Off Set Grapple activity, the crew used the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) Flight Releasable Grapple Fixture (FRGF) as the target to practice grapple approaches, maneuvering the SSRMS over the pin, and practiced pulling the trigger when they are in the grapple envelope. Due to weather concerns, NG-10 Antares 230 Rocket is now scheduled to launch on Saturday, November 17 at 3:01AM CT. Cygnus capture is planned for Monday, November 19 at 4:20AM CT.

Crew Interactive MObile companioN (Cimon): The crew performed a successful checkout of the new Cimon artificial Intelligence free-flyer. Cimon was able to demonstrate free flying and absolute navigation in the Columbus Module. The Pilot Study with Cimon is a technology demonstration project and an observational study that aims to obtain the first insights into the effects on crew support by an artificial intelligence (AI), in terms of efficiency and acceptance during long-term missions in space. Spaceflight missions put the crew under a substantial amount of stress and workload, and it is thought that AI could provide operational support to crewmembers.

Food Acceptability: The crew completed a Questionnaire. The Food Acceptability investigation seeks to determine the impact of repetitive consumption of food currently available from the spaceflight food system. Results will be used in developing strategies to improve food system composition to support crew health and performance on long duration missions.

Freezer-Refrigerator Of STirling cycle (FROST): The crew opened up FROST-1 and removed condensation and some corrosion that was identified during the last use of the facility. The FROST is a Stirling cooler that is able to maintain temperatures under -70C.

Life Sciences Glovebox (LSG): As part of the continuing integration activity for the Life Science Glovebox, the crew connected the Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) Supply Hose to the JPM1F5 Utility Interface Panel. The Life Sciences Glovebox (LSG) is a sealed work area that accommodates life science and technology investigations in a "workbench" type environment. Due to its larger size design, two crewmembers can work in the LSG simultaneously.

Meteor: The crew performed On-orbit training of the Meteor experiment by watching a video provided by the Meteor experiment team. The Meteor payload is a visible spectroscopy instrument used to observe meteors in Earth orbit. Meteor uses image analysis to provide information on the physical and chemical properties of the meteoroid dust, such as size, density, and chemical composition. The study of the meteoroid dust on orbit provides information about the parent comets and asteroids.

Completed Task List Activities:

None

Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Cygnus Offset Grapple Practice Support

Three Day Look Ahead:

Friday, 11/16:

Payloads:

LSG Act and Checkout-Integration and Work Volume Stow (NASA)

POLAR Transfer Review (NASA)

RR-08 Hardware wanted poster (NASA)

VEG-03 CHK and Watering (NASA)

METEOR Hard Drive Swap (NASA)

Systems:

Cygnus ROBOT OBT

Node 1 Centerline Berthing Camera System Install and checkout

Progress 71P Launch

Saturday, 11/17:

Payloads:

None

Systems:

Housekeeping

NG-10 Launch

OBT TORU Conference

Sunday, 11/18:

Payloads:

None

Systems:

71P Docking

Today's Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Cimon Free Flyer Commissioning

Cimon Operations

Condensate transfer from Lab Condensate tank to WPA Waste Water Tank

Data Preparation for Return

Environmental Health System Russian Condensate Sample Operations [Aborted]

Charging of ESA Power Bank for Acceleration with AstroPi demonstration

EPO Gerst Flying Classroom 2 - Acceleration with AstroPi Recording

EVA Procedure Review for Suit IV

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Training Review

Food Acceptability Questionnaire

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Scan Prep

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Post Exam

Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 1 Power On

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Scan performed by a Crew Medical Officer (CMO)

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Scan

In-Flight Maintenance Life Science Glovebox (LSG) Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) Supply Hose Connection

IMS Tagup (S-band)

IMS Update

iPad Wireless Troubleshooting

International Procedure Viewer Tablet Questionnaire

FROST Condensation Water Wipe

Meteor On Board Training Review

On-board Training (OBT) Cygnus Offset Grapple

On-board Training (OBT) Cygnus Attached Phase Operations review

Life On The Station Photo and Video

Preparation of Reports for Roscosmos Web Site and Social Media

Robotic Workstation (RWS) Setup

Water Recovery and Management (WRM) Waste Water Bus (WWB) Recombine with Isolated Condensate Tank

ISS crew and  (RSA Flight Control Management Team) weekly conference(S-band)

SCENARIY. Observation and photography using Photo Equipment

ECON-M. Observation and Photography

PROFILAKTIKA-2. Closeout Ops

PROFILAKTIKA-2. Experiment Ops on -2 Treadmill (Individual strategy test)

PROFILAKTIKA-2. Hygiene Procedures

PROFILAKTIKA-2. Closeout Ops

PROFILAKTIKA-2. Preparation for the experiment

ALGOMETRIYA. Tenso- and thermoalgometry mode measurements. Closeout Ops

ALGOMETRIYA. Pressure Algometry Measurement Ops Tagup with specialists

ALGOMETRIYA. Tenso- and Thermoalgometry setup and measurement session

Routine Maintenance of H2O [], Air Pressure [], and Drainage [ ]Valves in SM Rodnik Tanks

Sampling atmospheric condensate [] upstream of -2  (Water Purification Column Unit), configuration set up, sampler installation (drink bag)

Sampling condensate water [] to  [-2], removing sampler, equipment disassembly

Collecting condensate water samples [] to [-2] , sampler replacement

Maintenance closures of Vozdukh emergency valves

 Maintenance

Sampling Condensate Water [] from -2 before  - Sampler removal, Disassembly Sample transfer from Condensate Water [] container to a drink bag, Closeout Ops

Visual inspection and leak check, using US leak detector ULD in the orbital compartment [] of Soyuz 739. Report to MCC during comm pass

Inspection and photography of - rigid air duct latches

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Donald Trump claimed it was 'ironic' that migrants were waving the flags of the 'dangerous' countries they are fleeing from to seek asylum in the US.

The President claimed the migrant caravan travelling from Central America to the US border in search of asylum is a 'BIG CON' which the American taxpayer is paying for.

In a series of fiery tweets tonight, Potus claimed: 'Isnt it ironic that large Caravans of people are marching to our border wanting U.S.A. asylum because they are fearful of being in their country - yet they are proudly waving their countrys flag.

Donald Trump claimed it was 'ironic' that migrants were waving the flags of the 'dangerous' countries they are fleeing from to seek asylum in the US

Migrants seen with flags from their native countries as they walk to a shelter in Tijuana

He posted a series of fiery tweets today Tijuana's mayor says the influx of migrants could last six months

He claimed the fact migrants were travelling to the US border was a 'big con' implying that they are not fleeing persecution in their home countries as some are carrying national flags

'Can this be possible? Yes, because it is all a BIG CON, and the American taxpayer is paying for it!'.

Trump has already deployed thousands of active-duty military troops, hundreds of Border Patrol agents, and miles of barbed wire along border posts with Mexico to prevent what he has described as a possible 'invasion' of the country.

The mayor of Tijuana said Friday that the city was preparing for an influx that will last at least six months and may have no end in sight.

More than 3,000 Central American migrants having reached the Mexican border across from California and thousands more are expected to arrive in the coming days.

Juan Manuel Gastelum said there were 2,750 migrants from the caravan in Tijuana and that estimates by Mexico's federal government indicate the number could approach 10,000.

'No city in the world is prepared to receive this - if I'm allowed - this avalanche,' he said during a news conference at City Hall. 'It is a tsunami. There is concern among all citizens of Tijuana'.

The mayor of Tijuana Juan Manuel Gastelum (left) said Friday that the city was preparing for an influx that will last at least six months and may have no end in sight

Central American migrants, part of the caravan hoping to reach the US border, pray at a temporary shelter in Tijuana

Migrants from Honduras swarm around a man handing out food outside a center in Tijuana

A boy wakes up amid hundreds of migrants sleeping at a shelter in Tijuana

US border inspectors are processing only about 100 asylum claims a day at Tijuana's main crossing to San Diego, creating long waits.

Asylum seekers register their names in a tattered notebook managed by migrants themselves that had more than 3,000 names even before the caravan arrived.

Along the nearly 3,000 miles from the caravan's origin in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, to this city on the Pacific Ocean, the migrants have stopped in most places for only a single night, with some exceptions.

That overwhelmed small towns in southern Mexico in particular - but only briefly.

The migrants' expected long stay in Tijuana has raised concerns about the ability of the teeming border city of more than 1.6 million to handle the influx.

Pleading for financial support from the Mexican government, Gastelum sternly warned migrants against criminal behavior, though authorities reported only seven arrests so far - five for drug consumption and two for disorderly conduct.

'Supposedly they are fleeing catastrophe, mistreatment in their countries of origin.

Central American migrant Cristian Andino, 16, from Honduras, gets down from the border structure installed in the Pacific Ocean in Tijuana earlier today

US Border Patrol and Defense Department officers guard near the border fence with Mexico

Children observe the movements of the US Border Patrol agents from the Mexican side where the border meets the Pacific Ocean

Migrants from Honduras, part of a caravan of thousands traveling from Central America en route to the U.S., wash themselves at a water wagon in a makeshift camp

'How is it possible that they arrive here and, if they want, create disorder?' the mayor said. It's not right'.

Tijuana has asked the Mexican federal government for $4 million so the city could accommodate thousands of migrants who part of a caravan that for the past month has been making its way to the border.

The request for funds from the government comes as tensions between the migrants and local Mexicans has grown tense.

On Wednesday, a fight broke out as Mexicans yelled at the migrants: 'Go home. We dont want you here!'.

Members of the caravan said local police made no attempt to break up the fight.

Migrants travelling in a caravan from Central America were abused and had rocks thrown at them in a neighborhood in Tijuana as they reached the Mexican border.

Border agents said they are ready for the mass asylum requests, which could take six months to process.

'Weve been getting ready before this happened,' Rodney Scott, chief patrol agent of the Border Patrol's San Diego sector, told Fox & Friends.

'We have shifted several hundred border patrol areas to here. We will not let people mass across the border here in San Diego'.

While the border is not closed, US officials said members of the caravan are expected to get in line  just like everyone else.

Its unclear right now how long it will take to process thousands of migrants expected to try and cross the border in the coming weeks.

'We will not deny access to the ports of entry, said Pete Flores, U.S. Customs and Border Protection field office director.

'But we may ask undocumented persons to wait until we have the capacity to process them'.

A municipal gymnasium and recreational complex that has been converted to a shelter was expected to register up to 1,000 people Thursday night but ended up housing more than 2,000, including more than 400 children.

Mexican locals are seen clashing with a group of Honduran migrants as they passed through a neighborhood in Tijuana

A small group of residents in an upscale Tijuana neighborhood confronted the caravan migrants late on Wednesday, throwing stones and telling them to go back to their home countries

Police officers had to intervene to keep the peace as tensions escalated between residents and migrants

Tijuana officials said they opened the shelter as part of an effort to keep migrants out of public spaces.

The city's privately run shelters are meant to have a capacity of 700.

At the municipal shelter, long lines formed for showers and meals of tuna casserole or noodle soup with coffee. Outdoor canopies covered rows of mattresses and blankets.

A woman singing Mexican 'ranchera' music on a loudspeaker drew a small crowd, while men congregated in circles to play cards. Eighteen new portable toilets on a grass field made bathroom lines disappear.

Francisco Rueda, the top deputy to Baja California Governor Francisco Vega de la Madrid, said Thursday that the state had 7,000 jobs available for any migrants who obtain legal status in Mexico.

Gustavo Magallanes, director of Baja California's migrant attention agency, said Friday that the state is doing the best it can at a difficult time and that, nearing the end of the year, agencies at all levels of government lack funds.

The governor had also asked federal officials to speak to their U.S. counterparts about possibly accelerating asylum processing, he said.

Magallanes said the governor had not ordered that more migrants be prevented from arriving in Tijuana, but said state officials were telling people in the caravan they might get processed faster in the city of Mexicali because the list in Tijuana is so long.

Magallanes said it was 'likely' the migrants could be waiting in Tijuana for four to six months.

The state government plans to push them to regularize their immigration status in Mexico so they can be offered work.

He said he could not speak for Tijuana's mayor but believed his comments had been misinterpreted.

'We are looking for the best way for these Central American migrants to be able to be in the best situation in this state,' Magallanes said.
Thousands of dogs in Bali are killed every year for their meat in the disturbing 'dogma' trade, it has been revealed.

Many are snatched illegally before being marinated in a satay sauce, fried and sold as cheap snacks.

Often their throats are cut and they are cruelly left to bleed out because it is believed the adrenalin makes them taste better.

WARNING: This story contains extreme graphic content and images for readers.

A series of stray dogs bound together before they are slaughtered in Bali - dog meat is commonly eaten by locals

Dogs are often bound together in sacks before they are killed by locals in Bali - they are viewed as a legitimate food source

Bapak Madriana, Bali's head of Animal Husbandry and Health, said the government was against the capture and consumption of dogs but it is difficult to enforce across the general population.

'There is no current criminal sanction for people who ignore the discouraging of dog meat sales, however there are serious criminal penalties for stealing the dogs,' he told Nine News.

Madriana hopes to one day see the Balinese government ban the consumption of dog meat.

Under current Indonesian law, a person can be sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in prison if they are caught stealing a dog.

If someone is nabbed beating or using a weapon on a dog, they can be sentenced to a maximum of 12 years behind bars.

Dogs in Bali are often killed for their meat - with an estimated 450,000 either as pets or roaming the streets, it is a lucrative industry for illegal poachers

Dog meat (pictured) is eaten by Balinese locals - in their final moments the dogs are often hung by their necks and left to bleed out

Poachers often take dogs from the streets and burn off their fur while they were still conscious.

A man interviewed by 9news.com, who had tasted dog meat, said it tasted 'awful'.

'People want to buy it because it is an affordable choice for the poor. They also believe it is good for their health,' he said.

'I would tell those wanting to try it, don't eat it. The dog is not a food, it's a friend.'
They are both known for their fondness of the limelight. But Boris Johnson seemed less keen to be noticed when he was spotted in a restaurant with Nigel Farage.

The Tory MP, his father Stanley and the former Ukip leader were seen in conversation at the Boisdale in Belgravia.

A fellow diner posted photographs of the Boris Johnson and Farage on Facebook with the caption: 'I saw a curious couple in a Belgravia restaurant last night. Boris Johnson was not enthusiastic about being photographed with Nigel Farage.'

Boris Johnson (left) and Stanley Johnson (right) were pictured dining together

The foreign secretary was spotted waving his hands in apparent unease as he was pictured with Nigel Farage

One of the accompanying pictures showed Mr Johnson waving his finger disapprovingly as if he was unhappy to be photographed.

A friend of Mr Johnson yesterday said that he had been having dinner with his father, Stanley, when Mr Farage happened to arrive at the same restaurant.

The Boisdale describes itself as a 'lively Scottish restaurant in Belgravia, London with cigar terrace, whisky bars, private dining rooms and live jazz every night- serving modern British dishes and the finest whiskies'.

A 10oz Buccleuch fillet on-the-bone, which it claims is 'probably the best steak in the world', costs 45.

A source told the Mirror Online that it was a chance encounter and the two chatted for about five minutes.

'Boris was dining with his father Stanley when Nigel happened to come into the same restaurant,' he said. 'He knows Stanley from LBC [radio] so popped over to say hello. Both parties then went about their separate evenings.'

The pair were spotted after a turbulent week for Theresa May (pictured) who is hoping to see through her agreement

The sighting came as Theresa May has warned her Tory opponents their alternate Brexit plans would not make their problems disappear as she faced a continuing gruelling battle to win over sceptical MPs.

After bolstering her Cabinet by bringing back former home secretary Amber Rudd, Mrs May warned that the so-called Norway and Canada models favoured by her most hardline critics would not solve the issue of the Irish border backstop.

It came after a tumultuous week that saw the departure of ministers including Brexit secretary Dominic Raab and work and pensions secretary Esther McVey, and the launch of a high-profile insurrection on the back benches to remove her from office.

Ms Rudd pleaded with Tory rebels to back the Prime Minister and her Brexit deal on her return to Government as the new Work and Pensions Secretary, saying: 'This is not a time for changing our leader.'

But the Prime Minister's critics believe they have the numbers required to trigger a confidence vote within days.

And Brexit-supporting ministers led by Andrea Leadsom are reportedly set to work together on measures to make the deal more acceptable to them.

But in an interview with the Daily Mail, Mrs May bluntly told them their alternatives would not work.

She said: 'People say 'If you could only just do something slightly different, have a Norway model or a Canada model, this backstop issue would go away'. It would not. That issue is still going to be there.

'Some politicians get so embroiled in the intricacies of their argument they forget it is not about this theory or that theory, or does it make me look good.'

Mrs May appointed Stephen Barclay as her new Brexit Secretary, the third this year, but the role has been further downgraded as the Prime Minister will in future take sole control of negotiations on EU withdrawal.

Leave-supporting Mr Barclay's job will be limited to the domestic delivery of EU withdrawal, preparations for Brexit either with or without a deal and shepherding legislation through Parliament.

He said: 'We now need to keep up the momentum to finalise the withdrawal agreement and outline political declaration and deliver a Brexit that works for the whole UK.'

The reshuffle came just hours after Michael Gove offered the Prime Minister a lifeline by staying on in his Cabinet role.

Mr Barclay's appointment came after Mr Gove reportedly turned down the post, saying he would only take it if he could renegotiate the EU withdrawal agreement.

Downing Street declined to say whether the Brexit Secretary post had been offered to anyone else before the North-East Cambridgeshire MP, saying only: 'He was the Prime Minister's choice for the job.'

Ireland's deputy premier has warned British politicians to sign up to the current Brexit agreement or risk crashing out of the EU without a deal.

Simon Coveney said people were 'too quick' to write off Mrs May, saying she has shown 'resilience, courage' and a 'reality check' to Brexiteers in Westminster.

Speaking ahead of Fine Gael's Ard Fheis (conference), he warned it 'will be difficult' to find an alternative deal that will prevent a hard border.

'If we are forced into that situation we will have to look at ways in which that can be avoided but that will not be easy,' he said.

'It is a far more sensible approach to support what is being negotiated over the last two years as a way that we know provides the guarantees that we have looked for and insisted on that there will be no physical border or infrastructure or checks or controls and that is an issue that goes beyond commerce and trade.'

David Davis, who was Brexit secretary before Mr Raab, had earlier used a series of tweets to again urge Mrs May to seek a looser deal with the EU.

He said the United States would be ready to start negotiating a free trade deal with Britain 'immediately' after Brexit if Theresa May's plan is ditched, while making a trip across the Atlantic.

The former Brexit secretary revealed he had spent several days in Washington talking to 'US Government Trade and Treasury officials' while Westminster had been reeling from high-profile resignations and questions over the Prime Minister's future.

'They have already started on the procedures to allow negotiations to start immediately once we leave the EU in March,' he said.

'This will not be possible if we accept the Government's proposed deal with Europe, which will block every avenue of negotiation with America.

'We have to have a Canada+++ deal to allow us to have a free trade deal with America.'
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Megyn Kelly continued her pre-birthday celebrations at a winery in the Hamptons with a few of her girlfriends on Friday.

Kelly was seen posing for photos alongside four friends at the Wolffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, New York.

The former NBC host kept a smile on her face as she kicked off her weekend celebrations ahead of her 48th birthday on Sunday.

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Megyn Kelly continued her pre-birthday celebrations at a winery in the Hamptons with a few of her girlfriends on Friday

Kelly was seen posing for photos alongside four friends at the Wolffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, New York

Kelly and her friends spent about three hours at the winery (pictured) before heading back to their hotel

The group posed for photos at the Topping Rose House (pictured), where they are believed to be staying the weekend

Kelly and her friends spent about three hours at the winery before heading back to their hotel.

At some point the women were also seen grabbing coffee at a local cafe.

Kelly donned a grey poncho with a pair of blue jeans as she laughed with her friends.

Her Hamptons outing comes a day after she was spotted posing for selfies in the snow alongside her Fox News friend Janice Dean.

Kelly and Dean had their own pre-birthday celebration at the Antonucci restaurant in New York where they spent more than two hours during lunch on Thursday.

At some point the women were also seen grabbing coffee at a local cafe

Kelly donned a grey poncho with a pair of blue jeans as she laughed with her friends

The pair eventually came outside to take a selfie as the snow came down.

Dean later shared on of their photos on Instagram with the caption: '#girlfriends #birthday #snow.'

As they were leaving they both shouted 'I love you' to one another.

Kelly, who turns 48 on Sunday, then got into the same chauffeur-driven car that she arrived in.

Kelly's Hamptons outing comes a day after she was spotted posing for selfies in the snow alongside her Fox News friend Janice Dean (both pictured) on Thursday

After they took their selfie, they both shouted 'I love you' to one another

Dean and Kelly are seen posing for a selfie that Dean later shared on Instagram

Kelly and Dean had a pre-birthday celebration at the Antonucci restaurant (pictured) in New York where they spent more than two hours during lunch

Kelly was seen dressed in a black sweater and dark jeans as she met up with Dean.

The weather conditions for their lunch date were appropriate. Earlier this year sources close to Charlize Theron said she would portray her as an 'ice queen' in the upcoming movie about the Roger Ailes scandal at Fox News.

Kelly's eponymous hour show was abruptly cancelled on October 26 after she questioned why blackface was controversial as a Halloween costume.

NBC is trying to figure out what kind of severance to offer the host who had a combined $69million contract.

'Language on a mutual non-disparagement agreement is tricky,' a source told Fox News.

But the source also said that things would 'probably' wrap up shortly.

Kelly, who turns 48 on Sunday, then got into the same chauffeur-driven car that she arrived in

The NBC host was seen dressed in a black sweater and dark jeans as she met up with Dean

After she was taken off air, Kelly hinted that she knows about some of the skeletons in NBC's closest.

A source also told Fox News that if NBC 'keeps spreading lies about her' the host would not sign an NDA.

Kelly's impending departure cut short her three-year contract with NBC and cost the network millions.

'It's all out war in negotiations between Megyn and NBC,' said one source close to Kelly.

'She doesn't just want the remainder of her $69million contract, she wants more money on top as compensation for what she believes is NBC's attempt to not just have her off the air but to end her career.'

Despite the scandal, the morning show's numbers are on the up.

Since her departure, viewership by 25 to 54 year olds - the key demographic favored by advertisers - for the third hour slot of Today is up about 10 per cent, according to Nielsen.

Today Show ratings have soared since Kelly's departure from NBC after her controversial blackface comments

Kelly being let go from her Today show morning slot cut short her three-year $69million contract with NBC and cost the network millions in payout, but her departure is so far boosting the morning show's numbers. Kelly pictured on Monday walking through Manhattan

In the last three weeks, viewers for the first two hours of NBC's morning show have surpassed that of rival ABC's Good Morning America, which typically boasts the largest morning viewership.

In Kelly's last week, her 9am program had 675,000 viewers between the ages of 25 and 54 and 2.52 million viewers overall, according to Nielsen.

Just one week after her departure the show clocked 752,000 viewers between 25 and 54 and 2.64million viewers overall - leaping 11 per cent and five per cent respectively.

But last week those numbers jumped to 741,000 viewers between 25 and 54 and more than 2.63million viewers overall - a 10 and four percent jump respectively over the three week period.

From November 5 to 9, Today recorded an average of 4.25million viewers, eclipsing the 4.22million viewers of GMA. Part of the reason is attributed to the network's coverage of the California bar shooting.

Now the network is wondering if the spike in viewership will hold.

The show hasn't seen a viewership streak like this since NBC covered the Olympics in Pyeongchang in South Korea, according to Variety.

NBC's number of viewers has peaked in the past recent months following moments of crisis. Viewers noticeably boosted after Today show house Matt Lauer was fired in late 2017 amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

The audience peak has also benefited Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee, who host the fourth hour of today at 10am and grabbed 1.844million viewers in Kelly's final week on air.

One week later the duo's ratings jumped to 1.964million viewers - a seven percent jump. In the second week following Kelly's departure, they clocked 1.911million viewers, slipping about three percent.

Kelly's third-hour on Today - which runs from 7am to 11am each weekday - is now run by a rotating group of anchors.

It's run from her old set in Studio 6A and also has a live audience. Overall viewership in this hour-long slot rose five percent a week after Kelly left.

Jenna Bush Hager, Al Roker and Craig Melvin replaced Kelly on the show after she was let go.

Kelly has yet to speak about her NBC departure, but she's kept a smile on her face during outings in New York.

Since she was abruptly taken off the air she's been spotted on date nights with her husband Douglas Brunt and is filling her days with attending Broadway shows, romantic dinners and running errands.

Kelly apologized to colleagues after her comments defending racist Halloween gags prompted an immediate backlash.

She made the offending remarks during an awkward roundtable discussion about inappropriate and offensive costumes on her eponymous one-hour block of the Today show, known as Megyn Kelly Today.

During the segment, Kelly said it was OK when she was growing up for white people to dress up as black characters, and she spoke out against a controversy that erupted last year over a reality star who portrayed Diana Ross.

Kelly was seen with her husband Douglas Brunt in New York on Monday

'But what is racist? Kelly asked. 'Because you do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface on Halloween, or a black person who puts on whiteface for Halloween.

'Back when I was a kid that was OK, as long as you were dressing up as, like, a character'.

Later in the discussion, Kelly brought up Luann de Lesseps, a star on The Real Housewives of New York who drew a backlash last year for dressing up as Ross.

Many observers were aghast at Kelly's comments, and some noted that the panel did not include a single person of color.

Also absent from the discussion was any mention of the ugly history of blackface, a tradition spanning centuries meant to perpetuate racist stereotypes.

Kelly left Fox News in 2017 to sign a contract with NBC worth a reported $23million a year.
Two men stole Joe Biden's granddaughter's credit card and went on a shopping spree, a court heard on Friday.

Naomi Biden, 25 - daughter of Biden's son Hunter - lost her wallet near New York's Columbia University campus in October and then noticed the unusual activity on her bank statement.

Stephen Flanagan, 28, admitted stealing and using Naomi's credit card to buy jeans and sneakers when he appeared in front of a judge in Manhattan.

It comes just three months after Joe's niece Caroline Biden avoided jail time for stealing credit card funds in a $100,000 shopping scam.

Joe Biden's granddaughter Naomi Biden, 25, was the victim of credit card fraud in October

Stephen Flanagan, 28, was caught on camera committing credit card fraud in New York

Flanagan admitted going on the spree with the stolen card during a court appearance Friday

Flanagan and Michael Echavarria, 30, were caught on camera in jeans and sneakers store V.I.M in New York's Manhattan Hamilton Heights where the credit card was used.

They got busted after also using the electronic payment method at a MetroPCS store where a cell phone was purchased, Manhattan Criminal Court heard Friday.

A third unidentified charge is believed to have been made on the card, reports New York Post.

'I took it and went on a shopping spree,' Flanagan told police, according to court documents. 'I knew it wasn't mine.'

Money was spent in jeans and sneakers store V.I.M in New York's Manhattan Hamilton Heights

He was arrested Thursday on charges of grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.

Flanagan  who has also been arrested in the past for jumping a turnstile in 2017 and criminal mischief in July  was let go after his court appearance Friday.

Accomplice Echavarria was taken into custody November 6 on a charge of criminal possession of stolen property for possessing a stolen credit card, debit card and public benefit card.

He was released the following day.

'My condolences to their family,' Flanagan's roommate said in court according to the New York Daily News. 'Unfortunately he's into stuff that I'm not into. I was with him when he committed his act, but I had no idea, no knowledge of what he had been doing. It's a story of wrong place, wrong time.'

Flanagan's boyfriend said he did not know Biden in any way at the time of committing the offense.

The boyfriend said: 'We've been dating on and off and he had a rough patch, so he was staying here a couple times, but that's all I know about the guy.'

Joe Biden's niece Caroline was in court for a $100,000 credit card scam in July

In perhaps a twist of fate, former Vice President Bidens niece, Caroline Biden avoided time behind bars for running up a bill of over $100,000 at Greenwich Villages Bigelow pharmacy in June.

The 31-year-old - whose father is Joe's brother James Biden - had her felony conviction thrown out and she was allowed the lesser plea of petit larceny.

Caroline had to endure 10 days of community service at a childrens hospital and paid full restitution $110,810.04 after being caught with the Chase card in 2017.

Carolines victim had said she could only spend $672 on the card.

In 2013 she was arrested for trying to hit a law enforcement officer responding to a dispute over rent at her $3,500-a-month Tribeca apartment.
An apartment unit manager was arrested on Friday after a tenant found a secret camera hidden in their bathroom.

Police found two more hidden cameras after they detained a 49-year-old man, who works at the unit in Bunn St, in Pyrmont, Sydney.

The resident, who is one of ten occupants living in the apartment building, called police after finding the camera in their digital alarm clock.

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An apartment unit manager who allegedly used hidden cameras to film intimate images of residents without their knowledge has been arrested

The 49-year-old man was arrested about 1.30pm on Friday after a resident from a unit on Bunn St in Pyrmont told police they found a camera hidden on the premises

Police executed a search warrant and located a hidden camera, hard drive and other devices, they said on Saturday.

The man allegedly had more than 50 intimate videos of the occupants of the two units.

He was arrested and taken to Day Street Police Station, where he was charged with 11 counts of recording intimate images without consent.

Police said it's likely there will be additional charges.

The man was granted conditional bail and is due to to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday 19 December.
A local fundraising club has defended its decision to don blackface during an annual parade attended by hundreds of spectators.

Members of the Hawera Mt View Lions Club had their faces painted black by schoolchildren before embarking on a float through the streets of New Zealand's coastal town of Taranaki on Friday night.

Those in attendance slammed the group, calling the act 'shameful and disgraceful' on social media.

The club has now hit back at their critics who were being 'too precious', saying they were forced to get creative as this year's event didn't have a theme.

The group claims there was no theme set for the parade, as there had been in previous years.

So, they decided to implement their own 'black and white' theme.

A local fundraising group have been slammed online for dressing in blackface during a parade

Footage of the float shows six people - including a child - sitting among black and white balloons with their faces painted black.

The child's face is not painted.

Local woman Debbie Ngarewa-Packer was among the first to share a photo she had taken to social media, accompanying it with the words: 'Tonight's Hawera parade...showed blackfaced racists are well and truly alive!'

She deemed the attire as 'pro slavery' and likened it to black minstrels, the caricature-like show from the 1800s from which the offensive face paint originated.

Her sentiment was supported by many online, one of whom said it was a 'step back in time in the wrong direction'.

But the club's Facebook page defended their decision, writing that the disdain was overbearing political correctness.

'This is by no means meant to be derogatory as a racist commentary rather a celebration of all cultures,' the club wrote in their defence.

'What if these person (sic) had been dressed up representing Maori wabine and warriors. Would that have been offensive too?'

The club responded to their critics online, saying they should not be 'too precious or PC (politically correct)'

'This group of ladies work very hard for you the community and support all the diverse cultures within it. Let's not be too precious or PC.

'Next parade let's see you participate and join in the celebration that is the Agricultural and Pastural (sic) heritage of our district.'

Ms Ngarewa-Packer replied again, suggesting that the club was telling the community 'don't be precious, be racist instead'.

Shortly after the club's response was published, screenshot and ridiculed online, the post was deleted.

About 20 minutes later, an apology was posted, claiming their intent was never to 'upset the community'.

Their page was later deleted altogether.
A North Carolina mother has revealed how her 12-year-old son wrote her a goodbye letter while his school in Charlotte was put on lockdown.

Ajani Dartiguenave believed he and other children at the Governor's Village STEM Academy in the north of the city would lose their lives in a shooting.

They had no idea why they were being cautiously held for one hour last Friday as they waited while an anonymous threat was resolved and the frightened boy wrote a note to parent Claudia Charles.

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Ajani Dartiguenave wrote a goodbye letter to his mother when his school was on lockdown

Claudia Charles revealed her son showed her the letter he penned in hope it would reach her

'Dear mom, I am scared to death,' he wrote according to WSOCTV. 'Right now I am scared to death. I need a warm soft hug. I will miss you.'

Dartiguenave wasn't just thinking of himself when he write what he thought could be his final letter.

He described how he was in fear for his friends and was concerned for how his parent would cope with his death.

'Mom, I hope that you're going to be OK with me gone,' he wrote. 'Goodbye.'

He added to CBS News: 'I was very scared. I thought that many of my friends would die.'

The child shared that he wasn't the only one making sure he left a message for his loved ones. Every students reacted differently at the threat of being killed by a shooter.

'Some people started writing letters, some people started crying, some people started praying,' the boy said.

The 12-year-old said he was 'scared to death' and needed a 'warm soft hug'

The boy's mother admitted she was 'really heartbroken' by the letter

Dartiguenave said students were 'confused' and 'calm' when they found out they were safe

Dartiguenave was prepared enough to make sure the note would reach his family should he have died that day.

'He even wrote our address on the top of the letter,' Charles said. 'His rationale was, if they found it, they can send it to us.'

The young boy said his fellow classmates were 'confused and calm at the same time' when a teacher told them the lockdown was over.

Charles said the children ran the other way when the educator opened the door with the good news because they believed there was an active shooter on the loose.

His mother admitted she was 'really heartbroken' by what had occurred.

STEM Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina resolved the anonymous threat last Friday

Children ran the other way when an educator opened the classroom door with news the lockdown was over because they believed there was an active shooter on the loose

'It was traumatic to him and his classmates, and because of that it's upsetting to me,' Charles said.

WSOCTV reported that several guns had been found in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools (CMS) during the past month.

Recently a student shot and killed another boy at Butler High School, a CMS school just 45 minutes away.

The first 30 days of this school year saw 314 threats of violence equating to an average of 11 per day. CBS News reports a whopping 40 percent were gun-related.

Dartiguenave now has a cell phone to stay in contact with his mother during anxious times.

'It wasn't until this incident happened that it really got, it was close enough to home that I realized he was actually affected by what was going on at a neighboring school and that he had concerns,' Charles said.
Students are demanding the University of Western Australia adopt 'trigger warnings' to prevent students from being upset by challenging topics.

UWA Guild president Conrad Hogg, who is leading the push, said at the September council meeting he wants to introduce alerts before lectures, Perth Now reported.

Trigger warnings, or content warnings, have become common in the United States, but so far, only Monash University has adopted the warning policy to date.

The University of Western Australia (pictured) Student Guild is demanding the school adopt 'trigger warnings' to prevent students from being upset by challenging topics

While advocates such as Mr Hogg say the alerts can help students deal with disturbing topics like suicide and sexual assault, critics claim they do the opposite.

The Institute of Public Affairs research fellow Matthew Lesh said the warnings may prevent teachers from tackling difficult concepts, and may cause additional stress.

He said by telling students something is going to be emotionally challenging in an 'over the top' way it may increase the chance of having a strong emotional reaction.

'So it is completely counterproductive for what youre aiming to do which is help students with their mental health,' Mr Lesh said.

The warnings are already been used at the start of all Guild publications, including Damsel Magazine, which includes alerts for violence, rape, death and abuse topics.

In the latest issue of the magazine, it warns about articles that mention genitals, gendered slurs and 'ablesim' - discrimination in favour of able-bodied people.

UWA Guild president Conrad Hogg (pictured), who is leading the push, said at the September council meeting he wants to introduce alerts before lectures

In the latest issue of Damsel Magazine, it warns about articles that mention genitals, gendered slurs and 'ablesim' - discrimination in favour of able-bodied people

Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan has appointed UWA Chancellor Robert French to lead an inquiry at the university to ensure freedom of speech is maintained.

'The French review is looking at ensuring free speech on campus because a university education should involve dealing with ideas and concepts that are challenging,' Mr Tehan said.

'Likewise, the introduction of trigger warnings should not be used as an excuse to avoid difficult topics, only as an aid to resilience.'

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to the UWA Student Guild for comment.
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Schools and tourist attractions across the San Francisco Bay Area were shut Friday and residents were urged to stay indoors as smoke from California's deadliest wildfire produced air quality levels worse than in South Asia's polluted megacities.

San Francisco ordered its iconic cable cars returned to their stations as the Air Quality Index (AQI) soared to 271, comparable to Dhaka, Bangladesh and worse than Kolkata, India. The city's AQI means that breathing the air for 24 hours is the same as smoking 11 cigarettes.

'San Francisco's air quality has moved from red or 'unhealthy' to purple or 'very unhealthy' due to local wildfires and weather patterns,' the SFMTA transport authority said on its website.

'The Department of Public Health highly recommends that everyone stay indoors and avoid exposure to the outside air.'

Eight additional sets of human remains were found on Friday, raising the Camp Fire death toll from 63 to 71. The Woolsey Fire death toll remained at three victims as the statewide death toll climbed to 74.

Mayor London Breed announced that public buses would be free for the day in order to ensure people have access to enclosed transportation.

 Slide me  Schools and tourist attractions across the San Francisco Bay Area were shut Friday and residents were urged to stay indoors as smoke from California's deadliest wildfire produced air quality levels worse than in South Asia's polluted megacities

 Slide me  San Francisco ordered its iconic cable cars returned to their stations as the Air Quality Index (AQI) soared to 271, comparable to Dhaka, Bangladesh and worse than Kolkata, India. The city's AQI means that breathing the air for 24 hours is the same as smoking 11 cigarettes. A blanket of smoke engulfs the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge

 Slide me  The city's AQI means that breathing the air for 24 hours is the same as smoking 11 cigarettes

 Slide me  These photos show before and after the smoke in Chico, California, as haze hangs over the city now

 Slide me  'The Department of Public Health highly recommends that everyone stay indoors and avoid exposure to the outside air,' a statement read. Pictured is the campus of California State University

A thick blanket of haze enveloped the region and the famous Golden Gate Bridge was shrouded in thick smog.

'It's bad,' said local resident Melvin Karsenti. 'You have this constant haze over the city. The air feels thicker. I've never seen that many people wear (face) masks.'

Meanwhile, the missing persons list grew from 631 on Thursday night to 1,011 people who remain unaccounted for in Paradise and surrounding areas affected by the Camp Fire, according to authorities.

But officials have stressed it doesn't mean that 1,011 are missing.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the list was dynamic and could easily contain duplicate names and unreliable spellings.

Some of the people among the ever-evolving tally have been confirmed as dead by family and friends on social media.

'I want you to understand that this is a dynamic list,' he told reporters. He said that on a positive note, 329 people who had been listed as missing since the fire broke out had so far been accounted for.

'The information I am providing you is raw data and we find there is the likely possibility that the list contains duplicate names,' he said, adding that some people who had escaped may also be unaware that they have been listed as missing.

Others have been found safe, but authorities have not yet marked them as such.

'It's bad,' said local resident Melvin Karsenti. 'You have this constant haze over the city. The air feels thicker. I've never seen that many people wear (face) masks (pictured)'

 Slide me  These photos show an aerial view of San Francisco on Friday as a thick haze of smoke hovers over the city

 Slide me  These photos show the before and after views of a neighborhood in San Francisco

Firefighters were gaining ground against the blaze, which has devoured an area roughly the size of Chicago since it broke out on November 8. It was 50 per cent contained and posed no immediate threat to populated areas as of Friday night.

Searches also continued for those who perished and those who survived the deadliest US wildfire in a century, ahead of a planned visit by president Donald Trump.

Some survivors resent that Trump took to Twitter two days after the disaster to blame the wildfires on poor forest mismanagement. He threatened to withhold federal payments from California.

'If you insult people, then you go visit them, how do you think you're going to be accepted? You're not going to have a parade,' Maggie Crowder, of Magalia, said on Thursday.

But Stacy Lazzarino, who voted for Trump, said it would be good for the president to see the devastation up close, adding: 'I think by maybe seeing it he's going to be like 'Oh, my goodness', and it might start opening people's eyes.'

In a Fox News interview on the eve of his visit, the president repeated his criticism.

Eight additional sets of human remains were found on Friday, raising the Camp Fire death toll from 63 to 71. The Woolsey Fire death toll remained at three victims as the statewide death toll climbed to 74

Meanwhile, the missing persons list grew from 631 on Thursday night to 1,011 people who remain unaccounted for in Paradise and surrounding areas affected by the Camp Fire, according to authorities. But officials have stressed it doesn't mean that 1,011 are missing and that the list could easily contain duplicate names and unreliable spellings

Much of the rescue work is now focused on Paradise (pictured), a community that is home to many retirees who found themselves unable to get out in time

Hundreds of rescuers, backed by sniffer dogs, were going from house to house, as authorities called on relatives of the missing to provide DNA samples to help with body identification

When asked if he thought climate change contributed to the fires, he said: 'Maybe it contributes a little bit. The big problem we have is management.'

'You need forest management. It has to be,' Trump told Fox. 'I'm not saying that in a negative way, a positive -- Im just saying the facts.'

The Camp Fire laid waste to the town of Paradise at the northern foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, and destroyed around 10,000 homes.

Much of the rescue work is now focused on Paradise, a community that is home to many retirees who found themselves unable to get out in time.

Hundreds of rescuers, backed by sniffer dogs, were going from house to house, as authorities called on relatives of the missing to provide DNA samples to help with body identification.

'I'm still going to keep on looking and hope for the best,' Jhonathan Clark, who was hunting for his brother, sister-in-law and nephew, told AFP.

'My dad is starting to lose hope a little bit,' he added.

'I'm still going to keep on looking and hope for the best,' Jhonathan Clark, who was hunting for his brother, sister-in-law and nephew, said

Many of the victims of the Camp Fire have been housed in temporary shelters and are facing homelessness as they try to rebuild their lives

People set up tents in front of Walmart after the Camp Fire tore through Northern California

Many of the victims of the Camp Fire have been housed in temporary shelters and are facing homelessness as they try to rebuild their lives.

Adding to their misery, an outbreak of the highly contagious norovirus has been reported at several shelters.

Public health officials said 41 people had been sick with vomiting and diarrhea as of Wednesday evening and 25 had to be hospitalized.

'The number of sick people is increasing everyday,' the Butte County Health Department said in a statement.

While the cause of the Camp Fire is still under investigation, a lawsuit has been filed against the local power company, PG&E, by fire victims claiming negligence.

In Southern California, meanwhile, more residents were being allowed back into their homes near Los Angeles after a blaze torched an area the size of Denver and destroyed more than 600 homes and other structures.

The Woolsey blaze was nearly 70 per cent contained, as authorities predicted they would have it under control by Monday.

Three other people have died in southern California in the Woolsey Fire, which engulfed parts of Malibu, destroying the homes of several celebrities.
In this week's edition of 'Rewind,' Robert Smith looks back at a once rather famous race that was part of the annual calendar of events for top class pacers. First held 50 years ago in 1968, The Connaught Cup has a long and interesting history. As the name would indicate these races were held at Connaught Park located in Aylmer, Quebec, just across the Ottawa River from our nation's Capital. His piece reflects on the early years and talks a bit about the winners of those annual classics. A number of pictures are included.



Shown above is a list of winners of the Connaught Cup during its first fifteen years of competition. Shown above is a list of winners of the Connaught Cup during its first fifteen years of competition.

The inaugural Cup race was held on July 16, 1968, an even 50 years ago. The first edition drew a rather short field of just five starters which meant that each horse to finish the race would receive a portion of the $7,500 purse. The winner of that first of many Cups was the ten-year-old trotting-bred stallion Replica Herbert from the London, Ont. based stable of Wm. and Jack Herbert. At that time due to the size of their stable they at times sent their second trainer with a horse that was racing in a stake race. The winning driver on this occasion was Paul Radley of Woodbridge, Ont., stopping the timer in 2:01.3 which set a new track record at Connaught.



Driver Paul Radley accepts the inaugural Cup for the Herbert stable from Mrs. Tommy Gorman as Replica Herbert looks on. Mrs. Gorman represented the family that were longtime owners of the Connaught track. Driver Paul Radley accepts the inaugural Cup for the Herbert stable from Mrs. Tommy Gorman as Replica Herbert looks on. Mrs. Gorman represented the family that were longtime owners of the Connaught track.

In the second year of competition the victor was undoubtedly one of the most popular horses in the race's long history to grace the winner's circle. Local favourite and a horse near and dear to all Ottawa valley fans, Earlylakes John won the 1969 version. His time of 2:05 was enough to secure the victory for owner Earl Lake of Elgin, Ont., and also to please many in attendance that closely followed his career. This horse went on to win over $108,000 lifetime which was quite an accomplishment in that era of much lower purses.



A very happy Earl Lake holds the cup as his popular performer looks on. Mrs. Gorman was again on hand to present the trophy. A very happy Earl Lake holds the cup as his popular performer looks on. Mrs. Gorman was again on hand to present the trophy.

In 1970 the much-heralded Super Wave took the Cup back to London for owner Dr. George Boyce. With Jack Kopas in the driver's seat Super Wave downed Little Jerry Way and Commander Del in a very swift 2:00.2 erasing Replica Herbert's track and stakes record set two years earlier.



With the Connaught tote board in the background Jack Kopas proudly displays the Cup won by the great Super Wave in record time (Harness Horse) With the Connaught tote board in the background Jack Kopas proudly displays the Cup won by the great Super Wave in record time (Harness Horse)

In year number four Canny Choice, the rugged son of Painter, again scored a popular victory for his local owners The Consolidated Stables of nearby Arnprior, Ont. The winner had to overcome a track deluged by rain but managed a mile in 2:05 for driver Dr. John Findley. This horse had an amazing record in this race as he competed on four occasions recording a win, a second, a third and a fourth place finish.



Gordon Pepper, then C.T.A. Publicist on the far left, presented the Cup to Dr. Findley and the many connections of this accomplished horse. Gordon Pepper, then C.T.A. Publicist on the far left, presented the Cup to Dr. Findley and the many connections of this accomplished horse.

As a tribute to the stature of this annual race in 1972 the great U.S. horseman Stanley Dancer made the trip to compete in Cup number five. Silent Majority did not disappoint the huge crowd as he parched the Connaught track in 1:58.4. This stunning race by the only three-year-old to win the Cup went into the record books as the greatest performance in the 20-year history of standardbred racing at Connaught Park. This horse too had local ties as he was owned by Aline White, the widow of Roger, who shared ownership with Irving Liverman of Hempstead, Que.



Silent Majority and Stanley Dancer winning the 1972 Cup Silent Majority and Stanley Dancer winning the 1972 Cup

Fast forward eight years to 1980. That year a truly amazing horse named Tijuana Taxi, again with local ties, put on a great show for the fans in attendance. Owner Mel Barr of Ottawa decided to treat the local fans and also assembled quite an entourage of his own for the 13th Cup. He apparently was not superstitious at all as he passed up a higher pursed event at Buffalo to bring his 1979 Horse Of The Year for local fans to see. The results were even beyond his expectations as "The Taxi" set a new track record of 1:57.4 erasing the one that had been set by Silent Majority and had stood for eight years.



Tijuana Taxi and driver Jim Miller, 1980 winner. Tijuana Taxi and driver Jim Miller, 1980 winner.

This horse won handily and his win payoff of $2.70 was an indication of his stature in the race. Finishing second was J J'S Metro with Hector Clouthier Jr. in the bike who stated even before the race "We're just along for the ride; we're not in Taxi's class." Miller, very mindful of the possibility of a new track record, went to the whip in the final strides and once across the wire he held the whip high in the air much to the delight of the crowd of 3,223 screaming fans.

In 1981 the Cup went to a horse who would go on to establish a unique record for this rather famous race. That stalwart performer was Banker Fretz, then a six-year-old gelded son of Harold J. Garth Gordon shared the joy of owning this fine performer with Dr. Wm. Wright, a dentist from Cobourg, Ont. With Gordon doing the training and driving, this combination won an unprecedented three Cups in a row. Gordon, who was originally from the Cobourg area, selected this horse at a U.S. auction as a yearling and had him throughout his long and successful career.



Banker Fretz is shown following his second straight win in the 1982 Connaught Cup. From left is Jacques Blouin, co-owner Dr. Wm. Wright, Sue Lipophar -- caretaker from 1980-1984, Banker Fretz, driver, trainer and co-owner Garth Gordon and Dave Gorman of Connaught Park. Banker Fretz is shown following his second straight win in the 1982 Connaught Cup. From left is Jacques Blouin, co-owner Dr. Wm. Wright, Sue Lipophar -- caretaker from 1980-1984, Banker Fretz, driver, trainer and co-owner Garth Gordon and Dave Gorman of Connaught Park.

By this time the speed revolution was happening with horses going much faster than in the earlier years. In the 1981 renewal The Banker equalled standard of 1:57.4 set in 1980. The following year a rain-soaked track yielded a time of just 2:01.2 in the mud. In 1983 Banker Fretz scored an unprecedented third Cup in a row this time in 1:56.4. By this time the purse hit a tidy $40,000. In a span of three years, the team of Banker Fretz, Garth Gordon, and the Wrights rewrote the history of this great race.

With the demise of so many of our old tracks in the past couple of decades so goes much of the history written at these once famous spots. Back in the day each track had its signature event and it was always a special time. Gone but not forgotten are those many who competed and especially those who won the Connaught Cup.

Who Is It?

Can you correctly identify the driver pictured above? Stay tuned for the correct answer during the upcoming week.
The man who attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan in 1981 will be allowed to roam farther afield after a federal judge eased restrictions on his release conditions on Friday.

John Hinckley, 63, got out of a Washington psychiatric hospital in September 2016, but has only been allowed to live with his mother in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Now Hinckley has permission to leave the residence of his parent, who is in her 90s, after US District Judge Paul Friedman in Washington said he 'will not pose a danger to himself or others'.

John Hinckley (pictured August 2016) tried and failed to assassinate Ronald Reagan in 1981

Hinckley (pictured at the E. Barrett Prettyman US District Court in Washington DC November 19, 2003) can now drive within a 75-mile radius of Williamsburg, Virginia

John Hinckley tried and failed to assassinate Ronald Reagan (center) in a 1981 shooting

The new conditions were agreed between the government and Hinckley's lawyers after doctors said he had 'remained mentally stable'.

As he has complied with release conditions for the past two years he can now live on his own, with roommates or with family members within 75 miles (121 km) of Williamsburg.

He may also drive unaccompanied within the same radius, if doctors give the go-ahead to increase it from the 30-mile radius set in 2016.

James Brady and a police officer are seen lying on the ground after being shot while the suspect John Hinckley Jr. is apprehended (right) moments after the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan, Washington DC, March 30, 1981

Police and Secret Service agents dive to protect Reagan amid a panicked crowd during an assassination attempt by Hinckley Junior outside the Washington Hilton Hotel

Police officer Thomas Delahanty (foreground) and Press Secretary James Brady (behind) lay wounded on the ground. Reagan was hit by one of six shots fired by John Hinckley

Reagan, himself wounded, was hurried into his waiting car and taken to the hospital

Court records state Hinckley now only has to check in with medical experts in Washington every two months instead of monthly.

Now his lawyer for the past 30 years or more if hopeful this will lead to a time where Hinckley will have no restrictions. It's due to be discussed at a court conference on June 10 next year.

Barry Levine called the progress 'exquisite,' and said 'the record already supports' his unconditional release.

He was found not guilty on account he was insane when he committed the crime

Hinckley was held at a Washington psychiatric hospital until September 2016 then was allowed to move in with his mother. Now he can live alone and drive within 75 miles of Williamsburg

This picture was taken in front of the White House before Hinckley attempted to assassinate US President Ronald Reagan

'He can function pretty much the way you and I can,' Levine said in an interview.

Reagan suffered a punctured lung in the assassination attempt but recovered quickly.

Others wounded included White House press secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty.

Former US President Ronald Reagan (pictured July 3, 1996) passed away in 2004

Former White House Press Secretary Jim Brady leaves after speaking about new legislation curbing gun violence during a press conference on Capitol Hill in 2011. Brady was shot by Hinkley during his attempt to assassinate former US President Ronald Reagan

The assassination attempt was a culmination of his fixation on impressing actress Jodie Foster (pictured 1981)

Hinckley will still not be allowed contact with Foster (pictured October)

Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity at a 1982 jury trial.

That verdict prompted Congress and some US states to adopt laws limiting use of the insanity defense.

While Reagan died in 2004, Hinckley is not allowed to have contact with his surviving victims and their families.

He is also still banned from contact with Jodie Foster, the actress and director he was obsessed with before the Reagan assassination attempt.

It's believed the shooting was part of his attempt to impress Foster.
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The wait is finally over for an entire cohort of school-leavers, as teenagers flock to the Gold Coast in their thousands to celebrate the end of their schooling at the annual Schoolies festivities.

Over 22,000 graduates are expected to attend the fortnight long celebrations on the Queensland coast, while other graduates opted for the Fiji festivities or more low-key plans.

But as party-goers celebrate the end of exams, police have vowed to crackdown on drug supply to the Glitter Strip, making dozens of arrests during a 'week of action' by detectives.

Gold Coast Superintendent Mark White says during Schoolies officers will use a range of 'overt and covert' strategies to prevent drug dealing, particularly in the Schoolies precinct.

'If people think they come into this event and gain some advantage or push drugs onto young people they are going to be in for a rude shock,' he told reporters.

Meanwhile, groups of friends arrived in droves at Gold Coast airport on Saturday, many already sporting the coveted Schoolies lanyards, pre-prepared summer glows and party hats.

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Groups of friends arrived in droves at Gold Coast airport (pictured). One girl was spotted in a mustard and white summer ensemble, donning a miners hard hat equipped with a torch, two straws, and cup holders on either side of her head

Over 22,000 graduates are expected to attend the fortnight long celebrations on the Queensland coast as authorities release warnings and tips to party-goers to look out for each other while celebrating the end of their schooling

Another young girl looked the part as well as she towed her suitcase, two biodegradable bags, one filled with snacks, and a colourful sombrero

One girl was spotted in a mustard and white summer ensemble, donning a miners hard hat equipped with a torch, two straws, and cup holders on either side of her head.

She was all smiles as she and two blonde friends dragged their suitcases through the busy walkway.

Another young girl looked the part as well as she towed her suitcase, two biodegradable bags, one filled with snacks, and a colourful sombrero.

Her friend joined in on the colour with a bright yellow top and mini denim shorts.

Others used their early arrival to stock up on necessities, hauling multiple bags of ice over their shoulders, on their heads, or in the case of one distressed-looking man in a hawaiian shirt and pink shorts, tucked under each arm.

The man, who was barefoot, appeared to be in a hurry as he pressed forward with his collection.

Others got creative when heading back to their apartments, choosing to dump their suitcases in trolleys.

Others used their early arrival to stock up on necessities, hauling multiple bags of ice over their shoulders, on their heads, or in the case of one distressed-looking man in a hawaiian shirt and pink shorts, tucked under each arm

Others got creative when heading back to their apartments, choosing to dump their suitcases in trolleys and wheel them around rather than dragging multiple suitcases

Got the necessities! This group of schoolies went straight to Woolworths to stock up on their groceries for the week

Groups of friends began arriving in droves, appearing happy as they kicked off the first night of end-of-school celebrations

Police have said they will be keeping a close eye on 'toolies' joining the crowds at this year's festivities

Gold Coast Schoolies Advisory Group chairman Mark Reaburn says his team of 11,000 volunteers is ready to make sure the kids have a great time but do it safely.

'It's not a party, what we coordinate is a response (to thousands of students) congregating in Surfers Paradise in what is known as a right of passage,' he said.

Eighty per cent of the school leavers who come will be 17-years-old and many were going to push the limits, he said.

'(That's) a lot of kids being away from mum and dad for the first time in their lives, with each other, essentially moving out into the big wide world,' he said.

And they regularly go beyond what they can cope with both emotionally and physically, he said.

'That's why our mantra for the kids is: be safe and watch your mates,' he said.

The Queensland Ambulance Instagram page uploaded an image of two officers posing with the 'be safe and watch your mates' posters they have strewn around the city.

Older revellers thinking about joining the thousands of school leavers have also been warned against 'prowling' on younger party-goers, with police saying they will also be keeping a close eye on 'Toolies'.

'If you want to come to Surfers Paradise and play up, be assured you will be arrested,' South Eastern region Assistant Commissioner Brian Wilkins told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

'It's not the place to come and prowl upon schoolies.

Older revellers thinking about joining the thousands of this year's school leavers (pictured) for 'Schoolies' celebrations have been warned against 'prowling' on younger party-goers

Police and emergency crews are bracing for this weekend in preparation for the inevitable carnage inflicted on the seaside resort town every year

More than 22,000 school graduates will flock to Queensland's the Gold Coast this weekend to let their hair down. Pictured: A group of school leavers arriving in Surfers Paradise this week

'We will have a very strong police presence policing all the schoolies but also all the toolies.'

Despite an estimated 80 per cent of attendees being underage, some party-goers who have already left school - in some cases many years ago - join the thousands of teenagers for the annual end of exams celebration.

Last year, nearly 50 arrests were made in Surfers Paradise during the event, with dozens of teenagers busted for drug possession and brawling.

However, most of these arrests were 'toolies' rather than students, Gold Coast Schoolies Advisory Group chairman Mark Reaburn said.

Mr Reaburn has urged partying students to look after their mates and stay safe during the notoriously unruly celebrations. Pictured: A reveller is helped by a friend at last year's event

Thousands of eager Schoolies flock to the popular Queensland beach strip ready to party their nights away (pictured in 2017)

Most arrests made were for 'toolies' rather than students, Gold Coast Schoolies Advisory Group chairman Mark Reaburn said. Pictured: Police speak with a man with a bag of cask wine last year

'If you want to come to Surfers Paradise and play up, be assured you will be arrested,' South Eastern region Assistant Commissioner Brian Wilkins said

Last year, nearly 50 arrests were made in Surfers Paradise during the event, with dozens of teenagers busted for drug possession and brawling

Despite the inevitable carnage inflicted on the seaside resort town every year, authorities said there was not a lot they could do to stop the kids coming. Revellers are pictured during celebrations last year

The Schoolies community safety response, which includes the Schoolies Hub and an ambulance treatment centre, provides school leavers with alcohol and drug-free diversionary activities, safety advice, and support while they party the week away.

Closely-watched and cordoned-off party zones with high fences and soft beach sand have been carefully thought out by the organising committee.

Mr Reaburn said although he wanted schoolies to have a good time, any one who acts the 'idiot' can almost guarantee to be dealt with by the police.

'Every schoolie that comes here is not an angel, but they're coming here because they've had a discussion with mum and dad and they said ''yes you go can go'',' he said.

'Our concern is always what goes on in the rooms but we can't be there... be safe and watch your mates.'

In 2017, 66 schoolies were arrested by police, however, historically more 'toolies and droolies' are arrested than students, Mr Reaburn said.

Mr Reaburn said calls to block students at the airport or ban schoolies were pointless.

'We can't hold back to the tide,' he said.
Edward Gallagher faces a plethora of violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice for actions while deployed in Mosul, Iraq, in 2017

A Navy SEAL is facing multiple war crimes for stabbing an injured teenage ISIS fighter to death while deployed in Iraq.

Special Operations Chief Edward 'Eddie' Gallagher, 39, is in custody facing multiple charges including premeditated murder and attempted murder for allegedly slicing the combatant's throat with a hunting knife.

The 39-year-old also posed next to the militant's body for photos n Mosul in May, 2017, prosecutors claim.

He has also been accused of performing a re-enlistment ceremony alongside the corpse and in front on American flag, according to prosecutors.

Afterwards, Gallagher allegedly text a photo of the body to a fellow SEAL, writing: 'I got him with my hunting knife.'

A couple of months later, he also allegedly fired at a male and female noncombatant.

If convicted, he could face life behind bars. He has denied all the allegations. His wife and the mother of his children, Andrea, also said in an interview: 'This is not who Eddie is.

'He is a lifesaver. He is that guy who runs into the burning building when other people are running out.'

Gallagher, a sniper and a medic, has served overseas in different deployments for 19 years.

Gallagher (left) is said to have stabbed a teenage Isis fighter in the neck and body before posing with the boy's body

After his latest tour, he was named named the top platoon leader in SEAL Team 7 and nominated for the Silver Star -the militarys third-highest honor, the New York Times reported.

However the disturbing allegations from the same deployment have since come to light.

Gallagher is said to have 'with premeditation, murder a wounded male person' under his care by 'stabbing him in the neck and body with a knife,' CNN reported.

The charge sheet, released on Friday, details that it took place in Mosul in May 2017.

Tamara Lawrence, public affairs officer with the Naval Special Warfare Command said the allegations are being taken very seriously.

'We train and operate in dynamic, complex and ambiguous environments and our operators are empowered and trusted to independently make difficult decisions during missions,' she said.

'They have consistently proven that their empowerment and trust is warranted. Allegations that indicate otherwise are, and will continue to be, investigated by the appropriate military and law enforcement authorities.'

Gallagher was also charged with shooting a man and woman near Mosul in June and July of 2017. Both of those people were said to be noncombatants.

If convicted, he could face life behind bars. He has denied all the allegations. His wife and the mother of his children, Andrea (pictured), also said in an interview: 'This is not who Eddie is'

The man - who is married and has children - was charged with obstruction of justice for 'attempting to discourage members of his platoon from reporting his actions while in Iraq' once back in San Diego.

Gallagher was charged with 'wrongfully' posing in a photo 'with a human casualty.' The man was also found to have wrongfully completed his re-enlistment ceremony next to the corpse.

He was said to have flown a drone over the human casualty, as well.

Gallagher was found to have been using the painkiller, Tramadol Hydrochloride, while in both Iraq and San Diego. The controlled substance is similar to opioids.
A long-time substitute teacher was told not to come back to his school in Missouri after he thanked students for standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Teacher Jim Furkin, 66, thanked students for standing for the pledge but at least one student who did not stand felt singled out and bullied, according to DailyMailTVs St. Louis affiliate FOX 2 News.

It is a school district where school board members stand and recite the pledge at every meeting and where the Parkway South nickname is 'Patriots.'

Teacher Jim Furkin was told not to come back to his school in Missouri after he thanked students for standing for the Pledge of Allegiance

'The PA announcer says please rise for the pledge of allegiance,' Furkin told Fox 2. 'I say lets go. The kids get up, 24 kids in class and 22 got up.

'There are always two or three who don't stand up because it's not required. So at the end of the pledge I said thank you very much, all of you that participated. I appreciate that.

'Im sure all of those families that lost loved ones so we could have the freedoms we have today would appreciate that, too. Thats what I said'.

One student asked to go to the counselor's office, Furkin said. Later a school administrator questioned Furkin about what happened and told him that a student had been 'hurt' by what was said after the pledge.

'I said Oh, I didn't mean it that way, that wasn't my intent at all, Furkin said. 'He said, We'll get back to you and then the next day after that, I'm no longer welcome in the building'.

Furkin was a substitute teacher for the district for about ten years. He filled in at Parkway South almost daily for the past five years. The encouragement for support of the pledge is nothing new, he said.

Still, after the incident district officials told him he could no longer work at Parkway South but could still fill in at other schools. He told the school board this week he was finished.

Kelly Educational Staffing, the agency that employs Furkin, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It is a school district where school board members stand and recite the pledge at every meeting and where the Parkway South nickname is 'Patriots'

Furkin was a substitute teacher for the district for about ten years. He filled in at Parkway South almost daily for the past five years

Furkin said the staffing agency told him that he wasn't being allowed back because he had 'bullied' a student.

'To me personally, the flag represents freedom, and there's a lot of price that's been paid for the freedom we have today,' Furkin said.

'That's all I'm saying to the kids. Could somebody feel offended by that? I would hope not'.

Furkin compared his action to complimenting the hairstyle of one board member but not the others and then being banned from future meetings because hed bullied the other board members. The flag, he said, was a special case with him.

'I just think that I would try to convey something like that to the kids who just take everything for granted. That flag is not to be taken for granted, in my opinion. It is our symbol of freedom,' Furkin said.

But Fox News reported that in a letter home to parents and staff, the school superintendent said the pledge incident was not the sole factor in Furkin being banned from Parkway South.

While we cannot share details of individual personnel matters, we would not recommend that a substitute teacher be restricted from a school simply based on a single isolated incident such as this.

'Several factors, including prior concerns at other schools, would be taken into consideration before making a recommendation.
President Donald Trump tweets congratulations to Republican Brian Kemp on winning the Georgia governor's race and Ron DeSantis on becoming the new Governor of Florida - even though the result hasn't been made official.

'Congratulations to Ron DeSantis on becoming the new Governor of Florida. Against all odds, he fought & fought & fought, the result being a historic victory,' Trump wrote Friday evening.

'He never gave up and never will. He will be a great Governor!' Trump added.

President Donald Trump tweets congratulations to Republican Brian Kemp on winning the Georgia governor's race and Ron DeSantis on becoming the new Governor of Florida - even though the result hasn't been made official

'Congratulations to Ron DeSantis (pictured) on becoming the new Governor of Florida. Against all odds, he fought & fought & fought, the result being a historic victory,' Trump wrote Friday evening

Florida officials are scheduled to certify the results on Tuesday

He then followed that tweet up with one congratulating Kemp.

'Congratulations to Brian Kemp on becoming the new Governor of Georgia,' he wrote, adding that 'Brian was unrelenting and will become a great Governor for the truly Wonderful People of Georgia'.

The president then added: 'Stacey Abrams fought brilliantly and hard - she will have a terrific political future!'

Abrams ended her bid to be Georgia governor late Friday in a speech which she said was not a 'concession' but an acknowledgment that she cannot win.

She said Kemp would win the vote count which was due to be certified at 5pm, just as she made the speech to supporters in Atlanta.

But she ended her bid to be the nation's first black female governor defiantly saying that she would be suing in federal court over the election's 'gross mismanagement', taking a bitter election with claims of racist voter suppression into a new arena.

Trump then followed that tweet up with one congratulating Kemp

Trump said 'Brian was unrelenting and will become a great Governor for the truly Wonderful People of Georgia'

The president then added: 'Stacey Abrams (pictured) fought brilliantly and hard - she will have a terrific political future!'

Her move means that Kemp will be named Georgia's governor, having overseen the election's running as the secretary of state.

Abrams said her announcement was not a concession because that would acknowledge 'an action as right'.

'I acknowledge that former (Georgia) Secretary of State Brian Kemp will be certified as the victor,' Abrams told supporters in Atlanta.

'But to watch an elected official who claims to represent the people in this state baldly pin his hopes for election on the suppression of the people's democratic right to vote has been truly appalling.'

In Florida, election officials were slogging through a hand recount of ballots.

DeSantis appeared to secure the governor's seat over Democrat Andrew Gillum after the electronic recount showed DeSantis with a 0.4 percentage point lead, outside the threshold to trigger a hand recount.

The state is scheduled to certify results on Tuesday.
A woman who worked as a nurse but sold methamphetamine and cannabis on the side has avoided jail.

Leiha Marie Walker, 44, was as a nurse in Townsville, in Queensland's north-east until she was forced to stop in January due to health reasons.

Walker, originally from New Zealand, was charged with 11 counts of supplying a dangerous drug, the Townsville Bulletin reported.

Leiha Marie Walker (pictured) was working as a nurse in Townsville, in Queensland's north east until she had to stop in January due to health reasons

The 44-year-old pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 18 months behind bars but was released immediately on parole.

Walker was stopped by police on May 28, 2017 and detectives searched her car as she was acting unusual.

Officers found drug paraphernalia in the 44-year-old's car and forensically examined her mobile phone.

Messages found on the phone detailed that Walker had offered to supply the illicit drugs.

Walker supplied cannabis and methamphetamine 11 times to seven different people in the two weeks leading up to being caught.

Crown prosecutor Monique Sheppard told the court that of the 11 times Walker supplied drugs, seven were methamphetamine.

A woman who worked as a nurse but sold methamphetamine and cannabis on the side has avoided going to jail

Walker, originally from New Zealand, was charged with 11 counts of supplying a dangerous drug

'The supplies were street level and in regards to the methamphetamine they were commercial in that on each occasion there was a discussion about exchanging money,' Ms Sheppard said.

The 44-year-old supplied the illicit substances to her friends and had another supply charge on her record from 18 years ago.

Defence barrister Kelly Stone said Walker could return to work when her health allowed but the convictions may impact on her finding a job.

Judge Michael Shanahan sentenced Walker to 18 months in jail, but the nurse was released on immediate parole.
Private schools could be forced to share their multimillion-dollar facilities with public school students under a radical new plan.

The proposal - pushed by Education Minister Rob Stokes - encourages Australia's most prestigious schools to open up their sports and arts facilities to ensure the best facilities can be used by all students regardless of their school.

Access to playing fields, swimming pools and gyms, along with theatres and libraries would be under the new proposal and may require tweaking the Education Act to come into effect.

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Private schools may be forced to share their multimillion-dollar facilities with public school students under a radical new plan. Pictured: A playing field at Sydney's Kambala school

Access to playing fields, swimming pools (Knox Grammar School pool is pictured) and gyms would be under the new proposal and may require tweaking the Education Act

The proposal encourages Australia's most prestigious schools to open up facilities, such as this library (pictured) in Ravenswood School for Girls

'There are a couple of regulatory hurdles that we need to overcome,' Mr Stokes told The Saturday Telegraph.

Current regulations prevent private schools receiving government money to recover the costs of opening their facilities.

Education Minister Rob Stokes (above) is pushing for the new proposal

'The challenge then if they're getting small amounts of money to clean halls and so forth, after a community group has used it, is whether that offends those not-for-profit provisions  we're working through that.'

Some of the nations top private schools charge fees of up to $40,000 a year, with many fee-paying parents unwilling to back the proposal.

However, Mr Stokes said the pay-off for private schools was in community goodwill when they wanted to expand.

'I know one of the challenges private schools have in developing their facilities have is that the surrounding communities can often object on the basis that they say, well we're getting the extra traffic, where is the benefit for us?, he said.

Association of Independent Schools of NSW CEO Dr Geoff Newcombe said the notion that all private schools had lavish stereotypes was 'a stereotype'. Pictured: Knox Grammar School

Current regulations prevent private schools receiving government money to recover the costs of opening their facilities. Ravenswood School for Girls boats a state of the art theatre (above)

Some of the nations top private schools (such as The King's School in Parramatta, pictured) charge fees of up to $40,000 a year, with many fee-paying parents unwilling to back the proposal

'By opening these facilities up and sharing them with the community, that means the community is much more likely to be open to expansion if there is a wider social benefit.'

Poll Should private schools share their facilities? Yes, every student should have equal opportunity No, the facilities should only be used by those who pay for them Should private schools share their facilities? Yes, every student should have equal opportunity 86 votes

No, the facilities should only be used by those who pay for them 334 votes Now share your opinion





Association of Independent Schools of NSW CEO Dr Geoff Newcombe said some schools have already made their facilities available and not all independent schools had 'lavish' facilities.

'On average, more than 90 per cent of the cost of capital works in independent schools is met by parents, fundraising and donations, with this figure at 100 per cent for most higher SES schools,' he said.

Instead, he said the notion that all private schools had lavish stereotypes was 'a stereotype' and noted that most school facilities were not markedly different to other schools nearby.

NSW P&C President Susie Boyd said she would welcome the change in private schools being opened up to public students, adding if private schools refused to open up to their community, they should be denied further funding.

The government's school infrastructure plan specifically looks at encouraging more joint-use projects, Mr Stokes said.

The government's school infrastructure plan specifically looks at encouraging more joint-use projects. Students from The King's School enjoy extracurricular activities such as rowing (pictured)
An Uber driver who sexually assaulted a 19-year-old woman while driving her home will be deported, a court has heard.

The 36-year-old immigrant pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault at Southport Magistrates Court and will be deported back to his home country of Nepal.

He asked his passenger if she wanted to have sex with him after picking her up from a Surfers Paradise nightclub on Christmas Eve in 2017.

When she said no, and that she just wanted him to take her home, he proceeded to assault her.

The 36-year-old Uber driver sexually assaulted a 19-year-old passenger in his vehicle as he drove her home on Christmas Eve in 2017 (stock image)

The victim told of the profound effect the incident had on her and how it still brings her to tears and makes her want to throw up in her impact statement.

Defence barrister Nick McGhee said that since there was no penetration, no ejaculation and the woman was conscious at the time, the assault was a 'low level' offence.

The man, who was married for nine years, separated from his wife as a result of the assault.

He had traveled to Australia with her in 2009 who was living in the country on a student visa.

Prosecutor Amalia Baker-Smith lamented the crime and told the court he should be locked away for 12 months.

'Women should be able to trust their Uber drivers to get them home safely,' Ms Baker-Smith said.

Magistrate Joan White said the victim was vulnerable in his car and the assault was a betrayal of trust.

'In your position you betrayed that position of trust,' Ms White said.

He was sentenced to 12 months prison which wholly suspended for two years.

However, due to him being deported, the suspended sentence will most likely not apply.
The 'Trolley Man' was involved in a terrifying smash and grab burglary just hours before the brave vigilante helped police take down the Bourke Street terrorist.

Michael Rogers faced Melbourne Magistrates Court today after he was charged with two counts of burglary, two of theft and committing an indictable offence while on bail.

Included in the list of offences is the alleged theft of a $2,000 bike from an apartment building, and a smash and grab into a cafe the day previous to the terror attack on November 9, according to the Herald Sun.

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The 'Trolley Man' (pictured) was involved in a terrifying smash and grab burglary just hours before the brave vigilante helped police take down the Bourke Street terrorist

Michael Rogers faced Melbourne Magistrates Court today (pictured) after he was charged with two counts of burglary, two of theft and committing an indictable offence while on bail

Included in the list of offences is the alleged theft of a $2,000 bike from an apartment building, and a smash and grab into a cafe the day previous to the terror attack on November 9, according to the Herald Sun

Police had put a call-out to locate the vigilante soon after the homeless man of 18 years helped police bring an end to the Bourke Street terror attack.

Mr Rogers became a national sensation when he used a trolley cart to ram knife-wielding Hassan Khalif Shire Ali after his stabbing rampage, which killed one person and brought Melbourne to a standstill.

Mr Rogers proved he was willing to cooperate with police and handed himself in on Friday night.

The 46-year-old has since been granted bail, against the advice of police who believe Mr Rogers poses an unacceptable risk of re-offending because of his criminal history.

Magistrate Bob Kumar did attach 'very stringent conditions' to Mr Roger's bail and ordered him to comply with a court ordered support program.

Police had put a call-out to locate the vigilante soon after the homeless man of 18 years helped police bring an end to the Bourke Street terror attack

National Homeless Collective's Donna Stolzenberg gave evidence in court in support of Mr Roger's release.

She said the more than $145,000 raised for Mr Rogers would go towards support and accommodation for the homeless man.

Ms Stolzenberg told reporters outside the court the money would be sent to a trust fund.

'The money will go into a trust fund and the money will be used to help Michael to lead a more fulfilling life and achieve the goals and outcomes he wants.'

She added while the terms and conditions of that trust fund had yet to be ironed out, Michael would have input in the future decisions.

Ms Stolzenberg went on to praise Mr Rogers character and called him a 'lovely guy.'

'Ive known him for pretty much a week today, from what I know of him he is such a gentleman.

'He is polite, kind he always puts people first.'

Mr Roger's lawyer Melinda Walker said her client had a chance to turn his life around.
This is the horrifying moment an American tourist was brutally stabbed eight times inside of a Birmingham takeaway.

The victim, from Chicago and aged 20, had been on a night out with a family member before heading to a takeaway in Smallbrook Queensway in Birmingham City Centre on May 18.

Carlito Fearon and Warren Johnson, both 21, stormed into the takeaway at about 3am and squared up to the American.

CCTV footage showed Johnson slipping Fearon a knife and he used it to stab the American eight times.

Knifeman Fearon stormed into takeaway Rod Joj and barged his way to the front of the queue to confront staff over a previous food order.

The angry men threatened customers before turning their attention to the 20-year-old after noticing he was American.

Johnson approached Fearon to discretely pass him the knife and moments later he squared-up to the victim nose-to-nose.

Fearon then quickly stabs the victim eight times in the side.

Johnson also joined in to headbutt the tourist and throw a few punches before they both fled - but not before Fearon calmly collected his takeaway from the counter.

The tourist was potentially saved from death by a passing off-duty paramedic who gave him first aid and stemmed the bleeding.

Both attackers denied attempted murder but Fearon was jailed for 18 years having been found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday.

Carlito Fearon (left) and friend Warren Johnson (right), both 21, were seen storming into a takeaway in Birmingham at around 3am and threatening customers

He will serve a minimum of 12 years and be bound by an extended five-year licence period upon his release.

Johnson was cleared of attempted murder but found guilty of wounding and was jailed for 14 years.

He will serve a minimum of nine years and four months.

West Midlands Police detectives used CCTV footage to track the attackers down.

Fearon was spotted after the attack on camera at a nearby McDonald's before heading towards his home address in Benmore Avenue in Edgbaston.

Fearon could be seen angrily squaring up to the American tourist, 20 and from Chicago, before being slipped a knife by Johnson

West Midlands Police released CCTV from the night which prompted information from members of the public naming the two as suspects.

A morning raid on Fearon's Edgbaston flat on May 24 found him hiding in a wardrobe.

Johnson's home on Kellett Road in Nechells was also raided.

Trousers and shoes were recovered from Fearon's flat matching those worn by the knifeman, while a key witness in the fish shop picked out both men.

Both men refused to co-operate with investigators and stayed silent during interviews but officers had enough evidence to charge them with attempted murder.

Fearon brutally stabbed the tourist eight times in the side before calmly collecting his takeaway from the counter

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Ed Ketterer, said: 'This was a savage attack that could easily have proved to be fatal and shows how minor spats can quickly escalate into very serious incidents when people carry knives.

'Fearon initially went into the shop angry at a food order he'd received yet within just a few minutes we've gone from that to a man fighting for his life.

In a statement written by the victim he thanked West Midlands Police for 'leaving no stone unturned' in their efforts to trace the attackers and secure convictions.

He also thanked the Birmingham community for helping to catch them and thanked the off-duty paramedic.

He added: 'I hope the lesson to be learned from this is that carrying a knife, even out of a misplaced notion of self-defence, is an act of extreme danger and misjudgement and it has cost these young men their liberty for a long time. I hope they are able to reflect on this and eventually rebuild their lives as I am doing with mine.'
Aldi has been slammed for another price label hack which tricks shoppers into thinking they are saving money at the checkout.

The supermarket chain has found a clever way of making price reductions looking more significant than they actually are - comparing products with prices that are up to almost a year old.

Queensland Consumer Association has called the new labels misleading.

For example, Aldi advertised Blue Stilton cheese at $4.99 and stated it had been reduced from $5.99.

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Aldi has been slammed for another price label hack which is designed to trick shoppers into thinking they are saving big

Queensland Consumer Association has called the new labels misleading

However the small print written at the bottom of the label proves the higher price dated all the way back to December 27, 2017.

A Queensland Consumer Association spokesman told the Courier Mail: 'I think its pretty dreadful.

'I seriously question the usefulness to people of knowing what the price of an item was nearly a year ago.'

The German supermarket chain also copped backlash in recent times for reducing the font size of food labels from 5mm to 3mm, making it more difficult for customers to read, the Herald Sun reported.

They also changed the font from bold to normal.

The changes to the font mean that the prices are not as clear to read and could lead to shoppers ending up spending more than they intended to, according to consumer groups.

It is a requirement under Australian law that retailers must ensure food labelling is easily legible.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Aldi for comment.
A pizza shop has been hit with a hefty fine after it was revealed they had live animals in the kitchen and served 'inedible' food.

Wood 'n Chimney in the Melbourne hotpsot of Prahran was fined $15,000 for failing to follow the Food Act.

Customers have expressed their anger after receiving what they said was slow service and undercooked meals, as well as the restaurant being untidy and dirty.

According to Victoria Health's register of convictions, the restaurant failed to 'comply with any requirement imposed on the person by a provision of the Food Standards Code in relation to conduct of a food business or to food intended for sale or food for sale'.

A pizza shop has been hit with a hefty fine after it was revealed they had live animals in the kitchen and served inedible food

Wood 'n Chimney in the Melbourne hotpsot of Prahran was fined $15,000 for failing to follow the Food Act (stock image)

The pizza shop was put on State Government's food safety convictions register after they repeatedly breached the Food Act since November 2017.

The business failed to maintain fixtures, fittings and equipment within the shop and had an accumulation of food waste, dirt and grease.

They also had live animals in areas in which food is handled, and didn't 'take all practicable measures to prevent pests entering the food premises'.

Chief executive of Stonnington Council Stuart Draffin told the Herald Sun they would be taking 'all action necessary to protect the public'.

'Specific information around food safety breaches is confidential between the proprietor and (the) council,' he said.

The restaurant has only a three-star rating on Google, with one woman angrily detailing her experience receiving off chips.

Customers have expressed their anger after receiving what they said was slow service and undercooked meals, as well as the restaurant being untidy and dirty

The business failed to maintain fixtures, fittings and equipment within the shop and had an accumulation of food waste, dirt and grease

'CHIPS WERE OFF!' the woman wrote.

'I didn't know it was possible that chips could be off but now I know they can!! On top of being soggy and undercooked!!' she continued.

'Barely any sauce was put on the chicken wings of which they gave me half what they usually do!! Terrible way to treat a regular customer!! Never going there again!! I thought I was going to get food poisoning!! BEWARE!!!'

Another user said they had to wait over an hour to receive their delivery order: 'Rung up (after an hour) to be told they were on their way. After another hour the food turned up cold, soggy chips and missing one can of coke.'

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Wood 'n Chimney for comment.

The restaurant has only a three-star rating on Google, with one woman angrily detailing her experience receiving off chips
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Hundreds of eco-activists barricaded bridges, blocked traffic and caused travel chaos during 'a day of rebellion' on the streets of London today in order to force the government to impose radical new laws on climate change.

Five bridges across the Thames - Southwark, Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster and Lambeth bridges - were blocked off during the day of havoc, and police claimed more than 70 people were arrested at the protests organised by Extinction Rebellion (ER).

Music teachers, civil servants and retired psychologists were among the protesters who had been trained by ER to get themselves arrested while inflicting damage across the capital.

Metropolitan Police said emergency vehicles were hampered from getting across London because of the 'blockade' of five bridges. The force said it had asked all protesters to congregate at Westminster Bridge where officers can facilitate lawful protest.

Music teachers, civil servants and retired psychologists were among the protesters who had been trained by ER to get themselves arrested while inflicting damage across the capital

Activists caused five bridges across the River Thames to be blocked off during the day of havoc, meant to pressure the government to tackle climate change

Demonstrators on Westminster Bridge in London for a protest called by Extinction Rebellion to raise awareness of the dangers posed by climate change

Music teachers, civil servants and retired psychologists are among the protesters that have been trained by the direct action group to get themselves arrested

Organisers of the 'Rebellion Day' had claimed that more than 6,000 people had been involved in the demonstrations

One of the people taking part in the protest, Jo Khimba, addressed crowds gathered on Westminster Bridge and said: 'For god's sake, we've got to care for the world'

A meeting held before the day of carnage saw the ER leadership say that 'smashing windows and spraying graffiti' was on the agenda

Demonstrators on Westminster Bridge hold several signs as they protest to raise awareness of climate change and the dangers that it poses

The activists' aim is to force the government to introduce 'legally binding policy measures to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2025'

Jo Khimba, who was taking part in the protest, told crowds gathered on Westminster Bridge: 'We've got to care for each other, and for god's sake, we've got to care for the world.'

Two women - who did not want to be named - attended the protest dressed as bumble bees.

They told the Press Association: 'I have concern for my children and grandchildren. I truthfully believe we're all heading for extinction.

'Climate change is so important, it's coming over so fast and nothing is being done.'

Like other protesters, they also called on the government to halt fracking programmes and 'work hard to reduce carbon emissions to zero long before 2050,' which is the current goal.

Organisers of the protests believe at least 50 people have been arrested over the last week.

A total of 22 people were arrested on Monday after protesters blocked traffic and glued themselves to entry gates at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Dr Gail Bradbrook, one of the protest organisers, said: 'We could easily be facing starvation in the UK if the weather effect continues as it is.

'We need to be building resilience in our communities, we need to go to net zero carbon and we're also asking for a people's assembly so that the people can decide how the change happens.'

When asked if the Extinction Rebellion demands were achievable, Dr Bradbrook said: 'We don't have a choice, because nature is going to have the last word on this one.'

An elderly female protester joins in with other demonstrators on Westminster Bridge while holding a sign that says 'Rebel for life'

Environmental campaigners from the direct action group Rebellion demonstrate in the centre of Westminster Bridge

Being 'net zero' means that any remaining carbon emissions are balanced by technology that removes and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere so that we leave no carbon footprint

ER has been backed by Julia Bradbury, from the BBC's Watchdog (which investigated criminal and fraudulent behaviour), Lord Williams of Oystermouth, the ex-Archbishop of Canterbury, and The Guardian's George Monbiot

Social media users took to Twitter to criticise the protesters for shutting down bridges and causing traffic delays

A Times reporter attended a meeting where the ER leadership said 'smashing windows and spraying graffiti' was on the agenda.

The activists' aim is to force the government to introduce 'legally binding policy measures to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2025'.

Being 'net zero' means that any remaining carbon emissions are balanced by technology that removes and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere so that we leave no carbon footprint.

ER has been backed by Julia Bradbury, from the BBC's Watchdog (which investigated criminal and fraudulent behaviour), Lord Williams of Oystermouth, the ex-Archbishop of Canterbury, and The Guardian's George Monbiot.

The day of chaos and eco-carnage is intended to force the government to make policy changes to tackle climate issues

Hundreds of protesters could be seen all over London with large numbers congregating on Westminster Bridge to spread their message

Radical eco activists from Extinction Rebellion (pictured demonstrating against fracking in Westminster on Monday) will wreak havoc on the streets of London today

They plan to block off bridges, smash windows and spray graffiti during their crime spree (pictured, they targeted the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs office this week)

Roman, an anti-fracking protestor from Extinction Rebellion, superglued himself to the door of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy this week in a protest that saw around 50 ER members arrested

An ER protester is taken away by police officers after holding a demonstration outside Downing Street

Police officers had to physically carry the climate change protesters who refused to move

Richard Black, director of the Energy And Climate Intelligence Unit, told the Times there was 'no chance' the group would achieve their 2025 target of carbon neutrality, because it would mean banning commercial flights, scrapping 38 million petrol and diesel vehicles and taking away 26 million boilers from Brits' homes.

On Monday, around 50 of ER's activists were arrested when they chained and superglued themselves to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in Westminster.

Some of the protesters barged into the building through a side entrance and painted the group's logo on a number of glass panels.

Activists from Extinction Rebellion during an anti-fracking protest outside the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Other activists superglued their hands to the revolving doors of the department and locked their arms together with plastic tubes to ensure they could not be easily moved.

On Wednesday, twenty-seven protesters were arrested for trying to block Downing Street.

The activists dropped two banners from Westminster Bridge reading Climate Change and We're F****d.

They later tried to block the entrance to Downing Street, holding up food containers reading 'food shortages coming', with some lying on the ground and one gluing himself to a fence.

The protesters then moved on to a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs office and spray painted a wall with the message: 'Climate emergency. Frack off. Climate breakdown equals starvation.'

Police said that more than 70 people were arrested during the day of protests across central London today

The protest centred for several hours on Westminster Bridge, near Britain's parliament, but there was also disruption to traffic on four other bridges
Just hours after it was revealed authorities had failed to tell police that Bourke St terrorist Hassan Khalif Shire Ali was a terror risk, the state's Premier has defended the apparent miscommunication.

Somali-born Hassan Khalif Shire Ali, 30, was issued an arrest warrant in October over a string of driving offences and failure to appear in court.

He was also known to federal anti-terrorism authorities after his passport had been cancelled in 2015 over fears he had plans to travel to Syria to fight for Islamic State.

Yet there appeared to be no communication between these authorities and Victoria police nor the state's courts when Shire Ali's bail was extended weeks before his knife-wielding rampage.

Days after it was revealed authorities failed to tell police that Bourke St terrorist Hassan Khalif Shire Ali (left) was a terror risk, the state's Premier defended the apparent miscommunication

Somali-born Hassan Khalif Shire Ali, 30, stabbed three men, one fatally, setting a utility laden with gas cylinders on fire in last Friday's attack in Melbourne (pictured)

The 30-year-old radicalised jihadi's bail was extended for three months - despite an extensive history of ignoring court summons.

He then went on to stab three men, one fatally, setting a utility laden with gas cylinders on fire in last Friday's attack.

But Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews has said police and security partners did 'their very best in very challenging circumstances' but acknowledged that any improvements in process would be considered.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews (above) said police and security partners did 'their very best in very challenging circumstances'

It's a view directly opposed to Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy who described the situation as 'appalling' and said he was in no doubt Shire Ali 'should have been in jail'.

Despite Shire Ali's repeated failure to attend court, previous breach of bail and known status as a potential terror risk, he was not under surveillance in the lead up to the attack.

An ASIO spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the organisation does not maintain a 'terror watch list' but uses 'a range of prioritisation systems and review mechanisms... in relation to counter terrorism'.

'Consistent with long-standing practice, ASIO does not comment on individuals, intelligence or operational matters,' the spokesperson said.

The 30-year-old radicalised jihadi's bail was extended for three months - despite an extensive history of ignoring court summons

The Andrews Government has called for a review of the way information is shared between federal and state agencies after Shire Ali's extensive criminal rap sheet was revealed.

Prior to 2015 offences included burglary, receiving stolen goods, possessing and using cannabis, driving an unregistered vehicle, failing to appear in court, and breaching court orders.

State Attorney-General Martin Pakula said yesterday that ideally, Victoria Police would have been told about the cancellation of Shire Ali's passport.

Mr Pakula said: 'In a perfect world all the information held by every authority  state and federal  should be shared with one another.'

'In a perfect world all the information held by every authority  state and federal  should be shared with one another,' he said.

One victim's body was seen lying in the street covered by a white sheet after bystanders unsuccessfully tried to save his life

But Mr Pakula also noted it was unfair to expect 'perfect foresight' from police about the crimes of others in light of the fact there are about 20,000 driving licence cases a year.

'It is not at all common for police to seek to remand people charged with driving offences, even in circumstances where they don't attend in court  particularly if they don't have a history of violent offences,' Mr Pakula said.

Victims of Crime Commissioner Greg Davies said the decision over bail was beginning to ring 'alarm bells' but acknowledged 'there's always learnings, there's always a process of review.'

Police Minister Lisa Neville said a counter-terrorism command structure enabling Victorian officers to work with federal authorities had been funded by the government, but the process would need to be reviewed in relation to the Bourke St case.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said a Liberal Nationals government would come down hard on bail breachers, promising to return all people who breached bail conditions for incarceration.

'We must get back in control of our safety, we must get back in control of our streets,' he said.

'We must audit our bail system, we must toughen our bail laws.'

Shire Ali (left) stabbed a security guard in the neck during his rampage. Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said: 'We must audit our bail system, we must toughen our bail laws'

Shire Ali had been charged with three driving offences dating back to February 2017, failing to attend court for any of them.

He was caught speeding at 147km/h in a 100km/h zone and again at 82km/h in a 60km/h zone. He had also been driving an unregistered vehicle.

He failed to appear at Ringwood Magistrates' Court on April 11 last year and his bail was forfeited for the first time in August 2017 and then again in February 2018.

In 2012, Shire Ali was put on a 12-month Community Corrections Order on charges of burglary and obtaining stolen goods.

After breaching the CCO he was re-sentenced and a magistrate extended the CCO to two years, and ordered he return to court three months later where he failed to turn up.

Again in 2014, he was found to be in breach of his CCO, where he was given a wholly suspended two-month jail term and a $1500 fine.

A Police Association spokesman said it was not uncommon for people who failed to appear in court over minor traffic matters to be re-bailed.

'When police are dealing with very minor matters, they have to be practical, given there is little or no chance of jail time or further remand,' the spokesman said.
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Brexiteers attempting to trigger a party vote of no confidence in Theresa May are understood to be 11 letters short of the 48 they need - despite confidently predicting they'd have them by Friday.

Tory critics of the Prime Minister need to hand 48 letters to the 1922 committee - that's 15 per cent of the party - to spark the motion to remove Mrs May, but sources confirmed they were still stuck at 37, according to The Sun. Twenty-three MPs have gone public with their letters of no confidence.

Theresa May is mounting a fight back after she was hit with a slew of cabinet resignations over her draft agreement to leave the EU, and an all-out bid to topple her by hardcore Brexiteers led by Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Party whips have been ordered to stay in Westminster for the weekend as they battle to keep wavering MPs on side and stop them submitting their no confidence letters to the 1922 committee.

Many MPs have gone public this weekend with their doubts about May's plan and whether they should support the Prime Minister, but she is fighting on after appointing loyalist Amber Rudd back to the cabinet as Work and Pensions Secretary and relatively unknown Steve Barclay - who has never voted against the government - as the new Brexit Secretary.

Grant Shapps, MP for Welwyn Hatfield, Hertfordshire, posted on Twitter this morning that he'd lost faith in the PM's Brexit plan after reading the 585-page withdrawal agreement. He could bring the no confidence vote figure to 38 if he hands in his letter.

However, the five Brexiteers still in the cabinet and thought to have agreed to stay on only if they can make her change her draft Brexit agreement.

The so-called Gang of Five are Michael Gove, Andrea Leadsom, Penny Mourdaunt, Liam Fox and Chris Grayling.

The group, who atended Ms Leadsom's 'pizza nights' to devise a strategy to take forward, believe they'll be able to go back to Brussels and demand a unilateral exit mechanism from the backstop arrangement over Northern Ireland if the draft is voted down in the Commons.

The gang are set to meet again in the coming days to agree ultimatum terms and put them to Mrs May. The Prime Minister has been left in no doubt that resignations will follow within a fortnight if their demands are not met.

Theresa May (pictured in her Downing Street office yesterday) is mounting a fight back after she was hit with a slew of cabinet resignations over her draft agreement to leave the EU and an increasingly likely no confidence vote

Brexiteer Michael Gove (pictured on a jog this morning) is understood to have only agreed to stay in the cabinet if he can influence and change May's draft Brexit agreement

Gove is one of the so-called gang of five Brexiteers sticking with the Prime Minister which also includes Andrea Leadsom, Penny Mourdant, Liam Fox and Chris Grayling

Failure to reach the threshold was acutely embarrassing for the Brexiteer group but Westminster still widely expects a vote next week.

The PM was thrown a lifeline by Gove who believes he can make substantial changes to May's Brexit draft if it's voted down in the Commons next month.

Who has sent letters of no confidence in May? Letters of no confidence in Theresa May are confidential - but some of her strongest critics have gone public. If 48 letters are sent a vote is called. This is who has definitely sent a letter: Jacob Rees-Mogg , North East Somerset, Jacob.reesmogg.mp@parliament.uk Steve Baker , Wycombe, steve.baker.mp@parliament.uk Sheryll Murray , South East Cornwall, sheryll.murray.mp@parliament.uk Anne-Marie Morris , Newton Abbott, annemarie.morris.mp@parliament.uk Lee Rowley , North East Derbyshire, lee.rowley.mp@parliament.uk Henry Smith , Crawley, henry.smith.mp@parliament.uk Simon Clarke , Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, simon.clarke.mp@parliament.uk Peter Bone , Wellingborough, bonep@parliament.uk James Duddridge , Rochford and Southend East, james@jamesduddridge.com Philip Davies , Shipley, daviesp@parliament.uk Andrea Jenkyns , Morley and Outwood, andrea.jenkyns.mp@parliament.uk Andrew Bridgen , North West Leicestershire, andrew.bridgen.mp@parliament.uk Nadine Dorries , Mid Bedfordshire, dorriesn@parliament.uk Laurence Robertson , Tewkesbury, robertsonl@parliament.uk Martin Vickers , Cleethorpes, martin.vickers.mp@parliament.uk Ben Bradley , Mansfield, ben.bradley.mp@parliament.uk Adam Holloway , Gravesham, hollowaya@parliament.uk John Whittingdale , Maldon, john.whittingdale.mp@parliament.uk Maria Caulfield , Lewes, maria.caulfield.mp@parliament.uk Mark Francois , Rayleigh and Wickford, mark.francois.mp@parliament.uk David Jones , Clwyd West, david.jones@parliament.uk Marcus Fysh , Yeovil, marcus.fysh.mp@parliament.uk Chris Green , Bolton West, chris.green.mp@parliament.uk Zac Goldsmith , Richmond Park, zac@zacgoldsmith.com Bill Cash , Stone, cashw@parliament.uk Philip Hollobone , Kettering, philip.hollobone.mp@parliament.uk Andrew Lewer, Northampton South, andrew.lewer.mp@parliament.uk Crispin Blunt , Reigate, crispinbluntmp@parliament.uk Owen Paterson , Shropshire Patersono@parliament.uk Advertisement

Gove said he had 'absolute' confidence in the Prime Minister while Dr Fox, the International Trade Secretary, said it was 'in the national interest' to back her.

Expectations had been mounting that Mrs May would have to face a Tory vote on Friday on the back of Jacob Rees-Mogg's call to arms.

But so far only 23 MPs have declared publicly they want a vote of no confidence, while another 14 are believed to have handed their letters in privately.

In Amber Rudd's first call to action, she that MPs contemplating submitting letters to Sir Graham should 'think again', adding: 'This is not a time for changing our leader.

'This is a time for pulling together, for making sure we remember who we are here to serve, who we are here to help: that's the whole of the country.

MPs have been discussing potential replacements if they're successful in bringing May down.

Dominic Raab, following his resignation as Brexit Secretary, was named as a possible candidate by those who worked on Vote Leave.

Boris Johnson and David Davis' names were also thrown in the hat while Brexiteers say Michael Gove couldn't be accepted as their new leader because of his decision to stay in the cabinet.

Mrs May said she's only been able to cope with the tumultuous weekthanks to her 'rock' Philip, who has supported her through resignations, plotting and vicious personal attacks.

In a moving tribute to her loyal husband, she said he felt the pain of the personal abuse she has received from MPs more deeply than she does.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail conducted in her Downing Street study, the Prime Minister revealed Philip poured her a large whisky when she finally finished a five-hour Cabinet meeting that sparked a revolt against her Brexit plans.

He was so enraged by wall-to-wall coverage of rebels laying into her that he had to turn off the televisions at work.

Mrs May said: 'It's often harder for the other half because they are watching it and feel protective and think 'Why are they saying that to my wife?' He does feel some of the hurt.

'We've been married for 38 years, that's a long time. He is my rock. It's hugely important to have somebody there who is supportive of you, not involved in the intricacies of politics but there to provide human support.'

Her comments come at the end of a gruelling week when she has been rocked by Cabinet resignations and a plot to oust her by Tory Brexiteers  in her words 'a pretty heavy couple of days'.

Mrs May said her husband strongly supported her Brexit stance and would urge her 'keep going, this matters, keep doing the right thing.'

Mrs May told the Mail that husband Philip struggles seeing her Brexiteer critics slamming her on TV. She said he immediately poured her a glass of whisky when she came home exhausted at 11pm on Wednesday

When the Conservative revolt erupted on Wednesday, threatening to bring her down, Philip was waiting in the Downing Street flat with more practical sustenance when she returned exhausted at 11pm.

She said: 'The first thing he did was to pour me a whisky. On Thursday, he served up beans on toast for tea. I opened the tin! He made the toast  and did the washing up!'

Asked if he felt like punching his wife's would be Tory assassins, she replied: 'You'll have to ask him  he's as protective as any other-half would be.'

Steve Baker, a top member of the Eurosceptic ERG block of Tory MPs, insisted he remained confident that 48 letters would be sent to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee, by next week.

Baker conceded that only Sir Graham knows for sure as he spoke out in a press conference on the steps of Westminster - in scenes reminiscent of yesterday when Brexit rebel figurehead Jacob Rees-Mogg launched his all out bid to topple May over her draft agreement to leave the EU.

Baker said he had been told by at least 48 MPs - and 'probably a dozen more' - they would prepared to demand a vote, but admitted only Sir Graham knew for sure because letters are normally confidential.

Grant Shapps, MP for Welwyn Hatfield, Hertfordshire, implied he'd lost faith in the PM's Brexit plan. He could bring the figure to 38 if he hands in his no confidence vote

Steve Baker (pictured in Westminster yesterday) insisted he remained confident that 48 letters would be sent to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee, and trigger a Tory party no confidence vote in Theresa May next week

Among the latest to reveal a vote of no confidence demand is Mark Francois, the deputy of the Brexiteer European Research Group.

He issued his letter with the subject line 'she just doesn't listen' as the group doubled down on attacks on the PM.

Mr Baker's claim came 24 hours after Brexiteer ringleader Jacob Rees-Mogg hosted a press conference calling for Mrs May to be ousted.

Government whips have been canvassing views of Tory MPs in expectation of a vote on Mrs May's future.

Some whips are understood to have stayed in London for the weekend instead of returning to their constituencies as loyalists try to fight off the attempt to remove the PM.

Mr Baker said: 'People have been ringing me and they are telling me that they are putting letters in,' he told BBC2's Politics Live.

'I have spoken to colleagues as well and I think we are probably not far off. I think it is probably imminent.'

Tory MP Adam Holloway was one of the latest MPs to go public with his letter of no confidence, posting on Facebook (pictured) the country needs new leadership

He acknowledged he had sent a WhatsApp message to colleagues earlier saying that his count was over 48, with around a dozen probables, but admitted the number was probably inaccurate.

He said that only Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, knew the true figure.

'My number will be inaccurate because people will withdraw letters, they will tell me they have put letters in when they haven't, they will take them out and not tell you they have taken them out,' he said.

Among the latest to reveal a vote of no confidence demand is Mark Francois, the deputy of the Brexiteer European Research Group.

He issued his letter today with the subject line 'she just doesn't listen'.

Maria Caulfield told her local BBC she had also filed one while former Cabinet minister John Whittingdale and Adam Holloway also declared they had written to Sir Graham Brady to call for a vote overnight.

Chris Green has also sent a letter, warning the deal will not deliver on the referendum.

It's now been revealed that Mrs May's hand was forced when she appointed the relative unknown Steve Barclay as Brexit secretary.

He was her third choice for the job after it was turned down by Mr Gove and Geoffrey Cox, the Attorney General.

Despite the promotion Mr Barclay has been told he is only in charge of 'domestic planning' for Brexit and will play no part in the negotiations with Brussels, which are led by the Prime Minister.

Mr Francois blamed the Prime Minister for alienating the DUP and threatening to destroy the Government

Mr Francois's letter - hugely longer than most of the letters - accused pro-European civil servants of sabotaging the negotiation

Brexiteer ringleader Jacob Rees-Mogg launched the putsch yesterday, sending his own letter and holding a chaotic press conference demanding Mrs May be replaced.

He named Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, David Davis and Penny Mordaunt as 'very capable of leading a proper Brexit'.

Mr Rees-Mogg's deputy on the European Research Group issued a vicious letter headlined 'She just doesn't listen'.

He said: 'The Prime Minister has been surrounded throughout this process by a Pretorian Guard of highly pro-European senior civil servants who, I believe, have never accepted the result of the referendum.

'Instead they have helped to steer the negotiations in such a way that means, quite simply, we will not in fact leave the European Union but effectively remain within it.'

He added: 'Now the details of the deal are available we can see how truly awful it is.'

Mr Francois accused Mrs May of having 'appallingly treated and now alienated' the DUP.

May is fighting on after appointing Amber Rudd - who resigned after the Windrush scandal earlier this year - to the cabinet as Work and Pensions Secretary and relatively unknown Steve Barclay - who has never voted against the government - as the new Brexit Secretary

He blasted: 'I therefore believe that in order for our party to survive in Government it is imperative we find a new leader who can command the respect of the DUP and therefore maintain the working majority in Parliament.'

Gravesham MP Mr Holloway has also gone public.

Mr Holloway posted on Facebook: 'My letter of No Confidence has now been delivered - with regret. Mrs May is a remarkable woman - just look at her fortitude today in the House of Commons, even more please remember her long career of public service.

'But as we see from the events of today, you can not have someone leading a mission who does not believe in the mission. The country needs leadership.'

In another post he added: 'The Prime Minister and the Civil Servants appear to have negotiated a ''deal'' that is in my view the worst of both worlds, and one that treats Northern Ireland differently from the rest of the country.'

Mr Whittingdale confirmed to the Today programme: 'Yes, I have sent a letter to Graham Brady.'

As he moved against the PM yesterday, Mr Rees-Mogg declared he believed the necessary 48 letters to trigger a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister would be submitted, but declined to put a timeframe on the process.

If Mrs May was rejected by MPs, a vote to choose her successor could be conducted in 'not months but weeks', he said.

Jacob Rees-Mogg (pictured outside the Commons yesterday) sensationally launched his bid to remove Theresa May today threatening her position in the Commons before holding a press conference naming possible successors

In his letter to Sir Graham today, Mr Rees-Mogg reveals he asked the Chief Whip to tell Mrs May her time was up weeks ago

Asked why he was defying calls for party unity, he said: 'People always call for unity when the policy they are following is wrong.

'It is a standard pattern of Conservatives when they note that failure is in the air.'

He said that Dominic Raab should not be blamed for the deal negotiated with Brussels, as it was clear that the process was driven by Downing Street.

There was no point appointing a new Brexit Secretary, he said.

Mr Rees-Mogg said: 'The key is, if 48 letters go in it shows there are 48 people who will not vote for this deal.

'That in itself is a pretty powerful statement.'

He stressed that the European Research Group did not have a collective position on Mrs May's premiership.

Asked what his message to the Prime Minister was, he said: 'The Prime Minister said at the 1922 Committee after the election that she would serve as long as the Conservative Party wanted her to serve.

'I think there are many people in the Conservative Party, not just in Parliament but in the country at large, who feel that her service now should come to an end.

'She is a very dutiful person, she has served the country to the best of her ability but she has let us down in this deal.

'It has not delivered on what she said she would do.

'That is the key thing - it is trust that is at the heart of it. She didn't do what she said she would.'

Asked if Mrs May had lied, he said 'lied is a very harsh word'.

One senior Tory MP warned Mrs May appeared to be sacrificing the support of the DUP in a bid to push through a 'nightmare' Brexit deal.

They said Jeremy Corbyn would exploit the split with the Northern Ireland party to force his way into power.

Steve Baker, the former Brexit minister, went public today with a letter of no confidence he filed secretly last month

Brexiteer MP Henry Smith also revealed he had joined the revolt against the Prime Minister today

Cornish MP Sheryll Murray said she had also lost confidence in Mrs May's Brexit policy and wanted a vote on her future

Long term critic Nadine Dorries said the 'writing has been on the wall for some time' and she had put in a letter 'weeks ago'

They said: 'We cannot survive without the DUP,' they told MailOnline. 'And this deal cannot get through unless sufficient Labour MPs vote for it.

'Corbyn smells defeat and I'm sure he will not throw her a lifeline.'

Tory MP and Brexiteer Nadine Dorries said she 'absolutely' believes Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench Tories, will have the letters by lunchtime today.

She said: 'I wouldn't be surprised if they were already in.

'There's going to be more than 48, I'm sure of that, just by the number of people I've spoken to tonight. I think we will have the vote of confidence.
Migrants trying to cross the Channel into Britain in dinghies has surged in recent months as dozens are rushing to get to the UK to beat the Brexit deadline, a French official claimed.

Border guards have caught 55 migrants trying to get into Britain, most of them in tiny boats, in just a week, with 48 migrants caught in as many hours.

In three separate incidents on Wednesday, 23 migrants including a four-year-old child, were discovered over the course of just 12 hours.

All had risked their lives travelling across some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world in small, open boats to reach Britain.

On Friday at around 1am in the morning seven Iranian men were found in a damaged inflatable dinghy on the Dover beach in Kent.

The damaged boat which seven Iranian migrants used to cross the Channel before arriving near Dover in Kent on Friday

The men were given blankets and checked over by paramedics when they were found by border officials

The latest discovery on Friday brought the total of migrants found trying to get into Britain to 55 in a week

Border force officials have caught 55 migrants trying to get into Britain, most of them in tiny boats off the coast in Dover, Kent,, in just a week, with 48 migrants caught in as many hours

A boat stolen from Boulogne was found to have 17 Iranians, including three children, on board who had sailed it across the English Channel.

They were intercepted in a Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat (RHIB) by the Coastguard and the UK Border Force at the entrance to the Port on Tuesday.

The next day another group of nine Iranians, made up of seven men, a woman and a child, were picked up on a small vessel in the early hours of the morning.

The same day a dinghy with ten Iranians on board was found at around 9.15am and was escorted into Dover by a lifeboat.

Around at 2pm on Wednesday afternoon a tanker called the Border Force to say the vessel had picked up five migrants in the Channel.

Seven suspected migrants were found in a lorry arriving from France at Dover in a separate incident on Tuesday, where one person was said to need medical attention.

There are said to have been 27 separate crossings so far this year, up from 13 in 2017.

The group of seven Iranian men were handed over to UK Border Force officials on their arrival in Dover, Kent, on Friday

A fishing boat stolen in Boulogne was found to have 17 Iranians, including three children, was sailed across the English Channel

It is thought the 'unprecedented' surge in migrant crossings in partly down to a rush by refugees at French coastal towns desperate to get to the UK before the March Brexit deadline.

Lieutenant Ingrid Parrot, spokeswoman for the French Maritime prefecture, the Border Force equivalent in France, said that the theft of the Boulogne boat was an 'unprecedented operation' by migrants.

She told the Telegraph that criminal people smuggling gangs had become more sophisticated and that 'migrants are seeking to cross before Brexit'.

'It has stepped up massively since the Brexit vote,' he says. 'The closer we get to March, the more people are starting to panic.'

Fisherman Matt Coker rescued four Iranian migrants, including one woman, from the sea off Dover in June.

This small dinghy was found to have seven Iranian migrants in it as they attempted to cross the English Channel last Friday

The 38-year-old told the Telegraph: 'It has stepped up massively since the Brexit vote. The closer we get to March, the more people are starting to panic.'

He also told Sky News: 'As we got closer I could see it wasn't actually the flag of a gill net, but people holding up oars, waving them and frantically panicking. They had been drifting for a few days in a three-man, blow-up pleasure dinghy.'

Dover MP Charlie Elphicke said after the discovery on Wednesday that the lengths migrants are going to shows how desperate they are.

He added: 'These attempts to break into Britain are coming thick and fast and becoming more shocking by the day.

'That people would take the risk of crossing the Channel on a small open boat with a toddler on board shows just how desperate they are.

'It underlines yet again why we need to increase the number of vessels patrolling our border. Having just two cutters is simply not enough of a deterrent.

'The Home Office must act urgently to tackle this growing problem - and boost our borders budget.'
A new poll has revealed the majority of coalition voters want Barnaby Joyce reinstated as Deputy Prime Minister despite his scandalous past.

A YouGov Galaxy Poll, posted by The Courier Mail, revealed 41 per cent of LNP voters wanted him reinstated immediately and 16 per cent preferred his return after the March election.

The proof of his enduring favouritism was shown today, when Mr Joyce was selected unopposed as the candidate for New England.

A new poll has revealed the majority of coalition voters want Barnaby Joyce reinstated as Deputy Prime Minister despite his scandalous past

A YouGov Galaxy Poll revealed 41 per cent of LNP voters wanted him reinstated immediately and 16 per cent preferred his return after the March election

No doubt it was a massive win for Mr Joyce, as it marked the first time he had fronted his preselectors since his extramarital relationship with Vikki Campion was exposed.

Mr Joyce also drew further condemnation following his $150,000 tell-all interview with his new partner in June.

Mr Joyce told Fairfax Media that he had taken responsibility for his actions.

'But you continue on.

'The democratic process means I go forward as a candidate and Ill work as hard as I possibly can for that.'

Despite the melodrama, the poll showed 57 per cent of the 839 Queenslander LNP respondents supported Mr Joyce, though one in three did not want to see him in the leadership position.

What's more, the survey also revealed there is a desire for Nationals and Liberals to field separate Queensland candidates in the upcoming election.

Forty-five per cent of respondents who vote LNP want the Liberals and Nationals to campaign separately at the election.

Sixty-two percent of One Nation voters also support the notion.
While dogs famously look like their owners, a new study has found that we may be more like our feline friends than we think.

If your cat prowls the streets at night, is unaffectionate, terrorises the neighbours and intimidates weaker rivals, then it's likely that you're projecting the same sort of behavioural traits.

The study, which was published in the journal 'Personality and Individual Differences', found that while dogs have similar physical characteristics to their owners, cats actually behave like them, aside from their classic feline traits, such as capturing dead mice.

While dogs may look like their owners, it was found that cats could actually behave like them

The research revealed that if an owner was a dominant and impulsive person, then their cat was also likely to have the same characteristics.

The new research was made possible by another group of scientists who developed a personality test for cats and researchers at the University of Liverpool have used the new tool in order to rank cats on five personality traits.

Known as the feline five, they are friendliness, dominance, spontaneity, neuroticism and how outgoing they are.

Celebrities such as Taylor Swift (left) are often pictured with their furry friends. the new research found that felines (right) could have similar personality traits to their owners

A social cat may enjoy more physical activities such as stalking and running while dominant moggies would enjoy bossing others around.

This is while a friendly cat will always be seeking company, whether that comes in the form of affection from humans , felines or a squeaky toy.

The new scale matches a comparable one used in humans, which was given to the owners participating in the research.

Rapper Snoop Dog (pictured) has also been pictured with his little kitty

They were quizzed on whether they liked to splash the cash, which would indicate impulsiveness and if they liked socialising at parties, which would indicate an outgoing nature.

The team found that dominant people tended to have strong-willed cats while people who liked routine had cats that lacked spontaneity.

Rebecca Evans, of the University of Liverpool said: 'Our results suggest that owner personality may have an influence on the type of cat a person is first attracted to or the decision to maintain ownership of the cat.'

Dominant people tended to have strong-willed cats while people who liked routine had cats that lacked spontaneity

She also highlighted that since cats had been scored by their owners that it may have been possible that people saw their own character traits in their pets.

Many famous faces have cats as pets such as Katy Perry, Snoop Dog, James Franco and Taylor Swift.

Pop superstar Swift is often pictured with her cute kitties, two Scottish fold cats named Olivia Benson and Meredith Grey, which she has previously referred to as her 'fuzzy daughters'.

A friendly cat will always be seeking company, whether that comes in the form of affection from humans , felines or a squeaky toy

Olivia is rather odd but friendly and has previously chewed up objects, in a similar vein to when a dog chews up toys, whereas Meredith is more standoffish and doesn't like the party scene.

Miss Evans, who is the owner of a friendly but needy tomcat, highlighted that it might be useful to match owners to their cats using the feline five traits.

Speaking to The Times she said that learning what made a cat and its owner get along was important to animal welfare.

'Dominant cats are greedy, defiant and aggressive and bullying towards people and other cats. These can often be the type that will be abandoned. If they were adopted by a similarly psychotic owner all could be well.'
The wreck of an Argentine submarine that exploded and disappeared has been found almost exactly a year after it went missing.

The ARA San Juan submarine was located in the Atlantic Ocean on Friday, said the navy, crushing the last hopes for relatives of the 44 crew.

There has been 'positive identification of the ARA San Juan,' at a depth of 2,600 feet, a statement on Twitter from the navy said.

The Seabed Constructor, a vessel owned by US search firm Ocean Infinity, which set out in September on the latest attempt to find the San Juan, made the discovery.

The Argentine military submarine ARA San Juan. The remains of the vessel were found in the Atlantic Ocean on Friday

The navy lost contact with the submarine on November 15 last year, about 280 miles from the Argentine coast.

It was on its way back to base from Ushuaia at the southern tip of Argentina.

The families of the 44 crew members who perished in the accident have been summoned to be officially informed.

Luis Niz, the father of one of the missing sailors said: 'I still had hopes that they could be alive.'

Yolanda Mendiola, the mother of crewman Leandro Cisneros, 28, said: 'We are with the other relatives. They are going to show us the photos. They say that our youngsters are inside.

'We are all destroyed here.'

Signs, a bouquet of flowers and banners in support of the 44 crew members of the missing at sea ARA San Juan submarine

Navy spokesman, Rodolfo Ramallo, told Todo Noticias TV that the Ocean Infinity ship 'decided to do a new search and, thanks to God, it was able to find the zone.

'Now another chapter opens. From the analysis of the state in which the submarine has been found, we will see how to proceed.'

The navy has been fiercely criticized for its handling of the operation since first reporting the submarine overdue at Mar del Plata on November 16, 2017.

Relatives of the 44 crew members of the missing at sea ARA San Juan submarine embrace outside the Argentine Naval Base

Francisca Soria (pictured left), mother of Argentinian missing crew member David Melian, is embraced by Victoria Morales (pictured right), mother of Argentine missing Corporal Esteban Garcia

It was only several days into the tragedy that navy officials acknowledged the old, German-built submarine had reported a problem with its batteries in its final communication of November 15.

Nearly 10 days later, the navy confirmed there had been an explosion on board, which experts said was likely linked to the battery problem.

An air and sea search involved units from 13 countries but the majority withdrew before the end of 2017, as the wintry South Atlantic refused to give up its secrets.

Relatives of the 44 crew members of the missing at sea ARA San Juan submarine react outside the Argentine Naval Base where the submarine sailed from, in Mar del Plata, Argentina

The Seabed Constructor is equipped with cameras that can be submerged to a depth of 6,000 meters. It was to receive a reward of $7.5 million if it found the missing sub.

Before it departed for its mission, Luis Tagliapietra, whose son Alejandro was a lieutenant on the San Juan, described it as 'the last opportunity to find them.'

Ocean Infinity was also assigned the task of searching for the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 which vanished without trace in March 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
Firefighters responding to an emergency call-out were stunned to find it was just a parrot impersonating a smoke alarm.

The parrot's owner, Steve Dockerty, 63, was left baffled when fire crews banged on his door investigating a reported blaze at his house on Windsor Close, in Daventry, Northamptonshire at around 3.45pm on Wednesday.

However, they soon realised that the cause of the emergency call wasn't a fire but a cheeky 17-year-old African grey parrot named Jazz.

The bird had caused the panic with his perfect impression of a smoke alarm.

Staff at the alarm company had called the homeowner after the smoke alarm was triggered for no apparent reason.

Mr Dockerty said that this was a normal occurrence with the alarm going off fairly frequently.

Retired steel construction worker Stephen Dockerty, 63, from Daventry, Northamptonshire, with his mischievous African Grey parrot Jazz

Operators at the company heard Jazz imitating the alarm in the background and alerted Northampton Fire and Rescue Service who rushed to the scene.

Mr Dockerty, a retired steel erector, adopted Jazz 12 months ago in order to give his other parrot Kiki, 16, some company and said he was 'amazing at doing impressions.'

He said: 'Every time the alarm goes off I get a call from the wardens and sometimes it goes off for no good reason.

Firefighters rushed to Mr Dockerty's house after an emergency call-out - only to find it was Jazz perfectly imitating a smoke alarm

'This time they asked me if everything was ok and I said it was but they could hear Jazz in the background and called the fire service as a precaution.

'The fire crew came around about 3.45pm on the Wednesday (14/11) and were a bit confused to say the least.

'Then we heard the noise coming from Jazz and that's how we figured it out it must have been him.

'He's a cheeky sod and likes to imitate things. He imitated the smoke alarm so well that they called the fire brigade.

'All the while, Jazz was sitting in his cage laughing his socks offs.

Mr Dockerty adopted Jazz 12 months ago in order to give his other parrot Kiki, 16, some company

'The fire crew were very good about it and even came around the next day to check if the birds were ok.

'The birds will literally imitate anything to get my attention and Jazz is really good at impressions.

'Jazz will even say ''what are you doing?''.

'That was the first time either of the two birds have ever imitated the fire alarm though. I don't know what the neighbours must think when they walk past - they must hear all sorts.

'They tend to make noises when I'm out of the room. Everyday there is something new with them.

The retired construction worker says that Jazz is 'amazing at doing impressions' and is 'a cheeky sod'

'They'll be getting me in more mischief sometime in the near future, that's for sure.'

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Watch Commander, Norman James, said: 'In some properties, smoke alarms are monitored by an alarm-receiving company.

'When an alarm is activated, they endeavour to make contact with the resident to establish whether there is a fire or if it is a false activation.

'On this occasion, it appears that while the monitoring company were on the phone to the householder, they could hear a continued alarm in the background and notified the fire service as a precaution.

'When we arrived at the property, the householder assured us there was no fire and we checked and cleaned the smoke alarms to try and prevent further activation.

'While we were doing this, we could still hear an alarm in the background and soon realised it was African Grey parrot Jazz continuing to do his excellent impression of a smoke alarm.

'It certainly made the crew smile and although it was a false alarm, because there was no actual fire we were thankful that the householder and his two parrots were safe.'
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Prince Albert II of Monaco and his wife Princess Charlene joined volunteers for the annual Red Cross gift giving at their palace in the beautiful city-state on Frances Mediterranean coastline.

The elegant royals have, in the past, used the event to hand out presents to lucky youngsters who are invited especially to receive them.

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene weren't joined by their adorable twins, four-year-olds Jacques and Gabriella, who stole the show last week when they had lunch with France's first lady in the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco pose with Red Cross volunteers at the Christmas Gifts Distribution this morning

Princess Charlene shared a picture of the meeting on Instagram with the message: 'Our twins first trip to Paris and tea with Madame Macron.' She also thanked Brigitte Macron and her husband Emmanuel for their hospitality.

Almost two years ago the twins stole the show again when they helped hand out presents to lucky children at the palace.

Gabriella looked adorable in a navy fur trimmed anorak, white tights and plum velvet boots as she held hands with her father Prince Albert on the way to the annual event.

Her brother Prince Jacques, wearing a matching navy coat, stayed close to his mother Princess Charlene.

Today, their mother was adorned in an elegant all lack ensemble while her husband donned a sensible grey suit, in stark contrast to his festive 2016 effort that included a Christmassy tie.

Mother-of-two, Charlene was rocking the festive look too, in a bright red coat and pointed silver flats.

The engagement this morning was more of an adult affair as the Prince and Princess posed with members of the Red Cross's volunteer force and handed over goody-bags full of gifts.

Princess Charlene of Monaco looked elegant in an all black ensemble as she climbed out of the royal vehicle for the event

Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene with some of the gift parcels that were handed out to Red Cross volunteers

Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco pose with Red Cross volunteers at the Christmas Gifts Distribution

Prince Albert II chats with Red Cross volunteers as his adoring wife watches on clutching flowers she was given by them

Members of the Red Cross watch on proudly as of their volunteers is handed a gift parcel, and shakes hands with, the Princess

Princess Charlene, a former Olympic swimmer, looked elegant in an all black ensemble as she attended the gift-giving

Prince Albert II of Monaco barely left his wife's side as they appeared without their kids at the Royal engagement

A member security of the Royal's security personnel presides over their plush car that even has TVs on the back of the seats

A grateful Princess thanks a member of the Red Cross concierge for a bouquet of beautiful white roses as Albert watches on
Middle class victims of Britain's largest Asian child sex ring were ignored for 'not being poor enough' when social workers visited their 'nice' homes, claims charity chief.

Parents Against Child Explotation (Pace) have revealed that they believe the children were let down by social workers who thought that the children from wealthier families were 'rebelling', reports the Express.

Labour MP Barry Sheerman said the people believed the children involved in the case were from tough backgrounds and in care, but in reality a lot of the families were middle class.

Pace chief executive Gill Gibbons (left) said that the system which protects children is 'unfit for purpose', while Labour MP Barry Sheerman (right) alerted Parliament to the sex gang

The 20-man gang in Huddersfield were jailed for a total of more than 250 years

The abuse of young girls by Asian men in the Huddersfield area was first alerted by Pace in 2000, which led Mr Sheerman to encourage Parliament to take the issue more seriously.

Pace chief executive Gill Gibbons said that the system which protects children is 'unfit for purpose', after Ofsted slammed Kirkless Council childrens services last year for not 'improving quick enough'.

During a meeting in Parliament in 2009 Mr Sheerman revealed that a few of his constituents have had daughters as young as 12 forced into 'sexual manipulation' and 'prosecution'.

Ringleader Amere Singh Dhaliwal, 35, was jailed for life earlier this year and told he must serve a minimum of 18 years in prison

Mr Sheerman added that these men would groom young girls before beginning a sexual relationship with them and then 'passing her onto a wider wider circle of men'.

Since then 20 men have been convicted of the abuse, having received a total of 257 years in prison between them.

Ringleader Amere Singh Dhaliwal, 35, was jailed for life earlier this year and told he must serve a minimum of 18 years in prison by a judge who said: 'Your treatment of these girls was inhuman.'

Ms Gibbons told the Express: The system isnt fit for purpose. That was the case with the historic Huddersfield victims and that is still the case now.

A social worker visited a family and commented on what a nice kitchen they had and on their loft conversion,' due to their comfortable circumstance they were seen as undeserving of the assistance of social services.

Police said that further understanding of sex gangs has meant that red flags can be spotted and addressed at an early stage.

Steven Walker, Director of Kirkless children's services, demanded that protecting children has to be their 'priority'.

But former council leader between 2000 and 2006, Kath Pinnock, insisted that nobody raised the issue and believes it would have been dealt with if they had.
Easter Island has demanded the return of one of their iconic carved head statues taken from the island 150 years ago.

The 2.5 metre tall statue, known as moai, from the island officially known as Rapa Nui and is part of Chile, stands in the British Museum.

A delegation from the island backed by the Chilean government will travel to London to ask for the return of the statue dating from around 1200 AD.

The indigenous people of the island say the carved heads carry the spirit of their ancestors and are considered reincarnations of relatives.

The 2.5 metre tall statue, known as moai, from the island officially known as Rapa Nui and is part of Chile, stands in the British Museum

Under Chilean law, the moai are considered part of the landscape and not just objects.

The British museum is now willing to talk for the first time since it acquired the statue from Queen Victoria who was gifted it from English navigator Commodore Richard Powell, who removed it from a clifftop in 1868.

Anakena Manutomatoma, who serves on the island's development commission, told The Guardian: 'We want the museum to understand that the moai are our family, not just rocks.

'For us (the statue) is a brother; but for them it is a souvenir or an attraction.'

The indigenous people of the island say the carved heads carry the spirit of their ancestors and are considered reincarnations of relatives

Queen Victoria who was gifted it from English navigator Commodore Richard Powell, who removed it from a clifftop in 1868

'Once eyes are added to the statues, an energy is breathed into the moai and they become the living embodiment of ancestors whose role is to protect us.'

The island is offering the museum a carved replica in return for the original statue.

The museum has strict rules about around objects leaving its collection, however the people of Rapu Naia hope they will be successful in acquiring the statue.

The British Museum said that they were looking forward to the visit and 'discussing any future proposals'.
Former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon reportedly had to be smuggled into a university talk in the back of a police van to avoid angry protesters.

The controversial right-wing strategist spoke at the Oxford Union last night where some 1,000 protesters clashed with police outside the campus.

He sparked furious scenes at the student event as he compared the KKK to Black Lives Matter.

Hundreds surrounded the police cordon and body-slammed into officers protecting the two main entrances as officers blocked marchers getting inside.

The gates were said to have been shut by police two hours before Bannon was due to arrive at the event and numerous police officers in full riot gear were needed to get him inside, the Oxford Mail reports.

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Steve Bannon - Donald Trump's former chief strategist - is viewed by some as a Machiavellian figure and the mastermind behind Trump's campaign strategy in the 2016 Presidential election

Protestors outside the Oxford Union jostle with police as they try to keep them back with a cordon and police vehicles

Despite the crush outside and the Union turning away hundreds of members, saying the hall was full, the auditorium was reportedly half empty when Bannon made his address.

The Union's press secretary confirmed to the Times that the hall was half empty.

While Bannon, 64, spoke inside the hallowed Oxford Union halls, protesters chanted: 'The police protect the Nazis!', 'Say it loud, say it clear, Bannon is not welcome here!'.

The march became violent as around 1,000 outraged protesters gathered in the narrow streets surrounding the historic union building.

He used his talk to defend his efforts to spread a 'nationalist populist movement' across Europe and has spoken as many events around the Continent.

The former White House Chief Strategist has faced accusations of stirring up racial tensions.

A protester holds a rainbow umbrellas high as she stands close to a police van and is surrounded by supporters, holding placards which say 'KICK RACISM OFF OUR CAMPUS'

Bannon told the audience 'Nazis and the KKK have no place in our society, they should have never been allowed to march in Charlottesville'

He is seen by some as the Machiavellian mastermind behind President Trump's highly controversial and successful Presidential campaigning.

Bannon told the union audience: 'Nazis and the KKK have no place in our society, they should have never been allowed to march in Charlottesville.

'The same can be said about Antifa and Black Lives Matter - they shouldn't be allowed to do what they are doing.'

He said of former NBC host: 'I said I wanna unchain the dogs on Megyn Kelly and I'm proud of it - politics is war by other methods.'

He also defended the travel ban enacted by the Trump administration, saying: 'I did the original travel ban, it made our citizens safer. Zero-tolerance at the border is a humanitarian policy.'

Protestors, some with their faces covered, barge police officers who try to keep order on the streets of Oxford

Thames Valley Police earlier last night as students gathered from 2.30pm to protest Bannon's presence

The police try to keep protesters away as they chanted references to Mark Duggan and the police being killers

Bannon is touring Europe as he promotes a new Brussels-based pressure group called The Movement.

Michael, 20, a history student, said: 'I really dislike this pattern in the union of people who are chosen to give a platform - because they had Alice Weidel from the AfD (Alternative for Germany) and Tommy Robinson.

'It gives a platform and legitimises the worst kind of political force.

'I particularly object to how the YouTube channel broadcast this to a far bigger audience than at the Oxford Union.'

The Oxford Union is a debating society which dates back to 1823 with a long tradition of promoting freedom of speech, but some recent guests have infuriated students.

Maritz, aged 26 years, an Austrian student studying politics in Oxford said: 'I'm here to protest against the Student Union events being used for right-wing personalities. I am Austrian and we already have a fascist government so it's important to fight right-wing politics while we still can.'

Protesters hold signs denouncing fascism and racism, as Bannon tells the union, 'Zero-tolerance at the border is a humanitarian policy'

An Oxford student holds a sign which says 'You shall not pasaran,' which blends Gandalf's well-known phrase, with the famous communist speech by Dolores Ibarruri Gomez during the Siege of Madrid by Generalisimo Francisco Franco's fascist forces in 1936

Nick Grant, 65, a member of the Socialist Worker Party said: 'We are socialists who oppose Steve Bannon quite fundamentally. He is someone who is trying to organize internationally for right-wing political forces which oppose migrants, women, sexual minorities and organised workers.

'We believe he is a neo-Facist who historically big business organisations turn to at a time of economic crisis.'

There were no arrests by police, despite the protest turning ugly, with shouts of, 'Who killed Mark Duggan? The police killed Mark Duggan!'

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: 'Officers are on the scene of a protest in Oxford.

'We were aware of planned protest activity around the Oxford Union in St Michael's Street. Officers are currently in the area working to prevent any incidents of crime and disorder.'

Bannon was delayed in leaving the Oxford Union afterwards by more than an hour as police tried to quell the tempers of the protestors so he could pass safely.

Union officers had been unaware of Bannon's invitation after their president, Stephen Horvath, kept it quiet 'for security reasons.'

Protestors were heard chanting 'Horvath out' as Police attempted to contain them.

Around 1,000 protesters were pressed against the railings of the union, one can be seen holding a 'BLACK LIVES MATTER' sign

Bannon was delayed by over an hour as the protest turned ugly and the police officers were accused of defending a Nazi

One student member told that it was 'impossible to get into the back entrance they were sending people to' as the event had become a 'picket line' with a people being 'thrown to the ground.'

The Union President avoided having to disinvite Donald Trump's former strategist after narrowly winning a debate in which Union Secretary, Nick Brown, accused Horvath of 'hosting a white nationalist' and attempting to 'prevent protest' by announcing the event with only two days' notice.

Six committee members voted to rescind Bannon's invitation but seven chose to follow their President's argument that allowing the event to go ahead would encourage students to properly justify their own views.

Mr Horvath argued that 'you can bask in the glory of your own self-righteousness' when speakers you agree with address the Union.

Oxford Stand Up to Racism published an open letter criticizing the Oxford Union, writing that, 'The Oxford Union is once again giving a platform to a far right speaker, and by doing so legitmizing racism.

Crowds chant outside the Oxford Union, a megaphone can be seen, as can a sign deploring 'Borders, Racism, Transphobia, Sexism'

Bannon is attempting to build an Islamophobic international of far-right groups and is looking to fascist Tommy Robinson here in Britain as a key figure for his movement. Bannon was the white supremacists' link to Donald Trump's White House.'

He was greeted in similar style in Edinburgh just days ago as he attended an international media event hosted by the BBC.

Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, withdrew from the event when she learned that Bannon would be one of the main speakers.

'These are not racist views,' he said in Scotland's capital. 'In fact populist nationalism, which I've been working on for nine or 10 years, is the exact opposite.'

Bannon claimed his brand of nationalism was 'catching fire around the world.'
Investors are calling on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to step down following a report a conservative consulting firm used 'black ops' style techniques to deflect criticism from the social networking giant.

Jonas Kron, senior vice president at Trillium Asset Management which owns an 8.5m stake in Facebook, called on Zuckerberg to step down as board chairman, telling The Telegraph: 'Facebook is behaving like it's a special snowflake. It's not. It is a company and companies need to have a separation of chair and CEO.'

Facebook's chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg on Friday pledged a 'thorough' review of its use of a conservative consulting firm.

Zuckerberg said Thursday he too was in the dark about the firm, which according to an investigation sought to link Facebook critics to liberal financier George Soros

Sandberg dismissed a suggestion reported by NBC News that Definers Public Affairs acted as a 'fake news' operation to help Facebook deal with a public relations crisis over its handling of Russian misinformation.

'We absolutely did not pay anyone to create fake news. That, they have assured me, was not happening,' Sandberg told CBS This Morning.

'And again, we're doing a thorough look into what happened but they have assured me that we were not paying anyone to either write or promote anything that was false. And that's very important.'

She said she was unaware Facebook was working with Definers.

Investor Natasha Lamb, of Arjuna Capital, told The Telegraph that Zuckerberg's role as chairman and chief executive means the social network can avoid fixing problems in the company.

She said: 'That concentration of power creates a lot of defensiveness within the company. Its an exercise in hiding that there is a problem rather than admitting that there is a problem and setting a roadmap to fixing it.'

Zuckerberg said Thursday he too was in the dark about the firm, which according to a New York Times investigation sought to link Facebook critics to liberal financier George Soros.

The Hungarian-born US financier and philanthropist is a favorite target of nationalists and anti-Semitic conspiracy theorists.

Sandberg said Facebook was no longer working with Definers but added that 'at the time, they were trying to show that some of the activity against us that appeared to be grassroots also had major organizations behind them.'

'I did not know we hired them or about the work they were doing, but I should have,' she in a post on her Facebook page.

'I have great respect for George Soros - and the anti-Semitic conspiracy theories against him are abhorrent.'

Soros is a founder of the Open Society Institute, whose president Patrick Gaspard stepped up criticism of Facebook in an interview Thursday.

'There are broad questions about the role that Facebook is playing in the integrity of our elections, our democracy,' Gaspard told National Public Radio.

'And frankly now that we know that they ran this black ops operation, there are questions about why they're following the model of people like Vladimir Putin. This is profoundly dangerous and disturbing.'

NBC News reported that a former employee of Definers, who asked not to be identified, described a website operated by the consulting group as an 'in-house fake news shop' that sought to push stories into mainstream media.

A letter to Zuckerberg signed by four Democratic senators expressed concern over the latest revelations and raised the prospect of tough regulation of social media.

Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg pledged to review the work of a consultancy for the social network that one target described as 'black ops'

'We are gravely concerned by recent reports indicating that your company used contractors to retaliate against or spread intentionally inflammatory information about your critics,' said the letter from Senators Amy Klobuchar, Mark Warner, Chris Coons and Richard Blumenthal.

'In addition, the staggering amount of data that Facebook has collected on both its users and people who have not subscribed to or consented to use of the platform, raises concern that the company could improperly or illegally use its vast financial and data resources against government officials and critics seeking to protect the public and our democracy.'

Definers said in a statement Friday it did 'basic media monitoring and public relations around public policy issues' for Facebook, as it does for many clients, and that it 'was not hired by Facebook as an opposition research firm.'

'A fraction of our work with Facebook included providing research and background information about critics - both on the left and the right,' the consulting group said on its website.

'This practice, standard across many industries, is based on researching public records and databases available to anyone.'
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Thousands of party-goers have descended on Sydney's Hyde Park for an enormous all-white dinner.

Australians and tourists alike donned all-white outfits and enjoyed gourmet food and wine on Saturday surrounded by the Archibald Fountain and towering trees of the iconic park.

The event, 'Diner en Blanc,' or 'Dinner in White,' is an exclusive, secret party for members only.

The party is so exclusive, its location is only revealed to participants 30 minutes prior to the start of the event.

Guests must then pack a square folding-table and two white chairs, a white picnic basket including a gourmet meal for two, a white tablecloth and cloth-napkins, cutlery, dishware, glassware and a garbage bag.

And if the dining requirements weren't strict enough, the dress code is even more so, with only chic, original and white attire allowed - absolutely no spot of cream or beige is to be incorporated.

The event is even strict on participation, with guests expected to attend rain, hail or shine.

The dinner party began 20 years ago when Francois Pasquier and a small group of friends in Paris decided to meet for a meal.

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Guests came in their whitest and finest to the annual exclusive event, this year held at Sydney's Hyde Park

Picnic-goers were given free sparklers as well as the free-flowing champagne as they finished off their gourmet dinners and partied into the evening

White pantsuits were a popular choice for the ladies, with many of them spotted moving more freely on the dance floor

Although the dress code was strictly all-white, the cocktails were brightly coloured and were available in abundance to the lucky crowd

The breathtaking location made for a perfect backdrop for the chic picnic

With previous years events being held at the Opera House and Centennial Park in Sydney, guests were expecting to be wowed

Guests had to bring their own coolers with a 'gourmet' meal as well as their own square tables and chairs - all which had to meet specific size requirements to assist with the 'visual harmony' by creating rows of long banquet tables

The rain didn't dampen any of the spirits as guests were given white ponchos so their exquisite white outfits were not ruined.

DJ's and performers entertained the guests throughout the event with many seen tearing up the grass dance floor surrounded by sparklers and the lit-up cathedral.

This year more than 70 countries took part around the world.

Some participants weren't worried about grass stains with many kneeling and sitting on the grass of Hyde Park

As a sponsor for the event, Moet even provided chic white glasses for the guests to sip their champagne from

While some chose to dress up, some picked the more comfortable approach with one couple donning tassels and sneakers to the event

Each guest were given a sparkler as the sun went down and were told to all light up at once to create a perfect, Instagram-worthy moment

Some guests took several sparklers as they took to the footpaths of Hyde Park to spread the magic, one couple were so enraptured that they went in for a good old Hollywood kiss (far left)
A Russian-made children's cartoon show has been accused of being part of the Putin propaganda machine.

Masha and the Bear focuses on the relationship between a slight but imposing young girl and her protector, a huge bear.

In one Masha even dons a Soviet border guard's hat as she repels invaders from the Bear's carrot patch.

Masha from Masha and the Bear wearing a Soviet guards cap in an episode where she defends a cabbage patch from invaders, critics said this represents Russia and its borders

Critics said this was a metaphor for how Russia protects its borders.

The show, which has more than 4.18 million subscribers on YouTube and an accumulative 40 billion views, is produced in English in Moscow but has still drawn the ire of intellectuals in Russia's neighbouring states.

The show has also recently ramped up its retail efforts, been added to Netflix and expanded to Spanish.

Last year, Finland's top newspaper - Helsingin Sanomat - quoted a lecturer at Tallinn University's Communication School as claiming that the bear symbolised Russia and was designed to place a positive image of the country in children's minds.

Russian media has refuted the propaganda claims, calling them 'pathological' Russophobia

The lecturer, Priit Hobemagi, said that the series was a 'beautifully presented' part of a campaign that is dangerous for Estonian national security.

Anthony Glees, an intelligence expert from The University of Buckingham told The Times: 'Masha is feisty, even rather nasty, but also plucky.

'She punches above her weight. It's not far-fetched to see her as Putinesque.'

Russia's state media have refuted the claims from the likes of Estonia and Lithuania.

They have also branded the concerns in the Baltic states as 'pathological' Russophobia.

The company who produce the popular cartoon, Animaccord, said the show is an independent project that has never received state funding.
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A female protester has died and 106 others injured after a driver accidentally accelerated into her during a fuel tax protest in France today.

Police officers lobbed tear gas canisters at demonstrators on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Saturday as groups tried to make their way to the presidential Elysee Palace.

The protester was killed when a driver caught in traffic accelerated in a panic at Pont-de-Beauvoisin, near Chambery, according to Louis Laugier, the prefect, or top state official, in the eastern Savoie region.

The motorist reportedly accidentally hit and killed the protester taking part in a campaign of road blockades across France today as thousands gathered on motorways in a backlash against President Emmanuel Macron's planned fuel taxes increases.

A policeman evacuates a demonstrator in Quimper, western France, during a nationwide popular initiated day of protest called 'yellow vest'. During the rally a 63-year-old woman was killed and 106 injured

A man holds a flare at a tollgate on a highway in Dozule, northwestern France, as demonstrators block the traffic during a protest against the rising of the fuel and oil prices

Protesters run through tear gas during the nationwide initiated day of protest. The demonstrators, part of a grassroots movement dubbed the 'yellow vests' were rallying against railed against fuel tax hikes

Later, hundreds of protesters entered the bottom of the street, which is dotted with luxury shops and the palace - home to Macron.

They were seen on BFMTV talking with riot police when the officers suddenly raised their shields and pushed the group back.

Five people were seriously injured, while the others had more minor injuries, the Interior Ministry said in an early evening statement, raising an earlier count.

It said 52 people were detained and 38 held for questioning.

French Interior Ministry officials estimated at midday that about 244,000 protesters were involved in some 2,000 demonstrations around the country, many of them spontaneous.

The demonstrators, part of a grassroots movement dubbed the 'yellow vests', caused traffic jams on highways and blocked roundabouts as they railed against the fuel tax hikes.

Sixteen people were also injured in other accidents across the country, and one person run over by a car in northern France was left in a critical state, according to the interior ministry.

A demonstrator throws a projectile on the streets on November 17 as police stand guard with shields. French Interior Ministry officials estimated at midday that about 244,000 protesters were involved in some 2,000 demonstrations around the country

CRS riot police disperse protesters with tear gas as they try to demonstrate near the French Presidential Elysee palace in Paris

Protesters take part in a road blockade action by letting off flares in Ajaccio on the French Mediterranean Island of Corsica, during a nationwide day of protest

Demonstrators wearing yellow vests (gilets jaunes) block the traffic n Dozule, northwestern France, during a protest against the rising of the fuel and oil prices today

A demonstrator on the ring road of Rennes, western France, wearing yellow vest stands close to a van on which is written 'Macron, you're a thief' during a protest against the rising of the fuel and oil prices today

Some 50,000 demonstrators, named 'gilets jaunes' after their high-visibility jackets, gathered in 1,500 locations, across the country to accuse Macron of abandoning the little people'.

At a blockade on a road in the southeastern department of Savoie, a driver panicked when protesters surrounded her car and she accelerated, hitting and killing the woman demonstrator, French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said on French TV.

Some incidents occurred as drivers not taking part tried to get around the blockades, police sources said.

Traffic was blocked during the protest against the rising of the fuel and oil prices on the A2 road in Haulchien near Valenciennes, northern France

Protesters wearing yellow vests, a symbol of a French drivers' protest against higher fuel prices, gather near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris

Protesters gather as they try to block roads and cause traffic chaos as part of a nationwide protest, in Antibes, southern France

During a demonstration on the Champs Elysee in Paris bikers and marchers on foot let off flares and blocked traffic

The woman was said to have been attending a protest in the Savoie region of the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes area in the south east of the country when the accident happened, according to French newspaper Le Parisien.

The protests, largely orchestrated on social media and which aimed to prevent road access to some fuel depots and airports, have also drawn support from some voters dissatisfied with Macron's economic reforms and his governing style.

Some protesters scrawled messages such as 'Macron tu es en voleur', or 'Macron you are a thief' on vehicles and banners.

Protesters gathered at sensitive flashpoints including the entry to a tunnel under the Mont-Blanc mountain in the Alps, and traffic was backed up on several highways.

Demonstrators were also on the march in cities, including Marseille where around 100 people, wearing the high visibility vests drivers keep in their cars, blocked roads around its port.

A man wearing a traffic cone costume symbolising a petrol pump, painted high-visibility yellow on Place de la Bastille

A protester waved French flag as he walked on the rocade ring road in Bordeaux, southwestern France

French CRS police secure a position as a man wearing a yellow vest, a symbol of a French drivers' protest against higher fuel prices, lays on the road in Antibes, France

Demonstrators block a motorway exit to protest fuel taxes in Marseille, southern France. Some 50,000 demonstrators gathered in 1,500 locations across the country

Thousands of drivers blocked roads across France and stood on bridges, as they did here in Toulouse, southern France

Thousands of drivers blocked roads across France today against President Emmanuel Macron's planned higher fuel taxes

The backlash is the latest confrontation between Macron and voters, mostly based in the countryside and provincial towns and cities, who view the former investment banker as the representative of a remote urban elite.

During his 18 months in power, Macron, 40, has often pushed through reforms, including an overhaul of indebted state rail operator SNCF, in the face of opposition from labour unions.

But the 'yellow vest' movement has snowballed swiftly over the past month, catching Macron and even opposition parties off guard. It has already prompted a rare concession from the government, which announced last Wednesday fresh funds to help motorists on the lowest incomes.

The higher fuel taxes were approved in late 2017 but started to bite as oil prices surged in October, even though they have since eased off somewhat.

The diesel tax increases are designed to encourage drivers to switch to more environmentally-friendly cars.
A 75-year-old woman has died after being repeatedly stabbed inside her home with shocked neighbours saying that they saw a 55-year-old man standing outside naked and covered in blood shouting: 'I've killed her'.

Police and paramedics were called to the address in Ethnard Road in Peckham just after 4pm on Friday afternoon.

The woman was named locally as retired accountant Maureen Watkins with a neighbour claiming that the man was seen standing naked outside of the house in the aftermath of the stabbing.

Police could be seen at the scene following the death of a 75-year-old woman at her home in Peckham

Police have yet to confirm the identities of the woman or man involved but confirmed that he was known to her.

The 55-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

According to a neighbour, retired accountant Maureen lived at the terraced property she shared with her son, Edward, for around 30 years.

One friend, who asked not to be named, said: 'I have lived here since 1971 so I knew Maureen. She was a lovely lady, a very nice lady indeed.

'She has other family who lived down in Kent and Edward lived with her.

'We both lived here for a long time so we knew each other, although we wouldn't sort of go into each other's houses or anything.

'I didn't see what happened. But it is very sad.'

Another neighbour, who lived nearby for about 25 years and stopped to lay a bouquet of flowers at the property, said: 'Maureen was lovely.

'I've been here since I was about four years old and she was here the whole time. I've always known her to say hello and that. Her son was quiet. Very quiet.

Neighbours left flowers near the house of the woman, who has been named locally as retired accountant Maureen Watkins

'I'm just shocked really.'

A police cordon remains in place at the property, which is on the corner of a row of houses and flats, next to a children's playpark.

Forensic officers were seen entering the property while three bouquets of flowers were tied to a tree outside.

The woman was pronounced dead half an hour after police were called and the man was arrested on suspicion of murder.

Scotland Yard said the man and women were 'known to each other' and murder squad detectives are now investigating.

A 75-year-old woman was found stabbed to death in a home on Ethnard Road in Peckham (pictured)

The Metropolitan Police said: 'Detectives are investigating after a woman was fatally stabbed at an address in Southwark.

'Police were called to an address in Ethnard Road, Southwark, on Friday, 16 November at 4.04pm.

'Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended.

'A woman, aged in her 70s, was found with multiple stab wounds. Despite the efforts of paramedics, she was pronounced dead at 4.37pm.

'A post mortem will take place in due course.

'Officers are in the process of contacting next of kin.

'Detectives in the Homicide and Major Crime Command have been informed.

'A 55-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder. He has been taken to an east London hospital to be treated for a stab wound.

'The man and the woman were known to each other. Enquiries continue.'
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Thousands of teenage revellers refused to let a bit of wet weather ruin their fun as they descended on popular beach spots Surfers Paradise and Byron Bay to kick off Schoolies celebrations - despite a torrential downpour of rain and wind.

The rain provided no relief for emergency crews either, who were flat out attending to party-goers as the annual end of exams celebrations kicked off for its first night ahead of a fortnight of inevitable carnage.

Emergency crews had their first taste of what's to come - contending with thousands of rowdy graduates who flocked to the usually sunny strip of beaches to let their hair down.

Before midnight, the celebrations became too much for one teenage girl who was seen being lifted into an ambulance on a stretcher with a friend by her side.

Teenage revellers refused to let a bit of wet weather ruin their fun as they donned festive outfits (right) despite a torrential downpour of rain and wind. But celebrations became too much for some, with one teen hitting the sand before midnight (left)

Crowds of teenage revellers descended on the Surfers Paradise party strip (pictured) to celebrate the annual end of exams celebrations

One girl creatively uses a traditional Vietnamese hat to shield herself from the rain (left) as she and her friend dash across the road. Another uses a tarpaulin cover to keep dry (right)

Partying teens were seen bare foot and in shopping trolleys as they poured out onto the streets during the night of celebrations

Stylish! These fashionable and practical school-leavers donned a set of ponchos for the evening as they battled against the rain and wet weather

Before the night even reached midnight, the celebrations became too much for one girl who was seen being lifted into an ambulance on a stretcher with a friend by her side

The show must go on: One eager school-leaver appears to be looking for a ride as she braves the rain along Surfers Paradise's party strip in gold sparkly pants and a tropical swimming top as another Schoolie is escorted from the strip by police (right)

A severe storm was reported approaching the party strip early Saturday evening, with winds of up to 59km/h recorded at the Gold Coast Seaway just after 6pm.

But the rain and cold didn't spoil the night's festivities as teenagers appeared unfazed by the gloomy weather, instead packing into the event to celebrate their final school year with music and dancing.

Plenty of selfies were snapped with revealing crop tops, tight singlets and denim miniskirts all popular choices with the teens as they spilled out onto the streets and across the beach ready to let their hair down.

But police had bigger concerns to contend with after vowing earlier in the week to crackdown on drug supply to the party scene, making dozens of arrests even before the event officially started.

A group of teenagers huddle under a Red Frogs stand as volunteers distribute snacks (pictured) - part of hundreds of volunteers who will be on hand to help those who need respite or medical aid due to the effects of partying

The rain and cold didn't spoil the night's festivities as teenagers appeared unfazed by the gloomy weather (left), instead packing into the event to celebrate their final school year with music and dancing

A group of school-leavers crowd around one young man who is seen lying on the sand after a night of heavy partying

Volunteers (left) and police (right) were on hand to provide some order during the festivities. Nearly 50 arrests were made in Surfers Paradise last year, with dozens of teenagers busted for drug possession and brawling

Gold Coast Superintendent Mark White said during Schoolies officers will use a range of 'overt and covert' strategies to prevent drug dealing, particularly in the Schoolies precinct.

'If people think they come into this event and gain some advantage or push drugs onto young people they are going to be in for a rude shock,' he said.

Nearly 50 arrests were made in Surfers Paradise last year during Gold Coast's annual rowdy event, with dozens of teenagers busted for drug possession and brawling.

This year, agencies such as the police, the dog squad, mounted police, Red Frogs Australia and State Emergency Services said they were prepared and on hand to help out.

Excited teens spilled out onto the streets (left) and across the beach ready to let their hair down as many school leavers test their limits

Police had bigger concerns to contend with after vowing earlier in the week to crackdown on drug supply to the party scene, making dozens of arrests even before the event officially started

Despite the colder weather, many wore revealing low-cut tops, tight singlets and denim shorts (left). Older revellers were also warned against 'prowling' on younger party-goers, with police saying they will also be keeping a close eye on 'Toolies'

Despite an estimated 80 per cent of attendees being underage, most are likely to drink heavily during the celebrations.

Teenagers taking part in the raging two-week-long celebration have become renowned for disturbing and often dangerous antics.

'Many people say "ban Schoolies, let's just close the airport and anyone under 17 can't come in to Surfers Paradise" - (but) we can't hold back the tide,' Schoolies Advisory Committee Chair Mark Raeburn told Seven News.

'Our concern is always what goes on in the rooms, but we can't be there,' Mr Raeburn said.

Mr Reaburn said his team of 11,000 volunteers was ready to make sure the kids have a great time but do it safely.

'It's not a party, what we coordinate is a response (to thousands of students) congregating in Surfers Paradise in what is known as a right of passage,' he said.

Eighty per cent of the school leavers who come will be 17-years-old and many were going to push the limits, he said.

'(That's) a lot of kids being away from mum and dad for the first time in their lives, with each other, essentially moving out into the big wide world,' he said.

And they regularly go beyond what they can cope with both emotionally and physically, he said.

'That's why our mantra for the kids is: be safe and watch your mates,' he said.

The Queensland Ambulance Instagram page uploaded an image of two officers posing with the 'be safe and watch your mates' posters they have strewn around the city.

The Queensland Ambulance Instagram page uploaded an image of two officers posing with the 'be safe and watch your mates' posters they have strewn around the city (pictured)

Queensland paramedics help one party-goer into an ambulance (pictured). Hundreds will be on hand to help those who need respite or medical aid due to the effects of partying

Older revellers have also been warned against 'prowling' on younger party-goers, with police saying they will also be keeping a close eye on 'Toolies'.

'If you want to come to Surfers Paradise and play up, be assured you will be arrested,' South Eastern region Assistant Commissioner Brian Wilkins told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

'It's not the place to come and prowl upon schoolies.

'We will have a very strong police presence policing all the schoolies but also all the toolies.'

Despite an estimated 80 per cent of attendees being underage, some party-goers who have already left school - in some cases many years ago - join the thousands of teenagers for the annual end of exams celebration.

Of the nearly 50 arrests that were made in Surfers Paradise last year during the event, most were 'toolies' rather than students, Gold Coast Schoolies Advisory Group chairman Mark Reaburn said.

Despite the inevitable carnage inflicted on the seaside resort town every year, authorities said there was not a lot they could do to stop the kids coming

Eighty per cent of the school leavers who come will be 17-years-old and many were going to push the limits, Schoolies Advisory Committee Chair Mark Raeburn said

Colourful Hawaiian shirts and fruit-themed outfits were popular choices for some of the party-goers at this year's event

Hundreds of volunteers will be on hand to help those who need respite or medical aid due to the effects of partying, but they say not all those need urgent help.

The Schoolies community safety response, which includes the Schoolies Hub and an ambulance treatment centre, provides school leavers with alcohol and drug-free diversionary activities, safety advice, and support while they party the week away.

Closely-watched and cordoned-off party zones with high fences and soft beach sand have been carefully thought out by the organising committee.

They provide safe, high security areas for teens to go about their partying and hopefully wear themselves out.

Earlier in the day, plenty of teenagers were farewelled at airports and hotels, as parents helped set them up with the essentials.

Cartons of drinks were the number one item on the list it seemed, with parents helping to cart the beverages.

Plenty of teenagers were spotted carrying cartons of drinks earlier in the day
An orphaned baby rhino was rescued after both his parents were killed by poachers in South Africa.

The baby rhinoceros, nicknamed David by his rescuers, was found not far from the dead bodies of many of the endangered animals.

A team of conservationists were in the area to trim the horns of rhinos to deter poachers from killing them for their horns, but the poachers got to them first and already slaughtered the huge beasts.

Several carcasses of recently killed rhinos were found, including a dead female, whose vulnerable orphaned calf was found nearby.

The Rhino 911 team - a rapid response helicopter unit that flies in to help wounded rhinos - loaded him into a truck and took him to safety.

Scroll down for video.

When the Rhino 911 team arrived in South Africa to trim rhino horns they discovered poachers had already killed many of the endangered species

Baby rhino David was found near his slaughtered mother by the rescue team and taken to safety at at orphanage

David was small enough to fit into the back of a Toyota Landcruiser, so he could be taken to a nearby vets and then to The Rhino Orphanage in Limpopo Province, South Africa

The orphaned animal was given medical attention by vets before being taken to a rhino orphanage in South Africa

He was small enough to fit into the back of a Toyota Landcruiser, so he could be taken to a nearby vets and taken to be looked after by The Rhino Orphanage in Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Rescuers named him 'David' in honour of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, which funds Rhino 911's work.

In just a decade more than 7,000 African rhinos have been killed by poachers to feed the demand in Asian markets for rhino horn, which is wrongly thought to have ancient medicinal properties, the charity says.

From 2007 to 2014, South Africa saw a growth of over 9,000 per cent in rhino poaching.

Black market rhino horns is valued at around 2,330 ($3,000), meaning a whole horn could fetch poachers up to 15,000.

It is thought that if poaching continues at this level, the species could be hunted to extinction.

Georgina Lamb, who is charity founder David Shepherd's granddaughter, was travelling with the Rhino 911 rapid response helicopter and said many of the team were in tears when David was found

Rhino calf David was found not far from the dead bodies of many of the endangered animals, including his mother

Georgina Lamb, who is David Shepherd's granddaughter, was travelling with the Rhino 911 rapid response helicopter when the tragic death toll was discovered.

She was accompanied by her sister, the artist Emily Lamb and DSWF Wildlife Ranger Ambassador, Jacques Rudolph, who lives in South Africa.

Georgina, who is DSWF's head of programmes and policy, described how many of the team were in tears when David was found.

She said: 'This is possibly one of the most heart-breaking days I have ever experienced.

'We're so sad to have to share such horrible news with our supporters, but this really does show why our work is so important.

Rhino 911 is a rapid response helicopter unit, flying in to help wounded or orphaned rhinos with the aid of vets to treat the animals

The team found carcasses of dead rhinos around the area when they landed to trim their horns to deter poachers from hunting them

The dead body of a female rhino was found near her calf, David, before he was rescued in South Africa

Many of the rescue team were moved to tears by the sight of so many dead rhinos in South Africa

'When the orphan rhino was named David as thanks for our support, we were all in tears.'

Rhino 911 is a rapid response helicopter unit, flying in to help wounded or orphaned rhinos with the aid of vets.

During their trip the team also successfully trimmed the horn from an adult rhino, reducing the risk of it being killed in the future by poachers.

Rhino 911 pilot and co-founder, Nico Jacobs, said: 'If we hadn't been here, this little baby rhino would have dehydrated and died.

'This is the problem we're facing in South Africa every week  it's terribly sad that the people can't unite to save these amazing animals.'

The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation funds projects across Africa and Asia that are working to save the rhino.
President Donald Trump has declared his support for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House, and vowed to whip Republican votes to return the gavel to her hand if needed.

'I can get Nancy Pelosi as many votes as she wants in order for her to be Speaker of the House,' Trump tweeted on Saturday morning, before departing the White House to tour the wildfire devastation in California.

'She deserves this victory, she has earned it - but there are those in her party who are trying to take it away. She will win!'

Pelosi, 78, became the first female Speaker of the House in 2007, and is now fiercely trying to line up the votes to return to the Speaker's chair despite an emerging opposition faction within the Democrats' incoming majority.

Trump addresses reporters on the South Lawn as he leaves the White House on Saturday morning, insisting that his support for Pelosi is sincere

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is facing tough opposition in her Speakership bid from a disgruntled faction of about 20 incoming members from her own party

Some Republican representatives, notably Tom Reed of New York, have said they would vote for Pelosi if she agreed to a package of rules changes that would give more power to rank-and-file House members.

Pelosi scoffed at the idea of relying on Republican votes, however, saying 'I intend to win the Speakership with Democratic votes.'

Based on his prior statements at campaign rallies, Trump likely views Pelosi as a desirable opponent to help energize his Republican base. He may hope to capitalize on rifts between Democrats in the House by installing a Speaker who is opposed by a disgruntled faction of the new majority.

However, in remarks to reporters on the South Lawn as he left the White House on Saturday morning, Trump insisted that his support for Pelosi was sincere.

'I would help Nancy Pelosi if she would need some votes. I would perform a wonderful service for her. I like her. Can you believe it? I like Nancy Pelosi,' Trump said. 'She's tough and she's smart and she deserves to be speaker and they're playing games with her.'

'If she needs any votes, I will give her the votes to put her over the top. I saw Tom Reed as an example, a fine man,' he continued.

The standoff over Pelosi's bid to regain the gavel intensified Friday as Democrats left Washington for the Thanksgiving holiday, an unsettling finish to an otherwise triumphant week that saw them welcome a historic class of newcomers to Capitol Hill and prepare to take control.

Pelosi was certain that she will be speaker once more, reviving her role as the first woman to wield the gavel. But her foes were equally confident they have the votes to stop her.

For now, it's a band of disgruntled Democrats, led mostly by men, standing against the sweep of nationally-known Pelosi allies.

With a test vote looming in late November, and at least one potential Pelosi challenger stepping forward, Democrats faced the grim prospect of the internal squabble over the January 3 speaker's vote dragging on for weeks, with no clear end game in sight.

'I think chaos is good if it's productive. I think chaos is bad if it is too disruptive and it divides us too much,' said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, whose leaders were upbeat after meeting with Pelosi this week.

'We don't have a lot of time,' Jayapal said. 'We need to put forward the vision of who we are as a party and what we're fighting for and so that needs to happen very, very quickly.'

Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., who represents western New York in the 23rd Congressional District, is seen earlier this month. He says he will support Pelosi if she agrees to rules changes

Pelosi was expected to work the phones from California after meeting privately Friday with newly-elected Democrats who could be crucial to her bid for House speaker.

The freshmen entering and exiting Pelosi's stately office off the House floor indicated they were having good meetings with the leader, though few said the talks had changed their minds to vote to support her as speaker.

Incoming Rep.-elect Abigail Spanberger of Virginia said she had a 'wonderful conversation' about her district's priorities, but 'will not be voting for leader Pelosi.'

'It isn't about her, it's about wanting new leadership,' said Spanberger, a former CIA operative who defeated tea party Republican Rep. Dave Brat in suburban Richmond. 'There isn't anything she could say, because the decision isn't about her.'

Another newly-elected Democrat, Representative Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, said he had a 'pleasant' meeting, but remains a no on Pelosi as speaker. He is among 17 Democrats who have signed on to a letter opposing her. Van Drew said they discussed his districts and which committees he'd like to serve on. 'I don't feel under pressure,' he said.

In a key session, Pelosi also met for 45 minutes with Representative Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, a potential rival for the speakership who said the two had 'a very open and frank discussion,' including about 'the feeling in the caucus of people who are feeling left out and left behind.'

Fudge said she would probably decide after Thanksgiving break if she will run.

'To her credit, she wanted to know what my concerns were,' Fudge said. 'What she asked me was, basically, how we could get to a point where I'm supportive.'

Representative Marcia Fudge (D-OH) is emerging as a potential challenger to Pelosi for the Speakership. She is seen above in 2016

One question for some Democrats is what, exactly, Pelosi means when she says she intends to be a transitional leader, a bridge to a new generation. She has led the party for 15 years.

'We talked about some succession planning,' Fudge said. 'I think it is something our caucus is interested in knowing.'

If it was up to most of the Democratic Party, Pelosi would win the speakership in a walk. They see her as a skilled and tested leader prepared to confront President Donald Trump and deliver on priorities.

Pelosi made history when she became the first female speaker of the House in 2007.

She assumed the post after Democrats took control of the House in midterm elections during former President George W. Bush's second term. With President Barack Obama, she was pivotal in passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010.

She appears to be winning the outside game in her bid, amassing endorsements from a who's who of the nation's Democrats. Inside the Capitol she has support from influential lawmakers like Representative John Lewis of Georgia, and backing from some of the newly-elected freshmen.

On Friday, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence joined the list, as did Gabby Giffords, the former Arizona congresswoman who was gravely wounded during a mass shooting in her district, and who once voted against Pelosi for speaker.

'There is no one else who we would trust more,' said Kris Brown, co-president of the Brady Campaign.

The internal debate is spilling out nationally, especially on social media, where Democratic activists are publicly criticizing Representative Seth Moulton, D-Mass., Representative Tim Ryan, D-Ohio and others leading the campaign to oust Pelosi.

A coalition of liberal groups sounded the alarm against an overthrow being orchestrated by mostly centrist Democrats who want to prevent the San Franciscan from being the face of the party.

MoveOn.org noted her work passing the health care law and said 'Dems must reject attempts to defeat her and move caucus to the right.'

It's not lost on supporters that a group made up of mostly men is leading the effort to oust her. On the list of 17 names who've signed onto a letter against her, just three are women.

'We shouldn't let a small group of white, moderate men sabotage her. We support Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House,' tweeted Indivisible, the group that formed after the 2016 election in opposition to Trump's agenda and has activists nationwide.

Pelosi has fended off challenges before, but this one poses perhaps the biggest threat yet.

With a narrow Democratic majority, now at 231 seats, she does not have much cushion to secure the 218 votes needed on the floor if all Republicans vote against her, as expected. Some House races remain undecided and the Democratic majority could grow slightly.

There is a chance the math could shift in Pelosi's favor if lawmakers are absent or simply vote 'present,' meaning she would need fewer than 218 votes for an absolute majority.
A man at the centre of a chilling disappearance is currently on the run after breaching his home detention conditions.

Damien Kennedy, 20, is wanted for questioning by police in relation to the disappearance of father-of-two Scott Redman, 19, who went missing in April.

Kennedy, who was the last to see the teenage father alive, was under house arrest for a series of drug trafficking charges but hasn't been seen since October 18.

Damien Kennedy, 20, (pictured) is wanted for questioning by police in relation to the disappearance of father-of-two Scott Redman, 19, who went missing in April

The South Australian Department for Correctional Services have since confirmed they are now desperately searching for Kennedy.

'Kennedy has not complied with the conditions of his Home Detention bail conditions and his current whereabouts are unknown,' the spokeswoman told The Advertiser.

Kennedy was arrested in April after a short police pursuit while he was with Mr Redman along the Eyre Highway in Whyalla, north of Adelaide.

The car the pair were driving at the time was found dumped in Secret Rocks, near the town of Kimba.

Mr Redman was never to be seen again and his disappearance has since been ruled a murder investigation.

Mr Redman (pictured) was last seen alive in April and his disappearance has since been ruled a murder investigation

Police have since ruled Mr Redman's (pictured) disappearance as a murder

Police are still examining key pieces of evidence but no arrests have been made in relation to the alleged murder.

Jazzmine McKenzie, the sister of Mr Redman, says the news of Kennedy is yet another blow to her family who are all grieving Mr Redman's disappearance.

'It's very scary and it makes me very mad, because I don't know what (Kennedy's) next moves are,' Ms McKenzie told Nine News.

She said that the mystery surrounding her brother's alleged murder hurts everyday.

'It's very painful, watching my whole family suffer.'

As police continue the search for Kennedy, they are urging the public to be on the look-out.

Kennedy is described as caucasian, around 180cm tall, a medium build and short brown hair.

The public are urged not to approach Kennedy, but to contact Crime Stoppers immediately.

'It's very scary': Jazzmine McKenzie,(pictured) the sister of Mr Redman, says the news of Kennedy is yet another blow to her family who are all grieving Mr Redman's disappearance
President Donald Trump has continued to cast doubt on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's role in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, even after the CIA reportedly concluded that he ordered the hit. The Saudi government has denied that claim.

'We haven't been briefed yet. The CIA is going to be speaking to me today,' Trump told reporters on Saturday morning before leaving the White House for a visit to California. 'As of this moment we were told that he did not play a role. We're going to have to find out what they have to say.'

Trump said he will be talking with 'the CIA later and lots of others' while he was on Air Force One, and would also speak with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

In his remarks outside the White House, the president spoke of Saudi Arabia as 'a truly spectacular ally in terms of jobs and economic development.' 'I have to take a lot of things into consideration' when deciding what measures to take against the kingdom.

'We haven't been briefed yet. The CIA is going to be speaking to me today,' Trump told reporters before leaving the White House for a visit to California

The CIA has reportedly concluded that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince (left) ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi (right). Trump will meet with the CIA on Saturday

The intelligence agencies' conclusion will bolster efforts in Congress to further punish the close U.S. ally for the killing. The Trump administration this past week penalized 17 Saudi officials for their alleged role in the killing, but American lawmakers have called on the administration to curtail arms sales to Saudi Arabia or take other harsher punitive measures.

The U.S. official familiar with the intelligence agencies' conclusion was not authorized to discuss it publicly and spoke only condition of anonymity Friday. The conclusion was first reported by The Washington Post.

Saudi Arabia's top diplomat has said the crown prince had 'absolutely' nothing to do with the killing.

Vice President Mike Pence told reporters traveling with him at a summit of Pacific Rim nations in Papua New Guinea that he could not comment on 'classified information.'

He said Saturday 'the murder of Jamal Khashoggi was an atrocity. It was also an affront to a free and independent press, and the United States is determined to hold all of those accountable who are responsible for that murder.'

Hatice Cengiz, fiancee of murdered Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, reacts while watching a tribute video to her husband at a commemorative ceremony

A man holds a poster showing images of bin Salman and Khashoggi, describing the prince as 'assassin' and Khashoggi as 'martyr' during funeral prayers for Khashoggi in Istanbul on Friday

The United States will 'follow the facts,' Pence said, while trying to find a way of preserving a 'strong and historic partnership' with Saudi Arabia.

Khashoggi, a Saudi who lived in the United States, was a columnist for the Post and often criticized the royal family. He was killed October 2 at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Turkish and Saudi authorities say he was killed inside the consulate by a team from the kingdom after he went there to get marriage documents.

This past week, U.S. intelligence officials briefed members of the Senate and House intelligence committees, and the Treasury Department announced economic sanctions on 17 Saudi officials suspected of being responsible for or complicit in the killing.

Among those targeted for sanctions were Mohammed al-Otaibi, the diplomat in charge of the consulate, and Maher Mutreb, who was part of the crown prince's entourage on trips abroad.

The sanctions freeze any assets the 17 may have in the U.S. and prohibit any Americans from doing business with them.

A tough critic of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Khashoggi, disappeared after he entered the Saudi consulate (pictured) in Istanbul on October 2 to collect a document

Also this past week, the top prosecutor in Saudi Arabia announced he will seek the death penalty against five men suspected in the killing. The prosecutor's announcement sought to quiet the global outcry over Khashoggi's death and distance the killers and their operation from the kingdom's leadership, primarily the crown prince.

Trump has called the killing a botched operation that was carried out very poorly and has said 'the cover-up was one of the worst cover-ups in the history of cover-ups.'

But he has resisted calls to cut off arms sales to the kingdom and has been reluctant to antagonize the Saudi rulers. Trump considers the Saudis vital allies in his Mideast agenda.

The Post, citing unnamed sources, also reported that U.S. intelligence agencies reviewed a phone call that the prince's brother, Khalid bin Salman, had with Khashoggi. The newspaper said the prince's brother, who is the current Saudi ambassador to the United States, told Khashoggi he would be safe in going to the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents he needed to get married.

The newspaper said it was not known whether the ambassador knew Khashoggi would be killed. But it said he made the call at the direction the crown prince, and the call was intercepted by U.S. intelligence.

Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, said that claim was false.

She said in a statement issued to The Associated Press that the ambassador met Khashoggi in person once in late September 2017. After that, they communicated via text messages, she said. The last text message the ambassador sent to Khashoggi was on Oct. 26, 2017, she said.

Baeshen said the ambassador did not discuss with Khashoggi 'anything related to going to Turkey.'

'Ambassador Prince Khalid bin Salman has never had any phone conversations with him,' she said.

'You are welcome to check the phone records and cell phone content to corroborate this - in which case, you would have to request it from Turkish authorities,' Baeshen said, adding that Saudi prosecutors have checked the phone records numerous times to no avail.

The ambassador himself tweeted: 'The last contact I had with Mr. Khashoggi was via text on Oct. 26, 2017. I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the U.S. government to release any information regarding this claim.'
Students at SUNY Purchase College in New York discovered a garbage shrine to Danny DeVito hidden behind a bathroom paper towel dispenser.

The mildly-disturbing garbage pile erected in honor of the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia star went viral this week after a number students posted the discovery on social media.

Videos show the silver dispenser swung open revealing a large hole in the wall that opens to a small unfinished room covered in graffiti. In the corner stands a smiling DeVito giving a thumbs up.

In front of the actor there's a sign that says: 'Leave an Offering for Our Lord and Savior Danny DeVito, Patron Saint of Trash Men.'

And many people have in fact left their trash - old cough drops, magazines, candy wrappers - at the actor's altar.

A garbage shrine honoring actor Danny DeVito erected by students at SUNY Purchase College in New York has gone viral on social media. Twitter user @KathIeenann shared the photo above

The shrine is located in a small graffiti-filled cove hidden behind a paper towel dispenser in a bathroom in Purchase's Visual Arts building

Purchase student Emma, whose Twitter handle is @emfriedchicken, revealed the shrine was located in a bathroom in the Visual Arts building on the school's Harrison campus.

'One of my friends said she heard that the paper towel dispenser comes out of the wall,' she told Mashable in a Twitter direct message.

'And she wanted to see what is behind it, so we went one Friday night at like midnight... and there it was. Danny DeVito.'

'We could tell it's been there a while because there was paper towels on the floor in the secret room. And our campus only uses air dryers now!'

Students have started a petition to have DeVito (pictured in September) come speak at Purchase graduation next spring

Emma said it's 'tradition' to leave something at the altar, so she and her friends left coupons for a nearby restaurant.

Unfortunately, the shrine's viral fame is what led to its demise, as it has reportedly now been sealed off by the university.

'It was good harmless fun for students for a long time,' @nickforero11 wrote on Twitter. 'But sadly all of the attention made the administration aware of it and they took it away.'

It's legacy lives on in both a Change.com petition for DeVito to speak at Purchase's graduation next spring - which has been signed by more than 500 people as of Saturday morning - and a tweet from the actor himself.

DeVito shared a link about the shrine on Twitter Friday, writing: 'Your shrine honors me. My heart is filled with love and garbage. Tomorrow, as you may know, is my name day. Do something that makes you feel good. Above all be kind to each other. Pick up trash, recycle, and be aware of plastics in the ocean. '

Purchase also invited the actor-producer-director to campus to meet his 'super fans' on Twitter.

'We'd like to say we're surprised,' the college wrote. 'But our students are well known for their creativity and sense of humor.'

DeVito tweeted an article about the shrine on Friday, thanking the students for erecting it

Purchase invited the actor-producer-director to meet his 'super fans' in a tweet Wednesday

The shrine was a well-kept secret until it went viral this week and the school to sealed the room
The Queen has been making the most of the pleasant weather which has swept the country this weekend, as she embarked on a horse ride with son Prince Edward.

The 92-year-old is the sixth-longest-reigning monarch of all time and doesnt seem to be slowing down any time soon, as she is seen trotting through Windsor on Saturday afternoon.

The Queen made the most of the glorious Autumn weather and wore a navy anorak and a light blue headscarf. She looked comfortable as she rode around the grounds of Windsor on a black horse next to a royal aide.

The Queen (right) was spotted taking a ride around the grounds of Windsor earlier today with a royal aide (left)

The Queen (right) seemed relaxed as she trotted around the grounds and was enjoying the pleasant Autumn weather

This is while Prince Edward seemed to be in full riding gear and was wearing a red and black riding hat.

While the Queen seemed to trot around at a glacial pace, Prince Edward was galloping around the grounds at speed.

The Queen has previous been spotted riding a horse on her estate at Balmoral in September and other family members had previously commented on her ability to keep going.

Prince Edward (left and right) was spotted wearing full riding gear and was going considerably faster than the Queen

Prince Edward was riding around on his own while the Queen rode side by side with an aide

Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall had previously said it was incredible that the Queen was still horse-riding, as a part as a documentary she was taking part in called The Queen at 90.

Earlier this year, while the nation was patiently waiting for Kate Middleton to give birth, the Queen occupied herself by going for a ride around Windsor.

Her Majesty was spotted taking a turn around the grounds on her beloved black Fell pony, Carltonlima Emma while she awaited news from the Lindo Wing.

Despite her love of riding, the Queen also enjoys racing the horses and is a keen racehorse owner, and a successful one at that.

In 2017 the British monarch had racked up almost 7 million in prize money over the past 40 years with over 451 wins to her name, according to myracing.com.

Even though the Queen probably has a handful of people who can attend to this, it has previously been reported that she is a very hands on owner and that she reads the Racing Post everyday.

The Queen was spotted horse riding at Windsor as she awaited the news from the Lindo Wing earlier this year

The monarch's lifelong enthusiasm for all things equine is said to have started when she was just three years old, when she had her first riding lesson.

She has been a devoted horse rider ever since, and has a keen interest in horse breeding.

According to Harpers Bazaar every July, she is said to visit the Royal Stud at Sandringham in Norfolk, where her horses are foaled.
A non-profit animal rescue group is offering a reward for information about the fatal shooting of a dolphin found in the water off of a Southern California beach.

Marine Animal Rescue shared a disturbing photo of the dead dolphin on Friday, which had been determined by their doctor to have died from a gunshot wound.

President and founder of the group Peter Wallerstein told DailyMail.com that he found the dolphin in the water off of Manhattan Beach and pulled it ashore, with all indications pointing to it having been freshly killed.

It's not clear exactly where the dolphin was when it was shot.

One Facebook user registered under the name David Darcy guessed that 'someone on a boat shot this beautiful animal,' which presumably then washed up with the tide to the shallow waters where Wallerstein found it.

'There is NO excuse for such brutality against these beautiful animals,' the group based out of El Segundo, California wrote with the photo.

'We are offering a $5,000.00 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person that shot the dolphin. Your help is appreciated.'

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE

Marine Animal Rescue is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person responsible for the fatal shooting of a dolphin found in the water off of Manhattan Beach. The dead animal is pictured

The image shared shows the dolphin's lifeless body resting on the sand, where Wallenstein brought it ashore after finding it dead in the water.

The group prefaced the post containing the image, which was shared with another photo of a live sea lion rescued from anther location, with the warning: 'The next photo, while upsetting, is important to share.'

'It shows a dolphin we found dead on Manhattan Beach, California. Upon rescue and examination, Dr. Palmer found that the dolphin died from a bullet wound,' the post read.

One Facebook user registered under the name David Darcy guessed that 'someone on a boat shot this beautiful animal,' which presumably then washed up with the tide to the shallow waters where Wallerstein found it. The dead animal is pictured where MAR president and founder Peter Wallerstein brought it in from the water

The gunshot wound is on the opposite side of the dolphin, not visible in the photo, Marine Animal Rescue president and founder Peter Wallerstein (pictured) told DailyMail.com

The gunshot wound is on the opposite side of the dolphin, not visible in the photo, Wallerstein said.

'It was a small caliber bullet,' he said. 'When I found it, it was in the water. I brought it to the Marine Mammal Center and the staff there did a radiograph x-ray and found the bullet.

'They did a necropsy, which is an autopsy of a marine mammal, and determined it died from the gunshot wound.'

The dolphin was already dead when Wallerstein found it, he said, adding that, 'It was likely a fresh kill.'

The group prefaced the post containing the image, which was shared with another photo of a live sea lion rescued from anther location, with the warning: 'The next photo, while upsetting, is important to share'

Marine Animal Rescue has offered a $5,000 reward for anyone offering information leading to the conviction of the person who shot the animal. A Facebook user listed as Gareth Bogue commented on the post offering to contribute an additional $300 to the reward

Wallerstein turned the evidence over to the federal government's National Marine Fisheries Service, which is now conducting an investigation in the killing of the dolphin.

The agency's Long Beach field office can be reached by phone at 562-980-4000.

Marine Animal Rescue has offered a $5,000 reward for anyone offering information leading to the conviction of the person who shot the animal.

A Facebook user listed as Gareth Bogue commented on the post offering to contribute an additional $300 to the reward.

Individuals may reach the group by phone at 1-800-39-WHALE (94253).
Vice President Mike Pence has drawn a line in the sand on tariffs, saying China must meet President Donald Trump's terms in order to end the trade war.

Speaking at the APEC summit for world leaders in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on Saturday, Pence traded barbs with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a pair of dueling speeches.

'The United States, though, will not change course until China changes its ways,' Pence said, accusing Beijing of intellectual property theft, unprecedented subsidies for state businesses and 'tremendous' barriers to foreign companies entering its giant market.

It came as, back in the U.S., Trump blasted an anonymously sourced report claiming he questions Pence's loyalty, telling reporters on Saturday morning: 'No, I don't question his loyalty at all. He's 100% loyal. I doubt they had any sources. A typical New York Times phony story.'

Vice President Mike Pence (top) looks at China's President Xi Jinping (bottom) as they prepare for a 'family' photograph during the APEC summit on Saturday in Papua New Guinea

Pence vowed in a speech that the US would not change course on tariffs until China remedied its own trade barriers and addressed rampant intellectual property theft

Trump conveyed similar sentiments in a pair of tweets later on Saturday.

Pence said in his speech there would be no letup in Trump's policy of combating China's mercantilist trade policy and intellectual property theft that has erupted into a tit-for-tat tariff war between the two world powers this year.

The U.S. has imposed additional tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese goods and China has retaliated. Pence reiterated Trump administration threats to more than double the penalties.

Pence announced the U.S. would be involved in ally Australia's plan to develop a naval base in Papua New Guinea, where the summit is being held. China has been intensely wooing Papua New Guinea and other Pacific island nations with aid and loans for infrastructure.

'Our vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific will prevail,' Pence said.

The vice president harshly criticized China's global infrastructure drive, known as the 'Belt and Road Initiative,' calling many of the projects low quality that also saddle developing countries with loans they can't afford.

The U.S., a democracy, is a better partner than authoritarian China, he said.

'Know that the United States offers a better option. We don't drown our partners in a sea of debt, we don't coerce, compromise your independence,' Pence said. 'We do not offer constricting belt or a one-way road. When you partner with us, we partner with you and we all prosper.'

Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) and Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev arrive for a family photo during the APEC Summit in Port Moresby on Saturday

In his own speech, Xi fired back at criticism, saying 'Mankind has once again reached a crossroads. Which direction should we choose? Cooperation or confrontation?'

Xi, who spoke before Pence, anticipated many of the U.S. criticisms in his speech. He said countries are facing a choice of cooperation or confrontation as protectionism and unilateralism spreads.

Xi expressed support for the global free trading system that has underpinned his country's rise over the past quarter century to the world's second-biggest economy after the U.S.

'The rules made should not be followed or bent as one sees fit and they should not be applied with double standards for selfish agendas,' Xi said.

'Mankind has once again reached a crossroads,' he said. 'Which direction should we choose? Cooperation or confrontation? Openness or closing doors. Win-win progress or a zero sum game?'

Responding to a chorus of criticism of China's international infrastructure drive, Xi said it was not a trap or power grab.

'It is not designed to serve any hidden geopolitical agenda, it is not targeted against anyone and it does not exclude anyone,' Xi said. 'It is not an exclusive club that is closed to non-members, nor is it a trap as some people have labeled it.'

A security officer checks a performer in a traditional dress at a security screening at Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, ahead of Pence's arrival Saturday

Pence arrives at Jacksons International Airport ahead of the APEC summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on Saturday

Dancers in traditional dress perform as Pence arrives in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Well-wishers hold an American flag as Pence's motorcade travels through Port Moresby

Leaders of 21 Pacific Rim countries and territories that make up 60 percent of the world economy are meeting in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, for an annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

They are struggling to reach agreement on a joint declaration, particularly whether to push for changes to the World Trade Organization, which sets the rules for trade and can penalize nations that breach them.

WTO member nations have been unable to reach agreement on further freeing up trade for years and the organization is in danger of atrophy.

Two thirds of its members claim 'developing nation' status that allows them to take advantage of benefits and exemptions to obligations not granted to advanced economies, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The U.S., meanwhile, believes the WTO's arbitration body has made decisions beyond its mandate.

In a last-minute reversal, Pence said on on Saturday that he will spend the night in Papua New Guinea where he is attending a regional summit, changing plans to fly in and out of Australia which had led to complaints of a lack of commitment.

Pence had originally been due to shuttle to the APEC talks from the northern Australian city of Cairns rather than stay overnight in Port Moresby, which is hosting the gathering for the first time.

Papuans gather at the roadside to welcome China's President Xi Jinping in Port Moresby on Friday. The sign says 'Welcome President Xi! Thank you for building our school and road'

Locals wave as Chinese President Xi Jinping's motorcade passes in Port Moresby on Friday

China's President Xi Jinping inspects the guard of honor at Parliament House in Port Moresby on Friday ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit

But the White House confirmed that Pence would instead spend the night in the Pacific island nation, shrugging off its reputation for violence and petty crime.

'Staying in PNG is better for the schedule and the office was able to make it work, from a logistical and security standpoint,' a senior administration official told AFP.

The port city is effectively on lockdown with a heavy police presence and warships from the US, Australia and New Zealand patrolling offshore.

Due to security and a dearth of hotel rooms, most journalists and delegates are billetted on two hulking cruise ships moored in the harbour with ultra-tight security access.

Although the threat posed by terrorism in Papua New Guinea is considered minimal, the Melanesian country has developed a reputation for lawlessness.

Feared street gangs known as 'raskols' have made carjackings common and the country has among the highest rates of rape and domestic violence in the world.

Performers in traditional costumes and headdress welcome delegates and ministers to the international convention centre for the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

Children play beside the bay at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on Thursday. Feared street gangs known as 'raskols' have made carjackings common in the lawless city

Residents are seen in the village of Hanuabada, one of only two remaining stilt villages in Port Moresby on Thursday

Pence's decision to stay in Papua New Guinea now puts him in the same boat as China's President Xi Jinping, whose delegation has locked down the Stanley Hotel where Chinese lanterns abound and a pagoda has been constructed in his honour.

Some of the leaders are thought to be staying at the Airways hotel - 'one of the world's most unique airport hotels', according to its website.

Hotel guests describe security arrangements at the Airways as 'immense' even without the APEC summit, complete with shotgun-toting guards at the gates.

'But that is nothing compared with what we see now,' a resident said on Saturday, citing snipers on the roof, parts of the hotel sealed off, road blocks and special clearance required for cars.

Many delegates and journalists at APEC are staying aboard cruise ships such as the Pacific Jewels (above) due to security concerns at the summit

The US Navy's USS Green Bay (LPD 20) patrols the harbor near the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Haus ahead of APEC summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

APEC is facing questions about its future. Malaysia's 93-year-old Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said it will become irrelevant if developing nations continue to be left behind by globalization and free trade.

China's territorial claims to most of the South China Sea that borders Southeast Asian nations were also a target in Pence's speech.

China has demanded the U.S. stop deploying ships and military aircraft close to its man-made islands in the disputed waters after American and Chinese ships nearly collided near a contested reef in September. But Pence stressed Saturday that the U.S. won't back off.

'We will continue to fly and sail wherever international law allows and our national interest demands,' he said. 'Harassment will only strengthen our resolve. We will not change course.'

Washington will continue to support efforts by Southeast Asian nations to negotiate a legally binding 'code of conduct' with China 'that respects the rights of all nations, including the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea,' Pence said.
A Louisiana woman was sentenced to 20 years behind bars after she pleaded guilty to killing a father-of-seven in a horrific drunk driving crash.

Olivia Matte, 28, was handed down the sentence on Thursday for the crash that left married Mississippi man James Blackmond, 37, impaled by a broken guardrail.

It was Matte's third driving while intoxicated accident in just nine months.

The accident took place on March 23, 2017 when Matte, of Covington, rear-ended Blackmond's red pick-up truck in the early hours of the morning as she was driving southbound on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway bridge.

Louisiana woman Olivia Matte, 28, was sentenced to 20 years in jail on Thursday for killing Mississippi man James Blackmond, 37, in a drunk driving crash

In the horrific crash on March 23, 2017 Matte rear-ended Blackmond's red pick-up truck, sending his car onto a guardrail. A piece of the aluminum railing broke off and penetrated his car window, impaling him. The wreckage of the car pictured above

The guardrail broke through the back of the car and impaled Blackmond who was in the driver's seat. The damage of the car crash on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway bridge pictured above

She hit him with such force his car was thrown onto an aluminum guardrail along the side of the bridge. The car then traveled backwards on the railing about 100 feet and a broken section of the guardrail penetrated his rear window and impaled Blackmond, according to Nola.com.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. Blackmond's passenger Kelly Johnson was also wounded in the crash. Matte was uninjured in the accident.

Officials said Matte 'failed miserably' when she was administered a breathalyzer test after the accident.

Her blood alcohol content was .216 at the time of the crash, nearly three times higher than the legal limit of 0.08 percent, according to WWLTV.

Blackmond was from Mississippi and was a beloved husband and father-of-seven

Blackmond pictured above with his wife Queenita Blackmond. At Matte's Thursday sentencing she said: 'Olivia Matte didnt just kill my husband, she killed me, also'

She pleaded guilty on September 4 to a slew of charges including vehicular homicide, careless operation of a vehicle and operating a vehicle with a suspended license.

But this wasn't the first strike for Matte. She was previously booked for suspected drunk driving on that same bridge on June 12, 2016. She was arrested by Louisiana police on another DWI incident on December 7, 2016.

Blackmond and Matte's families testified before Judge Glenn Ansardi on Thursday before the sentencing.

'Olivia Matte didnt just kill my husband, she killed me, also. Olivia Matte choosing to drink and drive cost me my everything. Her total disregard for life cost me mine,' Blackmond's wife Queenita Blackmond said.

'Everything reminds me of him,' she added.

Olivia Matte's vehicle was also severely damaged in the crash. It was her third DWI incident over the past nine months

Matte was uninjured in the horrific accident that took Blackmond's life. Her damaged car pictured after the crash

The Blackmond family asked for a sentence of 25 to 30 years.

According to Matte's family she is a outgoing and caring woman who quickly and 'almost secretly' spiraled into crisis.

'Olivia is a good person who made not just a mistake, but a terrible mistake and one she is going to pay for,' her father Barry Matte said, apologizing to the Blackmond family directly according to The New Orleans Advocate.

'I am sorry and I've always been sorry. I wanted it to have been me gone, not him,' Matte testified.

She confessed to the court that she was abusing alcohol after becoming depressed and felt unsure of what to do with her life.
Andrea Leadsom has told Theresa May there is 'more to be done' to her EU withdrawal deal as the Brexiteer 'Gang of Five' in the Cabinet turns up the pressure on the PM.

The Commons leader's veiled threat to Number 10 came after she and four other leading Leave supporters agreed to stay in the Cabinet in a bid to rewrite the Brexit deal.

Mrs Leadsom and her allies Michael Gove, Penny Mourdaunt, Liam Fox and Chris Grayling have reportedly been holding 'pizza nights' at her home.

The five Brexiteers stayed on amid a series of resignations but are said to want changes to the Irish backstop, fearing that the current terms could keep Britain in the customs union indefinitely.

In a week of turmoil the PM has faced a plot to remove her from Tory backbenchers including Jacob Rees-Mogg, but the rebels have yet to reach the 48 letters required to force a leadership challenge.

There are claims the rebels are stuck at 37, of whom 23 have gone public, and the PM has vowed to fight on saying the plotters' plans would not solve the Irish border issue.

Andrea Leadsom tells Theresa May 'more has to be done' to her EU withdrawal draft in an interview in her South Northamptonshire constituency

Tory MP Grant Shapps could be the 38th, after he posted on Twitter this morning that he had lost faith in the PM's Brexit plan after reading the 585-page withdrawal agreement.

Even if Mrs May can hold her Cabinet together she faces a battle to steer the deal through Parliament when the House of Commons votes on the terms.

The divisive agreement could be voted down by MPs next month, which could force a no-deal Brexit or a general election.

Mrs Leadsom's warning today will remind the PM that even the Brexiteers who still support her are seeking changes to the deal ahead of a European Council summit on November 25.

Speaking outside her South Northamptonshire constituency, Mrs Leadsom said: 'I'm absolutely determined to support the Prime Minister in getting the best possible deal for the UK as we leave the EU.

'There is still more to be done and we do still have more time before the EU Council at the end of the month.'

She said: 'What I'm doing is working very hard to support the prime minister in getting the Brexit deal that 17.4million people voted for.

'I think there's still the potential to improve on the clarification and on some of the measures within it and that's what I'm hoping to be able to help with.'

She denied she was a 'plotter' but said the UK could not be 'trapped in a permanent customs arrangement' and calling for 'improvement' on that part of the deal.

The so-called Gang of Five are said to have been attending 'pizza nights' at Leadsom's home to devise a plan to go back to Brussels and demand new terms.

They will reportedly demand a unilateral exit mechanism from the backstop arrangement, fearing it could keep Britain tied to EU rules indefinitely.

In an ultimatum to Mrs May the five ministers will renew their threats to resign if she does not go back to the negotiating table, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Brexiteer Michael Gove (pictured on a jog this morning) is one of the Gang of Five understood to have only stayed in the cabinet to influence and change May's Brexit draft

Mrs Leadsom's warning to the PM comes after Jacob Rees-Mogg attempted to rally MPs and trigger a vote of no confidence against Mrs May.

Tory rebels need to submit 48 letters - 15 per cent of the parliamentary party - to trigger a confidence motion to remove Mrs May.

Who has sent letters of no confidence in May? Letters of no confidence in Theresa May are confidential - but some of her strongest critics have gone public. If 48 letters are sent a vote is called. This is who has definitely sent a letter: Jacob Rees-Mogg , North East Somerset, Jacob.reesmogg.mp@parliament.uk Steve Baker , Wycombe, steve.baker.mp@parliament.uk Sheryll Murray , South East Cornwall, sheryll.murray.mp@parliament.uk Anne-Marie Morris , Newton Abbott, annemarie.morris.mp@parliament.uk Lee Rowley , North East Derbyshire, lee.rowley.mp@parliament.uk Henry Smith , Crawley, henry.smith.mp@parliament.uk Simon Clarke , Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, simon.clarke.mp@parliament.uk Peter Bone , Wellingborough, bonep@parliament.uk James Duddridge , Rochford and Southend East, james@jamesduddridge.com Philip Davies , Shipley, daviesp@parliament.uk Andrea Jenkyns , Morley and Outwood, andrea.jenkyns.mp@parliament.uk Andrew Bridgen , North West Leicestershire, andrew.bridgen.mp@parliament.uk Nadine Dorries , Mid Bedfordshire, dorriesn@parliament.uk Laurence Robertson , Tewkesbury, robertsonl@parliament.uk Martin Vickers , Cleethorpes, martin.vickers.mp@parliament.uk Ben Bradley , Mansfield, ben.bradley.mp@parliament.uk Adam Holloway , Gravesham, hollowaya@parliament.uk John Whittingdale , Maldon, john.whittingdale.mp@parliament.uk Maria Caulfield , Lewes, maria.caulfield.mp@parliament.uk Mark Francois , Rayleigh and Wickford, mark.francois.mp@parliament.uk David Jones , Clwyd West, david.jones@parliament.uk Marcus Fysh , Yeovil, marcus.fysh.mp@parliament.uk Chris Green , Bolton West, chris.green.mp@parliament.uk Zac Goldsmith , Richmond Park, zac@zacgoldsmith.com Bill Cash , Stone, cashw@parliament.uk Philip Hollobone , Kettering, philip.hollobone.mp@parliament.uk Andrew Lewer, Northampton South, andrew.lewer.mp@parliament.uk Crispin Blunt , Reigate, crispinbluntmp@parliament.uk Owen Paterson , Shropshire Patersono@parliament.uk Advertisement

At the end of a bruising week for the Prime Minister, she used an interview with the Daily Mail to tell her critics their alternative plans for Brexit would not solve the main problem - the North Ireland/Ireland border backstop arrangement.

She said: 'People say 'if you could only just do something slightly different, have a Norway model or a Canada model, this backstop issue would go away'. It would not. That issue is still going to be there.

'Some politicians get so embroiled in the intricacies of their argument they forget it is not about this theory or that theory, or does it make me look good.'

Mrs May will continue her attempts to sell the deal to sceptical MPs and the public with a live interview on Sky's Ridge on Sunday.

Meanwhile Brexiteers were warned their efforts could drive Remain-voting Tories to attempt to stop Brexit entirely.

Tory MP Alistair Burt, attacked a tweet by Steve Baker, one of the ringleaders of the hardline European Research Group, in which he promoted a legal case against the Brexit deal.

Mr Burt wrote: 'Be very clear. If an agreed deal on leaving between the Govt and the EU is voted down by purist Brexiteers, do not be surprised if consensus on accepting the result of the Referendum by Remain voting MPs breaks down.

'Parliament will not support no deal.'

Scottish Secretary David Mundell also pledged his support for Theresa May amid what he called an 'unprecedented onslaught' by her critics.

Mr Mundell said he has reservations about the Prime Minister's draft Brexit deal but other alternatives were 'even more unpalatable'.

It came after a tumultuous week in Westminster which saw the departures of Brexit secretary Dominic Raab and Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey in the wake of a five-hour Cabinet meeting to agree the deal.

At the stormy ministerial marathon Miss McVey was said to have demanded a formal vote on the deal but was rebuked by the PM.

Mrs May responded by bringing former Home Secretary Amber Rudd back into Cabinet to replace Miss McVey at the DWP.

Ms Rudd, once seen as a 'human shield' for the PM, told the Tory plotters they should 'think again', saying it was 'not the time' to change the party leader.

She said: 'I worry sometimes that my colleagues are too concerned about the Westminster bubble rather than keeping their eye on what our job is, to serve people.'

She resigned as Home Secretary during the Windrush scandal but a later inquiry blamed civil servants for the error which led to her departure.

The little-known Stephen Barclay was appointed the new Brexit Secretary but the role has been slimmed down after Mr Raab and David Davis quit within months.

Downing Street will now take care of negotiations with Brussels itself, while the new minister oversees domestic preparations, including for a no-deal exit.

Chris Grayling (left) and Penny Mordaunt (right) were among the ministers tipped to resign but stayed on in a bid to force changes to the Brexit deal from inside the Cabinet

As March 29 draws nearer Britain could be faced with a cliff-edge Brexit if Parliament votes down Mrs May's deal.

Her DUP partners in Northern Ireland have voiced fears about the deal and it is not certain they will back the PM in next month's Commons vote.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has voiced fears the backstop proposals would give Northern Ireland a competitive advantage by offering businesses easier access to the single market.

With the parliamentary arithmetic under close scrutiny Northern Ireland's sole independent MP said she is considering voting for the proposed EU withdrawal agreement.

A no-deal Brexit would enrage much of the business community which has warned it would be catastrophic for the economy and jobs.

Momentum has grown behind calls for a second referendum or 'people's vote' but the PM has rejected them and Labour has said it would rather fight a general election.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox (pictured) is also said to be among the 'Gang of Five' plotters who have demanded changes to Mrs May's Brexit withdrawal agreement

Grant Shapps, MP for Welwyn Hatfield, Hertfordshire, implied he'd lost faith in the PM's Brexit plan. He could bring the figure to 38 if he hands in his no confidence vote

Brexiteer MP Henry Smith was one of a reported 37 MPs to hand in their letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister. Twenty-three MPs went public, while 14 handed them in discreetly

Jacob Rees-Mogg (pictured outside the Commons on Thursday) sensationally launched the campaign to remove Theresa May, threatening her position in the Commons before holding a press conference naming possible successors

How Brexiteers would get rid of Theresa May Brexiteers have attempted a coup against Theresa May in fury at her draft deal with the EU - but they will have to navigate Tory rules to force her out. The Prime Minister insisted she plans to 'see this through' to make clear to the rebels she will not quit voluntarily. This is how the Tory Party rules work: What is the mechanism for removing the Tory leader? Tory Party rules allow the MPs to force a vote of no confidence in their leader. How is that triggered? A vote is in the hands of the chairman of the Tory Party's backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady. A vote of no confidence must be held if 15 per cent of Tory MPs write to the chairman. Currently that threshold is 48 MPs. Letters are confidential unless the MP sending it makes it public. This means only Sir Graham knows how many letters there are. This possible delay could give Mrs May a 'grace period' where she knows a contest is imminent but not yet public knowledge. How is a vote announced? There are few fixed rules but Sir Graham is likely to inform Downing Street or the Chief Whip and then make a public announcement. Sir Graham is likely to check with the MPs who have sent him a letter before making an announcement in case any of them want to withdraw. This will happen secretly. How will the vote happen? After it is announced, a vote will happen quickly, with Tory MPs invited to cast a secret ballot in a Commons committee room. Voting will be open for one day and Sir Graham will announce the result at the end. What needs to happen for Theresa May to win? Officially, Mrs May only needs to win a simple majority of Tory MPs - currently that is 158 MPs. Politically, winning by one would be devastating. If more than 100 MPs vote against her, most observers think she would be finished. What happens if she loses? Mrs May is sacked as Tory leader and Sir Graham will announce a leadership contest. She cannot stand in the contest. She will probably stay on as Prime Minister until a replacement is elected but have no political power or authority to do anything. What happens next? In a Tory leadership contest, any MP can stand with a proposer and seconder. Tory MPs vote several times a week on the candidates with the last place candidate being removed from the race at each ballot. When there are only two candidates remaining, a run off is held among all Tory members in the country. How long will it take? The first phase depends on how many candidates there are. A large field could mean a fortnight or more of regular ballots. In the past, the second round has taken anywhere from four to 12 twelve weeks - but some think a vote of Tory members could be finished in just a week. Advertisement

Is May's deal already sunk? 100 Tories, the DUP and Labour have come out against - leaving her staring at defeat on December 11 Theresa May's task of getting her Brexit deal past the House of Commons is looking near-impossible as opposition mounts. The 'meaningful vote' promised to MPs will happen on December 11 and is the single biggest hurdle to the Brexit deal happening - as well as being the key to Mrs May' fate as PM. But despite opinion polls suggesting the public might be coming round to her deal, there is little sign of a shift among politicians. Remainers have been stepping up calls for a second referendum in the wake of Sam Gyimah's resignation as universities minister over the weekend - while Brexiteers including Boris Johnson have accused Mrs May of betrayal. Mrs May needs at least 318 votes in the Commons if all 650 MPs turns up - but can probably only be confident of around 230 votes. The number is less than half because the four Speakers, 7 Sinn Fein MPs and four tellers will not take part. The situation looks grim for Mrs May and her whips: now the deal has been published, over 100 of her own MPs and the 10 DUP MPs have publicly stated they will join the Opposition parties in voting No. This means the PM could have as few as 225 votes in her corner - leaving 410 votes on the other side, a landslide majority 185. This is how the House of Commons might break down: Mrs May needs at least 318 votes in the Commons if all 650 MPs turns up - but can probably only be confident of around 230 votes. Mrs May needs at least 318 votes in the Commons if all 650 MPs turns up - but can probably only be confident of around 230 votes. The Government (plus various hangers-on) Who are they: All members of the Government are the so-called 'payroll' vote and are obliged to follow the whips orders or resign. It includes the Cabinet, all junior ministers, the whips and unpaid parliamentary aides. There are also a dozen Tory party 'vice-chairs and 17 MPs appointed by the PM to be 'trade envoys'. How many of them are there? 178. What do they want? For the Prime Minister to survive, get her deal and reach exit day with the minimum of fuss. Many junior ministers want promotion while many of the Cabinet want to be in a position to take the top job when Mrs May goes. How will they vote? With the Prime Minister. European Research Group Brexiteers demanding a No Confidence Vote Who are they: The most hard line of the Brexiteers, they launched a coup against Mrs May after seeing the divorce. Led by Jacob Rees-Mogg and Steve Baker. How many of them are there: 26 What do they want: The removal of Mrs May and a 'proper Brexit'. Probably no deal now, with hopes for a Canada-style deal later. How will they vote: Against the Prime Minister. Other Brexiteers in the ERG Who are they: There is a large block of Brexiteer Tory MPs who hate the deal but have so far stopped short of moving to remove Mrs May - believing that can destroy the deal instead. They include ex Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith and ex minister Owen Paterson. Ex ministers like Boris Johnson and David Davis are also in this group - they probably want to replace Mrs May but have not publicly moved against her. How many of them are there? Around 50. What do they want? The ERG has said Mrs May should abandon her plans for a unique trade deal and instead negotiate a 'Canada plus plus plus' deal. This is based on a trade deal signed between the EU and Canada in August 2014 that eliminated 98 per cent of tariffs and taxes charged on goods shipped across the Atlantic. The EU has long said it would be happy to do a deal based on Canada - but warn it would only work for Great Britain and not Northern Ireland. How will they vote: Against the Prime Minister. Remain including the People's Vote supporters Who are they: Tory MPs who believe the deal is just not good enough for Britain. They include the group of unrepentant Remainers who want a new referendum like Anna Soubry and ex-ministers who quit over the deal including Jo Johnson and Phillip Lee. How many of them are there: Maybe around 10. What do they want? To stop Brexit. Some want a new referendum, some think Parliament should step up and say no. A new referendum would take about six months from start to finish and they group wants Remain as an option on the ballot paper, probably with Mrs May's deal as the alternative. How will they vote? Against the Prime Minister. Moderates in the Brexit Delivery Group (BDG) and other Loyalists Who are they? A newer group, the BDG counts members from across the Brexit divide inside the Tory Party. It includes former minister Nick Boles and MPs including Remainer Simon Hart and Brexiteer Andrew Percy. There are also lots of unaligned Tory MPs who are desperate to talk about anything else. How many of them are there? Based on public declarations, about 48 MPs have either said nothing or backed the deal. What do they want? The BDG prioritises delivering on Brexit and getting to exit day on March 29, 2019, without destroying the Tory Party or the Government. If the PM gets a deal the group will probably vote for it. It is less interested in the exact form of the deal but many in it have said Mrs May's Chequers plan will not work. Mr Boles has set out a proposal for Britain to stay in the European Economic Area (EEA) until a free trade deal be negotiated - effectively to leave the EU but stay in close orbit as a member of the single market. How will they vote? With the Prime Minister. The DUP Who are they? The Northern Ireland Party signed up to a 'confidence and supply' agreement with the Conservative Party to prop up the Government. They are Unionist and say Brexit is good but must not carve Northern Ireland out of the Union. How many of them are there? 10. What do they want? A Brexit deal that protects Northern Ireland inside the UK. How will they vote? Against the Prime Minister on the grounds they believe the deal breaches the red line of a border in the Irish Sea. Labour Loyalists Who are they? Labour MPs who are loyal to Jeremy Corbyn and willing to follow his whipping orders. How many of them are there? Up to 250 MPs depending on exactly what Mr Corbyn orders them to do. What do they want? Labour policy is to demand a general election and if the Government refuses, 'all options are on the table', including a second referendum. Labour insists it wants a 'jobs first Brexit' that includes a permanent customs union with the EU. It says it is ready to restart negotiations with the EU with a short extension to the Article 50 process. The party says Mrs May's deal fails its six tests for being acceptable. How will they vote? Against the Prime Minister's current deal. Labour Rebels Who are they? A mix of MPs totally opposed to Mr Corbyn's leadership, some Labour Leave supporters who want a deal and some MPs who think any deal will do at this point. How many of them are there? Maybe 10 to 20 MPs but this group is diminishing fast - at least for the first vote on the deal. What do they want? An orderly Brexit and to spite Mr Corbyn. How will they vote? With the Prime Minister. Other Opposition parties Who are they? The SNP, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, Green Caroline Lucas and assorted independents. How many of them are there? About 60 MPs. How will they vote? Mostly against the Prime Minister - though two of the independents are suspended Tories and two are Brexiteer former Labour MPs. Advertisement
A 400-foot-long, 50-foot-high film advertisement adorning the front of a cinema in London has been described as 'classist' and 'racist'.

The IMAX in Waterloo, central London, drew criticism mainly from those south of the Thames when it showed the message 'Welcome to South London, this is your last chance to turn around.'

The message ran alongside a huge advertisement for the new Grinch movie that IMAX is showing.

'Welcome to South London. This is your last chance to turn around.' on front of Waterloo IMAX

The advertisement seems to have offended quite a few people, with a slew of comments denouncing it online. One man even likened the advertisement to 'racist' and 'classist' attitudes.

James Afsa said on Twitter: 'Welcome to South London. This is your last chance to turn around'

'Nope. Not finding this funny @BFI Imax Waterloo - snobbery of South London is based on classist and racist stereotypes.

A second message read: 'You are now heading north of the river. Try to contain your excitement.'

'Genuinely tried hard not to be a Grinch about this but too much #SouthLondonPride'.

Some people said that the message perpetuates the 'snobbish' North-South divide in London.

On Twitter James Afsa wrote: 'Nope. Not finding this funny @BFI Imax Waterloo - snobbery of South London is based on classist and racist stereotypes'

Another person using the handle @isamyelyah said she would be boycotting the cinema in response to the 'vile anti south London slander'

A second message on the same screen read: 'You are now heading north of the river. Try to contain your excitement.'

A woman using the handle @isamyelyah said she would even be boycotting the cinema in response to the 'vile anti south London slander'.

She tweeted: 'Will be boycotting the new grinch film due to vile anti south london slander on the giant ad for it on the waterloo roundabout imax'.

Replying to a tweet by The Grinch movie's official Twitter page, James Mattey voiced his displeasure at the advertisement.

Richard Grant-brown tweeted: 'Unbelievable arrogance to think you can insult the area in which you exist'

He said: 'Your advert on the Waterloo @IMAX suggesting that North is better than South London prevents me from seeing your film.

'How many people did the ad go through? All of them saying 'Good work, 50k well spent' add your own invective. Rubbish.'

Posting on Facebook, Shayanna Harris shared images of the contentious advertisement with the message: 'This is out of Order!! I do not think this is acceptable at all! Who thought this was ok??!!'

Posting on Facebook, Shayanna Harris called message out of order but others found it funny

Ferron Gray tagged BFI in response, saying: 'Who thought this was a good idea? A mile from Peckham? There are Post Code wars and kids are getting stabbed daily. But yet you go and do this foolishness! Are you mad?'

Robbie Travers and others did find the message funny however, he said: 'Absolutely hilarious - get a life and a sense of humour'.

Sidney Taylor simply asked: 'Whats the problem?'

The drum-shaped cinema is wrapped by a 393 foot-long, 47 foot-high advertising canvas that gets seen by 3.5 million adults over two weeks, the highest adult reach of any single site in the country, according to its advertising sales partner Ocean Outdoor.

The site is hugely popular with deep-pocketed brands that want to stand out and is said to cost in the region of 200,000 to book for a fortnight, including production, according to Campaignlive.

The cinema is owned by the British Film Institute and run by Odeon, both have been contacted for comment.
The husband of an American woman who plunged from the top deck of a Caribbean cruise ship is reportedly not a suspect in her death despite witness accounts that the pair had a volatile altercation.

Aruba newspaper Diario reported that the 52-year-old woman was seen struggling with a muscular man who was allegedly choking her before throwing her over the railing on the 16th deck. She landed on a lifeboat nine floors below.

Horrified passengers said the woman's leg was torn off in the fall, creating a gruesome scene with glass everywhere.

The husband, who is also American, was hauled off the ship by authorities in Aruba on Tuesday morning. The FBI is currently investigating the incident alongside officials in Aruba.

According to Diario, cruise ship officials say the husband is not considered a suspect in the death investigation as authorities await autopsy results.

The fight reportedly began at the ship's casino, on the Lido deck on the 16th floor, around 10.30pm. The woman plummeted from the deck at 4am, landing on deck 7 on Lifeboat 2

A man was hauled off a cruise ship after a woman was allegedly choked and pushed off a balcony, severing her leg after the couple reportedly had a volatile altercation during a Caribbean getaway. Pictured is the section of the ship which has been closed off by police. Circled are the police lines used to cordon off the crime scene

The Royal Princess is pictured arriving at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday

The Royal Princess had embarked on an eight-day cruise around the Caribbean on November 9 and returned to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday.

Passenger Logan Tignor described the horrifying incident on a video call with CBS News, saying: 'It's surreal and I'm kind of traumatized for it. I never would expect that it would happen on vacation.'

Passenger Logan Tignor described the horrifying incident on a video call with CBS News, saying: 'It's surreal and I'm kind of traumatized for it. I never would expect that it would happen on vacation'

Photos from the scene obtained by DailyMail.com show yellow tape cordoning off the area around and below the lifeboat.

Earlier this week a spokeswoman for Aruban prosecutors confirmed to DailyMail.com that the man taken off the boat was the woman's partner and that the woman's death is being treated as 'unnatural'.

Local investigators have performed an autopsy to establish how the woman died. The FBI is also carrying out its own investigation.

The name of the victim and the man taken off the boat have not been released. No arrests have been made yet.

A source aboard the ship told DailyMail.com: 'We are sailing the southern Caribbean. It's the ship that [British TV station] ITV used for their show ''The Cruise''. It was two passengers they had a row in the casino that night.'

For the first time, we are hearing from passengers who were on the cruise ship where an American woman mysteriously died.



The 52-year-old woman died Tuesday morning, after reportedly plunging from the upper deck of a Royal Princess cruise ship. pic.twitter.com/cWUxQbYWQ2  CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) November 16, 2018

The man, described as being muscular, allegedly strangled the woman before tossing her from the ship's 16th deck. Aruba investigators (pictured) are now performing an autopsy to establish if the woman was choked to death or died from the fall

'The gossip on board is rife. We were all woken at 4.30am by a security alert by the captain. We will be at sea for two days from today heading to Fort Lauderdale.'

A second source added: 'We can literally see the lifeboat from our room. Blood and broken glass all over it.

Another passenger said: 'We are on this ship too. Ten police officers came aboard. The announcement was a criminal investigation was to be conducted before we are given clearance. Two couples were asked repeatedly to go to customer relations.'

The fight reportedly began at the ship's casino, on the Lido deck on the 16th floor, around 10.30pm.

The woman plummeted from the deck at 4am, landing on deck 7 on Lifeboat 2.

Princess Cruises said in a statement to DailyMail.com: 'Princess Cruises can confirm that a 52-year-old American female guest passed away early yesterday morning aboard Royal Princess as the ship was enroute to Aruba.

'It was reported to the local authorities who met and boarded the ship upon arrival. The cause of death is not yet known at this time.

'We are deeply saddened by this incident and offer our sincere condolences to the family and those affected.'

Princess Royal departed Aruba at 10pm on Wednesday night, heading towards Kralendijk, Bonaire.

The massive cruise ship has a guest capacity of 3,600 at double occupancy.

At its launch in Southampton, England in 2013, the ship was christened by the Duchess of Cambridge, who became the vessel's 'godmother'.

The cruise ship (pictured) has a capacity of 3,600 at double occupancy. Neither the woman who died nor the man who was taken off the boat have been named
Women across Ireland could go on strike over how rape trials are conducted after a jury were told a 17-year-old's underwear suggested consent, an Irish MP has revealed.

The lawyer of a 27-year-old man who has been cleared of rape, argued that the trial should consider whether the young woman's clothing and lace thong meant she had consented to sex.

Following the trial, which sparked anger across the country, MP Ruth Coppinger has suggested that woman may strike in a bid to protest against how rape trials are conducted, the Times reports.

Women could go on strike over how rape trials are conducted after a jury were told a 17-year-old's underwear suggested consent, following protests where they have been displaying their underwear (pictured)

Referencing the Google employees who walked out after one of the company bosses received a pay out after sexually harassing a colleague, Ms Coppinger told RTE News at One that it's the kind of action needed.

In order to prove her point Ms Coppinger brandished a black thong around Ireland's parliament, the Dail, to air her outrage at how the case had been handled.

Since the trial women have been posted images of their underwear on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #ThisIsNotConsent, to highlight the damaging nature of including a women's choice of clothing in cases.

Minister Ruth Coppinger also held up a pair of pants in the Irish parliament, asking the Prime Minister: 'How heroic do you have to be to pursue a rape trial in this country?'

Protests have been held in Dublin, Limerick and Belfast as well as one in Cork on Wednesday, where around 400 women hung thongs on the railings of the courthouse where the trial had been held.

Ms Coppinger said that defence teams in past rape cases have used clothing, fake fan and type of contraception as validation of consent.

Rape Crisis Network said that a maximum of ten per cent of rapes were reported, and one in 40 of these cases the rapists were brought to an appropriate level of justice, Ms Coppinger added.

The protest was prompted after the accused rapist's lawyer mentioned the fact that the victim was wearing a lace thong, and said it showed that she 'was open to being with someone'

Hundreds of women marched in Dublin on Wednesday carrying banners with the hashtag 'ThisIsNotConsent' on them, after an online campaign started the movement

She said: 'How heroic and what levels of fortitude must a woman have to pursue a rape trial in this country?

'It might seem incongruous or embarrassing to show a thong in the Dail but I do so to highlight how a rape victim feels at her underwear being shown in the incongruous setting on a courtroom.'

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said that the treatment of alleged rape victims should be investigated by the government.

The campaign started online after women began sharing pictures of their underwear in order to 'dispel the myth' that clothing gives an indication of consent

He added that there was 'no doubt' over the fact that the victim is never to blame as nobody asks to be raped.

It is irrelevant what they chose to wear, where they were and who they were there with and whether they were intoxicated, he said.

It has been suggested by political party Sinn Fein that it intends to amend the sexual offences bill which would ban any reference to women's clothing during these trials.
A Russian interior ministry official is said to be in line to become the next head of international policing agency, Interpol.

Major General Alexander Prokopchuk was named as the likely successor to former president, Hongwei Meng, who was arrested by Chinese authorities over alleged corruption.

He is currently the chief of the Russian Interior Ministry's National Central Bureau of Interpol, a post he has held for the past two years and is also the vice-president of the agency - the first Russian to ever hold the post.

The potential appointment would increase concerns already levelled at Moscow that Russia has been using the international policing agency to target political opponents.

The Kremlin has been accused of trying to use Interpol's international arrest warrant system of 'red notices', to stop political opponents travelling and freeze their bank accounts so they can be extradited back to Russia.

Chief of the Russian Interior Ministry's National Central Bureau of Interpol, Major General Alexander Prokopchuk, has been named the likely successor of Hongwei Meng as head of the policing agency

Opponents such as US businessman and Vladimir Putin critic, Bill Browder, journalist and environment activist, Petr Silaev, Chechen exiled opposition leader Akhmed Zakayev and anti-corruption activist Nikita Kulachenkov has all been detained under these notices.

Similar notices have also been issued under a British request for the Russian agents accused of poisoning Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury - Alexander Mishkin and Anatoliy Chepiga.

Today Browder, who claims Russia has used Interpol six times to abuse him, compared the appointment to Nazi Germany's control of the agency in the 1930s.

He tweeted: 'Russian tipped to take over Interpol in Kremlin victory. This is absolutely astonishing, but not without precedent. Nazi Germany took over Interpol in the 1930s.'

Meng was missing for several days last month before the Chinese authorities confirmed he had been detained over bribery allegations.

Russia's use of Interpol 'red notices' has been questioned after US businessman and Vladimir Putin critic, Bill Browder (left) and Chechen exiled envoy Akhmed Zakayev (right) have been detained under the controversial warrants

The potential appointment of Alexander Prokopchuk has increased concerns that Russia has been using the international policing agency to target political opponents

A letter of resignation, purporting to come from Meng, was later sent to Interpol informing it of his decision to step down as president.

His wife, Grace, who is in hiding in France, revealed he sent her a text message with a knife emoji on the day he went missing and she remains 'extremely' concerned about his safety.

Her husband, whose whereabouts are still unknown, is the latest high-profile target to be ensnared in China's sweeping anti-corruption campaign as Interpol was accused of colluding with Russia over his detention.

Prokopchuk, who has had a long career at the interior ministry and was promoted to major general of police in 2011, is thought to be one of only two candidates in for the top job at the global crime agency.

The other front-runner is said to be the acting head of Interpol, Kim Jong Yang, of South Korea, the Times reports.

Former Interpol President Meng Hongwei is still missing after he was detained by Chinese authorities on bribery allegations and he stepped down as boss of the agency

British government officials say Prokopchuk is likely to win next week's election and are concerned as the Russian interior ministry made many controversial requests for red notice during his tenure as one of four vice-presidents of Interpol.

David Clark, a former foreign office special adviser, told the Times: 'Mr Prokopchuk is a problem because he was the person in the Russian interior ministry who was responsible for concocting many of these fabricated red notice requests when he was a Russian government official.'

Elections of the head of the organisation are scheduled for next Wednesday in Dubai.

Before the election, the agency will request a full report of the country which citizen is the candidate for the post of president of Interpol.
Five migrants caught entering the UK either by lorry or container ship will be 'passed into the care of social services' after claiming to be children.

The males, who are now in Home Office custody, were detained by security guards yesterday after they were discovered at Killingholme port.

It is understood they were arrested after they arrived on a ship from Europe.

The migrants will now be placed into the care of social services after telling the Home Office they are minors from Sudan and Libya.

A photo shows them sat on a wall, wrapped in dark clothing, shortly after they were discovered.

The five men, who are in Home Office custody and will be placed into the care of social services, say they are children from Libya and Sudan

A spokesman for the Home Office said: 'At about 3.20pm this afternoon (November 16) five males were encountered at Killingholme port.

'All five, who claimed to be minors and presented themselves as Sudanese and Libyan nationals, are currently in the custody of Border Force officers.

'They will be passed into the care of social services.

'Their cases will be dealt with according to the immigration rules.'

The group were pictured sat on a wall on the dock estate while security officers guarded them with dogs.

It is believed the group jumped out of a van and tried to make a run for it but were pursued and detained by security officers.

The males were detained by security guards on Friday afternoon, after they were discovered at Killingholme port

Border Force officials are now investigating how the men, who have been transported either by lorry or on a container ship, came to be within the dock complex operated by ABP.

Huge scanners are operated by Border Force at Humber Sea Terminal at North Killingholme in an attempt to find any stowaways.

The force has also had success in discovering massive hauls of drugs and counterfeit goods being illegally imported through the docks.

Drugs worth an estimated 27million were found in September, and last month a further 3million stash was found in a container of fruit juice.
At least 12,000 Greeks took to the streets of Athens on Saturday during an annual demonstration marking the 45th anniversary of a 1973 student revolt against a US-backed junta.

The march was held amid tight security with more than 5,000 officers deployed and drones and a police helicopter hovering over the central Syntagma Square, which has often become a battleground in previous demonstrations.

Some marchers held banners with slogans denouncing fascism, imperialism, NATO and US foreign wars as well as austerity.

Protesters took to the streets of Athens on Saturday during a demonstration, heading to the US consulate, Thessaloniki, in north Greece

The demonstrators were paying homage to the victims of a 1973 uprising against the military junta that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974. The 1973 uprising at the Athens Polytechnic saw at least 24 people killed

The march on November 17 was held amid tight security and saw more than 5,000 officers deployed to the central Syntagma Square

Protesters were seen shouting slogans during a demonstration, in front of the US embassy, in Athens. Events were being held throughout Greece to mark the 45th anniversary of the student uprising of 17 November 1973

There were also some 7,500 demonstrators in Greece's second largest city Thessaloniki.

At least 24 people were killed in the 1973 military crackdown on the student uprising at the Athens Polytechnic. The event is generally considered to have broken the junta's grip on power and helped the restoration of democracy.

In recent years demonstrators have used the anniversary to voice opposition to the harsh austerity measures imposed on Greece by its international creditors after the global financial crisis.

Some protesters were seen standing in a line as they held flags during the annual demonstration gathering outside the American embassy

Protesters shouted chants as they marched to the U.S. embassy during a rally marking the 45th anniversary of a 1973 student uprising against the military dictatorship that once ruled Greece

The 1973 military crackdown is generally considered to have broken the junta's grip on power and helped the restoration of democracy

Protesters burnt a U.S. flag during Saturday's annual demonstration outside the American embassy

'This anniversary means a continuous battle for our freedom, for our democracy and shows how timeless the slogans we chant are, ' Maria Marougadaki, a doctor protesting in Athens told AFP.

On Friday, youths gathered outside the Athens Polytechnic booed a group of government officials over the austerity measures and prevented them from paying their respects at the memorial to the victims of the uprising.

Protesters and soldiers locked arms and sang chants as they head to the US embassy, in Athens, Greece

Protesters were sen shouting slogans as they marched to the U.S. embassy during Saturday's rally. There were said to be some 7,500 demonstrators in Greece's second largest city Thessaloniki

Protesters were sen shouting slogans as a man stood with a megaphone during the annual demonstration gathering outside the American embassy on Saturday

During the demonstration marchers were seen carrying a bloodstained Greek flag through the center of Athens. The bloodstained Greek flag that flew over the Polytechnic that night is traditionally carried during the demonstration in the capital

Over the years protesters have used the anniversary as a chance to voice their opposition to the harsh austerity measures imposed on Greece by its international creditors

An anti-riot policeman was pictured walking past flames as a petrol bomb exploded in downtown Athens. Following the rally commemorating the 1973 student revolt clashes were seen in the city

Police took to the streets after petrol bombs and bottles were hurled in central Athens after an anti-government rally

Young anarchists clashed with members of the SYRIZA ruling party during a demonstration, in front of the US embassy, in Athens, Greece, on November 17

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras the country's first radical leftist leader, who was born the year the junta fell, hailed the commemoration.

He called for 'new fights' against fascism, the far right and 'neo-liberal absolutism'.

The anti-junta demonstration is a treasured anniversary for many Greeks.

The bloodstained Greek flag that flew over the Polytechnic that night is traditionally carried through the streets during the demonstration in the capital.

Following the rally commemorating the 1973 students uprising against the US-backed military junta clashes were seen breaking out between demonstrators and petrol bombs were hurled in downtown Athens.

One protestor was seen throwing a chair during clashes with anti-riot police following the rally

Police (left) use a water cannon following a rally marking the 45th anniversary of a 1973 student uprising. In another scene a riot policeman (right) tries to avoid a petrol bomb during clashes in the Athens neighborhood of Exarchia

A riot policeman tries to avoid being engulfed by flames during clashes that broke after a demonstration in Greece

Flames from petrol bombs burn after exploding close to anti-riot police officers in downtown Athens
Dana Michelle Lawrence, 45, was freed from federal prison in August after 18 months

A daughter left heartbroken by her con-artist mother's scams is warning potential marks not to fall prey to her deceptions.

Kennedy Wilmers, 21, spoke out on NBC's Today Show on Friday about her life growing up on the run with mother Dana Michelle Lawrence, 45, who was freed from prison in August after serving 18 months.

Lawrence was convicted of a single count of identity fraud, but the FBI says she duped a string of attorneys, pilots and even a rabbi over the course of more than 20 years by using 19 different aliases across 16 states.

'She's already back on Facebook, saying she's a grant writer. She has these credentials, graduated from Harvard  total lies,' Kennedy said. 'She's putting herself out there to scam more people, innocent people.'

'Just knowing her for as long as I did, I know her and her tendencies and she doesn't feel bad for what she's done,' said Kennedy.

Lawrence's daughter Kennedy Wilmers, 21, spoke out in an interview with the Today Show about how her mother used her in her scams - and warned men to be on the lookout

Lawrence, seen in a 2017 interrogation, taunted investigators that they would never discover all of her crimes. The FBI says her scams spanned 20 years using 19 aliases across 16 states

Investigators say that Lawrence would often seek out single men without children who seemed eager to settle down and present herself as wealthy and successful.

'She would tell them that she was an Ivy League-educated attorney, that she came from incredible wealth, that her father was deceased, her mother was a doctor with Doctors Without Borders, working in Africa. She said that her family had connections to the royal family,' FBI Special Agent Mark Hastbacka told NBC.

Soon, sometimes after just one date, Lawrence would claim to be pregnant, squeezing money and jewelry out men who just wanted to do right by her.

'She preys on good people,' Kevin Little, who met Lawrence in 2001 when he was bartending in Orlando, told NBC. 'She's good at finding good people.'

She left a a $200 tip on a $70 tab, claiming she was was in town to take care of her sick mother, Little said. Flashing a corporate card from Lucasfilm, Lawrence claimed she worked in New York City for Star Wars creator George Lucas.

After a one-night stand, Lawrence said she was pregnant. She did give birth to a daughter, but then skipped town with the girl.

Kevin Little met Lawrence in 2001 when he was bartending in Orlando. 'She's good at finding good people,' he said

Little never gave up on seeing his daughter Avery though, and was able to regain custody in 2005 when Lawrence was arrested on fraud charges in New York.

In 2006, Lawrence completed consecutive one-year prison terms for fraud-related offenses she committed in New York and Rhode Island.

After Lawrence was released, she was required to serve a nine-year probation in connection and pay restitution - but she skipped town and fled.

Over the years, Lawrence had six children with six different men.

Though she often abandoned them and gave two up for adoption, Kennedy became her constant partner in crime at a young age, the daughter says.

Kennedy describes how her mother would often claim that she was her niece, saying her parents had died of cancer, or in a car crash - whatever seemed most likely to tug at the heart strings.

Then came the pleas for cash to support the orphaned 'niece', Kennedy said.

Lawrence (left and right since her release) had six children with six different men over the years. Investigators say she would squeeze romantic interests for cash by claiming she was pregnant with their child after a single date or one-night stand

'I asked her, "Why do I have to say my mom died?" and she just always came up with excuses and was just very firm and strict. I would get in a lot of trouble if I would slip up,' recalled Kennedy.

When Kennedy was 12 or 13, she got fed up with the constant moving from place to place, which her mom claimed was in order to flee an abusive ex.

'I said "No. I love my friends, I love my school and I'm tired of running,"' Kennedy said.

'She told me that's fine but that she has to go. So she basically went back up to the apartment, she wrote a handwritten letter, giving custody to [the landlord] and then she left.'

The end of the line for Lawrence came in May of 2017, when she was volunteering as a grant writer for the city of Nashua, New Hampshire under the name Genna Kaplan.

Officials grew suspicious of her persistent requests for bank routing numbers for city accounts, and her erratic response when confronted about it. They called in the FBI.

Agent Hastbacka managed to bring Lawrence in for questioning before she skipped town. There was no record of a 'Genna Kaplan'.

FBI Special Agent Mark Hastbacka was called in after officials in Nashua became suspicious over Lawrence persistently inquiring about city bank routing numbers

Investigators are seen questioning Lawrence in May 2017. She eventually admitted she'd been living under a false name and taunted the FBI that it would never find all her crimes

Eventually, Lawrence gave up her real name. Even then, there were no records - no taxes, bank accounts or utility bills listing Dana Lawrence. She was a ghost.

As Hastbacka took her into custody, he says that Lawrence bragged he'd never known the extent of her crimes.

'She challenged me that I only knew 20 percent of what she's done over the years, and I would never be able to figure it out,' Hastbacka said. 'So, challenge accepted.'

Based on the fact that she had rented her apartment under a false identity in New Hampshire, Lawrence was charged with and convicted of using someone else's Social Security card. No other charges could be brought because of the statute of limitations, officials said.

When Hastbacka called Kennedy to tell her of her mother's arrest, she recalls thinking 'it finally happened'.

'I knew everything at that point, how my whole life was a lie and she was a terrible person,' Kennedy said.

Half-sisters Kennedy (left) and Avery (right) have now reunited with their other siblings, and plan to meet for Thanksgiving dinner next week in Charleston, South Carolina

Lawrence did not respond to a message from DailyMail.com seeking comment.

Since going free from prison in August, Lawrence has launched a website, on which she claims to be a 'grant writer, advocate, and development strategist'.

'As I look to my next 30 years of service with great enthusiasm and humility, I am grateful to have the devotion of my family, countless supporters, and the grace of my God at every turn,' she writes on the site.

Kennedy, Avery and Lawrence's two other children who were not put up for adoption have now reunited. They and their jilted fathers now consider themselves one big family - one that is ready to put Lawrence's wrongdoings behind them.

'Despite what she's ruined for us we still have each other and that's the most important part,' said Kennedy.

Next week, they all plan to get together for Thanksgiving dinner in Charleston, South Carolina.

'For a lot of my life, I hoped one day she would come to her senses and we would be a happy mother-daughter family, but I think that a few years ago I finally came to the realization that that's never going to happen,' said Kennedy. 'I just need to live life the best way I can.'
Two Oregon inmates who had nearly finished their jail sentences now face multiple felony charges after allegedly getting drunk on hand sanitizer while on a supervised work detail, stealing a Sheriff's Office four-wheeler and making a run for it.

Shawn McCallister, 34, and Christopher Turre, 30, are accused of drinking 120-proof sanitizing solution during their workday at the sheriffs office animal rescue facility southeast of Bend, ramming through a gate on an ATV and fleeing from custody late on Wednesday morning.

Both McCallister, who drove the ATV, and Turre were captured within a couple of hours, and slapped with a slew of new charges which could earn them some serious jail time.

The timing of the escape attempt is odd, as Turre was due to be released on his current charges on November 22 and McCallister was set to get out of jail on December 7.

Now, both men have a court date scheduled for November 21, with bond in the new cases set for each of them at $50,000, Deschutes County Sheriff's Lieutenant Joshua McGowan told DailyMail.com.

Oregon inmates Shawn McCallister, 34 (right), and Christopher Turre, 30 (left), now face multiple felony charges after allegedly getting drunk on hand sanitizer while on a supervised work detail, stealing a Sheriff's Office four-wheeler and making a run for it, just days and weeks before their respective release dates

McCallister was serving a 90-day sentence in jail on parole and probation violations on charges of reckless endangering, heroin possession, first-degree theft and criminal driving with a suspended license, according to a news release from the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office.

Turre was in for 100 days on first- and second-degree criminal mischief charges.

'Both of them have been out here at the rescue ranch, helping with the horses, and they really liked the work, because it's part of giving back to the community,' Sheriff's Captain Michael Shults told KTVZ. 'So were a little shocked they would leave.'

But they did, after becoming 'very intoxicated' on the hand sanitizing solution that contains 60 percent alcohol, which they mixed with water and juice packs.

'Both of them have been out here at the rescue ranch, helping with the horses, and they really liked the work, because it's part of giving back to the community, so were a little shocked they would leave,' Sheriff's Captain Michael Shults said

McCallister and Turre were first noticed to be missing by the deputy in charge of supervising them at around 11.25am Pacific. They noted that the ranch gate had been forced open, Oregon Live reported.

A 911-caller also reported seeing two men speeding through the area on a four-wheeler, riding in circles, the sheriff's office said.

An Oregon State Police plane was used to help locate the two men and the four-wheeler, which was green with the word 'SHERIFF' emblazoned on it.

Turre was taken back into custody at around 12.30pm on national forest land, and McCallister was captured again 25 minutes later, after he had abandoned his ride and attempted to hide out in a field.

The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office couldn't disclose the level of intoxication the two men allegedly reached, but the disinfectant they allegedly consumed had a dangerous amount of alcohol in it, so even a small amount would render someone dangerously inebriated.

To compare, beer generally ranges from 5-10 percent alcohol, making it 10-20 proof, and wine generally ranges from 10-15 percent alcohol, making it 20-30 proof.

Liquor typically has a higher percentage of alcohol, averaging about 40 percent, or 80 proof, in most cases, according to alcohol.org.

In contrast, the 60 percent, or 120 proof, alcohol concentration allegedly drank by Turre and McCallister can kill you, according to Gallus Detox Centers.

'The side effects from drinking hand sanitizer to get high can lead to memory loss, vision problems, diarrhea and damage to internal organs,' a warning shared on the center's website reads.

'Individuals that drink hand sanitizer can experience alcohol poisoning, just as they can with beer, wine or distilled liquor, which can lead to coma and death.'

To add to this, 'hand sanitizer contains isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol and is toxic to your central nervous system,' the center said.

'The other added chemicals to hand sanitizer such as tocopheryl acetate, isoprophy myristate, benzophenone-4, glycerin, propylene glycol, carbomer and fragrance; can be just as dangerous and toxic to the central nervous system.'

There's also the additional concern of not knowing that chemicals may be in any added fragrance in the solution.

'This is the first time we've seen inmates mixing hand sanitizer,' sheriffs Sergeant William Bailey said.

'We have utilized our inmate work crews out at the ranch this year a lot because of the horses and the horse seizure,' he said.

'We're very thankful for the work that they've put in out there, and they've done a lot of great things for the ranch and the animals. But these two individuals made a really poor decision.'

Because of McCallister's and Turre's actions, inmates working at the ranch will no longer have direct access to the cleansing liquid.

Because of McCallister's and Turre's actions, inmates working at the ranch will no longer have direct access to the cleansing liquid. Now, both men have a court date scheduled for November 21, with bond in the new cases set for each of them at $50,000, Deschutes County Sheriff's Lieutenant Joshua McGowan told DailyMail.com

Instead, it will be kept secured and provided only as needed, Bailey said.

And as for Turre and McCallister, both men now face felony charges of first-degree criminal mischief and second-degree escape, as well as the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

McCalllister also faces the additional charges of driving under the influence of intoxicants, attempt to elude, reckless driving, reckless endangering and driving while suspended.

McCallister's driver's license had been suspended for 90 days, beginning in August.

If convicted, both Turre and McCallister could still enjoy some free time before being jailed again on the new charges.

With their current sentences ending very soon, they could each post bail to avoid remaining in custody, so long as their trials don't begin before their already scheduled release dates.

The state of Oregon requires 10 percent of bond up front for release, so each man would have to put up $5,000 to get out of jail while the new charges are adjudicated.
A Yale University graduate is suing the Ivy League school on allegations she was wrongly removed from campus after she sought counseling for depression as school officials worried about more negative publicity following two student suicides.

The lawsuit was filed on November 5 in federal court in New Jersey by a woman known only in court documents as 'Z.P.', the Yale Daily News reported on Friday.

A Yale spokeswoman says university officials do not comment on pending litigation.

The former student says Yale violated her constitutional rights by placing her on mandatory medical leave after she sought counseling in November 2016, the same month as the two suicides.

A Yale University (above) graduate is suing the Ivy League school on allegations she was wrongly removed from campus after she sought counseling for depression

She alleges she was unlawfully held for involuntary treatment at Yale-New Haven Hospital and hospital staff illegally gave her medical information to Yale officials.

She was reinstated in the fall of 2017 and graduated this year.

The allegations date to a period when two Yale undergraduates committed suicide in less than a week.

Hale Ross, a 20-year-old from Washington DC, committed suicide in his dorm room in Calhoun College on October 30, 2016.

Then on November 4, 2016, Rae Na Lee, a 20-year-old undergraduate from Seoul, South Korea, was found dead of a suicide in her New Haven home.

The alumna who filed the lawsuit says she approached her religious advisor expressing concern that the campus had returned to 'business as usual' so soon after the suicides, and was referred to campus Mental Health and Counseling.

Hale Ross (right), a 20-year-old from Washington DC, committed suicide in his dorm room in Calhoun College on October 30, 2016

On November 4, 2016, Rae Na Lee, a 20-year-old undergraduate from Seoul, South Korea, was found dead of a suicide in her New Haven home

The counseling center recommended that she seek hospital admission for treatment, and the hospital held her involuntarily after she was admitted, the suit claims.

Yale Health and the University then decided that the plaintiff should take a medical leave 'due to her health and the recent suicides of two students,' according to the suit.

The undergraduate begged to be be readmitted to Yale, saying her home life was far more stressful.

'Please let me continue to learn how not to be afraid, continue to grow and become an adult who is strong enough to make a better life for herself,' the student wrote in a November 11, 2016 letter appealing the University's decision. 'Please let me return to Yale and continue to help myself.'

Despite the appeal, she was not allowed to complete her fall 2016 semester or return in the following spring semester.

After returning to campus a year later, the court documents said that the mandated medical leave had the 'effect of ostracizing the Plaintiff from her peer group.'

'The Plaintiff noted that Yale was a refuge from her stressful home environment and that her environment away from Yale would be less conducive to her recovery,' the court document reads.

For confidential support call the National Suicide Prevention Line: 1-800-273-8255
John Bluthal, the actor who played Frank Pickle in The Vicar of Dibley has died aged 89.

Writing on Twitter, the comedy legend's co-star Dawn French led the tributes to her former co-star.

The comic actress posted a heartfelt message on Twitter after Bluthal's talent agency announced the news online.

John Bluthal, who played Frank Pickle in The Vicar of Dibley, top left, has died aged 89. His co-star Dawn French, pictured centre, paid tribute to the 'cheeky' star

Bluthal, pictured, appeared in a wide range of TV shows including Inspector Morse, pictured

French said: 'Tons of happy laughs remembered today. Cheeky, naughty, hilarious. Bye darlin Bluey.'

The post was accompanied by an image of Bluthal in the show, in which he played the secretary for the parish council.

Talent agency The Artist's Partnership wrote: 'We're sad to announce our wonderful client John Bluthal has passed away.

'Our thoughts are with his family at this time. John provided us all with years of laughter and entertainment. We will miss John hugely.'
A 'fantasist' who caused controversy after wearing a George Cross and SAS beret on Remembrance Sunday insists he is a war hero, despite officials saying he was never awarded the GC.

David Stocks, 63, wore the medal to a service at Chester Cathedral and laid down a wooden cross with the words 'SAS - in remembrance of men left behind in Afghanistan R.I.P.' scrawled on it.

But the local Cheshire Regiment, known as 1 Mercian, criticised Stocks, after he was spotted wearing his beret the wrong way and his medals were too far down his jacket.

A friend of David Stocks (pictured), 63, claimed the 'fantasist' bought all his medals on the internet

One of Stocks' friends said he was the 'biggest fantasist' who 'buys all his medals from eBay', the Sun Online reported.

Stocks was tracked to his ground floor flat in Barnsley, south Yorkshire and he insisted to the news outlet that he had been a member of the SAS and had won the George Cross.

Upon being asked about his prosthetic right leg he reportedly said: 'I don't like to talk about it'.

The official Victoria Cross and George Cross Association (VCGC) posted a statement regarding the incident with the headline 'BOGUS GC'.

It reads: 'Sadly, this individual felt the need to imply, by the wearing of the medal along with others that spanned over forty years of supposed service to the Nation, that he had been awarded the George Cross.

'For the removal of any doubt, he has not.

Stocks, 63, wore the GC to a service on the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day and laid down a wooden cross with the words 'SAS - in remembrance of men left behind in Afghanistan R.I.P.' scrawled on it

'The Association is not in a position to comment on the veracity of his other medals but we are grateful to The Chester Standard and to veterans of the 22nd Cheshire Regiment in particular who saw the unlikelihood of his medals for drawing our attention to this.'

The George Cross (GC) is the joint highest award among the UK honours system, awarded for gallantry not 'in the presence of the enemy'.

It is awarded both to members of the British armed forces as well as civilians, and can be awarded posthumously.

Retired Major Dominic Troulan became the first civilian in over 40 years to be awarded the honour after risking his life to save 200 people during a terror attack in Kenya in 2013.

Another recipient, retired ammunition technical officer Peter Norton, was deployed to Iraq in 2005, and went to help a US Army patrol that had been attacked by an IED.

After a secondary IED exploded, he lost his leg and a part of his arm, but continued giving instructions to his team, believing additional explosives could still be present, refusing to be evacuated until he was sure all personnel knew the danger.

A third device was discovered the following day.
Edward 'Jake' Wagner, one of four family members charged with killing eight members of the Rhoden family in rural Ohio in April 2016, is said to have filed for custody of the daughter he shared with one of the victims six days after the massacre

A suspect in the massacre of an Ohio family filed for custody of the daughter he shared with one of the victims six days after the slayings, which were believed to have involved a parenting dispute.

Defendant Edward 'Jake' Wagner is one of four members of a different family charged with killing eight members of the Rhoden family in April 2016.

The 26-year-old shared custody of a daughter with longtime former girlfriend Hanna Rhoden, one of the victims.

Wagner reportedly filed for custody of the child, then three years old, on April 28, six days after the Rhoden bodies were found shot execution-style in Piketon.

Court documents say Wagner and Rhoden broke off their relationship in September 2015 but agreed to share custody.

An attorney for the Wagners has said all four family members - Edward, George 'Billy' Wagner III, Angela Wagner and George Wagner IV - will be cleared of the aggravated murder charges.

George 'Billy' Wagner III (left), Angela Wagner (center) and George Wagner IV (right) have also been charged in the gruesome killings

The Wagners, from the rural southern Ohio village of Peebles, were all charged with planning and murdering the Rhoden family who lived in the neighboring village of Piketon, 11 miles away

A private property sign guards the boarded up garage near the trailer where the bodies of Dana Rhoden and her children, Chris Rhoden Jr, and Hanna Rhoden, were found on

The Wagner family was arrested this week after spending the past two years living a quiet life in Alaska.

In announcing the first break in the more than two-year-old case, authorities said the Wagner family had allegedly organized an extensive plot to kill in four different crimes scenes and a cover-up that included the suspects temporarily moving to Alaska.

Authorities have not publicly revealed a motive but suggested the primary intent of the killers was custody of a small child, whose father was a Wagner and mother a Rhoden.

Hanna May Rhoden, 19, was the ex-girlfriend of one of those arrested, Edward 'Jake' Wagner. They shared custody of their daughter at the time of the massacre

The victims included Christopher Rhoden Sr, 40; his ex-wife, Dana Rhoden, 37; and their three children, Hanna, 19, Christopher Jr, 16, and Clarence, 20.

Three other victims were Christopher Sr's brother, Kenneth Rhoden, 44; a cousin, Gary Rhoden, 38; and Clarence Rhoden's girlfriend, Hannah Gilley, 20.

The Wagner family lived near the scenes of the killings at the time but moved 4,000 miles away to a mobile home in Kenai, Alaska, in June last year.

At the time, the family said they were moving to escape what they claimed was unfair speculation that were responsible for the murders.

They had first vacationed in Alaska because their family friend - a pastor of a Resurrection Bay Baptist Church - lived there. They went there while investigators were searching their home in relation to the massacre.

That pastor, Kelly Cinereski, told the Dayton Daily News he was shocked to hear news of the family's arrests.

'These people wept over dogs, I can't imagine them taking people's lives,' he said.

Locals said the Wagner family kept a low profile while in Alaska and it is not clear what they did for work.

Wagner and Hannah Rhoden's daughter, now aged 5, was not with her mother on the night she was killed. The girl moved to Alaska with her father while police were investigating the murders.

The Wagner family returned to Ohio this past spring.

Christopher Rhoden Sr., 40, and his ex-wife Dana Rhoden, 37, were among those killed in April 2016 in Piketon in southern Ohio

Clarence 'Frankie' Rhoden, 20, and his fiancee, Hannah Gilley, 20, were shot dead while sleeping with their child

The mothers of Angela Wagner and George Wagner also were arrested in Ohio and charged with misleading investigators.

Both Jake Wagner and Angela Wagner previously told the Cincinnati Enquirer that they were not involved in the killings.

Angela Wagner said in an email to the newspaper that what happened was devastating and Hanna Rhoden was like a daughter to her. Wagner also said that her husband, George, and Christopher Rhoden Sr. were more like brothers than friends.

A message was left on Tuesday with John Clark, an attorney who has been representing the Wagners. Clark said a year ago that four of the Wagner family members had provided laptops, phones and DNA samples to investigators, and agreed to be interviewed about the slayings.

Clark said at the time that the family was being 'harassed while the real killer or killers are out there'.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said on Tuesday that the Wagners had been suspects for a long time.

'There certainly was obsession with custody, obsession with control of children,' DeWine said. 'This is just the most bizarre story I've ever seen in being involved in law enforcement.'

Investigators scrambling to determine who targeted the Rhoden family had conducted over 550 interviews and processed over 700 pieces of evidence and 1,100 tips.

Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader said they ran down every single lead.

'We have been patient when it was painful to be, running down every lead, no matter how small,' he said.

'Members of one family conspired, planned, carried out and then allegedly covered up their violent act to wipe out members of another family.

'They did this quickly, coldly, calmly and very carefully. But not carefully enough. They left traces, they left a trail. The parts to build a silencer, the forged documents, the cameras, cellphones, all that they tampered with. And the lies, all the lies they told us.'

DeWine said the Wagners studied the layouts of the victims' properties, as well as their habits, routines, sleeping locations and pets.

The indictments accuse the Wagners of tampering with phones, cameras, a gun silencer, shell casings and parts of a home security system.

The Wagner family (pictured is Edward 'Jake' Wagner, Angela Wagner and George Wagner) are seen here in July 2017 in Kenai, Alaska after moving 4000 miles from Ohio

During the investigation, authorities had refused to discuss many details about the slayings, saying they didn't want to tip their hand to whoever was responsible for the shootings.

Investigators found evidence of illegal drug activity, cockfighting and the possible involvement of a Mexican drug cartel.

Christopher Rhoden Sr. had 'a large-scale marijuana growing operation', which initially lead many to speculate that the killings were drug-related.

First mention of the suspects came in June of 2017, when authorities announced they were seeking information about the Wagners, including details on their personal and business interactions, and conversations people may have had with them.

None was named a suspect at the time. Investigators also said they had searched property in southern Ohio sold by the Wagners.

Members of one family conspired, planned, carried out and then allegedly covered up their violent act to wipe out members of another family. - Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader

Jake Wagner was a long-time former boyfriend of Hanna Rhoden, one of the eight victims, and shared custody of their daughter at the time of the massacre.

The daughter, now aged five, was not with her mother on the night she was killed. The girl had moved to Alaska with her father while police were investigating the murders.

Jake Wagner has now also been charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor for having sexual contact with Rhoden when she was 15 years old and he was 20 years old.

Autopsy reports suggested the murders were calculated and brutal with the coroner saying all but one of the victims was shot more than once.

Christopher Rhoden Sr. is the only victim who was believed to have been awake when they were shot.

The father-of-three sustained nine gunshot wounds in his forearm, torso and cheek.

Sharing a trailer with Christopher Sr. was his brother Gary, who was shot twice in the head and a third time in the face. His autopsy report says a 'muzzle stain' was left on his head, suggesting at one point a shot was fired while the gun was pressed against him.

Dana Rhoden was carefully shot four times around her head and a fifth time from under her chin.

She was sharing a trailer with Christopher Jr. and Hanna who were both shot in the head multiple times. Hanna was in bed with her five-day-old child at the time.

Frankie Rhoden and Hannah Gilley were also shot in the head, but their six-month-old child, who was sleeping between the couple, was spared. Hannah was shot five times in total, with one shot hitting her left eye.

Kenneth Rhoden was shot only once, with the bullet entering his right eye.

Three funerals were held for the victims.
The new regulations are designed to tackle rogue private car parking companies

Drivers will get a ten minute grace period in private car parks if they have overrun on their ticket.

In a new crackdown on the parking industry, the most private companies will be able to charge is 100 for a penalty notice.

The new regulations are designed to combat rogue companies who use parking law loopholes to profit.

Private parking firms are on course to dish out a record 6.5million tickets this year,a report has found. Drivers will get a ten minute grace period in private car parks if they have overrun on their ticket

Motorists will also be protected from charges if they drive out of car parks without finding a space.

A new code of practice on private parking is being written by the DVLA.

Conservative MP Sir Greg Knight, representing East Yorkshire, hopes to write the regulations into legal requirements for companies.

To enforce the regulations among private companies, the DVLA will stop rogue companies from getting hold of driver details.

To issue a parking ticket, companies must contact the DVLA, who sell the requested driver records to the company for a fee of around 2.50 per driver. Last year, it raised 14.1million by selling 5.65million sets of records.

Rogue companies that do not follow the new rules will be stripped of their DVLA records access. Without the data they need to issue a ticket, they may not be able to issue parking tickets to drivers.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that private parking firms are on course to dish out a record 6.5million tickets this year.

Motorists will also be protected from charges if they drive out of car parks without finding a space. A new code of practice on private parking is being written by the DVLA

Some private parking companies are also charging motorists who drive out of the car park with numberplate recognition cameras.

The DVLA received demands for 1.48million sets of vehicle-keeper records in the first quarter of 2018/19  an increase of 14 per cent compared with last year.

There were just 687,000 requests a decade ago, according to the RAC Foundation.

The figures, which cover April to June, suggest more than 16,000 motorists are targeted every day.
Lawyers for a 92-year-old California man accused of shooting his son in his sleep have argued that the former lawyer was provoked by 'extreme psychological abuse'.

Richard Landis Peck allegedly killed his son Robert Landis Peck, 51, with a shotgun at their home in San Diego on Wednesday.

Authorities said Richard contacted a neighbor around 6.30pm to call for help, saying that he had shot the 51-year-old.

First responders arrived on the scene and found Robert dead, according to FOX5.

Richard, who is in a wheelchair, pleaded not guilty to murder in court on Friday. His attorney, Douglas Gilliland told the court: 'This is a case of extreme psychological abuse.'

Richard Landis Peck, 92, (left) allegedly shot his son Robert Landis Peck, 51, (right) at their home in San Diego on Wednesday night. The father's attorney claims he was provoked by the son's 'extreme psychological abuse'

Robert moved in with his father three months ago while going through a divorce. Richard had reportedly called police to the home (above) two times because he was afraid of his son

Gilliland alleged that the son moved in with his father, a former civil litigator who used to work with the San Diego City Attorneys Office, about three months ago because he's in the middle of a divorce, and that Robert 'got blind drunk every day'.

Richard had reportedly called police on two prior occasions because he feared for his safety around the son, who has a son of his own.

One of the times, police took Robert to a mental hospital after his father reported that he felt he was in danger.

Another time when the son was breaking things in the house, officers declined to get involved saying it was a family dispute, Gilliland told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Richard's attorney Douglas Gilliland (above) said the son moved in with his father three months ago as he's in the middle of a divorce, and that Robert 'got blind drunk every day'

He said that on Wednesday night Robert had smashed his father's landline phone, making him unable to communicate with police or his daughter in Georgia.

The son then told Richard: 'I'm going to see you again later,' as he went to bed, but the father was too afraid to go to sleep that night, Gilliland said.

The attorney said Richard is 'sharp-minded' and poses no threat to the public.

He is being held on $500,000 bail in the jail's medical unit because of his age and has been on a suicide watch. He faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted.

A prosecutor told the Union-Tribune: 'This is an unusual case. But at the end of the day, he took someone else's life and he didn't have the right to do that.'

The judge said she would review the bail amount at a hearing on Tuesday.

A preliminary hearing to determine whether Richard should be held for trial has been set for January 11.

Gilliland said Richard's daughter and her husband flew to San Diego from Georgia after the shooting and would make arrangements for the father's care.

'The family was trying to intervene and get him out to Athens [Georgia] for a visit,' Gilliland said. 'He didn't want to leave his home. They knew Mr Peck was in a dangerous situation.'
An Italian journalist who exposed the criminal empire of a violent gypsy mafia gang in Rome says she will not leave the city despite receiving death threats.

Federica Angeli's work in revealing the crime and violence of the Spada clan has led to 32 arrests and police seizures of some of the gang's occupied council flats which allegedly contained marble statues and gold-plated toilets.

Ms Angeli, who has been living with police protection since 2013, said she could not go outside to her balcony unless a police officer was in the street and revealed she needed a security escort to go shopping.

But the 43-year-old reporter has vowed to keep going until the clan in Ostia, a suburb of Rome, is brought down, The Times reported.

Federica Angeli (pictured), who exposed the criminal empire of a violent gypsy mafia gang in Rome, says she will not leave the city despite receiving death threats

She said the wife of one of the clan members had pointed to her and said: 'Tell her we'll kill her as well as her children'.

Ms Angeli said: 'The bosses are in jail and their assets have been seized but that makes them more dangerous than ever as they need to show they count, to defend their criminal reputation.

'When things got difficult I didnt leave. Now I want to be around for the clans defeat.'

She and her husband had told their three children, aged nine, 10 and 13, that their mother had a driver as a 'reward' for her journalistic work, she said.

The threats against Ms Angeli come after attackers tried to set fire to the house of Federico Ruffo, a fellow investigative journalist.

Mr Ruffo's work has helped to expose the 'Ndrangheta mafia, which operates in Calabria in southern Italy.

According to the Council of Europe a red cross was painted on his walls and petrol was poured on to the doorway but Mr Ruffo was rescued when his dog started barking and the arsonists fled the scene.

He had reportedly received threats on social media before the planned attack and has since had further messagis saying the the 'Ndrangheta should 'finish off the job'.
A South Florida elections official says that her office has misplaced more than 2,000 ballots.

Broward County Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes said that 2,040 ballots had been 'misfiled,' in a video posted by The South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Saturday.

'We have been trying to determine what could have caused the drop. What we believe is that in the recount area ... I believe those ballots were probably mixed in with another stack,' Snipes told the elections Canvassing Board at midday.

'The ballots are in the building. The ballots are in this building. There would be nowhere else for them to be. But they are misfiled in this building.'

State officials ordered a manual recount on Thursday after a machine recount showed less votes in the county than the total number of votes reported to the state on November 10.

Broward County has historically been a Democratic stronghold, but the machine recount on Thursday had Republican Gov. Rick Scott leading incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson by about 12,600 votes for one of the state's US Senate seats.

With counties across Florida in the middle of a hand recount for statewide races, Broward thought its recount in the US Senate race was complete on Friday.

Early on Saturday, Broward County's recount of 22,000 ballots cast in the race for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture saw a hiccup, as well, and came to an abrupt stop when officials noticed volunteers had mixed 47 manila envelopes from the Senate recount in with those to be hand counted for the commissioner race, Fox News reported.

Had the mix-up not been caught, some ballots cast for commissioner may have been counted twice, but Broward County Canvassing Board Attorney Rene Harrod said the issue was caught in time and that none of the 47 envelopes were double counted in that race.

Vote-counting issues have plagued Broward County for at least the past 14 years, dating back to one year after Snipes took over as County Supervisor of Elections in 2003.

Broward County Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes explains to the canvassing board the discrepancy in vote counts during the hand count at the Broward County Supervisor of Elections office in Lauderhill, Fla., on Saturday

Larry Davis, a Democratic attorney who is representing agriculture commissioner candidate Nikki Fried, took the elections supervisor to task over the missing ballots.

'Dr. Snipes, with all due respect to you and your office, the ballots being in the building doesnt get them counted,' Davis said.

Snipes said that she believed the totals reported to the state on November 10 were accurate, but that some ballots were misfiled before the machine recount, causing them not to be run through the machines.

In the original vote totals as recorded by Broward County on November 8, two days after the election, Nelson was beating Scott, but far fewer votes had been cast in the US Senate race than other statewide races.

The Broward Supervisor of Elections website reported 676,706 votes had been counted in Broward in the US Senate race, with the vast majority going to Nelson over Scott, but 24, 763 more votes had been logged for the governor's race, with 701,469 reported at that time, according to the Miami Herald.

She said she'd like to send the original vote totals to the state at noon on Sunday, which is the deadline to report official results to the Department of State.

Snipes has already been under fire for the way her office has handled the election and recount.

On Thursday, her office was two minutes late in submitting the machine recount numbers to the Department of State refused to accept the totals, according to the New York Times.

Broward County has historically been a Democratic stronghold, but the machine recount on Thursday had Republican Gov. Rick Scott leading incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson (pictured) by about 12,600 votes for one of the state's US Senate seats

Snipes has already been under fire for the way her office has handled the election and recount; Florida Gov. Rick Scott is pictured arriving for a meeting with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and new GOP senators at the Capitol in Washington, DC on Wednesday

'Im not blaming anyone, but many of our team members were not as well trained as some others,' Snipes said on Saturday.

Broward County has had vote count issues in each of 2002, 2004, 2006, 2012, 2016 and now, this year.

But beyond that, Snipes has had a slew of other problems with the county's vote, in general, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

She was found to have violated state and federal laws by destroying 2016 election ballots 12 months after the content, rather than keeping them for the federally mandated 22-month period.

Some ballots from the same election were missing a medical marijuana amendment.

Election law was violated again when 2016 primary results were posted on the election office's website before polls closed.

Almost 1,000 uncounted ballots were found one week after the election in 2012.

Around 58,000 vote-by-mail ballots were not delivered on time to voters in 2004, requiring a mad dash to get ballots out in time.

And now, her latest troubles with 'misfiled' ballots come as officials say at least 44 out of 67 Florida counties have finished their hand recount in the Senate race.

Several counties have posted hand recount updates on their websites.

The totals for Nelson and Scott have changed slightly, but not significantly.

More than 8 million voters cast ballots in the race.
When the new series of US political drama House Of Cards was screened earlier this month, it received an unusually lacklustre reception.

The much-acclaimed show, now in its sixth season, had been a cornerstone of Netflixs annual schedule, with tens of millions around the world gripped by the malevolent scheming of its central character, President Frank Underwood, portrayed to eerie perfection by actor Kevin Spacey.

But this time, there is a gaping hole  Spacey is missing, his iconic character killed off by uneasy producers and script writers following sexual assault and harassment allegations made against the actor by a string of young men last year.

The show limps on regardless, with a female president in the form of Franks equally ruthless wife Claire, icily played by Robin Wright.

Following the sexual assault allegations that emerged against Kevin Spacey in 2017 nothing has been seen or heard of the double Oscar-winning actor. He was last spotted exercising at the Meadows Rehab Centre in Wickenburg, Arizona, last year

But the real drama lies elsewhere. For despite being one of Hollywoods most recognisable stars, Spacey has apparently disappeared off-screen as well as on it.

Nothing has been seen or heard of the double Oscar-winning actor since the first allegations emerged over a year ago in October 2017.

On both sides of the Atlantic, where Spacey owns multi-million-pound homes, the question is being asked with growing urgency: where is Kevin Spacey? Hes become a total recluse, one friend told The Mail on Sunday.

No one has heard from him. Hes vanished. Its almost unbelievable that someone of his stature can pull it off in a world where everyone has a cell phone.

One producer described Spacey as having one of the most recognisable faces on the planet and added: I was with him when he walked into a restaurant in Beverly Hills and the whole place applauded.

It may be a long time before he garners applause again.

His downfall began on October 29, 2017, when Star Trek actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of sexually assaulting him in the stars New York apartment in 1986 when Rapp was just 14, triggering a string of similar complaints.

As the new series of the US political drama House Of Cards was screened earlier this month there was a gaping hole. President Frank Underwood, portrayed by actor Kevin Spacey was killed off by uneasy producers and script writers following sexual assault and harassment allegations made against the actor last year

To date, 30 men have made public allegations about the actor. While no formal charges have been filed, police in LA and London are investigating allegations of sexual assault, including rape.

In the UK, there are six active investigations. The Old Vic theatre in London, where Spacey was artistic director for 11 years until 2015, said it had received 20 complaints of inappropriate behaviour during his tenure.

Spacey issued a swift and contrite apology, ended years of rumours about his sexuality by coming out as gay and checked into sex rehab clinic The Meadows in Arizona alongside disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

But unlike Weinstein  who has been photographed going about his daily business, visiting his lawyers offices and picking his children up from school  there has been no sign of Spacey anywhere.

The Mail on Sunday has spoken to  or attempted to speak to  dozens of Spaceys friends, colleagues and acquaintances in the UK and the US in an attempt to piece together his movements.

But it is clear that Spaceys vanishing act may be his best coup de theatre so far.

The last known pictures of the actor are fuzzy paparazzi shots taken at the 25,000-a-month rehab facility in November last year.

There, Spacey was supposed to undergo a 45-day sex addiction detox but, we can reveal, checked out after only 21 days.

He left early, said one friend, on condition of anonymity. He only stuck it out for three weeks.

Where he went after that remains unclear  although there are plenty of associates who claim to know where he is.

One well-connected British socialite who knew Spacey during his Old Vic days insists that he is living in seclusion in the Cook Islands, a string of 15 tiny islands in the middle of the South Pacific.

Hes living as a hermit in the Cook Islands, she said authoritatively. Hes keeping his head down until this blows over.

One well-connected British socialite who knew Spacey during his Old Vic days said he is living in seclusion in the Cook Islands

He still has a lot of rich friends from his Old Vic days. He has enough money to stay hidden.

But a source who worked on House Of Cards insists that the actor, whose real name is Kevin Spacey Fowler, is in hiding in France.

Hes been in the South of France living on a big estate, the man said. Hes been working out like crazy, doing massive oil paintings and keeping a low profile.

It may well be, sources say, that he has put his formidable acting prowess to good use in order to avoid detection.

One source said: Kevin is travelling under his real name of Kevin Fowler.

Intriguingly, the source added: I wouldnt be surprised if hes not been seen because he is going out in public wearing a disguise. Hes spent his life transforming himself into other characters  why not now?

Certainly, the star has not been seen at any of the homes in his international property portfolio.

Spacey is said to have visited New York since the scandal broke but stayed with a wealthy friend connected with the theatre world.

A doorman at Spaceys former Manhattan home  now sold  said: Weve not seen him here for a long time, well before the scandal.

Another former associate suggested he is hiding in plain sight in a rented ranch in Thousand Oaks, a suburb of Los Angeles which recently suffered a double tragedy of a mass shooting and a wildfire.

Kevins been staying at a friends place in Thousand Oaks, the associate said. Hes become a hermit and never goes out.

The actor has also not been seen at his 2.3 million London flat.

With the exception of Spaceys estranged brother Randy, not one person was prepared to go on the record to discuss the star.

One person who worked closely with Spacey claims to have received a call from the actor in which he was genuinely baffled that everyone has turned their backs on him.

He doesnt understand why no one has stuck up for him, the colleague said. He sounded quite indignant.

But no one else, it seems, is surprised. Its typical Hollywood, no one will say a word about him because hes just too toxic, his elder brother Randy, 62, said yesterday. My brother was always an arrogant p**** and now karma has come round to bite him in the butt.

He was the goose who kept laying the golden eggs, so people protected him. Of course people close to him knew about his extra-curricular activities, but while he was making money they turned a blind eye.

Randy has had no contact with his famous sibling for 15 years after giving an interview about their childhood which he says sent his control freak brother ballistic.

But he says he believes that Spacey is lying low in the belief the water will cool.

The star's downfall began in October 2017, when Star Trek actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of sexually assaulting him in the stars New York apartment in 1986

Randy, a limo driver and professional Rod Stewart impersonator from Boise, Idaho, believes his brother is living on an island in the middle of nowhere while still satisfying his personal needs.

Kevin never came out as gay until he was accused of sexual assault, but I knew he was gay from the start, Randy said.

It was almost like he blamed his deviancy on being gay. I dont think that went down well in Hollywood.

My brother is a narcissist. I truly believe he has no shame.

He has plenty of money to lie low and he will do.

Wherever he is, it will be somewhere where he can indulge his sexual preferences. There are plenty of places where, if youve got money, you can order up what you want and live a very nice life. I dont think Kevin is suffering.

He could play the most evil characters but give them a sympathetic edge; make viewers believe there was always a chance of redemption. Thats what hes hoping for in real life.

In a memoir, Randy recounted the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of their father, Thomas.

Was Kevin abused too? Its not something we ever discussed, he said. Whatever went on at home with Kevin, it taught him to survive no matter what the circumstances. Hes in survival mode now.

Indeed, The Mail on Sunday has been told Spacey has a two-year plan to rehabilitate himself.

A well-informed source in the industry said that it will be done in carefully managed stages, which will begin with friends starting to talk positively about him. Then, the actor will accept a small cameo role in a prestigious movie.

As one woman who has worked with Spacey for 40 years explained: Kevin hasnt been charged with anything.

His comeback is already being discussed. First you will get celebrity friends saying, Hes not so bad and then he will accept a small role in an Oscar-contending movie which will showcase his talents and remind everyone what a fabulous actor he is.

If Mel Gibson [who infamously made anti-Semitic comments during a drunken tirade] can be forgiven, then why cant Kevin? Harvey Weinstein is facing criminal charges. Its been a year and no criminal case has been brought against Kevin.

The plan may have begun. A website, supportkevinspacey.com, is backed by an active Facebook page and is filled with supportive messages from fans.

Dame Judi Dench recently became the first high-profile name to defend the actor, saying he should not have been cut out of last years film All The Money In The World and replaced with Christopher Plummer.

Dench, who worked with Spacey on the 2001 film The Shipping News, said: I cant approve in any way of the fact that  whatever he has done  then you start to cut him out of films.

Are we to go back throughout history and anyone who has misbehaved in any way are they always going to be cut out? Are we going to extrude them from our history?

And earlier this month, actress Diane Lane, who stars in the new series of House Of Cards, also admitted she had tremendous respect for his artistry.

When asked about the allegations around Spacey and whether to take on the role, she added: I didnt have any judgment. Its not my place to have any judgment.

It is unclear who else, though, is on Spaceys side. He has been dumped by his long-term agents at the Creative Artists Agency and his PR representatives at Polaris.

Dana Brunetti, Spaceys long-term producing partner at Trigger Street Productions, refused to respond to multiple calls and emails seeking comment about the star.

His manager Evan Lowenstein, and business managers Frank Selvaggi and Barry Greenfield, also failed to return calls, and attempts to reach Spacey through his lawyer were similarly unsuccessful.

Such silence speaks volumes. It is not unknown for disgraced Hollywood stars to return to prominence  Mel Gibson, Woody Allen and Roman Polanski have prospered despite controversy.

But as one friend of Spaceys said, wryly: Only time will tell if Kevin can make one of the greatest comebacks ever.
Dominic Raab's resignation as Brexit Secretary was predicted more than two months ago by senior Government figures who described him as a suicide bomber who always intended to blow apart Mrs Mays Brexit deal  and, in so doing, boost his own leadership ambitions.

Mr Raab said he had quit the Cabinet because he had come to the conclusion that the agreement which he had helped Mrs May to draw up presented a very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom and that he could not in good conscience support it.

Friends said he felt that he had been cut out of an 11th-hour editing of the deal, which contained unexpected changes in the wording that would tie the Governments hands in future negotiations.

Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab resigned from Cabinet this week after claiming he could not support the Brexit deal his former department was responsible for negotiating

But Mr Raabs intentions  and links to his predecessor David Davis, who also quit over Mrs Mays EU plans  were long a subject of suspicion in Downing Street and the Treasury.

A senior Government source said: We always called him the suicide bomber and said DD was his controller. Raab just went through the motions of carrying out the negotiations until it suited him to detonate.

And it was completely dishonest for Raab to brief that he was resigning over not being informed of the final contents of the paper presented. He knew full well what was coming. He is just fundamentally unwilling to take any responsibility for anything hard or complicated.

Friends of both Mr Raab and Mr Davis last night dismissed the claims as ridiculous. But Scottish Secretary David Mundell said Mr Raabs resignation was about manoeuvring and leadership.

All that plotting must be thirsty work! It was a busy week for Dominic Raab, with a crunch Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, above, followed by his resignation. Which perhaps explains why he was spotted stocking up on beers in his constituency on Friday night...

Mr Raabs move is widely seen to have given him first mover advantage in any leadership contest caused by Mrs May losing a no confidence vote.

Two of his main rivals, Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, expressed their concerns about Mrs Mays deal during Wednesdays fiery Cabinet meeting  but both are still in their jobs and obliged by collective responsibility to defend the deal.

Brexiteer Tory MPs reserve particular ire for Mr Hunt, who they accuse of rejecting overtures from Michael Gove to join him in putting pressure on Mrs May to go to Brussels to try to renegotiate the deal. One said: He is just a male Theresa May, a sell-out, no backbone.

Mr Davis  who had hoped to be anointed automatically as caretaker leader if Mrs May was unseated  is now thought to be considering joining a Raab leadership bid instead.

Boris Johnson eyes Raab with deep suspicion, with one of his supporters saying: This is no time for a novice. Liz Truss, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, is also considering running. But friends indicate that she is most likely to act as kingmaker in a contest.

Although Mr Javids allies have approached Ms Truss to join a putative leadership team she is understood to be leaning towards the idea of joining Raabs team  on the understanding that if he was elected he would go back to Brussels to renegotiate. However, this is rejected by Brussels. One EU source said: There is no appetite for further concessions. What has been agreed is delicately balanced. The deal is the deal.

Senior Tories such as David Davis, left, are believed to be plotting against Theresa May, right

The most recent rankings of potential leaders among Tory voters by the ConservativeHome website  assembled before last weeks drama  put Boris Johnson top, followed by Sajid Javid, David Davis, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Dominic Raab, Jeremy Hunt and then Michael Gove. Tory MPs will decide which two candidates go forward to party members for the final vote. But it is still far from clear whether there will be a leadership contest.

A former Tory party chairman told The Mail on Sunday: If there is a no confidence vote, I think she will face it down and win.

She will have been inspired by the example of Jeremy Corbyn, who saw off a coup attempt by his MPs. She has a massive payroll vote of Ministers  over 100 of them  and paid vice-chairs who keep their jobs by voting for her. Also, and dont underestimate this fact, she lives for the job  so has every incentive to persevere.

The UKs turmoil has dismayed Brussels. Some senior EU officials have even discussed delaying next Sundays Brussels summit, which is meant to finalise the Brexit deal, until after a Commons vote.

They say that if the deal is likely to be rejected, then next weekends summit would be a waste of everyones time.
The Met have confirmed three were hospitalised after a shooting in Edmonton, North London.

A local shopkeeper called Abdul told the Mirror Online: 'We heard a bang noise and we saw a guy running toward the fruit shop next door.

'Blood was pouring out his eye, just near his eye, it only just missed.

'It was right in front of our business.

Calls were made to 999 just after 6pm this evening as people were out doing their Christmas shopping by Gordon Road close to the train station (pictured)

'I saw him saying "call an ambulance, call an ambulance".'

Calls were made to 999 just after 6pm this evening as people were out doing their Christmas shopping by Gordon Road close to the train station.

Officers and the London Ambulance Service found four males.

Three of the victims were rushed to hospital, with two suffering gun shot wounds.

The police said one of the victims was not in a life-threatening condition, while no further details were provided for the other two casualties.

No arrests have yet been made and police did not disclose what type of firearm was used in the attack, as they cordoned off the scene.
In the 1990s, my half-sister Sam Clarke helped transform what upmarket diners expected from a restaurant. As co-founder of the fashionable Moro, she introduced a well-heeled clientele  including the likes of David and Samantha Cameron  to mouthwatering Moorish-inspired cuisine, wood-roasted meats and tapas, with the kind of stripped-back aesthetic and open kitchen which have been ubiquitous ever since.

In the two decades since it opened, her success has only increased, with other flourishing restaurants and popular cookbooks to her name. As a food writer myself, I have watched in admiration. At 49, her career has afforded Sam and her husband all the trappings of wealth, including three London homes and two in Spain.

Her brother Alexander Clarke has done none-too-shabbily, either. Now 47 and already the owner of a large country house and two boutique hotels  The George in Rye, East Sussex and The Falstaff Hotel in Canterbury  he will one day inherit Pentrehobyn Hall, a beautiful Grade I listed Jacobean mansion with hundreds of acres of land in North Wales.

They have been blessed with talent and good luck  and for a few months at least, my brother and sister were wealthier still, thanks to the 30,000 of valuables they each received from the estate of our mother, Sarah Clarke.

Food writer Rose Prince talks of the start of a nightmare when a Faberge egg, glittering jewels and fine art went missing

Sarah was a woman of considerable means, with a collection of fine art and valuable belongings built up over the course of a lifetime, including works by Bridget Riley, first editions by Ian Fleming and beautiful jewellery.

The problem was this: my half-siblings Alexander and Samantha Clarke were not entitled to the valuables in question, the paintings, chairs and card tables worth thousands of pounds, the gold cigarette box or the diamond brooch.

And that is because our mothers will had ruled it out. They belonged instead to the rest of the family.

It might sound like a simple enough matter and easily resolved. After all, Sam and Alexander say the belongings were taken because of a misunderstanding amid the grief of our mothers deteriorating health and growing dementia. And they certainly did return our belongings to us  eventually.

Yet the process was anything but straightforward: our family was torn to shreds, with thousands spent on legal bills during an acrimonious battle.

At the heart of this tale is a growing problem with Power of Attorney, the system which hands responsibility for decisions in your life to someone else  an important protection in case of, for example, serious illness.

But the rules are open to misunderstanding and, on occasion, abuse and the worries will only increase as our population ages.

Official statistics tell their own sorry tale.

Family strife: Sarah Clarke with all her children, including a then baby Alex on her lap and Rose on the far left

There were a shocking 1,897 investigations into attorneys in the last financial year alone, up from 1,266 in the previous 12 months according to the Office of The Public Guardian, which regulates Power of Attorney in England and Wales.

Our story is one that anyone planning the future of their estate, no matter how big or small, should read  particularly if there has been more than one marriage involved in a family.

My mother had six children yet Power of Attorney (PoA) was given to only one  Alex.

It was a most unusual situation. From the beginning, I was uncomfortable and worried that it would end in trouble.

It did.

The dynamics of blended families, can be complicated, with rivalries that last into adulthood.

My mother and father had four children before they divorced  at 56, I am the youngest. In the late 1960s, she remarried and had two more children, first Samantha, then Alex.

When making her will, she tried to be fair to all of us, taking into account the fact that her second husband, a successful commodities broker, was wealthy in his own right. They later split up.

Sarah Clarke's rare James Bond book

She was aware that Sam and Alexs father, Edward Teddy Clarke, would be leaving his estate to Alex and that Sam would get her own trust fund.

So her will said that the children of her first marriage  Christopher, Charlie, Laura and me  should receive any leftover cash and all her chattels or valuables. These were considerable. My mother had spent her last years living alone in a four-bedroom farmhouse near Bodmin Moor, in Cornwall, which was filled with decorative artworks and antiques that she had astutely collected over the course of her life and were later valued at 180,000.

It was as her health began to fail in 2009 that she decided to put her affairs in order. A great many emails were exchanged and the six children then met to discuss the situation.

We agreed there should be an arrangement for PoA so that someone could pay the bills, for example, take medical decisions or, as in this case, manage her estate. So, just before Christmas in 2009, my mother agreed that she would visit a solicitor, accompanied by Alex, her youngest child. By now she was showing clear signs of dementia.

I was concerned that she should have at least two of her children on the document  from her first and from her second family  so I emailed Alex for reassurance that there would be one person appointed to look after her health issues, the other her financial affairs.

This is good practice: the Office of the Public Guardian recommends, where possible, that PoA be given to more than one person so that decisions can be made jointly.

I received no answer from Alex  until more than two months later, when a message came announcing there would be a meeting at the solicitors as soon as the following day.

I propose that Christopher and myself are named on the documents as attorneys  jointly and separately, thereby if one or other of us is ill/dies, it still stands, he wrote. The timing was abrupt, but I was reassured that my older brother Christopher would be on the document.

Yet on January 6, 2010, I received the news that PoA had been given to only one of my mothers children  Alex.

Pictured: Sam and her husband at their famous Moro restaurant

I proposed that Christopher, Laura and myself should be put forward for the PoA, he explained in an email, however Mummy made it clear that she felt it was better if one person was attorney as it would be simpler and she asked me if I would do it.

Alex told us all that the responsibility for looking after our mother was not his alone and that he intended to consult all if the situation arises.

Over the next two years my mothers health deteriorated seriously. She was eventually diagnosed with Alzheimers and then in early 2013 she was admitted to a nursing home. Alexs PoA was now activated. The house near Bodmin Moor was sold in case more funds were needed for her care, and Alex then announced that he would  to save storage fees  distribute all her valuables, divided equally after valuation, between the six of us. We agreed.

What we did not know at the time, however, was that our mothers will did not allow this. Or that the laws of PoA do not allow the person holding it to give a relatives valuables to themselves or to anyone else. Yet this happened.

None of this confusion came to light until after my mother died aged 76 in September 2014. When it did, it was pointed out to Alex and Sam that his actions had been wrong  and illegal.

Moreover, he had taken a share of valuables for himself and for his full sister Sam to which he was not entitled.

He said he did not know he was acting improperly, even though the PoA rules are clear, and that he had only being trying to sort out matters after the house sale. Alex accepted the situation and there seemed to be no doubt the chattels, or their value, had to be returned. Yet it was still not straightforward.

Months passed before anything was returned and, in the meantime, the estates legal bill mounted as Alex, Sam and their two solicitors arranged for things to be returned. In the end, winding up what should have been a simple estate took more than 18 months.

Before Sam and Alex returned the goods, my three full siblings and I were asked to sign a letter to Alex and a solicitor agreeing to the Clarkes decisions over which items they had chosen to return or keep. Neither of them had thought to ask what we would like to have.

Finally, in April 2016, we received the last of our payments  made much less by a huge solicitors bill.

By this time, sadly, my sister Laura had died of motor neurone disease, and so never saw her final payment.

Thanks to the way my mothers affairs had been handled, much else became chaotic, too. Most of my mothers jewellery collection appeared to vanish after her death. This included many valuable rings, my grandmothers engagement ring, a miniature Faberge egg that my mother wore on a chain, gold bracelets, earrings and other precious pieces. When I asked what had happened to all of them, Alex said she had lost them as a result of her dementia.

When her collection of books was valued, a set of at least five first edition James Bond novels by Ian Fleming  including a valuable copy of Casino Royale  seemed to be missing.

My full siblings also recall an incident when Samantha visited our mother in Cornwall and returned to London with a diamond and gold necklace made by Annabel Jones, Samantha Camerons mother.

There is one picture taken after my mothers death in which she is wearing it. Was it taken for safekeeping? Was it a gift? Or perhaps it was taken on loan. These things are entirely possible, but there has been no offer to return it.

Its right that both Sam and Alex, Sams husband Samuel (nephew of the late MP and diarist Alan Clark), Alexs wife Katie and their children should have something to remember my mother by. But they do  and plenty.

When my mother moved to Cornwall she had downsized, and generously gave Sam and Alex furniture and other items for their homes.

In an issue of Surrey Homes, Alexs interior decorator wife Katie Clarke enthuses about her mother-in-laws many gifts to them. Anything anyone likes in this house is usually something that my mother-in-law has passed on to us, Katie says. Shes got great taste and kindly let us have a gorgeous art nouveau bed for the spare bedroom and a stunning birds-eye maple wardrobe for the same room.

Of course, I have no argument with gifts my mother made in her lifetime. Likewise, Sams home in Highbury, North London, is furnished with many of my mothers possessions. But we never did get an explanation or an apology for the debacle over the way the PoA was handled.

It raises serious questions about the system that allowed this to happen, and whether it is remotely fit for purpose. It allowed the rules to be broken and  even though for us the problem was resolved  the consequences were serious.

From the sheer number of investigations taking place, I cannot imagine we are alone.

PoA is designed to protect the vulnerable, yet so often, it does no such thing.
Over an unblemished teaching career spanning two decades, Carol has devoted much of her time to the emotional and personal well-being of the pupils in her care.

So when a 16-year-old student she had known for many years quietly confided that she felt trapped in the wrong body and was considering changing gender, her instinct was to take the teenager lovingly under her wing.

Even though Carol knew the child had been diagnosed as autistic two years earlier, she vowed to provide the support the youngster needed to guide her through what would obviously be a difficult journey.

It was January 2014 and the debate over transgender rights, so supercharged today, had barely begun.

In 2014 a student confided in teacher Carol that she felt trapped in the wrong body and was considering changing gender. The student had been diagnosed with autism two years earlier. *(Stock picture)

The baffling array of terminology used to define various permutations of so-called gender identity was yet to emerge and Carol admits she didnt know where to turn for help.

But then, because she was in charge of pupils pastoral care, Carol was contacted by an organisation that aimed to help transgender youngsters. The body, which Carol has asked us not to name because she fears doing so might identify her and the pupil, had recently opened a centre nearby.

The student, who was born female, had insisted that she now wanted to identify as non-binary  a person with no specific gender  so Carol happily referred her to the group. But the gently spoken mother has come to bitterly regret that decision.

Once she was involved with that group there was no turning back, she says. It was decided that she was transgender and that was that, it was never challenged and I blame myself for that.

Carol now firmly believes that the student never suffered from gender dysphoria  the medical term for someone who feels they were born in the wrong body  but was simply autistic and should have been offered more help to cope with their emotional and social difficulties.

What makes this even more painful for Carol and is one of the reasons she has chosen to speak out today is that she has learned the girl is planning a double mastectomy as part of her gender realignment.

She says: That child was diagnosed as autistic at the age of 14 and certainly was not transgender  she had complicated mental health problems. It is a tragedy that now she is going to mutilate her body.

Transgender YouTube star Ash Hardell was born female but now identifies as non-binary  neither male nor female

She recalls how the school did all it could to accommodate the student. After consulting with the childs parents, it agreed to change the students name on the register to one that was gender neutral.

Teachers also started to refer to them using both male and female pronouns depending what gender the student identified as on any given day.

YouTube trans star influencing children Transgender YouTube star Ash Hardell is idolised by hundreds of thousands of teenagers around the world, with more than 500,000 subscribers to his video channel. Ash, who was born female but now identifies as non-binary  neither male nor female  introduces one video about breast removal, entitled I Got Top Surgery!!, with the words: Watch my journey to flat and happy! In it, Ash tells fans: After surgery there was not only this wave of euphoria, but also the biggest wave of relief Im telling you, it was the right decision and Im so happy. Commenting on the video, one young follower said: When Im older I will get top surgery no matter what my parents say!! British-born Alex Bertie, 23, also has a hit channel where he has been sharing details of his transition from female to male since the age of 15 with his 300,000 followers. He told one young person who contacted him saying that they felt confused and not trans enough that they were repressing their true feelings. Just because you are pushing it down and covering it up doesnt mean its not still there, Alex said. Advertisement

The pronouns could change from hour to hour depending how the student was feeling, Carol said.

The teen asked if she could hold an assembly to tell other pupils at the school about being transgender, but Carol blocked this.

Now she understands the pupil informally educated fellow students, which Carol suspects could have been the catalyst for a wave of copycat cases among autistic pupils. She says the process reminds her of grooming.

Over the next four years, Carol witnessed an astonishing explosion in the number of children claiming to be transgender.

In all but a very few cases, she says, the children were officially diagnosed as autistic by the local education authority.

Those not formally diagnosed showed clear signs of being on the autistic spectrum, she says.

According to Carol, nine of the 18 children she has seen identify as transgender have been diagnosed with autism while the rest had definite signs of the condition.

Typically, these children are bright outsiders, she says. I dont believe they are actually transgender.

They are just young people with complex mental health issues who have found an identity and want to be part of a group of like-minded people.

According to an internal report, a third of patients referred to the Tavistock Clinic, the UKs only NHS service for young people confused about their gender, have strong autistic traits.

The dramatic increase in the numbers of pupils wanting to change gender coincided with a growing clamour from activists demanding more rights for transgender people.

The Government is now consulting on whether to allow people to change gender without medical diagnoses.

It has sparked a furious debate about whether men who say they identify as women should be allowed into female-only spaces.

Carol does not back this move but is sympathetic to transgender people.

She said: If a child genuinely has gender dysphoria then of course they should get all the love and support they need.

The website of charity Mermaids contains advice that pupils should not be outed as transgender, because their parents may not be supportive. Pictured: Anna Friel and Callum Booth-Ford in the drama Butterfly

'But I believe that autistic children who are not transgender are being exploited by the transgender lobby. They are being brainwashed into believing they are transgender.

She said what was most worrying is some of them could be taking strong puberty blocker drugs that interrupt physical development.

They do this without the knowledge of their parents and without medical supervision, even though the chemicals could give them serious health problems later in life.

The school, the location of which Carol has asked to keep secret, has 17 pupils who claim they are transgender.

The majority are girls who claim to be non-binary or identify as boys and a small number of boys who identify as girls. She says they are often bright students who are likeable and popular.

Other girls flock to them as if they are teen idols and some go on dates with them. It seems, Carol says, as if being transgender is in fashion.

Carol describes how some of the more outspoken transgender children police language and behaviour, often accusing teachers and fellow pupils of misgendering.

British-born Alex Bertie, 23, also has a channel where he shares details of his transition from female to male since the age of 15 with his 300,000 followers

Offence is caused by the use of an incorrect pronoun or by failing to acknowledge a students new gender identity.

Last year, this newspaper revealed how a teacher in Oxfordshire faced professional misconduct charges when he accidentally called a transgender pupil a girl when the student identifies as a boy.

Carol says: I was discussing the topic of menstruation during a class recently and was called out by one of the pupils who now identifies as a boy for failing to say that boys can have periods too.

Of course they cant and it sounds like a joke but a lot of teachers are terrified of making a slip-up.

Carol said in the current climate she would not dare suggest to a pupil who said they were trans that they may be mistaken. If there was a complaint, I could be dismissed.

She says transgender pupils tend to convert in clusters of two or three around the age of 14 and in a very uniform manner: wearing their hair in a quiff and dyeing it blue, black or blond, and starting to wear large round glasses, Dr Martens boots, donkey jackets and tight trousers.

I would guess they must all be wearing chest binders [to flatten the breasts] and I was told of one girl who was padding her underwear to make it look like she had a penis.

The whistleblower said that despite there being a large number of transgender children in the school, there is little guidance from the Department for Education or senior staff on how to handle them

Despite there being such a large number of transgender children in the school, Carol says there is little guidance from the Department for Education or senior staff on how to handle them.

Her union directed her to transgender support group Mermaids, whose online advice warns teachers not to tell parents when a pupil wants to change sex unless there is a safeguarding issue.

Carol said: In my view there is always a safeguarding issue  particularly when you know that child has underlying mental health problems. Surely every parent has a right to know. Advice to keep it a secret breaks the No 1 rule about child protection.

Mermaids were unavailable for comment last night,

Carol says transgender pupils at her school sometimes adopt the names of trans YouTubers who have found fame online.

'Butterfly' charity tells schools: Do not let parents know if child wants transition Teachers are being advised not to tell parents if their child wants to change sex. The website of charity Mermaids contains advice that pupils should not be outed as transgender, because their parents may not be supportive. Confidential information must not be shared, even with parents and carers, without the child or young persons permission unless there are safeguarding reasons for doing so, the group says, further stressing: Being trans or gender questioning is not a safeguarding concern in itself. The charity was set up to help youngsters who are confused about their gender, and helped producers make the recent ITV drama Butterfly about a transgender child, starring Anna Friel and Callum Booth-Ford. It gives its advice in a 50-page Trans Inclusion Schools Toolkit, a guide available on its website for teachers on how to support transgender pupils. The guidance acknowledges teachers will wish to consult with parents when a child confides that they want to identify as the opposite sex. But it states: When working with parents and carers, [schools and colleges] should keep in mind that they are representing the interests of the child or young person. As far as possible, care should be taken to ensure the wishes of the individual are taken into account with a view to supporting them during potential transition. The guide promoted by Mermaids was created by Allsorts Youth Group, an LGBT organisation based in Brighton. Advertisement

There have been times when a group of pupils who are identifying as boys all use the same name.

Some internet celebrities have been accused of influencing younger children to think they are transgender when they are not. In one video, popular star Alex Bertie tells a young person who said they were confused and didnt feel trans enough that they were repressing their transgender identity.

Carol believes that many of the girls who come out as transgender are, in fact, lesbian. They date other girls who are both trans and non-trans, she reveals.

From talking to these girls, the thought of being a heterosexual female is terrifying for them, but being known as a lesbian is also unpalatable, so they become transgender. I think as lesbians they would face more bullying but as transgender children they almost become popular.

The attraction, she says, is that by becoming trans these socially awkward children who have struggled to find acceptance suddenly see their popularity rocket.

They have girls flocking around them like handmaidens because they look like pretty little boys, she says.

They mirror teenage fantasies, resembling popstars like Justin Bieber. These trans kids actually become quite powerful in the school.

She adds that one of the most worrying ways these pupils exercise their newfound power is by influencing younger children, who are nearly always autistic, to think they, too, are transgender, which reminds her of grooming.

Carol told of how distressed children would come to her and say they are trans, explaining to her: I was feeling very lost, but [an older transgender student] found me crying in the corridor and helped me understand who I truly am.

Her concerns come amid growing alarm over the surge in the number of teenage girls wanting to change gender. More than 1,000 were referred for treatment this year compared to just 40 in 2010. Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt has ordered an investigation into why.

Carol says: Im now so alarmed by the force of the transgender agenda that Im not sure how muchlonger I can go on for, as I can no longer be honest with the students.

We are being dictated to by groups who dont know these kids, to make decisions that are harmful to them.

And we are giving children a huge amount of agency to make decisions when what they need are boundaries to make them feel safe and secure. It feels as if we are walking into a nightmare.

How the only NHS transgender clinic for children 'buried' the fact that 372 of 1,069 patients were autistic

Since 2011, London's Tavistock Centre has treated more than 1,000 under-18s

An interval review found some 35 per cent exhibited autistic traits

But despite the significant number, the clinic did not highlight the result

Expert says it could be symptomatic of their autism rather than a gender issue

Britain's only NHS transgender clinic for children was last night accused of burying disturbing figures showing a third of its young patients are autistic.

Since 2011, specialists at The Tavistock Centres Gender Identity Development Service in London have seen more than 1,000 under- 18s.

An internal review discovered 372 of these patients  some 35 per cent  exhibited moderate or severe autistic traits.'

Yet despite the potential significance of the figures  and amid growing concerns that youngsters with developmental and mental health problems are being railroaded into medical treatment for gender dysphoria  the finding has never been highlighted by the clinic since its publication in June.

Since 2011, specialists at The Tavistock Centres Gender Identity Development Service in London have seen more than 1,000 under-18s

Last night, Stephanie Davies-Arai, founder of parental campaign group Transgender Trends, said: The fact a third of these patients have autistic traits is of huge concern and I would expect clinical professionals to be seriously investigating it.

Therapist overlooked my son's mental health issues The mother of an autistic teenager says she is appalled at how the Tavistock Centre accepted her sons claims that he was transgender but overlooked serious mental health problems. The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, said her 16-year-old son was referred to the clinic by his NHS counsellor after he began insisting out of the blue that he wanted to be a girl. The 38-year-old mum said she was extremely upset that a senior psychologist accepted her son wanted to change sex, despite knowing he had autism and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The expert then told her son, her only child, that he could see doctors at the clinic who could prescribe drugs to help him change sex. The psychotherapist from the Tavistock met him for an hour maximum and then made the assumption that changing sex was something that was very settled in his head, the mother said. It was just terrifying. Her main concern was my sons claims he wanted to be a girl when she should have been worried that he clearly wasnt in his right mind because of his autism and OCD. The Tavistock said: Our assessment process takes place over at least three sessions, often longer. No physical treatment would be offered or suggested after one session. Advertisement

'But nobody from the Tavistock Clinic has made a statement about it, nor done anything to highlight the issue as something that should be looked at.

In any other clinical area, there would be alarm bells ringing. We urgently need to look into why so many young people on the autistic spectrum are developing gender dysphoria.

The practice review, conducted by leading clinicians at the centre, was mentioned in a June 28 article on The Tavistocks website.

However, this focused on the finding that growing numbers of youngsters were questioning conventional gender expectations and seeking recognition and acceptance of their gender diversity.

The fact a high proportion of patients were autistic could only be found by clicking a link to an external website at the bottom of the article.

That took readers to the medical journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, where the six-page review contained these two sentences: A range of psychometric measures are used to assess behavioural and emotional functioning, including features of autistic spectrum disorder and self-harm. Around 35 per cent of referred young people present with moderate to severe autistic traits.

No more mention was made of this statistic in the review.

When contacted at the time by The Mail on Sunday, co-author Bernadette Wren, consultant clinical psychologist at the Tavistock, said the 35 per cent figure was based on 1,069 children and teenagers referred to the Tavistocks Gender Identity Development Service between 2011 and 2017, of which 372 were assessed as having autistic traits.

Around four in ten of the services patients go on to receive puberty blocking drugs  the first stage of sex-change treatment.

If the proportion of potentially autistic patients going on to blockers is the same, then around 150 will have done so.

Autism expert Dr Sally Powis said autistic teenagers searching for a reason why they did not fit in could fixate on the idea they were born into the wrong body  when gender might actually have nothing to do with it.

An internal review discovered 372 of the clinic's 1,000 patients  some 35 per cent  exhibited moderate or severe autistic traits'

She said: If you know youve been different since you were a small child, theres the possibility you consider its your gender thats the issue, rather than autism.

Teenage girls on the autistic spectrum who bind their breasts might simply be trying to express the feeling that Im anxious about all this stuff happening to my body, and I dont know how to handle it, she said.

And she cautioned that autistic teenagers who ended up transitioning might deeply regret it if they found swapping gender did not solve their problems.

But she said there were undoubtedly cases of autistic youngsters with genuine gender dysphoria. People with the condition might also be more likely to come out as transgender because they were just a bit more honest about their sexuality and gender identity than others, she said.

A spokesman for the Tavistock Centre last night said the finding that many gender dysphoria patients were on the autistic spectrum was not new.

She added: All young people attending our service undertake a comprehensive assessment over a period of time.

There is general consensus that a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder is not a reason in itself to exclude individuals from treatment for gender dysphoria.
An astonishing 17 pupils at a single British school are in the process of changing gender, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Most of the youngsters undergoing the transformation are autistic, according to a teacher there, who said vulnerable children with mental health problems were being tricked into believing they are the wrong sex.

The whistleblower says few of the transgender children are suffering from gender dysphoria  the medical term for someone who feels they were born in the wrong body  but are just easily influenced, latching on to the mistaken belief they are the wrong sex as a way of coping with the problems caused by autism.

Earlier this year, The Mail on Sunday revealed that a third of youngsters referred to the NHSs only gender identity clinic for children showed moderate to severe autistic traits.

According to a teacher most of the youngsters undergoing a gender transformation are autistic

It means that 150 autistic teenagers were given puberty blocker drugs which stop the body maturing.

The teacher says she felt compelled to speak out to protect pupils, many of whom she believes could already be taking the powerful drugs and may go on to have life-changing surgery.

She believes schools and some politicians have swallowed hook, line and sinker a politically-correct fallacy peddled by a powerful transgender lobby.

She has asked The Mail on Sunday to conceal her identity for fear of dismissal after almost 20 years as a teacher, But in a shocking interview, the woman, who we shall call Carol, tells how:

She was advised to keep parents and other teachers in the dark if a pupil claimed to be transgender;

Older pupils at her school who changed gender groomed younger, mainly autistic students to do the same;

One autistic teenager is soon to have a double mastectomy;

Pupils who say they were born the wrong sex mimic transgender YouTube stars Carol believes are partly to blame for convincing vulnerable children they have gender dysphoria.

Last night, Conservative MP David Davies said: I congratulate this teacher for coming out and telling us what I have long suspected has been going on in schools. It is horrendous that children are being encouraged by other pupils to identify as transgender, particularly if they have autism.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that 17 pupils at a single British school are in the process of changing gender. Pictured: Anna Friel and Callum Booth-Ford in the drama Butterfly

Parents are not told about this and there is no way of challenging these pupils who are convinced by others that they have a problem they almost certainly do not have. Tragically the end result could be irreversible surgical procedures. This is scandalous.

The teacher, who has her own child, also believes many of those who say they are the wrong sex are simply gay but would face bullying if they were to come out. By contrast, she says, transgender children at the school are idolised by other pupils.

She has also raised concerns that many teachers are now too scared to challenge students claims they are transgender because they fear being sacked or sued for being transphobic.

The 17 pupils now identifying as transgender are following in the footsteps of a teenager who has now left the school and is planning a double mastectomy.

That student, who was born female, told Carol she wanted to identify as non-binary-a person  with no specific gender  in January 2014, at the age of 16 and two years after being diagnosed as autistic.

After consulting with her parents, the school agreed to change the students name on the register to one that was gender neutral. Teachers also agreed to use both male and female pronouns depending what gender the student identified as on any given day.

These pronouns could change from hour to hour depending how the student was feeling, Carol said.

Carol put the pupil in contact with a transgender support group but now says she bitterly regrets her handling of the case. That child was diagnosed as autistic at the age of 14 and certainly was not transgender, she said. She had other complicated mental health problems. It is a tragedy her claim was accepted so readily. Now she is going to mutilate her body.

Over the next four years, the 17 pupils who have come out as transgender have become powerful within the school, Carol says.

They wear identical clothing and hairstyles and often adopt the names of transgender YouTube stars. She has also witnessed first-hand how older pupils have persuaded younger ones with autism that they, too, were born the wrong sex  a process she has likens to grooming.

They are just young people with mental health problems who have found an identity and want to be part of a group of like-minded people, she said.

Ive seen girls whove changed gender groom younger ones to do the same... and in nearly every case they are autistic, says school teacher

Over an unblemished teaching career spanning two decades, Carol has devoted much of her time to the emotional and personal well-being of the pupils in her care.

So when a 16-year-old student she had known for many years quietly confided that she felt trapped in the wrong body and was considering changing gender, her instinct was to take the teenager lovingly under her wing.

Even though Carol knew the child had been diagnosed as autistic two years earlier, she vowed to provide the support the youngster needed to guide her through what would obviously be a difficult journey.

It was January 2014 and the debate over transgender rights, so supercharged today, had barely begun.

The baffling array of terminology used to define various permutations of so-called gender identity was yet to emerge and Carol admits she didnt know where to turn for help.

But then, because she was in charge of pupils pastoral care, Carol was contacted by an organisation that aimed to help transgender youngsters.

The body, which Carol has asked us not to name because she fears doing so might identify her and the pupil, had recently opened a centre nearby.

The student, who was born female, had insisted that she now wanted to identify as non-binary  a person with no specific gender  so Carol happily referred her to the group. But the gently spoken mother has come to bitterly regret that decision.

In 2014 a student confided in teacher Carol that she felt trapped in the wrong body and was considering changing gender. The student had been diagnosed with autism two years earlier. (Stock picture)

Once she was involved with that group there was no turning back, she says. It was decided that she was transgender and that was that, it was never challenged and I blame myself for that.

Carol now firmly believes that the student never suffered from gender dysphoria  the medical term for someone who feels they were born in the wrong body  but was simply autistic and should have been offered more help to cope with their emotional and social difficulties.

What makes this even more painful for Carol and is one of the reasons she has chosen to speak out today is that she has learned the girl is planning a double mastectomy as part of her gender realignment.

She says: That child was diagnosed as autistic at the age of 14 and certainly was not transgender  she had complicated mental health problems. It is a tragedy that now she is going to mutilate her body.

'Butterfly' charity tells schools: Do not let parents know if child wants transition Teachers are being advised not to tell parents if their child wants to change sex. The website of charity Mermaids contains advice that pupils should not be outed as transgender, because their parents may not be supportive. Confidential information must not be shared, even with parents and carers, without the child or young persons permission unless there are safeguarding reasons for doing so, the group says, further stressing: Being trans or gender questioning is not a safeguarding concern in itself. The charity was set up to help youngsters who are confused about their gender, and helped producers make the recent ITV drama Butterfly about a transgender child, starring Anna Friel and Callum Booth-Ford. It gives its advice in a 50-page Trans Inclusion Schools Toolkit, a guide available on its website for teachers on how to support transgender pupils. The guidance acknowledges teachers will wish to consult with parents when a child confides that they want to identify as the opposite sex. But it states: When working with parents and carers, [schools and colleges] should keep in mind that they are representing the interests of the child or young person. As far as possible, care should be taken to ensure the wishes of the individual are taken into account with a view to supporting them during potential transition. The guide promoted by Mermaids was created by Allsorts Youth Group, an LGBT organisation based in Brighton. Advertisement

She recalls how the school did all it could to accommodate the student. After consulting with the childs parents, it agreed to change the students name on the register to one that was gender neutral. Teachers also started to refer to them using both male and female pronouns depending what gender the student identified as on any given day. The pronouns could change from hour to hour depending how the student was feeling, Carol said.

The teen asked if she could hold an assembly to tell other pupils at the school about being transgender, but Carol blocked this.

Now she understands the pupil informally educated fellow students, which Carol suspects could have been the catalyst for a wave of copycat cases among autistic pupils. She says the process reminds her of grooming.

Over the next four years, Carol witnessed an astonishing explosion in the number of children claiming to be transgender.

In all but a very few cases, she says, the children were officially diagnosed as autistic by the local education authority. Those not formally diagnosed showed clear signs of being on the autistic spectrum, she says.

According to Carol, nine of the 18 children she has seen identify as transgender have been diagnosed with autism while the rest had definite signs of the condition. Typically, these children are bright outsiders, she says.

I dont believe they are actually transgender. They are just young people with complex mental health issues who have found an identity and want to be part of a group of like-minded people.

According to an internal report, a third of patients referred to the Tavistock Clinic, the UKs only NHS service for young people confused about their gender, have strong autistic traits.

The dramatic increase in the numbers of pupils wanting to change gender coincided with a growing clamour from activists demanding more rights for transgender people.

The Government is now consulting on whether to allow people to change gender without medical diagnoses.

It has sparked a furious debate about whether men who say they identify as women should be allowed into female-only spaces.

Carol does not back this move but is sympathetic to transgender people. She said: If a child genuinely has gender dysphoria then of course they should get all the love and support they need.

But I believe that autistic children who are not transgender are being exploited by the transgender lobby. They are being brainwashed into believing they are transgender.

YouTube trans star influencing children Transgender YouTube star Ash Hardell is idolised by hundreds of thousands of teenagers around the world, with more than 500,000 subscribers to his video channel. Ash, who was born female but now identifies as non-binary  neither male nor female  introduces one video about breast removal, entitled I Got Top Surgery!!, with the words: Watch my journey to flat and happy! In it, Ash tells fans: After surgery there was not only this wave of euphoria, but also the biggest wave of relief Im telling you, it was the right decision and Im so happy. Commenting on the video, one young follower said: When Im older I will get top surgery no matter what my parents say!! British-born Alex Bertie, 23, also has a hit channel where he has been sharing details of his transition from female to male since the age of 15 with his 300,000 followers. He told one young person who contacted him saying that they felt confused and not trans enough that they were repressing their true feelings. Just because you are pushing it down and covering it up doesnt mean its not still there, Alex said. Advertisement

She said what was most worrying is some of them could be taking strong puberty blocker drugs that interrupt physical development.

They do this without the knowledge of their parents and without medical supervision, even though the chemicals could give them serious health problems later in life.

The school, the location of which Carol has asked to keep secret, has 17 pupils who claim they are transgender.

The majority are girls who claim to be non-binary or identify as boys and a small number of boys who identify as girls. She says they are often bright students who are likeable and popular.

Other girls flock to them as if they are teen idols and some go on dates with them.

It seems, Carol says, as if being transgender is in fashion.

Carol describes how some of the more outspoken transgender children police language and behaviour, often accusing teachers and fellow pupils of misgendering.

Offence is caused by the use of an incorrect pronoun or by failing to acknowledge a students new gender identity.

Last year, this newspaper revealed how a teacher in Oxfordshire faced professional misconduct charges when he accidentally called a transgender pupil a girl when the student identifies as a boy.

Carol says: I was discussing the topic of menstruation during a class recently and was called out by one of the pupils who now identifies as a boy for failing to say that boys can have periods too.

Of course they cant and it sounds like a joke but a lot of teachers are terrified of making a slip-up.

Carol said in the current climate she would not dare suggest to a pupil who said they were trans that they may be mistaken. If there was a complaint, I could be dismissed.

She says transgender pupils tend to convert in clusters of two or three around the age of 14 and in a very uniform manner: wearing their hair in a quiff and dyeing it blue, black or blond, and starting to wear large round glasses, Dr Martens boots, donkey jackets and tight trousers.

I would guess they must all be wearing chest binders [to flatten the breasts] and I was told of one girl who was padding her underwear to make it look like she had a penis.

Despite there being such a large number of transgender children in the school, Carol says there is little guidance from the Department for Education or senior staff on how to handle them.

Her union directed her to transgender support group Mermaids, whose online advice warns teachers not to tell parents when a pupil wants to change sex unless there is a safeguarding issue.

Carol said: In my view there is always a safeguarding issue  particularly when you know that child has underlying mental health problems. Surely every parent has a right to know. Advice to keep it a secret breaks the No 1 rule about child protection.

Mermaids were unavailable for comment last night,

Carol says transgender pupils at her school sometimes adopt the names of trans YouTubers who have found fame online.

There have been times when a group of pupils who are identifying as boys all use the same name.

Some internet celebrities have been accused of influencing younger children to think they are transgender when they are not.

In one video, popular star Alex Bertie tells a young person who said they were confused and didnt feel trans enough that they were repressing their transgender identity.

Carol believes that many of the girls who come out as transgender are, in fact, lesbian. They date other girls who are both trans and non-trans, she reveals.

From talking to these girls, the thought of being a heterosexual female is terrifying for them, but being known as a lesbian is also unpalatable, so they become transgender.

I think as lesbians they would face more bullying but as transgender children they almost become popular.

The attraction, she says, is that by becoming trans these socially awkward children who have struggled to find acceptance suddenly see their popularity rocket.

They have girls flocking around them like handmaidens because they look like pretty little boys, she says.

They mirror teenage fantasies, resembling popstars like Justin Bieber. These trans kids actually become quite powerful in the school.

The teacher said she felt compelled to speak out to protect pupils, many of whom she believes could already be taking the powerful drugs

She adds that one of the most worrying ways these pupils exercise their newfound power is by influencing younger children, who are nearly always autistic, to think they, too, are transgender, which reminds her of grooming.

Carol told of how distressed children would come to her and say they are trans, explaining to her: I was feeling very lost, but [an older transgender student] found me crying in the corridor and helped me understand who I truly am.

Her concerns come amid growing alarm over the surge in the number of teenage girls wanting to change gender.

More than 1,000 were referred for treatment this year compared to just 40 in 2010. Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt has ordered an investigation into why.

Carol says: Im now so alarmed by the force of the transgender agenda that Im not sure how muchlonger I can go on for, as I can no longer be honest with the students.

We are being dictated to by groups who dont know these kids, to make decisions that are harmful to them.

And we are giving children a huge amount of agency to make decisions when what they need are boundaries to make them feel safe and secure. It feels as if we are walking into a nightmare.

In 20 years we'll look back on the rush to change our children's sex as one of the darkest chapters in medicine, says psychotherapist BOB WITHERS

Let me be absolutely clear: I am in no doubt there are people who feel they are one gender while having the body of the other.

Living with such constant, internal conflict is horrifying for many of those affected, and it should never be ignored.

No one should seek to suppress another persons genuinely held sexual orientation or gender identity.

But the question we must ask ourselves today is this  how do we decide whose needs are genuine? And how, then, should we treat them?

Since 2011, specialists at The Tavistock Centres Gender Identity Development Service in London have seen more than 1,000 under-18s

I have been a psychotherapist for more than 30 years and, in that time, I have worked with a small but significant number of patients who wished to change gender.

For everyones sake, I believe that surgery  which is irreversible  should only ever be a last resort. We should always begin by working to help the mind fit better with the body before we start altering the body to fit the mind.

Yet in todays NHS, professionals are enabling hundreds  possibly thousands  of teenagers to have major surgery to change their gender.

It is being done, almost unchallenged, in the name of transgender rights. But in 20 years time, I believe we will look back on this folly as one of the darkest periods in the history of modern medicine.

We will question why we failed to challenge their belief that they were born in the wrong bodies.

We will ask why we so readily ignored the clanging alarm bells that many were autistic, or had mental health problems.

What we are faced with today is extremely worrying. While 17 children are transitioning in one secondary school, be in no doubt  it is almost certainly being repeated in other schools. What is happening is this: we are bringing up a generation of children who have quite complex mental health issues.

Identifying as trans can feel like a way to explain that suffering. Rather than understanding where it might be coming from  feeling lonely or isolated, being bullied, having an autistic spectrum disorder or struggling with any number of issues from sexuality to abuse to self-harm  we are allowing them to change sex.

Its a lazy and damaging solution and one which NHS professionals, teachers, politicians and the law are all too eager to embrace to signal their progressive views.

In 2015, I published a prize- winning but controversial paper examining whether therapy could replace some patients perceived need for surgery.

Personally, I believe that as a society we should celebrate gender variance. Some of my patients have been able to live creatively with the mismatch between their mind and body. Where that isnt possible  and where a patient is obviously suffering  we should always do something about it.

Yet the debate on this issue has been silenced by transgender activists who label as transphobic anyone who dares to challenge their dogma.

This blind adherence to ideology has real, dangerous consequences.

In my field, for example, many psychotherapists are now afraid to properly question a patient who identifies as trans: afraid to explore their past, ask questions of their sexuality, or look into their mental health. They wont go there, for fear of being struck off.

One major problem in todays blinkered reality is that, if you dont affirm a patients claim to be transgender, you can run the risk of being accused of practising conversion therapy.

Conversion therapy is the practice of trying to convince a homosexual person that they are really straight. Its abhorrent, and is rightly banned. Now, powerful bodies including the NHS and major counselling organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding  an agreement on how to practise  which extends the definition of conversion therapy to cover patients who might be transgender.

And this well-meaning memorandum is being used by trans activists to stop therapists, psychologists and others from asking rigorous questions about whether or not a patient does, in fact, have genuine gender dysphoria.

A therapist might have good cause to believe that the trans-identifying teenage boy in front of them hates his body because he was abused as a child and feels vulnerable. But they cant explore that possibility.

They might spot a pattern of several schoolgirls saying they are trans, after witnessing a peer transformed from social non-entity to social butterfly after identifying as a trans-boy.

The attraction of popularity should not be overlooked.

Yet none of these possibilities can now be safely raised by psychotherapists, psychiatrists or teachers. Recently, 650 trans activists signed a letter published in Therapy Today, the house magazine of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, calling on anyone not practising affirmation therapy to be booted out. If the Government presses ahead with plans to allow people to self- identify as whatever gender they like, without external validation, I fear that would strengthen the hand of those arguing for trans-affirmative therapy.

But in my view, to avoid asking such probing questions of patients who claim to be trans  especially teenagers  is a cowardly dereliction of our duty.

We abdicate our responsibility if we simply become their Yes men, just passing them on to the next stage of the sex-change process.

The danger is that, once on the medical pathway which leads to a sex change, its very hard to get off.

Youngsters referred to the Gender Identity Development Service run by The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust in London undergo just six sessions to assess whether or not they are trans. Several members of staff have told me they are quietly appalled that, too often, no psychotherapy is offered before they start medical treatment.

They are then given puberty blocker drugs which halt physical developments  powerful medicines not even licensed for transgender treatment which we know can weaken the bones, perhaps for life. There is little long-term data on their safety yet the NHS routinely hands them out.

Then most will receive cross-sex hormones, which carry their own risks. Giving testosterone to females, for instance, can raise the risk of ovarian cancer.

Exactly how many make the full surgical transition to the opposite sex is unclear. Whether it brings lasting happiness is even less so. Short-term studies, usually conducted soon after surgery, suggest patients are immediately happier. But the few long-term studies that exist paint a different picture.

One, which followed men who had transitioned to be women for 15 to 20 years after surgery, showed they had a 20-times higher risk of suicide than others matched for age, social class and mental health problems.

On YouTube, some transsexuals are now posting videos warning young people not to go ahead with reassignment.

The backlash has begun.

It surely cant be long before more difficult questions will be asked by a new generation. They will ask why nobody stopped them, told them treatment could destroy their sex life  or warned them that it would make them infertile and might not make them happy after all. They might also have lawyers asking the same questions, eyeing millions of pounds in compensation.

We need some honesty now, free from political correctness.

Otherwise, we are heading towards catastrophe.
Cabinet Ministers were so alarmed by the behaviour of Esther McVey during last week's tumultuous Brexit Cabinet meeting that they thought that 'security would have to be called', according to one senior figure present.

The former Work and Pensions Secretary  who resigned from the Government on Thursday in protest at Theresa May's Brexit deal  was embroiled in a furious confrontation with the Prime Minister when she demanded a vote to formally record Ministers' positions on the deal.

Ms McVey has angrily denied that she was in tears during the bust-up, saying: 'I'm made of much sterner stuff than that.'

Ester McVey, pictured, has denied she broke down in tears during her final cabinet meeting when Theresa May unveiled her deal with the EU to secure her vision of Brexit

Hours after her Cabinet meltdown, McVey tweeted her resignation letter from Government

But one Minister present told The Mail on Sunday: 'It was the most extraordinary meltdown I've seen in Cabinet. I thought security would have to be called, because she seemed so hysterical and aggressive. The Prime Minister tried to talk to her, but it was all just empty waffle which Esther talked over. So Julian [Smith, Chief Whip], just started shouting at her to shut up.'

Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill also objected to Ms McVey's call for a vote to 'put on record where everyone stood'.

Although Downing Street was shaken by the departure of Dominic Raab, they were relieved Ms McVey was the only other Cabinet Minister to resign.

No 10 were already planning to move Ms McVey in the next Cabinet reshuffle after being left unimpressed by her performance over the blighted Universal Credit system.

Last month, a bitter row erupted between Chancellor Philip Hammond and Ms McVey over claims of a 2 billion black hole in the flagship scheme.

Ms McVey has angrily denied that she was in tears during the bust-up, saying: 'I'm made of much sterner stuff than that'

Allies of Ms McVey have accused Mr Hammond of lobbying for her to be removed  and to be replaced by his deputy, Liz Truss  claiming the former TV presenter stood up to the Chancellor and got more cash for her Work and Pensions department. In return, the Tatton MP has been the subject of barbed comments. One Treasury source took aim at Ms McVey's immaculate hair, saying: 'The only thing she knows how to do well is a blow dry.'

The nationwide rollout of Universal Credit, which merges six benefits, has been plagued by delays and soaring costs.

The Treasury source added: 'She's a pain in the a*** and costing us money'.

In her resignation letter, Ms McVey said: 'The deal you put before the Cabinet yesterday does not honour the result of the referendum. Indeed, it doesn't meet the tests you set from the outset of your Premiership.'

She added that the deal would prevent future governments from striking free trade deals and 'threatens the integrity of the United Kingdom'.

'We have gone from no deal is better than a bad deal, to any deal is better than no deal'.

Her resignation  and replacement by Amber Rudd  was welcomed by many officials in her department who reportedly found her difficult to work with.
Democrat Andrew Gillum officially ended his bid for Florida governor on Saturday, conceding the race to Republican Ron DeSantis.

The Tallahassee Mayor conceded the race on Saturday as a recount of ballots neared its end, and the Democrat congratulated Republican former Congressman DeSantis on becoming the states next governor.

'This has been the journey of our lives. Weve been so honored by the support that weve received,' Gillum said in a video statement.

'We know that this fight continues, in spite of the outcome of this election.'

Andrew Gillum, the Tallahassee Mayor, conceded the race on Saturday as a recount of ballots neared its end, and the Democrat congratulated Republican former Congressman DeSantis on becoming the states next governor

Gillum tweeted his concession to DeSantis on Saturday

'We are going to keep fighting,' Gillum tweeted. 'We will keep working.' Gillum is seen above with his wife, R. Jai

DeSantis said on Twitter, 'This was a hard-fought campaign. Now its time to bring Florida together.' DeSantis is seen in Orlando on November 5

'Congratulations to Andrew Gillum on having run a really tough and competitive race for Governor of the Great State of Florida,' Trump tweeted Saturday. 'He will be a strong Democrat warrior long into the future - a force to reckon with!'

Gillum initially conceded the Governor's race on election night last Tuesday, but retracted the concession after it became apparent that there would be a recount.

The machine recount that was launched this week showed that Gillum faced an insurmountable deficit against DeSantis, increasing the pressure on the Democrat to concede, according to The Tallahassee Democrat.

Gillum was still trailing DeSantis by 33,683 votes, according to the official recount.

That means Gillum gained just 1 vote from the unofficial results that were reported last week, according to The Orlando Sentinel.

Of the more than 8 million votes cast, DeSantis holds a 0.41 per cent lead. By law, any election result within 0.25 per cent would automatically trigger a manual recount.

A frequent critic of Gillum, President Donald Trump, had positive things to say about the Democratic runner-up on Saturday.

'Congratulations to Andrew Gillum on having run a really tough and competitive race for Governor of the Great State of Florida,' Trump tweeted Saturday.

'He will be a strong Democrat warrior long into the future - a force to reckon with!'

The Gillum-DeSantis race for Governor wasn't the only contest that went to a recount. The race between Democratic U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (left) and his challenger, Republican Governor Rick Scott (right), also went to a recount

Last month, Trump denounced Gillum as a 'thief' - a term that raised eyebrows given the racial connotations.

DeSantis said on Twitter, 'This was a hard-fought campaign. Now its time to bring Florida together.'

After Gillum initially conceded the contest on election night, his subsequent calls for every vote to be counted echoed similar appeals from fellow Democrat U.S. Senator Bill Nelson.

A recount is continuing in the race between Nelson and his challenger for the Senate seat, outgoing Republican Governor Rick Scott.

That recount has become the subject of an intense political battle with Republicans including Trump claiming without evidence that the process was marred by fraud.

Both parties and their supporters filed multiple lawsuits challenging the process, with Republicans urging a strict standard on which votes were counted while Democrats contested rules that they saw as disenfranchising voters.

A lot of the national attention has been focused on Broward County in South Florida.

Broward County Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes said that 2,040 ballots had been 'misfiled,' in a video posted by The South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Saturday.

'We have been trying to determine what could have caused the drop. What we believe is that in the recount area ... I believe those ballots were probably mixed in with another stack,' Snipes told the elections Canvassing Board at midday.

'The ballots are in the building. The ballots are in this building. There would be nowhere else for them to be. But they are misfiled in this building.'

Broward County Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes explains to the canvassing board the discrepancy in vote counts during the hand count at the Broward County Supervisor of Elections office in Lauderhill, Fla., on Saturday

State officials ordered a manual recount on Thursday after a machine recount showed less votes in the county than the total number of votes reported to the state on November 10.

Broward County has historically been a Democratic stronghold, but the machine recount on Thursday had Scott leading Nelson by about 12,600 votes for one of the state's U.S. Senate seats.

With counties across Florida in the middle of a hand recount for statewide races, Broward thought its recount in the US Senate race was complete on Friday.

Early on Saturday, Broward County's recount of 22,000 ballots cast in the race for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture saw a hiccup, as well, and came to an abrupt stop when officials noticed volunteers had mixed 47 manila envelopes from the Senate recount in with those to be hand counted for the commissioner race, Fox News reported.

Had the mix-up not been caught, some ballots cast for commissioner may have been counted twice, but Broward County Canvassing Board Attorney Rene Harrod said the issue was caught in time and that none of the 47 envelopes were double counted in that race.

Vote-counting issues have plagued Broward County for at least the past 14 years, dating back to one year after Snipes took over as County Supervisor of Elections in 2003.
Facial recognition is being used to identify American Civil War soldiers who may have otherwise been lost in the sands of time.

Computer scientist and history buff Kurt Luther created a free-to-use website, called Civil War Photo Sleuth, that uses facial recognition technology to cross-reference vintage photographs with a database and hopefully assign a name to unknown subjects.

Luther was inspired to launch the website after he stumbled upon a wartime portrait of his great-great-uncle, who was a Union corporal in the Civil War.

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Civil War Photo Sleuth uses facial recognition technology to cross-reference vintage photographs with a database and hopefully assign a name to unknown subjects

HOW DOES THE WEBSITE WORK? Users upload photos to Civil War Photo Sleuth. They tag a number of identifiers in the photo, such as unit and rank insignia, photographer details and inscriptions. Then, the site's facial recognition technology goes to work, mapping as many as 27 'facial landmarks.' It uses those facial landmarks to compare the photo to the more than 10,000 identified photos in the site's archive. Once it finishes cross-referencing, the site will serve up a slate of possible matches and names. It was able to identify 88 persons in photographs over the course of just a single month. Advertisement

The American Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865.

In a Medium post, Luther described the moment he came across the photograph of his ancestor at an exhibit titled 'Pennsylvania's Civil War' at Pittsburgh's Heinz History Center in 2013.

'A modest display case in one corner of the exhibit held a remarkable leather-bound album of cartes de visite,' Luther wrote.

'...My eyes fixed on the inscription above the right-most image: 'Croxton, Dead 1880.'

'Below it, a seated Union corporal, wearing a sack coat, a full beard and a serious expression, gazed back at me.

'We couldn't believe our luck...I saw there, for the first time, my Civil War ancestor, great-great-great uncle Oliver, closing a gap of 150 years,' Luther said.

The experience prompted Luther to launch Civil War Photo Sleuth this summer.

To try it out, users upload an image to the site and tag it with any visible identifiers that can be found in the photo, such as unit and rank insignia, photographer details and inscriptions, according to Military Images.

Details such as these can make a world of a difference during attempts to identify someone.

Luther was inspired to launch the website this year after he stumbled upon a wartime portrait of his great-great-uncle, who was a Union corporal in the Civil War

To try it out, users upload an image to the site and tag it with any visible identifiers that can be found in the photo, such as unit and rank insignia, photographer details and inscriptions

For example, three chevrons and a star signifies a rank of ordinance sergeant for Union and Confederate armies, Slate noted.

Then, the site's facial recognition technology goes to work, mapping as many as 27 'facial landmarks.'

Computer scientist and history buff Kurt Luther created a free-to-use website, called Civil War Photo Sleuth (pictured)

It uses those facial landmarks to compare the photo to the more than 10,000 identified photos in the site's archive.

What's more, the facial recognition software isn't fazed by beards or sideburns - both of which were popular styles during the 19th century.

Once it finishes cross-referencing, the site will serve up a slate of possible matches and names.

'Our initial tests show that face recognition can truly find a needle in a haystack,' Luther explained.

'In just a few seconds, we can identify a mystery photo of an unknown soldier among more than 15,000 possibilities.'

Luther worked with Ron Coddington, the editor of Military Images magazine, Paul Quigley, the director of the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies and student researchers from from Virginia Tech, to create the site.

Pictured is Pvt. James M. Wetherbee, 83rd Illinois Infantry postwar (left) and wartime (right). A Civil War photo sleuth was able to identify the Civil War soldier

Luther was inspired to launch the website after he stumbled upon a wartime portrait of his great-great-uncle, who was a Union corporal in the Civil War. Pictured is his ancestor

Coddington believes there were about 40 million photos taken during the Civil War, giving them a sizable sample set to draw from for the archive.

'I once calculated that there were 40 million photographs of Union soldiers taken during the Civil War,' Coddington told Military Images.

'Even if only 10 percent survive, there are 4 million images out there today.'

Meanwhile, other experts estimate that only 10 to 20 percent of images collected during the Civil War have had their subjects identified.

Luther hopes Civil War Photo Sleuth can help boost that number to 100 percent.

So far, they've been pretty successful.

Pictured right is an example of an unidentified Civil War soldier. Left is Lt. James H. French, 100th NY Infantry. Civil War Photo Sleuth is able to identify subjects even if they have beards

Civil War Photo Sleuth logged roughly 88 matches in a single month, of which 75 percent were 'probably or definitely correct,' Luther said.

And the more people use it, the more likely it is that the site will be able to identify subjects, he added.

Ultimately, the site brings new life to Luther's hobby of Civil War photo sleuthing.

'It's important to give names to these faces,' Luther told Slate. 'Images are powerful, and they humanize these people who might otherwise just seem like names on a list or numbers in a casualty report.'
NASA has finally shut down its planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft.

The space agency confirmed on the evening of Thursday, Nov. 15, Kepler received its final set of commands to disconnect communications with Earth - nine years after it blasted off.

The 'goodnight' commands finalize the spacecraft's transition into retirement, which began on Oct. 30 with NASA's announcement that Kepler had run out of fuel and could no longer conduct science.

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NASA's planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft has died in orbit after a historic nine-year campaign that revealed the existence of thousands of distant worlds

Kepler's 'goodnight' falls on the same date as the 388-year anniversary of the death of its namesake, German astronomer Johannes Kepler, who discovered the laws of planetary motion and passed away on Nov. 15, 1630.

The final commands were sent over NASA's Deep Space Network from Kepler's operations center at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, or LASP, at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

LASP runs the spacecraft's operations on behalf of NASA and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation in Boulder, Colorado.

Kepler's team disabled the safety modes that could inadvertently turn systems back on, and severed communications by shutting down the transmitters.

Because the spacecraft is slowly spinning, the Kepler team had to carefully time the commands so that instructions would reach the spacecraft during periods of viable communication.

Kepler was the first spacecraft to survey the planets in our own galaxy, and over the years its observations confirmed the existence of more than 2,600 exoplanets - many of which could be key targets in the search for alien life

The team will monitor the spacecraft to ensure that the commands were successful.

The spacecraft is now drifting in a safe orbit around the Sun, 94 million miles away from Earth.

Kepler, which launched back in 2009, came to be known by its team as 'the little spacecraft that could,' going above and beyond the expectations NASA had for it.

It was the first spacecraft to survey the planets in our own galaxy, and over the years its observations confirmed the existence of more than 2,600 exoplanets - many of which could be key targets in the search for alien life.

Before Kepler, we'd never found any planets outside of our solar system.

'As NASA's first planet-hunting mission, Kepler has wildly exceeded all our expectations and paved the way for our exploration and search for life in the solar system and beyond,' said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

'Not only did it show us how many planets could be out there, it sparked an entirely new and robust field of research that has taken the science community by storm,' Zurbuchen said.

NASA predicted Kepler would run out of fuel sometime in the near future  but, exactly when this would happen was unclear. The agency has now confirmed the spacecraft is officially dead

'Its discoveries have shed a new light on our place in the universe, and illuminated the tantalizing mysteries and possibilities among the stars.'

The Kepler data indicated that there were far more planets in the sky than we'd ever imagined. According to NASA, we now know there are more planets than stars.

Kepler successfully transmitted data from its final observation campaign back to Earth at the beginning of October. All of this is now in the archive and publicly available, the Kepler team says.

During this so-called Deep Space Network time, however, when Kepler was pointed toward Earth to beam its data home, the team learned that the spacecraft had transitioned to its no-fuel-use sleep mode.

At the time, the team said it is assessing the cause and 'evaluating possible next steps.'

But following their investigation, the team concluded it was time to officially retire the craft.

During its long-running mission, however, the team says Kepler was 'stunningly successful.

The Kepler data indicated that there were far more planets in the sky than ever imagined. According to NASA, we now know there are more planets than stars. An artist's concept of Kepler-186f, the first known Earth-size planet in the habitable zone, is shown

Kepler showed us that 'we live in a galaxy that's teeming with planets, and we're ready to take the next step to explore those planets,' said Padi Boyd, a scientist with the upcoming TESS mission, which will serve as Kepler's successor.

'It has revolutionized our understanding of our place in the cosmos,' NASA's astrophysics director Paul Hertz said.

'Now we know because of the Kepler Space Telescope and its science mission that planets are more common than stars in our galaxy.'

The Kepler mission ran into complications four years after it launched, when mechanical failures temporarily halted its work.

WHAT WERE KEPLER'S TOP FIVE DISCOVERIES? Launched in 2009, the Kepler telescope has helped in the search for planets outside of the solar system. The satellite typically looks for 'Earth-like' planets, meaning they are rocky and orbit within the that orbit within the habitable or 'Goldilocks' zone of a star. If a planet sits within a habitable zone it means it is not too hot or too cold for water to have formed at the planet's surface, one of the key conditions for life. While the planet has found thousands of exoplanets during its eight-year mission, five in particular have stuck out. Kepler-452b, dubbed 'Earth 2.0', shares many characteristics with our planet despite sitting 1,400 light years away. It was found by Nasa's Kepler telescope in 2014 1) 'Earth 2.0' In 2014 the telescope made one of its biggest discoveries when it spotted exoplanet Kepler-452b, dubbed 'Earth 2.0'. The object shares many characteristics with our planet despite sitting 1,400 light years away. It has a similar size orbit to Earth, receives roughly the same amount of sun light and has same length of year. Experts still aren't sure whether the planet hosts life, but say if plants were transferred there, they would likely survive. 2) The first planet found to orbit two stars Kepler found a planet that orbits two stars, known as a binary star system, in 2011. The system, known as Kepler-16b, is roughly 200 light years from Earth. Experts compared the system to the famous 'double-sunset' pictured on Luke Skywalker's home planet Tatooine in 'Star Wars: A New Hope'. The Trappist-1 star system (artist's impression), which hosts a record seven Earth-like planets, was one of the biggest discoveries of 2017. Kepler spotted the system in 2016, but scientists revealed the find in a series of papers released in February this year 3) Finding the first habitable planet outside of the solar system Scientists found Kepler-22b in 2011, the first habitable planet found by astronomers outside of the solar system. The habitable super-Earth appears to be a large, rocky planet with a surface temperature of about 72F (22C), similar to a spring day on Earth. 4) Discovering a 'super-Earth' The telescope found its first 'super-Earth' in April 2017, a huge planet called LHS 1140b. It orbits a red dwarf star around 40 million light years away, and scientists think it holds giant oceans of magma. 5) Finding the 'Trappist-1' star system The Trappist-1 star system, which hosts a record seven Earth-like planets, was one of the biggest discoveries of 2017. Each of the planets, which orbit a dwarf star just 39 million light years, likely holds water at its surface. Three of the planets have such good conditions that scientists say life may have already evolved on them. Kepler spotted the system in 2016, but scientists revealed the discovery in a series of papers released in February this year. Advertisement

At the time, the spacecraft had already completed its primary mission objectives.

The team ultimately managed to salvage Kepler by switching its field of view roughly every three months, allowing it to move on to an extended mission dubbed K2.

The spacecraft continued to search for possible orbiting planets, looking for dips in brightness as a planet transits its star.

'It was like trying to detect a flea crawling across a car headlight when the car was 100 miles away,' said retired NASA scientist William Boruki, who led the original Kepler science team.

Kepler completed 18 missions after embarking on its K2 phase.

NASA says it 'pushed Kepler to its full potential' before its demise, with multiple observation campaigns and thousands of planet discoveries.

Before Kepler, we'd never found any planets outside of our solar system. Exoplanet Kepler-1625b with a hypothesized moon is illustrated in the image above

The space agency will use the data from Campaign 19  Kepler's final observations  to complement that collected by its Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission, which launched this past April.

And, given the bountiful data Kepler has collected over the years, the team says there's still much more to learn in the spacecraft's legacy.

'We know the spacecraft's retirement isn't the end of Kepler's discoveries,' said Jessie Dotson, Kepler's project scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley.

'I'm excited about the diverse discoveries that are yet to come from our data and how future missions will build upon Kepler's results.'
My four-year-old son was ready to meet Santa Claus. I wasnt sure if Santa was prepared for the ordeal of meeting him.

Nicholas is going through a hooligan phase. So I felt nervous when, after arriving at Santa Claus Village in Finland, we were ushered into the great mans presence. There he sat in all his glory, red of coat and round of belly, his ruddy cheeks gleaming above curly white hair.

And what would you like for Christmas, young man? he asked my hyperactive son.

Snow, snow, thick, thick snow: The central plaza of Santa Claus Village

Nicholass eyes narrowed. I dont know, he replied.

Santa twinkled. He had met such children before.

Do you like surprises? he asked slyly.

No, said Nicholas.

Ho, ho, ho, chuckled Santa, losing confidence. Do you like toy cars?

No.

Lego?

No.

Mortified, I murmured the truth into a whiskery ear.

He wants a gun. And we hurried on.

The history of Santa Claus Village goes back to 1950, when former U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited Lapland, the frosty, forested region that makes up the northern third of Finland. She wanted to meet Santa, so locals knocked up a Santa hut. The attraction grew. Four decades later, the Village opened, offering  365 days per year, including Christmas Day  what Lapps say is the worlds best Santa experience.

After our meeting with Santa, Nicholas and I visited his Main Post Office and sent postcards to our loved ones, stamped with the Arctic Circle postmark.

Naughty or nice? The big man meets Nicholas and dad, Thomas (above)

In the Santa Playground, we descended the Santa slide, swung from the Santa swings and hung from the Santa monkey bars. Then we took a sleigh ride, drawn through a lovely copse of birch and pine by Santa Clauss very own reindeer.

Even more than Santa, reindeer are the cultural symbol of Lapland. There are more of them in the region than humans.

The biggest town, Rovaniemi, which was levelled by bombing in World War II, was rebuilt on a plan that resembles the head of a reindeer.

Tasty reindeer stews and soups are served in most restaurants, and gift shops sell almost anything you can imagine made out of antlers. At first, I felt sorry for all these reindeer getting the chop to make chandeliers.

Then I learned the truth: no deer dies in the name of antler ornaments. The males drop their antlers naturally after each mating season. I bought half a dozen antler bottle-openers and thought to myself: thats Christmas sorted.

In the afternoon, Nicholas and I visited Santas (frankly overpriced) Secret Forest, where two elves  young Lappish men sporting prosthetic noses  taught us to do mildly interesting things with gingerbread.

Their elfin patter was pretty tedious, but they had a trick up their sleeves. In their workshop, after showing off the flying reindeer radar and kind-ometer, they slid back a panel to reveal  Santa Claus again!

Then we climbed back on our Santa Line bus to return to our hotel in Rovaniemi. The name? Hotel Santa Claus, of course.

Magical: Visitors can take a reindeer sleigh ride through the snow

The bottom line is: there could hardly be a more exciting holiday for a four-year-old than a trip to Laplands Santa Claus Village.

Its simple to get to, now that easyJet has launched bi-weekly direct flights from London Gatwick to Rovaniemi, which is just a few kilometres south of the Village. There are also lots of non-Santa-related things to do.

In the Arktikum museum, youll learn about the Northern Lights and the indigenous Sami people of the north, who have been oppressed by rapacious southerners.

The Ranua Wildlife Park has two lumbering polar bears, a grey wolf, a vicious wolverine, and owls. At the Bearhill Husky Farm, you can enjoy a helter-skelter sleigh ride, dragged by Arctic Huskies.

On our last morning, Nicholas and I fitted in a Finnish experience. We crossed the bridge and took a dip in the icy River Kemijoki. Its a local tradition, good for your heart and treating a range of ailments. Nicholas said he wanted to do it. I warned him, but he insisted.

So I carried him down the wooden steps and dunked him in the freezing water. The next few minutes were the only time he was silent on the entire trip.
Baby, its cold outside! But not inside the Tivano, one of the snug boats  or battelli  that ply their way up and down the glorious Lake Como.

Who knew clouds could be so beautiful, I thought to myself as the Tivano made its way from the city of Como to Colico, at the top of the lake, in the shadow of the snow-capped Alps.

During my five days here, I just couldnt stop taking the boats (around 10 to 15 for an hour or sos journey).

Serene: The view from Varenna on the eastern shore of Lake Como, where boats offer an ideal mode of transport

I looked and looked at those clouds: some hooked on top of the snowy mountains that ring the northern end of the lake; some trapped in the ravines that lead down to the waters edge, alongside pure white streams; others hanging in mid-air over the lake, like a trailing white scarf dropped from heaven.

We think of Italy as a summer destination, but Como is, if anything, lovelier in winter. The oaks and beeches on the mountainside turn orange and yellow, while the cypresses remain a rich evergreen.

While you admire the palm and olive trees by the water, the snowline of the mountains creeps down the slopes, but rarely hits the lakeside.

I even swam in the lake earlier this month  chilly, admittedly, but a useful boost to the system after too many glasses of local Lugana wine.

After hours spent chugging up and down the lake in those boats, it turned out that the best view was from the dining room table of the Hotel du Lac in Varenna. My table had an unbeatable view, straight down two of the great channels of the lake, one leading towards Como, the other to Lecco.

I sat and stared from that table for hours on end, eating smoked trout and lavarello, one of the lakes whitefish.

One day, the sun was so bright I had to half-pull the curtain across my view. On others, the rain came piling down.

It can get very wet in Italy  thus the terrible recent floods, the worst for ten years, in Venice, and the deadly inundation of Sicily.

Charming: The town of Varenna with its pretty multi-coloured houses

But here in Como, the rain has its own safe beauty, moving in great sheets across the water.

The views across the lake are so far-reaching, and the lake so enormous, that you can see the changing weather  rain followed by sun  approaching and shifting direction, minute by minute.

Hotel du Lac is now closed until March, but there are plenty of places that stay open throughout the winter.

For example, Hilton Lake Como, in Como itself, very near the lake, has double rooms from 115.

And the boats run on the lake throughout the winter, too. They are so reliable and frequent (and their employees such a lovely, friendly bunch) that theres no point in having a car.

Just spend the day hopping between the towns that hug the shore.

Varenna is one of the prettiest. It has two exceptional churches bordering its town square: the 11th-century San Giovanni, a pocket chapel painted with early frescoes, and the grander, towering 14th-century San Giorgio, with a gleaming, black marble floor and 15th-century paintings.

The grandest place of all is Como itself, at the southern end of the lake, well-served by trains from Milan.

The cathedral is a short walk from the station and the boat piers. Its construction began in the late 14th century, just on the turning point between Renaissance and Gothic, and there are charming chunks of both styles.

To get a real feel for the lake, take a boat all the way from Como, at the southern end, to Colico at the northern end.

The slowest boats take two hours and 40 minutes. The quick do it in one hour and 40 minutes.

As you head north, and particularly after Varenna, the boat empties, as do the lakeside towns and the lake itself, a few sailing dinghies apart.

Meanwhile, the snowy mountains and Alpine wilderness get closer and closer.

It is one of the great journeys in the world.
Rain-battered and bewildered from navigating the narrow Cornish lanes, we eventually arrive at the St Tudy Inn, tucked away in a little village of the same name just outside Bodmin.

There are only four rooms, but more are planned as chef Emily Scott continues to transform this enchanting 17th-century pub near the River Camel.

A trim, focused young man is expecting us as we step into the main saloon (Farrow & Balls Cornforth White), with tables laid (fresh flowers), open fires, dogs welcome and locals laughing at the bar.

Soothing: One of the bedrooms at St Tudy Inn, which features tongue-and-groove woodwork

Bedrooms are all in the former store room. Laid-back luxury is the theme, with grey hues, tongue-and-groove woodwork and home-made fudge.

Look forward to seeing you at dinner, says the man, enthusiastically. Its a Tuesday night in November and almost every table is taken. This is pub grub at its best, with an ever-changing seasonal menu.

Three eightysomethings are having a spirited discussion about fish. Salmon nowadays is bland and ineffective, says a man with a booming voice.

Like our politicians, says his friend.

Cosy: St Tudy Inn is tucked away in a little village of the same name just outside Bodmin

One couple spot our melted Camembert with chilli and rosemary starters and ask if they can have it as a pudding. Of course they can.

No early starts here. Breakfast is between 9am and 10am. Youre given a jug of freshly squeezed orange juice  and as many espressos as you want.

The St Tudy Inn is warming and generous. Anyone scared to death about our countrys future should pack up their troubles and come here for a night.
Artie Lange's chances at a CBS late night gig were torched by his former boss Howard Stern, 'Stuttering' John Melendez claims Lange told him.

Melendez, 53, shares the revelation in his new memoir Easy For You To Say, in relating to his own bitter split from the Stern show in 2004 when he was hand-picked by Jay Leno to be the announcer on The Tonight Show.

Melendez said that when he got the offer to work for Leno, he was afraid Stern, 64, would sabotage the move, so he only told one person - Lange, 51, his closest friend on the program.

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Sabotage? Artie Lange's chances at a CBS late night gig were torched by his former boss Howard Stern, 'Stuttering' John Melendez claims Lange told him

'He was happy for me but felt I should have told Howard before I signed the deal,' Melendez said in his memoir. 'I was like, "Look, Artie, theres no freaking way. Im not going to tell Howard and have him f*** it up on me." If that happened, I would be out two gigs, and I couldnt afford to risk that. Artie disagreed, but he would soon find out just how right I was.'

Melendez said that years later, Lange confirmed that his fears were valid with a jarring claim of his own: That Stern had used his clout to block Lange from a chance at hosting CBS's The Late Late Show (currently hosted by James Corden) after host Craig Kilborn's 2004 departure.

'Artie confessed to me that at one time he was up to try out for the host of the CBS show that followed Letterman after [Kilbourn] left,' Melendez said. 'They were doing two-week tryouts for various hosts, and the shows producer thought Artie would be a good fit for it, and called Howard to get his blessing. Howard was furious. He was like, "Rob, you cant steal my guy."

'And just like that, Artie was out a gig. This is a fact, and Artie told me the story. My fear of him f***ing up the deal had been well-founded. The motherf***er did it to Artie.'

Wary: Melendez said he felt Stern would sabotage a high-paying offer he received to work on The Tonight Show in 2004

Bayville buds: Melendez posed with Stern's former head writer Jackie Martling at the Gotti premiere this past June

Opening up: Melendez shares details of his tenures on The Howard Stern Show and The Tonight Show in his new memoir Easy For You To Say

Melendez told DailyMail.com he feels Lange - who has made headlines in recent years amid his drug and legal battles - would have done 'pretty well' with the high-profile position at that time.

'In those days he wasn't snorting heroin,' Melendez said, 'so he was on top of his game.'

Melendez said in his book that Lange's career path might not have been the only one impacted by Stern's influence, citing rumors that cast member Fred Norris might have been blocked by the King of All Media in his acting pursuits.

'There had been rumors that Howard had [agent Don] Buchwald stop sending Fred out on acting auditions,' Melendez wrote, 'because he feared he might lose him.'

Melendez made national headlines earlier this year after prank-calling President Donald Trump while the commander-in-chief was aboard Air Force One, posing as New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Lange and Stern's reps for comment.
A new documentary examining one of the UKs most horrific crimes in recent memory promises to shed new light on an infamous crime case.

James Bulger: The New Revelations will soon air, offering a fresh look at the tragic abduction and murder of James Bulger by two ten-year-old boys in 1993.

Heres all you need to know about it, including what the documentary is about, when it will air, how to watch and information about the James Bulger case.

The abduction and murder of two-year-old James Bulger shocked the British public in 1993

What is James Bulger: The New Revelations?

The new documentary James Bulger: The New Revelations will take a closer look at the infamous James Bulger case with startling fresh evidence 25 years after the tragedy.

James Bulger: The New Revelations will examine what caused two young boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, to abduct and kill the two-year-old in 1993. It will feature new interviews and testimony, including first-hand accounts from those who know the murderers personally and the police officers involved in the notorious case.

When will James Bulger: The New Revelations be on TV?

The documentary will air on Wednesday, November 14.

How to watch James Bulger: The New Revelation

James Bulger: The New Revelations can be seen on Channel 5 at 9pm GMT.

Jon Venables, left, and Robert Thompson, right, were just ten at the time of Bulger's murder

What was the James Bulger case?

The James Bulger case centered on the abduction and murder of two-year-old James Bulger in 1993 by two young boys, ten-year-olds Robert Thompson and Jon Venables.

Thompson and Venables abducted the tot on February 12, 1993 from New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, England, leading him away while his mother was briefly distracted.

The boys led the young child more than two miles across Liverpool where they beat and tortured him to death and lay his broken body on train tracks. They were ultimately arrested by police after being identified on video surveillance several days afterwards.

The young age of Thompson and Venables stunned the public. After being charged with Jamess murder on February 20, 1993, the pair were controversially tried as adults and sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of abducting and killing the boy on November 24, 1993.

However, after a parole board review in 2001 determined they no longer posed a threat to public safety, they were released after serving eight years in jail.

Thompson and Venables were officially released in June 2001 and given secret identities. However, Venables was imprisoned again in March 2010 for downloading and distributing images of child abuse.

He was released in July 2013 but again jailed on suspicion of possessing images of child sex abuse in November 2017. Venables is currently serving a 40-month jail sentence.
She's the glamorous NRL WAG who's due to give birth to her second child in coming weeks.

And as Phoebe Burgess counts down to her due date, the 28-year-old wife of Rabbitohs star Sam Burgess revealed the rather unglamorous side of pregnancy.

Taking to Instagram this week, the mother-of-one displayed her huge baby bump at 35 weeks and said she has cramps, swollen feet, stretch marks and gas.

'I blame Sam': Phoebe Burgess displays huge baby bump measuring over 40 weeks and bemoans stretch marks, swollen feet and gas as due date nears

'Baby B2 is #35weeks ...& officially measuring over #40weeks in size. #SendHelp I blame you @samburgess8 #hellostretchmarks.'

A day prior she shared another bump pic alomgside the hashtags: '#cramps #chaff #swollenfeet #thirdtrimester #reflux #gas #sohotrightnow #pubicsymphysis.'

In August, the Johnson's Baby ambassador, who is mum to 22-month-old Poppy Alice, revealed a pregnancy scare after fainting at the movies.

Wedded bliss! The University of Sydney graduate will mark her third year wedding anniversary with Rabbitohs star Sam (left) next month

'I fainted due to low blood sugar, low blood pressure  I probably just needed to eat something,' she told Who magazine.

'Sam and I were at Bondi Junction going to the movies and I just got really light headed  it's quite common during pregnancy, it wasn't a big deal at all.'

She also said pregnancy has been much harder this time around.

Pregnancy scare: In August, Phoebe revealed a pregnancy scare after fainting at the movies.

'Physically it's been a lot tougher and the hormones have played a big part  I was very sick at the start of my pregnancy,' she said. 'I wasn't sick with Poppy once but I've been running for the sink this time, having dizzy fainting spells.

Phoebe is due to give birth on Christmas day.

The University of Sydney graduate will mark her third year wedding anniversary next month.
He was sensationally dumped by Bachelorette Ali Oetjen on Thursday's finale.

And now Todd King may have found his next calling after the South Australian Police Force requested he give them a call for a job.

Taking to Twitter after the show's finale, an hilarious post appeared on the police's official social media page appealing for the reality star give them a call.

'Just sitting here waiting for that phone call': South Australian Police want Bachelorette star Todd King to be their next officer, according to one of the force's social media posts

'Just sitting here waiting for that phone call from Todd wanting to join us!' they wrote.

Fans were quick to comment at the funny post, with one tweeting: 'Yessssssss this is the best tweet I've seen all day!', and another posting, 'You guys just won Twitter tonight.'

It comes after Ali Oetjen brutally rejected the aspiring police officer on the Bachelorette finale.

'If you ever need me, I'll always be there': Todd King broke down in tears as Ali Oetjen dumped him during that brutal Bachelorette finale

The 26-year-old broke down as he was brutally rejected by the 32-year-old before she chose Taite Radley as the winner of her heart.

'If you ever need me, I'll always be there,' Todd told Ali before bursting into tears.

While delivering the blow to Todd, Ali said: 'You have been my knight in shining armour.

A heartbroken Todd then responded: 'This has been about you... and I'm so happy for you. You've found yourself a great guy'

'Every moment we've had together you have been exactly that. You have been one of the kindest people I've ever met and have always put my needs before your own.

'I feel like we would have such a perfect life together but something's missing for me.

'One thing I know about love is that it is not just ticking off a checklist. It is about following my heart. And it's led me to someone else.'

'One thing I know about love is that it is not just ticking off a checklist. It is about following my heart. And its led me to someone else,' Ali said as she delivered the shocking blow to Todd

A heartbroken Todd then responded: 'This has been about you... and I'm so happy for you. You've found yourself a great guy.

'If you ever need me, I'll always be there. Give me one last cuddle.'

The suitor then broke down in tears as he walked into the surrounding swampland in the Northern Territory, as Ali also became hysterical.

'It hurts more than I could ever describe,' Todd said to camera while choking up.

'I just wish that I could have given her that missing link. But someone else has and she has finally found happiness after so many times trying. She's found it.'
Todd King broke down in tears during Thursday's final episode of The Bachelorette after being brutally dumped by Ali Oetjen.

And fans have come up with a joke theory about the real reason the blonde beauty sent the Perth sales rep packing and chose Taite Radley instead.

While the 26-year-old has been busy picking up the pieces of his broken heart, viewers have been blaming his unexpected facial piercing for the rejection.

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'It wasn't in Ali Oetjen's timeline!': The Bachelorette's Todd King (right) was trolled on social media on Thursday over his facial piercing... with fans joking that it was the real reason he was dumped

'Ali saw Todd's nose ring and realised it wasn't in her master plan,' one Twitter user joked while referencing the bloke's tiny silver stud.

'It was the nose ring Todd. Just saying,' another fan mocked after he was rejected.

Predicting Todd's future TV return, another viewer joked: 'Oh well we know who the next Bachelor is... provided he ditched the nose ring.'

'Ali saw Todd's nose ring and realised it wasn't in her master plan,' one user joked while referencing the fan favourite's tiny silver stud - as tweets flooded in about the piercing

He's been wearing it from the start! Did you notice Todd's silver nose stud through the series?

Todd doubled over in pain during The Bachelorette finale on Thursday night when he was dumped by Ali, after hinting he was about to propose.

The 26-year-old broke down as he was brutally rejected by the 32-year-old before she chose Taite as the winner of her heart.

'If you ever need me, I'll always be there,' Todd told Ali before bursting into tears.

Sad times! Todd doubled over in pain during The Bachelorette finale on Thursday night when he was dumped by Ali Oetjen, after hinting he was about to propose

While delivering the blow to Todd, Ali said: 'You have been my knight in shining armour.

'Every moment we've had together you have been exactly that. You have been one of the kindest people I've ever met and have always put my needs before your own.

'I feel like we would have such a perfect life together but something's missing for me.

'One thing I know about love is that it is not just ticking off a checklist. It is about following my heart. And it's led me to someone else.'
Taite Radley sealed his love for new girlfriend Ali Oetjen with a $2500 diamond commitment ring on Thursday night.

But Bachelorette fans took to Twitter during the finale to slam the token gesture, comparing it to something out of 'high school'.

'A commitment ring! It's like he's 13 years old,' one wrote, while another asked, 'Is this high school?'

'It's like he's 13 years old?' Twitter slammed Taite Radley over the $2500 commitment ring he gave to new girlfriend Ali Oetjen during THAT emotional Bachelorette finale on Thursday... after he claimed to be not ready for marriage or babies

Another scoffed: 'Commitment ring! What rubbish is this?'

During the final installment of the Ten romance juggernaut, Taite, 28, revealed to Ali his reluctance to commit to marriage and children - at least for the time being.

'The only thing that scares me is your timeline. I was looking to fall in love. But all these others things... marriage, kids, I can't commit to that,' he said.

Another scoffed: 'Commitment ring! What rubbish is this?'

'Commitment ring! What rubbish is this?' Fans were left baffled by the token gesture, likening it to high school behaviour

'It scares the s**t out of me, not because I don't want them, but because you want it so fast,' he added.

And one Twitter fan pointed out the irony of his sign of commitment.

'Five minutes it was all moving too fast. Now he's giving her a commitment ring and says he loves her. This isn't going to end well,' they wrote.

A change of heart? During the final installment of the Ten romance juggernaut, Taite, 28, revealed to Ali his reluctance for kids and marriage. 'The only thing that scares me is your timeline. I was looking to fall in love. But all these others things... marriage, kids, I can't commit to that'

'Five minutes it was all moving too fast. Now he's giving her a commitment ring and says he loves her. This isn't going to end well,' tweeted one viewer

Meanwhile, it appeared Ali missed out on an actual proposal from Bachelorette runner-up Todd King.

The Perth sales rep, 26, at one point was seen looking down at a diamond ring, indicating that he may have been ready to pop the question to the blonde fitness instructor.

Ready for the next step! Perth sales rep Todd King (pictured), 26, was seen looking down at a diamond ring, indicating that he may have been ready to pop the question to the blonde fitness instructor

After brutally rejected by Ali, however, he seemed to take the rejection well, saying: 'I am so happy for you. You have found yourself a great guy. As much as it looks like I'm sad, I'm happy for you too.'

But he was later seen doubling over in pain and bursting into tears.
After Todd King was dumped by Bachelorette Ali Oetjen during Thursday's dramatic finale fans were already certain he'd be cast as the next Bachelor.

But a telling video posted by host Osher Gunsberg appears to confirm he won't be given a second chance at love.

Just a mere few hours before the finale, a video was shared to The Bachelor Australia's Instagram account, asking for males to apply for the next season.

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Is this PROOF Todd King won't be the next Bachelor? Telling video appears to confirm the heartbroken suitor will miss out on returning to the mansion for a second chance at love

'We're casting for the next season of The Bachelor,' Osher exclaimed in the video, as he linked to where hopefuls could official nominate themselves or a mate.

The long-running host of the dating show pleaded with fans to tag a friend or consider the role themselves.

Seemingly confirming Todd is out of the running, Osher reiterated at the end of the clip 'we're looking for the next Bachelor' and to apply at tenplay.com.au/thebachelor.

'We're looking for our next Bachelor!' Long-running host Osher Gunsberg told fans to tag a friend or consider the role themselves, linking to where they could apply on Tenplay website

In the past 10 seasons of Australia's Bachelor and Bachelorette franchise, four have featured recycled contestants as the star.

Meanwhile, Todd's heartbreaking finale drew many similarities to former Bachelor Matty J's heart-wrenching Bachelorette breakup with former flame Georgia Love.

With Matty J returning to the mansion for his second chance at love, fans were already campaigning for Todd to do the same after his near-identical dumping.

It follows Bachelorettes Ali Oetjen and Sam Frost, as well as Bachelor Richie Strahan, who have all revived their time on the dating show to find love.

History repeating? Todd's (L) heartbreaking finale drew many similarities to former Bachelor Matty J's (R) heart-wrenching Bachelorette breakup with former flame Georgia Love, with fans assuming Todd would also get a chance to return as The Bachelor

Recycled: In the past 10 seasons of Australia's Bachelor and Bachelorette franchise, four have featured recycled contestants returning looking for love (Pictured L to R: Sam Frost, Richie Strahan and Matty J)

Fans were quick to assume Todd would return to franchise.

'So when's the news that Todd's the next Bachelor coming out?' one viewer hilariously Tweeted.

While others campaigned for his chance to return, adding that many girls would be rushing to fill out application forms.

'Obviously the next Bachelor' Fans were quick to assume Todd would return to franchise and claimed many girls would apply for their chance at finding love with the hunk

However, the open call for a fresh face seems to disregard Todd as a viable option for the upcoming season.

While Todd may not be the next Bachelor, he could be set to appear on the upcoming season of Bachelor In Paradise.

A Network 10 spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Friday: 'Casting is now open for The Bachelor Australia, but no decisions have been made yet.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Todd King for comment.
She recently returned to Australia for the Melbourne Cup.

But Lara Worthington (nee Bingle) is now back in her adopted hometown of Los Angeles, and was spotted out and about with son Racer, two, and a gal pal on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old modelled an off-duty chic ensemble during the enjoyable outing.

Off-duty chic! Makeup free Lara Bingle shows off her flawless complexion as she steps out in a stylish ensemble during outing with son Racer, two, and a friend in Los Angeles

She dressed in a mustard yellow jacket, with a white bodysuit that hugged her gorgeous curves.

Lara teamed the ensemble with a pair of wide leg trousers and matching black slide sandals.

The Cronulla-born model appeared to be makeup free and let her glowing, flawless complexion radiate under a pair of black sunglasses she accessorised with.

Gorgeous: She dressed in a mustard yellow jacket, with a white bodysuit that hugged her gorgeous curves

Gorgeous and glowing: The Cronulla-born model appeared to be makeup free and let her glowing, flawless complexion radiate under a pair of black sunglasses she accessorised with

Lara recently told PopSugar she feels like a different person to the one she was before meeting her husband, actor Sam Worthington.

'Five years ago I felt like a different person to what I am now, and it's nice to be able to grow,' she said.

'When you get married and have children it's not all about you anymore, you have a responsibility to make your family proud and I really cherish that,' she continued.

'That's probably the most important thing to me.'

In the past, notoriously private Lara spoke highly of her family life, telling the Sydney Morning Herald in June 2017, 'Everything just seems far more rich and meaningful now.'

She married the Avatar actor in 2014, they welcomed their first son Rocket Zot in 2015, followed by Racer in 2016.
Based on jewellery alone, it seems that Ali Oetjen made the wrong decision in Thursday night's finale of The Bachelorette.

On Friday, the 32-year-old account manager flashed her stunning 'promise ring' from winning suitor Taite Radley, which is believed to cost around $2,500.

But if she had chosen runner-up Todd King instead, she would likely have been proposed to with an engagement ring worth a more impressive $9,000.

Did she miss out? Ali Oetjen flashed her $2,500 'promise ring' (pictured) from Taite Radley on Friday morning ... after turning down Todd King's $9,000 engagement sparkler in The Bachelorette finale

Despite the price difference, both rings were designed by renowned label Dracakis Jewellers.

'We hand crafted all of the rings, especially for The Bachelorette. We are super excited for Ali and Taite!' jeweller Theodore Dracakis told Daily Mail Australia on Friday.

Taite's 8ct white gold promise ring was beautifully designed with an infinity pattern and encrusted with diamonds.

Oh, dear! If Ali had chosen runner-up Todd King (right) instead, she would likely have been proposed to with an engagement ring (left) worth a more impressive $9,000

Meanwhile, Todd's 18ct engagement ring, also white gold, was adorned with a round cut diamond at the centre.

Before Ali rejected the sales representative in the Bachelorette finale, he was shown glancing at the engagement ring, hinting that he was planning to propose.

However, Todd never got his chance as Ali told him 'something was missing' in their relationship and sent him packing.

Happily ever after! After rejecting Todd - was was seemingly planning to propose - Ali declared her love for Taite, who offered her a $2,500 'promise ring'

She later confessed her love for winning suitor Taite, telling him: 'I'm willing to sacrifice it all because I am so in love with you.'

At that moment, the bank manager finally said the words that Ali was so desperate to hear: 'I'm falling in love with you. I love you, Ali.'

He then handed her the promise ring, explaining that it was a symbol of his commitment to their life together outside the show.
Jackie 'O' Henderson recently blasted 'disgusting' rumours that she has 'found comfort' in the arms of Beau Ryan following the breakdown of her marriage to husband, Lee.

But on Friday, the radio star admitted she had spent time looking at naked images of the former footy star on Google.

Speaking on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, the 42-year-old told Beau that she and colleague Peter Deppeler had examined a nude calendar he had once starred in, before she remarked: 'You love to get your kit off, don't you?'

'You love to get your kit off, don't you?'On Friday, a giggling Jackie O admitted she Googlesd naked photos of Beau Ryan... after denying she had 'found comfort' in his arms following the breakdown of her marriage

Beau explained that he posed for the nude calendar several years ago, working with gay photographers to capture the erotic images.

'Get up the photos!' KIIS FM newsreader Brooklyn Ross demanded.

'Oh look at that a**e!' Jackie's co-host Kyle Sandilands remarked when one of the images flashed up on the screen.

'What would you do to that, Brooklyn?' Beau cheekily replied.

'Get up the photos!' Beau Ryan (pictured) has stripped stark naked on several occasions, with the results making their way to Google Images

The radio team then tried to veer off into another conversation, but it appeared Jackie was somewhat distracted by the the images of Beau.

'We're just looking at a GIF of you wiggling your bum!' she giggled to the former footy star.

'That's you looking at it!' he replied playfully.

He then told the assembled radio crew: 'Jackie's trying not to look at it, but she's looking out the corner of her eye!'

'Look at that a**e!' Kyle was impressed by Beau's backside in one image

The risque exchange comes just a week after Jackie blasted 'disgusting' rumours that she had found comfort in Beau following the end of her 15-year marriage.

Last week,Woman's Day claimed Jackie's close friendship with Beau caused friction within her marriage to Lee Henderson.

'I completely understand why Lee was jealous. Jackie gushes about Beau all the time, and they laugh a lot together. And he's been raving about Jackie to anyone who will listen,' a 'source' allegedly told the magazine.

'Disgusting': Last week Jackie hit back at rumours she 'found comfort' in the arms of Beau after her marriage to Lee Henderson collapsed

Rival magazine New Idea also got in on the action, claiming that Jackie sought 'comfort in the arms' of Beau, and that the former NRL player made her laugh 'like no one else'.

Jackie was furious at the accusations, taking to the air to vent her outrage.

'It is completely false and those types of allegations are really hurtful to both families involved in this,' Jackie fumed.

Just friends: Jackie O's representatives previously told Daily Mail that Beau and Jackie's'relationship is strictly professional and any speculation otherwise is completely fabricated and categorically untrue'

'I would have welcomed a phone call from either magazine for my side of the story but of course there was no phone call made, they just ran with those allegations.'

Beau, who regularly fills in for Kyle on radio, is married to Kara Ryan, with the couple sharing two children: Remi, five, and Jesse, one.

Meanwhile, The Sydney Morning Herald's Private Sydney reported earlier this month that Jackie and Beau have 'noticeable on-air chemistry,' and Jackie has been 'leaning on' Beau for support amid her split.

Split: Jackie and Lee (pictured) announced the end of their lengthy marriage late last month

A spokesperson for ARN told Daily Mail Australia the same day that any speculation that Jackie and Beau's relationship is anything but 'professional' is completely false.

'Beau is a regular guest on KIIS 1065 with Kyle and Jackie and is a great contributor to the show,' the statement read.

'Confirming that their relationship is strictly professional and any speculation otherwise is completely fabricated and categorically untrue.'

It's over: Jackie announced her break-up from Lee on October 26, and it was revealed they had been separated for some time before that (Pictured: Jackie, Lee and their daughter Kitty)

Jackie announced her break-up from Lee on October 26, and it was revealed they had been separated for some time.

The radio star told Daily Mail Australia that the pair will 'remain best friends' and that their 'focus' going forward is on their daughter Kitty, seven.

'After 18 years together, we have made the decision to separate. We do so amicably, sharing many incredible memories and remaining best friends,' she said.

'Our focus for this next chapter is of course our wonderful daughter and continuing to provide her love and happiness, together.'

The former couple were married for 15 years, but together for 18.

Jackie and Lee married in 2003, after meeting at a bar when Lee was backpacking around Australia.
Richwood, TX (77531)

Today

Sunshine and a few afternoon clouds. High 73F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 61F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
Jasmine Yarbrough is set to marry Karl Stefanovic in Mexico next month.

And while the bride-to-be has become a household name thanks to her romance with the Today host, she is certainly not marrying him for money.

While Karl famously earns a $2million-plus salary, 34-year-old Jasmine is a successful businesswoman in her own right and hails from a rather privileged background.

A multi-million dollar childhood home, an elite education and links to a former Governor-General: Daily Mail Australia takes a look at the privileged upbringing of Jasmine Yarbrough... three weeks out from her wedding to Karl Stefanovic in Mexico

Wealthy tight-knit family: Jasmine (back left) is pictured with Karl, her mother Cheryl (centre back), father Bob (right), sister Jade (front left) and grandmother Isabel (front right)

Jasmine, who is the co-founder of shoe company Mara & Mine, grew up in Brisbane as the eldest child in a wealthy tight-knit family.

Her father Bob is a businessman and her mother Cheryl is a private school teacher.

Jasmine's siblings - Jade and Joshua - also share their older sister's creative flair.

Yarbrough clan: Jasmine is pictured with her family at her commitment ceremony to Karl earlier this year

Younger sister Jade is an interior designer, while brother Joshua is based in Los Angeles where he works as an art director and designer.

The matriarch of the family is Jasmine's 92-year-old grandmother Isabel Hollingworth, who was front and centre at Jasmine and Karl's commitment ceremony in Palm Beach earlier this year.

Isabel is also related to Peter Hollingworth, who served as Australia's Governor-General from 2001 until 2003 and was the Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane from 1989 until 2001.

Matriarch: Jasmine with her beloved grandmother, Isabel Hollingworth, a relation of high-powered Brisbane identity Peter Hollingworth

Meanwhile, the Yarbrough family owns property in one of Brisbane's wealthiest areas.

The family home is located in the leafy riverside suburb of Ascot and is today worth an impressive $2.2million.

Real estate records show the five-bedroom Queenslander was purchased back in 1997, when Jasmine was 13 years old and just entering high school.

Home, sweet home! The Yarbrough family owns this property in the leafy riverside suburb of Ascot - one of Brisbane's wealthiest areas

Dive on in! The family home is worth an impressive $2.2million, and boasts five bedrooms and a plunge pool

Plush: Real estate records show the five-bedroom Queenslander was purchased back in 1997, when Jasmine was 13 years old and just entering high school

Jasmine and Jade attended Brisbane Girls Grammar, which is promoted as 'the best girls private school in the city'.

Today, tuition at the prestigious institution costs $24,000, making it one of the most expensive schools in the country.

Jasmine has made the most of her elite education, using her business acumen to launch shoe label Mara & Mine in 2012.

Alumni: Jasmine and Jade attended Brisbane Girls Grammar (pictured), which is promoted as 'the best girls private school in the city'.

Jasmine started the company with her friend Tamie Ingham and it has grown to become a popular cult label.

The stylish shoes are stocked in Nordstrom in the U.S. and David Jones in Australia.

Last year, the brand opened its first flagship store in the upmarket Sydney suburb of Paddington.

Jasmine and Tamie have been profiled in The Hollywood Reporter, Australian Vogue and Hamptons Magazine, no doubt enhancing their fashion credentials.

New store: Last year, Mara and Mine opened its first flagship store in the upmarket Sydney suburb of Paddington.

Chic: In just six years, Mara and Mine has become a cult fashion label, lusted after by members of the international style set. The interior of the brand's Paddington store is pictured

Jasmine's privileged background is a far cry from that of her fiance's.

While Karl also grew up in Brisbane, he did so under rather different circumstances.

The Channel Nine star hails from the working class suburb of Capalaba, alongside his two brothers Peter and Tom.

His parents, Jenny and Alex Stefanovic, divorced when he was a teenager, and today Karl remains estranged from his father.

Daddy's girls! Jade (left) and Jasmine (right) with their beloved dad Bob

Father-in-law: While Karl is estranged from his own father, Alex, he is quickly bonding with Jasmine's father Bob

Alex spoke about their relationship in a tell-all interview with New Idea last year.

'They [Karl and his brother Peter] walked away from me 25 years ago following my divorce from their mother,' he said at the time.

'We've barely spoken since. That's the reality. He's embarrassed about me because I'm fat, I'm bald and I'm poor.'

It's unlikely Alex will attend Karl and Jasmine's destination wedding next month.

However, he looks is set to be welcomed with open arms by the Yarbroughs, who already consider him to be part of the family.
Lena Dunham has been pictured for the first time after having her left ovary removed a month ago.

The Girls creator and star was seen with a friend, and appeared to be in good spirits during her Friday outing in sunny Los Angeles.

The actress and writer, 32, has been candid about her health issues on social media in the past, having gone through a hysterectomy last October.

On the mend: Lena Dunham is spotted out for the first time after having her left ovary removed in October

Dunham seemed to be in very good spirits, seen wearing a sleeveless black dress over blue leggings and black flat shoes.

She quite literally had her hands full, carrying a Louis Vutton kitty cat purse, with a blue bag slung over her right shoulder, with sunglasses perched atop her head.

She was also seen carrying jeans and a number of other items, while chatting with a friend.

Lena and friend: She was also seen carrying jeans and a number of other items, while chatting with a friend

Almost exactly one month ago, Dunham took to Instagram to reveal she had her left ovary removed, along with a photo of her in her hospital bed.

'Yesterday I had a two hour surgery to remove my left ovary, which was encased in scar tissue & fibrosis, attached to my bowel and pressing on nerves that made it kinda hard to walk/pee/vamp,' Dunham said.

'Over the last month it got worse and worse until I was simply a burrito posing as a human,' her statement continued, finding a way to add some humor to the situation.

Dunham under the knife: 'Yesterday I had a two hour surgery to remove my left ovary, which was encased in scar tissue & fibrosis, attached to my bowel and pressing on nerves that made it kinda hard to walk/pee/vamp,' Dunham said

Health issues: She also took to Instagram on Thursday, sharing a side-by-side photo of Dunham after her first hysterectomy in November 2017 and another shot from that day

She also took to Instagram on Thursday, sharing a side-by-side photo of Dunham after her first hysterectomy in November 2017 and another shot from that day.

'What a difference a year makes,' Dunham began. 'First photo was indeed a year ago today, on the first night after my hysterectomy for severe endometriosis.'

'I was smiling but my eyes say it all: full of anxiety and grief that I couldnt locate through the layers of pain meds and benzos,' she added.

Spice fan: She also recently took to Instagram to express her excitement for The Spice Girls' upcoming reunion tour, posting a photo of her wearing a Union Jack t-shirt

She also recently took to Instagram to express her excitement for The Spice Girls' upcoming reunion tour, posting a photo of her wearing a Union Jack t-shirt.

After wrapping her hit series Girls after six seasons on HBO, she went on to create Camping with her girls writer/executive producer Jenni Konner.

She also plays Gypsy in Quentin Tarantino's upcoming movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
She is one of the busiest women in showbusiness.

And Alexandra Burke showed no signs of fatigue as she exited filming for Strictly's It Takes Two on Friday with a huge teddy bear.

The former X Factor winner, 30, couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she flashed a peek of her stomach while carrying out the giant toy.

Eyes on her! Alexandra Burke showed no signs of fatigue as she exited filming for Strictly's It Takes Two on Friday with a huge teddy bear

Alexandra looked absolutely flawless in her cropped white top which boasted sexy slits on the elbow.

She teamed the number with a thigh-skimming leather mini-skirt which featured an exposed silver zipper.

Alexandra strutted along in a pair of stylish black sock-style ankle boots as she joyously held onto the giant teddy.

Primped and preened to perfection, Alexandra sported a a glamorous coat of make-up, which made the most of her natural features.

Trendsetter: The former X Factor winner, 30, couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she flashed a peek of her stomach while carrying out the giant toy

Wow: Alexandra looked absolutely flawless in her cropped white top which boasted sexy slits on the elbow

Her raven tresses were glossed to perfection and effortlessly caught the wind as she emerged from the venue.

Meanwhile, Alexandra recently confessed she 'hasn't even started' planning her wedding to fiance Joshua Ginnelly, months after announcing their engagement.

Appearing on This Morning, the star admitted she hasn't got past setting up a mood board for the big day, as both she and Joshua had been working non-stop.

Alexandra confessed that half a year after Joshua popped the question in Paris, she is yet to start planning her wedding.

She said: 'Pinterest has formed yes, got the mood board going I started that, we recently had our engagement party a couple of weeks ago.

'He's on tour for a year, so the main thing is to enjoy being engaged, calling him my fiance, I want to travel with him more, and then focus on the wedding.'

Looking good: She teamed the number with a thigh-skimming leather mini-skirt which featured an exposed silver zipper

Walk this way! Alexandra strutted along in a pair of stylish black sock-style ankle boots as she joyously held onto the giant teddy

Alexandra also reflected on the moment Joshua popped the question as they drove around Paris, confessing he had to wake her up in the car as she was exhausted from the Strictly Come Dancing final just days earlier.

She added: 'We were driving around Paris and I was so knackered, but then he woke me up with the ring. It's just magical being engaged it's so amazing.

'I always say to myself, if she can, I have no excuse to stop. I love to work, it comes from her. I do enjoy what I do.'

She added: 'I just think, Im a girl that had a big dream and still do have big dreams. I won The X Factor 10 years ago. Theres so much more Id like to accomplish, I just like to keep going.'
She is one of the world's most recognizable models.

And Ashley Graham ensured all eyes were on her yet again as she promoted luxury jewelry brand, David Yurman, in a snakeskin.

The 31-year-old took over the collection's Instagram Stories, and documented her visit to the line's SoHo store in New York.

Top choice: Ashley Graham, 31, was hired by luxury jewelry brand, David Yurman, to represent the brand

Best advert: The stunner took over the collection's Instagram Stories, and documented her visit to the line's SoHo store in New York

'Hi, it's your girl Ashley Graham, and I am taking over the David Yurman Soho boutique and it is going to [be] amazing,' she began.

The Vogue cover girl took to her viewers inside the store, which featured beautifully decorated ice-themed displays.

'These are actually cubes of ice,' said Ashley.

She also showed off a collection of gold and silver accessories, and directed her fans to her wish list.

Frozen: The Vogue cover girl took to her viewers inside the store, which featured beautifully decorated ice-themed displays

Personalized: Also awaiting the star's arrival was a collection of necklaces with her name spelled out

True fan: Ashley proudly talked about the beautiful pieces from the luxury brand's line

Ashley looked glamorous in a fitted, white dress layered under a standout snakeskin coat.

The beautiful brunette was accessorized in multiple items of jewelry, which included hoop earrings, layered necklaces and chunky rings.

The Nebraska native wore her long, chestnut brown hair down and in soft curls.

Wow: The store featured an exquisite ice sculture

Things to say: Recently, Ashley made headlines when she sat down with Gwyneth Paltrow, and discussed her love story

Recently, Ashley made headlines when she sat down with Gwyneth Paltrow, and discussed her love story.

The supermodel experienced a time of terrible relationships in her early 20s, and decided to 'stop having sex too soon with these guys.'

Her mother also encouraged her to enter rehab or attend church after 'a little issue with some tequila.'

Ashley chose church.

A choice: The supermodel experienced a time of terrible relationships in her early 20s, and decided to 'stop having sex too soon with these guys.' She decided to wait for marriage for sex

It was then that she met now husband, Justin Ervin. The two went out for coffee, he made her pay, and she was 'done.'

But a month later, he asked her out again.

'I have been taken advantage of and I have had women use me for a steak dinner, I don't want that, I'm looking for a wife,' he said.

And it turned out that he shared the same rule that she had, no sex before marriage.

'And he and I did not break my rule, and his rule as well, because I didn't know that he was also trying to wait until he was married to have sex as well,' said Ashley.
Hailey Baldwin is making her marriage to Justin Bieber official, millennial-style.

The 21-year-old model wife of the international pop star, 24, changed her Instagram handle to @HaileyBieber on Friday.

The decision comes just two months after the adorable couple got secretly hitched at a New York courthouse.

Changes: Hailey Baldwin just changed her Instagram handle to @HaileyBieber

Apparently, 'Justin's camp reached out to the platform Friday to ask about updating her account' according to TMZ.

And Hailey was spotted wearing a denim jacket with her husband's last name on the back of it on Thursday.

In October, the Instagram model submitted an application -- obtained by TMZ -- to register the trademark for the name Hailey Bieber.

The pair seem to be playing the married couple in other ways as well.

Asking around: Apparently, 'Justin's camp reached out to the platform Friday to ask about updating her account' according to TMZ

Quick work: The name change comes just two months after the adorable couple got secrertly hitched at at New York courthouse

Reports say the loved up pair are said to be shelling out an eye-watering $100,000 per month on a luxury rental home in Los Angeles.

They have moved into a sprawling four-bedroom waterfront mansion in the exclusive San Fernando Valley enclave of Toluca Lake, which has been home to several celebrities over the years.

People reported last month that the Canadian-born heartthrob agreed to rent the Spanish-style home, which is listed off-market for $8.5million, on a short-term lease, thus increasing his monthly rental payment.

So cool: Hailey was spotted wearing a denim jacket with her husband's last name on the back of it on Thursday

Wedded bliss: Justin and Hailey tied the knot in a secret courthouse ceremony on September 14, but plan on celebrating their union at a church in front of family in the near future

And while the home will afford the young couple plenty of space to luxuriate, one of its most attractive features is its positioning right on Toluca Lake - and the contemporary property even comes with a private dock and two paddle boats.

Justin will also have the opportunity to work on potential hits without leaving the house, as it boasts a professional recording studio.

The home, owned by Howard Atkins, former CFO of financial services giant Wells Fargo & Company, and his wife Kathleen McIntyre, was given a complete overhaul two years ago, which subsequently boosted the amount of living space.
She is the songstress whose hit songs Torn and Wrong Impression dominated the airwaves in the late 90s and 2000s.

But on Friday, Natalie Imbruglia had the hits of Tina Turner on her mind after watching 'Tina: The Tina Turner Musical' in London.

The 43-year-old was all smiles as she met and posed for photos with the West End production's star Adrienne Warren.

She's a fan! Natalie Imbruglia was all smiles as she posed for photos with Tina Turner Musical star Adrienne Warren after watching West End production, on Friday

Natalie opted for a long floral dress with a semi-sheer sleeves for her evening out.

She teamed her outfit with a pair of black shoes and kept accessories to a minimum with a small collection of earrings and a necklace.

The stunner also kept her makeup natural to showcase her glowing, youthful complexion with just a hint of gloss on her lips and light blush on her cheeks.

Pretty: Natalie opted for a long floral dress with a sheer top for her evening out. She also kept her makeup to a minimum to showcase her glowing, youthful complexion with just a hint of gloss on lips and blush on her cheeks

Excited: Adrienne flaunted her incredible sparkly outfit, inspired by the soul music icon, and voluminous honey-blonde wig. At one point Natalie appeared to be more awestruck by the Tina actress and cheekily point at her

Meanwhile Adrienne flaunted her incredible sparkly outfit, inspired by the soul music icon, and voluminous honey-blonde wig.

At one point Natalie appeared to be more awestruck by the Tina actress and cheekily point at her.

Cast member Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, who plays Tina's former husband Ike, also posed for a selfie with the Australian beauty.

Selfie: Cast member Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, who plays Tina's former husband Ike, also posed for a selfie with the Australian beauty

Stars: The trio also posed for a photo together backstage. Pictured: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Natalie Imbruglia and Adrienne Warren

Natalie's night out at the West End comes after she visited her hometown of Melbourne back in September and shared a nostalgic photo of her old apartment.

Posing in front of a redbrick property in St Kilda East she wrote in her caption, 'I hardly ever get down to Melbourne these days... but when I do I am reminded how much I loved living here.'

She revealed that the block was where she was living while filming for long-running drama Neighbours.

'Memories flooded back to me and I was reminded of my own wonderlust [sic], ambition and enthusiasm for life and the future. We can all find a way back to that feeling. You just never know what you will manifest next! I love Melbourne.'
They failed to find love on their respective seasons of the reality dating franchise.

But earlier this month, Jules Bourne, Shannon Baff, Vanessa Sunshine and Alisha Aitken-Radburn arrived in Fiji to find their match on Bachelor In Paradise.

The reality star rejects cut casual figures as they made their way through the airport terminal with their luggage.

Giving love another chance! Jules Bourne, 24, of Ali Oetjen's season of The Bachelorette, arrived in Fiji on Tuesday last week, ahead of filming spin-off Bachelor In Paradise

Jules, 24, who starred on Ali Oetjen's season of The Bachelorette this year, cut a relaxed figure at Fiji Airport on Tuesday last week.

The former Infantry Corporal sported a black and white polka dot button-up shirt that revealed his intricate arm tattoos, teamed with black trousers.

Jules wheeled a large suitcase through the terminal and slung a khaki tote bag over one shoulder.

Ready to find romance: Shannon Baff, 25, of Nick Cummins' season of The Bachelor, wheeled a trolley through the terminal at Fiji Airport

A day earlier, Shannon Baff of Nick Cummins' season of The Bachelor, arrived in Fiji.

The 25-year-old car care consultant showed off her delicate decolletage in an olive off-the-shoulder ensemble, accessorised with a round-rimmed straw hat.

Shannon tied her blonde locks into a loose style at the nape of the neck, and appeared to sport a minimal makeup palette.

Not wanting to be seen? Vanessa Sunshine, 27, also from Nick Cummins' season of The Bachelor, attempted to go under the radar in a white T-shirt, black leggings, a beige cap and tinted sunglasses

Letting out a smile, the Channel Ten personality wheeled a trolley of luggage through the terminal.

Vanessa Sunshine and Alisha Aitken-Radburn of the same season, were also pictured at Fiji Airport on Monday of last week.

Legal secretary Vanessa, 27, attempted to go under the radar in a white T-shirt, black leggings, a beige cap and tinted sunglasses.

Political advisor Alisha, 25, who has already been pictured on set, also went somewhat incognito in a black T-shirt, ripped jeans, white sneakers, a pink cap and sunglasses.

Bachelor In Paradise 2019 stars Richie Strahan: Lead star on 2016 season of The Bachelor Nathan Favro: Contestant on Ali Oetjen's 2018 season of The Bachelorette Bill Goldsmith: Contestant on Ali Oetjen's 2018 season of The Bachelorette Cassandra Wood: Contestant on Nick Cummins' 2018 season of The Bachelor Brooke Blurton: Contestant on Nick Cummins' 2018 season of The Bachelor Rachael Gouvignon: Contestant on Richie Strahan's 2016 season of The Bachelor Alex Nation: Contestant on Richie Strahan's 2016 season of The Bachelor Florence Alexandra: Contestant on Matty Johnson's 2017 season of The Bachelor and the 2018 season of Bachelor In Paradise Davey Lloyd: Contestant on Sam Frost's 2015 season of The Bachelorette and the 2018 season of Bachelor In Paradise Jules Bourne: Contestant on Ali Oetjen's 2018 season of The Bachelorette Shannon Baff: Contestant on Nick Cummins' season of The Bachelor Vanessa Sunshine: Contestant on Nick Cummins' season of The Bachelor Alisha Aitken-Radburn: Contestant on Nick Cummins' season of The Bachelor Advertisement

Filming for the second season of spin-off Bachelor In Paradise has already begun in Fiji.

Richie Strahan, Nathan Favro, and Bill Goldsmith have already been pictured on set, while Cassandra Wood, Brooke Blurton, Florence Alexandra, Alex Nation and Davey Llloyd have been seen en route.

Rachael Gouvignon who starred on Richie Strahan's season of The Bachelor has also signed on.

The second season of Bachelor In Paradise will premiere on Channel Ten early 2019.
Security guard Jemel Roberson was shot and killed by police while subduing a suspected gunman outside a Chicago-area bar early Sunday morning.

And now Kanye West has stepped in to help the family attempt to pick up the pieces.

According to TMZ, the 41-year-old Heartless rapper decided to donate $150,000 to the family of the murdered man.

Unexpected generosity: Kanye West has stepped in to help the family of murdered Jemel Roberson attempt to pick up the pieces

A GoFundMe site set up with an original goal of $10,000 was overwhelmed with support after Kanye could be seen making 10 donations of $15,000 each early on Friday evening.

As of Friday night, the page showed $302,890 raised of a new $150,000 goal.

The donation comes after a stormy period for Kanye, which saw him baffle many fans by stopping by the White House to meet with Donald Trump recently.

Of course Kanye and wife Kim Kardashian have also been dealing with California wild fires, which came somewhat near their Calabasas home last week.

New friends? The donation comes after a stormy period for Kanye, which saw him baffle many fans by stopping by the White House to meet with Donald Trump recently

As for Jemel's death, Illinois state police on Tuesday were investigating a white officer over the fatal shooting of the 'brave' black security guard who had apprehended a suspected gunman at a bar outside Chicago, officials said.

The officer was placed on administrative leave after the incident, which took place in the early hours of Sunday at Manny's Blue Room Lounge in the town of Robbins, 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of the Midwestern city.

The security guard, 26-year-old Jemel Roberson, was working at the bar, and intervened when an argument erupted and someone started shooting.

Tragic: Security guard Jemel Roberson was shot and killed by police while subduing a suspected gunman outside a Chicago-area bar early Sunday morning

Several local police forces responded to the incident, in which four people were wounded, including the gunman. None had life-threatening injuries.

A police officer from the nearby village of Midlothian arrived at the scene and shot Roberson, despite the guard wearing a uniform with 'security' emblazoned on it, according to witnesses.

Roberson 'had somebody on the ground with his knee in back, with his gun in his back, like, 'Don't move,'' witness Adam Harris told Chicago television station WGN.

Wasting no time: A GoFundMe site set up with an original goal of $10,000 was overwhelmed with support after Kanye could be seen making 10 donations of $15,000 each early on Friday evening

'Everybody was screaming out, 'Security!' He was a security guard,' Harris said, but police 'saw a black man with a gun, and basically killed him.'

Roberson died of his injuries at a hospital.

The officer under investigation has not been formally identified, but a clerk at the department confirmed the officer was white, and was placed on administrative leave pending the inquiry.

The shooting was the latest in a long line of deadly encounters between police and African Americans that have sparked the Black Lives Matter movement.
She is currently in Australia for the Gourmet Escape food and wine festival.

And Nigella Lawson, 58, has raved about the incredible quality of produce in Western Australia's Margaret River region.

In an interview with PerthNow, she said: 'I'm someone who always wants to eat well, and you do eat well here because the produce is so good, but everywhere you look is so beautiful.'

'You eat well here because the produce is so good': British chef Nigella Lawson raves about the incredible quality of food Western Australia offers

The British culinary queen went on to say: 'I read somewhere that avocados are nature's mayonnaise and there is something to that. They are, to me, the avocados I eat here in Margaret River, are like the most wonderful butter. Extraordinary.'

She continued: 'Mind you, the bread here is so amazing too. And the seafood is extraordinary. It's got a real sweetness to it.'

Her return to Australia comes after she delighted MasterChef contestants and fans with a week-long stint on the hit cooking show.

Quality: She raved about the incredible quality of produce in Western Australia's Margaret River region. Nigella said 'I'm someone who always wants to eat well, and you do eat well here because the produce is so good.' Pictured: Nigella Lawson on MasterChef 2018

Masters: Her return to Australia comes after she delighted MasterChef contestants and fans with a week-long stint on the hit cooking show. Pictured: Nigella (centre) with Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris, Matt Preston

She challenged the home cooks in pressure tests and taught them valuable culinary lessons.

Back in October she shared her excitement of returning Down Under again for her on-stage cooking show called An Evening With Nigella Lawson

She told Confidential: 'I love the food and the people, and so I am delighted to be touring the country, meeting audiences and sharing our culinary stories.'

'I am delighted to be touring the country, meeting audiences and sharing our culinary stories': Back in October she shared her excitement of returning Down Under again for her on-stage cooking show called An Evening With Nigella Lawson

'I love the food and the people, and so I am delighted to be touring the country, meeting audiences and sharing our culinary stories.'

The mother-of-two will kick off her tour Down Under in Adelaide on January 27th, and then head to Perth, Sydney, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Tickets to An Evening With Nigella Lawson can be purchased at the official tour website.
Gigi Hadid recently flew in to Sydney to promote her collaboration with Reebok.

And the 23-year-old model was been spotted leaving the Emerald City on Saturday, cutting a laid-back but stylish figure as she entered the airport.

The daughter of former Real Housewives Of Beverley Hills star Yolanda Hadid, 54, wore a long psychedelic Camilla coat over a knitted grey jumper and matching sweat pants.

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Model behaviour! Gigi Hadid (pictured) flaunted her effortless beauty as she left Sydney on Saturday after her collaboration with Reebok this week

The oversized coat, rich in bright pastel colours in a paisley-inspired pattern, lifted Gigi's look from casual to chic.

Gigi completed her outift with white Reebok sneakers with fluorescent orange laces and a pair of stylish black sunglasses.

The strawberry blonde even took a moment to pose with fans as she made her way through the airport.

Casual beauty: The daughter of former Real Housewives Of Beverley Hills star Yolanda Hadid wore an oversized paisley-pattern coat from Australian designer Camilla

Laid back model! Gigi looked snug in a knitted grey jumper and sweat pants

Repping the brand! Gigi completed the look with white Reebok sneakers with fluorescent orange laces

Gigi, who arrived on Thursday ahead of the Reebok Be More Human campaign, spoke her about her upbringing at an event for the brand on Friday.

'People say that I don't deserve to be where I am because I come from this successful family, but my parents were f**king hard-working,' she said.

'My dad was a refugee, my mum was on a farm, went to New York and worked to send money back to her family. They worked their a**es off and they've given me a life because of their hard work, and I work hard to honour that,' Gigi added.

Keeping it in the family! Last Thursday, Gigi walked in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show alongside sister Bella, but she cut a more relaxed figure as she prepared to fly on Saturday

Picture perfect! The blonde even took a moment to pose with fans as she made her way through the airport

Nothing without hard work! 'People say that I don't deserve to be where I am because I come from this successful family, but my parents were f**king hard-working,' she said

Gigi is the daughter of former model Yolanda and real estate developer Mohamed Hadid.

The former couple, who divorced in 2000, also share daughter Bella, 22, and son Anwar, 19.

Mohamed is also a father to daughters Alana and Marielle Hadid, who also work in the fashion industry.
She's made it big in Hollywood but on Saturday Naomi Watts was back home in Sydney for a good cause.

The 50-year-old brought joy to customers popping into their local McDonald's in Sydney's Haberfield as she lent a hand during McHappy Day 2018.

Selling novelty items and raising money for the Ronald McDonald House children's charity, Naomi looked radiant as she interacted with delighted children and locals.

Do you want fries with that? Actress Naomi Watts (pictured) looked radiant in a flirty floral frock as she celebrated McHappy Day 2018 by lending a hand at a Sydney McDonald's

Dressed for the warm spring weather, the actress donned a flirty, floral frock comprised of soft, sheer layers.

With its floor length and long, layered sleeves, the dress had a romantic look and the blonde certainly looked glamorous as she helped out at the burger joint.

With her wavy blonde hair down around her shoulders, Naomi completed her look with pink lipstick and a lined eye.

Pretty: Dressed for the warm spring weather, the actress donned a flirty, floral frock comprised of soft, sheer layers for the Saturday event

A-list looks: With its long, layered sleeves, the dress had a romantic look and the blonde certainly looked glamorous as she helped out at the burger joint

Hey, baby! Selling novelty items and raising money for the Ronald McDonald House children's charity, Naomi looked radiant as she interacted with delighted children and locals

Dressy: With her wavy blonde hair down around her shoulders, Naomi completed her look with pink lipstick and a lined eye

At the event, the actor emotionally expressed how much the charity meant to her.

'It's been great being here. It's a charity that's been close to my heart, for obvious reasons, having growing up in Australia,' she said.

The King Kong star also revealed she had spent time with kids and families at Ronald McDonald House, where children being treated for cancer and other serious illnesses can stay during their treatment, the day prior.

Important: At the event, Naomi emotionally expressed how much the charity meant to her. Pictured : Naomi (middle) poses with a family at McHappy Day at a local McDonald's Haberfield

Meaningful: 'It's been great being here. It's a charity that's been close to my heart, for obvious reasons, having growing up in Australia,' the King Kong actor said

Hmm what will I eat next? The actress participated in fun activities during the fundraising drive

There for them: The Twin Peaks star also revealed she had spent time with kids and families at Ronald McDonald House the day prior. Pictured: Naomi with attendees at McHappy Day

'I got to see the Randwick Ronald McDonald house yesterday and spent a good amount of hours there meeting families,' Naomi said.

'[They are] literally so moving these stories. Some of them just heartbreaking. Some that had great news that day.

'I was blown away by that home away from home they created. And [they're] able to facilitate a sense of routine for these families going through something incredibly difficult,' she concluded.

Help: 'I got to see the Randwick Ronald McDonald house yesterday and spent a good amount of hours there meeting families,' she said. Pictured: Naomi with attendees at McHappy Day

Touched: '[They are] literally so moving these stories. Some of them just heartbreaking. Some that had great news that day,' the star reveled. Naomi (left) poses with attendees at McHappy Day in Sydney's Haberfield

Moved: 'I was blown away by that home-away-from-home they created. And [they're] able to facilitate a sense of routine for these families going through something incredibly difficult,' she concluded. Naomi poses with attendees at McHappy Day

The Twin Peaks star went on to explain she had been helping sell items and raise funds.

'We are raising money and awareness. We have sold "silly socks", Big Macs, bottles of water, handing the bucket around. People contributing any way they can.

'Everybody can help a little way,' the star added.

The Twin Peaks star went on to explain she had been helping sell items and raise funds: 'We have sold "silly socks", Big Macs, bottles of water, handing the buckets around. People contributing any way they can,' she said. Pictured: Naomi with attendees at McHappy Day

People can donate to McHappy Day by buying a Big Mac, with $2 from every sale going to the charity.

There are also $5 McHappy Day socks or $2, $5, $10 or $50 Helping Hands that can be purchased.

McHappy Day is on Saturday, and aims to raise more than $4million for Ronald McDonald House
She always looks preened to perfection on nights out.

And Kim Kardashian was typically chic on Friday night, turning heads in a stunning silver ensemble as she arrived at the Street Dreams gala in West Hollywood.

The make-up maven, 38, flaunted every inch of her phenomenal curves in a skintight tank top teamed with figure-hugging metallic leggings as she strutted into the event.

Silver stunner: Kim Kardashian, 38, led a family night out in Los Angeles on Friday night

The brunette bombshell added height with a pair of towering black stilettos with an electric blue ankle strap.

She kept her trademark raven tresses long and loose as they were swept to one side and cascaded over her shoulders.

Allowing her natural curves to speak for themselves, the stunner's pert derriere was put on full display.

Impressive: Daring to impress, the wife of Kanye West flaunted her famous curves in the body hugging outfit that included a sleeveless tank top

Leggy lady: Her gorgeous gams were thrust on center stage as she pured herself into the shiny skintight leggings

Rear view: Allowing her natural curves to speak for themselves, the stunner's pert derriere was put on full display

Throwing caution to the wind, the mother of three went virtually makeup free with a slight smokey eye and nude lip.

Kourtney felt the need to express her fashion icon style with aplomb as she flashed the flesh in a plunging white top.

Her toned tummy and ample cleavage was highlighted as the unique sartorial choice held an open front.

Plunging: Kourtney Kardashian, 39, revealed her ample assets in a plunging white top

Flash: Kourtney felt the need to express her fashion icon style with aplomb as she flashed the flesh in a plunging white top

Toned: Her toned tummy and ample cleavage was highlighted as the unique sartorial choice held an open front

She was spotted walking side by side with Kim's BFF Larsa Pippen.

Kourtney was followed by her ex Scott Disick and his girlfriend Sofia Richie.

Scott - father of Kourtney's three children - cut a cool figure in a white tee and fur lined bomber jacket.

He stomped the streets in a pair of box-fresh black sneakers and black cargo pants.

BFF's: She was spotted walking side by side with Kim's BFF Larsa Pippen

Security check: The sisters had a bodyguard for protection

The daughter of Lionel Richie flaunted her enviable figure in a brown mini dress.

She gave her fans a charge as her long legs took a commanding presence as they skimpy ensemble cut high on her toned thighs.

Her trademark chestnut brown tresses were swept up in a slick bun allowing her youthful face to shine.

Loved up: Scott Disick, 35, and Sofia Richie, 20, held hands as they arrived to the event

Cool guy :Scott - father of Kourtney's three children - cut a cool figure in a white tee and fur lined bomber jacket

Beauty: The daughter of Lionel Richie flaunted her enviable figure in a brown mini dress

Tresses: Her trademark chestnut brown tresses were swept up in a slick bun allowing her youthful face to shine

With a slick pair of barely there heels, the young starlet added a pair of oversized hoop earrings to her modern look.

Inside the glamorous event, Amanda Lee, Brittny Gastineau, Kourtney, and Larsa posed together.

The ladies looked to be enjoying themselves as they gathered in a corner to talk.

Rear view: Sofia's pert derriere also made an appearance

Ladies night: Inside the glamorous event, Amanda Lee, Brittny Gastineau, Kourtney, and Larsa posed together

Gathering: The ladies looked to be enjoying themselves as they gathered in a corner to talk
She's recently been snapped spending a lot of time in Los Angeles with sons Rocket, 3, and 21-month-old Racer.

But Lara Bingle sneaked back home to her old stomping ground of Sydney recently for a glamorous photo shoot.

The 31-year-old posed for a series of photographs at Avalon on Sydney's picturesque Northern Beaches.

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Doing what she does best! Model Lara Bingle (pictured) posed in a revealing body suit after she snuck into Sydney for a glamourous photo shoot

The model looked pensive as an assistant adjusted her sheer lace shirt embellished with chain detailing that showed off the beauty's cleavage.

Lara paired the skimpy shirt with a pair of red corduroy pants which she wore throughout the day.

A heavy jacket sat around her waist which Lara put on between photos to guard against the cold day.

Glam!The 31-year-old posed for a series of photographs at Avalon on Sydney's picturesque Northern Beaches

Racy: The model looked pensive as an assistant adjusted her sheer lace shirt embellished with chain detailing that showed off the beauty's cleavage

In another look, the beauty showed off her back in a revealing white crop top.

The back of the garment featured a criss-cross design that highlighted the model's slender figure.

It also featured a front panel that showcased her hips while hiding her taut tummy.

Fresh! The 31-year-old braved the cold for a series of photographs at Sydney's beautiful Northern Beaches

All white: In another look, the beauty showed off her back in a revealing white crop top. The back of the garment featured a criss-cross design that highlighted the model's slender figure

Footloose! Lara completed most of the shoot with no shoes on - just a pair of socks

All smiles! The model laughed as she posed for the cameras, at one point leaning down as she giggled

Details: The unique white top also featured a front panel that revealed her hips but hid her taut tummy

Striking! Lara had shot some pensive looks at the camera as she posed

Red and white: The beauty wore a pair of red corduroy pants through much of the day

Back in town: The back of her body suit featured a criss-cross design

Slim and trim: The shape of the body suit revealed the model's slender figure

Fine details: As she posed, Lara's heart tattoo and bling-encrusted necklace were clearly visible

Adjustments: An assistant adjusted Lara's straps as she prepared to pose

Posing up a storm: An assistant held up a device as the beauty got into position

Short hair don't care! The model flung her newly cropped locks in the air for dramatic effect

Lean in! Lara flexed her slender form into various positions that flattered her figure

Coy smile: Wit her hand up to her face, the model looked cheeky and bright

Lara paired the top with the wide-leg red pants, pulling a serious pose as she crossed her arms in front of the camera.

She then placed her hands on her hips, this time making a more sultry expression.

The blonde seemed amused as the shoot went on, laughing with the crew and at one point leaning down as she helplessly giggled.

Lady in white: Another outfit on the day was an all-white ensemble

Retro: Lara cut a vintage figure in a pair of white crepe pants with a high belted section

Tough girl: Lara also chose an all-white look that included a T-shirt with rolled sleeves

Horsing around! The shirt included embroidery in red, blue and gold

Pretty details: The fine embroidery was in the shape of a horse in mid gallop

Classic: The retro inspired pants sported deep pockets

Hey, you! Lara looked at someone off camera and appeared to anticipate a response

Among her outfits for the shoot, Lara also chose an all-white ensemble that included a T-shirt with rolled sleeves.

The top included embroidery in red, blue and gold that created the shape of a horse mid gallop.

A pair of crepe pants with pockets lent the outfit a retro look.

Sultry! Another revealing look saw the gorgeous blonde pose in a pink cotton shirt that revealed her cleavage

Red-dy: Lara shot smoldering looks as she posed in the crisp shirt, which was paired with a high-waisted fitted red skirt

Fresh faced: Lara appeared almost makeup free, her skin glowing and wore a rosy lip

Another revealing look saw the gorgeous blonde pose in a pink cotton shirt that flaunted her cleavage.

Lara shot smoldering looks as she posed in the crisp shirt, which was paired with a high-waisted fitted red skirt.

Earlier, the shirt had been done up and buttoned, with a red tie adding to the racy corporate look.

Neat: Earlier, the shirt had been done up and buttoned, with a red tie adding to the racy corporate look

Chills! Between photos, Lara rugged right up, indicating that it was a very cold day during the shoot

Blue belle: The model donned a massive puffer jacket as she walked between locations

Where are your shoes?! Lara appeared happy in just a pair of beige woollen socks

The mother of two looked natural with a glowing makeup palette and a delicate rose toned lip.

Between photos, Lara rugged up in the large blue puffer jacket, indicating that it was a very cold day for the shoot.

At one point Lara wore both the jacket and a black blanket wrapped around her legs as she walked between locations.

Chilling: The model was also seen relaxing in an orange rope swing chair as she chatted with photographers and their assistants

Fashion savvy: The beauty then posed in a black and white animal print turtle neck top, her arms over her head

Chit chats: She spoke to a crew member as she leaned back in the macrame chair

The model was also seen relaxing in an orange rope swing chair as she chatted with photographers and their assistants.

She rested her feet, clad in thick, woolly beige socks, on a pile of dried pine tree leaves and branches.

The beauty was soon up on her feet again though, posing in a black and white animal print turtle top with her arms over her head.

Tidy: Although her makeup was so natural as to appear that she was wearing none at all, Lara did have some touch ups

Glam sqaud: One makeup artist applied a fresh coat of mascara, with a smiling Lara appreciating the attention to detail

Although her makeup was so natural as to appear that she was wearing none at all, Lara did have some touch ups.

Multiple assistants could be seen tending to her face as she took breaks from modelling duty.

One makeup artist applied a fresh coat of mascara, with a smiling Lara appreciating the attention to detail.

Hey good looking! The blonde smiled as she looked at the results with the crew

Lara is now back in Los Angeles and on Thursday, the mother-of-two shared a photo revealed that she now sees the United States as her home.

'I've been in the US just five years and I can't (yet) vote - but my sons are American and LA is our home,' Lara wrote in a captioned photo on Instagram.

The actress has two sons, Rocket Zot, three, and Racer, two, with actor husband Sam Worthington.
She appeared to have confirmed her widely-rumoured romance with Joey Essex earlier this month by sharing a video of them kissing online.

But Ellie Brown was spotted putting on a very cosy display with Made In Chelsea newbie Tom Dolemore at her pal Samira Mighty's birthday party at 100 Wardour St before heading to Mahiki in London on Friday night.

The reality star, 20, who ensured all eyes were on her in a plunging white halterneck dress, shared a playful smooch with Samira as they made their bleary-eyed exit from the boozy bash.

Pucker up! Ellie Brown shared a playful smooch with Samira Mighty at the brunette beauty's birthday bash in London

Worse for wear: After partying the night away, Ellie looked a little worse for wear as she got cosy with Made In Chelsea newcomer Tom Dolemore

Ellie suffered an awkward wardrobe malfunction in the ribbed full-length dress as she struggled to contain her ample cleavage due its plunging neckline.

She paired the look with nude sandals and added a touch of sparkle to her evening ensemble with a glittery silver bag.

Styling her long blonde locks in soft curls, the Love Island star finished off her show-stopping outfit with a bronzed make-up look and glossy pink lipstick.

Hunk: Tom was introduced in the latest series and enjoyed one date with Sophie Habboo in his brief stint on the reality show

Tongues wagging: Ellie Brown was spotted putting on a very cosy display with a mystery man at her pal Samira Mighty's birthday party at Mahiki in London on Friday night

Sweet nothings: Ellie put on a very cosy display with her male companion, who drew her in close to whisper in her ear

Ahem! The cosy display comes just weeks after Ellie appeared to confirm her widely-rumoured romance with Joey Essex as they shared a kissing video online

After partying the night away, Ellie looked a little worse for wear as she clambered into the back of a taxi with Samira, 22, and her mystery male friend.

Ellie put on a very cosy display with her male companion, who drew her in close to whisper in her ear.

The Geordie star's night on the town comes after Ellie went public with her romance to former TOWIE cast member Joey Essex.

Busty: The reality star, 20, ensured all eyes were on her in a plunging white halterneck dress as she joined her fellow Love Island alumni for the boozy bash

Oops: Ellie suffered an awkward wardrobe malfunction in the ribbed full-length dress as she struggled to contain her ample cleavage due its plunging neckline

Ready to party: Samira showed off her toned abs in a tiny bralet and high-waisted trousers as she arrived to her bash

Glam: She complemented her all-black ensemble with a fluffy black bag and strappy heels

Ready to party: Hayley Hughes was also on hand to help ring in the celebrations as she strutted into the venue in a LBD with a pal

Ladies man: The bash was a raucous affair, with Sam being showered in attention by a Ellie and a female pal who licked him

Girls' night out: Ellie planted a kiss on Samira's cheek as they posed in the back of the taxi

Sharing a video online earlier this month, the pair locked lips after Ellie said: 'Absolutely smashed it! I'm very proud', in reference to a project he was working on.

A source told The Sun: 'Ellie and Joey were all over each other at Sheesh  kissing and flirting together. They met for the first time there and immediately hit it off drinking and partying until the early hours'.

It comes after Ellie admitted she finally felt like herself again following her heartbreak from millionaire hunk Charlie Brake, 23, whom she met in the villa.

Boozy: Samira and Sam Bird looked worse for wear as they sat in the back of the taxi after partying to the early hours of Saturday morning

Dapper: Sam rocked a knitted black jumper and grey tartan trousers for the evening's festivities

Partied all out: Hayley and a pal put on a very amorous display as they headed home

Party girl: Hayley appeared in high spirits as she put on an animated display outside of the club

Having a laugh: The Liverpudlian beauty giggled as she waited in the taxi

Ellie's close pal and co-star Zara McDermott, 21, recently said she saw 'issues' and 'cracks' in Ellie's relationship with Charlie.

The former government advisor - who is moving in with her beau Adam Collard, 22 - revealed she didn't see any 'longevity' in her best friend and fellow contestant Ellie's on-screen romance and admitted she is 'devastated' and 'upset' for her pal.

Despite her romance with Joey, insiders claimed Ellie was also finding another TOWIE connection after she locked lips with Pete Wicks at the ITV gala at London's Royal Festival Hall last month.

An insider explained: 'Ellie and Pete were together towards the end of the night and were flirting like mad. They didnt seem to care who could see them and seemed really keen on each other.'
She's known for showing off her sartorial prowess and chic looks.

And Lady Kitty Spencer was back to her old tricks again, as she stepped out for an event at Annabel's in London on Friday night.

The socialite, 27, looked sensational in all-black, as she arrived at the glitzy private club in a loose-fitting black jumpsuit.

Stunning: Lady Kitty Spencer looked sensational in a black jumpsuit as she headed to a glitzy private club in London on Friday night

Kitty's ensemble had a plunging neckline to show off a glimpse of her cleavage, while she accessorised with a long gold and red necklace and matching earrings.

She brushed her blonde locks into a sleek straight style, and slicked on dark pink eye shadow and black mascara to make her blue eyes pop.

The fashionista boosted her height with a pair of peep-toe heels, while she completed her look with a small gold handbag.

Lady Kitty's outing came after she raised many eyebrows among fans in August, for posing in what appeared to be a necklace covered in cannabis leaves.

Dazzling: Kitty's ensemble had a plunging neckline to show off a glimpse of her cleavage, while she accessorised with a long gold and red necklace and matching earrings

The niece of Princess Diana was snapped in one of her latest campaigns for Marie Claire Italy while wearing the chain, which came from a range by Bulgari and had been branded the 'Happy Leaves Necklace.'

Several fans commented on the nature of the necklace, with one writing: 'That marijuana necklace though!'.

Describing their new collection as 'Roman creativity mixed with the disruptive spirit of the eighties', the designer wrote: 'Wild Pop is the quintessence of Bulgari's rule-breaking approach to jewellery inspired by a roaring era.'

Kitty has had a busy summer, and just last week shared snaps as she enjoyed a break in St Tropez with Viscountess Weymouth, 32.

Stylish: She brushed her blonde locks into a sleek straight style, and brushed on dark pink eye shadow and black mascara to make her blue eyes pop

The Tatler cover girl, who last month jetted back from Rome where she walked for Dolce & Gabbana, is notching up the engagements after turning up at a never-ending reel of celebrity parties this summer not to mention a flurry of weddings.

Kitty boasts also 440,000 followers on Instagram, where she posts endless photos showcasing her glamorous modelling career and glitzy social life.

The socialite grew up in South Africa, reading psychology, politics and English at the University of Cape Town.

Suprising: Lady Kitty's outing came after she raised many eyebrows among fans last month, for posing in what appeared to be a necklace covered in cannabis leaves
She's recently been linked to Lady Kitty Spencer's ex Niccolo Barattieri di San Pietro.

But Elizabeth Hurley, 53, was without her rumoured beau as she left her west London home with designer and best friend Patrick Cox on Friday night.

The Bedazzled actress looked every inch the ageless star in a lacy gold embroidered dress with sheer cut-out detail under which she sported a nude bra to give the saucy illusion of a bare chest underneath.

Fashionista: Elizabeth Hurley, 53, was without her rumoured beau - Lady Kitty Spencer's ex Niccolo Barattieri di San Pietro - as she left her west London home with designer Patrick Cox

Elizabeth looked typically sensational for her evening on the town as she opted for a more fussy than her usual sleek self - yet equally as stunning.

The brunette beauty, famed for her ageless good looks, teamed the midi-dress with a pair of pointed toe stilettos and a black and gold clutch bag.

Never one to shy away from the cameras, the actress opted for a photo-ready full make-up look of heavy foundation and thick strokes of blusher and bronzer.

She also paired a pale pink lip with a smokey eye, surrounding her pretty eyes with dark black eyeliner and eyelash extensions.

Made-up: Never one to shy away from the cameras, the actress opted for a full make-up look of heavy foundation and thick strokes of blusher and bronzer

Ex-lovers: Lady Kitty Spencer and Niccolo Barattieri di San Pietro in July 2016. Elizabeth has been linked to the dashing gentleman

Meanwhile, her designer pal Paul wore a brazen leopard suit and black shoe.

Wearing head-to-toe animal print, the fashionista showed off his quirky sense of style in the bold look.

Liz's outing comes as she was pictured on a date with Niccolo Barattieri di San Pietro at a private member's club, in Mayfair on Thursday night.

Finishing touches: The veteran television personality teamed the midi-dress with a pair of pointed toe stilettos and a black and gold clutch bag

Wow-factor! Elizabeth, who is mum to son Damian, 16, regularly shares her secrets when it comes to her flawless appearance

The Suave gentleman made sure to usher her in and out of his Bentley when they arrived and departed the restaurant.

Elizabeth, who is mum to son Damian, 16, regularly shares her secrets when it comes to her flawless appearance.

She has previously confessed that while she doesn't go to the gym, she thinks it is 'important to stay active'.

She's got it! Liz has previously confessed that while she doesn't go to the gym, she thinks it is 'important to stay active'

Speaking to E! News in 2016, Elizabeth said: 'I like women to feel very confident in how they look and to accept that every size can be beautiful.

'But I still think it's important to be in shape. It doesn't matter really what size you are, but I think it's important to stay sort of firm and to do a reasonable amount of walking and exercise.

'I don't go to the gym, but I'm quite active.'
Tammy Hembrow has been dutifully documenting her trip to the US with a series of racy social media snaps over the last week.

And on Saturday, the 24-year-old didn't disappoint her fans after posting a sexy snap of herself, wearing a very racy pink ensemble while on a night out in Los Angeles.

'Can you tell I like pink at the moment?' she captioned the image.

Pretty in pink! Instagram model Tammy Hembrow showed off her tiny waist in revealing figure-hugging outfit while on a night out in Los Angeles on Friday

'PS who's coming to see me at the Good American pop-up at American Brand?! See u soon!,' she added.

The glamorous mother-of-two put on a busty display wearing a figure-hugging crop top and matching skin-tight skirt which showed of her toned midriff.

Tammy's bright outfit was finished off with a Chanel handbag and a set of perfectly-manicured pastel pink nails.

Los Angeles suits you! Tammy went without a bra on Friday as she shopped in Los Angeles ahead of business meetings

She emphasized her features with a flawless make-up palette, adding a soft pink eye-shadow and lip, leaving her light locks pulled back in a low ponytail.

In a recent YouTube video, the busty model announced she would be going to the United States for work purposes, but would be bringing her two children along as well.

She is no long with her children's father Reece Hawkins, 23, after the pair ended their engagement in June.

Meetings abound! Tammy flew to Los Angeles with her two children ahead of a series of business meetings

The former couple share two children: son Wolf, three, and daughter Saskia, two.

In a YouTube video uploaded in June, Tammy clarified that her split with Reece was not due to infidelity.

'One or two months ago, I decided to end things with Reece. He didn't cheat on me, I didn't cheat on him. It wasn't like that at all,' she said.

'I don't want people to think we just gave up. Most people know relationships are very complex.'

Model mum: Tammy said she normally only flies to the U.S. for a few days, but thought it would be fun to spend time with her children
Karl Stefanovic is gearing up to marry Mara & Mine shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough in December.

But while it hasn't been an easy year for the Today host, the 44-year-old said on Saturday that he isn't letting anything dampen the lead-up to his second marriage.

'Nothing much worries me and I've done nothing wrong  I haven't broken the law, I haven't robbed a bank, I haven't committed some sought of heinous fraud against the government,' Karl told The Sunday Mail.

'I haven't broken the law!': A stoic Karl Stefanovic (right) said on Saturday that he is looking forward to putting his year from hell behind him... as he prepares to marry Jasmine Yarbrough (left) in Mexico

'I'm just a guy from Queensland who has gone through some stuff, and I'm looking forward to there being no dialogue about it,' he added.

The Today show host is certainly putting on a brave face after what has been a horror year - one that included the infamous Ubergate scandal, a drop in personal popularity and poor ratings for the breakfast show.

Karl also told the publication that he was looking forward to the day where the scrutiny on his and Jasmine's life stopped.

'Nothing much worries me and I've done nothing wrong  I haven't broken the law, I haven't robbed a bank, I haven't committed some sought of heinous fraud against the government,' Karl told The Sunday Mail. Pictured: Karl and Jasmine

Not phased: 'I'm just a guy from Queensland who has gone through some stuff, and I'm looking forward to there being no dialogue about it,' he added

And despite the criticism of their relationship, the pair are lucky to have met, he added.

'People can write a million stories about it, people can talk about it as much as they want, but Jas and I are just going to be getting on with life,' Karl told the publication.

An optimistic Karl said that despite the negativity, he was not someone to dismiss one year as 'bad' - but as simply a period of time with obstacles and successes.

Lucky in love! 'People can write a million stories about it, people can talk about it as much as they want, but Jas and I are just going to be getting on with life,' he told the publication

Picture of love! Three months after splitting from Cassandra, Karl struck up a relationship with Jasmine

Karl's marriage to Cassandra Thorburn collapsed in September 2016, after 21 years together, and the pair endured relentless headlines about their split.

Three months after splitting from Cassandra, Karl struck up a relationship with Jasmine.

Jasmine and Karl are to wed on December 8 in Los Cabos, Mexico.
Karl Stefanovic has revealed some candid details of what punters can expect from his upcoming wedding to Jasmine Yarbrough.

The 44-year-old will wed his 34-year-old partner in Mexico on December 8.

The Today Show host said that some Australian flair will remain at the nuptials.

'I'm marrying a Queensland girl, there is going to be a few Queensland elements to the wedding. It's a really important thing for us,' he told The Courier-Mail.

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'I'm marrying a Queensland girl, there is going to be a few Queensland elements to the wedding:' Karl Stefanovic (left) revealed details of his upcoming nuptials with Jasmine Yarbrough (right) on Saturday... and shared the couple's surprising local honeymoon plans with his mum Jenny

Karl also revealed that his biggest hope was that there was 'a lot of love' for him and Jasmine on their wedding day.

'There's going to be a lot of love in the room, and I think it will be a really nice opportunity to say "thanks and we're getting on with it",' he told the paper.

Karl went on to say that the couple are 'very fortunate to have met each other' and 'just want to focus on getting on with life'.

He went on to reveal that after the destination wedding in Los Cabos, he and Jasmine will spend the remainder of their honeymoon back home.

Local flair: 'I'm marrying a Queensland girl, there is going to be a few Queensland elements to the wedding. It's a really important thing for us,' Karl said

As their nuptials take place prior to Christmas, the newlyweds will head back to Queensland to visit with Karl's mother Jenny over the holiday season.

'We've got to go see my mum up in Cairns, which is going to be hot, and we've got other family in Queensland, so we're just going to be hanging around which is going to be so nice,' he said.

Love me do: The Today show host also revealed that his biggest hope was that there was 'a lot of love' for him and Jasmine on their wedding day

Karl and Jasmine will tie the knot in a picturesque chapel at the One&Only Palmilla Resort in the seaside town of San Jose del Cabo, where they will also be staying.

The wedding will be a three-day affair, with the soon-to-be newlyweds sparing no expense.

Locals! The TV star went on to reveal that after the destination wedding in Los Cabos, he and Jasmine will spend the remainder of their honeymoon back home in Queensland

Family time: 'We've got to go see my mum up in Cairns, which is going to be hot, and we've got other family in Queensland so we're just going to be hanging around which is going to be so nice,' he said. Karl is pictured with his mother, Jenny

They've booked two villas, one at US$8500 (approximately AU$11600) per night, and another for US$11000 (approximately $AU15000) per night.

According to a Sydney Morning Herald report, Karl's children from his first marriage to Cassandra Thorburn, Jackson, 19, Ava, 13 and River, 13, will travel to Mexico with Karl and Jasmine.

Warm and fuzzy: Karl and Jasmine are expected to get married in Mexico on December 8

Among those on the guest list are reportedly Jasmine's Mara & Mine business partner Tamie Ingham and her sister Katie, James Packer and his girlfriend Kylie Lim.

Also rumoured to be attending are Richard Wilkins and his girlfriend Virgina Burmeister, and Karl's manager Sharon Finnigan.

Despite the criticism they've endured, Karl went on to say that the couple are 'very fortunate to have met each other' and 'just want to focus on getting on with life'

However, the paper went on to claim that the three siblings will not attend the actual wedding ceremony.

Earlier this month, Jasmine enjoyed a 'boisterous' hen party with her girlfriends at Crown Towers, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Accompanied by chicken heiress Tamie Ingham and a group of female friends, the designer and her posse stayed at the Crown's $11,500-a-night presidential suite, according to the paper.

Wedding location: Karl and his shoe designer partner will tie the knot in a picturesque chapel at the One&Only Palmilla Resort (pictured) where they'll also be staying

Ready to celebrate: The wedding will be a three-day affair, with the soon-to-be newlyweds sparing no expense

Nice views! They've booked two villas, one at US$8500 (approximately AU$11600) per night, and another for US$11000 (approximately $AU15000) per night

Relaxing: Karl and Jasmine are expected to get married in Mexico on December 8 before heading home to enjoy the Christmas holidays with family

The Crown's website explains that the presidential package includes a 24-hour butler service.

It also has its own entrance via private elevator access, and a bottle of complimentary champagne is on offer.

Those who book the presidential suite's luxury packages, which start at $998 a night, will be treated to a private check-in service and private concierge facilities.

Following the festivities, Jasmine's parents Cheryl and Bobby hosted a high tea earlier this month so that her beloved nan Isabel could be included.

Getting revved up: Earlier in November, Karl held his bucks night, boarding a flight to Brisbane to begin what would be a 48-hour weekend of partying with his closest male pals

The 92-year-old grandmother can't endure the flight all the way to San Jose del Cabo for the big day.

Earlier in November, Karl held his bucks night, boarding a flight to Brisbane to begin what would be a 48-hour weekend of partying with his closest male pals.

The secretive celebrations were hosted by Ironman Grant Kenny at his lavish waterfront mansion on Minyama Island.

Nice digs! Earlier this month, Jasmine enjoyed a 'boisterous' hen party with her girlfriends at Crown Towers, staying at the Crown's $11,500-a-night presidential suite (pictured)

Fancy! The Crown's website explains that the presidential suite (pictured) includes a 24-hour butler service and has its own entrance via private elevator access

Joined in: Jasmine's parents Cheryl and Bobby hosted a high tea so that her beloved nan Isabel (pictured) could be included. The 92-year-old grandmother can't endure the flight all the way to San Jose del Cabo for the big day

Woman's Day has also claimed that Karl was picked up from Brisbane airport by his fiancee Jasmine's father Bob, who drove the TV star to the Mantra Zanzibar hotel, where Karl had booked four $200-a-night hotel rooms for his fellow party-goers.

In March, Karl and Jasmine exchanged vows at a 'commitment ceremony' in Palm Beach, Sydney. However it was not legally binding.

The couple confirmed their engagement in February, with New Idea reporting Karl had popped the question to Jasmine during a holiday in Fiji.
Vicky Pattison has paid tribute to her late best friend Paul Burns in an emotional message sent after her 31st birthday celebrations.

The Geordie Shore star is in the throes of personal drama after her fiance John Noble was filmed looking intimate with a bevy of women during a trip to Dubai, yet she shunned the drama to focus on her late friend.

The nightclub manager, known to his friends as Mr Newcastle, died aged just 37 in June following a night out and Vicky has been candid about her heartache ever since - with the pain of his death even halting her wedding.

Beloved: Vicky Pattison has paid tribute to her late best friend Paul Burns in an emotional message sent after her 31st birthday celebrations

Vicky has previously gushed about her best friend while also voicing her devastation at his passing and how her grief meant she and John, who lost two grandparents in the past year, felt they could not push through with their wedding plans.

Her romance and previously-forthcoming wedding has been hitting headlines due to the compromising images of John which unearthed earlier in the week.

Remaining dignified in her tough pain, she instead used her birthday to honour her pal and revealed she enjoyed a drink in his memory the day before.

In the caption, she wrote: 'Yesterday was among other things, my first birthday without this man. Ill never get over the pain of losing a best friend so suddenly and cruelly. But I know you wouldnt want me to be sad forever sweet Paul...

Shock: The Geordie Shore star is in the throes of personal drama after her fiance John Noble was filmed looking intimate with a bevy of women during a trip to Dubai, yet she shunned the drama to focus on her late friend

Heartache: Vicky has previously gushed about her best friend while also voicing her devastation at his passing and how her grief meant she and John, who lost two grandparents in the past year, felt they could not push through with their wedding plans

'So we had a drink for you lastnight and I thought about all the advice you would give me if you were here. I will miss you for the rest of my life but I know you knew how much we all loved you and that provides me with some small solace.

'I love you Paul Burns we all do and THANKYOU for being a part of my life'.

It was revealed just a day before that Vicky has no plans to see her fiance after she was hit by claims on her 31st birthday that he kissed another woman while in Dubai.

Heartbreaking: A source told MailOnline: 'Vicky is on her way back to Newcastle at the moment, but she has no plans to see John. She's spending the next couple her days with her family and closest friends'

A source told MailOnline: 'Vicky is on her way back to Newcastle at the moment, but she has no plans to see John. She's spending the next couple her days with her family and closest friends.

'She'll celebrate her birthday around positive people and try to keep her chin up, and then will be back to London on Sunday night.

'Vicky is a strong girl and she knows she can get through this. She's going to spend the weekend clearing her mind and then start afresh next week.'

Tough: 'Vicky is a strong girl and she knows she can get through this. She's going to spend the weekend clearing her mind and then start afresh next week'

The Sun reported that John grew close to a brunette named Supriya, a London estate agent, during his flirty night out in Dubai without his fiancee.

Onlookers told the publication that John, also 31, had his arms around her waist on the dancefloor before inviting her over to his private booth.

Adding: 'They were kissing throughout the night at the White Club venue.' John was also linked to two other women on the same night.
They briefly dated during their time on Love Island, before he dropped her to pursue a relationship with Ellie Jones and later Georgia Steel.

But Samira Mighty and Sam Bird proved that there are no hard feelings between them now, as they were spotted heading to her birthday party on Friday.

Stepping out together, the Love Island beauty, 22, and hunk, 25, beamed as they celebrated at 100 Wardour St before heading to Mahiki in London.

Friendly: Love Island's Samira Mighty and Sam Bird proved that there was no hard feelings between them after dating on the show as they celebrated her birthday in London on Friday

Samira showed off her toned abs in a tiny bralet and high-waisted trousers as she arrived at her bash.

She complemented her all-black ensemble with a fluffy black bag and boosted her height with a pair of strappy heels.

The West End star brushed her raven locks into a sleek, straight style, while she accentuated her pretty features with a slick of red lipstick and dramatic mascara.

Stunning: Samira showed off her toned abs in a tiny bralet and high-waisted trousers as she arrived to her bash

In high spirits: Samira and Sam Bird looked worse for wear as they sat in the back of the taxi after partying to the early hours of Saturday morning

Sam rocked a knitted black jumper over his hunky frame, which he teamed up with a pair of grey tartan trousers and black loafers.

Samira and Sam looked worse for wear as they sat in the back of the taxi after partying into the early hours of Saturday morning.

But Samira put on an even cosier display with her gal pal Ellie Brown, as the pair shared a playful smooch while making their bleary-eyed exit from the bash.

Playful: But Samira put on an even cosier display with her gal pal Ellie Brown, as the pair shared a playful smooch as they made their bleary-eyed exit from the bash

Sizzling: The reality star, 20, ensured all eyes were on her in a plunging white halterneck dress

Oops: Ellie suffered an awkward wardrobe malfunction in the ribbed full-length dress as she struggled to contain her ample cleavage due its plunging neckline

The reality star, 20, ensured all eyes were on her in a plunging white halterneck dress, which she teamed up with a pair of clear high heels.

Ellie suffered an awkward wardrobe malfunction in the ribbed full-length dress as she struggled to contain her ample cleavage due its plunging neckline.

She seemed very friendly with Made In Chelsea newbie Tom Dolemore, who drew her in close to whisper in her ear as they sat in a taxi.

Sweet nothings: She seemed very friendly with Made In Chelsea newbie Tom Dolemore, who drew her in close to whisper in her ear

Ready to party: Hayley Hughes was also on hand to help ring in the celebrations as she strutted into the venue in a LBD with a pal
Her Malibu home was one of the lucky survivors from the recent wildfires.

And Cindy Crawford showed her support for those who did lose everything in the Woolsey fire, as she attended a fundraiser hosted by Gerard Butler on Friday night.

The 52-year-old supermodel raised a smile as she showed up for the fire relief charity event - which Butler held at his West Hollywood home after his Malibu property was razed to the ground in the fires.

Community support: Cindy Crawford showed her support for those who lost everything in the Woolsey fire, as she attended a fundraiser hosted by Gerard Butler on Friday night

The beauty stepped out in leather trousers, as she arrived with husband Rande Gerber.

Jamie Foxx and Van Morrison were also at the event, and played live on the stage in Butler's back yard.

Gerard's home in Malibu was completely destroyed, and he put his heartache to good use, hosting a fundraiser at his other home, to help fund the rebuilding process throughout the Malibu community.

Looking good: The beauty stepped out in leather trousers, as she arrived with husband Rande Gerber

Lucky: Her Malibu home was one of the survivors from the recent wildfires

Getting involved: The 52-year-old supermodel raised a smile as she showed up for the fire relief charity event - which Butler held at his West Hollywood home after his Malibu property was razed to the ground in the fires

Minnie Driver, The Edge and Robin Thicke, who also lost his home to the Woolsey Fire, attended the star-studded fundraiser for The Malibu Foundation, which was launched by a group of Malibu residents, including Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth.

In a clip from Butlers speech shared on the Foundations Instagram Stories, the 49-year-old actor spoke about how hard its been for parents in the area to try and 'explain to their kids what happened to their home.'

Helpful hand: Rande took to Instagram to thank his employees who have helped run his restaurant as they aide those affected by the fires

Big loss: Robin Thicke, who performed at the event, was seen arriving with girlfriend April Love Geary. The couple lost their home in the Woolsey fire

Devastating: Pierce Brosnan, who lost his home in the fire, was accompanied by members of security

No Katie: Jamie Foxx was seen solo at the event in a denim ensemble

Hollywood bash: Actor Sean Penn and pals were also pictured arriving at the concert

The Edge: Rocker The Edge attended the fundraiser with wife Morleigh Steinberg

'Were here tonight to try and remedy that situation,' Butler said. 'Thank you all so much for coming.'

Robin Thicke sang, Stand By Me, and Van Morrison sang Brown-Eyed Girl.

Gerard returned to his Malibu home on Saturday to find it completely destroyed by the fast-moving Woolsey fire.

And on Sunday he shared an Instagram of the devastation as he stood in front of the remains of building and his burned out truck.

Stand by me: Robin Thicke sang at the event for those affected by the fires, which razed his own home to the ground

Fundraiser: The event was at Gerard Butler's West Hollywood home, and Thicke sang with Grace Potter

Stage time: Van Morrison also performed at the event

Involved: Jamie Foxx was also adding his star power to proceedings

The 300 actor captioned it: 'Returned to my house in Malibu after evacuating. Heartbreaking time across California.

'Inspired as ever by the courage, spirit and sacrifice of firefighters. Thank you @LosAngelesFireDepartment. '

And he ended with a heartfelt plea saying: 'If you can, support these brave men and women at SupportLAFD.org.

Cindy had spoken of the losses in Malibu, in an Instagram post on Thursday. She wrote: 'Missing this place, but so grateful to hear that we still have a home to return to. There has been so much loss in our beloved Malibu community this week. We are committed to help rebuild this place that we love so much. Link in my bio for ways to help.'

Helping the community: The event was to raise money for the Malibu Foundation
It's known as 'the Mecca of Ballroom' and is the highlight of the Strictly Come Dancing season.

And Christine McGuinness, 30, oozed glamour alongside her dapper-looking husband Paddy, 45, as the pair led the celebrities arriving for the Blackpool Tower spectacular on Saturday night.

The Blackpool-native model dazzled in a sparkling purple frock with a risky thigh-skimming hemline as she attended the star-studded event.

Stepping out: Christine McGuinness, 30, oozed glamour alongside her husband Paddy, 45, as the pair led the celebrities arriving for Strictly's Blackpool Tower spectacular on Saturday

Christine added some extra height to her already statuesque frame with a pair of sophisticated black heels, highlighting her enviably-toned pins.

The blonde bombshell styled her luxurious, long locks into a slick straight 'do with a centre parting, while giving her features a glam makeup look with smokey eyes and a popping red lipstick.

Paddy opted for an equally glamorous look, clad in a burgundy suit and matching polka dot tie, finished with a crisp white shirt.

Enjoying the show: Paddy opted for an equally glamorous look, clad in a burgundy suit and matching polka dot tie, finished with a crisp white shirt

Shining: The Blackpool-native model dazzled in a sparkling purple frock with a risky thigh-skimming hemline as she attended the star-studded event

The comedian and Lancashire lad joined in with the Strictly fun as he made a special appearance during the BBC One show to read the terms and conditions to viewers voting at home.

During the sparkling spectacular, Faye Tozer left the audience and judges hot under the collar after delivering a sizzling paso doble with Giovanni Pernice, just days after the pair were seen on a boozy lunch together.

The Saturday night extravaganza comes as the couples fight for survival following Danny-John Jules' elimination last week, as he lost out in the dance-off opposite Graeme Swann.

Dazzling: Christine added some extra height to her already statuesque frame with a pair of sophisticated black heels, highlighting her enviably-toned pins

All in the details: The blonde bombshell styled her luxurious, long locks into a slick straight 'do with a centre parting

Up first was Stacey Dooley and her dance partner Kevin Clifton who were delivered a party-starting Salsa to 'Ooh Ahh (Just A Little Bit)' by Gina G.

The gorgeous broadcaster was looking to utilise all the best elements of the iconic Blackpool beach, and even made her grand entrance on a giant stick of rock.

Stacey's amazing hip movements went down a storm with the watching audience, with judges Shirley Ballas and Bruno Tonioli giving the beauty a standing ovation.

Joining the fun: The comedian joined in with the Strictly fun as he made a special appearance during the BBC One show to read the terms and conditions to viewers voting at home

Fun times: The Lancashire lad couldn't help getting in on the Saturday night extravaganza

Star-studded Take That's Howard Donald pictured leaving the Blackpool Tower after Strictly's show

Shirley said: 'You brought more than the donkey and a bucket a spade! Those lifts! You really brought it today, your one tiny final thing is to get your feet closed but oh my goodness Stacey Fantastic!'

Craig added: 'You need to be aware of your legs in all the lifts especially anticipate the direction of getting them there and getting out of them was quite haphazard and ugly, but apart from that I thought your hip action was fantastic.'

But despite her positive reviews, Stacey's score was branded 'undermarked' by viewers, with a total of 33 points out of 40.
Jessica Chastain has welcomed her first child with husband Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo.

The 41-year-old is now mom to baby girl Giuliette Passi Chastain after using a surrogate, Page Six reported Saturday.

The couple were spotted out with their daughter, who is said to be four months old, in New York this week during a visit to a pediatricians office, according to the website.

Happy news! Jessica Chastain has welcomed her first child with husband Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo via surrogate

Known for keeping her personal life very private, the Interstellar star was first seen pushing a stroller in Boston on October 12 as she filmed new movie Eve.

Days later Gian Luca, 35, was seen carrying a baby car seat into a hotel with Jessica and her assistant.

It wasn't long before rumors were swirling that she had secretly welcomed her first child.

Page Six reports that the tot has been travelling with mom while she films various projects around the globe and also accompanied Jessica last week when she appeared in Paris at an inaugural Christmas tree lighting ceremony at department store Galeries Lafayette.

New mom: Known for keeping her personal life very private, the Interstellar star was first seen pushing a stroller in Boston last month as she filmed new movie Eve

Jessica and Gian Luca, an executive for Moncler, have been together for six years and married last year in a gorgeous ceremony at his family's estate, Villa Tiepolo Passi, in Treviso, Italy.

In February the Zero Dark Thirty actress said she never wanted to get married until she met Gian Luca.

'He knew that marriage wasnt something I was interested in,' she told WSJ. Magazine.

Happy couple: Jessica and Gian Luca, an executive for Moncler, have been together for six years and married last year in a gorgeous ceremony at his family's estate, Villa Tiepolo Passi, in Treviso, Italy

'And then as we got to know each other, the idea of marriage shifted for me. There are some things worth celebrating  and hes worth celebrating.  I actually love being married. I never thought I would, but this is a spectacular human being, and I am celebrating that I get to share my life with him.'

In an interview with W magazine in 2015, Jessica gushed of her Italian beau: 'Hes a gentleman and thats very important to me. Hes from an old-school Italian family. No one in his family has ever been divorced!'
Will Smith took to social media to wish his ex-wife a very enthusiastic Happy Birthday on Friday.

The 50-year-old actor posted a throwback snap to Instagram of himself with 51-year-old Sheree Zampino and their then-infant son Trey.

'Happy Bday, @shereezampino #BestBabyMamaEver! :-) I Love You, Ree-Ree,' wrote the Men In Black star.

Heartfelt: Will Smith took to social media to wish his ex-wife a very enthusiastic Happy Birthday on Friday

However, comedian Chris Rock was quick to point out that Smith has another baby mama in his life: current wife Jada Pinkett Smith, 47.

'Wow. You have a very understanding wife,' commented the 53-year-old Top Five funnyman.

However if Jada was upset, she didn't show it, with the Matrix: Reloaded star creating her own heartfelt post for her husband's ex.

'Happy Birthday @shereezampino! Whew Chile! Its been a hell of a journey between us and Im grateful!' she began the caption beneath a photo of the pair laughing together.

No bad blood: However if Jada was upset, she didn't show it, with the Matrix: Reloaded star creating her own heartfelt post for her husband's ex

Jada continued: 'You have been the provider of many ego deaths and profound lessons.'

'And through it all, Im so happy weve found space to laugh together, cry together and share joy together within our blended family.'

'Youve been a gift. Im wishing you the world [HEART EMOJI]'

Ali star Smith was married to Sheree from 1992 - 1995 and the pair share a son together, Trey.

Will has been married to Jada since 1997 and the pair share son Jaden, 20, and daughter Willow, 18.

You wrote WHAT? Comedian Chris Rock [seen here in September 2018] was quick to point out that Smith has another baby mama in his life: current wife Jada Pinkett Smith, 47

The breakout star of The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air disclosed on an episode of Red Table Talk last month that after meeting Jada for the first time, he 'cried uncontrollably' in a restaurant bathroom upon realizing he married the wrong woman.

'It was one of the most bizarre emotions I ever had. We were at The Palm [in NYC] and I remember I had to get up from dinner when I had a realization that I wasn't with the person I was supposed to be with,' he said.

Smith continued: 'I went in the bathroom and I broke down in tears. I was sitting in a stall and I was crying uncontrollably and laughing. I knew [Jada] was the woman I was supposed to be with but I was never getting divorced.'

Sheree would later file for divorce in 1995 on Valentine's Day.
Ten people, eight of them teenagers, have been arrested over a series of armed robberies and carjackings in southeastern Melbourne between October 29 and November 5.

The arrests followed raids on Tuesday at 11 properties. A 17-year-old male, 16-year-old male and 17-year-old female will appear at a children's court charged with a number of offences including aggravated carjacking and burglary.

A 22-year-old male has been charged with conduct endangering life, aggravated burglary, robbery and stealing a motor vehicle. He will appear at Dandenong Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. Six male teenagers, aged between 14 and 18, and a man, 23, were released pending summons.
The federal government will provide $2 billion in funding to help small and medium-sized businesses.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will on Wednesday announce the Australian Business Securitisation Fund, which will inject extra funding into the market and lower the cost of borrowing for small businesses.

"Small businesses find it difficult to obtain finance other than on a secured basis -- typically against real estate," Mr Frydenberg said. "Even when small businesses can access finance, funding costs are higher than they need to be."

He is also looking to establish an Australian Business Growth Fund that will encourage banks to invest in small enterprises.
Emergency service workers are urging NSW politicians to shut down an attempt to overturn Sydney's controversial lockout laws.

Police, doctors, nurses and other supporters of the Last Drinks campaign will on Wednesday gather outside NSW parliament ahead of debate on a bill to scrap laws that prevent people from entering license venues after 1.30am.

The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party introduced the legislation in October.

Shooters MP Robert Borsak said at the time his party believed in "freedom of choice".

But Last Drinks spokesman Tony Sara said the laws have saved lives and prevented thousands of injuries.

"There is no doubt that Sydney's streets will once again be flooded with alcohol-fuelled violence (if repealed)," he said in a statement.

"We'll see a dramatic increase in assaults, sexual assaults, injuries and deaths."

Freshly-minted Labor leader Michael Daley is opposed to relaxing the laws but was open to other measures including rewarding good venues.

His unsuccessful challenger for the leadership, Chris Minns, last week said he would push for the lockout laws to be dumped if elected.
An elderly Melbourne woman injured after being dragged by a taxi as she tried to exit the car has died in hospital.

Police say the Ascot Vale woman, 86, was exiting the taxi on Epsom Road, Ascot Vale, when it drove off while she was still holding an open car door about 5.45pm on October 26.

She was taken to hospital with what were believed non-life threatening injuries but her condition deteriorated and she died in hospital on Tuesday.

Police spoke to the male driver at the scene and inquiries are ongoing.
Australian universities are questioning why the federal government has triggered a review into freedom of speech on their campuses, citing more than 100 existing policies supporting diverse debate.

Education Minister Dan Tehan on Wednesday triggered a review into possible limitations on freedom of speech at universities, appointing former High Court chief justice Robert French to lead the probe.

"Some commentators on free speech at Australian universities have been very wide of the mark -- jumping to the wrong conclusions or selectively quoting from university policies and codes," Universities Australia chair Margaret Gardner said.
The Victorian Labor government has pledged $340 million for 18 new trains for two of the state's busiest regional lines.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Transport Minister Jacinta Allan made the commitment to deliver the 54 VLocity carriages for the Geelong and Ballarat lines by 2021 while visiting manufacturer Bombardier at Dandenong on Wednesday.

"This is an investment in jobs and skills and better transport - more trains, more often and more jobs as well," Mr Andrews said, ahead of the November 24 Victorian election.
Hundreds of people are expected to protest outside NSW parliament over planned changes to the state's adoption laws.

The Berejiklian government is proposing to streamline the process of granting the guardianship of children or adopting them out.

Under the plan, birth parents will have two years to be reinstated as primary carers before an alternative permanent home is found, in a bid to prevent children bouncing between families for years on end.

But a number of welfare and community groups, as well as Labor and Greens MPs are against the changes.

An open letter signed by over 60 organisations and hundreds of individuals will be presented to parliament on Wednesday, calling on the government to drop the plan, with a group of opponents to also hold a snap protest.

Some have warned the new laws risk creating another stolen generation.

But Family and Community Services Minister Pru Goward has accused Labor and the Greens of politicising the issue.

She said the intention of the system is to ensure children are kept with their birth parents but that can't always happen.

The two-year rule ensured a child didn't languish in the foster care system, she said.

"After two or three years in the foster care option, their chances of being returned to a family are extremely low," Ms Goward told 2GB radio on Wednesday.

"Our view is the Department of Family Services needs to be greater in its sense of urgency."

A vote on the legislation could be brought on as early as this week.
A four-week-old baby girl has been left with critical head and chest injuries after allegedly being assaulted by her father in Sydney's south west.

Police on Tuesday arrested the 25-year-old man, less than a week after the newborn was taken to hospital suffering seizures.

Doctors found she had suffered serious brain, neck and rib injuries, and detectives from the child abuse squad were notified.

The man was charged with recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm.

He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday.

The child remains in a critical but stable condition at Westmead Children's Hospital.
Detectives have arrested a man believed to be behind the brazen armed hold-up of a cash van in Sydney's south-west earlier this year.

The van was stopped outside the Clemton Park Shopping Village in Campsie mid-morning on April 5 when a car pulled up and two gun-wielding men got out, police said at the time.

The duo allegedly threatened the van's two armed guards and stole cash, before fleeing in the car which police believe was driven by a third person.

A witness at the time recalled seeing one of the men in a black business suit pointing a gun at one of the guards.

Neither guard was injured in the heist.

One of the suspected thieves was arrested on Wednesday, a police source told AAP.

Search warrants are being executed at properties in Cambridge Park and Shanes Park in the city's west.

Charges are expected to follow.
A third person has been charged over the theft of a baby meerkat from Perth Zoo, which has since been recovered and reunited with its mob.

The meerkitten was stolen in September when it was one month old, but it was found two days later during a search of a home in the town of Beverley in WA's Wheatbelt region, about 130km east of Perth.

Police said on Wednesday they had charged a 31-year-old woman with possessing stolen property, while Jesse Ray Hooker, 22, was previously charged with stealing, while Aimee Cummins, 23, was charged with receiving.
As Australia braces for bushfires and heatwaves, backup energy reserves are being sourced to prevent summer blackouts in Victoria and South Australia.

In its summer readiness plan released on Friday, the Australian Energy Market Operator flags the risk extreme temperatures and extended heatwaves will have on electricity supply.

Peak use is expected to reach near record levels on both the east and west coasts of Australia, it says.

AEMO CEO Audrey Zibelman says there's a heightened risk of customers having their power supply cut off in Victoria and South Australia unless there are backup measures.

"The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a hotter and drier summer which, coupled with other risks we have identified, suggest we have a challenging summer awaiting us," she said.

"AEMO is confident the plans we have made and the targeted actions we have taken in collaboration with the wider energy industry and governments, have appropriately equipped us to tackle any unforeseeable events the upcoming summer might bring."

A lack of rainfall could result in insufficient water to cool generators in Latrobe Valley, which AEMO says will hurt Victoria's electricity supply.

The agency is working to ensure enough energy reserves are on hand in summer to prevent blackouts.

Increased wind and solar generation will be added to Victoria's supply, supported by two new batteries for storage in Ballarat and Gannawarra.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor says the risks facing the electricity market in the hotter months show how important it is to focus on reliability.

"The levels of intermittent government-backed generation in South Australia and Victoria, that has not been firmed, has led to a real risk over summer," he said.

"With a tough summer approaching, Australian families and businesses would expect all states and territories to endorse strong measures to improve reliability."

Maximum electricity demand is expected later in the day this summer compared to last year, with more Australian households installing solar panels and generating their own power during the day.

Last summer, peak demand in South Australia was at 8pm due to its record levels of household solar in the country.

Gas supplies are expected to meet forecasted demands, AEMO says.
Queensland's parliament has held its final sitting for the year but the government will continue to work.

Parliament is not expected to sit again until February but cabinet will hold at least one more regional meeting - in Redlands southeast of Brisbane - on November 26.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told parliament on Thursday the government had delivered 42 per cent of its election commitments.

LNP Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington accused the government of laziness over the cancellation of a tentatively proposed late December sitting.

"The premier in her speech (on Wednesday) continued to say "I'll be saying more in the coming months" well if she's got so much to say come to work and tell us about it," Ms Frecklington said.

The LNP itself scrapped the tentative December sitting week when it was in government in 2013.

The premier's upbeat message was dampened on Thursday by the release of the latest jobs data.

It showed Queensland's unemployment rate rising to 6.3 per cent seasonally adjusted - the highest in Australia.

The usually congenial mood of the final sitting day of the year was also undercut after the LNP opposition accused Deputy Premier Jackie Trad of improper conduct over meetings with two companies involved in bidding for contracts of the Cross River Rail project.

Ms Trad denied any wrongdoing, saying the probity arrangements for Cross River Rail were "very clear" and had not been breached.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has pledged to introduce laws recognising the death of an unborn child if her government is re-elected.

Ms Berejiklian said on Thursday the legislation would make it a separate crime to kill or injure an unborn child during a criminal act.

The reference to "during a criminal act" sets her proposal apart from the Zoe's Law bill put forward by Christian Democrat Reverend Fred Nile, which was briefly debated before being adjourned again on Thursday.

Ms Berejiklian said there were several problems with Reverend Nile's legislation, which critics say encroaches on women's safe access to abortion.

Reverend Nile introduced the bill in 2013 and named it in honour of unborn Zoe Donegan who was killed when her mother's car was hit by a driver under the influence of drugs in 2009.

NSW Family Planning Director of Medical Services Deb Bateson said the bill could further restrict women's access to lawful abortions.
Police hope a hefty reward will flush out the killer of a former KGB Colonel who died in a hail of bullets outside his luxury Gold Coast home 18 years ago.

Gennadi Bernovski was raked with semi-automatic gunfire as he took out his bins on the night of July 25, 2000.

The 41-year-old martial arts expert died after staggering back to the doorway of his Benowa Waters home before telling his wife: "Call the police, there's shooting."

Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan hopes the $250,000 reward will be an incentive for anyone who knows who killed Mr Bernovski to come forward.

Homicide detectives have established that before coming to Australia Mr Bernovski had risen quickly through the ranks of the Russian Army and was a colonel in an elite, SAS-style military unit of the KGB.

His killing sparked fears of a Russian mafia expansion in Australia but that community is no longer the focus of the investigation.

In the two years after his murder, police exhausted mafia-related leads and then formed the view the crime was more likely related to a dispute between two old comrades over a lost fortune.

The search for a motive led to Russian businessman Oleg Kouzmine, who had arrived in Australia in 1998 with $1.3 million from "dubious" origins, according to police involved in the initial investigation.

Mr Bernovski introduced Mr Kouzmine to two business investments but the ventures failed and he blamed his old comrade for the loss of his money.

Mr Kouzmine became the prime suspect when his fingerprints were discovered on a gate at the Bernovski home.

He left for Russia to visit family, promising to speak with police when he returned in a few weeks.

But he did not come back and Australian police have been unable to extradite him.
It began awkwardly, but a chat with Sir Viv Richards has buoyed form Australian batter Alyssa Healy at the World Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies.

Ian Healy said he was flattered to hear master blaster Richards had sought out his niece Alyssa at the tournament, believing she was the ex-Test 'keeper's daughter.

Healy said they still hit it off after the West Indies great realised his mistake.

They had much to talk about after Alyssa Healy propelled Australia into the World T20 semi-finals with three straight half centuries.

The opener will be vying for her fourth straight player of the match award when Australia clash with India on Sunday morning (AEDT) to decide top spot in their group.

"It was fantastic that Viv Richards sought her out in the West Indies thinking she was my daughter," Healy said.

"He said 'you're dad and I had plenty of run-ins'.

"She laughed and said 'it was my uncle'.

"But she is certainly playing with great confidence and flair."

Alyssa Healy booked Australia's finals berth with a whirlwind 53 in their 33-run win over New Zealand on Wednesday.

It took her tournament tally to 157 at 78.5 and strike rate of 160.2.

The highlight has been a knock that would have made Richards proud - a 21-ball half century against Ireland on Monday, the second-fastest in women's T20 history.

"She is going unbelievably well," Healy said.

"It is a high risk way she plays at the top of the order. There are going to be days when it does not come off.

"The Australian team are playing with that risky attitude at the top knowing they have Ellyse Perry at No.7.

"They are chock full of performers who are confident and in good form so they are not that scared about top order collapses - it's great to watch."

Australia have won three consecutive games to start the tournament and 12 straight in the format.
Dozens of refugees who left Nauru to resettle in the United States want to come back to the Pacific island nation, Nauru's President claims.

President Baron Waqa says 40 of the 300 people sent to the US have contacted the government asking to return because life there isn't "easy".

"They call America the land of the free and all that but (there are) a lot of catches and they soon find out that it's not that easy," he told The Australian in a report published on Friday.
Cases of bank misconduct will be better held to account in Australia's courts under a $51.5 million funding boost,

The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions will get an extra $41.6 million over the next eight years to consider and carry out more prosecutions against financial institutions, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Friday.

The Federal Court will get $9.9 million over four years to deal with an expected spike in civil cases, after the Australian Securities and Investments Commission increased its enforcement activities following the banking royal commission.
Lives and homes are under threat from an out-of-control bushfire heading towards a roadhouse in Western Australia's north.

A Watch And Act alert is in place for people at or near Pardoo Roadhouse and east of the De Grey River including Pardoo Station, Goldsworthy, Shay Gap, Warralong Community and Yarrie Mine Camp in the Shire of East Pilbara.

The blaze is burning along the Great Northern Highway, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services says, with locals urged to either leave or get ready to defend their properties.

Pardoo Roadhouse and Cape Keraudren Caravan Park have been closed.

Firefighters are monitoring the blaze which has burnt across more than 850,000 hectares.

The bushfire has been burning since November 4.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has taken aim at Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad over his comments about Jewish people.

The Australian government is reviewing whether the embassy in Israel should be shifted to Jerusalem, which has sparked a war of words with Muslim nations in the region and delayed a trade deal with Indonesia.

"The Malaysian prime minister has form," Mr Frydenberg told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.

"He has called Jews 'hooked-nosed people'. He has questioned the number of people that have been killed in the Holocaust. He banned Schindler's List as a movie being shown, though it showed the amazing story of a righteous gentile who saved many people from persecution."

Mr Frydenberg said Australia would make its own foreign policy decisions in its own national interest.
Victorian amateur David Micheluzzi and marquee man Matt Kuchar are the big movers early in round two of the Australian Open in Sydney.

Micheluzzi has soared into the lead at nine under with three birdies and an eagle in a spectacular four-hole stretch at The Lakes.

The 22-year-old is five under for his round and four shots clear of Kuchar, Mexican Abraham Ancer and first-rounder leader Byeong Hun An.

Kuchar, the 2017 British Open runner-up and highest-ranked player in the field, has jumped to five under with birdies on the 11th, 13th and 14th holes, after starting his round from the 10th tee.

The American was among the few players to tame The Lakes in Thursday's brutal afternoon conditions, carding a two-under-par 70 to remain in touch with An.

Local hopes Cameron Percy and Matt Jager were both one stroke further back at four under early in their second rounds on Friday.

Cameron Davis's eventful defence of the Stonehaven Cup, meanwhile, has continued.

After opening his first round with a quadruple eight en route to a four-over 76, Davis dunked two more balls in the water on the par-5 11th to rack up a disastrous triple bogey on his second hole on Friday morning.

But the 23-year-old bounced back brilliantly with successive birdies, then an eagle on the par-5 14th.

Davis was one under for the round and three over for the Open, still trying to make the halfway cut.
A self-confessed terrorist who was the ringleader in a plot to wreak havoc in Melbourne on Christmas day 2016 will spend at least the next two decades in prison.

Ibrahim Abbas, 24, was sentenced by the Victorian Supreme Court in September after pleading guilty to conspiring "in preparation for a terrorist act", which was due to target landmarks including Melbourne's Federation Square.

Details of Abbas' sentence were made public on Friday following the conclusion earlier this month of a trial against his co-conspirators - brother Hamza Abbas, cousin Abdullah Chaarani and friend Ahmed Mohamed - who were each found guilty by a jury of the same charge.

In his sentencing remarks, Justice Andrew Tinney said Abbas' crime would have shocked Australia "to the core".

"It would have represented a shocking and entirely unjustified attack upon our democratic system, a system under which you were brought up and have always lived but whose rules you so flagrantly chose to ignore," he said.

"I am satisfied that the plan to carry out this attack was well advanced, that the attack was imminent and that your timely arrest by the dedicated and expert investigators of the Joint Counter Terrorism Team was all that prevented a devastating and murderous terrorist attack in the heart of the City of Melbourne."

Abbas and his accomplices purchased chemicals and other items to make bombs, bought "bladed weapons" and conducted reconnaissance of the area around Federation Square, the judge said.

They planned to detonate the bombs and use weapons with the intention of violent jihad on the Australian public.

Ibrahim Abbas was born in Melbourne and was living with his wife and child in the northern Melbourne suburb of Campbellfield when he plotted the deadly attack.

He pledged allegiance to Islamic State via Facebook in 2014 after coming back to radical Islam at age 19.

In a police interview quoted in Justice Tinney's sentencing, Abbas says he was at the "forefront" of the group and the main instigator of the plans.

"With regards to my brother, I was pushing him as much as I can so he could join me in this act because I was trying to create a group and he was hesitant, very, very hesitant, he did not want to do it and I was forcing it upon him...and I'd try to do whatever I can to bash my views onto him."

Abbas said he was equally pushy with the Chaarani and Mohamed.

Justice Tinney sentenced Ibrahim Abbas to a maximum of 24 years, with a non-period of 20 years.

Had Abbas not pleaded guilty, his sentence would have been 28 years with a non-parole period of 23 years, the judge said.

The maximum penalty for the crime of planning a terrorist attack is life in prison.

Abbas' brother Hamza Abbas, cousin Abdullah Chaarani and friend Ahmed Mohamed are yet to be sentenced.
In this file photo taken on January 8, 2016, Drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is escorted into a helicopter at Mexico City's airport, following his recapture during an intense military operation in Los Mochis, in Sinaloa State

Juror complications on Tuesday delayed opening statements in the New York trial of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, one of the world's most notorious criminals accused of spending a quarter of a century smuggling cocaine into the United States.

Twelve jurors and six alternates had been selected last week from a pool of dozens in which several were dismissed because they feared for their lives and another who suffered a panic attack.

The seven women and five men were to determine whether Guzman is guilty on 11 trafficking, firearms and money laundering charges during what is expected to be a more than four-month trial.

But on Tuesday, the jury lost at least one member before it was even officially sworn in. The New York Post reported that an "anxious and upset" juror brought a doctor's note saying she could not serve on the jury.

Attorney for Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, Eduardo Balarezo(C) arrives at Brooklyn Federal Courthouse before the opening arguments in the "El Chapo" trial

District Judge Brian Cogan subsequently spent Tuesday morning interviewing potential jurors to replace the dismissed juror, putting opening statements from prosecutors and the defense on the back burner.

The names of all jurors will be kept anonymous under razor-tight security protocols. They will be partially sequestered, escorted to and from court every day by armed US Marshals.

Guzman is accused of leading the Sinaloa cartel and turning it into the largest criminal organization on the planet. He was extradited to the United States in 2017 after twice escaping from prison in Mexico.

The 61-year-old is considered the world's largest drug trafficker since the death of Colombia's Pablo Escobar.

Prosecutors say that from 1989 to 2014, the cartel smuggled 340,892 pounds (154,626 kilograms) of cocaine into the United States, as well as heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana, raking in $14 billion.

- Masses of evidence -

Last week, Cogan rejected a request from Guzman to greet and embrace his beauty queen wife Emma Coronel on Tuesday, shortly before opening statements, ruling that it was too risky.

Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman

The defendant is banned from communicating with or having any physical contact with the 29-year-old mother of his seven-year-old twin girls.

Cogan said the requested hug violated security procedures designed to prevent Guzman from "coordinating any escape from prison or directing any attack" on cooperating witnesses.

Guzman twice escaped from prison in Mexico, once hidden in a laundry cart and the second time slipping down a tunnel that reached his prison shower.

US prosecutors have spent years piecing together a case that they hope will end with Guzman spending the rest of his life behind bars in a maximum-security US prison.

He has pleaded not guilty, but the government has presented so much evidence -- more than 300,000 pages and at least 117,000 recordings -- that the defense complains they haven't had time to review it all.

The wife of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, Emma Coronel Aispuro(C), arrives at the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse before the opening arguments in the "El Chapo" trial

More than a dozen of the several hundred witnesses expected to testify are in witness protection programs or are already in jail, housed in special wings to protect them from reprisals.

Guzman has been held in solitary confinement since Mexico extradited him in January 2017, one day before Donald Trump took office. He spends 23 hours a day in his cell.

The only visitors he is allowed are his lawyers and daughters, from whom he is separated by thick glass.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis speaks to reporters outside the Pentagon

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday he will visit the US-Mexico border, where thousands of active-duty soldiers have been deployed to help border police prepare for the arrival of a "caravan" of migrants.

President Donald Trump ordered the military deployment in the build-up to last week's midterm elections, with critics assailing the move as a costly political stunt to mobilize his conservative base.

Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, Mattis said he would visit the border on Wednesday.

The caravan left San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on October 13 and has covered more than 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) so far.

At least two other caravans have since been established, defying threats from Trump -- who has decried what he describes as an "invasion."

The migrants still have hundreds of miles to walk to the border and might not even get there before the scheduled December 15 end date for the military deployment.

The Pentagon said Mattis was traveling to the border for one day and would visit McAllen in southern Texas.

A big question the Defense Department has yet to address is how much the deployment will cost.

The mission could see upwards of about 9,000 active-duty and reserve troops working on or near the border.

It is by far the largest deployment Mattis has overseen since becoming Pentagon chief nearly two years ago.

He said the Pentagon would provide cost updates "as they become known."

Mattis has previously defended the decision to send thousands of soldiers to the border, where they will mainly provide logistical support, rejecting criticism that the move was political.

"We don't do stunts in this department," he said last month.
The United Nations Security Council met behind closed doors on the escalation of violence in Gaza

The UN Security Council met behind closed doors Tuesday to discuss the escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip but there was no agreement on how to address the crisis, diplomats said.

Kuwait, which represents Arab countries at the council, and Bolivia requested the meeting following the worst flareup in Gaza since the 2014 war between Hamas and Israel.

Addressing reporters after the 50-minute meeting, Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour said the council was "paralyzed" and had "failed to shoulder its responsibility" to take action to end the violence.

"There is one country that is not allowing discussion at the council," Mansour told reporters, in a reference to the United States, which has taken a pro-Israeli stance under President Donald Trump.

There was no statement from the council on the crisis. Such statements are agreed by consensus by all 15 council members.

Kuwait's Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said the majority of council members were of the view that the top UN body "should do something" and some suggested a visit to the region, but no decision was taken.

Palestinian militant groups including Hamas, which rules Gaza, issued a joint statement earlier announcing an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Israel.

The groups said they would abide by the truce as long as Israel did the same, but there was no immediate comment from the Israeli side.

Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon earlier said "we will not accept a call for both sides to exercise restraint" and laid the blame for the violence squarely on the Palestinians.

Seven Palestinians were killed in Gaza as Israeli strikes targeted militants and flattened buildings in the worst escalation of violence since the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas.

The latest round of violence began on Sunday with a botched Israeli special forces operation inside the Gaza Strip that turned deadly and prompted Hamas to vow revenge.

Palestinian militants responded with rocket and mortar fire. An anti-tank missile hit a bus that Hamas says was being used by Israeli soldiers. A soldier was severely wounded in the attack.

Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza have fought three wars since 2008, and protests and clashes along the Gaza border since March 30 have repeatedly raised fears of a fourth.
"We were asked if Austria would be prepared in principle to host this special purpose vehicle," foreign ministry spokesman Peter Guschelbauer said of hosting a payment system that would help the EU trade with Iran

Austria has rejected hosting a special payment system designed to help EU countries trade with Iran despite US sanctions, the Austrian foreign ministry said Tuesday.

"We were asked if Austria would be prepared in principle to host this special purpose vehicle," foreign ministry spokesman Peter Guschelbauer said.

But after studying the idea "very closely", the Austrian government "came to the conclusion that at the moment we are not in a position to host this vehicle," Guschelbauer told the Austrian APA agency.

The Bloomberg agency reported that Austria had been approached to be the venue for the vehicle after Belgium and Luxembourg had already turned down the idea of hosting it.

"There are lots of unanswered technical questions" about the "effectiveness of this setup," Guschelbauer added.

Austria supported the principle of the vehicle, he said, "but of course it has to be set up in a way that fulfils its purpose".

Last week the US announced a fresh raft of sanctions, the latest tranche of such measures since May when US President Donald Trump dramatically withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The US sanctions aim to cut off Iran's banks from international finance and significantly cut its oil exports.

Since May, the remaining five signatories to the JCPOA -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- have been exploring ways to keep the deal alive.

As part of those efforts the EU has floated the idea of the special purpose vehicle, which would in theory allow Iran to keep selling oil and European companies to continue doing business in the country despite the US sanctions.

However, details of the scheme have remained vague.

The Austrian capital Vienna is the headquarters of several international organisations, including several arms of the UN and OPEC, and hosted the negotiations which resulted in the JCPOA.

On Monday the UN atomic watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in its latest report that Iran was still abiding by the terms of the deal.
Martin Fayulu had been picked by opposition chiefs to be their joint champion in next month's elections -- but a day later, two of the leaders backed away from the deal

A DR Congo legislator chosen by opposition leaders to be their champion in next month's presidential election pleaded for unity on Tuesday after their historic deal was shot down by party activists.

Martin Fayulu, a little-known MP unexpectedly selected as unity candidate in talks in Geneva, insisted the accord was not dead and buried, and urged dissenting leaders to return to it.

"The agreement is still alive," Fayulu said on the television channel TV5Monde after two other party leaders backed away from the accord just a day after signing it.

"I urge my brothers to overcome partisan considerations and to give priority to the nation's higher interests," he said later in a tweet. "It's never too late to do the right thing."

With the December 23 ballot looming fast, six other opposition leaders agreed on Sunday to rally behind Fayulu as their joint champion.

The move sought to overcome internal differences to boost the opposition's chances of defeating President Joseph Kabila's hand-picked candidate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, a loyalist and hardline former interior minister.

The elections, also unfolding at legislative and municipal level, are a watershed for this volatile, poverty-stricken country, which Kabila has ruled with an iron fist since 2001. Foreign observers fear a violent flareup if the vote goes awry.

- 'Extremely serious' -

But less than a day after the Geneva deal was signed, the accord came under fire from activists in two parties and within hours their leaders announced they were scrapping their support.

One is the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), DRC's oldest and biggest opposition party, led by Felix Tshisekedi, who was widely seen as the frontrunner. The other is the smaller Union for the Congolese Nation (UNC), led by Vital Kamerhe.

Fayulu, in his TV interview, said the U-turn was "extremely serious."

"What message are we sending to children and the public, especially we in the opposition who are always saying that the Kabila government does not respect the constitution?" he asked.

But a UDPS official in Brussels, where Tshisekedi went after Geneva, told AFP, "For the time being, the dialogue is off."

Only four opposition leaders had their candidacies approved by the election board, and the Geneva agreement requires that the other three withdraw out of "solidarity" with the unity candidate -- a move angrily rejected by the UDPS and UNC activists who protested on Monday.

According to an opinion poll published in late October, Tshisekedi and Kamerhe were leading the pack ahead of the December election followed by Ramazani Shadary.

- 'Boycott' fear -

UDPS leader Felix Tshisekedi had initially supported the deal to back a unity candidate but later withdrew his support after party activists protested

According to the well-informed French-language magazine Jeune Afrique, the Geneva accord also raised the scenario of what would happen if the December 23 elections hit a snag.

In the event the presidential ballot did not take place, opposition leaders would hold a conference to discuss "new options," the magazine said, citing the agreement.

This element of the text incensed UDPS supporters, who suspected a plot to manipulate strategy by two influential opposition figures: former warlord Jean-Pierre Bemba and ex-provincial governor Moise Katumbi.

Both were barred from running in the December ballot by DRC's electoral commission but attended the Geneva talks.

"We thought that our 'barred' friends were not being sincere with us, that they wanted to draw us into a boycott, which is a dangerous path for DRC," UDPS secretary general Jean-Marc Kabund told AFP.

"We had to spill our blood before Kabila agreed to hold these elections. And we're going to sacrifice this effort? We can't accept any of that," he said.

- Voting machines dispute -

In another rift with fellow opposition parties, the UDPS has also said it will accept the use of electronic voting machines if this means the ballot can go ahead. Critics, including Fayulu, oppose the machines, seeing them as an invitation to fraud.

The squabbles have predictably been fodder for Kabila's side, who on Twitter said the divisions represented "the nth betrayal of our people by the leaders of the Congolese opposition."

The pro-democracy anti-Kabila movement, Lucha, voiced its dismay.

"Our only choice is to forge change by ourselves," it said.

"We've had enough! Our Congo deserves better than this."
A shooting at a bar in suburban Chicago was the latest in a series of deadly confrontations between police and African Americans in the US

Illinois state police on Tuesday were investigating a white officer over the fatal shooting of a "brave" black security guard who had apprehended a suspected gunman at a bar outside Chicago, officials said.

The officer was placed on administrative leave after the incident, which took place in the early hours of Sunday at Manny's Blue Room Lounge in the town of Robbins, 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of the Midwestern city.

The security guard, 26-year-old Jemel Roberson, was working at the bar, and intervened when an argument erupted and someone started shooting.

Several local police forces responded to the incident, in which four people were wounded, including the gunman. None had life-threatening injuries.

A police officer from the nearby village of Midlothian arrived at the scene and shot Roberson, despite the guard wearing a uniform with "security" emblazoned on it, according to witnesses.

Roberson "had somebody on the ground with his knee in back, with his gun in his back, like, 'Don't move,'" witness Adam Harris told Chicago television station WGN.

"Everybody was screaming out, 'Security!' He was a security guard," Harris said, but police "saw a black man with a gun, and basically killed him."

Roberson died of his injuries at a hospital.

The officer under investigation has not been formally identified, but a clerk at the department confirmed the officer was white, and was placed on administrative leave pending the inquiry.

"Jemel Roberson was a brave man who was doing his best to end an active shooter situation," Midlothian Police Chief Daniel Delaney said in a statement Tuesday.

Delaney, who supervises a force of 34 officers, said state police were investigating the shooting in order to "ensure transparency and maintain public trust."

"The Midlothian Police Department is completely saddened by this tragic incident and we give our heartfelt condolences to Jemel, his family and his friends," Delaney said.

The Illinois State Police has not formally commented on the incident.

Roberson's family has sued the village of Midlothian and the unnamed officer over his death, alleging that the shooting was "excessive and unreasonable."

Roberson reportedly was an aspiring police officer.

An online GoFundMe campaign raised more than $90,000 to pay for Roberson's funeral expenses -- almost doubling the total amount of donations in less than a day, as news spread on social media.

The shooting was the latest in a long line of deadly encounters between police and African Americans that have sparked the Black Lives Matter movement.
US deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel reportedly battled with Melania Trump's staff during the first lady's trip to Africa last month

US First Lady Melania Trump on Tuesday publicly pushed for the dismissal of deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel -- a rare criticism of a senior administration official by the president's wife.

The rebuke -- via a brief statement from the first lady's spokeswoman -- came amid swirling speculation about a possible shake-up of President Donald Trump's cabinet following last week's midterm elections.

"It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House," Melania Trump's spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said in a statement.

The Wall Street Journal claimed Ricardel had been fired and escorted out of the White House, but an administration official denied that to reporters.

Ricardel reportedly battled with the first lady's staff during her trip to Africa last month, and was believed to be the source of negative stories about Melania Trump, according to the Journal, which cited unnamed sources.

After last week's midterm elections, the Republican president was expected to make some changes as he prepares for the second half of his term in office.

Among those on the possible chopping block: Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, a close ally of Trump's chief of staff John Kelly.

Trump is reportedly unhappy with how Nielsen is handling the situation at the US-Mexico border.

When asked Tuesday about possible staff changes, Trump declined to comment on specifics, only telling reporters: "We'll be talking about it."

It was however unclear if he was responding to that question, or a question about a lawsuit filed by CNN against his administration over the stripping of CNN reporter Jim Acosta's White House credentials.
The US Supreme Court in Washington

The US Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to take a case on allegedly racially based electoral districts in Virginia, with all eyes on President Donald Trump's two chosen judges.

The high court will for the second time examine the electoral map in the state, which is accused of concentrating black voters in 11 House of Delegates districts to reduce their influence elsewhere.

In March 2017, the Supreme Court ordered a lower court, which had upheld the existing map, to reconsider. In a new hearing, the federal judges ruled that black people were overrepresented in the districts and they were to be redrawn.

Now, Republican legislators in Virginia have introduced an appeal before the Supreme Court, which agreed to hear their arguments within the coming months.

A particularly close eye will be on the positions of conservative judges Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh -- who had not yet been confirmed at the time of the first decision.

So-called racial gerrymandering exists across the US, and is the source of many disputes.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibited spreading minorities across voting districts, depriving them of sufficient electoral clout to elect a preferred candidate. Instead, it called for some majority-minority districts.

But there's a political element at play: black Americans are presumed to be mostly Democratic -- while Republicans are primarily white. So primarily minority districts also represent an opportunity to reduce Democratic influence elsewhere.

The practice of "gerrymandering" is named after 19th century Republican Elbridge Gerry, who redrew state senate election district boundaries in Massachusetts. The new limits were said to resemble a salamander, resulting in the second part of the term.

The Supreme Court recently rejected two major claims challenging partisan gerrymandering. Many had hoped the court would end once and for all the re-drawing of voting districts by incumbents to disadvantage their opponents.
Under pressure from US sanctions: Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement

The United States on Tuesday branded the son of Hezbollah's leader a "terrorist" subject to sanctions as it offered rewards to capture three militants in Lebanon with close ties to Iran.

In a series of back-to-back actions, the US vowed to aggressively counter the regional ambitions of Iran a week after imposing sweeping measures intended to cripple the cleric-led country's economy.

It also marked a new US pressure tactic inside Lebanon, whose prime minister-designate, Saad Hariri, has been at a political crossroads with Hezbollah -- considered a terrorist group by Washington but also a major political faction among the communally sensitive state's Shiite Muslims.

The State Department declared Jawad Nasrallah, the son of Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah, to be a "global terrorist," meaning any US-based assets will be blocked and Americans will be forbidden from any transactions with him.

"Hezbollah's destructive actions have endangered the Lebanese people," Nathan Sales, the US ambassador-at-large and coordinator for counterterrorism, told reporters.

He accused Hezbollah -- the only of Lebanon's political parties that did not disarm after the 1975-1990 civil war -- of "effectively using civilians as human shields" by hiding missiles in population centers.

"Hezbollah's ability to destabilize is not confined to the Middle East, however. It is able to destabilize inside Lebanon itself," he said.

- Rewards for three men -

Sales also held up "Wanted" posters for three men in Lebanon for which the United States will offer $5 million for information leading to their location.

They included Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Aruri, who is seen as the key liaison between the Palestinian Islamist movement and Iran and who lives in Lebanon.

The United States linked Aruri in particular to the 2014 murder of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank including one, Naftali Fraenkel, who was a dual US-Israeli citizen.

Also on the posters were Khalil Yousif Harb and Haytham Tabatabai, both accused of commanding Hezbollah's growing military operations around the Middle East.

Iran's rival Saudi Arabia in 2015 imposed its own sanctions on Harb over Hezbollah's role in Yemen, where Saudi-led coalition has been pounding Huthi rebels and infrastructure in what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

The United States cited the Saudi designation in its own action, despite Washington's recent criticism of the kingdom over the killing of dissident writer Jamal Khashoggi in its Istanbul consulate.

Hezbollah -- founded during the civil war by supporters of Iran's revolutionary government with a goal of ending Israel's occupation of south Lebanon -- has increasingly become a force around the region.

It is believed to have sent thousands of fighters to Syria in a bid to prop up President Bashar al-Assad, an Iranian ally and member of the heterodox Alawite sect who has ruthlessly tried to crush mostly Sunni rebels and the extremist Islamic State movement.

- Targeting Hezbollah in Iraq -

The Treasury Department separately placed sanctions on four men it said were key to Hezbollah's activities in Shiite-majority Iraq.

Those four were Shibl Muhsin Ubayd Al-Zaydi, Yusuf Hashim, Adnan Hussein Kawtharani, and Muhammad Abd-Al-Hadi Farhat.

The Treasury said Al-Zaydi was a key coordinator among Hezbollah, Iran's blacklisted Revolutionary Guards and their supporters in Iraq, and that the other three provided intelligence.

President Donald Trump's administration has vowed to roll back Iranian influence in the Middle East and last week snapped back sanctions, which had been lifted after Tehran entered a deal on ending its nuclear program.

Sales, using a figure previously cited by the administration, said that Iran pays $700 million a year for Hezbollah.

"Sadly, it is the Iranian people who are forced to pay this price," he said.

Hariri earlier Tuesday accused Hezbollah of holding up a new cabinet after five months of wrangling, with the group pushing for Sunni politicians allied to the Shiite movement but opposed to Hariri to be represented.
Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman in on trial in New York on charges of shipping 155 tons of cocaine to the United States

Far from the media frenzy around Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's trial in New York, a chess match is playing out between his Sinaloa cartel and its brutal rival, Jalisco New Generation, to decide the future of Mexico's multibillion-dollar narcotics industry.

Even as Guzman went on trial Tuesday on charges of shipping 155 tons of cocaine to the United States, the cartel he co-founded was thriving back in Mexico.

After surviving an internal power struggle in the wake of Guzman's extradition to the US last year, the Sinaloa cartel is now fighting back with a vengeance against its upstart rival from Jalisco -- and could even put it in checkmate if it plays its pieces right.

"Guzman's capture and extradition was good for the Mexican justice system and the United States, but it was largely symbolic. The Sinaloa cartel is still the most powerful in the world," said Mike Vigil, former head of international operations for the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The Sinaloa cartel is now led by Guzman's co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, a veteran capo who managed to stamp out a bloody power grab by his extradited partner's sons.

According to Vigil, Zambada is an "extremely intelligent man, very capable, who has been in the drug trafficking business his entire life and never spent a single day in prison," thanks to the fact that -- unlike the flashy Guzman -- he keeps a low profile and never leaves his base in Mexico's western mountains.

El Chapo's sons, on the other hand, "are spoiled rich kids who never worked a day in their lives and don't know how this business works," said Raul Benitez Manaut, of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

- New mastermind -

Having consolidated his leadership, Zambada, who is in his 70s, has now turned his attention to the Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG), a relative newcomer that has seized huge patches of territory with savage violence and a military-style arsenal.

"CJNG's domestic presence has significantly expanded in the past few years," the DEA wrote in its latest report on the international narcotics trade and its devastating impact on the United States -- particularly the opioid epidemic, which saw an average 174 Americans a day die of drug overdoses in 2016.

The man behind Jalisco New Generation's rise is Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera, its kingpin.

In a sign of his growing power, the United States last month doubled the reward for his capture, to $10 million.

But he is now fighting his own internal power struggle, against his former right-hand man, Carlos Enrique Sanchez, alias "El Cholo."

Sanchez "has aligned himself with the Sinaloa cartel, which is backing him with money and hitmen in his fight against El Mencho," Vigil said.

"If he manages to take over, he'll strike an alliance with the Sinaloa cartel. He'll have to in order to survive."

The Sinaloa cartel is meanwhile taking advantage of the infighting to grab as much territory as possible from its rival.

No matter what happens in the Jalisco cartel's civil war, "it's good for the Sinaloa cartel," Vigil said.

- All in the family -

Beyond the cold strategy play, there is a family drama worthy of a Mexican telenovela.

Guzman's wife, 29-year-old beauty queen Emma Coronel, is the niece of a late capo named Ignacio Coronel who oversaw the Sinaloa cartel's operations in Jalisco -- CJNG's bastion -- until he was killed in a shootout with the Mexican army in 2010.

After his death, CJNG took over his turf.

But if Sanchez now succeeds in dethroning Oseguera as head of CJNG and allying with the Sinaloa cartel, the late Coronel's territory "would be reintegrated into the main organization, which is Guzman's," said Javier Oliva, a security and defense researcher at UNAM.

The Sinaloa cartel will also be looking to exploit the structural weaknesses of its rival, experts say.

Oseguera has led with a reign of terror, racked up a body count that is drawing uncomfortable political attention, and installed a pyramid-shaped hierarchy, with himself at the top.

"El Mencho controls everything. If they catch him, it will be a major blow" to the organization, said Vigil.

Zambada on the other hand is known for his cool head, shrewd business sense and horizontal management.

The Sinaloa cartel "is like McDonald's," with semi-independent franchises in more than 40 countries that can keep functioning without the CEO, Vigil said.

From his mountain hideout, Zambada advances his pawns.

"They might catch me at any moment... or never," he said in a rare interview, in 2010.
A string of natural disasters led Japanese consumers to stay away and halted factory operations

Japan's economy shrank in the three months to September, official data showed Wednesday, after a string of natural disasters hit consumer spending and exports, and China's slowing economy cast a shadow.

Gross domestic product for the July-September period contracted 0.3 percent from the previous quarter, reversing growth of 0.8 percent in the April-June period, according to the government's Cabinet Office.

A number of natural disasters dampened personal consumption, company investment and exports, said Katsunori Kitakura, lead strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management.

"Natural disasters forced consumers to stay indoors and halted factory operations, which led to a slowdown in production and investment activities," he said in a commentary ahead of the data release.

Japan was hit by several natural disasters this summer, including massive flooding in western regions due to torrential rains, a typhoon that inundated a major international airport, and an earthquake in the north that disrupted supply lines.

The temporary closure of the Kansai International Airport led to a fall in tourism and overseas shipments, Kitakura said.

Exports of goods and services were down 1.8 percent from the April-June quarter, with private consumption slumping 0.1 percent and corporate investment in plants and equipment off 0.2 percent.

But Kitakura anticipated a rebound in the last quarter of the year thanks to a broadly solid global economy.

"Going forward, we remain optimistic that the economy will improve. While we remain cautious on China-US trade, the global economy continues to show solid growth and exports should continue to rise," he said.

Kohei Iwahara, economist at Natixis Japan Securities, noted that one of the major drivers for the Japanese economy has been external factors like exports.

"But the trade war uncertainties have begun to increase, we see some slowdown in Asia and that is gradually hitting Japan," he told AFP.

For the rest of the year, Iwahara said he was "cautiously optimistic" as the effects of the natural disasters will fade in the final quarter.

Additionally, "the government could introduce a new fiscal stimulus package so that the economy will not fall apart and... they can hike the consumption tax next year," he said.

Japan has announced a long-delayed sales tax hike will go into effect in October 2019 to address the nation's huge public debt, despite warnings it could hobble growth by dampening already lacklustre consumer spending.

The point-of-sale tax will rise from eight percent to 10 percent as the ageing and heavily indebted country battles to finance snowballing social security bills -- especially medical fees.

The last such move -- in April 2014 -- was blamed for tipping Japan into a brief recession.

This time, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe believes he can avoid a sharp decline in consumer spending by introducing measures to cushion the blow, including plans to leave the sales tax on food unchanged.
Police in Ohio found seven bodies, each with a bullet to the head, in three separate homes, and an eighth at a separate site

Police in the US state of Ohio arrested a husband and wife and their two sons Tuesday over the "meticulously planned" murder of eight people -- seven members of the same family and a fiancee.

George Wagner III, Angela Wagner and their sons George Wagner IV and Edward Wagner are accused of carrying out the April 2016 massacre in Peebles, a rural village 80 miles (130 kilometers) east of Cincinnati.

"Members of one family conspired, planned, carried out and then allegedly covered up their violent act to wipe out members of another family," Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader told a news conference.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said the motive was related to child custody, without clarifying further.

Police found seven bodies, each with a bullet to the head, in three separate homes, and an eighth at a separate site. Many were killed in their sleep.

The seven family members killed were Christopher Rhoden Sr., 40; Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16; Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden, 20; Dana Rhoden, 37; Gary Rhoden, 38; Hanna Rhoden, 19; and Kenneth Rhoden, 44. The other victim, 20-year-old Hannah "Hazel" Gilley, was engaged to Clarence Rhoden.

The shooters spared three young children: a newborn baby found lying next to her dead mother, as well as two others who were six months and three years old.

Officials accused the Wagners of an elaborate cover-up, including tampering with cell phones and security camera footage.

"They did this quickly, coldly, calmly and very carefully. But not carefully enough," Reader said.

"They left traces. They left a trail: The parts to build a silencer, the forged documents, the cameras, the cellphones, all that they tampered with, and the lies, all the lies they told us."

Each of the suspects faces eight counts of aggravated murder. If convicted, they could get the death penalty.

Police also arrested Rita Newcomb, identified as Angela Wagner's mother, and Fredericka Wagner, George Wagner III's mother.

They are accused of helping with the cover-up.

The killings sent shockwaves through the community, located in an economically distressed region of around 28,000 people that is home to an abandoned uranium plant.
Migrants are traveling together to protect themselves from the dangers of the journey across Mexico

Since the US midterm elections, President Donald Trump has barely mentioned the "hardened criminals" he warned were about to "assault" the United States from a Central American migrant caravan.

But the caravan is still trekking toward the US-Mexican border -- some 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) from where it was Tuesday -- and campaign-trail vitriol aside, the question lingers: is it a possible security threat?

When he hears the American president talk about all the "gang members" in the caravan, Bayron Salinas, a 24-year-old mechanic from Honduras, shakes his head: "The gangs are what we're running from," he says.

Sniffling and coughing in the chill of a winter evening in central Mexico, his one-year-old son in his arms, the slightly-built Salinas does not look much like Trump's image of an "invasion" by "thugs" and "very bad people."

Like most of the 5,000 migrants walking and hitch-hiking across Mexico, many of them in families, Salinas says he and his wife, Isamar, just want to raise their baby out of poverty and away from the street gangs that rule their turf with brutal violence in his home country.

"For the most part these are asylum-seeking families and adults, fleeing violence and threats and tough conditions and are simply seeking a place of safety," says Royce Bernstein Murray of the American Immigration Council, a Washington think tank.

- 'Unknown Middle Easterners' -

Yet it is hard to completely dismiss security fears about masses of people crossing international borders.

One raw wound highlights the stakes in the migration debate: the November 2015 Paris attacks.

President Donald Trump has deployed thousands of troops to the US-Mexican border

Three years ago, Islamic State jihadists killed 130 people in a series of coordinated suicide bombings and mass shootings in the French capital. Most of the attackers had snuck into Europe in the flow of migrants and refugees fleeing Syria.

Trump's rhetoric on the migrant caravan has echoed the language of European anti-immigration hardliners who raged against the Syrian exodus.

But there is zero evidence that Islamist terrorists are traveling in the migrant caravan.

And even Trump admitted there was "no proof" for one of his most alarmist tweets, in which he said "unknown Middle Easterners" were mixed in with the group.

- ... and MS-13 -

5,000 migrants are walking and hitch-hiking across Mexico

More frequently, Trump has asserted that the caravan contains members of gangs such as MS-13, whose violence has fueled some of the world's highest murder rates in Central America's "Northern Triangle:" El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

Migration experts, security analysts and even migrants themselves say it is possible a small number of gang members or other criminals are in the caravan.

Some migrants told AFP they were aware of small groups of young men in the caravan who took drugs and stole things -- but not the large-scale criminal presence Trump decries.

"If we realize there's a thief in the group, we hit him -- hard. No thief who's smart would hang around here," says Denis Alberto de la Cruz, 31, a fisherman from Guatemala.

"Any group that large, you're probably going to have some people in there that have criminal records, or ties to gangs," says Richard Miles, a security expert and Americas specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

"But if there were a large presence of MS-13, they almost certainly would have been outed by the group itself. Because most of these people, that's exactly what they're fleeing."

Any gang members in the caravan would be detected relatively easily in the United States, which has secure borders and "extensive processes" for vetting all arrivals with fingerprinting, biometric data and background checks, says Bernstein Murray.

- Safety in numbers -

The migrants, who set out from Honduras on October 13, only fueled the fire of Trump's tweets when they stormed Mexico's southern border six days later, overwhelming riot police.

Trump referred to the episode in deploying thousands of troops to the US-Mexican border.

But it is unlikely the caravan -- which has begun to fragment as it crosses central Mexico -- would try to force its way into the US, experts say.

"The one sure way to not get into the United States is to commit an assault against a border patrol officer or US law enforcement official," says Miles.

The migrants are not traveling together to invade the US, but rather to protect themselves from the dangers of the journey across Mexico, where criminal gangs regularly extort, kidnap and kill people like them.

And the size of the group should not cloud the fact that the migrants' arrival at the border will be "business as usual" for the US, says Bernstein Murray.

"The border is more secure than ever," she says.

"And while in any group of human beings, you have a risk that there may be bad actors, the vast majority, nearly all of these individuals, are exactly what they say they are."

burs-jhb/ska
Rohingya refugees at a camp in Bangladesh protest against a programme to repatriate them to Mayanmar

Not one Rohingya refugee crossed back into Myanmar from Bangladesh on Thursday under a disputed repatriation programme, officials said, with Yangon blaming Dhaka for bungling efforts to start returning the stateless minority.

Bangladeshi officials waited hours at a border transit point where the first returnees were expected to cross into Myanmar, despite the United Nations warning the displaced Muslims risked fresh persecution if they went back.

But not a single Rohingya from the 720,000 estimated to have fled a Myanmar military crackdown in August last year came forward, with hundreds instead staging a demonstration shouting "We will not go".

"No one turned up voluntarily," Bangladesh refugee commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam told AFP, adding they were awaiting instructions from the foreign ministry as how to proceed.

With the UN and international aid groups also fighting the controversial plan, Rohingya leaders said many on a Bangladesh repatriation list of 2,260 people had gone into hiding.

The mass influx of refugees joined about 300,000 Rohingya already in camps around the Bangladesh city of Cox's Bazar having fled earlier violence

Bangladesh expected 150 refugees to volunteer to return Thursday, with five buses waiting to carry them to the border.

But they remained empty, and instead about 1,000 Rohingya men, women and children protested against repatriations, shouting "We want justice".

Tajul Mulluk, 85, who is on the repatriation list, said: "They killed two of my sons. I escaped to Bangladesh with two others. Please don't send us back. They will kill the rest of my family."

"We can't go back," added Mohammad Amin, 45, who was among the protesters.

- Violations risk -

"They (Myanmar) have tortured us, killed our people. If we go back without any justice, they will repeat the same thing. That's why we protested today."

The United Nations had urged Bangladesh to suspend the programme, with rights chief Michelle Bachelet saying it would send the Rohingya "back to the cycle of human rights violations that this community has been suffering for decades."

Not a single Rohingya from the 720,000 estimated to have fled a military crackdown in August last year has volunteered to return under a Bangladesh-Myanmar repatriation deal

Many of the Rohingya who fled Myanmar last year have recounted horrific tales of murder, rape and razed villages. The UN has said a genocide investigation is warranted.

Kalam, the refugee commissioner, said his team was "completely ready" to start sending back Rohingya but stressed that only volunteers would go.

"If we get anyone willing to go, we will carry them to the border point with respect and dignity."

Kalam cknowledged that the UNHCR refugee agency had found no family ready to go. "None feels safe to go back now," Kalam told AFP.

On the other side of the border Myanmar officials also waited all day, said Myint Thu, permanent secretary at the foreign ministry.

"We will continue waiting on our side and will be on standby," he told reporters.

But he lashed out at Bangladesh for being "weak regarding the logistical arrangements" and accused the UN refugee agency of interfering with the process.

"We think the UNHCR should not be a barrier for those who really want to return," he added.

- 'Reckless' -

The two countries agreed in November last year to start repatriations but the plan never took off.

With Myanmar refusing to acknowledge any wrongdoing in its treatment of the Rohingya, the operation faced mounting opposition abroad and stoked anxiety in the refugee camps.

US Vice President Mike Pence told Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi at a summit on Wednesday that the violence against the Rohingya was "without excuse".

He added Thursday that securing justice for the victims of "atrocities" in Rakhine state was a condition for better Myanmar-US relations.

The most recent influx of refugees joined the roughly 300,000 Rohingya who had previously fled violence in Myanmar for camps around the Bangladesh city of Cox's Bazar.

It has left the poor South Asian nation struggling to cope with about one million Rohingya.

UN agencies say they have received only a fraction of the billion-plus dollars needed to pay for their operations for the year.

As the deadline day for repatriation loomed, Rohingya leaders said nearly all those on the returnee list had gone into hiding.

A confidential UNHCR document seen by AFP said the agency would only provide aid if returnees were allowed back to the villages they had left or to other locations chosen by them.

Amnesty International on Wednesday called the planned repatriation "reckless".

Human Rights Watch had also called on Bangladesh not to send back the Rohingya.

"The Bangladesh government will be stunned to see how quickly international opinion turns against it if it starts sending unwilling Rohingya refugees back into harm's way in Myanmar," said Bill Frelick, HRW refugee rights director.

burs/np/mtp
Yemeni pro-government forces are pictured on the eastern outskirts of Hodeida as they continue to battle for the control of the city from Huthi rebels

Yemen's president has supported a UN push for fresh talks to end almost four years of fighting in his war-torn country, but analysts warn even a diplomatic breakthrough may not spare the port city of Hodeida from fresh military action.

An uneasy calm held in flashpoint Hodeida on Thursday for the third consecutive day after nearly two weeks of intense fighting between Iran-backed Huthi rebels, who control the Red Sea city, and a pro-government alliance led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

For five months, the alliance has fought intermittently to drive the Huthis from the city, home to a port that is the entry point of nearly 80 percent of Yemen's imports.

The bitter conflict erupted in late 2015, and half the country's population now stands on the brink of starvation, dependent on Hodeida for supplies of humanitarian aid.

Residents say they fear a siege on the city, where airstrikes and street battles have left entire neighbours destroyed and sparked fears the port, already under blockade by the Saudi-led alliance, could be the next target.

The battle for Hodeida

"There are trenches and barricades inside and around the city," said resident Amjad Zaid.

"Now, the people are besieged from inside Hodeida. Hodeida is under an internal and external siege."

Shops and schools near frontlines re-opened Thursday and some families began to venture back out, as men in military fatigues could be seen hauling grenade launchers across the city on motorcycles.

- 'Come war or peace' -

Loyalist fighters on Wednesday said they had been ordered to halt military operations, just as the fight reached Hodeida's most heavily populated neighbourhoods on the southern and eastern city limits.

But a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition declined to confirm a ceasefire in Hodeida.

A member of the Yemeni pro-government forces stands in front of a hospital on the eastern outskirts of Hodeida on November 15, 2018

"Military operations are ongoing, and each operation has its own specifics and pace," Colonel Turki al-Maliki told AFP.

The Huthi rebels reported air strikes Thursday on Kilo 16, the main supply route for the rebels and for aid shipments to cities across Yemen. The coalition did not confirm the report.

Diplomatic pressure to end the conflict gathered pace this week, with the US, France and Britain calling for a cessation of hostilities. The three countries, major providers of arms to Saudi Arabia, have not yet halted weapons sales to the kingdom.

On Thursday, officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, US, and Britain met in Riyadh to discuss the economic and humanitarian situation in Yemen, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The report said that the countries agreed on supporting the UN's efforts on economic confidence-building measures and the government's attempts to implement economic reforms.

Both the UAE, which has US-trained troops on the ground in Yemen, and embattled Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi have backed UN efforts to host negotiations with rebels in Sweden by year's end.

Hadi on Wednesday supported the UN-proposed talks, but vowed to "liberate" Hodeida "whether through peace or war," according to the official Saba news agency.

Multiple rounds of attempted talks between the government alliance and Huthis have failed previously, most recently in September, when the rebels refused to fly to Geneva for planned UN-hosted negotiations.

- Port still at risk -

A picture shows, what is locally known as, the Arch of Triumph gate on the eastern outskirts of Hodeida as Yemeni pro-government forces continue to battle for the control of the city from Huthi rebels

"We hope that the parties at war will reach a political agreement to hand over the city and spare it from destruction and war, especially since the supply routes for food, goods and gas have been cut," said resident Marwan Abdel Wassa, warning of "a humanitarian catastrophe".

The conflict has triggered what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. One child dies every 10 minutes of war-related causes in Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the world.

Analysts say a coalition attack on the docks remains a possibility, which would put at risk 14 million aid-dependent Yemenis.

"Despite the current pause in activity, an answer on how to avert a military confrontation over Hodeida may prove out of reach," said Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group.

The Hodeida offensive sparked an international outcry over the fate of civilians trapped in the densely populated city as well as the port, which was nearly hit for the first time in a strike Monday.

"We need to protect this port at all costs, to function at the highest capacity, because if we don't then people are going to die," said David Beasley, director of the World Food Programme, during a visit to the port this week.

The World Health Organization estimates nearly 10,000 people have been killed in Yemen's conflict since 2015, when the Saudi-led alliance joined the government's fight against the Huthis. Other rights groups estimate the toll may be five times as high.
Parliamentary proceedings in Sri Lanka turned ugly as MPs got physical with each other in the chamber

Sri Lanka's political crisis descended into farce Thursday with MPs throwing punches and projectiles in parliament, a day after voting the disputed prime minister out of office and leaving the country without a government.

President Maithripala Sirisena, who triggered the unprecedented constitutional standoff by sacking prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe last month, held talks Thursday with parties representing a majority in the legislature in a bid to defuse tensions.

An MP who was at the closed-door talks said there was no breakthrough to end the deadlock, but the parties agreed not to escalate tensions.

"The only way out is for the president to respect the no-confidence motion against his PM nominee," the legislator said referring to Wednesday's vote against Mahinda Rajapakse's disputed government.

There was no immediate comment from Sirisena about the talks involving Wickremesinghe's United National Party and two other smaller groups who together have 122 out of 225 MPs in the House.

The discussions followed a mass rally in Colombo where activists denounced Sirisena's October 26 sacking of Wickremesinghe that plunged the Indian Ocean nation into turmoil three weeks ago.

Fisticuffs broke out in the national parliament earlier in the day as a majority of MPs moved another resolution against Rajapakse, this time to reject his call for snap elections.

"It was difficult to make out immediately who was hitting whom, but several were hurt, but not seriously," an official in parliament told AFP. "The speaker adjourned the House till tomorrow (Friday)."

The official said an MP from toppled premier Rajapakse's party injured himself trying to rip out the speaker's microphone and had to be taken to hospital with a bleeding hand.

Two weeks after dismissing Wickremesinghe and appointing Rajapakse in his place, Sirisena dissolved the strategically important Indian Ocean nation's parliament and called snap elections for January.

Factfile on Sri Lanka

However, these moves were suspended by the Supreme Court on Tuesday pending an investigation. Day-to-day administration in Sri Lanka remains paralysed as the crisis drags on.

Parliament reconvened on Wednesday and lawmakers approved a motion of no-confidence in what they called Rajapakse's "purported" cabinet, also passing motions declaring Sirisena's moves illegal.

- No government -

Thursday's routine parliament session, the first since Rajapakse and his disputed administration were deposed, began with the speaker announcing that the country now had no government.

"As of now, there is no prime minister, no cabinet ministers and no government in Sri Lanka," said Karu Jayasuriya, wearing his black and gold robe. "I do not recognise anyone as prime minister."

The vote ousting Rajapakse and the Supreme Court's rulings were a major boost to Wickremesinghe.

The four-time prime minister, popular with Western countries for his economic reforms, had refused to leave his official residence after being fired by the president.

- Let's have elections -

Thursday's routine parliament session, the first since Rajapakse and his disputed administration were deposed, began with the speaker announcing that the country now had no government

Sirisena, who is vested with constitutional powers to induct a new prime minister and a cabinet of ministers, was yet to take note of Wednesday's no-confidence motion.

On Thursday he accused Jayasuriya of violating legislative traditions, saying the signatures of 122 legislators who opposed Rajapakse had not been certified as genuine and also pointed to a typographical error.

"We don't need to submit signatures to the President. All he has to do is take notice of the resolution passed by parliament. He need not be a proofreader," leftist lawmaker Bimal Ratnayake said.

The president also rejected the position that he did not have the power to sack Wickremesinghe and replace him with Rajapakse.

- Unbecoming -

The crisis has alarmed the international community.

Germany's ambassador Joern Rohde tweeted on Thursday that it was a "bad day for democracy in Sri Lanka... reading about throwing objects at the speaker and preventing votes is unbecoming of a democracy."

"There is political and economic instability. Our international image has been badly damaged," Jayasuriya told Sirisena in a letter released to the media before his meeting with Sirisena later in the day.
In his final column for The Washington Post, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi perhaps presciently pleaded for greater freedom of expression in the Middle East

The Saudi government exonerated the country's powerful crown prince of involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi Thursday as death-penalty charges were announced against five men and the US placed sanctions on 17 suspected of involvement.

Riyadh prosecutors announced indictments against 11 people and said a total of 21 individuals were in custody in connection with the killing, which outraged Saudi allies and placed massive pressure on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to come clean about the murder.

The Saudi prosecutor said execution would be recommended for five principals who "are charged with ordering and committing the crime."

But prosecutor spokesman Shaalan al-Shaalan rejected allegations that Prince Mohammed, whose father is King Salman, directed the murder.

The prince had "no knowledge" of Khashoggi's killing, Shaalan said.

And Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told journalists in Riyadh that the prince was not involved.

"Absolutely. The crown prince has nothing to do with this issue," Jubeir said.

- Prince's aides blacklisted -

The Saudi government exonerated Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman -- seen here at an investment forum in October 2018 -- over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi

Khashoggi, who lived in the United States and wrote for The Washington Post and other international media, was killed and dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey on October 2.

The murder was carried out by a team of Saudis who travelled to Istanbul for that purpose, according to Turkish and US assessments, and was allegedly directed and led by close aides of the prince.

The Saudi prosecutor, in the country's newest account of what happened, said agents were dispatched to Istanbul to bring Khashoggi home "by means of persuasion" but ended up killing him with "a large amount of a drug resulting in an overdose."

The Saudi prosecutor did not name any of those indicted in the murder. But the US sanctions announced Thursday included two top aides of Prince Mohammed, Saud Al-Qahtani and Maher Mutreb, and Mohammed Alotaibi, who was the consul general in the Istanbul consulate when Khashoggi was murdered.

The US Treasury said Qahtani, Prince Mohammed's long-time right-hand man, "was part of the planning and execution of the operation" to kill Khashoggi.

The US statement made no mention of the crown prince.

Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said that her country "welcomes the US action" and that Ottawa "is actively considering" following suit.

- Crisis for crown prince -

Khashoggi's killing has plunged the world's top oil exporter into its worst diplomatic crisis since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, in which most of the hijackers were identified as Saudi nationals.

The criticism has shaken the 33-year-old Prince Mohammed, who has moved with brash confidence since becoming heir to the throne in June 2017 in a shakeup undertaken by King Salman to secure power for his wing of the sprawling Saudi royal family.

The country's allies and critics alike are pushing for an independent investigation into Khashoggi's murder, with Turkey at their helm pointing a finger directly at Prince Mohammed, widely known as "MBS".

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir speaks during a news conference about the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi

But Jubeir Thursday dismissed the calls for an international probe.

"This is now a legal case and is thus in the hands of Saudi Arabia's judiciary," he said.

On Thursday, the Saudi prosecutor's office said the kingdom had requested that Turkey sign a "special cooperation mechanism" on a probe.

But Turkey said the Saudi response fell short and insisted the murder had been "premeditated."

"We find all those steps positive, but insufficient," said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

In Washington State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert called the Saudi announcement a "good first step," while denying there was any link with the Treasury announcement of sanctions just two hours later.

"We regard the announcement that they made as a good first step, it's a step in the right direction," Nauert told reporters.

"It is an initial investigation finding. It is important that those steps continue to be taken toward full accountability."

- US legislators: sanctions not enough -

But senior US politicians and the Washington Post said the moves Thursday were far from adequate.

"In announcing actions against 'those responsible' for Jamal Khashoggi's murder, the Saudi and US governments are asking the world to take their word for it that this settles the matter," said Post publisher and chief executive Fred Ryan.

"From the start, the Saudi 'investigation' has been an effort to shield those ultimately responsible for this heinous crime when there is every reason to believe that it was authorized at the highest levels of the Saudi government."

"The US government should be demanding an independent investigation that gets to the truth about the murder of an innocent journalist."

Senator Jeanne Shaheen said the US sanctions on the 17 Saudis were not enough.

"Everyone who had a hand in Khashoggi's brutal murder should be subject to strict sanctions, and, as I review this list, it's clear that it is not comprehensive," she said in a statement.

"There must be further sanctions on Saudi leadership who ordered this assassination. We must send a clear message that the United States stands unequivocally on the side of human rights and democratic values."

burr-pmh/ec
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) met with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Singapore on November 14, although their nations are technically at war

Russia and Japan have agreed to accelerate talks to formally end World War II hostilities, using a Soviet-era peace declaration as their starting point and throwing into doubt the fate of four disputed islands.

The two countries are still technically at war, with neither side historically prepared to budge on a row over the ownership of the islands seized by Russia in the closing days of the conflict.

President Vladimir Putin first suggested the two countries sign a peace treaty "without any preconditions" in September but this was coolly received in Japan.

Diplomatic efforts have accelerated in recent months however and, after talks in Singapore Wednesday between Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, progress was announced.

Putin said Russia had "resumed dialogue with our Japanese partners on the basis of the 1956 declaration, exactly what our Japanese partners asked us to do.

"We are ready to work with them."

Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Takeshi Osuga confirmed both sides had agreed to push ahead with talks.

"Both leaders agreed to accelerate the negotiation of a peace treaty on the basis of the Japan USSR joint declaration of 1956," he told reporters on Thursday.

The 1956 declaration restored diplomatic ties but Tokyo and Russia stopped short of signing a formal peace treaty due to the territorial row.

At the time Russia offered to give Japan the two smallest islands in the strategically-located Kuril chain, occupied by Soviet troops at the end of the war in 1945, in exchange for agreeing to a treaty and Moscow keeping the bigger islands.

But this idea was rejected by Japan, which still claims the entire chain.

Some Japanese media interpreted Thursday's announcement as a shift in Tokyo's historical position, meaning that Abe might ultimately be willing to give up some territory in exchange for reaching a deal.

Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga hailed the news as "extremely significant".

"The government has always kept a policy direction of staying flexible... There is no change to this point."

Historically, Japan insists the islands, which were once inhabited by the Ainu indigenous people, have never belonged to anyone else.

Russia considers them spoils of war as agreed between then US president Franklin Roosevelt and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in 1945.

Strategically, control of the islands gives Russia year-round access to the Pacific Ocean for its Pacific fleet of warships and submarines based in Vladivostok, as the surrounding water does not freeze in winter.
Bangladeshi activist and photographer Shahidul Alam, seen here in a file photo taken in August 2018, had unsuccessfully applied for bail four times since being arrested

Award-winning Bangladeshi photographer-activist Shahidul Alam was granted bail on Thursday after spending more than 100 days behind bars in a closely watched freedom of speech case.

However it was not clear if the 63-year-old would be freed immediately, his lawyers said, as bail orders take time to execute and prosecutors could urgently appeal the decision in a higher court.

"We hope his ordeal ends here," Alam's lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua told AFP.

The photographer had unsuccessfully applied for bail four times since being arrested in August for making what Bangladesh authorities called "false" and "provocative" statements.

Alam, whose work has appeared widely in global media and who founded the renowned Pathshala South Asian Media Institute, faces a maximum 14 years in jail if convicted.

The internationally respected photographer said he was beaten so badly in custody he needed to wash his tunic to get the blood out.

His arrest triggered international protests, with rights groups, UN rights experts, Nobel laureates and hundreds of academics calling for his release.

Lawyers have argued Alam's continued detention was "a clear violation" of his fundamental rights under Bangladesh's constitution.

Alam was held under controversial internet laws which critics say have been wielded by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to stifle dissent and harass journalists.

His arrest followed nine straight days of protests by students who blocked Dhaka streets to show their fury at road safety conditions after two teenagers were killed by a speeding bus.

The massive rallies evolved into broader demonstrations against Hasina, who will seek a third consecutive term next month, and the Awami League party she leads.

Alam told Al Jazeera at the time that the protests were the result of pent-up anger at corruption and an "unelected government... clinging on by brute force".

He was arrested the same day, the most high-profile of many protesters held on similar charges as authorities cracked down on demonstrators.

Human Rights Watch accused Bangladesh of targeting activists and journalists in the wake of the protests instead of prosecuting those who attacked students with fists and rods.

Michelle Bachelet issued her first statement as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to raise the attacks and arrests of journalists in Bangladesh.

In recent weeks, Hasina has been accused of stifling dissent further by ratifying a controversial new digital-security law.

A prominent critic of the government was arrested for defamation last month, days after he helped form an opposition coalition.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is plotting his next moves after his defence minister resigned over a controversial Gaza ceasefire, throwing his coalition into crisis and raising the possibility of early elections

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plotted his next moves Thursday after his defence minister resigned over a controversial Gaza ceasefire, throwing his coalition into crisis and raising the possibility of early elections.

After Avigdor Lieberman announced his resignation on Wednesday, Netanyahu was clinging to a one-seat majority in parliament.

The far-right party of Education Minister Naftali Bennett, one of Netanyahu's main rivals, demanded Wednesday he be given the defence portfolio or its eight seats would be withdrawn from the coalition.

In a speech Thursday, Bennett did not reiterate the threat, but made his case for why he should be defence minister.

"The most dangerous thing for the state of Israel is that we begin to think that there is no solution to terrorism, to terrorists, to missiles," said Bennett, who heads the Jewish Home party.

"There is a solution. When Israel wants to win, we will win."

The Israeli parliament

Netanyahu and Bennett were reportedly set to meet on Friday, but there were increasing signs the coalition's days may be numbered.

Another key coalition partner, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon of centre-right Kulanu, reportedly told Netanyahu elections should be called because a stable government was needed to keep the economy on track.

Netanyahu was seeking to contain the political fallout of his decision to accept a ceasefire deal Tuesday that ended the worst escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza since a 2014 war.

Lieberman said it was "capitulating to terror" when announcing his resignation and also criticised Netanyahu's recent decision to allow Qatar to send millions of dollars in aid to the blockaded Palestinian enclave.

Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett, one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main right-wing rivals, gives a speech in Ramat Gan on November 15, 2018

Beyond that, there have been protests calling for tough action against Hamas by Israelis living near the border whose communities were targeted by barrages of rockets from Gaza this week.

A poll published Thursday found 74 percent of respondents were unhappy with Netanyahu's handling of the escalation with Gaza and its Islamist rulers Hamas, though it also showed his party would still win the most seats.

Giving further ammunition to Netanyahu's political critics, Hamas has portrayed the ceasefire and Lieberman's resignation as a victory.

- 'Mr. Security' -

Netanyahu's popularity is in large part due to his reputation as Israel's "Mr. Security", as he has often been dubbed, and he has defended his decision saying: "Our enemies begged for a ceasefire."

Residents of the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, who endured barrages of rockets this week, demonstrate on November 14, 2018, against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Gaza ceasefire he ordered

His Likud party has hit back at suggestions he will be forced to call elections soon, saying Netanyahu will take over the defence portfolio at least temporarily -- in addition to the premiership, foreign affairs and health portfolios he already has.

A Likud spokesman said Netanyahu was continuing consultations on Thursday aimed at stabilising his coalition.

Netanyahu did not publicly comment on the coalition crisis, but said in reference to Gaza that "we are in the middle of a campaign.

"Patience, cool and determination are necessary," he said. "We are preparing for what comes next."

Amid the political upheaval, the prime minister has cancelled a two-day trip to Austria next week, a foreign ministry spokesman told AFP without giving a reason.

Netanyahu had been due to arrive in Vienna on November 20 to attend a conference on anti-semitism and anti-Zionism.

There has long been speculation that the premier may call elections before they are due in November 2019, particularly with police having recommended charges against him in two corruption probes.

The attorney general is expected to announce in the coming months whether to pursue charges against him, and some analysts believe he would be better positioned to combat them with a fresh electoral mandate.

But Netanyahu would want to make the move at the most advantageous time and likely not with public attention focused on the Gaza ceasefire.

- Qatari cash -

The Gaza violence had erupted Sunday with a botched Israeli special forces operation inside the territory that turned deadly and prompted Hamas to vow revenge.

Palestinian demonstrators burn pictures of Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman who has resigned in protest at a Gaza ceasefire hailed as a victory by the territory's Islamist rulers Hamas

Palestinian militants responded with rocket and mortar fire, as well as an anti-tank missile that hit a bus that Hamas says was being used by Israeli soldiers. A soldier was severely wounded in the attack.

Around 460 rockets and mortar rounds were fired from the Gaza Strip, wounding 27 people, three of them severely.

A Palestinian labourer from the occupied West Bank was killed when a rocket hit a building in the Israeli city of Ashkelon.

Israel hit back with widespread air strikes on some 160 targets in the Gaza Strip before the Egyptian-brokered truce took effect Tuesday. Seven Gazans were killed.

The escalation came despite Netanyahu's decision to allow Qatar to transfer millions of dollars in aid to Gaza for salaries as well as fuel to ease a chronic electricity shortage.

The cash transfers and fuel had led to calmer protests along the border after months of deadly unrest.

But they also drew criticism from within Netanyahu's own government, and Lieberman slammed them in announcing his resignation.
Mark Zuckerberg offered a renewed defense of Facebook's handling of Russian misinformation efforts following a New York Times investigation

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday sought to quell a new firestorm over the social network's handling of Russian misinformation efforts in 2016 and its hiring of a consulting firm that used questionable tactics to target the company's critics.

Speaking on a conference call on content moderation efforts, Zuckerberg repeated his comments that Facebook was slow to spot Russian interference in the 2016 election but argued that "to suggest we weren't interested in knowing the truth or that we wanted to hide what we knew or stop investigations is simply untrue."

Facebook said in an earlier statement that "we ended our contract" on Wednesday with Definers Public Affairs, a consultancy using campaign-style tactics and founded by Republican operatives that sought to link anti-Facebook campaigns to financier George Soros, according to the Times.

But Facebook disputed claims that it used the firm in a nefarious way.

The Times, Facebook said, was "wrong to suggest that we ever asked Definers to pay for or write articles on Facebook's behalf -- or to spread misinformation."

The Times said in its investigation that Definers had sought to cast billionaire liberal donor Soros as the "unacknowledged force" behind a broad anti-Facebook movement.

- Taking on Facebook critics -

Activists groups staged protests ahead of Mark Zuckerberg's testimony in Congress in April 2018

Facebook acknowledged that Definers had encouraged reporters to look into the funding of "Freedom from Facebook," an anti-Facebook organization.

"The intention was to demonstrate that it was not simply a spontaneous grassroots campaign, as it claimed, but supported by a well-known critic of our company," it said in a statement, without naming Soros.

But it added that to suggest "that this was an anti-Semitic attack is reprehensible and untrue."

Zuckerberg said he was not aware of the role of the firm and learned about it from the Times article.

"I got on the phone with our team and we are no longer working with this firm," he told journalists.

"This type of firm might be normal in Washington but it is not the kind of thing I want Facebook associated with."

While the Times noted that Soros was a favorite bete noire of anti-Semites, it did not characterize the actions of Facebook or Definers as anti-Semitic.

- Board backs Zuckerberg -

Facebook's board said CEO Mark Zuckerberg and number two executive Sheryl Sandberg have stepped up the response to misinformation after a slow start

The board of directors issued a statement backing the efforts of Zuckerberg and chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg in responding to influence campaigns.

"As Mark and Sheryl made clear to Congress, the company was too slow to spot Russian interference, and too slow to take action. As a board we did indeed push them to move faster," the board statement said.

"But to suggest that they knew about Russian interference and either tried to ignore it or prevent investigations into what had happened is grossly unfair."

The Times said Facebook had amassed evidence for over a year of Russian activity through an investigation led by its former security chief, Alex Stamos.

Stamos, who is now a Stanford University faculty member, said his probe did find a link to Russia in the first half of 2016 but that his investigation was not quashed.

"The entire discussion around Facebook's disclosures of what happened in 2016 is very frustrating. No exec stopped any investigations, but there were a lot of heated discussions about what to publish and when," Stamos said on Twitter.

"A lot of parties failed in 2016. I failed to prepare my employer for the disinformation campaign and that is on me."

- Going on the attack -

A New York Times story said that Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg led an effort to discredit critics of the social network using questionable tactics

The Times said that when criticism of its belated Russia admission grew, Facebook mounted a lobbying campaign led by Sandberg, pushing negative stories about its political critics and making rival companies like Google and Apple look bad.

In July of this year, as a Facebook executive testified before a congressional committee, anti-Facebook demonstrators barged into the room and held up a sign depicting chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and Sandberg -- who are both Jewish -- as the twin heads of an octopus with its tentacles around the world.

Facebook responded by lobbying a Jewish civil rights group -- the Anti-Defamation League -- to publicly label that criticism as anti-Semitic, the Times said.

The Open Society Foundation founded by Soros meanwhile called for an independent probe of Facebook's tactics.

"We urge Facebook to stop engaging in practices inspired by the enemies of democracy across the globe," said a statement from foundation president Patrick Gaspard.

"Facebook should launch an independent investigation of what took place and to publish a full report disclosing the techniques that were used in their effort to compromise activists and George Soros."

The world's most popular social media platform has been on the back foot for months, including over the allegation that data from millions of Facebook users was abused by the consultancy Cambridge Analytica to help drive Donald Trump to the White House.

At the same time, Facebook and other tech giants are facing criticism from Trump and others that they suppress conservative voices.
Any hint of campus activism in China sparks deep concern among authorities. This picture from November 8 shows demonstrating students outside an Apple Store in Bejing

One of China's top universities has warned students they face arrest if they associate with a labour-rights organisation that has drawn support in a recent surge of Chinese campus activism.

Peking University sent a message to all students on Wednesday accusing Jasic Workers Solidarity of "criminal activity", according to a student involved with the labour group.

"After today's message, if there are still students that want to defy the law, they must take responsibility," said the note seen by AFP.

Chinese universities have historically been a wellspring for radical political movements and any hint of campus activism sparks deep concern among authorities.

The warning marks the latest move in a crackdown on Jasic Workers Solidarity after at least a dozen activist and student supporters in several cities were detained last week, according the the group.

Rights campaigners told AFP on Tuesday that five of the detained activists had been released.

Jasic Workers Solidarity rose to prominence this summer when student activists backed its efforts to form a workers' union at welding machinery company Jasic Technology in southern Guangdong province.

In its warning, Peking University mentioned the case of graduate Zhang Shengye -- a member of the group who last week was beaten on campus and taken away by people in dark clothing, according to an eyewitness AFP spoke to and a statement from Jasic Workers Solidarity.

The university accused Zhang of participating in the group's "illegal" activities and confirmed that he had been taken away by government security forces.

The school also accused another student, Yu Tianfu, of conspiring with Zhang and interfering with his arrest. Yu had published an eyewitness account of Zhang's abduction online.

Peking University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The institution in Beijing is one of China's most prestigious universities, and has produced many top political leaders.

Student activists around China have recently reported increased pressure.

Many members of Jasic Workers Solidarity belong to student-run Marxist societies, some of which say they have been unable to register with their universities.

Earlier this week, a university in the southern region of Guangxi said it would check students' and teachers' phones, computers and external hard drives for "illegal" audio and video content, according to media reports.

The university later appeared to back off after an online uproar and as lawyers chimed in to contest the legality of the move.

In 1989, thousands of university students joined workers in pro-democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square that eventually provoked a bloody crackdown.
Donald Trump has made a habit of lashing out at the probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller into Moscow's interference in the 2016 US elections and allegations of collusion by the Trump campaign

President Donald Trump seethed Thursday that investigators probing alleged collusion between Russian agents and his election campaign have gone "totally nuts" and are a "disgrace."

Even by the standards of his frequent barrages against special counsel Robert Mueller, Trump's early morning tweetstorm was blistering.

"A TOTAL WITCH HUNT LIKE NO OTHER IN AMERICAN HISTORY!" he wrote.

The diatribe came amid claims that Trump is maneuvering to have Mueller fired or otherwise shut down before he can close in on the president and his inner circle, including family members.

Matthew Whitaker

Last week, Trump sacked his attorney general Jeff Sessions, replacing him with Matthew Whitaker, who is on the record as being harshly critical of the Mueller investigation.

The switch ignited a wave of protests from Trump's Democratic opponents but the president on Thursday doubled down on his rejection of Mueller and "his gang of Democrat thugs."

"They have found no collusion and have gone absolutely nuts. They are screaming and shouting at people, horribly threatening them to come up with the answers they want," Trump wrote.

"They are a disgrace to our Nation and don't care how many lives (they) ruin," he wrote, branding the investigators "Angry People, including the highly conflicted Bob Mueller."

- Mueller stays silent -

Robert Mueller Mueller, a former director of the FBI and a Vietnam War veteran, is leading one of the most explosive probes in US political history

Mueller, a former director of the FBI and a Vietnam War veteran, is leading one of the most explosive probes in US political history.

Trump and his campaign are alleged to have received help from Russian agents seeking to help defeat his 2016 opponent Hillary Clinton or at least to undermine confidence in US democracy.

Trump has always denied any such links and rejected the idea that Moscow played a significant role in influencing the dramatic election.

But Mueller has quietly chipped away, indicting several dozen people, most of them Russians. He has also charged four Trump associates, although on counts not directly related to the alleged Russian interference.

Now Washington is on tenterhooks while waiting for Mueller, who works in near total secrecy, to issue his final report.

As expectations of a showdown mount, Trump has become ever more defensive, his grim mood worsened by his Republican Party's battering last week in midterm congressional elections, where they retained the Senate but lost the House of Representatives.

Starting in January, Democrats say they will use House investigative committees to open further probes of Trump's businesses and his connections to Russia.

Republicans, with few exceptions, are rallying around the president.

On Wednesday, Republican Senator Jeff Flake (l), a frequent Trump critic, joined Democratic Senator Chris Coons (r) in an attempt to introduce a measure in the upper chamber to protect Mueller

On Wednesday, Republican Senator Jeff Flake, a frequent critic, joined Democratic Senator Chris Coons in an attempt to introduce a measure in the upper chamber to protect Mueller. However, it was blocked by Senate majority leader and key Trump ally Mitch McConnell.

Whitaker's fired predecessor, Sessions, had formally stepped aside from any control over Mueller, so as to avoid any conflicts of interest.

Democrats want Sessions' replacement, Whitaker, to do likewise, but there is no indication that he will.

"Last night, Senate Republicans blocked a bill to protect Mueller. This morning, Trump showed again why we need it," Adam Schiff, a top House Democrat, tweeted.

"We will do everything in our power to protect the Mueller investigation, the independence of the Department of Justice, and the rule of law."

In the Senate, the senior Democrat on the intelligence committee, Mark Warner, tweeted that Mueller's probe is "under serious threat of political interference from this President. Heck, it's happening in front of our eyes."
A Yemeni pro-government fighter stands in front of the May 22 Hospital on the eastern outskirts of Hodeida on November 15, 2018

Yemenis in battle-scarred Hodeida had a brief respite Thursday as the port city remained calm -- but many fear that a return to violence is only a matter of time.

Armed men roamed the streets of the rebel-held city on pick-up trucks and motorbikes Wednesday, some carrying rocket-propelled grenades, as civilians tried to go about their lives.

"Every time they announce a truce, something worse happens," said resident and mother of five Fatima Ali.

"The fighting stops for a period of time and then continues. I am worried about my children," the 45-year-old said.

Ali lives in the Ghalil neighbourhood near the Al-Thawra hospital in the south of the city, which was rocked by a series of explosions on Sunday.

Hundreds of medical workers and patients fled as battles approached the facility, prompting international outcry.

Yemeni pro-government forces patrol near the May 22 Hospital on the eastern outskirts of Hodeida on November 15, 2018

Pro-government forces on Wednesday suspended their 12-day offensive on the rebel-held Red Sea city, home to a vital port, as international pressure for a ceasefire ramped up this week.

But it was not the first time pro-government forces -- backed by a powerful Saudi-led military coalition -- have paused their offensive on Hodeida.

The coalition launched the assault in June.

It later halted its operations to allow for United Nations-backed peace talks -- but as the talks collapsed in September, it formally announced the offensive had resumed.

Younes Ahmed, who lives in a coastal neighbourhood of western Hodeida, told AFP he remains hopeful despite the convoys of tanks and trucks roaming the streets a few kilometres from his home.

"I hope that this is the end of it, because the hardest thing for me is to explain it to my children," said the 38-year-old.

"We have to be hopeful, as we are every time the fighting stops, but the reality of the situation is that this war will go on for a very long time."

His concerns are not without merit. Pro-government military commanders have said operations will resume if the Huthis attack.

Shops and schools in Hodeida opened Thursday, a day after loyalists announced the pause in their offensive.

Life is a desperate struggle for many in Yemen, where more than 22 million people -- three quarters of the population -- need humanitarian assistance.

Yemeni pro-government forces patrol near the May 22 Hospital on the eastern outskirts of Hodeida on November 15, 2018

owards eastern Hodeida, pro-government fighters last week took control of the city's top medical facility, the May 22 hospital, from which the rebels had forced out staff and set up sniper positions.

The wall of the hospital still bore a Huthi slogan: "God is great. Death to America, death to Israel, curse the Jews, and victory to Islam."

- 'Humanitarian catastrophe' -

After nearly four years of fighting between Saudi and Emirati-backed pro-government forces and the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels, Yemen sits on the brink of famine.

Yemeni pro-government forces drive through the eastern outskirts of Hodeida on November 13, 2018

Hodeida resident Marwan Abdelwaseh said he hopes for a political solution before his home witnesses a humanitarian catastrophe.

"We hope that the parties at war will reach a political agreement to hand over the city and spare it from destruction and war, especially since the supply routes for food, goods and gas have been cut," he said.

Hodeida's port -- the conduit for almost all of Yemen's imports and humanitarian aid -- has been under near-total blockade by the Saudi-led coalition, which accuses Iran of smuggling arms to the rebels.

Tehran denies the allegation.

Another Hodeida resident, Amjad Zaeem, said the city is now almost entirely isolated from the rest of the country.

"There are trenches and barricades inside and around the city," he said. "Hodeida is under internal and external seige."

UN mediator Martin Griffiths -- whose efforts at kick-starting peace talks collapsed in September -- has said he hopes to bring the warring sides to the table by the end of the year.

Yemeni pro-government forces hold a position in Hodeida as they battle for the control of the city from Huthi rebels on November 14, 2018

Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi voiced his backing on Thursday for UN-led talks to end fighting in Hodeida -- but vowed to "liberate" the city regardless, according to the official Saba news agency.

"The battle of the Yemeni people to liberate Hodeida is inevitable, whether through peace or war," the president's spokesman said.
Handbag designer and member of President Donald Trump's exclusive Mar-a-Lago club Lana Marks, who was born in South Africa, at a 2008 charity event in California

US President Donald Trump has said he will nominate South African-born luxury handbag designer Lana Marks as the new ambassador to Pretoria, filling a post that has been vacant for nearly two years.

Relations between South Africa and the United States have been tested this year after Trump said farmers were being forced off their land and many of them killed.

The US president was accused of telling untruths and fuelling racial tensions. White ownership of most of the farmland in South Africa is one of the most sensitive issues in the country's post-apartheid era.

South Africa accused him of making "alarmist" and "misinformed" comments.

A White House statement on Wednesday described Marks as the founder and head of Lana Marks, a luxury fashion accessories brand.

It said she had attended university in Johannesburg and speaks two South African languages -- Afrikaans and Xhosa.

Marks, who reportedly has no diplomatic experience, is also a member of Trump's exclusive Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, where she lives.

The last ambassador to South Africa, Patrick Gaspard, is a member of the Democratic Party and since leaving the diplomatic service has been a harsh critic of Trump.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is pushing for radical land redistribution to tackle inequality, this month said he sat next to Trump at a UN lunch and exchanged pleasantries.

Ramaphosa, who faces elections in 2019, has said expropriating farms without compensating their owners would "undo a grave historical injustice" against the black majority.
Central Americans traveling in a migrant caravan towards the United US, arrive in Tijuana, Mexico, on November 15, 2018

The bulk of the migrant caravan crossing Mexico began arriving Thursday at the US border, as around 800 Central Americans reached the city of Tijuana aboard 22 buses after more than a month's trek.

"We've finally reached Tijuana. I can't wait to see the border. It's been a never-ending journey, but God brought us here," said Carmen Soto, a Honduran migrant traveling with her two young children.

More than 750 migrants who had traveled ahead of the main caravan had already arrived over the past several days in Tijuana, which sits across the border from San Diego, California.

More than 3,000 others are on the way, expected to reach the border Thursday or Friday in buses organized by charities, private donors and local authorities.

Across the border, nearly 6,000 troops deployed by Donald Trump have been busy erecting concrete barriers and razor-wire fences to keep out what the US president has described as an "invasion."

The caravan began its journey on October 13 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras -- more than 4,300 kilometers (2,700 miles) from Tijuana.

The migrants rushed the Mexico-Guatemala border six days later, clashing with riot police and then fording the river between the two countries when Mexican authorities refused to let them through as a group.

They then spent weeks walking and hitch-hiking through southern and central Mexico, but accelerated their pace dramatically in the north, thanks to buses provided by donors and in some cases local authorities who preferred to send them on their way rather than host them in shelters.

The migrants are mostly fleeing poverty and violence in Central America's "Northern Triangle" -- El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, where brutal gang violence has fueled some of the highest murder rates in the world.
Election officials in Florida were scrambling to meet a November 15, 2018, deadline for finishing a mandatory recount of votes in the state's races for governor and US Senate

Florida authorities on Thursday ordered a hand recount of the state's chaotic and closely-watched US Senate race after counties filed retabulated vote totals that show the Donald Trump-endorsed Republican candidate narrowly leading the Democratic incumbent.

Results from the November 6 election were too close to call, and a machine recount was conducted in the race between Democratic Senator Bill Nelson and his Republican challenger Rick Scott, who is Florida's outgoing governor.

Results from that recount, which was beset by technical problems in at least one large county, were due at 3:00 pm (2000 GMT) Thursday. They showed Nelson trailing Scott by about 12,600 votes out of more than 8.2 million ballots cast, or 0.15 percentage points.

With the difference falling within the 0.25 parameter that triggers a manual recount, Florida's Secretary of State Ken Detzner ordered that one be carried out, which will focus on problematic ballots such as those where a voter designated more choices than allowable in the race.

The hand recount must be completed by Sunday.

No such recount was ordered in the governor's race, in which Republican congressman Ron DeSantis led Democrat Andrew Gillum by about 0.41 percentage points.

As the unofficial vote totals rolled in on Thursday, Scott called on Nelson to concede.

"Last week, Florida voters elected me as their next US Senator and now the ballots have been counted twice," Scott said in a statement.

"We need to put this election behind us, and it is time for Bill Nelson to respect the will of the voters and graciously bring this process to an end."

Florida, the nation's third most populous state, is a political battleground where tight elections have become the norm.

State election officials are scheduled to certify the final results on Tuesday, which may finally bring Florida's vote drama to an end.

The situation has been unnervingly reminiscent of 2000, when Florida mounted a recount to determine whether George W. Bush or Al Gore won the state in the presidential election.

Following that chaos, Florida authorities instituted reforms that outlined specific steps for recounts in the event of close races.

Trump has repeatedly charged that Florida's elections were marred by vote fraud.

On Wednesday he warned, without evidence, that Democrats could be casting "illegal" votes and said Florida's election chaos was a "disgrace."

The parties have squared off in a series of lawsuits surrounding the deadlines and thousands of ballots that were initially rejected because of mismatched signatures of citizens voting by mail.

Whatever the results, Trump's Republicans will retain their majority in the US Senate when the new Congress is seated in January.
Six peacekeepers from Malawi and one from Tanzania were killed during the operation Wednesday against rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group blamed for a series of attacks

Seven peacekeepers were killed and 10 others were wounded during a joint military operation with troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo against rebels in the east of the country, a UN spokesman said Thursday.

Another UN peacekeeper is missing from the fighting near the city of Beni in North Kivu, said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the killing in a statement and called on armed groups to disarm immediately.

Six peacekeepers from Malawi and one from Tanzania were killed during the operation Wednesday against rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group blamed for a series of attacks.

"Initial reports indicate that ten additional peacekeepers were wounded, and another one is missing," said Dujarric, adding that several Congolese soldiers were also killed or wounded during the operations.

The UN spokesman declined to give details of the joint operation, but said it was linked to efforts to combat the outbreak of Ebola.

"As you know there is an Ebola outbreak in this area and insecurity has been an obstacle to the response to the outbreak," he said.

The ADF, operating in North Kivu province near the Ugandan border, has been blamed for the deaths of hundreds of civilians since 2014 as well as of 15 Tanzanian peacekeepers last December.

The UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO has about 17,000 troops and police.
A soldier with France's 4,500-member Barkhane force on patrol in Mali in November 2017

French forces operating in Mali killed seven suspected jihadists after a recent nighttime raid, possibly including a top leader in an alliance of insurgents linked to Al-Qaeda, the French army said Thursday.

Al-Mansour Ag Alkassim, the chief of a wing of the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM), was "very probably" among those killed in the operation the night of Sunday to Monday, army spokesman Patrik Steiger told AFP.

The GSIM, which the US added to its list of foreign terrorist organisations in September, has been carrying out attacks across the arid Sahel expanses of Western Africa over the past two years.

Alkassim, operating mainly in northern Mali, has been sought by the authorities for years.

France has deployed the 4,500-member Barkhane force to the region in a bid to train local forces and help repel the attacks.

Most recently the GSIM claimed responsibility for a suicide attack where killed three in the northern city of Gao on Monday.

The recent raid came after a Reaper surveillance drone located the group in the Gourma region, between the cities of Gao and Timbuktu, and French forces flew in by helicopter, Steiger said.

After the firefight, the soldiers discovered both light arms and heavy weapons, and equipment for making improvised explosive devices (IEDs), he said, calling it a "significant blow" against the group.

France helped Malian forces stave off a jihadist insurgency that took control of large parts of the north in 2012, but large swathes of the country still remain out of the government's control.
South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon (R), pictured here with his North Korean counterpart Ri Son Gwon (L) October 15, 2018, says Seoul will not restart an industrial zone with the North until it moves to give up nuclear weapons

South Korea said Thursday it would not restart an industrial zone with North Korea until its neighbor moves to give up nuclear weapons, although it voiced hope for progress.

Cho Myoung-gyon, the South's unification minister, said Seoul was abiding by international sanctions on Pyongyang despite President Moon Jae-in's calls for a step-by-step easing of pressure.

"One thing I would like to highlight here is that we are not going to open the Kaesong industrial complex soon," Cho said on a visit to Washington.

"The South Korean government has a very strong principle that both inter-Korean and foreign cooperation will happen once the denuclearization of North Korea happens," he said at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Kaesong -- a border industrial zone in which South Korean companies enjoyed low-wage labor and the North's government earned badly needed revenue -- was one of the most visible signs of reconciliation that followed the landmark 2000 visit to Pyongyang by Kim Dae-jung, the South's first liberal president.

But South Korea shut the complex down in 2016 under a conservative government as Pyongyang defiantly kept testing nuclear weapons and missiles.

Cho believed that North Korea's young leader Kim Jong Un was more reform-minded than earlier members of the ruling dynasty, who favored self-reliance.

"In order for Chairman Kim to achieve his goal of having a global standard of production, he needs to open his economy," Cho said.

Critics say that North Korea has made no concrete moves to give up its nuclear arsenal despite Moon's three summits with Kim his year and a first-ever meeting in June between the North Korean strongman and US President Donald Trump.

Cho said that a promised landmark visit by Kim to Seoul was still in the planning, although he hinted it could take place later than the end of the year, the timeline set by the two sides.

Cho said that at least two months were needed to plan a proper summit and acknowledged that Kim was wary of expected protests against him in Seoul.

But he said a summit in Seoul would mark "a new breakthrough in history" and demonstrate an unstoppable momentum in inter-Korean relations.

"Chairman Kim's visit to Seoul is something we have agreed on, something we can implement and something that is possible," Cho said.
Swiss Islamologist Tariq Ramadan wins bail while French authorities investigate allegations from two women that he raped them in 2009 and 2012

Tariq Ramadan, a leading Islamic scholar held in France since February on charges he raped two women, on Thursday won conditional release after testifying in an appeals court.

A Paris court ruled in favour of Ramadan after the 56-year-old Swiss academic made, who has been in custody since February 2, an impassioned argument for release.

His bail was set at 300,000 euros ($340,000) and requires him to hand over his passport and report to police once a week.

"Where would I flee to?" he asked in his hearing, his first public appearance since his incarceration.

Ramadan denies charges he raped the women in 2009 and 2012. One accuser is a disabled woman identified in media reports as "Christelle" and the other is a feminist activist, Henda Ayari.

But last month Ramadan was forced to drop assertions he had no sexual contact at all with the women after an expert recovered 399 text messages between him and "Christelle", some of which detailed violent sexual fantasies. Ramadan subsequently said the sexual contact was "consensual".

In court, Ramadan said he had no intention of becoming a fugitive from justice, and said his multiple sclerosis meant he had difficulty walking after 10 months locked up.

"I will remain in France and defend my honour and my innocence," the well-known TV commentator told the judges in what was his fourth bid to secure his freedom.

"I would like you to make your decision from your conscience, not because my name is Tariq Ramadan and I'm demonised in this country," he said.

He portrayed his accusers as liers bending media attention in the case to their benefit, asking: "Who has instrumentalised the 'Me Too' movement?

"I have never raped, I am not a rapist. It's true that I made a mistake," he said.

But Ayari's lawyer Francis Szpiner said the two "women were regularly threatened."

Ramadan, a married father of four whose grandfather founded Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, was a professor at Oxford University until he was forced to take leave when the rape allegations surfaced at the height of the "Me Too" movement late last year.
US Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan (R) during a cabinet meeting

Troop levels at the US-Mexico border have essentially reached their upper limit -- at least for now -- a top Pentagon official said Thursday.

Some 5,900 active-duty troops are now stationed along the border, in a contentious deployment that President Donald Trump ordered ahead of the midterm elections.

In the days before the key vote, Trump had said as many as 15,000 troops could be sent to the border, but the number seems set to stay much lower.

We have "pretty much peaked in terms of the number of people that are down there," Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told Pentagon reporters.

But he added that, since the mission officially runs through December 15, the number "can always be amended."

In addition to the 5,900 active-duty forces, another 2,100 or so National Guardsmen have been deployed to support operations at the border, bringing the military presence to about 8,000 all told.

Their mission is to assist short-handed border patrol agents ahead of the anticipated arrival of large groups of migrants in so-called "caravans."

Critics have said the deployment is a waste of money and is not needed, especially as its focus is on preventing a main caravan of migrants that might not even reach the border until after December 15.

The Pentagon still has not provided a cost estimate, but US media say the mission's costs could stretch well beyond $200 million.
Cesar Sayoc, seen in a 2015 photo provided by officials in Florida, could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted of all counts related to accusations he mailed pipe bombs to critics of Donald Trump

A Florida man accused of sending 16 pipe bombs last month to critics of President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Thursday in US federal court in New York to all counts.

Cesar Sayoc, 56, is an avowed Trump supporter and registered Republican. He could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted on all counts, according to federal prosecutors.

Sayoc's targets ranged from former president Barack Obama and former vice president Joe Biden to Trump's presidential rival Hillary Clinton, actor Robert De Niro and billionaire philanthropist George Soros.

None of the bombs exploded and most were not delivered to their intended recipient.

US federal judge Jed Rakoff set a trial start date of July 15, 2019.

The charges against Sayoc include five counts of use of a weapon of mass destruction, five counts of interstate transportation of explosives, and five counts of threatening interstate communications.

Allegedly included with the bombs were a print-out or photograph of his intended victim marked with a red X.

Sayoc was also charged five times with illegal use of mail, five times with carrying an explosive during the commission of a felony and five times with use of a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Sayoc, who has a criminal history and lived in a white truck plastered with pro-Trump and anti-Democrat stickers, was arrested in Florida five days after the first device was discovered in Soros's upstate New York mailbox, following a massive manhunt.

The episode heightened political tensions in the lead-up to the November 6 US midterm elections, which saw Democrats gain control of the House of Representatives while Republicans retained control of the Senate.

Police found Sayoc's fingerprints and DNA on the packages.
"Brother Number 2" Nuon Chea, 92 -- seen here in 2014 -- will discover Friday whether he has been found guilty of genocide

Two senior leaders of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge regime face a verdict Friday on genocide charges, in a ruling that experts say will bring down the curtain on the troubled UN-backed tribunal's quest for justice.

The Khmer Rouge's former head of state Khieu Samphan, 87, and "Brother Number 2" Nuon Chea, 92, are the two most senior living members of the ultra-Maoist group that seized control of Cambodia from 1975-1979.

The reign of terror led by "Brother Number 1" Pol Pot left around two million Cambodians dead from overwork, starvation and mass executions.

The two defendants were previously handed life sentences in 2014 over the violent and forced evacuation of Phnom Penh in April 1975.

But Friday's judgement at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) will decide whether the pair are guilty of overseeing genocide against ethnic Vietnamese and the Cham Muslim minority, as well as a host of other crimes.

The Khmer Rouge's former head of state Khieu Samphan, 87 -- seen here in 2017 -- will also learn his fate, although both men have already been handed life sentences over the violent and forced evacuation of Phnom Penh in April 1975

"The verdict is essentially the Nuremberg judgement for the ECCC and thus carries very significant weight for Cambodia, international criminal justice, and the annals of history," said David Scheffer, who served as the UN secretary general's special expert on the Khmer Rouge trials from 2012 until last month.

The revolutionaries who tried to recreate Buddhist-majority Cambodia in line with their vision of an agrarian society attempted to abolish class and religious distinctions by force.

Forced marriages, rape, the treatment of Buddhists, and atrocities that were carried out in prisons and work sites throughout the country fall under the additional list of charges against the two men.

"(The verdict) will affirm the collective humanity of the victims and give recognition to the horrible suffering," said Youk Chhang, head of the Documentation Center of Cambodia -- a research organisation that has provided the court with evidence.

It could also "provide a sense of closure to a horrible chapter in Cambodian history".

About 800 people, including some 200 Cham Muslims, are expected to attend the hearing on Friday, said ECCC spokesman Neth Pheaktra.

The hybrid court, which uses a mix of Cambodian and international law, was created with the backing of the UN in 2006 to try senior Khmer Rouge leaders.

The nearly four-year reign of terror by the Khmer Rouge left around two million Cambodians dead from overwork, starvation and mass executions

Only three people have been convicted by the court, which has cost more than $300 million.

Former Khmer Rouge foreign minister Ieng Sary and his wife died without facing justice, while "Brother Number 1" Pol Pot passed away in 1998.

The number of allegations against Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan was so vast the court split the trials into a series of smaller hearings in 2011.

Many believe the decision will be the last for the tribunal, which has been marred by allegations of political interference.

Prime Minister Hun Sen -- himself a former Khmer Rouge cadre -- has repeatedly warned he would not allow more investigations to proceed, citing vague threats to stability.

The court has launched investigations into four more Khmer Rouge cadres, though one was dismissed in February 2017, highlighting the difficulties of bringing lower level members of the brutal regime to justice.

Scheffer said that "challenges of efficiency, funding, and access to evidence" are issues that plague all international criminal courts, but argued the successes of the Cambodian tribunal should not be diminished.

burs-dhc/joe/fa
US soldiers train in Senegal in 2016

The Pentagon will trim the number of US troops deployed across Africa as it concentrates more on countering threats from "Great Power" competitors Russia and China, officials said Thursday.

Currently, about 7,200 US military personnel are based in dozens of African nations, with notable footprints in places like Somalia, Nigeria and Libya.

Pentagon spokeswoman Commander Candice Tresch said that figure would be reduced by about 10 percent over the next few years.

Tresch did not say which countries would see a draw down, but said the Pentagon would not lose capability across the continent and efforts would in some instances shift more to training and advising local forces.

"We will preserve a majority of our US security cooperation, partnerships and programs in Africa that strengthen our partner networks and enhance partner capability and ongoing programs," Tresch said.

"We will realign our counter-terrorism resources and forces operating in Africa over the next several years in order to maintain a competitive posture worldwide."

The move comes as the Pentagon works on implementing President Donald Trump's sweeping National Defense Strategy (NDS), which highlights a new era of "Great Power competition" with Moscow and Beijing.

On Wednesday, a bipartisan congressional panel that reviewed the NDS said America's focus on counter-insurgency operations this century has seen its military advantages slip in other warfighting areas.

The US military presence in Africa gets little attention in America, but was thrust into the spotlight last year when four American soldiers and four members of Nigerien partner forces were killed in a jihadist ambush.
After two years of being American politics's biggest enigma, Melania Trump has broken cover with her startling demand to get a senior adviser to the president thrown out

In the White House this week, Trump's the boss. Melania Trump, that is.

After two years of being American politics's biggest enigma, the first lady has broken cover with her startling demand to get a senior advisor to the president thrown out.

First ladies often wield power -- they have the ear of the president, and more, after all -- but they rarely intervene so directly. And never publicly.

So Melania's demand on Tuesday that deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel step aside gave the White House a shake.

Donald Trump's entire leadership style is based on him being the center of attention.

Suddenly, Washington's focus was on his wife and her declaration that Ricardel "no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House."

What would he do?

A little more than 24 hours passed before the answer came: Ricardel was leaving the White House for an unspecified job somewhere else.

"Unprecedented," NBC television said.

"Extraordinary," Trump's favorite Fox News said.

Ricardel wasn't some minor player. She was deputy to the powerful national security advisor John Bolton.

Her sin? Reportedly rowing with Melania Trump's staff over seating allocations on the plane taking the first lady on an Africa tour in October, as well as being blamed for negative news coverage.

- 'Jaw dropping' -

"It's not unusual" for a first lady to weigh in on a president's staff, said Kate Andersen Brower, author of "First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies."

Melania Trump's African tour in October 2028 served to bring her out of her husband's shadow, but still left many mysteries about the first lady

She recalled a famous incident when Nancy Reagan got Ronald Reagan's chief of staff Don Regan axed. But that was done behind the scenes.

"It is unprecedented for a first lady to issue a statement demanding that her husband fire someone. That is jaw dropping," Brower said.

Melania Trump's move was notable not just for how high up and how decisively she struck but the timing.

Bolton, one of the most powerful members of Trump's inner circle, had reportedly been trying to shield his deputy. So Melania Trump waited until Bolton was safely away on a trip in Asia.

- Who is Melania? -

Brower calls Melania Trump "private to the point of being reclusive."

That has left others to define her, often based on absurdly tiny scraps of information.

Some claim to detect cryptic signals in which she seeks rescue from her marriage. Or that she is primed to rebel against a man who went through two marriages before finding the Slovenian former fashion model 23 years his junior.

Melania Trump's decision to wear a jacket inscribed with the phrase "I really don't care do U?" while visiting detained immigrants on the Mexican border completely threw the public and media

This year, Melania Trump began putting some of her own markers down.

Even then, though, confusion reigned.

Her decision to wear a jacket inscribed with the phrase "I really don't care do U?" while visiting detained immigrants on the Mexican border completely threw the public and media.

Speculation erupted that Melania was trolling her husband over his hardline anti-immigrant policies. Later she stated that she was actually aiming at hostile media coverage.

In October, she toured four African countries on a voyage ostensibly to promote her anti-bullying and child welfare campaign "Be Best."

Clearly the trip clearly also served to bring her out of her husband's shadow, but it still left many mysteries about the first lady's views and character -- a point neatly illustrated when she posed in front of the original Sphinx in Egypt.

- Cool v bombastic -

Returning from Africa, Melania Trump made a splash with a lengthy ABC television interview in October in which she continued to shape her public profile.

Questions are being raised about how a more assertive Melania Trump can work in an institution so thoroughly dominated by her husband

Pushing back against the idea of there being any division between her and Donald Trump, she said that infidelity allegations against him were not "a concern."

She instead blamed the media for the controversies around her, calling herself "the most bullied person in the world."

This week, she transformed her image again, looking not so much persecuted as powerful.

But questions are being raised about how a more assertive Melania Trump can work in an institution so thoroughly dominated by her husband.

CNN claimed Thursday that Trump was angered by the Ricardel row because "he was made to look like a boss-around husband."

And Katherine Jellison, a historian specializing in first ladies at Ohio University, warns that Melania risks losing her best attribute -- her coolness "in contrast to her husband's bombastic personality."

"She might end up being more of a hindrance than an asset to her husband," Jellison said. "In the current environment, the Trump family can use all the good will they can get."
North Korea's Kim Jong Un supervised the successful testing "of a newly developed high-tech tactical weapon," Yonhap reported, citing the North's state broadcaster

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has supervised the testing of a "high-tech" new weapon, Pyongyang's state media reported Friday according to Yonhap news agency.

"Kim Jong Un inspected the testing of a newly developed high-tech tactical weapon at the Academy of National Defence Science," Yonhap cited the North's state broadcaster as saying.

It said the test was successful but did not specify the type of device involved.

The "high-tech tactical weapon" had been developed over a long period and "builds impregnable defences of our country and strengthens the fighting power of our people's army", it added.

Pyongyang's suspension of nuclear weapon and ballistic missile tests has been key to this year's rapid diplomatic developments and North Korean-US negotiations, and has been repeatedly praised by President Donald Trump.

Trump and Kim met in a historic summit in Singapore in June, where they signed a vaguely-worded document on denuclearisation of the peninsula.

Progress has since stalled as Washington and Pyongyang spar over the meaning of the document, and a return to testing would cast grave doubts over the future of the process.

"That pit of dread you felt in your stomach when you read this is your reminder that the DPRK missile test pause is voluntary, partial, and can fail without notice if it isn't explicitly codified," Adam Mount of the Federation of American Scientists tweeted in response to the report, using the country's official acronym.
A street scene from Louisville in 2016: some residents of the US city have been critical of the investigation into the fatal shooting of two black shoppers at a grocery store

A US grand jury on Thursday charged a white man with hate crimes over the fatal shooting of two black shoppers at a Kentucky grocery store.

Gregory Bush, 51, had already been charged with two counts of murder and 10 counts of wanton endangerment for the October 24 shooting at a store in the Louisville suburb of Jeffersontown.

Thursday's federal indictment added two hate crimes charges for the deaths of Maurice Stallard, 69, and Vickie Lee Jones, 67, and a third hate crimes charge for the attempted murder of a victim not identified by name.

Bush also faced three federal firearms charges.

Some Louisville residents had been critical of the pace of the Department of Justice's investigation, calling for the agency to more quickly attach a racial prejudice motivation to the killings.

Bush allegedly tried but failed to enter a nearby black church just before his rampage, and spared a white bystander after killing the two elderly shoppers, saying "whites don't kill whites."

"The crimes alleged in this indictment are horrific," Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker said in a statement.

"We cannot and will not tolerate violence motivated by racism," the statement said. "We will bring the full force of the law against these and any other alleged hate crimes against fellow Americans of any race."

The federal charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison or death.

But federal prosecutors rarely seek the death penalty, and the Justice Department said it had not yet determined whether to do so in this case.

The Kentucky shooting occurred just days before an anti-Semitic massacre in Pittsburgh -- and during a week-long mail bombing spree that saw a Florida man target high-profile liberal political figures, Donald Trump critics and the news outlet CNN.

Some analysts have pointed to the US president's heated rhetoric as the catalyst for a toxic atmosphere encouraging such attacks -- a possibility the White House has rejected.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, host of this year's APEC summit, said countries such as his suffered when international trade rules were broken

The leader of Papua New Guinea, host of this year's APEC summit, Friday urged respect for international trade rules by "countries large and small" as spats between the US and China threatened to overshadow the gathering.

As leaders from Asian Pacific nations prepared to fly in to Port Moresby for their annual meeting, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill appeared to call his guests to order on damaging trade rows.

"Smaller economies, countries like Papua New Guinea, place considerable reliance on international trade and especially the international trade rules," stressed O'Neill.

"We suffer when rules are broken or ignored and we benefit when rules are followed by all countries, large and small," he added.

The world's top two economies have been engaged in a spiralling trade conflict that economists have warned could be catastrophic for the global economy.

Washington and Beijing have slapped tit-for-tat tariffs worth billions of dollars on each other's goods and both sides have threatened to escalate the conflict if needed.

China is pushing a trade deal with other Asian powers like Japan and India -- a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) -- after US President Donald Trump pulled out of the rival Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

The TPP is still alive even without Washington -- and will come into effect in December -- but RCEP, if realised, will be the world's biggest trade deal.

Beijing had hoped to have the meat of the deal done by the end of this year, but the timetable has now slipped to 2019.

Foreign ministers meeting ahead of the APEC summit, which kicks off on Saturday, failed to agree immediately on a joint statement amid disagreements over language on reforming the World Trade Organization.

The United States is thought to be pushing for tough language criticising the WTO and urging root-and-branch reform but appears to have run into opposition.

O'Neill seemed to come to the WTO's defence, saying that Papua New Guinea was "playing an increasing role, like everyone else, in international forums such as the WTO".

"We must continue that. We must continue to benefit from such arrangements," said the prime minister.
The man, identified as Lawrence Bruce Byron, had been in custody after crossing into North Korea from China on October 16, according to official news agency KCNA

North Korea said Friday it had expelled a US citizen who tried to enter illegally, an unusually swift resolution of a case that could have further complicated reconciliation moves between the two countries.

The man, identified as Lawrence Bruce Byron, had been in custody after crossing into North Korea from China on October 16, the official Korean Central News Agency said.

"While being questioned, he said he had illegally entered the country under the command of the US Central Intelligence Agency," KCNA said.

"Relevant authorities have decided to expel him from the country."

A man with the same name was arrested in South Korea while trying to sneak over the inter-Korean border in November last year.

Byron, who is in his late 50s and from Louisiana, was later deported back to the United States.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has traveled four times this year to Pyongyang on his diplomatic drive, sounded relieved at the quick resolution of the case.

"The United States appreciates the cooperation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the embassy of Sweden in facilitating the release of an American citizen," Pompeo said, using the North's official name.

Sweden represents US interests in North Korea in the absence of diplomatic relations.

"The United States is grateful for the sustained support of Sweden, our protecting power in North Korea, for its advocacy on behalf of American citizens," Pompeo said.

- Quick action -

Media reports said that Byron told South Korean officials he sought to facilitate talks between North Korea and the United States, although he is a private citizen.

It is rare for North Korea to release an American detainee so swiftly.

"This gesture means the North wants to keep up momentum for dialogue with the US," professor Yang Moo-Jin at the University of North Korean Studies told AFP.

From journalists to missionaries, most Americans held by North Korea have been released after high-profile interventions.

The reclusive regime freed three US detainees in May in an apparent goodwill gesture before a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump in Singapore.

The three men travelled home with Pompeo and were greeted by Trump on their arrival at an air base near Washington.

There are no known US detainees still held by the rigid communist state. Washington last year banned its citizens from traveling to North Korea without special permission, the only country for which such a restriction exists.

The latest release also came after fresh allegations emerged last month that Otto Warmbier, a US student who died after being held in the North, was tortured in custody.

The 22-year-old was jailed in the North for more than a year and was released in a comatose state in 2017 but died shortly after returning home.

A recent US media report said there was new evidence that he was beaten by the regime, allegations denied by the regime, which says he contracted botulism in detention.

At their historic Singapore summit, Trump and Kim signed a vaguely worded document on denuclearisation of the peninsula.

Progress has since stalled as Washington and Pyongyang spar over the meaning of the document.

KCNA, meanwhile, reported that Kim had overseen the testing of a "newly developed ultramodern tactical weapon."

It marked the first official report of a weapons test by North Korea since it began the delicate diplomatic process with Washington.

The US State Department played down the announcement, saying it was "confident" that the negotiation process remained on track with North Korea.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during a press conference in Kabul this year

The death toll among Afghanistan's security forces is nearing 30,000 since the start of 2015, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said, a figure far higher than anything previously acknowledged.

Ghani appeared via video link this week at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, part of a university he once taught at as a professor of anthropology.

Since the start of 2015, when local police and army units succeeded NATO as bearing responsibility for Afghanistan's security, "28,529 of our security forces have lost their lives and become martyrs for our freedom," Ghani said.

In the same timeframe, 58 Americans have been killed, he said.

"I would like to salute the patriotism of the Afghan security forces, every single one of whom is a volunteer," Ghani said.

"We have no conscription, nobody is forced, and if there was not a patriotic impulse I don't think that people would sacrifice their lives for a pay of $200."

The rate at which Afghan forces are dying has long underscored the fragility of the country's security situation, the Taliban's continued strength and raised questions about US claims that the Afghan troops are becoming an increasingly effective fighting force.

In 2015, an estimated 5,000 Afghan security forces were killed and another 15,000 wounded.

The toll increased in 2016 and appears to have accelerated again in 2017 and 2018, contradicting a claim by general John Nicholson, who recently retired as head of NATO and US forces in Afghanistan.

In November 2017, he said casualty rates among Afghan security forces had started to drop as the US increased the tempo of air strikes against the Taliban and as reforms kicked in.

In a recent report, the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) cited the NATO mission in Kabul as saying this summer's toll has been worse than ever for Afghan forces.

"From the period of May 1 to the most current data as of October 1, 2018, the average number of casualties the (Afghan forces) suffered is the greatest it has ever been during like periods," SIGAR said.

Mattis this month said more than 1,000 "Afghan lads" were killed or wounded just in August and September.

More than 17 years since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan, the conflict grinds on and America is trying to find a way out of the war.

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad hopes to start a peace process with the Taliban, and on Saturday he met with Ghani.

A Taliban delegation met with Khalilzad in Doha in October to discuss ending the Afghan conflict.

Ghani's full comments can be viewed at: http://u.afp.com/oHyk
Air strikes by the US-led coalition killed 43 people, mostly civilians, in a holdout of the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, a Britain-based monitor said

Air strikes by the US-led coalition Saturday killed 43 people, mostly civilians, in a holdout of the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, a Britain-based monitor said.

Seventeen children were among 36 IS family members killed in Abu Husn village of Deir Ezzor province near the Iraqi border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Another seven victims had not yet been identified as either civilians or IS fighters, it said.

The US-led coalition has been backing a Kurdish-Arab alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting to expel the jihadists from the pocket around Abu Husn.

"It's the highest death toll in coalition air strikes since the SDF launched its attack against the IS pocket" in September, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The coalition has repeatedly said it does its utmost to prevent civilian casualties.

"The avoidance of civilian casualties is our highest priority when conducting strikes against legitimate military targets with precision munitions," spokesman Sean Ryan told AFP this week.

IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" in land it controlled.

But the jihadist group has since lost most of it to various offensives in both countries.

In Syria, the group has seen its presence reduced to parts of the vast Badia desert and the pocket in Deir Ezzor.

The coalition has since 2014 acknowledged direct responsibility for over 1,100 civilian deaths in Syria and Iraq, but rights groups put the number killed much higher.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Officials from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia have agreed to pay uncapped compensation offers for victims of child sexual abuse by clergy as part of a claims process that started Tuesday.

Details of the Philadelphia program were discussed at a news conference held by independent claims administrators and members of an independent oversight committee who said they've already mailed out informational packets to 342 survivors who previously reported credible abuse claims. The Philadelphia Archdiocese's program is the first victim compensation fund initiated since a chilling grand jury report was released in August detailing child sexual abuse over seven decades by hundreds of priests in six of Pennsylvania's catholic dioceses. Philadelphia had previously been the subject of a local grand jury investigation that found similar patterns of abuse.

Victims in the Philadelphia Archdiocese, which covers Philadelphia city and county, as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, must register claims by July 31 and file them by Sept. 30 under the program. Most of the state's seven other dioceses are expected to follow with their own compensation funds opening to claims early next year, according to statements released late last week. Altoona-Johnstown said it set up a victim fund in 1999.

Five of the dioceses- including Philadelphia- have hired veteran compensation fund coordinator Ken Feinberg to design and operate their programs. Feinberg and co-administrator Camille Biros ran victims' compensation funds set up by five New York dioceses in recent years. Feinberg was also the administrator of several other high-profile compensation funds including for the Aurora, Colorado theater shooting victims and as special master for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.

At the news conference Tuesday, Feinberg outlined several features of the Philadelphia program that make it different from others in the past, including it is completely independent and voluntary.

"The program in awarding compensation really performs two functions with the victim. People focus on the money," he said. "No amount of money is going to provide closure to that victim or satisfy the victim. It is a small step in helping that victim at least secure some degree of financial security. Just as importantly we have found in our work in New York, that a claimant who files a claim with us and receives compensation finds some degree of validation as to that claim. Do not underestimate the importance of this."

Ken Feinberg addresses a reporter's question during a news conference Tuesday Nov. 13, 2018, in Philadelphia. Feinberg and Camille Biros, not pictured, are administrators of claims submitted to the Independent Reconciliation and Reparations Program, a new clergy child sexual abuse victim compensation fund set up by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma)

Payouts and total fund amounts will not be disclosed by the diocese, and church officials will have no say in decisions about eligibility or payout amounts. There will be no appeals process, and if a claimant accepts a compensation offer, they must waive their right to sue the archdiocese for any past or future abuse.

Lawyers who help settle child sexual abuse cases say courts generally promise a bigger payout, while dioceses face the possibility a judge can order them to divulge records of child sexual abuse complaints and how they handled them. Plaintiffs also can extract court-approved agreements from dioceses to add procedures or training to better protect children going forward. Some of the money goes to lawyers' fees, and the church's defenders say that motivates civil lawyers.

While payouts won't be capped, $500,000 is the most paid out to one individual during Feinberg's administration of claims against the New York dioceses. The size of the payouts is determine by numerous factors, including the severity of the abuse, the age of the victim and the long-term effect on the victim's life.

A victim compensation often delivers a faster payout to victims. Biros said once claims are filed, most should be processed and paid within 90 days.

Victims do not have to accept the compensation offers, and don't have to waive their right to sue if they reject an offer. But many victims may fall outside the window to file a civil claim against the Archdiocese under Pennsylvania law.

A legislative effort to change state law to allow a two-year window for people to sue in abuse cases that are otherwise too old to pursue passed the state House, but it was blocked by Republican state senators last month. Opponents, including Catholic bishops and the insurance industry, expressed concerns about the cost and argued that a retroactive change would violate the state constitution.

Proponents have said negotiations on the change are continuing.

State Attorney General Josh Shapiro, whose office oversaw the grand jury investigation, said the grand jury "recommended that victims deserve their day in court - not that the church should be the arbiter of its own punishment."

The Philadelphia Archdiocese said its program will be overseen by the independent committee, including former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell of Maine, former interim Philadelphia District Attorney Kelley Hodge and Lawrence Stengel, a retired federal judge. The diocese plans to sell properties as one way to bolster the fund, but will not dip into money for charities, seminaries, donor-designated gifts or donations to parishes, ministries or schools.

The program offers pro-bono legal representation if victims want a lawyer and offers help from a victim support facilitator who can help with the claims process.

Ken Feinberg addresses a reporter's question during a news conference Tuesday Nov. 13, 2018, in Philadelphia. Feinberg and Camille Biros, not pictured, are administrators of claims submitted to the Independent Reconciliation and Reparations Program, a new clergy child sexual abuse victim compensation fund set up by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. George Mitchell, background, is chairing the committee. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma)

Camille Biros addresses a reporter's question during a news conference Tuesday Nov. 13, 2018, in Philadelphia. Biros and Ken Feinberg, not pictured, are administrators of claims submitted to the Independent Reconciliation and Reparations Program, a new clergy child sexual abuse victim compensation fund set up by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. George Mitchell, background, is chairing the committee. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma)
U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams, sister of Georgia Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Stacey Abrams, did not preside over a complaint related to the too-close-to-call governor's race, as reports circulating online suggest.

The state Democratic Party filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking an order to force Dougherty County election officials to accept absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day. The party said the county had failed to get ballots to absentee voters on time due to a "confluence of extraordinary circumstances," including Hurricane Michael. Otherwise, only absentee ballots from overseas residents or members of the military received after Election Day would be counted.

The state party's lawsuit against Dougherty County was filed in the Middle District of Georgia's federal court, where Judge Leslie Abrams - the sister of Stacey Abrams - was confirmed to the bench in 2014. Most federal courts assign cases to judges randomly, including the Middle District of Georgia.

Judge Abrams was randomly assigned to the case Thursday, but it was reassigned to U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands on the same day, and before any action was taken on the case, court records show. The shift was in keeping with the court's procedure when there is a conflict of interest, according to David W. Bunt, the clerk of court for the Middle District of Georgia.

In a ruling Friday, Sands ordered that Dougherty County election officials accept absentee ballots that were postmarked by Election Day and received by Friday. His signature is listed on the court order.

Several online sites, blogs and social media users wrongly claimed Judge Leslie Abrams presided over the case.

FILE - In this Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018 file photo, Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams speaks to supporters during an election night watch party in Atlanta. On Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, The Associated Press has found that stories circulating on the internet that U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams, sister of the gubernatorial hopeful, presided over a complaint related to the too-close-to-call governor's race, are untrue. (AP Photo/John Amis)

The Associated Press has not declared a winner in the race between Abrams and her GOP opponent Brian Kemp. A federal judge has ordered the state to wait until Friday to certify the results of the election to ensure all provisional ballots are properly counted.

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This is part of The Associated Press' ongoing effort to fact-check misinformation that is shared widely online, including work with Facebook to identify and reduce the circulation of false stories on the platform.

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Find all AP Fact Checks here: https://www.apnews.com/tag/APFactCheck

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Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck
JERUSALEM (AP) - The latest round of fighting in Gaza is rooted in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and comes after Israel and the territory's Hamas rulers have fought three wars in the past decade.

The fighting in recent years has killed thousands of Palestinians and scores of Israelis, but has yet to dislodge the Islamic militant group or resolve any of the other underlying disputes between the two sides.

Here is a look at some key events in the Israel-Hamas conflict:

September 2005

Israel withdraws all settlements and military personnel from the Gaza Strip, marking the end of its 38-year occupation of the territory.

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Palestinians gather in front of a destroyed building that was hit by Israeli airstrikes, in Gaza City, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

January 2006

The Palestinian Islamic militant group Hamas wins an overwhelming victory in parliamentary elections, sparking a struggle for primacy with its rival, the Fatah movement of Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

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June 2006

Hamas militants capture Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit in a cross-border raid, triggering heavy fighting with Israel. Schalit is released five years later following a lopsided prisoner exchange.

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June 2007

Hamas violently ousts Fatah forces from the Gaza Strip and solidifies its control of the territory. Israel and Egypt tighten their blockade of Gaza, which will devastate Gaza's economy over the next decade. Two rival governments emerge, Hamas in Gaza and the Abbas' Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.

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December 2008

In response to heavy rocket fire from Gaza, Israel launches a major three-week offensive. After a 22-day war that kills 1,200 Palestinians and 13 Israelis, the two sides announce a cease-fire.

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November 2012

Israel targets and kills Hamas military chief Ahmad Jabari, sparking eight days of militant rocket fire and an Israeli air campaign. Egyptian mediators secure a cease-fire after some 150 Palestinians and six Israelis are killed.

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July-August 2014

Following the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers by Hamas members, Israel conducts a sweep against Hamas in the West Bank, prompting rocket attacks from Gaza and Israeli air raids in response. The seven-week conflict that ensues results in more than 2,200 Palestinian deaths in Gaza, more than half of them civilians. In Israel, 67 soldiers and 6 civilians are killed. Israel comes under heavy international criticism for its use of what the United Nations calls disproportionate force.

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March 2018

Palestinian protesters, led by Hamas, stage massive demonstrations along the perimeter fence against the blockade. Although mostly unarmed, many protesters burn tires, throw rocks and grenades at Israeli troops and damage the perimeter fence. Israeli troops kill more than 170 protesters over a period of several months. Israel says it is defending its border but is accused of using excessive force. Israel and Hamas engage in a number of rounds of intense but brief fighting during this time.

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November 2018:

Violence flares up after a botched Israeli undercover raid into Gaza that killed seven Palestinian militants and a senior Israeli army officer, marking the most serious escalation since the war in 2014. Gaza militants fire hundreds of rockets at Israel in response, killing a Palestinian laborer in southern Israel. At least seven Palestinians, among them five militants, are killed in Gaza.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - National Democrats are focusing on Mississippi's U.S. Senate runoff, a year after winning a longshot contest in another Deep South state dominated by Republicans.

Democrat Doug Jones defeated Roy Moore in Alabama last December after Moore was hit by accusations of sexual misconduct.

Now in Mississippi, Mike Espy is challenging Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. She faces sharp criticism for a video that surfaced Sunday of her praising a supporter at a Nov. 2 campaign event in Tupelo by saying: "If he invited me to a public hanging, I'd be on the front row."

Mississippi has a history of racially motivated lynchings. Hyde-Smith is white and Espy is black.

Hyde-Smith said the hanging phrase was "an exaggerated expression of regard" for the person who invited her to speak. She also said it is "ridiculous" to think the phrase has a negative connotation.

Democratic consultant Joe Trippi retweeted the video of Hyde-Smith with the comment "incredible" and a request for people to donate to Espy.

Mike Espy who is seeking to unseat appointed Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., and serve the last two years of the six-year term vacated when Republican Thad Cochran retired for health reasons, speaks to a crowded ballroom of supporters following his speech in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday night, Nov. 6, 2018. Espy will face Hyde-Smith in a runoff on Nov. 27. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Trippi, who is working for Espy, has been on several high-profile campaigns, including Jones' in 2017. He told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Hyde-Smith's verbal gaffe shows she is a weak candidate.

"She just doesn't seem to be ready for prime time," Trippi said.

Hyde-Smith was in her second term as Mississippi agriculture commissioner when Republican Gov. Phil Bryant appointed her to temporarily succeed longtime Sen. Thad Cochran, who retired amid health concerns in April. The winner of the Nov. 27 runoff will serve the final two years of the six-year term Cochran started.

Hyde-Smith and Espy each received about 41 percent in a four-person race Nov. 6 to advance to the runoff.

"Finishing literally in a dead heat with her helped some people understand Mike Espy really does have a shot," Trippi said.

The two candidates will hold their only debate of the campaign season Nov. 20, debate sponsors said Tuesday.

Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, who led the Republican National Committee in the mid-1990s, is raising money for a super PAC supporting Hyde-Smith. He said Tuesday that she is a reliable vote for President Donald Trump and Espy would not be.

Barbour said it's important for Hyde-Smith to pick up votes from people who supported Chris McDaniel, a tea party-backed Republican state lawmaker who received about 16 percent and placed third last week.

"Most of the McDaniel people thought McDaniel was more conservative than Cindy Hyde-Smith and they see what Doug Jones has done in Alabama and they have no reason to believe that this wouldn't be the exact result in Mississippi if we elected a Democrat," Barbour told AP. "I think those people will vote and when they vote, they will vote for Cindy Hyde-Smith."

Espy in 1986 became the first African-American to win a U.S. House seat in Mississippi since Reconstruction. He served as U.S. agriculture secretary in 1993 and 1994 under Democratic President Bill Clinton.

Mississippi has a 38 percent black population, and African-Americans are an important part of Democrats' strategy for success. Two prominent African-American politicians who might run for president in 2020, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, traveled to Mississippi separately several weeks ago to campaign for Espy.

Democrats' national Senate campaign arm is assisting in Mississippi, though officials were hesitant to elaborate about how or the extent to which the group was spending money on Espy's behalf.

"It's a Mississippi race run by Mississippians," Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee senior adviser Ben Ray said Tuesday. "We want them to succeed."

Still, Ray said there are parallels in Mississippi to the political dynamics in the 2017 Alabama special election runoff, when Jones, a former federal prosecutor, defeated Moore, a former state Supreme Court chief justice.

Espy's campaign is benefiting from months of financial help from the Democratic National Committee, albeit indirectly. The DNC has spent more than $500,000 since last year on the Mississippi Democratic Party, including $10,000 per month for state party operations and a series of grants to finance staff to organize African-American neighborhoods.

The national party has also been strategically disciplined in what it hasn't done in Mississippi in recent days.

As national parties are typically inclined to quickly and aggressively capitalize on perceived openings, the Democratic National Committee has been silent on Hyde-Smith's "hanging" comment.

It's part of an effort to minimize any perception that Washington is pulling the strings in Espy's campaign. But it's also a way of keeping the focus on Espy and Mississippi Democratic voters, while leaving Hyde-Smith to answer for her remark.

Espy said on MSNBC Monday that Hyde-Smith's comment hurts Mississippi and "reinforces stereotypes that we've been trying to get away from for decades."

Mississippi's senior Republican U.S. senator, Roger Wicker, defended Hyde-Smith late Monday on Twitter.

"Senator Hyde-Smith's words are being twisted by her opponent in order to malign her character and good-name, and to make political points," Wicker tweeted. In a separate tweet, he wrote: "Cindy Hyde-Smith has great respect for all Mississippians."

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Thomas Beaumont contributed to this report from Des Moines, Iowa. For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics .

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., speaks to supporters of her campaign during an election night party she shared with fellow Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, right, in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. Hyde-Smith, who was appointed to the seat, is in a Nov. 27 runoff against Mike Espy in this non-partisan race. The winner will serve the last two years of the six-year term vacated when Republican Thad Cochran retired for health reasons. (Sarah Warnock/The Clarion-Ledger via AP)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - The Church of God in Christ says it is moving its Holy Convocation to Memphis, Tennessee, starting in 2021.

The Protestant church known as COGIC said in a statement that its board, its legislative body and Bishop Charles Blake Sr. have voted to hold the convention in Memphis through 2023. It has been held for the last nine years in St. Louis and will take place again there next year.

COGIC is headquartered in Memphis. In a statement, Blake said "Memphis has special significance in the spiritual and cultural life of COGIC and we are pleased to return to the place of our origin."

COGIC's website says it is a Pentecostal denomination with about 6.5 million members worldwide.

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland welcomed the convention back to the city.
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Federal prosecutors in Vermont have closed their investigation into a college land deal involving the wife of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and decided not to charge her, a spokesman for the couple said Tuesday.

Jane Sanders was informed by the U.S. attorney's office that she would not be charged, Sanders spokesman Jeff Weaver said.

Jane Sanders is grateful the investigation is over.

"As she has said from the beginning, she has done nothing wrong and Jane is pleased that the matter has now come to a conclusion," Weaver said in an email.

U.S. attorney's office spokesman Kraig LaPorte said he could not deny or confirm that an investigation took place.

Federal investigators had been looking into the finances behind a real estate deal for the now defunct Burlington College, where Jane Sanders served as president from 2004 to 2011.

In 2010, she had worked out a $10 million deal for the college to buy 32 acres of waterfront land in Burlington on Lake Champlain and a 77,000-square-foot former orphanage and administrative offices of Vermont's Roman Catholic Church, which needed the money to settle a series of priest sex abuse cases.

Jane Sanders, a longtime political adviser to her husband, promised at the time that the deal would be paid for with increases in enrollment and about $2.7 million in donations. She left the school a year later. The enrollment increase and the promised donations didn't happen and by 2014, the college had about $11 million debt. It sold much of the waterfront land and closed in 2016, with officials citing debt from the land deal as a major reason.

Weaver has said the allegations were politically motivated attacks. The initial complaint was filed in early 2016 by attorney Brady Toensing, who served as the Vermont campaign chairman for Donald Trump's presidential run.

Toensing sent a letter to federal authorities alleging that in 2010 Jane Sanders made fraudulent claims while seeking $10 million in financing for the real estate deal.

Toensing released a written statement Tuesday.

"It is a shame Burlington College Students, the Catholic Diocese, hard-working Vermont tradesmen, and others lost so much as a result of Ms. Sanders's misconduct, but I am pleased that the matter was professionally investigated and assessed," he wrote. "Criminal standards are extremely high, but now that the investigation is over, I look forward to a full explanation from Senator Sanders and his wife about the financial discrepancies in her loan application and the Senator's involvement in procuring the loan."

The conclusion of the investigation does not make a difference to Bernie Sanders' political career, retired Middlebury College Political Science Professor Eric Davis said.

"He's one of the most popular people in Vermont and the end of this investigation is certainly not going to change that," he said.

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Associated Press writer Wilson Ring contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Did someone say caravan?

One week after Election Day, President Donald Trump's daily drumbeat of warnings about a caravan of "bad thugs" and potential terrorists intent on invading the U.S. from Mexico has largely fallen silent.

The migrant caravans are still trudging along, the largest still about 1,000 miles from the southern border, but Trump - and many in the conservative media - have dramatically reduced the frequency and intensity of their dire warnings now that they no longer feel the same urgency to stir up GOP voters.

Trump and his media allies have largely moved on: They're more focused now on the possibility of electoral chicanery in recounts in the Florida Senate and governor's races.

Within the West Wing and in Trump's orbit of allies, there is a sense that the caravan was a useful midterm messaging tool, one that became the centerpiece of an eleventh-hour pre-election strategy modeled on the president's 2016 campaign pledges to crack down on illegal immigration, according to four White House officials and outside advisers not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations.

But once the election was over, the president's attention turned elsewhere, the officials and advisers said.

Honduran migrants Marta Esperanza and Reyes River travel in a truck with Marta's son Oscar Alejandro along the highway that connects Guadalajara with Tepic, Mexico, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, as they travel with a migrant caravan. Many migrants say they are fleeing rampant poverty, gang violence and political instability primarily in the Central American countries of Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

For weeks before the election, the caravan was a dominant news story. The largest caravan was believed to have formed in Honduras on Oct. 12 and first was featured in a "Fox & Friends" segment four days later, which prompted a tweet from the show's most famous fan.

As the midterms approached, Trump and his conservative allies flooded the zone with harsh rhetoric and hardline policy proposals, including sending troops to the border, revoking birthright citizenship and an ad featuring a Latino man convicted of killing two police officers that was widely condemned as racist.

But the caravan was Trump's favorite talking point. During his final blitz of campaign rallies, he hammered at the threat night after night and, without evidence, suggested that Democrats were supporting - and perhaps funding - the march of migrants.

"Democrats are inviting caravan after caravan of illegal aliens to pour into our country, overwhelming your schools, your hospitals, and your communities," Trump said in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, on election eve. "If you want more caravans, if you want more crime, vote Democrat tomorrow. ... If you want strong borders and safe communities, no drugs, no caravans, vote Republican."

Trump ratcheted up his rhetoric on Twitter too. One tweet read: "We will NOT let these Caravans, which are also made up of some very bad thugs and gang members, into the U.S. Our Border is sacred, must come in legally. TURN AROUND!"

That tweet, on Oct. 31, was his last on the subject. Since the election, he's invoked the caravan only once. Asked about it during a news conference last Wednesday, Trump said "I'm not just talking about the caravans" when talking about militarizing the southern border and his proposed wall.

The thousands of Central American migrants in the largest caravan have been leapfrogging their way across western Mexico, despite the prospect of a hostile reception at the border. Most appeared intent on taking the Pacific coast route northward to the border city of Tijuana, which was still about 1,350 miles (2,200 kilometers) away.

On Friday, Trump signed a proclamation restricting asylum applications but did so with little fanfare and no press coverage before he departed for a trip to Paris. The White House did not respond to a request for comment on whether further action on immigration was imminent.

"Clearly, this was an election-eve stunt designed to whip up the base that really didn't have much foundation in fact and, clearly, when the election was over there was no need to keep beating those drums," said Mark Feldstein, journalism professor at the University of Maryland. He added that what the conservative media did with the story was "really toxic" and divided an already polarized country.

"The very fact that they dropped it so suddenly is just further confirmation of how bogus the story was in the first place," Feldstein said.

Fox News spent more than 33 hours discussing the caravan through Election Day, according to a study by Media Matters, a progressive media watchdog organization. On Nov. 7, the day after the election, Fox had no discussions centered on the caravan. On Nov. 8, the network spent four minutes and 57 seconds on discussions centered on the caravan, according to the study.

Some Republicans said the caravan's fade from the spotlight was a natural part of the election cycle.

"Every election, there are a series of issues that rise to artificial highs and then, once the votes are cast, settle back down to normal noise," said Ari Fleischer, former press secretary to President George W. Bush. "Both parties do it; this isn't some trumped up phony issue. The caravan will be back in the news once it gets closer to the border."

Trump had suggested sending up to 15,000 troops to the border; currently there are approximately 1,000 at the border itself and another 4,800 in staging areas nearby. The deployment is scheduled to end Dec. 15 but that could be changed, extended or shortened.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis plans to visit the border Wednesday. He was asked by a reporter Tuesday whether the military mission along the border of south Texas will change, now that the lead migrant caravan in Mexico is headed much farther west.

"Right now, the mission is exactly what it is," he said. "We'll have to see what the future holds. But right now that's the only mission I have."

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Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writers David Bauder in New York and Robert Burns in Washington contributed reporting.

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Follow Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire and Lucey at http://twitter.com/@catherine_lucey

Members of a Central American migrant caravan hoping to reach the U.S. border travel in a police bus in Guadalajara, Mexico, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. The thousands of Central American migrants left shelters in Guadalajara early Tuesday and were taken by bus to a highway tollbooth to wait for rides to their next destination, however, no other buses showed up and few trucks passed to pick them up, leaving many to walk. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Central American migrants moving in a caravan toward the U.S. border sing Honduras' national anthem as they prepare to depart Guadalajara, Mexico, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. Many say they are fleeing rampant poverty, gang violence and political instability primarily in the Central American countries of Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
BEGGS, Okla. (AP) - Classes have been canceled at an Oklahoma school district so students can attend funeral services for two students who were shot to death.

Beggs Public Schools was closed Tuesday for funerals of 16-year-old Kloee Toliver and her 18-year-old brother, Kayson Toliver.

Okmulgee County deputies say Kayson and Kloee were both shot by their mother, 38-year-old Amy Hall, on Nov. 1 in their home about 35 miles (55 kilometers) southwest of Tulsa. Authorities say Hall also tried to shoot her 14-year-old daughter.

Kayson died at the scene while Kloee died on Nov. 6 after being declared brain dead . Authorities say her organs were donated.

Hall is being held on two counts of first-degree murder and one of shooting with intent to kill. Jail records don't indicate if she has an attorney.
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - The Trump administration plans to appeal a federal court ruling that would allow oil and gas drilling on land considered sacred to Native American tribes in Montana and Canada, U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said Tuesday.

Zinke said it would be inappropriate to allow drilling in northwestern Montana's Badger-Two Medicine area, site of the creation story for the Blackfoot tribes. He's asked government attorneys to appeal a September ruling that reinstated a nearly 10-square-mile (26-square-kilometer) oil and gas lease in the area bordering the Blackfeet Reservation and Glacier National Park.

The lease had been cancelled under President Barack Obama at the urging of the tribes and environmentalists before it was reinstated by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon.

"I have tremendous respect for the Blackfeet Nation and strongly believe resource development in these most sacred of lands would be inappropriate," Zinke said in a Tuesday interview with The Associated Press.

An appeal will pit Zinke's agency against an oil and gas company's development plans - a relatively uncommon position for the pro-energy Trump administration.

Lease owner Solenex LLC of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, had urged Zinke to uphold its drilling rights.

FILE - In this March 25, 2016, file photo, the sun sets over the Badger-Two Medicine area near Browning, Mont. U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke says the Trump administration will appeal a federal court ruling that reinstated a lease for oil and gas drilling in the area. (Greg Lindstrom/Flathead Beacon via AP, File)

"I'm very disappointed," Solenex attorney William "Perry" Pendley with the Mountain States Legal Foundation. "What Zinke is asking for is the right of a secretary of Interior to cancel any oil and gas lease at any time for any reason."

Solenex has held the lease for more than 30 years. It has not yet drilled because of numerous bureaucratic delays within the U.S. departments of Interior and Agriculture that prompted the company to sue in 2013.

The Badger-Two Medicine area is part of the Rocky Mountain Front, a scenic expanse of forested mountains that's been subject to a long campaign to block oil and gas development and mining.

Congress in 2006 provided tax breaks and other incentives that prompted 29 leaseholders to relinquish their drilling rights, but some leaseholders declined the offers. Fifteen leases in the area were given up voluntarily by Devon Energy in 2016, and the government later canceled what had been the last two leases in the area.

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Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MatthewBrownAP
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - North Dakota's Health Department did not improperly discount its own concerns about pollution from a proposed oil refinery near Theodore Roosevelt National Park when it permitted the project earlier this year, attorneys for the agency and for the developer argue.

The department and Meridian Energy Group are asking a state judge to reject a challenge by environmental groups to an air quality permit that allowed the company to begin construction during the summer at the Davis Refinery site about 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the state's top tourist attraction.

The department's decision to issue the permit in June essentially concluded that the refinery will be a minor source of pollution and won't negatively impact the park. Assistant Attorney General Margaret Olson in court documents filed Nov. 5 said the decision "was not made in haste," but after a two-year review that involved more than 1,000 hours of department staff time and more than 10,000 comments from the public.

"Because of the public interest in the Davis Refinery and its proximity to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the department conducted a more in-depth review than typically required," she wrote.

Meridian maintains the Davis Refinery will be built with modern technology and will be the "the cleanest refinery on the planet." The company began site work in July.

Opponents worry about pollution in the 30,000-acre (12,000-hectare) park that draws more than 700,000 visitors annually.

FILE - In this July 5, 2018, file photo, eroded hills are shown in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in western North Dakota. Attorneys for North Dakota's Health Department say the agency didn't improperly discount its own concerns about a proposed oil refinery near the park when it permitted the project earlier this year. The department and developer Meridian Energy Group want a state judge to reject a challenge by environmental groups to an air quality permit that allowed the company to begin construction last summer at the Davis Refinery site about 3 miles from the park. (AP Photo/Blake Nicholson, File)

The National Parks Conservation Association, the Environmental Law and Policy Center and the Dakota Resource Council sued in July. The groups argue the Health Department initially had concerns about the amount of harmful pollutants the refinery might generate and assert that the agency didn't adequately explain its eventual conclusion that the refinery wouldn't be a major source of pollution.

"The result here is that Meridian will be allowed to build a new petroleum refinery under unrealistic and unproven air pollution limits that Meridian will very likely not meet," plaintiffs' attorneys Derrick Braaten and Scott Strand wrote.

The groups want state District Judge Dann Greenwood to vacate the permit and order the Health Department to either adequately explain its rationale or to launch a permit process for a major polluting refinery.

The state maintains its review process was more than adequate, and it also says Meridian provided information that eased initial concerns about refinery pollution. Once built, the plant will need to prove it can meet state and federal air quality standards, and compliance will be continually monitored.

Olson and Meridian attorney Lawrence Bender both asked Greenwood to uphold the state's permit decision. The judge has scheduled a Dec. 12 hearing in Dickinson.

A separate hearing before a state administrative law judge is scheduled Wednesday in Bismarck over a state permit Meridian needs to use underground water for the refinery. Neighboring landowners are challenging a recommendation from the state engineer to approve the request.

The Environmental Law and Policy Center and the Dakota Resource Council also sued in state court Friday over the decision last month by the state's Public Service Commission not to study the appropriateness of the refinery site. The two groups question an administrative law judge's conclusion that the commission doesn't have jurisdiction because the refinery will be too small to warrant review under state law.

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Follow Blake Nicholson on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/NicholsonBlake
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - A Delaware inmate charged in a deadly prison riot testified Tuesday that he did not assault or kill anyone, and that he was expecting inmates to stage a peaceful protest about prison conditions.

Jarreau Ayers, who is acting as his own attorney, took the stand to give his account of what happened during the February 2017 riot at Delaware's maximum-security prison, where a guard was killed and three other staffers taken hostage.

Ayers, 37, denied killing, assaulting or kidnapping anyone but said he accepted responsibility for his actions during the disturbance and would not try to point the finger at other inmates.

"I refuse to do it. I'm not going to do it for a not-guilty verdict. I'm not going to do it for anything," he told jurors.

Ayers, who is serving life in prison for murder, is one of three inmates being tried on murder, assault and kidnapping charges. They are among 17 inmates charged in the riot, 16 of whom are charged with murder in the death of Sgt. Steven Floyd. The others face trials over the next several months.

"Sergeant Floyd shouldn't have died. I agree with that," Ayers said. "Bad things happen when you have good intentions."

FILE - This Dec. 22, 2017, file photo shows the front entrance of the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, Del. Delaware taxpayers have shelled out more than $360,000 in legal defense costs for 18 prisoners charged in a deadly prison riot last year - and the bills will continue to pile up as the trials get under way. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Ayers told jurors that he knew something was going to happen at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna but didn't know exactly what. He said he was in the recreation yard when inmates inside a building staged the takeover, recalling that he felt frustrated when he realized what was happening because he expected inmates to stand together in the yard in a show of solidarity.

"They chose for me not to be part of that situation. That was a decision they made that I still take issue with at times," he said.

In the weeks and months leading up to the riot, inmates had staged peaceful protests over issues such as phone and shower time, said Ayers, who acknowledged talking to another inmate, convicted murderer Royal Downs, about a similar protest. Refusing to come in from the recreation yard or staying on the prison tier and refusing to lock into their cells were two options to get the attention of prison administrators, he suggested.

A review ordered by Democratic Gov. John Carney after the riot found that Department of Correction officials' dismissal of warnings about trouble brewing was indicative of an overcrowded, understaffed facility plagued by mismanagement, poor communication, a culture of negativity, and adversarial relationships among prison staff, administrators and inmates.

Since the riot, state officials have devoted millions of dollars to security upgrades, staff training, improved programming for inmates and salary increases for correctional officers. Last week, they said hundreds of inmates would be transferred to Pennsylvania in an effort to reduce mandatory overtime in the severely understaffed guard ranks at Vaughn.

Co-defendant Dwayne Staats, a convicted killer who is also serving life and representing himself, told jurors that he planned the uprising with the realization that it could be violent and recruited six other inmates to carry it out.

"My goal was to do something to expose this place to where the public and the government would take notice. I say I got their attention," said Staats, 37. "A lot of stuff wasn't being addressed until that happened."

"When you get into a 'by any means' mode, sometimes you do what is necessary," Staats later explained under cross-examination.

At the same time, he denied assaulting anyone and said Floyd's death was not part of the plan.

"The people that participated in the uprising, the takeover - the murder was something isolated from that. Somebody splintered off the takeover and turned it into a murder," he said.

In addition to Floyd being killed, two other correctional officers were beaten and tormented by inmates before being released. Hours later, response teams used a backhoe to breach a wall and rescue a female counselor who was still being held hostage. She was not injured.

The third defendant, Deric Forney, 29, denied any role in the uprising and said he did not find out until being questioned by an FBI agent afterward that Floyd had died. He recalled how he prayed when he realized response teams were breaching the building and got on the floor of his cell as a flash-bang grenade exploded near him.

"I didn't know if I was going to get out alive," Forney said, breaking down in tears.

Forney, like many other inmates, said he was beaten by officers who stormed the building.

"They came in, came in rough," he testified.

A class-action lawsuit filed two weeks ago on behalf of scores of inmates at the prison alleges that they were subjected to inhumane conditions and physical and verbal abuse both before and after the riot.

Closing arguments in the criminal trial are scheduled for Thursday.
BALTIMORE (AP) - Several Roman Catholic bishops on Tuesday urged colleagues at their national meeting to take some sort of action on the clergy sex abuse crisis despite a Vatican order to delay voting on key proposals.

Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, suggested a nonbinding vote to convey a sense of the bishops' aspirations regarding anti-abuse efforts.

"We are not branch managers of the Vatican," he said. "Our people are crying out for some action."

Bishop George Murry of Youngstown, Ohio, echoed Paprocki's call, saying parishioners and priests in his diocese are "very, very angry."

The three-day assembly opened Monday with a surprise announcement by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Vatican, he said, was ordering the bishops to delay votes on two anti-abuse proposals until after a Vatican-convened global meeting on sex abuse in February.

DiNardo indicated there were two principal reasons for the Vatican order: to ensure that steps taken by the U.S. bishops would be in harmony with steps decided at the February meeting, and to provide more time for vetting aspects of the U.S. proposals that might conflict with church law.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, center, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, participates in a morning prayer alongside Jose Gomez, archbishop of Los Angeles and conference vice president, at left, and Rev. J. Brian Bransfield, conference general secretary, at the USCCB's annual fall meeting, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Even without the option of a formal vote this week, the U.S. bishops proceeded with discussion of the two key proposals. One would establish a new code of conduct of individual bishops; the other would create a nine-member special commission, including six lay experts and three members of the clergy, to review complaints against the bishops.

The lay members would include experts in law enforcement, social work and psychology, as well as at least one survivor of clergy abuse, Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron said.

However, the bishops are under pressure to take additional steps, as stressed in an address to the assembly Tuesday by Francesco Cesareo, chairman of the National Review Board, which the bishops created in 2002 to monitor the church's efforts to prevent clergy sex abuse.

"Your response to this crisis has been incomplete," said Cesareo, calling for more accountability. "It is shameful that the sin of abuse was hidden and allowed to fester until uncovered by the secular world."

He cited the grand jury report released in August in Pennsylvania. It detailed decades of abuse and cover-up in six dioceses, alleging more than 1,000 children had been abused over the years by about 300 priests. Since then, a federal prosecutor in Philadelphia has begun working on a federal criminal case centered on child exploitation, and attorneys general in at least 11 other states have launched investigations.

"How many souls have been lost because of this crisis?" Cesareo said.

He urged all U.S. bishops to commit to conducting a thorough review of their dioceses' files, dating to at least 1950, and publicly sharing a list of any clergy who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors or vulnerable adults.

Some bishops had taken this step, he noted, and urged the others to follow suit.

Cesareo also endorsed the bishop conference's proposal for a thorough investigation of the scandal involving disgraced church leader Theodore McCarrick. Pope Francis removed McCarrick as a cardinal in July after church investigators said an allegation that he groped a teenage altar boy in the 1970s was credible.

Subsequently, several former seminarians and priests reported they too had been abused or harassed by McCarrick as adults, triggering debate over who might have known and covered up McCarrick's misconduct.

At one point during the morning session, Bishop Shawn McKnight, of Jefferson City, Missouri, expressed dismay that the Vatican "doesn't trust us" and asked Cesareo what the USCCB should do.

"Decisively act on this issue and continually move it forward," Cesareo replied. "If that doesn't happen, I fear for the future of our church."

Among those attending the assembly was James Timlin, a retired Pennsylvania bishop who was faulted by the state grand jury for his handling of clergy sex abuse and barred from representing the diocese in public.

Also on hand was former Bishop Robert Finn, who once led the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, and pleaded guilty to failing to report a suspected priestly child abuser. Pope Francis in 2015 accepted Finn's resignation, offered under the code of canon law that allows bishops to resign early for illness or some "grave" reason that makes them unfit for office.

Bishop Christopher Coyne of Burlington, Vermont, said the USCCB didn't have the authority to ban any ordained bishop, active or retired, from attending the assembly.

Outside the conference venue along Baltimore's waterfront, hundreds of people gathered in a protest rally organized by far-right Catholics, including the group Church Militant. Some held placards denouncing homosexuality in the priesthood, asserting that it was behind clergy sex abuse.

Ulana Campbell, of Wilmington, Delaware, was one of roughly 400 participants at the rally. She said the bishops appeared incapable of stopping clergy sex abuse.

"These bishops are absolutely corrupted by power. I think the true church is going to have to go underground," Campbell said. "I am an angry Catholic, but I refuse to leave my faith."

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Crary reported from New York.

Members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops gather at the USCCB's annual fall meeting, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, left, prepares to lead at the USCCB's annual fall meeting, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, at left, speaks with James Rogers, the USCCB's chief communications officer, at the conference's annual fall meeting, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Bishop Emeritus Robert Finn, of Kansas City, Mo., center, speaks with fellow members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at the USCCB's annual fall meeting, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) - A corporate strategist from Michigan has given Mayo Clinic its largest gift ever - $200 million.

The Rochester-based medical center announced Tuesday that its School of Medicine will be named for the philanthropist, Jay Alix, of Birmingham, Michigan. He also has been named to the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees.

Alix said his interest in Mayo began in the 1980s when he studied its business model as he was creating what would become AlixPartners, his consulting firm. The Alix Foundation has given Mayo millions of dollars in recent years toward improving its clinical care. The latest record gift is aimed at helping prepare the medical school for the future and make medical education more affordable.

"This gift will have a long-lasting impact as we boldly transform medical education and research training so the next generation of care providers can improve patient care, accelerate discovery and advance the practice of medicine," Mayo's president and chief executive, Dr. John Noseworthy, said in a statement.

Alix said he is concerned about the rising costs of medical education driving away potential doctors. He also wants to help Mayo prepare the medical school for the future.

"We're going to need a lot more doctors and we'll need those doctors to be the best and the brightest," Alix said.

The cost of medical school at Mayo is about $50,000 per year. The endowment will increase scholarships to lower the cost of attending the medical school.

Alix also wants Mayo to use his donation to build new medical education programs around emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence.

"The doctors of tomorrow will then be able to become the medical leaders we need," he said.

In honor of Alix's $200 million gift, the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine is being re-named the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on four operatives linked to the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah over its actions in Iraq.

In a statement Tuesday, the Treasury Department called Hezbollah "a terrorist proxy for the Iranian regime that seeks to undermine Iraqi sovereignty and destabilize the Middle East."

The sanctions targeted Ubayd Al-Zaydi, Yusuf Hashim, Adnan Hussein Kawtharani, and Muhammad 'Abd-Al-Hadi Farhat, who were said to have provided financial, material and technological support to Hezbollah in Iraq.

The action followed the Trump administration's decision this month to re-impose oil and banking sanctions on Iran over its financing of militant groups like Hezbollah, its military engagement in Syria and its nuclear program.

The sanctions freeze any assets the four operatives may have under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibit Americans from doing business with them.
FLINT, Mich. (AP) - A Montreal man who told investigators that his "mission was to kill and be killed" was convicted of terrorism and other crimes Tuesday in the stabbing of a Michigan airport officer.

It was a slam dunk for federal prosecutors: Witnesses saw Amor Ftouhi attack Lt. Jeff Neville at the Flint airport in June 2017 and wrestled him to the ground.

Ftouhi, 53, was convicted of three crimes. He's a native of Tunisia who was living in Montreal at the time of the stabbing.

"This isn't a mystery. He was caught right there. He has the knife in his hand," Assistant U.S. Attorney Cathleen Corken told jurors.

Investigators say Ftouhi wanted to stab Neville , take his gun and start shooting people in the airport. He legally drove into the U.S. at Champlain, New York, and arrived in Flint five days later. He tried but failed to buy a gun at a gun show and instead bought a large knife.

Witnesses said he yelled, "Allahu akbar" - God is great - during the attack.

FILE - This undated file photo released by the FBI, shows Amor Ftouhi, of Canada. Ftouhi was indicted in the stabbing of a police officer on June 21, 2017, at an airport in Flint, Mich. A judge has ordered federal marshals to use a "minimum amount of force" if necessary to bring Ftouhi to court for a final hearing before he faces trial in the stabbing. He's due in court again Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018, to discuss the Nov. 5 trial. Ftouhi declined to leave his cell during a previous hearing in Flint federal court. (FBI via AP, File)

Neville survived but has lost feeling in part of his face as a result of being stabbed in the neck.

"This is what a Muslim is born for," Ftouhi said in a handwritten note to his wife that was found in his apartment.

FBI agent Shadi Elreda told jurors about his interview with Ftouhi after his arrest. He said Ftouhi was upset that Neville might survive.

"His mission was to kill and be killed. He said his mission was not over," Elreda testified.

Ftouhi's lawyers didn't offer an opening statement at trial and didn't call any witnesses. In her closing argument, attorney Joan Morgan said Ftouhi was unstable and believed it would be easier to be killed by police in the U.S. than in Canada.

"He was a person who was absolutely looking for a way out," she said.
SEATTLE (AP) - As Amazon turns its attention to setting up new homes in Long Island City, New York and Arlington, Virginia, experts and historians in Seattle say both places can expect a delicate relationship with the world's hottest online retailer.

The communities will be subject to outsized influence from a company used to getting what it wants and unfazed by blame, fairly or not, for widespread changes all around.

Just look to the Pacific Northwest, where both Amazon and Seattle have transformed dramatically together and sometimes at odds over the past 24 years, prompting resentment among a certain crowd of wistful "mossback" natives.

But there is a key difference.

The New York city and DC-area picks allow the company to strategically sidestep and diffuse many of the growing pains Amazon has been accused of inflicting on its Seattle hometown. That's because the pending moves will shift Amazon from the "MVP" employer role it plays here, to a mere "VIP" employer position in two of America's largest, most robust locales.

A Fitch Ratings analysis notes that 25,000 Amazon jobs would amount to less than 1 percent of the labor force in either New York's or DC's metropolitan statistical area. Both also already have a large concentration of personal incomes in the six-figure bracket.

In this Nov. 9, 2018 photo, construction workers mix with the noon lunch-hour crowd outside an Amazon Go store in downtown Seattle. As Amazon turns its attention to setting up new homes in Long Island City in New York and Arlington, Va., experts and historians in Seattle say both places can expect a delicate relationship with the world's hottest online retailer. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

In Seattle, Amazon's workforce has grown from 5,000 to 45,000 employees since 2010, while its physical footprint in the downtown core grew from 1 million to 8 million square feet today.

Matthew Gardner, chief economist with the Windermere Real Estate company in Seattle, estimates that Amazon's crew of highly-educated, well-paid techies makes up about 15 percent of downtown Seattle's total workers.

Amazon says it spent $4 billion developing its Seattle home after claiming the once-sleepy South Lake Union warehouse district that's unofficially rebranded "Amazonia" because of the company's 44-building (and counting) development spree.

The company says it has infused $38 billion into the city's economy between 2010 and 2016.

The downtown core today is a bustling employment center that is complemented with extra bus routes subsidized by Amazon, which claims half of its employees walk, bike or take public transit to work.

The area is also buoyed by blue-badged Amazon workers having lunch in small local eateries and food trucks outside. The Downtown Seattle Association said more than 2,000 small businesses have opened in downtown Seattle since Amazon showed up.

That's also meant a steady blockade of construction work in pockets of downtown, which also coincides with major traffic congestion caused by two long-overdue public transportation projects on Interstate 5 and Highway 99. Critics also lament Seattle's metamorphosis from a modest blue-collar region fueled by timber, fishing and factory jobs, to the city's status as a star tech hub that was cemented by Amazon and then drew Facebook and Google to set up key outposts here.

Seattle's new concentration of highly-educated, well-paid techies infused in a post-Great Recession era has contributed to a vicious housing market. As a majority of them are young and single renters, Gardner said average city rents have increased by more than 70 percent since 2010, to nearly $2,000 a month. Meanwhile, the average cost of a single-family house has increased by nearly 90 percent to an average price of $844,000.

The tension around Amazon's growth hit a peak this year as the city struggled to address its homelessness crisis. Amazon successfully fought a proposed city tax that would have helped fund more services. Local officials quickly bowed down to the city's top employer after Amazon threatened to pull development projects. The bitter battle further bruised CEO and founder Jeff Bezos' "corporate citizen" reputation and also overshadowed the growing, though relatively small portfolio of philanthropy Amazon has done in the city for homelessness.

For the first two decades in existence, Amazon.com's business blossomed quietly in Seattle, starting as a literary dot-com darling and expanding into the "Everything Store." In fact, Amazon in 1994 was warmly embraced by a city proud of its innovative legacy tied to Boeing and Microsoft, but also committed to being an affordable, creative enclave out West.

It's in the last five years that the acceleration of change has been so intense that the growing pains between Amazon and Seattle have been stark and visceral.

Knute Berger, a longtime Seattle columnist who has chronicled the city from a native perspective, recalls the days when Amazon hired local journalists and writers to produce high-quality content to help sell books on its platform. But Amazon's widespread success was later seen as a threat on traditional bookstores and print publishing on the whole.

"At some point, they crossed the line from being a creative dot-com to 'The Man,'" Berger said.

With all of this in the rearview and looking forward to its new headquarter cities, Margaret O'Mara, a tech industry historian and University of Washington professor, said there's an opportunity for an Amazon fresh start. She urged the company to forge a new path as a community-conscious tech giant who will support local taxes as needed.

"Building a neighborhood that's a really great place to be a tech employee but not built for anyone else, from a city's perspective, it's not the kind of sustainable development you want to have," O'Mara said.

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Follow Sally Ho on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_SallyHo

In this Nov. 9, 2018 photo, the Space Needle is seen behind a construction project near the Amazon Spheres in downtown Seattle. As Amazon turns its attention to setting up new homes in Long Island City in New York and Arlington, Va., experts and historians in Seattle say both places can expect a delicate relationship with the world's hottest online retailer. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

In this Nov. 9, 2018 photo, a streetcar wrapped with an advertisement for Amazon.com's same-day Prime Now delivery service passes through downtown Seattle. As Amazon turns its attention to setting up new homes in Long Island City in New York and Arlington, Va., experts and historians in Seattle say both places can expect a delicate relationship with the world's hottest online retailer. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

In this Nov. 9, 2018 photo, a pedestrian walks near the Amazon Spheres in downtown Seattle. As Amazon turns its attention to setting up new homes in Long Island City in New York and Arlington, Va., experts and historians in Seattle say both places can expect a delicate relationship with the world's hottest online retailer. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

In this Nov. 9, 2018 photo, workers line up for lunch from the Seattle Mamak Malaysian Cuisine food truck near the Amazon.com campus in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood. As Amazon turns its attention to setting up new homes in Long Island City in New York and Arlington, Va., experts and historians in Seattle say both places can expect a delicate relationship with the world's hottest online retailer. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

In this Nov. 9, 2018 photo, the Space Needle is seen in the background of street partially blocked by a construction project in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood. As Amazon turns its attention to setting up new homes in Long Island City in New York and Arlington, Va., experts and historians in Seattle say both places can expect a delicate relationship with the world's hottest online retailer. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - At the center of Florida's vote recount storm is an elections supervisor with a checkered past whose Democratic-dominated county has been the target of protests and accusations, including by President Donald Trump, that something fraudulent is afoot.

Lawyers for Republican Gov. Rick Scott, who is in a razor-thin Senate race with incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson, have claimed that Broward Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes committed fraud without presenting any evidence. Trump has echoed those claims on Twitter.

State monitors and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement say there are no indications of fraud in the county's vote.

Yet, Snipes, a Democrat, remains a target for the GOP, including former Gov. Jeb Bush, who appointed her to the post in 2003 when the previous supervisor was accused of malfeasance and now says Snipes should be removed. Snipes has been re-elected since then, and is unapologetic about her record.

"I've worked here for about 15 years, and I have to say this the first time that this office or I have been under such attacks," Snipes told reporters Monday. "There have been issues that haven't gone the way we wanted it. You can call it a mistake or you can call it whatever you want to call it."

On Tuesday, Snipes hinted to reporters that she might not run for re-election in 2020 - "It is time to move on," she said - but quickly added that no final decision has been made.

FILE- In this Nov. 9, 2018 file photo Brenda Snipes, left, Broward County Supervisor of Elections, looks at a ballot with Betsy Benson, canvasing board chair during a canvasing board meeting in Lauderhill, Fla. Snipes is a target for the GOP, including former Gov. Jeb Bush, who appointed her to the post in 2003. Snipes, a Democrat, has been re-elected since then, and is unapologetic about her record. (AP Photo/Joe Skipper, File)

"I'll check with my family and they'll tell me what I'm doing," she said.

Since Snipes has been in office, there seems to be a long list of these mistakes.

Earlier this year, for example, a judge ruled she broke election law by destroying ballots in a 2016 congressional primary race involving Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz without waiting the required 22 months. Also in 2016, a medical marijuana amendment didn't appear on some Broward ballots, and again that year results from primary elections were posted on the office's website before polls had closed.

A week after the 2012 election, about 1,000 uncounted ballots were suddenly discovered. And in 2004, about 58,000 mail-in ballots were not delivered, requiring workers to hurry to replace them.

Just last week, a judge found that Snipes had violated Florida open records laws by failing to quickly provide voting records to attorneys for Scott's Senate campaign.

"This is not a case about counting votes. This is a simple case about access to information that the supervisor of elections was required to have and required to provide," said Scott lawyer Jordan Zimmerman. "This is simply public information the public is entitled to."

Snipes, 68, a native of Talladega, Alabama, moved to Broward County in 1964 to begin what became a long career as an educator. She eventually rose to become an area director in the public school system, leading principals from 16 schools, according to the supervisor's office web site.

In 2003 Bush appointed her to the supervisor's position after her predecessor, Miriam Oliphant, was removed from office because of numerous problems in the 2002 primary election.

Now Bush is calling for Snipes to be removed after the ongoing recount .

Scott has not commented on whether he would take such a step. However, in his nearly eight years as governor, Scott has only suspended or removed elected officials when they are charged with crimes.

Snipes remains a target of Trump and other Republicans, including a cadre of protesters who have sometimes broken into chants of "lock her up," mainly because of their claims she is trying to tilt the elections for Senate and governor to the Democrats. Scott has a slim lead over Nelson and Republican Ron DeSantis is ahead of Democrat Andrew Gillum for governor.

Elections experts, however, say it's not unusual for contested or provisional votes in "blue" Democratic counties like Broward to mainly support that party.

"It is no surprise that Democrats gain votes later in the counting process in part because big cities tend to contain lots of Democratic votes, and given their population, cities take much longer to count," said Richard Hasen, law professor at the University of California-Irvine and author of books on election controversies, in an opinion article Monday in Slate.

"Although nerve-wracking, there's nothing at all nefarious about any of this protracted counting," he added.

Snipes' attorney, Eugene Pettis, said "people are going to scream fraud no matter what" and that the Broward process is moving forward in an orderly fashion. Snipes insists Broward will meet the Thursday deadline for all votes to be sent to the State Department.

"It takes time to go through those ballots. It should not be missed on anyone that state law permits until 12 o'clock four days after the election to submit your preliminary results. If it didn't take up to four days, the law wouldn't have put that in there," Pettis said.

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Associated Press video reporter Josh Replogle and writer Terry Spencer in Fort Lauderdale contributed to this report.

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Follow Curt Anderson on Twitter: http://miamicurt@twitter.com

FILE- In this Nov. 12, 2018 file photos, Broward County Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes answers questions at the Supervisor of Elections office in Lauderhill, Fla. Snipes is a target for the GOP, including former Gov. Jeb Bush, who appointed her to the post in 2003. Snipes, a Democrat, has been re-elected since then, and is unapologetic about her record. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) - Authorities in Ohio say two people found dead in a home died from gunshots, including a woman who was a reporter for Cleveland.com.

Perrysburg Township police in suburban Toledo say they found the two bodies Monday.

A coroner said Tuesday that 30-year-old Nikki Delamotte was shot several times. Delamotte had worked for Cleveland.com about two years and wrote human interest and culture stories.

The Wood County coroner says Delamotte's uncle, 67-year-old Robert Delamotte, of Perrysburg Township, died from a single gunshot.

Authorities have not said what happened. Detectives say it's a homicide investigation.

Cleveland.com reports Nikki Delamotte wanted to reconnect with her uncle after having little contact with her father's family since her parents divorced.

This July 14, 2016 photo shows Nikki Delamotte. Perrysburg Township police in suburban Toledo, Ohio, say they found two bodies inside a mobile home Monday morning, Nov. 12, 2018. One of those found dead was identified as 30-year-old Delamotte, who joined cleveland.com two years ago and wrote human interest and culture stories. Police identified the other person as Delamotte's uncle, 67-year-old Robert Delamotte, of Perrysburg Township. Detectives are calling the case a homicide investigation.(David Petkiewicz/The Plain Dealer via AP)

Delamotte's mother said her daughter went to visit her uncle Sunday.
ASHKELON, Israel (AP) - Loren Amar was watching TV with her father around midnight when an air-raid siren warning of incoming rocket fire blared through their working-class neighborhood in southern Israel.

Their old apartment had no in-house shelter, so they huddled in the stairway just before a rocket from Gaza slammed into the building next-door, sending shrapnel and debris flying into their bedrooms - and the 29-year-old Amar to the hospital with shock symptoms.

"The walls shook and the hallway filled with white smoke. It felt like an earthquake," she recalled Tuesday, a hospital identity tag still wrapped around her wrist. "The electricity went out and we didn't know whether to go up or down. I was hysterical."

It was the first lethal rocket attack from Gaza in years, and yet the only fatality was a Palestinian laborer from the West Bank. Two Israeli women were critically wounded.

In just 24 hours, Gaza militants fired more than 450 rockets and mortar shells into southern Israel, the most serious escalation since a 50-day war between Israel and Hamas in 2014. Israel responded with a wave of airstrikes it said targeted militants.

Residents angrily demanded the government restore calm for good, even if that means another war. Yet many people wearily expressed a sense of helplessness, as successive governments fail to come up with an effective policy to bring quiet to the Israel-Gaza frontier.

The facade of an apartment building shows damage after it was hit by a rocket fired by Palestinian militants from Gaza , in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, Israel, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Hamas militants seized Gaza in 2007, triggering an Israeli-Egyptian border blockade that has choked the territory of 2 million people. Israel refuses to lift the blockade unless Hamas disarms, a demand the militants refuse. The volatile standoff has produced repeated rounds of violence, including indiscriminate Gaza rocket fire at Israeli border towns.

Word late Tuesday that Gaza militants agreed to a cease-fire was unlikely to sway people's minds that there is no long-term solution to the Gaza conundrum.

"I don't know how you stop this thing. Nothing helps. Whatever you do it always comes back," said Shlomit Hayat, 38.

She noted that the deadly violence came just days after Israel allowed Qatar to deliver $15 million in cash to Gaza to alleviate its economic hardship and after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he'd do everything he can to prevent an "unnecessary" war.

The latest fighting was triggered by a botched Israeli raid into Gaza on Sunday that set off clashes resulting in the deaths of seven Palestinian militants, including a local Hamas commander, and a senior Israeli military officer. Palestinian militant groups said the rocket barrage was a message to Israel that such incursions have a cost.

Gazans have similar fears when fighting breaks out. While Israel says it has confined its airstrikes to military targets, hundreds of Palestinian civilians have been killed in the three previous wars. For many in Gaza, the latest outbreak of fighting brought back fears that no place is truly safe in the densely populated territory.

On Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike destroyed a six-story residential building in the Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City that housed a kindergarten on its ground floor. Israel said the building was used by Hamas for military purposes - a charge denied by residents.

"All the people here are civilians, children and families," said Mamdouh al-Shurafa, a building resident. "When we are bombed in the middle of the city, where can we go?"

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since the group seized Gaza from the internationally-backed Palestinian Authority in 2007. In the most recent war, over 2,200 Palestinians were killed, more than half of them civilians, and tens of thousands were left homeless. Seventy-three people, most of them soldiers, were killed on the Israeli side.

Israel's Iron Dome rocket-defense system and advanced warning networks have provided a large degree of protection from the rockets, which killed some 30 civilians in the decade prior to the 2014 war. Casualties have dropped considerably since then and a proliferation of rocket-proof safe rooms in newer buildings has allowed many Israelis to feel much safer in their own homes.

But this week's onslaught showed the system is not foolproof. The overnight rocket that slipped through penetrated the roof of a four-story apartment building, leaving the entire structure pockmarked, its windows blown out and the balcony shutters hanging limply.

Emergency forces evacuated a critically wounded woman to hospital. Only an hour later, a neighbor sifting through the rubble discovered the other wounded woman and the dead man. "I heard a murmur and then I saw a hand reach out," said Shlomi Lankry.

Relatives in the West Bank town of Halhoul identified the dead man as 48-year-old Mahmoud Abu Asbeh. A married father of six, he would typically sleep in Ashkelon during the week and return home for weekends.

"The rockets don't have eyes to see, they hit randomly, and this happened randomly, it was unintentional," said his father, Abdel Hamid Abu Asbeh. "Last night he told me the rockets are falling like rain. He said: 'May God protect us,' as if he expected something."

Those around the building were at a loss to describe the shock of a rocket landing in the heart of their neighborhood.

"It's like Russian Roulette," said Elie Mozes, 57. "It just comes out of nowhere."

Back at home after her stint in the hospital, Amar said she was at a loss to prescribe a solution. With glass strewn across her bed and holes blown through her hanging laundry, she said all she knew was that something had to be done.

"If anyone still lives in a fairytale that there will be peace here they need to snap out of it," she said.

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Associated Press writer Fares Akram in Gaza City contributed reporting.

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Follow Heller at www.twitter.com/aronhellerap

Palestinians survey a destroyed residential building hit by Israeli airstrikes, in Gaza City, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

Officials assess the damage to a house after it was hit by a rocket fired by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip, in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, Israel, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

A man injured in an apartment building hit by a rocket fired by Palestinian militants from Gaza, is bandaged in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, Israel, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. Gaza militants fired dozens of rockets at southern Israel early on Tuesday, killing a man in a strike on a residential building, and warning they would escalate their attacks if Israel continues bombing targets in the Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
MEDINA, Ohio (AP) - Police in Ohio say they found no signs of anyone with a gun at a hospital after reports of an active shooter led to a lockdown.

Police in Medina (meh-DYE'-nuh) say they searched the hospital floor by floor Tuesday afternoon before allowing it to reopen.

Officers rushed to the Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital after police they got reports about a woman with a gun threatening people.

Police say they found no witnesses or evidence that back up the initial reports.

The Cleveland Clinic says all patients and employees are safe at the hospital, southwest of Cleveland.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The Latest on arrests in the 2016 killing of eight family members in Ohio (all times local):

6 p.m.

A woman who has helped lead a social media group focused on the 2016 shootings of eight family members in rural Ohio says she's both shocked and relieved at news of arrests.

Verlina (ver-LEE'-nuh) Jarrell, of Circleville, Ohio, is co-administrator of a Facebook page about the "Pike County massacres' with some 650 members.

She says in an interview: "This has been so long coming. Thank God!"

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup says he's hopeful the arrests will help bring "much-needed closure" to the community that's part of the 2nd House District in southern Ohio. Wenstrup says via email he's optimistic that "justice can be served."

This undated images released by the Ohio Attorney General's office, shows George "Billy" Wagner III, one of four family members that has been arrested in the slayings of eight members of one family in rural Ohio two years ago, authorities announced Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. (Ohio Attorney General's office via AP)

The Wagner family of four was arrested and charged Tuesday in the killing of eight members of the Rhoden family. Their lawyer says they will be vindicated.

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4:30 p.m.

Authorities in Ohio say four family members arrested in the 2016 shootings of eight people carefully planned the killing for months.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced Tuesday that a grand jury indicted the four on aggravated murder charges and that each of them could be sentenced to death if convicted.

DeWine says he can't release many details about the motive but he did say the custody of young child played a role.

Authorities took into custody four members of the Wagner family who had lived in southern Ohio, but moved to Alaska after the killings.

A lawyer representing the family says they will be vindicated.

DeWine says the Wagner family knew the victims well and spent months studying their routines and the layouts of their homes.

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3:45 p.m.

A lawyer representing a family arrested for the killings of eight people in Ohio says the family will be vindicated.

Attorney John Clark represents the Wagner family who were arrested Tuesday for the 2016 killing of eight members of the Rhoden family in southern Ohio.

Clark says family members look forward to their day in court so they can clear their names.

Clark says in a statement the family is waiting for the day "when the true culprits will be discovered and brought to justice for this terrible tragedy."

Clark has previously said Wagner family members provided laptops, phones and DNA samples to investigators, and agreed to be interviewed about the slayings.

The Wagners lived in Peebles in southern Ohio at the time of the killings but later moved to Alaska.

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2:35 p.m.

Authorities say that one of the suspects in the shooting deaths of eight family members in rural Ohio has been arrested in Kentucky.

Lexington police and the FBI arrested 47-year-old George Billy Wagner on Tuesday in Lexington in a horse trailer that was pulled over.

The Ohio Attorney General's Office announced the arrest Tuesday of Wagner and three members of his family, who lived near the scenes of the killing.

No motive was announced.

Also arrested were Wagner's wife, 48-year-old Angela Wagner, and their sons, 27-year-old George Wagner and 26-year-old Edward Wagner.

A message was left with a lawyer who has been representing the Wagners in the investigation, and who has said previously the family cooperated with investigators.

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1 p.m.

Authorities say a family of four has been arrested in the slayings of eight members of another family in rural Ohio two years ago.

The Ohio Attorney General's Office announced the arrest Tuesday of four members of a family who lived near the scenes of the killing.

No motive was announced.

Those arrested are: 47-year-old George "Billy" Wagner III; his wife, 48-year-old Angela Wagner; and their sons, 27-year-old George Wagner and 26-year-old Edward Wagner. The Wagners had since moved to Alaska.

A message was left with a lawyer who has been representing the Wagners in the investigation. An attorney has said previously the family cooperated with investigators.

The arrests are the culmination of a massive investigative effort since seven adults and 16-year-old boy were found dead in 2016 at four homes near Piketon.

FILE - In this May 3, 2016, file photo, mourners gather around caskets for six of the eight members of the Rhoden family found shot April 22, 2016, at four properties near Piketon, Ohio, during funeral services at Scioto Burial Park in McDermott, Ohio. Authorities say Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, that a family of four has been arrested in in the slayings of eight members of one family in rural Ohio two years ago. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) - An Illinois judge ordered an investigation Tuesday into allegations that Rockford police intentionally gave prosecutors the wrong gun to send a man to prison for more than two decades for murder.

Winnebago County Judge Joseph McGraw gave the order the day Patrick Pursley's retrial was slated to start. He was convicted in 1994 for the murder of Andy Ascher, 22, during a robbery in Rockford, but last year Pursley, 52, won a new trial because ballistic testing proved the gun prosecutors used as evidence was not the homicide weapon.

The allegations against police arose after Ascher's mother informed prosecutors a detective said to her after Pursley's first trial that investigators never found the gun used to kill her son. She told prosecutors about the information last year after a judge ordered a new trial, but it was not disclosed to Pursley's attorneys until days before the retrial was set to begin.

Now, prosecutors and the Rockford police department must turn over all paper and electronic records that mention Pursley's case by Dec. 20, when an evidentiary hearing is scheduled. Pursley's attorneys have also asked for the personnel records of the detectives who investigated Ascher's death

But, in the meantime, defense lawyers want the case dismissed, citing misconduct by police and prosecutors.

"His life should not continue to be hijacked by their misconduct," Andrew Vail, one of Pursley's attorneys, argued in court.

FILE - In this June 28, 2017, file photo, Patrick Pursley, left, talks in his attorney's office in Chicago. Pursley, convicted of murder with inaccurate ballistic evidence, wants his case dismissed on the eve of his retrial based on allegations of police and prosecutorial misconduct. Lawyers for Pursley will argue their motion Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2018, the day the trial was scheduled to begin in Winnebago County Court. (AP Photo/Ivan Moreno File)

Assistant state attorney James Brun agreed to the investigation into whether the detective's statement to Ascher's mother is true, but he pushed back on the request to dismiss the case entirely.

"The credibility of the statement needs to be determined before the court makes an appropriate ruling," Brun said.

Rockford police spokeswoman Laura Madher did not immediately return a call for comment.

Pursley spent years representing himself during his prison sentence and successfully lobbied state lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow him to use the Integrated Ballistic Identification System to retest the shell casings used to prosecute him. IBIS, which became available five years after his conviction, compares high-resolution, multi-dimensional images of shell casings to find markings unique to a specific weapon.

"I'm grateful but I'm also just dismayed," Pursley said after Tuesday's hearing. "I feel like this is never going to stop."

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Ivan Moreno is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/1TrueIvan
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - A ruling issued Tuesday by the New Jersey Supreme Court could cause more than 20,000 drunken driving convictions to be vacated.

The justices unanimously found that criminal charges pending against a state police sergeant made breath-testing device test results from five counties inadmissible as evidence.

Sgt. Marc Dennis was in charge of calibrating the devices, and authorities have alleged that he skipped a required step in the calibration process. Dennis has denied any wrongdoing and has pleaded not guilty to records tampering and other charges.

The court's decision means that as many as 20,667 DWI convictions could now be challenged, according to state authorities and the lawyer for the now-dead plaintiff who brought the case that the court ruled on.

The accusations against Dennis called into question any test result involving a machine he handled, including devices used by local police in Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset, and Union counties between 2008 and 2016.

State authorities have maintained that the step Dennis allegedly skipped was one of several redundancies and fail-safes meant to ensure the readings are accurate. They claim that omitting that one step didn't invalidate the results, noting New Jersey is the only state that requires the step.

The Supreme Court, though, sided with Judge Joseph Lisa, who was appointed as a special master to handle the issue. He found the step omission raised substantial doubts about the reliability of the machines.

As part of their decision, the justices ordered state authorities to notify anyone whose case involved results from machines Dennis calibrated. They must tell them that those results were not scientifically sound, so they can decide whether they want to go to court and seek to have their convictions vacated.
DETROIT (AP) - The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to rewrite rules that limit pollution from heavy trucks but that the EPA says slow the economy.

Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler argues that new technology can help improve air quality, noting that the regulation of harmful nitrogen oxide emissions hasn't been revamped since 2000.

EPA officials were to announce the plans Tuesday but offered few details and said they were just beginning a regulatory process that can take years.

"We are doing it because it's good for the environment," said Wheeler, who notes that the EPA is under no requirement to redo the regulation. "Our goal is to update our standards so that we can get these new technologies in use across the country."

The proposed "Cleaner Trucks Initiative" is drawing expressions of hope but skepticism from some environmental groups, especially because the EPA under President Donald Trump already has proposed relaxing emissions requirements for light passenger cars and trucks by freezing them at 2020 levels.

Andrew Linhardt, the Sierra Club's deputy director for clean transportation, said his group is wary, and it wants to see details. Linhardt said he would favor the adoption of rules that would reduce nitrogen oxide emissions but doubts that the administration wants to do that.

"Unfortunately, this administration and this leadership of the EPA do not fill us with much confidence that this will be a real air pollution reduction measure," Linhardt said.

Paul Billings of the American Lung Association said he thinks the idea is encouraging but depends on exactly what the proposal looks like.

"The devil's always in the details," Billings said. "If they were not to tighten the (nitrogen oxide) standards, it'd be a bait-and-switch."

Nitrogen oxides can worsen existing lung disease, contribute to the development of asthma and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections.

Since the emissions regulations were last updated in 2000, regulatory requirements have been added piecemeal, resulting in what Wheeler calls "overly complex and costly" requirements that don't benefit the environment. The goal of the regulatory change would be to root out inefficiencies and perhaps use onboard diagnostic computers to ensure compliance over the life of trucks, Wheeler said.

The share of overall pollution contributed by heavy trucks has grown over the years, especially in urban areas and port cities with significant truck traffic, said Bill Wehrum, assistant administrator of the EPA's Office of Air and Radiation.

Wehrum said the EPA doesn't have a proposed target for setting new nitrogen oxide standards because it's at the beginning of a rule-making process. He said vehicles are now tested for emissions on a treadmill-like dynamometer, which might not capture all high-emissions phases of engine operation. The new standards could cut emissions during high-pollution phases, he said.

California already is working on more stringent heavy truck emissions standards, and new federal standards could conflict with them. Wehrum said the EPA isn't drawing up its own standards to set up a confrontation with California, and it will work with the state on the new regulation.

The EPA's plan to freeze passenger vehicle fuel economy standards at 2020 levels would relax a regulation enacted at the end of the Obama administration. But that plan already has touched off a legal fight with California and about a dozen other states that follow its rules. California wants the requirements to become progressively more stringent through 2026.

For now, the U.S. and California standards match, and the auto industry fears they could be split in two, forcing them to make costly design changes for California and the other states.

The EPA is still considering the light-vehicle standards. Its preferred option would freeze them so the fleet would be required to average 30 miles a gallon in real-world driving from 2021 to 2026.

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AP writer Ellen Knickmeyer contributed from Washington.
JERUSALEM (AP) - A slew of grievances and major underlying issues have Israel and Hamas locked in a spiral of violence that has caused three wars in the last decade and repeated rounds of deadly fighting.

With an Israeli-Egyptian blockade, a riven Palestinian leadership and a militant Hamas, Gaza's predicament remains seemingly unsolvable.

Here is a look at each side's demands and what is keeping them in conflict:

HAMAS

The Islamic militant group has ruled Gaza since a violent 2007 takeover of the territory from forces loyal to the Western-backed President Mahmoud Abbas.

Hamas, which rose to global prominence with suicide bombings in the 1990s and 2000s that killed hundreds of Israelis, is sworn to Israel's destruction and has never accepted peace accords. It has set up a de facto government in the Gaza Strip, where it is responsible for managing the daily lives of some 2 million Palestinians.

An Israeli tank drives near the Israel Gaza border, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

Israel, which along with its Western allies considers Hamas a terrorist group, joined with Egypt to impose a blockade on Gaza after the Hamas takeover, eviscerating the local economy. Jobs are hard to come by, Gaza's beaches are polluted by untreated sewage and tap water is undrinkable.

The blockade greatly restricts the movement of people out of the tiny territory, making it difficult to do business or travel abroad for work, school or family reasons.

Hamas wants Israel and Egypt to lift the blockade and it has led weekly protests since March aimed at busting it. Fueled in part by desperation, thousands have attended, with some burning tires, throwing rocks and grenades at Israeli troops and damaging the perimeter fence. More than 170 protesters have been killed by Israeli fire since the protests began.

Israel says it is defending its border against attackers. But it has come under heavy international criticism for the large number of unarmed people who have been shot.

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ISRAEL

Israel, which withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005 after 38 years of occupation, says it has no choice but to enforce the blockade, accusing Hamas of trying to smuggle weapons into the territory.

Israel claims some credit for keeping border crossings open, allowing food, consumer goods and some construction materials to flow into the territory. It also has asked the international community, which already funnels hundreds of millions of dollars a year into Gaza, to increase aid.

Over the years, Hamas has amassed a vast arsenal of rockets and other weapons which it has fired sporadically at Israeli communities along with other Gaza militants. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars, including one in 2014 that exposed a network of underground tunnels leading into Israel from Gaza, prompting Israeli accusations that Hamas uses material meant for Gaza's reconstruction for its war infrastructure.

Despite its recognition that the economic situation in Gaza could lead to a humanitarian crisis, Israel says no political resolution can be reached so long as Hamas remains in power. Hamas has refused to disarm or disavow its opposition to Israel.

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THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY

Compounding the situation has been a yearslong rift between Hamas and Abbas' Fatah faction. Attempts to reconcile have repeatedly failed, leaving the Palestinians divided between rival governments in the West Bank and Gaza. The talks have repeatedly broken down over Hamas' refusal to disarm.

Abbas is fearful of any political settlement that would separate Gaza from the West Bank and entrench Hamas rule.

He has slashed the salaries of thousands of former government workers in Gaza and cut fuel subsidies to pay for electricity, all in an effort to step up pressure on Hamas. He has also thwarted a series of internationally-backed initiatives aimed at rehabilitating Gaza, worried that they could help Hamas.

These measures, combined with the decade-long blockade, have sent Gaza's economy into freefall, prompting the increasingly desperate Hamas to step up the mass border protests.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - A Spanish-language reporter who faces deportation after his arrest while covering an immigration protest in Tennessee said Tuesday he was unjustly detained and faces danger if sent back to El Salvador.

Manuel Duran spoke publicly about his case for the first time since his arrest at an April rally protesting immigration policies the day before the 50th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in downtown Memphis.

Duran is from El Salvador and he has lived in Memphis for years. He ran the Memphis Noticias online news outlet and reported on the effects of U.S. immigration policies in the Hispanic community. Duran's lawyers have said he came to the U.S. without permission in 2006 after receiving death threats related to reporting on corruption in El Salvador.

"It's dangerous for me to return to my country," he said in Spanish during the conference call.

Duran had been critical of law enforcement in his reporting. Activists say he faced retaliation for it. Memphis police have repeatedly denied those allegations, saying officers arrested Duran after an order to clear the street was given.

Duran said he was just doing his job as a journalist when he was arrested.

In this April 3, 2018 photo, Memphis police arrest Spanish-language reporter Manuel Duran during an immigration protest in Memphis, Tenn. Duran, who faces deportation after his arrest while covering the protest in Tennessee said Tuesday, Nov. 13 he was unjustly detained and faces danger if sent back to El Salvador. Duran spoke publicly about his case for the first time since his arrest at the April rally protesting immigration policies the day before the 50th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in downtown Memphis. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal via AP)

"I was doing the right thing," he said.

In October, the Board of Immigration Appeals in Virginia denied an appeal in the case. Duran's lawyer, Michelle Lapointe, said he could be deported within two weeks if the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta does not agree to delay his removal and reopen his deportation case. A ruling is pending.

Lapointe, who works with the Southern Poverty Law Center, said she will ask for asylum for Duran if the court does agree to open his case because reporters are facing worsening conditions in El Salvador.

Duran was issued a deportation order in 2007 after he failed to show up for court. His lawyers have said that he did not receive notice to report to court before the deportation order was issued.

After Duran's April 3 arrest, disorderly conduct and obstruction of a highway charges were dropped. Authorities in Memphis then handed him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

"We would not be in this situation if he had not been targeted for exercising his First Amendment rights reporting the news that was critical of local policies and ICE policies that harmed his community," Lapointe said.

Duran was transferred from Memphis to an ICE facility in Louisiana. Duran said he has experienced poor conditions, including bad food and dirty bathrooms with no toilet paper, in ICE facilities in Louisiana.

ICE spokesman Bryan Cox denied Duran's allegations. Cox said the facility where Duran is being held in Jena, Louisiana, has been inspected by multiple groups and has passed inspection.

Duran's lawyers have sought his release from ICE custody as they fight his deportation. Duran's longtime partner, Melisa Valdez, said the past months without Duran have been "a nightmare."

She said Duran is not a criminal and is not a danger to the Memphis community.

"His arrest and detainment only show the government has displaced priorities," Valdez said during the conference call. "I find it extremely unfair that someone can be jailed indefinitely without committing a crime."
MIDDLETON, Idaho (AP) - Parents rallied in support of a suspended principal at a school board meeting held by a district where 14 staffers were placed on administrative leave after donning costumes depicting racial stereotypes and a "border wall."

The Middleton School Board meeting on Monday was the first one since the teachers and staffers at Middleton Heights Elementary School were placed on leave two weeks ago for the inappropriate costumes, worn as part of what officials said was a team-building exercise held after classes were dismissed. Photos that were temporarily posted to the district's Facebook page showed some teachers and aides wearing caricatured outfits depicting Mexican people and others dressed up as a U.S. border wall.

Many of the more than 50 attendees at the meeting were there to ask officials to reinstate Principal Kim Atkinson, the only person who remains on administrative leave. Attendees sat on the floor and in hallways, some signing up to speak and then ceding their time to Brenda Pickrel, the mother of a Middleton high school student.

"The district office brought this mess on our school and our town," Pickrel said. "Where is their responsibility for this? Why is our principal being used as a scapegoat?"

Subsequent speakers told the board they were "outraged" and "appalled" at what they said is censorship of the staff.

"A lot of voices have been silenced, and it's wrong," attendee Jay Arehart said.

The district received complaints from dismayed parents and community members after news of the Halloween incident broke. The next day, Superintendent Josh Middleton apologized on behalf of the district and announced there would be an investigation into the matter, calling the costumes "clearly insensitive and inappropriate."

All of the employees except for the principal began returning to their classrooms last week. At the time the superintendent said in a prepared statement that the district's investigation found nothing but "love and commitment" in the teachers and aides involved.

"Our focus is now one of healing with an opportunity for all of us to grow together as a community," the statement said. "Today we began the re-entry process with training on cultural sensitivity and correspondence with parents, the staff and community."

After the meeting, Middleton said Brian Rothe, assistant principal at Middleton High School, would replace Mark Hopkins as the interim principal at the elementary school until her investigation is resolved.

"With the (employees) who've come back, we've closed the book on (their investigations)," Middleton said.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A Minnesota man snooped in his wife's work papers and used information about UnitedHealth Group's upcoming acquisitions to profit from insider trading, according to regulators.

The Securities and Exchange Commission sued James Hengen for allegedly stealing information about two pending UnitedHealth acquisitions, The Star Tribune reported . The complaint alleged Hengen used the information to make about $60,000 from buying and selling stocks, and to provide information to his brother and three co-workers, who used the pending deal information to buy shares.

Hengen has agreed to pay about $140,000 to resolve civil charges stemming from the allegations. He declined to comment on the case, but he filed a consent to final judgment last week that says he doesn't admit or deny the allegations against him.

UnitedHealth Group declined also declined comment to the newspaper.

The complaint said Hengen breached "his duty of trust and confidence" to his wife, who isn't named in the documents. She also isn't accused of wrongdoing.

The SEC said Hengen bought more than 8,000 shares of USMD Holdings in the summer 2016, after hearing his wife talking about the company while on a work conference call. WellMed, a subsidiary in UnitedHealth's OptumCare division, announced in September 2016 that it planned to acquire USMD. The company's stock rose 8 percent after the announcement.

The SEC said Hengen also purchased more than 3,100 shares of Surgical Care Affiliates in December 2016 after looking at his wife's notebook. OptumCare announced in January 2017 that it would purchase SCA. The company's shares increased by 16 percent.

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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com
WASHINGTON (AP) - In an extraordinary move, Melania Trump called publicly Tuesday for the deputy national security adviser to be dismissed.

After reports circulated Tuesday that President Donald Trump had decided to remove Mira Ricardel from her post at the National Security Council, Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's spokeswoman, released a statement that said: "It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House."

Shortly before the statement was issued, Ricardel was among a group of administration officials and other individuals who stood behind President Trump at a White House ceremony celebrating Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the first lady's staff and Ricardel had clashed during Mrs. Trump's visit to Africa in October over such things as seating on the airplane and requests to use the council's resources.

A White House official told The Associated Press that Ricardel wanted to travel to Africa with the first lady but was denied seating on the airplane because there was no room for her and several others who initially expected to make the trip. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss White House personnel matters, said Ricardel then threatened not to send any NSC staff.

Ricardel also is known to have clashed with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis over Pentagon political appointee choices since early in his tenure. And Pentagon officials have said privately they believe Ricardel had a hand in spreading rumors this year about Mattis falling from favor with the White House and perhaps departing.

Deputy National Security Adviser Mira Ricardel, right, watches as President Donald Trump arrives for a Diwali ceremonial lighting of the Diya in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Washington. In an extraordinary move, first lady Melania Trump is publicly calling for the dismissal of Ricardel. After reports circulated that the president had decided to remove Ricardel, the first lady's spokeswoman issued 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." Ricardel is national security adviser John Bolton's deputy. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Asked by a reporter today about Mrs. Trump's office saying Ricardel no longer deserves to work in the White House, Mattis said, "I don't comment on other people's staffing issues."

A spokesman for the National Security Council had no immediate comment.

Mrs. Trump is very protective of her husband and is considered to be an influential adviser, as many first ladies have been with their spouses.

She is also one of the most private first ladies in recent memory, which made the public announcement about her displeasure with a top West Wing official all the more surprising.

In an interview with ABC News during the five-day trip to Ghana, Mali, Kenya and Egypt last month, the first lady said there are people in the White House whom she and the president cannot trust. She declined to name anyone but said she had let the president know who they are.

"Well," she said, "some people, they don't work there anymore."

Asked if some untrustworthy people still worked in the White House, Mrs. Trump replied, "Yes."

Anita McBride, who was chief of staff to first lady Laura Bush, said there's a lesson in the current first lady's public pronouncement.

"The president supports Mrs. Trump's activities and her work, which should be the signal to the rest of the staff to support her, too," McBride, who has worked for three Republican presidents, said via email.

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AP Writer Bob Burns contributed to this report.

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Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Now that an impeached and suspended West Virginia Supreme Court justice has resigned, lawmakers are turning their attention to a panel of justices that had cut off pending impeachment trials.

After Justice Allen Loughry's resignation, the state Senate wants to revisit an Oct. 11 order halting the Legislature's efforts to impeach three justices as a violation of the separate of power doctrine. The court hasn't scheduled a hearing on the Senate's request.

The panel of acting justices ruled the Senate lacked jurisdiction to pursue Justice Margaret Workman's impeachment trial. The decision also was applied to trials involving retired Justice Robin Davis and Loughry, who had petitioned the court to intervene.

Senate President Mitch Carmichael said Monday the focus now is on overturning "this ridiculous, crazy decision by the appointed Supreme Court that just breaks every judicial canon. It is a ridiculous decision that has far-ranging implications for the separations of powers."

Carmichael said the Senate's view on the court's earlier decision is that the court can't decide whether one of its members can be impeached.

"The court is not a party to this process," he said. "It is within the constitution (to be) entirely left to the Legislature to determine the impeachment process."

FILE - In this Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018 file photo, West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Allen Loughry leaves the Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse in Charleston, W.Va. after a federal jury was selected for his criminal trial. On Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018, the office of Gov. Jim Justice said that he has accepted the resignation of the suspended state Supreme Court justice recently convicted of federal charges, days ahead of a legislative session set to consider the justice's removal amid an ongoing scandal involving the court. (Craig Hudson/The Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

Loughry resigned effective Monday and is the third justice to leave the five-member court in recent months. Justice Menis Ketchum announced his resignation before the House of Delegates' impeachment hearings. Davis retired after the House approved impeachment charges against her.

Loughry still faces sentencing in federal court for his conviction last month on 11 criminal charges, including wire fraud involving his personal use of state cars and fuel cards and mail fraud.

Workman, Davis, Loughry and Justice Beth Walker were impeached in August over questions involving lavish office renovations that evolved into accusations of corruption, incompetence and neglect of duty. Some of the justices were accused of abusing their authority by failing to rein in excessive spending.

Walker was cleared of an impeachment charge at her Senate trial last month.

West Virginia voters last week passed a constitutional amendment that would give legislators the option of reducing part of the state judiciary's annual budget. The chief justice currently has constitutional autonomy in deciding how the system spends the $139 million budget.

Two Republicans who were appointed as Supreme Court justices after the scandal broke, former House speaker Tim Armstead and ex-Congressman Evan Jenkins, won election to continue on the bench.

Armstead will complete the term of Ketchum through 2020. Jenkins will serve through 2024, when Davis' term ends.

Judicial elections in West Virginia became nonpartisan in 2016, but the court's impeachment scandal stirred political attacks. Some Democrats argued the court's shakeup was a power grab by the Republican-led legislature.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (all times local):

3:55 p.m.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is back in the building.

The 85-year-old Ginsburg is working in her office at the Supreme Court for the first time since she fell Wednesday evening and fractured three ribs. That's according to a court employee who is familiar with the situation.

Ginsburg spent a night in the hospital and recuperated at home over the three-day Veterans Day weekend. She was not on the bench Tuesday morning when the court met for routine business. Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor also were absent.

But Ginsburg returned to her office later in the day.

In this Jan. 30, 2018 photo, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participates in a "fireside chat" in the Bruce M. Selya Appellate Courtroom at the Roger William University Law School in Bristol, R.I. Ginsburg is missing a brief court session while she recovers from a fall and three broken ribs. A Supreme Court spokeswoman says the 85-year-old justice "continues to improve" but is not joining her colleagues Tuesday morning when the court takes the bench briefly for routine business. The Supreme Court's oldest justice fell in her office at the court last Wednesday, went to a Washington hospital on Thursday and was released from the hospital on Friday.(AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

The court's next public meeting is Nov.26.

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10:30 a.m.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is missing a brief court session while she recovers from a fall and broken ribs.

Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg says the 85-year-old justice is not joining her colleagues Tuesday morning when the court takes the bench. Arberg says Ginsburg "continues to improve and is working from home."

The court previously said Ginsburg fractured three ribs in a fall last week.

The court is not hearing arguments Tuesday but will take the bench briefly for other routine business.

Ginsburg is the Supreme Court's oldest justice. She fell in her office at the court last Wednesday, experienced discomfort overnight and went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington on Thursday. She was released from the hospital on Friday.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Yet another redistricting lawsuit has been filed in North Carolina, this one challenging General Assembly boundaries that Democrats and election reform advocates say remain illegally tainted by excessive favoritism toward Republicans.

Common Cause North Carolina, the state Democratic Party and more than 20 Democratic and unaffiliated voters sued GOP mapmakers Tuesday in Wake County court. They allege the lines are illegal partisan gerrymanders that make it virtually impossible for Democrats to win majorities in the House or Senate.

The plaintiffs want maps last drawn in 2017 - in response to previous litigation - struck down for violating the North Carolina Constitution. They also call for new boundaries to be approved for the 2020 elections, which kick off in less than 13 months with candidate filing. A three-judge panel would hear the matter, followed by a likely appeal to the state Supreme Court.

"We're here to say enough is enough. Partisan gerrymandering must end now," Common Cause NC Executive Director Bob Phillips said at a news conference. "It rigs elections and it's wrong no matter which party does the deed."

The political stakes are great in North Carolina, a presidential battleground state in which Republicans have controlled state government for much of this decade. Barring a new method to draw districts, whichever party wins each legislative chamber in 2020 will get to draw the maps for the next decade. The governor - currently Democrat Roy Cooper - doesn't have veto power in redistricting.

Still, the lawsuit comes a week after Democrats actually won at least 11 additional legislative seats, with most of those victories originating in districts they identified as being wrongly packed or diluted with Democratic voters.

While Democrats did end the GOP's veto-proof control in the legislature, they say they're being robbed of more seats. According to the litigation, Democratic legislative candidates won about 51 percent of the overall votes cast in their elections but they are expected to win only 44 percent of the General Assembly seats when results are finalized.

State GOP Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse quipped: "Only North Carolina Democrats would file a lawsuit to overturn districts that they just won."

Lawyers for the plaintiffs say just because Democrats had a better year doesn't undermine their arguments that it's unlawful to sort voters into districts chiefly to create desired political outcomes. Republicans "discriminated against Democratic voters on the basis of their political beliefs and their prior votes," said Stanton Jones, a Washington-based attorney.

At least eight lawsuits have been filed challenging North Carolina maps on the basis of racial and partisan bias since the current round of redistricting began in 2011. The lawsuits resulted in the redrawing of congressional lines in 2016 and legislative districts in 2017 - both to address determined racial bias. The state has spent millions of taxpayer dollars defending the maps.

Legal fees for Tuesday's lawsuit are being paid in part by an arm of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, which is led by former Obama administration Attorney General Eric Holder with a goal of more favorable maps for the party in the 2020s. Holder this fall endorsed state Supreme Court candidate Anita Earls, who as a lawyer represented some who sued over maps earlier this decade. Earls won, so next year five of the seven justices will be registered Democrats.

The office of Republican Senate leader Phil Berger, who is one of the defendants, mentioned Earls in a statement, saying she should recuse herself if the case reaches the court because of her redistricting work history. Otherwise, Berger spokesman Pat Ryan said, the lawsuit "is a corrupt attempt at judicial gerrymandering, hoping the liberal state court will rewrite the constitution and draw maps favorable to Democrats."

Partisan gerrymandering claims against state legislative lines are similar to those Common Cause and the Democratic Party filed two years ago in federal court over state congressional districts. Federal judges have twice ruled the congressional map violated protections for Democratic voters. The U.S. Supreme Court, which has never declared district maps anywhere as partisan gerrymanders, is considering whether to hear an appeal in that case.

By targeting the North Carolina Constitution in Tuesday's lawsuit, the result won't be dependent on what the U.S. justices decide. It alleges the GOP maps violate the state constitution's provisions protecting freedom of speech and ensuring people are protected by laws equally and that elections are "free."

Under the partisan gerrymandering claims, those who sued contend GOP legislators used political and election data to manipulate the lines of about 75 House and 20 Senate districts so that Republicans and their candidates won more seats at the expense of Democrats and the voters who support them.

"What gerrymandering does is it makes for lazy politics," said Virginia Brien of Charlotte, an unaffiliated voter and plaintiff. "It makes for people not having to engage with citizens who have different ideas about how to get something done."
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (AP) - Officials say a person found dead along the Lake Michigan shoreline north of Chicago is a woman who disappeared while swimming with a group of people in treacherous waters last week.

The Lake County coroner's office said Tuesday that the body has been identified as that of 52-year-old Lena Lemesh. She was from the Chicago suburb of Elgin.

Her body was found Saturday in Highland Park, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of downtown Chicago. Coroner Howard Cooper says preliminary autopsy results show she died from drowning.

Highland Park officials say Lemesh was among about 10 people in a "cold weather swim group" who went into the lake on Nov. 4 despite high waves and strong winds.

Another man, 46-year-old Stanislaw Wlosek Jr., also died. He was pulled from the water but later pronounced dead at a hospital.
GENEVA (AP) - Christie's sold the "Pink Legacy" diamond at auction Tuesday for more than $50 million including fees, saying it's a new world record price per carat for a pink diamond.

Christie's said renowned jeweler Harry Winston was the buyer. The auction house had expected to fetch $30 million to $50 million for the nearly 19-carat, rectangular-cut stone, the largest fancy vivid pink diamond that it has ever put under the hammer.

It was the standout offering at Christie's fall jewelry auction in Geneva. The standing-room only ballroom broke into applause after the auctioneer struck down a hammer price of $44.5 million. That excludes the standard "buyer's premium" and other fees.

All told, the diamond went for $50.375 million, including the fees.

The stone once belonged to the Oppenheimer diamond family, and Christie's says it's among the most chemically pure gems - with little if any nitrogen.

Rahul Kadakia, Christie's head of international jewelry, said the auction house has sold only four diamonds weighing more than 10 carats of the same color in its 251 years in business.

FILE - In this Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018 file photo, a Christie's employee displays an 18.96-carat fancy vivid pink diamond during a preview at Christie's in Geneva, Switzerland. Christie's sold the "Pink Legacy" diamond at auction Tuesday, Nov. 13 for more than $50 million including fees, saying it's a new world record price per carat for a pink diamond. Christie's said that renowned jeweler Harry Winston was the buyer. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP, file)

Christie's chairman for Europe, Francois Curiel, called the stone the "Leonardo da Vinci" of diamonds.

"The 'Pink Legacy' ... brought this extremely high price of $50 million - so $2.6 million per carat, which is a world record price for a pink diamond. The previous record was $2.1 million, but for a much larger stone: Over 50 carats," Curiel said.

Christie's sale kicks off two days of jewelry auctions in Geneva. On Wednesday, Sotheby's will auction jewelry once owned by French Queen Marie Antoinette that hadn't been seen in public for 200 years.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Contrary to what's claimed in a tweet by Donald Trump Jr., an effort by Florida to find non-citizens on its voter rolls did not result in the discovery of tens of thousands of illegal voters.

In the last few days, some Republicans and conservatives have latched onto a six-year-old story that detailed efforts by the administration of Gov. Rick Scott to identify and remove ineligible voters. The president's son even tweeted out a link Monday to the May 2012 story by The Associated Press.

The headline on the story said "Nearly 200,000 Florida voters may not be citizens."

Ultimately, however, the results of the Scott administration's push did not come anywhere close to finding that many non-citizens. Instead the state of Florida discovered a total of 207 ineligible voters.

Spurred on directly by Gov. Scott shortly after he was elected governor, the state began looking to see if there were ineligible voters on the rolls.

An initial list that was not widely distributed turned up nearly 182,000 people, but state officials called the list obsolete and did not use it. State officials instead whittled it down and gave the names of more than 2,600 voters to local election supervisors who were asked to check them. Voters who did not respond to supervisors could ultimately be removed from the rolls.

Many supervisors wound up questioning the accuracy of the smaller list since more than 500 people on it turned out to be citizens.

The state had begun its first screening efforts based on checking names against state-run databases. It wasn't until months later that the state gained access to a federal immigration database. After checking the names against the federal database, the Florida Department of State in September 2012 identified 207 ineligible voters.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) - A western Indiana man has avoided more jail time in the 2016 death of his disabled 5-year-old daughter.

The Tribune-Star reports that 34-year-old Brian Moseman pleaded guilty Tuesday in Vigo County Superior Court to two counts of neglect of a dependent in the death of Adilynn Moseman.

Moseman received 2 years in prison for each count, but the sentences were suspended. He also received credit for time served in jail. Moseman was given probation for any remaining prison time.

Moseman and Adilynn's mother, Tiffany Daugherty , were arrested last year. Authorities say they failed to provide adequate nutrition and medical care for their daughter, who had microcephaly. An autopsy found Adilynn died from malnutrition and bronchopneumonia.

Daugherty is serving 15 years in prison for neglect, theft and reckless homicide.

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Information from: Tribune-Star, http://www.tribstar.com
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) - A farmer who appeared on ABC's "The Bachelor" pleaded guilty Tuesday in a fatal crash last year near his home in northern Iowa.

In an agreement with prosecutors, Chris Soules pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of leaving the scene of a serious injury accident. The misdemeanor charge carries a penalty of up to two years in prison. Soules' attorney said he could also get a deferred judgment and no jail time when he's sentenced in January.

Soules, who appeared on "The Bachelor" and "Dancing With The Stars" in 2015, had been charged with leaving the scene of a fatal crash, a felony that carries up to five years behind bars.

Soule, 36, was arrested after he rear-ended a tractor the night of April 24, 2017, killing 66-year-old Kenny Mosher. Soules called 911, performed CPR on Mosher and waited for first responders, but left before police arrived.

"I acknowledge I did not provide the registration number of the vehicle I was driving to 911 or law enforcement" as required by state law, Soules said in his written plea.

Brandon Brown, an attorney for Soules, said in the agreement that the crash was unavoidable and suggested that Mosher bore some responsibility. Brown said Soules was traveling on a dark, rural highway when he hit the back of the tractor, which did not display required flashing amber lights, according to Soules and another witness.

FILE - In this Nov. 27, 2017, file photo, Iowa farmer and former TV reality show celebrity Chris Soules, center, listens during a hearing in court in Independence, Iowa. Soules has pleaded guilty in a fatal crash last year near his home in northern Iowa. In an agreement with prosecutors announced Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, Soules pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of leaving the scene of a serious injury accident. (Rodney White/The Des Moines Register via AP, Pool, File)

"Based on witness testimony, the tractor could have been traveling as slow as 6 mph at the time of the accident," Brown said. "Mr. Soules was traveling under the speed limit at the time of impact."

Witnesses at the scene of the crash said Soules gave no indication of being impaired, Brown said, adding that Soules' head hit the windshield of his car in the crash, shattering it and causing a concussion.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Actress Paz de la Huerta filed a lawsuit Tuesday accusing disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of raping her in 2010 and then embarking on a campaign of harassment that harmed her career.

The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court alleges Weinstein raped de la Huerta twice in New York in December 2010, taunting her with phone calls between the two assaults. New York police said a year ago that they were investigating de la Huerta's allegations. No charges have been filed in the case, but Weinstein is charged there with the rape of another woman.

In a new allegation, the suit states that the following month Weinstein exposed himself to the actress in a Beverly Hills hotel when she went to confront him. She alleges Weinstein tried to get de la Huerta to have a sexual encounter with him and another woman.

About a year after the incidents, de la Huerta was fired from the HBO show "Boardwalk Empire," and the lawsuit states she has reason to believe Weinstein was involved. It cites a photo that appeared in The New York Times of Weinstein talking to Martin Scorsese, a director and executive producer on the show, a few weeks before her firing.

Weinstein's attorney Ben Brafman in response to the suit pointed out the lack of charges in New York, and said in an emailed statement that de la Huerta's "newly minted version of events including her new California claims are equally preposterous and unfortunately, the product of an unstable personality with a vivid imagination."

Representatives for Scorsese, who is not a defendant in the case, had no immediate comment.

FILE - In this Oct. 11, 2018 file photo, Harvey Weinstein enters State Supreme Court in New York. Actress Paz de la Huerta is suing Weinstein, saying the movie mogul raped her, harassed her and hurt her career. The lawsuit filed Tuesday, Nov. 13, in Los Angeles Superior Court alleges Weinstein raped de la Huerta twice in New York in December 2010. Police said last November they were investigating, but no charges have been filed. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

De la Huerta, 34, alleges Weinstein damaged her career by at least $60 million.

Ashley Judd, who is among numerous women suing Weinstein, says in her own lawsuit that Weinstein hurt her career and prevented her from getting at least one role. Judd cites an interview last year with director Peter Jackson, who said that Weinstein warned him against hiring Judd and Mira Sorvino for his "Lord of the Rings" films. Both women have alleged that Weinstein sexually harassed them.

De la Huerta's lawsuit alleges Weinstein first pressured her for sex in her apartment after the two had been at a party celebrating the premiere of the film "Blue Valentine" in 2010, and threatened to harm her career if she didn't submit, then raped her when she refused.

The lawsuit states that Weinstein taunted her with phone calls for two weeks, and on Dec. 23 she agreed to see him at her apartment with the intention of demanding that he stop the calls. She drank large amounts of alcohol in her anxiety, making her vulnerable, and Weinstein raped her again, according to the suit.

Three weeks later in January 2011, the two were both in Los Angeles for series of awards-season events when de la Huerta again tried to confront Weinstein. Her lawsuit states the mogul opened the door of his room at the Four Seasons Hotel and exposed himself to her and invited her to have a sexual encounter with him and another woman who was in the room and undressed, the suit states.

De la Huerta left feeling "embarrassed, scared, shocked and humiliated," according to the lawsuit.

She then drank excessively and was denied entry to a GQ party at the Chateau Marmont. Photographers captured video of the drunken actress, further damaging her reputation and career, the lawsuit states.

More than 75 women have accused Weinstein, who was one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, of wrongdoing. Weinstein has denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex, with his attorney challenging the credibility of his accusers.
WEATHERFORD, Texas (AP) - A North Texas sheriff's deputy is recovering as the search continues for a trespasser who shot him in the foot and fled a deer hunting site illegally set up on private land.

The Parker County Sheriff's Office says the deputy was released from a hospital Tuesday, a day after he was shot. His name hasn't been released.

Sheriff Larry Fowler says the deputy was shot while investigating a landowner's report about a trespasser who had set up a deer blind about 14 miles (22.5 kilometers) west of Fort Worth.

The sheriff's office says the deputy suffered a broken foot.

Rewards totaling $17,000 are being offered by the sheriff's office, Parker County Crime Stoppers and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department in exchange for information leading to arrest and conviction.
PARIS (AP) - U.S. President Donald Trump is partly right but far from completely correct when he says that France's "big tariffs" make it hard for American vintners to sell their wines to the French.

Wrong because customs duties on imported wines are applied not by France but by the European Union. Right because American tariffs are "globally" less than what Europe charges, the French customs authority says.

Prices aside, wine made in the U.S. is apparently appreciated in the European Union - the world's premier importer - and in France, where the value of wine imported has risen 200 percent between 2008 and 2017, according to the French Federation of Wines and Spirits Exporters.

Trump went after France on several fronts in tweets Tuesday, including blasting tariffs on its emblematic wine.

"On Trade, France makes excellent wine, but so does the U.S.," Trump tweeted. "The problem is that France makes it very hard for the U.S. to sell its wines into France, and charges big Tariffs, whereas the U.S. makes it easy for French wines, and charges very small Tariffs. Not fair, must change!"

French tariffs as such don't exist. Tariffs are set by the European Union "in the same conditions" as wines imported from most countries and are applied by all EU countries, the French exporter group said in an email.

U.S President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron during ceremonies at the Arc de Triomphe Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018 in Paris. Over 60 heads of state and government were taking part in a solemn ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the mute and powerful symbol of sacrifice to the millions who died from 1914-18. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, Pool)

"This tariff has not evolved in 20 years," it said.

The alcohol level helps determine tariffs on non-EU wine imported into European countries, with a higher duty as the alcoholic volume rises, Lionel Briand, communications chief for the French Customs office, said in an email. Alcoholic content is also factored into U.S. tariffs, along with the size of the wine's container.

"American products are not submitted to a distinct duty but to the same duties as all third countries," those outside the EU, Briand added.

As an example, a bottle of white American wine with 13 percent alcohol content imported into the European Union carries a customs duty of 10 euro cents (a bit over 11 U.S. cents). A bottle of white of white wine from the EU exported to the United States has a customs duty of 5 U.S. cents.

The gap in duties is narrower for red wine with an alcohol content of 14.5 percent.

Bulk wines are another story - the U.S. tariff is double the EU one, a break for American producers since bulk wine represents 25 percent of the volume of U.S. wine coming into the EU, according to the French exporter federation.

Still, "the level of customs duties applied by the United States to (imported) wine is globally weaker than EU duties for the same products," Briand of the Customs office said.

And Americans clearly like French wine. The United States is the leading importer of French wines by value, taking in 1.67 billion euros worth of French wines between Aug. 2017 and July 2018, according to FranceAgriMer, which works under the French Agriculture Ministry. That is up 30 percent compared to five years ago.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - The U.S. defense secretary plans to take part in a ceremony in Wyoming marking the beginning of a process to return three disputed church bells to the Philippines.

The Defense Department says Defense Secretary James Mattis plans to travel Wednesday to F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne. Two of the Bells of Balangiga are at the base, and the third is with the U.S. Army in South Korea.

U.S. Army soldiers took the bells after an attack killed 48 American troops in 1901, during the U.S. occupation of the Philippines.

Filipinos revere the bells as symbols of national pride. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly called for their return.

Wyoming officials have said the bells are memorials to American war dead and should not go back to the Philippines.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - The Latest on a California man accused of making a hoax call that led police to fatally shoot a Kansas man (all times local):

4 p.m.

A California man has admitted making a hoax call that ultimately led police to fatally shoot a Kansas man following a dispute between online gamers over $1.50 bet in a Call of Duty WWII video game,

Twenty-six-year-old Tyler R. Barriss pleaded guilty to making a false report resulting in a death, cyberstalking and conspiracy related to the deadly swatting case in the Kansas. The deal with prosecutors will send him to prison for at least 20 years, if the judge accepts it. He had previously pleaded not guilty in Kansas.

As part of the plea agreement, Barriss pleaded guilty to a total of 51 charges that included similar charges initially filed in California and the District of Columbia.

Barriss is accused of falsely reporting a shooting in December 2017 following a dispute over a $1.50 bet in a Call of Duty WWII video game between two gamers. Wichita police responded and Andrew Finch was fatally shot at his Wichita home.

FILE - In this May 22, 2018, file photo, Tyler Barriss, of California, appears for a preliminary hearing in Wichita, Kan. Barriss is accused of making a hoax phone call that led police to fatally shoot an unarmed man in Wichita, Kan., in December 2017. Barris is set to change his plea in federal court. (Bo Rader/The Wichita Eagle via AP, File)

Sentencing was set for Jan. 30.

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9:50 a.m.

A California man accused of making a hoax phone call that led police to fatally shoot an unarmed man in Kansas is expected to enter new pleas.

Twenty-six-year-old Tyler R. Barriss has a change-of-plea hearing Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Wichita. He was indicted in Kansas for conspiracy to make a false call, cyberstalking and other crimes.

The court will also take up cases initially filed in California and the District of Columbia related to other fake calls and threats.

Barriss faces a separate January trial in Kansas on a charge of involuntary manslaughter.

Barriss is accused of falsely reporting a shooting in December 2017 following a dispute over an online game between two gamers . A SWAT team responded and Andrew Finch was fatally shot at his Wichita home.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's national security adviser said Tuesday that people who have listened to an audio recording of the killing of a Saudi journalist do not think it implicates Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in his death.

"That is not the conclusion that the people who have heard it have come to," John Bolton told reporters at a summit in Singapore.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that audio recordings related to the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who had been critical of the Saudi royal family, have been shared with Saudi Arabia and other nations, including the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Canada.

Bolton said Trump wants to learn the truth about what happened at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul where Khashoggi was killed Oct. 2. "I have not listened to the tape myself, but in the assessment of those who have listened to it, it does not, in any way, link the crown prince to the killing," Bolton said.

Turkish officials say Khashoggi was killed by an assassination squad sent from Riyadh and insist the orders for the killing came from the highest levels of the Saudi government, but not King Salman. Turkish officials claim that a 15-member Saudi "hit squad" strangled and dismembered Khashoggi at the consulate. His body has not been found.

"The recording is truly atrocious," Erdogan was reported as saying in comments published in pro-government newspaper Yeni Safak. "In fact, when the Saudi intelligence officer listened to the recording he was so shocked that he said 'this one probably took heroin. Only someone who took heroin would do it.'"

Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that shortly after Khashoggi was killed, a member of the alleged assassination squad - a man believed to be Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb - told a superior over the phone to "tell your boss." The newspaper quoted three unnamed individuals familiar with the audio recording as saying that Turkish intelligence officers have told U.S. officials that they believe Mutreb, a security officer who frequently traveled with the crown prince, was talking on the phone with one of the prince's aides.
KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) - A Montana elk hunter who was attacked by a grizzly bear is recovering at a hospital.

Anders Broste tells the Daily Inter Lake newspaper Monday that he thinks he surprised the bear Sunday morning.

The 36-year-old who lives north of Columbia Falls says he was trying to get his gun off his shoulder and was backpedaling when he fell. He says the bear "was on me in seconds."

The bear bit Broste's arm, breaking a bone. Fish, Wildlife and Parks investigators tell the Flathead Beacon newspaper that the bear dragged Broste by the ankle for 7 to 8 feet (just over 2 meters) before running away.

A friend hunting with Broste called 911.

Broste says he doesn't blame the bear and plans to keep hunting. The state doesn't plan to take action against the bear.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - Two students told investigators they reported the Florida high school shooting suspect to an administrator for making threats but felt they were not taken seriously, a commission investigating the massacre was told Tuesday.

Pinellas County sheriff's Detective Chris Lyons told the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission that 30 people knew suspect Nikolas Cruz made threats and racist remarks, committed animal cruelty and engaged in odd behavior in the years before the February shooting that left 17 dead, but few reported it to police or school authorities.

Even when they reported the former Stoneman Douglas student, nothing happened, Lyons said.

"'See something, say something' means something, and it has to be more than a phrase," said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the commission's chairman. "It has to resonate with the public because law enforcement cannot be everywhere all the time."

The commission is using his detectives and other investigators from outside Broward County to conduct its investigation to avoid conflicts of interest.

In one case where a report was allegedly made, Lyons said two male students he did not name told investigators they reported Cruz to a Stoneman Douglas administrator in December 2016 after one of them said Cruz threatened to shoot up the school. They disagreed on whether they spoke to Principal Ty Thompson or Assistant Principal Jeff Morford, but agreed that the administrator dismissed their concerns and blamed Cruz's behavior on his autism. They said the administrator told them Cruz would be out of the school soon. Cruz was removed from the school three months later.

A mother of one of the teens said she spoke to Thompson the next day, upset with her son's treatment. She told investigators Thompson said that if she didn't like how the school was run, she should remove her son.

Thompson and Morford both told investigators the meetings never happened, but Gualtieri said other than the disagreement on which administrator they contacted, the boys' and mother's stories corroborated each other.

The Broward school district declined to make Thompson and Morford available for an interview.

Lyons also testified that:

- Several students told investigators Cruz brought knives, bullets, dead frogs and other small animals he had killed to school. One girl reportedly received a decapitated bird's head from him. Others said he made racist remarks about African-Americans and Jews and said he wanted to kill them. Few reported him.

- Cruz destroyed other students' class projects, telling a teacher he didn't want them to get a better grade than him.

- A gun store employee who sold a firearm to Cruz after he turned 18 in the presence of his mother, Lynda Cruz, received a call from her the next day. She asked him not to release the gun to him after the three-day waiting period if she wasn't there. When he pressed her on why, she hesitated then said he was young and she wanted him to be safe.

- A bank employee who had weekly phone conversations with Lynda Cruz said she often heard Nikolas in the background yelling at his mother. She said he threatened to kill his mother and burn down their house if she didn't kill herself. Lynda Cruz told the banker that Nikolas was "evil" and that if anything happened to her, tell the police it was her son. The banker never contacted police before Lynda Cruz died in November 2017 of pneumonia.

The commission is composed of law enforcement, education and child welfare officials from across the state along with the fathers of two students who were killed. They will file a report to Gov. Rick Scott on their findings and recommendations by Jan. 1.

Meanwhile, Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime died in the shooting, filed suit Tuesday against the FBI for not acting on a call it received in January about Cruz threatening to shoot up the school. The FBI has admitted it botched the call.

Cruz, now 20, has pleaded not guilty. His attorneys have said he will plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
VALLEY, Ala. (AP) - Police say an Alabama man threw hot sauce on a 73-year-old store clerk during a holdup.

The Opelika-Auburn News reports that police in the east Alabama town of Valley arrived at a convenience store Sunday morning to find the clerk in pain with orange liquid on her face and in her eyes.

The woman told officers a man came to the register to buy two pieces of candy and flung a cup of liquid into her face when she opened the drawer. She told officers the man then began grabbing cash.

Officers later determined the liquid to be hot sauce.

Police say 42-year-old Michael Brisky of LaFayette is charged with robbery and theft. Court records aren't available to show whether Brisky has a lawyer.

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Information from: Opelika-Auburn News, http://www.oanow.com/
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The Latest on Texas' Board of Education voting on history curriculums (all times local):

6:35 p.m.

The Texas Board of Education has voted to restore Hillary Clinton to history curriculum standards - a surprising reversal that came after Republican members said they had heard from members of the public angry she'd been edited out.

The preliminary vote Tuesday night overturns the board's vote in September to cut the former senator, secretary of state and 2016 presidential candidate from new, streamlined academic standards taught to the state's roughly 5.4 million students.

A final vote is set for Friday and the board can make changes until then.

Outnumbered Democrats proposed restoring Clinton and many of their Republican colleagues agreed, some after noting that they had heard from Texans surprised and angered that she'd been removed.

Texas School Board chair Donna Bahorich asks a question as the Texas School Board listens to public testimony as they prepares to vote on history curriculum, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Austin, Texas. The Republican-controlled board is hearing from activists and academics who are defending or decrying proposed edits meant to streamline academic standards for history. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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4 p.m.

Amid public criticism, the Texas Board of Education has voted to restore third grade lessons on Helen Keller that it had proposed cutting.

The board's 10 Republicans and five Democrats approved in September a plan to eliminate teaching about the iconic advocate for the deaf and blind as they worked to streamline Texas academic standards for history.

Tuesday's reversal came after the board heard hours of testimony, much of it critical about the proposed changes. That included a 17-year-old visually- and hearing-impaired student who urged them to reconsider, calling Keller a "hero."

A final board vote is set for Friday.

The board is still mulling other changes, including its past votes to cut lessons on Hillary Clinton and to preserve language about states' rights issues helping to cause the Civil War.

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3:25 p.m.

The Texas Board of Education is discussing changes to the history curriculum that could scrap lessons featuring Hillary Clinton, Helen Keller and Barry Goldwater, but keep instruction about how Moses influenced the nation's Founding Fathers and the ways states' rights helped cause the Civil War.

The Republican-controlled board heard Tuesday from students, teachers, activists and academic experts who are defending, or decrying, proposed edits meant to streamline academic standards for history.

A vote is scheduled for later Tuesday, with final approval coming Friday.

Texas has around 5.4 million students, more than any state but California.

Though teaching board-approved lessons isn't always mandatory, board-sanctioned curriculum can affect what's published in textbooks. Texas is a large enough market that the state's academic standards sometimes influence what's published in materials used elsewhere.

Rayford Brown waits to testify before the Texas School Board during public testimony as they prepares to vote on history curriculum, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Austin, Texas. The Republican-controlled board is hearing from activists and academics who are defending or decrying proposed edits meant to streamline academic standards for history. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Gabrielle Caldwell, who is partially deaf and blind, looks over her notes where she testified before the Texas School Board during public testimony as they prepares to vote on history curriculum, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Austin, Texas. The Republican-controlled board is hearing from activists and academics who are defending or decrying proposed edits meant to streamline academic standards for history. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
NEW YORK (AP) - For the second straight year, President Donald Trump will not be attending the Kennedy Center Honors celebrating cultural achievement.

Neither Trump nor first lady Melania Trump will be at the Dec. 2 event, Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's director of communications, said Tuesday.

Grisham also told The Associated Press that it was "not likely" any new winners of the National Medal of Arts, National Humanities Medal or National Medal of Science would be announced before the end of the year. She said the remaining weeks of 2018 are "the busiest time of the year for the East Wing."

The announcement continues the Trump administration's unprecedented distance from the arts and science communities. No arts or humanities medals have been announced or handed out since September 2016, when Barack Obama was president - the longest gap by months since the awards were established in the mid-1980s. No science medals have been given since May 2016.

A former head of the National Endowment for the Arts, which oversees the nominating process for the arts medal, said he was dismayed.

"The current administration's disregard for culture and scholarship, as well as presidential tradition, is an embarrassment," Dana Gioia, chairman of the NEA from 2003 to 2009, told the AP.

In this Nov. 9, 2018, photo, President Donald Trump talks with reporters before departing for France on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. For the second straight year, Trump will not be attending the Kennedy Center Honors celebrating cultural achievement. Neither Trump nor first lady Melania Trump will be at the Dec. 2 event, according to Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's director of communications (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Other presidents, including Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, have missed Kennedy Center ceremonies. Trump is the first to miss them twice. Grisham cited scheduling conflicts: Trump is expected to attend the G20 summit in Argentina at the end of the month. Had he gone to the Kennedy Center, it's unlikely he would have been warmly welcomed by at least some of the honorees, who include Cher and "Hamilton" playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, both sharp critics of the president.

Last year, honoree Norman Lear said he would boycott the event if Trump was there. The White House then announced the president and first lady would not be going "to allow the honorees to celebrate without any political distraction."

The absence of arts and science medals isn't because nominees haven't been submitted to the White House. According to emails obtained by the AP through the Freedom of Information Act, the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities have continued to duly solicit candidates for the medals and compile proposed winners. The White House traditionally approves and announces them, and the president presides over a ceremony shortly afterward.

Recipients of medals in 2016 included Mel Brooks, Motown founder Berry Gordy and composer Philip Glass, one of this year's Kennedy Center honorees.
JERUSALEM (AP) - A handwritten letter written by Albert Einstein warning of the dangers of growing nationalism and anti-Semitism years before the Nazis rose to power has been sold for nearly $40,000.

The Kedem Auction House says the previously unknown letter, brought forward by an anonymous collector, fetched $39,360 in bidding in Jerusalem on Tuesday night.

Einstein wrote the letter to his sister after going into hiding in 1922 following the assassination of Germany's Jewish foreign minister by right-wing extremists. Police had warned the Jewish scientist that his life could be in danger too.

"Here are brewing economically and politically dark times, so I'm happy to be able to get away from everything," he wrote.

Kedem says the letter was sold at roughly double its expected price.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - As he assessed his state's winning effort to lure 25,000 Amazon jobs to northern Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam said the key may not have been the hundreds of millions of dollars that were promised if the company delivered on its job-creation promises - indeed, many states offered much richer incentive packages.

Instead, he said what made Virginia's bid distinct was "investments in our people," particularly a $1 billion Virginia Tech University graduate campus to be built near the new Amazon headquarters that will churn out hundreds of qualified high-tech workers annually.

"Virginia's proposal to Amazon represents a new model of economic development for the 21st century," Northam said in a celebratory press event Tuesday in an old warehouse that will be knocked down to create Amazon office space. "The vast majority of the commonwealth's proposal is investments in our people that will align with Amazon's long-term goals."

The linchpin of that investment is the "Innovation Campus" planned for the Potomac Yard neighborhood of Alexandria, just a couple miles south of where Amazon will be.

The campus will be part of Virginia Tech, and the first 100 master's degree students will enroll next year in temporary space. When it's finished, the campus will enroll 750 master's degree candidates, train hundreds of doctoral students and will include on-campus housing, officials said.

Stephanie Landrum, director of economic development in Alexandria, suggested that when Virginians look back on Tuesday's announcement, the establishment of the Virginia Tech campus may be even more monumental than Amazon's arrival. She said the campus will not only feed Amazon but other tech companies that have been drawn to the region, and are diversifying the region's economy from its large reliance on the federal government and defense spending.

Virginia Tech President Tim Sands speaks at the school's announcement of a 1 million square-foot technology focused campus in Alexandria, Va., to build one of it's two new headquarters, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. The project was cited as a key reason Amazon selected Virginia for a new headquarters. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Rep. Don Beyer, a Democrat who represents the area, said he expects the campus to eventually rival Ivy League schools and MIT in prestige for developing high-quality tech workers.

"The reason Amazon is coming is that they see already the talent that is here in northern Virginia," Beyer said.

Virginia Tech said the plans for the Innovation Campus mesh perfectly with the university's longstanding plans to increase its footprint in northern Virginia and meet demand for computer science and other high-tech degrees. Amazon's other new headquarters will be built in a New York City neighborhood that is near a new technology-oriented graduate school called Cornell Tech.

"We need to be where our partners are," said Virginia Tech President Tim Sands. "Here we have the opportunity to be within 2 miles of Amazon."

The plan calls for the state and Virginia Tech to each commit $250 million to the campus. The rest will be raised through philanthropic efforts and public-private partnerships, officials said.

In neighboring Arlington County, where Amazon will be physically located, officials echoed the sentiment that the incentives offered to Amazon mesh with existing plans for infrastructure and transportation improvements, and long-term plans to remake the Crystal City neighborhood.

Arlington's incentive package - which includes hundreds of millions in transportation improvements, many of which were already included in long-range plans - is designed not so much to lure Amazon with cash but to ensure Amazon and the county have a mutually beneficial environment, said Arlington County Board Chair Katie Cristol.

"This announcement not only aligns with our existing plans and serves Amazon's needs but will also benefit our Arlington community," Cristol said.

Still, the incentive package was met by some with skepticism that the planned transportation improvements will be insufficient to alleviate traffic and that the incentives still amount to corporate welfare.

"We're going to be enriching some of the wealthiest people in the world at the expense of Virginians who work hard to make ends meet," said Del. Lee Carter, a Democrat who represents Manassas and bills himself as a democratic socialist. "We're going to crowd schools, clog roads, and we're paying for the privilege."

City of Alexandria Mayor Allison Silberberg speaks at the Virginia Tech announcement of a 1 million square-foot technology focused campus in Alexandria, Va., to build one of it's two new headquarters, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. The project was cited as a key reason Amazon selected Virginia for a new headquarters. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., speaks at the Virginia Tech announcement of a 1 million square-foot technology focused campus in Alexandria, Va., to build one of it's two new headquarters, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. The project was cited as a key reason Amazon selected Virginia for a new headquarters. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., speaks at the Virginia Tech announcement of a 1 million square-foot technology focused campus in Alexandria, Va., to build one of it's two new headquarters, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. The project was cited as a key reason Amazon selected Virginia for a new headquarters. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

A Public Notice sign, to vacate portions of a public roads and to issue a special use permit at an empty building in the Oakville Triangle area of Alexandria, Va. where Virginia Tech will construct a 1 million square-foot technology focused campus in Alexandria, Va., to build one of it's two new headquarters, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. The project was cited as a key reason Amazon selected Virginia for a new headquarters. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

A empty building in the Crystal City area of Arlington, Va., that will be demolished so Amazon can build part of their new headquarters, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. The $ billion project was cited as a key reason Amazon selected Virginia for a new headquarters. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Maryland is challenging the appointment of Matthew Whitaker as the new U.S. acting attorney general, arguing that President Donald Trump sidestepped the Constitution and the Justice Department's own succession plan by elevating Whitaker to the top job.

The Tuesday filing sets up a court challenge between a state and the federal government over the legitimacy of the country's chief law enforcement officer and foreshadows the likelihood of additional cases that present the same issues.

It comes as Democrats call on Whitaker to recuse himself from overseeing the special counsel's Russia investigation because of critical comments he has made about it in the past and amid concerns over his views on the scope of judicial authority.

In their filing, lawyers in the office of Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh argue that the job should have gone to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein instead of to Whitaker.

They cite a statute governing the line of succession at the Justice Department that says that in the case of a vacancy in the attorney general position, the deputy attorney general may exercise "all the duties of that office." If neither is available for the job, according to that statute, then the associate attorney general is supposed to be elevated.

Besides that, the lawyers say, the Constitution requires the duties of the attorney general - who, as a presidential appointee, is known under the law as a "principal" officer - to be carried out only by someone confirmed by the Senate for the underlying position.

FILE - In this April 24, 2014, file photo, then-Iowa Republican senatorial candidate and former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker watches before a live televised debate in Johnston, Iowa. Maryland is challenging the appointment of Matthew Whitaker as the new U.S. acting attorney general. A draft filing obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press argues that President Donald Trump sidestepped the Constitution and normal procedure by naming Whitaker to the position in place of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

The state argues that Congress always intended for an attorney general to be confirmed by the Senate given the national security and criminal justice powers inherent in the position, including the authority to control an investigation into the president. Without an established chain of command, according to the filing, presidents could select and then remove a series of attorneys general until they got their way.

"Absent the Attorney General Succession Act, the President could fire the Attorney General (or demand his resignation), then appoint a hand-picked junior Senate-confirmed officer from an entirely different agency, or a carefully selected senior employee who he was confident would terminate or otherwise severely limit the investigation," the filing states.

A Justice Department spokeswoman had no immediate comment, though the department was expected to release later this week an opinion from its Office of Legal Counsel defending the legitimacy of Whitaker's appointment.

Whitaker was appointed last year as chief of staff to then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions. He became acting attorney general on Nov. 7 when Sessions was forced out.

The Maryland filing was made Tuesday in a legal dispute with the Trump administration over the Affordable Care Act. That lawsuit names Sessions as an individual defendant.

The state asks the judge to substitute Rosenstein as the defendant in place of Sessions, a move that would effectively declare him the proper attorney general.

The state's lawyers say that in addition to their concerns over the line of succession, Whitaker has "expressed idiosyncratic views that are inconsistent with longstanding Department of Justice policy."

They cite his criticism of the landmark Supreme Court opinion Marbury v. Madison, which ensured that courts had authority to strike down laws they considered unconstitutional.

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AP writer Michael Kunzelman in College Park, Maryland, contributed to this story.
HONOLULU (AP) - Sex trafficking charges in Hawaii were dismissed Tuesday against a former death row inmate from Delaware, allowing him to walk of court a free man again.

U.S. prosecutors dropped a 10-count indictment against Isaiah McCoy, who represented himself in the case. A judge approved the dismissal, and McCoy walked out of court after being held without bail in Honolulu Federal Detention Center since January.

Prosecutors moved to dismiss the case because of information they "became aware of in the past several days," said a news release from the U.S. attorney's office in Hawaii.

The release didn't elaborate on why the office dropped the indictment.

After Tuesday's hearing, McCoy spoke to The Associated Press from the downtown Honolulu office of his court-appointed standby attorney, Gary Singh.

"I'm free," McCoy said. "It was unjustified and unwarranted in the first place," he said of the indictment.

FILE - This undated file booking photo released by the Honolulu Police Department shows Isaiah McCoy. Sex trafficking charges in Hawaii have been dismissed against McCoy, a former death row inmate from Delaware. U.S. prosecutors dropped a 10-count indictment against Isaiah McCoy. A judge approved the dismissal Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, and McCoy walked out of court a free man. He tells The Associated Press he wants to relax and continue being an activist against wrongful convictions. (Honolulu Police Department via AP, File)

McCoy said he plans to relax and continue being an activist against wrongful convictions. He's also planning to write a book, he said.

McCoy was sentenced to death after a jury found him guilty of murder in Delaware. A judge found him not guilty at a retrial.

Less than a year after his release from death row, he was arrested and charged with sex trafficking. Prosecutors say he forced, threatened and coerced young women into prostitution in Hawaii.

While awaiting trial, McCoy told the AP earlier this year at the detention center that he moved to Hawaii after he was invited to speak at a criminal justice reform rally.

He said he worked as a security guard for a Waikiki hotel in an area of the tourist mecca known for prostitution and started dating a woman who he says worked as a stripper and prostitute. He could relate to her, and she wasn't judgmental about his time behind bars. They eventually had a falling out, he said.

The woman was one of the alleged victims in the indictment against him, he said.

"All of these females were prostitutes before I met them," McCoy said. "Why would I have to force someone to do what they're already doing?"

McCoy's Army soldier wife, Tawana Roberts, was a co-defendant in the case. They wed six days after meeting at a Honolulu nightclub, he said. The count in the indictment against her was previously dismissed.

"Despite today's dismissal, this office will continue the important work of investigating and prosecuting human trafficking crimes in Hawaii," Kenji Price, the U.S. attorney for Hawaii, said in a statement.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Two more men have received long prison sentences for a 2015 assassination attempt on a state judge outside her home.

U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel in Austin sentenced 29-year-old Marcellus Antoine Burgin of Cypress, Texas, on Tuesday to 25 years in federal prison and 27-year-old Rasul Kareem Scott of Marrero, Louisiana, to 17 years in prison. They pleaded guilty earlier to fraud and racketeering involving the attempted capital murder of state District Judge Julie Kocurek of Austin.

Last month, Yeakel sentenced 31-year-old Chimene Hamilton Onyeri to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of multiple counts of fraud, racketeering and other charges. Burgin and Scott testified that Onyeri was the triggerman in Kocurek's shooting.

Kocurek underwent more than 20 surgeries and lost a finger after the attack. According to trial testimony, Onyeri wanted her dead to avoid going to prison on a probation violation.
DALLAS (AP) - A former Houston-area Republican Party chairman is accused of misapplying funds at his law firm and stealing from clients, according to court documents released Tuesday.

The documents come a day after Jared Woodfill's law office was raided by investigators with the Harris County District Attorney's Office. Authorities reported seizing more than 125 boxes of case files. The details are from an affidavit tied to a search warrant for the raid.

A spokesman for the district attorney's office on Tuesday said Woodfill has not been charged.

A former client has accused Woodfill of illegally misapplying funds from her divorce, according to an affidavit tied to a search warrant for the law office. The woman, who said she filed for divorce in 2012 and hired Woodfill in December 2013, said he applied unearned funds "for the benefit of third parties for services that were not rendered on her behalf, but on the behalf of other clients," the affidavit says.

Authorities say Woodfill was given a $225,000 payment to represent the woman in her divorce case. But, according to the affidavit, he commingled the payment with other client funds and made "third-party payments" not related to the woman.

According to the affidavit, bank documents indicted that an initial $75,000 retainer from a separate client was deposited into Woodfill's bank account in 2013. But, it said an ending balance indicated he used more than $45,000 from the client's retainer "for purposes not related to her case."

Kenneth Kennedy, the law firm's controller, told authorities that Woodfill required him on "numerous occasions" to transfer funds that had not been earned yet. He described how Woodfill "robbed Peter to pay Paul" using account funds, according to the affidavit. Kennedy also reported that he has given temporary personal loans to help Woodfill and the law firm meet "both personal and firm financial obligations."

Woodfill's tenure as chairman of the Harris County Republican Party ended in 2014 after serving in the post for 12 years.

A message seeking comment from Woodfill was not immediately returned.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Jesse Ventura returned to his old workplace to advise Minnesota's next governor on transition issues - and took the opportunity to talk up legalizing marijuana.

Ventura said he was invited by Democratic Gov.-elect Tim Walz to a meeting Tuesday at the Capitol. Ventura went through a similar transition after his election upset two decades ago and says he knows how hard it is.

The former wrestler-turned-politician found a receptive audience in Walz, who has expressed support in the past for legalization of marijuana for recreational use. Ventura says Minnesota is "missing the boat" on the economic benefits.

Minnesota currently has a medical marijuana program.

Former Minn. Governor Jesse Ventura talks to reporters after a meeting with Governor-elect Tim Walz inside the state Capitol in St. Paul, Minn., on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. "I'm 67 with a six pack," Ventura said. (Evan Frost/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Governor-elect Tim Walz and former Gov. Jesse Ventura leave a meeting inside the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, Minn. on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. (Evan Frost/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Advocates for Abraham Lincoln's museum pleaded with Illinois lawmakers Tuesday to use state funds to help keep a throng of historic artifacts in his hometown despite questions about whether one of the relics - a stovepipe hat - actually belonged to the 16th president.

Lawmakers grilled Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation leaders over the $9.2 million it still owes on the loan it took in 2007 to buy a collection of as many as 1,500 Lincoln-related items from private collector Louise Taper. The note comes due in October 2019, and the foundation has said it will have to auction parts of the collection if it can't raise the balance.

But fundraising isn't easy in the face of negative publicity. A report this fall found that the foundation had secretly sought expert advice and a DNA test on a period stovepipe hat in Lincoln's size that failed to delineate a clear connection. Questions about whether administrators of the museum and library were properly informed have strained relations .

The Taper collection is a smorgasbord of Lincoln memorabilia. Along with thousands of pages of documents dating to the president's grandfather, Col. Abraham Lincoln, it includes the bloodied kid gloves Lincoln had in his pocket the night he was killed at Ford's Theater, the quill pen left on his desk; his presidential seal, replete with wax left on it from its last use; and a notebook with his earliest known writings.

"Lincoln always knew he would come back to Springfield and that's where his most iconic personal effects deserve to stay, right here in the land of Lincoln," foundation CEO Carla Knorowski testified. In a line borrowed from Lincoln's first inaugural address, she added an "appeal to the better angels of your nature."

The foundation has sought $5 million from the hotel occupancy tax money collected for tourism promotion. Knorowski said Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration agreed in May but has since backed off.

Alan Lowe, director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, answers questions during a House tourism committee hearing Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Springfield, Ill., over the value of a Lincoln collection purchased by the ALPLM foundation and the loan to pay for it after questions have been raised about the historical authenticity of a stovepipe hat believed to have been owned by Abraham Lincoln. (Rich Saal/The State Journal-Register via AP)

Rauner spokeswoman Elizabeth Tomev said the Republican supports a "vibrant" Lincoln museum but his staff is waiting for a detailed business plan and other debt-repayment data requested last spring.

Sold for $25 million, Taper donated $2 million worth of items. The foundation borrowed $23 million and has paid $13 million in principal and $8 million in interest. The loan has been refinanced - once at a higher rate for a shorter term, Rep. Jeanne Ives noted - and it stands at $9.2 million despite annual foundation fundraising collections averaging $3.5 million.

"I don't understand how your foundation directors have allowed this to go on for so long," said Ives, a Wheaton Republican.

Ives read from an appraisal in 2017 that questioned the authenticity not only of the hat but of a clock allegedly from Lincoln's Springfield law office and a hand fan Mary Lincoln took to the theater the night her husband was shot. State historian Samuel Wheeler, who called the collection "world class," said research continues on all three items.

Despite questions, the foundation said an appraisal of just 40 items that it hasn't identified found a fair-market value of $10.3 million. Knorowski said it's unclear how many items would have to be sold to satisfy the debt. The foundation is seeking an auction house to be ready for a sale.

Adding a touch of theater to the proceedings was Lincoln presenter Randy Duncan of Carlinville , invited by Rep. Ann Williams, the Chicago Democrat who chairs the House Tourism, Hospitality and Craft Industries Committee.

Duncan appeared this time without the traditional Lincoln-style top hat, a nod to the ongoing controversy.

"There's more to my legacy than just a hat," the Lincoln portrayer said.

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Follow Political Writer John O'Connor at https://twitter.com/apoconnor .

Dr. Carla Knorowski, in white jacket at table, chief financial officer of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Foundation, answers questions Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018 at the Capitol in Springfield, Ill., from Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, during a House tourism committee hearing looking into the value of a Lincoln collection purchased by the foundation and the loan to pay for it after questions have been raised about the historical authenticity of a stovepipe hat believed to have been owned by Abraham Lincoln. (Rich Saal/The State Journal-Register via AP)

Dr. Carla Knorowski, chief financial officer of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Foundation, answers questions Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018 at the Capitol in Springfield, Ill., from Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton during a House tourism committee hearing over the value of a Lincoln collection purchased by the foundation and the loan to pay for it after questions have been raised about the historical authenticity of a stovepipe hat believed to have been owned by Abraham Lincoln. (Rich Saal/The State Journal-Register via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) - Authorities doing the somber work of identifying the victims of California's deadliest wildfire are drawing on leading-edge DNA technology, but older scientific techniques and deduction could also come into play, experts say.

With the death toll from the Northern California blaze topping 40 and expected to rise, officials said they were setting up a rapid DNA-analysis system, among other steps.

Rapid DNA is a term for portable devices that can identify someone's genetic material in hours, rather than days or weeks and more extensive equipment it can take to test samples in labs. A 2017 federal law provided a framework for police to use rapid DNA technology when booking suspects in criminal investigations, and some medical examiners have started using it to identify the dead or are weighing deploying it in disasters.

"In many circumstances, without rapid DNA technology, it's just such a lengthy process," says Frank DePaolo, a deputy commissioner of the New York City medical examiners' office, which has been at the forefront of the science of identifying human remains since 9/11 and is exploring how it might use a rapid DNA device.

The technology, and DNA itself, has limits. It is sometimes impossible to extract DNA from incinerated remains, and trying to identify remains through DNA requires having a sample from the person when alive or building a profile by sampling close relatives.

But that doesn't mean there's no hope of identifying the dead without DNA.

A search and rescue workers searches a car for human remains at a trailer park burned out from the Camp Fire, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Paradise, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher)

"There's two ways to approach it: You could do a DNA-led identification effort ... (or) more traditionally, the medical examiner and their team of people will try to establish the biological profiles of the unidentified and try to identify them through more traditional methods," says Dr. Anthony Falsetti, a George Mason University forensic science professor and forensic anthropologist and a specialist in evaluating human remains.

In fact, more traditional methods, such as examining dental records, are often a first step. Partially, that's because victims might have dental X-rays but not personal DNA profiles. Other medical records - of bone fractures, prosthetics or implants, for instance - also can be helpful.

And after a disaster, a crucial part of identifying victims is developing a manifest of the missing people, studying the site for clues as to who might have been there and meticulously searching for remains, sometimes by having a forensic anthropologist sift carefully through the debris, DePaolo said.

"Ultimately, you may be able to identify that you have a female, a male, a child" from studying the remains, but science won't give them a name, he said. In such cases, authorities may have to rely on reasoning to match what's known about the remains to who is known to be missing.

"That manifest may ultimately be the only thing you have to potentially identify that the victims that were recovered from that location could be those victims," he said.

New York medical examiners have worked to match nearly 22,000 fragments of human remains to the 2,753 people killed at the World Trade Center. More than 17 years later, 40 percent of the dead have never had any of their remains identified. But the painstaking process still yields results: The remains of one victim, 26-year-old Scott Michael Johnson, were identified in July for the first time.

Whatever the process proves to be for California authorities, DePaolo said, "it's a tough and complex job that they have ahead of them, and our condolences go out to them."
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A man who robbed a cellphone store at gunpoint and was later fatally shot by officers was found by use of a tracking device he had unknowingly taken from the store during the robbery, police in Oklahoma City said Tuesday.

The man, whose name had not been released, was shot shortly before 6 p.m. Monday when three officers opened fire on him less than a mile from the store, according to police Capt. Bo Mathews.

Police responded to a call of an armed robbery at the store in south Oklahoma City around 5:30 p.m. after the man reportedly pointed a gun at a store clerk, Mathews said.

"Unknown to the suspect, he left the business with a tracking device" that had been placed by the clerk in a bag of items the man stole from the store, Mathews said. "Officers were given a description of the suspect and his location was ascertained from the tracking device" by the clerk.

Officers Drake Carder, Joshua Gershon and Corey Adams found the man, who led them on a brief foot chase before ignoring orders not to reach for what the officers may have believed to be a weapon, according to Mathews.

Mathews initially said the officers had ordered the man to drop his weapon, but now says that was based on preliminary information and that he does not know if it is true, pending interviews with the officers that are expected in about two days.

Police gather outside the I Don't Care Bar and Grill at the scene of an officer-involved shooting Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, in Muskogee, Okla. The incident was one of two fatal police shootings in Oklahoma on Monday. Another happened a couple hours earlier in Oklahoma City. Police in both departments say each of the officers involved or present at the shootings are now on paid leave. (Chesley Oxendine/The Daily Phoenix via AP)

Mathews said police have seized a vehicle the man is believed to have been riding in just prior to the robbery and shooting.

The fatal shooting was the second by police in Oklahoma on Monday.

Muskogee police say an officer fatally shot 36-year-old Andrew Kana about 2 p.m. inside a bar and grill while trying to arrest him on assault and weapons charges from Oklahoma and Idaho.

Police spokesman Lincoln Anderson says Kana was shot after drawing a gun while resisting being handcuffed.

Anderson says three officers were inside the establishment and are on paid leave. Their names haven't been released.
HONOLULU (AP) - The Latest on the dismissal of sex trafficking charges against a former death row inmate (all times local):

3:20 p.m.

U.S. prosecutors say they dismissed sex trafficking charges against a former death row inmate because of information they became aware of in the past several days.

A news release from the U.S. attorney's office in Hawaii doesn't elaborate on why they dropped a 10-count indictment against Isaiah McCoy on Tuesday.

McCoy walked out of court a free man after a judge approved the dismissal.

McCoy moved to Hawaii after being freed from death row in Delaware. He had been sentenced to death after a jury found him guilty of murder in Delaware. A judge found him not guilty at a retrial.

FILE - This undated file booking photo released by the Honolulu Police Department shows Isaiah McCoy. Sex trafficking charges in Hawaii have been dismissed against McCoy, a former death row inmate from Delaware. U.S. prosecutors dropped a 10-count indictment against Isaiah McCoy. A judge approved the dismissal Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, and McCoy walked out of court a free man. He tells The Associated Press he wants to relax and continue being an activist against wrongful convictions. (Honolulu Police Department via AP, File)

Less than a year after his release from death row, he was arrested and charged with sex trafficking. Prosecutors alleged he forced, threatened and coerced young women into prostitution in Hawaii.

___

12:40 p.m.

Sex trafficking charges in Hawaii have been dismissed against a former death row inmate from Delaware.

U.S. prosecutors dropped a 10-count indictment against Isaiah McCoy. A judge approved the dismissal Tuesday and McCoy walked out of court a free man. He tells The Associated Press he wants to relax and continue being an activist against wrongful convictions.

McCoy was sentenced to death after a jury found him guilty of murder in Delaware. A judge found him not guilty at a retrial.

Less than a year after his release from death row, he was arrested and charged with sex trafficking. Prosecutors alleged he forced, threatened and coerced young women into prostitution in Hawaii.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in Hawaii didn't immediately comment on the dismissal.
SINGAPORE (AP) - The rivalry between the U.S. and China in the Asia-Pacific is proving "awkward" for Southeast Asian nations that do not want to have to choose between their friends, Singapore's prime minister said Thursday as he wrapped up a regional summit.

"It's easiest not to take sides when everybody else is on the same side. But if you are friends with two countries which are on different sides, then sometimes it is possible to get along with both, sometimes it's more awkward if you try to get along with both," Lee Hsien Loong said when asked about the competition between the U.S. and China in the region at a news conference.

Lee, who hosted the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, said countries whose economies and strategic interests are deeply entwined with both powers would prefer not to have to decide, "but the circumstances may come where ASEAN may have to choose one or the other. I hope it does not happen soon."

The comments appeared intended to send a message to the U.S., represented this week by Vice President Mike Pence in place of President Donald Trump, and to China, whose growing influence across the region is abundantly clear at such international gatherings.

Trade tensions between the U.S. and China over Beijing's technology policy and other market access issues have added to strains within the region, especially since Trump took office in early 2017. The two sides have imposed tariffs on billions of dollars of each other's products in a standoff that has shown no sign of easing.

Lee also remarked on Trump's "America First" deal-oriented diplomacy, saying it was a departure from the past, when "they were generous, they opened their markets, they made investments, they provided regional security, and in the indirect benefits of a prospering region, the U.S. prospered along."

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, left, and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang interact on stage after a group photo during the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

"But now they say 'no, that's not good enough. I want every deal to come,' and that will mean a different kind of relationship and we will have to get used to it if the U.S. decides that this is the direction which they would go in the long term," Lee said.

In comments to the gathering earlier in the day, Pence stressed the American commitment to the region, where he said there was no room for "empire or aggression."

In a veiled swipe at China's growing influence and military expansion in the South China Sea, he said that "Our vision for the Indo-Pacific excludes no nation. It only requires that every nation treat their neighbors with respect, they respect the sovereignty of all nations and the international rules of order."

The ASEAN meetings focus on enhanced trade and security in a region of more than 630 million people. They ended with commitments to work toward a regional free trade agreement and enhance cybersecurity, counter-terrorism efforts, e-commerce, disaster preparedness and environment protection.

Many of the same leaders will head to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Papua New Guinea, where many of the same issues will be on the agenda.

While in Singapore, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sought to reassure China's neighbors over its expanding reach, both economic and military, across the region and urged fellow Asian leaders to help reassure world markets roiled by trade tensions.

Southeast Asian countries and others in the region share China's consternation over the Trump administration's rejection of multilateral trade regimes and the global trade system that have helped them modernize and enrich their economies. Many of the leaders attending the meetings in Singapore have emphasized the need to fight protectionism and safeguard the rules that help govern global trade.

The region needs to "take concrete action to uphold the rules-based free trade regime and to send a message - a positive message - to the market to provide stable, predictable and law-based conditions for the market," Li said.

Security issues, in particular managing conflict in the South China Sea, were another major focus of the meetings. The sea is a potential flashpoint, and a huge concern for the U.S. and other countries that rely on the right of passage for shipping.

China is pitted against its smaller neighbors in multiple disputes in the sea over coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves.

ASEAN leaders said they discussed the need for restraint in the area.

"We all agreed on ways and means not to increase tensions in the South China Sea. And that means not bringing in warships and allowing for freedom of navigation," Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed told reporters. "Small patrol boats are needed to deal with piracy, mainly, but big warships may cause incidents and that will lead to tension."

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has relaxed his country's stance on Chinese claims to islands also claimed by Manila, said it also was crucial that the countries involved finish work on a "code of conduct" to help prevent misunderstandings that could lead to conflict.

"China is there. That is the reality," he told reporters before joining the day's meetings. "Strong military activity will prompt a response from China. I do not mind everybody going to war, but except that the Philippines is just beside those islands. If there is shooting there my country will be the first to suffer."

The sessions Thursday followed scores of bilateral meetings among the leaders.

While the gathering was typically focused on cooperation and goodwill, concerns over Myanmar's treatment of its ethnic Rohingya Muslims flared with unusually sharp, public comments both by Pence and Mahathir to the country's leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

More than 700,000 Rohingya have fled from western Myanmar's Rakhine state to escape killings and destruction of their homes by the country's military and vigilantes, drawing widespread condemnation and international accusations of genocide against Myanmar.

Asked if Suu Kyi had agreed to his direct request that she pardon two Reuters' journalists imprisoned in Myanmar, Pence replied, "We did not get a clear answer on that." He said Suu Kyi had given some details on the appeals process and judicial handling of their cases.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Its annual summit includes meetings with various other nations.

Next year's summit is planned in Thailand, whose capital Bangkok was the site of the 1967 meeting that created ASEAN.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, left, and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang talk on stage after a group photo during the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, left, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, center, and South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, right, who represented South Korean President Moon Jae-in, prepare to deliver their respective statements at the ASEAN Plus Three Summit in the ongoing 33rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 in Singapore. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, right, speaks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, right, speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, right, speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang interact on stage after a group photo during the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang interact on stage after a group photo during the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, left, walks past Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi during the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, left, stand with, from left, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wait on stage for a group photo during the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. At 93, Malaysia's comeback prime minister, Mahathir Mohamed, cuts a striking figure as the center of attention at a Southeast Asian summit in Singapore. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence attends the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, left, and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong make their way off the stage after a group photo during the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad uses his mobile phone during the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. At 93, Malaysia's comeback prime minister, Mahathir Mohamed, cuts a striking figure as the center of attention at a Southeast Asian summit in Singapore. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, left, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, center, and Russian President Vladimir Putin make their way off the stage after a group photo during the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, right, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 13th East Asian Summit Plenary on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN summit in Singapore, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - The U.N.-backed tribunal judging the criminal responsibility of former Khmer Rouge leaders for the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians will issue verdicts Friday in the latest - and perhaps last - of such trials.

Nuon Chea, 92, and Khieu Samphan, 87, are the last two surviving senior leaders of the radical communist group that brutally ruled Cambodia in the late 1970s.

They are already serving life sentences after being convicted in a previous 2011-2014 trial of crimes against humanity connected with forced transfers and disappearances of masses of people.

The proceedings against them were split into two successive trials for fear that the aging defendants might die before any verdict was reached in a single, more comprehensive trial and foreclose the opportunity for any sort of justice. The fear was justified - two co-defendants died before the trial was completed.

On Friday, Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan will be judged on additional charges of crimes against humanity, such as murder, extermination, enslavement, torture and persecution on political, racial, and religious grounds; genocide, for the killings of members of the Vietnamese and Cham ethnic groups; and more breaches of the Geneva Conventions, including willful killing, torture or inhumane treatment.

As members of the Khmer Rouge leadership under the late Pol Pot, they have been prosecuted under the legal doctrine of joint criminal enterprise, which holds individuals responsible for actions attributed to a group to which they belong.

FILE - In this Oct. 31, 2013, file photo released by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, Khieu Samphan, left, former Khmer Rouge head of state, and Nuon Chea, right, who was the Khmer Rouge's chief ideologist and No. 2 leader, sit in the court hall at the U.N.-backed war crimes tribunal in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The U.N.-assisted international tribunal in Cambodia judging former leaders of the Khmer Rouge for their roles in abuses that led to the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million of their countrymen will issue verdicts Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, in the latest - and perhaps last - of such trials. Nuon Chea, 92, and Khieu Samphan, 87, are the last two surviving senior leaders of the radical communist group that brutally ruled Cambodia in the late 1970s. (Mark Peters/Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia via AP, File)

Cases launched against four additional, middle-ranking Khmer Rouge officials have been scuttled or frozen and are unlikely to be revived.

If the current trial is the last staged by the U.N.-assisted international tribunal - officially called the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia - it will have convicted three individuals at a cost of more than $300 million.

The Khmer Rouge seized power in 1975 after a bloody five-year civil war. They immediately attempted a radical transformation of Cambodia into a peasant society, emptying cities and forcing the population to work the land.

They backed up their rule with ruthless elimination of perceived enemies, and were driven from power in early 1979 by an invasion from neighboring Vietnam, which had suffered border attacks from Khmer Rouge forces.

Although atrocities were carried out on a massive scale, political realities - specifically the repeated demands by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen that no more suspects be prosecuted - appear to preclude further cases being pursued by the tribunal. Hun Sen insists that further prosecutions could cause unrest.

In addition to Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan, the tribunal can lay claim to only one other prosecution, resulting in the 2010 conviction of Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, who as head of the Khmer Rouge prison system ran the infamous Tuol Sleng torture center in Phnom Penh.

Hun Sen himself was a midlevel Khmer Rouge commander before defecting while the group was still in power, and several senior members of his ruling Cambodian People's Party share similar backgrounds. He helped cement his political control by making alliances with other former Khmer Rouge commanders.

The ground rules under which the tribunal was established in 2005 are complicated, providing for hybrid courts pairing Cambodian judges and prosecutors with international counterparts.

Cambodian court officials, known for their loyalty to Hun Sen's government, are in a position to base their judgments on the tribunal's inexact guidelines limiting prosecutions to senior leaders or persons considered "most responsible" for atrocities, or simply cease cooperation.

Although Nuon Chea had an especially low profile in the already secretive group, his importance can be gauged by his nom de guerre of "Brother Number Two," reflecting his position as Pol Pot's right-hand man.

According to a 2001 study by Cambodia scholar Stephen Heder and legal expert Brian D. Tittemore, there was "substantial and compelling evidence" that Nuon Chea devised and implemented the Khmer Rouge's execution policies.

Khieu Samphan had at one point been the smiling, polite figurehead who nominally was the head of state in the Khmer Rouge regime. He was able to trade on his reputation as an honest left-wing academic and lawmaker in 1960s Cambodia before repression drove him underground and into the jungle with the then-nascent Khmer Rouge movement.

The Heder and Tittemore study acknowledged that evidence against Khieu Samphan was not as extensive as against Nuon Chea and others, but nevertheless suggested he "encouraged lower level (Khmer Rouge) officials to perpetrate executions and, at least in some instances, monitored and contributed to the implementation of Party policies by regional authorities."

Heder, who for a time was an investigator for the tribunal, charged in a 1990 paper that Khieu Samphan was promoted up the ranks of the Khmer Rouge "because he remained steadfastly loyal to his leadership and policies while others who had earlier cooperated with Pol Pot and his Communist Party were detained or killed because they disagreed with or were suspected of disagreeing with what Pol Pot was doing."

"Khieu Samphan's political star rose literally on heaps of corpses," Heder wrote.

Confronted in court with such charges, Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan showed little remorse. Khieu Samphan denied knowing about matters including forced marriages and violent oppression of minorities, and both men mounted political defenses.

Khieu Samphan described the claim of genocide as "Vietnamese propaganda," a defense he and other former Khmer Rouge leaders have made previously.

Cambodians have long been suspicious of Vietnam, their much bigger eastern neighbor, and prejudice against Vietnamese is widespread.

Khieu Samphan also cast blame on the United States for Cambodia's problems. The U.S. heavily bombed the Cambodian countryside during the 1970-75 civil war that led to the Khmer Rouge's seizure of power.

"I want to bow to the memory of all the innocent victims but also to all those who perished by believing in a better ideal of the brighter future and who died during the five-year war under the American bombardments and (in) the conflict with the Vietnamese invaders," Khieu Samphan said. "Their memory will never be honored by any international tribunal."

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Peck reported from Bangkok.

FILE - In this March, 20, 2008, file photo, former Khmer Rouge's chief ideologist and No. 2 leader, Nuon Chea, foreground, sits in the court hall at the U.N.-backed war crimes tribunal in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The U.N.-assisted international tribunal in Cambodia judging former leaders of the Khmer Rouge for their roles in abuses that led to the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million of their countrymen will issue verdicts Friday in the latest - and perhaps last - of such trials. Nuon Chea, 92, and Khieu Samphan, 87, are the last two surviving senior leaders of the radical communist group that brutally ruled Cambodia in the late 1970s.(AP Photo/Heng Sinith, File)
ATLANTA (AP) - As the candidates in the disputed race for Georgia governor retreated further into their corners, counties across the state on Thursday began a court-ordered process of reviewing absentee ballots and counting those previously rejected for missing or incorrect dates of birth.

Georgia Secretary of State Robyn Crittenden issued guidance to counties to review the absentee ballots, count those rejected for missing or incorrect dates of birth and recertify results if the counts change. She set a deadline of 5 p.m. Friday.

The campaign of Democrat Stacey Abrams has ratcheted up its attacks on Republican Brian Kemp, while Kemp continues to claim that results certified by county election officials confirm he has an "insurmountable lead."

At a news conference Wednesday, Georgia Democrats cast doubt on the legitimacy of any election count that ends with former secretary of state Kemp being certified as the winner of a fiercely fought election against Abrams, who's seeking to become the first black woman elected governor in the U.S.

"We believe that Brian Kemp mismanaged this election to sway it in his favor," said Abrams' campaign manager Lauren Groh-Wargo, surrounded by Democratic lawmakers at the Georgia Capitol.

Democrats beyond Georgia have started to echo the notion that a Kemp victory would be illegitimate. Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown said Wednesday that if Abrams loses it's because Republicans stole the election.

A woman holds a sign as state troopers look on during a protest in the rotunda of the state capitol building Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Atlanta. Several protesters, including a state senator, have been arrested during a demonstration at the Georgia state Capitol calling for tallying of uncounted ballots from last week's election. (AP Photo/John Amis)

"If Stacey Abrams doesn't win in Georgia, they stole it. I say that publicly, it's clear," Brown, speaking at a briefing for the National Action Network, said, without presenting any evidence.

Kemp's campaign, which has repeatedly called on Abrams to concede, repeated that call Wednesday, saying Abrams and her supporters have used "fake vote totals," ''desperate press conferences" and "dangerous lawsuits" to try to steal the election.

"After all of the theatrics, the math remains the same," Kemp campaign spokesman Cody Hall said in an email. "Abrams lost and Brian Kemp won. This election is over."

Since he declared himself governor last week and resigned as secretary of state, Kemp's lead has narrowed as counties have tabulated more ballots. And the numbers could change again as federal courts issue new guidance on counting certain provisional and absentee ballots.

Groh-Wargo said Tuesday that the Abrams campaign believes she needs a net gain of 17,759 votes to pull Kemp below a majority threshold and force a Dec. 4 runoff. Kemp's campaign said even if every vote that Abrams' campaign is arguing for is granted by the courts and counted for her, she cannot overcome his lead or force a runoff.

The Associated Press said Thursday that it would not declare a winner in the race until state officials certified the results.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Steve Jones ruled that the secretary of state must not certify the state election results without confirming that each county's vote tally includes absentee ballots on which the voter's date of birth is missing or incorrect.

The order stems from a request in a lawsuit filed Sunday by the Abrams campaign. But Jones also rejected the campaign's other requests.

He declined to extend the period during which evidence could be submitted to prove the eligibility of voters who cast provisional ballots. He also declined to order that provisional ballots cast by voters who went to a precinct in the wrong county be counted.

The lawsuit was one of several election-related complaints filed before multiple federal judges.

U.S. District Judge Leigh May ordered Gwinnett County election officials Tuesday not to reject absentee ballots just because the voter's birth year is missing or wrong. She also ordered the county to delay certification of its election results until those ballots have been counted.

Jones' ruling effectively extended May's order to the other 158 counties in Georgia.

U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg late Monday ordered state officials not to do their final certification of election results before 5 p.m. Friday.

State law sets a Nov. 20 deadline, but secretary of state's office elections director Chris Harvey testified last week that the state had planned to certify the election results Wednesday, a day after the deadline for counties to certify their results. He said that would allow preparations to begin for any runoff contests, including those already projected in the races for secretary of state and a Public Service Commission seat.

Totenberg's order left untouched the county certification deadline. Candice Broce, a spokeswoman for secretary of state's office, said Wednesday that all counties but Gwinnett have certified their totals.

Totenberg ordered the secretary of state's office to establish and publicize a hotline or website enabling voters to check whether their provisional ballots were counted and, if not, why not. And she ordered the secretary of state's office to review or have county election authorities review the eligibility of voters who had to cast provisional ballots because of registration issues.

___

Associated Press writers Russ Bynum and Ben Nadler in Atlanta and Juana Summers in Washington contributed to this report.

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Follow Barrow and Brumback on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BillBarrowAP and https://twitter.com/katebrumback .

Sen. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta) is arrested by capitol police during a protest over election ballot counts in the rotunda of the state capitol building Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Atlanta. Dozens filled the rotunda in the center of the Capitol's second floor Tuesday just as the House was scheduled to convene for a special session. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

A man is arrested by Georgia state troopers during a protest over election ballot counts in the rotunda of the state Capitol building Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Atlanta. Several protesters, including a state senator, have been arrested during a demonstration at the Georgia state Capitol calling for tallying of uncounted ballots from last week's election. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

This combination of May 20, 2018, photos shows Georgia gubernatorial candidates Stacey Abrams, left, and Brian Kemp in Atlanta. Georgia's still undecided race for governor will remain in legal limbo for several more days after a federal court put the brakes on final certification of the vote totals in one of the nation's hottest midterm matchups. (AP Photos/John Amis, File)

People hold signs as they protest the election in the rotunda of the state capitol building Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

A woman is arrested by Georgia state troopers during a protest over election ballot counts in the rotunda of the state capitol building Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

A Georgia state trooper is seen organizing his handcuffs after several people were arrested during a protest in the rotunda of the state capitol building Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of U.S. active-duty troops deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border has "pretty much peaked" at the current total of 5,800, the Pentagon's No. 2 official said Thursday.

That is far below the 10,000 to 15,000 that President Donald Trump initially said would be needed to secure the border against what he called an "invasion" of migrants.

Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan was asked about the military mission one day after his boss, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, visited troops near McAllen, Texas, and defended the use of the military for border security.

Mattis said that within a week to 10 days, the troops currently deployed along the border in Texas, Arizona and California will have accomplished all the tasks initially requested by Customs and Border Protection, although he said additional requests were expected.

Shanahan did not go into detail beyond saying substantial additional troops do not appear to be required.

"We've pretty much peaked in terms of the number of people that are down there," he told reporters at the Pentagon. He noted that the current mission is scheduled to end Dec. 15, adding, "That could always be amended."

Members of the military police close a barbed wire entrance to Base Camp Donna as U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis visits on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018, in Donna, Texas. (Joel Martinez/The Monitor via AP)

Mattis, while on his way to visit troops along the border in south Texas on Wednesday, declined to provide an estimate of how much the mission will cost.

In his most extensive remarks about the hastily arranged mission, Mattis argued that it fits an historical pattern dating to early in the 20th century. He noted that President Woodrow Wilson deployed tens of thousands of National Guard and active duty troops to the border in 1916 in response to a Mexican military raid into the U.S. led by Gen. Francisco "Pancho" Villa.

He noted that more recently, National Guard troops were used in border missions ordered by President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama, although not on the cusp of a midterm election.

Mattis did not say how soon the mission might end.

In addition to the 5,800 active duty troops in the border area, about 2,100 National Guard troops have been providing border support since April.

Critics have questioned the wisdom of using the military on the border where there is no discernible security threat. Since the Nov. 6 election, Trump has said little about the matter, and no border threat has yet materialized.

Asked whether he believes there is a security threat at the border that justifies the use of the active duty military, Mattis said he defers to the judgment of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, who joined him at the border Wednesday.

Mattis said the short-term objective is to get sufficient numbers of wire and other barriers in place along the border as requested by Customs and Border Protection. The longer-term objective, he said, is "somewhat to be determined."

Mattis said the mission, which does not include performing law enforcement tasks, was reviewed by Department of Justice lawyers and deemed a legal undertaking. "It's obviously a moral and ethical mission to support our border patrolmen," he said.

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AP Radio correspondent Sagar Meghani contributed to this report.
BILLINGS, Montana (AP) - Creating fire buffers between housing and dry brush, burying spark-prone power lines and lighting more controlled burns to keep vegetation in check could give people a better chance of surviving wildfires, according to experts searching for ways to reduce growing death tolls from blazes in California and across the U.S. West.

Western wildfires have grown ever more lethal, a grim reality driven by more housing developments sprawling into the most fire-prone grasslands and brushy canyons, experts say. Many of the ranchers and farmers who once managed those landscapes are gone, leaving terrain thick with vegetation that can explode into flames.

That's set the stage for tragedy, as whipping winds, high temperatures and drought that are characteristic of climate change stoke wildfires like those raging in Northern and Southern California, killing at least 59 people in recent days with 130 others missing.

Hundreds of thousands of people were told to evacuate ahead of the blazes. Some experts say there has been an over-reliance on evacuation and too little attention paid to making communities safe, plus not enough money for preventive measures.

Search crews found many victims inside or next to their vehicles, killed trying to flee. Survivors of the blaze that nearly obliterated the Northern California town of Paradise spoke of having minutes to escape and narrow roads rendered impassable by flames and traffic jams.

There are "so many ways that can go wrong, in the warning, the modes of getting the message out, the confusion," said Max Moritz, a wildfire specialist with the University of California Cooperative Extension program.

FILE - In this March 8, 2018 file photo, National Park firefighters start to run to keep ahead of a controlled burn near the Abrahms Fall trail head in Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tenn. Creating fire buffers between housing and dry grasslands and brush and burying spark-prone power lines underground would give people a better chance of surviving wildfires, experts say. So would controlled burns, a proven, historic practice that has been neglected in recent decades. (Tom Sherlin/The Daily Times via AP, File)

Moritz urged consideration of the creation of community "retreat zones" where residents can ride out deadly firestorms if escape seems impossible. That could be a community center, built or retrofitted to better withstand wildfires that can top 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit and reduce ordinary homes to ash.

Such fire protection can include sprinklers, fire- and heat-resistant walls and roofs, and barriers to keep sparks out of chimneys and other openings, according to the International Code Council, a nonprofit that helps develop U.S. building codes.

Creating more buffers around housing developments would help stave off wildfires. They could be parks or irrigated agriculture, like the vineyards that helped keep last year's wildfires in California wine country from spreading into even more towns.

Also helpful would be burying electric power lines, which can spark and fail in high winds that drive many of California's fiercest fires, said Jon Keeley, a research scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey in California.

Sparks from utility equipment are suspected in the Northern California wildfire that consumed Paradise, destroying thousands of homes.

A proven method to guard against destructive fires is controlled burns. By intentionally lighting fires when conditions are right, property owners remove low-lying trees and brush that otherwise act as fuel.

In the mid-20th century, California ranchers burned hundreds of thousands of acres annually to manage their lands, said Lenya Quinn-Davidson, director of the Northern California Prescribed Fire Council.

That was phased out in the 1980s after California's fire management agency took over the burns. By last decade, the burned acreage dropped to less than 10,000 acres annually, Quinn-Davidson said.

Agricultural land surrounding many towns became overgrown, and housing developments pushed deeper into rural areas. Such was the case with the Northern California town of Redding ahead of a fire that began in July and destroyed more than 1,000 homes. It was blamed for eight deaths.

"You get these growing cities pushing out - housing developments going right up into brush and wooded areas. One ignition on a bad day, and all that is threatened," Quinn-Davidson said. "These fires are tragic, and they're telling us this is urgent."

The recent California fires set off a debate over what's to blame. President Donald Trump claimed in a tweet Saturday that "gross mismanagement of the forests" was the sole reason the state's fires had become so "massive, deadly and costly." He also threatened to withhold federal payments.

But most of California's recent deadly fires are in grasslands and brushy chaparral - not thick forest, Keeley said. "Thinning isn't going to change anything," he said.

Trump's assertion also ignored the huge federal land holdings in the state. It brought a quick backlash from the president of the California firefighters union, who described it as a shameful attack on thousands of firefighters.

To ease tensions, the White House sent Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to tour fire-damaged areas. Zinke struck a conciliatory tone and offered assistance in a meeting with California Gov. Jerry Brown.

"We need to work in unison to make sure we thin the forest, especially fire breaks, and make sure we have prescribed burns," Zinke told The Associated Press. "There's been a lack of management on Interior lands, on U.S. Forest Service lands and certainly with state lands."

California, not the Trump administration, is putting more money behind such efforts. In September, Brown signed a law providing $1 billion over five years for fire protection, including more controlled burns and tree clearing.

Federal spending on hazardous fuels reduction has been flat in recent years, hovering just under $600 million, even as direct firefighting costs jumped to a record $2.9 billion last year.

For 2019, the Forest Service has proposed a $3 million bump for its wildfire fuels program. At Interior, Zinke proposed a $29 million cut in fuel management spending.

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Knickmeyer reported from Washington.

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Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MatthewBrownAP .

FILE-In this March 10, 2015 file photo, firefighters burned about 30 acres of oak woodland Tuesday, March 10, 2015, during a prescribed burn along the eastern edge of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area in Shasta County, Calif. Creating fire buffers between housing and dry grasslands and brush and burying spark-prone power lines underground would give people a better chance of surviving wildfires, experts say. So would controlled burns, a proven, historic practice that has been neglected in recent decades.(Andreas Fuhrmann/The Record Searchlight via AP)

FILE - In this Nov. 23, 2015, file photo, an inmate from the Trinity River Conservation Camp watches over a prescribed burn on Mule Mountain in the Swasey Recreation Area near Redding, Calif. Creating fire buffers between housing and dry grasslands and brush and burying spark-prone power lines underground would give people a better chance of surviving wildfires, experts say. So would controlled burns, a proven, historic practice that has been neglected in recent decades. (Greg Barnette/The Record Searchlight via AP, File)
NEW YORK (AP) - Commuters beware: New York and Washington's clogged streets and creaky subway systems are about to feel more pain as 50,000 more people descend on the two metro areas where Amazon will open new headquarters.

An expansion of that scope in a city such as New York - where the regional subway, bus and commuter lines move more than 8 million people every day - sounds like something a transit system should be able to absorb.

Not so, some experts say.

"Congestion will get worse. Buses will probably get a little bit slower. There are going to be more people traveling at a specific time of day to a specific place," said Eric Guerra, assistant professor of city and regional planning at the University of Pennsylvania. "But at the same time, they will create a lot of jobs where people are."

Long Island City, the New York City neighborhood that will be home to one of the new headquarters, sits across the river from the busy world of midtown Manhattan. The growing neighborhood is crisscrossed by subways and buses and surrounded by residential neighborhoods. The other headquarters will be in the Washington suburb of Arlington in northern Virginia, a part of the country known for its mind-numbing traffic.

Amazon said hiring at the two headquarters will start next year, but it could take a decade or more to build out its offices. Still, the complaining has already begun.

In this Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, photo, a construction crane is perched on the site of Court Square City View Tower adjacent to the Court Square Number 7 subway station in Long Island City in the Queens borough of New York. When complete, the 963-foot residential tower will house 774 apartments. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Among the sticking points - Amazon has won the rights to a helipad at its Long Island City location, allowing some senior executives to get through rush hour in style, though the company had to agree to limit landings to 120 per year.

"For the city and state to greenlight a helipad for the wealthiest man in the world and one of the richest corporations in the world is a slap in the face to all New Yorkers, but particularly the people in Queens who have to fight to get on the 7 train in the morning," said City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, a Democrat who represents Long Island City. "And furthermore, if there were 25 to 30,000 Amazon employees in Long Island City, that fight to get onto the train is going to get a lot more intense."

Frustration levels already are high among New York City subway riders. More than a quarter of residents spend more than an hour getting to work, and 57 percent ride public transit to commute, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

A key subway line that runs through Long Island City has been often criticized for delays, though long-awaited upgrades to allow trains to run more frequently are on track to finish as soon as this month, and a new ferry connection to Manhattan opened in August. Still, Van Bramer insisted the area is not sufficiently well served, and there are complaints about noise pollution from helicopters and sea planes.

"The entire city is in a mass transit crisis and nothing that I've seen about this deal makes me think it will help," New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said at a press conference Wednesday. "Western Queens transit infrastructure is already strained and the 7 train in particular is a mess every morning, so this definitely adds to existing transportation concerns."

New York City commuters have been clamoring for subway improvements for years, and some on Wednesday tweeted photos of packed subway stations near Amazon's proposed new office and reported having let several overcrowded trains go by before they were finally able to squeeze into one.

Some see the dire warnings about New York's transit system as premature.

"Even as stressed as our system is right now, an investment in growth of this magnitude doesn't overwhelm the transportation network because it's such a robust and large system," said Tom Wright, president and CEO of the Regional Plan Association, an urban research and advocacy organization.

Washington, D.C.'s subway system, which will serve Amazon's headquarters in Arlington's Crystal City, is at capacity on many lines and has serious maintenance problems, said Tom Rubin, a transportation consultant based in Oakland, California. Repair work to the subway station closest to Amazon's new office resulted in a disastrous commute last week as people missed flights and stood in long lines for buses that never arrived, said Thomas Cooke, professor of business law at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business.

In fact, fires have broken out so many times in Washington D.C.'s Metro system that a developer created a Twitter account to automatically tweet suspected fires in stations.

"We have an embarrassing metro system here that I hope will benefit by this relocation," Cooke said, adding that taxpayers will be footing the bill for the transit improvements that Virginia agreed to in its deal with Amazon.

Development along major highways in Northern Virginia and Washington have led to "unreasonable traffic delays on a daily basis" in the past few years, with drive times that used to take 40 minutes ballooning to up to 90 minutes, Cooke said.

In the nation's capital, more than a third of commuters ride public transit and most commuters spend at least a half-hour getting to work, according to the Census Bureau. Commuters in the suburbs surrounding Washington face even longer commute times.

Elsewhere, companies use van pools and private buses to entice talented employees who want to live in hipper neighborhoods away from their offices. Google and Yahoo began running private buses from downtown San Francisco and elsewhere to their headquarters in Silicon Valley more than a decade ago. In the Los Angeles area, Disney, Nickelodeon and Warner Bros. run shuttle buses to carry employees from public transit stations to their Burbank studios, said Keith Millhouse, a transportation consultant and principal at Millhouse Strategies.

Some hoped Amazon would invest in transit upgrades as part of the deal. But it's hard to imagine Amazon volunteering to chip in for transit improvements when so many cities - 238 submitted proposals - were competing for the company's second headquarters, Guerra said.

"If anything, they're getting benefits out of it," Guerra said. "They're unlikely to be paying for new services."

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AP Writer Jennifer Peltz in New York and Economics Writer Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report. Follow Cathy Bussewitz on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cbussewitz

FILE- In this Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, file photo, people walk in Crystal City, Va. Washington, D.C.'s subway system, which serves the Crystal City, Va., neighborhood that Amazon chose for one of its headquarters locations, is at capacity on many of its lines and has serious maintenance problems, said Tom Rubin, a transportation consultant based in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

FILE- This Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, file photo, shows a view of Washington from a revolving restaurant in Crystal City, Va. On Tuesday, Nov. 13, Amazon said it will split its second headquarters between Long Island City in New York and Crystal City. Development along major highways in Northern Virginia and Washington have led to "unreasonable traffic delays on a daily basis" in the past few years, with drive times that used to take 40 minutes ballooning to up to 90 minutes, said Thomas Cooke, professor of business law at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

FILE- In this Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, file photo, the East River flows under the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge and past the Long Island City skyline and waterfront in New York. On Tuesday, Nov. 13, Amazon said it will split its second headquarters between Long Island City in New York and Crystal City. An expansion of that scope in a major city such as New York may seem like something a transit system could absorb. But some fear the addition of more commuters on already overcrowded roads and trains will just add to commuters' headaches where Amazon makes its new homes. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

FILE- In this Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, file photo leaves cover cars and sidewalks on a tree-lined residential block in Long Island City in the Queens borough of New York. On Tuesday, Nov. 13, Amazon said it will split its second headquarters between Long Island City in New York and a suburb of Washington, in Arlington, Va. An expansion of that scope in a major city such as New York may seem like something a transit system could absorb. But some fear the addition of more commuters on already overcrowded roads and trains will just add to commuters' headaches where Amazon makes its new homes. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

FILE- In this Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, file photo traffic moves along 44th Drive in Long Island City, in the Queens borough of New York. On Tuesday, Nov. 13, Amazon said it will split its second headquarters between Long Island City in New York and a suburb of Washington, in Arlington, Va. An expansion of that scope in a major city such as New York may seem like something a transit system could absorb. But some fear the addition of more commuters on already overcrowded roads and trains will just add to commuters' headaches where Amazon makes its new homes. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
TOLLAND, Conn. (AP) - Like many victims of a Connecticut sex trafficking ring that preyed on troubled young men and teenage boys for more than 20 years, Samuel Marino never told his family or police about being coerced into sexual relations with much older men.

Marino ended up carjacking vehicles from two different women in 2009 and leading police on a chase that left him dead at just 26 years old. In a handwritten note found years later in a raid on one of the suspected sex trafficking ring leader's homes, Marino wrote he was angry, ashamed and disgusted at how he was taken advantage of.

"He couldn't deal with the torture and the shame of being prostituted and also of being an addict," said his mother, Linda Marino, who found out about the sex trafficking only after the arrests were announced two years ago. "I'm sure he felt hopelessness and despair. The pain of not being able to help my son Sam when he was going through this is insurmountable."

Police said they identified at least 15 victims of the Connecticut trafficking ring but believe there could be dozens more. The operation appeared to date to the 1990s and was discovered only after a state probation officer reported it to authorities in January 2016, police said. One of the victims had told the probation officer about being trafficked, officials said. Two men have pleaded guilty to trafficking-related charges and a third is expected to go on trial early next year.

The case has illuminated what victims and advocates call the underreported scourge of male sex trafficking. While both male and female trafficking victims suffer trauma and other psychological scars, data suggest men and boys are less likely to come forward and when they do they are more likely to have difficulties finding counseling and other services, victims and advocates say.

The suspects targeted teenage boys and young men who were developmentally disabled, mentally ill and addicted to drugs, police said. One of the defendants, Robert King, found some of his victims at drug rehab centers. He would allegedly give them drugs, including heroin and cocaine, and take them to other men for sex acts so they could earn money to pay him back for the drugs, according to arrest warrants.

In this Oct. 9, 2018 photo, Linda Marino poses with photographs of her son, Samuel, at her home in Tolland, Conn. Samuel Marino died in a 2009 car crash that relatives believe was intentional after becoming a victim of a male sex trafficking ring. Advocates are calling for more recognition and services for male victims. (AP Photo/Dave Collins)

King, 53, of Danbury, pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to commit human trafficking and is expected to be sentenced to 4  years in prison after cooperating in the trial of another defendant, wealthy Glastonbury businessman Bruce Bemer, whose lawyers said he is not guilty of the charges. A third defendant, William Trefzger, 74, of Westport, pleaded guilty in February to patronizing a trafficked person and was sentenced to a year in prison.

The trafficking ring left behind a trail of devastation. The victims suffer a variety of psychological ailments including post-traumatic stress disorder and repeated flashbacks, according to lawsuits filed by several victims. And their families continue coping with the trauma in the aftermath.

One man, known only as "Victim #1" in arrest warrants, suffers from severe mental health disorders and isn't capable of living independently. He was searching dumpsters for returnable bottles when he met King, he told police.

Another young man, described only as "Victim #2" in arrest warrants, has severe psychological disorders. He told police he was paid $50 to $80 for sexual encounters with older men. He said King threatened to kill him if he told anyone about the trafficking ring, which left him traumatized. He told a health care provider he was embarrassed and worried that people may think he was homosexual when he was not, an arrest warrant said.

It is not uncommon for male victims to worry about their masculinity and sexual orientation being questioned, said Robert Lung, a Colorado state judge and member of the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. And while all victims of trafficking and sexual assault are often hesitant to come forward due to fear and other issues, Lung said there are fewer services, including counseling, available to men because most providers focus on treating women.

"The perception by society is boys and men are not victims," said Lung, who, like other members of the advisory council, is a sex trafficking survivor. "I can count on one hand the number of organizations that are specific to boys and men in the country. And that's a pretty big problem."

He cited a 2010 study by John Marshall Law School professor Samuel Jones that found only two of the 222 institutions and programs that received federal government funding for anti-trafficking efforts were committed to fighting the trafficking of men and boys.

The Advisory Council on Human Trafficking, appointed by President Trump in March, is expected to make numerous recommendations in a report due early next year. Lung hopes one of them includes providing incentives to providers to treat more male trafficking victims.

Accurate data on the sex trafficking of men and boys is lacking and estimates on the number and gender of victims varies widely, advocates said.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline, run by government-funded Polaris, says 8,524 human trafficking cases were reported in the U.S. last year, including both sex and labor trafficking. Of those, 1,124 cases, or 13 percent, involved male victims. Other studies and research have said the percentage of male victims is much higher, more than half in some reports including a 2008 study of the sexual exploitation of children in New York City by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

One report last year estimated that 4.8 million adults and children worldwide were sex trafficking victims in 2016. But the report, by the International Labour Organization, the Walk Free Foundation and the International Organization for Migration, said women and girls accounted for 99 percent of all victims.

A 2016 study funded by the U.S. Department of Justice that interviewed nearly 1,000 youths involved in the sex trade found 36 percent were male. About 53 percent of those victims were heterosexual, 36 percent were bisexual and 9 percent were gay, according to the study by the Center for Court Innovation and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Some reports indicate gay and transgender men and boys are more at risk for becoming sex trafficking victims. Advocates, however, say victims' sexual orientation is irrelevant.

Samuel Marino, the Connecticut victim who died in a car crash, revealed his feelings in a typo-filled note police say they found in 2016 in King's Danbury trailer home while executing a search warrant. The note references King.

"I felt so angry at Bob at myself," he wrote. "Guilty ashamed and discusted. What hapend was an act of survival. I was ... taken advantage of. It wasn't my falt It wasn't my falt It wasn't my falt."

This combination of booking photos released by the Danbury Police Department shows, from left, Bruce Bemer in 2017, Robert King in 2015, and William Trefzger in 2017, all arrested in Danbury, Conn., in connection to a human trafficking ring. King and Trefzger pleaded guilty to charges in 2018 and Bemer is expected to go on trial in 2019. (Danbury Police Department/Hearst Connecticut Media via AP)

This May 2009 photo provided by Julie Cormier shows her brother Samuel Marino, in Coventry, Conn., who died in a 2009 car crash. Relatives believe the crash was intentional after Marino become a victim of a male sex trafficking ring. Advocates are calling for more recognition and services for male victims. (Julie Cormier via AP)
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Palestinian organizers of the weekly demonstrations in the Gaza Strip along the Israeli border said they will hold another protest on Friday - in a key test of this week's cease-fire between Israel and Gaza militant groups.

Tuesday's cease-fire ended the heaviest fighting between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers since a 2014 war.

The fighting was fueled in part by the demonstrations. Since late March, thousands of Gazans have joined the Hamas-led demonstrations in a bid to end a crippling Israeli blockade.

Protesters frequently lob grenades, flaming tires and firebombs toward Israeli troops, who respond with tear gas and live fire. Some 170 Palestinians, many of them unarmed, have been killed by Israeli fire. Israel says it is defending its border against militant attackers.

Hamas had lowered the intensity of the protests in recent weeks as U.N. and Egyptian mediators made progress toward an unofficial agreement with Israel.

But then this week's fighting erupted after a botched Israeli undercover military operation in Gaza.

Israeli protesters hold flags during a demonstration against the cease-fire between Israel and Gaza's Hamas in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018. Israel's defense minister on Wednesday abruptly resigned to protest a new cease-fire with Hamas militants in Gaza, throwing the government into turmoil and pushing the country toward an early election. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

Gaza militants fired 460 rockets into Israel, while the Israeli air force struck 160 targets in Gaza. The fighting left a total of 14 Palestinians, including 12 militants, dead. An Israeli officer was killed during the Gaza raid, while a Palestinian laborer who worked in Israel was killed in a rocket attack.

In their announcement, protest organizers in Gaza urged people to demonstrate Friday "to thank the resistance" for battling Israel.

But in statements on Facebook, organizers also urged demonstrators to stay away from the border fence, a sign that Friday's protest would be restrained.

In another sign of quiet, Hamas announced Thursday that Egyptian mediators had arrived in Gaza to work on promoting a deeper cease-fire arrangement with Israel.

Hamas and its supporters have celebrated the cease-fire as a victory against the powerful Israeli military.

In Israel, the cease-fire has triggered a political crisis. Israel's defense minister, who favored a much harsher response, resigned to protest the truce, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could soon be forced to call an early election.

Angry Israelis in rocket-scarred southern communities near Gaza have protested against the cease-fire in recent days. Another demonstration was being held Thursday night in Tel Aviv.

Also on Thursday, Israeli police said that a knife-wielding Palestinian attacker sneaked into a Jerusalem police station and lightly wounded four police officers before he was shot and apprehended.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the knife-wielding attacker climbed over the station's fence late on Wednesday night and began stabbing officers inside. Other officers then shot the assailant, who was caught and taken to a hospital.
CHEORWON, South Korea (AP) - South Korea exploded one of its own front-line guard posts Thursday, sending plumes of thick, black smoke into the sky above the border with North Korea, in the most dramatic scene to date in the rivals' efforts to reduce animosities that sparked last year's fears of war.

Last week, the two Koreas finished withdrawing troops and firearms from some of the guard posts along their border before dismantling them. The steps are part of agreements signed in September during a meeting between their leaders in Pyongyang, North Korea's capital.

On Thursday, South Korea's military invited a group of journalists to watch the destruction of a guard post with dynamite in the central border area of Cheorwon. The journalists were asked to stay hundreds of meters (yards) away as black smoke enveloped the hilly border area. They later watched soldiers and other workers bulldoze another guard post.

Most of the South Korean guard posts are being destroyed with construction equipment for environmental and safety reasons, but dynamite was used for the first structure because of its location on a high hill where it was difficult to use excavators, the Defense Ministry said.

North Korea is demolishing its guard posts with explosives, according to South Korean media.

The guard posts are inside the 248-kilometer (155-mile) -long, 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) -wide border called the Demilitarized Zone. Despite its name, it's the world's most heavily fortified border with an estimated 2 million land mines planted in and near the zone.

This general view shows an explosion as part of the dismantling of a South Korean guard post in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas in Cheorwon on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, as a North Korean guard post sits high in the upper left. (Jung Yeon-je/Pool Photo via AP)

The area has been the site of violence and bloodshed since the 1945 division of the Korean Peninsula, and civilians need special government approval to enter the zone.

The Koreas each agreed to dismantle or disarm 11 of their guard posts by the end of this month before jointly verifying the destruction next month. South Korea had about 60 posts inside the DMZ guarded by layers of barbed wire and manned by troops with machine guns. North Korea was estimated to have 160 such front-line posts.

Under the September agreements, the Koreas are also disarming the shared border village of Panmunjom and clearing mines from another DMZ area where they plan their first-ever joint searches for Korean War dead. They've also halted live-fire exercises along the border.

The deals are among a set of steps they have taken since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reached out to Seoul and Washington early this year with a vague commitment to nuclear disarmament. The fast-improving inter-Korean ties have raised worries among many in South Korea and the United States as global diplomacy on the North's nuclear weapons program has produced little recent progress.

Speaking in Washington on Thursday, South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon acknowledged that criticism and offered reassurance that the South would not pursue economic cooperation with the North until there's "significant progress" on denuclearization.

But he argued that improving inter-Korean relation would help, not hinder that process. He said another summit between South and North Korea could still take place this year. If it happens, Cho said it would break a "glass ceiling" in inter-Korean relations and could pave the way for another U.S.-North Korea summit.

"Chairman Kim's visit to Seoul and South Korea is something that we have agreed upon, something that we can implement and something that is possible," Cho said at the Wilson Center think tank.

The two Korean leaders have already met three times this year, most recently in North Korea's capital in September. But a lack of progress in U.S.-led efforts to get the North to give up its nukes has added to doubts about whether plans for South Korean President Moon Jae-in to host Kim in the South Korean capital during 2018 can be realized.

If Kim, a third-generation hereditary ruler, visits Seoul, he would be the first North Korean leader to do so since the Korean War ended in 1953 with an armistice.

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Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea. Associated Press writer Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report.

A South Korean soldier stands guard as construction equipments destroy a guard post in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas in Cheorwon Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Relations between the Koreas have improved this year, with the North entering disarmament talks with a vague promise to achieve complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. (Jung Yeon-je/Pool Photo via AP)

This general view shows an explosion as part of the dismantling of a South Korean guard post in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas in Cheorwon on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Relations between the Koreas have improved this year, with the North entering disarmament talks with a vague promise to achieve complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. (Jung Yeon-je/Pool Photo via AP)

South Korean soldiers stand guard as construction equipments destroy a guard post in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas in Cheorwon Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Relations between the Koreas have improved this year, with the North entering disarmament talks with a vague promise to achieve complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. (Jung Yeon-je/Pool Photo via AP)

Construction equipments destroy a South Korean guard post in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas in Cheorwon Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Relations between the Koreas have improved this year, with the North entering disarmament talks with a vague promise to achieve complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. (Jung Yeon-je/Pool Photo via AP)
STRASBOURG, France (AP) - The European Court of Human Rights ruled Thursday that Russian authorities' arrests of opposition leader Alexei Navalny were politically motivated, a decision that deals a blow to the Kremlin's dismissal of Navalny as a mere troublemaker.

Navalny hailed the ruling as an example of "genuine justice" and said it is an important signal for many people in Russia who face arbitrary detentions for their political activities.

The court's highest chamber found that Russian authorities violated multiple human rights in detaining Navalny seven times from 2012 to 2014, and that two of the arrests were expressly aimed at "suppressing political pluralism."

It ordered Russia to pay Navalny 63,000 euros ($71,000) in damages, and called on Russia to fix legislation to "take due regard of the fundamental importance of the right to peaceful assembly."

The ruling is final and binding on Russia as a member of the Council of Europe, the continent's human rights watchdog.

"I'm very pleased with this ruling - this is genuine justice," Navalny told reporters after the hearing. "This ruling is very important not only for me but also for many people in Russia who face similar arrests on a daily basis."

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny smiles before his hearing at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, eastern France, Thursday, Nov.15, 2018. Russia is awaiting the European court ruling on whether it violated the rights of Navalny when arresting him on repeated occasions. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Russia is obliged to carry out the court's rulings, which enforce the European Convention on Human Rights , but it has delayed implementing past rulings from the court and argued against them as encroaching on Russian judicial sovereignty.

Navalny told reporters that he expects the Russian government to ignore this ruling and dismiss it on political grounds.

Navalny, arguably Russian President Vladimir Putin's most serious foe, has been convicted of fraud in two separate trials that have been widely viewed as political retribution for his investigations of official corruption and his leading role in staging anti-government protests.

Over the years, Navalny has been detained by the police multiple times. In what has become almost a routine, police nab him outside his home or as he makes his way to an anti-government protest that he has organized. He has spent more than 140 days behind bars in the past year and a half.

The Kremlin routinely dismisses Navalny, who garnered a quarter of the vote at the 2013 Moscow mayoral election, as a troublemaker with no political backing.

Russia's representative to the ECHR, Deputy Justice Minister Mikhail Galperin, argued during a hearing earlier this year that Navalny's arrests were all justified and that his unauthorized rallies put public security at risk. He suggested Navalny staged his arrests to get media attention.

Navalny was present for the announcement in the court's headquarters in the French city of Strasbourg, after a last-minute legal problem delayed his arrival.

In an initial ruling last year, the European court said that his past arrests were unlawful, but didn't rule on Navalny's arguments that the arrests were politically motivated. The Russian government and Navalny both appealed, and the case went to the court's Grand Chamber.

Navalny mounted a grass-roots presidential campaign last year before he was officially barred from running in this year's election, which Putin overwhelmingly won.

About a third of the court's cases last year involved Russia, and of 305 judgments concerning Russia in 2017, 293 found at least one rights violation.

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Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, back to the camera, listens at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, eastern France, Thursday, Nov.15, 2018. Russia is awaiting the European court ruling on whether it violated the rights of Navalny when arresting him on repeated occasions. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny attends his hearing at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, eastern France, Thursday, Nov.15, 2018. The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Russian authorities' repeated arrests of opposition leader Alexei Navalny were politically driven. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, right, and his brother Oleg stand during his hearing at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, eastern France, Thursday, Nov.15, 2018. Russia is awaiting the European court ruling on whether it violated the rights of Navalny when arresting him on repeated occasions. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

In this photo released by Anti-corruption Foundation Press Service, Russian anti-corruption crusader Alexei Navalny sits behind a red ribbon at Domodedovo international airport outside Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. Navalny was stopped at the border Tuesday and barred from leaving Russia as he was about to travel to a court hearing at the European Court for Human Rights in France. (Anti-corruption Foundation press service via AP)

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny leaves the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, eastern France, Thursday, Nov.15, 2018. The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Russian authorities' repeated arrests of opposition leader Alexei Navalny were politically driven. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny answers journalists after the European Court of Human Rights ruled his case in Strasbourg, eastern France, Thursday, Nov.15, 2018. The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Russian authorities' repeated arrests of opposition leader Alexei Navalny were politically driven. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, left, and his brother Oleg leave the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, eastern France, Thursday, Nov.15, 2018. The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Russian authorities' repeated arrests of opposition leader Alexei Navalny were politically driven. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel's defense minister officially submitted his resignation on Thursday, leaving the government with the narrowest of parliamentary majorities and paving what looks like a clear path to early elections.

Avigdor Lieberman dispatched a once-sentence letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, informing him of his decision to step down. The move, which takes effect in 48 hours, leaves Netanyahu with the support of just 61 out of 120 lawmakers.

With other coalition partners also flexing their muscles and the opposition parties demanding an early election, the days of Netanyahu's current government seem to be numbered.

Netanyahu was meeting with coalition partners on Thursday. Two of them, Moshe Kahlon of the centrist Kulanu Party and Arye Deri of the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, both urged him to call early elections.

Kahlon told the prime minister that holding elections would be the "right thing to do" in the current environment, and that a new, strong and stable government should be formed, his office said.

Late on Thursday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced that Netanyahu had canceled a planned trip to Austria next week amid the deepening crisis.

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman delivers a statement at the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, in Jerusalem, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018. Lieberman announced his resignation Wednesday over the Gaza cease-fire, making early elections likely. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Lieberman's abrupt resignation came in protest to a cease-fire reached with Gaza militants that ended two days of intense fighting. The hard-liner had demanded a far harsher Israeli response to the widest wave of Gaza rocket fire against Israel since a 50-day war in 2014, but was overruled by Netanyahu.

In his live TV announcement on Wednesday, Lieberman lashed out the government's weakness and termed the cease-fire "surrender to terrorism."

The move immediately set off furious political jockeying, with insiders predicting it marked the opening salvo of a new political campaign.

Parliamentary elections are schedule for a year from now but Israeli governments rarely serve out their full terms. The last time that happened was in 1988. Since then, elections have almost always been moved up because of a coalition crisis or a strategic move by the prime minister to maximize his chances of re-election.

Netanyahu's fiercest coalition rival, Education Minister Naftali Bennett of the pro-settler Jewish Home party, was the first to pounce, threatening to leave the coalition too if he wasn't appointed defense minister in Lieberman's place. That, however, appeared unlikely given the bad blood between the two and the overall shaky nature of such a slim coalition. The two were expected to meet on Friday.

The government also faces a looming Supreme Court-dictated deadline to pass a contentious new law mandating the military draft of ultra-Orthodox men. It has deeply divided the coalition and threatened to break it up even before Lieberman bolted.

"It was very difficult yesterday evening to find anyone in the political establishment who would say that elections are far off. Any date between March and May 2019 appears logical," wrote columnist Ben Caspit in the Maariv daily. "The Netanyahu government is stumbling toward its end."

With such uncertainty, the major players are already positioning themselves.

"This government has failed to establish deterrence. This is not a right-wing government and there is no point to its existence," Bennett's party colleague, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, told Israel's Army Radio. "Bennett could be a big help to the prime minister as defense minister."

Netanyahu has been reportedly flirting with the idea of moving up elections himself, but the current timing is not ideal for him. He has come under heavy criticism for agreeing to the cease-fire, especially from within his own political base and in the working-class, rocket-battered towns in southern Israel that are typically strongholds of his ruling Likud Party.

A poll aired Wednesday on Israel's top-rated TV newscast after Lieberman's resignation showed 74 percent of Israelis to be displeased with Netanyahu's handling of the recent Gaza crisis.

Netanyahu still appeared to have little competition for the post of prime minister, though support for his Likud party dipped compared to previous polls. If elections were held today, Likud looked to win 29 seats, followed by the centrist Yesh Atid party at 18 and Labor at 11.

The Midgam poll surveyed 500 Israelis and had a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.

Netanyahu is also vulnerable to a potential corruption indictment that could rattle the entire political campaign.

Police have already questioned Netanyahu a dozen times and recommended that he be indicted on bribery and breach of trust charges in two cases. The first involves allegedly taking gifts from billionaires and the second for allegedly discussing legislation that favored a major newspaper in exchange for positive media coverage. Netanyahu has also been grilled about a corruption case involving Israel's telecom giant.

Israel's attorney general, Avichai Mandelblit, is expected to make a decision on charges in the coming months.

Netanyahu has angrily rejected the accusations against him as part of a media-orchestrated witch-hunt that is obsessed with removing him from office.
BEIJING (AP) - China said Thursday that 15 foreign ambassadors exceeded their diplomatic roles by issuing a letter expressing concern about the incarceration of hundreds of thousands of members of the country's Muslim minorities in re-education camps.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters at a daily briefing that it would be "problematic" if the diplomats were attempting to put pressure on local authorities in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, where the detentions have taken place.

Hua said the letter violated the terms of the Vienna Convention governing diplomatic relations and that the ambassadors should not "interfere in the internal affairs of other countries."

"As ambassadors, they are supposed to play positive roles in promoting mutual understanding, mutual trust and cooperation ... rather than making unreasonable requests to the countries where they are based," Hua said.

She said the letter issued this week and reportedly spearheaded by Canada was based on hearsay, despite widely distributed reports from detainees, relatives and officials documenting the sweeping and seemingly arbitrary detentions.

Inmates and relatives say the camps impose military-style discipline and punishments and force detainees to renounce their religion and culture while swearing fealty to President Xi Jinping and the ruling Communist Party.

FILE - In this file image from undated video footage run by China's CCTV via AP Video, young Muslims read from official Chinese language textbooks in classrooms at the Hotan Vocational Education and Training Center in Hotan, Xinjiang, northwest China. China says 15 foreign ambassadors exceeded their diplomatic roles by issuing a letter expressing concern about the incarceration of hundreds of thousands of members of the country's Muslim minorities in re-education camps. (CCTV via AP Video, File)

Asked about the letter, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had "highlighted the questions and concerns that we have" surrounding the issue in his bilateral meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Singapore.

"Canada will continue to look for ways to advance and promote human rights in partnership with our likeminded allies everywhere around the world," Trudeau said at a news conference Thursday.

The letter to the Chinese government has not been made public, but the Reuters news agency said it was signed by 15 Western ambassadors, including the Canadian, British, French, Swiss, European Union, German, and Australian envoys.

Diplomats from the countries named in the report either did not reply to requests for confirmation or said they had no comment.

Hua's comments came as a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is bringing a measure to urge President Donald Trump to help Chinese Muslims respond to the crackdown.

The legislation would urge Trump to condemn "gross violations" of human rights in Xinjiang, where the U.N. estimates that as many as 1 million Uighurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities are being held in arbitrary detention.

It would also support an existing push for sanctions against Xinjiang Communist Party chief Chen Quanguo and other officials under the Magnitsky Act, which prevents foreign officials from entering the U.S. and freezes any assets they have in U.S. banks.

Other sanctions raised for consideration by the act include a ban on sales of U.S.-made goods or services to Xinjiang state agents such as those that could be used for surveillance and suppression.

Chinese authorities have denied that the internment camps exist, but say petty criminals are sent to "employment training centers." The Xinjiang government has revised regulations to officially permit the use of "education and training centers" to reform "people influenced by extremism."

The rules direct the centers to teach the Mandarin language, occupational and legal education, as well as "ideological education, psychological rehabilitation and behavior correction."

Xinjiang's native Uighur and Kazakh ethnic groups are culturally, religiously and linguistically distinct from China's Han majority and the region has been home to a low-intensity rebellion against rule from Beijing. Many of the region's natives say their culture is under threat from Chinese policies aiming to assimilate them and that they face disadvantages in education and employment from Han migrants from other parts of China.

Members of the Muslim Hui ethnic group - culturally and linguistically closer to the Han - have also been ensnared in the campaign that has drawn comparisons to Mao Zedong's radical 1966-76 Cultural Revolution.

Also on Thursday, China's Cabinet released a report entitled "Protection and Development of Xinjiang Culture," that stressed the importance of adopting Mandarin Chinese among ethnic groups and referred to their Islamic faith as "religious culture."

"Xinjiang adheres to the historical tradition of the Sinosization of religion and actively adapts religion to socialist society," the report said.

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McNeil reported from Singapore.
RABAT, Morocco (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron and Morocco's King Mohammed VI have inaugurated Morocco's first high-speed rail line, the first ever such line in Africa.

Known as the LGV, it will connect the economic hubs of Tangier and Casablanca in 2 hours 10 minutes at a speed of up to 320 kph (199 mph) instead of almost 5 hours on a regular train.

The Moroccan and French leaders boarded the train in Tangier after they were handed tickets by Director General of the National Railway Office Mohamed Rabie Khlie, according to State agency MAP.

They were expected to reach the country's capital, Rabat, 1 hour and 15 minutes later.

The $2 billion project was launched in September 2011 by the king and Nicolas Sarkozy, then president of France.

France financed 51 percent of the project, Morocco 28 percent and the remaining 21 percent was provided by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

French President Emmanuel Macron, left, is welcomed by Moroccan King Mohammed VI at Tangiers' airport, Morocco, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Macron and Morocco's King Mohammed VI are inaugurating Morocco's first high-speed rail line, the first ever such line in Africa. (Christophe Archambault, Pool via AP)

Macron's office said the Moroccan line is an international showcase for the French-made high-speed train. Morocco bought 12 such trains from French manufacturer Alstom.

The king named the first line Al Boraq after a mythical winged creature that transported the prophets to the heavens.

Morocco's railway office expects 6 million passengers on the line in the first three years of operation.

While the Moroccan government and businesses praised the project as a key achievement in developing the country's infrastructure, the line has sparked controversy for its high cost. Critics say that Morocco should be investing in education and health instead.

The criticism gained strength mid-October when a train derailed, killing seven people and injuring more than 100.

French President Emmanuel Macron arrives at Tangiers' train station, Morocco, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Macron and Morocco's King Mohammed VI are inaugurating Morocco's first high-speed rail line, the first ever such line in Africa. (Christophe Archambault, Pool via AP)
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Two Chilean tourists accused of killing a man in Malaysia were sentenced to two years in prison Thursday after they pleaded guilty to a reduced charge not amounting to murder.

Fernando Candia, 32, and Felipe Osiadacz, 28, were earlier charged with murdering 28-year-old Yusaini Ishak at a Kuala Lumpur hotel on Aug. 4 last year, less than 24 hours after arriving in Malaysia. They had pleaded not guilty to murder, which carries the death penalty, although the government has said it plans to abolish capital punishment.

Their lawyer, Venkateswari Alagendra, said prosecutors offered a lesser charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The men decided to plead guilty to that after considering all options but they are "maintaining their innocence to murder," she told The Associated Press. She said the two acted in self-defense after the victim demanded money from them in the hotel lobby and tried to attack them with his shoes.

She said the Chileans were tearful and both apologized to the dead men's family.

The court sentenced them to two years in prison from the day of their arrest, which means they could be released as early as next month and be back home for Christmas, she said. Convicts in Malaysia can get one-third off their sentences for good behavior.
MILAN (AP) - Chinese consumers will remain the driving force for the luxury goods market, according to a new study by Bain consultancy released Thursday that shows they will fuel nearly half of global high-end sales by 2025.

Chinese shoppers will account for 46 percent of global luxury sales of an estimated 365 billion euros ($412 billion) in just six years, Bain said in the study, which was prepared for Italy's Altagamma association of high-end producers. That's up from one third of all sales of luxury apparel, accessories and cosmetics last year.

Bain partner Claudia D'Arpizio says half of those purchases will be made in China, as price differences between countries fade and brands improve the customer experience in China.

Bain said luxury sales this year are forecast to grow 2 percent to 260 billion euros, in figures restated to exclude luxury art, design and decor. Taking into account both luxury goods and experiences, the market is expected to grow by 5 percent to 1.2 trillion euros globally.

Luxury goods sales in China this year are forecast to be up 18 percent to 23 billion euros. Europe and the Americas, still the two largest markets, remain flat due to strong currencies, totaling 84 billion euros and 80 billion euros, respectively.

D'Arpizio said that Bain identifies five different generations of luxury goods consumers in the current market, from those born before 1945 whose spending focuses more on experiences than hard luxury, to current teenagers who favor casual wear like expensive sneakers.

FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2018 file photo, a model wears a creation for the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2019 ready to wear fashion collection presented in Paris. Chinese consumers will remain the driving force for the luxury goods market, according to a new study by Bain consultancy released Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 that shows they will fuel nearly half of global high-end sales by 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, file photo)

"This is an opportunity for brands to cherry-pick the customer. Loro Piana and Balenciaga have different customer bases, while Gucci or Louis Vuitton can be relevant for teen-agers or older customers," she said.

"That is why we are very positive on the market going forward," she said, with annual growth of 3 percent to 5 percent.
COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh (AP) - The Latest on plans by Bangladesh to start repatriating Rohingya refugees to Myanmar (all times local):

5:45 p.m.

Bangladesh officials say plans to begin repatriating more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees to Myanmar have been scrapped after officials failed to find any who wanted to go.

Refugee Commissioner Abul Kalam told The Associated Press on Thursday that the refugees "are not willing to go back now," adding that officials "can't force them to go" but will continue to try to "motivate them so it happens."

The announcement came after about 1,000 Rohingya demonstrated against returning to Myanmar, from where hundreds of thousands fled army-led violence last year.

A U.N.-brokered deal between Myanmar and Bangladesh says refugees can only be repatriated voluntarily.

Rohingya Muslims use their cellphones as they sit on a hillock overlooking Balukhali refugee camp, in Bangladesh, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018. Bangladesh authorities said they are ready to begin repatriating some of the more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims who have fled from army-led violence in Myanmar since last year, but refugees scheduled to leave said they would refuse to go because of fears for their safety. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

U.N. officials and human-rights groups cautioned against beginning the process before the refugees' safety had been assured.

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2:45 p.m.

About 1,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees demonstrated Thursday at a camp in Bangladesh against plans to repatriate them to Myanmar, from where hundreds of thousands fled army-led violence last year.

At the Unchiprang camp, one of the sprawling refugee settlements near the city of Cox's Bazar, a Bangladeshi refugee official implored the Rohingya to return to their country over a loudspeaker.

"We have arranged everything for you, we have six buses here, we have trucks, we have food. We want to offer everything to you. If you agree to go, we'll take you to the border, to the transit camp," he said.

"We won't go!" hundreds of voices, including children's, chanted in reply.

Bangladesh authorities said the repatriation of some of the more than 700,000 Rohingya would begin Thursday if people were willing to go, despite calls from United Nations officials and human rights groups to hold off. But it's not clear whether there are any volunteers.

Rohingya refugees Sitara Begum with her son Mohammed Abbas, who are in the list for repatriation wait in their shelter at Jamtoli refugee camp, near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Bangladesh authorities said Thursday that repatriation to Myanmar of some of the more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims who fled army-led violence will begin as scheduled if people are willing to go, despite calls from United Nations officials and human rights groups for the refugees' safety in their homeland to be verified first. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
NEW YORK (AP) - Walmart may be bruised by Amazon, but it's learning how to fight back.

The world's largest retailer delivered strong third-quarter results Thursday, extending a streak of sales growth into its 11th straight quarter that was helped by services such as online grocery pickup. It also raised profit expectations for the year heading into the holiday shopping season.

Like other retailers, Walmart is benefiting from a strong job market and rising consumer confidence. But retailers are also benefiting from the misfortunes of others. Toys R Us and Bon-Ton Stores have gone out of business, while the Sears bankruptcy is creating more opportunities to grab sales. J.C. Penney, still floundering, on Thursday withdrew profit guidance and lowered its sales expectations for the year.

Walmart posted strong sales across a wide range of products from toys and back-to-school items to fresh food. That helped sales at stores open at least a year rise 3.4 percent, a bit slower from the previous quarter's 4.5 percent at Walmart's U.S. division, which marked its best performance in more than a decade. The measure, an indicator of a retailer's health, was helped by a 1.2 percent increase in customer traffic and a 2.2 percent increase in transactions.

Since buying Jet.com two years ago, Walmart has been expanding online by acquiring brands and adding thousands of items. It's also been ramping up grocery delivery and pickup options. Grocery pickup is now offered at nearly 2,100 of its 4,700 U.S. stores, while grocery delivery is available in nearly 600 locations. Walmart has also revamped its website with a focus on fashion and home furnishings. That all helped to drive a 43 percent increase in online sales in the U.S. during the latest quarter. That was up from a 40 percent increase in the second quarter and a 33 percent increase in the first quarter.

Still, Walmart's online sales remain a fraction of Amazon's online global merchandise empire, which hit $108 billion last year. Walmart's U.S. online business was a mere $11.5 billion.

FILE- In this Nov. 9, 2018, file photo shoppers look at toys at a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. Walmart Inc. reports earnings Thursday, Nov. 15. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

A visit to a Walmart store in Houston last week showed generous holiday merchandise offerings such as expanded toy aisles with large interactive toy ponies and Barbie dream campers, each selling for nearly $400. Shoes are now unboxed and hang on racks to make it easier for shoppers to find them.

"We're feeling confident going into this holiday season," said Walmart U.S. CEO Greg Foran during an exclusive interview and tour last week at the Houston store. "I think the standards, the flow of merchandise, our pricing are feeling better than it was a year ago."

Walmart, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, is promising more to come. Under Foran, Walmart is creating a tech-powered shopping experience, while transforming its stores into efficient distribution hubs that can fill online orders to reduce shipping costs and speed up deliveries. To do that, Walmart is doing more extensive training for workers who are taking on new roles or redefined responsibilities while using scanning robots and other automation.

Walmart is deploying giant pickup towers that spit out online orders in hundreds of its stores. Customers can now also better find items in the store because of digital maps on their smartphone. Workers, armed with new apps on their mobile devices, are also able to manage routine tasks, freeing them to serve the customer or check them out in key areas of the store.

"We can provide a much better customer experience because we are in stock of the right item, at the right time and at the same time it is going to help us be much more precise," he added.

Still, Foran acknowledges it's facing stiffer competition from Amazon as well as other traditional chains like Target. Consulting firm Bain & Co. predicts that Amazon in the U.S. will outgrow the market and capture up to half of all e-commerce sales by the end of the year.

In fact, in the free shipping arena, Foran told The AP said that it's reviewing its current policy that has a $35 threshold for free shipping for the holidays after Target and Amazon both got rid of the minimum orders for free holiday shipping.

Amazon is also expanding its cashier-less physical stores, pushing Walmart and others to speed up checkout, a source of frustration for many shoppers. In time for the holidays, Walmart has rolled out a program that allows its staff to check out customers and provide receipts right on the spot in the busiest sections of the store. Foran told The Associated Press it's taking another look at offering Scan & Go. That service allowed shoppers to scan items while they shop with their own personal device or a Walmart device and walk out. But it had been shelved twice after customers found it too clunky.

But the first big test this holiday season is Black Friday.

"It's a proxy for stores. If you run good stores, people will want to go to them," said Foran, who will be on a plane from 2 p.m. to midnight on Thanksgiving visiting stores and monitoring the sales.

The company posted third-quarter earnings of $1.71 billion, or 58 cents per share. Adjusted earnings were $1.08 per share, which is 6 cents better than expected.

The world's largest retailer reported revenue of $124.89 billion, about in line with forecasts.

Walmart Inc. says it now expects full-year earnings of $4.75 to $4.85 per share.

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Follow Anne D'Innocenzio on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzio

Portions of this story were generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap ) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on WMT at https://www.zacks.com/ap/WMT

FILE- In this Nov. 9, 2018, file photo customers shop in the toy department at a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. Walmart Inc. reports earnings Thursday, Nov. 15. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

FILE- In this Nov. 9, 2018, file photo Walmart associate Shanay Bishop, left, checks out customer Carolyn Sarpy on the sales floor as part of the "Check Out With Me" program at a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. Walmart Inc. reports earnings Thursday, Nov. 15. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

FILE- This Nov. 9, 2018, file photo shows a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. Walmart Inc. reports earnings Thursday, Nov. 15. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

FILE- In this Nov. 9, 2018, file photo a Walmart associate stocks a shelf at a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. Walmart Inc. reports earnings Thursday, Nov. 15. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

FILE- In this Nov. 9, 2018, file photo Walmart associate Javaid Vohar, right, checks out customers at a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. Walmart Inc. reports earnings Thursday, Nov. 15. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

In this Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, photo Walmart U.S. President and CEO Greg Foran talks about changes to the toy department of their stores during a tour of a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. Foran took over as CEO of the discounter's U.S. division four years ago. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

In this Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, photo toys are displayed at a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. The world's largest retailer delivered strong third-quarter results Thursday, Nov. 15, extending a streak of sales growth into its 11th straight quarter that showed it's pulling shoppers online and in the store. It also raised profit expectations for the year heading into the holiday shopping season. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

In this Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, photo toys line the shelves in the expanded toy section at a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. The world's largest retailer delivered strong third-quarter results Thursday, Nov. 15, extending a streak of sales growth into its 11th straight quarter that showed it's pulling shoppers online and in the store. It also raised profit expectations for the year heading into the holiday shopping season. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

In this Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, photo toys are displayed at a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. The world's largest retailer delivered strong third-quarter results Thursday, Nov. 15, extending a streak of sales growth into its 11th straight quarter that showed it's pulling shoppers online and in the store. It also raised profit expectations for the year heading into the holiday shopping season. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
CAIRO (AP) - A prominent Yemeni rights group has documented heavy damage from ground fighting and airstrikes to at least 34 archaeological sites over the past four years and urged the international community to protect Yemenis' "collective memory."

In a lengthy report titled "The Degradation of History" released Thursday, Yemen's Mawatana Organization for Human Rights collected the testimonies of over 75 people working at archaeological sites and monuments that came under attack. The sites are located in nine governorates including the capital Sanaa, Aden, and the eastern governorate of Marib.

"The war in Yemen has impacted everything and has not spared the lives of Yemenis and their cultural property, including their rich history, unifying culture and collective memory," said Radhya al-Mutawakel, who heads Mawatana. "It is not only a loss for Yemenis, but also for the cultural heritage of all peoples."

The report covers airstrikes and other attacks since mid-2014, when Yemen's Houthi rebels descended from their highlands and occupied most of the northern region. Houthis forced the legitimate government to flee the country and seek military intervention from gulf neighbors. In March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition backing the government waged an extensive air campaign against Houthis and imposed a land, sea and air embargo. Within a few months, the coalition pushed the Houthis out of the southern region while the north remained in the Houthis' grip.

Among the sites that have been damaged is the Old City section of the capital Sanaa, which is on the UNESCO list of world heritage sites. It has come under heavy airstrikes several times that have demolished many of the area's ancient buildings.

In many cases, Houthis turned some of the archaeological sites into army barracks, resulting in the Saudi-led coalition striking the sites, causing heavy damage to the ancient monuments.

FILE - In this Feb. 3, 2018 file photo, a Yemeni militiaman stands atop a limestone column at the Awwam Temple, also known as the Mahram Bilqis, in Marib, Yemen. A prominent Yemeni rights group has documented heavy damage to at least 34 archaeological sites from the fighting and airstrikes over the past four years. In a report released Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, the Mawatana Organization for Human Rights said that it collected testimonies from over 75 people working at the archaeological sites and monuments that came under attack since mid-2014. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell, File)

On other occasions, extremist groups operating in the country blew up churches, temples and ancient Sufi shrines, exploiting the state of lawlessness and the breakdown of order in the country after years of the war.

The Mawatana organization accused all parties to the conflict of having "a hostile attitude toward history." It urged the international community to take responsibility for the protection of the cultural heritage of Yemen saying that parties are acting with impunity because of a lack of accountability. It added there is a need to place archaeological sites and monuments on an "enhanced protection" list adopted by the 1999 Hague Convention to prevent attacks against them and protect them from being used as military barracks or sites.

The report also points to the war's impact on the massive Marib dam, which is nearly 3,000 years old and one of the world's oldest. Built of stone cut from the mountains, Yemenis take pride in the dam because it is a symbol of their ancient civilization. The northern gate of the dam was struck in May 2015 by coalition forces as Houthis took positions near the site.

Baraqish was a religious and commercial hub in the 5th century B.C. It features prominent temples and was a center for Yemen's famed frankincense trade. Houthis took control of the site in mid-August 2015. Mawatana quoted witnesses as saying they turned the site into a place for weapons caches, causing the coalition to target it more than once. The Houthis also booby-trapped the sites, according to the report.

Known as the Manhattan of the Desert, the ancient site of Shibam in the southern governorate of Hadramawt sustained damage after Islamic State insurgents rammed a bomb-laden car through a checkpoint outside the city and the explosions caused damage to some of the buildings.

Other sites mentioned in the report include the fortress at Kawkaban, the al-Hadi mosque in Saada and the military museum in Aden. Two Taiz landmarks - the al-Sudi and al-Rumaymeh domes - were totally destroyed by extremist groups, according to the report. In Dar al-Hajar palace in Lahj, Houthi rebels used artillery and tanks to shell the sites, causing extensive damage.

FILE - This Dec. 7, 2007 file photo, shows the historical city of Shibam in Hadramut province, Yemen. A prominent Yemeni rights group has documented heavy damage to at least 34 archaeological sites from the fighting and airstrikes over the past four years. In a report released Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, the Mawatana Organization for Human Rights said that it collected testimonies from over 75 people working at the archaeological sites and monuments that came under attack since mid-2014. (AP Photo/Mohammed al-Qadhi, File)

FILE - In this June 12, 2015, file photo, a man searches for survivors under the rubble of traditional houses destroyed by Saudi airstrikes, in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen. A prominent Yemeni rights group has documented heavy damage to at least 34 archaeological sites from the fighting and airstrikes over the past four years. In a report released Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, the Mawatana Organization for Human Rights said that it collected testimonies from over 75 people working at the archaeological sites and monuments that came under attack since mid-2014. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed, File)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A Tennessee rapper no longer wants to withdraw his guilty plea from a weapons charge that was filed after he was arrested with a gun following a shooting at a Little Rock nightclub that left 25 people injured last year.

Little Rock television station KATV reports that Ricky Hampton told a federal judge Wednesday that he accepts "full responsibility" after admitting earlier this year he possessed a gun at an eastern Arkansas night club a week before the Little Rock shooting.

Hampton last month asked for a hearing to withdraw his guilty plea.

Hampton uses the stage name "Finese2Tymes." He was performing on July 1, 2017, at Little Rock's Power Ultra Lounge when the shooting began . No one was killed but more than two dozen people were injured , mostly from gunshots.

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Information from: KATV-TV, http://www.katv.com/
NEWNAN, Ga. (AP) - An inmate fled a Georgia jail with the help of his mom and then went out for pancakes.

News outlets report 27-year-old Joshua Gullatt and 54-year-old Kathy Lynn Pence were arrested Tuesday at an IHOP restaurant where they met with his children.

Gullatt had slipped out a side door of the Heard County jail hours earlier. Investigators then listened to a phone call Gullatt made to Pence about the escape.

Sheriff's Office Sgt. Dan Boswell says it just so happened that during that same phone call, Pence was pulled over for running a stop sign, so authorities identified her car, and tracked her phone to the Newnan IHOP.

Gullatt had been slated for work release. Now he's charged with felony escape and his mother is charged with aiding and abetting.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - An Amish farmer in Kentucky is asking President Donald Trump for a pardon after he was sentenced to six years in federal prison for mislabeling homemade herbal products.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported Wednesday that 58-year-old Samuel Girod filed his petition with the U.S. Department of Justice pardon attorney. Girod is currently serving the time at a minimum security facility in Ashland.

He's a member of the Old Order Amish faith and manufactured salves and herbal products. One claimed to cure skin cancer; another was corrosive to skin.

The petition says Girod is innocent and didn't fully understand the consequences when he represented himself in the case.

His friends, the county sheriff and an online petition fought against his conviction and sentencing, saying his prosecution went overboard.

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Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) - Schwan's Co, a food distributor with deep roots in Minnesota known for its gold home-delivery trucks, has been sold to South Korea's largest food manufacturer.

Seoul-based CJ CheilJedang will pay $1.8 billion for an 80 percent stake in Schwan's and gain control of its businesses that serve restaurants, grocery stores and other retailers, the companies said in a statement Thursday. The deal is expected to close early next year.

The Schwan family will retain 20 percent ownership in the businesses being sold to CJCJ. The family will keep 100 percent ownership of Schwan's Home Service Inc., the home-delivery business that Marvin Schwan began in Marshall in 1952.

The companies said Schwan's will keep its name and its Minnesota offices in Bloomington and in Marshall. Schwan's CEO Dimitrios Smyrnios will continue to lead the company.

Paul Schwan, a Schwan's board member and son of Marvin Schwan, said it was important to find a partner who would honor the family's legacy.

"We are not expecting any change," Schwan said.

Schwans CEO Dimitrios Smyrnios is seen in an April 4, 2017 photo. The Schwan's Co., well known for home deliveries made by its gold trucks, has been sold to South Korea's largest food company. (Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP)

Smyrnios said other Schwan's executives also will stay.

"Obviously there's a certain amount of nervousness with a sale," Smyrnios told the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Wednesday night. "We are going to operate business as usual in Marshall, business as usual in Bloomington, business as usual in Minnesota."

Schwan's has about $3 billion in annual sales and employs about 12,000. The company offers frozen and ready-made products, including Red Baron, Freschetta and Tony's pizzas, Mrs. Smith's pies, Edwards desserts and Pagoda Asian-style snacks. Schwan's also has a food service business that sells to schools, hospitals and other institutions.

Smyrnios said Schwan's wants to grow. "This is not a cost-cutting exercise," he said.

CJCJ is the largest unit of the CJ Group, a conglomerate of food and related companies that was originally part of the Samsung Group. CJCJ had $14.5 billion in sales last year and is the largest food producer in South Korea. The company also sells rice, noodles and Korean sauces and spices in U.S. stores under the CJ, Annie Chun, Bibigo and Omni labels. The company also runs the Bibigo chain of Asian fast-food restaurants in California.

CJCJ said it expects to gain scale and cost efficiencies in U.S. stores with the Schwan's acquisition. Company officials also hope Schwan's distribution system will bring their Korean products into more U.S. groceries and restaurants.

"CJ will accelerate the globalization of Korean food culture," CJCJ chief executive Shin Ho-kang said in a statement.

When the deal closes, Schwan's will become a unit of CJ Foods America Corp., the U.S. subsidiary of CJCJ. CJCJ currently has five U.S. manufacturing and distribution sites and will pick up 17 food manufacturing facilities and 10 distribution centers across the United States with Schwan's.
MADRID (AP) - A judge in Spain on Thursday handed down three life sentences to a Brazilian man convicted of the gruesome slayings of his aunt, uncle and two young cousins.

A jury in Guadalajara, near Madrid, had found Patrick Nogueira guilty of premeditated murder of the four earlier this month. The judge announced Nogueira's sentence Thursday, saying parole reviews would be allowed.

Nogueira's aunt and uncle were in their early 40s and his cousins were 1 and 4 years old at the time of the 2016 killings. Nogueira was 19.

Nogueira confessed to the crimes but argued that he was mentally disturbed and suffers from alcoholism.

Prosecutors said Nogueira chopped up his aunt and uncle with tree-pruning shears. A month later, neighbors complained of a bad smell coming from the Guadalajara house. Inside, authorities found plastic bags, which Nogueira had taken there with him, containing the bodies.

The judge said in a written statement that she gave Nogueira a life sentence for each child killed because he showed exceptional cruelty. They both witnessed their mother's murder.

Nogueira received a 25-year prison sentence for his aunt's murder, which is the customary length, plus a life sentence for his uncle's murder because he was a second adult killed in the case, which under Spanish law makes a life sentence applicable.

The court found that the absence of defensive wounds on the two adults indicated Nogueira attacked them without warning with a knife he had bought several days earlier.

It rejected Nogueira's argument that he was not of sound mind.

Prosecutors in the case described Nogueira as a psychopath.
The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now.

Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market.

In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender.

India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex.

Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted.

But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted?

Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner.

If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems.

I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now.

I want more variation in masturbation

I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own.

If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end.

What is sex toys for Indian?

Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation.

It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms.

They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable.

Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner.

The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner.

It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past.

In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping.

Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order.

In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing.

Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome.

Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own.

But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance.

More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around.

Sextoy situation in India

Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years.

In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India.

Mumbai

Kolkata

Bangalore

Delhi

Chennai

Hyderabad

These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India.

In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well.

If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too.

If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it.

What are Sextoys for beginner?

Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms.

Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy.

I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion.

I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy.

If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma.

Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it.

Advantages of using sextoy for Indians

There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians

You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways.

Can have stimulating sex

Can develop new sexual zones

If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern.

However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways.

You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation.

Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever.

There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure.

This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it.

When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems.

It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms).

For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles

[Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou...

Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India.

Sextoy for beginner men in India

So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners.

For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men!

The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men

Masturbator

Cock rings

Love Doll

Sex Lubricants

Toys for the prostate

Lets check each one in detail.

Masturbator

The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products.

It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands.

Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands.

They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.)

Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much.

Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! !

Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa   SEXToys India PR  (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018

Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood.

If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here

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[For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien...

Cock Ring

A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis.

It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow.

It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber.

In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection.

Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction.

It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it.

Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time.

Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function.

Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy.

You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect.

[Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat...

Love Doll

Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex.

There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women.

Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price.

The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true.

You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste.

There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice.

You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls.

If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here

Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to...

Sex lubricants

Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules.

It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution.

Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse.

There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent.

Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent.

If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here.

What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many...

Toys for the Prostate

Another sextoy for men is prostate toys.

The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line.

Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men.

Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men.

What is the prostate?

The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm.

You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus.

By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms.

Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.)

The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation.

Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure.

sextoy for beinner women in India

The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy.

The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy.

Vibrator.

Dildo

Electric Masserger

Lets check out what each one is in detail.

If you want to check out womens toys, click here.

[BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm...

Vibrators

A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator.

Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy.

It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy.

Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women.

For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators.

Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex.

Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself.

This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual.

Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men.

When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons.

Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most...

Dildo

A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis.

It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass.

A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it.

They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well.

It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device.

A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo.

Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands.

For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis.

This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one.

To learn more about dildo, please click here.

What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th...

Electric Masserger

A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores.

It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low.

Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels.

Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation.

It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure.

For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm.

It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out.

If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager?

To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here.

What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th...

How to choose a sextoy for Indian

Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one.

Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points:  Does the size fit you (the partner)?

Does the size fit you (your partner)?

Is the environment able to produce sound without problems?

Price range

First of all, the choice of size is quite important.

Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women.

For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage.

Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems.

Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise.

If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level.

Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it.

Finally, there is the price range.

The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest.

Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy.

Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy?

I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance.

For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics.

If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out.

How to buy sextoys in India

The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping.

For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below.

Sextoy is one of them.

Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping.

SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India.

They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry.

Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card.

To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy.

ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal.

Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on.

Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture.

Cautions for Indians using sextoy

When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind

Keep sex toys clean

Watch out for electrical leakage

Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy

As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone.

Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there.

It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case.

In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness.

Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful.

If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it.

You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly.

Summary

What did you think?

In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India.

The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future.

As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values.

However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health.

If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try?

Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women.

I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it.
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) - Denmark is cutting about $10 million in aid to the government of Tanzania over what it called "negative developments" in human rights in the East African country.

Ulla Tornaes, Denmark's minister for development cooperation, said on Twitter she is "deeply concerned" by developments such as a Tanzanian official's "completely unacceptable homophobic statements."

Tanzania is increasingly under the spotlight over its human rights record. Denmark is one of the largest donors to Tanzania, whose government depends substantially on foreign benefactors to run many of its programs.

Most recently the commissioner for the country's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, urged Tanzanians to "report" suspected homosexuals, comments widely criticized by rights groups and disavowed by Tanzania's federal government.

Although the government distanced itself from the commissioner's statement, there are fears of a crackdown against gays in a country where authorities are known to break up events organized by people believed to be homosexuals. Ten men were arrested in Zanzibar earlier this month for allegedly attending a gay marriage.

The European Union said earlier this month it is conducting a broad review of its relations with Tanzania in the aftermath of the Dar es Salaam official's anti-gay comments.

Human Rights Watch says Tanzania's government under President John Magufuli "has restricted basic rights through repressive laws and decrees" targeting journalists, activists and perceived opponents.

Magufuli, a former public works minister who was voted into the presidency in 2015, has appeared to personally drive his government's controversial policies on everything from fighting corruption to birth control, pleasing many of his people but also alarming some who see an authoritarian streak.

He has feuded with big companies accused of tax fraud, leading to concerns about flight of foreign capital, and the recent suspension of family planning commercials on TV and radio followed Magufuli's remarks about "lazy" people who use contraceptives.

At least three newspapers have been banned over stories critical of the president.

The World Bank, a major development partner, is reportedly canceling a planned $300 million loan to Tanzania over a long-standing ban on pregnant students that Magufuli's government has refused to lift.

"The World Bank supports policies that encourage girls' education and make it possible for young women to stay in school until they reach their full potential," the World Bank said in an e-mailed statement. "Working with other partners, the World Bank will continue to advocate for girls' access to education through our dialogue with the Tanzanian government."
BERLIN (AP) - Federal prosecutors say they've charged a 26-year-old German woman with membership in a terrorist organization on allegations she joined the extremist Islamic State.

Prosecutors said Thursday that Derya O., whose full name wasn't given in line with privacy laws, is accused of joining the group in Syria in February 2014 and marrying a fighter there with whom she had had previous contact over the internet.

They lived in Syria and Iraq off funds the husband received from IS, and had a child together.

She's alleged to have also received small-arms weapons training from her husband and had an explosive belt that could have been used in a suicide bombing.

She left Syria through Turkey in 2017 and returned to Germany that August.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The leader of a New York-based self-improvement group who is accused of branding women and forcing them into unwanted sex has again filed a request to be released on bond.

The Times Union of Albany reports NXIVM (NEHK'-see-uhm) founder Keith Raniere is seeking to be released to home confinement in suburban Clifton Park with electronic monitoring.

Authorities say Raniere ran a secret society of sex slaves who were branded with his initials with the help of television actress Alison Mack and liquor heiress Clare Bronfman.

Raniere's attorneys say in court filings the women were never coerced to have sex, and the branded women were never held down against their will.

Wednesday's motion marks Raniere's third attempt to get released on bond.

His trial is scheduled to begin in March.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Dartmouth College was sued Thursday for allegedly allowing three professors to create a culture in their department that encouraged drunken parties and subjected female students to harassment, groping and sexual assault.

Seven women filed the lawsuit in federal court in New Hampshire against the elite college's trustees. It contends that professors William Kelley, Paul Whalen and Todd Heatherton harassed and touched women inappropriately, often while out partying at bars or at their homes where one hosted hot tub parties.

Kelley and Whalen are each accused of assaulting a student after a night of drinking, attempting to seduce women under their supervision and punishing those who rebuffed their advances in the Department of Psychological and Brain Science (PBS).

"The seven plaintiffs, each an exemplary female scientist at the start of her career, came to Dartmouth to contribute to a crucial and burgeoning field of academy study," according to the lawsuit. "Plaintiffs were instead sexually harassed and sexually assaulted by the Department's tenured professors and expected to tolerate increasing levels of sexual predation."

Dartmouth praised the women for coming forward but denied allegations that it ignored complaints that allegedly date back as far as 2002.

"I would like to reiterate that sexual misconduct and harassment have no place at Dartmouth," Dartmouth President Philip Hanlon said in an email to the college community Thursday. "We applaud the courage displayed by members of our community within PBS who brought the misconduct allegations to Dartmouth's attention last year. And we remain open to a fair resolution of the students' claims through an alternative to the court process.

In this Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018 photo from left back row, Annemarie Brown, Andrea Courtney, and Marissa Evansin, and from left front row, Sasha Brietzke, Vassiki Chauhan, Kristina Rapuano, pose in New York. The women filed a lawsuit against Dartmouth College for allegedly allowing three professors to create a culture in their department that encouraged drunken parties and subjected female graduate students to harassment, groping and sexual assault. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

In October 2017, Dartmouth launched an investigation into the three professors. It never released the findings and was preparing to fire all three. But Heatherton retired this summer after being told he would be fired and denied tenure. Whalen and Kelley resigned soon thereafter.

The New Hampshire Attorney General's office has also launched its own investigation.

Whalen and Kelley could not be reached for comment, and it is unclear if they have attorneys. Heatherton apologized for acting inappropriately at conferences but said, through a lawyer, that he never socialized or had sexual relations with students. He also said he wasn't aware of the behavior of the other two nor would have he have condoned it.

"Professor Heatherton is extremely concerned about being grouped together with the other professors. He had no knowledge of the specific allegations that were made about them. He did not engage in the general patterns of conduct they are accused of," said Julie Moore, who represents Heatherton. "Many of the allegations that attribute knowledge or conduct to Professor Heatherton are patently false."

Six of the plaintiffs were graduate students and one was an undergrad.

The lawsuit paints a harrowing picture of women being forced to endure a program in which their academic careers were dependent on men who seemed mainly interested in drinking and getting them into bed. Those who refused to take part in their parties or bar hopping were often denigrated or ignored, according to the lawsuit.

Repeatedly, the lawsuit alleges, the three would set about grooming incoming graduate students. They would often comment on their physical appearances, give them extra attention and then bombarded them with invitations to drink with them at local bars or while out at conferences. When the women would oblige, they would seek to get them drunk and take advantage of them.

One of the plaintiffs, Kristina Rapuano, alleges that Whalen in March 2014 forced himself upon her and put his hands down her pants when she visited his office. About a year later, she attended a conference with Kelley and alleges that he got her drunk and raped her. The lawsuit does not say whether she went to the police.

After the assault, she alleges Kelley kept pressing her for sexual favors. When Rapuano finally rebuffed him, she said Kelley became hostile, stopped providing her with academic guidance and attempted to undermine her research by sharing it with colleagues.

"This is the person who really holds the keys to your future," Rapuano, who completed her doctoral degree at Dartmouth this spring and is now at Yale University, told The Associated Press. "For me, it became a situation where I felt trapped and I couldn't get away from it because getting away from it meant leaving the career that I had worked so hard to get at."

Vassiki Chauhan, another plaintiff who is still at Dartmouth who alleges she was raped by Whalen at his home, said everyone in the department was aware of the trio's behavior but took no action. She did seek medical attention, but the lawsuit does not say whether she went to the police.

The AP does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, as Chauhan and Rapuano have done along with four plaintiffs in this case.

The departure of the three professors is seen by many victims as a good first step. But they also want Dartmouth to account for the failures to stop the alleged behavior by the three professors and the allegations in the lawsuit that it punished those women who came forward with complaints - denying one a teaching opportunity in the department, reassigning another to an unsuitable lab and giving another a failing grade on her honors thesis.

"There has not been a true critical evaluation of how there were three extremely vile sexual predators in the department carrying out abhorrent behavior for almost two decades," Chauhan said. "There was no effort to identify a scenario such as this. In fact, I think some people currently prefer to not be aware of the egregiousness of the acts that were committed by these individuals."
BERLIN (AP) - Two public buses filled with students on their way home from school crashed head-on Thursday in southern Germany, injuring dozens of children and adults, authorities said.

Police said about a dozen people suffered serious injuries, including two school children and one of the drivers.

Fourteen people suffered minor injuries in the crash, which happened near Ammerndorf west of Nuremberg, according to the Middle Franconia regional police department.

Police spokesman Bert Rauenbusch told The Associated Press that multiple helicopters airlifted those with the most serious injuries to hospitals.

Authorities were investigating the cause of the crash, which also involved a third vehicle, he said.

Firefighters stand next to buses crashed in Ammerndorf near Fuerth, Germany, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. 15.11.2018. Police say 40 adults and children have been injured, five of them "very seriously," after two public buses collided. (Michl Schmelzer/dpa via AP)
HOUSTON (AP) - When Walmart's Greg Foran took over as CEO of the discounter's U.S. division four years ago, he found messy stores with lots of items that were frequently out of stock. The 57-year-old New Zealand native dove in, making sure shelves were loaded with the most popular products and establishing controls to increase freshness in produce like strawberries.

Foran's obsession with the nitty-gritty details has helped lead to several years of straight quarterly sales gains for the U.S. division. But with Walmart facing competition from Amazon and other pressures, he's also reimagining the shopping experience at Walmart's 4,700 stores, transforming them into distribution hubs that can fill the fast-growing online orders to reduce shipping costs and speed up deliveries. To do that, Walmart has been training its 1.5 million workers at its new academies while using automation to relieve them of menial tasks.

Scanning robots at a store in Houston as well as a cluster of others keep tabs of what's on and not on the shelves and communicate that information to the automatic conveyor system that's backed up to the truck bay. Workers with new apps on their hand-held devices manage routine tasks like price changes on the spot, freeing them to serve shoppers and even check them out.

Foran, who used to head Walmart's China business, says he's always looking to new technology that improves efficiency. Still he takes delight in old-school retail basics like watching shoppers open a carton of produce.

AP recently spoke with Foran during a tour of the Houston store about the holiday season, his views on workers and other issues. The questions and answers have been edited for clarity and length.

Q. What makes this holiday season different?

In this Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, photo Walmart U.S. President and CEO Greg Foran talks about the technology the company is using to keep shelves stocked at a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. Foran took over as CEO of the discounter's U.S. division four years ago. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

A. I wake up on Monday morning at 4 a.m. and the first email I look at is Amazon has gone and introduced free shipping. You're getting competitors out there starting to up the ante. I think we'll see more business done online, not just at Amazon but at Walmart and in other retailers. I think the fact that people like Toys R Us are out of the market has changed the environment around toys, both physical and digital offering.

Q. So do you think you'll drop the $35 minimum order for free shipping for the holidays?

A. These things are always discussed and reviewed. Sometimes that means following and other times it doesn't.

Q. Does Amazon keep you up at night?

A. To be frank, lots of things keep me up at night. Amazon is one of them. Target is another. I am in Aldi stores, Lidl stores. There's no doubt that Amazon is a significant competitor. You keep tabs. But your job is not to copy.

Q. How are you approaching wages given increasing competitive pressures?

A. We look at it regularly. As you can imagine, it's a particularly large country. We've made a lot of progress getting ourselves from where we were to $9, then $10, and then $11 earlier on this year. We've got a number of stores that pay well over that now, $12, $13, $14. So we continuously review that. We then take into account what we're doing in things like benefits so parental leave, PTO (paid time off) etc.

Q. Will there be fewer workers at Walmart stores given robotic technology?

A. That's going to play itself out. I am a big proponent of the good jobs strategy. For a lot of tasks that you used to do that were mundane, tedious, we're now working out how we can digitize those. And then we're creating new roles through turning stores into fulfillment centers because now we've got thousands of personal shoppers who are picking your order, so the jobs are changing.

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In this Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, photo Walmart U.S. President and CEO Greg Foran, center, high-fives an associate during a tour of a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. Foran took over as CEO of the discounter's U.S. division four years ago. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

In this Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, photo Walmart U.S. President and CEO Greg Foran, left, talks with associate Shanay Bishop during tour of a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. Foran took over as CEO of the discounter's U.S. division four years ago. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

In this Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, photo Walmart U.S. President and CEO Greg Foran, right, high-fives associate Alicia Carter as she fulfills online grocery orders at a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. Foran took over as CEO of the discounter's U.S. division four years ago. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

In this Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, photo Walmart U.S. President and CEO Greg Foran talks about the electronics department during a tour of a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. Foran took over as CEO of the discounter's U.S. division four years ago. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

In this Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, photo Walmart U.S. President and CEO Greg Foran answers a question during an interview inside a Walmart Supercenter in Houston. Foran took over as CEO of the discounter's U.S. division four years ago. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. (AP) - A feel-good tale of a homeless man using his last $20 to help a stranded New Jersey woman buy gas was actually a complete lie, manufactured to get strangers to donate more than $400,000 to help the down-and-out good Samaritan, a prosecutor said Thursday.

Burlington County prosecutor Scott Coffina announced criminal charges against the couple who told the story to newspapers and television stations along with the homeless man who conspired with them to tell the story.

Coffina said the money, donated to homeless Marine veteran Johnny Bobbitt, will be refunded to people who saw the story and contributed to him through a GoFundMe page set up by the couple, Mark D'Amico and Katelyn McClure.

"The entire campaign was predicated on a lie," Coffina said. "It was fictitious and illegal and there are consequences."

Coffina said almost no part of the tale was true. McClure didn't run out of gas. Bobbitt didn't spot her in trouble and give her money.

Instead, the group met near a Philadelphia casino in October 2017 shortly before the three told their story.

This November 2018 combination of photos provided by the Burlington County Prosecutors office shows Johnny Bobbitt, from left, Katelyn McClure and Mark D'Amico. A feel-good tale of Bobbitt, a homeless man using his last $20 to help Katelyn McClure, a stranded New Jersey woman, buy gas, was actually a complete lie, a prosecutor said Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. A GoFundMe that was set up by McClure and her boyfriend D'Amico raised more than $400,000 to help Bobbitt. (Burlington County Prosecutors Office via AP)

Less than an hour after the couple set up the page to solicit donations, McClure sent a text message to a friend acknowledging the story was "completely made up," prosecutors said.

"I had to make something up to make people feel bad," McClure said in a text - one of 60,000 reviewed by prosecutors - to a friend.

GoFundMe said in a statement that people who donated money would get a full refund in the coming days. Coffina said the effort netted $367,000.

The group spent lavishly, Coffina said, and there are "zero" dollars left.

The couple bought a BMW, took a New Year's trip to Las Vegas and bought high-end handbags, among other items.

More than $85,000 in cash was withdrawn at, or near, casinos in Atlantic City, Bensalem, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and Las Vegas.

The fraud didn't stop with the GoFundMe page. The trio did interview after interview, posed for photos together, revisited the spot where they claimed their first encounter happened and went on "Good Morning America." The Associated Press prominently featured their story.

Bobbitt, 35, was arrested Wednesday night by U.S. marshals in Philadelphia and remained in custody Thursday on probation detainers and a $50,000 bond. A message was left with a previous attorney of Bobbitt's.

D'Amico, 39, and McClure, 28, surrendered to authorities Wednesday night and were released. Their attorney said they have no comment.

All were charged with theft by deception and conspiracy to commit theft by deception. The charges carry prison time of up to 5 to 10 years.

Prosecutors began investigating after Bobbitt claimed he wasn't getting the money that had been raised on his behalf. He later sued the couple.

The prosecutor said "there's a good chance" the alleged fraud might not have been uncovered had Bobbitt not brought a civil suit earlier this year alleging that the couple mismanaged the funds.

The investigation began after the lawsuit was brought and parts of the group's story "didn't ring true," Coffina said.

In one text exchange in March 2018, McClure worried that she and D'Amico had less than $10,000 remaining, but D'Amico wasn't concerned, Coffina said.

He was certain that a book deal they were pursuing would "dwarf" the money from the GoFundMe fundraiser and a few months later, when the dispute with Bobbitt became public, D'Amico was not dissuaded, according to the prosecutor.

Instead D'Amico pitched a title that would encompass the controversy: "No Good Deed."

Investigators searched the Florence, New Jersey, home of D'Amico and McClure in September after questions arose about what happened to the money they raised for Bobbitt.

FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2017, file photo, Johnny Bobbitt Jr., left, Kate McClure, right, and McClure's boyfriend Mark D'Amico pose at a Citgo station in Philadelphia. A New Jersey prosecutor was set to announce developments Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in a criminal investigation of the couple that raised $400,000 for Bobbitt Jr, a homeless man they said helped them with a disabled car. Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina planned to discuss the matter during a news conference. He declined to provide further details about the announcement or whether criminal charges would be brought in the case. (Elizabeth Robertson /The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, File) /The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

A picture of Katelyn McClure, right, Mark D'Amico, center, and Johnny Bobbitt Jr. is displayed during a news conference in Mt. Holly, N.J., Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Authorities say a New Jersey couple and a homeless man, Bobbitt Jr., made up a "feel good" story about the man helping them so they could raise money through an online fundraiser.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

This November 2018 photo provided by the Burlington County Prosecutors office shows Johnny Bobbitt. A feel-good tale of Bobbitt, a homeless man using his last $20 to help Katelyn McClure, a stranded New Jersey woman, buy gas, was actually a complete lie, a prosecutor said Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. A GoFundMe that was set up by McClure and her boyfriend Mark D'Amico raised more than $400,000 to help Bobbitt. (Burlington County Prosecutors Office via AP)

This November 2018 photo provided by the Burlington County Prosecutors office shows Mark D'Amico. A feel-good tale of Johnny Bobbitt, a homeless man using his last $20 to help Katelyn McClure, a stranded New Jersey woman, buy gas, was actually a complete lie, a prosecutor said Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. A GoFundMe that was set up by McClure and her boyfriend Mark D'Amico raised more than $400,000 to help Bobbitt. (Burlington County Prosecutors Office via AP)

This November 2018 photo provided by the Burlington County Prosecutors office shows Katelyn McClure. A feel-good tale of Johnny Bobbitt, a homeless man using his last $20 to help Katelyn McClure, a stranded New Jersey woman, buy gas, was actually a complete lie, a prosecutor said Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. A GoFundMe that was set up by McClure and her boyfriend Mark D'Amico raised more than $400,000 to help Bobbitt. (Burlington County Prosecutors Office via AP)

A picture of Katelyn McClure and Johnny Bobbitt Jr. is displayed during a news conference in Mt. Holly, N.J., Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Authorities say a New Jersey couple and a homeless man, Bobbitt Jr., made up a "feel good" story about the man helping them so they could raise money through an online fundraiser.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina speaks during a news conference in Mt. Holly, N.J., Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Authorities say a New Jersey couple and a homeless man made up a "feel good" story about the man helping them so they could raise money through an online fundraiser. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Chad Griffin, the influential LGBTQ activist who helped turn the Human Rights Campaign into a powerful political force, announced Thursday that he is stepping down as the organization's president.

Griffin's announcement follows a midterm election in which the group invested heavily in Democratic campaigns. The capstone for the organization came this week, when Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., won a close Senate race, becoming the first openly bisexual person elected to the Senate.

Griffin has spent seven years at the helm of HRC, steering the organization through the landmark Supreme Court ruling in favor of gay marriage nationwide and the repeal of a North Carolina law that required transgender people to use restrooms matching their birth certificates. Former North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, who was defeated after signing the "bathroom bill," called HRC a more powerful advocacy group that the National Rifle Association.

Griffin informed staff at HRC of his decision to step down Thursday.

Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., who has worked closely with Griffin, praised his leadership of the nation's largest gay rights advocacy group through a time of enormous change for the LGBT community.

"History will show that Chad was a leader in the moment he was needed to lead," Harris said in an interview.

In this Sept. 15, 2018 photo, Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, poses for photographers at the HRC's National Dinner in Washington. Griffin, the influential gay rights activist who helped turn the Human Rights Campaign into a powerful political force, announced Thursday that he is stepping down as the organization's president. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Griffin hasn't said what he plans to do next. He is expected to stay at HRC until the organization names a new president; that process could take several months.

A prolific fundraiser with deep political ties, Griffin probably will become one of the most sought after advisers for Democrats preparing to undertake White House campaigns.

"Every person in the Democratic Party who is thinking of running for president is going to call Chad," said Dan Pfeiffer, a White House adviser to President Barack Obama and longtime friend of Griffin.

Harris, who is considering a 2020 presidential campaign, demurred when asked if she would hire Griffin, saying only that she hadn't made a decision on entering the race.

During Griffin's tenure, HRC invested heavily in campaign work across the country, including a $26 million effort to send staff to all 50 states during the midterms. The organization said it registered more than 32,000 new voters since the 2016 election.

Griffin's supporters credited him with plunging HRC more deeply into the political arena and pushing Democratic politicians in particular to do more than just pay lip service to gay rights issues.

"It really wasn't enough for him for elected officials and candidates to respect the LGBTQ community," said Kristina Schake, Griffin's former business partner. "He wanted them to fear them - to fear the power of their vote."

Griffin, 45, got his start in politics working in President Bill Clinton's White House press office. Before joining HRC, he was co-founder of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, an organization that challenged the California law banning same-sex marriage. That effort was a precursor to the Supreme Court's verdict on gay marriage nationwide.

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BENTON, Ill. (AP) - A southern Illinois woman is accused of making hundreds of nasty and sometimes obscene phone calls to U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth.

The Southern Illinoisan reports that a federal grand jury indicted Jura L. Perkins last week on one felony count of repeated harassing communications.

A criminal complaint says Perkins made the calls to the Illinois senators from May 28 to Oct. 25, leaving voicemails in which she used vulgarities, accused them of being communists, and threatened Duckworth's baby.

In one message, Perkins told Durbin: "I would be very happy if you died today."

A judge set a Jan. 3 competency hearing. If found guilty, she could be fined up to $250,000 and imprisoned for up to two years.

Perkins' defense attorney hasn't responded to a request for comment.
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - A federal judge's decision to allow a lawsuit to proceed against the publisher of a neo-Nazi website is "dangerous for free speech," the publisher's attorney said Thursday.

Attorney Marc Randazza said he believes U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen made a legally flawed decision Wednesday in ruling the First Amendment does not shield Daily Stormer publisher Andrew Anglin from being sued for his followers' anti-Semitic harassment of a Jewish woman and her family in Montana.

Randazza said he can "see the allure of not wanting to rule in favor of the Nazi," but expressed concern that the decision could be used to curtail free speech in many other forums.

"The rule needs to be the same no matter what your view is," he said.

Christensen's decision allows Tanya Gersh to proceed with her claims that Anglin invaded her privacy, inflicted emotional distress on her and her family and violated Montana's anti-intimidation law by calling on his followers to unleash a "troll storm" on her, her husband and her 12-year-old son.

The judge wrote in his decision that Anglin's "morally and factually indefensible worldview" does not disqualify him from free-speech protections - but his anti-Semitism also doesn't give him special rights, either.

"It hardly makes sense to conclude - as Anglin contends - that Anglin' s posts and sponsored troll storm are entitled to additional protection because of their anti-Semitic content," Christensen wrote.

David Dinielli, the deputy legal director for the Southern Poverty Law Center, which is representing Gersh, said Christensen's decision upholds a recommendation by a magistrate judge.

"Today's ruling underscores what both we and our client have said from the beginning of this case -that online campaigns of hate, threats, and intimidation have no place in a civil society, and enjoy no protection under our Constitution," Dinielli said in a statement Wednesday.

Gersh says hundreds of people harassed and threatened her family online and by phone and mail after Anglin accused her of trying to force the mother of white nationalist Richard Spencer out of the Montana town of Whitefish in 2016.

Anglin argued the First Amendment protects his speech and that he can't be held liable for his followers' actions.

Gersh's attorneys responded that the First Amendment was never meant to protect a campaign that aimed to destroy people's lives.

Christensen said Anglin's speech against Gersh appeared to be a matter of private concern, not public concern, and that opens him to more regulation.

Anglin's alleged attacks against Gersh didn't inform the public about a matter of public concern, the judge said in his ruling. Rather, based on the allegations, Anglin appears to have roused his readers' political sympathies by drawing on their hatred and fear of Jews to advance his personal campaign against Gersh, who is not a public figure, Christensen wrote.

"Anglin did not use his speech about Gersh to raise awareness for issues consonant with the alt-right agenda," the judge wrote in his decision. "Rather, construing the allegations in the complaint as true, Anglin exploited the prejudices widely held among his readers to specifically target one individual."

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Kunzelman reported from Silver Spring, Md.
NEW YORK (AP) - A former Mexican cartel member is testifying for the U.S. government at the New York City trial of the notorious drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman (wah-KEEN' ehl CHAH'-poh gooz-MAHN').

Jesus Zambada detailed on Thursday how the Sinaloa cartel paid bribes, preferably in U.S. dollars, to high-ranking police and other officials to protect its drug operation.

He said that in one instance, Guzman directed him to give $100,000 and a hug to a general.

On Wednesday, Zambada identified Guzman in the courtroom and told jurors he "was one of the most powerful drug traffickers in Mexico."

The witness described how the cartel made massive profits by smuggling tons of cocaine into the United States.

Defense lawyers say Guzman is being framed.
PALMYRA, Maine (AP) - Maine State Police say they helped corral a rather "unruly' pig on the run along Interstate 95.

State police say in a Facebook post they were alerted to the "uncooperative" pig along the interstate in Palmyra on Wednesday.

Police say the pig was spotted several times over the past week, but had managed to elude capture.

Authorities say Cpt. Rick Moody and Trooper Jeremy Caron moved the pig off the highway with the help of a town animal control officer.

When asked if police read the pig its Miranda rights, police jokingly responded "he waived the right to remain silent."

No injuries were reported.
BARRON, Wis. (AP) - The Wisconsin sheriff leading the investigation into the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl and the fatal shootings of her parents is asking hunters for help.

The state's nine-day gun deer hunt begins early Saturday and runs through Nov. 25. Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald asked deer hunters Thursday to report anything suspicious, such as clothing or weapons that they may come across when heading out to the woods and fields.

It's been a month since Jayme Closs disappeared f rom her home near Barron and her parents were found fatally shot at the house. Authorities believe the girl was abducted.

Fitzgerald says investigators have followed up on at least 2,300 tips in the case.

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This story has been edited to correct day of week to Thursday.
LONDON (AP) - Britain's 2-day-old draft deal to leave the European Union is in danger of collapsing, increasing the likelihood of a disorderly, economically painful exit from the bloc next year.

British politicians in favor of leaving the EU have criticized the agreement reached Tuesday after more than a year and a half of negotiations. They say it keeps the country bound to the EU under unfavorable terms and floated the idea of unseating Prime Minister Theresa May.

Even if May remains in her post, the British Parliament might reject the deal. Britain's formal exit is set for March 29, so that would leave little time to seek an alternative.

Here's a look at how Britain got into this situation:

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REFERENDUM

A European flag put up by anti-Brexit supporters blows in the wind on College Green near the Houses of Parliament in London, Thursday Nov. 15, 2018. Leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has submitted a letter of no confidence in Theresa May, as the Prime Minister reels from the loss of four ministers - including two from her Cabinet - in protest at her Brexit plans. 9AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

May's party, the British Conservative Party, has long been split between those in favor of EU membership and those who want out.

One advantage of membership is it gives seamless access to trade across 27 other countries. The EU is Britain's biggest trading partner.

Opponents have argued the EU took too much political power from London; many want to restrict immigration from other EU member countries as well.

To settle the question, former Prime Minister David Cameron called for a nationwide vote on whether Britain should stay or go. On June 23, 2016, 52 percent of voters said they wanted to leave.

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NEGOTIATIONS

The unexpected outcome threw the country into chaos, with Cameron resigning and the value of the pound tumbling 15 percent in a day. May eventually took over as prime minister. In March 2017, she submitted the formal notice of Britain's intent to withdraw from the EU. The action started a two-year countdown and negotiations on the terms of the exit and for future EU-U.K. relations.

The difficulty of the negotiations quickly became clear. The EU took a tough approach. It insisted Britain would no longer enjoy any of the bloc's "four freedoms": the freedom for citizens, money, goods and services to travel and operate across borders without hindrance.

In a bid to solidify her power and the stated goal of ensuring a "strong and stable" government would be seated at the Brexit negotiations, May called a general election for June 2017. The move backfired, and her Conservatives lost their majority in Parliament. She had to create a minority government with the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland.

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IRISH QUESTION

The talks on a Brexit deal remained stalled for months, largely over the problem of the future border between the U.K.'s Northern Ireland and the EU's Republic of Ireland. The fear was that reinstalling a hard border with import duties and travel restrictions would renew sectarian violence.

The EU insisted that Britain should not be allowed to enjoy the fruits of staying in its seamless trading union. So it proposed allowing Northern Ireland to remain in the customs union, but not the rest of Britain. May's government rejected that, saying it threatened to break up Britain.

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THE DEAL

With the clock ticking, British and EU officials intensified their efforts and reached a draft deal on Nov. 13.

The agreement envisions Britain leaving the EU as planned on March 29 but remaining inside the bloc's single market and bound by its rules until the end of December 2020. That would buy time to work out a permanent post-Brexit trading relationship.

Other terms call for Britain paying 39 billion pounds ($50 billion) to settle outstanding obligations to the EU. British and citizens of EU countries would be allowed to remain where they currently live and work.

The deal also commits the two sides to a "backstop" solution that keeps the U.K. in a customs arrangement with the EU as a guarantee the Irish border remains free of customs posts. The backstop would last until superseded by new trade arrangements, which both sides say they hope to have in place by the end of 2020.

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POLITICAL BACKLASH

Many pro-Brexit politicians immediately slammed the deal. They said it would leave Britain a vassal state by making it observe EU customs rules that it will no longer have a say in shaping. Some pro-EU politicians favored calling another vote on whether Britain should leave the EU at all.

May has defended the deal as providing the continuity businesses need while the country and the EU agree on a long-term trade relationship.

Two Cabinet ministers and five junior government members resigned Thursday and a leading pro-Brexit lawmaker called for a no-confidence vote on May.

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NO-DEAL RISKS

If Parliament rejects the draft deal, the more likely it is that Brexit happens without any agreement spelling out future relations with the EU. Businesses and most economists view that as a worst-case scenario for the British economy.

It would mean a return of tariffs on trade between Britain and the EU as well as border checks on goods. That could delay shipments of everything from food and fuel to clothing and cars. Some companies have been stockpiling to prepare for such a possibility.

And Britain would drop out of Europe-wide protocols that govern areas such as aviation and prescription drugs, threatening to ground flights and disrupt supplies of drugs.

Motorists make their way along the motorway between Belfast to Dublin on the Irish border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic close to the town of Newry, Northern Ireland, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey sensationally walked out of the Government the morning after Cabinet agreed a draft EU withdrawal agreement in a stormy five-hour meeting. In his letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Raab said the deal represented a "very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom" because of provisions for Northern Ireland. He also said he could not accept "an indefinite backstop arrangement" for the Irish border. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

A Money exchange sign is seen on a bridge with an old disused customs post on the Irish border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic close to the town of Newry, Northern Ireland, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey sensationally walked out of the Government the morning after Cabinet agreed a draft EU withdrawal agreement in a stormy five-hour meeting. In his letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Raab said the deal represented a "very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom" because of provisions for Northern Ireland. He also said he could not accept "an indefinite backstop arrangement" for the Irish border. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

A welcome to Northern Ireland sign on the Irish border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic close to the town of Newry,, Northern Ireland, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey sensationally walked out of the Government the morning after Cabinet agreed a draft EU withdrawal agreement in a stormy five-hour meeting. In his letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Raab said the deal represented a "very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom" because of provisions for Northern Ireland. He also said he could not accept "an indefinite backstop arrangement" for the Irish border. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Anti-Brexit supporter Steve Bray from south Wales, protests outside the Houses of Parliament in London, Thursday Nov. 15, 2018. Leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has submitted a letter of no confidence in Theresa May, as the Prime Minister reels from the loss of four ministers - including two from her Cabinet - in protest at her Brexit plans. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge on Thursday refused to dismiss a special counsel indictment against a Russian company accused of interfering in the 2016 presidential election.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, an appointee of President Donald Trump, allows the criminal case against Concord Management to proceed.

The company and two other entities were indicted in February for participating in an effort to sway American public opinion through social media posts ahead of the election.

Thirteen Russians were also charged, accused of meddling in the election through bogus Facebook posts aimed at sowing discord on hot-button social issues.

The indictment argued that the Russian defendants conspired to break the law by conspiring "to obstruct the lawful functions of the United States government through fraud and deceit," including by failing to register as foreign agents and by making expenditures in connection with the election without proper disclosure.

Lawyers for the company argued, among other things, that the indictment failed to accuse the company of knowingly breaking the law. Friedrich rejected that analysis in a 32-page opinion Thursday, the latest legal conclusion by a judge to affirm charges brought by special counsel Robert Mueller.

The company, which has pleaded not guilty, had earlier asked for the indictment to be dismissed by challenging Mueller's appointment as unlawful. That request was also denied.
BEIRUT (AP) - The son of Lebanon's Hezbollah leader designated by the U.S. State Department this week as a "global terrorist" is a poet and music lover who is said to move around without security and whose role within the group is shrouded in secrecy.

Jawad Nasrallah, the 37-year-old father of four, is the second eldest son of Hassan Nasrallah who has been at the helm of the Iran-backed Shiite group since 1992.

In its designation on Tuesday, the State Department described him as "the rising star of Hezbollah," saying he has recruited people to carry out terrorist attacks against Israel in the West Bank, and in January 2016 tried to activate a suicide bombing and shooting cell based there.

The sanctions freeze any assets that those designated may have under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibit Americans from doing business with them.

The action followed the Trump administration's decision this month to re-impose oil and banking sanctions on Iran over its financing of militant groups like Hezbollah, its military engagement in Syria and its nuclear program.

In May, the U.S. and some of its Arab allies, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, imposed sanctions on 10 top Hezbollah officials including its leader Nasrallah, his deputy Naim Kassem and top officials Hashem Safieddine, Ibrahim Aim al-Sayyed, Hussein Khalil and Mohammed Yazbek.

In this Nov. 3, 2014 photo, Jawad Nasrallah, the second eldest son of of Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, films his father addressing his supporters, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. Jawad, who was designated by the U.S. State Department this week as a "global terrorist," is a poet and music lover who moves around without security and whose role within the group is shrouded in secrecy. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

People who know Jawad Nasrallah, however, disputed the State Department's description of his role within Hezbollah, with one resident of Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, saying Nasrallah is not even a senior official within the group.

The man with close links to the group, who met the young Nasrallah on several occasions, described him as a modest man, adding it is almost impossible to believe that he is the son of the group's leader.

"He moves around without security and visits shops to buy stuff or to eat," the man said. "People respect him because he is a humble person and the son of Sayyed Nasrallah," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was speaking about matters related to the group's security. He said Jawad is religiously moderate, unlike some other members of the group, and likes to listen to music.

"He is not a big official with the party. I never heard that he has a security or military post," the man said.

Another person familiar with the group also cast doubt on the "rising star" narrative or that he was a high-ranking member of the group.

Hezbollah declined a request by The Associated Press to comment on the State Department action. The group generally dismisses sanctions imposed on Hezbollah members as ineffective and part of psychological propaganda against the group. The Israeli Foreign Ministry also declined comment, while a Palestinian senior security official said Hezbollah stopped its activity in the West Bank and Gaza after the second intifada, or uprising, which ended in 2005.

Although his rank and role within the group have remained ambiguous, the round-faced Nasrallah is not the reclusive type, as senior Hezbollah commanders tend to be.

He has appeared publicly on numerous occasions, including at book signing events in 2007, when he published a collection of poems called "Resistance Letters." The book focuses on the role of poetry in resistance with poems that glorify those who died fighting Israel, including his elder brother, Hadi, who died while fighting Israel in south Lebanon in 1997.

In one poem called "Shukran," or "Thank you," he writes: "From the heart, thank you to the most beautiful father, thank you for being my inspiration, my father and my commander."

In an interview with a local TV station in that same year, Jawad refused to give details about his role within the group, only saying that he dedicated his life to the resistance. He said he likes music and movies, including comedy films, history and documentary movies.

He was active on Twitter for a while, before his account was suspended.

The Trump administration has ramped up pressure on Iran and Hezbollah since withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal last year. On Tuesday, the Department of Treasury also announced it was imposing sanctions on four Hezbollah operatives who were said to have provided financial, material and technological support to Hezbollah in Iraq.

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Associated Press writers Mohammed Daraghmeh in Ramallah, West Bank and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump visited with Marines and spoke at a White House veterans' conference Thursday amid fallout over his decision not to visit an American cemetery during his weekend trip to Paris to commemorate the end of World War I.

The president and first lady Melania Trump spent about 40 minutes at the Washington, D.C. Marine Barracks compound, where about 150 Marines had gathered in an event space at tables set with mini pumpkin pies. Trump later spoke at a conference with state and local veterans' leaders, where he applauded his administration's efforts to improve veterans' care.

"The fact is I've done a lot," Trump said of himself, drawing applause from the room.

The events came after the president was criticized for canceling a trip to an American cemetery about 60 miles (99 kilometers) northwest of Paris on Saturday after his helicopter was grounded by bad weather. Trump was in Paris for ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I on Sunday, and did not attend the annual commemoration for Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery. He also did not visit Arlington on Monday, the federal legal holiday, after his return from France.

A White House official said the Barracks visit had been in the works for several weeks, and Stephanie Grisham, a spokesperson for the first lady, whose office organized the visit, said the president had planned to join the event "weeks ago."

The Trumps went around the room, greeting the Marines one by one, and later sat with some who had responded to a fire at a local public housing complex in September.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump visit with Marines at the Marine Barracks Washington, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The fire tore through the Arthur Capper Public Housing complex for seniors. Neighbors, first responders and Marines at the barracks rushed to the scene. More than 150 people were displaced, but no one was killed.

President Donald Trump visits with Marines at Marine Barracks Washington, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Millions of Brazilians may be left without access to doctors due to the end of a program that brought Cuban physicians to rural and dangerous areas in Brazil, the former health minister who helped create the initiative said Thursday.

The Cuban government on Wednesday said it would end the program after Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro said it could only continue if several conditions were met.

Bolsonaro, a former army captain, campaigned in part on promises to take a hard line against left-leaning governments. As a congressman, the far-right leader often complained about the Cuban doctors' program and tried to end it.

In a phone interview, former Health Minister Alexandre Padilha said the decision to pull out would leave millions of Brazilians without access to doctors.

Padilha said Cuban doctors were in 2,800 cities and towns - and they were the only doctors in 1,700 of those towns. Padilha said the initiative was launched in 2013 because local doctors could not be found for many positions.

"This will have an immediate and terrible impact on the health care system," said Padilha. "Cuban doctors are in the most vulnerable areas. They are in the Amazon, rural towns and in slums."

FILE - In this Aug. 30, 2013 file photo, Cuban doctors observe a dental procedure during a a training session at a health clinic in Brasilia, Brazil. Cuba said Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018, it is ending a program that sent government doctors to remote regions of Brazil in exchange for millions in badly needed dollars. The end of the "Mas Medicos," or "More Doctors," program signals a sharp deterioration in relations between communist Cuba and Brazil, which just elected far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File)

Brazil, which includes the largest portion of the Amazon basin, is a vast country, a little bit larger than the continental United States. Many areas, particularly in the Amazon and historically poor Northeast region, are sparsely populated and lacking basic infrastructure.

After Cuba's announcement Wednesday, Bolsonaro made a blistering critique of the program. Frequently referring to the Cuban government as a "dictatorship," he said the program was "slave work" because the Cuban government keeps 70 percent of doctors' salaries. He also said Brazil had no way to verify if the doctors were truly qualified.

Neither Bolsonaro nor the Cuban government has said when the estimated 8,500 Cuban doctors currently in Brazil would be leaving. Bolsonaro said Cuban doctors who asked for asylum would get it, though he stopped short of saying Brazil would provide that to any Cuban who asked.

Bolsonaro, who takes office Jan. 1, said he had signaled the program could only continue if doctors directly received their salaries from Brazil, were able to bring their families during their assignments and had their credentials verified.

"We have no proof that they are really doctors and able to take on these functions," Bolsonaro said.

Padilha said the program, passed by Congress, already includes an evaluation of the doctors' credentials and language training; Brazil's national language is Portuguese and Cuba's is Spanish.

The former health minister said the doctors were not only highly qualified, but specialists in rural medicine, something that Brazil's health system badly lacks. He said the salary structure was something the Cuban government had worked out with more than 60 countries that participate in the program, and not something specific to Brazil.

"Bolsonaro doesn't understand that a doctor doesn't just practice medicine for money," said Padilha. "Doctors who work in the poorest areas are not just thinking about money."
CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) - Moldova's governing party is acknowledging the democratic shortcomings laid out in a European Parliament report this week, but downplayed blame directed at the government. .

The report issued Tuesday said Moldova, a former Soviet republic, was backsliding on its path to democracy. It said the country's economy, state institutions and media were controlled by a handful of people.

Democratic Party spokesman Vitalie Gamurari allowed Thursday that the government hadn't moved fast enough to adopt some reforms. The party came to power in 2017.

In defense of its performance, Gamurari told Radio Chisinau the report "mostly" reflected unspecified "political aspects."

Moldova signed an association agreement with the European Union, the first step toward membership, in 2014.

Gamurari said: "It must be very clear that Moldova" wants "moral help, not just financial aid."
JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) - Dozens of students were sent to hospitals Thursday after a building with high levels of carbon monoxide was evacuated at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in suburban Des Moines, officials said.

An overnight security officer detected a strong odor a little before 6 a.m., academy director Judy Bradshaw said. The officer contacted 911 and then used an intercom system to evacuate the 86 students, most of them sleeping.

Nearly 60 students with elevated blood levels of carbon monoxide were sent to six hospitals, and Bradshaw said other students who'd been exposed but displayed no symptoms were also taken to hospitals as a precaution. The unnamed security officer was taken as well.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include vomiting, headaches and dizziness, and high exposure can lead to death.

Johnson-Grimes Metropolitan Fire Department Chief Jim Clark said at a news conference that his firefighters found the highest level of carbon monoxide in the building basement. There were lower levels in the upper floors where students lived and attended classes during their training to become Iowa law enforcement officers. The academy sits on the grounds of Camp Dodge in Johnston.

Three ambulances carried a total of nine people with the highest carbon monoxide blood figures or severest symptoms to hospitals, Clark said. Because of the sheer number of students affected, he said, many were taken to hospitals in Des Moines Area Regional Transit buses.

It's unclear so far how many - if any - of the students will remain in the hospitals. Also unclear is what caused the carbon monoxide buildup. Bradshaw said that, to her knowledge, the building didn't have carbon monoxide monitors.

The building has been aired out but won't be used until the problem's been found and fixed, she said. The Iowa National Guard has arranged for classrooms and barracks space for students next week. Bradshaw canceled classes for Thursday and Friday.
By Trend





As part of his visit to Sumgayit, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended the inauguration of Railway Station Complex in the city.

The head of state cut the ribbon symbolizing the opening of the complex.

Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways Closed Joint Stock Company Javid Gurbanov informed the President of the construction of Sumgayit railway station, Baku ring railroad, Laki-Gabala, Astara-Astara railway lines, as well as the work to be carried out under these projects.

The three-story Sumgayit Railway Station occupies an area of 5.5 square kilometers. The building has a waiting hall, ticket offices, an information desk, a server, and baggage rooms.

President Ilham Aliyev then arrived in Baku by Sumgayit-Baku passenger train.

At Baku Railway Station, President Ilham Aliyev viewed new passenger trains, locomotives, and several railway vehicles purchased since 2016.








SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) - The Latest on the commission investigating the massacre at a Florida high school (all times local):

4:20 p.m.

The superintendent of a Florida school district where 17 people were killed at a high school says he's focusing on providing recovery and wellness for the students, improving school safety and holding administrators accountable.

Broward County Superintendent Robert Runcie appeared Thursday before the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission.

Runcie outlined security improvements, including single points of entry and armed guardians or police officers at all schools, and expanded mental health resources for students. Commission members then grilled Runcie on the district's communication with law enforcement and procedures for dealing with active shooters. Several commissioners pointed out that the district still hadn't created a policy since the Feb. 14 shooting for marking off "hard corners," which are areas in a classroom that a shooter can't hit from outside the door.

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FILE - In this Aug. 15, 2018 file photo, Florida school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz listens during a status check on his case at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Authorities say Cruz attacked a detention officer at the county jail, Tuesday, Nov. 13, and now faces new charges. Cruz is charged with killing 17 people and wounding 17 others in the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, Pool, File)

3:05 p.m.

The then-sheriff's deputy who was on campus during the Florida high school massacre but failed to confront the shooter didn't appear to answer an investigative panel's questions.

Former Broward deputy Scot Peterson declined to appear Thursday before the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission. His attorney Joseph DiRuzzo III appeared and told the panel he had filed a lawsuit earlier Thursday to quash the subpoena ordering his appearance.

DiRuzzo then left. One victim's father said to DiRuzzo, "He didn't do his job. My daughter should be alive."

Peterson was assigned to the school and arrived outside the building where 17 died Feb. 14 shortly after the shooting began. He drew his handgun, but never went inside to confront the shooter even after other deputies and police officers did.

Commissioners believe he may have been able to save six people who were killed on the building's third floor if he had intervened.

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1:40 p.m.

The suspected gunman in the Florida high school massacre tried to get a ride from the brother of one of the girls he had wounded.

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission heard Thursday that about 35 minutes after suspect Nikolas Cruz fled the school last Feb. 14, he entered a nearby McDonald's. He sat down next to a student he knew who'd fled the school where 17 died.

Pinellas County Sgt. John Suess told the panel Cruz and the student did not know the boy's sister was a victim. He said Cruz was "pushy" about getting a ride from the other student's mother, but did not get one. Cruz was arrested about 30 minutes later as he walked through a neighborhood.

The 20-year-old suspect has pleaded not guilty. His attorneys say he would plead guilty in return for a life sentence. Prosecutors are seeking a death sentence.

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12:55 p.m.

The commission investigating the massacre at a Florida high school saw videos and radio calls detailing the chaos and confusion during law enforcement's response.

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission heard Thursday that Broward County sheriff's deputies and Coral Springs police officers couldn't communicate by radio throughout the initial response to the February shooting that left 17 dead. That put them in danger of accidentally firing on each other.

There was also confusion about whether the gunman was still inside the school because the video system in the office was unknowingly on a 15-minute delay.

The officers searching the building where the shootings happened were falsely told he was coming down from the third floor at their position on the second floor, when in fact he had fled the building. That delayed the response to reaching victims on the third floor, where six lay dead or dying and four wounded.

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12:10 a.m.

The then-sheriff's deputy on campus during the Florida high school massacre is scheduled to testify before a state commission investigating the shooting.

Former Broward County Deputy Scot Peterson is subpoenaed to appear Thursday before the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission.

Members are expected to ask why he didn't enter the building where 17 people died Feb. 14 and try to stop the shooter. Panel members said Wednesday that he was "not a real cop" and "a coward."

Peterson told investigators he didn't know where the shots were coming from and that he heard only two or three. His attorney did not respond to an email Wednesday seeking comment.

Broward Sheriff Scott Israel and school Superintendent Robert Runcie are scheduled to testify after Peterson.
NEW YORK (AP) - In a major new effort to curb smoking, a top U.S. health official pledged Thursday to try to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars and tighten rules governing the sale of most flavored versions of electronic cigarettes.

The proposed restrictions were aimed mainly at reducing smoking in kids: About half of teens who smoke cigarettes choose menthols, and flavored e-cigarettes have been blamed for a recent increase in teen vaping rates.

"I will not allow a generation of children to become addicted to nicotine through e-cigarettes," Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said in a statement.

Health advocates say a menthol ban would have greater impact on the health of Americans, but it would probably take years to put in place. The changes for e-cigarettes could kick in within a few months.

Battery-powered e-cigarettes are more popular among teens than regular smokes and are considered safer. But many versions contain potentially addictive nicotine, and health officials believe they set kids who try them on a path toward regular cigarettes.

Gottlieb called for additional steps to prevent the marketing of e-cigarettes directly to kids and online sales to minors. He also proposed beefing up measures to ensure that convenience stores and some other retailers do not sell e-cigarettes in kid-friendly flavors such as cherry and vanilla. They could still be sold in vape shops or other businesses that do not admit minors.

CORRECTS DATE OF ANNOUNCEMENT TO NOVEMBER, NOT MAY - FILE - This May 17, 2018 file photo shows packs of menthol cigarettes and other tobacco products at a store in San Francisco. On Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb pledged to ban menthol from cigarettes, in what could be a major step to further push down U.S. smoking rates. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Smoking is the nation's leading cause of preventable illness, causing more than 480,000 deaths each year. The FDA currently bans sales of e-cigarettes and tobacco products to those under 18.

In 2009, the government banned a number of kid-friendly flavorings in cigarettes. But after an aggressive lobbying effort by tobacco companies, menthol was exempted.

Gottlieb's proposal for e-cigarette flavorings also exempts menthol. He said menthol e-cigarettes may be an option for adults who turn to vaping products to quit regular cigarettes, and he decided not to push for an end to menthol flavoring in vaping products.

Smoking has been declining for more than five decades. Some 42 percent of U.S. adults smoked in the early 1960s. Last year, the rate was down to 14 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Experts credit anti-smoking campaigns, cigarette taxes and smoking bans for most of the decline in the adult rate. But some say adult smokers switching to e-cigarettes have also helped in recent years.

The cigarette smoking rate is even lower among high school students - about 9 percent, according to the latest figures.

But e-cigarette use jumped 78 percent this year among U.S. high school kids and 48 percent among middle school kids, Gottlieb said. He cited a survey this past spring of more than 20,000 middle and high school students. About 21 percent of high schoolers said they had vaped recently, and 5 percent of middle schoolers said they had.

Some experts attribute the jump to newer versions of e-cigarettes, like those by Juul Labs Inc. of San Francisco. These products resemble computer flash drives, can be recharged in USB ports and can be used discreetly.

"The increase in e-cigarette popularity (among kids) is almost certainly not a function of flavors. All the flavors were out there already," said Kenneth Warner, a University of Michigan emeritus public health professor who is a leading authority on smoking and health.

The FDA has taken earlier steps to investigate the marketing of e-cigarettes by Juul and other companies.

Getting out ahead of the FDA announcement, Juul on Tuesday stopped filling store orders for mango, fruit, creme and cucumber pods and will resume sales only to retailers that scan IDs and take other steps to verify a buyer is at least 21. The company said Juul will continue to sell menthol and mint at stores, and sell all flavors through its website.

Health advocates generally applauded the e-cigarette plans, but some said they did not go far enough. Some called for a complete ban of flavorings, for example, and a more aggressive regulation of e-cigarettes that have come on the market in the last two years.

The proposed sales restrictions on e-cigarettes "are a step forward, but by themselves are not enough to stem the youth e-cigarette epidemic," said Robin Koval, chief executive of the Truth Initiative, an advocacy group that runs anti-tobacco ads.

Gottlieb acknowledged that he could have taken more aggressive steps, "but I don't want to foreclose opportunities for currently addicted adult smokers" to access e-cigarettes as they try to quit regular smokes.

He also said he hopes e-cigarette companies work to restrict kids from buying their products. If current efforts do not succeed, he's willing to take more steps later, he said.

Menthol cigarettes, which contain a minty compound that reduces the harshness of smoke and suppresses coughing, were widely marketed starting in the 1950s and 1960s.

Roughly a third of the cigarettes sold today are menthols, according to some estimates.

The e-cigarette measures will probably face little opposition, but Gottlieb "has guts" to pursue a menthol prohibition because it will draw political and legal fire from the tobacco industry and its supporters, Warner said.

An official with Altria Group Inc., one of the big tobacco companies, said a total ban on menthol cigarettes or flavored cigars "would be an extreme measure not supported by the science and evidence."

Murray Garnick, Altria's general counsel, said the company expects that establishing product standards on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars "will be a multi-year, deliberative process."

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The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate rejected an effort Thursday to block $300 million in weapon sales to Bahrain, but there's growing unease in Congress about the U.S. role supporting the Saudi Arabia-led coalition's military campaign in Yemen.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., forced the vote to send a message to President Donald Trump that the United States is "done with the war in Yemen." Facing a veto threat from the White House, the resolution failed 77-21.

But Paul, who remains close to Trump, is not alone in raising concern about the toll the war is taking in Yemen. In the House, Democratic lawmakers voiced frustration Wednesday after Republican leaders blocked consideration of a resolution from Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., that would direct the president to end the U.S. military's support of Saudi-led forces within 30 days, and until Congress authorizes such support.

"It is long overdue that we end U.S. complicity in Saudi Arabia's atrocities," said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii. "We must end all U.S. support for Saudi Arabia's genocidal war in Yemen now."

Bahrain is a member of the Saudi-led coalition at war with Iran-aligned rebels in Yemen since March 2015. The conflict in Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country, began with the 2014 takeover of the capital, Sanaa, by the Houthis who toppled the internationally recognized government. The Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the rebels since 2015 in an attempt to restore that government to power.

The focus on the Yemen conflict comes amid fresh scrutiny of Saudi Arabia after the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He was killed during a visit to the Saudi Consulate last month in Istanbul. Turkey alleges the Saudis were responsible for his death and the U.S. announced Thursday it was imposing sanctions on 17 Saudi officials who it said were responsible for or complicit in the killing.

FILE - In this July 17, 2018 file photo, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., talks during a television interview on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Senate has blocked legislation to stop an estimated $300 million in arms sales to Bahrain. Lawmakers rejected a call by Republican Sen. Rand Paul to send a message that the U.S. is "done with the war in Yemen." (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Paul's effort followed his pledge to block a pending U.S. arm sales to Saudi Arabia, saying he has the votes to stop it. A previous effort against Saudi arm sales last year fell just a few votes short. The Trump administration has not yet notified Congress it's ready to proceed with the next sale of Saudi arms, averting a showdown over the issue, for now.

On Thursday, the White House issued a veto threat against the Bahrain resolution, saying the sales of 120 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System pods and 110 Army Tactical Missile System pods are intended for the defense of Bahrain, which is home to various U.S. military forces.

"The utilization of this ground-based system would enhance Bahrain's ability to protect itself against threats to territorial sovereignty, particularly from Iran," the White House wrote.

Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee largely sided with the administration even as they expressed concern over the Yemen conflict.

New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the committee, said he is opposing the Saudi arms sale because he's concerned the weapons are being used inappropriately in the Yemen conflict. But he took issue with Paul's effort because the particular arms sale to Bahrain is "not part of a comprehensive strategy to end the civil war in Yemen."

GOP Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, the committee chairman, also sought to differentiate between Bahrain and what is taking place in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. He said he has asked for a high-level briefing with Pentagon officials over the war and the death of Khashoggi.

"I'm obviously very upset with what has happened with the journalist. I think a price needs to be paid," Corker said.

But Corker said Bahrain is home to a naval base with 7,800 U.S. service members protecting U.S. interests and serving as a buffer against Iran. He said that blocking an arms sale to an ally over "something that has nothing to do with them, but has something to do with another country is not a pragmatic, nor a sensible step."

Paul said he would like to vote directly on the U.S.'s involvement in the war in Yemen, but he could only get an indirect vote on a coalition partner.

"I'm not asking that we end our alliance," Paul said. "I'm only saying stop one sale of arms to send the message that we are done with the war in Yemen."

Paul, a leading noninterventionist, said it's folly for Americans to think that their support for Bahrain doesn't translate into support for a war that Congress has not specifically authorized.

Lawmakers have discussed updating the war powers authorizations that were approved in the aftermath of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, but Congress has yet to do so.

Separately, six senators - three Republicans and three Democrats - introduced a measure Thursday that would suspend weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, something Trump has described as "foolish" because he said the Saudis would just get their arms from other countries.

The Saudi Arabia Accountability and Yemen Act of 2018 would also require the president to impose sanctions on any persons found responsible for the death of Khashoggi, including any member of the Saudi royal family or Saudi government who ordered or contributed to his death.

"It is imperative that Congress stands unequivocally on the side of human rights and democratic values," said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.

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WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the legal challenge to the White House's decision to strip CNN reporter Jim Acosta of his White House press credentials (all times local):

1:15 p.m.

A federal judge has delayed until Friday a ruling on whether the Trump administration has to return the White House press credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta.

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly isn't offering any explanation for delaying a ruling that had been expected Thursday afternoon. He's set a court date for 10 a.m. Friday.

Kelly is a Trump appointee who heard arguments Wednesday from lawyers representing CNN and the Justice Department.

The news network is seeking an immediate restraining order that would force the White House to hand back Acosta's credentials, which grant reporters as-needed access to the 18-acre complex.

CNN's Jim Acosta walks into federal court in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018, to attend a hearing on legal challenge against President Donald Trump's administration. Trump's administration contends it has "broad discretion" to regulate press access to the White House as it fends off a legal challenge from CNN and other outlets over the revocation of Acosta's "hard pass." (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Acosta has clashed repeatedly with Trump and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in briefings over the last two years. The White House revoked the pass following a combative press conference last week, a day after Republicans lost control of the House in midterm elections.

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12:20 a.m.

The Justice Department is defending the White House's decision to strip CNN reporter Jim Acosta of his press pass. The department is arguing that Acosta is guilty of "inappropriate grandstanding."

The White House took the action after a heated confrontation between Acosta and President Donald Trump during a news conference last week.

In a court hearing Wednesday, Justice Department lawyer James Burnham argued that Acosta deserved to lose his access over "his refusal to comply with the general standards of a press conference."

CNN is seeking a restraining order that would force the White House to return Acosta's press credentials. The network's lawyer, Theodore Boutrous, said Acosta is being singled out for his body of work, not his alleged rudeness.

FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2018, file photo, CNN journalist Jim Acosta does a standup before a new conference with President Donald Trump in the East Room of the White House in Washington. CNN sued the Trump administration Tuesday, demanding that correspondent Jim Acosta's credentials to cover the White House be returned because it violates the constitutional right of freedom of the press. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
ATLANTA (AP) - The Latest on the disputed election count for Georgia governor (all times local):

2:20 p.m.

The Associated Press will not declare a winner in the race for governor in Georgia until state officials certify results.

Republican Brian Kemp leads Democrat Stacey Abrams by 54,977 votes out of more than 3.9 million votes counted. Kemp has 50.2 percent of the votes counted.

Abrams has not conceded and is pursing legal challenges.

Kemp must finish with more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff.

Sen. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta) is arrested by capitol police during a protest over election ballot counts in the rotunda of the state capitol building Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

State law sets a Nov. 20 deadline for official certification of results.

A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that the secretary of state must not certify results without confirming each county's tally includes absentee ballots previously rejected because of missing or incorrect dates of birth.

State elections officials issued guidance to county officials to review those ballots Thursday.

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1:30 p.m.

Georgia election officials say counties will review absentee ballots and count those previously rejected for missing or incorrect dates of birth.

The review was ordered by a federal judge Wednesday in response to a request included in a lawsuit brought by Stacey Abrams' campaign for governor.

Abrams trails former Secretary of State Brian Kemp by more than 50,000 votes.

Her campaign has disputed the results, and says she needs about 17,700 votes to force a Dec. 4 runoff.

Kemp's campaign contends that the results show he has an "insurmountable lead" in the race.

Counties have been ordered to count absentee ballots rejected "solely because of an error or omission in the date of birth" and recertify results if counts change. The deadline is Friday by 5 p.m.

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12:10 a.m.

Republican Brian Kemp is claiming results certified by county election officials confirm he has an "insurmountable lead" in the Georgia governor's race.

But Georgia Democrats are casting public doubts on the legitimacy of any election count that ends with the former secretary of state being certified the winner of the race against Stacey Abrams, who's seeking to become the first black woman elected governor in the U.S.

Abrams' campaign manager Lauren Groh-Wargo said at a news conference Wednesday at the Georgia Capitol that her group believes Kemp "mismanaged this election to sway it in his favor."

Groh-Wargo previously said the Abrams campaign believes she needs a net gain of about 17,700 votes to pull Kemp below a majority threshold and force a Dec. 4 runoff

A woman holds a sign as state troopers look on during a protest in the rotunda of the state capitol building Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Atlanta. Several protesters, including a state senator, have been arrested during a demonstration at the Georgia state Capitol calling for tallying of uncounted ballots from last week's election. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Sen. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta) is arrested by capitol police during a protest over election ballot counts in the rotunda of the state capitol building Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Atlanta. Dozens filled the rotunda in the center of the Capitol's second floor Tuesday just as the House was scheduled to convene for a special session. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

A man is arrested by Georgia state troopers during a protest over election ballot counts in the rotunda of the state Capitol building Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Atlanta. Several protesters, including a state senator, have been arrested during a demonstration at the Georgia state Capitol calling for tallying of uncounted ballots from last week's election. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

This combination of May 20, 2018, photos shows Georgia gubernatorial candidates Stacey Abrams, left, and Brian Kemp in Atlanta. Georgia's still undecided race for governor will remain in legal limbo for several more days after a federal court put the brakes on final certification of the vote totals in one of the nation's hottest midterm matchups. (AP Photos/John Amis, File)

People hold signs as they protest the election in the rotunda of the state capitol building Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

A woman is arrested by Georgia state troopers during a protest over election ballot counts in the rotunda of the state capitol building Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

A Georgia state trooper is seen organizing his handcuffs after several people were arrested during a protest in the rotunda of the state capitol building Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)
ROME (AP) - Italy's Catholic Church says it will open talks with the government to respond to a European Court of Justice ruling that says Italy has the right to recover millions of euros in property taxes.

The Luxembourg-based court on Nov. 6 overturned a 2012 decision by the European Commission that said it would be impossible to recover tax revenue that non-profits including the Italian church were exempted from paying for certain properties.

A Montessori school and the owner of a bed and breakfast had argued that the tax breaks the church received for money-making properties offering similar educational and hostel-like services were unfair.

The head of the Italian bishops' conference, Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, said Thursday that no talks with the government have begun but "certainly some contacts will be necessary."
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - Jurors are set to begin deliberating Friday in the trial of three Delaware inmates charged in a deadly prison riot.

The jury heard closing arguments Thursday in the trial of Jarreau Ayers and Dwayne Staats, both 37, and Deric Forney, 29. The three are the first among 17 inmates charged in the February 2017 riot to be tried. The others will be tried in groups over the next several months.

All three defendants were charged with first-degree murder, assault, kidnapping, riot and conspiracy following the riot at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, the state's maximum-security prison. Staats and Ayers, both convicted killers serving life sentences, are acting as their own attorneys.

Correctional officer Steven Floyd was killed during the 20-hour uprising. Two other officers were beaten and tormented by inmates before being released. Response teams eventually used a backhoe to breach a wall and rescue a female counselor. She was not injured.

Prosecutors argued that the three defendants should be convicted of murder under Delaware's "accomplice liability" law, even if none of them inflicted the cuts or blows that killed Floyd. Under accomplice liability, if two or more people join to commit a crime, such as riot, and it is reasonably foreseeable that it could lead to a second crime, such as murder, all can be held responsible for the second crime, even if it was unintended.

"There was a riot. Sergeant Floyd ended up dead," prosecutor John Downs told jurors.

FILE - In this Feb. 1, 2017, file photo, a prison guard stands on a tower during a hostage situation at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, Del. Jurors are hearing closing arguments Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in the trial of three Delaware inmates charged in a prison riot in which a guard was killed and three other staffers taken hostage. (Suchat Pederson/The News Journal via AP, File)

"The 16 defendants who were charged with murder did not all murder Sergeant Floyd ... but the people working together to commit the assaults, to commit the riot, are responsible for the actions of others," Downs added.

The defense countered that prosecutors have no DNA or fingerprint evidence, and that their case is built entirely on conflicting statements from other inmates possibly trying to curry favor in hopes of improving their chances to win appeals or to be treated better in prison.

The inmates' testimony for the prosecution was often at odds with statements they made to investigators after the riot, or conflicted with testimony from other inmates.

"All we have our witness statements? Are you serious?" asked Forney's attorney, Ben Gifford.

Forney, serving an 11-year sentence on gun and drug charges, has denied any role in the uprising, although two inmates who were not charged testified that they saw him wearing a mask and assaulting one of the guards.

Gifford pointed out that the inmates who rioted had several hours to plan what they would say or do afterward to avoid culpability, and that prosecution witnesses have been held in custody together.

"You don't think anybody talked to figure out what the story was going to be?" asked Gifford. He also questioned the seeming lack of interest by investigators in trying to find physical evidence that might help determine who actually killed Floyd.

"Sergeant Floyd didn't deserve what happened to him, but he also didn't deserve this investigation," he said.

Staats called the police investigation "deficient."

"I know it's not realistic, but y'all don't have to find me guilty of nothing," said Staats, who previously testified that he planned the uprising, knowing that it could be violent, and that he recruited six other inmates to carry it out. He has denied assaulting anyone and said Floyd's death was not part of the plan.

"My goal was to do something to expose this place to where the public and the government would take notice. I say I got their attention," Staats testified Wednesday.

In the weeks and months leading up to the riot, inmates had staged peaceful protests over their treatment and conditions at the prison.

Ayers acknowledged talking to convicted murderer Royal Downs, a key prosecution witness who pleaded guilty to riot, about staging another protest. Refusing to come in from the recreation yard or staying on the prison tier and refusing to lock into their cells were two options to get the attention of prison administrators, Ayers suggested.

"I knew something was going to happen. I never lied to y'all about that," Ayers told jurors Thursday. "I didn't know the extent of anything. ... Me knowing that something was going on is different from me planning."

Democratic Gov. John Carney ordered a review after the riot. It found that Department of Correction officials' dismissal of warnings about trouble brewing reflected an overcrowded, understaffed facility plagued by mismanagement, poor communication, a culture of negativity and adversarial relationships among prison staff, administrators and inmates.

Since the riot, state officials have devoted millions of dollars to security upgrades, staff training, improved programming for inmates and salary increases for correctional officers. Last week, they said hundreds of inmates would be transferred to Pennsylvania in an effort to reduce mandatory overtime in the severely understaffed guard ranks at Vaughn.
MIAMI (AP) - The FBI is investigating the death of 52-year-old woman who was a passenger on a cruise ship heading from Florida to Aruba.

The Santa Clarita, California-based cruise line said in a statement that the American woman died early Tuesday aboard the Royal Princess.

Cruise officials said her death was reported to the FBI and local authorities in Aruba. The statement says local authorities met the ship when it arrived in Aruba and cruise officials are cooperating with investigators.

No additional details, including the woman's name, were immediately available.

The Royal Princess departed Nov. 9 from Port Everglades on a 7-day Southern Caribbean cruise. It will return to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday.
The Smashing Pumpkins, "SHINY AND OH SO BRIGHT, VOL. 1 / LP: NO PAST. NO FUTURE. NO SUN." (Napalm Records)

It's no question The Smashing Pumpkins has had a tumultuous past. Multiple iterations, breakups and solo careers later, three founding members of the 90's Chicago-rooted rockers - Billy Corgan, James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin - are back to release their first collaborative album in 18 years, "SHINY AND OH SO BRIGHT, VOL. 1 / LP: NO PAST. NO FUTURE. NO SUN."

The title of the LP is fitting, considering there's a past the band likely wants to leave behind.

The Smashing Pumpkins has teetered between dissolution and reconciliation since 1996, after the overdose death of touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin and the firing of Chamberlin. Members have been in flux ever since, with the current roster featuring Corgan, Iha and Chamberlin with guitarist Jeff Schroeder.

Ahead of their latest tour, one founding member, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, was left in the dark. The circumstances surrounding her exclusion from the band's reunion started a feud between Wretzky and Corgan, complete with publicized text message screenshots and name-calling.

Peel away the dramatics and dysfunction that marked the launch of "SHINY AND OH SO BRIGHT" - and the Pumpkins' past, for that matter - and you're left with an album that stays true to the band's classic sound with the help of legendary producer Rick Rubin.

This cover image released by Napalm Records shows "Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1/ No Past. No Future. No Sun," by The Smashing Pumpkins. (Napalm Records via AP)

Triumphant strings and distorted vocals open the album, as "Knights of Malta" crescendos to a choir singing with the guttural Corgan singing, "We're gonna make this happen/I'm gonna fly forever."

While the album captures the nonconforming spirit of eccentric frontman Corgan - swinging between manic, obsessive and edgy tracks like "Solara" and delicate, trance-like songs such as "With Sympathy" - overall, "SHINY AND OH SO BRIGHT" is no masterpiece. Songs build then fizzle, like "Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)," a catchy tune lacking the chorus to be considered vintage Smashing, despite its nostalgic and distinctive Pumpkins feel.

Highlights on the 8-track album include "Travels" and "With Sympathy." The optimistic "Travels" affirms the album's commitment to "No Past. No Future." in a fluid reality where Corgan sings, "See love, see time/see death, see life" before unfolding into a chorus of, "It's where I belong/but far from here or else I'm gone." There's an element of opacity, common to Pumpkins lyrics, but one that manages to feel pleasantly unresolved by the anthemic track. "With Sympathy" pleads, "Please stay confused/disunion has its use," but wraps itself in a comforting, steady melody.

"SHINY AND OH SO BRIGHT" brings hope that the band's dark days are distant. Millions of Pumpkins fans certainly hope so.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida's 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 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.

Palm Beach County Supervisor Of Elections Susan Bucher points at a tally sheet as she speaks to members of the media at the Supervisor of Elections office after the deadline for a recount was reached, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Counties were ordered this past 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 if there is a way to figure out voter intent.

Scott called on Nelson to end the recount battle.

It's 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 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 v. 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 now 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 Barack 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 0.41 percent.

The margin between Scott and Nelson had not changed much in the last few days, conceded Marc Elias, an attorney working for Nelson's 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 Donald Trump, have argued without evidence that voter fraud threatens to steal races from the GOP.

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Associated Press writer Tamara Lush contributed to this story from St. Petersburg, while Associated Press writer Kelli Kennedy contributed from Fort Lauderdale.

Palm Beach County Supervisor Of Elections Susan Bucher, right, talks to an employee at the Supervisor of Elections office during a recount, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Palm Beach County Supervisor Of Elections Susan Bucher speaks to members of the media at the Supervisor of Elections office after the deadline for a recount was reached, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Employees bring out boxes of ballots before resuming a recount at the Palm Beach County Supervisor Of Elections office, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Palm Beach County Supervisor Of Elections Susan Bucher, rear, checks her watch as she talks to an employee at the Supervisor of Elections office during a recount, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

A Republican party observer, right, watches as an employee at the Palm Beach County Supervisor Of Elections office goes through a stack of damaged ballots, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in West Palm Beach, Fla. A federal judge slammed Florida on Thursday for repeatedly failing to anticipate election problems, and said the state law on recounts appears to violate the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that decided the presidency in 2000. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
By Trend





If French MPs meet with Bako Sahakyan, head of the separatist regime, created in occupied Azerbaijani territories, that could be contrary to France's status as OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing country, Matthew Bryza, former US ambassador to Azerbaijan and former co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, told Trend Nov.16.

He was commenting on the visit of Sahakyan to France.

Sahakyan has also visited the United States and Russia, which had no discernible impact on either the Minsk Group co-chairs' mediation efforts or on the bilateral relations of Azerbaijan with the co-chair countries, noted Bryza.

He pointed out that Azerbaijan is an important partner and friend of all three countries, and its importance is growing.

Of course, if the French government and/or parliament treated Sahakyan as anything other than a private person, that could cause serious tension in Azerbaijan's relations with France. I don't expect that to occur. That said, individual French parliamentarians may decide to meet with Sahakyan on an individual basis, which I would view as inappropriate and contrary to France's status as a Minsk Group co-chair, Bryza concluded.

Earlier, Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Frances constant double standards approach makes Azerbaijan reconsider its ties with that country.

Bako Sahakyan's visit to France, presenting himself as the head of the separatist regime established in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, is another unsuccessful attempt to encourage that puppet entity at the international level, the Foreign Ministry said.

France, which created conditions for that visit and accepted "representatives" of the illegal regime, by this step not only violates the spirit of bilateral relations and the signed agreements, but also demonstrates disregard for supremacy of norms and principles of international law and the undertaken obligations, reads the statement.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
PRAGUE (AP) - Thousands of Czechs are rallying in Prague to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Andrej Babis over a fraud scandal.

Babis faces charges that he has misused EU subsidies for a farm he transferred to his family members, including his son, Andrej Babis, Jr. Babis denies wrongdoing.

The Czech leader been under increased pressure this week after his son told an online news portal he was deliberately kept in Crimea to avoid being questioned in the case.

Babis denies that, saying his son - who lives in Switzerland and is mentally ill - was there voluntarily.

More protests are scheduled for Saturday.

Babis' coalition government will face a confidence vote in Parliament's lower house over the scandal.

Several thousands of demonstrators gather to demand resignation of Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis at the Wenceslas square in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Babis faces alegations that he has misused EU subsidies for a farm he transferred to his family members, though he denies wrongdoing. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Parliament's upper house on Thursday asked Babis to step down until the investigation is completed.

Several thousands of demonstrators gathers to demand resignation of Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis at the Wenceslas square in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. Babis faces alegations that he has misused EU subsidies for a farm he transferred to his family members, though he denies wrongdoing. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Cicely Tyson received her first and only Oscar nomination in 1972. It was for best actress for her work in "Sounder," which she thinks of as her first major role. She wasn't called to the stage that year - Liza Minnelli was for "Cabaret" - but now 45 years later, Tyson is finally getting her Oscar.

"It is an emotionally wrenching matter to me," Tyson said.

Tyson, 93, is no stranger to awards and honors. She's won three Emmys (two in the same year for "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman," and one for "The Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All"), a Tony award (for "The Trip to Bountiful"), been a Kennedy Center honoree and, in 2016 was given a Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama. Now she can add one more award to that list as she prepares to accept her honorary Oscar Sunday at the 10th annual Governors Awards Sunday in Hollywood.

"I come from lowly status. I grew up in an area that was called the slums at the time," Tyson said. "I still cannot imagine that I have met with presidents, kings, queens. How did I get here? I marvel at it."

When film academy President John Bailey called her to inform her that the Board of Governors voted unanimously to give her the award, she "went to water."

"It is the last thing in the world that I ever expected," Tyson said, thinking, "I hadn't done a major movie since 'The Help.'"

FILE - In this Nov. 1, 2017 file photo, Cicely Tyson, a cast member in "Last Flag Flying," poses at the premiere of the film at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles. Tyson is finally getting her Oscar 45 years after her first and only nomination. Tyson is being celebrated Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018 at the 10th annual Governors Awards in Hollywood alongside publicist Marvin Levy and composer Lalo Schifrin. Tyson has won Emmys, a Tony, been a Kennedy Center honoree and was given a Presidential Medal of Freedom, but says that she is grateful to the film academy's board for the honor. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

Tyson has worked since the 2011 film, with roles in "Last Flag Flying" and the television show "How to Get Away With Murder," but "The Help" was the last film that had anyone mentioning her name alongside Oscar. Oprah even called her and predicted she'd get a nomination, to which she responded: "My role was two seconds!"

"I am extremely grateful to the Board that they even know my name," Tyson added with a hearty laugh.

She is being honored Sunday along with publicist Marvin Levy and composer Lalo Schifrin.

Born in Harlem, Tyson started out as a model and theater actress, eventually landing a role in the film "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" in 1968. Her pursuit of acting caused a rift with her mother, who disapproved, but Tyson said she was her "motivating force."

"I was determined to prove her wrong," Tyson said.

Plus, she learned quickly that she had a larger purpose than just acting. On the press tour for "Sounder," which took her to parts of the United States that she hadn't yet been to, she remembers a man in a press conference telling her that watching the film made him realize that he was prejudiced.

"He said, 'You know, I could not accept the fact that your older son was referring to his father as daddy. That's what my son calls me,'" Tyson said. "And I thought to myself, 'My God. My God.' It was those kinds of experiences as I went across the country promoting 'Souder' that made me realize that I, Cicely Tyson, could not afford the luxury of being an actress. There were some issues that I definitely had to address and I chose my profession as my platform."

It led to a lifetime of activism and humanitarianism off screen. Tyson even has a performing arts school named after her in New Jersey and frequently goes on tour to speak to children. On screen Tyson has portrayed women like Coretta Scott King and Harriet Ross Tubman. She decided early that she would only take jobs that "speak to something," which is also why she ends up saying "no" a lot.

"My honorary Oscar proves to me that I was on the right track and I stayed on it," Tyson said.

And while most of the time "no" works, sometimes it doesn't. Tyson tried to say no to wearing a terrifically large hat to Aretha Franklin's funeral only to be overruled by her designer. The hat would become a viral highlight.

"I never thought in my career that I would be upstaged by a hat! And I did not want to wear it," Tyson said. "I said, 'I can't wear that hat, I will be blocking the view of the people behind me, they won't be able to see and they'll call me all kinds of names.' He just looked at me and said, 'Put the hat on.'"

She came around, eventually, thinking of the hat as homage to Franklin's appearance at Obama's inauguration.

As for whether or not she'll don a similarly spectacular piece of art on her head Sunday night at the Governors Awards? Tyson just laughs.

"Oh no!" she said. "I won't even mention it to him."

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Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) - The Latest on Macedonia's fugitive former prime minister (all times local):

7:50 p.m.

Police say a fugitive politician from Macedonia left Albania on Sunday evening in a vehicle belonging to the Hungarian Embassy in Albania.

If accurate, the information in a statement from Albanian police on Thursday shows part of the route former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski took from his homeland and through the Balkans to reach Hungary.

Nikola Gruevski, who fled Macedonia rather than serve a two-year prison term for corruption, said Tuesday on Facebook that he was in Budapest and seeking political asylum.

The police statement also implies that the Hungarian government was involved in some of his passage. Earlier, the Hungarian government said it did not assist Gruevski in leaving Macedonia.

FILE - In this Friday, Oct. 19, 2018 file photo, Nikola Gruevski, former country's Prime Minister and now a lawmaker of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE, looks on in Macedonian Parliament in the capital Skopje. Macedonia says the country will seek the arrest with an international warrant of conservative former prime minister Nikola Gruevski after confirming he fled to Hungary to avoid serving a two-year prison sentence for corruption. The ministry responded nearly five hours after Gruevski announced he was in Budapest in a Facebook post on Tuesday, Nov. 13 as police continued searches in the capital Skopje to try and locate him. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski, file)

Asked about the statement, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's office said it would not comment until the asylum review process concluded.

Albanian police noted that when Gruevski left Albania and entered Montenegro, an international warrant for his arrest had not been issued yet.

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2:40 p.m.

The Hungarian government said Thursday it did not assist the fugitive former prime minister of Macedonia in leaving his homeland to avoid a prison sentence.

Gergely Gulyas, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff, said that Nikola Gruevski, who fled Macedonia rather than serve a two-year prison term for corruption, declared his intent to file for asylum at an unnamed Hungarian diplomatic office outside Macedonia.

Gulyas said authorities "did not have anything to do with" the 48-year-old Gruevski fleeing Macedonia and said it was "guaranteed" that Gruevski can't leave Hungary.

Macedonia has called on Hungary to extradite Gruevski, who was prime minister from 2006-2016.

Hungarian authorities "are proceeding according to appropriate security protocols" regarding Gruevski, Gulyas told reporters, adding that Orban was "very amused" by reports that Gruevski, a close political ally, was living at his house.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - The Latest on the trial of a Wisconsin man charged with killing the abusive mother of his Missouri girlfriend (all times local):

1:25 p.m.

A Missouri woman whose mother forced her to use a wheelchair and pretend to be ill testified that she asked her ex-boyfriend to kill her mother.

Gypsy Blanchard testified Thursday in the trial of Nicholas Godejohn. The Big Bend, Wisconsin, man is charged with fatally stabbing 48-year-old Clauuddine "Dee Dee" Blanchard at their home near Springfield on June 10, 2015.

Blanchard said her mother physically abused her and controlled her life. She said she thought killing her mom was the only way out. She said she talked Godejohn into coming to Missouri to kill her mother.

The two met on a Christian dating site and carried on a mostly online relationship.

Under questioning from the prosecutor, Blanchard Gypsy acknowledged that Godejohn dominated their relationship, with him being the "master" and her the "slave."

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9:45 a.m.

Prosecutors say a Wisconsin man plotted for more than a year to kill a Missouri mother who forced her daughter to pretend she was disabled.

Nicholas Godejohn is on trial for the 2015 death of 48-year-old Clauddine "Dee Dee" Blanchard. His attorneys don't dispute he fatally stabbed the woman, but they argue the 29-year-old has autism and was manipulated by Blanchard's daughter, whom he met on a Christian dating website.

The Springfield News-Leader reports jurors are being asked to decide whether Godejohn committed first-degree murder or a lesser crime. The trial began Tuesday.

The daughter, 27-tear-old Gypsy Blanchard, is serving a 10-year prison sentence for second-degree murder in the case. Relatives say she was forced by her mother to use a wheelchair and undergo unnecessary medical procedures.

The case has spawned numerous TV specials, including an HBO documentary.

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Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.news-leader.com
MIAMI (AP) - Designers overestimated the strength of a critical section of a Florida International University pedestrian bridge that collapsed, killing six people, and they underestimated the load on that same section, federal investigators reported Thursday.

Cracks that were observed in the bridge before it collapsed were consistent with those design errors, their report says.

However, the investigation continues, and the National Transportation Safety Board did not blame those errors for the March 15 collapse in the two-page investigative update . The agency is expected to finish its investigation into the cause of the catastrophe next year.

Experts from the Federal Highway Administration reviewed the construction plans and design calculations for the 174-foot-long (53-meter-long) span intended to link Florida International University with the neighboring city of Sweetwater.

They determined that the design underestimated the structural load on the north end of the bridge while overestimating the strength "of that same critical section."

The cracking documented in the weeks before the collapse was "consistent with the identified errors," the report said. Photographs of those cracks previously released by the NTSB showed that they grew significantly larger after the prefabricated bridge was moved from a casting yard and set into place over a busy highway and a canal.

FILE - In a Sunday, March 18, 2018 file photo, inspectors walk over what remains of a pedestrian bridge near Florida International University, near Miami. Federal investigators said in the two-page investigative update released Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, that design flaws caused cracking in a pedestrian bridge that collapsed near Miami in March. The National Transportation Safety Board did not blame those errors for the March 15 collapse. Six people died in the collapse. (C.M. Guerrero/The Miami Herald via AP, File)

"The investigation continues to examine the design, review, and construction processes as well as the actions taken once the cracking was observed," the report said.

The report also said concrete and steel samples from the bridge met the minimum requirements specified in the project's plans.

Two days before the collapse, an engineer with the design firm, FIGG Bridge Group, left a voicemail for Florida Department of Transportation officials to report cracking had been found at one end of the concrete span, but the company did not think it was a safety issue. State officials did not hear the voicemail until after the collapse. University officials said DOT officials had been included in a meeting to discuss the cracking hours before the collapse.

FIGG released a statement saying the company is still working with the NTSB and that no probable cause conclusion should be drawn from the update.

FIU emailed a statement from Kenneth Jessell, senior vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer. It said the university continues to fully cooperate with the NTSB and hopes the investigation results will help bring closure to the victims' families and loved ones.

Representatives for Munilla Construction Management did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.

The university had celebrated the bridge, scheduled to open in 2019, for its accelerated construction method that was supposed to reduce risks to workers and pedestrians and minimize traffic disruption.

When the bridge fell, construction was behind schedule and millions over budget, partly due to a key change in the design and placement of a support tower at its north end, according to documents The Associated Press obtained through a public records request.

Bridge engineers who reviewed photographs of the collapse for the AP said it was ill-advised to move the tower after completing the initial design, but more analysis was needed before it could be known whether this caused the collapse.
Amy Schumer says she's been hospitalized for severe, second-trimester nausea and apologized to fans in Dallas for canceling a stand-up show.

She said Thursday on Instagram she and the baby are fine. The post accompanied a photo of herself in a hospital bed. The "Trainwreck" and "I Feel Pretty" star said she's been suffering from a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum, which can cause severe morning sickness.

Schumer said she's been more ill during her second trimester than her first. She thanked the doctors and nurses caring for her and promised to reschedule Thursday's show at Winspear Opera House.

She and her husband, Chris Fischer, announced in late October they were expecting their first child together.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration's top environmental official for the Southeast was arrested Thursday on criminal ethics charges in Alabama reported to be related to a scheme to help a coal company avoid paying for a costly toxic waste cleanup.

Trey Glenn, 47, was briefly booked into a county jail in Birmingham before being released on a $30,000 bond. Glenn was appointed in August 2017 to serve as chief of the Environmental Protection Agency's regional office in Atlanta, which oversees operations in eight states stretching from the Carolinas to Mississippi.

A grand jury indicted Glenn and his former business partner Scott Phillips earlier this week. Prior to Glenn's appointment at EPA, he and Phillips worked for the coal company Drummond Co. to build state and local opposition to a federal Superfund cleanup in Birmingham that their client would have had to help fund.

Glenn resigned as director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management in 2009 following an earlier ethics scandal in which he was not charged. He worked as an industry lobbyist before his appointment to EPA.

In a statement provided by his lawyer, Glenn denied the charges.

"The charges against me are totally unfounded, and will be vigorously defended," Glenn said. "I am innocent and expect to be fully vindicated."

This booking image provided by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office in Birmingham, Ala, shows Trey Glenn. Glenn, the Trump administration's top environmental official for the Southeast has been arrested on multiple state ethics violations in Alabama related to an illegal scheme to help a coal company avoid paying for a costly toxic waste cleanup. Glenn was booked into a county jail in Birmingham on Thursday, Nov. 15, before being released on a $30,000 bond. (Jefferson County Sheriff via AP)

The office of EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler has declined to comment since Glenn's indictment was first reported by local media in Alabama on Tuesday.

"We're not going to comment on that," EPA spokesman John Konkus said Thursday. "We're just not going to do it."

Wheeler has been running EPA since former Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned in July under a cloud of ethics scandals. Congressional Democrats on Thursday pointed to Glenn's arrest as further evidence of the corruption they said has been rife at the agency under President Donald Trump.

"Trey Glenn should have never made it through any serious vetting process," said Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey, the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. "Scott Pruitt may be gone, but it's clear the culture of corruption remains."

Pallone pledged his committee would conduct "vigorous oversight" of EPA once Democrats take control of the House in January.

Details of the indictment have not yet been made public. Although Glenn's criminal indictment is a public record under state law, the offices of the local district attorney and court clerk said Thursday they were unable to provide a copy and referred inquiries to the Alabama Ethics Commission. Thomas Albritton, director of the state ethics commission, did not return multiple calls from The Associated Press on Wednesday or Thursday.

Al.com first reported earlier this week that Glenn was indicted on multiple violations of Alabama's Ethics Act, which prohibits lobbyists or their clients from giving a public official anything of value.

It's the second time the Alabama Ethics Commission has accused Glenn of wrongdoing. In 2007, the commission voted unanimously that there was probable cause that Glenn, then the head of the state's environmental enforcement agency, violated laws to get his job and to obtain personal trips. Among the issues was a trip to Disney World taken by Glenn and his family that was paid for by a public relations firm representing a client with business before his agency. Although he was not indicted on criminal charges that time, the resulting scandal led to Glenn's resignation in 2009.

Glenn then formed a lobbying firm with Phillips, a former chairman of the Alabama Environmental Management Commission. Both were involved in opposing a federal Superfund cleanup in Birmingham on behalf of their client, Drummond Co.

In a federal trial earlier this year, Drummond Co. executive David Roberson and attorney Joel Gilbert were convicted on charges related to bribes paid to a state legislator to secure his opposition to an EPA cleanup of predominately African-American neighborhoods in north Birmingham contaminated by smokestack emissions from a plant owned by a Drummond Co. subsidiary. The company was potentially on the hook for tens of millions of dollars in cleanup costs for removing soil contaminated with lead, arsenic and other toxic materials.

Glenn was called to testify as a witness, and emails entered into evidence show he was deeply involved in efforts to build opposition among political and community leaders to the proposed toxic waste cleanup. In addition to the convictions of Roberson and Gilbert, the state lawmaker who received the bribes, Oliver Robinson, pleaded guilty.

EPA's Region 4, headquartered in Atlanta, comprises Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker promised Thursday he wouldn't "retreat" after losing re-election and signaled potential support for a variety of Republican-backed efforts to limit the power of his Democratic successor, including moving the date of the 2020 presidential primary.

Walker, in his first comments to reporters since losing to Democrat Tony Evers, said he was open to a number of changes to gubernatorial power being discussed by Republicans who control the Legislature.

"We're not going to retreat," Walker told reporters from his Capitol office. "The state of Wisconsin is not going to go backwards."

Walker, 51, also said he didn't know what the future holds for him after he leaves public office for the first time since 1993 when he was 25 years old. Walker said he doesn't "have much of an interest at this point" in going to Washington to serve in President Donald Trump's administration.

Reflecting on his loss, Walker said that it was perhaps due to accomplishing so much over his eight years as governor. He was most widely known for the Act 10 law that effectively ended collective bargaining for most public workers, but he also signed into law a long line of conservative priorities that he said voters may have wondered what was left to accomplish.

"I may have reformed myself out of a job," he said.

Addressing members of the media for the first time after failing to win re-election in the 2018 race, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker addresses members of the media from his office in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

But Walker isn't going to leave quietly.

Republicans are planning to come back in a lame duck session early next month to consider a variety of bills designed to protect laws enacted by Walker and make changes favoring Republicans before the new governor takes office.

Republicans have not said specifically what those will include, but they're talking about changing gubernatorial appointees to the state economic development agency and state building commission; moving the 2020 presidential primary from April to March; limiting the governor's authority over enacting state agency rules; enshrining rules related to the state's voter photo ID law to make it more difficult to change; and making it more difficult for the governor to block a work requirement for Medicaid recipients.

Similar moves were made in North Carolina two years ago and are also being discussed in Michigan before a Democratic governor takes over there.

Walker downplayed the changes being contemplated in Wisconsin, saying it's primarily making law "the practice we had in the past."

"Those things seem pretty reasonable," he said, without specifying which proposals he was referring to.

Wisconsin's presidential primary in 2020 is currently on the same date as a spring election where a Walker-appointed Supreme Court justice is up for election. Democratic turnout is expected to be higher than Republican turnout in the presidential primary, so moving that election to March would increase the odds for Justice Dan Kelly to win in April.

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos told The Associated Press following a meeting earlier Thursday with Walker that he thought he was "generally supportive" of the GOP agenda for the lame duck session.

Evers has accused Republicans of trying to cling to power, but on Wednesday told reporters he didn't have "a red line or a line in the sand" about what he would oppose. Evers' spokeswoman Britt Cudaback said Thursday it's time the GOP "got serious" about working with the incoming governor "on the pressing issues facing our state."

"The people of Wisconsin said loud and clear last week that we want a change from this petty, divisive partisanship, and Governor-Elect Evers believes Republicans should stop any and all attempts to override the will of the people and instead focus on solving the problems of this state," Cudaback said in a statement.

Walker also called on Republicans and Democrats to "come to their senses" and pass a stalled bill in the Senate extending tens of millions of dollars in tax breaks to paper products giant Kimberly-Clark Corp. to it will keep open a plant that employs about 390 people.

Walker said if the bill isn't passed by the end of November those jobs will be lost.

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Addressing members of the media for the first time after failing to win re-election in the 2018 race, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker addresses members of the media from his office in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

Addressing members of the media for the first time after failing to win re-election in the 2018 race, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker addresses members of the media from his office in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) - The Statue of Liberty's original torch, which has been housed in the base of the statue since a replica replaced it in the 1980s, was moved across Liberty Island on Thursday to its new home in a museum that will open next year.

Visitors watched as the base and the detached flame of the 3,600-pound (1,633-kilogram) torch were trucked slowly and carefully to the museum construction site about 100 yards (91 meters) from the statue.

Officials with the National Park Service and the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation said the torch was removed in 1984 because it was too badly damaged to restore.

"Taking it down was very frightening," said Stephen Briganti, president and CEO of the foundation. "We had the largest freestanding scaffolding that at that point had ever been built."

Thursday's brief trip to the museum site was the latest chapter for an icon that "has crossed many miles in its lifetime," Briganti said.

The torch left France in 1876 for the United States, where it was exhibited at the Centennial celebration in Philadelphia and then in New York City's Madison Square Park. The trip was intended to raise funds to pay for the statue's pedestal, Briganti said.

The original torch of the Statue of Liberty, and a replica of her face, rest on a hydraulically stabilized transporter, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 in New York. The torch, which was removed in 1984 and replaced by a replica, was being moved into what will become its permanent home at a new museum on Liberty Island. New York's One World Trade Center is visible, background center. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

It went back to Paris in 1882, then returned to the New York Harbor along with other crated pieces of the statue in 1885.

The torch was held high by Lady Liberty from 1886 to 1984, but modifications to the flame changed its original design over the years.

The flame resembled a stained-glass sculpture lying on its specially designed flatbed truck. That's because the sculptor Gutzon Borglum, who also designed Mount Rushmore, "put all the holes in it with amber glass" during a 1916 redesign, park Superintendent John Piltzecker said. "It led to the flame's deterioration."

The torch was further weakened in July of that year by the Black Tom explosion, an act of German sabotage at a munitions plant nearby in Jersey City.

The 1980s gilt flame that the statue is holding now restores sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi's original design, officials said.

The old torch, meanwhile, made another fundraising trip at the end of 1984, traveling to Pasadena, where it starred in the Rose Parade.

A trench was dug under the statue so that the 16-foot (4.9-meter) original torch could be moved into the pedestal when it returned to New York.

It couldn't depart the pedestal that way Thursday, Piltzecker said. "It had to come out in two pieces."

Joining the torch's two pieces was a full-scale copper replica of the statue's face. The torch and the face will be highlights of the new $100 million museum, which is scheduled to open in May 2019.

The original torch of the Statue of Liberty, and a replica of her face, rides on a hydraulically stabilized transporter, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 in New York. The torch, which was removed in 1984 and replaced by a replica, was being moved into what will become its permanent home at a new museum on Liberty Island. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

The original torch of the Statue of Liberty rides on a hydraulically stabilized transporter, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in New York. The torch, which was removed in 1984 and replaced by a replica, was being moved into what will become its permanent home at a new museum on Liberty Island, background. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

The original torch of the Statue of Liberty, and a replica of her face, rest on a hydraulically stabilized transporter, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 in New York. The torch, which was removed in 1984 and replaced by a replica, was being moved into what will become its permanent home at a new museum on Liberty Island. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

The original torch of the Statue of Liberty rests on a hydraulically stabilized transporter, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 in New York. The torch, which was removed in 1984 and replaced by a replica, was being moved into what will become its permanent home at a new museum on Liberty Island. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on the New York trial of Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman (all times local):

4 p.m.

A former drug cartel member say his notorious boss got a surprise in 2001 when he broke out of prison and was met with a police escort in Mexico City.

Jesus Zambada testified Thursday at the U.S. drug-trafficking trial of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman (wah-KEEN' ehl CHAH'-poh gooz-MAHN') he was driving the car carrying Guzman that day while Guzman was on the run.

He told a jury Guzman appeared worried until he explained to the kingpin the police had been bribed by the cartel and were there to greet him, not bust him.

Zambada is one of several cooperators testifying against Guzman in a drug-trafficking case. The defense says the cooperators are lying to save themselves.

CORRECTS LAST OF ATTORNEY TO BALAREZO FROM BALAZERO - During his opening statement, Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Feels, left, gestures to Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, second from right, sitting next to his attorney Eduardo Balarezo, at Brooklyn Federal Court, as Guzman's high-security trial got underway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. The infamous Mexican drug lord has been held in solitary confinement since his extradition to the United States early last year. Guzman pleaded not guilty to charges that he amassed a multi-billion-dollar fortune smuggling tons of cocaine and other drugs in a vast supply chain that reached New York, New Jersey, Texas and elsewhere north of the border. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)

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3 p.m.

A government witness has admitted he was involved in carrying out killings for the Sinaloa cartel during his testimony against the notorious Mexican drug lord known as "El Chapo."

Jesus Zambada told a jury at the U.S. drug-trafficking trial of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman (wah-KEEN' ehl CHAH'-poh gooz-MAHN') Thursday he was never a triggerman for the cartel. But he testified he helped locate targets and relay information to assassins three times.

The witness, who has pleaded guilty, also described surviving an attempt on his own life that resulted in a shootout on a Mexico City street.

The testimony about violent turf wars came on the third day of the trial in a tightly secured New York City courthouse where Guzman's lawyers say he's being framed by cooperators.

Guzman is perhaps best known for his daring prison breaks in Mexico.

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11:40 a.m.

A former Mexican cartel member is testifying for the U.S. government at the New York City trial of the notorious drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman (wah-KEEN' ehl CHAH'-poh gooz-MAHN').

Jesus Zambada detailed on Thursday how the Sinaloa cartel paid bribes, preferably in U.S. dollars, to high-ranking police and other officials to protect its drug operation.

He said that in one instance, Guzman directed him to give $100,000 and a hug to a general.

On Wednesday, Zambada identified Guzman in the courtroom and told jurors he "was one of the most powerful drug traffickers in Mexico."

The witness described how the cartel made massive profits by smuggling tons of cocaine into the United States.

Defense lawyers say Guzman is being framed.
Dubai Financial Market (DFM) has announced that its listed companies have recorded a 100 per cent compliance regarding the disclosure of the third quarter results within the deadline of 45 days from the end of the period.



The total number of UAE companies as well as the dually-listed companies, which disclosed their third quarter results, reached 64 companies, said a statement from the DFM.



The Dubai bourse submitted a detailed report to the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) including the disclosure dates and its remarks on the disclosures according to SCA requirements, it stated.



Meanwhile, DFM suspended trading of one of the dually-listed companies - International Financial Advisors (IFA), which missed the deadline to disclose the financial statements as per the SCA and DFM requirements.-TradeArabia News Service
MEXICO CITY (AP) - The family of an American hiker missing in northern Mexico says that the state government has informed it that he was killed by a criminal organization.

A statement from the family of 34-year-old Patrick Braxton-Andrew thanked Chihuahua state authorities and said the search continues to recover his body.

Thursday's statement says "authorities are searching for those responsible to bring them to justice."

It says the man who taught Spanish at a school in Mooresville, North Carolina, "died doing what he loved - traveling and meeting people."

Braxton-Andrew was last seen by hotel staff on Oct. 28 in Urique a former mining village at the base of one of the many canyons that make up Mexico's Copper Canyon National Park.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on the funeral for a sheriff's sergeant who responde to a mass shooting at a Southern California bar (all times local):

12:15 p.m.

Scores of uniformed police officers have gathered at a church in suburban Los Angeles ahead of the funeral for a sheriff's sergeant who died as he confronted a gunman opening fire in a country music bar.

The officers stood solemnly at attention Thursday, then saluted as an honor guard wheeled in the flag-draped coffin of Ventura County sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus while the song "Amazing Grace" played.

The officers then joined mourners inside Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village.

Helus was killed in a gunfight last week with a man who had opened fire on people at the popular Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks.

Authorities hailed the sergeant's quick action, saying it gave some people time to escape.

The gunman killed 12 people before shooting himself to death.

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9:53 p.m.

Fellow sheriff's deputies knew Ron Helus as a "cop's cop," someone who, as one put it, would go to the ends of the earth to solve a crime.

On Thursday, Helus' colleagues and others will gather at a Westlake Village, California, church, where he will be hailed as a hero.

The 54-year-old Ventura County sheriff's deputy was killed last week in an exchange of gunfire with a man raking a Southern California bar with gunfire.

Authorities say Helus' instantaneous decision to confront the shooter, rather than wait for help, allowed others at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks to flee.

Helus is survived by his wife and son.

The gunman killed 12 people before shooting himself to death.
Women's winning streak in this year's elections has extended to statehouses across the country.

More than 2,000 women will serve in state legislatures when those chambers convene for their upcoming sessions, representing roughly a quarter of all state lawmakers across the country. That mark will eclipse the record of 1,875 who served this year, according to reports Thursday from the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

The number could rise as ballot-counting concludes in close contests across the country. The Associated Press has not yet called 216 state legislative elections, races that include about 185 female candidates, according to the center.

In another first, women could end up holding the majority in two state legislative chambers at the same time - the Colorado House and Nevada Assembly, according to tallies by the center and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

"It's about time," said Lisa Cutter, a Democrat who won a Colorado House seat in her first time seeking office.

Her victory came in a state with a long history of electing women. In 1894, Colorado became the first state to have women in its state legislature, when three were elected to the House.

FILE - In this Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018 file photo, State Rep. Doreen Gallegos speaks to supporters after winning her race against David Cheek for the state District 52 race, at a Democratic watch party being held at the Las Cruces Convention Center, in Las Cruces, N.M. Gallegos, a Democrat who was easily elected to a fourth term in the House representing a Las Cruces-area district in the New Mexico House, said she believes that having more women in statehouses can help improve health care access and education funding. "There are certain issues that are closer to our hearts and our minds maybe more than our male counterparts," Gallegos said. (Josh Bachman/The Las Cruces Sun News via AP)

The only previous time women comprised the majority in a state legislative chamber was in 2009 and 2010 in New Hampshire's state Senate.

The state lawmakers are part of a wave of women who ran and won this year for state and federal offices, most of them Democrats motivated by the election of President Donald Trump. They campaigned amid a spotlight on sexual harassment cast by the #MeToo movement, although polls showed that gender was only a minor concern for most voters.

Improving access to health care, expanding early childhood development and boosting funding for K-12 education were cited as top priorities by many female candidates during this year's campaigns.

Doreen Gallegos, a Democrat who was easily elected to a fourth term representing a Las Cruces-area district in the New Mexico House, said she believes those topics will get increased attention by having more women in state legislatures.

"There are certain issues that are closer to our hearts and our minds maybe more than our male counterparts," Gallegos said.

Nationally, women led the Democrats' return to control of the U.S. House of Representatives as the number of GOP women serving will be down from the current 23 to as few as 13. Overall, there will be at least 102 women in the House next year, an increase of at least 18 over the current mark. The peak number of women in the House at one time was 85 for a brief period in 2016.

The U.S. Senate will have at least 23 women, tying the current total and record. That number would rise by one if Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith wins a runoff election in Mississippi next month.

At the state level, at least nine women will be governors, tying the record set in 2004 and 2007. Ballots are still being counted in Georgia, where Democrat Stacey Abrams is hoping to push the governor's race to a runoff.

Despite this year's gains, American politics remain dominated by men, who will account for more than three-fourths of the seats in Congress and hold the governor's offices in four-fifths of the states.

It's at the state legislatures where women will hold a slightly larger proportion of the 7,383 seats - at least 27 percent.

"We are very encouraged by these results. This is the largest increase in women's representation in state legislatures we've seen in some time, after more than a decade of relative stagnation," Debbie Walsh, direct of the Rutgers center, said in a statement. "The only question that remains is whether 2018 was a one-off or a new norm."

In Colorado, Cutter found an easier path than expected to winning a suburban Denver district previously held by Republicans when incumbent Timothy Leonard dropped out of the race over the summer.

An organizer of the 2017 Women's March in Denver, Cutter said she anticipates a different course in the Colorado Legislature if one chamber is dominated by women. She expects issues such as health care and the environment to be more prominent and a better spirit of cooperation to prevail.

"When more women are in power or at the table, you get better results," she said.

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Follow Mulvihill at http://www.twitter.com/geoffmulvihill

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This story has been corrected to show the name of the organization is the National Conference of State Legislatures, not National Council of State Legislatures.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto will be in charge of the Democratic Party's arm focused on 2020 Senate races.

She will be the first Latina to hold the position.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday that Cortez Masto "has demonstrated the attributes we want in a leader."

Cortez Masto - who's also the first Latina elected to the U.S. Senate - says she is "committed to replicating the blue wave America saw in Nevada throughout the entire country and electing a Senate Democratic majority in 2020."

Sen. Bob Menendez, a Latino from New Jersey, ran the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee almost a decade ago.

In early voting, compared with the previous midterm election, Latinos increased their participation by 174 percent in 2018.
CHICAGO (AP) - Prosecutors are opposing a change-of-plea motion by a 25-year-old man accused of trying to detonate what he thought was a bomb in Chicago.

They filed a response in Chicago federal court Thursday. A day earlier, the defense asked a judge to allow Adel Daoud to enter an Alford plea, just days before his Nov. 26 trial.

Alford pleas aren't admissions of guilt but acknowledge prosecutors have enough evidence to convict.

Prosecutors cited defense statements that they intend to put "the FBI on trial" for entrapping Daoud in a sting, arguing that accepting the plea would let those claims stand.

Prosecutors also oppose Daoud's request to enter Alford pleas in separate indictments alleging he solicited an agent's murder and attacked an inmate who drew a picture of the Prophet Muhammad.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A nurse's decision to donate a kidney to a patient triggered a series of events that led to three people getting new organs at two Kansas City-area hospitals.

Christa Jordan, a nurse at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, wanted to donate to her friend and patient, Dayshanae Hosman, who has a genetic condition called Alagille syndrome and went on dialysis in April, the Kansas City Star reported.

"I just knew it was something I had to do," Jordan said. "It wasn't something I questioned that much."

Jordan was a transplant match for Hosman, but the University of Kansas Hospital had an even better one for her: 25-year-old Ky Kanaman from Baldwin City, Kansas. Kanaman was an "altruistic donor," meaning he was willing to donate a kidney without knowing the potential recipient.

The university hospital told Jordan she was also a better match for a person on the transplant list whom she didn't know, Lauro Zuniga.

Jordan agreed to give her kidney to Zuniga if Kanaman donated his to Hosman, starting the kidney donation chain.

Zuniga's mom, Carolina Perez, wasn't a match for her son. But when Jordan agreed to give her kidney to Zuniga, Perez then found out she could give one of her kidneys to a stranger on the university hospital's list, Matt Lewis.

Donation chains are rare because they require extensive planning by hospitals, starting from when a donor wants to give to a person that they aren't a good match with. The hospital then can find the donor a recipient that they match with but don't know, sparking conversations to find donor-recipient matches that make the best fit.

Six surgeries were conducted at the two hospitals on Oct. 29 and Oct. 30. The three donors and three recipients got together at Children's Mercy on Wednesday, with many meeting for the first time.

"I feel like I won the lottery," said Lewis, of Savonburg, Kansas.

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com
HOUSTON (AP) - A National Guard member arrested on a sexual assault charge while serving on the U.S.-Mexico border lost his job as a county jailer last year after being arrested for drunken driving and allegedly lying to investigators.

Luis Carlos Ontiveros, 30, was arrested Monday in Alpine, Texas, and accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a motel. He was part of the National Guard mission that began in April at the call of President Donald Trump, who has since sent active-duty soldiers to the border as well.

Records obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday show Ontiveros was fired in January 2017 by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Richard Wiles fired him one month after he was arrested for driving while intoxicated, accusing him of crashing his car while drunk and lying about it to police and investigators.

But Ontiveros remained in the Guard, where he's currently a sergeant.

Ontiveros didn't respond to phone messages left Wednesday or Thursday at a number listed for him. The Guard said it is cooperating with investigators.

"We will not tolerate acts such as sexual assault, sexual harassment, and any forms of social media that degrade or demoralize unit cohesion and readiness," the Guard said in a statement. "We must ensure all victims receive our utmost support and care."

This undated photo provided by the Alpine, Texas Police Department shows Luis Carlos Ontiveros. Ontiveros is a Texas National Guard member serving at the U.S.-Mexico border and is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a motel. Police in Alpine arrested Ontiveros on Monday, Nov. 12, 2018. The Texas National Guard confirmed that Ontiveros was serving in Operation Guardian Support, the mission launched in April in response to President Donald Trump's call for the National Guard to go to the border. (Alpine Police Department via AP)

According to court records in El Paso, Ontiveros was charged with a misdemeanor DWI while having a blood-alcohol level of over 0.15 percent. He completed a pretrial diversion program and the case was dismissed.

Ontiveros, who had joined the sheriff's office in 2011, appealed his dismissal, but an arbitrator sided with the sheriff. He enlisted in the Guard in 2007.

The Texas Military Department, the umbrella agency for the state's Guard divisions, would not say whether it was aware of Ontiveros' DWI or firing from the sheriff's office, or whether it took any action regarding Ontiveros' status in the Guard. The El Paso County Sheriff's Office, which released records of Ontiveros' termination, wouldn't say whether it notified the Texas National Guard about his firing.

Geoffrey Corn, a military law expert and professor at the South Texas College of Law, said in an email that the military's most common response to a first-time DWI charge would be a letter of reprimand. A reprimand "will often trigger a process to fire the soldier," Corn said.

Ontiveros is the second guardsman in Texas known to have been arrested since the Guard was sent to the border.

Edwin Baez, 20, was charged in August with stealing 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine. Baez was detailed to an international bridge in Laredo. He has pleaded not guilty.

Ontiveros was released on $20,000 bond in the sexual assault case.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is asking the Senate to approve a new ambassador to Iraq as the U.S. ratchets up pressure on neighboring Iran and as some Republicans in Congress call for a stronger response to Tehran's influence in Baghdad.

Trump on Thursday officially asked the Senate to confirm Matthew Tueller, who has been U.S. ambassador to Yemen since 2014. If confirmed, he would succeed Douglas Silliman, who has held the job since July 2016.

Tueller, who is fluent in Arabic, also was ambassador to Kuwait and has held top positions at U.S. embassies in Cairo, Baghdad and Riyadh. He is a former deputy director of the State Department's Office of Northern Gulf Affairs.

Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, spoke out against current U.S. diplomats in Baghdad during a congressional hearing Wednesday.

Poe, chairman of a House Foreign Affairs Committee's terrorism panel, believes Iran's rising influence across the Middle East is a threat to the United States, and he supported Trump's decision to exit the Iranian nuclear deal.

"I think we're having some problems with our representation of the U.S. in Baghdad, though, and how they cozy up to Iranian proxies," Poe said. "I'm very concerned about Iran influence in Iraq in trying to control the Iraqi government. I think that's what they're trying to do, and part of the way they're doing it is with Iranian proxies that are in Iraq. ... We need to push back on their influence in Iraq."

Nathan Sales, coordinator for counterterrorism at the State Department, told the subcommittee that rocket attacks in Baghdad and Basra in recent weeks have had a "clarifying effect on our awareness of the threat that Iran poses to the region and to our forces."

Late last month, the State Department announced it was temporarily closing the U.S. consulate in the southern Iraqi city of Basra following a rocket attack blamed on Iranian-back militias.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Federal prosecutors have charged a white man with federal hate crimes in the killings of two African-Americans at a grocery store last month in Kentucky.

A federal grand jury in Louisville returned three hate crime charges against 51-year-old Gregory Bush on Thursday afternoon.

U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman said Bush is charged with killing two people based on their race and attempting to kill a third person based on his race. Bush also was indicted on three firearms charges.

Police said Bush walked into a Kroger grocery store with a .40-caliber handgun on Oct. 24 and shot one person, and then killed another in the parking lot before exchanging fire with an armed man before fleeing.

Coleman said there has been a "specter that reared its head and laid across this community" since the Oct. 24 shootings.

"This is not acceptable," Coleman said at a news conference Thursday. "No Kentuckian should be frightened to go shopping, no Kentuckian should be frightened to go worship, no Kentuckian should be frightened to go to school."

Gregory Bush is led into a courtroom for an arraignment on murder charges in Louisville, Ky., on Friday, Nov. 2, 2018. Bush is charged with fatally shooting two African American shoppers at a grocery store in October. Federal official are investigating whether Bush committed a hate crime. (AP Photo/Dylan Lovan)

Coleman said the FBI has been involved in investigating the shooting since the day it happened.

Bush has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges in state court, and is being held on a $5 million cash bond. Prosecutors have not made a decision on seeking the death penalty. Bush's attorney could not be reached for comment on Thursday afternoon.

Bush had stopped at a historically black church in suburban Louisville before heading to the supermarket, where 69-year-old Maurice Stallard and 67-year-old Vicki Lee Jones were shot at close range. Bush was seen on surveillance video trying to enter the church, but the door was locked and he left.

The pastor of that church, Kevin Nelson, said his flock is simply hoping "to see justice be done."

"We have to learn how to get along with each other and generally accept each other's differences," he said.

Sadiqa Reynolds, president of Louisville's Urban League, said after the U.S. Attorney's announcement Thursday that "we cannot live in a community with hate, and there must be severe consequences for that."

"Racism is real and we see that our country is very, very divided," Reynolds said. "That is not going to go away."
NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily Thursday:

Royal Bank of Scotland Group, down 58 cents to $5.93

Two British Cabinet ministers quit in protest over Prime Minister Theresa May's plan for leaving the European Union.

Cisco Systems Inc., up $2.44 to $46.77

The seller of networking equipment and services reported earnings and revenue that beat Wall Street's forecasts.

J.C. Penney Co., up 14 cents to $1.36

The struggling department store operator reported a quarterly loss that wasn't as big as analysts were expecting.

Dillard's Inc., down $10.94 to $62.85

The retailer's quarterly earnings fell far short of what investors were looking for.

Oracle Corp., up $1.79 to $50.63

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a new holding in the maker of business software.

KB Home, down $3.19 to $17.61

The homebuilder issued a weak sales outlook, dragging the entire sector lower.

Facebook Inc., down 37 cents to $143.85

The New York Times published a lengthy story on how the company responded to a series of scandals.

Berry Global Group Inc., up $4.41 to $50.31

The packaging company reported earnings and revenue that beat analysts' forecasts.
Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) has signed eight landmark agreements with Chinese city of Shenzhen in the areas of technology and transportation. The move is aimed at deepening mutual eeconomic ties and also explore opportunities for further growth.



The agreements were signed by a senior delegation from the kingdom led by the Capital Governor Sheikh Hisham Bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa at the Bahrain  Shenzhen Business Forum which was attended by 250 people.



Shenzhen is the first stop of the Bahraini delegations nine-day tour of Chinas principal commercial centres. It will also visit Hangzhou, Shijiazhuang, and Beijing as it continues to explore deeper economic ties with China ahead of the 30-year anniversary.



Next year marks 30 years since China and Bahrain established diplomatic relations. In advance of the pearl anniversary, Bahrain is set to further deepen economic ties with China.



Sheikh Hashim had a meeting with Ai Xuefeng, Vice Mayor of Shenzhen and a number of local government officials and business leaders at the forum and the China High-Tech Fair.



To celebrate its 30 years of relationship with China, Bahrain signed eight landmark agreements with Shenzhen including:



An MOU between EDB and the artificial intelligence (AI) firm, Intellifusion Technologies to advance AI dynamic portrait recognition that can benefit China, Bahrain, and the Middle East. Additionally, the MOU aims to promote the exchange and development of AI technology by sharing experiences and information through seminars or forums as well as exploring the potential for establishing headquarters and an AI institute in the Kingdom



EDB partnered with Shenzhen FinTech company, IAPPPAY, to establish a full mobile payment gateway in Bahrain and explore opportunities in cryptocurrency, the possibility of initiating FinTech Funds, the potential for the establishment of a Mobile Internet Incubator in the Kingdom to accelerate regional digital economic development, the promotion of investment opportunities in Bahrain to leading industrial players in China, as well as the establishment of a FinTech ecosystem between MENA and China



An MOU between EDB and Shenzhen Outbound Alliance aimed at strengthening economic cooperation, information exchange, and establishing a regular communication channel for business information, and investment opportunities



An MOU between EDB and Softbank China Capital  Wonder News aiming to encourage Softbank China Capital and their investment portfolio companies to establish a presence in Bahrain and use the Kingdom as a regional hub to cover the Middle East



EDB and 4PX signed an MOU exploring the possibility of 4PX initiating and establishing funds together with Bahraini companies in order to invest in entrepreneurship in China and Bahrain



EDB and Shenzhen Cool-hi Network Culture Technology partnered to promote the development of E-sports between the Middle East and China including hosting E-sports events and exploring investment opportunities in E-sports downstream supply chain between MENA and China



Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) signed an MOU with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shenzhen Branch (CCPITSZ) to harness and enhance collaborative initiatives to promote trade and investments between the two countries



EDB and CCPITSZ signed an MOU to harness and enhance collaborative initiatives between Bahrain and Shenzhen, strengthening information exchange and cooperation in economic and business activities



Since Manama  the capital city of Bahrain  and Shenzhen signed friendship city agreements in 2016, the two cities have forged a number of business links. In June 2018, Bahrain EDB inaugurated its representative office for Southern China in Shenzhen, aiming to facilitate more investments by Chinese companies in Bahrain.



On the new deals, Sheikh Hisham said: "Our partnership with Shenzhen was built on common heritage as open and innovative business hubs with shared economic interests."



"We are very pleased to see our ties with this vibrant city continue to strengthen and believe these agreements will help us move towards a new era of collaboration," he stated.



Khalid Al Rumaihi, the chief executive of Bahrain EDB, said: "Shenzhen is the first city with which we established a friendship city agreement in China. We see this tieup as a model for forging wider and deeper business ties between our two countries."



"There are numerous opportunities for Chinese companies in the region, especially as the GCC markets continue to transform their economies. Bahrains location as the Gateway to the Gulf, and given the fact that it is one of the key countries along the new Belt and Road route, along with our open and liberal lifestyle, competitive business landscape, and world class regulation makes the Kingdom the ideal location from which Chinese companies can access this $1.5 trillion GCC market," he stated.



Xuefeng dubbed Bahrain as the Pearl of Gulf and said it was an important port on the ancient Maritime Silk Road.

"Bahrain is also one of the most open and dynamic countries with the top-ranking business environment in the Middle East," he remarked.



"Bahrain and Shenzhen are already partnering in a number of areas. We sincerely hope to further work together with Bahrain to achieve greater prosperity between the two countries, promoting cooperation in key areas including finance, ICT, innovation and startup, and tourism," added the vice mayor of Shenzhen.-TradeArabia News Service
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon is reducing its counterterrorism forces in Africa and studying whether to make similar moves elsewhere in the world as part of a broad effort to shift American military focus toward what it calls threats from Russia and China.

The planned 10 percent cut from U.S. Africa Command's total force of 7,200 troops will be carried out over several years, the Pentagon said in a brief statement. It said the reductions will not touch military operations in Libya, Somalia or Djibouti. They will be focused on countries in West Africa; the Pentagon did not cite any specific countries as examples, but the U.S. has relatively small military groups operating in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and elsewhere.

In Africa, as in other parts of the world where extremist groups pose threats, the U.S. military's approach has been to provide training and other forms of support for local armies so that they can do the main fighting against extremists. Even so, U.S. forces have suffered casualties in Africa, including in Niger in October 2017 when four U.S. soldiers and four of their Nigerien partners were killed in an ambush that sparked a fierce firefight with more than 100 insurgents.

Africa Command is the first U.S. regional military command to begin implementing reductions in counterterrorism forces, but others in Europe, the Pacific and elsewhere will be weighing the possibility of cuts. This is in line with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis's desire to focus more on potential conflict with Russia and China, and less on the insurgent wars of the past 17 years. This was spelled out in a revised national defense strategy published in January.

The defense strategy is based on the Trump administration's belief that the central challenge to U.S. security and prosperity is what it calls the re-emergence of strategic competition with China and Russia. While threats from extremist groups like the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq are deemed significant, they are no longer the main U.S. defense focus.

"It is increasingly clear that China and Russia want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model - gaining veto authority over other nations' economic, diplomatic, and security decisions," the defense strategy said.

The strategy document described China as a strategic competitor using "predatory economics" to intimidate its neighbors while militarizing areas in the South China Sea. It asserted that Russia has violated the borders of nearby nations, including Ukraine, and "pursues veto power" over the economic, diplomatic, and security decisions of its neighbors.

This has convinced Mattis that the U.S. must accelerate its efforts to maintain a dominant position in space while doing more to prepare combat troops for war on a far larger scale than they have faced in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also is at the core of the Pentagon's rationale for investing hundreds of billions of dollars to modernize the nuclear weapons arsenal.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is spinning a tale regarding the number of jobs he's provided for military veterans.

At a veterans' event Thursday, he said the unemployment rate for former service members is its best in 21 years. He's not even close. It's only a one-year low. And it was even lower 18 years ago, under President Bill Clinton.

A look at his claim:

TRUMP: "Veteran unemployment has reached its lowest level in nearly 21 years, and it's going to be better."

THE FACTS: He's pulling numbers out of thin air.

The veterans' unemployment rate fell to 2.9 percent in October, the latest data available, but that is still above the 2.7 percent rate reached in October 2017, also under Trump. That was the lowest joblessness rate for veterans in nearly 17 years.

President Donald Trump acknowledges applause as speaks during a conference supporting veterans and military families through partnership at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Veterans' unemployment has fallen mostly for the same reasons that joblessness has dropped generally: strong hiring and steady economic growth for the past eight years.

In May 2000, veterans' unemployment dropped to a low of 2.3 percent, and he hasn't reached that.

In any event, it's impossible for Trump to claim an achievement not seen in 21 years on veterans' unemployment. The data on joblessness for vets only go back 18 years, to 2000.

___

Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd

Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck
BOISE, Idaho (AP) - The federal government violated environmental laws by approving a Canadian company's plan to search for gold in key wildlife habitat in eastern Idaho, two conservation groups say in a federal lawsuit.

The Idaho Conservation League and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition in the lawsuit filed Tuesday say the U.S. Forest Service needs to halt British Columbia-based Otis Gold Corporation's five-year mining exploration project in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.

The Forest Service in August approved the project that includes 10 miles (16 kilometers) of new roads and 140 drill stations.

"Our concerns are that the Forest Service kind of rushed its approval without looking at impacts and protecting against impacts the exploration might have," Bryan Hurlbutt, an attorney with Advocates for the West who is representing the groups, said Thursday.

The groups say the agency approved the project without doing the necessary environmental review to determine how grizzly bears, Yellowstone cutthroat trout and whitebark pine trees could be harmed. The groups say the work would disrupt wildlife corridors that connect to the nearby Yellowstone National Park as part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE).

"The site is in the Centennial Mountains within a critical wildlife corridor linking GYE grizzly bear to areas of unoccupied habitat and to other grizzly populations in the Northern Rockies," the lawsuit states. "Protecting the quality and security of the habitat in the remaining corridors between core recovery areas is critical to restoring" grizzly bear populations.

The Forest Service completed an Environmental Assessment in May. But the conservation groups say a more thorough Environmental Impact Statement is needed, and they are asking a federal judge to order the Forest Service to prepare one before more mineral exploration can continue.

The U.S. Department of Justice, which represents federal agencies in lawsuits, didn't immediately respond to an inquiry from The Associated Press on Thursday.

Otis Gold Corp's Kilgore Project covers about 19 square miles (50 square kilometers) on Forest Service land and land managed by the state of Idaho in Clark County about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of Idaho Falls.

The mining company says the area contains about 825,000 ounces of gold, currently worth nearly $1 billion. The company in a summary of its plans says it would like to get the gold by digging an open-pit mine.

Such a mine would require additional approval from the Forest Service.

John Robison of the Idaho Conservation League said his group is concerned about the effects on water quality from the exploration and especially an open pit mine, not only to wildlife but also humans.

"The water from this drainage is also important for the agricultural community and contributes to the (Eastern) Snake Plain Aquifer," he said.

The aquifer supplies water to cities and farms in the region.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Amid scrutiny stemming from fresh revelations of rampant discrimination, bullying, retaliation and sexual misconduct at the U.S. Forest Service, the agency's new chief pledged Thursday that she will "do everything in my power to put us on a path to no harassment."

Vicki Christiansen acknowledged to a congressional panel that the Forest Service is in need of a culture change. She pledged to enact new systems and overhaul existing processes to ensure a safe and functional work environment.

"I know our actions past and present are not enough, we must do more," said Christiansen, who was named interim chief in March and took over the position permanently just a month ago. She was appearing before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

The Forest Service is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The agency's struggles date to at least the 1970s, when a class-action lawsuit was filed alleging discrimination against women in hiring and promotions. In December 2016, the oversight panel held a hearing to address reports of systemic discrimination, bullying and harassment within the Forest Service.

The matter has gained renewed attention as female Forest Service employees recently stepped forward with tales of harassment, retaliation and even rape. In March, the USDA Office of Inspector General released a report that showed widespread mistrust in the complaint reporting process, prompting the agency to change the way it handles sexual harassment and misconduct allegations.

Vicki Christiansen is shown in this 2012 photo when Christiansen served as interim regional forester for Region 1, based in Missoula, Mont. Christiansen, the U.S. Forest Service's new chief is pledging to rid the agency of sexual harassment and discrimination amid fresh revelations of misconduct within its ranks. Christiansen acknowledged to a congressional panel on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, that the Forest Service is in need of a culture change. She pledged to enact new systems and overhaul existing processes to ensure a safe and functional work environment. (John Crepeau/The Missoulian via AP)

Earlier this month, Oversight Chairman Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., sent a letter to Christiansen and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue requesting information and documents related to recent misconduct claims.

"Despite taking some steps to address the problem, "alarming reports of misconduct and retaliation at the USFS persist," Gowdy wrote.

Prior to becoming Forest Service chief, Christiansen spent more than three decades as a forester and wildland firefighter.

"I know what it means to encounter harassment and discrimination in my workplace," she said. "I know the deep anguish it causes. I know how it feels to fear retaliation."

Those experiences, she said, "fuel my commitment to the Forest Service."

Christiansen on Thursday discussed progress made, and laid out her plans to further reform the agency. She said the agency has updated its anti-harassment policy and hired outside contractors to investigate allegations of sexual harassment. Additionally, Christiansen said the agency has created a Work Environment and Performance Office and plans to establish a victim advocacy and support structure.

It also launched a call center to handle harassment and abuse allegations, formed a new employee advisory group, hired case managers and is requiring all 25,000 permanent Forest Service employees to attend "listen-and-learn sessions" to discuss workplace conduct.

Shannon Reed, who said she was harassed and assaulted, then fired after she reported the abuse, shared her story at Thursday's hearing. She said Christiansen's plan to reform the agency doesn't go nearly far enough.

"Chief Christiansen's action plan is merely a check-the-box process to make the agency appear as if it is addressing sexual harassment, gender harassment, bullying and retaliation," Reed said. She told the panel that she was forced to attend a listening session with her harassers.

"The agency is telling us to stand up and report harassment, but when we do, we are retaliated against. Chief Christiansen has not made it a safe environment for us to report harassment," she said.

Gowdy asked USDA Inspector General Phyllis K. Fong, who also testified at the hearing, why victims and abusers would ever be in the same session.

"How in the hell can you have the perpetrator in the room with the victim?" Gowdy said. "I can't think of anything that has a more chilling effect on someone being able to tell their story."

"I understand your concern," Fong said. "We want to send a very clear message in our office that if people have concerns or issues they would like to bring forward, we have multiple ways and avenues where we can help people."

Ranking Member Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Maryland, criticized the Forest Service for failing to fully comply with the committee's requests for documents, citing extensive redactions and missing information.

"From the information we do have, it appears that the Forest Service still has much work to do to ensure that the victims of harassment and bullying_particularly those working in remote areas_receive the support they need when they report assault or harassment," Cummings said. "The Committee must ensure that once investigations are completed, real reforms are made."

Cummings also said he anticipates "developing long overdue legislation" to strengthen standards for investigating sexual misconduct allegations and "to expand transparency as much as possible while protecting privacy."

Christiansen admitted there is still "big work to do."

"I'd like to say I could change it in six months. But to be absolutely honest, I don't think you change the culture of an organization that's existed for 113 years and has 40,000 people overnight," she said.

Prior to working for the Forest Service, Reed worked for the National Park Service, where she said she also experienced bullying, harassment and assault.

"Little did I know that transferring from the Park Service to the Forest Service was jumping from the frying pan to the fire," she said.

At the same time in a separate hearing room on Capitol Hill, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the park service - also under fire for its handling of sexual harassment and assault claims - faced demands from senators to confront what park employees have told lawmakers is rampant abuse at national parks.

"This is really a dark cloud over our National Park Service," Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican and chairwoman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, told David Vela at a committee hearing on his nomination to lead the agency. Murkowski cited a "long-term pattern of sexual harassment and hostile work environment" at the park service.

Vela, currently park chief at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, said he would hold "people and processes accountable" in dealing with widespread allegations of male colleagues and bosses preying upon and bullying female co-workers, including complaints at iconic national parks such as Grand Canyon and Yosemite.

"The scourge of sexual and workplace harassment ... at the National Park Service must stop," Vela told lawmakers.

A Park Service preliminary report in 2016 concluded "the environment is indeed toxic, hostile, repressive and harassing."

___

Ellen Knickmeyer contributed from Washington.
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - Two U.S. Navy SEALs and two Marines have been charged in the strangulation death of an Army Green Beret while the service members were stationed in the African country of Mali last year, the Navy said on Thursday.

Charging documents describe a situation in which some of the nation's most elite military personnel - including two members of the famed SEAL Team Six - broke into a Green Beret's bedroom while he was sleeping, bound him with duct tape and put him into a choke hold.

The charges do not allege a specific motive. But the counts filed against the four men range from felony murder to involuntary manslaughter. They also have been charged with hazing.

The Navy has also accused them of obstructing justice after the Green Beret's death: Officials said the men disposed of alcohol that was kept in quarters shared by sailors and Marines and also lied to Navy commanders and investigators.

The man who died was Army Staff Sergeant Logan Melgar, a native of Lubbock, Texas. He had deployed to Afghanistan twice before his death in Bamako, Mali, in June 2017, Army officials said.

The charging documents don't state why the service members were in Mali. But U.S. Special Forces have been in Africa to support and train local troops in their fight against extremists.

The names of the service members who have been charged are redacted in the charging documents. Beth Baker, a Navy spokeswoman, said the Navy is prohibited at this time from releasing the names of the accused as well as their civilian lawyers. The service members are not in confinement, Baker said.

The two Marines are listed as being part of Special Operations Command. The SEALs belong to the Navy Special Warfare Development Group. The unit is better known as SEAL Team 6, which participated in the May 2011 raid that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden at his compound.

The two SEALs are based in Virginia Beach. A preliminary hearing to review the case against all four service members is scheduled for Dec. 10 at a Navy base in nearby Norfolk. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service conducted the investigation.

U.S. Navy Captain Jason Salata, a spokesman for U.S. Special Operations Command, said Thursday that "we honor the memory of Staff Sgt. Melgar."

"We will not allow allegations or substantiated incidents of misconduct to erode decades of honorable accomplishments by the members of US Special Operations Command."

___

Associated Press National Security Writer Robert Burns in Washington and AP researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Two unions have filed a lawsuit against Puerto Rico's government accusing it of mismanaging employee retirement accounts.

The announcement was made Thursday by the American Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

The unions allege the government has not created defined-contribution accounts as promised and instead invested hundreds of millions of dollars in pension contributions in accounts that earn very little interest.

A spokesman for Gov. Ricardo Rossello did not immediately return a message for comment.

The lawsuit comes as Puerto Rico faces nearly $50 billion in unfunded pension liabilities and prepares to implement pension cuts sought by a federal control board overseeing the island's finances amid a 12-year recession. The suit in part asks that the government create individualized retirement accounts for teachers.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - An appeals court has granted a two-week reprieve for a Spanish-language reporter facing deportation after he was arrested while covering an immigration rally in Tennessee.

A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday barred the U.S. government from removing Manuel Duran to El Salvador before Nov. 30. Judges are considering a motion to keep Duran in the country as they mull whether to reopen his case.

When Duran was arrested in Memphis in April, he still had a pending deportation order from 2007. Charges related to the protest were dropped but he was handed over to immigration officials and detained.

Duran' lawyers say they plan to ask for asylum if his case is reopened, arguing that conditions are worsening for reporters in El Salvador.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - Lawsuits and judges' orders have been piling up across Florida as the state struggles through vote recounts for several races, including U.S. Senate and governor.

Six of the lawsuits that could have the most impact on the recount were filed in U.S. District Court in Tallahassee by Democrats. Others were filed by Republicans in a variety of counties.

The major races involved are the Senate contest between Republican Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson; the governor's race between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum; and the battle for agriculture commissioner between Republican Matt Caldwell and Democratic Nikki Fried.

Here's what the cases are about and where things stand:

SIGNATURE MISMATCH

The Florida Democratic Party sought to extend the deadline for people to correct ballots with signatures deemed not to match what's on record.

Employees look through damaged ballots at the Supervisor of Elections office during a recount, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

U.S. District Judge Mark Walker decided Thursday to give some voters until 5 p.m. Saturday to fix their ballots. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an appeal of that ruling by the Scott campaign.

LATE MAIL BALLOTS

This lawsuit also filed by the Democratic Party and the VoteVets Action Fund seeks to validate vote-by-mail ballots that were postmarked before Election Day but received after that. The lawsuit contends voters should not be disenfranchised because of postal service speed.

The case is pending before Walker.

RECOUNT DEADLINES

A third Democratic Party lawsuit asked that all counties be given enough time to finish both a machine and a manual recount. The Democrats contend more populated counties will have more difficulty meeting the deadlines and should be allowed time to count every vote.

Walker refused Thursday to extend the deadlines.

VOTER INTENT

The Democrats also want to set a new standard for voter intent. Under state law, voters must use only approved markings or their ballot is disqualified, and they can't simply cross out a mistaken vote but must explain in writing why they did so. The lawsuit contends that has a discriminatory impact on non-native English speakers and illiterate voters.

Walker has this case before him, as well.

SCOTT'S ROLE IN RECOUNT

The League of Women Voters of Florida and Common Cause seek to limit the role Scott can play as governor in administering the election and recount because he has a conflict of interest. Scott's lawyers said at one hearing that he would recuse himself from sitting on the board that certifies final election results. But the lawsuit wants to bar the governor from having any influence over the canvassing process or authority to suspend election supervisors.

The case is pending before Walker.

PALM BEACH DELAY

Democrat James Bonfiglio, in a recount for a Palm Beach state House seat, wants to make sure Palm Beach County election officials have time to recount his race. A state judge agreed to extend the deadline for all of Palm Beach County, but the case was moved to federal court and remains pending.

PALM BEACH MANUAL RECOUNT

Nelson's campaign filed a lawsuit asking a judge to order a full manual recount of all Palm Beach County votes because equipment failures and other problems resulted in that county's failure to submit a machine recount to the state. The lawsuit asks the judge to order the manual recount to be completed by noon Sunday.

The case is pending.

BROWARD UNOFFICIAL COUNT

Scott's Senate campaign sued Broward County in an effort to prevent elections officials from counting ballots that were valid but that had not been canvassed by the Nov. 10 deadline for the initial unofficial total. A judge sided with the county Thursday.

PUBLIC RECORDS

A judge sided with the Scott campaign in another Broward County lawsuit, this one involving Florida's public records laws. Scott's lawyers contended that Broward Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes was violating state law by not complying with their requests for access to a variety of election records. The judge agreed, and Snipes provided the information.

PALM BEACH BALLOTS

This lawsuit by the Scott campaign contended that Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher improperly refused to allow Republican representatives to witness the processing and duplication of ballots that were physically damaged.

A judge ordered that any such ballot that is disqualified should be reviewed by the county canvassing board and Bucher should provide a list of all voters who voted by provisional ballot.

IMPOUNDING MACHINES

Scott's campaign also filed lawsuits in Broward and Palm Beach counties seeking to have voting machines impounded by the county sheriff and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement when not in use. In Broward, a judge wouldn't go that far but said extra deputies would be stationed at the elections office to keep watch. In Palm Beach, the lawsuit was defused when elections officials agreed to a similar arrangement.

Palm Beach County Supervisor Of Elections Susan Bucher speaks to members of the media at the Supervisor of Elections office after the deadline for a recount was reached, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Palm Beach County Supervisor Of Elections Susan Bucher, right, talks to an employee at the Supervisor of Elections office during a recount, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Employees at the Supervisor of Elections office prepare a machine during a recount, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
WASHINGTON (AP) - A White House aide pushed out by first lady Melania Trump said Thursday that it had been "an honor" to serve in President Donald Trump's administration and that she admires the first family.

Mira Ricardel, the deputy national security adviser, departed the White House on Wednesday, a day after the first lady's office issued an extraordinary statement calling for her ouster.

"I admire the President and First Lady and have great respect for my colleagues who are dedicated to supporting the President's policies," Ricardel said in a statement to The Associated Press. "I admire the President and First Lady and have great respect for my colleagues who are dedicated to supporting the President's policies, and I look forward to working with them in the months ahead."

Ricardel was said to have clashed with the first lady's staff over her trip to Africa last month. Aides had said Ricardel had pushed for a seat to be reserved on the first lady's plane for a National Security Council representative to brief her during the trip.

A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive internal matter, said Ricardel never met the first lady and dismissed reports that Ricardel was trying to secure a seat for herself on the first lady's trip.

On Tuesday, Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's 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."

In this Nov. 13, 2018, photo, Deputy National Security Adviser Mira Ricardel, right, watches as President Donald Trump arrives for a Diwali ceremonial lighting of the Diya in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Washington. Ricardel is leaving the White House, one day after first lady Melania Trump's office issued an extraordinary statement calling for her dismissal. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The East Wing statement caught senior White House officials by surprise, and White House aides were frustrated with how Ricardel, a Trump loyalist and one of the highest-ranking women in the administration, was being treated. As the statement was issued, Ricardel was standing, smiling, alongside President Donald Trump at an event in the Roosevelt Room.

An ally of national security adviser 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 he took the job in April.

Bolton told staff in an email Thursday that he appreciated Ricardel's service. He is traveling in Asia this week alongside Vice President Mike Pence.

"I am deeply grateful for all Mira has done on behalf of the NSC, her deep knowledge of the national security issues we confront daily, and her unwavering commitment to the President," Bolton told staff.

Trump's White House has set records for administration turnover. Ricardel was the third person to hold the post under Trump.

Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that Ricardel will "transition to a new role within the Administration." It was not yet clear what her new position would be.
LAS VEGAS (AP) - A 31-year-old convicted felon will face the death penalty in the robbery and killing of two Vietnamese tour leaders during a break-in to their room at a Las Vegas Strip hotel, a prosecutor said Thursday.

Julius Damiano Deangilo Trotter's defense attorneys did not immediately respond to messages about the decision made public during Trotter's brief appearance in custody in Clark County District Court.

Trotter could learn his trial date during his next court appearance Dec. 5, prosecutor Michelle Fleck said.

He is being held without bail at the Clark County jail in Las Vegas after pleading not guilty to murder, burglary and robbery in the June 1 stabbings of Sang Boi Nghia and Khoung Ba Le Nguyen in a room at the Circus Circus hotel.

Nghia owned a tour business in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and Nguyen was a tour employee.

Police later found the door latch to their 21st-floor room didn't work properly. A court filing described a method in which would-be thieves walk hotel hallways checking room doors to see if they'll push open.

FILE--This undated Clark County Detention Center file booking photo, provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, shows Julius Trotter, 31. Prosecutors will seek the death penalty in Nevada against a 31-year-old convicted felon accused of killing two Vietnamese tour leaders last June during a break-in robbery in in their room at a Las Vegas Strip hotel. A trial date was not immediately set, and Julius Trotter's attorneys didn't immediately respond to messages about the decision announced Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, by prosecutor Michelle Fleck in Clark County District Court. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department via AP, file)

Hotel owner MGM Resorts International said it was not clear if the door lock was broken before or after Nghia and Nguyen were killed.

Trotter was arrested June 7 in Chino, California.

Trotter was on five years' probation at the time of the killings after pleading guilty last year to felony resisting a police officer with a weapon.
Bahrain International Airshow ended on a successful note with record breaking participation - 187 countries attended the fifth edition - and also signing of deals worth $5 billion during the three-day event which attracted 30,000 visitors, said a report.



Held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and under the supervision of Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Personal Representative of HM the King and Chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee, the fifth edition of the event witnessed unprecedented growth with more participation in the event than ever before, reported BNA.

Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Minister for Transportation and Telecommunications and Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee of the BIAS2018, declared the show a big success.



"The success witnessed over the past three days affirms Bahrain International Airshow's position as the fastest growing airshow in the Middle East," remarked Kamal Mohammed.



"The senior international government officials and top-level executives attending reflect the value of the show as a platform for business. It is also a great opportunity to showcase the show as one of the major global events on the aerospace events calendar," said the minister.



Aircraft and engine orders came from Saudi Gulf Airlines for 10 Airbus A320neo with an option for a further 10 plus valued at $2.1 billion and 45 CFM Leap-1A engines valued at $1 billion.



CFM also announced it has been awarded a maintenance contract for Gulf Air's 65 Leap-1A engines which power the national carrier's Airbus A320neos to the tune of $1 billion. On the military side, the Royal Bahrain Air Force confirmed an order for 12 Bell AH-1Z attack helicopters valued at $912 million.



Doug Wolfe, the business development director for Bell Global Military (Middle East and Africa) said: "The Bahrain International Airshow is a key opportunity to engage with customers across the region. This year the show was a success for the RBAF and Bell with the announcement regarding the acquisition of 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters. We are looking forward to growing our footprint in Bahrain and attending the next edition of BIAS in 2020."



The Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications also signed bilateral Air Service Agreements and contracts for major projects over the three days that would see more improvements to the kingdom's aviation infrastructure as part of the Kingdom's ambitious Airport Modernization Programme.



Other notable signings included a contract for the provision of manpower for air navigation and the construction of a new Air Traffic Control Centre.



On the final day, the ministry announced it would be implementing the Phase Two of the ILS - CAT III upgrade project at the Bahrain International Airport.



In addition, Bahrain-based Texel Air debuted the world's first Boeing 737-700 FlexCombi at the show. This unique first-of-a-kind aircraft will be based in the kingdom.





Outside of the major deals and contract signings, participants confirmed that the level of networking and engagement opportunities was outstanding with organisers looking to expand on this at the 2020 show which will take place on November 19-21, 2020.



"Developing the show content through conferences and other knowledge-sharing initiatives adds real value to the participants and visitors to the show.



The Manama Airport Symposium, the Airport Conference, BIAS FINN Sessions, and Women in Aviation Forum all provided opportunities to engage, inspire and network," said Amanda Stainer, Commercial Director for Farnborough International which co-organises the event with the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, said the report.



Delegation visits were also a success with many participating in high-level meetings with exhibitors, chalet holders and senior member of the Bahraini Government and Royal family, it added.
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Thousands of students have disrupted life in Colombia's capital with amid nationwide demonstrations called to press demands for President Ivan Duque to increase education spending.

By early evening, police in Bogota used tear gas to disperse marchers trying to reach wealthier neighborhoods.

The "Pencil March" rallies across Colombia were the latest chapter in more than a half-dozen street protests in recent months demanding that the government boost funding for education.

Student enrollment in the South American nation's public universities has quadrupled since the early 1990s, while spending has only marginally increased and activists contend quality is deteriorating.

The students protests have converged with other demonstrations against proposed tax changes that critics say will be a blow to the middle class by increasing the cost of basic goods.

University students use homemade shields to cover themselves from the police during a protest asking for a hike in the budget for public higher education, in Bogota, Colombia, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. The so-called "Pencil March" is the latest in more than a half-dozen street protests in recent months demanding the government step up funding for education. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

An university student is detained during a protest asking for a hike in the budget for public higher education, in Bogota, Colombia, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. The so-called "Pencil March" is the latest in more than a half-dozen street protests in recent months demanding the government step up funding for education. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

University students run from the tear gas during a protest asking for a hike in the budget for public higher education, in Bogota, Colombia, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. The so-called "Pencil March" is the latest in more than a half-dozen street protests in recent months demanding the government step up funding for education. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

University students are detained during a protest asking for a hike in the budget for public higher education, in Bogota, Colombia, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. The so-called "Pencil March" is the latest in more than a half-dozen street protests in recent months demanding the government step up funding for education. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. (AP) - A northern Arkansas man who allegedly made threatening phone calls to CNN anchor Don Lemon has pleaded not guilty.

The Baxter Bulletin reports Benjamin Craig Matthews, 38, appeared in Baxter County Court Thursday . Matthews, who is from Mountain Home, about 110 miles (177 kilometers) north of Little Rock, is free on $15,000 bail.

In an affidavit, police said Matthews called CNN at least 40 times between October 31 and November 2 and made violent threats, some of which were racial or sexual, against Lemon.

Matthews also allegedly called New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and California Rep. Maxine Waters, as well as MSNBC, attorney Michael Avenatti, the Washington Speakers Bureau and Planned Parenthood.

Matthews faces 18 counts of terroristic threats and harassing communications. His lawyer could not be reached for comment.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A man has been indicted in the fatal New Orleans shooting of a Black Lives Matter activist remembered for leaping through police tape to seize a Confederate battle flag during a South Carolina protest.

District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro's office says 27-year-old Roosevelt Iglus was charged Thursday with second-degree murder in the death of Muhiyidin (muh-HEE'-ih-din) Moye - better known as Muhiyidin d'Baha.

D'Baha was known for leaping to wrestle a Confederate battle flag from a man during a 2017 protest over Civil War monuments.

The Charleston man was visiting New Orleans in February when police said he was shot by a man who tried to knock him off his bicycle early one morning. A tip led to Iglus' arrest in July.

It wasn't immediately known if Iglus has a lawyer.
BALTIMORE (AP) - A judge has set a June 2019 trial date for a man accused of fatally shooting five staff members of the Maryland newspaper Capital Gazette earlier this year.

The Baltimore Sun reports Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge Laura Ripken moved the trial to next June 3 during a hearing Thursday in Annapolis. The trial was originally scheduled to begin in mid-January.

Jarrod Ramos is charged with five counts of first-degree murder. Police say Ramos killed the five newspaper employees on June 28 after shooting through the glass newsroom entrance. Ramos was in the courtroom Thursday, but didn't address the judge.

Ripken cited outstanding motions, preparation for trial and a change of the prosecution team for the new date. State prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed on the postponement.
ATLANTA (AP) - Democrat Stacey Abrams ended 10 days of post-election drama in Georgia's closely watched and even more closely contested race for governor Friday, acknowledging Republican Brian Kemp as the victor while defiantly refusing to concede to the man she blamed for "gross mismanagement" of a bitterly fought election.

The speech Abrams delivered at her campaign headquarters Friday evening marked the close of the 44-year-old attorney and former lawmaker's unsuccessful attempt to make history as America's first black woman governor. Since Election Day her campaign fought on, insisting efforts to suppress turnout had left thousands of ballots uncounted that otherwise could erode Kemp's lead and force a runoff election.

Kemp, the 55-year-old businessman who oversaw the election as Georgia's secretary of state, will keep the governor's office in GOP hands as the state's third Republican governor since Reconstruction. He responded to Abrams ending her campaign by calling for unity and praising his opponent's "passion, hard work, and commitment to public service."

The kind words came just days after Kemp's campaign spokesman derided Abrams' efforts to have contested ballots counted as a "disgrace to democracy."

Abrams made no such retreat from her criticisms of Kemp, saying she refused "to say nice things and accept my fate." Instead, she announced plans to file a federal lawsuit to challenge the way Georgia's elections are run. She accused Kemp of using the secretary of state's office to aggressively purge the rolls of inactive voters, enforce an "exact match" policy for checking voters' identities that left thousands of registrations in limbo and other measures to tile the outcome in his favor.

"Let's be clear: This is not a speech of concession," Abrams said. "Because concession means to acknowledge an action is right, true or proper. As a woman of conscience and faith, I cannot concede that."

Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams makes remarks during a press conference at the Abrams Headquarters in Atlanta, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. Democrat Stacey Abrams says she will file a federal lawsuit to challenge the "gross mismanagement" of Georgia elections. Abrams made the comments in a Friday speech, shortly after she said she can't win the race, effectively ending her challenge to Republican Brian Kemp. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

The race grabbed the attention of the nation, with Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey campaigning for Abrams in the final days and President Donald Trump holding a rally for Kemp.

Unofficial returns showed Kemp ahead by roughly 60,000 votes out of nearly 4 million cast on Nov. 6. Kemp declared himself governor-elect the next day and stepped down as Georgia's secretary of state, though thousands of absentee and provisional ballots remained uncounted.

Abrams, meanwhile, sent volunteers across the state in search of voters whose ballots were rejected. She filed suit in federal court to force county elections boards to count absentee ballots with incorrect birthdates. Her campaign even planned for possible litigation to challenge the election's certified outcome.

Abrams didn't take that route. She said she had concluded "the law currently allows no further viable remedy." Instead, she said she would fight to restore integrity to Georgia's election system in a new initiative called Fair Fight Georgia.

"In the coming days, we will be filing a major federal lawsuit against the state of Georgia for the gross mismanagement of this election and to protect future elections from unconstitutional actions," Abrams said, though she gave no details.

Kemp tried to move past the contentious campaign even if his opponent wasn't willing.

"The election is over and hardworking Georgians are ready to move forward," he said. "We can no longer dwell on the divisive politics of the past but must focus on Georgia's bright and promising future."

Kemp had been secretary of state since 2010. He was backed by and had embraced Trump as he tried to maintain GOP dominance in a state that hasn't elected a Democrat to the governor's mansion since 1998.

Trump praised the Democrat in lauding Kemp's victory, tweeting: "Congratulations to Brian Kemp on becoming the new Governor of Georgia. Stacey Abrams fought brilliantly and hard -- she will have a terrific political future! Brian was unrelenting and will become a great Governor for the truly Wonderful People of Georgia!"

Kemp stormed to the GOP nomination with ads featuring everything from the candidate cranking a chain saw and jokingly pointing a gun toward a teen male suitor of his daughter, to Kemp's offer to "round up criminal illegals" himself in his pickup truck. He's promised a tax cut and teacher pay raises and pledged to continue Georgia's refusal to expand Medicaid insurance under President Barack Obama's 2010 health care overhaul.

Abrams' campaign sparked huge energy across the state and she became a national Democratic star. Election turnout among both sides' energized bases nearly equaled that of the 2016 presidential vote.

Aides close to Abrams said that since the election she had been wrestling with competing priorities: She wanted to advance her assertions that Georgia's elections process - which Kemp managed as secretary of state - makes it too hard for some citizens to vote. But she also recognized that a protracted legal fight would harm that cause and potentially her political future.

Kemp's victory is an important marker for Republicans ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Kemp's narrow margin already suggests that Georgia, a state Trump won by 5 percentage points in 2016, could be a genuine battleground in two years. Trump bet big on Kemp, endorsing him ahead of Kemp's Republican primary runoff and campaigning for him the weekend prior to the Nov. 6 election. Now, Trump will be able to return with an incumbent governor as he seeks a second term.

Abrams' political future is less certain. She made believers of old-guard Democrats in Georgia who didn't think a black woman could compete in a general election, and she emerged as the party's clear leader. But the party also has plenty of other ambitious politicians who will want to take advantage of the path that Abrams' has charted. The next big shot for Democrats is a 2020 Senate race, with Republican Sen. David Perdue making his first re-election attempt.

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Follow Barrow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BillBarrowAP and Brumback at https://twitter.com/katebrumback.

Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams makes remarks during a press conference at the Abrams Headquarters in Atlanta, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. Democrat Stacey Abrams says she will file a federal lawsuit to challenge the "gross mismanagement" of Georgia elections. Abrams made the comments in a Friday speech, shortly after she said she can't win the race, effectively ending her challenge to Republican Brian Kemp. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

This combination of May 20, 2018, photos shows Georgia gubernatorial candidates Stacey Abrams, left, and Brian Kemp in Atlanta. (AP Photos/John Amis, File)

Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams makes remarks during a press conference at the Abrams Headquarters in Atlanta, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. Democrat Stacey Abrams says she will file a federal lawsuit to challenge the "gross mismanagement" of Georgia elections. Abrams made the comments in a Friday speech, shortly after she said she can't win the race, effectively ending her challenge to Republican Brian Kemp. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams makes remarks during a press conference at the Abrams Headquarters in Atlanta, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. Democrat Stacey Abrams says she will file a federal lawsuit to challenge the "gross mismanagement" of Georgia elections. Abrams made the comments in a Friday speech, shortly after she said she can't win the race, effectively ending her challenge to Republican Brian Kemp. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Supporters of Georgia Gubernatorial Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams listen as she ends her campaign during a press conference at the Abrams Headquarters in Atlanta, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. Abrams ended her challenge to Republican Brian Kemp in the Georgia governor's race on Friday, but pledged to fight the former secretary of state's "gross mismanagement" of the elections with a federal lawsuit. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Georgia Gubernatorial Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams enters a room prepared to end her campaign during a press conference at the Abrams Headquarters in Atlanta, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. Abrams ended her challenge to Republican Brian Kemp in the Georgia governor's race on Friday, but pledged to fight the former secretary of state's "gross mismanagement" of the elections with a federal lawsuit. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AP) - Papua New Guinea hosts leaders from Pacific Rim countries, including the United States, Russia and China, this weekend in a coming-out party for the jungle-clad nation that is regarded as one of the world's last frontiers for trade and investment.

The largely undeveloped South Pacific nation of more than 8 million mostly subsistence farmers hopes the rare world attention generated by its hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Economic Cooperation meetings will highlight its potential and draw more investors and aid. But its deeply entrenched troubles, including widespread poverty, corruption and lawlessness, also stand to be scrutinized.

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TONGUE TWISTER

More than 1,000 tribes with over 800 different languages are scattered across 22 provinces, including in its capital Port Moresby and faraway mountain hinterlands and islands. Inadequate infrastructure and potholed roads, however, have kept apart diverse tribal groups more than the language barrier. English, which is widely spoken, and a creole English called Tok Pisin, have helped bridge the divide. The isolation has helped preserve ancient traditions in the most remote villages, where belief in black magic and sorcery has persisted in an era of great technological advances.

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A performer in traditional clothing and makeup waits for the start of a welcome ceremony for Chinese President Xi Jinping in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. The largely undeveloped South Pacific nation of more than 8 million mostly subsistence farmers hopes the rare world attention generated by its hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Economic Cooperation meetings will highlight its potential and draw more investors and aid. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

APEC-CHALLENGED

The APEC host is the most challenged on many counts in the free-trade club, which includes the world's leading economic heavyweights - the United States, China and Japan - and accounts for 60 percent of global gross domestic product and nearly half of world trade. Although it's resource rich, Papua New Guinea is the 21-member bloc's most impoverished and youngest member. It declared independence from its Australian colonizer only in 1975. It was helped by Australia, which remains its biggest aid provider, along with China, the United States and New Zealand to deal with the logistical challenges of hosting a year of APEC meetings, including construction of the main venue.

When it joined APEC in 1993, Papua New Guinea had to court the backing of Asian neighbors to gain entry into the prestigious bloc of Pacific Rim nations and explain that it's located in the region, its former prime minister, Julius Chan, said. "First they don't think that PNG was an Asian country," Chan told the Nation newspaper. "I insisted that we are right in the center of the Asia and the Pacific."

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LAW AND ORDER

Crime and violence in Papua New Guinea are notoriously prevalent based on anecdotal accounts and media reports, and are a national concern. Statistics are at best spotty but a World Bank study several years ago reported that crime levels have stayed consistently high for more than a decade, with robbery and assault the most common. Family and sexual violence were highly prevalent too and homicide rate in at least two areas, including the capital, is among the highest in the world.

Concern over lawlessness has made hosting 20 world leaders and more than 12,000 APEC delegates Papua New Guinea's biggest security worry. "It is risky for expatriates to travel alone at any time of the day or night," a government do's and don'ts primer warned foreign delegates, some of whom were billeted in luxury cruise ships along with visiting journalists because there weren't enough hotels in Port Moresby.

Australia, the U.S. and New Zealand provided armed personnel, navy ships, jets and surveillance helicopters to help augment security. Still, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence decided to spend nights in Cairns city in neighboring Australia while attending the meetings on behalf of President Donald Trump, who decided not to go.

Dancers wearing traditional dress rest after performing at a cultural show as part of APEC 2018 activities at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. The APEC Papua New Guinea 2018, is the official hosting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Republicans in Mississippi's intensifying U.S. Senate race are slamming Democrat Mike Espy's lobbying work for an African leader who was later deposed and charged with crimes against humanity.

Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and a GOP campaign group have launched ads questioning whether Espy lied about his work for Ivory Coast ex-President Laurent Gbagbo, who is on trial at the International Criminal Court. Fox News reported on Espy's lobbying work Thursday.

Federal registration papers show Espy was hired by the Cocoa and Coffee Board of the Ivory Coast from Jan. 1 to March 15 in 2011, collecting $750,000 before terminating the contract two weeks before its scheduled end.

"He lied because he said he cancelled the contract and there's evidence to the contrary that he did not," Hyde-Smith campaign spokeswoman Melissa Scallan said Friday. "Also, that he was willing to have a contract with someone who is now on trial in international court is, I think, telling."

For days the Espy campaign and Democratic groups have hammered Hyde-Smith over her video-recorded statement praising a supporter at a Nov. 2 campaign stop by saying: "If he invited me to a public hanging, I'd be on the front row."

Criticism of Espy's lobbying work comes as his supporters are hitting Hyde-Smith over additional video-recorded statements from Nov. 3 in which she joked about "liberal folks" and making it "just a little more difficult" for them to vote.

Mike Espy, who is seeking to unseat appointed U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., speaks about the upcoming Senate runoff during a rally in Vicksburg, Miss., Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. (Courtland Wells/The Vicksburg Post via AP)

Espy spokesman Danny Blanton told Fox on Thursday that Espy ended the contract after realizing his Ivory Coast client "didn't pass the smell test." On Friday, Blanton pointed back at Hyde-Smith's earlier remarks.

"Since that hasn't worked, she's trying to change the subject with a smear campaign against Mike," Blanton said in a statement.

A racially diverse group of more than 50 people gathered Friday in downtown Jackson and chanted, "No hate in our state" and "Cindy gotta go."

"She'll be glad to sit in a front-row seat of a public hanging, yet she'll brag about being endorsed by the Right to Life," said George H. Williams, a 65-year-old Marine Corps veteran from Ridgeland. "Isn't that ironic?"

Hyde-Smith and Espy will compete in a Nov. 27 runoff for the final two years of a six-year term begun by Republican Thad Cochran, who retired in April. Mississippi's governor appointed Hyde-Smith as a temporary successor.

Espy was Mississippi's first African-American congressman in the 20th century and U.S. secretary of agriculture under President Bill Clinton. He's running in a state that last elected a Democrat to the Senate in 1982.

Espy's involvement with Gbagbo was the subject of news stories in 2010 and 2011. Documents filed with the U.S. Justice Department also show the Cocoa and Coffee Board paid Espy an initial $40,000 to travel to the West African nation and consult in December 2010, weeks after a disputed presidential election. The international community agreed that challenger Alassane Ouattara was victorious, but Gbagbo claimed he had won another term.

Espy appeared on Ivory Coast television in that country during the December 2010 visit and told The Telegraph newspaper in London that civil war threatened to resume there.

"President Gbagbo is very clear that he's not backing down," The Telegraph quoted Espy.

Espy, through a company he owned, agreed to begin working Jan. 1, 2011, to prevent the U.S. from "blacklisting" purchases of Ivorian coffee and cocoa, to advocate on "issues relating to child labor laws" and to urge the U.S. government "to investigate irregularities" in the elections, according to forms he filed under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

With reports of abuses against civilians by Gbagbo's security forces mounting, Washington publication The Hill questioned Espy about his work there. Espy said in a March 12, 2011, article that he had ended work in February and had only been paid $400,000.

"I have voluntarily suspended it," Espy told The Hill. "Events are spiraling rapidly. It is very difficult to work in that context."

But documents Espy filed months later showed a $350,000 payment on March 1, 2011, bringing the total to $750,000. The contract didn't end until March 15. That was 15 days before it was originally supposed to conclude.

Gbagbo surrendered in April 2011 after Ouattara's forces closed in and United Nations and French forces began fighting against him. Later that year, he was transferred to the custody of the International Criminal Court, where he stands accused of inciting murder, rape and other inhumane acts. Gbagbo denies guilt and says the court lacks evidence.

Espy resigned his Cabinet post in 1994 amid a special counsel investigation that accused him of improperly accepting gifts. He was tried and acquitted on 30 corruption charges, but the Mississippi Republican Party has called him "too corrupt for the Clintons."

Espy said he refused offers of plea deals.

"Of all their 70 witnesses, no one even touched me," he said Thursday.

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For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics . Follow Jeff Amy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jeffamy and Emily Wagster Pettus at http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus .

Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., speaks to attendees at a Gulf Coast Business Council meeting at the IP Casino Resort Spa in Biloxi, Miss., on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. Hyde-Smith is in a runoff with Democrat Mike Espy to retain her Senate seat. (AP Photo/Sun Herald, John Fitzhugh)/The Sun Herald via AP)

Genesis Be, an artist and activist, performs a poem/rap criticizing appointed U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., and her comments about "public hanging" and voting rights, during a protest outside the downtown complex that houses her office, on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, in Jackson, Miss. A small group of protestors attended the press-conference calling for her removal from office. Hyde-Smith and Democrat Mike Espy are competing to serve the final two years of a six-year term started by Republican Thad Cochran, who retired. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

A small crowd of protesters chant and wave signs, including this one, outside the downtown complex that houses the offices of appointed U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., who is locked in a runoff race against Democrat Mike Espy, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018 in Jackson, Miss. Protestors expressed concerns over the senator's comments on "public hanging" and voting rights. Espy and Hyde-Smith are running for the final two years of the six-year term vacated when Republican Thad Cochran retired. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

A small crowd of protesters chant and wave signs outside the downtown complex that houses the offices of interim U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., who is locked in a runoff race against Democrat Mike Espy, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, in Jackson, Miss. Protestors expressed concerns over the senator's comments on "public hanging" and voting rights. Espy and Hyde-Smith are running for the final two years of the six-year term vacated when Republican Thad Cochran retired. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

George H. Williams of Ridgeland, Miss., holds a protest sign outside the downtown complex that houses the offices of appointed U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, in Jackson, Miss. Williams, a Marine Corps veteran, said he was upset with comments Hyde-Smith made about "public hanging" and voting rights. Hyde-Smith and Democrat Mike Espy are competing to serve the final two years of a six-year term started by Republican Thad Cochran, who retired. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., talks to Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes at a Gulf Coast Business Council meeting at the IP Casino Resort Spa in Biloxi, Miss., on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. Hyde-Smith is in a runoff with Democrat Mike Espy to retain her Senate seat. (AP Photo/Sun Herald, John Fitzhugh)/The Sun Herald via AP)
Scottish Secretary David Mundell said the draft Brexit agreement was encouraging but suggested the details could yet stymie agreement.

The Tory Cabinet Secretary said colleagues needed to reflect on the detail, understood to be referring to the latest technical details of the Northern Irish backstop.

Mr Mundell was heading into talks between the devolved UK nations chaired by de facto Deputy Prime Minister David Lidington as No 10 confirmed a draft Brexit deal would be laid in front of the Cabinet on Wednesday.

On his way into the joint ministerial council (JMC) at the Cabinet Office, Mr Mundell said: I think its encouraging theres a potential agreement.

Obviously members of the Cabinet are going to have the opportunity to look at that in detail this evening and there will be a special Cabinet meeting tomorrow to reflect on whats in that documentation.

So Im encouraged, but we need to reflect on that detail and see whats there and hopefully be in a position to take forward a deal.

David Mundell arrives in Downing Street (Victoria Jones/PA)

Thats what the Government has been working for all this time, to get a deal, and negotiators have worked incredibly hard to get us to this point, but we have to reflect on the detail and consider at Cabinet tomorrow.

On his way into the JMC, Scottish Brexit Secretary Michael Russell warned the threat of no-deal Brexit would not go away even if there was a deal struck.

He said: I dont know what we will hear from David Lidington and Dominic Raab, but quite clearly theyre here to discuss a range of issues including what progress theyre making, and particularly to get some information on that.

Its not good enough, with respect, to read it in the newspapers.

We need to know whats being done and we need to know what is being done in our name.

Myself and the Welsh representative, Mark Drakeford, will be making that point forcibly here today as well as the point about the issue of no-deal.

Whatever is resolved, that threat will not go away, given there are at least three more years of negotiations if there is a deal, and under those circumstances we will want to know what preparations there are for that.

Mr Russell had called for the UK Government to reveal documents to ministers in the devolved administrations, and not just the UK Government, ahead of the meeting.

The Press Association understands the Scottish Government has so far only had information about the draft deal via back channels.
Homes and business could be hit by flooding in parts of Scotland as heavy rain is set to hit the country.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Dumfries and Galloway, Lothian and the Borders.

It comes into force from 1am on Wednesday and lasts until 1pm, with disruption to travel and potential flooding of a few buildings highlighted as being possible.

Forecaster Martin Bowles said: Its a front thats aligned with the flow, so it acts like a conveyor belt which keeps bringing rain.

One particular area, Dumfries and Galloway, is going to get this rain pretty much continuously for a few hours.

That can cause some low-level surface water flooding, we could get enough surface water to make driving difficult.

South-western parts of the country are particularly vulnerable (Jane Barlow/PA)

It's looking very wet for parts of Southwest Scotland tomorrow, especially over the hills #weatheraware pic.twitter.com/ZjxIry3Mpd  Met Office (@metoffice) November 13, 2018

He added properties which are susceptible to flooding in the area may experience some issues.

Sepa has also issued four amber flood alerts covering western, central and south-western parts of Scotland.

Drier weather is expected to spread north-east in the afternoon.

The Met Office predicts accumulations of 20mm to 30mm in places, while it could reach 40mm to 50mm on higher ground.
Mike Russell has demanded part of the UKs Brexit legislation be immediately repealed after MPs were told progress is being made between Holyrood and Westminster on key cross-border issues.

The Scottish Constitutional Relations Secretary said this was the way to resolve the row over what SNP ministers have branded a Brexit power grab.

He spoke out after Theresa Mays de facto deputy, the UK Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington told MPs that significant progress was being made on agreeing common policy frameworks.

The Scottish Government has been insistent that when powers are returned from the European Union, these should go straight to the Edinburgh administration, rather than London.

But UK ministers have argued that in areas such as agriculture, fishing and environmental issues, common frameworks need to be established.

With progress being made on these, Mr Russell said the UK Government should now repeal section 12 of the EU Withdrawal Act  the part of the legislation he said permitted UK ministers imposing policies and laws on Scotland against our democratic will.

No orders have been made so far under this controversial part of the legislation.

And Mr Russell was clear that while the Scottish Government still opposed the chaos of leaving the EU, he added: If Brexit is to happen, we have always said that co-operation between governments is clearly the right and best way both to ready our statute books and to agree common UK frameworks, where these are in Scotlands interests.

Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell (Jane Barlow/PA)

He continued: The significant progress being made on frameworks vindicates the Scottish Governments consistent position and renders section 12 completely unnecessary.

We have made it clear that if the UK Government tried to introduce a section 12 order we could not continue co-operation.

Grabbing power from the Scottish Parliament and undermining the devolution settlement is obviously not conducive to cooperative working and section 12 should be immediately repealed.

He made the plea as it emerged a Brexit deal has been reached by negotiators in Brussels, which will be put before UK ministers at a crunch Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Confirmation that a deal had been reached by officials follows months of protracted talks in Brussels, with measures to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland having been the main stumbling block.

Mr Russell has already called for details of any Brexit deal to be shared with the Scottish Government and the other devolved administrations as a matter of urgency.
Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) had signed several major deals related to Bahrain International Airports (BIA) new passenger terminal building at the Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS), said a report.



BAC and its partners awarded the contracts to some of the most widely known local, regional, and international companies, ensuring a world-class range of concessions and services at the new terminal, reported BNA.



On the final day of the airshow, the company had sealed deals with Al Baik, one of Saudi Arabias leading quick-service chains; AMA Motors, part of the conglomerate AMA Group; besides three of the kingdoms leading telecom service providers - Batelco, Zain Bahrain, and Viva Bahrain.



In addition to operating retail outlets, the telecom companies will ensure the infrastructure required for broader and faster mobile coverage at the new terminal, it stated.



As per the deal, AMA Motors will supply an emergency escape stairs vehicle, a crucial piece of equipment for the Airport Firefighting and Rescue Services team.



Signing the 5-year agreements alongside BAC Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah were Oriental Yields Company Chairman Fawaz Al Tamimi for Al Baik, five-years; AMA Group Vice Chairman, Tawfeeq Ahmed Mansoor Al A'Ali; Batelco Acting Consumer Unit General Manager, Maha Abdulrahman; Zain Bahrain General Manager, Mohammed Zainalabedin; and VIVA Bahrain Chief Executive Officer, Ulaiyan Al Wetaid.



Al Binfalah said: With its wide range of offerings, we are confident the new terminal will become a catalyst for growth in commerce and retail, increasing the aviation sectors contribution to the national economy."

"The contracts signed during the airshow will also create significant job opportunities for Bahrainis in line with the Kingdoms Vision 2030, he noted.



"This years airshow marks a milestone for the $1.1 billion Airport Modernisation Programme (AMP), which is due to be finished in the third quarter of 2019," stated Al Binfalah.



"Over the past three days, we have cemented important partnerships with some of the most recognised companies in the world, which will ensure the new Passenger Terminal Building exceeds the expectations of stakeholders and travellers alike. Many of the tenants and service providers are now selected and we are negotiating with other leading companies for the remaining spaces," he added.
The customs expert who wrote a report for the European Parliament on the solution to the border post-Brexit did not visit the Irish border at the time.

Former Swedish customs official Lars Karlsson presented a 46-page report to the European Parliament last year showing how technological solutions could maintain as open an Irish Border as possible and remove the need for a backstop.

Mr Karlsson appeared before the Northern Ireland Public Affairs Committee in Westminster on Tuesday, initially saying he had visited and studied the border.

After questioning by Lady Sylvia Hermon, Mr Karlsson admitted that he had only visited the Irish border once, two years ago, had not been along the entire border, and in a different capacity which was not related to the report.

Lady Hermon asked: So when you said youd been there and studied it, youve not been along the entire border?

To which Mr Karlsson replied: No.

Traffic crossing the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in the village of Bridgend (Brian Lawless/PA)

I have not been there in relation to this specific issue, no.

During the almost two-hour-long meeting, Mr Karlsson suggested that based on a high level of trust, between the UK and Ireland, and a comprehensive registration system, it would be possible to have no gates, no checks at the border, no infrastructure and no slowing down.

He added that the level of trust between the UK and Ireland is already high because they were previously in a customs union.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has already rejected this suggestion, which was contained in Mr Karlssons report, that people and traders crossing the border would have to pre-register after Brexit, including the 30,000 people who cross the border daily for work.

Mr Karlsson also suggested that any customs formalities be conducted away from the border, and a level of self-assessment be conducted by businesses in their own premises or at a designated point en route.

My opinion would be that these inspections could be done in other places other than by the border, there are many examples around the world where you can do these kind of inspections in other places, there are still costs involved but with maximum trust you could do them elsewhere, he said.

He also suggested that there could be designated trading roads for commercial vehicles, which would avoid congestion at crossing points.

He admitted that no technological solution has ever been implemented in a country where there is a disputed border, which Ireland has.

It was also noted that no British or Irish ministers had been directly in touch with Mr Karlsson since his newest report proposals were rejected in March.

Pro-Brexit MPs and other Leave supporters have cited the report, Smart Border 2.0: Avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland for customs control and the free movement of persons, as offering a real solution to the backstop issue.

As the committee was taking place, Irelands state broadcaster RTE reported that an agreement had been reached by negotiators in Brussels on a text on the border.

The broadcaster said the deal involved one overall backstop in the form of a UK-wide customs arrangement, but with deeper provisions for Northern Ireland on customs and regulations.
Female activists in Ireland have been posting photos of their underwear online after a barrister in a rape trial drew attention to a female complainants thong.

In the case in Cork, the jury was encouraged to consider the 17-year-olds choice of underwear in the defence lawyers closing speech.

The accused was subsequently found not guilty.

Following the trial, a viral campaign saw women posting images of their own underwear on social media, with the hashtag #ThisIsNotConsent.

Counsel for man acquitted of rape suggested jurors should reflect on underwear worn by the 17yo complainant. Following this wholly unacceptable comment, we are calling on our followers to post a picture of their thongs/knickers to support her with the hashtag #ThisIsNotConsent pic.twitter.com/ZkVU0GVAIN  I Believe Her - Ireland (@ibelieveher_ire) November 10, 2018

The hashtag was created by a closed Facebook group called Mna na hEireann (Women of Ireland).

Susan Dillon, a member of the group who also runs the Twitter account I Believe Her  Ireland, spread the word further.

(I Believe Her Ireland and Emily/@lilthumper408)

Dillon said: One of the women in the group was angry at the comments made, as we all were.

Dillon said the woman suggested a protest to highlight that what women wear does not constitute consent, and another woman came up with the hashtag wording.

Irrespective of the other evidence no item of the complainants clothing implied consent.

If a jury is a representative sample of the population, then its clear we have some work to do to dispel this archaic myth that clothing invites rape.

wearing gross pants, nice pants or no pants: #ThisIsNotConsent pic.twitter.com/FqSt0TEJI6  Dr. Shubhangi Karmakar  (@Repealist_) November 12, 2018

Shubhangi Karmakar drew sketches of different kinds of underwear to go with the hashtag, claiming that consent is not given while wearing gross pants, nice pants or no pants.

Karmakar said: There are many hidden survivors and stories here. Its nice to create small shareable symbols of solidarity for us, and those who believe and support us.

Another Twitter user said: Just because my panties are cute doesnt mean Im saying yes.

Protests have also been organised in Galway, Limerick, Dublin and Cork by feminist organisation Rosa.

More than 900 people have expressed interest on Facebook in the primary Cork protest.

Fiona Ryan, a spokesman for Rosa, said: This case, and the particular awfulness of what was said, is absolutely endemic in our judiciary system.

We decided to call this rally not just specifically about this case, but calling for an end to victim blaming in courts.

The international solidarity thats been extended to these awful cases when theyre exposed will go a long way towards pushing for genuine legal change, and unfortunately that comes from above, but were going to push from below to ensure it happens.

I hear cameras cut away from me when I displayed this underwear in #Dail. In courts victims can have their underwear passed around as evidence and it's within the rules, hence need to display in Dail. Join protests tomorrow. In Dublin it's at Spire, 1pm.#dubw #ThisIsNotConsent pic.twitter.com/DvtaJL61qR  Ruth Coppinger (@RuthCoppingerSP) November 13, 2018

Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger also brought attention to the protests led by Rosa, holding a lace thong up in the chamber during Leaders Questions.

She used Twitter to explain: I hear cameras cut away from me when I displayed this underwear in Dail. In courts victims can have their underwear passed around as evidence and its within the rules.

Join protests tomorrow. In Dublin its at Spire, 1pm.

The row follows the trial in Belfast earlier this year of Ireland and Ulster Rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding.

After the case prompted fierce debate on both sides of the border, retired appeal court judge Sir John Gillen was tasked with carrying out a review of how the criminal system in Northern Ireland deals with serious sexual offence cases.

Among the issues to be examined by the review will be support for victims and witnesses, measures to ensure the anonymity of the complainant, the arguments for defendant anonymity and the impact of social media on trials.
A coroner has warned the court has the power to issue subpoenas to witnesses who refuse to cooperate with the inquest into the killings of 10 people in west Belfast almost five decades ago.

Mrs Justice Siobhan Keegan made the stark warning after a barrister representing some of the Ballymurphy families said there is widespread and deep concern British soldiers are boycotting the inquest.

Michael Mansfield QC, who represents a number of the victims families, called for the coroner to take direct action on the issue.

The long-awaited inquests are examining the deaths of 10 people killed during shooting incidents involving the Army in the Ballymurphy area of west Belfast in 1971.

Mr Mansfield said: There is widespread and deep concern from the families about what appears to be a boycott at what is a critical point of this inquest.

The appearance of a boycott is being articulated very clearly.

He said former soldier Alan Barry, who is involved in the campaign group Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans (JFNIV), advised soldiers involved not to cooperate with requests to attend the inquests.

The comments were reported in a newspaper on Friday and repeated in a different national newspaper on the first day of the inquest.

Mr Mansfield said these warnings to soldiers present serious risk of adverse inference.

The victims of the Ballymurphy Massacre (Ballymurphy Massacre Committee/PA)

Mrs Justice Keegan expressed concern in learning about the media reports, saying: I would like to remind people that cooperation is key to my role.

If people refuse to cooperate I have the power to subpoena witnesses or draw adverse inference.

It is not permissible for people to discourage those who may have relevant information to come forward.

On the second day of the inquest, families of two of the victims read out statements and described the impact of the killings.

Patsy Mullan, whose brother Fr Hugh Mullan was killed as he tried to help a wounded man, described him as very helpful and kind.

When I was told that he was dead, I phoned our doctor and asked him to come to be with my mother as I didnt know how she would cope with this news, he said.

She was in a terrible state and had to be sedated.

Fr Mullans niece, Geraldine McGrattan, said: As a family we want this inquest to prove that my uncle was not a gunman as was stated in some of the newspapers at the time. That he was an innocent priest going about his pastoral duties.

Pat Quinn, the brother of 19-year-old Frank who was shot dead after trying to help a wounded man, said his death forever changed his familys life.

Mr Quinn, who was comforted by his other brother Liam as he broke down in court, added: It was like hell on earth that this was happening to our family.

Franks daughter Angela Sloan said: (There are) so many memories that we didnt get to make because someone decided that it was okay to take him from us, because he was a kind human being he went to help others.

I have always been proud of his bravery. Many a man would have walked away.

Defence barrister Barry McDonald said at least 12 soldiers fired 117 shots into an area known as Manse field, however he added not one of these soldiers have provided a statement.

The families of the 10 people who were killed (Cate McCurry/PA)

The soldiers who fired are simply refusing to cooperate with this inquest and are boycotting it, Mr McDonald added.

He said soldiers believed to be involved have not been prepared to give statements and he called for them to be subpoenaed.

Continuing his opening statement on Tuesday, counsel for the coroner Sean Doran outlined details around the UVFs controversial claim of involvement.

The court was told an Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) sniper was active in that part of west Belfast at the time of the killings.

Mr Doran said no information as to which of these deaths may have been caused by the sniper was given.

In May this year, the coroners service received correspondence from a solicitor representing an interlocutor who claimed he had information about the possible involvement of the UVF in a number of shootings in Ballymurphy.

The interlocutor, known as Witness X, said he had spoken to people he described as veterans of the UVF.

He said information provided identified a UVF sniper, who is now dead, was active in the vicinity of where the shootings took place and may have caused some of the deaths.

It is understood the man named by the organisation is a now deceased member called Tommy West.

Mr Doran told the court Witness X claims he was told a Mauser rifle had been used.

The barrister also described the extensive work the coroners service has been carrying out for the inquests.

He said they have requested 127 military witness statements and around 800 soldiers have been identified as potentially being able to assist the inquest.

The inquest will also examine areas of the military operations taking place at the time.
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl took food to firefighters who are continuing to tackle deadly blazes in California.

The former Nirvana drummer was thanked by Fire Station 68 in Calabasas for serving up his Backbeat Barbecue to firefighters who have been battling the Woolsey fire.

An Instagram post from fire crew read: It was awesome to get a visit tonight from Dave Grohl of the @foofighters . He also treated us to some of his own @backbeatbbq . Thanks Dave! It was excellent!

(instagram.com/firestation68)

Grohls good deed follows on from a similar gesture from Guy Fieri on Sunday.

The celebrity chef took homecooked food to firefighters in Butte County.

A Facebook post from Butte County Sheriffs Office read: Thank you so much Guy for filling our bellies and lifting our spirits.

More than 5,000 firefighters have been working round the clock to tackle the fires up and down the state.

At least 42 people have died, with many more missing.
The Irish Government has dismissed reports of a breakthrough in the Brexit negotiations as speculation.

A spokesman for the Government said no agreement has been reached on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU and that nothing had been confirmed.

He said officials in Dublin had not been formally notified of a deal being reached in Brussels.

Were at a stage where there is still no agreement at this point in time, the spokesman said on Tuesday evening.

There is actually no agreement.

He added: At the moment this is only speculation.

The comments were made following reports on Tuesday afternoon of a breakthrough in the talks between EU and UK negotiators (Niall Carson/PA)

The comments were made following reports on Tuesday afternoon of a breakthrough in the talks between EU and UK negotiators.

The deal will be the focus of a crunch Cabinet meeting at Downing Street on Wednesday afternoon.

British Cabinet ministers were invited to read the papers relating to the draft deal on Tuesday night ahead of the special meeting of Theresa Mays senior team to decide on next steps.

The Irish Government spokesman described the situation as fast-moving.

He confirmed the Irish position on the backstop had not changed, adding that a number of issues were outstanding.

In another sign that Dublin may not be happy, a spokesman for Irelands deputy premier Simon Coveney said: Negotiations between the EU and UK on a withdrawal agreement are ongoing and have not concluded.

He also said a number of issues are outstanding, adding that negotiations were at an extremely sensitive juncture.

Members of Irelands opposition gave a cautious welcome to the reported deal.

Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin said any agreement needed to ensure there was a permanent backstop to protect a borderless Ireland.

Fianna Fails Brexit spokeswoman Lisa Chambers said the detail was important.

We need to see the text, we need to see exactly what has been agreed, what are the implications for the border issue, for trade, she said.

Ms Chambers added that a deal that included the UK staying within the customs union would be the best outcome for Ireland because east-west trade was so important.

Independent TD Thomas Pringle said he needed to see the details before commenting because it could have potentially very negative effects for the border if its wrong.

Sinn Feins David Cullinane said: Weve always said that the backstop and the insurance policy which has to be put in place for Ireland has to be long term, has to be durable, has to be permanent.

It has to give protection to the people of Ireland that we need, which is to avoid a hardening of the border to protect the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts and to protect the rights of citizens.

Earlier in the Dail, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar would not comment on reports that a text had been agreed taking into account the Irish border question.

Minutes after reports of a deal emerged, Mr Varadkar would not answer questions from Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein or the Labour Party on the matter.
Political leaders in Northern Ireland have given a mixed reaction to a deal being agreed in the Brexit negotiations.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood welcomed reports that the UK and EU had agreed a text on the border in Ireland, but he said any agreement must include a backstop.

Mr Eastwood said: The SDLP are glad to hear that an agreement might have been reached and we look forward to reading the text of that agreement in detail.

If the agreement involves a backstop that protects Ireland from a hard border then we would hope it will gain support in Westminster.

Glad to see that there might be a Brexit deal. We will judge it when we read it but if it protects Ireland from a hard border I hope it will be supported.  Colum Eastwood (@columeastwood) November 13, 2018

Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann said there must not be any ambiguity about Northern Irelands place in a post-Brexit UK.

Mr Swann said the next 24 to 48 hours in the negotiations would set the direction of travel for Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom for decades to come.

Colum Eastwood said any agreement must include a backstop (Nick Ansell/PA)

The bottom line for the Prime Minister, the Conservative Government and their partners in the DUP must be the achievement of a sensible deal which respects the result of the referendum and maintains the integrity of the United Kingdom, he said.

There must be no ambiguity, constructive or otherwise, in any deal about Northern Irelands place within the Union in a post-Brexit UK.

To do otherwise would be a serious blow against the Belfast Agreement and the principle of consent and will set a dangerous precedent for the future.

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds said that the deal as reported would leave Northern Ireland subject to the rules and laws set in Brussels with no democratic input or any say.

He added: We object to that on constitutional grounds that our laws would be made in Brussels, not in Westminster or Belfast.

That is the fundamental red line.

Mr Dodds added that any regulatory checks between the UK and Northern Ireland would certainly be a breach of the PMs pledges to the people of Northern Ireland (and) the pledges that she made to the people of the United Kingdom.

Alliance Deputy Leader Stephen Farry described reports of an agreement as encouraging but he expressed caution on a number of grounds ahead of any publication of an agreed text.

An open-ended backstop in place until or unless it is superseded is critical to protect the Good Friday Agreement and to avoid a hard border in Ireland, Mr Farry said.

He added that it was important people were measured in their reaction to the backstop and do not contribute further to unnecessary dramatising of something that should be seen in pragmatic terms.

Ultimately, the backstop is only an insurance approach to Brexit, he said.

There is no such thing as a good or sensible Brexit.

A crunch Cabinet meeting will take place on Wednesday to discuss the deal reached by negotiators in Brussels on Tuesday.

UK Cabinet ministers were invited to read the papers relating to the draft deal on Tuesday night ahead of the special meeting of Prime Minister Theresa Mays senior team to decide on next steps.
Scotlands Brexit Secretary Mike Russell has hit out at the UK Government after a provisional deal on the UKs exit from the European Union was agreed with Brusssels.

Mr Russell insisted it was completely unacceptable that Holyrood ministers and the other devolved administrations had not been given details of the draft document.

He spoke out after a Number 10 spokesman confirmed this would be discussed at a crunch meeting of Theresa Mays cabinet on Wednesday.

Cabinet ministers have been invited to read documentation ahead of that meeting, the spokesman added.

But Mr Russell hit out: It is completely unacceptable that devolved administrations have still not seen the detail of any draft deal.

If the PMs deal satisfies no-one and cant command a majority, we mustnt fall for her spin that the UK crashing out of EU without a deal is then inevitable - instead we should take the opportunity to get better options back on the table.  Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) November 13, 2018

He had spent the day in London for a Joint Ministerial Committee meeting chaired by Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington, and involving the other devolved adminsitrations of the UK.

Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell said it was `completely unacceptable the devolved administrations had not seen the draft Brexit deal (Nick Ansell/PA)

But Mr Russell said he knew no more coming out of the meeting than he had when he arrived.

We must be able to scrutinise the deal and understand its implications, the Scottish Constitution Relations Secretary said.

He was also clear that reaching agreement at technical level does not negate the threat posed by Brexit to jobs and living standards adding the best way to avoid that is to stay in the EU, in line with how people in Scotland voted.

Downing Street confirms Cabinet meeting at 2pm tomorrow "to consider the draft agreement the negotiating teams have reached in Brussels, and to decide on next steps". Cabinet Ministers have been invited to read documentsahead of that meeting. #Brexit  Andrew Woodcock (@AndyWoodcock) November 13, 2018

And he reiterated the Scottish Governments stance that if it was not possible, the only option Holyood ministers would accept was one keeping the UK in both the European single market and customs union.

Ms Sturgeon said if the PM is unable to get her Brexit deal through the House of Commons, campaigners aiming to keep the UK in the single market should then take the opportunity to get better options back on the table.

The First Minister tweeted: If the PMs deal satisfies no-one and cant command a majority, we mustnt fall for her spin that the UK crashing out of EU without a deal is then inevitable  instead we should take the opportunity to get better options back on the table.

She also warned if the deal was vague and dodges tough issues on the UKs future relationship with the EU then a blindfold Brexit would beckon  with Ms Sturgeon insisting it would be deeply irresponsible for parliament to sanction that.

A UK Government spokesman said: The UK Government and devolved administrations have made significant and ongoing progress in jointly developing common frameworks, which will help protect the vital internal market of the United Kingdom.
Here are some of the questions being asked about the draft agreement which Downing Street says has been reached by negotiators in Brussels.

 How did we get here?

It has been a long road since the referendum vote to leave the EU on June 23 2016. A two-year period of negotiation was formally triggered by the UKs Article 50 letter on March 29 2017 and actual talks were delayed further by the snap general election of June 8. A Joint Report was agreed by Theresa May and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on December 8, but left some of the most contentious issues to be thrashed out.

 What is in the Withdrawal Agreement?

The Agreement covers arrangements for disentangling the UK from the EU after more than 40 years of membership. Key issues are the future rights of British expats living on the continent and Europeans in the UK; the settlement of the UKs financial liabilities, estimated at up to 39 billion; and the status of the border on the island of Ireland.

 What has held things up?

The main obstacle to an agreement has been the question of the Irish border, which will be the UKs only land frontier with the remaining EU after Brexit. Neither side wants a hard border with physical checkpoints and customs inspections, which they fear could undermine the Northern Irish peace process.

DUP Leader Arlene Foster (Niall Carson/PA)

 How are they proposing to keep the border open?

Both sides believe an eventual trade deal should resolve the issue. But Brussels has insisted on a backstop arrangement as insurance to protect the border while a deal is negotiated. EU proposals for a backstop keeping Northern Ireland inside the European customs area were rejected by Mrs May for effectively creating a border in the Irish Sea. Her counter-proposal of a whole-UK temporary customs union was rebuffed by Brussels over the issue of Britains unilateral right to pull out. It is understood that the draft agreement introduces a review mechanism for ending the arrangement.

 What does the Withdrawal Agreement look like?

It is thought to run into hundreds of pages of detail on all aspects of the divorce. Alongside it is expected to be a shorter Political Declaration setting out a framework for future relations between the UK and EU in areas like trade and security co-operation.

 What happens next?

Cabinet ministers were invited into 10 Downing Street on Tuesday evening to read through documents. They will gather for a special Cabinet meeting to consider next steps at 2pm on Wednesday. Mrs May is expected to ask them to give their approval to the draft.

In Brussels, the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier would have to report to the European Council that decisive progress has been made in order for president Donald Tusk to convene a summit  probably in the last week of November  at which leaders of the remaining 27 EU states would be asked to put their stamp on the document. The agreement would then be sent for ratification to both the Westminster Parliament and the European Parliament. The Government would hope to stage a vote in the House of Commons before Christmas. If every obstacle is cleared, the deal would come into effect in time for the UKs departure on March 29 2019.

 Is the Cabinet certain to give the plan its backing?

Far from it. The Prime Minister is acutely vulnerable to resignations from her top team which could massively destabilise her position. Staunch Brexiters in the Cabinet like Liam Fox, Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom, Penny Mordaunt and Esther McVey must be convinced that the deal would not tie the UK too closely to Brussels.

Prime Minister Theresa May (Chris Radburn/PA)

 What opposition will the draft agreement face in Parliament?

Mrs May will face resistance from Tory Brexiters like Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg who fear that a deal could tie the UK indefinitely to Brussels, following rules which it has no part in shaping. The DUP, which props up her minority Government in the Commons, will challenge anything which treats Northern Ireland differently from the rest of the UK. Remainers within the Conservative Party will argue that the draft offers worse terms than the UK already enjoys as a member of the EU. Labour has said it will oppose any agreement which fails to support jobs and the economy and leader Jeremy Corbyn has already said the draft is unlikely to be a good deal for the country. EU-backing Liberal Democrats and the SNP are expected to vote against the deal.

 What happens if the deal fails to win support in Westminster?

The default position is for the UK to leave the EU on March 29 without a deal, with the potential for chaotic scenes at ports and airports. Mrs May is expected to use this as a powerful lever to persuade MPs to back her for the sake of stability. However, there would also be huge pressure for a Peoples Vote second referendum to give the public the chance to decide whether it still wanted to go ahead with withdrawal. And Labour would push for a general election to give someone else the opportunity to negotiate a better deal.

 Is Mrs Mays own position safe?

Certainly not. She could face a vote of no confidence if 48 Tory MPs demand one, with speculation that that number is close to being reached. And her knife-edge control of the House of Commons mean that she risks losing her effective majority and her ability to pass legislation if she alienates more than a handful of her backers.
Melania Trump has publicly called for the dismissal of a top White House National Security Council official.

After reports circulated that US President Donald Trump had decided to remove Mira Ricardel from her post as deputy national security adviser, Stephanie Grisham, the first ladys spokeswoman, released a statement that said: It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honour of serving in this White House.

Shortly before the statement came out, Ms Ricardel was among a group of administration officials and other individuals who stood behind Mr Trump at a White House ceremony celebrating Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.

Deputy National Security Adviser Mira Ricardel, centre right, watches as Donald Trump arrives for a Diwali ceremony (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The Wall Street Journal reported that the first ladys staff and Ms Ricardel had clashed during Mrs Trumps visit to Africa in October over such things as seating on the plane and requests to use the councils resources.

A spokesman for the National Security Council had no immediate comment.

Mrs Trump is very protective of her husband and is considered to be an influential adviser, as many first ladies have been with their spouses.

Mrs Trump is also one of the most private first ladies in recent memory, which made the public announcement about her displeasure with a top West Wing official all the more surprising.

In an interview with ABC News during her five-day trip to Ghana, Mali, Kenya and Egypt last month, the first lady said there are people in the White House she and the president cannot trust. She declined to name anyone but said she had let Mr Trump know who they are.

She said: Well, some people, they dont work there anymore.

Asked if some untrustworthy people still worked in the White House, she replied, Yes.
Toyota is to buy a new truck for a hero nurse whose Tundra was burnt while he was helping victims of the California wildfires.

Allyn Pierce said the customised truck, which he calls the Pandra, saved his life as helped others around his hometown of Paradise while the fires raged.

He wrote on Instagram: This truck literally saved my life today. My little town of Paradise was literally burning down around me and @the_pandra got me to safety where I could help otherstwice.

Pierce manages the intensive care unit at Paradises Feather River Hospital and was integral in helping its evacuation during the blaze.

New York Times journalist Jack Nicas told his story via Twitter, writing: Then he hopped in his truck with two colleagues and headed for safety.

Large parts of the town of Paradise have been wiped out by the fire (John Locher/AP)

Like many residents in Paradise, they quickly hit gridlock.

But unfortunately for them, they were stuck in the middle of the fire. Flames licked at the side of his truck, and as Allyn watched other cars catch fire, he thought his was next.

He continued: Allyn held his coat against the window  a futile guard from the intense heat  and put on Peter Gabriels In Your Eyes to calm himself. He recorded a goodbye message to his family: Just in case this doesnt work out, I want you to know I really tried to make it out.

Suddenly a bulldozer appeared & knocked a burning truck next to him out of the way. There was some room to maneuver. But instead of going forward toward safety, he turned around & drove back into the heart of Paradise.

Pierce helped set up a triage in the hospital car park (Rich Pedroncelli/AP)

Pierce, whose family lost their house to the fire, then helped as hospital staff set up a triage centre in the hospital car park.

Then, when the hospital caught fire, they moved everyone to the centres helipad instead.

Pierces part in the unfolding drama of the California fires has captured the imagination of people around the world, and a gofundme page set up to raise money for him and his family surpassed its 15,000 dollar (11,500) target in two days.

On top of that, somebody at Toyota noticed too  and the company is now supplying Pierce with a brand new Tundra.

(Facebook)

A Toyota statement read: Our hearts go out to the victims of the devastating California wildfires. We are extremely grateful to all of the emergency crews who are working tirelessly to extinguish the fires and helping people to safety.

We are especially thankful to one hero in particular, Allyn Pierce, for risking his life and sacrificing his Toyota Tundra to drive people to safety.

Toyota is so humbled by Mr Pierces selfless act that were pleased to offer him a brand new Tundra.

Fires have devastated areas of California up and down the state.

At least 42 people have died, with that number expected to rise.
TCN News

Sumeet Samos, the young rapper from the Dalit community in Orissa has released yet another song titled Desia Pila Area Khali wherein he is singing simple but effective lines that talk about the exploitation against the marginalised communities in various forms.

He talks about the land grabbers, the miners and the industrialists who have rendered the tribal homeless and hungry in the name of development and about how he is not going to remain silent any longer.

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The end of the video is accompanied by an explanation of the terms Desia Pila and Area Khali.  Desia means belonging to this land and is used by Dalits, Lower Castes and Tribals in Koraput district of Odisha. Desia Pila signifies a person rooted in this identity. This word is also used by the dominant castes as an abuse and a marker of being uncultured and lesser beings.

 Area Khali it is a slang used among Desia youths to refer to something or someone as awesome, amazing and magnificent.

Area Khali can also mean  vacate the area.

Previously, TwoCircles.net has covered The story of Sumeet Samos in which he spoke about his childhood, his schooling days and how he found his calling through rap music.

Sumeet says about the song,  The song is basically about Southern part of Odisha and its people. This is one of the most deprived and exploited regions of the country in terms of its socioeconomic indicators. This song speaks about the different crisis and challenges the marginalized sections (Dalits, Lower castes and tribals) here have been battling for decades like enforced displacement, corporate land grabbing, conflict and Caste dominance. Most importantly it is a critique against the dominant narratives that are established around this region and its people by Odisha media in the name of popular culture.

Sumeets song has a strong political message related to indigenousness. Finally, I have tried to assert the Desia Identity which binds the marginalized sections here through a shared culture and belonging to this land.This is the same identity which is looked down and frowned upon as a marker of uncultured and uncivilized by the dominant castes.

Speaking to Twocircles.net, Sarojini Ekka, from Odisha belonging to the Kisan Tribal community says, After heard Sumeets new rap just I am thinking about what a wonderful and heart touching message it is for all of us. We Dalit and Adivasi folks have to fight for our rights and fight to preserve our identity and culture. But with songs like this, I begin to have hope that one day will surely come when we will win and remove the Brahmanical power structures from our way!
A woman celebrated her new single status in explosive fashion  by blowing up her wedding dress at her divorce party.

Kimberly Santleben-Stiteler held a celebration with family and friends on Saturday night to mark the end of her 14-year marriage.

And the centrepiece of the event in La Coste, Texas saw her loading up her wedding dress with explosives before shooting it with a rifle.

The ensuing explosion would apparently be felt up to 15 miles away.

Carla Santleben-Newport, Kimberleys sister, told the Press Association: My sisters divorce was finalised on Friday and (she) wanted to burn her wedding dress, so my dad and husband took care of things.

Kimberly felt her wedding dress "represented a lie" (Carla Santleben-Newport)

They filled her dress with 20lbs of Tannerite and she shot it with a .308 rifle creating a beautiful and loud experience.

We had Facebook comments and text messages of people hearing the noise in a 15-mile radius. It was a great way to celebrate her divorce.

Kimberly, 43, told the Centre Daily Times that she was determined to burn it because the the dress represented a lie.

The occasion was suitably festive (Carla Santleben-Newport)

Once the explosion idea was hit upon, some preparation was needed  for one thing, Kimberly was no expert with guns.

To ensure everyone was safe when the dress went boom, the party  and therefore the shot that set off the explosion  was about 200 yards away from the dress itself.

And that was no easy shot.

Kimberly got plenty of practice in to make sure she nailed that first shot (Carla Santleben-Newport)

We have a friend who is a bomb tech and he kept saying, thats really a lot (of explosives), like five different times when we told him our plan, Carla said.

My dad and husband set the dress up at 100 yards from the barn on our family farm. Everyone was worried it was too close so they moved it out another 100 yards.

Kimberly is not a hunter so James, my husband, practised with her that afternoon. She did absolutely amazing hitting the dress on her first shot and blowing her dress to pieces.

Got it in one (Carla Santleben-Newport)

The moment certainly seemed to go down well with the assembled family and friends  and for Kimberly it was every bit as cathartic as she hoped.

It was liberating pulling that trigger, she told the Centre Daily Times. It was closure for all of us.
Cabinet ministers have been urged to reject Theresa Mays Brexit plan when they gather for a crunch showdown on Wednesday.

Ministers have been briefed one by one on the contents of a draft divorce deal reached by officials from the UK and EU after months of protracted talks.

Further individual briefings are expected on Wednesday ahead of the special meeting of the full Cabinet at 2pm.

Before that Mrs May will face the House of Commons for a potentially tricky session of Prime Ministers Questions.

The announcement that a draft text had been agreed by officials was met with open hostility from Tory Brexiteers and Mrs Mays Democratic Unionist Party allies, and scepticism from Remain supporters.

Former Brexit secretary David Davis said the UK had reached a moment of truth and urged his former colleagues to reject the proposals.

Theresa May will face the House of Commons for a potentially tricky session of PMQs (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

This is the moment of truth. This is the fork in the road. Do we pursue a future as an independent nation or accept EU domination, imprisonment in the customs union and 2nd class status. Cabinet and all Conservative MPs should stand up, be counted and say no to this capitulation.  David Davis (@DavidDavisMP) November 13, 2018

Cabinet and all Conservative MPs should stand up, be counted and say no to this capitulation, he said.

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson urged his ex-Cabinet colleagues to chuck it out, warning on the BBC that the proposals made a nonsense of Brexit.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the influential European Research Group of dozens of Tory MPs, said: It is a failure of the Governments negotiating position, it is a failure to deliver on Brexit and it is potentially dividing up the United Kingdom.

There comes a point at which the policy and the individual become so intimately connected that it would be very hard to carry on supporting the person who is promoting this policy



- Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the European Research Group@Jacob_Rees_Mogg | #newsnight pic.twitter.com/quLuYQOJkJ  BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) November 13, 2018

On the BBCs Newsnight, he said he had not called for a no confidence vote in Mrs May but there comes a point at which the policy and the individual become so intimately connected that it will be very hard to carry on supporting this policy.

Asked if he would be writing a letter to the Tory backbench 1922 Committee about Mrs Mays position, he said: Not in the next 24 hours.

Ex-Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith suggested Mrs Mays administration could collapse over the deal.

If the Cabinet agrees it, the party certainly wont, he said, and when asked if the Governments days were numbered, added: If this is the case almost certainly, yes.

Jo Johnson, brother of Boris and a Remain-supporter who quit as transport minister over the Governments approach, suggested that Cabinet ministers were questioning whether they could support the deal.

Asked if there could be further resignations, he told a rally in support of a second referendum: I talk to many MPs, colleagues in the Cabinet and elsewhere  I know how much they all think deeply about these issues and they are all looking deep into their consciences and thinking whether they can support this deal.

If the PMs deal satisfies no-one and cant command a majority, we mustnt fall for her spin that the UK crashing out of EU without a deal is then inevitable - instead we should take the opportunity to get better options back on the table.  Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) November 13, 2018

The special meeting on Wednesday could potentially be a flashpoint for tensions between Brexiteers and Remainers around the Cabinet table, with speculation that Leave-supporting ministers including Penny Mordaunt, Esther McVey and Andrea Leadsom could be prepared to quit if a deal ties the UK too closely to Brussels.

But sources close to Brexiteer ministers played down the prospect of walkouts, with Mrs Leadsom said to have enjoyed a good discussion with the Prime Minister.

Chief Whip Julian Smith told reporters: I am confident that we will get this through Parliament and that we can deliver on what the Prime Minister committed to on delivering Brexit.

But the challenge of getting a deal through Parliament appears even more difficult for Mrs May than winning the support of her Cabinet.

The 10 DUP MPs, upon whom Mrs May relies for a majority, appear set to reject a deal if it crosses their red lines.

DUP leader Arlene Foster said: I am heartened by friends of the Union on both sides of the House and across the UK who have pledged to stand with the DUP in opposing a deal which weakens the Union and hands control to Brussels rather than Parliament.

She added that these are momentous days and the decisions being taken will have long-lasting ramifications and pointedly stated that every individual vote will count in the Commons.

Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said MPs must not fall for Downing Street spin that rejecting the deal means crashing out of the EU and instead we should take the opportunity to get better options back on the table.

The deal follows intense negotiation in Brussels, with measures to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland the main stumbling block.

Irish broadcaster RTE reported that the deal involved one overall backstop in the form of a UK-wide customs arrangement  as sought by Mrs May  but with deeper provisions for Northern Ireland on customs and regulations.

The Guardian reported that an independent arbitration committee will judge when a UK-wide customs backstop could be terminated.

There will also be a review in July 2019 six months before the end of the transition period, at which it will be determined how to proceed  a new trade deal, the backstop or an extension to the transition period.

The Daily Telegraph revealed that Attorney General Geoffrey Cox told Cabinet that Northern Ireland will be in a different regulatory regime under the customs backstop and subject to EU law and institutions, something that may cross a line for the DUP.

Labour has been clear from the beginning that we need a deal to support jobs and the economy - and that guarantees standards and protections. If this deal doesnt meet our six tests and work for the whole country, then we will vote against it. #BrexitDeal  Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) November 13, 2018

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the party would vote against the deal if it failed to meet its tests.

From what we know of the shambolic handling of these negotiations, this is unlikely to be a good deal for the country, he said.

But his own approach to Brexit will come under attack from former prime minister Tony Blair on Wednesday.

In a speech in London Mr Blair will lash out at the abject refusal of the Labour leadership to lead the country out of the Brexit nightmare.
The Democratic Unionist Party has warned Theresa May it will oppose any Brexit agreement that weakens the Union between Britain and Northern Ireland.

DUP leader Arlene Foster said a deal which places new trade barriers between Northern Ireland and Britain would fundamentally undermine the constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom, which she said was not acceptable.

Over time, such a deal will weaken the Union, she said.

The partys East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson said the deal was not one that the party could support.

Mrs May relies on the DUPs MPs to prop up the UKs minority government.

In a statement on Tuesday night, Mrs Foster said: It would be democratically unacceptable for Northern Ireland trade rules to be set by Brussels. Northern Ireland would have no representation in Brussels and would be dependent on a Dublin government speaking up for our core industries.

Arlene Foster (Niall Carson/PA)

Mrs Foster added: I am heartened by friends of the Union on both sides of the House and across the United Kingdom who have pledged to stand with the DUP in opposing a deal which weakens the Union and hands control to Brussels rather than Parliament.

These are momentous days and the decisions being taken will have long-lasting ramifications. The Prime Minister must win the support of the Cabinet and the House of Commons. Every individual vote will count.

Speaking on Irish broadcaster RTE, Mr Wilson said: What weve heard and seen of the deal, it is something which we would absolutely oppose.

It goes against everything the Government promised it would deliver, he said.

Indeed its a regurgitation of what the Prime Minister said last March, no British Prime Minister could ever sign up to and it would split the United Kingdom.

It would keep the UK tied and handcuffed to the European Union, with the key for those handcuffs remaining in the hands of the EU.

He added: I dont think its only us who will be opposing it.
Actress Paz de la Huerta has filed a lawsuit accusing disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of raping her in 2010 and then embarking on a campaign of harassment that harmed her career.

The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court alleges Weinstein raped de la Huerta twice in New York in December 2010, taunting her with phone calls between the two alleged assaults.

New York police said a year ago that they were investigating de la Huertas allegations.

No charges have been filed in the case, but Weinstein is charged there with the rape of another woman.

In a new allegation, the suit says that the following month Weinstein exposed himself to the actress in a Beverly Hills hotel when she went to confront him.

It alleges Weinstein tried to get de la Huerta to have a sexual encounter with him and another woman.

About a year after the alleged incidents, de la Huerta was fired from the HBO show Boardwalk Empire, and the lawsuit says she has reason to believe Weinstein was involved.

It cites a photo that appeared in The New York Times of Weinstein talking to Martin Scorsese, a director and executive producer on the show, a few weeks before her firing.

Weinsteins lawyer Ben Brafman in response to the suit pointed out the lack of charges in New York, and said in an emailed statement that de la Huertas newly minted version of events including her new California claims are equally preposterous and unfortunately, the product of an unstable personality with a vivid imagination.

Representatives for Scorsese, who is not a defendant in the case, had no immediate comment.

De la Huerta, 34, alleges Weinstein damaged her career by at least 60 million dollars.

Ashley Judd, who is among numerous women suing Weinstein, says in her own lawsuit that Weinstein hurt her career and prevented her from getting at least one role.

Ashley Judd (Anthony Harvey/PA)

Judd cites an interview last year with director Peter Jackson, who said that Weinstein warned him against hiring Judd and Mira Sorvino for his Lord Of The Rings films.

Both women have alleged that Weinstein sexually harassed them.

De la Huertas lawsuit alleges Weinstein first pressured her for sex in her apartment after the two had been at a party celebrating the premiere of the film Blue Valentine in 2010, and threatened to harm her career if she did not submit, then raped her when she refused.

The lawsuit says that Weinstein taunted her with phone calls for two weeks, and on December 23 she agreed to see him at her apartment with the intention of demanding that he stop the calls.

She drank large amounts of alcohol in her anxiety, making her vulnerable, and Weinstein raped her again, according to the suit.

Three weeks later in January 2011, the two were both in Los Angeles for a series of awards-season events when de la Huerta again tried to confront Weinstein, the suit says.

Her lawsuit alleges the mogul opened the door of his room at the Four Seasons Hotel and exposed himself to her and invited her to have a sexual encounter with him and another woman who was in the room and undressed.

De la Huerta left feeling embarrassed, scared, shocked and humiliated, according to the lawsuit.

She then drank excessively and was denied entry to a GQ party at the Chateau Marmont, it adds.

Photographers captured video of the drunken actress, further damaging her reputation and career, the lawsuit says.

More than 75 women have accused Weinstein, who was one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, of wrongdoing.

Weinstein has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex, with his lawyer challenging the credibility of his accusers.
The Prince of Wales has spoken of his passion for cooking grouse and how he lets red squirrels run around his home.

Charles has edited the latest edition of Country Life and reveals in the magazine how he leaves nuts for the incredibly special creatures to find in his jacket pockets.

He has created a variation on the famous Greek dish moussaka substituting grouse for lamb and calling it groussaka  and talks to his rare breed turkeys.

Despite being endangered in England red squirrels populate large parts of Scotland and Charles describes how they visit his Birkhall home on the Queens Balmoral estate.

Charles with a red squirrel at his Birkhall home on the Balmoral Estate (Sue Crawford/Clarence House)

Writing in the magazine the prince, who is patron of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust, says: They come into the house at Birkhall and we get them chasing each other round and round the inside.

If I sit here quietly, they will do so around me. Sometimes when I leave my jackets on a chair with nuts in the pockets, I see them with their tails sticking out, as they hunt for nuts  they are incredibly special creatures.

Grey squirrels, which arrived from North America in the 19th century, now outnumber native red squirrels by more than 15 to one.

They have out-competed the reds for resources and food and carry a disease which affects their smaller neighbours.

William is interviewed for Country Life and says about his fathers love of the mammals: He is completely infatuated by the red squirrels that live around the estate in Scotland  to the extent that hes given them names and is allowing them into the house!

Charles is a supporter of country crafts (Tim Ockenden/PA)

Charles also talks about his love of food at the end of an article about one of his favourite recipes, pheasant crumble pie.

The prince says: I got this recipe from someone I know. It is delicious.

I invented a grouse one recently, Coq au vin with grouse, as well as moussaka with grouse, it doesnt always have to be lamb, in other words groussaka!

Rural heroes are featured by the heir to the throne in the magazine, from foresters to craft cheese makers.

Gail Sprake, Rare Breeds Survival Trust chairman, is highlighted and says Charles began keeping Crollwitzer turkeys after she asked him why he did not have turkeys at Dumfries House, the Scottish mansion he helped save.

She added: I spotted the turkeys at a subsequent meeting and the prince shared with me that he enjoys feeding and talking to them  that told me that I was in the presence of a true rare breed enthusiast.
Sales in Scotland fell flat in October, with retailers recording a decline for the first time since spring.

Total sales in Scotland were down 0.2% compared with last year and down 0.6% on a like-for-like basis.

It follows five months of recorded increases from May to September, according to the Scottish Retail Consortium-KPMG monthly Scottish Retail Sales Monitor.

Sales of food, mobile phones and gaming products were steady but clothing and footwear faltered despite widespread discounts and promotions, while household appliances and furniture also fared poorly.

David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: After a positive run over the previous five months Scottish retail sales ran out of puff in October, recording an essentially flat performance once shop price deflation is taken into account.

The growth in grocery eased back markedly, with non-food sales lethargic once again.

Sales in Scotland were down for the first time since April (John Stillwell/PA)

Retailers will be hoping this dampening of consumer demand reflects only a temporary pause for breath, perhaps in anticipation of sharper deals becoming available in the Black Friday sales later this month.

Paul Martin, head of retail in Scotland for KPMG, said: Some retailers have already been forced to bring forward planned promotional activity and flash sales to encourage spending but it doesnt appear to have had the desired effect.

As we approach the most important time of the year for retailers, some tough decisions will need to be made between volume of sales and profit.

Many in the retail community will also be looking ahead to Decembers Scottish budget in the hope announcements will be made to ease pressure on businesses and provide financial relief for Scottish consumers.
School buildings need to be properly maintained to protect children, the Scottish Conservatives have said.

New figures reveal at least 150 building safety incidents were recorded at Scottish schools in the last two years.

A freedom of information request was made to local authorities in Scotland asking them to detail incidents involving either the collapse or partial collapse of a wall or structure, or a child or teacher being struck by a falling object.

Of the 32 councils contacted, 18 published a response to the request made by the Tories.

Three of the incidents took place at Liberton High in Edinburgh, the school where 12-year-old Keane Wallis-Bennett died when a wall collapsed in 2014.

Incidents reported across schools in Scotland included the falling of tiles or concrete and the collapse of walls, roofs or doors.

A pupil died at Liberton High after a wall inside the school collapsed onto her (David Cheskin/PA)

Dundee reported the highest number of incidents, with 49 reports over 2017-2018.

Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary Liz Smith said: Each one of these incidents represents a risky situation that children or staff have been put in while at school.

Children and staff must be safe at school and the fabric of the school buildings must be maintained properly.

Including building reports in school inspections is an obvious way to ensure that school buildings are fit for purpose and prevent any more avoidable accidents.

It is extremely fortunate that more children or staff havent been hurt.

The SNP must ensure that schools are properly built and maintained  including building reports in school inspections would enable effective monitoring of school buildings and prevent further harm.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: The health and safety of all pupils while at school in Scotland is of paramount importance to us.

All local authorities have a statutory responsibility to manage and maintain the school estate and provide a safe environment for young people and staff.

In the current year, councils will receive a local government finance settlement of 10.7 billion.

This will provide a real-terms boost in both revenue and capital funding for public services, including education budgets.
The NHS will invest up to 46 million to help tens of thousands of people living with diabetes to receive life-changing treatment.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens has pledged to end the postcode lottery where type 1 in some parts of the country are not able to get glucose monitors.

Mr Stevens said from April next year the NHS will ensure the Freestyle Libre devices are available on prescription for all patients who qualify for them.

The wearable sensor scraps the need for inconvenient and sometimes painful finger prick blood tests by relaying glucose levels to a smartphone or e-reader, making it easier to notice when sugar levels are starting to rise or drop so action can be taken quicker.

Prime Minister Theresa May has one of the devices, which is the size of a 2 coin and sits on the arm.

In his announcement, which coincides with World Diabetes Day on Wednesday, Mr Stevens said the plan aims to allow patients the tools and information to manage their own conditions more easily.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens (Tolga Akmen/PA)

He added: Increasingly the NHS is going to be offering patients this sort of technology to help them more easily manage their own long-term health problem.

In the NHS of the future, for many conditions youre going to get NHS support direct from your smartphone or wearable device rather than having to trek to regular hospital outpatient appointments.

Supporting people with modern tools to manage conditions such as Type 1 diabetes is about to become much more widespread.

Innovations such as these also free up time and resources for the NHS as a whole.

The plan will allow patients to receive it on prescription from their GP or diabetes team and help them to better manage their blood sugar levels.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the monitors will save the NHS time and resources by preventing people becoming ill in the first place.

He added: This is the perfect example of the NHS seizing the opportunity of new technology to help people manage their conditions from the comfort of their own home.

I want to see innovations like these become commonplace in our healthcare system so millions of people across the country stay out of hospital and can get on with their lives.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock (John Stillwell/PA)

NHS England predicts the move will increase the proportion of type 1 diabetics using the device to rise from between 3-5% up to about 25%.

This would expand the support to between 45,000 and 50,000 people with type 1 diabetes which is estimated to cost between 41 million and 46 million annually.

The cash is expected to come from the planned increase local clinical commissioning group allocations from 2018-19 to 2019-20.

Diabetes UK chief executive Chris Askew said the move was a huge step forward which will be welcomed by thousands of people with type 1 diabetes.

He added: Once in place, these measures should mean an end to the variation in availability and the postcode lottery that have dogged access to this life-changing technology.

The diabetes crisis is a fight that must be fought on many fronts, and Diabetes UK will continue to champion access to new and established technology  and gold standard care  wherever variation and inaccessibility exist.

The announcement comes at the same time NHS Blood and Transplant services called for more organ donors after more diabetics required transplants.

It said the number of people with diabetes needing simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplants rose by 5.5% to 172 in 2017-18 despite a drop in the total number of people on the waiting list.

NHS Blood and Transplant medical director John Forsythe said: Diabetes is a condition that affects many parts of the body and over a long period of time it can lead to kidney failure, dialysis and the need for a kidney transplant.

There are around 876 waiting for an organ transplant who also have diabetes and more than 80 per cent, 725, are waiting for a kidney, a combined kidney and pancreas, or pancreatic islets.
Brexit takes the headlines on Wednesday as Theresa May said she has secured a deal for Britain to leave the EU, but the Prime Minister has been accused of betrayal over concessions in the agreement.

The Times leads on Britains departure from the EU, saying Mrs May will put her future in the hands of senior ministers as she asks them to sign off the deal.

The Daily Telegraph talks of Mrs Mays moment of truth as members of the Eurosceptic European Research Group are said to be putting leave-supporting ministers under pressure to quit over the blueprint.

The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph: May faces 'moment of truth' on Brexit deal #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/W2NX9a6Kzy  The Telegraph (@Telegraph) November 13, 2018

The Guardian carries the latest on Britains departure from the EU, saying that hardliners are urging senior ministers to block the pact.

The Guardian front page, Wednesday 14 November 2018 | Brexit: May tells her cabinet, this is the deal  now back me pic.twitter.com/UD7Gmrss9Q  The Guardian (@guardian) November 13, 2018

The Financial Times also speaks of a moment of truth with the deal already denounced by sceptics.

Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Wednesday 14 November https://t.co/uoZpnWAStH pic.twitter.com/VdhoGtR4xW  Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) November 13, 2018

The Metro says the Brexit deal is on the table after a draft proposal was hammered out with negotiators in Brussels.

What the papers say - November 14

The i carries the headline deal done, but adds that the PM now needs to get the proposals past the Cabinet, Commons, Lords, DUP and the other 27 nations in the EU.

Wednesday's front page: Deal done - Theresa May summons Cabinet to approve her Brexit deal #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/ep0ey5bIei  i newspaper (@theipaper) November 13, 2018

The Daily Mirror carries a report on the death of Omar Zouhri, who was bitten by a cat with rabies while in Morocco.

The Sun carries a full-page picture of the Prince of Wales and his family under the headline the Grins of Wales, while the Daily Mail also runs the picture alongside a Brexit story, saying Mrs May is facing judgment day.

The Daily Express says Mrs May has the fight of her life to convince people her deal is the best for Britain.

Tomorrows @Daily_Express front page:



- This Brexit deal is best for Britain



- Charles at 70: Happy birthday to a doting grandpa#frontpages #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/cioTpKFalO  Daily Express (@Daily_Express) November 13, 2018

And the Daily Star leads on the latest in the search for missing Madeleine McCann.
Plans to begin repatriating more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees to Burma have been scrapped after officials in Bangladesh failed to find any who wanted to go.

Refugee Commissioner Abul Kalam said on Thursday that the refugees are not willing to go back now.

He added that officials cant force them to go but will continue to try to motivate them so it happens.

Rohingya refugee Sitara Begum with her son Mohammed Abbas (Dar Yasin/AP)

The announcement came after about 1,000 Rohingya demonstrated against returning to Burma, from where hundreds of thousands fled army-led violence last year.

A UN-brokered deal between Burma and Bangladesh says refugees can only be repatriated voluntarily.

UN officials and human-rights groups cautioned against beginning the process before the refugees safety had been assured.
Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next.
An elderly couple have been robbed by two armed men who entered their house to demand money and stole a car.

The two robbers escaped with jewellery, money and a black Vauxhall Corsa following the incident in Strathyre Avenue, Dundee, on Wednesday evening.

The couple, who are aged in their 70s, were at home when the men entered the property at around 7.30pm, brandishing a weapon.

Police are appealing for information about the men, who were both wearing hats and Burberry scarves over their faces.

Couple in their 70s robbed in their home at Strathyre Ave #Dundee last night. 2 men entered brandishing a weapon. Robbed of cash, jewellery & a black Corsa SG13 ZLZ stolen. Police presence in the area whilst enquiries are ongoing. Call 101 quoting ref CR/2795/18 if you can help pic.twitter.com/1mqfz2pbIh  Dundee Police (@DundeePolice) November 15, 2018

Detective Inspector Gavin McKinlay said: Thankfully, the couple were unhurt but extremely shocked by the incident.

We are keen to trace two men in connection with the robbery. They made off with ladies and gents jewellery, cash, currency and a black Vauxhall Corsa with the registration mark SG13 ZLZ.

Police are investigating after a couple were robbed in their home in Dundee (Joe Giddens/PA)

One of the men is described as being 5ft 8in, of slim build, with dark hair. He was wearing a grey knitted hat and a Burberry scarf over his face.

The other man is described as been 5ft 8in, of slim build, with dark hair. He was wearing a hat and a Burberry scarf over his face. He was wearing a cream coloured jacket with a circular motif.

Officers are carrying out door-to-door inquiries and a review of CCTV footage as part of the investigation. We believe there is no wider risk to the public but there will be a continued presence in the area whilst inquiries are ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting CR/27950/18, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.
Its been an eventful day in Parliament, with a series of ministerial resignations and the Prime Minister threatened with a vote of no-confidence over her Brexit deal.

Little surprise then that #BrexitChaos was the top trend in the UK as Theresa May addressed MPs in the Commons about her plans.

Among those who quit the Prime Ministers Cabinet were Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey.

Social media users reacted to the news with tweets serious and not-so-serious, as Britain discussed the prospect of the PMs three options: deal, no deal, or no Brexit at all.

Here are some of the best reactions social media had to offer.

1. Comedian Shappi Khorsandi offered to take Mr Raabs place.

(PA Images)

Oh god ALRIGHT! *ILL* be Brexit secretary  Shaparak Khorsandi (@ShappiKhorsandi) November 15, 2018

2. This journalist drew comparison to the Harry Potter books

3. David Baddiel made this incredible pun.

I feel I should take the job of Brexit Secretary now. If only so that when I resign, Theresa May can finally be proved right than No Deal is better than a Baddiel.  David Baddiel (@Baddiel) November 15, 2018

4. John Prescott asked for this one simple favour.

Will the last person to leave the Cabinet please turn out the lights? Thanks. #brexitshambles  John Prescott (@johnprescott) November 15, 2018

5. Actor Rob Delaney gave everyone this strong mental image.

Mays govt is a festival toilet on wheels careening down a hill toward a childrens face painting booth  rob delaney (@robdelaney) November 15, 2018

6. Comedian Ian Stone suggested everybody should get a go at Mr Raabs job.

Was it not Andy Warhol who said that in the future everyone would be Brexit secretary for fifteen minutes?  Ian Stone (@iandstone) November 15, 2018

7. Try to keep up with this

The man who negotiated Brexit resigned today to position himself to lead the party he wants to negotiate against the deal he negotiated.  Armando Iannucci (@Aiannucci) November 15, 2018

8. Dont worry, this important member of Government hasnt resigned.

9. Lastly, this Twitter user remained optimistic.
Northern Ireland has been sold out by the Prime Minister and the UKs Brexit negotiators, MPs have heard.

Theresa May was told her draft EU withdrawal agreement threatened the integrity of the UK and risked isolating Northern Ireland from the rest of the country.

DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds, speaking in the Commons, told Mrs May despite numerous private meetings on such issues she had not listened to concerns.

He said: I could today stand here and take the Prime Minister through the list of promises and pledges that she made to this House and to us privately about the future of Northern Ireland and the future relationship with the EU but I fear it would be a waste of time since she clearly doesnt listen.

Mr Dodds congratulated the Cabinet ministers who had so far resigned over the deal, adding: The choice is now clear, we stand up for the United Kingdom, the whole of the United Kingdom, the integrity of the United Kingdom or we vote for a vassal state.

The DUPs Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson said the deal was a case of Northern Ireland being put on a platter as an object to surrender to the EU.

DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds told Mrs May, despite numerous private meetings, she had not listened to concerns (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Labour former minister Kate Hoey later added: Outside this House when people read these hundreds of pages of eurospeak, they will realise that in any way we are being sold out, weve been sold out by our negotiators who have allowed the EU to take the lead.

Will she not accept that at this stage not only are we all being collectively sold out, but the people of Northern Ireland are being sold out absolutely?

Mrs May responded: I do not agree with her in relation to the suggestion that in some sense the EU Commission, the European Union has given nothing away to the UK during these negotiations, these have been tough negotiations, this is a complex matter.

She added: The backstop is something which neither side, neither the United Kingdom nor the European Union wish to ever see being exercised.

DUP MP Jim Shannon later told Mrs May Northern Ireland will not be her sacrifice for a despicable and shoddy Brexit deal.

The MP for Strangford said: She is telling us to trade our childrens, grandchildrens and constituents birthright for a despicable and shoddy deal.

Prime Minister, we will not be your sacrifice and we will not agree to give the backstop controls to the EU or to the Republic of Ireland. Never.

Mrs May said she respected his concerns over Northern Ireland but rejected the idea she was using the nation as a sacrifice.

She said: While respecting him, I do reject the description he has given of what is being done in relation to this deal.

Its clear its necessary to have a withdrawal agreement and in that agreement to have this insurance policy and there are various ways in which that insurance policy can be exercised.

Its my firm hope and my intent in everything we work for and do to ensure the backstop does not need to be put into practice.
A shopkeeper and two other men waited for darkness before murdering five people in an explosion, hoping their evil plans would go unnoticed, a court has heard.

Leicester Crown Court heard Arkan Ali was a prime candidate for having doused the basement of a Polish supermarket with petrol before the blast and ensuing fire in February.

The jury was also told co-defendant Hawkar Hassan remained nearby in a white Audi and was in reality up to no good as he acted as a getaway driver.

The prosecution said shopkeeper Aram Kurd had been communicating with Ali on alleged victim Viktorija Ijevlevas phone to tell him all was ready so he could light the petrol himself.

Hawkar Hussan, Arkan Ali and Aram Kurd in the dock at Leicester Crown Court (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

The trio allegedly hatched their plan for the explosion in an 80-minute meeting in a coffee shop as Alis partner Ms Ijevleva was in the store, called Zabka.

Prosecutor David Herbert QC said the defendants claimed that, as the explosion took place, they drove away from the shop on Hinckley Road, Leicester, in blissful ignorance, which he said defies credibility.

Ali, 37, Hassan, 33, and Kurd, 34, have pleaded not guilty to five counts of murder and five alternative counts of manslaughter.

Viktorija Ijevleva (Leicestershire Police/PA)

The trio also deny conspiring with 22-year-old Ms Ijevleva, the partner of Ali, to make a gain by dishonestly pursuing a claim on an overinflated insurance policy worth around 300,000 in respect of a fire at the shop.

Ms Ijevleva, Mary Ragoobeer, 46, her teenage sons Shane and Sean, and 18-year-old Leah Beth Reek, who was Shanes girlfriend, were all killed in the blast.

Mary Ragoobeer with her sons Sean and Shane (Leicestershire Police/PA)

Disturbing bodycam footage shown to the court showed a casualty, Thomas Lindop, under the rubble with a severe head injury.

He had been walking by the shop at the time of the blast and suffered a traumatic brain injury and fractures to his skull, head, pelvis and spine, leaving him in hospital for around three months.

Families of those who died were in tears as they heard cries for help on some of the footage shown to the court, including teenager Scotty Ragoobeer, who survived the explosion in what the prosecution described as a miracle.

Leah Beth Reek (Leicestershire Police/PA)

Continuing his opening of the case on Thursday, Mr Herbert spoke of how witnesses saw the car drive away from the shop.

He said: A witness noticed at least the driver was looking at the scene of the explosion.

They will attempt to claim they drove off back to Coventry in blissful ignorance of it all. You may think that defies credibility.

The jury of seven women and five men saw CCTV footage of Kurd carrying different items into the shop on the afternoon of February 25.

Speaking about where the defendants allegedly came up with the plan for the explosion, Mr Herbert said: They went to the High Cross shopping centre and went to Costa Coffee.

The prosecution say it is entirely safe to infer that the men made their plans for the explosion in Costa Coffee.

Addressing the moments before the devastating blast, Mr Herbert said: The white Audi remained nearby and the reality is that that behaviour showed that (Hassan) was up to no good and had been essentially acting as a getaway driver for Arkan Ali.

Given they were there and made no attempt to go back to Coventry, it demonstrates they must have been up to no good.

They were, you may think, waiting for darkness and they hoped their evil plans would go unnoticed.

The court heard that Ali and Kurd were in contact with each other moments before the explosion.

Mr Herbert continued: What we suggest was, plainly, Ali was informing Kurd that all was ready  either because he had lit the fire himself or, even if he wasnt the one who ignited it, he was saying all was ready so that Kurd could light the petrol himself.

The fact that nobody at that stage tried to inform (Ms Ijevleva) about what was happening in the basement showed that they must have intended her to be caught in the explosion.

They of course had ample opportunity to warn her.

Ali, of Drake Close, Oldham, Hassan, of Eld Road, Coventry, and Kurd, of Hillary Place, Leicester, deny all 11 charges against them.
Representatives from Northern Ireland parties have said that the draft agreement for Brexit is an opportunity to look at the glass half-full.

Members of the SDLP, Sinn Fein, Alliance and Northern Ireland Green Party met Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney on Thursday in Dublin.

After the meeting, Sinn Fein leader for Northern Ireland Michelle ONeill said: We have had a very positive meeting, where we were able to seek some assurances over what has been achieved in the agreement so far.

We set out as four pro-Remain parties with a common objective, in the first instance we speak for the majority in Northern Ireland, and were conscious that the DUP do not speak for the majority in the north.

We come at it from a number of bases, firstly that we need to protect the Good Friday Agreement, we need permanency in the backstop and no room for withdrawal from the British Government, and that has been achieved thus far.

We are broadly positive.

Representatives from Northern Ireland parties leaving Government Buildings in Dublin, following a Brexit briefing with Leo Varadkar (PA)

Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill and SDLPs Colm Eastwood say the group of Northern Ireland representatives in Dublin today represent the majority of Northern Ireland on a cross-community basis. They meet with Leo Varadkar along with reps from Alliance and NI Green Party this morning. pic.twitter.com/RXQsgciBZi  aoife moore. (@aoifegracemoore) November 15, 2018

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood called on those in Westminster to consider Northern Irelands position in Brexit negotiations.

I would say to the people in Westminster, I know you have your own constituencies but we have a responsibility, and I think everyone has a responsibility to avoid a hard border, this does that, he said.

We cannot risk the peace and progress we have made.

The four party representatives have travelled together over recent weeks to state the case for Northern Ireland, where 56% voted to remain in the EU.

Stephen Farry, from the Alliance Party, called for cool heads as negotiations continued in Westminster.

For those people who are trying to dramatise this, they are getting that badly wrong, they have to have a cool response to this, a rational consideration of the issues before us, he said.

This is not a change to the constitutional position, this is all about pragmatic interventions to protect our economy.

The group said the agreement was significant for citizens in Northern Ireland and not the time for incendiary language.

I think its a day for a glass half-full approach, Ms ONeill said.

The group appealed to unionist representatives to join them at the table to protect Northern Irelands future.

This deal has the potential for us to have the best of both worlds, to be a bridge to the market in Ireland and Great Britain, a source of potential investment Mr Farry added.

Were very open to unionism engaging in this process, we have a common interest in protecting Northern Ireland.

Our message is that unionism should come and join us at the table and let us have a collective effort to stand up together.

Ms ONeill added: Brexit is not orange or green.

It affects all of us equally.

None of the parties had yet spoken to anyone from the DUP since the draft text agreement was announced.
Jack Leach admitted Englands game plan took a wrong turn on day two in Kandy but believes the prospect of bowling last on a spinning pitch offers plenty of reason for optimism.

The tourists were quietly confident that their first-innings total of 285 was a strong foundation on a dry and turning track but were faced with a 46-run deficit after the hosts dug in for 103 overs in the second Test at Pallekele Stadium.

England eventually finished Sri Lanka off for 336, Roshen Silva last man out for 85  the knock of the match and one which helped squeeze 125 runs from the last three partnerships.

England were frustrated by late partnerships (Eranga Jayawardena/AP)

Leach and Adil Rashid shared six wickets, Moeen Ali added two and even part-time spinner Joe Root got in on the act, but there was no avoiding the conclusion that Englands spin unit let Sri Lanka off the leash.

Despite the ball jagging off the pitch, precision and pressure went missing too often and Root was forced into stationing boundary riders rather than close catchers more frequently than he would like.

We had a chat and were a little bit disappointed that theyve got a lead, conceded Leach.

At one point we were hoping we would have that lead going into our batting but were feeling good about bowling last on that wicket.

On these wickets you have to be extra patient, always asking questions of the batter. I feel I could have done that a little better and thats something I have to take away and learn from.

Leach even suggested the pitch was offering slightly too much assistance, zipping comfortably past the bat rather than finding a nick on the way through. That is a lesson banked for the business end of this finely-poised clash.

I liked seeing it spin but sometimes you bowl a lot of balls that miss the outside edge. Those balls look great but theyre not creating a chance, he said.

At times that craft is how can I take spin off, maybe get one to slide or just grip a little bit.

Jack Leach opened the batting for England (Eranga Jayawardena/AP)

First, though, Leach has a job to do with bat in hand. He was selected as nightwatchman when England were left with a solitary over of Dilruwan Perera before stumps, successfully deputising for Keaton Jennings.

No, I didnt expect that, he said, before anointing himself the heir to a Somerset team-mate and former England opener Marcus Trescothick.

It was a good moment, Ive taken Tres spot at the top of the order! I just knew I had to get through one over and make it last as long as possible.

I could hear the crowd cheering every ball so that got me going a little bit. I was pleased to make the end of the day.
Untold damage was caused by evidence disclosure failings that rocked the criminal justice system, a Government review has concluded.

It found police and prosecutors did not routinely comply with a duty to record, retain and review material collected during investigations.

The report flagged up a catalogue of shortcomings, including a failure to pursue lines of inquiry that might clear the accused.

Publishing the review, the Attorney Generals Office said: Disclosure obligations begin at the start of an investigation, and investigators have a duty to conduct a thorough investigation, manage all material appropriately and follow all reasonable lines of inquiry, whether they point towards or away from any suspect.

The review found that this was not happening routinely in all cases.

At the least this caused costly delays for the justice system and at worst it meant that cases were being pursued which the evidence did not support.

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox QC has published a Government review on disclosure failings in the criminal justice system (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The impact of these failings caused untold damage to those making allegations and those accused of them.

Confidence in the criminal justice system was dealt a blow last year after a flurry of cases collapsed.

In the lead-up to trials, police and prosecutors are required to hand over relevant material that can undermine the prosecution case or assist the defence.

The regime came under sharp focus after a string of defendants facing rape allegations had charges against them dropped when critical material emerged at the last minute.

Amid mounting controversy, the Crown Prosecution Service launched a review of every live rape and serious sexual assault prosecution in England and Wales.

The exercise found issues with the disclosure of unused material in 47 cases.

The separate Government assessment published on Thursday examined cases in the magistrates courts, as well as more complex crown court cases and specialist types of case, including economic crime and sexual offences.

It concluded disclosure problems are system-wide and identified deficiencies including:

 Investigators not pursuing reasonable lines of inquiry that might exculpate the accused

 Disclosure obligations not being considered with sufficient attention from the outset of a criminal investigation

 Investigators and their supervisors not thoroughly checking case papers before a submission to prosecutors

 Prosecutors failing to challenge or probe gaps in the investigation

 Disclosure issues and tasks being left until too late a stage

While welcoming steps already being taken by police and the CPS to address the issues, the Government called for a zero tolerance culture on disclosure failings.

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox QC said: For too long, disclosure has been seen as an administrative add-on rather than fundamental pillar of our justice system. This ends now.

I am confident that the leaders of the police and prosecution now understand the need for change and together we will make sure that public confidence in the disclosure system is restored.

Noting that the vast increase in digital material has presented investigators and prosecutors with an unprecedented challenge, the review suggested greater use of technology such as artificial intelligence.

It also said significant improvements could be gained from performing disclosure tasks earlier in the process.

Emily Bolton, legal director of the Centre for Criminal Appeals, said: While this review accepts that there are serious problems that need fixing, it ignores the plight of those who are already wrongly imprisoned because of police and prosecutors failing to disclose key evidence.

Director of Public Prosecutions Max Hill said: Rebuilding public confidence following the issues around disclosure is crucial and I welcome the Attorney Generals recognition of the progress that has been made.

The CPS has worked closely with the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing to drive lasting improvements and will maintain our focus to make sure we bring about the necessary culture changes.

NPCC lead for disclosure Assistant Chief Constable Jeremy Burton also welcomed the Attorney Generals recognition of progress made.

He added: The next phase of the improvement plan will be released soon, and will build on existing foundations to consolidate our progress, and embed the culture shift which ensures all officers and staff recognise that getting disclosure right is a fundamental part of a fair criminal justice system.
Police investigating the murder of a man near his mothers pub in Glasgow have been encouraged after returning to the scene a week after the death.

Owen Hassan, 30, died in hospital after he was seriously injured in Greenview Street, Shawlands, at about 10.30pm on November 7.

Detectives said Mr Hassan suffered an extremely violent assault but managed to make his way back to the nearby Old Stag Inn, where his mother and customers tried to help him.

Police returned to the scene on Wednesday night to speak to drivers and people who are regularly in the area.

Owen Hassan was killed in "an extremely violent assault" (Police Scotland/PA)

Detective Chief Inspector Martin Fergus said: This was a worthwhile exercise and I have been encouraged by the response from the public.

Around 50 people were spoken to and we are currently assessing the information they provided. Everyone was very co-operative and understood the importance of this operation and I would like to thank them for their assistance.

Our investigation into Owens murder is progressing and we have been encouraged by the results of various lines of inquiry, including CCTV footage and house-to-house inquiries.

The team remain focused on tracing the two men responsible for this crime, but we cannot do it alone. We need the publics help.

Mr Hassan had met a friend for dinner in Oro in Kilmarnock Road last Wednesday and left around 5.30pm.

Police are trying to establish what the 30-year-old did between leaving the restaurant and arriving at the Old Stag Inn at around 10.20pm.

He left the pub shortly afterwards and was chased by two men who attacked him.

Mr Fergus said: Again, I would like to reiterate my appeal to the public for information. I am sure that there are people who hold details on this murder who have not yet come forward.

Please dont wait for the police to visit you at home, do the right thing and come forward.

Anyone who has not yet spoken to police and has information in connection with any aspect of this crime is asked to contact the investigation team through 101, quoting reference number 4167 of November 7.

If, for whatever reason, people are reluctant to contact officers, they should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be maintained.
Britains biggest banks have reportedly been summoned for a call with City regulators over market turbulence after Government Brexit resignations sent the pound and stocks tumbling.

Bank of England governor Mark Carney personally ordered the call to be held between regulators and lenders, according to the Reuters report.

It is understood major UK banks were asked for their feedback on the market reaction to the shock resignation of Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, which was followed shortly after by Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey.

Picture

A spokesman for the Financial Conduct Authority said: As you would expect, in this type of situation, we have regular contact with firms and will continue to engage with them.

The pound fell sharply against most major currencies, falling 1.5% to 1.28 US dollars and was also 1.5% down at 1.13 euros as Theresa Mays draft Brexit deal was thrown into chaos.

Stocks exposed to the UK economy dived into the red, with housebuilders and banks the worst affected.

Experts said sterling will remain under pressure as the Prime Minister now fights to save not only her Brexit deal but also her position.

James Hughes, chief market analyst at Axi Trader, said: Sterling previously moved on clarity rather than positive and negative headlines.

This has now changed and it seems sterling is now a barometer of the PMs ability to hold onto her job.

He added: If the discontent and resignations continue then the pound will remain under pressure.

David Cheetham, chief market analyst at online trading group XTB, said the currency reaction was reminiscent of the Chequers deal in the summer where initial support from the Cabinet has proved short-lived for Theresa May.

Foreign exchange experts at ING predicted the pound could fall another 3% to 4% unless the threat of a leadership challenge is quashed or there are clearer signs that the withdrawal agreement can garner more support in Parliament.

On the FTSE 100 Index, Taylor Wimpey and Charles Church owner Persimmon were the biggest casualties of the Brexit chaos, both suffering 8% falls.

Lender Royal Bank of Scotland led falls in the banking sector, down 6%, with Lloyds Banking Group also falling 5% and Barclays 4%.

Retailers, whose fortunes are also seen linked to the health of the UK economy, were likewise deep in the red.

Shares in high street bellwethers Marks & Spencer and Next both fell 5%.

The wider blue chip share index edged 12.4 points higher to 7046.2 as these falls were offset by share gains for global firms, such as mining groups, which benefit from falls in the pound as they make their money overseas.
Leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has submitted a letter of no confidence in Theresa May, as the Prime Minister reels from the loss of four ministers  including two from her Cabinet  in protest at her Brexit plans.

Mr Rees-Mogg, who chairs the European Research Group of Eurosceptic Tories, said he expected the threshold of 48 MPs letters to be passed, triggering a vote on Mrs Mays future. But he denied mounting a coup and said he was not putting himself forward as her successor.

In Brussels, Mr Tusk was handed a copy of the 585-page withdrawal agreement by EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

Ministers and ambassadors of the remaining 27 EU states will work to finalise by next Tuesday the political declaration on future relations with the UK, published in outline form on Wednesday, he said.

Welcoming the UK Cabinets collective agreement to accept the withdrawal document, Mr Tusk said: Of course, I do not share the Prime Ministers enthusiasm about Brexit as such.

Since the very beginning, we have had no doubt that Brexit is a lose-lose situation and our negotiations are only about damage control.

He sent a message to the British people: As much as I am sad to see you leave, I will do everything to make this farewell the least painful possible, both for you and for us.
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Russian authorities arrests of opposition leader Alexei Navalny were politically motivated, a decision that deals a blow to the Kremlins dismissal of him as a mere troublemaker.

Mr Navalny hailed the ruling as an example of genuine justice and said it is an important signal for many people in Russia who face arbitrary detentions for their political activities.

The courts highest chamber found that Russian authorities violated multiple human rights in detaining Mr Navalny seven times from 2012 to 2014, and that two of the arrests were expressly aimed at suppressing political pluralism.

It ordered Russia to pay Mr Navalny 63,000 euro in damages, and called on Russia to fix legislation to take due regard of the fundamental importance of the right to peaceful assembly.

The ruling is final and binding on Russia as a member of the Council of Europe, the continents human rights watchdog.

Im very pleased with this ruling, this is genuine justice, Mr Navalny told reporters after the hearing.

This ruling is very important not only for me but also for many people in Russia who face similar arrests on a daily basis.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny answers journalists questions (Jean-Francois Badias/AP)

Russia is obliged to carry out the courts rulings, which enforce the European Convention on Human Rights, but it has delayed implementing past rulings from the court and argued against them as encroaching on Russian judicial sovereignty.

Mr Navalny told reporters that he expects the Russian government to ignore this ruling and dismiss it on political grounds.

Mr Navalny, arguably Russian President Vladimir Putins most serious foe, has been convicted of fraud in two separate trials that have been widely viewed as political retribution for his investigations of official corruption and his leading role in staging anti-government protests.

Over the years, Mr Navalny has been detained by the police multiple times.

Russias President Vladimir Putin (Alexei Druzhinin/AP)

In what has become almost a routine, police stop him outside his home or as he makes his way to an anti-government protest that he has organised.

He has spent more than 140 days behind bars in the past year and a half.

The Kremlin routinely dismisses Mr Navalny, who garnered a quarter of the vote at the 2013 Moscow mayoral election, as a troublemaker with no political backing.

Russias representative to the ECHR, Deputy Justice Minister Mikhail Galperin, argued during a hearing earlier this year that Mr Navalnys arrests were all justified and that his unauthorised rallies put public security at risk.

He suggested Mr Navalny staged his arrests to get media attention.

Mr Navalny was present for the announcement in the courts headquarters in the French city of Strasbourg, after a last-minute legal problem delayed his arrival.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny (Jean-Francois Badias/AP)

In an initial ruling last year, the European court said that his past arrests were unlawful, but did not rule on Mr Navalnys arguments that the arrests were politically motivated.

The Russian government and Mr Navalny both appealed, and the case went to the courts Grand Chamber.

Mr Navalny mounted a grassroots presidential campaign last year before he was officially barred from running in this years election, which Mr Putin overwhelmingly won.

About a third of the courts cases last year involved Russia, and of 305 judgments concerning Russia in 2017, 293 found at least one rights violation.
Blunders made by a private company which resulted in more than 40,000 women not being sent the appropriate smear test information are unacceptable, health minister Steve Brine has said.

Capita has accepted full responsibility and apologised after 43,220 women did not receive cervical screening invitation and reminder letters inviting them to make a routine cervical screening appointment. In some cases women received neither.

A further 4,508 women were not sent letters informing them of the result of their cervical screening.

Mr Brine said Capita has confirmed that the incident was caused by files from its call and recall operations team not being correctly sent and uploaded to its print and despatch service between January and October.

Cervical screening can detect abnormal cell changes in the cervix that could potentially develop into cervical cancer. Find out more: https://t.co/gN0KP8rgPY #CervicalCancerPreventionWeek #CCPW #CCPW17 #SmearForSmear pic.twitter.com/GvSp5bd5JQ  NHS England and NHS Improvement (@NHSEngland) January 23, 2018

In a written statement to MPs, he said: Incidents of this type are not only unacceptable in terms of the impact they have on the women affected, but they also undermine public confidence in our screening programmes as a whole.

For the majority of the 4,508 women who did not receive their result letter, their result was normal.

File photo dated 31/01/18 of a Capita sign outside their offices in Bournemouth, Dorset, as more details of their cervical cancer screening blunder emerge.

However, 182 women had a result that required a follow-up test (colposcopy) and 252 women needed an early repeat screening test.

He said that, in most instances, where the screening result requires further tests or treatments, the laboratory will usually refer the woman directly to a colposcopy clinic independently of the woman receiving her result letter from Capita.

For women needing early repeat testing, their GP routinely follows up these tests.

However, to make sure all women needing a colposcopy or an early repeat test are being managed correctly, every womans screening record is being checked to ensure they have been referred appropriately.

No harm has been identified to date, he said.

Capita has written to all the women who did not receive invitation or reminder letters and to those who did not get their normal result letter.

The GPs of women affected have also been informed so they can offer support to their patients.

Mr Brine went on: The NHS cervical cancer screening programme saves an estimated 5,000 lives a year by detecting abnormalities of the cervix early and referring women for effective treatment.

It is offered to women aged 25 to 49 every three years and those aged 50 to 64 every five years.

Our priority is patient safety and we will be assembling a clinical board that will provide oversight for the cervical screening call and recall service. This will ensure that every part of the process has an in-depth review.

NHS England has also announced it is undertaking an independent expert review of their screening programmes.

Capita said in a statement on Wednesday: The risk to women of this incident is low and there is no current evidence of harm, but Capita nevertheless apologises to both the NHS and to the women whose correspondence was delayed.
A permanent memorial should be erected to commemorate the forgotten soldiers from the British Indian Army, according to a heritage group.

Having been evacuated from Dunkirk during the Second World War, 13 soldiers travelled to Scotland but died after training in harsh conditions with British troops.

Nine of the men are buried in Kingussie, whilst the others were laid to rest in Aberdeenshire, Sutherland, and Banffshire.

However, there is currently no permanent memorial in Scotland to commemorate their sacrifice or the service of Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus who fought for Britain in both world wars.

More than 160,000 soldiers from the British Indian Army died in the wars.

The Glasgow-based Colourful Heritage initiative wants to erect a permanent memorial in Scotland and the idea is backed by Scottish Labour MSP Anas Sarwar, who attended a multi-faith remembrance service on Thursday.

The campaign aims to create a permanent memorial to soldiers from the British Indian Army who died during the world wars (David Davies/PA)

He said: As we mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, it is fitting to recognise the historic contribution of soldiers from the British Indian Army in both world wars.

They are our forgotten soldiers: thousands of young men from different faiths who travelled halfway around the world, with many making the ultimate sacrifice.

Our country has a diverse history, and we must do more to recognise that and give people a sense of belonging. I support calls for a permanent memorial in Scotland to the soldiers from the British Indian Army.

It would serve as a reminder for generations to come, and show children living here in Scotland whose ancestors are from India or Pakistan that they too have a stake in our countrys history and values.

Responding to calls at First Ministers Questions for a memorial, Nicola Sturgeon indicated she would be supportive of the proposals.

She said: I welcome the multi-faith remembrance service, I think that is very fitting and its an opportunity to remember and to remember with gratitude the contribution of the British Indian Army to the war effort.

Of course, weve just passed Armistice Day where we commemorated the centenary of the end of the first World War and also remember all of those who have lost their lives in conflict throughout the last century, and we must make sure that when we do that, we remember everybody.

I certainly would be very happy to take forward discussions about the possibility of a permanent memorial and I will ask the relevant minister to contact Anas Sarwar to kick off those discussions as soon as possible.

For anyone that ever asks What did people from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh ever do for Britain? > show them this picture. 4 million soldiers from pre-partition India fought. Contributed >78billion in todays money #WeWillRememberThem pic.twitter.com/l88bjCcbh8  Colourful Heritage (@ColourHeritage) November 10, 2018

Omar Shaikh, founder of Colourful Heritage, said: It is critical for a community to preserve its heritage so future generations know of its contributions.

For the South Asian community, the role of the British Indian Army is central to this. For too long the contributions of BME soldiers in both world wars have not been sufficiently remembered.

I am glad that Colourful Heritage is leading this effort in Scotland and, working together with the Armed Forces and Glasgow Museums, this story can now be told, which is so important in the current climate of anti-migrant narratives.
Jack Leach admitted Englands game plan took a wrong turn on day two in Kandy but believes the prospect of bowling last on a spinning pitch offers a reason for optimism.

The tourists were quietly confident that their first-innings total of 285 was a strong foundation on a dry and turning track, but were faced with a 46-run deficit after the hosts dug in for 103 overs in the second Test at Pallekele Stadium.

England eventually finished Sri Lanka off for 336, Roshen Silva was the last man out for 85 with the knock of the match so far and one which helped squeeze 125 runs from the last three partnerships.

England were frustrated by late partnerships (Eranga Jayawardena/AP)

Leach and Adil Rashid shared six wickets, Moeen Ali added two and even part-time spinner Joe Root got in on the act, but there was no avoiding the conclusion that Englands spin unit let Sri Lanka off the leash.

Despite the ball jagging off the pitch, precision and pressure went missing too often and Root was forced into stationing boundary riders rather than close catchers more frequently than he would like.

We had a chat and were a little bit disappointed that theyve got a lead, conceded Leach.

At one point we were hoping we would have that lead going into our batting but were feeling good about bowling last on that wicket.

On these wickets you have to be extra patient, always asking questions of the batter. I feel I could have done that a little better and thats something I have to take away and learn from.

Leach even suggested the pitch was offering slightly too much assistance, zipping comfortably past the bat rather than finding a nick on the way through. That will be a lesson banked for the business end of this finely-poised clash.

I liked seeing it spin but sometimes you bowl a lot of balls that miss the outside edge. Those balls look great but theyre not creating a chance, he said.

At times that craft is how can I take spin off, maybe get one to slide or just grip a little bit.

Jack Leach opened the batting for England (Eranga Jayawardena/AP)

First, though, Leach has a job to do with bat in hand. He was selected as nightwatchman when England were left with a solitary over of Dilruwan Perera before stumps, successfully deputising for Keaton Jennings.

No, I didnt expect that, he said, before anointing himself the heir to a Somerset team-mate and former England opener Marcus Trescothick.

It was a good moment, Ive taken Tres spot at the top of the order! I just knew I had to get through one over and make it last as long as possible.

I could hear the crowd cheering every ball so that got me going a little bit. I was pleased to make the end of the day.

Meanwhile, England captain Joe Root was given an official reprimand and one demerit point for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the second days play.

Root appeared to show dissent at umpire Marais Erasmus decision to turn down an appeal for the dismissal of Dilruwan Perera off Moeen Ali by shaking his head and kicking the turf.
The head of Bangladeshs refugee commission has said plans to start the repatriation of 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to Burma were scrapped after officials were unable to find anyone who wanted to return.

The refugees are not willing to go back now, refugee commissioner Abul Kalam said on Thursday, adding that officials cant force them to go but will continue to try to motivate them so it happens.

The announcement came after about 1,000 Rohingya demonstrated against returning to Burma, from where hundreds of thousands fled army-led violence last year.

Rohingya refugees wait for news (Dar Yasin/AP)

At the Unchiprang camp, one of the sprawling refugee settlements near the city of Coxs Bazar, another Bangladeshi refugee official implored the Rohingya to return to their country over a loudspeaker.

We have arranged everything for you, we have six buses here, we have trucks, we have food. We want to offer everything to you. If you agree to go, well take you to the border, to the transit camp, he said.

We wont go! hundreds of voices, including childrens, chanted in reply.

Bangladesh authorities had attempted to begin the repatriation of the Rohingya, despite calls from United Nations officials and human rights groups to hold off.

Rohingya refugees shout slogans during a protest (Dar Yasin/AP)

According to a UN-brokered deal with Bangladesh and Burma, the Rohingya cannot be forced to repatriate.

The countries had planned to send an initial group of 2,251 back from mid-November at a rate of 150 per day.

The huge exodus of Rohingya began in August last year after Burmese security forces launched a brutal crackdown following attacks by an insurgent group on guard posts.

The scale, organisation and ferocity of the operation led to accusations from the international community, including the UN, of ethnic cleansing and genocide.

Most people in Buddhist-majority Burma do not accept that the Rohingya Muslims are a native ethnic group, viewing them as Bengalis who entered illegally from Bangladesh, even though generations of Rohingya have lived in Burma.

Rohingya refugee children shout slogans (Dar Yasin/AP)

Nearly all have been denied citizenship since 1982, as well as access to education and hospitals.

Despite assurances from Burma, human rights activists said the conditions were not yet safe for Rohingya refugees to go back.

Nothing the Burma government has said or done suggests that the Rohingya will be safe upon return, Human Rights Watch refugee rights director Bill Frelick said in a statement.

The group said 150 people from 30 families were to be transferred to a transit camp on Thursday, but the camp was empty except for security guards.

#Bangladesh rightly calls off repatriation after #Rohingya refuse to return saying they want to go home, but only when conditions are safe. Myanmar authorities should accept UN findings, ensure accountablity, security and rights of Rohingya citizens. https://t.co/LZAJLynRUw  meenakshi ganguly (@mg2411) November 15, 2018

Bangladesh authorities have said theyve worked with the UN refugee agency to compile lists of people willing to return to Burma.

At the Jamtoli refugee camp, 25-year-old Setara said she and her two children, age four and seven, were on a repatriation list, but her parents were not.

She said she had never asked to return to Burma, and that she had sent her children to a school run by aid workers Thursday morning as usual.

They killed my husband; now I live here with my parents, said Setara, who only gave one name.

I dont want to go back.

Rohingya refugee Sitara Begum with her son Mohammed Abbas (Dar Yasin/AP)

She said that other refugees whose names have appeared on the Bangladesh governments repatriation list had fled to other camps, hoping to disappear amid the crowded lanes of refugees, aid workers and Bangladeshi soldiers.

Negotiations for repatriation have been continuing for months, but plans last January to begin sending refugees back to Burmas Rakhine state were called off amid concerns among aid workers and Rohingya that their return would be met with violence.

Foreign leaders, including US Vice President Mike Pence, have criticised Burmas Nobel Peace Prize-winning leader Aung San Suu Kyi this week on the sidelines of a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Singapore for her handling of the Rohingya crisis.

But on Thursday, Mr Pence said US officials were encouraged to hear that the repatriation process would begin.
Nicola Sturgeon condemned Theresa May for sidelining Scotland in her proposed Brexit deal, as she claimed the shambles it has created could force the Prime Minister out of Number 10.

With senior Tories including Brexit secretary Dominic Raab and work and pensions secretary Esther McVey having quit the UK Government over their opposition to the deal, Ms Sturgeon said she is not confident that the Prime Minister will be in office by the end of today.

The Scottish First Minister warned the agreement  which was backed by Mrs Mays Cabinet on Wednesday night but which then sparked a raft of resignations  would have real implications for jobs and living standards and investment in Scotland.

Not long off call with PM. She tried to tell me Scotlands distinctive interests had been protected. I pointed out that there isnt a single mention of Scotland in the agreement, that it disregards our interests, and puts Scotland at a serious competitive disadvantage.  Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) November 14, 2018

That is because the Brexit deal makes separate provisions for Northern Ireland, to prevent a return to a hard border with Ireland.

In fiery exchanges at First Ministers Questions in Holyrood, Ms Sturgeon: Scotland faces being taken out of the European Union against our democratic wishes, Scotland faces being taken out of the single market against our economic wishes, and now we face being put at a competitive disadvantage to Northern Ireland.

Thats what the Tories are presiding over.

Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland had been `sidelined in the proposed Brexit deal (PA)

In a telephone call with Mrs May on Wednesday night, the SNP leader said she had told the PM the UK Government has ignored Scotland, sidelined Scotland, cast aside Scotlands interests.

She said Scottish Secretary David Mundell should join the list of Cabinet resignations if he had the backbone to do so  recalling how last month he and Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said they would quit if the Brexit deal threatened the integrity of the UK.

We need a First Minister acting for all of Scotland.



It's time Sturgeon acted in the national interest, not the nationalist interest.#FMQs pic.twitter.com/OHSuUcxiFb  Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) November 15, 2018

Ms Sturgeon also told MSPs she has no doubt Scots will get another chance to vote on independence  adding the time of another ballot will depend on how this whole sorry saga plays out.

Conservative interim leader Jackson Carlaw, who is standing in for Ms Davidson while she is on maternity leave, had demanded Ms Sturgeon rules out another vote on leaving the UK.

He said: We need a First Minister acting for all of Scotland, isnt it time she acted in the national interest, not the nationalist interest?

With everything that is going on will she now take her threat of a second independence referendum, and all the disruption that could cause, off the table?

Mr Carlaw argued if separate provisions are made for Scotland as well as Northern Ireland, it would effectively result in a border at Berwick.

Its time to get rid of this chaotic and crumbling Tory government.



Scotland, and the whole of the UK, needs a General Election. @LabourRichard #FMQs pic.twitter.com/2tde93h1Sf  Scottish Labour (@ScottishLabour) November 15, 2018

Ms Sturgeon told him: All Im asking for is if Northern Ireland is to get a separate deal, for very good reasons, I support that, then Scotland should not be placed at a disadvantage as a result of that.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said the resignations on Thursday morning show Theresa Mays Government is falling apart before our very eyes.

He said: Its my firm belief that this deal will not be agreed to by the House of Commons, that this shambolic Tory Government needs to go, and that the people need more than anything a general election as a matter of urgency.

Ms Sturgeon insisted rejecting the current deal should not necessarily mean a no-deal Brexit.

"We can win a People's Vote" - @willie_rennie urges the First Minister to campaign harder to keep the whole UK in the EU #FMQs  Scottish Lib Dems (@scotlibdems) November 15, 2018

I hope no party in the House of Commons falls for the Prime Ministers spin that its a case of accepting a bad deal for fear of no deal, she said.

No deal is not inevitable if this bad deal is voted down.

Scottish Green leader Patrick Harvie argued the public must ultimately be given the chance to kill off Brexit in a Peoples Vote.

But he added: If the last two years have made anything clear, its that Scotlands future is best secured as a full, independent EU member state.

He asked the First Minister, who has delayed making a statement on a second independence referendum, to confirm to us that Scotland will be given that choice, and when.

If the last two years have made anything clear, it's that Scotlands future is

best secured as a full, independent EU member state #GreenYes #FMQs pic.twitter.com/Ckb0voHtkB  Scottish Greens (@scottishgreens) November 15, 2018

Ms Sturgeon said she would do that when there is clarity on Brexit.

She said: Obviously now we have seen the terms of the deal.

It remains to be seen whether that makes it to a vote in the House of Commons over the next couple of weeks. We will see how that whole sorry saga plays out and then I will undertake that commitment as I said I would.
Irelands deputy premier has rejected claims the Irish government is portraying the draft Brexit deal as a victory.

Simon Coveney denied ministers had indulged in triumphalism in the wake of the agreement between the UK and EU negotiators.

Mr Coveney was challenged in the Dail by main opposition party Fianna Fail on the language his administration has been using to describe the latest Brexit developments.

Fianna Fails Darragh OBrien suggested it would be better if ministers remained silent amid the turbulence in Westminster, suggesting comments made in Dublin could be counterproductive in London.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney, left, and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar gave a press conference on the draft Brexit deal in Dublin on Wednesday night (Niall Carson/PA)

Mr OBriens comments came after a number of national newspapers in Ireland proclaimed the draft deal a victory or win, as they referenced upbeat quotes from Taoiseach Leo Varadkars late-night press conference in Dublin on Wednesday.

Mr Coveney insisted he and Mr Varadkar had not characterised the deal as a victory.

That has not been happening, he said.

Yesterday we were very careful not to comment when it wasnt helpful to do so. But we do have an obligation to explain to the Irish people what has been agreed.

He said ministers could not remain silent.

Because there are many people out there who are very sceptical that it was possible to get this deal done and it is the role of government to explain to people in appropriate language why this deal is no threat to nationalism or unionism in Northern Ireland, he said.

Why it is no threat to the sovereign integrity of the United Kingdom but instead this is a practical compromise on all sides to allow for a managed, sensible Brexit to move forward in a way that protects core Irish interests and ensure we are not collateral damage from an unmanaged Brexit deal that doesnt take into account the interests of Britains neighbours, as well as Britain itself.

The Tanaiste added: The Irish government needs to be careful not to be pretending that we can influence British politics and not to try to do so publicly either, because we might well find that it would have the opposite effect.

There is a British political system that needs to tease through the detail of this text, that will happen in the coming days and weeks and therell be a vote at the end of that.

Mr OBrien said it was not the time for triumphant language when there was a sensitive and volatile situation in the UK.

Thats irresponsible and I think you should desist from doing that, he said.

He added: Theres no triumph in negotiating something that cant be delivered, so we all need to be mature about this and I would say further that the time for victory and celebration is when this draft agreement is accepted and ratified by all.

Every statement being made in Ireland is being scrutinised and we should be aware of that.

During Dail questions, Mr Coveney was asked whether the deal was already doomed, given the developments in London.

The Tanaiste said he had faith that Prime Minister Theresa May could navigate the difficult days ahead.

Of course there are challenges to selling any package in the United Kingdom and Westminster, he said.

Many people would say there isnt a majority for any way forward in the House of Commons and so the British Prime Minister said last night that she faces difficult days ahead, and Im sure she does, but shes resilient and shes shown a remarkable capacity to get things done in difficult circumstances.

Mr Coveney, Irelands minister for foreign affairs, said the deal involved compromise and flexibility on both sides.

What we have is a deal and text that follows through on the commitments that have been made and does so in a way that protects Irelands core interests now and into the future in a way we can all stand over, I hope, he said.

Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty accused the DUP of `incendiary, rash and ostentatious rhetoric on the draft deal (Niall Carson/PA)

During the exchanges in Leinster House in Dublin, Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty criticised the DUP for using incendiary, rash and ostentatious rhetoric in regard to the draft deal and claimed the unionist party represented a minority narrow view in Northern Ireland, where 56% of people voted Remain.

Mr Coveney said he did not want the debate north of the border to break down to majorities versus minorities.

I hope its not going to be about a majority versus a minority in Northern Ireland trying to win the argument against each other in the weeks ahead, he said.

We need to ensure that majorities as well as minorities in Northern Ireland are reassured that any wording of a legal treaty relating to Brexit is not a threat to them and we can try to protect, where possible, the status quo on this island, where neighbours and people with very different backgrounds and very different ideas and dreams for the future of their country can actually live together, understanding that we are protecting the core interests of everybody, which is what we are trying to do here.

So for anyone to take absolutist positions has been and continues to be unhelpful in terms of trying to find a way forward.

Mr Doherty had also called on Mr Coveney to publish the Irish governments legal advice on the permanence and certainty of the border backstop position outlined in the draft text.

The Tanaiste pointed out the advice was EU advice, not the governments.
Ready your bobble hats, pick up a new puffer, and stow away the deckchairs: A chill wind is blowing through the nation. By mid-November the average temperature has dropped by around 11C since high-summer, and its only going to get worse. In some parts of the UK and Ireland, winter is not so much coming as arrived early, moved into the spare room, and made itself a cup of cold cocoa.

The cold brings with it seasonal dangers: Excess winter mortality as it is known, accounts for around a 20% rise in fatalities between December and March.

A lot of these arent from cold-related maladies, but even in highly developed countries with well-heated homes and public services, many die of hypothermia every winter.

(Thinkstock/PA)

So, heres your one-stop guide to the symptoms of hypothermia, how to spot it in others, and what to do if you suspect a loved one might have it

Prevention is better than cure

Put simply, hypothermia occurs when people get too cold. If your body begins to lose heat more quickly than it can generate it, then your internal temperature starts to sink. If it drops below 35C (from a norm of 37C), then youre likely in trouble.

Particularly at risk are the elderly, babies, drug users and the physically unfit  anyone whose body loses heat at a higher-than-average rate.

And the most at risk group: Anyone who has fallen into cold water. A cold dip followed by cold clothes is a potentially lethal combination  get them inside, dry, and re-clothe them as quickly as possible.

How to spot it

Hypothermia comes with a variety of potential symptoms  from the seemingly innocuous to the clearly catastrophic.

Mild hypothermia (32-35C) can manifest with symptoms like shivering, shallow breathing and clumsiness, as well as more distinct symptoms like slurred speech, confusion, and a weak pulse.

Hypothermia sets in gradually and sufferers probably wont be aware of their condition, so in potentially dangerous situations you should keep half an eye on your company. In severe cases (when the body drops below 32C), the afflicted may lose consciousness altogether. Call 999 immediately.

(Thinkstock/PA)

What to do (and what not to)

Hypothermia patients will be best served by the emergency services, but there are plenty of things you can do before they arrive.

You need to warm up your subject  but gradually. Perhaps strangely, shock treatments like hot baths or lying limbs on radiators are to be avoided, as in severe cases the sudden temperature change can induce cardiac arrest.

Get them out of the elements  any sort of shelter is a good start  and pile on as many blankets as you can find. Once they resemble E.T on the front of his bicycle, a warm cup of hot chocolate is a good next move.

And under no circumstances listen to your grandmother when she recommends a shot of brandy or rum. Alcohol makes you feel warm by drawing heat away from your core  not what the doctor ordered for someone suffering from excess cold.
Dancers from Scottish Ballet reached new heights as they prepare to tour the country with their production of Cinderella over the festive season.

Principal dancers Bethany Kingsley-Garner, who plays Cinderella, and her Prince Charming Christopher Harrison danced on the roof of the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh as the clock prepared to strike midnight on Wednesday.

Originally devised by Scottish Ballet artistic director Christopher Hampson for Royal New Zealand Ballet in 2007, Scottish Ballet staged the European premiere in 2015 and return with it this year.

It will open on December 8 at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh before touring to the Theatre Royal in Glasgow, His Majestys Theatre in Aberdeen, Eden Court in Inverness and Theatre Royal in Newcastle, closing on February 2.

Scottish Ballets Cinderella will tour to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen and Newcastle (Jane Barlow/PA)

Mr Hampson said: Im delighted to be bringing Cinderella back and closing our current season with this timeless classic, ahead of our 50th anniversary in 2019.

Created to reflect two peoples journeys of love and loss, Im looking forward to presenting this story of light and dark, magically woven together with storytelling, set design and sound.

The show is staged by Tracy Grant Lord, and set to Prokofievs score, performed live by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra.
An internet troll who tormented the families of dead young people by posting sickening messages on Facebook tribute pages has been jailed for 14 months.

Paul Hind, 38, called Olivia Burt, a Durham University student who was found dead outside a nightclub, a sex worker and prostitute, an earlier hearing at South East Northumberland Magistrates Court was told.

He also targeted a Facebook page in memory of Hannah Witheridge, a 23-year-old who was killed on the Thai island of Koh Tao in 2014.

Just over four years ago Hannah Witheridge sadly lost her life in a brutal murder on the Thai island of Koh Tao. Today, Thursday 15 November 2018, Paul Hind received 14 months in prison after trolling her family online earlier this year. Full info: https://t.co/xw34lgFQDf pic.twitter.com/p9HDAM2wm5  Norfolk Police (@NorfolkPolice) November 15, 2018

The other two memorial pages were to Joe Tilley, 24, who was found dead at the bottom of a waterfall in Colombia in May and 19-year-old Duncan Sim, whose remains were found at West Sands in St Andrews earlier this year.

Hind, of Wark in Northumberland, admitted at an earlier hearing to four counts of sending a communication conveying false information, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

He was jailed for 14 months at Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday.

Hind admitted trolling relatives of young people who died in tragic circumstances (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Sharon Elves from the CPS said: While others were offering words of comfort and condolence, Paul Hind instead posted cruel messages and images, which were seen by parents still grieving for their children.

While it is difficult for anybody to understand Hinds motivation, the undue distress caused by his actions has been made painfully clear.

Laura Witheridge, sister of Hannah Witheridge, said outside court that the trolling incident was one of the most callous and cowardly I have had to endure.

In a statement issued by Norfolk Police, she said: Losing someone you love, suddenly, in tragic circumstances is the most painful thing imaginable.

I dont believe that, unless you have been in such a position, you can truly comprehend how torturous and unbearable it is.

Back in March, for the first time ever, I was told something could be done.

I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that today offers some justice for my family, and all of the other families involved in this case and I hope it sends a strong message that sitting in a dark room, hiding behind a computer screen does not make you untraceable.

I hope today serves as an example that crimes of this nature do come with consequence.

Nigel Burt, the father of Olivia Burt, said after Hinds conviction that the defendants actions were a desecration of his daughters memory.

Speaking outside an earlier court hearing, Hind said he was deeply sorry for his actions and that he had done them for attention.
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A pottery firm from Yorkshire has gone viral after one of its potters made a Brexit-themed mug  complete with holes in its sides.

Lee Cartledge of Bentham Pottery in Ingleton created the mug featuring the word Brexit in lettering which sabotages its ability to carry liquid.

(Bentham Pottery/Facebook)

You always associate cups of tea with the British public and it was quite an inoffensive way to explain how I felt about the whole Brexit scenario, Mr Cartledge told the Press Association.

It looks brilliant but when you actually use it its not so good.

The 52-year-old said he voted remain but is not overtly political, adding the idea came to him when he arrived at the family-run pottery for work this week.

My mum went to make a brew in the house, we had a spare mug leftover and I thought just bloody do it Lee, he said.

Mr Cartledge posted a picture of the mug to Facebook with the words: Limited edition commemorative Brexit mug available from 29th March 2019.

Despite him expecting only a few comments from friends, the post has since been shared tens of thousands of times by people across the world.

Brilliantly bitter: Witty craftsman creates a 'Limited edition commemorative #Brexit mug' - by Bentham pottery. pic.twitter.com/BPBhX3ON5k  Marie Walter-Franke (@MWalterFranke) November 14, 2018

Ive given up looking at the messages, said Mr Cartledge. But one person said Bentham Pottery for Prime Minister which made me laugh a little bit.

Prime Minister Theresa May faced a setback with the resignations of key Cabinet ministers on Wednesday in response to her draft Brexit deal, including Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, as well as a letter of no-confidence from Jacob Ress-Mogg.

(Bentham Pottery/Facebook)

I did toy with the idea of not posting (the mug) until I had glazed it, which would have been in three weeks time, Mr Cartledge said when asked about Wednesdays dramatic events. But I think I made the right decision in posting it now.

Mr Cartledge had not initially intended to sell the mug commercially, but is now considering making an initial batch of 60 mugs for sale at a good price as its sort of a work of art in a way.

He added in a blog post he may even donate one to his local MP and Chief Whip Julian Smith, because hell be in need of a strong Yorkshire brew at the moment.
The Queen has described the Prince of Waless 70th birthday celebrations as a great party.

Looking sprightly after Wednesday nights Buckingham Palace bash honouring Charles, the Queen gave her verdict as she attended an event marking the close links between Norway and Britain.

When the Queen arrived at a reception celebrating the centenary of the Anglo-Norse Society, she told council member Angela Christophersen: Last night we had a great party for my son.

The Queen and King Harald V of Norway at the Anglo-Norse Society centenary reception (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

The Queen was joined at the event by King Harald V of Norway, who welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Oslo earlier this year.

He praised Britains monarch, telling the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation: Queen Elizabeth, shes really in good shape for her age and it was very nice to see her, after all we are family.

Theres a long standing bond between the two countries consolidated during the Second World War when the English welcomed so many Norwegians coming across the North Sea, including my own family.

The Queen chatted to 92-year-old Tulla Gobey (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

At the birthday dinner attended by Charless family and close friends, the Queen paid a heartfelt tribute to her son, describing him as a dedicated and respected heir to the throne to stand comparison with any in history.

The head of state rarely makes public comments about her children but she used a black-tie dinner staged in Charless honour to praise him as his own man, passionate and creative.

She added that he was a wonderful father.

The King and his wife Queen Sonja were among the guests at Charless birthday celebrations but Sonja was missing from the event at The In & Out, Naval and Military Club in central London.

It is thought Norways queen missed the event due to ill health.

Some of the women at the reception were in Norwegian national dress which varies from region to region in the Nordic country.

The Queen briefly chatted to Tulla Gobey, 92, who was also in her national costume and who had met her husband through the society.
An American company has given all of its employees handguns for Christmas.

BenShot, a rural Wisconsin company which sells glassware embedded with bullets, announced the gift on social media on Wednesday, creating heated discussion online.

BenShot gave all employees handguns for Christmas. Cheers! reads the post on Facebook.

Nineteen people  some gleeful, others indifferent or deadly serious  are pictured posing with handguns, rifles and machine guns.

That is the scariest thing I have ever seen, commented one person on Facebook.

Another wrote: I am so proud of you for promoting our 2nd Amendment right!

BenShot, a rural Wisconsin company, announced it was giving all employees handguns for Christmas (Aaron Chown/PA)

Despite the backlash you are going to be getting from the left, it shows you care about your employees and their safety! I wish my husband would follow your lead!

Co-owner Ben Wolfgram reportedly told local media the decision was made to promote personal safety and team building.

He told the local Appleton Post-Crescent that two employees initially declined the gift but were reconsidering after taking a mandatory gun safety course all staff took before receiving the gift.

America has both the highest number of guns per 100 people and the most gun deaths per million people of any peaceful country in the world.

Nearly 34,000 Americans died from a gun in 2016. Roughly two-thirds involved a handgun and almost two-thirds were suicides.

Wolfgram told the Post-Crescent he was not concerned about violence because his employees all knew each other well.

He said: For us, now, we have an entire armed staff. I think thats pretty good.
MSPs at Holyrood will get the chance to vote on Theresa Mays proposed Brexit deal before MPs at the House of Commons.

Scotlands Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell said that although the deal is essentially dead after it sparked a series of resignations from the UK Government, there would be a vote on it in the Scottish Parliament if the PM manages to get it through a European summit in Brussels on November 25.

While any vote in Holyrood would only be a symbolic one, Mr Russell said: We must acknowledge that this deal is unacceptable to Scotland and her citizens.

Brexit isnt a better future, it is a backward step into a false and imagined past. That is now crystal clear and every word of this deal proves it to be true.

In a statement to MSPs, he revealed the Scottish Government would ensure that the Scottish Parliament has the right to give its own view on this deal.

He said: The Scottish Government will bring the deal  if agreed at the Brussels summit on November 25  to this chamber for a vote before the vote takes place in the House of Commons.

MSPs will get the chance to vote on the Brexit deal before the House of Commons does, Mike Russell said (Jane Barlow/PA)

Our motion will be amendable  that is how a proper parliament should work.

He made clear the proposed agreement is unacceptable to both the SNP and the Scottish Government.

He said it includes single market alignment provisions which will only apply to Northern Ireland, and he argued this would put Scotland at a disadvantage.

SNP ministers have been calling for Scotland to stay within Europes single market and customs union since December 2016, he recalled, adding that as it currently stands the deal would mean Northern Ireland alone would get a better level of access to the EU.

We rejoice for Northern Ireland that this has been achieved but we cannot accept it be only for Northern Ireland, Mr Russell said.

There is only one reason why the SNP is pushing for a differentiated deal for Scotland  because it would help their push for independence. pic.twitter.com/ydXUCsXP89  Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) November 14, 2018

Highlighting a number of problems the SNP has found within the deal, he said while it maintained a form of customs union for the UK for a limited period of time, this is nowhere near good enough.

He added that the proposals also provide grounds for the continuing betrayal of our fishing interests, said it fails to guarantee key rights after Brexit and to ignore the devolution settlement.

Mr Russell continued: The deal does refer to the British Antarctic Territory but makes no mention at all of Scotland.

I give notice I am going to borrow this and use it for much of the day .thanks! https://t.co/fSuluYtONz  Michael Russell (@Feorlean) November 15, 2018

Westminster has treated and goes on treating Scotland with contempt.

But Scottish Conservative constitution spokesman Adam Tomkins branded Mr Russells statement as a cocktail of contrived grievance from someone who even two years on has never accommodated himself to the democratic will of the British people that we leave the European Union.

The Tory MSP said: I voted Remain too, but the difference between Mike Russell and me is that I respect the result of referendums and he does not.

None of us knows whether yesterdays draft withdrawal agreement will survive intact. Getting a deal through a fractious House of Commons was always going to be more difficult than getting a deal with Brussels. That task has not been made any easier by the sad and unnecessary Cabinet resignations we have witnessed this morning.

Scottish Labour Brexit spokesman Neil Findlay said he would work to ensure the Scottish Government motion on the Brexit deal gathers the widest possible parliamentary support.

He said the withdrawal agreement had failed to meet Labours key Brexit tests, and his party will not support this bad deal.

He added: Weve always put Scotland first in this and this is not a deal that meets Scotlands needs.

Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer stated his party would of course be more than happy to work with the Labour Party and the Scottish Government to try and present as close as possible to a united voice from this Parliament on behalf of Scotland.
Israels defence minister has officially submitted his resignation, leaving the government with the narrowest of parliamentary majorities and paving what looks like a clear path to early elections.

Avigdor Lieberman dispatched a one-sentence letter to prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, informing him of his decision to step down.

The move, which takes effect in 48 hours, leaves Mr Netanyahu with the support of just 61 out of 120 politicians.

With other coalition partners also flexing their muscles and the opposition parties demanding an early election, the days of Mr Netanyahus current government seem to be numbered.

Israeli protesters hold flags during a demonstration against the ceasefire (Tsafrir Abayov/AP)

Mr Netanyahu was meeting with coalition partners on Thursday.

Two of them, Moshe Kahlon of the centrist Kulanu Party and Arye Deri of the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, both urged him to call early elections.

Mr Kahlon told the prime minister that holding elections would be the right thing to do in the current environment, and that a new, strong and stable government should be formed, his office said.

Mr Liebermans abrupt resignation came in protest to a ceasefire reached with Gaza militants that ended two days of intense fighting.

Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu (David Mirzoeff/AP)

The hardliner had demanded a far harsher Israeli response to the widest wave of Gaza rocket fire against Israel since a 50-day war in 2014, but was overruled by Mr Netanyahu.

In his live TV announcement on Wednesday, Mr Lieberman lashed out at the governments weakness and termed the ceasefire surrender to terrorism.

The move immediately set off furious political jockeying, with insiders predicting it marked the opening salvo of a new political campaign.

Parliamentary elections are scheduled for a year from now but Israeli governments rarely serve out their full terms.

The last time that happened was in 1988.
Thongs and placards were held aloft in Belfast on Thursday in solidarity with protests in the Irish Republic earlier this week over how rape trials are conducted.

A recent case in Co Cork sparked outrage after a defence barrister referred to the 17-year-old complainants underwear during the trial, in which a man was acquitted of rape.

During the protest in Belfast, which follows other protests in cities across Ireland, thongs were attached to a number of the placards along with the words this is not consent.

The case was brought to wider public attention on Tuesday when Irish politician Ruth Coppinger held up a thong in the parliament chamber to highlight the outrage felt by some sections of the public.

The handling of a high-profile trial of Ulster Rugby players in Belfast earlier this year also sparked public debate and protests across Ireland.

Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were acquitted of rape.

The case led to an independent review led by retired appeal court judge Sir John Gillen into how the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland deals with serious sexual offence cases.

#ThisIsNotConsent protest underway at Belfast City Hall pic.twitter.com/Go6bQZFruv  Rebecca Black (@RBlackPA) November 15, 2018

A popular social media campaign was sparked by the fall-out from the Cork case with women from Ireland and abroad posting pictures of their underwear with the hashtag #Thisisnotconsent.

On Thursday up to 100 women and men gathered during the lunch hour at Belfast City Hall to take part in chants including: My little black dress does not mean yes.

The event, organised by a number of feminist organisations including ROSA, includes speeches from seven female speakers.

Compere Cerys Falvey opened speeches urging the building of a movement.

We have seen protests across Ireland saying this is no longer acceptable so what we need to do now is build a movement and fight back.

Anne Orr of ROSA said it was correct for the protest to take place to show anger at what happened in Cork.

She added: Yesterday people also took to the streets of Dublin and Cork and across the south to show that this is not okay, peoples underwear is not consent, what we wear is not consent, it has nothing to do with consent.

It is not just here, people internationally are getting angry and rightly so.

A protester holds up underwear on a banner during the demonstration (Rebecca Black/PA)

Eleanor Crossey-Malone said many wonder why they dont hear of mens underwear being shown during trials.

Today we are all reminded of the Ulster Rugby rape trial, when at that time we wondered, why is it never his underwear that is brought out in court, she said.

Carmel Gates of the trade union Nipsa said there cannot be silence on the issue, adding: It is unfortunate that we are here again talking about womens underwear as an issue in the courts, and it is an absolute disgrace.

We cannot stay silent, some people ask me whats the point in protesting, there is every point in protesting because if we are not here on the streets to shine a light on the injustice, then the injustice continues.

We need to be fighting it in protest, we need to be fighting it in action and struggle in our workplaces, our students union, everywhere we have a voice we need to fight and struggle to change the system.

People Before Profit representative Fiona Ferguson also said: What message are courts sending out to victims of sexual assault, the court in Cork, what message are they sending to sexual assault victims. Sexual assaults are on the rise but prosecutions are still shockingly low, why would any woman be encouraged to report, to have her underwear paraded around a court room.
Women in remote parts of the country had the lowest annual income on average last year, according to new research.

However women in accessible rural areas had the highest income of all female employees in Scotland in 2017, research by Scotlands Rural College found.

Analysis of Government figures found the median gross annual pay for women in remote rural areas was 24,934 compared to 27,503 for those in accessible rural areas. The figure for full-time female workers in the rest of Scotland stood at 25,243.

The interim report found the gender pay gap in rural, island and remote areas has decreased over the last decade.

A number of factors appear to be behind the low levels of income for women in remote areas, such as employment in low paid sectors, higher levels of part-time working, reduced mobility and the dominance of micro businesses in rural, remote and island areas.

The median gender pay gap last year stood at 16.2%, Office for National Statistics figures show.

Women working in remote areas had the lowest annual income, research has found (Andrew Milligan/PA)

The Scottish Government welcomed the improvement over the last 10 years but said much remains to be done to improve equality.

Rural Affairs Minister Mairi Gougeon said: It is clear from this research that while there is much still to be done to eliminate the gender pay gap in our rural and remote communities, Im encouraged that since 2008 the pay gap has decreased at an even faster rate than the overall national average.

It also lays bare the scale of the challenge before us and the need to make sure our rural economy better supports women to retain and gain well paid jobs. So, while progress is to be welcomed, the rate of change remains slower than in urban areas and is unacceptable for a modern, inclusive nation.

Equality for women is an integral part of our inclusive growth vision and we are determined to improve the position of women in the workplace.

The Scottish Government said it is investing 5 million over the next three years to support around 2,000 women to return to work and a further 205,000 to challenge and change employment practices and workplace cultures.

Scotlands Rural College Rural Policy Centre manager Jane Atterton, who is leading the project, said: Our research is exploring a number of reasons that might explain the gender pay gap in rural areas.

These reasons include the large proportion of females working part-time and more limited formal childcare options.

We are looking to submit the final report in the very near future and a key component of this will be setting out our recommendations for further work in this important area.
Notorious prisoner Charles Bronson smiled and broke into a celebratory jig after a jury cleared him of trying to seriously harm a prison governor.

Appearing by videolink from HMP Frankland in Durham, he hailed the not guilty verdict and said: British justice, best in the world. Thank you.

Bronson, 66, had legally represented himself in the four-day trial at Leeds Crown Court as he cross-examined witnesses and gave evidence in his defence from the dock while flanked by prison officers.

He often brought laughter to the court room as he peppered his defence with frequent quips about witnesses, jurors and the prosecutor, and chanted the oath and kissed the Bible when he was sworn in to give evidence.

But the trial judge, Tom Bayliss QC, told jurors that Bronson, appearing under the name Charles Salvador, was not a lawyer and did not think he meant any disrespect.

He even complimented Bronson for his cross-examination of the alleged victim when asking pretty pertinent questions.

Bronson was said to have lunged at Mark Docherty as he entered a room for a welfare meeting at HMP Wakefield on January 25.

He landed on top of Mr Docherty and allegedly screamed I will bite your f****** nose off and gouge out your eyes, before prison officers intervened and restrained him.

Paula Williamson with a Charles Bronson lookalike (Victoria Jones/PA)

Representing himself at Leeds Crown Court, Bronson said he intended to give Mr Docherty a gentle bear hug and whisper in his ear, but tripped, or was tripped by someone, and fell.

The defendant admitted he partly blamed the governor at Wakefields segregation unit after he was told photographs of his prison wedding to actress Paula Williamson two months earlier would no longer be allowed to leave the jail until his release.

He said the authorities had humiliated a beautiful woman on the greatest day of her life.

Bronson said he intended to whisper wheres my wifes photos? in what he described as a wake-up call to Mr Docherty to not mess with his family.

The court had heard how Mr Docherty suffered swelling to the neck, scratches to the face and whiplash following the incident, but Branson dismissed the injuries as minor and said he was embarrassed to even discuss them.

Bronson had told jurors that for the first time in his life he was an innocent man.

He said: Since when is it a crime to hug your fellow man? There is not enough man hugs in this insane world today.

Bronson admitted he had been a very nasty man as he described to the jury how in his 44 years in prison he had held 11 hostages in nine different sieges  including governors, doctors, staff and, on one occasion, his solicitor.

Charles Bronson represented himself (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

He had caused damage to nine prison roofs at an estimated cost of 5 million, he said, but explained he had been making progress at the time of the flare-up at HMP Wakefield in the hope he may earn parole somewhere down the line.

He had even passed a violence reduction course on the prisons segregation unit, he added.

The prosecution had outlined some of Bronsons previous convictions to show he had a tendency to commit unprovoked acts of violence, including as recently as 2014 when he grabbed the governor of HMP Woodhill in a headlock and punched him after he stopped his mail.

But Bronson, who is serving a life sentence for robbery and kidnap, said that was all in the past.

Jurors found Bronson not guilty of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, after deliberating for just short of three hours.
David Mundell has insisted he will not quit as Scottish Secretary over the Brexit deal, despite First Minister Nicola Sturgeon saying he could not stay on in the post with a shred of credibility.

The First Minister accused the Tory Cabinet Secretary of lacking the backbone to quit, as she accused the UK Government of sidelining Scotland in its proposed withdrawal agreement.

Both Mr Mundell and Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said just weeks ago that they could step down if the Brexit deal threatened the integrity of the United Kingdom.

Dominic Raab, who quit as Theresa Mays Brexit secretary because he could not support the deal, said in his resignation letter that it did exactly that  with Esther McVey echoing the sentiment as she quit as work and pensions secretary.

Ms Sturgeon said: What is absolutely unclear to me is how David Mundell or Ruth Davidson can have any other option but to follow through on the principled commitment that they made.

.@DavidMundellDCT talking about todays Cabinet agreement on the EU Exit deal. pic.twitter.com/LZErMUcgET  Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland (@ScotSecofState) November 14, 2018

Having chosen that red line, and they chose it, it is really, really hard to see how they stay in office after today with a shred of credibility.

David Mundell says he has no intention of resigning over the Brexit deal (Aaron Chown/PA)

Meanwhile, Labour shadow Scottish secretary Lesley Laird said that if Mr Mundell had a backbone then he would resign with immediate effect.

She added: It is farcical that the Brexit secretary has resigned because the Prime Ministers deal undermines the integrity of the UK, while the Scottish Tories stay silent.

But Mr Mundell hit back at Mr Raab, branding him a carpetbagger whose resignation was about manoeuvring and leadership.

The Scottish Secretary said Mr Raab had a latter-day commitment to the Union.

Mr Mundell told ITV Border he is absolutely committed to the integrity on the UK.

He added: I believe that the best way of keeping the United Kingdom together is to ensure that we have a deal as we leave the EU, that Brexit delivers for Scotland and the rest of the UK, and that is what I am focused on, not being part of some sort of soap opera of resignations and I am not going to be bounced into resigning by carpetbaggers.

 Theresa Mays withdrawal agreement will have a significant impact on jobs, investment and living standards in Scotland. Yet, the Scottish Tories dont give a jot. pic.twitter.com/zVguSFEXFF  The SNP (@theSNP) November 15, 2018

While the withdrawal deal includes special provisions for Northern Ireland in order to prevent a hard border with Ireland, Scottish Government politicians insisted this would leave them disadvantaged.

Ms Sturgeon said: Scotland faces being taken out of the European Union against our democratic wishes, Scotland faces being taken out of the single market against our economic wishes, and now we face being put at a competitive disadvantage to Northern Ireland.

Thats what the Tories are presiding over.

In a telephone call with Mrs May on Wednesday night, the SNP leader said she had told the PM that the UK Government had ignored Scotland, sidelined Scotland, cast aside Scotlands interests.

Mike Russell, her Constitutional Relations Secretary, was equally adamant that special provisions should be made to keep Scotland in the single market  noting SNP ministers have been calling for this for almost two years.

He said the deal as it stands would mean Northern Ireland would get a better level of access to the EU.

We rejoice for Northern Ireland that this has been achieved but we cannot accept it be only for Northern Ireland, Mr Russell said.

He also announced MSPs at Holyrood will have a chance to vote on the Brexit deal, if Mrs May can get it signed off by Europe at a special summit in Brussels later this month.

While any vote in Holyrood would only be a symbolic one, Mr Russell said: We must acknowledge that this deal is unacceptable to Scotland and her citizens.
The Northern Ireland Secretary has urged Conservative party colleagues to back the Prime Minister, insisting there is no better person for the job.

Karen Bradley, a long-time ally of Theresa May, offered a stout defence of the under-pressure Tory leader after briefing business leaders in Belfast on the details of the draft Brexit deal.

I support the Prime Minister  there is no better person to do this job, she said.

I supported for her leadership in 2016 because this is a woman that gets the job done, this is a woman who has gone out and negotiated hard.

She called on MPs to vote in the national interest and back Ms Mays deal, insisting people across the UK just wanted politicians to get on with it.

Addressing the media after the meeting with the business figures, Ms Bradley was pressed on whether the Governments confidence and supply deal with the DUP was now in real danger.

Ms Bradley denied the Brexit deal was dead and also rejected the suggestion Northern Ireland had been sold out (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

She declined to be drawn when asked if the 1 billion investment for the region that is part of the parliamentary agreement was also at risk.

The confidence and supply is a matter for the chief whips of the two parties, she said.

Asked for her response to the DUPs angry reaction to the Brexit text, she added: This is something for cool heads now.

People need to understand this is the deal on the table  this is the deal that the 27 member states are prepared to sign up to.

Ms Bradley denied the Brexit deal was dead and also rejected the suggestion Northern Ireland had been sold out.

She said: Northern Ireland will not be in the Single Market, it will not be in the Customs Union, it will be leaving along with the whole of the United Kingdom on the 29th of March next year.

Commenting on her discussions with business leaders, she added: Its very clear from the conversations that I have just had that actually what businesses and people in Northern Ireland want is politicians to come together and do the right thing, think about the national interest and support the deal so we can leave the European Union on the 29th of March next year in a measured, organised, co-ordinated way that is right for the United Kingdom and the people of Northern Ireland.

In the press conference, the Conservative MP was asked if the events at Westminster resembled a car crash.

I wouldnt describe it that way at all, she replied. I would describe it as a very difficult decision and Government takes difficult decisions and this is probably one of the most difficult decisions that Government faces.

She said: Its not easy, nobody ever said this would be easy, but the Cabinet has decided and those people who served very, very well as secretaries of state and ministers who have decided they cant support the deal, well quite rightly collective responsibility requires them to support the deal and therefore they have to leave Government.

But the majority of the Cabinet is behind it, the remaining members of the Cabinet are absolutely behind this deal and what we need to do now is get behind the Prime Minister and get that deal sorted in the November (European) Council.

Ms Bradley briefed members of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber).

Afterwards John Healy, vice-president of NI Chamber, said: It is clear that businesses recognise the huge efforts made by the Prime Minister and across Government to reach this milestone  and it is NI Chambers opinion that any deal is better than no deal for business.

However, with peoples livelihoods and the future prospects for many companies in the balance, more time is required to deliberate the real-world implications of this agreement over the coming days.

After two-and-a-half years of uncertainty, businesses need clarity and precision on the specific terms of trade they will face in the future, many of which are still to be agreed.

The avoidance of sudden or multiple changes to trading conditions is crucial to business investment and confidence.

Our members raised a number of questions to the Secretary of State, specifically around migration, VAT, the backstop  and any bureaucracy it may bring  whilst also seeking a guarantee from Government that businesses here will still have unfettered access to the rest of the UK.

NI Chambers priority is to now assess the implications of these proposals, working closely with members over the coming weeks.
An inquest into the killing of ten people in Belfast almost 50 years ago has heard emotional testimony from the families of three of them.

Several broke down in tears as they recalled their loved ones who lost their lives during shootings in the west of the city in August 1971, an incident which has become known as the Ballymurphy massacre.

Fresh inquests were directed into the deaths following claims that the original coronial probes were inadequate.

They are the latest in a series of new inquests into incidents which took place during Northern Irelands troubled past.

The Ballymurphy shootings took place as the Army moved in to republican strongholds to arrest IRA suspects after the introduction by the Stormont administration of the controversial policy of internment without trial.

Soldiers have long been held responsible for the Ballymurphy killings between August 9 and 11 1971, but the accepted narrative became clouded earlier this year when former members of the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force came forward to claim their organisation was also involved.

Kathleen McCarry, Eileen McKeown and Alice Harper, gave evidence on Thursday (Rebecca Black/PA)

On the fourth day of hearings on Thursday, Alice Harper, daughter of Danny Teggart, 44, who was among those killed, told the inquest how soldiers mocked her, singing wheres your papa? as she and her family searched for him.

She described ringing hospitals with her mother, trying to find him, before going to an army post.

I asked did you arrest my father? They just said no, we hadnt time for arrests, we only had time for killing  and that was their words, she told the inquest.

I was shocked and started walking away, they started singing that song chorus, Wheres your papa gone, Wheres your papa gone.

Mrs Harper was 23 when she identified her fathers body at the morgue.

She said the last time she had seen him, he had asked her to cut his hair.

Little did I know that I would later identify him in the morgue by those same black curls, she said.

He left my house that day and that was the last time I seen my father alive.

Mrs Harper said the shock of it caused her to lose her hair.

Almost 50 years later, Mrs Harper said she wants to find out the truth.

No-one came to our door to inform us or even investigate my fathers death, we were burdened with doing that ourselves also.

What we want is the truth, that is it, and to know why they were killed, she said.

They said he was a gunman, not just my father, all the ones that were killed that night, including the priest Father Mullan.

It was very hurtful, they branded them gunmen and a gunwoman, they took their good names and blackened them.

I want my fathers name cleared.

Eileen McKeown, daughter of Joseph Corr, 43, a machinist at the Shorts factory in Belfast, said her family had been in the process of moving to Australia when her father was shot.

He died after 16 days in hospital.

Mrs McKeown was just nine years old and she told the inquest she remembers screaming when she was told her father was dead.

Her mother received hate mail after he died from some Shorts workers after he had been labelled a gunman.

It said may your sub human husband and his pals roast in hell, she told the inquest.

I want my daddys name cleared, I want the true facts in the history books.

I want my daddys name read out, I want Joseph Corr was an innocent man read out for everyone to hear.

Because of what the media put out, his work mates all think that he was an IRA gunman, and I want them to know that he wasnt, and I want them to regret what they did and what they put my mammy through, because getting that letter, it really did nearly kill her, because this is what his work mates thought of him.

Kathleen McCarry, a sister of Eddie Doherty, 31, said her family was torn apart by grief after he was shot dead on August 1971.

She said her mother died of a broken heart seven years later.

She went from this strong woman who washed the dead, delivered babies, did amazing things, to a woman who was lost, she said.

Eddie was labelled an IRA gunman.

Mrs McCarry added: If Eddie had of died of natural causes we wouldnt be the way we are, the fact is there is an injustice and Eddie was labelled what he was labelled, and we have had to fight for all of our lives and were not going to rest until we have achieved his innocence.

The inquest continues next week.
The Scottish Government has been urged to be more ambitious in plans to raise the age of criminal responsibility.

MSPs approved proposals in principle to raise the age from eight to 12 in a vote in Holyrood on Tuesday.

Scotland currently has one of the lowest ages of criminal responsibility in the world at eight.

If passed, the Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Bill would increase the age to surpass that currently in place in England at Wales, which is 10.

But the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child this week published its draft revised guidance recommending that the minimum acceptable standard should be 14, which is the age already required by the Council of Europe.

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child is consulting on a revision of General Comment No. 10 (2007). This includes the Age of Criminal Responsibility - it is expected they will reiterate the need to raise it well above 12 @scotgov https://t.co/xsZVeQSxEe  Bruce Adamson (@Bruce_Adamson) November 14, 2018

In a letter to the Equalities and Human Rights Committee, the commissioner for children and young people in Scotland, Bruce Adamson, urged ministers to go further.

MSPs voted on Tuesday to raise the age of criminal responsibility in Scotland (Jane Barlow/PA)

Mr Adamson said: Setting the age of criminal responsibility at 12 was never intended to be a progressive standard to aim for, rather it was the absolute minimum in 2007 for those states who were worst performing in human rights terms.

The UN is now clarifying its position in line with the Council of Europe that 14 is the absolute minimum, and that progressive countries should be going much higher.

Criminalising children does not guarantee non-repetition  in fact it creates the risk of more harm.

The commissioners call came days before Mikiko Otani, a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) visits Scotland to attend the Childrens Parliament and meet with ministers.

Moving the Bill on Tuesday, the Scottish Governments Childrens Minister Maree Todd said: We should be very honest with ourselves as parliamentarians  only a few years ago, we wouldnt be here with a consensus right across this chamber that the age of criminal responsibility should be raised.

Now our discussions are about what age to raise criminal responsibility to and on what safeguards and other issues need to be addressed. That is a significant and welcome shift.
Theresa May struck a defiant tone after being hit by a wave of ministerial resignations and calls for her to be ousted as Prime Minister in a backlash over her Brexit plan.

The Prime Minister defended the blueprint thrashed out with negotiators in Brussels as she faced major challenges to her authority at home.

Dominic Raab resigned as Brexit secretary, Esther McVey quit as Work and Pensions secretary and leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg submitted a letter of no confidence in Mrs May in a bruising day for her premiership.

Prime Minister Theresa May takes a sip of water as she holds a press conference at 10 Downing Street, London, to discuss her Brexit plans.

But at a press conference in Number 10, Mrs May said: I believe with every fibre of my being that the course I have set out is the right one for our country and all our people.

She added: Leadership is about taking the right decisions, not the easy ones.

As PM my job is to bring back a deal that delivers on the vote of the British people, that does that by ending free movement, all the things I raised in my statement ensuring we are not sending vast annual sums to the EU any longer, ending the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, but also protects jobs and protects peoples livelihoods, protects our security, protects the union of the United Kingdom.

I believe this is a deal which does deliver that, which is in the national interest, and am I going to see this through? Yes.

Mr Raab and Ms McVey walked out of the Government the morning after Cabinet agreed a draft EU withdrawal agreement in a stormy five-hour meeting.

And International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt, a Cabinet Brexiteer, is due to see the Prime Minister this evening, sources said.

Two more junior ministers  Suella Braverman at the Brexit department and Shailesh Vara at Northern Ireland also quit.

There were rumours at Westminster that Brexiteer Michael Gove had been lined up to replace Mr Raab  but he would only agree to the job if he could renegotiate the deal.

Asked about the speculation, Mrs May said Mr Gove was doing an excellent job as Environment Secretary.

In a letter to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, Mr Rees-Mogg said Mrs Mays deal has turned out to be worse than anticipated and fails to meet the promises given to the nation by the Prime Minister, either on her own account or on behalf of us all in the Conservative Party manifesto.

His move is expected to be matched by other members of the ERG, hugely increasing the chances of Mrs May facing a vote of no confidence in her leadership. It is not known how many letters Sir Graham has received so far.

Earlier this morning I informed the Prime Minister I was resigning from her Cabinet pic.twitter.com/ZeBkL5n2xH  Esther McVey (@EstherMcVey1) November 15, 2018

The developments threaten to derail the Prime Ministers Brexit strategy ahead of a crucial EU summit, which European Council president Donald Tusk confirmed would take place on November 25, if nothing extraordinary happens.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Mr Rees-Mogg said he believed the letters needed to trigger a vote of no confidence would be submitted, but declined to say how soon. If Mrs May was ousted as leader, a contest to choose a successor could be completed not in months, but weeks, he said.

He refused to name his preferred successor, but he identified Mr Raab, Ms McVey, Boris Johnson, David Davis and Penny Mordaunt as potential candidates.

This is nothing to do with the ambition of Brexiteers, he said. It is everything to do with the ambition of Brexit for this country.

Dismissing Mrs Mays plan, he said: This is not Brexit. It is a failure of Government policy. It needs to be rejected.

Jacob Rees-Mogg spoke to reporters outside the Houses of Parliament (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Labour said the Government was falling apart before our eyes and the pound dropped sharply as the turmoil in Westminster sparked doubts over whether the PM could force her deal through Parliament.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Raab said the deal represented a very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom because of provisions for Northern Ireland.

He also said he could not accept an indefinite backstop arrangement for the Irish border.

Today, I have resigned as Brexit Secretary. I cannot in good conscience support the terms proposed for our deal with the EU. Here is my letter to the PM explaining my reasons, and my enduring respect for her. pic.twitter.com/tf5CUZnnUz  Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) November 15, 2018

He said: No democratic nation has ever signed up to be bound by such an extensive regime, imposed externally without any democratic control over the laws to be applied, nor the ability to decide to exit the arrangement.

Ms McVey, who was promoted to the Cabinet by Mrs May in January, was reported to have been close to tears as she tried to force a vote on the Brexit deal in Wednesdays Cabinet.

In a letter to the PM, the Tatton MP said: We have gone from no deal is better than a bad deal, to any deal is better than no deal.

I cannot defend this, and I cannot vote for this deal. I could not look my constituents in the eye were I to do that.
As Brexit chaos reigns supreme in Westminster, here are answers to the top questions on Brexit that people in Northern and the Republic of Ireland have asked Google in the last four hours.

 What is Brexit?

Brexit is a slang term for Britains exit from the European Union. After a referendum on Thursday 23 June, 2016, the vote by the UK to leave the EU won by 51.9% to 48.1%.

The referendum turnout was 71.8%, with more than 30 million people voting.

Under Article 50 of the Lisbon Agreement, the UK has two years to agree with the EU on how to leave.

 What percentage of the population in Northern Ireland voted in Brexit referendum?

The majority of Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU. The results saw the remain side gain 56% of the votes.

Constituencies which voted to remain included Foyle, West Tyrone, West Belfast, South Belfast, North Belfast, North Down, East Derry, South Down, Mid Ulster, Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Newry and Armagh.

Leave voters polled strongly in East Belfast, Lagan Valley, North Antrim, Strangford, East Belfast, East Antrim, South Antrim and Upper Bann.

 When does the Brexit transition period end?

Theresa May triggered this Article 50 on March 29, 2017, meaning the UK is scheduled to leave at 11pm UK time on Friday March 29, 2019.

Prime Minister Theresa May and Arlene Foster, leader of the DUP (Clodagh Kilcoyne/PA)

 What is the backstop in Brexit?

The backstop is an assurance that Ireland will be able maintain an open border if the UK leaves the EU without securing a deal.

The backstop solution is an arrangement between the UK and Ireland that will apply to the Irish border in order to keep it open and trading goods and services between the two jurisdictions with few restrictions.

 How will Brexit affect Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland?

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said Ireland is one of the countries that would be hit by the economic effects of Brexit the hardest.

According to them, the loss in economic output for Ireland could be as much as for Britain itself.

The Oireachtas Finance Committee report also said lower exports would lead to lower spending by companies would hit employment and government revenues.

The analysis suggests employment levels could be 40,000 lower after 10 years and the unemployment rate could be close to two percentage points higher.

In Northern Ireland, some report Brexit is expected to have a disproportionate impact on the economy which is reliant on exports to the EU.

Some economists have also warned of a drop-off in foreign direct investment.

Brexit will also end the 3.5 billion euro in farm subsidies and structural grants received by Northern Ireland in the 2014-2020 period.

Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill and SDLPs Colm Eastwood say the group of Northern Ireland representatives in Dublin today represent the majority of Northern Ireland on a cross-community basis. They meet with Leo Varadkar along with reps from Alliance and NI Green Party this morning. pic.twitter.com/RXQsgciBZi  aoife moore. (@aoifegracemoore) November 15, 2018

 What are the benefits for Ireland if Britain leaves the EU?

Some commentators argue post-Brexit Ireland will take on a more significant role in Europe as companies looking to expand are unlikely to consider the UK for European headquarters.

As the sole remaining larger English-speaking member with a similar legal system and cultural outlook as the UK, Ireland could arguably benefit from an absent UK in negotiations concerning trade and business.

For Northern Ireland, some argue their special geographic position could prove beneficial if the border remains open.

Should the border remain how it is currently, Northern Ireland would be the only part of the UK with no physical border to the EU.

Combined with a highly educated population, lower average wages than Britain and plans to reduce corporation tax from the UK rate of 19% to 12.5%  this could significantly enhance Northern Irelands appeal for businesses planning to relocate.

 What is the Brexit deal?

British and European Union negotiators agreed on a draft Brexit deal on Tuesday.

The agreement includes commitments over citizens rights, a proposed 21-month transition period after the UKs departure and UK-wide.

This will legally obligate the UK to pay a divorce settlement of at least 39 billion to cover payments to the current EU budget and other outstanding financial commitments.

If there is no trade deal in place by the end of the transition period, the backstop will mean Northern Ireland would stay aligned to some EU rules on things such as food products and goods standards.

It would also involve a temporary single customs territory, effectively keeping the whole of the UK in the EU customs union.

 What will UK farmers do without CAP?

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) runs for a seven-year period in line with EU budget cycle. The current CAP agreement and funding runs until 2020. The UK Government has pledged to maintain the same cash funds as currently for CAP until the end of the Parliament, under the expectation that this will be 2022.

 What will happen to interest rates if there is a no deal Brexit?

The Bank of England has previously warned that there is no guarantee it will slash interest rates in the wake of a no-deal Brexit. It is hoped that it would repeat its decision to reduce borrowing costs after the Brexit referendum in June 2016, but it has argued that a no-deal Brexit would affect the economys supply which may lead to disruption at borders and companies moving overseas. Its governor, Mark Carney has previously suggested that interest rates may rise if there is a no-deal Brexit.
Irelands Health Minister gave further assurances on Thursday that women from Northern Ireland will be able to access abortions in the Republic.

Simon Harris made the commitment during a meeting with Amnesty International, Sinn Fein and a number of other pro-choice groups from Northern Ireland.

Mr Harris said it is a matter of great regret that women on the whole island of Ireland cannot access healthcare in relation to crisis pregnancy.

Mr Harris first made the commitments to Northern Ireland in August, just months after the landslide abortion referendum in the Republic, saying: I intend to ensure women from Northern Ireland can access such services in the Republic, just like they can access other health services here.

Sinn Fein hosts delegation from the north to meet with Minister on All-Ireland access to abortion - @mfearonsf @loreillysf @JOBrien_SF https://t.co/65RDJdpcBG pic.twitter.com/rwrME8LnNh  Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) November 15, 2018

It is hoped the new Irish legislation will come into effect by January, to begin allowing for terminations for women both sides of the border, however women from Northern Ireland will be required to pay.

Grainne Teggart, Amnesty UKs Northern Ireland campaigns manager, said that women in Northern Ireland should not be forced to travel for reproductive care.

Grainne Teggart (third right) Northern Ireland campaigner for Amnesty International with Sinn Feins Louise OReilly, Megan Fearon and members of the Alliance for Choice (Niall Carson/PA)

We welcome the ministers commitment to ensure access to abortion services for women from Northern Ireland, she said.

However, it serves to underscore the absurd situation we find ourselves in, where women from Northern Ireland will soon be able to travel by train to have an abortion, but still wont be able to access safe and legal abortions at home.

We call on the Northern Ireland secretary and UK Government to prioritise womens healthcare, decriminalise abortion and ensure a framework for access is put in place.

Sinn Fein representatives Megan Fearon and Louise OReilly hosted the delegation which included Alliance for Choice, Royal College of Midwives, and The Family Planning Association

Megan Fearon said: The meeting with the minister for health was very constructive for us and for the campaign groups and service providers.

The campaign groups outlined their concerns to minister Harris and the minister reiterated his commitment to ensuring access for all women on the island to abortion care.

Sinn Fein will continue to keep this issue to the fore, north and south.

We will work hand in hand with campaign groups and service providers to ensure access to quality and safe abortion care for all women on this island.

The Alliance Partys Paula Bradshaw likewise gave a cautious welcome to the news, adding there was no excuse for not legislating to clarify the law in Northern Ireland.

Abortion is a conscience issue for Alliance but I welcome the clarification from the Republics Health Minister, Simon Harris TD, that from next year women will be able to travel across the border to seek an abortion within the laws which will come to apply there, albeit with a charge, Ms Bradshaw said.

Nevertheless, regardless of our personal views on the topic, the issue remains the law in Northern Ireland lacks clarity and is recognised to be in breach of global human rights standards.

Abortion is currently illegal in Northern Ireland unless there is a serious risk to a womans life or health.

Last year, at least 919 women from Northern Ireland travelled to England and Wales to access abortion services
A German shepherd puppy has been adopted by Spanish police after they rescued him from an unpleasant ordeal.

Officers in Granada, in the south of Spain, found the puppy after responding to a report of a dog being kicked in the street by a member of the public.

They swiftly intervened, seizing the animal and taking him to the local vet before making the decision to adopt him the following morning.

Next, they needed a name  so turned to the public for help, setting up a poll to choose between Rocky, Lucky, Iron and Stan Lee.

Coming just a couple of days after the death of the comic book pioneer, the public went for Stan Lee.

Local reports suggest Stan Lee suffered no major injuries and is recovering well.

Officers in Granada found the puppy after responding to a report of a dog being kicked in the street (Policia Local de Granada)

German shepherds are a breed regularly used as police dogs, so Stan Lee could yet find himself fighting crime like the superheroes created by his namesake.
The sheriffs deputy who was on campus during the Florida high school massacre but did not confront the gunman declined to testify on Thursday before a state commission investigating it.

Former Broward County deputy Scot Peterson failed to appear before the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, where he would have been asked why he did not enter the building where 14 students and three staff members died on February 14 to try to stop the gunman.

Instead, his lawyer Joseph DiRuzzo appeared and told the 14-member panel and the packed crowd that he had filed a lawsuit earlier on Thursday to quash the panels summons.

He dropped a copy of the lawsuit on the lectern, turned and left.

One victims father said to DiRuzzo as he passed: He didnt do his job. My daughter should be alive.

The gallery section for the victims families was packed, not only for Peterson but to hear from Broward school superintendent Robert Runcie and sheriff Scott Israel, who were testifying later.

Florida school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz appears in court (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)

There had been speculation Peterson might invoke the Fifth Amendment and refuse to testify, as a criminal investigation of law enforcements response continues.

Security video from the shooting shows that Peterson arrived outside the three-storey building as the gunman killed 11 people on the first-floor.

Peterson drew his gun, but retreated to cover next to the neighbouring building.

The video shows Peterson never left that spot for 50 minutes, even after other deputies and police officers arrived on campus and went inside.

The panels members believe Peterson could have saved the five students and one teacher killed on the third floor if he would have gone into the building and confronted suspect Nikolas Cruz.

Some called him a coward and not a real cop during their Wednesday meeting.

Pinellas County sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the panels chairman, said Thursday he wanted to ask Peterson: Why the hell did he go hide and run away and not do his job.

Peterson, a decorated 32-year veteran of the sheriffs office, told investigators and in interviews with the Today show and The Washington Post last spring that he heard only two or three shots and did not know whether they were coming from inside or outside the building.

That is contradicted by radio calls in which he correctly identifies the building as the gunmans location.

Bullets also came out of a window almost directly above where he took cover.

About 150 shots were fired from an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. The shots were heard by others a quarter of a mile away.

Peterson, 55, retired shortly after the shooting rather than accept a suspension while an internal investigation was conducted. He is receiving a 100,000 dollar (78,000) annual pension.

Cruz, a 20-year-old former Stoneman Douglas pupil, is charged with the killings.

He has pleaded not guilty, but his lawyers have said he would plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
A feel-good tale of a homeless man using his last 20 dollars to help a stranded woman buy petrol was a complete lie, manufactured to get strangers to donate more than 400,000 dollars (313,000) to help the good Samaritan, a prosecutor has said.

Scott Coffina announced criminal charges against the couple who told the story to newspapers and television stations along with the homeless man who allegedly conspired with them to tell it.

He said the money, donated to the homeless man, Johnny Bobbitt, would be refunded to people who saw the story and contributed to him through a GoFundMe page set up by the couple, Mark DAmico and Katelyn McClure.

The entire campaign was predicated on a lie, Coffina said. It was fictitious and illegal and there are consequences.

Bobbitt was arrested on Wednesday night by in Philadelphia and remains in custody.

DAmico and McClure surrendered to authorities Wednesday night and were released.

All were charged with theft by deception.

Johnny Bobbitt sued the couple (Burlington County Prosecutors Office via AP)

Investigators searched the home of DAmico and McClure in Florence, New Jersey, in September after questions arose about what happened to the money they raised for Bobbitt.

The couple claimed he helped McClure get petrol after she became stranded in Philadelphia last year.

McClure said that in an attempt to thank Bobbitt for his help, she set up the fundraising page, which brought in more than 400,000 dollars and landed them in the national news.

Katelyn McClure said she had run out of petrol (Burlington County Prosecutors Office via AP)

Coffina said almost no part of the tale was true. McClure did not run out of petrol. Bobbitt did not spot her in trouble and give her money.

Less than an hour after the couple set up the page to solicit donations, McClure sent a text message to a friend acknowledging the story was completely made up.

Prosecutors began investigating after Bobbitt claimed he was not getting the money that had been raised on his behalf. He later sued the couple.

It is not clear what happened to the money, though Bobbitts lawyer has said it is all gone.
An investigation has been launched after a woman died in a fire.

Emergency services were called to the farmhouse in the Anguston Road, Peterculter area of Aberdeen at about 3.15pm on Thursday.

A woman died as a result of the blaze and a man who had to be helped from the property sustained minor injuries.

Police Scotland can confirm they are carrying out an investigation following a fire at a rural property earlier today near Aberdeen in which a female has sadly died.https://t.co/kRaCxR3Tva  North East Police (@NorthEPolice) November 15, 2018

Inquiries involving both Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) are at an early stage.

An SFRS spokesman said: The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 3.15pm on Thursday to reports of a building fire near Aberdeen.

Operations Control mobilised four fire engines to Peterculters Anguston Road, where firefighters were met by a fire within a one-storey building.
Youve probably seen plenty of puppies in your life  but you might not have seen any quite like these.

Thats because this is a litter of African painted dog puppies, born at the weekend to mum Ella and dad Juma at Oregon Zoo in Portland.

The species, also known as African wild dogs, is endangered  the population of them in the wild is down to around 5,000 having once stood at half a million.

So any new pups are very welcome  and these, the first to be born at Oregon Zoo, are doubly so.

Were excited to welcome these pups, and Ella is doing a great job as a first-time mum so far, said Laura Weiner, senior keeper for the zoos Africa area.

Were giving the new family plenty of time and space to bond, but weve been checking in regularly on their den camera.

Picture

Zoo staff are keeping their distance at the moment so the pups can get to grips with the complicated social structures of the species, Weiner said.

Puppies for Ella African painted dog Ella gave birth to a litter of pups! The first-time mom and her babies are doing well in their behind-the-scenes maternity den. Posted by Oregon Zoo on Thursday, November 15, 2018

Because of this, they dont know exactly how many pups there are, but somewhere between 10 and 16 is normal  female African painted dogs have 14 teats to cope with the load.

And as for when visitors will get to see them, it should only be a few months.

Painted dog pups are born blind, so theyll stay in the den until theyre able to see and get around on their own, Weiner said.

But when they join the pack in a few months, guests can expect to see a lot of fun puppy activity.
A white man has been charged with federal hate crimes after the killing of two African-Americans at a grocery shop last month in Kentucky.

A federal grand jury in Louisville returned three hate crime charges against 51-year-old Gregory Bush on Thursday.

US attorney Russell Coleman said Bush was charged with killing two people based on their race and attempting to kill a third person based on his race. Bush was also charged with three firearms offences.

Police said Bush walked into a Kroger grocery shop with a .40-calibre handgun on October 24 and shot one person, and then killed another in the car park before exchanging fire with an armed man before fleeing.

Coleman said there has been a spectre that reared its head and laid across this community since the shootings.

This is not acceptable, Coleman said at a news conference Thursday.

Gregory Bush is led into court (Dylan Lovan/AP)

No Kentuckian should be frightened to go shopping, no Kentuckian should be frightened to go worship, no Kentuckian should be frightened to go to school.

Coleman said the FBI has been involved in investigating the shooting since the day it happened.

Bush has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges in state court, and is being held on bail.

Prosecutors have not made a decision on seeking the death penalty.

Bush had stopped at a black church in suburban Louisville before heading to the supermarket, where 69-year-old Maurice Stallard and 67-year-old Vicki Lee Jones were shot at close range.

Bush was seen on surveillance video trying to enter the church, but the door was locked and he left.

The pastor of that church, Kevin Nelson, said his flock was simply hoping to see justice be done.

We have to learn how to get along with each other and generally accept each others differences, he said.

Sadiqa Reynolds, president of Louisvilles Urban League, said we cannot live in a community with hate, and there must be severe consequences for that.

Racism is real and we see that our country is very, very divided, Reynolds said. That is not going to go away.
A 150-year-old bottle of beer discovered near a shipwreck off the coast of Australia has been returned to its brewery in Glasgow.

The bottle of stout was discovered by diver Jim Anderson close to where the ill-fated clipper The Light of The Age foundered near Melbourne in January 1868 on a voyage from Liverpool.

Mr Anderson made the discovery in the 1970s and noticed a Wellpark Brewery stamp.

He eventually contacted the brewery and has now brought the bottle back to Glasgow, where it will feature in a new 1 million visitor centre built to tell the story of Tennents Lager.

Mr Anderson with his discoveries following a dive near Melbourne (Jim Anderson/PA)

The stout pre-dates Tennents Lager but was made in the Wellpark Brewery that created the famous Scottish drink.

At the time, Wellpark was the biggest exporter of bottled beer in the world and the shipwrecked bottle is thought to be one of the oldest in Britain.

Mr Anderson, 72, has travelled to Scotland with his wife Jan for the opening of the Tennents Visitor Centre on November 22.

He said: I found it on a dive in the 1970s, photographed it, and put it in my basement along with other things Id salvaged from wrecks from those days.

It was there for years, and it wasnt until I found the old photographs when I was looking through an old book earlier this year.

I could see the inscription Wellpark Brewery on it, and I set about finding where that was. I found out it was in Glasgow, and I contacted Tennents to see if they were interested in the bottle, which they were, and I was delighted.

The bottle top led it back to Tennents Wellpark Brewery (Tennents/PA)

It took a bit of clearance to get it to Glasgow because artefacts are protected in Australia and we need special authorisation for things like this to leave the country. I sought all that, and its amazing to see it back where it started, 150 years later, metres from where it started its journey.

He added: This little bottle is a reminder of the historic connection between Australia and Scotland, too. I hope people enjoy seeing it and think about those days and the distance it travelled before I found it. It has come home and brought me with it.

Tennents bosses say the new visitor centre at its Wellpark Brewery will tell the history of brewing in the area from the 1500s through to the present day.

To mark the shipwrecked bottles homecoming, Tennents brewers have gone back through old recipes in order to recreate a commemorative-edition run of the stout.

The 150-year-old bottle is now to go on display as part of "The Tennents Story" visitor centre (Tennents/PA)

Group brand director Alan McGarrie said: The Tennents Story tells the incredible story of brewing on the Wellpark site, which dates way back to 1556.

The fascinating story of the shipwrecked bottle, and the captain who ran his boat aground, is just one of the exhibits on show as we explore the past, the present and the future of Tennents.

Pre-dating Tennents Lager, which was first brewed in 1885, the stout is one of the oldest bottles of beer in Britain, returned to Wellpark by the diver who found it.

Unlike the drunken captain who ran his ship aground close to Port Phillip Heads, Jim has ensured his historic cargo reached its final destination  by flying round the world to put it in place himself.
Care home operators are to issue a stern warning over what they describe as under-resourcing in the sector as they meet for a conference.

Donald Macaskill, chief executive of Scottish Care, will tell around 450 delegates the sector is fragile and a real threat exists to its sustainability.

He will call on politicians to put down their party political megaphones and talk about the funding of social care.

Dr Macaskill will set out the view of the representative body for the countrys independent social care services when he delivers a speech at the National Care Home Conference in Glasgow on Friday.

Speaking as Scottish Care unveils a new report, he will highlight the dramatic and unappreciated changes which the care home sector has experienced over the last few years and reflect on the challenges it currently faces.

He will tell the gathering: Unfortunately many of these challenges are growing and becoming a real threat to the continuance of a sector which is critical to keeping Scotland healthy and giving quality care to some of our most vulnerable citizens.

Scottish Care has called for more funding in the sector (John Stillwell/PA)

I cannot remember a period of such real threat to the sustainability of the care home sector. Things are very fragile indeed.

We cannot for long continue to under-resource the sector.

The truth is that today care homes are effectively mini hospitals and hospices settled right into the heart of our communities  but we do not treat them like that, we do not resource or fund them like that, they are truly the Cinderella service of health and social care.

When are we going to realise that we cannot continue to get care on the cheap

We are in danger of creating a bargain basement care home sector trying to deliver high quality care on the cheap.

Dr Macaskill will make his address as Scottish Care unveils a new report, entitled Care homes: Then, now and the uncertain future.

He will claim that nine out of 10 providers are struggling to recruit staff and call for an increase in social care funding from the Scottish Government of up to 8%.

Yet again Scottish Care is calling on our politicians to put down their party political megaphones and start talking to one another, to providers, to citizens, about how we are going to fund social care, he will say.

A Scottish Government spokesman said the National Care Home Contract has seen year-on-year increases in the contract fee, amounting to 42% cumulatively.

He added: Care homes have received unprecedented support, despite a challenging financial backdrop.

We have integrated health and social care to ensure we can provide flexible, responsive, high quality services.

Integration authorities are responsible for almost 9 billion of funding, receiving more than 550 million of additional investment this year.

While a significant amount of work and investment has gone into supporting older or vulnerable people to live well in their own homes for longer, we recognise the role of the care home within the wider integrated health and social care system and we welcome this report.
MPs must determine the voting procedures that will be used in the Commons meaningful vote on Theresa Mays Brexit deal, a Commons committee has warned.

The recommendation by the cross-party Procedure Committee comes amid anger among some MPs who accuse the Government of trying to present them with a simple take it or leave it choice.

Remainers have complained that under the Governments proposals the House will have to accept or reject the deal before there is a chance to amend it  effectively rendering any amendment meaningless.

Ministers, however, argue that if the motion they put before the House to ratify the agreement was amended, it could open it up to legal challenge, potentially disrupting the UKs orderly withdrawal from the EU.

In its report, the committee said the House should ensure at least five full sitting days are allocated to the debate, which should allow a full range of opinions on the issues involved to be expressed.

On each day of the debate, it said there should be an opportunity for a proposer of an amendment to speak to that amendment with a minister responding to the debate at the end of the days proceedings.

The committee said the House should ensure at least five full sitting days are allocated to the debate (PA)

On this national question of extraordinary importance, members of the public, whatever their views, will be looking to the House in the expectation that those views will be reflected in debate, the committee said  although four Conservative MPs refused to back the report.

The committee noted that under normal standing orders, a debate on an approval motion is restricted to just 90 minutes, with only one amendment allowed.

There is widespread agreement that this procedure does not meet the expectations of the House, and of the general public, for a debate on a decision of this significance, it said.

In contrast, it pointed out the debate on the UKs entry into the European Economic Community in October 1971 lasted 55 hours over six days.

The committee said the House should decide itself the procedure that was adopted, with a debate on a substantive and amendable motion to be held at least two sitting days before the actual ratification debate.

The committee chairman Charles Walker said: The decision that MPs will be required to make on any motion to approve a withdrawal agreement will be one of the most momentous decisions ever taken, both for the House of Commons and for the country.

It is essential that MPs are able to make a thorough assessment of the various issues at play in order to reach a decision on the procedure used to ratify the withdrawal agreement.

A Government spokesman said: We will consider the committees recommendations carefully, though it will be for Parliament to debate and determine the procedure that will apply for the vote.

As we have said previously, anything other than straightforward approval of the deal will bring with it huge uncertainty for business, consumers and citizens.
Almost a third of European doctors working in Scotland are considering moving to another country because of Brexit, a survey has suggested.

Doctors leaders at the British Medical Association (BMA) warned such an exodus would be a disaster for the health service.

The BMA survey also found 81% of European doctors working in Scotland are unconvinced promises made about their rights would be protected if the UK quits the European Union without a deal.

That proportion was higher than the 78% who were not convinced by this across the UK as a whole.

BMA Scotland chair Dr Lewis Morrison said: As Brexit creeps ever closer, it is appalling that so many of our colleagues are living with such uncertainty over what their future will be.

The results of this survey clearly show a deep distrust in the promises that have been made to date.

A survey found 30% of European doctors working in Scotland are considering moving abroad (Lynne Cameron/PA)

More than 1,500 doctors working in the UK who had been trained in Europe completed the survey, including 144 currently working in Scotland.

But more than a third (34%) of these doctors north of the border said they are not aware of the UKs settled status scheme for European citizens currently living and working in the UK, while 30% said they are considering moving abroad.

Dr Morrison said: We should be absolutely clear that losing the contribution to our NHS of doctors from elsewhere in Europe would be a disaster for our health service.

These are our friends and our colleagues and with just a handful of months to go, too many of them do not know what their future will be after Brexit.

The survey was carried out between the end of September and the beginning of November, before Theresa Mays Government agreed a Brexit deal with the EU.

But with a number of ministers having quit the Government after a crunch Cabinet meeting, it is by no means certain the Prime Minister will be able to get the agreement approved by Parliament.

Dr Morrison said: A clear and unequivocal guarantee, setting out in detail how the rights of EEA nationals will be protected in the event of a no-deal Brexit, is urgently required.

The Scottish Government has been clear that it wants to protect the rights of European NHS staff and this is welcome and appreciated by many, but it is ultimately the Westminster Government that must act before further damage is done.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: This survey shows how real the threat to our NHS is from the UK Governments Brexit plans, and the BMA is right to highlight the risks that leaving the EU poses to Scotlands NHS and health sector.

These findings are deeply concerning, and expose the depth of concern among EU nationals working in our health service.

Those staff are vital to Scotlands NHS and we are determined that they stay here and continue to do the valued work they carry out.

We are working with the UK Government on measures to safeguard the registration status of our health and care professionals, maintaining their ability to continue working here, even in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Inspectors have praised the standard of care at Scotlands only detention centre but noted staff shortages and the need for refurbishment at the facility.

Dungavel House immigration removal centre in South Lanarkshire held around 80 people when visited in July this year.

Many parts of the centre, run by GEO Group on behalf of the Home Office, were said to be shabby and in need of repair.

The relationship between detainees and staff was described as excellent and a key strength of the centre, which opened in 2001. It was last visited by inspectors in 2015.

Dungavel is a former hunting lodge near Strathaven (Maurice McDonald/PA)

Peter Clarke, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, said: We were pleased to see that the positive, welfare-focused staff culture seen previously had been maintained.

This is a precious resource that custodial institutions often struggle to embed, and it was therefore concerning to find indications of a more frustrated and often tired staff group.

Their generally positive comments to inspectors were punctuated by unhappiness at persistent staff shortages and the lack of investment in Dungavel.

Inspectors noted little use of force at the centre and said that while many detainees said they felt unsafe, this was due to the uncertainty of their situation rather than a fear of harm at the facility.

Detainees had much better access to legal aid than in England and Wales, which helped them to manage their stress, the report said.

Access to health care including mental health services was also good, and detainees were offered a range of activities and recreational facilities including a gym.

There was not enough focus on the specific needs of women detainees, however, and the local immigration team was said to be under-resourced and not always able to make face-to-face contact with detainees.

At the time of the inspection, two-thirds of detainees had been held for less than a month. Four people had been held for between six and 12 months and two for more than a year.

Mr Clarke said: Preserving the staff culture that has allowed Dungavel to repeatedly produce the best inspection outcomes in the detention estate, and investing in the deteriorating infrastructure of the centre, are the most immediate challenges.
As world leaders gathered in France over the weekend to commemorate the 100th year of the armistice that ended World War I, the discourse was dominated by US President Donald Trumps last-minute cancellation of a visit to a war cemetery.

The media largely focussed on contemporary political equations and French President Emmanuel Macrons caution against rising nationalism that is becoming a threat to the world went undebated. It should have been an occasion for us to mull over why the far right is rising across the world, with leaders who advocate an extreme form of nationalism, sometimes bordering on xenophobia.

French President Emmanuel Macrons caution against rising nationalism is worth taking note of. (Source: Reuters)

Nationalism is placing the countrys interests over those of the others and that was one of the causes of the First World War  in which the seeds of World War II were sown. In an atmosphere of whipped up emotions, where there is barely any space for rational dialogue, those opposing nationalism are branded anti-nationals and called traitors.

In a globalised and interconnected world, one has to keep the larger public good in mind. While nationalism appeals to populist and authoritarian regimes, it cannot solve the problems we face in the world today. And there are problems galore  even if they are not a part of our political discourse. From global warming to international trade, from jobs being lost to automation to the arms race, there are issues that demand transnational collaboration.

Our problems are global, our polity national and our identities regional. If we cannot find a way to address this dissonance, our problems will persist and fuel further hatred. In the absence of a global polity that can respond to the modern-day problems, populist and authoritarian regimes are on the rise across the world. And much like the past, freedoms are being attacked and free press is being maligned. For instance, the right wing in India often refers to the press as presstitutes and in Germany anti-immigrant protesters chanted the Nazi slogan  Lugenpresse  meaning lying press. The similarities and the pattern in the rise of the extreme-right wing across the world are increasingly becoming more apparent.

One of the cardinal ways of attaining a global perspective and creating a global identity is educating people.

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with US President Donald Trump as he arrives at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. (Source: Reuters)

Sadly, we do not have an education system that makes us aware of these problems and how we can tackle them. Much of our education is designed to cater to the needs of the job markets rather than to enlighten citizenry.

Education, like the media, is used as a tool to propagate nationalism. It is driven by competition, rather than teaching children to cooperate. For as long as we continue to propagate competition, we will not be able to arrive at a consensus to solve problems that deserve immediate attention of humankind. An education system that promotes cooperation is the key to attaining international cooperation.

The 100 years of the armistice should have been an occasion for us to introspect and fight against forces that divide humanity. International cooperation and peace must not remain hazy ideals in our minds but should become our state policies. A world sans wars is not an unachievable ideal, but in the mutual interests of all of humanity. The horrors of war must be explained to common people on such occasions.

Emmanuel Macrons appeal to the world leaders to reject nationalism must be taken more seriously by common citizens too.

Of course, the world will not change overnight. Peace will not permeate across the many battlefields in the world. But for that to happen, common people must first believe in the idea of peace and cooperation and make genuine efforts to propagate them.

While rejecting nationalism may not be a popular choice, especially because of the stigma attached to it, it is essential for our secure collective future. In an era where dual citizenships are gaining traction, it is important to recall the words of Rabindranath Tagore  I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as I live.

Also read: World War I: No one remembers the Indian soldiers
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval is a man of few words. He rarely speaks in public. When he does, people listen.

Delivering the annual Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture last month, Doval warned of a threat to the nation from forces more within than outside.

He added: Weakened democracies can tend to make a country a soft power. India cannot afford to be a soft power for the next few years. It will be compelled to take hard decisions. India will need a strong, stable and decisive government for the next 10 years to achieve our national, political, economic and strategic objectives.

Ajit Doval is a man of few words. (Photo: PTI)

Maoist forces

Doval argued that a strong government can secure Indias national interest better than a ragtag coalition government, pulled in different directions by the regional, caste and community interests of its alliance partners.

That may be an obvious political comment, but it is nevertheless true with one caveat: not all coalition governments are weak; and not all majority governments are strong.

Leadership at the top is the determining factor.

India is especially benighted in having a plethora of enemies within.

Some operate in the open  for example, Maoists and Islamist terrorists who target both security forces and civilians.

Others operate behind a veil.

Its important though to differentiate between enemies within and those strongly critical of government policies.

In a democracy, the media must take an adversarial position to the government. Its job is to hold public servants  including the Prime Minister  to account. Indeed even bias in the media should not worry the government.

False narratives will not survive the scrutiny of the public and the marketplace. To counter false narratives, all the government needs to do is regularly and professionally provide information on key issues.

Activists are an essential ingredient of democracy as long as they do not incite violence. (Photo: Reuters)

Bad journalism and motivated activism will be found out and punished, the former by the market, the latter by public opinion.

The Narendra Modi government has failed to communicate swiftly and interactively. It has deservedly suffered as a consequence with false narratives allowed to go largely unchallenged.

When Doval warned of the enemy within, he didnt mean the media or even the Opposition, both of which should have  and do have  full freedom to criticise, pillory, excoriate and condemn the government.

That is the contract India signed with democracy.

Activists too are an essential ingredient of democracy as long as they do not incite violence and are not complicit in inciting violence. The enemies within we need to fight are underground forces like Maoists and terrorists as well as overground forces that provide Maoists with legal, financial and logistical support.

Over the years key elements of Indian society have been subverted: bureaucrats; journalists; activists; diplomats; intelligence officers; and former armed services officers. They are not hard to spot.

On nationalism

A group of Indian journalists, for example, will be taken by agents of the Pakistani militarys Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) for a choreographed visit.

Within days, specific bylines in Indian newspapers will appear praising living conditions in PoK.

The messaging is subtle, but damaging to Indias security interests.

Simultaneously, ISI front organisations will sponsor Track 2 meetings at overseas locations with former armed services officers and ex-RAW personnel, subverted journalists in dutiful attendance.

Books and columns emerge from these choreographed meetings.

Meanwhile, activists and academics will offer up narratives of Indias brutal occupation of Kashmir, which are lapped up by the viscerally anti-India foreign media.

At an event, in the context of anti-India forces, I was asked by the moderator whether nationalism had more than one interpretation.

I pointed to two.

The first was Adolf Hitlers nationalism in the 1930s which led to World War II and was menacingly jingoistic.

The second was Mahatma Gandhis nationalism, also in the 1930s, which was inclusive, non-threatening, non-expansionary and aimed at protecting Indias national interest.

PM Modi has to deal with the insidious saboteurs within. (Photo: Reuters)

Celebrate diversity

Indias right wing errs by playing the grievance card.

It calls for Hindu revivalism. As an 80 per cent majority, though riddled with caste and regional divisions, it should display greater self-confidence.

A sense of grievance leads to anger that is destructive and defeatist, unworthy of a rising great power.

A self-confident nation embraces, even celebrates diversity. It recognises the real enemies that lurk within, behind the veil.

In short, it fights the right enemy. In his Sardar Patel Memorial lecture, Doval echoed how Patel, the great unifier, would have dealt with the enemies within by taking hard decisions which are good for the people but are not necessarily populist.

Doval must be painfully aware how close to the government the enemy within operates.

The battle between the CBIs top two police officers is the tip of the iceberg.

The Prime Ministers Office (PMO) has been unable to deal with this cancer at the heart of Indias anti-corruption agency.

The finance ministry is another warren of competing interests. Chargesheets in sensitive cases like Aircel-Maxis have been delayed by the Indian hand that has replaced the much maligned foreign hand of the Indira Gandhi years.

The Indian hand is often more dangerous. It is supple and vulnerable to financial inducement. If PM Modi does not deal with the insidious saboteurs within, he will remain a one-term prime minister.

(Courtesy of Mail Today)

Also Read: Maharashtra leader calls Modi 11th avatar of Vishnu: Why BJP mustnt build a cult around the PM
Though Arihant has happened at the right time, future projections of defence acquisitions and indigenous production need to be scaled up. Our maritime strength is meagre as compared to the Chinese fleet

Even after over a century and a half, Rudyard Kiplings Great Game continues to be played, only the turf and the players have changed. The target, that is access to and consolidation in Indian Ocean remains the same, of course with different nuances.

In this context, our Prime Minister Narendra Modis forthcoming visit to Maldives to participate in the inauguration of the new presidency is most welcome and a step in the right direction. But coming after over three years of the earlier cancelled visit of 2015, a lot of ground will now have to be covered and without any further time to lose. After all, today, the Indian Ocean is no longer Indias ocean.

It is worth recalling that after becoming the number one trading partner of Africa, in its policy statement, China in 2015 had emphasised that it would seize the strategic initiative to effectively secure its overseas interests. Following this, we have seen heavy investments being made by China in our neighbourhood for the development of the Maritime Silk Route along with CPEC.

Simultaneously, development of the ports by China at Djibouti, Gwadar and Hambantota virtually completes a secure triangle around the Arabian Sea and a strategic positioning on the access routes to Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Also, plans of the Chinese to develop Ihavandhoo as a deep sea port on an atoll in the Northern Maldives have since come to light. This location would virtually stand guard on the seven degree channel, the main navigational route from China and South East Asia for Europe and Gulf and carrying about $18 trillion in the terms of annual trade.

On top of this, very recently an agreement has been signed with Myanmar for construction of a multi-billion dollar port at Kyaukpyu , in the Rakhine state not far from Bangladesh. This Kyaukpyu special economic zone will be ultimately linked by rail/road to Kunming and provide access to the Bay of Bengal on the same pattern as Gwadar does to the Arabian Sea.

However, the Chinese plan of developing Sonadia into a port was cancelled by Bangladesh in 2017. But now they are showing their keenness on Payra port. This port in Bangladesh along with Kyaukpyu in Myanmar would be important locations on the

proposed Maritime Silk Route. In the given scenario, the great game as of now, seems to be going the Chinese way, as they can claim legitimate access to the Bay of Bengal as also to the Arabian Sea on either of our flanks. All these developments have serious implications for diplomacy in the neighbourhood as well as our navy.

Though Arihant has happened at the right time, future projections of defence acquisitions and indigenous production need to be scaled up. Our maritime strength is meagre as compared to the Chinese fleet. It is a historical fact borne out of the World War II and our own 1971 (INS Khukri was sunk by submarine PNS Hangool) that far more damage to enemy shipping is caused by submarines than any other vessel.

As such a fresh look in our priorities and strategy would be in order. For instance, Japan has established a maritime cordon against submarines and deploys almost 200, P-3 Orion and S-2 aircraft patrols for detection of submarines.

Satellite technology is being used these days to track enemy shipping and even the deeply submerged nuclear submarines. It is often said that there is now hardly any place left to hide the naval assets particularly the carriers.

In the given circumstances, it is high time that considering our expertise in space missions, we develop our own satellite based naval surveillance systems and are able to detect the threats well in advance for putting effective counter measures in place.

In the long run, it has to be left to our diplomats and the political executive supported by armed forces to create a strong and favourable geopolitical environment in our neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean region.

(The writer is a retired Delhi Police Commissioner and former Uttarakhand Governor
Actor David Harbour has joined the cast of Chris Hemsworth's Netflix film "Dhaka".

Hemsworth recently completed the India leg of the shooting, which will now move to Thailand.

The film, which marks the directorial debut of Sam Hargrave, follows Rake (Hemsworth) who has been hired to liberate a kidnapped Indian boy, being hidden in Bangladesh capital, Dhaka. Physically brave but an emotional coward, the man has to come to terms with his identity and sense of self.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Harbour, best known for Netflix series "Stranger Things", will play a fellow mercenary with secret intentions.

"Infinity War" directing duo Anthony and Joe Russo have penned the script and they will also produce the feature via their AGBO banner.
Kalki Koechlin says it is extremely important for actors to trust each other before shooting intimate scenes and believes such a practice should be made mandatory in the film industry.

Kalki said she has done intimate scenes with actors without even meeting them before, something which should not happen.

"When we are on a film set, no one is going to not have a really choreographed action scene. No one is going to 'by mistake' punch the actor in the face. So why aren't we doing that for intimate scenes?

"There are a number of scenes I've done where I've not even met the actor before I have to bite his lips off. It doesn't make sense. There needs to be trust between the actors," she said.

The actor was part of a panel discussion on code of conduct at work at the 9th edition of Tata Literature Live!.

Kalki said she is currently doing a play where they were given a two-page code of conduct that was drafted by the royal court last year after several #MeToo cases surfaced.

"In this play that I'm doing, about rape of a Roman woman, every morning my co-actor and I have consent between each other where we ask 'Can we do this?' and agree on touch. That has just made us so much more comfortable. We trust each other a lot more.

"There is no 'improvisational bit' that happens. That kind of good practice needs to be encouraged and demanded from those of us in the industry," she added.

Kalki believes it is extremely important for an individual and an industry as a collective to take responsibilities.

"In my industry, we have had a meeting few weeks back with the producers guild, directors, casting directors, crew members to understand what are the problems and how can we ourselves take responsibility," she added.
Whatever hopes the common man had about the law and order situation in Kerala becoming normal following the Friday decision of the Travancore Devaswom Board to approach the Supreme Court with a plea seeking more time to implement the September 28 verdict of the Constitution Bench on Sabarimala Temple diminished as the police took into preventive custody KP Sasikala, leader of the Hindu Aikya Vedi  an umbrella organisation of all Hindu outfits  which is protesting against the SC judgment on Sabarimala.

Sasikala  a widely respected woman activist who is in the forefront of the agitation against the apex court verdict allowing entry of women of all ages to Sabarimala Temple  who was on her way to the temple with Irumudi (the sacred bag containing offerings to the deity which could be opened only at the sanctum), was arrested by the police when she entered the Pathanamthitta district and was taken to the police station at Ranni. This led to widespread condemnation and hundreds of devotees rushed to the police station singing hymns in praise of Lord Ayyappa.

Sasikala was released on bail by the sub-divisional magistrate of Thiruvalla on Saturday evening. Speaking to the media, she said the Government has unleashed an unprecedented violation of human rights. The Kerala Government and Travancore Devaswom Board have failed to provide even basic amenities like toilet and resting places to the devotees. The authorities want to cover up these shortcomings, said Sasikala.

The arrest of Sasikala led the Hindu organisations in the State declaring a dawn to dusk hartal on Saturday and it turned out to be total.

Public transport stayed off the roads, shops and establishments downed shutters and Kerala resembled a ghost State.

The Government fielded Kadakampalli Surendran, the CPI(M)s Minister for Devaswom and Tourism, who lambasted the BJP and the RSS for the breakdown in normal life. The Hindu outfits are trying to polarise the Kerala population on communal lines. The BJP and the RSS do not want peace in Kerala, said the Minister while briefing the media at Thiruvananthapuram. He described Sasikala who was arrested on late Friday night as a terrorist and communalist.

The arrest of Sasikala who was on her way to the shrine earned the wrath of all Hindu leaders across the States of Kerala, Karnataka and Katnataka. Swamy Chidanandapuri, head of Advaitha Asram at Kulathoor said that this is the first time in the history that a devotee on his/her way to Sabarimala with Irumudy was arrested. Once you pack the Irumudy with offerings to the deity and set on the pilgrimage, no force could touch the devotee till he/she reached the shrine and offered the Irumudi at the sanctum, said Chidanandapuri.

Rama Gopalan, the octogenarian leader of Tamil Nadus Hindu Front too condemned the action of the Kerala Police. J Nandakumar, all India convener, Prajna Pravah (the RSS think tank) charged that the present attack on Ayyappa devotees is part of an international conspiracy to destroy Sabarimala Temple, a symbol of Hindu unification. He wanted a thorough probe into the conspiracy in which names of leaders of the CPI(M) and top bureaucrats figure.

Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala blamed the RSS and the CPI(M) for the present impasse. Both these organisations want to destroy the peace in Kerala and they dont want a trouble-free atmosphere in the State, charged the Congress leader.
The feud in the Chautala clan  the first family of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD)  reached its crescendo on Saturday as former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautalas elder son Ajay Chautala announced the formation of a new political party, whose name is expected to be revealed on December 9.

I hand over the INLD and the spectacles (party symbol) to my younger brother (Abhay Chautala) as a gift, said Ajay Chautala, while addressing his supporters in Jind.

The development comes days after INLD patriarch OP Chautala expelled three family members from the party-first his grandsons Hisar MP Dushyant and Digvijay, and then his son Ajay-for alleged anti-party activities.

Ajays wife and Dabwali MLA, Naina Chautala , who dared the party to have her expelled as well, has been spared from any disciplinary action as of now.

The INLD is Haryanas main opposition party. Dushyant and Digvijay Chautala are the great-grandsons of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal.

Ajay Chautala, who is facing a 10-year jail term along with father OP Chautala since 2013 in a teachers recruitment scam, said that the new party will hold a rally in Jind on December 9. Ajay and his brother Abhay Chautala, who is Leader of opposition in Haryana Assembly and INLDs MLA from Ellenabad, held parallel meetings on Saturday.

Besides his sons, Dushyant and Digvijay, MLAs Anoop Dhanak, Rajdeep Phogat and several party leaders attended Ajays meeting at Jind.

Ajay, who came out from Tihar jail on parole recently, was expelled from the party on November 14 for anti-party activities after he remained adamant on holding the rebel meeting and rally in Jind. Ajay was also removed as the secretary general of the party.

At the rally, Ajays son Dushyant, who was also expelled from the party, said that he didnt want to go back to the party that threw them out. Following a parallel meeting of INLD legislators and leaders in Chandigarh on Saturday, Abhay Chautala, the younger son of OP Chautala, said the developments of the day had clearly shown where affiliations of party leaders were.

I have no ambitions to be the Chief Minister. I tried my best to unite the party leadership, Abhay Chautala said while talking to the mediapersons here.

Abhay also hit out at his elder brother, saying those who staked claim over the party have themselves left.

Notably, INLD chief OP Chautala and his elder son, Ajay, were convicted in the JBT (junior basic teacher) recruitment scam in January 2013. Both were sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Central Bureau of Investigation court in Delhi. The father and son have been barred from contesting elections due to the conviction.

The INLD has been managed by Abhay Chautala since then. After being out of power since 2005, the INLD had in April this year announced to join hands with the BSP. The INLD had announced to contest 2019 Lok Sabha polls and assembly polls in Haryana in alliance with the BSP.
The delayed projects of second Brahmani bridge and IGH super specialty hospital will be a major poll in the coming elections with the BJP facing the heat.

Though elections are still 4-5 months away but the second Brahmani bridge issue has already been in talk here. While the BJP continues to cut a sorry figure over the issues since they were promised by PM Narendra Modi at Rourkela, young activist Muktikanta Biswal who spearheaded a campaign to meet the PM

and later to CM Naveen Patnaik for expediting the delayed projects has begun to earn much sympathy.

It may be noted here that Biswal had walked all through to Delhi from the steel city to meet and remind the Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his promises he had made during his maiden visit to here as Prime Minister on April 1, 2015. During his visit three years back, the PM had announced for construction of a second bridge over the Brahmani river near Panposh and upgrading the Ispat General Hospital (IGH) to a medical college and super specialty hospital.

But despite the declaration of the PM, both the projects which have much importance for Rourkela as well as for entire Sundargarh district did not get any momentum for a long period. Due to inordinate delay, senior BJP leader and Rourkela MLA Dilip Ray (as both the projects are his dream and also his commitment to the denizens of Rourkela during 2014 election campaign) has not only expressed his dissatisfaction on many occasions but also has been disassociating himself from party programmes for last couple of years.

Even he has threatened to launch an agitation on many occasions. Amid a hue and cry, on July 21, 2017, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Water Resources Nitin Gadkari had laid foundation stone for the second Brahmani bridge with a declaration that the construction work will begin in 15 days. But, despite this, the work was not started for months together and finally Biswal decided to meet the PM to remind him of his announcement and started walking to Delhi on April 16.

Covering more than 1,350 km on foot he reached Delhi on June 27 morning.

But in Delhi, Biswal met Sundargarh BJP MP and Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram first, seeking his help to meet the PM. But instead of showing cooperation, Oram outright turned down his request saying that there is no need of meeting the PM as the construction work for the second bridge had already started and works for super specialty in burn and plastic surgery department of IGH had already been initiated. Besides, Oram said he smelt political conspiracy in Biswals activity which has triggered sharp reactions in Sundargarh, particularly in Rourkela. Not only that, the BJP local leaders holding a Press briefing here, tried to put Biswal in dock alleging that his move was politically biased and unnecessary as the construction work of the bridge is in motion.

But after returning from Delhi with empty hands Biswal visited the work site to verify the ground reality. There he observed that the work has started only for names sake. Briefing the same to mediapersons here, he trekked to Bhubaneswar in the month of July to meet the CM requesting him to intervene in the matter.

At that time BJP had ridiculed Muktikanta as a political agent once again. But the ground reality is the construction work of the bridge is held up and the company had already left the construction site. Even the security personnel are not seen in the site. From this it is understood that only to diminish the allegation and efforts of Muktikanta and divert the attention of the people the work was started.

Consequently, the Brahmani bridge issue will be hitting the ground once again and boomerang for the BJP, especially for Oram, said the observers here.
Overseas Odias living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who have spearheaded a movement to ensure regular air connectivity to the newly-opened Veer Surendra Sai Airport in Jharsuguda have stepped up their efforts.

On Saturday, a delegation of nonresident Odias (NROs) from Dubai met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here and presented a memorandum in this regard.

They emphasised on the need for the proper functioning of the airport for the overall development of the region.

According to a member of the delegation, Director and CEO, International Shipping and Logistics FZE, Dubai Capt Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, the real fillip to the development of the region will happen when the airport starts its operations and direct air connectivity with major metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata is established.

General Manager, Wipro Unza Middle East Limited, Dubai Priyadarshee Panigrahi said Bhubaneswar has about 11 daily direct flights from Delhi and about four daily direct flights from Mumbai. Initially, to ensure viability of flight services, some of these direct flights can be made hopping flights (with a stopover at Jharsuguda), for some days of the week.

Meanwhile, the State Government has recommended to the Government of India to ensure direct air connectivity to Jharsuguda airport by making the Air India flight from Delhi to Bhubaneswar operate via Jharsuguda. The State Government has offered to subsidise such flights.
Former Chief Minister Ajit Jogis Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J) suffered a massive blow on Saturday as its national treasurer Gajraj Pagaria resigned from the party after he was being allegedly manhandled at party founders residence in Raipur.

Pagaria, the former mayor and a known public face, had allegedly fought physically with one Vijay Nijwan at Ajit Jogis residence on Friday night and they filed complaints against each other in Civil Lines, police station.

Pagaria, in his resignation letter, said that he was pained by the Friday incident where a lower party worker had misbehaved with him in full public view.

Instead of taking action, the party office bearers termed it as personal matter and I had no option but to resign from the party, Pagaria stated.

JCC (J) leader and election campaign incharge Vidhan Mishra confirmed that Pagaria has put in his papers.

Jogis party which is contesting assembly polls in tie-up with Bahujan Samaj Party, is jolted by a spree of resignations by potential party leaders in recent past. Jogi had floated the party in 2016 after deserting Congress.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has ridiculed Akali Dal leader and his predecessor, Parkash Singh Badal, for the latters attempts to divert public attention from the ongoing SIT investigation against him in the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing cases by claiming it to be politically motivated.

Reacting to Badals statement that the SIT was working under his influence, the Chief Minister said the Governments job was over after it abided by the unanimous decision of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha and formed the investigating team.

SIT is an independent entity and the Government has no role in its functioning, said the Chief Minister, adding that it was now up to the investigating officers to carry out the investigations in the manner they deem fit.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Chief Minister said that the SIT comprises highly competent officers and they are free to summon and question anyone.

If anyone is found guilty by them, they will make a report and submit it to the court for further action, he said, adding that his Government had no role whatsoever either in the ongoing investigations or their outcome.

Amarinder said it was absolutely ridiculous for Badal to even suggest that the SIT report will be written by Punjabs Advocate General. Unlike you, Badal, I believe in the law of the land and fair investigations, the CM said.

Accusing Badal of playing the victim and indulging in theatrics by claiming that no democratically elected Chief Minister had been ever called for questioning in independent India, the CM said it seems age had caught up with him and he was suffering from amnesia.

Under your Government, I was summoned and questioned by the police on frivolous charges at the Patiala circuit house, said the Chief Minister, while advising Badal to face the investigations as a law-abiding citizen.
Security and vigil were beefed up further in Punjab, where already high alert was sounded since Thursday, after the terrorist-outfit Ansar Ghazwatul Hind (AGH) chief Zakir Musa was reportedly spotted in Amritsar along with a few other men on Friday. Alarmed, the Punjab Police released posters of the militant and sounded high alert in the state.

The Jammu and Kashmir based Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind terror outfit has reported links to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). The development comes after the intelligence agencies informed the police about his movements near Amritsar.

Notably, the Punjab Police are on their toes after the intelligence agencies had issued a letter stating that six-seven members of the terror outfit JeM were believed to be sighted in Ferozepur. Following the development, the state has been put on high alert.

Police officials across the state have been asked to set up checkpoints at all important routes, conduct strict vehicle inspections and take suitable counter measures for all the sensitive locations.

Police areas along the India-Pakistan border have also been asked to coordinate with the Border Security Force (BSF). Officials have been advised to plan and implement precautionary measures to thwart any untoward incident.

Gurdaspur SSP Swarandeep Singh said: We had inputs about his (Moosa's) movements near Amritsar. So we have released wanted posters of him to make public aware and have requested them to tell us if they have any information.

We had inputs that some JeM terrorists have infiltrated in Punjab through Ferozepur, so we have taken precautionary measures. Extra forces have been deployed along the border. Checking of vehicles is underway, he said.

The alert stated that the infiltrators could be moving towards the national capital. The reports suggest that the militants had entered India from the international border in Ferozepur area.

A letter issued by the Counter Intelligence Inspector General said: At least six to seven militants are reportedly in Punjab (possibly Ferozepur area) and planning to move towards Delhi from Punjab side. The note advised the authorities to step up security, especially along the border and checking across the state.

On November 5, the Punjab Police arrested two students associated with Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, in connection with Maqsudan Police Station hand-grenade blasts case of September 14.

The outfit is headed by Musa, also known as Zakir Rashid Bhatt, who masterminded and guided the attack, involving Shahid Qayoom and Fazil Bashir, who were students of ST Soldier College of Engineering and Technology in Jalandhar.
Crisp organises Faculty training prog

Bhopal: Centre for Research and Industrial Staff Performance (CRISP), Bhopal has organized two weeks Faculty Development Training Programme. The main objective of this programme was to orient the lecturers, Asst Professors, Professors of various science and technology colleges in and around Jabalpur on Entrepreneurship/self employment. These faculty members in their turn will motivate the students to opt for entrepreneurship as career option.

This initiative by NSTEDB, DST and the EDII will support the government initiative for Start Up India and other development oriented projects. Experts from Bhopal Indore and Jabalpur shared their experience with participants. Concept of Entrepreneurship, various government schemes, setting up of business ventures, Business communication, Success in business through application of Neuro- Linguistic Programming (NLP), Market survey, Project report preparation and industrial visit, and many other topics were covered under the programme. Twenty participants from different science and technology, Engineering colleges successfully attended the Training programme.

RC Pandey, Principal of Government Kalaniketan Polytechnic and Dilip Singh, Hazare Principal Maharashtra Institute of Higher Education, were guest of honor in the valedictory function. The guests distributed certificate to the trainees. Course coordinator and Faculty Behavior science dept of CRISP Mathew John delivered vote of thanks to respected guest and all the stake holders.

Assembly Polls: 2,899 in fray for 230 seats Bhopal:

There are 2,899 candidates contesting in the 230 Assembly constituencies in the assembly elections 2018 in the state. While 2644 are male candidates 250 are female candidates and remaining five are others. Among them, the oldest candidate who is contesting election is Shri Khangar Nirbhay Singh from Silvani assembly of Raisen district. The oldest female candidate is Meera Nanaji Samreete, from Lanji assembly of Balaghat district. In addition there are about 40 candidates of 25 years who are the youngest candidates in fray.

Details of all the candidates is available on http://www.ceomadhyapradesh.nic.in.

46,355 non-bailable warrants issued: CEO

Bhopal: Chief Electoral Officer VL Kantha Rao has informed that after execution of the Model Code of Conduct, prohibitory action has been taken against 1,58,342 people for law and order system from October 6 to November 16, 2018. In the meantime, 46,355 non-bailable warrants were issued. In addition, 4,411 illegal weapons have been seized and 2,61,572 weapons have been deposited in the police stations.

Under property defacement, 18,32,383 cases have been registered out of which action has been taken in 17,78,178 cases. Action has been taken in 13,32,615 cases by registering 13,66,761 cases under government property defacement. Under private property defacement, 4,65,622 cases were registered and action has been taken in 4,45,563 cases. During this period, 12,925 cases have been registered for the misuse of vehicles.
After the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) approved the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) application of Odisha-Cadre IAS Officer Aparajita Sarangi on Saturday, speculation is now rife on whether she will join active politics in the State.

Sources said Sarangi, who was on Central deputation from 2013, was supposed to return to Odisha in October but applied for VRS in September 2018. Though Sarangi is yet to open her cards regarding her future course of action, there is speculation that she might join politics ahead of the crucial 2019 elections.

BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra said his party supremo Naveen Patnaik would consider if Sarangi wishes to join the regional party.

Several people including former bureaucrats are joining several parties after taking VRS. Let she (Aparajita Sarangi) clear her intention; and if she applies, our party will certainly consider, said Mishra. It will be too early to predict what impact Sarangis joining politics will have, he added.

BJP MLA Pradeep Purohit also informed that his party would welcome to its fold Sarangi, who is known as a pro-people officer. From media reports, we have learnt that Aparajita Sarangi is keen to join the BJP; and if she applies, the party leadership will take a final decision, said he.

However, Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati took potshots at both the BJD and the BJP stating that there is a competition among the two parties to induct IAS and IPS officers into their folds.

The Congress is a party of the common men. But the BJD and the BJP want to govern by inducting bureaucrats into their parties, said Bahinipati.
Former Chief Minister and Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J) chief Ajit Jogi made another U-turn on Saturday regarding his remoured upcoming alliance with the BJP and said he would not engage with the saffron party in case if the results produces a hung Assembly in State.

I want to put the record straight that I would neither give support to BJP not I take its support for formation of the next Government irrespective of what the results come in, Jogi told reporters.

Jogi is known as an unreliable politician who hardly keeps his words and in recent past he had contradicted his own statements at least a dozen times.

Jogi had earlier said that he would back up the BJP if it falls short of majority in Chhattisgarh. But his alliance party BSPs supremo Mayawati rebuffed him at an election rally at Arang on Friday and stated she would never do any business with the BJP.
Mohan Bhagwat: Influencer-in-Chief

Author : Kingshuk Nag

Publisher : Rupa, Rs 500

Kingshuk Nag charts the history behind the emergence of the key players in the 2019 General Elections and shows how the fates of BJPs Narendra Modi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat seem to be intertwined, writes Gautam Mukherjee

The visit by Pranab Mukherjee, former President of India, to the RSS headquarters at Nagpur, earlier in 2018, has set the ideological stage for the 2019 General Elections.

Pranab Mukherjees political career has spanned the decades from the long innings of absolutist Indira Gandhi, all the way through to the present dispensation. He has been a consummate Congress politician and man for all seasons at the highest echelons of the Government.

Kingshuk Nag, in his eighth book, has used Mukherjees illustrative and unabashed tribute to the importance of the RSS today, for his insightful study on RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

Earlier, Nag, a veteran former journalist, has written books on Narendra Modi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Subhas Chandra Bose, The BJP, Vijay Mallya and the Kingfisher Airlines imbroglio, and the infamous Satyam scam featuring its key actor, Ramalinga Raju.

The symbolism of the RSS and its Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat at centre-stage in todays politics, stands in stark contrast to the RSS much vilified past during the decades of Nehru-Gandhi domination and this book is therefore very timely. The RSS, indicates Nag, prefers to paint on a much wider canvas than the Nehruvian reference points of Western inspired modernism. It draws inspiration from Bharat, albeit an inclusive continuum, that is centuries old, rich in history, tradition, knowledge and culture.

That the time has come to acknowledge and incorporate this broader view of Indias nationhood is possibly why Pranab Mukherjee went to Nagpur. However, other reasons, have also been advanced for the visit.

The RSS, often painted as an anachronism by the Congress, seeks to derive its vision of Hindu Rashtra from the gaze of millennia. That this automatically tends to dwarf and render shallow the Nehruvian vision of a secular India is the very problem according to the Libleft.

The RSS and the NDA has gained traction however precisely because the idea of Nehruvian secularism has been moulded to discriminate against the majority community of Hindus.

The Indian electorate has awakened to this discrimination against Hindus combined with a distaste for the blatantly dynastic politics promoting the Nehru family gradually. This found its first expression in voting in non-Congress Governments in the eighties and nineties as the erstwhile captive vote banks began to migrate to other political parties.

Then the seeming anathema of voting for a communal BJP, as opposed to a socialist and diverse Janata Dal, was also penetrated when the Vajpayee Government completed a full-term in power.

The induction of more and more RSS stalwarts into key positions in the BJP, both in the Party and Government has marked a shift during the current Bhagwat-Modi period. However, despite this, effective in governance has not exactly been stellar.

Vajpayee tended to hold the RSS at arms-length in governance. Modi has a much better equation with Bhagwat, the same age as himself, as Nag points out. Both are 1950 born, well after independence.

The lines have indeed blurred between RSS as the ideological compass, and the BJP as the vehicle of governance. However, some differences in emphasis are apparent. Modi tends to regard development or vikas as a universal panacea. The RSS wants Hindu Rashtra and some historic wrongs against the Hindus righted on a priority basis.

It is clear Modi and the BJP could not have won without RSS support in 2014, though the magnitude of the win, took the RSS by surprise. This sort of majority win may repeat in 2019, given a weak and disparate Opposition. This, despite Narendra Modi having failed to keep many of the promises he made. And the effects of controversial decisions such as the sudden demonetisation, that is thought to have hurt small businesses and the poor.

Also, the Modi Government has done next to nothing to promote the RSS agenda for a Hindu Rashtra. Still, the RSS may be constrained to back Modi once again as its best hope for realising its vision in the future.

The construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya is a sticking point, as is the unchanged status of J&K, despite RSS inductee Ram Madhav being in-charge of party matters in the latter state. The Mandir construction, long pending, is coming to a head now. The pressure is coming from the VHP, the SS, groupings of seers and mahants, members, some union ministers of the Modi Government, and, of course, Mohan Bhagwat and the RSS itself. Interestingly, there is support for an urgent commencement of the Ram Temple construction from the Shia Wakf Board too. The Supreme Court however continues to drag its feet on the title dispute.

Nag refrains from putting words into Bhagwats mouth throughout the book. Instead, he lays out the multiple concerns of the RSS as very much a work-in-progress. Of paramount concern to a pragmatic and modernising Bhagwat today is the BJPs and particularly Modis winnability.

Today, even as the RSS exerts its influence on the choice of electoral candidates, policy matters and union ministers alike it has not made much headway on core issues. The commitment therefore to a second term for Modi and the BJP is perforce intact.

This is the eighth decade of the RSS existence though Bhagwat is only the sixth sarsanghchalak. Because of Bhagwats relative youth, ascending to the top job at 59, the reach of the RSS has been markedly extended. It is active in Bengal, and more effectively, in the North East, for the first time. In terms of inclusion, the Muslims and Dalits feature significantly in the RSS structure today.

Bhagwat has been less successful in influencing educational policies of the Government, possibly because of a large cadre of entrenched Leftists.

The fates of Narendra Modi and Mohan Bhagwat are, on the face of it, intertwined, looking at 2019. But waiting in the wings, is Nagpurs first choice for prime ministership, should Modi falter.

Nitin Gadkari, elected from Nagpur, is the only union minister who has had a free hand in the Modi Government, and the only other senior leader with both Modis development credentials, BJPs organisational experience, and consummate RSS backing.
It is high time both sides realised that violence is not the answer to regional peace. Only dialogues and prudence approach can provide a ray of hope for solution to the Israel-Palestinian crisis

The recent upsurge in conflict between Israeli security agencies and Palestinian organisation Hamas that has taken seven lives in Gaza Strip in last one week is a reminder of an array of issues the West Asian region has to grapple with. As many as 2,000 civilians and over 100 soldiers have died in the conflict ever since resurgence of conflict after a lull that ended in 2014.

Deeply concerned at the violent onslaught, the UN is pulling out all stops to find permanent solution to the vexing problem. But the road to peace is not that easy as the current state of affairs does not offer any hope for resuming dialogue between warring factions for ceasefire. A trial of strength is going on between the security forces of Israel and Hamas.

The present crisis is the outcome of a combination of factors, deeply interwoven in the complicated saga of the conflict in West Asia since 1948. Although on many occasions the Israeli Government had designed a series of policies aimed at quick results, Hamas took the extreme step of working against the peace proposals. However, recently a third party (Egypt supported) brokered peace and reconciliation efforts have been agreed upon by Hamas, but only time will test the sustainability of such efforts as the third party mediation has not yielded positive results in the region in the past.

In these circumstances, the solution to the biggest West Asian crisis depends on the present leadership of Israel and Hamas. However, the mounting Israeli strikes on Gaza Strip have aggravated the crisis further dashing the hopes for peace. Also, Hamas has already vowed to avenge the Israeli slaughter and is preparing for a fresh onslaught. Hamas has potential to strike with efficiency and its expertise has extended beyond conventional guerilla warfare.

The emboldening factors favour Hamas locally. Hamas enjoys an immense advantage because of three factors: politically, the Palestinians want Israel to withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza Strip; militarily, Hamas has sufficient arms & ammunition and well-trained fighters; and, at the local level, Hamas has been able to mobilise people ideologically.

The ongoing Israeli attacks have not only jeopardised US President George Bush-led Israeli-Palestinian Peace Accord of November 2007 but have also created serious concern among the security and military intelligence throughout the region.

The violent attacks, some of which were retaliatory, suggest that the present crisis is deeply interwoven in the issue of separate national identities and the never-ending claim over a common piece of land. Gradually, both Israel and Palestine have understood that they could only survive if a two-State solution was accepted. The Oslo Peace Accord allowed the Palestinians to build an air and sea passage in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with then Palestinian President Yasser Arafat denouncing terrorism and the recognition of Palestine by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. However, Hamas does not recognise the right of Israel as a State and its claim over territory.

There were rays of hope but nothing much came of these declarations. Earlier, Israel was keen to build around 30,000 houses for its citizens on the West Bank and Gaza Strip by 2020 but the Palestinians were vehemently against it. The Palestinians always wanted to have full control of the West Bank and almost 90 per cent withdrawal of the Israeli Army.

Palestinians always accused Israel of not abiding by the 34 commitments such as freeing of Palestinian prisoners, dismantling settlements in Jerusalem, free movement for Arabs from other countries and allowing free air and sea passage to Palestinians. The formation of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) was a welcome step towards the restoration of peace and reconciliation in the war-torn area but the increasing number of attacks and conflict between the Fatah and Hamas members compelled Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to dissolve the Unity Government and allow Hamas to take control of the Gaza Strip.

The existence of two separate Governments in West Bank and the Gaza Strip has created many complications for the peace process. Soon after, in June 2007, Hamas members tried to dismantle the Fatah authority in Gaza. The very idea of control over the Gaza Strip did not go down well with Israel and the US. Ever since the victory of Hamas in the Palestinian parliamentary elections in January 2006, Israel has made all efforts to isolate it.

(Author is Chandigarh-based Professor of Political Science and an expert on strategic affairs)
Who says butterflies can't flutter in a desert? The Al Noor Island in Sharjah buzzes with exotic and colourful wingers imported from The Philippines and Costa Rica, says Sangeeta Yadav

Cutting the wind with its electric blue symmetrically patterned wings, taking a swirl up in the air moving to form a figure of eight and then smoothly landing on to a blooming flower. Thats rare Blue Swallowtail, says Ajmal Hasan, education manager at the Mleiha Archaeological Centre and Al Noor Island in Sharjah, as he brings his both palm close to the butterfly in order to make him sit on his hands.

There are many techniques to hold these gentle creatures. Holding its wings would leave them injured. It is best to hold them gently from their body. The best way is to just bring both your hands close to butterfly and try to give a space for them to step on your hand. You can also put a cut fruit on your hand and they will come to suck the nectar from it. If you wear a bright floral dress, they will come and sit on you considering you a flower, Hasan says, who is originally from Bengaluru.

Amid hot climate, beautiful architectures and in middle of the Arabian Gulf sea, these lies Al Noor Island, a place of wonder nature which is home to over 15 exotic species of butterflies whose egg and larva are imported from the Philippines and Costa Rica and kept in a man-made habitat. Species like Zebra longwing Heliconian, passionfruit butterfly, monarch butterfly, red admiral, orchard butterfly, squinting bush brown, malachite, and many others flaunt their bright colourful wings. Resting with its wings held upright over its body, these butterflies suckle the nectar of not just flowers but cut fruits as well like orange, banana, pineapple, and other fruits.

They are fed fruit slices where they suck the nectar from the fruits using their long proboscis. Also, regular medicinal supplements are sprayed onto the fruits in order for the butterflies to obtain their mineral salts. The eggs and larvae are procured from suppliers based in the Philippines and Costa Rica currently. The Butterflies arrive in their chrysalis state when they are nurtured and hatch within the Butterfly House. The total population has reached 400 now. Most of the Butterfly are common species and not threatened in the wild. The life cycle of most butterflies housed at the island is from three to four weeks maximum, Hasan explains.

No matter what the temperature is outside, the oval-shape glass enclosure maintains a tropical temperature between 26 to 30 degree C with 80 per cent and above humidity, best suited for the butterfly to flourish. A lot of hard work, money and conservation time has been spent in developing the Island, primarily so that Sharjah residents can enjoy a lush tropical paradise retreat in between the concrete jungle. Many tropical and milkweed plants have been installed inside the enclosure which gives a natural habitat to these butterflies to lay eggs and transform into the next generation. The hope is to promote butterfly conservation awareness on the island and promote being outdoors appreciating natures beauty. We routinely educate school children and visitors with engaging workshops and guided Butterfly house tours in order to make the community more aware about how butterflies are not just beautiful but are part of nature and need to be protected, Hasan says.

A walk through the Al Noor Island, especially in the evenings, will mesmerise you with a light and sound show. The Island is home to over 2000 trees and plants including Khejri trees, palm trees, peepal, hibiscus and many others. There are numerous art installations like Wind Column Structure which have been strategically placed across the island and aims to spread positivity. Inaugurated in December 2015, the island, which is spread across 45,000 square metres, has been designed by the famous Australian designer Andre Heller, the man behind creating many famous landmarks like Swarovski Crystal Worlds of Wattens in Austria and designing green spaces and landscapes in the gardens of Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna. Connecting Khalid Lagoon with a pedestrian bridge over the sea, this island is truly a great leisure destination that combines nature and art.
Sanjay Khan | Miracle man,who rose from death after 65 per cent third degree burns and 73 surgeries, the 77-year-old Khan talks to Sangeeta Yadav about penning his extraordinary journey in his memoir The Best Mistakes Of My Life

What prompted you to write The Best Mistakes of My Life?

It was a fascinating journey. From becoming a star to having a wonderful family to the extraordinary experiences and adventures I have had and overcoming life threatening situations. Meeting some of the most powerful men in the world and becoming friends. All these stories have been some of the best mistakes of my life. My friends used to gather around me listening to stories and urged me to write a book before I forget. I agreed and worked towards it seriously.

Can you tell us an anecdote from your book?

I was in Iran to shoot a film in 1976 when I got a call from an assistant of a warlord who said that the chief was a fan of mine and would like to meet me. I accepted the invitation and took two flights along with a friend  George Masbetuny. We drove to the desert in the starry midnight and came to a large tent city. People received us and ushered us inside the tent which looked like a fairytale with Persian carpets, chandeliers, a centre table with a wide spread of fruits and snacks to eat. We were wondering what type of Khan he was. A bearded one with a black robe and turban in a typical Iranian style. I oppose to meeting religious people, so I was hoping that he would not be one.

Isnt that dramatic?

Suddenly, from the wings, like an actor enters the stage, a 35-year-old man came out wearing turtle neck black sweater and say, Hi, I am the Khan (laughs). We embraced each other and sat down. He called his four wives and said: They are your big fans and they are going to sing a song. I was delighted. The eldest was about 25 and the youngest was about 16- year, all dressed in long Qashqai tribe gowns. They played mandolin and sang so beautifully. Khan was looking at me and I was looking at the ladies. When I noticed that Khan is watching me, he said: You can look at the first three but not the youngest, she is my favourite (laughs). It was such an amusing experience. He was liberal, honest and my regard for this man went up. What happened later, one will have to read the book. There are more such interesting anecdotes.

How has your relationship been with your family?

Once a banker asked me my net worth and I just smiled and said, take a head count of my wife, four children, three son-in-laws, nine grandchildren and one daughter-in-law. Attach a figure on each and you will get the total. That is my net worth. That is how much my family means to me and I am not overtly concerned with the ups and downs of the material world.

What is the best thing that has happened in your life?

Zarine! I am very grateful to have her in my life. I, as a husband and father, have fulfilled my duties. My children have received a good education and learnt to be patient, to respect the elders and help the weak and the poor. This may sound to you like any standard parent, but all this was taught to me by my parents. I still remember my mothers words, she said: Son, you Gods hand. You must help people.

How was the phase like when you met with a fire accident during the shoot of The Sword of Tipu Sultan?

It is easy for one to imagine, but to experience 65 per cent third degree burns, the trauma of 13 months and 73 surgeries was difficult. That time, I felt like a insect trapped in a deep circular space and I just wanted to come out a little hole which was like a window from where the light was coming in. I kept telling myself that I must fly out. The treating doctors in the US said perhaps I am the only man in a billion who can be described as a miracle. Thats why they used to call me The Miracle Man.

How has the Bollywood journey been?

It has been very fruitful. I was very popular at one time and everybody wanted to work with me. When I was labeled as the most handsome actor in the industry, I used to look into the mirror and say to myself: These guys are pulling my leg. Even after my recovery, I never stopped working. One thought which kept me going was one should put the heart in whatever they do, and the body will follow.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September.

This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.

"I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development," Modi said in a series of tweets ahead of the visit.

He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future.

"We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister said.

Modi also congratulated Solih on his victory in the recent elections and wished him "the very best for his tenure".

"India and the Maldives share a strong partnership rooted in history, strong bonds between our peoples, and their shared aspiration for peace and prosperity. My Government's vision of inclusive development Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas' extends to all our neighbours too," he said.

Modi also said he will convey to Solih his wish to work with the new Maldives government in different areas to boost bilateral ties.

Solih, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate who surprisingly emerged victorious over incumbent president Yameen in the election held on September 23, had extended the invitation during a phone call by Modi.

The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then.

India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year. India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.
Unum Group is engaged in providing financial protection benefits. It operates through the following segments: Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, Closed Block and Corporate. The Unum US segment comprises of group long-term and short-term disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment products, and supplemental and voluntary lines of business. The Unum International segment engages in the operations of UK business, which includes insurance for group long-term disability, group life, and supplemental lines of business that include dental, individual disability, and critical illness products; Poland business primarily includes insurance for individual and group life with accident and health riders. The Colonial Life segment includes insurance for accident, sickness, disability products, life products, and cancer and critical illness products. The Closed Block segment consists of individual disability, group and individual long-term care, and other insurance products no longer actively marketed. The Corporate segment refers to investment income on corporate assets and other corporate income and expenses not allocated to a line of business; and interest

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KBR, Inc. engages in the provision of differentiated professional services and technologies across the asset and program life-cycle within the government services and hydrocarbons industries. It operates through the following segments: Government Solutions, Technology Solutions, Energy Solutions, Non-strategic Business, and Other. The Government Solutions segment provides full life-cycle support solutions to defense, space, aviation, and other programs and missions for military and other government agencies. The Technology Solutions segment combines KBR's proprietary technologies, equipment, and catalyst supply and associated knowledge-based services into a global business for refining, petrochemicals, inorganic, and specialty chemicals as well as gasification, syngas, ammonia, nitric acid, and fertilizers. The Energy Solutions segment provides full life-cycle support solutions across the upstream, midstream and downstream hydrocarbons markets. The Non-strategic Business segment represents the operations or activities which the company intends to exit upon completion of existing contracts. The Other segment includes corporate expenses and general and administrative expenses not all

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Capital One Financial pays an annual dividend of $2.40 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 1.59%. Capital One Financial has been increasing its dividend for 2 consecutive year(s), indicating that it does not yet have a strong track record of dividend growth. The dividend payout ratio of Capital One Financial is 8.96%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%. Based on earnings estimates, Capital One Financial will have a dividend payout ratio of 12.52% next year. This indicates that Capital One Financial will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.

View Capital One Financial's dividend history.
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North Korea has announced the successful test of a new ultramodern weapon, though has not specified exactly what it is. Leader Kim Jong Un visited a weapons testing site Friday in an undisclosed location, the Korean Central News Agency reported, to attend the demonstration. The report stated, After seeing the power of the tactical weapon, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un was so excited to say that another great work was done by the defense scientists and munitions industrial workers to increase the defense capability of the country, according to The Guardian.

As Newsweek writes in an article "Kim Jong Un 'so excited' about power of North Korea's new 'ultramodern weapon'", the agency said work on the project begun under Kims fatherKim Jong Il. As such, the 35-year-old dictator was quite emotional watching its success. The leader missed Kim Jong Il very much while seeing the great success of its test, the report explained.

Only one photo was released from the event, the date of which was not disclosed. It showed Kim stood with military leaders taking notes. No weapons were pictured, nor was any other indication of what kind of system was being trialled.

According to Reuters, Kim said, This result today is a justification of the partys policy focused on defense science and technology, another display of our rapidly growing defense capabilities to the whole region, and a groundbreaking change in strengthening our militarys combat capabilities.

The North's last publicly-announced weapons test was in November 2017 when the military fired a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Then, tensions were extremely high on the Korean peninsula and between North Korea and the U.S. Since then, relations have warmed amid as yet-undelivered Northern promises of denuclearization.

That the state news agency specified the tactical nature of the weapon is significant, as weapons like ICBMs fall into the strategic category. A South Korean weapons analyst told CNN the system in question could be a piece of long-range artillery, for example a multiple rocket launcher.

Shin Beomchul, an analyst at the South Korean Asan Institute for Policy Studies, told the Associated Press the weapon could be one of many types. She gave examples including a missile, artillery, an anti-air gun or a drone. South Korean military experted Yang Wook added that word tactical refers to a weapon aimed at striking South Korea including U.S. military bases.

The celebration of the ultramodern weapon comes as denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang falter, despite grand promises from the White House. Following his historic summit with President Donald Trump in Singapore in June, Kim said he would work towards giving up his nuclear weapons and move to foster closer ties with the U.S. and neighboring South Korea.

But for all the warm words, little has been achieved. Despite Trumps boasts that he neutralized the North Korean threat, Pyongyang retains its nuclear capability and long-range rocket armory.

According to The Guardian, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said it remained confident Kim would continue to work towards the Singapore agreementwidely criticized by observers as too brief and too vague. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence told reporters Thursday Trump and Kim are planning to hold another summit soon, despite the lack of progress. We remain confident that the promises made by President Trump and Chairman Kim will be fulfilled, the spokesperson said in a statement.
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Greka Drilling Limited, an investment holding company, provides drilling services for coal bed methane companies in China and India. It operates a drilling fleet, which includes purpose-built, hydraulic, and top-drive rigs for the application of drilling services within the unconventional gas industry; and offers completion and directional drilling, as well as geological and geophysical services. The company was founded in 2007 and is based in Zhengzhou, China. Greka Drilling Limited is a subsidiary of Green Dragon Gas (Holdings) Limited.

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Delta Galil Industries Ltd. engages in development, design, production, marketing and sale of underwear, socks, children's wear, leisure wear and Activewear as well as in development, design, marketing, distribution and sale of branded products in the category of men's and women's jeans and outerwear and related products. It operates through the following segments: Delta USA, Global Upper Market, Schiesser, Delta Israel, and Delta Premium Brands. The Delta USA Segment engages in the development, design and marketing of lingerie, socks and Activewear to Private Labels. The Global Upper Market segment develops, designs, manufactures and markets men's and women's underwear, socks and Activewear manufactured at the Company's plants and sold to retail chains and to brands in Europe and the United States. The Schiesser segment covers the development, design, manufacture and marketing of labeled women's, men's and children's underwear and Activewear under the Schiesser brand. The Delta Israel segment is involved in the development, design and marketing of labeled women's and men's underwear, socks and Activewear products, as well as children's wear under the Delta brand. The Delta Premium Brands segment engages in development, design, marketing, distribution and sale of premium products under the brands 7 For All Mankind, Splendid, Ella moss. The company was founded by Dov Lautman and Eliezer Peleg in 1975 and is headquartered in Caesarea, Israel.

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Vivint Solar, Inc. provides distributed solar energy primarily to residential customers in the United States. It owns and installs solar energy systems through long-term customer contracts. The company also sells photovoltaic installation products, as well as solar renewable energy certificates. As of December 31, 2019, it had an aggregate capacity of 1,294.0 megawatts covering approximately 188,300 homes. The company was formerly known as V Solar Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Vivint Solar, Inc. in April 2014. Vivint Solar, Inc. was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Lehi, Utah.

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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday he agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin to push forward with talks toward the conclusion of a peace treaty between the two countries that has been hampered by a long-standing territorial dispute. I agreed with President Putin to accelerate negotiations on a peace treaty based on the 1956 joint declaration between Japan and the Soviet Union, Abe told reporters after their meeting in Singapore.

As Japan Times writes in an article "In meeting with Putin, Abe agrees to speed up talks to conclude peace treaty", Abe said he will visit Russia early next year for further talks, expressing hope to put an end to the unresolved, postwar diplomatic issue through peace treaty talks between the two leaders. Abes term ends in 2021.

In the 1956 joint document, Moscow agreed to hand over two of the four disputed islands off Hokkaido to Tokyo once a peace treaty was signed. The declaration was intended to restore diplomatic ties by ending wartime hostilities, and Putin has acknowledged its legal validity.

The Soviet Union seized the islands after Japans surrender in World War II in 1945.

In light of Abes reference to the joint declaration, securing the return of Shikotan and the Habomai islet group may become the primary focus of upcoming talks, even though uncertainty remains over whether Japan and Russia can produce major progress.

Tokyo has maintained that the dispute over the islands, which also include Etorofu and Kunashiri, should be resolved before the signing of a peace treaty.

Such a stance remains in place after Wednesdays summit, according to a senior Japanese government official.

The leaders met in Singapore for the first time since September, when Putin suddenly proposed that the two countries conclude a peace treaty without any preconditions by year-end. Abe rejected the proposal.

Putin told Abe on Wednesday he was pleased to discuss issues related to bilateral cooperation, including what you prioritize.

The two leaders talked about joint economic activities on the Russia-held, Japan-claimed islands, as they visited Singapore for a spate of gatherings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The promotion of such activities is aimed at building confidence between Tokyo and Moscow toward eventually ending the territorial row over the islands. Abe and Putin have approved a road map for projects in five key areas such as agriculture and tourism.

In the months ahead, the two leaders are expected to engage in a series of meetings. Abe plans to meet with Putin on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires starting Nov. 30, and also in June when Japan hosts the G20 gathering in Osaka.

President Putin and I share a strong resolve that it be us who put an end to the issue that has been left unresolved for more than 70 years after the war, Abe said.
Eastmain Resources Inc., together with its subsidiary, Eastmain Mines Inc., engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral resource properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold, silver, nickel, platinum, and copper deposits. Its flagship project is the Clearwater project, which hosts the Eau Claire gold deposit covering an area of 201 square kilometers located in the central portion of the Eastmain River Greenstone Belt within the James Bay Mining District of QuAbec. The company was incorporated in 1982 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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North American Nickel Inc. operates as a mineral exploration and resource development company. The company engages in the exploration and development of mineral properties in Morocco and Canada, as well as in Botswana. Its principal asset is the Maniitsoq nickel-copper-cobalt-precious metal sulphide project covering an area of 3,048 square kilometers located in southwestern Greenland. The company was formerly known as Widescope Resources Inc. and changed its name to North American Nickel Inc. in April 2010. North American Nickel Inc. was incorporated in 1983 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

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Royal Dutch Shell plc operates as an energy and petrochemical company worldwide. The company operates through Integrated Gas, Upstream, Oil Products, Chemicals segments. It explores for and extracts crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids; markets and transports oil and gas; produces gas-to-liquids fuels and other products; and operates upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver gas to market. The company also markets and trades natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), crude oil, electricity, carbon-emission rights; and markets and sells LNG as a fuel for heavy-duty vehicles and marine vessels. In addition, it trades in and refines crude oil and other feed stocks, such as gasoline, diesel, heating oil, aviation fuel, marine fuel, biofuel, lubricants, bitumen, and sulphur; produces and sells petrochemicals for industrial use; and manages oil sands activities. Further, the company produces base chemicals comprising ethylene, propylene, and aromatics, as well as intermediate chemicals, such as styrene monomer, propylene oxide, solvents, detergent alcohols, ethylene oxide, and ethylene glycol. Royal Dutch Shell plc was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands.

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Armenias acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will "demand explanations" from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko for "discussing the present-day situation at the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) with the ambassador of Azerbaijan, a non-member country of this organization", News.am reported.

Im astonished that a man who has been in the status of the head of a state for thirty years can allow himself [to take] such a move, Pashinyan on Friday told reporter. And of course, I shall demand clarifications from the president of Belarus; and not just from the president of Belarus.
Thomson Reuters Corporation provides business information services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in five segments: Legal Professionals, Corporates, Tax & Accounting Professionals, Reuters News, and Global Print. The Legal Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on legal research and integrated legal workflow solutions that combine content, tools, and analytics to law firms and governments. The Corporates segment provides a suite of content-enabled technology solutions for legal, tax, regulatory, compliance, and IT professionals. The Tax & Accounting Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on tax offerings and automating tax workflows to tax, accounting, and audit professionals in accounting firms. The Reuters News segment provides business, financial, national, and international news to professionals through desktop terminals, media organizations, and industry events, as well as directly to consumers. The Global Print segment offers legal and tax information primarily in print format to legal and tax professionals, governments, law schools, and corporations. The company was formerly known as The Thomson Corporation and changed its name to Thomson Reuters Corporation in April 2008. The company was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Thomson Reuters Corporation is a subsidiary of The Woodbridge Company Limited.

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The following companies are subsidiares of 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..
The following companies are subsidiares of Vodafone Group: 360 Connect S.A., [email protected] Telecom, A-ccelerator B.V., A-ccelerator Holding B.V, AAA (Euro) Limited, AAA (MCR) Limited, AAA (UK) Limited, Acorn Communications Limited, Africonnect (Zambia) Limited, Ag Mercantile Company Private Limited, Al-Amin Investments Limited, Amsterdamse Beheer- en Consultingmaatschappij B.V., Apollo Submarine Cable System Limited, Array Holdings Limited, Asian Telecommunication Investments (Mauritius) Limited, Aspective Limited, Astec Communications Limited, Autoconnex Limited, Aztec Limited, BelCompany BV, Bluefish Apac Communications Pte. Ltd, Bluefish Communications, Bluefish Communications Limited, Business Serve Limited, C&W Worldwide Nigeria Limited, C.S.P. Solutions Limited, CCII (Mauritius) Inc., CGP India Investments Ltd., CGP Investments (Holdings) Limited, COOP Mobil s.r.o, CT Networks Limited, CWGNL S.A., CWW Operations Limited, Cable & Wireless Access Limited, Cable & Wireless Americas Systems Inc., Cable & Wireless Aspac Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless CIS Services Limited, Cable & Wireless CIS Svyaz LLC, Cable & Wireless Capital Limited , Cable & Wireless Communications Data Network Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Communications Starclass Limited, Cable & Wireless Communications Technical Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd (Beijing Branch), Cable & Wireless Europe Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless GN Limited, Cable & Wireless Global (India) Private Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Business Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Holding Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Telecommunication Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Holdco Limited, Cable & Wireless Networks India Private Limited, Cable & Wireless Trade Mark Management Limited, Cable & Wireless UK Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless UK Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Waterside Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Pension Trustee Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Voice Messaging Limited, Cable & Wireless a-Services Inc, Cable & Wireless a-Services Limited, Cable and Wireless (India) Limited, Cable and Wireless (India) Limited Indian Branch Office, Cable and Wireless Nominee Limited, Cable and Wireless Worldwide South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cavalry Holdings Ltd, Celfocus  Solucoes Informaticas Para Telecomunicacoes S.A, Cellops Limited, Cellular Operations Limited, Central Communications Group Limited, Central Telecom (Northern) Limited, Centurion GSM Limited, Chelys Limited, City Cable (Holdings) Limited, Cobra do Brasil Servicos de Telematica ltda., Commnet Cellular Inc., Complete Network Technology, Connect (India) Mobile Technologies Private Limited, Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Limited, Dataroam Limited , Device Insight, Digital Island (UK) Ltd, Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, East Africa Investment (Mauritius) Limited, Emtel Europe Limited, Energis (Ireland) Limited, Energis Communications Limited, Energis Holdings Limited, Energis Local Access Limited, Energis Management Limited, Energis Squared Limited, Erudite Systems Limited, Esprit Telecom B.V., Eudokia Limited, Euro Pacific Securities Ltd., Eurocall Holdings Limited, Europolitan Holdings AB (now Europolitan Vodafone AB), FB Holdings Limited, FM Associates (UK) Limited, FinCo Partner 1 B.V., FireFly Networks Limited, Flexphone Limited, GS Telecom (Pty) Limited, Gateway Communications Africa (UK) Limited, Gateway Communications Tanzania Limited, General Mobile Corporation, Generation Telecom Limited, Ghana Telecommunications, Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited, Global Cellular Rental Limited, Globe Limited, GrandCentrix GmbH, Grupo Corporativo ONO S.A.U., H3ga Properties (No 3) Pty Limited, HBO Nederland Cooperatief U.A., HBO Netherlands Channels sro, HBO Netherlands Distribution B.V., Hellas Online, How2 Telecom Limited, Hutchison Essar Ltd, Indus Towers Limited, Intercell Communications Limited, Internet Network Services Limited, Invitation Digital Limited, Ipergy Communications NV, Isis Telecommunications Management Limited, Jaguar Communications Limited, Jaykay Finholding (India) Private Limited, Jupicol (Proprietary) Limited, KABELCOM Braunschweig Gesellschaft Fur BreitbandkabelKommunikation Mit Beschrankter Haftung, KABELCOM Wolfsburg Gesellschaft Fur BreitbandkabelKommunikation Mit Beschrankter Haftung, Kabel Deutschland, Kabel Deutschland Holding, Kabel Deutschland Holding Erste Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Holding Zweite Beteilgungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Neunte Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Siebte Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabelfernsehen Munchen Servicenter GmbH & Co. KG, LG Financing Partnership, LGE HoldCo V B.V., LGE HoldCo VI B.V., LGE HoldCo VIII B.V., LGE Holdco VII B.V., LLC Vodafone Enterprise Ukraine, Le Bunt Holdings Limited, Legend Communications Limited, Liberty Global, Liberty Global Content Netherlands B.V., London Hydraulic Power Company, M-PESA Foundation, M-PESA Holding Co. Limited, ML Integration Group Limited, ML Integration Limited, ML Integration Services Limited, MV Healthcare Services Private Limited, Mannesmann AG, MetroHoldings Limited, Mezzanine Ware Proprietary Limited (RF), Mirambo Limited, Misrfone Trading Company LLC, MobiFon S.A., Mobile Commerce Solutions Limited, Mobile Phone Centre Limited, Mobile Wallet VM1, Mobile Wallet VM2, Mobile by Sainsburys Limited, Mobiles 4 Business.com Limited, Mobileworld Communications Pty Limited, Mobileworld Operating Pty Ltd, Mobilvest, Motifpros 1 (Proprietary) Limited, Multi Risk Indemnity Company Limited, Multi Risk Limited, ND Callus Info Services Private Limited, Nadal Trading Company Private Limited, Nat Comm Air Limited, National Communications Backbone Company Limited, Navtrak Ltd, Netforce Group Limited, Netgrid Telecom SRL, Number Portability Company (Proprietary) Limited, ONO, Omega Telecom Holdings Private Limited, Oni Way  Infocomunicacoes S.A, Oskar Mobil S.R.O., Oxygen Solutions Limited, P.C.P. (North West) Limited, PPL Pty Limited, PT Network Services Limited, PTI Telecom Limited, Peoples Phone Limited, Pinnacle Cellular Group Limited, Pinnacle Cellular Limited, Plex Limited, Plustech Mercantile Company Private Limited, Prime Metals Ltd., Project Telecom Holdings Limited, Quickcomm Software Solutions, Radio Opt GmbH, Rian Mobile Limited, SBC SMART CITY 1517 B.V., SMMS Investments Pvt Limited, Safaricom Limited, Safenet N.P A., Sarmady Communications, Scarlet Ibis Investments 23 (Pty) Limited, Scorpios Beverages Pvt. Ltd, Silver Stream Investments Limited, Singlepoint (4U) Limited, Singlepoint (4U) Ltd., Singlepoint Payment Services Limited, Siro Limited, Spar Aerospace (Nigeria) Limited, Sport TV Portugal S.A, Starnet, Stentor Communications Limited, Stentor Limited, Storage Technology Services (Pty) Limited, T.W. Telecom Limited, T3 Telecommunications Limited, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern Beteiligungs GmbH, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co. KG, TNAS Limited, TSM NZ Limited, Talkland Airtime Services Limited, Talkland Australia Pty Limited, Talkland Communications Limited, Talkland International Limited, Talkland Midlands Limited, Talkmobile Limited, Tele2 Italia SPA, Tele2 Spain, Telecom Investments India Private Limited, Telecommunications Europe Limited, Ternhill Communications Limited, The Cobra Group, The Eastern Leasing Company Limited, The Old Telecom Sales Co. Limited, Thus Group Holdings Limited, Thus Group Limited, Thus Limited, Thus Profit Sharing Trustees Limited, TnT Expense Management LLC, Tomorrow Street GP S.a r.l., Tomorrow Street SCA, Torenspits II B.V., Townley Communications Limited, Trans Crystal Ltd., UMT Investments Limited, UPC Nederland Holding I B.V., UPC Nederland Holding II B.V., UPC Nederland Holding III B.V., Unified Communications, Uniqueair Limited, Urbana Teleunion Rostock GmbH & Co.KG, Usha Martin Telematics Limited, VAPL No. 2 Pty Limited, VBA (Mauritius) Limited, VBA Holdings Limited, VBA International (SL) Limited, VBA International Limited, VEI S.r.l., VM SA, VND S.p.A, VSSB Vodafone Shared Services Budapest Private Limited Company, Verwaltung Urbana Teleunion Rostock GmbH, Victus Networks S.A., Vizzavi Finance Limited, Vizzavi Limited, Voda Limited, Vodacall Limited, Vodacash s.p.r.l., Vodacom (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Business (Angola) Limitada, Vodacom Business (Ghana) Limited, Vodacom Business (Kenya) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa (Nigeria) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa Group (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa Group Services Limited, Vodacom Business Cameroon SA, Vodacom Business Cote Divoire S.A.R.L., Vodacom Congo (RDC) SA, Vodacom Financial Services (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Group Limited, Vodacom Insurance Administration Company (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Insurance Company (RF) Limited, Vodacom International Holdings (Pty) Limited, Vodacom International Limited, Vodacom Lesotho (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Life Assurance Company (RF) Limited, Vodacom Payment Services (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Properties No 1 (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Properties No.2 (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Tanzania Limited Zanzibar, Vodacom Tanzania Public Limited Company, Vodacom UK Limited, Vodafone (NI) Limited, Vodafone (New Zealand) Hedging Limited, Vodafone (Scotland) Limited, Vodafone 2, Vodafone 4 UK, Vodafone 5 Limited, Vodafone 5 UK, Vodafone 6 UK, Vodafone Albania Sh.A, Vodafone Alternatif Telekom Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Americas 4, Vodafone Americas Virginia Inc., Vodafone And Qatar Foundation L.L.C, Vodafone Asset Management Services S.a r.l., Vodafone Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Automotive Deutschland GmbH, Vodafone Automotive Electronic Systems S.r.L, Vodafone Automotive France S.A.S, Vodafone Automotive Iberia S.L, Vodafone Automotive Italia S.p.A, Vodafone Automotive Japan K.K, Vodafone Automotive Korea Limited, Vodafone Automotive SpA, Vodafone Automotive Technologies (Beijing) Co Ltd, Vodafone Automotive Telematics Development S.A.S, Vodafone Automotive Telematics S.A, Vodafone Automotive UK Limited, Vodafone Belgium SA/NV, Vodafone Benelux Limited, Vodafone Bilgi Ve Iletisim Hizmetleri AS, Vodafone Business Services Limited, Vodafone Business Solutions Limited, Vodafone Canada Inc, Vodafone Cellular Limited, Vodafone Central Services Limited, Vodafone China Limited (China), Vodafone China Limited (Hong Kong), Vodafone Connect 2 Limited, Vodafone Connect Limited, Vodafone Consolidated Holdings Limited, Vodafone Corporate Limited, Vodafone Corporate Secretaries Limited, Vodafone Czech Republic A.S., Vodafone DC Pension Trustee Company Limited, Vodafone Dagitim Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Data, Vodafone Distribution Holdings Limited, Vodafone Egypt Telecommunications S.A.E., Vodafone Elektronik Para Ve Odeme Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Empresa Brasil Telecomunicacoes Ltda, Vodafone Empresa Mexico S.de R.L. de C.V., Vodafone Enabler Espana S.L., Vodafone Enterprise Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Austria GmbH, Vodafone Enterprise Bahrain W.L.L., Vodafone Enterprise Bulgaria EOOD, Vodafone Enterprise Chile SA, Vodafone Enterprise Communications Technical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Corporate Secretaries Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Denmark A/S, Vodafone Enterprise Equipment Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited  Czech Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited  DubaiI Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Finland OY, Vodafone Enterprise France SAS, Vodafone Enterprise Germany GmbH, Vodafone Enterprise Global Businesses S.a r.l., Vodafone Enterprise Global Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Global Network HK Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Global Network Pte. Ltd., Vodafone Enterprise Hong Kong Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Italy S.r.L, Vodafone Enterprise Korea Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Luxembourg S.A., Vodafone Enterprise Netherlands BV, Vodafone Enterprise Norway AS, Vodafone Enterprise Regional Business Singapore Pte.Ltd., Vodafone Enterprise Singapore Pte.Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Spain S.L.U.  Portugal Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Spain SLU, Vodafone Enterprise Sweden AB, Vodafone Enterprise Switzerland AG, Vodafone Erste Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Vodafone Espana S.A.U., Vodafone Euro Hedging Limited, Vodafone Euro Hedging Two, Vodafone Europe B.V., Vodafone Europe UK, Vodafone European Investments, Vodafone European Portal Limited, Vodafone Finance Limited, Vodafone Finance Luxembourg Limited, Vodafone Finance Sweden, Vodafone Finance UK Limited, Vodafone Financial Operations, Vodafone Financial Services B.V., Vodafone Fixed Ltd, Vodafone Foundation, Vodafone Foundation Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Gestioni S.p.A, Vodafone Ghana Mobile Financial Services Limited, Vodafone Global Content Services Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise (Hong Kong) Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise (Italy) S.R.L., Vodafone Global Enterprise (Japan) K.K., Vodafone Global Enterprise (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Vodafone Global Enterprise Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise Russia LLC, Vodafone Global Enterprise Taiwan Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise Telecommunications (Hellas) A.E., Vodafone Global Network Limited, Vodafone Global Network Limited  Slovakia Branch, Vodafone Global Services Private Limited, Vodafone GmbH, Vodafone Group (Directors) Trustee Limited, Vodafone Group Pension Trustee Limited, Vodafone Group Services GmbH, Vodafone Group Services Ireland Limited, Vodafone Group Services Limited, Vodafone Group Services No.2 Limited, Vodafone Group Share Trustee Limited, Vodafone Hire Limited, Vodafone Holding A.S., Vodafone Holdings (Jersey) Limited, Vodafone Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Vodafone Holdings Europe S.L.U., Vodafone Holdings Luxembourg Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Finance Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Receivables Pty Limited, Vodafone IP Licensing Limited, Vodafone India Digital Limited, Vodafone India Limited, Vodafone India Services Private Limited, Vodafone India Ventures Limited, Vodafone Institut fur Gesellschaft und Kommunikation GmbH, Vodafone Intermediate Enterprises Limited, Vodafone International 1 S.a.r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone International 1 S.a r.l., Vodafone International 2 Limited, Vodafone International Holdings B.V., Vodafone International Holdings Limited, Vodafone International M S.a r.l., Vodafone International Operations Limited, Vodafone International Services LLC, Vodafone Investment UK, Vodafone Investments (SA) Proprietary Limited, Vodafone Investments Australia Limited, Vodafone Investments Limited, Vodafone Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Vodafone Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone Ireland Distribution Limited, Vodafone Ireland Ltd., Vodafone Ireland Marketing Limited, Vodafone Ireland Property Holdings Limited, Vodafone Ireland Retail Limited, Vodafone Italia S.p.A., Vodafone Jersey Dollar Holdings Limited, Vodafone Jersey Finance, Vodafone Jersey Yen Holdings Unlimited, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland Field Services GmbH, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland GmbH, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland Kundenbetreuung GmbH, Vodafone Kenya Limited, Vodafone Leasing Limited, Vodafone Libertel B.V., Vodafone Limited, Vodafone Luxembourg 5 S.a r.l., Vodafone Luxembourg 5 S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone Luxembourg S.a r.l., Vodafone Luxembourg S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone M-PESA SH.P.K., Vodafone M-Pesa S.A, Vodafone M.C. Mobile Services Limited , Vodafone Magyarorszag Mobile Tavkozlesi Zartkoruen Mukodo Reszvenytarsasag, Vodafone Malta Limited, Vodafone Marketing UK , Vodafone Maroc SARL, Vodafone Mauritius Ltd., Vodafone Mobile Commerce Limited, Vodafone Mobile Communications Limited, Vodafone Mobile Enterprises Limited, Vodafone Mobile NZ Limited, Vodafone Mobile Network Limited, Vodafone Mobile Operations Limited, Vodafone Mobile Services Limited, Vodafone Multimedia Limited, Vodafone Nederland Holding I B.V., Vodafone Nederland Holding II B.V., Vodafone Nederland Holding III B.V., Vodafone Net Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Network Pty Limited, Vodafone New Zealand Foundation Limited, Vodafone New Zealand Limited, Vodafone Next Generation Services Limited, Vodafone Nominees Limited1, Vodafone ONO S.A.U., Vodafone Oceania Limited, Vodafone Old Show Ground Site Management Limited, Vodafone Overseas Finance Limited, Vodafone Overseas Holdings Limited, Vodafone Panafon International Holdings B.V., Vodafone Panafon UK, Vodafone Partner Services Limited, Vodafone Payment Solutions S.a r.l., Vodafone Portugal  Comunicacoes Pessoais S.A., Vodafone Procurement Company S.a r.l., Vodafone Property Investments Limited, Vodafone Pty Limited, Vodafone Qatar Q.S.C., Vodafone Retail (Holdings) Limited , Vodafone Retail Limited, Vodafone Roaming Services S.a r.l., Vodafone Romania S.A, Vodafone Romania M - Payments SRL, Vodafone Romania Technologies SRL, Vodafone Sales & Services Limited, Vodafone Satellite Services Limited, Vodafone Servicios SL.U, Vodafone Servizi E Tecnologie S.R.L, Vodafone Servicos Empresariais Brasil Ltda., Vodafone Shared Services Romania SRL, Vodafone Specialist Communications Limited, Vodafone Stiftung Deutschland Gemeinnutzige GmbH, Vodafone Technology Solutions Limited, Vodafone Teknoloji Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Tele-Services (India) Holdings Limited, Vodafone Telecel-Comunicates Pessoais S.A., Vodafone Telecommunications (India) Limited, Vodafone Telekomunikasyon A.S, Vodafone Towers Limited, Vodafone UK Content Services Limited, Vodafone UK Investments Limited , Vodafone UK Limited1 , Vodafone US Inc, Vodafone Ventures Limited1 , Vodafone Vierte Verwaltungs AG, Vodafone Worldwide Holdings Limited, Vodafone Yen Finance Limited , Vodafone m-pesa Limited, Vodafone-Central Limited Vodaphone Limited, Vodafone-Panafon Hellenic Telecommunications Company S.A., VodafoneZiggo Group Holding B.V, Vodata Limited , Vouchercloud SA (Pty) Ltd, Wataneya Telecommunications S.A.E, Waterberg Lodge (Proprietary) Limited, Wayfinder, Wheatfields Investments 276 (Proprietary) Limited, Wireless Interactions & NFC Accelerator 2013 B.V., Woodend Cellular Limited, Woodend Communications Limited, Woodend Group Limited, Woodend Holdings Limited, XB Facilities B.V, XLink Communications (Proprietary) Limited, Your Communications Group Limited, ZUM B.V., ZYB, Zelitron S.A., Zesko B.V., Ziggo B.V., Ziggo Bond Company B.V., Ziggo Deelnemingen B.V., Ziggo Finance 2 B.V., Ziggo Financing Partnership, Ziggo Holding B.V., Ziggo Netwerk B.V., Ziggo Netwerk II B.V., Ziggo Services B.V., Ziggo Services Employment B.V., Ziggo Services Netwerk 2 B.V., Ziggo Zakelijk Services B.V., and Zoranet Connectivity Services B.V..
Azerbaijans Embassy in France has sent a note of protest to the countrys Foreign Ministry, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys acting spokeswoman Leyla Abdullayeva told reporters in Baku Nov. 17, Trend reports.

She was commenting on the visit to France by the head of the separatist entity created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

In this regard, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry made a specific and categorical statement, she said.

Abdullayeva noted that Azerbaijan assesses such a step by France, a country that is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, which created conditions for the visit of the representative of the illegal regime and for holding certain meetings there, as encouragement of the occupation regime.

We believe that this step by France casts doubt on its objectivity and impartiality, she added. In this regard, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Paris handed over a note of protest to the French Foreign Ministry.
Zalando SE operates as an online fashion and lifestyle retailer. It offers a range of products, including shoes, apparel, accessories, and beauty products for women, men, and children, as well as free delivery and returns services. The company also sells its products through its Zalando Lounge; and brick-and-mortar stores in Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne, Leipzig, Hamburg, Hanover, MAnster, Stuttgart, Mannheim, and Ulm. It serves in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The company has a strategic partnership with Sephora SAS to create the online prestige beauty destination. Zalando SE was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Berlin, Germany.

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The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, during his visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain, discussed with Prince Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa the cooperation between Chechnya and the Kingdom, he wrote today on his page in VKontakte.

During the lunch, we exchanged our views on the state and ways of developing the relations between Bahrain and Chechnya in various areas, including economy, culture, sports. We noted that a big step forward in expanding the mutually beneficial cooperation has been made recently, the Chechen leader wrote , thanking the prince for the reception, TASS reports.
Brookfield Asset Management, Inc. engages in the management of public and private investment products and services for institutional and retail clients. It operates through the following segments: Asset Management, Real Estate, Renewable Power, Infrastructure, Private Equity, Residential Development, and Corporate Activities. The Asset Management segment includes the management of its listed partnerships, private funds and public securities. The Real Estate segment is comprised of the ownership, operation and development of core office, core retail, LP investments and other properties. The Renewable Power segment encompasses the ownership, operation and development of hydroelectric, wind, solar, storage and other power generating facilities. The Infrastructure segment consists of the ownership, operation and development of utilities, transport, energy, data infrastructure and sustainable resource assets. The Private Equity segment refers to the broad range of industries, and is mostly focused on business services, infrastructure services and industrials. The Residential Development segment represents homebuilding, condominium development and land development. The Corporate Activiti

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Rockwell Collins, Inc. designs, produces, and supports communications and aviation systems worldwide. The company's Interior Systems segment offers commercial aircraft seats; galley structures, food and beverage preparation equipment, and water and waste systems; oxygen and passenger service equipment; cabin lighting systems; and business jet and general aviation interior products. Its Commercial Systems segment provides cabin management systems; data link, frequency, very high frequency, and satellite communications systems; landing, radio navigation, and geophysical sensors, and flight management systems; situational awareness and surveillance systems and products; integrated flight controls; simulation and training systems; maintenance, repair, parts, and after-sales support services, and aftermarket used equipment. The company's Government Systems segment provides communications systems and products; radio navigation products, global positioning system equipment, and multi-mode receivers; avionics systems; precision targeting, electronic warfare, and training systems; simulation and training systems; space wheels; visual system products; maintenance, repair, parts, and after-sales support services, and aftermarket used equipment. Its Information Management Services segment offers voice and data communication services; flight support services; airport communications and information systems; train dispatching and information systems; mission critical security systems; and cabin connectivity solutions. The company serves original equipment manufacturers of commercial air transport, business and regional aircraft, commercial airlines, U.S. Department of Defense, other ministries of defense, other government agencies, defense contractors, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, and passenger and freight railroads, as well as airport, critical infrastructure, and business aircraft operators. The company was founded in 1933 and is headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

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Soon a military airfield will be built in the Rostov region near the border with Ukraine, DON-24 reports.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation plans to build a new airport a few dozen kilometers away from the border with Ukraine, near the Morskoy Chulek farm in the Neklinovsky district of the region. The new facility will cost 100 million rubles and will be equipped with the most up-to-date communication systems, AiF Rostov reports.
The following companies are subsidiares of Mohawk Industries: A&S Energie NV, A&U Energie NV, Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation, Aladdin Manufacturing Of New York LLC, Aladdin Manufacturing of Alabama LLC, Alsace Logistique S.A., Avelgem Green Power CVBA, Avon Pacific Holdings Ltd, B&M NV, BGE Mexico S. de R. L. de C.V., Berghoef GmbH, Berghoef-Hout B.V., Bienes Raices y Materiales del Centro S. de R.L. de C.V., C.F. Marazzi S.A., Canterbury Spinners Ltd, Carpet Foundation Ltd, Cevotrans BV, Ceramus Bahia S/A  Produtos Ceramicos, DT Mex Holdings LLC, DTM/CM Holdings LLC, Dal Italia LLC, Dal-Elit LLC, Dal-Tile Chile Comercial Limitada, Dal-Tile Colombia S.A.S., Dal-Tile Distribution Inc., Dal-Tile Group Inc., Dal-Tile I LLC, Dal-Tile Industrias S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile International Inc., Dal-Tile Mexico Comercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Operaciones Mexico S. De R.L. De C.V., Dal-Tile Peru SRL, Dal-Tile Puerto Rico Inc., Dal-Tile Services Inc., Dal-Tile Shared Services Inc., Dal-Tile Tennessee LLC, Dal-Tile of Canada ULC, Daltile, Daltile, Dekaply NV, Durkan, Dynea NV, Eliane Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Eliane S/A - Revestimentos Ceramicos, Emilceramica India Pvt Ltd., Emilceramica S.r.l, Emilgermany GmbH, Emilgroup Asia Ltd, Explorer S.r.l., F.I.L.S. Investments Unlimited Company, Feltex Carpets Ltd, Feltex Carpets Pty Ltd, Feltex New Zealand Ltd, Fibremakers Australia Pty Ltd, Flooring Foundation Ltd, Flooring Industries Limited S.a r.l., Flooring XL B.V., Floorscape Limited, Godfrey Hirst & Co Pty Ltd, Godfrey Hirst (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Godfrey Hirst Australia Pty Ltd, Godfrey Hirst Group, Godfrey Hirst NZ Ltd, Hytherm (Ireland) Limited, IVC BVBA, IVC Far-East Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., IVC France S.a r.l., IVC GROUP LIMITED, IVC Green Power NV, IVC Group, IVC Group GmbH, IVC Luxembourg S.a r.l., IVC Rus OOO, IVC US Inc., International Flooring Systems S.a r.l., International Vinyl Company - Vostok OOO, KAI Group, KAI Keramica Ltd, KAI Mining EOOD, KERAMA CENTER OOO, Kerama Baltics OOO, Kerama Export OOO, Kerama Marazzi OOO, Kerampromservis (LLC), Khan Asparuh - Transport EOOD, Khan Asparuh AD, Khan Omurtag AD, Koninklijke Peitsman B.V., Kraj Kerama OOO, MG China Trading Ltd., MI Finance SRL, MUD (Holding) Brazil Ltda., Management Co EAD, Marazzi Acquisition S.r.l., Marazzi Deutschland G.m.b.H., Marazzi France Trading S.A.S., Marazzi Group, Marazzi Group F.Z.E., Marazzi Group S.r.l., Marazzi Group Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Marazzi Iberia S.L.U., Marazzi Japan Co. Ltd., Marazzi Middle East FZ LLC, Marazzi Schweiz S.A.G.L., Marazzi UK Ltd., Mohawk Assurance Services Inc., Mohawk Australia Pty Ltd, Mohawk Canada Corporation, Mohawk Capital Finance S.A., Mohawk Capital Luxembourg SA, Mohawk Carpet Distribution Inc., Mohawk Carpet Foundation Inc., Mohawk Carpet LLC, Mohawk Carpet Transportation Of Georgia LLC, Mohawk Commercial Inc., Mohawk ESV Inc., Mohawk Europe BVBA, Mohawk Factoring II Inc., Mohawk Factoring LLC, Mohawk Finance S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Acquisitions S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Funding S.a.r.l, Mohawk Foreign Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Investments Inc., Mohawk Global Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Holdings International B.V., Mohawk Industries Inc., Mohawk International (Europe) S.a r.l., Mohawk International (Hong Kong) Limited, Mohawk International Capital N.V., Mohawk International Financing S.a.r.l, Mohawk International Holdings (DE) LLC, Mohawk International Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk International Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk International Netherlands B.V., Mohawk International Services BVBA, Mohawk KAI Luxembourg Holding S.a r.l., Mohawk KAI Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Capital S.A., Mohawk Luxembourg Financing S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Pacific S.a r.l., Mohawk Marazzi International BV, Mohawk Marazzi Russia BV, Mohawk New Zealand Limited, Mohawk Operaciones Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Mohawk Operations Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Pacific Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Resources LLC, Mohawk Servicing LLC, Mohawk Singapore Private Limited, Mohawk Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Mohawk Unilin Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk United Finance B.V., Mohawk United International B.V., Mohawk Vinyl Financing S.a r.l., Molber Beheer B.V., Monarch Ceramic Tile Inc., P.F. Onroerend Goed B.V., PF Beheer B.V., Pergo, Pergo (Europe) AB, Pergo Holding BV, Pergo India Pvt Ltd, Polcolorit S.A., Premium Floors Australia Pty Limited, RR Apex LLC, Rata International Pty Ltd, Recubrimientos Interceramica S. de R.L. de C.V., Riverside Textiles Pty Ltd, S.C. KAI Ceramics SRL, Sibir Kerama OOO, SimpleSolutions USA LLC, Soft Step (Australia) Pty Ltd, Spano Group, Spano Invest BVBA, Spano NV, Stroyagromekhzapchast ChaO, Stroytrans OAO Orelstroy, Summit Wool Spinners Ltd, The Flooring Federation Ltd, Tiles Co OOD, Unilin (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Unilin ApS, Unilin Arauco Pisos Ltda., Unilin BVBA, Unilin Beheer BV, Unilin Distribution Ltd., Unilin Distribution Ukraine LLC, Unilin Finland OY, Unilin Flooring India Private Limited, Unilin Flooring SAS, Unilin GmbH, Unilin Holding BVBA, Unilin Insulation BV, Unilin Insulation SAS, Unilin Insulation Sury SAS, Unilin Italia S.R.L., Unilin North America LLC, Unilin Norway AS, Unilin OOO, Unilin Panels SAS, Unilin Poland Sp.Z.o.o., Unilin SAS, Unilin Spain SL, Unilin Swiss GmbH, Unilin s.r.o., World International Inc., Xtratherm, Xtratherm Limited, Xtratherm S.A., and Xtratherm UK Limited.
iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF's stock was trading at $158.09 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, IWF shares have increased by 93.1% and is now trading at $305.20.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
Unifi, Inc. engages in the manufacture and sale of synthetic and recycled products made from polyester and nylon. It operates through the following segments: Polyester, Nylon, Brazil, and Asia. The Polyester segment sells polyester-based products to other yarn manufacturers, knitters, and weavers that produce yarn and fabric for the apparel, hosiery, home furnishings, automotive, industrial, and other end-use markets in U.S. and El Salvador. The Nylon segment offers nylon-based products to knitters and weavers that produce fabric for the apparel and hosiery markets in U.S. and Colombia. The Brazil and Asia segments comprises polyester-based products to knitters and weavers that produce fabric for the apparel, home furnishings, automotive, industrial, and other end-use markets principally in South America and Asia. The company was founded by George Allen Mebane IV in 1969 and is headquartered in Greensboro, NC.

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Freehold Royalties has been the subject of 10 research reports in the past 90 days, demonstrating strong analyst interest in this stock.

According to analysts' consensus price target of $14.64, Freehold Royalties has a forecasted upside of 61.2% from its current price of $9.08.

Freehold Royalties has received a consensus rating of Buy. The company's average rating score is 2.82, and is based on 9 buy ratings, 2 hold ratings, and no sell ratings.

4.4 Community Rank

Outperform Votes Freehold Royalties has received 99 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.)

Underperform Votes Freehold Royalties has received 53 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.)

Community Sentiment Freehold Royalties has received 65.13% outperform votes from our community.

MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Freehold Royalties and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe FRHLF will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe FRHLF will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

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Trimedyne, Inc. manufactures and sells lasers, and disposable and reusable fiber-optic laser devices for use in the medical field. It offers lasers, fibers, needles, and switch tips for use in orthopedics, urology, ear and nose surgery, throat surgery, gynecology, gastrointestinal surgery, general surgery, and other medical specialties. The company also provides 80 watt and 30 watt holmium lasers, and side firing laser needles to treat herniated or ruptured spinal discs. In addition, it engages in the provision of services, and rental of lasers and other medical equipment to hospitals and surgery centers on a fee-per-case basis. The company operates in Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Australia, and internationally. It markets its products through commission sales representatives in the United States and independent distributors internationally. Trimedyne, Inc. was founded in 1980 and is based in Irvine, California.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, Trend reported citing Turkish media.

According to the reports, along with bilateral relations, the leaders discussed the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as the Syrian issue.

Erdogan also expressed his condolences in connection with those killed during forest fires in California.
The following companies are subsidiares of CVS Health: @Credentials Inc., ACS ACQCO CORP., ADMINCO Inc., AE Fourteen Incorporated, AHP Holdings Inc., AMC - Tennessee LLC, APS Acquisition LLC, ASCO HealthCare LLC, ASI Wings LLC, AUSHC Holdings Inc., Accendo Insurance Company, Accordant Health Services L.L.C., Active Health Management Inc., Administrative Enterprises Inc., AdvancePCS SpecialtyRx LLC, AdvanceRx.com L.L.C., Advanced Care Scripts Inc., Aetna, Aetna (Beijing) Enterprise Management Services Co. Ltd., Aetna (Shanghai) Enterprise Services Co. Ltd., Aetna ACO Holdings Inc., Aetna Asset Advisors LLC, Aetna Behavioral Health LLC, Aetna Better Health Inc., Aetna Better Health Inc., Aetna Better Health of California Inc., Aetna Better Health of Florida Inc., Aetna Better Health of Kansas Inc., Aetna Better Health of Michigan Inc., Aetna Better Health of Missouri LLC, Aetna Better Health of Nevada Inc., Aetna Better Health of North Carolina Inc., Aetna Better Health of Oklahoma Inc., Aetna Better Health of Texas Inc., Aetna Better Health of Washington Inc., Aetna Capital Management LLC, Aetna Card Solutions LLC, Aetna Corporate Services LLC, Aetna Dental Inc., Aetna Dental of California Inc., Aetna Financial Holdings LLC, Aetna Florida Inc., Aetna Global Benefits (Asia Pacific) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Bahamas) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Bermuda) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Europe) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Middle East) LLC, Aetna Global Benefits (Singapore) PTE. LTD., Aetna Global Benefits (UK) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits Limited (DIFC UAE), Aetna Global Holdings Limited, Aetna Health Holdings LLC, Aetna Health Inc., Aetna Health Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Aetna Health Insurance Company, Aetna Health Insurance Company of Europe DAC, Aetna Health Management LLC, Aetna Health and Life Insurance Company, Aetna Health of California Inc., Aetna Health of Iowa Inc., Aetna Health of Michigan Inc., Aetna Health of Ohio Inc., Aetna Health of Utah Inc., Aetna HealthAssurance Pennsylvania Inc., Aetna Holdco (UK) Limited, Aetna Holdings (Thailand) Limited, Aetna Inc., Aetna Insurance (Hong Kong) Limite, Aetna Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Aetna Insurance Company Limited, Aetna Integrated Informatics Inc., Aetna International Inc., Aetna Ireland Inc., Aetna Korea Ltd., Aetna Life & Casualty (Bermuda) Ltd., Aetna Life Assignment Company, Aetna Life Insurance Company, Aetna Medicaid Administrators LLC, Aetna Multi-Strategy 1099 Fund LLC, Aetna Network Services LLC, Aetna Partners Diversified Fund LLC, Aetna Pharmacy Management Services LLC, Aetna Resources LLC, Aetna Risk Assurance Company of Connecticut Inc., Aetna Rx Home Delivery LLC, Aetna Services (Thailand) Limited, Aetna Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Aetna Student Health Agency Inc., Aetna Ventures LLC, Aetna Workers Comp Access LLC, Alabama CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Alaska CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Allina Health and Aetna Insurance Company, Allina Health and Aetna Insurance Holding Company LLC, American Continental Insurance Company, American Drug Stores Delaware L.L.C., American Health Holding Inc., Arbor Drugs, Arizona CVS Stores L.L.C., Arkansas CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Badger Acquisition LLC, Badger Acquisition of Kentucky LLC, Badger Acquisition of Minnesota LLC, Badger Acquisition of Ohio LLC, Banner Health and Aetna Health Insurance Company, Banner Health and Aetna Health Insurance Holding Company LLC, Banner Health and Aetna Health Plan Inc., Beauty Holdings L.L.C., Best Care LTC Acquisition Company LLC, Busse CVS L.L.C., CCI Foreign S.a R.L. (R.C.S. Luxembourg), CCRx Holdings LLC, CCRx of North Carolina LLC, CHP Acquisition LLC, CP Acquisition LLC, CVS 2948 Henderson L.L.C., CVS 3268 Gilbert L.L.C., CVS 3745 Peoria L.L.C., CVS AL Distribution L.L.C., CVS AOC Corporation, CVS AOC Services L.L.C., CVS Albany L.L.C., CVS Bellmore Avenue L.L.C., CVS Care Concierge LLC, CVS Caremark Advanced Technology Pharmacy L.L.C., CVS Caremark Indemnity Ltd., CVS Caremark Part D Services L.L.C., CVS Caremark TN SUTA LLC, CVS Foreign Inc., CVS Gilbert 3272 L.L.C., CVS Health Solutions LLC, CVS Indiana L.L.C., CVS International L.L.C., CVS Kidney Care Advanced Technologies LLC, CVS Kidney Care Health Services LLC, CVS Kidney Care Home Dialysis LLC, CVS Kidney Care LLC, CVS Manchester NH L.L.C., CVS Media Exchange LLC, CVS Michigan L.L.C., CVS Orlando FL Distribution L.L.C., CVS PA Distribution L.L.C., CVS PR Center Inc., CVS Pharmacy Inc., CVS RS Arizona L.L.C., CVS Rx Services Inc., CVS SC Distribution L.L.C., CVS State Capital L.L.C., CVS TN Distribution L.L.C., CVS Transportation L.L.C., CVS Vero FL Distribution L.L.C., Campos Medical Pharmacy LLC, Canal Place LLC, Care Pharmaceutical Services LP, CareCenter Pharmacy L.L.C., Carefree Insurance Services Inc., Caremark Arizona Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Arizona Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark California Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Florida Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Florida Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Hawaii Mail Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Hawaii Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark IPA L.L.C., Caremark Illinois Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Illinois Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Irving Resource Center LLC, Caremark Kansas Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark L.L.C., Caremark Logistics LLC, Caremark Louisiana Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Maryland Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Massachusetts Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Michigan Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Minnesota Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark New Jersey Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark North Carolina Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Ohio Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Pennsylvania Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark PhC L.L.C., Caremark Puerto Rico L.L.C., Caremark Puerto Rico Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Redlands Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Repack LLC, Caremark Rx L.L.C., Caremark Tennessee Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Texas Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Texas Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Ulysses Holding Corp., Caremark Washington Specialty Pharmacy LLC, CaremarkPCS Alabama Mail Pharmacy LLC, CaremarkPCS Health L.L.C., CaremarkPCS L.L.C., Central Rx Services LLC, Claims Administration Corp., Cofinity Inc., Compscript LLC, Connecticut CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Continental Life Insurance Company of Brentwood Tennessee, Continuing Care Rx LLC, Coram Alternate Site Services Inc., Coram Clinical Trials Inc., Coram Healthcare Corporation of Alabama, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Florida, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Greater D.C., Coram Healthcare Corporation of Greater New York, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Indiana, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Massachusetts, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Mississippi, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Nevada, Coram Healthcare Corporation of North Texas, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Northern California, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Southern California, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Southern Florida, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Utah, Coram LLC, Coram Rx LLC, Coram Specialty Infusion, Coram Specialty Infusion Services L.L.C., Coventry Consumer Advantage Inc., Coventry Health Care National Accounts Inc., Coventry Health Care National Network Inc., Coventry Health Care Workers Compensation Inc., Coventry Health Care of Illinois Inc., Coventry Health Care of Kansas Inc., Coventry Health Care of Missouri Inc., Coventry Health Care of Nebraska Inc., Coventry Health Care of Virginia Inc., Coventry Health Care of West Virginia Inc., Coventry Health Plan of Florida Inc., Coventry Health and Life Insurance Company, Coventry HealthCare Management Corporation, Coventry Prescription Management Services Inc., Coventry Rehabilitation Services Inc., Coventry Transplant Network Inc., D & R Pharmaceutical Services LLC, D.A.W. LLC, Delaware CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Delaware Physicians Care Incorporated, Digital eHealth LLC, District of Columbia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., E.T.B. INC., Echo Merger Sub Inc., Eckerd Corporation of Florida Inc., Employee Assistance Services LLC, Enloe Drugs LLC, Enterprise Patient Safety Organization LLC, EntrustRX, Evergreen Pharmaceutical LLC, Evergreen Pharmaceutical of California Inc., Express Pharmacy Services of PA L.L.C., FOCUS HealthCare Management Inc., First Health Group Corp., First Health Life & Health Insurance Company, First Script Network Services Inc., Florida Health Plan Administrators LLC, Garfield Beach CVS L.L.C., Generation Health L.L.C., Geneva Woods Health Services LLC, Geneva Woods LTC Pharmacy LLC, Geneva Woods Management LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Alaska LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Washington LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Wyoming LLC, Geneva Woods Retail Pharmacy LLC, Georgia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., German Dobson CVS L.L.C., Goodhealth Worldwide (Asia) Limited, Goodhealth Worldwide (Global) Limited, Goodyear CVS L.L.C., Grand St. Paul CVS L.L.C., Grandview Pharmacy LLC, Group Dental Service Inc., Group Dental Service of Maryland Inc., Health Care Management Co. Ltd., Health Data & Management Solutions Inc., Health Re Inc., Health and Human Resource Center Inc., HealthAssuance Pennsylvania Inc., Healthagen LLC, Highland Park CVS L.L.C., Holiday CVS L.L.C., Home Care Pharmacy LLC, Home Pharmacy Services LLC, Hook-SupeRx L.L.C., Horizon Behavioral Services LLC, Idaho CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., IlliniCare Health, Indian Health Organisation Private Limited, Innovation Health Holdings LLC, Innovation Health Insurance Company, Innovation Health Plan Inc., Interlock Pharmacy Systems LLC, Iowa CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., JHC Acquisition LLC, Kansas CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Kentucky CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., LCPS Acquisition LLC, Langsam Health Services LLC, Lo-Med Prescription Services LLC, Lobos Acquisition LLC, Longs Drug Stores, Longs Drug Stores California L.L.C., Louisiana CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., MHHP Acquisition Company LLC, MHNet Life and Health Insurance Company, MHNet Specialty Services LLC, MHNet of Florida Inc., Managed Care Coordinators Inc., Managed Healthcare LLC, Martin Health Services LLC, Maryland CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Med World Acquisition Corp., Medical Arts Health Care LLC, Medical Examinations of New York P.C., Melville Realty Company Inc., MemberHealth LLC, Mental Health Associates Inc., Mental Health Network of New York IPA Inc., Meritain Health Inc., Merwin Long Term Care LLC, MetraComp Inc., Minor Health Enterprise Co Ltd., MinuteClinic, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Alabama L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Arizona LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Florida LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Georgia LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Hawaii L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Illinois LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Kentucky L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Louisiana L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Maine L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Maryland LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Massachusetts LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Nebraska L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of New Hampshire L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of New Mexico L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Ohio LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Oklahoma LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Oregon LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Pennsylvania LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Rhode Island LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of South Carolina L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Texas LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Utah L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Virginia LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Washington LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Wisconsin L.L.C., MinuteClinic L.L.C., MinuteClinic Online Diagnostic Services LLC, MinuteClinic Physician Practice of Texas, MinuteClinic Telehealth Services LLC, Mississippi CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Missouri CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Montana CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., NCS Healthcare LLC, NCS Healthcare of Illinois LLC, NCS Healthcare of Iowa LLC, NCS Healthcare of Kansas LLC, NCS Healthcare of Kentucky Inc. (Oh, NCS Healthcare of Montana LLC, NCS Healthcare of New Mexico LLC, NCS Healthcare of Ohio LLC, NCS Healthcare of South Carolina LLC, NCS Healthcare of Tennessee LLC, NCS Healthcare of Wisconsin LLC, NIV Acquisition LLC, Navarro Discount Pharmacy, Nebraska CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., NeighborCare Holdings Inc., NeighborCare Inc., NeighborCare Pharmacy Services Inc., NeighborCare Services Corporation, NeighborCare of Indiana LLC, NeighborCare of Virginia LLC, New Jersey CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Niagara Re Inc., North Carolina CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., North Shore Pharmacy Services LLC, NovoLogix LLC, OCR Services LLC, Ocean Acquisition Sub L.L.C., Ohio CVS Stores L.L.C., Oklahoma CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Omnicare, Omnicare Holding Company, Omnicare Inc., Omnicare Indiana Partnership Holding Company LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of Pennsylvania East LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of Pennsylvania West LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of the Great Plains Holding LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy and Supply Services LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy of Tennessee LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy of the Midwest LLC, Omnicare Property Management LLC, Omnicare of Nebraska LLC, Omnicare of Nevada LLC, Omnicare of New York LLC, Oregon CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., PE Holdings LLC, PHPSNE Parent Corporation, PP Acquisition Company LLC, PRN Pharmaceutical Services LP, PT Aetna Management Consulting, Pamplona Saude e Beleza LTDA, Part D Holding Company L.L.C., PayFlex Holdings Inc., PayFlex Systems USA Inc., Pennsylvania CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Performax Inc., Pharmacy Associates of Glenn Falls LLC, Pharmacy Consultants LLC, Phoenix Data Solutions LLC, Precision Benefit Services Inc., Prime Net Inc., ProCare Pharmacy Direct L.L.C., ProCare Pharmacy L.L.C., Prodigy Health Group Inc., Professional Risk Management Inc., Pt. Aetna Global Benefits Indonesia, Puerto Rico CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Red Oak Sourcing LLC, Resources for Living LLC, Rhode Island CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Roeschens Healthcare LLC, RxAmerica, Schaller Anderson Medical Administrators Incorporated, Scrip World LLC, Sheffield Avenue CVS L.L.C., Shore Pharmaceutical Providers LLC, Silverscript Insurance Company, Soma Intimates, South Carolina CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., South Wabash CVS L.L.C., Specialized Pharmacy Services LLC, Spinnaker Bidco Limited, Spinnaker Topco Limited, Stadtlander Drug Company, Stadtlander Pharmacy, Sterling Healthcare Services LLC, Superior Care Pharmacy LLC, Sutter Health and Aetna Administrative Services LLC, Sutter Health and Aetna Insurance Company, Sutter Health and Aetna Insurance Holding Company LLC, T2 Medical Inc., TCPI Acquisition LLC, TargetPharmacy, Tennessee CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Texas Health + Aetna Health Insurance Company, Texas Health + Aetna Health Insurance Holding Company LLC, Texas Health + Aetna Health Plan Inc., The Vasquez Group Inc., Thomas Phoenix CVS L.L.C., Three Forks Apothecary LLC, U.S Healthcare Holdings LLC, U.S. Healthcare Properties Inc., UAC Holding Inc., UC Acquisition LLC, UNI-Care Health Services of Maine LLC, Universal American - Medicare Part D Business, Utah CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., VAPS Acquisition Company LLC, Value Health Care Services LLC, Vermont CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Virginia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Virtual Home Healthcare L.L.C., Warm Springs Road CVS L.L.C., Washington CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Washington Lamb CVS L.L.C., Weber Medical Systems LLC, Wellpartner LLC, West Virginia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Westhaven Services Co LLC, Williamson Drug Company LLC, Wisconsin CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Woodward Detroit CVS L.L.C., Work and Family Benefits Inc., ZS Acquisition Company LLC, Zinc Health Services LLC, Zinc Health Ventures LLC, bSwift LLC, and iTriage LLC.
The following companies are subsidiares of Danaher: AB SCIEX, AB Sciex Germany GmbH, AB Sciex LLC, AB Sciex LP, AB Sciex Pte Ltd., Accu-Sort Systems, Acme Cleveland Corporation, Advanced Vision Technology, American Precision Industries, Applied Biosystems, Applitek NV, Aquatic Infomatics ULC, Aquatic Informatics, Armstrong Tools, BC Distribution BV, Beckman Coulter, Beckman Coulter Australia Pty Ltd, Beckman Coulter Biotechnology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter Biyomedikal Urunler Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited [irketi], Beckman Coulter Canada LP, Beckman Coulter Commercial Enterprise (China) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter France S.A.S., Beckman Coulter G.m.b.H., Beckman Coulter Genomics Inc., Beckman Coulter Hong Kong Limited, Beckman Coulter Inc., Beckman Coulter India Private Limited, Beckman Coulter International SA, Beckman Coulter International Shanghai Trading Co., Beckman Coulter Ireland Inc., Beckman Coulter K.K., Beckman Coulter Korea Ltd., Beckman Coulter Laboratory Systems (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter Limited Liability Company, Beckman Coulter Mishima KK, Beckman Coulter Nederland B.V., Beckman Coulter Nippon GK, Beckman Coulter S.L.U., Beckman Coulter Saudi Arabia Co.Ltd., Beckman Coulter Srl, Beckman Coulter Taiwan Inc., Beckman Coulter United Kingdom Limited, Beckman Coulter de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Beckman Coulter do Brasil Ltda., Beckman Finance ApS, Beckman Holdings Ltd., BioTector Analytical Systems Ltd, Biosafe S.A., Blue Software LLC, Cepheid, Cepheid AB, Cepheid Europe SAS, Cepheid GmbH, Cepheid HBDC SAS, Cepheid UK Ltd., ChemTreat, ChemTreat Inc., ChemTreat International Inc., Cispus Hong Kong Holding Limited, Cytiva, Cytiva BioProcess R&D AB, Cytiva Biotechnology (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Cytiva Biotechnology (Hang Zhou) Co. Ltd., Cytiva Europe GmbH, Cytiva Sweden AB, Cytiva Sweden Holding AB, DH Europe Finance II Sarl, DH Europe Finance Sarl, DH Holding Italia SRL, DH Japan Finance Sarl, DH Life Sciences LLC, DH Netherlands BV, DH Technologies Development Pte Ltd., DHKAB Company AB, DTIL Ireland Holdings Ltd., Danaher (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Danaher Hong Kong Limited, Danaher Medical ApS, Delta Consolidated Industries, Devicore Medical Products Inc., Easco Hand Tools, Esko, Esko BV, Esko Finance BV, Esko Graphics BV, Esko Software BV, FHAB Company AB, Fluke, G. Lufft Mess- und Regeltechnik GmbH, GE Biopharma, Gelman Sciences Inc., Gendex, Genetix Group, Gilbarco Veeder Root, Gilzoni Ltd., Global Life Sciences Solutions Austria GmbH & Co. KG, Global Life Sciences Solutions Germany GmbH, Global Life Sciences Solutions Korea Ltd., Global Life Sciences Solutions Manufacturing UK Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions New Zealand, Global Life Sciences Solutions Operations UK Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions Singapore Pte Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions USA LLC, Global Life Sciences Technologies (Shanghai) Co Ltd., Global Life Sciences Technologies Japan KK, Hach Company, Hach Lange Finance GmbH, Hach Lange GmbH, Hach Lange Sarl, Hach Sales & Services Canada LP, Hach Ultra Japan KK, Hach Water Quality Analytical Instru. (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., HemoCue AB, HyClone Laboratories LLC, Hybritech Incorporated, Hyclone Life Sciences Solutions India Private Limited, IDBS Group, IRIS International, Imaging Sciences International, Immunotech SAS, Immunotech Sro, Intabio LLC, Integrated DNA Technologies, Integrated DNA Technologies BVBA, Integrated DNA Technologies Inc., Integrated DNA Technologies Pte. Ltd., Iris International Inc., Joslyn Holding Company LLC, KVHG GmbH, KaVo, KaVo Kerr, Kaltenbach & Voigt, Keithley Instruments, Kipp & Zonen BV, Kollmorgen, Labcyte Inc., Laetus, Leica Biosystems Imaging Inc., Leica Biosystems Melbourne Pty Ltd, Leica Biosystems Newcastle Limited, Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbH, Leica Biosystems Richmond Inc., Leica Instruments (Singapore) Pte Limited, Leica Microsystems, Leica Microsystems (UK) Limited, Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Leica Microsystems Cambridge Limited, Leica Microsystems IR GmbH, Leica Microsystems Inc., Leica Microsystems Limited, Leica Microsystems Ltd. Shanghai, Leica Mikrosysteme Vertrieb GmbH, Life Sciences Holdings France SAS*, Lifschultz Industries, Linx Printing Technologies, Linx Printing Technologies Limited, MDS Analytical Technologies, Marconi Data Systems, McCrometer Inc., Microtest, Molecular Devices, Molecular Devices (Austria) GmbH, Molecular Devices LLC, Navman Wireless, Navman Wireless OEM Solutions, Nihon Pall Ltd., Nihon Pall Manufacturing Limited, Nobel Biocare, OTT Hydromet Corp, Pall, Pall (Canada) ULC, Pall (China) Co. Ltd., Pall (Schweiz) GmbH, Pall Aeropower Corporation, Pall Artelis BVBA, Pall Asia Holdings Inc., Pall Australia Pty. Ltd., Pall Austria Filter Ges.m.b.h, Pall Corporation, Pall Europe Limited, Pall Filtersystems GmbH, Pall Filtration Pte. Ltd., Pall Filtration and Separations Group Inc., Pall France SAS, Pall GmbH, Pall India Pvt. Ltd., Pall International Sarl, Pall Italia Srl, Pall Korea Ltd., Pall Life Sciences Belgium BV, Pall Life Sciences Puerto Rico LLC, Pall Manufacturing UK Limited, Pall Medistad BV, Pall Netherlands BV Irish Branch, Pall Technology UK Limited, PaloDEX, Pantone LLC, Pelton & Crane, Phenomenex, Phenomenex Inc., Precision NanoSystems, QHC Ireland Finance Limited, Radiometer, Radiometer Basel AG, Radiometer K.K., Radiometer Medical ApS, Radiometer Medical Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Radiometer Turku Oy, Raytek, Reytek Corporation, SH Switzerland Finance Sarl, Sea-Bird Electronics Inc., SenDx Medical Inc., Shanghai AB Sciex Analytical Instrument Trading Co. Ltd., Sutron, Sybron Dental Specialties, TCIL Ireland Finance Ltd., Tektronix, Thomson Industries, Tianjin Bonna-Agela Technologies Co. Ltd., Trojan Technologies, Trojan Technologies Group ULC, VSS Monitoring, Videojet Do Brasil Comercio de Equipamentos Para Codificacao Industrial Ltda., Videojet Technologies (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Videojet Technologies Europe B.V., Videojet Technologies Inc., Viridor Waste Management Limited, Vision Systems Limited, Willett International, X-Ray Optical Systems Inc., X-Rite, X-Rite Europe GmbH, X-Rite Incorporated, X-Rite Switzerland GmbH, XOS, Yukon Hong Kong Holding Limited, and Zhuhai S.E.Z. Videojet Electronics Ltd..
iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF's stock was trading at $38.50 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EFV shares have increased by 32.6% and is now trading at $51.04.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Serbian Telegraph newspaper that the West was attempting to turn the Balkans into yet another lodgment against Russia, News.am reports.

They [the West] demand from countries in the [Balkan] region to persistently make a choice: either Moscow, or Washington and Brussels, the Russian diplomat added, in particular.

Also, he noted that Russia knows about the Western pressure being put on Belgrade so that the latter stops its cooperation with Moscow, but added that Serbia will surely take measures against this pressure.
The following companies are subsidiares of Lithia Motors: 797 Valley Street LLC, Albany CJD Fiat, Baierl Auto Group, Baierl Auto Parts LLC, Baierl Automotive Corporation, Baierl Chevrolet Inc., Baierl Holding LLC, Broadway Ford, Buhler Ford Inc, Cadillac of Portland Lloyd Center LLC, Camp Automotive Inc., Carbone Auto Body LLC, Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Morgantown, Cranberry Automotive Inc., Crater Lake Ford Lincoln, Crater Lake Mazda, DCH (Oxnard) Inc., DCH Auto Group, DCH Bloomfield LLC, DCH CA LLC, DCH Calabasas-A LLC, DCH California Investments LLC, DCH California Motors Inc., DCH DMS NJ LLC, DCH Del Norte Inc., DCH Essex Inc., DCH Financial NJ LLC, DCH Freehold - V LLC, DCH Freehold LLC, DCH Holdings LLC, DCH Investments Inc. (New Jersey), DCH Investments Inc. (New York), DCH Korean Imports LLC, DCH Mamaroneck LLC, DCH Mission Valley LLC, DCH Monmouth LLC, DCH Montclair LLC, DCH Motors LLC, DCH NY Motors LLC, DCH Nanuet LLC, DCH North America Inc., DCH Oxnard 1521 Imports Inc., DCH Riverside-S Inc., DCH Simi Valley Inc., DCH Support Services LLC, DCH TL Holdings LLC, DCH TL NY Holdings LLC, DCH Temecula Imports LLC, DCH Temecula Motors LLC, DCH Thousand Oaks-F Inc., DCH Torrance Imports Inc., Dah Chong Hong CA Trading LLC, Dah Chong Hong Trading Corporation, Daron Motors LLC, Day Auto Group, Downtown LA, Driveway Motors LLC, Elizabeth Collision LLC, Florida SS LLC, Ford Lincoln of Morgantown, Freehold Nissan LLC, Fuse Auto Sales LLC, Hamilton Honda, Hazleton Honda, Hutchins Eugene Nissan Inc., Hutchins Imported Motors Inc., Jaguar Landrover Mission Viejo, LA Motors Holding LLC, LAD Advertising Inc., LAD Carson-N LLC, LAD Mission Viejo-JLR Inc., LAD Mobu Inc., LAD-AU LLC, LAD-MB LLC, LAD-N LLC, LAD-P LLC, LAD-T LLC, LAD-V LLC, LBMP LLC, LFKF LLC, LGPAC Inc., LLL Sales Co LLC, LMBB LLC, LMBP LLC, LMOP LLC, LSTAR LLC, Lithia AcDM Inc., Lithia Aircraft Inc., Lithia Anchorage-C LLC, Lithia Anchorage-H LLC, Lithia Armory Garage LLC, Lithia Auction & Recon LLC, Lithia Auto Services Inc., Lithia Automotive Inc., Lithia BA Holding Inc., Lithia BNM Inc. (nonoperating), Lithia Baierl-S LLC, Lithia Bryan Texas Inc., Lithia Buffalo-A LLC, Lithia CCTF Inc., Lithia CDH Inc., Lithia CIMR Inc., Lithia CJDO Inc., Lithia CJDSA Inc., Lithia CJDSF Inc., Lithia CM Inc., Lithia CO Inc., Lithia CSA Inc., Lithia Community Development Company Inc., Lithia Crater Lake-F Inc., Lithia Crater Lake-M Inc., Lithia DE Inc., Lithia DM Inc., Lithia DMID Inc., Lithia Des Moines-VW LLC, Lithia Dodge of Tri-Cities Inc., Lithia Eatontown-F LLC, Lithia FLCC LLC, Lithia FMF Inc., Lithia Financial Corporation (previously Lithia Leasing Inc. and Lithia Credit Inc.), Lithia Florida Holding Inc., Lithia Ford of Boise Inc., Lithia Fresno Inc., Lithia HDM Inc., Lithia HGF Inc., Lithia HMID Inc., Lithia HPI Inc. (nonoperating), Lithia Hamilton-H LLC, Lithia Hazleton-H LLC, Lithia Idaho Falls-F Inc., Lithia Imports of Anchorage Inc., Lithia JEF Inc., Lithia Klamath Inc., Lithia Klamath-T Inc., Lithia LBGGF Inc., Lithia LHGF Inc., Lithia LSGF Inc., Lithia MBDM Inc., Lithia MMF Inc., Lithia MTLM Inc., Lithia McMurray-C LLC, Lithia Medford HON Inc., Lithia Middletown-L LLC, Lithia Monroeville-A LLC, Lithia Monroeville-C LLC, Lithia Monroeville-F LLC, Lithia Monroeville-V LLC, Lithia Moon-S LLC, Lithia Moon-V LLC, Lithia Morgantown-CJD LLC, Lithia Morgantown-F LLC, Lithia Morgantown-S LLC, Lithia Motors Support Services Inc., Lithia NA Inc., Lithia NC Inc., Lithia ND Acquisition Corp. #1, Lithia ND Acquisition Corp. #3, Lithia ND Acquisition Corp. #4, Lithia NDM Inc., Lithia NF Inc., Lithia NSA Inc., Lithia Northeast Real Estate LLC, Lithia Orchard Park-H LLC, Lithia Paramus-M LLC, Lithia Pittsburgh-S LLC, Lithia Ramsey-B LLC, Lithia Ramsey-L LLC, Lithia Ramsey-M LLC, Lithia Ramsey-T LLC, Lithia Real Estate Inc., Lithia Reno Sub-HYUN Inc., Lithia Reno-CJ LLC, Lithia Reno-VW LLC, Lithia Rose-FT Inc., Lithia SOC Inc., Lithia SSP LLC, Lithia Salmir Inc., Lithia Sea P Inc., Lithia Seaside Inc., Lithia Spokane-B LLC, Lithia Spokane-S LLC, Lithia TA Inc., Lithia TO Inc., Lithia TR Inc., Lithia Uniontown-C LLC, Lithia VAuDM Inc., Lithia VF Inc., Lithia Wexford-H LLC, Lithia of Abilene Inc., Lithia of Anchorage Inc., Lithia of Bend #1 LLC, Lithia of Bend #2 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 1 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 2 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 3 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 4 LLC, Lithia of Billings II LLC, Lithia of Billings Inc., Lithia of Casper LLC, Lithia of Clear Lake LLC, Lithia of Concord I Inc., Lithia of Concord II Inc., Lithia of Corpus Christi Inc., Lithia of Des Moines Inc., Lithia of Eureka Inc., Lithia of Fairbanks Inc., Lithia of Great Falls Inc., Lithia of Helena Inc., Lithia of Honolulu-A Inc., Lithia of Honolulu-BGMCC LLC, Lithia of Honolulu-F LLC, Lithia of Honolulu-V LLC, Lithia of Killeen LLC, Lithia of Lodi Inc., Lithia of Maui-H LLC, Lithia of Missoula II LLC, Lithia of Missoula III Inc., Lithia of Missoula Inc., Lithia of Pocatello Inc., Lithia of Portland I LLC, Lithia of Portland LLC, Lithia of Robstown LLC, Lithia of Roseburg Inc., Lithia of Santa Rosa Inc., Lithia of Seattle Inc., Lithia of South Central AK Inc., Lithia of Spokane II Inc., Lithia of Spokane Inc., Lithia of Stockton Inc., Lithia of Stockton-V Inc., Lithia of TF Inc., Lithia of Troy LLC, Lithia of Utica - 1 LLC, Lithia of Utica - 2 LLC, Lithia of Utica - 3 LLC, Lithia of Utica - 4 LLC, Lithia of Walnut Creek Inc., Lithia of Wasilla LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 1 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 2 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 3 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 4 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 5 LLC, Medford Insurance LLC, Milford DCH Inc., Northland Ford Inc., PA Real Estate LLC, PA Support Services LLC, Paramus Collision LLC, Paramus World Motors LLC, Personalized Marketing LLC, Prestige Auto Group, RFA Holdings LLC, Ray Laks Acura, Ray Laks Honda, Sacramento-L Inc., Salem-B LLC, Salem-H LLC, Salem-V LLC, Sharlene Realty LLC, Shift Portland LLC, Southern Cascades Finance Corporation, Subaru of Morgantown, Tampa-H LLC, Tustin Motors Inc., Wesley Chapel-H LLC, Wesley Chapel-T LLC, Zelienople Real Estate I L.P., and Zelienople Real Estate L.L.C..
Mediclinic International plc, together with its subsidiaries, operates private hospitals. The company offers acute care, specialist-orientated, and multidisciplinary healthcare services under the Mediclinic and Hirslanden brand names. It operates 17 hospitals, 2 day case clinics, 3 outpatient clinics, and 110 theatres with approximately 1,893 inpatient beds in Switzerland; 52 hospitals, 10 day case clinics, 8 sub-acute hospitals, and 305 theatres in South Africa and Namibia with approximately 8,792 inpatient beds; and 7 hospitals, 2 day case clinics, 18 outpatient clinics, and 38 theatres with approximately 927 inpatient beds in the United Arab Emirates. The company also provides treasury, hospital equipment and procurement, emergency medical, management, food and catering, healthcare management, and debt collection and related services; manages healthcare staff; and owns and manages properties. In addition, it engages in intellectual property holding and medical store/procurement businesses. The company was founded in 1983 and is based in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

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World War I led to the collapse of four empires - the Austro-Hungarian, German, Russian and Ottoman. As a result, many newly independent states were formed in Europe - Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes also known as Yugoslavia, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, which later became the part of the Soviet Union,  analyst of the news agency Vestnik Kavkaza, Marina Lagutina said today in the National Question program on Vesti.FM.



"The principles of self-determination of peoples became a base of the national-state division by the victorious countries. However, the great powers many times violated their own borders or closed their eyes to the violations defining the borders of new states. As a result of this thoughtless re-division of the borders in the new countries, the places of compact residence of national minorities appeared among Germans, Lithuanians, Ukrainians and Belarusians in Poland, Germans, Hungarians and Ukrainians in Czechoslovakia, Hungarians and Ukrainians in Romania, the analyst said, stressing that subsequently this became a source of conflicts of all kind.



After gaining the independence, Polands desire to recreate its eastern borders as they were in 1772 contradicted the principle of people self-determination, because Poland wanted to annex Belarus, Lithuania, part of Latvia and Right-Bank Ukraine, which caused the resistance of the peoples living there. This led to the Soviet-Polish war, which for many years defined hostility in the relations between Poland and the USSR,  Marina Lagutina said.



The expert drew attention to the fact that the national situation in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was particularly difficult. "The state, later called Yugoslavia, consisted of very different peoples, though having common Slavic roots (Croats and Slovenes - Catholics, Macedonians, Montenegrins and Serbs - Orthodox, some Slavs converted to Islam, Albanians - not Slavs at all and profess to Islam). The South Slavic peoples united around Serbia in the hope of democratizing the political system and social life in the new state. However, Serbs, who took the leading position in the country thanks to the support of France did not consider the interests of other people. Macedonians and Albanians were even forbidden to use their native language, institutions, schools and press ", the expert said, explaining that all this turned the new state into a hotbed of ethnic conflicts.



"The time bomb planted at the beginning of the 20th century exploded at the end of the century when the division of the European countries into smaller ones continued - Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia collapsed. And we know very well the price of such decays. The Versailles-Washington system was doomed to failure from the very beginning, because the great powers themselves created a region of constant political instability, redrawing the territory of Europe without taking into account the interests of peoples,  Marina Lagutina concluded.
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ZIM Corporation provides software products and services for the database and mobile markets in the United States, Brazil, Canada, Singapore, and Austria. The company operates in two segments, Mobile and Enterprise Software. It develops and sells ZIM integrated development environment (IDE) software, an enterprise software for use in the design, development, and management of information databases and mission critical applications. The company's ZIM IDE software provides an IDE for Microsoft Windows, UNIX, and Linux computer operating systems. Its products are used to develop database applications in various industries, including finance, insurance, marketing, human resource, information, and records management. The company also provides migration services and management products; and short message services. ZIM Corporation was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada.

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Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF's stock was trading at $25.82 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, PCY shares have increased by 1.3% and is now trading at $26.16.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
SunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank that provides various financial services for consumers, businesses, corporations, institutions, and not-for-profit entities in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Wholesale. The Consumer segment provides deposits and payments; home equity and personal credit lines; auto, student, and other lending products; credit cards; discount/online and full-service brokerage products; professional investment advisory products and services; and trust services, as well as family office solutions. This segment also offers residential mortgage products in the secondary market. The Wholesale segment provides capital markets solutions, including advisory, capital raising, and financial risk management; asset-based financing solutions, such as securitizations, asset-based lending, equipment financing, and structured real estate arrangements; cash management services and auto dealer financing solutions; investment banking solutions; and credit and deposit, fee-based product offering, multi-family agency lending, advisory, commercial mortgage brokerage, and tailored financing and equity investment solutions. This segment also offers treasury and payment solutions, such as operating various electronic and paper payment types, which comprise card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, check, and cash; and provides services clients to manage their accounts online. The company offers its products and services through a network of traditional and in-store branches, automated teller machines, Internet, mobile, and telephone banking channels. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 1,218 full-service banking offices located in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. SunTrust Banks, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Russias Foreign Ministry has condemned the use of nationalist ideas in the electoral battle prior to the European Parliament election in 2019, the ministry said in a statement released on its website on Saturday, TASS reported.

"And an apparent strive to use such artificial ideological constructions to the populist benefit of the ongoing battle for the votes prior to the upcoming European Parliament election in May 2019 seems completely dodgy to us," the statement said.
The following companies are subsidiares of Brinker International: BI INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LLC, BI MEXICO HOLDING CORPORATION, BIPC GLOBAL PAYROLL COMPANY LLC, BIPC INVESTMENTS LLC, BIPC MANAGEMENT LLC, BRINKER AIRPORTS LLC, BRINKER ALABAMA INC., BRINKER ARKANSAS INC., BRINKER ASIA INC., BRINKER BRAZIL LLC, BRINKER CANADIAN HOLDING CO. ULC, BRINKER CANADIAN RESTAURANT CO. ULC, BRINKER CB LP, BRINKER CB MANAGEMENT LLC, BRINKER FHC B.V., BRINKER FLORIDA INC., BRINKER FREEHOLD INC., BRINKER GEORGIA INC., BRINKER INTERNATIONAL PAYROLL COMPANY L.P., BRINKER LOUISIANA INC., BRINKER MICHIGAN INC., BRINKER MISSISSIPPI INC., BRINKER MISSOURI INC., BRINKER NEVADA INC., BRINKER NEW JERSEY INC., BRINKER NORTH CAROLINA INC., BRINKER OF BALTIMORE COUNTY INC., BRINKER OF CARROLL COUNTY INC., BRINKER OF CECIL COUNTY INC., BRINKER OKLAHOMA INC., BRINKER OPCO LLC, BRINKER PENN TRUST, BRINKER PROPCO FLORIDA INC., BRINKER PROPERTY CORPORATION, BRINKER PURCHASING INC., BRINKER RESTAURANT CORPORATION, BRINKER RHODE ISLAND INC., BRINKER SERVICES CORPORATION, BRINKER SOUTH CAROLINA INC., BRINKER TEXAS INC., BRINKER VIRGINIA INC., CHILIS BEVERAGE COMPANY INC., CHILIS INC. a Delaware corporation, CHILIS INC. a Tennessee corporation, CHILIS INTERNATIONAL BASES B.V., CHILIS OF BEL AIR INC., CHILIS OF KANSAS INC., CHILIS OF MARYLAND INC., CHILIS OF WEST VIRGINIA INC., Grady's Inc., MAGGIANO'S OF ANNAPOLIS INC., MAGGIANO'S OF HOWARD COUNTY INC., MAGGIANO'S OF KANSAS INC., MAGGIANOS BEVERAGE COMPANY, MAGGIANOS HOLDING CORPORATION, MAGGIANOS INC., MAGGIANOS OF TYSONS INC., MAGGIANOS PROPERTY CORPORATION, MAGGIANOS TEXAS INC., PEPPER DINING HOLDING CORP., PEPPER DINING Inc., and PEPPER DINING VERMONT INC..
Russia will be ready to start working on the extension of the TurkStream gas pipeline only if it receives guarantees from the European Union that the project will not see the same obstacles as the scuppered South Stream, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, UrduPoint reported.

The TurkStream project envisages two pipelines, with the first one expected to supply Turkey, and the second one set to bring gas to southern and southeastern Europe. The first pipeline is expected to be completed in 2019, and Russia's Gazprom is considering extending TurkStream via Bulgariaand Serbia or through Greece and Italy.

"At the moment, different possibilities of extending the pipeline in Europe are being studied: including the route Bulgaria-Serbia-Hungary and then off to Baumgarten gas hub in Austria .

.. We will be ready to start this work only after we have received thorough assurances from relevant structures in the European Union," Lavrov told Srpski Telegraf newspaper.

According to Lavrov, Moscow is satisfied with the progress of the construction of the project in its two-pipeline version.

The foreign minister stressed that Moscow was taking into account what happened with the South Stream that had been set to carry the gas to Europe through Bulgaria. Russia withdrew from the project in 2014, explaining that the approach of the European Union was not constructive.
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TelefAnica Brasil S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides mobile and fixed telecommunications services to residential and corporate customers in Brazil. Its fixed line services portfolio includes local, domestic long-distance, and international long-distance calls; and mobile portfolio comprises voice and broadband internet access through 3G, 4G, and 4.5G, as well as mobile value-added services and wireless roaming services. The company also offers data services, including broadband and mobile data services. In addition, it provides pay TV services through direct to home satellite technology, IPTV, and cable, as well as pay-per-view and video on demand services; network services, such as rental of facilities; other services comprising internet access, private network connectivity, computer equipment leasing, extended service, caller identification, voice mail, cellular blocker, and others; wholesale services, including interconnection services to users of other network providers; and digital services, such as entertainment, cloud, and security and financial services, as well as sells wireless devices and accessories. Further, the company offers multimedia communication services, which include audio, data, voice and other sounds, images, texts, and other information, as well as sells devices, such as smartphones, broadband USB modems, and other devices. Additionally, it provides telecommunications solutions and IT support to various industries, such as retail, manufacturing, services, financial institutions, government, etc. It markets and sells its solutions through own stores, dealers, retail and distribution channels, door-to-door sales, and telesales. The company was formerly known as TelecomunicaAAes de SAo Paulo S.A. - TELESP and changed its name to TelefAnica Brasil S.A. in October 2011. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in SAo Paulo, Brazil.

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Greif, Inc. engages in the production of industrial packaging products and services. It operates through the following segments: Rigid Industrial Packaging and Services, Paper Packaging and Services, Flexible Products and Services, and Land Management. The Rigid Industrial Packaging and Services segment involves the production and sale of rigid industrial packaging products, such as steel, fibre and plastic drums, rigid intermediate bulk containers, closure systems for industrial packaging products, transit protection products, water bottles and reconditioned containers, and services, such as container life cycle services, blending, filling and other packaging services, logistics and warehousing. The Paper Packaging and Services segment involves the production and sale of containerboard, corrugated sheets, corrugated containers and other corrugated products to customers in North America. The Flexible Products and Services segment involves the production and sale of flexible intermediate bulk containers and related services on a global basis and the sale of industrial and consumer shipping sacks and multiwall bag products in North America. The Land Management segment involves the ma

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| BY Ricki Green |

The Better Big Bank campaign from AJF Partnership presents Bendigo Bank as a better alternative to the big four banks.

As Australias fifth biggest retail bank, Australias most trusted bank and among Australias top

ten most trusted brands, Bendigo Bank is snapping at the heels of the big four.

Building on the Banks existing strengths around banking solutions, innovation and price competitiveness, The Better Big Bank campaign encourages customers of the big four banks to seek a better banking alternative by highlighting Bendigo Banks superior trust and customer satisfaction ratings and track record of putting the interests of customers first.

Says Andrew Twaits, executive, customer and partner engagement, Bendigo Bank: The big four banks dominate the market for financial services and this is largely because 70 percent of their customers think that no other bank can meet their needs.

This is plainly wrong  at least as far as Bendigo Bank is concerned  so were running a campaign to set the record straight.

The better big bank campaign has two aims: to educate people about the strength of Bendigo Banks product offering and price competitiveness; and to remind people that we beat the big four on trust, customer service and putting the interests of customers first.

Says Andrew Foote, founding partner and executive creative director, AJF Partnership: Bendigo Bank is known and loved for the support it provides to customers and communities all over Australia.

Its position as a real contender to the big four  based on its core banking capabilities  is arguably one of bankings best-kept secrets. The Better Big Bank campaign gives prospective customers compelling reasons to consider banking with Australias most trusted bank.

The Better Big Bank campaign includes a number of phases, launching with a focus on repositioning Bendigo Banks brand around capability, scale and trust, followed by a focus on key banking products.

The multi-channel campaign will run across all channels and will be supported by a strong customer- facing staff commitment to the Banks customer value proposition.

Client: Bendigo Bank

Agency: AJF Partnership, a GrowthOps business

Executive Creative Director: Andrew Foote

Creative Director: Glenn Dalton

Senior Art Director: Dillon McKenna

Senior Copywriter: Sandra Galiazzo

General Manager: Jayne Brady

Senior Account Director: Sarah Dalli

Account Manager: Emily Howat

TV Production: Liesel Haug

Strategy: Jacqueline Witts, Christine OKeefe

Animation: XYZ Studios
Actress Kriti Sanon who has her hands filled currently with multiple projects like Housefull 4, Luka Chuppi, Arjun Patiala and Panipat, has started taking Marathi lessons for her upcoming next.

The actress who is currently shooting for Housefull 4 has begun prep for her next, Panipat. As Kriti will be essaying the role of a Maratha queen in the period action drama, she is required to speak some Marathi for her part.

With the Ashutosh Gowariker directorial beginning soon, she wants to be ready before she faces the camera for it. So every day after packing up the shoot for Housefull 4, Kriti takes Marathi lessons.

Revealing details of the same, Kriti Sanon shared, "There is a certain way that my character speaks in Panipat. There is a strong Marathi flavour and since Im born and brought up in Delhi, its new for me. And since there is not much time between the schedules of Housefull 4 and Panipat, so I have already started my lessons."

Last seen in the sleeper hit Bareilly Ki Barfi, Kriti Sanon offers multiple releases in the upcoming year. The actress recently wrapped the shoot of Luka Chuppi where she will share the screen with Kartik Aaryan. Currently, Kriti is shooting for Sajid Nadiadwala's Housefull 4, which reunites her with her mentor. The actress also has Arjun Patiala in her kitty where she essays the role of a journalist.
Los Angeles: Actor Hugh Grant is set to star opposite Nicole Kidman in the upcoming HBO limited series The Undoing.

The six-episode series is based on Jean Hanff Korelitz's book You Should Have Known, reported Variety.

The story revolves around Grace Sachs (Kidman), who is living the only life she ever wanted for herself. She's a successful therapist, has a devoted husband, Jonathan (Grant), and young son who attends an elite private school in New York City.

Overnight a chasm opens in her life: a violent death, a missing husband, and, in the place of a man Grace thought she knew, only a chain of terrible revelations. Left behind in the wake of a spreading and very public disaster, and horrified by the ways in which she has failed to heed her own advice, Grace must dismantle one life and create another for her child and herself.

Grant's character of Jonathan is described as an acclaimed pediatric oncologist, devoted husband to Grace and doting father, whose past undergoes scrutiny when he suddenly disappears, leading to a chain of terrible revelations.
Vijay Deverakonda is today one of Telugu cinema brightest stars. While promoting his upcoming film Taxiwala, the actor reveals how he wanted to quit films at one point. It all happened around the time my film NOTA released. My mothers health was bad and I had to go to the hospital to see her. During this phase, I had mentally prepared myself to quit films. My mind went completely blank. I didnt want this money or fame, and I called my producer and returned their money. I had given up everything, before I reached the hospital. And then when I reached, I saw that Mummys health had improved, says Vijay Deverakonda. He adds that his love for cinema made him return to face the camera.

Deverakonda reveals that his life as an actor has had its share of strife and hardship. Everyone thinks that my life as an actor is very entertaining; full of fun things. But this is not true. You will be surprised if you look at my career; it is filled with so many struggles. I love acting, so I have to bear many problems. My career as an actor has been most difficult, he says.

Talking about the Bollywood film Kabir Singh, which is a remake of his Telugu hit Arjun Reddy, he says, When Sandeep (the director) called me and told me the title, I didnt like it. I asked him What is this title? But after three days, I texted him that the title definitely works and sounds even better after watching the first look and the teaser. The same thing had happened when we announced the title Arjun Reddy, but later it went viral, reveals Vijay.
Lately, actor Nandamuri Tarakaratna has been struggling to bag good projects. However, he now has a new film titled Amrutha Varshini that was launched on Thursday evening.

This is a bi-lingual project that will be made in Kannada and Telugu and is being directed by Siva Prabhu. This is an intense story and it has all the emotions. I liked the script very much and thats why I accepted this project, says Tarakaratna. He adds that it is a suspense thriller.

The team is good and weve got all our hopes pinned on this film, he says. The films shooting will take place in Karnataka and the filmmakers are looking at completing it in a single schedule. Lead actress Megha Sri will be playing a psychiatrist in the movie.

Nara Rohit attended the launch along with senior actor Srikanth. These days, Tarakaratna has been experimenting with different kinds of roles and hopes that this film will put his career back on track.
The meditation session was attended by around 5,000 workers from 20 countries including India, Sri Lanka, Philipines and Pakistan.

Dubai: Indian spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar held a meditation session in Sharjah, one of the emirates of the UAE, and imparted lessons on how to lead a happy and stress-free life to nearly 5,000 migrant workers from 20 countries, including Pakistan.

The Art of Living (AOL) founder embarked on a four-day maiden visit to the UAE on Thursday on an invitation from the ruler of Fujairah, Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi.

Addressing the workers at the Sharjah Expo Centre on Friday, he explained how one can lead a happy and stress-free life through ancient techniques of meditation.

The meditation session was attended by around 5,000 workers from 20 countries including India, Sri Lanka, Philipines and Pakistan.

Earlier in the day, the spiritual guru visited a labour camp for South Asians in Sharjah and held a discourse on happiness.

Around 1,000 people from 10 countries took part in the happiness programme organised by the local chapter of the AOL at the labour camp.

Addressing the blue collar workers at the camp, the 'gurudev' said the most important thing in life is to be happy always.

"Meditation helps you to overcome tough times. Even in odd situations, we have to remain calm. Any job we take up has to be completed with sincerity," he said, adding, "Time has an important place in everyone's life and all the activities should be time-bounded."

Sri Sri also noted that manpower from India played a major role in the development of the UAE.

In the evening, to a packed audience at Dubai World Trade Centre, he began a two-day discourse - 'Unveiling Infinity' - based on the rare Kashmiri scripture, Vigyan Bhairav.

The discourse was attended by a large gathering, including women members from the royal family of the UAE.
According to his doctor Sir Lucas Pepys, who wrote in a letter to the Prince of Wales, it read, 'His Majesty was all yesterday evening in a good natured deranged state, talking as he used to do... (Photo: Facebook)

According to papers on King George IIIs reign published recently, for a royal in the grip of madness, Shakespeare was perhaps not the best reading material around.

According to a story published in MailOnline, reports say the Mad King was given a copy of Shakespeares King Lear as he struggled with mental illness and it worsened his conditions.

The play, written by the bard Shakespeare, recounts Lears gradual descent into insanity, and was blamed for a significant deterioration in the health of George, who was restrained in a straitjacket two days later when he became 'ungovernable'.

According to his doctor Sir Lucas Pepys, who wrote in a letter to the Prince of Wales, it read, 'His Majesty was all yesterday evening in a good natured deranged state, talking as he used to do...

The letter went on, This morning he is more agitated and confused, perhaps from having been permitted to read King Lear.

The letter was written on December 18, 1788, when George was 50. On December 20, equerry Robert Fulke Greville wrote: 'His Majesty became so ungovernable that recourse was had to the strait waistcoat.

George's health later improved but he suffered further bouts of mental illness in 1801 and 1804, before a prolonged spell from 1810 until his death aged 81 in 1820.

The monarch's torment was dramatised in the Alan Bennett play The Madness of George III and in the 1994 film version featuring Nigel Hawthorne.

The papers, held in the Royal Archives, were released online yesterday as part of a programme, which will allow 350,000 documents to be made available to academics and the public by 2020.

King Lear was not performed in British theatres out of respect for George's condition from 1788 until 1820.
'The Congress could not find any candidate and he (Manvendra Singh) was to be given ticket from somewhere and therefore, he was sent here (Jhalrapatan),' Raje said. (Photo: File)

Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Saturday said the Congress fielded former BJP leader Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra Singh from her Jhalrapatan constituency in the upcoming assembly polls as it could not find any other candidate.

Her remark came a few hours after the Congress released it second list of 32 candidates, fielding Manvendra Singh against her from Jhalrapatan constituency.

"The Congress could not find any candidate and he (Manvendra Singh) was to be given ticket from somewhere and therefore, he was sent here (Jhalrapatan)," Raje said addressing the public after filing her nomination papers in Jhalawar district.

Read: Congress releases 2nd list for Raj, Manvendra Singh to take on Vasundhara Raje

"But they should know that it is not a fight of one person, this is a contest fought by Jhalawar and Rajasthan, which is a family," she said.

The chief minister was accompanied by party leader Shahnawaz Hussain, her son and Jhalawar MP Dushyant Singh, among others. Reacting to the Congress announcement, state BJP president Madan Lal Saini said the decision will have no impact and the party will retain the seat. He said Singh, who left the BJP and joined the Congress last month, is not a big name and will face defeat.

"There will be no impact on results and the chief minister will retain the seat," he told PTI. Saini said being born in a Rajput family does not give anybody a "big name".

Raje had retained her Jhalrapatan seat in the 2013 assembly election with a margin of 60,896 votes by securing 63.14 per cent of total 2,28,977 votes. Congress candidate Meenakshi Chandrawat, who stood on second position, had secured 29.53 per cent votes in the polls.

Raje has been representing Jhalrapatan seat in the House of 200 assembly seats since 2003.

Manvendra Singh, who had won Barmer district's Sheo assembly constituency in 2013, joined the Congress last month in New Delhi after quitting the BJP. His father Jaswant Singh was denied ticket by the party in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections following which he contested polls as an independent candidate and lost the seat to BJP's Sonaram.

The decision of not allowing Jaswant Singh to contest the Lok Sabha polls antagonised many in the Rajput community who held Raje responsible for ignoring him for an "outsider".

Disgruntled with the BJP, Manvendra Singh held a 'Swabhiman' rally in Barmer and quit the party in September.
Delhi fashion designer Mala Lakhani was found brutally stabbed to death along with her domestic help Bahadur in her bungalow in upscale Vasant Kunj Enclave in the early hours of Thursday. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

New Delhi: She wound up a long conversation with her sister, saying she would call back after watching "Bigg Boss" but that was never to be. About an hour later, fashion designer Mala Lakhani was killed, allegedly by her tailor who she had helped get out of jail, her sister Aarti Sharma said on Friday.

Standing outside the Safdarjung Hospital mortuary to claim the body of her 53-year-old sister, who was found brutally stabbed to death along with her domestic help Bahadur in her bungalow in upscale Vasant Kunj Enclave in the early hours of Thursday, Aarti was inconsolable.

"I had spoken to her around 8.15 pm (on Wednesday). I spoke to her again and we ended up talking till 9.50 pm. She wanted to speak to my daughter but later said she will call us after 'Bigg Boss' gets over. But she never called back," Aarti told PTI.

Three men have been arrested in connection with the murder -- Mala's master tailor Rahul Anwar, 24, his cousin Rahmat, 24, and his friend Wasim, 25.

Also Read: Delhi fashion designer, domestic help stabbed to death in Vasant Kunj home

It was 'Meenu', as Mala was known in her family, who helped get Rahul out of jail when he was arrested for molestation, Aarti murmured, almost as if talking to herself.

Anwar was arrested in 2017 for allegedly molesting a minor girl in Rangpuri Pahari area, police said.

"She would always say that Anwar is like my 'bachcha' (child)," Aarti said.

It is hard to believe that Rahul stabbed her so brutally and did not even spare her face, Aarti said, standing outside the hospital with her husband Rahul Sharma, the first person to see the bodies with multiple stab injuries in the workshop of the sprawling home.

The bodies of Mala, who ran a boutique called Tulsi Creations in Green Park, and 50-year-old Bahadur, a Nepalese national, were found with at least 18 stab injuries each.

After the killings, allegedly following a long-standing dispute over unpaid dues, the accused looted jewellery worth lakhs of rupees and ransacked the house, police said, estimating that the incident took place between 10 pm and 11.30 pm on Wednesday.

Around 2.45 am on Thursday, the three men went to the police station to confess to the crime.

"They had even inflicted stab injuries on her face and it was hard to recognise her. She was very conscious about her appearance but look what they did to her... Bahadur's intestines were visible. The workshop where the murders took place had blood splattered all over the floor," Rahul Sharma told PTI.

The Lakhani family -- Mala's two sisters Deepika and Aarti and her brother Gope -- were waiting at the mortuary along with a host of relatives and friends.

Rahul Sharma said Mala had even bought Anwar a motorcycle so he could commute to work.

Aarti also ran a boutique.

About a year ago, Anwar visited her boutique to ask for work and did not inform her that he worked with her sister.

"I only learnt about it recently when one of my employees told me. I had never met Anwar in person before," she said.

She said she was aware about the monetary dispute between her sister and Anwar and had discussed it in detail with Mala.

"Anwar wanted extra money for every cloth he stitched. They wanted some Rs 50 extra per piece for stitching. Since it was a meagre amount, we would have sorted it. We had never thought they would hatch a conspiracy to kill her over it. In fact, it was Anwar who told police about Aarti and her boutique. That's how police contacted me to inform me about the incident," she said.

The sisters had planned to meet on Sunday but an unexpected visit from a relative meant that they could not.

"Meenu's winter clothes had been kept in a cupboard in the storeroom where Bahadur used to sleep. The storeroom was next to the workshop where the incident happened.

"She was opening those cupboards on Wednesday to take out her things. Anwar must have thought she had kept cash in those cupboards, which is why they ransacked that room after killing Meenu and Bahadur," Aarti said.

Police informed the family that the three accused allegedly searched Bahadur's room for money and were expecting to get Rs 30 lakh-40 lakh but did not find any cash.

"I would speak to Meenu at least four times in a day and we met once a week," she said.

The family would caution Lakhani against keeping so many people in her house since she lived alone but she would always say, "my home is my mandir (temple)".
Hubballi: The tussle between cane growers and sugar factories has intensified in North Karnataka. The factories are refusing to pay the price for sugarcane demanded by the farmers. This has prompted the farmers to wage a war against the factories by showcasing their strength through rallies and by laying siege to the offices of deputy commissioner.

The mills have also suspended cane crushing operations as farmers have pledged to stop harvesting until settlement of their pending bills running into crores of rupees. The soured relations between cane growers and factories is posing a tough challenge to the state government in the backdrop of the many suicide cases of farmers and notices issued by the banks to them for recovery of loans. Meanwhile, the Belagavi district administration has directed the mill owners to pay the arrears in two weeks.

Most of the sugar factories in Bagalkote, Belagavi and Vijayapur are owned by ministers and MLAs. Therefore, the farmers allege that the officials have failed to initiate action against them and have given in to their pressure. They also contend that the mill owners have failed to pay the cane price of Rs 2,900 per tonne. Accusing factories of cheating them by showing lesser sugar recovery, they charged that they are also being deceived during weighing of cane produce.

"Sugarcane growers will have to switch to other crops if their demands are not met. This will lead to closure of sugar factories. Therefore, factories should settle bills as per the fair and remunerative price (FRP) fixed by the Centre without delay", farmer leader Pandappa Kamaladinni said. Meanwhile, sugar mill owners claimed they cannot pay the price demanded by farmers as their factories are facing severe financial crunch. They said the cost of harvesting and transportation of cane is being borne by them.
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Friday dismissed a petition by Marri Shashidhar Reddy seeking for a direction to the Election Commission not to issue any notification for conducting elections to the Legislative Assembly for Telangana in the year 2018 or any future date only after delimitation process connected to seven mandals in Khammam district which were transferred to the successor state of Andhra Pradesh is over by suitable amendment.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Thottathil .B. Radhakrishnan and Justice SV Bhatt while dismissing the plea agreed to arguments of Election Commission that it had followed the rules and Guidelines of AP Reorganisation act.

The bench affirmed with contentions of EC that after merging of seven mandals into AP, there is no change in number of Assembly/Parliament constitutes in both states.
Such voters will be given flexibility to cast their vote by deploying them in early shift or return to work or work from home based on nature of work. (Representional Image)

Hyderabad: The Election Commission will be directing I-T and pharma companies to declare December 7, polling day, as a holiday.

Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar said a letter would be sent across to the heads of these companies, to give a holiday as per the Representation of Peoples Act.

He said, As part of the enrolment drive, we focused on registering non-local voters and first time voters. This has added 6 lakh voters to the enrolment. It is important to get the urban elite to vote to reach a target for 60 per cent voter turnout in Hyderabad.

It may be a tall task. The GHMC elections in 2016 saw about 45 per cent turnout, which fell to 37 per cent in Madhapur.

In 2014, Hyderabad registered 53 per cent voting against 72 per cent for the rest of the state. In 2009, only 58 per cent of Hyderabad voted.

While I-T associations and companies are encouraging techies to cast their vote, Industry experts expressed apprehensions over complete shutdown of services. Since IT companies come under the Essential Services Maintenance Act, where in critical businesses cannot be shutdown, certain exemptions will be sought for specific roles like networking team.

Mr Bharani Kumar Aroll, general secretary of Cyberabad Security Council, said, The mandate by the EC will be respected and techies will be given a holiday. However the industry may approach the government regarding critical infrastructure roles seeking certain exemptions. Critical businesses are where companies have contract often with US firms of 24X7 support which cannot be shut down.

Such voters will be given flexibility to cast their vote by deploying them in early shift or return to work or work from home based on nature of work.

Often these techies work in network operations centres or server support.

Mr Sandeep Kumar Makthala of Telangana I-T Association said, People who write programs or developers are not required throughout the day, but the presence of techies who provide server support is required. In the city, about 25 per cent of techies provide such support services

He said if there were employees who were not being given an off to cast their votes, they could reach out to the association.
The picture was taken on November 14 after Deepika and Ranveer's Konkani style wedding. (Photo: Instagram | nitashagaurav)

Rome/Mumbai: Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone the new Mr and Mrs were all smiles in a new family portrait shared by the former's stylist, Nitasha Gaurav.

The picture was taken on November 14 after Deepika and Ranveer's Konkani style wedding.

In the picture Deepika is seen standing between Ranveer Singh and his mother Anju Bhavnani.

Like the rest of Deepika and Ranveer's fans, Nitasha too gushed about the couple.

She took to Instagram and wrote, "Us and ours ?????? #MrsandMrRanveerSingh #deepveerkishaadi #ranveerkishaadi".

Also, Bollywood photographer Manav Manglani who was flown in to click the couple for the Konkani style wedding shared a photo of the couple along with Deepika's family.

Manglani in his caption said that those who attended the couple's wedding were given exclusive handouts of the photo.

He wrote, "#DeepVeerKiShaadi : Those chosen few who attended #DeepikaPadukone - #RanveerSingh wedding were given an exclusive photo frame and a personalized Thank you note. @deepikapadukone @ranveersingh".

B-Town's power couple tied the knot in Lake Como in a traditional Konkani ceremony on November 14, while a Sindhi wedding was organised on November 15, both of which were attended by close-knit relatives of the two actors.

The couple, who is expected to return to India later this week, will reportedly host two grand receptions for their relatives and friends- one in Bengaluru and the other in Mumbai.
New Delhi/Male: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that he is looking forward to working with new Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to strengthen India's bilateral relations with the strategic Indian Ocean island nation.

Prime Minister Modi attended the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September. During the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, Modi was sitting beside former Maldivian presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga also attended the ceremony.

Modi congratulated President Solih and also interacted with leaders from the Maldives and other parts of the world during the oath taking ceremony at the National Stadium.

Read: PM Modi attends Maldives President Solih's swearing-in ceremony

Congratulations to Mr. @ibusolih on taking oath as the President of the Maldives. Wishing him the very best for his tenure ahead. Looking forward to working with him to strengthen bilateral relations between our nations, Modi tweeted.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar said that President Solih in his address to the People's Majlis (Parliament) asserted that the Maldives will endeavour to fortify its existing ties with India. "Maldives President Solih in his address to the People's Majlis:We will endeavour to fortify existing ties with India. Maldives will hereupon bolster its shared role to retain enduring peace & harmony of the Indian Ocean," Kumar tweeted.

Solih, 54, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, had surprisingly emerged victorious over incumbent president Yameen in the election held on September 23. On arrival in the Maldivian capital, Prime Minister Modi was given a red carpet welcome and was received by Maldives Parliament's new Speaker Qasim Ibrahim.

This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.

"The visit reflects India's commitment to assist the Government & people of Maldives in their endeavour to build a peaceful, democratic & prosperous country, Kumar tweeted.

In a series of tweets ahead of the visit, Modi had tweeted, "I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development," He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future.

"We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister had said. The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited.

His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then. India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China.

Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi. Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year.

India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.
During the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, Modi was sitting beside former Maldivian presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. (Photo: Twitter | @MEA)

New Delhi/Male: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attended the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September.

During the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, Modi was sitting beside former Maldivian presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga also attended the ceremony.

Modi interacted with leaders from the Maldives and other parts of the world during the oath taking ceremony at the National Stadium. Solih, 54, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, had surprisingly emerged victorious over incumbent president Yameen in the election held on September 23.

On arrival in the Maldivian capital, Prime Minister Modi was given a red carpet welcome and was received by Maldives Parliament's new Speaker Qasim Ibrahim. This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.

In a series of tweets ahead of the visit, Modi had tweeted, "I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development."

He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future. "We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister had said.

The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then. India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China.

Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi. Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year.

India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.
Mumbai: The Sabarimala temple reopened to the devotees for the third time after the Supreme Court verdict on Friday evening. However, protests against the entry of women of menstruating ages are continuing in and around the hilltop shrine.

Today, a rightwing Hindu outfit has called for a dawn to dusk strike in protest against the arrest of Hindu Aikyavedi KP Sasikala who was on the pilgrimage to Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple.

The holy shrine opened on Friday for a two-month-long pilgrimage season. Some 500 women have registered themselves to visit the shrine after the Supreme Court in September allowed the entry of women between 10 and 50 years.

However, no girl or woman in the previously banned age group could offer prayers so far following stiff resistance by devotees and activists, opposing any change in the temple traditions.

On Friday, activist Trupti Desai had to spend an entire day at Kochi airport as she was prevented from leaving the airport by protesters opposing entry of menstrual age women into the Lord Ayyappa shrine. She aborted her attempt after over 14-hour stand-off.

Here are the LIVE updates on the Sabarimala temple opening:

12:47 pm: Drones being used for security surveillance as devotees throng to Pamba base came to trek to Sabarimala temple.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

12:12 pm: The Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the Sabarimala shrine, would move the Supreme Court on Monday seeking more time to implement its order allowing women of menstrual age to offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple.

10:45 am: Lord Ayyappa devotees begin the trek from Pampa to Sabarimala temple which has opened for 62-day long Mandala Pooja-Magaravilaku annual pilgrimage season.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

06:52 am: Sabarimala Karma Samithi calls state-wide shutdown today from 6 am to 6 pm in protest against the arrest of Hindu Aikyavedi state president KP Sasikala at Marakkoottam Friday night. She was going to Sannidhanam and was arrested after she protested when police did not allow her to travel at night.

Also Read: Strike in Kerala after Hindu woman leader, on way to Sabarimala, arrested

05:45 am: We were stopped at the airport. If they wanted to oppose us, they should have protested in Nilakkal but they knew that if we reached Nilakkal, we would advance to Pamba and return after darshan. So they were scared and stopped us at the airport, activist Trupti Desai said after reaching Mumbai.

Protesters were resorting to violence and hooliganism. They should not have done that. They call themselves Lord Ayyappa's devotees but I don't think, they can be his devotees. They were verbally abusing us and threatening us, she added.

05:40 am: Police told us that they'll provide us security the next time we visit. We decided to return as we didn't want violence due to us. This time we went there after announcing, the next time we won't announce but follow 'guerrilla tactics', Trupti Desai said.

05:01 am: Earlier on Saturday, Trupti Desai was unable to come out of Mumbai airport as protesters had gathered outside. She and the other women were later brought out with the help of CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) jawans and Mumbai police personnel.
Hyderabad: Caretaker minister T, Harish Rao said on Friday said that he would ensure the victory of Bandla Krishnamohan Reddy, who is contesting on TRS ticket from Gadwal.

While addressing party workers for the first in the constituency, Mr Harish Rao said that he would visit every nook and corner of the constituency and ensure Krishnamohan Reddy will be elected to State Assembly.

People have to now choose between Krishnamohan , who stood by KCR and trouble-maker DK Aruna, who is contesting on Congress ticket, he said.
New Delhi: India and its tiny maritime south-western neighbour Maldives are the closest of friends once again. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attended the swearing-in ceremony of new Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, following which both countries agreed to renew their close ties and keep each others concerns and aspirations in mind.

In a meeting with Mr Solih immediately after the ceremony, Mr Modi conveyed Indias readiness to extend help in every possible way and suggested that both sides should meet at the earliest to work out details as per requirements of the Maldives. President Solih is also expected to visit India in the next few weeks.

There are indications that the new President will strengthen ties with New Delhi and reverse the widely-perceived slant towards Beijing that Maldives had adopted during the controversial tenure of his predecessor Abdullah Yameen. The reference to mutual concerns and aspirations by the two leaders appeared to be a veiled reference to this.

Significantly, the assurance of assistance by India was furnished after President Solih pointed to the dire economic situation facing his country and sought help from India in meeting his Governments pledges to the people of the Maldives.
New Delhi: India and its tiny maritime south-western neighbour Maldives are the closest of friends once again. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attended the swearing-in ceremony of new Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. President Solih highlighted the pressing need for increased housing and infrastructure development as well as for establishing water and sewerage systems in the outlying islands.

Sources said India was the only country mentioned in President Solihs speech and that as a special gesture, the Maldivian President held his meeting with PM Modi immediately after the swearing-in. Sources also said India was the only country invited at the head of state/government level at the swearing-in ceremony.

President Solihs assuming of office following his victory in the Presidential polls against then president Abdulla Yameen has come as a huge relief for New Delhi. Mr Yameen was openly pro-China and had become a thorn in New Delhi's flesh, with Indo-Maldivian ties having nose-dived during Mr. Yameen's tenure. In a boost to India, the United States has also backed President Solih's new government.
Hyderabad: Mohammad Mahmood Ali, the first deputy Chief Minister of Telangana and a member of the Legislative Council since 2010, is campaigning furiously for the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), especially amongst the Muslim community, seeking their support for a second term as Chief Minister for K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

A commerce graduate from the Osmania University, Mr Ali, who held the portfolios of stamps and registrations, relief and rehabilitation, urban land ceiling, in the first government of Telangana state, exudes confidence of returning to power with a far greater majority based on the good work done by the government.

Dismissing the charges of the Congress that the TRS was a clandestine partner of the BJP or would ever join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), who also holds the post of minority cell president for the party, argues that the people discern the difference between relationship of a state government with the Centre and a political alliance.

Articulating the cause of the oft-neglected senior citizens, whom he says Mr Rao as Chief Minister has guaranteed a life of dignity with his schemes, he says the Muslims would showcase their gratitude in the elections by defeating the Congress-led mahakutami.

In an exclusive interview to Deccan Chronicle, Mr Ali speaks on a range of issues that would be pertinent to the people of Telangana, and its minorities, in making a decision on whom to vote for in the elections slated for December 7.

Emphatically dismissing the charge of some Congress leaders that Mr Chandrasekhar Rao had assured the BJP top brass of changing the name of Hyderabad after coming to power, Mr Ali, said, Congress leaders have understood that they will lose these elections badly, they are making wild accusations. Hyderabad and Secunderabad are our pride, we wont even think of changing their names. No one can do it. Not in a hundred years.

Denying that there was any anger in the farmers across the state, he said, schemes like Rythu Bandhu and Insurance have ensured that we are on track to developing them. We have brought water through a combination of major and minor irrigation schemes. He said it was not a fair criticism that the Rythu Bandhu was only for rich landlords, saying, after receiving the money, we have ensured that in most cases, the landlords have shared half of their money with kovulu rythulu (tenant famers) and the scheme has worked for the entire farming eco-system.

How do you see the mood in the state? Is there any truth that the peoples sentiment has moved away from the TRS towards the Congress in the last few weeks?

The mood in Telangana has been the same since March, 2014 everyone wants to vote for the TRS and support janaab KCR saab for the post of chief ministership. The support for Rao saab has only gone up in the last few years. The Congress, which had some support maybe a few months ago, has lost its face in front of the people of Telangana by partnering with Telugu Desam. People will ensure they lose their deposits.

Why will the people of Telangana vote for the TRS in these elections?

The government our party gave under the leadership of Rao saab has proven to be the best in India. Everyone remembers the last chief minister of Congress, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy, saying Telangana will have power cuts, will be infested with law and order problems, Naxal problems and will have communal riots. What did we deliver but the exact opposite? Telangana is the only state that gives 24-hours power to farmers, not just cities and towns, but across villages. Not a single incident of violence anywhere. Development and growth on the one hand, welfare on the other.

Given the significant Muslim population, how do you think the minorities will vote? The Congress has made a huge dent with their accusation that the TRS and BJP are secretly married?

(Laughs). Not at all. As Chief Minister Rao saab has built good and respectful relationships with the Central government, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the development of the state. It was not a TRS-BJP relationship but Telangana governments relationship with the Centre. We respect the chair of Prime Minister, but that does not mean we approve of their party. I assure you that the TRS will never join the BJP or become a partner in NDA ever. The Congress, which is bound to lose because of its shameful alliance with TDP, is making false accusations.

Why do you believe the Muslims will vote for TRS?

The Muslims have benefitted from schemes like the public distribution of ration, pension for senior citizens and extension of PDS items for all members of family, not just four as before. They are very happy with Shadi Mubarak scheme, which really is a big relief for any father who has to marry off his daughter. We have spent over Rs 340 crore just for this scheme. Rao saab has stood with poor Muslims families like an elder in the family. Look at the residential and social welfare schools and hostels. Previously we have a handful of Muslims boys and girls get good education. Now, we have over 50,000 student getting good education. Each year, over 250 students going abroad from our community are getting fees support of up to Rs 20 lakh. Each of these youth will become successful and role model for the community.

You have spoken about senior citizens a lot in your campaign.

Not just the Muslim community, but elderly people everywhere I go tell me that with pension, health and ration, they feel we have not only made their lives comfortable but gave it dignity. When the new government comes, the pension will go up further. Their blessings are with us.

There is a specific charge that your leader has agreed and promised the BJP top leadership to change the name of Hyderabad after winning the elections?

Look, the Congress leaders have understood that they will lose this elections badly. Their dream of coming to power in Telangana wont come true for not just years but decades. They say such things. Hyderabad and Secunderabad are our pride, we wont even think of changing their names. No one can do it. Not in a hundred years.

How many seats do you expect to win?

Around 100 seats. On the lowest side, somewhere between 90 to 99 seats.
The man who won India the historic Battle of Longewala, Maha Vir Chakra winner Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri passed away on Saturday.

Chandigarh: The man who won India the historic Battle of Longewala, Maha Vir Chakra winner Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri passed away on Saturday. The 78-year-old war veteran died at a private Hospital in Mohali. He is survived by his wife and three sons.

In the year 1997, inspired by his heroics, a film Border was made starring Sunny Deol, Akshay Khanna and Ayesha Julka. Sunny Deol played the role of Major Kuldeep Singh Chandpuri in the movie.

Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri MVC, VSM was born on 22 November 1940 and retired as brigadier from the Indian Army. He was known for his heroic leadership in the famous Battle of Longewala. Later, he was awarded Maha Vir Chakra by the government.

Chandpuri was the third generation of officers to serve in the army. Both his younger uncles were pilot officers in the Indian Air Force. Chandpuri was a single child of his parents.

He was recruited into the Indian Army in 1962. Chandpuri was commissioned from Officers Training Academy, Chennai in 1963 into the 23rd Battalion of The Punjab Regiment.

He took part in the 1965 war in the western sector. After the war, he served in the United Nations Emergency Force at Gaza (Egypt) for a year.

He also served twice as an instructor at the prestigious Infantry School, Mhow (MP) where the elite of the Indian army are imparted instructions for combat training.

During the Battle of Longewala, Chandpuri and his company of 120 soldiers, defended the post, in spite of huge odds. He defended against the 3,000-strong Pakistani 51st Infantry Brigade, backed by the 22nd armoured regiment.

Chandpuri and his company held the Pakistanis at bay for a full night until the Indian Air Force arrived in the morning. Chandpuri inspired his men, moving from bunker to bunker, encouraging them to beat back the enemy until reinforcements arrived.

Kuldip Singh Chandpuri and his men inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy.
Rebels front leader and former minister Bode Janardhan said the BLF will contest 28 seats, and the Rebels Front would contest in about 40 other seats.

Hyderabad: As reported in these columns, Congress rebel candidates formed the Telangana Rebels Front on Saturday and held discussions with the Bahujana Left Front (BLF) led by the CPM for an alliance.

Rebels front leader and former minister Bode Janardhan said the BLF will contest 28 seats, and the Rebels Front would contest in about 40 other seats. The BLF comprises Left parties and Left-oriented organisations. The BLF extended support to balladeer Gaddars plans to contest against caretaker CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao at Gajwel. He later decided against contesting, and will only campaign against the TRS.

Mr Janardhan told this newspaper that all the fronts candidates would have a common election symbol. He said they had chosen farmer with plough as their symbol and request the Election Commission to allot it to all Rebel Front candidates.

He said the front would contest from about 40 seats where the BLF is not contesting. If there is a BLF candidate, the Rebels Front nominee would withdraw from the contest. Mr Janardhan said that the front would identify the constituencies from there it would contest after discussed with the BLF.

Some Congress rebel candidates may withdraw their nominations, and how many rebels will actually be left in the fray will be known only after the last date of withdrawal of nominations on November 22.
Pride came before the fall

Though Adam was proud to eat the apple.

The prayer begging forgiveness for all

My faults and sins

From conscience begins

To echo around my minds chapel

From Ode to Immobility by Bachchoo

Church bells rang out on the dot of 11 am on November 11th, the 11th month of the year, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. At 11 in the morning on 11.11.1918 the Armistice was signed and the Germans surrendered to the allies whom they had provoked, initiating the slaughter of millions.

In London the Queen and the royals, Theresa May and her husband and political leaders gathered at the Royal Festival Hall where the massed ceremonial troops and bands of the armed forces staged a tattoo, a display of marching to military tunes and songs of remembrance and gratitude for those British who died in this war. A hundred years have devoured everyone who had anything to do with it, but those who suffered the loss of relatives in Word War II, and some who fought in this next holocaust of European and Imperialist nations, substituted. Veterans and the relatives of the dead marched onto stage wearing red poppies. The occasion was broadly dedicated to those who gave their lives for King and Country.

In Paris at the Arc de Triomphe, President Macron had invited Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Angela Merkel to pay their respects to the war dead.

For the French it was a tribute to those who died defending the republique. For the Russians it must have been a memorial to those who died fighting the Germans with whom their subsequent government made a pact when their Communist Party in 1917 persuaded survivors of the Czars army to abandon the war and return to Russia and revolution. For Americans it was probably to remind Europe that though they fought the Japanese across another ocean in another war, that they depended on America to win both.

As for Merkel, had she joined the representatives of the nations who fought the Kaisers armies to commemorate the German dead, to say sorry for German aggression or to demonstrate that the European Union had put paid to armed wars? But perhaps not to economic ones.

Three of these countries had kings and the wars were fought in the name of both. The memorial ceremonies, certainly in Britain, were affirmations of such contemporary tribalism.

Indians too had a country and at the time of World Wars I and II we had emperors. These emperors were the titular heads of the Vilayati tribes in a far-off land which had colonised India and commandeered or induced the Indian nation to contribute soldiers, sipahis, to be shipped to Europe and to fight, be captured, wounded or to die. Imperial Britain shipped 1,500,000 Indian soldiers to fight its German and Turkish enemies.

On November 4 this year, a week before the memorial ceremonies and wreath-layings in London, the northern town of Smethwick unveiled the statue of a World War I Sikh soldier. The local council which commissioned the 10-foot-statue sculpted by a Black Country (a local name for the area) sculptor, Luke Perry, declared it as a memorial to all the Indian soldiers who had given their lives in both world wars.

The bronze statue named Lions of The Great War stands outside the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Smethwick and on the Thursday following its unveiling, it was vandalised. The words Sepoys No More were daubed on the plinth of the statue. The slogan is anti-immigrant and translated means no more Asians should be allowed into Smethwick or indeed into Britain.

This graffiti is particularly nasty as the memorial is not to immigrant settlers in any age in Britain, but to the soldiers from a conquered land who owed nothing to Britain, had no cause to oppose the Kaisers armies or those of the Caliph of Turkey; soldiers who probably enrolled in large numbers in the imperial army as the only way to earn a livelihood; soldiers who came and fought and died.

They were ORs, other ranks as my officer father, who enrolled in the British Indian Army in 1938 and fought in World War II, called them.

They died fighting a war in which they had no stake or cause apart from an induced loyalty to a foreign command.

When through my youthful socialist consciousness I demanded from my dad why he had enlisted voluntarily in the British Indian Army, he insisted that he was heeding Mahatma Gandhis words and injunctions to help the British who promised they would go if Indians helped them through the war  I never found out what these injunctions were. He also said he wanted to stop the Japanese invasion because he judged them as being the greater of two evils, though he often made ambivalent judgments about India under British rule.

Neither Britain nor India has come to any conclusions about the colonial relationship. As bereaved people say, there has been no closure. Perhaps with historical judgment there cant be. On the one hand we have the populist but sketchy and provenly-mistaken assessment of our handsome politician Shashi Tharoor. Then we have his opponent and challenger, the historical writer Zareer Masani. My historian friends Charles Allen and Roddy Matthews, while admitting that the East India Company and later the Raj werent in India to distribute largesse or win friends and influence people, cant go along with Shashis historical, economic or social contentions.

The British, talking to teachers of history rather than historians, are naturally more concerned with the way the colonies were won, governed and lost from  as we say in filmi jargon  a Big Ben POV. So, who was Wellesly and what did he go on to do rather than who was Tipu  or indeed who or what was the Wali of Swat?
When Martin Luther King Jr won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, he was still struggling to establish a society that treated people of colour as equals. Little did the world know that the same year would see the birth of Michelle LaVaughn Robinson, who would grow up to become the first African-American First Lady of the United States of America (FLOTUS).

An inspiration to millions across the globe, the former First Lady recently released her highly anticipated memoir, Becoming. The book takes the reader through the roller coaster life of Michelle Obama. Chronicling the experiences that have shaped her, the memoir documents everything, from her childhood in Chicago, Illinois to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the worlds most famous address.

While much has been written about Barack Obama, his wifes life has been well-hidden from the limelight. Coming from a black migrant family in Chicago, Michelle grew up in a diverse neighbourhood, with a black jazz musician living across the street, a Mexican family next door and white families nearby.

Determined to achieve her dreams, this Chicago girl started her career in law, worked as a city administrator and later as a community outreach worker.

Enjoying a simple life

You might think that for someone who has lived a high-profile life for eight years, transitioning back to a normal life would be tough. However, in a recent interview with Oprah Winfrey, Michelle revealed that she loves her new home in Washington, which is just a couple miles away from the White House. She added that after having lived in the White House  amidst all the security guards and SWAT for eight years  a normal life was more than welcomed.

Being the First Lady, she had to follow certain protocols for her security and wasnt allowed to even open the windows or take a walk outside. She shared a funny incident, describing how Sasha and Malia (her daughters) had once opened one of the White House windows and immediately received a call from security asking them to shut it.

She also spoke about her beloved dogs, Bo and Sunny, who took some time to adjust to the new neighbourhood, as neither had ever met or heard other dogs before.

The testing side of marriage

Michelles courtship and marriage to Barack Obama has been much talked about. But, if you thought that their marriage was no less than a fairy tale, the book reveals the flip side of the story. In one part of the book, Michelle reveals that soon after their marriage, Barack left for Bali, Indonesia and lived alone to finish his book, Dreams from my Father. During this time, Michelle struggled with her identity. While Barack had shipped himself to the coastal land, Michelle was living with her parents. And although she tried to keep herself busy, she missed her husband a lot. It was during this time that she realised that no matter who you are, to make a marriage work you have to find ways to adapt. And, as we all know, their marriage has survived extraordinary pressures.

Michelle goes on to explain how being a wife came with a lot of confusion and load. On one hand, she wanted to live a carefree life as an independent and strong woman. While on the other, she was attracted to the seemingly bland, self-sacrificing life of a wife and mother.

Moulded by her mother

Michelle grew up in a working-class family, with her father, Fraser Robinson working at Chicagos water treatment plant. Her mother, Marian, stayed at home until Michelle reached high school. The Robinsons unfailingly supported their kids education. In fact, Marian taught her daughter to read even before she attended kindergarten. Her parents gave them the freedom to have their thoughts and ideas very early on. Michelle says she was raised to be confident that she could become anything she wanted to. Crediting her mother for instilling a sense of self in her, Michelle states that it was because of her mothers selflessness that she could be what she wanted to be.

The First Lady of the US

Not many know that Michelle was not-so-confident about Barack Obama becoming the President of the United States. The book reveals that Michelles doubts about her husbands electability emerged from their nations dark history of racism and slavery. She couldnt imagine a black man being given the opportunity to lead the country. However, after Obama won the elections to become the 44th President of the United States, Michelle states that none of the first ladies could tell her what she needed to know the most: how to be Americas first African-American First Lady.

Everything moved at a breakneck pace in the White House, Michelle told Oprah in the interview. Laughing about how she would forget on Tuesday what had happened on Monday, Michelle narrated that she once forgot that she had visited Prague, soon after visiting the country. It was only after her chief of staff showed her a picture of herself in Prague, did she realise that she had been there some time back.

Perfect role models

In the interview with Oprah, Michelle also talked about how she has always tried to be open about her struggles. Expl-aining why it is important to be real, Michelle said that young people look up to the public figures, and they shouldnt feel that one is successful because they didnt have to face any challenges or fears.

She expressed that the stories of those in the public eye are important for people to understand that even if they face hurdles on their way, they can succeed with grit and determination.

Excerpts from the book:

Which is to say that at the start of 1993, Barack flew to Bali and spent about five weeks living alone with his thoughts while working on a draft of his book Dreams from My Father, filling yellow legal pads with his fastidious handwriting, distilling his ideas during languid daily walks amid the coconut palms and lapping tide. I, meanwhile, stayed home on Euclid Avenue, living upstairs from my mother, Marian, as another leaden Chicago winter descended, shellacking the trees and sidewalks with ice. I kept myself busy, seeing friends and hitting workout classes in the evenings. In my regular interactions at work or around town, Id find myself casually uttering this strange new term  my husband. My husband and I are hoping to buy a home. My husband is a writer finishing a book. It was foreign and delightful and conjured memories of a man who simply wasnt there. I missed Barack terribly, but I rationalized our situation as I could, understanding that even if we were newlyweds, this interlude was probably for the best.

He had taken the chaos of his unfinished book and shipped himself out to do battle with it. Possibly this was out of kindness to me, a bid to keep the chaos out of my view. Id married an outside-the-box thinker, I had to remind myself. He was handling his business in what struck him as the most sensible and efficient manner, even if outwardly it appeared to be a beach vacation  a honeymoon with himself (I couldnt help but think in my lonelier moments) to follow his honeymoon with me.

You and I, you and I, you and I. We were learning to adapt, to knit ourselves into a solid and for ever form of us. Even if we were the same two people wed always been, the same couple wed been for years, we now had new labels, a second set of identities to wrangle. He was my husband. I was his wife. Wed stood up at church and said it out loud, to each other and to the world. It did feel as if we owed each other new things.

For many women, including myself, wife can feel like a loaded word. It carries a history. If you grew up in the 1960s and 1970s as I did, wives seemed to be a genus of white women who lived inside television sitcoms  cheery, coiffed, corseted. They stayed at home, fussed over the children, and had dinner ready on the stove. They sometimes got into the sherry or flirted with the vacuum-cleaner salesman, but the excitement seemed to end there.

The irony, of course, was that I used to watch those shows in our living room on Euclid Avenue while my own stay-at-home mom fixed dinner without complaint and my own clean-cut dad recovered from a day at work. My parents arrangement was as traditional as anything we saw on TV. Barack sometimes jokes, in fact, that my upbringing was like a black version of Leave It to Beaver, with the South Shore Robinsons as steady and freshfaced as the Cleaver family of Mayfield, USA, though of course we were a poorer version of the Cleavers, with my dads blue city workers uniform subbing for Mr Cleavers suit. Barack makes this comparison with a touch of envy, because his own childhood was so different, but also as a way to push back on the entrenched stereotype that African Americans primarily live in broken homes, that our families are somehow incapable of living out the same stable, middle-class dream as our white neighbors.
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa through which many Indians workers are employed in US companies. (Representational Image)

Washington: A legislation seeking to stop the Trump administration from revoking the work authorisation of spouses of H1-B visa holders, which include Indians, has been introduced in the US Congress by two lawmakers. They said eliminating this benefit would force many foreign workers to use their talent to compete against American businesses.

H-4 visas are issued to the spouses of H-1B foreign workers. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa through which many Indians workers are employed in US companies. It allows the US firms to hire foreign workers in speciality occupations that need theoretical or technical expertise, and is the most sought-after visa among Indian tech professionals.

H-4 visas are issued only to very close or immediate family members of the H-1B visa holders.

The move by lawmakers Anna G Eshoo and Zoe Lofgren to introduce the H-4 Employment Protection Act, comes amidst determination by the Trump administration to revoke an Obama-era rule that extends work authorisation to the spouses of H-1B visa holders.

Since the rule was implemented, over one lakh workers, mainly women from India, have received employment authorisation, improving the American competitiveness and lessening the economic burden on thousands of H-1B workers and their families, the two lawmakers said after introducing the bill in the house.

The H-4 Employment Protection Act prohibits the Trump administration from revoking this important rule, which it is expected to do by the end of the year, they said. "Protecting work authorization for these H-4 visa holders is a matter of both economic fairness and family unity," Eshoo said.

"Eliminating this benefit would create a painful choice for many immigrants to either split up their families or return to their home countries and use their talents to compete against American businesses," Ms Eshoo said. "These are American citizens-in-waiting, stuck in line for their number to come up," Congressman Lofgren said.

"Prohibiting H-1B dependent spouses from working is of no benefit to our country, and if allowed to move forward, many of these families that can contribute so much to our workforce will simply move to countries with a more sensible approach to immigration. This much needed bill will block the Trump administration from needlessly harming our economy and the lives of skilled immigrant families," Lofgren said.
A day after a 17-year-old youth was abducted and later shot dead by militants in south Kashmirs Shopian district, three more civilians were kidnapped by the unidentified ultras on Saturday in the same district.

A police official said that militants on Saturday morning abducted three civilians from Saidpora Payeen village of the district, 75 kms from here. He identified the abductees as Shahid Ahmad Ganie, Farooq Ahmad and Huzaif Ahmad Kutay, all residents of Shopian.

The trio was working at a bakery and were abducted by militants, who came in a car, at gunpoint, he said.

The latest kidnappings come in the backdrop of killing of Nadeem Manzoor of Safnagri village of the district, who was shot dead following his abduction on Thursday night. His bullet riddled body was recovered from adjoining Pulwama district.

Militants on Friday evening released a video of the killing of Nadeem and in the viral video, the terrified 17-year-old is sitting with his back towards the militants. The militants ask him to speak up and at the same time, promise him that they will not kill him.

As the teenager, Nadeem, apologies for unknown reasons, the militants, who are not seen in the video, ask, What had our Abrar and Soban (two militants killed on November 6 in Shopian in an encounter with security forces) done to you? They, however, do not wait for his answer and shoot him multiple times.

In an audio message, also circulated on Friday evening, Hizbul Mujahideen operations chief Riyaz Naikoo said that their do or die squad found the informer of the encounter (in Safanagri). Nadeem, who had recently appeared for his Class XI exam, is survived by his parents, two brothers and a sister.

This was the first time the militants have released such a video. The police said the veracity of the video was being ascertained.
Indian Navy personnel stationed at Nagapattinam swiftly deployed to assess the extent of damage as soon as the weather started clearing post-Cyclone Gaja. The naval team joined the State Authorities, NDRF and civil populace to clear public buildings and roads.

The relief measures were undertaken through the day on 16 Nov and will continue on 17 Nov. Two naval ships Chetlat and Cheriyam arrived at Karaikal this morning carrying relief food material as requested by civil administration to augment State efforts in providing relief to cyclone-affected families. Meanwhile, IN ships Cora Divh and Carnicobar are preparing to depart from Chennai for relief efforts. The Dornier aircraft ex INS Rajali in Arakonam is undertaking an aerial recce to assess the damage.

Earlier, IN ships and aircraft were deployed to warn the fishermen to return to harbour and take shelter two days before the cyclone made a landfall.
I stood at the beach adjoining Kelele Square in Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the western side of Tanzanias Unguja Island, popularly known as Zanzibar. It was June and I could see the small Prison Island surrounded by golden sandpits that appeared and disappeared with the tide. But the calm quickly gave way to a frown on my forehead as Robin, my tour guide explained that Kelele in Swahili meant to yell, a sound East Africans produce by twisting their tongue either to celebrate or to mourn.

Not long ago, enslaved Africans were transported from interior Africa and brought to staging points on the mainlands coast and also nearby islands. Kelele square was one such place where captured men, women and children were loaded onto boats to be transported to nearby ships before their long journey to faraway lands to work as forced labour. And as they were taken to these boats they would shriek or Kelele in despair lamenting their uncertain future not knowing even if they would reach their destination alive.

Walking for a few hundred metres through the narrow we came across the kings palace near Zanzibar port. Over a century ago, British warships fired volleys of cannon shots to bring about one of the quickest naval war victories in modern history. The reason  British had abolished the slave trade and wanted the Arab ruler of Zanzibar to do the same.

It was 2016 and three months later the same year, I was guiding a Canadian visitor through Srirangapatnas monuments. At Daria Daulat Bagh, the summer palace of Tipu Sultan, I came across a couple of cannons having a curious GR mark engraved on their first reinforce. The 18th-century British cannons had certain words and numbers engraved on them. Among other things, these coded engravings reveal the foundry where the cannon was cast or the person who owned that foundry, apart from the weight of the cannon barrel, size of the ball it fired and the name of the king who reigned over Great Britain during its manufacture. GR, I learnt, represents Georgious Rex- King Georges name in Latin. The cannons at Srirangapatna have numbers 2 or 3 etched inside these engravings. While the number 2 stands for King George II who reigned from 1727 to 1760, number 3 represents King George III who reigned from 1760 to 1820. Apart from GR3, one cannon at the entrance of Daria Daulat Bagh also has Bacon Solid engraved on its base ring. My curiosity in knowing this cannons manufacturer led me to its probable origin  18th century Atlantic slavery which Great Britain profited from. The common thread of slavery connects Zanzibar in East Africa to this cannon in Srirangapatna.

Chris Evans in Slave Wales traces the origins, extent and benefactors of Atlantic slave trade. He throws light on the connection of the name Bacon to cannons manufactured in Great Britains Wales and procured by the British East India Company. This probably decodes Bacon Solid on the above cannon in Srirangapatna.

While the first word in Bacon Solid engraved on the cannon at Daria Daulat Bagh refers to Anthony Bacon the manufacturer, the second word, Solid, probably refers to the technique of casting the cannon as a single solid piece of iron and boring it. This method was invented during the industrial revolution in Europe and widely used in the cannons manufactured there. For safety and accuracy issues, it replaced the traditional method of casting cannon around a core and removing it, as the iron around it solidified.

Bacon died in 1786, but his cannon foundries continued to manufacture guns.
In a tit-for-tat strategy, fishermen in coastal districts are bracing up to prevent Goa from supplying fish to Karnataka.

If Goa continues to ban the distribution and sale of our fish in their markets, we will be forced to stop Goas fish-laden trucks from entering Karnataka, South Kanara and Udupi District Co-operative Fish Marketing Federation Limited president Yashpal Suvarna said on Saturday.

He was speaking on the sidelines of a health card distribution programme , organised by federation and H Shankar Family Trust, at the federation building in Mulihitlu.

The fish from Goa account for 30 per cent share in

Karnatakas fish market, Suvarna said.

Malpe Fishermen Association president Satish Khunder told DH that preventing trucks with fish from Goa to enter Karnataka would be a befitting reply to the Goa governments decision to ban sale of fish from Karnataka.

Weeks ago, the Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration in Goa under section 30 (sub section 2) of food safety and standards act, 2006, had prohibited the storage, distribution or sale of fresh fish supplied from outside the state. The notification had declared the fish from outside the state which had formalin/formaldehyde as unsafe food.

Our fish were banned because of the local fishermen lobby and not because the fish were adulterated with formalin, Suvarna said.

The plans by fishermen to lead a delegation to Goa did not materialise due to the untimely death of Union Minister Ananth Kumar and chief secretary of Goa was attending a family programme, Suvarna added.

Deputy Director of Fisheries Department Parshwanath told DH that no formalin was detected in the samples of fish caught at Malpe harbour. Our Chief secretary had written to Goa governments chief secretary explaining that the sudden ban on fish transported from Karnataka was unwarranted, he said.

Suvarna, justifying their decision to stop the trucks with fishe from Goa, said, If our fish have formalin, then their fishes also have formalin and thus are unsafe.
The spotlight was clearly on Congress this mid-term election cycle, but changes in the state Legislature should not be overlooked.

Elected lawmakers in Harrisburg vote on the programs and issues that have the greatest effects on our lives  property taxes, schools funding, college tuition, local jobs  and thus the balance of power on the state level has local importance.

As in Washington, the changes from the Nov. 6 election tilted power toward the Democrat column, but not in overwhelming ways.

Incumbent Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf stays in office for a second term, and Republicans remain firmly in control in the state Legislature.

Democrats made inroads, picking up seats and reducing the spread in both houses of the General Assembly. Democrats gained 11 seats, shrinking the previous 121-82 Republican majority to about 110-93.

In the Senate, Republicans 34-16 majority was reduced to 29-21. (Those numbers are still projections with several races awaiting official results.)

Power shifts arent just about the numbers: Geography plays a big role in which issues and actions get attention.

In this election, for example, the Democrat gains were in Philadelphia and suburban counties, where women are among the more vocal newcomers.

Leadership positions also play a key role, determining what bills get the attention of committees and what makes it to the floor for a vote.

Several area legislators were elected to Democratic leadership posts last week, including Rep. Joanna McClinton of Delaware County as caucus chair and Rep. Matt Bradford of Montgomery County as the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee.

On the Republican side in the House, Rep. Marcy Toepel of Montgomery County was re-elected caucus chair. Rep. Bryan Cutler of Lancaster was elected House majority leader.

In the state Senate, the leadership posts were largely unchanged after votes on Wednesday. State Sen. Bob Mensch of Montgomery County was re-elected Republican caucus chair.

Whats at stake? A good place to start would be legislation from the 2017-18 session that made some progress but didnt get to the finish line. Education funding and property tax reform are near the top of that list.

Adopting a fair funding formula for schools addressed a small part of the school funding issue. The formula corrects allocations of school funds so that districts with greater needs get a larger share of the state funding pie. What remains unfinished business is coming up with the money to honor that formula for districts that have been left behind.

In the poorer districts, many of which are in the older towns of the southeast suburbs shadowed by their newer wealthy subdivision communities, the funding gap has gotten larger instead of smaller. This legislature needs to address those schools that are falling behind in funding and devote resources to making them whole.

Fair funding is more than a formula; it needs actual dollars for it to work.

Devising an equitable funding mechanism for schools both rich and poor goes hand in hand with property tax reform. When schools do not get a fair share of state funding, the differences are made up in the local property tax, creating a heavier tax burden in the same districts where schools are struggling. Think Pottstown, Norristown, Upper Darby, William Penn.

And then there is the unfinished business of a grand jury recommendation to provide a two-year window for victims to file lawsuits in cases that have gone beyond the statute of limitations. The House approved a bill but the Senate has stonewalled on it. The outrage and pain throughout Pennsylvania surrounding the grand jury report into Catholic clergy sex abuse demands legislative action to support these victims. This should not remain unfinished business.

The list goes on. Pennsylvania is each year at the bottom of lists for college affordability, jobs creation and education funding equity.

Its time to fix those things.

Welcome to new legislators; congratulations to the leaders. Now lets get to work.
The Deseret News is exploring why teens are more anxious than ever and how families and communities can help. This is the latest in a multi-part series.

SALT LAKE CITY 

Nate Clyde lost 18 pounds in the Missionary Training Center.

Suzy Thornock developed an eating disorder a few weeks into her mission.

And Maurice Melligan found himself confronting suicidal thoughts.

From Utah to New Zealand, these young members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are just a few of the early-returned missionaries who have come home from missions due to mental health challenges that cropped up unexpectedly, or resurfaced during their time in the field.

Missionaries, typically ages 18 to 26, are part of an increasingly anxious generation. Diagnoses for anxiety in adolescents are up 17 percent from 10 years ago, nearly 30 percent of todays kids and teens will meet the criteria for an anxiety disorder at some point, according to the Child Mind Institute, and anxiety is the top concern for incoming college students.

Add these statistics to the already soul-stretching experience of serving for 18 or 24 months away from home, cut off from familiar comforts and facing constant rejection from people who are uninterested in joining a new church  and experts say its no wonder many missionaries are having a hard time.

A mission can be a trigger, and to say it isnt ... is disingenuous, said Randy K. Moss, psychologist and principal of Integrated Counseling and Consulting LLC., in Kaysville, Utah, who has worked with adolescents for 30 years, including early-returned missionaries. But, he added, its also incorrect to say that missions cause mental illness or that missions are harmful because they are stressful.

As part of a yearlong series on teens and anxiety, the Deseret News talked with mental health experts, former mission presidents, religious scholars and 20 returned missionaries who dealt with mental health challenges while serving  exploring the global problem of anxiety in the unique context of religious service within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Although the doctrine and policies of The Church of Jesus Christ make no distinction between youth who have served missions, come home early or choose to not serve at all, thats not necessarily true of the church culture.

Nearly all of the early returned missionaries interviewed said their anxiety was amplified by cultural stigmas, like the assumption that missionaries who come home early must be lazy, incompetent or lack faith, plus misunderstandings of mental health challenges in general.

However, young adults who focused on what they learned, rather than what they achieved or didnt achieve were more likely to view their mission experiences positively, despite sometimes feeling misunderstood.

Church spokesperson Daniel Woodruff said the church keeps track of the number of missionaries who return home for mental health or other reasons, and while he declined to share this data, said the figures are significantly lower than those cited in a recent public survey conducted by religious historian Jana Riess and political scientist Benjamin Knoll.

The survey of more than 1,500 current and former members of the church in the United States found the number of missionaries coming home early is on the rise. More millennials are coming home compared to those in previous generations, the survey results showed.

As of Nov. 6, there were 65,915 full-time missionaries serving around the world, many of whom will never face debilitating anxiety. Yet because anxiety is a growing global issue, the church has developed resources to help, Woodruff said.

The church provides mental health services to missionaries in the Missionary Training Centers, in the field and post-mission, offers training to help mission presidents respond better when a missionary is suffering and sponsors support groups for early-returned missionaries.

This support, along with love and acceptance from family and peers, can help change how young adults view a shortened mission.

Love the missionary unconditionally, said Zachary Leifson, a licensed clinical social worker and president of Mission Fortify, a nonprofit group devoted to supporting missionaries. Let that missionary know that their service was acceptable. Its really our culture, the Mormon culture, that has created the shame, not the teachings of the gospel.

Doctrine versus culture

In 1974, former church president Spencer W. Kimball charged every worthy young man to prepare to serve a proselyting mission  a prominent practice in the church since its founding in 1830.

As a child, Josh, who asked that his last name be withheld, remembers singing a song called, I hope they call me on a mission, wearing a pretend missionary name tag and receiving quarters from an older man in his ward to save for his mission.

Yet after two years of college, the fact that Josh was 20  two years past the eligible age for male missionary service  became conspicuous in his social circle at church. While he had a strong desire to help others and connect with God, for reasons he cant explain, a lump of dread formed in his stomach every time he thought about leaving for two years.

Despite hesitations, and with the encouragement of friends and church mentors, Josh submitted his mission papers.

In the Provo Missionary Training Center, the dark feelings Josh had suppressed turned into absurd misery. After nine weeks of getting four hours of sleep a night, Josh was too exhausted to push back when a doctor told him he needed to go home.

The first night back he cried for hours.

The next day, he and his family went into the mountains where he alternated between hiking and weeping.

They werent mad at me, they were shocked, he said of his family. They saw me in so much pain and they had no idea where it came from. Three months prior, everybody looked at me like I was on a road to success, and now I was a damaged object to be kind and compassionate to.

That was more than a year ago, and Josh, now 21, considers himself about 40 percent recovered from his mission experience. He dislikes clinical labels like anxiety disorder or mental illness, and instead is focused on finding meaning in his struggle.

The pain that people experience is not shameful, it is purifying, he said, adding he wants people to stop seeing missionaries who come home early as somehow lesser or broken.

In a 2016 video promoting a Face to Face event for young adults, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said missions are missions, no matter the length, and that serving for 18 months for young women and two years for young men is somewhat of a modern invention.

In 1837, early church apostle Heber C. Kimball served a famous mission to Great Britain that lasted only 8 months, while other missions in the churchs history lasted four or five years.

When someone asks you if you served a mission, you say yes, said Elder Holland. You do not need to follow that up with, but it was only four months. Say yes, you served a mission and be proud of the time you spent.

The mission call itself reads, It is anticipated that you will serve for   a phrase some missionaries find comforting when they are unable to serve for the traditional time frame, said Destiny Yarbro, who interviewed and surveyed hundreds of missionaries for her book, Home Early ... Now What? How to Navigate Coming Home Early From a Mission.

Melligan, 28, served for three weeks in Holland before he told his mission president he was going home.

Hed been waking up each day to a dark cloud, and then feelings of panic would set in, followed by suicidal thoughts.

Once home, and having recognized his struggles as anxiety, he felt prompted to Google service mission, and came across an opportunity to serve as a young church-service missionary.

He worked with religious leaders and chose to serve a 6-month mission with church public affairs from May to November of 2015, working as a reporter for the then-Mormon Newsroom and traveling between his native New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea.

I realized that everything that I felt about myself  that I was a failure, that I lost out on blessings  was a huge lie, Melligan said. The service mission helped to restore my confidence in how I thought about myself.

Young church-service missionaries can either be called on a service mission initially, or reassigned if theyve come home early from a traditional proselyting mission.

After a missionarys case is reviewed by the Church Missionary Department, missionaries and their parents talk to their stake president to determine the best course of action, said Woodruff.

And because young church-service missionaries usually live at home and serve locally  with church operations, approved nonprofit community organizations or in stake service assignments  they are able to receive needed care for physical or mental challenges, he said.

Whether a young adult serves a proselyting mission or a young church-service mission, the churchs website reads, both are acceptable offerings to the Lord.

Facing anxiety

As proselyting missionaries, young adults are asked to leave behind friends, family, hobbies and even their first names as they adjust to a new environment, rigorous schedule and often a foreign language.

Mindful of these daunting requests, the church released a new set of pre-mission interview questions in 2017 for leaders to help young people identify and report mental health challenges before they find themselves in the pressure cooker setting of a mission, as clinical psychologist Rulon Gibson, put it.

One of the new questions reads, Do you currently have or have you ever had any physical, mental, or emotional condition that would make it difficult for you to maintain a normal missionary schedule, which requires that you work for 1215 hours a day, including studying for 24 hours a day, walking or biking for up to 810 hours a day, and so forth?

This rigorous schedule begins at one of the churchs 14 Missionary Training Centers, where missionaries spend two to nine weeks preparing before being sent around the globe.

Theyre up at 6:30 a.m., in bed at 10:30 p.m., with language study, proselyting instruction, compulsory exercise and gospel devotionals in between. Theres very little downtime.

While there, each missionary gets a copy of the churchs Adjusting to Missionary Life booklet, to help them recognize and cope with stress.

Yet, stress and anxiety are not inherently bad things, said Jonathan Abramowitz, a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Those feelings are the bodys built-in alarm system, which responds to perceived threats by releasing adrenaline to help the body to fight, flee or freeze.

With anxiety disorders, the brain overestimates the perceived threat and becomes stuck on high alert, inflating normal stressors to the point of impeding clear thinking and normal functioning, he said.

When we cant make all the anxiety go away  because we cant  we need to teach people how to be better at having anxiety, Abramowitz said.

Nate Clyde, now 20, thought he was pretty good at handling his anxiety when he left for the Provo Missionary Training Center in July 2017.

Hed been taking anti-anxiety medication since elementary school and had learned how to handle starting a new school year and the daily stress of tests and homework.

It wasnt perfectionism, but changes of environment that freaked him out the most, as well as the fear of throwing up.

When Clyde submitted his mission papers, they were likely flagged, then reviewed by a team of volunteer mental health experts, like Gibson. Two screeners independently review each application and make a recommendation about the individuals readiness for missionary service.

Past mental health problems rarely affect a missionarys eligibility, said Gibson, as screeners focus on current functionality, meaning full disclosure of ongoing symptoms is paramount.

Clyde was experiencing no major symptoms when he submitted his papers, which is probably why his application was approved, Gibson said.

Yet even those with zero history of mental health problems may experience challenges for the first time on a mission because early adulthood is precisely the time when mental illnesses are most likely to manifest, said Gibson, who in his former calling as a mental health authority was responsible for the psychological needs of all the missionaries serving in Japan, Korea, and Micronesia Guam from 2010 to 2012.

For Clyde, the transition to missionary life was more dramatic than anything he had ever experienced. His coping skills failed him. He couldnt eat because of his fear of throwing up, and ended up losing 18 pounds in four weeks before returning home.

One day, I was so proud of myself for eating five Fruit Loops, he said. I had no strength. I couldn't move or focus.

Internalizing grace

When mental illness crops up in a religious setting, it can lead to feelings of failing God, or not being good enough.

When I got home, I totally felt like I blew it, said author Yarbro, whose own physical and mental health problems sent her home early from Hungary nine years ago.

I felt so ashamed, so embarrassed that I couldnt cut it. Some things that were said in the mission, I internalized and believed that I must not have had enough faith, or I did something wrong and thats why I was home.

She later realized that was the achievement culture talking, and it forced her to grapple with the idea of Gods grace in a new way.

Daniel Judd, a BYU professor and former mission president in West Africa, said young missionaries would often confess microscopic or even made-up sins, worried that they werent good enough, and that their hard work wasnt earning them the promised results.

Their fears reminded him of the story of Martin Luther, the young Protestant reformer.

During Luthers first year in the seminary, his excitement slowly gave way to anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive confession.

So the young student worked harder, prayed more, studied longer and got up earlier. Yet the more he did that, the worse his mental health became, said Judd, associate dean of the religious education department at BYU and a Ph.D. in counseling psychology.

Finally, as Luther read through the New Testament  Galatians, Romans, Ephesians  he discovered the grace of God, which Judd believes not only transformed his life, but set the stage for the reformation itself.

His story is our story, Judd said, noting that this destructive pattern is what many missionaries and members of The Church of Jesus Christ fall into  trying to earn perfection and missing the entire point of Jesus Christs teachings.

Embracing this concept doesnt just make for good sunday school discussions  it affects a persons physiology.

Judd recently published a study on grace, legalism and mental health, showing that Latter-day Saint BYU students who trusted in their own good works reported fewer experiences with Gods grace, and because of that, poorer mental health.

And the reverse was true as well  students who reported experiencing and trusting in Gods grace in their lives reported less anxiety, depression and shame.

Legalism  this obsession with doing, being exactly obedient  it seems to  block our ability to experience grace, Judd said.

In addition to misunderstanding grace, some missionaries have a very unrealistic understanding of success, said Gibson. He worked with missionaries who believed in the sin model, a cultural  not doctrinal  belief that a lack of convert baptisms or even feelings of discouragement are due to insufficient prayer, scripture study or faith.

Legalism  this obsession with doing, being exactly obedient  it seems to  block our ability to experience grace.  Daniel Judd, a BYU professor and former mission president in West Africa

Missionaries may believe such fallacies because of unintentionally harmful ideas propagated by mission leaders, who preach that exact obedience to mission rules will directly result in baptisms, or that any personal struggle can be overcome with increased diligence to gospel teachings alone, several returned missionaries said.

Theres no one mission president that does everything right, said Judd.

While serving as a stake president, Judd would often get calls from mission presidents asking about missionaries from his area.

Sometimes I was very grateful for the sensitivity of that mission president, and other times I would be thinking, oh, I wish that mission president could see this missionary through my eyes, or the Lords eyes ... and be a little more sensitive to his or her concerns,'" Judd said. 'Treat them more as a person and not as a worker. 

Mission presidents come from a variety of backgrounds and professions  they may come from a military background where theres a focus on discipline or from a business management background where theres a focus on numerical results, said Gibson.

But instead of emphasizing numbers of baptisms, referrals or lessons taught, the churchs handbook for missionaries, Preach My Gospel, teaches that success is achieved when a missionary "feels the spirit, in other words, when a missionary feels loved and led by God, Gibson said.

Because no one is perfect, he said, missionaries and mission presidents who recognize that they will regularly make mistakes, and that others will too, will have an easier time adjusting to missionary life  and be more gentle on themselves as well.

Getting Help

Suzy Thornock, now 20, was two months into her mission in Scotland last year when she found herself unable to get out of the car.

After she and her companion arrived at a location where they planned to proselyte and said a prayer, as was routine, Thornocks companion started bundling up for the snow-coated highlands in her knee-length, fur-lined coat. But Thornock couldnt move. What if she couldnt say the right things? What if people rejected her?

Her companion urged her out of the car, but Thornock refused, then broke down in tears, sick to her stomach.

At that point, Thornock had been bulimic for several weeks. Throwing up had become her way to deal with the overwhelming stress that she was failing to live up to the perfect missionary ideal.

Soon after her experience in the car, Thornock realized she needed help overcoming her anxiety and bulimia. In her journal, she wrote down three steps: 1) pray about it; 2) e-mail her mother on the next preparation day; 3) tell the mission presidents wife.

The mission presidents wife helped Thornock get set up with the area mental health authority in Germany, who listened to Thornocks problems and gave her advice over Skype.

The church connects missionaries to counseling services and even assists them in getting prescription medications, if needed.

But while the church has resources for missionaries who are struggling, they are limited, according to Gibson. Our goal is not to involve missionaries in extended counseling and therapy while they are serving, he said. That's better done at home. For missionaries who would recover better with the support of their families in a familiar environment, the church will purchase a next-day plane ticket home for them  no matter the cost.

For Thornock, they did both. Shortly after the Skype counseling session, Thornock was honorably released and returned home where she was able to overcome her eating disorder. Today, she is continuing her education at Brigham Young University and pursuing a career in nursing.

Finding meaning

For many early-returned missionaries, coming home brings relief but also new challenges. Settling into old routines and reuniting with friends or family members can be stressful, especially if those people have difficulty understanding or accepting what the missionary has been through.

When Marissa Folland, now 20, came home early from her mission to Portland, Oregon, a friend told her he was calling her bluff,  in essence, accusing her of lying about why she was home. Though hurt by his comment, she chose to ignore it. She knew she hadnt broken any rules, nor would she have lied about something so serious.

Eventually, as her friend saw what she was going through and realized how real it was for me, she said his attitude changed.

The healing process of anxiety and depression or any difficult or traumatic experience takes time, said Folland whos been home for just over a year. Be patient with yourself and those around you who are trying to help.

While no missionary leaves on their mission planning to come home early, many of those who did come home unexpectedly told the Deseret News they were still grateful for the experience and what it taught them.

Its really surprising to me how much Ive changed since my mission, said Jon Batman, 20, who served in Argentina in the summer of 2016. Once a shy, young man, he now considers himself more of an extrovert who loves talking to people and hearing their stories.

In his 9 1/2 weeks out, Batman said he grew closer to God, which he believes is the ultimate reason for going on a mission.

After he came home, he also found purpose in becoming a mentor for other early-returned missionaries through a church-sponsored support group.

The group really helped, he said. It showed that there were people experiencing the exact same thing as you, and youre not alone in this.

Though the journey to find healing is personal, family support can make the process easier, said Leifson, with Mission Fortify. Missionaries who came home to angry or disappointed parents often struggle for much longer, he said.

When Brenna Poggemann, now 21, came home from her mission in Portland, Oregon, in the summer of 2016, her dad brought his laptop into her bedroom and worked by her side for a week, while she slept and recovered. He and Poggemanns mom didnt try to fix her, but made sure she ate well and got exercise by taking her on daily bike rides.

My parents were genuinely trying to find out what was best for me, said Poggemann. Sure, they didnt quite understand exactly what I was going through, but they didnt let that get in the way of treating me correctly, finding out what I needed, and being sympathetic.

The best help may come as members of the church abandon the idea that those who havent served missions are somehow less capable than those who have, said Moss.

We need to talk about missions ... as a possible developmental milestone, he said, not the crowning aspect of our lives.

For Clyde, his mission has definitely been a life-changing experience  though not quite in the way he expected.

Recently, he started taking a new medication, which is helping a lot, and after a year at Weber State, hes moving out of his parents' house to live with a best friend in Orem and attend Utah Valley University.

He still believes in the doctrine taught by the church, but has a hard time at Sunday meetings, especially when people talk about missions.

I have days where I feel like such a loser, and I ask, why did God let this happen?

He doesnt blame anyone for his difficult mission experience, but wishes hed heard different counsel when he was preparing to go.

If you know you have anxiety, don't treat it lightly, Clyde said. Prayerfully consider a mission and talk to people. Don't let people tell you you can do it. Really find out for yourself. People say with God all things are possible. I don't know how to explain that scripture. But there are people who can't do it for certain reasons.

Church leaders also recognize that within the diverse population of the church, individuals have different talents and abilities as well as capacities for service.

No one has encouraged missionaries to go out and to stay out on their mission more than I, said Elder Holland. But listen  there are reasons that people can't serve a mission. There are reasons that people can't go on a mission in the first place. We know that. We understand that.

I say commendation to you, and the love of the Lord to you, and the blessings of the church to you for trying to go, for wanting to go, he said. I want you to take the appropriate dignity that you deserve from that and to know that the Lord loves you and the Church loves you.
SALT LAKE CITY  A judge dismissed a lawsuit Friday filed by Rep. Mia Love against Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen over how ballots in the tight 4th Congressional District race are being verified.

In the meantime, Love took a 419-vote lead over Democratic Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams in new results released later Friday. The two-term Republican congresswoman has trailed McAdams in the 4th District race since election night Nov. 6.

McAdams did gain 167 more votes than Love Friday in Salt Lake County, which includes about 85 percent of 4th District voters, but Love added 1,588 more votes in Utah County, a conservative stronghold.

She now has 129,006 votes to McAdams' 128,587 throughout the 4th District, which includes portions of Salt Lake and Utah counties as well as Juab and Sanpete counties.

The race is now split 50.08 percent for Love and 49.92 percent for McAdams.

"This is just the start of Mia's victory. We will continue to closely monitor the election results," Love's campaign manager, Dave Hansen, said.

McAdams' campaign manager, Andrew Roberts, called the Utah County results "unsurprising and track the earlier vote margin for our campaign." He said thousands of provisional ballots still remain to be tabulated.

"We're optimistic that when final numbers are reported Monday, Ben McAdams will again be winning," Roberts said. "We're grateful for the dedication of elections officials and employees as they complete the vital task of counting every legal vote."

All Utah counties are scheduled to conduct a final vote canvass on Tuesday in the largely by-mail election, and the state will complete the canvass on Nov. 26.

The current tally in the 4th District falls within the 0.25 percent margin for a recount to be requested, although there are still votes to be counted, including from the 16,000 provisional ballots cast in Salt Lake County.

Swensen said her office is working through at least part of the weekend to finish determining the eligibility of voters who cast provisional ballots, typically because they had moved or registered to vote at the polling station.

She estimated that 85 percent to 90 percent of the provisional ballots will end up being accepted.

Her office is also still waiting to hear from about 2,000 voters already contacted because they forgot to sign their ballots or their signatures didn't match those on file. Voters have until 5 p.m. Monday to resolve those issues.

Third District Judge James Gardner's dismissal of Love's lawsuit allowed the vote-counting process to continue without interruption.

Gardner, who heard the case Thursday, said in his ruling that Love's attorneys "failed to point the court to a single statute, rule or case that would entitle them to any of the relief" sought.

Attorney Robert Harrington, who argued Love's case in court, said in a statement: Although we disagree with the outcome, we appreciate the courts attention to the issues raised in our petition."

Harrington said the Love campaign "will continue to closely observe the integrity of this election process.

Roberts praised the court's decision. McAdams had intervened in the case.

"The McAdams campaign is pleased with Judge Gardner's decision to reject Love's attempt to stop the vote counting in Salt Lake County," Roberts said in a statement. "We are happy to see that no 4th District voters will be disenfranchised."

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said in a statement he is "grateful to the court for its swift resolution of this petition" and said it "was both without merit and substance."

Gill said Swensen and her office "have diligently followed the law and ensured a fair election for Salt Lake County during a year with unprecedented voter turnout" and that he "will continue to defend the exceptional good efforts" of the longtime Democratic clerk.

Swensen said she was concerned the lawsuit affected how voters view the work done by her office.

"I think the saddest part for me is it might have put some doubt in the minds of voters," she said. "For that, I think it's unconscionable."

Both Love and McAdams were in Washington, D.C., this week. Love participated in House GOP leadership elections while McAdams joined the orientation for new members of Congress.

In his eight-page opinion, Gardner said much of what was sought by the Love campaign "relates to election work that has already been performed, and in most respects, cannot be undone."

He said Love's attorneys offered "no persuasive explanation for their delay" in filing the suit and that by waiting, they "have effectively destroyed the court's ability to provide the relief sought."

The judge also said the actions sought by Love raised "significant" constitutional concerns because the lawsuit sought to change the procedure for challenging ballots only in Salt Lake County and only to ballots not yet counted.

During Thursday's nearly two-hour hearing, McAdams' attorney, Loren Washburn, said concerns Harrington raised about the affidavit forms Salt Lake County used to verify voter signatures were true of Utah County's forms as well.

Gardner did not rule on whether the relief sought by Love violated the U.S. Constitution and dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.

The lawsuit filed by Love and her campaign Wednesday had asked the court to allow them the opportunity to analyze and challenge the county's determination on whether signatures on ballot envelopes match those on file.

The Love lawsuit also sought to stop the county from separating ballots from signed envelopes while that analysis was being done and also to halt the counting of provisional ballots cast so those, too, could potentially be challenged.
DELTA  A teenager accused of plotting a mass shooting at Delta High School has been ordered to serve probation after he reached a plea deal with prosecutors.

The 17-year-old boy pleaded guilty Tuesday in 4th District Juvenile Court to threatening to commit assault, a class B misdemeanor, court records show. He was originally charged with making a terroristic threat, a first-degree felony.

Police have said it did not appear there was complex planning behind the threat. The Deseret News has opted not to name the teen at this time.

On Sept. 4, police said he told a friend  a classmate who also works with him  that he was planning to carry out a school shooting at lunch the next day. She told deputies that the boy had made similar comments in the past but she believed they were jokes, and she was scared at how calm and detailed he was this time.

Officers serving the search warrant on the boy's bedroom and vehicle recovered a .22-caliber rifle and three cellphones, according to court documents.

The documents don't indicate how long the boy will remain on probation. Fourth District Juvenile Judge F. Richards Smith ordered the conditions of the teen's release to incorporate recommendations from a psychological evaluation. He also fined the boy $200.
SALT LAKE CITY  Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski's administration fired one of her top department heads last month after a human resources investigation concluded he engaged in "offensive behavior" related to sex, religion and inappropriate language.

That included referring to managers with a term thought to be "very sexual and nasty in nature," sharing inappropriate jokes with employees, making "inappropriate comments related to religion," as well as using vulgar language, according to an investigative report the Deseret News obtained through a public records request.

Gregory Daly, whom Biskupski appointed after a national search as chief information officer over the city's Information Management Service department, was terminated on Oct. 3, Biskupski's spokesman, Matthew Rojas, confirmed this week.

After a complaint against Daly was submitted in May, a city human resources staffer interviewed 12 witnesses, including Daly, before compiling a 14-page, Sept. 17 report concluding that several allegations against Daly were sustained.

One allegation related to "offensive behavior related to sex," however, wasn't sustained by the human resources investigation and was, therefore, redacted from the report along with several pages of findings related to that allegation, as is allowed under Utah open records laws, Rojas said.

Names of witnesses and other employees were also redacted from the report to protect their identities.

Rojas declined to discuss or comment on any specifics of the investigation into Daly or the allegations against him.

"(The allegations) were thoroughly and properly investigated, and they were found to have some merit after this investigation," Rojas said. "Mr. Daly simply did not live up to the high standards the mayor sets for her Cabinet members and Mr. Daly was let go."

Rojas said Biskupski was "disappointed" when she learned of the allegations against Daly.

"She sets a high standard for the people who are a part of her Cabinet, and it was certainly disappointing for the mayor to hear about that," Rojas said. "The mayor's office took the action necessary, in line with our values."

Rojas said Daly's employment was terminated without severance pay.

Daly could not be reached for comment Thursday or Friday.

Biskupski recommended Daly to the management post in the summer of 2016, crediting him as the "clear choice" in a national search due to his technical abilities, leadership and business operations experience, according to her recommendation letter. The City Council approved his appointment.

Daly was hired after Biskupski let go three department heads (and later a fourth), as part of her transition as mayor. Daly replaced the city's former information management services director, Bill Haight. Daly moved to Utah from California.

Allegations

The human resources investigator concluded several allegations against Daly were "sustained" after being corroborated by witnesses interviewed in the investigation.

Among the allegations were that Daly shared jokes or comments of sexual nature, including a term that an employee considered "very sexual and nasty in nature," the report states.

In an interview with the investigator, Daly said he "uses the term 'playfully' and would have ceased doing so if he had been informed anyone considered the remark to be offensive." When asked what he believed the term to mean, Daly replied, "nothing," according to the report.

Interviews also supported the allegation that Daly also shared "inappropriate jokes and/or memes" in the workplace, the investigator concluded.

Daly told the investigator he may have shared jokes or memes with an employee, but had "no reason to believe" he or she was offended. When asked if any of the jokes or memes he shared may have had a sexual connotation, Daly told the investigator "no" because "he doesn't 'deal with sexual topics.'"

As for allegations regarding offensive behavior related to religion, the investigator reported several witnesses "indicated Daly has made comments about religion; however, no witness considered Daly's remarks to be offensive or perceives that disparate treatment occurs due to religion."

However, witnesses said it was "not uncommon" for Daly to call an employee "bishop" or "elder"  terms Daly told the investigator he didn't mean to be disrespectful but intended to convey "quite the opposite."

In addition, the investigator concluded evidence indicated Daly made comments and engaged in behavior that is "nevertheless inappropriate and/or offensive," including commenting on the physical appearance of male and female employees, reacting angrily to an employee's request for a new office chair, making "crude" and "rude" comments, "yelling" at employees, and displaying a "general lack of professionalism," according to the investigator's letter to Daly.

"Combined with the fact that Daly uses inappropriate language in the workplace  it appears he frequently makes disrespectful comments and uses offensive language that  rise to the level of a violation of the city's anti-discrimination and harassment policy," the investigator wrote.
Do you (like me) simply adore the new Pixel 3 smartphones but hesitate to go anywhere near that Add to Cart button because they cost an arm and a leg? Do you keep wondering when that much-rumoured Lite version of the Pixel will land in India? Well, it seems were one step closer to seeing that happen because the Russian bloggers who covered the Pixel 3 XL in great detail before its launch are back with new leaks of a smaller Pixel device.

Images posted by XDA Developers yesterday reveal a Pixel-like smartphone with a single camera on the back, a Type-C port at the bottom, andwait for ita 3.5mm audio jack on top. On the face of it, the idea to include the 3.5mm audio jack seems strange because Google was all for getting rid of it on past Pixel models. But stepping back and considering the target audience and the expected price of the new Pixel smartphone, it makes sense.

The rumoured new Pixel 3 Lite is said to sport a 5.56-inch LCD IPS display with a resolution of 2220  1080, which should translate to a healthy pixel density. Luckily we see no notch on the top. Its expected to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 chipset, 4GB of RAM, and a 2,915mAh battery. Storage on-board is expected to be a non-expandable 32GB. For optics, the smartphone should come with a single 12-megapixel rear camera and a single 8-megapixel front camera.

Though only one in number on each side, the camera on the Pixel 3 Lite is expected to be good, given how much attention Google generally pays to the optics of its Pixel smartphones. The Pixel 3 Lite, if thats what it will finally be called, should run Android 9.0 Pie out-of-the-box and be one of the first models to receive future software updates directly from Google. Theres no word yet on when the Pixel 3 Lite will release or how much it will cost in the market but we expect to know more in the coming months.

Inline images courtesy: rozetked.me
Oppo has unveiled a new budget device in China called the Oppo A7. The device features a 6.1-inch HD+ display and a waterdrop notch display and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 SoC. The phone offers 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage and is currently available for pre-order in China for CNY 1599, which is roughly equal to Rs 16,500. The phone features a 3D heat-curved grating pattern on the back with a mirrored texture. It is available in two colour variants, Glaze Blue and Glaring Gold.

The Oppo A7 packs a large 4230mAh battery which the company claims is enough to offer up to 8 hours of gaming on the phone. Speaking of gaming, the phone also comes with the companys new HyperBoost technology. The new tech was developed a competitor to the Huaweis GPUTurbo technology and helps to optimise performance while gaming. As for the cameras, the phone comes with a 16MP front camera with support for AR stickers. At the back is a dual-rear camera setup, but the company has not mentioned its sensors yet.

It is not yet known if or when company plans to launch the Oppo A7 in India.
Xiaomi did in the UK, what it has been doing in India for the longest time. The Chinese smartphone-maker is readying to open doors to its first store in London in just a few days, but before that could happen, the brand has been hit by controversy as its UK customers faced what Indian buyers have been facing for years - the famous flash sale. By now, everyone in India probably knows how flash sales work, you wait and wait and by the time the sale starts, youre already too late and everything is out of stock. This is followed by companies claiming that they sold thousands of products in a matter of seconds. Flash Sales, be that of Xiaomi or any other brand, have been dubious, to say the least.

In UK, when Xiaomi promoted a Flash Sale, which it had earlier named Crazy Deals, it managed to entice many potential buyers with its 1 Pound smartphone deals. Just as the sale went live, an "Out of Stock" banner was displayed on the website, leading to anger and outrage from customers who had been waiting to avail the deals. Buyers felt misled and even came out on social media saying that the whole exercise was a clickbait to get people to visit the page. Whats even more shocking is that a Twitter user discovered that Xiaomis website was coded to switch the "Buy Now" option straight to Out of Stock just as the sale went live.

This is NOT true. Your website was coded to replace the "Coming Soon" button with "Sold out" button when timer ended. There was never a purchase option. pic.twitter.com/ZDo0pSAcaP  jt (@jptet79) November 12, 2018

Xiaomi, however, refuted these claims and said that 10 people were actually able to purchase smartphones for 1 Pound during the sale. The company did apologise for changing the name of the sale from Crazy Deals to Flash Sale at the last moment, but did not provide an explanation as to why its website was coded to display the out of stock banner at the time when the sale went live.

Thanks for your non technical explanation. Could you provide a technical explanation as to how the flash sale worked, seeing as the code behind the website suggests that there were no winners?  Michael Warner (@mikekwarner) November 12, 2018
An unmanned, cargo-laden Soyuz-FG rocket blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Friday for the first time since a launch accident in October. The rocket left Earth carrying a Progress MS-10 spacecraft at 11:44 PM IST. The Progress MS-10 spacecraft will take nearly 48 hours to reach the International Space Station, upon which it will deliver fuel, oxygen, water, and scientific equipment to the crew on-board.

The Soyuz accident that happened on October 11 forced Russian cosmonaut Aleksey Ovchinin and US astronaut Nick Hague to abort launch ninety seconds after blast off. Fortunately, the two spacemen landed unharmed 500 kilometres north-east of Baikonur, near the Kazakh city of Dzhezkazgan, experiencing g-forces of 6.7 g during the return fall.

The accident was the result of a malfunction in the rocket during the booster separation process. The search and recovery teams reached the Soyuz spacecraft landing site and reported that the two crew members, Nick Hague of NASA and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos, are in good condition and are out of the capsule. The crew returned via helicopter to Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. Roscosmos is forming a state commission to investigate today's Soyuz launch incident. NASA had stated then in a blog post.

The Progress MS-10 spacecraft is expected to dock with the International Space Station by 1:00 AM on Sunday. It will remain docked with the space station till March 2019. The first manned mission since the accident is expected to take place early December.
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ANCHORAGE (AP)  Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is awarding a $1 million grant to Anchorage to convert an empty downtown building into a workspace for artists and designers.

Bloomberg joined Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz to announced Wednesday the first winner of the 2018 Public Art Challenge, the Anchorage Daily News reported .





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By The Associated Press

Amazon could get more than $2 billion in tax breaks and other incentives as part of its deals to open up two new offices with more than 25,000 new jobs at each location.

New York City and Arlington County, Virginia, will be home to two new nerve centers, which are being called the second and third headquarters for the Seattle company.





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NEW YORK (AP)  U.S. health officials say the workers with the highest suicide rates have construction, mining and drilling jobs. That was the finding of a report correcting an earlier study that mistakenly said farmers, lumberjacks and fishermen killed themselves most often.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a corrected study Thursday. CDC officials said the 2016 study s mistakes included the misclassification of some workers as farmers instead of managers.





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BOISE, Idaho (AP)  Court records show the former executive director of the Idaho Association of Highway Districts has been charged with embezzling funds from the organization between 2013 and 2016.

The Idaho Statesman reported Monday that Stuart Davis was charged with seven counts of grand theft over $1,000.





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HOUSTON (AP)  The U.S. government has awarded a $167 million contract to build 8 miles (13 kilometers) of border wall in south Texas.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced the contract Wednesday. Construction will begin in February. CBP already announced a $145 million award for another 6 miles (10 kilometers) in South Texas' Rio Grande Valley.





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Tunnel prep includes removing giant wall of geofoam blocks



Journal Construction Editor By BENJAMIN MINNICK Journal Construction Editor

Photo by Benjamin Minnick [enlarge] Crews in January will remove these geofoam blocks to open a northbound ramp into the SR 99 tunnel.





Crews will have their hands full getting the new waterfront tunnel open by early February, especially during a three-week span when state Route 99 will be closed in downtown Seattle.

We still have a lot of work to do to get ready for that closure, said Dave Sowers, WSDOT deputy administrator of the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program, at a press conference yesterday at the tunnel's south end.

One daunting task during the closure, which starts Jan. 11, will be removing a 150-foot-deep wall of geofoam blocks that were installed in 2014 where Seattle Tunnel Partners had built a northbound ramp into the tunnel. Geofoam blocks were used to fill part of the ramp so that a temporary detour could cross over the top. The rows of blocks taper from 20 feet high near the tunnel entrance to about 1 foot.

Amjad Omar, chief inspector at WSDOT, said each block weighs about 100 pounds. They will be removed one-by-one using forklifts, loaders or a crane. He estimated that will take two or three days.

They are easier than gravel to haul off, he said.

The blocks will be recycled at Kent-based InsulFoam, where they were originally made. Omar didn't know how many blocks fill the ramp.

After the blocks are gone, crews from Scarsella Bros. will shotcrete traffic barriers on both sides of the ramp and stripe the roadway.

Scarsella crews will also remove detours at the north end of the tunnel during the three-week closure. That work involves removing a temporary geosynthetic wrapped earth embankment wall to connect a ramp into the tunnel.

Scarsella will spend another two weeks after the tunnel opens connecting a new northbound SR 99 off-ramp that feeds into a new intersection near the tunnel's south operations building.

Demolition of the viaduct will begin sometime after the replacement tunnel opens. Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. earlier this year won a $93.7 million design-build contract for that job.

The demolition work area covers 1.4 miles, from South Dearborn Street to Battery Street Tunnel, and includes removing ramps at Columbia and Seneca streets.

Early documents indicate the Columbia Street ramp will be one of the first pieces of the viaduct to come down.

Cassandra Manetas in WSDOT's Mega Projects Office made a presentation before the Pioneer Square Preservation Board on Wednesday that included a briefing on how the Columbia ramp will be demolished.

Manetas said preliminary plans from Kiewit have crews closing Columbia Street from First to Western avenues for the first phase of ramp demolition. Work will continue westward to Alaskan Way.

Manetas said as demolition moves west, Kiewit will isolate work zones to prep for removing the next segment while restoration is done in the demolished areas.

The plan shows the work zone from First to Post Alley being restored and reopened to the public as crews prep and remove the ramp from Post to Alaskan Way.

Sowers said he is fairly confident that the SR 99 closure will not exceed three weeks. He said two or three days have been set aside for weather delays.

It's going to be difficult to get around during the closure, he warned.

The closure will not only affect the 90,000 drivers who now use the viaduct each day  it also will affect transit and bus routes.

Bill Bryant, managing director of service development for King County Metro, said 12 bus routes that carry 30,000 riders daily will be affected by the three-week closure, many of them originating in West Seattle.

Bryant said a second water taxi to West Seattle will be added and more parking for those ferry riders.

Metro will also alter some routes and have 20 buses on standby during rush hour, in case of congestion. Still, every route into downtown will likely be affected.

Bryant said bus riders should expect 10-minute delays on good days and up to 1-hour delays on bad days, though the longer delays should be fewer.

Bus congestion will get worse downtown in March, when Metro changes the bus tunnel to light rail only.

Heather Marx, director of downtown mobility for Seattle Department of Transportation, said other major projects over the next five years will change how people get through downtown.

Be prepared, know what your new route is going to be, Marx said.

Some relief will come in 2023, when Sound Transit opens its East Link light rail line, she said.





Benjamin Minnick can be reached by email or by phone at (206) 622-8272.




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By DAVID KOENIG

AP Airlines Writer

International air travel has become remarkably safe in recent years, with deadly accidents like last month's Lion Air crash in Indonesia becoming rarer.

Statistics aside, the accident is making travelers wary of flying in some countries or on certain foreign airlines. The safety of Indonesia's airlines had been questioned long before the Lion Air accident.





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At the Movies: A commanding turn from Viola Davis in Widows'

By LINDSEY BAHR

AP Film Writer

Who better to stare down the camera, and every seedy character the city of Chicago has to offer, than the incomparable Viola Davis?





When you think of the wives and girlfriends of criminals and mobsters in cinema and television, what or who comes to mind? Kay Adams? Elvira Hancock? Skyler White? They are either victims of a man's misdeeds or end up becoming part of the problem. They might get fancy jewelry or a big house, but they are the ones who get shut out of the room. They get greedy. They get addicted. They get killed. And, as an unwritten rule, they are secondary.

It's part of the reason why Steve McQueen's Widows  is such a welcome cocktail: The wives are the ones in the spotlight. Their husbands, the criminals fetishized by so, so many movies, are the ones who die at the beginning.

In his first film since the Oscar-winning 12 Years a Slave, McQueen has gone in a very different direction with this Lynda La Plante adaptation. Widows is a B-movie thriller with an all-star ensemble and a dusting of art house cred. McQueen co-wrote it with Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn and it is dark, relentlessly intense and crafted for mass audience appeal. And who better to stare down the camera, and every seedy character the city of Chicago has to offer, from corrupt legacy politicians (Colin Farrell and Robert Duvall) to truly terrifying gang muscle (Get Out's Daniel Kaluuya), than the incomparable Viola Davis?

WIDOWS

Director: Steve McQueen



Cast: Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, Daniel Kaluuya, Liam Neeson



Rating: R



Running time: 129 minutes

Davis plays Veronica Rawlins, a well-heeled teacher's union representative who is married to a very powerful and very bad man, Harry Rawlins (Liam Neeson). Harry has done well in a corrupt Chicago  the passionate couple share a sleek high-rise Lake Shore Drive apartment, a driver and all the niceties that sort of real estate implies. But when he and his crew (including Jon Bernthal and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) get gunned down during a robbery gone wrong, Veronica is the one the aggrieved come after to collect.

Unfortunately for her, the crew her late husband was stealing $2 million from are also a powerful, murderous and, now, angry, rival set of criminals. They're led by Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry) and his brother Jatemme (Kaluuya), and have until this point managed to keep the peace with Rawlins' crew. Jamal is running for alderman of his South Side neighborhood that is a stronghold of a Chicago political dynasty, the Mulligans (Duvall and Farrell) that maintains property there only as a front  and the Mannings need the money to take them down. One on-the-nose, but startlingly effective, sequence, shows Jack Mulligan's drive home from the projects to his own gilded, heavily armed part of the neighborhood. This is just context for what's going on with Veronica and it will all come together eventually, with some good twists and turns in the mix.

Jamal threatens Veronica to collect what was stolen and she decides to step into Harry's shoes and enlist the widows of his crew to help. There's Linda (Michelle Rodriguez), a mother of two whose Quinceanera shop has been repossessed because of her late husband's gambling habits, and Alice (Elizabeth Debicki), a woman who has been mistreated by everyone in her life, from her husband to her mother, who suggests she become a high-end sex worker. All are basically riffs on the typical film victim wife, only here they get to take charge and plan and execute the elaborate heist. Veronica is a tough boss and pushes Alice and Linda, and eventually Belle (Cynthia Erivo), to realize their own power as they amusingly use their skills, whether plain street savvy or just taking advantage of the fact that they are underestimated and overlooked simply by being women (a point that is much better made here than in Ocean's 8).

The ensemble is a blast. Everyone gets their moment and you come away feeling like you really got to know most of them, but it is Davis and her unforgettably searing intensity (and killer wardrobe) who owns Widows from start to finish.

McQueen builds tension masterfully throughout, although is so sprawling that at times you're left wondering whether this might have been better told as a limited television series. Then again, is it worth complaining about relative brevity when done this well?









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Almost six months after paying $10.5 million for the Greenwood Safeway, at 8704 Greenwood Ave. N., Washington Holdings has filed plans to redevelop the site with a 270-unit multistory apartment building.





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SEATTLE  If you're looking for new digs in Washington, it's usually a better deal to rent than to own.

But if you do plan to buy a home, the best deals are in Kennewick.





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A feasibility study for the city put the cost of redeveloping the 50-acre site at $1 billion to $1.5 billion.



Weidner Apartment Homes has broken off talks with the city of Kenmore over the redevelopment of Lakepointe, a 50-plus-acre industrial property on Lake Washington.

The city had been working with Kirkland-based Weidner to draft an agreement that would outline a range of development options to study.





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Local investor group pays $19M for University Book Store site in Bellevue



Journal Staff Reporter By BRIAN MILLER Journal Staff Reporter







A local investor group has bought the Bellevue University Book Store property, at 990 102nd Ave. N.E., for $19.3 million, according to King County records.

The buyer was 47 North Properties LLC, a new entity led by Matt Herron of 47 North Development. Public records don't show any loans for the buyer.

Herron says redevelopment could be phased and even decades away. There are long leases on the property, he says.

Public records indicate that the buyer is a partnership with the Pong family's Puget Sound Hospitality Group, which is based in Bellevue. A separate Pong LLC already owns the property next door to the east.

The corner University Book Store property totals 36,028 square feet. It has high-rise zoning. No new plans have been filed for the site.

The property wasn't publicly listed for sale. The transaction was worth about $535 per square foot for the land.

Herron is also a broker with Cannon Commercial, which told Puget Sound Business Journal that its Chris Giles and Gloria Touch brokered the deal.

University Book Store acquired the property in 1988 for a little over $5.7 million. It closed that store in January of 2017. The 34-year-old building has 33,542 rentable square feet, according to the county. Zeek's Pizza is one remaining tenant. Others appear to include hair salons, a pilates studio, a clothing boutique and Kiddie Academy of Bellevue.

The property is on the northwest corner of the block north of Bellevue Square. Next door to the east, the Orvis store property sold to a Pong LLC in late 2016 for $16 million. It has 34,000 square feet. This gives the Pongs, plus the Herron LLC, a 1.6-acre assemblage for a total of $35.3 million.

Last year, Baylis Architects filed an feasibility plan for the Orvis property that would demolish the building and erect a new high rise with 219 units, retail and 310 underground parking stalls. That plan never went into the review process, and now the potential building site is twice as large, which could make phased development more possible.

There's also been much recent activity on that block:

 Avenue Bellevue (formerly The Elan) is proposed for the Cost Plus World Market site. Andy Lakha's Fortress Holdings LLC has spent $44 million to assemble about 2.7 acres on the south side of the block, at 10300 N.E. Eighth St. The recently updated plan, by Weber Thompson and CollinsWoerman, is for two high rises with 251 hotel rooms, 330 condominiums, retail and about 800 underground stalls.

 In September, telcom magnate and investor John Stanton sold his 27,700-square-foot assemblage on the west side of the block for $19 million to an untraceable LLC with a mortgage held by Goldman Sachs. No new plans have been filed for 810-832 102nd Ave. N.E.

Separately, in the University District, Pong wants to build a 31-story tower near the future light rail station, on a site it owns at 4512 11th Ave. N.E.

Puget Sound Hospitality Group raises money from EB-5 investors.

47 North Development lists a few small development projects in its portfolio. One is the Bus Stop Espresso triangle near the future Roosevelt Station; Herron previously told the DJC that he would wait for a few years before building apartments there. Another project is a 12-unit complex on Phinney Ridge.





Brian Miller can be reached by email at brian.miller@djc.com or by phone at (206) 219-6517.




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SEATTLE  The Mosaic on Greenwood apartments, at 13543 Greenwood Ave. N., have sold for just over $9 million, according to King County records.

The seller was an LLC related to Pacific Urban Residential, which acquired the property in 2017 for $5.5 million.





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A young Bundoran man, who smashed a glass against another man's head and spat at him was jailed for four months at Sligo District Court.

The victim, William Craig, a US national in Ireland on an exchange programme told the court, that after Calvin McCormac (21), with an address at the Gaelic Park, Bundoran smashed the glass in the side of my face a big circle formed and that two people spat at me and said "welcome to Ireland.

McCormac pleaded guilty to assaulting William Craig at the Chasing Bull, Main Street in Bundoran on October 20, 2018. Solicitor for McCormac, John Anderson, told the court that his client was apologetic to the victim.

The court heard from the victim, William Craig, a USA national in Ireland on an exchange programme. He said on the night he was in the Chasing Bull smoking area and that his friend had asked a man for a cigarette and that he had grabbed his friend by the throat.

Mr Craig then said that someone smashed a glass in the side of my face. After that incident, he said a big circle formed  and that two people spat at me and said 'welcome to Ireland'.

He told the court that he was in Ireland as part of a gap year for three months and that he would be in Ireland for a further two weeks. Mr Craig told the court that he had a scar on the side of his face following the assault.

He said that the glass broke on impact with his face and that he was bleeding badly. Following the assault, Mr Craig walked home and an ambulance was called.

Garda Keith Farragher gave evidence to the court in which he said that he had viewed the CCTV footage of the incident. In the footage, he said that Mr Craig and McCormac could be seen squaring up and that McCormac had made like a fist with a glass in his hand.

He said the footage showed Mr Craig struck with a glass and then they [William Craig and Clavin McCormac] were pulled apart and he [William Craig] was struck again two times by the defendant and then he spat into his [William Craig's] face.

John Anderson said that his client had been attending a funeral the day previous to the incident. He said that there was some interaction between the two men in the smoking area and that Mr McCormac regrettably had a glass in his hand.

He said that it was totally out of character for his client and that he had a letter from McCormac's former school principal. John Anderson said that McCormac was taking part in a course to help him with employment. He said that McCormac was a man of limited means but that he is seeking employment and would compensate the victim.

Judge Kevin Kilrane said that William Craig would be left with what will probably be a permanent scar. He said anyone who would do this in the spur of the moment most show remorse but that McCormac was not finished and the defendant further assaulted him [William Craig].

The judge said that it was a shocking case and despite McCormac having no previous convictions, being a young man, pleading guilty and showing remorse, it was not enough to avoid a prison sentence.

Judge Kilrane convicted McCormac and sentenced him to four months in prison.
The first time I ever came across the whole idea of reporters being curtailed in regard to what questions they could ask politicians was way back in the 1980s.

I was editor of the Derry Journal when Mrs Thatcher paid her first visit to the city as Prime Minister and I sent a reporter and photographer over to cover the event.

The reporter came back somewhat annoyed and informed me that Bernard Ingham, Maggies press secretary, had informed them beforehand that she would not be taking questions on certain issues that day.

I wasnt aware of it then but this was the relatively early days of spin, a new departure in media relations where professional handlers were being used to attempt to control the news agenda.

A more minor bit of attempted media manipulation I recall was a young reporter coming to tell me that she had attended a meeting of Inishowen councillors in Carndonagh where a couple of controversial statements had been made. She was subsequently told that she couldnt report them as they were off the record and that if she did she would get no co-operation in future.

She actually fell for this blackmail and didnt report them, only informing me long after the incident had happened.

I got annoyed with this reporter. Really, really annoyed. I remember telling her that anything said at a public meeting was covered by what is known as qualified privilege and she should have known that, and it was not up to some jumped up official to decide for us what we could or could not publish.

Call me old fashioned but I do believe in the freedom of the press, in the idea that society needs a watchdog to keep check on the politicians and to hold those in power to account. Its what separates democracy from dictatorship.

Freedom of the press is, most clearly, either very ill or already dying in many parts of the world.

The best example by far is in the United States where Donald Trump is day and daily blasting the free press as the enemies of the people. And its working for him.

The latest example was last week when CNNs Senior White House Correspondent, Jim Acosta tried to get Trump to actually answer a few direct questions rather than engage in his usual baffle us with bullshit routine.

Acosta was having none of the bluster and it was clear that Trump was getting really annoyed. When he couldnt handle it, Trump told the reporter to sit down. Acosta was having none of that and refused. You all know the rest.

But it is what happened afterwards that is real cause for concern. Not only did the Trump White House revoke Acostas press credentials but they also, in a very ham fisted way, attempted to smear him by suggesting he was guilty of assaulting a young intern who attempted to snatch the microphone from him; the assault was the pretext to the withdrawing of his press pass. This, as anyone who has watched the actual recording of the incident, was a blatant smear.

Closer to home we have a different kind of media manipulation, much more subtle. One example last week was the Taoiseach coming out with a real doozy when suggesting that hospital managements should ensure full staffs be available over the Christmas and New Year periods.

On the surface that sounded oh so reasonable, a Taoiseach stating the obvious that this was a busy time of the year. What was not so obvious is that it was a real cheap shot.

Front line hospital staff are working way beyond the call of duty in our hospitals. There are nurses not taking coffee or dinner breaks, doctors staying on wards way after their finishing times, staff helping patients while their own families are losing out.

Rather than accepting responsibility for his governments failure to address the massive deficit in the staffing and bed numbers Leo was trying to spin it so that Joe and Josephine Public would think its those bloody doctors and nurses who are to blame for all that's wrong in the health service.

He, rightly, got called out on it.

In regard to our political freedoms let me leave you with a warningthe author George Orwell wrote in 1948 that the time was coming when the party would tell you a lie and repeat it so often that even though you originally were aware it was a lie you would eventually come to believe it the truth.

Thats now happening.

STRICTLY NOT THAT EXCITING!

I find it amazing how many people can get really excited and involved in reality television programmes.

The other day I overheard two women getting into a real heated argument about Strictly Come Dancing. You would have sworn one of the dancers  the one they were arguing about  was a personal friend. And dont get me started on Big Brother. A very right wing, daily Mass going woman I know tells people not to come to her home when its on. Is that not bordering on some sort of personality disorder?

Give me a good book any day. By the way Im reading The Lost Girls of Rome if anyone is interested. Its described as the Italian literary thriller phenomenon. Its a cracker.

AND FINALLY . . .

Bertie Ahern told some time back in one of his interviews that one of the last things his mother said to him was beware of the British, that you couldnt trust them.

As he was in the middle of negotiating the Good Friday Agreement it was probably a good bit of advice. The old adage of perfidious Albion didnt come out of nowhere.

The DUP might wish they had a mother like Berties to have given them a similar warning. At the time of writing it would seem that British Prime Minister May is trying to pull a bit of a stunt by giving the unionists all sorts of verbal assurances while being prepared to sign up to a legal agreement with the European Union that will screw them. Now that's hardly a first.

Didnt Thatcher tell them Northern Ireland was as British as Finchley only to then go ahead and sign the Anglo Irish Agreement. Maybe the DUP should check it out..... but last I heard the Irish government didnt have a consultative role in decision-making in Finchley.
It was 3am on a freezing Saturday morning on Ballybofeys Main Street. The cold was seeping up through my cardboard mattress.

It was time to get up and stretch and try and get some heat back into the body. In any event the noise of the constant stream of articulated trucks and Saturday night revellers often interrupted that light sleep.

The song Streets of London and Shane McGowans Fairytale of New York constantly rang through my head as I sat in front of the bright lights of McElhinneys windows and the newly installed Christmas decorations.

I was privileged to join John McElhinney, his family and team in a sleep out to highlight the plight of the growing numbers of homeless people on the streets of Ireland, as well as raising funds for North West Simon.



Organised by Sandra Devenney this was a no frills affair. It was cardboard boxes and sleeping bags - the only difference was that we had hope. We knew that come the morning we could pack up and go home to a warm shower and catch up on some lost sleep.

Lying on that cold pavement as silence fell on what was earlier a jovial crowd, numerous thoughts raced through the head. I thought about the reality those sleeping rough or in hostels who have nothing to look forward to in the morning as they wander the streets with no purpose until night fell once again.

The generosity of the local people who streamed over bringing hot drinks and food, the drivers of large lorries who gave us all the large hoots and donated, and even those on their way back from their nights out took the time to stop by, chat, cheer us up and give donations. We had managing directors sleeping out, champion boxers, IT and Marketing specialists, people from all walks of life. But on Saturday night we were all one.
It is with unimaginable heartache that the death has occurred of Jennifer (Jenny) Grant.

Jenny, formerly of Hackballscross, died suddenly at home on October 12 2018 in Belmayne, Dublin, aged 32.

She attended Shelagh N.S, Kilkerley N.S and Saint Louis Secondary School.

Shortly after finishing school she joined the Irish Defence Forces. During her time in the Defence Forces she took part in a peace keeping mission in Kosovo, whilst also starting out on her journey to become a dental nurse.

It was also during her time in the Defence Forces that shaped Jenny into the strong and fiercely independent woman that everyone knew her to be.

Jenny had two wonderful children, her daughter Erinn (5) and her son Taigh (3) with their father Johnny.

She lived for her kids and was determined to give them the best possible life she could and this was evident in the fact that she became a qualified fitness instructor and later returned to her training as a dental nurse.

Everybody who knew Jenny will agree that she was funny, sarcastic, straight to the point, loyal and always ready for a laugh. She was always willing to help her friends and family at the drop of a hat.

Jenny will be deeply missed by her children, Erinn and Taigh, their father, Johnny, brothers, Declan, Paul and David and sister, Karen along with her sister-in-law, all her aunts, uncles, cousins, niece and nephew and everyone who knew her. Jenny was predeceased by her mother, Mary Grant.

The Months Mind Mass for Jenny will be held on Sunday, November 11, at 10:30am in the Sacred Heart Church, Shelagh, Dundalk.


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As markets mature, they trend toward oligopoly or even outright monopoly. There isn't much difference, because an oligopoly has several members instead of just one. Examples include electric power generation, an oligopoly made up of vertically integrated monopolies in most areas, and the airline industry -- an oligopoly made up of many airlines that may have monopolies in regional hubs. As monopolies and oligopolies gain strength, it becomes increasingly difficult for newcomers to enter a market.

I think CRM is trending in the direction of oligopoly. That might not be bad, but it also signals market maturity. I also think the IT industry generally is moving toward becoming a utility -- an information utility. Utilities form when a monopoly or oligopoly gains enough market power to dominate a market and set artificially high prices to the detriment of consumers.

The ultimate regulated monopoly was the phone company prior to the court-ordered breakup in the mid-1980s. That decision opened the floodgates to innovation -- in products, services and business models -- that had been held back by what was a regulated monopoly. This article explores where CRM is on the continuum ending in monopoly.

Market Maturity

Is CRM a good business to be in? It's a question rarely asked, and I don't actually know if I've ever seen an answer or even if I've personally considered it.

A "good business," by my definition, has to be one that makes money and does some social good. Cigarettes make money but their social good is highly suspect. Many organizations that do some kind of social good might be characterized as nonprofits. Social good, or making a positive contribution to society, makes sense as a differentiator. Car tires fit that definition in ways that cigarettes can't.

In addition to making money and providing a social good, as a technical point, I'd say that a CRM business ought to be in business on its own and not as a part of some larger entity. Lots of software companies have a CRM component though their roots are elsewhere.

The reason is simple. A business owned by a larger organization could lose money but that might not matter if, for instance, the overall organization turned a profit. For instance, a few years ago Oracle bought Sun Microsystems for about US$7.4 billion. I don't think Sun was making money at that point, and today it doesn't matter. Sun provides a vital hardware component in Oracle's drive to produce autonomous enterprise software.

So, a CRM business might be a loss leader -- something that a company needs to sell to maintain its chops as an enterprise software vendor. This one-stop-shopping strategy might be designed to keep competition at bay. Again, using the Oracle-Sun example, Oracle can provide order-of-magnitude performance advantages using its hardware and software over competitors like IBM, which could supply hardware to run Oracle apps and databases, or Amazon, which competes in database.

For this purpose, when I refer to "CRM," it's CRM as an integrated, soup to nuts, 360-degree view of the customer solution set I'm thinking about. Lots of companies in the CRM space today offer a call center, help desk, analytics, sales, marketing or other single solutions.

However, unless they have superior integration capabilities, it's difficult to make a case for some of them. More likely, the full-suite vendors provide the integration that underscores the question of how much better an independent vendor needs to be to compete.

Market Lifecycle

I think you can tell a lot about a market's health and age by the number of freestanding businesses it includes. Early in a market's life there are numerous similar solutions competing for space. Twenty years ago, there were lots of independent companies.

Most offered one or two CRM elements, but that situation was unsustainable because customers found integrating disparate solutions way too hard. That resulted in a wave of consolidation; companies bought others by swapping stock, and some lost their shirts.

Before CRM, you could observe the same dynamic in the database industry, which shrank the number of competitors as the winners got bigger and bigger. Before that, minicomputers went through the same dynamic until there were none. Interestingly, the minicomputer makers all developed and maintained their own operating systems. Imagine the technical issues surrounding any integration.

Mainframes were no better. There were numerous mainframe vendors -- including IBM, Control Data, Amdahl, Burroughs and others -- and there were more mainframe operating systems than there were mainframe vendors.

Disruptive Innovation

So where are we now in CRM? Every category I've studied that was based on a disruptive innovation followed a typical path from a proliferation of similar solutions to a big industry controlled by a small number of successful vendors, an oligopoly. It's much as Geoffrey Moore described it in Crossing the Chasm.

CRM has reached an oligopoly stage today. The oligopoly members -- in my opinion (we can differ) -- include Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce, SAP, Sugar and Zoho. That's big for an oligopoly, which Moore said might contain three vendors when mature, but it's early yet.

Of these companies, half -- Microsoft, Oracle and SAP -- are multiline software vendors of front- and back-office apps with solutions that work both on-premises and in the cloud. They all have database businesses as well, and only Microsoft does not use Oracle database products.

It will take time, but it's obvious that the world is moving to the cloud. The vendors want to wind down their on-premises business models, because the cloud is so much more efficient and potentially profitable. Also, it's hard to run two very different business models profitably. For example, the financial community is impatiently waiting for Oracle to show better earnings numbers as it necessarily straddles two worlds.

The other half of the list -- Salesforce, Sugar and Zoho -- is exclusively in the cloud and oriented toward the front office. Salesforce has a huge partner program, AppExchange, that expands its reach to most application areas, including the back office, and it offers good networking and a platform that enables partners to build products to the same standards as the core CRM, making inter-application cooperation easy.

Sugar recently was bought by the private equity firm AKKR, which will enable it to invest in things the company couldn't do sufficiently with available resources, especially marketing outreach. That's vitally important, because while the company has been around a long time, it didn't catch fire earlier for many reasons, including its original business model.

A mature market requires a lot of marketing spend, and this acquisition gives Sugar that opportunity. At the same time, the company needs to figure out its long-term niche. Its most likely approach going forward will be an acquisition as a branch of some larger vendor with some form of synergy, but there are few software vendors that don't already have CRM. This leaves us to speculate about tangential markets, which also would require Sugar to declare its intentions.

Zoho is interesting because it is cloud-native and has thousands of lower-cost developers, primarily in India. The company initially focused on the SMB market and didn't limit itself to the front office. Today it has about 50 apps aimed at all parts of a business, and it is moving up-market. It definitely is worth keeping an eye on, given its resources and direction.

Last there's Salesforce. This company invented the cloud computing industry, and it continues to reinvent the space and itself. Rather than develop multiple apps, such as the back office, it invited others to build solutions. It developed a platform for partners to use, and the AppExchange to make it easy for customers to find and buy solutions.

Salesforce's continuing success comes from constantly surveying the market looking for new trends. It currently is focused on opportunities that are not directly technology-oriented, including training and philanthropy. That sounds strange, but Salesforce is taking a long view.

The Oligopoly

The future CRM oligopoly could condense in several ways. Salesforce, Oracle, SAP and Microsoft could maintain their holds on their customer bases, while taking market share from the others and each other. That's logical, and there's a certain amount of that zero-sum back and forth going on right now, but it's not a likely final outcome.

Sugar and Zoho could establish solid niches. Zoho has a global SMB business with ambitions to grow. Sugar, which has its annual user conference in Las Vegas beginning Tuesday, could articulate a strategy of its own to claim some undiscovered market niches. Time will tell.

Alternatively, many of the businesses in the Oracle, Microsoft and SAP orbits have legacy on-premises solutions that are more than a decade old. When those customers decide to rethink their software deployments, in all likelihood they will not just think about moving to the cloud. They'll also consider which vendor offers the best solution and value today.

Salesforce could be a big beneficiary in this, given its cloud residency, platform, AppExchange, and history of working with large and small enterprises.

There's also dark matter to consider. According to some keynotes at Dreamforce, the average enterprise customer has more than 1,100 cloud apps already running. Some amount of refactoring and simplification might be on the minds of customers as they move their primary computing to the cloud.

My Two Bits

Beyond basic cloud computing, a good deal of the future competition will focus on things that are somewhat intangible, like ease of use. That's not the old idea of an attractive and logical user interface. It is a more expanded concept that embraces the flexibility and adaptability that enable a business to chase smaller opportunities, because it quickly can reconfigure its operations, supported by applications.

By these criteria, it's hard to rule any company in or out of a shrinking oligopoly, but you might begin attaching probabilities. In any event, the six vendors listed are worth watching. Every move they make from this point on will be much more important than those that got them here.

Denis Pombriant is a well-known CRM industry analyst, strategist, writer and speaker. His new book, You Can't Buy Customer Loyalty, But You Can Earn It, is now available on Amazon. His 2015 book, Solve for the Customer, is also available there. Email Denis.


Turkish Defense Minister: US must cut ties with YPG

Turkeys Defense Minister blasted a photo of the US soldiers having dinner with YPG terrorists in Syria, reiterating that Turkey expects the US to keep its pledge to cut ties with the terrorist YPG.

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Saturday told the US senators that Ankara is expecting the US to cease its cooperation with the PKK terror group's Syrian affiliate the People's Protection Units (YPG).

"THE PHOTOS DISTURBED OUR PEOPLE"

In a meeting with the senators on the sidelines of the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada, Akar stated that the Turkish public was disturbed by the images showing US military officials along with YPG terrorists. "These photos have found wide coverage in our media and disturbed our people. They tarnished the image of the US and its army... for the Turkish public," Hulusi Akar said at the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada."We expect US to stop cooperation with the YPG terror group as promised."





The Nov. 11 photos show US soldiers stationed in Manbij -- in northern Syria, near the Turkish border -- having a US Veterans Day dinner with YPG terrorists.

The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, a terrorist group recognized by Turkey, the US, and EU which in its 30-year terror campaign has taken some 40,000 lives.

"It is unacceptable for the US to provide arms and ammunition by plane and trucks to the YPG terrorist group even when Daesh has been neutralized to a large extent," Akar said, adding that Turkey would never allow a terror corridor along its southern border.

The US has claimed the YPG is an ally in the fight against Daesh -- mostly eradicated in Syria -- over Turkeys objections that you cannot use one terrorist group to fight another.

Turkey has repeatedly cited evidence that the PYD/YPG is no different from the PKK.
The tribes, especially of mainland India, have lost their lands and livelihoods to development projects which have not brought them any benefits. In fact, they have been displaced without rehabilitation and adequate compensation.

For nations that were born after World War II following the dismantling of the colonial rule, development became an important concern in the states agenda making. In the case of India, this was evident in the adoption of the strategy of the five year plans. While development has remained the overriding concern since then, the key thrust has kept on shifting. In the years preceding the dismantling of the five year plans and institutions associated with them, the idea of inclusive development had become a dominant theme of the states strategy for development. Sabka sath, sabka vikas (collective efforts, inclusive growth), the current slogan of the present regime since 2014, in a sense entails this idea though it goes beyond as well. Inclusive development meant development of all but did not necessarily mean cooperation of all, that is, sabka sath. Without cooperation from all, there could still be policies and programmes that aim at development of all. Sabka sath is an added phrase. This slogan has kept on echoing in television debates and public rallies. Does the cooperation (sath) lent by people invariably lead to their vikas? Paradoxically, it is not so and in the case of Adivasis, and India bears witness to this.

Paying the Price
The cultivating millions need a responsive nation; they have decided not to flee or desert it.

In the last few months, the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), consisting of nearly 200 farmers organisations, has been mobilising farmers for a march towards Delhi (Dilli Chalo). They plan to reach the capital city on 29 and 30 November. The AIKSCCs main agenda is the demand for a special session of Parliament in order to discuss the agrarian crisis in the country. The farmers want this Parliament session to be devoted to discussions on the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, implementation and regulation of the policy of minimum support price (MSP), the problematic privatisation of the crop insurance policy, the governments faulty methods in categorising drought-prone areas, and the discriminatory approach that the banks have adopted towards farmers who have taken loans from different banks. As the farmers experience shows, some banks seem to have adopted hard and humiliating measures in order to recover these loans. Notably too, some of these banks have adopted a rather generous attitude towards certain individuals who are guilty of defaulting on their loans to the tune of several thousands of crores. A large number of farmers are the victims of this discriminatory approach of the banks.

The farmers are sceptical about the viability of the MSP working in their favour. They have for long been asking as to what extent the MSP would be able to free them from the vagaries of the market, which has been controlled by private parties who are primarily interested in making huge profits. Similarly, they also have good reason to believe that the expanding stranglehold of corporate insurance companies over cash crops would benefit the companies rather than the farmers. They doubt the accuracy of the remote sensing method, which, according to them, does not give an accurate picture of water reservoirs. All these factors have led to the agrarian crisis that manifests its devastating nature in the tragic suicides of more than three lakh farmers.
Spain, France Joint in Their Criticism of Brexit

As domestically were seeing every pundit and politician give their 2 cents on the proposed Brexit transition deal, what of the wider EU community? Speaking this week, it seems that Spanish and French politicians both share a negative outlook for the whole affair.

Speaking on behalf of Spains governing socialist party, education minister Isabel Celaa said The Spanish government would much rather have seen the UK stay inside the EU going on to say however that beyond remaining in the EU a deal is certainly better than no deal.

Earlier in the week Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez also voiced a similar opinion, Its true that were now on the verge of signing a transition deal Id like to see the British government calling a second referendum. I dont mean now, but in the future, so that it can come back to the EU. In another way, but back into the EU.

Speaking at a global trade event in Paris today, the Frances economy minister took a less tactful approach, calling on lying and irresponsible pro-Brexit politicians in the UK, to forego their own agendas or face an economic nightmare, Every people is free to decide to leave the single market and the European Union. But what Brexit shows is that the economic cost of leaving the single market is simply exorbitant and that there are many lying and irresponsible politicians, who in Great Britain have explained to the British people that Brexit would result in bright tomorrows.

The Sterling is facing the brunt of the Brexit woes in the foreign exchange markets, with yesterday representing a horrendous day for the sterling as Cabinet resignations prompted a 2%+ drop in the GBPs exchange rates. Looking ahead however, Saxo Banks Head of FX Strategy, John Hardy suggests the developing crisis retains large two-way risks.

In an article published on Friday morning Hardy predicts a no-deal Brexit is not only very immediately disruptive for the UK economy, it would likely also throw the slowing mainland EU economy into recession.

The attitudes adopted by Spain and France could also in the framework of theories described in his article be attributed to a more cunning ploy on the part of the EU, hoping (I would argue with bottomless hubris if so) to stand as firmly as possible in hopes that the UK will be disciplined into changing its mind and making the right choice via a second referendum, believing that it has the upper hand and the UK would never take the leap into the unknown.

After falling 1.85% yesterday, the GBP/EUR exchange rate is struggling to rebound higher. At the time of writing the pair is trading at 1.128, a recovery of just 0.1% from yesterday's low of 1.1247.

Above: Sterling-Euro Exchange Rate Fails to Hold 1.13 in Recovery Versus Euro
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Antonio and Kawana Spivey have worked at the Port of Houston for four years, unloading steel-laden ships that come from all over the world. But recently, the ships have come far less frequently, cutting the married couples monthly hours and earnings by some 35 percent.

Starting in late June, that loss of income forced them to tap into $12,000 they had started saving earlier this year to buy a home. We depleted it all the way, said Antonio Spivey.

The Spiveys are among the longshore workers whose livelihoods have been affected by the steel tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, another example of how the protection of one industry and its workers can reverberate through the economy to hurt others. In the three months between July and September, imports of steel and iron, as well as products made of them, have plunged 23 percent at the Port of Houston from the same period a year earlier, according to the Commerce Department.

Meanwhile, the longshore union estimates that its members hours unloading steel, pipe and coil  which had only recently recovered following the oil bust that ended in 2016  have plummeted 33 percent in the fiscal year that ended September 30.

Its economic warfare, said Charles Montgomery, vice president of the executive council for the International Longshoremens Association. My guys are being a casualty.

BRACING: Texas industry fears economic hit from Trump tariffs

Trump, who made protecting U.S. manufacturing a key promise of his campaign, imposed the first round of tariffs in March, arguing that foreign steelmakers, subsidized by their governments, were dumping cheap steel on the U.S. market and undercutting U.S. companies. The administration initially placed 25 percent duties on steel imports from the vast majority of countries, including China, Japan, Turkey, Thailand and Vietnam, then followed up in June by extending the tariffs to Mexico, Canada and the European Union.

Houston is the countrys top port for receiving steel. And the main categories affected by tariffs - which include pipe for drilling, rebar to reinforce concrete and coils that are unwound and then made into finished products - saw combined imports fall 9 percent to 5.5 million tons through the first nine months of this year, according to the Commerce Department.

Free trade advocates have argued that industries that rely on imported steel have far more jobs than the companies that make it in the United States. The American Institute for International Steel, an industry group that advocates for free trade of steel products, claims there are 10 times as many maritime jobs in the steel supply chain than jobs in U.S. steel production.

Local dock workers and stevedoring companies hired to unload vessels are the first to handle the imported slabs of steel and drill pipe as they enter the country. At the Port of Houston, steel and steel products are unloaded by cranes and moved to a laydown or storage area until they are transported to the next link in the supply chain. When times are good, such as last year, when the oil and gas industry gobbled up steel for drilling, the storage areas are stacked with steel.

But on a recent fall day, Montgomery, the longshore union official, noted the emptiness of the storage areas at the Turning Basin, one of four public terminals operated by the Port of Houston Authority where steel is unloaded. A dozen fewer ships called on the Turning Basin in October compared to a year earlier. Through the first 10 months of the year, 34 fewer ships have docked there compared to the same period in 2017.

That looks like it is going out of business, he said, pointing to one of the storage areas. There are a lot of areas that are usually brimming with steel, and theyre not.

The Turning Basin is the only local terminal where union longshoremen unload steel. Montgomery, 67, has worked on the waterfront as a longshore worker and union official for 50 years. As he looked at the empty laydown areas, he was reminded of the hard times that began in 2002, when President George W. Bush imposed his own steel tariffs.

Over the next year, steel moving across the public docks operated by the Port of Houston Authority plunged more than 20 percent. Hours were cut. People with less seniority couldnt find work. Some, including Montgomery, went to Corpus Christi, where the military work provided hours.

Dave Morgan, now president of Houston stevedoring company Cooper/Ports America, oversaw a different companys New Orleans operations in 2002 when the steel tariffs hit. He recalled the volume of steel entering the port plunging by more than 30 percent, which dramatically cut the hours of longshore workers.

RELATED: Oil companies struggle to navigate Trump on steel tariffs

Thats what were afraid of this go around if something isnt negotiated, Morgan said.

So far, his companys overall steel volumes in Houston have yet to be affected by the Trump tariffs, but Morgan said hes beginning to see worrisome signs. Japanese steel imports have slowed significantly, falling to about 9 percent of the steel his company handled in the third quarter, from 16 percent at the end of last year.

How fast and how far steel imports may decline remains unclear. The Houston Port Authority said volumes handled on the four public docks it oversees are up 27 percent in the first 10 months of the year compared to the same period in 2017. Those figures dont include the many private docks that operate along the Houston Ship Channel, which would be included in the broader Commerce Department statistics.

In addition, the ports figures were bolstered by reoccurring steel shipments that recently shifted from private terminals to those operated by the port.

Even though we havent seen the downturn yet, theres a good possibility that its going to slow down, said Port of Houston Authority Executive Director Roger Guenther.Whats going to happen in 2019 is kind of unknown right now.

Skip Hastings, commercial director for Kansas-based Watco Cos., is expecting a steel slowdown. Watco owns Greens Port Industrial Terminals located on the Houston Ship Channel, which has docks for unloading massive vessels and barges, storage yards for the various commodities and 3.3 million square feet of indoor warehouse space. Watco, which uses non-union dock workers, also has terminal operations for handling and storing steel commodities at the Turning Basin.

Hastings first noticed steel shipments were slowing in June, and hes expecting a larger drop due to a sharp decline in imports from South Korea, which avoided Trumps tariffs by agreeing to limit its steel exports to the United States. South Korean vessel lines and steel mill operators recently told Watco executives to expect certain steel items coming into Houston to plunge by up to 50 percent throughout 2019.

Hector Duran has worked on the public docks for 10 years. A year ago, Duran had all the work he needed. Now, he finds himself standing in line at the union hiring hall hoping to land a job until the stevedoring company he usually works for gets another ship of steel to unload.

Duran is not sure when the work will pick back up, and that makes him nervous.

Everything, he said, depends on the metal.

andrea.leinfelder@chron.com

twitter.com/andrearumbaugh
Education could be the great equalizer for Texans  but only with substantive changes, panelists told a packed room Friday at Our Lady of the Lake University.

As the university celebrates 50 years since the 1968 U.S. Commission on Civil Rights held hearings there on issues facing Mexican-Americans in the Southwest, more than 600 people gathered to hold up the mirror, discussing where progress has and has not been made.

Moderator David Hinojosa, national policy director for the Intercultural Development Research Association, asked his panel if education could ever be the great equalizer in an unequal Texas.

Yes, if the state overhauls its method of funding school districts so those with lower property tax revenue can make up for decades of damage from insufficient resources, replied St. Marys University law professor and longtime civil rights lawyer Albert Kauffman.

The devil is in the details, University of Texas at Austin law professor Norma Cantu said. A former U.S. assistant secretary of education for civil rights under President Bill Clinton, she said that reaching equality requires a common definition of what is equal.

As an example, she referenced the idea that charter schools equally offer choices to all parents. If parents cant afford transportation to the school or other fees that can come with the decision, then its not really a choice, she said.

Creating change and approaching equity in Texas education system will require engaging people at the community level, said Celina Moreno, regional counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. To bring about the sea change of political will needed to enact reform on that scale, its going to have to be parents, she said.

The panelists pointed to landmark legal victories and legislation as high points of the past five decades, including the state Supreme Courts decision in Edgewood ISD v. Kirby, which Cantu said opened up a new chapter in fighting for equitable school funding.

But Kauffman noted the increased difficulty of forcing change in the courts  most of the action will be in the communities, he said.

Moreno highlighted the Bilingual Education and Training Act, which requires districts to offer bilingual instruction if more than 20 students with limited English proficiency are enrolled.

At the 1968 hearings, witnesses testified about being subject to police brutality, being punished in school for speaking Spanish and lacking opportunities and resources to pursue higher education.

The names of witnesses at the hearings, including students and educators from San Antonio, were displayed in the lobby of OLLUs Main Building, alongside quotes from their testimony.

Students who went on to high school were discouraged from continuing their high school education by physical beatings, Dr. Fermin Calderon from Del Rio testified, while Lanier High School student Andrew Perez said that if you get caught speaking Spanish, you get five licks. Edgewood ISD student Martin Cantu said that a lot of times teachers came up and told you that they werent qualified to teach a subject, and that his courses didnt prepare him for college.

Arinda Rodriguez, a graduate student at UT Austin and former elementary school teacher, praised the passage of a state law in 1997 that guaranteed admission to public universities to the top 10 percent of Texas high schools graduating classes.

It has to be in place for us to even have one foot in the door, she said. The Legislatures decision in 2003 to deregulate tuition has done the opposite, Rodriguez said, with rising costs resulting in fewer options for students.

She said the states education system also needs to focus on students psychological, developmental and emotional needs, not just their performance on standardized tests.

LTeitz@express-news.net | @LizTeitz
DEL RIO  Gaunt in the face, supported by two canes and a knee brace and wearing a Navy Vietnam veterans cap, Wayne Miller has the look of a man who has been through a lot.

I have multimyeloma. Its in the bones, the bone marrow. Ive been coming here four years for treatment, Miller, 75, said in the lobby of the Rio Bravo Cancer and Blood Clinic, long the only full-time cancer facility in the area.

Miller receives chemotherapy twice a month, and the possibility of the clinic closing is more than he cares to ponder. Rio Bravo owner Dr. Susan Taylor, 73, might shutter the clinic early next year because Medicare reimbursements havent kept up with operating costs.

It would be disastrous for this town. A lot of people utilize this facility, and wed definitely lose a good doctor. She listens to you, Miller said. Im a disabled vet and I cant travel too long. If this place wasnt here, Id have to move to San Antonio.

The Rio Bravo, one of the last independent cancer clinics in Texas, occupies a drab brown metal building on a side street, next to Tinos Electric in this border city of about 36,000 residents.

It draws patients from Val Verde, Kinney, Maverick, Terrell and Uvalde counties, an expanse of almost 10,000 square miles. A few also come from Ciudad Acuna, Mexico.

Most patients are seniors and dependent on Medicare, said clinic administrator Diego Taylor, 42, Susan Taylors son.

But the clinic has been in the red for about 18 months because of a series of Medicare cuts for cancer drugs, he said.

Weve been taking a big hit, he said. All across the country, the smaller independent clinics are closing down, merging with larger clinics or being acquired by hospitals because they cant afford to buy the drugs.

If the Rio Bravo clinic closes, patients will have to drive 70 miles to Uvalde or 150 to San Antonio for treatment.

Since the latest federal reimbursement cuts began five years ago, about 135 cancer clinics around the country have closed and 190 have been acquired by hospitals, according to a recent study by the Community Oncology Alliance.

In the past decade, 423 clinics have closed nationwide, including 47 in Texas, second only to Florida, the alliance said.

A separate study concluded that the average clinic lost about $850,000 in income because of rising drug prices and Medicare cuts. The analysis was based on nearly 400,000 Medicare recipients treated for cancer in 33 states.

Conice Boenicke, 42, a physicians assistant at the Val Verde Rural Health Clinic, which doesnt provide chemotherapy, has known Taylor for two decades and refers patients to her.

That clinic is extremely important in a small town. Shes a huge asset and a wonderful lady, he said.

We have patients who go to MD Anderson in Houston, and shes willing to take care of them here, so they dont have to travel that distance. She does whatever she can, he said.

Treating hundreds of patients

Established by Taylor in 1999, Rio Bravo has a staff of eight and treats 250 to 300 new patients a year.

Ive been the only full-time oncologist and hematologist west of San Antonio. If the remuneration were better, I would not be the only one, but most doctors are not going to settle for peanuts, Taylor said.

Before 2008, when all the cuts started, we were OK. But since 2008, weve had to be very frugal, make sure we do not take on uninsured patients, or its all on us, she said.

But, as her son regularly reminds her, Taylor is tapping into her retirement to pay the bills, a situation that cannot long continue.

She hopes a collaboration with the local hospital or some relief from Medicare will emerge.

Its a helpless feeling, she said. We talk, we go to meetings, everyone commiserates with us, but there has not been any apparent solution.

Ted Okon, executive director of the 5,000-member Community Oncology Alliance, said the problems began in 2003 when the federal government changed payments for cancer care.

First of all, they drastically reduced the payments, and because Medicare is the 800-pound gorilla in the room, meaning they account for 50 to 60 percent of cancer care, the private insurers, who are the rest of the system, ultimately followed suit in the new payment system, he said.

The next blow, he said, came with the congressional budget sequester, triggering automatic cuts to Medicare, the military and other programs to reduce the deficit. Those reductions began in 2013 and have continued.

Clinics are at a further disadvantage because, unlike hospitals, they dont get a discount for cancer drugs, he said. That has created an incentive for hospitals to acquire struggling oncology clinics.

Back in 2003, basically 85 percent of the cancer care was delivered in independent, physician-owned community clinics, but now that number is down to about 55 percent, Okon said.

So there has been a huge shift of care into the hospital setting, which is much more expensive, whether the patient is on Medicare or private insurance, he added.

In May, the COA filed a federal lawsuit in Washington, D.C., seeking to stop the reimbursement cuts for cancer drugs.

But lawsuits against the federal government move slowly, and there is little chance this one will save the Rio Bravo clinic.

Saved by an early diagnosis

Edward Koslowska, 46, began coming to Taylor last year because of blood problems, including a low platelet count. The condition persisted despite treatments including iron pills and injections.

I was losing blood slowly. She insisted I have a colonoscopy. I finally said fine, but if it was up to me, I would have waited until I was 50, said Koslowska, who teaches math at Southwest Texas Junior College.

The results of the recent procedure were sobering: Doctors found a large intestinal lesion and recommend surgery.

I just got a diagnosis of colon cancer. Im going to see a specialist in San Antonio as soon as possible, Koslowska said. I love this place. I dont know what would have happened without her.

Taylor, who has practiced medicine for 35 years, did not anticipate such a sad ending to her lifes work. She is also baffled by the nations ongoing health care problems.

On a basic level, I dont understand why a country of plenty like ours feels compelled to not have an adequate health care system. If you dont have insurance, youre pretty much condemned to death. It doesnt have to be cancer, she said.

There is no safety net, no alternative other than going to the emergency room and throwing yourself on the mercy of whomever is there, she said.

jmaccormack@express-news.net
A spill of about 50 gallons of flammable liquid at a South Side refinery that entered the San Antonio River appears to have been quickly and almost entirely removed, officials said Friday.

The circa-1955 plant at 7811 S. Presa St., now owned and operated by Calumet Specialty Products Partners, has had a history of occasional fires and spills, but had not had a significant spill in nearly three years, San Antonio River Authority officials said.

Shortly before noon Thursday, Calumet reported that naphtha, a hydrocarbon mixture used in fuels and solvents, leaked from a valve into a tributary leading to the Mission Reach of the river, just north of Mission San Juan.

Amanda Nasto, environmental investigation specialist with SARA, said three temporary floating barriers known as containment booms were placed by Calumet to keep the spill from moving downstream. Absorbent pads were used to remove the contamination.

Id say we got 99 percent of it, Nasto said. Were not seeing anything, and were not smelling anything.

As a precaution, Calumet placed a fourth boom by a tunnel outlet leading into the river that will likely be removed late Saturday, in advance of possible rain, she said. There was no known impact to wildlife from the spill.

More than four years ago, a spill at the plant on March 4, 2014, of more than 8,000 gallons of jet fuel, including about 420 gallons that entered the river, resulted in the documented deaths of two ducks. A second spill, on April 11, 2014, involved 1,008 gallons, including 126 gallons that entered the river. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality later assessed a $29,780 fine against Calumet for not contacting the state agency until nearly 12 hours after the second spill.

Calumet, which purchased the plant in 2013, invested $80 million on upgrades at the plant in 2015.

RELATED: Long-term impacts of Deepwater Horizon oil spill the focus of UT Marine Science Institute research

A spokeswoman at Calumet headquarters in Indianapolis said the company and its contractors responded to the spill immediately, in coordination with SARA and the San Antonio Fire Department, and contacted TCEQ. Calumet is investigating the cause of the incident.

Nasto said Calumet has been an active participant in emergency response training, including mock spill exercises.

It really feel that because of the training, we were able to isolate it to a small portion of the river, Nasto said.

Scott Huddleston is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | shuddleston@express-news.net | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA
Voters in nearly every San Antonio neighborhood, ranging from the poorest to the wealthiest, roundly supported a proposal in last weeks election to cap the tenure and salary of future city managers, according to an analysis of voting data by the San Antonio Express-News.

Nearly 60 percent of the voters supported Proposition B, a measure pushed by the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association that was widely viewed as a rebuke of City Manager Sheryl Sculley and her base salary of $475,000.

The Express-News analyzed results in 525 city precincts released Friday by the Bexar County Elections Department, offering a detailed, neighborhood-level view of how each race was decided.

Proposition A: Voting on City Hall spending

For - Purple: Against - Orange: Tie - Beige

In all but a handful of neighborhoods, a majority of voters supported the proposition, which limits the tenure of future city managers to eight years and caps their salaries at 10 times the lowest-paid city employee. That would currently limit future city manager salaries to $312,000. The cap doesnt affect Sculleys pay.

Theres rarely an issue where all four sides of town unite, said Michelle Tremillo, executive director of the Texas Organizing Project, which mounted a get-out-the-vote effort in support of Democratic candidates and against Propositions A and B.

Proposition A would have lowered the petition threshold for referendums. It failed. A third proposition, granting the fire union binding arbitration rights when at an impasse in contract talks, passed.

There were pockets of resistance to Proposition B. Neighborhoods in and around downtown and clusters of North Side precincts opposed it.

Downtown voter Jeanette Honermann, who researched all three propositions and voted against them, said Sculleys salary stands out as a target in a city thats struggling with sharp divides between the rich and the poor. She wasnt surprised that Proposition B resonated with voters upset by Sculleys pay.

"It's an enormous amount of money for people to wrap their heads around as they're trying to figure out how to make rent," said Honermann, who served on the mayor's Housing Policy Task Force, which is tackling the lack of affordable housing in San Antonio. "Those are real differences. Those are not perceived."

Proposition B: City manager salary and tenure

For - Purple: Against - Orange: Tie - Beige

Firefighter union president Chris Steele said the sweeping results should be a wake-up call for the city.

"What we see here is a clear majority of the entire city dissatisfied with the city manager and looking for a way to rein her in, Steele said in a statement. Rather than pushing back and saying things like you get what you pay for the mayor and city manager should listen to the people.

City officials and a well-funded Go Vote No campaign opposed all three of the unions measures.

Proposition A was rejected by voters in most parts of San Antonio. Proposition C won by a far slimmer margin than Proposition B. More precincts, primarily on the North Side, opposed that proposition, but it wasnt enough to stop the measure.

A spokesman for Mayor Ron Nirenberg said the mayor wasnt available for an interview and referred a reporter to Christian Archer, who ran the Go Vote No campaign. Archer did not return messages Friday.

Sculley did not respond to requests for comment.

Outside Tobin Library on the citys Northwest Side, Elvira Oviedo had just cast her ballot on Nov. 6 and said she was deeply concerned with Sculleys salary.

I dont think she should be paid that kind of money, Oviedo said. Its an especially concerning issue for her because her husband is a police officer, and the police union spent years clashing with the city over a new labor contract.

Proposition C: Labor disputes with the fire union

For - Purple: Against - Orange: Tie - Beige

While both sides were at an impasse, Sculley got a raise, which upset Oviedo. Obviously she sees a need for more money.

The precinct results show areas where voters supported or opposed all three propositions, revealing strongholds for the union and the city.

The fire union enjoyed more widespread support, with a majority of voters in more than 160 precincts favoring all three measures.

On the far Northwest Side in Precinct 3149, a partially rectangular-shaped precinct at the corner of Interstate 10 and Loop 1604, more than 3,400 voters supported all three propositions while 1,030 voters opposed them. The difference between those two results  2,371  was more than any other precinct in San Antonio.

John Tedesco is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jtedesco@express-news.net | Twitter: @John_Tedesco
2 1 of 2 Department of Homeland Security Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Department of Homeland Security Show More Show Less



A top Gulf Cartel member wanted in connection to a May 2013 killing in Dallas was arrested by Mexican police in Monterrey, Mexico, according to a news release from the Department of Homeland Security.

Luis Lauro Ramirez-Bautista, who is also known as "la Mora" and "la China," attempted to flee a police checkpoint Wednesday morning before he was brought into custody, according to the news release.
NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico - With the sun setting behind buildings along the Mexican riverfront, an already chill wind was plummeting toward freezing as Laura Gonzalez, her two children and her sons pregnant teenage girlfriend settled in for the night on a bridge into Texas.

The haggard family had been traveling for much of the year  working months in southern Mexico to raise funds  after fleeing political violence that enveloped their native Nicaragua. Now, on the narrow span linking the two Laredos, U.S. immigration officers manning a mid-river checkpoint blocked the familys final 100-yard dash to their goal.

More than a dozen other asylum-seekers  men, women and young children from Cuba, Venezuela, El Salvador and several African countries  lined the bridge. Each told a version of the same tale: repression and ruin at home, refuge beyond the Rio Grande their only recourse.

We have to get in, Gonzalez, 40, said as she tucked thin clothing around her 10-month-old daughter, Jesiah. Our country has been ruined by the government.

Frustrated this year by a spike in undocumented immigration and several caravans of asylum-seeking Central Americans heading for the U.S. border, President Trump has doubled down on his vow to close the border to people like Gonzalezs family.

Trump has dispatched troops to the border to dissuade those crossing illegally. Hes also issued a presidential order  under challenge in the courts  requiring that, for the next three months, anyone seeking to apply for asylum must do so at international bridges or other official border posts.

Saying they are overwhelmed with petitioners and short of detention space, officials at those legal crossing points are restricting the numbers of asylum-seekers who can be processed daily. Thats caused delays of days, even weeks, for those trying to make asylum claims according to the rules.

The measures may be aimed at sending a tough message to the estimated 8,000 migrants in the caravans heading toward the border with California. But theyll perhaps have a greater impact along the Rio Grande, especially in South Texas, where illegal crossings and asylum applications have for years been heaviest.

Whats going to happen to us now? asked Dania Rodriguez, a clothing merchant from El Salvador who was waiting on the Laredo bridge with her daughter. She said they were fleeing threats from street gangs back home. This is all going to make it harder for everyone, even those of us with legitimate reasons to be here.

Despite talk of a broken border, illegal immigration has been plummeting since the turn of the century as border security increased and Mexicos economy and demographics have kept more people at home.

Border Patrol agents detained slightly fewer than 400,000 undocumented migrants on the southwestern border in the twelve months ending in September. They arrested more than 1.6 million such migrants 18 years ago.

But in recent years theres also been a steady surge of teenagers traveling alone and of parents - like Gonzales and Rodriguez - migrating with children in hopes of winning asylum by asserting that they live under threat of violence from gangs, spouses or their governments.

The Border Patrol detained 107,212 migrants traveling as families along the Mexico border in the twelve months ending Oct. 1, a seven-fold increase in such detentions compared with the 2013 fiscal year. An additional 50,000 minors traveling alone were detained at the Mexico border last year.

This October, more than 23,000 of those detained on the border with Mexico were members of families, a new monthly record. Nearly 5,000 other detainees were teenagers migrating alone.

Migrant families and unaccompanied minors are more inclined than job-seeking older men to apply for asylum. By law most cant be detained longer than 20 days, meaning they are given appointments to appear in immigration courts and released in the meantime.

Laura Gonzalez said she decided to leave the family home in the farm town of Chinandega last spring after pro-government thugs tried to press-gang her son, Bryan Robelo, 19, into helping them suppress protests against the countrys authoritarian leftist president.

The familys decision was finalized after her mother died from a stab wound sustained in a robbery. Now, Gonzalez hopes to be able to return to Miami, where she and her son had lived for years before returning to Nicaragua voluntarily to care for her mother.

To underscore the danger his mother says the family faces if returned home, Robelo, 19, pulled back his collar to show light scars on his neck. He said they were the result of wounds inflicted by the recruiters as a threat. Either you do what they say or they kill you, Robelo said.

If they can persuade initial interviewers they have a credible fear that their lives would be in danger if they had to go back home, Gonzalez and her family can win at least temporary U.S. residency as they plead their cases in immigration courts.

New policies target Central Americans

Three-quarters of asylum-seekers pass the first credible fear hurdle at the border, according to U.S. immigration officials. The process leading to a grant of asylum, or to an order for the removal of the petitioners, can take months, even years. Immigration courts and the agencies that deal with the migrants are overwhelmed, with pending cases ticking toward the 1 million mark.

The extremely low bar for establishing credible fear is ripe for fraud and abuse, Michael Bars, a spokesman for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said. The reality is that our asylum system is being exploited by those simply seeking economic opportunity, not those fleeing persecution.

Trying to discourage asylum-seekers, the Justice Department ruled last spring that most migrants claiming to be running from criminal gangs or domestic violence would no longer be considered for asylum. That was followed by this months order that only petitions received at international bridges or other official border posts would be considered.

Both rulings aim at the heart of the asylum claims of many Central American migrants, who are fleeing countries consumed by gang violence and poverty. Rather than trying to avoid capture, many migrants traveling as families have taken to searching for Border Patrol agents to whom they can surrender  so they can apply for asylum.

Funneling even more asylum-seekers to the bridges and other border posts  even if their claims are ruled frivolous in the end  could overwhelm an already crippled system, stoking rather than solving any border crisis, critics say.

A September report by the Department of Homeland Securitys inspector general said that turning back or delaying asylum-seekers at the bridges has the unintended consequence of forcing some of them to try to cross illegally. Under Trumps recent order, anyone caught crossing illegally could not apply for asylum.

Rather than hardening the border with troops or physical walls or overloading an already paralyzed system, the surge of migrants can best be met by streamlining their processing so invalid claims are rejected quickly, said Doris Meissner, an expert with the Migration Policy Institute in Washington, D.C.

Doing so, Meissner said, would not only benefit the individual but lessen the perverse incentive that causes some to file dubious claims in order to remain in the United States, often for years.

The Trump administrations efforts to address an asylum system that is certainly in trouble are shortsighted at best, said Meissner, who headed the U.S. immigration bureaucracy in the 1990s. The goal should be decisions within months, rather than years.

Looking for the dream

In the meantime, migrants hoping for asylum will continue trekking to the border.

We had been told that it was easier to cross here than elsewhere, said Yadira Hernandez, 20, who fled Honduras seven months ago with her boyfriend after gang members accused him of murdering one of their own in a drug deal gone awry.

The couple had been working in southern Mexico since the spring before deciding to make their try for the U.S. The boyfriend, Johnson Hernandez, 19, denies the gang members accusations against him. Hes pinning his asylum hopes on convincing U.S. officials that hell be killed if hes returned to Honduras.

For now, the couple is camped out with about 20 other asylum hopefuls  the majority of them Cubans  on the Mexican side of the international bridge connecting Matamoros with Brownsville.

Mexican immigration officials cooperating with their American counterparts prevent the migrants from rushing onto the bridge itself. Instead, they sign up for the chance to cross and turn themselves over to U.S. officials.

Under a two-decade policy that was ended by President Obama days before he left office, Cuban asylum-seekers who set foot on U.S. soil were given immediate residency and a path to citizenship. Brownsville became their favored port of entry. It remains so.

But now some Cubans say they have been waiting weeks for the chance to cross. In the meantime, they have been sleeping on cots and under blankets donated by residents on both sides of the border.

We all looking for the Yuma dream, said Daniel Diaz, 22, a student from Havana who arrived at the border earlier this month, using Cuban slang for the U.S. and its citizens.
AUSTIN  U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry left the Texas governors mansion four years ago. But he is still tapping his Texas campaign account to fly wife Anita Perry around the globe for nuclear talks and to speak at international energy meetings, records show.

In Paris last year, Anita Perry spoke at a women in energy event. She also appeared alongside her husband in South Africa on a panel about natural gas, social media accounts show.

Most recently, the campaign paid $17,000 to fly Anita Perry to and from London last March for Saudi nuclear meetings, finance reports show. Its not clear what role Anita Perry  a nurse  played at the closed-door talks, though campaign finance reports said she went for government related activities.

While spouses occasionally accompany cabinet members on foreign work trips, ethics experts said its unusual for them to participate in official functions.

Its just not an area where spouses have traditionally been involved, said University of Minnesota law professor Richard Painter, who served as chief White House ethics lawyer under former President George W. Bush. We dont have a first lady to the Treasury Secretary.

The Department of Energy said Anita Perry doesnt have a security clearance and hasnt participated in any meetings requiring one. All her travel is reviewed and cleared by a department ethics official, said agency spokeswoman Shaylyn Hynes.

Rick Perry is one of several Trump cabinet members who have come under fire for racking up expensive bills on chartered jets and first-class flights.

When Anita Perry has accompanied her husband on international trips, the Department of Energy says taxpayers arent paying the bill. State campaign finance records show that Texans for Rick Perry  the campaign account that bankrolled the Republicans runs for governor  has picked up the tab for at least $60,000 worth of her flight costs.

Mrs. Perry has traveled with Secretary Perry on occasion, adding valuable support to him as he advances DOEs mission abroad, Hynes said in a statement. As these filings confirm, no taxpayer dollars have been spent on Mrs. Perrys air travel and funding for it is authorized under state and federal laws and regulations. The Department of Energy follows federal travel regulations without exception.

A health, women and economic development advocate

Anita Perry graduated with a master's in nursing from UT Health Science Center in San Antonio and has called her career in health care a great source of pride.

During 2017, the campaign paid roughly $50,000 to cover her travel to Vienna, Cape Town, Rome and Paris for events including Africa Oil Week, a G7 meeting and an International Atomic Energy Agency conference, records show.

Anita Perry traveled to Rome in April 2017 for a G7 energy ministers meeting as part of the official U.S. delegation. There, she spoke at a side event called Africa 2030: Empowering the continent through innovation, green tech solutions and capacity building, according to Politico.

In Paris last year, Anita Perry delivered a speech at a Women in Clean Energy event, where she was listed on the program as the former first lady of Texas and a health, women and economic development advocate.

Anita Perry flew to Cape Town in October 2017 as part of the departments official delegation to Africa Oil Week, according to trade publication E&E News. Rick Perrys campaign account reimbursed the U.S. Department of Energy for the cost of her flights, campaign finance reports said.

The department didnt answer specific questions about each trip.

Some raised concerns about the use leftover campaign cash to cover Anita Perrys airfare, though Ed Shack, an attorney for Texans for Rick Perry, said the spending is allowed under state campaign finance rules.

Texas candidates who leave office with leftover campaign money can give it away to charity and political campaigns or use the money to cover officeholder expenses. In past opinions, the Texas Ethics Commission has said the money can cover those costs when a candidate moves to federal office. Spending on a spouse is OK, so long as its in connection with the officeholders duties, the commission has said.

Former members of Congress have used excess leadership PAC money to fund travel for spouses, said Melanie Sloan, with American Oversight in Washington D.C. But Craig McDonald of Texans for Public Justice said the campaign money wasnt given to be used as a personal travel fund for former state officials.

Texans for Rick Perry still had nearly $80,000 in the bank as of its last report in July. The next filing, due in January, covers spending in the second half of 2018.

Former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz took his wife on two foreign work trips, including one to Brazil which the couple paid for and another to a presidential inauguration in Paraguay which was covered by the government, according to Politico and E&E News.

amorris@express-news.net
Perhaps you are familiar with the French phrase plus ca change, plus cest la meme chose, which translates, of course, as the more things change, the more they stay the same. This thought can be comforting to those, which is almost everyone, who abhor change.

Most of us would agree that change is hard. As time and the world ebbs and flows, we try to latch on to some certainty, some permanence even though we know our time is limited. We continue, like Sisyphus, rolling the stone up the hill day after day because that is at least familiar, somewhat the same from day to day. For many, change, the unfamiliar, becomes the enemy.

Indeed, I have heard and read over the years that San Antonio has one of the largest groups of C.A.V.E. in the country. This acronym/abbreviation (it is both) stands for Citizens Against Virtually Everything, also referred to as Cavers. I have no experience nor have done any research comparing different cities to know for sure that our group is one of the largest, but some research of the history of San Antonio will show many instances of organized resistance to change, from opposing freeways, street closures, place or institution name changes to changes at the Alamo, to cite a few.

I decided to explore the idea of change further by using the technique of living history. That history would be me. (Note to Grammar Police: I know would be I is technically correct, but I choose not to use that.) When I was a teen, my family moved from France to Laredo. That was quite a change in and of itself.

In reply to bumper stickers touting Native Texan and such, instead of saying I got here as soon as I could, I prefer to say, Texan by choice, not chance. Obviously, I didnt have a choice about arriving, but I did choose to stay.

At that time it was against state law to speak Spanish in public schools. This law was not well enforced in Laredo, however. Also, one had to pay a poll tax to vote. I recall it was something like $2, which would be about $15 to $20 today. Liquor by the drink was unavailable, except for the wealthy at private clubs. Many counties were totally dry, which made for good bootlegging.

In the spring of my freshman year at Southwest Texas State ( changed later to Texas State), I was part of a student Senate that had meetings about the imminent desegregation of the college. This was many years after the Supreme Court ordered school desegregation. A small group of young African-American women were enrolled by a federal court order with, thankfully, no incidents.

If a college student became pregnant, she was required to leave school. Public school teachers were required to take leaves when their pregnancies became apparent.

On the geopolitical front, amid atomic bomb air-raid drills in schools, missile crises and the draft, the Berlin Wall went up. The Soviet Union seemed engraved forever in history. But both the wall and the union fell.

These are just a few vignettes of the times, but what do you think? Is it true that the more things change, the more they stay the same?

John Eubanks is author of the book Life Support of Another Sort, and a former teacher and actor who lives in Converse. He can be reached at joneu62@gmail.com
The Nov. 6 midterm elections have demonstrated not only the strong political divide in our country but also, strikingly, the lack of concern many citizens have for the moral and ethical character of our politicians and candidates.

President Donald Trump is a seriously behaviorally challenged person, both in his role as president and apparently in his personal life. Sen. Ted Cruz has been willing to trade his familys good name for his political ambitions. Several candidates won seats while being defendants in court cases involving serious issues.

What message are we sending to our children and adolescents about the importance of being honest, caring and selfless citizens?

Marianne and Gary Ross

Real tax reform

Re: Fiscal stress tests could help right debt-laden government, by John Merrifield and Barry Poulson, Another View, Nov. 9:

Clearly our government officials (of both parties) have abandoned the prudent spending patterns of earlier generations, passing forward heavier and heavier debt burdens for future citizens to bear.

The professors remedy is most compelling, but their focus on spending restraints is shortsighted in the absence of responsible tax reform that addresses the income disparity that has been exasperated by recent tax reductions to fund these government programs.

E. Scott Ray

Fiscal disaster near

Now that the election is over and both parties have taken their victory lap, what now?

We will run a massive deficit in 2019 of $1 trillion. Heath care is too expensive for most. Student loan debt is approaching $1.5 trillion. Consumers credit card debt is over $1 trillion. Both Social Security and Medicare funding will start running deficits around 2025, give or take a few years. State pension funds are and will be underfunded in the 2020s. On top of all this, 65 million boomers are heading for the retirement homes.

Democrats have proposed new debt for infrastructure, and the Republicans want further tax cuts. Really!

Forget about party affiliation and wake up to this fiscal disaster almost upon us.

James Young

Iran policy wrong

World War I ended a 100 years ago. The winning West then took charge of the Near Middle East.

The United States cruel policy toward Iran is part of that legacy. Grow up, United States, and treat Iran as a member of the world community.

A century of attempted and actual domination is long enough. I feel for the Iranian millions.

Eugene Gene Novogrodsky, Brownsville

Outdated words?

Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

The Statue of Liberty,

Ellis Island Foundation Inc.

What happened?

Christel Villarreal

Walls crumble

I will cut to the chase. Someone should remind POTUS that the Berlin Wall crumbled, and long before that the Walls of Jericho also came tumbling down.

Reminder: The cost of human life can never be rebuilt.

L.M. Williams

What 14th means

President Donald Trump can, and should, with a stroke of his pen, end the citizenship of anchor babies.

The 14th Amendment only settles the question of whether former slaves were citizens of the United States and the state in which they reside. The 14th didnt even consider Elizabeth Warrens ancestors as citizens. That occurred later, in 1924. Neither the U.S. Supreme Court nor Congress has ever conferred the right to citizenship on illegal aliens children.

The babies of diplomats who visit the United States and happen to be born here arent automatically conferred citizenship. Children born to those who are here illegally are not part of our great constitutional heritage.

Leo Q. Gomez

Whats owed Soros?

Now that Joe Gonzales will be our district attorney, is he going to do what is good for Bexar County, or is he going to do what George Soros asks him to do, given the thousands of dollars a PAC that he funds donated to Gonzales campaign?

John Menchaca

Opioid dilemma

Re: Guidelines seen as harming patients, Front Page, Nov. 5:

I appreciate the Express-News for publishing our side of the story about the need for opioids to cope with our illness or injuries. I didnt wake up one day and decide to be a drug addict. I was diagnosed with a late-in-life-type muscular dystrophy for which there is no cure, treatment or medications.

Knowing this, my excellent MDA neuromuscular neurologist at University of Texas Health Science Center prescribed a synthetic opiate to help cope with the awful, 24/7, crippling pain that those of us with muscular dystrophy live with.

Recently, my doctors, including at the VA, advised me theyd soon be required by law to reduce the amount theyd been prescribing for years.

I began adjusting to the upcoming change and taking less opioid medication. At the end of the day, when the effects of my pain medication begin to wear off, instead of taking another pill, I just sit in a quiet place and, home alone, endure and pray, knowing that the bureaucrats and politicians in Washington will never have to walk in my shoes of constant pain.

Samuel Telles
The national carriers from the former Yugoslavia are beginning to make plans for the upcoming 2019 summer season, which begins on March 31, with all four considering potential new routes.





Adria Airways previously said, "We are interested in a destination on the Iberian peninsula in the southwest of Europe, a point in Italy, and more further afield we are looking at Dubai". The airline will be adding more Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft to its fleet next year. Ljubljana Airport's General Manager, Zmago Skobir, noted that the Slovenian carrier will likely introduce flights to Stockholm next summer as well. He added, "Rome, Madrid and Barcelona also have great potential. We are also looking at alternatives for the Middle and Far East through Dubai, but we have very strong competition for these markets in Zagreb, Belgrade, Venice and Vienna".





Air Serbia is expected to launch operations between Belgrade and Brac in mid-May 2019, which would make the island its fifth destination in Croatia. Brac Airport's General Manager, Tonci Peovic, said the airline is expected to introduce two or three weekly seasonal flights from the Serbian capital with an ATR72 aircraft. Air Serbia is also in talks over the opening of several routes from Nis Airport, according to the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic, while the airline has also held talks over potential services to Mostar. The Canadian Ambassador to Serbia, Kati Csaba, said last week that it is still possible for the carrier to commence flights to Toronto next summer, but noted that a 2020 launch is more likely.





Croatia Airlines will maintain its new seasonal flights, launched earlier this year, in 2019 as well. They include services from Zagreb to Dublin, Split to Copenhagen and Dubrovnik to Munich. Croatia Airlines' Director for Network and Revenue Management, Kresimir Mlinar, recently noted, "We analyse some twenty potential new routes twice per year and only then make our decision. During the summer, demand is extremely high. If we had seventy Airbus aircraft, we would be able to fill them during the peak months, however, during the winter, demand is significantly lower and that is unlikely to change". Mr Mlinar added that the airline would continue to lease additional capacity during peak summer months rather than buy new aircraft. The Ukrainian Ministry for Infrastructure has noted that several airlines have expressed interest in establishing flights between Zagreb and Kiev. Croatia Airlines considered introducing services to Ukraine in 2009, however, ultimately decided against the move. Based on traffic flow, unserved European destinations which have been identified by Zagreb Airport as having the potential to sustain direct flights include Kiev, Basel, Geneva, Riga and Sofia.





Montenegro Airlines is looking to further strengthen its scheduled charter operations, which have proven successful for the carrier this summer. In 2019, the airline plans to run a series of flights to five destinations in France and one in Belgoium, in addition to its regular services to Paris and Lyon. The company will deploy its aircraft to La Rochelle, Rennes, Deauville, Nantes, Brive-la-Gaillarde, as well as Liege in Belgium. Furthermore, Montenegro Airlines will extend its seasonal services between Podgorica and Lyon by resuming operations at the very start of the summer season. Meanwhile, Pardubice Airport in central Czech Republic has proposed for the Montenegrin carrier to introduce summer flights from Tivat to the city which lies some 100 kilometres east of Prague. Montenegro Airlines is also considering introducing services to Perugia following talks between the carrier, Podgorica Airport and its counterpart in the central Italian city. Umberto Salimero, the head of Perugia Airport, said, "I have held talks with tour operators who highlighted to me that there is strong interest in Montenegro. It is an appealing tourist destinations for Italians, as well as for religious tourism. It is my desire for Montenegro Airlines aircraft to serve Perugia and we are prepared to lend our support in promoting flights between Podgorica and Perugia".


Indian tour operators are seeing increasing potential for the launch of flights between the subcontinent and the former Yugoslavia, amid an increase in local interest for travel to the region. "The Balkan states of Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro constitute another belt that is emerging besides Hungary, Poland and Austria. A lot of Bollywood films have been shot in locations such as Serbia", Romil Pant, the Senior Vice President of Thomas Cook India said. He added, Certain destinations there are getting very competitive. Serbia is visa free and one can do a five to seven day Serbia trip for under Rs 1 lakh (1.200 euros). These are travellers who have visited Western and Southern Europe and now want to experience the beauty of Eastern European destinations that are rich in culture, architecture and cuisine. With improved air connectivity, this region will see an increase in traffic in the coming years. A spokeswoman from MakeMyTrip noted, "The Croatian coastline is also catching the imagination of a lot of travellers and we foresee a lot of growth in outbound travel for this region". Indian tour operators are seeing increasing potential for the launch of flights between the subcontinent and the former Yugoslavia, amid an increase in local interest for travel to the region. "The Balkan states of Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro constitute another belt that is emerging besides Hungary, Poland and Austria. A lot of Bollywood films have been shot in locations such as Serbia", Romil Pant, the Senior Vice President of Thomas Cook India said. He added, Certain destinations there are getting very competitive. Serbia is visa free and one can do a five to seven day Serbia trip for under Rs 1 lakh (1.200 euros). These are travellers who have visited Western and Southern Europe and now want to experience the beauty of Eastern European destinations that are rich in culture, architecture and cuisine. With improved air connectivity, this region will see an increase in traffic in the coming years. A spokeswoman from MakeMyTrip noted, "The Croatian coastline is also catching the imagination of a lot of travellers and we foresee a lot of growth in outbound travel for this region".





India's largest and busiest carrier, IndiGo, has become the first airline to express interest in the region. "We have been involved in fruitful discussions with the Serbian government and the local tourism board through an intermediary concerning potential operations to Serbia. We plan to continue these talks and explore opportunities to serve the market sometime in the future", the company said. IndiGo's parent company, InterGlobe Enterprises, has expressed interest in linking the two countries to cater for Indian tourists visiting the entire region. IndiGo, one of the few Indian carriers with enough cash to aggressively expand, has been mapping out a way to build a long haul, low cost business, taking passengers from places like New Delhi to London, with a stop in Southeastern Europe. "Serbia is aggressively looking at tapping the Indian outbound market. Abolishing visas for Indians travelling to Serbia has proved quite helpful and is becoming a unique selling point for Serbia as a destination. The next few years are very important in terms of marketing and promoting Serbia effectively in India. We are looking to end 2018 with nearly 10.000 Indian arrivals. From India, Serbia is targeting young professionals and backpackers who like to explore countries and are open to new experiences", the Serbian Ambassador to India, Vladimir Maric, said. The two countries recently signed an Open Sky Air Service Agreement, while the National Tourism Organisation of Serbia has announced it will have its own representative in India from 2019.







Other carriers have also taken note of the growing potential between India and the former Yugoslavia. Emirates' service between Dubai and Zagreb has generated strong interest on the Indian travel market, in line with targets set out by both the airline and the Croatian Ministry for Tourism to produce more passengers from the Indian subcontinent to Croatia. Emirates' Vice President for India and Nepal, Essa Ahmed, said, "Interest among Indians for our service to Zagreb has been very strong. Tourism motivated by TV or movies has really exploded in India in recent years. Filming locations in Dubrovnik featured in popular TV series like "Game of Thrones", has seen a huge jump in tourist interest over the last two years. These shows are inspiring the new breed of travellers to capture the striking landscapes that they view on shows on a daily basis and become a part of the fantasy tale that they love". Croatia has identified India as a high-potential long-distance market. Other carriers have also taken note of the growing potential between India and the former Yugoslavia. Emirates' service between Dubai and Zagreb has generated strong interest on the Indian travel market, in line with targets set out by both the airline and the Croatian Ministry for Tourism to produce more passengers from the Indian subcontinent to Croatia. Emirates' Vice President for India and Nepal, Essa Ahmed, said, "Interest among Indians for our service to Zagreb has been very strong. Tourism motivated by TV or movies has really exploded in India in recent years. Filming locations in Dubrovnik featured in popular TV series like "Game of Thrones", has seen a huge jump in tourist interest over the last two years. These shows are inspiring the new breed of travellers to capture the striking landscapes that they view on shows on a daily basis and become a part of the fantasy tale that they love". Croatia has identified India as a high-potential long-distance market.





Air India recently expanded its codeshare partnerships with fellow Star Alliance members Croatia Airlines and Adria Airways. The Croatian carrier has its "OU" designator code and flight numbers on Air India's services from Mumbai to London and from Delhi to Frankfurt, London, Vienna, Rome and Paris. In return, the Indian national carrier has placed its code and flight numbers onto Croatia Airlines' services from Split, Dubrovnik and Zagreb to Frankfurt, London, Vienna, Rome and Paris. "As part of the agreement, Croatia Airlines, as a regional airline, has obtained an opportunity of strengthening its position on the large and fast-growing Indian market", the carrier said. On the other hand, Air India and Adria have a free flow codeshare agreement in place, meaning neither carrier is restricted to the number of seats it offers and sells on the others flights. Adria currently has its code and flight numbers on Air Indias services between New Delhi and Frankfurt, while the Indian carrier has its flight numbers and codes on Adrias services between Frankfurt and Ljubljana.
GREENWICH  Is a seventh campaign in the future for Peter Tesei? The answer had seemed a solid yes, but the first selectman this week said a recent declaration of his interest was not meant to be an official announcement.

Im going to make a more formal and definitive decision probably after the first of the year, Tesei said this week. Theres a lot that goes into it in terms of evaluating family considerations, looking at whats required to run a very aggressive campaign, which is of course money, and personally looking at where I am in my life. Ill be 50 years old next year. I love what I do, but what I do is coupled with politics and politics has become increasingly more negative and, frankly, not the same political environment from when I initially got involved.

Tesei, a Republican, is in the middle of his record sixth two-year term as first selectman, continuing a career in local government that began for him as a teenage member of the Representative Town Meeting. He later served as chair of the Board of Estimate and Taxation. But nearly 12 years in Greenwichs top elected office, plus a changing political environment, which has not only seen Greenwich Democrats gain ground but, to Teseis eyes, become harsher and more divisive, is giving him at least some pause.

At his annual State of the Town address last month, Tesei said his intention was to run for a new term.

In response to an audience members question about his plans following his speech, he said: I like what I do and I enjoy it very much, otherwise I would not be here today. If youre asking me today, I would like to continue to do what I do but the election is about a year away. My answer today, if youre asking me, is yes.

He qualified those remarks this week, saying it was how he felt on that date and that no formal decision has yet been made, adding he wants to make sure his family and his core supporters are on board and prepared.

When asked directly if he will run, Tesei would only say, stay tuned.

Teseis initial remarks regarding a new term came before the most recent election, in which Greenwich Democrats won two seats in the state General Assembly. The last time they won even one was 88 years ago. That followed the 2017 elections, in which Democrats won control of Greenwichs Board of Estimate and Taxation for the first time in recorded town history, and Tesei saw his margin of victory significantly shrink. Tesei had been elected by landslides in his first five terms, including 2015 when he won with 75 percent of the vote. In 2017, Tesei defeated Democrat Sandy Litvack, but his vote total was down to 54 percent.

Tesei said this months election results have not caused him to reconsider, and insisted his stance on running again is the same as it was when he initially discussed his plans. But he did not deny the recent election could be a factor in whatever decision he ultimately makes.

Certainly you have to look at some of those results, Tesei said.

GOP

Republican Town Committee Chair Richard DiPreta said this week he didnt take Teseis remarks last month as any kind of official announcement. He also said while there are Republicans in town who have not been happy with specific decisions Tesei has made in office, there also are Republicans who are very happy with the first selectmans performance.

The party has not even discussed the 2019 ticket, he said, having until now been focused on the 2018 elections.

I think there is a lot of support for Peter Tesei, but until he makes any decision official, its premature for me or for any member of the RTC to comment until we know who is running, DiPreta said. The presumption is Peter will run again but he has a lot to consider on many levels. Its a big decision.

If Tesei doesnt run, it would throw the door open to other members of the party for the first time in a long time.

State Rep. Fred Camillo, R-151, whose re-election victory this month was a bright spot for Greenwich Republicans, has long been mentioned as a possible successor to Tesei.

Camillo this week confirmed his interest in the job, but said he will not challenge Tesei if he runs again, saying the two are great friends and he supports him.

I love my job and I love what I do, Camillo said. Its a great honor to serve and I dont want to ever take it for granted. But this is something that a lot of people have talked to me about, especially recently.

Michael Mason, a former chair of the BET and current Republican leader on the finance board, is another person discussed in political circles as a potential Republican first selectman candidate.

I have always had an interest in that position, Mason said this week. Peter Tesei has been very successful and very electable and I have thought that one day if Peter decides to move onto something else, I would consider running for it, just like I think other people would do the same.

When asked if he would challenge Tesei from within the Republican Party, Mason said, I dont see that happening at the moment and stressed his insistence that he does not want to see a divided Republican Party, or town.

But if the position were to open up by Tesei not running again, Mason said he would seriously consider it.

Dems

On the Democratic side, Litvack said he is undecided about his own political future, and whether he might challenge Tesei again or run for another term as a selectman, a job he at first did not want.

I would hope to make a decision after the first of the year, Litvack said.

Democratic Town Committee Chair Tony Turner said Democrats are invigorated by the results of the last two elections and work is already beginning internally on the 2019 elections. That includes hearing from potential candidates for first selectman.

The line is starting to form, Turner said. People are making serious inquiries and these are highly qualified candidates that will be going in with their eyes wide open.

It wont just be Tesei Democrats have their eye on in 2019, he said.

The Democrats are looking at every elected position in town government, Turner said.

Tesei

Tesei, who briefly was a candidate for lieutenant governor this year on a ticket with Republican New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart, before she ended her gubernatorial run and ran for lieutenant governor instead, said he remains committed to the job of first selectman.

But if he does run for a seventh term, Tesei said he will have to approach the campaign differently than he has in the past.

Greenwich Republicans still hold an advantage over Democrats in registered voter numbers, but the gap between the two parties is much narrower than it once was, and the largest bloc in town is now unaffiliated voters.

I have to do much more outreach and go door to door and get out earlier, Tesei said. I definitely need to engage more. I like doing it, but finding the time is a challenge. I have two kids in their formative years and a professional wife who works. For me Im at a little bit of a disadvantage in having the time to do that. Thats something I have to take into consideration.

Beyond Greenwichs demographics, Tesei also said the Republican brand is struggling along the coasts to overcome perceptions of President Donald Trump. Locally, the presidents behavior has been a campaign issue in 2017 and 2018, and Tesei said he would expect the same in 2019.

Hes his own person and that may or may not work for him, but thats not everybody, Tesei said. But people are not making that distinction, at least a lot of people. Theyre saying, youre Republican then you must be bad.

To distinguish himself from someone like Trump, who may well be his polar opposite in terms of personality, Tesei said he would tell someone to look at his own record  both in office and the decades of community service that preceded his being elected in 2007, and talk to the people who have worked with him. Tesei pointed to committees he has created, including the Diversity Advisory Committee and the Disability Advisory Committee, as examples of how he has championed inclusion as a core value of the town.

A takeaway from the 2017 and 2018 elections, he said, is the need to employ professionals to focus on social media and other newer ways of communicating with voters.

Its a matter of how committed people are to making that happen, Tesei said, meaning the RTC. The candidate can only do so much.

He said the party has been having necessary conversations toward that end. DiPreta said the RTC is looking at what it needs to do to have better outreach, particularly on social media, improve fundraising and, most importantly, register more Republicans in Greenwich and get them out to vote.

When you lose you obviously need to do things better, DiPreta said. Winning cures all.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
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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Limited, Franklin Templeton Private Equity LLC, Franklin Templeton Services (India) Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Services LLC, Franklin Templeton Servicios de Asesoria Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Franklin Templeton Slovakia s.r.o., Franklin Templeton Social Infrastructure GP S.a r.l., Franklin Templeton Strategic Investments Ltd., Franklin Templeton Switzerland Ltd., Franklin Templeton Trustee Services Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Turkey Advisory Services A.S., Franklin Templeton Uruguay S.A., Franklin Venture Partners (Talos Cayman GP) LLC, Franklin Venture Partners LLC, Franklin/Templeton Distributors Inc., ITI Capital Markets Limited, K2 Advisors, LM (BVI) Limited, LM Holdings 2 Limited, LM Holdings Limited, LM International Holding LP, Legg Mason & Co (UK) Limited, Legg Mason & Co. LLC, Legg Mason (Chile) Inversiones Holdings Limitada, Legg Mason Asset Management Australia Limited, Legg Mason Asset Management Hong Kong Limited, Legg Mason Asset Management Singapore Pte. Limited, Legg Mason Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Legg Mason Holding (Switzerland) GmbH, Legg Mason Inc., Legg Mason Investment Funds Limited, Legg Mason Investments (Europe) Limited, Legg Mason Investments (Switzerland) GmbH, Legg Mason Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor LLC, Legg Mason Royce Holdings LLC, Onsa Inc., RARE IP Trust, RARE Infrastructure Limited, REDROSE Caesar S.a r.l., Random Forest Capital, Random Forest Capital LLC, Rensburg Sheppards plc, Riva Financial Systems Limited, Royce & Associates GP LLC, Royce & Associates LP, Royce Fund Services LLC, Royce Management Company LLC, TSEMF III (Jersey) Limited, TSEMF IV (Jersey) Limited, Templeton Asset Management (Labuan) Limited, Templeton Asset Management (Poland) TFI S.A., Templeton Asset Management Ltd., Templeton Global Advisors Limited, Templeton Global Holdings Ltd., Templeton International Inc., Templeton Investment Counsel LLC, Templeton Restructured Investments III Ltd., Templeton Restructured Investments IV Ltd., Templeton Restructured Investments L.L.C., Templeton Turkey Fund GP Ltd., Templeton Worldwide Inc., Templeton do Brasil Ltda., Templeton/Franklin Investment Services Inc., WHITEROSE Caesar S.a r.l., Western Asset Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, Western Asset Management (Brazil) Holdings Limitada, Western Asset Management (Cayman) Holdings Limited, Western Asset Management Company Distribuidora de Titulos e Valores Mobiliarios Limitada, Western Asset Management Company LLC, Western Asset Management Company Limited, Western Asset Management Company Pte Ltd., Western Asset Management Company Pty Ltd, and Winfield & Company.
The following companies are subsidiares of Daimler: AEG Olympia Office GmbH, Achtzehnte Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft DVB mbH, Anota Fahrzeug Service- und Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, Athlon Beheer International B.V., Athlon Beheer Nederland B.V, Athlon Car Lease Belgium N.V, Athlon Car Lease International B.V., Athlon Car Lease Italy S.R.L., Athlon Car Lease Nederland B.V., Athlon Car Lease Polska Sp. z o.o., Athlon Car Lease Portugal lda, Athlon Car Lease Rental Services B.V, Athlon Car Lease Rental Services Belgium N.V., Athlon Car Lease S.A.S., Athlon Car Lease Spain S.A., Athlon Dealerlease B.V., Athlon France S.A.S., Athlon Germany GmbH, Athlon Mobility Consultancy B.V., Athlon Mobility Consultancy N.V., Athlon Rental Germany GmbH, Athlon Sweden AB, Athlon Switzerland AG, AutoGravity Corporation, Banco Mercedes-Benz do Brasil S.A, Beat Chile SpA, Beat Ride App Colombia Ltda., Beat Ride App S.A., Belerofonte Empreendimentos Imobiliarios Ltda., Brooklands Estates Management Limited, CARS Technik & Logistik GmbH, CINTEO, CLIDET NO 1048 (Proprietary) Limited, Campo Largo Comercio de Veiculos e Pecas Ltda., Circulo Cerrado S.A. de Ahorro para Fines Determinados, Clever Taxi, Clever Tech S.R.L., Clever Tech Sud S.R.L., Conemaugh Hydroelectric Projects Inc., Cuspide GmbH, DA Investments Co. LLC, DAF Investments Ltd., DAIMLER FINANCIAL SERVICES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, DAIMLER SERVICIOS CORPORATIVOS MEXICO S. DE R.L. DE C.V., DAIMLER TRUCK AND BUS HOLDING AUSTRALIA PACIFIC PTY LTD, DTB Tech & Data Hub Unipessoal Lda, Daimler AG & Co. Anlagenverwaltung OHG, Daimler Australia/Pacific Pty. Ltd., Daimler Automotive de Venezuela C.A., Daimler Brand & IP Management GmbH & Co. KG, Daimler Brand & IP Management Verwaltung GmbH, Daimler Buses North America Inc., Daimler Canada Finance Inc., Daimler Canada Investments Company, Daimler Capital Services LLC, Daimler Ceska republika Holding s.r.o., Daimler Colombia S. A., Daimler Commercial Vehicles (Thailand) Ltd., Daimler Commercial Vehicles Africa Ltd., Daimler Commercial Vehicles MENA FZE, Daimler Commercial Vehicles South East Asia Pte. Ltd., Daimler Compra y Manufactura Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Daimler Export and Trade Finance GmbH, Daimler Finance North America LLC, Daimler Financial Services AG, Daimler Financial Services Africa & Asia Pacific Ltd., Daimler Financial Services India Private Limited, Daimler Financial Services Investment Company LLC, Daimler Financial Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Daimler Financial Services S.A. de C.V. S.O.F.O.M. E.N.R., Daimler Financial Services UK Trustees Ltd., Daimler Fleet Management GmbH, Daimler Fleet Management Singapore Pte. Ltd., Daimler Fleet Management South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Daimler Fleet Management UK Limited, Daimler Fleet Services A.S., Daimler FleetBoard GmbH, Daimler Gastronomie GmbH, Daimler Greater China Ltd., Daimler Group Services Berlin GmbH, Daimler Group Services Madrid S.A.U., Daimler Grund Services GmbH, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Private Limited, Daimler Innovation Technology (China) Co. Ltd., Daimler Insurance Agency LLC, Daimler Insurance Services GmbH, Daimler Insurance Services Japan Co. Ltd., Daimler Insurance Services UK Limited, Daimler International Assignment Services USA LLC, Daimler International Finance B.V., Daimler International Nederland B.V., Daimler Investments US Corporation, Daimler Ladungstrager GmbH, Daimler Manufactura S. de R.L. de C.V., Daimler Mexico S.A. de C.V., Daimler Mitarbeiter Wohnfinanz GmbH, Daimler Mobility Services GmbH, Daimler Motors Investments LLC, Daimler Nederland B.V., Daimler Nederland Holding B.V., Daimler North America Corporation, Daimler North America Finance Corporation, Daimler Northeast Asia Parts Trading and Services Co. Ltd., Daimler Parts Brand GmbH, Daimler Parts Logistics Australia Pty. Ltd., Daimler Pensionsfonds AG, Daimler Protics GmbH, Daimler Purchasing Coordination Corp., Daimler Re Brokers GmbH, Daimler Re Insurance S.A. Luxembourg, Daimler Real Estate GmbH, Daimler Retail Receivables LLC, Daimler South East Asia Pte. Ltd., Daimler TSS GmbH, Daimler Truck AG, Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific Pty. Ltd., Daimler Trucks & Buses US Holding Inc., Daimler Trucks Asia Taiwan Ltd., Daimler Trucks Canada Ltd., Daimler Trucks Korea Ltd., Daimler Trucks North America LLC, Daimler Trucks Remarketing Corporation, Daimler Trucks Retail Trust 2018-1, Daimler Trucks and Buses (China) Ltd., Daimler Trucks and Buses Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd, Daimler Trust Holdings LLC, Daimler Trust Leasing Conduit LLC, Daimler Trust Leasing LLC, Daimler UK Limited, Daimler UK Share Trustee Ltd., Daimler UK Trustees Limited, Daimler Unterstutzungskasse GmbH, Daimler Vans Hong Kong Limited, Daimler Vans USA LLC, Daimler Vehiculos Comerciales Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Daimler Verwaltungsgesellschaft fur Grundbesitz mbH, Daimler Vorsorge und Versicherungsdienst GmbH, Daiprodco Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Detroit Diesel Corporation, Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing LLC, Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Detroit Diesel-Allison de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Deutsche ACCUmotive, Deutsche Accumotive GmbH & Co. KG, Deutsche Accumotive Verwaltungs-GmbH, Dreizehnte Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft DVB mbH, EHG Elektroholding GmbH, EvoBus (Schweiz) AG, EvoBus (U.K.) Ltd., EvoBus Austria GmbH, EvoBus Belgium N.V., EvoBus Ceska republika s.r.o., EvoBus Danmark A/S, EvoBus France S.A.S.U., EvoBus GmbH, EvoBus Iberica S.A.U., EvoBus Italia S.p.A., EvoBus Nederland B.V., EvoBus Polska Sp. z o.o., EvoBus Portugal S.A., EvoBus Reunion S. A., EvoBus Russland OOO, EvoBus Sverige AB, FLINC GmbH, Familonet GmbH, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, Friesland Lease B.V., Funfte Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft Zeus mbH, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 2 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 3 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 4 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 5 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 6 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 7 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 1 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Beta OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Delta OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Epsilon OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Gamma 2 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Gamma 3 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Gamma 4 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Gamma 1 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft EvoBus GmbH & Co. OHG, Hailo Network IP Limited, Hailo Network Iberia S.L., Intelligent Apps GmbH, Interleasing Luxembourg S.A., Invema Assessoria Empresarial Eireli, Koppieview Property (Pty) Ltd, LAB1886 GmbH, LBBW AM  Daimler Re Insurance, LBBW AM  MBVEXW, LEONIE CORP DVB GmbH, LEONIE DMS DVB GmbH, LEONIE FS DVB GmbH, LEONIE FSM DVB GmbH, LEONIE PV DVB GmbH, LEONIE TB DVB GmbH, Lab1886 USA LLC, Lapland Car Test Aktiebolag, Legend Investments Ltd., Li-Tec Battery, Li-Tec Battery GmbH, MB GTC GmbH Mercedes-Benz Gebrauchtteile Center, MBarc Credit Canada Inc., MBition GmbH, MDC Power GmbH, MDC Technology GmbH, MERCEDES-BENZ TRUCKS POLSKA SPOKA Z OGRANICZONA ODPOWIEDZIALNOSCIA, MFTA Canada Inc., MITSUBISHI FUSO TRUCK EUROPE  Sociedade Europeia de Automoveis S.A., MYTAXI ITALIA S.R.L., MYTAXI POLSKA SPOLKA Z OGRANICZONA ODPOWIEDZIALNOSCIA, Mascot Truck Parts Canada Ltd (2017), Mascot Truck Parts USA LLC, Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains Ltd, Mercedes pay AG, Mercedes pay S.A., Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd., Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) Limited, Mercedes-Benz (Yangzhou) Parts Distribution Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz AG, Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Adm. Consorcios Ltda., Mercedes-Benz Antwerpen N.V., Mercedes-Benz Argentina S.A., Mercedes-Benz Asia GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Assuradeuren B.V., Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific Pty Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Auto Finance Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2016-2, Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2016-B, Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2017-A, Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2018-A, Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2018-B, Mercedes-Benz Auto Receivables Trust 2015-1, Mercedes-Benz Auto Receivables Trust 2016-1, Mercedes-Benz Auto Retail Trust 2018-1, Mercedes-Benz Bank AG, Mercedes-Benz Bank GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Bank Polska S.A., Mercedes-Benz Bank Rus OOO, Mercedes-Benz Bank Service Center GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Banking Service GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Belgium Luxembourg S.A., Mercedes-Benz Bordeaux S.A.S., Mercedes-Benz Broker Biztositasi Alkusz Hungary Kft., Mercedes-Benz Brooklands Limited, Mercedes-Benz CPH A/S, Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc., Mercedes-Benz Capital Rus OOO, Mercedes-Benz CarMesh GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans Brasil  Industria e Comercio De Veiculos Ltda., Mercedes-Benz Cars Ceska republika s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East FZE, Mercedes-Benz Cars Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Cars UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz CharterWay S.A.S., Mercedes-Benz CharterWay S.r.l., Mercedes-Benz Compania Financiera Argentina S.A., Mercedes-Benz Connectivity Services GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Consulting GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Corretora de Seguros Ltda, Mercedes-Benz Credit Penzugyi Szolgaltato Hungary Zrt., Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center Maastricht N.V., Mercedes-Benz Danmark A/S, Mercedes-Benz Dealer Bedrijven B.V., Mercedes-Benz Drogenbos N.V., Mercedes-Benz Egypt S.A.E., Mercedes-Benz Energy Americas LLC, Mercedes-Benz Energy GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Espana S.A.U., Mercedes-Benz Europa NV/SA, Mercedes-Benz ExTra LLC, Mercedes-Benz Finance Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Australia Pty. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Austria GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services BeLux NV, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada Corporation, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Ceska republika s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Espana E.F.C. S.A., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services France S.A., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Hong Kong Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Italia SpA, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Korea Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services New Zealand Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Portugal  Sociedade Financeira de Credito S.A., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Rus OOO, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Schweiz AG, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Slovakia s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Taiwan Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC, Mercedes-Benz Finans Danmark A/S, Mercedes-Benz Finans Sverige AB, Mercedes-Benz Finansal Kiralama Turk A.S., Mercedes-Benz Finansman Turk A.S., Mercedes-Benz Formula E Limited, Mercedes-Benz France S.A.S., Mercedes-Benz Fuel Cell GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Forsaljnings AB, Mercedes-Benz G GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Group Services Phils. Inc., Mercedes-Benz Hellas S.A., Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Limited, Mercedes-Benz Hungaria Kft., Mercedes-Benz IDC Europe S.A.S., Mercedes-Benz India Private Limited, Mercedes-Benz Insurance Broker S.R.L., Mercedes-Benz Insurance Services Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Insurance Services Taiwan Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Investment Company LLC, Mercedes-Benz Italia S.p.A., Mercedes-Benz Japan Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Korea Limited, Mercedes-Benz Leasing (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Leasing GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Leasing Hrvatska d.o.o., Mercedes-Benz Leasing IFN S.A., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Kft., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Polska Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Taiwan Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Treuhand GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Leasing do Brasil Arrendamento Mercantil S.A., Mercedes-Benz Ludwigsfelde GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Mercedes-Benz Manhattan Inc., Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing (Thailand) Limited, Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Hungary Kft., Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Poland Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Rus Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Master Owner Trust, Mercedes-Benz Mechelen N.V., Mercedes-Benz Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Mercedes-Benz Minibus GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Mitarbeiter-Fahrzeuge Leasing GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Museum GmbH, Mercedes-Benz New Zealand Ltd, Mercedes-Benz PRAHA s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Paris SAS, Mercedes-Benz Parts Logistics Eastern Europe s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Parts Logistics Iberica S.L.U., Mercedes-Benz Parts Logistics UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Parts Manufacturing & Services Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Polska Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz Portugal S.A., Mercedes-Benz Project Consult GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Renting S.A., Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America Inc., Mercedes-Benz Research & Development Tel Aviv Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India Private Limited, Mercedes-Benz Retail Belgium NV/SA, Mercedes-Benz Retail Group UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Retail S.A., Mercedes-Benz Retail Unipessoal Lda., Mercedes-Benz Risk Solutions South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Roma S.p.A., Mercedes-Benz Romania S.R.L., Mercedes-Benz Russia AO, Mercedes-Benz Schweiz AG, Mercedes-Benz Service Leasing S.R.L., Mercedes-Benz Services Correduria de Seguros S.A., Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Mercedes-Benz Sigorta Aracilik Hizmetleri A.S., Mercedes-Benz Slovakia s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Solihull Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Sosnowiec Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz South Africa Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Srbija i Crna Gora d.o.o.u likvidaciji, Mercedes-Benz Subscription Services USA LLC, Mercedes-Benz Sverige AB, Mercedes-Benz Taiwan Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Trucks Belgium Luxembourg NV/SA, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Center Sint-Pieters-Leeuw NV/SA, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Ceska republika s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Trucks Espana S.L.U., Mercedes-Benz Trucks France S.A.S.U, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Italia S.r.l., Mercedes-Benz Trucks MENA Holding GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Molsheim, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Trucks Schweiz AG, Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Turk A.S., Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., Mercedes-Benz USA LLC, Mercedes-Benz Ubezpieczenia Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz V.I. Lyon SAS, Mercedes-Benz V.I. Paris Ile de France SAS, Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia Pacific Pty. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Vans Ceska republika s.r.o, Mercedes-Benz Vans Espana S.L.U., Mercedes-Benz Vans LLC, Mercedes-Benz Vans Mobility GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Vans Mobility S.L., Mercedes-Benz Vans Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Vans UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Vehiculos Comerciales Argentina SAU, Mercedes-Benz Venezuela S.A., Mercedes-Benz Versicherung AG, Mercedes-Benz Vertrieb NFZ GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Vertrieb PKW GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Vietnam Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Warszawa Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz Waterloo S.A., Mercedes-Benz Wavre S.A., Mercedes-Benz Wemmel N.V., Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Receivables LLC, Mercedes-Benz do Brasil Assessoria Comercial Ltda., Mercedes-Benz do Brasil Ltda., Mercedes-Benz Osterreich GmbH, Mercedes-Benz  Aluguer de Veiculos Unipessoal Lda., Mercedes-Benz.io GmbH, Mercedes-Benz.io Portugal Unipessoal Lda., MercedesService Card Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Mitsubishi Fuso Bus Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America Inc., Monarch Cars (Tamworth) Ltd., Montajes y Estampaciones Metalicas S.L., Multifleet G.I.E, NAG Nationale Automobil-Gesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft, P.T. Mercedes-Benz Indonesia, PABCO Co. Ltd., PT Daimler Commercial Vehicles Indonesia, PT Mercedes-Benz Distribution Indonesia, Porcher & Meffert Grundstucksgesellschaft mbH & Co. Stuttgart OHG, R.T.C. Management Company Limited, Renting del Pacifico S.A.C., RepairSmith Inc., Reva SAS, Ring Garage AG Chur, SILVER ARROW CHINA 2017-2 RETAIL AUTO LOAN ASSET BACKED NOTES TRUST c/o CITIC TRUST CO. LTD., SILVER ARROW CHINA 2018-1 RETAIL AUTO LOAN ASSET BACKED NOTES TRUST c/o FOTIC: China Foreign Economy and Trade Trust Co. LTD., SILVER ARROW CHINA 2018-2 RETAIL AUTO LOAN ASSET BACKED NOTES TRUST c/o FOTIC: China Foreign Economy and Trade Trust Co. LTD., STARKOM d.o.o., Sandown Motor Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Sechste Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft Zeus mbH, SelecTrucks Comercio de Veiculos Ltda, SelecTrucks of America LLC, SelecTrucks of Toronto Inc., Setra of North America Inc., Silver Arrow Australia Trust 2017-1, Silver Arrow Canada GP Inc., Silver Arrow Canada LP, Silver Arrow Lease Facility Trust, Silver Arrow S.A., Special Lease Systems (SLS) B.V, SportChassis LLC, Star Assembly SRL, Star Egypt For Import LLC, Star Transmission srl, Starexport Trading S.A., Sterling Truck Corporation, Sumperska sprava majetku k.s., T.O.C (Schweiz) AG, Taxibeat, Taxibeat Ltd. UK, Taxibeat Peru S.A., Taxibeat Teknoloji Hizmetleri A.S., Thomas Built Buses Inc., Thomas Built Buses of Canada Limited, Transcovo SAS, Transopco France SAS, Transopco GmbH, Transopco Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Transopco UK Ltd., Trona Cogeneration Corporation, Ucafleet S.A.S, Vierzehnte Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft DVB mbH, Western Star Trucks Sales Inc, Zuidlease B.V., Zweite Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft Zeus mbH, car2go, car2go Belgium SPRL, car2go Canada Ltd., car2go China Co. Ltd., car2go Danmark A/S, car2go Deutschland GmbH, car2go Europe GmbH, car2go Group GmbH, car2go Iberia S.L.U., car2go Italia S.R.L., car2go N.A. Holding Inc, car2go N.A. LLC, car2go Nederland B.V, car2go Sverige AB, car2go Osterreich GmbH, moovel Group GmbH, moovel North America Inc., moovel North America LLC, myTaxi Iberia SL, myTaxi UG, myTaxi UK Ltd., myTaxi USA Inc., mytaxi Austria GmbH, mytaxi Network Ireland Ltd., mytaxi Network Ltd., mytaxi Portugal Unipessoal LDA, mytaxi Sweden AB, ogotrac S.A.S., smart France S.A.S., smart Vertriebs gmbh, and trapoFit GmbH.
Tahoe Resources Inc., together with its subsidiaries, acquires, explores for, develops, and operates mineral properties in the Americas. It explores for silver, gold, lead, zinc, and copper deposits, as well as precious metals assets. The company holds interest in the La Arena gold mine located in the Huamachuco district of northern Peru; Shahuindo mine located in the province of Cajabamba in northern Peru; and La Arena II, a copper-gold porphyry deposit located in Peru. It also holds interest in the Timmins mines, including the Bell Creek and Timmins West mines, the Fenn-Gib project, the Juby project, the Vogel project, and the Gold River project located in Timmins, Ontario. The company was formerly known as CKM Resources Inc. and changed its name to Tahoe Resources Inc. in January 2010. Tahoe Resources Inc. was incorporated in 2009 and is headquartered in Reno, Nevada.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Exxon Mobil: AKG Marketing Company Limited, Aera Energy LLC, Al-Jubail Petrochemical Company, Ampolex (Cepu) Pte Ltd, Ancon Insurance Company Inc., Barnett Gathering LLC, Barzan Gas Company Limited, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Celtic Exploration Ltd., Coral FLNG S.A., Cross Timbers Energy LLC, Ellora Energy Inc., Esmeroon Oil Transporta Imperial Oil Limited, Esso (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, Esso Deutschland GmbH, Esso Erdgas Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Limited, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 17) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Overseas) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Chad Inc., Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Esso Exploration and Production UK Limited, Esso Global Investments Ltd., Esso Italiana S.r.l., Esso Nederland B.V., Esso Norge AS, Esso Petroleum Company Limited, Esso Raffinage, Esso Societe Anonyme Francaise, Exxo Holdings Inc., Exxon Azerbaijan Limited, Exxon Chemical Arabia Inc., Exxon International Finance Company, Exxon Luxembourg Holdings LLC, Exxon Mobile Bay Limited Partnership, Exxon Neftegas Limited, Exxon Overseas Corporation, Exxon Overseas Investment Corporation, ExxonMobil (China) Investment Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil (Taicang) Petroleum Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil Abu Dhabi Offshore Petroleum Company Limited, ExxonMobil Alaska Production Inc., ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd, ExxonMobil B Resources Company, ExxonMobil Capital Finance Company, ExxonMobil Capital Netherlands B.V., ExxonMobil Central Europe Holding GmbH, ExxonMobil Cepu Limited, ExxonMobil Chemical France, ExxonMobil Chemical Gulf Coast Investments LLC, ExxonMobil Chemical Holland B.V., ExxonMobil Chemical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil China Petroleum & Petrochemical Company Limited, ExxonMobil Development Africa B.V., ExxonMobil Development Company, ExxonMobil Egypt (S.A.E.), ExxonMobil Exploracao Brasil Ltda., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Norway AS, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Limited, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Tanzania Limited, ExxonMobil Finance Company Limited, ExxonMobil Financial Investment Company Limited, ExxonMobil France Holding SAS, ExxonMobil Gas Marketing Europe Limited, ExxonMobil General Finance Company, ExxonMobil Global Services Company, ExxonMobil Golden Pass Surety LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Company Holland LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Norway AS, ExxonMobil Hong Kong Limited, ExxonMobil International Services SARL, ExxonMobil Iraq Limited, ExxonMobil Italiana Gas S.r.l., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Inc., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Ventures Inc., ExxonMobil LNG Services B.V., ExxonMobil Lubricants Trading Company, ExxonMobil Oil Corporation, ExxonMobil PNG Limited, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical BVBA, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical Holdings Inc., ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH, ExxonMobil Production Norway Inc., ExxonMobil Qatargas (II) Limited, ExxonMobil Qatargas Inc., ExxonMobil Ras Laffan (III) Limited, ExxonMobil Rasgas Inc., ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, ExxonMobil Russia Kara Sea Holdings B.V., ExxonMobil Sales and Supply LLC, ExxonMobil Technology Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Funding Ltd., Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Co. Ltd., Golden Pass LNG Terminal Investments LLC, Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures LLC, Imperial Oil Limited, Imperial Oil Resources Limited, Imperial Oil Resources N.W.T. Limited, Imperial Oil/Petroliere Imperiale, Infineum Italia s.r.I., Infineum Singapore Pte. Ltd., InterOil Corporation, Jurong Aromatics Corporation Pte Ltd, MPM Lubricants, Marine Well Containment Company LLC, Mobil Australia Resources Company Pty Limited, Mobil California Exploration & Producing Asset Company, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company, Mobil Chemical Products International Inc., Mobil Corporation, Mobil Equatorial Guinea Inc., Mobil Erdgas Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Mobil Exploration & Producing Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil International Petroleum Corporation, Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil Oil Exploration & Producing Southeast Inc., Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Mobil Producing Texas & New Mexico Inc., Mobil SerLimited, Mobil Venezolana De Petroleos Inc., Mobil Yanbu Petrochemical Company Inc., Mobil Yanbu Refining Company Inc., Mountain Gathering LLC, Mozambique Rovuma Venture S.p.A., Palmetto Transoceanic LLC, Papua New Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas Global Company LDC, Permian Express Partners LLC, Phillips Exploration LLC, Qatar Liquefied Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (II), SPI Limited, Saudi Aramco Mobil Refinery Company Ltd., Saudi Yanbu Petrochemical Co., SeaRiver Maritime Inc., South Hook LNG Terminal Company Limited, Tengizchevroil LLP, Terminale GNL Adriatico S.r.l, Trend Gathering & Treating LLC, Wolverine Pipe Line Company, XH LLC, XTO Delaware Basin LLC, XTO ENERGY, XTO Energy Canada, and XTO Holdings LLC.
The following companies are subsidiares of Sealed Air: A.P.S. (Holdings) Limited, AFP Trading (China) Co. Ltd., AFPTOH LTD, APS Automated Packaging Systems GmbH & Co. KG, APS Verwaltungs-GmbH, Air Ride Pallets Hong Kong Limited, Austin Foam Plastics Inc. (dba AFP Inc.), Automated Packaging Systems, Automated Packaging Systems Asia Holding Company Limited, Automated Packaging Systems Comerciale Importacao do Brasil Ltda., Automated Packaging Systems Europe, Automated Packaging Systems LLC, Automated Packaging Systems Limited, Automated Packaging Systems Southeast Asia Co. Ltd., B+ Equipment, B+ Equipment SAS, Beacon Holdings LLC, Biosphere Industries, BluPack (New Zealand), Blue Dot Packaging Pty Ltd., Cactus (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Cryovac (Malaysia) SDN. BHD, Cryovac Brasil Ltda., Cryovac Holdings II LLC, Cryovac International Holdings Inc., Cryovac LLC*, Cryovac Leasing Corporation, Cryovac Londrina Ltda., Cryovac Packaging Portugal  Embalagens Ltda., Cryovac-Sealed Air de Costa Rica S.R.L., DELTAPLAM Embalagens Industria e Comercio, Diversey, Diversey J Trustee Limited, Diversey Trustee Limited, Entapack Pty. Ltd., Fagerdala (Chengdu) Packaging Co. Ltd, Fagerdala (Shanghai) Foams Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Shanghai) Polymer Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Suzhou) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Thailand) Limited, Fagerdala (Xiamen) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala Leamchabung Limited, Fagerdala Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Fagerdala Mexico S.A. de C.V., Fagerdala Mexico Supply Chain S.A. de C.V., Fagerdala Packaging Inc. (Indiana), Fagerdala Singapore Pte Ltd, Fagerdala Singapore Pte. Ltd., Getpacking.com GmbH, Invertol S. de R.L. de C.V., JSC Sealed Air Kaustik, KRIS Automated Packaging Systems Holding Company, Kevothermal LLC, Kevothermal Limited, Nelipak Holdings, Pack-Tiger GmbH, Polyrol Limited, Polyrol Packaging Systems LLC, ProAseptic Technologies S.L., Producembal- Producao de Embalagens LTDA, Reflectix Inc., SLD Air Packaging Paketleme Malzemeleri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Saddle Brook Insurance Company, Sealed Air (Asia) Holdings BV, Sealed Air (Barbados) S.R.L., Sealed Air (Canada) Co./CIE, Sealed Air (Canada) Holdings B.V., Sealed Air (China) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air (China) Limited, Sealed Air (Israel) Ltd., Sealed Air (Korea) Limited, Sealed Air (Latin America) Holdings II LLC, Sealed Air (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sealed Air (New Zealand), Sealed Air (Philippines) Inc., Sealed Air (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Sealed Air (Ukraine) Limited, Sealed Air Africa (Pty.) Limited, Sealed Air Americas Manufacturing S. de R.L. de C.V., Sealed Air Argentina S.A., Sealed Air Australia (Holdings) Pty. Limited, Sealed Air Australia Pty. Limited, Sealed Air Australia Real Estate Pty Ltd, Sealed Air B.V., Sealed Air Belgium N.V., Sealed Air Central America S.A., Sealed Air Chile SpA, Sealed Air Colombia Ltda., Sealed Air Corporation (US), Sealed Air Cyprus Ltd., Sealed Air Denmark A/S, Sealed Air Finance B.V., Sealed Air Finance II LLC, Sealed Air Finance Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Funding LLC, Sealed Air General Trading LLC, Sealed Air GmbH (Germany), Sealed Air GmbH (Switzerland), Sealed Air Hellas SA, Sealed Air Holding France SAS, Sealed Air Holdings (New Zealand) Pty. Ltd., Sealed Air Holdings South Africa Proprietary Limited, Sealed Air Holdings UK I Limited, Sealed Air Holdings UK Limited, Sealed Air Hong Kong Limited, Sealed Air Hungary Ltd., Sealed Air Investment and Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Japan G.K., Sealed Air LLC, Sealed Air Limited (Ireland), Sealed Air Limited (UK), Sealed Air Luxembourg (I) S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Luxembourg (II) S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Management Holding Verwaltungs GmbH, Sealed Air Multiflex GmbH, Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) I B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) II B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands Holdings V B.V., Sealed Air Norge AS, Sealed Air OY, Sealed Air Packaging (India) Private Limited, Sealed Air Packaging (Shanghai) Co. Limited, Sealed Air Packaging (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Packaging LLC, Sealed Air Packaging Materials (India) LLP, Sealed Air Packaging S.L.U., Sealed Air Peru S.A.C., Sealed Air Polska Sp. Zoo, Sealed Air Pty Limited, Sealed Air S.A S., Sealed Air S.r.l., Sealed Air South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Sealed Air Svenska AB, Sealed Air Taiwan Limited, Sealed Air UK Limited Partnership, Sealed Air US Holdings (Thailand) LLC, Sealed Air Uruguay S.A., Sealed Air Verpackungen GmbH, Sealed Air de Mexico Operations S. de RL. de C.V., Sealed Air de Venezuela S.A., Sealed Air s.r.o., Shanklin Corp, Shanklin Corporation, TTS-Ciptec, TXAFP Asia Pacific Ltd., TXAFP GP LLC, and Trigon Industries.
Xcel Energy, Inc. operates as a holding company, which engages in the generation, purchase, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity. It operates through the following three segments: Regulated Electric Utility, Regulated Natural Gas Utility and All Others. The Regulated Electric Utility segment generates, transmits and distributes electricity primarily in portions of generates, transmits and distributes electricity in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Texas and New Mexico. In addition, this segment includes sales for resale and provides wholesale transmission service to various entities in the United States. It also includes commodity trading operations. The Regulated Natural Gas Utility segment transports, stores, and distributes natural gas primarily in portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Michigan and Colorado. The All Others segment engages in steam, appliance repair services, nonutility real estate activities, processing solid waste into refuse-derived fuel and investments in rental housing projects that qualify for low-income housing tax credits. The company was founded in 1909 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN.

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Randgold Resources Limited is engaged in gold mining, exploration and related activities. The Company's activities are focused on West and Central Africa. The Company operates through the gold mining segment. The Company operates various mines, such as Morila, Loulo, Gounkoto, Tongon and Kibali. The Company is exploring in African countries, such as Mali, Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Company also holds an interest in the Massawa project. The Company holds Morila Limited, which holds interests in the Morila mine in Mali. As of December 31, 2016, Morila mine has produced 122,370 ounces (oz) of gold. The Company holds a controlling interest in the Loulo mine, located in Mali, through Societe des Mines de Loulo SA (Loulo). The Loulo mine is mining from over two underground mines. As of December 31, 2016, Loulo mine has produced 350,604 oz of gold. It has a controlling interest in the Gounkoto mine through Societe des Mines de Gounkoto SA.

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The Hershey Co. engages in the manufacture and market of chocolate and sugar confectionery products. The firm operates through the following geographical segments: North America; and International and Other. The North America segment is responsible for the traditional chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery market position of the company, as well as its grocery and snacks market positions, in the United States and Canada. The International and Other segment is the combination of all other operating segments which are not individually material, including those geographic regions where the company operates outside of North America. Its brands include Hershey's, Reese's, and Kisses. The company was founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1894 and is headquartered in Hershey, PA.

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by Blaine Blontz | Buccaneers Correspondent | Fri, Nov 16th 4:24pm EST

Ronald Jones has been ruled out for the team's Week 11 contest against the Giants.

Fantasy Impact:

Jones was able to return to practice this weekend and there was thought that he'd be back in action against New York. Instead, he'll remain sidelined and the Buccaneers will continue to go with a combination of Peyton Barber and Jacquizz Rodgers at RB.
Incoming freshmen and enrolled ATI students are encouraged to apply for the Catalpadale Bristol Dairy Scholarship through The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

The scholarship was established in 2016 by Lois H. and John W. Douglass. It was put in place to help two Ohio ATI students who want to make a difference in production agriculture and work on a dairy farm after graduation.

Award candidates must be Ohio high school graduates focusing on a degree in dairy or dairy production and management.

Apply

Current and incoming ATI students can apply for scholarships through The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at https://students.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/forms/scholarship.

Priority consideration will be given to students who submit the scholarship application by February 15. Applications submitted after this date are considered if funding is available.
The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike.

We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve.
critic's rating: 3.0/5

Trailer : Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is the second installment in the Harry Potter prequel, in what was originally said to be a three part series. The present film picks up right after the first Fantastic Beasts film. We see the dark wizard Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) sitting in jail after infiltrating the American magical congress. A daring aerial escape attempt, easily the best five minutes of the film, takes place soon after. But thats just one of the plots of the film. Another plot involves both Grindelwald and Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) trying to trace the whereabouts of Credence (Ezra Miller), whom we first saw in the earlier installment as a frightened orphan, confused about his identity -- and here he continues his quest to know who he really is. The big reveal, when it comes later in the film is sure to turn everything topsy turvy for Potter fans. Then, we have Yusuf Kama (William Nadylam), whose sole purpose in life is to kill Credence. There is also Jacob Kowalski's (Dan Fogler) quest of finding the love of his life Queenie (Alison Sudol). Another plotline is about Grindelwalds vey Nazi like crusade of having the world ruled by pureblood sorcerers and how he divides the wizarding world through his mission statement. Thanks to too many interweaving lines, the plot is confusing, disjointed, and convoluted to the extreme, introducing new characters and twists which will have the dedicated Potter fans burning the midnight oil figuring out who is actually who.Johnny Depps Grindelwald is said to be a former lover of Jude Laws Dumbledore. Hes also a very Aryan, very Nazi character with a desire to take over the world. So JK Rowling has perhaps given us a gay Nazi supremacist who doesnt shy away from murdering children for the sake of his cause. Thankfully, Depp doesnt go all over the top, despite being handed a character with enough tropes for him to do so. He strangely manages to do whats required of him with a straight face. Thats so anti-Depp, especially when you compare it to his recent performances. Jude Law, who was campy in the last film, plays it straight this time around for some reason. Eddie Redmayne, the central character, doesnt have much to do, as he had already captured all the fantastic beasts in the first film. He's a very reticent leading man, some say he's the epitome of new masculinity. But this is a film and not a political statement and the basic idea of a leading man is that he should, well, lead. The problem is that the director can't decide who between Credence and Newt is the Harry Potter figure in the movie. Both show largely similar traits and this indecision has gone against the film. You can't have two characters showing untapped potential and yet being overwhelmed by what's happening around them.The first film had a clear cut path for the protagonist -- he has to deal with fantastical creatures and mostly wins them over through genuine love for them. Here, while he does deal with wondrous beasts, chief among them being a Chinese a lion-dragon, the way forward isn't certain. It's as if the film is a big premise for some thundering climax that we will see in the next film. But it's all so haphazardly done that the viewer tends to lose interest in what's happening on screen...
Madhu Chopra Reveals The Reason For Choosing Jodhpur For PeeCee-Nick's Wedding

She told the paparazzi, "Mera bahut pasandida shehar hai. Saari duniya chhodkar hum yahaan aaye hain (This is one of my favourite cities. We have chosen this city over the whole world)."

Mommy Chopra Refuses To Slip Out Details

When asked to comment on Priyanka-Nick's wedding preparations, she added, "Ab shaadi dekh lena... abhi se kya bataaun... jab ho jaaye, tab baat karenge (See the wedding. What do I say about it already? We will talk about it when it happens)."

The Wedding Will Be A Private Affair

Buzz is that Priyanka and Nick are likely to get married soon at the grand Umaid Bhawan Palace, the details of which is being kept under wraps.

No Bollywood Celeb Invited For Priyanka-Nick's Wedding?

A source close to the family stated that it will be a close-knit family affair and a separate celebration for her film fraternity friends will take place later.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 16, 2018) - Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc. (CSE: LDS) (OTCQX: LDSYF) (FSE: LD6) (WKN: A14XHT) ("LDS" or the "Company") announces that effective as of November 16, 2018, James Pakulis resigned as the Company's President and a director, positions he held since November 2015.

The resignation of Mr. Pakulis did not result from any disagreements relating to the Company's operations, policies or practices. The Company expresses its appreciation to Mr. Pakulis for his past services and wishes him success in his future endeavours.

The vacancies created by Mr. Pakulis's resignation have not been filled and the Company is currently reviewing possible candidates.

About Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc.

Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc. is a technology company that licenses its technology to a state-of-the-art production and packaging facility located in Southern California. The Company's technology produces infused strips (similar to breath strips) that are not only a safer, healthier option to any other form of delivery but also allows for inclusion of a wide spectrum of ingredients from over the counter medications to homeopathic, nutraceutical, vitamins and supplements. The technology provides a new way to accurately meter the dosage and assure the purity of selected product. From start to finish, the production process, based on the Company's technology, tests for quality and composition of all the ingredients used in each and every strip which results in a delivery system that is safe, consistent and effective.

On behalf of the board of directors of Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc.

Brad Eckenweiler

CEO & Director

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

investor.relations@lifestyledeliverysystem.com

1-866-347-5058

Cautionary Disclaimer Statement:

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's limited operating history and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. In addition, marijuana remains a Schedule I drug under the United States Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Although Congress has prohibited the US Justice Department from spending federal funds to interfere with the implementation of state medical marijuana laws, this prohibition must be renewed each year to remain in effect. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.
(Reuters) - Britain's Johnston Press , the publisher of The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post and 'I', said on Friday that the Board has concluded that none of the offers the Company has received deliver sufficient value and has ended the Formal Sale Process. The embattled publisher said the best remaining option is for the Company and its principal subsidiaries to be placed into administration.

(Reuters) - Britain's Johnston Press , the publisher of The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post and "I", said on Friday that the Board has concluded that none of the offers the Company has received deliver sufficient value and has ended the Formal Sale Process.

The embattled publisher said the best remaining option is for the Company and its principal subsidiaries to be placed into administration.

It is envisaged that, subject to administration orders being made, the Group's businesses and assets will then be sold to a newly-incorporated group of companies controlled by the holders of the Bonds, Johnston Press said.

The company also added that the defined benefit pension scheme will not transfer and the Pension Protection Fund will be notified and the PPF, with the assistance of the Trustees of the Scheme, will then assess whether the scheme needs to enter the PPF.

Earlier today the Telegraph reported that Johnston Press is preparing to end its debt crisis this weekend by entering administration and immediately handing control to its lenders.

The company is due to apply for court approval to appoint administrators and execute a pre-packaged sale to a new holding company controlled by the New York hedge fund GoldenTree Asset Management, the Telegraph said.

The restructuring specialists AlixPartners would handle the administration, which is scheduled over the weekend to minimise disruption to Johnston Press, the newspaper added.

The owner of the Daily Mail newspaper had drawn up a plan to make an offer for the "I" title from Johnston Press after the struggling regional publisher put itself up for sale, Sky News reported last week.

The company said in August it was trying to grapple with tough market conditions affecting the performance of its newspapers and websites, pension obligations and the weight of its debt.

(Reporting by Rishika Chatterjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Peter Graff)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Suresh Prabhu said that the policy which was initially drafted by industry stakeholders was currently awaiting for clearance from the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.

From e-commerce policy to free trade agreements to governments decision on Air India, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry and Civil Aviation spoke on a slew of issues at the Moneycontrol Wealth Creator Awards 2018, in Mumbai on Friday.

Regarding the much-awaited e-commerce policy, Prabhu said the government would release it in the near future. A draft policy was released late August. However, few concerns were raised regarding the draft e-commerce policy following which Prabhu had directed officials to conduct another round of consultation with stakeholders to address them.

Prabhu said that the policy which was initially drafted by industry stakeholders was currently awaiting for clearance from the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. The policy will be favourable for the domestic e-commerce companies, he said.

"We have prepared a draft for e-commerce policy. We want to promote domestic e-commerce as much as possible. E-commerce should be for the benefit of both companies and consumers," he said.

On free trade agreements

Two independent agencies would be appointed for preparing a template to negotiate free trade agreements (FTAs) in future. Prabhu said that the country would now have a completely new approach towards negotiating these agreements.

"We are appointing two independent agencies, who will talk to all the stakeholders...it is a first major change. This will be a new template which will emerge for all future negotiations and we are working on it," he said.

The announcement assumes significance as concerns have been raised by industry, exporters and trade experts on FTAs being implemented by India.

They say that these pacts have significantly benefited India's trading partners but not Indian industry. Several sectors, including steel, have demanded that they be removed from the purview of such agreements as these lead to dumping and significant jump in import.

Under an FTA, two trading partners significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on majority of the goods traded between them. Besides, both countries liberalise norms to promote services trade and attract investments.

Ease of doing business rankings

India jumped 30 places to rank 100th in the World Bank's 'ease of doing business' ranking, sending the jubilant government to vow to continue reforms that will help the country break into top 50 in coming years. Prabhu attributed India's frog leap in the World Banks Ease of Doing Business Rankings by 53 positions to 77 to the leadership at the centre. He said the overall mission of the government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is public good. Placing his trust in the central leadership, the Union minister said he is confident that India will come in the first 50 ranks in the next fiscal.

Make in India initiative

Talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Make in India initiative, the former Railways minister said that the aspiration of the initiative was that the country's "share of industry should be 25 percent."

"We have prepared a strategy to make sure it becomes 20 percent by the time India becomes a $5 trillion economy," he added.

Decision to privatise Air India ill-timed

The attempt to privatise the loss-making Air India was ill-timed, said Prabhu adding that the airline cannot make a profit unless the issues around its high financial cost are dealt with.

Notably, the government failed to get a suitor for the flag carrier early this year after working on the plan for nearly a year.

"Basically the timing (of Air India privatisation) was wrong. That is the time when the global airline industry was also not doing well," he said. He also said the airline cannot make a profit unless "we deal with this financial cost problem."

The minister, however, said for the first time government "sincerely and genuinely" tried to offer Air India ownership to private players.

"First time we made serious efforts to sell it in a transparent manner. There was a lot of discussion with a lot of stakeholders but the stake sale did not go through. We can sell only if we have a buyer," he said.

Stating that there are 'legacy' issues around the carrier which government is trying to resolve, he said Air India is burdened with debt, which is clearly unsustainable.

Air India has been making losses since its merger with Indian Airlines in 2007. According to its audited accounts, its accumulative losses stood at Rs 47,145.62 crore as of fiscal 2017, owing to high-interest burden, and increasing competition among others.

--With PTI inputs
BELFAST (Reuters) - Northern Irish business groups lined up to back Prime Minister Theresa May's draft Brexit agreement on Friday and put pressure on her allies from the British province to drop their staunch opposition to the plan. May has faced widespread disapproval of the withdrawal deal unveiled this week both from within her Conservative party and from the 10 MPs from Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) who prop up her minority government. May hopes the support that began to emerge from UK business on Friday will help her sell the deal

BELFAST (Reuters) - Northern Irish business groups lined up to back Prime Minister Theresa May's draft Brexit agreement on Friday and put pressure on her allies from the British province to drop their staunch opposition to the plan.

May has faced widespread disapproval of the withdrawal deal unveiled this week both from within her Conservative party and from the 10 MPs from Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) who prop up her minority government.

May hopes the support that began to emerge from UK business on Friday will help her sell the deal. In Northern Ireland, four major business groups welcomed the "much needed clarity" brought by the agreement that could offer Northern Irish firms closer alignment with the EU.

"While by no means perfect, it provides a platform to move onto the critical next stage of a comprehensive future trade deal," said a joint statement from the Confederation of British Industry Northern Ireland, Federation of Small Businesses, Institute of Directors and Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce.

"We have been clear that a no-deal Brexit would be deeply damaging and would represent a very bad outcome for businesses, consumers and the economy as a whole."

Their support follows endorsements from the province's Food and Drink Association, main manufacturing body and crucially, Ulster Farmers Union, a group traditionally close to unionists which called on the DUP to vote in favour of it.

In response to their support on Thursday, senior DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson, whose job it is to ensure the party votes as one, said they were entitled to their opinion but that he did not think the groups had read the text in full.

The so-called Northern Ireland backstop, which aims to keep the border between the British province and EU member Ireland open, would all but leave Northern Ireland inside the EU's single market if an eventual British/EU trade deal cannot maintain the currently frictionless frontier.

The DUP has threatened to pull its support from the minority government if the backstop means the province is treated differently from mainland Britain, fearing it would amount to an "annexation" by the EU and boost calls for a united Ireland.

(Writing by Padraic Halpin in Dublin; Editing by Peter Graff)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran and Iraq could raise their annual bilateral trade to $20 billion from the current $12 billion, President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday, despite concerns over the impact of renewed U.S. sanctions. Rouhani's remarks, after a meeting with visiting Iraqi President Barham Salih, came two weeks after the United States restored sanctions targeting Irans oil industry as well as its banking and transportation sectors

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran and Iraq could raise their annual bilateral trade to $20 billion from the current $12 billion, President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday, despite concerns over the impact of renewed U.S. sanctions.

Rouhani's remarks, after a meeting with visiting Iraqi President Barham Salih, came two weeks after the United States restored sanctions targeting Irans oil industry as well as its banking and transportation sectors.

"... through bilateral efforts, we can raise this figure (for bilateral trade) to $20 billion in the near future," Rouhani said in comments broadcast live on state television.

"We held talks on trade in electricity, gas, petroleum products and activities ... in the field of oil exploration and extraction," Rouhani said.

Baghdad is seeking U.S. approval to allow it to import Iranian gas for its power stations. Iraqi officials say they need more time to find an alternative source than a 45-day waiver granted to it by the United States.

"It will be important to create free trade zones at our shared border and to connect the two countries' railways," Salih said.

"We will not forget your support for the Iraqi people in the fight against (Iraqi dictator) Saddam (Hussein). Neither do we forget Iran's stand in the recent fight against terrorism," added Salih, an Iraqi Kurd.

"UNITY"

Salih later met Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who called for maintaining unity among ethnic and religious groups in Iraq and resisting foreign interference.

"The only way to counter plots (by Iraq's enemies) is by strengthening the unity of all Iraqi groups, including Kurds, Arabs, Shi'ite and Sunnis," Ayatollah Khamenei said, according to his website.

"Some governments in the region and outside of it hold a deep grudge against Islam ... and Iraq, and interfere in Iraq's internal affairs and they must be strongly resisted," he said.

Iran accuses the United States and its regional rival Saudi Arabia of exploiting divisions among Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims. Washington and Riyadh denounce Iran as fuelling conflicts in countries including Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.

"We seek to boost cooperation (with Iran) at all levels ... in order to serve the interests of both countries," the website quoted Salih as saying.

Iran wields wide influence in Iraq, its smaller neighbour, where its Revolutionary Guards played a key role in training and arming the mainly Shiite militias that helped defeat Islamic State.

Iraq imports a wide range of goods from Iran, including food, agricultural products, home appliances, air conditioners and car parts. Iranian goods imports to Iraq were worth about $6 billion in the year ending March 2018, or about 15 percent of Iraqs total imports for 2017.

Iraqi officials told Reuters last week that Iraq had agreed to sell foodstuffs in return for Iranian gas and energy supplies. Iranian trade officials denied that any food-for-gas scheme could be set up as Iran was a net exporter of food to Iraq.

"We have exported more than $6 billion to Iraq in the past seven months and we could import goods for that amount but not food items," Yahya Al-e Eshaq, head of the Iran-Iraq chamber of commerce, was quoted as saying by the ILNA news agency.

A spokesman for an association of Iranian gas and petrochemicals exporters said Iraq wanted to pay for the gas imports in its dinar currency, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.

(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Gareth Jones and Robin Pomeroy)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The ugly infighting within the CBI has created space for political parties to exploit and diminish further the stature of institutions.

The Opposition is intensifying its fight against the BJPextending it to legal and constitutional domains. While it inadvertently confirms Prime Minister Narendra Modis popularity and BJPs position as the dominant force in national politics, in the run-up to next years general elections we are likely to witness more outlandish manouvers such as withdrawal of consent to CBI from states ruled by rival forces.

To understand the motivation behind this unusual movethat has been rarely implemented in the pastwe need to take a look at the context. For the Opposition, mahagathbandhan, or grand alliance, is an electoral necessity to measure up to the challenge posed by Modi. The problem is that necessity alone cannot guarantee the success of the venture.

The regional parties see grand alliance as a necessary evil because they lose a part of their agency in striking the Faustian bargain. So, while they recognise the need to band together to pool in their resources and political capital, they are also aware of the pitfalls. More specifically, they are suspicious of the Congress. Most regional outfits see Congress as the injured behemoth that seeks to nurture itself back to health by drawing sustenance from regional players. Congress remains the big brother, if not in ability but in attitude, and regional chieftains know that the grand old party may not hesitate to throw its weight around once it regains some power.

It is precisely this worry that prompted Mayawati to dump the Congress and battle it alone in upcoming Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan Assembly polls. Accusing Congress of adopting a big brother approach, Mayawati told reporters in a news conference that just like BJP, Congress too is trying to finish BSP Congress has the misconception that it can face BJP on its own. It is because of these political decisions that Congress has lost elections repeatedly and BJP is winning state after state.

A weakened Congress may be no stronger than a regional outfit, but it suffers still from a delusion of grandeur that informs its behaviour. Rahul Gandhis frequent expression of intent to become the prime minister is just one example of it. Even as regional parties grapple with an overbearing Congress, they are worried on another countthe leadership question. These are related impulses.

If the regional players are stake leadership of mahagathbandhan, they need not only be wary of the Congress but also of each other. If a Chandrababu Naidu or Mamata Banerjee can become the fulcrum of Opposition unity, that not only reduces the influence of Congress within the amorphous group but also furthers their respective causes on the question of leadership.

To stake a claim, however, regional chiefs need to make a big splash that will guarantee them national coverage and catapult them on to the big league. Through his Rafale fixation and Modi obsession, Rahul has already cornered a fair share of coverage in national press that is anyway more likely to pit the Gandhi scion as a possible challenger (despite zero credentials) against the prime minister than a mass leader such as Mayawati or Mamata.

A Naidu or a Mamata, therefore, must do something bigger. It is in this context that we may primarily place the move by Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal chief ministers to block the CBI. Though the manouvre raises some constitutional and legal questions, it is largely an exercise in political grandstanding. But there are other motivations as well. Naidu and Mamata are trying to gainfully use the controversy at CBI to hit back at BJP, laying the marker for leadership of grand alliance, and turning cases of corruption against their party into a political opportunity.

First, let us take up the grandstanding part. Naidu or Mamata may try to send a message that they will not allow CBI to pursue the cases in their states. However, in reality the CBIconstituted under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act of 1946  may not really need the permission in cases that are not registered in those states.

When the issue came up before the Delhi High Court in October concerning a prior permission from the Chhattisgarh government, the court ruled that the CBI need not seek the states consent, except when the case is registered in that state.

The bench comprising Justice S Muralidhar and Justice Vinod Goel observed: Provisions of the DSPE Act is to facilitate the CBI in carrying out its investigations. It would, therefore, be counter-intuitive if the task of the CBI is frustrated beyond the point of practicality. If in every such case the investigation is stalled because of the absence of sanction of a particular State other than the state where the case is registered, then the scheme of Sections 5 and 6 of the DSPE Act and their purpose would be defeated.

And even in cases that are registered within those states, the CBI may approach the judiciary to get the necessary permission. Also, investigations, filing of chargesheets and holding of trials in ongoing cases shall not be affected by this move. The Mamata government and some TMC ministers are under the CBI scanner on Saradha, Narada and Rose Valley cases and most of these cases have a Supreme Court or High Court mandate, which means the Bengal chief minister cannot stop CBI investigation into these cases by the dint of her withdrawal of consent.

Naidu, who authored the move, is also firefighting corruption allegations. He has, in the past, accused the Modi government of using the CBI to target him. The infighting within the CBIbetween its number 1 and number 2have thrown up a couple names that may put Naidu in discomfort. Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Sana, who has been accused of bribing top CBI officials to get relief in a case, is said to be a friend of Naidu, according to a report in India Today.

In his official compliant to the cabinet secretary on 24 August, CBI special director Rakesh Asthana claimed CBI chief Alok Verma called him up and asked him not to question Sana, a key witness in the Moin Qureshi case. In another letter to the Central Vigilance Commissioner, dated 19 October, 2018, Asthana wrote that during recent interrogation in January, Sana gave a statement saying that said that he met Telugu Desam MP CM Ramesh who in turn met the director of CBI, according to another report in India Today.

In one stroke, Naidu and Mamata have turned these discomfiting developments into political opportunities and even sought to claim the moral high ground by claiming that their actions are motivated by a higher ideal. Theres no denying, however, that the ugly infighting within the CBI has created space for political parties to exploit and diminish further the stature of institutions. The Centre cannot shake off its culpability.
Congress leader Pawan Khera said Narendra Modi cannot escape his political and constitutional responsibility and accountability in the Rafale deal and that the only way for the truth to prevail is to order a JPC to investigate the 'biggest defence scam' in India.

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on what it claimed is "fresh proof" of irregularities in the Rafale deal is a precursor to a "massive storm" the government is about to face.

Congress leader Pawan Khera said Modi cannot escape his political and constitutional responsibility and accountability in the "biggest defence scam" of India and that the only way for the truth to prevail is to order a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the "scandal".

The government denied any wrongdoing in the deal, and the BJP has dismissed the Congress' allegations of corruption as "lies".

Khera said that a 'management meet note' of Reliance Infrastructure, prepared by ICICI, the country's largest private sector bank, is proof of the Modi government's "involvement" in the Rafale scam. It is a brokerage house report prepared by ICICI the basis of a meeting with the Anil Ambani group firm's management.

He said the note claimed that Reliance Defence formed a joint venture with French major Dassault for execution of offset obligations, as a part of the 36 Rafale fighter jet purchase valued at Rs 59,000 crore. He said that note has pegged this opportunity from Rafale at Rs 1,05,000 crore and Dassault Reliance JV will provide performance-based logistics for 50 years.

Khera alleged that more undisputable evidence has come to the fore that establishes the "deliberately hiked" commercial cost of 36 Rafale aircraft deal signed by Modi on 10 April, 2015. "The silence of the Narendra Modi government on the new skeletons that have tumbled out of their Rafale scam cupboard is a precursor to a massive storm," he told reporters.

The Congress leader said the prime minister "cannot escape from his moral, political, legal and constitutional responsibility and accountability in the 'biggest defence scam' of India".

"Everyday, new sets of irrefutable evidence are lining up at the doorstep of prime minister Modi which cements the charges of 'squandering national interests', 'brazen crony capitalism', 'kickbacks and corruption' and 'serious illegalities' that have taken place in the 'murky saga of Rafale scam'."

Claiming that price does not cover under the so-called secrecy pact that the government is talking about, he asked why the prime minister and his government were hesitant to disclose the price of the fighter jets. "What is the price per aircraft of the 36 aircraft deal signed by prime minister Modi on 10 April, 2015 in France.

"What is stopping the Modi government to reveal the commercial cost of the Rafale deal as well as the details of the offset obligations?" he asked.

Khera said if Dassault Aviation in its annual report can reveal the price per aircraft, if Reliance Defence can reveal the aircraft price and if a retired bureaucrat and former 'Head of Finances' in Defence Ministry, can reveal the benchmark price, why the government cannot.

The Congress had Thursday accused Modi of compromising national interest on the Rafale issue, with party chief Rahul Gandhi alleging that the latest skeleton to tumble out of the "Rafale cupboard" is that there is no guarantee by the French government backing the deal.

The Congress also accused the prime minister of accepting in the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by him, the higher 'benchmark price' of 8.2 billion instead of 5.2 billion for the 36 aircraft, despite objections by the Defence Acquisition Council and the then defence minister Manohar Parrikar not approving it.

The opposition party also charged Modi with waiving the condition of arbitration between India and France by converting it into an arbitration between the supplier company Dassault and Indian Government, as also changing the venue of arbitration from India to Switzerland.
Today's top stories: CIA concludes that Saudi Arabia's crown prince killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi; Modi, Jaitley, Shah to launch BJP manifesto in Bhopal today; 212 films from 68 countries to be screened at IFFI 2018; and more.

MP polls: Modi, Jaitley, Shah to launch BJP manifesto in Bhopal today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP chief Amit Shah will be in Bhopal on Saturday for the launch of the party's manifesto for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls. Elections for the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly are scheduled to be held on 28 November, and the results will be declared on 11 December.

While Modi and Shah began campaigning in the state on Friday, the state unit of the BJP announced Jaitley's presence on social media.

First phase of Panchayat polls begin in Jammu and Kashmir

The first phase of the Panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir began on Saturday. Officials said 427 candidates are in the fray for 536 Sarpanch Halqas and 5,951 candidates for 4,048 Panch wards for the first phase of the Panchayat polls.

They said polling is being held in six districts of the Kashmir Valley, two in Ladakh and seven districts in the Jammu region in the first phase of the elections.

The officials said 170 candidates are in the fray for 64 Sarpanch Halqas and 762 for 498 Panch wards in Kupwara district, while 21 candidates for 20 Sarpanch Halqas and 81 for 146 Panch wards in Bandipora district.

While the polls are being conducted on the non-party basis, the NC, PDP and the CPM have announced to stay away from the electoral exercise due to the legal challenge to Article 35-A of the Constitution in the Supreme Court.

Statewide hartal in Kerala today

After Hindu Aikya Vedi leader KP Sasikala was arrested on Friday while proceeding to Sannidhanam as a devotee, the Hindu Aikya Vedi has declared state wide hartal on Saturday. Sasikala was carrying the 'irumudi' when she was first detained at Matakoottam and then arrested when she refused to leave, reports said.

CIA concludes Saudi Crown Prince behind Khashoggi murder: report

The US Central Intelligence Agency has concluded Saudi's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, The Washington Post reported Friday, citing people close to the matter.

The US assessment directly contradicts the conclusions of a Saudi prosecutor one day prior, which exonerated the prince of involvement in the brutal murder.

According to the CIA findings, 15 Saudi agents flew on a government aircraft to Istanbul and assassinated Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate, the report said.

World T20: India face stern test in match against Australia

After sealing a spot in the semi-finals of the ICC World T20, India face a big test when they take on a mighty Australia as the two teams from the Group B look to maintain the winning momentum ahead of the knockouts at the Providence Stadium on Saturday.

Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal withdraw 'general consent' to CBI

Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal will likely continue making headlines on Saturday after both states withdrew the general consent that states give to government agencies such as the CBI to enter without permission.

Andhra Pradesh withdrew its general consent on Friday. CNN-News18 spoke to TDP leader Lanka Dinakar, who said that Andhra Pradesh's decision has "nothing to do with politics." Instead, he cited the ongoing Supreme Court battle between CBI director Alok Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana, saying that the state government has lost confidence in the investigation agency.

After the Andhra Pradesh government's announcement, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee extended her support to her counterpart Chandrababu Naidu over the issue.

"What Naidu has done is absolutely right. The BJP is using the CBI and other agencies to pursue its own political interests and vendetta," she said.

212 films from 68 countries to be screened at IFFI 2018

The upcoming International Film Festival of India, scheduled to be held in Goa, will be screening 212 films from 68 countries, an organiser said on Friday.

The festival will open with Julien Landais' film The Aspern Papers which is based on a novel written by acclaimed writer Henry James. The star cast including Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Joely Richardson, Julia Robins, Morgane Polanski, Nicholas Howe will be present on the opening day of the event, which will run from 20-28 November.

"The international competition section has 15 films out of which three are Indian. That is a mandatory thing that has been going on for a period of time, and the competition section represents films produced and co-produced by 22 different countries," festival director Chaitanya Prasad said.

Israel has been chosen as the focus country for the event, which will include a package of films from the West Asian country, Prasad added.

Jordan versus India football friendly today

In their preparation for the AFC Asian Cup in January 2019 in UAE, Stephen Constantine's India will clash swords with Jordan on Saturday at the King Abdullah Stadium in Amman. The friendly against Jordan comes on the back of a goalless draw against powerhouses China in October where India dished out a superb performance to catch Marcelo Lippi's men in a stalemate.
Prakash, a 1986-batch IAS officer of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre, had been at loggerheads with the Kejriwal government.

New Delhi: Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash, who was allegedly assaulted at chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence in February, was transferred to the Department of Telecommunications Saturday, an official order stated. Prakash, a 1986-batch IAS officer of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre, had been at loggerheads with the Kejriwal government.

According to an order of Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Prakash has been posted as additional secretary in the Department of Telecommunications. He had alleged assault by some the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) MLAs in the presence of Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia at the chief minister's residence in February. The incident had triggered a bitter power tussle between the Delhi government and its bureaucrats.

Kejriwal, Sisodia and nine other AAP MLAs were granted bail in the case by a court here last month. The case will come up for hearing again on 7 December. The name of Delhi's Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Manoj Parida, who hails from Odisha and is also an officer of the 1986 batch of the AGMUT, is in the race for the next chief secretary of Delhi. Jalaj Srivastava, additional secretary in the Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, was also transferred.

He was posted as additional secretary in the Inland Waterways Authority of India, the DoPT order said. Satbir Bedi, member secretary of National Commission for Women (NCW), was transferred and posted as chairperson of National Council for Teacher Education. The DoPT order stated that Amit Prasad, additional secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, has been posted as director general of National Productivity Council. Rakesh Kumar Vats, additional secretary, Health and Family Welfare Ministry, has been appointed as additional secretary and financial advisor in the same ministry
Goa's health minister Vishwajit Rane last month conceded that Parrikar was indeed suffering from pancreatic cancer,

Panaji: The cloak of secrecy surrounding the illnesses of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi are not comparable, Congress national spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said on Saturday. He said that while Parrikar is a chief minister of a state, Sonia Gandhi was neither a prime minister nor was she holding a Cabinet post when she suffered from illness.

"Sonia Gandhi was neither the Prime Minister of India, nor was a minister in the Cabinet holding a post (when the illness occurred)," Surjewala told IANS. Surjewala was responding to a question on whether the Congress, which is demanding a medical bulletin and a public disclosure of Parrikar's health status, had been equally transparent when it came to relaying information about Sonia's prolonged illness, when she was Congress president and headed the National Advisory Council that had been set up to advise then prime minister Manmohan Singh.

Surjewala said that only those in positions of power, especially Heads of State, should disclose the nature of their affliction in public interest. "I can have five ailments. I have for example high blood pressure and I take medicine for it, but I had not disclosed it till today, till you asked me. That does not mean that I have to describe every problem that I have in the public domain. It is only when you are holding a position of power and a position of power as the head of the state (that one ought to reveal the nature of illness)," Surjewala said.

The Congress spokesperson, who was in Goa to address a press conference, also alleged that in Parrikar's absence "power-brokers" were running amok and plundering the state's resources, even as he questioned why a regular health bulletin updating the Chief Minister's medical status was not being released. Parrikar is suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer and has been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New York and Delhi for nearly nine months. He returned from New Delhi's All-India Institute of Medical Sciences on 14 October and has not moved out of his private residence for any official event since.

Goa's health minister Vishwajit Rane last month conceded that Parrikar was indeed suffering from pancreatic cancer, even though the state government has refused to release a regular medical bulletin detailing Parrikar's health status. The Opposition, as well ruling coalition allies, have been demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister, claiming that the administration has come to a standstill due to Parrikar's absence.


People vote at the Carnegie/Eva Farris Education Center in Covington, Ky., on Nov. 6. (Meg Vogel/Cincinnati Enquirer/AP)

Have you ever thought a single vote doesnt really count?

Well, youd be wrong  at least, if you voted in Kentucky

To put it another way: I won by one vote, Glenn said in a phone interview Friday with The Washington Post. But a wins a win  whether its by one vote or 1,000.

Johnson could not immediately be reached for comment by The Post, but he told the Associated Press that he had not been asking friends and family members whether they neglected to go to the polls.

[The teen who messed up his absentee ballot, creating Virginias previous tied race] If someone came up and said that to me, I certainly wouldnt hold them guilty, he said. I have fought that urge to second-guess. I know I ran the best campaign I could.

No one knows who cast the crucial vote in the 13th District, but Glenn said more than two dozen people had approached him since Nov. 6 and told me that they were the one vote that I won by.

Mary Beverly Goetz, from Owensboro, Ky., said she knows that one vote does indeed matter  because she cast her vote for Glenn.

The 76-year-old Democrat, who said she is disabled and uses a walker, noted that she always votes in major elections and that even though her health issues have kept her from the polls in recent years, she has still voted, using absentee ballots. Goetz said she mailed in her ballot a couple of weeks before the election.

I voted for Jim Glenn, because I believed he would be the right person to be in office, Goetz told The Post, adding, Im glad he won, and Id vote for him again.



Glenn represented the district from 2006 to 2017, when Johnson won the seat. This month, Glenn reclaimed it.

The votes were recanvassed Thursday, meaning that the votes from machines were reviewed and upheld by the countys board of elections, and the states board of elections will meet next week to approve the results, according to the Associated Press.

But Johnson said its not over yet.

It went as expected. I didnt expect any changes, he told TristateHomepage.com about the recanvassing. At this point, were still in the process, step one. Im meeting with the team, talking with them to consider a recount.

Other close elections have similarly made national headlines.

Late last year, a political battle played out between Democrat Shelly Simonds and Republican David Yancey for a seat in Virginias House of Delegates.

On Election Day, Yancey appeared to win the race by 10 votes, but a recount put Simonds ahead by one vote. The next day, a three-judge recount court ruled that a single ballot that had been discarded during the recount should be tallied for Yancey. The race was tied with each candidate having 11,608 votes. A state election official broke the tie last Thursday by picking Yanceys name out of a stoneware bowl, a random drawing required under Virginia law. Since then, the states political class waited for Simonds to decide whether to seek a second recount, a question she resolved at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday when she tweeted: It is with great disappointment that I am conceding the election to David Yancey.

Read more:
As far as the Maratha community is concerned, the findings of many commissions are that Marathas are forward classes, with many Marathas in top political ranks and heading businesses.

Recently, the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission recommended 16 percent reservation to Marathas in addition to the existing 52 percent reservation for other backward classes (OBCs). It is expected that the reservation Bill for Marathas will be passed in the Winter Session of the Maharashtra state Assembly. It is worth exploring whether the proposed reservation for Marathas is permissible under the Indian Constitution, as it will have implications on other communities which have been demanding reservation such as Kapus in Andhra Pradesh, Jats in Haryana and Patidars in Gujarat.

History of the demand for Maratha reservation in Maharashtra

Historically, Marathas have identified themselves as descendants of Chhattrapati Shivaji who was considered a kshatriya (warrior). At present, only the Kunbi Marathas (considered members of an agrarian sub-caste) can avail of reservation under the OBC category.

The agrarian crisis in Maharashtra, which affected Maratha land-owners, resulting in farmers suicides due to indebtedness. Unemployment was one of the major factors triggering the demand for reservation for Marathas as a backward class in Maharashtra.

In July 2008, the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission headed by retired Justice RM Bapat in its 22nd report had rejected the categorisation of Marathas as OBCs. The Bapat Commission, while assessing the socio-economic situation of the Maratha community, had found that Marathas formed the ruling class in the state and were not backward. The commission noted that certain sections of any community would always be backward. Dr. Raosaheb Kasbe, who was part of the commission, differentiated between classes that faced social stigma and those that did not, like the Maratha community; he recommended that the latter could be provided reservation only on economic grounds and not by classifying them as OBCs.

In Jagannath Hole v. State of Maharashtra (W/P 4476 of 2002), the Bombay High Court differentiated between Kunbi Marathas and other Marathas, holding that only the former could avail of reservation as OBCs.

The Maharashtra state government did not table the Bapat Commission report in the state legislatures as required under the Maharashtra State Backward Classes Commission Act, 2005 and instead set up a new commission under Justice BP Saraf to look at the issue of whether Marathas should be treated as a backward class. The Saraf Commission too rejected the characterisation of Marathas as backward.

The demand for reservation for Marathas did not abate with time, and the Maharashtra government set up a special committee in 2014, namely, the Rane Committee (headed by the then industry minister Narayan Rane, who was himself a member of the Maratha community) to submit its report. The Rane Committee report recommended reservation for Marathas in educational institutes and jobs without affecting the reservation granted to OBCs in these sectors. This was arguably the first time where a committee on the issue of reservation for Marathas had carried out a quantitative analysis, surveying four lakh families, while 18 lakh people were contacted through various media.

In June 2014, the Maharashtra state government approved a proposal to allow 16 percent reservation in government jobs and educational institutes outside of the OBC quota to Marathas, a move which many considered as an attempt on the part of the ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to appease Maratha voters ahead of the state Assembly elections. The Bombay High Court stayed the governments decision in November 2014 in response to a PIL filed by former journalist Ketan Tirodkar and others, on the ground that the data which the Maharashtra government relied on to justify that the Maratha community was socially and economically backward to warrant reservation was faulty. The high court also referred to earlier Supreme Court precedents which have capped total reservation in a state (for Scheduled Castes (SCs)/Scheduled Tribes (STs)/OBCs and special categories) at 50 percent.

In September 2016, it was reported that the Bombay High Court had refused to hear the PIL filed by Tirodkar, although the court stay on the governments decision to provide reservation remained in operation.

In August 2018, another PIL was filed in the Bombay High Court by Vinod Patil, a Maratha activist, who sought directions to the Maharashtra government and the Maharashtra State Commission for the Backward Classes to formulate a time-bound plan to implement the quota for Marathas in view of the suicides and violent protests by Maratha youth demanding quotas.

The Supreme Courts 50 percent ceiling on reservation

The landmark case on reservation in India is Indra Sawhney (I), also known as the Mandal case (1992 Supp (3) SCC 217) where the Supreme Court pegged the maximum reservation for all communities at 50 percent. A writer notes that the first case in India which fixed the ceiling on reservation at 50 percent is a 1962 case, MR Balaji v. State of Mysore. The Supreme Court reiterated the 50 percent cap on total reservation in state government services for all communities in July 2007 and in April 2008. It is argued that the Mandal case envisages the possibility of reservation exceeding 50 percent in certain extraordinary situations.

Interestingly, state governments have attempted providing reservation in excess of the 50 percent ceiling set by the Supreme Court. Tamil Nadu is a notable example where, under former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the total reservation increased to 69 percent. Tamil Nadu achieved this by passing the Tamil Nadu Act of 1994 which increased quota in Tamil Nadu to 69 percent and by adding the 1994 Act to the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. According to Article 31B of the Constitution, legislations in the Ninth Schedule cannot be challenged in courts. However, in 2007, the Supreme Court in IR Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu ruled that even those laws which are placed in the Ninth Schedule are subject to judicial review if the laws violate the basic structure of the Constitution. A petition challenging the Tamil Nadu reservation policy is pending before the Supreme Court and is expected to be taken up in November this year.

Criteria for considering a class as socially and economically backward for the purpose of reservation

The test developed by Indian courts for determining backward classes is convoluted and ranges from State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan (1951), which rejected caste as the sole criterion to determine backwardness of a class, to the Mandal case (1992) which upheld caste-based reservation. The Mandal case has been criticised for the importance placed by the majority on the caste-occupation-poverty nexus to allow caste as a determinative factor in judging the backwardness of a class of citizens. It is argued that the majority, in doing so, blurred the distinction between class and caste as used in the Indian Constitution  under Article 16(4), the State may make reservation in favour of any backward class of citizens.

As far as the Maratha community is concerned, the findings of many commissions which were tasked with recommending reservation for them are that Marathas are forward classes, with many community members in top political ranks, heading businesses and running educational institutes. Given this data, it would be unconstitutional to characterise Marathas as backward simply on the basis of their caste. Further, state governments should respect the 50 percent cap set by the Supreme Court and not increase the quota to appease voters. In the present case, reservation for Marathas over and above reservation for OBCs is not warranted under the extraordinary circumstances criteria envisaged by the Mandal case. It is only a matter of time when any reservation policy by the Maharashtra government which flouts the 50 percent ceiling will be challenged before the Supreme Court.

The author holds a Master of Law degree from University of Cambridge and is currently a researcher at National Law University, Delhi. Views expressed are personal.
Amid the ongoing #MeTooIndia movement, Mitali Srivastava Hough of Utopeia says she was targeted for speaking out about the alleged misconduct of her agencys other co-founder, Sudarshan Banerjee

The female co-founder of a Mumbai-based ad agency has said that she had to step down after facing systemic harassment for months.

Amid the ongoing #MeTooIndia movement, Mitali Srivastava Hough of Utopeia says she was targeted for speaking out about the alleged misconduct of her agencys other co-founder, Sudarshan Banerjee. Firstpost spoke with three women  two of whom are former Utopeia employees  who narrated specific instances of alleged harassment involving Banerjee. Meanwhile, a third Utopeia co-founder  Sean Colaco  has resigned, citing a conflict of fundamental values with the agency, days after four women posted allegations about Banerjee on social media.

According to an internal mail from 2015 that Firstpost has seen, Banerjee allegedly spanked the hands of two female employees after making them cover their bottoms  to teach them a lesson on servicing (clients) in the advertising world. They were allegedly made to stand facing a wall and asked to cover their bottoms properly following which they were hit on their hands with a scale to teach them what happens when they left their ass open. It was, Hough said, a literal lesson in covering ones ass.

When one of the women reported the incident to Hough in private, the latter was furious and wanted to raise it in front of the board because she felt it was her responsibility as a co-founder. Hough felt it was an instance of sexual harassment the company should address immediately. But the woman who testified to the incident in front of board, later accused Hough  in an email addressed to several senior members of the firm  of failing to protect her on previous occasions at work. She insisted that she did not mind what was done to her by Banerjee. Firstpost has reviewed these mails.

The woman wrote: Yes, I agree its abuse, but not sexual abuse/harassment. If in the presence of the same people it was not a problem more than two years back, then why is it a problem today? Also yes, I didnt mind it back then because he didnt hurt us or touch us or meant bad for us also didnt embarrass us [sic]. Yes, I am not protecting or defending his case anywhere here but just getting the facts right.

Hough said that the female employee found nothing wrong in Banerjees behaviour and instead questioned her (Houghs) decision to raise what was told to her privately before a board, claiming it humiliated her and raised questions about her character. However, Hough still decided to put in place stricter rules about acceptable behaviour at the workplace.

As per our office policy, no one is allowed to assault anyone physically or verbally. We brought to your attention that you are not allowed to train anyone by spanking them in any manner even if you mean no harm. It is misconduct and please take this as a warning that such acts conducted by you, or anyone else, will not be tolerated again. Also, I would once again like to state that we truly regret all these incidents that have happened to you in the past and we meant you no emotional harassment, Hough wrote in her response at that time, which Firstpost has seen.

We sincerely feel that we were doing the right thing for the welfare of the firm during the board meeting by asking some difficult questions. If in that process you feel let down and hurt by our actions then we regret it. Your email has been taken very seriously by all the board members. The past incidents that have come to light have brought to notice various gaps that might exist in our system, she wrote. Also, in the same mail, she discussed putting in place guidelines to follow at work, including a written code of conduct that clearly defined harassment.

When the incident came to light two years later, it led to the forming of an internal complaints committee, a former senior employee, who requested anonymity, confirmed.

Hough said she offered to resign from Utopeia after the incident was reported because Banerjee allegedly refused to admit that this was inappropriate behaviour. She skipped a Founder's Day party in protest. Hough said Banerjee eventually apologised and the board convinced her to return to office.

Another managing partner wrote in a follow-up mail at that time, which Firstpost has seen, he was very upset with all this, we should focus more on work, clients and how to move to next level rather than doing all this important things, we are going round n round this subject [sic].

Hough said it spoke of a culture of sexism that was allegedly made light of. When this correspondent reached out to Banerjee and specifically enquired about this incident, he emailed two public statements issued by his lawyer and the Utopeia management. In the one issued on his behalf, he dismissed three posts which appeared on social media accusing him of sexual harassment as utterly false and concocted.

He further wrote that: These two statements would deal with most of your queries. As regards the rest, we shall surely respond in due course.

***

A former Utopeia employee, who requested anonymity, narrated her own experiences of harassment to this correspondent.

I had an interview with Sudarshan Banerjee and he made me feel very uncomfortable with questions like do you have a boyfriend or do you smoke and drink. I initially misunderstood that as you know, it is the advertising world and maybe people ask such questions and I didnt pay much attention to it. But later he would literally check you out, look at you from top to bottom and pass comments like you are looking very nice, you are looking very hot. These instances made me very uncomfortable, she said.

I would also look for a way to not interact with him at all, she said, adding that if he had to say something he would get very close and if I were, say, typing something on my laptop, he would murmur something in my ears, which made me feel very uncomfortable. In another instance she alleged that Banerjee said you look so sexy theres no chance I can think anything wrong about you.

He said that in front of everybody. I am an employee and you cant pass remarks like that, she said.

The ex-employee said she debated reporting these instances because she did not have proof and was uncertain of how it would affect her job. Another major deterrent she said was the fact that Banerjees wife headed HR. I didnt know who to talk to.

A second woman  who is not an Utopeia employee  Kamakshi Thareja, told Firstpost that she was allegedly harassed by Banerjee during the Mirchi Kaan awards. She said Banerjee put his hand on her knee and felt up her leg. She also posted about this incident on Medium and wrote that a friend came to her rescue.

Another employee, who did not wish to be named, said that soon after she joined Utopeia, there was an award function during which she alleged that Banerjee was getting a little too close for her comfort.

His hands moved from my shoulder to waist and I tried to stay away from him At one point in time, because I was getting uncomfortable, I thought Ill eat dinner and leave. So I went to get some food, and he said Why dont you get me some too?, she recalled. When she brought back food for two, Banerjee allegedly asked her to feed him because he was supposedly wedged in between two of his colleagues at the table.

I obviously froze because he was the founder Ive worked in many organisations and (with) similar kind of work profiles and people dont cross personal boundaries. I fed him, then moved to another place, where he followed, then I moved to the bar and he came there as well. I let the situation pass at that time, she said.

In a second incident, the woman was at a birthday party and wasnt drinking because she had a headache. She said Banerjee followed her around and offered to give her a head massage. In a third incident, she alleged Banerjee blew air on her neck while she was taking a break from work and her back was turned towards him.

It was the final straw. I spoke to the HR head and she said Why did you feed him?, the woman recalled. A couple of weeks after she complained about Banerjee, she said she was pulled up for wearing hemlines that ended above her knee. I dont have a very large wardrobe. So Id worn these clothes to work earlier as well. But 45 days after I complained about him, I was suddenly told off because my clothes were too short, she said.

However, in an official mail marked to her in January 2018, which Firstpost has seen, Banerjee apologised to her saying:

It has not been too long ago that we hired you at Utopeia and in these few days I have attempted to make your start as friendly as possible. However, if any of my actions have made you feel uncomfortable in any way, I would like to apologise to you and assure you that it was not my intention at all. Paramita (Banerjees wife) and Mitali had a chat with me about the same and in hindsight, some of my actions might have been construed otherwise. I would like to assure you that I will be extra cautious henceforth so as to not make you uncomfortable in any which way. I am glad you brought it up and didnt keep it bottled inside you and I assure you that at all times Utopeia will ensure you have a healthy and supportive work environment so that you could shine. Sorry once again.

Some of these allegations first appeared in a Campaign Asia piece. In his defence, Banerjees lawyers said that between 8 and 11 October, four posts appeared on Medium alleging sexual harassment by him. Immediately afterwards Banerjee was sent on leave (by Utopeia) for two weeks.

Over the next two weeks, variants and embellished versions of the aforesaid four posts began to appear in Digital Papers but none of the supposed victims of Sexual Harassment came out of the digital world. The two week period of staying away from Office by our Client is now over. And although our Client still does not believe in Public Trial or Media Trial, the time has come for my Client to state his stand publicly on the aforesaid four posts and their subsequent variants and embellished versions [sic], the statement said.

When journalist Ketaki Rituraj posted screenshots of the womens allegations on Twitter, several of Banerjees female colleagues defended him (in near similar responses), saying he had never misbehaved with them in the years they worked for him. Interestingly, one of the women now defending Banerjee stated in an official mail in 2015, which Firstpost has seen, that he had slapped her hard in front of witnesses, including Hough. She said in the mail she made her peace with him maturely after she issued a warning to him never to repeat such behaviour again and he apologised. Hough denied witnessing the assault.

I wasnt present. I saw her crying later, and she told me not to interfere between her and her bossy, she said. Hough said some of the female employees of Utopeia called Banerjee bossy, a practice she didnt approve of because it encouraged informality at the workplace.

In a Facebook post, Hough said: If one pieces together the chronology of the tragic events in Utopeia and their aftermath, it is easy to spot the tactics, which are used by all sexual predators around the world. Denial, gas lighting, deflection, coercion and character assassination of any woman who questions, challenges and calls out inappropriate behaviour of a man. Many such men groom women in such a way that women fail to recognise harassment, normalise it, defend it or believe it to be a part and parcel of life. I believe that such men are hard to detect and harder to punish.

Hough also said that ever since she started raising questions about the companys work culture, she was herself the target of a malicious campaign.

To discredit me, a malicious, anonymous, unverified post was shared on a blog, which branded me as a sexual predator too. This post was later taken down by the author. The site that shared it offered a public apology, and confirmed that they were unable to verify its source and that it was likely a vicious rumour. When this attempt failed, an internal HR complaint was raised against me by one of his (Banerjees) team members, which gave the management and their legal team a reason to exclude me from any discussions regarding Utopeia's approach to the incidents reported through #MeToo, due to the enforced leave that I was placed on, she wrote.

We were both placed on leave together, but only I was investigated. The HR enquiry against me was closed  clearing me  by an external third party consultant. The management did not provide an internal statement to clarify the situation, or offer an apology. Nor was there any attempt to identify the anonymous author despite the damage it did to my reputation and the agency. In my opinion, it was a deliberate attempt to deflect the allegations raised by four verified women through their #MeToo testimonies, she wrote.

Sean Colaco, the Utopeia co-founder who resigned, sent this correspondent a note that stated: I have resigned as the creative head and managing partner of Utopeia. The very fundamentals of my approach to work and life are conflicting with that of the other partners. Hence, I resigned.'

The Utopeia management mailed Firstpost a public statement they released on 15 November, that said no complaint whatsoever was received by the enquiry committee or Utopeia, nor did any person reach out to them or approach them in any manner whatsoever The said public statement (Banerjees) was not countered by any of the supposed victims and has not been countered for more than three weeks till date. Without a complaint and a complainant the Enquiry Committee and Utopeia had no scope to continue and conduct any enquiry.

The public statement made by Banerjee dated 27 October and by Utopeia dated 15 November are attached in full with this story.

This was Utopeias response to specific queries about Banerjee spanking its women employees or making two former employees uncomfortable with his conduct: We would submit that most of the responses you seek would be found in either of these statements and the responses for the rest of your queries would be given in due course. In the event that you wish to go ahead with your reporting, we would urge you to consider the two attached statements well before filing your story.

On 20 November, Mitali Srivastava Hough announced that she had served defamation notices to all three managing partners of Utopeia Communicationz, after they issued a public statement "with the intention of maligning her image and silencing her voice".

A statement released by Hough to the press read: "Utopeia, the company that I co-founded, and that is now headed by Sudarshan Banerjee, Krishna Padhye and Krishnaraj Bhat, recently issued a public statement defaming and maligning me after I resigned in protest at their collective dismissive attitude towards the allegations of sexual harassment against my co-founder. I have issued them a notice of defamation. I have now instituted the appropriate legal proceedings and will leave it to the court to decide right from wrong."

Public Statement - Sudarshan Banerjee

Comprehensive Public Statement - Utopeia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that he is looking forward to working with new Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Male: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that he is looking forward to working with new Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to strengthen India's bilateral relations with the strategic Indian Ocean island nation.

Prime Minister Modi attended the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September.

During the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, Modi was sitting beside former Maldivian presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga also attended the ceremony.

Modi congratulated President Solih and also interacted with leaders from the Maldives and other parts of the world during the oath taking ceremony at the National Stadium.

Congratulations to Mr. @ibusolih on taking oath as the President of the Maldives. Wishing him the very best for his tenure ahead. Looking forward to working with him to strengthen bilateral relations between our nations, Modi tweeted.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar said that President Solih in his address to the People's Majlis (Parliament) asserted that the Maldives will endeavour to fortify its existing ties with India.

"Maldives President Solih in his address to the People's Majlis:We will endeavour to fortify existing ties with India. Maldives will hereupon bolster its shared role to retain enduring peace & harmony of the Indian Ocean," Kumar tweeted.

Solih, 54, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, had surprisingly emerged victorious over incumbent president Yameen in the election held on 23 September.

On arrival in the Maldivian capital, Prime Minister Modi was given a red carpet welcome and was received by Maldives Parliament's new Speaker Qasim Ibrahim.

This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian prime minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.

"The visit reflects India's commitment to assist the Government & people of Maldives in their endeavour to build a peaceful, democratic & prosperous country, Kumar tweeted.

In a series of tweets ahead of the visit, Modi had tweeted, "I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development."

He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future.

"We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister had said.

The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then.

India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year. India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.
Narendra Modi also congratulated Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on his victory in the recent elections and wished him 'the very best for his tenure'.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the inauguration ceremony of Maldives president-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Saturday.

This will be Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister.

"I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr. Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity and human resource development," Modi said in a series of tweets.

He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future.

"We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister said.

He also congratulated Solih on his victory in the recent elections and wished him "the very best for his tenure".

Modi had recently accepted the invitation extended by Solih to attend his swearing-in ceremony.
On the basis of the house committee's recommendation, a motion to forgive Abhijit Iyer-Mitra was moved in the Odisha Assembly, which was accepted by the House.

New Delhi: The Odisha Assembly on Saturday passed a motion to forgive journalist Abhijit Iyer-Mitra who had allegedly made "derogatory remarks" against MLAs, the state of Odisha, and the Konark Sun Temple.

On the first day of the Assembly Session, a house committee which was formed to investigate the matter recommended the remission in its report which was submitted to the Assembly Speaker Pradeep Amat.

On the basis of the committee's recommendation, a motion to forgive Mitra was moved in the Assembly, which was accepted by the House. It is worth mentioning that he had already apologised before the committee.

The committee also recommended providing him books on Odisha's history and culture.

On 7 November, a camp court at Jharpada Jail had reserved its verdict on Abhijit Iyer Mitra's bail plea and extended his judicial custody for 14 days.

On 3 November, journalist Mitra had deposed before the house committee of the Odisha Assembly and submitted an affidavit over his alleged derogatory remarks against the state legislators and the Konark Sun Temple.

On 23 October, Mitra was arrested by the Bhubaneshwar Police in connection with the case filed at Saheed Nagar police station over his derogatory remarks against legislators and Konark Sun Temple. He was taken into custody by the state police after he appeared before the house committee of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.

During a visit to the Konark Sun Temple on 16 September this year, Mitra had posted a satirical video on Twitter, where he allegedly made derogatory remarks insulting Odisha, its culture, tradition and the lawmakers.
Sasikala told police she is above the age of 50 and wanted to visit the temple as a devotee.

Right-wing Hindu organisations have been staging protests across Kerala purportedly to protect the customs of the temple and rights of devoteesever since the Supreme Court lifted the ban on the entry of menstruating women at the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala. However, on Saturday these groups held many of the same devotees hostage by organising a state-wide dawn to dusk shutdown.

The hartal was called by Hindu Aikya Vedi and Sabarimala Karma Samithi at 4 am following the arrest of Aikya Vedi president KP Sasikala for violating the prohibitory orders in force at Sabarimala. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supported the hartal, which brought life to a standstill.

Whenever any political party or organisation call such strikes during the pilgrimage season, Pathanamthitta district, in which the hill shrine is located, and devotees are usually exempted, but not this time. As a result, hundreds of devoteesmainly from other stateswho didn't know about the strike were stranded. Devotees could not get food or water as hotels and restaurants downed shutters in many places. Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said BJP workers also forcefully closed units supplying food and water to the Ayyappa pilgrims and termed their action "a war on the devotees".

Their action shows that the BJP and the Sangh Parivar outfits have no commitment towards Lord Ayyappa or devotees. Their interest is only political. The innocent devotees have fallen prey to the BJPs political game. The devotees have started realising this, Surendran added.

The Aikya Vedi leader was arrested after she insisted on going to the temple an hour before the closure of the sanctorum after the opening of the temple for the two-month-long Mandalakala Makaravilakku festival on Friday. Devotees were not allowed to stay back at Sannidhanam after 10 pm as per the new security plans introduced by the police in the light of the trouble created by protesters during the puja in October and November.

While all the devotees who came to the hill shrine for the opening ceremony heeded the police's direction, Sasikala, accompanied by five activists, said she would return only after completing the early morning darshan on Saturday. She was detained by the police at Marakoottam, about two kilometres from the temple. As Sasikala refused to return even after six hours, the police arrested her. Achara Samrakshana Samithi state convenor Prithvipal and BJP leader P Sudhir, who also tried to defy the prohibitory orders, were taken into custody. Sudhir came to Pampa disguised as a television channel employee. The two were let off on bail.

However, Sasikala was taken to the Ranni Police Station and kept there overnight. A large number of Hindu activists surrounded the police station to demand her release. The Aikya Vedi leader was produced before the Tiruvalla sub-divisional magistrate in the afternoon. The magistrate granted her bail on two personal bonds. Sasikala told police she is above the age of 50 and wanted to visit the temple as a devotee. Surendran said her intention was to create trouble and pointed out that she visited Sannidhanama four times during the monthly puja in October and the Chithira Attha Visesham pooja on 5 and 6 November and led the protests against the entry of young women into the temple.

If Sasikala was a genuine devotee, she should have visited the temple during the permitted time and returned after darshan. Her intention was to camp at Sannidhanam and lead protests. We cannot allow this as activists like her created trouble during previous occasions, he added. Surendran further said Sasikala is known for whipping up communal passion. She been going around the state and spouting communal poison. There are several cases pending in the state against her for hate speech, he added.

Sasikala was booked by the Paravur Police, Ernakulam district, in September 2017 under the charge of wantonly giving provocation with an intent to create a riot. The case was registered on the basis of a public speech in which she asked secular writers to conduct Mrityunjaya Homam at Lord Shiva temples to save them from meeting a fate similar to that of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh.

The Kasargod Police registered a case against Sasikala in 2016 for terming Muslim women cross breed while commenting on early marriage within the community. She said Muslims marry because it was "cheaper than going to a brothel". Sasikala also triggered controversy by appealing to Hindu devotees to not offer money to the temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board as "successive Kerala governments Kerala used the revenue for minorities."

Sasikala also made provocative speeches against Mother Teresa, alleging that "she came to India to convert Hindus". Almost all her speeches sparked controversy. She has been referred to as Kerala Thogadia on social media platforms. BJP state president PS Sreedharan Pillai termed Sasikala's arrest as an attack on her freedom. "Sasikala teacher was going to Sabarimala Sannidhanam with Irumudikettu and was arrested by police without any provocation. The arrest is nothing but police raj under the tyrannical rule of Pinarayi Vijayan, Pillai added.

BJP spokesman MS Kumar termed her arrest "part of the police atrocities in Sabarimala". He said the action showed, once again, that the Communist-led government was against Hindu belief. The government is denying Hindus their rights to go to temple. Not allowing even genuine believers to have darshan is autocracy at its zenith, he added.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala termed the hartal protesting Sasikala's arrest unwarranted. If the Sangh Parivar wanted to protest against the arrest, they could have done it without causing hardships to the people. The hartal has not only affected the innocent people, but also devotees, he added. The senior Congress leader demanded an apology to the people by those who have called and supported the shutdown.
Since September, the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, where a large number of devotees undertake a rigorous pilgrimage, became a hotbed of politics and protests.

Since September, the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, where a large number of devotees undertake a rigorous pilgrimage, became a hotbed of politics and protests.

As the Supreme Court allowed women devotees of all ages to pray at the shrine citing the tenets of gender justice, devotees of lord Ayyappa, priests of the shrine, the temple management, religious groups, and politicians scrambled in protest. Saturday added a few more headlines to the gamut of reports citing political turmoil, violence, and a showdown between authorities and devotees. While normal life was hit in parts of Kerala with the BJP backing religious groups' bandh call, thousands of pilgrims offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple on the first day of Malayalam month of Vrischikom.

Following is a timeline on how the discourse around the remote hill shrine steered away from spirituality and religion, while inching towards politics.

28 September 2018: The Supreme Court gave its verdict on the decade-long struggle of women devotees seeking the right to enter the shrine, where lord Ayyappa is worshipped in the Naishtik Brahmachari (celibate) state. Earlier, women between the age group of 10 and 50 were not allowed in the shrine. Chief Justice Dipak Misra, reading out the judgment, also on behalf of Justice AM Khanwilkar, said that the subversion of women's rights under the garb of the physiological phenomenon cannot be allowed. "All devotees are equal and there cannot be any discrimination on the basis of gender." However, the lone dissenting woman judge in the five-judge bench, Justice Indu Malhotra said, "The court cannot impose its morality or rationality with respect to the form of worship of a deity. Doing so would negate the freedom to practice one's religion according to one's faith and beliefs."

30 September 2018: The court's ruling opened a can of worms with devotees and religious groups decrying the verdict. The first political reaction also began setting in with Shiv Sena's Kerala unit's call for a statewide strike against the Supreme Court's verdict. Subsequently, other political parties, including the BJP and the Congress came out on the streets.

08 October 2018: Kerala government convened an all-stakeholders' meeting to come to a consensus on the issue before the temple doors are opened. However, the meeting failed in its objective completely as the representatives of Sabarimala temple's 'tantri' (chief priest) refused to attend the meet. They demanded that the government first secure a stay on the court's order and then file a review petition, a demand that the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government refused. The Left government claimed it will implement the apex court's order in letter and spirit.

12 October: Statewide protests took place against the Supreme Court's ruling, with most political parties backing the traditionalist Ayyappa devotees. The BJP and various Hindu outfits launched a scathing attack against the Left Front government for refusing to file a review petition against the Supreme Court order.

13 October: Thousands of Lord Ayyappa devotees took to the streets in Kochi against the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all age groups into Sabarimala temple. Activist Trupti Desai too announced her plans to visit the hill shrine soon.

17 October: The temple opened for the first time since the Supreme Court's ruling, but the day was marred by violent protests. Kerala Police took recourse to lathi-charge after protesters opposed the entry of women and started checking each vehicle for the presence of women from the banned age group. This was despite police assurances that no one will be prevented from taking part in the pilgrimage. Two women reporters were also injured in the scuffle.

18 October: Massive protests continued as the police resorted to lathicharge. The police also booked several protesters on charges of vandalism and disrupting public order.

20 October: The temple premise witnessed high drama when two women reached the hilltop with a heavy police escort. However, they had to return before they could reach the sanctum sanctorum following massive protests by Ayyappa devotees. The protesters, led by Rahul Easwar lay down in the way of the women and demanded they step over them if they wished to proceed. Easwar said that agitated devotees were ready to spill their blood, which would have forced the temple doors to shut till the time a shudhi puja is conducted. Priests of the temple too descended and said if the women tried to force their way, they will lock down the sanctum sanctorum and stop conducting poojas.

21 October: Four more women trying to reach the shrine were turned back by protesters.

22 October: The shrine shuts down as per schedule, with its record intact of no woman below 50 being allowed inside despite the Supreme Court order.

25-27 October: The Kerala police arrested more than 2,000 protesters in the course of two days. A total of 452 FIRs were registered against 2,300 people for defying the Supreme Court's order.

27 October: Amit Shah visited Kerala and extended full support to Sabarimala devotees. He slammed the Kerala government for trying to "suppress" the agitation by force. Shah also condemned the arrest of over 2,000 devotees, including RSS and Sangh Parivar activists.

29 October: Kerala government tells Supreme Court it will provide protection to genuine devotees trying to reach the shrine.

13 November: Supreme Court agreed to hear on 22 January the pleas seeking review of its verdict, which allowed entry of women of all age groups into Kerala's Sabarimala temple, but refused to stay the judgment.

14 November: Social activist Trupti Desai said she would visit the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala along with six other women in the previously banned 10-50 age group on 17 November. But the announcement was stoutly opposed by a right-wing activist, sparking fears of a fresh confrontation.

15 November: Consensus eluded a crucial all-party meeting called Thursday to resolve the stand-off over permitting women of menstrual age into the Sabarimala shrine with the Kerala government firm on implementing the Supreme Court order and the Opposition walking out in protest. After the nearly three-hour long meeting, dubbed as a 'farce' by the Opposition, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said his government was duty bound to enforce the court's verdict.

16 November: High drama was witnessed at Cochin city airport as activist Trupti Desai remained confined there for close to 12 hours following protests by devotees and others. Groups of protesters surrounded the airport before dawn ahead of Desai's arrival and stayed put there until she announced she would return to her home state, Maharashtra. She alleged that the protesters threatened the management of hotels and taxi drivers whom she had contacted seeking help to move out of the airport. Meanwhile, the temple opened its gate for the two-month long pilgrim season.

16 November: In a climbdown from its earlier rigid stand, the Kerala government decided to move the Supreme Court seeking time to implement its order allowing women in menstrual age to offer prayers at the famous shrine. The decision by the Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the hill shrine, to move the court was announced by its president A Padmakumar in Pamba, minutes after the temple doors were opened this evening. Pilgrims, including children, queued up in large numbers since the temple opened at 5 pm.

17 November: Right-wing Hindu outfits called for a dawn to dusk hartal in Kerala in protest against arrest of some Hindu leaders who were on the pilgrimage to Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple. The most prominent among the detained on Friday night were Hindu Iykavedi (HI) President and senior BJP leader KP Sasikala. She was detained while proceeding towards the Lord Ayyappa shrine. Carrying the customary holy kit 'Irumudi Kettu' on her head, Sasikala was stopped by the police near the temple. She was asked not to proceed any further as the temple had closed at 10 pm, but Sasikala refused to do so.

She was taken into preventive custody and lodged at the Ranni police station. Protesting their president's detention, the Hindu Iykavedi leaders called for a shutdown, backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party state unit. Shops and other businesses were forced to down their shutters by HI, BJP and Sangh Parivar activists. Barring private vehicles, all other public transport vehicles stayed off the roads.

State BJP President PS Sreedharan Pillai told the media in Kozhikode on Saturday that no one knew the reason why Sasikala was detained. "Things were now becoming very clear that the Pinarayi Vijayan government wants to destroy Sabarimala by coming out with rules that will affect the traditions of the temple. Vijayan is using the arrogance associated with power to achieve the government's mission and this will be strongly resisted," he said.

With inputs from agencies
The meeting held at the residence of the Union minister was to analyse the recent developments in Assam.

Amidst fierce protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016, and a growing number of youth joining the insurgent group United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA), Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi on Saturday. Sources said the meeting held at the residence of the Union minister was to analyse the recent developments in Assam.

Speaking to reporters just after the meeting, Sonowal said the recent Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) to dispose claims and objectives of the updating process of National Register of Citizens (NRC) was discussed. We request various organisations to widely publicise the SOP to file claims and objections to help inclusion of genuine citizens left out of the final NRC draft, he said. Sonowal also appealed to the public to complain if they found any persons of 'doubtful antecedents' being included in the draft NRC.

But sources in the state government, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the Citizenship Bill was thoroughly discussed. Significantly, the meeting came a day after 70 organisations launched massive protests against the Bill in Assam and demanded that the government refrain from accepting it in the Lok Sabha. Akhil Gogoi, a leader in the protest held in front of the Secretariat on Friday said, The BJP rose to power in Assam by promising to deport illegal Bangladeshis. But the same party is going to grant citizenship to illegal Hindu migrants from Bangladesh in a bid to turn indigenous people into a minority in their own state. He also said the attempt to pass this Bill is a betrayal of the people of Assam.

The Bill aims to provide citizenship to illegal migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis or Christians. Indigenous communities in Assam fear that if the Bill is passed, they would be outnumbered by illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Significantly, it was reasonably apprehended that the protest held on Friday, amidst growing angst could flare into violence. But the Assam Police showed remarkable success in preempting such a possibility by limiting the number of people allowed to participate in the protests to only 1,000 and preventing entry of agitators into the city on motorcycles.

Thousands of people travelled from various corners of the state to Guwahati to participate in the protest but the police detained a good number of them mid-way. But successfully dealing with law and order issues will not solve the problem for the BJP, which is facing a panchayat election next month, which is seen as a test ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

State Election Commissioner HN Bora, announcing the panchayat election schedule at a press conference on 5 November, said the exercise will be held in two phases: on 5 and 9 December. Even as containing the anger in Assam becomes a political imperative for the BJP, speculation is rife that some immigrants from Bangladesh may be excluded from the list of people eligible for citizenship in the Bill. Members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee for Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016, remained unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts by Firstpost.
Although Assam is long familiar with mindless violence of the obscure, terrorising kind (read: the 1990s secret killings), this was a peculiar killing.

On 1 November, not long after sundown, a nondescript group of men dressed in military fatigues and armed with AK-47s ambled into the Bengali-dominated village of Bisonimukh-Kherbari in northeastern Assams Tinsukia district, summoned six men at random, and led them to the nearby riverbank before gunning them down at close range, execution style, right in the shadows of Indias longest bridge.

One of them miraculously survived by lunging forward on to some low-lying land nearby. The other five died on the spot.

Although Assam is long familiar with mindless violence of the obscure, terrorising kind (read: the 1990s secret killings), this was a peculiar killing that came after almost a decade of relative calm  that too at a time when Assams multicultural, multi-religious society is faced with unprecedented divisions from within.

The fact that the killers cherry-picked six Bengali Hindus gives the brutal murder an unsettling and ominous connotation. In many ways, it is a jarring throwback to the dark days of majoritarian ethno-nationalist violence in Assam that threatened to tear the pluralistic Assamese fabric apart.

In todays context of renewed tensions, it stands as a sickening act that mirrors the bad, and forebodes the worst. What really makes the brutal murder so alarming?

Old killers, new targets?

Assam Police has attributed the killing to the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) or ULFA-I, the Assamese nationalist-separatist outfit led by its long-time commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah. Senior Guwahati-based journalist and close ULFA watcher, Rajeev Bhattacharyya explained the state polices attribution in two separate Firstpost reports (here and here), even identifying the cadres involved in the killing as Gyan Asom, Bubul Moran, Dimbeswar Moran, Jasinta Moran and Justin Doley.

But Baruahs outfit  based out of western Myanmars Sagaing division since the original ULFA split into two distinct factions (pro-talks and anti-talks) in 2011  has categorically denied responsibility for the killing.

In the past, it wasnt uncommon for the undivided ULFA to distance itself from particularly violent acts committed by its rank-and-file. What is, however, expressly odd is that the banned outfit had claimed responsibility for a low-intensity bomb blast in Guwahati only last month  the first attack by Baruahs boys on a major city in Assam in a very long time.

The blast, according to ULFA-Is letter, was a warning to Bengali Hindu groups who have rallied in support of the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016  a legislation proposed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that intends to regularise Hindu immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan in India.

But even in its heydays, the undivided ULFA rarely targeted Bengalis. It mostly went after Hindi-speaking internal migrants from mainland India whom it deemed as outsiders in Assam. Contrary to popular belief, for the senior rebel leadership, Assams prime enemies were not Bangladeshi immigrants, but colonial-minded mainland Indians.

Bengalis were not in the line of fire since the groups leaders had taken refuge in Bangladesh where some camps were also established. This is the first episode where the target seemed to have been innocent victims only because they hailed from the community of Bengali Hindus, says Bhattacharyya.

Hence, if the attribution for the latest incident is true, the killing indicates a sinister shift in ULFAs ethno-political frame of violence. But in context of renewed ethno-political tensions in Assam, it could mean much more.

NRC, and ghosts from the decades past

Over the past one year, Assam has been undergoing a mini-census of sorts to identify genuine Indian citizens and consequently sieve out illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh.

This $12 billion exercise to update what is known as the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was mandated by Indias Supreme Court in 2014, vindicating a decades-long demand by Assamese nationalist groups to identify and expel the so-called bidexis (foreigners).

In a strictly legal sense, as laid down in the Assam Accord of 1985, bidexis are those who came to Assam from erstwhile East Bengal on or after 25 March 1971  the cut-off date that the NRC follows to confirm the citizenship of Assams resident populace.

At the outset, the NRC looks like a straightforward headcount exercise. But in a deeply divided demography like Assams, enumeration can be tricky. This is even more so when layers of clashing historical perceptions about land, language, and opportunities underpin the composite demography.

The most decisive of the identitarian splits that characterise Assams strife-torn colonial history was between the Assamese-speaking groups in the Brahmaputra Valley and the Bengalis who migrated to Assam Province proper after Lord Curzon unified erstwhile East Bengal and Assam as part of the 1905 Bengal Partition.

Curzons divisive territorial unification, which suddenly rendered the Assamese-speakers a demographic minority in their own homeland, ended up pitting the Assamese Hindu elite against their Bengali counterpart, particularly on account of the latters rising dominance over white collar jobs in the colonial administration. On the other hand, Bengali Muslim migrants, most of who worked in the farms, remained out of the Assamese crosshairs, thanks to their relatively unattractive professions.

With the final partitioning of East Bengal and Assam in 1947 and the transfer of Bengali-dominated Sylhet to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), the Assamese-speaking elite began to tighten its grip over the states political, economic, social, and cultural landscape, thus gradually pushing the Bengali Hindus to the margins.

But to the misfortune of the Assamese nationalists, the 1947 partition was immediately followed by a large-scale migration of Bengalis (both Hindus and Muslims, but mostly Hindus) from East Pakistan to Assam, thus sharpening the cultural anxieties of the dominant Assamese elite. The next few decades saw a steady escalation of the Bengali-Assamese tussle for cultural and political agency.

The Bengali Muslims, however, eventually assimilated themselves into the secular Assamese ethnic fabric through linguistic cross-identification in the 1951 census. This also ramped up the number of Assamese speakers in Assam, further subduing Bengali interests.

Enter the Hindu supremacist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). During the tumultuous days of the Assam Movement (1979-85), which was in many ways the expression of decades of majoritarian Assamese frustration against East Bengali immigration, the RSS infused an overtly religious component into Assamese ethno-nationalism through covert links with local cultural and political groups, like the All Assam Students Union (AASU).

Bengali Muslims suddenly became the prime target of the overwhelming anti-foreigner drive. The 1983 Nellie Massacre that led to the brutal slaughtering of more than 2,500 Bengali Muslims in central Assam by members of the Lalung tribe and Assamese Hindus evince this disruptive intervention by Hindutva forces. Although unexplored in large parts, there is more than one set of evidence that indicate that RSS had a less-than-subtle role to play in inciting the massacre.

What is, however, clear is that RSS communal maneuverings only produced a bitter concoction of linguistic, religious, ethnic tensions searing through an already stretched conflict situation. More importantly, it laid the foundations for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)s communal policy agendas that it would paradrop in Assam thirty years later.

Communal fuel to ethno-nationalist flames

In 2016, the BJP, which had just ousted the Congress to form a government in Assam, introduced the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB). If it becomes law, the CAB would essentially permanently settle all Hindu immigrants from Bangladesh in Assam.

To Assamese-speaking groups who see all post-1971 Bangladeshi migrants as bidexis, that is downright unacceptable. Hence, while the NRC coheres with the core demand of Assamese-speaking groups, the CAB does not.

This is precisely where Assamese nationalism locks horns with Hindutva nationalism, which sees Hindu immigrants as rightful citizens of India and Muslims of the same stock as ghuspetiyas (infiltrators). Assamese nationalism, which is predominantly based on ethno-linguistic lines rather than religious, does not identify with the RSS-BJPs patent Hindu-Muslim binary.

Hence, over the past one year, the Assamese groups have grown increasingly disillusioned with the BJPs political vision for Assam. They have come to believe that the BJP, by means of the NRC, has plans to permanently settle the Bengali Hindu migrants from Bangladesh in Assam. Unsurprisingly, this is also what the ULFA-I asserted in its missive to the local press after the Guwahati bomb blast last month.

Conversely, Bengali Hindu groups  particularly in the southern Assams Barak Valley  have been vehemently supporting the CAB to protect their own interests, and also ensure that Bengali Hindus are not deported to Bangladesh by virtue of the NRC. Ultimately, the Assamese Hindu-Bengali Hindu chasm that had largely dissipated by the early 1980s has come back with a loud and rude bang, courtesy of both the NRC and the CAB.

Against this background, ULFA-I seems to have found a fresh political opportunity structure to fiddle with. In the past few days, disparate reports of new recruits from Assam trekking their way to its camps in western Myanmar have appeared in the media.

For Paresh Baruah  who found safe haven in Khaleda Zias Bangladesh when the Indian Army came after ULFA (undivided) in the early 1990s  slaughtering a few Bengali Hindus serves as a double-edged sword: it inflames anti-Bengali, majoritarian Assamese sentiments to shore up recruitment; and at the same time, placates the fundamentalists in Bangladesh who are aligned to Khaleda Zias Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and are alleged to be close to Islamists in Pakistans deep state.

What is also notable is the renewed political hyper-assertions by ULFAs pro-talks faction led by former rebel leaders like Mrinal Hazarika, Anup Chetia (who was extradited from Bangladesh in 2015), and Jiten Dutta.

One day after the Tinsukia killings, Hazarika and Dutta were detained for making inflammatory remarks earlier in October: both had allegedly warned that continued support for the CAB by Bengali Hindus could lead to massacre-like situations of 1983  an unmistakable reference to the Nellie Massacre.

Clearly, the resurgent fissures have given a new lease of life to the retired rebel leaders in their perennial attempts to stay relevant in Assams politics. Now that they do not command any political agency within the establishment in Dhaka, they can freely go about ramping up anti-Bengali sentiments in Assam to gain traction locally.

But herein lies a dangerous threshold: if the anti-CAB sentiments end up pushing the pro-talks ULFA closer to Baruahs anti-talks faction, that is bad news for the people of Assam who are all too familiar with insurgent violence spiralling out of control. This is even more so because the pro-talks faction now appears closer than ever to a permanent negotiated settlement with the Indian government.

In parallel, certain communally-minded Bengali Hindu groups  encouraged by the RSS-BJP foot soldiers  too have been making inflammatory remarks about Bengali Muslim migrants, besides supporting the anti-Assamese CAB. While their space to subvert Assamese groups  who represent the majoritarian political strand  remain limited, they have not shied away from openly dissing Bengali Muslims.

For instance, BJP parliamentarian from Hojai, Shiladitya Dev, who has emerged as the prime cheerleader of this Islamophobic Bengali Hindu brigade, has even flagged the Bengali Muslims as jihadists. Thanks to communally vested political actors like Dev, Assams politics stands polarised like never before.

On a collision course

As if ethno-nationalist majoritarianism wasnt enough, Assams boiling cauldron now swings heavy with whole new ingredients of communal hatred, division, and marginalisation.

Several commentators had foreseen the inevitable clash of pan-Indian Hindutva nationalism and Assamese ethno-linguistic nationalism even before the BJP swept the polls. Even Paresh Baruahs rebirth was somewhat predicted by those familiar with Assams volatile politics.

Yet, one wonders if anyone seeks a return to the dark, blood-spattered days of constant terror and anxiety, particularly when a totalising security regime under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) remains active throughout the state.

The Tinsukia killings  despicable in its manner and foreboding in its tone  must stand as a warning into what could be a devastating and wholly avoidable reboot to chaos.

Angshuman Choudhury is a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi. He was born and brought up in Assam.
Uttar Pradesh BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey said SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar was a 'necessary evil' and comments made by him 'should not be taken seriously'

Lucknow: In an unusual attack on his party's ally Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, Uttar Pradesh BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey said Saturday its chief Om Prakash Rajbhar was a "necessary evil" and comments made by him "should not be taken seriously".

Rajbhar, a state minister, has often been critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and policies of its governments at the Centre and in the state.

"The region where Om Prakash Rajbhar's party is having presence, we are having good relationship with its supporters, workers and office-bearers. But, 'bolchaal' (attitude) of Rajbhar is not appropriate," Pandey told PTI in an interview.

The BJP leader referred to an eastern UP folklore to target the SBSP leader.

In the folklore, a woman used to head towards her paternal home after frequent tiff with her husband, while her in-laws and others used to placate her. Later, the village decided that no one will try to placate her. After she moved out of the village, she caught hold of a goat and started crying that even it was not stopping her from leaving her in-laws' place.

"Similar is his (Rajbhar's) situation," Pandey said.

The UP BJP chief said there is a "limit" to getting angry virtually every day and reproach. "Hence, I say that his statements should not be taken seriously," Pandey said.

Asked whether the BJP will try to persuade the disgruntled ally, Pandey said, "We are running a government in the state with overwhelming majority. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are doing exemplary work. On such a large 'rajpath', in political arena, there are some necessary evils (anivaarya buraai) who accompany you. As of now, it is Om Prakash (Rajbhar) who is a necessary evil and accompanying (us)."

The BJP leader claimed that the entire Rajbhar community was with the saffron party.

In the 2017 UP assembly elections, the SBSP contested eight seats and won four of them. Rajbhar became a cabinet minister holding the portfolio of backward class welfare and divyangjan empowerment.

Attacking the UP government for renaming Faizabad and Allahabad, Rajbhar had said it negated India's "Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb" (composite culture).

The SBSP leader said that instead of changing names of cities, districts and railway stations, the BJP should start with changing names of its prominent Muslim leaders.

"The BJP changed names of Mughalsarai and Faizabad. They say these were named after the Mughals. They have national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Uttar Pradesh minister Mohsin Raza three Muslim faces of the BJP. They should change their names first," he had said.

He has also been critical of demonetisation.
Congress demanded that Goa governor Mridula Sinha summon a special session of the Assembly and ask the BJP-led coalition government to prove its majority.

Panaji: The Congress demanded on Saturday that Goa governor Mridula Sinha summon a special session of the legislative Assembly and ask the BJP-led coalition government to prove its majority.

The Opposition party, which has been claiming that the state government is in disarray in the absence of ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar from office, alleged that it "is a classic case of fraud being played on the people of Goa by the Governor and the BJP at the Centre".

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters in Panaji that the party would raise this issue during the upcoming winter session of Parliament and also before President Ram Nath Kovind.

The Congress had submitted representations to the president and the Goa governor, claiming that the party had the requisite number of MLAs to prove majority in the 40-member House.

"We will put pressure on the central leadership of the BJP in winter session and also before the President for our demand to summon a special session to prove majority," he said.

Accusing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Goa of holding the Constitution "captive", Surjewala said the formation of the Cabinet Advisory Committee by the BJP in absence of Parrikar is a "blatant fraud on the Constitution".

In the 40-member Goa Assembly, the Parrikar government has the support of 23 MLAs. These comprise 14 BJP MLAs, three each from the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party as well as three Independents.

Surjewala said the coalition government should prove its majority and lay down a roadmap for governance and administration.

The government should also settle issues like Regional Plan, mining, unemployment, he demanded.

"This will clear all doubts about who is in-charge in Goa and the floor test will determine as to which party has the rightful claim to head a democratic government in people's interest in Goa," he added.

Surjewala questioned the effectiveness of state government in absence of Parrikar, who is currently recuperating at his residence here after undergoing treatment at AIIMS in Delhi.

Goa health minister Vishwajit Rane had said that Parrikar was suffering from pancreatic cancer.

Surjewala alleged, "Constitution is being held captive because of the BJP's lust for power. Formation of a Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) by the BJP is a blatant fraud on the Constitution itself."

"It negates the constitutionally conferred powers of the state cabinet under Articles 163, 164, 166."

Surjewala alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah were responsible for the "political and administration mess" in Goa by allowing an ailing Parrikar to continue in chair.

"Paralysed governance, crippled administration and collapse of authority has become symbolical of the chaos prevailing in the BJP government in Goa," he claimed.

Wishing Parrikar speedy recovery, Surjewala recalled that party president Rahul Gandhi had inquired about the chief minister's health last month.

"On account of incapacity of the CM owing to his illness, power brokers are running amok and are plundering the state's resources and holding democracy to ransom," he alleged.

Surjewala said that the BJP held a meeting of Cabinet ministers of Goa in AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) in Delhi on October 12, where Parrikar was undergoing treatment.

"This has never happened in the history of Goa. On October 31, 2018, the official Twitter handle of the Goa CM posted a picture of that Cabinet meeting," he said.

"The people of Goa were deeply disturbed by the visual in that picture. It reflects that Parrikar needs emergent medical attention rather than the grand-standing by the BJP," he said.

He said key governance issues were being dragged due to BJP's "misgovernance" in Goa.

"The mess created by the BJP by stoppage of mining, closure of businesses of small traders and mismanagement of sand mining has affected the entire state," he claimed.

The Congress had earlier questioned non-issuance of medical bulletins on health of Parrikar.

"If the CM is fine, as per the press statements, then why is he refusing to meet even the Leader of Opposition and MLAs and interact with them?" Surjewala asked.

Recently, Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanad Sopte resigned as Congress MLAs and joined the BJP, bringing down the strength of the opposition party to 14 in Goa Assembly.
The Congress is heading a four-party alliance in Telangana called the Mahakutami, and has left 24 seats for its three allies  Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and Communist Party of India.

The Congress on Saturday released its fourth list of 13 candidates for the upcoming Telangana Assembly elections, slated for 7 December.

INC COMMUNIQUE Announcement of third list of Congress candidates for the ensuing elections to Legislative Assembly of Telangana. pic.twitter.com/3pdaPzO7Db  INC Sandesh (@INCSandesh) November 17, 2018

Congress' first list of 65 candidates was released on 10 November, and the second list of 10 candidates for the state polls was released on 14 November.

The Congress is heading a four-party alliance in Telangana called the Mahakutami, and has left 24 seats for its three allies  Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and Communist Party of India (CPI).

Under the seat-sharing formula announced by the Congress, the TDP would contest in 14 constituencies, TJS in eight and the CPI in three. The Congress would field nominees in 94 segments.

However, according to a report from The Economic Times, it is uncertain whether the TJS and CPI will continue in the Congress-led alliance if the leading Opposition party does not accede to their demands. Both have been threatening to pull out of the coalition, while the TDP agreed to the allotment.

In the same vein, Congress leader Abid Rasool Khan even quit the party on Friday, alleging that genuine Muslim ticket aspirants have been ignored.

A former chairman of the state Minorities Commission, Khan said the Congress should give tickets to Muslims in one constituency each in the 10 old districts of the state where the party have chances to win.

"Can they not do that much?" the state Congress vice-president asked in a poser to the party's central leadership.

The Congress' candidate lists include four Muslims, but Khan claimed that of the four, two have joined the party only recently and one was not even a member of the outfit.

"We (Muslim leaders of Telangana) are very upset. Our president, Rahul Gandhi, has time and again said he will take care of genuine workers, and he will not allow paratroopers to enter the party and take out the cake. Things are totally happening on the other side (to the contrary)," he told PTI.

The last date for filing of nomination for the elections to the 119-member assembly is 19 November.

With inputs from agencies
The Congress has promised to write off farm loans of up to Rs 2 lakh and provide a 'salary grant' for five years to industries offering jobs to the youth.

The Madhya Pradesh Congress launched its manifesto for the upcoming Assembly elections on 10 November. In the document, which the Congress has described as "historic", the party has tried to please all, with promises ranging from employment to gaushalas.

Releasing the 112-page manifesto at a press meet in Bhopal, state Congress chief Kamal Nath described it as the "voice of the people of Madhya Pradesh", saying the document was prepared after consultations with every section of the society. Titled "Vachan Patra", it was released in the presence of state campaign committee chief Jyotiraditya Scindia and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh. Taking potshots at the BJP, Scindia said the Congress's manifesto was not like the saffron outfit's "jumla patra" (document of rhetoric) as the party would honour every promise made in the document. "We are bringing a vachan patra and not a jumla patra like the BJP. Our document of promises has something for everybody," the former Union minister said.

Here's a look at what the grand old party has promised the voters of Madhya Pradesh for the coming five years if it is elected to power:

1. It has promised to write off farm loans of up to Rs 2 lakh and provide a "salary grant" for five years to industries offering jobs to the youth.

2. The party has promised a social security pension to the farmers and a rebate in the registration fee of land documents, besides a financial help of Rs 51,000 for the marriage of daughters of small cultivators. It has also promised a minimum support price (MSP) for crops in accordance with the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, along with a promise of providing social security pension of Rs 1,000 per month to farmers who attain the age of 60 and whose land holding is below 2.5 acres. Besides this, a provision for an amount of Rs 2.50 lakh for the construction of houses of landless people on a plot of 450 square feet has also been mentioned in the manifesto.

3. Other sops promised to farmers include a 50 percent subsidy on loans for agriculture equipment, halving the power bill rates for them, a bonus on the MSP of around 17 crops or agricultural commodities and a subsidy of Rs 5 per litre on milk procurement. The manifesto also promises a rebate in diesel and petrol prices. A subsidy of Rs 100 on gas cylinders to poor families and free education to girls up to the post-graduation level were also promised by the party.

4. The Opposition party has also promised a re-investigation into the Mandsaur police firing incident, in which six farmers were killed in June 2017.

5. It proposes to bring a law to give housing rights to the people, as well as 35 kilograms of wheat and rice at Re 1/kg to the poor. It has also proposed to set up a 'Vidhan Parishad' or the legislative council in a bicameral system.

6. The Congress has also promised a "salary grant" of Rs 10,000 per job to the industries offering employment to the youth of the state. Professionals like tourist guides and lawyers would be provided an "encouragement fee" of Rs 4,000 per month for five years for settling down in their respective professions. Those covered under the existing social security pension scheme would get Rs 1,000 per month, instead of Rs 300 now.

7. Besides, the Congress has promised regularisation of daily wagers, 30 percent government contracts to tribals, setting up of a Senior Citizen Board, a law to protect journalists and lawyers, honorarium to journalists above 60 years of age, telemedicine facility in rural areas and four new medical colleges.

8. The Congress has also promised a rebate in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and subsidised loans for setting up industries with an investment of at least Rs 100 crore.

9. It has promised the constitution of a Yuva Aayog (Commission for the Youth) to look into the problems of young men and women.

10. In a bid to appease members of the general category, which has been agitating over perceived injustice to them, the Opposition party has promised the constitution of a Samanya Varg Ayog (General Category Commission) to look into their issues.

The state had recently seen a series of protests by people from the unreserved (general) category communities.

11. A Jan Aayog (People's Commission) would be constituted for investigations into scams like Vyapam. A "jan jababdeh kanoon (public accountability law) would be enacted to hold the government departments responsible for providing public amenities, Kamal Nath announced on Saturday. The party has thus promised to disband the Vyapam and replace it with a "Rajya Karmachari Chayan Aayog" to ensure transparent recruitments and a corruption-free system. It will also refund the examination fees of the lakhs of youth who had appeared for the recruitment tests conducted by the board in the last 10 years.

12. The party has promised laptops for Class XII students obtaining over 70 percent marks and subsidised two-wheeler loans for female college students.

13. The Congress' manifesto also promises a host of measures for the conservation of the Narmada river. The party said it would develop religious places along the river at a cost of Rs 1,100 crore, besides enacting the "Maa Narmada Nyas Adhiniyam" for its conservation. The river has been at the centre of the state's politics for a long time now, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party organising a "Narmada Sewa Yatra" earlier and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh carrying out a 3,500-kilometre 'parikrama' (circumambulation) of the river by foot.

14. In a bid to reach out to the majority community, the 112-page manifesto promises an "adhyatmik vibhag" (spiritual department) in the state, as well as plans to promote the Sanskrit language. It speaks of developing the "Ram path"  a mythical route taken by Lord Ram during his 14-year exile  which will be will be built from Chitrakoot within the state boundary and the commercial production of 'gaumutra' (cow urine) and 'kanda' (cowdung cakes). The document also talks of setting up 'gaushalas' (cow shelters) in every village panchayat and making arrangements to set up temporary camps on main roads to provide for treatment to injured cows and last rites of dead cows besides a commitment to make available grazing land for cattle.

15. Referring to Tapti, Mandakini and Kshipra rivers as mother, the manifesto promises to form trusts for these sacred rivers, besides a law to declare as living entities all holy rivers mentioned in the scriptures. The Congress also promised new rules for freeing temples of encroachment and adding names of priests and mahants to properties of maths and temples. Referring to the guru-shishya parampara, the manifesto also promises rules for hereditary succession in mutts and temples.

16. The main Opposition party has also stated that it would set up a board and enact a policy for the welfare of transgenders.

In a direct attack on the ideology of the BJP-RSS combine, the Congress has also announced that if it is given the opportunity to form a government in the state, it won't allow RSS shakhas to run in government buildings. The BJP has since hit out at the grand old party, saying that its position appears to be "not allowing the Ram Temple to be built, and not allowing shakhas to be run."

The results of the single-phase Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections will be announced on 11 December.

With inputs from agencies
There are some constituencies which are key to the election outcome of the state or which are in news due to star candidates or campaigners.

As Madhya Pradesh is all set to get a new Assembly, exit polls have predicted a close contest between BJP and Congress. The stakes are high for all contenders as BJP seeks to maintain its winning streak for the fourth consecutive term, while Congress seeks to make a comeback after a long gap. For the smaller regional parties of the Hindi heartland, and Independents, it is the quest to prove their relevance in face of dueling political giants.

However, for the common man, purely interested in the outcome of the exhaustive polling exercise, there are some constituencies which are key to the election outcome of the state or which are in news due to star candidates or campaigners.

Budhni, for instance, is a constant headline grabber as it is the constituency from which Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been contesting from since 2006 and winning consistently giving BJP and his government the stronghold in power. Likewise, we curated a list of such interesting electoral hotbeds in the poll-bound state.

Gwalior-Chambal

This region has been a BJP bastion, with the saffron party sweeping four out of six seats in the Gwalior district alone in last election. These included Gwalior Rural, Gwalior, Gwalior East and Gwalior South constituencies. On the other hand, Congress had managed to keep Bhitarwar and Dabra (reserved) seats from the saffron party. However, even BSP is trying to wrestle around its way in Dabra, a seat it had won in the 2008 elections.

Meanwhile, BJPs trouble in the region do not end at battling anti-incumbency alone, as the party is struggling to maintain the caste equilibrium here. The party believes that its caste calculations will dent Congress' influence, which is primarily based on the popularity of the Scindia royal family (currently represented by scion Jyotiraditya Scindia)

The ruling party has therefore roped in Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Narottam Mishra and Lal Singh Arya, among others, to manage the election campaign and booth level networking in the region. Tomar belongs to the Rajput community, while Narottam Mishra is from the Brahmin community and Arya from the SC/ST community.

The region, also saw major caste violence during the 2 April bharat bandh and recently Congress president Rahul Gandhi raised the issue of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemulas suicide in one of his rallies here.

In a bizarre but unfortunate incident, former district general secretary of Congress in Gwalior, Prem Singh Kushwaha consumed poison after he was denied ticket by the party. He was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition, but was later discharged. Kushwah was demanding a ticket from Gwalior East or Gwalior South seats but his name did not figure in the candidates list. He then accused the party of offering tickets to outsiders and took the extreme step.

Mungaoli-Kolaras

This region had seen bypolls as recently as on 24 February, in which the Congress managed to retain both Mungaoli and Kolaras Assembly seats.

In Kolaras (which falls in the Shivpuri district), Congress candidate Mahendra Singh Yadav defeated BJP's Devendra Jain by 8,086 votes whereas in 2013, the Congress had won this seat by a margin of 24,953 votes.

On the other hand, in Mungaoli (in the Ashok Nagar district), Congress nominee Brajendra Singh Yadav emerged victorious by defeating his BJP rival Bai Sahab Yadav by 2,124 votes. The Congress had won this seat by a margin of 20,765 votes in the 2013 Assembly polls.

The bypolls were necessitated by the death of Congress MLAs Mahendra Singh Kalukheda (Mungaoli) and Ram Singh Yadav (Kolaras) and thus the Congress in a tactful move fielded Yadavs son Mahendra Singh Yadav from his constituency. Both the Congress candidates were farmers and Scindia loyalists.

Meanwhile, the BJP had fielded Baisahab, wife of former MLA Deshraj Singh Yadav who is also the cousin of Brijendra Singh Yadav.

According to The Times of Indias report, there are 35,000 Scheduled Caste votes, 20,000 Lodhi and 18,000 Dangi votes in the region. And in case of a neck-and-neck race, other castes will also play an important role  like the Kataria community, which holds 15,000 votes. Apart from them, the Gurjars, the Kushwahs and the Brahmins together make up for 10,000 votes and the Jains and the Muslims have 7,000 votes each.

BJP here had faced the ire of the Bhopal gas tragedy victims before the bypolls as the survivors of the tragedy claimed that were detained unlawfully for rallying against the ruling party. As many as five organisations run by Bhopal gas tragedy victims had come out in protest against the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government over its failure to fulfil the promises made to them.

Jatara

The Congress party has forged an alliance with the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) as a part of the proposed grand alliance before the general elections due in 2019. In Jatara, Congress left the seat for the LJD as it announced only 229 names in its list of candidates for Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections 2018.

The Opposition has given ticket to Dr Vikram Choudhry who is a PhD in sociology and has worked as a spokesperson of the Congress earlier. However, sitting Congress MLA Dinesh Ahirwar, who filed his nomination as an Independent and BJPs Harishankar Khatik are also giving a tough fight in this constituency.

Jatara, a small backward town in Tikamgarh district of the Bundelkhand region, which is dominated by Scheduled Caste and Yadav communities and borders Uttar Pradesh.

Waraseoni

In an interesting turn of events, Congress has fielded Shivraj Singh Chouhans brother-in-law Sanjay Singh Masani from the Waraseoni constituency.

Masani, brother of Chouhans wife Sadhna Singh, had sought a BJP ticket from Waraseoni in the Balaghat district but changed his affiliation after the ruling party chose to re-nominate MLA Yogendra Nirmal.

However, there isnt a consensus within the party over Masanis nomination as he had often been the Oppositions target on the Assembly floor for getting undue benefits and landing government contracts for his infrastructure firm in a blatant violation of rules.

Jabalpur (West)

In Jabalpur, the BJP has retained all five of its candidates in the five (out of eight) Assembly constituencies in the district. The party has fielded Anchal Sonkar in Jabalpur East-97, Ashok Rohani in Jabalpur Cantt-99, Nandini Maravi in Sihora-102, Pratibha Singh in Bargi-96 and Sushil Tiwari in Panagar-101 Assembly constituency.

However, the party was left red-faced when a worker named Avtar Singh attempted self-immolation outside the party office in the Jabalpur district last week. Singh was expressing his anger against being denied a ticket to fight from the Jabalpur West seat and was sour about the fact that the opportunity had been given to one Harendra Jeet Singh aka 'Babbu'.

Hoshangabad

Congress has fielded former BJP leader Sartaj Singh from this constituency. Singh, an ex-Union minister, had defeated Congress stalwart Arjun Singh in the 1998 Lok Sabha elections. Singh was also the deputy chief of the Madhya Pradesh BJP unit from 1991 to 1994 and therefore his candidature on a Congress ticket has surely stiffened the competition for the ruling party.

Budhni-(Sehore)

In yet another interesting battle, Shivraj Singh Chouhan is up against former Union minister and former Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Arun Yadav.

As is evident from his name, the Congress candidate belongs to the Yadav community whereas Chouhan is from the Kirar community. And even though the share of Yadav votes is about twice that of the Kirar community in Budhni, Chouhan has managed to hold fort here.

But Congress Yadav, who also happens to be the son of former deputy chief minister of Madhya Pradesh - Subhash Yadav, has been highly vocal against Chouhan over the Vyapam scam, especially after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections which brought BJP in power at the centre.

Yadav is recognised as a popular farmers leader, whereas, after the Mandsaur farmers killing incident in 2017, there is a resentment against Chouhan among the agrarian community of the state. Yadav had asked Chouhan to explain the suicides of 30,000 farmers in the state and claimed that Sehore, the latter's home district, had witnessed the highest number of such suicides.

Therefore, the nomination of Yadav by the Congress is being seen as a direct challenge by the party to the chief minister  reminiscent of how in 2003 the BJP fielded Chouhan from Raghogarh against the then chief minister Digvijaya Singh. Though Chouhan lost that election, BJP managed to limit Singh to his constituency and as a result, Congress bowed out of power in the state that year.

Govindpura

The Bharatiya Janata party had to yet again please a veteran of theirs for deciding its candidate from this seat. Former chief minister Babulal Gaur had warned of rebellion if either he or his daughter-in-law wasnt given the ticket. However, later BJP nominated Krishna Gaur  his daughter-in-law and former BJP Mayor from Govindpura.

Bhopal North

The BJP has fielded its lone Muslim woman candidate from the Bhopal North constituency. Fatima Rasool Siddiqui, who is the daughter of former Congress MLA Rasool Ahmed Siddiqui is the partys candidate from this seat.

Meanwhile, Congress contestant Arif Aqueel is not only a five-time MLA from the seat but has a history of political rivalry with Rasool Ahmed Siddiqui. Rasool had registered back-to-back victories in Bhopal North in the 1980 and 1985 elections as a Congress candidate. But, Aqueel dethroned him in the 1990 Assembly elections as an Independent candidate.

In 1993, BJP's Ramesh Sharma was elected as the MLA from the seat, with Aqueel soon swearing his allegiance with the Congress. He reclaimed the seat in 1998 on the Congress ticket and has since been winning every election here.

The reason for Fatimas drift towards BJP is the angst against Congress for denying her the opportunity to contest the polls. Her father, who was the first candidate to make Congress win in Bhopal (North) during the 1980 polls. However, the following year, Rasool died and no one in the family was given a ticket by the Congress.

Ratlam Rural

This seat has seen political tension and infighting erupt for both the BJP and the Congress. While, Congress had to remove its initial choice Lakshman Singh Dindor after there were protests against his nomination, the BJP had to face accusations by sitting MLA Mathural Lal Damar of selling off the seat to its current candidate Dilip Makwana for Rs 1.5 crore.

Damar had converted the seat in BJPs favour in the 2013 elections and was thus expecting to be fielded again by the party.

Whereas Congress leader Kamal Naths close aide Komal Dhurve also announced her decision to contest as an independent in the upcoming elections after the grand old party decided to pitch Dindor.

Apart from these, voices of dissent have been heard in seats like Satna as both BJP and Congress are dealing with political turncoats ahead of the elections.

BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiyas son Akash who has been fielded from Indore-III is also facing dissent as senior party leader Lalit Porwal filed his nomination as an independent candidate asking where the experienced leaders should go such a situation of younger faces being projected.

The BJP is also facing massive unrest in Bhopal, Indore-1 and Mhow constituencies. In Bhopal, two of BJPs former MLAs  Brahmananad and Jitendra Daga raised a rebellion against the party as they filed their nomination from Berasia and Huzur respectively. Daga is a close aide of MEA Sushma Swaraj and was given the ticket in 2008 on her insistence. However, he was denied re-nomination in 2013 after his name cropped-up in the Bhopal Development Authority CEO BD Rusias death case, The Pioneer reported.
The BJP released its manifesto 'Samruddh Madhya Pradesh Drishti Patra' for the poll-bound state, with Arun Jaitley, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other state leaders in attendance.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday released its manifesto 'Samruddh Madhya Pradesh Drishti Patra' for the poll-bound state, with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other state leaders in attendance.

Chouhan outlined the promises that the party was making in the document, which included increasing employment opportunities in the state."We will make efforts to provide 10 lakh jobs and self-employment opportunities every year. We will provide start-up facilities to young entrepreneurs and also establish new industrial townships," he said.

He also announced Krishak Samrudhi Yojana, to benefits farmers in debt across the state.

He announced the party's plans to encourage women empowerment. He said that the party even launched a 'Nari Shakti Sankalp Patra' proposing self-help groups for women empowerment.

The chief minister vowed to upgrade the intra-state connectivity and the state's infrastructure as well.

Jaitley also addressed the gathering, saying that the BJP is showing commitment to bettering the state "out of conviction, while others are doing so out of convenience."

Responding to questions about the demonetisation, the finance minister said the move to implement it was "highly ethical."

"It was no secret that many in India were not tax compliant. Compelling them to put their undeclared money into the banks had an ethical rationale to it," he said. adding that "every move of this government, from demonetisation to GST and putting the tax system online, has helped to formalize large part of the economy."

He said that the impact of the government scheme was is that both the Central and the state governments now have much larger revenues. "Before the Narendra Modi government, 3.8 crore people were paying taxes. In four years, that number has hiked up to 6.68 crore," he said.
Responding to the Congress' barb that a chaiwala could rise to power only because of democratic systems established by Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Narendra Modi challenged the Congress to make someone from outside the Gandhi family its chief for at least five years if it respected democracy.

Ambikapur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday challenged the Congress to make someone from outside the Gandhi family its chief for at least five years if it respected democracy, as he returned the Congress' barb that a chaiwala could rise to power only because of democratic systems established by Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru.

In an apparent attack on the Gandhi family, Modi also said that the Gandhi family, of which four generations have previously ruled the country, cannot fathom how the son of a poor mother can sit on the rajgaddi (throne).

Addressing a poll rally in Chhattisgarh's Surguja district for the second phase of the state assembly elections scheduled for 20 November, Modi also hit back at the Congress for questioning demonetisation, saying the move "still rankles" them as the money "stashed under beds and in sacks" was taken away in a single stroke.

While the BJP has been ruling Chhattisgarh for 15 continuous years, the Congress was in power in the state only for three years after the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000. Traditionally, the two national parties have had a direct fight in this state, although a third force as emerged this time in form of an alliance between the parties of former Congress chief minister Ajit Jogi and of Dalit leader Mayawati.

Modi asked Congress to give account of what the four generations of the (Gandhi) family did for the nation before asking for an account of his government's four-and-half years' rule. "Four generations of the Congress ruled the counry, but they have nothing to tell the people. We are everyday giving an account of what we have done in the last four years," he said.

"They (Congress leaders) are saying it was due to a great person, due to Pandit Nehru, that a 'chaiwala' (tea seller) became the prime minister," Modi said.

"If you so much respect the democracy, do a small thing. If you claim that because of your principles, your faith in democracy, the Constitution and Pandit Nehru, Modi, a chaiwala, could become the PM, appoint someone good from outside the (Gandhi) family as the Congress president for just five years," he said.

"If this happens, I will accept that Nehru ji created such a democratic system because of which anyone, (even) a dedicated Congressman outside the family could become the Congress chief," he added.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had said that it was due to the institutional structures created by Nehru that even a chaiwala could become India's prime minister. His party colleague Mallikarjun Kharge had also said earlier that a chaiwala could become the prime minister as the Congress preserved democracy.

Sitaram Kesri had served as the Congress president in the 1990s, but his tenure from September 1996 to March 1998 was less than five years. Rahul Gandhi is currently president of the Congress party, while the post was held by his mother Sonia Gandhi before that. A Congress president mostly gets a three-year term, though there have been exceptions.

Continuing his barbs at the Gandhi family, Modi said the "contract of democracy" in the country was not given to one family, but they felt the Britishers had named India after it. "They still keep crying that how could a chaiwala sit (on the PM's chair). How could he? They still cannot fathom how come the son of a poor mother could sit on the throne" he said.

Stating that such people cannot understand difficulties faced by the poor, but a chaiwala can, he said the credit for making a 'chaiwala' the prime minister goes to 125 crore Indians and not to Modi or the BJP.

The prime minister also took on Rahul Gandhi for attacking him over demonetisation, saying only one "family" is "crying" over the note-ban exercise. "No one from those sitting here (in the rally) is crying over demonetisation, but only one family is crying. Their associates lost their illegally earned money filled in bags, hidden inside their bed and pillow after demonetisation," the prime minister said.

Modi also said Chhattisgarh was created peacefully during the tenure of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in contrast to violence during agitations for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh under the Congress rule. He said the BJP is the only unbiased party and it is guided by the mantra of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas', while the Congress kept the country in dark with lies that are ingrained in their minds.

He also hailed the high voter turnout in the first phase of polling held in the state on 12 November for 18 seats, which covered Maoist-affected constituencies, saying the people of Bastar gave a strong response to Naxals by registering record voting percentage in the first phase.

Despite threats given by Naxals to chop off fingers of those who will vote, tribals came out in large numbers to vote, he said.

Modi urged voters of the remaining 72 assembly seats to show the same enthusiasm in the second phase on 20 November. Counting of votes for both phases would be held on 11 December. He said election offers the best opportunity to "punish" those who think it is the right of only one family to rule the country.

"When I had come to Ambikapur during last Lok Sabha elections, people had made a replica of Red Fort for my rally which annoyed a few people in Delhi as they thought it was the right of only one family to speak from Red Fort. They are still angry with you for that and the time has arrived to punish them," Modi said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, actress Hema Malini and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath as well as several other Union ministers are expected to campaign for BJP in poll-bound Rajasthan

Election campaigning in Rajasthan is all set to heat up with the BJP releasing its list of star campaigners. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah will be touring Rajasthan to address poll rallies in the state.

While Modi is expected to attend a rally in the state on 24 November, Shah will be taking part in a roadshow on 21 November. The BJP president will be in Bikaner in support of candidates fielded by the party in the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly polls, a party functionary said on Friday.

BJP district president Dr Satyaprakash Acharya said route of the roadshow will be decided in consultation with the candidates and party workers.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and veteran film actress and MP Hema Malini will also visit the state for poll campaigning, according to a statement issued by the BJP here.

Other leaders whose names have figured in a list released by the party are Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union ministers Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh, Prakash Javadekar, Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Smriti Irani and VK Singh, among others.

The BJP has released two lists so far of 162 candidates for the polls to be held on 7 December for 200 Assembly constituencies.

In 2013, the saffron party under Vasundhara Raje had won a whopping 163 assembly seats in the state, giving the Congress its worst ever drubbing.

With inputs from PTI
The Congress released its second list of 32 candidates for the assembly election in Rajasthan, fielding former BJP leader Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra against Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje from Jhalrapatan constituency.

The Congress on Saturday released its second list of 32 candidates for the 7 December Assembly election in Rajasthan, fielding former BJP leader Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra against Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje from Jhalrapatan constituency.

Earlier on Saturday, Raje filed her nomination papers from the constituency.

Manvendra, a former BJP MLA from Sheo, in September quit the saffron party to join the Congress ahead of the Assembly election.

There is a long list of leaders quitting the BJP and the party should introspect why this is happening, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot told PTI. We are welcoming Manvendra and this will strengthen the party.

He added the party will ensure his active participation in the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

The second list was released by the Congress general secretary and in-charge of Rajasthan Mukul Wasnik.

INC COMMUNIQUE Announcement of second list of candidates for the ensuing elections to the Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan. @INCRajasthan pic.twitter.com/pXqQbCaZyT  INC Sandesh (@INCSandesh) November 17, 2018

The opposition party had declared 152 candidates in the first list on Thursday night.



Senior Congress leaders, including Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot and CP Joshi, are contesting the state election. Gehlot and Pilot had on Wednesday made their intentions clear that they would contest the Assembly polls along with senior state leaders.

Out of 200 candidates, 19 are women including former National Commission for Women chief Girija Vyas, who will contest from Udaipur, and Commonwealth Gold medallist (Discus) Krishna Punia, who will contest from Sadulpur.

Senior party leader CP Joshi will be party nominee from the Nathdwara Assembly seat.

The Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, Rameshwar Lal Dudi, is the Congress's candidate from the Nokha constituency.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Harish Chaudhary will contest the polls from the Baytoo seat.

Former BJP MP Harish Meena, who had switched over to the Congress on Wednesday, has been fielded from Deoli Uniara.

The party's central election committee general secretary Mukul Wasnik released the list after hectic deliberations with senior state leaders and the party leadership. Sources said the list was reportedly delayed over differences on the distribution of party tickets.

The notification for the polls was issued on Monday.

With inputs from PTI
Rajasthan's Tonk Assembly constituency is set to witness an interesting poll fight between Congress state unit chief Sachin Pilot and the BJP's sitting MLA Ajit Singh Mehta

Jaipur: Rajasthan's Tonk assembly constituency is set to witness an interesting poll fight between Congress state unit chief Sachin Pilot and the BJP's sitting MLA Ajit Singh Mehta.

The northern state will go to polls on 7 December.

Mehta had won the seat, which has a sizeable number of Muslim voters, in the 2013 Assembly elections with a margin of over 30,000 votes.

"I am fully confident of retaining my seat. I am not under any fear or pressure. My supporters and party workers are quite excited about the poll battle with Pilot," the 53-year-old BJP leader told PTI.

Mehta, who filed his nomination papers on Thursday, said developmental works worth Rs 2,000 crore were executed in the last five years in the state.

"Illegal slaughter houses were the main problem in the city and I got them shut. Number of district hospital beds were increased from 200 to 275. New grid sub stations were installed, while a water pipeline was laid in Tonk to address water issues," he said.

The BJP MLA said he was a "local" and Pilot was an "outsider" for Tonk.

The Congress, meanwhile, is eyeing the assembly seats in eastern parts of the state with Pilot's nomination. Pilot is also seen as the party's chief ministerial candidate.

Apart from Jaipur, Tonk district touches boundary with Ajmer (eight seats), Sawaimadhopur (four seats), Dausa five seats), Bhilwara (seven seats) and Bundi (three seats).

"Tonk is a good seat for me to contest which touches Ajmer and Dausa. Since I announced to contest the elections, there were requests from 13 to 14 districts and the party decided Tonk. We will win significant number of seats in the entire Rajasthan and particularly in the eastern parts," Pilot, 41, said.

"The party workers have worked hard not only in this region, but in the entire state and the result of the election will make this clear. Not only Tonk, the party is going to win majority of seats in Rajasthan," he said.

As many as nine candidates had contested from Tonk in the 2013 assembly elections where Mehta defeated his nearest rival Saud Saidi, a Congress rebel who had contested as an independent. The BJP leader had secured 46.96 per cent votes.

The constituency has about 2.22 lakh voters, including around 43,000 Muslims and 35,000 people belonging to the Scheduled Castes, apart from a significant number of Gurjar, Jat and Meena voters, according to estimates by candidates.
BJP president Amit Shah would undertake a three-day campaign in Telangana from 25 November for the 7 December Assembly polls.

Hyderabad: BJP president Amit Shah would undertake a three-day campaign in Telangana from 25 November for the 7 December Assembly polls, state BJP president K Laxman said on Saturday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also likely to visit the state to address public meetings in the first week of December, he told reporters.

Laxman claimed that the party was getting an encouraging response from people during its campaign and said they believed that a change in Telangana was possible only with the BJP coming to power.

Shah had kicked off BJP's campaign in Telangana in September last and subsequently addressed two more public meetings in the state.

The party has been conducting assembly constituency wise meetings, besides other forms of canvassing.
The Congress and BJP are said to be fearful of rising resentment amongst their party cadre, with civic polls set to take place in Uttarakhand on Sunday.

Dehradun: The Congress and BJP are said to be fearful of rising resentment amongst their party cadre, after releasing their candidate lists for Uttarakhands municipal corporation elections, to be held on 18 November.

Naresh Bansal, BJP Uttarakhand general secretary, has suspended 64 party leaders for a period of six years, saying that there is no place for such leaders who are against the party. Similarly, senior Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana, says that the partys discipline committee met with district committees and so far, 56 party members have been suspended on disciplinary grounds from the party.

Although both the Congress and BJP have taken disciplinary action against their leaders for going against their respective parties, the fear of party members turning into rebel candidates plagues them. The civic polls are being held just six months before the general election in 2019, and will reflect the mood of voters residing in urban areas. For both chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and PCC president Pritam Singh, the results of the civic polls will be a crucial deciding factor for 2019; a loss would be a major question on leadership.

The BJP is facing pressure to retain all its seats, after having won four out of six seats in the previous election. At the time, the other two seats were won by its rebel leaders  Yashpal Rana in Rudki and Usha Chaudhary in Kashipur. The Congress, now, is trying hard to regain its lost ground for the municipal corporation elections.

After releasing the list of candidates for the civic elections, the chief minister faces a challenge within his own constituency, Doiwala. Party leader Madhu Dobhal has rebelled, and has now filed his nomination as an Independent candidate for the seat.

Noticeably, Uttarakhand Assembly speaker Premchand Agarwal and state BJP president Ajay Bhatt entered into a heated argument at Jolly Grant airport a few days ago, over selecting a candidate for the mayors seat in Rishikesh municipal corporation. According to sources, Agarwal was not consulted for the selection of the candidate, despite being the MLA of the Rishikesh constituency.

Kusum Kandwal, a senior leader from the BJP filed her nomination as an Independent candidate after being snubbed by the party, which fielded Anita Mamgain for the Rishikesh seat. However, after discussions with the senior leadership, she withdrew her nomination.

The Kotdwara municipal corporation seat is a bone of contention as well. While the Congress has fielded Hemlata Negi, BJP members like Sashi Nainwal, Vibha Chauhan and Sudha Sati have rebelled, and filed their nominations as independent candidates for Kotdwara.

The ruling party seems to be in denial. BJPs state in-charge, Shyam Jaju says, There is no chance of party leaders turning rebel, as most of the leaders who were upset with the candidate selection, have now been convinced. Action has been taken against those who were against the party.

It will be interesting to look at the contest for the highly coveted Dehradun municipal corporation seat. This is because Dehradun, apart from being the state capital, also has the oldest and largest municipal corporation, from where the BJP has won twice consecutively in the past two elections. The chief minister picked Sunil Uniyal Gama for the seat, who will be contesting against former Congress cabinet minister Dinesh Agarwal and Rajni Rawat, a transgender woman from the Aam Aadmi Party.

Things arent any better in the Congress camp; they have been facing a tough time regaining lost ground in Uttarakhand, as multiple leaders from the party have filed their nominations as Independent candidates.

In Haldwani, Lalit Joshi filed his nomination as an Independent candidate, after the Congress fielded Sumit Hridyesh for the seat. Joshi, after holding discussions with senior party leaders later, withdrew his nominations.

Strangely, the Congress camp hasnt been actively campaigning, despite the presence of senior leaders like former president Kishore Upadhyay, Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Tamta and former Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal.

Kishore Upadhyay says that he has not received any direction or order from the PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee), and that he has been campaigning on his own. Anugrah Narayan Singh, AICC in-charge Uttarakhand, says, Minor differences are there in every party, and after visiting Kumaon Garhwal and other places, I can say that people are not happy with the BJP, and this time the Congress will win the civic elections.

Political commentator Surendra Singh Arya, says politicians who contest for the positions of mayor or chairman in municipal corporations, eventually go further and contest at the state Vidhan Sabha level as well. He remarks, Many bigwigs in the state have come through the panchayat system, which is why the infighting in parties increases during ticket distribution.

Many established leaders from both Congress and BJP first held positions at the civic level. State finance minister Prakash Pant had been a member of the Pithoragarh municipality, while education minister Arvind Pandey was the chairman of the Bajpur municipality. In the Congress, Sarita Arya, former MLA and present state president of Mahila Congress Uttarakhand, was also chairman in the Nainital municipality.

Campaigning for the municipal corporation elections ended on 16 November, and 24 lakh citizens are eligible to vote on 18 November.

(The author is a Dehradun-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com)
Officials said 427 candidates are in the fray for 536 Sarpanch Halqas and 5,951 candidates for 4,048 Panch wards for the first phase of the Panchayat polls. They said polling will be held in six districts of the Kashmir Valley, two in Ladakh and seven districts in the Jammu region.

Srinagar: Voting for the first phase of the 2018 Panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir began on Saturday. The election will continue for eight more phases until 11 December.

Officials said 427 candidates are in the fray for 536 Sarpanch Halqas and 5,951 candidates for 4,048 Panch wards for the first phase of the Panchayat polls. They said polling will be held in six districts of the Kashmir Valley, two in Ladakh and seven districts in the Jammu region.

Jammu & Kashmir: Voting is underway for the first phase of Panchayat polls; Visuals from a polling station in Rajouri's district's Manjakote pic.twitter.com/VxcenlaPTs  ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018

The officials said 170 candidates are in the fray for 64 Sarpanch Halqas and 762 for 498 Panch wards in Kupwara district, while 21 candidates for 20 Sarpanch Halqas and 81 for 146 Panch wards in Bandipora district. In Baramulla district, 148 candidates are in the fray for 63 Sarpanch Halqas and 630 for 497 Panch wards.

Voting begins for the first phase of Panchayat polls in Jammu & Kashmir. The elections will be held in nine phases across the state; Visuals from two separate polling stations in Rajouri pic.twitter.com/KSlVVqE4TT  ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018

Eleven candidates for 15 Sarpanch Halqas and 21 for 105 Panch wards in Ganderbal district, six candidates for five Sarpanch Halqas and nine for 45 Panch wards in Srinagar, and 35 candidates for 26 Sarpanch Halqas and 124 for 222 Panch wards in Budgam district are contesting the polls in the first phase.

In Kargil, 51 candidates for 23 Sarpanch Halqas and 225 for 179 Panch wards, while in Leh, 64 candidates for 32 Sarpanch Halqas and 207 for 226 Panch wards are in the fray, the officials said.

In Kishtwar district, 107 candidates for 50 Sarpanch Halqas and 494 for 358 Panch wards are in the fray, the officials said, adding that 190 candidates for 52 Sarpanch Halqas and 626 for 364 Panch wards are in the fray in Doda district.

The officials said 89 candidates for 27 Sarpanch Halqas and 337 for 195 Panch wards in Ramban district and 162 candidates for 42 Sarpanch Halqas and 779 for 332 Panch wards in Udhampur district are contesting the polls.

In Kathua district, 114 candidates are in the fray for 29 Sarpanch Halqas and 450 for 209 Panch wards, while 121 candidates for 35 Sarpanch Halqas and 469 for 253 Panch wards in Rajouri district.

The officials said 162 candidates for 53 Sarpanch Halqas and 736 for 419 Panch wards in Poonch district are contesting the polls.

All arrangements have been put in place for the smooth conduct of the polls and polling staff has been deputed to the respective polling stations, they said.

While the polls are being conducted on the non-party basis, the NC, PDP and the CPM have announced to stay away from the electoral exercise due to the legal challenge to Article 35-A of the Constitution in the Supreme Court.

The NC and the PDP have asked the Centre to make its stand clear in the apex court on the constitutional provision and urged it to defend its continuation in the court. They had also boycotted last month's municipal polls.

While separatists have called for a boycott of the polls, militants have threatened to target anyone taking part in these elections.
Indo-Asian News Service

Facebook investors have increased pressure on Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg to step down after a New York Times investigation suggested that the social network hired a Republican-owned political consulting and PR firm that "dug up dirt on its competitors".

According to a report in The Guardian on Saturday, Jonas Kron, Senior Vice President at Trillium Asset Management which owns a substantial stake in Facebook, "called on Zuckerberg to step down as board chairman in the wake of the report".

"Facebook is behaving like it's a special snowflake. It's not. It is a company and companies need to have a separation of chair and CEO," Kron was quoted as saying.

The New York Times report suggested that Facebook hired Definers Public Affairs, a Washington, D.C.-based conservative firm which did PR work for the social networking giant "and dug up dirt on the company's competitors and its critics".

In a press call, Zuckerberg denied he had any prior knowledge about this firm.

"After reading the article, I got on the phone with our team and we are no longer working with this firm," he said.

Definers allegedly "encouraged the depiction of Facebook's critics as anti-Semites and had published news articles criticising Facebook's competitors".

Another Facebook investor Natasha Lamb from Arjuna Capital said the combined role of chairman and chief executive means that "Facebook can avoid properly fixing problems inside the company", said the report.

According to TechCrunch, founded by a Republican campaign manager known for his dirt-digging prowess, Definers is far from a normal, politically neutral contractor.

In a statement, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg also denied any knowledge of the firm.

Facebook said that it used the consultant Definers Public Affairs to look into the funding of "Freedom from Facebook" to demonstrate that it was not simply a spontaneous grassroots campaign, as it claimed, "but supported by a well-known critic of our company," presumably liberal financier George Soros.

"To suggest that this was an anti-Semitic attack is reprehensible and untrue," the company added.

Facebook has also refuted allegation that it knew about Russian activity as early as the spring of 2016 but was slow to investigate it at every turn.

As fallout of the report, Facebook stocks fell 3 per cent on Friday to $139.53, the lowest since April 2017.
Reuters

Hackers linked to the Russian government are impersonating US State Department employees in an operation aimed at infecting computers of US government agencies, think tanks and businesses, two cybersecurity firms told Reuters.

The operation, which began on Wednesday, suggests Russia is keen to resume an aggressive campaign of attacks on U.S. targets after a lull going into the November 6 US midterm election, in which Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives, according to CrowdStrike and FireEye Inc.

US intelligence agencies have charged that Russia was behind a string of hacks in the 2016 presidential campaign in a bid to boost support for Donald Trump. The U.S. government and private cyber security firms have said Russia was not behind hacking campaigns in this years congressional elections.

In the newly discovered operation, hackers linked to the Russian government sent emails purporting to come from State Department public affairs specialist Susan Stevenson, according to a sample phishing email reviewed by Reuters.

It encouraged recipients to download malicious documents that claimed to be from Heather Nauert, a State Department official who Trump has said he is considering naming ambassador to the United Nations.

That file would install malicious software that would grant hackers wide access to their systems, according to FireEye.

More than 20 FireEye customers were targeted, including military agencies, law enforcement, defense contractors, media companies and pharmaceutical companies, according to the cybersecurity firm.

CrowdStrike and FireEye did not say how many organizations had been compromised in the campaign or identify specific targets.

The hackers are part of a group known as APT29, according to FireEye. Dutch intelligence has said that APT29 works for the SVR Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.

Moscow-based cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab confirmed that the campaign was the work of APT29, and said the group had not been active since last year.
By Letitia Stein (Reuters) - Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams admitted defeat in her effort to become the first black female U.S. governor on Friday, but said she planned to sue the state over voting problems and 'gross mismanagement' of the election. Abrams' announcement effectively hands victory to Republican Brian Kemp in a bitter race that has drawn national attention both for her historic campaign and for Kemp's role as the state's top election administrator.

By Letitia Stein

(Reuters) - Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams admitted defeat in her effort to become the first black female U.S. governor on Friday, but said she planned to sue the state over voting problems and "gross mismanagement" of the election.

Abrams' announcement effectively hands victory to Republican Brian Kemp in a bitter race that has drawn national attention both for her historic campaign and for Kemp's role as the state's top election administrator.

Abrams accused Kemp of using his position as Georgia Secretary of State to interfere with the vote - an allegation he has strongly denied.

"To watch an elected official who claims to represent the people in this state baldly pin his hopes for election on the suppression of the peoples democratic right to vote has been truly appalling," Abrams told supporters in Atlanta.

"So lets be clear: This is not a speech of concession, because concession means to acknowledge an action as right, true or proper," she said.

State officials were expected to certify Kemp as the winner as soon as Friday night.

"The election is over and hardworking Georgians are ready to move forward," Kemp said on Twitter. "We can no longer dwell on the divisive politics of the past but must focus on Georgias bright and promising future."

Kemp, 55, resigned his post as Secretary of State after the Nov. 6 election and did not oversee the final ballot review.

Abrams, 44, had considered a court challenge to force a runoff, which is allowed by state law if neither candidate gets a majority of the vote. Initial results showed Kemp just over that threshold.

Instead, she said she would sue the state for what she called "gross mismanagement of this election" and to protect future elections. She said she would start a new organisation, Fair Fight Georgia, to advocate for voting rights.

Voters in Georgia reported long lines at polling places as ageing technology was swamped by the volume of people seeking to cast ballots. Prior to Election Day, groups has sued to prevent Kemp from throwing out more than 50,000 voter-registration forms that had been put on hold because personal information did not exactly match state databases. The lawsuit alleged that the "exact match" law disproportionately affected black voters.

RECOUNT IN FLORIDA

Abrams's announcement comes as several other races across the country remain unresolved.

In neighbouring Florida, election officials were slogging through a hand recount of ballots to determine who won a hard-fought U.S. Senate contest.

Outgoing Republican Governor Rick Scott held a narrow lead over incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson after an electronic recount was completed on Thursday. Officials have until noon on Sunday to tally any votes missed by electronic voting machines.

Scott's campaign has called on Nelson to drop out, saying it was mathematically impossible to make up the difference of about 12,600 votes, 0.15 percent of the more than 8 million ballots cast. Nelson's lawyer, Marc Elias, says he expects Scott's lead to ultimately disappear as the recount continues.

In another tight Florida contest, Republican Ron DeSantis appeared to secure the governor's seat over Democrat Andrew Gillum after the electronic recount showed DeSantis with a 0.4 percentage point lead, outside the threshold to trigger a hand recount. The state is scheduled to certify results on Tuesday.

Scenes of thousands of people across the state reviewing ballots brought back memories of Florida's 2000 presidential recount, which ended only after the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in, effectively handing the presidency to Republican George W. Bush.

The result of the Nelson-Scott race will not change the balance of power in the Senate, where Republicans extended their lead in the Nov. 6 midterm vote, while Democrats took a majority in the House of Representatives.

Along with the unresolved Florida senate race, Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi is headed to a Nov. 27 runoff against Democrat Mike Espy after neither candidate secured a majority of the vote in a four-way race.

About 10 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives remain up in the air.

(Additional reporting by Eric Beech and Mohammad Zargham in Washington; Writing by Andy Sullivan; editing by Scott Malone, Bernadette Baum and Tom Brown)

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'We decided to hold the prayers as we are convinced that his body will never be found,' Fatih Oke, executive director of the Turkish-Arab Media Association (TAM) of which Khashoggi was a member, told AFP.

Dozens of people on Friday paid homage to murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a symbolic funeral in Istanbul where the 59-year-old Washington Post contributor was killed last month.

In the absence of a body, the crowd gathered in front of an empty place traditionally reserved for the coffin at Fatih mosque, AFP journalists reported.

Supporters from the newly-formed Jamal Khashoggi Friends Association also attended.

Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi leadership, was last seen entering the kingdom's Istanbul consulate on October 2. Turkish officials say he was strangled and his body dismembered.

"We decided to hold the prayers as we are convinced that his body will never be found," Fatih Oke, executive director of the Turkish-Arab Media Association (TAM) of which Khashoggi was a member, told AFP.

The ceremony which took place under rain, "is a message delivered to the world to say that the murder will not go unpunished and that justice will be served," said Ibrahim Pekdemir, an Istanbul resident who attended.

Saudi prosecutors on Thursday announced indictments against 11 people and said a total of 21 individuals were in custody in connection with the killing.

But they exonerated the kingdom's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of involvement in the murder.

Yasin Aktay, a close friend of Khashoggi and advisor to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, strongly criticised the Saudi version of events.

"They want us to believe that the killers themselves made the decision to assassinate Jamal Khashoggi, we do not believe in this story," he said after the prayer.

"We will continue to ask who are the true contractors" of the murder.

Turkey has insisted it was a premeditated killing.
The number of people missing in a devastating wildfire in northern California jumped to more than 1,000 on Friday, authorities said, as the remains of eight other victims were found by rescuers.

The number of people missing in a devastating wildfire in northern California jumped to more than 1,000 on Friday, authorities said, as the remains of eight other victims were found by rescuers.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the number of missing had soared from 631 on Thursday to 1,011 on Friday as more reports of missing were being sent in and as emergency calls made when the fire broke out on 8 November are being reviewed.

The eight additional victims brings to 71 the number of people who have died in the so-called Camp Fire.

Three other people have died in southern California in a another blaze dubbed the Woolsey fire.

Honea underlined that the list of missing was constantly fluctuating and it did not mean that all those on the list were presumed dead.

"I want you to understand that this is a dynamic list," he said.

"The information I am providing you is raw data and we find there is the likely possibility that the list contains duplicate names," he added.
A report said that the CIA scrubbed multiple intelligence sources, including a phone call between the prince's brother and Khashoggi. The late journalist was told that he would be safe to go to the consulate in Istanbul and get the papers he needed.

Washington: The US Central Intelligence Agency has concluded Saudi's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, The Washington Post reported Friday, citing people close to the matter.

The US assessment directly contradicts the conclusions of a Saudi prosecutor one day prior, which exonerated the prince of involvement in the brutal murder.

According to the CIA findings, 15 Saudi agents flew on government aircraft to Istanbul and assassinated Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate, the Post said.

Queried by AFP, the CIA declined to comment.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, had gone to the consulate to obtain documents necessary to marry his Turkish fiancee.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly changed its official narrative of the 2 October murder, first denying any knowledge of Khashoggi's whereabouts and later saying he was killed when an argument degenerated into a fistfight.

In the latest version presented by the Saudi prosecutor on Thursday, a 15-member squad was formed to bring Khashoggi back from Istanbul "by means of persuasion"  but instead ended up killing the journalist and dismembering his body in a "rogue" operation.

The CIA scrubbed multiple intelligence sources, the Post said, among them a phone call between the prince's brother  the Saudi ambassador to the United States  and Khashoggi. The ambassador reportedly told the late journalist that he would be safe to go to the consulate in Istanbul and get the papers he needed.

The US intelligence agency also said in determining the Crown Prince's role it considered him a "de facto ruler" in Saudi Arabia: "The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved," the Post quoted an official as saying.

That official dubbed Prince Mohammed a "good technocrat"  but also someone unpredictable who "goes from zero to 60, doesn't seem to understand that there are some things you can't do."

The CIA conclusions threaten to further fray relations between Washington and key ally Riyadh, which has sought to end discussion of Khashoggi's murder and rejected calls for an international investigation. On Thursday the US Treasury slapped sanctions on 17 people, including close aides of Prince Mohammed, suggesting a coordinated effort between Riyadh and Washington to pre-empt the threat of harsher actions from an outraged US Congress.

US President Donald Trump has shied from directly blaming the Crown Prince but on Friday agreed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that "any cover-up of the incident should not be allowed."
The president did not say when he would turn over the answers to Mueller, but his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, indicated it could happen next week.

Washington: President Donald Trump says he "very easily" answered written questions from Special Counsel Robert Mueller, though he speculated that the questions had been "tricked up" to try to catch him in a lie. He said he hadn't submitted his answers to investigators yet. "You have to always be careful when you answer questions with people that probably have bad intentions," Trump told reporters Friday in his latest swipe at the probe into 2016 election interference and possible ties between Moscow and the president's campaign.

The president did not say when he would turn over the answers to Mueller, but his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, indicated it could happen next week. The special counsel has signaled a willingness to accept written answers on matters related to collusion with Russia. But Giuliani has said repeatedly the president would not answer Mueller's questions on possible obstruction of justice. During months of back-and-forth negotiations with the special counsel office, Trump's lawyers have repeatedly counseled the president against sitting down for an in-person interview.

Trump's written response, though not yet delivered, signals a new phase in the Mueller probe, the year-and-a-half-long investigation that has produced guilty pleas and convictions from several top Trump aides even as the special counsel and the White House have engaged in lengthy negotiations about howor ifthe president would testify. Though he spent hours with his attorneys, Trump insisted: "My lawyers don't write answers, I write answers."

The president's remarks were fresh evidence of his return to the ominous rhythms of the Russia probe after spending heady weeks enjoying adulation-soaked campaign rallies before the midterm elections. Despite Trump's insistence Friday that he's "very happy" with how things are going, his frustrations with the ongoing probe have been evident everywhere from his overheated Twitter feed this week to his private grousing that the special counsel may target his family. Adding to his grim outlook has been the barrage of criticism he's getting over his choice for acting attorney general and late-arriving election results that have largely been tipping toward House Democrats.

"The inner workings of the Mueller investigation are a total mess," Trump tweeted Thursday as part of a series of morning posts. The investigators don't care "how many lives they can ruin," he wrote. A day later, he tried to put a rosier shine on the situation, telling reporters: "I'm sure it will be just fine." The president continued to maintain his innocence while launching new broadsides at the probe. He denied being "agitated" despite his outbursts the day before.

After a relative lull in the run-up to the midterms, the Russia probe has returned to the forefront of Washington conversation and cable news chyrons. There has been widespread media coverage of two Trump alliesRoger Stone and Jerome Corsiwho say they expect to be charged. The president has expressed concerns behind closed doors that Mueller is closing in on his inner circle, including potentially his eldest son.

For months, Trump has told confidants he fears that Donald Trump Jr, perhaps inadvertently, broke the law by being untruthful with investigators in the aftermath of a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer, according to one Republican close to the White House. Trump has also complained about efforts in the Senate by his longtime foe, Senator Jeff Flake, to introduce legislation to protect the special counsel, according to the officials and Republicans.

Additionally, Trump has told confidants in recent days that he is deeply frustrated by widespread criticism of his choice of Matthew Whitaker for acting attorney general, according to four officials and Republicans close to the White House who spoke on condition of anonymity. Whitaker has been a vocal opponent of the special counsel probe. One argument against Whitaker was that he has not been confirmed by Senate. Trump, in turn, contended that the criticism was unfair since Mueller also was not confirmed for his post. The special counsel position does not require confirmation, and the former FBI director was confirmed for that previous job.

The president also took note of news coverage of his former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, arriving in Washington this week, potentially to meet with Mueller's investigators. Cohen has pleaded guilty to a series of crimes and has said under oath that Trump ordered him to make hush-money payments to cover up an affair. He has undertaken an unlikely public relations tour as he looks to make a deal to reduce his prison sentence.

The renewed focus on the looming threat from Mueller comes as Trump settles back into the day-to-day routines of governing after the whirlwind campaign in which he spent weeks in front of adoring rally crowds while whipping up his base with harsh rhetoric about migrants moving through Mexico. He faced criticism from both sides of the aisle for his weekend trip to Paris, during which he scuttled a visit to a World War I ceremony due to bad weather and further strained ties with traditional Western allies.
By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Yemen's warring parties have given 'firm assurances' that they are committed to attending peace talks to be convened shortly in Sweden, U.N. Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths said on Friday, and pledged to escort the Houthi delegation from Sanaa if needed. 'This is a crucial moment for Yemen.

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Yemen's warring parties have given "firm assurances" that they are committed to attending peace talks to be convened shortly in Sweden, U.N. Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths said on Friday, and pledged to escort the Houthi delegation from Sanaa if needed.

"This is a crucial moment for Yemen. I have received firm assurances from the leadership of the Yemeni parties ... that they are committed to attending these consultations. I believe they are genuine," Griffiths told the U.N. Security Council.

He is trying to broker peace in the more than three-year-old conflict seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015, backing government forces fighting the Iran-allied Houthi group.

U.N. food chief David Beasley told reporters earlier on Friday that the situation in Yemen was "a catastrophe."

The Houthis now rule most of Yemen's population, while the exiled government controls a section of the south. An attempt to hold peace talks in Geneva in September was abandoned after three days of waiting for the Houthi delegation.

"I will go to Sanaa next week ... I will also be happy to travel myself, if necessary, with the delegation to the consultations," Griffiths said. He is aiming to convene talks before the end of the year.

The Houthis had said in September that they wanted U.N. guarantees their plane would not have to stop in Djibouti for inspection by the Saudi-led coalition. They also wanted the plane to evacuate some of their wounded to Oman or Europe.

Griffith said he believed he was close to resolving preparatory issues to allow the talks in Sweden to happen.

"I am grateful to the coalition for agreeing our proposed logistical arrangements, and to the coalition and Oman for their agreement to facilitate the medical evacuation of some injured Yemenis out of Sanaa," he told the 15-member Security Council.

Griffiths also said the parties were about to conclude an agreement on the exchange of prisoners and detainees.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by James Dalgleish)

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By Alex Dobuzinskis and Dan Whitcomb (Reuters) - Rose Farrell was an independent-minded 99-year-old determined to live by herself in Paradise, California. A caregiver checked on her daily and she relied on a walker, but still had her car in her driveway.

By Alex Dobuzinskis and Dan Whitcomb

(Reuters) - Rose Farrell was an independent-minded 99-year-old determined to live by herself in Paradise, California. A caregiver checked on her daily and she relied on a walker, but still had her car in her driveway.

Since the "Camp Fire" swept rapidly into Paradise, which sits atop a ridge 1,700 feet above a canyon cut by the Feather River, Farrell's family has been unable to reach her.

"The hardest part is just waiting to know what happened," said Tom Perez, 58, the husband of Farrell's granddaughter.

California's deadliest wildfire roared into the town of 27,000 last week, speeding seven miles in 90 minutes and leaving residents little time to flee.

Some died in their cars in a chaotic evacuation as gridlock snarled up the two exits out of town. Farrell is one of 630 people listed as missing, while the death toll has climbed to 63.

The number of those unaccounted for has fluctuated wildly and officials warn it will almost certainly change.

Over the weekend, the Butte County Sheriff's office initially put the total of missing people at 228, many of whom were later accounted for. But as fresh reports from relatives came in, the list grew from 103 to 130 late Wednesday, jumped to 297 by Thursday morning and soared to 630 as of Thursday night.

In some cases, people may have survived but not yet notified the authorities, or relatives may not yet have reported people missing. Poor cell phone coverage after the fire has exacerbated the problem, in a mountainous region where some areas got little or no phone reception even before the fire.

"We still have reports coming in of people being missing and of people being found," said Miranda Bowersox, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office. "The overall number will go down, but in the short term we expect to see new reports of people missing."

Paradise was home to many retirees, like Donna Duncan-Austin, 90, who used a walker to get around. Her husband Angello Austin, 87, was more physically active and worked as a baker and a handyman, Donna's niece Andrea Evans told Reuters by phone.

"They were deeply, deeply in love," Evans said.

Donna was heavily involved with her church, but no one there has heard from her, Evans said.

"That's why I brace myself," she said.

SEARCHING IN VAIN

At least 90 percent of those on a list of the missing provided by the Butte County Sheriff's office on Wednesday were aged over 60. Relatives say some of them are disabled or have limited mobility.

Bill Mount, 62, is one of them. His niece Jaime Daugherty said her brother urgently knocked on Mount's door just after 6 a.m. on the day of the fire and got no response.

Mount's house burned to the ground. One of the dozen or so coroner's teams dispatched to the calamity from around California along with cadaver dogs, was supposed to search the site on Thursday, she said.

"I called every hospital, every shelter," Daugherty said, and was told they had no one by that name listed there.

Forensic teams have been trying to get DNA from relatives to identify victims.

Brian Potter has sought his grandmother, Vernice Regan, 96, at shelters, local hotels and a town hall meeting in the city of Chico to the south of Paradise, for days to no avail.

She lived in Paradise for more than six decades, once ran an apple orchard with her late husband, and recently broke her hip on an overseas trip, he said.

"I'm starting to think that maybe the worst may have happened," Potter said.

For the those who survived the fire, helping locate friends and relatives has given them a sense of purpose.

Julie Walker and her husband Lane were among many who fled to the Neighborhood Community Church in Chico, which is serving as a Red Cross shelter for about 200 people.

When people call the shelter seeking the missing, church staff take down the person's information and post it on a board outside. Lane and Julie were scanning the list, pen in hand, hoping to cross off names of people they knew were safe.

"We could only cross off two names," said Julie, who retired from the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. "I know quite a few of the names on that list. It's our whole community."

(Additional reporting by Gabriella Borter, Terray Sylvester and Suzannah Gonzales; Writing by Bill Tarrant; Editing by James Dalgleish)

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By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday eased travel and other restrictions on the activities of John Hinckley, who shot former U.S. President Ronald Reagan in a 1981 assassination attempt. Hinckley, 63, has been living with his mother, who is in her 90s, in Williamsburg, Virginia since his September 2016 release from a Washington psychiatric hospital.

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday eased travel and other restrictions on the activities of John Hinckley, who shot former U.S. President Ronald Reagan in a 1981 assassination attempt.

Hinckley, 63, has been living with his mother, who is in her 90s, in Williamsburg, Virginia since his September 2016 release from a Washington psychiatric hospital.

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman in Washington agreed to new conditions worked out by the government and Hinckley's lawyers after concluding that Hinckley "will not pose a danger to himself or others."

The judge also said reports from Hinckley's doctors show that Hinckley has "remained mentally stable" and complied with all his release conditions.

The new conditions permit him to live on his own, with roommates or with family within 75 miles (121 km) of Williamsburg if his doctors approve.

He may also drive unaccompanied within that 75-mile radius, up from a 30-mile radius set in 2016, and must now meet with his doctors in Washington every two months instead of monthly, court records show.

Barry Levine, a lawyer who has represented Hinckley for at least 30 years, called his client's progress "exquisite," and said "the record already supports" his unconditional release, which may be discussed at a June 10, 2019 court conference.

"He can function pretty much the way you and I can," Levine said in an interview.

Reagan suffered a punctured lung in the assassination attempt but recovered quickly.

Others wounded included White House press secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty.

Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity at a 1982 jury trial. That verdict prompted Congress and some U.S. states to adopt laws limiting use of the insanity defence.

Friday's order retains a ban on contact between Hinckley, his surviving victims, and the victims' families.

Hinckley is also still banned from contact with the actress and director Jodie Foster, with whom he had obsessed before the assassination attempt.

The case is U.S. v. Hinckley, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, No. 81-cr-00306.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

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By Stephen Kalin and Sarah Dadouch JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia/ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Mourners paid their respects on Friday to the family of Jamal Khashoggi, the prominent Saudi writer murdered by agents of his own government, after the authorities said they had identified the culprits and cleared the crown prince of any involvement. Two of Khashoggi's brothers and one of his sons received a few hundred men in the coastal city of Jeddah a day after the Saudi public prosecutor said it would seek the death penalty for five unnamed suspects in the killing inside the country's Istanbul consulate on Oct. 2.

By Stephen Kalin and Sarah Dadouch

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia/ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Mourners paid their respects on Friday to the family of Jamal Khashoggi, the prominent Saudi writer murdered by agents of his own government, after the authorities said they had identified the culprits and cleared the crown prince of any involvement.

Two of Khashoggi's brothers and one of his sons received a few hundred men in the coastal city of Jeddah a day after the Saudi public prosecutor said it would seek the death penalty for five unnamed suspects in the killing inside the country's Istanbul consulate on Oct. 2.

Earlier on Friday, tens of thousands of worshippers prayed for the deceased in Mecca and Medina, Khashoggi's hometown, though the imams did not name him.

In rainy Istanbul, mourners listened to Koranic recitations. Friends eulogised the 59-year-old royal insider-turned-critic, and politicians who knew him denounced Riyadh's investigation as biased.

Saudi authorities say the operation that led to Khashoggi's death was meant to repatriate him alive, but their shifting accounts - including initial denials - have been met with scepticism and furore abroad.

Two officials allegedly behind the plan are close to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Turkey and some Western allies, including U.S. President Donald Trump, have said ultimate responsibility lies with Prince Mohammed as the country's de facto ruler. Riyadh says he had nothing to do with the murder.

In an unusual measure against an important security and economic partner, the U.S. Treasury on Thursday imposed economic sanctions on 17 Saudis, including Saud al-Qahtani, the crown prince's former top adviser.

The decision to hold prayer services in the absence of a body suggests the family does not expect it to be recovered. Despite entreaties, Saudi authorities have not revealed its whereabouts, saying only that it was dismembered and removed from the consulate.

Islamic tradition places great importance on the proper handling of the dead, mandating quick burial, so the mistreatment of the body is particularly disturbing.

Khashoggi's son, Salah, told CNN last week that he wanted to bury his father in Medina with the rest of the family, saying "We just need to make sure that he rests in peace."

Salah had previously met the king and crown prince in Riyadh to receive condolences, then departed for Washington after a travel ban was lifted but has since returned.

IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

The reception attracted a who's who of the country's relatively cosmopolitan Hejaz region, including veteran Saudi journalists and former senior officials who had worked with Khashoggi. There were several businessmen - like Saleh Kamel and his sons - who had been detained in a corruption purge last year ordered by Prince Mohammed.

Senior U.S. and British diplomats attended. A senior cleric with ministerial rank also came, but no top royals appeared.

Incense filled the hall as mourners paid their respects to the family with a few words and a hand on the shoulder or a hug. A relative recited a Koranic verse saying, "Don't think of those killed in God's service as dead, for they are alive and find sustenance in the presence of the Lord."

Sipping small cups of Arabic coffee, some chatted about the scandal that has engulfed Saudi Arabia for the past six weeks.

"It has turned from a crime into a political matter," one said. Another just kept repeating the word, "Unbelievable."

Khashoggi's Turkish fiancee, who had waited outside the consulate for hours on the day he was killed, on Thursday tweeted a selfie of him, writing: "Dear Jamal.. rest in peace. We will meet in heaven inshallah (God willing)..!"

The pair had met at a conference in Istanbul in May and soon decided to wed. He had entered the consulate that day to obtain documents proving an earlier marriage had ended.

They purchased an apartment in Istanbul and Khashoggi was planning to live between there and Washington, where he moved 18 months earlier fearing reprisals for his views. He obtained U.S. residency and wrote for the Washington Post, becoming familiar to many American policymakers.

"I have left my home, my family and my job, and I am raising my voice. To do otherwise would betray those who languish in prison," he wrote in September 2017, referring to intellectuals, activists and clerics arrested under Prince Mohammed.

His murder has provoked the biggest political crisis in a generation for Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter and a supporter of Washington's plans to contain Iranian influence across the Middle East.

It has also tarnished the image of Prince Mohammed, who has pushed social and economic reforms while cracking down on dissent, upending the delicate balance inside the ruling family, and leading the country into messy conflicts in Yemen and Qatar.

(Additional Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun, writing by Stephen Kalin, Editing by William Maclean)

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By Joyce Lee and David Brunnstrom SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea's leader witnessed the test of a newly developed high-tech weapon, the country's state media reported on Friday, while Pyongyang also released a U.S.

By Joyce Lee and David Brunnstrom

SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea's leader witnessed the test of a newly developed high-tech weapon, the country's state media reported on Friday, while Pyongyang also released a U.S. prisoner, sending conflicting signals at a time of sensitive negotiations.

Kim Jong Un's visit to the test site of what North Korea's state media called a "tactical weapon" that could protect North Korea like a "steel wall" threatened to sour the diplomatic atmosphere at a time when negotiations between North Korea and the United States appear to have stalled.

However, the U.S. State Department sought to play down the development, suggesting it would not derail efforts to persuade North Korea to give up a nuclear weapons program that has the potential to threaten the United States.

"We remain confident that the promises made by President Trump and Chairman Kim will be fulfilled," a spokesman for the U.S. State Department said.

At an unprecedented summit in June, U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim in Singapore agreed to work towards denuclearisation and peace on the Korean peninsula and establish new relations. But the agreement was short on specifics, and negotiations have made little headway since.

North Korea's KCNA news agency did not identify the weapon tested but called the test a success. The only picture released by state media showed Kim standing on a beach surrounded by officials in military uniforms with no weapons visible.

The description of the weapon as "tactical" appeared to rule out larger strategic weapons, such as a ballistic missile or a nuclear bomb, which North Korea demonstrated until last year, raising fears of a new Korean war.

But testing of any new weapon threatens to raise tensions with Washington, which has said there will be no easing in international sanctions until North Korea takes concrete steps to abandon its nuclear weapons.

In an apparently conciliatory gesture, North Korea also announced on Friday it was releasing an American citizen detained since October after he "illegally" entered North Korea from China.

Pyongyang identified the man as Bruce Byron Lowrance.

The State Department declined to identify the citizen and did not provide details about him. But in a statement on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has led the U.S. negotiating effort with North Korea, thanked North Korea and Sweden for cooperating to secure the release.

North Korea has held previous American detainees for longer, and Washington has accused Pyongyang of using them as bargaining chips.

WARNING TO WASHINGTON

Adam Mount of the Federation of American Scientists saw the test announcement as a warning to Washington.

"Theyre trying to signal that they are willing to walk away from talks and restart weapons testing," he said. "It is the most explicit in a series of escalating statements designed to send this message."

Kim this year declared his nuclear force "complete" and said he would focus on economic development. But North Korea has increasingly expressed frustration at Washington's refusal to ease sanctions and recently threatened to restart development of its nuclear weapons if more concessions were not made.

A meeting in New York planned this month between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korea's Kim Yong Chol, a senior aide to Kim, was postponed.

However, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday said Trump planned to meet Kim again in 2019 and will push for a concrete plan outlining Pyongyang's moves to end its arms programs.

U.S. and South Korean officials have not offered an assessment of what weapon may have been tested, but international weapons experts noted the officials with Kim included a leader of North Korea's artillery corps.

Choi Kang, of the Seoul's Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said Friday's announcement was more likely aimed at reassuring the North Korean military rather than trying to torpedo diplomatic talks.

"North Korea is trying to show its soldiers that they are becoming high-tech and keeping a certain level of military capability, while trying to eliminate dissatisfaction and worries inside its military," he said.

The test may also have been a response to recent small-scale military drills by the United States and South Korea, which Pyongyang said violated recent pacts to halt to "all hostile acts." said Yang Uk of the Korea Defence and Security Forum.

Kim said the weapons system tested was one that his father, Kim Jong Il, had taken a special interest during his life, personally leading its development.

Kim's last publicized military inspection was the launch of the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile a year ago, though he engaged in at least eight other military related activities this year, South Korea's Unification Ministry said.

While it has conducted no nuclear of missile tests since last year, North Korea has continued to showcase its conventional military capabilities, including at a large military parade in its capital, Pyongyang, on Sept. 9.

(Reporting by Joyce Lee and Josh Smith; Additional reporting by Jeongmin Kim in Seoul, and Matt Spetalnick and David Brunnstrom in WASHINGTON; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall, Clarence Fernandez and Cynthia Osterman)

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By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors and defence lawyers are in talks potentially to resolve a criminal case accusing gun-rights activist Maria Butina of acting as a Russian agent to infiltrate a pro-gun rights organisation in the United States and influence U.S

By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors and defence lawyers are in talks potentially to resolve a criminal case accusing gun-rights activist Maria Butina of acting as a Russian agent to infiltrate a pro-gun rights organisation in the United States and influence U.S. foreign policy toward Russia.

The parties "continue to engage ... in negotiations regarding a potential resolution of this matter," they wrote in a joint filing on Friday, without elaborating on what a resolution may entail.

The filing also asked a federal judge to delay a status hearing on the case scheduled for Dec. 6 and said that defence lawyers are poised to withdraw motions they filed on Thursday asking for the case to be dismissed if the judge agrees to delay the hearing.

Judge Tanya Chutkan in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted the delay later on Friday, and scheduled a new hearing for Dec. 19.

Robert Driscoll, attorney for Butina and who is under a media gag order imposed by the judge in the case, declined to comment when asked whether his client may plead guilty in order to resolve the case.

Butina, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, has been held in a federal jail since her arrest over the summer.

The former American University graduate student was charged in July with acting as an agent of the Russian government and conspiring to take actions on behalf of Russia.

Butina is accused of working with a Russian official and two U.S. citizens to try and infiltrate the National Rifle Association and influence American foreign policy toward Russia.

Butina's lawyers have previously identified the Russian official as Alexander Torshin, a deputy governor of Russia's central bank who was hit with U.S. Treasury Department sanctions in April.

They also identified one of the two Americans mentioned in the criminal complaint as being Paul Erickson, a conservative U.S. political activist who was also dating Butina.

Neither Erickson nor Torshin have been accused of wrongdoing.

Prosecutors have said they believe Butina is a flight risk and claimed she had been in contact with Russian intelligence operatives and kept contact information for several Russian agents.

However, they have also made some serious missteps in handling the case, including erroneously accusing Butina of offering sex in exchange for a position in a special interest group.

They later backed off the claim and earned scorn from the judge, who said the incorrect allegations were "notorious" and had damaged Butina's reputation.

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Dan Grebler and Richard Chang)

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By Sofia Christensen DAKAR (Reuters) - When Moustapha Dieng came down with stomach pains one day last month he did the sensible thing and went to a doctor in his hometown of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso's capital.

By Sofia Christensen

DAKAR (Reuters) - When Moustapha Dieng came down with stomach pains one day last month he did the sensible thing and went to a doctor in his hometown of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso's capital.

The doctor prescribed a malaria treatment but the medicine cost too much for Dieng, a 30-year-old tailor, so he went to an unlicensed street vendor for pills on the cheap.

"It was too expensive at the pharmacy. I was forced to buy street drugs as they are less expensive," he said.

Within days he was hospitalized - sickened by the very drugs that were supposed to cure him.

Tens of thousands of people in Africa die each year because of fake and counterfeit medication, an E.U.-funded report released on Tuesday said. The drugs are mainly made in China but also in India, Paraguay, Pakistan and the United Kingdom.

Almost half the fake and low-quality medicines reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) between 2013 and 2017 were found to be in sub-Saharan Africa, said the report, also backed by Interpol and the Institute for Security Studies.

"Counterfeiters prey on poorer countries more than their richer counterparts, with up to 30 times greater penetration of fakes in the supply chain," said the report.

Substandard or fake anti-malarials cause the deaths of between 64,000 and 158,000 people per year in sub-Saharan Africa, the report said.

The counterfeit drug market is worth around $200 billion worldwide annually, WHO says, making it the most lucrative trade of illegally copied goods. Its impact has been devastating.

Nigeria said more than 80 children were killed in 2009 by a teething syrup tainted with a chemical normally used in engine coolant and blamed for causing kidney failure.

For Dieng, the cost can be measured in more than simple suffering. The night in hospital cost him more than double what he would have paid had he bought the drugs the doctor ordered.

"After taking those drugs, the provenance of which we don't know, he came back with new symptoms ... All this had aggravated his condition," said nurse Jules Raesse, who treated Dieng when he stayed at the clinic last month.

Fake drugs also threaten a thriving pharmaceutical sector in several African countries.

That has helped prompt Ivory Coast - where fake drugs were also sold openly - to crack down on the trade, estimated at $30 billion by Reuters last year.

Ivorian authorities said last month they had seized almost 400 tonnes of fake medicine over the past two years.

Able Ekissi, an inspector at the health ministry, told Reuters the seized goods, had they been sold to consumers, would have represented a loss to the legitimate pharmaceutical industry of more than $170 million.

"They are reputed to be cheaper, but at best they are ineffective and at worst toxic," Abderrahmane Chakibi, Managing Director of French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi's sub-Saharan Africa branch.

But in Ivory Coast, many cannot afford to shop in pharmacies, which often only stock expensive drugs imported from France, rather than cheaper generics from places like India.

"When you have no means you are forced to go out onto the street," said Barakissa Cherik, a pharmacist in Ivory Coast's lagoon-side commercial capital Abidjan.

(Additional reporting by Thiam Ndiaga in Ouagadougou and Loucoumane Coulibaly in Abidjan; Editing by Tim Cocks and Matthew Mpoke Bigg)

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GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - Twelve Congolese soldiers were killed alongside seven U.N peacekeepers in clashes with militias on Wednesday in Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola-hit east, government spokesman Lambert Mende said. The casualties, incurred during a joint operation against the Ugandan Islamist group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), make this week one of the deadliest for troops in Congo's volatile eastern borderlands since a rebel attack in early 2018.

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - Twelve Congolese soldiers were killed alongside seven U.N peacekeepers in clashes with militias on Wednesday in Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola-hit east, government spokesman Lambert Mende said.

The casualties, incurred during a joint operation against the Ugandan Islamist group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), make this week one of the deadliest for troops in Congo's volatile eastern borderlands since a rebel attack in early 2018.

Earlier on Friday, a U.N. source told Reuters up to 50 Congolese soldiers were wounded in the joint operation.

Speaking to Reuters by phone, Mende confirmed that 12 Congolese soldiers had been killed and many wounded in the fighting, without giving an exact number.

The deaths of the U.N peacekeepers, six from Malawi and one from Tanzania, were reported by the United Nations on Thursday.

Eastern Congo has been plagued by banditry and armed insurrections for more than two decades since the fall of military ruler Mobutu Sese Seko, but the past year has seen a surge in violence around North Kivu region.

The insecurity is hampering international efforts to contain an Ebola epidemic, the worst in Congo's history, that has infected over 300 people and killed two-thirds of them since July.

(Reporting by Stanis Bujakera and Giulia Paravicini; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

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JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The United States opposed on Friday for the first time an annual draft resolution at the United Nations calling on Israel to rescind its authority in the occupied Golan Heights, drawing praise from Israeli officials. The Golan Heights form a buffer between Israel and Syria of about 1,200 square km (460 square miles). Israel captured most of it from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The United States opposed on Friday for the first time an annual draft resolution at the United Nations calling on Israel to rescind its authority in the occupied Golan Heights, drawing praise from Israeli officials.

The Golan Heights form a buffer between Israel and Syria of about 1,200 square km (460 square miles). Israel captured most of it from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war. It annexed the territory in 1981, a move not recognised internationally.

The United States has abstained in previous years on "Occupied Syrian Golan" resolution, which declares Israel's decision to impose its jurisdiction in the area "null and void", but U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Thursday that Washington would vote against the resolution.

"The United States will no longer abstain when the United Nations engages in its useless annual vote on the Golan Heights," she said in a statement.

"The resolution is plainly biased against Israel. Further, the atrocities the Syrian regime continues to commit prove its lack of fitness to govern anyone," she added.

Despite the U.S. opposition, a U.N. General Assembly committee approved the draft resolution on Friday with 151 votes in favour and 14 abstentions. Only Israel joined the United States in voting no. The General Assembly is due to formally adopt the resolution next month.

The U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, said in September he expected Israel to keep the Golan Heights in perpetuity, in an apparent nod towards its claim of sovereignty over the territory.

Since early in Donald Trump's presidency, Israel has lobbied for formal U.S. endorsement of its control of the Golan. Trump has recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital, breaking with other world powers, though his national security adviser John Bolton told Reuters in August a similar Golan move was not under discussion.

In the past two years, Trump has twice ordered U.S.-led air strikes against targets in Syria in response to what Washington called the use of chemical weapons against civilians by President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

Israeli officials praised the U.S. move.

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan called it "extremely important", saying on Twitter that "no sane person can believe that it (the Golan) should be given to Assad & Iran".

Tehran has supported Assad during the civil war and Israel has been warning against Iranian military entrenchment in Syria.

Israel has closely monitored the fighting in Syria, where just across the Golan frontier battles have raged in clear view.

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch, additional reporting by Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by Gareth Jones and James Dalgleish)

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Well, that was fast.

Just two weeks after Moon Express -- the tiny would-be Moon-miner that rose to fame as part of the Google Lunar XPRIZE Competition, which concluded in March -- announced it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Canadian Space Agency, it's back announcing the creation of an entire new Canadian subsidiary to capitalize on the relationship. On Oct. 16, Moon Express said it had set up Moon Express Canada "to leverage Canadian space science and technology in the exploration of the Moon and its resources."

It's not wasting any time, either. Already, Moon Express has signed partnership agreements with a half-dozen Canadian companies interested in collaborating on Canada-sponsored projects to mine the Moon. Its new partners include:

"Micro and nano space technology" company Canadensys Aerospace Corporation

"Mining technologies and robotics" company Deltion Innovations

Geological imaging company Gedex

Space "technology development" company Mission Control Space Services

Autonomous guidance company NGC Aerospace (no relation to Northrop Grumman Corporation)

Lidar systems developer Teledyne Optech

How important is this news to investors?

Granted, not many of these companies are household names, exactly. Of Moon Express's six new partners, only one -- Teledyne Optech -- is tied to a publicly traded company. (Its parent, Teledyne Technologies Inc. (NYSE:TDY), is an American mid-cap defense contractor). Of the rest, some of MoonEx's new partners appear to be so new that their names don't even come up in a search of known corporations on S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Still, in an industry as fast-growing as "new space," it's probably to be expected that many companies on the bleeding edge would be brand-new start-ups. And of course, we're talking about Canada -- a land known for penny stock mining start-ups with "lots of business opportunity" (but also serious financial dangers for the unwary investor).

Words for the wise

And that's actually what I want to talk about today.

Canada is a land famously rich in natural resources, and many of the Canadian stocks that get the most attention from investors hail from the mining industry. This makes them natural partners for a company like Moon Express, whose ambition is to facilitate transportation to the Moon for those who might want to exploit lunar resources. However, smaller and often unprofitable Canadian mining penny stocks are also the ones that often give the country's stock market a reputation as a bit "Wild West."

If and when Moon Express goes public, the more such partners the merrier. These are the companies that would provide the revenue streams that could turn into profit for Moon Express. At the same time, however, investors need to be alert: As Moon Express builds up to its first lunar launch attempt, there's a risk that its new partners might overhype the opportunities of investing in Moon mining.

Access to funding could be one obstacle to such opportunities. Earlier this year, space mining pioneer Planetary Resources reportedly ran out of money, forcing it to sell itself to a "blockchain venture production studio" in October.

Another problem is the sheer difficulty of putting on the Moon equipment capable of conducting mining at scale -- and returning extracted resources to Earth. Moon Express predicts that one of its first missions to the Moon will be to collect and return to Earth some samples of lunar soil. However, that first "mining" mission is likely to recover no more than a kilogram of Moon rocks, which will be valuable here on Earth mostly for their novelty. It's also not likely to take place before 2020 at the earliest.

Granted, other efforts in this direction are also underway. Just a couple of weeks ago, in fact, publicly traded Canadian space firm Maxar Technologies Ltd. (NYSE:MAXR) announced that the Canadian Space Agency has hired it to design a prototype "lunar rover for science exploration." Capable of carrying scientific instruments massing 120 kilograms, the rover will be designed for remote operation. One of its primary missions will be to extract lunar soil samples, then place them in a small rocket (such as one Moon Express has designed) to return to Earth for analysis. And CSA is targeting a "mid-2020 timeframe" for putting this rover on the Moon.

Still, here's the upshot of all these developments: While progress is being made, actual large-scale efforts to mine appreciable quantities of precious metals (or, even more valuable in space, water from the Moon) are almost certainly years away, and more likely decades. Keep this in mind when evaluating the investment suitability of any start-ups touting the "prospects" of mining the Moon.
European-based ABB Ltd (NYSE:ABB) isn't exactly a household name in the United States, but its operations span the globe providing business customers with the electrical and automation products they need to succeed. The yield is a whopping 4.1% today, toward the high end of its peer group, and roughly twice what you'd get from an S&P 500 Index fund. For income investors, this is a high-yield stock worth taking a close look at today following a really good third quarter.

A little background

ABB's business is broken into four broad segments. Power Grids provides things like long-haul power equipment to utilities. Electrification's products help ensure steady power supply to operations such as data centers. Industrial Automation helps miners and others make the most efficient use of their assets. And Robotics and Motion provides things like robotic arms that help increase productivity throughout the industrial sector. These are just some broad examples, of course, as the $40 billion market cap industrial giant's portfolio covers a lot of ground.

Despite the diversification and breadth of ABB's portfolio, the third quarter was a really good one all around. Every major business group turned in a strong performance, relatively speaking. To put some numbers on that, Power Grids' comparable sales were flat in a difficult market environment. Electrification and Industrial Automation each saw 3% comparable sales growth. And Robotics and Motion led the pack by pitching in 7% growth.

All in, comparable sales grew 3% at ABB in the third quarter. That helped push the company's comparable earnings up 4%. For the first nine months of the year, meanwhile, comparable earnings were up 12%. Things are clearly going pretty very well for ABB right now.

A look to the future

That said, ABB's business tends to serve more cyclical industries than some of its peers. That's part of the reason for the relatively high yield today. But there's nothing in the pipeline that suggests ABB is facing material trouble. In fact, the company saw order growth "in all divisions and regions" in the third quarter. Base orders were up 7% overall year over year, helping to push the company's backlog up 2%. With $23.5 billion of work waiting to be done (roughly 45% will get completed in 2019, according to the company), ABB appears to be on very solid footing as it heads into the final stanza of 2018, and as it looks toward full-year 2019.

In fact, in the earnings release, management noted, "Macroeconomic signs remain robust in Europe and are trending positively in the United States, with growth expected to continue in China." Although ABB pointed out that there's increasing geopolitical uncertainty in various markets, it added, "the overall global market is growing." That's a good sign for its business even though investors have been worried about the broader industrial group recently.

This brings up a second reason for concern at ABB: The company recently bought GE's Industrial Solutions business for $2.6 billion. GE Industrial Solutions, which was added at the end of June, came to ABB with relatively low operating margins, pushing the company's overall operational EBITDA margin down to 12.1% in the just-ended quarter from 12.9% a year earlier. That may not seem like a huge change, but it's a big deal for a company that generates $9.3 billion in quarterly revenue...and the number is heading in the wrong direction. ABB's goal is to integrate GE Industrial Solutions and, along the way, improve the business' performance to bring it more in line with ABB's other divisions. There's no overnight fix, here, but in time, ABB should be able to cut costs and get this new operation performing at a higher level.

ABB has a strong history of buying and selling assets to build its business. There's no reason to believe the GE Industrial Solutions purchase will suddenly derail the company to such a degree that it can't recover. And if this one acquisition doesn't work out as planned, ABB will get rid of it and find other assets with which to replace it. That's what industrial conglomerates like ABB do.

The negative view about the acquisition and ABB's cyclical bent, meanwhile, have left ABB with a relatively high yield compared to peers. For investors willing to think long term and give the company some time to work through the GE Industrial Solutions integration process, the elevated yield is worth a close look. Note, too, that the company has increased its dividend every year since 2008. (The dividend is paid in Swiss francs, so the U.S. value of the payments will fluctuate with exchange rates.) And with long-term debt making up just about a third of the capital structure, ABB's balance sheet is strong. It should be able to weather any downturn in stride despite the toll such an economic environment would take on revenues and earnings.

ABB deserves more credit

At the end of the day, this industrial giant turned in a great third quarter. The negatives that have been pushing its yield higher appear somewhat overblown. It will fix or jettison GE Industrial Solutions, for example. And the economic environment doesn't look like it's slowing down yet based on the company's order book. Even if it did, though, ABB is financially strong and could withstand the blow. If you are looking for a high-yield stock with a global business, ABB should be on your short list today.
With a little momentum at the end of 2018, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) could be headed for its best year yet in the 21st century. The big pharma stock is absolutely crushing the performance of the overall market.

It's not that Pfizer's sales are soaring. The drugmaker missed analyst revenue estimates in the third quarter and probably will generate revenue in full-year 2018 only 2% higher than what it made in 2017. But Pfizer is a company in transition -- a positive one that Wall Street appears to now be recognizing.

What changes will this transition bring? Here's what Pfizer could look like five years from now.

Fading headwinds

Two major headwinds that Pfizer currently faces should be largely in the past by 2023. The company has struggled for a while with product shortage issues impacting the sterile injectables business that it picked up with the 2015 acquisition of Hospira. However, Pfizer thinks that it will see significant improvement in the supply issues by the end of 2018.

An even bigger problem has been the sales decline from a basket of older products. Pfizer has especially felt the sting of losing patent exclusivity for Lyrica outside the U.S. and for Viagra in the U.S. and in other markets. The company previously had to deal with the negative revenue impact from generic competition for cholesterol drug Lipitor and pain medication Celebrex.

The situation will get worse for Pfizer before it gets better. Lyrica is scheduled to lose U.S. patent exclusivity next month. Pfizer hopes to win FDA approval for a six-month pediatric exclusivity extension for the drug. However, even if the company obtains this extension, it only delays the inevitable.

But things will get better eventually. Within the next two or three years, Pfizer shouldn't have to worry about the negative impact on year-over-year comparisons resulting from its big drugs that have lost exclusivity. Albert Bourla, who takes over as CEO of the company in January, stated in August that he thinks that urbanization in emerging markets will create growth opportunities for its older established drugs and sterile injectables.

Winners new and old

Some of Pfizer's biggest winners five years from now are already big winners. Anticoagulant Eliquis, which Pfizer markets with Bristol-Myers Squibb, will almost certainly be on that list. EvaluatePharma projects that Eliquis will rank as the No. 5 best-selling drug in the world in 2024, with total sales of $10.5 billion.

Although momentum for Ibrance appeared to slow somewhat in the third quarter, EvaluatePharma thinks that Pfizer's breast cancer drug will be the No. 5 top-selling oncology drug in the world in 2024. The market research company projects that Ibrance will generate sales topping $8 billion.

Prevnar 13 isn't likely to generate significant sales growth over the next few years. However, Pfizer's pneumococcal vaccine is still projected to be the world's biggest-selling vaccine in 2024, with estimated sales of close to $5.8 billion.

Pfizer should also have several newer products raking in a lot of money five years from now. Pain drug tanezumab, breast cancer drug Talzenna, and lung cancer drug Vizimpro should enjoy solid success. So should Pfizer's surprisingly effective rare-disease drug tafamadis.

Expect a big bet Pfizer made on biosimilars to pay off over the next five years as well. The company's biosimilar to Remicade, branded as Inflectra, continues to pick up momentum. Pfizer awaits approval for biosimilars to cancer drugs Avastin and Herceptin, and its pipeline includes several other biosimilars in late-stage testing.

Wild cards

One thing we can't predict about Pfizer is what the company will do regarding acquisitions. Pfizer's history is chock-full of transformative deals. Going into 2018, many expected the company to make more big deals. But that didn't happen.

But Pfizer has been busy in other kinds of business development that could change the way the company looks in the future. Pfizer and Novartis are working together to test combination treatments for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Some observers think that treating NASH could be a $35 billion market within the next several years.

Pfizer teamed up with Bain Capital to form new biotech Cerevel Therapeutics. Cerevel's focus will be on developing drugs to treat central nervous system (CNS) diseases, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, schizophrenia, and addiction.

There's also a possibility that Pfizer will make another kind of big change. The company could choose to spin off its consumer health business into a stand-alone entity along the lines it took with its animal health business, now operating at Zoetis.

The other big wild card for Pfizer is its early stage and mid-stage pipeline. Pfizer has 34 programs in phase 1 clinical studies and 27 programs in phase 2 testing.

These experimental drugs target the treatment of multiple indications, including autoimmune diseases, NASH, various types of cancer, and several rare diseases. Pfizer also is developing new vaccines for immunizing against pneumococcal, strep, and other infections. Success in some of these areas could dramatically impact Pfizer's focus five years from now.

A few constants

While Pfizer is likely to change quite a bit over the course of the next few years, several things about the company will probably remain constant. One is Pfizer's strong generation of cash flow. The company's current products and new ones on the way should keep the money flowing in.

Another probable constant is Pfizer's dividend. Investors have long looked to Pfizer as a solid dividend stock. Whether it's five years from now, 10 years from now, or decades into the future, Pfizer and great dividends will probably go hand in hand.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Gazprom Armenia claims the State Revenue Committees (SRC) tax evasion accusations are unsubstantiated.

Gazprom Armenia CEO Hrant Tadevosyan delivered a press conference today, a day after the SRC announced it has launched criminal proceedings into major tax evasion in the company.

The SRC statement makes a comparative about the companys winter and summer losses, which the CEO finds inappropriate.

The losses in winter are incomparably higher than in summer, and this is not only for 2018. Making this kind of comparatives is inappropriate. Additional losses occur in winter, and the losses differ depending on the given winters [weather], which is normal, Tadevosyan said.

He mentioned that Gazprom Armenia is one of the largest taxpayers in the country and it has numerously been awarded certificates by the SRC for good conduct.

We were awarded the last certificate as recently as this September, he said.

Tadevosyan says the SRCs announcement has jeopardized the loan process from the major Russian bank and has defamed the company.

2016s 254 million dollar loans of Gazprom were brought to 128 million in the end of 2018, while during these days we were to sign a contract with a major Russian bank, for 6,5%, for taking a 150 million dollar credit. We were planning to save an annual of 2-4 million dollars, but after the SRCs announcement, which was also distributed in the Russian press, we received serious concerns and alarms from this bank, with which we were completing negotiations. The completion of the transaction is under serious jeopardy, he said.

During planned inspections at Gazprom Armenia, certain circumstances have been discovered that require a criminal-legal assessment, State Revenue Committee (SRC) President David Ananyan told reporters earlier today, referring to the criminal investigation into the finances of Gazprom Armenia.

In Gazprom Armenia, shall we say, planned inspections were carried out, he said, adding that the SRC had published a list of taxpayers subject to inspections based on risk assessment for the July 1, 2018  June 30, 2019 period, and that the list includes Gazprom Armenia.

During these inspections, the tax agents have discovered certain information that has been presented to the SRC investigative department and a report was made on carrying out further inspections. At this moment, the investigator has launched a criminal case based on this report, Ananyan said, stressing that filing a criminal case is not a conviction.

He said that investigators must take the kind of actions during the probe which they wouldve been unable to carry out during simple inspections.

The State Revenue Committee (SRC) of Armenia said November 14 it has revealed fraud at Gazprom Armenia.

SRC said it has inspected Gazprom Armenia as part of ongoing anti-fraud operations of the agency and discovered a number of violations and major tax evasion cases.

SRC said that in 2016 and 2017 Gazprom Armenia has reported fake data in its VAT and profit tax calculations to taxation authorities which resulted in several billions drams less calculated tax obligations.

The State Revenue Committee said that the research data on the volumes of supplied natural gas to filling stations (natural gas stations) also prove fraud. SRC said that Gazprom Armenias volume of loss in the distribution network reduced on an average of more than 3 times in June-July 2018 compared to January-May of the same year. At the same time, according to the SRC, the volumes of Gazprom Armenias supplies to the filling stations in June-September 2018 has increased nearly 37% as compared to the first five months of the year.

The SRC said it has launched a criminal investigation on major tax evasion based on the findings.

Shortly after the accusations, Gazprom Armenia denied the State Revenue Committees claims.

Gazprom Armenia issued a statement the same day a criminal investigation was announced against the company.

In the statement, Gazprom Armenia said that the SRC began complex inspections since October 1, 2018 on accuracy of budget relations. Afterwards, on October 17, the inspection duration was extended for 30 consecutive business days. The complex tax inspection is factually ongoing at the moment and until now the SRC has not presented any instance of tax legislation violation to Gazprom Armenia. Instead, without discussing with the company and without notifying, the SRC distributed totally unsubstantiated information through the press, Gazprom Armenia said in a statement.

Gazprom Armenia reminded that for many years it has been the largest taxpayer in Armenia and it has carried out its operations exclusively within the law, for which it has regularly been awarded certificates of appreciation.

The company said that the comparative studies mentioned in the SRCs statement have been carried out based on incomparable time periods and incomparable volumes, and that the company has not received any evidence from the tax authority which led to ridiculous conclusions.

This kind of a conduct by the SRC might jeopardize the reputation of the company and cause failure in its normal functioning, Gazprom Armenia said.

Gazprom Armenia said it is organizing a press conference on the matter on November 15, and invited SRC officials to be present and substantiate their conclusions.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The agricultural insurance pilot system will be introduced in Armenia from 2019 and will gradually expand in terms of both geography and types of plants that it covers, caretaker minister of agriculture Gegham Gevorgyan said during a meeting with representatives of the sector today.

Natural disasters are making agriculture quite risky, he said. However, we have a solution for this problem. The agricultural insurance system will be introduced from 2019. It will be a pilot [program], but I assure you that every year we will increase both the geography and types of plants subject to insurance. This means that we are shifting agriculture to a less risky sector, he said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
Dr. Filippo Milano, associate director of the Cord Blood Program at the Hutch, was awarded the $1 million grant for the trial from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

For gravely ill leukemia patients, a transplant may be their best hope. However, Milano said that because blood cancer patients with HIV are deemed to have active infections that put them at a higher risk of complications, they have difficulty qualifying at many centers for conventional bone marrow or blood stem cell transplants.

Milanos pioneering cord blood program at Fred Hutch is accustomed to finding options for blood cancer patients who cannot find a suitable donor for a bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant. Cord blood, which contains immature blood cells less likely to attack the patients own tissues, could turn out to be an alternative for HIV-positive leukemia patients.

We are not conducting this trial to cure HIV, Milano said. We are doing it to cure patients with hematological malignancies and concomitant HIV infection.

Mutation seals a molecular doorway to HIV

Yet this trial also offers a tantalizing bonus: The researchers plan to offer these patients cord blood from roughly one in 100 donors who are naturally resistant to HIV. In effect, these leukemia patients will emerge with the immune system of a person who would not be susceptible to the virus. The hope is that this HIV-resistant immune system will eventually scrub out the remaining pockets of HIV, which can roar back without an uninterrupted course of antiretroviral drugs.

To date, there is only one person in the world generally recognized to be cured of HIV: Seattle-born Timothy Ray Brown. While living in Germany in 2007, Brown  whose HIV was controlled by antiviral drugs  received the first of two bone marrow transplants for leukemia. On a hunch, his doctor used cells from donors who carried an HIV-resistance mutation in a gene that affects a protein called CCR5.

In most people, CCR5 operates as a kind of molecular doorway. HIV can pry this doorway open and enter an immune cell. But 0.8 percent of the world population inherits from both their mother and father a genetic mutation that effectively seals this doorway, and these lucky few are naturally resistant to HIV. It was from such donors that Brown received his new immune system, and 11 years later, he still has no trace of HIV and his leukemia remains in remission. To date, no other patient receiving such a transplant has successfully remained HIV negative. Milanos trial will try to replicate Browns experience using cord blood.

Experimental cord blood product is key to trial

In this trial, patients will receive only one unit of cord blood, which has a very small number of immature blood cells. However, each patient will also receive a dose of a still-experimental product, dilanubicel, from Nohla Therapeutics. The Seattle company was founded by Fred Hutch researcher Dr. Colleen Delaney, holder of the Madeline Dabney Adams Endowed Chair in AML Research and director of the Hutch's Cord Blood Program.

Derived from cord blood cells that are multiplied in the lab, the experimental drug is administered with the transplant cells to protect the patient from infection until the transplanted cord blood cells have time to set up shop as a functioning immune system.

The number of stem cells in cord blood is very limited, especially for adults, because they come from a babys umbilical cord, Milano said. Colleens product buys time for the cord blood to engraft and protect the patient.

By including the Nohla drug in the trial, cells from only one donated umbilical cord are needed instead of the two ordinarily required in cord blood transplants. As a result, it is necessary to find only one donor carrying the mutation, improving the odds of meeting the needs of a patient seeking an HIV-blocking mutation in the transplant. Milano calculates that there are roughly 6,500 such units stored in cord blood banks throughout the world. The hope is to find several dozen units, stored at the Cleveland Cord Blood Center, that might be perfect fits for this trial.

The plan calls for patients to be treated at one of five U.S. cancer centers that also have expertise in HIV care.

We will have world-class cancer doctors working with world-class HIV experts, Milano said.

Participating hospitals working with the Hutch include UW Medicine and Seattle Childrens Hospital; Case Western Reserve University / University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center; Childrens Research Institute / Childrens National Medical Center, Washington, D.C.; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York; and the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center.
SEATTLE  Nov. 16, 2018  A majority of the HIV-infected cells that persist in HIV-infected individuals even during suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) originated from cellular proliferation, not viral replication, according to new research published in Nature Communications.

Reducing the population size of this reservoir of infected cells represents the largest challenge for cure of HIV. Based on these results, study authors believe reducing cellular proliferation could help to deplete the reservoir and potentially lead to a functional cure.

Led by Drs. Dan Reeves and Josh Schiffer in the Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the research team combined mathematical models and immunological insight to understand how the genetic signature of HIV-infected cells could explain their origin.

Our approach was inspired by ecology, said Dr. Reeves, the studys first author and research associate in the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division at Fred Hutch. We adapted tools to characterize the reservoir of HIV-infected cells more realistically, inferring the mechanism of generation from the proportions of unique and identical genetic signatures.

When HIV infects a healthy cell, it inserts its own DNA into the human chromosome, leaving behind a unique genetic signature. If the virus replicating itself were the cause of latent HIV reservoirs, the study authors suggest, this genetic signature would contain unique integration sites and different mutations in the DNA of infected cells.

In fact, they found a majority of genetic signatures were identical, indicating that persistence within HIV reservoirs is the product of normal CD4+ T-cell mitosis. Both to maintain a stable population of cells and in response to foreign antigens, CD4+ T cells routinely undergo proliferation every few months. HIV DNA is copied into daughter cells along with human DNA each time this normal process occurs.

ART has been an effective tool in helping HIV-positive individuals live healthy lives since the late 1990s. HIV researchers have since been working to understand why reservoirs of HIV-infected immune cells remain at low levels during ART treatment, and how to identify and purge infected cells. The study authors believe that reducing proliferation of specific immune cells, CD4+ T cells, could greatly deplete HIV reservoirs and potentially lead to a functional HIV cure.

Possible approaches for depleting the infected cells might be gene editing, cellular immunotherapy or latency reversing agents.

Dr. Schiffer, senior author of the study and Associate Member in the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division at Fred Hutch commented, We see parallels in achieving functional cures in both HIV and cancer; for example, the difficulties of remission and relapse, and how combination therapies could be successful in bringing either disease to undetectable levels in the body.

Schiffer and colleagues are conducting a clinical trial to test whether the lymphocyte anti-proliferative drug mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) could be effective at stopping the proliferation of HIV-infected immune cells in people undergoing ART. MMF is already licensed for use in preventing graft-vs.-host disease following stem cell transplant and reducing the risk of rejection after organ transplant. Schiffer refers to this approach of adjusting the rate of division as a compound interest cure, which, if successful, could significantly deplete or eliminate latent HIV reservoirs.

The study used state-of-the-art sequence data from leading groups at the University of Washington/Fred Hutch, University of Sydney and Johns Hopkins University. All other data supporting the findings of the study are available within the study, which is available through a creative commons agreement.

Dr. Reeves is supported by a Washington Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship. This work was also supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health, Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis Virology Research and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council. Study authors report no conflicts of interest.

# # #
Hundreds of people attended the public hearing at the Galveston Island Convention Center. The meeting was the first and only public hearing scheduled to be held on the island during the public comment period for the corps barrier plan.
Khinkali: The secret to making traditional Georgian dumplings - in just 2 minutes - GeorgianJournal
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Grade Point Camp Fire smoke closes UC-Berkeley and other Bay Area colleges

The new abnormal," as Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. (a/k/a Jerry Brown) of California calls it. Global climate change and global warming are real, with terrible consequences.The smoldering ruins of the town of Paradise, California, and the smoldering bodies of its residents are a telling warning. The U.S. House of Representatives needs a Select Committee n Climate Change, cutting across traditional committee fiefdom boundaries.Florida needs more leaders like St. Augustine Mayor Nancy Shaver, willing to lead the way to wetland protection, adaptation areas, sustainability.So glad we decided NOT to move in California in 1997 after I settled a case against Southern California Edison involving its unsafe San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) (now closed).We moved to St. Augustine, instead, far from nuclear powerplants, near the beach. That has "made all the difference." With gratitude to my parents and mentors, I quote Robert Frost:Here's a description of how even the University of California at Berkeley closed today, on account of smoke from massive fires, wrought by increasing temperatures and dry brush.
Flipkart Mobile Bonanza Sale: Get discounts on smartphones from Samsung, Xiaomi, Motorola and more Features oi-Harish Kumar

With the latest scheme, Flipkart has once again created tremendous rage in market. The so called "Mobile Bonanza Sale" caters great discounts and other attractive offers on some of the handsets.

We have also shared a list of these mobiles below. You can refer them and purchase the ones that suit your budget. The sale will commence on 19th November, 2018 and will end up on 22nd November, 2018.

Certain valuable offers include- no const EMI with better EMI rates, great exchange offers, great Exchange offers, 10% instant discount on Mastercard for first online payment, extra 5% off with Axis Bank Buzz Credit card, and more.

You can even get a warranty of one year on such phones, and 6 months Manufacturer Warranty for In-box Accessories Including Batteries from the Date of Purchase. You can get complete mobile protection plan of one year. There are few other great offers which you can find on its portal.

Samsung Galaxy on6 MRP: Rs 15,490

After Discount: Rs 9,900 Key Specs

5.6-inch (1480 x 720 pixels) HD+ Super AMOLED 18.5:9 Infinity 2.5D curved glass display

1.6GHz Octa-Core Exynos 7870 processor with Mali T830 GPU

4GB RAM, 64GB internal storage

expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD

Android 8.0 (Oreo)

Dual SIM

13MP rear camera with LED flash

8MP front-facing camera with LED flash

Fingerprint sensor

4G VoLTE

3000mAh battery Honor 9N MRP: Rs 13,999

After Discount: Rs 9,999

Key Specs

5.84-inch (1080 x 2280 pixels) Full HD+ 19:9 2.5D curved glass display

Octa-Core Kirin 659 processor with MaliT830-MP2 GPU

3GB RAM with 32GB storage

4GB RAM with 64GB / 128GB storage

expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD

Android 8.0 (Oreo) with EMUI 8.0

Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD)

13MP rear camera with LED flash, secondary 2MP camera

16MP front-facing camera

Fingerprint sensor

4G VoLTE

3000mAh (typical) / 2900mAh (Minimum) battery Realme 2 Pro MRP: Rs 14,990

After Discount: Rs 13,990

Key Specs

6.3-inch (1080 x 2340 pixels) 19.5:9 FullView 2.5D curved glass display with Corning Gorilla Glass protection

Octa Core Snapdragon 660 14nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 512 GPU

4GB LPDDR4X / 6GB LPDDR4X RAM with 64GB (UFS 2.1) storage

8GB LPDDR4X RAM with 128GB (UFS 2.1) storage

expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD

ColorOS 5.2 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo)

Dual SIM (nano + nano + microSD)

16MP rear camera and secondary 2MP camera

16MP front-facing camera, f/2.0 aperture

Fingerprint sensor, face unlock

Dual 4G VoLTE

3500mAh built-in battery Poco F1 MRP: Rs 21,999

After Discount: Rs 20,999

Key Specs

6.18-inch (2246  1080 pixels) Full HD+ 18.7:9 2.5D curved glass display

Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Mobile Platform with Adreno 630 GPU

6GB/8GB LPDDR4x RAM, 64GB / 128GB/256GB (UFS 2.1) storage

expandable memory with up to 256GB with microSD

Android 8.1 (Oreo) with MIUI 9, upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie)

Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD)

12MP rear camera and secondary 5MP camera

20MP front-facing camera with /2.0 aperture

Fingerprint sensor, IR face unlock

Dual 4G+ VoLTE

4000mAh battery Asus Zenfone 5Z MRP: Rs 31,999

Offer: Flat Rs 5,000 off

Key Specs

6.2-inch (2246  1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19:9 2.5D curved glass Super IPS display

Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Mobile Platform with Adreno 630 GPU

6GB LPDDR4x RAM with 64GB / 128GB storage

8GB LPDDR4x RAM with 256GB storage

expandable memory up to 2TB with microSD

Android 8.0 (Oreo) with ZenUI 5.0, upgradable to Android P

Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD) with Dual VoLTE

12MP rear camera and secondary 8MP camera

8MP front-facing camera

Dual 4G VoLTE

3300mAh battery with ASUS BoostMaster fast charging and AI charging Google Pixel 3 XL and Pixel 3 Offer: Extra Upto Rs 6,000 off

Key Specs

Pixel 3 - 5.5-inch (1080 x 2160 pixels) FHD+ OLED 18:9 display, 443 PPI, HDR support, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection

Pixel 3 XL - 6.3-inch (2880 x 1440 pixels) Quad HD+ OLED 18.5:9 display, 523 PPI, HDR support, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection

Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Mobile Platform with Adreno 630 GPU

4GB DDR4X RAM, 64GB / 128GB storage

Android 9.0 (Pie)

12.2MP rear camera with LED flash

8MP auto focus front camera and secondary 8MP fixed focus camera

4G VoLTE

Pixel 3 - 2915 mAh (Pixel 3) / 3430mAh (Pixel 3 XL) battery Nokia 8 Sirocco MRP: Rs 54,999

After Discount: Rs 36,999

Key Specs

5.5-inch (25601440 pixels) pOLED display, sculpted Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection, 700 nits brightness

Octa-Core Snapdragon 835 Mobile Platform with Adreno 540 GPU

6GB DDR4X RAM, 128GB (UFS 2.1) storage

expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD

Android 8.0 (Oreo)

Single / Dual SIM

12 MP primary rear camera and 13 MP secondary camera

5MP front-facing camera with 1.4um pixel size

Fingerprint sensor, Barometer

4G VoLTE

3260mAh battery with fast charging, Qi Wireless Charging Motorola Moto X4 MRP: Rs 12,999

After Discount: Rs 12,999

Key Specs

5.2-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD LTPS IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass protection

2.2 GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 630 14nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 508 GPU

6GB / 4GB RAM with 64GB , 3GB RAM with 32GB storge, expandable memory up to 2TB with microSD

Android 8.0 (Oreo)

Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano/microSD)

12MP primary camera and 8MP ultra-wide angle secondary camera

16MP Front-facing camera

4G VoLTE

3000mAh battery with Turbo Charging Vivo X21 MRP: Rs 36,990

After Discount: Rs 31,990

Key Specs

6.28-inch (2280  1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19:9 Super AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection

Octa Core Snapdragon 660 AIE 14nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 512 GPU

6GB RAM

128GB internal memory

expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD

Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano/microSD)

Funtouch OS 4.0 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo)

12MP rear camera and secondary 5MP camera

12MP front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture

4G VoLTE

3200mAh (typical) battery with fast charging Oppo F9 Pro MRP: Rs 25,990

After Discount Price: Rs 23,990

Key Specs

6.3-inch (2280 x 1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19.5:9 aspect ratio display

Octa Core MediaTek Helio P60 12nm processor with ARM Mali-G72 MP3 GPU

6GB RAM

64GB internal memory

expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD

Dual SIM (nano + nano + microSD)

ColorOS 5.2 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo)

16MP rear camera and secondary 2MP camera

25MP front-facing camera

Dual 4G VoLTE

3500mAh (typical) / 3415mAh (minimum) battery

Best Mobiles in India

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Google Pixel 3 XL buzzing issue to be fixed with upcoming software update News oi-Sandeep Sarkar Google has not revealed any specific information related to the release of the software update for the buzzing speaker issue.

Google's Pixel 3 lineup of smartphones is no doubt one of the most feature-rich premium smartphone available in the market today. Even though the flagship device packs some top-of-the-line feature we already have seen a wide number of users reporting various issues which they are experiencing with the device. One of such issues which the users have been reporting related to the Pixel 3 XL smartphones since last month is the speaker issue. As reported by the users, the speakers of the Pixel 3 smartphones produce random buzzing noises which are quite annoying.

It was earlier being speculated that the buzzing noise produced by the Pixel 3 XL speakers could be a result of faulty hardware. However, despite all the speculations the tech giant is planning to roll out a 'software fix' for the Pixel 3 XL. The software fix will be rolled out for all the Pixel 3 XL smartphones over the period of coming weeks.

Android Police has received this information from the tech giant itself. Also, Thomas Demeter had also suggested the same on Twitter. Demeter reportedly has revealed this information after he had word with one of customer care representatives.

As of now, Google has not revealed any specific information related to the release of the software update for the buzzing speaker issue. However, considering that a Samsung's customer care representative had confirmed the availability of the update in coming weeks, it would be safe to assume that the update will make its way to the Pixel 3 XL devices soon. It could also be possible that the tech giant will release the fix with the December security patch.

With all the bugs and issues the user experience on the Pixel 3 Duo has been affected and the users are not happy with it. Google is also working towards bringing timely updates and fixes for its flagship Pixel 3 lineup so that the users can enjoy a premium experience while using the devices.

Best Mobiles in India

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Smartphone online sales witness 100% growth this festive season News oi-Priyanka Dua It is also the most popular segment to attract first-time online shoppers or reticent customers.

According to a survey by Gopaisa, smartphone sales have seen 100 percent growth during the corresponding period this year.

The report said even other tech products, such as laptops have witnessed healthy growth, registering an upsurge of 150 percent as against the number of sales during the same time last year.

HP, Dell, and Lenovo have been the most sought-after brands under the Rs. 30K price range.

Another sector which saw an increase in online sales was groceries which registered a growth of approximately 200 percent as that of last year due the heavy discounting offered by top brands to capture the market share and increase sales numbers. It is also the most popular segment to attract first-time online shoppers or reticent customers.

Home appliances and beauty products round off the list of popular product segments, growing by approximately 70 percent and 125 percent respectively, as compared to last year, the survey added.

Ankita Jain, Cofounder, GoPaisa said, "The Great Indian Festive Season is always a time for a lot of purchases, and online buying has become the favorite new way to shop for the modern Indian buyers. The 3Cs-convenience, credibility, and cash back have made e-purchases a household pastime. This festive season, tech products have again ruled the roost when it comes to popular purchases, as various platforms shower users with a lot of substantial discounts, deals and cash back to make the festival season all the more enjoyable."

In a city-wise breakdown, it was observed that Hyderabad (9.5 percent), Bangalore (9 percent), Mumbai (8 percent), New Delhi (6.6 percent) and Pune (6.6 percent) were the top cities that contributed to purchases during this year festive sales.

Further, tier 2 cities that contributed below 1 percent in 2017 have shown tremendous growth this year with Patna (3.4 percent), Kochi (2.6 percent), Indore (4.6 percent) and Sonipat (2.5 percent) being the areas of maximum increased traction.

Best Mobiles in India

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Xiaomi Mi A2 receives Android 9 Pie update: How to download and install? News oi-Vivek Xiaomi Mi A2 is available with 4/6 GB of RAM

As promised at the time of the launch of the Xiaomi Mi A2, the company has released Android 9 Pie software update for the 2nd generation Android One smartphone in India. The Android 9 Pie update is now being rolled out to the Xiaomi Mi A2 across the country, which is the latest Mobile Operating system from Google.

The Xiaomi Mi A2 was launched in the August of 2018 with Android 8.1 Oreo, with a promise that the smartphone will get the regular software and security updates up to 2 years, and now, the company is kept its obligation to update the device to Android 9 Pie by the end of 2018.

How to download and install?

To install Android 9 Pie software update on your Xiaomi Mi A2 smartphone, go to Settings> About device > System updates > Check for software update. Connect to a high-speed Wi-Fi network for an un-interrupted update experience with at least 70% battery life.

Android 9 Pie

With the Android 9 Pie software update, the Xiaomi Mi A2 will offer a Google Pixel 3 like user experience with improved battery efficiency, digital well being, gesture-based navigation system and a lot more. Here are the complete set of features that are being offered by the Android 9 Pie.

Xiaomi Mi A2 specifications

The Xiaomi Mi A2 comes with a 5.99-inch IPS LCD screen with FHD+ resolution, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. The smartphone has a full metal unibody design with a dual camera setup on the back and a rear-facing fingerprint sensor. In terms of design, the Xiaomi Mi A2 does look similar to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro.

The Mi A2 runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 AIE SoC with 4/6 GB of RAM and 64/128 GB internal storage. Unlike the Mi A1, the A2 does not support memory expansion via microSD card slot.

The smartphone has a dual camera setup on the back with a 12 MP RGB sensor and a 20 MP depth sensor. On the front, the device has a single 20 MP camera with 1080p video recording capability.

The Xiaomi Mi A2 houses a 3060 mAh battery with support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+ via USB type C port. It is also important to know that the Xiaomi Mi A2 does miss out on the 3.5 mm headphone jack, and the retail unit ships with a type-C to 3.5mm headphone jack dongle.

Source

Best Mobiles in India

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US preparing indictment against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 16, 2018 01:33PM

The US Justice Department is preparing charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, whose website published thousands of classified US government documents.

US federal prosecutors inadvertently disclosed the existence of a sealed indictment in a federal court filing in an unrelated case, WikiLeaks said Thursday.

The court document, which prosecutors say was filed by mistake, asks a judge to seal documents in a criminal case unrelated to Assange.

US officials had no comment on the disclosure and the exact nature of the charges against Assange was not immediately known.

Prosecutors sought to keep the charges confidential until after Assange's arrest, saying the move was essential to ensure he did not evade or avoid arrest and extradition in the case.

US officials have previously acknowledged that federal prosecutors based in Alexandria, Virginia, have been conducting a lengthy criminal investigation into WikiLeaks and its founder.

Senior officials in the administration of US President Donald Trump, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have publicly called for Assange to be aggressively prosecuted.

Assange and his supporters have periodically said US authorities had filed secret criminal charges against him.

Assange took refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London in 2012 after facing a warrant for arrest following allegations of sexual assault and rape from the Swedish government. He has denied the allegations, and the investigation was closed last year.

However, the 47-year-old Australian computer programmer has stayed in the embassy out of concern that he would be extradited to the US to be prosecuted for publishing classified documents that were leaked by American whistleblower Chelsea Manning.

Ecuador's president, Lenin Moreno, said in July that he was planning to withdraw asylum protection for Assange and evict him from its UK embassy.

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US Justice Dept Accidentally Reveals Secret Indictment Against Assange - Reports

Sputnik News

21:38 16.11.2018

The story came to light due to a filing submitted by prosecutors working on a separate, unrelated sex-crimes case which nevertheless contained two mentions of Julian Assange.

The US Justice Department is apparently poised to indict WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, though it remains unclear whether the charges have already been filed or not.

This development came to light on Thursday purely by accident when prosecutors pursuing an unrelated sex-crimes case submitted a filing which contains two references to Assange, CNBC reports.

According to the media outlet, the prosecutors wrote that the complaint "would need to remain sealed until Assange is arrested in connection with the charges in the criminal complaint and can therefore no longer evade or avoid arrest and extradition in this matter", and that "due to the sophistication of the defendant and the publicity surrounding the case, no other procedure is likely to keep confidential the fact that Assange has been charged."

As Joshua Stueve, a spokesman for the United States attorney's office for the Eastern District of Virginia, explained in a statement obtained by NBC News, the filing "was made in error. That was not the intended name for this filing."

Earlier, Assange's lawyer Carlos Poveda told Sputnik that Ecuador might extradite his client, suggesting Quito might have reached an agreement for this with London and Washington.

Assange has been residing in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012 when he fled there to avoid prosecution by the Swedish authorities in a sex assault case. The sex offence charges against Assange have eventually been dropped but the whistleblower has not left the diplomatic mission, where he was granted asylum, over fears that he might be seized by the UK authorities and extradited to the United States where he is wanted for leaking classified documents.

In October, media revealed that the embassy introduced home rules that Assange should follow, that included restrictions on the whistleblower's communications and visits. Assange's defence team subsequently sued Ecuador over the conditions of his stay in the embassy, which, according to them, violate the WikiLeaks founder's rights.

 Sputnik

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Secret US Charges Against Assange Revealed

By VOA News November 16, 2018

WikiLeaks says its founder Julian Assange has been charged in the United States.

WikiLeaks posted on its Twitter account that the news of the charges was "accidentally" revealed in a "cut-and-paste error" in an unrelated case in Virginia.

The unsealed charges against Assange were disclosed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen Dwyer as she made a filing in an unrelated case and urged a judge to keep the filing sealed.

Dwyer later wrote that these charges "need to remain sealed until Assange is arrested in connection with the charges in the criminal complaint and can therefore no longer evade or avoid arrest and extradition in this matter."

Joshua Stueve, a spokesman for the Eastern District of Virginia, has told news outlets the court filing was made in error. U.S. federal officials have not commented.

Assange's U.S.-based lawyer, Barry Pollack, responded to the news with a statement: "The notion that federal criminal charges could be brought based on the publication of truthful information is an incredibly dangerous precedent to set."

An Australian lawyer advising Assange, Greg Barns, told the Reuters news agency in an email it was "no surprise" that the United States was seeking to charge Assange. He said Australian officials should allow the Australian national to return home.

Assange has lived since 2012 in Ecuador's embassy in London. He successfully sought asylum there to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faced allegations of sex crimes. He has denied any wrongdoing.

The Swedish investigation was closed about a year ago, but Assange, who was on bail when he entered the embassy, faces arrest by British authorities for violating his bail terms if he steps outside.

Assange is responsible for releasing hundreds of thousands of classified documents and posting them on Wikileaks to the anger of governments worldwide.

Ben Wizner, ACLU's director of Speech, Privacy, and Technology Projects said, in a statement, "Any prosecution of Mr. Assange for Wikileaks' publishing operations would be unprecedented and unconstitutional and would open the door to criminal investigations of other news organizations."

Wizner added, "Moreover, prosecuting a foreign publisher for violating U.S. secrecy laws would set an especially dangerous precedent for U.S. journalists, who routinely violate foreign secrecy laws to deliver information vital to the public's interest."

Last year, then-U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said that Assange's arrest was a "priority."

Wikileaks plays a role in the independent investigation, headed by Robert Mueller, of Russian involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. During the campaign, Wikileaks published emails taken from the Democratic National Committee and John Podesta, the campaign manager of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. U.S. officials allege the email accounts were broken into by Russian intelligence officers and the contents given to Wikileaks.

The documents in which Assange's name mistakenly appeared twice deal with a 29-year-old man accused of coercing a minor into sex. The suspect, Seitu Sulayman Kokayi, has since been indicted.

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388th FW drops GBU-49 in combat training

By 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs / Published November 16, 2018

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah; (AFNS) -- The 388th Fighter Wing's 34th Fighter Squadron recently returned from a weapons evaluation exercise at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where they employed the GBU-49 for the first time in F-35A Lightning II combat training.

The GBU-49 is a laser and GPS guided bomb that can be used in a variety of conditions against many types of moving or stationary targets.

"It's a really flexible weapon. It was reliable, accurate, and effective," said Lt. Col. Matthew Johnston. "Like any new weapon, what we learned, and what we will learn as we continue to train with the GBU-49, will directly impact our tactics and will make the F-35A even more lethal."

During the weapon's exercise, Combat Hammer, teams assessed the readiness of Hill's weapons crews, maintainers, and pilots as they built, loaded and employed the F-35As weapons.

"Combat Hammer validates our tactics, techniques and procedures and builds the confidence in our Airmen that we are ready for our wartime mission," Johnston said.

While the pilots have been training to employ the GBU-49 in the F-35A flight simulators at Hill AFB, they learned a lot while flying in this Combat Hammer, said Lt. Col. Michael Albrecht, 388th Fighter Wing director of staff.

"In a normal Hammer, you've dropped these weapons a hundred times in live training and you're validating the process," Albrecht said. "This was our first time with this particular weapon. The pilots communicated well, and every day shared things from sortie to sortie that refined our tactics."

Local training on the Utah Test and Training Range with live and inert GBU-49s will begin soon.

Hill AFB is slated to be home to three F-35 fighter squadrons with a total of 78 aircraft by the end of 2019. The active duty 388th FW and Air Force Reserve 419th FW will fly and maintain the jets in a Total Force partnership, which capitalizes on the strength of both components.

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Halifax Forum Looks for Solutions to World's Security Challenges

Nov. 16, 2018

By Jim Garamone

Defense.gov

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia -- Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, the chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, is one of many security and military leaders attending the Halifax International Security Forum, which kicked off today with discussions covering security challenges throughout the world and the role democracies can play to address them.

Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan and Peter Van Praagh, the president of the Halifax Forum, are hosting the meeting. They outlined the expectations for this 10th annual forum at a press conference.

Russia, China, North Korea, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, violent extremism and more are on the agenda of this three-day event, they said.

Not Just Talk

But the forum has always been more than just a place to talk. The participants look for new ways, strategies and doctrines to better deliver security. Sajjan said one issue he will examine is to improve the peacekeeping effort around the world. "This has been an issue of particular importance to Canada as we reengage in peacekeeping operations," he said. "I am pleased to see the global community building on the commitments we made last years in the U.N. Peacekeeping and Defense Ministerial in Vancouver [British Columbia]."

Russia is a concern to Canada and will be an issue here, Sajjan said. Russia's actions against Georgia, its annexation of Crimea, and its continuing efforts in eastern Ukraine are disturbing to say the least, he added.

"Because of the actions Russia has taken we need to send a very strong message of deterrence," the defense minister said. Doctrine in deterring the Russian use of hybrid warfare and cyber attacks continues to develop, Sajjan said.

Van Praagh said that Russia is simultaneously a great country and a failing country. Russia is a force in Europe and the world that cannot be ignored. But it also "does not have the same advanced tools that NATO and Canada and the American alliance has," he said. "Russia  is using different mechanisms and tools to exert influence. It is generally new and it is something Canada and NATO are working toward, because  we can't allow Russia or any other country to interfere in the domestic democracies operations."

Through two world wars and the Cold War, Halifax was a linchpin in the North Atlantic Alliance tying North American to Europe. The maritime threat from Russia has increased and alliance leaders approved establishing a NATO command in Norfolk, Va., to ensure the lines of communication between the continents remains strong.

Canada will be a major player in this effort, Sajjan said. Canada has stepped up operations in support of the alliance in the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea and in exercises like Trident Juncture, the minister said. "Halifax will play a very important role when it comes to a naval presence," he said.

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General Atomics Reaper selected for Australia's first armed remotely piloted aircraft system

16 November 2018

Joint media release

Minister for Defence, The Hon Christopher Pyne MP

Minister for Defence Industry, The Hon Steven Ciobo MP

Minister for Defence, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, and Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Steven Ciobo MP, today announced the selection of the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper variant as the system which best meets the capability requirements for Australia's first armed remotely piloted aircraft system.

Minister Pyne said the medium altitude long endurance aircraft can be integrated within the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and would be fully interoperable with our allies.

"These new aircraft will provide enhanced firepower and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support to a range of missions," Minister Pyne said.

"Medium altitude, long endurance, remotely piloted aircraft have a far greater range than smaller remotely piloted aircraft and can continuously observe an area of interest for much longer than manned reconnaissance aircraft."

The aircraft will be used to watch and protect ADF and coalition land forces, and provide reconnaissance support for search and rescue, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

"Remotely piloted aircraft allow military commanders to make more informed decisions faster whilst providing the option to conduct strike and reconnaissance operations without risking the safety of aircrew."

"The aircraft will be operated under the same laws of armed conflict, international human rights law and rules of engagement as manned aircraft", Minister Pyne said.

Minister Ciobo said the project provides opportunities for Australian industry with associated infrastructure development and sustainment activities.

"General Atomics, as the original equipment manufacturer of the Reaper, has partnered with a large number of Australian companies who provide a range of innovative sensor, communication, manufacturing and life-cycle support capabilities," Minister Ciobo said.

"This is a great opportunity for Australian industry and demonstrates Australia's world-class capability to support cutting-edge technologies."

The Government will now request pricing and availability data from the United States on Reaper variants to support future decision-making on the acquisition.

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Yemeni drone unit targets Saudi mercenaries in Ma'rib

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Nov 16, IRNA -- Yemeni drone unit on Friday targeted Saudi mercenaries in Ma'rib Province, according to Yemeni media 'Saba'.

Yemeni army targeted Saudi aggressors' base with Qasef-1 drone, a military official told Saba.

The attack inflicted heavy damage on Saudi positions.

Spokesman for the National Reconciliation Government of Yemen Zeifollah Al-Shami rejected enemies' claims regarding truce.

These allegations are aimed at distracting public opinion, he added.

Referring to false allegations made by Saudi Arabia regarding ending aggressions, he said, 'We are facing with Saudis' aggression and many Yemenis are being killed or injured.'

Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched a devastating military campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the aim of bringing the government of Mansour Hadi back to power and crushing the country's Houthi Ansarullah Movement.

Some 16,000 Yemenis have been killed and thousands more injured since the onset of the Saudi-led aggression.

The assaults of the Saudi-led coalition forces have failed to stop the Yemenis from resisting the aggression. Recently, the Yemeni army unveiled its home-made underground missile launching pads.

9376**1420

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Despite declared halt to offensive, Saudi warplanes hit Hudaydah

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 16, 2018 06:16PM

At least nine people have been killed in western Yemen, despite a declared halt to the Saudi-led offensive that was meant to seize control of the strategic port city of Hudaydah.

According to Yemen's al-Masirah television network, Saudi warplanes bombed a residential building in the district of Hali in the Red Sea city on Friday, killing three women and wounding three others.

The aerial attacks came hours after four Saudi airstrikes hit a village near the city, killing six people and injuring several others.

Meanwhile, the Saudi-backed militants launched artillery attacks on the residential buildings in the district of 7 Yulio (July) in the city, causing severe damage to houses and private property.

On Wednesday, Saudi-backed militiamen loyal to Yemen's former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi halted their offensive under international pressure for a ceasefire.

A spokesman for Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement said on Thursday that the pause in the Saudi airstrikes against Hudaydah was not submission to international pressure but a bid to buy time and reinforce the military strength for a fresh offensive.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have deployed about 10,000 new troops to Yemen's west coast after repeated campaigns to seize Hudaydah, which is seen as the main entry point for food imports and aid relief needed by millions in the war-torn country, were thwarted by Houthis and their allies in the Yemeni army.

The invaders have hit a stiff wall of resistance put up by the city's protectors who have pushed back the militants and mercenaries.

The Hudaydah offensive has sparked concerns over its impact on the civilian population as well as on humanitarian aid operations.

Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched the devastating campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the aim of bringing the government of Yemen's former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi back to power and crushing the Houthis.

According to a new report by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, the Saudi-led war has so far claimed the lives of around 56,000 Yemenis.

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Japan PM assures Russia's Putin of no US bases on disputed islands if handed over: Report

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 16, 2018 08:05AM

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has reportedly assured Russian President Vladimir Putin that if the Kremlin hands over four disputed islands in the Western Pacific to Japan, they would not be subjected to a US military presence.

Abe and Putin agreed during a summit meeting in Singapore on Wednesday that they will accelerate peace treaty talks based on a 1956 joint declaration with the former Soviet Union in which Moscow pledged to hand over the two smaller of the four islands to Tokyo following a formal peace treaty between the two countries, Japanese media reported on Friday.

The disputed isles are known in Japan as the Northern Territories and referred to in Russia as the Southern Kuriles. They have strategic value for Moscow and guarantee Russian maritime access to the Western Pacific.

Japan has long insisted that its sovereignty over all four islands must be confirmed prior to the signing of a peace treaty with Russia.

However, any treaty involving transfer of sovereignty of the islands to Japan would also have to address how the US-Japan security treaty, which remains the core of Japan's diplomacy, would affect the agreement and whether Washington would have the right to build military bases on the islands.

According to Japan's Asahi newspaper, Abe assured Putin during the Singapore meeting that Washington would not erect military bases on the two smaller islands thereafter, further noting that the prime minister's top security adviser had previously stated US bases on isles were a possibility.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga refused to comment on the report.

Earlier this month, the USS Reagan aircraft carrier took part in a joint military exercise with Japan, involving dozens of US and Japanese ships, hundreds of aircraft, and thousands of military personnel.

The latest drill, which coincides with the visit to the region by US Vice President Mike Pence, comes as Washington's denuclearization talks with North Korea appear to have reached a deadlock.

Pence also attended the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders in Singapore on Thursday and insisted that there is no place for "empire and aggression" in the Indo-Pacific region, in a remark apparently aimed at China.

"Like you, we seek an Indo-Pacific in which all nations, large and small, can prosper and thrive  secure in our sovereignty, confident in our values, and growing stronger together. We all agree that empire and aggression have no place in the Indo-Pacific," Pence added.

The US vice president further claimed Washington's commitment to upholding the "freedom of the seas and skies" as part of the country's Indo-Pacific strategy.

The Friday report came amid growing indications in recent years that Tokyo was rethinking its position regarding the islands, in the form of a so-called "two-plus-alpha" formula that would focus on the handover of the two smaller isles and some sort of visa-free access to the larger islands, in addition to joint economic projects.

A breakthrough on a deal has been elusive, however. This is while Abe, who is expected to meet Putin again at a Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires in late November and also in Russia next January, has asserted that he is intent on settling the dispute before leaving office in 2021.

Putin, however, is reportedly less interested in the agreement. Russian news agency Tass quoted the president as saying after his Singapore summit with Abe that talks based on the 1956 document "certainly demands separate, additional and in depth analysis, given that not everything is clear in that Declaration."

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Pause in Saudi raids on Hudaydah aimed at buying time: Houthi

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 16, 2018 08:05AM

A Houthi spokesman says a pause in Saudi airstrikes against Hudaydah is not a submission to international pressure but a bid to buy time and reinforce the military strength for a fresh offensive.

"In every round of aggression against Yemen, the escalation begins and then dies down, mostly without declaring a truce," Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam wrote in a tweet on Thursday night.

"Given the recent developments in the battle on the ground, the aggressive coalition is trying to pretend that it has halted its attacks [on Hudaydah] in response to global pressure or to allow the dispatch of humanitarian aid, but that's a big lie," he said.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have deployed about 10,000 new troops to Yemen's west coast after repeated campaigns to seize Hudaydah were thwarted by Houthis and their allies in the Yemeni army.

The invaders have hit a stiff wall of resistance put up by the city's protectors who have pushed back the militants and mercenaries.

The truth, Abdulsalam said, "is that the coalition is preparing for a new round of aggression, which needs additional time."

"We have not yet seen any serious effort by the aggressors to find a real political solution or a real ceasefire, and these are just media propaganda and agreements between the states of aggression or the so-called quartet  Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Britain and America," he said in another tweet.

Abdulsalam said the quartet is the very countries that, by their own admission, have directly waged the war against Yemen, especially its western coast which includes the port city of Hudaydah.

"Although the position of our people, the Army and popular committees is an essentially defensive one to confront an unjustified aggression they have begun, we welcome any credible cessation of aggression, if they remain committed, away from political gains," he noted.

Abdulsalam also called for a comprehensive, fair and equitable political solution that does not exclude anyone or target any component that preserves the sovereignty and identity of Yemen.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Wednesday paused their offensive aimed at taking the strategic port city of Hudaydah from the Houthi fighters.

Sources said that Saudi-backed mercenaries had been "ordered" to halt the offensive until further notice. They said they would resume operations if they came under attack.

The cessation of attacks came a day after Mark Lowcock, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, urged a ceasefire around Hudaydah.

The Houthis on Thursday denied reports that a ceasefire had been reached with the coalition over Hudaydah.

Houthi government spokesman Dhaif-Allah al-Shami said Saudi Arabia has been trying to ease the international humanitarian pressure by spreading rumors about a truce.

"The reports of Hudaydah truce is baseless and aimed at misleading the world public opinion," he added.

"What has been going on in Hudaydah was that the coalition forces are preparing for a further military escalation," al-Shami noted.

The Hudaydah offensive, which first began earlier this year and was re-launched last month after a pause of several months, could deprive millions of people already on the verge of starvation from access to food or medicine, the UN has warned.

Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched the devastating campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the aim of bringing the former government of Abd Rabbug Mansour Hadi back to power and crushing the Houthis.

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Bahrain inks deal to buy US copters after Senate favor

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 16, 2018 06:09AM

Bahrain signs an agreement with a US aerospace manufacturer to buy 12 twin-engine attack helicopters after the Senate votes down a draft resolution to block American arms sales to the kingdom.

The agreement with Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. for the purchase of the AH-1Z Viper aircraft is worth $912 million, the official Bahrain News Agency reported on Thursday.

The first batch of the aircraft will be delivered to Bahrain by the end of 2022.

The contract came amid continuing criticism of the regime of a 2011-present crackdown it has been carrying out against peaceful protesters, and its ongoing membership of a Saudi Arabian-led coalition, which has been bombing Yemen for more than three years.

The war, which seeks to restores Yemen's former Saudi-allied officials, has killed upwards of 15,000 people, according to Yemen's Health Ministry, although various other reports put the death toll far higher.

The US generously provides arms support to Riyadh and its allies, despite their engagement in the warfare.

Senate favors Bahrain

Also on Thursday, the US Senate rejected a measure, provided by Republican Senator Rand Paul, to block US arms sales to Bahrain over the island's involvement in the war.

The bill aimed to stop the sale of $300m in US-made weapons to Bahrain, which includes guided missiles and rocket launch systems, as well as the training of military personnel, and technical and logistical support.

Addressing the senators, Paul said Manama was an "intimate part" of the Saudi-led coalition, and urged the Senate to send a message to Saudi Arabia and its allies over the war.

"Quit selling them arms one time, and they'll sit up, and they'll say let's have a talk," he said.

"This vote is about more than yet another arms sale. The Senate has a chance to stand up for innocent life, speak out against a humanitarian tragedy that is getting worse by the day, and demonstrate it will not support further destruction in Yemen," Paul added.

A day earlier, Republicans in the US House of Representatives had blocked an effort by the Democrats to halt US assistance to the war.

Besides the arms sales, the US provides logistical support, including intelligence sharing to the Saudi-led allies.

Paul also criticized Bahrain's human rights record and mistreatment of its "majority-Shia population" over the domestic crackdown that has killed scores of Bahraini civilians.

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U.S. Documents Suggest Charges Filed Against WikiLeaks Founder Assange

By RFE/RL November 16, 2018

U.S. court documents suggest WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been criminally charged by prosecutors in a case that could be related to the investigation into Russia's meddling in the U.S. elections.

The Washington Post and other news outlets reported on November 16 that the disclosure was included as part of a court filing in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, in a case unrelated to Assange.

The paper reported that Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen Dwyer wrote in the filing that "due to the sophistication of the defendant and the publicity surrounding the case, no other procedure is likely to keep confidential the fact that Assange has been charged."

Dwyer also wrote that the charges would "need to remain sealed until Assange is arrested," the Post said.

Prosecutors acknowledged the filing had been "made in error" but did not comment further on Assange, potential charges, or whether they had been filed.

The Post cited people familiar with the matter as confirming that Assange had been charged, although other news agencies were not able to immediately confirm the action. The nature of the potential charges was not immediately clear.

500,000 Military Files

WikiLeaks itself wrote on Twitter that U.S. prosecutors had charged Assange.

"SCOOP: US Department of Justice 'accidentally' reveals existence of sealed charges (or a draft for them) against WikiLeaks' publisher Julian Assange in apparent cut-and-paste error in an unrelated case also at the Eastern District of Virginia," the tweet said.

Assange, a 47-year-old Australian, could face trial over the leaking of some 500,000 secret U.S. military files on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Mueller is also investigating WikiLeaks for publishing tens of thousands of e-mails stolen from the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. Trump at the time routinely praised WikiLeaks after it released the hacked e-mails.

U.S. intelligence agencies concluded the e-mails were taken by Russian government-linked hackers as part of efforts to help the campaign of Donald Trump. The Kremlin has denied any involvement.

In 2017, Mike Pompeo -- then CIA director and now secretary of state -- described WikiLeaks as a "hostile" intelligence service abetted by Russia, and Assange as a "fraud."

Assange has been holed up in London's Ecuadoran Embassy since 2012, when he skipped bail to avoid extradition to Sweden to face sexual assault and rape allegations made by two women in 2010.

He was initially welcomed as a guest of the embassy, but after a change in government, Ecuadoran authorities in the South American nation began to reduce his access to outsiders and cut his Internet access.

Swedish prosecutors dropped the case last year, but Assange was still subject to a British arrest warrant for violating the terms of bail in 2012.

With reporting by The Washington Post, AP, Reuters, and The Guardian

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-documents -suggest-charges-filed-against-wikileaks- founder-assange/29604343.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Tajikistan Launches Giant Power Plant To Tackle Energy Problems

By RFE/RL's Tajik Service November 16, 2018

DUSHANBE -- Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has launched a new hydroelectric station that had been vehemently opposed for years by the late leader of neighboring Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov.

At a large ceremony on November 16 at the Roghun power plant, Rahmon pressed a red button to switch on the plant's first of six planned turbines.

Other top Tajik officials and foreign guests attended the ceremony in the Central Asian nation's south.

Dushanbe hopes the $3.9 billion project built on the Vakhsh river will not only make the country energy self-sufficient, but plans to export some of its output to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan.

The project was launched in the late 1970s but halted after the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991.

Construction restarted in late October 2016, less than two months after the announced death of Karimov, the long-term president of neighboring Uzbekistan.

Karimov opposed the project, saying the dam would reduce water flows to Uzbekistan's cotton fields.

Last year, Tajikistan raised $500 million from an inaugural international bond offering to help finance the construction, which is being carried out by an Italian company, Salini Impregilo.

Dushanbe hopes to generate money to finance further construction at the plant after its starts producing energy.

Filippo Menga, a lecturer on human geography at Britain's University of Reading, told RFE/RL on November 15 that the inauguration of the dam's first turbine is "only a first step of a construction process that will still take several years."

"And indeed, it is still unclear how the dam is going to be paid for and if construction works will ever come to an end, and this is something that with Roghun is always going to be an issue, given the turbulent story of the project and the many interruptions of construction works that it experienced in the past. The road is still long before the dam is going to generate vast amount of hydroelectricity and thus generate a profit," Menga said in an e-mail response.

In 2014, Human Rights Watch criticized the project, saying that many families residing in the Roghun dam area would be resettled as a result.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan -to-launch-giant-power-plant-to-tackle- energy-problems/29604156.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Tajikistan's Roghun Dam, Which For Years Generated Only Controversy, Begins Producing Electricity

By Farangis Najibullah November 16, 2018

It took more than 40 years, billions of dollars, and countless tons of concrete, but Tajikistan's Roghun hydropower plant is starting to deliver on a small part of its promise.

It's only the first step, but the initial phase of the ambitious national project has been ceremoniously brought online. Currently standing at 75 meters high, enough to begin generating electricity, the dam will ultimately reach a height of 335 meters and be the world's tallest dam.

That is precisely what Soviet engineers envisioned when they began toying with the idea of building a dam on the Vakhsh River under Stalin's rule. But the dream of realizing the project, despite construction beginning in the mid-70s, was long deferred.

Contributing to the delay were funding and technical difficulties, the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Tajik civil war, mother nature, and objections from downstream countries amid UN fears that the dam could contribute to future regional water wars.

When the launch ceremony took place on November 16, however, representatives of the project's most vocal critic, Uzbekistan, were among the foreign guests in attendance alongside the dam's most ardent proponent, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.

Towering Obstacles

Over the years, Uzbekistan often expressed concerns that the dam would hamper the flow of water that feeds its crucially important cotton crops.

As hostilities rose, Uzbekistan often used its transit routes as leverage against landlocked Tajikistan by closing its borders and blocking highways and railroads.

Tashkent also repeatedly blocked Tajikistan from importing electricity from Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan via Uzbekistan, leaving Tajikistan facing severe power shortages in winter seasons and affecting international efforts to supply Afghanistan with Central Asian energy.

The dispute led the UN secretary-general to visit all five Central Asian states in 2010, during which he called on the countries to respect the UN's efforts to reduce regional tensions and promote dialogue on the issue.

Uzbekistan dropped its objections to Roghun in 2016, when President Shavkat Mirziyoev came to power in Tashkent promising rapprochement following decades of discord with fellow Central Asian states under strongman leader Islam Karimov.

'National' Pet Project

The Tajik government says the construction of Roghun on the Vakhsh River was first considered in the 1930s, although the assessment and planning stage didn't begin for another 30 years.

Construction work started in 1976, but the project was halted with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Any chances of restarting the project were dimmed in 1993, when a massive flood of the Vakhsh River damaged or destroyed much of what had been built.

In 2004, an agreement was reached with Russia's RusAl company to complete construction, but Dushanbe canceled the deal in 2007, accusing RusAl of breaching the terms of the agreement.

But cash-strapped Tajikistan was determined to finish the project, and eventually announced new plans to do so at an estimated total cost of some $6 billion of its own funds.

Under enormous pressure to raise the funds, the government urged citizens, including students and pensioners, to buy Roghun shares in 2010.

Some $80 million were raised in the campaign amid reports that some people were forced to purchase the stocks against their will.

In 2016, Dushanbe awarded Italy's Salini Impregilo a construction contract, and the company began work in October that year. The project grew to include dozens of sub-contracted companies from China, Germany, Iran, Russia, among others. Tajik authorities say that some 20,000 employees currently work at the site, and that it so far has spent some $2.2 billion of its own funds.

Engineers there told reporters this week that the height of the dam was sufficient to raise the reservoir to levels that would allow turbines to begin producing electricity. The next phase is expected to go online in the spring of 2019.

Once completed, Roghun HPP is expected to double Tajikistan's electricity-production capacity -- to 3,600 MW, the equivalent of three nuclear power plants -- and put it a position to not only end crippling power shortages during winter months, but to generate cash by exporting excess electricity.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-s -roghun-dam-which-for-years- generated-only-controversy-begins- producing-electricity/29604412.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Kyrgyz President Accuses Predecessor Of Trying To Turn Him Into 'Puppet'

By RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service November 16, 2018

Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov has accused his predecessor Almazbek Atambaev of attempting to unduly influence him.

In an interview to the 24.kg new agency published on November 16, Jeenbekov said Atambaev had tried to use others in order to pressure him.

"His attempts to turn me into a puppet leader through some third individuals, to direct my actions -- discredit him as a person, as an ex-president, as a fellow party member and associate," Jeenbekov said.

Jeenbekov is an ex-prime minister who was tapped by Atambaev as his favored successor in the October 2017 presidential election.

Atambaev, who was limited to a single six-year presidential term by the Central Asian country's constitution, initially kept a low profile after leaving office in November last year.

But following his election in March as head of the ruling Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK), of which Jeenbekov is also a member, he has publicly criticized Jeenbekov on several occasions.

Atambaev's two close allies who also served as prime minister when he was president, Sapar Isakov and Jantoro Satybaldiev, were arrested in June on corruption charges.

Last month, Atambaev's former adviser, Ikramjan Ilmiyanov, was detained in Russia, brought to Kyrgyzstan, and also arrested on corruption charges.

In April, Jeenbekov fired several other Atambaev allies, including Prosecutor-General Indira Joldubaeva and former security chief Abdil Segizbaev, who had been criticized for a crackdown on opposition politicians and independent journalists.

Some politicians and lawmakers have called in recent months for an investigation of some of Atambaev's decisions while in office.

In early October, the Supreme Court ruled that the immunity enjoyed by the country's former presidents is unconstitutional.



Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyz-presiden t-accuses-predecessor-of-rying-to- turn-him-into-puppet-/29604471.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Australia Will Buy Up to 16 General Atomics Drones

Sputnik News

22:07 16.11.2018(updated 22:10 16.11.2018)

Australia's defense ministry announced Friday that drone maker General Atomics had won its competition to be the sole supplier for the Australian armed services' unmanned aerial vehicles. They anticipate buying as many as 16 of the armed drones.

Australian Defense Minister Christopher Pyne said Friday at RAAF [Royal Australian Air Force] Base Edinburgh in South Australia that the ministry had not yet decided between General Atomics' MQ-9 Reaper Block 5 variant used by the US Air Force or the MQ-9B Skyguardian used by the United Kingdom's military. He said initial deliveries were expected by 2021, and the drones would be in service by 2023, Defense News reported.

"An assessment was made between the various capabilities" of different vendors, and General Atomics was found to be the best fit, Pyne said. "And rather than going through a full tender process when we already know that this is the one that we want, we are adopting the single-source supply that is allowed under the [Australian Defense Organisation] First Principles Review."

With each drone costing about $23 million each, the total purchase will range close to $400 million for the fleet, the Sydney Morning Herald noted. Ground Control will be based at RAAF Base Edinburgh, and the drones will be operated by the RAAF.

"Reaper is going to be most likely used for supporting activities in the South Pacific,'' Malcolm Davis, a military expert at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, told the Herald. ''If you have the army going in from LHDs [landing helicopter docks], the Reaper can be forward deployed into air bases for ground operations ashore."

Earlier this year, Canberra announced it had bought six MQ-4 Triton UAVs from Northrop Grumman to monitor the South China Sea area. Spending a hefty $5.1 billion on the airliner-sized surveillance drones, Australia will receive them beginning in 2023, Sputnik reported.

 Sputnik

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Finland Summons Russian Envoy Over GPS Glitches During NATO Drills - Reports

Sputnik News

21:14 16.11.2018(updated 01:18 17.11.2018)

Previously, Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila stated that the several instances in which pilots reported losing GPS signals during the Trident Juncture exercises had been investigated as possible jamming by Russia.

The Finnish Foreign Ministry has summoned the Russian ambassador to discuss GPS glitches during the NATO two-week Trident Juncture drills, allegedly caused by Russia's jamming, STT news agency reported.

"Foreign Minister Soini announced the invitation to the Foreign Ministry of Russian ambassador Pavel Kuznetsov on Monday morning because of the GPS scandal," the statement quoted by the media says.

The Russian embassy in Helsinki confirmed that Ambassador Pavel Kuznetsov had been summoned by the Finnish Foreign Ministry.

"The Russian embassy in Finland confirms that an invitation to visit the Finnish Foreign Ministry was handed over to ambassador Kuznetsov today. The meeting will be held on Monday," the embassy wrote on Twitter late on Friday.

Earlier in the day, Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini vowed to present a report on the alleged Russian involvement in GPS glitches, addressing the parliament's foreign affairs committee.

"The foreign affairs committee will receive additional information on how the Foreign Ministry will be interacting with Russia [on the issue] when Foreign Minister Timo Soini addresses the committee next Thursday. Soini said that the issue is being discussed through diplomatic channels. I think this is the right way. It is important to show that we believe this is inappropriate, and it should not happen in the future," Matti Vanhanen, the head of parliament's foreign affairs committee stated in an interview with the Yle broadcaster.

The move came on Thursday after the Finnish Foreign Ministry announced that Russia was to blame for the interference with GPS operations during NATO exercises. At the same time, Finnish Interior Minister Kai Mukkanen, in an interview with Sputnik noted that this case would not have any further impact on the cooperation between Russia and Finland, expressing hope that such negative situations will not become common practice in the region.

On the same day, the Finnish Foreign Ministry announced that it was discussing the issue with Moscow through diplomatic channels.

Commenting on the claims on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he had no knowledge of the country's alleged role in the glitches, noting that "there is an obvious trend to blame Russia for everything," often without providing any proof.

 Sputnik

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Houthis Deny Reports About Pause in Arab Coalition's Offensive on Hodeida

Sputnik News

20:25 16.11.2018

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Reports claiming that the Saudi-led Arab coalition's military operation in the Yemeni port of Hodeida has been suspended are not true, Daifullah Shami, the Houthi information minister, told Sputnik on Friday.

Earlier in the day, media reported that a major offensive by pro-government Yemeni troops, supported by the Saudi-led coalition, on Hodeida had been paused to evacuate civilians and aid workers.

"It is not true that any kind of aggression has stopped. The situation in Al Hudaydah as a whole has escalated even stronger than before," the minister said.

According to Shami, the desire to mislead public opinion worldwide by calling for a truce and announcing the suspension of the Hodeida military operation represents an attempt to reduce political and humanitarian pressure on the coalition.

The minister went on saying that Washington's calls for an end to the war in Yemen were merely media statements since neither the mercenaries nor the coalition reacted to them.

"At the moment, there are no negotiations to find any just and full-fledged peaceful solution," Shami said, asked whether the Houthis had received an invitation to participate in peace negotiations in Sweden.

According to the minister, no vision or agenda for the talks have been proposed yet, and the invitations received are only invitations to the media.

"We are always for peace, and we call for peace, and we welcome any invitation to peace from the United Nations and others, but only if there is a clear vision and a certain agenda," he stressed.

The conflict in Yemen escalated this year in the region of Hodeida, Yemen's largest Red Sea port, disrupting humanitarian aid deliveries to the country and putting half of its population at risk of starvation. As World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus underlined earlier, the port was the essential lifeline for the country, through which up to 70 per cent of food and basic medicines pass.

 Sputnik

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Sri Lanka's Parl't Passes New Vote of No Confidence in Gov't - State Minister

Sputnik News

17:51 16.11.2018

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Sri-Lanka's parliament passed another motion of no confidence in country's government led by recently-appointed Prime Minister Rajapaksa Friday, just two days after the latest no-confidence motion, the state minister de Silva said.

"Mahinda Rajapaksa lost the confidence vote for the third time just now Now Go for God's sake Go," State Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs Harsha de Silva posted on Twitter.

According to the Xinhuanet news agency, the parliament's speaker, Karu Jayasuriya, announced the no-confidence vote in the chamber while surrounded by police officers for safety reasons.

Local media also reported about a new wave of disorder in the parliament on Friday, with the members of the ruling United National Party (UNP) occupying the speaker's seat. The Ada Derana news portal reported that the speaker had announced that the parliament would be adjourned until November 19.

In late October, Sri Lanka's president, Maithripala Sirisena, sacked then-Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed Rajapaksa, who previously served as the country's president between 2005 and 2015, as his replacement. Wickremesinghe, in turn, refused to step down from the post, arguing that the president's move was unconstitutional.

Sirisena later suspended the work of the country's parliament until Friday, which triggered protests across the country. The president also tried to dissolve the parliament and call an early election for January 5, however, the move was suspended by the country's Supreme Court on Tuesday.

 Sputnik

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Spanish Defence Minister Backs Idea of Creating European Army

Sputnik News

06:50 16.11.2018

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Madrid supports French President Emmanuel Macron's push for creating a European army, Defense Minister Margarita Robles said on Thursday.

On November 6, in an interview with the Europe 1 radio station, Macron called for the establishment of a European army that would "protect" the union from China, Russia and even the United States. To support his idea, he cited alleged attempts by outside forces to meddle in Europe's domestic affairs and cybersecurity.

"The Spanish government assesses this [idea] positively, like everything else that contributes to strengthening the European Union," Robles said, as quoted by the Vanguardia newspaper.

She, however, stressed that the project must be implemented within the framework of "maximum cooperation and integration" between the European Union and NATO.

Macron's idea has already been welcomed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said that "the times when we could rely on others are over."

US President Donald Trump, in contrast, harshly slammed Macron's initiative, calling it "very insulting," and suggesting that "perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of NATO, which the US subsidizes greatly."

 Sputnik

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South Sudan's women caught up in 'futile man's war' UN gender equality chief

16 November 2018 - The women of South Sudan are leading calls for political and militia leaders to honour the recent revitalized peace agreement, and end what they regard as a "futile man's war", the head of the UN gender equality agency, UN Women, told the Security Council on Friday.

Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, told the 15-member Council that following September's agreement between President Salva Kiir and his rival Riek Machar, who is due to be reinstated as Vice President, fighting was continuing.

She said "leaders of warring factions and armed parties" needed to tell their followers about the agreement, as women themselves are "anxious for progress" and "forging ahead with reconciliation, even though between themselves as women, they had no disputes or hostilities to resolve."

They all found themselves caught up in a futile man's war in which they are all victims of sexual assault, their families are killed, and their livelihoods destroyed - Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women

"What they had in common was that they all found themselves caught up in a futile man's war in which they are all victims of sexual assault, their families are killed, and their livelihoods destroyed," said Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka.

"They had no access to the leaders of their country, who they said are responsible for the crisis, and they are asking us, as the United Nations and African Union, to do more to help them and to hold the leaders accountable," she added, briefing members following the first ever joint mission to South Sudan led by UN Women, UN Peacekeeping (DPKO), together with the 55-member African Union (AU).

DPKO chief, Jean Pierre Lacroix, co-leader of the delegation in early October to the war-ravaged nation, along with senior AU officials, told Council members that the revitalized agreement "provides a roadmap for an inclusive political settlement of the conflict."

The "pre-transitional period" was critical he said, adding that honouring the provisions for women, "in particular the 35 per cent guarantee for their representation across the executive armwill be of particular importance to achieving an inclusive and durable peace."

He said the women that the high-level delegation had met in places such as Bentiu, and the capital Juba, were prioritizing "women's engagement in monitoring the quota implementation". He said it was imperative their voices be heard at a local level, for justice and reconciliation to be realized.

Since their visit, added Mr. Lacroix, some progress had been evident, including the participation of Mr. Machar and other opposition leaders in peace celebrations in the capital, Juba, on 31 October.

"President Kiir's apology to the people of South Sudan for the immense suffering exacted by the conflict, and the release of political prisoners, including two high-profile opposition political detainees, are all positive gestures towards confidence-building and reconciliation," he told the Council.

However he warned that tangible peace across the world's youngest country, was still a long way off: "Notwithstanding these developments I must continue to stress that there can be no viable or sustainable peace unless the parties adhere to a permanent ceasefire, silence the guns, disengage forces, and include women as key players."

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Pence Urges Speed on South China Sea Code of Conduct

By Ralph Jennings, Nike Ching November 16, 2018

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is urging the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) to move forward with a code of conduct for the South China Sea. But as ASEAN states already know, a deal, which once appeared on the verge of completion, now faces three gritty years of talks.

In a comment Friday to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Pence said countries in the region "must be able to explore and develop their own resources and navigate their own waters."

That, however, is hard to do because China has hemmed in four rival Southeast Asian claimants through its quick expansion of infrastructure, some for military use, on tiny man-made islets created by land reclamation. Finalizing a code is taking longer than once imagined too because of the sovereignty dispute's complexity.

China and Southeast Asian countries that dispute sovereignty over the resource-rich sea ended 2017 confident that by this year they could pass the code, which would spell out ways of avoiding accidents. The code would reduce the odds of clashes, for example, Sino-Vietnamese deadly naval skirmishes in the South China Sea in 1974 and 1988.

But early talks on the code between China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have revealed sticky issues of sovereignty, fuel exploration and dispute resolution, matters that can't be resolved much sooner, analysts believe. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Nov. 13 to expect results by 2021.

"The sides are nowhere close to agreement on many points, and they haven't even begun to discuss the most difficult issues like geographic scope, details on resource sharing or a dispute settlement mechanism," said Gregory Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative under the U.S.-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Crowded sea

China competes with Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam for sovereignty over the 3.5 million-square-kilometer waterway south of Hong Kong. China and Taiwan claim almost all of it. Millions of fishermen use the sea along with container ships and the coast guards of claimant countries.

"The United States encourages ASEAN to move forward with a meaningful and binding code of conduct for the South China Sea," Pence said Friday.

Tough deal-making

Beijing and ASEAN agreed last year to start talks and in August this year approved a draft negotiating text.

Over the three years of work envisioned by the Chinese premier, China and ASEAN are expected to negotiate intensely over how to settle any mishaps, either legally or politically. Oil and gas exploration in contested sea zones is supposed to be on the agenda, too.

In 2014, Vietnamese and Chinese vessels rammed each other after China allowed an oil rig to be positioned in a tract east of Vietnam.

"These sort of verging on issues of sovereignty would pop up, and whenever they pop up, negotiators would need to go back to their countries for consultations and so on and all this would take a lot of time," said Oh Ei Sun, international studies instructor at Singapore Nanyang University.

The stickiest point may be how widely to apply a code. A country's acknowledgement of a dispute implies that it may not be the rightful owner, which goes against official foreign policy.

"I think in the past it's always been (about) the scope of the code of conduct, where is it going to be applied," said Termsak Chalermpalanupap, a fellow with the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

The South China Sea "doesn't belong to any one nation," Pence said Friday. Washington lacks a claim, but Pence said it would "continue to sail and fly wherever international law allows and our national interests demand."

China's deadline?

ASEAN and China have talked off and on about a code of conduct for the sea since the Southeast Asian bloc endorsed the idea in 1996. Some analysts said China had stalled the process but came around in 2016 after losing a World Court arbitration over the legal basis for its claim to about 90 percent of the sea.

China has "inserted numerous poison pills" into the draft negotiating text, knowing they are unacceptable to Southeast Asian claimants, Poling said. Vietnam and Indonesia have also included "nonstarters," he said. China's claim extends almost to Indonesia's outlying Natuna Islands.

To approve a code of conduct, "all parties will need to show a great deal of creativity and political will," the Asian Maritime Transparency Institute said in an Oct. 11 commentary.

Li's idea of a final code by 2021 may be China's way of telling ASEAN it's committed to that schedule, said Alexander Huang, strategic studies professor at Tamkang University in Taiwan.

"For me, I look more on the side of setting of an end date or deadline for signing a code of conduct, for themselves," Huang said.

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Two Former Coup Leaders Vie for Democratic Power in Fiji

By Phil Mercer November 16, 2018

Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama is leading the vote count in national elections held in the South Pacific nation Wednesday. In second place is a former prime minister who himself was behind two coups in Fiji.

Bainimarama has held power in Fiji since 2006, when he led a military uprising against an elected government. He said he seized power in an attempt to combat institutional racism and corruption, but he was labeled a dictator in some quarters. International sanctions followed the 2006 bloodless coup, and Fijians would wait eight years for democracy to be restored.

In 2014, Bainimarama resigned from the military and became prime minister in a landslide election victory.

This time around, results posted on the government's social media account show Bainimarama's Fiji First party with a comfortable lead as counting in the South Pacific archipelago continues. Voting in some areas has been delayed by bad weather.

The incumbent prime minister's main rival in the 2018 election is a former army officer and former prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, who lead two military coups in 1987. The instability was caused by fears that Fiji's government would be dominated by the ethnic Indian minority. Indo-Fijians make up about one-third of the population. They were brought to the islands in the 19th and 20th centuries to work on Britain's colonial sugar cane plantations.

"Of course, we have a very strange contest because now unlike 2014 we are pitting two coup leaders against each other," said professor Jon Fraenkel, an analyst from the University of Victoria in Wellington, New Zealand. "The 1987 coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka has made a startling comeback to head the main opposition party, and he is fighting against Frank Bainimarama, also a former military commander who staged the 2006 coup. It is definitely a competitive election campaign. Of course, given Fiji's history there are always fears that if the result goes the wrong way the military might step in."

Australia has been a keen supporter of democracy in Fiji. In 2014, it lifted sanctions imposed after the 2006 coup. Canberra has been eager to re-engage with Fiji to counter China's rising influence in the South Pacific.

Post-coup Fiji has been welcomed back into the international community, with Britain's Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, visiting in October.

Fiji has a population of about 900,000 people. The tropical islands lie two-thirds of the way between Hawaii to New Zealand.

More than 500,000 Fijians were eligible to vote in this year's election.

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Troop levels on US-Mexico border 'pretty much peaked': Pentagon

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 16, 2018 09:50AM

A senior Pentagon official has said that American troop levels at the US-Mexico border have essentially reached their upper limit.

The US Department of Defense has deployed about 5,900 active-duty troops to the border to repel a large group of immigrants moving through Mexico towards the US.

The troop deployment was ordered by President Donald Trump ahead of the November 6 midterm congressional elections.

In the days before the crucial election, Trump had vowed to send as many as 15,000 troops to the border. But Trump's critics had said that his moves were only meant to influence the vote.

We have "pretty much peaked in terms of the number of people that are down there," Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told Pentagon reporters on Thursday.

But then he added that the number "can always be amended."

In addition to the 5,900 active-duty forces, the US National Guard, a reserve military force, currently has 2,100 soldiers on duty at the border and they are authorized to go up to 4,000.

Trump's critics had insisted that he was using the caravan situation to give Republicans a much-needed boost before the congressional midterm elections by stirring anti-immigration sentiments among voters.

While even the Pentagon had admitted that the deployment was more along the lines of technical support for the US Customs and Border Protection, Trump had tried to convince his base that he was sending the forces to stop potentially dangerous individuals from entering the country.

Some US military veterans have also criticized Trump for putting extra pressure on a military that is strained by years of wars and budget cuts to advance his political agenda.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis had pushed back against the assertion that Trump was playing a campaign trick, saying: "We don't do stunts."

Some experts have also warned of the unknown cost of the deployment on taxpayers, considering that much smaller deployments of National Guard to the border have cost them hundreds of millions of dollars.

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Shanahan Talks Dollars, Fiscal Sense and Space

Nov. 15, 2018

By David Vergun

Defense.gov

WASHINGTON -- Space, known as the final frontier, is something the Defense Department would like to explore, Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan said.

And, Congress and the president's administration want the DOD to accelerate its abilities to deliver capabilities in the space domain, Shanahan said today at a Pentagon briefing.

The topic is so important to national security, he said, that he meets twice a week with the Space Governance Committee, which he leads, to put together a proposal that can past the cost scrutiny of lawmakers.

Shanahan said he will produce a proposal that makes sense in terms of cost, mission and focus in the establishment of a space force.

By early next year, Shanahan said he hopes to nominate a suitable candidate to lead such a force.

Additional Priorities

Other DOD priorities, in addition to space, include cyber and hypersonics. These are "super priorities," Shanahan said.

However, the administration asked that DOD's budget be reduced 5 percent, he said. That would bring it down to about $700 billion from $733 billion.

So, there will have to be priority trade-offs, with some things being eliminated, others like certain procurements shrinking and adjustments to manpower levels, Shanahan said.

One area that could be targeted for budget cuts is the "fourth estate," he added. The so-called fourth estate consists of certain DOD agencies not solely belonging to a particular service.

There will be a lot of high level discussions on this next week when the services bring their new decreased budget proposals back to DOD, he said.

After the defense secretary signs off on it, the president will have the final say on the budget proposal and it's DOD's job to make it clear to him what the trade-offs are and what they mean to national security, he said.

Audit Results

Shanahan also discussed the results of the first Defense Department-wide audit.

It was a big accomplishment to have the audit, as DOD is a $2.7-trillion organization, he said.

Did the department pass? No, by and large "we failed the audit, but we never expected to pass it," Shanahan said.

The thing to do now is to address the findings with corrective actions to get into compliance in time for next year's audit, he said.

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Russia Successfully Launches Soyuz Rocket for First Time After October's Failure

Sputnik News

22:22 16.11.2018(updated 22:23 16.11.2018)

KOROLEV (Sputnik) - Russian Soyuz-FG launch vehicle lifted off from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan on Friday for the first time since the failed launch in October, a Sputnik correspondent reported from Russia's Mission Control Center outside Moscow.

The rocket will put the Progress MS-10 space freighter carrying 2.5 metric tons of supplies on a trajectory toward the International Space Station (ISS).

The Progress spacecraft is expected to reach the ISS in two days and is scheduled to dock with the space outpost at 22:30 Moscow time (19:30 GMT) on Sunday. It will be docked with the ISS until March 2019.

A new Soyuz-FG launch comes after a rocket carrying Russian cosmonaut Alexei Ovchinin and NASA astronaut Nick Hague malfunctioned about two minutes after the liftoff on October 11, sending their escape capsule into a steep fall back to Earth. They were not harmed.

Russia suspended all space launches following the incident.

 Sputnik

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Creation of US Space Force May Cost Less Than $10Bln - Pentagon

Sputnik News

13:53 16.11.2018

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has said that it may take the United States less than $10 billion, or probably half that sum, to create a space force, The Hill newspaper reported.

"A single digit, not a double digit Might be lower than five, it could be lower," Shanahan told reporters when asked about the possible cost of the Space Force in billions of dollars, as quoted by The Hill outlet on Thursday.

The statement comes as US President Donald Trump said last month that the United States was creating a space force to catch up with China and Russia.

The US defence budget for the fiscal year 2019, which began on October 1, includes the re-establishment of the US Space Command. It also prescribes the US Missile Defense Agency to begin work on deploying systems to track and intercept ballistic missiles in space. According to the document, the development and deployment of a Sustainable Space Sensor Architecture should be completed before 2023, while the missile interceptor system may be deployed later.

According to a memo by US Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson that was leaked in September, the United States may need nearly $13 billion to create this new branch of the military within the project's first five years.

 Sputnik

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North Korea plans deporting detained US citizen amid new weapon test

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 16, 2018 03:49PM

North Korea has decided to deport detained American citizen "Bruce Byron Lowrance" to the United States amid announcing the test of an "ultramodern tactical weapon," the Korean Central News Agency says.

The Friday dispatch added that the man had been in custody after crossing into the country from China on October 16 and has admitted to have "illegally entered the country under the command of the US Central Intelligence Agency."

The report did not specify, however, why and when the release would take place.

Byron's reported initials match that of a US citizen deported from South Korea last year, caught in a civilian-restricted area near the North Korea border.

The detained man had told South Korean officials that he knew "lots of people in the Trump administration so that he wants to work as a bridge between the United States and North Korea to help improve their ties"

Earlier today, North Korean state media also declared leader Kim Jong-un to have taken part in his first publicized weapons test since the country's test-launch of an ICBM last November.

Observers believe the simultaneous weapons test and detainee release may signal that North Korea is frustrated with the pace of US peace talks while seeking to keep channels open for future negotiations.

In the past month, North Korea has continuously denounced what it calls "confidence-destroying measures", warning that it may resume nuclear development if sanctions imposed by Washington remain.

The UN Security Council has backed the sanctions since 2006 to choke off funding for the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

In light of South Korean rapprochement and heightened US diplomatic activity since January, Pyongyang has stressed that denuclearization will have to be accompanied by equally motivating US measures, primarily the removal of sanctions.

The North has firmly defended its military program as a deterrent against hostile US policies along with its regional allies, South Korea and Japan.

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North Korea tests 'ultramodern tactical weapon': State media

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 16, 2018 04:33AM

North Korea's state media says the country's leader Kim Jong-un has witnessed the test of an ultramodern tactical weapon in his first publicized visit to a weapons test site since the country's test-launch of an ICBM last November.

Kim visited the testing ground of the Academy of Defense Science, the center of weapons development in North Korea, and "supervised a newly developed ultramodern tactical weapon test," official Korean Central News Agency said in a Friday report.

"After seeing the power of the tactical weapon, Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un was so excited to say that another great work was done by the defense scientists and munitions industrial workers to increase the defense capability of the country," the KCNA reported.

The type of the new weapon has not been identified, but the test does not seem to be in violation of the voluntary moratorium Pyongyang imposed on tests of nuclear and long-range ballistic missiles this year.

The new test, however, can further complicate the already stalled negotiations between North Korea and the US over the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The South Korean daily newspaper Chosun Ilbo on Friday quoted anonymous government sources as saying that North Korea had tested multiple-rocket launchers this month.

Kim last publicly attended a weapons test last November, when his country launched its Hwasong-15 ICBM, which was widely considered powerful enough to reach the continental United States.

Kim initiated a rapprochement with South Korea in January. And the US started diplomatically engaging North Korea only later.

The two Koreas have since been advancing their relations. But the US's failure to reciprocate North Korean moves has plagued diplomatic engagement between Washington and Pyongyang.

North Korean authorities have complained about continued US and international sanctions on their country, calling those measures a "source of mistrust."

North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho said at the United Nations General Assembly late September that "there is no way we will unilaterally disarm ourselves first."

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N Korea's Kim May Still Pay Return Visit to Seoul Until End of Year - Minister

Sputnik News

08:53 16.11.2018

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The visit of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un can still take place before the end of this year as the meeting between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in should not take long to prepare, South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said during his five-day visit to Washington.

During the latest inter-Korean summit in September, Kim announced that he had agreed to visit Seoul "in the near future," while the South Korean president later said that the visit was expected to take place this year. In early November, the president confirmed that Kim would pay a return visit to Seoul soon.

"Not only is it possible within the year, it's necessary," Cho was quoted as saying by the Yonhap News Agency on Friday.

According to Cho, most meetings between the heads of state usually require at least two months of preparations, but the inter-Korean summits were prepared within much shorter periods of time.

"Past experience tells me that a visit before the year's end would be impossible. But the three previous (inter-Korean) summits have completely changed the situation. The leaders agree that they should keep preparations practical," the unification minister added.

This year, Moon and Kim already held three summits  in April, May and September  that helped to ease tensions between the two Koreas. Kim's visit is set to become the first such visit of a North Korean leader to South Korea since the division.

 Sputnik

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DPRK Maritime Insurance Workshop

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

November 16, 2018

Today, the United States and the United Kingdom met in London with industry leaders from maritime insurance companies, commodity traders, and other relevant parties, to discuss steps the private sector can take to prevent illicit shipping, trade, and other sanctions evasion activities that North Korea uses to generate revenue for its UN-prohibited nuclear and missile programs. North Korea continues to rely heavily on illicit shipping activities to evade UN sanctions. To that end, the United States and the United Kingdom are committed to working with the maritime industry to take proactive measures to fully implement UN sanctions and protect against the provision of insurance and other services to vessels engaging in activity prohibited under the UN sanctions regime.

The meeting featured presentations by representatives from the U.S. Department of State, the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the UN Panel of Experts on North Korea, international research institutions, and the maritime insurance industry. The presentations focused on topics such as North Korean sanctions evasion tactics, public-private sector cooperation, and enhanced due diligence approaches for the maritime insurance industry. As part of the event, participants discussed mechanisms to enhance cooperation between the private sector, governments, and the UN to detect and disrupt North Korea-linked shipping, and proactive measures to halt the provision of insurance and other services to vessels and entities that violate UN sanctions.

North Korea continues to employ deceptive tactics in order to evade UN sanctions. Facilitated by illicit transfers, North Korea's imports of refined petroleum have substantially breached the UN-mandated cap. We urge all insurance providers, commodity traders, and other businesses to immediately end any and all relationships that support or facilitate the provision of refined petroleum to North Korea or other illicit North Korean shipping activities. As U.S. officials have noted, the United States will not hesitate to impose sanctions on any individual, entity, or vessel supporting North Korea's illicit activities.

The United States remains committed to achieving the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea. The full implementation of North Korean-related UN Security Council resolutions by all countries is crucial to a successful diplomatic outcome. The international community must continue to implement and enforce these resolutions until North Korea denuclearizes.

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On the Release of an American Citizen from North Korea

Press Statement

Michael R. Pompeo

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

November 16, 2018

The United States appreciates the cooperation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the embassy of Sweden in facilitating the release of an American citizen. The United States is grateful for the sustained support of Sweden, our protecting power in North Korea, for its advocacy on behalf of American citizens. The safety and well-being of Americans remains one of the highest priorities of the Trump Administration.

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US Welcomes North Korean Announcement to Release US Citizen

By VOA News November 16, 2018

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo thanked North Korea for cooperating to secure the release of a U.S. citizen, after the North announced it will deport the man who was detained in October for illegally entering the country from China.

"The United States appreciates the cooperation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the embassy of Sweden in facilitating the release of an American citizen," Pompeo said in a statement, using the North's official name.

Sweden represents U.S. interests in North Korea in the absence of diplomatic relations.

The development was an unusually swift resolution to a case that could have further complicated reconciliation efforts between the United States and North Korea.

Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency reported Friday that the U.S. man will be deported. "While being questioned, he said he had illegally entered the country under the command of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency," the news agency said.

It was not immediately clear when the man would be deported.

Also Friday, KCNA announced that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un publicly inspected a new weapon for the first time in nearly a year, sending conflicting signals to the United States at a time of sensitive negotiations.

A picture released by state media shows Kim standing on a beach surrounded by officials in military uniforms, but no weapons are visible.

In June, Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump held a historic summit in Singapore, in which they pledged to work toward denuclearization.

However, diplomacy has stalled since then, with Washington pushing for more action on nuclear disarmament and the North insisting that the United States lift sanctions first.

In the recent past, North Korea has been stricter about detaining U.S. nationals, who were usually released only after a U.S. politician had been dispatched to retrieve them.

The detainees have usually been released in good condition. However, that was not the case for Otto Warmbier, a U.S. university student. He was released in a vegetative state last year after being detained for 17 months; he died days later. The North has denied reports of torturing him.

Last year, the United States banned its citizens from traveling to North Korea without special permission.

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Indian Army Seeks to Procure More Lethal Mortar, Ammunition

Sputnik News

14:40 16.11.2018(updated 15:30 16.11.2018)

The Indian Army, currently operating 51mm and 81mm mortar, has floated a global request for information (RFI) from vendors of 60 mm mortar similar to those being used by two of its biggest adversaries China and Pakistan. The 60mm mortar will be more effective in close combat areas like Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indian Army has launched an acquisition process for 60mm mortar along with ammunition. In the request for information (RFI) issued to domestic as well foreign firms, the Indian Army said that the mortar should have an effective and lethal range not less than two kilometers.

"The weight of the 60mm mortar should be as light as possible and man-portable," the Indian Army's document which was issued to the vendors on November 9 reads.

The Indian Army is seeking to procure at least 100 weapon systems which should be delivered within twelve months from the day of the signing of the contract. The mortars should be capable of being used in India's varied terrain and climatic conditions, the document added. The formal tender for the procurement is expected by January 2019.

An army officer told Sputnik on condition of anonymity that the lightweight mortar of 60mm will offer a decisive advantage to soldiers as they have to carry at least 30-40% less weight with two times lethality.

 Sputnik

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Iran: US sanctions have endangered nuclear deal

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 16, 2018 08:12AM

A senior Iranian official says the renewal of US sanctions against the Islamic Republic has "endangered" the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world countries.

"The new wave of anti-Iran sanctions by the US puts pressure on underway efforts to implement the commitments existing under the agreement," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Abbas Araqchi said in Rome on Thursday.

"The consequences of the reinstatement of the sanctions on the part of the US are worrisome," he added.

The nuclear deal would offer the international community the guarantee that the Islamic Republic would stay committed to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), he told the Vatican's Foreign Minister Paul Richard Gallagher during a one-day visit to Italy.

"The recent move by Washington can bring along insecurity across the international community as it overshadows international relations and equations," the Iranian official said.

The other parties to the agreement, namely Russia, China, the UK, France, and Germany, Araqchi said, consider the reimposition of the sanctions to be "a heavy blow" to the NPT.

The Iranian official pointed to the US's departure from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was followed by Washington's re-introduction of sanctions lifted under the accord.

He said the US had reneged on all its commitments under the deal, and by leaving it had not only damaged its reputation on the international arena, but also violated the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has verified Iran's commitment to the JCPOA through 13 rounds of inspections, Araqchi reminded.

Gallagher, for his part, said the Vatican had supported the JCPOA from the outset and considered it to be a "positive" development within the framework of regional peace, stability, and security.

"The Vatican is officially poised against these sanctions and in step with other European countries, it pursues mechanisms aimed at reducing them," he added.

He also asked Tehran to remain committed to the deal despite the US measures.

Separately, Gallagher described the Vatican's relations with Tehran positive and said it planned to invite Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif for a visit in the future.

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US using dollar as weapon to pressure Europe: Iran

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 16, 2018 12:11AM

The United States has turned its currency into a "weapon" and is using it to challenge the sovereignty of European nations, a senior Iranian official says.

"Dollar has become a weapon for the United Sates to force its illegitimate demands upon its European partners, practically challenging their national sovereignty," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday.

Araqchi made the remarks during a trip to Italy, where he discussed mutual ties as well as the future of cooperation between Tehran and Europe amid Washington's attempts to block trade between the two sides.

In May, US President Donald Trump pulled out from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a landmark nuclear deal signed between Iran and six world powers  the US, the UK, France, China, Russia and Germany  in 2015.

Elevating his anti-Iran campaign, Trump proceeded to reimpose a set of harsh economic sanctions that targeted the Islamic Republic's oil sales and various industries while threatening to punish European companies that traded with Tehran.

Europe, however, decided to stick with the nuclear deal and vowed to come up with solutions that guaranteed trade ties with Iran without worry for US penalties.

During a meeting with Vito Rosario Petrocelli, the head of the Italian Senate's Foreign Committee, Araqchi reminded the Italian official that Iran had already fulfilled its commitments under the JCPOA and it was the European Union's "direct responsibility" to hold up its end of the bargain.

The Iranian diplomat called on Europe to prevent America from using economic pressure as a weapon to establish a hegemony.

Petrocelli hailed the JCPOA as an important achievement for global stability and said Rome was inclined to support the agreement.

Araqchi also discussed the deal's future with Marta Grande, the president of the Foreigner and European Affairs Committee of Italy's Chamber of Deputies.

Grande said Europe was "determined" to work with Iran and kept working to establish a financial channel that would facilitate transactions between their businesses.

EU, South Africa confirm commitment to JCPOA

Earlier in the day, the JCPOA took the spotlight during the South Africa-European Union (SA-EU) Summit in Brussels, where leaders hailed Iran's commitment to the landmark accord and expressed willingness to protect the deal in the absence of the US.

"We call on the remaining parties to the JCPOA to continue to honor their commitments under the agreement," a joint statement read.

"We stress the importance of the preservation and continued, full and effective implementation of all aspects of the JCPOA, which includes sanctions lifting and the consequences arising from it, in the interest of regional and international peace and security," it added.

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Netanyahu becomes Israel military affairs minister after Lieberman's resignation

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 16, 2018 07:17PM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has become his own minister of military affairs, failing to fill the position with anyone else after Avigdor Lieberman's resignation, according to a Likud Party spokesman.

The decision was announced on Friday after Netanyahu's meeting with a key far-right coalition partner, Jewish Home Party leader Naftali Bennett, failed to determine Israel's next military affairs minister.

Bennett, who is currently Israel's Education Minister, had sought to replace Lieberman. The Education Minister had called for Israel to "start winning again", expressing frustration at Netanyahu's compliance with an Egypt-brokered ceasefire with the Gaza Strip.

Israel was quick to accept a truce after a botched Israeli operation in Gaza was met with a strong reaction from the Palestinian resistance in Gaza, killing an Israeli special operations officer and firing a record number of nearly 500 rockets into Israel in a single day.

Lieberman, which leads the secular-nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party, resigned less than a day after the ceasefire, describing the truce as "a capitulation to terror" and withdrawing his party from Israel's ruling coalition in the 120-member parliament.

The loss of Lieberman's five parliamentary seats has destabilized Netanyahu's majority coalition, fueling speculation of an early election before the scheduled date next November.

Netanyahu, who is also currently his cabinet's own foreign minister and health minister, has been under further pressure for two alleged corruption cases since February.

The investigations revolve around a case of illicit valuable presents received by Netanyahu and his family from billionaire benefactors, and another case of a suspected quid pro quo deal between the premier and Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

The corruption cases have triggered numerous anti-Netanyahu protests in Tel Aviv and other cities in the occupied territories, with the participants calling on the scandal-hit prime minister to step down.

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UNICEF welcomes Bangladesh statement that Rohingya will not be forced to leave

16 November 2018 - UN Children's Fund UNICEF on Friday welcomed confirmation from the Bangladesh authorities that Rohingya refugees will not be returned to Myanmar against their will, amid reported ongoing rights violations there.

Hundreds of thousands of Muslim Rohingya have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar camps since late August 2017, amid widespread and systematic violence perpetrated against them.

An investigation commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council maintained that the violence was principally committed by the country's security forces - particularly the military  and many violations amounted to the gravest crimes under international law.

"We have seen widespread reports that Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh may be forcibly repatriated to Myanmar, reports that UNICEF views with the utmost concern," UNICEF spokesperson Christophe Boulierac told journalists in Geneva.

"The camp authorities reinforced the message that while they are ready to repatriate refugees on a voluntary basis, no Rohingya refugee will be forced to return to Myanmar if they do not wish to do so," he added.

UNICEF's comments reflect the views of Rohingya refugees sheltering in Cox's Bazar, where conditions are "preferable to the perceived risks of returning to Myanmar", Mr Boulierac said.

"Unofficial polls conducted by our UNICEF colleagues in the camps have all reached the same conclusion: the overwhelming majority of refugees are unwilling to be repatriated unless their safety can be guaranteed," he explained.

In a regular Press briefing, Mr. Boulierac insisted that Rohingya communities inside Myanmar are still extremely vulnerable, before appealing for unhindered and simplified humanitarian access.

"Rohingya children and families who remain in Rakhine state continue to face particular hardship and are in need of humanitarian assistance due to ongoing restrictions on their freedom of movement and limited access to essential services, such as health and education," he said.

Return must be a 'free and informed choice' - UNHCR

UNICEF's comments follow an appeal from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, that Rohingya refugee returns "should only take place at their freely expressed wish".

Echoing that message, UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic stressed on Friday that refugee repatriation "anywhere in the world is based on the premise of the free and informed choice by the people who are supposed to return".

"That has been our consistent line," Mr. Mahecic told journalists, "also that has been a principle that is reflected in all of the documents, including the bilateral agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar that the international standards of refugee repatriation will be observed."

In addition to the "incredibly worrying" situation inside Myanmar, UNICEF remains seriously concerned about refugee children inside Bangladesh, warning of a "lost generation".

In a bid to help youngsters in Cox's Bazar, the UN agency is continuing to roll out a series of educational initiatives for children of all ages, including providing a network of Learning Centres and Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs).

There are now more than 1,100 learning centres run by UNICEF and its partners in the camps which reach 124, 000 children with education, Mr. Boulierac said.



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Putin Says Russia Ready To Cooperate With Saudis And Curb Oil Output

November 16, 2018

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow is ready to cooperate with Saudi Arabia in cutting oil production to stem a big plunge in oil prices, but he said it is also content with the lower prices.

The price of premium crude has plummeted from a peak of $86 a barrel in October to $66 on November 15 mostly as a result of a U.S. announcement earlier this month that it was temporarily waiving its sanctions on Iran for most of Tehran's biggest oil customers.

Putin, speaking at a news conference in Singapore, said a $70 oil price "suits" Moscow, which has based its own budget and economic projections on the assumption that oil prices would average around $40 this year.

Putin made his remarks even as Russia announced a small reduction in oil production in November from a post-Soviet high of 11.41 million barrels per day pumped in October.

Russia and Saudi Arabia are the world's largest oil exporters, and Russian producers have announced plans to increase their already booming production further next year.

But Saudi Arabia announced earlier this week that it would have to cut production in December by 500,000 barrels a day in light of the Iranian sanctions waivers granted by Washington to giant oil-consuming countries such as China and India.

Riyadh had raised production over the summer in response to calls from U.S. President Donald Trump to offset large expected cuts in Iranian production under the sanctions.

But now it is calling for a global output cut of up to 1 million barrels a day to re-balance the oil market and bolster prices. To achieve that goal, analysts say Russia would have to join in the production cut.

"So far I cannot say if production should be limited -- we have to be very careful, every word is significant here," Putin said.

"But the fact that we need to cooperate [with the Saudis] is obvious and we will cooperate," he said.

With reporting by AFP, Reuters, and TASS

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-says -russia-ready-cooperate-saudis-curb- oil-output/29603669.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Sanctions Play 'Key Role' In Russia's Economic Underperformance

By RFE/RL November 16, 2018

Western sanctions have played an important factor leading to the underperformance of the Russian economy over the past four years, a new study indicates.

Bloomberg Economics on November 16 said that while lower oil prices had also hit the economy, sanctions placed on Moscow for its international aggression, alleged meddling in international elections, and suspected involved in assassination attempts are the "bigger culprit."

It said Russia's economy "is more than 10 percent smaller compared with what might have been expected at the end of 2013."

The United States and European Union imposed sanctions on Russia for its seizure and annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014 and its support for separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine.

"The underperformance has been much bigger than crude [oil] alone can explain," said Scott Johnson, an analyst at Bloomberg Economics.

"Part of the gap is likely to reflect the enduring impact of sanctions both imposed and threatened over the last five years," he added.

The study added that the punitive measures on Moscow appeared to be having their intended effect -- pressuring Russia without spilling over and damaging other global economies.

Bloomberg analysts said that "the fact that the gap in potential versus actual growth continues to widen implies that sanctions are having a prolonged impact."

The situation puts in doubt Russian government forecasts that gross domestic product (GDP) growth will surpass 3 percent by 2021, double the 2017 rate.

"It's possible, but that pace won't be sustainable without a dramatic pickup in productivity gains," Bloomberg's Johnson wrote.

"If sanctions remain in place, as seems likely, that's one more reason to expect the economy to come up short."

With reporting by Bloomberg

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/sanctions -play-key-role-in-russia-s-economic- underperformance/29604854.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russian Army to Get 1st Tor-M2DT Air Defense Missile Systems Next Week

Sputnik News

03:19 16.11.2018

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Russian army will receive the first battalion of the Tor-M2DT short-range air defence missile systems next week, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Thursday.

"On November 19-25, 2018, the first Arctic Tor-M2DT anti-aircraft missile systems are to enter operational service in the Northern fleet (Yeysk, Krasnodar Region)," the statement reads.

The hand-over ceremony will be held in the territory of the 726th air defence training centre of military air defence.

The Tor-M2DT system was developed using the Tor-M2 missile launcher station specifically for Russia's Arctic military group, and is able to defend airspace from enemy air attacks within a radius of at least 15 kilometres (9 miles). It is constructed on the basis of DT-30 tracked vehicles and adapted to lack of roads and low temperatures.

 Sputnik

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Bipartisan Senate bill to suspend US arms exports to Saudi Arabia

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 16, 2018 11:12AM

A bipartisan group of senators has introduced a bill that would halt US arms exports to Saudi Arabia as a response to the "barbaric" murder of Jamal Khashoggi, continued detention of activists and "indiscriminate" bombing campaign in Yemen.

The "Saudi Arabia Accountability and Yemen Act of 2018" bill was introduced on Thursday by Bob Menendez and Todd Young along with Jack Reed, Lindsey Graham, Jeanne Shaheen, and Susan Collins.

The senators referred to the US Treasury Department's Thursday decision to impose economic sanctions on 17 Saudis involved in the murder of Khashoggi, as well as an earlier announcement of an end to US refueling of Saudi aircraft bombing Yemen, and said the measures were not enough.

"Saudi Arabia must be held accountable for its increasingly brazen behavior," Senator Reed, a ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said.

"Ending aerial refueling support of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and imposing sanctions on some Saudi officials who participated in the murder of US resident Jamal Khashoggi are welcome, but not sufficient."

Menendez also said the decision to suspend aerial refueling for the Saudi coalition absent an actual strategy for ending this conflict is an empty action.

"That is why this bill makes clear that Congress demands an immediate cessation of hostilities, urgently calls on all parties to prioritize protection of Yemeni civilians, and makes certain that only a political settlement will end this war," he noted.

Senator Shaheen said Saudi Arabia's "barbaric murder of Jamal Khashoggi, continued detention of activists and indiscriminate bombing campaign in Yemen merit a strong, bipartisan response," and the bill can deliver such a response.

The bill would require sanctions within 30 days on anyone involved in Khashoggi's death, including "any official of the government of Saudi Arabia or member of the royal family" determined to be involved.

It would also require a report within 30 days on the kingdom's human rights record.

Although the Thursday sanctions imposed by the US Treasury were unusual for Washington, which rarely imposes sanctions on Saudi nationals, they did not target the Riyadh government or affect America's lucrative arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

Turkey has more evidence on Khashoggi murder

The Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported on Friday that a second voice recording  said to be 15 minutes  clearly reveals that the murder of the Washington Post columnist had been premeditated.

That would contradict the statement of the Saudi prosecutor who said on Thursday that five Saudi officials faced the death penalty on charges of killing Khashoggi but exonerated the country's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of involvement in the murder.

Abdulkadir Selvi, pro-government columnist in the Hurriyet daily, said key findings in the Saudi prosecutor's statement did not overlap with the evidence in the hands of Turkey including two voice recordings.

He said the first 7-minute voice recording proves that Khashoggi was strangled but the second tape recorded shortly before the journalist stepped into the consulate clearly shows the murder was planned in advance.

The second tape proves the 15-member "killer team" seated inside the consulate before Khashoggi's arrival was discussing how to carry out the murder, he said.

Turkey has also evidence that the team made international calls after the murder, he added.

Khashoggi, 59, a critic of the crown prince, was killed and dismembered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2.

Turkey has said the murder was carried out by a team of Saudis who traveled to Istanbul for that purpose.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the order came from "the highest levels" of the Riyadh government, but stopped short of pointing the finger of blame at the crown prince.

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Turkey Rejects Saudi Claim on Khashoggi's Killing

By Dorian Jones November 16, 2018

Turkey has dismissed Saudi Arabia's latest version of events in the October 2 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its consulate in Istanbul.

Saudi authorities announced this week 11 people are being charged with the writer's killing and that the death penalty is sought for five. The country's deputy public prosecutor alleged Khashoggi was killed in a rogue operation that went wrong when a fight broke out as he was being injected with a drug and tied up.

"I have to say that I did not find some of the [Saudi] statements satisfactory," said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu Thursday.

Cavusoglu went on to repeat Ankara's claim Khashoggi was the victim of premeditated murder.

Turkey's political leadership has been at the forefront of challenging Saudi Arabia about the killing, forcing its leadership to repeatedly change its story.

Senior members of Turkey's ruling AK Party joined hundreds of supporters and friends at an Istanbul mosque on Friday to pray for Khashoggi and vow that justice will be done.

"We are going to be defenders of his cause. What we want is not revenge but justice," said Yasin Aktay, deputy AK head and friend of Khashoggi, addressing mourners.

"There are 15 people defined as perpetrators [in Khashoggi's death], but they didn't make this decision on their own. This is the story being sold to us, and we don't believe in it," he added, criticizing Saudi Arabia's latest version of Khashoggi's killing.

Saudi Arabia's changing story

In the first few days following Khashoggi's disappearance, Saudi officials maintained that the journalist left the consulate after a visit for marriage documents.

Following sustained pressure by Ankara, through a campaign of leaks to international media of information about the killing, Saudi Arabia finally acknowledged the writer died in the consulate.

On Thursday, columnist Abdulkadir Selvi of Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper wrote that a 15-minute recording of Khashoggi's killers undermines Riyadh's claim the death wasn't premeditated.

"The Saudi team discusses how to execute Khashoggi. They are reviewing their plan, which was previously prepared, and reminding themselves of the duties of each member," wrote Selvi, who has close links to Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey has already shared a seven-minute audio recording capturing Khashoggi's killing with its Western allies and Saudi authorities. Until now, it has been widely assumed the tape was the key piece of evidence held by Turkish investigators. The claim of further recordings is likely to increase pressure on the Saudis and, in particular, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Erdogan has repeatedly alluded to the crown prince's alleged involvement, a charge Riyadh strongly denies. Washington, a key ally of the crown prince, continues to back him publicly. And analysts suggest the US is increasingly looking to Erdogan for a resolution of the diplomatic crisis, given his country's pivotal role in the death investigation.

"In the Khashoggi case, they have very good communication with Washington, said former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen, who served in Washington.

This past week, a U.S. media report suggested Washington was looking into the extradition of Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen in exchange for Ankara's easing pressure on Riyadh.

Gulen lives in self-imposed exile in the state of Pennsylvania and denies Turkey's accusation of involvement in a failed Turkish coup in 2016.

Washington denies any deal, but U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said Thursday , "We continue to evaluate the material that the Turkish government presents requesting his extradition."

Gulen's extradition is a top diplomatic priority for Turkey even as it dismisses any talk of a deal.

"Turkey's pending request for Fethullah Gulen's extradition from the United States and the investigation into Khashoggi's murder are two separate issues. They are not connected in any way, shape or form," said a senior Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"At no point did Turkey offer to hold back on the Khashoggi investigation in return for Fethullah Gulen's extradition," he added.

Analysts point out it's doubtful Washington could make such an offer, given Gulen's extradition is a matter for the courts, which experts say is a potentially lengthy and challenging process.

Also, analysts say since Erdogan sees the Saudi crown prince as his chief rival in the region, his goals may extend well beyond an extradition.

"We are in a new phase, and there will be more cooperation between the U.S. and Turkey. And this is part of replacing Mohammed bin Salman," said former Turkish diplomat Selcen.

"What Erdogan wants to harvest from this case of Khashoggi's murder," he added, "is to replace Mohammed bin Salman as the pivotal actor, the linchpin of U.S. strategy in the Middle East."

Some observers suggest while Turkey has so far handled the Khashoggi case with skill, it could be in danger of overreach, given the importance of the U.S.-Saudi relationship.

But they say the U.S. and Saudi Arabia likely will continue to be on the defensive, especially that Turkey, which may well have more incriminating evidence in the case, is now calling for an international investigation.

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US may extradite Gulen to ease Turkey pressure on Saudi Arabia: Report

Iran Press TV

Thu Nov 15, 2018 07:38PM

The White House is finding ways to extradite the US-based Turkish dissident Fethullah Gulen, an arch-rival of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a media report says.

Four sources have told NBC News that the administration of Donald Trump is looking for ways to extradite Gulen, who is accused by Ankara of having masterminded the July 2016 coup attempt against President Erdogan.

The move is said to be aimed at appeasing Erdogan and easing Turkey's pressure on Saudi Arabia over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, according to two senior US officials and two other people briefed on the requests.

Trump administration officials last month asked federal law enforcement agencies to examine legal ways of removing Gulen in an attempt to persuade Erdogan to ease pressure on the Saudi government, the sources said.

They said the effort includes directives to the Justice Department and the FBI that officials reopen Turkey's case for his extradition, as well as a request to the Homeland Security Department for information about his legal status.

They said the White House specifically wanted details about Gulen's residency status in the US.

Gulen, a Green Card-holder, has been living in Pennsylvania since the late 1990s.

The premeditated murder of Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 has escalated tensions in Ankara-Riyadh relations, with President Erdogan accusing the highest-ranking Saudi officials of ordering the assassination.

The US and Turkey have been engaged in negotiations over a series of sensitive diplomatic issues over the past few months, including a deal for last month's release of an American pastor, Andrew Brunson, who was imprisoned in Turkey and an agreement for joint US and Turkish military patrols in Manbij, Syria.

Amid growing international pressure on the Saudi government over the murder, the US has tried in recent weeks to appease the Ankara government over the case, convincing Erdogan to ease its pressure on Riyadh.

The allegations of Washington's bid to extradite Erdogan's arch-foe seem to be part of the same scenario. However, a Turkish official says the government does not link its concerns about the Khashoggi murder with Gulen's extradition case.

"We definitely see no connection between the two," the official said.

Saudi Arabia, after initially denying having any role in Khashoggi's disappearance, reversed course and admitted that Saudi officials were responsible for the killing.

On Thursday, the Saudi public prosecutor released the results of a long-awaited investigation, saying a team of Saudi agents who had been dispatched to Istanbul with orders to bring Khashoggi home alive had instead killed him and dismembered his body.

US denies Gulen extradition, Khashoggi case related

A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council told CBS News "the NSC has not been involved in nor aware of any discussions relating the extradition of Fethullah Gulen to the death of Jamal Khashoggi."

State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert also told reporters that Gulen and the question of the Saudis are unrelated, and claimed the NBC News report has tried to "conflate the two."

Nauert said the US has received multiple requests from the Turkish government related to Gulen, and the US continues to evaluate the materials that the Turkish government presented. The case, Nauert said, is being handled out of the Justice Department.

The Alliance for Shared Values, a nonprofit umbrella of the Gulen movement, said it is "alarmed" by the report that the US administration is considering Gulen's removal.

"We are alarmed at reports that the administration is exploring the possible removal of Fethullah Gulen from the United States," the Alliance for Shared values said in a statement.

In a rare interview with NPR last year, Gulen said he would not protest if the US decided to extradite him, though he suggested doing so would harm the US' reputation.

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Brexit poses 'particular risk' to British people in poverty: UN independent expert

16 November 2018 - Brexit  the United Kingdom's impending exit from the European Union  will drive more UK citizens into poverty unless the Government takes action to shield the most vulnerable, warned Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, in a damning statement released on Friday.

The UN envoy's comments came at the end of a 12-day visit to the UK, which saw him travel to nine cities across the country, meeting members of civil society, front line workers, and officials from a range of political parties in local, devolved and UK Governments.

He spoke to people directly affected by poverty, including some who depend of food banks and charities for the next meal, homeless families living on friends' couches, and people who have sold sex in exchange for shelter.

With almost all studies showing that the UK economy will be worse off following Brexit, due to be triggered at the end of March, the Government is treating the risks for the 14 million people currently living in poverty as "an afterthought", said Mr. Alston: "in the fifth richest country in the world, this is not just a disgrace, but a social calamity and an economic disaster, all rolled into one."

Four million of those affected are more than 50 percent below the poverty line, and 1.5 million are destitute, which means that they are unable to afford basic essentials.

Mr. Alston pointed out that, after years of progress, the poverty risk in the UK is on the rise, with homelessness up 60 percent since 2010, and child poverty predicted to rise by 7 per cent between 2015 and 2022.

The UN envoy said that policies implemented by successive governments have led to "the systematic dismantling of the social safety net (and) inflicted great misery unnecessarily, especially "on the working poor, on single mothers struggling against mighty odds, on people with disabilities who are already marginalised, and on millions of children who are locked into a cycle of poverty from which many will have great difficulty escaping."

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Britain's May Sticks to Brexit Deal as Rebellion Grows

By Jamie Dettmer November 16, 2018

Embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May came out fighting Friday in defense of her contentious draft Brexit deal, calling on the British public to back her. But critics within her party, who complain the proposed agreement would turn Britain into a "vassal state," mounted a formal bid to oust her.

The proposed deal with the European Union, more than two years after Britons voted in a referendum to exit the bloc, has triggered half-a-dozen ministerial resignations.

It also prompted high drama in the House of Commons, where May received the most hostile reception a sitting prime minister has endured since 1940, when Neville Chamberlain was pushed out of office at the start of the Second World War.

The withdrawal deal has been pronounced "dead on arrival" by lawmakers across the political spectrum. They say the agreement won't gain parliamentary backing in a planned vote next month. The deal would see Britain remaining in the EU's customs union, which address imports and exports, for an indefinite period and subject to the bloc's rules and regulations without having any say about them

May maintained during a radio interview Friday that she has negotiated the best deal possible, despite it crossing many "red lines" she had set previously. May and her loyalists say there is no alternative to the proposed withdrawal agreement that runs to 538 pages and took many months of tortuous negotiations to seal, because the alternatives are even more unpalatable for Britain or impossible to get the EU and its 27 member countries to accept.

May says the draft agreement is just a staging post, a temporary deal that's in place while Britain negotiates over the next few years a fuller free trade deal with the bloc. Her supporters say it is no time for a change in leadership with just over four months to go before Britain is scheduled to leave the EU, deal or no deal.

"I am not sure any other prime minister could have done any better," said Simon Hart, a Conservative lawmaker. "I will say one thing for the prime minister  you can never doubt her resilience and stoicism," he added.

Partial relief

The prime minister got some relief Friday when a senior minister, Michael Gove, who had been rumored to be resigning to protest the draft deal, said he would be staying in the Cabinet.

It remains unclear, however, whether other prominent hardline Brexiters in May's thinning Cabinet will follow Gove's cue over the next few weeks and decide against tendering their resignations. So far, several other Brexiters in the Cabinet have indicated they will stay to work together to improve the deal. "Resigning and joining a rebellion is not going to help anything," said one of their aides.

Whether their resolve will hold is another thing, if the internecine [destructive] rebellion against May gains momentum.

"Then they will have to consider how their choice plays out in any future leadership election they may want to compete in," said a party official.

And talk of renegotiation is being rebuffed by EU officials, who on Friday cautioned that the agreement is the best they can do and there can be no changes.

"This is a good deal for both sides," Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Friday. "No one was tricked into anything," said Kurz, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency until the end of the year. He warned that the only alternative would be for Britain to leave the EU without any deal, which "would hurt Britain badly."

Mounting leadership challenges

Gove's decision not to resign didn't stop more Conservative lawmakers from lodging formal letters with party authorities calling for a vote of no confidence in May as party leader, the first stage in a leadership challenge.

As May started her effort to sell the deal to the public, John Whittingdale, a Brexiter and former culture secretary, filed his letter, joining more than two dozen other Conservative rebels who have publicly called for her to step aside.

"I believe that the agreement that is being proposed does not deliver Brexit in the way that I and many others want to see. It leaves us locked in indefinitely into the customs union. I also don't think it can get through the House of Commons," he wrote.

May's party critics accuse her of going from her oft-stated position that "no deal is better than a bad deal" to one where she appears to accept "any deal is better than no deal."

"It is no good trying to pretend that the deal honors the result of the referendum when it is obvious to everyone it doesn't," said Esther McVey, who resigned this week as works and pension minister.

Time on May's side

Whether the deal honors what the majority of Britons voted for in June 2016 may be a moot point, say analysts. In trying to sell a deal that satisfies neither Brexiters, who want a sharp break with the EU, nor Remainers, who say staying as a member of the bloc is the only thing that won't damage Britain, May, if she can see off the rebellion, has time on her side, they say.

She is banking on securing a majority next month for her deal when parliament is scheduled to vote formally on it, by daring lawmakers across the political spectrum  all the opposition parties have formally come out against the deal  to let a "no-deal Brexit" go ahead, likely triggering a recession and leaving behind it bankrupt businesses and ruined livelihoods.

The fear of quitting the EU without a deal seems to be persuading some lawmakers who dislike the agreement to accept they have no option but to back it.

"The most likely alternative is we leave the EU with no deal at all," wrote Nicky Morgan, a former Conservative minister, in an article for The Guardian newspaper. "And I believe that would be deeply damaging to our economy and our constituents. I cannot sign up to that."

Party officials, known as Whips, were mounting a feverish effort Friday to dissuade Conservative lawmakers from insisting on holding a no-confidence vote on May's leadership. Their biggest fear is that if they are unable to do so before lawmakers head back to their constituencies, where the draft agreement is highly unpopular among grassroots Conservatives, then the prime minister will not be able to avoid a leadership challenge and the rebellion will gather steam, analysts say.

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Ross Brawn supports Lewis Hamilton after claims Max Verstappen's spin (or perhaps Esteban Ocon's help!) gave the Brit an easy win. Brawn F1's sporting and technical director said, Hamilton deserved the victory and earnt it.

The win was Hamilton's first after a two-race draught in Austin and Mexico. Brawn told Speedweek: "Of course you can say that Lewis won because Max spun, but Lewis was there at the right moment, only three seconds behind the Dutchman.

"If he got a chance, he was in the position to get it immediately then he gave everything [after] to keep the Dutchman off.

"The Mercedes silver-arrows were not the best car on weekends, Hamilton suffered from an engine that did not perform at all and from tires that were rapidly deteriorating. Hamilton eventually knew exactly what he needed to do. He managed to adapt his pace perfectly to rivals, which makes him a very good driver," said the former Mercedes boss.
Ponnala In, Shashidhar Out!

After making intense lobbying and spending sleepless nights in the corridors of New Delhi, former Pradesh Congress Committee president Ponnala Lakshmaiah finally managed to get the party ticket for contesting the assembly elections in Telangana from his own Jangaon constituency.

Ponnalas name did not figure in the first two lists of the Congress party, as Jangaon constituency was allotted to Telangana Jana Samithi as part of grand alliance and its president Prof M Kodandaram was making all arrangements to contest from there.

A crest-fallen Ponnala rushed to Delhi and brought pressure on the high command to see that he would get back his seat.

Finally, the issue was settled with the intervention of AICC president Rahul Gandhi, who convinced Kodandaram to drop out. Negotiations continued till Friday midnight and finally, the TJS chief agreed to make way for Ponnala.

At last, the Congress party released its third list of 13 candidates on Saturday morning, though only two days are left for the closure of nominations.

It is yet to release the list for another nine seats. Apart from Ponnala Lakshmaiah, another former minister Soyam Bapu Rao, former MLA D Sudhir Reddy and PCC spokesperson Addanki Dayakar are among the candidates included in the fresh list.

The Congress has so far finalized candidates for 88 constituencies, out of 94 in which it is contesting.

Kodandaram is learnt to have decided to confine himself to campaigning and not to contest the elections from any other constituency.

Meanwhile, another former minister and chairman of PCC election commission affairs committee Marri Shashidhar Reddy is thoroughly disappointed for being dropped from the first list of candidates.

He was supposed to file his nominations from Sanathnagar constituency, but now as part of grand alliance, it is being allotted to the Telugu Desam Party.

Shashidhar, son of former chief minister Marri Channa Reddy, is now contemplating quitting the PCC post and contesting as a rebel.

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A joint R&D team from Continental and EasyMile will commence work on solutions for driverless mobility in Singapore.

Headquartered in Toulouse, EasyMile is a pioneer in the development of autonomous vehicle solutions. The new joint teams work focus will be to develop new technology centered on perception and deep learning and to prepare autonomous vehicle (AV) technology for tests towards safe deployments on private grounds and public roads in the Singaporean metro area.

With a regulatory sandbox for AVs in place, Singapore has the flexibility to quickly adjust its regulatory framework to support the fast pace of development of AV technology while safeguarding public safety. Autonomous systems feature prominently in its plans to improve the transport system in Singapore. AVs, in particular, are seen to have the potential to enhance first and last mile connectivity between peoples homes and nearby public transport nodes.

In order to move the field forward, Singapore is engaging in intensive dialogue with leading industrial companies to develop driverless solutions as soon as possible to complement and maintain efficient urban mobility.

Our Singapore location is already one of our largest R&D locations in Asia. Its position is strategic as Singapore is one of Asias four tigers, and an important financial and trade center. With the joint autonomous driving R&D team we have expanded the network of our Automated Driving project house to another important location. Together with EasyMile, we are proud to contribute to the Singapore Smart City Initiative. It is a privilege for our AV team to be part of this journey into the future. The results can also be used as a blueprint for the deployment of driverless systems in other regions of the world. Ralph Lauxmann, head of Systems & Technology, member of the Chassis & Safety management board, and head of the Automated Driving project house at Continental

EasyMile and Continental are expanding an established and successful cooperation that began in 2017, when Continental became a minority shareholder and partner of the French company.

The MoU between Continental and EasyMile is also a stepping stone in a structured approach to AV testing on public roads in Singapore. The city already has a test center for AVs located in Jurong Innovation District and there are on-going AV trials being conducted at one-north and Sentosa. Singapore has also identified three towns for pilot deployment of AVs for public transport by the early 2020s. The pilot deployment will provide insights on development of AVs at town scale to benefit commuters, especially in enhancing first and last mile connectivity.
Over the coming five years to the end of 2023, the Volkswagen Group will be spending almost 44 billion alone on the e-mobility, autonomous driving, new mobility services and digitalization in its vehicles and at its plants.

This represents approximately one-third of total expenditure for the 2019-2023 planning period and is the outcome of the Groups planning round, which has now been completed and was discussed and endorsed by the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft at its meeting on Friday.

The Volkswagen Group is working consistently on improving earnings at all brands and companies in order to finance the enormous challenges of the future from its own resources. Programs to secure the agreed targets have been initiated by the brands and companies.

Both the capital expenditure ratio and the research and development ratio in the Groups Automotive Division are to continue to decline to a competitive level of 6% from 2020 onward. The net cash flow target of a minimum of 10 billion by 2020 remains valid. The diesel crisis will, however, still impact cash outflows in planning years 2019 and 2020.

The joint ventures in China are not consolidated and are therefore not included in the plans. These joint venture companies provide their own funding for investments in plants and products.

EV production. At its meeting, the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft approved the new plant assignment plansspecifically, Emden and Hanover to become electric vehicle plants. (Earlier post.) The strategic plant assignment reflects the challenges of the next five years and lays the necessary foundations.

The plants in Emden and Hanover will be converted to build electric vehicles: models from the ID. family will begin rolling off the assembly lines there from 2022. In order to serve growth in Europe going forward, the Group will be expanding its production capacity post-2022 with an additional plant in Eastern Europe.

All-electric cars will begin leaving the assembly lines in Emden and Hanover from 2022: going forward, electric small cars and sedans from several brands will be built in Emden, while Hanover will specialize in the production of the ID. BUZZ family in addition to building vehicles with conventional drives.

Production of the Volkswagen Passat family will be moved to the SKODA plant in Kvasiny, Czech Republic, and these models will be built there together with the SKODA Superb and Kodiaq from 2023. The SKODA Karoq and the SEAT Ateca, currently produced in Kvasiny, will be transferred to a new Group multi-brand plant. The Group is looking for a new location in Eastern Europe.





The most important criteria for plant assignment are optimal utilization of existing capacity, platform orientation and volume bundling. As a result, flexible multi-brand plants will become increasingly common in order to harness the advantages of the flexible production network.

Efforts will be systematically geared to reusing existing resources and factory structures and to cross-brand standardization with a view to increasing productivity and reducing factory costs and investments. The Group is addressing the digital transformation of its plants to leverage further efficiencies.

Group Production has targeted a 30% increase in productivity by 2025. Backed by good progress in recent years, the environmental impact of Group plants is to be almost halved within the same timeframe.

Ford. In addition to investment planning, the Supervisory Board also consulted on further groundbreaking future projects at its meeting on Friday. The talks with Ford about an industrial cooperation announced earlier are progressing positively so far, Volkswagen said. The two companies complement each other very well in terms of both products and regions. The joint development and manufacture of a range of light commercial vehicles is at the core of the envisaged cooperation.

Volkswagen expects significant synergy effects from the potential to lower costs or increase performance via scales. Ford and Volkswagen will nevertheless remain competitors, as the proposed cooperation does in no way concern commercial, marketing or pricing strategies. Additional fields of cooperation outside the light commercial vehicle segment with the potential for expanding collaboration have also been identified.
Feeling the pressure. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Most weeks, New York Magazine writer-at-large Frank Rich speaks with contributor Alex Carp about the biggest stories in politics and culture. Today, Trumps tantrums, the Times revelations about Facebook, and the First Ladys campaign to get a West Wing staffer fired.

This is bunker behavior. Only a desperate man would try to derail Mueller by installing this transparent reprobate at the Department of Justice. Even more revealing is how Trump has become more and more unhinged since making his Whitaker move. The growing fury, most manifest in his latest anti-Mueller tweetstorm this week , suggests that he already realizes that the ploy has backfired. It seems to be finally sinking in, perhaps under the frantic tutelage of his lawyers, that his fate and the fates of his son and son-in-law, among others in his immediate orbit, are tied to the fates of Roger Stone, Michael Cohen, Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, and all the other presidents men whose comprehensive narrative Mueller is bound to tell America no matter what Trump and his stooge at Justice do to try to foil or decapitate him.

According to the New York Times, Facebook knew about Russian election interference earlier (and in more detail) than Mark Zuckerberg has let on, but rather than sound an alarm the company went as far as enlisting a Republican opposition-research firm to cast protesters as puppets of George Soros. The revelations come among growing calls to regulate the social-media giant  is this the end of Facebook as we know it?

Facebook has managed to infuriate both Democrats and Republicans in Washington. Employee morale is crumbling along with its stock price. The company is now likely to be reshaped by both market forces and government regulation. But thats not what interests me most about this extraordinary piece of Times investigative reporting. Equally important is the story the paper tells of how powerful liberal Democrats, one at the pinnacle of Facebook (Sheryl Sandberg) and another at the pinnacle of the Senate (Chuck Schumer), shielded the company from critics to preserve its fat bottom line. And in the process proved to be useful idiots for the Russians. Had Sandberg and Schumer not protected Facebook, it would have been harder for Russians to manipulate the 2016 election with impunity on its platform, and the presidential candidate Sandberg and Schumer supported, Hillary Clinton, conceivably might have averted narrow defeat.

It was Sandberg, who served under the Treasury Secretary Larry Summers in Bill Clintons administration and was a strong Hillary supporter, who hired the Republican lobbyist Joel Kaplan, the key figure in covering up the extent of Russian meddling at Facebook for a full year. (Kaplan is most recently notorious for being caught on camera lending prominent support to Brett Kavanaugh as he denied Christine Blasey Fords testimony before the Senate Judiciary committee.) And it was Sandberg who looked the other way as other Republican operatives hired by Facebook targeted Soros, falsely portraying him as a prime mover in an anti-Facebook cabal. This Facebook-generated libel inexorably contributed to the proliferation of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories about Soros that would boil over in the final weeks of the 2018 campaign and arguably cost Democrats some votes in this years election as well. Sadly, it turns out that powerful Jewish executives like Sandberg and Mark Zuckerberg offer no more protection against dark anti-Semitic corporate tactics at Facebook than Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump do against anti-Semitic political tactics at the White House.

As for Schumer, his water-carrying for Facebook, as documented by the Times, is mortifying: He even tried to shut down a fellow Democratic senator, Mark Warner, who dared question the company. (It will surprise no one that Facebooks employees contribute more to Schumer, the Democrats Senate leader, than any other member of Congress .) Its a cruel irony, I guess, that prominent Clinton supporters like Sandberg and Schumer in the end contributed to Trumps victory by allowing Russian interference to play out unchecked at Facebook for much of 2016. But it is not a fresh irony. As I wrote in my New York piece on Trump and Roy Cohn this spring, From the mid-1970s to the turn of the century, well before Trump debuted on The Apprentice or flirted more than glancingly with politics, he gained power and consolidated it with the help of allies among the elites of New Yorks often nominally Democratic and liberal Establishment  some of them literally the same allies who boosted Cohn. Those powerful Democrats priority, I posited, was raw personal power that could be leveraged for their own enrichment, privilege, and celebrity. And so the story of Sandberg, Schumer, Facebook, and Trumps 2016 victory, as told by the Times, is yet another chapter in that same sordid narrative.

After Melania Trump publicly called for the ouster of Mira Ricardel, John Boltons deputy, earlier this week, Ricardel is gone from the White House. Was Melania justified in taking her case public?

Its really hard to know whom to root for in this rollicking tale. For starters, it is utterly preposterous that a First Lady would have her press secretary release a statement announcing that a high national security official no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House. When Nancy Reagan put the shiv in Donald Regan, at least she had the good political sense to do so in the East Wing shadows rather than appear to wield power over a part of the government in which she has no official role or expertise. To quote David Rothkopfs must-read tweet thread on this incident, Melania Trump is by contrast just another member of the thug mob that has corrupted our White House.

But this farce doesnt end there. Weve since learned that Melania Trump has never met the woman she banished. In the Washington Posts account, Ricardel angered the First Lady with a bureaucratic gambit: She threatened to pull National Security Council policy advisers from the First Ladys trip to Africa in retaliation for being denied a seat on her plane and having to travel on another flight instead. This much is clear: The last thing anyone involved in this episode was thinking about was Africa, the ostensible point of Trumps trip.
President Donald Trump offered to nominate Mira Ricardel as ambassador to Estonia after first lady Melania Trump forced the deputy national security adviser out of the White House, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Ricardel turned down the posting to the Baltic state, two of the people said. It's unclear if the White House plans to offer her any other position.

Ricardel, National Security Adviser John Bolton's top deputy, departed the White House on Wednesday after clashing with Melania Trump's staff over the first lady's trip last month to Africa. Bolton hired Ricardel in April, and while he liked her, she had caused friction across the White House, where colleagues saw her as inflexible and obsessed with process.

"It's been an honor to serve the president as deputy national security adviser," Ricardel said in a statement on Friday. "I admire the president and first lady and have great respect for my colleagues who are dedicated to supporting the president's policies, and I look forward to working with them in the months ahead."

The saga of Ricardel's departure unfolded amid speculation -- fueled by the president himself -- that Trump will soon make higher-profile changes to his administration. Trump told the Daily Caller in an interview on Wednesday that he would soon make "a decision" about Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, whom he has blamed for what he calls an illegal immigration "crisis" on the U.S. border with Mexico.

Melania Trump's office issued an unusual public statement demanding Ricardel's ouster on Tuesday. The White House aide had threatened to withhold National Security Council resources for the Africa trip unless she or another NSC staffer were included in the first lady's entourage, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Melania Trump has never met Ricardel, the person added. But she signed off on her office's statement, two people said.

All of the people asked not to be identified discussing a White House personnel matter.
Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee are prepared to subpoena former FBI Director James Comey and former Attorney General Loretta Lynch for depositions in their ongoing investigations of FBI and Justice Department officials' conduct during probes of Donald Trump's campaign and Hillary Clinton's emails, according to a person familiar with the plans.

Comey will be ordered to appear for a deposition on Nov. 29, while Lynch will be ordered to appear on Dec. 5. Panel rules stipulate that Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., must give 48 hours' notice before issuing the subpoenas.

Representatives for Comey and Lynch did not immediately respond to queries about whether they would appear for the closed-door interviews, though both have expressed a willingness to speak to the panel. Comey stated earlier this year that while he is ready to be interviewed, he would agree only to a public session.

Comey and Lynch have spoken to other congressional panels investigating possible connections between the Trump campaign and Russia. But they have yet to be interviewed as part of the House Judiciary and Oversight committees' joint probe, which Democrats have decried as a blatant attempt to undermine confidence in the federal law enforcement agencies - and by extension, the basis of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.

Democratic lawmakers are increasingly concerned that Mueller's probe may be under internal threat after Trump ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions and appointed his former chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, as acting attorney general, overseeing the probe. Lawmakers from both parties have questioned the constitutionality of that decision, noting that Whitaker was never confirmed by the Senate to his job, and argued that his public statements reveal an anti-Mueller bias too strong to allow him to assume authority over the investigation.

In the Senate, Arizona Republican Jeff Flake - who is retiring at the end of the year - has insisted he will not vote to advance any of Trump's judicial nominees until the body votes on a measure to protect the special counsel from being fired without cause. In the House, that measure stands little chance of being taken up before the end of 2018 - House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has said he does not think it is necessary.

House Republicans are keenly aware that they have only a few weeks left to call the shots on panels that have been investigating the officials investigating Trump - and the subpoenas for Comey and Lynch seem to reflect that they will be using their authority until they are forced to hand committee gavels, and the subpoena power that comes with them, to the Democrats at the start of next year.

"It is unfortunate that the outgoing Majority is resorting to these tactics," the Judiciary Committee's ranking Democrat, Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, who is expected to take over as chairman next year, said in a statement. "These subpoenas are coming out of the blue, with very little time left on the calendar, and after the American people have resoundingly rejected the GOP's approach to oversight - if, indeed, 'oversight' is the word we should use for running interference for President Trump."

It remains to be seen whether panel Republicans will attempt to force other witnesses, particularly Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, to appear for interviews in the weeks that remain. Last month, Rosenstein agreed to speak only to the committee chairmen and ranking Democrats - an arrangement that angered rank-and-file Republicans, who said Rosenstein should not get special treatment. The session never happened, however, because of time constraints.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, one of a band of members who have tried to orchestrate Rosenstein's impeachment, is expected to run for the top Republican slot on the Judiciary or Oversight committee next year. Thursday on Twitter, he questioned why Rosenstein had not been brought to Capitol Hill to face a reckoning over reports that he proposed taping interactions with Trump and attempting to remove him from office by invoking the 25th Amendment - a sign that Trump's allies on Capitol Hill are going to keep insisting on an interview.

- - -

The Washington Post's Devlin Barrett contributed to this report.
After the assassination of Gandhiji in 1948 and the death of Sardar Patel in 1950, there was no one to compete with Nehru in stature.

Nehrus legacy lives on, encouraging his real legatees, the people of India, to cherish democratic ideals of pluralism and secularism. He famously told an interviewer in 1961, three years before he died, that he didnt plan a dynasty because he was incapable of ruling from the grave.

When he died in 1964, Jawaharlal Nehru's legacy to the nation and the world seemed secure. A towering figure in national politics and on the international stage, the reflective, mercurial Nehru had  in innumerable books and speeches, but also in his conduct as a Prime Minister  developed and articulated a worldview that embodied the aspirations of his generation, of his country and (many believed) of the developing postcolonial world as a whole. We are all Nehruvians, a senior Indian official told me 13 years later, with conviction and pride, of his colleagues in the Indian ruling establishment.

Four decades after that remark was made to me, there are few Nehruvians in office. Indeed, Nehruvianism seems to have lost both power and allure. Nehru is criticized, even derided, by votaries of an alternative version of Indian nationalism, one that claims to be more deeply rooted in the land (and therefore in its religious traditions and customary prejudices). His mistakes are magnified, his achievements belittled. The Prime Minister regularly goes after Nehru, accusing him and his family of monopolizing Indias institutions and installing a dynasty. So it does not come as a surprise that this newspaper has asked me to write on whether Nehru was a narcissist, obsessed with power, who did not allow others to rise. But it is deeply disappointing that such an a-historical question should be asked at all.

Jawaharlal Nehru with former US president John F. Kennedy

After the assassination of Gandhiji in 1948 and the death of Sardar Patel in 1950, there was no one to compete with Nehru in stature. He was so unquestionably Indias tallest leader  so unchallengeably the personification of its very freedom  that all he needed to do if anyone opposed him was to threaten to resign. Nehru usually got his way. This was not the instinct of a power-hungry dictator: he preferred to resign than to impose his views. Nehru was never tempted by the argument to which so many fellow heroes of the anti-colonial struggle in other developing countries succumbed  that dictatorship was the only way for them to forge unity and direct development. For he was a convinced democrat, a man so wary of the risks of autocracy that, at the crest of his rise, he authored an anonymous article warning Indians of the dangers of giving dictatorial temptations to Jawaharlal Nehru.

As Prime Minister Nehru carefully nurtured democratic institutions, paying careful deference to the country's ceremonial Presidency, writing regular letters to the Chief Ministers of India's states explaining his policies, subjecting himself to cross-examination in Parliament by a fractious opposition, taking care not to interfere with the judiciary (on the one occasion where he publicly criticized a judge, he apologized the next day to the individual and to the Chief Justice of India). Though he was, in the celebrated Indian metaphor, the immense banyan tree in whose shade no other plant could grow, he made sure that every possible flora flourished in the forest.

Jawaharlal Nehru with Mahatma Gandhi

By his speeches, his exhortations and above all by his own personal example, Jawaharlal imparted to the institutions and processes of democracy a dignity that placed it above challenge from would-be tyrants. He instituted a public audience at his home every morning where ordinary people could come to petition or talk with their Prime Minister. His speeches were an extended conversation with the people of India. If there was something tutelary about them, romanticizing his relationship with the people of India  the idol of the public dispensing democracy like so much prasad to the worshipping masses -- that was a necessary phase in the process of educating a largely illiterate, overwhelmingly poor people in the rights and prerogatives that came with freedom.

Some critics, mostly with the benefit of hindsight, have suggested that Nehru was grooming his daughter to succeed him. There is no evidence whatsoever that such a thought crossed his mind. Of course, being his official hostess provided Indira Gandhi with a unique political education at close quarters, and she soon revealed a taste for affairs of state, both domestic and international. But Jawaharlal took no steps to promote her as a possible successor; he did not appoint her to his cabinet, despite public calls from partymen for him to do so, and she rates as an also-ran in Welles Hangen's famous speculative 1963 book, After Nehru Who? The worst that can be said is that Nehru did not object when others in the Congress Party pushed his daughter into politics, first as organizer of the party's women's wing in 1953 and most notably when they elected her president of the Congress Party nationally for 1959. She proved a fierce and partisan official, leading the Congress into the streets against the elected Communist Government in the state of Kerala and pressurizing the Government of India to dismiss the state authorities for failing to maintain law and order. But she did not seek (and Jawaharlal did not encourage) re-election after her one-year term as party president.

Jawaharlal Nehru with Muhammed Ali Jinnah

Nehru, ever the democrat, confronted the issue of succession directly in a 1961 interview: I am not trying to start a dynasty. I am not capable of ruling from the grave. How terrible it would be if I, after all I have said about the processes of democratic government, were to attempt to handpick a successor. The best I can do for India is to help our people as a whole to generate new leadership as it may be needed.

As he once said to the American editor Normal Cousins: My legacy to India? Hopefully, it is 400 million people capable of governing themselves. The numbers have grown, but the principle speaks of his aspiration. In the peaceful transfer of power that followed his death  not to a handpicked successor but to the elected (and unrelated) Lal Bahadur Shastri  Jawaharlal Nehru left his most important legacy. Amidst India's myriad problems, it is democracy that has given Indians of every imaginable caste, creed, culture and cause the chance to break free of their lot. There is social oppression and caste tyranny, particularly in rural India, but Indian democracy offers the victims a means of redemption through the ballot-box. Elections have increasingly given real political power to the lowest of India's low. A man of humble origins today occupies the highest office in the land; another holds Indias most powerful position. For that, we must be eternally grateful to Nehru.

(Nehru : The Invention of India is among many books, both non-fiction and fiction, written by Dr Tharoor, MP, Thiruvananthapuram. A former Under Secretary General, UN, he is the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs)
The week began with President Trump lashing out after another rancorous trip to Europe. But it ended with Trump's deputy assuming a more poised role in Asia.

Vice President Pence spent the week touring the Asia-Pacific region, meeting with numerous leaders and dignitaries. After swinging through Japan, Pence went to Singapore for the annual confab of the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN). That included an awkward meeting with Myanmar's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, during which Pence pressed Suu Kyi on her government's role in last year's massacres of Rohingya Muslims and the imprisonment of two Reuters journalists who covered them.

Pence now heads to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit this weekend in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. He'll be joined by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Chinese President Xi Jinping and other statesmen from around the Pacific Rim.

Conspicuously absent here is Trump. He declined the opportunity to make the trip, a move some analysts saw as a worrying sign for Washington's Asian agenda. Russian President Vladimir Putin made a first-ever state visit to Singapore this week in a bid to boost Moscow's clout in the region. Starting in 2011, Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, made a habit of attending ASEAN meetings; he missed only one, in 2013, when Washington was in the middle of a government shutdown.

Trump - who, according to one account, has "retreated into a cocoon of bitterness and resentment" over the Mueller investigation and his party's midterm election losses - chose to buck the trend. That's not likely to go down well across the Pacific.

"Every country in Southeast Asia is trying to forge a close relationship with the U.S. - they don't want to live in a region that's dominated by China. They want options, and they want balance," Brian Harding of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington said to The Washington Post's Shibani Mahtani. "It doesn't send a good signal [of U.S. commitment] that the president doesn't want to attend the one summit he's supposed to in Southeast Asia."

"Optics are very, very important - and statements and symbolisms. Who comes, what's on the table, what's on the agenda," Alex Capri, a visiting fellow at the National University of Singapore, said to CNBC. "If Trump were to come out I think it would have been a much more symbolic that . . . this was more important."

But perhaps, given Trump's recent overseas performances, his no-show isn't such a bad thing. Trump was infuriated by French President Emmanuel Macron's rebuke of his nationalist politics as the two leaders shared a stage in Paris over the weekend, The Washington Post reported. The angry tweets he later aimed at Macron prompted a French government official to accuse the American president of lacking "common decency."

"He's just a bull carrying his own china shop with him whenever he travels the world," presidential historian Douglas Brinkley said to The Post.

But Pence cuts a more circumspect figure, even while he's enacting Trump's agenda.

In Tokyo, he offered standard Washington talking points. "We seek an Indo-Pacific where every nation . . . is free to follow its own path and pursue its own interests, where the seas and skies are open to all engaged in peaceful activity, and where sovereign nations grow stronger together," Pence said at a news conference. "Authoritarianism and aggression have no place in the Indo-Pacific. And I know this vision is shared by the United States and Japan."

In an interview with The Post's Josh Rogin, Pence talked tough on China and said that Beijing must significantly change its behavior on multiple fronts. The looming trade war between the world's two largest economies probably will dominate headlines ahead of the Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires at the end of this month, when Trump and Xi are expected to meet.

"In addition to trade, Pence said China must offer concessions on several issues, including but not limited to its rampant intellectual property theft, forced technology transfer, restricted access to Chinese markets, respect for international rules and norms, efforts to limit freedom of navigation in international waters and Chinese Communist Party interference in the politics of Western countries," Rogin noted.

In Port Moresby, Pence is expected to deliver a speech signaling new American efforts to rival China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, which has seen Beijing pour billions of dollars into infrastructure projects around the world. It has also led to allegations of graft by local officials and provoked accusations that China is simply a new kind of neocolonial power, locking other developing nations into cycles of debt.

A U.S. official told reporters in Asia that Pence's plan will be a "private-sector-driven mode" rather than the "dangerous debt diplomacy China has been engaging in the region."

Many countries in Southeast Asia, accustomed to balancing great-power rivalries, will welcome American efforts. But for all of Pence's bravado, the Trump administration still has plenty of doubters in the region.

"If Asia matters to America, why is your leader President Trump not here?" Tommy Koh, a senior Singaporean diplomat, asked in the South China Morning Post. He added that Washington's overzealous confrontation with Beijing would damage its broader engagement with Asia given that China is the biggest trade partner of virtually every country in the region. "Is the strategic intent of this concept targeted at excluding China from the family?" Koh asked. "If so we are not comfortable."

It's also unlikely China will make many - or any - of the concessions Pence demanded. An offer Beijing put forward on Thursday to kick-start moribund trade talks looks unlikely to break the current impasse, according to reports.

But things could yet break in the administration's favor. "Given Mr Trump's obvious disdain for allies, it is unclear how many would opt for America over China if forced by Washington to make a choice right now," wrote Jamil Anderlini of the Financial Times. "But if he . . . starts working closely with other countries to isolate China, then Mr Xi will be in a lot more trouble."

- Tharoor writes about foreign affairs for The Washington Post. He previously was a senior editor and correspondent at Time magazine, based first in Hong Kong and later in New York.




Haiti - Politic : The RNDDH condemns the replacement of the flag in Vertieres





The National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH) has learned with consternation that individuals, led by Moise Jean-Charles, the political leader of the opposition party "Piti Dessalin" that have arrogated the right to hoist a flag other than that of the Haitian nation in the square of Vertieres, in Cap Haitien https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26107-haiti-politic-pitit-dessalin-makes-an-affront-to-the-haitian-flag.html



"The RNDDH considers that this is an anarchic act that must be condemned with the utmost rigor" recalling that "the flag, national emblem, is one of the main symbols of the identity of a people. Its taking or replacement by another means the capture (real or fictional) of the identity it represents."



The Organization believes that the various problems facing the country can not be solved by the change of the national bi-color recalling "In any democratic state, the respect of the national emblem is indisputable. If citizens start to show disrespect for their own flag, from who can they demand the respect ?"



The National Network for the Defense of Human Rights invites all citizens to the respect due to the national emblem as advocated by articles 2 and 52.1 of the Haitian Constitution in force and recommends them to act with calm and serenity to make pass their righteous claims.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26115-haiti-politic-black-and-red-flag-the-opc-indignated-at-the-affront-suffered-by-the-haitian-people.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26107-haiti-politic-pitit-dessalin-makes-an-affront-to-the-haitian-flag.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - DR : The FNP asks the Dominican authorities to prepare for the worst in Haiti





The former deputy Vinicio Castillo Seman, leader of the National Progressive Force (FNP, hard right) asked President Danilo Medina and Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas Maldonado this week that special security measures to be taken for the Embassy and the Dominican Consulates in Haiti explaining "In the light of the events announced Sunday, November 18, measures must be taken to protect the Embassy and consulates of the Dominican Republic and their staff, which could be the target of attacks and looting perpetrated by violent groups in Port-au-Prince and throughout Haiti [...]"



"[...] Powerful sectors in Haiti and abroad, can take advantage of a great disorder in Haiti, to attempt a massive entry into Dominican territory [...] the possibility of a major movement of population trying to cross the border must be evaluated by our armed forces and our security agencies [...] Without wanting to be alarmist, the great political and social crises that occur in Haiti, can degenerate in the space of a few hours. We must be prepared as a country to protect the integrity of our territory," concluded Castillo Seman.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26139-haiti-politic-nearly-50-political-and-civil-organizations-demand-the-departure-of-the-head-of-state.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26119-haiti-flash-the-lavalas-party-calls-for-the-overthrow-of-the-government.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





More than 3,000 police officers mobilized at PAP

More than 3,000 police officers will be mobilized in Port-au-Prince to secure the demonstration of November 18 while reinforcements will be sent to the department of the North where will take place the official activities of the 215th anniversary of the Battle of Vertieres, informed Friday Michel-Ange Louis-Jeune the spokesman of the National Police of Haiti (PNH), who warned the troublemakers.



Teachers on hunger strike

Since Tuesday, November 13, a group of public school teachers and of high schools in Port-de-Paix and Jean-Rabel, have started a hunger strike to force the State to pay their salary arrears. Some teachers who received their nomination letter in 2014 and 2015 have never received a Gourde from the Ministry of National Education.



PM calls for calm

Friday evening during an address to the Nation of Prime Minister Jean-Henry Ceant, he called for a sincere dialogue, in peace, without violence that will be able to solve the country's problems, calling for calm 18 November. He is open to dialogue with all sectors for the stability and development of Haiti.



La Saline : Authorities did not notice any casualties

While social media, relayed by some Haitian media reports dozens of deaths this week in La Saline, police and judicial authorities have not found any victims in the Saline said Friday the spokesman of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) Michel-Ange Louis-Jeune who has not however officially denied the images of corpses of several victims published on social networks. He informs that an investigation is opened to clarify these facts promising the arrest of anyone involved in such acts.



The opposition is consulting with the PNH

Friday afternoon, a meeting was held between the High Command of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) and a delegation of the Democratic and Popular Movement which brings together about twenty opposition parties, for better coordination of the Security of the events of November 18th.



20 young people go on training in Guadeloupe

Friday, twenty young Haitians have left the country to go to Guadeloupe under the project "Caribbean Youth Mobility for Training and Employment" which aims to promote training and development of youth employability the farthest from the job. "Funded 70% by the Regional Council of Guadeloupe in the framework of regional cooperation, this program provides 1 year of professional training in the trades of mechanics and car maintenance, installation and troubleshooting computer, electromechanical industrial maintenance or training for adults," announced the French Embassy in Haiti.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















The Congress said that the state governements decision shows that that they do not have faith in the CBI.

Amaravati/Kolkata: In an unprecedented move, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal governments have withdrawn their general consent to the CBI to conduct raids and investigations, as the Opposition parties alleged that states are losing faith in Central agencies due to their misuse by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

The BJP, however, dubbed it a clear malafide exercise of power by corrupt parties to protect their interests. The Congress said that the state governements decision shows that that they do not have faith in the CBI.

After the decision by TDP and Trinamul governments, the CBI would now need permission from the respective state governments to carry out any investigation in these states, except those ordered by courts and against Central government officials. Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata

Banerjee are among the key leaders trying to forge a broader grand alliance of Opposition parties to fight the BJP unitedly in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The two leaders are likely to meet in two or three days to discuss alliance formation.

In the last few days, Mr Naidu has been vocal about alleged misuse of the CBI saying that the Modi government was misusing agencies like the CBI, Enforcement Directorate and income-tax department to intimidate and harass Opposition parties.

Mr Naidu has alleged that TDP leaders and businessmen linked to the ruling party have been subjected to income-tax raids after his NDA pullout. Recently, the Andhra government had decided against providing police cover to I-T officials for conducting raids.

Andhra deputy chief minister (home) N. China Rajappa told reporters that the reason to withdraw the consent was recent allegations against top CBI officials.

In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, the government hereby withdraws the general consent accorded to all the members of the Delhi Special Police Establishment to exercise the powers and jurisdiction under the said Act in the state of Andhra Pradesh, said an order issued by Mr Naidus government on November 8.

The CBI functions under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, under which a state government routinely grants consent to the CBI for exercising its authority in the state and the Andhra government, too, had issued relevant orders periodically in the last few years.

Andhra government sources said the government order was issued after a Vijayawada-based advocate, Y. Vedvyas, wrote to the chief secretary urging the state government to withdraw general consent citing alleged lapses and infighting in the probe agency.

Addressing Trinamul workers in Kolkata, Ms Banerjee said, Chandrababu Naidus decision not to allow the CBI in his state is absolutely right.

Earlier, we didnt need to use such provisions but we need to do it now as the BJP is using CBI and other agencies to pursue its own political interests and vendetta, she said.

The BJP termed the Naidu governments decision a malafide exercise to protect acts of corruption, financial embezzlement and other acts of criminality.

The state government has cited recent happenings in the CBI as a lame excuse and a ruse to brazenly save the corrupt and extend political patronage to people and organisations involved in acts of corruption and criminality, BJP Rajya Sabha member G.V.L. Narasimha Rao said.

He said Trinamul leaders and the Gandhi family of the Congress are facing probe in corruption cases and it has led to a convergence of their interests with Mr Naidu.

He alleged a new coalition of the corrupt parties is taking shape in the country and the BJP would raise this issue at all political platforms to expose the corrupt deeds of what he dubbed as the newly-minted Grand Corrupt Alliance (GCA).

Opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh also decried the state governments move and asserted that the state government did not have the authority to bar the CBI.

The principal Opposition YSR Congress alleged the controversial decision was taken only because the chief minister was scared of the CBI.

CPI state secretary K. Ramakrishna also questioned the state governments authority in prohibiting the functioning of the CBI.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, Unfortunately in the last four-five years they (central agencies) have been treated like private armies of (BJP chief) Amit Shah and the Prime Minister... That is why people doubt the ability of the CBI to act independently or to act without pressure.

Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal too backed Mr Naidu, saying the Modi government was misusing the CBI and the income-tax department.
Ethics panel raps Meadows over handling of harassment complaints against top aide

U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, shown in a Lightning file photo, was criticized in a House Ethics Committee report for his handling of sexual harassment complaints against his chief of staff.

The House Ethics Committee sanctioned U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows and ordered him to reimburse the government $42,000 in a case rising from sexual harassment complaints against the congressman's chief of staff, Kenny West.

The Office of Congressional Ethics had initiated an investigation in 2015 into West's conduct and Meadows' handling of the case, including a severance payment he authorized for West. In a referral it made to the committee in March 2016, the OCE said female employees had told investigators about "unwanted touching, inappropriate staring and unprofessional comment" by West, an insurance agent from Clay County who was one of eight candidates running in a Republican primary for the newly redrawn congressional seat in 2012.

Making sure my team feels safe and secure in our office is the highest priority for me and Im truly sorry for any stress this situation caused them," Meadows said in a statement reported by the Raleigh News&Observer. "I thank the Ethics Committee for their work in resolving this, and my office will remain committed to serving western North Carolinians every day to the best of our ability." The report, 39 pages long with 266 footnotes, was made public on Friday.

After the complaints came out, Meadows demoted West to senior advisor and barred him from having contact with female employees but continued paying him his full salary. While Meadows had the "discretion to change the terms and conditions" of West's employment, the House Code of Official Conduct bars representatives from keeping an employee on the payroll who does not do work "commensurate with the compensation the employee receives."

Although "Mr. West was demoted to Senior Advisor, his pay remained the same (and) the Committee found little evidence of official work that he completed during that time," the committee said. "Thus, the Committee found that his duties as Senior Advisor were not commensurate with his pay."

'Inappropriate in every sense of the word'

Kenny WestIn

The OCE review "found that Mr. Wests behavior toward the female staff was inappropriate in every sense of the word," the Ethics Committee said. "The Committee found the witnesses who described Mr. Wests conduct to be credible and their testimony was consistent. There is no place in any congressional office for looking up skirts, or down shirts; staring at a womans chest; unwanted touching; or making sexual comments, even if subtle or in jest. The fact that Mr. West supervised the women he did these things to makes his behavior even more unacceptable."

In the fall of 2014 Meadows went for advice to U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy, a former prosecutor, who recommended one of his own female senior staffers to look into the allegations. A former violence against women prosecutor, the senior staffer, identified in the report as "Gowdy Staffer," wrote that the charges were credible.

"And from my perspective and sort of from having my legal perspective, that this could be a real problem for Mr. Meadows," she told the committee. "Because you have someone working in your office, and these claims are very much, for me, sexual harassment potentially. Hostility in the workplace potentially. And that's not something I as a chief of staff would even entertain, tolerate, even if there was a suggestion. So that was my personal feeling based on what they had all said to me. That the stories were consistent, that there didn't seem, to me, to be some sort of ulterior motive or just animosity where they were just trying to get rid of Kenny. It was truly a sense of: We're not comfortable. We don't feel comfortable working here."

Meadows told the Committee he was shocked, upset [and] surprised when he learned of the harassment allegations in October 2014, saying it was "difficult for me" to have missed widespread complaints about his chief of staff from female staffers in Washington and the Hendersonville office. Speaker's office gets involved The committee also said it was troubled that Meadows' solution to the problem  barring contact between West and the office's female employees while continuing to vest authority in him gave rise to unequal treatment that harmed the women's ability to do their job. The committee also said it was troubled that Meadows' solution to the problem  barring contact between West and the office's female employees while continuing to vest authority in him gave rise to unequal treatment that harmed the women's ability to do their job. After the Gowdy aide finished her investigation, Meadows informed his staff that West would not be coming back to Washington and would have limited contact with female staffers. But did not fire him or immediately demote him. Meadows told the committee he was concerned he had not heard West's side of the story.

Employees told the Ethics Committee investigators that the announcement about West seemed unclear. "I don't think we were sure if he was working for (Rep. Meadows) or not," one told the committee.

Two months after the "Gowdy Staffer" completed her report, recommending Meadows sack West, a female staffer in Meadows' office called the Gowdy aide to complain that West was still on staff. Rep. Gowdy told investigators he gave Meadows some pretty firm impolite counsel, which would have been along the lines of: He (West) has already hurt you, and it is going to continue.

By March of 2015, rumors about West and the sexual harassment claims had reached the House Speaker's office. The general counsel for the speaker pointed out the problem with keeping West on with authority over female subordinates, even under restrictions that barred him from having contact with them. The women could make complaints that "they were not properly compensated or that there was a hostile work environment," the attorney told the congressman. Meadows told the committee he realized then he could no longer keep West as chief of staff.

Multiple witnesses told the Ethics Committee that they had heard West had negative information about Meadows's "personal affairs," which may have caused the congressman to keep him on despite the harassment complaints. "Both Representative Meadows and Mr. West flatly denied this, and the Committee found no credible evidence to support it," the committee said.

"It seems that Representative Meadows did not fully comprehend the ramifications of his decision to keep Mr. West as Chief of Staff after the investigation, most of the violations discussed in this Report would have been avoided," the report said.  despite being told otherwise by Gowdy Staffer  until the office of the Speaker raised the issue with him, five months after the initial complaints. ... Had Representative Meadows followed the recommendation from Gowdy Staffer and terminated Mr. Wests employment retaliation," the Ethics Committee said, though it added it found no "formal adverse employment action" against the women by either West or Meadows. The committee faulted Meadows for failing to fire West immediately after the female Gowdy staffer completed her report and for communication to his staff about West's status that was "muddled at best." West "continued to flout the rules" Meadows imposed to protect the female staffers. Leaving West in a supervisory role even after November 2014 "created an environment ripe for

The "power imbalance" between supervisors, the Ethics Committee wrote, makes it all the more important that higher-ups be "sensitive to the potential for discrimination and for creating uncomfortable working conditions for staff. Representative Meadows failure to take prompt and decisive action to deal with the alleged sexual harassment in his congressional office was troubling to the Committee. The Committee found Representative Meadows violated House rules "by failing to take appropriate steps to ensure that his House office was free from discrimination and any perception of discrimination."





As it concluded its report, the Ethics Committee cited the current climate and national conversation about sexual harassment.

"It is the Committees hope that this Report will not only hold Representative Meadows accountable for the inadequacy of his response to allegations of sexual harassment against someone under his supervision, but serve as a caution to the entire House community to be sensitive to the potential for sexu al harassment and discrimination," it said. "Amid an evolving national conversation about sexual harassment, Members offices should serve as an example for the modern American workplace, and accordingly those offices should be professional and fair environments for all who work within them."

The committee voted unanimously to issue the "reproval" and ordered Meadows to repay the government $42,625.02.

Read the Ethics Committee report here.

Here's the Lightning's timeline of the complaint and the Ethics Committee's action.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with residents of Dolphin House, where he officially opened phase one of a housing regeneration project in Dublin. Photo: PA

Leo Varadkar has admitted it would be "very difficult" to avoid a hard border in Ireland if there was a no-deal Brexit.

The Taoiseach's comments came amid continuing political chaos in the UK and huge uncertainty as to whether Prime Minister Theresa May can get her Brexit deal with the EU through parliament.

That deal would prevent a hard border in Ireland as all of the UK would stay in a form of customs union with the EU.

However, it is being opposed by Brexiteers in Mrs May's own Conservative party, as well as much of the Labour Party, putting it in serious doubt of being approved in the House of Commons.

Resignations

There was relief in Government Buildings earlier this week when it emerged Mrs May's cabinet had approved the proposed draft withdrawal agreement with the EU.

However, within 24 hours there was a series of resignations by British ministers opposed to the deal, including Brexit secretary Dominic Raab.

Eurosceptic Tory MPs have stepped up efforts to remove Mrs May. A vote of no confidence in her leadership is possible as early as next week.

Last night, Mr Varadkar continued to express hope that the deal will be passed but said he appreciated that Mrs May will have "quite the battle" to get the deal through parliament.

The Government here has consistently said it will not accept a hard border, but Mr Varadkar last night conceded in a no-deal scenario "it would be very difficult to avoid a hard border".

He said Ireland would "no doubt" be asked to implement EU laws to protect the single market, and Britain would have to implement World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.

"The only way we can avoid a hard border is by an agreement that covers customs and regulations. We have that now," he said.

He added that he doesn't see much room for renegotiating the deal, warning that such a move could see it "unravel".

"As reality kicks in," the Taoiseach said, there may be more MPs willing to support the deal as "the best possible outcome that can be achieved". He admitted Ireland is continuing to prepare for a no-deal Brexit.

"We have to be prudent," he said, but insisted he was "much more confident now that the worst case scenario won't arise".

"The truth is no country can be fully prepared for a no-deal Brexit," he said. "It would be an extremely chaotic situation and we might find ourselves after a few weeks of chaos signing up to an agreement much like the one we have now. People need to consider that."

Tanaiste Simon Coveney said that there were no contingency plans being prepared for a hard border, whether there was a deal or not.

He said that the way to avoid a hard border was to support the deal that had been agreed by the EU and the UK.

Mr Coveney warned coming to a solution that would maintain the soft border if Britain crashed out "won't be easy".

However, he refused to be drawn on how a hard border could be avoided.

"In the absence of that deal being approved, it would be difficult to put an alternative that prevents a hard border, but we will do that if necessary," he said.

Mrs May, who has appointed Stephen Barclay to replace Mr Raab, will take sole control of negotiations on EU withdrawal, with his role related to the domestic delivery of Brexit.

Meanwhile, high-profile Brexiteer Michael Gove offered Mrs May a lifeline by saying he has confidence in her and will stay in her cabinet.
Marek Les, of Portersgate Drive, Clonsilla, admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice. (stock photo)

A dad grieving the death of his baby punched a security guard who intervened in an argument between the man and his girlfriend, a court heard.

Judge Anne Watkin ordered Robert Horvath, who had lost his infant son shortly be- fore the incident, to enter into a probation bond for 12 months.

As part of the bond, Horvath (28) was ordered to attend a course of bereavement counselling

The defendant, of Larkhill Road, Whitehall, Dublin, had admitted before Dun Laoghaire District Court to seriously assaulting a security guard.

The attack took place at Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre on August 6, 2016.

Gda Sgt Peadar McCann said Horvath was involved in a public argument with his then girlfriend when he was approached by security staff and asked to calm down.

Sgt McCann said the defendant ran up an escalator, chased by the injured party. About half-way up, Horvath turned and punched the security guard in the face.

Injury

Sgt McCann said the security guard suffered a split lip in the assault but the injury was not serious and he did not require medical attention.

Horvath had seven previous convictions.

The case was before the court for sentencing after Horvath was ordered to complete the restorative justice services programme.

Defence lawyer Jane Murphy said Horvath had not been in trouble since the case before the court, which was two years ago.

Ms Murphy added that the defendant had paid 450 compensation to the victim, completed voluntary work and made a donation to Temple Street Children's Hospital.

Ms Murphy said Horvath had lost his baby son due to cot death shortly before the incident.

The defendant could not recall the date as he "tried to block it out".

This incident arose as Horvath had been arguing with his girlfriend as he was concerned she was drinking too much to try and deal with their loss and he was worried about her, the lawyer said.

Ms Murphy also added that Horvath had issues with cannabis when he was younger and had used it to deal with stress, but he had not taken the drug in a long time.
Spice Girls Mel B, Mel C, Emma Bunton and Geri Horner will play Croke Park next May. Photo: PA

Girl power is expected to sweep Dublin next summer with the announcement that the Spice Girls will play in the capital.

Mel B, Emma Bunton, Mel C and Geri Horner will be the first female pop group to headline Croke Park when they perform next May 24.

The date is so far the only gig on their comeback tour outside the UK.

They first announced six dates across the UK earlier this month but added a further six due to demand. Those have all already sold out.

Tickets

Demand for tickets in the UK was so high that they smashed the Ticketmaster website's rec-ords for the busiest sale ever.

The Spice Girls last played together - with original member Victoria Beckham - at the London Olympics in 2012.

However, Beckham has confirmed she will not perform with the band on the forthcoming Spice World tour.

Jess Glynne will support the group on the dates, which begin at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester on March 29.

The news of the Croke Park show comes only three weeks after Westlife announced concerts there on July 5 and July 6, with both dates selling out in minutes.

Formed in 1994, the Spice Girls found global stardom two years later with their debut single Wannabe which went to number one in 37 countries.

They released three albums - Spice, Spiceworld and Forever - sold 85 million records and are the most successful female pop group of all time.

They famously filmed the video for Stop in Dublin's Stoneybatter in January 1998 and the following month started their Spiceworld tour in Dublin, with two concerts at the then Point. They first split up in 2000.

Tickets go on sale next Thursday at 9am on Ticketmaster.
Transport Minister Shane Ross with businessman Des Kennedy at his Centra in Stepaside.

A shop owner has said he was "devastated" after his business in south Co Dublin was broken into overnight, only metres from where other premises were targeted last week.

Des Kennedy woke up just after 4am yesterday to calls from gardai telling him of a break-in at the Centra store in Stepaside.

He said a sum of money was taken and the windows were smashed.

Photos from the scene show glass strewn on the ground and an empty cash register on the counter.

Mr Kennedy said it was particularly upsetting because the shop had recently celebrated its 60th anniversary.

Damage

"I'm absolutely shaking from it. I live about eight minutes away and when I arrived the damage had been done," he said yesterday.

"We're absolutely devastated, but we're hoping to have it back up and running."

Gardai have launched an investigation.

A spokesperson said: "Gardai are investigating a burglary at a retail premises in Stepaside, Dublin 18, on November 16 at approximately 4:14am.

"A window was smashed and a number of items were taken.

"No arrests have been made at this stage. Investigations are ongoing."

Culture Minister and local TD Josepha Madigan said the incident was "disturbing" and her thoughts were with Mr Kennedy.

"I'm saddened and angry to see that another shop has been broken into overnight," she said.

"This time it was Des Kennedy's Centra shop at 4am. My heart goes out to him. Such despicable acts of thuggery in a lovely village like this is disturbing."

Transport Minister Shane Ross, who also represents the area, visited the shop yesterday morning and spoke with Mr Kennedy.

The local TD tweeted: "Outside Des Kennedy's Stepaside shop after 4am break-in last night. Typically, Des reacted, 'at least no one in the community was hurt'."

Three other Stepaside businesses were targeted in an early morning raid on November 6.

The gang first tried to break into Fleming's butcher shop before making their way to the Simply Fresh fruit and vegetable shop next door.

CCTV footage obtained by the Herald shows a raider hitting the glass with a hammer more than a dozen times before kicking it in.

He then walks into the shop, spending a minute there, before leaving, getting back into a car and being driven around the corner to the Borza takeaway.

A man in his 20s appeared before the Central Criminal Court in relation to the three burglaries on November 6.
Flames leap more than 10 metres at the height of the blaze in Milltown

A man is fighting for his life after being seriously injured in an early morning house fire in the south of Dublin.

Two men, both aged in their 40s, were injured in the blaze, but one suffered only minor injuries.

The fire started at a house on Milltown Road shortly before 7am yesterday.

Dublin Fire Brigade said that at one point there were five fire engines, crews and senior officers at the scene.

A spokesperson said the blaze was put out in the afternoon. However, one fire crew member remained at the scene last night.

Barking

"They're there to damp down any hot spots to prevent a rekindle of the fire," the spokesperson said.

A local resident said he felt sick after waking up to see the house on fire.

The man told the Herald he was alerted to the fire by black smoke and dogs barking.

"It looks like the neighbours' house adjoining it is damaged too," he said. "It was horrendous just how quickly it was engulfed.

"We're sick at the thought of the poor family that lives in the house."

Flames could be seen billowing more than 10 metres into the sky, while the house was left as a burnt-out shell.

Traffic on Milltown Road was seriously disrupted while fire crews battled to put out the blaze.
Om Prakash Rajbhar is known to criticize the policies of the Modi and Yogi governments at frequent intervals.

Lucknow: After maintain a studied silence for several months, the BJP in Uttar Pradesh has finally started responding to the salvos fired against it by its ally and minister Om Prakash Rajbhar who heads the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party.

UP BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey said on Saturday that Mr Om Prakash Rajbhar was a necessary evil and the statements made by him should not be taken seriously.

Asked whether the BJP would try to persuade the disgruntled ally, Mr Pandey said, We are running a government in the state with an overwhelming majority. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are doing exemplary work. In such a vast political arena, there are some necessary evils like Om Prakash Rajbhar.

Citing eastern UP folklore to drive home his point, the state BJP president said, In our villages , there is a story that talks of a woman who used to head towards her paternal home frequently after even a small tiff with her husband. Her in-laws and other relatives used to placate her but one day the family decided that no one will try to placate her. After she moved out of the village, the woman caught hold of a goat and started crying that even the animal was not stopping her from leaving her in-laws home. The condition of Om Prakash Rajbhar is similar to this woman.

The UP BJP chief said that there was a limit to tolerating ones uncalled for behaviour. The BJP state president also claimed that the entire Rajbhar community in the state was with the BJP

Mr Om Prakash Rajbhar is known to criticize the policies of the Modi and Yogi governments at frequent intervals.

The Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party ( SBSP) which has just four members in the state assembly has been threatening to walk out of the government on the issue of reservation within reservation.

The SBSP has also slammed the Yogi government for exchanging names of Faizabad and Allahabad and asked the BJP to change the names of its Muslim leaders instead. Mr Rajbhar has criticized demonetization too.
Tharoor party colleague Mallikarjun Kharge had also said a chaiwala could become the Prime Minister as the Congress preserved democracy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit back at Congress for questioning demonetisation, saying the move 'still rankles' them as the money 'stashed under beds and in sacks' was taken away in a single stroke. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Bhopal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday dared the Congress to make someone outside the Nehru-Gandhi family its president for at least five years.

Returning the Congress a chaiwala could become Prime Minister due to Nehru barb, Mr Modi said if the Congress makes someone who is not from the (Nehru- Gandhi) family its party president for at least five years, then he would believe that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru really created a truly democratic system there.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had recently said that it was due to the institutional structure created by Nehru that even a chaiwala (tea seller) could become Indias Prime Minister. His party colleague Mallikarjun Kharge had also said a chaiwala could become the Prime Minister as the Congress preserved democracy.

Addressing a campaign rally in Ambikapur for the second phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly elections on November 20, Mr Modi said that the Gandhis are still not being able to come to terms to the fact that a son of a poor mother has become the countrys Prime Minister.

Mr Modi slammed the Opposition party for crediting his occupying the Prime Ministers post to Nehru instead of people in the country. He challenged the Congress to compare the performance of governments under four generations of Nehru-Gandhi dynasty with that under a chaiwala (tea seller), meaning himself.

During campaigning in Shahdol for the November 28 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, Mr Modi said, There should be accountability for everything. What has four generations of one family given to the country and what a chaiwala has given (to the country).

He was taking a jibe at the Congress for seeking account of his four-year-old government at the Centre.

If Congress men ask you what the BJP government in MP has done in last 15 years, then seek an account of their 55-year-rule in the state, he exhorted people in the public meeting.

Governments under the Congress in MP could not do in 54 years what Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has done in 15 years, he said.

Meanwhile, the BJP has lined up rallies of its star campaigners in coming days. Mr Modi was scheduled to address ten rallies across the state in November 16-25. Apart from the Prime Minister, party president Amit Shah, Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Smriti Irani are scheduled to address rallies.

Mr Shah, who began his whirlwind tour of the state on Thursday, is scheduled to address 25 public meetings till November 26, when campaigning closes in the state.

MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, himself a star campaigner of the party, has now intensified his campaign across the state to drum up support for BJP in the upcoming Assembly polls.
CVC findings are very uncomplimentary on some charges, require further inquiry, says SC.

The Supreme Court said that the CVC report on Alok Verma be also given to Attorney General and Solicitor General. (Photo: PTI/File)

New Delhi: The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) report has not given a clean chit, for now, to exiled CBI director Alok Verma facing corruption allegations, the Supreme Court said on Friday, adding that its findings are very uncomplimentary on some charges.

A bench, headed by the Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, said, The CVC findings can be divided into categories. It is very complimentary on some charges (against Mr Verma), not so complimentary on some charges, very uncomplimentary on some charges and requires further inquiry into some charges.

The bench, including Justices S.K. Kaul and K.M. Joseph, directed the registry to provide Mr Vermas senior advocate Fali Nariman a copy of the CVC report in a sealed envelop and asked him to file a reply by November 19.

Once we will have your (Verma) response, we will take a decision, the CJI said, posting the matter for further hearing on November 20. The top court was hearing Mr Vermas plea challenging the governments order divesting him of his duties and sending him on leave in view of allegations of corruption against him. The allegations were levelled by his deputy Rakesh Asthana, against whom the CBI has filed a graft FIR. Mr Asthana was also sent on leave by the Centre when the tussle between the two top officials escalated.

The bench also directed that the CVC report be given to attorney-general K.K. Venugopal and solicitor-general Tushar Mehta, who is representing the CVC. However, it turned down Mr Asthanas request that he also be provided the report.

Pursuant to the top courts order, the CVCs inquiry against Mr Verma was conducted under the supervision of former apex court judge Justice A.K. Patnaik and the report was filed in the court on November 12.

During the hearing on Friday, the bench made it clear that the confidentiality of CVCs report was necessary keeping in mind the need to preserve and maintain the sanctity of the institution of the CBI and public confidence in the said institution.

At this stage, we are not inclined to call upon either the Union of India or any other party to submit any response/reply to the said report of the CVC and the only response the court is permitting is that of the petitioner  Alok Kumar Verma, said the bench.

The bench told senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for NGO Common Cause which has filed a separate petition seeking a probe by special investigation team against CBI officers, to file a list of allegedly objectionable decisions of interim CBI chief M. Nageswara Rao.

We will presume that he (Rao) has not taken any major policy decision because you have not given us list of decisions by him, the bench told Mr Dave. Mr Rao has already filed in the court the decisions taken by him from October 23-26, the court added.

The bench said it would consider applications of Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and CBI deputy superintendent of police A.K. Bassi, who has been transferred to Port Blair, on the next date of hearing.

On November 4, Mr Kharge, who is a member of a three-member selection committee which appoints the CBI director, had moved the top court contending that divesting Mr Verma of his statutory powers and functions is completely illegal and arbitrary.
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Rightwing Hindu outfits called for dawn to dusk bandh over arrest of Hindu Aikya Vedi state chief KP Sasikala.

Mumbai: The Sabarimala temple reopened to the devotees for the third time after the Supreme Court verdict on Friday evening. However, protests against the entry of women of menstruating ages are continuing in and around the hilltop shrine.

Today, a rightwing Hindu outfit has called for a dawn to dusk strike in protest against the arrest of Hindu Aikyavedi KP Sasikala who was on the pilgrimage to Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple.

The holy shrine opened on Friday for a two-month-long pilgrimage season. Some 500 women have registered themselves to visit the shrine after the Supreme Court in September allowed the entry of women between 10 and 50 years.

However, no girl or woman in the previously banned age group could offer prayers so far following stiff resistance by devotees and activists, opposing any change in the temple traditions.

On Friday, activist Trupti Desai had to spend an entire day at Kochi airport as she was prevented from leaving the airport by protesters opposing entry of menstrual age women into the Lord Ayyappa shrine. She aborted her attempt after over 14-hour stand-off.

Here are the LIVE updates on the Sabarimala temple opening:

12:47 pm: Drones being used for security surveillance as devotees throng to Pamba base came to trek to Sabarimala temple.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

12:12 pm: The Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the Sabarimala shrine, would move the Supreme Court on Monday seeking more time to implement its order allowing women of menstrual age to offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple.

10:45 am: Lord Ayyappa devotees begin the trek from Pampa to Sabarimala temple which has opened for 62-day long Mandala Pooja-Magaravilaku annual pilgrimage season.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

06:52 am: Sabarimala Karma Samithi calls state-wide shutdown today from 6 am to 6 pm in protest against the arrest of Hindu Aikyavedi state president KP Sasikala at Marakkoottam Friday night. She was going to Sannidhanam and was arrested after she protested when police did not allow her to travel at night.

05:45 am: We were stopped at the airport. If they wanted to oppose us, they should have protested in Nilakkal but they knew that if we reached Nilakkal, we would advance to Pamba and return after darshan. So they were scared and stopped us at the airport, activist Trupti Desai said after reaching Mumbai.

Protesters were resorting to violence and hooliganism. They should not have done that. They call themselves Lord Ayyappa's devotees but I don't think, they can be his devotees. They were verbally abusing us and threatening us, she added.

05:40 am: Police told us that they'll provide us security the next time we visit. We decided to return as we didn't want violence due to us. This time we went there after announcing, the next time we won't announce but follow 'guerrilla tactics', Trupti Desai said.

05:01 am: Earlier on Saturday, Trupti Desai was unable to come out of Mumbai airport as protesters had gathered outside. She and the other women were later brought out with the help of CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) jawans and Mumbai police personnel.
India has been in need of these formidable anti-submarine hunter helicopters for more than a decade now, experts say.

India has sent a letter of request to the US for an "urgent requirement" of 24 multi-role MH 60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters, sources said. (Photo: lockheedmartin.com)

New Delhi/Washington: India has sought from the US 24 multi-role MH-60 Romeo anti-submarine helicopters at an estimated cost of USD 2 billion, defence industry sources said on Friday.

India has been in need of these formidable anti-submarine hunter helicopters for more than a decade now, experts say.

The deal is expected to be finalised in a few months, people familiar with the matter said, days after US Vice President Mike Pence held a successful meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Singapore on the sidelines of a regional summit.

India has sent a letter of request to the US for an "urgent requirement" of 24 multi-role MH 60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters, sources said.

In recent months, there has been acceleration in defence ties between the two countries, with the Trump administration opening up America's high-tech military hardware for India's defence needs.

Bilateral defence relationship was on top of the agenda of the PM Modi and Pence meeting in Singapore.

The meeting is likely to be followed by a summit-level bilateral between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump in Argentina on the sidelines of the G20 meeting on November 30 and December 1. Neither side has confirmed the meeting yet.

According to sources, the MH-60 Romeo deal is expected to have an offset requirement. Sources indicated that India plans to follow up this urgent requirement with a long-term plan to manufacture 123 of these helicopters in India.

Currently deployed with the US Navy as the primary anti-submarine warfare anti-surface weapon system for open ocean and littoral zones, Lockheed Martin's MH-60R Seahawk helicopter is considered the world's most advanced maritime helicopter.

According to industry experts, it is the most capable naval helicopter designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers. MH-60 Romeo Seahawks would add lethal capabilities of the Indian Navy, which experts say is the need of the hour given the aggressive behaviour of China in the Indian Ocean region.

Lockheed over the years has emerged as a major American supplier of advanced defence military equipment.

"With this Seahawk deal the overall US-India defence trade will surpass USD 20 billion," an industry source said.

"The pipeline of opportunities for US defence firms can result in another USD 5 billion of sales in the next few years," the source added.

The MH-60R and its mission systems have replaced the US naval fleet's legacy SH-60B and SH-60F aircraft.
The President will meet the Vietnamese top leadership and will also address the Vietnamese National Assembly.

President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Vietnam from November 18 to 21 and Australia from November 21 to 24. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: India and Vietnam share the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region which includes a rules-based system and there is greater convergence between the two countries, the MEA said, ahead of a visit of President Ram Nath Kovind to Vietnam and Australia from November 18 to 24, even as the ministry said there were no roadblocks in supply of Uranium from Australia to India.

Mr Kovind will visit Vietnam from November 18 to 21 and Australia from November 21 to 24.. The President will meet the Vietnamese top leadership and will also address the Vietnamese National Assembly.

When asked about reports that Vietnam may be uncomfortable with the emerging Quadrilateral in the Indo-Pacific region that comprises India, the US, Japan and Australia, the MEAs secretary (East) Vijay Thakur Singh said that India and Vietnam share a vision of the Indo-Pacific with greater convergence between the the two countries that includes the region being a free and open one with a rules-based system.

Historically, Vietnam has been the closest friend of India in south-east Asia and the two countries share very close strategic ties. Vietnam, like India, has fought a border war with China previously.

In Australia, President Kovind will meet the Australian governor-general and the Prime Minister. Mr Kovind will also address the Indian community in Sydney and will also visit Melbourne.

Other engagements include unveiling a statue of Mahatma Gandhi and visiting a university there. In response to a question, senior MEA officials said that a mechanism was already in place for supply of Uranium from Australia to India for civil nuclear energy, adding that there were no roadblocks in this supply.
Actor Mouni Roy, who made her Hindi film debut with Gold, has said that she can now die happily after working with megastar Amitabh Bachchan in her forthcoming film Brahmastra.

I can die now happily after doing the scenes with him (Amitabh). It cant get better than that for me working with him in a film, Mouni said while interacting with media here as the newly appointed brand ambassador for RSH Global, a personal care company for their new marketing campaign Beauty By Nature on Friday.

Mouni is sharing screen space with Amitabh for the first time in their forthcoming film Brahmastra.

When asked Mouni if Amitabh gave her any acting advice while shooting for the film, she said, No... he didnt give me any specific advice as such while working because Ayan (Mukherji) used to be there on film sets but I just lost my focus on the day when I was working with him.

T 2873 - Out in the sun after decades ! Does not happen in the sunniest of places .. but happens here ..Bulgaria .. pic.twitter.com/75GN2MAvss  Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) July 20, 2018

I was just staring at his face thinking that what an opportunity God has given me because he is legendary as we all know so, I feel very blessed and lucky to have worked with him, she added.

After making an impressive debut in Gold, Mouni will be seen in Brahmastra along with Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. She also has Made in China in her kitty along with Rajkummar Rao. She will also star opposite John Abraham in Romeo Akbar Walter (RAW).

When asked Mouni about her work experience with all these actors, she said, I feel very grateful and lucky to have worked with these people. All of them have been extremely supportive. They all are such giving actors so every day, I thank them and the God.

Reacting on Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone wedding, Mouni said, I wish them very meaningful and loveliest journey ahead and they are my favourite couple.

Brahmastra is a fantasy film written and directed by Ayan Mukerji and produced by Karan Johar. It is scheduled to release on Christmas 2019.

The film features Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Dimple Kapadia, Akkineni Nagarjuna and Mouni Roy in lead roles.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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As the excitement around Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukones wedding in Italy rages on, theres another celebrity wedding right around the corner. We are talking about Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas upcoming nuptials in Jodhpur at the end of November (Nov 30 - Dec 2).

Priyanka is currently in Delhi shooting for her film, tentatively titled The Sky Is Pink, and it looks like her groom-to-be, Nick, is already missing her. Priyanka has been sharing pictures from the Delhi shoot and on one of her latest pictures, Nick left a heart emoji. The caption reads: Cause the sun always shines on me... #onsetshenanigans #hairfordays.

Just a couple of days back, Priyanka, too, had left a similar heart eye emoji on a picture from Nicks bachelor party.

With just a few days to go before the big fat wedding of Priyanka and Nick, the actors mother Dr Madhu Chopra reached Jodhpur to oversee the preparations. Speaking to media persons on her arrival, she said that since they were so much in love with the city, they let go of all the other places around the world and chose Jodhpur.

Speaking to PTI, she said: Mera bahut pasandida shehar hai. Saari duniya chhodkar hum yahaan aaye hain. (This city is my favourite. We left aside the whole world to come to this place.)

When asked about the wedding preparations, Madhu said, Ab shaadi dekh lena. Abhi se kya bataaun. Jab ho jaaye, tab baat karenge (You will see it when it happens. What do I say about it now? We will talk when it happens).

Meanwhile, in the run up to their big day, both Priyanka and Nick have been having a blast at their pre-wedding functions. After a much-publicised roka ceremony in August this year in Mumbai, Priyankas friends threw a bridal shower for her in New York. That was followed by a bachelorette party with her girl gang (which included Game of Thrones Sophie Turner) in Amsterdam. She also had an informal pyjama party.

Earlier this month, Nick also had his bachelor party by the sea, pictures of which he shared on social media.

(With PTI inputs)

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Shah Rukh Khan, his wife Gauri and their daughter Suhana paid a visit to actor Rishi Kapoor, who is in New York City, undergoing treatment for an unspecified illness. Rishi took to Twitter to thank the Khans for their visit.

Thank you @iamsrk Gauri and Suhana! Very gracious of you, he wrote in a tweet geo-tagged to Manhattan, NYC. During his stay in the Big Apple, several Bollywood actors such as Priyanka Chopra, Anupam Kher and Sonali Bendre - who is undergoing chemotherapy there - have visited Rishi. Rishi also shared photographic evidence of a chance meeting with actor Robert De Niro.

Thank you @iamsrk Gauri and Suhana! Very gracious of you.  Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) November 17, 2018

Wow moment. Impromptu meeting with Robert De Nero on 65th and 3rd. He knew Ranbir coz he had met him and Anupam and said come over with Kher for a drink! Simplicity and super stardom. I realized I have been such a bloody brat. Cannot get over his demeanor. Thank you Bob ! pic.twitter.com/gzdhQDawBO  Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) October 25, 2018

In the picture, Rishi could be seen posing with the legendary actor, alongside his son, Ranbir Kapoor. Ranbir and his girlfriend, Alia Bhatt, also spent some time with Rishi. Meanwhile, Rishis wife, Neetu Kapoor, has been by his side through it all.

Neetu has shared pictures from their time in NYC on her Instagram, including from their strolls in Central Park and of Rishi and Ranbir together.

Rishis brother, Randhir Kapoor, had earlier requested fans and the media to not speculate about Rishis illness. Randhir had told Times of India in early October, We dont know yet what is the exact nature of his ailment. Rishi himself doesnt know what he is suffering from. He hasnt even started undergoing tests there; how can people speculate that he has cancer and that too, one that has escalated to an advanced stage.

Rishi will next be seen in the Netflix film Rajma Chawal, due for release at the end of November. Shah Rukh, meanwhile, will begin promotions of Zero soon.

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Shahid Kapoor and Mira Rajput are easily one of the most sought-after celebs in Bollywood. The actor on Saturday shared an Instagram story in which wife Mira Rajput and their daughter Misha can be seen pouting to the camera. He titled it Fam Time. It has been taken inside a car. In another photo, shared by him, the couple poses for a selfie together.

Meanwhile, some of our Bollywood regulars were also spotted around town, going about their routines. Janhvi Kapoor, who hasnt been making too many public appearances after the release of her film Dhadak, was spotted at designer Manish Malhotras store. Dressed in a pair of brown leggings, a pink t-shirt and a jacket, she was spotted looking at the camera in a coy manner. Meanwhile, sister Khushi was seen getting into a car after visiting a Juhu clinic.

Malaika Arora was seen outside an upscale Mumbai bistro and juice bar called Sequel, in a light blue flowing dress, while author Twinkle Khanna was seen attending an event organised by the NGO, Save Our Children. Little Taimur Ali Khan was again seen in the Bandra area of town.

At the airport, Shilpa Shetty Kundra was seen with family. Ileana DCruz and Aayush Sharma were also seen there.

Check out all the pictures here:

Shahid Kapoor shared this photo as his Instagram story. (Shahidkapoor/Instagram)

Janhvi Kapoor outside Manish Malhotras store in Mumbai. (Viral Bhayani/HT Photo)

Malaika Arora at Sequel, Mumbai. (Viral Bhayani/HT Photo)

Taimur Ali Khan at Bandra. (Viral Bhayani/HT Photo)

Airport diaries: Aayush Sharma, Ileana DCruz and Shilpa Shetty Kundra. (Viral Bhayani/HT Photo)

Twinkle Khanna at a Save The Children event in Mumbai. (Virla Bhayani/HT Photo)

Khushi spotted at a Juhu clinic. (Viral Bhayani/HT Photo)

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah attacked the Congress in Chhattisgarh on Saturday, accusing it of making false promises and alleging that it never wanted the formation of the state that was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000.

Speaking in Dhamtari district, Shah called the Congress an ATM that dispenses false promises instead of development when problems are inserted in it. The Congress is known for its false promises and nothing was done in the last 55 years of their rule. Raman Singh has made Chhattisgarh a surplus power state and now Chhattisgarh is known for its production of aluminium, cement and steel, he said.

Later in the day in Raigarh, Shah sought to claim credit for the formation of Chhattisgarh.

The Congress was not in favour of the formation of Chhattisgarh as a state. It became possible only after Atal jis (former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee) government came to power at the Centre. Otherwise, the region would have still been part of Madhya Pradesh. Vajpayee ji created Chhattisgarh and in 15 years, chief minister Raman Singh has developed it, Shah said.

He also tore into the Congress manifesto. The Congresss manifesto is jhut ka pulinda (bunch of lies). The Congress was defeated in 14 states where the BJP formed the government. The Congress is a party that makes false promises and assurances, and the BJP is the only party which does development work, Shah said in Raigarh.

The Congress rejected the allegations. Each and every resident of Chhattisgarh knows about the lies of Raman Singh and PM Modi. We are going to win in Chhattisgarh because of both their lies. Amit Shah is only misleading people, nothing else, senior leader and Congress spokesperson RP Singh said.

The election to the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly is being held in two phases. The first phase of polling in 18 seats was held on November 12. The second round of voting for the remaining 72 seats will be held on November 20. The results will be announced on December 11.

(With agency inputs)
The Congress on Saturday released its third list of 13 candidates for the December 7 Telangana Assembly polls, fielding party veteran and former Andhra Pradesh Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah.

Lakshmaiah would be contesting from the Jangaon constituency in Warangal district, which has sent him to the Assembly four times in the undivided Andhra Pradesh.

With this, the Congress has so far announced 88 candidates for the elections that will constitute the 119-member Assembly.

The Congress is heading a four-party alliance called Mahakutami and has left 24 seats for its three allies -- the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and Communist Party of India.
A fire broke out at The 42, an under construction building that is billed as the tallest structure in Kolkata, on Saturday evening.

Three fire engines were dispatched to douse the flames that were first noticed a few minutes after 5 pm.

Located on arterial Chowringhee Road in south Kolkata, it is the tallest structure easily recognisable from any part of the city. The 879-feet structure accommodating 63 floors is supposed to be one of the tallest residential buildings in the country.

The flames spread to 52nd and 53rd floor. The fire spread from the nets. The flames have been brought under control, said JagMohan, director general, fire and emergency services at 6 pm from the spot.

Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee and fire services minister Sovan Chatterjee rushed to the spot.

Welding work was going on to install outdoor units of air conditioner machines. Sparks from the welding might have triggered the fire. However the nets should have been made of fire proof material, said Chatterjee.

I looked up and saw safety nets strung outside the floors up in flames, a security guard on duty at the ground floor told a TV channel.

However, no construction worker was reported to be inside the structure.

Construction work at the site began in 2008.

Recently, quite a few fires broke out at different establishments in the city.

On November 12, there was a fire at Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine triggering panic among patients and visitors. On October 3, more than 200 patients were evacuated and medicines worth Rs 5 crore were damaged after a fire broke out in the pharmacy of state-run Calcutta Medical College and Hospital.

On September 16, Bagri market, a building accommodating hundreds of shops in the citys trading hub of Burrabazar in central Kolkata was gutting completely more than 400 shops.
The national Capital has been put on high alert after intelligence agencies were made aware of a message on a WhatsApp group, believed to be run by Jaish-e-Mohammed. The message said the militant outfit plans to strike sensitive locations in Delhi to avenge the killing of its commander in Jammu and Kashmir last month.

The Intelligence Bureau on Tuesday circulated a letter, dated November 13, asking the intelligence wings of security forces to maintain high priority alert and activate intelligence in light of the threat.

Hindustan Times has a copy of the letter which reads, according to a message circulated by one Pakistani national Ameer Hamza, using the mobile number [redacted], in WhatsApp group Jesh Communication Centre that Jaish-e-Mohammed is planning to carry out terrorist attacks on security establishments in Delhi to avenge the killing of its commander Usman alias Huzaifa in Tral, Pulwama, on October 30.

The letter adds that the Pakistani national, Hamza claims to be a part of JeMs student wing, Talba al-Murabitoon, in Karachi, Pakistan.

Two Jaish-e-Mohammed operatives, one of them Usman, suspected to be the nephew of Jaish chief Maulana Masood Azhar, were killed in an encounter by security forces in south Kashmirs Tral on October 30.

A letter has also been sent to various security establishments such as the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), National Security Guards, Railway Protection Force and Delhi police to put high alert at important installations in Delhi.

The advisory read, It is requested to issue necessary guidelines and instructions to all unit commanders of Delhi-NCR based units/battalions to take all precautionary and preventive measures to avoid any untoward incident. Force personnel be kept on highest alert and intelligence machinery should be geared up for collection and exchange of useful advance information to prevent occurrence of any such incident.

The advisory mentions that constant liaison must be maintained with the local police and other intelligence agencies for information sharing.

A senior officer from the Delhi Police said they are keeping a tight vigil. Units concerned have been alerted and we are keeping a watch against any suspicious activity, the officer, who did not wish to be named, said.

The Central Industrial Security Force, which guards the Indira Gandhi International Airport and the Delhi Metro, has also stepped up security. We are especially focusing on the city-side. Vehicular terrorism is a major threat that we are concerned about. Additional barricades have been erected and anti-terror squads are on the alert, a CISF officer told the Hindustan Times.
A 19-year-old man was killed hours after he was abducted along with two other civilians by suspected militants in south Kashmirs Shopian on Saturday, police said. This comes just 48 hours after a bullet-riddled body of a teen was found in neighbouring Pulwama.

Huzaif Ashraf alias Raja Kandur, Shahid Ganaie and Farooq Thokar were abducted by militants from a bakery in Saidpora Payeen village of Shopian early today, police said. Huzaifs body was found in Shopians Hermain village, about 10 kms from the place of kidnapping, police said.

He was kidnapped by terrorists this morning from Saidporaand was later killed by them, Superintendent of police in Shopian, Sandeep Choudhary said. The two other - Shahid Ganaie, Farooq Thokar - were freed by the militants, he said.

The police did not specify how Huzaif, who was a baker by profession, was killed but locals said that his throat was slit by the killers.

While Shahid Ganaie, Farooq Thokar are from Saidpora Payeen, Ashraf was from neighbouring Manzgam in Kulgam district. The police is still investigating why the three were abducted and one of them was killed. The three, according to the police, had no political links, which normally trigger such abductions by militants in the Valley.

Local reports said that two more civilians have been abducted from Meemender village of Shopian district on Saturday evening. However police officials said that they were checking the authenticity of the reports.

Since Thursday, this is the second incident of abduction and killing in the district.

The bullet-riddled body of Nadeem Manzoor Dar, 18, was found in Pulwama district on Thursday night. Dar, who was the resident of Safanagri in Shopian district, was abducted by militants late on Thursday evening and taken to Niklora Pulwama, where his body was recovered by police. A video of the alleged firing on the youth also made it to social media.

There has been condemnations and anger over the killings.

Another dastardly killing of a young man, this time the terrorists slit his throat. This barbarism has no place in our society & no struggle, no matter how lofty the claims to justify it, can condone this inhuman behaviour. #Kashmir, said Omar Abdullah, former chief minister, on Twitter.

Bharatiya Janata Party condemned the killings and abductions terming them as totally senseless. The partys state spokesman Altaf Thakur said that that police must step up to stop the abduction and killing of young men in the Valley.
Decorated war veteran Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri died in a private hospital in Mohali near Chandigarh on Saturday, family sources said. He was 78.

Chandpuri, who was an Army Major during the 1971 India-Pakistan war, had held his post through the night in the famous battle of Longewala in Rajasthan with just 120 men against a full-fledged attack by advancing Pakistani Patton tanks.

He was decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) for the heroic stand-off against the tanks and forcing the enemy to retreat.

The feat of Brig Chandpuri and his men was later featured in Bollywood blockbuster movie Border which was released in 1997.

His role was played by actor Sunny Deol.
DeepVeer are expected to return later this week and will host two grand receptions for relatives and friends in Bengaluru and Mumbai.

The picture was taken on November 14 after Deepika and Ranveer's Konkani style wedding. (Photo: Instagram | nitashagaurav)

Rome/Mumbai: Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone the new Mr and Mrs were all smiles in a new family portrait shared by the former's stylist, Nitasha Gaurav.

The picture was taken on November 14 after Deepika and Ranveer's Konkani style wedding.

In the picture Deepika is seen standing between Ranveer Singh and his mother Anju Bhavnani.

Like the rest of Deepika and Ranveer's fans, Nitasha too gushed about the couple.

She took to Instagram and wrote, "Us and ours ?????? #MrsandMrRanveerSingh #deepveerkishaadi #ranveerkishaadi".

Also, Bollywood photographer Manav Manglani who was flown in to click the couple for the Konkani style wedding shared a photo of the couple along with Deepika's family.

Manglani in his caption said that those who attended the couple's wedding were given exclusive handouts of the photo.

He wrote, "#DeepVeerKiShaadi : Those chosen few who attended #DeepikaPadukone - #RanveerSingh wedding were given an exclusive photo frame and a personalized Thank you note. @deepikapadukone @ranveersingh".

B-Town's power couple tied the knot in Lake Como in a traditional Konkani ceremony on November 14, while a Sindhi wedding was organised on November 15, both of which were attended by close-knit relatives of the two actors.

The couple, who is expected to return to India later this week, will reportedly host two grand receptions for their relatives and friends- one in Bengaluru and the other in Mumbai.
The Congress on Saturday said it would take up the fraud on the constitution being played out by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Goa during the upcoming winter session of the Parliament.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, who is on a visit to the state, accused unknown and unseen faces who are not elected by the people of Goa of usurping power in the name of Manohar Parrikar to ensure a crippled administration and a paralysed governance.

The latest Congress broadside came on a day the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, a crucial ally of the BJP government, issued yet another ultimatum to the BJP to replace the ailing Parrikar else they will be forced to withdraw support to the government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are holding the progress, the constitutional government and the democratic setup of Goa to ransom by running it through faceless shenanigans, Surjewala said.

If necessary we will move the president of India. We will also raise the issue inside the Parliament in the forthcoming winter session. Goa is the most classic case of fraud being played on the constitution of India by the governor and the BJP government, he said.

Besides the Congress, the BJPs own alliance partner, the MGP, demanded that the chief ministers charge be handed over to senior minister and MGP minister Ramkrishna Sudin Dhavalikar

The central committee of the party has resolved to urge the government to find a replacement for Parrikar, who is ill, at the earliest. Because of his illness, the administration has been paralysed for eight months. He should hand over charge to someone else as soon as possible, MGP president Deepak the brother of Sudin, told reporters after a meeting of the MGP committee held in the capital city Saturday.

The BJP in alliance with the Goa Forward Party and the MGP besides three independents continues to hold a majority in the Goa assembly. Despite initially exploring options for an alternative leadership and considering the names of speaker Pramod Sawant, health minister Vishwajit Rane and state party president Vinay Tendulkar, the BJP central leadership has backed away from replacing Manohar Parrikar who continues to be unable to discharge his duties as chief minister.

The ailing Parrikar has not left the confines of his home at Panajis Dona Paula locality but has held official meetings at his residence to prove that the administration is running.

But with the allies patience running out, the BJP could be forced into a decision.
The Union home ministry is considering a proposal to grant work permits, among other measures, to people living in Assam who do not qualify as citizens of India for inclusion in the National Register of Citizens (NRC), a senior government functionary said.

The proposal, if accepted and implemented, will enable those who are delisted as Indian citizens to continue to live and work in India although they will be deprived of their right to vote. The proposal contradicts statements by some senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders who have vowed to drive out illegal migrants from Assam.

No country will accept them. Where can these people be sent away to? Some kind of an alternative will have to work out, the government functionary cited above said on condition of anonymity. A query to the Union home ministry on the work permits proposal went unanswered.

Detection and deportation of illegal immigrants was the key demand by students in the northeastern state who spearheaded the six-year agitation that ended with the signing of the Assam accord of 1985. The accord provided for the Centre to detect, delete from the voters list and deport those who entered Assam after March 1971.

The final draft of the NRC for Assam, published on July 30, excluded four million names and included 28.9 million. The register is now being updated under the supervision of the Supreme Court in a process that involves filing of claims and objections with the state coordinator of the NRC by those who have been left out.

The issue is being monitored by the Supreme Court, the process of filing objections has begun; much depends on when the all the claims are verified and final NRC list is ready, another senior official who didnt want to be named said.

A final decision on how to deal with those who fail to qualify as citizens will emerge as we come closer to the date.
The current financial troubles Indian airlines find themselves in, and objections raised by them, have prompted the government to put on hold a so-called passenger charter detailing the rights flyers are entitled to, two civil aviation ministry officials said on condition of anonymity.

A draft of the charter said passengers could cancel tickets free of charge as long as this was done within 24 hours of booking and at least four days ahead of the scheduled departure. It also allowed them to make corrections in the name on the ticket at no extra cost. Airlines objected to both. They were also unhappy at the compensation flyers were entitled to on account of cancellation of flights or other issues and claimed this was set too high.

The airlines have requested us to look into the high compensation charges as fares in India are very low and such high compensation cannot be justified. The second main objection from them is allowing cancellation, as according to them, their business will get affected if this is done, said one of the officials.

Under the new set of rules put forth in the document, passengers will also be entitled to a refund if the flight is delayed for over four hours even if the delay has been communicated a day in advance. Additionally, missing a connecting flight due to a delay caused by the airline could entitle flyers to a refund of anything between Rs 5,000 and Rs 20,000.

The draft, which was opened for public consultation for a month on May 21, received responses from airlines, passenger associations, airport operators and frequent air travellers. The ministry has held two rounds of meetings with the stakeholders and is yet to take a final decision on the draft.

Part of this may be prompted by the crisis airlines face.

Airlines are posting losses due to rising fuel cost and rupee depreciation. This might not be the good time to notify the passenger charter and burden the airline further. We will wait for the industry to stabilise and then take a call on it, said the second official.

The Air Passenger Association of India (APAI), which has been demanding a passenger charter for eight years, said the delay is unjustified.

Someone who makes mistakes will have to pay the penalty, so why the aviation ministry protecting those who are making mistakes? If the airlines are not making profit, this might make them work more professionally, said D Sudhakara Reddy, founder of APAI.

Still, it cant be argued that airlines are in trouble, IndiGo, run by InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, posted its first quarterly loss since listing on the stock market and said high fuel cost, the rupees depreciation, and intense competition significantly impacted its profitability. It posted a net loss of 652.1 crore for the quarter ended September 2018.

Another low cost carrier SpiceJet also posted a quarterly loss on account of the same reasons. For the quarter ended September 2018, the airline reported a net loss of 389.4 crore.

Jet Airways and Air India are already in crisis and airline industry is looking for some relief from the aviation ministry.

The charter also proposed that passengers must be provided hot snacks and beverages free of cost if their flight is stationed on the tarmac for over 60 minutes. It added that they should be de-boarded if the waiting period crosses 120 minutes.

Moreover, if a passenger is denied boarding due to overbooking, the airline is liable to pay a compensation of 5,000 or more, depending on the ticket value. In case any baggage is lost, delayed or damaged, the limit of liability to be paid will be the same for both international and domestic passengers. The minimum compensation will be: 3,000 per kg for loss of baggage, 1,000 per kg for delay, and 1,000 per kg for damage, another rule in the draft stated.
A keen battle is on the cards for 14 assembly seats in the Surguja region, which could prove to be a deciding factor the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Chhattisgarh. Former chief minister Ajit Jogi may, however, tilt the balance in the region in the second and final phase of polling on November 20 in which a total of 72 seats are up for grabs.

Both Congress and the BJP, which won seven seats each from the region in the 2013 assembly polls, are confident of increasing their tally. Jogis Chhattisgarh Janata Congress (CJC) is also eyeing a few seats in Surguja, betting on tribal voters who are considered loyalists of the former chief minister, who left the Congress in 2016 to form his own party.

The region holds importance for both the BJP and the Congress. Two ministers in the Raman Singh governmentlabour minister Bhaiyalal Rajwade and home minister Ramsewak Paikaraand leader of the opposition in legislative assembly, TS Singheo, are from this region. Jogi, on the other hand, has not lost from the region since the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000.

In Surguja, the three tribal communitiesGond ,Kanwar and Uraonconstitute about 45% of the population and other backward classes (OBCs) 40%, makes them a force to reckon with. While Gond and Uraon voters, who are mostly Christians, have traditionally supported the Congress because of Jogi, who claims to be tribal,the Kanwar community has been with the BJP. Among OBCs, Sahu and Kurmi are the majority castes . While Sahus have been BJP supporters, the Kurmis have backed the Congress.

Raipur-based political commentator Ashok Tomar said caste plays an important role in Surguja and it is clear from the ticket distribution pattern. Twenty-six Sahu candidates are in the fray, 14 of them fielded by the BJP and seven by Congress. There is certain anti-incumbency against the sitting legislators and the BJP is wary of their chances, Tomar said, giving an edge to the Congress this time. He said the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) may get some votes in some seats dominated by Gond tribals, but many not have any major impact.

The BJP is not taking any chances. It got Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanth, among other top leaders, to the region to campaign for the party. The BJP started its campaign almost two months ago with most of the top leaders, including national president Amit Shah, camping in Ambikapur for a few days.

Though the Congress started its campaign late, it has got party president Rahul Gandhi and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to address rallies. As part of our strategy, we decided to focus on Surguja near to the polling, said a Congress leader on condition of anonymity.

All three parties -- Congress, BJP and CJC -- say their chances in the region are bright.

We will win more than 10 seats from Surguja because of the development work we have done, said Anil Singh, one of the BJP persons overseeing the party in Surguja.

Congress T S Singhdeo , who is the leader of the opposition in the assembly, says: We hope to win a dozen seats in Surguja and Jashpur region, which will give us a decisive edge over the BJP.

Amit Jogi, Ajit Jogis son, says he is sure the CJC- Bahujan Samaj Party alliance would win about 10 seats.
The Congress on Saturday released its second list of 32 candidates, pitting former external affairs minister Jaswant Singhs son and former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Manvendra Singh against chief minister Vasundhara Raje from Jhalrapatan assembly constituency and reviving the old rivalry between the two families.

Manvendra quit the BJP on September 22 stating kamal ka phool, hamari bhool, and joined the Congress. His father, who was minister in the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, contested as an independent from Barmer in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections after the BJP denied him a ticket apparently at Rajes behest. He lost.

Raje, a legislator from Jhalrapatan since 2003, responded to Manvendras candidature by saying that the Congress did not have courage to field its own worker and had therefore chosen a BJP turncoat. The Congress fielded a candidate (Manvendra Singh) against me whom they were not willing to give ticket from his own seat, she said, after filing nomination for her fourth straight contest from Jhalrapatan. She defeated Rama Pilot (mother of Sachin Pilot) in 2003. Before becoming MLA, Raje was MP for five terms from Jhalawar.

Manvendra accepted that contesting from Jhalrapatan would be a big challenge as he was shifting base from eastern Rajasthan to west. I will abide by the party decision, he said. However, Jhalrapatan district Congress president Kailash Meena said a local candidate would have been welcome and claimed the party had always experimented with tickets from the seat.

In the list of 32, the Congress has repeated eight candidates who contested in 2013 and given tickets to 24 new faces, including six women and five from the minority community. The kin of seven leaders were given tickets while five bigwigs -- including a minister in the Ashok Gehlot government, Babulal Nagar -- were dropped.

So far, the party has released the names of 184 candidates, of whom 81 have been repeated and 103 are new faces. As many as 25 women and 14 from the minority community have been fielded. The party has tried to strike a caste balance with Jats getting 29 tickets, Rajputs 16, Brahmins 18, Vaishyas 11, Gujjars 11 and SC/STs 63.

Political analyst Narayan Bareth said the list looked promising as it was a blend of old and new, which would help in building leadership for the future. Manvendras candidature would also send a message to the Rajput community.

Congress spokesperson Satyendra Singh Raghav said giving a chance to the youth and to new faces was a welcome move. Pitting Manvendra Singh against CM Vasundhara Raje was a good decision, as he was a tall leader.

Commenting on the list, BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said, The Congress has made Manvendra Singh a scapegoat as they had no other candidate ready to contest from Jhalrapatan. Looking at the Congress list, it seems that the brainstorming they did has gone waste as old candidates have been repeated. The BJPs victory is certain in Rajasthan.

BJP third list

The BJP on Saturday released its third list of eight candidates, dropping Jaipur ex-royal Diya Kumari and minister Hem Singh Bhadana. While the list has six new faces, mines minister Surendrapal Singh TT has been repeated from Karanpur seat. The BJP has so far announced 170 of 200 candidates.

However, the party is grappling with the names of PWD minister Yunus Khan and parliamentary secretary Om Prakash Hudla. Khan and Hudla have the backing of chief minister Raje but party leaders familiar with the matter said their candidature was being opposed by the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). On Saturday, former BJP MLA Radheyshyam filed nomination as an independent.

Diya Kumari, legislator from Sawai Madhopur, is said to have been dropped after opposition from MP Kirori Meena, who got a person of his choice, Asha Meena, nominated.

Rebellion

Both the Congress and the BJP saw protests against candidate selection at party offices in several districts. In Kota and Ajmer, Congress offices were ransacked. An aspiring candidate tried to commit suicide at the BJP headquarters in Jaipur. Workers of both BJP and Congress, including some councillors and office-bearers, resigned from party posts to voice protes
The central government made a clutch of key appointments in the bureaucracy on Saturday evening, naming Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) chief Ajay Bhushan Pandey as revenue secretary and Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash as an additional secretary in the telecom department.

In another order also issued on Saturday evening, Sanjay Kumar Mishra, a 1984 batch Indian Revenue Service officer who was serving as the interim director of the Enforcement Directorate, the agency that investigates money laundering and breaches of foreign exchange rules, was confirmed as its director for two years. The government also made other transfers and appointments. These include the appointment of Sumanta Chaudhuri as coal secretary, Upma Chawdhry as secretary of youth affairs and Yogendra Tripathy as tourism secretary.

The appointments of Pandey and Prakash were cleared by the appointments committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who met additional principal secretary PK Misra at 8 pm on Friday and signed off on the orders.

Pandey will continue to hold charge of the UIDAI and as chairman of the Goods and Services Tax Network until further orders the government order read. Pandey is a Maharashtra cadre 1984 batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service.

He replaces Hasmukh Adhia, whose November 30 retirement was confirmed by finance minister Arun Jaitley in a blog post that also thanked Adhia for being a highly competent, disciplined, no-nonsense civil servant who helped in implementing reforms such as the rollout of the goods and services tax.

The other contender for the post of revenue secretary, Girish Chandra Murmu, was appointed as an officer on special duty in the department of expenditure. He will take over as the secretary of the department of expenditure when the current secretary, AN Jha, retires. Murmu, a 1985 batch Gujarat cadre officer, is currently posted as special secretary in the department of revenue.

Prakash, a 1986 batch IAS officer of the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre, who has earlier served as additional secretary and financial adviser in the rural development ministry, will fill the vacancy caused by the appointment of N Sivasailam as special secretary (logistics), department of commerce.

In February this year, Prakash alleged that some MLAs of Delhis ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) assaulted him at a midnight meeting in the presence of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. The allegations snowballed into a tense standoff between Delhis bureaucracy, particularly IAS officers posted in the city government, and the political executive. On February 28, officers held a candlelight march to protest against the alleged assault, drawing a sharp attack from Kejriwal, who accused the officers of not cooperating with ministers.

Things came to a head on June 11, when Kejriwal and three of his ministers, Manish Sisodia, Gopal Rai and Satyendar Jain, started an unprecedented sit-in protest at the Lieutenant Governors house and refused to leave until the officers promised to cooperate.

The impasse ended nine days later when the IAS officers association assured the CM that they would attend meetings with ministers provided they were assured of their safety. Delhi police also filed a charge sheet in the case against the CM, deputy CM Sisodia and other AAP leaders. The AAP has called the charge sheet bogus and termed it a ply by the Centre to launch a witchhunt against its leaders.
Womens rights activist Trupti Desai, who went back home after a 14-hour standoff with protesters who refused to let her proceed to the Sabarimala temple, said she will visit the temple unannounced.

This time, we announced and came. Next time, I will come unannounced using guerrilla tactics, she told ANI, explaining how police told her and her team to return home to avoid law and order problem in the state.

The activist had stayed put at the Kochi airport for about 14 hours after landing from Pune at around 5 am with six young women en route to the hill temple, but was stopped by hundreds of protesters, including women and BJP workers, gathered outside the airport. A heavy police force was also deployed to thwart any untoward incident.

Police told us that if we stayed there, there could be violence. Protesters could enter the airport and anything could happen, which the police would not be able to handle, she told the news agency.

She said police had promised to give her protection next time she came and urged them to return to avoid any trouble.

So we decided to go back, she said, adding that she would return unannounced.

Taxi drivers also had refused to take her out of the airport, whose authorities asked the state government to help end the impasse, saying operations at the airport was getting affected as a result of the chaos.

As the leader of the Bhumata Ranragini Brigade, Pune-based Desai had fought for the entry of women in the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.

It was seen as an important landmark in the movement for womens rights in the country and the incident triggered similar campaigns at other famous shrines in the country where women have been prohibited from going inside the sanctum sanctorum.

Desai had sent an email to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking security, saying she feared an attack on her life during her visit to the hill shrine.

The famous Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala opened on Friday for a 64-day pilgrimage, the third time since Supreme Court allowed all women entry into the temple.

Traditionalists, who believe the presiding deity, Lord Ayyappa, is celibate, had opposed the court verdict and last month stopped dozen-odd women who tried to enter the temple.
The women and child development ministry on Friday approved the setting up 1023 fast track special courts (FTSCs) to dispose of pending rape and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, cases across the country.

The proposal was made by the department of justice under the ministry of law to the empowered committee of officers under Nirbhaya Fund, under the chairmanship of secretary, women and child development ministry.

The project has a total financial implication of Rs 767.25 crore. In the first phase, 777 FTSCs may be set up in nine states and in the second phase, 246 FTSCs will be set up, the ministry said in a statement. The Nirbhaya Fund was created in 2013 to ensure dignity and safety of girl children and women. The Fund was created as a corpus in public account in the department of economic affairs (DEA). About Rs 2,000 crore was credited to the fund.

Further, an amount of Rs 1,000 crore was provided in 2014-15 and for the financial years 2016-17 and 2017-18, an amount of Rs 550 crore each was provided under the Nirbhaya Fund. The corpus transferred to the public account for the Nirbhaya fund upto 2017-18 is Rs 3,100 crore.

A home ministry proposal for procurement of forensic kits for sexual assault cases to kick start usage of such kits in states and union territories through training of trainers, capacity building/training for forensics in sexual assault cases and strengthening of forensic science laboratory was also approved under the Nirbhaya Fund with a total financial implication of Rs 107.19 crore.

Also, in-principle approval was given to the proposal, from ministry of road transport and highways, of Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) for customisation, deployment and management of state-wise vehicle tracking platform for safety and enforcement with AIS (automatic identification system) 140 specifications.
With two sacks full of makka (corn cob) and other essentials, Narsingh Meda (30), his wife and three kids are waiting for a bus at the Jhabua-Gujarat border near Pittol to go to Rajkot, Gujarat, where they will work at a construction site for the next few months.

They are among hundreds of poor tribals who are migrating to Gujarat every day from Madhya Pradeshs Jhabua and neighbouring Alirajpur districts, casting a shadow on the Assembly elections scheduled on November 28, say political observers. The five assembly seats in the two districts were won by BJP in the 2013 polls.

There are at least 50 points along the border between Jhabua and Alirajpur and Gujarat from where buses and other vehicles leave every hour for different towns in Gujarat. The tribals are packed like sardines in these vehicles, some precariously hanging from specially designed iron rods.

A senior official at the district collectorate estimated that 25-30% of the 18 lakh population of these two districts has migrated. This estimate is based on details of people leaving the state at border check points with Gujarat by the district officials, who are giving them peeli chawal (rice laced with turmeric), which symbolises the promise to return for polling.

Jhabua collector Ashish Saxena says, We have taken down their phone numbers and we will call them and urge them to come back to vote, reminding them of the promise they made while taking the peeli chawal. We have sent teams and contacted various factory owners in Gujarat, urging them to allow their employees paid leave for voting. This exercise will help us in the future also in assisting the migrant workers in matters of health and education.

Narsingh says, We come for Bhagoria (Holi), then just before the sowing season and then Diwali to our village Retalunja, situated some 6 km from Pittol and then go back. We know there is an election, but there is no work in Jhabua and there is no water to sow the winter crop, so there is no point staying back. Also, the wages in Madhya Pradesh are half of what they give in Gujarat, which is around Rs 400 for unskilled work.

He is unsure whether he will come back for voting. If someone gives me the fare and my daily wages for three days, I will come back, he says frankly.

This annual migration is upsetting the electoral calculations of the BJP and the Congress. It is also worrying the administration, which fears a low turnout and is taking several steps to ensure that the workers come back to vote.

Said a Congress leader who did not wish to be named, In villages we dominate, we are losing precious voters, and our effort will be to bankroll their return, for which we are contacting the village tadvi (headman). For every voter, political parties have to give three days wage, which comes to Rs 1,200, and Rs 600 as fare. The only consolation is that BJP is facing the same predicament.

Congress candidate Vikant Bhuria says migration is a major challenge that the BJP has failed to tackle in 15 years. Had the ruling party created jobs this migration, which spawns various problems, would have stopped.

BJP candidate from Jhabua, Guman Singh Damor, is defensive about the migration. It is not really migration. They go to earn and then come back. People move from one state to another all the time. He adds that the administration is trying to bring the migrants back to vote.

For the administration, the main challenge is to ensure that the voting percentage does not fall below the 54% and 56% that Jhabua and Alirajpur respectively logged in the 2013 Assembly polls. The state polling percentage in 2013 was 74.95.

Jhabua-based social worker Benedict Damore, who runs Chetna HS School in Jhabua, says, It is doubtful if the tribals will come back, and one should not expect them to come back. True there has been some development but compared to other regions, this region is backward on most parameters.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its manifesto for the Madhya Pradesh polls, including a separate document for women on Saturday. The party, which has been in power since 2003, promised proportionate bonus to small farmers, creation of five million jobs in five years, two-wheelers to meritorious girl students, cow sanctuaries in every division of the state and 50 Gokul villages to be developed for conservation and promotion of indigenous cow breeds.

The manifesto, titled Samridh Madhya Pradesh Drishti Patra, promised to invest Rs 50,000 crore in the agriculture sector and expand the area under irrigation to eight million hectares in the next five years. In its womens manifesto, titled, Nari Shakti Sankalp Patra, the party promised to install sanitary napkin vending machines in schools and gift two-wheelers to every girl student scoring at least 75% in the school leaving examination.

The document was released by Union finance minister Arun Jaitely in presence of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Dharmendra Pradhan and manifesto committee chairman Vikram Verma.

Though the vision document didnt talk of a loan waiver -- a promise repeated by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at almost every one of his rallies -- it promised a special bonus for small farmers who usually do not sell their output in mandis or agricultural markets that is proportionate to the size of their holding and the quantum of their produce.

Explaining the plan, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that a farmer with two acres of land and producing 30 quintals wheat would get a bonus of Rs 7,950 at the rate of Rs 265 per quintal even if he doesnt sell the wheat at mandis. Chouhan said the manifesto was balanced: On the one hand we have presented a road map for development, and on the other, an outline regarding welfare of all the sections of society under the vision document.

The manifesto also laid emphasis on welfare of every section of society and promised an expenditure of Rs 2 lakh crore on smart and mini smart cities and urban infrastructure in the state.

Some of the other promises made are the availability of all government facilities and information through e-governance, wildlife police stations in areas known for poaching, libraries and gyms in all new police stations, creation of a forensic science directorate, identification of illegal mining through satellite-based tracking systems, and expanding the base of the Deendayal Antyoday Kitchen scheme to all the districts to offer meals at Rs 5 per head.

On the religious front, the manifesto underlined several facilities on the Narmada Parikrama Marg, the development of several places in the Buddhist circuit, an increase honorarium to priests and mahants, and the creation of a religious places management authority to address the problems related to temples.

Congress leader Kamal Nath described the document as a bundle of lies. It covers all promises the BJP had made during 2003, 2008 and 2013 assembly elections. The BJP government never cared to implement its earlier promises. Hence, the present one is also to mislead people. There is nothing new in it. The BJP has even incorporated several points of the Congress vachan patra in its manifesto.

Other key promises

* Free education to the children of poor families from primary level to PhD

* Introduction of female access to justice scheme for security of women in the state

* Identification of hot spots related to crimes against women

* Employment to at least one person from every family

* Establishment of intellectual property cell in every government college

* Creation of an integrated job portal

* Annual budget of Rs 1,000 crore for creating self-employment opportunities for the young

* Global skills parks in Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Gwalior
The protestors not only slammed the government but also accused the BJP and RSS of backing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016.

Guwahati: Defying prohibitory order, hundreds of protestors assembled near Dispur capital complex to register their protest against the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 and warned the BJP government to refrain from pushing the bill in the parliament. However, police which had made elaborate security arrangement did not allow the protestors to reach near the secretariat.

Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi along with members of 70 organisations staged a protest meeting on the premises of the Dispur Press Club, adjacent to the secretariat, accusing the Sarbananda Sonowal-led BJP Assam government of working against the interests of indigenous people of the state by supporting the bill.

The protestors not only slammed the government but also accused the BJP and RSS of backing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016. They also called the voters to teach BJP a lesson by defeating the party in the ensuing panchayat elections in the state.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill seeks to incorporate provisions of granting Indian citizenship to illegal migrants belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian religious communities who came from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The bill has been opposed in Assam as protestors said that it would nullify the provision of the Assam Accord, which fixed March 24, 1971 as the cut-off date for deportation of illegal immigrants irrespective of religion from Assam.

Other speakers at the meeting alleged that protestors who had taken out motorcycle rallies from different parts of the state were not allowed to proceed to Guwahati.

Stating that the organisers had prior police permission for holding the meeting, the demonstrators accused the administration of imposing the prohibitory order to muzzle the democratic voice of the citizens.

Accusing the chief minister of functioning under the orders of the RSS, the speakers urged Mr Sonowal to give up his Hitlerian rule as it was against the people of Assam.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Maldives on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of president-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September. This is Modis first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011. I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development, Modi said in a series of tweets ahead of the visit.

He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future. We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives, the prime minister said.

Modi also congratulated Solih on his victory in the recent elections and wished him the very best for his tenure. India and the Maldives share a strong partnership rooted in history, strong bonds between our peoples, and their shared aspiration for peace and prosperity. My Governments vision of inclusive development Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas extends to all our neighbours too, he said. Modi also said he will convey to Solih his wish to work with the new Maldives government in different areas to boost bilateral ties. Solih, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Partys candidate who surprisingly emerged victorious over incumbent president Yameen in the election held on September 23, had extended the invitation during a phone call by Modi.

The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then.

India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi. Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year. India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.
PM Narendra Modi will make his first-ever visit to the Maldives for the swearing-in of its new president, signaling a shift in the island nation toward India and away from China.

The Saturday visit -- the first by an Indian head of state since 2011 -- is expected to reset strained ties with the Maldives as Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, a veteran opposition politician, takes over after successfully ousting former pro-China president Abdulla Yameen.

Solihs new government is expected to end political uncertainty in the South Asian archipelago nation that preceded a tense election this September. The former president received international condemnation for locking up opposition figures and judges, including unusually strident comments from India.

The previous administration had also taken numerous loans from China that pushed the country into debt, similar to other countries in the region including Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Solihs party has criticized Chinas activities in the country, and is expected to review major projects.

India is in a position to gain some lost ground in Maldives, said K Yhome, who specializes in Indias neighborhood at the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation. The fact that Prime Minister Modi has agreed to attend the swearing-in sends a message that India supports the new government.

Still, he said, it remains to be seen how Solih continues his posturing after elections.

Solihs triumph in the Maldives contrasts with political turmoil in Sri Lanka, where the president last month tried to fire his prime minister and appoint the countrys former pro-China strongman leader Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place. That move, which has been challenged by the opposition, has attracted international criticism.

Modis trip comes amid a broader push by the US, India, Japan and Australia -- known informally as the Quad -- to counter Chinas infrastructure lending in the region. After a meeting between the countries in Singapore, the US released a statement expressing support for the new Maldivian government and an outcome in Sri Lanka consistent with democratic principles.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will embark on a three-day bilateral visit to US in December first week with the acquisition of weaponized Predator drones and anti-missile shield for Delhi on top of the agenda with Pentagon as the two countries take their defence cooperation to the next level.

Sitharaman will be the first NDA defence minister to visit Hawaii to honor the renaming of Pacific Command as Indo-Pacific command, recognising the salience of India in east and far east.

According to diplomats based in New Delhi and Washington, Defence Minister Sitharaman will be in the US from December 3 to December 6 and will be hosted by Secretary of Defense James Mattis even as the possibility of US President Donald Trump reshuffling his Cabinet remains a distinct possibility.

Apart from her meetings in Washington, Minister Sitharaman will also visit the Mountain View headquarters of Pentagons defence innovation unit (DIUx), which recently tied up with its Indian counterpart. The innovation unit scours the West Coast of the US for the best technologies developed by the private sector which have military use in the future.

Government officials said on condition of anonymity that Sitharaman will discuss the acquisition of MQ-9 Reaper or Predator B drones from the US after the Pentagon gave a green signal to the weaponized platform being sold to India.

The Predator-B is a game changer as it performs multi-mission intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and hunter-killer missions over land and sea from a height of 50,000 feet. While the US first agreed to give 22 unarmed Guardian drones to India, the Modi government made it known that it would rather have a drone that not only locates but also targets the enemy.

It is understood that the Indian military is now working on its requirements for Predator-B deones. With an endurance of over 27 hours and speed of 240 knots, the drone can either be deployed by C-130 J Hercules aircraft or self-propelled. The Predator carries Hellfire missile, laser guided bombs and precision guided ammunition.

India has already initiated the process of acquiring $ 1 billion worth National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System -II or a missile shield for New Delhi as well as 24 multi-role Sikorsky helicopters worth $1.8 billion through the government to government route.

During her visit, Sitharaman will also re-pitch for a Presidential waiver on CAATSA for the Indian acquisition of S-400 missile system from Russia; there were some positive signals on this during her meeting with Secretary Mattis on October 19 on the sidelines of the ADMM plus meeting in Singapore.

The two defence ministers are expected to review bilateral defence cooperation and discuss regional environment particularly in context of Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the Indo-Pacific. Apart from a military exchange, the two countries are gearing up for a first of a kind tri-service amphibious exercise early next year.
On the wall behind the reception desk of a prominent hotel in Patan  one of a handful in this small Gujarat town  hangs a photograph of an ancient and ornate monument that could pass off as an old palace or temple. The same monument features in a series of promotional photographs in textile businessman Shyam Sonis office and workshop  it is the backdrop against which several colourful saris are draped. For years, this monument has acted as Patans identity for the rest of the country and the world. But now Indians across the country will also carry its image in their wallets  albeit unintentionally and possibly, often without having spared it a glance.

Patans Rani Ki Vav  or the Queens Stepwell  replaces a view of the Kanchenjunga on the reverse side of the 100 rupee note issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently. While the release of the new note was announced in July, it was only last month, in October, that it became easily available in the market. But though the new currency note does its best to depict the countrys cultural heritage as an RBI press release states, the motif of the Vav on the note is but a pale reflection of the majesty of the stepwell that had been lost for centuries beneath the sands of time. It was resurrected after decades of painstaking clearance and restoration by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from 1958 onwards, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.

A photo of the new 100 note which has a motif of the 11th century stepwell on the reverse side. (HT Photo)

Built in the 11th century, Rani Ki Vav is popularly believed to have been buried underground owing to a flood in the river Saraswati, though opinion is divided on that. Some believe the Vav was simply silted up with the passage of time. In a region where several areas have traditionally had to deal with water scarcity, stepwells are not uncommon. But what sets Rani Ki Vav apart is its sheer size and fine craftsmanship. Measuring 64 metres in length and 27 metres in depth, it is a subterranean seven-storey structure, lavishly adorned with sculptures of gods, goddesses and other mythological and heavenly creatures that give it the look of a royal or divine abode.

As a child, I would come here with my family on Diwali to offer prasad of sweet rice at the well, says 72-year-old Patan local, Jayantilal Chimanlal Otia. This was much before the ASI started work here. The top of the well was all that was exposed. We would draw water from there and drink, because it was believed that it could cure children of severe coughs. But we had no idea that there was so much more buried below, he adds.

Capital Town

Like most of small-town India, Patan is an odd mix of the rundown and the glitzy, the old and the new. Boys who look too young to drive, ferry tourists in autorickshaws, even as burly mustachioed men drive camel carts through the town.

In the old town, where the Vav is, parts of the ramparts of what was once a fort are still visible. Locals believe the fort was built in one night by a spirit, Babra Bhoot, on the orders of one of the rulers of Patan. There are also ruins of old mansions, and giant darwazas or gates which once must have served as the entrance and exit points to and from the town.

The origin of the town dates back to the Chavda dynasty that ruled here. Patan was once the capital of Gujarat. Vanraj Singh Chavda built Patan in AD 746, says Jagdish Goswami, the lone guide at Rani Ki Vav. The old name of the town was Anhilvad Patan. It is believed that Vanraj Singh had named the town after an animal herder, Anhil, who was probably his friend or had helped him in some way, he adds.The Chavdas were succeeded by the Solanki dynasty, whose reign is believed to have been the golden age of Gujarat. An information box in the town museum states that during these years (942-1244 AD), the city was a great place of learning and a prosperous trading centre. The rulers were great patrons of fine arts and architecture and undertook the construction of many civic and religious edifices in the city.

One of these is Rani Ki Vav.

In Memoriam

Turning into old Patan, one is greeted with boards directing visitors to Rani Ki Vav or Rani Ni Vav as it is locally known.

Rani Ki Vav was built by queen Udayamati, the wife of King Bhimdeva I of the Solanki dynasty, in the memory of her husband after his death. Generally kings make such monuments for their queens after their deaths. Here it is the opposite, says Goswami. While popular history had always credited Udaymati for having built the Vav, Ravindra Singh Bisht, a retired ASI joint director-general, says historical research too has established her link with the stepwell. During excavation a marble statue was found inside the Vav which had Maharajni Shri Udaymati inscribed on it, he explains. A Jain scholar Merutunda, who composed the Prabandhachintamani, a chronicle of the kings of Gujarat, in 1304 AD, too recorded that Bhimadevas queen Udaymati caused to be built in the capital a new step-well.

Descending into the Vav is like taking a trip in a time machine to an alternate reality, or being drawn in into a beautiful mirage, the spell of which breaks only after you resurface on the manicured lawns that now surround the heritage site.

The intricately adorned wall of the well. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

The entire structure is made of sandstone. Stepped corridors lead around pillared pavilions or terraces, down to the reservoir (or tank). The well is beyond that. Both the walls of the Vav and the corridors are adorned with sculptures.

A Scottish team that did a digital documentation of the Vav in 2011 recalls on its website that the sheer number of complex carvings was the major challenge faced in the project. Vishnu  his different forms, avatars and swaroops  is the main subject of the sculptures. The walls of the well are adorned with carvings of Vishnu in various stages of repose. There are also sculptures of Vishnu with his wife Lakshmi, Shiva-Parvati, Brahma with his consort, Indra, Kuber, Hanuman and others. Then there are sculptures of Apsaras and Nagakanyas.

While some of the sculptures are in near-perfect condition, some have limbs missing, or facial features blurred with the effect of time, and the viewer has to place them in context to be able to identify them. Some of the niches and walls also have gaps  indicating the loss of some sculptures. The missing sculptures include three of the Vishnu avatars  Narsimha, Matsya and Kurma, thought it is unclear whether all three were originally there.

At the top of the steps, near the entrance, is a section of a column which is

believed to be the remains of the kirti toran  the ceremonial entrance to the Vav.

Clearing The Debris

It was in 1958 that ASI undertook the clearance and restoration work for the Vav, which was filled with silt and water. As the process of desilting and debris clearance started, the water also started receding. The silt had to be cleared bit by bit by hand and carefully checked before disposal for antiquities that could be mixed with the mud.

It was the most risky project of my career, says Bhopal-based retired ASI archaeologist Narayan Vyas, who did the documentation work at the site for seven years between 1981 and 1988 and also holds a PhD degree on the stepwell. For days, I would sit on the narrow ledges that run along the walls on a chair working. If I looked down I felt dizzy, it was so deep, he remembers.

The Vav during desilting in 1985. (Photo courtesy ASI)

Work was slow  the process took more than three decades to complete. Bisht recalls that when he had taken charge of the Indore circle (which includes Patan) in 1989, only three levels had been exposed. The rest was completed under him. The top two levels of the stepwell had been destroyed  ASI rebuilt them, but without any of the sculptural adornments that must have been there originally. After the desilting, the sculptures had to be cleaned with distilled water. Chemical cleaning and treatment was done to protect the structure and sculptures, says Vilas Jadhav, another retired ASI archaeologist who had also worked at the Vav.

Of course that hasnt completely helped. Since sandstone is very soft stone, the weathering effect is more, says a local ASI official. Routine maintenance at the site is restricted to cleaning and taking care of tourist amenities, he says. A former ASI chemist had found a way of strengthening sandstone by impregnating it with lime or some such cementing component. It could be tried at the Vav, to delay erosion, points out Bisht.

For the time being, the representation of the Vav on the new currency note has filled locals with joy, as the UNESCO tag had done before. We never thought this could be a tourist spot, says 45-year-old Kirti Kumar Bhagwan Das Patel, with a laugh. As kids we would play there. Now, there is a 40 entry ticket!
Thiruvananthapuram woman asked to return after second attempt to hilltop

Mary Sweety, a woman hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, was asked to go back after protestors prevented her in Chenganur railway station. This is her second attempt to hilltop, in October protestors have foiled her maiden attempt. She is 45, a gulf returnee. Last her house was attacked

BJP leader headed to Sabarimala detained at Nilakkal base camp

BJP state general secretary K Surendran detained in Nilakkal base camp when he tried to proceed to hilltop.

Drones being used for surveillance as devotees throng Pamba base camp

Drones are being used for security surveillance as devotees throng Pamba base camp to trek to Sabarimala temple. The temple opened on Friday for 62-day long Mandala Pooja-Magaravilaku annual pilgrimage season.

Hindu woman leader observes fast to protest detention

Sabarimala live updates: Protesting detention, Hindu woman leader KP Sasikala is observing fast inside Ranni police station.

Hindu woman

sasikala (in white sari) observing a fast in Ranni police station : Vivek Nair

Protesters turn violent, seek immediate release of Hindu woman leader

Protestors turn violent in Ranni.block police station seeking immediate release of Hindu woman leader KP Sasikala.

Arrest of Hindu woman leader illegal, undemocratic: BJP Kerala president

The arrest of KP Sasikala illegal and undemocratic, said BJP Kerala president PS Sreedharan Pillai, adding, Sabarimala stir will be taken to the neighbouring states as well.

Shutdown cripples normal life in Kerala

The shutdown call by Sabarimala Karma Samiti has crippled normal life in state even as angry protesters defy prohibitory orders at many places in Pathanamthitta district in Kerala.

Protesters gherao police station where Hindu woman leader is detained

Protesters have gheraoed Ranni police station where Hindu woman leader KP Sasikala is detained. Meanwhile, the police is saying that she will be produced in the court later.

Devaswom board upset with police restriction

Devaswom board is said to be upset with the police restrictions and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar will be meeting police chief Loknath Behra today.

Its undeclared curfew: BJP leader K Sudhakaran

It is undeclared curfew,  said BJP leader K Sudhakaran after devotees complained police restrictions made their pilgrimage difficult.
Many parts of Kerala remained tense over a dawn-to-dusk shutdown called by right wing outfits after police detained a Hindu woman leader early on Saturday from the premises of the Sabarimala temple, which opened at 5 am amid heavy restrictions, causing difficulties to devotees.

Sabarimala Karma Samiti, an umbrella organisation of outfits opposing entry of women of menstrual age into the temple called for a dawn-to-dusk shutdown in the state after Hindu Aikya Vedi state president, K P Sasikala was detained early on Saturday morning.

Sasikala, who is believed to be over 50, had come for darshan to the hill top, but was stopped by police. She was taken into preventive custody at around 2 am for defying prohibitory orders.

Tension gripped many areas as after fringe outfits started a campaign that Sasikala was arrested while carrying Irumudi Kettu, considered a sacrosanct offering taken by devotees to the Sabarimala shrine.

Protesters defied prohibitory orders at many places. Many gheraoed Ranni police station where Sasikala is reportedly observing a fast, and demanded her immediate release. Police said she will be produced in court later.

Shops remain shut amid a shutdown called by Hindu outfits after police detained a woman leader. (Vivek Nair/HT PHOTO)

While the bandh has crippled normal life in the region, protesting leaders said it would not affect Sabarimala devotees.

Unprecedented security arrangements have been made at the shrine, which opened for the third time Friday for the two-month-long pilgrimage season commencing Saturday after the Supreme Court allowed women of menstrual age to offer prayers. The temple complex and nearby areas had witnessed widespread protests after the state government decided to implement the September 28 apex court verdict.

The Travancore Devasom Board (TDB), which has decided to move the Supreme Court seeking time to implement the order allowing all womens entry, was also upset with police restrictions. Its president A Padmakumar will meet state police chief Loknath Behra regarding this.

No one was allowed to stay at the top. Neyabishekam (ritual) was affected. It is undeclared curfew, said BJP leader K Sudhakaran.

VHP state president S J R Kumar accused the Kerala government of trying to destroy the Sabarimala temple.

State BJP president PS Sreedharan Pillai said the arrest of Sasikala was illegal and undemocratic. He said the Sabarimala stir will be taken to neighbouring states.

Devotee-protesters stage a sit-in outside Ranni police station in Kerala demanding the release of K P Sasikala, who was detained by police from the premises of the Sabarimala temple on Saturday. (Vivek Nair/HT PHOTO)

The temple opened on Friday amid a standoff between womens rights activist Trupti Desai and devotee-protesters in Kochi as she was not allowed to proceed to the temple.

Police later last night booked more than 500 people for blocking Desai, who was forced to return to Pune from Kochi airport after 14 hour impasse. There were reports that she was greeted by angry protesters with Ayyappa hymns on her return to Mumbai last night.

The 41-day mandalam festival will conclude on December 27 after Mandala pooja, when the shrine will close after the Athazhapuja in the evening. It would reopen for the Makaravilakku festival on December 30.

The Makaravilakku festival would be celebrated on January 14 after which the shrine will close on January 20, marking the culmination of the pilgrimage season, when lakhs of devotees are expected to throng the shrine.

The Supreme Court is slated to hear petitions seeking review of its September 28 order on January 22, but has refused to stay it.
The cloak of secrecy surrounding the illnesses of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi are not comparable, Congress national spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said in Goas Panaji on Saturday.

He said that while Parrikar is a chief minister of a state, Sonia Gandhi was neither a prime minister nor was she holding a cabinet post when she suffered from illness.

Sonia Gandhi was neither the Prime Minister of India, nor was a Minister in the cabinet holding a cabinet post (when the illness occurred), Surjewala told IANS.

Surjewala was responding to a question on whether the Congress, which is demanding a medical bulletin and a public disclosure of Parrikars health status, had been equally transparent when it came to relaying information about Gandhis prolonged illness, when she was Congress President and headed the National Advisory Council that had been set up to advise then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Surjewala said that only those in positions of power, especially as heads of state, should disclose the nature of their affliction in public interest.

I can have five ailments. I have for example high blood pressure and I take medicine for it, but I had not disclosed it till today, till you asked me. That does not mean that I have to describe every problem that I have in the public domain. It is only when you are holding a position of power and a position of power as the head of the state (that one ought to reveal the nature of illness), Surjewala said.

The Congress spokesperson, who was in Goa to address a press conference, also alleged that in Parrikars absence power-brokers were running amok and plundering the states resources, even as he questioned why a regular health bulletin updating the Chief Ministers medical status was not being released.

Parrikar is suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer and has been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New York and Delhi for nearly nine months. He returned from New Delhis All-India Institute of Medical Sciences on October 14 and has not moved out of his private residence for any official event since.

Goas health minister Vishwajit Rane last month conceded that Parrikar was indeed suffering from pancreatic cancer, even though the state government has refused to release a regular medical bulletin detailing Parrikars health status.

The Opposition, as well ruling coalition allies, have been demanding the resignation of the chief minister, claiming that the administration has come to a standstill due to Parrikars absence.
The first phase of panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir began on Saturday amid heightened security in the face of militant threats, with the states two main parties staying away and voters complaining that they didnt have sufficient information about the candidates in the race.

Officials said more than 6,000 candidates were in the fray in the nine-phase elections, which will be completed on December 11.

The National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the two main parties in J&K, have boycotted the elections over the lack of clarity surrounding the Centres stand on legal challenges in the Supreme Court to the states special status.

Both parties had stayed away from Octobers urban local body polls over the same issue. Separatist groups have also asked people to observe a day-long strike against the polls. Bashir Ahmad, a resident of Baramulla, which goes to the polls in the first phase, said people in his area did not know who the candidates were.

The election process has started... We dont even know who is contesting. Even those who have filed nomination papers dont dare to announce their candidature, he said and added that while the voting percentage in the last panchayat elections, held in 2011, was more than 70%, this time around the turnout wont be impressive.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, security officials did acknowledge that holding panchayat polls will be tougher than last months civic polls.

Militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen had in January warned former panchayat members against contesting the elections. The groups operational commander, Riyaz Naikoo, had threatened to pour acid in the eyes of anyone who dared to contest the polls. The militants had also warned people against casting their votes.
The Maharashtra police on Saturday night again arrested Maoist ideologue and revolutionary poet Pendyala Varavara Rao with the end of his period of his house arrest in a case related to the Bhima Koregaon clashes in January this year and his alleged involvement in the plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The arrest of 78-year old Rao followed a Hyderabad High Court order on Friday refusing to quash the transit remand order issued by the chief metropolitan magistrate on August 28 facilitating the Maharashtra police teams taking him into their custody.

A special team of the Pune police led by an assistant commissioner of police which arrived in Hyderabad on Friday, arrested Rao and will take him to Pune, after taking permission from the local court.

Tension prevailed at his apartment in Gandhinagar, where a large number of sympathisers, human rights activists and members of civil liberties organisations gathered, raising slogans against what they described as an illegal arrest. We strongly condemn the brutal repression on democratic and human rights activists. The arrest of Varavara Rao is highly unconstitutional and illegal, said civil rights activist and lawyer V Raghunath.

Raos family members, including his wife Hemalatha, broke down, as he was forced into a vehicle by the Pune police.

The period of house arrest of Rao actually ended on October 26, but the Hyderabad high court extended it by three weeks on the plea that the health condition did not permit him to be shifted to Pune.

The high court said the writer could approach the Bombay high court to file a petition, seeking quashing of the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Pune police against him.

Rao was arrested on August 28 and taken to Pune, after the Pune police conducted searches on his house and reportedly seized incriminating material. He was charged with conspiring Maoists to create disturbances in Maharashtra. Four other rights activists were also arrested by the Pune police the same day from different parts of the country on near similar charges.

However, following a writ petition filed by historian Romilla Thapar and others challenging the arrests, the Supreme Court passed an order to keep them under house arrest. The house arrest was subsequently extended from time to time.
Upendra Kushwaha, who has been seeking more seats for his RLSP from Bihar in the next Lok Sabha elections, today virtually issued an ultimatum to the BJP to resolve the issue of seat-sharing by November 30, following which his party would take a call on its future course of action.

At a press conference after his Rashtriya Lok Samta Partys (RLSP) state executive meeting, he said that his party has decided to reject the seat offer made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state in-charge Bhupendra Yadav as the number was less than honourable. The party, which was given three seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and won all, has been demanding more this time and has objected to the purported equal number agreement between the BJP and the Janata Dal (United) for the states 40 seats with lesser seats for RLSP and Ram Vilas Paswans Lok Janshakti Party.

The party meeting today came after Kushwaha returned from Delhi after an unsuccessful attempt to meet BJP president Amit Shah on Friday.

On the seat-sharing issue, the Union minister said that he made several attempts to meet Amit Shah, but the BJP chief might have been preoccupied. Now, I am not going to make any effort to meet BJP top leaders except the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in whose cabinet I am a minister, he said.

Responding to Kushwaha, BJP state vice president Devesh Kumar said the party has always pursued, followed and respected coalition dharma.  The issue of seat sharing will sorted out amicably among all NDA constituents, he said, without commenting on whether it would be finalized by November 30, as demanded by Kushwaha.

Meanwhile at the RLSP meeting, the partys two legislators, Lallan Paswan and Sudhashu Shekhar, were conspicuous by their absence, setting off speculations that they were determined to stay with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) by seeking recognition as a separate entity in the assembly.

Kushwaha, however, said that his party was intact, while accusing chief minister Nitish Kumar of fomenting dissent for breaking it apart.

I am still in the NDA and such attempts to disintegrate an alliance partner is highly objectionable and does not augur well for democracy, he said.

At the party meeting, a resolution was passed condemning Nitish Kumars Neech jibe, allegedly at Kushwaha and seeking apology from the JD (U) chief. The party also passed a resolution condemning the police cane charge on Kushwaha community at a demonstration in Patna recently and also slamming the police for not taking action against those responsible.

The RLSP chief is also not willing to tone down his ongoing face off with Nitish Kumar over the latters neech  remark. The party has decided to observe (19th century social reformer) Mahatma Phules birth anniversary on November 29 as Unch-Neech virod diwas and also start a signature campaign on the deteriorating education system in Bihar, Kushwaha said.

The party also hit out at the Nitish Kumar government over the alleged deteriorating law and order situation, asking the chief minister to initiate immediate action. It also condemned the recent killings of several RLSP leaders in different parts of the state.

Kushwaha also repeated his allegation that some elements in the state NDA were not keen to see the re-election of Prime Minister Modi for another term, alleging that was why the BJP leadership was being poisoned against him.

He also dismissed claims that his Sitamarhi MP Ram Kumar Sharma had joined the rebel camp in the party.  See, Sharma is sitting beside me and had attended the partys meeting today, he said.

However, the RLSP leader evaded queries on whether he was all set to join the Rashtriya Janata Dal-Congress led grand alliance in Bihar due to his rift with the NDA leaders and recent meeting with veteran leader Sharad Yadav.

Why cant I meet any politician from different parties. I am nobodys slave and I take my calls independently, he said.

Meanwhile, the grand alliance claimed that it was a matter of time that Kushwaha would be joining the coalition. RJDs chief state spokesperson Bhai Birendra today once again extended invitation to him to join them, promising the RLSP a respectable seat share in the opposition coalition.
'At Kochi Airport protesters hurled abuses, threatened us. Didn't want anything to happen to people because of us, so returned,' she said.

The activist said Kerala government had failed in providing security to women wanting to visit Sabarimala and condemned the 'hooliganism' witnessed at Kochi airport upon her arrival. (Photo: ANI)

Mumbai: Activist Trupti Desai, who was forced to return to Pune without visiting Sabarimala Temple owing to a possible disruption of law and order, said she will next visit the hill shrine unannounced using "guerilla tactics"

"When we landed at the Kochi airport, protesters gathered there hurled abuses at us and threatened us to go back. The police, too, requested us to leave saying anything can happen. We didn't want anything to happen to the people of the state because of us, so we decided to return. Police have told us that they'll provide us security the next time we visit. This time we went there after announcing, but the next time we won't announce that we're visiting, but will follow guerrilla tactics," she told ANI.

Narrating her ordeal, Desai said that cab drivers were not ready to take her and her 7-member team to Sabarimala fearing agitation.

"Two taxis did arrive at the airport to take us to Sabarimala. However, protesters said they would destroy the cars and attack us. Therefore, the cabs denied to take us to Sabarimala," she explained.

The activist further said the Kerala government had failed in providing security to women wanting to visit Sabarimala. She further condemned the "hooliganism" witnessed at the Kochi airport upon her arrival.

"Protesters were resorting to violence and hooliganism, they should not have done that. They call themselves Lord Ayyappa's devotees but I don't think they can be his devotees. They were verbally abusing us and threatening us. If they wanted to oppose us, they should have protested in Nilakkal but they knew that if we reached Nilakkal, we would advance to Pamba and return only after Darshan. They were scared and hence stopped us at the airport itself," she added.

Desai, who is the founder of the Bhumata Brigade, landed in Mumbai a few hours ago. However, she was stranded in the airport itself as protesters had gathered outside the airport to oppose her decision to visit Sabarimala. She and the other women were later brought out with the help of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawans and Mumbai police personnel.

The social activist had, on November 14, written a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, stating that she would not leave Kerala if she was not allowed to enter the holy hill shrine.

The Sabarimala temple and surrounding areas witnessed a string of protests recently over the Supreme Court's decision to quash restrictions on the entry of females aged between 10 and 50 years into the shrine.

As the Temple reopened on Friday for a two-month long pilgrimage season, Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was imposed in Nilakkal, Pamba, and Sannidhanman as a precautionary measure.
In a scathing attack on West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh governments for withdrawing consent to CBI for investigating corruption cases in their states, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley said there was no sovereignty of any state in the matter of corruption.

Saradha and Narada in West Bengal cant be wiped off by merely keeping CBI out of the state and the Andhra Pradesh move is not motivated by any particular case but by the fear of what is likely to happen, he said in reply to a question from journalists.

Jaitley was in Bhopal to release the BJPs vision document for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday decided to stop the CBI from investigating cases in her state after Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu took a similar step.

We have a federal structure in India. Under that federal structure, the CBI was created initially for employees of the central government and then to investigate several kinds of serious cases in the states which were referred to it either by states or by courts. CBI cant snatch any case, Jaitley said.

Its only those who have a lot to hide will take the step of saying that let CBI not come to my state, he said.

Jaitley asked how the CBI would investigate the cases related to the central governments establishments in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh and how CBI will investigate the corruption cases of central governments tax officials posted in the two states.

Referring to Sharadha and Narada scams, he said several big leaders of Trinamool Congress were involved in it.

On Andhra Pradesh, he said the government was perhaps trying to shield someone over there by taking the step.

In reply to a question on demonetisation, he said it was a highly ethical move taken by the central government and it helped widen the tax net of the government as well and when revenue increased, it helped the states also which had 42% share in the taxes.
Union finance minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday defended demonetisation, saying it was a highly ethical move and not a political one.

His statement comes a day after prime minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi engaged in a war of words during the respective election rallies over the decision suddenly announced in November 2016 to junk a bulk of the currency in circulation.

It was a highly ethical move, Jaitley told reporters in Bhopal in response to a query over demonetisation. It was not a political move. Jaitley was speaking after releasing the BJPs manifesto in the MP capital ahead of the November 28 Madhya Pradesh Assembly election.

The minister said demonetisation has increased the tax return filings and also increased the revenue of the states and the Centre immensely.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday criticised the government over demonetisation, saying it was the biggest scam of India.

Addressing a rally in Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh ahead of the second phase of voting on November 20, PM Modi claimed people did not have issues with demonetisation, but only a family.

The prime minister claimed the Congress was worried that he took away all the money its minions and friends had stashed under their beds and in sacks in one stroke.

Modi had said his government was investing the money recovered post-demonetisation on carrying out public works and funding welfare schemes.
Former Mumbai police commando Asif Mulani was washing up, getting ready to wear his combat gear, when he first heard the bullets on November 26, 2008. I heard the sound of gunshots coming from behind the washroom, which shares boundary with the backyard of the Cama and Albless Hospital. I knew those were being fired from AK-47 rifles, said Mulani, 43, who is currently posted with the Maharashtra State Police Housing Corporation (MSPHC).

He was right. Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives Ajmal Kasab and Ismail Khan had made their way to the hospital. However, the police didnt know much about the terrorists at the time. All they knew was that Mumbai was under attack.

On instructions from senior inspector Arun Chavan to secure the hospitals rear gate, Mulani and a fellow commando scaled the boundary wall. A volley of bullets flew past us and hit a stationary vehicle parked along the road. We immediately took cover, said Mulani. They managed to make their way to the rear gate with help from a passing police van, but the gate was closed and Mulani could hear gunshots coming from the inside.

As Mulani tried to assess the situation, additional commissioner Ashok Kamte rushed into the lane that led to the hospital. Both Kamte saheb and I came under fire. I lost balance and fell after a bullet grazed past my right hand, Mulani recalled. They took cover behind a tempo and Kamte pulled Mulani close to him. Within seconds, a barrage of shots hit the place where Id been earlier. I owe my life to Kamte saheb, said Mulani.

Minutes later, the then chief of the Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) Hemant Karkare arrived at the scene in the ill-fated Toyata Qualis that would be later be taken by the terrorists. Before the top cops left, Mulani told Kamte all he knew. I had briefed Kamte saheb that the terrorists were armed with AK-47 and hand grenades, he said.

Mulani didnt know this was the last time hed speak to his mentor Kamte. Karkare and Kamte left in the jeep to locate the terrorists, leaving Mulani and other policemen with orders to hold position at the rear gate. As the firing resumed, Mulani and his colleagues began evacuating the dead and injured. Around 6am, I came to know that Kamte sahib, Karkare sahib, [Inspector Vijay] Salaskar sahib were no more. I felt devastated. I will live with the biggest regret in my life that I could not save Kamtesaheb, said Mulani.

Later, Mulani joined the team formed to investigate Kasab. We were put on Kasabs security duty 24x7 basis. None of us went home for a month, said Mulani, who remembers Kasab opening up only when he realised Mulani and a few other officers were Muslim. Kasab was surprised when all of us in the team (Hindus and Muslims) would sit together to eat. He could not comprehend that we live peacefully and happily in our country, said Mulani.

One day Kasab told Mulani that he had been told that Muslims are a harassed and persecuted lot in India. Kasab also said hed had been handpicked by Lashkar-e-Taibas second-in-command Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, who had persuaded Kasab to wage jihad against India. Kasab told Mulani he had been told that he would go to heaven if I killed the infidels.

Mulani remembers lashing out at Kasab and telling him, The heavens will not forgive for what youve done. You deserve punishment for spilling innocent blood. The time spent as Kasabs security team was hard on Mulani. I felt like killing him [Kasab] for what he has done to my friends, colleagues and my mentor Kamte saheb. It was really tough to control my emotions, he said.
Jeweller Mehul Choksi would like to come back to India after three months if he is in good health, submitted his lawyer on Saturday before the special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). They made the submission during the hearing of the plea seeking to declare Choksi as a Fugitive Economic Offender.

The special court was hearing one of the 10 applications filed by Choksis lawyer Sanjay Abod and his legal team. They claimed Choksi, one of the prime accused in the Rs13,000 crore fraud at state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB), is medically unfit to travel and present himself for investigation into allegations of money laundering connected with the case. These applications were moved on October 30 to counter the plea of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking to declare Choksi as a Fugitive Economic Offender.

The lawyers argued that Choksi is ready to cooperate with the investigation and he is not running away. It was submitted that he left India much before the registration of the case for treatment for his heart related ailments.

The lawyers gave three options to the investigating agency. They claimed officers can question Choksi on video conference or can travel to Antigua, where he is presently residing. They also claimed that if the two are not feasible, the agency can wait for three months, as Choksi would like to come back to India if he is fit to travel.

ED objected the claims of the defense. The counsel for ED, Hiten Venegaokar, submitted that Choksi left India only to not return. ED submitted that he had never shown willingness to cooperate with the investigation before and it is doing so now only to counter the agencys plea.The court will continue to hear the case on Monday.

The court will continue to hear the arguments on other pleas on Monday.
The Belapur police station have recently booked a police sub-inspector, who is attached with the Navi Mumbai crime branch, for allegedly blackmailing and raping a woman constable multiple times.

The accused inspector went into hiding just after registering the offence and the police are now looking for him.

The police have registered an FIR under section 376 (punishment for rape) and 326 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc. with intent to commit an offence) of the IPC.

According to the police, the accused, Amit Shelar and the victim had worked together at the Vashi police station in 2010. Shelar was a police naik back then.

In March 2017, the accused spiked her juice and after she lost her consciousness, he sexually assaulted her inside his car at an isolated spot along the Palm Beach road. He had also recorded some of her videos on his phone, said Ajay Kadam, assistant commissioner of police (crime).

Kadam said Shelar then started asking for sexual favours from the victim. Whenever the victim refused, he would threaten her to make the videos viral. He would then take her to different places such as Kalamboli, Kharghar or Kamothe and rape her. He would also physically assault her when she refused to give in.

Sanjay Kumar, commissioner of police, Navi Mumbai, said, The victim had recently met me with her husband and narrated the entire incident. Then I directed the Belapur police to register an offence. The women assistance cell, which operates under the crime branch, is now investigating the case.

We are now looking for the accused and hope to arrest him soon, said Kadam.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is fine-tuning his Hindi vocabulary with the help of a language expert, ahead of his address in Ayodhya, said a party functionary.

Thackeray is expected to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in his speech at Ayodhya, in Hindi, on November 25.

Although senior Sena leaders describe Thackeray as well-versed and proficient in Hindi, the leader intends to get his pronunciations clear.

It would be wrong to say he is getting tutored. He is well-versed and proficient in the language. The intention is to get the diction correct and use the right words in the speech for it to be effective, said a senior party functionary, who is known to be close to the Thackeray family.

Thackeray, who delivers his speeches in Marathi, is known to launch acerbic attacks on opponents and allies in his addresses.

The Sena chief in his annual speech on Dussehra had said he will question Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of the construction of the Ram temple.The Sena, which has taken up the Ram temple issue, is viewing this is an opportunity for the party to make an impact on a national stage.

Senior party leaders said Thackerays speech is crucial as it could catapult the Sena onto a national level.

It is definitely important for the party. It is perhaps the first time that Uddhav ji is going out of the state for such an important issue. It will certainly have an impact on the political scenario in the future, said Manisha Kayande, party MLC and spokesperson.

Rajya Sabha MP and party secretary Anil Desai said the party has the support of smaller Hindutva outfits in Uttar Pradesh, including the Karni Sena.

The Sena has also mobilised its party network in the state to get support for Thackerays rally.

Many Hindutva outfits have pledged support to the cause and will be with us. We expect thousands to be present in Ayodhya to hear Uddhav ji, Desai said.

The Sena, which is sharing power with the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, has been taking on the Modi government for not fulfilling its poll promise of constructing the Ram temple.

The party has demanded that the Centre bring in an ordinance instead of awaiting the Supreme Court verdict on the matter.
In a major challenge facing the Pune mahanagar parivahan mahamandal limited (PMPML), the public service utility is saddled with nearly Rs53 lakh in coins which has been kept in 13 PMPML depots and is pending acceptance by the Central Bank of India for depositing into its account.

Since October 3, the Central Bank of India, which holds the account of PMPML has refused to accept coin deposits from the PMPML citing lack of space.

In the PMPMLs depot at Shivaji Nagar there are two almirahs full of coins of Rs1, Rs2, Rs5 and Rs10 worth Rs5.25 lakh. Both the almirahs had a very little space to accommodate more coins, one out of which was rather in a leaning position owing to the weight of the coins.

According to PMPML officials, consistent increase in the number of coins will soon lead to a shortage of space for keeping it in the respective depots.

Considering the urgency, PMPML chairperson Nayana Gunde has written to the Reserve Bank of India requesting to intervene in the matter.

Gunde, said, Ever since the Central Bank of India stopped accepting coins from us, we were left with no option but to keep it stashed in our depots. However, the numbers of coins are constantly increasing and would soon lead to a space shortage. Consequently, we wrote to RBI to intervene in the matter with a hope that it finds some solution to the problem.

We have received a positive response from the RBI as in the previous week they had assured us to find some solution to the problem in next 15 days, said Gunde.

We carry around 12 lakh passengers every day. The ticket cost is collected in both currency notes and coins. We collect coins worth anywhere between Rs1.5 lakh and Rs2 lakh every single day, said, Subhash Gaikwad, PMPML spokesperson.

PMPML has a fleet strength of about 2,000 buses and a daily fare collection of about Rs1.40 crore.
As a child, Sachin Pilot often visited a temple of Devnarayan, worshipped by the Gujjars as an incarnation of Vishnu, in Tonk district with his father, Rajesh Pilot. In September this year, he took his two sons, Aaran and Vehaan, to the temple known as Dev Dham Jodhpuriya, little aware that two months later, it will be Tonk from where he will contest his first assembly election.

The partys decision to field the 41-year-old president of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee from Tonk has broken the 46-year-old tradition of fielding a Muslim candidate in the constituency. The BJP has fielded Mahavir Prasad Jain since 1980 and replaced him with Ajit Singh Mehta in 2013. The party has again fielded Mehta for the December 7 assembly election.

Pilot has been Lok Sabha MP from Dausa in 2004 and from Ajmer in 2009. He lost the 2014 election to BJPs Sanwar Lal Jat. However, after Jats death, the party recaptured the seat in 2017 by-election and Raghu Sharma became the Ajmer MP.

Geographically, Tonk falls in between Pilots Lok Sabha constituencies. But thats just a coincidence  there are other reasons for the Congress leader to contest from the former princely state ruled by Nawabs.

Congress decision to field the 41-year-old president of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee from Tonk has broken the 46-year-old tradition of fielding a Muslim candidate in the constituency. (PTI File Photo)

Out of about 222,000 voters in Tonk, 40-50,000 are Muslims, which may be the reason why the Congress always fielded a Muslim from the seat since the 1972 assembly election. And that could be reason why the BJP always fielded an RSS leader.

One of Tonks biggest Muslim families, the Saidis, is also related to Sachin Pilot. Family patriarch Dr Ajmal Saidi shared his hostel room in Jaipurs Sawai Man Singh Medical College with Dr Farooq Abdullah, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Pilots father-in-law. Dr Abdullah often visited the family in Tonk.

Dr Ajmal Saidis sixth child, Saud Saidi, was president of the Tonk District Congress Committee for seven years beginning 2002. He sought partys ticket for 2008 and 2013 assembly elections but lost the race to Zakiya, who stopped using her husbands surname, Inam, after their divorce. Zakiya has contested on Congress ticket in 1985, 1990, 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013 assembly elections, winning in 1985, 1998 and 2008.

We were very keen that Pilot saab should either contest the Lok Sabha from Tonk (the constituency is Tonk-Sawai Madhopur) or the assembly election from this constituency. Ek bada neta aayega to vikas hoga (if a big leader represents the constituency, it will get developed), said 47-year-old Saud Saidi, who contested as an Independent in 2013 and ended up as runner-up but managed to poll more votes than Zakiya.

However, it was not easy for Zakiya to let her constituency slip out of her hands. Badi bechaini ho rahi hai (I am feeling a lot of anxiety), she said when reached for her reaction. The 69-year-old Botany postgraduate did not say whether she will support Sachin Pilot or oppose him, but said, Minority ka haq jata hai to repercussions to honge hi (If the minority lose their right, it is bound to have repercussions).

Apart from the Muslims, there are around 20-30,000 Gujjars, 35,000 SCs and 15,000 Malis in Tonk constituency. Pilot is a Gujjar. SCs, especially the Bairwas, are traditionally Congress supporters. If Muslims, Gujjars and SCs vote for Pilot, he may have a smooth sailing in Tonk against BJPs Ajit Singh Mehta, who is the sitting MLA.

But theres a doubt that all Muslims will rally behind the Congress. Zakiya gave an indication of this and there were sporadic protests by Muslims in Tonk on Friday.

Pilot says he didnt choose Tonk, the party chose it for him. It was the partys order that I contest the assembly elections and it chose Tonk for me, he said.

However, locals say the PCC chief tested waters in Tonk when he organised the Mera Booth, Mera Gaurav programme of Ajmer division in Tonk in May this year.

The Congress has lost Tonk, whenever it has, because of non-cooperation of some influential Muslim families. These families told Pilot that if he decided to contest from Tonk, all of them could work unitedly for the party, said a member of one of these families on conditions of anonymity.

BJP MLA Mehta called Pilot an outsider. Their party president said no parachute candidate will get tickets and has now sent an outsider to Tonk, ignoring their traditional Muslim candidates, he said.

Avinash Rai Khanna, BJP state incharge, also called Pilot an absconder for contesting from Tonk. He has changed his constituencies from Dausa to Ajmer to Tonk, he said.
Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje will face former BJP leader Jaswant Singhs son Manvendra, who switched to the Congress from the BJP last month, in Jhalrapatan. The state goes to polls on December 7.

It is partys decision to field me from Jhalrapatan. I am ready for challenge, said Manvendra Singh soon after his name was released by the Congress this afternoon in its second list of 32 candidates. Singh is a sitting legislator from Sheo assembly seat in Barmer district.

The Congress announcement came just hours after Raje filed her nomination for the Jhalrapatan seat. She has been winning from the constituency since 2003.

CM Raje, however, dismissed the challenge saying, it isnt a battle of individuals. Jhalarapatan is my home and its people are family so this is not my battle but of Jhalarapatan and its residents.

The decision to field the ex-BJP leader is seen as an attempt to raise the stakes for the BJP in her pocket-borough. It would, the Congress believes, also endear the party to the Rajputs. The community, which makes up for seven per cent of the electorate in Rajasthan, has traditionally voted the BJP.

It was at a rally on September 22 that Manvendra Singh had announced his exit from the BJP. Manvendra had called the public meeting a Swabhiman rally to, as he had described, salvage Rajput pride. He had then called his decision to join the BJP a big mistake.

Read more:Manvendra Singhs exit shifts prospects in Barmer from BJP to Congress

Rajputs were unhappy with the BJP, Manvendra told them, as it denied ticket to Jaswant Singh in 2014 general elections to contest from Barmer-Jaisalmer Lok Sabha seat. His father had then contested the seat as an independent, and lost.

His supporters in the region have said they havent forgotten the slight to their leader, who served as the countrys finance, defence and external affairs minister.

Manvendra Singh had won from the Sheo constituency in this region a year earlier.

The Manvendra Singh vs Vasundhara Raje battle could also provide the Congress leader an opportunity to settle some old scores.

Back in the run up to the 2014 elections, Chief minister Vasundhara Raje was seen to have played a role in the BJP sidelining Jaswant Singh that drove him to contest as an Independent candidate. Manvendra Singh has had strained relations with her ever since.

So it wasnt much of a surprise that Raje skipped only Manvendra Singhs constituency Sheo during her Gaurav Yatra in August this year.

But it is going to be a huge challenge for the Congress to galvanise the local party workers to work for Manvendra.

Jhalrapatan district Congress president Kailash Meena made no effort to hide his disappointment at the partys choice of candidates.

A local candidate would have been better, he said. He, however, added that the high command might have taken the decision after looking into all aspects and the seat has always been experimented.

The BJP won a record 163 seats in the 200-member assembly in the 2013 elections in Rajasthan.

Rajasthan will vote in a single phase on December 7 and votes will be counted on December 11.
The Congress on Saturday released its third list of 13 candidates for the December 7 assembly elections in Telangana. The nominations will close on Monday.

The Congress has so far finalised candidates for 88 constituencies, out of 94 in which it is contesting, having left the remaining 25 seats to partners of the Maha Kootami (grand alliance).

The party is yet to announce candidates for another six seats, which is expected to be done by evening.

Former Pradesh Congress Committee president Ponnala Lakshmaiah, who could not find his name in the first two lists, managed to get the party ticket for Jangaon constituency after hectic lobbying in New Delhi.

The seat was originally allotted to Telangana Jana Samithi president M Kodandaram, who made all the arrangements to file nominations and take up the campaign.

However, following the intervention of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Kodandaram finally decided to drop out in favour of Lakshmaiah.

AICC general secretary in-charge of Telangana R C Khuntia, who had a lengthy discussions with Kodandaram till late hours on Friday, said Lakshmaiah would not be contesting from Jangaon.

Kodandaram sacrificed his seat for the former PCC chief, he said.

Sources close to him said Kodandaram would confine himself to campaigning instead of contesting from some other constituency.

The third list comprises from an SC, three ST, three BC, three Muslims and three Reddy community candidates. Apart from Ponnala Lakshmaiah, another former minister Soyam Bapu Rao, former MLA D Sudhir Reddy and PCC spokesperson Addanki Dayakar are among the candidates included in the fresh list.

Meanwhile, the BJP also announced its fourth list of seven candidates for the Telangana elections. Till now, BJP announced the list for 93 segments out of the 119. The first list consists of 38 candidates and 28 candidates were added to the second list and 20 in third list.

The fresh list includes Telangana BJP state Mahila Morcha president Akula Vijaya from Gajwel, represented by Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. In the last elections, Vijaya unsuccessfully contested against KCRs son K T Rama Rao from Siricilla.
Unconfirmed sources said that the minister was allegedly attacked with a flower pot and also suffered minor injuries.

Lucknow: Union railway minister Piyush Goyal, on Friday, faced angry railway employees who shouted slogans against him and forced him to leave the function without addressing railway men.

Despite a heavy deployment of police and Railway Protection Force , pandemonium prevailed at the function as the crowd went on rampage and shouted slogan against Mr Goyal.

Trouble began when the minister criticized the railway mens union and blamed it for misleading workers. The chaos started when Goyal was speaking from the stage. The protestors were reportedly enraged when the minister blamed Shiv Gopal Misra, the general secretary of All India Railway Mens Federation (AIRF), for instigating youth who had completed apprenticeship in the Railways. AIRF is one of the biggest unions of railway workers in the country.

Unconfirmed sources said that the minister was allegedly attacked with a flower pot and also suffered minor injuries. Chaos and slogans against Mr Piyush Goyal continued even after he left the venue with secuirity forces escorting him to his car. Some employees even jumped in front of the ministers car and tried to stop him.
Bigg Boss season 12 took a very serious turn when Shivashish Mishra refused to obey the rules of the house and was accused of breach of contract. In the preview, Weekend Ka Vaar host Salman Khan can be seen ousting Shivashish for not following the command of the house captain.

Bigg Boss had granted captain Romil Chaudhary the right to choose the contenders of the kalkothri (jail). He was given three tickets for the purpose which was to be used to send one contestant to jail on each gong. He sent Megha Dhade to jail on account of insulting Deepak Thakur and using inappropriate words. The second name for the kalkothri was Shivashish. He refused to accept the accusations levied against him and flung the jail ticket in the air while clearly refusing to accept the decision of the captain. Despite waiting for two hours and threatening him with dire consequences, Romil failed to send him to the jail. As a result, Bigg Boss cancelled the kalkothri task altogether and nominated all the contestants except Romil for next weeks evictions.

Since Sreesanth had constantly supported Shivashish during the entire episode, the contestants blamed both of them for earning the wrath of the Bigg Boss. Somi Khan told Sreesanth that he will be responsible for the elimination of a contestant next week. Soon after, Shivashish apologised to the contestants for disrespecting the show, but in vain. He was later seen grieving in isolation for being accused of being egoistic and showing the power of money in the house.

It is to be noted, Surbhi Rana was upset for being considered as one of the contenders for the kalkothri. She lost her cool and created a ruckus in the house by breaking all the house rules in rage. She demanded a jail term for herself and offered to go to the kalkothri in place of Shivashish. Romil, however, refused to change his decision. The widening rift between the Happy Club members is evident as the two show no signs of reconciliation.

The high pitch drama was later followed by the introduction of the luxury budget task. The contestants were divided into two teams. While Romil had to represent one team, Rohit Suchanti was chosen from the other. The two players had to cross four obstacles in minimum time while collecting the slates of their favourite luxury items in order to win the task. Since Romil completed the task in minimum time, he was declared the winner and was given the right to the luxury budget along with his team including Surbhi, Somi, Deepak, Srishty Rode and Karanvir Bohra.

#RomilChoudhary aur @imrohitsuchanti ko face karne honge obstacles Garnier Men Acno Fight mein apne team ko jitaane ke liye. Watch #BB12 at 9 PM to witness all the action! #BiggBoss12 @TheGarnierMan pic.twitter.com/t67xQY3fKi  Bigg Boss (@BiggBoss) November 16, 2018

Before the major showdown, Rohit had hidden a sweet apology note for Srishty under her pillow cover. The two patched up as Rohit won her heart by writing a note in nail paint on a tissue paper.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has concluded Saudis powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, US media reported Friday, citing people close to the matter.

The US assessment directly contradicts the conclusions of a Saudi prosecutor one day prior, which exonerated the prince of involvement in the brutal murder.

But The Washington Post, which broke the story, said the CIA found that 15 Saudi agents flew on government aircraft to Istanbul and assassinated Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate.

Queried by AFP, the CIA declined to comment.

Khashoggi, a Post columnist, had gone to the consulate to obtain documents necessary to marry his Turkish fiancee.

Saudi Arabia -- which quickly dismissed the reported CIA findings -- has repeatedly changed its official narrative of the October 2 murder, first denying any knowledge of Khashoggis whereabouts and later saying he was killed when an argument degenerated into a fistfight.

The CIA scrubbed multiple intelligence sources, the Post said, among them a phone call between the princes brother -- the Saudi ambassador to the United States -- and Khashoggi. (AP File Photo)

In the latest version presented by the Saudi prosecutor on Thursday, a 15-member squad was formed to bring Khashoggi back from Istanbul by means of persuasion -- but instead ended up killing the journalist and dismembering his body in a rogue operation.

The CIA scrubbed multiple intelligence sources, the Post said, among them a phone call between the princes brother -- the Saudi ambassador to the United States -- and Khashoggi.

The ambassador reportedly told the late journalist that he would be safe to go to the consulate in Istanbul and get the papers he needed.

Some things you cant do

But a Saudi embassy spokesperson said that Ambassador Khalid bin Salman had never discussed anything related to going to Turkey with Khashoggi.

Amb Prince Khalid bin Salman has never had any phone conversations with (Khashoggi), the statement posted on the ambassadors Twitter account said.

The claims in this purported assessment is false, it said.

Meanwhile, the US intelligence agency also said in determining the crown princes role it considered him a de facto ruler in Saudi Arabia: The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved, the Post quoted an official as saying.

That official dubbed Prince Mohammed a good technocrat -- but also someone unpredictable who goes from zero to 60, doesnt seem to understand that there are some things you cant do.

The New York Times later reported that the CIA findings were also based on calls from the kill team to one of the crown princes senior aides.

But the paper said that while the intercepts showed Prince Mohammed was working to lure Khashoggi to Saudi Arabia, the crown prince had not said in the calls that he wanted Khashoggi killed.

The NYT cited officials as saying US and Turkish intelligence as of yet has not found direct evidence connecting the prince to Khashoggis killing.

The CIA conclusions nevertheless threaten to further fray relations between Washington and key ally Riyadh, which has sought to end discussion of the murder and rejected calls for an international investigation.

On Thursday, the US Treasury slapped sanctions on 17 people, including close aides of Prince Mohammed, suggesting a coordinated effort between Riyadh and Washington to pre-empt the threat of harsher actions from an outraged US Congress.

US President Donald Trump has shied from directly blaming the Crown Prince but on Friday agreed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that any cover up of the incident should not be allowed.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. )
Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered on October 2 in his countrys consulate in Istanbul.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor and critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was drugged and dismembered and his remains were then removed from the consulate, the Saudi public prosecutors office said on Thursday.

Here is what we know about the Saudis accused of involvement in the murder that has provoked an international outcry.

21 suspects

A total of 21 people, all Saudi citizens, are in custody in connection with Khashoggis killing, the Saudi prosecutors office said, without identifying them.

Of the 21 suspects, 11 have been indicted while investigations continue into the others.

The prosecutors office said it was seeking the death penalty against five accused who are charged with ordering and committing the crime.

Five Saudi officials sacked

On October 20, Riyadh announced the sacking of five Saudi officials -- two of them part of Prince Mohammeds inner circle -- and the detention of 18 suspects, whose names were not released.

General Ahmad al-Assiri, who was fired as deputy head of intelligence, was implicated in the prosecutors statement, which said that a former deputy intelligence chief ordered the leader of the mission to bring back the victim by means of persuasion, and if persuasion fails, to do so by force.

Royal media adviser Saud al-Qahtani has also been fired. Although not named by the prosecutors office, it said a former adviser played a central role in the operation.

Mohammed al-Rumaih, Abdullah al-Shaya and Rashad al-Muhamadi, who all held posts in the kingdoms intelligence service, were also sacked following the killing.

US sanctions 17 Saudis

The United States on Thursday slapped economic sanctions on 17 Saudis allegedly involved in the Khashoggi murder. Among them are:

Qahtani for being part of the planning and execution of the operation that led to the killing of Khashoggi, the US Treasury said.

Maher Mutreb, a close aide to Qahtani, who coordinated and executed the operation.

Mohammed al-Otaibi, the Saudi consul in Istanbul, where the journalist was killed.

The Washington Post reported on Friday that the US Central Intelligence Agency had concluded Prince Mohammed, the de facto ruler of the kingdom, was behind the killing of Khashoggi.

However, the New York Times said that while telephone intercepts showed Prince Mohammed was working to lure Khashoggi to Saudi Arabia, he had not said in the calls that he wanted the journalist killed.

Saudi prosecutors office spokesman Shaalan al-Shaalan said on Thursday that the prince had no knowledge of Khashoggis murder.

Khashoggis body

A physical altercation after Khashoggi entered the consulate led to him being forcibly restrained and injected with a large amount of a drug resulting in an overdose that led to his death, may Allah bless his soul, the prosecutors office said.

It said his body was then dismembered, transferred outside the consulate and handed over to a collaborator.

What was done with Khashoggis remains afterwards is still unknown.
Mexico City is about to become the setting for a ride-hailing demolition derby.

Didi Chuxing, the Beijing-based behemoth that drove Uber Technologies Inc. out of China, says it will butt heads with Uber in Latin Americas biggest metropolis, starting as soon as next month. And now a Mercedes Benz-owned startup called Beat says its muscling in, too, with its own launch planned by March.

We want to be ruthless, Nikos Drandakis, the companys 55-year-old co-founder and chief executive, said in a phone interview. Weve got what it takes to carve out a sizable piece of the Mexico City market.

Drandakiss firm has become the go-to ride-sharing app at home in Athens and in Lima, but its never gone head-to-head with deep-pocketed Uber or Didi in a market that really mattered to them. Mexico City is a prize because the densely populated metropolis of 21 million has inadequate public transport and plenty of people who need supplementary work, which means willing drivers.

This is a big market and its a good market because mobility is such a big problem here, said Fernando Paez, a transportation consultant at the World Resources Institute in Mexicos capital.

Drandakis and three friends started the company in Athens in 2011 as a taxi-finding app during Greeces debt crisis. At first, they had to recruit drivers by handing out leaflets on the street. But the business took off once drivers saw it actually helped them get more passengers. Now, about a third of the citys 3.1 million people use the service, according to Drandakis.

In 2014, Drandakis expanded to Lima, where Beat started offering its service to drivers other than cabbies and became the No. 1 car-hailing app, doubling rides every year and out-competing Uber, which started in the city at just about the same time.

Last year, the company was bought by Mercedes Benz-owner Daimler AG, which paid about $45 million and left Drandakis in charge. Since then, Beat has quadrupled in size to 400 employees and rolled out in Bogota and Santiago, where it signed up more than a million users in its first year.

Now comes Mexico City, a much bigger challenge because Uber has already built a commanding lead there, and Didi is also angling to break in. (Beat actually tried the city once before, in 2014, but lack of funds forced it to withdraw.)

Armed this time with Daimlers money, Drandakis in June sent a team of five staffers to the city to figure out how to tailor their service to the market. Moving between neighborhoods to get a feel for the whole place, they rode with Uber drivers and talked to riders to see how they could pull them away. Drandakis wouldnt say what they found out.

But he said he hopes to recruit thousands of drivers before launching, and build an on-the-ground team of between 40 and 50 people including marketing reps and pricing specialists. The plan, he said, is to be the No. 1 ride-sharing company in the city within three years.

Were smaller, but were more agile and capable of innovating faster than our larger global competitors, he said.

Within a few months of the Mexico City rollout, Drandakis plans to launch in Guadalajara, Monterrey and Colombias Medellin and Cali. By 2022, he wants to be in every major city in Latin America.

We have the resources and capital to do it, and we have the know-how, he said.
Raja Bhaiyya will be formally launching his new party on November 30 with a major rally in Lucknow.

Lucknow: Independent legislator and former minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh a.k.a. Raja Bhaiyya, on Friday played a master stroke when he said that the purpose behind forming a new party was the studied silence all political parties on the issue of amendments in the SC/ST Act.

In a move that is bound to attract upper caste and OBCs to his new party, Raja Bhaiyya said, The amendment in the SC/ST Act not only concerns a large section of society but also serves to alienate dalits from the social mainstream. All political leaders express concern on this issue in their drawing rooms but do not speak out in the legislature and Parliament or in the media.

Raja Bhaiyya said, The welfare of dalits cannot be ensured by segregating them in this manner. The law should be equal for all, Dr B.R. Ambedkar did not emphasise this segregation in the constitution. The governments have maintained a silence on the issue.

He further said that if a dalit was murdered, his family was given compensation whereas if a non-dalit was murdered, he did not get any compensation. Similarly, if a dalit woman was raped, she was given compensation but not a women belonging to a non-dalit category who is a victim of the same crime.

We want that anyone who is a victim of heinous crime like rape or murder should get compensated and should not be differentiated on basis of caste, he stated.

I am not against Dalits  in fact, Dalits form a sizeable number of my voters. I feel that the SC/ST Act is working against the interest of dalits, he said.

Asked if he would ally with other parties, Raja Bhaiyya said, You should ask other political parties if they share my views and would they be willing to come together on these issues.

Raja Bhaiyya will be formally launching his new party on November 30 with a major rally in Lucknow.
The BJP has so far announced the names of 162 candidates in the 200-member assembly.

New Delhi: In a bid to support partys candidates and woo the voter, BJP president Amit Shah will hold a massive roadshow in Bikaner in poll bound Rajasthan on November 21 where the Opposition Congress is said to be in a resurgent mode. While the ruling BJP sounds confident of breaking the electoral jinx and retaining power in the state, the Congress is hopeful that it will come back to power. One of the main poll planks of the Congress in the state is nonfulfilment of poll promises made by the BJP and former chief minister and Congress stalwart, Ashok Gehlot has said that all welfare schemes, including the free medicines programmes, and all infrastructure projects of the previous government which were halted, scrapped and destroyed by the Vasundhara Raje regime will be revived if his party is voted back to power in the state. The Congresss poll promises also include relief schemes and incentives for the farmers and employment for the youth, two sections which the BJP had also been wooing. The Congress had also accused the BJP of rolling back some of the people centric schemes started during the previous Congress regime,w hich included free medicines schemes, pensions for the marginalised sections, loan relief for farmers, incentives for the rural poor, financial assistance for cattle sector among others. After much delay, the Congress released its first list of candidates for the state on late Thursday. The Congress released names of 152 candidates for the December 7 polls. While Mr Gehlot has been fielded from Sardarpura, former Union minister and state party president Sachin Pilot will contest from Tonk seat. Both are considered to be the frontrunners for the chief ministerial post. The BJP has so far announced the names of 162 candidates in the 200-member assembly.
Appointment

16 November 2018

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest hotel franchisors, has promoted Abhijit Patel to vice president of marketing and distribution strategy and operations.

In this role, Patel will oversee the company's marketing and distribution functions, including property management systems, third-party distribution channels, and vendor relationships to increase revenue and improve performance and profitability for franchisees. He will also work closely with Choice's technology and business intelligence organizations to refine booking and shopping functionality, mobile evolution, and loyalty contribution.

Patel joined Choice Hotels in 2015 as a director of business planning and, throughout his tenure, has held roles of increasing responsibility. Immediately prior to his promotion, Patel served as senior director of product management and operations, where he led the implementation of new products and technology initiatives to fuel midweek business across the Choice portfolio.

Before arriving at Choice, Patel supported global marketing at Mars Drinks, a division of Mars Inc., where he helped evolve the company's merchandising strategy to improve customer experience and brand awareness. Earlier in his career, he held various positions at GEICO. Patel earned a bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland.
General Mills is looking forward to expanding their hustle into the film industry. The cereal company wants the cartoon characters that grace the covers of their cereal boxes to undergo the Hollywood treatment. They have publicized how these mascots are ready for their close-up as they mobilize for upcoming productions featuring Count Chocula, Franken Berry, and Boo Berry.

The company launched a website to gather pitches from film industry professionals. They issued a callout to professional talents on WorkWithTheMonsters.com, asking for pitches from filmmakers, actors, agents, writers, and producers.

We want to work with you to bring great stories to life. From mythical fables to magical journeys. Fairy tales to folk tales. Cliffhangers to nail-biters. Heroic sagas to cosmic battles. Binge-worthy dramas to historical epics. Blockbusters to indies. Serials to sequels. Together, lets captivate the hearts and minds of teens and adults. This isnt a contest. This isnt a pitch for free ideas. We humbly submit this brief to you, Hollywood.

The cereal company has also advertised this opportunity for creatives through strategically placed Billboard. OVersized images of some of their characters were placed on Sunset Boulevard. Considering the grandeur of the corporate giant, this effort might have been launched mostly as marketing campaign since they are likely to already have the type of connections necessary for the completion of their vision.
Jamie Foxx has got Twitter going crazy as people can't help but comment on his beard. Jamie recently paid a visit to The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon as well as Good Morning America to talk about his upcoming role in Robin Hood. Aside from an interest in his movie talk, people were (more) interested in his beard since it seemingly stole the show.

"Jamie Foxx on GMA looking like he got his hairline and beard installed this morning," a user wrote on Twitter, with another adding: "Jamie Foxx needs a talking to. There is no way he should be out here with this fake ass beard he wearing." Jamie has been trolled in the past for apparently updating his hairline, so the loyal Internet trolls aren't letting him get away with touching up his beard.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1062210748443693056



If you look at older photos of Jamie compared to his more recent shots, there's a notable difference in the thickness and placement of his beard, but hey, let a man live. In the meantime, check out more funny reactions on the matter below.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1063523534020980736

https://twitter.com/_/status/1062390257193238531

https://twitter.com/_/status/1062580884564512768

https://twitter.com/_/status/1063513625598472192

https://twitter.com/_/status/1063514972611723264


26-year-old Jemel Roberson was shot dead by police in Chicago this month. As reported by Chicago's local CBS News, Roberson was a security guard who attempted to thwart an active shooter at Mannys Blue Room Lounge. As a security guard, Roberson was licensed to carry a weapon, and subdued the gunman. When Midlothian police arrived, they shot and killed Roberson instead of the gunman he stopped. He was the father of a 9-month old son named Tristan, while his girlfriend is currently pregnant.

Kanye West has been spending some time in Chicago lately, and TMZ reports that the story of Roberson's death shook the rapper. Roberson's family set up a GoFundMe for his funeral arrangements and other support, with a goal of $10,000 in mind. West donated $150,000 to Roberson's family on Friday, surpassing their goal. The sum will take care of any funeral costs and will also help to support Roberson's girlfriend through her pregnancy. Unfortunately, nothing will bring Jemel back from the grave. The shooting is currently under investigation, but the Midlothian are refusing to release the identity of the shooter. According to USA Today, Roberson's family lawyer is threatening to release the name to the public if the police do not. He believes they are allowing the shooter enough time to clean up his social media so that when the media starts digging, there's no dirt to find.
After fans launched a social media campaign, Mariah Careys Glitter album has experienced an 8,374 percent boost in United States album sales within November 9th and November 14th. According to Nielsen Music, the album which originally dropped in 2001, has sold 3,000 copies.

Its all thanks to a hashtag that launched on November 9th when users began to use the hashtag, #JusticeForGlitter, encouraging fans to listen to Glitter ahead of the arrival of Careys latest Caution album. Upon its release, the film which was also the soundtrack for the songstresss film of the same name, debuted and peaked at No.7 and had only sold 661,000 copies in the United States through November 8th.

According to Twitter, the hashtag has been used over 37,000 times on the platform through November 15th alone. It looks to be the biggest sales week for Glitter since February 2002. Billboardalso notes that the album will more than likely enter the Soundtracks chart next week with the current No. 25 position belonging to The Little Mermaid with over 2,000 equivalent album units. In 2001, Glitter spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Soundtracks chart.

With its re-entry, Glitter will likely reappear in the chart's Top 15 easily with its 3,000-unit tally.
Problem dropped the single "Fuck Me Too" off S2 two weeks ago, and he returns with another offering from the upcoming album. Entitled "Wild Nights," Problem's latest track is a bass-heavy street anthem. Harsh piano riffs give the single a patented West Coast vibe, and Problem goes in over the dark instrumental.

The single comes along with an interactive website called City of the Litty. The website is dope, and visitors can click on artwork that features artists who can be expected to show up on S2. From Mozzy To Wiz Khalifa, French Montana to Diddy, the interactive website lets you click on characters for teasers, funny videos, and more.

Quotable Lyrics

Baby scooped me, now we zooming up Mulholland Drive

I lit my weed, she tried to trip, I said shut up and drive

She knew to listen, other bitches blowing up my phone

She started yelling, told her quick, you better watch your tone
The oil bust that devastated Houstons energy sector also served to invigorate it.

In the years since crude markets crashed and forced hundreds of thousands of layoffs, many of the citys most prominent oil and gas companies have embraced technology as a means to become nimbler and more competitive as energy needs change. They have built internal teams to vet and perhaps invest in promising technologies and partnered with the likes of Google and Microsoft to make better use of their data.

Now, some of Houstons biggest companies are trying to foster a startup scene as they look to develop a pipeline of innovative ideas and products. But they face the same challenge that has long flustered entreprenuers, investors and economic development officials: how to build a launch pad for emerging companies in a city where the tech sector has remained stubbornly second-tier.

Those tracking the sectors transformation agree that Houston has made substantial progress in leveraging some of its strongest attributes  its economic strength, university programs and engineering talent  to build a culture of innovation geared toward its industrial base. More startups are taking root, sometimes with help from experienced workers laid off during the bust.

Venture capital investors are starting to focus on energy. And oil and gas companies have, to varying degrees, become more open to disruption and talking with competitors to encourage experimentation across the board.

How do we make sure this is sustainable? said Jose Silva, lead strategist for advanced analytics and emerging technologies for Anadarko Petroleum in The Woodlands. The ecosystem is starting to flourish, and now we need the ability to expand on those ideas to scale them up and see the returns.

Silva took charge of Anadarkos search for partnerships with startups and other emerging companies in early 2017 as part of a team created to accelerate the oil producers use of new technologies. He and his team now oversee pilot programs with seven startups using biotechnology, artificial intelligence, data analytics and other capabilities.

The key to building an innovation sector, said Silva, will depend on energy companies sharing what they learn about new technologies, with the idea of helping startups forge connections with potential customers to develop their products and services.

Gaby Rowe, CEO of Station Houston, the citys most prominent startup hub, said almost all of the citys oil and gas companies are exploring the tech scene to some degree. None of us want Houston to be the post-industrial giant that once was, Rowe said.

The obstacles, however, are deeply ingrained. Houston is not a top destination for tech-focused graduates. The energy industry is often perceived as conservative and insular. And key players in the tech sector  startups, investors and customers  are spread throughout a city notorious for its sprawl, making collaboration more difficult to foster than it is in places such as Austin and Silicon Valley.

On top of that, Houston has a spotty track record when it comes to venture capital investments. Rice University's McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation earlier this year reported that the city attracts less than 1 percent of U.S. venture capital, putting it at risk of being shut out of Americas future innovative economy.

Dozens of startups have charged forward despite those challenges, with a growing number turning their attention to business applications rather than the sort of consumer technology that dominates Silicon Valley. Rowe said more than half of Station Houstons 200 companies are developing applications for oil and gas and other industrial sectors.

DataGumbo, based in The Cannon, a startup hub in West Houston, is developing blockchain technology to make offshore operations more efficient, essentially by connecting operators, contractors and subcontractors with smart contracts that provide a common view of services rendered and other data. Right now, that information is often stored separately by the various companies supplying and operating rigs, making it challenging to execute contracts and improve efficiency.

The company in August secured $1.35 million in seed funding from investors in Houston and Silicon Valley. Its working with the Houston company Diamond Offshore Drilling to roll out its system across Diamonds fleet of rigs. It has four other customers and dozens more in the sales pipeline.

William Fox, DataGumbos chief product officer, said about half of the companys 25 employees were bought out, laid off or otherwise displaced from oil and gas companies during the energy bust. Thats part of the reason we were able to snap up people with 15 or 20 years of experience, Fox said.

Other startups have faced more of a challenge in finding talent. The Houston metro area employed only about 20,000 software systems and applications developers last year, according to the U.S. Labor Department, considerably less than the national average.

Expedi, a Houston startup building an online marketplace for rig parts and equipment, has grown rapidly since launching in August of 2017. It started with two employees  CEO Tim Neal and COO Jonathan Hamilton  who delivered the parts themselves, logging 3,000 miles a week in pickups barreling across West Texas.

The company in July secured $2.25 million in seed funding from investors in Houston and New York, allowing it to open a warehouse in Odessa and hire 18 more employees. It now services 35 rigs and 10 other industrial customers.

Neal said Houstons pool of software developers and technical talent has grown through Station Houston and similar organizations, but acknowledged that it isnt as deep as it is in places with more established innovation cultures.

When you compare Houston to other cities, there is still not that culture of people leaving college and wanting to go work for a startup, Neal said. You still need to look for talent.

Investor interest, however, is starting to pick up. Blue Bear Capital, which invested in Expedis seed round, was founded early last year to focus exclusively on startups developing technology for the energy sector supply chain. The firm, which has offices in Houston, Los Angeles, London and Norway, only invests in companies that have a customer base and reliable source of revenue.

Expedi is the only Houston company in Blue Bears portfolio, but Tim Kopra, a partner, said Blue Bear is eyeing several more young companies in Houston.

There is capital to go around for the companies that are able to demonstrate their value, he said. Its definitely a growing sector.

Houston energy investment bank Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., has made energy technology a focus of its advisory business. Maynard Holt, its CEO, last year hired John Gibson, formerly of Halliburton, to get to know the citys emerging technology companies and learn how their ideas could benefit the banks energy clients . On any given day, young entrepreneurs pass through their offices, pitching the duo on sometimes-lofty plans for making the industry cleaner or more efficient.

To better understand the industry itself, you have to understand technology, Holt said.

The city has worked to develop an innovation district to foster collaboration among local universities, business districts and tech incubators to create a node of activity to appeal to larger tech companies and investors. The goal is to integrate cutting-edge startups among existing research and business hubs between the Texas Medical Center and downtown Houston. Rice has said it will invest $100 million to transform the old Sears building in Midtown into a tech hub.

Silva, Anadarkos tech strategist, said much work needs to be done in the interim. He has worked with Station Houston to brainstorm a forum in which startups, investors and energy companies could together discuss whats needed to meet the industrys technology needs.

We have to enable it now, he said. If we wait until the innovation district is done, it might be too late.

katherine.blunt@chron.com

twitter.com/katherineblunt
MARLA OATES,

Russell Reynolds Associates,

has joined the firm as a member of the energy and natural resources practice and financial officers team.

JACKELYN PAZ,

IBC Bank-Houston,

has been promoted to bank officer and will guide efforts to improve operational efficiency.

CINDY MOSTAFFA,

Nexus Health Systems,

has rejoined the company as chief executive officer of the Nexus Neurorecovery Center campus.

KFIR ABUTBUL

of Paul Hastings,

has joined the global law firm as a partner in the firms private equity and energy practices in Houston.

BRIAN HEFLIN,

Wells Fargo Business Banking,

has been promoted to business banking manager for North Houston.

MATTHEW R. FRONTZ

of Polsinelli,

has been elected as a shareholder. He handles electrical engineering/computer science patent prosecution.

BRIAN C. GETTINGER,

Freese and Nichols,

has joined the professional consulting firm as a tunneling services leader.

CLAYTON FAHEY,

Dunavant Logistics Group,

has joined the Memphis-based firm as senior vice president of operations in the Houston office.

PATTI MURPHY,

Virtuosi of Houston,

has been appointed as the nonprofit young artist chamber orchestras executive director.

SHAY JOHANSON,

BoyarMiller,

has joined the law firm as of counsel. Johanson has more than 20 years experience as a business attorney.

MEG BOOTH,

Society for the Performing Arts,

joins the nonprofit organization as chief executive officer effective Dec. 1.

JANEEN S. JUDAH,

Crestwood Equity Partners,

has been appointed to the board of directors of the general partner of Crestwood Equity Partners.

BLAIR HAYNIE

of Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam,

joins the planning, engineering and program management firm as a regional transportation manager.

MELISSA KELLY,

Origin Bank,

has joined the company as a senior mortgage loan officer for the banks home lending division.

KIM CASEY,

Gulf Coast Power Association,

will serve as the associations next executive director in 2019. Casey is with Electric Transmission Texas.

TOM GANUCHEAU,

Beck Redden,

has been has been elected to a three-year term as a national director of DRI-The Voice of the Defense Bar.

JASON J. POPPEN,

HR Green,

has been appointed as the organizations next CEO, effective Jan. 1.

JORGE CONTRERAS,

Mobil Steel International,

has joined the Houston-area steel fabricator as controller.
Name the bird thats about 4 feet tall, weighs about 24 pounds, runs 25 mph, flies 55 mph and has more than 5,000 feathers in iridescent mahogany, copper and green.

Need more hints? Its vision is three times better than human vision, and its ears hear sounds farther away than human ears.

Oh, and its a family-oriented bird, with males, females and young living and dining together peacefully in a forest. Reminiscent of our families dining together at Thanksgiving.

Ah, you guessed it. The wild turkey.

Most people will not be cooking a wild turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Theyll instead be roasting a commercially grown domesticated turkey with little resemblance to a wild turkey  except for lineage.

Spanish explorers to the New World in the 16th century learned that American Indians kept domesticated wild turkeys for food and decorative feathers. The explorers hauled wild turkeys back to Europe, where poultry farmers produced a domesticated variety of barnyard turkeys with fatty breasts and white feathers.

Some of the European settlers arriving in America brought a supply of barnyard turkeys, a breed that lacks the ability to fly and isnt as smart as their wild ancestors.

Wild turkeys Endemic to Mexico and North America. Early European explorers apparently named them for a type of fowl found in Turkey. They're gallinaceous birds in the same order as grouse, quail and pheasants. Males are polygamous, mating with several hens whom they lure by uttering deep-throated gobbling sounds audible a mile away. Both sexes utter such vocalizations as purrs, whines, yelps and clucks. Populations plummeted to about 200,000 during late 19th century due to overhunting and deforestation. Game management helped restore populations to about 7 million, but recent declines to about 6 million are due in part to insufficient nesting habitat. See More Collapse

Wild turkeys are energetic birds that can even outsmart the wits of turkey hunters. They have longer necks, smaller head and slimmer bodies than domestic turkeys.

A family of wild turkeys consists of males, hens and poults, or young birds. Both males and females have a hierarchical position or pecking order within the family structure.

The family flies down from roosts in trees during early mornings and late afternoons to forage for acorns, nuts, berries and seeds along with modest amounts of insects, spiders and worms. They feed on a home range that may overlap noncompetitively with other family ranges.

Male turkeys, called toms, have bald, red-skinned heads and necks tinted in iridescent blue and with skin nodules called caruncles. Bristlelike feathers, called meso filoplumes, protrude from the breast to resemble a beard extending up to 16 inches.

A fleshly protuberance, called a snood, hangs over the beak, while a red fold of skin, called a dewlap, sags below the chin, giving rise to the term turkey neck in people. Sharp spurs on the back of the legs become weapons in fights with rivals.

Females, called hens, are similar to males except for having dull brown plumage. Nor do hens sound off with a gobble-gobble-gobble call like the males.

Be grateful at Thanksgiving for the wild turkey that Benjamin Franklin called a true original native of America.

Gary Clark is the author of Book of Texas Birds, with photography by Kathy Adams Clark (Texas A&M University Press). Email him at Texasbirder@comcast.net.
The BJP believes that there are 8 to 10 seats, with its 25,000 to 30,000 votes, where BSP could play spoil sport for Opposition.

New Delhi: Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh is banking heavily on twin factors of Jogi and Yogi to seek reelection from the state for his fourth term. While the former chief minister is likely to cut votes of BJPs principal rival Congress, Uttar Pradesh chief minister is being seen as its star campaigner who could consolidate the Hindu votes with his appeal amongst the voters.

The BJP is relying on the alliance between Ajit Jogis Janata Congress Chhattisgarh and Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party to change the voting statistics in at least 10 Assembly constituencies. The state has SC population of 11.6 percent. There are total of 10 assembly seats reserved for SCs. And a consolidation of voters through the Jogi-BSP alliance could affect the fortunes of candidates in these assembly segments, sources added. The BJP believes that BSP tie-up with Jogis Janata Congress Chhattisgarh would eventually hurt Congress badly and boost BJPs chances of another victory in the state.

In 2003, BSP had two MLAs in state assembly. In 2008, BSP again won two seats in state assembly. In 2013, it could win only one seat in the state. It had 4.45% vote share in 2003 which went up to 6.11 in 2008 and but saw a decline in 2013 when it came down to 4.27%. In Chhattisgarh, the BSP currently has one sitting MLA in the house of 90. However, the potential to have few more of BSP MLAs in the state is never discounted for. The BJP believes that there are 8 to 10 seats, with its 25,000 to 30,000 votes, where BSP could play spoil sport for Opposition.

Another strong factor that Dr Singh expectes to work for him is Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath who has already addressed several rallies in the state. Chhattisgarh heads for the second phase of polls on November 20. In most of these rallies Yogi drives home the point regarding the connection between the two states by reiterting that while Uttar Pradesh was home of Lord Ram, the state of Chhattisgarh was considered to be the home of Rams mother Kaushalya. The importance of Yogi was evident when he accompanied Dr Singh during the filing of nomination, where the Chhattisgarh chief minister also paid obecience to him by touching his feet.

In fact the BJPs campaign managers in the state have thronged with the requests to schedule Yogis rallies in their constituencies.

Yogi is considered to be important in the scheme of things in Chhattisgarh as he heads the powerful Nath sect of ascetics.

The craze to get controversial hardline Hindutva leader as one of the campaigners has not died down and plans are drawn to utilise the CM with staunch Hindu image. His is the utility to consolidate Hindu votes in favour of BJP. The attraction, say BJP leaders, is Yogis ability to create controversy without effort. The candidates also love him for his ability to draw the crowd and media alike.
Nearly 139 years ago, Sam Houston State University addressed a need in education by opening the first teacher-training school in the southwestern United States. Now its working to alleviate a shortage of primary care physicians in Texas to support rural health care needs.

Committed to the effort, the university broke ground on its new $65 million College of Osteopathic Medicine in Conroe Friday, marking Montgomery Countys first medical college and the only medical college located between Houston and Dallas. SHSU President Dana Hoyt said the college was prompted to launch the facility by an assessment of state and regional workforce needs. The college will train doctors, who will mainly be primary care physicians, with a focus toward care in rural and underserved areas.

Once again Sam Houston State University continues our legacy in responding to the states workforce needs with a new proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine, Hoyt said.  In our East Texas service area, there is one primary care physician for every 4,510 people. Residents of this region, which include 60,000 alumni of the university, understand the impact of this critical shortage all too well.

Hoyt joined by members of the Texas State University System Board of Regents, members of the SHSU Presidents Cabinet, faculty and staff and elected officials as they celebrated the milestone moment by ceremoniously digging shovels into a sandbox on the site of the proposed college.

COUGAR PRIDE: UH to build medical school on campus

The five-story building will be built on a 7.3-acre piece of land donated by the Johnson Development Corp. within Grand Central Park, the corporations master-planned community on Interstate 45 just south of Loop 336. The plan is to construct 108,000 square feet of the 216,000 square foot building in the first phase, which will include surface parking. A future phase two expansion will add another 108,000 square feet. Surface parking will then be decreased with the addition of a parking garage.

The school is awaiting accreditation from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation in Chicago, but it is anticipated to open in August 2020 with an initial enrollment of 120 students. SHSU plans to use federal funding, particularly those designated for rural areas, to create as many as 235 new residencies in East Texas. Germane Solutions, a consultancy working with SHSU, estimates $68 million to $92 million would be provided each year to participating East Texas hospitals.

The proposed college will have a community-based clinically focused model that will collaborate with hospitals in rural East Texas counties to establish residency training programs that will benefit the people living in those areas, Hoyt said. To date, the proposed college has confirmed 20 affiliation agreements with 26 hospitals.

SHSU has pursued the medical school for at least four years. The university was unable to build on the main campus in Huntsville because no land was available, which led to the decision to construct the college in Conroe.

NEW REPORT: Texas hospitals score an 'A' for safety according to a national watchdog group

In August, the university received approval to open the medical school from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and in September accepted the land donation as a gift. There are 34 accredited osteopathic colleges in the United States, including two in Texas. About 12 percent of medical students in Texas study osteopathic medicine.

This marks the beginning of a new era of expansion for the university in health care education, said Dr. Charles Henley, the incoming dean of the medical school

mellsworth@hcnonline.com
The family of a North Carolina teacher missing in a remote part of Mexico received the news on Thursday that Patrick Braxton-Andrew was killed by drug cartel members in late October.

Since he was last seen on Oct. 28 in Urique, a tiny village in the country's Chihuahua state, Braxton-Andrew's family has been in Mexico working with local and U.S. authorities to locate the 34-year-old Spanish teacher, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

Two days later, on a Facebook page devoted to the search, Braxton-Andrew's family stated they had been informed by Mexican authorities that Patrick was killed "on October 28th at the hands of a criminal organization that operates in the area where he was traveling," the Thursday afternoon post stated. "The search continues to recover his body so we can bring him back home."

Braxton-Andrew's sister-in-law confirmed his death in an email to The Washington Post.

On his official Facebook page, Javier Corral, the governor of Chihuahua, wrote that investigators believe Braxton-Andrew was killed by a narco-trafficker operating in the region named Jose Noriel Portilo Gil, also known as "El Chueco."

"Through the advances in the investigation, I can say that it was a cowardly and brutal assassination of a person who was totally innocent, a clean man whose misfortune was to cross paths with this criminal," Corral wrote.

According to Mexico media reports, Portilo Gil is associated with the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel. Proceso reported that "El Chueco" - a name that translates to "twisty," "crooked," or "bowlegged" - is a young man allegedly running the cartel's business in the region surrounding Urique. In April 2017, Portilo Gil was believed to have been killed in an attack. But that September, Portilo Gil resurfaced when he and his associates allegedly led an attack on the State Security Commission in Urique.

A fluent Spanish speaker who loved the language and had traveled widely in Central America and Mexico, Braxton-Andrew was originally scheduled to meet his brother in Mexico City on Oct. 30 after spending a few days hiking the Copper Canyon in Chihuahua. When he failed to show, his family began retracing his steps, eventually determining he was last seen leaving his hotel in Urique on Oct. 28.

Mexican officials have not provided further details about how the American crossed paths with drug traffickers, or why Braxton-Andrew was killed.

"Patrick died doing what he loved - traveling and meeting people. Join us in celebrating his life as he would want us to do," his family wrote on Facebook. "We will always remember Patrick and his joy for life. We love you PBA."

In his own statement on the shooting, Corral promised to bring the family solace.

"I have already experienced several hard and sad moments in my role as governor, and the one that I lived yesterday with Gary Braxton, the father of Patrick, informing him of the tragic event, has broken my heart," the official wrote.

"I also informed him and his beautiful family that not only are we going to find Patrick's body, but we are going to do him justice and deliver exemplary punishment to this delinquent and his gang, who have paradoxically, by acting with such cowardice, put an end to their influence and the control of that area under the Sinaloa cartel."

- - -

The Washington Post's Drea Cornejo contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON - The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee is intensifying his calls for acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to recuse himself from supervision of the special counsel's probe, citing Whitaker's friendship with a key witness in the investigation.

"There is a blatant conflict of interest here that demands recusal," Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in an interview.

"[Sam] Clovis is more than just a witness," Warner said. "He was the supervisor of the Trump Foreign Policy Advisory Committee, which included a cast of rogue characters."

Clovis, who served as national co-chairman of President Trump's campaign, was a key contact for two of Trump's foreign policy advisers who have come under scrutiny: George Papadopoulos, who has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, and Carter Page, the subject of a secret intelligence warrant.

Papadopoulos and Page have acknowledged contact with Russians during the campaign, but they said the contacts were appropriate and that they have been victimized by overzealous investigators.

Clovis has been interviewed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team, appeared before the grand jury probing Russian interference in the 2016 election and been called before congressional committees.

The Iowa Republican activist has described the acting attorney general as a "dear friend" and a longtime political ally.

Clovis and Whitaker have been close since both made unsuccessful U.S. Senate bids in 2014. Later that year, Whitaker chaired Clovis' bid for Iowa state treasurer. In a recent interview with Reuters, Clovis said Whitaker was a "sounding board" for him when Clovis worked for Trump's campaign. After Whitaker was tapped by Trump to serve as acting attorney general last week, Clovis said he texted him congratulations.

Neither Clovis nor his attorney, Victoria Toensing, responded to a request for comment.

But in an interview with The Washington Post last week, Clovis dismissed the suggestion that their relationship raised questions about Whitaker's ability to oversee the Russia probe.

"It's not relevant, and Matt has high integrity. I'm very happy for him, and he'll do a fantastic job," Clovis said.

Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said the acting attorney general "is following the processes and procedures of the Department of Justice on all matters." She declined to comment on Whitaker's relationship with Clovis.

Warner's comments came as other Democratic legislators pushed back against Whitaker's appointment, saying it violated laws governing Cabinet vacancies.

Earlier this week, top Democrats from the House and Senate, including Warner, sent a letter to the Justice Department's ethics chief demanding to know whether he advised Whitaker to recuse himself from the special counsel's probe into Russia's interference in the 2016 campaign.

In their letter, the Democrats argued that he has a "clear bias" against the investigation, citing comments he made before joining the Justice Department in which he was critical of the probe.

Warner said in an interview that the most powerful argument for recusal is Whitaker's longtime relationship with Clovis, a man he describes as a central player in the still unfolding Russia drama.

"That would appear - even to my foggy memory of legal ethics classes - to smack of a classic conflict of interest," Warner said. "We are talking about the acting attorney general of the United States. This is a situation that demands recusal."

Other Democratic lawmakers have echoed that call.

The Clovis-Whitaker relationship "is one of many conflicts of interest that explains why he should recuse himself from overseeing Mueller and his investigation," Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement. Earlier in the week, the incoming chairman of that panel, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said Whitaker's ties to Clovis are troublesome and "cause for recusal."

Republican senators have defended Whitaker. During an interview Thursday, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., rejected the idea that recusal was necessary. He said he had spoken to Whitaker and the acting attorney general "believes he doesn't have a legal or factual reason to recuse," and also has no plans to interfere with Mueller's investigation.

"He says he is going to follow regular order. Regular order to me means he's not going to do anything crazy," Graham said, adding that Whitaker told him he has not had any interaction so far with Mueller.

Clovis was one of the earliest supporters for Trump's presidential bid. He was named national co-chairman of Trump's campaign after endorsing the celebrity businessman in August 2015 and held an affiliation with the campaign through Election Day.

In his role at the Trump campaign, Clovis helped bring in two advisers who have been key in the Russia investigation: Papadopoulos and Page.

Page was an energy consultant who had lived in Moscow and advocated warmer U.S. ties with Russia. Papadopoulos encouraged Trump to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the campaign, according to emails and congressional testimony.

Page told the House Intelligence Committee in November 2017 that he was connected with Clovis in January 2016 by campaign manager Corey Lewandowski after he volunteered his services. Page later had breakfast with Clovis in northern Virginia to discuss joining the campaign, he told the committee.

Papadopoulos told prosecutors that he spoke to Clovis before he was named a foreign policy adviser, according to court documents.

According to court filings, Papadopoulos said that Clovis told him that building better relations with Russia was Trump's principal foreign policy goal.

Clovis has denied making those remarks.

Papadopoulos kept his supervisor apprised of his interactions with a London-based professor and a Moscow think tank director and that those contacts could help the candidate secure a meeting with Putin, according to court documents. The Washington Post has identified Clovis as the supervisor.

Clovis responded that he would "work it through the campaign," adding, "Great work," according to filings.

Devlin Barrett and Joshua Dawsey contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON - A federal judge on Friday ruled in favor of CNN and reporter Jim Acosta in a dispute with President Donald Trump, ordering the White House to temporarily restore the press credentials that the Trump Administration took away from Acosta last week.

In a victory for the cable network and for press access generally, Judge Timothy J. Kelly granted CNN's motion for a temporary restraining order that will prevent the administration from keeping Acosta off the White House grounds.

The White House revoked the reporter's press pass last week after a heated exchange between him and Trump and a brief altercation with a press aide at a news conference. Acosta, CNN's chief White House correspondent, is the first reporter with a hard pass granting White House access to be banned.

CNN sued Trump and other White House officials on Tuesday over the revocation. Kelly's ruling was the result of the first legal skirmish in that lawsuit. It has the immediate effect of sending Acosta back to the White House, pending further arguments and a possible trial. The litigation is in its early stages, and a trial could be months away.

Hours after the judge's decision, Acosta resumed his post at the White House.

Kelly, whom Trump appointed to the federal bench last year, handed down his ruling two days after the network and government lawyers argued over whether the president had the power to revoke a reporter's access.

In explaining his decision, Kelly said he agreed with the government's argument that there was no First Amendment right to come onto the White House grounds. But, he said, once the White House opened up the grounds to reporters, the First Amendment applied.

His ruling, however, primarily emphasized evidence indicating that the White House's decision to boot Acosta had violated the Fifth Amendment, which guarantees due process in government actions. He said the White House's decision-making was "so shrouded in mystery that the government could not tell me ... who made the decision." The White House's later written arguments for banning Acosta were belated and were not sufficient to satisfy due process, Kelly said.

"We are gratified with this result and we look forward to a full resolution in the coming days," CNN said in a statement. "Our sincere thanks to all who have supported not just CNN, but a free, strong and independent American press."Acosta added: "I just want to thank all my colleagues in the press who supported me this week. I want to thank the judge (for this ruling). And let's go back to work."

In comments made in the Oval Office afterward, Trump said the White House would write rules to satisfy the court's due-process concerns. He also suggested his administration would keep up the legal fight with CNN. "We will end up back in court, and we will win," he said.

"We want total freedom of the press," Trump said. "... But you have to act with respect when you're at the White House, and when I see the way some of my people get treated at news conferences, it's terrible. So we're setting up a certain standard, which is what the court is requesting.

"We always have the option of leaving," he added, "... and the other media and press in the room won't be happy."

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement after the ruling that "the court made clear that there is no absolute First Amendment right to access the White House," although the judge actually said reporters have such rights once admitted.

Sanders announced Acosta's "indefinite" suspension last week after the confrontation at the news conference. Trump and Sanders have had several run-ins with Acosta stretching back to before Trump became president.

Acosta watched Friday's proceedings from the courtroom in Washington, joined by a team of attorneys including Theodore Olson, a former solicitor general in George W. Bush's administration, and Theodore Boutrous, a star litigator and media-law specialist.

CNN has argued that the ban on Acosta violated his First Amendment rights because it amounts to "viewpoint discrimination" - that is, the president was punishing him for statements and coverage he did not like. The network has also said the action violates Acosta's Fifth Amendment rights because his exclusion followed no written guidelines or rules and has no appeal or review procedures.

CNN had requested "emergency" relief from the judge, arguing that Acosta's rights were being violated with each passing hour.

Until the White House's action last week, no reporter credentialed to cover the president had ever had a press pass revoked.

A government lawyer, James Burnham, argued in a hearing before Kelly on Wednesday that the president was within his rights to ban any reporter from the White House at any time, just as he excludes reporters from interviews in the Oval Office. He said Acosta could report on the president "just as effectively" by watching the president on TV or by calling people within the White House. He also said CNN would not be injured by Acosta's exclusion, since CNN has dozens of other journalists credentialed for the White House.

Burnham also said that Trump's rationale for Acosta's ban was his "rudeness" at last week's news conference, in effect arguing that Acosta's conduct, not his right to free speech, was the relevant issue.

The assertions drew a rebuttal from CNN's lawyer, Boutrous, who described the ban on the reporter as arbitrary, capricious and unprecedented. He said White House reporters need access to the premises to meet with officials and to report on untelevised "gaggles," impromptu discussions with press aides and other officials, so that banning reporters from the grounds harms their ability to do their jobs.

Media organizations have been alarmed by the White House's treatment of Acosta, saying that revoking his "hard pass" to enter the White House is a threat to other journalists who might be similarly banned. Trump has suggested other reporters could face a similar fate if they displease him in some unspecified way. Thirteen news organizations, including The Washington Post and Fox News, jointly filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting CNN's position.

The White House Correspondents Association, which represents journalists in their negotiations over access to the president, filed a brief Thursday that urged the court "to roundly reject the president's dangerous legal position." It disputed the government's claim that the president has "absolute, unbridled discretion to decide who can report from inside the White House."

During the presidential campaign in 2015 and 2016, Trump banned more than a dozen news organizations from his rallies and public events, including The Post. He said he would not do something similar as president. Last week, he went back on that statement.

Trump's 2020 re-election campaign has used the CNN lawsuit to drum up contributions, portraying the suit as evidence of "liberal bias" - an assertion Boutrous brought up on Wednesday to demonstrate that Trump had political reasons for banning Acosta.

"CNN is SUING President Trump, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a Secret Service agent, and other White House officials ..." the fundraising email says. "... All because they REVOKED Jim Acosta's press badge after his continuous grandstanding and inappropriate refusal to yield to other reporters.

"President Trump will NOT put up with the media's liberal bias and utter disrespect for this Administration and the hardworking Americans who stand with us."
WASHINGTON - Ronald Vitiello, a veteran law enforcement official tapped by President Donald Trump to run U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, faced criticism at his Senate confirmation hearing Thursday for refusing to rule out the possibility that the Trump administration could resort again to separating migrant parents and children at the U.S.- Mexico border.

The White House is discussing plans to detain asylum-seeking families for up to 20 days and then give parents a choice: Stay in jail with their child pending a deportation hearing, or allow children to be taken to a government shelter so other relatives or guardians can seek custody of them.

"That option and that discussion is underway," Vitiello told the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He would not address lawmakers' questions seeking clarity on how long he believed migrant children should be detained or whether the separation from their families caused them psychological harm. "We'll get less people bringing their children," he added. "It is an option."

Vitiello said that, for now, the president has ordered U.S. immigration officials to keep families together, but he said that detaining them all - or giving them the option to split up - could deter rising numbers of families seeking refuge at the Mexican border, including a caravan of mostly Hondurans that has infuriated the president.

The Trump administration has claimed that migrant families are filing false asylum claims to win release in the United States because the backlogged system does not have enough jail space or immigration judges to complete their cases quickly. Under current rules, officials cannot jail children with their parents for more than 20 days, which often forces the government to release the entire family into the United States.

Committee Democrats questioned Vitiello's role in the administration's widely criticized effort earlier this year to prosecute all parents who illegally crossed the border with their children. The policy split more than 2,500 children from their parents without a plan to reunite them before Trump stopped it in June. A federal court is still overseeing efforts to put all the families back together.

"We have the capacity in the United States of America to control our borders without harming children," Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) told Vitiello. "That is something that I am quite confident that we can do."

Vitiello acknowledged during the hearing that the administration failed to be "ready for the public outcry that occurred."

"We never contemplated on having the systems work backwards," he said. "Nobody in the discussions that I was involved in were contemplating that these people would be separated forever.

"We'd like to be in a place where no one got separated," Vitiello told Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., but added, "We'd like to be in a place where lots of people didn't bring their kids to the border and try to cross illegally, but that's the situation we're faced with now."

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., the committee's chairman, dismissed criticism of Vitiello and other immigration agencies, saying they were merely enforcing the laws that Congress wrote.

"This is where Congress bears responsibility," Johnson said. ". . . Right now, the law is broken."

Vitiello presented himself as a career law-enforcement official who possesses the skills and political savvy to reach out to Democrats and Republicans alike, and to address rising concerns about the agency's budget, detention conditions and polarizing reputation.

ICE is the Department of Homeland Security agency that detains and deports hundreds of thousands of immigrants a year for civil violations of immigration law. The agency also includes Homeland Security Investigations, a division that targets drug traffickers, gang members and other crime.

Since Trump took office, the agency has targeted people often treated more leniently under the Obama administration, including parents of American citizens and those without criminal records.

But Trump has also deported fewer immigrants each year than the Obama administration at its peak, partly because "sanctuary cities" are increasingly refusing to detain immigrants with little or no criminal history.

Vitiello insisted that the agency's priority is deporting criminals and said he'd defend the agency against calls to abolish it.

"If confirmed, one of my highest priorities will be to better demonstrate to the public, Congress, and the media the importance and criticality of the mission to protect the homeland and improve public safety - and why our agency's existence should not be up for debate," he said.

Vitiello also acknowledged having made personal missteps, including a three-year-old tweet that compared Democrats to the Ku Klux Klan. In 2015, he tweeted from his personal account that the Democratic Party should be renamed the "Liberalcratic party or the NeoKlanist party," according to the Gizmodo news site.

"It was a mistake," he said. "It was a momentary lapse of judgment, and I apologize. It was meant as a joke."

In another tweet from 2016, Vitiello compared Trump to the cartoon character Dennis the Menace.

Vitiello, a 30-year Border Patrol veteran, is ICE's acting director. Trump tapped him in August to replace Thomas Homan, the acting director whose nomination languished for months despite Republican control of the Senate. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, whose tenure in the administration may be nearing its end, named Vitiello acting director in June, calling him "an experienced and well-respected career law enforcement officer who will be a strong advocate for the agency's workforce."

Vitiello has kept a lower profile than Homan, a lightning rod who praised Trump for taking the "handcuffs" off ICE and for rescinding policies that let millions of immigrants skirt deportation.

He also submitted multiple letters of support, including from R. Gil Kerlikowske, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner under President Barack Obama.

In his letter, Kerlikowske called Vitiello "an extremely effective, honest, and dedicated public servant" who led the Border Patrol's effort to reduce uses of force in apprehending immigrants and introduced an internal affairs division to monitor the agency, whose secrecy has come under scrutiny.

"This would not have been possible without Mr. Vitiello's leadership," Kerlikowske wrote.

Vitiello, 55, is a Chicago native. He began his career with the Border Patrol in 1985 in Laredo, Texas, and has worked in leadership positions at Customs and Border Protection headquarters since 2010. Before joining ICE, he served as CBP's acting deputy commissioner, helping the commissioner oversee 60,000 employees and a $13 billion budget.
More than 15 months after flooding from Hurricane Harvey shuttered Houstons 20-story criminal courthouse, county leaders say they will begin in January on the first phase of a multi-part $86 million restoration project, which wont be finished until 2020.

But there is no timetable for the most ambitious part of the project  not scheduled to begin until June 2019 - that would greatly expand the chronically-crowded lobby areas, add more elevators and move critical building machinery out of the basement.

The extensive flood damage to the downtown skyscraper at 1201 Franklin has forced the relocation of hundreds of attorneys and staffers from the courthouse offices of the district attorney, public defenders office and other county departments to far-flung buildings across the city. The closure also forced dozens of courts to locate in other county courthouses, generally doubling up with courts that werent damaged, which has disrupted trials and clogged dockets.

The damage has also reignited the debate over the wisdom of making repairs to the critical court complex on the banks of a flood-prone Buffalo Bayou.

More Information Phase 1: Open top 4 floors of Criminal Justice Center for courts - Complete Phase 2a : Modernize existing elevators - Begin January 2019. Est. Complete April 2020 Phase 2b: Floors 2-20: New carpet and wall finishes for offices and courtrooms. Begin January 2019. Est. Complete January 2020 Phase 3: Still designing. Estimated start: June 2019 and estimated completion: TBD for 1st Floor restoration and lobby expansion, basement restoration, five new exterior elevators, new flood barrier/gates, Moving critical equipment from basement to first floor. See More Collapse

We cant possibly ask tax payers to foot the bill for redesigning the Criminal Justice Center without knowing the exact cause of the repeated flooding, and what is being done to stop it from happening yet again, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said Friday. We have to object.

The prosecutors objection to moving forward with the countys plan comes a day after it was discussed at the quarterly meeting of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, a county sub-committee that brings more than a dozen office holders and agency heads together to work on problems facing the criminal justice system.

During that meeting, Tony Foster, a project manager with the county engineering department, said officials still dont know exactly how the court buildings basement flooded. The county is also uncertain why the $13 million underground Jury Assembly Building - located on a plaza across the street from the criminal courthouse - filled with water and was totally destroyed.

Officials have said the underground flood doors for both facilities held but unprecedented amounts standing water seeped into the underground walls, damaging both buildings. In an ironic twist, the skyscrapers highest floors were flooded when water in the basement shorted out electronics that controlled the building gauges. The buildings pumping system ramped up, sending huge amounts of water up through the building that burst water pipes on most floors, destroying offices and courtroom despite being high above flood waters.

However, the courthouse today is not completely empty, as county contractors have repaired the top four floors and where judges now share those courtrooms for daily docket calls.

At the meeting Wednesday, Foster said workers are still investigating how the water seeped in to the basement of the courthouse, which is larger than the footprint of the buildings.

There were multiple sources. Most of came from standing water on the plaza. he said. If youre standing outside of the building, on the steps, youre actually standing on the basement. Were going to take out all the pavement and find the source of that water and fix it.

Critics say the pace of the restoration effort is too slow, and questioned whether the county should be considering building a new courthouse on higher ground. Any criminal courthouse must be located close to a pair of multi-story jail facilities on the bayou, since hundreds of jail inmates must be transported to courtroom holding cells each day.

Things are progressing far slower than they should and the direction the county is going is just patchwork, not a long-term solution, said Chris Tritico, a prominent attorney who has proposed converting the courthouse into an office tower. We need a long-term solution that will keep us from having to do this again in a few years.

Triticos proposal would be to build a new criminal courthouse across the street where the outdated family law courthouse now stands. That courthouse, which has been deemed a fire hazard because it lacks a sprinkler system, was scheduled for demolition. After the storm, it was pressed into service and now hosts docket calls and jury trials because the main courthouse remains largely unusable.

Tritico said repeated catastrophic flooding, along with long-standing design problems including a small lobby and limited elevator capacity, makes the building unworkable for the hundreds of residents coming who use it every day. The courthouse, which opened in 2000, was closed for a year of repairs after it was damaged by floods during Tropical Storm Allison in 2001.

The problem with the Harris County Criminal Courthouse, besides the flooding, is that its just not functional, said the attorney, who is part of the county committee to study the courthouse repairs. The population of Harris County is increasing, not decreasing, so the number of people coming in that building every morning is going to increase. Until somebody takes a look at that problem, it will always be a problem.

County officials have said, since Harvey shuttered the building in September 2017, that they want to use the time the building is closed to make the kind of improvements that Tritico and other critics want.

In January, Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack said the situation is an opportunity to make the necessary repairs and as well as adding major improvements, such as adding elevators, expanding the lobby and moving the mechanical equipment up to the first floor and away from flood waters.

On Friday, he echoed those words.

I wish I could magically make everything go faster, he said. Its painful to go through but when its all said and done, I think it will be greatly improved.

The current timeline calls for modernizing the existing elevators, which will be completed by April 2020. New carpet and wall finishes for offices and courtrooms are expected to be installed in January 2020.

The first floor restoration and lobby expansion, basement restoration, five new exterior elevators, new flood barriers and gates and the transfer of equipment from the basement to the first floor is expected to start in June. The countyh has not said when they phase would be completed.

John Blount, the county engineer, said the timeline also includes a staggered re-entry for the countys 22 felony judges and 16 misdemeanor judges to return to their courts when they are completed.

Foster, the project manager, said he is optimistic that the pricetag for the whole thing will be less than the projected $86 million. And he expects the Federal Emergency Management Agency to foot the bill for some of the work. He said the courthouse is being designed to have a flood barrier outside, and by moving the mechanical and electrical equipment higher and the lobby will be floodable. Meaning if it floods, it can be fixed in days, not months.

Still, all that is not enough for some critics who muttered that they want a new courthouse as they left the CJCC meeting this week.

Im disappointed in the county commissioners and the county judge for making the decision not to scrap the building, said Doug Murphy, president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association. Its the second time its flooded and it wont be the last.
Suzan Trout first noticed as she walked into her newly rebuilt home a stones throw from Hobby Airport that the ceiling that once caved under the weight of Hurricane Harveys torrential rains was intact. The gnarled hardwood floors that buckled from the floodwaters that poured through their door were replaced. And her 14-year old son, Jeremiah, months removed from a 10-month hospital stay to treat leukemia, had a room of his own for the first time in his life.

The ceiling almost fell on my head, five minutes after I was on the couch, Suzan Trout said as she walked their portly pug, Yuki, around the house shes known her whole life, once owned by her great grandmother. We lived here when there was no roof and no floor. I feel like Im in a dream and Im gonna get woke up when I walk out the door.

The Trouts dream was made a reality with the help of nearly 100 volunteers from corporations like Macys and Phillips 66, but primarily from Team Rubicon, a nonprofit that links military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams to rebuild homes, who put in 116 days and over 1,500 hours of sweat equity into rebuilding a home decimated by Harvey floodwaters in 2017.

Ken Farris, the construction manager for Team Rubicon, called the Trouts home one of the worst Ive seen.

The combination of the flood and the age of the house, wear and tear. It was built in 52 I think, Farris said. We had to do a lot of framing, a lot of stuff to make it structurally sound again.

Team Rubicon works with a disaster recovery organization, SBP, to identify homeowners victimized by natural disasters. SBP selects homeowners that meet Team Rubicons criteria for rebuilding, and the homeowners then go through an extensive vetting process before construction can start. The people selected by Team Rubicon must have been homeowners before the storm hit, have to meet a certain income threshold, and have to have one of three vulnerabilities - senior citizen, disabled, or children.

We really are aimed at helping the people that cant help themselves, Farris said.

Jeremiah Trouts leukemia more than satisfied that criteria. The precocious teen said he began feeling pain in his knee in the weeks after Harvey, leading the Trouts to several doctors before a hospital visit in October confirmed that he had acute myeloid leukemia. Jeremiah spent 10 months in the hospital getting regular treatment, and eventually losing his hair. A bone marrow transplant helped thwart Jeremiahs cancer into remission officially in July.

And yet despite temporarily losing his home and being confined to a hospital bed with only brief trips outside, Jeremiah somehow maintained a sunny disposition.

The leukemia, yeah it hurt, yeah it was bad, I lost my hair, it was never my best feature, he said. But the hospital food was the worst thing ever.

Daniel Trout, Jeremiahs father, said the labor of the volunteers was overwhelming. There was a point after Harvey that Daniel and Suzan were shuttling back and forth from an Extended Stay motel to visit Jeremiah in the hospital wondering when their nightmare would end.

That got kind of rough, Daniel said. But (Jermiahs) been out of the hospital for about a month and a half now, hes past 100 days, his bone marrow transplant took and his health is starting to come back up. As you can see hes starting to get his hair back.

Jeremiah, who slept on a twin bed in the living room in the former one-bedroom home, now has his very own room and a bed fit for a teenager.

I cant wait to get all my stuff, set up my PlayStation and play games, Jeremiah said. I play a lot of Fortnite.

In a touching gesture before the Trouts entered their rebuilt home, Team Rubicon volunteers presented them with a welcome home plaque fashioned out of the stump of a 70-year old Arizona Ash tree that once stood in their front lawn.

For Suzan Trout, the gift brought her full circle. When she was a kid, her great grandmother would host fried chicken dinners at the house and she and her cousins would run around and climb all over that tree, now reduced to a prominent stump.

(The house) was built for my great grandma. I had a constant battle worrying about what was gonna happen next, Suzan said. I still cant believe this.

nick.powell@chron.com
Houstons credit outlook has taken a hit after residents earlier this month voted to pay firefighters the same as city police officers.

Fitch Ratings this week downgraded the citys credit outlook from stable to negative, saying the anticipated $100 million annual cost of the Proposition B charter amendment will hamper the citys spending ability and could lead to a downgrade in the its AA bond ratings in the future. Such a downgrade would mean higher borrowing costs and further squeeze the citys budget.

Mayor Sylvester Turner and the citys firefighters have spent months warring over the impact of Proposition B, but the Fitch analysis marks the first time an independent arbiter has weighed in.

After Fitch Ratings released its assessment on Thursday, Turner portrayed the analysis as a validation of past warnings he has issued about the impacts of the proposition, even as city firefighters again accused him of vindictively punishing them.

While the city saw its financial outlook improve last year with the passage of pension reform, Fitch Ratings Senior Analyst Steven Murray said Friday that the voter-approved ballot initiative is the latest financial challenge for the city, which has had a periodic challenge matching up revenues with expenses such as its pension obligations and debt payments.

He warned that further cost-cutting would be necessary given the city's limited ability to raise revenue because of its property tax revenue cap, and increased public safety and pension-related spending.

Assuming Prop B is implemented, thats going to be one more pretty big expense item that theyre going to have to deal with, Murray said. So were just putting them on notice that this is a concern for us.

RELATED: Houston layoffs spurred by Prop B vote avoidable, some experts say

Fitchs, one of three nationwide ratings services, is owned by the Hearst Corporation, the parent company of the Houston Chronicle.

Money managers and business leaders said Fitchs credit outlook was unlikely to scare off investors or dramatically impact borrowing rates for now, but was nevertheless potentially worrying.

Gilbert Garcia, managing partner of Garcia Hamilton & Associates, L.P., a local bond management firm which holds more than $13 billion in assets, said the fact Houston maintained its AA rating was a good sign. By contrast, San Antonio and Austin both have AAA ratings, while Los Angeles has a credit rating of AA- and Chicagos bond rating hovers at BBB-.

The downgraded credit outlook nevertheless raised concerns, he said, and signaled that the ratings agencies were watching Houstons handling of the new charter amendment.

If one of them already put [Houston] on outlook negative, its only a matter of time before they all do it, he said. So it behooves the city to work out something with the firefighters.

Bob Harvey, president and CEO Greater Houston Partnership, said the revised credit outlook was unfortunate but not surprising.

Our community worked hard on pension reform to bolster our financial stability, Harvey said. To take this step back is disheartening.

Parity: Firefighters, mayor disagree on path forward after voters approve pay parity

Turner, who strenuously opposed the pay parity initiative, said in a news release while on a trade mission to India that Prop B threatened to derail the progress Houston made last year reforming its pension burden and improving its financial outlook.

We were on the right track, Turner said in the release. Proposition B threatens to set us back as a city and erase the gains we have made to put us on a strong financial footing.

Turner and City Controller Chris Brown have estimated the proposition will cost the city more than $100 million in its first full year. City leaders warned that the city would need to lay off hundreds of employees, starting with firefighters, if voters approved Proposition B. It passed with 59 percent of the vote, after an acrimonious battle between Houston firefighters on one side, and Turner and the citys police on the other.

In the wake of the bills passage, Turner froze hiring of Houston firefighters, and continued to warn of the prospect of layoffs of hundreds of firefighters and impacts to other city departments.

Turner, meanwhile, has said he believes that unless the proposition is challenged in court, the referendum must be fully implemented.

Officials from the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association pushed back on Turners criticism Friday, saying that despite his dire warnings, the mayor still has not responded to a Nov. 8 letter calling for a return to collective bargaining to hammer out a contract that would implement the raises in a way that would avoid sharp cuts.

In an emailed statement, HPFFA President Marty Lancton criticized ratings agencies for not voicing concerns over raises given to police officers in years past and issued a vague attack on past corporate welfare tax abatements granted by the city  but did not provide any specifics.

This latest smoke-and-mirrors stunt by the mayor shows his failed leadership and deception, Lancton said. When he quits focusing on vindictively punishing firefighters, well be ready to negotiate implementation of Prop B, like the voters ordered.

St. John Barned-Smith covers public safety and major breaking news for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Send tips to st.john.smith@chron.com.
Top SP leaders have been asked to remain in touch with soft targets in the party and ensure that they do not switch loyalties.

Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party has finally woken up to the threat it faces from the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (PSP) led by Shivpal Yadav.

According to the sources, SP president Akhilesh Yadav has launched a ma-jor damage control exercise and is keeping a close eye on all district units.

The party is drawing up a list of those leaders who have directly or indirectly been in touch with Shivpal Yadav and is also identifying party workers who could cross over to the PSP.

Top SP leaders have been asked to remain in touch with soft targets in the party and ensure that they do not switch loyalties.

Once the SP-BSP alliance formalises, no party leader will join any other party because the alliance will emerges as the strongest political force in the state, said a senior SP leader.

The SP strategists, however, are worried about the 45 or more seats that the BSP is likely to claim in the Lok Sabha elections. We are concerned about these seats because when we do not have our candidate, there is a possibility that our leaders may go across to the PSP to contest as rebel candidates, the party functionary said.

The SP is aware of the fact that it is the PSP that will cause maximum damage to them in the Lok Sabha elections since both the parties share the same vote bank and even the same leaders since Shivp-al Yadav has not yet been expelled from the SP. No action has been taken ag-ainst those SP leaders wh-o have opted for the PSP.

The SP is also trying to keep its patriarch Mulay-am Singh Yadav in good humor and send a strong message to the cadres that the senior leader is firmly with SP led by Akhilesh Yadav.

Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, till now, has been sending confusing signals by dividing his time between the warring factions.

Meanwhile, Mr Shivpal Yadav has set up his party units in 60 out of the 75 districts and is strengthening his party organization. He is focusing on central UP districts that are SP bastions including Etah, Etawah, Kannauj, Farukkhabad, Auraiyya, Mainpuri and Ferozabad.

The PSP has announced that it will be holding a rally in Lucknow on December 9 and this is being touted as its first major show of strength. Sources claim that some more top SP leaders may join the PSP at the rally.
In the lead up to the hotly contested midterm elections, President Donald Trump warned almost daily about the threats posed by a caravan of mostly Central American migrants walking through Mexico, calling it an invasion of very bad people, including unknown Middle Easterners.

He sent 5,200 military troops to the southern border and invoked national security to block asylum for anyone crossing illegally, a move immediately challenged in federal court.

A week after Democrats swept the House, Trump and most Republicans have gone radio silent on the caravan  even as its members finally arrived in Tijuana to request asylum at the San Diego port of entry. Defense Secretary James Mattis, speaking to troops near McAllen this week, said their long-term goal was somewhat to be determined in a deployment he termed non-traditional.

Many in the caravan have now opted to seek asylum in Mexico or return home, with the remainder heading to San Diego instead of the Mexican cartel-controlled crossings in Texas. And so, while 2,800 military troops hunker down in Texas, unable to do much more than string concertina wire, Customs and Border Protection officials announced this week that they were sending almost 600 agents from Texas to San Diego to assist in processing migrants from the caravan.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democrat from Laredo, called on Trump to send the military home for the holidays.

It all seemed to accentuate that the caravan was a political ploy that could cost taxpayers millions, said Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian at Rice University.

This was just hyped up fear mongering and Trump was just trying to bring out his base, Brinkley said. It showed a kind of desperate anti-immigration bent by Trump that may have worked when he ran for president, but it didnt work in the midterm.

Democrats gained at least 33 seats in the House, with counting ongoing in some states, and flipped a tight U.S. Senate seat in Arizona that has not been held by a Republican in more than four decades. Republicans picked up several Senate seats to retain their majority, a win Trump tried to characterize as historic.

Analysts said the caravan helped motivate the Republican base, but may have hurt the GOP with independent voters or late deciders.

In Texas, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz jumped on the bandwagon shortly before election day, falsely suggesting that his Democratic opponent, Beto O Rourke, had funneled money to members of the caravan. O Rourkes campaign said that it had donated about $300 to a shelter in El Paso providing housing to migrants unrelated to the caravan.

Asked about that accusation this week, Cruz told reporters in Washington that he would discuss policy but theres no point in revisiting the campaign itself.

CNNs poll of the Texas Senate race showed 72 percent of voters who supported Cruz said that immigration was a big issue, compared with 27 percent of those who backed ORourke.

Cruz beat O'Rourke by only 2.7 percent in Texas closest statewide election in decades, winning by about 220,000 votes. He lost all urban areas of the state, eking out narrow victories in some typically Republican stalwart suburbs such as Collin and Denton counties outside of Dallas. His win relied on the predominantly Anglo Panhandle, East Texas, and suburban counties outside of Houston such as Montgomery.

One way to energize the Republican base is to hit on the topic of immigration, but in many ways that can be seen as a somewhat myopic approach, said Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University. It may have helped Cruz turnout extra voters in Tyler, Longview, Montgomery and Alice, but at the same time it further erodes the standing of the Republican brand among millennial, Latinos and Asian Americans.

Analysts say the record turnout 113 million, including more than 8 million in Texas suggests many voters saw this election as a referendum not only on Trump, but his rhetoric on immigration, a message hammered by the president himself. Trump said voters were casting ballots on (Supreme Court Justice Brett) Kavanaugh, the caravans, law and order, tax cuts and common sense.

This was not just a closing argument by the president on the caravan, said Mustafa Tameez, a Democratic consultant who runs Outreach Strategists in Houston. This was his opening argument. He started it off with saying Mexicans are rapists and murderers, and closed the campaign cycle with the caravan after separating migrant children  it not only cost Republicans political defeats across the suburbs, it also tarnished the GOP.

In Texas, Democrats gained two Republican congressional seats, elected its first two Latinas to Congress, narrowly lost five GOP U.S. House seats by less than 5 percentage points, and outperformed expectations in the state House, where they gained 12 seats.

Ray Sullivan, a Republican consultant in Austin and former chief-of-staff to Gov. Rick Perry who also worked with former President George W. Bush, said the caravan captivated Americans who saw the constant replay on television  particularly on Fox, which provided more than 33 hours of coverage through Election Day, according to the advocacy group Media Matters.

It was one of the factors, along with the Kavanaugh hearings and confirmation and the high stakes nature of this election, that got Republican voters to the polls at a level that matched the energy and enthusiasm of the Democrats, Sullivan said. I do think, like many other issues in the country, that the rhetoric and emotion can get out of hand on both sides.

He said Congress should address immigration reform so that these more emotional and divisive issues can be put to rest at least for some period of time. Such a prospect with a divided Congress seems unlikely in the immediate future, particularly since it has not been able to agree on a comprehensive overhaul in more than three decades.

Tess Clarke, a lifelong Republican and evangelical Christian from Beaumont, said this election was her first to switch parties.

It was (Trumps) rhetoric around Muslims, immigrants, refugees, and immigrants coming across the southern border, said the 35-year-old mother of three who runs a refugee nonprofit in Dallas. I felt like I needed to raise my voice on their behalf.

It makes sense that Trump has gone silent on the caravan, said Mark Krikorian, who heads the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington D.C. think tank that supports reduced immigration.

He cant do anything about the caravan once they get to the border, Krikorian said.  Hes going to have to end up letting these people in because of screwed-up asylum laws that Congress wont change.

He referenced a 2008 bipartisan law intended to prevent human trafficking and a 1997 federal settlement known as Flores that restricts the prolonged detention of immigrant children. The two have long been the target of the Trump administration, which argues they force it into releasing migrant families once they are apprehended and bars them from quick deportation. Trump campaigned against such a practice, though there is little he can do to change the federal regulations unless Congress acts.

His administration has tried, limiting how victims of gang violence and domestic abuse qualify for asylum and proposing a regulation to upend the settlement overseeing children in detention. Shortly after the midterms, Trump used the prospect of national security to ban asylum for those seeking the protection between official ports of entry.

U.S. and international law explicitly guarantees that right and the American Civil Liberties Union sued to block the ban with a hearing is scheduled next week. In the meantime, hundreds of prospective asylum seekers could be quickly deported.

What we saw was the government manufacturing a crisis at the same time that it was enacting draconian enforcement policies, said Jonathan Ryan, executive director of RAICES, a migrant advocacy group in San Antonio. The apparent interest of the administration is to generate images of crisis at the border that will excite its base and justify continued enforcement-only anti-immigration policies.

Manuel Padilla Jr., chief of the Rio Grande Valley Sector and a 34-year veteran of the Border Patrol, said his sector  the busiest across the southern border already receives a caravan a week. In October, his agents apprehended more than 13,800 families and children.

Across the border, a record 23,121 crossed illegally that month, more than any since Central Americans began coming here en masse in 2013, many fleeing gang violence and poverty.

This is unsustainable, Padilla said. The system is at capacity.

He said Congress must address a changing demographic at the southern border, one that has transformed from mostly single Mexican men seeking employment to largely Central American families asking for refugee protection. Once they are released, pursuant to current law, their deportations may not come until years later because of a system that is backlogged by more than a million cases.

The bar for what is political asylum needs to be more clear, Padilla said.

By Friday, nearly 2,000 in the caravan had reached Tijuana to apply for asylum at the port of entry, forcing chaos in that Mexican border city as its municipal government struggled with where to house them all.

U.S. officials at the San Diego port of entry have said they can only process about 100 asylum seekers a day, making the wait up to five weeks. Immigrant advocates have questioned the agencys resources, noting that groups have sued the government for what they allege is a practice of turning away asylum seekers who arrive at ports of entry.

In Juarez, across from El Paso, prospective asylum seekers also piled up. After meeting with Customs and Border Protection agents last week, the Mexican government partnered with shelters in Juarez to remove migrants from the international bridges and house them there while they await processing, said Shaw Drake, policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union Border Rights Center in El Paso.

He said U.S. officials there are only processing about two dozen asylum seekers a day.

The shelters have devised a system to write numbers in black marker on the arms of potential asylum seekers so they can know when their turn is up at the U.S. ports of entry, Drake said.

It looks bad, he said, noting the similarity to Jewish refugees in World War II. It screams of parallels to worse things.

lomi.kriel@chron.com

@lomikriel
Michael Ciaglo/Staff photographer

Houston is among the top cities in the U.S. and Canada for finding employment, according to a new study examining job listings.

Each day, an average of 4,188 listings are added to Houston's pool of available jobs, found data journalism site Thinknum. Overall, nearly 130,000 jobs are available at a given time in Bayou City.
WASHINGTON  Houston Democrat Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, a potentially key freshman vote in the incoming class of 2018, said Friday she is supporting California Democrat Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker in the next Congress.

Fletcher's decision, announced in an interview with the Houston Chronicle, adds momentum to Pelosi's quest to win back the gavel she had when the Democrats' last controlled the House in 2010.

Fletcher, a Houston attorney, ran as a moderate in the Seventh Congressional District, which had been in Republican hands since George H.W. Bush won the seat in 1966. It was one of three Republican-held districts won by Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

Despite an onslaught of GOP ads tying her to Pelosi, Fletcher has previously remained uncommitted to the Democratic leader, both as a candidate and as a congresswoman-elect.

"What I committed to on the campaign trail was to come up to Washington for this orientation and see who the candidates are for leadership, and really get a chance to hear from them and ask questions on how they intend to govern," she said Friday.

"After being here for a week ... I feel very confident that the current Democratic leadership is the team to lead forward this next Congress. I think they have the experience and the commitment to bipartisanship, to operating fairly and inclusively, and making sure that members of Congress can really represent their districts."

The slate of frontrunners for leadership posts in the House includes Pelosi for speaker, Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer for majority leader, and South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn for majority whip. Pelosi became the first woman to serve as House Speaker when she ascended to the position in 2007.

"Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn deserve my support," said Fletcher, who won her seat with the help of centrist women in west Houston and the Harris County suburbs. "They have the experience we need to lead this country at this time."

Newly-elected Democrat Sylvia Garcia of Houston also has expressed support for Pelosi as a strong backer of protections for Dreamers, or immigrants who entered the country illegally as minors.

"When @NancyPelosi stood in her high heels for 8 hrs speaking up for Dreamers, she spoke for us," Garcia, representing a largely Hispanic district, said Thursday on Twitter. "Her commitment to the most vulnerable is more than a talking point -- it's heartfelt and deeply rooted in our faith. She believes in diversity and practices inclusion."

Fletcher's support represents a significant boost for Pelosi, who is fending off a push by a group of Democratic dissidents seeking to coalesce around a new challenger.

At least 17 House Democrats have publicly said they will oppose Pelosi, including Brownsville Democrat Filemon Vela.

No clear challenger has emerged, however, and Pelosi has said she believes she has the votes to become the next House Speaker.

The decision to back Pelosi is a key one for Fletcher ahead of a secret ballot vote among Democrats on Nov. 28. A pubic roll call is scheduled when the new Congress convenes on Jan. 3. She defeated nine-term incumbent Republican John Culberson by 5 points, a Democratic victory that helped flip two formerly Republican districts in Texas.
[Thumbs up] You know youre going to be sick of leftover cranberry sauce and turkey by the end of next week, so make your restaurant reservations now for a post-Thanksgiving meal. Two Houston eateries were listed among Americas 38 Essential Restaurants this year, and they couldnt be more different. First is Xochi, Hugo Ortegas high-end Oaxacan restaurant located in the tony downtown Marriott Marquis. Then theres Himalaya, a delicious Pakistani gem hidden away in a feeder-road strip center that might also have the best fried chicken in all of Houston.

[Thumbs down] If youre looking for a meal served on a cafeteria tray with side of Jello, you might be out of luck. Lubys closed 21 locations in an effort to pay down $39.3 million of debt. Dont get too worried, Cleburne's Cafeteria is still open on Turkey Day.

[Thumbs down] Talk about your Texas turkeys. State Attorney General Ken Paxton not only won his re-election race, this week he also was appointed chair of the Republican Attorneys General Association. Just one problem: Hes facing up to 99 years in jail on felony fraud charges.

[Thumbs down] Former Harris County Republican Party chairman Jared Woodfill might be facing his own trial soon. The longtime politico and crusader for morality  aka he doesnt like same-sex marriage  had his offices raided by Houston police this week. Woodfill faces a criminal complaint that he stole more than $300,000 from a divorce trust account.

[Thumbs twiddled] But hey, being behind bars doesnt necessarily slam the door on a political career. State Rep. Ron Reynolds, a Democrat, is serving a year in jail for barratry and somehow has already filed 21 bills for the upcoming Texas legislative session.

[Thumbs down] Now that bill filing has begun, maybe some lawmaker will propose that the state should finally fund some post-Harvey infrastructure. Maybe your Thanksgiving wishbone wish will come true, too. So far only one major flood bill has been filed: to establish a task force to conduct a comprehensive study on flood control infrastructure for Harris County. Dont you feel safer already?

[Thumbs up] For more than six years, Texans and journalists from across the country have held out hope that reporter Austin Tice would be found safe and returned home to Houston after being abducted in Syria. This week we got good news when the U.S. government expressed confidence that the Marine veteran is still alive. Keep his family in mind as you celebrate with yours.
Hindu Aikyavedi state President K P Sasikala was arrested by police near Marakkoottam near Sabarimala at 2.30 am on Saturday.

Devotees enter the Sabarimala temple as it opens amid tight security on Friday. (Photo: PTI)

Kochi: Rightwing Hindu outfits have called for a dawn to dusk hartal (shutdown) in Kerala on Saturday in protest against arrest of a senior Sangh Parivar leader who was on the pilgrimage to Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple.

VHP state president S J R Kumar alleged that Hindu Aikyavedi state President K P Sasikala was arrested by police near Marakkoottam near Sabarimala at 2.30 am on Saturday.

"She was arrested as she was on the way to the hill shrine carrying irumudikkettu (bundle carrying sacred offerings) to offer prayers. Some other activists have been taken into preventive custody," Kumar told PTI.

He accused the Kerala government of trying to destroy the Sabarimala temple.

The VHP leader said essential services and vehicles of Ayyappa devotees will not be affected by the hartal.

Unprecedented security arrangements have been made at the shrine, which opened for the third time on Friday for the two-month-long pilgrimage season commencing Saturday after the Supreme Court allowed women of menstrual age to offer prayers. The temple opened on Friday amid a tense standoff involving social activist Trupti Desai in Kochi and a move by its administrator to seek time from the Supreme Court to implement its verdict.

The 41-day mandalam festival will conclude on December 27 after Mandala puja, when the shrine will close after the 'Athazhapuja' in the evening. It would reopen for the Makaravilakku festival on December 30.

The Makaravilakku festival would be celebrated on January 14 after which the shrine will close on January 20, marking the culmination of the pilgrim season, when lakhs of devotees are expected to throng the shrine.

The temple complex and nearby areas had witnessed widespread protests after the state government decided to implement the September 28 apex court verdict.

The Supreme Court is slated to hear petitions seeking review of its September 28 order in January, but has refused to stay it.
The BJP had won 163 seats in the 200-member Assembly in the 2013 elections.

New Delhi: Manvendra Singh, former Union minister Jaswant Singhs son and sitting MLA from Rajasthans Sheo constituency who had joined the Congress in October, will take on CM Vasundhara Raje in Jhalrapatan, her hometurf since 2003, in the December 7 contest.

While Jaswant Singh  who has been in coma for four years  was expelled from the BJP in 2014 when he unsuccessfully contested as an independent candidate against the partys official candidate from the Barmer parliamentary seat, his son was suspended for campaigning against the partys official candidate.

Im ready for the challenge, Manvendra Singh, 54, said after his name was declared as Ms Rajes Congress challenger warned the BJP that the states people will take revenge from the BJP for insulting his father, a Rajput leader.

At the time of quitting the BJP on September 22, Manvendra Singh had said, Kamal Ka Phool, Hamaari Bhool (lotus was my mistake). He had also criticised the partys style of functioning at the Centre and in the state and alleged rampant corruption in governance.

Reacting to the announcement of her challengers name, Ms Raje said that Manvendra Singh, a Rajput like her, was fielded by the Congress as it could not find any other candidate.

The Congress could not find any candidate and he (Manvendra Singh) was to be given ticket from somewhere and therefore, he was sent here (Jhalrapatan), Ms Raje said addressing the public after filing her nomination papers in Jhalawar district.

Her remark came a few hours after the Congress released it second list of 32 candidates, fielding Manvendra Singh against her from Jhalrapatan constituency. The Opposition party had declared 152 candidates in the first list on Thursday night.

At the time of filing nomination papers, the chief minister was accompanied by party leader Shahnawaz Hussain, her son and Jhalawar MP Dushyant Singh, among others.

Ms Raje has been winning Jhalrapatan since 2003. She retained it in the 2013 Assembly election with a margin of 60,896 votes by securing 63.14 per cent of the total 2,28,977 votes.

The BJP had won 163 seats in the 200-member Assembly in the 2013 elections.

Meanwhile, the BJP released its third list of eight candidates, dropping six sitting MLAs. The ruling party has so far declared 170 out of total 200 candidates for the December 7 election whose results will be declared on December 11.

Prominent MLA replaced in the third list include Sawai Madhopurs sitting legislator and member of the Jaipurs royal family Diya Kumari. The party has fielded Asha Kumari Meena from this key constituency.
First Lady Melania Trumps Visit to Family Online Safety Institutes 2018 Annual Conference

Washington, DC - First Lady Melania Trump attended the Family Online Safety Institutes (FOSI) 2018 annual conference on Thursday afternoon. The Chair of Family Online Safety Institute, Patricia Vance, and President and CEO of the United States Institute of Peace, Nancy Lindborg greeted the First Lady upon her arrival.

Mrs. Trump has been very active in tackling online safety and responsibility for children. Over the last year, she has met with leaders and experts in the technology and innovation fields, addressing the many challenges in todays digital world. Most recently, Mrs. Trump visited with 15 students from Microsofts Council for Digital Good.

FOSIs 2018 conference theme is Creating a Culture of Responsibility Online. Mrs. Trump delivered opening remarks addressing the importance of responsible online behavior and the positive impact it could have on our youth. The First Lady and Stephen Balkam, CEO of FOSI, then held an on-stage discussion with four students who have taken an active role in championing civil digital behavior for the next generation. The students answered questions focused on their individual initiatives for online safety.

I want to thank FOSI for hosting this conference and inviting me to take part in such an important discussion, and the students for sharing their positive and innovative ideas, said First Lady Melania Trump. These very bright students are making real changes for our youth. I have no doubt that each of these leaders will go far in their commitments to promoting digital responsibility for generations to come.
Vice President Pence and Prime Minister Lee of the Republic Of Singapore in Joint Press Statements

Singapore - Vice President Pence and Prime Minister Lee of the Republic Of Singapore in Joint Press Statements:

PRIME MINISTER LEE: Vice President Pence, ladies and gentlemen, may I extend a very warm welcome to Vice President and Mrs. Karen Pence to Singapore.

We last met at the White House last year, in October, when President Trump very kindly hosted me to lunch. And Im very happy that the Vice President is now here for his first visit as Vice President, and I think first visit ever to Singapore.

VICE PRESIDENT PENCE: It is.

PRIME MINISTER LEE: Weve had a very productive discussion this morning. We reaffirmed the robust and enduring partnership between Singapore and the U.S. Its a deep and wide relationship with close cooperation in many areas, including economic, defense, and security.

Our leaders and our officials visit regularly in both directions. This of course includes, notably, President Trump coming to Singapore earlier this year for the summit with North Korea, and also other members of his administration, like the Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, and the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, who come here very often, including for the Shangri-La Dialogue.

The United States plays an important and constructive role in our region, and hence Singapore hopes to continue developing our ties with the U.S., as well to strengthen the ASEAN-U.S. relationship.

Already, on security, we are close partners. Singapore is the U.S.s major security cooperation partner. I think we are the only country with this designation. We provide support for the U.S.s military presence and defense engagements in the region, including rotational deployment of U.S. aircraft and Navy ships. And there are over 1,000 Singapore armed forces military personnel training in the U.S. every year.

We will work  we work closely, too, on security cooperation, including transnational security, terrorism, and cybersecurity. Singapore has lent early and consistent support to the defeat-ISIS coalition, including most recently deploying a counterterrorism-training unit to Iraq in September.

Our intelligence agencies cooperate very closely, and that cooperation has only strengthened as our counterterrorism efforts have progressed over the years.

Economically, our cooperation is dynamic and robust. The U.S.-Singapore FTA has been a cornerstone of our economic partnership. Goods and services trade has more than doubled since the U.S. FTA came into force. And currently, the U.S. has a trade surplus with Singapore of more than 20 billion U.S. dollars a year.

Singapore is the second-largest Asian investor in the U.S., with our companies and investments in more than 30 U.S. states, including in Indiana, Vice President Pences home state.

VICE PRESIDENT PENCE: Thats true.

PRIME MINISTER LEE: Our investments in the U.S., and the U.S. exports to Singapore, support more than a quarter million American jobs.

The U.S. is Singapores largest foreign investor, with nearly 4,500 American companies here, many basing their Asian headquarters, in order to do business in the region. For example, Honeywell opened its first Industrial Cybersecurity Center of Excellence in Asia, here in April. And Johnson and Johnson, which is opening its first design lab outside New York, here in Singapore, too. Even Shake Shack is opening its first burger outlet in Singapore very soon  (laughter)  which is the most important investment of all. (Laughter.)

Although our bilateral relationship is already comprehensive, we are still uncovering new ways to cooperate  for example, in energy, advanced manufacturing, and technology partnerships  through the U.S.-Singapore Collaboration Platform MOU, which we have just renewed. I also welcomed the conclusion of a Tax Information Exchange Agreement and a reciprocal Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act  FATCA  Intergovernmental Agreement, which will strengthen our tax cooperation.

I am pleased that our cybersecurity agency and the U.S. State Department will be working together on a technical assistance program to conduct cybersecurity training workshops in Singapore, and also regionally.

Our friendship is underpinned by growing people-to-people ties. More than 4,000 students from Singapore study in the U.S. universities and colleges every year, including Bloomington, Indiana and Purdue University, which are popular among Singaporeans.

Singaporean and American undergraduates have also undertaken exchanges under the U.S.-Singapore Summer Exchange Scholarship Program, which was launched in 2016 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of our bilateral relations.

Im confident that our strong and mature bilateral relationship will continue to strengthen at all levels. And I look forward to seeing Vice President Pence again next year when I hope to visit the United States.

Thank you, Vice President. (Applause.)

VICE PRESIDENT PENCE: Thank you, Prime Minister Lee. Thank you for those wonderful words of friendship and partnership that has been forged through the generations, and for your leadership.

Thank you all for the hospitality youve extended. And your entire team has been remarkable in the course of the summits that have been just been engaged.

But I must tell you, we are especially grateful to you, Mr. Prime Minister, and Mrs. Lee, for the warm welcome that youve extended to me and my wife Karen. And we love the orchid, and we will display it proudly at the Vice Presidents Residence when we return to the United States.

This is our third day in your extraordinary country. And, Mr. Prime Minister, let me congratulate you for successfully hosting the 6th U.S.-ASEAN Summit and the 13th East Asia Summit.

And as I commence today, let me bring greetings from your friend, the President of the United States, who is still grateful for the hospitality that you extended here in Singapore six months ago during the historic summit between President Trump and Chairman Kim. Now its our privilege to be back in your country, a country thats an inspiration  inspiration not only across the Indo-Pacific, but, Mr. Prime Minister, Singapore is an inspiration to the entire world. And its our great privilege to be here with you and your family, and all the members of your government and your great people.

Its really remarkable to think of Singapores success in only 53 short years. Your father, one of the 20th centurys most important statesmen, understood that the conditions necessary for human flourishing are no accident. Theyre the products of choice and choices.

And your father made the choice to establish a nation on a foundation of economic freedom and the rule of law. From this foundation, Singapore has reached towering heights.

Here, two great oceans meet. And here, like nowhere else on Earth, can be found such variety, such contrast, such success, and such prosperity in such a small space. Its truly an inspiration to the world. Its a fair city of church spires, and minarets and domes, of symbols both ancient and modern.

And here in Singapore, one finds a city-state proud to find room for so much and so many. Mr. Prime Minister, Singapore shines brightly. And the United States is proud to call Singapore our strategic partner and our friend.

Were also proud to stand together to advance our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Like you, Mr. Prime Minister, the United States seeks an Indo-Pacific where every nation is free to follow its own path, pursue its own interests where the seas and skies are open to all engaged in peaceful activity, and where sovereign nations grow stronger together.

Our vision excludes no nation, requiring only that every nation treat their neighbors with respect. Empire and aggression have no place in the Indo-Pacific. This is a region where every nation, large and small, must be permitted to prosper and thrive.

Under President Trumps leadership, weve been advancing this vision of collaboration, not control. Our partnership with Singapore is actually emblematic of the bonds that weve forged over the generations and that were forging even now across the Indo-Pacific.

Our two nations, for instance, have shared a free trade agreement for nearly a decade and a half. And today, our two-way trade has soared to $75 billion. The United States is also the largest foreign investor in Singapore, as you just reflected. And Singapore is the second largest Asian investor in the United States of America. And for that investment and for the confidence in our people, we are grateful.

But when it comes to our partnership and prosperity, we believe we still have much room to grow. And the Prime Minister and I discussed today the United States and Singapore have finalized two new agreements that will facilitate that growth. First with the exchange of tax information between both of our nations. Weve also agreed to a two-year framework for a collaboration platform that will deepen cooperation between our businesses and rapidly developing technologies, from 3-D printing to driverless cars.

Mr. Prime Minister, as weve agreed, this will benefit job creators and consumers in both of our countries and across Southeast Asia. And were grateful for the opportunity to partner with you in these initiatives.

But expanding commerce in the 21st century also requires safe and reliable digital access. And to that end, its my privilege today to announce that we will establish the U.S.-Singapore Cybersecurity Technical Assistance Program. This new initiative will leverage American business expertise to help our ASEAN partners defend their digital borders.

Our partnership also goes well beyond our shared prosperity and growth in these new agreements. And it goes into the all-important area of security.

Since 1990, Singapore has welcomed American naval vessels and service members. And our armed forces, as you said, Mr. Prime Minister, cooperate closely at several of Singapores military bases. The United States is also proud to train more of your military personnel on American soil than we do for any other country in the world.

Our security cooperation keeps open the lanes of commerce. And nearly a quarter of all global trade  worth more than $3 trillion  travels within a few miles of your coast each and every year, underscoring the importance of our security partnership.

Singapore and the United States stand together, and we stand strong. And we will continue to protect the freedom of the seas and skies across the Indo-Pacific together.

As we also discussed today, and yesterday at our summit, the United States encourages ASEAN to continue to move forward with a meaningful and binding code of conduct for the South China Sea. The countries of this region, including Singapore, must be able to explore and develop their own resources, navigate their own waters, and establish partnerships of their own choosing. And that includes in the South China Sea.

The South China Sea doesnt belong to any one nation. And you can be confident, Mr. Prime Minister, the United States will continue to sail and fly wherever international law allows and our national interests are advanced.

Mr. Prime Minister, let me  let me thank Singapore for the indispensable role that youve played in one other area, and that comes to the advance of negotiations toward a lasting peace and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. Singapores willingness to host the historic summit between President Trump and Chairman Kim this past June, on fairly short notice, proved once again that history happens here in Singapore. And we are grateful for your accommodation and for your leadership and support.

As we discussed today, we must continue to maintain the pressure campaign and enforce all U.N. sanctions until we achieve the final and fully verified denuclearization of North Korea. And your leadership, and the leadership and support of nations across this region, has been instrumental to advancing the progress that we have achieved.

Its remarkable to think of a year and a half ago, Mr. Prime Minister, where nuclear tests were taking place, missiles were flying over Japan, there were threats and provocations against our nation and nations in the region. And today, no more missiles are flying. No more nuclear tests. Our hostages have come home. And North Korea has begun anew to return fallen American heroes from the Korean War to our soil. Weve made great progress but theres more work to be done.

The United States, as we discussed, is currently making plans for another summit between President Trump and Chairman Kim after the first of the year. And we remain determined to have the commitments of the Singapore declaration fulfilled.

Mr. Prime Minister, we are truly grateful for your leadership in this cause and for your continued support. So thank you again for your hospitality and for the time that you have afforded us during our all-too-brief stay here in your beautiful country.

Its amazing to think, 53 years ago, Singapore made a choice, similar to the choice that the people of the United States of America made more than 240 years ago: to establish a nation on a foundation of economic freedom and the rule of law.

And, Mr. Prime Minister, you can be confident we will continue to stand together in defense of our shared values. We will continue to stand together to choose a bright and boundless future for us all.

Mr. Prime Minister, we are with you. The United States stands with you in Singapore today, and we always will.

So may God bless you. May God bless all the people of Singapore. And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

PRIME MINISTER LEE: Thank you, Vice President Pence.
Vice President Pences Meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia

Washington, DC - Vice President Pence met today with Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia in Port Moresby. Vice President Pence thanked Prime Minister Morrison for Australias continued efforts to enforce United Nations Security Council resolutions on North Korean maritime activities. The two leaders agreed on the need to continue engaging with all members of the international community to maintain pressure until North Korea implements its commitment to denuclearize.

Vice President Pence and Prime Minister Morrison reviewed key APEC outcomes and discussed the Indo-Pacific region with a particular focus on the South Pacific. The Vice President welcomed Prime Minister Morrisons recent announcement of significant new Australian assistance to Pacific Island nations. The two leaders reviewed the United States, Australia and Japan trilateral memorandum of understanding on infrastructure, noting the need for broad economic development that includes the private sector, based on principles of openness, transparency, genuine need, and a sustainable debt burden, in accordance with international standards. The two leaders reiterated a shared commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight and a rules-based order in which all nations are sovereign, strong, and prosperous. The two leaders reaffirmed the closeness of the U.S.  Australia relationship.
Environmentalists occupied five bridges in London on Saturday to highlight government inaction on climate change.

The Extinction Rebellion group said more than 6,000 people blocked the crossings at Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster, Lambeth and Southwark from around 10am.

At least 85 activists were arrested for obstruction of the highway and bail act offences during the demonstration.

The Metropolitan Police said the protests caused significant traffic disruption in central London before all the bridges were reopened by around 4pm.

Activists then moved on to a rally in Parliament Square, where officers moved in to surround the statue of Winston Churchill after a green flag was attached to his walking stick.

Comparing themselves to US civil rights campaigners, the protest group said radical action was necessary to raise the alarm about the looming climate crisis.

We represent a huge number of concerned citizens  scientists, academics, politicians, teachers, lawyers, students, children, parents, and grandparents, said organiser Tiana Jacout.

Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Show all 25 1 /25 Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Demonstrators block Westminster Bridge in central London to show anger at government inaction on climate and ecological issues AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges A pro environment protester is arrested by police on Lambeth bridge in London EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Organised by Extinction Rebellion, the protest is part of many taking place this weekend to bring attention to political inaction on issues of pollution and climate change Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Organised by Extinction Rebellion, the protest is part of many taking place this weekend to bring attention to political inaction on issues of pollution and climate change PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Demonstrators on Blackfriars Bridge PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Police with demonstrators on Blackfriars Bridge PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges A demonstrator is led away by police on Blackfriars Bridge PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters

We have tried marching, and lobbying, and signing petitions, Ms Jacout added. Nothing has brought about the change that is needed. And no damage that we incur can compare to the criminal inaction of the UK government in the face of climate and ecological breakdown.

Writer George Monbiot joined the protest at Blackfriars bridge. Something I have been waiting for, for a very long time is happening, he said.

People are risking their liberty in defence of the living world in very large numbers. It is only when we are prepared to take such action that people begin to recognise the seriousness of our existential crisis.

Extinction Rebellion said 50 people were arrested following several actions staged in London earlier this week, including the spray-painting of walls surrounding the House of Parliament.

Others chained themselves together and glued their hands to the entrance of the Department of Energy.

Activists also unveiled a banner that read Were f****d over Westminster Bridge.

The group wants the UK government to commit to net zero carbon emissions by 2025 and reverse policies inconsistent with addressing climate change.

Campaigners are also demanding a citizens assembly to be set up to allow ordinary people a voice in creating new environmental policies.

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Dozens of major countries are pursuing environmental policies that would lead to temperature rises exceeding 5C by the end of the century, according to a new study by Australian and European researchers.

Last month a landmark UN report warned that greenhouse gas emissions must be cut almost in half by 2030 to avert global environmental catastrophe.

The panel of scientists found that worst effects of global warming will only be prevented if the global temperature increase stays below 1.5C.
Sources also said India was the only country invited at the head of state/government level at the swearing-in ceremony.

New Delhi: India and its tiny maritime south-western neighbour Maldives are the closest of friends once again. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attended the swearing-in ceremony of new Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, following which both countries agreed to renew their close ties and keep each others concerns and aspirations in mind. In a meeting with President Solih immediately after the ceremony, PM Modi conveyed Indias readiness to extend help in every possible way and suggested that both sides should meet at the earliest to work out details as per requirements of the Maldives. President Solih is also expected to visit India in the next few weeks. There are indications that the new President will strengthen ties with New Delhi and reverse the widely-perceived slant towards Beijing that Maldives had adopted during the controversial tenure of his predecessor Abdullah Yameen. The reference to mutual concerns and aspirations by the two leaders appeared to be a veiled reference to this.

Significantly, the assurance of assistance by India was furnished after President Solih pointed to the dire economic situation facing his country and sought help from India in meeting his Governments pledges to the people of the Maldives. President Solih highlighted the pressing need for increased housing and infrastructure development as well as for establishing water and sewerage systems in the outlying islands. Sources said India was the only country mentioned in President Solihs speech and that as a special gesture, the Maldivian President held his meeting with PM Modi immediately after the swearing-in. Sources also said India was the only country invited at the head of state/government level at the swearing-in ceremony.

President Solihs assuming of office following his victory in the Presidential polls against then president Abdulla Yameen has come as a huge relief for New Delhi. Mr Yameen was openly pro-China and had become a thorn in New Delhis flesh, with Indo-Maldivian ties having nose-dived during Mr. Yameens tenure. In a boost to India, the United States has also backed President Solihs new government.

While the new Maldivian President thanked PM Modi for attending the ceremony, PM Modi in turn also thanked President Solih for the special gesture of inviting him to the Inauguration Ceremony. Significantly, PM Modi also conveyed greetings from the people of India to the people of the Maldives on consolidation of democracy there which he said was essential for peace, prosperity and stability. India had been seriously concerned over attempts by Mr. Yameens previous Government to muzzle democracy in the Maldives. The two leaders also noted the resilience in bilateral ties, a veiled reference to the strained ties during Mr. Yameens tenure.

According to reports, Maldives is also under deep financial debt to China after Beijing undertook several infrastructure projects in the tiny archipelago nation during the tenure of Mr. Yameen. This probably explains why the new President Solih spoke about the dire economic situation facing his country. But the new Governments high expectations from India means that New Delhi will have to walk the talk and probably increase aid to the Maldives steeply.

A Joint Indo-Maldivian Press Statement after talks between the two leaders said, The two leaders, while noting the resilience of the relations between India and the Maldives, expressed confidence in the renewal of the close bonds of cooperation and friendship with the election of Mr Solih as the President of the Maldives. During their meeting, both leaders agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean and being mindful of each others concerns and aspirations for the stability of the region. The two leaders expressed their unwavering commitment and support for increased cooperation in combating terrorism both within the region and elsewhere.

The Joint Statement added, President Solih also briefed PM Modi on the dire economic situation facing the country as he takes office. The two leaders discussed ways in which India can continue development partnership, particularly to help the new government in meeting its pledges to the people of the Maldives. In particular, President Solih highlighted the pressing need for increased housing and infrastructure development as well as for establishing water and sewerage systems in the outlying islands. Prime Minister Modi assured President Solih of Indias firm commitment in assisting the Maldives to achieve sustainable social and economic development. He also conveyed Indias readiness to extend help in every possible way and suggested that both sides should meet at the earliest to work out details as per requirements of the Maldives.

The statement further said, PM Modi also welcomed the expanding opportunities for Indian companies to invest in the Maldives in different sectors for the mutual benefit of both countries. Recognising that nationals of both countries travel extensively between the two countries, the leaders also agreed on the need for facilitating easier visa procedures.

It added, PM Modi extended an invitation to President Solih to make a State Visit to India at his earliest convenience. President Solih accepted the invitation with pleasure.The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives will make an official visit to India on the 26th of November to hold further discussions and to prepare for the forthcoming State Visit of President Solih to India. President Solih expressed the hope that Prime Minister Modi will make an official visit to the Maldives in the near future. Prime Minister Modi gratefully accepted the invitation.
It might have come out a few days ago, but the John Lewis & Partners Christmas ad, which this year starred Sir Elton John, remains a hot topic among fans.

The short film takes viewers on a retrospective look back over some of the highlights of the iconic British musicians career, from pub performances in the 1960s to stadium tours in the 1970s.

Now, the retail chain has revealed how the advert was made in a behind the scenes clip.

(John Lewis (John Lewis)

The short YouTube video features a number of key players who helped produce the ad, including David Furnish, who is married to the iconic musician.

The John Lewis Christmas campaign is an iconic part of Christmas now and has had so many warm memories and associations for us, with all of our Christmases, so to be asked to be part of that was a huge honour, says Furnish, who is co-chief of the film company Rocket Pictures with John.

John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 Show all 37 1 /37 John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners/PA John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners/PA John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners/PA John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners/PA John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners/PA John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners/PA John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners/PA John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners/PA John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners/PA John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners/PA John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners/PA John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners/PA John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners/PA John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 The Boy & The Piano John Lewis & Partners/PA John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 Behind the scenes of the John Lewis Christmas advert John Lewis & Partners John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 Behind the scenes of the John Lewis Christmas advert John Lewis & Partners John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 Behind the scenes of the John Lewis Christmas advert John Lewis & Partners John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 Behind the scenes of the John Lewis Christmas advert John Lewis & Partners John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 Behind the scenes of the John Lewis Christmas advert John Lewis & Partners John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 Behind the scenes of the John Lewis Christmas advert John Lewis & Partners John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 Behind the scenes of the John Lewis Christmas advert John Lewis & Partners John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 Behind the scenes of the John Lewis Christmas advert John Lewis & Partners John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 John Lewis Oxford Street experiential space In John Lewis's most experiential Christmas campaign to date, customers shopping on Oxford Street are invited to step into the set of the ad and experience if for themselves Paul Grover John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 John Lewis Oxford Street experiential space John Lewiss flagship shop is hosting a 2,000 sq ft experiential space on the 3rd floor where customers can explore the dressing room, recording studio and living room sets from the ad, and interact with props, listen to recordings from Elton Johns 17-11-70 album and have photos taken at the piano Paul Grover John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 John Lewis Oxford Street experiential space The set is just one of a range of ad experiences in the shop that will have customers stepping into Christmas on every floor Paul Grover John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 John Lewis Oxford Street experiential space The shop, along with 14 further shops across the UK, will also have a Yamaha piano for customers to play Paul Grover John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 John Lewis Oxford Street experiential space In a first for the UK high street, customers will also be able to enjoy a musical light show, being projected from the shops Oxford Street windows every 30 minutes from 4pm Paul Grover John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 John Lewis Oxford Street experiential space Performing Elton Johns Christmas classic, Step Into Christmas, the shops window displays will fill Britains busiest shopping street with music and display a one minute light show to entertain passers by Paul Grover John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 John Lewis Oxford Street experiential space Paul Grover John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 John Lewis Oxford Street experiential space Paul Grover John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 John Lewis Oxford Street experiential space Paul Grover John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 John Lewis Oxford Street experiential space Paul Grover John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 John Lewis Oxford Street experiential space Paul Grover

Seeing the accuracy, and the work that has been put into to creating everything, the attention to detail is fantastic, so it is very exciting to see, it is like taking a step back in time.

Richard Brim, who is the chief creative officer at adam&eveDDB, the ad agency behind the film, reveals how the script was chosen from 300 submissions.

The cast who star in the ad's plane scene that sees Sir Elton John performing while travelling in between tour locations. (John Lewis)

This one really stood out, he says in the video. And its the story of how a gift changes a little boys life. But the little boy just happens to be Elton John. From playing in pubs to laying down the first notes of Your Song and then from there, it went stratospheric.

The ad was directed by Seb Edwards, who has also shot campaigns for Vodafone and Hovis.

Hes a brilliant director, Brim adds. He has a very subtle way of telling emotional stories and they just feel effortless. So, he felt like a natural fit for this script.

The advertising executive, who has worked on several John Lewis Christmas ads, also explains how the process of choosing a song for this years ad was slightly different from previous years.

Recommended Elton John tipped for Christmas number one after John Lewis advert

The track is always actually the thing that comes the last, just before we are about to play out, were still debating and still listening to demos, normally.

And this year, the questions are a slightly different question, its like, which one of Eltons amazing tracks are we going to use to tell his story. There had to be one clear winner, and thats Your Song."

John Lewis director of marketing Becky Brock explains how truthful the ad is in terms of relaying actual events from Johns past.

Everything that we have got in this script is based on what really happened and weve really lovingly recreated the journey from a small boy with his mum and grandma, getting his first piano, all the way through to the superstar, that we now know.

(John Lewis (John Lewis)

Andy Steele was one of the 14 3D artists to work on the film, who helped digitally create all of the different sets we see in the ad. In the behind the scenes clip, he recalls creating the stadium scene.

This was a major part in Elton Johns career, and this part in the film had to represent that scale and epic feeling of the concerts in the Seventies.

The hardest challenge is making the large-scale props such as a stadium, feel like it was, meant to be in the 1970s, to make it believable.

One of the highlights in the behind the scenes film is undoubtedly when the child who plays baby Elton, who appears in the final scene to unwrap the piano, speaks about his involvement.

I was, just you know, running down the stairs, into the lounge, standing there until they say cut!
The iconic chocolate nougat Mars bar could face extinction in the UK should the country leave the UK without a Brexit deal, secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs Michael Gove has been warned.

Last year, it was revealed that all confectionery imports in the UK, including Mars bars, would drastically increase in price as a consequence of a hard Brexit.

However, the situation could be even more dire than previously thought, with representatives from the food industry telling Mr Gove that a no-deal Brexit may result in the country running out of Mars bars in a matter of weeks.

According to BuzzFeed News, Mr Gove was attending a roundtable meeting with individuals from the Food and Drink Federation when he was informed of the likelihood of the country running out of the popular confectionery.

As they explained to Mr Gove, two of the ingredients that are used to make Mars bars are imported and only take a few days to go off.

Therefore, should food imports be barred from entering the UK via the port of Dover in the event of a no-deal Brexit, Mars will be prevented from making the chocolate bar.

This could then lead to the country running out of all Mars bars in as little as two weeks.

Last month, Tesco revealed that it was planning on stockpiling food due to fears over the effects that a no-deal Brexit could have on its supplies.

The biggest single challenge will be in a no-deal scenario and what happens with fresh food, said Dave Lewis, chief executive of the supermarket.

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The possibility of stockpiling fresh food is very, very limited, he added.
Gwyneth Paltrow has released her annual holiday gift guide and many of the items shes recommended are as extravagant and strange as you would imagine from the Goop founder.

To make it easy to find gift inspiration for everyone in your life, Goop broke the guide into 12 categories - including The Host, The One-Step-Aheaders, The Travellers, and The Guys.

Apart from the outrageously priced gifts such as a $22,560 (17,583) pair of Vram earrings or a $139,000 (108,000) RV thats nicer than most homes without wheels, many of the presents make you question who would actually want them this holiday season.

These are the seven strangest gifts on the Goop gift guide.

A seed-to-sale tour

For $295 (229), your loved ones can have the chance to visit farms where cannabis is grown and learn the different life cycles of the plant.

Goop also recommends some $50 (38) 24K gold rolling papers which can be given as a stocking stuffer to round out the theme.

Butter churner

A $39 (30) butter churner is for anyone who wants to make cooking a chore - by preferring to use only hand-churned spreads.

A butter churner could make the perfect gift (Goop)

Hand-churned butter probably does taste better, however.

An entire village

If the gift of one home just wouldnt cut it, Paltrow has the perfect solution - a reasonably priced village in Lugo, Spain.

Paltrow recommends buying a village as a gift (Goop)

Gwyneth Paltrow in quotes Show all 7 1 /7 Gwyneth Paltrow in quotes Gwyneth Paltrow in quotes On healthy eating 'I'd rather smoke crack than eat cheese from a can' Theo Wargo/Getty Images for NBC Gwyneth Paltrow in quotes On hitting 40 You can still find yourself at a party at 3am, but you also know enough about who you are and how that informs the choices you make. Steven Henry/Getty Images Gwyneth Paltrow in quotes On maintaining a close relationship with ex husband Chris Martin: Were still very much a family, even though we dont have a romantic relationship. Hes like my brother. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Gwyneth Paltrow in quotes On her travel routine: When I land [from a flight] I try to find a sauna to sit in for 20 minutes to help me sweat out all the germs from the plane. Getty Images Gwyneth Paltrow in quotes On the Hollywood Gender Pay Gap: Your salary is a way to quantify what youre worth. If men are paid a lot more for doing the same thing, it feels shitty. Getty Gwyneth Paltrow in quotes On not caring what people think: I dont hold on to fear as much as I used to, because Ive learned a lot about genuinely not caring what strangers think about me. Its very liberating, Its very empowering. Getty Gwyneth Paltrow in quotes On the Met Gala (2013): Im never going again. It was so un-fun. It was boiling. It was too crowded. I did not enjoy it at all. Getty

According to the real estate website, the rural village includes houses, buildings, farm and river - and its available for just $172,910 (134,000).

Walnut and brass tic-tac-toe set

For those who prefer to play tic-tac-toe on a wood set rather than a paper napkin, Paltrow recommends this fancy gift.

You can waste time on this fancy game board (Goop)

While it does seem extravagant, the board is actually quite large so youll never have to risk accidentally throwing out your game.

Levitating light bulb

Goop also suggests a levitating light this holiday season to accompany all your best lightbulb moments.

This light bulb levitates (Goop)

The LED light costs $349 (272) which seems a bit steep - until you remember it is made from oak and gold.

Wooden hygge swing

Embracing the Danish concept of hygge, a lifestyle that revolves around comfort and wellness, Goop is recommending a wooden swing for $225 (175).

You can swing your way into happiness (Hygge Life)

Unfortunately, the recipient of the gift is in charge of installation - which sounds quite stressful.

Clip-on bidet

For just $69 (53), your loved ones can pamper themselves with a easy-to-use clip-on bidet.

The bidet sellers promise the gadget will change your world in 10 minutes.

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Goop frequently recommends questionable lifestyle advice - from crystal vaginal eggs to completely silent 10-day meditation retreats - but this years gift guide takes it to a whole new level.
Saturday November 17 marks the beginning of National HIV Testing Week, a campaign promoted by organisations including HIV Prevention England to encourage people across the nation to have regular tests for the condition.

Prince Harry has given the initiative his full support, discussing the stigma that still surrounds HIV in a video shared by Kensington Palace.

While rates of HIV diagnoses have declined in the UK in recent years, undergoing the simple procedure that tests for the condition is still essential.

So how did National HIV Testing Week start, what does an HIV test involve and how can you get tested?

Heres everything you need to know:

When did National HIV Testing Week start?

The first National HIV Testing Week took place in 2012.

While the goal of the campaign is to raise awareness of and encourage HIV testing, the main aim of the week is to target those who are most at risk of contracting the virus, as Terrence Higgins Trust policy director Lisa Power explained.

Its aimed at gay men and African people, because those are the two groups of people with the highest rates of HIV here, she wrote in a blog for HuffPost to mark the campaigns launch.

One gay man in 10 in London, and one in 20 in the country, has HIV. For people in Africa and living here, its about the same.

Thats as high, or higher, than many of the countries which we think of as centres of the epidemic.

Since the start of National HIV Testing Week six years ago, rates of HIV diagnoses in the country have been steadily declining.

From 2015 to 2016, the number of people being diagnosed with HIV dropped by 18 per cent, Terrence Higgins Trust reports.

mothers2mothers helping to educate families dealing with HIV diagnosis Show all 9 1 /9 mothers2mothers helping to educate families dealing with HIV diagnosis mothers2mothers helping to educate families dealing with HIV diagnosis mothers2mothers (m2m) Mentor Motherincluding Sylvia Mdluli (45)lead a group play session with children aged 0-5 years as part of m2m's Early Childhood Household Stimulation (ECHS) Project in Phola Township, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. These playgroups are designed to improve children's cognitive, social, emotional, motor and language development, and physical growth through drawing, toy-making sessions and playing mentally stimulating games. Hazel Thompson mothers2mothers helping to educate families dealing with HIV diagnosis Mother and baby from Dark City Clinic in GautengSouth Africa. mothers2mothers mothers2mothers helping to educate families dealing with HIV diagnosis Mentor MotherMartha, with her adolescent clientChancy Magumbo and his grandmother, after a follow-up visit to Chancys home. Chancy was diagnosed with HIV after his circumcision wound did not heal and his health deteriorated. Martha suggested he gets tested and after his diagnosis, Chancy started treatment and his health has since improved. Keli Van Der Weijde mothers2mothers helping to educate families dealing with HIV diagnosis A baby from Malamulo Hospital in Thyolo DistrictMalawi happily sits on his mothers lap while his mother has her middle-upper arm circumference (MUAC) measured to check for signs of malnutrition. Keli Van Der Weijde mothers2mothers helping to educate families dealing with HIV diagnosis Former m2m client and current Mentor Mother, Femia, with her mother, father, and son outside her home in Malawi. Keli Van Der Weijde mothers2mothers helping to educate families dealing with HIV diagnosis Mentor Mother from Nkhaba Clinic at The Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland) educated adolescent girls on the importance of practicing safer sex and how to use condoms. Karin Schembrucker mothers2mothers helping to educate families dealing with HIV diagnosis Mentor Mother, Dolcar Henwood, with pregnant client at Siphofaneni Clinic in The Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland). Karin Schembrucker mothers2mothers helping to educate families dealing with HIV diagnosis Peer Mentors from Soshanguve Community Health Centre lead a health education session for young mothers. Peer Mentors are young women between, aged between 18  24, employed by mothers2mothers to provide HIV education and support to adolescent girls and young women (AGYM) in their communities. Karin Schembrucker mothers2mothers helping to educate families dealing with HIV diagnosis Sylvia Mdluli. Hazel Thompson

As Prince Harry explains, the increased number of people whove been tested for HIV over the past few years has had a significant impact on this decline.

New HIV diagnoses are declining in the UK. Over the past two years alone, they have dropped by an incredible 28 per cent nationally and us getting tested has helped play a major role in this shift, he says.

What does an HIV test involve?

Individuals with HIV may not show symptoms for several years, which is why being tested is a wise course of action.

There are four main types of HIV test, as outlined by the NHS: a blood test, a point of care test, a home sampling kit and a home testing kit.

When a person undergoes an HIV blood test, theyll have a sample of blood taken in a clinic, which will then be sent to a laboratory.

The results from a blood test will typically be available on the same day, or in a few days.

A point of care test involves a medical professional taking a sample of your saliva or a spot of blood from your finger, which is then tested in the clinic with results available within a matter of minutes.

When using a home sampling kit, youll collect a sample of saliva or a spot of blood from your finger at home, which youll then send off for testing.

With a home testing kit, youll carry out the same process by collecting a sample of saliva or a spot of blood from your finger, which you can then test at home yourself.

Where can you go for an HIV test?

Sexual health clinics or community testing sites will be able to provide you with an HIV test.

In order to find a clinic near you where you can take the test, visit aidsmap.com/hiv-test-finder and enter your location.

You can also ask your GP for an HIV test, Public Health England explains.

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In some areas of the UK, people are eligible for free home HIV tests.

You can see whether a free home HIV test is available for you by entering your postcode at test.hiv.

If youre not eligible for a free test, you can buy one online or from pharmacies such as Superdrug Online Doctor, which is selling a home HIV test for 30.
A bar has opened in New York City for the Harry Potter generation, and for the Lord of the Rings generation, and for anyone that believes in magic.

The Cauldron, a magical pop-up experience, opened its second location in downtown Manhattan after a successful launch in London - and its been regularly sold out with people dressed in cloaks drinking bubbling cocktails ever since.

While the bar is not Harry Potter-themed or specific to any other fantasy literature, and is not endorsed as such, it does include wand-waving and Poetic Mead, a honey wine from mythology - so we decided to visit The Cauldron, located on the second floor of the Bavaria Bierhaus on Stone Street.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by a host dressed in wizard robes who handed us our own black hooded robes and a handcrafted wand - which possesses technology capable of turning on lights and filling drinks.

After we were seated at our table, complete with a tiny dragon, a fairy door with a secret message written in ancient runes, and a variation of vials, we were told to begin following our laminated list of instructions.

Our first task, with the occasional aid of our potions master, was to create a Transfiguration Toniq.

Having not realised just how alcohol-focused the one-hour-and-45-minute experience would be, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that we would be crafting our own cocktails, or rather, potions.

The Cauldron is a magic pop-up bar in Manhattan

For the first drink, a colour-changing cocktail with gin and lavender, we simply had to pour glasses of various sizes into a smoking pitcher.

Guests create their own potions

The drinks change colours

Our second drink of the night came from the bar, where we could choose from various beers and meads on tap and fill our glasses with the tap of our wands - magic that was actually quite impressive.

The bar has beer and mead on tap

We chose the Hell Broth, a pumpkin beer, made especially for The Cauldron by Sixpoint Brewery in Brooklyn - which we enjoyed more than the aesthetically-pleasing yet too sweet lavender concoction.

On to our third drink of the night, we were tasked with grinding various herbs with a mortar and pestle - before employing the use of our cauldron to stir together our Lost Time, a rum and chai cocktail that was delicious.

Drinks require following magical instructions

Cauldrons fill with smoke as you make your drinks

In the downtime, or if you manage to boil your potions in record time, you can try to decode the ancient runes, which translate into magical quotes (we were unsuccessful) or take in the atmosphere, complete with fire-holding bartenders, a witches' broom, and apothecary-like decor.

Once wed finished all of the cocktails included in the $45-a-person price, we were offered a menu from which we could order more magical libations - including a flame-topped daiquiri called Dragons Breath or Bubbling Shots of Death, which came exactly as described.

The cocktails bubble and smoke

After we confirmed it was, in fact, safe to drink a shot filled with what appeared to be dry ice and fluorescent green liquid, we ordered another round.

While experiencing the magic of The Cauldron, we were able to speak to co-founder David Duckworth, a molecular mixologist, who, along with his business partner Matthew Cortland, a technologist, brought the magic bar to life.

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Of the inspiration for the bar, Duckworth explained that the background comes from traditional magical folklore - and that storytelling is a huge part of what we do.

We were inspired by lots of bits of things and then put our own spin on things to bring magic to life, he told us. There are some things that people grew up with, a whole generation of magic fans and people who believe in magic, and this concept belongs to them.

Each guest receives a cloak and a wand

As for the entertaining magical aspects of the bar, of which there are just a few, Duckworth said: Science is just magic we dont yet understand - before revealing that it is a mixture of butane, dish soap, and water that makes it possible for the staff to light themselves on fire.

And while the bar does offer non-alcoholic versions for patrons, who must still be over 21, we found the chance to play magical bartenders a truly enjoyable and key part of the experience.

Were more about the experience and bringing magic to life than getting people drunk but we are inevitably about that as well, Duckworth said.

The Cauldron pop-up is open until December 31, with tentative plans to open a more permanent location.

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You can purchase tickets here - and dont forget to bring a copy of your favourite childrens book, which The Cauldron will donate to a New York City classroom in need.
Women in Saudi Arabia have launched a protest against the abaya, a full-length robe worn by some women in parts of the Muslim world, by wearing the garment inside out.

A traditional abaya is black and covers the entire body, leaving the head, feet and hands visible.

Earlier this year, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman stated that women in the country need not feel obliged to wear the abaya, as long as they dress in a decent and respectful manner.

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The laws are very clear and stipulated in the laws of sharia [Islamic law]: that women wear decent, respectful clothing, like men, Mr Salman said in an interview with CBS.

This, however, does not particularly specify a black abaya or a black head cover. The decision is entirely left for women to decide what type of decent and respectful attire she chooses to wear.

However, many women in the country have stated that they still feel required to wear the garment, which is why the inside-out abaya movement came about.

Because #Saudi feminists are endlessly creative, they come up with [a] new form of protest and given it [the] hashtag inside-out abaya, activist Nora Abdulkarim tweeted.

They are posting pictures of [them]selves wearing their abayas inside-out in public as a silent objection to being pressured to wear it.

Amani Al-Ahmadi, a Saudi activist based in Seattle who works with the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, believes this protest could help to enact significant change for women in the country.

Saudi Women celebrate their freedom to drive Show all 8 1 /8 Saudi Women celebrate their freedom to drive Saudi Women celebrate their freedom to drive A Saudi woman gestures while driving in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Reuters Saudi Women celebrate their freedom to drive A Saudi woman drives at night in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia Reuters Saudi Women celebrate their freedom to drive Saudi women embrace as they celebrate the lift of the female driving ban in Saudi Arabia Reuters Saudi Women celebrate their freedom to drive A Saudi woman straps in Reuters Saudi Women celebrate their freedom to drive A Saudi woman drives to work in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Reuters Saudi Women celebrate their freedom to drive Fadya Fahad is one of the first female drivers for Careem, a ride sharing company in Saudi Arabia Getty Saudi Women celebrate their freedom to drive A Saudi woman stops at a petrol station while driving to work in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Reuters Saudi Women celebrate their freedom to drive A Saudi woman waits for coffee on the commute in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Reuters

To see another woman in flipped abayas - it builds solidarity between women and shows that they are not alone, she tells the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

It is keeping the conversation going and could lead to change.

It is another form of dehumanisation for women. It forces women to cover up their bodies in order to fit into society and the role of being inferior to men.

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Earlier this year, the longstanding ban on women being allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia was abolished.

Despite the jubilance with which many Saudi women responded to the announcement, some may still not be able to drive unless they're granted permission to do so by their male relatives.
Jeff Bezos has declared that Amazon is "not too big to fail", in an all-hands meeting of the company's staff held last Thursday at the firm's base in Seattle.

"I predict one day Amazon will fail. Amazon will go bankrupt," the billionaire said, replying to an employee who asked him about the company's future, in relation to the bankruptcies of big US retailers such as Sears.

"If you look at large companies, their lifespans tend to be 30-plus years, not a hundred-plus years."

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A recording of the meeting was heard by CNBC.

In it, Mr Bezos added that the way for Amazon to stay successful is for staff to "obsess" over customers.

"If we start to focus on ourselves, instead of focusing on our customers, that will be the beginning of the end," he said.

His comments accompany a wave of major success for Amazon, even as the company comes under heightened scrutiny.

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On Tuesday Amazon announced that New York City and Arlington, Virginia had been picked as the locations for its new headquarters, with a $5bn investment planned across both sites.

Both Amazon and local authorities in New York attracted heavy criticism after the company revealed that it would receive around $1.5bn in incentives, based on job creation targets, in Long Island City, and $573m in Arlington.

Two of the sites chosen for Amazon's new campus in the city were originally intended for affordable housing and the decision is now likely to cost the city around 1,500 residential units intended for low and middle-income New Yorkers, according to Politico.

The announcement followed an extensive "beauty pageant" process, which saw 238 competing proposals submitted from locations across the US.

Amazon, which now employs more than 600,000 people worldwide, said salaries at its two new bases would average more than $150,000, with hiring set to start next year.

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Staff at the company told CNBC that employees are worried about the impact of government regulation and potential antitrust violations.

In September the EU's antitrust watchdog launched a preliminary investigation which is examining how Amazon uses data from third-party merchants.
Smoke billows across the battlefield, obscuring the armoured cars ahead of us. A Polish soldier keels over, then another, and then another. Military hardware is no use here  this is a chemical attack. Army ambulances race through the acrid fog to evacuate the casualties. If youd arrived here unawares, youd never know this was just a drill  it all feels frighteningly real. Welcome to Drawsko Pomorskie, the biggest military training ground in Europe. And welcome to Anakonda 18, Polands biggest Nato exercise.

Anakonda 18 features 17,500 soldiers from 10 Nato members: 12,500 here in Poland, plus 5,000 more in parallel exercises in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Its no surprise that these military exercises are happening here. This is the site of Natos Enhanced Forward Presence: four combat-ready battlegroups, stationed in these four eastern European countries, supporting the defence forces of each of these countries with over 4,000 foreign troops. The multinational makeup of these battlegroups underlines the significance of Article 5 of Natos founding treaty, which states that an armed attack against one of its members constitutes an attack against them all.
An American citizen will be released from North Korea, state media in the country reported.

Bruce Byron Lowrance, had been reportedly been arrested for allegedly illegally entering the country from China.

Imprisoned since 16 October, the Korean Central News Agency said he would soon be deported to his homeland.

The state department said that they were aware that the release of an American citizen had been reported, but declined to go into more detail.

At around the same time last year, North Korean officials said they had deported an American citizen with the same name.

They said said that he had been found wandering near the country's border wtih China, and that he had wanted to help resolve international conflict.

On this occasion, Mr Lowrance allegedly wanted to visit to improve relations between the two countries.

North Korea will sometimes release imprisoned Americans as part of a negotiation or as a gesture of goodwill.

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At the same time Mr Lowrance's release was announced, the secretive communist state also claimed it had developed an ultramodern new weapon. No details were provided about its capabilities.

Earlier this month US secretary of state Mike Pompeo was set to meet officials from the country.

But North Korea cancelled at last minute, the meeting was cancelled without explanation, although officials had said that the meeting would be rescheduled, without naming a date and time.
The US government could be forced into a partial shutdown over Donald Trumps desire for a wall on the Mexico border, a senior Republican has warned.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, an Alabama Republican met with the president alongside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConell.

I said we shouldnt ever want to shut down the government, Mr Shelby said

I think maybe he agreed, I dont know, he said of Mr Trumps response. We had a nice discussion, he added, describing Trump as being in a good mood.

Mr Trump has previously said he may very well be willing to shut down the government if he does not get the money he wants from Congress. Specifically, Mr Trump wants $5 billion to start construction in 2019. Ultimately, the wall would cost significantly more, but it's unclear exactly how much.

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The House of Representatives passed a $5bn bill, but the Senate has agreed to $1.6bn as part of a stopgap bill.

The current budget is set to expire on 7 December.

Mr Trump has threatened government shutdowns before, but his fellow Republicans had warned him against it. GOP leaders said that a shutdown would ultimately hurt the Republican Party.
The Union minister warned that the NDA will have to suffer in case disagreement over seat-sharing continues.

Patna: The tussle between the RLSP with its NDA allies in Bihar intensified on Saturday as Union minister Upendra Kushwaha set a November 30 deadline for the BJP to clear the air on seat adjustment for the 40 Lok Sabha seats, saying that the present offer of seats to his party is not respectable.

The Union minister warned that the NDA will have to suffer in case disagreement over seat-sharing continues.

Mr Kushwaha, who was camping in New Delhi till Friday, chaired his partys state executive meeting in Patna and told reporters, I wanted to meet BJP president Amit Shah but he didnt give time to me. Now, I dont want to discuss the issue with any other BJP leader except the Prime Minister.

Our party hopes that the BJP will clear the air on seat-sharing as well other issues by November end, said the Union minister of state for human resource development.

He said that the number of seats offered to Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) at present are not respectable and a message regarding the issue has been conveyed to the central leadership of the BJP for reconsidering his demand for more than three seats.

Mr Kushwaha refused to reveal the number of seats offered by BJP leadership and said that it would be disclosed after the final announcements on the issue.

Bihar has a total of 40 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP and the JD(U) have decided to contest equal number of seats. The fourth partner of the NDA in Bihar is Ram Vilas Paswans Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

In 2014, the BJP won 22 out of the 40 seats, followed by LJP with six, the Rashtriya Janata Dal 4, the RLSP 3, JD(U) and the Congress two each and the Nationalist Congress Party one.

Mr Kushwaha has been upset at the way BJP sidelined his party and gave importance to JD(U) president and chief minister Nitish Kumar on the issue of seat-sharing. He has also been demanding an apology from Nitish Kumar for using Neech (lowly) word for him during an event in Patna.

On Saturday Mahagathbandhan leaders in Patna were expecting a major announcement from Mr Kushwaha after he reportedly failed to strike a deal with BJP on seat-sharing RJD spokesperson Bhai Birendra said, The time has come for Kushwaha to take a decision. Mahagathbandhan is ready to accommodate like-minded partners in its fold.

Sources also claimed Upendra Kushwaha had reached Patna with the intention to announce a divorce from the NDA but he surprised his own partymen by setting a fresh deadline for the BJP.

RLSP MLA Lalan Paswan, who had met JD(U) vice-president Prashant Kishor earlier this week, was not present in the meeting. When asked he said, A large number of leaders in the RLSP are not ready to leave the NDA and if Mr Kushwaha decides to join Mahagathbandhan then he will have to do it alone.
Police are appealing for information after two Hindu temples in Brent and Harrow were ransacked in two burglaries believed to be related.

The first theft took place on Friday 9 November, at the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Willesden Lane.

Priests in the building were woken at around 2am by a crashing sound.

An idol stolen from a Hindu temple (Metropolitan Police)

They went to investigate and saw a man in dark clothing holding a yellow rucksack and moving around the temple.

He was crouching down to avoid detection.

Police officers were called but no suspect was found, although three religious idols were stolen.

Collection boxes, which were filled with donations gathered during recent Diwali celebrations, were also taken.

An idol stolen from a Hindu temple in London (Metropolitan Police)

Bhavik Kerai, a representative of the temple, appealed for the return of the idols, stressing their spiritual importance to worshippers.

The three Hari Krishna idols have been with the temple since it opened in 1975.

They "hold religious significance to all in our community," a spokesperson for the temple said in a statement.

The temple has asked for prayers for the idols' return. (Metropolitan Police)

"We have faith that all three Hari Krishna idols will return home."

"In the meantime please pray for their safe return."

The thief struck again on Tuesday 13 November at Shri Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple in Westfield Lane, Harrow.

An alarm began to sound at the premises at around 3.45am.

The temple priests looked at the CCTV and saw a lone male searching the building.

Items stolen from a Hindu temple (Metropolitan Police)

He was wearing a hooded coat, was dressed all in grey and had covered his face.

Once again the police were called but the suspect was not found.

The burglar gained entry to the temples by forcing a glass door and window open.

Detectives believe that the offences could be linked due to the timing, method of entry and proximity of the thefts.

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They are also urging other religious temples to take extra care in locking up premises and stowing valuable items.

The warning is especially important ahead of the holy festival of Kartik Poornim, which is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains.

In 2018 the festival will be marked on 23 November.

"I want to reassure our Hindu and Sikh communities, as well as all of the religious communities in Harrow and Brent, that we take offences such as this very seriously and are doing everything we can to trace the suspect," said Detective Constable Pete Wallace.

"Such behaviour will not be tolerated."

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"I would ask those in the community to keep a look out for religious idols that may be offered for sale; they will be distinctive items."

"If such an item is offered and the apparent 'seller' is unable to account for where it came from, please contact police immediately."

"In the meantime I would urge worshippers to take extra of their places of worship to avoid becoming a victim of crime."
A rising number of students across hundreds of universities in the UK are being targeted by fraudsters sending fake tax refund emails.

HMRC said that it was the first time the authority has seen a tax scam focusing on students of such high numbers.

Thousands of those affected have reported fraud in just a few weeks, as scammers try to obtain their financial details.

Fake emails, which use addresses that can appear legitimate such as uc.ac.uk, may tell people that they are owed money and encourage them to send their personal details.

The emails and texts often include links that redirect students to websites where their data is then stolen.

HMRC will never inform you about tax refunds by email, text or voicemail, said Mel Stride, the financial secretary to the Treasury.

If you receive one of these messages, it is a scam. Do not click on any links in these messages, and forward them to HMRCs phishing email address.

Between April and September 2018, HMRC requested that 7,500 phishing sites be deactivated, a significant increase from the 5,200 similar requests made in the same period in 2017.

HMRC encouraged all universities to raise awarenesses of the scams and said that many were already taking action to protect students.

Devious fraudsters will try every trick in the book to convince victims to hand over their personal information, often with devastating consequences, said Pauline Smith, director of Action Fraud.

It is vital that students spot the signs of fraudulent emails to avoid falling victim by following HMRCs advice.

Fraudulent emails often spoof the branding of GOV.UK or of well-known credit cards, in an attempt to seem authentic.

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The recipients name and email address may be repeated several times within the body of the email.

HMRC has specifically urged a number of universities to take action, including Aberdeen, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Imperial College London and Kings College London.

The tax authority has also encouraged Manchester Metropolitan University, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth, Queen Mary, Queens, Southampton, Sussex, University College London and Warwick to raise awareness of the issue.

Students who receive suspicious emails claiming to be from HMRC are urged to forward them to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and texts to 60599.
Former BBC newsreader Richard Baker has died aged 93.

Baker, who worked as a newsreader for more than 25 years, introduced the first BBC television news broadcast on 5 July 1954 and went on to present the Last Night of the Proms.

BBC director general Tony Hall said he had been "at the forefront of the creation of the modern news presenter," and was a calm and assured presence who became the face of news for millions.

Journalist John Simpson said he was one of the finest newsreaders of modern times.

After serving in World War Two, Baker completed his studies at Cambridge University, where he studied history and modern languages, and joined the BBC in 1950 as a radio presenter.

He became one of the BBCs most well-known journalists and worked as a newsreader until 1982.

He continued to work as a radio broadcaster up to his retirement in 2007.

In his final years, Baker moved into a retirement home, where he would cut out interesting headlines from the days newspapers and read them aloud to his fellow residents at six oclock.
Critics have warned Amber Rudd she is taking on a poisoned chalice as she becomes the sixth work and pensions secretary in less than three years.

Opposition MPs urged Ms Rudd not to repeat the mistakes of her many predecessors as they warned that the rollout of universal credit (UC) was exacerbating poverty levels.

A report by a United Nations report published this week concluded the scheme, introduced by the former Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) minister Iain Duncan Smith, was fast falling into discredit and should be overhauled.

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Ms Rudd backed the controversial scheme soon after her return to the cabinet, insisting she had seen it transform lives, while recognising "there had been some issues with it.

Other's including Labour MP David Lammy were more sceptical. He tweeted that the position was a poisoned chalice, before claiming that the government was unlikely to survive until Christmas.

Labours shadow minister for the cabinet office Jon Trickett said Theresa May's decision to appoint Ms Rudd, who was forced to step down as home secretary over the Windrush scandal only months ago, was a "desperate choice".

After enforcing Theresa Mays hostile environment in the Home Office, Amber Rudd will now be in charge of the DWPs hostile environment for disabled people and the poorest in society," he said. With Universal Credit in absolute shambles, appointing a disgraced former minister who was only recently forced to resign for her role in another scandal is a desperate choice by a weak prime minister.

Universal credit replaces six existing benefits  employment support allowance, income support, income-based jobseekers allowance, housing benefit, working tax credit and child tax credit  with a single payment.

A National Audit Office report released in June found food bank use in Ms Rudds constituency, Hastings, had risen by 80 per cent since UC was rolled out there.

The rollout of UC started with new recipients in pilot areas in 2013, but the scheme has been plagued by delays and it is now not due for completion until 2023.

Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Show all 13 1 /13 Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Esther McVey Britain's Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey arrives to attend the weekly meeting of the cabinet at 10 Downing Street in London. - Britain's Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey resigned from the cabinet over draft Brexit deal AFP/Getty Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Dominic Raab British Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab give a press conference at the end of the final round of talks in Brexit negotiations at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium EPA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Rehman Chrishti Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party Rehman Chrishti tendered his resignation letter this afternoon PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Anne-Marie Trevelyan Parliamentary private secretary in the Department of Education Anne-Marie Trevelyan resigned stating that she cannot support the deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Sam Gyimah Universities minister Sam Gyimah resigned on November 30, claiming the government's decision to pull out of the EU's Galileo satellite navigation system as a deciding factor PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Shailesh Vara Shailesh Vara who has quit as Minister of State for Northern Ireland, saying he cannot support Theresa May's Brexit agreement, which he said "leaves the UK in a halfway house with no time limit on when we will finally be a sovereign nation" PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Suella Braverman Brexit minister Suella Braverman has resigned, stating It is not what the British people, or my constituents, voted for in 2016. Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Ranil Jayawardena Parliamentary private secretary to the ministry of justice Ranil Jayawardena resigned as he could not back the deal "in good conscience"

Professor Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights said in his report the introduction of UC has caused extreme hardship that could easily be reversed by the government.

The Scottish National Partys social justice spokesperson, Neil Gray MP said Ms Rudd should put the new UN report on poverty in the UK at the top of her reading list.

She must not repeat the mistakes of her many Tory predecessors, who have punished the poor with multi-billion pound cuts to social security and a callous approach, he said. Instead of plunging even more families into poverty, the UK government must boost household incomes by halting and radically reforming Universal Credit, ending the benefits freeze, introducing a real living wage, and delivering justice."

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In an interview with broadcasters, Ms Rudd said as a one-nation Tory she wanted to make sure that we really do help everybody across the country.

Asked whether responsibility for universal credit was a poisoned chalice, she replied: I have seen Universal Credit do some fantastic things.

In my constituency in Hastings and Rye it really has transformed lives. But I also recognise that there have been some issues with it, some problems with it. I see it very much as my job, my role, to make sure that I try to iron out those difficulties so it becomes a force wholly for good.

Additional reporting by Press Association
Moderate Conservatives have warned they will push Britain towards tighter relations with the EU or even turn against Brexit altogether if purists in their party tear down Theresa Mays draft withdrawal deal.

A string of Tory MPs told The Independent that Eurosceptic colleagues who have begun a sustained push to bring down both Ms May and her Brexit plans, should not be mistaken that a no-deal exit risking the livelihoods of British people is obtainable.

The moderates say the only remaining option if Brexiteers block Ms Mays approach will mean being more closely bound to the single market or even revisiting the 2016 referendum result.

Their warning comes as the Eurosceptic wing of the Conservatives launched a coordinated campaign against the draft deal to be signed off at an EU summit next weekend, and pushed for a vote of no confidence in the prime minister.

Ms May is set to continue her media offensive defending the deal on Sunday with a live interview in the morning, but Eurosceptics have also been in force attacking it.

The pushback from Tory moderates began with pointed words from serving frontbencher Alistair Burt, who indicated that if Ms Mays plans fell, Brexiteers could not expect Remain-voting MPs to continue to go along with the result of the 2016 referendum regardless of the consequences.

He wrote on Twitter: Be very clear. If an agreed deal on leaving between the Govt and the EU is voted down by purist Brexiteers, do not be surprised if consensus on accepting the result of the referendum by Remain-voting MPs breaks down.

Parliament will not support no deal.

 Liam Fox: Brexit deal is in 'National interest'

Another Conservative MP, who did not wish to be named, confirmed the view that support for Brexit on the Tory benches would weaken if Ms Mays deal falls in the Commons.

Certainly many of us think that no Brexit, is better than no deal, said the MP.

Ex-cabinet minister Nicky Morgan was among those who sent a direct message to Eurosceptic colleagues, telling The Independent: If they tear down the agreement, a number of us will revisit having closer access to the single market and long-term membership of the customs union  that is where we might head, to the Norway option.

Remain-voting MPs have gone along with a lot in the last two years. If this agreement goes down, it is not going to go the way of the hard Brexiteers.

A senior Tory frontbencher who agrees with Mr Burt told The Independent that the European Research Group  leading Eurosceptic opposition to Ms May  should better understand the dynamic of parliament, that there is not a majority for a no-deal Brexit.

Theyre trying so hard to bring the deal down without thinking about what happens if theyre successful, the individual said.

The idea that if the deal dies everyone is just going to say, OK we give up lets just go without a deal now and agree Canada later, is pure fantasy Senior Conservative frontbencher

The idea that if the deal dies everyone is just going to say, OK we give up lets just go without a deal now and agree Canada later, is pure fantasy.

The moderates analysis is shared, in part at least, by No 10. In her statement on the steps of Downing Street, Ms May said that if her deal is not chosen it is possible there would be no Brexit.

One government insider told The Independent: There is an irony that if the deal fails it could be through the actions of the ultras that we are delivered in to an even tighter relation to the customs union to the Norway option or whatever.

In truth what we think is that there is no majority for anything in the commons at the moment  not for no deal, for EEA, or anything.

So what we have to do between now and the meaningful vote is get enough people on side with the deal, we have to make sure that becomes a majority option.

Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Show all 13 1 /13 Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Esther McVey Britain's Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey arrives to attend the weekly meeting of the cabinet at 10 Downing Street in London. - Britain's Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey resigned from the cabinet over draft Brexit deal AFP/Getty Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Dominic Raab British Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab give a press conference at the end of the final round of talks in Brexit negotiations at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium EPA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Rehman Chrishti Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party Rehman Chrishti tendered his resignation letter this afternoon PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Anne-Marie Trevelyan Parliamentary private secretary in the Department of Education Anne-Marie Trevelyan resigned stating that she cannot support the deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Sam Gyimah Universities minister Sam Gyimah resigned on November 30, claiming the government's decision to pull out of the EU's Galileo satellite navigation system as a deciding factor PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Shailesh Vara Shailesh Vara who has quit as Minister of State for Northern Ireland, saying he cannot support Theresa May's Brexit agreement, which he said "leaves the UK in a halfway house with no time limit on when we will finally be a sovereign nation" PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Suella Braverman Brexit minister Suella Braverman has resigned, stating It is not what the British people, or my constituents, voted for in 2016. Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Ranil Jayawardena Parliamentary private secretary to the ministry of justice Ranil Jayawardena resigned as he could not back the deal "in good conscience"

On Saturday, Tory Eurosceptics again took to the airwaves to attack the prime ministers plan and predicted that there would soon be enough letters calling for her to resign to trigger a vote of no confidence, with party chairman Brandon Lewis saying the PM is prepared for anything.

Ms May will look to set out the next steps of the Brexit process in an interview with Skys Sophy Ridge, with other ministers scheduled to go on TV and radio backing her position.

But the ERG, choreographed by leading Brexiteer Steve Baker MP, has also launched a well-organised drive to shape public opinion about the deal, using WhatsApp and other means to stay in regular contact with journalists and ensure their message features prominently on news coverage.
Theresa May has launched a stinging attack at Brexit critics she claims are more worried about whether they look good than improving the lives of people.

The prime minister said that some people in the Brexit debate appeared to be thinking too much about their privileged position and too little about their responsibility.

She also said none of those plotting to scrap her Brexit strategy have an alternative that would solve the critical issue of the Irish border.

Her comments made in an interview on Saturday mark Ms Mays latest attempt to get on the front foot following a tumultuous political week which also saw backbench plotters trying to depose her.

At the centre of the row tearing the Conservatives apart is the backstop for dealing with what happens to the Irish border if no new trade deal is set by December 2020.

Currently it would keep the whole of the UK in a customs union with the EU until a trade deal is solidified, with the UK only able to leave via mutual consent with Brussels  something Brexiteers hate.

Taking aim at her critics, Ms May said: People say, if you could only just do something slightly different, have a Norway model or a Canada model, this backstop issue would go away. It would not. That issue is still going to be there.

Some politicians get so embroiled in the intricacies of their argument they forget it is not about this theory or that theory, or does it make me look good.

 Conservative MP Steve Baker: MPs who backed Theresa May's Brexit deal cannot run as future leader

She went on: It is what is best for people going about their lives day in and day out.

Among those attempting get her plans scrapped are former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, ex-Brexit secretary David Davis and backbench chair of the anti-EU European Research Group, Jacob Rees Mogg.

They think too much about their privileged position and too little about their responsibility. The job of a prime minister is to make tough decisions which are not always black or white. I have to find a way through, what best suits everybodys needs Prime minister Theresa May

Mr Johnson has called on members of the cabinet to quit over Ms Mays plans while, Mr Rees Mogg wants Ms May to be replaced and Mr Davis is also urging a looser relationship with the EU  all are believed to harbour leadership ambitions.

Without specifically naming anyone, Ms May said: They think too much about their privileged position and too little about their responsibility.

The job of a prime minister is to make tough decisions which are not always black or white. I have to find a way through, what best suits everybodys needs.

Ms May bolstered her cabinet by bringing back former home secretary Amber Rudd, who immediately pleaded with Tory rebels to back the prime minister and her Brexit deal.

The new work and pensions secretary said: This is not a time for changing our leader.

Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Show all 13 1 /13 Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Esther McVey Britain's Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey arrives to attend the weekly meeting of the cabinet at 10 Downing Street in London. - Britain's Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey resigned from the cabinet over draft Brexit deal AFP/Getty Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Dominic Raab British Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab give a press conference at the end of the final round of talks in Brexit negotiations at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium EPA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Rehman Chrishti Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party Rehman Chrishti tendered his resignation letter this afternoon PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Anne-Marie Trevelyan Parliamentary private secretary in the Department of Education Anne-Marie Trevelyan resigned stating that she cannot support the deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Sam Gyimah Universities minister Sam Gyimah resigned on November 30, claiming the government's decision to pull out of the EU's Galileo satellite navigation system as a deciding factor PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Shailesh Vara Shailesh Vara who has quit as Minister of State for Northern Ireland, saying he cannot support Theresa May's Brexit agreement, which he said "leaves the UK in a halfway house with no time limit on when we will finally be a sovereign nation" PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Suella Braverman Brexit minister Suella Braverman has resigned, stating It is not what the British people, or my constituents, voted for in 2016. Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Ranil Jayawardena Parliamentary private secretary to the ministry of justice Ranil Jayawardena resigned as he could not back the deal "in good conscience"

But the prime ministers critics believe they have the numbers  48 letters calling for her to resign are needed  to trigger a confidence vote within days.

The Independent reported on Saturday that a group of cabinet ministers are set to push Ms May to seek further concessions from Brussels ahead of a summit to sign off the withdrawal agreement later this month.

But Irelands deputy premier has warned British politicians to sign up to the current Brexit agreement or risk crashing out of the EU without a deal.

Simon Coveney said people were too quick to write off Ms May, saying she has shown resilience, courage and a reality check to Brexiteers in Westminster.

Speaking ahead of Fine Gaels conference, he also warned it will be difficult to find an alternative deal that will prevent a hard border.
Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald has ruled out any possibility of her partys seven MPs taking their seats in the House of Commons to vote for Theresa Mays Brexit withdrawal deal.

The prime minister has faced opposition from many within her own party as well as the Democratic Unionists over the draft deal.

Ms May faced a tumultuous week that saw the departure of ministers including Dominic Raab, the Brexit secretary, and Esther McVey, the work and pensions secretary, and the launch of a high-profile insurrection on the back benches to remove her from office.

When the deal is brought before parliament, the vote is expected to be tight.

However, Ms McDonald said her party will not ride in on a white charger to save the day.

Sinn Fein MPs have not taken their seats at Westminster for more than a century in an abstentionist policy.

Irelands deputy premier Simon Coveney has urged Sinn Fein to take its seats to vote on the deal, adding that if the Westminster ballot is lost by two or three votes then people will rightly ask some pretty serious questions of Sinn Fein.

Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Show all 13 1 /13 Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Esther McVey Britain's Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey arrives to attend the weekly meeting of the cabinet at 10 Downing Street in London. - Britain's Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey resigned from the cabinet over draft Brexit deal AFP/Getty Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Dominic Raab British Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab give a press conference at the end of the final round of talks in Brexit negotiations at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium EPA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Rehman Chrishti Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party Rehman Chrishti tendered his resignation letter this afternoon PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Anne-Marie Trevelyan Parliamentary private secretary in the Department of Education Anne-Marie Trevelyan resigned stating that she cannot support the deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Sam Gyimah Universities minister Sam Gyimah resigned on November 30, claiming the government's decision to pull out of the EU's Galileo satellite navigation system as a deciding factor PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Shailesh Vara Shailesh Vara who has quit as Minister of State for Northern Ireland, saying he cannot support Theresa May's Brexit agreement, which he said "leaves the UK in a halfway house with no time limit on when we will finally be a sovereign nation" PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Suella Braverman Brexit minister Suella Braverman has resigned, stating It is not what the British people, or my constituents, voted for in 2016. Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Ranil Jayawardena Parliamentary private secretary to the ministry of justice Ranil Jayawardena resigned as he could not back the deal "in good conscience"

Ms McDonald accused Mr Coveney of playing to the gallery during his Fine Gael party conference, which is taking place in Dublin this weekend.

The tanaiste is playing to the gallery, he knows full well that Sinn Fein has been extremely active in defending Irish interests at every level, she said.

He knows Sinn Fein has an abstentionist policy, he knows full well that the British parliamentarians have to arrive at their decision, he knows that Sinn Fein cannot ride in on its white charger and make all of this go away.

The tanaiste has urged measure in the comments that people make in terms of seeing this deal over the line. I think he needs to practise what he preaches.

Ms McDonald also urged Irelands premier Leo Varadkar to be cautious as he addresses his party conference.

I think the taoiseach and tanaiste as they speak to their party conference this weekend need to bear in mind that Brexit is for keeps, it is not done yet, we are still in the middle of a very, very dangerous scenario for this entire country, she said.

They need to lead from the front, not be speculators on the sidelines, not to be harbingers of doom, but to act responsibly, to lead and to ensure that whatever happens there will be no hardening of the border, that our peace agreements will be protected, that our economy will be protected and that citizens rights will be underwritten.

Ms McDonald spoke to the media in Dublin on Saturday morning as she attended a meeting of Sinn Feins leadership over Brexit and its ramifications for Ireland.

The Democratic Unionists have indicated they intend to vote against the withdrawal deal when it comes before parliament, while Independent North Down MP Lady Sylvia Hermon said she is considering which way she will vote, adding she wants assurances from the prime minister.

Press Association
A submarine that disappeared a year ago with 44 crew members on board has been found around 800m deep in waters off the Valdes Peninsula in Argentine Patagonia.

The ARA San Juan, an Argentine Navy vessel, was travelling to the coastal city of Mar del Plata on 15 November 2017 when contact with those on board was lost.

Crew members had been ordered to return to a naval base on the coast after the submarines captain said that water had entered the snorkel, causing one of the vessels batteries to short circuit.

He later said that the situation had been contained, but a few hours later an explosion was detected near the San Juans last known location.

A woman reads the messages dedicated to the 44 crew members of the missing submarine ARA San Juan (EPA)

The navy said that the blast could have been caused by a concentration of hydrogen triggered by the faulty battery.

Crew members only had a seven day supply of air when the San Juan disappeared.

Argentina gave up hope of finding survivors from the vessel after an international search, aided by 18 countries, ended without success.

Ocean Infinity, a private maritime company that can search and map the seabed, was then hired by Argentinas government to find the submarine.

The navy said a remote operated submersible from the firm had made a positive identification of the vessel thousands of feet below the ocean surface.

Relatives comfort each other (Reuters) (REUTERS)

Rescuers found the San Juan just two days after families of the missing sailors held a commemoration event marking a year since the submarine disappeared.

Argentinas president Mauricio Macri said the families should not feel alone, in remarks made on the anniversary.

He also declared an absolute and non-negotiable commitment to find the truth.

The disappearance of the San Juan caused extensive debate over the state of the military in Argentina, which has one of Latin Americas smallest defence budgets relative to the size of its economy, following a series of financial crises in the country.

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Argentinas government dismissed the head of the navy in January during a probe into the submarines disappearance.

Federal police raided naval bases and other buildings the same month.

Additional reporting by agencies
Shocking footage shows the moment a man opened fire on police in the US after he was stopped for a traffic offence.

The dramatic dash cam video, released by Washington County Sheriffs Office, shows Corporal Brett Thompson pull over the driver of a green Saturn car in Tontitown, Arkansas, for a traffic violation.

But as Cpl Thompson gets out of his car and begins approaching the stationary vehicle, driver Luis Cobos-Cenobio can be seen opening his door and shooting at the officer.

After exchanging numerous rounds, 29-year-old Cobos-Cenobio gets back into his car and speeds off before letting out a female passenger and taking off again.

He was later stopped and arrested for attempted capital murder, act of terrorism, fleeing, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Washington County Sheriffs Office.

Dash cam footage captured the moment Luis Cobos-Cenobio opened fire on an officer from Washington County Sheriff's Office after he was stopped for a traffic offence in Tontitown, Arkansas, on 11 November, 2018 (Washington County Sheriff's Office)

The female passenger, who police say wanted to be let out of the vehicle, was not found to have committed a crime.

Washington County Sheriffs Office posted the footage of the incident, which took place at about 12.43pm local time on 11 November, on Facebook.

Dash cam footage captured the moment Luis Cobos-Cenobio opened fire on an officer from Washington County Sheriff's Office after he was stopped for a traffic offence in Tontitown, Arkansas, on 11 November, 2018 (Washington County Sheriff's Office)

Posting the footage, it said: Since there is already bystander footage that has been shared via social media and local news outlets regarding the traffic stop that occurred this past Sunday (Nov 11, 2018), and because of the great public interest it has generated, Sheriff Helder made the decision to share the combined footage that includes Corporal Thompsons dash cam as well.

We are so thankful Corporal Thompson, all other officers who were involved, as well as citizens who were in the areas of the incident, were unharmed.

Cobos-Cenobio was treated for a wound in his left arm before he was taken into custody.

No officers or deputies were injured in the incident.

Arkansas State Police is investigating.
An animal rescue organisation is offering a $5,000 reward as officials hunt a person who shot and killed a dolphin in California.

Staff from Marine Animal Rescue, a group which provides animal response and rescue services in the state, found the dead dolphin last week by the coast in the city of Manhattan Beach, in Los Angeles County.

Upon rescue and examination Dr Lauren Palmer, a veterinarian at the Marine Mammal Care Center, found that the dolphin had died from a bullet wound.

"There is NO excuse for such brutality against these beautiful animals", the organisation wrote on Facebook.

"It's just a vicious act of brutality," Peter Wallerstein, the rescue group's founder, added while speaking to NBC News.

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"We very rarely find these people but what the reward does is put them on notice."

Wallerstein said that in 30 years of animal rescue work he had never before seen a dolphin which had been shot.

In a similar case in April, a pregnant bottlefish dolphin was shot to death in southern Mississippi, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

A necropsy, an autopsy for animals. revealed the dolphin had died from of a gunshot wound, with the unborn calf dying as a result of the parent's death.

Dolphins are protected in the US by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. This bars harassing, harming, killing or feeding them.
The RSS said that celebrating Childrens Day on Nehrus birthday has nothing to do with his love for children but is merely a PR exercise.

The RSS said that celebrating Childrens day on Nehrus birthday on November 14 has nothing to do with his love for children but is merely a public relations exercise.

New Delhi: Continuing its attack on Jawaharlal Nehru, the RSS has compared the first Prime Minister to Hitler and claimed that it was Nehru who had himself ordered to celebrate his birthday as Childrens Day  a public relations exercise that had no link to his love for kids.

The latest edition of RSS mouthpiece, Organiser, carries an article with a black and white photograph of Nehru smoking with an article that draws parallel between him and the Nazi leader who created a pool of young admirers as a first step to dictatorship.

The RSS said that celebrating Childrens day on Nehrus birthday on November 14 has nothing to do with his love for children but is merely a public relations exercise. It had nothing to do with children or Chachajis eternal love and affections for Indias young buds. It was merely a public relations exercise, organised to please his Soviet Union masters Comrades Bulganin and Khrushchev who embarked on an India visit during that time, it said.

With the Sangh Parivar and the BJP carrying on their tirade against Indias first Prime Minister, the RSS mouthpiece quoted its own editorial published in 1955 accusing Nehru of creating a youth brigade in the lines of Hitler Jugend (The youth organisation of the Nazi Party in Germany).

The editorial, written by K.R. Malkani, journalist, historian and politician associated with the BJP, claimed that before the visit of Russian leaders Nikolai Alexandrovich Bulganin and Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev, The entire educational machinery in the capital has been put out of gear... a number of students from every class in almost all the schools have been out rehearsing and re-rehearsing their allotted role for couple of hours every day, tuition has almost ground to a halt.

It went on to add: Preparations to celebrate Pt. Nehrus birthday and the Russian leaders arrival have set us thinking. It has been said of Hitler that he built up his dictatorship on the devotion of Hitler Youth organisation. The mouthpiece stated that its 1955 editorial condemned the repeated child rights violations in the name of Childrens Day celebration as truckloads of Delhi students, both boys and girls, had been daily transported to Kutub Minar ground for lessons in drilling, smiling, garlanding, clapping and shouting slogans!

The editorial argued that the right day for Childrens Day celebration would be Krishna Janmashtami  the birthday of the great child of all times Sri Bala Krishna.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to make an official visit to Northern California on Saturday to get a first-hand look into the anguish and damages caused by the Camp Fire, but a rain storm forecast to hit the grief-stricken region is expected to add more misery for thousands displaced by the California wildfires.

The set of rain storms, currently crossing over the Pacific Ocean, is expected to hit the Northern California region throughout the week of Thanksgiving. Based on computer prediction models, meteorologists predict there could be more than an inch of rain in the Bay Area, where the fatal Camp Fire is blazing through, by 23 November.

The death toll from the Northern California wildfire continues to rise, with 71 people dead and more than 1,000 people reportedly missing.

While the rain storm might provide firefighters battling Camp Fire with helping hand, it poses more challenges and distress for wildfire evacuees depending on shelter.

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In Chico, about 300 people displaced by Camp Fire are seeking shelter in a Walmart. But with the Walmart located in flood-prone parking lot, the authorities are now asking evacuees to leave the premises by Sunday afternoon ahead of the rain storm.

There is concern that the anticipated rain storm could cause life-threatening floods and mudslides in the Bay Area.

California authorities believe they have enough beds to provide shelter for Camp Fire refugees, but the real challenge is to ensure that long-term shelter is an option for them. The Red Cross said more than 1,100 people are residing in shelters in the Bay Area and others are bunking with friends and relatives. Brian May, a spokesman for the states Office of Emergency Services, said there is no clear answer on how many evacuees will need housing, but authorities ordered more than 52,000 of them to evacuate at the height of the Camp Fire.

Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Show all 32 1 /32 Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Firefighters battle a blaze at the Salvation Army Camp in Malibu Getty Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Flames from the Camp fire burn near a home atop a ridge near Big Bend AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Cathy Fallon (centre) who stayed behind to tend to her horses during the Camp Fire, embraces Shawna De Long (left) and April Smith who brought supplies for the horses Reuters Wildfires spread across California  in pictures A helicopter drops flame retardant on a wildfire in Malibu Getty Wildfires spread across California  in pictures An air tanker drops water on the fire along the Ronald Reagan Freeway in Simi Valley AP Wildfires spread across California  in pictures An abandoned car from fleeing residents of Paradise in the Pentz road area EPA Wildfires spread across California  in pictures A firefighter tackles the fire along the Ronald Reagan Freeway in Simi Valley AP Wildfires spread across California  in pictures A Jack In The Box fast food restaurant burns as the Camp fire moves through Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Yuba and Butte County Sheriff officers label a body bag AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Firefighters hose down trees on Bell Canyon Road, near Malibu AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California  in pictures A fire burns at the Salvation Army Camp Getty Wildfires spread across California  in pictures A firefighting DC-10 makes a fire retardant drop over a wildfire in the mountains near Malibu Canyon Road AP Wildfires spread across California  in pictures A house burns in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Bins have melted and ballooned in the heat in Magalia, Butte County EPA Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Satellite image taken on 8 November shows plumes of smoke from the Camp Fire stretching across portions of Northern California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Firefighters battle the Camp Fire AP Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Firefighters battle the Woolsey Fire Reuters Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Deputy Coroner Justin Sponhaltz, of the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office, recovers human remains found at a home destroyed by the Camp Fire AP Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Buildings burn in Paradise, California EPA Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Local residents bring their horses to Zuma Beach and away from the Woolsey Fire in Malibu Reuters Wildfires spread across California  in pictures A used car dealership burns in Paradise, California Reuters Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Yuba and Butte County Sheriff officers inspect a burned vehicle after discovering remains nearby in Concow AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Firefighters battle the flames in Thousand Oaks Reuters Wildfires spread across California  in pictures A house burns in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California  in pictures A house burns in Paradise, California AP Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Search and rescue teams work to evacuate patients from the burning Feather River Hospital in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Embers blow in the wind in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California  in pictures In Butte County, the sky is filled with the smoke of the Camp Fire EPA Wildfires spread across California  in pictures Firefighters at work in Thousand Oaks Reuters Wildfires spread across California  in pictures A house burns in Paradise, California AP Wildfires spread across California  in pictures The burned remains of a house and car are left after the Camp Fire in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California  in pictures A shop burns in Paradise, California AFP/Getty

The rain storm poses a great risk for Camp Fire refugees who prefer to set up tent outdoors. Some are concerned with the lack of privacy at shelters, and others want to stay with their furry-legged friends since some shelters prohibit animals from entering. The authorities are informing them to stay near shelters where they can have access to hygiene, food, and other necessities.

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are working to find solutions to the shortage of housing ahead of the rainstorms. FEMA said it is working with state and local officials to review possible options, and it is currently looking into using travel trailers to house some of the Camp Fire refugees. FEMA used travel trailers last year for hundreds of displaced people who had their homes destroyed from a fatal wildfire in Santa Rosa, a town in the Bay Area.

Camp Fire is known to be the deadliest wildfire in US history within the last 100 years.

At around 9:50pm local time, Mr Trump landed at Beale Air Force Base, about 60 miles south of Paradise, where he shook hands with Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom. The president then traveled to Chico Municipal Airport to review the fire damage in the region.
Senator Chuck Grassley is stepping down as chairman of America's powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, potentially leaving it open to one of Donald Trump's key allies.

Once one of the US president's fiercest critics, Senator Lindsey Graham has recently championed his country's leader. He has previously stated he would like to lead the committee, were the vacancy to open up.

The committee is the first to review the president's choices for federal government and judicial posts, including the judges he would like to place on the Supreme Court.

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In his year in office Mr Trump has pushed through a series of conservative judges to federal benches, including two justices onto that court, including controversial choice Brett Kavanaugh.

Mr Grassley has said that he would like to take over at the Senate Finance Committee which writes tax law. Retiring senator Orrin Hatch has recently vacated that seat.

The Judiciary Committee came under the spotlight during the confirmation of Justice Kavanaugh, who was accused by at least three women of sexual misconduct.

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He denied those accusations, and was later confirmed to the bench.

Should Mr Graham become the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, then Mr Trump would have a powerful ally running the powerful legislative body.

During the Kavanaugh hearings, Mr Graham repeatedly chastised Democrats for the treatment of the nominee, and praised the candidate's career as a judge in the federal judiciary.
A record number of children from overseas are in US government custody as Donald Trump's administration continues to enforce hardline immigration policies.

More than 14,000 unaccompanied migrant children were being held in detention facilities this week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said. The figure tops a record set two months ago.

The rise, first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, is thought to be largely due to increased background checks on adults who come forward to take children into care.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began carrying out the checks earlier this year and has used information obtained through the process to arrest undocumented immigrants who had offered homes to children.

Previous administrations did not look into prospective carers immigration status.

Democrat senators said the policy was deterring families from coming forward, leaving children languishing in custody.

Right now, unaccompanied children are being held in detention facilities or living in tent cities due in part to potential sponsors fear of retribution from ICE for coming forward, said California senator Kamala Harris. This is an unacceptable obstacle to getting these children into a safe home, and we must fix it.

Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Show all 14 1 /14 Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Immigrant children, many of whom are separated form their parents, are housed in Texas' tent city Reuters Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border A two-year-old Honduran asylum seeker cries as her mother is searched and detained near the US-Mexico border Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Undocumented migrants ride on the top of a freight train referred to as the beast, or La Bestia Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border A cage inside a US Customs and Border Protection detention facility in Texas Reuters Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US Border Patrol Academy All new agents must complete a months-long training course at the New Mexico facility before assuming their posts at Border Patrol stations, mostly along the US-Mexico border Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US-Mexico border fence A group of young men walk along the Mexican side of the US-Mexico border fence in a remote area of the Sonoran Desert Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US-Mexico border fence in the US Man looks through US-Mexico border fence into the US in Tijuana, Mexico Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US-Mexico border fence US Border Patrol agent Sal De Leon stands near a section of the US-Mexico border fence while stopping on patrol on in La Joya, Texas Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US Border Patrol Academy US Border Patrol instructor yells at trainees after their initial arrival to the academy Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Memorial service in Guatemala Families attend a memorial service for two boys who were kidnapped and killed in San Juan Sacatepequez, Guatemala. Crime drives emigration from Guatemala to the United States, as families seek refuge from the danger Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Arrests on the border Undocumented immigrants comfort each other after being caught by Border Patrol agents near the US-Mexico border Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Detention holding facility A boy from Honduras watches a movie at a detention facility run by the US Border Patrol Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Mexican farm workers Mexican migrant workers harvest organic parsley at Grant Family Farms in Wellington, Colorado Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Mexican family in Arizona A Mexican immigrant family sits in the living room of their rented home in Tuscon, Arizona. The family that Arizona's new tough immigrant law had created a climate of fear in the immigrant community. Getty

The number of unaccompanied minors in detention facilities swelled by thousands earlier this year after Mr Trumps administration implemented a zero-tolerance immigration policy that resulted in parents being separated from their children at the southern US border.

HHS ended the policy in June following a public outcry, but the number of children in government custody has continued to grow steadily.

The department has been forced to erect tent cities to house the children because its permanent shelters are full.

An HHS spokeswoman blamed the situation on a crisis at the border and a broken immigration system.

Last month ICE confirmed it had arrested 41 people who came forward to take care of unaccompanied minors, confirming suspicions the agency was using the vetting process to track down illegal immigrants.

Democrats have proposed a bill that would prohibit immigration officials from using information gathered during the background checks to punish prospective carers.

We will ultimately be judged as a society by how we treat our children, and without these crucial protections we are depriving unaccompanied minors of a place they can begin to call home," said Ms Harris.

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It comes as thousands migrants arrive at the US-Mexico border after travelling in a caravan from Central America.

Many are refugees fleeing poverty and violence in their home countries of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

Around 6,000 troops deployed by Mr Trump are waiting on the US side of the border, where authorities have erected concrete barriers and razor-wire fences to keep people out.
Donald Trump has said he is awaiting a briefing from the CIA on the death of Jamal Khashoggi, after a US official said the intelligence agency had concluded Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the journalists murder.

The president was expecting to speak to the agency on Saturday to receive an update on its assessment, which contradicts the kingdoms claims that the prince was not involved in the assassination.

The CIA is said to have high confidence in the conclusions of its investigation, according to the Washington Post, which first reported the development.

An official familiar with the agencys investigation confirmed its conclusion.

Speaking to reporters before leaving the White House for California, Mr Trump said: We havent been briefed yet. The CIA is going to be speaking to me today.

As of this moment, we were told that he did not play a role. Were going to have to find out what they have to say.

The CIAs assessment is the most definitive to date that links the crown prince to Khashoggis killing. It is likely to complicate the US presidents hopes of preserving his administrations close relationship with the Saudi regime.

Mr Trump said Saudi Arabia was a truly spectacular ally in terms of jobs and economic development and he would have to take a lot of things into consideration when deciding what measures to take against the kingdom.

He added he would speak to the CIA and lots of others, including secretary of state Mike Pompeo, while on board Air Force One.

Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Show all 7 1 /7 Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Jamal Khashoggi Washington Post journalist who was critical of the Saudi regime and the young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, he was murdered on 2 October in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul AFP Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Heir to the Saudi throne, Mohammed bin Salman has been implicated in the murder, with US officials claiming that he must have known of the plot AFP/Getty Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures 15 man hit squad Turkish police suspect these 15 men of being involved in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, issued 10 October, 8 days after the journalist disappeared EPA Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Saud al-Qahtani Aide to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saud al-Qahtani is claimed to have ordered Khashoggi's murder Saud Al-Qahtani/Twitter Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb A former diplomat who often travelled with the Crown Prince, Mutreb was initially claimed to be the leader of the hit squad and is pictured here entering the Saudi consulate on the day of the murder AP Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Mustafa al-Madani First implicated in the 15 CCTV photos released by the Turkish police, al-Madani was later found to have been used as a body double for Khashoggi, leaving the Saudi consulate dressed in his clothes on the day the journalist was killed CNN Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Salah bin Jamal Khashoggi (L) Son of the murdered journalist met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on 23 October EPA

The intelligence agencys conclusion will fuel efforts in congress to further punish Saudi Arabia over Khashoggis murder in the kingdoms Istanbul embassy last month.

Mr Trumps administration this week penalised 17 Saudi officials for their alleged role in the killing, but American lawmakers have called on the president to also curtail arms sales to the kingdom or take other harsher punitive measures.

Saudi Arabias top diplomat insisted the crown prince had absolutely nothing to do with the killing.

Republican senator Bob Corker, who chairs the foreign relations committee, said everything points to the crown princes involvement. He urged Mr Trump to act quickly before the Saudi regime executed those it has blamed for the Khashoggi murder.

He tweeted: Everything points to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, MbS, ordering Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggis killing.

The Trump administration should make a credible determination of responsibility before MbS executes the men who apparently carried out his orders.

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Vice-president Mike Pence told reporters travelling with him at a summit of Pacific Rim nations in Papua New Guinea that he could not comment on classified information.

He said the US would follow the facts while trying to find a way of preserving a strong and historic partnership with Saudi Arabia.

Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen who lived in the US, was a columnist for the Washington Post and often criticised the royal family.

Turkish and Saudi authorities say he was killed after entering the consulate on 2 October to get documents he needed for his upcoming wedding.
Thousands of Norwegians joined nationwide protests on Saturday as part of a backlash against proposals by the leader of the ruling coalition government which would tighten the countrys abortion laws.

Prime minister Erna Solberg, has suggested amending a key paragraph of existing legislation which allows abortions after 12 weeks where the child will have a serious illness like Downs syndrome, or in some cases for multiple births.

Though not yet in legislation the move is seen as an attempt to win the support of the countrys Christian Democrats party, KrF, and give Ms Solbergs right-wing coalition government an outright majority.

Demonstrations have taken place across 14 cities and 33 other sites according to the action group Kvinnefronten, which helped organise the protests.

Once again, we see that the government uses womens right to self-abortion as a negotiation card, Kvinnefronten said on its website.

Women across the country are pissed off. Now we have to go to the streets and give a clear message to the government not to touch the abortion act.

Images posted by Womens March Norway  part of the group that has led demonstrations around the world on womens and reproductive rights, most famously in America after Donald Trumps election  show large crowds outside the Storting, Norways parliament buildings in the capital, Oslo.

Another view, from a balcony overlooking the Storting square gives a better impression of the size of the crowd.

Brit-Agnes Svaeri, founder of Womens March Norway attended the protest and told The Independent: Most people are shocked, men and women  there were a lot of men attending as well.

As the signs said at the marches, I cant believe womens bodies are on the negotiating table as part of a political power game again.

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We [Norway] are supposed to be ahead of a lot of countries on these issues. Now we might go backwards, which is really demotivating for countries who havent got there.

She added that Ms Solberg has previously said on television that it is not the police of her party, Hyre, to toughen abortion laws, which explains why it is being derided as political gamesmanship. Changes are also not widely backed by the other two parties in her coalition.

Another image, by Twitter user Amos Keppler shows a crowd packing out the main square in the large city of Bergen.

Analysis by the Aftenposten newspaper explains that in 2017 there were 12,700 abortions carried out in Norway and only around 2 per cent (287) were carried out after 12 weeks, the vast majority because of serious health conditions.

While the law also allows selective abortions of multiple births, these only accounted for around 20 procedures in the last two years, WMN said. These cases also typically involved at least one of the children having a health condition that could affect the pregnancys viability.

Norways three-month term limit for abortion is already significantly shorter than in the UK  which allows terminations without a medical reason up to 24-weeks  and the move would go against the trend of increasing liberalisation of laws in other European nations such as Ireland.
Where is the body? What did you did with her after you strangled her? Where did you bury her?

These were the questions that gripped the latest murder trial of the French serial killer, dubbed the Ogre of the Ardennes.

Thirty years after the killing, would Michel Fourniret finally tell the victims family and her husband, who sat opposite him in the courtroom in Versailles, where she lay?

Recommended French serial killer confesses to 1990 murder of Joanna Parrish

It took Fourniret, who with his ex-wife Monique Olivier is already serving life for the rape and murder of seven girls and young women they killed in a virgin-hunting spree, nearly three decades to finally confess to the murder of British student Joanna Parrish.

Parrishs naked body was found the day after she was reported missing in May 1990 while she was living in the Burgundy region during a year abroad.

Fourniret had long been suspected of the 20-year-olds rape and murder but it was only earlier this year that he told police he was the culprit. That case could come to trial as early as next year.

The verdict in Fourniret and Oliviers current trial in Versailles, for the 1988 murder of 30-year-old Farida Hammiche, was a foregone conclusion, given that both had confessed to the crime.

So the focus was on how the French equivalent of Britains Fred and Rosemary West went about their grim business, the buried gangsters gold, the betrayed friend and the chateau purchased with ill-gotten gains.

But above all it was about trying to make the 76-year-old serial killer reveal how he had disposed of Hammiches corpse.

An undated picture of murder victim Farida Hammiche (handout from family) (Handout from family)

Fourniret, whose glasses, white hair and beard would let him easily pass for a pastor or university professor, wore faded jeans and a black jumper tucked into his trousers as he calmly watched the proceedings that culminated late on Friday in another life sentence for him and 20 years for his wife.

Monique Olivier, now 70, who for years helped him kidnap girls and then watched through a one-way mirror as he raped and killed them, sometimes with a screwdriver, sat awkwardly on the same court bench, never speaking to her ex-husband and rarely even looking at him.

The court heard how Fourniret befriended the career criminal Jean-Pierre Hellegouarch, who was Hammiches husband, when the pair briefly shared a cell in 1984, when the former was serving time for sexual assault and the latter for robbery.

Hellegouarch got wind of where a notorious band of Paris bank robbers, nicknamed the Gang des Postiches (Wigs Gang) because of the hairpieces they wore when on the job, had buried 20 kilos of gold bars and coins.

He shared his secret with his new friend, who was released in 1987 and then married Olivier, and arranged for Fourniret to go with his wife, Hammiche, to the Paris cemetery where the gold was buried next to a grave.

Hellegouarch said he could have a cut and Hammiche would keep the rest until his own release.

But once the couple diabolique, as the French press have dubbed Fourniret and his wife, got their hands on the gold, it was the end for Hammiche.

Fourniret calmly told the court he could remember what her last words were  Michel, dont kill me like this  before he strangled and then buried her, later leaving her car at Orly airport to make it look as though she had left the country.

But he has always refused to reveal the location of her improvised grave.

A court sketch shows Michel Fourniret, left, and his ex-wife, Monique Olivier, at the Court of Assizes of Yvelines in Versailles earlier this week (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images)

I would just like to know where Faridas body is, I would like to give her a proper grave, Hellegouarch, now a burly, shaven-headed 75-year-old dressed in a green combat jacket and jeans, told the court.

If he is rotten to the core that is his problem. But if he has an ounce of courage then he should say where she is, he said.

Fourniret looked as though he was about to say something, but the presiding judge said it was not yet his turn to speak.

I would just like to know where Faridas body is, I would like to give her a proper grave Jean-Pierre Hellegouarch, partner of victim

Fournirets treachery towards Hellegouarch included him pretending to be worried about Hammiches disappearance and helping look for her, meeting his old friend at the prison gate when he was finally released and even naming one of his sons after him.

It was only years later when Hellegouarch heard Fourniret had bought himself a chateau in the French Ardennes that he realised he had been had.

In 1992, he decided to take justice into his own hands. He arrived, armed, at the chateau, but Fourniret spotted him in time and managed to escape, abandoning his wife and baby.

Hellegouarch later turned to the authorities to ask them to investigate. He claims it was because of his criminal background that they took so long  three decades  to bring the case to court.

Fourniret, who the Versailles court was told spends his time in prison playing chess with himself and reading Gogol and Dostoyevsky, was asked again and again during the trial where the body was.

In his precise and pedantic French, he sometimes claimed age had made him forgetful, but often seemed to be playing with the court. And, sometimes, the harmless-looking old man snarled and, briefly, the court could see the Ogre of the Ardennes.

You told us that you hid the body in a sand quarry and then you said you dont remember [what you did with it], Mr Fourniret. So, which is it? asked Didier Seban, a lawyer for the victims family.

Both, answered the accused.
A motorist accidentally hit and killed a protester taking part in a campaign of road blockades across France on Saturday, interior minister Christophe Castaner has said.

The campaign, organised by a group who call themselves the gilets jaunes (yellow vests), is the latest challenge to embattled president Emmanuel Macron, triggered by opposition to rising fuel taxes.

At a blockade in Savoie, a driver reportedly panicked after seeing protesters barring the way and accelerated, hitting and killing a woman demonstrator, according to Mr Castaner.

The woman was reportedly trying to take her daughter to a doctor and panicked when protesters surrounded her car.

The yellow vests organised the grassroots campaign on social media and have said they are not part of any political party or organisation.

One Facebook page for the campaign, Blocage 17 Novembre 2018, has over 28,000 followers.

The groups name and clothing comes from a French law which states all motorists must carry hi-vis safety vests in their vehicles in case of a breakdown.

Protestors are objecting to the French government's decision to raise fuel taxes, at a time when fuel costs are already increasing.

Diesel prices have risen by 16 per cent this year from an average of 1.24 per litre to 1.48, according to UFIP, Frances oil industry union.

Critics of Mr Macron have said the taxes will hit people in small towns and rural areas with poor public transport and show his government is out-of-touch with the needs of ordinary French workers.

Abel Ouali, a protester at one of the blockades, told Frances Le Monde newspaper: Enough is enough. I have 150 of fuel per month to get to work, with a small salary.

It weighs heavily on my budget. I am waiting for the government to hear us and lower the price of fuel.

Mr Macrons government believe the taxes are necessary for the countrys long-term environmental policy to transition away from fossil fuels.

Ministers have also said rises in the cost of diesel and petrol are mainly due to increases in the global wholesale price of oil.

A poll by Elabe on Wednesday found 73 per cent of French people approve of the campaign and 70 per cent believe the government should abandon the fuel tax rise.

Le Monde reported 50,000 protesters were participating in the road blockade campaign at more than 1,000 rallies on Saturday morning.

In a separate protest, ambulances disrupted Paris main ring road earlier this month and briefly blocked the Champs-Elysees on Friday to object to new rules on ambulance financing.

Agencies contributed to this report
Up on the newly whitened hills of Kievs Pechersk Lavra Monastery, life goes back a century or nine. Bearded, black-frocked men scurry across the grounds, gliding between the dozens of temples and administrative buildings. A skittish visitor stops one of the monks in his tracks, and rolls up his sleeve to reveal an arm covered in crusty lesions. He is shepherded to the monasterys medical centre.

The Pechersk monastery gets its name from the peshchery, or the cave temples hollowed into the hills below. These contain scriptures, icons, and the relics of over a hundred saints, and are considered to be the spiritual centrepiece of eastern Orthodoxy. They survived Nazi occupation and various periods of Soviet persecution, including a time when the holy underground was turned into a museum of atheism.

But representatives of the monastery, now notionally the headquarters of the Moscow-backed branch of Ukraines Orthodox Church, say they are facing the biggest challenge in their history.

Two developments  the momentous decision of Constantinople last month to grant autocephaly (independence) to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and the subsequent resolution of the Russian Orthodox Church to break with Constantinople  have made the monastery a religious battleground that mirrors the secular tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

In Kiev, the sides are barely keeping the peace.

Recommended Moscow weighs up the consequences of Orthodox Church schism

On Thursday morning, a church that had been transferred to the Constantinople patriarch was reportedly attacked with Molotov cocktails. They didnt explode, but Ukrainian authorities blamed Moscow. The Russian-backed wing of the Orthodox Church meanwhile says Kiev is targetting them in a campaign of political persecution, and is about to embark on a smash-and-grab raid of church property.

Not even during Soviet times has there been so much political pressure on the church, says Archbishop Kliment, a senior member of the Russian-backed church in Ukraine. They are employing unprecedented, asset-grabbing schemes against us. They are using exactly the same methods as Khrushchev and Brezhnev, only those men didnt even pretend to be religious.

Autocephaly for the Ukrainian Church is a central tenet of Petro Poroshenkos re-election campaign, which is starting in earnest ahead of next Marchs vote. All across the country, billboards emphasise the thrust of his populist appeal: Army. Language. Faith.

But presidential advisor Rostislav Pavlenko, the man charged with implementing the policy, says preparations began much earlier, in 2014, and almost as soon as the war in the east began. Constantinople came around to Kievs position late last year, he tells The Independent  swayed by a combination of Ukrainian clarity, and Russian condescendence, which extends to the religious sphere as well.

The Ukrainian president has been unapologetic about his appeal to Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, the first among equals of Eastern Orthodox clerics. In a speech last month, Poroshenko said the Russian Orthodox Church had become a willing extension of Kremlin power. Its members, moreover, needed to choose between the Kremlin star and the Orthodox cross.

In early November, Poroshenko turned up the rhetoric further: My dear [friends,] youve got nothing to do here. Your church has nothing to do here. Your army has nothing to do here. Your arms have nothing to do here. Go home  to Russia.

According to Kliment, that language insulted churchgoers.

Our parishioners are not Russian, but Ukrainian citizens and they form the majority, he tells The Independent.

The Russian-backed church certainly boasts the most congregations in Ukraine. It has approximately 12,000 temples open across Ukraine. Its nearest rival, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate, which until last month was considered schismatic, has about half the number of congregations.

Right up until the Maidan revolution, the Moscow Patriarchate also boasted the largest number of individual followers.

But the bloody turn on the Maidan, the ongoing war in the east and other tensions may have also changed Ukraines religious profile. More recent statistics suggest religious Ukrainians are turning away from Moscow. According to one recent report, which is disputed in some quarters, a majority of active churchgoers now, on the contrary, identify with the Kiev Patriarchate.

With their monopoly on official Orthodoxy removed, there are also signs of a deepening split within the Russian-backed church itself.

Several parishes have already indicated they intend to switch from the Moscow Patriarchate to the new unified church. The Kiev government is said to have persuaded at least 12 senior clerics (of 90) to back their position.

The Metropolitan Oleksandr (Drabinko) of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky is perhaps the most outspoken cleric in the pro-autocephaly faction of the Moscow Patriarchate. Speaking with The Independent in his office at the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, located just across from the racecourse in Kievs barren southwestern suburbs, he says independence is a logical, patriotic course. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church had barely concealed his political agenda, he said  and this was where the real political pressure on the church was.

How can I adhere to a man who calls my state a junta and openly applauds Putin after the Crimean annexation? he asks rhetorically.

Drabinko says there are many more inside the Moscow Patriarchate that share his views  perhaps, even, a majority. The churchs army-like discipline had prevented them from speaking out: They dont offer anyone a choice, its just bans and threats. And if you dont agree, they try to break you.

Drabinko was one of a handful of priests of the Moscow Patriarchate to defy the leadership in attending a meeting with President Poroshenko in Kiev on Wednesday.

Metropolitan Oleksandr Drabinko is critical of the army-like leadership of the Russian-backed Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kiev Church 1)

There is some confusion about the chronology leading up to the meeting, but The Independent understands the Ukrainian president first turned down an invitation to meet the bishops at their Pechersk monastery. He was, sources say, concerned by the possibility of a staged provocation. Instead, he offered to meet at the Ukranian House, a venue in central Kiev. The Moscow Patriarchate then held a synod that resolved not to go to the presidents suggested location, nor to join the new unified Ukrainian Church.

Archbishop Kliment told The Independent that the Russian-backed church was open to dialogue, but had rejected a meeting that had no format or aim other than the acquisition of church property.

Presidential advisor Rostislav Pavlenko said the suggestion that the government was about to seize church property was nuts.

Kiev was intent to proceed with consent and compromise, he insisted. The fate of individual temples would be decided by congregations themselves: parishes can choose to alternate services between dominations, or, if there was no agreement, authorities would simply close the temple.

This has already happened in a village in the west of Ukraine, he said. The police closed the church there because the people couldnt come to an agreement, and so now both of them pray in the yard.

For Drabinko, the logic of Moscows break with Constantinople means more and more parishes will decide to move to the new, unified Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

The new church would eventually host 90 per cent of the congregations that previously took their cue from Moscow, he confidently predicts  perhaps, even, the Lavra itself.
A woman has blown herself up at a police checkpoint in the Chechen capital of Grozny in the south of Russia, say police.

Nobody else was injured in the blast in the Staropromyslovsky district of the city at around 4pm local time on Saturday.

Police general Apti Alaudinov said officers became suspicious as the suspected suicide bomber approached the checkpoint, according to the Russian state-operated RIA news agency.

Recommended Isis claims responsibility for police attacks in Chechnya

They ordered her to stop and present identity documents before firing a warning shot when she rushed towards them and detonated an improvised explosive device, he added.

Police said they were searching the woman's body for further explosives before attempting to identify her and any possible accomplices. Unconfirmed reports suggested she was from Dagestan.

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Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the predominantly-Muslim region, has claimed to have restored calm and stability in recent years as the republic recovers from two wars between 1994 and 2000.

However extremists continue to carry out sporadic attacks, mostly targeting military police.

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. 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In May three people were killed when gunmen stormed an Orthodox church in Grozny.

Three months ago a group of militants carried out a series of attacks on police targets in Chechnya, including one attempted suicide bombing.

Islamic State later claimed responsibility.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Ladies! What does your underwear say about you? Are you a red-thonged saucy minx, or do you keep all those ungainly wobbly bits tucked in with some flesh-toned spanks: all tease, no please? Your knicks can speak volumes about how you get your kicks, and thats why weve designed our new Defendant Drawers. This high-waisted pair of pants in virginal white cotton are sure to wow the jury and get your rapist convicted.

This week, women across Ireland posted pictures of their underwear online alongside the hashtag #ThisIsNotConsent, after a defence barrister in a rape trial referenced the teenage complainants knickers in their closing speech. The 17-year-olds pants were shown to jurors to consider as evidence that the girl could have been attracted to the defendant and was open to meeting someone and being with someone. Defence counsel Elizabeth OConnell told a court in Ireland: You have to look at the way she was dressed. She was wearing a thong with a lace front.

Did they really have to look at the way this girl was dressed though? Womens underwear has been referred to time and time again in rape trials. The CPS allegedly dropped a rape case in 2014, citing the accusers Spanx underwear in the reasoning. Women, it seems, can be wearing absolutely anything and have it used against them when they speak out against sexual assault. Let us not forget the Toronto police officer who, in 2011, told schoolchildren: Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised.

Recommended Women post photos of their underwear after Irish rape trial

One of the most persistent myths about sexual violence is that it is connected to the clothes of a victim. We also know that in approximately 90 per cent of sexual assaults, survivors know the perpetrator prior to the attack, and attacks are most likely to occur in the victims or perpetrators home, workplace or vehicle. Is a womans underwear considered when she is raped in her pyjamas?

These observations are not limited to discussions of consent. This week, ITVs This Morning held a debate about whether or not it was appropriate for makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury to have worn a keyhole neckline to pick up her MBE from the Queen. Never mind celebrating the business acumen that got her there, lets focus on her tits.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who recently became the youngest congresswoman in history, was yesterday blasted on Twitter by a conservative journalist for wearing a suit: Ill tell you something: that jacket and coat dont look like a girl who struggles, he wrote.

Beyond the abhorrence of these respective comments  and their blatant irrelevance to the topics being discussed  the wider debate surrounding womens clothes has far-reaching consequences. When we broach the perceived appropriateness of womens clothing choices, we loosen a tap whose persistent drip of low necklines or expensive suits catalyses a deluge that sees womens entire credibility mistrusted. Womens clothing  be it their shoes, their hair, their makeup, their tights, their underwear, their jewellery  has been weaponised against them for centuries, and men scratch their heads and wonder why only 15 per cent of those who experience sexual assault actually report it.

The CPS has, this year, seen the lowest year of rape convictions in 10 years. This particular case, saw an acquittal, but that the accusers underwear was thought worthy of mention is whats of most grave concern.

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When men get dressed in the morning they might wonder if their shirt is adequately ironed, or if jeans or trousers would be more fitting for their day ahead. Women must mentally stand within the lines laid out for us and consider if we are erring on the right side of appropriate (nothing too tight, too low cut), frumpy (too loose), feminine (nothing threatening, aggressive, nothing that assimilates the predetermined male wardrobe), trivial (no high heels ladies, less you dont get taken seriously!) or  it seems  financially secure (spend your money how we tell you). The idea of anyone ever saying: Ah well, he was wearing a tie, he was obviously asking for it, is so laughable it would wipe the floor at a stand up routine.

Weve got to ask ourselves more than just how the evidence of this particular girls underwear was considered admissible in a rape trial, which was used entirely to discredit the validity of her case or even to strengthen that of the accused. We also have to ask ourselves when we will no longer tolerate discussions of this sort at all.
Shiv Sena minister of state in Maharashtra Arjun Khotkar asked candidature of the Congress party for Jalna Lok Sabha (LS) constituency.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena minister of state in Maharashtra Arjun Khotkar asked candidature of the Congress party for Jalna Lok Sabha (LS) constituency. Mr Khotkar wants to contest against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Raosaheb Danve.

Mr Khotkar has reportedly established contact with the Congress leadership in state. If the Sena and BJP form an alliance for Lok Sabha then he would want to contest against Mr Danve on Congress ticket. Meanwhile, the Congress has not taken any decision yet.

Mr Khotkar, the minister of state for textile and animal husbandry, is locked into a bitter fight against Mr Danve for the supremacy of their district Jalna. Though both the leaders belong to the ruling party but their local politics is pitching them against each other. Hence, Mr Khotkar has decided to contest LS election if he gets ticket from either his party Sena or the Congress.

There is also a buzz in state politics that the Sena would eventually join hands with the BJP for LS elections.

So, Mr Khotkar wont have choice than to take ticket from the opposition party. Jalna is currently with the Congress in alliance seat sharing. Hence, he has reached out to the Congress state leadership for ticket and assured them that if his ticket is confirmed, then he will resign from Sena immediately to join the party.

On the other side, Mr Khotkar had won his assembly seat of Jalna with just 296 votes against Congress candidate. But this time he knows that the seat would be tough to contest, hence in order to avoid assembly risk he is trying to get LS ticket.

The Asian Age tried to contact Mr Khotkar for his comment, but he was not reachable.
The logic doesnt seem right: the very people fed up of living under a barrage of rockets from Gaza rejecting a ceasefire between their government in Israel and the fighters that are firing at them.

But in Sderot, a border town worst hit by the 460 rockets militants fired into south Israel, residents did that just. Hundreds gathered, burning tyres, blocking roads and chanting disgrace when the rocket sirens finally went silent.

While everyone feels the end of something and people have a sense of relief, we dont get this. We have been living in a warzone for 18 years, Stav Cohen, a long-term resident of the town, told me.

Maxine Dorot, an ex-college lecturer in Ashkelon further north, spelt it out more succinctly.

While I feel very sorry for the Palestinian civilians who are innocent, I think we should go in and assassinate all the Hamas leaders  kill them all.

But then in Gaza, things also appeared upside down. Supporters and leaders of Hamas, the militant group that runs the strip, stood in front of the bombed-out carcass of their own headquarters and celebrated a resounding victory. This is despite the fact that every one of the eight people killed on both sides of the border during this latest flare-up of violence, were Palestinian. It was almost as if Israel hadnt pummelled more than 160 targets in Gaza, including levelling four key buildings.

But this topsy-turvy world of the Israel-Palestine never-ending war is the new normal. And its biggest casualty was Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels once-warmongering prime minister, who has finally checkmated himself.

Despite bringing his country back from an impossible conflict, at a time when Israel fears two wars on the northern borders, the prime minister is perilously close to the dissolution of his government. Today, in a confusing tangle of leaks it appeared his parliamentary coalition had collapsed and new elections had been called at the worst possible time, with his popularity at an all-time low. The prime ministers office denied the reports but questions of how he can move forward remain unanswered.

Shortly after the ceasefire was announced by Gaza, Netanyahus controversial defence minister Avidgor Lieberman announced his resignation, saying that his Yisrael Beiteinu party and their five seats would leave Netanyahus parliamentary coalition. It left Netanyahu with just a one-seat majority that means any MK in the Knesset could effectively enjoy a veto power.

Then Naftali Bennett, the countrys far-right education minister and the premiers outspoken nemesis, threatened to also pull his partys eight seats from the coalition if he was not handed the countrys defence portfolio, something Netanyahus Likud party have already said would not happen.

Todays crisis meeting between Netanyahu and Bennett did not go well, according to sources close to the education minister, who said the pair decided elections would be called and the government dissolved. Whether this will happen remains to be seen, but arguably Netanyahu is the architect of his own downfall in his poor handling of the Gaza Gordian knot. His disastrous policies have come back to haunt him.

Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Show all 23 1 /23 Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures A ball of fire above the building housing the Hamas-run television station al-Aqsa TV in the Gaza Strip during an Israeli air strike AFP/Getty Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Israeli Iron Dome anti-missile systems firing toward missiles fired from the Gaza Strip near the southern city of Sderot, Israel. Israeli army report that approximately 300 missile launches were identified from the Gaza strip toward Israel. Dozens of launches were intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system EPA Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Israeli soldiers take cover near the Israel Gaza border AP Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures A bus set ablaze after it was hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip. Israel's military said it was carrying out air strikes "throughout the Gaza Strip" on Monday after rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave towards its territory AFP/Getty Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Palestinians inspect a rubble of a destroyed internal security building of Hamas interior ministry after Israeli air strike in Gaza City EPA Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures A Palestinian girl walks up the stairs of her family house that was damaged in an Israeli air strike REUTERS Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Fire and smoke billow following Israeli air strikes targeting Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, near the border with Egypt AFP/Getty Images Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Missiles from Israel's Iron Dome air defence system in the south of Israel destroy incoming missiles AFP/Getty Images Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Israeli security forces and firefighters gather near abuilding set ablaze after it was hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in the southern Israeli town of Sderot AFP/Getty Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures EPA Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures AFP/Getty Images Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures A ruble of a destroyed building of Al-Aqsa channel belonging to Hamas movement EPA Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Israeli security forces and firefighters gather near a bus set ablaze after it was hit by a rocket fired from the Palestinian enclave AFP Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Relatives of Mohammed Ouda, killed in an Israeli air stike the previous day, mourn during his funeral in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP/Getty Images Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Missiles from Israel's Iron Dome air defence system in the south of Israel destroy incoming missiles fired at Israel from the Palestinian enclave AFP/Getty Images Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Israeli soldiers sit atop a Merkava tank stationed along the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip AFP/Getty Images Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Black smoke rises as an Israeli airstrike hits a residential building in Gaza City AP Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Palestinians look out of their house that was damaged in an Israeli air strike REUTERS Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures Palestinians hold placards and the Palestinian flag during a protest in solidarity with Gaza, in the West Bank city of Hebron EPA Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures An Israeli policeman inspects the damage in a building caused a day earlier by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in the southern Israeli town of Ashkelon AFP/Getty Images Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures A Palestinian boy inspects the rubble of a destroyed residential building after Israeli air strike in Gaza City EPA Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures REUTERS Gaza crisis: heavy cross-border fire in pictures AP

The tactic has been to divide and conquer, setting the West Bank and the Gaza at each others throats, as well as tightening Israels crippling blockade on Gaza. This has only worsened a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and pushed more people to Israels borders for eight months of protests and clashes. Meanwhile, he has used wars to distract the Israeli electorate from domestic woes to win votes, only creating a battle-hardened Palestinian people who have nothing to lose.

It meant that in this latest flare-up of cross border fire, there was nothing left for Netanyahu to do.

He could neither afford to go to war with Gaza, and risk distracting his forces away from two potential conflicts on its northern borders with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iranian-backed forces in Syria. Nor could he launch additional airstrikes to teach Hamas a lesson because it would have ended in war.

But a ceasefire without terms after this 24-hour outburst of rockets sends a worrying message that will only see more violence, former Israeli commanders have argued.

The Gaza fighters showcased an effective new war tactic: concentrating short-range fire on one part of Israels advanced Iron Dome missile defence system to overwhelm it, even just momentarily.

While more than 100 rockets were shot down by interceptors  at an estimated cost of $12m (9m)  a small amount made it through setting fire to a bakery and killing a West Bank Palestinian man in his home in Ashkelon.

Gazas fighters have an arsenal of around 20,000 (comparatively) unsophisticated rockets and mortars. Hezbollah, according to the Israelis, have more than 150,000, including guided missiles. They will no doubt be watching with interest.

For this reason, some Israelis argue it is important for Israel to keep bombing Hamas capabilities in Gaza, even though it could trigger a war, to counter that threat.

If we stop firing now there will be a feeling our deterrence has been eroded. We dont want to be at their mercy whenever they choose to fire a rocket, said Michael Herzog, a retired brigadier general in the Israeli army.

A ceasefire must be complete, no rockets, no attempts to breach the border fence, or rockets will be fired again, he added.

In Gaza, Hamas officials heralded the past few days as a major win, claiming that they even predicted the resignation of Lieberman, a man much reviled in territory.

The Israelis are shocked at how weak their government is and how it has been humiliated. We unveiled proof of their inner turmoil, said a senior Hamas source.

He said this latest conflict had also showcased their new and improved capabilities. He pointed to the discovery of a botched Israeli intel operation in southern Gaza on Sunday night. The covert mission, which resulted in a firefight during which seven Palestinians and an Israeli lieutenant colonel were killed, sparked the latest wave of violence.

Unless Netanyahu finds a brilliant way to cut that Gordian knot, the days of his coalition, and a fourth term in office, are over. In its place may well be an even more hawkish further right government.

And if that is the case the hamster wheel of violence will continue to spin.
Deal or no deal?: A pro-Brexit supporter with a placard near the Palace of Westminster in London yesterday. Photo: Daniel Leal-Olivas/Getty images

At the core of the Brexit project has been the idea to "take back control", by reasserting UK parliamentary sovereignty. It would be ironic if the Brexit process now leads to Westminster losing control.

After 20 months of negotiations, this week the British government agreed a UK-EU withdrawal treaty, which would be expected to be formally rubber-stamped at a specially convened European Council summit in Brussels on November 25.

However, all eyes have shifted to the UK domestic politics of Brexit. Given the ongoing political drama in London, it is unclear whether the UK parliament will back the Withdrawal Agreement.

A lot for Ireland is riding on how Westminster votes (expected shortly before Christmas). Worryingly, many seasoned British observers say the treaty may not pass.

Within the Conservative party, both hard-line Brexiteer and committed Remainer MPs say they will vote against the agreement. The DUP, which props up the Conservative government, are also adamant they will vote No.

It seems Mrs May will need votes from pro-Brexit MPs in the Labour Party, in part because the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Nationalists have already declared against it. Labour's position on Brexit has not always been clear, but shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer has said it will vote against the government in the hope of bringing about a general election and/or another referendum.

What happens if Westminster votes down the EU-UK treaty? No one knows, except political turmoil will likely ensue. But there are two procedural options. The first is that the UK crashes out of the EU at the end of March 2019 (the current official deadline), a chaotic no-deal Brexit.

The second is London and Brussels agree to extend withdrawal negotiations, with the UK remaining in the EU until the political impasse is resolved. There currently appears to be little parliamentary appetite for a potentially disastrous no-deal Brexit, a scenario that could lead to a hard Border in Ireland.

An alternative could be continuing negotiations - this would require a formal request from the UK government to the other EU governments to agree to an extension.

That could be led by a new prime minister as Mrs May might not survive a parliamentary defeat of the treaty (and she may face a leadership challenge in the meantime).

But would a disunited Tory Party quickly unite around a new party leader? Or might a general election be necessary, as Labour wants, if parliament cannot find a majority for a new government? Alternatively, might even a national unity government emerge, as some MPs have called for?

And what might a new government then do: try to renegotiate with the EU, or even decide to hold another referendum? All bets would be off.

Alongside ongoing no-deal preparations, the EU would likely respond favourably to a British request to extend the Brexit deadline beyond the end of March. Yet Brussels would not be keen on a lengthy extension. Otherwise, the UK - which would still be an EU member - could be obliged to hold elections to the European Parliament in mid-May, which would greatly complicate decision-making.

However, if the UK government declared it would not only hold another referendum, but would also be prepared to campaign to remain in the EU, Brussels would surely find a way to extend the UK's stay to allow time for that.

Signs are that Westminster ratifying the Withdrawal Agreement is not a foregone conclusion. But a week is a very long time in Brexit politics, and the Westminster vote will not be held for at least another four to five weeks.

This week's EU-UK agreement was an outstanding diplomatic achievement for Ireland. It relied on impressive solidarity from the other 26 remaining EU member states, the European Parliament and the European Council, as well as the skill and determination of the European Commission negotiators.

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, as the UK confronts the price of Brexit, the EU has shown its value to Ireland.

Noelle O'Connell is executive director of the European Movement Ireland
To the best of my understanding, Theresa May remains prime minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but nobody can be quite sure.

At time of writing, party officials are still going through the list of every government minister who is understood to have resigned thus far, in a frantic attempt to work out whether the country still has a government.

A man called Shailesh Vara, claiming to be a Northern Ireland minister, got the resignation ball rolling at 7.32am on Thursday. That one's been confirmed real, after the picture in his Twitter profile was successfully cross-referenced with historic CCTV footage from the House of Commons canteen.

Then came 'Dominic Raab', but that was definitely a false alarm because he was claiming to be the actual Brexit secretary, and that would mean he was resigning over a deal he himself had negotiated, so it was instantly ruled out.

Not long later, a resignation letter from the former kids TV presenter Esther McVey was circulating online, but that included claims that she was "immensely proud" of her work as work and pensions secretary, so that too was dismissed as a hoax. Wrongly, as it turned out.

By the time the prime minister rose to address the House of Commons, her aides were frantically seeking replacements for Ben Dover, who had, "with a heavy heart", announced he could no longer carry on in good conscience as the junior minister for under carriages in the Department for Transport. Further letters were thought to have been received from Rehman Chishti, Isabelle Ringing and Phil McCracken.

Arguably the lowest point was when Downing Street called a woman named Suella Braverman, offering her a junior role in the Department for Exiting the European Union as a replacement for the departing Hugh Janus, only to be told she already worked there and was, as it happened, resigning herself, and no, she didn't have Mr Janus's number.

As the chimpanzees' tea party crashed on around her, Theresa May did her utmost to impress upon the occasion some of the gravitas stripped of it by her own excuse of a party. She is already history, that much is beyond doubt, but as she stood at the despatch box, at the start of the longest day of her political life, there emerged the first faint glimmer of a chance that history might, in fact, look kindly upon her.

If Stan Lee had lived just a short while longer, he might have seen a superhero: Behold The Unstoppable Mediocrity. She will go on to the end, whatever the cost may be. She will not be stopped. Not by her party. Not by her government. Not by Brexit. Not even, one suspects, by no Brexit. Not by anyone. If a nuclear bomb had landed eight inches to her left, it would have been a maximum of a quarter of an hour before she was straightening her hair and telling the emerging cockroaches that she was "getting on with the job".

One shouldn't forget that she chose this life for herself. But she didn't choose to be the High Priestess of this infantilised age. She didn't choose Brexit. She didn't choose Trump.

When a Brexit secretary resigns over a deal he himself has negotiated, it is so preposterous as to make her stronger, not weaker.

She has piloted a jet with a blown-up engine and a cabin full of terrorists. Theresa May is scarcely facing an opposition. The beamers are all coming in from her own side. Her wicket is coming, and after that will come defeat for the whole side.

But never has it seemed less likely that, ultimately the blame for that defeat will be placed on her.
Facing facts: A man wears face paint in a European Union (EU) flag design ahead of the anti-Brexit Peoples Vote march, in London last month. Photo: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

Theresa May headed back to her constituency on Friday having survived - so far - one of the most intense weeks of her increasingly bruising premiership as her party fought itself over Brexit.

Four ministers and a smattering of others resigned after she unveiled her poorly-received Brexit deal and an increasing number of MPs said they had submitted letters of no confidence in her leadership of the Conservatives.

Question marks now remain over whether she has the numbers to get the deal she agreed with Brussels approved by Parliament, amid dwindling support and a potential serious challenge to her position.

What happens if her draft Brexit agreement is voted against and rejected?

- Possible Brexit outcomes

There are a number of possible outcomes if MPs reject the draft deal during the meaningful vote, which is expected to be staged in the House of Commons in early December.

Initially, if the deal is voted down, Mrs May has just a matter of weeks to put forward a new plan.

But with Parliamentary recess marked for between December 20 and January 7 - time would be tight and may result in the early recall of the Government from the Christmas break.

Britain and the EU could also go back to the negotiating table in Brussels, but would find themselves restricted by the looming March 29 withdrawal date, and senior EU figures have already suggested this is the final offer.

This could see Mrs May submit a request to the European Council to seek an extension of Article 50 which would delay departure if agreed by the other member states.

A no-deal Brexit is also a possibility as a result of Parliament voting the deal down - and would see the UK leave the trading bloc without an agreed blueprint on its future relationship with the EU.

This is opposed by a wide swathe of the business community who say it would be catastrophic for the economy and jobs.

Despite Brexit being just months away, a second referendum on Britain's EU membership could also be a potential outcome if Mrs May felt this might ease the political deadlock.

Like a no-deal Brexit, she has used a second vote backing remaining in the EU as a weapon to try to gain support for her plan from reluctant MPs.

And there is also a chance a General Election could be called. This can be done in two ways. Under the Fixed Term Parliament Act, two-thirds of MPs have to back a motion calling for an election.

Or the Government can lose a confidence vote and 14 days pass without an administration, either the incumbent or a new one, winning a fresh vote.

However both would require a phalanx of Tory rebels to side with Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party, which makes it very much the "nuclear option".

- The Conservative Party

Mrs May has committed to seeing her Brexit deal through to the end, but assuming she stays in post long enough to put her divisive draft through the Commons and it is voted down, it is possible she could resign.

It is standard procedure for the Prime Minister to become a caretaker in such instances until the Conservative Party selects a replacement.

And if Mrs May wants to make a quick exit, she would then be replaced by the second in line, David Lidington - the Cabinet Office Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

But the Prime Minister may not even have to resign, and could face a leadership challenge - a step which may garner greater support in light of her deal being rejected by Parliament.

However, a challenge is risky, as if she wins her opponents have to wait a year before they can challenge her again, which would mean she would remain in charge during Brexit.
Q: I thought there was a deal to avoid a hard Border in Ireland - what's become of that?

There is a deal agreed between the UK and EU that would do this. It involves all of the UK staying in a form of customs union with the EU, and the British cabinet signed off on it last Wednesday. However, there are serious doubts that it will be passed by Parliament. It is opposed by hard-line Brexiteers in British Prime Minister Theresa May's own Conservative Party and she may well face a vote of no confidence next week. The bulk of the Labour Party is also opposing the plan and the DUP - which Mrs May relies on to stay in power - isn't on board either.

Q: What happens if it doesn't make it through the House of Commons?

Then the UK, Ireland and the EU are facing into the stark prospect of a no-deal Brexit and chaos once Britain leaves the EU on March 29 next year.

Q: What would this mean for the Border?

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar himself conceded that it would be very difficult to avoid a hard Border if there's no deal. He said Ireland would be asked to implement EU laws to protect the single market and Britain would have to operate under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. WTO rules would mean tariffs on everything from food to electronics and fuel. Ultimately there would have to be a return of customs checks on goods.

Q: So will there be queues on the Border?

Potentially if that's where customs checks take place. However, all sides have insisted throughout the Brexit process that there should be no physical infrastructure on the Border due to the risk of it becoming a target for dissident Republican terror groups. The Government would seek to avoid this option at all costs but has so far refused to say how it would do this. Revenue's current system allows for some checks of non-EU goods to take place at approved premises away from ports and airports. That's one option.

Q: What about the wider effect of a no-deal Brexit?

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe previously warned of "major disruption" to the economy here if the UK crashes out of Europe with growth hit by up to 3.5pc in the medium term. Estimates on the number of jobs that would be lost range from 40,000 to 50,000. The agri-food, tourism and manufacturing sectors would be worst-hit.

Q: What has the government here done to prepare for a no-deal Brexit?

It won't specify measures that have been taken for a no-deal outcome but a rainy day fund has been set up and there are financial supports in the form of two 300m loan schemes for farmers and small businesses. There are plans to recruit up to 1,000 customs and veterinary officers at ports and airports.

Q: Is a no-deal Brexit inevitable?

Not yet. Mrs May is desperately battling to win support for the deal among the British public in the hope pressure will be brought to bear on MPs to back the agreement. But there will be nervous times in Dublin and Brussels as all eyes are on Westminster in the hope a deal that took two years of hard negotiations won't fall at the final hurdle.
Ireland must learn to live with the fungal diease which has wreaked havoc on ash plantations across the country as the latest scientific evidence suggesting that eradication of the disease is no longer possible.

Chalara or Ash Dieback disease is a disease of ash trees caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus.

Dieback symptoms in ash had been first noted in Poland in the early 1990s without any identifiable cause.

The origins of the disease are not certain, but scientists have suggested the disease may have been introduced to Europe from eastern Asia.

Expand Close A young Common Ash Tree with wilting leaves shows the symptoms of dieback / Facebook

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The fungus which causes the disease has a complex life cycle.

Infection first makes its way into a tree when the spores of the fungus are carried in the air and land on healthy leaves over the summer months. The fungus then grows into the leaves and down into the leaf petiole or rachis, and progressively into twigs, branches, and the stem.

Expand Close Philip Doyle, hurley maker, in his workshop. LEFT: A Teagasc poster warning of the threat of Ash Dieback disease. / Facebook

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Whatsapp Philip Doyle, hurley maker, in his workshop. LEFT: A Teagasc poster warning of the threat of Ash Dieback disease.

The first confirmed finding of ash dieback disease in Ireland was made in October 2012 in a forestry plantation in County Leitrim which had been planted in 2009 with trees imported from continental Europe.

Shortly thereafter all the recently planted ash trees on that site were destroyed under Departmental supervision.

The ash trees on another 10 sites where trees from the same batch of imported plants were planted out (approximately 33,000 plants in total) were also destroyed.

In the Department of Agricultures latest survey on the disease have been confirmed in a further 62 forestry plantations. These results bring the current total of findings in forestry plantations to 384.

All the new forestry plantation findings to date in 2017 are in counties where there have previously been confirmed findings in forestry plantations and as so, the number of counties with forests affected by Ash Dieback Disease remains unchanged at 24.

However, notable increases in the frequency of findings in forestry plantations were recorded in Counties Tipperary, Kilkenny, Wexford, Kildare, Meath, Cavan, and Clare.

In March 2013 the Department, continuing its efforts to attempt to prevent the spread of the disease, introduced a Reconstitution Scheme (Chalara Ash Dieback) to remove infected ash and restore forest areas planted under the afforestation scheme which had suffered from or which were associated with plants affected by disease.

However, these findings of infected plantations continued to increase, as ash dieback disease was found over much of the country.

In April 2018 a Review of the National Response to ash dieback disease was announced. This was because it has become increasingly evident from continued findings supported by the latest scientific advice that eradication of ash dieback disease is no longer feasible.

Given this position, the Department has taken the view that its policy response must also change to one of living with the disease, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said recently.

The Minister said the review of the Reconstitution Scheme is nearing completion and the results of that review and the consequent approach in terms of management of the disease going forward will be available in the near future.
FILE PHOTO: A worker uses a John Deere tractor to spray a field of crops during a crop-eating armyworm invasion at a farm in Settlers, northern province of Limpopo, South Africa, February 8, 2017. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo

John Deere expects to see demand for its farm equipment in Africa grow 8 to 10pc annually in the coming years, driven by expansion in key markets like Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, a local company executive said.

Farming accounts for around 60pc of total employment in Africa, according to the World Bank. In Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, food production is projected to add more jobs than the rest of the economy combined through 2025.

A global policy shift away from food aid toward local production - championed at the start of the decade by the World Food Programme among others - has sparked a green revolution, increasing Africas potential as a market, said Jacques Taylor, managing director of John Deere Ltd Sub-Saharan Africa.

We started to see a commercial market developing for agricultural commodities ... That gave an incentive for farmers to produce more, he told Reuters in an interview late on Thursday.

Taylor said around 80pc of its equipment shipments to Africa currently go to 10 markets, including South Africa, Zambia, Kenya and Ghana.

We see three or four countries with significant upside growth potential in the medium-term, he said. We see opportunity in countries like Angola, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and obviously Nigeria.

Deere, best known for its John Deere branded tractors, currently ships its products to local dealers in Africa where its main competitors include CNH Industrial (CNHI.MI) and Landini.

Deeres dealer in Ethiopia is partnering with the government, in the midst of reforms, to set up an assembly plant to supply farm machinery to the market of around 100 million inhabitants.

Zimbabwe is also undergoing of a major transition after long-time president Robert Mugabe, who was criticized for overseeing disastrous farm seizures, was ousted last year.

We have high hopes for Zimbabwe. It used to be the food basket for southern Africa. The potential is known, Taylor said. Zimbabwe could easily recover and get back to the levels of production theyve seen in the past.

In neighboring South Africa, Deeres most important market on the continent, President Cyril Ramaphosas ruling African National Congress has made land redistribution a key issue ahead of 2019 elections.

Ramaphosa has promised the process will not threaten food security or growth, but the move has nonetheless unnerved some investors.

We do see it as a growth opportunity for us. There will be new entrants coming into agriculture, Taylor said. I think for the sake of the sector and the economy, its important for us to get clarity sooner than later.

Deere reported $2.8 billion operating profit from its equipment business last year, with 39pc of that coming from its business outside of the United States and Canada. Sales grew 5 percent last year in those home markets.

The company does not break down sales data further.
Former Chicago Spire developer Garrett Kelleher has lost his appeal over a judge's refusal to force Nama to comply with an order for discovery of documents for his defence of its action seeking a 46m judgment against him over loan guarantees.

The action, initiated in 2014 by National Asset Loan Management (NALM), is due to open next month and run for four weeks.

Nama opposed Mr Kelleher's appeal and insisted it had provided all relevant material.

Mr Kelleher complained he got no material concerning more than 60 contacts between himself and the agency or investigations by it into his assets.

In a unanimous judgment, the three judge Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal.

Mr Justice Michael Peart said there was "no proper basis for bringing the application in the terms in which it was brought".

Under superior court rules, Mr Kelleher could have sought further and better discovery, an order striking out Nama's claim for failure to make proper discovery or asked the court to clarify its discovery orders if Mr Kelleher considered those unclear, he said.

To seek instead an order requiring Nama to comply with an order already made "seems meaningless and is not envisaged by any rules of court", he said.

He agreed with the High Court that because NALM officials had provided sworn statements that all relevant documents had been discovered, the courts could not go behind that in this application.

This application had wasted court time and added to the costs of proceedings, he said.

In its forthcoming action, NALM wants judgment of 46m from Mr Kelleher over guarantees on loans of some 350m provided by Anglo Irish Bank for projects in Ireland and the US.

Mr Kelleher and his company, Shelbourne North Water Street, were involved with the abandoned Chicago Spire project.

Last March, US lawyers representing Mr Kelleher filed a legal action against Nama claiming damages of 975m, alleging the agency destroyed the development "out of spite".

In opposing the NALM case here, Mr Kelleher has said, given his "extensive co-operation" with the agency over years, he was assured he would not be pursued over the guarantees.

After getting discovery documents, he complained he had not been given access to all the documents relating to his co-operation with Nama and the foreclosure process on the Chicago Spire project.

In a discovery ruling last March, Mr Justice Michael Twomey said, while Mr Kelleher might ultimately be proved correct, he had not provided any documents to prove documentation had not been provided.
Majority of any domestic airlines shares must be owned in member states. Stock picture

Ryanair, Aer Lingus parent IAG and EasyJet have asked the EU for a one-year moratorium on ownership rules that otherwise could force them to buy back shares held by British investors after Brexit.

EU rules state that the majority of any domestic airline's shares must be owned by member state nationals.

The rules have long blocked US and Middle Eastern buyers taking full control of European carriers.

Airline representatives met Sabine Weyand, deputy to EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, to press their case, according to French financial newspaper 'La Tribune'.

A year's extension would give the companies more time to figure out the best solution to the issue. If after Brexit British nationals no longer count for the purposes of the rules, that could mean the airlines lose their European operating licences if only a minority of shareholders come from the remaining EU member states.

Ireland's aviation watchdog, Cathy Mannion, said that the Commission for Aviation Regulation has written to all the Irish airlines to remind them about the rules,

"This is very significant. We have 16 licenced air carriers in Ireland... and we've been in contact with all of them to make them aware of this point," Ms Mannion said.

"It's up to the airlines as to what it is they want to do. Some of them are not impacted at all and some of them will be... that's an important thing for the airlines to get sorted out."

IAG, led by Willie Walsh, has previously said that it is "confident that we will comply with the EU and the UK ownership and control rules post Brexit".

It did not comment on whether it had asked Ms Weyand for an extension.

The group, which alongside Aer Lingus includes British Airways, Iberia and Vueling, said it is confident that "a comprehensive air transport agreement between the EU and the UK will be reached".

"It's in the UK and EU's interests to have a fully liberalised aviation agreement. Aviation liberalisation has been a great success story across Europe, benefiting one billion customers each year and creating a huge number of jobs across the continent. Even if there is no Brexit deal, both the EU and UK have said they will put an agreement in place that allows flights to continue."

Ryanair and EasyJet did not respond to requests for comment. In Ryanair's most recent annual report, it said that as of July 19 this year, EU nationals (including Britons) owned at least 52.8pc of Ryanair shares.

The report said if it faced losing its EU licence, it is entitled to identify some shares as restricted shares and require that they be disposed to EU nationals.

Additional reporting Bloomberg
For Hindus, the site where Lord Ram was born  irrespective of whether this can be historically proved or not  has very special significance.

I cannot understand why anybody  Hindu, Muslim or of any other faith  would oppose the building of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. Even an atheist would accept that purely in terms of numerical democracy, there are millions of Hindus who would like to honour Lord Ram by building a temple in his name in the city where he was born, and to which he belongs. Those who are not atheists but believe that the money spent on constructing the temple can be better used for building a hospital or a school, are being naive too. Firstly, it is not an either-or scenario: We need hospitals and schools, but those of the faith need places of worship too. And if the developmental imperative is so strong, why not a campaign to convert the Rashtrapati Bhavan into a hospital  as Mahatma Gandhi wanted to do in 1947?

Lord Ram is a much loved and respected deity. He is maryada purushottam, the very epitome of rectitude. The Ramayan  whether of Valmiki or Kamban, or the vastly popular Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidasa  are not only works of literary genius but deeply sacred texts. In popular imagination, Lord Ram is the touchstone of right conduct, and the divine guarantor of moksha or salvation. When a Hindu dies, the words chanted by those who take the body for cremation is: Ram naam satya hai: The name of Ram is the enduring truth. Gandhiji, who wanted independent India to be as righteous as Lord Rams kingdom  Ram Rajya  died to an assassins bullets with these two words as his last exclamation: Hey Ram!.

So there really can be no credible opposition to the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The question that can be asked is: How to build it, since the site where it is to be constructed  and where an earlier Ram temple existed  was in Baburs time replaced by a mosque, the Babri Masjid? That Masjid was condemnably demolished in 1992 by right-wing hoodlums, but the question of title or ownership of the land itself is still contested between Hindu and Muslim groups. Currently, the matter of title is before the Supreme Court, and hearings are to start in January.

It is generally agreed that the matter should be decided either by the judgement of the Supreme Court, or by mutual agreement between all relevant stakeholders to the dispute. This is the civilised way to proceed, and would be in conformity with the maryada always associated with Shri Ram. However, personally, I have my own reservations on whether a matter of faith can be definitively decided by a legal intervention. The Court can decide on title, and that wont be easy either, given the mass of conflicting evidence, much of it not of a judicial nature. But, even if a judgement is forthcoming, and is interpreted to be against either of the opposed parties, will it put a final closure to the dispute?

The second option is a far better one. A dialogue would be the ideal way to put this acrimonious and divisive issue behind us. For this, both sides will need to curb their inflexible hardline elements, and find a modus vivendi. This is easier said than done. One way could be for Muslims to agree for a mosque to be built at an alternative site, and for Hindus to declare that if this is done there will be a closure to all other disputes of this nature  whether at Kashi or Mathura or anywhere else. The mosque built by Babur does not have any special significance separate from the fact that it is one of the many mosques built by the Muslims after they had invaded India. It has acquired significance because of the condemnable nature in which it was forcefully demolished in 1992. But that is a blot of the past from which lessons have to be learnt, the foremost of which is that such incidents should never happen again. Now we must respond to the imperatives of the present, because so long as this dispute remains unresolved, extremist elements on both the Hindu and Muslim side will continue to draw sustenance.

For Hindus, the site where Lord Ram was born  irrespective of whether this can be historically proved or not  has very special significance. It would be a grand gesture of great import if Muslims agree to allow a temple to be built here, in exchange for a mosque to be built in Ayodhya itself, but at another place. But such a gesture requires Muslim liberal opinion to assert itself, and break the stranglehold that a handful of clerics and ulemas have currently acquired in the matter. The million dollar question is whether moderate Muslim voices will be willing to take this initiative, given that the bulk of both Hindus and Muslims are as keen to put this dispute behind them, and get on with their lives in peace and harmony, by marginalising the kattar-vadis among their communities.

It is sad, however, that while a great many Muslims I know, privately agree to the possibilities of such a solution, very few are willing to come out in the open. It is true that a community that often feels under siege by the inflammatory statements and intimidating actions of Hindu extremists, can retreat into a shell-like fear psychosis. But the question still is relevant: Where are the Muslim liberals? Apart from a few, like Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, and Shahid Siddiqui, most appear to have opted for silence, and ceded space to the stereotypical mullah, so visible  perhaps by design  on some TV channels.

It is time for Muslims, who have no vested interest in perpetuating this dispute, to become more visible, and if possible, in an organised manner. It is time also for Hindus to facilitate this process by robustly rebutting fanatical Hindu fringe groups. Only when sane elements among both Hindus and Muslims come together can we have a solution to the Ram Mandir issue. It would seem that the best way to do this is to take the negotiating process away from those who only have relevance if this dispute continues to remain unresolved.
NEWSPAPER publisher Johnston Press is preparing to end its debt crisis this weekend by entering administration and immediately handing control to its lenders.

Johnston owns nine Northern Ireland papers including the Belfast News, plus The Scotsman, the Yorkshire Post and the i newspaper in mainland Britain.

The publisher had recently been looking at ways to refinance 220m of debt that become repayable in June next year. Last night, the board said none of the offers the company had received were sufficient.

The embattled publisher said the best remaining option is for the company and its principal subsidiaries to be placed into administration.

It is envisaged that, subject to administration orders being made, the groups businesses and assets will then be sold to a newly-incorporated group of companies controlled by the holders of the bonds, Johnston Press said.

The company also added that the defined benefit pension scheme will not transfer and the Pension Protection Fund will be notified and the PPF, with the assistance of the Trustees of the Scheme, will then assess whether the scheme needs to enter the PPF.

The company is due to apply for court approval to appoint administrators and execute a pre-packaged sale to a new holding company controlled by the New York hedge fund GoldenTree Asset Management.

Restructuring specialists AlixPartners will handle the administration, which is scheduled over the weekend to minimise disruption to the business.

In 2014, the company sold off the 14 newspapers it owned in Ireland, including the Limerick Leader and Kilkenny People.
Insurers are increasingly challenging injuries claims they suspect are false, using social media and interviews with witnesses to catch out scammers.

In the past few weeks Aviva and Axa, in particular, have been successful in providing evidence in court that has seen cases taken by chancers thrown out. A case defended by Aviva last week resulted in three scammers being warned by a judge of the Garda's intention to set up a special squad to investigate fraudulent claims over traffic accidents.

The warning was issued by Judge Jacqueline Linnane in the Circuit Civil Court after she threw out three claims for a total of 180,000 damages for personal injuries allegedly suffered by three men in a rear-ending incident on July 6, 2016.

Axa was the insurer in a case where a cage fighter who claims he "sustained severe personal injury" from a car accident withdrew from his 60,000 damages fight in the Circuit Civil Court. The MMA fighter also walked away almost cashless from another case. Axa had prepared video material of a martial arts fight between claimant David Roche and another fighter which was due to be played in court.

Investigations and fraud manager at Aviva Insurance Rob Smyth said his company has 33 people dedicated to fraud detection. The former Garda superintendent said social media was useful for gathering evidence on suspect claims, but his team putting boots on the ground and interviewing witnesses often proves more effective at detecting false claims.

He reckons up to one in 10 claims is false, and his company detects many of these.

"Yes social media is important but one of the biggest ways of tackling the problem is early detection by interviewing witnesses."

Mr Smyth said this made fraudsters realise that there was more to a claim than just ringing an insurer and making out they are injured.

He said the planned Garda insurance fraud unit was likely to change mindsets around fraudulent claims.

Gardai did not currently have the resources to go after chancers found in court to be lying for cash, he said.

Part of the problem is that a fraudulent case may not come to court for years after the alleged incident.

Axa's head of fraud investigations Colm Featherstone said his company had seen 40 cases it contested dismissed and withdrawn this year alone.

"We are noticing that the dismissal of cases we are fighting are up in the last two years because insurance companies are taking a harder stance on fraud."

Peter Boland, of the Alliance for Insurance Reform lobby group, said insurers had been successful lately in having fraudster cases thrown out of court. "They are starting to do more, but we would like to see them doing more."

Mr Boland, whose group represents businesses and charities hit with massive premium hikes, said the problem was cases exposed as fraudulent in court end up "disappearing into a black hole" after the cases are dismissed. He referenced Insurance Ireland, the insurance lobby group, which said lately its members had reported 167 fraudulent cases to gardai but had heard nothing back on these.

A Garda spokesperson denied it was failing to investigate insurance fraud complaints.
Evanna Lynch's family are pulling out all the stops to try to ensure she waltzes away with the Mirrorball Trophy on America's 'Dancing With The Stars'.

The 'Harry Potter' actress's profile has soared even higher in the US thanks to her dancing her way into the final of the televised competition.

There will be a strong Termonfeckin contingent in the crowd for the Co Louth star on Monday night, as her father Donal and mother Marguerite have flown out to cheer on their daughter.

Her younger brother Patrick flew out earlier this week to be with his sister too, as she put the final touches to her two routines for the grand finale on the ABC network.

She has so far wowed the judges on the glittering set of the competition but proud dad Donal has been making every effort to ensure Evanna (27) and her professional partner Keo Motsepe waltz away with the Mirrorball Trophy on the night. He is asking anyone with Irish relatives in the US to ask them to give Evanna their vote.

The former vice principal at Our Lady's College, Greenhills, Drogheda, even put in a good word with a few American tourists when he visited the Newgrange site during the week. "You have to be in America to vote, and you can vote online over there. I registered with ABC and voted there using my email when we went over during the series," Donal told the Irish Independent.

"What we are trying to do now is drum up Irish support in America - everybody has somebody to ask. If I saw someone coming out of Mass in the Augustinian church, I'd catch their eye and when I had asked them how they were, I'd ask them: 'Who do you have in America?'."

"I was in Newgrange the other day and I heard American accents - so I went over and asked them to vote for her," he added.

A great fan of the Limerick hurling team, Donal also asked the All-Ireland champions to back Evanna in her endeavours when Stateside for the Fenway Hurling Classic in Boston this week.

Video of the Day

"I've been in contact with their press officer and sent him an email to establish my credentials as a true Limerick supporter, and have asked them to support her too."

As any parents would be, Donal and Marguerite are bursting with pride over all Evanna has achieved.

"We've never seen her so happy in her life - she's in peak form. It is all very demanding, once Keo had worked out the routine on Tuesday she was straight back into studio so she only gets a few hours off in the week - but she adores it."

Dancing was Evanna's "first love", according to Donal, with the Little Duke Theatre in Drogheda - but she didn't go to dancing school as she landed the role of Luna Lovegood in the 'Harry Potter' movies.
Refused bail: Philip Ogbewe, from Drogheda, Co Louth, has been charged with assault causing harm

A father of six has been accused of carrying out a "crude" circumcision on a 10-month-old baby boy who had to be hospitalised and was "lucky to be alive".

Philip Ogbewe (54), calling himself "Dr Philip" but without any medical training, injured the infant while performing a home circumcision with a surgical blade, it is alleged.

He was refused bail at Dublin District Court after gardai objected.

Mr Ogbewe (54), a Nigerian national of Greenlanes, Drogheda, Co Louth, is charged with assault causing harm to the infant at an address in the midlands on a date in December 2015.

Garda Sergeant Paul Carney told Judge John Coughlan that, when charged, Mr Ogbewe replied: "I am sorry I committed such an offence."

Objecting to bail, Sgt Carney said it was alleged the accused performed the circumcision at the child's home.

The infant required surgical intervention at Mullingar and Crumlin hospitals, to correct the bleed and receive a blood transfusion.

Surgical blades, Vaseline and cotton wool were found in his possession and seized, along with a mobile phone that had the number used by the alleged victim's mother to communicate with the accused before and after the circumcision, Sgt Carney claimed.

Mr Ogbewe had been living in Ireland for 20 years and had three children with his current partner and another three with his ex-wife, his defence barrister Niall Flynn said, applying for bail.

Gardai had no evidence that he would flee if granted bail, Mr Flynn said, adding that the accused was presumed innocent.

"The child in question is very lucky to be alive due to intervention at Mullingar Hospital," Sgt Carney said.

Mr Flynn said if granted bail Mr Ogbewe would undertake not to perform any circumcisions or contact any witnesses.

Mr Ogbewe had co-operated with the gardai, Mr Flynn said.

Sgt Carney agreed there was never any manhunt or search to source the accused's location.

Mr Flynn accepted it was a "very sinister alleged offence" and the court would be concerned by the evidence but the accused was in the country 20 years and was prepared to abide by strict bail conditions.

Judge Coughlan refused bail and, granting legal aid, said it was a "unique, very unusual case and a very serious case".

The court heard the offence carried a maximum potential sentence of five years on conviction and the DPP was considering further serious charges.

The accused has not yet indicated a plea.
Rules are to be introduced to curb the "inaccurate and disruptive" use of social media in connection with criminal trials, the countrys top judge has said.

The move, announced by Chief Justice Susan Denham, comes just weeks after the conclusion of the Jobstown trial during which the publication of prejudicial material on online platforms was a feature.

Ms Justice Denham said social media was a "great tool for the mass dissemination of information", but there were "widespread and real" concerns about its use in connection with court proceedings.

The concerns included the dissemination of false information and the need to protect a person's right to a fair trial.

Speaking at the launch of the Courts Services annual report, the Chief Justice said guidelines were to be developed by the presidents of each court regarding the "who, when and what" of using social media in courtrooms.

Although the judiciary has been examining the issue of social media use for some months, the Jobstown trial has seen an intensified focus on the issue.

"There are genuine concerns over the dissemination of false claims, which damage social debate, learning, and understanding," said Ms Justice Denham.

"To date, it has been rare that courts in Ireland have had to use contempt of court laws to curb inaccurate and disruptive online communication about cases.

"But it would be naive of us not to plan for the future in this regard.

"There are several areas we need to address in protecting the right to a fair trial of an individual in this era of social media.

"The fundamental right to a fair trial does not change in the face of any new means of communication. Rules can and must reflect the new reality of same"

It is understood rules introduced in the UK regarding social media use are being examined as part of the process.

Reporters there are allowed to tweet and use other social media for the purpose of fair and accurate reporting. However, members of the public must have specific permission from the judge to use social media in court, to stop having an impact on witnesses and jurors involved in court cases.

Irresponsible use of social media was a feature of the Jobstown trial.

One of the defendants, Solidarity TD Paul Murphy was forced to remove a number of tweets from his Twitter account, including material related to evidence in the case, towards the end of the trial after being complained to by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Judge Melanie Greally had the power to hold him in contempt of court, but opted not to take further action when she was told the tweets were being taken down.

Also near the end of the trial Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger used social media to say the defence legal teams were challenging what the judge had said in her charge to the jury.

The post was made even though it is forbidden to report anything that happens in the absence of the jury.

Ms Justice Denham said that once a draft discussion paper is ready there would be consultation by the Courts Service with media working in the courts and legal professionals.

Although new rules could be introduced through practice directions, new laws may also be recommended.

The annual court report noted a 32pc decrease in new possession cases last year.

Hopefully this is a sign that the effects of our great recession are fading, and that the alternative mechanisms for dealing with personal debt are successful for many, said Ms Justice Denham.

Some 1,135 orders for possession were made. Some 47 of these were in the High Court, a 58pc decrease on 2015, and 1,088 in Circuit Court, a 42pc decrease on the previous year.

The report revealed 526 people were adjudicated bankrupt in High Court.

It also showed a 125pc increase over two years in applications under the debt resolution mechanisms and the Personal Insolvency Act.

Some 2,114 applications were received in Circuit Court under debt resolution mechanisms.

Divorce and judicial separations were down last year.

There were 1,353 applications for judicial separation, a 4pc decrease on 2015.

The majority of these in both the Circuit Court (73pc) and High Court (83pc) were brought by wives.

Some 4,179 applications for divorce were made, a 3pc decrease on 2015. The majority were also made by wives, accounting for 57pc of Circuit Court applications and 59pc of High Court applications.

There were 61 applications to dissolve civil partnerships in Circuit Court, with 66pc of these brought by women.

Applications related to domestic violence were up by 6pc to 15,227 in the District Court.

There were 9,991 child care applications, a 2pc decrease on 2015.

However, there was a major surge in applications to appoint care representatives in the Circuit Court, up 113pc to 1,139.

The report said 60pc of orders issued in the District Court related to road traffic offences, roughly the same level as in 2015.

There were 7,800 orders in respect of drink driving offences, an 8pc increase on 2015.

Orders in cases involving drug offences were also up, with 13,127 made, an increase of 6pc.

Some 28,368 orders were made in respect of public order offences in District Court, a 7pc increase on 2015.

The report said 47pc of offences in Circuit Court relate to fraud/theft/robbery

There were 93 trials in Central Criminal Court, which deals with murder and rape, a 27pc increase on 2015.
A dad grieving the death of his baby punched a security guard who intervened in an argument between the man and his girlfriend, a court heard.

Judge Anne Watkin ordered Robert Horvath, who had lost his infant son shortly be- fore the incident, to enter into a probation bond for 12 months.

As part of the bond, Horvath (28) was ordered to attend a course of bereavement counselling

The defendant, of Larkhill Road, Whitehall, Dublin, had admitted before Dun Laoghaire District Court to seriously assaulting a security guard.

The attack took place at Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre on August 6, 2016.

Gda Sgt Peadar McCann said Horvath was involved in a public argument with his then girlfriend when he was approached by security staff and asked to calm down.

Sgt McCann said the defendant ran up an escalator, chased by the injured party. About half-way up, Horvath turned and punched the security guard in the face.

Injury

Sgt McCann said the security guard suffered a split lip in the assault but the injury was not serious and he did not require medical attention.

Horvath had seven previous convictions.

The case was before the court for sentencing after Horvath was ordered to complete the restorative justice services programme.

Defence lawyer Jane Murphy said Horvath had not been in trouble since the case before the court, which was two years ago.

Ms Murphy added that the defendant had paid 450 compensation to the victim, completed voluntary work and made a donation to Temple Street Children's Hospital.

Ms Murphy said Horvath had lost his baby son due to cot death shortly before the incident.

The defendant could not recall the date as he "tried to block it out".

This incident arose as Horvath had been arguing with his girlfriend as he was concerned she was drinking too much to try and deal with their loss and he was worried about her, the lawyer said.

Ms Murphy also added that Horvath had issues with cannabis when he was younger and had used it to deal with stress, but he had not taken the drug in a long time.
P-Tech launch: Deirdre Butler, DCU professor of digital learning, Ross Maguire, of the Learn It Lego Innovation Studio at DCU, and Virgin Media Ireland CEO Tony Hanway with St Josephs CBS Fairview students David Lawless and Christian Elliot. Photo: Iain White

Post-primary pupils will study modules from third-level technology degree programmes under a ground- breaking careers initiative being piloted in three Dublin schools.

By the time they finish school, participating students will have not only their Leaving Cert, but the equivalent of a Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) qualification as well.

The programme, known as P-Tech, already operates in more than 110 schools globally, and Dublin students will be the first in Europe to experience it.

It's a partnership between schools, higher education and industry and allows for the integration of elements of degree-level learning and work experience as a way of tackling disadvantage.

P-Tech was developed in New York in 2011 by global tech giant IBM and local educators, as a way of giving students a career pathway into the digital economy.

While students may progress to further or higher education, the P-Tech qualification, along with the workplace links a student develops, may fast-track them directly into a job.

Paul Farrell, country manager of IBM Ireland, said of the 185 US graduates of the programme to date, 23 had joined IBM.

P-Tech's arrival in Ireland follows an approach to Government, from a group of past pupils of schools in Dublin's north-east inner city, to consider adapting the initiative.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar joined Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, a local TD, and Education Minister Joe McHugh for the launch of the programme in Larkin College, near O'Connell Street.

The pilot involves Larkin College, Marino College and St Joseph's CBS, in the north-east inner city, with the National College of Ireland as the third-level partner. As well as IBM, initial industry partners are Cisco, Virgin Media, Irish Water and Irish Life.

P-Tech is five to six-year programme that starts with introducing first years to taster technology activities and inviting them to enrol in the programme in second year.

Those who enrol will do new junior cycle short courses, such as coding or robotics, and will visit industry and third-level colleges. Every pupil will be assigned a mentor.

Third-level modules start in transition year and engagement with industry will include paid summer internships in partner companies.
You can't see it, but in the picture byline accompanying this piece I'm wearing a thong. It's not black with a lace front, but it is pink with little flowers. There's even a matching bra.

I like pretty underwear, so I'm open to having sex?

I say my underwear is my business.

It all sounds ridiculous - it is 2018 after all - but again this week the issue of what a female was wearing was raised in the context of a defence in a rape trial.

In her closing address to the jury in the Central Criminal Court trial, of a 27-year-old man accused of raping a 17-year-old girl while out socialising in Co Cork, defence counsel Elizabeth O'Connell SC told jurors they should have regard for the underwear the complainant wore on the night.

"Does the evidence out-rule the possibility that she was attracted to the defendant and was open to meeting someone and being with someone? You have to look at the way she was dressed.

"She was wearing a thong with a lace front."

Acquitted

Ms O'Connell was obviously doing her best for her client, who was later acquitted. We don't know all the facts about the case, nor do we know how the jury ultimately reached its decision.

But Ms O'Connell's remarks have generated controversy.

First, a jury should concern themselves with the issue of consent - was the complainant consenting to sex at the time of the act.

That's important, at the time of the act, because anything that happened earlier that night is irrelevant.

Even if there was a mutual attraction or if the woman was "open" at some previous point to having sex, or if she was wearing a thong or granny knickers. It's all irrelevant.

It's about consent at the time of the sex act.

So asking a jury to question if there's any meaning behind the young woman's type of knickers, which were probably chosen hours beforehand, is unfair to the woman, and is an example of victim shaming at its worst.

Secondly, for many women, a thong is a normal piece of clothing and isn't suggestive of anything, other than maybe trying to avoid a visible panty line (VPL).

I'd hazard a guess the dreaded VPL is the reason why most women wear thongs. And so what if a woman wants her underwear to look pretty. That's not a crime.

So let's be clear. A woman's clothing says nothing - good, bad, or indifferent - about her desire to engage in sex.

Women should choose their clothing because it makes them feel good, without giving a thought to men or sex or any fear of getting assaulted. I think that's why so many women have been flabbergasted at the lawyer's comments.

My experience, from reporting on rape and sexual assault court cases, is rape is the most difficult of all crimes to prove.

This is because it's usually a he said/she said scenario, often with memories blurred by alcohol, sometimes drugs.

It can be heart-breaking watching a woman give evidence, intimate details, of what she said happened to her. It's worse watching a woman being cross examined.

Obviously, the evidence has to be tested, but surely there's a better way to do that than the current system?

Earlier this year, an exhibition entitled 'Is it my fault' was held in Brussels. It consisted of items of clothing which were reportedly worn by sexual assault victims when they were attacked.

A pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Pyjamas. Knickers and a bra.

Photographs from the exhibition are online, and what's striking is how ordinary, how normal, the clothes are.

Clothes don't rape women. Rapists rape women.

The harsh reality of the Irish legal system, particularly in relation to sexual crimes, is that the complainant is often shamed for their behaviour, both prior and after an alleged assault takes place.
Malik asks the Hurriyat to abandon Pakistan and the political parties to tell the boys to avoid encounter sites and stone-pelting.

Nothing in Satya Pal Maliks slender credentials warranted his appointment as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2018. It is, however, important to analyse his assertions because they have been the staple of Indian discourse on the Kashmir issue. On October 24, he said that Jammu and Kashmirs political parties have no right to talk about India-Pakistan peace talks and asked the Hurriyat to keep the neighbouring country aside. This is arrogantly puerile.

The Kashmir issue has three parties  India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir. All three must concur in the terms of its settlement, which will have to be a compromise. Force has clearly failed. The format of the dialogue has been talks between the states with the tacit understanding that, at some stage, the peoples approval will have to be obtained to any settlement.

Negotiations on Kashmir were held from November 1, 1947, onwards during a war. That day, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah met Lord Mountbatten at the Governors House, Lahore. Each side presented its own precise proposal. Talks continued in New Delhi when V.P. Menon and Mohammad Ali Jinnah discussed a concrete proposal under the auspices of Lord Hastings Ismay, Mountbattens chief of staff. They continued all through 1948 and 1949 under the auspices of the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan. The UN mediator Sir Owen Dixon held a joint conference of the Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Liaquat Ali Khan in New Delhi. In 1953, Nehru and Mohammad Ali Bogra held talks on Kashmir. So did Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Swaran Singh in several rounds in 1962 and 1963.

The Shimla Accord of July 2, 1972, binds the respective heads of both governments themselves to meet again ... in the near future inter alia for a final settlement of Jammu and Kashmir; implying clearly that there did exist an issue for a final settlement. Contrary to myths, the Shimla Accord did not put a bid on the status quo.

The Lahore Declaration of February 21, 1999, signed by Atal Behari Vajpayee and Nawaz Sharif bound them to intensify their efforts to resolve all issues including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The Islamabad charter of a composite dialogue listed, on June 23, 1997, outstanding issues of concern to both sides. Jammu and Kashmir was at the top of the list. Since then, we have had the aborted Agra Declaration and the Manmohan Singh understanding on the four points  albeit yet to be finalised  on Kashmir.

Are the people of Kashmir, who are directly affected, to have no say in the matter? The Constitution of India provides the answer. A proviso to Article 253 says: No decision affecting the disposition of Jammu and Kashmir shall be made by the government of India without the consent of the (Srinagar) government. This implies two things; a decision on the disposition of Kashmir is yet to be made, and the consent of its freely elected governments representing the people is indispensable.

The former foreign minister Jaswant Singh asked, Why is Pakistan concerned with Kashmir? One might ask why India supported the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka, or why it concerns itself with Indians in Fiji?

Article 370 of Indias Constitution is hollowed out. Article 35-A is under threat. No settlement is possible within the limits of Indias Constitution alone. That was rejected in 1953. The people yearn for azadi  it is possible if all the three sides agree. Kashmiris cannot secure it by force. Nor can India crush them by force.

Malik asks the Hurriyat to abandon Pakistan and the political parties to tell the boys to avoid encounter sites and stone-pelting. It is nearly a decade since they went out of control of anybody. Women wail at the windows as funeral processions of slain militants pass by, while thousands, including wanted militants, throng to their graves. It is a whole people in revolt. On May 21, 2010, Ghulam Rasool Kar, a veteran Congress leader in Jammu and Kashmir, pleaded for improvement in Indias relations with Pakistan and acceptance of the harsh reality of Kashmiri sentiment. Every Kashmiri is emotionally attached to Pakistan whether they are in Congress or National Conference.

On November 4 2007, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said, Naturally we are concerned. We have a sentimental and geographical affinity with Pakistan. There were jubilant celebrations on Pervez Musharrafs re-election as President. Activists burst firecrackers and danced in the streets of Srinagar. Why? Because he worked for a settlement.

Pakistan is not only a party to the Kashmir issue but a party within Kashmir as well. No accord will succeed unless all the three sides concur  and compromise.

By arrangement with Dawn
Some of the women at the centre of the CervicalCheck scandal had been diagnosed with cancer more than six years before their test results were re-examined.

In other cases the audit took place a month after a woman's diagnosis with cervical cancer.

The audit involved re-checking the previous slides of women diagnosed with cancer to find out how accurate the result was.

The background to the criteria used by CervicalCheck to audit the test results of the 221 women, including 20 who have died, who were caught up in the scandal remains confusing .

Audits - which were only released to a majority of the 221 women this summer - showed they got a wrong test result.

Dr Gabriel Scally who conducted an inquiry into CervicalCheck believed the cut-off point was 18 months and that no woman who had been diagnosed before that timeline was included. But that has now been clarified by the HSE.

A spokesman said: "The slides identified for further review were reviewed from a minimum of one month prior to diagnosis to up to 78 months prior to diagnosis."

Review

Meanwhile, the HSE has also clarified that a new review of the clinical status of the 221 women will not be an audit.

The Oireachtas health committee was told this week that just 32pc of the 221 group of women consented to a wider external review of their slides so he HSE needed to do "something for them."

A spokeswoman said however it was not an audit but "a validation exercise" to ensure its information on the 221 group is up to date.

The purpose is to ensure the most up to date information is available with respect to the women impacted, she said.

This will, for example, help with planning support needs for patients.

The validation exercise will be carried out by suitably qualified HSE staff

"This exercise involves data already in the possession of the National Screening Service and for which the necessary consents have been obtained.

"We are obliged to ensure that such information is kept up to date, this the validation exercise is necessary. "

It comes as the scandal is set to return to the courts as High Court action is launched to secure access to slides and other records for women who are taking legal action against CervicalCheck.

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy said she was contacted by several women who are enduring long delays in getting their medical records from the HSE.

Fear

"These are people living in fear; some in the midst of the most aggressive forms of cancer treatments and some still dealing with the side-effects of those treatments.

These are not people who should have to battle for anything else right now. Their health battle is more than enough for them to have to deal with.

"The Taoiseach stood in the Dail and in reply to me agreed with me that there should be no further delays for these women. Previous to that the Taoiseach told this house that no women should have to go to court."

But now there will be a High Court appeal to force the release of slides.
Live social media updates are set to be banned in courts for all except journalists and lawyers involved in the case.

Chief Justice, Mr Justice Frank Clarke, made the announcement as he spoke about the difficulties that some use of social media is having on court cases.

He made his remarks as he addressed a seminar of journalists in Dublin today.

Emphasising the right to a fair trial, the Chief Justice described social media as "all pervasive in society", and while recognising the courts "do not operate in isolation" from the world of communications, he said guidelines are needed.

He announced a new practice direction limiting the use of live text and message based communications from court - to bona fide members of the media and lawyers in a case.

"It is clear that there needs to be guidelines regarding the 'who, when and what' of using social media in courtrooms," he said.

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"From this month on a new Practice Direction - signed by the Presidents of all the Court jurisdictions - will limit the use of court based data messaging and electronic devices, to bona fide members of the press and bona fide lawyers with business in the courts.

"Both sets of professionals know the limits of what they can report and when.

"Others in court will be unable to text or message from the courtroom - in any form."

He added, that "if the experience of the operation of this practice direction provides evidence that it needs to be reinforced by new legislation, we will ask for this to be considered".

The Chief Justice said that the key legitimate concern is to "ensure the integrity of the trial process and the maintenance of a fair trial system".

"The potential for unregulated social media to have an impact on the fairness of the trial process itself is, in my view, a legitimate and particular concern of the Judiciary," he said.

"To date it has been rare that courts in Ireland have had to use contempt of court laws to curb inaccurate and disruptive online communications about cases.

"But it would be extremely naive of us not to plan for the future in this regard.

"In recent times it has become apparent that there is a need for guidance and rules on use of social media and digital devices in courts.

"This extends to the use of social media by observers of a case, and to a lesser extent the use of same by jurors."

Chief Justice Clarke said the new rules will come into force in all courts in the State on Monday, November 26 next.

He said that the huge upsurge in social media use as a means of communication had not been entirely negative and, indeed, the court system itself are now using the medium for some communications regarding the administration of the courts.

It was important to take action to mitigate the potential harm that can be done to trials and the administration of justice by the inappropriate use of social media. The Chief Justice remarked: "Social media is a genie that is out of the bottle and it won't go back in."

The Chief Justice paid tribute to the print and broadcast media today as having given "very little cause of concern" in how they report and comment on court cases.

"In general they do so honestly, diligently and with great skill," he said.

But he said some concerns over social media are "both widespread and real".

"There are genuine concerns over the dissemination of false and malicious claims - which damage social debate, learning, and understanding," he said.

"Such false claims can come just as much from the organised and powerful as they can from the single contrarian in a basement, or a 'hobby journalist' in a court room."

Seamus Dooley, Assistant General Secretary of the National Union of Journalists, told the seminar on the new court directives today that the new directives will be warmly welcomed by working journalists.

Bone-fide journalists manage to provide comprehensive analysis of complex cases on a daily basis. Referring to non-journalists tweeting from courtrooms, he said "You simply cannot summarise a nuanced submission or judgement in 260 characters."

Mr Dooley said he was proud how well these tasks were performed by members of the NUJ.

"The role of the much maligned mainstream media is becoming even more significant as the source of authoritative information delivered calmly, soberly and for a journalistic purpose," he said.

Ray Byrne, Commissioner of the Law Reform Commission, addressed the seminar and said later that people who use social media in ways which contravene reporting restrictions could end up being jailed.

Such breaches of court rules can risk an ongoing trial having to be abandoned. In such cases, the person breaching the reporting rules could end up receiving a prison sentence, he said.

"The current law on contempt applies to somebody who is posting something on social media, particularly if it is going to be published," said Mr Byrne.

"You cant say something that would pre-judge the outcome... That would be a very clear contempt of court," he said.

Mr Byrne said: "If someone says that someone is completely innocent and they post that on social media then that could be prejudicial to the outcome of the case. And, equally, if they say the person is definitely guilty, then that could also be regarded as a clear contempt of court."

Another issue is the duty of protection of the identity of certain individuals in court.

"It is important, particularly in a very sensitive trial, judges will always impose reporting restrictions and for journalists who are in court, they know those restrictions are in place.

"Not everybody knows about that. But it is very clear why it is being done to protect the identity of not only the accused but, particularly in sexual cases, the identity of the complainant.

"And that is a very important part of the system that we operate here in the Republic so, from that point of view, it is very important that those who are reporting, in whatever form, whether in commenting on social media, maybe they have seen someone who has been involved in a court case that is still going on and that they do not break those very clear reporting restrictions.

"Because that is something that could end up in them being brought before a judge and being held in contempt. And that can have very serious consequences if a trial has to be abandoned, they may end up getting a prison sentence for themselves as a result of that."

He continued; "The Commission is currently considering this whole area of contempt of court. We hope to publish a report sometime next year trying to set out how the general law should be reformed.

"That will have to address the issue of how we identify the problems arising from social media and the way in which there is an issue around education, public education of people around that whole question of what is and what is not permissible in terms of reporting on the courts," he said.

Restrictions

The new restrictions come in the wake of several incidents regarding the use of social media and court cases.

During a trial last year involving six people charged with offences arising from a water protest in Jobstown, Tallaght, there were concerns about prejudicial material being published online.

One of the defendants, Solidarity TD Paul Murphy was forced to delete several of tweets, including material related to evidence in the case, towards the end of the trial following complaints by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Judge Melanie Greally had the power to hold him in contempt of court, but opted not to take further action when she was told the tweets were being taken down.

Also near the end of the trial Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger used social media to say the defence legal teams were challenging what the judge had said in her charge to the jury.

The post was made even though it is forbidden to report anything that happens in the absence of the jury.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has said that the new measures will protect the right to a fair trial.

"The use of social media from within Courts has become highly controversial, not only in this jurisdiction, cutting across the law of contempt and judges powers of contempt.

"I welcome this move by the Chief Justice, limiting the use of texting and tweeting from Court to bona fide members of the media and lawyers in a case will help ensure only those fully aware of the limits of what they can report and when will report live from a Court room," he said.

Culture Minister Josepha Madigan has welcomed the ban on the public Tweeting and texting in court.

Minister Madigan introduced a Private Members Bill, the Contempt of Court Bill 2017 in October last year, which included measures to give judges powers to direct social media companies to take down posts that could risk prejudicing a criminal trial.

The Fine Gael representative said: "The Supreme Court first called for changes in this law in the early 90s while legislation was first introduced in the UK in 1981.

"My Contempt of Court Bill was the first attempt in this country to legislate for contempt despite Judges, legal experts and journalists all calling for legislation in this area for some time.

"This move is a welcome first step. It will help prevent injustices from being done, protect the administration of justice and guarantee the right of every citizen to receive a fair and impartial hearing of their case."
A man and woman have been arrested after 2.1m worth of heroin was discovered in luggage at Dublin Airport.

Gardai and Revenue officers detained the pair after the woman, who was accompanied by a young child, was met by the man in the arrivals hall at the airport.

A total of 15kg of heroin was discovered in her luggage. It has an estimated street value of 2.1m.

The incident occurred yesterday and the intelligence-led operation involved gardai from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and officers from Revenue's Customs Service.

All individuals were non Irish nationals and the woman and young child had just arrived from Lahore, Pakistan.

Both the male (aged in his thirties) and female (aged in her fifties) were arrested by Gardai and are currently detained at Ballymun Garda Station under the provisions of Section 2 Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar pictured speaking at the opening of the Fine Gael Ard Fheis Picture Credit: Frank McGrath

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the end of the 79th Fine Gael Ard Fheis in Citywest today. Picture by Fergal Phillips.

Ministers at the of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar Fine Gael Ard Fheis in Citywest Picture by Fergal Phillips.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the end of the 79th Fine Gael Ard Fheis in Citywest today. Picture by Fergal Phillips.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar speaking at the 79th Fine Gael Ard Fheis in Citywest today. Picture by Fergal Phillips.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar speaking at the 79th Fine Gael Ard Fheis in Citywest today Picture by Fergal Phillips.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has promised five years of income tax cuts if Fine Gael wins the next election.

As talks on the extension of his minority governments lifespan enter their fourth week, Mr Varadkar has massively upped the stakes.

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He used his televised Ard Fheis speech to turn on Fianna Fail, saying they are "not easy" to negotiate with.

"We know what we inherited from Fianna Fail  broke banks unable to lend, ghost estates, Pyrite, Mica, Priory Hall, hundreds of thousands of people in negative equity, mortgage arrears, and hundreds of thousands of construction workers on the dole," he said.

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But most of the attention focused on the big promise to reduce income tax rates for middle income families.

Mr Varadkar said the "reckless economic mismanagement of the past was unfair to all".

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"It resulted in hundreds of thousands of jobs lost, public services slashed, taxes hiked and future generations burdened with a huge national debt."

He claimed Fine Gael had managed to reverse much of the unfairness "but some elements persist".

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"For example, people on average incomes in Ireland pay the highest rate of tax. The average full-time income is almost 46,000 but in Ireland we pay the top rate of tax on just over 35,000.

"It discourages parents from returning to the workforce, discourages people who emigrated from coming home, and makes it harder to attract good jobs and talent to Ireland."

The Taoiseach said the current tax rates  which sees workers pay 40pc tax on earners over 35,300  "is holding our country back".

"Fine Gael will end that unfairness. But we wont do it in one big dramatic move  we have learnt from the mistakes of Fianna Fail. Well do it in a way thats sustainable and affordable.

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"Over the last 3 budgets, Fine Gael and the Independents in Government have increased the point at which people pay the higher rate of tax, but we must go further now," Mr Varadkar said.

He then promised: "So, over the next five budgets, we will commit to increase the point at which people pay the top rate of tax to 50,000 for a single person or 100,000 for a two income couple.

"We will end this unfairness and allow hard-working people keep more of the money they earn."

The move is likely to come under attack from Opposition parities who will see it as reminiscent of the Celtic Tiger years.

Mr Varadkar touched on the crises in housing and health in his speech.

On housing, he said: "Fine Gael believes firmly that every family should have a roof over their head, a place to call home.

"Fine Gael is the party of home ownership. And now it is our mission to ensure that home ownership becomes achievable and affordable again for many who today feel it is beyond their reach.

"The housing crisis was many years and perhaps decades in the making."

In relation to health, Mr Varadkar said: "We are living longer and healthier lives than ever before.

"Today more people survive cancer than die from it. And survival rates for stroke and heart attacks are also improving.

"Waiting times for operations and procedures are going down.

"These things didnt just happen by accident. They were a direct result of Government policies and strategies, Government spending and resources, and the professionalism and quality of our healthcare staff.

"Now we need more, especially when it comes to seemingly intractable issues like hospital overcrowding."

Meanwhile, Micheal Martin has hit out at Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's tax cut pledge - urging Fine Gael to "cool the jets" on electioneering tax promises.

The parties are at loggerheads over when the review of the Confidence and Supply deal should end an renegotiation should begin and speculation about an imminent election has been ramped up by the Taoiseach's key address at the party's Ard Fheis.

Mr Martin urged caution and claimed the pledge could cost anything up to 4bn. He said the pledge was reminiscent of those made ahead of the last General Election.

"Remember the last General Election... 'US style taxes and we'll abolish the Universal Social Charge (USC)'?

"That was a 4bn promise abandoned as soon as they got into government...so cool the jets in terms of the tax promises from Fine Gael.

"It was an election platforming speech...and again no costings attached to it."

In Citywest Fine Gael were keen to proclaim that they are ready for an election. In response Mr Martin said all parties are ready for an election.

But he tried to play down the prospect of the country going to the polls in a snap election saying:

"The only people creating an aura of instability around the government is the government itself, particularly Leo Varadkar."

Mr Martin said it was clear some ministers, including Simon Harris, were keen for an election but again reiterated the need to avoid an election until a Brexit deal is ratified.

"I can't explain the sort of juvenile behaviours of ministers today," he said of various statements made by senior Fine Gael members urging that talks on a new deal need to begin.

Mr Martin also said the Government is not prepared for a no deal Brexit but said that there is "some distance" yet to go in the UK parliament in relation to getting the deal through the parliament, expressing optimism that the deal agreed between the UK and the EU this week.
Leo Varadkar will try to hammer out an agreement with Micheal Martin

TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has said he will not be calling a general election before the end of the year  but said it may out of his hands.

As Fine Gael and Fianna Fail prepare to enter a fourth week of talks on the renewal of their Confidence and Supply arrangement, Mr Varadkar said his party are almost election ready.

He expressed a preference to secure an extension to the current governments lifespan until summer 2020 but warned that if Fianna Fail's price is too high, he will go to the country in the New Year.

Any political party has to be ready for an election. We have a minority government and a confidence and supply agreement that was for three budgets. Now were beyond three budgets.

Were fairly ready but not 100pc, Mr Varadkar said.

He was speaking at Fine Gaels Ard Fheis in Dublin, where members are debating what the partys key policies should be for the year ahead.

Asked whether there was any risk of an election before Christmas, Mr Varadkar said that was not in his plan but these things arent entirely under my control.

I dont have any plans to seek a dissolution of the Dail this side of Christmas. But its not entirely in my hands. Fianna Fail could withdraw support at any time or potentially, although I dont anticipate it, people who are serving in government now could leave it, he said.

The Taoiseach added that he would like to see the abortion legislation get through the Dail before an election.

In reference to the ongoing uncertainty over Brexit, he said: My primary interest is not going to be electoral interest at the moment. Its looking after the interest of the country were charged to lead.

However, he said that while the minority government has achieved more than he envisaged since 2016, the new politics arrangement has also lead to some legislation being delayed.

The country is very much on track. It is my view that a majority government led by Fine Gael would be able to get a lot more done.

We have seen in the Dail over the last couple of months, important legislation getting held up, being delayed because we dont have a majority in the Dail and the Seanad.

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The Taoiseach was speaking after Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said at the Ard Fheis this morning that Fine Gael need 'clarity' on the future of the Confidence and Supply deal.

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Tanaiste Simon Coveney warned today: We will not stay in Government without clarity in terms of the Confidence and Supply agreement.

You cannot run a government working week to week...Thats why these negotiations are serious in terms of trying to provide stability, he said.

The turbulence in the UK this week shows what political instability looks like he said.

Leo Varadkars party is ramping up pressure to move to a renegotiating a new deal rather than looking back on the current deal.

Already officials from Housing, Health, Agriculture and Education have met with the teams but Fianna Fail have said the review is not complete.

Mr Coveney said Fine Gael dont want this process to go on forever but said he is happy with how the talks are progressing to date.

The partys message at its Ard Fheis in Fine Gael is that it is election ready, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said, adding that the the printing machines are well oiled.

Mr Coveney added: We are a party that is election ready we are certainly not taking for granted the successful outcome of the Confidence and Supply discussions.
Anthony Foleys widow Olive has opened up about the struggle her children faced dealing with his death but said that after receiving counselling they are finally beginning to recover.

Olive Foley said that conversing with her children about their fathers death was difficult but counselling has helped them to open up and the family are now recuperating mentally.

Speaking to Marian Finucane on her weekly RTE Radio 1 show, Mrs Foley recounted the despondent days that followed her husbands untimely death and how she sought help in how to assist her children in dealing with the tragedy. After consulting psychologist David Coleman, he convinced her not to shelter her children as was her instinct.

The news was the most shocking thing imaginable. It was the last thing in the world I ever expected, she recalled.

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That morning I had gone into a state of shock. My instinct would have been, Lets protect the children. Well hide them away until the sorry affair is over. The following morning I needed some help, so I rang David and I said David, just talk to me and tell me what I need to do here now.

He gave me the best advice. He said; if you are going to Paris, bring the children with you. Let him [Anthony] spend as much time as you can with the children. We were going to lay Anthony out at home and they spent the two full days with him at home and it was lovely. Its something that Im so happy that I got the advice on because definitely I wouldnt have exposed them that much to him at all and I just think that its such a lovely thing now that we have done that.

Mrs Foley also took on board another piece of Mr Coleman's advice; to be straightforward and honest with her children.

The other thing is tell them everything. You have to be so honest with them because if you lose their trust, if you hide one thing from them, what they will come up with in their head if you havent told them the truth will be far worse. Far worse things will pop into their heads, so I was completely honest and open with them from the very start.

On Sunday I had to break the news to them. It was a very hectic day, a very busy day. I had about two minutes to get my thoughts together before I had to tell them. I knew that you have to say it very straight to children. I didnt mention that he passed or that we lost him, I was able to use the words that Daddy died in his sleep.

Anthony was an idol to many without a shadow of doubt but it was at home where he was idolised the most, without a doubt. He was very close to the children and they were his priority. We were number one. Im afraid to say, rugby came a close second but he was a great family man.

The Foleys have been through extremely tough times but Mrs Foley said that her sons, Tony and Dan, are great, largely thanks to the help of Sister Helen Culhane. Sr Culhane, founder of Limericks Children Grief Centre, has helped to initiate conversation within the family about Anthonys life and death.

The boys are great thank God, she said.

Weve had a tough couple of years. Two years later I must say we are finally seeing a bit of light again. Weve had a turbulent couple of years. I desperately needed help. I just needed to know what to do with the kids, what is right and what is wrong and the kids needed support themselves.

What I love about Helen and all the support team she has, is the way she deals with the children. They go in and they sit down one-on-one and then were brought in for the last ten minutes, so inevitably theyll have spoken about Dad or theyll have told little stories and then Helen might say something like tell Mam about that great story.

Mrs Foley said that the way in which Sr Culhane introduces parents to the conversations that she has privately had with the children has helped her own family to talk about the subject.

Shes able to unify the conversation so now Im talking about Dad to the children instead of, Lets pretend this never happened, dont mention Dad because everybodys going to cry, she said.

Shes able to open up the conversation, so for the last ten minutes Im now talking quite freely to the children about Dad. Then we were able to continue the conversation on the way home in the car and then next thing were talking about him morning, noon and night because he comes up in conversation constantly.

We always say that Anthonys book is something that Im very privileged to have. In the beginning wed go to bed early at night and wed say our prayers and then Id read a few pages from Dads book. Their eyes would be wide open. Theyd really enjoy this and then inevitably theyd have questions and theyd just love it.

Now, just over two years after Anthonys tragic death, Ireland are to face New Zealand in a rugby test match. Just twenty days after their former captain died in his sleep Ireland faced the same side. On that day, in tribute to the former back-row, Ireland formed a figure of eight to face the haka. Mrs Foley recalls this and the remarkable score line, of their first win over the All-Blacks, as a moment that lifted her spirits so soon after her world was turned upside down.

We were still very much in shock at that stage. A few of us gathered that day in my friends house and we all watched it together. We were sitting down and we were watching the haka and it took a few minutes for the penny to drop.

What are the Irish players doing? My god theyre in a figure of eight and then we saw that the Munster players were in the front and I went My word, Anthony is very present over in Soldier Field today, this is going to be good. When they won, that was such an incredible moment for me and the children. That was so, so special.

The score was 40-29 and it was reversed. The last time Anthony played against the All-Blacks was 2001 and they lost 29-40 and to think that they won 40-29 with the number eight. I really cherish that."
Passengers travelling with Ryanair have until the end of November to adapt to its new cabin baggage rules, the airline has confirmed.

The new cabin baggage rules, which no longer permit 'Non-Priority' customers a free larger carry-on bag, were scheduled to be introduced on November 1.

However, a grace period will now continue until the end of the month.

"While our new bag policy came into effect on November 1, we have briefed our gate agents to take a reasonable approach while customers get used to the new rules over the month of November," Ryanair told Independent.ie Travel.

The new policy only allows passengers who pay 6-8 for Priority Boarding to take a second, larger piece of cabin baggage on board its aircraft.

'Non-Priority' passengers must travel with a small 'personal bag' only, or pay 8 in advance online to check the larger, 10kg bag into the hold.

From December 1, 'Non-Priority' customers who show up to the airport with an unbooked larger piece of hand luggage must pay 20 to check it at the airport bag drop desk, or pay a 25 fee to have it placed in the hold at the boarding gate.

While many passengers agree with the changes, others have complained about paying for checked bags or Priority Boarding, only to watch customers who haven't observed the new rules get their bags tagged for free at airport gates.

@MoneySavingExp another ridiculous policy from @Ryanair not being followed. People who pay priority boarding in order to bring cabin luggage on under the airlines new rules have to stand & watch people who are not priority get bags tagged for free at boarding. Its a farce.  Luke Aldridge (@_LukeAldridge) November 17, 2018

Ryanair says its new policy has been a success, resulting in an 11pc improvement in flight punctuality and "faster boarding time" for passengers.

Weve received lots of positive feedback from our customers and airports across Europe that our new bag policy has reduced airport security queues and improved the boarding gate experience," said its Chief Marketing Officer, Kenny Jacobs.

The November 30 cut-off means customers will have to adapt to the new baggage policy in the run-up to Christmas - one of the year's busiest travel periods.

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Colette Browne Opinion Every effort must be made to retrieve oral histories of mother and baby home survivors

With three days to go until the Mother and Baby Homes Commission ceases to exist as a legal entity, we are being told that audio recordings of hundreds of witnesses which were deleted may not actually be gone forever. It is another usual twist in a most emotional saga. For decades, survivors of mother and baby homes have been denied a voice and denied autonomy. When they fell pregnant, many through rape and abuse, they were marched to the doors of religious institutions.
The Ardee Baroque festival has always forged links with the community either through concerts for children or providing free events and so to mark its 15th year, Ardee Baroque is working with Music Generation Louth and Moorehall Lodge to celebrate some of the many great aspects of baroque music with the wider community.

baroque ensemble Tonos, who perform 'Wintersong', the opening concert of this year's Festival on Friday night, are working with children from two primary schools in Ardee. This link has been created by Music Generation Louth, part of Ireland's National Music Education Programme, to give these children an opportunity to work with some of the leading baroque specialists in the country.

Musician Eamon Sweeney and soprano Roisin O'Grady will teach the children songs such as the Coventry Carol and the famous Gaudetebefore performing a concert in the school. The children are also invited to attend and perform in the evening concert alongside Tonos.

The residents of Moorehall Lodge will also have a chance to be part of the Baroque Festival on Saturday when leading music in healthcare musicians will perform a special concert for them. Musical Memories is an initiative to bring professional music off the concert stage and into the very heart of our communities, offering nursing home residents, families and staff an opportunity to listen to live music performances.

The Festival also offers a free poetry and prose reading event in Hatch's Castle when celebrated writers of Cavan-based group Lit Lab come together to read from their latest anthologies.

The Irish Baroque Orchestra remains at the heart of Ardee Baroque and return with their artistic director, Peter Whelan to perform a concert of Handel duos for soprano and counter-tenor. Audiences will recall Peter's last visit to Ardee when he directed the orchestra in Vivaldi's The Four Seasons. Peter brings life and excitement to all his performances which instantly comes from the musicians too. Described by The Irish Times, Peter Whelan is 'as exciting a live wire as Ireland has produced in the world of period performance'.

Any newcomers or those curious about baroque music will love the closing concert in this year's festival when Musici Ireland and Melisma choral group perform a concert of all the best known and loved music from the era, such as pieces from Handel's Watermusic and the celebratory Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah. This concert of back to back familiar music is sure to send everyone home singing. It's one not to be missed.

The festival runs all weekend and full details are available on www.ardeebaroque.com and tickets can be booked through www.antain.ie by phone 042 9332332 or in person from An Tain Arts Centre, Crowe Street, Dundalk.

Ardee Baroque is generously funded by Louth County Council and the Arts Council.
India should judge Chinese projects in its maritime neighbourhood by smarter red lines, which cannot mean a zero Chinese presence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week makes fleeting foreign voyages in between domestic electioneering, where he faces multiple and crucial elections to several state Assemblies in the Hindi belt, which had catapulted him into power in 2014. Domestic imperatives will in fact dominate even more strongly as the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections begins in 2019. In the past, Prime Ministers have scaled back their foreign commitments in similar circumstances, but for Mr Modi foreign policy has been a tool in his political image-making. However, the external environment is today more challenging than during the first three years of his prime ministership, and there are fewer successes on offer.

He had two major overseas trips this week. The first was to the annual Asean summit in Singapore, on the sidelines of which were held both the India-Asean summit and the East Asia Summit (EAS), consisting of the 10 Asean nations and Japan, South Korea, China, plus India, Australia and New Zealand, besides Russia and the United States. The East Asia Summit is the premier gathering in Asia for strategic discussions on political, security and economic challenges. The Asia-Pacific Economic Partnership (Apec) summit, of which India is not a member, was held immediately after the EAS in Papua New Guinea. The G-20 meets in Argentina later this month. The challenges before the region are many, but the trade battles between the US and China, with tit-for-tat tariffs, is affecting business sentiments across the world. The absence of US President Donald Trump at the EAS and Apec summits, with Chinese President Xi Jinping attending the latter, has sent out a signal of modified, if not declining, American interest in the Asia-Pacific. The EAS was also dominated by China driving the discussion towards its favoured Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which was the Chinese response to the earlier proposed Trans Pacific-Partnership, that the US under President Trump has abandoned. India tried to introduce its conditions for its fruition, but would find tepid support from within the Asean bloc. With China dominating the space vacated by the US and Japan and Australia lowering their resistance, India turns to thoroughly survey its immediate periphery to secure its core interests at least there.

Chinas assertiveness since the 2008 financial crisis has seen the Chinese presence incrementally expanded in South Asia, particularly in Indias maritime neighbourhood. The Chinese stranglehold on Sri Lankan infrastructure, particularly at the Hambantota and Colombo ports, discomforted India as the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa bent over backwards to satisfy Beijing. Mr Maithripala Sirisenas election as President in 2015 did reverse the process, now stymied by the constitutional coup by Mr Sirisena and Mr Rajapaksa, ousting incumbent Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. This imbroglio still remains unresolved as the countrys highest court struck down the dissolution of Parliament and Mr Rajapaksa was unable to demonstrate his majority.

Mr Rajapaksas return may not, however, restore Sri Lankas China tilt, as it was his flirtation with China that caused the debt bubble resulting in the Sirisena government having to cede control over Hambantota port and its contiguous zone. But a similar drama is now playing out in the Maldives. In late September, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the joint Opposition candidate, was elected as President, defeating the incumbent Abdulla Yameen, who was hanging onto power by unconstitutional means since 2013. His presidency, like that of Mr Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka, saw the rapid intrusion of China in Maldivian infrastructure development, including the suspected leasing of some islands in perpetuity for potential military or reconnaissance use. The new President will be inaugurated on November 17. Meanwhile, two former Presidents are back in public view  with Mohammed Nasheed returning from exile and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Mr Yameens half-brother, released from internment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted the invitation to attend, though a subsequent stand-alone visit was being speculated on as Maldives was the only Saarc neighbour that he had refused to visit while Mr Yameen was in power. China will be represented by its culture minister.

Maldives occupies a crucial maritime position, just 400 km from Indias Malabar coast. Despite 1,200 islands, most of its population of about 325,000 is crammed on one main island. It has the negative distinction of the largest per capita contribution of fighters to global jihadi outfits like the Islamic State and Al Qaeda. Thus, for India, it has a two-fold significance  that it should not allow Chinese predatory infrastructure capture or be radical Islams nursery. Among those released from internment is Sheikh Imran Abdulla of the Religious Conservative Party, who will somewhat influence the new government. India will seek a stabile Maldives that only democracy can provide.

Before Prime Minister Modis arrival in the Maldives on Saturday, India has speed-delivered, after a refit at Visakhapatnam, a Coast Guard vessel. Maldivian exports have dropped this year and consist mainly of marine products. But the principal foreign exchange earner is tourism. How the new government rebalances between India and China will define Indo-Maldivian relations. In the past, some projects like the airport were seized from Indian firm GMR and perhaps passed into direct or indirect Chinese control. India would seek transparency over what, if any, islands have been leased to China. Maldivians have the Malaysian, Sri Lankan and now even Pakistani concerns before them about the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) turning into debt traps.

However, India must realise that Chinas presence in its maritime domain is unavoidable. Both nations must learn to coexist. Indias resistance to Chinas BRI is getting isolated as even Japan and Australia are now grabbing the business opportunity in BRI projects across the Asia-Pacific. India should judge Chinese projects in its maritime neighbourhood by smarter red lines, which cannot mean a zero Chinese presence. Chinese tourists bring huge revenues to tourist destinations, including potentially to the Maldives, although the upper end is dominated by Europeans. Prime Minister Modis visit provides a good opportunity to begin this dialogue.
On Friday night I headed for Courtneys Bar where National Pen were hosting a celebration party and by the time I got there the pub was completely packed full of party revellers.

I wasn't too long in the door when I got talking to Jan Ferletian from Armagh Road who was in great form and told me it was going to be an excellent night.

Next I headed over for a chat with Melanie Baresot and Mathias Dubreuil both from Blackrock who told me that once everyone got there it was going to be a fantastic night.

I then headed over for a chat with Max Oerther and Jimmy Bracq both from College Heights who tried to tell me it was going to be a nice quiet party, funny I was thinking it was gong to be the exact opposite!

Not too long later I then got a word with Kristof Simon from Blackrock and Marilena Vuss from Bay Estate who said that even though it looked like it was going to be a quiet night, it certainly wasn't going to be.

After this I headed over for a chat with Yanti Rangkuti from Muirhevnamor who was really enjoying the evening and assured me the fun was just going to get better and better.

Meanwhile up at the main bar I had the pleasure of talking Hristina Tankovska who was chatting to the recently arrived Wassel Boven from Riverside Drive, Lukas Mehl and Michael Hascher both from Mullaharlin Road who said that they were there to make the very best of the party with all their workmates.

I made my way over to an adjacent table where I got talking to Shona Kelly from Muirhevnamor, Ava Malone from Portlaoise and Gillian O'Byrne from Cooley who tried to tell me they worked in the National Pen, but I'm guessing they didn't really.

Not too long later I got a word with Gabor Dezse from Tudor Grove and Antonio D'Andri from Belfry Drive who assured me they were going to have a lovely time during the celebration.

After this I got a quick word with Sonja Neuss from Carroll Village who told me she was looking forward to having a few celebration drinks with all her friends.

I then headed over for a chat with Kitty Vafesh from O'Hanlon Park who told me she'd be taking thinks easy after being knocked off her bike recently, but was recovering as well as possible.

Finally, before I departed, I caught up with Diego Billa, Maria Balero, Maria Santiago, Marius Sommer and Emma Lunn who weren't too long in the door and were certainly up for making the best of the celebrations with all their workmates
Private Joey McKenna in front of the mural he painted in Lebanon.

A colourful mural depicting scenes from Irish history decorates an outpost in Lebanon thanks to the efforts of Pte Joey McKenna from the B Company 27th Infantry Battalion which is based in Gormanston Camp in Co Meath.

A Dubliner who has been living in Dundalk for the past seven years, Pte McKenna has always been interested in art and worked as a tattooist in Dublin an Essex before joining the Defence Forces five years ago.

He finds inspiration in random images which he sees on the interest and likes putting them together in collages.

When his training NCO's and Officers learned of his talent, he was requested to design a pennant for the 2nd Artillery Regiments First Recruit Platoon, and he created a design featuring a Phoenix resting on an old Howitzer artillery.

Currently on his first tour of duty in Lebanon, he was asked by Sgt John Rooney from Aiken Barracks if he would design a mural featuring Irish culture for the outpost.

The mural features a number of iconic scenes and figures Irish history and legends including Cuchulainn, a Celtic cross and round tower, the GPO and the 1916 signatories, Michael Collins and De Valera.

'I have been over in Lebanon nearly six months now,' explains Pte McKenna. 'We are coming to the end of a wonderful tour here. It is my first time over here and it has been a place of abundant learning.'
Gardai investigating the disappearance of Giedre Raguckaite, who is believed to have been murdered, have appealed to anyone with information about the 29 year old Lithuanian to come forward.

They are particularly anxious to find out where she was living after she left the house at 37 College Heights, Dundalk where she had been living until May 23.

Gierdre came to Ireland from the UK in April and lived in the Dundalk area from April to May.

She 'may have been in a vulnerable position,' Supt Gerry Curley told a press conference in Dundalk Garda Station last Tuesday.

He said she had come to Ireland looking for work and her last known address was 37 College Heights, which she left on May 23. Gardai have not established where she resided after that.

She was reported missing to Dundalk gardai on August 22 by a Lithuanian national residing in Dundalk on behalf of her family and a missing person investigation commenced under the supervision of Detective Inspector Martin Beggy from the incident room in Dundalk.

Garda inquiries revealed that Gierdre last spoke with her father Arunas Raguckas, a 58 year old widower who lives in Kaunas, Lietuva, Lithuania, on May 29 at 6.35pm, and that was the last contact she had with her family. She has two older sisters, Gintare Raguckaite, who lives in Italy and Zavile Raguckaite who resides in Cyprus.

She was last seen at a house in Beach Grove Laytown area with two men on 29th May 2018 at 11pm.

Gardai are concerned at the condition she was in when she was taken into the house and they believe she was unconscious.

'Giedre was not seen leaving the house but we are satisfied that she left the house and the other two males left the house in the early hours of May 30, 2018. She has not been seen since,' said Supt Curley.

A technical examination of that house was carried out last Tuesday.

He said that they had serious concerns about what had happened to her and believe that her disappearance was involuntary. They are satisfied that she knew the two men she was with in the house.

Gardai have established that Giedre's phone has not been in use since the morning of May 30th nor has there has been any activity on Giedre's social media accounts or contact with any family or friends. She had a regular pattern of contact with family, friends and acquaintances prior to May 29 but there had been no contact from her since then. She also had no visible means of support.

Gardai have carried out over 170 lines of enquiry, including liaising with the PSNI, UK Police Forces, Interpol, the Lithuanian Police Force and the Lithuanian Embassy. As a result of those enquiries, it was decided on the October 31 to re-categorise this investigation as a homicide investigation.

Supt Curley said gardai are seeking assistance from the public and especially the Lithuanian Community. They are anxious to talk to anyone who gave her accommodation after May 23 or who may have seen her on or after May 29, or any person who has information about her disappearance.

Giedre is described as 1.67 Meters in height, thin build, 8/9 stone, shoulder length blonde hair, green eyes and was last seen wearing pink t-shirt and dark blue jeans.

Anyone with any information should contact Dundalk Garda station on 042 9388400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.
A plaque is set to be unveiled at the John Boyle O'Reilly Hall in memory of the 100 volunteers from Louth who set off to fight in the Easter Rising.

After many years of planning the local Knights of Hibernia have come together to launch the plaque on the facade of the John Boyle O'Reilly Hall in Clanbrassil Street.

Up to 100 volunteers from across Louth left Dundalk to take part in the Easter Rising in 1916, having not received the countermanding order from Eoin MacNeill.

The Louth Volunteers were to form part of an entrenching circle around the city that would keep communication and supply lines open as well as providing a possible escape route to the West for the Dublin Volunteers. A contingent was left behind in Dundalk to commandeer a consignment of arms

However, at the last minute, Eoin MacNeill, the Volunteer Chief of Staff, tried to call off the rising, causing chaos among the Volunteer around the country.

Because the Volunteers had already left the town, it proved very difficult to get updates through to them.

Eoin MacNeill's countermanding order and Pearse's subsequent re-mobilisation order threw the Louth Volunteers into confusion No sooner had they distributed the countermanding order though than got word that the Rising was back on.

The Louth Volunteers dispersed on May 3rd after hearing of the surrender in Dublin, and were the last band of volunteers to do so. A sweep of arrests by the RIC saw many volunteers perish.

Now, their contribution to a key part of Irish history will be commemorated with a plaque at the John Boyle O'Reilly Hall on Sunday, November 18th at 11am. All welcome.
Dog welfare has improved significantly in Ireland in the past two decades. The number of stray dogs being euthanased in dog pounds is down from over twenty thousand to less than a thousand, laws have been brought in control commercial dog breeding, and new animal welfare legislation has improved the protection for dogs under Irish law. Dogs also now need to be microchipped, so they are securely linked to their owners

But what about cats? Traditionally, cats have been second-class creatures in Ireland. While there have always been cat lovers who dote on their pets, many people still see cats as farmyard animals, better outside chasing rats and mice rather than indoors by the fireside. Even away from the farm, there's a mistaken impression that cats are aloof, independent creatures who will do anything to please themselves. As for feral cats, they are seen as a nuisance, no better than other pests that need to be controlled.

This less-than-loving attitude to cats is reflected in the proportions of different species brought to vet clinics. In the UK, the ratio of animals visiting vets is around 50:50 dogs to cats, while in Ireland, typically over 65% of a veterinary waiting room is made up of dogs, with only around 30% cats. My own clinic in Bray has a dedicated cat section, with cat-only waiting room, consulting room and hospital ward). Cat owners love this: 100% of the patients in our cat-only waiting room are cats!

To those of us who adore cats, it's difficult to relate to understand why people don't seem to care so much for them. Yes, cats are more independent than dogs, but this can be an appealing characteristic rather than a mark to hold against them. When a cat gives you affection and attention, you know that they really mean it. And given a chance, cats can be just as companionable and adorable as dogs.

The truth is that cats do better under Irish law than many people think. Pet cats, just like dogs, are classified as 'protected animals' in the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2014 (this means "any creature in the possession or under the control of a human being"). This means that if you are looking after a cat, you have a legal duty to protect its welfare. You have to provide food, water and shelter, and you must take precautions to protect the health of the cat. It's against the law to allow a cat to fall ill and then to fail to seek treatment. You also have a responsibility to ensure that you do not leave a cat unattended without making adequate provisions for its welfare. Finally, it's an offence to abandon an animal. You cannot just 'stray' a cat because you don't want it any more.

The legal situation is more complicated for feral cats. If any animal is living "in a wild state", then they are no longer classified as a "protected animal". This is logical: by definition, it is impossible for any animal in the wild to be under control of a human being. Who could be held accountable for housing, feeding and caring for a free-living cat in the wild? When the new law came in, many people who care about feral cats were understandably concerned. Since feral cats were living in a wild state, and they were therefore not "protected animals". Did this mean that they had no legal protection?

Fortunately, this is not the case. The only difference between pet cats and feral cats under the law is the fact that nobody may have a direct obligation to care for them. Feral cats are still protected from cruelty, just like other living, sentient creatures. Under Irish law, any act, or failure to act, that causes unnecessary suffering or endangers the health and welfare of any animal is an offence. It's against the law to injure - or to poison - feral cats, just as much as it would be to do this to pet cats.

Even with this legal protection, feral cats in Ireland have difficult lives. Estimates of the national feral cat population range from 200000 to over a million: the truth is that nobody knows how many there are. Most people are aware of feral cat colonies in their neighbourhoods. These cats play an important role in controlling pests like rats and mice, especially in locations where there may be waste food, such as the back yards of restaurants and hotels.

For this reason, feral cat colonies should be an asset to human society. However, to integrate successfully, such colonies do need human help. If they are left on their own, they breed too rapidly. Too many kittens are born, there's not enough food for them, and they end up as hungry, sickly creatures with short, brutal lives.

The answer is simple: responsible people in the area need to implement Trap-Neuter-Release schemes to ensure cat populations are kept at a manageable level, so there's enough food and shelter for all. To find out more about how these schemes work, visit www.feralcatsireland.org.

Should we do more for cats in Ireland? Yes, of course. While there are many dog-only animal charities (Madra, Dogs Trust and many others), there are very few cat only charities, and these tend to be smaller local groups (e.g. Greystones Kitty Hostel). Many charities cover dogs and cats (eg ISPCA, Blue Cross and DSPCA),but cats need more support to ensure that they don't suffer unduly and that when rescued, they receive the focussed care that they deserve. Support your local cat charity!
A High Court dispute between two craft beer-brewing firms is to go to mediation.

Whiplash Beer Limited has brought proceedings against The Dublin Lager Company Limited, trading as Larkins Brewing Company.

The two companies operate out of a shared facility at Renmore Business Park in Kilcoole, which is owned by the defendant.

Last month Whiplash secured a temporary injunction against the Dublin Lager Company claiming that the defendant company has prevented one of Whiplash's owners and directors, Alex Lawes, from entering the premises.

It claims that Mr Lawes, an award-winning brewer, needs access to the premises and his absence has created uncertainty over the business.

The injunction, which was granted on an ex-parte basis, prevents the defendant firm from interfering with Whiplash's business or from stopping anyone from Whiplash, represented in court by Rory Kennedy Bl, entering into the shared premises.

The defendant company, represented by Eugene Gleeson SC, disputes the claims, denies any wrongdoing and wants the injunction lifted.

The matter returned before the High Court on Thursday last, November 8, when Mr Justice David Barniville was due to hear an application to have the injunction remain in place until the action has been determined.

However, following a request by the judge, who said the dispute was a 'very obvious case for mediation', the sides agreed the case should go to mediation.

The mediation is to take place early next week. The judge, who welcomed the decision, adjourned the matter for a week.
Suzanne and Valerie Rice placing a leaf on the remembrance tree in memory of their father Noel Rice. They were joined by Stuart Collier, Stephen Collier and Conor OLeary from Purple House Cancer Support.

Stephen Collier places a leaf on the Purple House Tree of Remembrance at Colliers Funeral Directors in Bray.

A memorial tree in aid of Purple House Cancer Support was unveiled last Monday in the gardens of Colliers Funeral Home.

By dedicating a leaf in their honour and placing it on this beautiful 'nature' inspired monument, people are given a meaningful way to celebrate the lives of those they love and leave a lasting legacy in their name.

In 'full bloom' the tree will hold 600 individually engraved memorial leaves guaranteed to last for 100 years and the proceeds from each and every one will go to Purple House Cancer Support to help grow and sustain their support network in the local community.

Valerie and Suzanne Rice were among the first to contribute to the tree, dedicating a leaf to their much loved father Noel Rice, who passed away in 2014.

The tree offers an additional or sole way of honouring someone special regardless of how much time has passed. Today many families are opting for cremation and the scattering of ashes and so the tree allows them a special place to remember those no longer with us.

Purple House has been selected by Colliers as benefactors of the proceeds of this tree due to their strong local origins and bonds within the immediate community.

Services offered by the charity include bereavement counselling, services for children and young adults, hospital transport, health awareness programmes, meal distribution, complimentary therapies and much more.
A former postman who binned mail to shorten his round so he could tend to his sick mother has received a six-month suspended sentence.

Wicklow resident Derek Thompson (58) was fired from his 'unblemished' 34-year career at An Post for dumping mainly marketing material addressed to residents on his delivery route.

Detective Garda Gerard Doyle revealed that among this pile of marketing material, there were two letters about medical appointments. The court heard neither addressee missed out on these appointments.

Thompson, of The Fairways, Woodbrook Glen, Bray, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four charges of preventing the delivery of a postal package without the agreement of the addressee at Old Bray Road, Cabinteely, Dublin, on dates between November 10 and 15, 2016.

He has no previous convictions.

Det Gda Doyle told Dara Hayes BL, prosecuting that a county council worker had been emptying bins in Cabinteely village when he noted that the refuse bag was heavy.

He looked in and saw about 100 letters, many of them soiled from being in the bin. The court heard that An Post identified the delivery route the letters had been on and staff observed Thompson dump more items into a bin in Cabinteely on a later date.

Det Gda Doyle said besides the two medical appointments and a letter enclosing money-off vouchers for a store, the rest of the mail had been brochures and charity letters soliciting donations.

The detective agreed with Patrick Reynolds BL, defending, that his client had a previously 'unblemished' work history with An Post and would unlikely come before the courts again.

Mr Reynolds submitted to Judge Melanie Greally that Thompson had understood what he was dumping had been advertising mail. He said his client had wanted to go and help his elderly mother and had cut his delivery time short.

Counsel submitted that this was a stupid thing to do and a serious breach of trust for the mail system, but he asked the judge to take into account Thompson's personal circumstances.

Judge Greally said the public has to be able to place confidence in members of the postal service to deliver mail and that it was not open to any individual to filter post.

She accepted that ultimately there was no harm done in the case and that nobody suffered. She noted that Thompson had 'paid a very high price for his folly' in losing his job of 34 years.

She placed the offence at the lower end of the scale and suspended the six-month sentence for six months.
Sixth class pupils from St Peters NS having fun with science at the launch of the 2019 ESB Science Blast

Children from St Peter's NS in Bray were at the launch of ESB Science Blast last week, with showcases to take place next year in Dublin, Limerick and Belfast.

Pupils from fourth to sixth class are encouraged to get involved in a non-competitive education programme investigating the science behind a simple question. The Dublin event will take place in the RDS on March 6 and 7. The submission deadline is November 30.

Science Blast will inspire entire classrooms with the wonders of STEM. Nourishing 21st century skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity. The programme will feature science shows, tailor-made for eight to 12 year olds. Each participating school will receive 75 towards transport.

To take part, classes must think of a simple question, something that they can investigate by predicting, measuring, counting or observing. Students then investigate their question, using core skills from the curriculum, before displaying their work and presenting their findings at a fun-filled event. Visit esbscienceblast.com to sign up.
The GPS chip makes it capable of supporting the simultaneous positioning of three satellite systems for rapid and accurate positioning.

The upcoming HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro represents the best of On-Device AI and brings a smarter AI experience closer to consumers. Furthermore, it inspires creativity and productivity; it empowers users to express themselves, unhindered by technological bottlenecks.

Huawei Consumer Business Group India has announced that the companys upcoming Mate 20 Pro would feature worlds most precise GPS that supports dual-band (L1+L5) GPS positioning technology.

Huawei Mate 20 Pro supports Dual Frequency AI Satellite-Selection GPS with L5 band delivering 10 times greater accuracy, enabling to support more accurate localization. The AI GPS Satellite Selection technology enhances the positioning accuracy across a wide range of scenarios.

The GPS chip makes it capable of supporting the simultaneous positioning of three satellite systems for rapid and accurate positioning, completely recording all outdoor exercises data with utmost accuracy.

The upcoming HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro represents the best of On-Device AI and brings a smarter AI experience closer to consumers. Furthermore, it inspires creativity and productivity; it empowers users to express themselves, unhindered by technological bottlenecks.
The Creative Ireland Conference 2018 took place in Baile Mhuirne on Friday and Saturday, 9th and 10th November and it proved to be a most special two days.

Opening with an address, as Gaeilge, by Cllr. Gobnait Moynihan, deputising on behalf of the Mayor of County Cork, Cllr. Patrick Gerard Murphy, the tone was set for the captivating talks and discussions that followed over the two days, beginning with a talk by Sarah Keaveney of the National Creative Ireland Programme Team.

On the Friday morning, members of Cork County Council's Culture Team (Tourism, Arts, Irish, Heritage and Library) gave an overview of the range of different cultural initiatives underway within the County, touching on a range of different funding streams for a range of different projects.

The afternoon saw wonderful presentations by An Coimisineir Teanga Ronan O Domhnaill; Mairtin O Mealoid (Oilean Chleire), Rachel Ni Riada (Udaras na Gaeltachta), Brid Cranitch (Ionad Culturtha, Baile Mhuirne) and Peadar O Riada, followed by a most wonderful performance by local school children involved in the Aisling Geal Programme. A number of those who attended the conference also went to the Ionad Culturtha in the evening to see a wonderful performance by the Bow Brothers.

The Saturday saw four fantastic presentations in the morning by Siobhan O Dhuinnin (Rinceoir); Rachel Holstead (Ealain na Gaeltachta); Tara Kennedy (Free Market) and Dr. Rosarie Crowley (HSE). Topics covered included the importance of open space for cultural interaction and the importance of cultural interaction for our well-being, as well as dance and art in the Gaeltacht areas of the County.

The afternoon featured a wonderful tour of St. Gobnait's early monastic settlement by County Archaeologist Mary Sleeman, followed by a most memorable tour of the Nine White Deer Brewery in Baile Mhuirne, which takes its name from the folklore surrounding St. Gobnait herself.

At the conference the Cork County Culture and Creativity Strategy 2018-2022 was also launched for the County. The Strategy was produced by Cork County Council's Culture Team following an extensive public consultation period and a number of workshops throughout the Municipal Districts of the County. This extensive public involvement has resulted in a wonderful document tailored to meet with the cultural aims of the County over the next 5 years.

Six key priorities were identified, based on strong values and a positive vision, containing a number of specifically tailored actions. The values are many, strongly based on community values including participation and inclusivity as well as recognising the full diversity of culture as well as the need to truly recognise who we are as an Irish people.

The strategy strongly values volunteers who are the backbone of Ireland and also values collaboration, education, quality of life, health, including mental health and overall well-being both at the individual and community level.

The strategy sets out a number of mechanisms for raising awareness of culture and helping local groups in getting culturally beneficial community projects off the ground, from pop-up shops and pop-up gaeltachtai to community based culture led plans, grant schemes and conferences.

The six key priorities contained within the strategy, informed by the extensive community engagement that took place, are 'Enhancing and Investing in our Local Cultural and Creative Infrastructure'; 'Liberating Creativity', 'Knowing Ourselves', 'Supporting and Promoting Community Engagement with Culture', Showcasing County Cork', and 'Our Native Voice'.

Groups are encouraged to take note of the strategy with regard to their many cultural initiatives being undertaken at the local community level. Copies of the strategy are available on the internet (https://www.corkcoco.ie/arts-heritage/creative-ireland) and on Floor 3 of the County Hall. A DVD documentary of the conference is also being put together with thanks to Frameworks Films and this will be posted and made available online once completed.

The Creative County Cork Conference aside, last weekend, of course, was one to live long in the minds of people from a commemorative perspective as the Armistice Centenary was commemorated on Sunday 11th November. Events took place throughout the County of Cork including Buttevant and Mitchelstown in North Cork to commemorate the fallen of World War One; a war that saw over 4,500 people die from the County of Cork. With the ending of one war, another was about to begin - the Anglo-Irish War of Independence - and the coming years will see many commemorative events in this regard.

With regard to upcoming events there is one ahead certainly to take note of - Friday 23rd November will see a night of Memories and Stories commencing at 19:00 in the Cork Folklore Project Outreach Hub in the North Cathedral Visitor Centre, Cork City. It should be an enthralling night and all welcome.
The Davis College annual awards ceremony took place in the college sports hall last Friday. Teachers, students, parents and guests gathered to celebrate students' achievements for the past academic year and many tributes were paid to an impressive record of success across a diverse range of disciplines.

The school choir, conducted by Ms. Hannon, opened proceedings and were accompanied by Ms. Ryan on the harp and Leaving Certificate student Keelan Bell on drums.

They performed the song 'This is Me' from The Greatest Showman. A particularly warm welcome greeted Guest of Honour Ted Owens, Chief Executive of the Cork Education and Training Board, Noel O'Connor, chairperson of the board of management; Brid Lysaght, Principal of Nagle Rice Secondary School, Doneraile, Sinead Corkery, representative of Bank of Ireland; and former teaching staff of the school.

Mr. Owens addressed the audience, reflecting on his own life experiences and encouraged students to always strive to achieve their potential.

Principal Stephen Gilbert praised those students receiving awards, stating that "whether it is through academic excellence, sport, drama, science, music or any of the many other areas in which they are involved, students are always a source of great pride to the Davis College school community."
The economic importance of progressing the M20 Cork-Limerick motorway without delay cannot be understated given the immense boost the route will bring to the entire south-west region.

That's according to the Cork and Limerick Chambers of Commerce, representatives from which recently met with the newly appointed delivery team for the multi-million euro project.

Speaking following the meeting, Cork Chamber CEO Conor Healy pointed to the findings of a 2017 report commissioned by the two chambers, which led to the M20 being given priority in the Government's much-hyped 10-year National Development Plan to 2028. Mr Healy said the findings of the Indecon/Red C report showed that when completed the 8okm stretch of motorway linking the two cities had the potential to bring 5,400 additional new jobs to the region.

"This would increase the labour force within a 45-minute commute of these major employment centres by 23%. The report also confirmed that the existing N20 corridor had significant capacity constraints that both inhibit economic development and compromise safety," said Mr Healy.

"At a time of growing international uncertainty it is critical that we progress this project promptly to improve the competitive environment of Irish business. The M20 has the capacity to positively influence balanced regional development on the island like no other project, with 98% of all chamber members favouring its construction," he added.

Limerick Chamber CEO Dee Ryan described the appointment of the project delivery team to Cork and Limerick City Councils as a "key milestone to unlocking new social and economic opportunities along the Atlantic Corridor."

"We look forward to working with the delivery team and the appointed contractors to ensure the M20 gets moving as quickly as possible," said Ms Ryan.

However, not everyone is happy with the progress being made on the project, with Cork East Fianna Fail TD Kevin O'Keeffe expressing his frustration that a definitive time-frame for the project has yet to be put in place.

He said that, despite repeated requests, Transport Minister Shane Ross has yet to confirm a definitive start date for the project, pointing out that more than 12 months have passed since the preferred route via Mallow, Buttevant and Charleville was set in stone.

"Preparatory works should have sped up the process of completing the design and layout. But all we get from the Government is a plethora of announcements confirming its commitment to the project. In contrast, they can, with the stroke of a pen, amend the design of the Metro North system in Dublin, incurring an extra 100 million cost to the taxpayer," said Deputy O'Keeffe.

While also stressing the economic value of the motorway to the region, Deputy O'Keeffe said it was also important to stress its value in terms of road safety.

"As the existing N20 gets busier and busier, we could easily see further attempts by the authorities to reduce access from minor roads, as evidenced by the current debacle at the Waterloo Junction," he said.

"Given these critically important considerations, it is now imperative that the Government sets out a clear time-frame for the M20 sooner rather than later."
The elected members of Cork County Council have passed a budget for Cork County Council totalling nearly 344 million for 2019.

The budget retains a number of important initiatives, including the town development fund, village enhancement fund, the arts programme, planned housing maintenance and entrance & presentation of towns.

Of the budget, 57 million has been allocated to Housing and Building, 84 million to road transport and safety, and 29 million to recreation and amenity, each having been increased significantly from last year.

Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy highlighted the importance of delivering a budget which would continue to deliver on the success of a number of these projects for the people of Cork, "Everything we do as a council is about achieving the very best value in expenditure while creating real differences for the people who live and work in Cork," he said.

Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey said that the council has identified housing and roads incorporating public area maintenance as key priorities for 2019.

There will be an increased spend on homeless services and housing and adaptation grants. A new planned maintenance programme for the council's housing stock has been proposed for 2019.

Public lighting will receive over 400,000 with 1.1m provided for town approaches and the roadside maintenance programme. School wardens budget is also increased.

"As a council, we continue to deliver significant efficiencies and maintain consistently high levels of service. We also continue to seek efficiencies in the delivery of services while ensuring success for Cork County Council as an organisation, all the while operating in a challenging climate," he said.

Additional budgetary resources have also been allocated through matched funding for the key initiatives: Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure scheme and Urban and Village renewal scheme.

Both Fire Services and the Age Friendly programme received increases while the economic development fund increased to 1.33m.
The Fianna Fail Brexit spokesperson, Mayo TD Lisa Chambers, will deliver the oration at the annual Sean Moylan commemoration in Kiskeam this coming Sunday.

Proceedings will commence at noon with mass for Sean Moylan and his deceased colleagues after which a colour party, led by the Cullen Pipe Band, will make its way to the graveside.

Afterwards an exhibition of old documents and memorabilia marking the 100th anniversary of woman's suffrage in Ireland will be on display in the local community centre.

Cork North-West Fianna Fail TD Michael Moynihan said it was fitting that Deputy Chambers deliver this years oration.

"With over 10 years experience in the Reserve Defence Forces, and given her role as Brexit Spokesperson, I believe Lisa can both reflect on Sean Moylan's role in achieving Irish Independence and what is needed to protect Irish interests when Brexit takes place," said Deputy Moynihan.
Officials with Cork County Council have confirmed it has launched an investigation into an alleged incident on the Glen River near Banteer which resulted in a potentially serious fish kill.

The Corkman understands that machinery was used to remove gravel from the river bottom, which in turn drained water from a section of the river and causede significant damage to the to the aquatic ecosystem in the immediate vicinity.

In a statement, Inland Fisheries Ireland confirmed that it had investigated an incident of "significant unauthorised in-stream excavation" in late September on the Glen River.

"Major damage was done to over 200 metres of river habitat and that is at further risk of damage due to erosion," read the statement.

It went on to say that the damage caused had been linked to the death of a number of fish found at the scene and that there was a possibility that many more may have been killed.

"Approximately two dozen dead adult brown trout were observed in a section of the Glen River, which had become isolated and de-watered as a results of the works. However, the likelihood is that multiples of this number of fish died as a result of the works," read the statement.

"Kanturk Gardai also attended the scene and officers of Cork County Council's planning department were made aware of the work activity," it concluded.

The Corkman contacted the local authority to ask if it had launched an investigation into the incident and, if so, what form would it take and whether it could result in a prosecution. The authority was able to confirm that an investigation into the matter was ongoing but that it was too early to speculate on what its outcome may be.
There will be a Community Alert public meeting in Forrest Hall on Monday night November 19 at 7.30pm.

Community Alert is a community safety programme for rural areas with an emphasis on older and vulnerable people.

It operates as a partnership between the community, An Garda Siochana, and Muintir na Tire. It works on the principle of shared responsibility for crime prevention and reduction.

There are currently 240 members of the Community Alert Scheme which is a sub committee of Mitchelstown Community Council.

Superintendent Michael McGuire, Community Garda John Hennessy, Muintir na Tire representative Dermot Cronin and Garda Inspector Michael Corbett will be present on the evening.

This meeting has been called by the North Cork Garda Division in conjunction with Mitchelstown Community Council.

New members and members of the Neighbourhood Watch are welcome to attend on the night.
The Ardee Baroque festival has always forged links with the community either through concerts for children or providing free events and so to mark its 15th year, Ardee Baroque is working with Music Generation Louth and Moorehall Lodge to celebrate some of the many great aspects of baroque music with the wider community.

On Friday 16 November, baroque ensemble Tonos, who will perform 'Wintersong', the opening concert of this year's Festival, are working with children from two primary schools in Ardee. This link has been created by Music Generation Louth, part of Ireland's National Music Education Programme, to give these children an opportunity to work with some of the leading baroque specialists in the country. Musician Eamon Sweeney and soprano Roisin O'Grady will teach the children songs such as the Coventry Carol and the famous Gaudete before performing a concert in the school. The children are also invited to attend and perform in the evening concert alongside Tonos.

On Saturday 17 November, the residents of Moorehall Lodge will also have a chance to be part of the Baroque Festival when leading Music in Healthcare musicians will perform a special concert for them. Musical Memories is an initiative to bring professional music off the concert stage and into the very heart of our communities, offering nursing home residents, families and staff an opportunity to listen to live music performances.

The Festival also offers a free poetry and prose reading event in Hatch's Castle when celebrated writers of Cavan-based group Lit Lab come together to read from their latest anthologies.

The Irish Baroque Orchestra remains at the heart of Ardee Baroque and return with their artistic director, Peter Whelan to perform a concert of Handel duos for soprano and counter-tenor. Audiences will recall Peter's last visit to Ardee when he directed the orchestra in Vivaldi's The Four Seasons. Peter brings life and excitement to all his performances which instantly comes from the musicians too. Described by The Irish Times, Peter Whelan is 'as exciting a live wire as Ireland has produced in the world of period performance'.

Any newcomers or those curious about baroque music will love the closing concert in this year's festival when Musici Ireland and Melisma choral group perform a concert of all the best known and loved music from the era, such as pieces from Handel's Watermusic and the celebratory Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah. This concert of back to back familiar music is sure to send everyone home singing. It's one not to be missed.

The festival runs from Friday 16 to Sunday 18 November. Full details are available on www.ardeebaroque.com and tickets can be booked through www.antain.ie by phone 042 9332332 or in person from An Tain Arts Centre, Crowe Street, Dundalk.

Ardee Baroque is generously funded by Louth County Council and the Arts Council.
The districts of Nagapattinam and Vedaranniyam were the most affected areas. The Basilica of Our Lady of Health in Vailankanni, the largest Marian shrine in India, also sustained damages. Local and church authorities are bringing relief to thousands of displaced people.

Chennai (AsiaNews)  Indias Catholic bishops bemoan that "once again a severe calamity has struck our people. The area devastated yesterday by cyclone Gaja is in the countrys south-east coast, most notably the State of Tamil Nadu and, to a lesser extent the territory of Pondicherry.

The destruction caused by extremely strong winds and rains includes 23 people who lost their lives (a figure that is likely to rise) with more than 80,000 displaced.

The natural disaster took its toll despite the preventive measures taken by the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Church, said Mgr Theodore Mascarenhas, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), who signed the statement.

Thus, a few months after floods devastated the State of Kerala, India is affected by another extreme weather event.

The most affected areas are the districts of Nagapattinam and Vedaranniyam where the cyclone caused landslides, uprooted trees and blew away the roofs of homes. The communications and power infrastructure were also heavily damaged.

Winds also caused extensive damages to Indias top Marian shrine, the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health at Vailankanni. The ferocious winds have taken off the cross from the tower of the ancient Church and have also severely damaged the statue of Jesus near the Morning Star Church, Mgr Mascarenhas said.

The government announced helpline numbers 1070 (state-level) and 1077 (districts). Various rescue teams are helping the displaced move to more than 470 relief centres in six districts. Fishermen were also warned to stay away from the sea.

Church personnel and organisations are also helping the affected people. Caritas India is assessing the damage and will begin immediate relief intervention as soon as possible.

Mgr Mascarenhas ended his statement, saying that The Catholic Church stands in solidarity with all people suffering from this calamity and desires to help all people irrespective of their religion, community or provenience.

Also, We pray for the repose of the departed people and even as we offer our condolences to the affected families, we assure them of our support and comfort."
When twins, Betty Tallon and Kevin Geraghty, celebrated their 80th birthday, they decided to make Christmas special for children in need.

Betty Tallon, nee Geraghty, (Slane) and Kevin (Collon) heard about the annual Shoebox appeal and Kevin said it reminded him of when they were young and the little presents they would receive for Christmas.

So, Kevin and Betty asked their families to donate to the Shoebox appeal instead of buying presents for them.

They arrived at the Slieve Russell Hotel and the families brought along all the boxes, which are now being prepared for distribution in the next few weeks.

Team Hope organise the Shoebox appeal each year.

The boxes are packed with items such as a pen, pencil, copy book, paper, toothbrush and toothpaste, hairbrush, comb, a hat, scarf, gloves, etc.

Volunteers all across Ireland work hard to check that every Christmas Shoebox gift meets with customs and safety requirements, they seal them and send them on their way by truck or shipping container.

The boxes are bound for hospitals, schools, shelters, churches, orphanages, community centres, mountain villages and family homes in various parts of the world.
A student on his way home from school was punched and robbed of his mobile phone, the district court has heard.

Before Judge Coughlan was Lee Buchan (21), 50 The Green, Tredagh View, who pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, robbery and possession of a knife, arising out of the incident which occurred at the 101 Steps on 3 February, 2017.

At 3.15pm the victim was confronted by two men as he walked home from school. He was punched on the nose by Buchan and handed over his phone to the other male.

The defendant had a 5-inch penknife.

A letter from the injured party was handed into court.

Solicitor Paddy Goodwin said the district court previously accepted jurisdiction in the case, and his client was remanded in custody a week ago by consent.

Buchan accepted he will get a sentence but Mr Goodwin asked for one less than the eleven months the judge had indicated.

The solicitor admitted the letter from the schoolboy 'doesn't make good reading'.

There is a large accumulation of charges before the court. His client got some treatment in Cloverhill. All his problems are drug-related.

Judge Coughlan imposed a ten-month sentence for assault causing harm, taking all other charges into account.

He asked that Buchan get any appropriate drug treatment while in custody.

'My advice to you is stay in and get the treatment. This can't go on forever,' the judge added.
Investigations are continuing this week into a series of incidents that have shocked the community and left many people living in fear.

The latest incidents were on Sunday last when a suspect device had to be made safe by the army EOD close to St Mary's Church on the Dublin Road, while an explosion took place in Moneymore later that evening.

A security cordon and traffic diversions were put in place on the Dublin Road following the discovery of a suspicious device near a parked car around 2.40pm.

As a precaution, Gardai evacuated the area and the bomb disposal unit called. After some hours, the suspect device was recovered and made safe. Both the car and device were removed for a technical and forensic examination by investigating Gardai.

On Sunday evening, families had to flee their homes in Moneymore after an explosion. It is believed a car was abandoned on Skelly's Lane and set on fire It contained a number of gas cylinders. The garda helicopter was called in to assist with the follow up operation.

The weekend incidents followed further attacks during the course of last week in what is seen as an escalation in an ongoing feud between between two organised crime gangs in the area.

Two incidents were reported within hours of each other last Wednesday. A caravan was set alight on the Cement Road and a garage, with a car inside, was also torched on the Donore Road.

On Thursday night, a suspected petrol bomb attack took place on a house at Termon Abbey and minutes later, there were reports of an armed man on the Cement Road, shortly before midnight.

A device was thrown at the Cement Road at 2am on Friday, and two cars were burned out around the same time and at 5.20am in Laurence's Drive and Laurence's Park.

There were also reports of an assault on a teenager on the Cement Road and the Drogheda Independent was also informed of an incident close to the Tholsel on Thursday when a man with a silver firearm was seen concealing the weapon after threatening another man.

Local councillor Paul Bell confirmed this week that he has written to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, appealing for more resources to be given to the town.

'You will be no doubt aware that in recent weeks an element living in our community have been engaged in some kind of gang war which is of extreme concern to the law abiding citizens of Drogheda,' he told the commissioner.

'It is my fear that should the seemingly tit for tat engagements continue between those involved in this criminal behaviour that it is only a matter of time until an innocent citizen is injured or killed. Not to mention the risk posed to those in An Garda Siochana who work tirelessly to defend our communities from organised crime, criminal behaviour and anti social behaviour all of which impact on our communities, our young citizens and our senior citizens alike.

'In short we need help and that help is needed immediately,' he explained.

Cllr Pio Smith added, 'The current escalation in violence and intimidation is unprecedented in Drogheda. The Gardai need resources from the state similar to what was provided to Limerick. Also the stae should allow the evidence from a Chief Superintendent to be used to arrest and imprison suspected gang members similar to the wat it was used to combat the provisional IRA. Tough measures for tough times"
A group of Drogheda rate payers are working on putting a Drogheda Business Improvement District (BID) proposal together. Ratepayers will have the chance to vote on whether they want to create a BID in Drogheda or not.

A BID is a defined area within which businesses are required to pay an additional rate levy in order to fund projects within the district's boundaries. The additional charge or levy is ring fenced and used to finance shared common projects.

Niall Kierans of Kieran's Deli, 100 years on West St, said "This is a great opportunity for Drogheda's rate payers to get together and decide what projects they would like their rates spent on. It also provides a structure for local businesses to work on shared goals like tourism and enterprise development."

The BID is operated through a company with an elected board of ratepayers, with two co opted board members - a county councillor and an executive from Louth County Council.

"There are lots of quick fix stuff that ratepayers can sort out quickly - foot fall counters", says Declan Kierans of the Pain Factory, Laurence St "wi fi hot spots, town watch and town signage that needs a radical overhaul."

If the BID is successful, an additional percentage of rates, a BID levy, will be paid by ratepayers in the BID area. These funds will be ring fenced and transferred to the BID company. For current BID companies in Ireland the BID levy ranges from 1.5% to 5% of additional rates.

The group are planning to submit a BID proposal to Louth County Council in December 2018. Following a public consultation period the BID proposal will then be voted on in a plebiscite of the BID area rate payers.

Geoff Fitzpatrick of Fitz Scientific, 20 years in business in Drogheda, adds - "We need to be looking at the bigger picture stuff - more enterprise development space, attracting indigenous businesses to set up in Drogheda, education and training resources for highly skilled people zoned development land for inward investment and most importantly, creating jobs for people living in Drogheda."

If a majority of ratepayers vote in favour, the BID for Drogheda will then be enacted. Drogheda could then join a growing number of towns and cities throughout Ireland with a BID in place, including Dublin Town, Sandyford, Dun Laoghaire, Dundalk and Sligo.

Joe Stafford of Stafford's Deli of Laurence St, is also giving Drogheda's BID proposal his full backing, along with Jackie Joliffe of the Crafty Fox.

The Drogheda BID working group held a workshops at the Westcourt Hotel on Monday last and a second one is planned for Wednesday 28 November at 6:15pm. All Drogheda rate payers and public representatives are welcome to attend.
The Drogheda City Status Committee returned to Leinster House last week at the invitation of Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin T.D. to address him on its campaign.

The Committee made a detailed presentation, emphasising Drogheda's large and expanding population, its position on major transport hubs like the M1 motorway and the Dublin-Belfast rail line, its entrepreneurial spirit and young, well-educated population, and its proximity to major infrastructural hubs like Dublin airport and Dublin port.

It pointed out its enormous tourist potential and the success of the Fleadh this year in attracting nearly half a million visitors to the town.

The Committee pointed out that Drogheda's ability to attract investment, plan development properly and develop its tourist industry was being stifled by the fact that it straddles different county and administrative boundaries, and it urged that this be eliminated, enabling the town and the surrounding area to be looked at as a whole where decisions on such matters were concerned.

"I'm very grateful to Micheal Martin for giving us an afternoon to talk to him on this matter. The Committee made a passionate, powerful and persuasive case to him, clearly showing how Drogheda's growth has been hampered and what needs to be done to unleash its potential. He listened positively to what we had to say and is clearly deeply interested in the matter,' Anthony Moore, who helped to organise the meeting, explained.

'As a long-standing Fianna Fail member from Drogheda, I am absolutely delighted that the Drogheda City Status Campaign is now on the agenda at the highest levels of the Fianna Fail party. When Drogheda finally gets the city status it deserves, there is no doubt in my mind that we will look back on this day as a historic occasion".
Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda "switched off" as part of the final phase of a major energy saving competition, called the BIG Switch Off.

The BIG Switch Off is part of the Optimising Power at Work Programme which is a staff energy awareness campaign run by the Office of Public Works (OPW). In partnership with the HSE's National Health Sustainability Office (NHSO) the campaign is currently active in fourteen hospitals across Ireland. Six of the hospitals are participating in the competition, aiming to be named Energy Saving Champion by the OPW and the NHSO.

The competition challenges participants to change their approach to energy usage and conserve as much electrical and thermal energy as possible in their hospital during the August and October Bank Holiday weekends. In doing this, the campaign aims to demonstrate the cumulative impact of small individual savings across the workplace.

The competition to find the Energy Saving Champion was launched just before the August Bank Holiday and over that weekend, enough electricity was saved across the six hospitals to power more than 28 standard Irish homes for a month.

Paul Tighe, senior engineer at The Office of Public Works who was responsible for developing The BIG Switch Off competition said, 'Our Optimising Power at Work programme has now been running for nearly ten years.

'Over the last three years we have been working closely with the NHSO, HBS and HSE Estates on installing energy monitoring equipment in Acute hospitals nationally. The BIG Switch Off concept was developed to provide a focused campaign to highlight our presence in this sector and to raise awareness about the way in which staff relate to the energy they consume in the workplace.'

Paul continued, 'The BIG Switch Off event is comprised from a series of structured actions, with supporting resources which encourage participation in the programme. The goal is to empower hospital staff to take control of the energy consumed in their workplace. We want to affect a behavioural change, from habitually using energy unnecessarily to habitually saving energy - to Challenge and Save.'

The BIG Switch Off saw each hospital making an extra effort to switch off non - essential equipment in advance of the Bank Holiday weekend. Energy saving teams also monitored heating controls and other electrical equipment.
Gardai investigating the disappearance of Giedre Raguckaite, who is now believed to have been murdered, have appealed to anyone who has information about the 29 year old Lithuanian to come forward.

They are particularly anxious to find out where she was living after she left the house at 37 College Heights, Dundalk where she had been living until May 23.

Gierdre came to Ireland from the UK in April and lived in the Dundalk area from April to May.

She 'may have been in a vulnerable position,' Supt Gerry Curley told a press conference in Dundalk Garda Station last Tuesday.

He said she had come to Ireland looking for work and her last known address was 37 College Heights, which she left on May 23. Gardai have not established where she resided after that.

She was reported missing to Dundalk gardai on August 22 by a Lithuanian national residing in Dundalk on behalf of her family and a missing person investigation commenced under the supervision of Detective Inspector Martin Beggy from the incident room in Dundalk.

Garda inquiries revealed that Gierdre last spoke with her father, a 58 year old widower, on May 29 at 6.35pm, and that was the last contact she had with her family.

She was last seen at a house in Beach Grove Laytown area with two men on 29th May 2018 at 11pm.

Gardai are concerned at the condition she was in when she was taken into the house and they believe she was unconscious.

'Giedre was not seen leaving the house but we are satisfied that she left the house and the other two males left the house in the early hours of May 30, 2018. She has not been seen since,' said Supt Curley.

A technical examination of that house was carried out last Tuesday.

He said that they had serious concerns about what had happened to her and believe that her disappearance was involuntary. They are satisfied that she knew the two men she was with in the house.

Gardai have established that Giedre's phone has not been in use since the morning of May 30th nor has there has been any activity on Giedre's social media accounts or contact with any family or friends. She had a regular pattern of contact with family, friends and acquaintances prior to May 29 but there had been no contact from her since then. She also had no visible means of support.

Gardai have carried out over 170 lines of enquiry, including liaising with the PSNI, UK Police Forces, Interpol, the Lithuanian Police Force and the Lithuanian Embassy. As a result of those enquiries, it was decided on the October 31 to re-categorise this investigation as a homicide investigation.

Supt Curley said gardai are seeking assistance from the public and especially the Lithuanian Community. They are anxious to talk to anyone who gave her accommodation after May 23 or who may have seen her on or after May 29, or any person who has information about her disappearance.

Giedre is described as 1.67 Meters in height, thin build, 8/9 stone, shoulder length blonde hair, green eyes and was last seen wearing pink Tee-shirt and dark blue jeans.

Anyone with any information should contact Dundalk Garda station on 042 9388400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.
Louth TD Imelda Munster has criticised the HSE for 'pulling the plug on an X-ray room' which she said was previously included in plans for the newly extended Emergency Department of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

Speaking in the Dail she asked that HSE management 'revert to the original plans to include a second X-ray room in the interest of best practice and patient care.'

Deputy Munster said: 'The provision of a second X-ray room, deemed essential by medical personnel for the efficient running of the new extension to the Emergency Department, had been costed and included in the tender before being suddenly withdrawn at the last minute. These plans have been in place for ten years and included the X-ray room.'

The Louth TD added: 'Obviously the extended Emergency Department will mean increases in patients presenting for treatment. Given that 80% of all patients who present to the Emergency Department need X-rays, CT scans, MRIs or ultrasounds - how are staff supposed to cope with only one X-Ray room?'

'This is compounded by the fact that the existing and only X-ray room is operating at full capacity and beyond, and the equipment - which is ten years old - is already obsolete.'

Deputy Munster told the Dail that Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, 'notwithstanding that it had the highest number of radiological examinations in 2017, is the only major hospital in the country where the Emergency Department has to rely on the one X-Ray room.'

She added that staff at the hopsital 'have been crying out for additional resources for years.'

She hit out at the decision, saying: 'This is an unbelievably myopic and incompetent decision by the HSE. It's like building a new house without a roof.'

'Patients are going to suffer with longer waiting times and it will put paid to the best practice targets for those requiring hip replacements and other surgeries.'

The Louth TD added: 'This is another example of senior HSE management ignoring medical professionals working on the front line and putting patient care and best practice in second place.'

'The Minister has a duty to intervene and resolve this matter. This decision must be reversed. It's a retrograde step, bordering on ludicrous. If the extension is to cope with higher turnover, how is it supposed to do this without an additional X-ray room?'

She said she had written to the Minister for Health requesting 'an immediate reversal of this outrageous decision.'

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told Deputy Munster he would have Minister for Health Simon Harris to respond to her on the matter.

Senator Ged Nash told the Minister for Health that the HSE's decision 'will lead to more patients on trolleys at the busy A&E in Drogheda.'

Speaking in the Seanad, the Labour Senator said; "I worked hard during my own spell in government to get the resources for new beds and theatres for the Lourdes and the expansion of ED. This is on track.

"Part of the 9,000 square metre expansion involved the extension to ED. Now it appears that the newly expanded ED will have to make do with one existing x-ray room as a result of a unilateral, eleventh hour decision taken by the bean counters in the HSE.

"For 1million (only 5% of the overall project cost), the Lourdes ED would have a second, badly needed x-ray room in ED.

"Instead, the plan has been ditched. Without additional capacity in terms of diagnostics, more patients will be left waiting in ED and for longer, with hard working staff set to be out under even more pressure as patient numbers escalate.

"This decision is outrageous and it needs to be reversed immediately. Now is the time to do the job as it will be virtually impossible to 'retrofit' an x-ray room into the facility once the building becomes fully operational."
Travel and farming matters are set to take up some of the new-found spare time of Alice Doyle who has retired as principal of St Kevin's national school in Tombrack after a teaching career of 39 years.

Alice, a native of Tullow, Co. Carlow, who settled in Wexford after marrying Ballyoughter farmer Tom Doyle, was the guest of honour at a retirement function in the Courtyard in Ferns, which was hosted by the board of management of the school, chaired by Fr. Richard Redmond.

Following three years of teacher training in Carysfort College, Alice took up her first job in St Finian's primary school in Kilquiggan, Co. Wicklow, before being appointed principal of another St Finian's school in Garryhill, Bagenalstown, where she worked for 10 years. A total of 37 of her 39 years in the teaching profession was spent as principal.

She then became principal in Riverchapel school, where she worked from 1991 to 2003 before taking up the position of principal in St Kevin's in Tombrack, a two-teacher school where her deputy was Margaret Kelly and where Alice was in charge for 15 years up to her retirement.

Alice said she could not have asked for a better colleague or deputy principal and described Margaret as 'a treasure of a person', adding that the pair worked very well together as a team for the benefit of the school.

Fr Redmond paid tribute to Alice for the time and energy she devoted to the school, which had 17 pupils when she arrived and was just about hanging on to its two-teacher status. In the following years, under her stewardship, the enrolment rose to its current level of 50.

During her time as principal, the outdated building of Tombrack school was completely renovated in 2010 and transformed into a modern educational facility with the addition of a state-of-the-art astro-turf pitch in 2017.

Alice didn't confine her interest to the school but also involved herself in many parish activities during her time as principal.

A seasoned traveller with her husband Tom, she recently returned from a trip to Dubai and is off to Prague soon with her holiday sights set on South America next year, and by then she will have visited all six continents.

Mother to grown-up children Deirdre, Caroline and Stephen, Alice is actively involved in the IFA and is chairperson of the Farm Family Committee in Co. Wexford.

Alice has been succeeded as principal by Bobby Kenny, a former teacher in Kilrane school, who attended her retirement function and wished her well in the future.
On the occasion of the awarding of the 2018 Ratzinger Prize, Pope Francis praised the Pope Emeritus and the "constructive dialogue with todays culture". The prize winners are Marianne Schlosser, a Catholic theologian at the University of Vienna, and Mario Botta, a Swiss architect who built several churches. The pontiff expressed his appreciation for the contribution of women in theology and the construction of "sacred space in the city of men".

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  Pope Francis this morning met with members of the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation on the occasion of the eighth Ratzinger Prize.

In his address, he highlighted the need to continue to study the writings of Pope Benedict XVI and appreciate the contributions of women in theology and Christianly inspired arts.

The winners of this years prize are: German Catholic theologian Marianne Schlosser, a medieval specialist of Saint Bonaventure and professor of the theology of spirituality in the Faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Vienna since 2004; and Swiss architect Mario Botta who built many sacred buildings and various churches.

Addressing an "affectionate and grateful thought to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI", Francis said that "his is a spirit that views the problems of our time with awareness and courage, and knows how to draw, from attention to Scripture in the living tradition of the Church, the wisdom necessary for a constructive dialogue with todays culture."

As for the Ratzinger Prize going to a woman, the pontiff noted that "it is very important that the contribution of women to the scientific field of theological research and that of the teaching of theology  for so long considered almost exclusive territories of the clergy  be recognized more and more.

It is necessary that this contribution be encouraged, and that it find a wider space, in keeping with the growing presence of women in the various fields of responsibility for the life of the Church, in particular, though not only, in the cultural field."

Speaking about Mario Botta, Francis stressed that "The commitment of the architect, creator of sacred space in the city of men, is therefore of highest value, and must be recognized and encouraged by the Church, especially when we risk the oblivion of the spiritual dimension and the dehumanization of urban spaces."

"Against the backdrop and in the context of the great problems of our time, theology and art must [. . .] continue to be animated and elevated by the power of the Spirit, which is the source of strength, joy and hope [. . .]. I thank the theologians and architects who help us lift our heads and turn our thoughts to God. My very best wishes to all of you for your noble work. Let it always be addressed to this end.
When John Keane, then aged 17, boarded the train in Duncormick station bound for Britain and ultimately the infamous World War I battlefield at the Somme in France, his relatives at home couldn't have known it was the last time they would ever see him.

His younger bother, Michael, recalled to family members years later how he remembered waving goodbye to John as the train departed the station not knowing it would be the last time he ever saw him.

Born on December 12, 1897, in Holdmanhill, Duncormick, to Michael and Catherine Keane, John was one of a family of five boys and three girls.

Like thousands of other young Irish men at the time he travelled to Britain in the hope of earning a better living and perhaps the misguided thought that war is exciting was what enticed him to enlist in the British army - which he did in Widness, Lancashire.

He underwent military training and was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Prince of Wales Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment).

Along with many other young men from Wexford, who were also in the Battalion, he was sent into action in Northern France.

Sometime, around dawn, on March 21, 1918, the German Army unleashed a huge barrage of artillery fire on the British positions on the Western Front.

It marked one of the deepest advances by either side since 1914; in the space of just five hours over one million artillary shells were fired at the British soldiers.

Such was the success of the German bombardment that by the end of the first day 21,000 British soldiers had been taken prisoner.

It also resulted in the German soldiers making strong advances through Allied lines.

At around 9 p.m. that same day Private Keane and his comrades formed a defensive flank on high ground above a small town called Vracourt.

However, they were ordered to withdraw from their position to reinforce the front line between Vlaux-Vraucourt and Morchies and by 3 a.m. on March 22, he and his company were dug in on the front line awaiting the impending battle.

Several times German troops entered the British trenches but on each occasion they were driven back again.

However, despite the valiant efforts of the British army the sustained attack from the Germans ultimately forced them back.

The heavy fighting continued throughout the day until around 3 p.m. when the German soldiers finally made a major break through the British lines and began to advance in high numbers.

The exact circumstances surrounding the fate of Private John Keane were never ascertained and none of his colleagues who survived the battle had further information regarding him or his fallen comrades.

However, it's believed he was killed by German troops as they invaded the British trenches and official British military reports recorded him as 'missing in action'.

Like thousands of other Irishmen his body was never identified and for his heartbroken family in Holdmanhill it was a matter of wondering how he died and what he must have gone through.

Sadly, his death came just a few months before the end of the war and that made his passing all the more difficult for his family to come to terms with.

Some time after the war ended his mother received a memorial plaque and scroll in respect of all those who died; a parchment scroll was also issued displaying Private Keane's name and unit.

These were accompanied by a letter from His Majesty the King and Private Keane was also posthumously awarded the British War and Victory medals.

He was only 20 years of age when his life came to an end on the bloodied battle field in France. His name is etched on a memorial stone at the Pozieres British Cemetery and Memorial which is located around 22km from where he was killed.

There are 99 panels at the memorial which surrounds the Pozieres cemetery between Bapaume and Albert.

The memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties from the UK and Ireland along with 300 men from the South African forces who died at the Somme between March 21 and August 7, 1918.

They have no known final resting place and their remains were never found.

The irony of the cemetery and memorial is that it's located in beautiful, picturesque countryside which nowadays offers a tranquil setting for visitors.

However, 100 years ago it was the site of the brutal slaughter of so many young men like Private Keane - many of whom were only in their late teens or early 20s - who died in one of the bloodiest battles in history.

In all, there are 19 young men from Wexford commemorated on the Pozieres panels; young men who in the impressionable vigour of youth went off to fight in a war not of their making and who paid the ultimate price.
A next-of-kin Memorial Plaque, which has passed through the family tree to Wexford town man Charlie Webster, belonged to Private Patrick Donnelly who died during the Great War.

Mr Webster came into possession of the plaque, pictured right, which passed down through the generations of the family. It was first presented to Patrick Donnelly's parents, before being passed on through the family, through Charlie's grandfather Robert Webster, his father William and, finally, to Charlie himself.

With the help of the new wexfordgreatwardead.ie website, some further information was garnered about Private Patrick Donnelly, who was a member of the First Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers, service number 18085. According to records, he had previously been with the Royal Irish Regiment.

Private Donnelly was born on December 10, 1885, in St Mark's in Newtownbarry, as Bunclody was called, where he was in business as a cattle dealer.

The son of Michael and Anne Donnelly, he was 32 when he was killed in action in Northern France, during the German Spring Offensive, of 'Kaiserschlacht' (Kaiser's Battle) which saw mobile warfare return to the Western Front after years of stalemate. Private Donnelly died on March 22, 1918, the day after one of the bloodiest days of the war when it came to German casualties.

Private Donnelly has no known grave but is listed on Panel 78 and 79 on the Pozieres Memorial in the Somme region of France.
Wexford historical Society will focus on World War I for its next lecture - namely the operation of the American Air Station at Ferrybank.

To coincide with the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice, Wexford Historical Society President Liam Gaul will give a talk called 'Wings over Wexford', the same title as his recent book on the subject. The illustrated presentation will bring listeners back to 1918, when the United States Navy installed a force of over 400 sailors, 22 officers, and four Curtiss H-16 seaplanes at Ferrybank.

The base was a veritable village with accommodation, hospital, medics, post office, YMCA Hall, radio towers, electricity-generating plant, and four very large aircraft hangers.

The base was only operational for a short time but its impact on the town was considerable and its achievements in the global conflict were significant, protecting shipping, both naval and commercial, from German U-boats.

On February 25, 1918, the first US Naval Forces arrived at the site under the command of Officer Charles A Rogers, comprising of eight men including Gunner Rogers. They spent their first week renovating Ely House and Bann a-boo House (the Riverbank House Hotel) and the surrounding grounds. The two houses were later occupied by the officers.

Lieutenant Commander Victor Daniel Herbster arrived to take command of the base on April 5, 1918.

During those weeks in 1918, Wexford town had heard the mighty roar of the seaplane engines as they took flight from the river waters heading out in their quest for enemy submarines which were causing such mayhem in the seas around the coast.

The expertise and diligence of the American pilots and crews very soon halted the progress of the iron fish that had invaded the Irish Sea and St George's Channel for so long.

Following the signing of the Armistice, all anti-submarine patrols by seaplanes were discontinued and the planes were grounded and disarmed.

Just 12 days after the Armistice was signed, 200 men were on their way home from Wexford and the evacuation of the men continued until well into December. The US Naval Air Station at Ferrybank finally closed in February 1919 bringing to a close the American occupation of a part of Wexford. It was early in 1919 that Commander Herbster left the Air Base at Ferrybank, his work completed.

Liam Gaul's lecture takes place in the Kitty Hynes Auditorium, St Michael's Hall on Green Street, on Wednesday at 8 p.m. Admission for non society members is 5.
Dublin Salt is an exhibition and book by photographic artist Peter Gordon which opens this November in Dublin's Studio 10 and features the beauty of the Dublin and Fingal coastline.

Dublin Salt has been a three year journey through the capital's salty perimeters by local photographic artist Peter Gordon. Despite travelling the world with his landscape photography, Peter has felt most inspired in his own back yard, Dublin Bay. From Skerries to Shankill and everything in between he searched for the perfect light, just the right tide, unique conditions, in an attempt to make a landmark collection of Dublin landscapes.

Peter slept on Ireland's Eye, did overnights on Dalkey Island, visited locations time and time again at obscure hours of the day and night to realise his vision.

Witnessing the mist on Dollymount strand at 5am, finally capturing the perfect reflections and tide of the boat wreck on Rogerstown Estuary, witnessing an epic storm batter Dun Laoghaire Baths before they were torn down, seeing the Forty Foot glow more than an hour before sunrise in the most intense colours imaginable, the only witness to the event, were just some of his experiences. Peter wanted to encourage people to see his local landscape in a new and exciting way and to see the city and its relationship with the sea and the shore in a new light.

'If you travel in a straight line from Balbriggan to Shankill the distance is about 40 kilometers.

'These two towns on Dublin's coastal periphery form both the boundary of the county and the two defining points for my exploration of Dublin's salty perimeter,' commented Peter.

He added: 'I've always lived beside the sea, and the sea has always resonated with me, as a child growing up in Shankill, spending summers in Wexford. There is something about the air, the smell, the taste. It gets in your bones, it invigorates you.'

'I often stare out of my attic window from my home in Booterstown, as weather systems move in and out of Dublin Bay, with the stacks at Poolbeg as the anchor, Dublin can throw up amazing and inspiring natural conditions. Changeable light mixed with cloud and tide is a powerful formula. A familiar location is quickly transformed into something distinct and new, a moment never to be repeated. Being present for these moments was the essential factor in the creation of Dublin Salt,' continued Peter.

The book has been tastefully designed by Read That Image to reflect the minimalist approach undertaken by Peter in Dublin Salt. 120 pages long, over 50 images, it has a hard cover with a luxurious soft touch cover and spot lacquer finish. The goal was to bridge the gap between coffee table book and a genuine piece of art that can be viewed and enjoyed for many years to come.
Pat Kenny, Eamon O Daly and Aidan J Herron at the launch of book Ardgillan Castle Revealed by Aidan J Herron and Eamon ODaly at Ardgillan Castle. Pic by Fintan Clarke

A Skerries ex-primary school teacher and a photographer friend have just launched a new book chronicling the history of one of North Dublin's much-loved treasures, Ardgillan Castle.

'Ardgillan Castle Revealed' was launched by broadcaster Pat Kenny in the castle itself on November 3, with Deputy Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Grainne Maguire, other local councillors and several dignitaries from Fingal Co. Council also in attendance.

Special guests included Terence Taylour, of the family that resided in Ardgillan from the time it was built in 1738, and his wife Lindy.

Speaking of the launch of 'Ardgillan Castle Revealed', author Aidan J Herron explained the origins of the book:

'The book started out as a series of articles I wrote for Skerries News in 2016. I'm the guide in Ardgillan a good few years now, and I'm fascinated with history. I offered Skerries News an article on one of the artefacts, and when they accepted, I committed myself to writing articles for the whole of the calendar year for each edition of the newspaper.

'By the end of the year, I had twenty three articles. I was on the voluntary board of Ardgillan, and a few members of Fingal County Council were on the board with me and were tracking the articles. So I pitched it to them that if I was to combine the articles into a book, would Fingal be interested in sponsoring it.'

When Eamonn got approval from Fingal County Council, he decided to collaborate with photographer Eamon O'Daly, who produced almost 300 photographs displaying the castle in all its glory. Eamonn, a former principal of St. Teresa's National School in Balbriggan, says that his passion for reading, combined with an interest in history encouraged him to take on the project.

He says: 'I was interested in the social history - it wasn't just the collections that are up there, it was the poverty that was in Ireland in the 1800s in contrast to the castle experience, it was that contrast that drew me in.'

Eamonn explains how Terence Taylour, now in his eighties, grew up as a boy in Ardgillan Castle until the age of 19, when his father sold the castle in 1962. He says Terence gave access to the whole castle, including family documents, diaries and any other pieces of interest.

This, he says led to 'substantial' rewrites of some of the text, but also in new material coming on board.

Speaking of the importance of the castle to the area, he says:

'I think the castle is vital for the area - the local people from Balbriggan, Lusk, Rush and Skerries take a huge local pride in it. It's probably one of the most popular venues for people to take walks in, with the five kilometre walk around the demesne. It's easily the most popular place in North County Dublin. When you see the castle, I think there's a fierce local pride in it.'

'Ardgillan Castle Revealed' is on sale in Ardgillan Castle and at local book stores.
Local Skerries man John Terrance Sherlock was remembered on the 98th anniversary of his death, which occurred recently.

Former Mayor of Fingal, David O'Connor laid a floral tribute at the Memorial Stone which is located at the entrance to Sherlock Park. David said: 'The Sherlock Park is named in memory of John better known as Terry. He was one of eight children of a well-connected Skerries family, his mother Jane was a member of the local Duff family, his father Michael was a farm labourer, originally from Meath.'

Terry was an active member of the local company of the IRA.

On the night of October 27, 1920, the 'Tans' raided the family home and removed Terry.

David said: 'They then bayonetted the 22-year-old to death. Terry was later found by his sister in the fields here, where this housing estate now stands.

'It is believed that the killing was in reprisal for an event earlier in the month. Jack Straw, who had given assistance to the Tans in September when they had 'Sacked Balbriggan' was found in Skerries and confronted by Terry who had run him out of the town.

'Straw was later found dead on the outskirts of Ballyboughal.'

Terry is buried in the local graveyard. Descendants of his family can be found in the UK and America.

One of those descendants is on record as saying: 'My mum would always tell us a story that her grandmother had told her, about her brother being dragged off in the night by the black and tans and later being found in a field bayonneted to death, killed and martyred by the English.

'Us being English found this in turns fascinating and frightening.

'She said most of her grandmothers brothers and sisters had fled to America after this event, but she had stayed in Ireland, married a man from Bray called Heeney, and ended up in Manchester.

'This story has always been accepted as family folklore, but having researched the name of my great grandmother's 'brother' it turns out this story is true.

'Terry Sherlock did exist and he was killed in the way described.'

David and members of the Fingal Old IRA Commemoration Society make sure the name of Terry Sherlock is never given and this annual wreath laying ceremony commemorates the sacrifice he made for his country in the days of a nation's birth.
Seemingly contradictory results from a Malahide Chamber of Commerce survey suggest that local businesses support the return of European Car Free Day to the village, but believe it had an either neutral or negative impact on their business.

The initiative was piloted this year in the village and removed cars from the centre of the village.

Malahide Chamber surveyed members on what they thought of the initiative and found some conflicting views.

Overall, there is support for the European Car Free day but it mainly had no impact on business or a negative impact on business. Just 7.23% said it was a positive event.

'We seem to support the idea in principle but see no benefit at the moment,' the chamber said.

On the issue of car parking in Malahide, there is a big majority for more car parking. The Chamber is canvassing Fingal County Council on this issue which is a perennial one in the village.

Overall it looks as though local traders are a long way from welcoming pedestrianisation of the village.
Dublin Airport has almost 1.6 million extra seats across its route network this winter season, which represents a 12% increase in capacity compared to last year.

There are 14 new services at Dublin Airport for this winter season. Four new services started recently - with Laudamotion launching a service to Vienna, Aeroflot starting a new route to Moscow and Ryanair adding Frankfurt and Luxembourg to its route network from Dublin.

Ten services which started during the summer season will also operate this winter schedule for the first time. Hainan Airlines is flying to Beijing, Cathay Pacific is operating to Hong Kong, Icelandair is flying to Reykjavik, Aer Lingus is operating services to Philadelphia and Seattle while Ryanair is continuing its services to Athens, Bari, Marrakesh, Santander and Paphos into the winter for the first time.

Norwegian is expanding its services to Stewart International in New York and Lufthansa has increased frequency on its Frankfurt route.

'This is set to be the busiest winter schedule ever at Dublin Airport offering significant additional choice for both business and leisure travellers. Whether you are looking for a city break, a winter sun destination or a trip further afield to the Asia Pacific region there are plenty of options to choose from,' said Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison.

'We have been working closely with both existing and new airline customers to further strengthen our route network and provide greater choice and flexibility this winter,' he added.

The expansion of Dublin Airport's route network will continue into next year as 16 new services have already been announced for 2019.

'There is much to look forward to in 2019, with five long-haul destinations in North America to Calgary, Hamilton Toronto, Montreal, Minneapolis St. Paul and Dallas and 11 European short-haul routes planned for next year,' according to Mr Harrison.

Passenger numbers have increased by 6% so far this year, with almost 27 million passengers using the airport between January and October.

Dublin Airport supports 117,300 jobs in the Irish economy, including 19,200 people employed directly at the airport and its environs. The economic activity underpinned by Dublin Airport in terms of the spin-off benefits through trade, tourism and those jobs is worth 8.3 billion to the Irish economy every year.
Deputy Darragh O'Brien's call for more Garda resources for Malahide and Portmarnock follows a spate of attacks recently in the area by gangs of youth, apparently travelling from elsewhere in the county and bent on causing trouble.

Among the recent unsettling incidents reported was one where a gang threw a bottle at a pregnant woman's face and threatened her after she intervened in an apparent attempt to mug a young boy.

The large gang, featuring dozens of youths were mugging and beating up young boys in Portmarnock and Malahide in an apparently planned series of attacks.

Mobile phones are often a target of the mugging although some of the beatings appear to be violence, for violence sake.

Deputy O'Brien said that at least four teens were mugged around Malahide Castle in recent weeks and he had several complaints about large gangs beating up teens and young boys in particular.

A boy also had his jacket and phone robbed at Malahide Train Sation and two boys were attencked and one robbed in Portmarnock village.

having his jacket and phone robbed at Malahide Train Station.

In one particularly bizarre attack, the gang of youths made off with the jeans and runners of their victim.

The gang is reportedly known to local gardai.

Large gangs of youths bent on trouble taking public transport to places like Portmarnock and Malahide to cause mayhem is not a new phenomenon but its occurrence at this time of year represents an escalation.

Over the last couple of summers, the Fingal Independent has reported on similar large gangs taking the train from Balbriggan and causing trouble in Portmarnock and Malahide, as well as in Donabate.

In a number of those incidents, fights between gangs were pre-arranged on social media and it is thought these latest incidents were also co-ordinated using online platforms.

It is a worrying development for the local community and Deputy O'Brien has met with local gardai to see assurances from them, that the culprits will be brought to book.

Ultimately though, the TD believes this is a resources issue.

He is arguing for the return of a 24-hour service at Malahide Garda Station and more Garda officers on the beat in Malahide and Portmarnock.

Meanwhile, nervous residents of Malahide and Portmarnock will be hoping there is no repeate of these recent violent incidents.
Local Fianna Fail TD, Darragh O'Brien has said that the lack of Garda resources in the North County is a contributing factor in the number of violent incidents in the locality.

Deputy O'Brien was speaking following a number of attacks carried out by thugs on teenagers in the Malahide and Portmarnock areas over the past week.

He said: 'A number of threatening and violent incidents have taken place recently and in the space of a couple of days in the one area.

'There is a great degree of concern among the parents that have contacted me directly regarding these targeted crimes.

'The lack of Gardai in North Dublin and in Fingal in particular has certainly been contributing to a general sense of fear and unsafety in communities.

'From Balbriggan to Rush & Lusk, Swords, Donabate & Portrane to Portmarnock and Malahide, Skerries to Naul and beyond, these deficits are being felt.'

Deputy O'Brien added: 'The whole Dublin-Fingal region has experienced a cut of over 20% to Garda resources in the past five years. Rather than focusing on preventing criminal activity altogether, Gardai are just about resourced enough to deal with current demands. That's not good enough.

'Cllr Eoghan O'Brien and I regularly meet with local senior Gardai to discuss the ongoing issues with policing in Fingal.

'It's very important to recognise that these recent incidents are not a reflection on the hard work and dedication shown by local Gardai, it's just not possible to prevent these crimes when our police force are not well enough equipped by the State.'

He said: 'Malahide, where these particular incidents involving young people took place, just about has a Garda Station operating on limited opening hours while Rush Garda Station is still not operational despite repeated promises from Fine Gael.

'These are densely populated areas and without a decent Garda presence.

'I will continue to campaign for this station to be open 24/7.'

He concluded: 'I've heard from countless residents who have attended my public meetings on crime, that they are fearful while out and about.

'We need more Gardai assigned to police our community and help remove some of the fear and danger experienced by people living in Fingal. This Government must wake up to that fact. As a community we must send a clear message that crime or anti-social behaviour of any nature will not be tolerated. I do hope that the young people who have been affected are recovering from what must have been a deeply traumatising experience.'
Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal, Alan Farrell has encouraged parents in Swords to make their views known in relation to their preferences on the patronage of two new primary schools for Swords.

Once the deadline for patrons to apply to run these schools has passed on 13th November, the Department of Education and Skills will open an Online Patronage Process System (OPSS) to ascertain parental preference for each school.

This will provide parents and guardians with 'objective information' on the models of patronage on offer, and allow parents to make an informed choice with regard to their preferred patronage for these schools.

Alan Farrell TD said: 'Earlier this year, the Minister for Education announced that Swords would have two new primary schools opened to serve the children of the community in September 2019. The process to decide the patronage of these schools is now beginning.'

He added: 'In order to make a decision regarding the patronage of these schools, the Department of Education and Skills are requesting that parents in the local community make their views known on their preferred patronage for these new schools.

'I would urge all parents and guardians in the local community in Swords to engage with this process, in order to ensure these new schools have a patronage which is reflective of the wishes of the school community.'

Meanwhile, Educate Together has thrown its hat into the ring in terms of vying for the patronage of both of the new Swords schools as well as ten more schools around the country.

Welcoming Department of Education Minister Joe McHugh's invitation to patrons to apply for twelve new national schools to open in 2019, has stated it will 'work together with local advocates to raise awareness of this new process, and encourage families that want a new Educate Together national school in their area to register their support.'

Paul Rowe, CEO of Educate Together said: 'We're looking forward to working with local campaigners to bring new Educate Together National Schools to these areas.

'We have volunteers ready and waiting to start campaigning. We think this will be a short campaign, so they will be working hard coming up to the end of the year.'

Educate Together currently operates thirteen second-level schools and 84 primary schools. Interested parents should visit www.educatetogether.ie for more details.

But it remains to be seen which school patron emerges as the favourite to take on the new Swords schools and parents of prospective pupils at the new schools will have a big say in which school model will apply with a competitive process likely to get underway between a range of patrons vying to take control of the two new schools in Swords North and Swords South at Mooretown and Fosterstown.
The annual debate over an ever increasing budget contribution from Fingal County Council flared up again this year at the council's Budget meeting.

Fingal County Council will contribute over 20 million to the fire service over the next year, and as he does annually, Cllr Kieran Dennison (FG) has expressed concern over the growing buget allocation to the service.

The Dubin Fire Brigade budget is managed by Dublin City Council but all four Dublin local authorities make a contribution to it.

Cllr Dennison said that the increasing cost of the service 'reflected badly' on Dublin City Council's management of the service.

He said that it was 'difficult to see the improvement in the service' despite the annual increases in its cost.

He called for a resolution to the dispute between Dublin Fire Brigade and the HSE over the management of ambulance services.

Chief Executive of Fingal County Council acknowledged the concerns of Cllr Dennison and others about the rising cost of the service.

He said that those concerns were regularly raised with Dublin Fire Brigade and colleagues in the other Dublin local authorities.

He also urged progress in negotiations between the HSE and Dublin Fire Brigade on the management of the ambulance service and said that HIQA had recommended closer co-operation between the ambulance services of both organisations.

Cllr Matthew Waine (Sol) argued that the service was value for money and he was concerned that Dublin Fire Brigade did not have enough resources.

However, at the end of the annual debate, councillors did not challenge the Budget allocation for the Dublin Fire Brigade service and the more than 20 million allocation was passed by a large majority of councillors, alongside all of the other measures in the council Budget for the year ahead.
Dublin Airport has welcomed the announcement from Ryanair that it will operate a twice weekly summer service to Bodrum in Turkey.

The new route will commence in May as part of the airline's 2019 summer schedule.

'I am delighted to see Ryanair further expand its route network from Dublin Airport,"said Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison.

'Bodrum is a hugely popular sun destination for Irish holidaymakers and this second destination in Turkey provides further choice and flexibility for Ryanair's customers. We wish Ryanair every success with this new route and we will work closely with its management team to promote the new service,' he added.

Ryanair's Dublin summer schedule includes 98 routes in total, with 10 new routes to London Southend, Bournemouth, Luxembourg, Gothenburg, Lourdes, Thessaloniki, Frankfurt, Bordeaux, Caligari and Bodrum.

Almost 24.2 million passengers have travelled through Dublin Airport in the first nine months of the year, a 6% increase when compared to the same period last year.

Dublin Airport has welcomed an extra 1.4 million passengers in the first nine months of the year. Dublin Airport has flights to almost 190 destinations in 43 countries, operated by 56 airlines.
Pictured at the Colaiste an Atha open evening were Meitheal leaders Kerrie Whelan (left) and Aisling Whelan (right) with Dawn Ogbonna and her son Daniel

Ballycanew: Christmas Lights - Ballycanew Lights Committee will be putting up the Christmas lights on Saturday, November 17, and Saturday, November 24. Could all motorists drive with care please. Anyone wishing to help on those days are more than welcome.

Santa Arriving

Santa arrives on Sunday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Split-the-pot

Congratulations to the Saturday, November 3, winner - Pasty Carroll - jackpot was 205.

First Responders

Ballycanew Community First Responders would like to invite you to the first of our friends and family courses on November 27 at 7 p.m. in ballycanew church of Ireland hall. The idea is to offer CPR training to as many as possible. The class takes approximately 40 minutes and it's free. So come along and learn how to save a life. Text 087 2757110 to secure your place as numbers per class are limited thanks.

Church Choir

St Moling's Church choir resuming after the summer break. If you are interested in becoming a member please phone Ann at 087 2619495. All ages welcome.

St Patrick's GAA lotto

There was no winner of last week's jackpot; winning numbers were 8, 11, 17 and 21; four match-three numbers each receive 50: Four of a Straight, Alan O'Brien, Paul McBride, Michaela Byrne.

Text Alert

Please report any suspicious activity to Gorey Garda Station at 053 9430690. For our vital system to work it is important that members of the public to report directly to the local garda station to ensure our system works effectively. It is imperative that anything you feel is worth reporting goes directly to 053 9430690 so that it can be sent out on our text alert system.

Services Directory

The Development Association are looking to put together a local Directory of Services in the area, from builders, plumbers, etc, to cake makers. If you would like to include your business in our Directory please email aislinn@medddesign.com This will be free to local business in the area.

Notes

Please note the change of deadline day. Any items to be included in the local notes have to be sent to me by Thursday evening by 5 p.m. and not a Sunday. Please contact Ann at 087 7433684 or email annkehoe@yahoo.ie.

Ballygarrett

Pub Quizzes

There will be pub quizzes in aid of Ballygarrett Christmas Tree Fund at the Schooner Bar on Friday, November 30, and Friday, December 7, at 9.30 p.m. Come and enjoy a fun quiz and a great night out. Cost is 3 per person. No restriction on team members per table. Raffle on the night.

Christmas Market

The annual Christmas Market takes place on Sunday, November 25, in Ballygarrett Parish Hall from 9.30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Places are available at 10 and there is usually a great selection of Christmas wares available from upcycled furniture, hand knits, home baking, handmade cards, sweet treats, home grown vegtables, holly wreaths, flower arrangements to name but a few.

Interested? Contact a committee member or 087 9389288 to book your place.

The fire will be lighting, mulled wine, mince pies and the music playing, promises to be a great day. Free admission.

GAA club notes

Ballygarrett Realt na Mara GAA Club club are holding a Stars in their Eyes fundraiser on Saturday, November 17, in the clubhouse. First act at 9.30. 5 per ticket. Entertaining night guaranteed.

Blotto - There was no jackpot winner in the Ballygarrett Realt na Mara GAA Club blotto draw on November 5. The numbers picked were 1, 7, 11 and 24. The 20 lucky-dip winners Matthew Casey Jnr, Wainsfort; Michelle Naughter, Ballyart; Patrick, Lorna and Bays Naughter; Tom Prendergast, Cahore Road; Jimmy Casey, Ballyoughna. Five Free Tickets Winner: Barry Hughes. This week's jackpot rose to 18,500. Next draw in the Shipyard on November 12.

Colaiste an Atha

Colaiste an Atha will hold their Enrolment Evening for students entering first year in September 2019 on Tuesday, November 20, from 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. Please contact the college if you have any questions or queries about enrolling your child.

Bridge Club

Come play Bridge in Sean Og's Kilmuckridge Bridge Club at the Upton Court Hotel, Kilmuckridge on Monday evening at 7 p.m. Partner required. Also Thursday Morning 10 a.m.. No Partner required. We have a joker system. Results for Monday, November 5, to November 1: Jo and Podge Ussher. Second: Noreen O'Donnell and Dolores Rapple. Results for Thursday, November 8, to November 1: Veronica Clancy and Dolores Rapple. second: Mary Watson and Bruce Walker.

Killenagh Wanderers FC

Lotto Tickets on sale each week from club and committee members at 2 each.

SVP helpline

St Vincent de Paul is available to assist families who may be experiencing particular financial distress, especially in terms of basic necessities. Contact us on our confidential Help Line 085 1159495.

Local Notes

If you have any items to be included in the Ballygarrett notes please email jpp@iol.ie before 5 p.m. on Thursday or phone 087 872337560.

Kilmuckridge

Active Retirement Group

Kilmuckridge Active Retirement Group meets in the Upton Court Hotel every second Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m. to 4.30 p.m., starting on Thursday, November 8, activities includes: Bingo, Cards, arts and crafts, annual Holiday, Chat, come along have a cup of tea and make new friends. For more information ring Anne at 086 0829725.

Collection Thanks

The Wexford Branch of Down Syndrome Ireland wishes to thank everyone who gave so generously to their recent church gate collection in Kilmuckridge, amount collected and banked was 386-20, thanks to the collectors for all their time and help. All the money collected will stay in the branch to be used to benefit all the children and adults in the branch.

Social Walking/Running Group

An open social walking/running group has commenced in Kilmuckridge. Meets will take place at 8.30 p.m. each Monday to Friday evening starting at St Joseph's NS for anyone who wishes to take part.

Anyone interested can join the informational Whatsapp group by contacting Yvonne O'Sullivan at 087 9555282 or otherwise simply turn up any evening that suits and join in. At least two members of the group will definitely be out each of the nights except for nights where a Red Warning has been issued for the area.

This is a casual group set up to encourage people to get out and about with others in the community for some gentle exercise at a pace that suits each individual. Looking forward to meeting any new joiners.

Ukebox Juniors

Coming soon. Kids Ukulele group - Pre-Teens age: 7-10 years and teens age 11-17 years. No experience needed, all abilities welcome. Contact Jill Cox Tel: 086 0678614.

Drama festival

Kilmuckridge Drama Festival Committee have the honour of hosting this year's One Act - all-Ireland Drama Festival. The festival will be held from Friday, Saturday, Sunday, December 7, to December 9 in the KMH Anyone, who wishes to place an advertisement in the souvenir programme please contact Liam at 087 2496724 or Annette 086 3290967 or any member of the committee for details and prices.

Bingo

There is a Charity Bingo night in the Crosses Kilmuckridge every Thursday at 8.30 p.m. Next Bingo on Thursday, November 15, is for Kilmuckridge Family Resource Centre. Jackpot 390. Free raffle.

Toys collection

LauraLynn Ireland's Children's hospice is having a collection of toys, games, books, clothes and baby equipment in good condition that your family no longer use, in the KMH on Monday, November 19, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Items collected are for a Children's Christmas Fair on Saturday, December 8, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Amber Springs Hotel. Raffle prizes, goodies and lots of family fun - all welcome.

Christmas Concert

Kilmuckridge Family Resource Centre - Christmas Concert on Friday, November 30, in the KMH at 8 p.m. Admission Adults 10. Children 5. For bookings phone 053 9130393. Our line up for this year is as follows: Gorey Choral Society, Kelli-Ann Masterson, Paul Murphy, Kathleen Byrne and Christine Black, Ballygarrett Choir, Mary Farrell, Yvonne O'Sullivan, Philip Byrne, Kilmuckridge Cool Hand Yukes. MC Ger Teehan, Sound Rob Weldon, Billy McCreary Lights, Eithne Corrigan Accompanist.

Bridge Club

Come play Bridge in Sean Og's Kilmuckridge Bridge Club at the Upton Court Hotel, Kilmuckridge on Monday evening at 7 p.m. Partner required. Also Thursday Morning 10 a.m.. No Partner required. We have a joker system. Results for Monday, November 5, to November 1: Jo and Podge Ussher. Second: Noreen O'Donnell and Dolores Rapple. Results for Thursday, November 8, to November 1: Veronica Clancy and Dolores Rapple. second: Mary Watson and Bruce Walker.

Colaiste an Atha

Colaiste an Atha will hold their Enrolment Evening for students entering first year in September 2019 on Tuesday, November 20, from 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. Please contact the college if you have any questions or queries about enrolling your child.

Senior Alert Scheme

Funding of personal alarm and pendant available for one year by registering for the scheme with Kilmuckridge Community and Family Resource Centre. Contact 053 9130393.

Line Dancing

Line Dancing continues on Mondays in the Upton Court, Kilmuckridge from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Beginners welcome from 7.30 p.m. Cost is 7 per person. Great exercise and great fun.

Afterschool

Little Acorns is now taking bookings for the afterschool club which will operate till 5.30 p.m. Pick up from St Joseph's Primary school at 1.40 p.m. and 2.40 p.m. by our childcare team. Subvention schemes available. Contact 053 9130393.

Free Training

COTS is a WWETB (formerly Fas) training centre located in Kilmuckridge. We are offering the opportunity to complete a Level 5 in Retail Practice with additional training: Barista Skills, first Aid, Manual Handling, etc. This is a fulltime free course scheduled to commence in September 2018. Those in receipt of a social welfare payment will obtain a substantial training allowance. To register your interest, please contact us at 053 9130393, email cotscheme@hotmail.com, Facebook page or call in for a chat at Family Resource Centre.

Men's Shed

The Kilmuckridge Men's Shed is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call in any time during these hours have a coffee meet everyone and see some of the projects the group have made. For more information phone 053 9130393. Everyone welcome all age groups.

Meals on Wheels

If you can spare an hour or two of your time to deliver meals once a month, please contact us at 053 9130393. The areas we deliver to Ballygarrett, Monamolin, Kilmuckridge, Blackwater and the Ballagh.

Monamolin

400 Club

October Winners: Jim Hughes, Curratubbin; Phil Olliffe, Ferns; Fr Seamus Larkin Monamolin; Eamie Fortune, Ballinstraw; Peg Prendergast, Ballyshane.

Down Syndrome

The Wexford branch of Down Syndrome wishs to thank everyone who gave so jenerously to their recent church gate collecttion in Monamolin. Amount collected and banked was 186.80, thanks to the collectors for all their time and help.

Colaiste an Atha

There is an Enrolment Evening for students entering first year in September 2019 on Tuesday, November 20, from 4.30 to 6.30 p.m..Please contact us if you have any questions or queries about enrolling your child.
Blaithin and Niamh Ennis with General Paints managing director Kevin OConnor at the Curator launch

Gorey-based jewellery designer Blaithin Ennis is among the 29 Irish designers who has been selected to collaborate with Colourtrend paints.

Blaithin was tasked to come up with a shade that best represented her brand. The award-winning designer's personal shade 'Whimsical' is a soft dove grey inspired by her embellished metal pieces and contemporary, light jewellery.

The collaboration titled 'Curator' will be the first Irish premium paint brand on the market.

'It will be available in some Wexford stockists come 2019, it's very exciting,' said Blaithin.

After three years in the planning and development stage, and a 1 million investment, Curator was launched last moth in Douglas Hyde gallery in Trinity College ,Dublin.

The selected 29 was asked to create their own shade, resulting in 144 new paint colours. Curator will be launched to select stockists in Ireland and throughout the US from 2019.
There were big celebrations for a big birthday in Ferns recently as County Wexford's oldest resident celebrated her 106th birthday! Lizzie Byrne was surrounded by family and friends as she blew out the candles on her birthday cake at her home in Castlelands, Ferns. Remarkably fresh looking for her years, Lizzie is now believed to be the third oldest person in Ireland, but she still has all her faculties about her and she was delighted to chat away to friends and family on her special day.

Born Elizabeth Keyes back in 1912, Lizzie was reared on Station Road before she settled down with her husband James Byrne following their marriage in 1944. Sadly, James died back in 1975, but Lizzie is still going strong 43 years after his passing.

It's incredible to think of some of the changes that Lizzie would have seen over the course of her life. For example, while a lot of column inches were devoted to the presidential election recently, Lizzie would have been 25 years old when the very first President of Ireland, Douglas Hyde, took office. She would have been a toddler of three years old when volunteers took over the Athenaeum in nearby Enniscorthy. She has lived from a time when Irish homes had no electricity, to being able to make video calls with relatives abroad via Skype!

Lizzie believes she owes her longevity to her active lifestyle, having worked minding children and doing housework up until she was 84. Also a drop of sherry does no harm! She loves to keep up to date with current events and still loves picking up the papers for a good read!

Lizzie had a great time marking the landmark birthday and was delighted to be surrounded by family and friends as she blew out the candles on her birthday cake.
A Gorey woman living with Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETS), a group of rare slow growing cancers, has become a campaign ambassador for 'Expand Your NETwork' to help raise awareness about the condition.

Esther Redmond was diagnosed with NETS in her mid-sixties and takes on her illness with great dignity and strength in her everyday life.

'The word cancer, it can instil a fear in you when you are first diagnosed and can be frightening to have such a rare form like NET,' said Esther.

NET cancer is formed in the neuroendocrine system, which is made up of cells found in the respiratory and digestive tracts as well as the pancreas, thyroid, pituitary and the ovaries and male genitalia. There are a number of different types of NETS, all with varying symptoms, the onset of which can take an average five to seven years.

Before diagnosed, Esther had been feeling very unwell for a considerable length of time, which, she says, is normal for people living with NETs.

'NETs are slow growing but the good news is it can be treated and contained,' said Esther. 'I am lucky to have received the very best care from my excellent GP in Gorey who really persevered during my initial symptoms to ensure I got my diagnosis of this very rare disease.'

St Vincent's Hospital in county Dublin regularly look after Esther during her scans and oversee most of her treatment.

Before being diagnosed with NETs, Esther had never heard of NET even with a background working as a Health Visitor and a Public Health Nurse before retiring.

'I have been involved in the NET Patient Network Group for many years,' said Esther. 'I would encourage those affected by NETs to get in touch and attend the many events throughout the year.'

NET Patient Network and Novartis launched the 'Expand Your NETwork' campaign last week to raise awareness of NETs.

The Expand Your NETwork campaign will focus on real stories, told by people living with NETs, and was launched in advance of the global NET Cancer Day, which was celebrated on November 10.
A Ballymurn farmer has gained major national recognition after being awarded Tillage Farmer of the Year at the Zurich Insurance Farmer of the Year Awards. John Cullen was presented with his award at a lavish ceremony in the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone recently and he was both stunned and delighted to have been selected.

A family owned company, John Cullen Grain has been trading since 2005 from Ballymurn. John followed in the footsteps of his father who was a tillage farmer and agricultural contractor in the Enniscorthy area for many years. Along with his wife Karen, he opened a new state of the art milling facility last year and the company has been going from strength to strength since.

With farmers from all over the country vying for a total of six farming categories, the level of competition was extremely high and John was over the moon when his name was called out by host Helen Carroll of RTE's 'Ear to the Ground'.

Over 180 people were present to see John take the top prize, which includes a cash prize of 2,000, and his family were also on hand to help him celebrate. 'Tonight's winners have set themselves apart in their categories and we're proud to help recognise their accomplishments,' said Graham Minogue from Zurich. 'I would like to sincerely congratulate John Cullen, in particular, as well as each and every one of those who were short-listed.'
Gorey's unbeaten heavyweight boxer Niall 'Basil' Kennedy made a special appearance at this year's Special Olympics Club Gorey Area AGM held last week in the Loch Garman Arms.

Niall, who has just returned from Boston after winning his fight against Brendan Barrett, spoke of the importance of eating healthy while exercising. He also told the athletes to be immensely proud of what they have achieved to date.

After Niall spoke to the large crowd, athletes were given the opportunity to hold Niall's Massachusetts and New England State title belts.

Roisin Duncan, PRO of the club, said the champion boxer told them how proud the town of Gorey are of them all.

During the AGM, the newly elected chairperson Aidan Kelly said the club had a very successful year in 2018. Seven of Gorey's athletes represented the club in the Ireland games and one athlete, John Doyle, will go to Abu Dhabi in March 2019 to represent Ireland in the World Games. The treasurer reported a healthy balance in the bank.

The new officers for the following year are: Chairperson - Aidan Kelly; Secretary - Roisin Duncan; PRO - Roisin Duncan; Treasurer - Kevin Molloy; Families Officer - Beatrice McHugh; Committee Members - Ann Wadding, Margaret Kenny and Georgina Ward.

The Special Olympics Club Gorey said they are looking forward to the year ahead and are also appealing for new volunteers - for more information call Roisin on 087 6953811.
Due to the high demand of Carina McEvoy's latest books, Byrne's Bookshop in Gorey invited the author to give a talk on children's anxiety.

Because the books have been selling so well in county Wexford, Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Jim Daly, who has read the books and is very impressed by them, will launch both books in Dublin on Tuesday, November 20, in Chapters, Parnell Street.

The success follows on from the launch at Gorey Library in September of her works 'Sometimes I Worry...How About You?' and 'Sometimes my Child Worries...What Do I Do?', which are aimed at parents, and children, to better understand and manage kids anxiety.

'Damien Byrne of Byrne's Bookshop thought the talk was fantastic and has asked me to bring the talk to his Enniscorthy and Wexford shops also,' said Carina. 'We will be organising that in the coming weeks so keep an eye out.'

Carina spoke for about an hour to a large crowd in Byrne's Bookshop Gorey on how to understand and manage children's anxiety. Afterwards, parents were then given the opportunity to ask Carina questions.

A former secondary school teacher of geography and business, Carina draws from her own experiences of dealing with severe depression and anxiety for the books. She said she has always had an interest in adolescent mental health.

Carina has just finished tutoring a group of parents in the Gorey Adult Education Centre. The course is called 'An Introduction to Understanding Child Development and Children's Anxiety'. She hopes to run this course again soon.

Both the courses and the books contain innovative and pro-active material based around cognitive behavioural therapy, neuro linguistic programming, mindfulness, mantra use and diaphragmatic breathing. She said it is her vision that these aides and resources can be used by the parent and guardian in the home as pre-emptive way to dealing with children's anxiety before it reaches a level where professional psychological help is needed. Carina thanked the people of Gorey town for their support, family and friends.
Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here.
Joseph Dixon, second from left, with members of Gorey.pl at his exhibition in Gmina Puck

Photographer Joe Dixon had the honour of displaying his pictures of north Wexford in Gmina Puck in Poland last month at the Cultural Year in the Commune of Puck festival.

Joe, helped by representatives of the Gorey Municipal District, staged the 'My Home Your Home' exhibition to strengthen the cultural exchange with the Puck Municipality.

In May, former chairman of Gorey Municipal District Cllr Joe Sullivan and Dr Jan Dettlaff from Poland signed a letter of intent concerning a partnership with Gmina Puck for the foreseeable future. Joe said the trip with Cllr Anthony Donoghue and director of services, Eddie Taaffe was the next stage of the cultural exchange.

Joe's photographs show his fascination with the culture and landscape of Gorey and the beauty of north Wexford.

He expressed his openness to the Polish guests in the title of the exhibition - 'My Home Your Home'. 'This beauty of my little motherland is my home and this house is your home,' he said at the exhibition.

The photographic exhibition was also an opportunity to meet representatives of both local governments.

Head of Puck municipality Tadeusz Puszkarczuk, commune council chairperson Anna Pomieczyska, Gorey representative Cllr Anthony Donoghue and director of services Eddie Taaffe all expressed their willingness to extend mutual contacts between the regions.

There were performances by the regional bands 'Bursztynki' from Mieroszyn and 'Plesta' by Jozef Roszman.

The visitors had the opportunity to visit the charming town of Puck, the old town of Gdansk, its cathedral, and the Olsztyn Park. Joe said he will particularly remember the visit to the unit of the Volunteer Fire Brigade in Lebcz and at the Scout Maritime Centre in Puck. Gorey Municipal District would like to thank the director Dr Jan Dettlaff for the invitation and the hospitality received.

It is hoped that this was not the last Gorey visit to Puck and that the partnership will result in many more projects in the future.
Viola Davis as Veronica Rawlins and Elizabeth Debicki as Alice Gunner in Widows

Desperate times demand resourceful women in Widows, a glossy heist thriller based on the 1980s TV series created by Lynda LaPlante.

Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl, and director Steve McQueen co-write a script, which transplants the intrigue and betrayal from London to the gleaming apartments and deprived neighbourhoods of Chicago.

They have sharp ears for snappy dialogue - 'I'm in the driving seat, I just don't have a set of wheels'; 'He should have loved you more and the bookies less' - and position powerful female protagonists at the centre of a muscular film that might otherwise be heavy on testosterone.

Two breathlessly staged robberies, which quicken the pulse, bookend the picture but it's a slow burn in between as the plot manoeuvres characters into position for a blood-spattered end game like pawns on a chessboard.

McQueen cannot resist attention-grabbing flourishes. A politician's journey home by car from a campaign appearance could be accomplished without fanfare. Instead, the Oscar-winning director of 12 Years A Slave captures the drive in a single fluid take, seemingly positioning his lens on the bonnet of the car as it travels through city streets while we listen to audio of a heated conversation in the back seat.

It's an impressive piece of camerawork but rather indulgent, and such excesses contradict the central female character's assertion that a group of women can pull off a robbery because they go unnoticed about their lives.

Career criminal Harry Rawlins (Liam Neeson) spearheads the theft of two million dollars with a three strong crew comprising Florek Gunner (Jon Bernthal), Carlos Perelli (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and Jimmy Nunn (Coburn Goss).

The job goes sour in a hail of SWAT team bullets and the robbers perish in an acetylene-fuelled fireball. The money is incinerated with them.

Shortly after Harry's wife Veronica (Viola Davis) buries her husband, she receives an unwelcome visit from crime boss Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry).

He is standing for election in the city's eighth district against Jack Mulligan (Colin Farrell), son of crooked politician Tom Mulligan (Robert Duvall).

Jamal claims Harry stole the two million dollars from him and he wants Veronica to replace the missing funds or suffer grievous consequences at the hands of his sadistic brother (Daniel Kaluuya).

Armed with a notebook containing plans for Harry's next robbery, Veronica assembles a new crew including Carlos's wife Linda (Michelle Rodriguez) and Florek's wife Alice (Elizabeth Debicki).

Widows is a stylish portrait of crime and punishment, distinguished by spirited performances from Davis, Rodriguez and Debicki.

Tony Award-winning theatre star Cynthia Erivo is excellent in support as the babysitter recruited as a getaway driver.

Strip away McQueen's brio and what remains is a high quality, conventional thriller with a couple of satisfying narrative twists.
A special performance of 'Vincent' a play written by Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek fame, will be held in the historic surroundings of Horetown House in Foulksmills on November 17 as part of a national tour by Red Alchemy theatre company of Kilkenny.

The play is directed by Red Alchemy founder Christine Scarry with the talented Rosslare actor Peter McCamley in the roles of Vincent van Gogh and his brother Theo. The lighting designer is John O'Donoghue.

'Vincent' is set in Paris 1890 as Theo van Gogh mourns the suicide of his beloved brother who died in his arms at the age of 37. Their volatile relationships is revealed throught the many letters they shared, re-telling the events in Vincent's own words, and painting a palette of loss, anger, frustration and sometimes joy.

The powerful, moving play was written and originally performed on Broadway by Leonard Nimoy, better known to audiences as Star Trek's Mr. Spock, and won him a Tony Award.

In the Irish premiere, director Christine Scarry and actor Peter McCamley gloriously recreate the world of the misunderstood genius, against a visual backdrop of some of his greatest masterpieces, giving the audience a moving insight into the turbulent life and times of the great painter.

Vincent is a biographical play that successfully places the audience in the reincarnated presence of a genius, leading them through his tumultous life and exploring the meaning of art and artistry in a world that measures success by sales. It is an insight into one of history's most gifted and haunted masters.

Horetown House will welcome audience members with blazing fires, a glass of prosecco and delicious canapes served in the drawing rooms which were once home to the Goff family during the time of Vincent's turbulent life.

Tickets at 30 including prosecco and canapes, are available on Eventbrite (Vincent).
Sit back by the fire for Christmas and relish the treasure trove of life in the Kingdom gone by that is the Old Kerry Journal Volume 5; bigger than ever in a bumper edition bursting with fascinating stories.

Tralee historian couple Maurice and Jane O'Keeffe are delighted to publish the latest instalment of their annual collection of articles from a wealth of fellow Kerry historians.

Tralee figures prominently of course, from the 1821 cover portrait of the third baronet Sir Edward Denny by John Linnell to an overview of the family's heirlooms written by none other than Sir Edward's direct descendant Thomas Denny - he of the recent stained glass fame at St John's Catholic Church - and much, much more, it's got something for everyone.

One of the most affecting of the stories, and on the Centenary of the WWI Armistice, has to be that of the Reverend JR Bartley; Presbyterian Minister in Tralee and a resident of the Manse (Oakpark's Eagle Lodge).

Historian Russell McMorran recounts the sorry tale, how the 'modest and unassuming' clergyman raced to London to the side of his son Sgt William Bartley of the Canadian Army after he received mortal wounds on the front in France in October 1918.

Sadly, the Rev Bartley boarded the ill-fated vessel Leinster steamer; struck by a German U-boat torpedo in the Irish Sea on October 10, 1918, sinking with the loss of 500 lives. His son, Sgt William, died from his wounds six days later in a harrowing tragedy bringing home the full horrors of the Great War - all of teased out comprehensively by Russell.

Maurice and Jane's work with the Butlers of Waterville also results in a fantastic spread of images of Kerry from the turn of the last century; a time when few had the means to document the Kingdom in photographs; complete with article by Jane about the family.

Maurice himself was delighted to pen a piece based on his recordings with Killarney's Claire O'Sullivan as she recalled - before her death - life at the family store at 5 New Street over the generations; also relating vignettes from Dracula author Bram Stoker's visits to his relatives in Killarney (the Stokers were cousins of the McGillycuddys of the Reeks fame).

"Thomas Denny's article on the lives of objects, family heirlooms is a wonderful piece," Maurice said. "The list includes a gold thimble owned by one of the first ladies of the family who came to Tralee; giving each item its provenance, its context and how it would have been used.

"We were also delighted to publish Mary McAuliffe's article on Cumann na mBan which shows the massive degree to which women contributed to the War of Independence struggle in Kerry."

Tralee native Gerald O'Carroll's overview of the kinship of the ruling families of the 17th Century; Donald Cameron's contributes to the social history through his account of his ancestor Lady Theodosia Crosbie's life in Kerry in a glimpse into her diaries, priceless firsthand testimony of the Ireland of the mid 18th Century.
Pat Falvey is one of the world's most remarkable explorers having scaled unimaginable heights in a lifetime that's been anything but dull.

In a decorated career, the Cork native has managed to retrace the footsteps of Tom Crean and Ernest Shackleton, while also becoming the first ever mountaineer in the world to conquer the highest mountains on seven continents, not once but twice.

Pat (61) risked life and limb on expeditions to some of the most far-reaching and dangerous parts of the world - including traversing deserts, jungles and deadly glaciers.

He has lived and interacted with people from over 32 different tribes on the planet from West Papua New Guinea to the Chaga tribe in Africa.

The perils of Pat's outdoor ambitions are also apparent given over 30 of his close friends and colleagues died doing various expeditions he was a part of.

Pat's incredible story is the focus of a new book, 'Accidental Rebel', which relates tales of danger, triumph and self-fulfilment in the face of overwhelming odds against nature.

Pat recently retired from some of his more severe excursions, and while time is the master of all human action, he will continue to share his experiences with up and coming explorers and climbers.

"I've decided to retire from the extreme expeditions; the kind that last 60 to 90 days where some of my friends have died. I'm still doing the Kilimanjaro's and basecamps, stuff like that. Most people retire from these extreme expeditions at around 35. My friends have died doing many of the same expeditions that I've done, so it's probably time to step back," he said.

Not surprisingly, Pat has many proud ventures that spring to mind. When asked what he remembers most, two conquests in particular take precedence: retracing the footsteps of Tom Crean and Ernest Shackleton on his 'Beyond Endurance' expedition to The South Pole; and reaching the summit of Mount Everest - a summit which, Pat tells me, is like standing on an area the size of a kitchen table.

Pat celebrated summiting Mount Everest by pucking a sliotar from the summit, while placing a tricolour on an ice axe and sticking it in the snow.

"Walking the South Pole and standing on that plateau of ground in honour of Crean and Shackleton, and as leader of the first Irish team to do the journey, was special. Being the first man in the world to stand on the summit of Everest on its north and south sides was also amazing. You're standing on top of the world.

"This surge in energy and adrenaline shoots through you and it's the closest thing to heaven. You're the highest person in the world at that time.

"The metaphor that everyone 'has an Everest' in life is a true one. That satisfaction was compounded by helping others to reach the summit, especially Claire O'Leary who became the first Irish woman to reach the summit of Everest. I recall many moments, but those two are iconic."

Danger was present at every turn during Pat's time on the mountains. He recalls with chilling clarity the time he nearly lost his life in 1993 when he was just one hour from the summit of Everest.

"Due to an accident in my oxygen I was suffering from pulmonary edema, thrombosis and loss of my peripheral vision. Being one hour from the summit I had to make a decision to turn. As I descended down the south face, I thought I was going to die. Only for the fact my team encouraged me to keep going, I probably would have been encrusted onto the rocks of Mount Everest. The following year I decided to go back and finish that last hour. One of the things I appreciate most about life is not to ever give up. Sometimes the failures are encouragements for your success."

Today, appropriately enough, Pat lives at the foot of Carrantuohill. Living in the Cork and Kerry region also means Pat relishes going out on the mountains and reconnecting with the places where it all started.

"I still love hearing people's stories, especially from the people who come to my home at the Mountain Lodge to share their goals and aspirations with me. These are ordinary men and women who have a dream to do something extraordinary."

'Accidental Rebel' is in the shops now and is also available at www.patfalvey.com
They may have been friends at the start of the school day, but when it comes to table quizzes, friendship well and truly goes out the window.

So it was for the students of St Brendan's College, Killarney this past week as they hosted a business themed quiz in the school.

The brainchild of business teacher Eimear Buckley, the quiz was designed to test the accumulated business knowledge of the pupils.

After a heated contest, we can confirm that the future of business is in safe hands with these pupils.
A Castleisland man who has spent the past month fighting for his life is hoping to move to a rehab centre in the coming weeks on his long road to recovery.

Kenneth Golden, who is originally from Riverside Drive, got an infection on the weekend of October 13 which led to serious surgery, a heart issue and an induced coma. Thankfully, he is making progress following the ordeal.

"It is baby steps. He is off the ventilator but he is still receiving oxygen," said his wife, Laurel Golden. "He is not as awake as they would like him to be but there is progress."

Laurel and Kenneth marked their 20th wedding anniversary last week with Kenneth lying in a coma in a hospital bed. The couple met just 10 days after Kenneth emigrated to Chicago where he is now a police officer.

The Castleisland man followed in the footsteps of his father who was Garda Tom Golden. He was well known in GAA circles but passed away 10 years ago.

Kenneth's mother, who still lives in Castleisland, flew to the US to be by her son's bed side and to help the family through this very difficult time. "We didn't anticipate any of this. Kenneth got an infection that started in his throat, in the epiglottis, which is the flap between the throat and the oesophagus, and he went spiralling downwards," explained Lauren.

The family's life in Chicago as now being turned upside down as Lauren and Kenneth's mother try to keep everything going.

They have no idea when Kenneth will come home. It is hoped to move him to a step-down unit in the coming days and from there to Rehab.

"They anticipate a full recovery but it will take time," said Laurel.

The couple have three children Declan (8) and twins Eamon and Eoin (6), all of whom have visited Castleisland. "The hardest thing is to try and keep the boys on a normal schedule so they don't realise how serious it is."

While Kenneth has insurance, the extra costs are proving a burden on the family and a Go Fund Me page has been started by friends to help them.

"Kenneth has insurance but while he is being paid that will be reduced to disability and we can't afford all the extra costs. It is going to be a while before Kenneth is back to normal," explained Laurel.

Kenneth, now in his late 40s, is a past pupil of Castleisland Community and was very popular and witty, part-time barman at several locations in Castleisland prior to emigrating.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so by logging onto www.gofundme.com/kenneth-golden-medical-fund which has raised more than $10,000 to date.
Gerry Waldron sprinkles some Tralee soil of the grave of Thady OConnor who was killed on November 4, 1918, one week before the signing of the Armistice and the end of the First World War

A Tralee man who was killed one week before the end of the First World War has been remembered this week by his relatives.

Timothy 'Thady' O'Connor was just 33-years-old when he was killed in action at the Battle of the Sambre Canal in France on November 4, 1918.

He had joined up with the Royal Irish Regiment and had served in Gallipoli, Salonika, the Middle East and the Western Front.

A Boherbee man and former player and loyal follower with John Mitchel's GAA club, it is estimated that Thady was the third last Kerryman to be killed in the Great War.

Thady was the son of Honoria Heffernan and John O'Connor, a cooper. Unfortunately, Thady's father died when he was five On the 100th anniversary of his death, his grand niece Mary Waldron and her husband Gerry - both from Tralee - honoured his memory by sprinkling Tralee soil onto his grave at Cross Roads cemetery.

His grave is near the villages of La Cateau and Ors and not far from the Sambre Canal, where he was killed. "It was lovely to bring a piece of home to him even after a 100 years," said Mary, speaking to The Kerryman on Monday.

"It was very moving to visit his grave and we are, as far as we know, the only relatives who have been to see his grave," she continued.

Mary and Gerry are now appealing to anyone who might have photos of Thady to contact them. "What we would like to find is a photograph of Thady. Some photographs were lost when his sister's died. I remember someone showing me a Mitchell's club book which had a photograph of Thady with a team," she said. This would have been produced in the 1970s.

If any Mitchell members have a copy to show us, we would be delighted," she finished. You can contact Mary at maryawaldron@gmail.com.
Six-year old Joshua Davison a senior infant pupil in St Olivers National School in Killarney at the summit of Toubkal in south western Morocco. The mountain is 4,167 metres high and it is thought that Joshua is the youngest person ever to summit the mountain

Joshua pictured with his mother Lyndsey who said Joshua had no problem with the climb whatsoever and now wants to be the youngest person to climb Kilimanjaro in 2019

The summit of North Africa's highest mountain is not where you would expect to find most six-year year olds, but then again, little Joshua Davison from Killarney is not like most six-year olds.

Joshua, a senior infant pupil in St Olivers NS in Killarney, made history this past week after, it is believed, he became the youngest ever person to summit Mount Toubkal in Morocco.

Once it is verified and checked, Joshua's name will be inserted into the next edition of the Guinness Book of Records.

Joshua reached the 4,167metre summit with his mother Lyndsey Clarke and her partner Lucky Flynn last Tuesday and according to his mum he was well able for the climb.

"I wasn't sure how he'd handle the altitude but he was really good. It was his first time wearing crampons and it was a serious enough climb as well. I suppose though him being so small and so light, he was able to move okay. He was perfect," she said.

Lyndsey said that the family were travelling in Nepal during the summer and after visiting a lot of mountain museums Joshua just fell in love with climbing and hiking.

"We'd go up Carrauntoohil fairly regularly now and after Toubkal, he's already told me he wants to be the youngest to climb Kilimanjaro next year," she laughed. For now though, he's back in Miss Dennehy's class in St Olivers where he has one heck of a story to tell.
Astronomy and aviation experts now think that a UFO spotted over Kerry by three airline pilots might have been a meteor falling to earth.

Following the twin Star Wars movie shoots in south and west Kerry, the county is no stranger to 'extraterrestrial' visitors but something far more unusual unfolded high above the Kingdom in the early hours of last Friday morning.

The bizarre incident began at 6.47am on Friday as a British Airways flight from Montreal to Heathrow passed over Kerry.

As the 787 jet flew across the county, an extremely fast moving bright object appeared to the left of the plane.

This led the startled pilot to contact Shannon Air Traffic Control (ATC) to ask if there were any military exercises taking place in the area.

A recording of their exchange was released on Friday.

Shannon ATC said that there were no exercises taking place and that there was "nothing showing on either primary or secondary radar".

The BA pilot, who sounds taken aback by what she had seen, responds and describes what she had just observed.

"Ok. It was moving so fast" she said, adding that the "very bright light" came up along the left of the airliner then "rapidly veered to the north and disappeared at a very high speed".

The unidentified object was also spotted by two other airliners which were flying just off the Kerry coast. They also contacted Shannon ATC to report their sightings.

A Virgin Airlines pilot described seeing multiple "very bright objects following the same trajectory" that then climbed away at a high speed.

The third pilot, on a Norwegian Airlines plane, reported a bright object travelling at an "astronomical" speed.

One of the stunned pilots, who was part of the four way conversation with Shannon ATC, expressed relief that he wasn't imagining things.

"I'm glad it wasn't just me" he said.

The Irish Aviation Authority issued a statement confirming that they have launched an investigation into an incident of "unusual air activity" which the body said had been reported by "a small number of aircraft".

While alleged UFO sightings are common - particularly in the United States - what makes this incident so unusual is that the UFO was spotted by three flight crews and reported separately by three highly experienced commercial airline pilots.

In the wake of the sighting, several leading international astronomy and aviation experts have argued that the UFO was, in all likelihood, a meteor that was burning up after it entered Earth's atmosphere.

This has been contested by hundreds of UFO enthusiasts - posting on various internet forums and websites - who argue that the pilots' description of the UFO changing course and "veering" or "climbing" away at high speed rules out the possibility of a meteor.

The explanation for Friday's remarkable sighting is something we will likely never know. Keep watching those skies.
Windsurfer Lorenzo Cubeddu called upon thirty years of experience in the sport and the intercession of God as he lay helpless in the dark waters off North Kerry when the wind suddenly dropped on a regular surf outing on Sunday

He had given up the ghost. Helplessly adrift in the pitch black waters just moments after thinking he was finally saved, Lorenzo Cubeddu (59) lay back on the board in prayer to the maker he resigned himself to meeting.

As wife Amanda recounted, the Sardinian native suddenly felt a deep sense of peace wash over him as he accepted his end.

Just moments earlier he had watched the Shannon Coastguard Helicopter approaching nearby, anticipating his salvation as it swept the waters. "He thought he was saved, but when it passed by without finding him Lorenzo just said 'this is it now, this is the end'. He then prayed to God and said he felt an incredible peace come over him," wife Amanda told The Kerryman on Monday.

Lorenzo went out at 3.30pm on Sunday for the kind of afternoon's windsurfing excursion he regularly enjoyed. But the wind suddenly and unexpectedly dropped, leaving him helplessly adrift too far out to get back as the outing turned deadly.

"It got dark fast too, but thank God for a local fisherman Lorenzo had spoken to on his way out. That fisherman, Mike Enright, who I cannot thank enough, noticed that Lorenzo was in trouble and raised the alarm."

A massive response was launched, as the Shannon Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 115, the Fenit and Kilrush RNLI as well as the Irish Navy's LE Niamh co-ordinated the night-time search along the North Kerry waters. Lorenzo slipped the net, however.

"He followed the guidelines to the letter which really helped him. He had ditched the sail, and knew to keep to his board, he wasn't afraid and said at one point he saw fluorescent lights in the water and took great comfort from it."

Lorenzo was also able to keep his bearings from the lights along the Clare coast. After seven hours at sea, and having travelled 25 nautical miles along the current, taking him beyond Loop Head he suddenly realised he was being dragged onto the rocks by the tide.

"He knew then to ditch the board as it could have seriously injured him coming onto the rocks and he actually jumped into the water. He said it was as if he was then almost picked out of the water, washing up onto a ledge at the base of cliffs. In his hypothermic state he somehow managed to climb the cliffs. Luckily, he had decided to wear his wetsuit boots and a beanie hat going out and the boots made all the difference on the climb," Amanda said.

Lorenzo found himself in the middle of nowhere and started walking - getting shocked by an electric fence at one point before ultimately coming to a remote mobile home where a sole elderly resident raised the alarm.

Back in a friend's home near their house in Inch East, Lisselton, Amanda was maintaining a frantic vigil; she saw the gardai arriving sometime after 11pm: "It was either they were going to say 'we've found a body' or 'we have a life' and thank God it was 'we have a life'. I have faith too and I kept praying to God. Your mind goes to 'ok, if there's a body coming in I have to be ready for this'. I couldn't believe it when I heard he had been found alive. He's a living miracle!"

Amanda said he was 'humbled' by the response of the emergency services and locals, in an experience that renewed her faith in humanity as much as having reaffirmed her faith in God.

"Everyone, from Lorenzo's employer Cormac Cahill at Supervalu in Ballybunion, who had to break the news to me that he was missing earlier, to the gardai, the Coastguard, the Navy, the Ballybunion Coastguard and Sea Rescue service, the Fenit Lifeboat...I just don't have words to express our thanks. The response was a sight to behold."

The hardy Sardinian surfer - who turns 60 in February - is continuing to make a great recovery at Limerick Regional Hospital; assured of a hero's welcome on his return home to North Kerry.
Dog welfare has improved significantly in Ireland in the past two decades. The number of stray dogs being euthanased in dog pounds is down from over twenty thousand to less than a thousand, laws have been brought in control commercial dog breeding, and new animal welfare legislation has improved the protection for dogs under Irish law. Dogs also now need to be microchipped, so they are securely linked to their owners

But what about cats? Traditionally, cats have been second-class creatures in Ireland. While there have always been cat lovers who dote on their pets, many people still see cats as farmyard animals, better outside chasing rats and mice rather than indoors by the fireside. Even away from the farm, there's a mistaken impression that cats are aloof, independent creatures who will do anything to please themselves. As for feral cats, they are seen as a nuisance, no better than other pests that need to be controlled.

This less-than-loving attitude to cats is reflected in the proportions of different species brought to vet clinics. In the UK, the ratio of animals visiting vets is around 50:50 dogs to cats, while in Ireland, typically over 65% of a veterinary waiting room is made up of dogs, with only around 30% cats. My own clinic in Bray has a dedicated cat section, with cat-only waiting room, consulting room and hospital ward). Cat owners love this: 100% of the patients in our cat-only waiting room are cats!

To those of us who adore cats, it's difficult to relate to understand why people don't seem to care so much for them. Yes, cats are more independent than dogs, but this can be an appealing characteristic rather than a mark to hold against them. When a cat gives you affection and attention, you know that they really mean it. And given a chance, cats can be just as companionable and adorable as dogs.

The truth is that cats do better under Irish law than many people think. Pet cats, just like dogs, are classified as 'protected animals' in the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2014 (this means "any creature in the possession or under the control of a human being"). This means that if you are looking after a cat, you have a legal duty to protect its welfare. You have to provide food, water and shelter, and you must take precautions to protect the health of the cat. It's against the law to allow a cat to fall ill and then to fail to seek treatment. You also have a responsibility to ensure that you do not leave a cat unattended without making adequate provisions for its welfare. Finally, it's an offence to abandon an animal. You cannot just 'stray' a cat because you don't want it any more.

The legal situation is more complicated for feral cats. If any animal is living "in a wild state", then they are no longer classified as a "protected animal". This is logical: by definition, it is impossible for any animal in the wild to be under control of a human being. Who could be held accountable for housing, feeding and caring for a free-living cat in the wild? When the new law came in, many people who care about feral cats were understandably concerned. Since feral cats were living in a wild state, and they were therefore not "protected animals". Did this mean that they had no legal protection?

Fortunately, this is not the case. The only difference between pet cats and feral cats under the law is the fact that nobody may have a direct obligation to care for them. Feral cats are still protected from cruelty, just like other living, sentient creatures. Under Irish law, any act, or failure to act, that causes unnecessary suffering or endangers the health and welfare of any animal is an offence. It's against the law to injure - or to poison - feral cats, just as much as it would be to do this to pet cats.

Even with this legal protection, feral cats in Ireland have difficult lives. Estimates of the national feral cat population range from 200,000 to over a million: the truth is that nobody knows how many there are. Most people are aware of feral cat colonies in their neighbourhoods. These cats play an important role in controlling pests like rats and mice, especially in locations where there may be waste food, such as the back yards of restaurants and hotels.

For this reason, feral cat colonies should be an asset to human society. However, to integrate successfully, such colonies do need human help. If they are left on their own, they breed too rapidly. Too many kittens are born, there's not enough food for them, and they end up as hungry, sickly creatures with short, brutal lives.

The answer is simple: responsible people in the area need to implement Trap-Neuter-Release schemes to ensure cat populations are kept at a manageable level, so there's enough food and shelter for all. To find out more about how these schemes work, visit www.feralcatsireland.org.

Should we do more for cats in Ireland? Yes, of course. While there are many dog-only animal charities (Madra, Dogs Trust and many others), there are very few cat only charities, and these tend to be smaller local groups (e.g. Greystones Kitty Hostel). Many charities cover dogs and cats (eg ISPCA, Blue Cross and DSPCA),but cats need more support to ensure that they don't suffer unduly and that when rescued, they receive the focussed care that they deserve. Support your local cat charity!
More than 170 people from the New Ross district who fought and died in World War I were remembered in a moving concert on Saturday night in front of a packed house at St Michael's Theatre.

The New Ross Remembers WWI Centenary Concert was organised by Seamus Kiely and Jack Stacey and drew an audience of around 280 people from across the country and from as far away as Vienna and the UK.

Featuring music, songs, poems and letters, the concert was a celebration of lives lost too young fighting the Germans in fields, in trenches, in the sea and in the air and on beaches across Europe in the war. The concert paid a dignified, respectful homage to over 250,000 Irishmen who went to fight in the war between 1914 and 1918, including the youngest British or Irish soldier to die, 14-year-old Waterford youth John Condon.

Among the songs which performed were: It's a Long Way To Tipperary, Remember Me, The Green Fields of France, Danny Boy, Pack Up Your Troubles, Grace, And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda, Christmas 1915 and You'll Never Walk Alone, with audience participation adding to the occasion.

Seamus said the project began in early 2018. `The whole idea is that we wanted to not only remember what we thought at that point in time were the people on the list of names of New Ross people of who were killed in the World War, but also to remember the men who were ostracised when they came back.'

In total 102 men from New Ross have been identified as having fought and died in 'The Great War', with a further 70 from the Hook Peninsula to just outside the town. A list of names of the dead were displayed on the theatre walls.

Accompanied by an orchestra, talented local performers sang, played and contributed to the event; including Clodagh Kinsella, Keith Flanagan, Sean Callaghan, Bernie Sinnott, Clare Ronan, Ollie Grace, Sean Reidy, Tom O'Sullivan, Paul Grant, Claire Kickham, and the New Ross & District Pipe Band.

The audience were told stories of several young men from the area who gave their lives and made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and its people.

Brief histories of John Redmond and David Lloyd George were outlined and there was an account of James Murphy, who was born in Rathnure in 1883, the son of James and Annie.

James worked for a time as a warder in Portlaoise Prison. He married Ellen Laide from Kerry and they had a daughter, Ann. He enlisted in the Royal engineers in Lixnaw, Co Kerry in 1914 and was involved all through the war, surviving many battles, until October 12, 1918, only 30 days before the end of the war, when he accidentally drowned, aged 35.

A section of an eloquent letter he wrote home to his parents was read out at the concert. There was also moving accounts of the lives of soldiers like Martin Doyle, who was one of the most decorated fighters in Ireland in World War I, and of John Condon.

Elegiac poems from the era were read by Rev Ivan Dungan and the crowd enjoyed a sing along to some more light-hearted numbers on what was a memorable, moving and hugely entertaining night in New Ross. Copies of the memorial souvenir programme are available at the M&V Stores in the Irishtown for 5.
In a first for the country a pirate has been named mayor of an urban centre, namely Fethard-on-Sea.

Pirate Pat (Pat Shanley), triumphed over some seasoned political opponents in a fiercely contested mayoral race.

Fethard-on-Sea Community Development Group selected their mayor in a packed GrangeVille House, Fethard on Sea, where Pirate Pat, representing the Hook Lighthouse, emerged as outright winner, with Andrew Whelan representing Dillon's coming in as a close runner-up.

The winner of the hamper in the voters raffle was James Whelan of Ballycullane Post Office and Ciara Power collected a hamper from the raffle on the night. The election of Pirate Pat as Mayor of Fethard follows on from a keenly contested fundraising campaign, where the contenders sold votes and ran events to raise money. The winning candidate on the night was the one with the most funds raised. Pirate Pat now replaces outgoing Mayor John Power who has had a hectic eight years in the role. His most successful achievement was the surfacing and installation of lights from his own residence to Grange Villa. His son Keith, who was the official chauffer for those eight years, has already sent in his credentials to the new mayor.

The candidates were Kevin Roche, representing Neville's bar, John Nolan representing Droopy's bar, Andrew Whelan, Pirate Pat, Megan Murphy representing Molloy's Bar and Dillon Chapman representing Loftus Hall.

Vice Chairman of Fethard Community Development Group Richard Finn said: 'There has been terrific support for the candidates in community over recent weeks. The final selection event was a fun night with the presentation of chain of office followed live music and raffle in Grange Ville. The candidates have worked very hard on their fundraising activities and all are deserving winners. The newly elected mayor, Pirate Pat will have a busy schedule since the Fethard Community Group have been awarded Leader Funding of 9,800 for the outdoor gym in Ashgrove and 82,000 from Wexford County Council Village Renewal Fund to provide a running track at Ashgrove, Walking Trails from Fethard, development of the Castle Grounds and a Board Walk to the Little Burrow at Grange.'

While a free parking space in the village is one of the perks of the mayoral role, Mayor Pirate Pat has pledged to continue to campaign against the use of plastic, a global problem that is evident on our local beaches. 'It is fitting that Pat has taken up this cause as the Hook Lighthouse team have been recognised for their efforts to use only recyclable or degradable materials throughout their operation. It is also fitting that Pirate Pat, the representative of Hook Lighthouse was successful in the Mayoral campaign on the same night that Hook Lighthouse manager Ann Waters was presented with a Global Travel Award by the British Guild of Travel Writers at their annual Tourism Awards Ceremony in London.'

As with all funding grants, the local community are required to provide matching funds, typically to the tune of 25 per cent of the total cost of projects. The welcome funding requires continuous fund raising activities to contribute to projects that improve the quality of life for members of our community. 'The committee of Fethard Community Development Group thank everyone for their support.'
Duncannon village has witnessed the closure of its post office and shop in recent times, and coupled with the steady decline of its population, there are fears that it will become a 'ghost holiday village' in the off season unless major investment is made in housing, marine tourism and infrastructure.

Sitting in the Fort Conan Hotel cafe, where black and white pictures of smiling local characters from yesteryear are displayed proudly on the walls, Chairperson of Hook Tourism Philip Wallace said: 'There are two sides to Duncannon. You have your tourism side and your residential side. On the tourism side Duncannon is flying it. Everyone wants to come to Duncannon during the summer. Duncannon is a victim of its own success in that way. It's nearly like the people of Duncannon have been pushed out, but that's the same in any coastal town in Ireland.'

His mobile home park is already booked out for much of next summer. 'I could be answering the phone from 7 a.m. till 11 p.m. during June, July, August. People want to come to the Hook Peninsula but if you take tourism aside, everybody goes home. Duncannon is left to the bare bones now. Here we are in November and you walk up the main street and I don't know how many families are living up there as houses are too expensive and there hasn't been a social, affordable house built since 1980. All the families who lived on the main street when I was growing up are gone.'

In the 1970s and 1980s Duncannon was a vibrant village, he recalls.

'You had the fort open. You had the shop open. You had the post office open. My grandfather Simon opened the mobile home park 40 years ago. My father Tony ran it and I am over it for the past 12 years. The villages' main streets were filled with people year round. Now all of the children have grown up. They have moved to Australia and come back and now they find Duncannon is a different place because you can buy a site out the road for 20,000. You can build your house on a few acres for what you'd pay for a holiday home here, but houses in the village are rented out for holiday use. There are more people living out by Aldridge than in the village itself.'

Acknowledging that Duncannon is a tourism town, Philip said it needed to go backwards to go forwards and he now firmly believes that marine tourism and the development of Duncannon Fort, which has been closed since 2014, is vital to its future.

Wexford County Council, particularly Ger Mackey have supported Duncannon. 'Ger in the community section gave us money for the playground and for the festivals. He did a village health check. He started looking around and was wondering where the hell everybody was. Even the school numbers are down. Without a treatment plant the place is going nowhere. Over the years they didn't allow any more building because of the treatment plant. Then the recession came in. There were plans for a bigger shop and apartments, but the recession prevented that. What we need is people living here. I would love to see an affordable housing scheme so people can move back into the village.'

The fort has always been the life blood of the village, Philip said. 'If you go back years you would have had 200 to 300 soldiers in the fort coming back in to the village. That was up until the 70s and early 80s. Then when the houses came up for sale, they were bought for people for holiday lets. Duncannon Fort, it's the fort of Duncannon. Duncannon Fort is Duncannon. It brought 15,000 people into the village so when it closed it was a huge hit for the village. It's no coincidence that the shop and post office, one followed the other.

'We are probably in the worst place Duncannon has ever been in, barring the Famine or sieges hundreds of years ago.'

He said the reopening of the fort is a very slow process. 'The main thing is to get the plan right. I see the fort like the village centre. You can have events up there. There are public areas up there: you could have the local scout group hall there and bring scout groups from all over Europe. There could be an adventure centre, with absailing and a zip line. I'd say it will be a long term project.'

A couple of new businesses have opened in the village and young people are trying to invest in the community but more needs to be done. 'It just needs a push in the right direction. It needs infrastructure,' Philip said, mentioning the need to develop the harbour. 'Funding of around 100,000 for a pontoon is with planning at Wexford County Council to see if it's suitable or not. We do want to see some marine facilities in there. Duncannon is a fishing village. There could have been 15 boats for salmon of mussels in the 70s until we were sold out by the politicians who sold away our fishing rights. There has been over a million euro spent between four marine tourism businesses in the last ten to 15 years and none of them are working today because of the lack of marine tourism infrastructure between Ballyhack, Duncannon and Fethard.

'On The Hook Peninsula you have three sides surrounded by water and not one place to land a boat safely. You have a marina in New Ross and in Dunmore East. The obvious place would be for somewhere in Duncannon to have another. It would be a massive boost for Duncannon to have some marine tourism facilities in there. Every boat that comes in is going to drop a few hundred euros. The council own the harbours. If I pull in a boat they charge me but there are no facilities there. We have seven people in the caravan parks with boats and they can put the boats in and out but it's just not user friendly. Imagine if you had a boat on the marina in New Ross come down for Duncannon for the day, go for a walk on the beach and for a bite of dinner.'

There have been 11 reports published since 2011 stating that marine tourism should be developed on the Hook Peninsula and yet there is no marine tourism policy in County Wexford.

'You have them in Cork and Kerry. There is no tourism policy in Wexford. If you stay here in Duncannon for two weeks there's a beach for every day.'

Philip is confident that the village will thrive once more if houses are built and people move in to Duncannon once more. He said a unified approach from businesses and tourist attractions across the district is needed to maximise visitor numbers and spend.

News that the sale of the local shop is at sale agreed stage has been welcomed locally.

'We have our chance now with the treatment plant going in. I know Wexford County Council only has so much money and I know we are in the New Ross district so we have to look from New Ross downwards. It's great to see that the council has initiated a tourism strategy but it's one thing to have a report and have it sitting on the shelves and it's another thing to act on it.'
To mark Dracula author's Bram Stoker's birthday, academics and fans of the gothic novel gathered for a conference in the Canis Major chapel on the grounds of the Clayton Hotel to discuss 'How Sligo shaped Dracula'.

The gathering was organised by the local Sligo Dracula Society. It has often been speculated that Dracula, the story of a Transylvanian vampire who travels to England in search of new blood, was partly inspired by Sligo where Charlotte Stoker nee Thornley was born and grew up.

Bram was born in Dublin on 8 November, 1847 and it is said that stories she told him of the cholera outbreak in her native town as a child echo through Stoker's most famous novel.

Historian Dr Marion McGarry has been researching the connections between Dracula and Sligo, and points to a devastating cholera epidemic in the town in 1832, when in just six weeks, an estimated 1,500 townspeople died from the disease.

While Charlotte's family escaped, Dr McGarry says she was forever haunted by what she witnessed, and in later years wrote a first-hand account of what she witnessed in 'Experiences of the Cholera in Ireland'.

Charlotte told the young Bram stories of the cholera epidemic, but it seems he later consulted other accounts of the epidemic in Sligo written by local historians William G Wood-Martin and Terence O'Rorke.

According to Dr McGarry, by analysing these sources and cross-referencing the text of Dracula, it is apparent that Count Dracula can be partly read as the personification of Sligo's cholera epidemic.

The first victim of the cholera epidemic in Sligo died on 11 August. Wood-Martin wrote that this event was preceded by an unusual storm, with 'thunder and lightning, accompanied by a close, hot atmosphere'.

Dr McGarry says this is mirrored in Dracula, whose arrival from the east is preceded by a great and sudden storm, and he claims his first victim on English soil on 11 August.

Dr McGarry's research highlights other connections between Dracula and what happened in Sligo in 1832, including real stories of people being buried before they were dead - while in Dracula, there is the concept of the undead, vampires who are living while dead.

It was believed in Sligo during the epidemic that the Catholic clergy were miraculously immune to cholera, and in Dracula, symbols like holy water and the crucifix are used to fight vampirism.
A programme on Rural Decline airing this Wednesday will focus on the village of Kiltyclogher and how it has battled to survive.

Some 159 post offices announced their closures in Ireland this year and towns and villages in rural Ireland are fighting to save services and keep people from moving away.

Many people feel rural Ireland has not recovered from the economic crash while Dublin races forward and reaps the recovery.

This Wednesday at 9.30pm on TG4, Banu no Slanu will tell the stories of the challenges faced by two rural towns who have battled against the odds to try to stop the rising tide of Rural Decline.

Kiltyclogher in North Leitrim faced its biggest challenge in 2017 when there was every chance that the local school would be closed due to a lack of pupils.

Their response was to launch a media campaign to attract people to move to the village.

The KiltyLive campaign attracted huge interest as families enquired about leaving the expensive city rat races for the promise of a more affordable, safer future for their children. 6 families moved, the school was saved - but one year on, how does the future look?

Did the newcomers stay? And have they done enough? Ciaran Rock gives an update on how Kiltyclogher is doing.

The series is Produced by Medb Johnstone and Stephen Smith.
A teenage boy who downloaded child pornography did so out of curiosity, Sligo Circuit Court was told.

Conor Moyles usually accessed the material late at night at home when he had drink taken, his sentencing hearing before Judge Francis Comerford was told.

Moyles, now 26, of Linnet Lane, Kevinsfort, Sligo admitted at a previous sitting of the Circuit Court to having eight images and 66 video files on a pc on January 24th 2012. He also pleaded guilty to a second count committed on January 28th 2012 when four images were found on a laptop.

The accused was represented by Michael Bowman SC with Mr Keith OGrady BL instructed by Mr Gerard McGovern, solicitor.

The offences came to light when the defendants mother Angela left a computer in for repairs and the man fixing it saw the downloaded files and informed Gardai.

Detective Garda Pauline ONeill said the computer was handed over to her on January 26th 2012 and a warrant was obtained for the defendants home which was searched on the 28th when a laptop was seized. The computer and laptop were sent for analysis and the delay in having them examined was due to lack of resources at the specialised unit, said Det. Garda ONeill.

The defendant was arrested in 2017 and he made full admissions. He was 19 at the time the offences came to light. He now lived in Dublin and was working until recently, losing his job as result of the case. He didnt have any previous convictions and hadnt come to Garda attention since.

Witness agreed with Mr Bowman that the defendants family were devastated and that he was accompanied to court by his parents who were standing by him. Mr Bowman pleaded that the defendant had been looking for adult porn and he was then drawn into a darker place due to curiosity and boredom.

Moyles began to search for pre-teen material and his led ultimately to viewing material of very young people. It was just curiosity and he was in no way attracted to young girls. He had downloaded the material late at night or early in the morning when he was drunk.

Witness agreed that the defendant didnt pay to access the material nor did he distribute it.

Mr Bowman pointed out that since the offences came to light, Moyles had been targeted online and in person. He also ended a personal relationship because of the situation.

Detective Garda Donagh Mannix from the Garda National Cyber Bureau, in evidence, said the eight images were of girls aged between 8 and 15 while 53 of the 66 videos were of girls aged between 4 and 12 engaged in sexual acts with adult men. Two of the videos showed acts of bestiality and these were the most extreme of the material found.

Witness agreed the material was downloaded in 2008 and 2009 and some in 2012.

Mr Bowman pleaded that it was a situation where a relatively small quantity of grossly offensive material had been downloaded over a period of four years and it wasnt a case of someone fixated with it. There was no forwarding, categorising or paying for it. Moyles was aged between 15 and 19 at the time.

It was a morbid curiosity where he dipped in and out though the severity of the material cannot be overlooked, said Mr Bowman. He added that the defendant had been looking at adult porn and he had an itch which he scratches not very often.

Mr Bowman pleaded that the case was not run of the mill and asked the court to take into consideration his age at the time, the time lapse since the offences occurred and the fact he had now been stigmatised in his community.

Sentencing the defendant last Thursday, Judge Comerford said the images fell into the category of moderate but the two videos were at the most serious end and had been held on the computer for over four years.

The images had been deliberately sought out and deliberately retained, he said. He noted the defendant had engaged in psychotherapy and a report placed the defendant at low risk of re-offending.

A psychological report stated the defendant did not meet the criteria of being a paedophile.

He had lost his job and a ten year relationship had ended with his girlfriend. His employment prospects will be blighted by his conduct for the balance of his life, said the Judge.

He accepted that pornography no longer played a part of the defendants life and he hadnt re-offended. The vast bulk of the images were downloaded when the defendant was aged between 15 and 17 and this highlighted the dangers of the internet for teenagers.

Youth, he said, does not always go hand in hand with good sense. The Judge said he was satisfied he had turned away from what he deemed was the darkness of that time, that he had shown insight and remorse and there was no longer need for ongoing probation supervision or for the Gardai to monitor him.

The psychological dependence on pornography from his teenage years no longer existed.

Judge Comerford said he would deal with the matter by way of a fine which would be a greater punishment and burden than a suspended sentence. He was conscious the defendant wasnt working and could have great difficulty in gathering the money.

Moyles was fined 3,500. The computers were ordered to be destroyed.
A customer ran after and apprehended an armed robber who had got away with 900 from a supermarket, Sligo Circuit Court was told.

Brendan Glynn (32) had just held up the Centra supermarket at Cartron with an imitation firearm on October 26th 2017 when he was followed out by customer, Robert Clarke who managed to overpower him.

Glynn pleaded guilty before Judge Francis Comerford (right) at the Circuit Court last Tuesday to possession of a realistic imitation firearm, having a knife and robbing 900.

Garda Mark Irwin told the court that Glynn entered the supermarket around 1.13pm and went behind the counter and produced a firearm which he pointed at the shop assistant, Martin McGovern. Glynn took cash from the shop's two tills which he put into a plastic bag before leaving on foot. There were a number of people in the shop at the time including owner, Brian Coyle.

A customer, Robert Clarke gave chase to Glynn who was wrestled to the ground and was disarmed. He was restrained until witness arrived and arrested him. He made no comment during interview subsequently at Ballymote Garda Station.

Glynn, a father of one originally from Westport, pleaded guilty to the offences last May.

Garda Irwin said the defendant, who had a drug addiction, had 45 previous convictions from courts in Sligo, Dublin and Galway mainly for theft and burglary. A short victim impact statement made by Mr McGovern was read to the court by Garda Irwin. Mr McGovern said that for the 24 hours after the robbery he was nervous and anxious but everything had returned to normal. CCTV of the robbery was played to the court.

Glynn also pleaded guilty to the possession of stolen prescription drugs at 1 Cranmore Place on October 24th 2017.

Detective Inspector Ray Mulderrig outlined how a search was carried out at the house and 732.54 worth of medication was found.

Witness agreed with Mr Pat O'Sullivan BL with Mr Morgan Coleman, solicitor that he imagined the drugs were for the defendant's own use.

"An act of desperation I could describe it as," said witness.

Mr O'Sullivan said there was a comprehensive probation report before the court.

"A lot of the defendant's difficulties began when his widowed mother remarried and he didn't get on with his step father. That seems the start of the downfall and since 2003 he effectively has been a drug addict and his addiction has been chronic.

"He has attempted to address his issues and there has been periods of sobriety when there has been no offending. He's a likeable man when he is sober," said Mr O'Sullivan.

Glynn, who was currently serving a sentence, was described as a model prisoner by Mr O'Sullivan and he was based in the kitchen area while he was also working with the Red Cross in Castlerea Prison.

Mr O'Sullivan said the defendant now accepted that there were side effects to his actions and he was remorseful for the hurt caused to the shop assistant.

Judge Comerford said he accepted the defendant had difficulties in his teenage years which affected his ability to engage in schooling but nonetheless he managed to complete his Leaving Certificate in 2005.

The Judge said Glynn, who had been in custody since October 2017, had been given many chances to steer away from the path he was on.

The situation faced by the shop assistant could only be described as terrifying and as far as he knew the gun was real said Judge Comerford.

"It is still a robbery whether it is an imitation gun or not," he said. The Judge imposed a three and a half year jail term, suspending the final 18 months.

During the suspension period, to which the Judge added a further period of six months suspended consecutively, the defendant would be under the supervision of the probation service and must obey all directions given to him.

The Judge refused a defence application that the sentence be backdated to when the defendant went into custody in October last year.
The HSE has apologised to the family of 30-year-old Karl Collins who died tragically in St Columba's Mental Health Unit in April 2017 after seeking help for anxiety and insomnia.

A jury returned a verdict of suicide late Monday evening at Sligo Coroner's Court.

In a statement afterwards, his family said "all the messaging from Government is about asking for help. Our brother did this: he looked for help in the most obvious place - a Mental Health Hospital.

"To most people that is the safest place a person in a mental state of distress would go. Tragically for Karl this was not the case. It is shocking to us that a self-admitted patient could be able to take his own life within the very walls of a Mental Health Hospital."

Karl should still be alive

The family of young Karl Collins have said he should still be alive today and living life to the full.

In a statement after a verdict of suicide was returned late Monday evening, they said the most troubling aspect of his death, was that he had sought help from the experts, but still endued up dying alone and in terrible emotional distress.

Treating psychiatrist on duty the day young Karl Collins died tragically in St Columbas Mental Health Unit has insisted there was nothing in his assessment of him to make him think it appropriate to move him to a High Observation Unit.

The 30-year-old surf instructor had only a few hours earlier told nursing staff he had taken 10-12 sleeping tablets because he wanted to end it all.

Psychiatrist Dr Edmund OMahony told Sligo Coroner Mr Eamon McGowan at the Coroners Court that he met with Karl Collins at 11am that same morning to discuss his condition.

When I probed him on that, he said by wanting to end it all, he said he wanted to get some sleep, said Dr OMahony.

The young Dublin native died tragically on 3rd April 2017 at St Columbas Mental Health Unit.

He had self-presented at the unit on Saturday morning 1st April, complaining of extreme anxiety, chaotic thinking and insomnia. By 1.30pm Monday 3rd April, he was dead.

The HSE has apologised to his family.

His mother Irene, his brother John and sisters Aisling, Roslyn, Jennifer and Maria and in-laws were present at Sligo Courthouse hoping to get answers as to why he died.

Dr OMahony told the court that when he met Karl around 11am that morning, some six hours after he had allegedly taken the overdose of sleeping tablets, he seemed anxious, restless, articulate, intelligent.

He said he wanted to end his life, then said no, he wanted to get sleep. I asked him if he wanted to end his life and he said no, he didnt, said Dr OMahony.

Karl told doctors he had attempted suicide in 2011 and anti-depressants made him suicidal. He asked that his family not be contacted about the alleged overdose of sleeping tablets and asked for a transfer to St Patricks Mental Health Services in Dublin. Dr OMahony agreed to this and to contact his family.

What more must a person do to be deemed a suicide risk than what Karl did? asked Barrister for the Collins family Mr Keith OGrady BL.

In our assessment of Karl there was nothing to make me think that was an option, he said.

The case concluded late last evening after a verdict of suicide was returned.

No formal search done of patient

Psychiatric nurse Sean Gilmartin started work on Monday morning at St Columbas Mental Health Unit on 3rd April 2017.

The young psychiatric nurse of 8 years experience had something in common with the late Karl Collins - they had turned 30 within 13 days of each other and were both into sport.

As he entered the room to introduce himself at 8.30am, nurse Gilmartin found Karl sitting on the floor of his bedroom.

He said he could not recall how he ended up there. He said he had taken 10-12 sleeping tablets which he had concealed, the nurse told Sligo Coroners court at the Courthouse on Monday.

He said he had not slept in days and he wanted to sleep and end it all, he said, adding that the young surf instructor, who had moved from Dublin to Bundoran the year previously, did not want his next of kin informed about the incident.

Nurse Gilmartin said he informed Dr James Sweeney and completed a form.

He next interacted with Karl Collins in his bedroom with nurse Gerry McGlinchey at 11.30am to give him medication as prescribed by Dr Edmund OMahony and see if Karl had any other medication in his possession.

The deceased handed over Vitamin D tablets he had but no search was carried out of his room to see if he had any other medication.

There was no formal search, he told barrister for the Collins family Mr Keith OGrady BL, instructed by Ms Cliodhna McGuire, solicitor.

Would a search not be done to see if he had any other medication? Mr OGrady asked nurse Gilmartin.

Possibly, he replied, but accepted that wasnt done in this case.

Psychiatric nurse Stephen Messani testified that he found the deceased unresponsive in his bedroom at 1.30pm after he called to inform him that his girlfriend Grainne had arrived to see him.

He noticed the wardrobe in the middle of the floor but it wasnt until he turned to leave that he noticed the patient and he sounded the alarm.

CPR began on the deceased immediately but it was too late.

Jury calls for better observation of patients with suicide ideation

The jury of two women and five men returned a verdict of suicide in the case of Karl Collins who died tragically on 3rd April 2017.

They attached three riders to their verdict:

1 - That when a person who has made a suicide attempt in their past, and now shows clear indication of suicidal ideation, this person needs to be supported and staff need to put in place a suicide observation system immediately;

2 - Ongoing continuing professional development and staff training should reflect how best to react to and deal with emergency situations;

3 - Persons who have attempted to take their own lives or displayed suicide ideation should be encouraged by the HSE staff to stay in contact with next of kin and other family members.

Dr Joanna Perlinska was the doctor who assessed the late Karl Collins and admitted him to St Columbas Mental Health Unit on Saturday the 1st of April 2017.

She told Sligo Coroner Mr Eamon McGowan that he self-presented, with anxiety and insomnia.

She said he informed her of his previous attempt to take his own life in Dublin in 2011 but at the time of his admission, he showed no signs of psychosis and had no thought disorder or delusions.

Dr Perlinska said she agreed with Mr Collins on a plan which included anti-depressants, to improve his anxiety.

He said he was happy with the plan, she told the court.

Later that day the deceased asked to meet her again to discuss the plan and she prescribed medication to help him sleep.

She agreed with Mr Keith OGrady BL, for the Collins family, that the unit was to request previous admission notes from St Patricks in Dublin from when Karl Collins was treated in 2011.

Was this ever done? asked Mr OGrady.

I dont think so, she answered.

She also said she didnt think she needed to get previous history from his family after meeting with Karl.

The doctor was asked what was the standard approach to searching for tablets on patients.

A policy allows us to search the patient if theyre actively in danger of harming themselves, she said.

Karl Collins was anxious and distressed. I did not assess him as suicidal at the time, she told the court.

When someone is found on the floor of a bedroom saying they had taken tablets, surely then it would be appropriate to search them? asked Mr OGrady.

Dr Perlinska said the most important thing would be to interview the person and reassess the risk.

After that you determine if they need to be searched or not. But the assessment is crucial, she added.

In a statement after the verdict was returned, the Collins family said it was shocking that a self-admitted psychiatric patient could be able to take his own life within the very walls of a HSE Mental Health Hospital.

He sought help from the experts but still ended up dying alone and in terrible emotional distress. It is vital for us and for society as a whole, that there is total accountability in our mental health services.
Esther and Hugh Loughridge are hanged in a scene from Allen Fosters new Book of Irish Murder

Historic Sligo Prison is one of the few surviving structures of its type and is an architectural gem to be treasured.

It is also the setting for the final chapter in a bizarre murder case that made headlines across the world, but is now almost forgotten.

Victim Patrick Doherty from Kilclare, Co. Letrim was shot twice through the head, once through the heart, and once through the wrist on 23rd March 1902.

When his father James claimed he had shot himself and then jumped out a window it was clear he had murdered his own son.

After all he had bought a pistol and 50 rounds of ammunition a few days before.

In any murder case that would be sensational enough. But the most remarkable incident occurred when James and his brother Anthony carried the body into the house after the tragedy.

One of the shots had passed through Patrick's right hand as he held it up in an effort to shield himself.

When he died his arm remained in the raised position. Anthony tried to pull the arm down to a more natural position at the body's side, but rigor mortis had set in and the arm 'slowly rose to its original position, as if denouncing the murderer.'

Seeing the arm slowly rise and point at him, James immediately, 'as if struck with remorse', had an epileptic fit and fell to the floor.

Reports of the trial featured in newspapers around the world alongside headlines such as 'Culprit Accused by the Dead Hand' or 'The Accusing Hand.' The bizarre incident was even the subject of a Ripley's 'Believe it or Not!' cartoon.

Father and son had had a falling out over property and James Doherty's hatred led him to murder his own son.

Doherty stood trial in Leitrim in June 1902, but the jury were unable or unwilling to reach a verdict.

A new trial was held in Sligo on 3rd December 1902. This time, it took a jury of Sligo citizens just twenty minutes to find him guilty.

On 30th December 1902, James Doherty earned the dubious distinction of becoming the last person to ever be executed at Sligo Prison.

The story features in author Allen Foster's latest book, "Foster's Book of Irish Murder" available nationwide and from www.newisland.ie.
The under representation of women in politics will be discussed at a gathering the The Model next Monday.

50:50 North West, the regional branch of the national campaign for equal political representation, will host Helen Pankhurst and Michelle Sheehy Skeffington, granddaughters of Sylvia Pankhurst and Hannah Skeffington, in conversation with Carole Coleman, RTE journalist and broadcaster, in the Model on November 19th.

Marian Harkin MEP will deliver the opening address, and an afternoon panel discussion, moderated by Alison O'Connor, journalist and broadcaster will explore causes and solutions for women's under-representation in politics today, particularly in rural constituencies.

The panellists are: Martin Kenny TD, Catherine Martin TD, Minister Joe McHugh and Marc McSharry TD; Councillors: Sinead Guckian, Niamh Kennedy and Sinead Maguire; and Dr. Fiona Buckley, University College Cork, a co-founder of the national 50:50 campaign.

Michael Harding, playwright and novelist will share his reflections on women in politics and rural Ireland.

The seminar pays tribute to the courage and determination of those who struggled for and won suffrage rights for women, drawing inspiration and insight from their experience to feed into a timely and very relevant exploration of women and politics in contemporary Ireland.

"The proportionately low number of women political representatives elected in rural Ireland, and how this might be addressed in the future, will be a particular point of focus.

"It is hard to believe that we've only ever had two female TDs in this constituency since the foundation of the State," said Noirin Clancy, 50:50 North West.

"We look forward to hearing how the political parties plan to address this issue in forthcoming elections and particularly in this constituency."

Tickets are 15 and available on Eventbrite or email: 5050northwest@gmail.com
The Grand Hotel is set to become a direct provision centre in the next two weeks in a move which has sent shock-waves around Wicklow town and surrounding areas.

The Grand is the only hotel in the town and its closure to tourists and visitors will be considered a considerable blow to the town.

The Department of Justice has confirmed that around 100 people - made up of families and single people - will be accommodated in the hotel's 33 bedrooms. The contract is for a fixed one-year term and residents will be from a number of different countries, including Nigeria, Pakistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Cllr John Snell has condemned the Government move as potentially 'the biggest disaster' to happen to Wicklow in his lifetime.

'This is a huge backward step for the town, especially when promoting Wicklow as the county town,' said Cllr Snell. 'This will completely undermine all the great work carried out by the Town Team. Both the Town Team and local Chamber of Commerce have said many times how Wicklow needs a second hotel if possible.

'Now we have a situation where there won't even be one. Now you will have an influx of different nationalities which will put extra pressure on local school resources. It could prove to be the biggest disaster to hit Wicklow town and the whole area in my lifetime'.

At the beginning of this year the Reception and Integration Agency published a notice in national newspapers seeking businesses that were in a position to offer accommodation on behalf of the State and the Grand Hotel was one of the businesses to respond.

Last year, the Firebreak Hospitality, owned by prolific hotel operator Adrian Shanagher, announced that the Grand Hotel would undergo a 300,000 to 400,000 investment and refurbishment programme to 'revitalise' the hotel. Cllr Snell claims that their actions have betrayed the Wicklow public.

'The pretence was that they wanted to do the hotel up and they called for the support of the people of Wicklow, which I think they got. The change to a direct provision centre was sought out by the management of the hotel. It has nothing to do with Wicklow County Council.

'So many people have such fond memories of the Grand Hotel - weddings, christenings and birthday parties. Now that is all gone'.

Cllr Gail Dunne has also slammed the decision.

'People are so annoyed. I have been receiving hundreds of calls. This will be a devastating blow for the town. The Town Team have been doing great work recently and this completely goes against everything they are trying to achieve.

'Work is taking place on the East Coast Greenway and we got some funding to reopen the old cliff walk - now this has hit us.

'The fact no consultation took place is also a snub to the people of Wicklow,' said Cllr Dunne.

In a statement, the Wicklow Syria Appeal also announced its opposition to the decision.

'Wicklow Syria Appeal is shocked and disappointed at the decision to open yet another Direct Provision centre in Ireland. Ironically the centre is in Wicklow town, the town that spearheaded the community sponsorship model, integrating a family of refugees into their local community with great success.

'Wicklow has shown how a community coming together can support a family of refugees to rebuild their lives within the community, making their own decisions and contributing to the area through volunteering, building friendships and shopping locally. The community sponsored family are focusing on learning English with a view to re-stabilising their furniture production business in Wicklow in future years".

Mick Nolan, chairperson of Wicklow Syria Appeal, said: 'We developed a community sponsorship model as a humane community driven alternative to direct provision. The institutionalised nature of direct provision and the restrictive living conditions has many detrimental effects on its residents, which the 2015 McMahon report highlighted.

'It is a huge shock to all in Wicklow that a direct provision centre is being established, Wicklow Syria Appeal is vehemently opposed to the Direct Provision method'.

The organisation has also called on the local community to remember that asylum seekers have had 'no choice in their fate' of being placed in a direct provision centre in Wicklow town.

'Firstly, We do not know the situations from which they seek asylum or refuge and so should show them respect. I would be totally against direct provision whether it was in the Grand Hotel or on top of Lugnaquilla,' added Mr Nolan.

'It's an abhorrent way to treat people, but the fact it is going into the only hotel in Wicklow town makes it even worse. I am hugely disappointed in the Government and the Department of Justice. Only recently this year the Department expressed the view that community sponsorship was the way forward. A direct provision centre totally flies in the face of that'.

Cllr Snell has also condemned the direct provision model as 'unworkable'.

'It does not work and the whole template is a failed and flawed one. Using hotels, hostels and caravan parks has been a complete disaster. They have been described as "open prisons" and clearly aren't the way forward. People staying there may have skills bout they can't use them so they are basically penned up like birds in an aviary'.

No consultation with the people of Wicklow took place, but officials from the Reception and Integration Agency of the Department of Justice will be meeting with local councillors on Thursday. The meeting is private and is not open to the public.

Sinn Fein TD John Brady feels the Government should be trying to dismantle the direct provision system, instead of expanding the number of centres operating.

'The system of Direct Provision is a basic denial of human rights. The system has been in place for 17 years. It was originally intended to accommodate asylum seekers for six months, but the reality is that many people have had to grow up in direct provision.

'The opening of a new direct provision centre in Wicklow town will not serve the vulnerable people arriving in Ireland seeking International protection, nor will it serve the recently launched Wicklow tourism strategy. The only people it does serve are those private entities making millions out of this system and it needs to be scrapped,' said Deputy Brady.
A protest will take place outside the Town Hall on Thursday in opposition to turning the Grand Hotel into a centre for direct provision.

2016 local election candidate and activist Anna Doyle is organising the protest, but warns it isn't for anyone harbouring 'nimbyist' views.

'This protest isn't for the "not in my backyard" crowd or anyone engaging in racism. The protest is purely against direct provision, which is a failed system that lets down the most vulnerable in our society, such as wartorn refugees seeking asylum. To be placed four to six to a room is unacceptable. There is no privacy, no dignity and no head space,' said Anna.

The protest has been organised for 6 p.m. and will take place directly outside the Town Hall in Market Square.

Outlining her reasons for opposing the opening up of the centre, Anna said: 'The Grand Hotel has no outside area for kids to play safely. Direct provision is not acceptable and we need to end it now. We need a better alternative where families can be families and kids can be kids.

'There is documented evidence of the mental health issues from those already living in hotel rooms. A hotel is just that, a hotel, not suitable for long term arrangements. The loss of Wicklow town's only hotel is a blow to the community who have been promoting our town for tourism'.

Meanwhile Anna and others plan to try and make life for the different nationalities staying in the centre as welcoming as possible.

'Refugees are welcome here to integrate with our community and enhance it. We hope to arrange classes for anyone who needs English lessons and are also looking into providing a space once a week where the refugees can cook for themselves'.

Cllr Gail Dunne has also arranged for a public meeting to take place in St Patrick's GAA Club on Tuesday, November 20, starting at 8 p.m.

'This is a discussion that has to be held in the public domain' commented Cllr Dunne.
Kit Dunne of Wicklow Boat Charters believes the closure of the Grand as a hotel will have a detrimental impact on businesses associated with tourism.

Kit formed his chartered boat business in 2012 and has provided the Grand Hotel with business during that time, mostly from overseas anglers.

'One of the cruxes of a successful tourist town is the provision of a hotel. If these plans go ahead, we will have no hotel in Wicklow town, the county town, and we stand to lose a lot of tourism trade, revenue and jobs'.

Kit has invested 150,000 in two quality angling boats and approximately 5,000 per annum in promotions, sponsorship, PR and events.

He maintains: 'This is all irrelevant if I can't offer hotel accommodation in the town. What am I to offer overseas customers? A boat in Wicklow town and a hotel 15 miles away. This is not what attracts customers, in fact it puts them off, I know because I have booked many overseas trips of my own and convenience is key'.

Wicklow Boat Charters has been growing business-wise each year and Kit believes there has been a noticeable increase in tourism locally over the past few years, but feels strongly that this progress will be meaningless without a hotel in the town.

'In my first season I focussed heavily on the domestic angling market in Ireland, bringing guests from Sligo, Belfast and Cork to name a few. I then moved on to focus on the overseas market and have made repeat custom from the Netherlands, France, Germany and the UK, the US, Canada, Belgium, and more. In a single year, I put 160-plus bed spaces into the Grand Hotel through angling groups. This was still steadily growing.

'In fact I have made numerous inquiries and made several bookings at the hotel for 2019, what now? I estimate if these visitors were to spend 70 per day at the hotel alone, it would amount to 11,000 for the hotel alone.

He is calling on Wicklow's local representatives to take a stand on behalf of the county town.

'If you consider restaurants, bars, newsagents, taxis, cafes, bait, charters etc this is an estimated revenue of 21,000 to the local economy. This has been a great boost to local and Irish economy. We stand to lose most of this if these plans go ahead'.

'Simon Harris launched the new Tourism Strategy and Marketing Plan for Wicklow last week, alongside the new Wicklow Outdoors Brand, I wonder does Wicklow town feature in these plans at all? How can we promote Wicklow as a destination when we cant provide beds?' asked Kit.

Fred Verdier of Wicklow County Tourism has expressed his disappointment that the hotel will no longer be open to tourists, especially at a time when efforts to improve tourism numbers have been ongoing.

'Wicklow County Tourism is aware that the Department of Justice and Equality has reached an agreement with the Grand Hotel, for the hotel to be used as an accommodation for persons seeking international protection.

'While sympathetic to the plight of persons seeking international protection, Wicklow County Tourism is disappointed that the Grand Hotel will be unavailable for tourists, particularly given the hard work carried out by all involved in the tourism trade in the Wicklow area in recent years. For example, Local Links is about to launch a daily year round service from Wicklow town to Glendalough, the new cliff walk is close to completion and a feasibility study is underway in relation to the construction of a Greenway from Wicklow to Greystones'.

Dan Morley, chairman of the Wicklow Bay Sea Angling Club, said: 'How can we promote Wicklow town as an angling centre when it has no hotel'.
Its a confusing time to be a motorist in Ireland. There has been much talk in the news recently about different powertrains and what is the best and most future-proofed option when considering a new car.

The latest budget saw the Irish Government introduce a surcharge on all new diesel cars, while incentives to get into greener, more environmentally-friendly electric and hybrid vehicles continue to increase. While we all recognise the need to work towards a zero-emissions future and reduce our carbon footprint, a limited amount of choice on the market means going fully electric is just not a viable option for many drivers at the moment. This is particularly true for those who need more space and flexibility than a small, fully-electric car can offer.

Electric and more

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is a car that offers the best of both worlds  a stylish, four-wheel drive plug-in hybrid SUV that combines electric and petrol power, which can be set to full electric driving or alternatively allow the hybrid system to automatically choose the most efficient drive mode.

As a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, it allows you to travel solely on electric power for up to 45km without range anxiety, as it also has the back up of a 2.4L petrol engine. This means that you can charge it up and use it just like an EV for your day-to-day driving, which in many cases is less than 45km. In fact, the average daily commute in Ireland is just 30km. It can be charged for as little as 1.38 on night time electricity rates, thus greatly reducing the cost of your commute.

For longer spins and any last-minute trips further afield, you can relax and let the hybrid system work with the petrol engine to choose the most efficient type of driving. So you can enjoy the space and comfort of a very practical, well-specced SUV, without any of the restrictions of a full electric vehicle.

A trail blazer

Since 2013 when it was first launched, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV was the first twin motor 4WD plug-in SUV of its kind and over the past five years has become the number one selling plug-in hybrid across Europe, irrespective of brand, segment or body type.

Now entering its second generation, the Outlander PHEV is looking better value than ever, with price reductions of up to 20pc off the price of the original model. With three specifications now available, you can get behind the wheel of the very latest in modern driving technology for a starting price of just 39,900 (inclusive of Government grants).

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is a spacious, practical family vehicle with a boot capacity of up to 498 litres and generous room in the back for rear seat passengers. It also comes with the reassurance of a five star Euro NCAP safety rating. All models come equipped with seven airbags, three ISO-FIX child seat anchors, ABS with EBD and brake assist, active stability and traction control as standard. Mitsubishis renowned Super-all wheel control system can adapt to all types of driving conditions, including snow and icy conditions or gravel and dirt roads, making it a capable companion at all times.

It also comes with all the latest in-car infotainment including a Smartphone Link Display featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth phone connectivity and six-speaker surround sound to keep you entertained on the move. Also standard is a reversing camera, Keyless operation, and 18 inch alloy wheels.

Those looking for more gadgets can upgrade to the Instyle model which adds even more impressive high-tech features. These include a 360 degree around-view monitor with parking sensors for making short work of those tight spaces, adaptive cruise control for effortless, long distance journeys, a luxurious full leather interior complete with electrically-adjustable, heated seats and a heated steering wheel.

The top of the range S-Edition adds further styling upgrades - a nine-speaker premium sound system, panoramic glass sunroof and a power tailgate as well as Bilstein shock absorbers to improve handling and stability, meaning whatever your budget or priorities, theres a model in the range to suit your lifestyle.

Peace of mind

Low carbon emissions of just 46g CO2/km put the Outlander PHEV in one of the lowest possible motor tax bands at just 170 a year, helping you to reduce your overall motoring costs, while doing your part for the environment. To top it all off, youll also have the peace of mind of Mitsubishis outstanding eight-year warranty which covers the battery and all plug-in hybrid components.

If you want to go electric without worrying about range anxiety or sacrificing on space, style or capability, the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV might just be the no-compromise package youve been waiting for.

To find out more about the Outlander PHEV, visit the website. You can book a test drive here or find your nearest Mitsubishi dealer here.

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Cheryl vows to move on if music flops after comeback single debuts at 19 (Victoria Jones/PA)

Cheryl Tweedy has said her 2003 assault conviction is 'irrelevant' and 'boring' in a new interview with The Guardian.

The former Girls Aloud star, whose new solo single Love Made Me Do It just debuted at number 19 in the UK charts, was convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm following an altercation with a toilet attendant when she was just 19.

Cheryl (35) was accused of racially aggravated assault. However, she was cleared of any racist element.

The racial element of the charge was brought up again last year by fellow L'Oreal ambassador Munroe Bergdorf after the activist model's contract was terminated by the brand when she published a post criticising white privilege.

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Asked about her thoughts, Cheryl told The Guardian magazine, The Guide, that it is 'irrelevant', 'boring' and 'not news' as it happened 16 years ago.

In the wide-ranging interview, Cheryl also revealed a new respect for Lily Allen, with whom she had previously clashed.

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"Were both women, now. Were both mothers. It sounds like shes been through a lot of stuff we didnt know about," she said.

"Honestly, shes quite fascinating to me. Shes ballsy, and outspoken, and says what she thinks regardless of what people think of her. To be a woman in the industry and do that takes some balls. I like that about her. Nobody wants a wallflower, do they?"

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Whatsapp Cheryl and Liam Payne at the Brit Awards earlier this year (Ian West/PA)

Cheryl, who split from Liam Payne, the father of her one-year-old son Bear, earlier this year, also said that she will never expose her son on social media.

"I'm not going to take his childhood away from him and expose him like that!" she said, adding that there are "trolls everywhere".

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"For someone to make time to go on my page and write something shitty, they've got to have a pretty sad life. At the end of the day, I think trolls are just confused fans."

Cheryl also insisted that Girls Aloud will never reunite and said she will "move on" if her new music flops.
Surfers from all over the world travelled to Portugal to compete in the Nazare Challenge, but inevitably many saw their chances scuppered by the ferocity of the waves.

The World Surf Leagues Big Wave Tour kicked off in Praia do Norte, with waves of 25ft to 40ft for the competitors to contend with.

At a big wave break known for its powerful waves and speeds, 24 of the best chanced their arm on the fearsome foam, but some came out a little drier than others.

Anyone need a towel?

Two-time world champion Grant Twiggy Baker of South Africa was the winner, and the 45-year-old said: I dont believe it, this is insane. These kids were going so hard today and I cant believe Ive still got that in me.

Two more Big Wave Tour events remain this season  the Jaws Challenge and the Mavericks Challenge  where surfers will await conditions that produce waves in the 30ft to 60ft range.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected a newly developed "ultramodern tactical weapon", state media said yesterday without specifying what kind of weapon was tested.

North Korea has suspended nuclear and missile tests as it endeavours to improve relations with the outside world, and there was no indication this weapon was nuclear-related or a missile.

The US State Department said it remains confident that promises made by Mr Kim at his summit meeting with President Trump in Singapore in June would be fulfilled.

In a positive sign, North Korea announced later that it would deport a US citizen who had been detained since October after being accused of entering the country illegally from China at the behest of the CIA.

However, the announcement about the new weapon test marked Mr Kim's first high-profile visit to a military site since the June summit, and the first announcement of any weapons test this year.

It comes as Washington's diplomatic efforts to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons programme appear to have stalled.

Mr Kim announced earlier this year that he is focused on economic rather than military development, and his inspection tours have reflected this, until now.

North Korean state media said the test, which took place at the Academy of National Defence Science, was successful and that Mr Kim could not suppress his "passionate joy".

"This result today is a justification of the party's policy focused on defence science and technology, another display of our rapidly growing defence capabilities to the whole region, and a groundbreaking change in strengthening our military's combat capabilities," Mr Kim said.

Experts say North Korea has been growing increasingly frustrated with the United States over Washington's insistence that sanctions would be lifted only at the end of a long process of denuclearisation.

Earlier this month, North Korea's Foreign Ministry warned that the country could return to the path of "pyongjin" - the simultaneous development of nuclear weapons and economic development - if sanctions are not lifted.

State media has also expressed anger in recent days over the resumption of small-scale joint military exercises by the United States and South Korea.

Yesterday's announcement was not framed in those terms but Shin Beom-chul, research fellow at the Asan Institute of Policy Studies, said it still "reads as a strategic move with deliberate political intention".

It was an example of the North's "coercive diplomacy".

"Pyongyang is putting pressure on Seoul and Washington for sanctions relief that they've been asking for," he said. "Kim Jong-un is signalling that if such demand is not accommodated, Pyongyang can switch back to pursuit of nuclear development, as put forward in state media outlets recently."

But Lee Jong-seok, a former South Korean unification minister now working at the Sejong Institute, a think-tank, said Mr Kim, as commander of his country's armed forces, can carry out regular inspections of the country's military facilities.

"That inspection does not necessarily read as deviation from any regular guidance activity that a country's military commander would do," he said.

"The prime targets of ongoing disarmament talks are ICBMs and nuclear arms. Overreacting to activities outside that realm does not help achieve the ultimate end-goal of denuclearisation."

Mr Kim said the weapons system tested was one that especially interested his father, Kim Jong-il, who led its development personally before he died in 2011.

The US State Department downplayed the news.

"We remain confident that the promises made by President Trump and Chairman Kim will be fulfilled," a spokesman said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the official Korean Central News Agency said US citizen Bruce Byron Lawrence would be deported from the country after having been detained on October 16 last.

KCNA said Mr Lawrence told his captors he had illegally entered the country "under the manipulation of the CIA".

A man by the same name was deported from South Korea in November 2017 after attempting to cross into North Korea.
President Donald Trump tours Paradise, California, after the town was devastated by wildfires (Evan Vucci/AP)

US President Donald Trump has taken a helicopter tour over the northern California landscape scorched by a killer wildfire.

A full cover of haze and the smell of smoke greeted the president upon his arrival at an Air Force base, as did the governor and his successor.

Mr Trump planned to hear from those leaders about the dire situation and talk to first responders.

He was later was expected to travel several hundred miles south to visit victims of a recent country music bar shooting.

Look forward to being with our brave Firefighters, First Responders and @FEMA, along with the many brave People of California. We are with you all the way  God Bless you all! Mr Trump tweeted while heading west on Air Force One.

Landing at Beale Air Force Base, he was greeted by Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom, both Democrats. Trump boarded Marine One without making public remarks.

The president, who left Washington early on Saturday and did not expect to return to the White House until well past midnight, planned to get a first-hand look at the devastation from the wildfire that has destroyed the town of Paradise and heavily damaged the outlying community of Magalia.

At least 71 people have died and authorities are trying to locate more than 1,000 people, though not all are believed missing.

More than 5,500 fire personnel were battling the blaze that covered 228 square miles (590 square kilometres) and was about 50% contained, officials said.

Mr Trump also was expected to stop in Southern California, where a gunman killed a dozen people at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks on November 7 then ended his own life.

Expand Close Firefighters search for human remains in a trailer park in Paradise that was destroyed in the wildfires (John Locher/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Firefighters search for human remains in a trailer park in Paradise that was destroyed in the wildfires (John Locher/AP)

The president has struggled to convey empathy to victims of national disasters and tragedies.

His first reaction to the fires came in a tweet last week: There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor.

Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests.

Nature and humans share blame for the wildfires, but forest management did not play a major role, despite Trumps claims, fire scientists say.

Expand Close Donald Trump greets California Governor-elect Gavin Newsom as Governor Jerry Brown watches on (Evan Vucci/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Donald Trump greets California Governor-elect Gavin Newsom as Governor Jerry Brown watches on (Evan Vucci/AP)

Mr Trump stuck to the theme in his remarks just before departing on Saturday when he outlined what he planned to discuss with Mr Brown and Mr Newsom.

He said We will be talking about forest management  The one thing is that everybody now knows that this is what we have to be doing and theres no question about it.

It should have been done many years ago but I think everybodys on the right side.

Mr Trump, who has long feuded with the political leaders of heavily Democratic California over issues such as immigration and voting, has also threatened to withhold federal payments to the state.

After being criticised for his response, the president has shifted gears, expressing words of encouragement to first responders and those of sympathy for hit victims.

It seems that many more people are missing than anyone thought even possible, Mr Trump told reporters in Washington, saying he looked forward to meeting fire responders and firefighters who have been incredibly brave.

But when he was asked by Fox News in an interview set to air Sunday whether climate change played a role in the number of serious fires, he said maybe it contributes a little bit  the big problem we have is management.

He added he was surprised to see images of firefighters removing dried brush near a fire.

This should have been all raked out, he said.

Mr Brown and Mr Newsom said on Friday they welcomed the presidents visit and now is a time to pull together for the people of California.
From the ashes of a mobile home and RV park, US President Donald Trump said he had to come to the heart of Californias killer wildfire to fully grasp the scale of the desolation wrought on the landscape.

Were going to have to work quickly  hopefully this is going to be the last of these because this was a really, really bad one, the president said on Saturday.

He pledged improved forest management practices would diminish future risks.

I think everybodys seen the light and I dont think well have this again to this extent, Mr Trump said in Paradise, the town largely destroyed by a wildfire ignited on November 8 that he called this monster.

At least 71 people have died across northern California and authorities are trying to locate more than 1,000 people, though not all are believed missing.

More than 5,500 fire personnel were battling the blaze that covered 228 square miles (590 square kilometres) and was about 50% contained, officials said.

Its going to work out well but right now we want to take care of the people that are so badly hurt, Mr Trump said from what remained of the Skyway Villa Mobile Home and RV Park.

Expand Close President Donald Trump talks to Mayor Jody Jones as he visits a neighbourhood in Paradise impacted by the wildfires (Evan Vucci/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp President Donald Trump talks to Mayor Jody Jones as he visits a neighbourhood in Paradise impacted by the wildfires (Evan Vucci/AP)

He noted there are areas you cant even get to them yet and the sheer number of people unaccounted for.

I think people have to see this really to understand it, Mr Trump said.

Several burned-out cars were nearby. Trees were burned, their leaves gone. Homes were totally gone, some foundations and twisted steel remained, as did a chimney.

The fire was reported to have moved through the area at 80mph.

Expand Close Mr Trump gets a briefing from first responders and local officials at an operations centre responding to the wildfires (Evan Vucci/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Mr Trump gets a briefing from first responders and local officials at an operations centre responding to the wildfires (Evan Vucci/AP)

The president later toured an operation centre, met response commanders and praised the work of firefighters, law enforcement and representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Weve never seen anything like this in California, Mr Trump said.

The president took a helicopter tour en route to Chico before he toured Paradise.

A full cover of haze and the smell of smoke greeted the president upon his arrival at Beale Air Force Base near Sacramento, where he was met by Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom, both Democrats.

Expand Close The president surveys the scene (Evan Vucci/AP) / Facebook

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Trump left Washington early on Saturday and did not expect to return to the White House until well past midnight.

He was expected to travel several hundred miles south to visit with victims of a recent country music bar shooting.

A gunman killed a dozen people at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, north of Los Angeles, on November 7 before taking his own life.

Mr Brown and Mr Newsom said on Friday they welcomed the presidents visit and now is a time to pull together for the people of California.
Dramatic video footage has been released of a motorist who drove his car at a crowd outside a pub injuring seven people.

James Bates, of Blenheim Road, Littlestone, Kent, has been jailed for 12 years at Canterbury Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to one charge of grievous bodily harm (GBH) and six charges of attempted GBH.

The 25-year-old had driven his silver Vauxhall Corsa at the crowd outside the pub in New Romney High Street on November 24, 2017.

A Kent Police spokesman said: "It hit the building by the front door, as well as a number of people who had been standing outside at the time.

"Among the injuries reported, a man was hit directly by the car, suffering fractures to his leg and arm.

"Minutes before, Bates had been removed from the bar by staff after he got into a number of altercations with other customers while drinking there.

"When arrested shortly after the collision, Bates told police he could not explain why he had driven at the crowd of people."

Detective Constable Chris Brett said: "James Bates was seen to drive his car around the block in order to accelerate his car into the crowd of people standing outside the pub, showing this was a pre-meditated attack.

"Considering the damage a car can cause, the people who were outside the pub at the time of the collision are fortunate their injuries were not worse.

"Regardless of injury, to be targeted in such a frightening and unprovoked way can have wide-reaching detrimental effects on those involved.

"I thank those who have assisted with and supported the investigation and subsequent prosecution."
Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, has been charged under seal in the US, prosecutors have accidentally revealed.

American prosecutors obtained a sealed indictment against Mr Assange, whose website published thousands of classified US government documents, a US federal court document showed.

The document, which prosecutors say was filed by mistake, asks a judge to seal documents in a criminal case unrelated to Mr Assange, and carries markings indicating it was originally filed in the US District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, in August.

A source familiar with the matter told Reuters the document was initially sealed but unsealed this week for reasons that are unclear. On Twitter, Wikileaks said it was an "apparent cut-and-paste error".

US officials had no comment on the disclosure in the document about a sealed indictment of Mr Assange. It is unclear what charges Mr Assange faces.

But Joshua Stueve, a spokesman for the prosecutors' office which filed the document that was unsealed, told Reuters: "The court filing was made in error. That was not the intended name for this filing."

Prosecutors sought to keep the charges confidential until after Mr Assange's arrest, the document shows, saying the move was essential to ensure he did not evade or avoid arrest and extradition in the case.

Mr Assange and his supporters have periodically said US authorities had filed secret criminal charges against him.

Facing extradition from Britain to Sweden to be questioned in a sexual molestation case, Mr Assange six years ago took refuge in Ecuador's London embassy, where initially he was treated as a welcome guest.

But following a change in the government of the south American nation, Ecuadorean authorities began to crack down on his access to outsiders.
A US judge yesterday ordered the White House to temporarily restore CNN correspondent Jim Acosta's press pass, which was revoked after a contentious press conference last week with President Donald Trump.

The White House withdrew Mr Acosta's credentials last week in an escalation of the Republican president's attacks on the news media, which he has called the "enemy of the people".

US District Judge Timothy Kelly, who is hearing CNN's lawsuit challenging the revocation, said Mr Acosta's credentials must be restored while the case is pending.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement that Mr Acosta's credentials would be temporarily restored.

"Let's go back to work," Mr Acosta said to reporters after the hearing.

But Mr Trump said that "people have to behave" and warned of future court action against reporters who do not.

"If they don't listen to the rules and regulations, we'll end up back in court and we'll win," Mr Trump said yesterday. "But more importantly, we'll just leave. And then you won't be very happy, because we do get good ratings."

CNN said in a statement that it "looked forward to a full resolution in the coming days".

In its lawsuit filed on Tuesday in US District Court in Washington, CNN said the White House violated the First Amendment right to free speech as well as the due process clause of the Constitution providing fair treatment through judicial process. The network asked for a temporary restraining order.

Judge Kelly, a Trump appointee, did not address the First Amendment's protections for freedom of speech and the press, focusing instead on the due process provision. "Whatever process occurred within the government is still so shrouded in mystery that the government at oral argument could not tell me who made the initial decision to revoke Mr Acosta's press pass," Mr Kelly said in his verbal ruling.

In court, US government lawyers said there was no First Amendment right of access to the White House and that Mr Acosta was penalised for acting rudely at the conference and not for his criticisms of the president.

The judge said Ms Sanders' initial statement that Mr Acosta was penalised for touching a White House staffer attempting to remove his microphone was "likely untrue and at least partly based on evidence that was of questionable accuracy".

The day after the November 6 congressional elections, Mr Trump erupted into anger during the news conference when Mr Acosta questioned him about the Russia probe and a migrant caravan travelling through Mexico.

"That's enough, that's enough," Mr Trump told Mr Acosta, as a White House staffer attempted to take the microphone away from the correspondent. "You are a rude, terrible person."

Ms Sanders had accused Mr Acosta of "placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern" and of preventing other reporters from asking questions at the news conference. She called his behaviour "absolutely unacceptable".

Videos of the encounter show Mr Acosta pulling back as the staffer moved to take the microphone.

Yesterday, Ms Sanders said the White House "will also further develop rules and processes to ensure fair and orderly press conferences in the future. There must be decorum at the White House."
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before departing the White House for California, where he is scheduled to view damage from the state's wildfires, on November 17, 2018 in Washington, DC.(Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo-Pool/Getty Images)

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before departing the White House on November 17. (Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo-Pool/Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump (C) arrives at Beale Air Force Base in California, November 17, 2018, as he travels to view wildfire damage. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump greets California Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom (L) as he arrivesl at Beale Air Force Base in California, November 17, 2018. - Trump is in California to view fire damage. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump (C) arrives at Beale Air Force Base in California, November 17, 2018, as he travels to view wildfire damage. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump greets California Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom (L) as he arrives at Beale Air Force Base in California, November 17, 2018. - Trump is in California to view fire damage. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump greets California Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom (L) as he arrives at Beale Air Force Base in California, November 17, 2018. - Trump is in California to view fire damage. (Photo by Saul LOEB / AFP) / ALTERNATIVE CROPSAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump views damage from wildfires in Paradise, California on November 17, 2018. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump has taken a helicopter tour over the northern California landscape scorched by a killer wildfire.

A full cover of haze and the smell of smoke greeted the president upon his arrival at an Air Force base, as did the governor and his successor.

Mr Trump planned to hear from those leaders about the dire situation and talk to first responders.

He was later was expected to travel several hundred miles south to visit victims of a recent country music bar shooting.

Expand Close US President Donald Trump greets California Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom (L) as he arrives at Beale Air Force Base in California, November 17, 2018. - Trump is in California to view fire damage. (Photo by Saul LOEB / AFP) / ALTERNATIVE CROPSAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp US President Donald Trump greets California Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom (L) as he arrives at Beale Air Force Base in California, November 17, 2018. - Trump is in California to view fire damage. (Photo by Saul LOEB / AFP) / ALTERNATIVE CROPSAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

"Look forward to being with our brave Firefighters, First Responders and @FEMA, along with the many brave People of California. We are with you all the way - God Bless you all!" Mr Trump tweeted while heading west on Air Force One.

Landing at Beale Air Force Base, he was greeted by Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom, both Democrats. Trump boarded Marine One without making public remarks.

Expand Close US President Donald Trump (C) arrives at Beale Air Force Base in California, November 17, 2018, as he travels to view wildfire damage. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp US President Donald Trump (C) arrives at Beale Air Force Base in California, November 17, 2018, as he travels to view wildfire damage. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

The president, who left Washington early on Saturday and did not expect to return to the White House until well past midnight, planned to get a first-hand look at the devastation from the wildfire that has destroyed the town of Paradise and heavily damaged the outlying community of Magalia.

At least 71 people have died and authorities are trying to locate more than 1,000 people, though not all are believed missing.

Expand Close US President Donald Trump (C) arrives at Beale Air Force Base in California, November 17, 2018, as he travels to view wildfire damage. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp US President Donald Trump (C) arrives at Beale Air Force Base in California, November 17, 2018, as he travels to view wildfire damage. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

More than 5,500 fire personnel were battling the blaze that covered 228 square miles (590 square kilometres) and was about 50% contained, officials said.

Mr Trump also was expected to stop in Southern California, where a gunman killed a dozen people at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks on November 7 then ended his own life.

The president has struggled to convey empathy to victims of national disasters and tragedies.

His first reaction to the fires came in a tweet last week: "There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor.

Expand Close U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before departing the White House on November 17. (Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo-Pool/Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before departing the White House on November 17. (Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo-Pool/Getty Images)

"Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests."

Nature and humans share blame for the wildfires, but forest management did not play a major role, despite Trump's claims, fire scientists say.

Expand Close U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before departing the White House for California, where he is scheduled to view damage from the state's wildfires, on November 17, 2018 in Washington, DC.(Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo-Pool/Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before departing the White House for California, where he is scheduled to view damage from the state's wildfires, on November 17, 2018 in Washington, DC.(Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo-Pool/Getty Images)

Mr Trump stuck to the theme in his remarks just before departing on Saturday when he outlined what he planned to discuss with Mr Brown and Mr Newsom.

He said "We will be talking about forest management ... The one thing is that everybody now knows that this is what we have to be doing and there's no question about it.

"It should have been done many years ago but I think everybody's on the right side."

Mr Trump, who has long feuded with the political leaders of heavily Democratic California over issues such as immigration and voting, has also threatened to withhold federal payments to the state.

After being criticised for his response, the president has shifted gears, expressing words of encouragement to first responders and those of sympathy for hit victims.

"It seems that many more people are missing than anyone thought even possible," Mr Trump told reporters in Washington, saying he looked forward to meeting fire responders and firefighters who have been "incredibly brave".

But when he was asked by Fox News in an interview set to air Sunday whether climate change played a role in the number of serious fires, he said "maybe it contributes a little bit - the big problem we have is management".

He added he was surprised to see images of firefighters removing dried brush near a fire.

"This should have been all raked out," he said.

Mr Brown and Mr Newsom said on Friday they welcomed the president's visit and "now is a time to pull together for the people of California".
Susan Bro, whose daughter Heather Heyer died during the counter protests at the rally. Picture by Kianna Gardner/News21

Ignorance: Simran Jeet Singh, a senior religion fellow at the Sikh Coalition in New York, says many Americans believe he is a Muslim. Picture by Ashley Mackey/News21

Flashpoint: a white supremacist militia member stands in front of counter-protesting clergy during a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville last year

Sonya King, a black Muslim woman was delivering food in Atlanta when her first customer of the day, Rick Painter (54), grabbed her head covering, pulled her inside his home and began to choke her with it.

"That was some real hateful stuff," King said. "Every time I told that man, 'I got children,' he pulled harder."

Prabhjot Singh, a Sikh doctor living in New York City, was walking on a September evening when more than 20 men confronted him. The men shouted anti-Muslim slurs, calling him a 'terrorist' and 'Osama Bin Laden' as he was badly beaten outside his home.

It was the third time he'd been physically attacked since 9/11. Simran Jeet Singh, a senior religion fellow at the Sikh Coalition in New York says that 'Muslim' has become a bad word in the US and their community has become caught in the crossfire.

Expand Close Flashpoint: a white supremacist militia member stands in front of counter-protesting clergy during a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville last year / Facebook

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Whatsapp Flashpoint: a white supremacist militia member stands in front of counter-protesting clergy during a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville last year

"It has become wrong to associate with a particular religious tradition," he says. "A lot of this hate is rooted in ignorance because people are assuming that I'm Muslim when I'm not, just because of their sort of racial understanding of who I am based on my appearance."

In Virginia, Geoffrey Preudhomme, a university student, spent an hour cowering behind his bedroom door, while his roommate repeatedly shouted the n-word, banged on his door and threatened to slit his throat. He said people wouldn't have believed him if he hadn't filmed the incident.

"In today's America, you have to be ready to film and document it, it's not just with brutality, but in order to change the system we have to expose all versions of racism," Preudhomme said. "I was threatened for the first time in my life in a place where I live, where you are supposed to feel the safest."

These are just some examples of hate crimes that I discovered while researching the topic in the US for the past year.

However, my analysis of the federal National Crime Victimisation Survey, which interviews tens of thousands of Americans annually, showed that hate crimes in the US are vastly underreported by victims. My research showed that more than 2.4 million crimes, whose victims suspect were motivated by hate, were committed across the United States between 2012 and 2016. In the same five-year period, the FBI counted only 30,000 hate crimes reported to them by local police. Only 12pc of US police departments reported any hate crimes at all to the FBI.

Jack McDevitt, director of Northeastern University's Institute on Race and Justice, said the victimisation survey data is important in determining victims' perceptions of hate crimes at a time of cultural and political upheaval in the United States.

Expand Close Ignorance: Simran Jeet Singh, a senior religion fellow at the Sikh Coalition in New York, says many Americans believe he is a Muslim. Picture by Ashley Mackey/News21 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Ignorance: Simran Jeet Singh, a senior religion fellow at the Sikh Coalition in New York, says many Americans believe he is a Muslim. Picture by Ashley Mackey/News21

"Groups such as black Americans and the LGBTQ community have historically and consistently been targeted by hate crimes.

However, external events and politics can change attitudes towards certain groups," McDevitt said. "Whenever controversial things happen, it empowers the haters to go ahead and act out because they believe that people share their bias."

The Trump Effect

Victims, hate groups, advocates and officials across the US said that the cultural and political divisiveness in America today has emboldened more people to express intolerance towards minorities and that the targets often keep silent.

Michael Lieberman, director of the Civil Rights Policy Planning Centre at the Anti-Defamation League, said hate often increases during elections, and this last presidential election cycle pushed more people to reveal their intolerance.

"Hate crimes have been pretty consistent for the past 10 years, but during times of elections or political events, things can be very polarising," Lieberman said. "There is no doubt that the 2016 election was not a good example of comity and civility, and promoting diversity and respect for others."

Expand Close Susan Bro, whose daughter Heather Heyer died during the counter protests at the rally. Picture by Kianna Gardner/News21 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Susan Bro, whose daughter Heather Heyer died during the counter protests at the rally. Picture by Kianna Gardner/News21

Jack McDevitt echoed this sentiment: "Anytime you demonise a group, it sends a message to the people that might act violently that this is a group that you can target and people won't care," he says.

"Hate crime offenders feel that everyone else shares their bias tendencies, but they're too afraid to act. They feel like heroes because they're going to act out.

"Some members of minority groups feel vulnerable and unwelcome in America. Between the hateful rhetoric and law enforcement reaction and some police-induced violence, they are feeling under siege in ways they haven't before."

Since President Trump's election, Latinos and immigrants in the US said they have experienced a new wave of hate-related incidents.

While my research found that Latinos and immigrants don't report hate crimes because of the threat of deportation, targeting does appears to be on the rise.

"We're told not to draw any unnecessary attention to ourselves. Even if you get robbed or exploited or you're in danger, you just don't want that unnecessary attention," said Pricila Garcia (20), of Cleburne, Texas, the daughter of Mexican immigrants.

LGBTQ people also are hesitant to report hate crimes because of a chronic distrust between the community and the police. Their cases usually aren't prosecuted as hate crimes when they are reported, victims said.

Brandon Ballone, a drag performer, was a victim of a violent crime during a night out in New York in 2016. The 27-year-old was wearing a T-shirt advertising his drag-queen personality when a group of teenagers beat him with a glass bottle, leaving him with a severed tendon in his hand, a torn ear and damaged jaw.

Ballone said shock and his impulse to get to safety meant he couldn't recall whether his attackers used homophobic slurs or called him names. As a result, police didn't investigate his case as a hate crime.

"Anybody who attacks someone in that kind of way, it seems to me that there is a lot of hate there," Ballone said. "But apparently, a hate crime, to (the police), means I would have had to hear them say the word 'f****t'."

My research, which included a 7,000-mile road trip around the country to assess the state of hate in America, showed that many victims of hate crimes are reluctant to report them to the police because they don't have any evidence to support their claims.

Two-thirds of the victimisation survey respondents who suspected they were targeted because of hate were unable to cite tangible evidence, such as hate speech, that could be used by law enforcement. Authorities could confirm only 2.5pc of the reported crimes were motivated by hate.

"It's important to look at the number of people who suspect they were a victim of a hate crime and not just the FBI data. People's perception is their reality," said attorney Roy Austin, a former deputy assistant attorney general of the US Department of Justice's civil rights division. "A lot of these law enforcement agencies don't believe that they have a problem with hate crimes. If they don't think they have a problem, they won't deal with it well."

Hate crime laws are not consistent across the US. Forty-five states have statutes criminalising various types of bias-motivated violence or intimidation. Hate crime laws in 14 of those states do not include either sexual orientation or gender identity. Arkansas, Georgia, South Carolina, Indiana and Wyoming have no hate crime laws at all.

There also has been an increase in hate crimes and recruitment by white supremacist groups on college campuses. According to data collected from 6,506 higher-education institutions by the US Department of Education, the number of reported campus hate incidents, including harassment and vandalism, increased from 74 in 2006 to 1,300 in 2016.

The rise of digital hate

Identity Evropa, a white nationalist group, is actively recruiting on college campuses. Its leaders said they see colleges as the "last battleground," where white people are taught to feel racial guilt and led to believe that multiculturalism is a positive thing.

The organisation distributes recruitment flyers, stickers and posters on college campuses, drawing the attention of local and national news media. That extends the group's presence beyond the reach of its own social media channels.

"Generally, the idea is that people see the flyer and then they look us up online - we don't have links on the actual flyer, but people use Google and find us that way," said Patrick Casey, executive director of Identity Evropa.

Heidi Beirich, director of the Southern Poverty Law Centre's Intelligence Project, said the youthful new right is a "millennial male phenomenon" that is changing the climate of hate in the US. The violent misogyny at the core of the alt-right's foundations distinguishes it from hate groups of the past, she said, noting the "female-bashing that is at the core of the internet," where young males are becoming radicalised.

Hate groups have increasingly used social media to recruit members and target victims, giving rise to a new phenomenon of internet hate. Tech giants like Facebook and Twitter offer billions of people unparalleled access to the rest of the world.

"What social media does, is it allows people to find each other and establish digital communities and relationships," said Benjamin Lee, senior research associate for the Centre for Research and Evidence on Security Threats at Lancaster University in England. "That's not to say that extreme sentiment is growing or not, but it is a lot more visible."

That visibility reached global attention at the August 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Several hundred white nationalists and white supremacists - protesting plans to remove a Confederate statue - chanted such slogans as "White lives matter" and "Jews will not replace us" at a rally at the University of Virginia. The protests ended in violent clashes with counter-protesters.

"Charlottesville illustrated the fact that people can still come together and do things in a way that is incredibly public and feel that there is no punishment for it," McDevitt said.

One woman, Heather Heyer, was killed after James Alex Fields Jr of Ohio rammed his car into a group of demonstrators.

"People were screaming, you could hear the sounds of thud, thud, thud, but nobody knew what it (the car) was," said Heyer's mother Susan Bro. "And I have a picture that was taken a split second (earlier) by a photographer with Heather looking right at the guy before he hits her."

Jason Kessler, organiser of the Charlottesville rally, said he feels white people are not given fair treatment in the United States.

"We are fast becoming a minority in the country we founded, and we're still not able to have the same rights of assembly and organisation that other groups are," he said.

Randy Gamble, who works with the Lynching Sites Project of Memphis, Tennessee, an organisation that advocates for racial-justice healing, said a lot of tensions came to the forefront in Charlottesville, but he remains hopeful for the future.

"We're dealing with a lot of things from the past that came to the surface," he said. "People don't just forget about what happened. Violence happened and that doesn't go away. We don't want to repeat that history all over again. We want to change the tapestry of this country in a way that frees people from the wounds."

Hate in America, a 15-part investigation examining intolerance, racism and hate crimes, is the 2018 project of the Carnegie-Knight News21 programme, a national multimedia reporting project produced by the nation's top journalism students and graduates and based at Arizona State University.

American hate crime in numbers

74

hate crimes reported on college campuses in 2006.

1,300

hate crimes reported on college campuses in 2016.

30,000

hate crimes reported to the FBI from 2012-2016.

7,175

hate crimes reported to the FBI in 2017.

12%

The proportion of US police forces that reported any instance of hate crime to the FBI 2012-2016.

2.4m

crimes committed between 2012-2016 whose victims believe were motivated by hate.

5

Number of US states  Arkansas, Georgia, South Carolina, Indiana and Wyoming  with no hate crime laws at all.

14

Number of US states that hate crime laws do not include either sexual orientation or gender identity.

2016

The year that Identity Evropa, a white nationalist group which is actively recruiting on college campuses, was formed.
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Neha Dhupia's radio show is all about revelations and decoding personal mysteries. In a first, Neha invited husband Angad Bedi on the show and he indeed was in #NoFilter mood.

While chit-chatting with wife and host Neha Dhupia, he went on to spill the beans on several things including cutting his hair despite being a Sikh to dating older women.

During the chat, he also unveiled some secrets about his dating life and exes. The funniest of all was how he revealed that he once dated a woman 3.5 years older to him, who left him stranded on the streets of New York.

Talking about his ex, he went on to say,

We were celebrating her 30th birthday. We went to a bar and she was partying with her friends. After a few drinks she got a bit aggressive and then she just wanted to go somewhere. But since I was really tired, I said why dont you go, I will just go back. She just left me in the bar. I didnt have any money, my mobile phone. It was in her bag. I didnt even have the address where I was staying.

He later revealed how was rescued. He started walking down on the street at around 4:30 am and while he was crossing a bar, where he spotted a few of his friends, who helped him. But there was a twist in the story too. He went on to confess that he reconciled with her only because he didn't want to miss his Miami trip, for which he had paid in advance. He added,

For her birthday present, I had paid for a trip to Miami. I made up with her because I wanted to go to Miami. We fought there also. She said, get out of the room. I said I am more than happy to leave this room in Miami. Then I went partying with the other girls and it was so much fun. I should have come alone to Miami. There is no reason to carry your tiffin to a swanky restaurant.

The couple dated briefly before tying the knot in a private ceremony in Delhi on 10th May 2018. The couple is expecting their first baby together.
Been popping pills all your life despite having an aversion to them? While antibiotics can be an important measure to combat certain illnesses, they should only be had if absolutely necessary, after being prescribed by a doctor.

With the growing scare of resistance against antibiotics growing at a rampant rate consuming antibiotic frequently without a prescription is only worsening the situation.

Avoid committing a mistake that can end up proving costly for your health. Its important to know certain rules and myths about antibiotics that could help prevent consequences that can prove to even be fatal:

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Before you commit a mistake that ends up being costly for your health, we bust some common myths and rules about antibiotic medicines that could help you:

Myth #1. Antibiotics and antibacterial mean just the same!

We have all seen advertisements for antibacterial soaps and sprays which aim to do the same job as the antibiotic pills. But that is just not true. Using antibacterial supplies can promise to kill bacteria but they dont do a good job of preventing them from coming back and boosting immunity, which antibiotic supplements do. Hence, they cannot be considered as a total replacement.

Myth #2. Antibiotics can be shared

Many people feel that a prescription given to somebody else may just suit them and this, in fact, is a common problem we all have encountered. Medicines, which are prescribed for someone are given to fight a specific illness and not any illness in general. What may work for one may not work for another and may even make it worse.

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Myth #3. You can store them for later!

Another myth we all are guilty of is storing antibiotic pills for future use instead of actually paying a visit to the doctors clinic. Doing so may do more harm than good as you run the risk of using expired medicines. Also, certain medicines have the ability to lose their strength over time, deeming them to be of no good use!

Myth #4. They are great for cold and flu

This is one of the biggest myths we have all been made to believe growing up. While antibiotics fight bacteria and even fungi strains, cold, flu and fever are types of viral infection which require other forms of treatment and popping in a simple antibiotic wont provide much help.

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Myth #5. You don't need to complete the dosage

Again, as a habit of practice, we all feel the need to stop the dosage in between just and when we start to feel a little better. Antibiotics are usually prescribed in a set dosage, which should be completed as stated, even if you feel okay. Stopping earlier than said could mean that the infection might make you sicker as it hasnt really died down yet and might come up to attack again.

Myth #6. They can also prevent diseases!

Since medicines do a good job fighting off illnesses, some people also commit the mistake of using them as a way to prevent diseases even before it actually strikes them. Doing so is not at all advisable as it may not prevent the disease but also increase the risk of other minor infections developing alongside.

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Myth #7. Using them always because they are effective

Arent we all guilty of being our own doctors at times? The moment when we feel we are coming down with an infection or dont feel normal, we take a medicine just in case so that we stay one step ahead of the illness. This habit is never recommended. Taking in more antibiotics than required can make the bacteria strain more resistant as well as put you at risk of developing possible side effects like rashes, vomiting and other allergic reactions.
Been experiencing a dip in your mood off late? While its completely normal for you to feel this way as the day gets shorter and the weather gets chillier, at times it could signify a more serious disorder.

If youre suffering from consistent mood fluctuations because of the change in whether you could be having SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

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What is SAD?

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is actually a seasonal disorder which can mimic the symptoms of depression. It affects people during the late fall and winter months when less sunlight is available. It is believed that due to reduced sunlight, the body rhythm goes out-of-sync causing SAD.

How do you know when you are suffering from SAD?

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Those suffering from depression year around tend to feel worse in winters. Here is are 7 symptoms of SAD:

1. Feeling irritable and stress, more than usual

2. Loss of interest in things you found enjoyable before

3. Difficulty concentrating

4. Loss of interest in social activities

5. Low energy

6. Feeling exhausted all the time

7. Sleeping too much

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Thankfully, there are several ways to fight off the symptoms of SAD. Here are 7 ways in which you can fight the winter depression.

1. Wake up early

One significant way of battling SAD is to spend as much time as possible in the sunlight, waking up early is one way of doing so. Getting as much natural light as possible will surely help you fight those winter blues.

2. Dont drink too much

Alcohol is a depressant. This simply means if you drink alcohol, it is more likely that you will feel low. As a rule of thumb, avoid binge drinking if you are suffering from SAD. Drinking is not going to help your body or mind in any way.

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3. Dont spend all day inside your office

If you get a lunch break, use that to go outside your office and get some natural light. Being holed up inside your office does not do a whole lot of good to your mental health. Soaking up some sunshine with help in restoring mood and energy levels.

4. Try essential oils

A lot of people swear by the soothing and relaxing effects of lavender and grapefruit essential oils. Both these oils are known for relieving the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

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5. Meditation

Meditation will help you silence the chaos inside your mind. It will not only make you feel calm and collected but will also help you in making better decisions.

6. Maintain a proper sleep cycle

Not sleeping properly can wreak havoc on your mind as well as your body. Hence, it is essential that you maintain a strict sleeping schedule to ensure that your body stays in the rhythm. Avoid spending a lot of time on your smartphone before going to bed, as it tricks your brain into staying up.

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7. Speak with your doctor

If you have tried changing your routine and inculcating healthy habits but your symptoms are getting severe, it might be the time to see a therapist. Speak with your doctor about taking antidepressants and all other options that you can try. When the therapeutic ways to fight SAD dont work, it is advisable that you seek the help of a mental health professional who can guide you better.
Decorated war veteran and Hero of 1971 war, Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri has passed away at the age of 78 in a private hospital in Mohali on Saturday.

Chandpuri, who was an Army Major during the 1971 India-Pakistan war, had held his post through the night in the famous battle of Longewala in Rajasthan with just 120 men against a full-fledged attack by advancing Pakistani Patton tanks.

As the story goes, on the night of 5 December 1971, Pakistan launched a massive attack with 51 Infantry Brigade, supported by a Regiment of T-59 and Squadron of Sherman Tanks with the aim to capture Longewala and Ramgarh.

Chandpuri who was a Major at the time and led the A company of 23 Punjab fought off the invading Pakistan army through the night, despite being heavily outnumbered till the dawn when the Indian Air Force destroyed enemy tanks in precision attacks.

He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), countrys second highest gallantry award for the heroic stand-off against the tanks and forcing the enemy to retreat.

"Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri was commanding a company battalion of the Punjab Regiment occupying a defended locality in the Rajasthan Sector. On the 5th December 1971, in the early hours of the morning, the enemy launched a massive attack on this locality with infantry and tanks. Major Chandpuri exhibited dynamic leadership in holding his command intact and steadfast.

Showing exceptional courage and determination, he inspired his men moving from bunker to bunker, encouraging them in beating back the enemy till reinforcements arrived. In this heroic defence, he inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy and forced them to retreat leaving behind twelve tanks.

In this action, Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri displayed conspicuous gallantry, inspiring leadership and exceptional devotion to duty in keeping with the highest traditions of the Indian Army," the citation read.

His son Hardeep Singh Chandpuri said that the cremation would take place on the return of his other son from Germany.

The story of his heroics inspired the Bollywood blockbuster movie "Border" which was released in 1997 where Brig Chandpuri was played by Sunny Deol.
Diwali festivities have just ended, but sanitation worker Umesh Vaghela's house is still celebrating.

Earlier this week, all members of his family gathered at Trikon Baug crossroads and kept gazing at a giant LED screen where Vaghela's photograph was continuously rolling. The message on the screen screamed that he was chosen as the 'best safai worker' of the city.

Like Vaghela's, families of several other sanitation workers are filled with pride seeing their members being appreciated publicly.

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The Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) has come out with this unique way of appreciating and encouraging safai workers to keep the city clean. The civic body has put up full size picture and profiles of those sanitation workers who are going a step further for city's cleanliness.

The profiles of sanitation workers have been put up in 18 LED screens installed at several major crossroads and main roads like Yagnik Road, Kalavad Road, 150 Feet Ring Road. The profiles and photograph keep rolling one after another.

Talking to TOI, Vaghela, who was chosen the best one for November, said, "I am surprised and happy to see my work being appreciated publicly for the first time. My family feels very proud of me."

RMC has formed a committee each for 18 wards to chose the best safai worker every month.

toi

Municipal commissioner Banchha Nidhi Pani said, "We see safai workers as professionals and this is an attempt to appreciate their good work. People should know about those who are keeping the city clean. There are some people who work very hard, but don't get recognition. It's necessary to appreciate their work."

Rajkot is preparing itself for the next Swachhata Sarvekshan (cleanliness survey to be carried out by the central government under the Smart City mission. The sanitation worker who gets chosen thrice for this performance will be publicly honoured.

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There are nearly 2,300 sanitation workers with the RMC.

Environment engineer Nilesh Parmar said, "Public appreciation is a big encouragement for these workers. We will select 216 best workers in the whole year and publicly honour them."
The National Green Tribunal has directed a hospital in Noida that will cut trees for building parking space to plant 15 saplings for each tree cut. NGT has asked Noida Authority to plant 1,500 saplings against 100 that are due to be felled to construct a parking lot an upcoming parking hospital owned by Union Minister and local MP Mahesh Sharma.

The upcoming hospital is located in Sector 17.

Environmentalists had raised objections against the site where the parking lot is supposed to come up, saying it falls in a green belt as marked in the Noida Masterplan of 2017. Though the main hospital building is being constructed on land marked for utility and facility, at least 100 fully grown trees had to be felled to make way for the parking lot.

Though two saplings had been planted against each tree that had to be cut  the cost of which was borne by the hospital  the NGT found that none of the plants eventually survived. Though the hospital had denied that it adversely affected the environment, the NGT bench on Friday found disturbances and ordered the Noida Authority to plant saplings 15 times the number of trees felled. The cost will have to be borne by the hospital.

The hospital is a branch of Kailash Healthcare chain of hospitals, which is owned by the minister of state for environment, forests and Mahesh Sharma. It has branches in Noida Sector 27, Jewar and Greater Noida. This is the fourth branch of the chain in Gautam Budh Nagar.

The Authority has at several places compromised green areas for development work. While Noida braves major pollution issues and depleting groundwater, such development work poses a high risk to the environment, environmentalist Vikrant Tongad, an applicant to the NGT in the case, said.

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The green court has asked the Noida Authority to plant 1,500 trees of endemic variety. The hospital has been directed to create three pits for rainwater harvesting in way of compensating for the erosion of groundwater caused by the construction of the parking lot. The court has, however, ruled out an appeal to demolish the parking lot. The plantation drive would be supervised by the forest department of Gautam Budh Nagar and the Authority would have to file a report to the principal chief conservator of forests.

Repeated calls to minister Sharma for a reaction went unanswered. The Kailash Hospital authorities also declined comment on the order.
A 26-year-old Taiwan man has now learnt to live with a memory disorder with help of notebooks. He is known as the notebook guy as he keeps writing everything.

Nine years ago, Chen seriously damaged his hippocampus, a part of the brain associated with forming memories, in a traffic accident. He has lost the ability to make and retain short-term memories. Instead, he painstakingly records his days in lined notebooks, crammed with entries in blue ink.

"I use the notebook to remember who I helped today, how much farm work I did, whether there was rain ... the notebook is my memory," said Chen, who lives with his stepmother, Wang Miao-cyong, 65, in a remote village in Hsinchu County, northwestern Taiwan.

reuters

"I once lost one of my notebooks. I was so sad that I was crying and asked my dad to help me find it." Since his father died four years ago, Chen and his stepmother have lived on a government disability allowance and a small income they get from farming fruit and vegetables, which they barter with neighbours, some of whom call Chen "notebook boy".

Dr Lin Ming-teng, head of the psychiatry department at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, said Chen has made remarkable progress despite his extensive brain damage. "From the X-ray, we can see a large part of his brain in black - these are the sections that were operated on after the traffic accident," Lin said.

"After losing such a substantial portion of his brain, it is quite amazing for him to achieve what he is doing now," Lin said, adding that Chen could only remember things he had done in the last five to 10 minutes.

Lin said the damage had also affected Chen's ability to receive and process information. "This has an effect on his relationship with his mother, too, as sometimes his mother cannot get over the fact that he forgets things," Lin said.

Chen with his mother.

Wang longs to go back to her hometown in Indonesia, but she feels she cannot leave Chen alone. "If I leave, who will take care of my son? I can't imagine his future after I die." For now, Chen's notebooks allow him to preserve some semblance of order in his life.

"October 26 go to Beipu alone, Chen clan organisation, go find a phone, go Catholic church, Citian Temple, 10:38 ZZZ", reads one poignant note about a day he spent searching for, and praying to find, his lost mobile phone. Ten days later, he found his phone, documenting the find in his notebook, of course.
Taking note of several reports which indicated a decrease in the recruitment of women workers owing to an increase in maternity leaves, the government has decided to pay 50 per cent of the salary of 14 weeks to women on maternity leave.

Earlier, under the Maternity Benefit Act, women were given paid leave for 12 weeks which was extended to 26 weeks after an amendment in March 2017.

Taking off some monetary burden from the employers, the government decided to dutch in by paying 50 per cent salary to women on maternity leave for the extended 14 weeks.

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According to Women and Child Development Ministry sources, an official level meeting was held on Wednesday with the Labour Ministry where it was proposed that the unutilised amount of cess will be used to reimburse the maternity benefit.

As per 28th report of the Standing Committee on Labour on "Cess funds and their utilization for workers' welfare", Rs. 32,632.95 crore has been collected as cess out of which Rs. 7,516.52 crore has been utilized as on March 31, 2017.

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"The pending amount has been decided to be utilized for the maternity benefit scheme. The disbursement of the amount will be done by the state authority under the direction of the Labour Ministry," a WCD official said.

Any women with a monthly salary of above Rs. 15,000 will be eligible for the benefit.

As per sources, the initiative was taken by the WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi after her Ministry received several reports that noted a decrease in the percentage of labour participation among women in offices, especially corporate sectors, owing to the extension of maternity leaves.

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"We came across many cases where either the women was asked to leave the office owing to maternity or faced troubles in resuming office after leave. Adhering to all these issues, our (WCD) Minister Maneka Gandhi had approached the Labour Ministry who agreed to the concern and suggested to use the unutilized cess fund," the official said.

As per WCD, a notification on official level will be soon released, to be adhered by both public and private companies.
Canada's postal service issued a plea on Friday for the rest of the world to stop sending in mail as its striking workers rejected the latest contract offer.

Canada Post, facing a huge delivery backlog as the labor unrest looked set to enter a fifth week, recently sweetened its offer to staff in a last-ditch effort to bring the rotating strikes to an end.

This followed a warning from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that his government was prepared to step in to settle the labor dispute ahead of the upcoming holiday season.

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His government has faced pressure from online retailers including eBay to legislate an end to the strike before the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events, which start on November 23.

But a spokeswoman for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers told AFP the offer, due to expire on Saturday, was "unsatisfactory" and the union "will not be presenting it to members."

Canada Post, meanwhile, said a backlog of deliveries that coincided with the start of the strike on October 22 has now extended to mail entering the country.

ap

"As a result, we have been forced to advise international posts, including the United States Postal Service, that we are unable to accept incoming items until further notice," it said in an email.

The two sides have been in contract negotiations for nearly one year, with no success.

The rotating strikes have so far impacted more than 200 communities, including major cities Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver.

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In Toronto alone, a record 260 trailers of parcels and packets were waiting to be unloaded, while in Vancouver more than 100 trailers were parked outside its plant.

Canada Post delivers two-thirds of the nation's online shopping and the last six weeks of the year are its busiest due to the holiday rush.
An Indonesian woman who had exposed her cheating and womaniser boss has been slapped with a six-month jail term. The shocking ruling by the Indonesian Supreme Court overturned an earlier court decision that had cleared the woman, Baiq Nuril Maknun, of breaking a controversial law against spreading indecent material.

"I'm saddened and shocked by this sentence," Maknun's husband Lalu Muhamad Isnaini said Friday in reaction to the ruling, which was issued last week.

The case dates back to 2012 when Maknun recorded a conversation in which the principal of the school where she worked on the island of Lombok revealed graphic sexual details about an affair he was having with another colleague.

Co-workers of the school administrator -- who herself had rebuffed the principal's repeated advances -- later convinced Maknun to release the recording in a bid to expose the man's history of lecherous behaviour, according to her lawyer Joko Jumadi.

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"The principal shared very graphic details about his affair with the school's treasurer in the recording," he told AFP.

In response, the principal fired Maknun and filed a complaint with authorities.

Maknun was initially cleared of the charges by a local court in Lombok, next to holiday hotspot Bali.

But, last Friday, Indonesia's top court reversed that decision, finding her guilty of violating the electronic information law and sentencing her to six months' jail along with a 500 million rupiah ($34,000) fine.

The 36-year-old Maknun told local reporters that the ruling was unfair.

"I'm just a victim -- what did I do wrong?" she said at the time.

The court did not give reasons for its verdict.
Chinese video game publisher Tencent, which also owns PUBG Mobile, has just been given access to the country's national citizen database.

They're expected to use the data to implement age restrictions on their games, under pressure from the government.

Images courtesy: Reuters

China has long since been attempting to tackle gaming addiction. Last year, after a government mandate, Tencent began implementing restrictions on its most popular game, a MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) called 'Honour of Kings'. Players under the age of 18 are limited to just two hours of play a day, while those under 12 are limited to just one hour.

Tencent is the world's biggest game publisher, based in the world's biggest gaming market. So the Chinese government has provided them with access to their national database, in order to help police how much time people spend on their games. This new access will allow Tencent to verify a person's age in real-time when they sign up for an account to play Honour of Kings, so kids can't lie about how old they are in order to play longer.

According to the company, the new restrictions will be implemented in 2019 for all of its most popular games, which likely also includes PUBG mobile. It won't affect you obviously, seeing as you're not registered in China.

This move has been met with criticism in the country though. While some laud the government's efforts to tackle gaming addiction, it also raises the question of players' privacy, not to mention their freedom.
As far as billionaires go, Li Ka-shing isn't too high up on the list of richest.

With an estimated net worth of about $37 billion, he's only the 23rd richest person in the world. Yet, he's part of the reason many tech companies are so successful today.

Images courtesy: Reuters

Despite his current success, Li was born as the humble son of a school principal in southern China in 1928. After his family fled to Hong Kong during the Japanese invasion in 1940, Li began work at an uncle's plastic watch-strap company at age 12, even dropping out of school to help support the family.

By 1950, at just 22 years old, Li had risen from salesman to manager at one of his uncle's factories. He then took all his experience and set up a company of his own, manufacturing plastic toys and flowers. When refugees from China's civil war began streaming into the country that same year, Li made the smart decision to snatch up all the commercial real estate he could, setting up another empire in the process. By now, he had already begun proving himself an entrepreneurial genius.

The 1960s' technology boom in China only served to boost Li's company even further, even launching its IPO a few years later. Over the next decade, his ability to see and make profitable deals earned him the nickname "Superman". By the early 90s, Li controlled much of the real estate market, shipping, electric utilities, and telecom networks in Hong Kong.

But that's when he really went big.

Tackling Tech

It was in 2006 that Li, having realised the prominence of the tech industry, opened a venture capital company named Horizons Ventures. A year later, the company made its first of many incredibly profitable investments; they put $60 million into a company barely three years old. That little startup was Facebook. The company would later go on to invest $60 million more.

Since then, Li's firm has invested more than $240 million in various startups all over the globe. He also invested another $50 million Spotify later in 2009. And between 2009 and early 2010, Li Ka-shing was part of a $15.5 million round of financing for Siri Inc. Just two months after Siri debuted on the iOS App Store, Apple acquired it for a hefty sum.

At age 90 now, Li retired from Horizon Ventures earlier this year in favour of his eldest son taking over. He still remains the senior advisor however. Under him, the company has made investments in great successes like Slack, Spotify, and many more.

And it's because of his foresight that we have modern marvels like Facebook. Ok so, maybe we have some mixed feelings about that particular one?
In our fast-paced life, we often tend to forget that sacrifices, toil and hard work our parents have put in to bring us up. And there's nothing more rewarding than the moment when you get to thank them for all the hours they dedicated to us.

Here's a story of a boy who did the something extra special to thank his parents.

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In a Humans of Bombay post, this man talks about how his father dedicated every minute of his life for the family. His father worked as a farmer but ensured that his kids were well educated and even went to the extent of borrowing money to pay for their fees.

"My first year in college, he had to borrow money for my exam fees again. I couldnt let him do that this time. I felt like a burden. So I dropped out," he told Humans of Bombay.

Also Read: Cab Driver Tells Humans of Bombay Story Of How He Changed A Young Girl's Life Forever In 10 Minutes

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After dropping out of college he had to find a way to earn money. After a lot of fails, he landed a job at a popular furniture retail store called Pepperfry.

He got to a point where he was able to fund his brother's education and save money for his sister's wedding. In a span of just a few months, he got promoted to a Service Officer. Following this, he also decided to return to college.

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I convinced my supervisor to allow me to attend college once a week. Every Wednesday, I attend college and in a year, Ill get a bachelors degree. Ill have achieved my fathers dream.

He is now planning to buy a bike for his father with his savings and plans to surprise him with a place he has rented to open a dairy.

Inspiring!

Read the full post below:

Also Read: Humans Of Bombay's Heartwarming Valentine's Day Post Is A Perfect Ode To Old School Romance
In a heartbreaking incident, labourer Mohammad Sultan from Jammu and Kashmir was forced to carry his two-year-old dead son's body in a local bus after being denied ambulance.

reuters

According to a News 18 report, the man carried his son named Manan was carried through Thursday night and Friday morning till it reached Kishtwar.

Soon after he arrived, people who were left miffed with the incident started a protest.

Also Read: Woman Gives Birth In A Moving Bus After She Was Denied Ambulance By MP Hospital

Mohammad Sultan's nephew shared details of the ordeal with News 18, he said: "We spent 12 hours with a dead baby in a bid to take him home for burial."

Kishtwar the place where Sultan and his nephew, still suffers a serious lack of medical facilities. In a bid to save the child they travelled all the way to the main city hospital, but the eight-hour long journey cost little Manan's life.

They had to discreetly take the body of a dead baby wrapped in a blanket in the bus.

Hussian said that on Thursday morning they took Manan to Kishtwar hospital after he started feeling drowsy at his home in Kucchal village.

Manan was administered some medicines at the hospital, but when he did not show any improvement, we were told his condition had deteriorated. The doctors told us that the baby was suffering from acute pneumonia. They referred him to Jammu childrens hospital, he said.

Kishtwar deputy commissioner Angrez Singh Rana negligence is what led to this poor kid's death.

Also Read: UP Farmer's Son Denied Ambulance By Hospital, Family Carries Body On Motorbike

Youtube

The report states that Sajjad Ahmed Najjar, a local councillor, flayed the district administration and demanded that Rana and the hospital administrators be suspended or shifted out of Kishtwar.

The protestors have demanded that the police register an FIR against Rana, his deputy and hospital officials for carelessness.
A quirky parrot named Jazz in England sparked an emergency visit from firefighters with his imitation of the fire alarm. When alerted, the firefighters waste no time to reach the location. So, thanks to Jazz, the team reached the spot only to realise there was no fire anywhere.

(Read more: Badass Parrot Gets Stranded On Roof For Three Days, Abuses Firefighters Trying To Rescue It)

According to several reports, Steve Dockerty, 63, was taken aback when fire crews banged on his door investigating the source of a blaze at his property at around 3.45pm.

Watch Commander Norman James said: In some properties, smoke alarms are monitored by an alarm-receiving company. When an alarm is activated, they endeavour to make contact with the resident to establish whether there is a fire or if it is a false activation.

On this occasion, it appears that while the monitoring company were on the phone to the householder, they could hear a continued alarm in the background and notified the fire service as a precaution.

(Read more: UP Man Performs Last Rites For Pet Parrot He Had 'Adopted' & Treated Better Than His Own Son)

When we arrived at the property, the householder assured us there was no fire and we checked and cleaned the smoke alarms to try and prevent further activation.

"While we were doing this, we could still hear an alarm in the background and soon realised it was African Grey parrot Jazz continuing to do his excellent impression of a smoke alarm!"

Jazz the pet parrot/screen grab

Incident 15:45 False alarm - this was caused by a parrot impersonating the smoke alarm at a property #Daventry  NorthantsFire (@northantsfire) 14 November 2018

17-year-old "Jazz" is one of Dockerty's two pet birds. In the end: the smoke alarm had gone off incorrectly the first time, and was then mimicked twice by one of the birds, reports the BBC.

Clearly, parrots can be tricky pets to keep.
Actor Amitabh Bachchan along with his wife Jaya Bachchan at the launch of author Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi's book "The Rabbit and The Squirrel" in Mumbai on Nov. 15. (IANS photo)
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Former Southern Illinois University student Pravin Varughese was found dead in the woods near Carbondale, Ill., on Feb. 18, 2014. Gaege Bethune, the last person to see the Indian American youth alive, was found guilty of murder by a jury in July, but a judge vacated the jurys decision. Pravins mother Lovely Varughese told India-West: We have a convicted murderer, but were letting him wander freely. Im just disgusted by this. (Facebook photo)
Where Does the Bloodbath Stop? Blue Line Futures - 1 hour ago Actionable fundamental and technical landscape for Crude, Gold, Silver and more . . .

Do These Reversals Have Legs? Blue Line Futures - 1 hour ago Actionable fundamental and technical landscape on ES, NQ, YM, RTY and more . . .

Hogs Higher, NASS Shows Pork Supplies Continue Tight Barchart - 1 hour ago Front month lean hog futures were higher on Monday, closing the session with 32 to 90 cent gains. USDAs National Average Afternoon Base hog price for Monday was 4 cents weaker to $54.91. The WCB quote... HEZ21 : 74.650s (+1.22%) HEJ22 : 87.750s (+0.46%) KMZ21 : 91.600s (+1.44%)

Powell Reappointment Doesn't Help either Market Tea Leaves - Tue Nov 23, 5:37AM CST The Powell reappointment didn't have the desired effect on the markets that perhaps it should. What can we expect today?
Theory of Asymmetric Information in Economics: Overview

The economic theory of asymmetric information was developed in the 1970s and 1980s as a plausible explanation for market failures. The theory proposes that an imbalance of information between buyers and sellers can lead to market failure.

Market failure, to economists, means an inefficient distribution of goods and services in a free market, in which prices are determined by the law of supply and demand.

Understanding Asymmetric Information Theory

Three economists were particularly influential in developing and writing about the theory of asymmetric information: George Akerlof, Michael Spence, and Joseph Stiglitz. The three shared the Nobel Prize in economics in 2001 for their contributions.

Key Takeaways Asymmetric information theory suggests that sellers may possess more information than buyers, skewing the price of goods sold.

The theory argues that low-quality and high-quality products can command the same price, given a lack of information on the buyer's side.

Others argue that ignorance of the facts is not a given, as wary buyers have access to information on demand.

Akerlof first argued about information asymmetry in a 1970 paper entitled "The Market for 'Lemons': Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism." In this paper, Akerlof asserted that car buyers possess different information than car sellers, giving the sellers an incentive to sell goods of poor quality without lowering the price to compensate for the inferiority.

Akerlof uses the colloquial term lemons to refer to bad cars. He argues that buyers often do not have the information to distinguish a lemon from a good car. Thus, sellers of good cars cannot get better-than-average market prices for their products.

This argument is similar to Gresham's law about money circulation, which argues that poor quality money triumphs over better money. That theory has faced considerable opposition.

The Hiring Gamble

Michael Spence added to the debate with a 1973 paper "Job Market Signaling." Spence maintains that new hires are uncertain investments for any company. That is, the employer cannot be certain of a candidate's productive capabilities. Spence compares the hiring process to a lottery.

Real-world market research has called into question the validity of information asymmetry theory.

In this case, Spence identifies the information asymmetries between employers and employees.

It was Stiglitz, however, who brought information asymmetry to mainstream acceptance. Using a theory of market screening, he authored or co-authored several papers, including significant work on asymmetry in the insurance markets.

Through Stiglitz's work, asymmetric information was placed into contained general equilibrium models to describe negative externalities that price out the bottom of markets. For instance, the health insurance premium needed to cover high-risk individuals causes all premiums to rise, forcing low-risk individuals away from their preferred insurance policies.

Empirical Evidence and Challenges

Market research over the years has called into question the existence or the practical duration of asymmetric information causing market failure. Real-life analysis has been offered by economists including Erik Bond (for the truck market, in 1982), Cawley and Philipson (on life insurance, in 1999), Tabarrok (on dating and employment, in 1994), and Ibrahimo and Barros (on capital structure, in 2010).

Little positive correlation between insurance and risk occurrence has been observed in real markets, for instance. One possible explanation is that individuals do not usually have expert information about their own risk types, while insurance companies have actuarial life tables and significantly more experience in predicting risk.

Challenging the Facts

Other economists, such as Bryan Caplan at George Mason University, point out that not everyone is in the dark in real markets. Insurance companies aggressively seek underwriting services, for example.

Caplan also suggests that models based on the ignorance of one party are flawed, given the availability of information from third parties such as Consumer Reports, Underwriters Laboratory, CARFAX, and the credit bureaus.

Economist Robert Murphy suggests that government intervention can prevent prices from accurately reflecting known information, which can cause market failure. For example, a car insurance company might be forced to raise all premiums equally if it cannot base its price decisions on an applicant's gender, age, or driving history.
Anyone fearing a Brexit- induced house-market crash in the UK would do well to remember one simple fact: The country isnt even close to keeping up with demand for new homes.

While a sharp drop in their shares during the week showed that homebuilders arent immune to uncertainty over the UKs economic future, figures released the same day may be more important.

They show that construction continues to lag behind the UK governments targets, suggesting that a failure to meet demand will buoy the market for some time to come.

UK homebuilders edged lower yesterday.

The three of the biggest companies in the British industry  Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey, and Barratt Developments  had all fallen by more than 7% on the previous day.

The shares are still trading, however, above the lows reached in 2016.

We cant ignore there are some headwinds caused by the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, said Grainne Gilmore, head of residential research at broker Knight Frank.

However, the mismatch between supply and demand in many parts of the country  particularly in urban areas  will continue to be one of the factors underpinning home prices in the UK, she said.

Limited access to land, increasing construction costs, and a slow planning process mean that homebuilders have failed to deliver enough properties for at least a decade.

To address the problem, the British government last year announced an annual target of 300,000 homes.

Yet neither developers nor organisations such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors believe thats achievable.

So far, theyve been proved right.

During the week, the UK Housing Ministry reported annual delivery of 222,190 net additions to the UKs stock of homes during the 12 months through April.

Thats only a slight improvement on the previous year.

The problem is especially acute in London, where net additions fell about 20% from a year ago to 31,723 units, less than half the 65,000 units pledged by mayor Sadiq Khan in his effort to convince voters he could solve the citys chronic housing shortage.

Home prices in the capital have risen by almost two thirds over the past decade, according to data from the UK Office for National Statistics.

The average rent, meanwhile, stands at 1,619 (1,839), compared with an average of 768 (872) in the rest of the UK.

- Bloomberg
Glen Hansard was on The Late Late Show last night and he told Ryan Tubridy about how the Apollo House movement came to be.

He explained how for him, personally, he became more aware of Ireland's homelessness crisis.

He said: "Sitting around with friends talking about this stuff or just walking around Dublin noticing more and more people on the streets and having to pass people by and having to make that awful decision not to give.

"I was doing the Christmas gigs, and busking, but realised it wasn't enough."

Hansard then explained where the spirit of the Apollo House movement originated.

He said: "There's an Irish word 'meitheal' which doesn't really have a direct translation but it's more like gathering.

"If you have John-joe's shed fallen down the people of the village get together and they help build John-Joe's shed back up, which is a kind of transaction there, but it's never really called on. It's just communal energy to try and fix something that doesn't seem to be getting fixed."

You can hear him explain it to Ryan in the video below.

Staying with Ireland's housing crisis, Ryan then had a panel talking about the rental crisis in the country.

He had Room To Improve host Dermot Bannon, Karl Deeter of Irish Mortgage Brokers, and Linda Daly, editor of the Sunday Times property supplement, Move, on the panel.

Mr Deeter explained the three classic ways to become wealthy in Ireland, and why younger generations are giving up hope that they will ever own a home.

He said: "They're doing other things with their money, they're valuing experiences more."
Irish Water has revealed it has received 125 complaints in relation to connection charges applied to new builds over the past year  but all were rejected.

Responding to a Freedom of Information request, Irish Water said it had received 6,488 applications to connect to the water and or wastewater network over the past 12 months.

The lowest charge for new build in the period has been for 10, as exemptions were applied as per local authority charges, while the highest charge for new build was 1.18m for a multi-unit residential development application.

Last month, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) published a report outlining a new connection charge process, based on Irish Water proposals, that would reduce considerably the fees payable by the majority of households seeking to connect to the mains supply.

The FOI response provided to the Irish Examiner said: Irish Water has received 125 complaints and escalations in relation to connection process. The customer has the right to escalate the complaint to the CRU. Irish Water has had eight CRU complaints regarding connection charges in the past 12 months. To date all have been deemed as correctly calculated and charged by Irish Water.

Irish Water and the CRU recognise the inconsistencies and unfairness of the current charging model and CRU directed Irish Water to complete a review of these charges and propose an enduring Connection Charging Policy.

Last January, the CRU launched a 10-week consultation on a national connection charging policy proposed by Irish Water. Having published a position paper on it last month, it is expected that a new connection charging policy will apply nationally from early next year, replacing the current interim connection charging regimes.

Irish Water said it is currently running a business as usual approach to the connections charging process, meaning that, if planning permission was granted pre-2014, Irish Water invoices and collect the Works Fee element of the charge only. If planning permission was granted post-2014, Irish Water invoices and collects all infrastructure fees.

The utility said there are currently 57 different charging regimes with more than 900 different connection charges across the 31 local authorities and that all charging regimes have different methods for calculating connection charges, including different structures and customer classifications.

It said that the methodology for calculating the charges can vary significantly and may include a per unit charge regardless of floor area, a per unit charge based on total floor areas, a range of floor areas, or a per dwelling equivalent for business customers.

A charge can also be based on the level of service provided by the local authority.
Government departments have only just begun consideration of how to provide continued supports to survivors of institutional child abuse after the Caranua fund is wound up.

The inter-departmental committee led by the Department of Education is to consider how best to ensure those who have been affected by the issue receive all available supports.

The closure of applications to the statutory fund run by Caranua from August was announced in May. The fund provides assistance with housing, health, education and other supports.

Details of the deliberations were provided on Thursday to the Oireachtas education committee. It said that complaints continue to be received about the treatment of survivors by Caranua.

As reported in yesterdays Irish Examiner, committee chair Fiona OLoughlin TD said they are likely to seek an independent investigation of the organisation in a forthcoming report.

Ned Costello, principal officer in the Department of Educations residential institutional redress unit, said the committee which convenes a number of departments met for the first time on November 5 and will meet again next month.

What we are doing as a starting point is basically to compile an inventory of all of the various State services and supports that may be of relevance to survivors, he said.

And also to look at issues like signposting, and whether those services are sufficiently attuned, and how survivors can best be directed to those services and benefit from them.

While advocacy groups for institutional abuse survivors were not surprised by Caranuas announcement in May that it would be closing to new applications, they called at the time for work to ensure that those they represent could continue to be assisted by the State.

The committee heard that a legal challenge has been instigated against the 15,000 limit set by Caranua on the amount it can pay to individual claimants.

TDs and senators were also told that it will now be early next year before the Christian Brothers pay the final outstanding amount to the fund. It still owes over 8m but was awaiting the proceeds of the sale of playing fields at Clonkeen College in Blackrock, Dublin to meet its full commitment to the residential institutions statutory fund.

Caranua has made payments totalling 78m to around 5,000 applicants, hundreds of whom are believed to have received assistance more than once.

But its requests for final applications during the summer resulted in 230 first-time applicants coming forward and there are currently 2,365 applications still to be finalised.
By Fiona Ryan

This week Rosa, the socialist feminist movement, an organisation I have been a part of long before I was a city councillor, called a rally in Cork after disgraceful details of a Central Criminal Court case held in Cork emerged.

During closing arguments, a barrister advised the jury to consider how the complainant was dressed and specifically referred to her lacy thong.

The case struck a chord with people of all ages, from the women who marched in the 70s and paved the way for the emergence of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, to the young Repealers, a generation who became politicised over the countrys struggle for abortion rights.

The solidarity from men has also been widespread, with many disgusted at the unfortunately common tactics used in cases relating to sexual violence.

Why then, with what seems to be political and public agreement that things must change, are we still in a situation where rape myths remain the go-to tactic for defence barristers and solicitors? The reality is that while much public anger has been directed at Elizabeth OConnell, the barrister in question, she represents a single cog in a fundamentally dysfunctional machine. In the absence of guidelines for judges to refer to in order to disallow victim-blaming comments, more often than not these comments are allowed to proceed, regardless of the damage this causes to confidence in the judiciary.

Indeed, even when judges take a stand, as in 2016, where Justice Patrick McCarthy would not allow the fact that a 15-year-old plaintiff was using contraception to be used as evidence against her, it can backfire. The eight-year conviction in that case was quashed precisely because Justice McCarthy did not allow for evidence that he correctly described as degrading.

A review into what reforms can be implemented is under way, chaired by Tom OMalley, whose findings are due by December 31. There is no public consultation as part of this review. Urgent and radical reform is needed and other jurisdictions can point the way forward.

In South Africa, after struggling to deal with low conviction rates and low reporting by victims of sexual violence, a range of changes to how cases are dealt with was implemented. Changes include special training for both judges and law enforcement officials, allowing victims to give testimony outside the courtroom environment. Since then, the rate of successful convictions has risen.

However, the inaction of the past should serve as an important lesson to all those who marched last Wednesday and the many who couldnt join but showed solidarity with tackling the institutional misogyny at the heart of this case. The political instinct will usually be towards the least disruptive, and therefore least effective, reform particularly when it comes to our justice system, which is very resistant to change.

Barristers are able to introduce these outdated, backwards arguments because they are playing on prejudices that exist in society and find them effective.

The reality is that a mans boxer shorts or the fact that he used hair gel before heading out for an evening would not be used as evidence of consent.

While Ireland has seen enormous changes among the broader population on questions relating to sex and sexuality, our political and legal institutions can be slow to catch up.

All sections of the political establishment agreed on the need for strong sex education during the Repeal referendum. However, in the aftermath, feet are dragging, excuses are raised, and nothing has changed. We need to fight to ensure secular, evidence-based sexual education is provided in our schools, with consent at the heart and foundation of its curriculum.

International Womens Day has become a global focus point for feminist and socialist movements and has become a day of action in recent years.

International Womens Day 2019 has huge potential to be a crucial rallying point. Could we have national protests, workplace walkouts, even strike action?

A day of action for equality and against victim-blaming would send a strong message to a slow and moribund political establishment that only acts when sufficient pressure is applied.

Recently, Google employees showed the way with mass walkouts against sexual harassment in the workplace.

This fury that emerged this week may only be the beginning. The great slavery abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, said: If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Lets make International Womens Day 2019 the largest yet.

Fiona Ryan is a Rosa activist and Cork City councillor.
Following international coverage of protests sparked by comments about a girls underwear during a rape trial first reported in the Irish Examiner, we ask a law expert and an activist to examine the issues.

This case offers an opportunity to re-evaluate our attitudes towards consent and rape, writes Susan Leahy.

The controversy surrounding the comments made about a rape complainants underwear in a recent rape trial brings concerns about the treatment of complainants in rape trials to the fore once more.

Such an overt attempt to rely on prejudicial, victim-blaming stereotypes about victims asking for it is entirely inappropriate.

Prior to this story, one might safely have assumed that such direct efforts to unfairly discredit complainants were a thing of the past; that, in modern Irish society, no-one would countenance the idea that what one was wearing might be indicative of consent to sexual activity.

The protests and negative commentary surrounding this case demonstrate a swell of support for this complainant, and for better treatment for rape complainants generally, clearly illustrating that such blatant attempts to victim-blame are unacceptable.

This case offers a chance to re-evaluate our attitudes towards consent and rape. This is especially important in the context of the introduction of a statutory definition of consent in the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 which, for the first time in Irish law, provided clarity regarding what constitutes valid consent to sexual activity.

Section 48 of the 2017 Act amends the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990 to provide a two-tier definition of consent, beginning with a positive statement that: A person consents to a sexual act if he or she freely and voluntarily agrees to engage in that act.

The second tier gives further guidance, listing eight situations where consent will automatically be deemed absent (e.g. where an individual submits as a result of the use or threat of force; where an individual is asleep or unconscious, or where an individual is mistaken about the nature or purpose of the act involved (e.g. believing it to be for medical purposes when it is really for the sexual gratification of the defendant)).

However, while legislative reform can provide clarity, it will not deliver improvements in the treatment of rape complainants in court or ensure jurors are not distracted in their deliberations by defence barristers attempts to rely on prejudicial, erroneous stereotypes about rape and rape victims. Indeed, research suggests barristers may not need to make overt attempts to awaken prejudice in jurors minds.

Some jurors may already be disposed to blaming victims or relying on stereotypical expectations as to what constitutes real rape.

A 2016 Eurobarometer survey of Irish attitudes to sexual violence showed that 24% of respondents thought that women are more likely to be raped by a stranger than someone they know, and 23% said women often make up or exaggerate claims of abuse or rape. Victim-blaming was also evident in the survey, with 11% of respondents believing that being drunk or on drugs may make having sexual intercourse without consent justified and 9% saying voluntarily going home with someone or wearing revealing, provocative, or sexy clothing could justify non-consensual sexual activity.

Statistics like these show that significant effort besides law reform is required so rape myths no longer hinder juror deliberations on the core issue in rape trials  whether the complainant was able to exercise genuine sexual choice.

What she wore, whether she had consumed alcohol, or even engaged in sexual activity with the defendant on a previous occasion cannot be taken as indicating consent, which must be given freely and is specific to each incident of sexual activity.

Our Governments next course of action should be to consider how to eliminate stereotypical attitudes about rape from our courts and Irish society more generally. This requires a much more sustained (and costly) effort than legislative reform.

All practitioners involved in rape trials must be trained so that barristers do not engage in behaviours that shame victims and compound the already traumatic experience of giving evidence in a rape trial. Judges also require training and a move towards specialist judges for these cases should be considered.

Any training programme developed for Irish barristers and judges involved in rape cases must be developed in accordance with best practice from other jurisdictions. Moreover, training must not be a one shot effort. Professionals involved in these cases should be provided with regular refresher training to ensure best practice is firmly established.

Hundreds march through #Cork city to the courthouse where a 17-year olds underwear was used by the defence barrister when addressing the jury in a rape trial #thisisnotconsent pic.twitter.com/4yqGcW6XPG  Fiona Corcoran (@fiona96fmnews) November 14, 2018

Admittedly, this is not an inexpensive or quick fix but it is a vital step to permanently eradicate the attitude problem which persistently blights rape trials.

The Government must also urgently turn its attention to a sustained investment in public awareness and education on consent and the realities of rape.

This is important not only to tackle rape myths but also as a preventative measure which educates everyone that consent to sexual activity must be effectively communicated and never assumed. Although such deep-seated attitude change is a long-term goal, in the short-term, while such attitudes still hold potential to influence rape trials, targeted intervention within such trials can be provided.

For example, judges should be given model jury directions which they can use to effectively direct the jury on both the legal definition of consent and on how to eliminate stereotypical thinking from deliberations.

"How do you think a rape victim or a woman feels at the incongruous setting of her underwear being shown in the courts?"



Minister Ruth Coppinger showed a thong to the Irish Parliament this week to highlight issues in rape trials. pic.twitter.com/7HtH7M5Af1 #ThisIsNotConsent  Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) November 16, 2018

Such directions can be created outside of legislation as a type of bench book guidance and have proved useful in England in helping judges with the difficult task of directing the jury to eliminate bias from their deliberations in a way which does not interfere with the defendants fair trial rights.

The next steps in tackling the attitude problem in rape trials require significant Governmental thought and investment.

There are no easy solutions and, while some further legislative reform would be helpful, legal changes do not hold the key to tackling the attitude problem in either our courtrooms or society.

This week, the protests on our streets demonstrate that the public demands change. The initiatives discussed here must be effectively delivered by our political leaders if rape victims are to receive justice in this jurisdiction.

Dr Susan Leahy is a lecturer in Law, University of Limerick and the co-author of Sexual Offending in Ireland: Laws, Procedures and Punishment.
The Government has confirmed plans to commission a second SAVI report into sexual violence.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said he will bring proposals to Cabinet by the end of the month.

The first SAVI report was an in-depth look at sexual abuse and violence in Ireland and was published in 2002.

Minister Flanagan said the new report will cost around 1m and will take two years to complete.

He said: "Very concerned about recent reports of cases in that area. I'm very concerned when it's put to me that women who follow up on sexual crimes are described as brave and courageous. That should not be the case.

"Every crime should be reported, should be investigated and should be followed through on."
A climate action protest will take place in Dublin City Centre this afternoon.

There are calls for immediate government action on climate change, habitat destruction, and the over-exploitation of natural resources.

The protest is a display of solidarity with the Extinction Rebellion movement in the UK.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan says Ireland needs to tackle the issue of climate change.

He said: "They did our initial event three weeks ago in London and they set this date as the big day when they are having a major protest in London.

"They are arranging all sorts of non-violent, non-direct actions and in solidarity with that, various organisations here say we need to say the same things and be seen to show the same message in Ireland."
By Noel Baker and Ann OLoughlin

The HSE has been asked by the president of the High Court to outline the steps it will take to ensure the continuation of care placements for vulnerable Irish citizens placed in UK facilities post-Brexit  including those traumatised by sexual abuse.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly asked the general solicitor for wards of court to write to the HSE regarding the matter.

He had said there was a big question mark over the status of orders made under European law and had concerns about a gridlock which meant some people were waiting for beds in the UK because Ireland does not have the facilities to treat them.

Earlier this week Mr Justice Kelly said the HSE had been unable to find beds for several wards of court in specialised facilities in the UK. He also raised concerns over the uncertainty around these placements caused by Brexit. Yesterday, he said Ireland should be able to look after our own sick in our own hospitals and our own facilities.

Patricia Hickey, general solicitor for wards of court, said she was unaware of any plans by the HSE to provide specialised services here similar to those in the UK.

The court heard there are about 10 wards of court, including several children, in UK facilities. They include people with severe anorexia and those severely traumatised by sexual abuse.

Latest Tusla figures show that by last August, 20 Irish children were in out-of-state placements, whereas the total last year was 17. It is understood that a number of those placements have been in the St Andrews Healthcare specialist service in Northampton in England.

Hiqa reports issued this week highlighted how existing special care facilities in Ballydowd and Crannog Nua are not currently being used, and Tusla said it has had difficulty in recruiting staff who might be qualified to work in these units.

It is understood that an increasing number of children have been placed out-of-state under wardship. Placements in other jurisdictions are underpinned by Brussels II regulations. Senior legal sources told the Irish Examiner that while there is pressure on beds in some UK facilities, that is not necessarily down to Brexit uncertainty.

However, one difficulty is that out-of-state placements tend to be longer than those experienced by children in Irish facilities  meaning Mr Justice Kelly could face a situation where he is asked to make an order regarding a child that could extend after Britain leaving the EU.

An order granted by the High Court here is typically rubberstamped by a court in London in cases where an Irish child is placed in a UK facility.

There is certainly long waiting lists for certain services, one legal source said, adding that Brexit does not help.
This country should be able to look after our own sick in our own hospitals and facilities and not have to send those who need specialised services to the UK, the High Court president has said.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly made the remarks earlier this week after being told the HSE had been unable so far to find beds for a number of wards of court in specialised facilities in the UK.

A stage of gridlock had been reached in that regard, the court heard.

The judge also expressed concern about the uncertainty surrounding Brexit for wards of court who are placed in the UK by orders of the UK courts grounded on European legislation.

There is a big question mark about the status of orders made under European legislative instruments and it is not satisfactory at all the HSE has not to date outlined its plans for wards post Brexit, he said.

Patricia Hickey, general solicitor for wards of court, said she will write immediately to the HSE in that regard.

She also said she was unaware of any plans by the HSE to provide specialised services here similar to those available in the UK.

Mr Justice Kelly said he had been told over months and months that such provision was being considered but he doubted there was a strong plan.

Ms Hickey agreed to make inquiries of the HSE and report back to the court.

The court has heard there are disputes between psychiatrists and other professionals over whether it is better to send wards to the specialised UK services or to create bespoke services for them here.

As of now, there are about 10 wards of court, including a number of children, in UK facilities. They include people with severe anorexia, others severely traumatised by sexual abuse and others considered a risk to themselves and others.

When told that a particular facility where a number of wards are placed has no bed available for a very troubled teenage girl, the judge said the situation underlines we dont have specialised facilities here to look after people who need them.

While the UK facility has facilitated the court up to now in finding places for wards, we should be able to look after our own sick in our own hospitals and our own facilities, said Mr Justice Kelly.

The UK facilities are working at capacity and places are not available and may not be in the future, he added.

The issues arose in cases including of a very troubled and vulnerable girl considered to be a serious suicide risk whom Ms Hickey said could not return home because of a disturbed family background and who remains in a hospital unit because no suitable placement has been found for her.

Ms Hickey asked Mr Justice Kelly to continue orders detaining the girl in the hospital and adjourn the matter for three weeks so the HSE could devise a care plan.

The judge said the matter was grim but he had no option but to make the orders.
The Department of Justice is calculating payments for the newly expanded Magdalene redress scheme on the basis that no child under the age of 12 years of age worked in a Magdalene Laundry unless it can be proven otherwise.

The claim in an addendum to the scheme comes despite the existence of clear evidence of children as young as nine having been admitted to Magdalene Laundries.

The redress scheme was widened following an Ombudsman report in November 2017, which found the department had wrongly refused some Magdalene laundry survivors access to redress payments and that the scheme had been maladministered by the Department of Justice.

Outlining the scale of lump sum payments planned as part of the widened scheme, the addendum states that these are to be calculated on the basis that no child under 12 years of age worked in a Magdalene laundry, unless an applicant provides evidence of such work before she reached the age of 12 years.

The department declined to say on what evidence it was basing this claim but said it is open to an applicant to provide evidence that she worked in a Magdalene Laundry before she reached the age of 12 years.

It does not therefore prohibit work under the age of 12 being included in the calculation of the work element of the lump sum payment, said a statement.

The McAleese Report states that the youngest known entrant to a Magdalene Laundry was nine years old, while the Justice For Magdalenes Research Group also submitted survivor testimony of girls as young as 11 years old being admitted to Magdalene Laundries.

It has also been ascertained that at least one person was admitted to the An Grianan training centre attached to the High Park laundry at the age of 10 years old in the mid-1970s.

The senior research and policy officer at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and voluntary member of Justice for Magdalenes Research, Maeve ORourke, said the claim that no children aged younger than 12 worked in Magdalene Laundries was untrue and could only have come from the religious orders themselves.

The departments presumption that girls under 12 did not work in Magdalene Laundries must be based on evidence coming from the nuns. It is imperative that that evidence be made publicly known, and at the very least put before the survivors for their comment

Is the department accepting the nuns testimony as evidence? In the Ombudsmans report he noted that DOJ correspondence to the women is filled with phrases such as the Sisters have confirmed... the Sisters have verified, she said.

Ms ORourke said it was time for Magdalene survivors testimony to be accepted as evidence, for once and for all.

Charlie Flanagan needs to confirm that this will be the case. It is a tragedy that women have been dragged through five and a half years of further suffering since Enda Kennys apology.

The Department of Justice stressed that each application will be considered individually on its merits.

Any evidence available, whether from the woman herself, others, or the religious congregations will be considered in processing her application, said a statement
By Fiachra O Cionnaith and Juno McEnroe

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has for the first time admitted a hard border will be unavoidable if rebellious Brexiteers destroy the Brexit deal of British prime minister Theresa May and the EU, saying in a no-deal scenario it would be very difficult to avoid a hard border.

Mr Varadkar confirmed the worst-case scenario fears as he revealed the Government is planning for the high-risk fallout  and warned hard-line MPs it is take-it-or-leave-it time as the EU will not return to the talks table.

As Ms May was backed by five key cabinet members, while hard-line Brexiteers claimed they are near the 48 MPs needed to launch a no- confidence war, Mr Varadkar said the precipice is fast approaching.

The claim provoked a furious reaction from unionists, but the Taoiseach said if the deal  which will be voted on in the Dail on Wednesday  is torpedoed, it will be very difficult to avoid a hard Irish border.

In a no-deal scenario it would be very difficult to avoid a hard border, because Ireland would be asked to implement European law, he said.

Hard Brexiteers who say, somehow, with just good political will you can avoid a hard border, that doesnt really make any sense. Were continuing to make preparations for a no-deal Brexit. We have to do that, we have to be prudent.

The truth is no country can be fully prepared for a no-deal Brexit  it would be an extremely chaotic situation.

Noting demands for a new deal, Mr Varadkar said bluntly: I dont see much room for renegotiation as it is an agreement based on the best part of two years of talks and if you start trying to unpick it you might find the whole thing unravels.

Taoiseach says any attempt to renegotiate the draft Brexit agreement could see it unravel | https://t.co/SLl2hXurbV pic.twitter.com/TZuYbrWXZC  RTE News (@rtenews) November 16, 2018

Not disagreeing when asked if it is take-it-or-leave-it time, the Taoiseach threw down the gauntlet to Brexiteers by saying the only way to renegotiate is by delaying Brexit itself.

The Ulster Unionist Partys leader Robin Swann immediately hit out at the comments last night, warning Mr Varadkar if he continues to be aggressive he will raise the hackles of even the most mild-mannered of unionists.

However, Mr Varadkars claim was repeated by Tanaiste Simon Coveney, who said while it would be difficult to put forward an alternative [deal] that would prevent a hard border if the current agreement is shot down, we will do that if necessary if forced into that situation.

The Tanaiste rejected suggestions that hard border plans could include physical infrastructure but added: If it looks like we are heading towards a no- deal Brexit, of course there will have to be very direct conversations about how to avoid a hard border infrastructure. Thats not going to be an easy discussion.

The Irish Examiner can reveal that the Dail will hold a four-hour debate and vote next Wednesday on the Brexit deal. A senior Government source said a special deal motion will be tabled at Tuesdays Oireachtas business committee.

The Dail debate is not a Brexit requirement, as the deal only needs to be ratified by a special EU summit on Sunday week, Westminster next month, and the European Parliament early next year.

However, the Dail move would not only strengthen Irelands hand but will also open the way for Mr Varadkar to hold a snap general election if the Brexit deal is passed by London and Brussels  a situation which opponents suspect is the real vote motive.

Noting the knife-edge situation in London, Mr Coveney then took aim at Sinn Fein, saying: If this vote in Westminster is lost by two or three votes, and Sinn Fein are standing outside speaking to the media but not voting, I think people will rightly ask serious questions of them.
A man may have suffered life-changing injuries after being shot in Derry last night.

Detectives describe the shooting as a "paramilitary-style attack".

The man was shot a number of times at a house in the Rinsmore Drive area at about 9.10pm. He received wounds to his arms, legs and hands.

Police say he was also attacked with iron bars.

Detectives in Strand Road are appealing for information following a paramilitary style attack in Rinsmore Drive, Derry/L'derry last night. A man in his 30's was shot and beaten with iron bars. He was taken to hospital with potentially life changing injuries.  Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) November 17, 2018

They are appealing for witnesses to contact them.

- Digital Desk
A reality check is being provided to British politicians on what Brexit looks like, according to the Tanaiste.

Simon Coveney has said there is little room for any re-negotiation of the withdrawal agreement that was approved by the British cabinet this week.
Leo Varadkar has kickstarted Fine Gael's election campaign by pledging to cut income tax more if returned as Taoiseach, as he attacked the opposition for boom and bust economics of the past.

Mr Varadkar laid out fresh tax promises for the next five years if Fine Gael remains in power.

His comments to a 2,500-strong crowd at City West in Dublin came after sustained suggestions by ministers during the day that Fine Gael is election ready.

The Taoiseach outlined how Fine Gael in government over the last three budgets had increased the point at which people pay the higher rate of tax.

The point at which people pay the rate of 40% on income rose in the recent budget from 34,550 to 35,300. Mr Varadkar said he wanted to go further.

So, over the next five budgets, we will commit to increase the point at which people pay the top rate of tax to 50,000 for a single person or 100,000 for a two income couple.

We will end this unfairness and allow hard-working people keep more of the money they earn, he told delegates.

The changes would likely see taxpayers get back hundreds of euro annually in their pockets.

The savings could amount to potentially 3,000 over the five years per worker.

Over the last 3 budgets @FineGael & Inds in Govt have increased the point people pay the higher rate of tax, but we must go further now. Over the next 5 budgets, we will increase the point people pay the top rate of tax to 50k for a single person or 100k for a 2 income couple  Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) November 17, 2018

Elsewhere, Mr Varadkar launched attacks on the Opposition, zoning in on Fianna Fail as well as Sinn Fein.

In general, he said Fine Gael when in government in the past had rescued our economy on more than one occasion when it was sabotaged by others.

He also said it was not easy negotiating with Fianna Fail and its frontbench to renew the confidence and supply agreement with the Opposition party.

Mr Varadkar said the reckless economic mismanagement of the past was unfair to all, adding:

It resulted in hundreds of thousands of jobs lost, public services slashed, taxes hiked and future generations burdened with a huge national debt.

Join us at our 79th Ard Fheis for An Taoiseach @campaignforleo's speech. #FGAF18 https://t.co/72imZ54THE  Fine Gael (@FineGael) November 17, 2018

Outlining other promises, the Taoiseach said that Fine Gael wanted to provide more than 100,000 homes over the next ten years for people on the housing list.

He also criticised spending plans and ideas of other parties.

They seek to buy your vote using your credit card to pay for it.

He added: "We all know the Fianna Fail motto: when we have it, we spend it. We all know where that led us.

And were not going back. Sinn Fein and the parties of the hard Left are even worse.

When they dont have it  theyll just borrow it.

We know those policies will put Ireland back on the road to recession and austerity and we wont allow that.

The pledge to further reduce income tax for workers as well as the attack on Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein came after sustained suggestions by ministers during the day that the party was election ready.

There is also mounting frustration within Fine Gael over the pace of the government support pact talks with Fianna Fail.

Several ministers have warned that some guarantee is needed from Fianna Fail and that the negotiations to renew the pact must conclude soon.

Mr Varadkar, who said earlier today that the party was almost election ready, concluded his speech this evening by promising to keep Ireland's recovery underway.

We are the party that will take Ireland forward to long-term prosperity, away from the boom and bust economics of the past.
To be, or not to be, that is indeed the question. It seems safe to assume Billy Shakespeare wasnt thinking about the 2018 renewal of the BetVictor Gold Cup, the highlight of the Cheltenham November Meeting, when he penned this famous line in Hamlet.

However, if he was around today, and if he was of a gambling persuasion, the dilemma that is Rather Be would surely be at the forefront of his mind.

The seven-year-old has been all the rage for this ultra-competitive handicap since Monday when trainer Nicky Henderson opted to take his three other BetVictor Gold Cup entries out of the equation.

Hendersons decision to put all his eggs in the Rather Be basket is undoubtedly significant and he deserves to head the market.

After all, he has a 9lb swing at the weights with the re-opposing Mister Whitaker, to whom he was beaten just a head in the Close Brothers Novices Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, is reported to have thrived in recent weeks, and boasts a tremendous record fresh.

Against that, at 5-1, his price is short enough now, Henderson has a poor record in this race, and this is a contest of real depth, with the likes of JLT third Benatar and Neil Mulhollands Kalondra, to name but two, serious threats.

However, on balance, the positives outweigh the negatives and (pun very much intended) Id Rather Be with him than against him.

An each-way saver on Guitar Pete might not prove the worst move.

He only managed ninth to Splash Of Ginge in this race last year but that doesnt tell half the story as his chance disappeared as early as the first fence when he was badly hampered.

A month later, he bounced back to win the Caspian Gold Cup and odds of 25-1 look too big for a horse who generally reserves his best form for Cheltenham.

The BetVictor.com Handicap Chase sees the latest return of Coneygree.

The 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero has been plagued with problems since that success and, while 18-1 looks a big price for a horse with such back-class, recent history suggests hes best swerved.

Cogry looks a safer option. The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained nine-year-old was just touched off by Relentless Dreamer over a slightly shorter trip on this course last month and this thorough stayer may be able to go one better this afternoon.

First Assignment is set to tackle three miles for the first time when he contests the Regulatory Finance Solutions Handicap Hurdle today and the way he plugged on to just get up to win at Cheltenham last month suggests he should thrive for this three-furlong step up in trip.

If that proves the case, he must surely go close.

Christmas In April was third to First Assignment in that Cheltenham race last month and with the Colin Tizzard team in rude health, he gets the nod in the BetVictor Intermediate Handicap Hurdle.

Tomorrows Cheltenham feature is the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle and Verdana Blue is the right favourite.

This classy mare loves fast ground, is in cracking form at the minute, and a repeat of her brilliant display in last Saturdays Elite Hurdle would make hard to beat here.

However, this represents a quick turnaround and while she was getting weight at Wincanton, this time she will be giving away chunks of it to her rivals. On that basis, shes worth opposing.

Last seasons Scottish Champion Hurdle winner Midnight Shadow is a big player, County Hurdle winner Mohaayed looks a big price at 22-1, but the one who makes most appeal is Storm Rising.

The five-year-old is two from two since joining the Dr Richard Newland team and the ease with which he won a 16-runner handicap over course and distance last month bodes well for his prospects here. Odds of 10-1 look a fair-each-way price.

Injury ruled Sceau Royal out of the Cheltenham Festival last season but he looked a terrific prospect before that, winning four of his five starts, including the Grade One Henry VIII Novices Chase at Sandown last December.

Alan Kings charge returns to action in the Shloer Chase and the expectation is hell make a winning return.

The Racing Post Arkle Trophy Trial Novices Chase looks a cracker and could signal a return to form from Defi Du Seuil. Philip Hobbs charge carried all before him as a juvenile two seasons ago, his six wins including three at the highest level.

Things unravelled spectacularly last season, Defi Du Seuil finishing well down the field in his only two starts.

However, the Hobbs team were badly out of sorts all last season and are in far better order now.

Theres several unexposed sorts in the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices Hurdle and Anytime Will Do gets the vote for the Skelton team.

SELECTIONS

Today

Cheltenham 1.50: Cogry

Cheltenham 2.25: Rather Be

Cheltenham 2.25: Guitar Pete (Each-way)

Cheltenham 3.00: First Assignment (NB)

Cheltenham 3.30: Christmas In April

Tomorrow

Cheltenham 1.50: Defi Du Seuil

Cheltenham 2.25: Sceau Royal (Nap)

Cheltenham 3.00: Storm Rising (Each-way)

Cheltenham 3.30: Anytime Will Do
Forgive me, I may have missed something. There has of course been a lot to take in over the last few days. But, despite what the latest former Brexit secretary believes, it seems to me that the Brexit withdrawal agreement delivers almost exactly what the UK voted for in June 2016, says Craig Berry, Manchester Metropolitan University

The reasons 17.4m British people voted to leave the EU were multiple, complex and, in part, contradictory. But it is beyond doubt that a desire to control immigration was the most important reason. The evidence in this regard is overwhelming.

There is of course a need to understand why immigration became such an important concern for many voters (I blame austerity, in terms of both its material impact and the conservative ideas it normalised). Nevertheless, for the moment, the Brexit deal delivers on this agenda.

Yet Dominic Raab and Esther McVeys resignation letters make no specific reference to immigration. They note more vaguely that the Brexit deal betrays the promises we made to the country, or does not honour the result of the referendum.

Today, I have resigned as Brexit Secretary. I cannot in good conscience support the terms proposed for our deal with the EU. Here is my letter to the PM explaining my reasons, and my enduring respect for her. pic.twitter.com/tf5CUZnnUz  Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) November 15, 2018

There is some evidence to suggest that the slippery notion of sovereignty mattered for many voters, after immigration. Take back control was, after all, the key mantra of Vote Leave. But few people think in such abstract terms. The control people wanted to take back  the sovereignty that mattered  was over the UKs borders.

Mays deal

The great irony of Theresa Mays current predicament is that only she, on the government benches, really seems to grasp this basic political reality. May is far closer to the core of public opinion  or at least the 2016 snapshot  than either the hard Brexiteers or the Tory remainers, as the deal she has agreed with the EU clearly demonstrates.

Although May supported Remain, principally because she understood the economic damage that Brexit would inflict, the author of the Home Offices hostile environment agenda has always been an opponent of immigration.

The deal addresses the status of existing EU migrants and contains some specific arrangements in Northern Ireland related to preventing a hard border on the island of Ireland  but there is little to suggest that the UK has been compelled to accept the continued free movement of labour. The seven-page political declaration outlining the future relationship with the EU, published alongside the 585-page deal, includes only 35 words on the mobility of people between the UK and EU. It emphasises that temporary mobility will be allowed for business purposes in defined areas, with visa-free travel for short-term visits.

In other words, Dutch bankers and French chefs will remain welcome. Bricklayers from eastern European accession countries: not so much.

Trade realities

In the long run this position cannot hold. If the UK wants to have a free trade deal with the EU that gets anywhere close to the market access enjoyed by, for instance, non-EU members of the European Economic Area or European Free Trade Association such as Norway and Switzerland, free movement is going to have to come back on the table. So, while the deal reflects what the country voted for in 2016, it is still deceitful in the sense that it is probably undeliverable.

That said, to even secure from the EU the implicit agreement that the four freedoms (the unhindered movement of goods, services, capital and people) are divisible after all, is a remarkable achievement by the May government. Or, more likely, it is a sign that the continuing members of the EU are, increasingly, led by governments who share Mays anti-immigration perspective.

Either way, it is the other three freedoms  trade policy, rather than immigration  which seem to be motivating the Brexiteers campaigning against May, despite the lack of evidence that this issue played a significant role in the leave vote.

They are correct in their criticism of Mays deal that it removes any likelihood that the UK will enjoy trade policy autonomy in the near future. At the same time, their opposition to Mays deal is logically inconsistent with their own argument that May has underplayed the UKs hand.

The trade negotiations that will now ensue, if parliament accepts the withdrawal deal, is their chance to prove that the EU does need the UK just as much as the UK needs the EU  and that its possible for the UK to secure long-term access to EU markets without undermining its trade policy autonomy.

Yet the resignations of Raab and McVey, and the earlier resignations of Boris Johnson and David Davis, jeopardise this opportunity. Raabs letter states that the trade policy constraints implied by the Northern Ireland backstop mechanism are now the starting point for negotiating the Future Economic Partnership.

If we accept that, it will severely prejudice the second phase of negotiations against the UK.

Earlier this morning I informed the Prime Minister I was resigning from her Cabinet pic.twitter.com/ZeBkL5n2xH  Esther McVey (@EstherMcVey1) November 15, 2018

This is, plainly, nonsense. The best of both worlds trade deal the Brexiteers have been promising for more than two years would have overridden all of the transitional and backstop arrangements. Raab may have left Mays government, but by pretending that the withdrawal agreement will undermine our ability to forge a new trade relationship with the EU he is accepting that the UKs position is not nearly as strong as previously claimed  and therefore reinforcing the rationale for Mays apparent capitulation.

Mays premiership might look like a mess, but I think she will be judged more kindly by history than it appears at the moment. The early decisions to rule out a second referendum and forgo a cross-party approach to negotiations will of course be seen as catastrophic errors of judgement. She paid the price with the loss of her parliamentary majority at the 2017 general election.

But she has been rather successful, since then, at clawing out of the hole she dug for herself  and indeed delivering on her primary policy objective and the preferences expressed by the public in 2016.

How history will judge those now seeking to replace May, despite the palpable lack of any alternative plan for EU withdrawal, is quite another matter.

Craig Berry is a Reader in Political Economy, at Manchester Metropolitan University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article here.
America is the only country to use nuclear weapons against another nation. During the Vietnam debacle, it almost recklessly returned to the war chest, writes Ryle Dwyer.

DONALD Trumps recent renunciation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with the Soviet Union seems incongruous, as the US is the only country that ever used nuclear weapons in a conflict.

US president Harry Truman had atom bombs dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end the Second World War in August 1945. Max Hastings notes in his new book, Vietnam, that the Americans also talked recklessly about using nuclear weapons during the Vietnam conflict.

France lost her colonies in Indochina to Japan. After the fall of Japan, Ho Chi Minh proclaimed Vietnam independence in September 1945, but the French returned three weeks later to reclaim control of Vietnam and the rest of Indochina.

The Vietnamese tried to negotiate, but France refused, so Ho Chi Minh and his Viet Minh forces initiated a war of independence in December 1946.

South Vietnamese national police chief brigadier general Nguyen Ngoc Loan executes a Viet Cong officer with a single pistol shot in the head in Saigon on February 1, 1968. The photograph, by Eddie Adams, won a Pulitzer prize for the Associated Press.

As the French were virtually bankrupt, the US funded their war in an effort to stop the spread of communism. Truman provided a virtual blank cheque, as did Dwight Eisenhower on becoming president in 1953.

The conflict dragged on for seven years, coming to a head when French forces were besieged at Dienbienphu in 1954. France threatened to quit the fight unless American troops supported them.

Eisenhower declined, but not before his secretary of state, Foster Dulles, alarmed the French and British by suggesting the use of nuclear weapons to save Dien Bien Phu. How nuclear weapons could have been used to rescue those French troops was anybodys guess.

A peace agreement was brokered in Geneva in July 1954. The Viet Minh would move north of a military demarcation line at the 17th parallel in Vietnam, while the French would go south, pending their complete withdrawal from Vietnam within two years.

This did not partition Vietnam. The conference specifically declared: The military demarcation line is provisional and should not in any way be interpreted as constituting a political or territorial boundary.

Following the complete withdrawal of the French, the unity of all of Vietnam was to be guaranteed by a democratic general election that would be held by July 20, 1956.

During the siege of Dien Bien Phu, Bao Dai, the French puppet head of state, had invited Ngo Dinh Diem to be his prime minister in Saigon.

Diem, a Roman Catholic, had fled Vietnam in 1950, and spent two years living in a seminary in New York, where he befriended Cardinal Francis Spellman. The latter introduced him to a number of prominent people, including future president John F Kennedy and intelligence chief general William J Donovan.

John F Kennedy with Lyndon Johnson on July 14, 1960. (AP Photo/Jacques Lowe)

In July 1956, Diem blocked the agreed nationwide election, because the communists would obviously win. Eisenhower backed the Diem regime, as he believed Ho Chi Minh would win 80% of the Vietnamese vote. The Americans thereby subverted democracy in Vietnam.

Diem staged a rigged local ballot in October 1963 to oust Bao Dai and install himself as head of state. The American people were then bombarded with propaganda highlighting communist atrocities in Vietnam.

There were wrongs on all sides. Hastings notes that selected US reporting highlighted atrocity stories fabricated by the American conservative hero, Dr Tom Dooley, author of a mendacious best-selling memoir, Deliver Us from Evil.

That 1961 book contained horrific details of communist brutality against Catholic priests, whom Dooley described as by far the most common objects of Communist terror.

Elsewhere, the Buddhist community had complaints against the Catholics running South Vietnam.

In June 1963, an elderly Buddhist monk attracted worldwide attention by immolating himself with petrol at busy Saigon intersection in protest against forces under the command of Diems brother, Ngo Dinh Nhu.

No news picture in history has generated so much emotion around the world as that one, noted Kennedy, then president.

When other monks followed suit, Nhus wife ridiculed the incidents as barbecues. Let them burn, she said, and we shall clap our hands.

As the first Catholic US president, Kennedy was clearly embarrassed. He authorised a coup to oust Diem, who was assassinated on November 1, 1963, three weeks before Kennedys own murder.

Phan Thi Kim Phuc, centre, with her clothes torn off, flees with other South Vietnamese children after a misdirected aerial napalm attack on suspected Viet Cong hiding places on June 8, 1972. A South Vietnamese plane mistakenly dropped its flaming napalm on South Vietnamese troops and civilians. Kim Phuc became a symbol of the civilian suffering of the Vietnam War. Picture: Nick Ut/AP

Kennedy had already told US Senate majority leader Mike Mansfield that he personally favoured quitting Vietnam. In October, he announced that 1,000 of the 16,000 US troops in Vietnam would be withdrawn on December 1, 1963, but Lyndon Johnson rescinded this order on coming to power.

Johnson ran for election as president as a peace candidate in 1964, promising not to send American boys to do the fighting of Asian boys in Vietnam.

His Republican opponent, Barry Goldwater, on the other hand, promised to bomb North Vietnam into a mud puddle.

After a landslide win, Johnson began a massive bombing campaign over North Vietnam  Operation Rolling Thunder.

The Americans dropped four times more explosives on North Vietnam during this operation than on Japan during the Second World War. Johnson also increased the number of American troops in Vietnam from 16,000 to 459,500.

First cavalry division medic Thomas Cole looks up as he continues to treat wounded staff sergeant Harrison Pell during a January 1966 firefight in Vietnams Central Highlands. Picture: Henry Huet/AP

In betraying his elections promises and implementing the rejected policies of Goldwater, Johnson undermined his own credibility. China and the Soviet Union responded by dramatically increasing their aid to North Vietnam, and the Vietnamese people rallied behind their government, just as the British rallied behind Winston Churchill during the German blitz.

AS JOHNSON had shamelessly exploited the 1964 presidential election, the Vietnamese took no chances with the 1968 election. In January 1968, they launched the Tet Offensive, with massive attacks in areas of South Vietnam, including the US embassy in Saigon.

Johnson mentioned the possible use of nuclear weapons. He did rule this out, but the British were alarmed, which was hardly surprising in view of his reversals after the previous presidential election.

Although the communists suffered massive losses, the Tet Offensive precipitated the collapse of Johnsons presidency, along with the American peoples will to win in Vietnam.

Johnson announced that he would not stand for re-election, and then made concerted efforts to negotiate a way out of the quagmire. But his efforts were undermined by Richard Nixon, the Republican presidential candidate.

Richard Nixon

The Americans abandoned any hope of victory after 1968. They were just battling to save face. They know theyve got us by the balls, Nixon admitted privately.

The Americans engaged in talks with North Vietnam, but when nothing came of those by 1972, the communists launched another offensive. Nixon retaliated with the heaviest bombing of the war over North Vietnam during May and June 1972.

The Nixon administration quietly offered to pay North Vietnam $10bn in reparations once the fighting stopped. A peace was concluded to end the war in 1974, but nobody doubted the US had lost.

This became blatantly obvious in April 1975, when the communists seized all of Vietnam, and the world witnessed the panic-stricken evacuation from the roof of the US embassy in Saigon.

More than 58,000 American troops were killed in Vietnam, along with as many as 3m Vietnamese. Should anybody have been surprised by the Nixon administrations contempt for democracy?

He won re-election as president in 1972 with the largest majority in US history, but his team had flouted the rules of democracy and the law of the land. As a result Nixon was forced to resign in 1974.

But nobody was ever held responsible for all the deaths in what had been a despicable American attempt to subvert the democracy of the Vietnamese people. It was politics at its worst.

Max Hastings, Vietnam: An Epic Tragedy 1945-1975, was recently published by William Collins at 16.99.
Fixity of tenure is a bit of a joke in this country, writes Michael Clifford.

IS THE world en route back to the future? In the UK they want a return to some time around the 1970s, when Johnny Foreigner knew his place and Britannia still had a role as something approaching a global superpower.

In the USA, the idealised time from the past is the 1950s. America was still largely white, minorities were shoved off to the sidelines, and prosperity was regarded as an article of faith for the white man and his family.

This country holds no such illusions. On Tuesday last, though, a conference heard how the past may come back around to meet us in the near future.

The annual policy conference of Social Justice Ireland often throws up a few nuggets for consideration of how the country could, and probably should, be run.

This time around Tony Fahey, a leading academic in social policy, made a prediction that a political party in either the next or, more likely the following election, will use an old slogan with which to promise a new Ireland.

The 3 Fs will be familiar to students of history. The phrase represented the height of political sloganeering in the late 19th century and was coined by the Land League.

Its aim was to abolish landlordism and provide a basic standard of living for impoverished tenant farmers, free from fear of eviction or the free-for-all hiking of rents. The Fs represented Free Sale, Fixity of Tenure, and Fair Rent.

Eventually, Michael Davitt and his colleagues managed to achieve much of this in the land wars that marked the period. It was an excellent campaign that achieved real change in the lives of the vast majority of people at the time.

What relevance has that to the Ireland of today, free, prosperous at the cutting edge of the global economy, with GDP rates shooting for the stars? What can the peasants of yesteryear have in common with todays educated and highly sophisticated populace?

The answer is housing. As an indicator of ones progress through life, housing appears to be going back to the future.

The current crisis is dominated by the homelessness of at least 10,000 people, nearly a third of whom are children. Their plight is an insult to any notion of decency, their needs rightly a priority in social policy. But beyond that emergency, a long term picture is emerging of how housing has evolved, and more importantly will evolve over the coming decades.

Faheys paper was headed Worse Off That Their Parents? The Growing Generation Of Private Renters. He pointed out that home-ownership is the most obvious indicator of wealth. Most people who can afford it aspire to buy their own homes. Traditionally, this involved taking out a mortgage in the purchasers 20s or 30s, ensuring that when the autumn years come around the property will be fully paid off.

The inevitable worries about health and mortality that can encumber old age are at least free of the fear of being turfed out of your home.

That basic security may not be available to a large cohort of people who are now entering or living through middle age. Home ownership is declining and the drop-off did not begin with the recession, as is widely believed.

Fahey traces the decline back 30 years. Peak home ownership was in 1991, when the rate of people living in private rented accommodation was 10%. Today 20% of the population are renting and within two decades that could double.

If this growth continues in its current form, it is likely to cause many young adults to be worse off than their parents as far as housing is concerned, Fahey said at the conference. Most of the growing population of young private renters today grew up in homes that were owned by their parents and had two essential features of secure long-term housing: it was affordable and families could stay in it as long as they liked.

If private renting continues to expand at it is now doing, many children from those homes (possibly a majority) are facing a future where, as they establish their own households, they will live for a long time, perhaps a life-time, in private rented housing that has neither of these features.

We have been told that we need to no longer fixate on home ownership. The Europeans rent all their lives and there doesnt seem to be a problem.

That scenario gives rise to the priority in this country given to property owners. Their needs and wants receive far greater attention than any obligation to ensure that housing is attained for everybody.

Fair rent is simply not a priority. Instead, the market largely determines who lives where and at what cost. Faheys research showed that the cost of renting as a percentage of household spending had risen from 13% in 1987 to 27% in 2015. By contrast the equivalent cost in mortgage payments in 2015 was 17%, but this figure declines through the life of the mortgage.

Fixity of tenure is a bit of a joke in this country. In theory, renters can ask for leases of up to six years duration. In reality, provisos were inserted in the law to ensure that the property owner can get out of that obligation.

If a family member requires the property, if renovations are deemed necessary or if the property is to be sold, the renter can go whistle dixie. The scope of these caveats ensures that in reality a landlord can get rid of a tenant relatively easy. There is no security in that law.

The solutions have been presented repeatedly in various forums, but as yet all are regarded as too radical for this government. A huge increase in the provision of social housing is required along with a radical legislative programme  including if necessary recourse to the Constitution  to ensure that the growing cohort of renters can expect a fair and secure solution to their housing needs.

The title of the Social Justice Ireland conference this week was From Here To Where? Its a question the body politic does not appear to want to address in relation to housing.

Traditionally in this country nothing gets done until a crisis is breaking down the door. Now is the time to implement the kind of radical solutions that are required to ensure that the housing needs of everybody are met in a just manner over the coming decades.

The first issue in that regard is a thorough examination of the complete power imbalance between property owners and renters. Keep an eye out. Some political operator will inevitably cotton onto Tony Faheys prediction about the three Fs. The past is coming around again.
It is hard to imagine an item of female underwear becoming a global flag of protest.

Yet it has become one, following a rape trial in Cork last week, during which the lawyer for a 27-year-old accused man told jurors they should have regard for the underwear the 17-year-old complainant wore, adding: She was wearing a thong with a lace front.
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Today

A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 79F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 51F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 76F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.
The US imports surge from Asia since mid-summer is due largely to savvy capacity management by carriers individually and through vessel-sharing alliances. However, retailers front-loading of imports to stay ahead of tariffs on mainland China led to an earlier-than-expected peak-shipping season this summer and now to fast-forwarding of spring merchandise.
Appoints New Chief Financial Officer

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 16, 2018) - New Energy Metals Corp. (TSXV: ENRG) (OTC Pink: NEMCF) ("New Energy Metals" or the "Company") announces that it has signed a letter of intent (the "Letter of Intent") with Wealth Minerals Ltd. ("WML"), whereby WML or its wholly-owned subsidiary (collectively, "Wealth") can acquire a 70% interest in the Company's Cristal copper project (the "Project") located in northern Chile.

Letter of Intent

The Company, through its wholly-owned Chilean subsidiary, has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Project pursuant to an option agreement entered into with a third-party vendor (see news release dated March 1, 2018).

Subject to satisfactory completion of due diligence by Wealth and acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange of the transaction contemplated by Letter of Intent, the parties expect to enter into a definitive assignment and assumption agreement (the "Assignment Agreement") for the assignment of a 70% interest in the Project to Wealth upon terms to be agreed upon by the parties.

Appointment of New Chief Financial Officer

The Company also announces the appointment of David Cross and the resignation of Blaine Bailey as the Company's Chief Financial Officer, effective December 1, 2018.

Mr. Cross is a CPA, CGA and is currently a partner at Cross Davis & Company LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, which provides accounting and consulting services to publicly traded companies. Mr. Cross has over 21 years of accounting experience and has been a partner of Cross Davis for eight years.

The Company also announces that it has relinquished its option to acquire its Atacama lithium project, located in the Salar de Atacama district, Chile (see news release dated May 30, 2018). The lithium project will no longer represent a financial obligation for the Company, which will allow New Energy Metals to focus on entering into strategic agreements and acquiring projects that deliver the highest shareholder value.

About the Company

New Energy Metals is focused on the exploration and development of energy metals in Chile. The Company's assets include the Cristal copper project located in northern Chile and several prospective cobalt projects in Chile's past producing San Juan cobalt district.

On behalf of New Energy Metals Corp.

Marla Ritchie, Corporate Secretary

T: 604.638.3886

E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

W: www.newenergymetals.ca

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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, the Company's expectation that it will be able to enter into the Assignment Agreement, the anticipated content, commencement, timing and cost of exploration programs in respect of the Company's projects and otherwise, anticipated results from exploration activities, the Company's expectation that it will be able to obtain the necessary permits to exploit, develop, produce and export copper, cobalt or lithium, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "potential", "scheduled", or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the ability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to fund its business activities and plans, operating and technical difficulties in connection with mineral exploration and development and mine development activities for the Company's projects generally, actual results of exploration activities, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, requirements for additional capital, future prices of precious metals, copper and lithium, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, possible failures of plants or processes to operate as anticipated, other risks of the mining industry, the inability to obtain any necessary governmental and regulatory approvals (including acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange for the filing of the Assignment Agreement), permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, hedging practices, currency fluctuations, title disputes or claims limitations on insurance coverage, risks related to joint venture operations, and risks related to the integration of acquisitions, as well as those factors discussed under the heading "Risks and Uncertanties" in the Company's most recent management's discussion and analysis and other filings of the Company with the Canadian Securities Authorities, copies of which can be found under the Company's profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Except as otherwise required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking information in this news release or incorporated by reference herein.
Central African Republic (CAR) lawmaker and former militia leader Alfred Yekatom was extradited to The Hague Saturday to stand trial at the International Criminal Court probing war crimes and crimes against humanity, the first such move by the conflict-ridden country.

A government source said the charges against Yekatom, a former militia leader within the so-called anti-balaka movement involved in sectarian bloodletting, were not specified.

The plane will arrive in The Hague at about 2030 GMT, the source told AFP.

The ICC launched an investigation in September 2014 into crimes committed in the country since 2012.

Yekatoms militia operated in the south of the country. In 2015, he became the target of US sanctions for suspected attacks against Muslims, civilian deaths, and for using 153 child fighters.

A former army officer, Yekatom was elected to parliament in 2016. He was arrested in October for opening fire inside the legislature while its new president was being elected.

Its a strong message to the leaders of armed groups, said Pierre Brunisso from the International Federation of Human Rights watchdog. Those who think they can claim an amnesty at the negotiating table are mistaken.

In continuing violence however, a Bangledeshi peacekeeper died late Friday after an attack on a UN base and a priest was found burnt to death, the UN and Catholic Church said after sectarian clashes that claimed nearly 40 lives.

The soldier died of injuries sustained in the raid on a military base in Gbambia in the countrys west, the UN mission MINUSCA said.

The attack lasted for about 45 minutes and sent residents fleeing into the bush, the UN said.

An armed group called Siriri, created this year by Fulani cattle herders, operates in the area. Led by a man named Ardo Abba, its purported aim is to thwart attacks by cattle rustlers.

The UN said the group had attacked Gbambia in mid-June. A Tanzanian UN peacekeeper died that month after Siriri staged an ambush in the region.

Meanwhile, the priests charred body was recovered in the central town of Alindao, Father Mathieu Bondobo, vicar-general of the main cathedral in Bangui, told AFP.

On Friday, the UN said 37 deaths were confirmed in Alindao  including that of another priest  while 20,000 people were affected by the violence. Thousands were forced to flee.

The bloodbath began Thursday when Christian militiamen killed Muslims, prompting revenge attacks during which a church was set ablaze.

Alindao is a stronghold of the Union for Peace in CAR (UPC), a Muslim militia. It has witnessed chronic fighting in recent months that has also killed other UN soldiers and a humanitarian aid worker.

 Disastrous humanitarian situation 

One of the worlds poorest nations despite a rich supply of diamonds and uranium, the CAR has struggled to recover from a 2013 civil war that erupted when President Francois Bozize, a Christian, was overthrown by mainly Muslim Seleka rebels.

In response, Christians, who account for about 80 percent of the population, organised vigilante units dubbed anti-balaka, in reference to a type of machete.

Alindao controls a critical route traversing the south and east of the country and is in the heart of a region with numerous gold and diamond mines that have helped fuel the conflict.

In September, the UN warned of a disastrous humanitarian situation in the region, which it said was under the control of armed groups.

The government controls only a small part of the country.

The UN has about 12,500 personnel deployed in Central Africa as part of its MINUSCA mission, one of the world bodys largest peacekeeping forces.

The UN Security Council voted Thursday to temporarily renew the mandate of the mission until December, amid heated debates about its ability to stem the unrest.
SALEM, Ore.  With the Camp Fire continuing to plague Butte County, California, numerous firefighters from Oregon have headed south to help with the fight. Currently about 300 Oregonian firefighters and 75 fire engines are engaged in firefighting, mop-up and patrol efforts in the area, according to the Oregon State Fire Marshal's (OSFM) office.

"The Camp Fire is the nations deadliest wildfire in a century and although cooler weather is helping firefighters to gain ground, we know that the search for people will continue," OSFM said in a statement.

Thirteen different OSFM strike teams drawn from even more fire departments are working 24-hour shifts on the camp Fire  constructing fire lines, holding control lines, mopping up and patrolling the area.

OSFM says that two of their strike teams have been assigned to the "Rescue Division," working 12-hour shifts  securing water lines, gas lines, as well as working to clear both standing and burned-out structures and assisting search & rescue efforts.

"As the number of fatalities increase, we continue to monitor the effects this has on our first responders and to provide the necessary peer support. The safety and well-being of our firefighters is, and will remain, our number one priority," OSFM said.

Oregon's firefighter strike teams are expected to remain on the fire through Friday, November 23rd  however as conditions improve that date could change.

Oregonians can take great pride in the sacrifice of our firefighters during this time of year. We also keep their families in our thoughts who will certainly miss them during the upcoming holiday. When giving your thanks next week, please keep everyone affected by the fires in your thoughts as they face the grim task of rebuilding their property and lives, said Chief Deputy Ruiz-Temple with OSFM.

The Rogue Valley Strike Team  which includes a number of agencies from Jackson and Josephine counties  is among those serving in Butte County on the Camp Fire.
PARADISE, Calif. -- Oregonians, including people from Southern Oregon, are helping with the Camp Fire.

Kyle Reed, Fire Protection Specialist for Douglas Forest Protection Association got the call they were heading south right before his anniversary dinner.

"We were just getting ready to go out to dinner that night and we had to drop everything we were doing and start packing bags," Reed said.

Reed is from Douglas County and came down as part of the Oregon Department of Forestry crew. Other folks from around the state and the Rogue Valley came down to help too.

Mike Calhoun, a battalion chief with Fire District 3 says this type of fire behavior is new for his crews.

"All of them have commented that the fire behavior and the fire conditions were unlike anything they had ever experienced back at home," Calhoun said.

That's because it's so dry and the winds are intense. Calhoun adds these types of fires could happen back home.

"This community, you know driving around is very similar to what we have around Gold Hill, Jacksonville, Sams Valley, the outer fringes of Eagle Point, the upper east side of Medford at the top of Hillcrest and McAndrews -- it's very similar," Calhoun said. "Houses are close together, lot of dry fuel -- trees, brush."

Almost every fire crew member NewsWatch 12 spoke with the amount of damage from the Camp Fire is unusual. Fires don't typically destroy neighborhood after neighborhood.

"We're getting a better experience in grasp on the type of fire behavior that California has been experiencing," said Brian Farber, a battalion Chief from Medford Fire - Rescue. "Every year for the last eight years it's been the worst or the driest, and this year it's the worst."

Despite the heavy lifting, and grim work of working through the rubble, crews are keeping a positive attitude during hard 24 - hour shifts. That's something Farber says makes him extremely proud of his team.

"We've been here for eight days now and they still come in with a positive attitude and that's pretty nice to see after working 24 hour shifts being in the smoke," Farber said.
KLAMATH FALLS, OR  Oregons U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley on Friday hosted a science summit, the Sucker Recovery Summit, to share updates on the health of the species and to discuss possible short-term options to help the Lost River (C'waam) and shortnose (Koptu) suckers survive until long-term solutions take effect.

Merkley developed the Sucker Recovery Summit after meeting earlier this year with Klamath-area stakeholders affected by water resource issues; all parties pointed to sucker survival as a critical element to water availability.

Both irrigators and the Klamath Tribes expressed to me the desire to find collaborative solutions to water resource issues, Merkley said. In the face of extreme drought, suffocating wildfires, and other water resource challenges, stakeholders across the board came together to begin addressing one piece of the puzzle: endangered sucker survival.

We all have a lot more collaboration and hard work ahead of us to solve these water challenges, but the ideas generated at todays summit are a promising start, Merkley continued. I am heartened that everyone has shown tremendous willingness and openness to participating today. As irrigators, tribal members, and other stakeholders overcome obstacles to work together on this urgent issue, I am committed to being a strong federal partner and continuing to work in a bipartisan, bicameral manner to secure resources for the Basin.

Currently, juvenile suckers in the Klamath Basin are not survivingcreating crisis conditions for the Klamath Tribes, for whom suckers are essential tribal treaty resources, and for farmers and ranchers, whose irrigation supply is affected by the need for in-stream water for the fish, which are protected under the Endangered Species Act.

With separate efforts underway to address this issue, Merkley convened the Sucker Recovery Summit so that stakeholders could compare and combine information and develop solutions. He asked experts to come prepared to discuss short-term solutions that could be implemented in the next 1 to 3 years, to help suckers survive until long-term solutions take effect.

After hearing from panels of experts and scientists, Merkley identified several action items:

 Use his position as the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development to support several projects: Oregon Department of Agricultures innovative water quality improvement efforts; a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service pilot program to collaboratively develop alternative fish habitats; irrigation district modernization projects; a phosphorous filtration project near Upper Klamath Lake; and feasibility analysis for open water algal biomass removal.

 Support Klamath Basin collaborative watershed stewardship work groups.

 Support rapid expansion of sucker rearing ponds.

 Follow up with federal agencies to determine what is needed to ensure continued monitoring of post-release survival and health of propagated suckers, and to prioritize a study of the impacts of poor water quality on suckers and other fish species.

 Support a study to evaluate the prevalence and rate of predation by non-native fish species on sucker larvae.

Last month, Merkley worked with his colleagues Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Greg Walden to successfully include in the Water Resources Development Act drought relief language to assist Klamath Basin farmers who have been hard-hit by drought in recent years. The language is essential for the irrigators to effectively use $10 million in drought relief funds that the lawmakers secured in 2018.

The language authorizes the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to work with farmers to develop and implement strategies to align water demand with available supply. It also authorizes the Bureau to develop a plan to provide reduced-cost power for irrigation, with a preference for efficiency, conservation, and local renewable energy projects. Merkley also won an irrigated pasture waiver so that Upper Basin ranchers would have access to some relief funding.
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When George W. Billy Campbell, MD, walks down the street, he never knows who  or what  hes going to encounter. Anything can happen when youre the doctor at Foothills Family Medicine of Westminster, South Carolina, a small town with a population of only 2,500.

Ive had someone pull her dress up and say, Look at my leg,' Campbell says. Then she said, That green pill didnt work, and its been messing with me.' I said, Please call the office and come see me.'

That sage advice seems to be fairly common among physicians who practice where everybody knows their name.

Campbell says he doesnt do much grocery shopping for the same reason. He doesnt want a shopping outing for tonights dinner to turn into an office visit  out of the office.

Hes been in town since 1984 and has become wise in the ways of practicing medicine there, where he was also born. He obtained degrees at Emory University and The Medical University of South Carolina.

People used to show up at the house, he says. One of my friends told me, Be sure you have 10- or 5-dollar bills [to make change when they pay you]. I said, Im afraid of Uncle Sam,' referring to the risks incurred with cash transactions and tax reporting.

Then when I built a privacy fence around the property, I heard that people were asking, Whats Billy doing up there that he dont want anybody to see?'

Campbell says hes taken care of his first-grade teacher and the person who gave him his first haircut. You get used to violating their personal space. I had to give my algebra teacher a Pap smear. You get over the intimacy issue with people youve known all your life.

Making the most of it

Campbells good at hospital medicine, he says, and he still goes to the hospital every day, especially to see his older patients, but hes no longer tied to being there so much that he couldnt have a life. He also works remotely and analyzes X-rays and other diagnostics in his office to get up to speed before he sets out.

Some of the older ladies cry when I come in, he says. My patients are glad to see me, still, and with my schedule now, I can sleep at night.

A few of his patients are other doctors, and he recently spent quality time with one who was dying. Life is short, and I could be dead any time, he reflects.

With that in mind, with wife Kimberley, he loves to walk in the woods in the land of his ancestors. They drive to nearby Greenville, South Carolina, Asheville, North Carolina or Athens, Georgia to fulfill their foodie cravings. The Campbells also founded the Ramsay Creek Preserve, the first conservation burial ground in the United States, and maybe, the world.

Time for a lot of living

Adriane Westmoreland, DO, arrived in July 2018 to Cloquet, Minnesota (pop. 12,000) and is part of a brand new family practice clinic, the Cloquet Memorial Hospital Family Clinic, affiliated with the local hospital.

Shes not new to smaller-town practices, having left Estherville, Iowa (pop. 6,000). I took care of my kids teachers and delivered my nurse practitioners baby, she says. It was a full schedule as a solo practitioner and she moved to find some balance.

I was doing a whole lot of work and not a lot of living, says Westmoreland. She had a bed in her office and sometimes she saw her children only once a week.

It is totally realistic for rural physicians to experience burnout like their counterparts at major, urban, academic medical centers, she says. Its not because of patients, but because of insurance, paperwork and fighting for patients rights. This is a good job. We like to work hard, but people wont let us do our job anymore.

In Minnesota, she takes her kids to school every morning. The elementary school is close to the hospital, she says. Sometimes the bus for my middle school child drops right off at the hospital.

Anything but 

Westmoreland used to think she wanted to do anything but family medicine. I wanted to do exciting things, she says. Then she worked alongside a family practice doctor in West Virginia. She was the best diagnostician I ever met, just amazing, and she changed my mind.

She describes family medicine in her locale as taking care of mama and baby. And then the mother says, My husband is complaining about his head hurting.'

Echoing the practice habits of Campbell, she tells the patient, Have him make an appointment.

Westmoreland says shes gotten used to the up-closeness of it all. When I see you on the street, I see who you are then, and not you as a patient. She, too, has experienced the clothing pull-up scenario, with a patient lifting up a shirt to show her a rash.

Make an appointment, she said.

She finds that what she gives out sometimes comes back in unexpected ways, though. A friend told me recently, Your child was out on the street, instead of on the playground. People take care of me, too.

A conscious choice

Sometimes it just runs in the family. Lucia Williams, MD, of Jacksonville, Texas (pop. 16,000) got used to what her future would look like as an OB-GYN because her father was a physician.

People would show up at our house back then, she says. Or they would drive by the house [to see if anyone was home] and then theyd call him. And its true that everybody knows everybody in Jacksonville.

Going to the grocery store or Walmart can be an interesting experience, she says. Still, Williams, who is one of two Ob-Gyn specialists in her area, says living where she does was a conscious choice.

She came most recently from Houston, and having grown up in a rural community, she thought, Lets go back out to the country for a while.

On her own

You have to be pretty independent and thats one of the things that intimidates a lot of new graduates, says Williams, who works in a rural health clinic. There arent 15 people you can call to consult with and you have to be able to figure things out for yourself.

That may include deciding to call a helicopter to take an emergency patient to Dallas, a 1.5-hour drive.

A newer doctor can feel like theyre come out of a high-tech ivory tower and find a stark contrast in rural medicine, she says. I sometimes would think, I know how to do that but should I do that here? I dont have an ICU or a big, ancillary staff with a lot of backup. There are things I know how to do and am trained to do, but I dont think are always appropriate in a rural scenario.

She knows shes filling a void, however, and its a big one. There are a million people in Texas with no access to high-speed internet, she says. That means they cant even read about medical conditions on reputable sites like WebMD to learn some accurate health care basics. That makes in-person medical care even more relevant and necessary.

Whatever the downsides of rural health, shes unwavering.

I love what I do. I wouldnt want to do anything else, Williams says.

Find jobs at Careers by KevinMD.com. Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The Oregon Court of Appeals has struck down a record $65,000 penalty imposed by the state on a petitioner backing an initiative to legalize marijuana.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports in 2012, Secretary of State Kate Brown -- now Oregon's governor -- slapped that penalty on Robert Wolfe.

He had hired signature gatherers for an unsuccessful initiative to legalize marijuana in Oregon.

Oregon law requires signature gatherers be paid by the hour, not by the signature, to discourage fraud. Court proceedings indicate Wolfe's compensation policies were vague, but Brown's office and a subsequent ruling by an Oregon administrative law judge concluded that he was effectively paying by the signature.

In Thursday's ruling, the appeals court ruled Wolfe should have been permitted to present evidence challenging the state's conclusions.

The court reversed the penalty and remanded the case back to the secretary of state's office.
EUGENE, Ore. -- Thousands of people have evacuated the deadly fire that continues to scorch Paradise, Calif., including one couple who is now in Eugene.

Ann Blythe and Rocky Holland still don't know if their RV home survived the fire that destroyed their town.

Blythe said she put everything she could in their car, including food, clothes and their pets, as she evacuated.

"I've never had to do anything like that, Blythe said. Never been in that situation before. The panic, the displacement, the sadness and the people walking along lost. That's how I feel is lost. Paradise is lost. Peoples homes and dreams are lost."

Blythe and Holland had to stay in evacuation sites this past week like the thousands of others impacted by the fire. But unlike many, they now have a new place they can call home.

"This is a healing ranch, this is a healing piece of property, Blythe said. I've been here before, but this is special."

The special place is Laurie and Tony St. Jacque's home in Eugene.

Laurie is an old friend of Blythe's and reached out to her on social media after she heard about their situation.

"They had no place to go and so it was the least I could do, I said get up here, it's just paradise here, she said. I thought it would be really good for them to heal."

Blythe and Holland said they plan on heading back to Paradise over the weekend for a mandatory community meeting at their RV Park to evaluate the damage.

But before they leave, they said they can't thank the St. Jacques enough during this tough time.

"I just want to thank them with all my heart," Blythe said. "They're wonderful people and they would give their shirt off their back to their friends and their family."

If you would like to help Blythe and Holland get back on their feet you can donate to their GoFundMe page.
On the morning of the eleventh of November 1918 at eleven minutes past eleven, silence fell on the battle fields of the Great War.

That day was to become known as Armistice Day. The wave of destruction and death over the four years came at a very high price with over 10,000,000 military personnel on all sides perishing during the horrible war. Many more returned from the battlefields scarred and maimed for life.



When the Treaty of Versailles was signed by Germany and the Allied nation on June 28th 1919 it formally ended what is now known as World War I.

It was said it was the War to end all wars but history in the past one hundred years tells a very different story.



Last Sunday 11th November 2018 millions of people in Ireland, France, Britain and Belgium gathered to remember that faithful day one hundred years ago.

Callan remembered last Sunday and perhaps Callan has remembered for many years.

Its tradition of being an old garrison town with still many direct descendants living in and around the town and parish to this day.

The beautiful memorial that was unveiled in August 2016 is a testament to those who worked tirelessly to make it happen.



The hard work of fundraising along with the help of Leader Funding, the kind donation of the site by Parish Priest Father Willie Dalton and also Molloy and Son memorial stone masons made it happen and now on the 11th of November each year we can gather to remember the near 300 men and women from Callan who served in the First World War.



Last Sunday with beautiful blue skies over head a large group of people gathered at 10.30pm to commemorate with prayers and readings and wonderful music from Michael Dawson and John Ryan.

Unfortunately work took me west to Galway so I wasnt able to attend the Callan memorial but I had the pleasure of attending a wonderful Church of Ireland Remembrance Day service at Saint Nicolas Collegiate Church Galway. The ancient church in the middle of Galway dating from 1320 was packed to capacity for the special occasion. A specia wreath laying ceremony took place at the memorial Celtic Cross inside the church and after the ceremony all the names of the near eleven hundred people that joined from Galway were displayed on information boards.



It is surprising that a city of its size and with so many joining from the area that did not have a dedicated War memorial on display in public. I met two men after the ceremony one that had served in the British Army and the other in the Irish defence forces. I told them I lived in Kilkenny and told them about the memorials in Callan, Kilkenny and Ballingarry and wondered why Galway had not progressed on establishing one. They said they were aware of the memorials in this part of the world but as for Galway they are only in the early stages but Galway will have their own soon.
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People in Kilkenny will provide life-saving support to families living in some of the poorest countries in the world this Christmas by supporting the Gifts of Love campaign, Trocaire has said.

Launching the 2018 Christmas Gifts range, the Irish development agency revealed that generous people in Co Kilkenny spent over 5,700 on the charitys gift campaign last year, allowing Trocaire to bring vital support to more than 200 families.

This support provided people in the developing world with clean water, essential seeds and tools, livestock and help with education, the charity said.

Trocaire CEO Caoimhe de Barra explained: We would like to thank all of our generous supporters who have bought Trocaire Gifts over the years. The gifts, ranging from soap and chicks through to shelter and water wells, have a huge impact right across the world. This vital support helps families living in some of the poorest areas and most testing conditions, including regions in South Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Honduras and Guatemala.

Since it was first launched in 2000, Trocaires Christmas Gifts campaign has sold more than 920,000 gifts and raised almost 38m for Trocaires work supporting families affected by long-term poverty overseas.

Caoimhe added: I would like to thank the people of Kilkenny for the incredible generosity they continue to show us each Christmas which supports our work in over 20 developing countries.

There are 14 Trocaire gifts to choose from, ranging in price from 5 to 1000 such as chicks, beehives and solar lamps. This year, there are also a number of new additions including Help for Grandparents which will support those who are raising their grandchildren in the developing world following the loss of parents to accidents, illness or war.

You can buy Trocaire gifts online or by calling 1850 408 408, from Veritas stores country wide. Alternatively, a Trocaire One4all gift card can be bought at all Post Offices.






ELLENDALE, Minn.  A North Iowa driver is hurt after rolling his vehicle in Steele County Friday evening.

Neil Robert Ausborn, 27 of Britt, was driving south on Interstate 35 when the Minnesota State Patrol says he lost control just after 7 pm north of Ellendale and crashed. The highway was snow and ice covered at the time.

Ausborn suffered what are described as non-life threatening injuries and was taken to Owatonna Hospital. The State patrol says Ausborn was wearing his seat belt.

The Steele County Sheriffs Office and Ellendale First Responders and Ambulance assisted at the scene.
MASON CITY, Iowa  A woman is charged with passing a stolen check in North Iowa.

Madison Diane Kidd, 20 of Stratford, is facing one count of forgery. Shes accused of cashing a stolen check for $1,100 at First Citizens Bank in Mason City on May 26. Court documents say she used another persons ID in the drive-up lane to cash the check.

Kidd was arrested in Hamilton County on Friday and transferred to the Cerro Gordo County Jail, where shes being held on $5,000 bond.
MASON CITY, Iowa- Mason City City leaders were in Des Moines Friday for the monthly Iowa Economic Development board meeting to update them on the River City Renaissance Project. That project would include a hotel, skywalk, convention center, museum and multi-purpose arena.



Those with the city said one of the biggest updates is that the project and its partners will remain the same.



City Administrator Aaron Burnett explained that they are looking for a new developer for the project but will not be opening the project up to bids like it had been in the past. He said that process takes too long and they are on a deadline. That would mean city leaders would pick the best developer for the project and the council would vote on it. Burnett has confirmed that they have been talking to the former developers, Gatehouse Capital, and that they have showed interest in doing the project once more. Burnett said he would not tell us how many developers he had spoken with.



Burnett said he does want to have a developer in place by the end of December at the latest.



Those with the IEDA Board said they still support the project and want to help the city succeed.
BRITT, Iowa  Fire has left a house in Britt unlivable for the time being.

Firefighters were called to the 300 block of 5th Street SW around 6:30 pm Thursday. Britt Fire Chief Jon Swenson says no large flames were visible when they arrived but the home appeared to be smoldering. It took almost 20 firefighters two hours to contain the fire, but they had to return Friday morning when it reignited.

No firefighter was injured.

Swenson says electricity, gas, and water service to the house had been shut off. Due to smoke, water, and fire damage, he says no one can live in the home at this time.

The Britt Fire Department was assisted by the Britt Police Department and the West Hancock Ambulance Service. Britt Public Works and Alliant Energy also responded to this emergency.
ALGONA, Iowa  A North Iowa murder trial is being pushed back into 2019.

Jeffrey Lynn Winters, 60 of Livermore, is charged with 1st degree murder in the August killing of Randy Page, who was found dead in his garage in Lu Verne. Four 9mm bullet casings were found near Pages body and law enforcement says witnesses report seeing a man who looked like Winters at Pages home.

Court records state a search of Winters home found an empty handgun holster and ammunition.

Winters waived his right to a speedy trial on Thursday and court officials say a trial will not be held before May 2019.
ROCHESTER, Minn.- After a recent incident of a gun threat at John Adams Middle School in Rochester, some parents were hoping to express their concerns at a meeting last night but it was cancelled.

Everyone including the district and organizers are calling it a misunderstanding.

The district says the meeting was never meant for a discussion about the big issues of bullying, racism and violence. We spoke to a Rochester for Justice organizers says the group was invited there to do just that.
MASON CITY, Iowa  A woman is accused of stealing from the Salvation Army.

Shelly Ann Hitchcock, 39 of Mason City, is charged with one count of unauthorized use of a credit card. Authorities say that while she worked as a cleaning lady, Hitchcock stole a credit card from the Salvation Army office in Mason City and used it on October 23 at the

Mason City Walmart to buy $1,014.42 in merchandise for her personal use.

A felony charge was filed against Hitchcock on October 31 and she was arrested in Mason City on November 2.
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(KNZA) A man has been arrested in St. Joseph, Missouri in the death of an Iowa woman in September, according to MSCNews.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety said in a news release that 32-year-old Zackery Bassett was arrested Wednesday on a warrant for first-degree murder.

The release says Bassett called police in Webster City, Iowa on September 22 to report that his 50-year-old girlfriend, Andrea Sokolowski ,was not breathing.

She was taken to a Webster City hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The release says an autopsy revealed several suspicious findings, but investigators declined to say what caused Sokolowskis death.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was asked to assist in the investigation.

The St. Joseph Police Department, Elwood Police Department, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Doniphan County Sheriffs Department and Doniphan County Attorneys Office assisted in the investigation.

Bassett is being held in the Buchanan County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

Arrangements are being made to have him transported to Iowa for an initial appearance.
(St. Joseph,MO)The St. Joseph Salvation Army is looking to hire bell ringers to help with their seasonal Red Kettle campaign.

Bell ringers will be stationed at eight different locations around St. Joseph between the hours of 9am and 9pm. The Salvation Army will pay $7.85 per hour for bell ringers to help collect donations from November 16, through December 24.

The funds from the Red Kettle Campaign help support the local St. Joseph Salvation Army.

Every year Christmas is our primary fundraiser, public fundraiser. We depend on those funds to provide the services we provide to the community, which are critical so their is shelter, theres food, theres after school programs for children, theres all types of activities going on at the Salvation Army. So we need that money to help bolster our budget to get us through the next year, Major Abe Tamayo said.

The Salvation Army is also looking for volunteers to help during the holiday season. To schedule a time to volunteer as a bell ringer log on to Registertoring.com.To inquire about being employed as a bell ringer call LeeAnn at the local Salvation Army at 816-232-5824.
New Delhi [India], Nov 17 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend Maldives' President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's swearing-in ceremony today in the island-nation.

Just a day before his scheduled visit, Prime Minister Modi had written a post on Facebook, saying "I am delighted to visit Male, the capital of the Republic of Maldives, our close and friendly neighbour, to attend the historic Inauguration Ceremony of President-elect H.E. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih."

He further congratulated Solih and added that the recent elections in the island nation "represents the collective aspirations of the people of the Republic of Maldives for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future".

"India and Maldives share a strong partnership rooted in history, strong bonds between our peoples, and their shared aspiration for peace and prosperity. My Government's vision of inclusive development 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas' extends to all our neighbours too. We in India strongly desire to see a democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," Prime Minister Modi wrote.

"I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of my Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity, and human resource development," he mentioned while reaffirming his faith that his visit will "herald a new era of even closer exchanges and cooperation between our two countries."

Solih emerged victorious in the high-octane elections held in the island nation on September 23 this year which saw the ouster of outgoing president Abdulla Yameen. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt starrer 'Brahmastra' is in the news ever since it has been announced and fans too are eagerly awaiting for the film as it marks the collaboration of Alia and Ranbir, the real-life couple, on the screen for the first time. Ranbir and Alia, who were in the states, are back in the bay and resumed shooting for Ayan Mukherji's upcoming film; They have even started with their next schedule. After shooting in Bulgaria, the cast and crew began shooting in Mumbai this week. While the actors are shooting for high-octane action sequences, there are a couple of pictures of the lead pair from the sets have made its way to social media. Ranbir Kapoors Brahmastra AVOIDS Clash With Akshay Kumars Mission Mangal, Will Now Release on Christmas 2019

Earlier today, one of the fanclubs took to social media to share an adorable picture of Ranbir - Alia from the sets of Brahmastra. As we can see in the pictures, Alia seems to be in a grumpy mood, while Ranbir is busy checking the notifications on his phone.

Check out the pictures here:

Here's another picture of Ranbir - Alia from the sets:

We wonder if Alia is upset with beau Ranbir for being on his phone. So, what do you think about this adorable picture of the two from the sets of Brahmastra? Let us know in the comment section below.

Brahmastra is making all the right noises for all the right reasons. Apart from Alia, the film also stars Ranbir Kapoor in a lead role while Amitabh Bachchan in a pivotal role. This will be the first time when Ranbir and Alia will be seen together on the screen and fans can't wait to see the lovebirds together in the film. Bankrolled by Karan Johar, Ranbir-Alia's Brahmastra will be a trilogy and the first part of the series will release on August 15, 2019.

On the professional front, Alia has several films in her kitty. The actress will soon be seen in Ranveer Singh's Gully Boy and Karan Johars multi-starrer period drama Takht, alongside Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Janhvi Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal and Bhumi Pednekar. Alia, who has now aced juggling between the films, will also be seen in Kalank co-starring Varun Dhawan, Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit, Aditya Roy Kapur and Sonakshi Sinha in key roles. Reportedly, Alia also has Aditya Roy Kapur starrer Sadak 2. Watch this space for further updates.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 17, 2018 10:19 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Bhubaneswar, November 17: The Odisha assembly on Saturday passed a motion to forgive security analyst and columnist Abhijit Iyer-Mitra for his derogatory remarks against the Sun Temple and comments on legislators. Abhijit Iyer-Mitra had earlier tendered an unconditional apology to a House Committee of the Odisha assembly.

Abhijit had on September 16 posted a video on Twitter criticising the Konark temple. Later, he went on to make the alleged derogatory remarks against Odisha and its culture. Two FIRs were registered against him at Konark and Saheed Nagar police stations for his remarks. On October 23, he was arrested and booked under IPC Sections 294, 295A, 153A, 500, 506 and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act.

Last month, the Odisha Police arrested the columnist in New Delhi for his anti-Odisha comments. However, he was given conditional bail by a local court in Delhi. Later, the Supreme Court rejected his bail plea saying his comments 'incited religious sentiments'. Odisha Assembly Speaker Pradip Amat had on September 20 constituted a House Committee to probe the journalist's alleged derogatory remarks against the state and its lawmakers.

Iyer-Mitra had appeared before the House Committee and apologised. "Abhijit Iyer-Mitra admitted to the charges levelled against him and offered an unconditional apology for his 'stupidity'. He has been directed to depose before the Committee and submit an affidavit in this regard," leader of opposition Narasingh Mishra, who heads the House Committee, said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 17, 2018 08:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
New Delhi, November 17: A female employee of IndiGo Airlines was found dead at a guest house in Gurugrams Sushant Lok on Thursday night. The deceased, identified as 35-year-old Mausami Gautam, allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan with a dupatta. However, no suicide note was found at the guest house.

Mausami Gautam, a resident of Assams Guwahati, had come to Gurugram for a three-day training programme. She was working with IndiGo Airlines as an assistant manager of security. She was scheduled to return her hometown on Friday. According to the owner of the guest house, she had ordered food between 9:30 pm and 10:00 pm on Thursday. OYO Appoints Former IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh as CEO India & South Asia.

However, Mausami was found dead later. "She was married and had an eight-year-old daughter. Her post-mortem will be conducted on Saturday once her family members arrive, a police officer was quoted as saying. IndiGo Airlines issued a statement over the matter expressing grief over their employees demise. IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh Resigns, Rahul Bhatia Appointed Interim CEO.

We are saddened to hear about the unfortunate passing away of our colleague in Gurgaon this morning. At this point, our thoughts and prayers are with her family and loved ones, IndiGo said in a press statement. A police investigation has been initiated in the matter. A case was filed as part of the ongoing probe.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 17, 2018 03:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 16)  President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said he will fire another government official when he returns to the country from official trips abroad.

In a speech before the Filipino community in Papua New Guinea, the President reiterated his crackdown against corrupt officials.

"I fired a Cabinet member during a Cabinet meeting for lying. May tinatanong ako sa kanya (I asked him). Did you consult your legal office? Sabi niya no," Duterte said, without naming the official.

"Nag-init ang ulo ko, sabi ko - and since then marami na ako until now and when I go back meron nanaman. Talagang tanggalin kita, sorry na lang," he added.

[Translation: "I got ill-tempered. I said - and since then I fired so many until now and when I go back there will be another. I will really remove you, I'm sorry."]

The President, who was in Papua New Guinea to attend the annual summit of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders, did not name the official he is about to sack.

He admitted that some of the government officials he had fired were his friends.

Duterte also reiterated that all Cabinet officials now have to get clearance before travelling abroad to avoid junkets. He issued this order in December 2017 after sacking all commissioners of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor and Dangerous Drugs Board chief Dionisio Santiago on allegations they splurged government money on junkets abroad. The officials denied the accusations.

Before heading to Papua New Guinea on Friday, Duterte attended the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations summit and related summits in Singapore, where he drew flak for skipping several events to catch up on sleep.
Chandigarh, November 17: Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh's political secretary Karan Pal Sekhon died on Friday night, while he was on a holiday with his family in Egypt. His death came as a major shock to Capt Amarinder, who condoled the demise on social media.

"Very saddened to hear about the demise of my dear friend Karanpal Singh Sekhon. He suffered a sudden heart attack during a family trip to Egypt. RIP my friend. You will be missed. Posting his last photo he sent me from Egypt (sic)," the Punjab CM tweeted. Union Minister Ananth Kumar Dies at 59 in Bengaluru After Prolonged Illness.

Sekhon, 62, suffered a heart attack while he was on a cruise with his family. He was subsequently rushed to the military hospital, where he was declared dead.

The Punjab government has reached out to their counterparts in Egypt, seeking to bring back his mortal remains to the state as early as possible.

Sekhon, one of the three political secretaries of Capt Amarinder, has been a Patiala royal family loyalist. His association with Capt Amarinder dates back to 2002, when he served as special secretary to him during his first term as the CM.

Sekhon's father was part of the 3rd regiment of Patiala State Army, and was absorbed into the Indian Army post-independence. The deceased's grandfather, Ishar Singh was a Nazim in the Patiala state. The family originally belongs to Kal Banjara village in Sangrur district.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 17, 2018 02:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Bengaluru, November 17: At least 6 were killed and 10 left injured in a road accident on Saturday morning near Hubli in Karnataka. The fatal mishap was reported on the National Highway (NH)-63. The victims were rushed to the nearby hospital, where 6 were declared dead, whereas, 10 others are being treated for injuries.

Preliminary reports claimed that the accident occurred due to a collision between a bus and a lorry on the highway. Following the mishap, the traffic police officials rushed to the spot. While the victims were sent to hospital, the rammed vehicles were removed from the site to resume smooth vehicular movement. 12 Dead as Truck From Wrong Side Rams Into Car, 2 Two-Wheelers in Sonipat.

Visuals of the road accident shared by news agency ANI:

6 people killed and more than 10 injured in a collision between a bus and a lorry near Hubli on National Highway 63 #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/JfvqKpzc6g  ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018

Karnataka has emerged as one of the most unsafe states of India for road commutation. As per the statistics for the year 2016 released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Karnataka ranks 3rd among the 13 states which account for 86 per cent of the total road accidents.

In 2016, 44,403 road accidents were reported in Karnataka, which led to 11,133 fatalities. In Bengaluru alone, 5,323 mishaps were reported, leading to the death of 790 commuters.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 17, 2018 10:53 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Kolkata, November 17: A fire broke out at an under construction residential skyscraper in West Bengal's Kolkata city on Saturday evening. At least three fire tenders were rushed to douse raging fire at 'The 42', the under construction skyscraper in Kolkata. 'The 42' happens to be the tallest building in Kolkata and is located on Chowringhee Road.

The 879-feet structure accommodates 63 floors. Visuals from the spot showed fire engulfing couple of floors of the high-rise structure. The fire spread from the nets. The flames have been brought under control, JagMohan, director general, fire and emergency services, told Hindustan Times. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee, who visited the sport said: Welding work was going on to install outdoor units of air conditioner machines. Sparks from the welding might have triggered the fire. However the nets should have been made of fire proof material." No casualties were reported in the fire incident. Construction work at the 'The 42' site began in 2008.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 17, 2018 06:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
New Delhi, November 17: The national capital New Delhi has been put on high alert after intelligence agencies after a message carrying details of terrorist attack circulated on a group believed to be run by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). According to reports, the message carried details of the attack at various locations in Delhi to avenge the killing of its commander in Jammu and Kashmirs Tral in October. The Intelligence Bureau on November 13 circulated a letter asking the security agencies to be on a high alert in the national capital. Jaish-e-Mohammed Planning Major Attack In India; 100 Suicide Attackers Take Oath In PoK

In the letter, it is mentioned that as per the message circulated by a Pakistan National Ameer Hamza in the whats app group, the terror organisation JeM is planning to carry out terrorist attacks on security establishments in Delhi to avenge the killing of Usman alias Huzaifa during the Tral encounter in the Kashmir Valley on October 30. The letter was sent to the Central Industrial Security Force, Delhi Police, National Security Guards, and Railway Protection Force.

On Thursday, intelligence agencies issued an alert that six to seven JeM entered Punjabs Ferozepur district and are planning to move towards Delhi. The alert was issued a day after four suspected terrorists hijacked a car in Pathankots Madhopur area on Tuesday from a man who reportedly hails from Jammu and Kashmir. As per reports, the alleged hijackers were travelling from Jammu to Pathankot.

Meanwhile, On November 15, the state police has now released posters of former Hizbul Mujahideen commander and founder and chief of Al-Qaeda cell Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind Zakir Moosa to gather information about his whereabouts. The posters were released after the police received inputs about his movement near Amritsar.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 17, 2018 03:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
New Jersey, November 17: A elderly man from Telangana was shot dead outside his residence by a teenager in a carjacking incident, his relatives said on Saturday. The deceased, identified as 61-year-old Sunil Edla, was killed by a 16-year-old boy in Ventnor City in New Jersey at around 8 pm on November 15 local time. The minor accused was arrested and charged with murder and other crimes.

Sunil Edla was working as a night auditor in hospitality industry in Atlantic City. The accused shot him when Elda was leaving his home to work on an overnight shift, and fled with his car. Elda, who is from Medak district of Telangana and had migrated to the United States in 1987, died on the spot, according to reports.

The police on Friday tracked the accused boy and arrested him from Egg Harbor City, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G Tyner. said He has been charged with murder, robbery, carjacking, and unlawful possession of a handgun. Hee is being held at the Harborfields Juvenile Detention Center in Egg Harbor City. Edla died of multiple gunshot wounds, an autopsy revealed.

Edla was to travel to India later this month to visit his family. According to his relatives, he had made all arrangements for two-month trip visit his mother for her 95th birthday and celebrate Christmas with the family. He was active in the community and was also known for playing piano at churches in Atlantic City.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 17, 2018 11:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Independent journalist and political commentator Shivam Vij, in his recent article, opined that Hindutva can't be the central narrative of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Lok Sabha elections 2019. "It will be like an admission before swing voters that Vikas has failed," he wrote citing other reasons for his conclusion. However, I feel the failure of Vikas is the very reason that will compel the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to let Hindutva overtake his poll narrative, whatever that may be.

Since 2014, PM Modi has played strategically both as the Hindu Hriday Samrat (the Emperor of Hindu Hearts), and the Vikas Purush (the development man). He keeps his public speeches around all-round development and banks on Hindu symbolism rather than anti-minority rhetoric. After taking over as the prime minister, Modi made communal remarks just before state elections. For example, in middle of assembly election campaign in Uttar Pradesh, he chose to pit Shamshan against Kabristan to highlight the bhedbhav by the then Akhilesh Yadav government. Ram Mandir: 50 Per Cent of Temple Carving Work Completed Despite Delay in Supreme Court Ayodhya Verdict.

While Modi sticks to his Sab Ka Sath Sab Ka Vikas narrative, BJP leaders such as Giriraj Singh, Yogi Adityanath, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Sakshi Maharaj, Subramanian Swamy, Sangeet Som, Anant Kumar Hegde, led by party chief Amit Shah, and the entire Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leave no stone unturned to assure its core voters that the party is not abandoning its ideological commitments. Sabarimala Row Escalates, Protesting Outfits Call Shutdown After Hindu Aikya Vedi Leader KP Sasikala Detained.

The statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, renaming of cities having Mughal or a Muslim connection, no celebration on the second anniversary of demonetisation, fuss over Ghuspethiye in view of Assam's NRC, political uproar over the Supreme Court's order on Sabarimala temple and most importantly the sudden urgency to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya indicate BJP's campaign for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections will be dripping of Hindutva. Hopefully, the BJP-RSS combine will not resort to communal violence because it would further corroborate that Vikas has failed. Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Google Plans To Share Information About Whos Paying For Election Ads in India.

The fact is Modis Achhe Din promises have fizzled out. The opposition knows the formula of defeating BJP - a grand alliance. The success of unanimous candidates by the opposition in Kairana, Gorakhpur, and Phulpur may not have laid the foundation of a Mahagathbandhan, but it was enough to make BJP feel insecure. The widening rift between the upper caste and the Dalits over the SC/ST Act is taking its toll on BJP's strategy to polarise all Hindu votes against one common enemy - the Muslims.

To retain power, the BJP needs Sab Hindus Ka Sath. An issue which can bring them all under one roof is "Hindutva". Instead of countering this majority narrative, the Congress decided to embrace soft Hindutva. Congress now hesitates to mention secularism or Muslims, and Rahul Gandhi doesnt mind visiting temples for the optics. The BJP wants Congress to stay away from issues like jobs and income and stick to communal subjects where the saffron party already has the upper hand.

BJP's campaign for Gujarat assembly elections in which the party managed a face-saving win showed us a glimpse of the 2019 battle. When all else failed, BJP played several Hindutva cards - Pakistan, dadhi-topi (a reference to the Muslims) and Aurangzeb - to save Modi's home state. Gujarat outcome reaffirmed BJP and Modi that when all else fails, there is always Hindutva.

This article is not written to hurt the public image of any individual mentioned in the article. We at LatestLY do not intend to hurt or insult any persons sentiment involved. The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 17, 2018 01:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
New Delhi, November 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday left for a day-long visit to Maldives to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. "Pursuing the policy of Neighbourhood First! On his first visit to our maritime neighbour, PM @narendramodi emplanes for #Maldives to attend the historic swearing-in ceremony of President-elect @ibusolih. The last visit by an Indian PM to Maldives was in November 2011," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar wrote on his Twitter handle.

This will be Prime Minister Modi's first visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago. Upon his arrival in Male, Prime Minister Modi will attend Solih's swearing-in ceremony at the National Stadium. He will also separately meet with the 54-year-old leader, before departing for India later in the evening. Yesterday, in his departure statement, the Prime Minister congratulated Solih for his victory in the Maldivian presidential elections in September and added that the recent polls in the island nation "represent the collective aspirations of the people of the Republic of the Maldives for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future". Maldives Presidential Elections 2018: Modi Government Distances Itself from Subramanian Swamy's Remarks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for Maldives to attend the inauguration ceremony of the President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in Male pic.twitter.com/N9z7TbIl9q  ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018

"India and Maldives share a strong partnership rooted in history, strong bonds between our peoples, and their shared aspiration for peace and prosperity. My Government's vision of inclusive development 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas' (Collective Efforts, Inclusive Growth) extends to all our neighbours too. We in India strongly desire to see a democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," Prime Minister Modi wrote. Solih emerged victorious in the high-octane elections held in the island nation on September 23 which saw the ouster of outgoing president Abdulla Yameen.
The Jalebi star Rhea Chakraborty is in the Maldives and having the best holiday ever  full of sunshine, sand, sea, and sexiness. She is a total beach babe, and the mini-break in the tropical nation is proof of it. Her Instagram account is giving major travel goals to anyone who is seeking inspiration to jet off to the Maldives. Through her vacation pics, Rhea is also flaunting off her toned physique in a wide range of bikinis and swimsuits. And, oh boy, she does own an awesome collection  from tiny string ones to printed cut-out monokinis. No wonder Rhea Chakrabortys hot bikini pics shot during the Maldives break is going viral on social media. Sonakshi Sinhas Maldives Vacation Photos: From Slaying in Bikini to Swimming With Turtles, Asli Sona Had a Dream Holiday (See Pics and Videos).

Earlier, we told you about Bollywood actresses and their love for the Maldives as a holiday destination. From Parineeti Chopra, Shilpa Shetty to Sonakshi Sinha, they head off to the country famous for its gorgeous islands and majestic resorts. It could be either for a mini vacation or bachelorette party, Maldives is everyones favourite. Rhea is another on this list who has explored the hot tourist spot and turned it more attractive with her sizzling hot presence. Look at all sexy pictures of bindass Rhea Chakraborty as a bikini babe! Parineeti Chopra Vacations in the Maldives! See Pictures of the Actress Enjoying Clear Skies and the Blue Ocean.

Meet Beach Babe Turned Seductress, Rhea

Rhea Chakraborty (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Its Getting Hot in Herre

Rhea Chakraborty (Photo Credits: Instagram)

A Real Vision in White

Rhea Chakraborty (Photo Credits: Instagram)

That Infectious Laughter

Rhea Chakraborty (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Keep Calm And Smile On

Rhea Chakraborty (Photo Credits: Instagram)

When in Doubt, Play With Hair

Rhea Chakraborty (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Those Washboard Abs 

Rhea Chakraborty (Photo Credits: Instagram)



Rhea Chakraborty (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Sand, Sun and Selfie 

Rhea Chakraborty (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Pretty, Hot and Tempting

Rhea Chakraborty (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Fans look forward to more of Rheas glamorous avatar. The girl who started her journey in the showbiz at a very young age is looking forward to making a mark among the current crop of actresses. She has done few roles, but good ones like in Mere Dad Ki Maruti, Sonali Cable and recently released Jalebi.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 17, 2018 09:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Organizations with broad social ties improve outcomes for communities recovering from natural disasters

The studys findings apply to nearly every county in the U.S.

Communities come together following a disaster, but its a lot to ask of a small isolated organization like a local church when a government already has that megaphone.

BUFFALO, N.Y.  Communities recovering from natural disasters often see an increase in the number of businesses and non-profits that develop in the wake of the cleanup, but that apparent growth doesnt necessarily counterweigh the accompanying rise in poverty levels in areas transformed by events such as storms, earthquakes and wildfires.

These emerging businesses can improve the economic well-being of post-disaster communities, but whats true for businesses is not always the case for other types of community organizations, according to the results of a new study by a University at Buffalo-led research team.

We found that community organizations, like churches, that are focused on their own needs during disasters do not block out the increase in poverty rates, says Kevin Smiley, an assistant professor of sociology at UB and the papers lead author. These organizations are an important part of the recovery and are effective on a small scale, but counties with increasing numbers of advocacy organizations, such as local environmental groups, political organizations and human-rights groups, tend to have a better recovery in terms of economic inequality.

The findings suggest that the most equitable recoveries are in those places where organizations that have a broad, crosscutting presence are located, and Smiley says that in order to encourage a wide economic recovery, communities should think about activating advocacy organizations that reach across diverse populations.

In California, after the last of the fires has been put out, and the affected communities come together in their recovery, these broad-based organizations can help in a more equitable disaster recovery  its not just the economic; its the social, says Smiley. Governments are uniquely positioned to help accomplish this. These organizations represent the democratic possibility; they are the institutions in which we imbue our collective spirit and they have the best opportunity to reach people.

Communities come together following a disaster, but its a lot to ask of a small isolated organization like a local church when a government already has that megaphone, says Smiley.

One of the curiosities of this research is that every community in the United States can learn from its findings  well, almost every community.

Natural hazards accompanied by property damage  not just headlines-grabbers like hurricanes and floods, but events such as hail, winter weather or severe thunderstorms  have occurred in all but one of the nations 3,137 counties. Only rural Lyman County in South Dakota was untouched by a damaging event between 1998 and 2015, the timeframe Smiley and his colleagues examined for the study, which was published in the journal Population and Environment.

These events are happening nearly everywhere in the country, says Smiley. Given that prevalence, its important to understand whats happening long-term and how to help communities recover.

The research team, including James Elliott, a professor of sociology at Rice University, and Junia Howell, an urban sociologist at the University of Pittsburgh, was motivated by how people come together after disasters to rebuild and how disasters have uneven impacts, like rising social, income and neighborhood inequalities.

In the time span we studied, the average U.S. county experienced a total of $100 million in property damage from natural hazards, says Elliott. This means the growing frequency and severity of natural hazards is an issue that every local community must consider.

The analysis relies on data from the Spatial Hazard Events and Losses Database, a county-level collection of information on damages in the U.S. from natural hazards.

By looking at all counties in the United States across an 18-year period, this study is able to demonstrate how all places  not just those hit by mega disasters  are being affected by natural hazards and how organizations respond to them, says Smiley.
Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 5:45AM

Yesterday news broke out that Microsoft was putting ads in its default Mail client on your PC. Users have spotted it in the beta test and in an FAQ from Microsoft thats now been taken down, it was said to be a pilot program. But now the company has taken this test back. Microsoft communications head Frank Shaw said the company has decided to turn these ads off. Shaw said these were never meant to be tested broadly, which might seem strange with the presence of the FAQ. But perhaps the company has listened to complaints about the plan and these ads shouldnt be showing up now.

This was an experimental feature that was never intended to be tested broadly and it is being turned off.  Frank X. Shaw (@fxshaw) November 16, 2018

Source: The Verge
- The growing threat posed to humans by the deployment of robots and artificial intelligence in work places is a source of concern for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

- He says the country is contending with how technology is redefining the structure of industry and commerce and the skills required to function in them

- The vice president says the same functions some people perform are being performed far more efficiently and even cheaper by robots and artificial intelligence

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has raised concern over the growing threat posed to humans by the deployment of robots and artificial intelligence in work places.

Osinbajo stated this at the closing ceremony of the 50th anniversary celebrations and annual conference of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) in Abuja on Friday, November 16, NAN reports.

Legit.ng gathers that the vice president said that to brace up for the challenge, the federal government was focusing on imparting employable skills on students from primary school to tertiary education.

READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda

According to him, no sensible discussion of the economy can be done without acknowledging the role of the people.

He said that in the next few years, Nigeria would be contending with having one of the largest youth populations in the world.

Osinbajo said: We will be the third most populous nation in the world. What sort of skills will these young men and women require? Where will they work?

Already, we are contending with how technology is redefining the structure of industry and commerce and the skills required to function in them.

But more disturbing is the growing apprehension of redundancy of many who today work in the millions of jobs that may be unnecessary as robots and artificial intelligence perform the same functions far more efficiently and even cheaper.

What will retraining this possibly redundant workforce entail? What happens to pensions of retired humans when the majority of current workers are robots who earn nothing?

How about the growing concerns about work life balance? What sort of work environment makes for the most productive worker?

Is it the formal workspace which we are used to or something less constraining more flexible as we are seeing in the new technology companies.

He said that the third major pillar of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan was called investing in people; on human capital development.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo accused the Goodluck Jonathan administration of carrying out grand corruption with impunity during its tenure.

Osinbajo made the accusation on Monday, November 12, when delivering the 40th anniversary lecture of the Association of Friends in Lagos.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better

Laolu Akande Speaks on How Presidency is Tackling Economy | Legit TV

Source: Legit Nigeria
The CIA has said that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul last month.

Washington Post reports that the revelation contradicts the Saudi governments claims that the Prince was not involved in the killing, according to people familiar with the matter.

Legit.ng gathered that the CIAs assessment, in which officials have said they have high confidence, is the most definitive to date linking Mohammed to the operation and complicates the Trump administrations efforts to preserve its relationship with a close ally.

According to the report, a team of 15 Saudi agents flew to Istanbul on government aircraft in October and killed Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate, where he had come to pick up documents that he needed for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman.

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In reaching its conclusions, the CIA examined multiple sources of intelligence, including a phone call that the princes brother Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, had with Khashoggi, according to the people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the intelligence.

Khalid told Khashoggi, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post, that he should go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents and gave him assurances that it would be safe to do so.

It is not clear if Khalid knew that Khashoggi would be killed, but he made the call at his brothers direction, according to the people familiar with the call, which was intercepted by U.S. intelligence.

Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, said the ambassador and Khashoggi never discussed anything related to going to Turkey.

She added that the claims in the CIAs purported assessment are false. We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations.

Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor said the country's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, had no knowledge of the operation.

The CIAs conclusion about Mohammeds role was also based on the agencys assessment of the prince as the countrys de facto ruler who oversees even minor affairs in the kingdom.

The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved, said a U.S. official familiar with the CIAs conclusions.

The CIA sees Mohammed as a good technocrat, the U.S. official said, but also as volatile and arrogant, someone who goes from zero to 60, doesnt seem to understand that there are some things you cant do.

CIA analysts believe he has a firm grip on power and is not in danger of losing his status as heir to the throne despite the Khashoggi scandal.

The general agreement is that he is likely to survive, the official said, adding that Mohammeds role as the future Saudi king is taken for granted.

A spokesman for the CIA declined to comment.

Over the past several weeks, the Saudis have offered multiple, contradictory explanations for what happened at the consulate.

This week, the Saudi public prosecutor blamed the operation on a rogue band of operatives who were sent to Istanbul to return Khashoggi to Saudi Arabia, in an operation that veered off course when the journalist was forcibly restrained and injected with a large amount of a drug resulting in an over.dose that led to his death, according to a report by the prosecutor.

The prosecutor announced charges against 11 alleged participants and said he would seek the death penalty against five of them.

One lingering question is why Mohammed might have decided to kill Khashoggi, who was not agitating for the crown princes removal.

A theory the CIA has developed is that Mohammed believed Khashoggi was a dangerous Islamist who was too sympathetic to the Muslim brotherhood, according to people familiar with the assessment.

Days after Khashoggi disappeared, Mohammed relayed that view in a phone call with Kushner and John Bolton, the national security adviser, who has long opposed the Brotherhood and seen it as a regional security threat.

Mohammeds private condemnation of the slain journalist stood in contrast to his governments public comments, which mourned Khashoggis killing as a terrible mistake and a tragedy.

U.S. officials are unclear on when or whether the Saudi government will follow through with its threatened executions of the individuals blamed for Khashoggis killing.

It could happen overnight or take 20 years, the U.S. official said, adding that the treatment of subordinates could erode Mohammeds standing going forward.

In killing those who followed his orders, its hard to get the next set [of subordinates] to help, the official said.

READ ALSO: Buhari, Oshiomhole meet behind closed-doors in Aso Rock over 2019 elections

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that following the brutal killing of Saudi Arabian journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, death penalty was sought by Saudi against five suspects that were accused of murdering the journalist in the country's consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on Tuesday, October 2.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better

Which country would you leave Nigeria for? - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
Nigerian troops battling insurgents in the northeast have reportedly killed one of the commanders of the Islamic State West Africa Sale (ISWA), Sale Ahmad Sale, also known as Baban Hassan.

Ahmad, who was the leader of Al-Barnawi media group, a faction of Boko Haram, was reportedly killed in a joint operation conducted by the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air force.

The Nigerian Army in a statement on Saturday, November 17, said the killing of the Boko Haram commander was an indication that efforts by the army to eliminate key members of the sect is yielding result.

READ ALSO: 2019 election: Presidential, NASS campaigns start November 18 - INEC

It said the death of the groups media leader shows that the military is targeting leadership of the group and that soon, other key members would be apprehended or neutralised.

"It is worthy to note that the sect is directly affiliated to the Islamic State and has carried out several attacks against own troops and innocent civilians in the past.

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"Therefore, the death of the groups media leader shows that the leadership is being targeted successfully and soon other key members would be apprehended or neutralised, thus decimating the group and its activities," the army said.

The military said it had also identified the new leader of another terrorist group - Jamaatu Nusratul-Islami Wal-Muslimina, Abul-Fadl Iyad Gali.

It said the identification of the group will enable the army to target the group effectively using advanced technologies in its arsenal.

The army said the existence of the group portends grave danger to the nations security.

In a related report, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole has destroyed a former Boko Haram Terrorist (BHT) Tactical Headquarters at Sabon Tumbun in the Lake Chad Green Fringes.

Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, announced this in a statement on Friday, November 16, in Abuja. According to Daramola, the operation was carried out on Thursday, November 15.

Daramola said the attack was conducted pursuant to credible human intelligence reports indicating that the BHTs were regrouping in a group of buildings in the middle of the settlement.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better.

Is President Buhari Really Unable to Rescue Leah Sharibu from Boko Haram? - Street Gist | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng
If you like musical theater, helping veterans and the Christmas season, then you'll love this show.

Palmer Township-based Sing for America invites you to enjoy the musical "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." The production runs from Dec. 19 to Dec. 31 at the Mauch Chunk Opera House.

"Sing for America ... produces semi-professional Broadway-style musicals using actors of varied backgrounds, ages, and levels of experience," according to its website.

The Gilbert family has been performing since 2005. Their production company was established in 2011 and made a nonprofit corporation in 2016. Patriarch Bruce Gilbert's five children all participate in the group.

Sing For America has raised $50,000 for charity and hopes to raise $5,000 for military families with this production.

The play is based on the 1971 movie starring Gene Wilder, which is based on the book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl.

While the story is "unsettling and a bit twisted," its kind and generous protagonist, Charlie, is rewarded in the end for his "integrity in the midst of selfish ambition," the news release says.

"It has all of the magic theater should have around Christmas time," Bruce Gilbert said.

IF YOU GO

The musical is at the Mauch Chunk Opera House, 14 West Broadway Jim Thorpe, Pa. 18229.

Showtimes are:

Dec. 19, 11 a.m.

Dec. 20, 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 21, 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 22, 2 and 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 23, 2 p.m.

Dec. 26, 1 p.m.

Dec. 27, 1 and 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 28, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 29, 2 and 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 30, 2 p.m.

Dec. 31, 1 p.m. (with special ball drop and champagne toast for all)

Tickets are available online at singforamerica.com or by calling 610-417-2189.

Adults/$18, seniors and students/$15, children under 6/$12
Easton police called to investigate gunfire Friday night in the West Ward found a vehicle shot multiple times, according to a news release.

No one was reported injured in the incident about 9:45 p.m. in the 1200 block of Butler Street.

Police found additional evidence of a shooting at the scene and said witnesses reported hearing four to five shots, police Detective Darren Snyder says in the release.

Two males wearing all black clothing and orange bandanas around their faces were spotted exiting a red vehicle around the time of the shooting, police said. There was no further information to immediately to release on the pair or their vehicle.

Police asked anyone with information that may aid in the investigation to call Detective Darren Snyder at 610-250-6637 or the police department's anonymous tip line at 610-250-6635.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
TROPHIES

Lafayette College Biology Professor Khadijah Mitchell is involving the Easton area community in her research, seeking to explain why African-Americans have higher incidences of lung cancer than European-Americans. Mitchell and student researchers are investigating how genes are turned on or off in different groups of people with lung cancer, and how tumors differ at the molecular level along racial lines. The goal is to contribute to personalized therapy for people with lung cancer. Last fall Mitchell's student team conducted a social media campaign designed to educate teens and young adults about the risks of smoking, including e-cigarettes. They're also studying the radon and lung cancer levels in Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties, to help educate people about radon control.

The Slate Belt Veterans Association will use proceeds from a $2.4 million endowment to build a home for a disabled combat veteran. The endowment is a gift from Brian Perin, a co-owner of Grand Central Sanitation who died in 2017. The group raised a flag on Veterans Day on the property in Upper Mount Bethel Township where a American Disabilities Act-compliant home will be constructed. The home will include ramps, an elevator and other amenities. It will be offered for sale at a discount to a multiple amputee or otherwise disabled combat veteran, according to association member Michael Kovalevich Jr.

In observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Wilson Borough firefighters embarked on a project help a local woman. The members of Local 1914 sold Pink and Proud T-shirts for $15 in October, raising more than $1,000 to support Elizabeth Marich in her quest to regain her health. "It was our privilege and pleasure to visit her home and give her a gift which we hope will take some of the burden off of her and her family," the firefighters said in a release. They hope to make the fundraiser an annual event that grows with time, allowing for more beneficiaries.

TURKEYS

The story tugged at the heartstrings of thousands: A New Jersey couple, Katelyn McClure and Mark D'Amico, started a GoFundMe page for Johnny Bobbitt, a homeless veteran who used his last $20 to buy gas for McClure's car when she was stranded on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia. Thousands of donors responded, contributing more than $400,000 to help the veteran. This week Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina said the feel-good story was concocted by the trio for their own profit. The scheme began to unravel last August when Bobbit complained to a reporter that the couple was spending money meant for him. McClure and D'Amico went on NBC News's Megyn Kelly TODAY to explain the situation, saying they withheld money from Bobbitt because he squandered $25,000 on drugs in two weeks. The prosecutor said the couple used a large share of the money on gifts and vacations for themselves. All three were charged with theft by deception and conspiracy. GoFundMe said the donors will receive refunds.
A new documentary film released online to audiences in the UK and across Europe this week, questions claims made by UK, Danish and Spanish health authorities that widespread administering of the HPV vaccine is both safe and a guaranteed means of preventing cervical cancer.

It comes at a time when medical experts are proposing to extend the vaccine's use from teenage girls, adding teenage boys and children below the age of puberty.

'Manufactured Crisis: What they're not telling you about the HPV Vaccine' (http://bit.ly/manufacturedcrisis ) says it exposes cases of severe, life-changing adverse reactions experienced by girls and young women following doses of the commercial HPV vaccines Gardasil or Cervarix - cases from which the public has previously been shielded. Recorded adverse reactions include severe disability, paralysis and even death.

The 60-minute film also features physicians and scientists who challenge claims over the HPV vaccine's value. They question the assertion, made by so many health authorities, that the balance of risks vs benefits weighs strongly in favour of vaccinating entire adolescent populations.

Manufactured Crisis is an Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) production - made in collaboration with Sanevax, the UK Association of HPV Vaccine Injured Daughters (AHVID), the Danish Association of HPV Vaccine Victims and the Spanish Association of people affected by HPV vaccine (AAVP).

'Manufactured Crisis: What they're not telling you about the HPV Vaccine' is produced by Focus for Health and Freda Birrell and is directed by Tim Reihm. The hour-long documentary is available for media and public viewing at http://bit.ly/manufacturedcrisis

The HSE says "The vaccine saves lives by preventing the most common strains of HPV that cause cervical cancer."

HSE National Director Dr OKeeffe has previously stated, We know that there are many conflicting and misleading sources of information out there. The only Irish website containing information that has been formally accredited by the World Health Organization is hpv.ie. We strongly urge all parents, teenagers, and interested parties to visit this trusted source where they will learn about the vaccine - how it saves lives and its excellent safety record. Their local vaccination teams are there to support them and answer any questions, along with their local GPs and local Pharmacists.

Also read: Boys to get HPV vaccine in 2019

Leitrim girl says Minister's comments are insulting and upsetting

Scaremongers should butt out and leave medical advice on HPV to professionals
THE Shannon Group has won the overall company of the year award at the Limerick Chamber regional business awards.

The semi-state firm, which employs 650 people across four different entities, was confirmed as the overall winner at the Limerick Chamber President's dinner in the Strand Hotel this Friday night.

The annual awards dinner, sponsored by LIT  of which the Limerick Leader is a media partner  is being attended by over 400 of the regions top business leaders and local representatives.

In addition to the other seven business awards given out, a special President's award was presented by Dr Mary Shire to Dr Kieran Curran, of GenCell biosystems (now acquired by BD), for his services to the science and business community over the years.

Speaking at the awards, new Limerick Chamber chief executive Dee Ryan praised the standard of entries received - and also praised the judges panel, chaired by Anne Heraty of CPL Recruitment.

The quality has been really high. The amount of work and time which has gone in from judges has been great to see. The judges would have spent ten hours on this process. It was a really thorough process.

Its a big event, and there is a lot of work put into it. We hope people have enjoyed the night, she added.

Shannon Group comprises of four separate entities, Shannon Airport, Shannon Commercial Properties, the International Aviation Services Centre, and Shannon Heritage, which is the largest operator and developer of Heritage tourist attractions in Ireland.

The full list of the 2018 Limerick Chamber Regional Business Awards winners is as follows:

Best Emerging Business: Electricity Exchange

Best SME Business: Design Pro Automation

Best Large Business: Shannon Group

Best CSR: Optel Group

Best Retail & Hospitality Business: Masterchef

Best Not for Profit: Novas

Best Employer: 3 Ireland

Company of the Year: Shannon Group

2018 Limerick Chamber Presidents Award: Dr Kieran Curran, GenCell Biosystems
A well-known businessman and former chairman of Kilmallock GAA club says the County Limerick town is in a state of emergency.

Kilmallock native Val Moloney has called for the formation of a task force, saying the town is bordering on becoming a black spot.

People are in their comfort zone and nobody is acknowledging it. They are all sitting back and saying nothing. The council needs to be shaken into some form of action. We are currently rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, said Mr Moloney this week.

Its serious enough that we cant be waiting for people to be sorting out the wrinkles and the politics that go on.

Mr Moloney, a former business man, now retired, is trying to start a movement to analyse what the real situation is and then knowing the real situation we can stop the denial and do something about it.

Im just a person majorly concerned about the future of Kilmallock, he continued.

His comments follow a number of Community Planning meetings in the town in recent weeks, facilitated by Ballyhoura Development, which have been looking at reaching agreement on local priorities and at bringing in more resources and services to the town.

A number of key statistics were highlighted at the first of the three meetings, which Mr Moloney has described as shocking.

This is extraordinary - there are 14 areas in Kilmallock and by national definition there are 13 of them deprived. This is from the Central Statistics Office from the last Census in 2016. Now thats shocking, he said.

According to the 2016 figures the average unemployment rate at that time for Kilmallock was 18.61%.

The national average was 12.91% and were 18.61% so we were 50% higher than the national average. We were also 30% higher than the Limerick average, said Mr Moloney.

The figures also show that 35% had not completed school and the national average was at 27.5%. The national average of third level graduates was 30%, Kilmallock was at around 12%. Its shocking, he reiterated, adding that those with disability in Kilmallock according to the 2016 Census was 50% higher than the national average.

When contacted this week, local councillor Mike Donegan of Fianna Fail said he didnt believe the town was in a state of emergency and said he is not in favour of the formation of a task force.

There are negatives like any town. I wouldnt say its a state of emergency. We have problems but I dont think we need a task force, he said.

Last year we did a SWOT analysis - strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to Kilmallock; the strengths were the GAA, the heritage, the tourism, the Medieval tours, the extension to the secondary school, the new national school. We have had a lot of money invested in the old technical school.

We were also the Bank of Ireland Enterprise town runner-up last year.

We know there is a transport problem, anti-social behaviour including the selling of drugs and all these things are being brought to the attention of the gardai. We have had CCTV installed. There is the new footbridge, said Cllr Donegan who is also chairperson of Kilmallock Tourism Development, chairperson of Kilmallock Partnership and is also a member of Kilmallock Community Council.

Cllr Donegan said an economic plan has been done in conjunction with the town traders which will feed into the local area plan which is up for renewal next year.

I am trying to ensure both reports come before the municipal district - the community socio-economic plan and the traders plan - that they are presented to the council highlighting what needs to be done and what direction we want to go in, in the next five years, he said.

We are looking at promoting and marketing the business park. What we are looking at is setting up a business development team through the town traders so we can look at the bigger picture like communications within the bigger groups.

Mr Moloney however, is calling on the chief executive of Limerick City and County Council, Conn Murray, and local TDs Niall Collins, Patrick ODonovan and Tom Neville to recognise the issues and support the formation of a task force.

I would be looking for a task force or a focus group or something from the stakeholders to get involved as soon as possible. There is a bit of work being done by people. There are people trying to get the town up off its knees. They are going through a process which is fair enough but there can be a parallel process. We have to highlight this. Its not mutually exclusive, said Mr Moloney who is now retired but in the past opened up a fibre optic plant in telecommunications creating 40 jobs and also started a company in Charleville in the auto business which created 10 jobs.

I said Im not waiting six months to sort things out. This is serious and deserves immediate attention. Greg Conway of the Community Alert has also called for a consultation group to include all the key stakeholders which would look at identifying the key issues and how we would address them.

Tony Dowling, chairperson of Kilmallock Community Council said that what the town is missing is investment and he said it is possibly experiencing a bit of an identity crisis.

We really are fairly bad. But a state of emergency, I dont know, he said.

I think the town is missing investment. And I think we are having a bit of an identity crisis really. We dont buy into the town. We dont support the town. We definitely need more industry in the town. I know its very easy to say the grass is always greener but if you go to Charleville, there is industry, there is employment there. People go back there to shop.

Mr Dowling said he was taken aback on the night of the first meeting to see the statistics.

It would be great to sit down with Conn Murray but whats he going to say to us? Maybe there is a plan out there that we are not aware of. Maybe to start the process we could sit down with Conn Murray or some of his colleagues and say, Look, where are we going and what is the plan for the town?.

The next Community Planning meeting takes place in the former girls school in Kilmallock next Tuesday, November 20 at 8pm.
SEVERAL events have been held across Limerick to mark 100 years since the signing of the Armistice.

On November 11, 1918 the agreement was signed to mark the end of fighting on land, sea and air in World War One between the allies and their opponent, Germany.

Events were held across the city kicking off at dawn, where bells rang to mark the start of the day in Sarsfield Barracks.

Kilmallock saw a gun salute, followed by the raising of the tricolour to remember the 22 soldiers from the town who lost their lives in the First World War.

There were emotional scenes in Pery Square as around 100 people gathered at the memorial for the citys annual Remembrance Sunday commemoration.

Poppy wreaths were laid at the Cenotaph in memory of the 1,300 Limerick men who died in the war.

Mayor James Collins represented Limerick City and County Council at the ceremony, while Jan OSullivan joined Senator Kieran ODonnell and Cllrs Kieran OHanlon and Cathal Crowe there. The mayor paid a tribute to Coonaghs Patrick Davis, who died on the eve of the Armistice.

It was a conflict which cost millions of lives. Approximately 30,000 Irish people lost their lives in World War One, and at least 1,300 people from Limerick and its surrounds perished in the conflict. We remember today people like Patrick and Michael Davis from Coonagh. Patrick died the night before the Armistice was signed when his ship was sunk by a German submarine, he said.

The commemoration was organised by the Limerick branch of the Royal British Legion and was attended by veterans of the armies of Ireland, Britain and the USA.

When the clock struck 11am, a minute-long silence was observed by the crowd. A lone bugler played the Last Post, while there was music from the St Marys Pipe Band.

Following the commemoration, Mass was held in St Josephs Church followed by a get-together of veterans in the officers mess at the Lord Edward Street barracks.

The generation of World War One has now passed, but the British legion is still relevant in Limerick and nationwide. Its through the Legion we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms that we all enjoy today.

We continue to remember, and we continue to commemorate, Mayor Collins concluded.

The following day, Villiers School held a special service to mark Armistice Day.

The service commenced with full colours on parade.

The headmistress Jill Storey laid a wreath in memory of all past pupils who died in all wars.

They were accompanied by a lone piper playing Limerick laments.

Throughout the service staff members and students remembered those lost in war through poetry readings, music and a two minute silence held on the dot of 11am.

The school community was joined by representatives of the Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen Patrick Sarsfield Branch (O.N.E), the Irish United Nations Veterans Association (I.U.N.V.A) Post 6, Limerick Branch of the Royal British Legion, Irish Air Corps Veterans Association, Limerick.

The Great War lasted from 1914 to 1918, the conflict claiming 16 million lives in total.
THE names of the 22 soldiers from Kilmallock who lost their lives in World War One were called out at a special ceremony in the town on Sunday morning.

To mark the centenary of the end of the war locals gathered at 11am at Kilmallock Museum where a plaque was unveiled dedicated to the memory of Andrew Heffernan, the 21 other Kilmallock men who were killed during the war and in honour of over 30,000 Irishmen who never made it home from the Great War of 1914-1918.

Local woman Imelda ORiordan read out the names of the 22 soldiers who lost their lives.

One such soldier was Andrew Heffernan of Abbey view, Kilmallock. He was a Corporal in C-Company of the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Munster Fusiliers.

He arrived in France in January 1915.

On May 8 1915, he along with the 900 other soldiers of his battalion received their General Last Absolution by their Chaplin, Father Francis Gleeson.

The scene is famously captured in the Italian painter Mantanias The last Absolution of The Munster Fusiliers.

Corporal Andrew Heffernan was not one of the lucky few who survived, and like many of his fallen brothers from May 9 1915, his body was never found.

A gun salute took place at Sunday's event before members of the Defence Forces raised the Tricolour during the ceremony which was attended by in the region of 100 people.

Poignant moment as the Tricolour is raised in Kilmallock to remember the 22 soldiers from the town who lost their lives in WWI #Armistice #RemembranceSunday pic.twitter.com/ylkHEKylvq  Aine Fitzgerald (@AineFitzgeraldA) November 11, 2018

Organisers extended their thanks to local gardai, musicians, and local businesses for their support.

Armistice Day was marked in a number of locations throughout the city and county including Kilfinane and Bruff.

There were at least 20 fatalities of young men from Bruff, Grange and Meanus between 1914 and 1918 in the war.
THERE was a lovely surprise this week as the man instrumental in the recent success of the Boherbuoy Band was honoured with a surprise reception.

Pa Phelan, 89, arrived at City Hall this week, expecting the whole band, which he is president of, to be recognised by Mayor James Collins.

Instead, he was left stunned and humbled when he was told the night belonged to him.

This is a lovely moment: Boherbuoy Band president Pa Phelan thought reception from #LimerickMayor was for the whole band - that is until @jamesjcollins says it is, in fact, in honour of his 78 years service. @Limerick_Leader pic.twitter.com/ikFPEQcr1O  Nick Rabbitts (@Nick468official) November 13, 2018

I didnt expect this, he smiled. I knew there was something going on. Id like to thank each and every one of you, but especially my late father. He was the greatest man.

Pa is a stalwart of the Boherbuoy Band, which at 169 years going strong, is the oldest band in the city.

Born in Stokes Lane, Pa has been a member of the band for 78 years, joining as a fresh-faced seven-year-old.

Declan Hickey, vice-president of the band, said: This is a very richly deserved honour. Pa is a marvellous family man. You can see all his children, his family, friends and relatives have come to honour him. It shows the high esteem he is held in by his own family.

Declan added Pa is a great man to teach youngsters coming into the band  and come rain or shine, the accomplished euphonium, trombone and drum player will turn up to practice.

He always turns up whether it is in the middle of winter when its raining and were playing in OConnell Street, or in the middle of summer when its very hot. Pa will be there. Age doesnt seem to make a difference, Declan added.

A humbled Pa said he is just giving back to a band which has given him so much over the years.

I dont think I ever had an argument with anyone. Everyone is so friendly. Its a wonderful band to be a part of, he said.

When I joined, I learnt from some wonderful people. They were poor men, but they were great musicians. I am so thankful for the band  and I am only returning what I was given.

Mayor Collins said: Your contribution with the Boherbuoy Band, which was founded in 1850 and one of the oldest band in Ireland, is recognised not only by the people of Limerick, but also at national level. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Boherbuoy Band.

He said the group  which has its band hall in Lord Edward Street  provided the soundtrack to his youth.

We all grew up to the sound of the Boherbuoy Band. My parents owned the Railway Hotel. As a young boy, Id be brought in. Id have many an hour out and about in the park, and I was always fascinated when we did come across the Boherbuoy Band. They all had a place in my heart, as they brought me back to my childhood.

A number of representatives paid tribute to Pa, including Cllr Kieran OHanlon, a friend of his for 60 years.

He said: Playing music must be good for the heart and soul, and Pa is proof of this. The Phelan family particularly have made a huge contribution to local life in the St Patricks and St Johns parish. Its great you are being honoured. I know youre a great family man. Long may you continue!

Tributes also came from Senator Maria Byrne and Cllrs John Loftus, Elenora Hogan and Frankie Daly, who described Pa as a Limerick legend.
OVER three thousand delectable tasty treats will be available to dine on for this years Cops and Donuts event at the Crescent Shopping Centre in Limerick this weekend.

Gardai from Roxboro Road Community Policing Unit will erect a custom-made stand for the fourth year running where more than 3,000 delicious donuts will be sold to the public from 12noon until 6pm this Sunday.

The donuts will be sold to raise funds and awareness of Special Olympics Munster.

Special Olympics Munster supports 2,500 athletes across the province to reach their full potential by providing training and organising competitions.

Roxboro Community Garda Paul Howard is delighted to run the event for the fourth year in a row and hopes to surpass last years total of 9,800.

We are raising money for a very worthwhile cause, and we are hoping to surpass the amount of much-needed funds we raised last year, Garda Howard told the Leader.

Speaking at Roxboro Road Garda Station, Superintendent Eamon O Neill said: I am delighted to be involved in the Cops and Donuts event this year as it not only gives us the opportunity to raise money for a good cause, but allows us to get out there and engage with the people in the local community. I would encourage everyone to come and show your support on the day as we raise money for an excellent cause.

Anita Carty, Regional Funding Coordinator with Special Olympics Munster said: "The Cops & Donut Shops are a fun and tasty way to raise much-needed funds for the Special Olympics. We are extremely grateful to An Garda Siochana, whose support for Special Olympics is invaluable

The charity event will take place this Sunday, November 18, at the Crescent Shopping Centre in Dooradoyle from 12 noon.

Two donuts cost 2 and 5 for a box of six; all proceeds go towards Special Olympics Munster, all are welcome.
THE UNIVERSITY of Limerick is investigating claims that a female student was assaulted by a group of drunk young men who cornered her and made her watch as they exposed themselves.

The incident, details of which were first published in a letter to ULs student newspaper, is alleged to have taken place on campus during Freshers Week.

I was cornered and made watch as these men exposed themselves to me, intimidated me, and threatened me, the letter states.

I am a small woman, who could have been easily overpowered by this group, but luckily, I got out.

However, many are not as lucky, and I have become acutely aware that I am just one of several women who have had experiences like this on campus, she added.

A UL spokesperson said the University was not aware of the incident in question but it is treating the matter very seriously.

The matter will be fully investigated and the university will be liaising with gardai.

No report was made to UL in relation to the incident, the spokesperson added.

The security team at UL work to ensure all students are aware of the on campus emergency number 3333 which is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and offers an immediate response to any student or staff member who may require assistance, said the spokesperson.

Students are urged to use this number and report any incident of concern which will be fully investigate by ULs security team.

In a letter to the editor of An Focal, the anonymous student outlined her disappointment with the UL Feminist Societys silence in relation to the alleged incident.

If you cannot support your fellow students on what is clearly a feminist issue, then what are you doing? My assault took place on Freshers Week, alongside what else? The organization and advertising of the consent classes that members of your committee had a hand in running.

It is understood no specific reports of assault were brought to the societys attention this semester.

In a statement, the group said: Yes, we absolutely should have done more this semester and we sincerely apologise to everyone who has been let down by our silence on this issue.

The group is set to host two upcoming events focusing on situations like this should they ever arise.
Few things symbolize the onset of fall quite so well as the sight of a squirrel scampering around a park, industriously burying nuts. As the weather cools and the leaves turn, squirrels engage in this frantic behavior to prepare for the upcoming shortages of wintertime.

But have you ever wondered how effective the squirrel's outdoor pantry project could really be? After going to all that effort to conceal its winter stash, how does the squirrel actually find the buried treasure again, when it's needed most?

First, let's backtrack slightly, because the way that squirrels bury their food yields some interesting clues. Animals that store food to survive the winter don't just do so randomly: They typically use one of two strategies. Either they larder-hoard  meaning they store all their food in one place  or they scatter-hoard  meaning they split up their bounty and stash it in many different locations. [The 12 Biggest 'Little' Mysteries of Fall  Solved!]

Most squirrel species are scatter-hoarders  hence the characteristic dashing they do between different piles of buried food. "This style of food storing probably evolved because it reduces the risk of suffering a major loss," said Mikel Maria Delgado, a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis, who has studied squirrel behavior for severalyears. In other words, the more widely dispersed the food, the lower the risk that a hungry competitor will discover the squirrel's entire supply and destroy it in one go.

In recent research published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, Delgado showed that squirrels will arrange and bury their stash according to certain traits, such as the type of nut. This is known as "chunking," and research shows that in other species, such behavior allows animals to mentally organize their hoard, which may help them remember where it is later on.

That banishes any idea that squirrels are haphazardly chucking bits of food down holes in the ground, and simply hoping to stumble across it later. "I think the body of research about how squirrels handle and bury food clearly demonstrates that their behavior is not random," Delgado told Live Science. On the contrary, there appears to be a meticulous strategy behind the way they store food.

How does that translate into how they find their artfully concealed stash? Depending on the squirrel species and the type of nut, squirrels are generally able to retrieve up to 95percentof their buried food, research shows. So there's clearly more than chance behind this process.

It was long believed that squirrels simply relied on their sense of smell to find their food. But while smell definitely comes into it, a growing body of research suggests that memory plays a much more crucial role.

A seminal 1991 research paper published in the journal Animal Behavior showed that even when multiple grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) bury their stash in close proximity to one another, individuals of this species will remember and return to the precise locations of their personal cache. This is echoed by multiple other studies, showing that the squirrels' spatial memory helps them map out the territory around them to find their food. Under certain conditions  like when their nuts are buried under snow  a sense of smell wont alwaysbe effective in helping them find food. So, it makes sense that squirrels couldbe relying on other cues. [Why Do Squirrels Chase Each Other?]

"While scatter-hoarding squirrels probably also use their sense of smell to locate caches, they do remember their caches. We don't know the exact mechanisms, but it probably includes spatial cues in the environment," Delgado told Live Science.

Pizza Ka Yee Chow, a postdoctoral research fellow at Hokkaido University in Japan, who studies squirrel cognition, agrees. "From my own observation, I think they are using landmarks. They recognize the trees, and they are gauging the distance between themselves, the tree and their own nests," she said.

The organizational chunking behavior, which Delgado identified for the first time in squirrels, may also function to provide memorable cues about the food they're burying. This tactic could "decrease memory load," helping squirrels recall where they put it, Delgado wrote in the Royal Society Open Science study. "No one has directly tested what the potential benefits of chunking would be for squirrels, but we anticipate it might aid in future retrieval of caches," she said.

Researchers have observed that when squirrels scatter-hoard in confined areas, they also seem to be able to remember the location of their caches in relation to one another, suggesting that they build a detailed mental map of where their food lies.

Other studies on squirrel behavior have added weight to the idea that memory underlies squirrels' nut-retrieving skills. In Chow's study on squirrels, published in 2017 in the journal Animal Cognition, she showed that impressive memory spans enable squirrels to successfully recall the solution to a difficult task (manipulating levers to open a hatch that releases a prized hazelnut) more than two years after they first learned it. "They always a find a way to do what they want to do," Chow told Live Science. "They are so dedicated!" This also points to long-term memory as part of the reason squirrels can so specifically recall the location of their nutty bounty.

Over the decades, a plethora of studies have revealed that there's more to squirrels than meets the eye. For instance, researchers think squirrels may even be doing quality control on their bounty. The animals have been observed pawing over nuts and seeds for long periods of time before they bury their stash  something that might help them select nuts with the highest nutritional content, and those least likely to perish underground.

Squirrels will often also meticulously rearrange leaves over disturbed soil to hide their burial sites. Commonly, they also pretend to bury nuts when other squirrels are watching  and then scurry off to a secret location where they actually hide their edible treasures.

In essence, squirrels may covertly hide their nuts, but there's nothing nutty about this behavior. Said Chow, "We think these little creatures may be way smarter than we thought."

Originally published on Live Science.
According to Margaret Campbell-Brown and Peter Brown in the 2018 Observer's Handbook of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Earth will pass through the thickest part of the Leonid swarm at 7 p.m. EST (2300 GMT) on Nov. 17. But the best time to look will be during the after-midnight hours of Sunday morning, once the source the meteors appear to stream from, called the radiant, comes above the horizon for observers in North America. The meteors appear to fly away from a point located within the Sickle of Leo (hence the name "Leonids").

Actually, the very best time to observe the Leonids is as close to dawn as possible. This is when viewers will be able to avoid glare from a waxing gibbous moon (which sets before 2 a.m. local time) and the radiant will climb well up in the southeastern sky. [Leonid Meteor Shower: When, Where & How to See It]

This NASA chart shows where to look to see the 2018 Leonid meteor shower overnight on Nov. 17 and Nov. 18. (Image credit: NASA)

Under ideal dark-sky conditions, a single observer can expect to see about 10 to 15 of these ultraswift meteors each hour. They ram into our upper atmosphere at 45 miles (72 kilometers) per second  faster than any other meteor shower. As such, as many as half leave visible trails, and every once in a great while you might be treated to an outstandingly bright meteor (called a "fireball") or a meteor that silently explodes in a strobe-like flash along its path (called a "bolide"). Such meteors become so bright they can cast distinct shadows.

Observing tips

Since November mornings tend to be quite chilly, verging on downright cold, the best suggestion is to be sure and bundle up. The best piece of equipment for meteor watching is a long lounge chair in which you can lie back and look up without putting any stress on your neck. Look up into the sky, keep your eyes moving around and don't stare at any one place. Pretty soon you'll see a streak in the sky; mentally trace the streak backward. When another streak comes by, trace that backward also and see if it came from the same region of the sky as the first.

By the time a third streak appears, you should be able to verify that the emanation point is indeed within the Sickle, a backward question-mark pattern of stars that marks the head and mane of Leo, the Lion.

The past

What most people remember about the Leonids are the spectacular meteor displays that they staged during the 1998 through 2002 time frame. In some cases, meteors fell at rates of up to 3,000 per hour! The cause of these stupendous displays was Earth's interaction with dense streamers of dust trailing immediately behind Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, which sheds dusty comet debris into space each time it passes the sun at roughly 33-year intervals. The comet reached the far end of its orbit, called aphelion, in 2014, so the Leonids have been weak in recent years.

The future

Unfortunately, on its way back in toward the sun, the comet will pass close to Jupiter, whose potent gravitational field will noticeably perturb the orbit of the comet and its accompanying dense trails of dust. So, stupendous "storms" of meteors are not likely to occur on the next Leonid cycle. Still, there is a chance of some significant activity. Russian meteor expert Mikhail Maslov has predicted that on Nov. 19, 2034, dust trails shed by the comet in 1699 and 1866 will partially overlap upon their interaction with Earth, possibly producing meteor rates in the many hundreds per hour. Not a meteor "storm," but still potentially a very impressive display.

Mark your calendars!

Editor's note: If you snap an amazing Leonid meteor shower photo you'd like to share with Space.com and our news partners for a possible story or image gallery, please send your photos to our staff at spacephotos@futurenet.com.

Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmers' Almanac and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for Verizon FiOS1 News in New York's Lower Hudson Valley. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Original article on Space.com.
Oakland Zoo shut its doors to visitors on Friday and plans to remain closed Saturday as poor air quality is expected to linger into the weekend and early next week.

On Thursday, Oakland Zoo announced its plans to close Friday, via Twitter, later extending the closure to include Saturday.

The park stated that its animals are being closely monitored by keepers, and will also have access to indoor areas.

San Francisco Zoo did not close Friday, but told SFGATE they wont know until Saturday morning if they will follow suit and close for the day.

ALSO: Breathing San Francisco air today is like smoking 11 cigarettes

Zookeepers are monitoring animals more than usual, however, SF Zoo also said.

Some of the animals have access to their inside quarters and a lot of them are choosing to stay inside, an employee said.

Many Bay Area schools, including all San Francisco Unified, have closed due to poor air quality and a number of San Francisco recreational spots and businesses also closed Friday.

As of 4 p.m. Friday, San Franciscos air quality index (AQI) measured at 271, just 30 points shy of 301 AQI that indicates hazardous air conditions. Air quality thats considered hazardous has an AQI that ranges from 301-500.

ALSO: Startling before and after photos show just how smoky it is in the Bay Area

San Franciscos current AQI of 271 is within the purple zone, that ranges from 201-300 AQI, and is considered very unhealthy for everyone, especially people with heart and lung disease, older people and children.

Follow Susana Guerrero on Twitter and email her at sguerrero@sfchronicle.com

Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news.
San Antonio's nightlife scene welcomed a new bar Friday to the St. Mary's Strip.

It was a "dawn of a new era" with Tex-Mex two-steppin' at the grand opening of The Lonesome Rose, which was formerly the Phantom Room.

RELATED: Photos: Reagan and O'Connor fans pack the stands for playoff opener

The night was kicked off with Croy and the Boys and Mark Weber y Los Cuernos, according to the Facebook event page.

Click through the slideshow to see who helped welcome the new bar to the St. Mary's Strip:
Sometimes an orchestra, when it is good enough, doesnt have to look beyond its own backyard to present a world-class concert.

Instead of a guest artist Friday night, the San Antonio Symphony featured its own concertmaster, violinist Eric Gratz, for Leonard Bernsteins Serenade: After Platos Symposium. And the symphony brought back its former associate conductor, Akiko Fujimoto, to conduct the program, including Antonin Dvoraks Symphony No. 8.

Only a towering intellect like Bernstein could have composed the Serenade, one of the composers most sophisticated orchestral works. Bernstein wrote the five-movement piece to an outline of Platos Symposium, or philosophical discussions on love. Serenade was programmed partly as a tribute to Bernstein on the centennial of his birth.

Serenade also has fascinated Gratz since his youth, and it has been his dream to perform it. Playing with confidence, eloquence and commitment, Gratz produced a pure tone with soft, sweet high notes. The orchestra and soloist were in constant dialogue, including some sharp exchanges.

The moods ranged from playful to contemplative and seemed timeless until an air of 20th-century jazziness took over at the end. Fujimoto deftly guided the orchestra through some tricky timings. Gratzs encore was the largo section of J.S. Bachs Sonata No. 3, BWV 1005.

The audience of about 820 people at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts welcomed back Fujimoto, who was the San Antonio Symphonys associate conductor between 2012 and 2017, leaving to become the assistant conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra.

In Dvoraks Eighth Symphony, Fujimoto paced every passage smoothly, including sudden tempos shifts at the end of the third movement and the start of the fourth. The well-rehearsed performance was full-throated with deep brass, warm basses, silky strings and lovely woodwinds for the composers tribute to his native Czech countryside. It was one swell melody after another, leading to a heart-filling finale.

The concert began with a 15-minute suite from a 1983 television movie score composed by Turo Takemitsu. The suite from Nami no Bon was dreamy, aching as if from homesickness. The spell was broken only once by a jarring marching band passage.

hendrickd53@yahoo.com
A man has been arrested for firing shots into the ceiling of a restroom at a local Stripes convenience store, according to Laredo police.

Juan Medina, 27, was served with an arrest warrant Thursday and charged with unlawful discharge of a firearm.

READ MORE: High-ranking Gulf Cartel member captured in Monterrey

LPD said the case dates back to Oct. 6.

At about 2:10 a.m., police officers were dispatched to Stripes, 2519 Jacaman Road, for a report of shots fired. Multiple callers reported hearing six to 10 shots fired in the area.

Several minutes later, Stripes employees told police that some people had fired a gun inside the men's restroom and in the Stripes parking lot.

An investigation revealed that some men had entered the restroom. Shots rang out after sounds of what appeared to be a physical altercation were heard, police said.

Several men then exited the restroom and left in a white Chrysler 300, authorities said.

First responders were dispatched to a vehicle crash minutes later, at about 2:15 a.m., in the 1100 block of Bob Bullock Loop.

Police found the Chrysler 300. It appeared to have rolled over and landed on its side in a ditch. Witnesses told police they saw a black Cadillac chasing the Chrysler.

READ MORE: American traveler missing in Mexico was killed by Sinaloa cartel, officials say

During further inspection of the Chrysler, officers said they noticed what appeared to be bullet impacts on the driver's side hood and fender areas.

Crimes against persons investigators took over the case. They said they identified Medina as the suspected shooter through surveillance video.
The Czech Republic's billionaire prime minister rejected intensifying calls for him step down as he tries to save his hard-won coalition from collapsing amid public outcry over an investigation into whether he committed fraud.

The fraud probe has imperiled the political career of Andrej Babis since his upstart ANO party defeated its traditional mainstream rivals in elections a year ago. The media, chemicals and agriculture tycoon's promises to root out corruption and block immigrants have helped make him the country's most popular politician. But his anti-refugee stance has also nudged him closer to a group of nationalist leaders in the region that are challenging the European Union's liberal and multicultural values.

Babis's minority government will face its biggest test of unity next week in a no-confidence motion organized by the opposition after his son claimed that his father tried to hide him from the probe into the alleged misuse of European Union aid funds. Babis has rejected the allegations, saying his son is mentally ill and reporters who taped him on a hidden camera behaved unethically.

"I will never resign, never," Babis said in remarks broadcast by the public television from government headquarters in Prague Friday. "Let everyone remember that."

The opposition lacks the required majority to oust the government in the no-confidence motion, but the outcome may remain unclear until the last moment. The junior coalition Social Democratic Party said it will make up its mind only shortly before the Nov. 23 vote.

Pressure on Babis intensified this week when the Seznam.cz website showed a video of his son saying people working for his father had lured him to Crimea and held him there against his will. Andrej Babis Jr. is a central figure in the investigation into the alleged misuse of EU funds worth $2 million at a recreation center that once belonged to his father.

Babis, with a net worth estimated at about $3.4 billion, rejects the case as a fabrication by his rivals and said the video of his son is part of a campaign to drive him out of politics. Several thousand protesters took to the main square in Prague on Thursday, demanding Babis resign. More demonstrations are planned for Saturday when the country marks the 29th anniversary of the so-called Velvet Revolution that toppled the Communist regime.

The prime minister has a strong ally in President Milos Zeman, who shares his anti-refugee views and picked him to lead the government. Zeman said Thursday he didn't expect the government to fall, but that even if it did, he would again ask Babis to create a new cabinet.

The Social Democrats, Zeman's former party, have seen their popularity decline since they joined the minority coalition. The minority government survives with the help of the Communist party, which isn't part of the administration but supports it in key votes.

Still, Zeman's public endorsement of Babis puts pressure on the Social Democrats, who are fighting for relevance after suffering a devastating loss of parliamentary seats in the 2017 elections. With their popularity having suffered since joining Babis in government, they risk becoming even less relevant if they join the opposition, according to Jakub Charvat, a political scientist at the Metropolitan University in Prague.
The revelation that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been secretly charged has sparked fears among free-press advocates that the Justice Department is targeting not just those who provide classified information but those who publish it - even as the basic allegations against Assange remain unclear.

The Justice Department under the Trump administration has waged an aggressive crackdown on disclosures of classified information, more than tripling the number of leak investigations in then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions' first six months on the job.

Assange's case, though, might mark a dramatic escalation - if prosecutors are essentially charging someone who disseminated information that the government did not want to be made public, free-press advocates say.

"This is troubling because it would mean that the government is bringing criminal charges against a publisher for disclosing leaked, but truthful, information about our government," said Sonja West, a professor of First Amendment law at the University of Georgia Law School.

The devil is in the details, which are largely unknown. Word of the charges against Assange first came in a court filing in an unrelated case that inadvertently referenced the WikiLeaks publisher but offered few specifics.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen Dwyer, urging a judge to keep the unrelated matter sealed, wrote that "due to the sophistication of the defendant and the publicity surrounding the case, no other procedure is likely to keep confidential the fact that Assange has been charged." Later, Dwyer wrote that the charges would "need to remain sealed until Assange is arrested."

People familiar with the matter told The Washington Post that while the filing was in error - the case was not high profile and had nothing to do with Assange - the information it contained was correct: Assange had been charged.

Joshua Stueve, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in the Eastern District of Virginia, said: "The court filing was made in error. That was not the intended name for this filing." Officials otherwise declined to comment on the matter.

On Friday, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press asked a judge to unseal the records about Assange's case, saying the secrecy surrounding the matter was "anathema to our open system of justice."

Assange has long been of interest to federal investigators in connection with a wide range of conduct. Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia, where the errant filing was made, had been examining the WikiLeaks organization for its 2010 publication of diplomatic cables and military documents.

Justice Department officials in the Obama administration essentially concluded that WikiLeaks was a publisher, and that bringing charges against members of the group might prompt First Amendment challenges or set a dangerous precedent that could invite future prosecutions of traditional news organizations.

Those officials, though, left the investigation open. In the Trump administration, prosecutors had been urged to take a hard look at whether charges could be filed.

WikiLeaks also had come under scrutiny for publishing sensitive CIA cyber-tools in a 2017 leak the group dubbed "Vault 7." And Special Counsel Robert Mueller has been exploring the organization's role in the publication of emails from the Democratic National Committee and the account of Hillary Clinton's then-campaign chairman, John Podesta.

Officials have alleged that the emails were hacked by Russian spies and transferred to WikiLeaks.

It is not clear to which of those matters the charges against Assange relate. Jennifer Robinson, Assange's lawyer in London, said Friday that the news was "confirmation of what we've been concerned about since 2010, that the United States would seek to prosecute Julian Assange for publishing truthful information."

"This sets a dangerous and chilling precedent for all of the media both in the United States and elsewhere," she said.

Prosecutors in Assange's case had contemplated bringing charges under the Espionage Act, among other statutes. Floyd Abrams, an expert in First Amendment law, said the 101-year-old act has long been viewed by press advocates as a "perpetually loaded gun that could too easily be aimed at the press, with ultimately Supreme Court interpretation unpredictable."

"If it violated the Espionage Act for WikiLeaks to gather information from sources not permitted to release it and then publish it, then what American newspaper could be free from risk?" said Abrams, who practices at Cahill Gordon & Reindel in New York.

It is possible that investigators have gathered evidence that Assange did not act as a mere publisher - but instead actively helped steal information or worked as an agent of a foreign government, legal analysts said. That might distinguish his case in a way that makes it more palatable for prosecutors to pursue, the analysts said.

"I think the big question now is, did the Justice Department find new evidence that would allow them to charge him with some crime, such as conspiracy to hack into computers or some other crime other than just publication, or does the new administration take a different view on whether he can be charged for just publishing classified documents?" said Matthew Miller, a Justice Department spokesman during the Obama administration.

The Justice Department under President Barack Obama was not shy about ferreting out leaks. While Obama was in office, prosecutors brought nine leak cases, more than during all previous administrations combined.

Over time, though, the department took a softer attitude toward such matters. In 2014, then-Attorney General Eric Holder said that as long as he was heading the Justice Department, "no reporter is going to go to jail for doing his or her job."

At President Donald Trump's direction, Sessions restored some of the vigor. The former attorney general proudly touted the number of cases the department was investigating.

Barak Cohen, a former prosecutor in the Justice Department's public-integrity section, said prosecutors generally have to clear higher hurdles when it comes to charging reporters or issuing subpoenas for their records. Cohen, who was involved in the prosecution of former CIA officer Jeffrey Sterling on charges that he leaked classified material to a New York Times reporter, said prosecutors will probably examine to what extent Assange was acting as a journalist to determine if he should be given special consideration.

"The extent to which he is curating the news, or the information that he circulates, has a strong impact on whether or not you consider him a publisher," Cohen said.

Since June 2012, Assange has been living in the Ecuadoran Embassy in London. He sought asylum there when he was facing possible extradition to Sweden in a sex crimes case, arguing that the case was a pretext for what he predicted would be his arrest and extradition to the United States.

The sex case has since been dropped, but if he left, Assange would still probably be taken into custody for skipping bail. He has faced increasing restrictions on his communications and speech, and people close to him say they suspect that Ecuador has been under considerable pressure from the United States to end his asylum.

If taken into custody, Assange would be able to fight his extradition - a process that in Britain can take years. A spokesman for Britain's Home Office would not say whether Washington has already applied to bring Assange to the United States.
Assistant House Minority Leader Norine Hammond, R-Macomb, and state Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, met this week with Virginia and Meredosia-Chambersburg High School students during the Legislatures veto session. Virginia history teacher Jeff Bennett and Meredosia-Chambersburg history teacher Travis Sievers guided students through a tour of the Capitol, where they met with legislators to discuss process and policy in government.

Students from Illini Central High Schools government class and student council members toured the Capitol and met with their state representative, Norine Hammond, this week. History teacher Donnie Bowman led the group on a tour of the building and they met with Hammond, who answered questions from the students.
CHICO, Calif. - President Donald Trump toured a scene of surreal devastation on Saturday, picking his way around burned trees and the hulking skeletons of automobiles as he pledged federal resources to help Californians recover from the most deadly and destructive wildfire in state history.

"This is very sad to see, but we're all going to work together," Trump said after a walking tour of a burned-out RV park and housing tract in Paradise. As he spoke, a thick haze of smoke hung in the air. Stone and brick chimneys - all that remained of some homes - were visible from Trump's motorcade.

The president also criticized forest-management decisions that he suggested are at least partly to blame for the disaster, even though the fires are considered to be more related to a record drought, high winds and a changing climate. But unlike earlier comments in which he threatened to withhold federal funding if changes weren't made, Trump provided a reassuring note. "You've got the federal government," at the ready, he promised.

Referring to the staggering loss of life - more than 70 deaths have been recorded so far, and that number is expected to rise - Trump sounded shaken.

"As far as the lives are concerned, nobody knows quite yet. We're up to a certain number, but we have got a lot of people that aren't accounted for yet. Right now, we want to take care of the people who are so badly hurt," Trump said.

California Gov. Jerry Brown, D, walked with Trump and told reporters that the state's requests are being answered.

"It's just the big, massive cleanup after a terrible tragedy," said Brown, a frequent Trump critic. "The federal government can provide some help, and a lot of money and some expertise. We'll all pull through it together."

Trump toured fire-damaged areas in both Northern and Southern California, making a rare visit to a state he has often demonized as a "sanctuary" for immigrants who are in the country illegally.

Trump's one-day visit to the state thrust him into a role of uniter and consoler that he has never occupied comfortably. The president seemed moved by the scale of the loss around him and was solicitous of Brown and Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, D. But he said more about the firefighters and other rescuers deployed to the fire than about the victims.

At an incident command center in Chico, Trump called the fire "a monster" and praised rescuers.

"They're out there fighting, and they're fighting like hell," Trump said. "It's like total devastation."

The Camp Fire covers an area north of Sacramento that is the size of Chicago. Firefighters said Saturday that it is slightly more than 50 percent contained.

As of Saturday morning, there were 71 deaths and 9,700 homes destroyed as a result of the 150,000-acre fire, which started Nov. 8, according to the Butte County Sheriff's Office.

Trump said other countries, including Sweden, do a better job "cleaning the floor" of the forest, to reduce forest fires. He said he hopes the Camp Fire will be the last one of such size and devastation because of changes to forest-management practices.

"I don't think we'll have this again to this extent," Trump said. "Hopefully, this is going to be the last of these because this was a really, really bad one."

All of California is in some stage of drought or abnormally dry conditions, with much of the burned area of Butte County in moderate drought.

As Trump drove from Paradise to a meeting with rescuers, local and law enforcement officials, supporters and a few protesters lined the road. One protester held aloft a sign reading, "Moron, we are in a drought."

Brown and Newsom flew with Trump and stood with him as he spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One.

"Yes, yes," Brown responded when asked whether the fires are linked to climate change. "We'll let science determine this over a longer period of time," he said. "Right now we're collaborating on the most immediate response, and that's very important."

Trump jumped in a few moments later: "We have different views but maybe not as different as people think."

Trump has called climate change "a hoax," but has also said it is real.

"Trump is basically ducking the fact that climate change has to be taken in account in understanding the conditions that set the stage for the fires," said environmentalist and former State Department official Rafe Pomerance.

"I think what he needs to do is get his facts first, then open his mouth," said Natalie Smith, 51, who evacuated her rented Paradise home. "We've got people up there we don't even know if they're alive, and he's worried about cleaning up our forests? We've got thousands of people with no homes sleeping on the ground, and he's worried about us cleaning up our forests? Really?"

On top of that, she said, Trump's visit to see the devastation tied up traffic Saturday. "Fly over it!" Smith said.

Of all the possessions she lost, she's most upset about never seeing her wedding ring and great-grandmother's china again. "I got out with the clothes on my back and my cat in a box," she said.

Trump drew wide criticism for a tweet last week blaming the wildfires on "gross mismanagement" of California timberlands and threatening to hold back federal funding from the Democrat-led state.

"There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor," he wrote. "Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!"

Brian Rice, president of California Professional Firefighters, called Trump's words "ill-informed, ill-timed and demeaning to those who are suffering as well as the men and women on the front lines."

No wildfire in California history has done more damage than the Camp Fire. It burned down the forest town of Paradise, Trump's first stop after landing at a military base north of Sacramento.

The Woolsey Fire started northwest of Los Angeles the same day and has been moving toward the Pacific Coast. It has killed at least two people and destroyed 483 structures. Among the areas threatened by the fire is Thousand Oaks, which is still grieving after 12 people were killed in the Nov. 7 mass shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill.

Later in the day, the president flew south. In a Malibu neighborhood, Trump walked on paths between the lots, filled with broken glass, shattered tile and metal conduit.

Afterward, out of view of reporters, he met with people affected by the Thousand Oaks shooting.

"What can you say other than it's so sad to see. These are great people. Great families, torn apart," Trump said following the meeting.

The list of people unaccounted for in the Camp Fire exceeded 1,000 on Friday, after officials released more than 600 names in an effort to identify those found by friends and relatives.

Signs of the wildfires were everywhere in the region Trump toured.

In the morning, trucks carried modular homes north on the highway toward Chico. Local weather reports deemed the air quality "dangerous for everyone" 100 miles south of Paradise.

Tony Terrano, a 47-year-old welder and fabricator from Magalia, near Paradise, thought he could defend his home with a water hose. Six days later the water ran out, and he and his 3-year-old pit bull Mo Mo fled on foot.

Firefighters spotted him, he said, and took him to a sheriff's command center, where he got a ride to the Red Cross shelter at the Neighborhood Church in Chico. There, a half-dozen evacuees sat outside and watched TV news coverage of Trump's visit.

"That fire's creating its own atmosphere, its own weather system," Terrano said. "It's like it had its own personality. There was shrapnel coming at me through my yard. It was downright apocalyptic; it really was."

The president has traveled to California, which he lost by a wide margin in the 2016 election, one other time since taking office. He visited the state in March, when he surveyed prototypes of his long-promised U.S.-Mexico border wall, addressed military personnel at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and attended a fundraiser to benefit the Republican National Committee.

"We're happy he's here because we need the funding," said Allison Bazan, a 24-year-old criminal-justice student, who lost the Paradise home she and her husband had moved into three months ago. "We'd like our town to be rebuilt. People need to put political points of view aside right now if they want their town rebuilt. We need to look at this from a financial standpoint more so than personal opinion."

- - -

Gearan reported from Washington.
RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has removed two members of the state Air Pollution Control Board ahead of a key vote on a controversial natural gas pipeline project, drawing condemnation from environmental groups.

The air board had delayed a vote last week on a permit for a compressor station for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, citing concerns that the facility was disrupting a historically African-American community in rural Buckingham County.

During a two-day hearing in Richmond attended by scores of protesters, several members of the seven-person board questioned state officials and representatives of Dominion Energy, the lead company on the $6 billion pipeline project, about why the compressor had to be located in the Union Hill community.

Board members surprised supporters and opponents by delaying action until Dec. 10, saying they wanted more time to review the matter.

Union Hill residents, many of whom are descendants of former slaves and free black families who settled there before the Civil War, took hope that the board was giving serious review to their environmental justice arguments.

But that hope turned to outrage Thursday night as word spread that Northam, a Democrat, was altering the board's membership. His office acknowledged that he was removing two members whose terms expired in June but had been allowed to continue serving.

Both Samuel Bleicher of Arlington and Rebecca Rubin of Fredericksburg were among those who had raised questions last week about the location and safety of the compressor station. Northam's office acknowledged Thursday night that the governor was replacing them but denied that it had anything to do with the pipeline issue.

"That's not the case," Northam spokeswoman Ofirah Yheskel said via email. "The terms of two members . . . expired at the end of June. The Governor is exercising his statutory authority to appoint members of his choosing to these board seats."

She noted that Northam also was replacing a member of the State Water Control Board under the same circumstances.

That water board member, Roberta Kellam of Franktown, had made a motion several weeks ago to suspend permits for both the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and another major pipeline project.

The board instead voted to keep the projects under tighter review.

On Friday morning, the Virginia State Conference NAACP said it was "deeply troubled" by Northam's action. "We fear disrupting the citizen review board midstream is a disservice to the Union Hill community's right to a fair and impartial hearing," the organization said in an email. "The termination of two valued board members at this crucial juncture diminishes the ability of the board to effectively perform its assigned job. Furthermore, the governor's action may signal to other Board members that asking too many questions about an influential utility's potential impact on a vulnerable historic community may lead to their removal."

"The timing of the Governor's decision is an affront to the board, the citizens of the Commonwealth, and conceptions of transparency and good governance," the environmental group Appalachian Voices said via email.

It was one of seven environmental groups that issued blistering criticisms of Northam's action. A group called Virginia Pipeline Resisters organized a protest outside the Executive Mansion on Friday, calling on the governor to reinstate Bleicher and Rubin.

Del. Mark Keam, D-Fairfax, took to Twitter to accuse Northam of "proactively using state [government] process to let pipelines be built" after insisting that the state's authority was limited and arguing that the fate of the project was in the hands of federal regulators.

Northam positions himself as an environmentalist, but he has frustrated environmental groups with his support of both natural gas pipelines being built across the state.

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline is a 600-mile project from West Virginia through central Virginia and into North Carolina. The Mountain Valley Pipeline, being built by a separate coalition of companies led by EQT Midstream Partners of Pittsburgh, is a 300-mile project that passes through Southwest Virginia.

Environmental advocates have also criticized Northam for taking big donations from Dominion, which last year contributed nearly $200,000 to his campaign for governor.

That amount was dwarfed, though, by the nearly $2.9 million Northam's campaign received from the League of Conservation Voters, an environmental group.
One high school student is dead and another two men injured after what police believe to be separate, possibly gang-related shootings this week in Houston.

The first shooting involved Lamar High School student Delindsey Mack, who was gunned down Tuesday about a block away from the school campus. Houston police believe three suspects targeted the 18-year-old outside the Bethany Christian Church parking lot.

RELATED: Two shot in drive-by at South Side gas station

The second shooting occurred Friday morning at a South Side gas station, where two hooded attackers drove up next to two men sitting in the the back seat of a car and opened fire, according to earlier reports.

The men were both taken to the hospital but are expected to survive.

"There's a gang war going on right now in Houston," Police Chief Art Acevedo recently told Channel 13, adding that Houston is home to an estimated 20,000 documented gang members.

At least 61 of those gang members are currently considered fugitives, according to information from cooperating law enforcement agencies on StopHoustonGangs.org. Most of the top 10 most wanted fugitives have been charged with murder or capital murder, and some have ties to some of the regions' more violent gangs, such as Tango Blast and MS-13.

The spectrum of Houston gangs includes street, prison, motorcycle, regional and national gangs, according to the Stop Houston Gangs website. The more well-known groups, such as Crips, Bloods and Bandidos, all have a presence in the Bayou City.

RELATED: Parents demand increased safety at Lamar HS after student shot to death

The city also is home to smaller street gangs, such as La Primera and the Southwest Cholos.

When it comes to the different types of victims of gang violence, Christina Garza, a spokeswoman for the FBI's Houston office, said anyone could be caught in the cross fire.

That's why it's important, she said, to keep a close eye out for the fugitives in the gallery above.

"No neighborhood or soci0-economic status is immune to criminal gang violence," Garza said. "And that's just a fact."

Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message
They promised by Monday morning but delivered on Saturday. The Texas Department of Transportation is reporting its one-mile traffic switch on U.S. 281 North that had area motorists going crazy over congestion is now fully open with three lanes.

The agency took to Twitter Saturday morning to announce the happy news.
Now that propositions B and C have passed will Mayor Ron Nirenberg stick with City Manager Sheryl Sculley?

That is the question of this fall of discontent at the city. No one knows the answer, let alone when it might come. The conventional wisdom says, he shouldnt. Proposition B will cap the pay and tenure of future city managers. Proposition C allows the fire union to go straight to arbitration, rather than negotiate with the city on a new contract.

Neither directly affects Sculley, but Proposition B was directed at the power she has accrued over the years as an unelected official and her base compensation of $475,000.

District 6 City Councilman Greg Brockhouse, who backed the propositions and is the mayors sharpest critic and rival on the council, declared this recent vote a clear referendum on city pay and support for the fire union.

The recent specter of a credit downgrade from the ratings agency, Fitch, hasnt remotely spooked him.

Too much pay and too much power, he said of the city manager.

Brockhouse has every right to be confident, but only to a point.

The fire union has mostly lost in recent municipal elections. The electorate in May will be much smaller and arguably more informed. Its an electorate that has repeatedly endorsed the city under Sculley.

Thats why the stronger argument is to stick with Sculley and weather this storm.

Doing so would provide a degree of certainty with the city through May, at least. Nirenberg would take a political hit, of course, but that hit is coming regardless.

And if Nirenberg wins re-election, it would buy him and the city precious time to return to voters and beg for a re-do on aspects of these charter changes. Probably not on pay caps, but certainly on term limits for future city managers. And over time, the effects of Prop C will manifest.

But perhaps the most compelling reason to stick with Sculley is the most obvious one. Proposition B does not apply to her. It only applies to the next city manager, and who is going to take a job with arbitrary caps on pay and tenure?

As of this writing, Nirenberg hasnt offered much direction. In his comments after the election, he acknowledged the voters have spoken but also praised Sculley for her fiscal stewardship of the city.

Both can be true, but he needs to choose a path.

In his first term, Nirenberg has shown voters he can react to crises, reviving the once-floundering Tricentennial celebration, aggressively campaigning against the charter propositions, and even winning on Proposition A, which would have lowered the referendum threshold and shafted city finances. But in almost two years, he hasnt been particularly proactive.

Rather than immediately seeking to make a deal with the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association, Nirenberg instead let the contract dispute fester, supporting the citys lawsuit over a 10-year evergreen clause in the fire contract.

Maybe it wouldnt have mattered. Maybe fire would never have agreed to a deal regardless of Nirenbergs actions, but supporting the lawsuit was a mistake.

Not only did the city lose, but the lawsuit sowed the seeds for the fire propositions, which have sowed the seeds of uncertainty and potential chaos with the passage of B and C.

Lets also remember Nirenberg is not solely responsible for this situation.

These problems go back many mayors. City staff should be doing some serious soul searching. And Ive found the decision by COPS Metro and the Texas Organizing Project to stay silent on Proposition C, which barely passed, to be an unfortunate miscalculation.

The rationale from both organizations was their support for unions, but at what cost to their greater policy objectives?

As the credit warning from Fitch makes clear, increases in public safety spending will crowd out other priorities. Affordable housing comes to mind. So does criminal justice reform at the city level. And, of course, there is the mayors forthcoming transit plan.

Nirenberg is looking for a path forward. The best option is to stay the course. To show voters a steady hand at an uncertain moment.

jbrodesky@express-news.net
Cannabis use is a fact  legal in some places and not in others. Either way, science should be a stronger consideration to inform our policies.

Elsewhere, research has yielded insights that would not have been possible without the ability to study substances in a scientific and controlled setting. Consider that red wine and dark chocolate have properties that are desirable in helping to improve cholesterol, and that cocaine is an excellent topical anesthetic for certain medical procedures.

But what about cannabis (marijuana), a drug gaining in legalization across the U.S. and most recently in Canada? As cannabis develops into a mainstream industry, what has scientific research told us about the risks or benefits of its use?

In the U.S., cannabis remains a Controlled Substances Act Schedule 1 drug like heroin and LSD, which means that it has no currently accepted medical use, has a high potential for abuse, and lacks accepted safety for use under medical supervision. This places extreme limits on scientific research.

Despite being a substance that targets the brain, if and how long-term cannabis use alters brain structure and function remain unknown. There are some known adverse effects. It acutely impairs mental functions and may exacerbate depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and use of other substances. Whether it is more harmful than substances such as alcohol or nicotine is still undetermined. On the plus side, there is conclusive evidence that cannabis provides relief from symptoms related to chemotherapy and multiple sclerosis. Other potential benefits remain unknown.

So why dont we know more? Because federal policies seemingly put more stock in public opinion than scientific knowledge. This is problematic for three reasons.

1. Most of what we know (particularly long-term effects) is self-reported by research participants. Even with complete cooperation, participants recollection of their history of cannabis use can have varying degrees of reliability. Self-reports also mean that scientists cannot verify or quantify factors such as type, potency and quantity of various compounds in cannabis. The opposite is the case regarding alcohol and nicotine, in large part because scientists can accurately measure the quality and quantity of these substances.

2. As noted by the National Academies of Sciences, U.S. scientists have limited access to cannabis products for research. Regulation barriers mean that only research-graded cannabis produced and supplied by the U.S. government can be used. Thus, science is limited not just by the quantity, but also the quality of cannabis that can be studied. As such, what is being studied in U.S. scientific laboratories is not reflective of current use, medicinally or recreationally.

3. There are still misconceptions about whether cannabis has any direct influence on criminal activity. The overall weight of the evidence suggests that cannabis use does not cause people to commit more crime. In fact, the one substance that is very much implicated in criminal activity is actually a legal one  alcohol. This is likely because of the culture of the cannabis trade, and because street markets for cannabis are relatively rare. Even further, some research has found that states with legalized medical marijuana have not witnessed an increase in crime rates.

Despite numerous petitions to re-classify cannabis so it is less prohibitive of scientific research, federal policies ignore the need to understand the drug. Hence, scientists and the general public remain in the dark about the real effects of cannabis on the brain, the body, and human behavior.

U.S. science stands to lose ground to others, like Canada, that may grant greater access for research purposes.

When it comes to cannabis, a better approach to policy would be from the premise of science.

Francesca M. Filbey is a professor of cognition and neuroscience and associate provost at the University of Texas at Dallas. Alex R. Piquero is a professor of criminology and associate dean for graduate programs at the University of Texas at Dallas. This commentary first appeared in The Dallas Morning News.
For more than a month this summer, our RV itinerary involved driving The Great River Road, the national scenic byway that zig-zags some 3,000 miles through 10 states as it traces the course of the "Big Muddy" from Lake Itasca near Bemidji, Minnesota, to the Gulf of Mexico below New Orleans.



The route included stops at more than a dozen cities and towns at which curious travelers are summoned to scores of museums, national landmarks, historic sites, scenic overlooks and natural and man-made wonders.



It was at Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, Missouri, that my navigator pointed out relics from American history that involved a Springfield doctor and congressman whose happy marriage turned into a social, political, ethical and legal nightmare. Details of the episode are revealed in letters exhibited at the Old Courthouse, which stands in the shadow of Gateway Arch.



Dr. Calvin C. Chaffee of Springfield was nearing his fourth decade in 1850 when he married a Southern belle.



And Irene Emerson came with a lot of baggage.



Five years Calvin's junior, his Virginia-born bride was the widow of Army surgeon John Emerson. At the time of Emerson's death in the Iowa Territory in 1843, the doctor owned the slave Dred Scott, soon-to-become the most-famous slave in American history.



Widowed at age 28, Irene inherited through her late husband's estate not one slave but the entire Dred Scott family. One might suspect that fact would have come up in conversation during the Chaffees' courtship.



A native of Saratoga Springs, New York, Calvin C. Chaffee was graduated in 1835 from the medical school at Middlebury College, Vermont. He came to Springfield to establish his medical practice.



As an abolitionist, Calvin Chaffee was elected to serve in the 34th Congress when he ran on the American Party ticket in 1854. So ardent was Chaffee that he was awarded an honorary degree from Amherst College in a ceremony that also honored Boston abolitionist Charles Sumner, a founder of the Republican party and a leading member of the U.S. Senate for more than two decades.



Chaffee became a Republican and was re-elected to Congress in 1856. He claimed he learned that his bride owned slaves when he read it in the pro-slavery Springfield Argus, which published here 1856-1857. The Argus was in competition with this newspaper, The Republican, among the "most unrelenting supporters" of abolition.



The Dred Scott case evolved through a series of suits, rulings, reversals and appeals argued at the courthouse in St. Louis, Missouri, where Scott lived. The slave's suit against the widow Emerson came in 1847. Irene Emerson then arranged for the St. Louis County sheriff to hire out the Scotts and collect and keep their wages until the suit was settled. Three years later, a subsequent suit was filed against Irene Emerson's brother, John F.A. Sanford of New York. Eventually, Scott's case went to the Supreme Court.



On March 6, 1857, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney delivered the Supreme Court's majority opinion that the Constitution did not grant United States citizenship to "any person descended from Africans, whether slave or free ..." Hence, Scott had no right to sue for his freedom. The Court's "Dred Scott decision" has been labeled among the most "historically embarrassing" and "abominable" decisions in American jurisprudence. Historians hold that the ruling was a major factor leading to the Civil War.



Whether an attempt to bolster his reputation as an abolitionist or alleviate his own embarrassment, U.S. Rep. Calvin Chaffee sought to settle the matter with the help of Montgomery Blair, the St. Louis lawyer who represented Scott and his family. Chaffee's original letters and their transcriptions are displayed in the Old Courthouse, now a component of Gateway Arch National Park, St. Louis.



In his letter dated April 1, 1857, Chaffee wrote: "Since the decision of the case of Dred Scott ... has so profoundly stirred the public mind and some of the pro-slavery newspapers have attributed to me an interest in the person claimed as slaves, my wife ... desires to know whether she has the legal power and right to emancipate the Dred Scott family."



Complicating Chaffee's effort was his wife's claim that she'd transferred ownership of the Scott family to her brother, John F.A. Sanford of New York.



On May 6, Chaffee again wrote to Blair regarding "the suit which has made humanity grieve and all true Americans blush." Chaffee explained that his brother-in-law had died of what Dr. Chaffee diagnosed from a distance as "congestion of the brain." Chaffee assured Blair that the necessary legal documents would be sent to St. Louis when his wife returned from her brother's funeral.



Eight days later, May 14, Chaffee wrote to Blair and included documents signed by Irene, to whom he referred as "Mrs. C."



"Enclosed I send the executed papers for the Emancipation of the Scott family ..." Later, Dr. Chaffee wrote: "I desire now, in conclusion of the case, to be privately informed of (the) act of emancipation, but, that there should be no publicity ... only two points I make in the matter: speedy action and entirely private."



The action was speedy but but it was not private.



Blair arranged to have legal ownership of the Scotts transferred to Henry Taylor Blow, surviving son of Scott's original owner. On May 26, 1857, Dred and Harriet Scott presented themselves at the St. Louis courthouse and were emancipated.



According to documents in the collections of the State Historical Society of Missouri, "Dr. Chaffee was eager to free his wife's slaves because he believed that slavery was wrong. Mrs. Chaffee, however, would only transfer ownership if she could collect the wages" that had been paid to the Scotts over the previous eight years. The sum was "about $750."



Due to the publicity and his own embarrassment, Chaffee did not seek re-election in 1858. He became librarian of the House of Representatives, 1860-1862; practiced medicine in Washington, D.C., until 1876, then returned to Springfield where he died a decade later at age 84. Irene survived her husband by 17 years; she died in 1903 at age 87. Both are buried at Springfield Cemetery.



Once freed, Scott worked as a porter at Barnum's Hotel in St. Louis and delivered laundry Harriet took in. Sixteen months later he died of tuberculosis. Harriet Scott outlived her husband by 18 years, both are buried in St. Louis.



Three years after the Civil War, the Fourteenth Amendment allowed that "All persons born or naturalized in the United States ... are citizens of the United States ..."



TO LEARN MORE

A component of Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, the Old Courthouse was the site of the first two trials (1847 & 1850) of the Dred Scott case. Part of the park service's National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, the building once served as a public forum at which slaves were auctioned from its steps. The National Park Service preserves the building and exhibits documents from America's 19th-century judicial system, including those from the 1870s when Virginia Minor's case for a woman's right to vote was brought to trial.

LOCATION: 11 North 4th St, St. Louis, MO 63102.

ON THE WEB: www.nps.gov/jeff/planyourvisit/och.htm

COURT DECISION: www.nps.gov/resources/story.htm%3Fid%3D196

HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI: https://shsmo.org/historicmissourians/name/s/scottd/

SOURCES: National Park Service and the State Historical Society of Missouri

Norm Roy, a retired copy editor for The Republican, lives and travels in a motorhome. He is eager to hear from readers about their own travel adventures. His e-mail address is: lollygaggeratlarge@gmail.com
The Suffolk County District Attorney's office dropped a murder charge against 21-year-old Kevin Williams, who last month was accused of shooting and killing a beloved gas station attendant in Dorchester.

Williams spent five weeks in jail after being held without bail at his Oct. 9 arraignment. He was released Friday.

Suffolk District Attorney John P. Pappas said Friday that his office made the decision to withdraw charges after reviewing evidence gathered since the Oct. 6 murder of Jose Williams, 67. Pappas said prosecutors and Boston police agreed the case required further investigation.

"The ethical step was to withdraw the charges prior to the first scheduled court date as that investigation continues," prosecutors said in a news release. Willims was scheduled for a court appearance Nov. 20.

At his arraignment Aviva Jeruchim, a lawyer for 21-year-old Williams said her client would be exonerated. She said that his cell phone records would prove he was not near the scene.

Williams, who grew up in Quincy had just left his job at a Jiffy Lube in Taunton and was prepared to help his family move to the South Shore a few days after the shooting, Jeruchim said at the time. Jeruchim argued Williams had "no reason" to shoot someone. Williams has no criminal record.

"We don't force the evidence to fit the case," Pappas said in a news release. "We follow the facts wherever they lead, and today they led us to this decision. The investigation remains open, it remains active, and it remains a priority for us."

Williams, 67, was shot and killed at about 11:30 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Fabian Gas Station at 528 Washington St. in Dorchester. A police report filed in court said that police arrested 21-year-old Williams based on eyewitness identification, video footage from the crime scene, and clothing, in particular, a pair of "Hilfiger" underwear

"My client, a twenty-one-year-old young man with no record, a job and life filled with promises was labeled a murderer and incarcerated for five weeks, the Jose Williams family was let down and betrayed, and a killer is still at large in our community," Jeruchim wrote in a statement to the Boston Globe. "I don't call that justice. As a community, we deserve better."

Anyone with information related is asked to contact Boston police detectives at 617-343-4700.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 17)  Facebook released a report on Thursday revealing that the Philippine government requested the data from 42 users of the social media website in the first six months of the year.

There were 31 total data requests from the Philippine government to access Facebook data this year, with 22 of them considered emergency requests and nine requests are for legal processes. A request may cover more than one user.

The bi-annual Facebook Transparency Report showed that 48 percent of these requests have some, if not all, data produced. However, the report did not specify the users involved.

A request for data is considered an emergency if it involves "imminent risk of serious physical injury or death."

Total requests for data from January to June 2018 went down from the 36 in July to December 2017. Of those requests, 44 percent of them had data produced.

In the first half of 2018, Facebook also received 135 "preservation requests" from the Philippine government which dealt with 189 accounts. Requests to preserve information are allowed pending the receipt of legal processes.

"Maintaining transparency around the nature and extent of the government requests we receive for user data, and how we make decisions about what content stays up or what comes down on Facebook, is really important to us," Facebook Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Chris Sonderby said.

Sonderby, in a statement, said requests for account data increased globally by around 26 percent compared to the second half of 2017, up from 82,341 to 103,815 requests.

"We always scrutinize each government request we receive for account data to make sure it is legally valid. If a request appears to be deficient or overly broad, we push back, and will fight in court, if necessary," he said.
A 46-day strike at Marriott hotels in Boston is expected to end after the hotel chain and union reached a tentative agreement Saturday afternoon.

The union, Unite Here Local 26, announced on Twitter that it had reached a tentative agreement and has a ratification vote scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Hynes Convention Center.

BIG NEWS! We have reached a tentative agreement and have a ratification vote scheduled for 2pm at the Hynes Convention Center today. No picket lines tomorrow! See the moment workers walking the final picket lines of the day heard the news. #MarriottStrike #1job pic.twitter.com/BntBnKEsvn  UNITE HERE Local 26 (@UNITEHERE26) November 17, 2018

Workers launched the strike in early October along with thousands of other Marriott employees in other major U.S. cities including Detroit, Seattle and San Francisco.

It was the first-ever hotel strike in Boston, with more than 1,500 unionized hotel employees taking to the streets to demand Marriott International provide better pay, job security with health insurance and retirement benefits.

The strike included workers from across seven different hotels in Boston: Aloft Boston Seaport District, the Element Boston Seaport District, the Ritz-Carlton Boston, the Sheraton Boston, the W Hotel Boston, the Westin Boston Waterfront and the Westin Copley Place.
HOLYOKE - The Massachusetts chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Holyoke, charging the city's recently enacted ordinance restricting lawn signs is a violation of the First Amendment protections of free speech.

The suit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court, names the city, and Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse and Building Inspector Damien Cote by virtue of their positions with the city.

It was filed by the ACLU and the Boston law firm of Prince Lobel on behalf of seven city residents, Kaitlin Molloy, Sarah Oelker, Anne Thalheimer, Danielle Ryan, Gabriel Quaglia, Lisa Ahlstrom, and Dale Melcher.

At issue is the city's recently approved temporary sign ordinance enacted this fall.

The ordinance bans 'temporary signs' from being placed anywhere in the city, but only during a 3-month period from Dec. 1 to March 1.

It defines a temporary sign as any fixed signs, portable signs, banners, inflatable balloon signs and sandwich board. They may not be placed on any property or vehicle. The only signs permitted during those months are those that have been registered in advance with the Building Department.

The ACLU charges that the city in its zest to pass the ordinance trampled on the right of residents to express political views.

The suit charges that the ordinance as written limits the public from using "a venerable means of communication that is both unique and important" -- specifically lawn signs.

Carol Rose, the executive director of the ACLU for Massachusetts, said "There is no right more fundamental to democracy than the right of an individual to express their personal political views."

People should be encouraged to voice their opinions at the local, state and federal levels, not silenced, she said.

According to the suit, the plaintiffs commonly use lawn signs, expressing such ideas as "Peace on Earth," "Black Lives Matter," and "All are Welcome here."

Thalheimer is a past opponent of Councilor David Bartley. The suit notes that Quaglia has recently placed a sign reading "Anne Thalheimer for City Council" in his yard to protest Bartley.

Bartley is a proponent of the sign ordinance.

Naming Morse in the suit contains a tinge of irony because he is publicly opposed to the ordinance that is center of the suit, citing the very same objections to it that the ACLU is now expressing.

The City Council passed the ordinance but Morse on Oct. 11 vetoed it. At the the time, Morse said the ordinance as passed by the council places an unreasonable and unnecessary burden on residents and "restricts their speech on their property."

The council overrode the veto by a 9-3 vote on Oct. 16.

ACLU lawsuit against Holyoke Ma. uploaded by Patrick Johnson on Scribd
Chicopee police say a 72-year-old man suffered potentially life-threatening injuries when he was struck by a snow plow on Grattan Street Friday afternoon.

Chicopee Police spokesman Officer Michael Wilk said the victim was struck by a private snow plow near the Lucky Strike restaurant at 703 Grattan St., at about 5:40 p.m.

The victim suffered what Wilk said are potentially life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital.

The Chicopee Police Crash Reconstruction Team closed the roadway for several hours as it investigated the incident.

The road has since reported, Wilk said.
GREENFIELD -- While it may not be possible to "end homelessness," it is feasible to make sure that episodes of homelessness are "rare, brief, and non-recurring," said Gerry McCafferty, housing director for the City of Springfield.

McCafferty, author of a new report on homelessness in Western Massachusetts, was keynote speaker at a four-county summit on homelessness that looked at "the numbers, the solutions, and the partnerships."

The Friday afternoon event at Greenfield Community College was hosted by the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness and emceed by its director, Pamela Schwartz.

The room was full of government officials, lawmakers and legislators-elect, medical professionals, county sheriffs, mayors and town managers, local officials, educators and social service leaders.

Experts who spoke at the event agreed that the region must pursue a "housing first" model to make real progress. They said it's cheaper and more effective to prevent homelessness than to provide a family or individual with months of emergency shelter as they struggle to recover from disruption.

"Housing first" involves quickly connecting homeless or near-homeless people with a stable place to live -- regardless of their social or economic problems. With a roof over their heads, people can then focus on other issues, according to the concept.

People leaving prison or the foster care system, youth and young adults with nowhere to go, women and children fleeing domestic violence and those struggling with addiction or mental illness are especially vulnerable to homelessness -- and one problem can lead to another, the experts said.

While "sober housing" is good for many individuals, those in the throes of addiction are not helped by sleeping outside, and communities can bear the brunt, suggested Brad Gordon, executive director of the Berkshire Regional Housing Authority.

"You have to take people where they are," he said.

Clare Higgins, executive director of Community Action of Pioneer Valley, said that depressed wages, skyrocketing housing costs, transportation difficulties, lack of affordable child care and a constellation of other difficulties can prevent poor people from getting ahead, and easily push them back into crisis mode.

"There is no county in the U.S. where a person working a minimum-wage job can afford an apartment," Higgins said.

As for cost, McCafferty said a Massachusetts program that helps families keep their housing last year cost taxpayers an average of $3,134 per assisted family, while in contrast, the state spent $42,845 for each household in a family shelter program.

McCafferty said that over the past six years, some homelessness in Western Massachusetts has actually declined.

In the state's four western counties, chronic homelessness declined 38 percent since 2012, veteran homelessness declined by 24 percent, but family homelessness remained about the same.

McCafferty said Springfield has worked to identify individual homeless people through working with police, emergency room personnel and others. Those with the highest need are prioritized for help.

"We've pulled people straight from the street, straight from the riverbank into housing," she said, adding that with the delivery of services, more than 90 percent of such individuals have remained stable and housed.

McCafferty's report showed that on one night last January, nearly 2,900 people were homeless in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire counties. Most of the homeless were families with children.

Schwartz spoke up for a "coordinated entry" system where people in crisis know where to go, and where leaders and institutions work together to solve the problem.

She encouraged lawmakers to make homelessness prevention and recovery a priority on Beacon Hill -- even if it means passing legislation eliminating the $25 fee for a Massachusetts ID.

Having an ID is essential for opening a bank account, cashing a check, procuring housing and employment and other basic tasks, she said.

Preventing homelessness is not just the job of social workers but the responsibility of police, mayors, hospitals, city councils, schools and state lawmakers, said Schwartz, because family instability affects municipal budgets, elementary school classrooms, law enforcement resources and more.

Schwartz encouraged local officials and ordinary people in the room to get involved and stay involved.

Other speakers included Greenfield Community College President Yves Salamon-Fernandez, who said 39 percent of the state's community college students experience housing insecurity. She said GCC has launched its own food bank for students, probably the first of its kind in the nation.

Jane Banks, Massachusetts undersecretary for housing and economic development, pledged to strengthen the state-local partnership.

"Homelessness is where people land when every other system has failed," said McCafferty.
SPRINGFIELD-- A Springfield District Court judge on Friday allowed a prosecutor's request to impound a police report on a woman who says accused killer Stewart Weldon tried to drag her into his home in February.

A motion by Assistant District Attorney Max Bennett said the appearance of the woman's name and address in a police report made public Thursday and obtained by a number of media outlets "has placed the victim in immediate danger of being publicly outed which would place her life in peril."

The Republican / MassLive and The Boston Globe went to court in June seeking the release of the report, which was impounded at Weldon's June 4 arraignment on charges of kidnapping and assault with attempt to rape.

On Thursday The Republican / MassLive received a PDF that included two versions of the report: one with the woman's name and address redacted, and one in which the information was not blacked out.

The Republican / MassLive did not identify the woman by name in its reporting on the documents, which also included a list of evidence collected during a weeklong search of the 1333 Page Blvd. property where police found three other women's bodies.

The Globe -- which interviewed the woman and published an account of her story in June -- has not identified her by name, either.

In a version of the report made public in late June, after the news organizations sought its release, large portions of the narrative written by officer James M. Crogan were blacked out, as were names, addresses and phone numbers in other sections of the report.

Bennett's motion asked for the impoundment of materials related to the case until a hearing Monday before Springfield District Court Judge John Payne, who has heard all matters relating to impoundment in Weldon's cases, "or until this issue has been rectified by the clerk's office in consultation with the undersigned prosecutor."

Springfield District Court Judge Robert Murphy allowed the motion.

The disclosure of the woman's name in the documents violates a state law protecting the identity of victims of sexual assaults or attempted sexual crimes, Bennett wrote in his motion.

Weldon, 41, is charged with murder in the deaths of of Kayla Escalante, 27, of Ludlow, and Springfield residents Ernestine Ryans, 47, and 34-year-old America Lyden. Their bodies were found in and around the 1333 Page Blvd. property where he lived with his mother.

He was arrested after a traffic stop on May 27, when a woman in his car -- the mother of his children -- told police he'd been holding her captive and brutalizing her for weeks.

A grand jury indicted Weldon on a total of 52 counts, including kidnapping and aggravated rape. The indictments list a total of 11 victims.
SPRINGFIELD -- Andrew Ray Cronin pleaded guilty Friday to firing six shots at three men walking on Eastern Avenue, hitting one man in the leg.

According to the prosecutor and defense lawyer, Cronin didn't know the men and they didn't know him.

Hampden Superior Court Judge Karen Goodwin asked defense lawyer Benjamin N. Farrell if he could help her understand why Cronin shot at the men.

Farrell said the house where Cronin lives with his disabled grandmother had been shot at several days earlier. But the three men Cronin, 20, shot at on Oct. 18, 2017 didn't have anything to do with that, he said.

At the time, though, Farrell said Cronin "in his mind was fearful, angry." Cronin made a terrible mistake in deciding to shoot his gun that night, his lawyer said.

Cronin, of Springfield, pleaded guilty to assault and battery with a firearm, two counts of attempted assault and battery with a firearm, and a count each of carrying a firearm and carrying a loaded firearm.

Goodwin said her sentence for Cronin is a total of three and one half years in the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow followed by two years probation.

Assistant District Attorney Christopher E. McDonald asked for a sentence of three to four years in state prison followed by a year of probation.

Farrell asked for a two and one half year sentence to the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow with 18 months to be served and the rest suspended with two years probation.

The three victims were in the courtroom.

One of the men -- the brother of the man who was shot -- said, "It is truly sad people can't walk down the street without being shot at."

The son of the man who was shot in the leg was the third person walking that night around 10 p.m.

He said in his victim impact statement, "I can't walk in my own neighborhood without looking over my shoulder."

Farrell described Cronin's life, saying both his parents were addicts and had been in and out of jail throughout his life. He was sent from Pittsfield to live with his disabled grandmother at a young age, and became her caretaker.

McDonald said the reasons he was not asking for a longer sentence were Cronin's young age, his lack of criminal record and his willingness to plead guilty.

Cronin approached the men from behind, riding his bicycle. After firing the six shots he fled on the bicycle but was captured by police. He dropped the .40-caliber gun during his arrest.
Legal sales of recreational marijuana will begin in Massachusetts next week, and New England Treatment Access in Northampton says it's ready to serve both prescription and recreational customers at its store on Conz Street beginning Tuesday.

NETA and Cultivate Holdings LLC in Leicester received the final go-ahead from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission on Friday to begin retail dispensing.

Norton Arbelaez, director of governmental Affairs for NETA LLC, thanked the Cannabis Control Commission following its sign-off that will result in NETA and Cultivate Holdings opening for the first legal sales of marijuana on the eastern seaboard of the United States.

In a statement released late Friday afternoon, Arbelaez congratulated the commission for "their thorough and thoughtful approach that has led to this historic day."

Arbelaez also thanked the city of Northampton, its mayor and police chief as well as the community as a whole for the support extended to NETA as it prepared for the opening.

"NETA looks forward to providing legal marijuana to our customers, but we want our (medical) patients to know that we will never waver from our commitment to them and their needs," Arbelaez said.

Arbelaez said NETA will sell recreational marijuana to adults 21 years old or older from its store at 118 Conz St. on Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

"We will be thrilled to be part of this milestone for Massachusetts when NETA Northampton opens its doors to adults 21-years and older offering legal, safe, regulated cannabis," Arbelaez said.
Population health management describes the collection and reading of patients population sections and data details for specific diseases of those people. Population health management is a complete technique that requires both analysis and movement and is used to explain differences in fitness. This benefits the patient and the medicine.

Global Population Health Management Market has been provides a clear understanding of the subject matter. This report has been made using primary and secondary research techniques and they are now intended towards collaborating accurate and exact data. Additionally, this report also has the SWOT analysis that determines the external segments that impact the overall market.

The Global Population Health Management Market Estimated to grow at a CAGR of +21% during Forecast Period.

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Koninklijke Philips N.V., Lumeris, Health Catalyst, McKesson Corporation, Cerner Corporation, ZeOmega, Healthagen LLC, UnitedHealth Group, International Business Machines Corporation, and Persivia.

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Table of Contents

Global Population Health Management Market Research Report

Chapter 1 Population Health Management Market Overview

Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Industry

Chapter 3 Global Market Competition by Manufacturers

Chapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by Region

Chapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions

Chapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type

Chapter 7 Global Market Analysis by Application

Chapter 8 Manufacturing Cost Analysis

Chapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers

Chapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders

Chapter 11 Market Effect Factors Analysis

Chapter 12 Global Population Health Management Market Forecast

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HealthCare Intelligence Markets:

HealthCare Intelligence Markets Reports provides market intelligence & consulting services to a global clientele spread over 145 countries. Being a B2B firm, we help businesses to meet the challenges of an ever evolving market with unbridled confidence. We craft customized and syndicated market research reports that help market players to build game changing strategies. Besides, we also provide upcoming trends & future market prospects in our reports pertaining to Drug development, Clinical & healthcare IT industries. Our intelligence enables our clients to take decisions with which in turn proves a game-changer for them. We constantly strive to serve our clients better by directly allowing them sessions with our research analysts so the report is at par with their expectations.

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Global Hospital Asset Management Market has been provides a clear understanding of the subject matter. This report has been made using primary and secondary research techniques and they are now intended towards collaborating accurate and exact data. Additionally, this report also has the SWOT analysis that determines the external segments that impact the overall market.

The Global Hospital Asset Management Market Estimated to grow at a CAGR of +12% during Forecast Period.

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Top Key Vendors in Market:

IBM Corporation, Infor, GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthcare, Sonitor Technologies Inc., Zebra Technologies Corporation, AeroScout Inc., Tyco International Ltd., Awarepoint Corporation, Motorola Solutions Inc., Ekahau Inc., Vizbee RFID Systems Ltd., Versus Technology Inc., and Trimble Navigation Ltd.

Global Hospital Asset Management Market report studies, analyzes and researches the growth status that are estimated in the regions such as North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East & Africa and Latin America. It provides a detailed analysis of the industry and examines the factors that impact on the markets demand, key trends and challenges faced by industry participants.

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Finally, this report is concluded with recent developments, and weaknesses of the current strategies, which helps to improve the Global Hospital Asset Management Market. It includes commercial factors, which are responsible for the growth of the businesses. The report goes on to explore market drivers and restraints to generate a concise representation of key segments and competitive landscape of the market.

Table of Contents

Global Hospital Asset Management Market Research Report

Chapter 1 Hospital Asset Management Market Overview

Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Industry

Chapter 3 Global Market Competition by Manufacturers

Chapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by Region

Chapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions

Chapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type

Chapter 7 Global Market Analysis by Application

Chapter 8 Manufacturing Cost Analysis

Chapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers

Chapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders

Chapter 11 Market Effect Factors Analysis

Chapter 12 Global Hospital Asset Management Market Forecast

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HealthCare Intelligence Markets:

HealthCare Intelligence Markets Reports provides market intelligence & consulting services to a global clientele spread over 145 countries. Being a B2B firm, we help businesses to meet the challenges of an ever evolving market with unbridled confidence. We craft customized and syndicated market research reports that help market players to build game changing strategies. Besides, we also provide upcoming trends & future market prospects in our reports pertaining to Drug development, Clinical & healthcare IT industries. Our intelligence enables our clients to take decisions with which in turn proves a game-changer for them. We constantly strive to serve our clients better by directly allowing them sessions with our research analysts so the report is at par with their expectations.

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Natural language processing (NLP) is a subfield of computer science, information engineering, and artificial intelligence concerned with the interactions between computers and human (natural) languages, in particular how to program computers to process and analyze large amounts of natural language data.

Global Healthcare Natural Language Processing (NLP) Market which provides a clear understanding of the subject matter. This report has been made using primary and secondary research techniques and they are now intended towards collaborating accurate and exact data. Additionally, this report also has the SWOT analysis that determines the external segments that impact the overall market.

The Global Healthcare Natural Language Processing (NLP) Market Estimated to grow at a CAGR of +18% during Forecast Period.

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The Global Healthcare Natural Language Processing (NLP) Market report studies, analyzes and researches the growth status that are estimated in the regions such as North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East & Africa and Latin America. In addition to this, the countries generating high revenue in these mentioned regions have also been examined along with comprehensive coverage and innovation in these countries.

Top Key Vendors in Market:

Asure Software, Condeco Group, IBM, Planon, Yardi Systems.

The report inspects the numerous policies that standardize the developments in this global market. The restraints are also provided in the report, and it predicts the risks in front of the businesses. It examines the current statistics and comparative analysis of global competitors in Healthcare Natural Language Processing (NLP) Market.

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Table of Contents

Global Healthcare Natural Language Processing (NLP) Market Research Report

Chapter 1 Healthcare Natural Language Processing (NLP) Market Overview

Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Industry

Chapter 3 Global Market Competition by Manufacturers

Chapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by Region

Chapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions

Chapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type

Chapter 7 Global Market Analysis by Application

Chapter 8 Manufacturing Cost Analysis

Chapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers

Chapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders

Chapter 11 Market Effect Factors Analysis

Chapter 12 Global Healthcare Natural Language Processing (NLP) Market Forecast

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HealthCare Intelligence Markets:

HealthCare Intelligence Markets Reports provides market intelligence & consulting services to a global clientele spread over 145 countries. Being a B2B firm, we help businesses to meet the challenges of an ever evolving market with unbridled confidence. We craft customized and syndicated market research reports that help market players to build game changing strategies. Besides, we also provide upcoming trends & future market prospects in our reports pertaining to Drug development, Clinical & healthcare IT industries. Our intelligence enables our clients to take decisions with which in turn proves a game-changer for them. We constantly strive to serve our clients better by directly allowing them sessions with our research analysts so the report is at par with their expectations.

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Global Healthcare Contract Research Outsourcing Market Report provides an in-depth knowledge and insight of the market. For a comprehensive understanding of the market, the report further covers company profiling including market share, production, revenue and competitive landscape of major key players involved in the market.

The Healthcare Contract Research Outsourcing Market report provides complete insights of the market by segmenting the market. The report further evaluates the detailed outlook on the Global market including present and historic sales, revenue, capacity, and production status. The future market share and prospects are then derived with the help of industry professionals.

The Global Healthcare Contract Research Outsourcing Market Estimated to grow at a CAGR of +6% during Forecast Period.

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Syneos Health, IQVIA, PRA Health Sciences, Inc., ICON PLC, and Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, PAREXEL International, Charles River, Medpace and Pharmaceutical Product Development LLC.

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The report focuses on Global major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. The Healthcare Contract Research Outsourcing Market development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed and overall research conclusions offered.

Table of Contents

Global Healthcare Contract Research Outsourcing Market Research Report

Chapter 1 Healthcare Contract Research Outsourcing Market Overview

Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Industry

Chapter 3 Global Market Competition by Manufacturers

Chapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by Region

Chapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions

Chapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type

Chapter 7 Global Market Analysis by Application

Chapter 8 Manufacturing Cost Analysis

Chapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers

Chapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders

Chapter 11 Market Effect Factors Analysis

Chapter 12 Global Healthcare Contract Research Outsourcing Market Forecast

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HealthCare Intelligence Markets:

HealthCare Intelligence Markets Reports provides market intelligence & consulting services to a global clientele spread over 145 countries. Being a B2B firm, we help businesses to meet the challenges of an ever evolving market with unbridled confidence. We craft customized and syndicated market research reports that help market players to build game changing strategies. Besides, we also provide upcoming trends & future market prospects in our reports pertaining to Drug development, Clinical & healthcare IT industries. Our intelligence enables our clients to take decisions with which in turn proves a game-changer for them. We constantly strive to serve our clients better by directly allowing them sessions with our research analysts so the report is at par with their expectations.

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    .

    ,       .

             .
Medical professionals have been discussing whether testosterone treatment can actually reduce depressive symptoms in men for many years. A recent meta-analysis attempts to draw a clearer picture. Share on Pinterest Could testosterone therapy be the antidepressant of the future? Depression is a major global concern. Per year, major depressive disorder affects an estimated 16.1 million adults in the United States alone. The World Health Organization (WHO) describe depression as the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. There are drugs available to manage depressive symptoms, but they do not work for everyone. In fact, a significant percentage of people do not experience long-term relief, even after trying multiple drugs. Depression is roughly twice as common in women as it is in men, which means that depression currently affects around 100 million men.

The testosterone debate Scientists have been discussing whether or not testosterone therapy could help treat depression in men for several decades. As a neuroactive steroid, testosterone can influence mood, making it a reasonable hormone to study in regard to low mood. In rodent models of depression, testosterone therapy boosts production of serotonin, or the happy chemical. Also, testosterone levels tend to drop as men age, and some studies have shown that men with lower levels are more likely to have depressive symptoms. However, other studies have found no relationship between lower levels of testosterone and low mood. Others still did find links between testosterone levels and depression, but only in certain groups of men. Due to discrepancies between studies, healthcare professionals do not recommend testosterone treatment to men with depression; however, there is a strong possibility that at least some men might benefit. Existing depression therapies only work for a subset of the population. For this reason, it is vital to understand whether testosterone might help in treatment-resistant cases. To this end, some researchers recently carried out a meta-analysis on existing studies that looked at testosterone and depression. According to the authors, their analysis was the largest examination to date of the association of testosterone treatment with depressive symptoms in men. Specifically, the researchers aimed to examine the association of testosterone treatment with alleviation of depressive symptoms in men and to clarify moderating effects of testosterone status, depression status, age, treatment duration, and dosage. They recently published their findings in the journal JAMA Psychiatry .
'Fantastic Beasts 2: The Crimes Of Grindelwald' just hit the theatres, and you should watch it ASAP because the spoilers are going to get you and ruin your life. This article, however, contains no such spoilers.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's discuss about a particular fantastic beast - one of our favourites. This one is perhaps the cutest of them all, and the most mischievous too. We're talking about the magical Niffler.

 YouTube

 YouTube

The first movie was enough to get us obsessed with them, but after watching the second movie, we are just convinced that every man should have a Niffler as a pet. Here are 4 reasons:

1. Nifflers are talented. They are natural treasure hunters. Tired of being broke? Get one and let it loose. You'll be rich in no time. Yes, the neighbourhood will complain about a mysterious crime-wave, but they had it coming anyway because it's time they paid back for poking their snouts into your business all the time.

 YouTube

2. Nifflers aren't domestic creatures. In fact, they should not be domesticated because they can be destructive. So, you don't even have to keep them inside your house. They burrow and can live under the ground.

Moral of the story: You don't need to have the conversation with your mum about keeping one in the house. Just keep something shiny handy every time you want to call them. Hassle-free AF!

 Wizards And Whatnot

3. They are cute. They are naughty. They are faithful (wait till you find out what happens in the end of FB:2). They are just like doggos - that too intelligent ones like retrievers. In fact, they actually do retrieve gold. They will fill the void in your heart, as well as in your wallet. Why would you not want one? They are hands down the best pets, ever!

 YouTube

Just one teeny tiny technicality: they aren't real. However, baby Echidnas (also called Puggles), might just be the inspiration behind the creation of Nifflers.

 Huffpost

 Lorinda Taylor

They look just like Nifflers, although we aren't sure about the retrieving treasure bit. It's worth a shot we say. Let the wizards have the Nifflers, while us Muggles make do with the Puggles.
If you have watched the latest 'Fantastic Beasts' movie then this is a cool ground for further investigation, if not, then beware, spoilers ahead! While the latest instalment was slow in parts, interesting in some, the wild ending opened a Pandora's box of discussion for fans and viewers. Who would have thought that Credence, who is seeking his history so desperately, would stun everyone when his identity was finally revealed.

 Warner Bros

It is already established that the movie draws from the Harry Potter universe and there is an obvious connection between the two. However, in case, your memory is not jogging fast enough and you need a recollection of exactly how everything in this movie fits in the world of Harry Potter, then allow us to elaborate.

1. The Mirror Of Erised- Now, we are familiar with this magical mirror which is known to show us nothing but the 'most deepest and desperate desires of our heart'. Back in the first book, 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone', when Harry asks Dumbledore what does the mirror show him, Albus is quick to respond with 'thick, woollen socks'. Of course, it is a lie but this movie shows what the younger Dumbledore truly desired when we get a glimpse of his intimate relationship with none other than his friend-turned-nemesis Gellert Grindelwald himself.

 Warner Bros

2. Nicolas Flamel- I don't know about you, but the excited me got more excited to see the man from the first book come alive on the screen for the first time. He is the French Alchemist who is known to have the elixir of life, is immortal and is also, as we know, Dumbledore's close friend. When Lord Voldemort is on the lookout for the stone, Flamel trusts Albus with it.

 Warner Bros

3. Dumbledore's Empathy For Obscurials- As per various theories, Dumbledore's sister was an Obscurial who was abused by Muggles as a kid and therefore never practised magic. This suppression led to uncontollable outbursts of power from her. Their father Percival is sent to Azkaban for killing the muggles and never reveals the intention, fearing that the Ministry would take Ariana away. Eventually, Ariana's outbursts end up with them losing their mother and then Albus becomes their guardian. He later develops an idea with his friend Grindelwald that a utopian world could exist for wizards, which leads them towards 'The Deathly Hallows'. In the same book, we read that Harry learnt about the duel between the brothers and Grindelwald and Ariana's demise that kept Dumbledore guilty all his life. It makes sense that he wants Newt to protect Credence, because he doesn't want another obscurial to face a horrific destiny.

4. The Conflict Between The Ministry Of Magic & Dumbledore- It is no surprise that there has always been a conflict of interest and clash of opinions between the two powerful entities of the wizard community. When Voldemort returned and was at large in the 'Order of the Phoenix', the Ministry practically went to war with Dumbledore, who was trying to tell the magical community that the Dark Lord was back.The same tension has been shown in this movie when the ministry bans him from teaching 'Defence Against The Dark Arts' and cuffs him up to keep a tab on every spell he casts.

5. Nagini's Reality  So another shocker in the trailer was that Nagini was in fact, a legit human being. She is a Maledictus who we believe, probably allies or is taken in by Voldemort, once she becomes a snake permanently. I was personally looking for more dope on her but the next instalment will probably take care of her backstory.

 Warner Bros

The next movie will open more cans of worm, we guess, and therefore the lukewarm feeling that this movie left us with, will most certainly be taken care of in the next one. I have faith in the direction of David Yates and I cannot wait to see what the newly discovered Dumbledore has in store for us.
UPPER THUMB -- This year's FFA National Convention took place in Indianapolis, Indiana, with the topic, Just One.

The Ubly FFA took 16 students and one parent. The group was joined by Lakers, North Huron and Harbor Beach FFA chapters.
Man confesses to sex charges

A Pigeon man, this week in court, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Christopher Lee Sproull, 20, is scheduled to appear for sentencing on Jan. 7, 2019. His bond was cancelled and he will remain in jail until sentencing.

Sproull is being represented by Bad Axe-based attorney Andrew Lockard.

Man pleads no contest to home invasion

A Caseville man pleaded no contest to a single count of third-degree home invasion during court proceedings this week.

TJ Bradley Bowers, 27, is scheduled to appear in court next on Jan. 7, 2019, for sentencing. His bond was continued.

Bowers is being represented by defense attorney Dawn Young.
BAD AXE  Laura Polega, the new coordinator of the Huron County College and Career Access Network (HC3), is looking forward to making connections between students and future employers.

As the new coordinator of HC3, I am looking forward to bridging some gaps between the business industry and the local (school) districts, Polega said. I dont do direct service with students, Im kind of the bridge-gapping between the schools to the local businesses and industries to learn what jobs they have, what credentials they are seeking their future employees to have.

HC3 is a community collaborative that strives to build and sustain a vibrant and economically sound economy that emphasizes the importance of academic success, career-readiness, and post-secondary attainment for all residents of Huron County.

According to HC3, a post-secondary degree or credential has become a necessity to financial security in todays economy. Individuals with only a high school diploma earn less and have fewer employment growth opportunities compared to those with an education beyond high school.

We want to be clear that were not just focusing on college degrees, Polega said. Were focusing on any post-secondary credential. We are definitely endorsing trade schools, two-year degrees, four-year degrees, any stackable credential that a student graduating from high school can obtain. The reason that it is so important is, so that they can be continuous learners and have stackable credentials that make them employable with a livable wage.

HC3 believes that career-readiness includes all types of training and education beyond high school, including certificate programs, technical schools, and two or four-year degrees.

Part of that includes career exploration.

Were really working toward career exploration and allowing students to find out what there is out there for them, Polega said. There is just so much below the surface of what they see.

There are so many jobs available and different areas of employment that to the naked eye, you dont see, Polega added. The robotics, the mechatronics, the HVAC people, you have all these kids that think they need to be an engineer, or a doctor, or a lawyer, or a teacher, but theres many, many layers of jobs and industries even here in our county."

HC3 works closely with Huron County schools and the next initiative promoted by the Michigan College Access Network and the HC3 Access Network is the College Cash Campaign, which promotes schools to set a bold completion goal for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Polega and the HC3 are also working toward developing action projects.

The past two years, the leadership team has been working on developing a common agenda and getting people to sit on their action team, Polega said. So, we are really in the infancy stage of developing what our action projects are going to be. Were very excited about how the action teams are working to develop what the projects are going to be, and we hope to see some measurable success over the next two years once these action teams get out and start working on financial readiness and enrollment and career exploration, which are going to be the two focuses of what the two action teams will be working on. 

For more information about the HC3, you can call Polega at 989-439-0160 or go to www.hc3information.com.
America lost a true artist this week with the death of comic book writer Stan Lee, who created a universe of heroes that have delighted audiences of all ages for over 70 years.

One thing fans and celebrities have commented on since Lees passing has been the moral impact the comic book publisher left on readers. He made heroes people who everyone can relate to, and his comics included important lessons for all of us (i.e. do the right thing; being different isnt bad; be responsible and honest; with great power comes great responsibility, etc.).

And while the Marvel Universe is strong in literature and film (and merchandise), the characters created by Lee arent necessarily the first thing that comes to mind if you ask a local child about heroes. Super heroes, maybe  but not necessarily heroes.

Thats because we are fortunate to live in such a close-knit community where our local police, firefighters, first responders and service men and women interact with area children in many ways.

One way is through Shop with a Hero, where these heroes team up with an underprivileged child to ensure all local families have a great Christmas.

Shop with a Hero is very important to myself and to members of the community, and also members of the police department, Bad Axe Police Chief David W. Rothe told the Tribune this week. We fully support it, and thats why the Bad Axe Police Department puts it on. We dont want any family to go without for Christmas. If we can do just a little bit for them, that will really help out. Sometimes we cant do a lot, but we do whatever we can for them.

Bad Axe police and other community heroes were at Pizza Hut earlier this week conducting a Tips Night fundraiser to help fund the Shop with a Hero program.

Shop with a Hero, what it is, is we bring in underprivileged kids from around the entire county and we raise money throughout the year, so that we can bring them in and shop with them, Rothe explained. Unfortunately, there are some families in the county that are less fortunate than others and we want to make sure everyone has a good Christmas. Thats what we raise money for and Tip Night is a part of that fundraising process.

Elsewhere in the Upper Thumb, the Sebewaing Police Department is observing No Shave November to help raise funds for Shop with a Hero.

Donations are accepted until Nov. 30, explained Sebewaing Police Chief Branden Gettel. Then, on Dec. 12 is the shopping trip to the Walmart in Bad Axe, where kids pick out gifts (for their family).

Rothe told the Tribune the event is a great way for police to connect with the community.

Having those connections is the only way that we can serve the community throughout the year, he said. This community has been so good to us, they take care of us and its time for us to give back.

We applaud Rothe and Gettel for their leadership, and thank their departments and all the others who are working to connect with kids in our community. These real-life heroes are ensuring all families have a special Christmas.

As Stan Lee would say, Excelsior!
We have heard the positive numbers associated with the reduction in unemployment in the United States. A quick review of the data has shown a consistent decline in the unemployment rate from 2010 to today. If traditional holiday retail and logistical hiring occurs, we might see further declines in the unemployment numbers.

The rosy labor picture is not consistent across the country, nor is it consistent from group to group within a given geography. One example we have close to home is in the Groton area. There is a reported significant number of jobs available for workers on the submarines and nearby component assembly plants. However, it also is reported that there is a shortage of workers with the requisite skills.

The same situation has been reported for the second headquarters for Amazon. The very desirable headquarters jobs have been honed down to two locations, at last report, because the locations are the only ones in the United States with enough workers with the necessary technical skills.

In Racine, Wis., there is a major issue brewing over the location of a Chinese manufacturing plant that received more than $3 billion in state assistance for what was supposed to be a manufacturing facility and associated jobs. Recent reports have indicated that the Chinese firm has not been able to find enough engineers in the area for the desired facility and that Chinese engineers may have to be imported to meet manpower requirements.

The employment landscape in the United States, based upon the above references and others, would indicate that there is a job skills disconnect between the skills of our workers, the skills needed for particular work environments and the geographical locations of the jobs.

We have just had elections for many local, state and federal positions. In many of the campaign discussions I heard, there was the call for more jobs or the promise to bring more jobs into a given area. However, there was very little mention of the educational attainment and training requirements necessary to have a workforce that can fulfill the jobs in the 21st century.

I did not hear any calls for expanding and enriching the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) curriculum across the country or in any of the states for that matter. I think we need more students in the STEAM curriculum across the country, more teachers who can teach the subjects and therefore more investment in these areas across the country.

Technical jobs, which are among the best paying, require advanced technical education. It seems as though our preparation of high school students to become the technical and knowledge workers of the future is lagging behind the rest of the world and behind the requirements of industry here at home.

Cornell Wright is an author, trainer, consultant and an Executive Coach at The Parker Wright Group Inc. in Stratford. The firm assists clients to increase their market share by improved customer service. He can be reached at 203-377-4226 or cornell@parkerwrightgroup.com.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute

WORCESTER, Massachusetts  The following local residents were among students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute who recently completed intense, hands-on research projects.

Nicole Burns of East Hampton, a member of the class of 2020 majoring in physics, was a member of a student team that completed a project through the WPI project center in Zurich. The project was titled Alternatives to Animal Experimentation: Exploring the Approval Process of Nanomaterial Safety Assessments.

In their project summary, the students wrote, Due to economic, practical and ethical reasons, many researchers are promoting more widespread adoption of alternative testing methods to replace existing animal tests. This report aims to provide a simplified guide for the approval process of alternative methods with a focus on nanomaterial assessments.

Jillian Clemente of Killingworth, a member of the class of 2020 majoring in industrial engineering, was a member of a student team that completed a project through the WPI project center in Namibia. The project was Improving the Basic Science Course at the Namibia University of Science and Technology. In their project summary, the students wrote, We sought to research why the Basic Science course has a low pass rate across all modes of learning.

At WPI, all undergraduates are required to complete a research-driven, professional-level project that applies science and technology to addresses an important societal need or issue. About two-thirds of students complete a project at one of 45-plus off-campus project centers, located around the world.

A signature element of the innovative undergraduate experience at WPI, the project-based curriculum offers students the opportunity to apply their scientific and technical knowledge to develop thoughtful solutions to real problems that affect the quality of peoples lives, and make a difference before they graduate.

Eastern Connecticut State University

WILLIMANTIC  Eastern Connecticut State University has accepted a number of students into the highly selective honors program. Undergraduates take additional classes and complete undergraduate research that culminates in a capstone thesis related to their major.

Among the class of 2019 students selected are: Albert Viglione, Clinton, who majors in economics; Brittany Velikaneye, East Haddam, who majors in biology and psychology; Demitra Kourtzidis, East Hampton, who majors in political science; and Arianna Biales, Middletown, who majors in mathematics. Also smong the students chosen is Middletown resident Dallas Dorman, class of 2022, who majors in music.

Each is one of a select number of academically talented students offered an avenue to demonstrate excellence in areas characteristic of the liberal arts, according to the college.

Students in the honors program also participate in the Honors Club, which provides opportunities for social, cultural, and educational interaction among members of the honors program, as well as interaction between the program and the campus community.

New England Institute of Technology

EAST GREENWICH, Rhode Island  New England Institute of Technology announces the following students achieved deans list status for the quarter ending Sept. 22. Students must achieve a grade-point average of 3.6 or higher on a maximum scale of 4.0 to qualify.

Locals are: East Hampton resident Matthew Zawisza and Middletown student Matthew Nowakowski.
The first-ever audit of the of the $2.7 trillion enterprise that is the Defense Department identified widespread problems in cybersecurity, but found little in the way of savings that could offset potential budget cuts next year, according to Pentagon and Congressional officials.

Without going into detail, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, in a statement on the report, said the audit identified "multiple material weaknesses" across the department but also provided "invaluable information that will help us target and prioritize corrective actions."

David Norquist, the Pentagon's comptroller and prime mover behind the audit, said no glaring instances of fraud were found but the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Special Operations and the Transportation Command all received failing grades.

"We didn't pass. That's the blunt and bottom line. We have issues and we're going to fix them," Norquist said.

That was to be expected in a first-time audit, Norquist told defense reporters in a Pentagon news conference shortly before the audit's release Thursday night.

"If you're not fixing it, the auditors will come back in exactly a year and find you didn't fix it," Norquist said before the report's release. "And they're going to come the next year, and the next year until you fix it, so each year I'll be able to tell you how many findings we closed."

Occasionally, the auditors turned up problems that turned out not to be problems, Norquist said, which is what happened when they went looking at Hill Air Force Base in Utah.

The Hill database listed $53 million-worth of missile motors as broken and in need of repair. When the auditors went to look at them, the motors were found to be in working order -- it was a problem in labeling, the audit report said.

One of the "material weaknesses," as Mattis put it, was in the area of cybersecurity throughout the department, Norquist said.

"Our single largest number of findings is IT security around our businesses," Norquist said, and it "reflects the challenges that the department faces in IT security."

One area of concern was in security clearances for personnel and "terminating user access when they depart," Norquist said.

The department also had to do a better job of "monitoring sensitive users, people who have special authorities, making sure there is careful monitoring to that," Norquist said. "Our single largest number of findings is IT security around our business systems. We thought this was likely."

Mattis has been pushing DoD managers to find efficiencies and savings on contracts and operations to fund improvements in the lethality and readiness of the force, and also to guard against potential budget cuts in the new Congress.

President Donald Trump has already warned that he could ask for five percent budget cuts next year across all government departments.

In a statement on the audit, Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, the outgoing chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, urged against using the audit as an excuse to cut military funding.

The audit should be used to make the military "more efficient and agile," Thornberry said, and "it should not be used as an excuse for arbitrary cuts that reverse the progress we have begun on rebuilding our strength and readiness."

Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, who has called DoD a "$2.7 trillion enterprise" when all the ships, planes, tanks, missiles, salaries and buildings are counted on top of the budget, agreed with Norquist that failures uncovered by the audit were to be expected in the first attempt.

"We never thought we were going to pass an audit, right? Everyone was betting against us that we wouldn't even do the audit," Shanahan told defense reporters Thursday morning.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at richard.sisk@military.com.
The California Air National Guard is assisting in firefighting efforts across the state as citizens flee two devastating wildfires, one of which is now the deadliest in California's history.

Two Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) C-130 Hercules from the 146th Airlift Wing in Channel Islands are dropping thousands of gallons of fire retardant across the state as efforts to contain the Woolsey and Camp wildfires continue.

The MAFFS -- retrofitted C-130s that carry refillable tanks within their belly -- can drop 3,000 gallons in one location in just seconds, according to the Air Force. About 10 members from the 146th are also deployed with emergency crews for fire support.

Additionally, more than 100 guardsmen with the 163rd Attack Wing, March Joint Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California are working to gather intelligence, with operators flying an MQ-9 Reaper drone to surveil affected fire areas, Air National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Randy Saldivar said Friday.

The drone is helping to "provide full motion video to incident commanders along with fire mapping of the affected areas," Saldivar said in an email.

Another 25 or so guardsmen with the 163rd are also working in a relief capacity, he said.

Also involved:

An RC-26 surveillance aircraft from the 141st Air Refueling Wing mapping perimeters and damage assessment from the Camp and Woolsey Fires.

10 members from the 144th Fighter Wing working as a "medical strike team," Saldivar said.

Guardsmen with 195th Wing out of Beale Air Force Base assisting citizens displaced by the Camp Fire, as well as managing intelligence feeds from the aerial surveillance and remain on standby for communications, Air Force Magazine said.

Roughly 25 California Air National Guard security forces members supporting security at the Chico airport fire operations center, according to Saldivar.

As of Friday, there were more than 600 people missing from areas affected by the Camp Fire in northern California. The death toll there has climbed to 66, CBS News reported.

Firefighters were still on the ground working to contain more than half the fire, which has so far burned 142,000 acres, according to statistics from the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection or "Cal Fire" page.

While nearly 70 percent of the fire is contained in southern California's Woolsey Fire, hundreds continued to evacuate this week.

Between both fires, nearly 12,500 buildings, including homes, have been destroyed.

In August, California was plagued with 15 simultaneous fires, including the Carr Fire and the Mendocino Complex Fire.

The 195th Wing at Beale and the 163rd Attack Wing out of March assisted in similar ways during those events, according to Air Force Times.

While Camp has been considered by officials to be more destructive, Mendocino was the result of two fires that merged, and ultimately became the largest fire in the state's history, burning more than 450,000 acres.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @oriana0214.
Congressman John Rutherford represents Florida's 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He currently serves on the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee and is a former member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Veterans Day is an especially important occasion in Northeast Florida, home to one the most heavily military and veteran populations in the country. It is an honor to serve this community in Congress, and on Veterans Day, our citizens came together to pause and honor the many brave and selfless men and women in our community who served our nation at home and abroad. Like many communities across America, we proudly waved our flags, spent time remembering family members' military careers, and made a point to thank the veterans in our lives for their service.

And each year, as Veterans Day comes and goes, it is a good reminder that we must not put our gratitude, our patriotism, and the needs of our veterans on the shelf until next November comes around. Each of us, and especially those of us in Congress, must keep focused on the many challenges our veterans face and maintain our commitment to their needs all year long.

Veterans Day, like every other day this year, 20 veterans on average took their own life. Among younger veterans, this number is even higher. Veterans struggle with depression and PTSD at a rate five and fifteen times higher than non-veterans. As this publication reported just this month, 38,000 veterans are without stable housing. And, while veteran unemployment has dropped to 2.9 percent, underemployment continues to be a major challenge for veterans transitioning out of active duty service. In fact, a recent study conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation found that 44 percent of veterans leave their first post-military job within a year. As I have learned through many conversations with veterans who struggle with employment, having an uncertain economic future only exacerbates many of the mental health challenges that too many face.

For those of us in Congress focused on improving the lives of our veterans, these facts demonstrate an urgent need to further help these heroes. Over the past year, my colleagues on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Phil Roe and Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Chairman Jodey Arrington, held numerous roundtables, hearings and meetings with veteran organizations, government agencies, active duty service members and veterans to get to the heart of why so many veterans struggle with mental health, homelessness, and underemployment.

What we found is an issue of both resources and program focus. In 2018, the federal government spent billions supporting the active duty mission of the nation, yet only a small portion of that goes to aiding our active duty service members transition to civilian life. We learned that the coursework is not tailored to the service member, the required courses are not conducted at the most effective time, the data tracking outcomes are not sufficient, and the curriculum itself is not made a priority.

Ultimately, we are not adequately equipping our men and women with the resources and skills needed to be successful in the next chapter of their lives.

In response, Congress has been working on ways to improve the resources available to those transitioning from fighting force to civilian workforce. We developed H.R. 5649, the Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William "Bill" Mulder (Ret.) Transition Improvement Act, which would bring the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) into the modern age. This landmark legislation, which passed the House and is supported by the American Legion, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Student Veterans of America, helps veterans translate their unique military training and experience to successful civilian careers in high-demand fields.

This bill also includes a provision I introduced known as the Veterans Armed for Success Act, which provides grant funding for local non-profit organizations to implement job skills training programs. I have seen the huge impact programs like these have made in my own community in Jacksonville. When communities get involved and help veterans find stable, long-term employment, we see better outcomes for all.

Congress has the responsibility to fight for those who fought for us. We made a promise to provide for our veterans in return for their selfless service, and this includes providing our veterans the tools needed to thrive after their military service ends. While we in Congress have taken steps to improve TAP programming, our job is not done. Future reforms must tackle issues that have been neglected for far too long.

In these polarizing times, leaders of all political stripes continue to be united by the belief that our men and women in uniform deserve better. On this Veterans Day, and every day, let us be reminded of that common purpose and press forward on our efforts to improve the lives of those who fought for us.

-- The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.
The U.S. Coast Guard has seized 18.5 tons of cocaine valued at $500 million in a series of operations in international waters, officials said Thursday.

In a news release, officials said the drugs were unloaded at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The cocaine was seized from 15 drug-smuggling boats off the coasts of Mexico, Central America and South America with help from other law enforcement agencies. The operation netted 49 arrests, with the suspects to be prosecuted in South Florida.

In recent years, the volume of cocaine smuggled by water has drained the Coast Guard's resources, Capt. Jeffrey Randall told the Miami Herald.

The agency seized 226 tons of cocaine last year and brought in 708 suspects.
A technology that can help prevent pilots from colliding with the ground has begun its initial testing on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The Air Force variant of the fifth-generation jet has begun flying with the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System, known as Auto-GCAS, in recent tests at Edwards Air Force Base, California, the Air Force said in a news release. The 461st Flight Test Squadron recently began test flights to see if Auto-GCAS remained compatible with the other computer systems on board the Lockheed Martin-made aircraft.

"Auto-GCAS saves lives, it's been proven in the F-16 and the F-22," Lt. Col. Tucker Hamilton, F-35 Integrated Test Force director and 461st commander, said in the release. "We've been able to be an advocate to the warfighter, and the F-35 enterprise as a whole, to get them to accelerate implementation of F-35 Auto-GCAS by about seven years."

Related content:

Auto-GCAS was developed in the 1990s, but early versions had data issues. It was re-engineered between 2003 and 2010, and by 2016, it had been installed on more than 600 F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, "resulting in three confirmed reports that Auto-GCAS saved both the pilot and aircraft," according to the Air Force.

The service at the time said Auto-GCAS would not only save lives, but also "upward of 14 aircraft, and more than $530 million over the projected remaining service life of the F-16 inventory alone."

To date, the system has been credited with saving the lives of seven pilots in six different aircraft.

Auto-GCAS uses various sensors that monitor how the aircraft is performing and whether the pilot is still in control of the aircraft. If a pilot loses consciousness, Auto GCAS kicks in. The sensors that feed into the system take into consideration the terrain below, the aircraft's trajectory and speed and the human inputs, or lack thereof, to calculate how to best recover the jet and bring it back down safely, or return it to a smooth trajectory, the release said.

"This technology is the stepping stone to increased combat capability via a fully capable combat autopilot that will be able to execute tactical maneuvers to defeat inbound kinetic and non-kinetic threats and maximize lethality through precise weapon employment," added Lt. Col. Raven LeClair, a test pilot with the 461st, in a statement.

In January, Vice Adm. Mat Winter, head of the F-35 Joint Program Office, said the Auto-GCAS system was coming roughly five years earlier than originally planned.

"Expediting this lifesaving technology into the F-35 fleet by 2019 is estimated to prevent the loss of three aircraft, and more importantly, save the lives of three pilots," Winter said in a news release. "Over the service life of the F-35 fleet, having Auto-GCAS is estimated to prevent more than 26 ground collisions from happening."

Pilots themselves have helped speed that process along, according to Lockheed officials.

"The implementation of it is going faster than we thought [it would]," said Greg Ulmer, vice president for the Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft production business.

Ulmer said the expedited timeline is due to the fact that Lockheed began an "agile construct" where an operator -- such as a pilot -- is "embedded as part of the development team."

"So we've seen some strong performance in that regard in Auto-GCAS in particular," Ulmer told Military.com in September.

But it's not a foolproof solution for an in-flight emergency, Hamilton said.

"The pilot cannot use Auto-GCAS as a crutch," he said. "It's very important they do everything in their power to execute the mission without relying on any safety net to protect them. They've got to execute not thinking it's there, they should execute with that mindset. And then if it saves them, it saves them."

Hamilton stressed that it's better to be over-prepared in any case.

"It is our responsibility to use the technology to be able to bring [pilots] home every day, that's something they deserve and it's something we have the capability to provide," Hamilton said.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @oriana0214.
Coe's Mine (Sedgewick and Buell mine; Kyanite and ilmenite locality), Litchfield, Litchfield Co., Connecticut, USAi

Key

Latitude & Longitude (WGS84): Estimate based on other nearby localities or region boundaries. 41 North , 73 West (est.) Margin of Error: ~5km GRN: N28W40 Koppen climate type: Dfb : Warm-summer humid continental climate

Cyanite or Sappar, are found in great quantities, especially in Harwinton and Litchfield. A crystalline mass of this was found a few years ago, weighing probably 16 cwt. [1600 pounds]; it lay on mica slate [schist] ridge, and undoubtedly had been formerly imbedded [sic] in the slate. Beautiful white talc, and small crystals of sulphuret of iron, are disseminated in the mass. Specimens of this mass are in almost all the cabinets in America. Smaller masses have been found associated with feldspar.

A number of rich fragments and even crystals of large dimensions of vitreous copper [chalcocite], have lately been forwarded for examination by Mr. ISRAEL COE of Wolcottville, who states that they were found about two miles from that village on rather an elevated ridge of land, among the rubbish surrounding an excavation made by an Englishman prior to the revolutionary war. The tradition is, that the ore obtained was taken to New York and put on board a vessel for England, and that the vessel having been burnt, the enterprise was pursued no farther. Several of the samples are attached to pieces of quartz, and are attended by small quantities of green malachite and chrysocolla. Variegated copper [bornite] likewise occurs to a small extent, blended with the vitreous copper [chalcocite]. Accompanying the specimens, were also sent samples of yellow copper-pyrites [chalcopyrite], associated with iron-pyrites [pyrite] in quartz, and which were stated to have been found within a short distance of the excavation.

a vein of iron pyrites appears near the Torrington line, and a shaft about 15 feet has been sunk. To the west of this shaft, and at the right of and a short distance from the top of Toll Gate Hill, a number of holes have been dug, apparently by parties seeking ore. It is said that a shaft, begun before the Revolutionary War, was sunk in this locality on a vein of copper ore, but I have never been able to discover it. The only evidence of mineral in the excavations near Toll Gate Hill are a few crystals of Washingtonite or ilmenite, a commircially valuless [sic] ore of iron, perhaps this was what induced the ancient miners to labor, thinking it of value.

Specimens of almost pure ore (amorphous), others vitrified, and crystalized [sic], of various colors, have repeatedly been obtained at the summit of Occident hill (Chestnut hill), and afford presumptive evidence of the existence of a rich copper ore bed in that locality. Tradition says that before the revolutionary war an English miner discovered this ore bed; made considerable excavations; obtained valuable products, which he shipped for England, he going in the same vessel, and that the vessel and himself were lost at sea.



The copper is found in a mica slate [schist] ledge and associated with quartz distinctively. Some of the specimens are carbonates and of beautiful green crystals [malachite]. The yellow or copper pyrites [chalcopyite] are also found.

On the farm of Mr. Gilbert, one-half mile from this location, was recently found an old shaft 15 feet deep which is supposed to have been sunk before the Revolution. This has been cleaned out and sunk 30 feet upon a small vein of iron and copper running together. The quantity of copper found is not yet sufficient to render the digging profitable, the mine having been but partially developed.

Select Mineral List Type Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Dana Chemical Elements

Detailed Mineral List:  Actinolite Formula: Ca 2 (Mg 4.5-2.5 Fe 0.5-2.5 )Si 8 O 22 OH 2 Habit: fibrous to elongated prisms Colour: pale greenish white to green Description: Massive, fibrous, to crudely crystallized in calc-silicate rocks, with grossular, albite, calcite, quartz. Fibrous to acicular green layers in epidote (altered amphibolite). Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Albite Formula: Na(AlSi 3 O 8 ) Habit: prismatic Colour: white, gray, peach Description: Mostly anhedral grains and masses in schist, calc-silicate, amphibolite, and chlorite rich rocks. Small (<1 cm) crystals exposed in vugs where calcite naturally etched out. Large (>5 cm) subhedral crystals in quartz/albite/mica boudins in schist, with kyanite and ilmenite. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Almandine Formula: Fe2+ 3 Al 2 (SiO 4 ) 3 Habit: dodecahedral Colour: maroon Description: Mostly as relatively small crystals <1 cm in schist. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Aragonite Formula: CaCO 3 Habit: botryoidal encrustations Colour: white Fluorescence: yellow-white Description: As botryoidal, slightly waxy crusts forming from meteoric water percolating through fractured amphibolite and calc-silicate rocks and deposited in shallow open spaces. Impregnated with sand grains and minor twigs, etc. Reference: Harold Moritz collection  'Biotite' Formula: K(Fe2+/Mg) 2 (Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe] 2 Si 2 O 10 )(OH/F) 2 or Simplified: K(Mg,Fe) 3 AlSi 3 O 10 (OH) 2 Colour: black Description: Coarse anhedral crystals in coarse-grained boudins in schist, with chlorite, ilmenite, albite, quartz. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Calcite Formula: CaCO 3 Habit: massive Colour: white Description: As masses in calc-silicate rock, or in brittle faults. Much of it naturally etched or dissolved away exposing other crystals that seemed to form in vugs. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Chabazite-Ca Formula: (Ca,K 2 ,Na 2 ) 2 [Al 2 Si 4 O 12 ] 2  12H 2 O Habit: rhombohedral Colour: yellow-orange Description: Micro crystals to a couple of mm in brittle faults, but well formed and translucent. Reference: Observations by and collection of Harold Moritz  Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS 2 Habit: massive Description: Blebs to 1-2 cm at most, but commonly surrounded by films of green malachite and brown limonite on adjacent albite, quartz or schist. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  'Chlorite Group' Habit: subhedral to fine-grained massive Colour: dark green Description: Scattered in schist but notably concentrated as pure, fine-grained masses at the discordant contact of schist with quartz masses, associated with fluorapatite, albite, ilmenite, magnetite, rutile. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Corundum Formula: Al 2 O 3 Habit: hexagonal tabular Colour: pale lavender Description: A 2 cm, tabular, hexagonal crystal is present in a cabinet specimen of kyanite at Harvard that was part of Brace's large boulder. Reference: Harvard Mineralogical Museum specimen  Epidote Formula: {Ca 2 }{Al 2 Fe3+}(Si 2 O 7 )(SiO 4 )O(OH) Habit: mostly massive, elongated hexagonal prisms in chlorite Colour: pistachio green Description: Mostly as a massive alteration of amphibolite as bands with green actinolite, but rarely as elongated hexagonal prisms in fine-grained chlorite. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Fluorapatite Formula: Ca 5 (PO 4 ) 3 F Habit: Hexagonal prisms Colour: pale gray to white Fluorescence: pale yellow-white Description: Euhedral prisms to 1.5 cm or so found in fine-grained chlorite concentrations. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Goethite Formula: -Fe3+O(OH) Habit: massive Colour: dark brown Description: In local rocks as alterations of pyrite and chalcopyrite. But also as glacial erratic cobbles and pebbles, some cementing brecciated quartzite resembling the Dalton Formation. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Grossular Formula: Ca 3 Al 2 (SiO 4 ) 3 Habit: dodecahedral Colour: pale orange Description: Mostly very fine-grained and massive within calc-silicate rocks, with actinolite, calcite, quartz. Micro crystals in vugs where calcite has naturally dissolved out. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Hematite Formula: Fe 2 O 3 Habit: flaky, massive Colour: black, red Description: Fine-grained specular black grains in joints in epidote altered amphibolite. Also as red, compact earthy component of pseudomorphs after ilmenite (with magnetite and rutile, to varying degrees), and as red films on other minerals. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  'Hornblende' Habit: elongated prismatic Colour: dark green to black Description: As a granular component of amphibolite, but subhedral crystals to a few cm more obvious in hornblende gneiss. Some more schistose gneiss boulders show interesting 5-6 cm acicular flabellate groups. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Ilmenite Formula: Fe2+TiO 3 Habit: platy to tabular Colour: black submetallic Description: Found in three modes: 1. As small (<1 cm) crystals scattered in schist, gneiss and amphibolite. 2. As deformed platy concentrations in quartz/albite/mica boudins in schist. Loose boudins as boulders vary in size from "turtle shell" pieces, to boulders pushing a meter across with overlapping, curved crystals or aggregates on the order of 10 cm. 3. As undeformed, tabular crystals exceeding 10-15 cm (mostly broken so hard to say exactly), 1 to 15 mm thick, that grew rooted in the chlorite-rich contact of schist with discordant quartz masses. These crystals typically oriented edge-on to the contact and surrounded by massive quartz that evidently filled in after they crystallized. Most of these "ilmenite" crystals are actually pseudomorphed by, to varying degrees, magnetite, hematite, rutile, chlorite, even within the same crystal. As ilmenite is weakly magnetic, it is easy to tell the strongly magnetic magnetite pseudos from ilmenite. The rutile/hematite pseudos are reddish and non-magnetic and blood-red, acicular microcrystals can be seen in them under a scope. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  'K Feldspar' Colour: white Description: Wedge-shaped crystals to 6mm in small alpine cleft type gash. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  'K Feldspar var. Adularia' Formula: KAlSi 3 O 8 Colour: white Description: Wedge-shaped crystals to 6mm in small alpine cleft type gash. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Kyanite Formula: Al 2 (SiO 4 )O Habit: elngated, tabular prisms Colour: gray to pale blue-green with sky blue cores Description: Occurs in two modes: 1. As gray crystals in schist and quartz/albite/mica boudins, randomly oriented along the foliation, crystals typically reaching 5 cm. These resistant crystals form rough surfaces on schist boulders where they are abundant. 2: As very long crystals to 10s of cms, commonly concentrated in parallel to subparallel arrangement in massive quartz and adjacent schist. These crystals are pale blue-green with sky blue cores along their lengths. There are +/- 1-meter cone to fan-shaped boulders with solid concentrations of these crystals. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Magnetite Formula: Fe2+Fe3+ 2 O 4 Habit: granular, massive Colour: steel gray to black Description: As grains in chlorite-fluorapatite-albite rich rock, or pseudomorphous after undeformed ilmenite crystals in quartz, distinguished by their strong magnetism. Hematite and rutile replacements can accompany magnetite within the same pseudomorph. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Malachite Formula: Cu 2 (CO 3 )(OH) 2 Habit: films Colour: green Description: As green halos films/crusts around altered chalcopyrite blebs or alone on rock surfaces. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Microcline Formula: K(AlSi 3 O 8 ) Habit: anhedral Colour: pink Description: Coarse crystals with epidote, quartz, minor ilmenite in some cobbles that may be glacial erratics. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Muscovite Formula: KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Habit: anhedral Description: As a major, fine-grained component of the Rowe schist, coarser grained in some quartz/albite/ilmenite boudins or boulders. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Muscovite var. Damourite Formula: KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Habit: pseudomorphs after kyanite Colour: yellow-brown Description: Waxy, translucent pseudomorphs after kyanite in a quartz cobble. Reference: Harold Moritz observations  Muscovite var. Fuchsite Formula: K(Al,Cr) 3 Si 3 O 10 (OH) 2 Habit: micaceous grains Colour: emerald green Description: Streaks and zones of green color in muscovite-annite schist. XRF reveals 0.56% Cr oxide. This may have lead miners to chase what they thought was "copper ore" in what today is obviously barren schist (though there is some malachite here as well). Also confirmed as muscovite via Raman spectroscopy. Reference: Harold Moritz collection  Pyrite Formula: FeS 2 Habit: anhedral Description: Mostly massive grains/blebs and much altered to goethite. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Quartz Formula: SiO 2 Habit: massive Colour: light smoky to white Description: As a granular component of the Rowe Schist, massive component of calc-silicate rocks, drusy crystals in brittle fault mineralzation, in "turtle shell" boudins in schist, but most obvious as large meter or more scale discordant white masses in schist, typically with ilmenite and chlorite along the contact. Crystals very rare and generally micros. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Rutile Formula: TiO 2 Habit: massive, acicular, twinned reticular nets Colour: red Description: As scattered grains in schist, rarely in vugs as twinned, reticular nets to a cm, most commonly as a fine-grained replacement of undeformed ilmenite found in the quartz masses, with hematite and magnetite to varying degrees, even within the same crystal. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Staurolite Formula: Fe2+ 2 Al 9 Si 4 O 23 (OH) Habit: elongated prisms Colour: dark brown Description: Crystals to 4-5 cm in schist, but mostly a few loose cobbles that were likely dropped on the site by glaciation from the north, across Rt. 202, where they are common. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  'Stilbite Subgroup' Formula: M 6-7 [Al 8-9 Si 27-28 O 72 ]  nH 2 O Habit: fan-shaped aggregates of tabular micro-crystals Colour: white Description: Micro-crystals in fractures and small voids, alone or associated with chabazite. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  'Tourmaline' Formula: A(D 3 )G 6 (Si 6 O 18 )(BO 3 ) 3 X 3 Z Habit: acicular Colour: black Description: Sprays of acicular crystals radiating from the terminations of thicker crystals are preserved in a quartz cobble several cm across. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz  Tremolite Formula: {Ca 2 }{Mg 5 }(Si 8 O 22 )(OH) 2 Habit: fibrous to acicular Colour: white Description: In calc-silicate assemblage, but rarer than the more common actinolite. Reference: Observations by Harold Moritz

References

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Brace, John P. (1819), Observations on the Minerals Connected with the Gneiss Range of Litchfield County. American Journal of Science: s.1, 1: 351-355. Robinson, Samuel. (1825), A Catalogue of American Minerals, With Their Localities; Including All Which Are Known to Exist in the United States and British Provinces, And Having the Towns, Counties, and Districts in Each State and Province Arranged Alphabetically. With an Appendix, Containing Additional Localities and a Tabular View. Cummings, Hilliard, & Co., Boston. Shepard, Charles U. (1837). A Report on the Geological Survey of Connecticut. B. L. Hamlen, New Haven. Hopkins, G. M., Jr. (1859). Clark's Map of Litchfield County, Connecticut. Richard Clark, Philadelphia. Kilbourne, P. K. (1859). Sketches and chronicles of the town of Litchfield. Case, Lockwood, Hartford. F. W. Beers & Company. (1874). Map of Litchfield, Connecticut. Orcutt, Rev. Samuel. (1878). History of Torrington, Connecticut. J. Munsell, Albany. Hubbard, John T. (1905). Litchfield mining ventures lecture to the Litchfield Scientific Association, Dec. 13, 1905. White, Alain Campbell. (1920). The History of the Town of Litchfield, Connecticut, 1720-1920. Gates, Robert M. and Nikolas L. Christensen. (1965). The Bedrock Geology of the West Torrington Quadrangle. State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut Quadrangle Report No. 17. Domonell, Bill. (1994). Torrington's "Lost" Copper Mine. The Torrington Voice: II(39): (April 28).

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North America Plate Tectonic Plate

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

A locality on U. S. Route 202 in NE Litchfield. The locality is not open. It is private, developed, residential property, protected by the owner who was kind enough to let this information be posted.There are no dumps for collecting in any case, minerals and small mine shafts were discovered during landscaping with heavy equipment. In 2018 the property was sold and the boulders described below were also sold.This activity uncovered many boulders rich in large kyanite and ilmenite porphyroblasts in Rowe schist and discordant masses of white quartz. They are identical to this description by Brace (1819) (and repeated in Robinson (1825)) of a large kyanite-rich boulder from an unspecified Litchfield location that is most likely this site:The mineralogy is similar to that described for areas just to the north and east of Town Farm Road (see http://www.mindat.org/loc-251426.html). Two mine shafts and other evidence of prospecting have also been discovered. The location and details of the site match the mysterious place mentioned by several historians but first by Shepard (1837):While chalcopyrite with malachite coatings have been found, it seems the ilmenite was likely mistaken for chalcocite, to which it bears similarities, but the large crystals and fragments thereof are typical of the area (and this site) and ilmenite's brittle nature. The site is 2 miles from downtown Torrington (formerly Wolcottville) and on an elevated ridge. This ridge may in fact be the place called "Toll Gate Hill" (the name is not on any maps) described below by Hubbard (1905) (the old toll gate for the Torrington-Litchfield Road (now U. S. Route 202) was just NE of the site):Note the similar reference to a pre-Revolutionary War mine. Orcutt (1878) in his History of Torrington says something similar about the history, and even more accurately about the minerals, but gives a name for a hill again not on any map:Kilbourne (1859), in his discussion about mining by Albert Sedgwick and John Buell in the area just to the north of U. S Route 202 added this tidbit about a farm on the south side of the road (as shown on the 1859 map of the town):None of these references has been linked to any mineral or mining locality before, and there is enough common information in them to suggest these are all the same place. The Gilbert Farm reference gives it a specific location, coincident with this now residential property whose characteristics match the references. In addition, Domonell (1994) makes a strong case that the "Englishman" was none other than Samuel Higley, operator of the Higley copper mine (now in East Granby and just south of the Old Newgate Mine and Prison) and minter of the first coins in America - the Higley copper! Samuel Higley was supposedly lost at sea in 1737 with a shipment of his ore to England. Or could it have been Isaac Higley, Samuel's half-brother who was one of the first settlers who came to Torrington before 1740? He states there is no direct evidence they did any mining in Torrington (or Litchfield) but the circumstantial evidence is certainly compelling.While there is malachite present here, green fuchsite mica is much more abundant and it may have inspired much of the mining effort, as the workings are mostly driven into what appears to be schist barren of copper minerals but rich in fuchsite. The worthless nature of fuchsite was not known to the miners, but they certainly eventually found out. Though it must have been very confusing and frustrating for them to see so much green - nearly always an excellent indicator of copper - and yet not end up with any!
The Astros acquired infielder Aledmys Diaz from the Blue Jays, as per announcements from both teams. In return, Triple-A right-hander Trent Thornton is headed to Toronto, per Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).

After spending parts of two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Blue Jays acquired Diaz for minor-league outfielder J.B. Woodman prior to 2018. He is a career .275/.325/.458 hitter  good for a slightly above-average 108 wRC+. Diaz saw regular action in Toronto this season, slashing .263/.303/.453 with 18 home runs (1.6 fWAR) while keeping the seat warm for prospects Richard Urena and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Though primarily a shortstop, the Astros likely see Diaz, 28, as a more versatile contributor  potential insurance for likely-departed utility man Marwin Gonzalez. Defensive metrics, however, do not look kindly upon Diazs performance at short (-9 DRS, -2.2 UZR in 2018), as he has yet to record a positive rating in either defensive runs saved or ultimate zone rating in his three seasons at the big-league level. Yuli Gurriel stands to take on some of the extra responsibilities around the diamond as well, but Diaz represents a low-cost alternative  he will not be eligible for arbitration until after the 2019 season at the earliest.

Brian McTaggart of MLB.com quotes Astros GM Jeff Luhnow (via Twitter), who says of Diaz:

Hes got some versatility, got some power and can do a lot of things. It seems like its an opportunity for us to improve our team. Were dipping into prospect depth, but one area we probably have some surplus, its in the upper-level pitching area.

The Blue Jays stand to benefit from that surplus with the acquisition of Thornton. Though not a top prospect by any means, the 25-year-old Thornton ranked 24th on MLB.coms midseason rankings of Houstons farm system. Since the Astros selected him in the 5th round of the 2015 draft, Thornton has steadily climbed the ranks of Houstons minor league system, reaching their top affiliate in 2017. Over 124 1/3 innings, he had a 4.42 ERA (3.93 xFIP) with 8.83 K/9 and 2.24 BB/9 while pitching with Triple-A Fresno for the entirety of 2018.

With either Urena or Gurriel ready to take over at short, the Blue Jays did a nice job here of turning their middle infield depth into an MLB-ready arm. Thornton has not yet appeared in the majors, though the Jays will add him to their 40-man roster, per Sportsnet.cas Ben Nicholson-Smith (via Twitter). The rebuilding Blue Jays get all six years of Thorntons team control in exchange for four years of Diaz.
The Phillies entered the winter widely tabbed as the most obvious aggressor on the free-agent market. It has been known for years, after all, that the organization was stripping its payroll and building its prospect base in hopes of launching back into a powerhouse.

Perhaps, then, it shouldnt be too surprising that Philadelphia owner John Middleton was so willing to acknowledge the obvious. But he did so, with unusual candor, in an interview with USA Todays Bob Nightengale. As Middleton put it:

Were going into this expecting to spend money. And maybe even be a little bit stupid about it. We just prefer not to be completely stupid.

Whether those surprisingly forthcoming words portend a true spending bonanza isnt quite clear. But they surely suggest that the Phillies arent afraid of a bidding war and are open  willing, even  to go a bit outside their comfort zone to win one, at least for the right player.

This long-anticipated free-agent class may not quite have arrived with the expected hype, but its still laden with opportunities. And the Phils have both the need and the means to chase the markets biggest names: Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, of course, but also perhaps quality players such as Patrick Corbin, Craig Kimbrel, and Yasmani Grandal.

Click here for a detailed analysis of the Phillies payroll availability.

As Middleton rightly assesses, the Phillies clearly have lots of ways to go to improve a roster that has some valuable assets but relatively little in the way of established stars. That only makes things more interesting. Big-name acquisitions would likely also be followed by trades of current Philadelphia players, increasing the intrigue and ramping up the overall market entropy.

Clearly, its a high-stakes winter for a ballclub that sees an opportunity to make major strides. With Middleton expressing excitement at the prospect of unleashing the organizations financial might, theres every reason to believe that the Phillies will function as a market driver.
BAY CITY, MI -- A panel of attorneys is weighing if prominent Bay City attorney Edward M. Czuprynski's actions involving a tenant constitutes professional misconduct.

The three-member panel convened Friday, Nov. 16, in the Bay County Court Facility to hear arguments from Czuprynski and Dina P. Dajani, senior associate counsel of the state's Attorney Grievance Commission. The commission is the investigative and prosecutorial arm of the Michigan Supreme Court.

If the panel rules Czuprynski's actions constitute misconduct, another hearing will be held to determine his penalty.

Czuprynski denies any wrongdoing.

Dajani said Czuprynski, through his company EMC Development, in the fall of 2013 rented an apartment to a tenant. In the summer of 2015, Czuprynski let the air out of the tires on the tenant's 1998 Ford Ranger when she parked in front of his garage and repeatedly put glue in her unit's door locks, Dajani said.

Czuprynski on Friday admitted to such behavior and said he never denied doing so. He said he flattened his tenant's tires to discourage her from parking in front of his garage and did so rather than having her vehicle towed to save her money. He said he put glue in her locks because she had changed the locks on her unit.

The tenant previously sued Czuprynski and won, with a ruling that Czuprynski pay her $4,640 and $28,000 in attorney fees. None of those fees have been paid and the matter remains in an appeal process, according to court records.

The tenant admitted to changing the locks on her unit, saying she did so because she had learned Czuprynski would enter tenants' apartments without their permission.

She moved out of her unit in September 2015.

Testifying himself on Friday, Czuprynski said he thought his conduct was warranted.

"I wear different hats at different times," he said, explaining that at times he's a lawyer and at others he's a landlord. In all times regarding this matter, he operated in his landlord capacity, he said.

He said he did not give the tenant permission to park in front of his garage. When he grew tired of her parking there, he let the air out of her tires to deter her, he said.

"I did that as a landlord trying to cope with a defiant tenant," he said.

He added that he had previously allowed the tenant to use his garage and a basement to store items, though use of those spaces was not outlined in her lease agreement. When he changed the locks on those spaces, she retaliated by changing her unit's locks, he claimed.

"The landlord cannot and should not be locked out of his own building, and there was no reason for it," he said.

Under cross-examination, Dajani asked Czuprynski if he agreed there are legal remedies to deal with landlord-tenant disagreements. Czuprynski agreed.

Czuprynski said he eventually filed an eviction notice against the tenant. However, he alleged the document contained in court files in which he denies putting glue in the locks or deflating the tires was not actually drafted by him, though it bears his signature.

In her closing arguments, Dajani said the Supreme Court has ruled an attorney is an attorney at all times.

"Since you're always an attorney, you're always bound by our rules. To say he can't be liable for professional conduct because he was acting as a landlord is wrong, as a matter of law," she said.

She implored the panel of John M. Morosi, Stephen E. Durance, Gordon M. Bloom to not condone his behavior.

"It's boorish, silly behavior, and it's not behavior we should be tolerating from lawyers," she said in asking the panel to issue a finding of misconduct.

Czuprynski countered his actions were justified.

"EMC Development had reasons for what I thought would be the most effective ways in dealing with this tenant," he said. "I now realize that as a landlord trying to cope with this situation having her car towed and going to court right away would have been the better course of action, make no mistake of that."

Czuprynski objected to the commission's assertion that he "engaged in conduct that is contrary to justice, ethics, honesty, or good morals."

He asked the panel to find he engaged in no misconduct.

The panel said its members would confer and prepare a written decision soon.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A man posing as a girl on social media convinced girls to share sexually explicit photos and, in some cases, threatened to send them to families and friends if they didn't send more.

Kevin Scott Konen of Eaton County pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids to charges of sexual exploitation of minors and possession of child pornography.

The exploitation charge carries a penalty of at least 15 years, and up to 30 years, in prison. The child-pornography charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

He also faces at least five years, and up to life, on supervised release after prison terms expire.

Konen pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ellen Carmody. He is held pending sentencing. No date has been set.

A plea agreement outlined Konen's crimes, which occurred between January 2014 and January 2016 in Eaton County.

Konen used names of two girls and a boy to befriend multiple minors on Facebook Messenger and other social-media applications.

He convinced them to share images and videos of sex acts or nudity. The government listed the initials of seven female victims and a male.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru wrote in the plea agreement that Konen had "various ruses" to obtain sexually explicit images. In some cases, he befriended the victims and shared sexually explicit images.

"In other instances, Defendant attempted to extort sexually explicit images from the victims with the threat that he would send nude pictures of the victims to their family and friends. Another ruse involved directing the victims to contact 'Denny Ha' who could help the victims remove their pictures from internet websites, but to do so 'Denny Ha' needed user names and passwords for their accounts.

"Once he had access to the accounts, Defendant would search the victims' accounts for more compromising pictures."

Mekaru said Konen distributed images to "other minors and to other individuals."

As part of the plea agreement, the government will not bring additional charges against Konen for sexual exploitation between 2011 and 2018 as long as the conduct has been disclosed to the government.

All of his conduct can be considered at sentencing.
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MI -- Three people are in custody in connection with a fatal shooting early Thursday, Nov. 15 of a truck driver.

St. Joseph County authorities on Saturday, Nov. 17 said a two males and a female were under arrest and held on charges of open murder, armed robbery and felony firearm.

The truck driver was shot about 3 a.m. at a mobile home on South Street in Flowerfield Township.

Police have not released the man's identity but say he was not from the area and was driving a tractor-trailer.

St. Joseph County prosecutors said multiple police agencies were involved in the investigation.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- Norman F. Carver Jr., a renowned architect, photographer and a fixture in the Kalamazoo arts community, died Friday, Nov. 16. He was 90.

His death was announced by Life Story Funeral Homes.

A Kalamazoo native, Carver told the Kalamazoo Gazette in a 1993 interview that he knew at about age 14 that he wanted to become an architect.

"I had a job working with a couple of local architects, and they convinced me to go to architectural school,'' he said.

Carver graduated from Yale University in 1953 and won a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Japan.

He designed about 150 houses, both in the Kalamazoo area and in other parts of the country, according to a 2011 Kalamazoo Gazette story. He also designed the Western Michigan University housing complex near Stadium Drive and Howard Street.

Carver's parents, Norman Carver Sr. and Louise Carver, were among the founders of the Civic Players in 1929. Norman Carver Jr. would later design the Civic's Carver Center.

In his later years, Carver was known for exhibiting his photography from his travels around in galleries on the Kalamazoo Mall. He was a regular participant in monthly Art Hop events.

When he opened a gallery at 245 S. Kalamazoo Mall in 2011, after moving from 300 S. Kalamazoo Mall where he had been located for four years, Carver was preparing to publish his eighth book, "Angkor," about the ancient Cambodian city.

"It has been satisfying to document architecture around the world," Carver told the Gazette in the 2011 interview.

Complete obituary information will be posted when it becomes available.

A longstanding Parkwyn resident and renowned architect, Norman F. Carver, Jr., passed away this morning in @HospiceSWMI's Rose Arbor in #Kalamazoo. Norm was a major influence in Parkwyn Village and to the architectural world. pic.twitter.com/gwV7agQAzR  Parkwyn Village (@parkwynvillage) November 16, 2018
MUSKEGON, MI - A new playground at Pere Marquette Park that was supposed to be installed by the end of this year will be in place next spring, according to an official with the City of Muskegon.

In addition to the handicap-accessible playground, the project will include two barrier-free family restrooms.

The project is now expected to be complete by Memorial Day. The former playground structure was removed by city staff ahead of the winter season.

The city was awarded a $220,700 Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant in 2016 to help pay for the improvements.

They originally were slated for completion by the end of this year. Work now is expected to begin in April, said Muskegon Director of Municipal Services LeighAnn Mikesell.

The playground, formerly north of the concessions and bathhouse, will be installed just south of it.

"We were hoping to have had it done by now, but while we were in design we had some conversations about public safety and where we really wanted this playground to be located," Mikesell said. "We had wanted to move it farther south down the beach to an area that wasn't so congested. But it took us a long time to get a response from the DNR."

Since the DNR is funding the playscape, it had a final say on the location. The state ultimately said "no."

"That was late enough that we couldn't get it built this year," she said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 17)  Presidential son Paolo Duterte on Saturday denied plans to use a possible seat in Congress to retaliate against his archenemy, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

This is contrary to what President Rodrigo Duterte claimed Friday night. The President, in a speech before the Filipino community in Papua New Guinea, said his son wants to get even with Trillanes, who accused him of involvement in the illegal drug trade.

READ: Duterte says his son will run for Congress to retaliate against Trillanes

But the younger Duterte in a statement on Saturday said, "I honestly do not seek revenge. What I seek is justice. I have filed cases against him and he should man up and face these cases in court."

The former Davao City vice mayor has filed a number of criminal complaints against Trillanes for libel over the senator's accusations against him and the presidential family, including calling them "illegal drug smugglers" in connection with the 6.4 billion worth of shabu shipment that slipped into the country in May 2017. Paolo Duterte dismissed Trillanes' claims as "black propaganda" meant to defame him and his father.

Trillanes, a staunch critic of the Dutertes, has said he will face all the charges filed against him as he stood by his claims.

READ: Trillanes ready to go to Davao to answer libel complaints

Paolo Duterte added on Saturday that Trillanes "will be worse than a non-matter" since his last term in the Senate ends next year.

It was unclear why the President spoke of a face-off in Congress between his son and Trillanes because the senator, who is on his last term at the upper chamber, did not file his candidacy for any position in next year's midterm elections.

"He will end his term as a senator like it is a blessing to the Filipino people, perhaps except for the few who believed in the lies he concocted against me and my family. As he is today, he will be worthless," Paolo Duterte said.

"Apart from that, considering the insignificance and uselessness of Mr. Trillanes, I will devote my time to serve the Dabawenyos," he added. He is running for Davao City First District representative.

Aside from Paolo, Duterte's daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio is seeking re-election as Davao City mayor, while his youngest son Sebastian is a candidate for the city's vice mayor. The siblings' political bids have drawn criticisms that the Dutertes are establishing a political dynasty.

In a speech last month, the President said he was against political dynasties "but we were forced... Usually, pag maumpisahan ng isa, tuluy-tuloy na yan kaso hingiin ng mga tao."

[Translation: I do not want a dynasty, but we were forced... Usually, it continues after one starts and people ask for it.]
Photo: Wikipedia

Those looking to get a hepatitis vaccination before travelling to a foreign country may be out of luck for the time being.

Currently, there is a global shortage of several hepatitis vaccines, including the popular Twinrix vaccination, which vaccinates against both hepatitis A and B.

GlaxoSmithKline has advised Health Canada that it is experiencing national and global supply constraints for several hepatitis vaccines due to manufacturing issues and increased global demand for these products, Health Canada said in a statement.

The shortage began back in September, and Health Canada doesn't know when the shortage will end.

In Kelowna, several pharmacies said they are unable to offer the Twinrix vaccine, due to the shortage. It's unknown if any local pharmacies have any of the vaccine left.

In addition to the Twinrix vaccine shortage, Health Canada says there is also a global shortage of Engerix-B, a hepatitis B vaccine, and Havrix, a hepatitis A vaccine.

While the shortage of Havrix is expected to be remedied by the end of the year, Health Canada has no anticipated shortage end date for Engerix-B.
Photo: Kirk Penton

Ludovic and Jessica Jan met more than 20 years ago at a hair school in Paris.

Did they foresee opening a hair salon together on Kelowna's Ellis Street one day?

Absolutely not, Jessica said with a laugh.

Yet here they are, less than two months into their stint as owners of Opus Salon, and theyre loving their new life as Okanagan business owners.

The husband and wife moved to Canada 11 years ago and started working at Opus Salon in Vancouvers Yaletown.

We just wanted a change. We were young, and we just wanted something new, Ludovic said. We came on a working holiday, just like a lot of French and Europeans, and we just never left.

They eventually bought the business and last year decided to move to Kelowna with their two children.

Its a bit wet in Vancouver, and I guess we were a bit tired of the weather, Ludovic said. But also we wanted something different for our kids, a smaller city where we could spend more time together and not so much in traffic.

Added Jessica: More community. More local shops. Thats what we wanted.

For more on this story visit Okanagan Edge.
Photo: The Canadian Press Tera Hickerson, right, and Columbus Holt embrace as they look at a board with information for services at a makeshift encampment outside a Walmart store for people displaced by the Camp Fire, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018,

With the confirmed death toll at 71 and the list of unaccounted for people more than 1,000, authorities in Northern California on Friday searched for those who perished and those who survived the fiercest of wildfires ahead of a planned visit by President Donald Trump.

The president on Saturday is expected to get a look at the grief and damage caused by the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century, and he could face resentment from locals for blaming the inferno on poor forest management in California.

In an interview taped Friday and scheduled for broadcast on "Fox News Sunday," Trump said he was surprised to see images of firefighters removing dried brush near a fire, adding, "This should have been all raked out."

Deputies found eight more bodies Friday, bringing the death toll to 71.

The number of people unaccounted for grew from 631 on Thursday night to more than 1,000 on Friday, but Sheriff Kory Honea said the list was dynamic and could easily contain duplicate names and unreliable spellings of names.

He said the roster probably includes some who fled the blaze and do not realize they've been reported missing.

Some on the list have been confirmed as dead by family and friends on social media. Others have been located and are safe, but authorities haven't gotten around to marking them as found.

Tamara Conry said she should never have been on the list.

"My husband and I are not missing and never were!" Conry wrote Thursday night on Facebook. "We have no family looking for us. ... I called and left a message to take our names off."

Authorities compiled the list by going back to listen to all the dispatch calls they received since the fire started, to make sure they didn't miss anyone.

In last year's catastrophic wildfires in California wine country, Sonoma County authorities at one point listed more than 2,000 people as missing. But they slowly whittled down the number. In the end, 44 people died in several counties.

The wildfire this time all but razed the town of Paradise, population 27,000, and heavily damaged the outlying communities of Magalia and Concow on Nov. 8, destroying 9,700 houses and 144 apartment buildings, authorities said.

Firefighters were gaining ground against the blaze, which blackened 222 square miles (575 square kilometres). It was 45 per cent contained and posed no immediate threat to populated areas. Crews managed to stop it from spreading toward Oroville, population 19,000.
Photo: Contributed The police officers detained in Cuba have been identified as Vancouver Const. Mark Simms and Port Moody Const. Jordan Long.

The legal woes of a pair of Metro Vancouver police officers might not be over.

Earlier this year, Vancouver Const. Mark Simms was accused of the sexual assault of a 17-year-old Ontario girl in a hotel room in Cuba while Port Moody Const. Jordan Long was accused of being an accomplice to the assault.

The officers were acquitted of the charges in Cuba, but could still face an investigation when they return home.

They have been in Cuba since March as they navigated the Cuban legal system, and this week a panel ruled the assault did not take place.

However, the men will remain in Cuba as lawyers decide whether to appeal the verdict. If no appeal is filed within a designated period, they can then come back to B.C. where it's possible the B.C. Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner will open its own investigation.

- with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: LPC

MPs from across B.C. and beyond are gathered in Kelowna this weekend for the Liberal Party of Canadas B.C. Convention.

Im excited that Kelowna-Lake Country and the entire Okanagan will once again be a focal point for our party as key ministers from across Canada alongside B.C. MPs and delegates from across B.C. meet here in our city," say Kelowna-Lake Country MP Stephen Fuhr, the event's co-chair.

Key themes at the Delta Grand Hotel include sessions on seniors, engaging youth and young Canadians, Indigenous people and supporting women entering politics. Topics include investing in British Columbia, protecting the environment and growing the economy, and the legalization of cannabis.

Tourism Minister Melanie Joly will participate in roundtable discussions today with local tourism and travel industry experts. And a keynote speech will be delivered by Infrastructure Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne.

Meetings got underway Friday afternoon, followed by opening remarks by Suzanne Cowan, president of the Liberal Party of Canada, and Fuhr.

One of today's sessions will focus on the environment and economy, highlighting actions to fight climate change and protect B.C.'s coast with the new Oceans Protections Plan.

The convention wraps up Sunday.

Elsewhere in B.C., federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is in Nelson today, where he will visit the Kootenay Co-op, attend a local nomination meeting, and hold a meet-and-greet with the public.
Photo: The Canadian Press General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., a United States Marine Corps general and the 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks at the Halifax International Security Forum in Halifax on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018.

The highest-ranking military officer in the United States is insisting U.S. troops will not come into contact with the thousands of migrants from Central America heading toward the U.S.-Mexico border.

U.S. Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made the comment Saturday at a defence and security conference being held in Halifax.

Dunford, a key adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, said the troops recently dispatched by the president to deal with a caravan of asylum-seekers have been ordered to help police and border patrol agents.

"The tasks that we are providing are in support of the Department of Homeland Security," he told delegates to the Halifax International Security Forum.

"Nothing that we are doing is illegal. We looked at that very carefully."

U.S. military troops are prohibited from carrying out law enforcement duties.

Earlier this week, the caravan started arriving in northern Mexico.

Dunford said his troops are providing engineering expertise to reinforce points of entry, and they are offering logistical and medical support, using helicopters to get the job done.

He said the main role of U.S. troops will be "filling capability gaps ... with military capabilities."

"We are not coming in contact with the migrants," he said. "Our job is not to deny access of migrants to the United States."

The U.S. military is already using cranes to install panels of metal bars at the Tijuana entry point, which is on Mexico's border with California.

However, most of the troops are in Texas  hundreds of kilometres away.

The caravan has been travelling north for the past month, sparking debate across the United States about who should be granted entry.

"It's too much security to confront humble people who just want to work," Ulloa, a 23-year-old electrician from Honduras, told the Associated Press.

On Friday, people walking through the border crossings into Mexico passed by a pair of Marines installing razor wire above a turnstile.

Nearby, Army Sgt. Eric Zeigler stood guard with another military police officer.

The 24-year-old soldier from Pittsburgh spent nine months in Afghanistan.

"It's very different over there, obviously," Zeigler said. "It's a lot more dangerous."

In Halifax, hundreds of defence and security experts from around the world have gathered this weekend to discuss everything from espionage and terrorism to Russian meddling and North Korea's threat to world order.

High-level discussions were being held at two separate conferences in the port city: the Halifax International Security Forum and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

The forum, which is marking its tenth anniversary in Halifax, has attracted 300 delegates, including diplomats, scholars, U.S. senators, business leaders, military members and security analysts.

Meanwhile, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly has attracted 600 politicians from the 29 NATO member countries, as well as delegates from partner countries.

The NATO conference will draft resolutions dealing with several hot-button topics, including Russian interference with democratic elections, and how terrorists use encrypted messages on the dark web.
This week marked Childrens Day, providing a reason for parents to dedicate some extra time to their little ones. Days such as these can also be used to inculcate some good habits among children that would give them good dividends in the long term. One among them is to teach them the basics of money management and financial planning.

Financial literacy at a young age would include learning basics of things like income, expenses and savings, insurance and its purpose and now money works for you. Learn here why it is important to teach good money management practices to your children and how to do it.

Also, if you are a would-be parent, there would be added costs once the bundle of joy arrives. There would hospital bills to pay and other expenses related to the child as days go on. Planning in advance or having an insurance policy with maternity benefit can be of great use during these times. In this story, we look at some budgeting and investing ideas which could help ride out the costs for parents-to-be.

A number of mutual fund companies have exclusive schemes to invest for your childs future goals such as foreign education, marriage among other things.

Marking Childrens Day, we also review one of the top childrens funds  HDFC Children's Gift Fund. The fund was launched on March 2, 2001. The AUM of the scheme as on October 31, 2018 is Rs 2,326 crore. This is an open-ended fund for investment for children having a lock-in for at least five years or till the child attains the age of majority (whichever is earlier). It has been a consistent performer in child plans compared to peers. Read this story to know whether it fits into your financial portfolio.

Choosing between large-cap, multi-cap, mid-cap and small-cap funds can be confusing, especially with the wide range of funds options available in the market.

Choosing a fund category largely depends on a persons risk tolerance and investment horizon. For those looking to invest for the long term, i.e. above five years, equity mutual funds would be the most suitable choice compared to debt funds. Here we take a look at 5 factors which help decide on mutual fund categories.

On October 31, 2018, IRDAI released a Working Group report for Standardisation of exclusions in health insurance policies. This included suggestion that policy claims cannot be denied by and insurer after eight years and how exclusions need to treated. The proposed changes can benefit health insurance buyers in many ways. Read this story to understand the major recommendations that will benefit you.

Should you buy a linked or a non-linked insurance plan? While market-linked insurance product have the potential to give you protection with non-guaranteed returns on an investment, on the other hand, non-linked insurance product promises coverage up to the policyholder's death (till the age of hundred). Here we give you a low down on what are linked and non-linked plan and on what basis one should consider them.

Homebuyers often lack the funds required to make a purchase even as property prices remain stable or fall. If you are going for a home loan, lenders would seek a 20 percent down payment which can be a tough ask for many. This is the time when some even consider withdrawing money from their employee provident fund (EPF) accounts.

But is it a wise idea? After all, it is the money kept aside for your retirement years. Read this story to know whether you should withdraw money from EPF to buy your home.
The Union Minister for Commerce and Industry and Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu on November 16 said that government will release the e-commerce policy in the near future.

Speaking at the Moneycontrol Wealth Creator Awards 2018, he said that the policy which was initially drafted by industry stakeholders was currently waiting for clearance from the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.

Prabhu said that the policy will be favourable for the domestic e-commerce companies.

"We have prepared a draft for e-commerce policy. We want to promote domestic e-commerce as much as possible.E-commerce should be for the benefit of both companies and consumers," he said.

The Union Minister said that although the government is willing to listen to the World Trade Organization, the policy will be made by the Indian government.

"E-commerce rulemaking won't be done at WTO, we will make sure there are no monopolies," he said.

The draft e-commerce policy was released in late August. Prabhu had tweeted that he had received concern regarding the draft policy.

Talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Make in India initiative, the former Railways minister said that the aspiration of the initiative was that the country's "share of industry should be 25 percent."

"We have prepared a strategy to make sure it becomes 20 percent by the time India becomes a $5 trillion economy," he added.
US President Donald Trump said on November 16 that he may not impose more tariffs on Chinese goods after Beijing sent the United States a list of measures it was willing to take to resolve trade tensions, although he added it was unacceptable that some major items were omitted from the list.

Trump has imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese imports to force concessions from Beijing on the list of demands that would change the terms of trade between the two countries. China has responded with import tariffs on US goods.

Washington is demanding Beijing improve market access and intellectual property protections for US companies, cut industrial subsidies and slash a $375 billion trade gap.

The relationship between the two countries has deteriorated in recent months, and US Vice President Mike Pence on November 13 said China needed to change its behaviour to avoid a new cold war with the United States.

The US tariff rate on $200 billion in Chinese goods is set to increase to 25 percent from 10 percent on January 1. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on all remaining Chinese imports - about $267 billion more in goods - if Beijing fails to address US demands.

"We may not have to do that," Trump told reporters at the White House. "China would like to make a deal.

But Trump added that there were "four or five big things left off" the list of 142 items sent by China.

"They sent a list of things that they're willing to do, which is a large list, and it's just not acceptable to me yet." he said. He did not detail the omitted items.

Trump said, however, he was confident the missing items would be addressed in any deal struck with China.

"I think we'll probably get them too," he said.

Trump's softening line on tariffs gave a modest lift to stocks.

Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Argentina later this month.

Officials have played down the probability that the two will make a deal to end their trade war at the meeting. One source briefed on the offer said it was just a "rehash" of previous offers China had made.

But if Trump holds fire on further tariffs, the Chinese offer may have contained enough for Washington to engage fully in negotiations for a deal.

The United States had said it would not restart negotiations on a trade deal until it saw a concrete response to China on its demands, although informal talks between the two on trade restarted earlier this month after Trump and Xi talked via telephone.

Reuters reported this week that China sent the written response to U.S. demands on Monday, ending a months-long wait.

The Chinese document included 142 items divided into three categories: issues China was willing to negotiate for further action, issues it was already working on and issues considered off limits, a U.S. official told Reuters on Thursday.

Trump's team of economic advisers have voiced conflicting views on doing a deal with China. Some, such trade adviser as Peter Navarro, advocate taking a hard line on the trade until China makes deep economic forms.

Others, such as economic adviser Larry Kudlow, want to see reforms but have pressed for a deal to avoid further disruption to trade between the world's two largest economies.
Vodafone

The debt-ridden telecom sector in India requires urgent implementation of regulatory reforms, especially reduction in levies on service providers, for promoting investment in the country, a senior Vodafone official said on November 16.

"We support India's bold National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP). Digitisation will require significant investment and urgent regulatory reforms. I have to summarise this in most blunt way. I will put like this. You cannot simply drive digital Ferrari on gravel roads," Vodafone Group External Affairs Director, Joakim Reiter said at an Assocham event.

The Vodafone officer said that the sector in India is undergoing through significant financial stress with industry debt reported at $150 billion and the targets under NDCP including broadband service through 4G for all, the technology cycles will require massive investment.

"Vodafone alone has done much as it can to cover some of the investment gaps that India has been facing for quite some time. Over last 10 years, we have provided $34 billion in terms of Foreign Direct Investments to build telecom infrastructure of India. "

Actually this week we have announced additional $1.5 billion and our partner have put an equivalent amount on the table," he said.

He said that there is an urgent need for the implementation of regulatory reforms so as to make sure that it addresses the current cash flow crunch facing the industry and allow companies investment in "current infrastructure and infrastructure of the future."

"Tax and levies are still very high, putting additional stress and adding to the cost of running the business. The NDCP implicitly recognises the majority of the root causes for the financial stress and have set out various strategies which we welcome very much," he said.

Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan at the event said a lot of reforms have already happened in the sector with ease of doing business coming into the telecom department. We will continue aggressively at these areas and address them," Sundararajan said.

She said some people look at only challenges not at the opportunities. "I suspect that it is precisely this oversight where you thought it was challenge to take 3G and 4G and this is exactly where other people have seen opportunity and leapfrogged," Sundararajan said while acknowledging that there is financial stress in the industry which needs to be changed.

Under National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) government envisages to provide 50 mbps of broadband connectivity to every citizen in next five years, create 4 million jobs, reduce spectrum cost and other levies and attract investment to the tune of $100 billion.

"I am looking forward to working with you on the fibre first initiative. We have already submitted a common utility framework as well as draft to the cabinet secretary. Committee of Secretary will discuss that. On Right of Way I have told COAI (industry body) that we will have a national workshop in December with state government," Sundararajan said.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Chairman RS Sharma too acknowledged issues being faced by telecom players in rolling out telecom networks in some states and said it needs to be resolved by making states partner in the process.

"We have right of way rules and they are backed by law. Somehow there is resistance from some of the states. Many states are not going ahead with that. Probably we need to come with actual operational policies which will make states partner into the whole process," Sharma said.

The TRAI chairman said that he has been informed that some states and local bodies charge to the tune of Rs 1 crore per kilometre for laying optical fibre while the cost of the cable is around Rs 15,000 per kilometres.
Representataive Image

The government has started a facility for testing telecom products and equipment to ensure security in digital communications at the national level, Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha said on November 16.

"Yesterday, we inaugurated state-of-art of facility for preparation of security assurance standard putting us at the forefront of technology. This facility will work for security from the national perspective and also facilitate the development of testing and certification ecosystem in the country," Sinha said at an Assocham event.

The Department of Telecom has set the deadline of April 2019 for mandatory testing of some telecom products including mobile phones and equipment. This will be applicable to all types of equipment that are imported to India or are sold in the country.

However, there are some other telecom gears, that would go through the 17mandatory testing starting January 1, 2019. These equipment include modems, audio conferencing, fax machines, satellite equipment.

The minister said that there has been huge growth in uptake of telecom services in the country since 2014 and is the right of our consumers to be provided quality services efficiently and in a secured manner.

"Due to the success of our efforts, broadband subscribers have grown seven times from 61 million in 2014 to 447 million in 2018. Average data consumption has grown 51 times from 62 MB per month in 2014 to 3.2 GB in June 2018. As a result, India today has the highest mobile data consumption in the world at the most competitive rates seen anywhere in the world," Sinha said.

He said that as per the industry reports, India is also one of the fastest growing mobile phone markets.

He said that India's dream of a pioneering position in the rollout of 5G has already started taking wings.

"The National Digital Communications Policy 2018 targets ubiquitous fibre and tower infra rollout in the country. We should not miss 5G bus. The economic impact of 5G in India is expected to be over USD 1 trillion and the consequent multiplier effect is expected to be exponential," he said.
A Delhi court on Saturday discharged Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a defamation complaint filed by Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Chandra, saying Chandra had not followed proper procedure while filing his plea.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal granted the relief to the Aam Aadmi Party chief, noting that Chandra had filed the complaint through a power of attorney which is barred under law.

The court said that Chandra was at liberty to file a fresh complaint in accordance with law.

Hence proceeding further with this case will be a futile exercise as this case is also filed through power of attorney. Accordingly the accused Arvind Kejriwal is discharged from this case, the court said.

The media baron had on November 17, 2016 moved the court through a power of attorney to Gulshan Kumar Sachdeva, seeking prosecution of Kejriwal for allegedly defaming him by leveling false allegations in the wake of demonetisation.

The complaint had alleged that Kejriwal, while addressing a press conference on November 11, had made false, fabricated and defamatory allegations against Chandra.
Jawa motorcycles are back in the Indian market 20 years after the celebrated bike maker rolled out its last product. Backed by Classic Legends Private Limited, a subsidiary of Mahindra and Mahindra, the company unveiled three new bikes the Jawa, Jawa Forty Two and Perak, on November 15. (Image Source: Stanford Masters)

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Diwali has ended but the fireworks have just begun. Car and two-wheeler companies have resumed launches, be it retro-looking motorcycles, electric three-wheelers or luxury cars.

This is quite different from what used to happen in the past, when most launches took place just before the festive break. Here's look at all the major developments in the automotive space from the week gone by.

Mahindra launches Jawa at Rs 1.55 lakh

After months of teasers and speculations, Mahindra & Mahindra has finally resurrected the iconic motorcycle brand Jawa in India. The Czech motorcycle brand has launched three new models -- Jawa , Jawa 42, which is the classic variant, and a custom bobber model named Jawa Perak.

The motorcycles have been developed from the ground-up and don a retro look reminiscent of the golden era of the past. While bookings for Jawa (Rs 1.55 lakh) and Jawa Forty Two (Rs 1.64 lakh) have started, the Jawa Perak (Rs 1.89 lakh) will take a while to arrive.

Neeraj and Onkar Kanwar to take pay cut

Neeraj Kanwar, Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Apollo Tyres will take a 30 percent cut in salary after strong objections from institutional and private investors over a 42 percent increase in his pay last year.

The board of Indias second largest tyre producer met on November 13 to approve its second quarter results. It also said to have sought its shareholders' approval to re-appoint Kanwar as MD for a 5-year period starting May next year.

Royal Enfield launches Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650

Eicher Motors-controlled Royal Enfield launched the much-awaited twin 650s in India  Interceptor and Continental GT  priced at Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 2.65 lakh, respectively.

The two models are being made at the company's Tamil Nadu factory. Eicher will initially make them in small numbers before ramping up production in the final quarter. Both bikes have been launched in US, UK and Europe.

Hyundai Motor to sign MoU worth Rs 7,000 crore

Automobile major Hyundai Motor India (HMIL) will sign a MoU with the Tamil Nadu government in January 2019 to take up expansion work worth Rs 7,000 crore at its facility, a top official said.

The management of Hyundai Motor India, led by its Managing Director and CEO YK Koo, Vice-President (Corporate Affairs) BC Datta, and Assistant Vice-President (Finance) N Ramesh, called on Chief Minister K Palaniswami at the Secretariat and had a brief interaction with him.

Strike ends at Royal Enfield plant

The tool-down strike that resulted in a production loss of several thousand units at Royal Enfield's Tamil Nadu plant has been called off, but not before senior management at Eicher Motors accused an 'external leadership' for the strike.

The 50-day old strike that started on September 24 was called off Monday night following a breakthrough in talks involving the workers, Eicher Motors management and the District Collector.

Ashok Leyland MD Vinod Dasari quits

After 14 years at India's third largest commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland, Managing Director Vinod Dasari called it quits in a move that surprised the market.

Dasari tendered his resignation to the company's board and later clarified that the decision was not a knee-jerk reaction but a planned move.

Ford, Jaguar Land Rover invest in electric two-wheeler start-ups

US-based Ford Motor Company has invested an undisclosed sum into San Francisco-based electric scooter company Spin, making it its first investment in the two-wheeler space in its over-100-years-old history.

A day later, Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover's venture capital fund InMotion Ventures said it has invested in electric motorcycle maker Arc Motorcycles, which will make the fastest e-bikes in the world.

In July, Hyundai invested an undisclosed sum in two-year old Chinese electric scooter maker Immotor. Hyundai said it wants to co-develop the personal mobility business in China.

Some months ago, India's biggest forging company Bharat Forge picked up a 45 percent stake in Pune-based Tork Motorcycles, an electric motorcycle making company.

So what is it that is pushing large automotive companies to invest in young start-ups focused on electric two-wheelers, despite them having no prior experience in the two-wheeler space?

Start-ups are mushrooming at break neck speed all over the world, promising to address every practical need of the consumer and make everyday life simpler and engaging. Because of their smaller size, start-ups are agile and respond to market changes faster than large conglomerates.

Electric vehicles are the future of mobility and more and more countries are joining the bandwagon. While car makers are powering their way forward in this space, one school of thought is that the market will adopt electric two-wheelers much faster.

Besides, two-wheelers address mobility needs at the primary stage. Very often, two-wheelers are the first personal vehicle in a family. This gives car makers the window to position their brand in the consumers' households with the prospect of marketing their cars to the same buyer at a future date.

This helps the companies save on marketing spend and builds goodwill. In other cases, companies are able to learn from start-ups about efficient running of operations, cutting down costs and improving technology.
This was the week the big techs were in focus  Twitter chief Jack Dorsey's first India visit, Facebook's problematic handling of Russian troll accounts, and at the end of the week, its transparency report.

Dorsey came to India, a market the company says it is serious about, and made public appearances with the Dalai Lama, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi and Shah Rukh Khan.

He also met future engineers at the Indian Institute of Technology on Monday.

Also Read: Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's India visit: Here's what he had to say on fake news and artificial intelligence

Moneycontrol took a look at how Twitter has done in India and experts said the microblogging site has missed the bus on several promising inroads  the Zipdial acquisition, the push towards video and even language localisation.

Also Read: As Jack Dorsey visits India, experts feel Twitter still has a long way to go here

Bengaluru-based Mindtree said it has created an endowment worth with the Indian Institute of Science for research in data science and natural language processing.

Also Read: Mindtree partners with IISc for artificial intelligence research

Facebook was embroiled in yet another controversy after The New York Times reported, in a detailed investigation spanning months, that the social media company had tried to cover up the issue of Russian interference through Facebook during the US presidential elections.

The report sent Facebook into damage-control mode, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg holding a press briefing to address questions raised in the story. There was a detailed rebuttal on the platform, but the issue doesn't seem to be dying down any time soon.

On Friday, the company also released its bi-annual transparency report, which found India to be the second-highest requestor of data from Facebook after the United States.

India also was the topmost country to record the maximum number of Internet shutdowns.

Also Read: India recorded maximum number of Internet disruptions in H1 2018: Facebook report

Infosys on Thursday said its deputy chief financial officer will be the interim CFO as current designate MD Ranganath steps down. Ranganath's resignation was announced in August, and November 16 was his last working day.

Given Infosys' stature and recent brush with controversy, experts feel the company will take its time before it appoints a full-time CFO for the job.
In the first half of 2018, India became Houston Texas' 10th largest trading partner. The list is led by Mexico and China.

With a population of 6.7 million people, the Houston metros GDP in 2016 was $478 billion, one fifth of India.

To strengthen the relationship further, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and the Greater Houston Partnership were in Delhi earlier this week with the objective of boosting bilateral trade relations and joint investment initiatives.

The Houston delegation included top representatives seeking to strengthen ties with Indian companies and learn about the latest developments in the countrys business environment.

In a conversation with Moneycontrol, Gabriella Rowe, CEO, Station Houston, the hub for technology startups and entrepreneurs, spoke about what the partnership plans to do and how the delegation is looking for partnerships to draw more foreign companies into the Houston area.

Station Houston is the largest tech acceleration hub in Houston and is working in partnership with Rice University to develop Houstons Midtown Innovation District, which will open in 2020.

Edited excerpts:

Q: What brings you to India at this time?

A: The ties between India and Houston are really deep and have been around for a very long time. I focus on technology acceleration. What better country to collaborate with than India?

In many ways, India has been leading the conversation for many years and has evolved from outsourced data services and development of 20 years ago, to the developing and emerging technologies of today.

We are incredibly excited that Houston is now positioned to take advantage of the many relationships we have been building for many years.

Now that the Innovation District (in Houston) has been chosen, funded and is under development, we would have all the resources necessary to tell startups (in India) to come to Houston and build their business there.

Q: What are the areas you are looking at? Tech is one, but what other areas?

A: It is technology in the broadest sense. So I think its not IT in the more traditional sense of technology. We're looking at how technology can improve the way we do everything we have done before. So it cuts across every sector.

Robotics is one example. There are few industries, if any, that will not be impacted by robotics in the next 10 years.

At Innovation district, we are partnering with NASA to develop what our robotics labs are going to look like.

Q: Are you planning to sign an agreement with any Indian entity?

A: We are. But we'll have to see whether it will happen while we're here or it happens in the weeks following. But I am very, very positive that it will happen, especially after some of the meetings we've had. (After this interview, the delegation signed a memorandum of understanding for with the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, and Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston, US in areas such as import-export, investment climate, business information and so on.)

We had an incredible meeting with Nasscom (National Association of Software and Services Companies). We are working on all of the same things.

What we offer is that we understand the laws and regulation and operating under US jurisdiction, which can be of help to startups who decide to come to Houston.

Q: With Nasscom or elsewhere in your conversations, did the issue of visas come up?

A: There is a perception of the visa issue and then there is the reality. The reality is we don't necessarily have the talent in the United States. That's why the H-1B programme was set up, and that what we'll continue to use it for.

It is a very common practice is many companies already in Houston, there are multiple different levels of the immigration conversation. We try and stay away from all the political pieces of it and focus on the how to accelerate our partnerships.

Q: But is the non-clarity on visas a hindrance or issue?

A: It depends on how you position it... but it has not been a hindrance to us today. There are many different ways to do things.

Sometimes, that means hiring US-based assets... and sometimes the visa is accessed.

There are other (visa) programmes as well (apart from H-1B). India is a large recipient of those visas. We haven't seen any particular difficulties.

Q: How different is the Indian startup or tech scene compared to other countries like Scotland or Beijing that you've been to earlier?

A: I think the first thing that pops to mind is brain power, and fluidity of relationships. Much more so when I go to places like China.

However, the industries that we have in Houston are a lot more global than anywhere else.

Q: What do you expect to take away from this visit to India?

A: Its about building human relationships and how you follow up.

Q: In terms of investments, what is the structure going to be like?

A: I think it's a range. In some countries, the acceleration and ecosystmem they built is really government-funded. In other places like India, it's a mix. So, we have grown very accustomed to working in a variety of scenarios because making a transition to another country is incredibly difficult. Houston is very inclusive.

I am a born and bred New Yorker, but I moved to Houston five years ago. New York is incredibly diverse on paper, yet very unwelcoming for those coming from the outside. It is almost impossible to put in words how easy it is to assimilate in Houston.

Investments are a pretty big sample. Our large companies like Chevron or Shell are making their own investments. And its not venture capital, its out of their own venture arms. Some of our venture capital funds like Mercury Funds are setting aside money just to invest in foreign startups.

Our job is to help these companies look in the right places.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday left for a day-long visit to Maldives to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

"Pursuing the policy of Neighbourhood First! On his first visit to our maritime neighbour, PM @narendramodi emplanes for #Maldives to attend the historic swearing-in ceremony of President-elect @ibusolih. The last visit by an Indian PM to Maldives was in November 2011," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar wrote on his Twitter handle.

This will be Prime Minister Modi's first visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Upon his arrival in Male, Prime Minister Modi will attend Solih's swearing-in ceremony at the National Stadium. He will also separately meet with the 54-year-old leader, before departing for India later in the evening.

Yesterday, in his departure statement, the Prime Minister congratulated Solih for his victory in the Maldivian presidential elections in September and added that the recent polls in the island nation "represent the collective aspirations of the people of the Republic of the Maldives for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future".

"India and Maldives share a strong partnership rooted in history, strong bonds between our peoples, and their shared aspiration for peace and prosperity. My Government's vision of inclusive development 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas' (Collective Efforts, Inclusive Growth) extends to all our neighbours too. We in India strongly desire to see a democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," Prime Minister Modi wrote.

Solih emerged victorious in the high-octane elections held in the island nation on September 23 which saw the ouster of outgoing president Abdulla Yameen.

-ANI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah

The Telegu Desam Party on November 17 alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah were seeking to create an opposition less India and said the party's objectives was to 'protect democracy'.

"Modi and Shah are trying to eat away other parties so that no opposition is left in the country. Democracy will be that much stronger only if there is a strong opposition," TDP politburo member and Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said in a statement.

He said 'protecting democracy' was TDPs objective while it was everyones responsibility to prevent BJP from retaining power (at the Centre) in 2019.

He also slammed changing of names of some cities in the country, saying it was a 'Tughlaq act'.

Interestingly, the Chandrababu Naidu government had also embarked on a name-changing spree.

It rechristened Rajahmundry as Rajamahendravaram and Anantapur as Anantapuramu.

Names of projects and many other schemes launched by Congress governments were also changed in the last four years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India is looking forward to working closely with new Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to strengthen bilateral relations with the strategic Indian Ocean island nation.

Prime Minister Modi held talks with Solih after attending his swearing-in ceremony.

The two leaders, while noting the resilience of the relations between India and the Maldives, expressed confidence in the renewal of the close bonds of cooperation and friendship with the election of Solih as the President of the Maldives.

During their meeting, both leaders agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean and being mindful of each other's concerns and aspirations for the stability of the region.

Solih, 54, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, had surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in the election held on September 23.

During the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, Modi was sitting beside former Maldivian presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga also attended the ceremony.

Modi congratulated President Solih and also interacted with leaders from the Maldives and other parts of the world during the oath taking ceremony at the National Stadium.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar said that President Solih in his address to the People's Majlis (Parliament) asserted that the Maldives will endeavour to fortify its existing ties with India.

"Maldives President Solih in his address to the People's Majlis:We will endeavour to fortify existing ties with India. Maldives will hereupon bolster its shared role to retain enduring peace & harmony of the Indian Ocean," Kumar tweeted.

PM @narendramodi had a warm meeting with President @ibusolih. PM conveyed that India looked forward to working closely with #Maldives in further deepening our partnership underpinned by historical ties and friendship.

On arrival in the Maldivian capital, Prime Minister Modi was given a red carpet welcome and was received by Maldives Parliament's new Speaker Qasim Ibrahim.

This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.

"The visit reflects India's commitment to assist the Government & people of Maldives in their endeavour to build a peaceful, democratic & prosperous country, Kumar tweeted.

In a series of tweets ahead of the visit, Modi had tweeted, "I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development,"

He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future.

"We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister had said.

The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then.

India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year. India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.
Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan said on November 17 that the Maratha community's demand of quota in government jobs and educational institutions has been "almost fulfilled".

Mahajan met activists of the Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) at Azad Maidan, appealing them to call off their hunger strike over various demands of the community.

"The main demand of quota is almost fulfilled...We have taken decisions, but there is a need to expedite implementation...We will hold meeting in two-three days. We will take positive steps," Mahajan told reporters later.

MKM said that following the minister's assurance, it was calling off the protest. "We are calling off the strike hoping the demands we raised will be fulfilled in the winter session of the legislature," MKM leader Sambhaji Patil told reporters. "But there will be an explosion across Maharashtra if we are betrayed," he said.

Opposition Leader in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who met MKM protesters earlier Saturday, warned of a breach of privilege motion in the House as the report of the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission on socio-economic conditions of the Marathas was "leaked".

Government sources had said that the report favours quota for the community.
Top functionaries of the government and the ruling BJP Saturday discussed the situation in Assam arising out of the exclusion of 40 lakh people during the update of the NRC, officials said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval reviewed the ongoing exercise to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC), a list of Assam's residents.

The meeting stressed on the need for ensuring inclusion of all genuine Indians in the NRC, an official privy to the meeting said.

The Supreme Court has fixed December 15 as the deadline for filing of claims and objections for inclusion of names in the NRC.

The meeting came amidst reports that the central government was considering a proposal to grant work permits, among other measures, to people living in Assam who do not qualify for inclusion in the NRC.

The central government's move to amend the Citizenship Act, to grant Indian nationality to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan also figured in the meeting, the official said.

As per the bill, these designated classes of people will be granted citizenship after six years of residence in the country, instead of 12, even if they don't possess any proper document.

A large section of people in Assam have vehemently opposed the Citizenship Amendment Bill saying it will nullify the provisions of the 1985 Assam Accord which fixed March 24, 1971 as the cut-off date for granting citizenship to illegal immigrants.

A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is currently examining the provisions of the bill and the panel is expected to table its report in the Winter Session of the Parliament beginning December 11.

The chief minister briefed the meeting about the situation arising due to the protests against the bill, recent violence perpetrated by the ULFA and the general law and order situation in Assam, another official said.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Director Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain were among those who attended the meeting.

The update of the NRC, a massive Supreme Court-monitored exercise to identify genuine Indian nationals living in Assam, excluded over 40 lakh people from the draft list published on July 30, creating a huge political controversy.

The exercise is aimed at identifying illegal immigrants in the state and it was carried out only in Assam, which faced an influx of people from the neighbouring Bangladesh since the early 20th century.

When the NRC was first prepared in Assam way back in 1951, the state had 80 lakh citizens.

As per the 2011 census, Assam's total population is over 3.11 crore. The process of identification of illegal immigrants in Assam has been widely debated and has become a contentious issue in the state's politics.

A six-year agitation demanding identification and deportation of illegal immigrants was launched by the AASU in 1979.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on November 17 that Iran and Iraq could raise annual bilateral trade to $20 billion from the current level of $12 billion.

Rouhani's remarks, in a meeting with visiting Iraqi President Barham Salih, came about two weeks after the United States restored sanctions targeting Iran key oil industry as well as its banking and transportation sectors.

"Today, the economic relations between the two countries reach about $12 billion (per year) and, through bilateral efforts, we can raise this figure to $20 billion," Rouhani said in remarks broadcast live on Iran's state television.

Iraqi officials told Reuters last week that Iraq has agreed with Iran to exchange Iraqi food items for Iranian gas and energy supplies.

Baghdad is seeking US approval to allow it to import Iranian gas for its power stations, and officials say it needs more time to find an alternative source than a 45-day waiver granted to it by the United States.

Iraq imports a wide range of goods from Iran including food, agricultural products, home appliances, air conditioners, and spare car parts. The goods element of Iranian imports to Iraq was about $6 billion for the 12 months ending March 2018, about 15 percent of Iraq total imports for 2017.

There are also energy contracts between the two countries contributing to a volume of trade of $12 billion last year.
November 17, 2018

Syria Sitrep - Army Wins Al-Safa Battle - More Troops Move Towards Idelb

Today the Syrian army won the al-Safa battle. Al-Safa is a barren area around an old volcano southeast of Sweida where in July ISIS abducted dozens of hostages. The last of those hostages were freed in a commando raid ten days ago.

With the hostages out of the way the Syrian army could finally use heavy weapons against ISIS which hid in the caves of the al-Safa field. Under heavy artillery cover the troops made good progress (video). Then came three days of unprecedented rain fall. ISIS fighters drowned in their caves and fighting positions. The commander of ISIS in the area, a Chechen, was killed. Those ISIS fighter who were left fled towards the al-Tanf area, which is under U.S. control, and into the desert in east Homs. The Syrian army is now in full control al-Safa.



Map via South Front - bigger The situation in the U.S. controlled northeast is complicate. The Kurdish YPG/PKK forces the U.S. allied with do not get along with the Arab fighters in the Syrian Democratic Forces and vice versa. Isolated attacks on Kurdish SDF units happen each day. It is unknown if these are by ISIS sleeper cells, local Arabs who despise the new Kurdish overlords, or some third party under Turkish direction.

The fight against the ISIS pocket along the eastern Euphrates makes no progress. In the north Turkish artillery sporadically fires across the border and hits Kurdish positions. Turkey also moved thousands of its proxy forces from Idleb and Afrin to the area west of Manbij. The Turkish president Erdogan threatens to take all the Kurdish controlled areas along the Turkish border in northern Syria.

Throughout the war on Syria the Syrian Kurds have shown a lack of political wisdom. They probably believe they can withstand the Turkish army or that the U.S. will come to their help. The Turkish invasion of Afrin demonstrated that both ideas are nonsense. Their only chance to keep their homes is to completely submit to Syrian government control.

Since the launch of the offensive in September the U.S. forces and their Kurdish proxies in northeast Syria made no progress against the ISIS pocket east of Deir Ezzor. The U.S. recently started a serious bombing campaign against the area. But the aim is not necessarily ISIS. The attacks are aimed at 20 armored Humvee vehicles ISIS captured from U.S. proxy forces. The Syrian Observatory reports that these vehicles are tagged:

[A]ccording to what these sources confirmed to the SOHR, this targeting operations come as a result of the seizure of about 20 US Hummer vehicles affiliated to the US forces and the International Coalition, by the Islamic State organization in its counterattacks which forced the Coalitions troops to withdraw from the area and leave the vehicles, and the reliable sources confirmed to the Syria Observatory that the vehicles are provided with modern techniques that enable the Coalitions warplanes, to locate them, thus, they are able to accurately target them, and despite these strikes, the warplanes killed Syrian citizens and others of the Iraqi nationality of ISIS families.

Earlier today at least 40 people, most of them women and children, were killed by such U.S. strikes.

Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces have moved to the Iraqi border and use artillery to prevent ISIS from crossing into Iraq. They would like to attack into Syria to finish ISIS off, but Baghdad, under U.S. order, is not allowing them to move.

The borders in the southwest of Syria are quiet. The border-crossing with Jordan was reopened but Syria increased the tariffs for Jordanian products and the large export stream Jordan had hoped for is only a trickle. A well deserved punishment for its role in the war. Israel is deterred from further attacks due to the new Syrian air defenses and the new Russian hostility towards Israeli escapades.

The situation around the deescalation zone in Idleb deteriorates by the day. The area is controlled by the al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Last week a commando raid by Islamist terrorists killed at least ten Syrian soldiers. The Syrian army moved a number of troops towards the area northwest of Aleppo. Something is up, but there is no rumor or report yet of an imminent offensive. It is possible that the complicate fight at the al-Safa volcano held up further moves on Idleb. With al-Safa liberated a limit move into Idleb governorate is likely the next operation.

As Turkey has moved the core troops of its 'Free Syrian Army' proxies from Idleb to the west on Manbij it will probably not protest should the Syrian army attack the al-Qaeda controlled deescalation area. Erdogan could instead use the situation to move against the U.S. supported Kurds in the east.

Posted by b on November 17, 2018 at 17:43 UTC | Permalink

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Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday justified taking 'U-turns' in politics. Khan, even cited the example of former German dictator Adolf Hitler to support his argument that a politician who does not take 'U-turns' according to the situation is not a real leader.

"Hitler and Napoleon (Bonaparte) suffered huge defeats and caused losses as they did not take U-turns," Geo News quoted Khan, as saying.

Khan was interacting with journalists here when he made these comments.

"If you are walking and there is a wall in front of you, then you will have to change and find another way and a leader who does not know how to take U-turns is not successful," Khan was quoted by a journalist who attended the interaction.

The Prime Minister's comments have drawn sharp criticism.

"Imran Khan is Hitler and is taking U-turns to avoid losses," said Pakistan Peoples' Party leader Khursheed Shah.

He asserted that the prime minister was sending a message that Hitler had failed because he did not take a U-turn otherwise he would be successful.

On Friday, Khan also talked about his visit to China.

"Concrete results of my visit are beginning to show. We are receiving all forms of aid from China and are satisfied," Khan commented on his recent trip to China.

On the economic condition, Khan assured that situation will start improving from next year.

"The next three to six months are difficult but from next year onward our economic situation is going to improve significantly and we will be on the right track," he claimed.

Recently, Imran Khan-led-government announced the unveiling of a comprehensive package on education, health and poverty alleviation after the completion of its first 100 days.

-ANI
Odessa police reported Friday they arrested a 31-year-old woman Wednesday morning after she was caught speeding 22 mph over the speed limit in a stolen vehicle.

Officers observed a gray 2017 Mazda 6 speeding southbound in the 400 block of South Grant. Radar confirmed that the vehicle was traveling 52 mph in a 30 mph zone, according to OPD. A traffic stop was conducted on the listed vehicle in the 1000 block of South Grant, and the driver was identified as Cassi Jo Rincon. Dispatch advised that the listed vehicle had been reported stolen out of Midland County.
It took 15 years to establish UT ...
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 17)  A policeman killed another policeman in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.

The official statement issued by the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) ended the report with #policelovetriangle #iloveNCRPO #TeamNCRPO #PIONCRPO, as they investigate the unfortunate event angling on a possible love triangle.

The suspect, PO1 Carlos Alberto Aljama, allegedly shot his co-officer PO1 Mark Carlo Pasamba in the police encampment. Pasamba sustained three gunshot wounds and died after he was brought to the hospital.

Initial interview with the suspect revealed that allegedly, his wife who is also a police officer 1 assigned at RMFB and the victim has an affair thus, angle of love triangle is considering to be the motive of the shooting incident, the NCRPO statement read.

NCRPO Director Guillermo Eleazar used the event to underscore the need for policemen to follow an ethical standard, including respect for the sanctity of marriage.

Kaya nga binibigyan natin ng importance sa ating kapulisan ang PNP ethical standard, respect para sa sanctity of marriage, Eleazar was quoted in the statement.

Aljama is currently under the custody of the Taguig City Police. He will be charged with the criminal case of murder and the administrative case of grave misconduct.

The NCRPO is treating this as an isolated case.
CHP Sonora Unit logo View Photos

Groveland, CA  One person died at the scene of a head-on crash on HWY 120 this morning while another was flown to Modesto suffering serious injuries  the CHP points to distracted driving as the cause.

It was around 10:42 a.m. on Friday when two-vehicles smashed head-on east of Smith Station Road sending one off the roadway and the other blocked both lanes of travel literally shutting down the roadway, as earlier reported here. The CHP is not releasing the name of an 82-year-old Groveland man who was killed in the crash pending notification of family.

The other driver was 43 year old Ioan Tudosa from San Francisco. The CHP reports he was driving a 2018 Nissan Versa, westbound the highway while the Groveland resident was driving a 1990 Acura Integra, eastbound. Due to being distracted, CHP spokesperson Faustino Pulido details that Tudosas car crossed over the double-yellow lines and crashed head-on into the Acura. Tudosa vehicle came to rest on its wheels on the north shoulder and the Acura was blocking both lanes of traffic.

Both vehicles had major front end damage. The Groveland man was pronounced dead at the scene, Tudosa sustained major injuries and flown to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto. The investigation is ongoing, but neither drug and/or alcohol use is believed to have played a role in the collision.
The driver of a sedan that rear-ended a flat-bed truck in southwest Houston died of his injuries, police said.

Kevin Deese, a commander in the Houston Police Department's vehicular crimes division, said a flat-bed tow truck driver headed south on Fondren Road near Bellaire Boulevard around 3 a.m. tried to make a U-turn over the median.
A suspected robber is dead after a DPS trooper opened fire Friday night outside a northwest Houston Wingstop.

DPS troopers were conducting surveillance in the parking lot of a shopping center in the 14100 block of the Northwest Freeway when they spotted three men enter the wing restaurant, start to rob it around 9:30 p.m., according to Houston police on scene.

The troopers confronted the robbers as they exited the restaurant, officials said.

While police originally thought the suspects started shooting at the DPS troopers, the Houston Police Department later said one of the suspects pointed a gun at the troopers, who opened fire.

During the shooting, one of the suspects died.

The two other suspects fled on foot but were soon captured, officials said.

"We were eating, and next thing you know people are talking pretty loud," Ricardo Garcia said. He and several others were inside the restaurant when the three suspects entered.

"We turn around and someone wearing a mask is aiming a gun in the area where everyone is sitting," he said. "Forty seconds pass by and we just heard gun shots."

It is unclear who started shooting first or if any weapons have been recovered by officials.

No one inside the store was injured during the robbery or shootout. Several employees and patrons were seen crying and visibly shaken as police conducted their investigation.

Houston Police Department homicide detectives are heading the investigation since the shooting happened inside city limits, officials said. Other agencies, including the Texas Rangers, will also be investigating.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message
A man found dead Thursday afternoon in an East Side home was identified by the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office.

Alfred Davila, 57, was killed by blunt force trauma to the head, the medical examiners office confirmed Friday. His death was ruled a homicide.

RELATED: UTSA student speaks out after ousting in controversial video

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said Thursday that family members had not seen Davila since Tuesday, so they went to his home in the 1200 block of Burnet to check on him.

They went in they found him deceased, McManus said.

No one else was at the home when Davila was discovered, but police said they are searching for a woman who was living with him.

RELATED: Texas Police Chief: There's a gang war going on right now

McManus said officers had been called to the home for reported disturbances over the past several days.

"It was a back-and-forth, assaultive-type relationship," McManus said. "Each time we came, there was not enough there to arrest anyone.

Police have not said whether the woman was found Friday.

jbeltran@express-news.net | Twitter: @JBfromSA
San Antonio police are looking to identify a woman found downtown about three months ago.

SAPD posted the womans photograph on Facebook on Friday hoping that someone will recognize her.

She was found downtown in August and is currently in the care of a local facility. Police said they could not reveal her location because of privacy concerns.

Police are asking anyone with information on her identity to call their Missing Persons unit at 210-207-7660.

jbeltran@express-news.net | Twitter: @JBfromSA
Its impossible to know what those boys from Baraboo were thinking without having been at their photo shoot last spring.

But if weve learned one thing from social media, its that a picture posted on the web paints a thousand words that have nothing to do with whats really going on  and a thousand words about what is.

And in this case, at least three of those words are foolish, young, and men.

Last week, the image of a group of Wisconsin high schoolers with their right arms uniformly raised was tweeted with the message, We even got the black kid to throw it up. #barabooproud. The image was taken last spring, when the members of the junior class in the only public high school in the town of Baraboo were dressed up in suits and tuxedos  which is why they were posing for a fancy group picture in the first place.

Reports indicate that the tweet was taken down and the account, called Welcome to Baraboo@GoBaraboo, has since been deleted.

But the image is out, and it has been denounced worldwide.

It is so hard to find words, said the Auschwitz Memorial in a tweeted response. This is why every single day we work hard to educate. We need to explain what is the danger of hateful ideology rising. Auschwitz with its gas chambers was at the very end of the long process of normalizing and accommodating hatred.

Yes, that Auschwitz. Since those smiling kids in the group photo havent graduated from high school yet, there is still time to teach them what that place was all about  and why swastikas are illegal in many parts of Europe.

Again, its impossible to know whats up with the image without being there, but one of those kids  the one who found the whole thing uncomfortable and didnt throw it upon command  says the boys probably knew what they were doing.

Reports say the photographer somewhat posed the shot, telling the juniors to wave goodbye to their parents. Thing is, those boys werent told to wave with a stiff right arm with their hands in an equally stiff salute. Nobody is waving with the other hand  and one kid is throwing out that OK sign that has been said to be a code for white power.

Or maybe he was just holding his hand in that position, not knowing what he might be indicating, while smirking.

Remember that thing about a picture painting a thousand words? Heres what we know for sure:

Boys in high school sometimes do foolish things. Thats why they have to be taught not to do them while they are still in middle school.

Polite young people dont always have the good sense  or the courage  to say no to bad ideas, groupthink or adults in a position of authority. But looking at that photo we know that at least one did.

And men have been dealing with the unfortunate consequences of hate, miseducation and jokes gone awry  dangerous things that dont grow without approval and reinforcement  since the beginning of time.

We can learn a lot from Baraboo.

mariaanglinwrites@gmail.com
Eight years ago, when my eldest child and I arrived in San Antonio as Iraqi refugees, we had an empty apartment and one small bag of clothes. Within days, people from a nearby church were carrying heavy furniture into our home and bringing us food and other necessities. From that day on, I knew this city was home.

It was exactly the welcome we needed after my family was forced to flee our native country, due to our association with the U.S. military. Local San Antonians not only helped me to rebuild my life, but they introduced me to English language education programs that have enabled me to flourish.

This support, which so many immigrants and refugees have received here, is why the Cities Index, a new report from the bipartisan nonprofit New American Economy, recently named San Antonio a highly livable city for immigrants.

The report, which measures how well cities integrate their immigrant and refugee communities, commended us for helping immigrants achieve high rates of home-ownership, a low cost of living and access to both health care and education.

For me, the citys emphasis on education has been critical. Like many immigrants and refugees, I was highly educated when I came to the United States  with a bachelors of law degree from Iraq  but I spoke no English. Fortunately, I was accepted into the Prepare Adults For College (PACE) program, which enabled me to take free English classes and prepare for the community-college entrance exam.

I subsequently found a job at Catholic Charities, where I received several promotions. I am now the resettlement program manager at the nonprofit RAICES, which provides legal services to underserved immigrant and refugee children and families in Texas. Im also pursuing a masters of law degree at St. Marys University. My two daughters, ages 10 and 4, are thriving in school.

I love assisting fellow refugees, providing social and legal services and helping them integrate into the community. Im happy to tell them about the ESL and college-placement classes that transformed my life, and to connect them with employers.

The refugees we work with are hired very quickly; San Antonio employers tell us that they are extremely diligent and dedicated workers. In fact, now that the federal government has reduced the number of refugees admitted into the country, employers are asking for more job applicants than we can provide. I frequently get calls from the personnel offices of the citys hotels, hospitals and food-processing plants, asking if we have new arrivals. I have to tell them no much more often than I did in the past.

San Antonio employers understand what many bureaucrats in Washington seem to miss: Immigrants and refugees help the economy. Refugees are particularly good at adapting; NAE research finds that the average refugee arriving in the United States will see her income triple over the course of her working life. Thirteen percent of refugees are entrepreneurs compared with 9 percent of the U.S. born population. Here in Texas, that adds up to more than $4.6 billion in spending power from the states refugee population.

While San Antonios Cities Index score on government leadership left room for improvement, the city has recently taken a new direction in appointing its first ever Immigrant Liaison, Tino Gallegos, earlier this year. Since he took his post, Mr. Gallegos has been working with community stakeholders, city departments and faith leaders to ensure that San Antonios immigrants and refugees successfully integrate into the city. The office has hosted citizenship clinics, created resource guides, and obtained grant money to assist immigrants with legal services.

At a time when so many leaders in Washington fail to recognize the tremendous value that immigrants and refugees bring to this country, Im glad San Antonios leaders are committed to working with us. And Im grateful to the people of San Antonio, who made a single mother from a faraway country feel right at home.

Einas Albadri is the refugee resettlement program manager at RAICES.
The inmates were kicking the doors to their cells.

It was near midnight in early October, and city officials were providing an exclusive glimpse inside the detention center at Frank Wing Municipal Court.

This building on the West Side of downtown is where newly arrested people are booked and processed. Its the entry point to the criminal justice system. One big depressing sorting center. Bail hearings happen here. So do assessments. Some of the people held at Frank Wing will be released on bond, others will go to jail.

The citys detention center has been called a dungeon and archaic by one criminal justice expert, a consultant for Bexar County. It is a disconsolate place. But we were there to better understand a simple question. If the detention center at Frank Wing is so terrible in the eyes of county officials, why were those same county officials holding people there for more than 18 hours?

This had been the agreed upon time between the city and Bexar County to move people out of the detention center, but through August and September, thousands of people had been detained above and beyond the 18-hour mark.

From mid-August when the city began tracking this issue through the first week of October, just before our visit and tour, 4,375 people were detained in Frank Wing for more than 18 hours, city data show. Thats about 36 percent of all arrested people, 12,086, who were brought to the detention center in that time period.

They are calling it a dungeon, Chief William McManus said in an interview in late September. But they are using it to keep people out of their county jail. They are using it as an annex.

The overstays raise questions about whether Bexar County has adequate jail space and is doing enough diversion for people who could be released on personal recognizance bonds. Quite simply, the detention center at Frank Wing was never designed to hold people for so long.

McManus was very much our tour guide on that October evening. The detention center had a hectic energy to it. New arrests trickled into the building. Cops milled around the booking area. Some of the group cells were crowded. People slept on metal benches or the floor. The cells were frigid, and many people had balled themselves up to stay warm.

Everyone wanted the chiefs attention. A woman in an observational cell shouted to him across the booking area. Inmates would bang on the plexiglass or kick doors so hard that it periodically sounded like the boom of thunder. Part of Frank Wing might be a detention center, but its undeniably a holding area for people with mental health issues.

McManus and other city officials shrugged amid the cacophony. It was a pretty normal night. Not too busy, but not too slow. And plenty jarring.

The concerns about the overstays are myriad  and we have included this in our Unequal Justice series because poor defendants are disproportionately part of the criminal justice system, and county officials have said defendants are being given more time to secure bail and avoid jail, a dynamic that reflects the inequities of cash bail.

But most important, there is the question of safety. This is not a jail. Its not designed to hold people for so long. Meals are trucked over from the Bexar County Adult Detention Center periodically for people who have stayed in the detention center for more than 12 hours. Each group cell comes with a shared toilet. There is no shower. The public defender meets with clients in front of law enforcement.

The facility can hold about 190 people at any given time, but as the number of people in detention stack, crowding strains the system. Inmates are divided by gender as well as offense type. Those accused of nonviolent offenses are kept separate from those accused of violent ones. But when space becomes a premium, that task becomes more challenging. Officials didnt cite particular safety incidents  there have been two deaths this year at the facility unrelated to this issue  but they did express concern.

From the citys perspective, the detention center at Frank Wing is an old building, but not a dungeon. It only becomes a dungeon when the county keeps people there for far too long.

Michael Ugarte, the countys presiding magistrate judge, did not respond to our interview requests by phone or email. We also raised these concerns with Mike Lozito, who heads judicial services for Bexar County. Lozito said the county is not holding people to minimize the jail population. He said many of the overstays are people who are in the process of securing bonds or are undergoing extensive background checks.

No doubt, this happens. But a recent memo about the detention center from Municipal Court Presiding Judge John Bull outlines another side of the issue.

Individuals are being held in the 401 S. Frio facility that have no chance of bonding out (Remand without bond, Parole violations, child support cases, high level violent offenders, etc, he wrote. The 401 facility is being used solely as a County Jail extension.

On our tour, we observed a filing system where county magistrates were holding commitment orders until the last possible hour.

This is hardly a new issue. When the county assumed magistration duties from the city in 2007, part of the stated rationale was to reduce the jail population.

The idea was to hold people longer so they could either secure bail or plead guilty to avoid jail. A 2007 consultants report to the city describes how the county was considering additional space at Frank Wing so defendants would either raise the necessary bond amount or change their pleas from not guilty to guilty within the 48-72 hour holding period and thus avoid the necessity for a booking in the county jail.

The county never secured that additional holding space. But Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff echoed this view in an article from the time about the county assuming magistration duties.

Not surprisingly, hold times have increased at Frank Wing from about 10 hours in 2006 to 18 hours or longer this fall (but the jail remains at or near capacity).

That dynamic changed the week of our visit. Bexar County and the city informally agreed to a 12-hour detention timeline, and  voila!  the numbers precipitously dropped.

From Oct. 8 through Oct. 28, 130 people overstayed the 18-hour mark. Our concern is that this improvement might only last as long as there is scrutiny. Besides, even with the better numbers, issues persist.

For example, in a November email to Bexar County Chief Public Defender Michael Young, Bull, the municipal court presiding judge, wrote, I am still very concerned about the extended holding of (arrested persons) in the back.

He told the story of a woman who was arrested for Class B shoplifting, no priors, arrested at 2 p.m. on a Thursday, bond posted at 9 p.m. on Thursday, and she was still waiting to be processed in cell 13 at 10:30 a.m. on Friday.  She had a small child and was still nursing.

Lozito said this delay was likely due to a state and FBI background check.

The county will open its Justice Intake and Assessment Center in December or January (it was supposed to open in October), marking a potentially significant shift in booking practices here. This new facility will follow the open booking model, meaning as long as people stay calm and orderly, they will wait in an open space, not in a cell.

While Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar told us he has no concerns about the new building, city officials have not agreed to participate. They have expressed major concerns about its design, potential cost to the city and how the countys process could delay officers.

The city, which is responsible for most of the arrests in the county, will continue with Frank Wing. This split will relieve some of the pressure at Frank Wing, but it is also redundant. As for the county, a new building does not necessarily end old practices. Could a person end up detained for hours and hours? Lozito said that shouldnt happen, but it is possible.

An ideal system would detain defendants in a humane setting, and then move them along quickly, not hold them to tamp down a jail population. An ideal system would judge defendants  who have the right to the presumption of innocence  based on the risk they pose at the pretrial stage to the public, not their ability to scrounge up enough cash to make bail. An ideal system would ensure those defendants who receive personal recognizance bonds have an appropriate level of pretrial services upon release.

But in our system, the county will operate a modern building that city officials say has serious design flaws. Meanwhile, the city will continue to book defendants in an antiquated building that county officials have argued is a dungeon. There is never enough jail space, and people have been held for hours on end before being transferred to jail or even bonding out.

We visited the Frank Wing detention center to understand a simple question: Why were so many people being held for so long at the detention center? Since then, we have been haunted by a more complicated question. One punctuated by those booming kicks on cell doors. Why is it so hard for the city and county to work together on this?

This editorial is part of the Unequal Justice series, which explores the inequities in Bexar Countys criminal justice system and how they can be fixed.
There is something missing in Gov. Greg Abbotts plan to fix school finance in Texas: state funding.

This is a key ingredient because its hard to imagine school finance getting fixed if the state doesnt provide appropriate funding for public education. That process starts with Abbott and other state leaders identifying funding sources for education.

So far, we are not seeing that part of the equation from the governor, who is in a prime position to deliver on this issue. He is the states most popular politician. He won re-election easily. He can be bold on this issue.

Unfortunately, there isnt much policy boldness in the 86-page slideshow Abbotts office has created on school finance. The slideshow, which we read, thanks to The Texas Tribune, is titled Improving Student Outcomes and Maintaining Affordability through Comprehensive Education and Tax Reforms.

It recommends capping property tax revenues for school districts (and cities and counties) to 2.5 percent, and it dedicates significant space to rewarding all-star educators who opt to teach in low-performing schools. It also dedicates significant space to property tax relief, a key issue in school finance.

Local school districts are, after all, the driving forces behind increases in property tax revenues. One reason for this is the distinct rise in property values across Texas. As values increase, school districts and city and county governments benefit from more revenue even without raising tax rates.

But another reason is the state has not kept up its end of the bargain, so local districts are making up the difference. State funding for education has fallen in recent years. Its projected to be 38 percent in 2019, and as the slideshow from the governors office notes, it will likely fall below 30 percent by 2023.

Capping property tax revenues by 2.5 percent might provide needed tax relief to homeowners and even balance out the state share of funding with the local share of funding. But its still only one side of the ledger.

Any revenue cap  and we believe 2.5 percent is far too low  needs to come with corresponding state funding. Heres one idea: What about disclosing sales prices for commercial properties to bring balance to the appraisal system? That would potentially generate billions in revenue for education.

There is a justifiable concern, articulated by state Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio, that school finance is something of a Trojan horse. The issue could be used to address property taxes  nobody likes paying them  only to then starve school districts of appropriate funding. The same would hold true for cities and counties should they be limited to a 2.5 percent revenue cap.

We would prefer to see this slideshow as a conversation starter for next year. We appreciate that the governors office recognizes how school finance is a key driver of property taxes  a point others have ignored in the past. We realize that the state created a commission to examine school financing and to make recommendations.

Wwe appreciate the ideas of rewarding teachers for their important work, as well as the foundational view that public education is the keystone to workforce development and prosperity. And we recognize that, in a commentary appearing on these pages in September, the governor acknowledged more funding will be necessary. But thats where the emphasis should be.

School finance has to be more than just property tax relief.
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa will Saturday descend on Zanu PFs stronghold Mutoko to drum up support for a party candidate who is set to contest the Mutoko by-election on the 24th of this month.

MDC national chair, Tabitha Khumalo told NewZimbabwe Friday that her boss will be in the Mashonaland East area also as part of his ongoing rallies to thank the more than 2,5 million Zimbabweans who voted for him in the July 30 elections.

MDC National Chairperson Tabitha Khumalo

The President will be in Mutoko this weekend. The purpose of the rally is to campaign for our candidate in the Mutoko by-election as well as thank the people of Mutoko for voting the president during the harmonised elections in July.

As MDC Alliance, we are appealing to the people of Mutoko to come in their numbers and hear what their real president has to say, Khumalo said.

Three political parties are set to field candidates in the by-election with Professor Lovemore Madhukus NCA also taking part.

The contestants are Edson Mugoma of National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), Boniface Mushore of the MDC and Rambidzai Nyabote of Zanu PF.

The seat fell vacant following the promotion of Mabel Chinomona who was, elected during the July election and later elevated to Senate president.

After Mutoko, Chamisa will travel almost 250km heading for Chinhoyi in Mashonaland West where he will address another rally.

Khumalo said thousands of party supporters were expected to attend the Mutoko rally.

Our provincial and district leadership are busy mobilising supporters to attend the presidents rally. As we speak, mobilisation meetings are on-going.

We are expecting a bumper crowd at the rally. We are definitely winning this seat because people have realised that Zanu PF has nothing to offer, Khumalo said.

In a recent notice , the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) acting chief elections officer Utoile Silaigwana said that observers from Africa, foreign embassies, Zimbabwean and foreign media houses and other countries outside Africa have been invited to monitor the election upon accreditation which will be closed on November 20.

During run up to 2018 general elections, the visionary young leader, Chamisa promised to bring bullet trains to Zimbabwe once elected into office. The elections were later narrowly won by Mnangagwa of Zanu PF aid massive rigging claims. The electoral body also revised Mnangagwas results downwards after Chamisa approached Constitutional court.

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President Emmerson Mnangagwa left for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, yesterday for the 11th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU), where he will join 54 other African Heads of State and Government expected to continue discussions on the institutional reform process of the continental body.

He was seen off at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice President Kembo Dugish Mohadi, Cabinet Ministers, service chiefs and senior Government officials.

VP Mohadi is the Acting President.

Heads of State and Governments are expected to meet today and tomorrow for the session.

The Permanent Representative Committee (PRC)  made up of permanent representatives from all the 55 member states  met on Monday last week, while the 20th Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council  a successor to the Organisation of African Unions Council of Ministers  convened on Wednesday.

All member countries participate in the Executive Council usually through their Foreign Ministers.

In a statement on Thursday, the AUs directorate of information and communication said the Assembly will likely make decisions and declarations on outcomes of the Executive Council meeting held earlier in the week. The Assembly will consider and make decisions and declarations based on the outcomes of the 20th Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council meeting, held from 14  15 November 2018, said the AU.

Main topics covered by this summit include AU institutional reform, reform of the AU Commission, mandate of the AU Development Agency (AUDA), and financing of the African Union.

The Assembly is the supreme organ of the African Union and consists of all the 55 Heads of State and Government of the AU.

African leaders intend to revitalise, realign and reform the organs of the AU  the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights, the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, the Pan-African Parliament as well as the Peace and Security Council (PSC)  in order to make them more efficient and impactful.

The mandate of NEPAD (New Partnership for African Development), which is set to be integrated into the AU as a development agency (the African Union Development Agency) will also be examined.

The idea to reform the AU was first broached at the June 2015 AU Summit in Sandton, South Africa, in June 2015 and gained traction the following year when Rwandan President Paul Kagame was tasked to undertake a study on how the reform process could be undertaken.

With the aid of a nine-member advisory panel of experts from across the continent  who include Econet Wireless executive chairperson Mr Strive Masiyiwa and ex-South Africa Reserve Bank Governor and current Finance Minister Mr Tito Mboweni  President Kagame came up with a report that was adopted in January last year.

In essence, the reform programme is envisaged to regenerate the continental body into an institution that can sustainably finance its activities, connect to the AUs 1,2 billion citizens on the continent and realign the continental bloc to deliver on its priorities.

Progress in implementing some of the key aspects of the reform process has already been made.

The AU has since introduced the women and youth quotas, while the rationalisation of the working methods of the body has been completed.

Working on transitioning the bloc to a financially independent entity is progressing slowly.

Currently, more than 60 percent of the AUs operational budget is funded by donors.

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South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the European Union (EU) to remove sanctions on members of Zimbabwes ruling elite and said the country has turned a wonderful corner.

The EU maintains a travel and economic embargo on several Zanu PF officials, top military figures and some government-owned firms.

The sanctions were imposed during former president Robert Mugabes rule over what it called human rights and democracy violations.

The EU lifted most of its sanctions in 2014.

Following the countrys July 30 disputed elections that saw 76-year-old President Emmerson Mnangagwa beat the opposition MDCs Nelson Chamisa, 40, with a razor thin margin, the EU said the polls failed to meet international standards and called for substantive changes in the countrys governance system.

In a statement on Thursday, Ramaphosa said he had implored EU leaders, pointedly president of the European Council Donald Tusk and his European Commission counterpart Jean-Claude Juncker at the South Africa-EU summit held in Belgium to re-think their position and consider re-engaging Zimbabwe.

We discussed the matter of other countries in our region, particularly Zimbabwe; and we called upon the EU to review its position on Zimbabwe and move towards lifting whatever sanctions they might still have because it is on a path of great reforms and we insisted that this needs to be supported as Zimbabwe has turned a wonderful corner, Ramaphosa said.

In its analysis of the countrys elections, the EU Election Observer Mission (EU EOM) concluded that Mnangagwas win was overtly supported by an uneven electoral field.

The EU EOM noted with concern that the results were neither traceable nor verifiable due to the inability of Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) in posting results outside all polling stations.

The misuse of State resources, instances of coercion and intimidation, partisan behaviour by traditional leaders and overt bias in State media all in favour of the ruling party negatively impacted on the democratic character of the pre-electoral environment, part of the observer missions report reads.

Mnangagwas office insists there was nothing alarming in the EU report and if anything, it proves that there is no perfect democracy.

This has absolutely no impact on the presidency. The EU does not question the presidents legitimacy, permanent secretary in the Information ministry Nick Mangwana said at the time the report was released.

The report simply says there are ecological issues that need cleansing going forward.

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The time has come. Theresa May is about to unveil her Brexit deal to MPs in Parliament and call on them to support it. Take it or leave it, she will say. Its either my deal or the chaos of no deal.

I know it has been extremely difficult to stay on top of the news. Keeping track of Brexit news felt like wading through a swamp sometimes: it was thick, incomprehensible and full of dread. Im not going to recount anything. Instead I want to take a step back and offer the broader picture.

1. This Was a One-Sided Deal

Brexit was a polarising vote but the support for and against it was spread across party lines. Many Conservatives were opposed to leaving the EU and many Labour voters cant wait to get out. Theresa May had an historic opportunity to take a non-partisan approach to Brexit negotiations and work with Labour to achieve consensus.

Instead she did the opposite. The Tory party kept becoming more extreme in its approach to Brexit and she kept going with it. Prominent Brexiteers said there was no need to leave the EU Single Market (heres Boris Johnson). Now they are dead against it. They said Brexit wouldnt mean leaving the EU Customs Union. Now they are dead against staying in that too.

The PM didnt bring the country together. Instead she sought to polarise opinion in her favour and appease the extremists in her own party. David Cameron had made the same mistake. Now, Jacob Rees-Mogg became all powerful.

2. No Deal is a Bluff

I reject this false choice between the PMs deal and no deal chaos, wrote Tory ex-minister Jo Johnson last week when he resigned. He was right.

The government would be mad to let Britain crash out without a deal, and everyone knows it. Our way of life is too intertwined with the EU to leave without a deal. No deal would wreak havoc on businesses across the country, create food and medicine shortages, possibly even spark riots. To be offered this as a serious choice is an insult. As IPPRs Tom Kibasi has pointed out, Panic over crashing out of the EU is being whipped up deliberately to railroad parliament.

3. Theresa May Is Hoping to Take Corbyn Down With Her

Theres only one conclusion to draw from this. Labour MPs must hold firm and reject the deal that Theresa May offers them.

Why? Because it will take Britain out of the EU Customs Union without an alternative. And worse, it will do so a few years from now, thus prolonging uncertainty and decline. It is the worst of all worlds. The Tories had promised their deal would deliver the exact same benefits as we currently have as members of the Single Market and Customs Union. It doesnt. It wants a clean break without any alternative. Businesses have rightly pointed out that this would be reckless and dangerous. Even Tory ministers have said it.

The Prime Minister has been so eager to appease extremists in her own party, she has ignored the interests of the country. Now she is hoping to pressure Labour MPs to bail her out.

Corbyn has said Brexit is inevitable. But if Corbyn votes to support Theresa Mays deal, this will be his Iraq.Voting for this Brexit deal will be catastrophic enough to sweep away any Labour MP, including Corbyn. Anyone who votes for it could never lead the party.

The damage to the country due to the deal will be too great. May is asking Labour MPs to vote for a prolonged poison pill. They would be foolish to take it.
(Natural News) Now that the mid-term election is over, Democrats are back to their usual insanity, threatening the use of deadly government force to murder American citizens who refuse to bow down to their authoritarian tyranny. Why any American continues to vote for any Democrat at all is beyond any rational explanation.

California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell  yes, of course hes a California Democrat  called for nationwide gun confiscation from all lawful gun owners, then added that the government should go after resisters who refuse to consent to having their assault weapons taken from them by government force. When challenged on the total insanity of such a plan by patriot Joe Biggs (@Rambobiggs), Rep. Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) responded by saying the governments war against its own patriots would be a short war because the government has nukes.

And it would be a short war my friend. The government has nukes. Too many of them. But theyre legit. Im sure if we talked we could find common ground to protect our families and communities.  Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) November 16, 2018

Yes, a California Democrat  who probably stole his election in the first place  says that nuclear weapons should be used in America to nuke our own cities and towns in order to kill gun owners.

This is the sheer genius of the Democrat mind at work, in case you didnt notice. Maybe after all the cities are nuked by Swalwell, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez can promote a multi-trillion dollar government rebuilding fund, then claim that Democrats are creating a booming economy.

I dont know about you, but it sounds to me like this psycho just called for the mass murder of American citizens. Its just one more reason why you should never let Democrats have power over you. All they do is abuse their power, terrorize the citizens, and in Swalwells case, literally nuke their political opponents with nuclear weapons.

Using other peoples money to terrorize the citizens

Oh, it gets even better: Because Democrats always want to use other peoples money to carry out their tyranny against innocent citizens, Swalwell demands to use $15 billion in taxpayer money to fund gun buybacks which are really just forced confiscations at gunpoint.

Anyone who doesnt agree to hand over their guns to the federal government in exchange for Federal Reserve fiat currency notes will be arrested and prosecuted, according to Swalwell. This, say Democrats, is how they create utopia  a world where all the guns are monopolized in the hands of the very same government that wants to nuke you if you dont comply.

Its all for your own protection, of course, since a government run by Democrats is incredibly peaceful and polite during those times when they arent threatening to nuke Americas own cities to exterminate patriots.

In essence, Swalwell demonstrates exactly why the American people should never give up their guns, under any circumstances but especially not to asshats like Swalwell.

In fact, the Second Amendment wasnt written to protect the right to shoot deer; it was written to maintain the right to shoot tyrants. Thats the whole point of it: Make sure the citizenry remains armed so that insane, power-hungry authoritarians like Swalwell never have a monopoly on firepower. And if they try to confiscate firearms from the citizens, it is the duty of citizens to protect the republic by invoking the rights and actions that are specifically described by the Second Amendment.

By the way, it will never be Swalwell who personally tries to take your guns, of course. He will send police officers and sheriffs deputies, and there arent enough of them in the whole country to survive the very first day of such an effort (nor do they wish to participate in such a silly thing). Who does Swalwell think is going to carry out this nationwide confiscation, anyway? Suicide volunteers? Antifa loons? The Russians?

If Swalwell wants to nuke the gun violence zones, hell have to target all the Democrat-run cities where guns are already illegal

If would-be tyrants like Swalwell ever try to wage nationwide gun confiscation against Americas law-abiding patriots, theyre going to find themselves in a shooting war they cant win. Not even with nukes.

Whats Swalwell going to do, nuke Los Angeles to stop the gun violence there? Nuke Chicago? Somebody needs to remind him most of the gun violence is taking place in Democrat-run cities like Chicago and Detroit. If hes planning on nuking the gun violence zones across America, he would actually be taking out the Democrat strongholds that are already in a state of Third World collapse thanks to horrible mismanagement by Left-wing politicians. Some places are so bad that Swalwell might even skip them, thinking gosh, theyve already been nuked by failed Democrat policies.

Its also quite telling that this Democrat has no interest in nuking Americas enemies (such as Iran or North Korea) but seems really, really interested in nuking American soil. Thats because Democrats hate America in the first place, so turning a thousand square miles of the Midwest into a radioactive dead zone falls right in line with the way Democrats think. As long as they can prevent the border wall from being built so that America is overrun with illegal immigrants who vote Democrat in every election, the elitist Dems dont care what they have to destroy.

Bottom line? The more Democrats win elections, the more firearms and ammunition you should probably accumulate. A day is coming when left-wing tyrants are going to attempt to criminalize the Second Amendment. Thats the day you have already been granted permission by the Founding Fathers to activate the Second Amendment in defense of our constitutional republic.

The Second Amendment, after all, says you have this very specific right, and it says government may not infringe upon that right. Any bureaucrat who attempts to infringe upon that right is, by definition, a traitorous criminal whos guilty of violating your constitutional rights.

Plan accordingly.
(Natural News)

A team of researchers at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EFPL) discovered how the memory of music affects the brain. The EFPL team carried out the study through the use of EFPLs Defitech Foundation Chair in Human-Machine Interface (CNBI) to look at how the brain works when imaginary music is played in the head.

In cooperation with a team of scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, the EFPL team analyzed the brain activities of an epileptic patient who was also an experienced pianist to examine the brain activity produced when a song is actually playing and when a song is being played mentally. According to Stephanie Martin, lead author of the study and a doctoral student with the CNBI, they used the method known as electrocorticography, which involves inserting electrodes into the participants brain. This technique is also traditionally used to treat people with epilepsy who cannot take medication. Moreover, the electrodes can calculate brain activity with a very high spatial and temporal resolution which is necessary as nerve cells respond quickly.

However, Martin said the recording technique is invasive, and the technology needs to be more advanced for us to be able to measure brain activity with greater accuracy.

For the first task, the researchers asked the participant to play a piece of music on an electric piano with the sound turned on. At the same time, they recorded the participants brain activity and the music being played. For the second task, they asked the participant to play the same musical piece, but with the sound of the piano turned off. The brain activity of the participant and the music were also recorded. In the second task, the music was from the patients memory and the notes could not be heard.

Results showed that there was not much difference between the two, when the brain activities were compared. The findings, published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, revealed that the brain does not differentiate actual music from imaginary music. The researchers identified the areas in the brain that was covered by the electrodes according to their role in the process and their responses to both audible and imaginary sounds. The researchers believe that this study can contribute to the development of ways to bring back the ability of speech of people who have lost it.

We are at the very early stages of this research, explained Martin. Language is a much more complicated system than music: linguistic information is non-universal, which means it is processed by the brain in a number of stages.

Furthermore, the researchers hope that these findings will help people with aphasia and other individuals who are unable to speak to talk again by reading their internal speech and recreating it vocally.

The benefits of music to the brain

It has been known that music affects the brain beneficially. According to an article by BeBrainFit.com, music can do the following:

Music can enhance mood and work performance. It can make you happier and more productive. Moreover, listening to upbeat music can improve your mood.

Music can boost brain chemicals, such as the neurotransmitter dopamine. This brain chemical plays a role in the pleasure-reward system and is often referred to as the brains motivation molecule.

Music can help a person learn. Studies showed that music can increase a persons language development, increase IQ, improve test scores, increase brain connectivity, and increase spatial intelligence. (Related: Music boosts your brain power by literally altering its structure as you learn new skills.)

Learn more about memory and the different processes happening in your brain at Brain.news.

Sources include:

ACTU.EPFL.CH

BeBrainFit.com
(Natural News) An acoustic sensor network that keeps an ear out for endangered elephants is about to get a much-needed upgrade. The system will get an artificial intelligence that can analyze bulky sound files fast enough to find any animal in danger.

The Elephant Listening Project (ELP) is installed in the Nouabale-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo. Its sensors listen for the low and long calls of the African forest elephants living in the wildlife sanctuary.

Every three months, the Cornell University (Cornell)-run system produces the equivalent of two million songs worth of data. It takes a long time to sift through all of that information. By the time researchers have found traces of an elephant, it might have fallen sick or gotten killed by poachers.

Enter Conservation Metrics. This startup company created an AI tool that can pick up the telltale sound of elephant calls from the noisy background of the rainforest.

The AI can reduce the time it takes to process the data by 80 percent. With its help, the researchers can determine the latest change in behaviors of the endangered elephants.

The AI uses some of the latest machine learning and deep neural network technology. Not only does its analysis proceed at a much faster clip, but it is also far more accurate. (Related: Tigers found to assist farmers and livestock owners by protecting domesticated animals from other threats.)

Artificial intelligence will listen for the sounds made by elephants in danger

Cornell researchers use the data from ELP to map out the current movement of the elephants. They can warn park rangers about any critical developments that take place.

They need all the help they can get. In 2011, central Africa hosted around 100,000 forest elephants. Now, the population is down to 40,000.

Unlike the better-known savanna elephant, the forest elephant dwells within the thick rainforests of Africa. Their choice of habitat and far-ranging habits make them very difficult to study. These also make them vulnerable to poaching.

The 25,000-strong population of forest elephants in Minkebe National Park in Gabon were wiped out in 2014. Ivory poachers had slaughtered all of the animals, and there were no lions to eat the criminals.

An effective monitoring system has to achieve close to real-time speeds. However, the ELP project originally needed as much as two months to merely process the sound data. They would spend another three months manually evaluating the samples to make sure their computers got it right.

Researchers can one day monitor endangered elephants in real-time

The Conservation Metrics-developed AI took just 22 days to analyze the data. Company CEO Matthew McKown believes the AI will learn to work faster over time.

The AI will also have access to a cloud server that provides additional processing power. McKowns people are developing new software that will let the cloud server-powered AI finish its analysis in 24 hours.

Right now, the ELP sensors store the sound data in memory cards. Park rangers must collect 50 separate cards, make a 500-mile-long journey to the nearest city, and send the data to the U.S.

The Cornell researchers and their partners in Conservation Metrics are looking for a way to deploy the AI tools in Nouabale-Ndoki National Park. In that dream setup, the ELP sensors will directly send its sound data to the U.S.

A text-based updating system will cut down on cost and delay between gathering the data and analyzing it. It could even provide real-time surveillance of the forest elephant population.

Can we trust artificial intelligence with the lives of other endangered animals? Find out at Robots.news.

Sources include:

Newswise.com

Birds.Cornell.edu
A memorial service was held Saturday afternoon for the Coronado man killed in the shooting at a Thousand Oaks bar.

Friends and family shared cherished memories spent with Justin Meek at Samuelson Chapel at California Lutheran University. The service was live-streamed on the school's website.

"I think it is so hard today, for all of us and his family to feel this loss," Meek family spokeswoman Melissa Maxwell-Doherty said. "We feel this fragileness about human life, we understand how important community is."

Meek, 23, was a bouncer at the nightclub when gunfire broke out earlier this month. He graduated from Cal Lutheran in May.

"He gave his life to save others," Maxwell-Doherty said. "Being a military brat he lived in many places in his short 23 years. Now after fulfilling his purpose here on earth, he is home."

Meeks alma mater set up a scholarship, called the Justin Meek Memorial Scholarship, in his memory where people can donate to the schools fund.

His family set up a GoFundMe page to assist with any services or celebrations of his life. In one week, Meeks family received more than $21,000 in donations.

The incredible outpouring love & support towards Justin & our family truly means the world, the page said. Our gratitude is immeasurable, & we continue to thank you all in helping us Honor our Justin.

A Celebration of Life and Paddle out in Coronado is also being organized to honor Meek. The services are scheduled for the first week of December.
President Donald Trump will meet with California Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom in Butte County on Saturday.

Butte County and Camp Fire victims have a range of reactions to the president's visit.

The White House said the president will fly into Beale Air Force Base Saturday morning and land around 9:45 a.m. Its possible one of his stops will be in Chico and meet with firefighters.

Its exciting, it makes you realize how bad this all is, said Paradise resident Meghan Mickey.

For Mickey, the Presidents visit is a small distraction to the harsh reality of the devistation of the fire. Shes living out of a van with her best friend and Megans three kids. The youngest is just one year old.

Hes our president Ill show him respect. Mickey said.

Like most voters in Butte County, Megan voted for the then-candidate but not every Camp Fire victim is willing to welcome the President with open arms.

Paradise resident Dale Snook said that the president cannot control his mouth especially after the controversial tweets the president sent where he blamed the California wildfires on forestry mismanagement.

Outside of Hurricane Maria, this will be the deadliest natural disaster the President has faced with at least 71 deaths and more than 1,000 people still unaccounted for. Mickeys message to the president is that he should help as much as he can.
President Donald Trump on Saturday acknowledged Californians suffering from twin tragedies, walking through the ashes of a mobile home and RV park in a small northern town all but destroyed by deadly wildfires and privately consoling people grieving after a mass shooting at a popular college bar outside Los Angeles.

"This has been a tough day when you look at all of the death from one place to the next," Trump said before flying back to Washington.

Trump's visits to areas of Northern and Southern California in the aftermath of unprecedented wildfires that have killed more than 70 people gave him what he sought in flying coast to coast and back in a single day  a grasp of the desolation in the heart of California's killer wildfires.

"We've never seen anything like this in California, we've never seen anything like this yet. It's like total devastation," Trump said as he stood amid the ruins of Paradise, burned to the ground by a wildfire the president called "this monster."

Before returning to Washington, Trump met briefly at an airport hangar with families and first responders touched by the shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks more than a week ago, which left 12 dead in what Trump called "a horrible, horrible event." Reporters and photographers were not allowed to accompany the president to the session, which Trump later described as emotional.

"What can you say other than it's so sad to see. These are great people. Great families, torn apart," he told reporters. "We just hugged them and we kissed them  and everybody. And it was very warm."

He added: "It was tragic and yet, in one way, it was a very beautiful moment."

Trump had made only one previous trip as president to California, a deeply Democratic and liberal state that he has blamed for a pair of overheated crises, illegal immigration and voter fraud. He also has been at odds with the state's Democratic-led government, but differences were generally put aside as Gov. Jerry Brown and Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom joined Trump in surveying the wildfire damage.

"We're going to have to work quickly," Trump said near the crumpled foundations of Paradise homes and twisted steel of melted cars. "Hopefully this is going to be the last of these because this was a really, really bad one."

In a nod to his belief  not shared by all forest scientists  that improved forest management practices will diminish future risks, Trump added: "I think everybody's seen the light and I don't think we'll have this again to this extent."

With that bold and perhaps unlikely prediction, Trump evoked his initial tweeted reaction to the fire, the worst in the state's history, in which he seemed to blame local officials and threatened to take away federal funding.

Hours later and hundreds of miles to the south, Trump found similar signs of devastation in the seaside conclave of Malibu, one of the areas of Southern California ravaged by wildfires that have killed at least three. Palm trees stood scorched and some homes were burned to the ground on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

At least 76 people died across Northern California, and authorities are trying to locate more than 1,200 people, though not all are believed missing. More than 5,600 fire personnel were battling the blaze that covered 149,000 acres and was about 55 percent contained, officials said.

The Camp Fire in Butte County is the deadliest in the country in at least a century. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said authorities have tentatively identified 63 of the 76 dead.

When asked in Paradise if seeing the historic devastation, which stretched for miles and left neighborhoods destroyed and fields scorched, altered his opinion on climate change, Trump answered, "No."

The president has long voiced skepticism about man's impact on the climate and has been reluctant to assign blame to a warming earth for the increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters.

Wearing a camouflage "USA" hat, Trump gazed solemnly at the devastation in Paradise. Several burned-out buses and cars were nearby. Trees were burned, their branches bare and twisted. Homes were totally gone; some foundations remained, as did a chimney and, in front of one house, a Mickey Mouse lawn ornament. The fire was reported to have moved through the area at 80 mph.

"It's going to work out well, but right now we want to take care of the people that are so badly hurt," Trump said while visiting what remained of the Skyway Villa Mobile Home and RV Park. He noted "there are areas you can't even get to them yet" and the sheer number of people unaccounted for.

"I think people have to see this really to understand it," Trump said.

The president later toured an operation center, met with response commanders and praised the work of firefighters, law enforcement and representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Trump took a helicopter tour en route to Chico before he toured Paradise. A full cover of haze and the smell of smoke greeted the president upon his arrival at Beale Air Force Base near Sacramento.

"They're out there fighting and they're fighting like hell," Trump said of the first responders.

He pledged that Washington would do its part by coming to the Golden State's aid and urged the House's Republican leader, Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, a Trump ally and frequent White House visitor, to "come to the office" to help secure the needed funding.

Trump long has struggled to convey empathy to victims of national disasters and tragedies. His first reaction to the fires came in a tweet last week that drew criticism as unnecessarily critical and tone-deaf given the devastation: "There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor. Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests."

After the negative reaction to that response, Trump shifted gears, expressing words of encouragement to first responders and those of sympathy for hit victims.

Nature and humans share blame for the wildfires, but fire scientists are divided as to whether forest management played a major role. Nature provides the dangerous winds that have whipped the fires, the state has been in a drought and human-caused climate change over the long haul is killing and drying the shrubs and trees that provide the fuel.

When Trump was asked during an interview set to air on "Fox News Sunday" whether climate change played a role in the number of serious fires, he said "maybe it contributes a little bit. The big problem we have is management."

In Northern California, Trump continued to show skepticism about the impact of climate change on wildfires. His grasp of forests was shaky at times, at one point invoking fire prevention efforts in Finland  it has a very different climate than California  as an example for the Golden State to follow.

Asked if he thought climate change played a role in the fires, Brown responded: "Yes. Yes. And we'll let science determine this over a longer period of time."

A reporter asked if climate change was discussed with the president, but Trump jumped in to say, "We didn't discuss it."

A reporter then said, "Well, you obviously disagree on this issue." Trump answered, in part: "Maybe not as different as people think. Is it happening? Things are changing. And I think most importantly we're doing things about. We're gonna make it better. We're going to make it a lot better. And it's gonna happen as quickly as it can possibly happen."

Brown and Newsom said they welcomed the president's visit, with the governor suggesting they set aside political differences since it "now is a time to pull together for the people of California." A fierce advocate of addressing climate change, the governor pointed to several causes and said they need to deal with them.

"If you really look at the facts, from a really open point of view, there are a lot of elements to be considered," Brown said. "The president came, he saw and I'm looking forward over the next months and beyond to really understand this threat of fire, the whole matter of drought and all the rest of it. It's not one thing, it's a lot of things and I think that if we just open our minds and look at things we'll get more stuff done."
Army National Guard Major Michael Ray started every morning with a run around his military bases while serving as a physicians assistant in Afghanistan and Iraq. The jogs took Ray, a Sheboygan resident, near the smoke billowing from large pits used by the military to burn trash.

Ray said at the time he and most other service members didnt think much about the burn pits, which included everything from plastic to scrap metal to ammunition, set ablaze with jet fuel.

Now retired, the 61-year-old Ray said he feels more like an 85-year-old. He said he developed a bad cough that lasted close to a year after returning from Iraq. Ray said he eventually paid for a lung biopsy in December 2017, which revealed he has an incurable lung disease called constrictive bronchiolitis.

Thats the thing about the invisible wounds of war is that you can look normally and feel really horrible, Ray said.

Ray submitted the lung biopsy information to the Department of Veterans Affairs. However, the VA denied his disability claim.

A spokesperson for the VA told NBC 5 Investigates that VA providers in Milwaukee did three examinations of Ray in March 2015, July 2016 and August 2017. The spokesperson said the 2015 test was reported as normal by a pulmonologist and the record does not show any respiratory complaints at the two additional exams.

Ray has since filed an appeal of his claim with the VA. He said he needs a lung transplant before he turns 65 years old.

Its difficult for us to hear the VA run their tests and do their studies and say we cant find any connection between exposure to these toxic chemicals and these lung damages thats happening, Ray said.

According to its website, the VA said at this time, research does not show evidence of long-term health problems from exposure to burn pits.

I think there are many unanswered questions right now. One is what is causing a problem? I think we still need to better define what the problem is, said Dr. Drew Helmer of the VA New Jersey Health Care System.

Still, the VA said it is researching the effects of burn pits and that it does approve related claims on a case-by-case basis. The VA said as of August 31, 2018, it has received 9,621 claims from veterans for a burn-pit related disability. There have been 2,193 granted claims with at least one issue that is related to burn pit exposure.

VA doctors treat all manner of Veterans health issues and the department continually looks at medical research and follows trends related to medical conditions affecting Veterans, said VA spokesperson Rick Fox.

The United States Congress mandated the VA in 2014 to create a burn pit registry to help document exposure. So far, more than 157,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have reported their exposure to burn pits on the VAs voluntary registry. A spokesperson for the VA said 980 Chicago-area veterans have already completed the Burn Pit Registry questionnaire.

The Department of Defense said, when used, open-air burn pits are to be operated in a manner that prevents or minimizes risks to human health and safety of DoD personnel and, where possible, harm to the environment.

President Trump in September signed a bill into law that would create a VA Center of Excellence to study burn pits and treat exposed veterans. However, it remains unclear where the center will be located or how it would be funded.

Advocates for former service members exposed to burn pits said they want more done now before more veterans get sick or die. They said the governments recent Center of Excellence effort is admirable, but does not go far enough.

The independent group Burn Pits 360 runs its own burn pit registry and said its already heard from more than 6000 veterans who say they are sick from their exposure to burn pits. The group said its also heard from more than 120 families who say their loved ones died as a result of the burn pits.

Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Szema and his team at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research are working on a potential treatment for veterans and other people living with constrictive bronchiolitis.

We have specialized techniques to look for special chemicals that get burned so we can detect burn particles in the lung and the metals, Szema said.

Dr. Szema has applied for funding from the Department of Defense for further studies and hopes to get approval for the drug in the future from the FDA.
Cobra Lounge, a longstanding staple in Chicagos rock scene, canceled a concert planned for Friday night after it was made aware of allegations that the band scheduled to play has a history of anti-Semitism.

The venue's general manager, Louie Mendicino, told NBC 5 in a phone interview he received a text message from a friend Thursday night cautioning him to look into the Texas band Hellvetron, which was slated to play Cobra Lounge with several other bands Friday night. The ceremonial black metal band was easily tied to anti-Semitic imagery and language with some internet digging, Mendicino said.

Mendicino said he told the promoter for the show either Hellvetron had to come off the bill or the whole show needed to be canceled. The promoter wouldn't remove the Texas black metal band and asked if Mendicino knew of any other venues that might take them, the venue manager said.

A Twitter user also approached Chicago musician Laura Jane Grace, the front woman of Against Me!, and asked for help bringing attention to the issue.

@LauraJaneGrace Cobra Lounge is hosting a Nazi band tonight and some of us who love your tunes in Chicago arent too pleased. Help us spread the word and get Hellvetron out of that venue??  casaccine (@caseadilla_12) November 16, 2018

Cobra Lounge is hosting a Nazi band tonight and some of us who love your tunes in Chicago arent too pleased, the Twitter user wrote. Help us spread the word and get Hellvetron out of that venue??

Grace retweeted the message asking Cobra Lounge to address the issue.

Hey @CobraLounge would you please, please, please address this? https://t.co/15i4Xmkx1c  Laura Jane Grace (@LauraJaneGrace) November 16, 2018

A local record label Grace records under, Bloodshot Records, also chimed in saying it had no idea of the allegations against Hellvetron.

Hours later, Cobra Lounge issued a statement on its Facebook page.

Tonights show has been canceled. We were recently made aware of some anti-Semitic rhetoric in regards to one of the bands on tonights bill and we cannot support even the slightest claim of racism or social divisiveness of any kind, the venue said. We pride ourselves on diversity and cultural development of unifying nature. We have already received threatening messages from Nazi supporting entities and we are fine with that. We apologize for inconveniencing any ticket holders but our stance is firm. All but the hateful are welcome in our house.

Mendicino said the venue has been receiving hateful messages from other bands and groups online that have SS imagery and Swastikas on their Facebook pages.

Definitely some aggressive, kind of nerve-wrecking sentiments, he said.

A Facebook page under the name Hellvetron received a message from a reporter asking for a response to the allegations of Nazism and anti-Semitism but did not respond.

An article from August of 2017 in Philly Magazine reports that Hellvetron has changed its name in the past in order to dupe venues into allowing them to play after being canceled. Several members play in a band signed to a label called Satanic Skinhead Propaganda, the magazine reported.

The band members also reportedly mutilated themselves with razor blades before going on stage.

It was crazy, man  I didnt know what to think of it, bar manager Geno Tripodi told Philly Mag. I see blood running down the band members arms  I thought it was makeup until I found the razors they left in the bathroom! Who in their right mind would do such a thing?

Mendicino said it's hard to tell how much money the venue might miss out on due to the cancellation, but pegged it at around a few thousand dollars. He said he doesn't regret his choice.

Absolutely, that money doesnt mean anything to us if were gonna be tied to hate speech, he said. Theres not enough money in the world for us to be tied to that kind of rhetoric.

Mendicino thanked the venue's regulars and supporters for their encouragement in the decision to cancel the show. The post announcing the decision, as of Friday evening, had been liked nearly 2,000 times and racked up hundreds of comments and shares. Combing through the comments, it is evident that the vast majority of those responding agree with Cobra Lounge's actions.

Im nothing but proud of how theyve shown support, Mendicino said.

Grace tweeted later that she is among those grateful for Cobra Lounge's decision to cancel the show. Although the controversial band in question is apparently from Texas, Grace channeled the "Blues Brothers" in summarizing her thoughts on the situation.

"I hate Illinois Nazis," she said.
Jemel Roberson graduated from Lane Tech High School on Chicago's North Side in 2010.

This evening hundreds gathered on campus to remember their classmate. Meanwhile, activists are calling for swift action against the officer who shot and killed him.

Community activist Jedidiah Brown says witnesses to the shooting and the moments leading up to it need to speak out.

Today, Im breaking the silence and Im appealing to them to come on and come forward and the community will stand with them because we cannot let Jemel stand by himself," Brown said.

Brown says hes received videos that clarify what happened but witnesses who shot them he says are fearful.

Because those who have it are afraid of retaliation and the view thats come forward is that theyve been intimidated by law enforcement," he said.

Roberson, 26, was working as a security guard at Mannys Blue Room Lounge in Robbins early Sunday. While trying to subdue a suspect he was shot by a white Midlothian police officer responding to the scene.

Jemel saved lives that night only to lose his life," Pastor Leaundre Hill said. "So, we want answers. We want results. And we want them now."

Illinois State Police say witnesses told them Roberson was ordered by the officer to put down his gun several times before he was shot. Midlothians police chief called it a blue on blue shooting and a tragic case of friendly fire.

Others have disputed that.

This morning dozens of clergy, community activists and family members gathered in Midlothian demanding the firing of the unnamed officer.

And they need to charge him with murder," said Rev. Michael Pfleger. "Thats what it was. It was murder."

Again, this evening former classmates and supporters of Roberson held a vigil here at lane tech and released balloons. Meanwhile, the police officer, a 4-year-veteran, remains on administrative leave.
Chicagoan George Papadopoulos is asking a federal judge in Washington to delay his prison term, until a DC appeals court renders an opinion on the status of special counsel Robert Mueller.

Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI, in connection with the ongoing probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. He was due to begin serving 14 days in prison November 26th.

In a motion filed today in the federal court in Washington, Papadopoulos cited a current case challenging the constitutionality of Muellers appointment.

If the appeal is successful, then the Special Counsel lacked the constitutional authority to prosecute Mr. Papadopoulos in the first instance, his attorney Michael Hatley wrote. A modest stay of his incarceration pending the outcome of that appeal should be granted.

Hatley further argues that Papadopoulos does not pose a risk of flight, or a danger to the community.

Mr. Papadopoulos has fully complied with all of the conditions of his release, he said. And has appeared faithfully for every court appearance and for several interviews with the government.
Efforts are underway in Connecticut to create a green burial ground.

Green burials are designed to have less of an impact on the environment. These burials often use biodegradable caskets. They do not use chemicals for embalming, hardwood caskets, varnishes, vaults or liners.

"This is the most comforting idea I've ever had of death," said Elizabeth Foley, founder of Connecticut Green Burial Grounds, an organization trying to establish cemeteries specifically for green burials, which are legal in Connecticut and all 50 states.

"This is not a new concept. Prior to 150 years ago, this is how things were done for millennia," Foley explained. "A shroud is another option, which would just be a linen or plain cloth material and a return to earth just cradled in that."

Two existing Connecticut cemeteries in Danbury and Deep River are already using a portion of their properties for green burials. But the Connecticut Green Burial Grounds group is pushing to create the region's first all-green cemetery. Foley said that a body in a grave can become compost from which new life can grow.

"Come back with your family and friends and say 'look, this a landscape that Grandma contributed to,'" Foley said.

A 2018 survey by the National Funeral Directors Association showed 48 percent of respondents were interested in exploring 'green' funeral options, mostly for environmental or cost-saving reasons.

"The funeral industry itself has changed dramatically," said P. Samuel Fulginiti, who owns Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home in Centerbrook. The funeral home has offered green funeral and burial options since 2009.

"There are people that just don't want that pomp and circumstance. You know, 'put me in a pine box, bring me to the cemetery and bury me in a grave'," said Fulginiti. He does not believe there is enough interest in Connecticut, at this point, to necessitate a standalone green burial ground.

"I know the idea's catching on," said Foley. She said her group is in talks with land trusts and private landowners to acquire the space they are looking for. Neither Foley nor her organization would reveal where that land is located. Foley said she did not want to derail discussions that could yield results in early 2019.

"People are afraid of what is new or different," said Foley. "I know that the people of Connecticut are ready for this."
NBC Connecticut Responds helped a Wolcott woman get her electric bill payment credited to her account after going back and forth with Eversource and the collection agency Convergent for months.

Sandra Santorelli will tell you she pays her Eversource electric bill on time each month. But last February, she said she missed a payment and received a notice from the collection agency, Convergent.

I immediately paid it, Santorelli said.

She confirmed that she made the $84 payment through Chase Banks online portal and that the check was cashed.

However, she said her electric bill account still had an outstanding balance. So, Santorelli contacted both Eversource and Convergent multiple times to find out why. But couldnt get an answer from either agency.

A few months later, I got another collections notice. I showed them proof of payment and I thought it was done, said Santorelli.

But it wasnt. In August, Sandra received a third collection notice stating she owed the money.

I contacted Eversource and I said heres my proof of payment. Heres the money going through my bank account why isnt being credited?, said Santorelli.

Eversource claimed they never received the payment from Convergent. Santorelli said she contacted Convergent again to try and clear up the matter.

They couldnt answer me. But they did have my proof of payment, added Santorelli.

Convergent admitted that they received the payment and Santorelli said the collection agency sent her a statement with a zero balance, eight months after she paid the bill. But the company didnt give Santorelli a reason for the delay.

Meanwhile, Eversource indicated that they still had no record of her payment. So Santorelli asked Convergent to contact Eversource and vice versa.

When Santorelli didnt hear back, she reached out to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), which oversees utility companies, to get both Eversource and Convergent to communicate with each other. But Santorelli told us, she got no response for PURA.

It was very frustrating, said Santorelli.

Finally, Santorelli turned to NBC Connecticut Responds and we touched base with Eversource, the collection agency, Convergent, and PURA.

Eversource spokesman Mitch Gross told us, We understand Ms. Santorellis frustration and apologize for how long it took to resolve this matter. Unfortunately, the payment Ms. Santorelli made to the collection agency, Convergent, was misapplied and not reflected in her account. While this appears to be an isolated incident, we are reviewing our processes internally and with our outside collection agencies to ensure this doesnt happen again.

Convergent also apologized for any inconvenience this error has caused Ms. Santorelli. And as a result, Santorellis account is now at a zero balance saving her an additional $84 payment.

You guys are fantastic and I cant thank you enough, said Santorelli.
Catholic bishops are entering their final week of debate over hot-button issues facing young Catholics, including how the church should welcome gays and respond to the clerical sex abuse scandal that has discredited many in the church hierarchy.

The monthlong synod of bishops ends next Saturday with the adoption by the 260-plus cardinals, bishops and priests of a final document and approval of a separate, shorter letter to the world's Catholic youth.

Some of the youth delegates to the meeting have insisted that the final document express an inclusive message to make LGBT Catholics feel welcome in a church that has often shunned them.

The Vatican took a step in that direction by making a reference to "LGBT" for the first time in its preparatory document heading into the meeting.

But some bishops have balked at the notion, including Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput, who insisted in his speech that "there is no such thing as an 'LGBTQ Catholic' or a 'transgender Catholic' or a 'heterosexual Catholic,' as if our sexual appetites defined who we are."

But other bishops have expressed a willingness to use the language, though it remains to be seen if the final document or the letter will. Each paragraph will be voted on one by one and must obtain a two-thirds majority.

"The youth are talking about it freely and in the language they use, and they are encouraging us 'Call us, address us this because this is who we are,'" Papua New Guinea Cardinal John Ribat told a press conference Saturday.

One of those young people, Yadira Vieyra, who works with migrant families in Chicago, said gays often feel attacked and shunned by the church.

"We know that's not true, any Catholic knows that's not true," she said. But she added bishops need to communicate that "the church is here for them."

Catholic church teaching holds that gays should be loved and respected but that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered."

The Oct. 3-28 synod has unfolded against the backdrop of the clergy sex abuse scandal exploding anew in the U.S., Germany, Poland and other nations. Some conservatives have charged that a gay subculture in the priesthood is to blame, even though studies have shown that gays are not more likely than heterosexuals to abuse.

Many of the young delegates have insisted that the final document address the abuse scandal straight on, and Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli hinted that it would.

"One of the key things that will be important going forward is not just that there might be a word of apology, of recognition and of aiming for better practices, but that there is action associated with that," he said.

Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich said young people are also demanding accountability and transparency from the church's leadership, which has been excoriated for having covered-up the abuses of predator priests for decades.

He repeated his call, first made in an interview last week with National Catholic Reporter, for bishops to cede their own authority and allow an external process involving lay experts to investigate them when an accusation against them has been made.

"Lay people want us to succeed. People want us to get this right," Cupich said. "Yes, there's a lot of anger out there. But beneath that anger there's a sadness. There's a sadness that the church is better than this, and that we should get this right."
A growing need in North Texas was on display in Plano on Friday.



Hundreds of vehicles lined up for hours to receive a donated turkey with the trimmings.



The Storehouse of Collin County distributed 1,500 turkeys during a two-hour time frame.



"If you have the money, you dont worry about it. If you don't have the money, you start to worry about it and so if we can take that burden off them, it's our blessing," said Terry Breedlove, COO of The Storehouse of Collin County.



Sports Value Consulting, a longtime supporter of the Seven Loaves Food Pantry, covered the cost of the turkeys.



More than 80 volunteers loaded up vehicles at St. Andrew United Methodist Church so people didn't even have to get out of their vehicles.

Recipients are families who may otherwise not be able to afford a Thanksgiving dinner.

"It's heartwarming. It's a miracle. It's quite honestly that," said Makesha Ludwig, a Plano parent.



The Storehouse of Collin County began distributing turkeys six years ago when 600 were given out.
Along Texas State Highway 360 on the edge of Fort Worth, construction is wrapping up on the new American Airlines headquarters. But as employees wait for it to open, some commuters are raising concerns over the windowed exterior they say is blinding their morning commute.

Nathan Klein says the glare is distracting enough to slow his daily drive.

It looks like a big square camera flash that doesnt turn off. It just obliterates your field of vision, said Nathan Klein.

Klein managed to snap a picture Wednesday. He shared it to a community Facebook where dozens of others shared similar experiences.

I think its the way the buildings angled towards the southeast to where the reflection of light and the sun coming over the horizon hits it just the right way, said Klein.

In a statement, American Airlines said, We were recently made aware of the occurrence and will continue to monitor it.

Meanwhile, Klein is filing a complaint with TXDOT and hoping something can be done to remedy the situation so that he and other drivers stay safe.
A former patient of a private Arlington psychiatric facility said she felt like a prisoner while she was held against her will for 11 days and forcibly injected with drugs.

"It was three grown men and one woman restraining me and pulling me and yanking me and telling me that I was going to stay there, Elida Colunga said of her experience at Sundance Behavioral Health hospital.

The hospital was indicted on Thursday and charged with nine counts of illegally and involuntarily holding four patients, including Colunga.

The hospital called the charges unprecedented and said it will vigorously fight them.

Colunga, an office manager from Fort Worth, works full-time and lives a normal life. But she has bipolar disorder, a mental condition that she treats with medicine.

In April, after moving here from Houston, she ran out of her meds and didn't sleep for three days, she said.

She checked herself into JPS Hospital.

"I just went in there to get a refill, she said.

She was soon transferred to Sundance in Arlington.

"They gave me shots, shots that I don't know what they are, she said.

Even though she wasn't a danger to herself or others, Sundance refused to let her leave, she said.

Colunga had no contact with her husband.

She said she asked over and over to leave.

"Every day that I was in there, for 11 days, I asked them to go home, that I am better, she said. "It's an experience I don't want anybody to go through."

Finally, the hospital allowed her to leave on May 11, she said.

She said she's not sure what she'll do the next time she needs to see a doctor.

"I'm afraid, she said. I won't seek help because the way they treated me makes me think like every place is going to be the same way."

JPS spokeswoman J.R. Labbe said she could not discuss a specific case but said the county-owned hospital often transfers psychiatric patients to private facilities like Sundance because of overcrowding.

Colunga said she doesnt have insurance and that Sundance has sent her bills for her treatment.

She said she hasnt opened the envelopes.

"I'm not going to pay, she said. I pay all my bills but this one I'm not going to pay."
Two children from Collin County have been found in Mississippi after being kidnapped.

According to Josephine police, officers were dispatched to the 100 block of W. Hubbard in reference to missing children.

It was reported that an 8-year-old female and an 11-year-old female were missing.

Investigators quickly determined that the two girls had been lured from their home and were being taken to a location in Jackson, Mississippi.

With some assistance from the Collin County Sheriffs Office, a suspect was identified and two felony kidnapping warrants were issued.

33-year-old Crystal Gaylene Edwards of Pearl, Mississippi, was taken into custody shortly after 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17 after being located in Jackson.

Both children were found in Edwards custody upon her arrest, unharmed.

The Mississippi Child Protective Services have taken both girls into their custody and will transport them back home to Texas.

Preliminary investigations revealed that this was not a random kidnapping and there is no danger to the public.

Edwards was an acquaintance known to the girls family but is not related.

She is currently at the Rankin County Jail in Brandon, Mississippi for two counts of kidnapping and one count of sale of narcotics.
A judge has committed a 56-year-old woman to a psychiatric facility after she and her boyfriend told a Texas church where a gunman killed more than two-dozen worshippers that the massacre was a hoax.

The San Antonio Express-News reports that U.S. District Judge Richard Farrer on Tuesday ordered that Jodie Mann be committed to a federal prison for mental health treatment. Court records indicate Mann also goes by the name "Conspiracy Granny."

Mann has already spent some months under mental evaluation after she and Robert Ussery in March confronted the pastor at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, east of San Antonio.

The two face a variety of charges.

Authorities say the man who opened fire at the church last November died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
An international arms trafficker who conspired to transfer surface-to-air missile systems designed to shoot down aircraft to customers in Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and elsewhere faces at least 25 years behind bars when sentenced in Los Angeles in March.

Rami Najm Asad-Ghanem, 52, who was commonly known as Rami Ghanem -- a naturalized United States citizen who was living in Egypt at the time of the offenses -- was found guilty of the missile conspiracy charge Thursday in Los Angeles federal court following a nine-day trial, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that demonstrated he conspired to use Russian-made Igla and Strela surface-to-air missile systems by brokering the services of mercenary missile operators to a militant faction in Libya in 2015.

Among other actions, Ghanem negotiated the salaries and terms of service of the mercenary missile operators, coordinated their payment, facilitated their travel to Libya, and offered them a $50,000 bonus if they were successful in their mission of shooting down airplanes flown by the internationally recognized government of Libya.

"With the wide range of weapons being offered for sale, this case demonstrates the dangers of underground arms trafficking to the international community and to the security of U.S. forces operating abroad," said U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna.

On Oct. 29, Ghanem pleaded guilty to six other federal crimes arising from a variety of arms-trafficking activities, including the unlicensed export of weapons and ammunition, smuggling, money laundering and unlicensed arms brokering.

The investigation into Ghanem started in mid-2014, when a Los Angeles-based supplier of military supplies alerted the U.S. government that it had been solicited to provide equipment to the arms dealer, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Homeland Security Investigations then launched an undercover operation in which Ghanem expressed an interest in purchasing helicopters and fighter jets on behalf of Iranian clients, and Ghanem said he had relationships with Hezbollah in Iraq, prosecutors said.

Over the course of several months in 2015, Ghanem discussed his interest in purchasing numerous weapons, and in August 2015 placed an order for $220,000 worth of sniper rifles, pistols, silencers, laser sights, ammunition, night-vision goggles and other items that were to be shipped to Libya. After making two down payments, Ghanem was arrested on Dec. 8, 2015, in Athens. He was extradited to the United States in April 2016 to face prosecution in the case and has remained in custody without bond since his arrest.

As a result of the guilty verdict on the missile-trafficking charge, Ghanem will face between 25 years and life in federal prison at sentencing March 4.

In October, Ghanem pleaded guilty to attempted exportation of defense articles without a license, smuggling, two counts of money laundering, conspiracy to illegally broker a wide range of weapons and illegal arms brokering.

In relation to those charges, he faces up to 20 years for each of the weapons exportation, arms brokering and money laundering counts. On the smuggling count, Ghanem faces up to 10 years in prison, and on the conspiracy count, he faces a maximum of five years behind bars, prosecutors said.
The three-justice panel from California's 2nd District Court of Appeal found that Shanker Patel's behavior on the day his wife Usha was stabbed to death "strongly supported the inference he was attempting to create an alibi.''

"Although most of the evidence against defendant was circumstantial, it was ample,'' the panel's 43-page ruling says.

Patel was convicted in January 2017 of first-degree murder, and jurors also found true the special circumstance allegation of murder while lying in wait.

His wife was on her way to pick up their 7-year-old daughter from school when she was attacked in the garage of the couple's home on Nov. 19, 1991. The 29-year-old aspiring lawyer's body -- which was bound -- was found in the trunk of her car, which had been driven to a nearby school. Authorities determined that she had suffered more than 20 stab wounds, mostly to the chest and neck area.

A renewed investigation into the cold case in 2010 revealed DNA inside gloves discovered on the front passenger seat of the victim's car, authorities said. That DNA was linked to Miguel Angel Garcia, who subsequently pleaded no contest to first-degree murder and was sentenced in May 2013 to 25 years to life in state prison.

Investigators determined that Patel paid a middleman $7,500 to organize his wife's killing, then provided details for when the hitman should be in the family's home to kill his wife, Deputy District Attorney John Monaghan said after Patel's conviction.

Patel was having an affair before his wife's killing, and his wife was planning to leave him after she passed the California bar exam, according to testimony presented at his trial.

Patel was charged in 2013 with his wife's murder, apprehended in Atlanta and brought back to California to stand trial. He is serving a life prison term without the possibility of parole.
What to Know A coworker shot a man at The China Press in Alhambra.

The motive wasn't clear.

The victim died, and the shooter was taken into custody.

A man was fatally shot Friday at "The China Press" newspaper office in Alhambra, allegedly by a co-worker who was taken into custody.

The crime occurred about 9:30 a.m. at The China Press, 2121 W. Mission Road, said Alhambra police Sgt. Steven Carr.

"This is being investigated as a workplace violence incident,'' Carr said.

The victim, whose name was withheld pending notification of his relatives, died at the scene, Carr said. A handgun was recovered at the scene, Carr said.

Police arrested the accused gunman, Zhong Qi Chen, 56, El Monte, on suspicion of murder with a firearm.

"Preliminary information has confirmed that the victim and the suspect were co-workers,'' Carr said. "However, the investigation into the motive and the specific relationship between the gunman and the victim is ongoing. There are no additional victims and the Alhambra Police Department is not looking for additional suspects.''

The China Press began producing content in simplified Chinese characters in the 1990s, with news focused on what's happening in Mainland China, according to its LinkedIn page. The paper is printed in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, and distributed to "cities with large Chinese population across the nation."
Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in a "fistfight" in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, the kingdom claimed early Saturday, admitting that the writer had been slain at its diplomatic post for the first time. Authorities said 18 Saudi suspects were in custody for his slaying and intelligence officials had been fired.

The overnight announcements in Saudi state media came more than two weeks after Khashoggi, 59, entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul for paperwork required to marry his Turkish fiancee, and never came out. Since his disappearance, the kingdom had rejected Turkish fears he was killed and dismembered there as "baseless," but growing international pressure and comments by U.S. officials up to President Donald Trump appears to have forced the kingdom to acknowledge the slaying.

While it fired officials close to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom stopped short of implicating the heir-apparent of the world's largest oil exporter. King Salman, his father, appointed him to lead a committee that will restructure the kingdom's intelligence services after Khashoggi's slaying. No major decisions in Saudi Arabia are made outside of the ultraconservative kingdom's ruling Al Saud family.

It also offered a far different version of events than those given by Turkish officials, who have said an "assassination squad" from the kingdom including an official from Prince Mohammed's entourage and an "autopsy expert" flew in ahead of time and laid in wait for Khashoggi at the consulate. Beyond its statements attributed to anonymous officials, Saudi Arabia offered no evidence to support its claims.

In a statement Friday night, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the U.S. will closely follow international investigations into Khashoggi's death and will advocate for justice that is "timely, transparent and in accordance with all due process."

Trump meanwhile called the Saudi announcement a "good first step," but said what happened Khashoggi was "unacceptable."

The announcements came in a flurry of statements carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency early Saturday morning.

"Preliminary investigations conducted by the Public Prosecution showed that the suspects had traveled to Istanbul to meet with the citizen Jamal Khashoggi as there were indications of the possibility of his returning back to the country," the statement read, though there's been no indication Khashoggi had immediate plans to return to the kingdom. "Discussions took place with the citizen Jamal Khashoggi during his presence in the consulate of the kingdom in Istanbul by the suspects (that) did not go as required and developed in a negative way, leading to a fistfight. . The brawl led to his death and their attempt to conceal and hide what happened."

The Saudi statements did not identify the 18 Saudis being held by authorities and gave no explanation how 18 people could be involved in one "fistfight." Nor did the statements explain what happened to Khashoggi's body after his death.

"The kingdom expresses its deep regret at the painful developments that have taken place and stresses the commitment of the authorities in the kingdom to bring the facts to the public opinion, to hold all those involved accountable and bring them to justice," the statement said.

The kingdom at the same time announced the firing of four top intelligence officials, including Maj. Gen. Ahmed bin Hassan Assiri, a one-time spokesman for the Saudi military's campaign in Yemen who later became a confidant of Prince Mohammed. Separately fired was Saud Qahtani, a powerful adviser to Prince Mohammed who led Saudi efforts to isolate Qatar amid a boycott of the country by the kingdom and three other Arab nations as part of a political dispute.

On Twitter, where Qahtani had launched vitriolic attacks against those he saw as the kingdom's enemies, he thanked the Saudi government for the "great opportunity they gave me to serve my country all those years"

"I will remain a loyal servant to my country for all times," he wrote.

Assiri had no immediate comment.

On Wednesday, the Turkish pro-government newspaper Yeni Safak, citing what it described as an audio recording of Khashoggi's slaying, said the squad immediately accosted the journalist after he entered the consulate, cutting off his fingers and later decapitating him. On Thursday, a leaked surveillance photo put Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb, a member of Prince Mohammed's entourage on trips to the U.S., France and Spain this year, at the consulate just ahead of Khashoggi's arrival.

Turkish crime scene investigators this week searched the Saudi Consulate building in Istanbul and the nearby residence of the Saudi consul general, and came out carrying bags and boxes. On Friday, investigators questioned staff and explored whether his remains could have been dumped outside Istanbul after his suspected killing, Turkish media and a security official said.

Khashoggi, a prominent journalist and royal court insider for decades in Saudi Arabia, had written columns critical of Prince Mohammed and the kingdom's direction while living in self-imposed exile in the U.S.

Trump has said that the consequences for the Saudis "will have to be very severe" if they are found to have killed him, but has insisted that more facts must be known before making any judgements. He had dispatched U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier this week to both Saudi Arabia and Turkey to speak to officials on the case.

The president has made close ties to the kingdom a priority since taking office. Trump made his first overseas trip as president to Saudi Arabia and has touted his arms sales to the kingdom. Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, responsible for a coming peace proposal for Israel and the Palestinians, also has forged a close relationship with Prince Mohammed.

Trump's previous warnings over the case drew an angry response Sunday from Saudi Arabia and its state-linked media, including a suggestion that Riyadh could wield its oil production as a weapon. The U.S. president wants King Salman and OPEC to boost production to drive down high oil prices, caused in part by the coming re-imposition of oil sanctions on Iran in November.

It's unclear whether the Saudi announcement will be enough to staunch the criticism the kingdom faces from lawmakers in the U.S., its most-crucial ally. California Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, called the Saudi Arabia's claim that Khashoggi was "killed while brawling with a team of more than a dozen dispatched from Saudi Arabia is not credible."

He he was "fighting for his life with people sent to capture or kill him," Schiff said.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who earlier this week said in a televised interview that Prince Mohammed "has got to go," added: "To say that I am skeptical of the new Saudi narrative about Mr. Khashoggi is an understatement."

Human rights groups like Amnesty International separately have been calling for a United Nations investigation into Khashoggi's killing.

"All along we were concerned about a whitewash, or an investigation by the entity suspected of involvement itself," Amnesty's Rawya Rageh said Saturday. "The impartiality of a Saudi investigation would remain in question."
The deputy police chief at Florida International University was arrested Saturday after he allegedly attacked police officers at a Coral Gables bar.

Benjamin Guerrero, 61, was charged with three charges of battery on a law enforcement officer and one charge of disorderly conduct.

According to the Miami Herald, Guerrero was asked to close his tab and leave Hillstone but he refused.

Thats when off-duty Coral Gables police officers working security there asked him to leave. When he refused to leave, an officer grabbed him to escort him out. Thats when he allegedly elbowed the cop.

Guerrero allegedly also cursed at officers during the incident and smelled of alcohol.

FIU released a statement following the incident saying, We are saddened to hear of the arrest of one of our officers last night. FIUPD holds all of our officers to the highest of standards of behavior. We are taking appropriate administrative action regarding this incident.
Heres a recap of NBC6s most talked about and shared stories from this week.

Survivors Complain Broward Funeral Home Company Took Money, Bounced Checks

An investigation is now underway into a man who is allegedly scamming people out of money by way of Riverside Florida Funeral Homes LLC. One woman claims she gave Raymond Shawn Mackey $4,700 in cash when her husband died. A few weeks after the burial, she got a call from the cemetery saying that they never received payments for the gravesite. When NBC6 confronted Mackey, he denied off-camera of ever soliciting, handling or receiving any money on behalf of the funeral business. Watch the full NBC6 Investigation here.

Two widows who spent tens of thousands of dollars with a funeral establishment in Oakland Park say they were shocked to learn checks from that funeral home to cemeteries bounced after their loved ones were buried.

Driver Walks Away After Chaotic Hit-and-Run Crash in Northwest Miami-Dade

A driver got up and walked away after crashing into three parked cars in front of a home in Northwest Miami-Dade. Cameras were rolling at the 2400 block of Northwest 95th Street last Saturday. Thats when a car smashed into another. The driver then got out of the car and calmly walked away. An investigation is now underway. To watch the full video of the dramatic crash, click here.

A hit-and-run that left vehicles damaged in northwest Miami-Dade was caught on camera and now police are trying to find the driver.

Group Aims at Revitalizing CocoWalk With Shops, Luxury Towers

CocoWalk in Coconut Grove was a hub for nightlife in the early 2000s. The mall was demolished three months ago. Now, a group is working to get the heart of the Grove beating again by evolving CocoWalk with more offices and retailers, and even attracting wealthy residents. To read the groups plans for CocoWalk, click here.

NBC 6s Arlene Borenstein has more on what the plans are to revitalize what was once a popular South Florida nightlife destination in the 1990s and 2000s

South Florida Army Veteran Turned Drug Dealer Gets Brazilian Butt Lift

Jorge Hernandez joined the military in the early 2000s. He served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan during his years of service. Hernandez was honorably discharged after being injured. He returned home to South Florida, where he and a fellow war veteran began importing Molly from China. The feds say Hernandez ran one of the largest Molly drug rings in Miami history. Now hes looking to get a fresh new start with a Brazilian butt lift. For the full NBC6 Investigation, click here.

This Army veteran turned drug dealer whose life story reads like a movie script took a dramatic step to reinvent himself. Myriam Masihy reports.

Here Are The Best Places to Shop on Black Friday: Report

Thanksgiving is coming up, which means Americas favorite shopping tradition, Black Friday, is right around the corner. But with many shoppers turning to the internet to secure the best deals, the landscape of Black Friday shopping is changing, and its not always clear where the best discounts are available. WalletHub ran a study analyzing 35 of the biggest U.S. dealers. For the best Black Friday deals, click here.
More than 3 million Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving this year, according to recent study, and 83 percent of hosts plan on prepping the entire Thanksgiving feast with no help. If cooking a homemade feast isnt your ideal way of giving thanks, there are several NYC restaurants that are offering a full Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings for you and your family.

Virgils Real BBQ

Times Square

This Times Square restaurant includes an 18-pound smoked turkey with sides like sausage and pecan stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cornbread, sweet potatoes, candied Brussel sprouts and more. The meal serves eight people and will be offered for $249.99. The restaurant will also offer a selection of desserts, like apple, pecan and pumpkin pie.

DaDong

Midtown

Head to DaDong for a Chinese inspired Thanksgiving. The restaurant will offer three special menus at different price points that can accommodate groups of two to eight. All three menus feature roasted duck and pumpkin soup. The menus include items like champagne glazed vine tomatoes, egg custards, and king crab. See their full menu here.

Green Fig

Hell's Kitchen

For $49 a person, guests can enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with a Mediterranean twist. The menu features pumpkin soup, short rib with apple or cinnamon gravy, turkey, osso buco with mushroom couscous and pork chops, among other things. Save room for dessert, like pumpkin cheesecake and Green Figs signature Morrocan donuts.

Carmines

Midtown

Put an Italian twist on your Thanksgiving feast with dine-in and take-out options. The restaurant will serve an 18 pound roasted turkey stuffed with sausage and sage stuffing, along with classic sides like sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows and mashed potatoes with giblet gravy. Carmines Thanksgiving meal serves six to eight people and will be offered at both NYC locations for $274.95, as well as take-out for $259.95.

Akrotiri

Astoria

New Yorkers looking to escape the chaos of the city can head to Astoria for a Mediterranean-inspired three-course Thanksgiving meal for $49 per person. Guests can choose from butternut bisque, Greek salad, or salmon carpaccio salad for starters. Main course options include turkey with buttermilk mashed potatoes or roasted pork leg with lemon potatoes. Dessert includes a traditional Baklava or pumpkin pie.

Good Enough to Eat

Upper West Side

The all-American restaurant offers a fixed menu for dine-in and takeout. Their starters include a tomato basil soup and apple stuffing. Their main course includes a turkey and sides like maple orange mashed potatoes and roasted Brussel sprouts. For dessert, the restaurant is offering their signature homemade pumpkin, pecan, chocolate pecan, or cranberry pies. The meal is priced at $59 per person for adults, and $29.50 for children under 12.

The Flying Fisherman

Upper West Side

Get your seafood fix and begin your meal with starters like Manhattan smoked trout chowder with toasted chestnuts. As a main course, guests can choose between four options: turkey with cranberry Brussels sprouts, grilled branzino served with honey roasted carrots, braised short ribs with four-cheese polenta, or pumpkin risotto with creme fraiche. Finish it off with a select choice of pies. The complete meal is $39 per person and $19 per person for children under 12.

Leuca at The William Vale

Brooklyn

Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner with a breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline. The William Vale restaurant features a four-course menu for $95 a person and $40 for children 12 and under. Notable dishes include roasted turkey topped with a cranberry mostarda, smoked beets with pistachio and a ricotta salata and apple crostata topped with a pine nut gelato.

Kingside

Midtown

Head to Kingside, located in the Viceroy Central Park, for a decadent meal including sweet potato soup, roasted turkey, acorn squash lasagnette and pumpkin cheesecake mouse.

Irvington

Gramercy Park

Enjoy your Thanksgiving meal in the heart of Union Square at Irvington. The menu includes dishes such as acorn squash lasagnette and rotisserie turkey as a main, and pumpkin cheesecake mousse for dessert.

Beauty & Essex

Lower East Side

Beauty & Essex, the LES pawn shop restaurant filled with vintage treasures, will be serving delectable offerings for Thanksgiving including sweet potato tortellini, clementine and rosemary spiked cranberry sauce and butternut squash pierogi.

The Ribbon Uptown

Upper West Side

Located in the Upper West Side, The Ribbons industrial decor is the uptown local joint with a global feel. The restaurant will feature a thanksgiving dinner with roasted butternut squash quinoa to start, rotisserie turkey and apple donuts for dessert.

Hudsons

Hell's Kitchen

Experience Thanksgiving on a boat overlooking the Hudson River. If youve got dinner plans already, head to the seaport for lunch where guests can experience a Thanksgiving buffet featuring sliced shoulder tenderloin and rum raisin glazed smoked ham. For dinner, the boat will be serving pumpkin risotto to start, turkey and short rib as a main plate, and pumpkin cheesecake for dessert.

Woodpecker

Midtown

For $65 a person, guests can enjoy a three-course pre-fixe meal from Woodpecker by David Burke. Appetizers include pumpkin bisque, baked goat cheese gnocchi or acorn squash salad, and entrees include woodfired turkey, slow baked salmon or autumn risotto. Sides will be served a la carte, and include savory bread pudding and maple whipped sweet potato with brown butter.
What to Know In 2014, Congress mandated that the VA create a burn pit registry.

More than 157,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have reported symptoms on the voluntary registry.

More than 9,600 vets have submitted claims for illnesses they blame on burn pits, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

In the middle of the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan, garbage disposal on American military bases was historically a simple thing.

"Anything and everything burned in a burn pit  from mail to dead animals to anything," Ryan Conklin, a former soldier, says.

Asbestos and other chemicals? Yes, retired Army Lt. Col. Dan Brewer, says.

Medical waste? Yes again, according to a doctor now researching the effects of burn pit dust.

"It was always burning, always black smoke coming of there," another veteran, Michael Ray, says.

Several former soldiers and medical doctors spoke to NBC10 Investigators about their experiences with burn pits: large holes dug by crews who then filled the pits with trash and lit them on fire with jet fuel. For many soldiers deployed to the desert and living on bases adjacent to the debris disposal, the billowing black smoke was just part of their daily life.

Some now say exposure to these pits has adversely affected their long term health. And thousands of soldiers who served overseas have now submitted claims that blame burn pits for chronic illnesses.

Toby Bryant served in Vietnam. Her daughter, Melissa Bryant, served in the Middle East. The two sat down with NBC10 to share their incredible stories that only two generations of a military family can have. The younger Bryant is currently a leading advocate for veterans who may be suffering from exposure to burn pits, which once were prevalent on bases...

A spokesman for the Department of Veterans Affairs said in a statement, "VA doctors treat all manner of Veterans health issues and the department continually looks at medical research and follows trends related to medical conditions affecting Veterans."

Army National Guard officer Cindy Aman is one of the former soldiers who remembers the smoke, the smell, the coughing.

She served in Iraq in the early 2000s. Once she returned home to Delaware, she began to notice new symptoms: shortness of breath, fatigue. More than two years later, she was diagnosed with an incurable lung disease called constrictive bronchiolitis.

She blames it on her near-constant exposure to burn pits, and told NBC10 that her fight for care has been "the longest journey ever."

Aman is among more than 9,600 vets who have submitted claims for illnesses they blame on burn pits, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Less than a quarter of them have, like Aman, have had their claims granted as of Aug. 30, 2018, the VA said.

Thousands of American military veterans have come back from service in the Middle East the last two decades with respiratory problems, possibly related to the use of burn pits, according to veterans and researchers. A spokesman for the Department of Veterans Affairs said, VA doctors treat all manner of Veterans health issues and the department continually looks at medical research...

In 2014, Congress mandated that the VA create a burn pit registry. So far, more than 157,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have reported symptoms on the voluntary registry. But the VA still says it isnt ready to place all blame on the pits.

There are still questions that we dont have good answers for, Dr. Drew Helmer, director of the Army-Related Illness and Injury Study Center for the VA in East Orange, New Jersey.

But Aman thinks the clock is ticking on veterans health.

Theyre saying its, you know, the new Agent Orange," she said, referring to an herbicide used during the Vietnam War to clear jungles that has since been linked to leukemia, lymphoma, and cancer in exposed veterans.

"Agent Orange took 35 years to have recognition," Aman said. "Here we dont  Im not waiting 35 years. God, we have veterans that are too sick to wait for 35 years. Thats not fair."

Melissa Bryant, who works with the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Association, said her group is pushing a bill called the Burn Pit Accountability Act  legislation that would hold the Department of Defense accountable for the health of its service members before they leave the military.

Never before has the DoD looked to be accountable for the toxic exposures that we face, said Bryant. Were already 17 years into this. So somethings gotta give.

The VA said in a statement from a spokesman that every claim is "will be adjudicated using the latest scientific and medical evidence available."

"VA has granted service connection for various ailments associated with burn pits, and does so on an individual, case-by-case basis after review of a Veterans case," department spokesman Rick Fox said.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

The Veterans Affairs Department's Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry is available online at https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/registry.asp

Two veterans' advocacy groups are also working to raise awareness and on behalf of vets: Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran of America and BurnPits360.

Former Army soldier Ryan Conklin sums up how his base in the Middle East disposed of all its garbage: Pretty much everything we have that we have to get rid of, we burn. That tactic is now being exposed as a possible cause to thousands of veterans illnesses. A spokesman for the Department of Veterans Affairs said, VA doctors treat...
What to Know The Chester County DA was apparently responding to a speech by Krasner, in which the Philly DA slighted the state DA's association.

It's the first time since 2008 that a district attorney in the state left the Pennsylvania District Attorney's Association.

A spokesman for Krasner said the DA invites Hogan to debate criminal justice policy in public.

A district attorney in suburban Philadelphia called out the city's district attorney, Larry Krasner, on Friday for acting "like he cares more about criminals than their victims" in an apparent retort to a speech Krasner gave earlier in the day.

Chester County DA Thomas Hogan also side-swiped the entire city in a message posted on Facebook, warning "counties outside of Philadelphia" not to let "this blight spread, unless you want to end up like today's Philadelphia, riddled with violence and lawlessness."

Hogan's incendiary post apparently came as a response to a speech by Krasner in which the progressive former defense attorney-turned-prosecutor told an audience he was taking his office out of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys' Association.

Krasner, who took office in January with no experience as a prosecutor, said in a speech at the University of Pennsylvania that the PDAA represents "the voice of the past," according to a story posted to Philly.com.

He was apparently referring to longheld criminal justice policies in Pennsylvania that has led to a large increase in the state's prison population in recent decades.

"They have been claiming that Philadelphia supports this absolute nonsense, this throwback set of policies, and we do not," Krasner said at an "Innovation in Prosecution" conference, Philly.com reported.

Richard Long, executive director of the PDAA, it's the first time since 2008 that a district attorney in the state left the association. At that time, the DA in Montour County left over an issue he too had with the association, Long said.

But that DA eventually returned. Until now, all 67 county DAs were members, along with another 1,100 prosecutors in district attorney's offices across the state.

"We are disappointed, but not surprised. Since his election, Mr. Krasner has made it very clear that he would rather use the PDAA as a political strawman than engage Pennsylvanias 66 other District Attorneys of both parties in a productive conversation," Long said in an email. "He would rather distort our positions than meaningfully engage to further the interests of justice. When given the opportunity to raise his issues and present his ideas, he sat silent."

Krasner has bucked many traditional institutions in his short tenure as chief prosecutor of the fifth-largest city in the country, including the Philadelphia Police Department's Fraternal Order of Police union and the very institution that he now leads.

"To the good citizens of Philadelphia and the hardworking members of Philly PD  Courage! You have a District Attorney who acts like he cares more about criminals than their victims. But rest assured, there are places in Pennsylvania where we protect victims, punish criminals fairly, and respect our police," Hogan said in the Facebook post. "Chester County is one of those places. And I can tell that the folks from Philly agree, because they keep moving here to work and raise families in safety."

A spokesman for Krasner said the DA invites Hogan to debate criminal justice policy in public any time.

"We just have a very different philosophy and so it was the right decision at this time," Krasner's spokesman, Ben Waxman, said of leaving the PDAA.
Four people were arrested near Philadelphia's National Constitution Center Saturday afternoon after a gathering of ring-wing groups turned violent, police said.

Multiple fights broke out throughout the day between demonstrators and counter-protesters. A police captain was attacked during one of the scuffles and taken to Hahnemaan University Hospital, according to law enforcement officials. A 23-year-old man was arrested for that assault.

Two others, a 26-year-old man and a 35-year-old man, were arrested for failing to disperse. A 31-year-old woman was arrested for disorderly conduct, police said.

Blood dotted the sidewalk as protesters from both sides disbanded.

The rally was held near the Independence Visitor Center on 5th and 6th streets. While the "We the People" demonstration was not advertised as a gathering of so-called alt-right demonstrators, several members of the Proud Boys, a white supremacist group, were said to be in attendance.

A contingent of counter protesters bearing signs denouncing fascism and racism steadily grew, with skirmishes growing increasingly tense.
Police are looking for a gunman who shot three men while they sat in their car on an I-76 off-ramp in South Philadelphia early Saturday morning, fatally wounding one.

The three men were on the Passayunk Avenue off-ramp when someone opened fire and struck the three of them. One of the victims, a 28-year-old passenger, was hit multiple times and died of his injuries, the Philadelphia Police Department said.

The other victims were a 31-year-old driver and a 25-year-old who was sitting in the backseat at the time of the gunfire.

Police do not yet have a motive for the shooting.
At a fabrication site in Otay Mesa, one can see miles of barbed wire, rows of concrete roadblocks and countless bundles of rebar.

Together, the pieces will form reinforced barriers that Marines who have deployed to the border have been using to block lanes at the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa ports of entry.

More than 1,100 Marines have been deployed to assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection with Operation Secure line, a border hardening mission meant to prepare the areas infrastructure for the arrival of thousands of people among the migrant caravan seeking asylum in the United States.

Thousands more troops from other branches have also deployed to the border to assist in other ways. For example, Army Military Police are there to protect the Marines who are not armed and are prohibited from enforcing the law. The Department of Defense insisted last week that the troops were sent there to help CBP and nothing else.

Analysts and the Pentagon estimate that the entire deployment operation could cost $200 million, maybe more, leaving some Americans to wonder if its a justifiable use of taxpayer money.

As far as that question is concerned, I am not designed or able to answer that question because its not my place. My place is not to think about fiscal restraint, thats for Congress. Weve been asked to do a job and thats what were here to do," Army Captain Guster Cunningham said.

CBP said the Marines' specific duties include installing barbed wire to make walls less scalable, and reinforcing construction areas so that people could not cross into them.

Another example of their work can be seen along the stretch of the border fence that separates Border Field State Park and Playas De Tijuana, Mexico.

Coils of concertina wire were strung along the top of the fence to deter caravan members who had climbed to the top of it to get a better look at their final destination.

In October, President Donald Trump threatened to close the southern border to address the caravan if the situation worsened. Since the arrival of the first troops at the border, CBP has acknowledged that option is still on the table.

CBP said it expects the waves of migrants in the most recent caravan to total more than 4,000 people.
A juvenile has been arrested in the killing of Makiyah Wilson, the 10-year-old girl who was gunned down while heading to an ice cream truck in Northeast D.C. this summer, police say.

Marquell Cobbs, 16, of Northwest D.C. is the fifth person to be arrested in Wilson's death. He is charged as an adult with first-degree murder while armed.

School resource officers and members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested him Friday.

Wilson was killed on July 16 after four men jumped out of a car and opened fire on a group of people outside on a hot summer night.

The little girl, who had recently finished fourth grade, was heading to an ice cream truck when the shooters fired on the 300 block of 53rd Street NE.

The fourth arrest was made Thursday morning and came one day after three other suspects in the case appeared in court.

Mark Tee Price, 24, was charged with premeditated first-degree murder while armed. Police said Price was already in DC Jail when he was charged in the murder.

Also charged in the case are Gregory Taylor, who was arrested last month, and Quentin Michals and Qujuan Thomas, who were taken into custody in August.

Juveniles Shot in DC in 2018

The victims include a 10-year-old girl who was killed and a 3-year-old boy who was hurt.

In court Wednesday, prosecutors said Michals was the ringleader, organizing the shooting because of a beef he had with someone in Wilson's neighborhood.

Michals, Taylor and Thomas were ordered to remain in jail after a judge found that there was strong enough evidence, including text messages, to keep them there.

In one of the text messages, Thomas told Michals that he was going to bring a "100 Roun." Police believe they were talking about one of the weapons that was used in the shooting.

The night that Wilson was killed, the gunmen fired more than 60 shots, got back into an Infiniti sedan and sped off.

The little girl's family tried to save her, but she died.

Four other people, including Wilson's 18-year-old sister, were shot and wounded.
The Chinese company that manufactures some of electric scooter company Limes scooters is pushing back on claims that its model is behind the global recall of scooters that Lime announced this week.

News4 reported Monday that Lime would remove all scooters in its fleet made by Okai Vehicles because of reports that they could fall apart or break during use.

We are actively looking into reports that scooters manufactured by Okai may break and are working cooperatively with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the relevant agencies internationally to get to the bottom of this, Lime said in a statement.

But Okai is now lawyering up to challenge Limes claims.

We consider these statements being arbitrary and groundless, the company said in a statement to News4. We do not believe our scooters can have cracks in the baseboard within days of being placed into use.

Okai representatives said Lime never contacted Okai about issues with broken scooters or challenged its quality testing protocol.

According to Okai, the company supplied Lime with a total of 32,000 scooters in five orders, and conducted testing of more than 70 aspects of the scooters, in 15 categories, including a pressure test on the baseboard of scooters. Okai said it supplied the test results to Lime before delivering the scooters.

Okai claims the baseboards passed this static pressure test and passed the stress test on barriers like ladders and road curbs. That stress test included a simulation of rugged and uneven roads while carrying a 100 kilogram load at a speed of 15 kilometers per hour.

The testing reports were accepted by Lime representative, before Lime took delivery from Okai, the company said.

Instead, the company says the broken scooters were produced by other manufacturers.

Obviously, Lime has other suppliers, whose scooters broke, Okai said. We do not understand why Lime made statements on itself and to the media that the broken scooters were made by Okai, without even mentioning any other suppliers.

In photographs provided to News4, the company highlighted design differences between the Lime scooter photographed in a Washington Post article and the scooters Okai photographed before sending to Lime.

The Posts photo shows a scooter with two front-facing lights and three screws where the baseboard meets the vertical frame, while Okais photo shows a scooter with a single, large light bulb and two screws.

Still, the company acknowledged that the scooter is not meant to sustain extreme abuse and vandalism.

It is the operators responsibility to ensure proper and prompt management and maintenance of the scooters it puts into the co-sharing market, Okai said.
A mother searching for her son, a husband who lost his wife to a stroke two months ago, two roommates just trying to survive  all victims of Californias deadliest and most destructive wildfire, all living in their cars in the Chico Neighborhood Church parking lot because they want to be near the only thing they have left  their dogs.

None of them know whats going to happen next.

Jean Eisenbarth escaped with Sweeney, her 8-year-old Great Pyrenees and her turtle, Kelly Winslow and Tim Joyner evacuated with their dogs Hazel, Moose, March, Delbert, and their two rats, Jay Raynor drove off with his yellow lab Gus, leaving behind homes in Paradise and the neighboring city of Magalia as a wildfire tore them apart, turning everything into ash within hours.

This is their story.

Gary Brand, Jean Eisenbarth, Jay Raynor, Kelly Winslow and Tim Joyner  they're evacuees, survivors and residents of Paradise. We came across them in the parking lot of The Neighborhood Church and a makeshift donation center in Chico, California where they are now living. They lost everything in the Camp Fire  California's deadliest and most destructive wildfire  but they won't give up hope. Video: Jennifer Gonzalez, Riya Bhattacharjee

____________

I Feel Like Ive Been in a War

Jean Eisenbarth, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 12:55 p.m., Chico Neighborhood Church parking lot

How did you escape the night of the wildfires?

My name is Jean Eisenbarth and this is my dog Sweeney  so if anybody sees us were okay. Were from Shadowbrook Apartments in Paradise behind the DMV off of Clark. From what I hear, a lot of the apartments burned, some still are standing. There was a lot of explosions going on  it was like a battlefield, but we made it down here and theres been a lot of donations and a lot of help. People are very kind but it was very scary. I didnt think I was gonna make it out. I was one of the last ones in my family to make it out and I feel like Ive been through a war. Everybody else here has gone through the same thing so I feel like Im in the right place and hoping that we can go up and see our place sometime soon to see what we can salvage, and its just awful.

Who helped you get out of Paradise?

"It was an old man and he was just walking in the neighborhood and I opened the door and I go, 'how do you get out of here,' and he goes, It looks like everybodys lost. And I said, We are, and he didnt even ask me to get in the car. He said, Go to the stop sign, make a left and youll hit Skyway. But he didnt panic or nothing. I dont know if I would have made it out if he wouldnt have told me how to get out of there. I dont know who he was and he didnt seem scared, I think he was an angel, I honestly do."[[500740772, R]]

Did you get any warning from anybody, or the city or anything like that?

"They were coming to warn us, but not beforehand. I didnt get any warning through phone or anything."

"When I woke up in the morning the sky was orange and I told my friend that was staying with me, 'Pete, I think theres a fire,' and he goes 'No, I think it was just a weird overcast.' And then we started hearing the explosions and then it got to midnight, totally dark. I had one candle and the reason I stayed so long was I was trying to catch my cats, they were scared. So I saw the police go into the other apartment complex so I ran out there and the cop car came up and I asked do we need to leave and he says, 'Oh my God, yes.'" [[500648812, C]]

____________

Well starve, the Dogs Wont

Kelly Winslow, Tim Joyner, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 1:30 p.m., Chico Neighborhood Church parking lot

Where are you guys from?

TJ: "Were from Magalia, and upper Magalia  right now were kind of in a flux because the fires are getting to that point so were kind of waiting for news you know day by day."

Are you staying here are all night?

TJ: "Yeah we have been safe here. Im finding that people are putting aside their differences and just coming together, I think thats what is happening. Its incredible. Everyones in the same boat."

But you dont know if the fires reached your house or whats going on?

TJ: "Were getting the same information everyone is online. I just found out by accident on Google. But we dont really know  Were just two roommates trying to survive."

Who are your other roommates?

TJ: "This is Hazel, this is Moose, March is on the floor, and Delbert, and two rats. I got them covered very well so theyre warm."

What are they eating?

TJ: "We have dog food, the dogs are eating well. Well starve, the dogs wont. Were realizing that this is going to be a long ordeal."

So whats next?

"If you dont own your home and are renting like we are, youll really have no other recourse than to go after the company. That company no longer has a home itself. So now you have to go try to find them. Actually we got a letter from our realtor and she said that its gonna be a while so "

Its gonna be a while before the electricity goes back up there. So even when we do go up there were gonna have to have everything in place cause were gonna have to have food, gas, water. Its like camping in your own home. Were gonna get a little propane thing, were already thinking ahead."

____________

Mothers Intuition

We came across a Paradise evacuee in the parking lot of The Neighborhood Community Church who didnt want to go on camera or be identified. She was emotional as she told us she was searching for her son. Nobodys seen him since two days before the fire, he was in a homeless camp in the woods. Its devastating to see  If it hadnt been for our neighbor who begged my husband and I to leave, we wouldnt have left. So bless Virginia for saving us. We didnt take anything  our computer or our meds. But its just things. At least we got out alive.

Before we left she added:



Just pray that they find my son, I'm hoping that hes not dead, when you are a mother you have that mothers intuition, and I cant feel him, she said. The miracle out of this is that we have come together as one.

The deadliest and most destructive wildfire in recorded California history has been burning for about one week  this is whats left of the town of Paradise.

____________

Everythings gone but I got my car ... and my dog

Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area

Jim Raynow, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 1:45 p.m., Chico Neighborhood Church parking lot

JR: "What do you wanna know?"

Just your story, how you got here, how things are going.

JR: "Long story."

Are you from Paradise?

JR: "No Im from Magalia. I lost my wife two months ago to a stroke and two months later I lose my house so Im here."

When did you get here?

JR: "Thursday."

And you know for sure that your house is gone?

JR: "Well yeah my neighbor, it was kind of weird, he found me here about an hour ago and how he found me was that he was watching the news and saw me behind a reporter. I havent seen him since last Thursday but he tracked me down. He had a friend of his take a picture of his house from the street and its burned to the ground. Im right next to it and at the edge you can see that my house is gone. Everythings gone but I got my car."

Is that your dog? Whats his name?

JR: "Gus! Its our dog, my wifes baby. Hes 14 years old and he lost his mommy so were living in our car  it sucks. Hes got the backseat and I got the front. Its funny I know everybody says that, it is what it is."

Do they have shelters inside?

JR: "Theyre full. I got here Thursday and they were full. But I cant have a dog. They do a good job, I got brand new clothes from these people it was amazing. Showers."

How long have you lived in Magalia?

JR: "Twenty-five years, I like it. Im like in limbo. Its like gravity and space, Im in between."[[500649981, C]]

____________

We Lost Everything

Gary Brand, Nov. 13, 3.32 p.m., Chico Neighborhood Church parking lot

Where did you live in Paradise?

"34 Wayland Road, Space #12. Lived there for 47 years."

Can you tell us how you escaped?

We just got out of there the best way we could. We lost everything. Im coping the best I can but my wife aint. She lost her Chihuahua. He got so scared he went under the couch and would not come out and the officers told us we had to leave, now, so we left.[[500647531, C]]

____________

Burned out of Paradise

Burned out of Paradise - Chris Hughes, born and brought up in the city of Paradise, Calif., has no home left after the #CampFire. But hes not giving up hope. #ParadiseStrong pic.twitter.com/FxFvdn03qm  Riya (@loislane28) November 13, 2018

Chris Hughes, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 3:59 p.m., Burrito Bandito, Chico

What Happened?

"Burned out of Paradise, born and raised there  Feather River Hospital  went to high school there, and drove around those streets, and its all gone. I really dont know what to think about it. Just taking it a day at a time. Three dogs crammed into a car, trying to make life work."

How are they doing?

"Theyre coping, but theyre all a little stressed out. Its a crazy situation right now. Everybodys a little dazed. But yeah, trying to stay focused."

____________

Waiting For FEMA

Terry Black, Nov. 13, 6 p.m., Wal-Mart Parking Lot, Chico

How long have you been here?

Weve been here about four days, I cant remember anymore. It was like a movie at first, like you see people panicking on TV all over town, thats how it was. The sky was red, and then I heard a boom!"

How long do you think youll be here for?

"We dont know yet, we are waiting for FEMA."[[500648202, C]]

____________

Paradise Destroyed: Camp Fire Leaves Small California Town in Ashes
A load of space station supplies rocketed into orbit from Virginia on Saturday, the second shipment in two days.

Northrop Grumman launched its Antares rocket from Wallops Island before dawn, delighting chilly early-bird observers along the Atlantic coast. The Russian Space Agency launched its own load of supplies to the International Space Station on Friday, just 15 hours earlier.

PHOTOS: Space Station Supplies Launched From Wallops Island, Virginia

The U.S. delivery will arrive at the orbiting lab Monday, a day after the Russian shipment. Among the 7,400 pounds of goods inside the Cygnus capsule: ice cream and fresh fruit for the three space station residents, and a 3D printer that recycles old plastic into new parts.

Thanksgiving turkey dinners  rehydratable, of course  are already aboard the 250-mile-high outpost. The space station is currently home to an American, German and Russian.

The launch was originally scheduled for Thursday but was rescheduled due to bad weather. NASA officials said conditions Saturday were clear, and a bright light from the launch could be seen as far away as D.C.

It's a crystal clear night here in Virginia. In just 30 minutes, Cygnus will launch from Pad-0A, seemingly joining the thousands of stars visible in tonight's night sky  Watch the launch live: https://t.co/QmpTC85QY3. pic.twitter.com/wG9tY3gYnc  NASA Wallops (@NASA_Wallops) November 17, 2018

There's another big event coming up, up there: The space station marks its 20th year in orbit on Tuesday. The first section launched on Nov. 20, 1998, from Kazakhstan.

This Cygnus, or Swan, is named the S.S. John Young to honor the legendary astronaut who walked on the moon and commanded the first space shuttle flight. He died in January.

It is the first commercial cargo ship to bear Northrop Grumman's name. Northrop Grumman acquired Orbital ATK in June. SpaceX is NASA's other commercial shipper for the space station.

Experiments also are going up to observe how cement solidifies in weightlessness, among other things. There's also medical, spacesuit and other equipment to replace items that never made it to orbit last month because of a Russian rocket failure; the two men who were riding the rocket survived their emergency landing. Three other astronauts are set to launch from Kazakhstan on Dec. 3.
What to Know Cultivate in Leicester and New England Treatment Access in Northampton will begin recreational pot sales on Nov. 20.

The recreational use and sale of marijuana, for adults 21 and older, was legalized in Mass. by a ballot initiative just over two years ago.

Industry leaders have projected sales of $1.8-$5 billion annually, according to the Associated Press.

Two marijuana stores in Massachusetts were given the green light Friday to begin selling to recreational customers next week, making them the first commercial pot shops in the eastern United States.

Both stores, one located in Northampton and the other in Leicester, said they would open Tuesday morning after the Cannabis Control Commission, the state's marijuana regulatory agency, authorized them to begin operations in three calendar days.

The announcement ends a long wait for commercial sales to begin in Massachusetts. The state's voters legalized the use of recreational marijuana by adults 21 and older in 2016, but it's taken more than two years for state legislators and regulators to reach the point where the first stores can finally open.

The target date for retail sales had been July 1.

The "commence operations" notice from regulators requires the stores to wait three days before opening so they can coordinate with local officials and law enforcement. The openings are expected to draw big crowds, based on the experiences of other legal U.S. states and Canada when they first launched recreational sales.

The Northampton store, operated by New England Treatment Access, said it would open for recreational sales at 8 a.m. on Tuesday.

"We have nearly 200 products available. I dont think running out is going to be a concern of ours," said Kim Napoli of New England Treatment Access.

Cultivate Holdings, which operates the Leicester store, said its doors would open at 10 a.m. the same day.

"This signal to open retail marijuana establishments marks a major milestone for voters who approved legal, adult-use cannabis in our state," said Steven Hoffman, chairman of the cannabis panel, in a statement. "To get here, licensees underwent thorough background checks, passed multiple inspections and had their products tested, all to ensure public health and safety as this new industry gets up and running."

Legal marijuana advocates, who had complained about the slow pace of regulatory approvals in the state, cheered the news Friday.

"We can rightfully squawk about state delays and problematic local opposition, but the fact remains that we're the first state east of the Mississippi to offer legal, tested cannabis to adult consumers in safe retail settings," said Jim Borghesani, a spokesman for the group that led the ballot question to legalize recreational pot.

Borghesani called it a "historic distinction" for Massachusetts.

Marijuana enthusiast Marielle Fisher from Boston Architectural College said she has been waiting for this day since the drug became legal two years ago.

"Probably the number one thing that helps get us through especially with a degree like architecture," said Fisher.

Recreational marijuana is currently sold in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, California and Nevada. Maine voters also approved a legalization question in 2016, but stores in that state are not expected to open until next year at the earliest.

The first Massachusetts stores are in the central and western part of the state, but there are currently no stores approved to open in the greater Boston area. That means that, for now, more than half of the state's population will not have easy access to recreational marijuana.

Many cities and towns in Massachusetts have resisted cannabis businesses, with some imposing outright bans and others making it difficult through zoning restrictions or other conditions.

The stores opening next week currently operate as medical marijuana dispensaries and have pledged to continue serving their registered patients.

New England Treatment Access "looks forward to providing legal marijuana to our customers, but we want our patients to know that we will never waver from our commitment to them and their needs," said Norton Albaraez, a spokesman for the company.

The store has a separate area for medical marijuana patients, and they will not have to wait in the same lines with recreational customers to enter the facility.

The company has already had ongoing discussions with local officials about traffic, parking and other public safety issues and is confident of a smooth opening, Albaraez added.
President Donald Trump said there is no reason for him to listen to a recording of the "very violent, very vicious" killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which has put him in a diplomatic bind: how to admonish Riyadh for the slaying yet maintain strong ties with a close ally.

Trump, in an interview that aired Sunday, made clear that the audio recording, supplied by the Turkish government, would not affect his response to the Oct. 2 killing of Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post who had been critical of the Saudi royal family.

"It's a suffering tape, it's a terrible tape. I've been fully briefed on it, there's no reason for me to hear it," Trump said in the interview with "Fox News Sunday." ''I know everything that went on in the tape without having to hear it."

On Saturday, Trump said his administration will "be having a very full report over the next two days, probably Monday or Tuesday." He said the report will include "who did it." It was unclear if the report would be made public.

American intelligence agencies have concluded that the crown prince ordered the killing in the Saudi Consulate in Turkey, according to a U.S. official familiar with the assessment. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Others familiar with the case caution that while it's likely the crown prince was involved in the death, there continue to be questions about what role he played.

Trump noted to "Fox News Sunday" that the crown prince has repeatedly denied being involved in the killing inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

"Will anybody really know?" Trump asked. "At the same time, we do have an ally, and I want to stick with an ally that in many ways has been very good."

A Republican member of the Senate intelligence committee said that so far, there is no "smoking gun" linking the crown prince to the killing. Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, who has received a confidential intelligence briefing on the matter, told ABC that "it's hard to imagine" that the crown prince didn't know about the killing, but he said, "I don't know that we absolutely know that yet."

He said that Congress will await the Trump administration's report in the next two days and that the U.S. will need to be clear about the ramifications of sanctions, given Saudi Arabia's strategic role in the Middle East.

For his part, Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, said the crown prince has been a "wrecking ball" in the relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.

"I hate to say that because I had a lot of hope for him being the reformer that Saudi Arabia needs, but that ship has sailed as far as Lindsey Graham's concerned," the South Carolina Republican told NBC's "Meet the Press."

"I have no intention of working with him ever again," said Graham, who is in line to be the next chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Intelligence officials have been providing information to Trump for weeks about the death, and he was briefed again by phone Saturday by CIA Director Gina Haspel and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as he flew to California. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders provided no details of his call but said the president has confidence in the CIA.

"The United States government is determined to hold all those responsible for the killing of Jamal Khashoggi accountable," the State Department said in a statement. "Recent reports indicating that the U.S. government has made a final conclusion are inaccurate. There remain numerous unanswered questions with respect to the murder of Mr. Khashoggi."

The statement added: "The U.S. government has taken decisive measures against the individuals responsible, including visa and sanctions actions. We will continue to explore additional measures to hold those accountable who planned, led and were connected to the murder. And, we will do that while maintaining the important strategic relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia."

Before his call on Air Force One, Trump told reporters that when it came to the crown prince, "as of this moment we were told that he did not play a role. We're going to have to find out what they have to say." That echoed remarks by national security adviser John Bolton, who said earlier this week that people who have listened to an audio recording of the killing do not think it implicates the crown prince.

Trump has called the killing a botched operation that was carried out very poorly and has said "the cover-up was one of the worst cover-ups in the history of cover-ups."

But he has resisted calls to cut off arms sales to the kingdom and has been reluctant to antagonize the Saudi rulers. Trump considers the Saudis vital allies in his Mideast agenda.

But members of Congress are pushing Trump for a tougher response to the killing. The administration this past week penalized 17 Saudi officials for their alleged role in the killing, but American lawmakers have called on the administration to curtail arms sales to Saudi Arabia or take other harsher punitive measures.

Turkish and Saudi authorities say Khashoggi, a Saudi who lived in the United States, was killed inside the consulate by a team from the kingdom after he went there to get marriage documents.
State police are investigating an inmate death at the Maine State Prison.

Officials say 50-year-old Christopher Nault of Farmington died Friday morning. Maine Corrections Commissioner Joseph Fitzpatrick declined to provide details until an investigation is complete.

Nault was serving a two-year sentence for violating his probation. He was originally detained on lesser charges including driving under the influence.

The investigation is being conducted by state police and the state medical examiner's office. An autopsy was performed Friday but results weren't released.
Police have charged a man they say left his 4-year-old daughter locked inside his car for more than half an hour while he was inside a Rhode Island casino.

Jose Funes, of Cumberland, faces a charge of child neglect.

Lincoln police responded to the Twin River Casino last weekend after security personnel found the girl crying inside a car in the parking lot.

They opened the car and cared for the girl.

They estimate she was in the car for 30 to 40 minutes when the temperature outside was 36 degrees.

Police say when they found the 27-year-old Funes inside the casino he appeared to be intoxicated. The child's mother came and picked up the child and the case was referred to state child welfare officials.
Officials with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed Saturday a second case of measles was diagnosed in Lowell earlier in the week.

DPH said the infected person was diagnosed Nov. 15. During the infectious period, the individual was at the Lowell Community Health Center, where another individual was diagnosed with measles on Nov. 10.

Health officials said while infected, the patient also visited the T.J. Maxx on Chelmsford Street in Chelmsford and the Walmart Supercenter on Main Street in Tewksbury.

While both diagnoses were made at Lowell Community Health Center, health officials do not know if there are links between the two cases.

"Our efforts now are to identify people who may be at risk of getting ill and to get them vaccinated," said State Epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brow. "Getting vaccinated within 3-5 days of an exposure can reduce the likelihood of getting measles."

Chelmsford Police also issued a warning after the patient visited the T.J. Maxx store on Nov. 11.

"Early symptoms are similar to having a cold," said Chelmsford Police Chief James Spinney. "If you believe you may have been exposed to this person or if you believe you may have symptoms of measles, please contact your health care provider and try to limit your exposure to others."

Health officials say people with measles may be contagious up to four days before a rash appears and for four days after the day a rash appears.

Officials say those who have already been vaccinated are not at risk, and that anyone born in the U.S. before 1957 is likely to be immune. DPH says if you don't know your immunization status, you are urged to get vaccinated with at least one dose of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Vermont's Catholic bishop is continuing his call for greater transparency in the church and reacting to a delayed vote this week on reforms that would have held bishops more accountable for their handling of sex abuse cases.

"I think that we can purify ourselves of the sin of the abuse of children, but it will take a commitment from each bishop to do so," Bishop Christopher Coyne of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington told necn and NBC10 Boston Friday.

Coyne had just returned to Vermont following a meeting of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops in Baltimore.

"We need to hold ourselves accountable in a way we haven't," Coyne said, adding he feels bishops should be doing more to confront the ongoing clergy sexual abuse crisis, which exploded again this summer following a bombshell report on the depth of the crimes in Pennsylvania.

Coyne acknowledged disappointment Friday that a vote was tabled at the meeting in Baltimore on new measures that would have held bishops more accountable for covering up or ignoring sex abuse.

Other topics that were up for discussion at the conference before the vote was tabled included stricter codes of conduct for bishops.

Surprising those in attendance at the conference, the Vatican ordered a last-minute pause on any reforms  until a global conference in February.

The delay outraged survivors and watchdog groups.

"I am stunned and disappointed," Anne Barrett Doyle, a vocal bishop accountability advocate, said this week.

"The Vatican is tone-deaf that this has been going on in America for 30 years," said John McKeon, who was demonstrating for greater accountability for bishops outside the conference in Baltimore.

Before he was ordained as a bishop, Coyne served as the spokesman for the Boston Archdiocese, during the height of its priest abuse crisis.

Despite the delay in Baltimore, Coyne noted he is not delaying accountability in his own diocese.

Bishop Coyne just named a task force, made up of laymen and women, which will examine old files on clergy sex abuse of Vermont kids, going back decades.

After the group completes its report, the diocese plans to publish a list of all credible and substantiated allegations of sexual abuse by a minor.

Coyne insisted Vermont churches are extremely safe today, and said there are no priests currently in ministry in Vermont who have credible claims against them.

"If we don't get this right, it's going to continue to just be an open wound on the church for years to come," Coyne told necn and NBC 10 Boston, describing a new stance on clergy sex abuse. "We have to become transparent; we have to get everything out in the open. We can't allow a cancer like this to remain. It's just going to continue to grow and fester."

Coyne said bishops he's met with from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine and Connecticut agree years' worth of inaction on bishop accountability was a failure.

"We all get it at this point," Coyne said of colleagues from around New England.

Despite his disappointment seeing the reform vote put off, Coyne said he's optimistic more time will mean a better end result for the church and for people still hurting.

Coyne likened the process of church reforms to "turning around an iceberg."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 17)  A tropical depression outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility has slightly accelerated while maintaining its strength.

In the latest bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the weather disturbance expected to enter the country as early as Sunday is moving towards the country at 20 kilometers per hour (kph).

PAGASA warned that it will affect the eastern section of Mindanao once it enters the country, and it will gain the local name "Samuel."

The tropical depression was last spotted 1,585 kilometers east of Mindanao. It has maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center, and gustiness of up to 60 kilometers per hour.
"If you commit cyber crime offences, whether the victims are in the UK or abroad, we will investigate and seek justice for them"

A WEST Berkshire man has been jailed for three years for fraud and cyber crime offences following an investigation by the Cyber Crime Unit, part of the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU).

Ernest Edjeren, aged 39, of Balfour Drive, Calcot, was found guilty by an unanimous verdict of three counts of fraud by false representation and by a majority verdict of causing a computer to perform a function with intent to secure unauthorised access, a crime under the Computer Misuse Act.

Edjeren was convicted on Tuesday, November 13 at Reading Crown Court after a seven day trial.

Between January 2016 and June 2016, Edjeren targeted the members of the Orange County Employee Retirement System (OCERS), a pension company for retired public sector workers within Orange County in the United States.

Members have the option of receiving payment via a monthly cheque, sent to their home, or signing up for an online account and choosing to be paid directly into their bank account.

Edjeren created fraudulent accounts for four members that were receiving payment by cheque.

After creating the accounts he changed their payment methods from cheque, to an online bank account, intending for their pension payments to be paid into an account under his control.

In total, more than 15,000 a month in pension payments was at risk had Edjerens actions not been identified and stopped.

OCERS quickly identified the incident and notified the Orange County Sheriffs Department which began to investigate. The IP address of the offender was traced through a VPN (Virtual Private Network) company which led to the identification of Edjeren at his home in Reading.

He was arrested by detectives from SEROCUs Cyber Crime Unit and subsequently charged on 20 September 2017.

During his arrest detectives seized four laptops from his home, all of which had been recently wiped, however data was recovered from two of the laptops, which included a victim list containing a list of elderly people in the United States, their social security numbers, dates of birth, addresses and their credit card numbers.

Detective Sergeant Gary Hooks, who led the investigation from SEROCUs Cyber Crime Unit, said: This was a huge combined effort of many people.

"My thanks goes to the US victims who supported the investigation throughout and provided statements to the police. Also I would like to thank the Orange County Employee Retirement System (OCERS) which gave video evidence during the trial, and also to the Orange County Sheriffs Department for assisting with US-based enquiries.

I believe the sentence passed to Mr Edjeren sends out a message that if you commit cyber crime offences, whether the victims are in the UK or abroad, we will investigate and seek justice for them.

Hopefully the sentence can provide some closure to the victims and their families, especially considering that Mr Edjeren was deliberately intending to steal the pensions of elderly, retired workers.

"This conviction highlights the serious nature of cyber crime, and that attempts to hide your identity or activity online will be unsuccessful.

Edjeren was jailed for three years for one count of fraud by false representation; six months imprisonment for a second count of fraud by false representation; six months imprisonment for a third count of fraud by false representation; and six months imprisonment for the Computer Misuse Act offence.

All of the sentences will run concurrently.
Nilakkal (Kerala): Kerala continued to simmer on Saturday as a state-wide bandh called by various Hindu outfits and supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to protest against the preventive detention of a woman leader from a right-wing outfit brought normal life to a standstill.

In the latest stand-off between the police and protesting Lord Ayyappa devotees, BJP general secretary K Surendran was taken into preventive custody on Saturday night and removed from Nilakkal, the base camp, as he tried to leave for Sabarimala, police said.

Surendran, who was carrying the "Irrumudikettu" (bundle containing offerings for the Lord), was told by a police team to not proceed to the shrine as it would create law-and-order problems. However, he said he had come as an Ayyappa Bhaktha (devotee) and should be allowed to pray at the temple. "You cannot prevent me from going to the Sabarimala temple, as I have already registered for pujas. You can stop me only if you open fire and you are free to do so," an angry Surendran told the police, reported IANS.

As Surendran and his supporters jostled with the police and tried to move forward while chanting "Swamiyae Ayyappa", they were removed by the cops and taken in a jeep.

Reacting to the ruckus, a top police official said: We do not want anyone to foment trouble at Sannidhanam (temple complex), which is why Surendran was taken into preventive custody." Surendran later said he was being taken to the Chittar police station and said he did not know if he was being arrested or detained. He also said he had taken receipt for performing the 'Neyyabhishekam' (ghee offering) ritual and 'Ganapathy Homam.' The BJP said it would protest against the action on Sunday.

Amid tight security, thousands of pilgrims offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa shrine early on Saturday, the first day of Malayalam month 'Vrischikom,' even as the hartal caught devotees unawares and disrupted life in Kerala. Though shops and hotels were functioning in and around Sabarimala, pilgrims coming from far-off areas were put to hardship as food joints and petrol pumps had downed shutters.

The temple had opened on Friday evening for the two-month-long annual pilgrimage season as a stand-off continued over entry of menstrual age women into the shrine. All regular pujas began this morning under the new Melshanti (chief priest) Vasudevan Nampoothiri's supervision. Police are maintaining strict vigil in and around the temple complex and are using drones to monitor the movement of pilgrims at Nilakkal.

The dawn-to-dusk shutdown was called by Hindu outfits over the preventive detention of Hindu Aikya Vedi state president KP Sasikala early on Saturday. Sasikala, who was taken into custody after she refused to retreat from Marakkottam near Sabarimala, is now out of police custody, though she has been issued a notice under 107 CrPC.

The ruckus over entry of women to Sabarimala took a violent turn on Saturday after the son and daughter-in-law of Kozhikode CPM district secretary were allegedly beaten up by at least 10 hartal supporters in Kuttiyadi. The victim's car was waylaid by the miscreants, following which he along with his wife were dragged out and assaulted by them. Three attackers were later identified and have been charged with attempt to murder.

Meanwhile, the Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the shrine, said it would move the Supreme Court on Monday, seeking more time to implement the apex court order allowing women of all age groups to pray at the temple.

The temple complex and nearby areas had witnessed protests from devotees when it was opened for monthly pujas for eight days in October and early this month against the LDF government's decision to implement the apex court verdict allowing women of all age groups to pray at the shrine.

Social activist Trupti Desai, who arrived at Kochi airport Friday en route to Sabarimala, was forced to return to Maharashtra following over 13-hour protests from devotees.

Slamming hartal supporters, Opposition leader in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala described it as "needless" and "unpardonable" and flayed BJP for extending support, while the president of the saffron party, PS Sreedharan Pillai, said the detention of Sasikala and others was "illegal".
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One of two illegal trails at the Chino Hills State Park that will be deconstructed. Brush has been placed within the path to prevent use.
New Delhi :

In a big gamble, the Congress party on Saturday announced that it has fielded Manvendra Singh, the son of former Union Minister and BJP veteran Jaswant Singh, against Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje from Jhalrapatan constituency for the December 7 Assembly elections.

Manvendras name was announced in the second list of 32 candidates released by the Congress party today. Although Jhalrapatan is the traditional stronghold of Raje, the BJP rebel is expected to give a tough fight to her.

INC COMMUNIQUE



Announcement of second list of candidates for the ensuing elections to the Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan. @INCRajasthan pic.twitter.com/pXqQbCaZyT  INC Sandesh (@INCSandesh) November 17, 2018

Soon after the announcement, Manvendra Singh has dropped a hint that he was not that much keen to contest the Rajasthan Elections from Jhalrapatan.

In an exclusive chat with News Nation, Singh said, "My interest was not to contest the assembly elections but the party gave me responsibility. I am not a Chief Ministerial candidate. My relationship with Vasundhara Raje has been good. Now I will go to Jhalarapatan and open a front against Vasundhara Raje".

Also Read | Rajasthan Elections: Former DGP Harish Meena ditches BJP, joins Congress

Irked, Vasundhara Raje told NDTV that it is "not a battle of individuals. It is the battle of the family of Jhalawar", adding that "Congress could not find anyone in Jhalawar" and that is why "they send Manvendra Singh here".

Earlier last month, Manvendra had joined the Congress in presence of party president Rahul Gandhi. Upon joining the Congress, the MLA from the Sheo constituency in Barmer, had said that going with the lotus  BJPs election symbol, was a big mistake.

Manvendra has been critical of the BJP ever since his father Jaswant Singh, who is in coma for the past four years, was denied a BJP ticket from the Barmer constituency in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier in the day, the Rajasthan CM filed her nomination for the upcoming Assembly elections from Jhalrapatan constituency in Jhalawar district. Raje has been representing the Jhalrapatan seat for the last 15 years. The BJP has also released its third list of eight candidates for the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state.

Also Read | Rajasthan Elections: Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot to contest polls, deny rift

The elections for the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly are scheduled to held on December 7 in a single phase. The counting of votes will take place four days later on December 11 and results will also be announced the same day.
Thiruvananthapuram:

Keralas startup ecosystem got a major fillip as the state government on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus BizLab, a global aerospace accelerator, part of the Airbus group.

The MoU was exchanged between Siddharth Balachandran, Leader, Airbus Bizlab India and Dr Saji Gopinath, CEO, Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here.

Under the MoU, an Innovation Centre will be set up in Thiruvananthapuram, which will be the nodal body for planning and executing all the activities to help the startups.

Also Read | Shah Rukh Khan with Gauri, Suhana visit Rishi Kapoor in New York

The ceremony was attended by Tom Jose, Chief Secretary, M Sivasankar, Secretary, Kerala IT; Margit Hellwig-Boette,German Consul General; M C Dathan, Scientific Advisor to the CM; Hrishikesh Nair, CEO, Technopark, among others.

We are confident that this partnership with Airbus Bizlab will help embed innovation in the industrial ecosystem of Kerala. It will up-skill the local youth and will enhance employability, Vijayan said.

Airbus BizLab will also provide support and mentoring for startups in Kerala and conduct regular workshops and discussions with experts from aerospace and defence sectors, a press release said.

Further, the France-headquartered company, which has set up facilities in Bengaluru, Toulouse (France), Hamburg (Germany) and Madrid (Spain) to create a global network of business accelerators, is to run training programmes to acquaint participants with aerospace technologies.

Also, the company will identify opportunities for Kerala to adapt aerospace technologies across sectors and bring all the relevant Airbus teams and startups to demonstrate technologies.

Read More | Saudi Crown Prince ordered journalist Jamal Khashoggi's killing: CIA

After successful demonstration, it will help the innovation centre to sign partnerships and deploy the technologies.

It is a landmark agreement that will give a huge fillip to Keralas efforts to nurture innovations and startups in the aerospace and defence sectors.

It will help the startups in the state to leverage the expertise of Airbus in transforming their innovative ideas into scalable businesses, according to Tom Jose.

The initiative aims to foster local talent in the aerospace domain and help promising startups to contribute towards shaping the future of flying not only in India but the world, Anand E Stanley, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia.
New Delhi:

Actor Sridevi, who died unexpectedly earlier this year, will be posthumously honoured at the 49th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

Sridevi, who had an illustrious career spanning over four decades, died at the age of 55 due to accidental drowning in Dubai earlier this year.

The actor had famously inaugurated the Indian Panorama section of the festival last year in Goa.

The organisers announced in a statement that Sridevis last feature Mom, for which she posthumously won the Best Actress award at the 65th National Film Awards, will be screened at the film extravaganza.

Also Read | Maldives' Ibrahim Mohamed Solih sworn in as President, PM Modi attends ceremony

They also announced that a retrospective of films of late actor Vinod Khanna will be showcased during the festival.

Khanna, one of the biggest stars of Hindi films in 70s and 80s, died on April 27 last year at the age of 70 after battling cancer.

He was posthumously honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke award, Indian cinemas highest honour, earlier this year.

The festival will showcase some of his best films such as Achanak, Lekin and Amar Akbar Anthony.

The Homages section of IFFI will honour actor Shashi Kapoor, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and director Kalpana Lajmi.

Read More | Shah Rukh Khan with Gauri, Suhana visit Rishi Kapoor in New York

Kapoors film Vijeta will be presented at the festival and his son Kunal Kapoor, who played the lead role in the film, will be in attendance.

Karunanidhis National Award-winning Tamil film Malaikkallan and Lajmis critically acclaimed feature Rudaali will also be screened at the festival.

IFFI, to be held from November 20 to 28 in Goa, will be showcasing 212 films this year.

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New Delhi:

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan with his wife Gauri Khan and their daughter Suhana recently paid a visit to actor Rishi Kapoor, who is currently undergoing treatment in New York. Rishi shared a message of gratitude on his Twitter handle, thanking the Zero actor.

Also Read | Mirzapur Review: Tried and tested road with cringe violence

Thank you @iamsrk Gauri and Suhana! Very gracious of you, tweeted Rishi.

Thank you @iamsrk Gauri and Suhana! Very gracious of you.  Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) November 17, 2018

A few weeks ago, the healing actor also had an ecounter with Hollywood actor Robert De Niro, while he was strolling on the New York streets with darling son Ranbir Kapoor. Star father Kapoor described it as a wow moment and exclaimed that the Hollywood star is a combination of simplicity and superstardom, which made him realise that he has been a brat.

Wow moment. Impromptu meeting with Robert De Nero on 65th and 3rd. He knew Ranbir coz he had met him and Anupam and said come over with Kher for a drink! Simplicity and super stardom. I realized I have been such a bloody brat. Cannot get over his demeanor. Thank you Bob ! pic.twitter.com/gzdhQDawBO  Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) October 25, 2018

Also Read | Taimur Ali Khan enters play school with sleepy eyes; see pics

Wife Neetu Kapoor has also shared many pictures of his husband on her Instagram account.

Shah Rukh, on the work front, is busy with the promotions of his upcoming Aanand L Rais directorial Zero. Also starring Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma, the movie is slated to hit the theatres on December 21, 2018.

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

In yet another major development in Bhima-Koregaon violence case, activist Varavara Rao has been arrested by Maharashtra Police from his Hyderabad residence. Rao was taken into the custody after his house arrest term ended on Saturday. Varavara Rao along with four other detained activists was under in-house arrest following a Supreme Court order on August 29. In a coordinated raid across India, Pune Police had on August 28 arrested five activists - Sudha Bhardwaj, P Varavara Rao, Gautam Navlakha, Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves for their alleged Maoist link to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Bhima Koregaon violence case: Activist Varavara Rao has been arrested by Maharashtra Police from his residence in Hyderabad as his house arrest ended today," the news agency ANI reported.

Read | Bhima Koregaon violence: Pune Police files charge sheet against Shoma Sen and four others arrested in June

Bhima Koregaon violence case: Activist Varavara Rao has been arrested by Maharashtra Police from his residence in Hyderabad as his house arrest ended today. pic.twitter.com/fR8ndIHFEX  ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018

A special team of the Pune police led by an officer of Assistant Commissioner of Police rank arrived in Hyderabad on Friday night and was reportedly waiting for the investigating officer. They did not pick up Rao on Friday as it was too late. However, Rao, the social activist and Hyderabad-based revolutionary writer will now be brought to Pune after being produced in a local court, according to sources.

Read | Bhima Koregaon violence: Sudha Bharadwaj could be arrested, Pune court rejects bail application of other activists

Bhima Koregaon case refers to the violence that broke out following an annual celebratory gathering at Maharashtra's Bhima Koregaon village to mark the 200th anniversary of a British-era war. The police alleged that the activists had links with Maoists who backed the Elgar Parishad held in Pune on December 31, 2017. Next day, the Parishad allegedly instigated violence near Koregaon Bhima war memorial in Pune.

The skirmish claimed one life and left several others injured on January 1, 2018. It is believed to be the assassination plot of PM Modi on the lines of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. The former prime minister was assassinated by LTTE bomber Dhanu in 1991.

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New Delhi:

Experts and doctors from top health institutions in India and abroad gathered in New Delhi on Saturday to deliberate on rectal cancer treatment outcome in an effort to find protocols to standardise and optimise cancer treatment in the country.

At the day-long meet, doctors discussed and shared opinions on standards and protocols for diagnosis, pathological reporting, chemotherapy, new surgical procedures including robotic surgery, recording complications and follow-up.

The experts emphasised on multi-modality approach for better outcomes.

Formation of Rectal Cancer Treatment Outcome Group (RCTOG) is an initiative of BLK Super Speciality hospital to standardise and protocolise treatment.

Also Read | Akshay Kumars frightening look in 2.0 is a masterpiece by THIS Avatar makeup artist

Like in the west, rectal cancer is becoming a major problem in our country. Incidence of rectal cancer has increased in the country during the last two decades.

It is supposed to be third-most common cancer. The reason for increasing incidence is urbanisation, junk food, smoking, alcohol, red meat, genetic predisposition and obesity.

VP Bhalla, director, BLK Centre of Digestive and Liver Diseases (CDLD), said, To treat rectal cancer effectively multiple specialties like radiology, pathology, GI surgeons, medical and radiation oncologist have to come together and formalise a strategy. This is called multi-modality approach.

Nearly 50 doctors, including from AIIMS, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Max Hospitals Tata Memorial hospital and CMC, Vellore, participated in the meeting.

The move will help health institutions in delivering standardise treatment through set guidelines for rectal cancer patient.

Read More | Saudi Crown Prince ordered journalist Jamal Khashoggi's killing: CIA

According to Deep Goel, director, Surgical Gastroentero Onco, Bariatric and Minimal Access Surgery, BLK hospital, This is an effort which is being done first time in the country and first meeting of RCTOG was very promising in achieving its set goals. In absence of standards and protocols, treatment for rectal cancer could not be optimised and that resulted in varied outcomes.

There was an urgent need to standardise and protocolise treatment for uniformity and better outcomes. Multi-modality approach will bring in immense benefits to the people suffering from rectal cancer, he added.

This group is also going to initiate a registry in which multiple institutes and specialists will share their data which will help us in creating awareness, joint research protocol, training of younger medical professionals and better treatment outcome, Goel said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The first phase of Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Elections that took place amid heightened security in the face of militant threats on Saturday recorded an impressive voter turnout of 74.1 per cent. According to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shaleen Kabra, over 64 per cent of the electorate has voted in Kashmir while Jammu region recorded 79.5 per cent polling in the first phase of Panchayat elections in 47 blocks across the state. In comparison to the recent urban local bodies' elections, the turnout in rural areas was significantly higher in the Kashmir valley.

Though the overall polling process was conducted quite peacefully, minor clashes and stone-pelting incidents have been reported in Mendhar area of Poonch district. Separatists who asked people to boycott the polls had called for a strike on Saturday. However, no damage has been reported during the protest. Technical glitches had led to re-polling at a booth in Kishtwar's Atholi.

Read | Supreme Court adjourns hearing on plea challenging constitutional validity of Article 370 till April 2019

There will be eight more phases of Panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir. The first phase of polls is being held after a delay of two years and the state is currently under the Governor's rule. The counting of votes will be taken up on November 27.

On October 31, BJP state secretary Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet were shot dead by unknown assailants while they were returning from their shop in Kishtwar district. The two were fired upon from close range at a dark, narrow lane leading to their house.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Militants on Saturday abducted and brutally killed a 19-year-old man, identified Huzaif Ashraf, in Kashmir's Shopian, the police said. This incident came less than 48 hours after a 17-year-old youth was abducted from a village in Shopian and killed by militants in South Kashmirs Pulwama district on Thursday night. Police said that the youths bullet-riddled body was found in Pulwamas Niklora village.

"Terrorists Saturday killed a civilian in a brutal act of terror in Shopian district after he was kidnapped earlier in the day from Saidpora area," a police official said. The police Ashraf's throat-slit body was found from an orchard area in Hermain village of the south Kashmir district. A baker by profession, Ashraf was a resident of Manzgam area of the neighbouring Kulgam district.

"Huzaif's body was handed over to his family after completion of the medico-legal formalities," the official said. He said a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been initiated in the matter.

He was kidnapped by terrorists this morning from Saidporaand was later killed by them, Hindustan Times quoted superintendent of police in Shopian, Sandeep Choudhary, as saying. The two others - Shahid Ganaie, Farooq Thokar - were freed by the militants, he said. Shahid Ganaie, Farooq Thokar are from Saidpora Payeen.

The police added that the trio had no political links, which normally trigger such abductions by militants in the Valley.

On Thursday, militants had abducted and later killed Nadeem Manzoor, a resident of Safanagri area, the police had said.

Terming the killing a brutal act of terror, the police said Manzoor was kidnapped on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday by militants and was later killed.

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi :

The Bihar Police on Saturday attached the property of absconding former social welfare minister Manju Verma in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home case. The former Bihar minister is on the run after registration of an FIR against her and husband Chandrasekhar Verma  a close aide of key accused Brajesh Thakur  under the Arms Act case.

"Muzaffarpur shelter home case: Police attach the property of former Bihar Minister Manju Verma at her residence in Begusarai," the news agency ANI reported.

Muzaffapur shelter home case: Police attach the property of former Bihar Minister Manju Verma at her residence in Begusarai. pic.twitter.com/AxhZZx7zP4  ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018

The development came a day after the court in Begusarai ordered for attaching her properties following the recovery of 50 live cartridges from their residence in Patna and Begusarai during a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raid.

Read | Muzaffarpur Shelter Home case: Manju Verma, former Bihar social welfare minister, suspended from JDU

Verma had stepped down as the minister for social welfare in August following reports that her husband had close connections with Brajesh Thakur, the prime accused in the Muzaffarpur sexual abuse case. Thakur is currently going through legal procedures in Muzaffarpur jail.

Since then, the social welfare minister has been absconding even after the Patna High Court last month had rejected her bail application, where she pleaded that she was not evading arrest, but "seeking relief as per law" and hence, she may not be proclaimed an absconder.

Last month a court in Begusarai had issued a warrant against Verma.

In July, over 30 girls, aged among seven to 14 years, were allegedly drugged, scalded with boiling water, raped and forced to sleep naked at the shelter home run by Brajesh Thakur, the chief of a state-funded NGO. The alleged sexual exploitation of the minor girls was first highlighted in an audit report submitted by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences to the state's social welfare department.

Read | Muzaffarpur case: SC says facts very disturbing, asks for probe against former minister

The CBI is currently investigating the case, which relates to the mental, physical and sexual exploitation of the girls residing at the Balika Grih of Bihar's Muzaffarpur. So far, 17 people have been arrested in connection with the same.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

A day after reopening of Sabarimala temple, the rightwing Hindu outfits on Saturday called a down to dusk strike against the arrest of Hindu Aikya Vedi leader KP Sasikala. VHP president SJR Kumar alleged that Sasikala was arrested by police near Sabarimala at 2:30 am on Saturday.

She was arrested as she was on the way to the hill shrine carrying 'irumudikkettu' (bundle carrying sacred offerings) to offer prayers. Some other activists have been taken into preventive custody, Kumar said.

The VHP leader said that emergency services and vehicles of Lord Ayyappa devotees will not be affected by the strike. He also accused the Kerala government of trying to destroy the Sabarimala temple.

Also Read | Supreme Court to review Sabarimala verdict in open court on January 22

The famous Lord Ayappa shrine was reponed on Friday for a two-month long annual pilgrimage season. The shrine re-opened for the third time since the historic Supreme Court verdict allowing women of menstrual age into the temple. lakhs of devotees, including over 500 women of the previously banned age-group, have registered themselves to visit the temple.

However, the protesters openly defied the Supreme Court order and said that they will not allow women of menstruating age to enter the temple premise. On Friday, activist Trupti Desai, who arrived at the Cochin International Airport to pay a visit to the shrine, had to leave from the airport after protesters block the exit gates.

Speaking to reporters at the airport, Desai said that the cab drivers and hotel owners were threatened by the protesters of facing a law and order situation in case they provide her shelter. "It feels sad that the devotees of Lord Ayyappa are abusing and threatening us," the founder of Bhumata Brigade said.

Sabarimala Protest: Trupti Desai slams Ayyappa devotees for indulging in hooliganism, says will come back - english.newsnationtv.com

"More than 500 women have done bookings to visit the Sabarimala Temple, I would appeal to the government to provide a security which can take women to the temple. Our fight is for equality. The Kerala police have requested us to go back. If we will stay here the violence can erupt. This was never our agenda," she added.

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Mumbai:

The Andhra governments withdrawal of general consent given to the CBI to investigate any case in the state is a retrograde step as much dictated by spite for the Narendra Modi government at the Centre due to a running battle with it as because of fears that the CBI would unravel skeletons in the cupboards of the Chandrababu Naidu government.



That the Naidu government is not and has not been squeaky clean is common knowledge. It is also not unusual for the Centre to put the CBI on the trail of governments run by adversaries, a practice that even past governments have followed despite claims of non-interference in the affairs of the CBI.



Yet, Naidu is setting a wrong precedent which cannot be allowed to prevail. As a central investigating agency, the CBI is a cushion against corruption and misuse of authority at the Centre and the states and any dilution of its authority would hit the federal polity hard.

Also Read | After Chandrababu Naidu, Mamata Banerjee blocks CBI in West Bengal: Reports



Today it is Andhra that is defying CBIs jurisdiction, tomorrow it may be other states following in its footsteps. West Bengal has already indicated that it too may bar the CBI from investigating crime in the state except when the state government specifically asks for it.



While disputes between the Centre and states are one thing, the principles of federalism need to be followed scrupulously to maintain the fear of law.



The Chandrababu governments stance would avoidably create further bad blood between the Centre and Andhra Pradesh and sour the already bad equation from the time when the Telugu Desam led by Chandrababu Naidu walked out of the National Democratic Front at the Centre.



With an order issued by the Andhra government revoking the blanket consent to the CBI, the agency would not be able to carry out searches and raids in the state without taking consent from the state government. This would hamper the CBI investigations and affect the effectiveness of the central agency to track down corruption.



Earlier, Naidu had accused the Centre of trying to destabilise his government by using central agencies and had accused the BJP of colluding with Opposition leader Jagan Mohan Reddy to topple his government by using the CBI and the income tax department.



At present, there are no major CBI cases going on in Andhra Pradesh. The case of meat exporter Moin Qureshi and businessman Sana Sathish are registered not in Andhra but in New Delhi.



Instructively, while Section 5 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act 1946 gives powers to the CBI over all areas in the country, Section 6 states that without the consent of the particular state government, the Central agency cannot enter a states jurisdiction.



There are other states too where state governments are facing the heat from the CBI. Take West Bengal for instance. The irregularities in chit funds are being investigated by the CBI and the Mamata Banerjee government has faced embarrassment over CBI revelations on money made by politicians and bureaucrats.



Unless the Centre nips Chandrababu Naidus defiance in the bud, many states would resort to banning the CBI from investigations in their state as a convenient ploy to shield themselves from the fallout of corruption investigations.

Also Read | Saudi Crown Prince ordered journalist Jamal Khashoggi's killing: CIA



All said and done, however, the long-expressed demand that the CBI be insulated from governmental interference and it be made independent cannot and must not be ignored much longer. Every successive government has ducked the issue but there is a dire need for it.



The recent allegations and counter-allegations against the CBI top brass which are awaiting the Supreme Courts scrutiny cannot be cited as an alibi to deny jurisdiction to the CBI. The Centre must put its foot down and scuttle all attempts by individual states to defy the norms.
New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modis Singapore visit will be remembered for his keynote address at Fintech festival and participation at ASEAN, East Asia Summit. And his sharing a table with heads of state of the 16-member Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was of high significance. But the big question is - is RCEP membership important for India and why pressure is mounting on it to conclude early the trade agreement that aims to cover goods, services, investments, economic, technical cooperation, competition and intellectual property rights?

Launched in 2012, the RCEP envisages free trade agreement between India and 10 ASEAN nations along with Japan, China, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Once implemented, it will create the worlds largest trading bloc, accounting for 40 per cent of global GDP. This is the reason India wants to be a part of the RCEP.

But since India, as per 2017-18 financial year, is facing a huge trade deficit of over $63 billion with China, $11.96 billion with South Korea, $12.47 billion with Indonesia and $10.16 billion with Australia, experts have asked for adoption of due caution while concluding the deal with the RCEP.

Several rounds of talks at the official and ministerial level among RCEP members have taken place. The last ministerial level RCEP meet occurred in Singapore just one day prior to the groups summit level meet in the lion city on . But it failed to reach any consensus on several issues, including e-commerce, competition and investment. That means it cant be concluded by the end of 2018 and that India will relook at trade and tariff issues of the RCEP with new energy and plan after the 2019 parliamentary election.

Yet, it needs to be born in mind that e-commerce space in India is in the developing stage. There is a fear that once e-commerce market is opened under a trade deal with RCEP countries, Chinas Alibaba which is knocking at Indias door for entry into the e-digital market, will kill smaller companies like Snapdeal, Myantra, Jasper and others. Even micro, small, medium enterprise (MSME) sector, which is still growing, will suffer a major jolt if India concludes deal with the RCEP nations without significant concessions from them. India is also being asked to remove export restrictions on minerals and raw materials mining by countries like Japan, China and South Korea.

No longer will, experts feel, India be able to protect its pharmaceutical, food processing, dairy, agriculture and intellectual property if it goes ahead with the trade deal without realising its pros and cons for the countrys interests. The Swadeshi Jagran Manch, one of the affiliates of the RSS, has also called for quitting the proposed trade agreement as it is not in the interest of the people of India. The RCEP presents a major threat and not a major opportunity for India, the SJM said in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Earlier in April, NITI Aayog, a think tank of the government, had cautioned the country from joining the RCEP as it will be disastrous to provide more market access to China, the key player of the group.

ASEAN and its FTA partners like Japan, China, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand want India to open its market for 92 per cent of goods, but they are not ready to open their markets for the services sector, especially on the movement of skilled manpower, an area in which India is very strong. This presents quite asymmetrical situation for India, yet it has not been addressed so far.

Japan, China and South Korea, recognised for strong manufacturing base will not spare any effort from swamping the Indian market with their products if the country reduces import duties on goods under the RCEP deal. Indias steel industry, already reeling under huge bad debt, will meet its certain death if the countries like China, benefiting from reduced tariff under the RCEP deal, start dumping cheap steel items in the Indian market.

But ironically these countries that preach day in and day out that India should lower its tariff on tradable goods to zero level, have no gumption to accommodate New Delhis demand on free movement of skilled professionals in RCEP countries. Without give and take, no trade deal works. Still Indias patience has not worn out, but it will like to see that the multi-nation trade deal should be modern, comprehensive, balanced and mutually beneficial to the people of all countries.
New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attended the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. During the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, Modi was sitting beside former Maldivian presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga also attended the ceremony.

Modi also interacted with leaders from the Maldives and other parts of the world during the oath-taking ceremony at the National Stadium. Solih, 54, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, had emerged victorious over incumbent president Yameen in the election held on September 23.

On arrival in the Maldivian capital, Prime Minister Modi was given a red carpet welcome and was received by Maldives Parliament's new Speaker Qasim Ibrahim. This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.

In a series of tweets ahead of the visit, Modi had tweeted, "I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development."

He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future. "We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister had said.

The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then. India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi. Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year. India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.

PM Modi in Maldives | Here are the highlights:

17:50 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with leaders from The Maldives and other parts of the world during the oath taking ceremony of Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.



Prime Minister @narendramodi interacts with leaders from The Maldives and other parts of the world during the oath taking ceremony of Mr. @ibusolih. pic.twitter.com/LrZ1f1VXCT

 PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 17, 2018



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New Delhi :

The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has concluded that the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, The Washington Post reported on Friday.

According to the report, citing people close to the matter, 15 Saudi agents flew on government aircraft to Istanbul and assassinated Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate. The CIA findings came a day after a Saudi prosecutor cleared the powerful Prince of his involvement in the brutal murder of Khashoggi  a Washington Post columnist.

Also Read | Is geopolitical rivalry sharpening between Saudi Arabia and Turkey in Middle-East in Khashoggi's death?

After initially denying any knowledge of Khashoggis whereabouts, Saudi Arabia later said that the journalist was killed inside the consulate after an argument turned into a fight.

The CIA investigated multiple intelligence inputs and a phone call between the Saudi Crown Princes brother  the Saudi ambassador to the United States  and Khashoggi. Princes brother had assured Khashoggi of safety and directed him to visit the Istanbul consulate to collect the documents he needed for his marriage.

The CIA claimed that the ambassador made the phone call on directions of his brother. However, it was not yet clear if the ambassador was also aware of the assassination plan.

Also Read | Khashoggi was strangled and dismembered: Turkey

The brutal murder of the journalist sparked a foreign policy crisis in the US with President Donald Trump calling the murder worst cover-up in history. He, however, shied away from directly blaming the prince.

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DANBURY  Command Sgt. Maj. Al Almeida will retire from the U.S. Army Reserve on Saturday afternoon after 40 years of decorated military service.

Almeida joined the Army in Danbury and, fittingly, will end his career with a special ceremony in the city at 4 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Armed Forces Reserve Center at 90 Wooster Heights Road near the airport.

The event will include other local officials and Maj. Gen. Troy Kok, the commanding general of the 99th Regional Support Command based in Ft. Dix, New Jersey.

Ive had the opportunity  the privilege, really  of being a leader in an organization that pushes people to be successful and at the same time serve this great nation, Almeida said Friday afternoon.

Last year, Almeida ran as a Democrat against longtime Republican Mayor Mark Boughton. He lost that race, but he has not taken eyes off the Mayors Office since.

Almeida and his family immigrated to Danbury when he was 11 years old from their native Portugal. He learned English in just over two years and later graduated from Henry Abbott Technical High School before joining the Army when he turned 18.

Over the course of his military career, Almeida served two tours of duty in Iraq, helping lead reconstruction efforts and coordinating with the countrys education ministry.

He also worked with Wounded Warriors to help veterans returning from the Middle East cope with physical and psychological injuries from combat in order to return to service or transition to civilian life.

Almeida hopes his legacy will be the leaders he helped mentor, just like the leaders who helped him throughout his career.

Ive been serving the public all my life, thats the only thing I know, but my career is coming to an end and the Army is saying, Youre getting a little old, maybe its time,  he said with a laugh. But I feel the reason Ive lasted this long is because I was relevant to our military and our youth because of my story.

You dont stay around for 40 years as a leader if youre not doing what youre supposed to be doing and thats mentoring other young leaders.

Almeida also has served for 24 years as an investigator in the Danbury public defenders office.

Im sitting down with some key people, some key advisers, to see if a second run is appropriate, he said Friday. I would like to, but I dont know, well look at the dynamics.

zach.murdock@hearstmediact.com
BRUSSELS - The draft divorce deal between Britain and the European Union has united the polarized British pro- and anti-Brexit camps in horror at a plan that will strip London of its voice in EU decisions but could leave in place many of the obligations of membership.

In the rest of Europe, the angst has been met with an impatient shrug - and some disdain toward Brits who thought it could turn out any other way.

Britain is quitting the club, so it also had to lose the benefits of holding the membership card, according to negotiators, politicians and analysts.

But Britain's own demands undermined its goal of "taking back control" and necessitated that it remain tethered to the EU.

European leaders say there are no alternatives that would satisfy British desires - offering a stark choice between swallowing this plan or crashing out of the EU with no safety net at all, a prospect that could spark economic chaos around the world.

Most observers agree that the Europeans had the upper hand in the deal, as a normally fractious bloc of 27 nations stood unusually united behind its team of Brexit negotiators.

But that nominal victory has been little solace for European leaders who never wanted Britain to leave and still believe that they will all be hurt once it departs.

"What was always an illusion on the Brexiteer side was that the kind of world you could return to was when Britain had an empire and was a global superpower in the world economy," said Fabian Zuleeg, the chief executive of the European Policy Center, a Brussels think tank with close ties to the European Union.

Pro-EU advocates have argued that Brexit would make Britain weaker, since it would leave Britain with no formal ability to influence decisions in its most important export market.

"Somehow the recognition that those things were not a negotiation tactic, but that they actually are just simple statements of fact is finally starting to sink in, but probably too late," Zuleeg said.

In London, Prime Minister Theresa May is facing a rebellion from lawmakers within her own Conservative party. By Friday, at least 23 Conservative members of Parliament had signed letters demanding a confidence vote that could topple her from office, according to British reporters. Forty-eight letters are required to trigger a vote.

May tried to stabilize her cabinet on Friday by installing a third Brexit secretary, after the first two quit in protest. Stephen Barclay is a former junior health minister who voted to leave the EU. A BBC politics editor described him as "ultra-loyal, having never rebelled against the government."

Many Brexiteers want May to rip up this deal - the product of more than a year of talks - and start again, even as the calendar dwindles ahead of Britain's March 29 exit date.

Brexiteers also complain that the EU has singled them out for punishment to set an example to other countries that might contemplate divorce from Brussels. E.U. officials retort that British leaders have fouled up the Brexit process sufficiently on their own that they don't expect other countries to follow London's precedent.

Negotiators warn there is little further to be achieved at their level, and even some Brexit advocates say this is the best deal under the circumstances.

"We think this is the best we can do collectively with the constraints we have on both sides," said an EU official briefing reporters about the deal under ground rules of anonymity.

In the end, the direction of the deal was profoundly shaped by tiny Northern Ireland: Britain wants its territory to remain borderless both with the Republic of Ireland, to preserve the peace, and with the rest of the United Kingdom, to maintain national unity.

"If what you want is to deliver on leaving the European Union, and have frictionless trade in goods at the border for the next few years until a future free trade agreement comes into force, and have control of our own immigration policy, and keep the United Kingdom together, all at the same time - well then a deal is going to look pretty much like this one seems to look like," said former Tory Foreign Secretary William Hague this week. "It isn't going to be dramatically different from that."

The deal maintains EU rules and obligations in Britain during a transitional period lasting until the end of 2020, as negotiators hammer out plans for future relations between the two sides. Britain would be on the hook for the financial commitments it made while it was a member - about $50 billion in total - plus a significantly smaller amount for the time it is in the transitional deal.

But if the talks for future relations fall apart, Britain would be bound into the European Union's customs union indefinitely - a status that has set off alarms in London because it would effectively strip Britain of its ability to forge its own trade deals, the precise opposite of the goal of many supporters of Brexit.

If the so-called backstop went into effect, Britain would have to abide by EU tariffs, essentially handing off its negotiating power to Brussels. And EU negotiators say the customs union is probably going to be the basis for negotiations over the future relationship anyway, causing further heartburn in London.

Europeans say the arrangement is the only way to avoid borders around Northern Ireland - and several countries, including France and Spain, say it is already a concession. They fear the British could use the tariff-free access to the E.U. market to undercut European businesses, and they have sought to pile on provisions that would ensure that British producers would face the same regulations as their European competitors.

"There is worry in a number of capitals that the Brits or companies or others would take advantage of the situation," said Josef Janning, the head of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Amid the British infighting, European leaders have said the discussions are closed.

"It is highly unlikely that we will make important changes to these proposals," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Friday, echoing comments from German Chancellor Angela Merkel a day earlier. "We have talked about this for so long. Everybody has been heavily involved. We will have a good look at parts of the proposals, but major changes seem unlikely to me."

Alongside their preparations for a Nov. 25 summit to approve the Brexit deal, EU leaders are quietly prepping no-deal plans, in case the British Parliament rejects the negotiated agreement and Britain crashes out. That possibility would cause chaos on both sides of the English Channel, with halted trade turning highways into parking lots for trucks and airplanes grounded on their runways.

In the end, said analysts, if Britain sticks with this deal, it will get at least one thing out of Brexit: EU citizens will no longer be able to move there as they please. The loss of trade sovereignty may be the price tag.

"The U.K. created the its red lines," said Jonathan Portes, an expert on the economics of Brexit at King's College London. "And the biggest red line of all was the U.K. wanted to end free movement of people."

- - -

Booth reported from London. The Washington Post's Quentin Aries in Brussels contributed to this report.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned that Southeast Asian nations might be forced to choose between the U.S. and China, as concerns deepen about a Cold War-style conflict between the world's two biggest economies.

"The circumstances may come where Asean will have to choose one or the other," Lee said on Thursday night at the close of a regional summit hosted by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. "I hope it does not happen soon."

Lee's remarks reflect fears among smaller nations that the U.S.-China trade war could disrupt supply chain integration throughout Asia, leading to different sets of rules for operating with either powerhouse. Earlier this month, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson warned of an "Economic Iron Curtain" dividing the world, if the two countries couldn't reach a deal.

Southeast Asian countries have long sought to balance the world's major powers to avoid getting caught in another conflict like the Vietnam War. That strategy has underpinned stability, leading to increased trade with China, as well as closer security ties with the U.S. to hedge against Beijing's expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea.

In another sign of regional realignment, Australia, India, Japan and the U.S. -- a group informally known as the "Quad" -- met Thursday in Singapore to reaffirm their "shared commitment to maintain and strengthen a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific in which all nations are sovereign, strong, and prosperous," the U.S. said in a statement.

It was that same rules-based order order that Lee warned was "fraying" as China's rise and Trump's "America First" policies encourage nations to pick a side. He called for greater economic integration and said Asean must understand where it might need to make a choice between one of the other.

"If you're talking about economic cooperation, theoretically that is win-win," Lee said. "But if the global economy pulls apart into different blocs," he added, "then Asean will be put in a difficult position."

Speaking alongside Lee after finalizing a tax agreement Friday, Vice President Mike Pence underscored the strategic tension with a few thinly veiled jabs at China. Pence, reiterating talking points he has used during his attendance at Asean events this week, said "empire and aggression had no place" in the region, which American and its allies have begun calling the "Indo-Pacific" to emphasize India's role.

Pence also pledged to defend freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, where Beijing has built military outposts to defend its claim to roughly 80 percent of the water body.

"The South China Sea doesn't belong to any one nation," Pence said. "And you can be sure: the United States will continue to sail and fly wherever international law allows and our national interests demand."
RICHMOND, Va. - Democrat Del. David Toscano, the Virginia House minority leader, said he will resign his leadership post by the end of the General Assembly session that begins in January.

Toscano, 68, said Friday that the demands of the leadership post were growing too heavy on top of his duties as a delegate, his law practice and family life.

"This takes a lot of time," he said. "I'm just not in a position where I can do it anymore. I wanted to set in place an orderly transition so that we don't have a chaotic situation in the caucus."

Toscano told House Democrats on Thursday night that he would run for reelection next year but step down as minority leader.

The announcement follows dramatic gains that Democrats made in state elections last year. Democrats are trying to build on that momentum - as well as their strong performance in last week's midterms in which they flipped three congressional seats held by Republicans - and take control of the chamber in next year's legislative elections. It would mean their first majority in the House in nearly two decades.

Toscano said many people have asked him why he might want to give up the role - and the potential to become speaker after next year's elections.

"A year is an eternity in politics," said Toscano, a former Charlottesville, Virginia, mayor and city council member. "We have to get to the majority before anyone can talk about speakers."

His decision comes about six months after a group of delegates explored ousting Toscano in favor of Del. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax County, a second-term delegate, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported at the time. The vote was never called. Boysko is currently running for the state Senate seat being vacated by Jennifer Wexton, D, who won a seat in Congress last week.

Toscano made a passing and lighthearted reference to the aborted coup, referring to the "kerfuffle" as he spoke to Democrats in a closed-door meeting called after a party fundraiser in Richmond, Virginia, according to two attendees who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private caucus matters.

He told those gathered that he had wanted to hand off leadership responsibilities for some time, but the moment never seemed quite right. With the passage of Medicaid expansion earlier this year, a new crop of Democratic lawmakers with a year under their belts, and the party in a strong position heading into elections, he decided to make his move.

His decision set off speculation about an eventual successor, with the early focus on a handful of northern Virginians. Among the names being mentioned: Dels. Charniele Herring, who is caucus chairwoman; Richard "Rip" Sullivan; Eileen Filler-Corn; Marcus Simon; Luke Torian; and Alfonso Lopez.

Toscano was first elected to the leadership position by his colleagues in 2011. During much of that time, Democrats had been badly outnumbered in the 100-seat chamber.

But the GOP's 2-to-1 advantage nearly disappeared in 2017 in elections widely viewed as a rebuke to President Donald Trump. That left Republicans in control the chamber by a mere two seats.

In the immediate aftermath of the 2017 elections, when the outcome of several close races was undetermined, it appeared that Toscano might ascend to House speaker, one of the most powerful posts in state government.

But Republicans held onto control by a margin of 51 to 49 and the speakership went to Kirk Cox.

All 100 seats in the chamber are up for election next year. Democrats will try to pick up the two seats necessary to take control of the House while Republicans are hoping to take back some seats.

Toscano attempted to leave the post once before, in 2015, when he said he wanted to spend more time with his family, but quickly changed his mind and was reelected leader.

"The progress we've made in the House is due in no small part to his efforts, and we'll forever be grateful for his leadership. We look forward to his continued service in the House and our Caucus," Democratic Party officials wrote on Twitter on Friday.
NORTH HAVEN  Parents were united with their children Friday.

Local families and the state Department of Children and Families celebrated National Adoption Day Friday at Cinemark in North Haven, bringing families and staffers to see the newly opened Instant Family starring Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne, a movie about a family with adopted children.

DCF completed 519 adoptions and transferred guardianship for 352 children in the 2018 fiscal year  100 more than last year, according to Commissioner Joette Katz.

Eighty children found new homes Friday, Katz said.

But its not just about the numbers. Its about the emotion; its about the love. Its about all of you opening your hearts and your homes to children, who until today, I called my children. Now, theyre your children, said Katz. Its about unconditional love  and thats what youve given these children.

Robert and Charise Herman of Wallingford adopted Mason Friday. Charise Herman said she always wanted to be a foster parent, and with Roberts support, went forward with the idea earlier than they originally had planned.

Theres just not enough homes. Theres just not, said Charise Herman.

Robert Herman said he and his wife had gotten to know Masons biological parents, allowing them to put down roots in Connecticut as they settle in from out of state.

Nathan and Holly Daniel of East Haddam have adopted six children, including two Friday. It is a family legacy  Nathan Daniel said he is adopted, while his wifes mother, Chris Shuey, also is adopted.

Holly Daniel said they wanted to adopt a sibling group, as theyre more difficult to place  now, biological brothers and sisters Elizabeth, Todd, Isabella, Emma, Alexander and Sofie have found their new home.

It was always something that we wanted, said Holly Daniel.

There are a lot of kids that need a loving home, said Nathan Daniel. Why not? There is no reason not to give the love of a parent to kids that need it.

DCF will show ads during the trailers that precede showings of Instant Family in six Connecticut theaters, according to a press release from the department.

The goal is to create more public awareness about the emotional rewards of adoption, the department said in the release.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
WALLINGFORD  A plan by the Massachusetts-based owner of the former Bristol-Myers Squibb complex on Research Drive to tear down the corporate campus and replace it with a pair of large warehouses is meeting with stiff resistance from neighbors.

The plan put forth by Calare Properties faced a barrage of criticism Wednesday from residents of a neighborhood that sits on a hill overlooking the 180-acre corporate campus once occupied by pharmaceutical researchers from Bristol-Myers Squibb. More than 60 residents attended a Planning and Zoning Commission hearing at Town Hall, which was adjourned after more than two hours without a decision on the application.

This will replace high-wage jobs with low-wage jobs, Richard Schartman told PZC members. Other residents complained that the two warehouses being proposed, which need a special permit from the PZC, will increase traffic and noise in surrounding areas.

With what you people are proposing, Im sitting here in disbelief, said Roger Anderson, who lives on Valley View Drive near where the complex is being proposed. This is a quiet area.

Calare Properties, which bought the complex in February, is still marketing the corporate campus as a research facility to potential clients. But company officials have said if they cant find any tenants for 915,000-square-foot building by the end of the year, they want to demolish it and develop a pair of mammoth warehouses instead.

More News Wallingford corporate complex sold to Massachusetts investment...

The warehouses Calare wants to build would 1.1 million square feet of space between them. Dennis A. Ceneviva, a Meriden-based attorney representing Calare, said the company has not identified a tenant for either building.

This is not a tenant-driven project, Ceneviva said. This driven by e-commerce, And e-commerce is booming.

E-commerce giant Amazon opened a 173,000-square-foot sorting center several years ago, a short distance away from where Calare wants to build its warehouses.

The fact that the tenants for Calares warehouses remain unknown seemed to frustrate some in the audience, as well one or two PZC members.

Determining what the hours of operation will be is a challenge without knowing who is the tenant, said J.P. Venoit, vice chairman of the PZC, who served as chairman for Wednesdays hearing.

Another PZC member, James Fitzsimmons, said Calares application is different than issues related to other warehouse that have come before the panel. In those cases, people had moved into homes next to an existing warehouse and then complained about noise and other issues.

This is a new use next to existing homes, Fitzsimmons said.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
New Jersey's top higher education official is reviewing claims that professors at Kean University's satellite campus in China are now employees of the nation's communist government.

Zakiya Smith-Ellis, the state's Secretary of Higher Education, sent a letter to the public university last month asking for detailed information on the rights and protections of faculty at Wenzhou-Kean University, according to the state.

She also asked for information about the organizational and financial structure at the satellite campus Kean opened in 2012 through a partnership with the Chinese government.

"After review of that response, the secretary will determine what further actions may be warranted," her office said in a statement.

Kean President Dawood Farahi has already met with Smith-Ellis to discuss the union's concerns, and Kean is compiling information to share with her, the university said in a statement.

Wenzhou-Kean University, which opened amid a trend of American colleges looking to partner with China in search of big profits, has 102 faculty members, including more than 50 U.S. citizens, according to Kean University.

Those professors have always been employees of Kean University, paid in U.S. dollars and represented by a local chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, according to the union.

However, they were recently informed they will now be employees of Wenzhou-Kean University, paid in Chinese currency and can no longer be in an American union.

The Kean Federation of Teachers argues that change effectively makes the professors employees of the communist Chinese government, raising concerns about academic freedom and integrity.

Kean University contends the change will have no impact on academics, saying it has long been planned and is consistent with the employment models of other U.S. colleges who partner with China.

All senior academic administers will remain Kean University employees and academic standards, policies, assessment and accreditation will be managed by Kean University, President Dawood Farahi wrote in in a letter to faculty.

Kean intends for faculty at Wenzhou-Kean University to have comparable salary, benefits and other privileges as those who work at the campus in Union Township, according to the university.

The satellite campus in Wenzhou, a port city on the East China Sea south of Shanghai, has about 2,000 students, mostly Chinese students taking classes in English to earn Kean degrees.

Local union officials have long had concerns about the campus and complained when a 2015 job posting for two non-academic jobs said "membership in the Chinese Communist Party is preferred."

Kean said the job listings were consistent with the university's agreement with the Chinese government, which oversees the non-academic departments on the satellite campus.

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
The man accused of killing his girlfriend in Montclair last month will have his detention hearing pushed back again.

James Ray III appeared in Superior Court in Newark on Friday with a new attorney, Thomas Ashley, who has a practice in Newark.

Ray, 55, is accused of fatally shooting the mother of his child last month, Angela Bledsoe, and later confessed to the crime in a note found by a family member, according to charging documents filed by prosecutors.

In the note, Ray III confessed to the killing and indicated he was scared to face prison time and "the long burden of a trial," a detective wrote in an affidavit obtained by NJ Advance Media.

Ray was apprehended as a murder suspect in Cuba recently and turned over to U.S. federal just over a week after he was detained upon arriving in the Caribbean country

On Friday, Ashley told Judge Ronald B. Wigler that he had been retained the day prior and needed time to review the discovery. Ashley and Assistant Essex County Prosecutor Tim Shaughnessy discussed what had already been given to Ray's previous attorney, William Ewing: the affidavit of probable cause and the note.

"The state turned over the note, the typewritten note to Mr. Ray's brother that prompted him to call police," Shaughnessy said.

Ashley said he needed to see the crime scene photos, which Shaughnessy said he had handed over to him on a CD outside the courtroom. Judge Wigler said Ashley would only need to see whatever evidence the state would present at the hearing.

An earlier attempt at a detention hearing on Tuesday was adjourned at Ewing's request to review the evidence, since he had just been hired the night before, Shaughnessy said.

Wigler scheduled Ray for a new detention hearing for Nov. 26, after Thanksgiving.

Ray will remain at the Essex County Correctional Facility over the holiday.

Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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JERSEY CITY -- Hoboken developer Frank Raia and associate Dio Braxton made their first court appearance Thursday in connection to an alleged vote-for-pay scheme in the Mile Square City.

Raia and Braxton pleaded not guilty at the hearing and each was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond, U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Matthew Reilly said.

Raia, who sought a Hoboken council seat in 2013 and was also supporting a referendum to weaken the city's rent control laws, is alleged to have overseen a mail-in vote operation which paid voters to cast ballots for his slate and the ballot question.

Lizaida Camis, 55, has already pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to promote a voter-bribery scheme and she faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She is to be sentenced on Feb. 21 in Newark by U.S. District Judge William Martini.

Camis' arrest in September revealed the federal probe into the alleged cash-for-votes scheme in Hoboken. She admitted promising voters $50 in exchange for their votes.
The Leonid meteor shower has in the past been responsible for some of the most spectacular displays of "shooting stars" in history. The dust that creates this shower comes from Comet Tempel-Tuttle which orbits the sun every 33 years.

Author and poet Walt Whitman wrote about the following story that Abraham Lincoln told when speaking to a group of bank presidents. He was asked about the state of the Union, which at the time was deep in the Civil War.

"When I was a young man in Illinois," said he, "I boarded for a time with a Deacon of the Presbyterian church. One night I was roused from my sleep by a rap at the door, & I heard the Deacon's voice exclaiming 'Arise, Abraham, the day of judgment has come!' I sprang from my bed & rushed to the window, and saw the stars falling in great showers! But looking back of them in the heavens I saw all the grand old constellations with which I was so well acquainted, fixed and true in their places. Gentlemen, the world did not come to an end then, nor will the Union now."

"A Lincoln Reminiscence"

Specimen Days & Collect (1882)

This is thought to be a reference to the Leonids in 1833. It is estimated that an astounding 100,000 to 200,000 meteors per hour were visible! Unfortunately, big displays like this are rare. The last one was in 2002, which produced about 3,000 meteors per hour. The next large "meteor storm" is not expected until 2031.

The return of Comet Tempel-Tuttle every 33 years explains the sporadic nature of the Leonids. Fresh trails of dust can lead to spectacular meteor storms. During the years since 2002, the amount of meteors has dropped significantly. In fact, activity in the past couple of years has been quite low.

The best time to view this meteor shower is between 1:30 a.m. and dawn when the constellation Leo rises and the moon has set.

This year the Leonids are predicted to be fairly normal, producing between 15 to 20 meteors per hour, at best, under dark skies. The peak of the shower is happening tonight at about 6 pm but bright moonlight will hamper viewing during the evening hours. You need to wait until after the moon sets and the constellation Leo is above the horizon. The best time to view will likely be between 1:30 a.m. and dawn tomorrow morning.

Remember that you don't need to face any particular direction. Even though the meteors will be coming from the constellation Leo, they can appear in any part of the sky.

Kevin D. Conod is the planetarium manager and astronomer at the Newark Museum's Dreyfuss Planetarium. For updates on the night sky, call the Newark Skyline at (973) 596-6529.
The last known Trenton trolley car is in the process of finding a new home. The car was found last month inside a Hamilton New Jersey house, slated for renovations. After the trolley was found by business partners Marc Manfredi and Brandon Breza, they knew they wanted to try and preserve this piece of history.

"We knew we had something great here," Breza said. "We knew we had a valuable artifact of history."

Manfredi and Breza reached out to various historical groups and train enthusiasts trying to find someone to preserve the train. They eventually got in contact with William McKelvey of the Liberty Historic Railway.

According to McKelvey, the trolley car was built in 1914 by the J.P. Brill Trolley Company of Philadelphia and was used as part of the Trenton trolley system until 1934 when it discontinued its service.

During its heyday the trolley would have traveled all around Mercer County from Trenton to neighboring suburbs such as Hamilton and all the way up to Princeton, and would have seated about 50 passengers, McKelvey said.

It is believed that the same year the trolley service stopped, the car was brought to its current spot in Hamilton where a man named John Guthrie used the trolley car to make a house for his son William, who had fallen on hard times.

William made the first additions to the home, creating a room at the back of the trolley car in order to expand his living space.

Over the years the house passed through multiple owners who continued to add rooms to the front and back of the trolley car. The second owner, Evelyn Brice, raised her three children within the 500 square feet and outfitted the home with running water and gas heaters.

By the time Manfredi and Breza purchased the home in a foreclosure sale, the foundation of the home was no longer up to code, so they decided to demolish the house but save the trolley car.

Once the exterior of the house is removed the trolley car will be lifted by a crane onto a flatbed truck and will spend about a year in Iowa being restored until the trolley car can be brought back to New Jersey as part of a museum display.

Olivia Rizzo may be reached at orizzo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LivRizz. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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An Edison man wanted for murder in connection with a fatal shooting in New Brunswick last month has been arrested in Georgia, according to authorities.

The U.S. Marshall Service arrested Christopher "C-Dub" Thompson, 26, of Edison, at a home in Lithonia, Georgia, on Thursday, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey said in a release Saturday.

Thompson -- who is facing charges of murder, attempted murder and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose -- is currently being held at the DeKalb County Jail in Georgia. He is awaiting extradition to New Jersey on the charges.

Thompson is accused of fatally shooting Larenz Ogarro, 23, of New Brunswick, on October 26 in the city.

The incident occurred shortly after a related aggravated assault by Eric "E-Z" Inman who was charged and arrested on October 27, 2018, the prosecutor's office said.

The Georgia jail does not list an attorney for Thompson.

The investigation is active and continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Abode at (732) 745-5217 or Detective Abromaitis at (732) 745- 4436.

Olivia Rizzo may be reached at orizzo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LivRizz. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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UPDATE: Marc Zayas was located and arrested on Nov. 19 after an "intense manhunt" the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement Nov. 26.

Police were searching Friday for a man they said shot and critically injured an 18-year-old man in Long Branch.

Marc Zayas, 18, of Long Branch, was charged with attempted murder and weapons offenses after the Neptune resident was shot in the back, according a release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

Marc Zayas, 18, of Long Branch (Photo: Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office)

The Long Branch Police were called to 63 Morris Ave. Thursday just after noon, found the man and he was taken to the hospital where he was in critical, but stable condition as of 5:45 p.m. Friday, officials said.

Long Branch Police Chief Jason Roebuck called the shooting an "isolated incident" on Facebook and added that schools in the area were placed on a temporary lockdown for a "short period" on Thursday.

"There was no threat to the students and this was just a precautionary measure," Roebuck said.

The Long Branch Police and prosecutors said they investigated and charged Zayas with the shooting and were looking for the public's help in finding him.

"We are now asking the community for their help, in bringing Marc Zayas to justice," Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said in the release.

Gramiccioni said police were prepared to charge anyone who tried to stop them from finding and arresting Zayas.

Anyone with information about the case was asked to call Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office Det. Wayne Raynor at 800-533-7443 or Long Branch Police Det. Nicholas Romano at 732-547-3949.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A Blackwood man was indicted Friday on an attempted murder charge and 13 other criminal counts following a shooting in a hotel parking lot earlier this year, according to a release from the New Jersey's Office of the Attorney General.

Back in May, Luis Figueroa, 29, allegedly fired multiple shots from a stolen handgun at a Rodeway Inn male employee as the man was pulling into the hotel's parking lot, authorities say.

An investigation from the Attorney General's Office later determined that Figueroa mistakenly believed the hotel employee was another man who he had got into an argument with earlier.

Luis Figueroa, 29.

None of Figueroa's shots hit the hotel employee.

After missing, Figueroa walked out to Wheat Road and pointed the gun at a man driving, who called police at a nearby Wawa.

State police, Vineland and Franklin Township cops responded.

As authorities arrived at the hotel, a state trooper spotted a man matching the shooter's description at the Cranberry Run retirement community.

Figueroa took off into a wooded area when the trooper got out of his car and told Figueroa to show his hands.

During a chase, the trooper fired three rounds at Figueroa after the man pulled a gun.

None of the trooper's shots hit, and Figueroa ran deeper into the wooded area.

However, the chase was short-lived as he fell and the trooper arrested him.

A grand jury determined on Wednesday that the trooper was justified in shooting at Figueroa.

After being handcuffed, officials say they found the stolen Keltec 9mm on Figueroa and a bag of drugs including .32 ounces of heroin mixed with fentanyl and approximately .18 ounces of cocaine.

At Figueroa's hotel room, cops say they found a scale, latex gloves and packaging materials such as wax folds and baggies

Figueroa is facing charges of first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a handgun, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possessions of a weapon while committing narcotics offense, third-degree aggravated assault, receiving stolen property, two charges each of possession of narcotics with intent to distribute and possession of narcotics and fourth-degree resisting arrest.

Taylor Tiamoyo Harris may be reached at tharris@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ladytiamoyo.

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Watching hundreds of U.S. cities compete to land Amazon's "second headquarters" was a gross and gaudy spectacle. Even in a divided America, we are united by our collective disgrace.



The 238 cities spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on bids and offered billions in tax incentives, only to see Amazon split the prize between two obvious choices - New York City and a suburb of D.C., where CEO Jeff Bezos owns a house and a newspaper.



But worst of all is the message this sends to the next corporate giant: Pit us all against each other, and you'll walk away the big winner.

Newark - and the state - dodged the Amazon iceberg. Those corporate handouts would have sunk us



Every public official who threw up a paddle was bidding with our money; billions in potential tax revenue that could go to our roads or schools. And New Jersey was right there in the front row, upping the ante and forcing other states to do the same.

We offered Amazon $7 billion in tax incentives over the next decade. And it still wasn't enough to beat Queens.



New York and Virginia offered much less; about $2 billion, collectively. As usual, Amazon's decision came down to factors other than the size of the subsidies, like the local workforce and CEO's second home. Had the contest never happened, who's to say it wouldn't have made the same decision?



Granted, the prize was shiny. While most large corporations promise a few thousand jobs, Amazon pledged 50,000, more than the population of most towns. And New Jersey is, in one respect, more cautious than other states. We don't hand out the tax subsidy until the jobs have actually been produced.

N.J. escalates destructive Amazon war | Editorial



But we're still being bluffed when these are jobs the company would have created anyway. And it always comes at the expense of smaller companies that aren't offered incentives, the diner owner whose tax dollars are subsidizing the jobs of techies earning six figures.



The federal government needs to look at ways to throw water on these bidding wars. Amazon just got a corporate tax break of almost $1 billion over the next decade, thanks to Trump's tax plan. It's offensive that the company can march in and not pay its fair share toward infrastructure and education.



Congress must examine how we can stop state and local officials from killing each other to the tune of $90 billion a year, trying to poach companies. Time to fight back, in the spirit of Little Rock, Ark., a conscientious objector.

As other long-shot cities proposed with a fake diamond ring and a bad pun, it chartered a plane to fly a banner over Amazon's headquarters in Seattle that read, "It's not you, it's us."

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
WASHINGTON -- There haven't been many issues in which U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and President Donald Trump see eye-to-eye on. Indeed, Booker pledged to stand up to Trump even before the president was inaugurated.

Not now. Booker, close to fulfilling one of his top priorities since coming to Washington, aligned himself with Trump and lawmakers of both parties and signed onto to legislation overhauling criminal justice laws.

Booker, D-N.J., became one of the six original Senate sponsors of the First Step Act, which is designed to reduce the number of nonviolent offenders behind bars, who are disproportionately minority and often there due to drug crimes.

"It will affect the lives of thousands of people who have been abused and wronged by a broken criminal justice system," Booker told NJ Advance Media.

Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner have sought changes to the criminal justice system, and the president embraced the legislation at the White House, surrounded by U.S. senators and representatives of groups pushing for the measure.

Criminal justice is one issue that Booker, a potential challenger to Trump in 2020, has reached far across party lines to achieve, including co-sponsoring legislation with U.S. Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rand Paul, R-Ky.

The alignment of Trump and Booker is in contrast to the barbs they have tossed at each other. Booker called for Trump's resignation a year ago and said the president left him "outraged and disgusted'' after blaming both neo-Nazi protesters and those who opposed them for violence during a white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Trump, meanwhile, made Booker a frequent foil on the campaign trail this fall, attacking his record as mayor of Newark.

On this bill, Booker also found himself on the same side as Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, with whom he clashed repeatedly during the confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

The legislation would allow judges to hand out lighter sentences to those convicted of nonviolent drug crimes, reduce to 25 years from life imprisonment the automatic sentence imposed on offenders convicted for a third time, stop charging nonviolent offenders with an extra crime if they are carrying a gun, and prevent most juveniles from being put in solitary confinement.

Another provision would allow prisoners who were convicted of crack cocaine offenses before the 2010 law that imposed similar penalties for both powder cocaine and crack cocaine use to petition for lighter sentences.

Booker's name noticeably was absent from the early reports about a deal, even as he was involved behind the scenes while Grassley, R-Iowa, and Senate Democratic Whip Richard Durbin of Illinois ironed out a final agreement.

Booker came on board after the solitary confinement and other sentencing provisions were added. He said the bill wasn't perfect but definitely was a good start. Besides Booker, Grassley and Durbin, the bill's original sponsors were Lee and U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.

"I'm proud that we've gotten to this point," Booker said. "We have a bipartisan bill that looks like it has a pathway to passing."

My full statement on my sponsorship and support of the comprehensive criminal justice reform compromise introduced today in the Senate: https://t.co/WmJFBZ8S5s pic.twitter.com/0tphYBzKIV  Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBooker) November 15, 2018

The original bill, which passed the House in May, focused solely on those already behind bars. It expanded programs to help inmates after they were released from prison, sped up early release for some, provided treatment for those addicted to opioids, required prisoners to be housed closer to home, and prevented pregnant women from being shackled.

Booker, whose work on criminal justice was recognized for his work when President Barack Obama came to Newark in November 2015, initially opposed the House measure because of prison provisions were weak and the bill did not address sentencing at all.

So did Durbin and other Democrats, most notably Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, the civil rights icon.

"Prison reform will fail if we do not address the mandatory minimum sentences that have filled our prisons with individuals convicted of nonviolent offenses," the lawmakers wrote to their colleagues in May.

By co-sponsoring the legislation, Booker, D-N.J., joined not only Trump -- a potential 2020 White House opponent -- but also Grassley, with whom he clashed repeatedly during the confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

The bipartisan group of sponsors also included Durbin and Republican U.S. Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Lindsay Graham of South Carolina. A long list of civil rights and other organizations, including those led by billionaire energy executives Charles and David Koch, were among those urging changes in criminal justice laws.

Booker, Grassley and Durbin were among the authors of a 2016 criminal justice bill that failed when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., refused to bring it up for a vote.

There's no guarantee that either McConnell nor outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., will allow a vote on this measure either, even as Trump earlier this week urged Congress to act.

Indeed, Grassley took to Twitter Friday to encourage McConnell to act.

DEALMAKER @realDonaldTrump can get a big bipartisan deal done THIS YEAR on crim justice reform Plenty of time to pass First Step Act in December Will GOP senators & Ldr McConnell stand in Pres Trumps way of achieving major bipartisan victory or join in historic + popular reform?  ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) November 16, 2018

Lawmakers return to Washington after Thanksgiving, with their top priority being a spending bill to prevent a third government shutdown under Trump's watch.

"When Republicans and Democrats talk, debate, and seek common ground, we can achieve breakthroughs that move our country forward and deliver for our citizens," Trump said.

"I urge lawmakers in both the House and Senate to work hard and to act quickly and send a final bill to my desk," he said. "And I look very much forward to signing it. This is a big breakthrough for a lot of people."

I am grateful to be here today w/ Members of the House & Senate who have poured their time, heart and energy into the crucial issue of Prison Reform. Working together w/ my Admin over the last two years, these members have reached a bipartisan agreement...https://t.co/wflidv2cZr  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 14, 2018

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
Police are searching for an armed man and the Kia Soul in which he fled following a robbery Monday night (Nov. 12) at a Subway in Algiers.

The man was brandishing a handgun when he entered the restaurant in the 3600 block of MacArthur Boulevard and demanded cash from an employee, police said.

The worker handed money to the robber, who then drove off in a green Kia Soul.

Anyone with information on the identity and whereabouts of the man pictured above or the green Kia Soul is asked to call NOPD Detective Barry Blanchard or any 4th District Detective at 504-685-6040 or call Crimestoppers anonymously at 504-822-1111 and toll-free at 1-877-903-7867.

Laura McKnight covers crime and breaking news for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.

3 teenage boys carjack duo in 1 of 3 Monday robberies
A New Orleans East physician was sentenced Thursday (Nov. 15) to two and a half years in federal prison for illegally dispensing oxycodone, hydrocodone and other addictive painkillers, according to the local U.S. Attorneys office.

Dr. Barbara A. Bruce, 45, pleaded guilty in January 2017 to conspiring to dispense the drugs outside the scope of her professional practice, court records show.

Between August 2014 and April 2015, Bruce conspired with Kenneth "Kenny" Knight, the owner of Axcess Medical Clinic in New Orleans East, to illegally provide patients with prescriptions for painkillers.

Knight, a longtime advisor to former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, also pleaded guilty in January 2017 to his role in running a "pill mill. He is set for sentencing Feb. 21, also before U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe.

During the time Bruce worked for Axcess, located in a suite at 9954 Lake Forest Boulevard, she wrote prescriptions for patients without conducting medical exams and, in some cases, without even seeing the patient, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Court documents show that Bruce and Knight accepted cash only and drew a high volume of patients from Louisiana and neighboring states, splitting the profits between them. According to a January 2017 NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune report, a factual basis details the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrations investigation into Axcess, noting that patients working undercover paid clinic staff $300 for an initial visit and $240 for follow-up visits.

The clinics certified medical assistant, Theresa Tammy Schlosser, was also convicted in the case, entering her guilty plea in July 2017 to conspiring to obtain controlled substances by misrepresentation. She was sentenced to three years of probation, court records show.

Doctor pleads guilty to illegally dispensing narcotics in New Orleans East
Update: New Orleans police said on Monday (Nov. 19) that Brandon Simms had been arrested and was booked into the Orleans Justice Center jail on a charges of burglary of an automobile.

--

New Orleans police are looking for a man suspected of breaking into a car in Algiers last month.

Brandon Simms, 25, is wanted in connection with an auto burglary in the 5000 block of Woodland Drive (map) on Oct. 14, police said. His last known address was in the 6100 block of Tullis Drive.

Anyone with information on this incident or the whereabouts of Brandon Lee Simms is asked to contact Fourth District Detective Nicole Alcala or any other Fourth District detective at 504-658-6040 or call Crimestoppers anonymously at 504-822-1111 and toll-free at 1-877-903-7867.

Note: This story was updated Monday (Nov. 19) with additional information from NOPD.
The long, protracted fight over Confederate monuments in New Orleans was a reminder to those who needed it that a fairly sizable portion of white people dont believe that overtly racist acts deserve punishment  or even reproach.

The Confederates who took up arms against the United States made it plain that they sought to form a government based on the idea that black people were to be white peoples subjects. The people who built Confederate monuments made it equally plain that they were doing so to send the message that they didnt feel guilty or ashamed.

So, at its essence, the debate over the monuments was a debate about whether overt expressions of white supremacy ought to be publicly rebuked and whether those who promoted that message ought to be shamed.

Many  too many  took the position that they should not.

In 2018, voters in multiple states have been given an opportunity to reject overt racism and to punish those candidates the overt racists are supporting. Many  too many  have declined the opportunity and voted for the candidates championed by the racists.

Well, hello there. I is the Negro Andrew Gillum and Ill be askin you to make me governor of this here state of Florida, an October robocall attacking the black Democrat began. My state opponent, who done call me monkey, is doin a lot of hollerin about how spensive my plans for health care be.

The robocall, sponsored by a white nationalist group called The Road to Power, came with sound effects. The sound of a chimpanzee was played when the word monkey was uttered.

In Georgia, The Road to Powers robocall attacking Stacey Abrams, also a black Democrat running for governor, impersonated media mogul Oprah Winfrey. It begins, This is the magical Negro, Oprah Winfrey, asking you to make my fellow negress, Stacey Abrams, the governor of Georgia. Years ago, the Jews who own the American media saw something in me  the ability to trick dumb white women into thinking I was like them. I see that same potential in Stacey Abrams.

What a great message it would have sent if voters in Florida and Georgia had shown that people who make obviously racist appeals on behalf of a candidate would cost that candidate the election.

But Ron DeSantis victory in Florida and Brian Kemps win in Georgia demonstrate that making despicably nasty racist attacks is not a losing strategy and that it might be a winning one.

On a certain level, its unfair to criticize a campaign for what its supporters say or do. But it isnt unfair to ask why white supremacist groups find certain candidates so appealing. Now, Im not calling Mr. DeSantis a racist, Gillum said of his opponent during an Oct. 24 debate. Im simply saying the racists believe hes a racist.

They certainly believed he could be helped with an openly racist call.

After the elections, Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Democratic Socialist from Vermont, argued that white people who voted against the black gubernatorial candidates because theyre black arent necessarily racist.

I think, you know, there are a lot of white folks out there who are not necessarily racist who felt uncomfortable for the first time in their lives about whether or not they wanted to vote for an African-American, Sanders told the Daily Beast. I think next time around, by the way, it will be a lot easier for them to do that.

Sanders commentary boggles the mind. Feeling uncomfortable voting for a black person is textbook racism. Sanders prediction that the white people who were uncomfortable voting for a black candidate Nov. 6 will find it a lot easier to vote for a black person next time is based on absolutely nothing.

No politician so divorced from the racial realities that exist should expect to be taken seriously.

Nor should Southern politicians who make lynching and voter suppression jokes. They should know  better than a senator from Vermont  the history of race in this region and how to campaign in a way that respects that history.

Unless disrespecting that history is the point.

In Mississippi, Cindy Hyde-Smith, the Republican running for U.S. Senate, was recorded on the campaign trail saying of a friend, If he invited me to a public hanging, Id be on the front row. While stumping for votes outside Mississippi State, she was recorded saying that theres a lot of liberal folks in those other schools who that maybe we dont want to vote. Maybe we want to make it just a little more difficult.

Theres a connection in Mississippi between public hangings and voter suppression. That Hyde-Smith, whose opponent is a black Democrat, was recorded talking about both suggests that she doesnt care about that history or the people whose people suffered it. She says criticisms of her public hanging remark are ridiculous. After the second recording, she tweeted, Its ok to still have a sense of humor in America, isnt it?

Mississippians are right to be upset about Hyde-Smiths remarks. But who can say that those remarks wont increase the chances that shell win?

Jarvis DeBerry is a columnist on the Latitude team at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Latitude is a place to share opinions about the challenges facing Louisiana. Follow @LatitudeNOLA on Facebook and Twitter. Write Jarvis at jdeberry@nola.com or @jarvisdeberry.
A motorcyclist was killed in a River Ridge wreck and a pedestrian died after being struck by a hit-and-run vehicle in New Orleans, authorities said Saturday (Nov. 17).

Louisiana State Police said the motorcycle rider, Robert Drake, 72, of River Ridge, was speeding upriver on Jefferson Highway when he lost control Friday just before midnight in a left-hand curve at Rebel Street. He ran off the road to the right, entered a ditch and struck a culvert. He was ejected from the cycle and pronounced dead at the scene.

At about midnight, New Orleans police said, a 62-year-old male pedestrian was struck and killed in the 7th Ward at North Broad and Republic streets. Officers arrived at the scene and discovered the man lying unresponsive in the right east bound lane of North Broad Street. He was transported to a local hospital and later pronounced dead. Police did not immediately release more information, including a description of the vehicle.

. . . . . . .

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story gave an incorrect location for the River Ridge wreck.

Drew Broach covers Jefferson Parish politics and education, plus other odds and ends, for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Email: dbroach@nola.com. Facebook: Drew Broach TP. Twitter: drewbroach1. Google+: Drew Broach.
A Slidell police officer has died from injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash during a funeral procession, the Police Department said Saturday (Nov. 17).

Jason Seals was escorting a funeral procession Sept. 28 on U.S. 190 when a vehicle unexpectedly pulled out in front of him, causing him to strike the vehicle. Seals was ejected from his motorcycle then rushed to University Medical Center in New Orleans and stabilized, which is a miracle in itself, officials said at the time.

Jason was a model officer who was beloved by his family, his fellow officers and the citizens of our community," Police Chief Randy Fandal said. We are broken, but we are focused on providing prayers and support to Jasons family.

"He left behind a loving wife, three kids and many others who loved him dearly. This is going to be a very difficult time for our Slidell police family.

St. Tammany Parish President Pat Brister also released a statement, describing the news of Seals' death as heartbreaking for me and all St. Tammany Parish citizens.

Our hearts and collective prayers go out to his family, those that were close to him, and the entire Slidell Police Department, Brister said. "We also continue to pray that those who protect us every dayour first responders  are themselves protected from the dangers that they see in doing the work they love.

Details on Seals' funeral arrangements were not immediately available. An official GoFundMe has been established for Jasons family at https://www.gofundme.com/officer-jason-seals-motorman117.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 17)  Five soldiers were killed while 23 others were wounded when they fought members of the Abu Sayyaf group in Patikul, Sulu Friday, the military said Saturday.

According to the military's Western Mindanao Command, the firefight lasted for more than an hour at Barangay Liang at around 4 p.m.

An initial report said the soldiers encountered around 50 Abu Sayyaf fighters under leader Almuder Yadah.

The Abu Sayyaf group is one of the foreign terrorist organizations listed by the United States Department of State.

Duterte in July reached out to the bandits, calling on them to stop the violence in Mindanao and talk peace with the government instead.

READ: Duterte offers peace talks with Abu Sayyaf after signing Bangsamoro law

This, despite his previous statements that he does not talk to terrorists, dispelling claims he tried to negotiate with ISIS-linked groups that attacked Marawi City in May 2017. The Abu Sayyaf faction led by slain senior leader Isnilon Hapilon joined the Maute brothers in the five-month war that led to over 100 casualties, most of them local and foreign terrorists.

This is a developing story. Please refresh page for updates.


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The Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, also known as MCAS, is intended to assist pilots by automatically pulling the nose of the aircraft downward so the plane does not stall, said Bjorn Fehrm, an analyst with Leeham Co., an aerospace consulting and market analysis firm based in Washington. The system was designed to kick in only during extreme situations when the plane is pushing past normal flight limits, he said.
The Ohio House of Representatives this week passed one of the most restrictive abortion bills in the country  one that would penalize doctors for performing an abortion when a fetal heartbeat can be detected and pose a potential challenge to Roe v. Wade.

A fetal heartbeat can be detected by an ultrasound as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, a time during which most women are unaware they are pregnant.

Under the bill, approved Thursday by a vote of 60 to 35, performing an abortion on a fetus with a heartbeat would result in a fifth-degree felony, which is punishable in Ohio by up to one year in prison and a $2,500 fine. The bill now heads to the Ohio Senate.

The measure includes no exceptions for rape or incest. Doctors may, however, make an exception during a medical emergency or if an abortion would save a womans life.
The police commander who led the effort to arrest Harvey Weinstein has been ousted from his longtime position as the head of the Police Departments special victims division in a major shake-up that comes as the departments handling of sex crimes is facing increased scrutiny and criticism.

The chief of detectives announced the change in leadership on Friday afternoon.

The divisions reputation was tarnished when it came to light in court that one of its detectives made serious errors that compromised the sexual-assault investigation of Mr. Weinstein, the movie producer. In addition, a city watchdog agency found in March that the unit had far too few detectives to handle the citys sexual assault cases.

The decision to transfer the divisions commander, Deputy Chief Michael Osgood, to a new post as head of patrol operations in Staten Island was months in the making. The police commissioner, James P. ONeill, promised a top-to-bottom scrub of the unit back in April after a report by the citys Department of Investigation found the special victims division was severely understaffed.

Chief Osgood, a highly respected manager within the department, had won praise from advocates in his eight years at the helm of the division. But he had also pushed his superiors hard for more resources, and his warnings over the last four years about the state of the citys sex crimes unit were made public in the investigation departments report.
No cosmic watcher surveying Lee's earliest efforts could have predicted the trajectory of his career. For two decades, he soldiered on as an anonymous, unremarkable writer, penning countless short stories in a variety of genres, from romance to horror to adventure. And though he would later grow famous for the goofily hackneyed grandiloquence of his prose, it was never really his writing that drove his reputation. In the 1960s, after he and his collaborators became successful with a new group of superheroes who are the basis of today's Marvel movie empire, Lee created a way of making comics now known as the Marvel Method. The writer - most often Lee himself - would provide the artists with little more than a short summary, sometimes just a sentence or two, of the issue's plot. Only after the pages were laid out and illustrated would the writer dream up dialogue and captions.
Mayra Langdon Riesman, who in the mid-1990s turned her fascination with movies into Film Scouts, an early and ambitious website that offered film festival coverage, movie reviews, trailers and interviews with Hollywood personalities, died on Nov. 4 at her home in Manhattan. She was 64.

Her husband, Michael Riesman, said the cause was complications of Parkinsons disease.

Ms. Riesman had done some acting, sold designer clothes, worked for a German film distributor and served as an associate producer on a movie when she became intrigued by the idea of covering the film industry in a realm known as the World Wide Web.

The internet is a new medium, certainly, she recalled in an interview in 1999 on the Film Scouts website, but I still see the basis in what Im doing in the tradition of film, radio and television  programming pioneers who developed new ways of telling stories to the public.

Film Scouts, which started on AOL in 1994 and shifted to its own website two years later, took an entertaining approach to storytelling that earned it high rankings among the growing selection of movie sites by Yahoo and Netscape. Visitors to the site were guided by an animated character, Jerry the usher, to the sites theaters to read or watch its content.
No sooner had Prime Minister Theresa May unveiled her 585-page draft of a deal on withdrawing from the European Union than all hell broke loose. Ministers resigned, hard-core Brexiteers began stirring up a leadership challenge; in the House of Commons, Mrs. Mays talk of a smooth and orderly divorce drew prolonged hilarity followed by a three-hour assault on her plan from every bench  Leavers, Remainers, Labourites, Liberal Democrats, Northern Irish, Scottish Nationalists.

In the bitter saga of Brexit, each formidable hurdle has been followed by an even greater one. So it is now: If Mrs. May survives this onslaught, and if the agreement is approved by the union, the deal must return for a vote in Parliament, where current tallies are heavily against it. The prospect of Britain exiting the union at the March 29 deadline without a deal, the worst of all possible outcomes, looms large. That, almost everyone agrees, would be a disaster for the British economy and security. It would mean tariffs and border checks, miles of backed-up trucks, businesses in flight, supply chains choked and other woes galore.

Yet as the members of Parliament took turns denouncing Mrs. Mays plan, none had a better idea. The reason for that is simple  there is no plan that would allow Britain to have its cake and eat it, too, as disingenuously promised by Boris Johnson, the former foreign secretary and most shameless of Brexit propagandists.

From the outset, British politicians have debated Brexit as if they have the decisive say in the outcome, while Mrs. May has been compelled to deal with a European Union that actually does have the final word on the conditions under which Britain would retain access to the bloc after it withdrew. That is not to say the European Union is indifferent to the outcome  a deal-less exit would have severe repercussions on the Continent as well. But European Union officials in Brussels were never prepared to let Britain pick and choose among the benefits, costs and obligations it would keep or shed.
This article has been updated to reflect news developments.

At New Yorks City Hall, the need for oversight is clear as ever.

That is the biggest takeaway after Mayor Bill de Blasio fired one of his harshest critics, Mark Peters, commissioner of the Department of Investigation, the citys semi-independent watchdog agency. That dismissal set off a fiery exchange of words between the men that has prompted questions about the ethical behavior of them both.

In the letter firing Mr. Peters, city officials cited an independent review this year by a former federal prosecutor, James McGovern, accusing Mr. Peters of abusing his powers by taking over an agency that investigates misconduct in public schools and firing its top official after she said the takeover violated the law. The review did not call for Mr. Peterss ouster.

Mr. Peterss response to his dismissal was swift and biting. In a letter on Monday, he suggested the mayor had fired him in part because of continuing investigations into the de Blasio administration. He also said Mr. de Blasio had pressured him not to release some of the agencys reports, including one on lead paint hazards in the citys public housing buildings. Another time, Mr. Peters said, Mr. de Blasio called him on the phone and asked him not to release a report critical of the citys child welfare agency, yelling at him when he said he planned to make the document public anyway.
Since 1889, Le Grand K, a sleek cylinder of platinum-iridium metal, has ruled from its underground vault in Paris. An absolute monarch, it was the very definition of one kilogram of mass. Scientists from around the world made pilgrimages to it, bringing along their national kilogram standards to weigh in comparison and adjust accordingly.

The mother ship is never wrong, said Robert Vocke Jr., a chemist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (N.I.S.T.) in Gaithersburg, MD.

No longer. Friday, in a small conference center located just steps from the Palace of Versailles, several dozen nations voted to overthrow Le Grand K and to redefine the kilogram and three other standard units of measure: the ampere, for electrical current; the kelvin, for temperature; and the mole, which describes the amount of a chemical substance. The vote fulfills an 18th-century dream. Henceforth, all seven units in the International System of Units, otherwise known as the S.I., will no longer be defined by material objects and instead will be defined only by abstract constants of nature.

This arc of history started before the French Revolution and now, I think weve finished the journey, said Stephan Schlamminger, a N.I.S.T. physicist. The democratization of the units, he said, is now complete.
The Pulitzer Prize board announced Friday that it had concluded its review of sexual misconduct allegations against the award-winning novelist Junot Diaz and found no reason to remove him from the board.

During the five-month inquiry, the board said, an outside law firm interviewed dozens of witnesses and analyzed hundreds of documents, as well as audiotapes, according to a news release. The board said the review did not find evidence warranting removal of Mr. Diaz from its ranks.

In May, Mr. Diaz stepped down as chairman of the board shortly after the sexual misconduct allegations became public. The week before, the writer Zinzi Clemmons accused Mr. Diaz of forcibly kissing her when she was a graduate student at Columbia University, prompting a divisive debate within the literary world over Mr. Diazs actions and whether he should be held accountable.

In a statement provided by his publicist, Nicole Aragi, responding to the Pulitzer boards decision, Mr. Diaz said that he welcomed the Pulitzers independent investigation and was heartened by its thoroughness and determination to run down every detail.
Both parties would have equal access to all the evidence that school investigators use to determine facts of the case, and a chance to appeal decisions. Elementary and secondary schools, which are also bound by Title IX, would not have to hold live hearings.

Though the rules were drafted over the last year, they were vetted in recent weeks by the White House and other administration agencies where emotions still ran hot over the fallout from the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh.

President Trump used due process arguments to rally conservatives when his Supreme Court nominee faced allegations of sexual assault, including an episode said to have occurred at Yale. Justice Kavanaugh was ultimately confirmed even after one accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, publicly aired her allegations before the Senate Judiciary Committee in a hearing that all sides considered painful.

If this proposed rule goes into effect, every single campus Title IX process is going to replicate what happened in the Senate Judiciary Committee against Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, said Jess Davidson, the interim executive director of End Rape on Campus.

Victims rights and due process advocates commended the department for including safeguards in the cross-examination requirement. The rules prohibit direct questioning of victims by the defendant, keeping in line with the Obama administrations recommendation; require cross-examination to occur through a third-party, such as an adviser or lawyer; and include a rape shield protection that would keep a complainants sexual history off limits.

There is no better way to test the truthfulness of an accusation than by questioning the accuser during a live hearing, said Justin Dillon, a partner at the Washington-based law firm KaiserDillon, who has represented dozens of accused students. If colleges are going to adjudicate what are essentially crimes, then accused students deserve to have the tools to defend themselves effectively.

But victims advocates said the regulation undermined the intent of the sex discrimination law, which is to combat gender-specific discrimination and define sexual misconduct as a means of denying students access to an education.
In an extensive report released on Friday, the committee detailed that several female staff members complained to Mr. Meadows that Mr. West routinely put his hands on their backs and shoulders, pulled their hair, and stared down their blouses and up their skirts. He also made inappropriate comments about their physical appearances, witnesses said, telling one woman that he could not believe your husband lets you out looking that way.

Frustration in the office came to a head in October 2014 when a group of employees met with Mr. Meadowss deputy chief of staff at the time to discuss the inappropriate conduct. The congressman held a meeting with his staff in January and said he would take care of it, multiple witnesses told investigators. He then removed Mr. West from his Washington office and changed his title to senior adviser.

Problems continued when Mr. West unexpectedly showed up at Mr. Meadowss district office in North Carolina and was asked by staff members not to return. Mr. Meadows later announced that Mr. West would leave the office entirely.

But Mr. West continued to be compensated at the same rate, a decision Mr. Meadows made for the sake of a smooth transition, he wrote in a 2015 letter submitted to the Office of Congressional Ethics, noting that Kenny did continue to perform some services and was paid through August 2015.

Both Mr. Meadows and Mr. West refused to cooperate with the offices review.

The committee also released a report on Friday reproving Representative Ruben Kihuen, Democrat of Nevada. Mr. Kihuen, a freshman lawmaker, did not seek re-election after Buzzfeed News reported that he had repeatedly harassed and made sexual advances toward his finance director. Two other women, one an aide, the other a lobbyist, testified before the committee that Mr. Kihuen made repeated unwanted physical and verbal advances toward them and, in one case, suggested through the use of emojis that they make a sex tape together.
WASHINGTON  The disclosure that federal prosecutors have brought an unidentified criminal charge against Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks leader, follows years of government deliberations over the dilemma raised by competing desires to put him out of business and fears that doing so could create a precedent that would undermine press freedoms.

Many crucial details about what prosecutors have done remain unclear, including when the criminal complaint was filed, what specific charge or charges it contains, and what facts it is based upon. Depending on the answers, the Justice Departments move could have very different implications for the traditional news media and First Amendment protections.

Why does charging Mr. Assange raise concerns about press freedoms?

Mr. Assange is not a traditional journalist, but what he does at WikiLeaks has also been difficult to distinguish in a legally meaningful way from what traditional news organizations, like The New York Times, do every day: seek out and publish information that officials would prefer to be kept secret, including classified national security matters.

The Justice Department has never charged journalists with violating the law for doing their jobs. But in recent years, it has become far more common to charge officials with a crime for providing information to reporters. Depending on the facts, the case against Mr. Assange could set a precedent further chilling investigative journalism.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court was asked on Friday to decide whether President Trump acted lawfully in appointing Matthew G. Whitaker to be acting attorney general. The court also agreed to decide what evidence may be used in a challenge to the addition of a question concerning citizenship to the 2020 census.

The request for a ruling on Mr. Whitakers appointment came in the unusual context of a pending Second Amendment challenge to a federal law banning gun ownership by people convicted of felonies. Lawyers for Barry Michaels, who was convicted of securities fraud in 1998 and wants to buy a gun, filed a motion asking the justices to rename his case.

It had earlier been called Michaels v. Sessions, and it was renamed Michaels v. Whitaker after Mr. Whitaker was appointed to succeed Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who resigned under pressure on Nov. 7.

Such substitutions of government officials sued in their official capacities in court cases are ordinarily automatic. It would be unusual for the Supreme Court to rule on a substantial constitutional and statutory question in such a context.
WASHINGTON  Soon after he took over as C.I.A. director, Mike Pompeo privately told lawmakers about a new target for American spies: Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks.

Intent on finding out more about Mr. Assanges dealings with Russian intelligence, the C.I.A. began last year to conduct traditional espionage against the organization, according to American officials. At the same time, federal law enforcement officials were reconsidering Mr. Assanges designation as a journalist and debating whether to charge him with a crime.

Mr. Pompeo and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions unleashed an aggressive campaign against Mr. Assange, reversing an Obama-era view of WikiLeaks as a journalistic entity. For more than a year, the nations spies and investigators sought to learn about Mr. Assange and his ties to Russia as senior administration officials came to believe he was in league with Moscow.

Their work culminated in prosecutors secretly filing charges this summer against Mr. Assange, which were inadvertently revealed in an unrelated court filing and confirmed on Friday by a person familiar with the inquiry. Taken together, the C.I.A. spying and the Justice Departments targeting of Mr. Assange represented a remarkable shift by both the American government and President Trump, who repeatedly lauded WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign for its releases of Democratic emails, stolen by Russian agents, that damaged his opponent, Hillary Clinton.
He revived the idea after the Art Institute asked if he had a project he wanted to do at the Chicago museum, he said. This time, the context is front and center. (And for further elucidation, some performances are being filmed for a presentation and discussion with the artist and performers Dec. 6 in the Rubloff; register for free tickets at artic.edu.)
Nearly 3,000 votes effectively disappeared during the machine recount of Floridas midterm races, according to election records, calling into question whether officials relied on a flawed process to settle the outcome of three statewide contests.

With extremely narrow gaps separating candidates in the still-undeclared races for both governor and United States Senate, the results of the machine recount of all votes cast in the Nov. 6 election, posted by the Florida secretary of states office, showed 900 fewer votes than those reported in the original statewide tally.

The discrepancy was expected to grow by an additional 2,000 votes when updated numbers from Broward County, whose results initially were disqualified because they came in two minutes late, are added to the statewide results on Sunday.

[UPDATE: Andrew Gillum has conceded to Ron DeSantis in Florida governors race.]

None of the discrepancies would be enough to affect the outcome of the three statewide and three local elections that are still waiting for a winner to be called. But they come as at least three Florida counties  two of them Democratic strongholds whose results could be decisive  have reported problems counting their shares of the more than 8.1 million ballots cast across the state.
When you live with your parents, you get comfortable having someone else do your laundry and cook your meals, and you might not feel compelled to move out, she said. You might wait to find the perfect job instead of taking one that could lead you in an unexpected direction.

Parents like Mary-Liz and Steven Lichtenfels of McLean, Va., take a middle way, steering their children toward quick independence without emptying their own bank accounts. They asked each of their three children, now in their mid- to late 20s, to move home after college and save a cushion of money to last them for months: $10,000. The savings, they made clear, were meant to keep them out of their old bedrooms permanently.

For them, the strategy paid off. Our philosophy was, come home and get a job and make some money and then get out, Mrs. Lichtenfels said. All three of the Lichtenfels children, none of whom were in their old bedrooms longer than a year post-graduation, are now employed in their chosen fields and financially independent. That includes paying for their cellphones, even though they are still on the family plan. We Venmo them every month for their phone expenses, Mrs. Lichtenfels said.

That is an especially notable accomplishment. Another Pew study from 2015 shows that 61 percent of parents paid for recurring expenses, like cellphone bills, or special circumstances for their 25- to 34-year-old children.

The Olcotts may be among them in a few years, when Emma turns 25. Im still on my dads health insurance, and my parents still pay for my phone, she said.

She expects to need that support for a while. Many of her friends are in the same boat: We talk about it, she said. Its just kind of the way it is for our generation.

There are many ways to help recent graduates or young people struggling financially.

Brad Klontz, a financial psychologist and associate professor at Creighton Universitys Heider College of Business, offers these tips for parents unsure about how to best help their adult children thrive.
The experience has paid dividends beyond the $50 each throws in at every gathering.

We meet once a month to discuss our portfolio, and everybody has a stock they study, so we have brief reports, she said. One of the things we try to avoid is having too many stocks and too little invested in each.

Because the market is up, were doing well, Ms. Lewis said. But as with the famous Beardstown Ladies, a group of mostly widowed women in Illinois who started an investment club in the 1980s and went on to inspire women across the country with folksy books about smart investing, the goal isnt just making money.

The three Es  education, enjoyment and earnings  are the guiding principles, according to Buffy Tillitt-Pratt, a founding member of that group, which still exists despite a dust-up in the late 1990s that led to a lawsuit against their publisher because they miscalculated their annual returns. (A settlement was eventually reached).

So it is with Ms Lewiss group. A lot of people think they cant do this, that investing is too complicated, said Ms. Lewis, whose goal is to maintain what she called her middle-class lifestyle through her investments. But if you join an investment club, you can learn for as little as $20 a month.

Ms. Thomas credits her familys multigenerational financial know-how for what she learned at a similar group. Just after her husband died in 1996, a friend from church suggested that she take a class in personal finance at a local university or join an investment club. She decided to join a club.

The president was a taskmaster. I had to learn fast, she said. Her willingness to study eventually led to what she called better than average financial gains, and she is now financially secure through investing.

When the group disbanded in the mid-2000s, Ms. Thomas wasnt finished sharing her self-made stock-picking skills. She started a new club. But instead of recruiting acquaintances, she enlisted her four grandchildren, now 22 to 35. Five years ago, they paid for a family cruise to Alaska with club earnings.
Carsen Alexa Zarin and Florent Ahmed Groberg were married Nov. 17 at the Willard InterContinental in Washington. Max Julian Zarin, the brother of the bride was licensed by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to officiate.

The bride, who is 28 and will be taking her husbands name, is the director of marketing for Capture2, a government contracting software start-up company in San Diego. She graduated from George Washington University.

She is the daughter of Lisa Orden Zarin and Larry Peter Zarin of St. Louis. The brides father retired as the chief marketing officer in St. Louis for Express Scripts. Her mother, also retired, founded and was the chief executive in St. Louis for College Bound, St. Louis, a nonprofit organization that helps economically disadvantaged students in St. Louis attend and graduate from college.

The groom, 35, is the chief of staff at Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Seattle for the Boeing Company. He graduated from the University of Maryland, from which he also received a master's degree in management.
A lot of our clients say coming to the U.S. and resettling here was the hardest thing theyve had to do, said Adrienne Ramm-Granberg, senior development coordinator for the International Rescue Committee. And theyve often come from what I would consider unimaginable circumstances.

Image Janai Wallace, a climbing guide, assisting Cing Lun with tying a knot. Credit... Annabel Clark for The New York Times

The programs individualized tutoring helps the youths improve in school and advance their English, while the climbing develops their life skills, Ms. Cook said. Facing a daunting climb and determining the best route builds problem-solving. Motivating them to get back up after falling builds perseverance.

Those are attributes that Cing Kim, frustrated and tired on one of her last outdoor climbs of the summer, was picking up on. Thirty minutes after coming down from the side of the rock face that day, she put her harness back on and gave it another try. As her friends cheered her on (with Cing Sung and Cing Lun sometimes shouting in their native Zomi), she was able to make it much higher than her first try.

Cing Kim came to the United States from Chin State, a small rural area in western Myanmar with a history of human rights abuses, including forced labor, Ms. Ramm-Granberg said. She and her family fled to Malaysia before moving to the United States six years ago. Then Cing Sung and her family moved into the same apartment complex in 2016. On the first day of school, the girls sat together on the bus, and Cing Kim showed her new friend around.
The question hanging over American Catholicism today, as it endures a second purgatorial experience with scandal, is whether this time is different, whether the Churchs peculiar post-1970s mix of resilience, stagnation and decay can survive a second agony.

The question was sharpened by last weeks fiasco in Baltimore, at the General Assembly of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, where the American Churchs shepherds were supposed to vote on some kind of plan to handle malfeasance within their ranks  only to have their intentions swatted down, at the last minute, by the Vaticans insistence that any accountability measures be hashed out in Rome some months hence.

The fiasco was not surprising  the tone-deafness and self-protectiveness of the Roman intervention, the bafflement and internal divisions of the American bishops, and the liberal-versus-conservative arguments that followed were all characteristic of Catholicisms crisis under Pope Francis.

But in being unsurprising the fiasco was still revelatory. When the sex abuse scandals broke in 2001 it was possible to imagine that they were just about sex abuse  that the church could simply stop treating predatory priests with therapy, start defrocking them, and move forward chastened and renewed.

Seventeen years later, with neither the American bishops nor Pope Francis able to muster an adequate response to the revelation that a famous cardinal was a predator whose sins were known even as he rose, its clear that this was wrong. The Church has done much better since 2001 in the most basic task of keeping children safe. But in everything else connected to the scandal there is little progress because Catholicisms leaders cannot agree on what progress means.
Many journalists have noted that, correctly deeming it proof that the deployment was a baldly, cynically political move. So Mattis told the troops on the border to ignore them. Theres all sorts of stuff in the news, he said. If you read all that stuff, you know, youll go nuts. Yes, because its true. And to hint otherwise is to bolster Trumps dangerous demonization of the media and his branding of reporters as the enemy of the people.

Mattis knows better. According to Bob Woodwards book Fear, he sees Trump clearly because he has seen Trump in private situations where his ignorance and recklessness were bare. Mattis had to explain to Trump that the American military presence in South Korea was a deterrent to North Korea. He had to ignore Trumps suggestion that American officials set in motion the assassination of Syrias president, Bashar al-Assad. He compared Trumps comprehension and acuity to those of a fifth or sixth grader.

And then he felt Trumps lash, which confirmed for him what a petty creature the president is. On 60 Minutes last month, Lesley Stahl asked Trump about Mattiss future in the administration, and Trump answered dismissively. I think hes sort of a Democrat, if you want to know the truth, he said, as if that designation discredited any opinion  especially of him  that Mattis held. He may leave. I mean, at some point, everybody leaves. Que sera sera. Hes only the defense secretary. Only the most seasoned, qualified member of a cabinet whose average talent level is raised exponentially by his presence.

Mattis, who subsequently told reporters that he doesnt belong to either political party, has stuck with Trump for what seem to be the best reasons. More than his predecessors, the president needs competent, even-keeled people around him, and theres no surfeit of A-list takers for even the administrations highest-ranking jobs. The working environment leaves something to be desired. So does the boss.

But theres a fine line between taming the president and enabling him  between tempering the way he governs and implicitly validating it. To stand beside him is to signal assent. To gloss over his motives is to launder them. And thats what Mattis did during his visit to the troops, who no doubt yearned to hear that their presence made sense but could be told that only if Mattis lied for the president and to all of us.

Or fibbed, at least. Misdirected. Blabbered. He suggested to the troops that they were really there at the behest of Kirstjen Nielsen, the secretary of homeland security, to support the Border Patrol. What does that mean? he said. It means that her people do all the work, but were standing behind them as a confidence builder, and that sort of thing.

A confidence builder? That sort of thing? He couldnt hide the dubiousness of their charge even as he tried to sell it. A moral and ethical mission was how he described it to the journalists who accompanied him. If that were so, Pancho Villa wouldnt have had to ride in.
Trump is right (I cant believe I just wrote those three words!) that China has not played fair. The best response would have been to work with allies to pressure China simultaneously from all sides; instead, Trump antagonized allies so that we are fighting this battle alone.

Why have I and so many others soured on China?

This is larger than Trump and Xi. Chinas admission to the World Trade Organization in 2001 was meant to integrate the country into the global trading system as an increasingly responsible world power. But after moving mostly in the right direction under Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin, China stalled under Hu Jintao and has moved backward under Xi.

China has stolen technology and intellectual property even as it has become more aggressive militarily in the South China Sea and curbed freedom at home. Xi offends global values by detaining more than one million Muslims in the Xinjiang region, arresting lawyers and Christians, and steadily squeezing out space for free thought. I used to report from China each year but now find the limits on a journalist visa so onerous that its not worthwhile. And Im supposed to be the lao pengyou, or old friend, of China.

There are other grounds for American concern about Chinas irresponsibility that havent received much attention: I estimate that around 20,000 Americans die each year from overdoses of drugs originating from traffickers in China. In particular, two-thirds or more of America's fentanyl, a synthetic opioid far more lethal than heroin, appears to come from China.

In fairness, China has made some efforts to crack down on the drug trade, but this hasnt been a priority so long as the traffickers mostly export their fentanyl rather than sell it at home. If the Chinese government pursued drug smugglers the way it crushes dissident Christians, labor activists, lawyers or feminists, those drug exports would end.

Americas business executives used to be strong supporters of a pro-China policy, but they, too, have cooled. Hank Paulson, the former Treasury secretary, has long been a vigorous advocate of close ties with China, so I was struck by a sober warning he gave to the Asia Society in New York the other day.

Economic tensions are reaching a breaking point, Paulson cautioned in his speech. He concluded, and I think hes right, that if the U.S. and China dont resolve their problems, the world will face a systemic risk of monumental proportions.
In nearly 800 days , a Democratic president and Congress may take office.

This is not as far away as it sounds. If Democrats want the chance to pass health reforms that will build on the Affordable Care Act and fix its defects, they need to start planning now.

The Democrats House victories in the midterms are an important step in that direction. Medicaid will expand in Idaho, Nebraska and Utah, thanks to ballot initiatives, and could expand in Kansas, Maine and Wisconsin, thanks to those states new Democratic governors-elect. Although Republicans picked up Senate seats, the 2020 and 2022 Senate maps still allow the possibility of a workable Democratic majority. Democrats must be ready. The process of writing the A.C.A. began years before it passed. Democratic legislators, activists and policy experts should be talking right now about how to build on it.

We already know a few things about what workable and worthy legislation will look like. First, it will be a straight Democratic bill. As Republicans did in 2017 on health care and taxes, Democrats will proceed unilaterally. Unlike Republicans, Democrats should put in the hard work to create a smart bill they actually intend to pass, one that commands broad public support.

Many Americans would prefer greater bipartisanship. So would I. But Democrats tried that, and look what happened. The A.C.A. was a good-faith effort to create a fiscally disciplined, ideologically moderate, market-based path to near-universal coverage. Max Baucus and other Democratic senators spent months fruitlessly negotiating with Republicans, who, it is obvious in retrospect, were cynically stalling. Republicans scorched-earth opposition to President Barack Obama and health care reform  not to mention the Trump presidency  have weakened the possibility that Democrats will do the same next time around.
Other than the outcomes of actual votes, vanishingly little news occurs where cameras are present. The real work of lawmaking is done elsewhere.

Likewise, actual scoops are rarely obtained in the White House briefing room. Looking for news in a televised news conference is like looking for your lost contact lens under the streetlamp because thats where the light is. We all stare mesmerized at our screen, trying to slake the endless thirst for political news in our need to understand this administrations actions. The vital function of actually inquiring into the doings of the president and receiving information about the same has been shunted into side rooms and private chats. (Where, by the way, many very talented and undercompensated journalists labor valiantly.)

Instead, for some, the briefing room has come to serve as a weird hybrid contraption for self-promotion  part soapbox, part springboard. Reporters can burnish their credentials before heading off to gigs as talking heads.

Even after two years of this administration, it is alarming to hear a president refer to the press as the enemy of the people and to consistently attack and undermine the media as it tries to hold him to account. Its especially jarring when he singles out individual reporters for criticism.

In an interview after their confrontation, Mr. Trump strongly suggested that Mr. Acostas aggressive style was motivated by personal financial gain. He gets paid to do that, the president said. Mr. Trump said of reporter April Ryan, she gets publicity and then she gets a pay raise or she gets a contract with CNN. This is ungenerous, to say the least.

But, as usual, there is more than a nugget of truth smothered under Mr. Trumps helping of ad hominem sauce: The ferocity of todays politics does seem to have been good for the bottom lines of the news industry as a whole. A report by the advertising research firm Borrell Associates estimates that television spending on political advertising in the midterms was $4.5 billion, perhaps triple what it was in the last off-year election. That infusion of unexpected cash has caused stock prices of media conglomerates to rise.

When the story of Mr. Acostas martyrdom is told by the popular press and eventually Hollywood, it will certainly have a hero, and it wont be the president. If theres one thing Americans can agree on, its that George Clooney is the best person to play Jim Acosta in the eventual feature film  assuming that Mr. Clooney continues to not age. The role of Donald Trump will be played, of course, by Donald Trump. Or perhaps Alec Baldwin, assuming Mr. Baldwin does continue to age.
You had everybody from Fox News and others filing friend of the court briefs for Jim Acosta, said Bevan. The proper course for the White House would have been for Trump to say to Acosta, Sit down, you are being rude. And guess what? Im never going to call on you again. Never. And if CNN wants to get a question from this White House, theyre going to have to hire somebody else to do the job.
There is a long way to go, but 10 percent of 2016 Trump voters supported Democrats this year, and 40 percent of moderate Republicans either voted Democratic or stayed home. For Mr. Trump, this setback will be corrosive, unless he decides to acknowledge the shellacking and starts to actually drain the swamp. Dont hold your breath.

Third, Democrats made big gains because Mr. Trump declared war on immigrants  and on multicultural America  and lost. His ugly campaign succeeded in making immigration and the border a voting issue for the Republican base, according to the postelection survey I did with Democracy Corps, which asked those voting Republican why they did. Open borders was the top reason given for voting against a Democratic candidate. But it backfired among other voters.

On Election Day, a stunning 54 percent of those who voted said immigrants strengthen our country. Mr. Trumps party lost the national popular vote by seven points, but he lost the debate over whether immigrants are a strength or a burden by 20 points. Mr. Trump got more than half of Republicans to believe immigrants were a burden, but three quarters of Democrats and a large majority of independents concluded that America gains from immigration.

For their part, the Democrats embraced their diversity. They supported comprehensive immigration reform and the Dreamers, opposed Mr. Trumps border wall and opposed the separation of children from their families. They nominated African-American candidates for governor in Georgia and Florida and fought the suppression of minority voters. When it was over, the Democrats got more votes and created a new House majority that is nearly half women, and a third people of color. It also has more LBGTQ members than ever before.

In short, the Republicans lost badly in the House by running as an anti-immigrant party, while the Democrats made major gains as a self-confident multicultural party.

Fourth, Democrats could not have picked up as many House seats as they did in 2018 without raising their share of the vote by four points in the suburbs, which have grown to encompass 50 percent of voters. Mrs. Clinton won many of these districts in 2016, so it was clear that any further shift in the Democrats direction would prove consequential. But Democrats made their biggest gains not there, but in the rural parts of the country. That was the shocker.

Democrats cut the Republicans margin in rural areas by 13 points, according to the Edison exit poll and by seven points in one by Catalist. Democrats still lost rural America by somewhere between 14 and 18 points so that left Democrats in a pickle there. That had implications for the Senate, but it shouldnt conceal the fact that Democrats actually made progress in rural areas.
On Nov. 17, 1968, Albert Shanker, a tough Queens-bred union president, stood next to New York Citys patrician mayor, John Lindsay, to announce a settlement to a crippling teacher strike that had thrown a million students out of New York City public schools for weeks on end. The divisive strike laid bare long simmering tensions within American liberalism over unions, education and race. Almost a half-century later, the evolution in liberal attitudes that the strike symbolized created vulnerabilities that a very different son of Queens, Donald Trump, exploited in his rise to the presidency.

By the late 1960s, after years of frustration with vicious white resistance to school integration, many African-American leaders supported the creation of a black-controlled local school district in the low-income Ocean Hill-Brownsville section of Brooklyn. The idea was that the district would hire more minority schoolteachers in order to provide role models for students and adopt a curriculum that was culturally affirming.

A firestorm erupted, however, when the local school board (then known as the governing board) sent a telegram to 19 unionized educators indicating that the board voted to end your employment in the schools of this district. The list included 18 white educators and one black teacher, mistakenly included, who was immediately reinstated once the error was discovered. A hearing by a retired African-American judge hired by the board, Francis Rivers, found that there were no credible charges against the teachers. But Rhody McCoy, the Ocean Hill-Brownsville local superintendent, told The New York Times, Not one of these teachers will be allowed to teach anywhere in the city. The black community will see to that. To protest the terminations, teachers throughout the city began a series of strikes shutting down the nations largest school system from early September through mid-November.

Many wealthier liberals, including Mayor Lindsay and McGeorge Bundy, the president of the Ford Foundation, joined with black activists like Stokely Carmichael in what they saw as an important effort to better the opportunities of black students. They argued that the union was standing in the way of teacher diversity. Two years earlier, Carmichael suggested that integration was a subterfuge for the maintenance of white supremacy because it reinforces, among both black and white, the idea that white is automatically better and black is by definition inferior.
Times Insider delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how news, features and opinion come together at The New York Times.

MIAMI  In the gallows humor of Florida politics, the joke among campaign staffers and news reporters has been running for 18 years, ever since the traumatic presidential election of 2000: Dont make any plans for immediately after Election Day. You might get caught in a dreaded recount.

Well.

This years recount for Senate, governor and agriculture commissioner was how I ended up sprawled on the floor of the Broward County elections office in Lauderhill, Fla., one day this week, scarfing down takeout Trinidadian chicken curry that a fellow reporter had picked up for me as I read the latest court briefing and made calls to campaign sources.

Recount lawyers milled about, awaiting the next official update on the status of the ballot sorting. Television cameras ran live streams of elections staffers going through the tedious motions of preparing some 700,000 ballots to run through counting machines again.
At a recent henna celebration at the Yemeni Heritage Center in Rosh HaAyin, Israel, the bride had three ensemble changes, each representing a city or region in Yemen. Although both the bride and groom were raised in Israel, honoring their Yemeni heritage was something important to them.

I am Yemenite on both sides, and its a celebration of my wedding, the bride, Meyrav Yehud, 24, said. These are my roots.

The henna ceremony, a pre-wedding event which has been a tradition in Asian, North African and Middle Eastern cultures, where women paint designs, or in this case place dye onto the skin of the bride and her guests, was held about a week before the wedding. In Yemen, the henna dye was believed to symbolize fertility ; the deeper the color of the dye, the better it was for the woman. In some cases, they would apply it for days.


Be funny (if you can).

A good conversationalist is somebody who is fun to talk to, she said. Ms. Gross, its worth noting, is very funny. If you cant be funny, being mentally organized, reasonably concise and energetic will go a long way in impressing people.



Preparation is key.

Most of us will never find ourselves in the position of being interviewed by someone like Ms. Gross, but most of us will certainly find ourselves in the position of being interviewed by someone. Preparation, she says, is key. It helps to organize your thoughts beforehand by thinking about the things you expect youll be asked and then reflecting on how you might answer, she said.

A place where this can be especially helpful, particularly when meeting someone for the first time in a social setting, like a date, is considering how comfortable you are with opening up on certain topics. Its helpful to think through where your boundaries are, so that youre not paralyzed agonizing over whether youre willing to confide something or not.

In a job interview, organizing your thoughts by thinking about the things you expect youll be asked and reflecting on how you might answer can help you navigate if things start to go badly.



Take control

by pivoting to something you want

to talk about.

Ms. Gross offered help for how to handle a job interview thats going badly. If somebody is asking you questions and you dont feel that you have a strong response for it, say, let me share an experience. From there, you can share an experience that points to your talents and areas where you excel.

An interview is a two-way street, which can be hard to remember when youre the applicant who desperately wants to land the gig, but Ms. Gross gently reminds us that as an interviewee, youre there to do some sussing out of your own. What is the job really like? What would be expected of you? Being prepared, too, can help you avoid getting caught off guard, or help you to more easily pivot the conversation to a subject that youve prepared yourself to talk about in a way that plays to your strengths.
The alliance between Democrats and Silicon Valley has buckled and bent this year amid revelations that platforms like Facebook and Twitter allowed hateful speech, Russian propaganda and conservative-leaning fake news to flourish.



But those tensions burst into open warfare this past week after revelations that Facebook executives had withheld evidence of Russian activity on the platform for far longer than previously disclosed, while employing a Republican-linked opposition research firm to discredit critics and the billionaire George Soros, a major Democratic Party patron.

Democrats now face a painful reckoning with longtime friends in the tech industry, relationships girded by mutual interest in issues like immigration and cemented with millions of dollars in campaign contributions.

The news, reported in a New York Times investigation, elicited fury from Democrats, who demanded a Justice Department investigation into Facebooks lobbying campaign, as well as new regulations that would cut to the core of Facebook and Googles data-hungry business models.
When we started talking about this exhibit earlier this year, I dont think it occurred to us  we didnt even think about it  that it would be fire season, said Wendy Barker, the director of the Ojai Valley Museum. She added that she felt uneasy about opening the show at a time when the state, yet again, is on fire: in the north, in Paradise, and in the south, with the Woolsey Fire, near Malibu and parts of Ventura County, not too far from Ojai.

But this is California, where these days fires seem to be raging all the time.

Ms. Barker, whose exhibition included the maps of fires that burned near Ojai throughout its history  in 1929, 1932 (for decades the largest in state history), 1948, 1979 and 1985  said that in the past, after a fire, residents would at least have the respite of believing they would have many years before the next one.

But do we? she said. I dont know. Its scary. These arent isolated incidents anymore.

Stephen Pyne, a historian of wildfire at Arizona State University, said it had been a century since a fire in the United States caused deaths on the scale of the Camp Fire. That was the Cloquet Fire, in 1918, in Minnesota, which started with sparks from a railroad and killed nearly 500 people.
This months midterm elections resulted in the election of more openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people than ever before. But for Cross Coburn, who served as an openly gay councilman in a small Texas city, it was a day of bitter defeat.

He was ousted in a recall election on Nov. 6, nine months after he was told that City Hall had received an anonymous package of nude photos that Mr. Coburn had sent in private messages on the dating app Grindr. Those photos were later sent to the local news media, after which supporters of a petition to remove him questioned whether he fit the moral standards of the city.

I regret that it got out, but I will never regret being human, said Mr. Coburn, who served about one year of a two-year term. I do not believe that me having consensual conversations with another adult has any merit to how I can perform my duties.

Mr. Coburn, 19, ran uncontested for the nonpartisan position last year and supported progressive policies in Groves, Tex., a conservative community of about 16,000 people near the Louisiana border.
It has helped to fund an array of new nonprofit groups dedicated to taking on Mr. Trump. Its ranks include some of the lefts most prolific donors, such as the billionaire investors George Soros and Tom Steyer. This past weeks meeting drew appearances from several Democratic politicians, including Representatives Adam B. Schiff of California and Pramila Jayapal of Washington, as well as Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Governor-elect Jared Polis of Colorado, a former Democracy Alliance donor.

The House Democratic leader, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, a favorite of the donor class whose bid to be elected House speaker has been complicated by opposition from her partys left flank, appeared with a handful of newly elected female Democratic members of Congress at a reception on Friday night celebrating female leaders. She was introduced as the original badass woman in Washington and the next speaker of the House by Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, according to an attendee.

At the conference, which was closed to journalists, hundreds of donors and operatives kibitzed and debated the lessons of the midterms and the partys options for 2020 in formal sessions and sideline gaggles. A New York Times reporter was escorted by an alliance staff member away from a second-floor banquet hall that hosted catered meals and a Thursday evening reception with an open bar and passed hors doeuvres, including tuna poke in waffle cones, and prosciutto and mozzarella skewers with a balsamic glaze.

In interviews on the sidelines of the conference, most donors seemed bullish on the emerging strategy, which amounts to a shift of sorts. In the weeks after Mr. Trumps election, some in the group had warned of dire consequences if the party did not win back the white suburban and Rust Belt voters who had voted Democratic in recent presidential elections before swinging to Mr. Trump.

The data bears out that there is in fact a new American majority of people of color and progressive white voters, said Steve Phillips, a Democracy Alliance donor who participated in a Thursday panel about winning elections in the age of Trump. Mr. Phillips, who was solicited afterward by a succession of activists seeking support for groups targeting minority voters, said in an interview that a lot of the donors are stepping up to support such groups.

Mr. Phillips has long called for Democrats to forsake centrist appeals and candidates, including in the 2020 presidential primary, and he suggested that other donors would be wise to do the same. We should certainly reduce the amount of resources we put in that direction if we want to win, he said.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.  Andrew Gillum, the Democratic nominee and mayor of Tallahassee, conceded the Florida governors race on Saturday to Ron DeSantis, a former Republican congressman closely allied to President Trump, saying he was satisfied with a recount that had him trailing by about 34,000 votes.

Mr. DeSantis declared victory on election night this month, and Mr. Gillum, 39, announced he was conceding the race at the time. But he re-entered the race a week ago, under pressure from staff members and allies in organized labor, after the Florida secretary of states office declared an automatic recount.

We promised to fight until every vote was counted, and obviously we are now closing out the hand recount phase, Mr. Gillum said in an announcement broadcast over Facebook Live on Saturday, standing next to his wife. R. Jai and I wanted to take a moment to congratulate Mr. DeSantis on becoming the next governor of the great state of Florida. This has been the journey of our lives.

Mr. Gillum has not yet called the governor-elect, a spokesman for Mr. DeSantis said. But Mr. DeSantis responded to Mr. Gillum on Twitter, accepting his concession anew.
At the time, Fioretti acknowledged his backing of Emanuel came as he sought to retire substantial debt owed to his mayoral campaign. Emanuel said he would help Fioretti raise money, but both the mayor and the alderman said that had nothing to do with the endorsement.
WASHINGTON  After Democrats delivered a resounding counterpunch to President Trump at the polls, one of his most reliable voting blocs  social conservatives  now faces the repercussions of its uncompromising support for Mr. Trumps agenda.

That result is mixed: Social conservatives are celebrating a slightly expanded Republican majority in the Senate, which advances their top priority, confirming conservative judges, as well as their anti-abortion rights agenda. But steep Republican losses in the House, particularly in suburban areas, have some strategists reflecting on how to proceed as they pivot their efforts to re-electing Mr. Trump in 2020.

Social conservatives need to maximize turnout from the base and expand the map by stressing the softer side of the faith agenda: education reform, immigration and criminal justice reform, and anti-poverty measures, said Ralph Reed, founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, which has extensive outreach to conservative evangelicals in battlegrounds across the country.

This will help with suburban women, millennials and minorities, he said.

That approach, if followed, would be a stark departure from the issues social conservatives have championed since they wed themselves to Mr. Trump as a candidate. The Republicans white, religiously conservative base has motivated its troops for Mr. Trump around opposition to abortion rights, a conservative majority on the Supreme Court and support for Israel.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration is making it easier for employers to exclude birth control from health insurance benefits provided under the Affordable Care Act, and it has come up with a new justification, saying that female employees can obtain contraceptives at family planning clinics for low-income people.

That, in turn, could increase demand for clinic services, which are already squeezed. The plan is one of several recent proposals that could affect access to birth control, such as requiring the physical separation of services at clinics and strict new rules about insurance payments.

The health law generally requires employers to cover preventive health services, and the government says those include contraceptives for women. Under final rules published this past week, employers can obtain an exemption if they object to some or all forms of contraception based on their sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions.

In a separate proposed rule, the Trump administration said that women denied contraceptive coverage by their employers would be eligible for the family planning program created by Congress in 1970 under Title X of the Public Health Service Act.
There were 15 of them. Most arrived in the dead of night, laid their trap and waited for the target to arrive. That target was Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi critic of his countrys government and its young crown prince. Since his killing in Istanbul, Turkish media has released a steady drip feed of evidence implicating Saudi officials. Weeks of investigation by The Times builds on that evidence and reconstructs what unfolded, hour-by-hour. Our timeline shows the ruthless efficiency of a hit team of experts that seemed specially chosen from Saudi government ministries. Some had links to the crown prince himself. After a series of shifting explanations, Saudi Arabia now denies that this brazen hit job was premeditated. But this reconstruction of the killing, and the botched cover-up, calls their story into serious question. Its Friday morning, Sept. 28. Khashoggi and his fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, are at the local marriage office in Istanbul. In order to marry, hes told that he needs Saudi paperwork and goes straight to the consulate to arrange it. They tell him to return in a week. It all seems routine, but its not. Inside theres a Saudi spy, Ahmed al-Muzaini, whos working under diplomatic cover. That very day, he flies off to Riyadh and helps concoct a plan to intercept Khashoggi when he returns to the consulate. Fast-forward to Monday night into Tuesday morning. Saudi agents converge in Istanbul aboard separate flights. Muzaini, the spy, flies back from Riyadh. A commercial flight carries a three-man team that we believe flew from Cairo. Two of the men are security officers and theyve previously traveled with the crown prince. A private jet flying from Riyadh lands around 3:30 a.m. That plane is often used by the Saudi government, and its carrying nine Saudi officials, some who played key roles in Khashoggis death. Well get to Team 3 later on, and for now focus on these men from Team 2. This is Salah al-Tubaigy, a high-ranking forensics and autopsy expert in the Saudi interior ministry. Turkish officials will later say his role was to dismember Khashoggis body. Another is Mustafa al-Madani, a 57-year-old engineer. As well see, its no accident that he looks like Khashoggi. And this is Maher Mutreb, the leader of the operation. Our investigation into his past reveals a direct link between Mutreb and the Saudi crown prince. When bin Salman toured a Houston neighborhood earlier this year, we discovered that Mutreb was with him, a glowering figure in the background. We found him again in Boston, at a U.N. meeting in New York, in Madrid and Paris, too. This global tour was all part of a charm offensive by the prince to paint himself as a moderate reformer. Back then, Mutreb was in the royal guard. Now, he would orchestrate Khashoggis killing. And his close ties to the crown prince beg the question, just how high up the Saudi chain of command did the plot to kill go? Early Tuesday morning, Khashoggi flies back from a weekend trip to London. He and the Saudis nearly cross paths at the airport. The Saudi teams check into two hotels, which give quick access to the consulate. Khashoggi heads home with his fiancee. Hed just bought an apartment for their new life together. By mid-morning, the Saudis are on the move. Mutreb leaves his hotel three hours before Khashoggi is due at the consulate. The rest of the team isnt far behind. The building is only a few minutes away on foot, and soon, theyre spotted at this entrance. Mutreb arrives first. Next, we see al-Tubaigy, the autopsy expert. And now al-Madani, the lookalike. The stage is almost set. A diplomatic car pulls out of the consulate driveway and switches places with a van, which backs in. Turkish officials say this van would eventually carry away Khashoggis remains. From above, we can see the driveway is covered, hiding any activity around the van from public view. Meanwhile, Khashoggi and his fiancee set out for the consulate, walking hand-in-hand. In their final hour together, they chat about dinner plans and new furniture for their home. At 1:13 p.m., they arrive at the consulate. Khashoggi gives her his cellphones before he enters. He walks into the consulate. Its the last time we see him. Inside, Khashoggi is brought to the consul generals office on the second floor. The hit team is waiting in a nearby room. Sources briefed on the evidence, told us Khashoggi quickly comes under attack. Hes dragged to another room and is killed within minutes. Then al-Tubaigy, the autopsy expert, dismembers his body while listening to music. Maher Mutreb makes a phone call to a superior. He says, Tell your boss, and The deed was done. Outside, the van reportedly carrying Khashoggis body pulls out of the side entrance and drives away. At the same time, the Saudis begin trying to cover their tracks. While Khashoggis fiancee waits here where she left him, two figures leave from the opposite side. One of them is wearing his clothes. Later, the Saudis would claim that this was Khashoggi. But its al-Madani, the engineer, now a body double pretending that the missing journalist left the consulate alive. Yet theres one glaring flaw: The clothes are the same, but hes wearing his own sneakers, the ones he walked in with. Meanwhile, the van thats allegedly carrying Khashoggis body makes the two-minute drive from the consulate to the Saudi consuls residence. Theres several minutes of deliberations but the van eventually pulls into the buildings driveway. Again, its hidden from public view. Its now three hours since Khashoggi was last seen. The body double hails this taxi and continues weaving a false trail through the city. He heads to a popular tourist area and then changes back into his own clothes. Later, we see him joking around in surveillance footage. Over at the airport, more Saudi officials arrive on another flight from Riyadh. They spend just five hours in Istanbul, but were not sure where they go. Now we pick up Maher Mutreb again, exiting from the consuls house. Its time for them to go. Mutreb and others check out of their hotel and move through airport security. Al-Muzaini, the spy, heads to the airport too. But as theyre leaving Istanbul, Khashoggis fiancee is still outside the consulate, pacing in circles. Shell soon raise the alarm that Khashoggi is missing and shell wait for him until midnight. The alarm spreads around the world. Nine days later, the Saudis send another team to Istanbul. They say its to investigate what happened. But among them are a toxicologist and a chemist, who also has ties to the hit team. He and Tubaigy attended a forensics graduation days before Khashoggi was killed. Turkish officials later say that this teams mission was not to investigate, but to cover up the killing. Now the Saudi story has changed, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for several suspects in Khashoggis killing. But that doesnt include Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who many Western government officials are convinced authorized the killing. Khashoggis remains still havent been found.
The bureau today has more than 10,000 female employees, but women say little has changed for those who dare to speak up. Once you go through it, youre pretty much blackballed from the government, said Quantina Ponder, a correctional officer in Miami whose harassment complaint against a high-ranking officer was upheld in 2015. I know if its any kind of promotion or anything that I work hard for, Ill probably never get it because of my situation.

In May 2017, the House Oversight Committee opened an investigation into the agency, writing that despite continuous allegations of sexual misconduct, the BOP continued to award bonuses to top administrators.

Prison officials declined requests for interviews. In an emailed statement, the agency said it would not discuss individual cases, but allegations of misconduct are taken seriously and may be referred to the Office of Internal Affairs or the Justice Departments Office of the Inspector General for investigation.

We are committed to ensuring a safe workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment and dedicated to the principles of equal employment opportunity, the agency said.

In 2017, the Bureau of Prisons agreed to pay $20 million to female employees at the Coleman prison complex in Sumter County, Fla., more money to each plaintiff than any other Title VII gender discrimination settlement of the past decade. A judge found that, among other problems, managers had routinely ignored complaints about masturbation by inmates in front of female employees, known in prison slang as gunning. Women at Coleman had learned to avoid areas known as gun ranges.

One of the more than 135 women who provided testimony said it happened in the hallway, the shower and the activity room. I probably saw 25 to 30 inmates masturbating during this one shift, she said. Another affidavit described two female officers left alone with 70 inmates, several of whom took out their penises. When the women called for backup, no one came.

It was the most humiliating and embarrassing incident I had ever been through in my life, one of the women said. I was terrified.
Technical problems with decrepit machines had caused some votes to be counted more than once or not at all. A badly designed ballot confused thousands of people. And a poorly executed purge of registration rolls led to eligible voters being turned away at the polls.

What we learned in that was how confusing the entire process was, said Adam Goodman, a Republican consultant who advised Floridas secretary of state at the time, Katherine Harris, during the recount. That was something the public back then didnt understand. It still doesnt understand.

Fallout from the recount contributed to the passage of the federal Help America Vote Act, which allocated billions of dollars for states to improve technology, ensure voter access and secure systems against fraud. In Florida, legislators rewrote state laws, switched to paper ballots and optical scanners (no more butterfly ballots or hanging chads), and mandated automatic recounts for races with margins of half a percentage point.

Charles Stewart III, a leading expert on election administration at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said complaints about this months elections in some parts of the country should not be seen as evidence of a failing system, or lack of progress since 2000.

Elections are incredibly complicated, Mr. Stewart said, and officials are legally required to take time beyond Election Day to count votes. Just the fact that we have a recount in Florida is leading people to say, Ah, here we go again, he said. In fact, its just a close election.

Though it wasnt a 2000 redux, the 2018 midterms exposed persistent problems and the haphazard way the voting process was administered across the country. In Arkansas, three-member boards handle elections at the county level, while in Connecticut all 169 towns and cities use their own registrars.

The inherently political nature of running elections can call into question some officials decision-making. In New York, party leaders fill county election boards in what critics say is little more than a patronage system.
HONG KONG  Squeezed tightly between two megacities with a combined population of 20 million are some of East Asias most important wetlands, where rare birds sing out amid traditional shrimp ponds.

Look up, and looming right above this rustic setting are the crush of skyscrapers in Shenzhen, China, almost close enough to touch. Just out of view behind some hills to the south are the congested streets of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.

But in this corner of northwest Hong Kong, tens of thousands of cormorants, herons, egrets, sandpipers and other birds, including endangered species like the black-faced spoonbill, gather each winter to feed on the mud flats. Eucalyptus trees line a path that cuts along the shrimp and fishponds, where small restaurants serve up the days harvest.
While this was happening, a Gujjar farmer happened to walk by. Seeing three journalists talking to the Dalit men, he couldnt resist joining the discussion. He insisted that Thati was a happy place and that Dalits and Gujjars lived like brothers.

Brothers? one Dalit man shot back. Brothers dont scalp each other!

Police officers have arrested several Gujjar men accused in the attack on Mr. Sardar, who is around 55 years old  hes not exactly sure of his age. But the authorities say that caste played no role and that the crime was precipitated by a personal dispute between Mr. Sardar and a landlord.

That claim made Mr. Sardar laugh  a dry, bitter laugh. He shook his bandaged head, still recovering from a painful skin graft from his thigh. Its a common complaint: that the police (who are usually from higher castes) always side against the Dalits.

One police commander tried to claim that the assailants hadnt intended to scalp Mr. Sardar but that part of his scalp had simply fallen off when they hit him in the head with a stick. Two doctors who treated Mr. Sardar at a government hospital disagreed. They said just about all the skin on the top of his head had been forcibly removed with a sharp instrument, leaving his skull undamaged but much of the bone exposed.

Mr. Sardar said that while he was being scalped, the Gujjars taunted him for wearing a turban, something that Dalits are not supposed to do. He remembers the men saying: Were going to take away your crown.

Now, he said, he is going to bear a horrible scar that will remind him, for the rest of his life, what the higher caste men did to him.

I wish I were a different caste, he sighed.
SYDNEY, Australia  President Xi Jinping of China and Vice President Mike Pence pushed back against criticism of each of their countries trade practices in speeches on Saturday at an Asia-Pacific trade summit meeting in Papua New Guinea, while seeking to assure allies of their commitment to the region.

Mr. Xi and Mr. Pence spoke ahead of what is likely to be a tense meeting between President Trump and the Chinese leader at the Group of 20 conference in Argentina later this month, where they will attempt to defuse a trade war.

Mr. Xi may also be looking to shore up ties with an important trading partner, North Korea. He told President Moon Jae-in of South Korea on the sidelines of the trade forum that he was considering visiting the North after its leader, Kim Jong-un, extended an invitation, according to a spokesman for Mr. Moon.

The Trump administration has accused China of unfair trade practices, including restricting market access, pushing American companies to hand over valuable technology and engaging in cyberespionage and intellectual property theft. It has put tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Chinese goods; China has retaliated with tariffs of its own.
The demonstrations are unlike some past protests that pressed for higher salaries. Now, people are seeking a reduction in the gas tax as well as expressing frustration with payroll taxes, which are used for social services like health care and social security, said Alexis Spire, a senior researcher in sociology at the National Center for Scientific Research, a government research agency.

The French taxes, known as social charges, can top 40 percent of paychecks and are used to cover health care, unemployment insurance and other services.

Its a big difference with movements such as the Tea Party in the United States, Mr. Spire said, because the French want government involvement. The French are very attached to their model of social protection and they are also very attached to government services.

For those living outside of cities, it is often hard to feel they are getting their moneys worth. Unemployment has remained stubbornly high at nearly 10 percent. Rural hospitals have closed, making it more difficult for those in need to access health care despite the countrys universal health insurance. Mayor's budgets are shrinking in some localities, which means city hall might be open for fewer hours or the administrative jobs that used to be done there have moved to another town. That means more driving for those left without services.

Over the past few days the government has become increasingly alarmed by the movement. Though it began last May with a online petition about gas prices, it gained traction in October when a call went out for a national demonstration to block key roads in an effort to get the governments attention.

With no central organization or coordination, the movement came together almost entirely on social media.
LONDON  When the firestorm surrounding Prime Minister Theresa May and her plan for Britains exit from the European Union had quieted a little, the countrys political class finally had time to focus on the thing it really likes: plotting.

In a secret location, the chairman of a panel called the 1922 Committee was collecting poison-pen letters from rebels within Mrs. Mays Conservative party, calling for her to be removed as leader.

The number of letters is secret except to the chairman, Graham Brady, but once their number reaches 48, the committee  also known as the men in gray suits  can demand a vote of all 315 Conservative members of Parliament. If she doesnt win half the votes, she will be forced to resign.

This is the way political death comes in Britain, speedily and stealthily.

On Friday, because no one knew how many letters were in, the 24-hour news cycle gave itself over to innuendo, whisper, rumor and speculation about an arcane procedure few Britons understand.
What Im talking about is reinventing some of these places, maybe to have focuses on specific areas of career training like health care, for instance, Vallas said. Look, I cant say how many schools CPS is going to need in five or 10 years, and nobody else in this race can either. We need long-term analysis. But thats not what Im talking about here.
CAIRO  An Egyptian man accused of supporting the Islamic State was sentenced to death on Saturday in the fatal stabbing of an 82-year-old Christian doctor in Cairo.

Prosecutors said the killing in September 2017 happened when the 40-year-old defendant requested to see the doctor, pretending to be a patient.

The man, who was not identified, started stabbing the doctor when he was shown into the clinics examination room, and then stabbed the physicians assistant as she intervened to try to stop the attack, officials said.

Prosecutors said the defendant had embraced the extremist ideology of the Islamic State. The local affiliate of the group has targeted Egypts minority Christian population as punishment for its support of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who has cracked down on Muslim groups since taking power after the military ouster of President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.
Concerns about Whitaker's appointment stem partly from unanswered questions about what, if anything, the new acting attorney general may do to try to steer the ongoing probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the investigation is examining whether Trump's campaign conspired with Moscow to influence the election's outcome. On Thursday, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said that Whitaker told him he has no intention of recusing from the Russia probe, or shuttering it.
A person holds a banner of Jamal Khashoggi during a symbolic funeral prayer for the Saudi journalist at the courtyard of Fatih mosque, in Istanbul, on Nov. 16, 2018. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images)
Stuck in a hotel room watching CNN the other day, I happened to catch live coverage of Donald Trumps short speech about the First Step Act, concerning criminal justice reforms. I was bowled over. If I had been reading an unlabeled transcript I might have thought the speaker was Barack Obama.

Imbalances and outright abuses in our criminal justice system are a plague on society. And here was Trump, the law-and-order president, urging passage of legislation to limit mandatory sentences, especially for drug offenses, and advocating new funding for sweeping anti-recidivism programs.

Trump also said this: Todays announcement shows that true bipartisanship is possible. Yes! Hes correct  and thats big news.

I kept expecting Trump to put his foot in his mouth by shifting to criminals in the migrant caravan, or ranting about crimes he believes were committed in election recounts. He did not. He was entirely reasonable and on message  albeit with a prepared text  about a vitally important issue.

When it ended, however, I had a sinking feeling. What if mainstream media were to underplay, or even ignore, this very positive news? After all, members of Trumps team, most notably Kellyanne Conway, have stated repeatedly that media dwell on Trumps problems and fail to give appropriate space to meaningful achievements.

In the hours that followed, CNN devoted almost all of its time to chaos in the White House  Trumps mood, Melania Trumps effort to get a national security deputy fired, and charges and countercharges about the election results. The First Step Act was barely mentioned.

I was able to check two broadcast networks. On NBCs Nightly News, the story was covered reasonably well about eight minutes in. But the CBS Evening News never mentioned the story in its half-hour report. Never mentioned it!

The next morning, the story was practically invisible on the nations front pages  with no page-one coverage in The Los Angles Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune or USA Today.

Only The New York Times, among papers I surveyed, stepped up, making the story its lead of the day, atop page one. In an editorial, The Times added, In this early test, the president is signaling that he indeed wants to make progress on critical issues that enjoy broad support.

Meanwhile progressive commentator Van Jones told CNNs Don Lemon: I say, the 99 times I dont agree with the president Im going to give him hell. But on this one, Ill give him a salute and applause.

What followed was a Twitter backlash against Jones from liberals who were troubled by praise, any praise, for Trump. Jones replied via Twitter: There are 200,000 people behind bars. They have no hope, no help. We havent passed a bill to help them in almost two generations.

The president himself has noted that he could work with the new Democratic majority in the House on many issues, from drug prices, to repairing infrastructure and, yes, on criminal justice reform.

Trumps opponents along with media who cover the White House objectively must walk a fine line. They should criticize him when he deserves it and must hold him accountable for his many misstatements. But they cant succumb to temporary blindness when the news is positive.

As the second half of Trumps term begins, reforms are needed in criminal justice  and also in how politicians and media conduct themselves on the rare occasions when good news happens at the White House.

Peter Funt is syndicated by Cagle Cartoons.
Adamczyk and his family were deported following the agreement between the Soviet Union and Germany to split Poland in the wake of their separate 1939 invasions of the country, with the Soviet Union taking the eastern portion of the country. The occupation and campaign against Polish leaders included the Katyn Massacre, the name given to a series of mass executions the Soviets acknowledged in 1990. More than 22,000 Poles, including army officers, intellectuals and other leaders of the country, were killed and their bodies dumped in mass graves. The victims included Adamczyks father, an officer in the Polish army.
Teen abducted by militants in J&K found with throat slit; second killing in 48 hours

India

oi-Deepika S

Srinagar, Nov 17: A 19-year-old youth, who was abducted along with two other civilians by militants in south Kashmir's Shopian, was found dead with his throat slit on Saturday. The incident comes just 48 hours after the bullet-riddled body of a teenager was found in Pulwama.

Huzaif Kuttay, Shahid Ganaie and Farooq Thokar were abducted by militants from a bakery in Saidpora Payeen village of Shopian early on Saturday, police said. They added that Kuttay was killed in a "brutal act of terror" and his body with its throat slit was found from an orchard area in Hermain village of the south Kashmir district.

"Huzaif's body was handed over to his family after completion of the medico-legal formalities," the official said. He said a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been initiated in the matter.

Ahead of J&K panchayat polls, Hizbul kills civilian in most brutal fashion

This is the second incident of abduction and killing in the district reported since Thursday.The bullet-riddled body of Nadeem Manzoor Dar, 18, was found in Pulwama district on Thursday night.

Dar, who was the resident of Safanagri in Shopian district, was abducted by militants late on Thursday evening and taken to Niklora Pulwama, where his body was recovered by police. A video of the alleged firing on the youth also made it to social media.

J&K records over 74 per cent voting in first phase of panchayat election

Condemning the incident, former chief minister Omar Abdullah said on Twitter: "Another dastardly killing of a young man, this time the terrorists slit his throat. This barbarism has no place in our society & no struggle, no matter how lofty the claims to justify it, can condone this inhuman behaviour. Kashmir."
After Kolkata-Varanasi inland waterway, work on Allahabad to Delhi to start soon

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

New Delhi, Nov 17: After Haldia-Ramnagar waterway, it is being planned that waterway from Delhi to Allahabad will be started by December 2018. A team of Inland Waterways Authority of India has reached Allahabad from Patna which will start survey to fathom the depth of water in Yamuna River. The machine to fathom the dept of river had already reached the city well in advance.

A cargo vessel started from Kolkata reached Varanasi in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 12, 2018 completing the first such journey through inland waterways. To encourage waterways in India, the government has taken these inland waterway on priority.

Now the government is planning to start waterways from Delhi to Allahabad. Sources said that it is possible during the likely visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December, he might lay a foundation stone of the project.

A meeting in this regard had already taken place between chief secretary (tourism) Aradhana Shukla and director waterways authority A K Mishra and detail project report (DPR) was also discussed in the meeting. It has been names as National Waterways 110.

It is very important to understand that to run a ship in any river, it must be water rich. So all preparations are being made to ply small ships in the Yamuna River.

Actually the authority is concerned about the low water level at the stretches in Agra, Mathura and Etawah districts which might cause difficulty in running the ship. So the survey will be conducted from Gautam Budhdha Nagar (Noida) district to Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. Big machine and dredger have been put into service and with the help of these machines river will be deepen where it is shallow.

Once this project is complete, the work for connectivity from Allahabad to Ramnagar (Varanasi) will be started that will complete the project by connecting New Delhi, Agra, Mathura, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna and Haldia (West Bengal). This is to recall that on November 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a cargo ship at Ramnagar that was started from Haldia in West Bengal.

Cargo ship will ply on Delhi and Allahabad route and even cruise ships will also be on this route and one such ship has already reached Allahabad. This will be plied locally in Allahabad. Terminals for ships are being planned in Allahabad, Kaushambi, Chitrakoot, Fatehpur, Agra and Mathura and terminal will be built there. Sources said that report in this regard has been sought from the government and land acquisition for this project has already been started.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 20:09 [IST]
Hyderpora encounter: Bodies of two civilians exhumed, to be handed over to families

Ahead of J&K panchayat polls, Hizbul kills civilian in most brutal fashion

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Jammu, Nov 17: Even as the state of Jammu and Kashmir votes in the panchayat elections starting today, the Hizbul Mujahideen has released a horrific video showing the brutal killing of a teenager.

J&K panchayat elections 2018: Polling begins amidst tight security

The police said that the terrorists forcibly abdicated the civilian from Pulwama in South Kashmir and later killed him. The deceased has been identified as Nadeem Mansoor. A case has been registered and investigations are underway.

The Hizbul Mujahideen later released two separate videos in which terrorists are seen shooting at Nadeem from point blank range. In the other video, Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo is seen explaining the killing, He said that Nadeem was an informer.

J&K Panchayat elections: High alert as ISI looks to target polls

Police sources say that this incident could also be aimed at creating fear ahead of the elections. The Hizbul Mujahideen and Hurriyat have called for a boycott of the elections. The Hizbul Mujahideen in particular has warned of dire consequences if the people go out and vote.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 10:54 [IST]
An SJF sponsored pilgrimage to Pakistan that ISI will use to churn pro Khalistan sentiments

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Amritsar, Nov 17: There have been a spate of incidents being reported from Punjab in the past couple of months, which have led to an uneasy sense of calm. It began with the Referendum 2020, which led to several modules being busted.

Recently Indian Army Chief, General Bipin Rawat said that there were several attempts to revive militancy and if no steps are taken, it could be too late.

The plot to revive militancy in Punjab has been on for quite sometime now. However going by the various interrogation reports, the kind of propaganda and also the intelligence inputs, it becomes clear that the attempt to revive terrorism is at an all time high now.

Gen Rawat is spot on: Why ISI backed Punjab terror will be biggest destabilising factor

The pilgrimage:

In this context, one would need to look at the role that is being played by the Sikhs for Justice, a pro-Khalistan front which works in Canada, Europe and the United States. This was the same organisation that promoted the London Declaration of the Referendum 2020, which was backed and funded by the ISI.

While the London Declaration event did not gain the traction that it would have hoped to, the fresh worry now is a programme that is being organised by the SJF. Reports state that the SJF is planning to fund the visit of nearly a lakh Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, which falls next year.

The worry for the agencies is that the ISI would try and propagate among the pilgrims the need for a pro Khalistan movement. The ISI would also look to evoke sentiments, the agencies believe.

The agencies also feel that the ISI and its agents would go all out to whip up passions.

This becomes necessary for both the ISI and pro-Khalistan groups as the movement has failed to generate any great mass support. While on one hand, the ISI could build a terror infrastructure, they realise that no movement would take off as desired unless and until there is mass support and sympathy among the people. In this context, all efforts would be made to utilise the pilgrimage to Pakistan, an Intelligence Bureau officer informed OneIndia.

A slow build up:

On Friday, the Gurdaspur police stepped up vigil in the wake of an input that suggested that terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammad had moved into Punjab through Ferozepur. Two days back, four persons snatched an SUV near Pathankot, where the air base had been hit by Jaish terrorists a few years back.

Another Referendum 2020 fails as police busts ISI backed Khalistan Gadar Force module

These may all be independent incidents, but looking at the manner in which certain events are unfolding, it becomes clear that there are attempts on to create a huge unrest in Punjab say the agencies. They also speak about the statement given by the Army Chief, who had clearly said that if no action is taken now, it could well end up going out of hand.

Recently when the National Investigation Agency took over the probe into the killing of an RSS worker in Punjab, it made a startling revelation. The central agency said that this was a plot that was hatched in Pakistan. Funds came from Canada, UK and Italy, the NIA had also said. In Punjab, the ISI-Khalistan forces which work together have specifically targeted religiously important persons.

On their radar was a Christian Priest Father Sultan Masih who was killed in Ludhiana on July 15 2017. In Punjab there have been such murders galore and the year 2017 has seen five such incidents. In 2016, there were two such incidents.

The NIA probe into these incidents suggest that the mastermind is a person called Gursharanbir Singh who is a British national. He is the one who roped in Ramandeep and Hardeep Singh and directed them to kill Hindu leaders. The handlers who directed the killing of RSS and other Hindu leaders have been traced to Italy, Canada and the United Kingdom.

The Punjab police which is probing the case learnt that there is a systematic approach that has been followed to eliminate Hindu leaders by ISI agents. The motive behind the killings is to destabilise the state, the police say.

The ISI wants to cause communal tension in Punjab. Once the state becomes volatile then it could be used as a platform to launch the Khalistan forces, the police also said. The police got information about the modus operandi following three very high profile arrests.

The big ploy:

Recently the NIA took over the probe into the killing of two persons-Satpal Sharma and his son Ramesh Kumar at Ludhiana. An NIA officer explained to OneIndia that the during the investigation it was found that killings of Satpal Sharma, his son Ramesh Sharma and Durga Gupta were part of trans-national conspiracy hatched by senior leadership of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF). Eight incidents of such killings were executed as part of this conspiracy between January, 2016 and October, 2017 in Punjab.

'Referendum 2020' is a useless exercise, it has no support from Punjabis across world: BJP

The objective of the conspiracy was to destabilise the law and order situation in Punjab and to revive the fledgling terrorism in the state. It was found that the conspiracy had its foot-prints in several countries including, Pakistan, UK, Australia, France, Italy and UAE.

As part of the conspiracy, large amounts of funds were supplied through Italy, Australia and the UK to the perpetrators of the Killings/ Attempted Killings, viz. Hardeep Singh and Ramandeep Singh. These funds were used by them to purchase weapons for executing the killings and other logistics.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 6:17 [IST]
Bhima Koregaon case: Activist Varavara Rao arrested for alleged link to Maoist plot

India

oi-Deepika S

Hyderabad, Nov 17: Activist P Varavara Rao was arrested from his home in Hyderabad today after his house arrest for his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to an end.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Pune Police) Shivaji Bodakhe said an extension of his house arrest granted by the Hyderabad High Court expired on 15 November.

"Rao's house arrest extension given by Hyderabad High Court ends today and in addition to that, his another petition before court is also disposed of by Hyderabad Court. Hence, he has been arrested by Pune Police and will be produced before Pune court," he said.

Rao had been arrested in August after a raid at his home and the houses of his family members and friends, including a journalist, by the Pune Police.

Nine activists across the country had been raided by the Pune Police for alleged Maoist links; five of them were arrested, including Varavara Rao.

According to the police, Rao is allegedly connected with the Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF), which has been declared unlawful in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Telangana for allegedly being a front of the CPI (Maoist). Rao was arrested for his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Drugged, thrown into canal by father in the name of honour killing in UP

Bodies of TN couple found near Shivanasamudra Falls in K'taka

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Bengaluru, Nov 17: In a suspected case on honour killing, bodies of a couple found near Shivanasamudra Falls in Mandya district, Karnataka. Body of the man was found on 13th November while the woman's body was found on 15th November from the same location.

A relative of the deceased man had registered a missing person complaint earlier. The couple is said to be from Tamil Nadu.

"When we found the bodies, we did not know if it was suicide or murder," a Belakavadi police official told The News Minute. "However, we found that Nandesh's younger brother, Shankar, had reported the couple missing and a complaint was filed at the Hosur Police Station on the night of November 14."

Cyclone Gaja Highlights: Relief work on war footing, says CM; Death toll reaches 22

Nandish, an Adi Dravida boy, and Swathi, a Vanniyar girl - both hailing from Shoolakondapalli village in Bagalur here - eloped and married in a temple in Shoolagiri on August 15. They registered their marriage in September. Nandish and Swathi had moved out of Shoolakondapalli village and began their married life in Hosur town, where Nandish was employed in a timber mart, as per The Hindu reports.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 12:03 [IST]
Brigadier (retd) Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, hero of Battle of Longewala dies

India

oi-PTI

Chandigarh, Nov 17: Brigadier (retd) Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, known as the hero of the Battle of Longewala during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, died at a hospital in Mohali on Saturday, his family said. He was 78.

Brig Chandpuri was suffering from cancer. He is survived by his wife and three sons, his family said.

Brig Chandpuri was a recipient of the Maha Vir Chakra -- the country's second-highest gallantry award -- for his role at Longewala, an outpost in the Thar desert of Rajasthan. He held off a Pakistani attack while leading a small group of Indian soldiers through the night in the 1971 war.

The 1997 Bollywood classic, 'Border', in which actor Sunny Deol played the role of Brig Chandpuri, was made depicting the Longewala battle.

Actor, ad film-maker Alyque Padamsee no more

The cremation will take place on Monday with full military honours.

Brig Chandpuri passed out from the Officers' Training Academy, Chennai, in 1963 and was commissioned into the 23rd Battalion of the Punjab Regiment. He took part in the 1965 war on the western sector and, thereafter, served in the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) for about a year. He also served twice as an instructor at the Infantry School, Mhow.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh condoled the passing away of Chandpuri, saying his exemplary and heroic leadership in the Battle of Longewala would inspire the young soldiers and officers of the defence services to discharge their duties with utmost devotion, commitment and sincerity

"Very sorry to learn of the sad demise of Brigadier KS Chandpuri, MVC. He was a very brave and distinguished soldier and the hero of the Battle of Longewala. The nation is poorer with his passing away. My heartfelt condolences to his family," the chief minister tweeted.

The citation for his Mahavir Chakra Award reads: "Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri was commanding a company battalion of the Punjab Regiment occupying a defended locality in the Rajasthan Sector."

At the Battle of Longewala, Brig Chandpuri exhibited dynamic leadership, exceptional courage and determination in holding his command intact and steadfast. He inspired his men moving from bunker to bunker till the reinforcements arrived, the citation added.

PTI

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 18:02 [IST]
Congress president seeks report on rebellion of the Congress leaders against official nominations

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

New Delhi, Nov 17: The Congress that is already facing infighting in Rajasthan between the two senior Congress leaders, announcement of the first list of candidates has exposed many other fault lines in the party causing rebellion. The party is trying to quell these rebellion but it may harm the chances of the party at such a time when elections are coming closure by the day.

Former Jaipur mayor Jyoti Khandelwal has resigned from all posts of the party after she was denied ticket. Two-time party candidate from Vidyadhar Nagar Vikram Singh also rebelled against the party for being denied ticket again. Khandelwal was claiming ticket from Kishanpole from where Congress fielded Ameen Kagdi once again who had lost last election. Supporters of Vikram Singh are protesting and shouting slogan against the party decision. He lost election from their twice and it is likely that he might contest election as an independent candidate.

Rahul targets PM on note-ban, Rafale as campaign reaches peak

There are also reports of rebellion in over a dozens of seat in the state against Congress nominations. Former Parliamentary secretary Brahmadev Kumawat is also planning to field as an independent candidate from Masuda seat in Ajmer from where he is denied ticket. The Congress has given ticket to Rajesh Parikh in place of him. Similarly Sunita Bhati plans to contest election against the Congress nominee from Jaisalmer Ruparam Dhande after he was given ticket once again who had lost last election by a small margin. Sunita has indicated resigning from the Congress' primary membership.

The Congress has made Manjula Rote candidate from Chaurasi seat of Dungarpur while another contender Mahendra Barjod is opposing this publicly. Mahendra is chief of Chikhli Panchayat Samiti and he convened a meeting of his supporters. Anil Dangi's candidature from Bhilwara is being opposed by the Congress workers themselves. But another contender Om Prakash Naraniwal indicated contesting as independent candidate.

Congress workers protested outside the residence of Shiv Dayal Meena against candidature of Prithviraj Meena from Todabhim, who had contested twice as a rebel candidate against Congress' official candidate. Congress workers asked Shiv Dayal Meena to contest as independent. Supporters of Lakshman Meena demonstrating outside the Congress office for denying him ticket from Bassi.

Dilli Gupshup: Rahul too wanted to address from Red Fort so what if it was a replica

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has sought reports on resentment caused after ticket distribution and taking a tough stand to sought a report on this which will be discussed in the meeting in Delhi as supporters of Pankaj Mehta in Kota and Nandbana ransacked the Congress office.
Dailyhunt CEO, President awarded 2018 'Influencer of the Year Award'

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Bengaluru, Nov 17: Virendra Gupta, Founder & CEO, Dailyhunt and Umang Bedi, President, Dailyhunt were awarded the exchange4media 'Influencer of the Year Award'.

The winner of the 2017 exchange4media 'Influencer of the Year Award' CVL Srinivas, Country Manager, WPP and the winner of award in 2016, Raj Nayak, COO Viacom18 presented the award to Virendra Gupta and Umang Bedi.

Umang Bedi said, "Its been the most amazing entrepreneurial journey. Viru and I have been brothers because we are so aligned in our thinking. He understands bharat at the grassroots level and I understand the scale of businesses. We are so complimentary in our skill-sets. In life you need an elder brother. And for me, that's what he stands for."

An elated Gupta said, "On the behalf of team Dailyhunt, I humbly accept this award. As you know, our vision is to bridge the digital divide and we proud ourselves as one of the companies that is trying to fight off the digital prominence of Facebook and Google. We are 150 million monthly active users and till next year, we should be 300-350 monthly active users. This award is a belief by all of you in us and we are just getting started."

Every year Exchange4media honours visionaries who have transformed the industry and inspired the next level of growth while progressively using innovative technology for business achievements.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 11:03 [IST]
(CNN)  As the death toll from Northern California's Camp Fire rose to 63 and those reported missing spiked to more than 600, rescue workers searching for human remains hope that hundreds of people who remain unaccounted for are still alive.

"A lot of people are displaced, and a lot of people don't know we're looking for them," Butte County Sheriff and Coroner Kory Honea said late Thursday.

The dramatic rise in those unaccounted for came after authorities combed through a week of 911 calls and incident reports. Combined with relatives who have reported loved ones missing, investigators are looking into reports of 631 people possibly missing.

"You have to understand, this is a dynamic list," Honea said. "Some days might be less people, some days might be more people, but my hope at the end of the day, we have accounted for everybody."

A week after two major wildfires sparked at both ends of California, the death toll has increased to 66 statewide, fire officials said.

The Camp Fire -- the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in state history -- has left 63 people dead, destroyed about 9,700 homes and scorched 142,000 acres. By early Friday, it was 45 percent contained.

Hundreds of deputies, National Guard troops and coroners are sifting through leveled homes and mangled cars for remains.

"They are going to be searching vehicles that have been burned. They'll be searching residences that have been burned. Checking around the residences ... our mission is to find the victims from this fire, recover them and get them identified and notify the families to give them some answers," Butte County Sheriff's Investigations Sgt. Steve Collins said.

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to visit the region Saturday as firefighters struggle to contain the blazes.

Scores reported missing

The number of names on the Camp Fire's missing list soared Thursday, but authorities said they are struggling to confirm whether all are still unaccounted for.

Honea said investigators combined all the information they have received from callers since the fire erupted more than a week ago. Some names on the list appear more than once, and it's unclear if any are duplicates, Honea said.

Officials have said it's hard to determine the number of missing. Some people who may have evacuated can't be reached because cell phone service is unreliable. Others haven't reached out to relatives, and they may not know someone is looking for them, he said.

"I want you to understand," Honea said, "that there are a lot of people displaced, and we're finding that a lot of people don't know that we're looking for them."

The Butte County Sheriff's Office published the list on its website. If people find their names on the list, Honea said, or names of loved ones they know are safe, they're asked to call the sheriff's office.

For two days, Paradise police Officer Matthew Gates searched through ash and collapsed buildings for the remains of a woman.

When the Camp Fire broke out, a man told Gates his mother was likely driving on a jammed roadway that hundreds used to flee the flames. But Gates couldn't find her.

Then Gates finally came across her at an evacuee shelter.

"She had burns up her arms and I knew it was her," the officer told CNN affiliate KRCR. "I went and gave her a hug because I've been looking for her body."

Authorities are trying to reach those who called 911 to verify they've made contact with their loved ones, said Collins of the Butte County Sheriff's Office.

"We're asking people to call us if they do come in contact with their loved one so that we don't spend time looking for somebody that's already found."

'I see flashbacks of the fire'

A week after her family narrowly escaped as the Camp Fire closed in on the town of Paradise, Whitney Vaughan said she feels like giving up.

Everything she and her husband, Grady, own is gone, along with a home they were renting, "a quirky older house with lots of character and lots of room" for their six kids, she said.

Thankfully, her two kids and his children are able to stay with the other parents, but Vaughan said she and her husband are essentially homeless. One night they just began driving from town to town in search of a motel.

"So now we are homeless, have no money, are trying to find a place," Vaughan said. "And if that isn't bad enough, when I do close my eyes, I see flashbacks of the fire and the people trapped on our streets. The explosions and the screams will never be a sound that I can forget."

Vaughan said she's worried about how she's going to explain to her 7-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son that she'll likely have to move away while they find some level of stability.

"There are just too many people in the same situation," she said. "I don't know what to do anymore. We have nowhere to turn.

"This fire has changed us in ways I can never explain."

Housing shortage

Families who have lost homes are going to have a hard time finding a place to live, Butte County Housing Authority Executive Director Ed Mayer said.

"We just had 10% of our county's housing stock erased in one day; it's hard to convey the significance of that," he said.

A Walmart in Chico has a parking lot full of vehicles, including motor homes, in which people are living, often running the heat in their cars and trucks all night. Other people are staying in tents.

"It's been a week and people have been great, but I don't know how long it's going to last," Mayer said. "Short term, we are fine, but long term we are not."

One of the selling points of Paradise was its affordable housing, but that's been erased, Mayer said.

"And there is nothing to replace it" for low-income families, he said.

Adding to the misery, officials confirmed an outbreak of norovirus at four shelters for evacuees. At least 145 people have gotten sick, according to the Butte County Public Health Department, and "the number of sick people is increasing every day."

The stomach bug causes vomiting, nausea and diarrhea. At least 25 have been sent to the hospital.

Butte County is working with the Red Cross to contain the virus and create separate shelter areas for sick evacuees.

66 deaths statewide

Of those killed in the Camp Fire, officials have tentative identifications on 53 of them, Honea told reporters.

"We're waiting for DNA confirmation before we conclusively state who those individuals are and that will allow us to then verify that information to the next of kin," he said.

Meanwhile, the Woolsey Fire in Southern California has claimed three lives and destroyed 548 structures in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, said Cal Fire, the state's forestry and fire protection agency.

More than 98,000 acres have been burned since the blaze began November 8, while evacuees remain in shelters and portions of Malibu and nearby areas must be rebuilt, officials said.

More than 3,300 firefighters are making progress against the massive wildfire, which was 67 percent contained as of Friday.

Some mandatory evacuations remained in place late Thursday due to damaged utility poles, power lines and roads.

More than 230,000 acres burned in California in the past week -- larger than the cities of Chicago and Boston combined. And in 30 days, firefighters have battled more than 500 blazes, Cal Fire said.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "With more than 600 reported missing in California's Camp Fire, searches comb burned-out towns, vehicles."
The presidents strategy to distract and divide the country is so obvious at this point that we have no excuse not to counter it. He has stated repeatedly that all press is good press. He intentionally does something outrageous, such as insulting a sexual assault survivor or prisoner of war, and TV news always reacts predictably. In their shameless quest for ratings, anchors read his tweets verbatim or show clips of his vile behavior. They then spend hours fomenting outrage instead of covering myriad other, worthy stories. They project him into our subconscious from TVs in airports, gyms and office buildings. Reluctant Trump supporters feel the backlash from the media, whom they already distrusted, which drives them closer to him.
Delhi CS Anshu Prakash, who accused Kejriwal of assault transferred to telecom dept

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Nov 17: Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, who had accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of assault earlier this year, was transferred as part of a bureaucratic reshuffle on Saturday.

Prakash has been transferred to the Department of Telecommunications, said an official order, as reported by new agency PTI.

He had alleged being beaten up by AAP MLAs in the presence of Kejriwal at the Chief Ministers residence on the night of February 19, 2018, where he had been called for a late-night meeting. The case was filed the next morning and Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal were arrested and sent to judicial custody.

Delhi CM Kejriwal supports Andhra Pradesh decision on CBI

Court later granted bail to Delhi CM Kejriwal, deputy Manisha Sisodia, 13 other AAP MLAs involved in the case.

Earlier this week, the Delhi High Court sought the response of Delhi government and others to Chief Secretary Anshu Prakashs plea challenging the fresh breach of privilege proceedings initiated against him by the Assembly.
Delhi put on high priority alert, following specific Jaish threat

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Nov 17: The Intelligence Bureau has sounded a high alert in New Delhi, after a a message on a WhatsApp group run by the Jaish-e-Mohammad threatened to strike at the national capital.

In a letter, the IB sounded a high priority alert in the wake of this message. The letter states, ' according to a message circulated by one Pakistani national Ameer Hamza, the Jaish is planning to carry out terrorist attacks on security establishments in Delhi to avenge the killing of its commander Usman in Tral, Pulwama on October 30.'

J&K Panchayat elections: High alert as ISI looks to target polls

The letter has been sent to various security establishments that include the CISF, NSF, Railway Protection Force and also the Delhi police. It is requested to issue necessary guidelines and instructions to all unit commanders of the Delhi-NCR based units/battalions to take all precautionary and preventive measure to avoid any untoward incident. The force personnel to be kept on highest alert and the intelligence machinery should be geared up for collection and exchange of useful advance information to prevent occurrence of any such incident, the advisory further read.
With 2 more arrests NIA steps up heat on terrorists targeting civilians in J&K

Cleaning up the inside rot: The importance of gunning down Kashmirs white collared terrorists

Hyderpora encounter: Bodies of two civilians exhumed, to be handed over to families

Dissolution of J&K assembly: Decision likely after Panchayat polls

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Jammu, Nov 17: A decision on whether the Jammu and Kashmir assembly would be dissolved or not may be taken after the Panchayat elections.

Jammu and Kashmir is headed for President's rule but the state assembly will not be dissolved for now, Governor Satyapal Malik said.

His statement comes amid speculation that efforts are being made behind the scenes to cobble together a coalition government by various parties to succeed the PDP-BJP dispensation that collapsed in June when the BJP withdrew support to the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP.

However, the numbers for a government formation don't seem to add up for now.

Malik himself is convinced that a popular government will not be possible. "I still do not see any government formation. No party has numbers so far and there is a clear message that nothing illegal will be allowed," he said.

However, he justified the decision to keep the 87-member state assembly alive on the ground, saying that at least the MLAs will be able to cater to the daily needs of the people of their respective constituencies.

"I still don't see any government formation from the present assembly but I do not wish to deprive people of their development. The MLAs can continue developing their respective constituencies and addressing the problems of the people," Malik told PTI.

Malik had reversed his predecessor N N Vohra's order by restoring the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) of members of the Legislative Assembly.

The fund had been put in suspended animation after the fall of the Mehbooba Mufti government on June 19. Malik also authorised legislators to inaugurate projects and infrastructure related works in the state.

Asked whether the state was heading for a presidential rule, he said, "It is a normal course of action that after completion of six months of governor's rule, it will be followed by President's rule."

The state is under governor's rule which expires on December 19. Under the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, there is no provision for extension of Governor's rule.

[J&K panchayat elections 2018: First phase Polling to be held today amid tight security]

The state is under central rule since June 19 after the BJP withdrew support from the then Mehbooba Mufti-led coalition government.

No party enjoys a majority in the 87-member Assembly, in which the PDP has 28 MLAs, the BJP 25 and the National Conference 15.

[J&K Panchayat elections: High alert as ISI looks to target polls]

President's rule can be imposed after the Union Cabinet, headed by the prime minister, makes a recommendation to the president to this effect following a report of the governor.

Under such circumstances, there is no need for the Centre to get parliamentary nod for extension of central rule beyond December 19.

While the Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir is imposed under Section 92 of the state's Constitution, President's rule is imposed under Article 356 of the Indian Constitution.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 8:31 [IST]
Regional parties to come to one platform at INLDs initiative to take on BJP

Expelled INLD leader Ajay Chautala to launch new political party at Dec rally

India

oi-Deepika S

Chandigarh, Nov 17: Days after he was expelled from the Indian National Lok Dal, Ajay Chautala announced on Saturday that he would launch his own political party at a public meeting in the district on December 9.

The INLD split Saturday with former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala's elder son Ajay Singh Chautala declaring he will set up a new party.

"I hand over the INLD and the spectacles (party symbol) to my younger brother as a gift," Ajay Chautala, who was recently expelled from the party, told supporters in Jind. The announcement ends the simmering power struggle in the Indian National Lok Dal.

Ajay Chautala, who is facing a 10-year jail term along with father Om Prakash Chautala since 2013 in a teachers recruitment scam, said the new party will hold a rally in Jind on December 9. He is currently on a two-week parole.

Indian National Lok Dal state unit chief Ashok Arora made the announcement of expulsion decision in the presence of Abhay Chautala on Wednesday.

Earlier Dushyant and Digvijay Chautala were also expelled from the party by INLD chief OP Chautala for their anti-party activities.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 19:28 [IST]
Pakistan to allow India to send wheat to Afghanistan through its territory: PM Imran Khan

India-Maldives to work for regional peace; visa norms to be made easy between the two countries

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

New Delhi, Nov 17: Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and newly sworn-in President of the Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih have agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean, reform in the visa norms between the two countries, being mindful of each other's concerns and aspirations for the stability of the region and commitment for fight against terrorism in their bilateral meeting. PM Modi has also invited Solih to visit India.

The external affairs ministry said, "The two leaders, while noting the resilience of the relations between India and the Maldives, expressed confidence in the renewal of the close bonds of cooperation and friendship with the election of Solih as the President of the Maldives.

PM Modi attends Ibrahim Solih's swearing-in ceremony in Maldives

During their meeting, both leaders agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean and being mindful of each other's concerns and aspirations for the stability of the region."

The ministry said that both the leaders expressed their unwavering commitment and support for increased cooperation in combating terrorism both within the region and elsewhere. President Solih also briefed Indian Prime Minister on the dire economic situation faced by the country as Solih takes office.

Rafale issue: 'Modi government lies again', tweets Rahul Gandhi

The two leaders discussed ways in which India can continue development partnership, particularly to help the new government in meeting its pledges to the people of the Maldives.

In particular, President Solih highlighted the pressing need for increased housing and infrastructure development as well as for establishing water and sewerage systems in the outlying islands.

Prime Minister Modi assured President Solih of India's firm commitment in assisting the Maldives to achieve sustainable social and economic development. He also conveyed India's readiness to extend help in every possible way and suggested that both sides should meet at the earliest to work out details as per requirements of the Maldives.

Prime Minister Modi also welcomed the expanding opportunities for Indian companies to invest in the Maldives in different sectors for the mutual benefit of both countries.

It has also been outlined by the recognizing that nationals of both countries travel extensively between the two countries, the leaders also agreed on the need for facilitating easier visa procedures.

Prime minister Modi extended an invitation to President Solih to make a State Visit to India at his earliest convenience. President Solih accepted the invitation with pleasure.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives will make an official visit to India on November 26, 2018 to hold further discussions and to prepare for the forthcoming State Visit of President Solih to India. President Solih expressed the hope that Prime Minister Modi will make an official visit to the Maldives in the near future. Prime Minister Modi gratefully accepted the invitation.
In UP, Nadda explains all the good PM has done for farmers

Is PM Modi jealous, asks Sidhu on row over Imran Khan's oath-taking invite

India

oi-Deepika S

Raipur, Nov 17: Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was jealous of him as Imran Khan did not invite him to attend his swearing-in ceremony as Pakistan's Prime Minister.

"Is PM Modi jealous that he was not called for Imran Khan's oath ceremony? Is he jealous that he went to Pakistan uninvited for Nawaz Sharif's birthday," he asked.

Sidhu is in Chattisgarh to campaign for the Congress candidates. The first phase of Chhattisgarh's Assembly polls took place on November 12 amid tight security when 18 seats went for polls. The remaining 72 seats will go to polls on November 20.

He also made allegations against the PM for his involvement in the Godhra riots case. "I will not prove my patriotism to people whose name came up in Godhra (riots case)," Sidhu said.

Sidhu sparked a controversy when he, in August 2018, visited Pakistan to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the newly appointed prime minister, Imran Khan. Sidhu was also photographed hugging Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Sidhu has repeatedly come under fire for his visit to Pakistan for his 'friend' Imran Khan's oath ceremony where he also hugged Pakistan Army Chief General Bajwa. BJP, while attacking Sidhu had questioned if he did not remember how their army killed innocent people and army men in India.

He had defended the hug saying he is "human, not a robot".

"I went there because of an invitation from a friend [Khan] far off. He hugged me and said, 'You are a brave man. Not many would have come here.' Ultimately, it is the trust factor. Somewhere down the line, you have to trust people and have to walk that one step. All I want is a mass of positive energy flowing to and fro and laying the foundation of peace," Sidhu said.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 18:58 [IST]
Hyderpora encounter: Bodies of two civilians exhumed, to be handed over to families

J&K Panchayat polls: Fully prepared, voters are enthusiastic says official

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Jammu, Nov 17: There is enthusiasm among the voters in Jammu and Kashmir, an official said as the polling in the Panchayat elections is set to begin.

Dr. Manhas R K, the returning officer said that there is enthusiasm among the voters. We are fully prepared and the entire exercise will pass off peacefully, he also added.

The Panchayat polls on non-party basis will be held in nine phases in 316 Blocks in 4483 Panchayat Halqas comprising of over 35 Thousand Panch Constituencies.

The authorities in Jammu & Kashmir have put in elaborate security and logistic arrangements to conduct the maiden phase of the elongated panchayat polls on Saturday.

According to the Chief Electoral Officer, 427 candidates are in the fray for 536 Sarpanch Halqas and 5,951 candidates for 4,048 Panch wards in the first phase of the Panchayat polls.

J&K panchayat elections 2018: First phase Polling to be held today amid tight security

Polling will be held in seven districts of Jammu division, six districts of the Kashmir Valley and two in Ladakh. The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was imposed on September 16 continues to remain in force.

The total number of electors in the State is over 58 Lakh. Ans 54 thousand who are eligible to cast their votes in Panchayat Elections.

Baramulla district: 148 candidates are in the fray for 63 Sarpanch Halqas and 630 for 497 Panch wards. Eleven candidates for 15 Sarpanch Halqas and 21 for 105 Panch wards in Ganderbal district, six candidates for five Sarpanch Halqas and nine for 45 Panch wards in Srinagar and 35 candidates for 26 Sarpanch Halqas and 124 for 222 Panch wards in Budgam district are contesting the polls in the first phase.

Kargil: 51 candidates for 23 Sarpanch Halqas and 225 for 179 Panch wards, while in Leh, 64 candidates for 32 Sarpanch Halqas and 207 for 226 Panch wards are in the fray, the officials said.

'Muslims of India want Ram Temple', says Muslim Rashtriya Manch; Plans massive gathering in Delhi

Kishtwar: 107 candidates for 50 Sarpanch Halqas and 494 for 358 Panch wards are in the fray, the officials said, adding that 190 candidates for 52 Sarpanch Halqas and 626 for 364 Panch wards are in the fray in Doda district.

The officials said 89 candidates for 27 Sarpanch Halqas and 337 for 195 Panch wards in Ramban district and 162 candidates for 42 Sarpanch Halqas and 779 for 332 Panch wards in Udhampur district are contesting the polls.

Kathua: 114 candidates are in the fray for 29 Sarpanch Halqas and 450 for 209 Panch wards, while 121 candidates for 35 Sarpanch Halqas and 469 for 253 Panch wards in Rajouri district.

The officials said 162 candidates for 53 Sarpanch Halqas and 736 for 419 Panch wards in Poonch district are contesting the polls.

The last Panchayat elections in the State were held in 2011 after a gap of 20 years and Panchayats completed their term in July 2016. In 2011, when elections were last held in the state, there were 4,098 panchayats. However, new delimitations have added 280 new panchayats to the list, taking the tally to 4,378. The number of panch segments has gone up by about 4,000, taking the total number of panch constituencies to 33,402. There were 29,402 panch segments in the state prior to delimitation.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has deferred the hearing on these petitions till January next year keeping in view the State Government plea to defer the polls after the conduct of municipal and Panchayat elections.

The panchayat elections will be held on November 17, 20, 24, 27, 29, December 1, 4, 8 and 11. Counting will take place on the day of polling. Votes will be cast using ballot paper, said Shaleen Kabra, J&K Chief Electoral Officer.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 8:31 [IST]
Mehul Choksi gets bail by Dominica HC, can travel to Antigua for medical treatment

Mehul Choksi may return to India in 3 months if medically fit: Lawyer

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Nov 17: Mehul Choksi, the fugitive diamantaire accused in the multi-crore Punjab National Bank fraud, may return to India in three months "if his condition gets better", his lawyer said.

The lawyer told a Mumbai court on Saturday that Mehul Choksi is not in a position to record his statement, news agency ANI reported.

Sanjay Abbot, Choksi's counsel, told the court, "Presently he is not medically fit to travel. So his statement can either be recorded through video conferencing or ED officers can go to Antigua and record his statement or wait for three months if his conditions improve, he will come back to record his statement."

Mehul Choksi deposited money in Arun Jaitley's daughter's bank account, says Rahul Gandhi

The Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court was hearing the Enforcement Directorate's request to declare him a "fugitive" under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act. Efforts are on to extradite Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi to India.

Nirav Modi, his uncle Mehul Choksi and others are being probed under various criminal laws after the fraud came to light this year following a complaint by the Punjab National Bank (PNB) that they allegedly cheated the nationalised bank to the tune of over Rs 13,000 crore, with the purported involvement of a few employees of the bank.

Antigua examining Mehul Choksi's extradition request: Government

The Enforcement Directorate had sought to declare Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi "fugitive economic offenders" and clearance to confiscate their assets worth Rs. 3,500 crore.

The businessman was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda last year and he took the oath of allegiance to that country on January 15.
NIA looks to unearth cross border links in Kerala FICN case

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Nov 17: The National Investigation Agency has filed a chargesheet in a Kerala court in connection with a fake currency case.

The case was originally registered at the Thrissur East Police Station, Thrissur City, Kerala on 19.08.2018, after the accused Ali Hossain was arrested by the Kerala Police, when he had attempted to use Counterfeit Indian Currency Notes of Rs. 2,000 denomination, as genuine currency, at a shop in Thrissur. Two Counterfeit Indian Currency Notes of Rs. 2000 denomination each were recovered from the possession of the accused at the time of his arrest, while 101 more counterfeit currency notes, in denomination of Rs. 2000 each, were recovered at the instance of the accused, from his rented accommodation at Mudapallur in Palakkad district, subsequently.

NIA arrests key conspirator in naxal funding case

NIA re-registered the case and took over the investigation. Investigation hitherto has revealed that pursuant to the criminal conspiracy hatched with his associates, who are Bangladeshi nationals, the charge-sheeted accused Ali Hossain had procured FICN through them, during mid-August, 2018, with the intention of using the same as genuine.

Accused and his associates had travelled from Mudapallur in Palakkad district to Thrissur City and used the FICN as genuine for unlawful gain. Further investigation to unearth cross-border links of accused in this case continues.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 16:20 [IST]
Delhi cops arrest 3 HDFC employees, 9 others for trying to withdraw Rs 5 crore from NRIs account

Police team attacked in New Delhi

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Nov 17: A vigilance team of outer district Delhi police was attacked with stones following a raid in Ranhola area during which it seized illicit liquor, police said Friday.

The police team seized around six cartons of illicit liquor and relatives of those whose premises were raided pelted stoned at it, they said.

Employee and his relatives murder fashion designer, her servant in Delhi's Vasant Kunj

Two police personnel sustained grievous injuries as they were hit with bricks, they added.

A case has been registered in the matter and efforts are being made to nab the accused, the police said.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 11:08 [IST]
Lincoln Yards and the rest of the North Branch makeover marks one of the most sweeping urban overhauls this city has ever undertaken. It will transform not just the North Side but the city itself. It will forever change  for better or for worse  neighborhoods that thousands of current residents call home. They deserve a say in that transformation. There should be no rush to ram this through. If the North Branch TIF proposal needs to be handed off to the next mayor and the next city council, then so be it.
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

India would hope for better ties with Maldives post pro-China Yameens ouster

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, Nov 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today attend Maldives' President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's swearing-in. Modi arrived in Male on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September.

Now that the regime of pro-China strongman Abdulla Yameen has ended, India would hope to better strained ties with Maldives with Ibrahim Mohamed Solih at helm. In the past, India was very uncomfortable with Abdulla Yameen's strong pro-China stand. Yameen's embrace of China had left India's anxious about being encircled by countries leaning towards Beijing.

India would be optimistic about the future of India Maldives ties as Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party has taken an anti-China stance. Modi would like to cash on this and regain ground lost to Beijing in their tussle for regional dominance.

The low-key Solih, a veteran lawmaker, has promised an "India first" policy in the Maldives, saying the small nation of a little over 400,000 people needs solid ties with its immediate neighbour.

PM Modi to attend Maldives President-Elect's swearing-in ceremony

This will be PM Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister.

"I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development," PM Modi said in a series of tweets.

He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future.

"We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister said.

He also congratulated Solih on his victory in the recent elections and wished him "the very best for his tenure".
UP BJP chief to workers: Have tea with Dalits, make them understand votes are cast on nationalism, not caste

Rajasthan elections: Congress releases 2nd list, Manvendra Singh to take on Vasundhara Raje

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Bhopal, Nov 17: Congress released the second list of 32 candidates for Rajasthan Assembly elections on Saturday. The party has fielded former BJP leader Manvendra Singh from Jhalrapatan against CM Vasundhara Raje.

Congress president seeks report on rebellion of the Congress leaders against official nominations

Manvendra Singh won as a BJP candidate from the Sheo assembly constituency of Barmer district in 2013 assembly polls.

Congress releases the second list of 32 candidates for Rajasthan Assembly elections. pic.twitter.com/OsypSUaHB1  ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018

Congress' first list of 152 candidates was announced on late Thursday night, for the December 7 Rajasthan Assembly elections. According to reports, the list is influenced ny senior leaderAshok Gehlot - making him the frontrunner for the top job, if the party comes to power.

As many as 22 ministers and six parliamentary secretaries from the previous Congress government, led by Gehlot, were named in the list. Several of his loyalists were given tickets as well, giving Gehlot a clear advantage against Rajasthan Congress president Sachin Pilot and former Union minister C P Joshi for the top job.

BJP's 'Maaf Karo Mahraj' campaign puts the Congress at unease in Madhya Pradesh

The last date for filing of nominations is November 19 and scrutiny of nominations will be on November 20, 2018. Last date for withdrawal of candidature is November 22, 2018. Voting will take place on December 7 and counting of votes is scheduled for December 11, 2018.
Sabarimala temple set to open for devotees from July 17-21: Check rules

Sabarimala temple in Kerala to open for monthly rituals from July 16; Conditions apply for devotees

Sabarimala temple reopens for devotees from today: Mandatory to carry negative RT-PCR report

How to Book Sabarimala Virtual Q Tickets Online 2021? Know Date, Price and Other Details

What is Sabarimala Thantri's view over use of halal jaggery to prepare prasadam: plea in Kerala HC

Sabarimala Karma Samithi calls for statewide hartal, BJP supports bandh call

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Trivandrum, Nov 17: Sabarimala Karma Samithi called for the statewide shutdown from 6 am-6 pm on Saturday in protest the against arrest of Hindu Aikya Vedi state President KP Sasikala at Marakkoottam, a few kilometres away from Sannidanam.

Sasikala was arrested Friday night while she was going to Sannidhanam. She was arrested after she protested when police didn't allow her to travel at night.

Sasikala was brought to the Ranni police station. Sabarimala Karma Samithi activists are staging a protest in front the of the station.

Sabarimala row: Trupti Desai heads back home after protesters block her

Also, BJP extended support to the 12-hour strike by Hindu organisations in Kerala.

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) halted its bus services in the state following the bandh call.

Speaking to PTI, VHP state president S J R Kumar said that essential services and vehicles of Ayyappa devotees will not be affected by the Shutdown.

On Friday, activist Trupti Desai had to spend an entire day at Kochi airport after she was surrounded by protesters determined to stop her from going to Sabarimala.

New priests Two new melsanthis (priests) ML Vasudevan Namboodiri (Ayyappa temple) and MN Narayanan Namboodiri (Malikapapuram) assume charge at Sabarimala Temple as it opens for two-month long pilgrim season, in Sabarimala, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. (PTI Photo) Outgoing chief priest Outgoing chief priest AV Unnikrishnan Namboothiri opens the 'sanctum sanctorum' of the Sabarimala temple as it opens for two-month long pilgrim season, in Sabarimala, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. (PTI Photo) Sabarimala Temple Police personnel stand guard as the Sabarimala temple opens for a two-month long pilgrim season, in Sabarimala, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. (PTI Photo) Trupti Desai Social activist Trupti Desai, who vowed to offer prayers at the hill shrine, leaves Nedumbassery Airport after being held up inside the airport for over 12 hours, in Kochi, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. (PTI Photo)
School bus rams into a divider in Noida, 12 children injured

India

oi-Vikas SV

Noida, Nov 17: At least 12 children were injured on Saturday morning when a school bus hit a divider at Rajnigandha Chowk in Noida (UP).

There were 30 kids in the bus when the accident took place. The injured students have been rushed to Kailash hospital in Noida, said reports. Bus belonged to Apeejay school in Noida.

Driver and conductor of the school bus are said to be in critical condition.

Further details awaited.

25 children injured after school bus meets with an accident in Jaipur

On April 27, 13 children died after a train rammed into a school bus at an unmanned railway crossing in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar. The students were killed on the spot after the train rammed into the school bus. The school bus belonged to Divine Public School.

On April 10, Thirty persons, including 27 children, were killed when a private school bus fell into a gorge in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. The school bus skidded off the road and fell into a 100-feet-deep gorge in Kangra district. All the dead students were below the age of 10. The bus driver and two teachers were also among the dead.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 10:40 [IST]
Shia Waqf Board chief writes to AIMPLB to relinquish its claim over disputed land for Temple

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

News Delhi, Nov 17: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and many other affiliate organisation have started built up in temple town Ayodhya and even ritualistic 14-Koshi Parikrama also started in the city with many Muslim organisations too are coming out in support of the construction Ram Temple to end animosity between the two community.

Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board chairman Syed Waseem Rizvi has written a letter requesting chief of All India Muslim Personal Law Board Maulana Rabe Hasan Nadavi. He suggested in his letter that a compromise should be arrived at and the entire city should be left for the Hindu community for the construction of Ram Temple. Compromise should not be looked down upon as a defeat.

Shia Waqf Board demands legislation for Ram Temple; calls himself Vibhishan for the cause

He further writes, "There have been many compromises in Islam as well. It is not wise to put lives of 20 crore Muslims in danger for a small tract of land. If we take a few steps back leaving this small piece of land for Hindus to built a Ram Temple there, we will be able to win over hearts of 99 people of the country. This will be in the interest of the country and Muslims. Moreover hatred against Muslims and Hindus will to minimized. I hope you will take up this proposal in the next meeting of AIMPLB and consider the matter there to arrive at some prudent decision on the matter."

Shia Waqf Board chief lists nine disputed shrine to be handed over to Hindus; writes to PM

He said that there are dozens of mosques in Ayodhya and which the Hindu community does not have any objection or claim but the mosque built by Mir Baqi is objected upon which is said to be built upon demolishing a temple of Ram Temple at his birth place. He said that there is a need develop a consensus on the issue of handing over land to Hindu community as it is matter of their faith. As far as mosque is concern, it could be built anywhere outside Ayodhya on an undisputed land. So it is in the best interest of all to hand over land to Hindu community, he added.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 12:52 [IST]
Telangana elections: Karimnagar not impressed by Yogi Adityanath, BJP down to 1 from 5

25 candidate lost election by less than 2000 votes in 3 states

Telangana assembly elections 2018: Congress releases third list of 13 candidates

India

oi-Vikas SV

Hyderabad, Nov 17: The Congress on Saturday released the third list of 13 candidates for the Telangana Assembly elections 2018. The elections for the 119 seats Telangana assembly are scheduled to be held on December 7.

The Congress is fighting the Telangana assembly elections in alliance with the TDP, CPI and TJS. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) released its first list of nine candidates on November 13.

The Congress-led grand alliance finalised seat-sharing arrangements for the upcoming Telangana Assembly elections last week. The Congress will contest from 93 seats while the TDP will contest from 14 seats. CPI will contest from 3 seats while Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) will contest from 8 seats.

Here is the third list announced by the Congress for Telangana elections:

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) anounced the fourth list of seven candidates for the Telangana polls on November 16.

In the 2014 assembly election, the TRS bagged 63 seats with a vote-share of 34 per cent and the Congress 21 seats with 25 per cent vote-share.

The 119-member assembly was dissolved on September 6 on the recommendation of the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led TRS government, more than eight months ahead of the expiry of its term, paving the way for early elections.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 11:35 [IST]
Mamata Banerjee likely to meet PM Narendra Modi next week over dues, increased BSF jurisdiction

TMC will save the nation says Mamata Banerjee

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Kolkata, Nov 17: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre for allegedly destroying key Indian institutions such as the CBI and the RBI.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) could play a vital role in saving the country from such destructions, the party supremo said.

AP, WB withdraw consent for CBI probe: Impact and what the law states

"They (the NDA government) are destroying institutions. They are trying to change the way the RBI and the CBI function. The party that has made 'building statues' its poll agenda will itself become a statue after the coming Lok Sabha election," she told a party meeting here.

Banerjee, who gave a call for a mega rally at the Brigade Parade Ground here in January, said the saffron party is only interested in creating communal divisions by updating National Register of Citizens (NRC).

"The TMC will not tolerate such exercises. The party will play a bigger role in the coming days to save the country from the BJP," she asserted.

The CM also said that she would invite all opposition leaders to the TMC rally in January and put up a united fight against the BJP.

Andhra decision on CBI: Bengal follows suit, BJP sees 'grand alliance of corrupt parties'

"BJP hatao, desh bachao will be our slogan at the rally," she stated.

Referring to the BJP's scheduled 'rath yatra' in the state next month, Banerjee said, "The saffron party is organising a political 'yatra'. Our workers, on the other hand, will organise 'ekta yatra', aimed at uniting all communities.
RLSP's Upendra Kushwaha

He did not disclose the number of seats offered to the RLSP, saying he would not speak about it before a seat-sharing agreement is reached by NDA constituents in Bihar by November 30. Kushwaha, the Union minister of state for HRD, was speaking to reporters after the RLSP state executive meeting here.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

The RLSP chief is at loggerheads with Nitish Kumar over the Bihar chief minister's recent remarks against him. Kumar, also the JD(U) president, had refused to join issue with Kushwaha over seat-sharing between NDA partners in Bihar, saying "Itna neeche baat ko nahi le jaiye" (do not take the debate to such a low level).

Kushwaha appears to have picked up the word "neeche" from the statement and took it as an insult to himself as the RLSP chief was the topic of discussion. He alleged that the remark was tantamount to calling him a lowly person.

Nitish Kumar 'saturated', 'wants to step down', claims Upendra Kushwaha

Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Modi

He has also targeted BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi for defending Kumar, signalling his growing isolation within the coalition. When asked about this, he had said, "I am in the NDA as of now."

BJP president Amit Shah

Kushwaha, whose efforts to meet BJP president Amit Shah over the issue have not yielded results, said he will try to speak to "no other BJP leader except the prime minister." Bihar has a total of 40 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP and the JD(U) have decided to contest equal number of seats. The fourth partner of the NDA in Bihar is Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party.

OneIndia News with PTI inputs
No more 'Gorakh Dhanda' in Haryana: State government bans the use of phrase

Choice of words not correct, but strictness was needed: Haryana CM on Karnal lathicharge

Women cry rape to get back at ex-boyfriends: Haryana CM

India

pti-PTI

Chandigarh, Nov 17: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has courted a controversy over his remarks on rape incidents, with the Congress condemning the statement, saying the state government's "anti-women mindset" was exposed.

At a function in Kalka town of Panchkula district on Friday, Khattar said, "The incidents of rape have not increased... Rapes used to take place in the past and even today as well. (Only) the concern (over such incidents) has increased.

"The biggest concern is that in 80 to 90 per cent of rape and eve-teasing cases, the accused and the victim know each other. In many cases, they know each other for a long time and, on one day, when there is an argument (between them over some issue)... an FIR is lodged, saying: 'He has raped me'," Khattar had said.

Hitting out at the chief minister, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala termed the statement deplorable.

"Anti-Women Mindset of Khattar Govt Exposed! Haryana CM Khattar ji makes an utterly condemnable remark. Blaming Women for complete failures to control Rapes & Gangrapes? Deplorable!," Surjewala tweeted.

Notably, a report tabled in the Haryana assembly recently showed a 47% increase in rape cases and an over 100% spike in kidnapping of women across the state since 2014-15. The data also revealed a 26% increase in molestation cases over the last four years.

PTI
North Korea tests hi-tech weapon; its back on collision course, fears experts

International

oi-Shubham Ghosh

Pyongyang, Nov 17: It's only six months since North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un had a historic meeting with US President Donald Trump in Singapore over denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and leading his country on the path of reconciliation and peace. The summit had materialised after a lot of roller-coaster ride but now, it seems Pyongyang had little true commitment towards de-escalation since it tested "a newly developed ultramodern" weapon during an event which was supervised by none other than Kim, the country's state media KCNA said on Friday (November 16) morning.

According to a report in CNN, not much was known about the latest weapon tested by the hermit kingdom but it certainly gave the message that it is ready to return to a more antagonistic relationship with the US if the talks failed to fulfil the expectations.

Kim Jong-un may visit Russia next year

"He's tiptoeing towards a more aggressive posture in negotiations with the US and he's signaling that he's not going to give way and can simply return to his old practices if (the US) don't change their approach," Josh Pollack, a senior research associate at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterrey, was quoted as saying by CNN.

KCNA did not give any details on the location of the testing and also furnished little about the weapon other than the facts that it was "tactical" and that it was commissioned by Kim's father and predecessor Kim Jong Il.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 16:16 [IST]
PM Modi to host President Putin: What to expect from the bilateral

In UP, Nadda explains all the good PM has done for farmers

PM Modi attends Ibrahim Solih's swearing-in ceremony in Maldives

International

oi-Deepika S

Male, Nov 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attended the swearing-in ceremony of the new president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September.

Modi interacted with leaders from the Maldives and other parts of the world during the oath taking ceremony. Solih, 54, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, had surprisingly emerged victorious over incumbent president Yameen in the election held on September 23.

On arrival in the Maldivian capital, Prime Minister Modi was given a red carpet welcome and was received by Maldives Parliament Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed.

India-Maldives to work for regional peace; visa norms to be made easy between the two countries

This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.

In a series of tweets ahead of the visit, Modi had tweeted, "I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development," He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future.

India would hope for better ties with Maldives post pro-China Yameen's ouster

"We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister had said. The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then.

India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year.

India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.
Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggis assassination: CIA

International

oi-Shubham Ghosh

Washington, Nov 17: In a development that would put the Middle Eastern kingdom of Saudi Arabia in more trouble, America's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has inferred that it was none other than the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who ordered the killing of veteran dissenting journalist Jamal Khashoggi, US officials said.

The officials, however, said that the American and Turkish intelligence agencies were yet to confirm linking the crown prince with the assassination that shocked the entire world. However, the CIA has said that bin Salman's control of the kingdom is so tight that the murder would not have happened without his consent.

Journalist Jamal Khashoggi murder: US hits 17 Saudis with sanctions

Khashoggi was seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2, not to be seen again. It was said that the kingdom's agents waited inside for him and he was tortured and killed in the most gruesome way and his remains are yet to be tracked.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 17, 2018, 16:27 [IST]
In the longer term, the city wants to assemble the land there for a more major economic development. It is looking at the site of the two hotels, combined with land the city already owns north of the Fox Valley Inn all the way to Farnsworth and Bilter Road, for a possible hotel and convention center.
Ive been a part of this float for a couple of years and like to be with my friends and sing carols, Bochart said as she joined AKA Dance Studio in the citys annual Winter Lights Parade. Its great to see all the people that come downtown to watch, and this really does kick the celebration off.
Proponents of the change have said a higher purchasing age makes it more difficult for teenagers to obtain those products since they are far less likely to interact with people who are over 21 years old.
After police told the driver to stop, the car hit an officer, and a second officer fired his gun at the car, hitting the driver, police said. The car then stopped, according to police.
There are always different ideas on how to spend the limited funds that are available to operate county government, but officials were able to compromise and keep Will County moving forward, he said. We have always tried to keep the politics out as much as possible and focus on providing effective and efficient services for our residents.
This will change the way we operate. There will be a greater effort to reach common ground, compromise and work together, Winfrey said. I expect to see that going forward. I will be looking for that and I am looking forward to that.
Last year we served 1,200 guests and have had as many as 1,500 attend. So wed like to draw 2,100 people this year, which would be 2 percent of the citys population, Turner said of the event being held at at First United Methodist Church in downtown Elgin.
(CNN)  Israel will pick a date for early elections on Sunday, a source close to a key minister told CNN, following a turbulent week for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that saw key government resignations and calls for an early vote.

The decision to call early elections came after crunch talks between Netanyahu and the rightwing Education Minister Naftali Bennett broke down on Friday.

Bennett had threatened to quit the government if he wasn't given the defense portfolio after the resignation of former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman on Wednesday, but Netanyahu rejected Bennett's demands.

After Friday's meeting, the source, who is close to Bennett, told CNN: "There was a need to go to elections as soon as possible, with no possibility of continuing the current government. A date for the elections is expected to be decided on Sunday following a meeting of the coalition party heads."

On Thursday, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Interior Minister Aryeh Deri also called for early elections.

Bennett's withdrawal from the coalition would leave Netanyahu without the minimum 61 seats needed to govern, making elections inevitable and ending a government that lasted nearly four years.

A spokesman for Netanyahu's Likud party said in a statement after the meeting with Bennett that the Prime Minister would try to stabilize his government on Sunday at the weekly cabinet meeting.

"At the beginning of the week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold conversations with the heads of the coalitions, and he relies on the ministers' responsibility not to make a historic mistake in toppling a right-wing government," the statement said.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu stressed that it's important to make every effort in order to preserve the right-wing government and not to repeat the historical mistake of 1992 when a right-wing government was toppled, raised the left to power and brought the Oslo disaster upon Israel."

A statement released a short time later said Netanyahu had begun those conversations Friday afternoon.

Netanyahu's troubles began Wednesday when Liberman, his hardline Defense Minister, announced his resignation. Liberman had openly opposed a ceasefire reached with Gaza one day earlier that ended the worst 24 hours of fighting since the 2014 war, advocating instead for a harsher blow against Hamas, the militant group that controls the coastal enclave. Liberman called the ceasefire "a capitulation to terror."

From Monday night to Tuesday afternoon, Gaza militants fired some 400 rockets into Israel, while the Israeli military struck more than 100 targets inside Gaza.

Liberman didn't have enough seats to topple the government on his own, but his withdrawal left Netanyahu with a bare minimum 61-seat coalition, allowing other parties to make demands of the Israeli leader.

The sudden vacancy allowed Bennett, leader of the right-wing Jewish Home party, to demand the defense portfolio, promising to quit the government if he didn't get it.

On Thursday morning, Kahlon, the Finance Minister, met with Netanyahu and said it was time to call early elections.

In a statement released after the meeting, Kahlon said, "The stability required at this time is not achievable in the present situation, and therefore the responsible act is the establishment of a new, strong and stable government."

Deri, the Interior Minister, echoed his call, increasing pressure on Netanyahu to dissolve the government.

The political turbulence comes as Netanyahu faces criminal investigations that have hit him and his inner circle. Israeli police say they have enough evidence to indict Netanyahu on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in two separate investigations. He was questioned as a suspect in a third investigation. Netanyahu has repeatedly proclaimed his innocence, often employing the phrase "There will be nothing because there is nothing."

The criminal investigations have barely damaged the Prime Minister's standing in the polls or his popularity. Polls have repeatedly projected that Netanyahu's Likud party would increase its number of seats if early elections are held.

But the crisis may pose a new challenge for the Israeli leader, since it appears he is being led to call early elections, instead of calling them on his own.

By law, the government must choose an election date within three to five months, making March or May the most likely time for elections. April is unlikely because of Jewish holidays during the month.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Israel heading for early elections after turbulent week for Netanyahu."
One of the sites to be remediated is at 40 Ann St., which was once used by the Elgin Public Works Department. The other is at 96-122 S. Grove Ave., the onetime location of the Crocker Theater and later a coin shop, he said.
In a statement, campus police said a female reported that around 5:30 p.m. that day, she was walking in the 1800 block of Hinman Avenue when two males, both about 6 feet tall, came up behind her. She felt one of the men grab the handle on the top of her backpack and she took off running north.
According to the previous contract, this follows a pattern of gradual increases in insurance costs in each of the previous years beginning with the 2014-2015 school year. The last time there was no change in insurance costs was during the 2013-2014 school year.
Perlman has owned and operated franchise businesses over the past 17 years and holds an MBA from Northwestern Universitys Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He has a daughter who is a freshman at Highland Park High School and a son who graduated as class valedictorian in 2018. He is co-chair of the Music Arts Committee for Focus on the Arts 2019, a position he also held in 2017.
Then we did an archeological dig  all the soil was sifted and looked at to determine what bones were present. It was really impressive, Cooper said. They recovered about 75 percent of the body, which did not include the upper portion of the skull.
Hydrochloric Acid Market Size, Growth, Demand and Competition Analysis Forecast Report to 2023

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Hydrochloric Acid Market Overview:Hydrochloric acid is an inorganic chemical that is commonly used in laboratories. It is produced naturally by the stomach cells as part of gastric acid, important for the digestive system, and is produced industrially by dissolving hydrogen chloride in water. It is mainly used in the acidification of oil wells in the oil and gas industry. The consumption of hydrochloric acid increases with the increase of manufacturing activities in the oil and gas industries, which drives the market. In addition, it is used as a cleaning agent in the treatment of textiles, rubber, leather, etc., which results in a greater consumption of hydrochloric acid and this trend is expected to continue during the forecast period.Browse full report @Hydrochloric Acid Market Size Analysis:With the slowdown in world economic growth, the Hydrochloric Acid industry has also suffered a certain impact, but still maintained a relatively optimistic growth, the past four years, Hydrochloric Acid market size to maintain the average annual growth rate of 1.30% from USD 1227 million in 2014 to USD 1276 million in 2017, Research Cosmos analysts believe that in the next few years, Hydrochloric Acid market size will be further expanded, we expect that by 2022, The market size of the Hydrochloric Acid will reach USD 1341 million.Ask for Free Sample of the report @Hydrochloric Acid Market Growth, and Drivers:The growing utilization of hydrochloric acid in oil well acidizing industry is the principal factor likely to accelerate the growth of the global market. On the other hand, the decrease in the demand for fluorocarbons due to various environmental risks should limit the growth of the hydrochloric acid world market in the coming years. In addition, it is expected that the adverse effects of hydrochloric acid on human health will slow down the growth of the market. However, the growing demand for high quality, pure hydrochloric acid and the growing gap between demand and supply are some of the important factors that can generate promising opportunities for the main players working there.Inquire before buying report @Hydrochloric Acid Market Geographical SegmentationFrom a geographical point of view, the global hydrochloric acid market is divided between the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America and Europe. Among these, Asia-Pacific is expected to lead the global market, since it is the world's largest consumer. The strong growth and growing demand for hydrochloric acid in this region can be attributed to the increasing application in the food processing industries. It is expected that the growing number of hydrochloric acid applications will accelerate market growth in the Asia-Pacific region in the coming years. In addition, North America is expected to remain in second place in the global hydrochloric acid market in terms of turnover. The increased demand from the oil well acidification industry is one of the key factors driving the growth of the hydrochloric acid market in North America. In contrast, it is estimated that Europe has experienced slow growth during the forecast period due to the elimination of effluents and environmental regulations for food and metal processing.Key Takeaways from Butyl Rubber Market Report: For different product types, end use applications and industry verticals, offers calculated growth rates (CAGR %), Volume (Units), and Value ($M) in each region to estimate the market potential. Identify various driving factors, constrains and untold opportunities that can impact the global marketplace Know the position of your competitor based on the market shares, financial performance, strategical approaches, SWOT, product benchmarking and so on. Increase overall revenue by understanding the geographical impact on sales and distribution channels. Evaluate the increase in values at each step of industry supply chain to improve process efficacy and optimize the value. Understand the market dynamics of leading players like deals, partnerships, new products, mergers and acquisitions in the last four years. Estimate the gaps in supply-demand, statics involved in import-export, and regulatory framework of the worldwide market in over 20 top nations.Hydrochloric Acid Market Key Players:Du Pont, Dow Corning, BASF SE, Pioneer America, Bayer, and Lyondell Chemical Company are the major players of the Global Hydrochloric Acid Market.About Us:Research Cosmos is a provider of standard and customized Industry research, business intelligence and consulting services across more than 100 domains in different industries of the world. We host the trending Industry reports of the worlds top-notch publishing companies, offering services to a wide range of customers from students to fortune 500 companies and discloses the hidden opportunities in every leading industry of the world.Contact:Kevin Stewartkevin@researchcosmos.comGlobal Sales ManagerResearch Cosmos+1 888 709 8757LinkedIn -Twitter -Google+ -Facebook -
Mundeleins new plan is to move the granite monument closer to the parking spaces located along Brice Avenue. Orenchuk said that location creates a shorter walk for veterans with physical limitations and provides some visibility for those who need to or want to stay in their car.
Smart Hospitality System Market Huge growth | IBM, Buildingiq, Control4, Infor, Cisco Systems, Inc.

Smart Hospitality System Market

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HTF MI released a new market study on Global Smart Hospitality System Market with 100+ market data Tables, Pie Chat, Graphs & Figures spread through Pages and easy to understand detailed analysis. At present, the market is developing its presence. The Research report presents a complete assessment of the Market and contains a future trend, current growth factors, attentive opinions, facts, and industry validated market data. The research study provides estimates for Global Smart Hospitality System Forecast till 2025*. Some are the key players taken under coverage for this study are Control4, Honeywell International, Inc., NEC Corporation, Infor, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., Johnson Controls, Mitel Networks Corporation, IBM Corporation, Buildingiq Inc. & Huawei Technologies Co.Ltd.Click to get Global Smart Hospitality System Market Research Sample PDF Copy Here @:#Summary: The Smart Hospitality System market can be split based on product types, major applications, and important regions.Important Features that are under offering & key highlights of the report :1) What all companies are currently profiled in the report?Following are list of players that are currently profiled in the the report "Control4, Honeywell International, Inc., NEC Corporation, Infor, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., Johnson Controls, Mitel Networks Corporation, IBM Corporation, Buildingiq Inc. & Huawei Technologies Co.Ltd"** List of companies mentioned may vary in the final report subject to Name Change / Merger etc.2) Can we add or profiled new company as per our need?Yes, we can add or profile new company as per client need in the report. Final confirmation to be provided by research team depending upon the difficulty of survey.** Data availability will be confirmed by research in case of privately held company. Upto 3 players can be added at no added cost.3) What all regional segmentation covered? Can specific country of interest be added?Currently, research report gives special attention and focus on following regions:North America, Europe, China, Japan, Middle East & Africa, India, South America & Others** One country of specific interest can be included at no added cost. For inclusion of more regional segment quote may vary.4) Can inclusion of additional Segmentation / Market breakdown is possible?Yes, inclusion of additional segmentation / Market breakdown is possible subject to data availability and difficulty of survey. However a detailed requirement needs to be shared with our research before giving final confirmation to client.** Depending upon the requirement the deliverable time and quote will vary.Enquire for customization in Report @To comprehend Global Smart Hospitality System market dynamics in the world mainly, the worldwide Smart Hospitality System market is analyzed across major global regions. HTF MI also provides customized specific regional and country-level reports for the following areas. North America: United States, Canada, and Mexico. South & Central America: Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Egypt and South Africa. Europe: UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Russia. Asia-Pacific: India, China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, and Australia.2-Page profiles for 10+ leading manufacturers and 10+ leading retailers is included, along with 3 years financial history to illustrate the recent performance of the market. Revised and updated discussion for 2018 of key macro and micro market influences impacting the sector are provided with a thought-provoking qualitative comment on future opportunities and threats. This report combines the best of both statistically relevant quantitative data from the industry, coupled with relevant and insightful qualitative comment and analysis.Global Smart Hospitality System Product Types In-Depth: , Hotel Operation Management System, Integrated Security System & Hotel Building Automation SystemGlobal Smart Hospitality System Major Applications/End users: Business Hotels, Heritage and Boutique Hotels & Resorts and SpasGeographical Analysis: North America, Europe, China, Japan, Middle East & Africa, India, South America & OthersIn order to get a deeper view of Market Size, competitive landscape is provided i.e. Revenue (Million USD) by Players (2013-2018), Revenue Market Share (%) by Players (2013-2018) and further a qualitative analysis is made towards market concentration rate, product/service differences, new entrants and the technological trends in future.Competitive Analysis:The key players are highly focusing innovation in production technologies to improve efficiency and shelf life. The best long-term growth opportunities for this sector can be captured by ensuring ongoing process improvements and financial flexibility to invest in the optimal strategies. Company profile section of players such as Control4, Honeywell International, Inc., NEC Corporation, Infor, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., Johnson Controls, Mitel Networks Corporation, IBM Corporation, Buildingiq Inc. & Huawei Technologies Co.Ltd includes its basic information like legal name, website, headquarters, its market position, historical background and top 5 closest competitors by Market capitalization / revenue along with contact information. Each player/ manufacturer revenue figures, growth rate and gross profit margin is provided in easy to understand tabular format for past 5 years and a separate section on recent development like mergers, acquisition or any new product/service launch etc.Buy Full Copy Global Smart Hospitality System Report 2018 @In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Global Smart Hospitality System are as follows:History Year: 2013-2017Base Year: 2017Estimated Year: 2018Forecast Year 2018 to 2025Key Stakeholders/Global Reports:Smart Hospitality System ManufacturersSmart Hospitality System Distributors/Traders/WholesalersSmart Hospitality System Subcomponent ManufacturersIndustry AssociationDownstream VendorsBrowse for Full Report at @:Actual Numbers & In-Depth Analysis, Business opportunities, Market Size Estimation Available in Full Report.Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.About Author:HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact US :Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218sales@htfmarketreport.comConnect with us at
Mobile & Tablet Advertising Market Massive Growth (30% CAGR)| Apple, Archos, Asus, Globe, Google, Facebook

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HTF MI recently introduced The Mobile & Tablet Advertising Market study with in-depth overview, describing about the Product / Industry Scope and elaborates market outlook and status to 2023. The market Study is segmented by key regions which is accelerating the marketization. At present, the market is developing its presence and some of the key players from the complete study are Accel Partners, Acer, Adfonic, AdStar, Amazon, AOL Advertising, Apple, Archos, Asus, AT&T, B&N, BBC, Bell, Best Buy, Blyk, BuzzCity, Calvin Klein, Canonical, Casio, celltick, Celtra, Chartboost, China Telecom, China Unicom, Cisco, Coca Cola, Coolpad, D2C, Dell, Electronic Arts, Elisa, Engadget, Ericsson, Euclid, Facebook, Fedora, Fiksu, Flurry, Forbes, FrontPath, Fujitsu, Garage, General Motors, Globe, Google, Greystripe, GRiD Systems Corporation, Grupo Mobi etc.The growing penetration of smartphones and tablets has further extended the addressable market for mobile advertising as users spend an increasing amount of their time with these devices. By the end of 2020, tablet based advertising campaigns alone will generate more than $27 Billion in global revenue, following a CAGR of nearly 30% between 2013 and 2020.Request Sample of The Mobile & Tablet Advertising Market: 2013 - 2020 @:Browse 100+ market data Tables and Figures spread through Pages and in-depth TOC on " The Mobile & Tablet Advertising Market by Type Mobile Applications, Mobile Games, Mobile Music, Mobile Social Networking, Mobile TV (Broadcast, Unicast & One-off), Mobile Video (One-off, Subscription Based) & Text Alerts), Organization Size, Industry, and Region - Forecast to 2023". Early buyers will receive 10% customization on comprehensive study.In order to get a deeper view of Market Size, competitive landscape is provided i.e. Revenue (Million USD) by Players (2013-2018), Revenue Market Share (%) by Players (2013-2018) and further a qualitative analysis is made towards market concentration rate, product/service differences, new entrants and the technological trends in future.Competitive Analysis:The key players are highly focusing innovation in production technologies to improve efficiency and shelf life. The best long-term growth opportunities for this sector can be captured by ensuring ongoing process improvements and financial flexibility to invest in the optimal strategies. Company profile section of players such as Accel Partners, Acer, Adfonic, AdStar, Amazon, AOL Advertising, Apple, Archos, Asus, AT&T, B&N, BBC, Bell, Best Buy, Blyk, BuzzCity, Calvin Klein, Canonical, Casio, celltick, Celtra, Chartboost, China Telecom, China Unicom, Cisco, Coca Cola, Coolpad, D2C, Dell, Electronic Arts, Elisa, Engadget, Ericsson, Euclid, Facebook, Fedora, Fiksu, Flurry, Forbes, FrontPath, Fujitsu, Garage, General Motors, Globe, Google, Greystripe, GRiD Systems Corporation, Grupo Mobi includes its basic information like legal name, website, headquarters, its market position, historical background and top 5 closest competitors by Market capitalization / revenue along with contact information. Each player/ manufacturer revenue figures, growth rate and gross profit margin is provided in easy to understand tabular format for past 5 years and a separate section on recent development like mergers, acquisition or any new product/service launch etc.Browse for Full Report at:Key Highlights from The Mobile & Tablet Advertising Market Study.Revenue and Sales Estimation  Historical Revenue and sales volume is presented and further data is triangulated with top-down and bottom-up approaches to forecast complete market size and to estimate forecast numbers for key regions covered in the report along with classified and well recognized Types and end-use industry. Additionally macroeconomic factor and regulatory policies are ascertained in The Mobile & Tablet Advertising industry evolution and predictive analysis.Manufacturing Analysis the report is currently analyzed concerning various product type and application. The The Mobile & Tablet Advertising market provides a chapter highlighting manufacturing process analysis validated via primary information collected through Industry experts and Key officials of profiled companies.Competition  Leading players have been studied depending on their company profile, product portfolio, capacity, product/service price, sales, and cost/profit.Demand & Supply and Effectiveness  The Mobile & Tablet Advertising report additionally provides distribution, Production, Consumption & EXIM** (Export & Import). ** If applicableEnquire for customization in Report @Have a look at some extracts from Table of ContentIntroduction about The Mobile & Tablet AdvertisingThe Mobile & Tablet Advertising Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2017The Mobile & Tablet Advertising Market by Application/End UsersThe Mobile & Tablet Advertising Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Applications(2013-2023) table defined for each application/end-users like [Media Alerts, Mobile Browsing (Display, Search), Mobile Applications, Mobile Games, Mobile Music, Mobile Social Networking, Mobile TV (Broadcast, Unicast & One-off), Mobile Video (One-off, Subscription Based) & Text Alerts]The Mobile & Tablet Advertising Sales and Growth Rate (2013-2023)The Mobile & Tablet Advertising Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and ApplicationThe Mobile & Tablet Advertising (Volume, Value and Sales Price) table defined for each geographic region defined.The Mobile & Tablet Advertising Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales DataAdditionally Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors list is being provided for each listed manufacturersMarket Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018) table for each product type which include , Key market sectors for mobile & tablet advertising and their evolution, , Market drivers and challenges for the mobile & tablet advertising market, A detailed assessment of the emergent tablet advertising submarket and its growth potential & Key developments in the industryThe Mobile & Tablet Advertising Manufacturing Cost AnalysisThe Mobile & Tablet Advertising Key Raw Materials AnalysisThe Mobile & Tablet Advertising Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers, Industrial Chain AnalysisMarket Forecast (2018-2023)........and more in complete table of ContentsBuy Single User License of The Mobile & Tablet Advertising Market: 2013 - 2020 @Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218sales@htfmarketreport.com
USD 65 bn Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) Market Analysis - (Texas Instruments, Continental, Autoliv, Delphi, Denso, Hella, Harman International, Panasonic, Valeo)

Advanced Driver Assistance System Market

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Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) Market size is estimated to surpass USD 65 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. Rising concerns for traffic safety along with stringent regulatory norms regarding deployment of these systems will primarily drive the growth of ADAS market over the forecast timeframe. Various developed regions across the globe including Europe and North America have mandated their installation in vehicles for ensuring overall safety, escalating the revenue generation. For instance, in July 2010, EU, the installation of ADAS is mandatory as per the Directive 2010/40/EU.Sample Copy of This Report @ADAS market from image sensors is expected to showcase dominance, accounting for over 33% revenue share over the next eight years. These sensors are installed in majority of the technologies including surround view, night vision, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, etc., primarily contributing to the revenue generation. These applications are rapidly growing across the globe, resulting in increased demand for image sensors. Cost effectiveness as compared to the counterparts is another factor supporting the industry dominance. Radar sensors will witness highest growth owing to their extensive usage in AEB and adaptive cruise control systems.Company profiled in this report based on Business overview, Financial data, Product landscape, Strategic outlook & SWOT analysis:1. Aisin Seiki Co2. Continental AG3. Autoliv AB4. Bosch Group5. Delphi Automotive6. Denso Corporation7. Gentex Corporation8. Harman International9. Hella KGaA Hueck & Co10. Hyundai Mobis11. Magna International Inc12. Mobileye N.V13. NXP Semiconductor Inc14. Panasonic Corporation15. Renesas Electronics Corporation16. Texas Instruments17. TRW Automotive18. ValeoMake an Inquiry for purchasing this Report @PCV will dominate the ADAS market, accounting for over 65% volume share by the end of 2024. Rising road safety concerns has led to their increased installation in these vehicles. Rising demand for ADAS installation in vehicles owing to increasing concerns regarding driver safety will significantly contribute towards the revenue generation. Moreover, substantial rise in the sales of premium vehicles across the globe will further strengthen the product penetration. HCVs are likely to grow substantially owing to stringent regulations regarding ADAS installation in these vehicles in developed regions such as Europe.Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) Market By Technology Adaptive cruise control Automatic high beam control Autonomous park assist Blind spot detection Driver monitoring Forward collision warning Front lighting AEB Night vision Head up display Lane departure warning Park assist Surround view system Traffic sign recognition Tire pressure monitoring systemNorth America ADAS market is expected to acquire maximum volume share of more than 34% over the next eight years. Rising number of testing procedures for these technologies along with established automobile industry in the region will primarily contribute to the high revenue generation. Higher penetration of ADAS and stringent regulatory norms regarding their mandatory installation will further support the regional dominance. Asia Pacific will grow rapidly, exhibiting over 14.5% CAGR from 2017 to 2024. Rising traffic safety concerns and increasing demand from countries including Japan, China, and South Korea will further strengthen the industry penetration in the region.ADAS market from OEMs will dominate the industry share over the forecast timeframe owing to their installation during the production process. The OEMs ensure proper maintenance of the product safety standards. This results in their high preference as compared to the counterpart, supporting the industry dominance. Aftermarket will grow significantly owing to cost-effective nature of the products through this channel. Rising accident rate across the globe will further increase the replacement demand for these products, propelling the industry growth over the coming years.Browse Report Summery @Denso, Delphi Automotive, Continental, Autoliv, Bosch, Harman International, Mobileye N.V., TRW Automotive, Nvidia Corporation, and Hyundai Mobis are among the noticeable players in the ADAS market. Partnerships and mergers & acquisitions are few strategies majorly adopted by the industry participants. For instance, in June 2017, Autoliv announced its partnership with Volvo to form a joint venture, Zenuity for development of autonomous cars. This partnership further strengthened companys position in the industry.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.com
Global Digital Transaction Management (DTM) to grow at a CAGR of +27% from 2018 to 2023

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Digital transaction management system significantly improves the efficiency and pace of work processes and make them more convenient. Increased internet penetration and growing popularity of digital payment modes, especially in fast-developing counties with high population density is a major factor supporting the growth of the Digital Transaction Management (DTM) Market. At the same time, rapid adoption of cloud based services and introduction of more stringent IT security frameworks is also reflecting favorably on the prospects of digital transaction management. The baking sector continues to incline towards cloud services, which is likely create opportunities for market player is forthcoming years.Digital Transaction Management (DTM) Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of +27% from 2018 to 2023.Get Sample Copy of this Report @Importance is given to the studies of global regions, such as North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Japan, China, and India, to elaborate on the scope as well as on the competitions at a worldwide level. Future of the industries is predicted on the basis of the current scenario, profit, and growth opportunity. To enlarge the businesses rapidly, it focuses on global competitors such as Digital Transaction Management (DTM) Market.Top Key Vendors in Market:Apple (U.S.), Microsoft Corporation (U.S.), DocuSign Inc. (U.S.), Sony Corporation (Japan),IBM Corporation (U.S.), Intel (U.S.), eSignLive (Canada), ThinkSmart (U.S.), Oracle (U.S.), HP (U.S.)Ask for discount@Increased focus of organizations towards digitally transforming their document-based transactions and business processes is driving the growth in digital transaction management (DTM) market. Advancement in digital technology and the push towards its adoption present enormous opportunities and potential for stakeholders in this market. Also, the dynamic capability of DTM to include parts of multiple documents-based processes/application such as workflow management, content management, business process management potentially presents a significant market opportunity.The business and financial overview of various companies such as Digital Transaction Management (DTM) Market have been analyzed. In addition to this, it gives more focus on different government policies and political stability around the Digital Transaction Management. It includes commercial factors, which are responsible for the growth of the businesses.Table of Content:Digital Transaction Management (DTM) Market Research Report 2018-2023Chapter 1: Digital Transaction Management (DTM) IntroductionChapter 2: Digital Transaction Management (DTM) Market OverviewChapter 3: Global Digital Transaction Management (DTM) Analysis by Key PlayersChapter 4: Global Market Size and Type by ApplicationChapter 5: Global Digital Transaction Management (DTM) Market Development StatusChapter 6: Digital Transaction Management (DTM) Effect Factors Analysis.Chapter 7: Production, Revenue by RegionChapter 8: Digital Transaction Management (DTM) Market ForecastChapter 9: Distributor Analysis of Global Software MarketChapter 10: Digital Transaction Management (DTM) Market Industry 2016-2021Chapter 11: Telemetry Monitoring System Market with Contact InformationChapter 12: Feasibility Analysis of Digital Transaction Management (DTM) MarketFor more Information@About Research N Reports:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Where counting on a legitimate board company for your selections will become critical. Research N Reports specializes in enterprise evaluation, marketplace forecasts and as a result getting great reports overlaying all verticals, whether be it gaining angle on modern market situations or being in advance inside the cut throat Global opposition.Contact:(Research N Reports)10916, Gold Point Dr, Houston, TX, Pin - 77064,Sunny Denis(Sales Manager),+1-8886316977,sales@researchnreports.com
Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Market Global Trends, Industry Size, Growth, Opportunities, and Forecast 2018  2023

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Fresh Onions and Shallots analysis is provided for the markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.Download Sample Report of Fresh Onions and Shallots Market @Leaders Of The Industry :- Avantha Holdings Limited (Global Green Company), T&G Global, Vladam, River Point Farms, Murakami Produce Company, Snake River Produce, Gills Onions, JC Watson Company, and so on.Furthermore, years considered for the study are as follows:Historical year 2013, 2016Base year 2017Forecast period 2018 to 2023Target Audience of the Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Market in Market Study: Fresh Onions and Shallots Key Consulting Companies & Advisors Fresh Onions and Shallots Large, medium-sized, and small enterprises Fresh Onions and Shallots Venture capitalists Fresh Onions and Shallots Value-Added Resellers (VARs) Fresh Onions and Shallots Third-party knowledge providers Fresh Onions and Shallots Investment bankers Fresh Onions and Shallots InvestorsBy Category: Fresh Onions and Shallots Video Content Fresh Onions and Shallots Digital Text Content Fresh Onions and Shallots Digital Games Content Fresh Onions and Shallots Digital Audio ContentBy Device: Fresh Onions and Shallots Mobile Content Fresh Onions and Shallots Non-Mobile ContentBy Regions: Fresh Onions and Shallots North America U.S. Canada Fresh Onions and Shallots Europe UK Germany Fresh Onions and Shallots Asia Pacific China India Japan Fresh Onions and Shallots Latin America Brazil MexicoWe Also Can Offer Customized Report To Fulfill Special Requirements Of Our Clients.Purchase this Premium Report (Flat 20% off Apply Coupon Code DISC20):-Table of Contents2018-2023 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption Market Report1 Scope of the Report1.1 Market Introduction1.2 Research Objectives1.3 Years Considered1.4 Market Research Methodology1.5 Economic Indicators1.6 Currency Considered2 Executive Fresh Onions and Shallots analysis is provided for the markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.2.1 World Market Overview2.1.1 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption 2013-20232.1.2 Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption CAGR by Region2.2 Fresh Onions and Shallots Segment by Type2.2.1 Electrical Polisher2.2.2 Pneumatic Polisher2.3 Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption by Type2.3.1 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.3.2 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.3.3 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Sale Price by Type (2013-2018)2.4 Fresh Onions and Shallots Segment by Application2.4.1 Automotive Repair Shop2.4.2 Automotive Care Shop2.4.3 Others2.5 Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption by Application2.5.1 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption Market Share by Application (2013-2018)2.5.2 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Value and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)2.5.3 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Sale Price by Application (2013-2018)3 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots by Players3.1 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Sales Market Share by Players3.1.1 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Sales by Players (2016-2018)3.1.2 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Sales Market Share by Players (2016-2018)3.2 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Revenue Market Share by Players3.2.1 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Revenue by Players (2016-2018)3.2.2 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Revenue Market Share by Players (2016-2018)3.3 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Sale Price by Players3.4 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types by Players3.4.1 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Manufacturing Base Distribution and Sales Area by Players3.4.2 Players Fresh Onions and Shallots Products Offered3.5 Market Concentration Rate Analysis3.5.1 Competition Landscape Analysis3.5.2 Concentration Ratio (CR3, CR5 and CR10) (2016-2018)3.6 New Products and Potential Entrants3.7 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion4 Fresh Onions and Shallots by Regions4.1 Fresh Onions and Shallots by Regions4.1.1 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption by Regions4.1.2 Global Fresh Onions and Shallots Value by Regions4.2 Americas Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption Growth4.3 APAC Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption Growth4.4 Europe Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption Growth4.5 Middle East & Africa Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption Growth5 Americas5.1 Americas Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption by Countries5.1.1 Americas Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption by Countries (2013-2018)5.1.2 Americas Fresh Onions and Shallots Value by Countries (2013-2018)5.2 Americas Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption by Type5.3 Americas Fresh Onions and Shallots Consumption by Application5.4 United States5.5 Canada5.6 Mexico5.7 Key Economic Indicators of Few Americas CountriesAbout Us:Research Reports Inc. is one of the leading destinations for market research reports across all industries, companies, and technologies. Our repository features an exhaustive list of market research reports from thousands of publishers worldwideWith our expertise and research offerings, we ensure we deliver on all your requirements, whether youre looking for the industry analysis or market trends or anything else, first time and every time!Email us sales@researchreportsinc.comCall: US / Canada Toll Free: +18554192424, UK : +4403308087757
Global Pre-School Games and Toys Market Overview, Growth and Analysis Research Report 2018-2023

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Pre-School Games and Toys Market 2018 report focuses on the major drivers and restraints for the Global key players. It also provides analysis of the market share, segmentationDownload Sample Report of Pre-School Games and Toys Market @Furthermore, years considered for the study are as follows:Historical year 2013, 2016Base year 2017Forecast period 2018 to 2023Target Audience of the Global Pre-School Games and Toys Market in Market Study: Pre-School Games and Toys Key Consulting Companies & Advisors Pre-School Games and Toys Large, medium-sized, and small enterprises Pre-School Games and Toys Venture capitalists Pre-School Games and Toys Value-Added Resellers (VARs) Pre-School Games and Toys Third-party knowledge providers Pre-School Games and Toys Investment bankers Pre-School Games and Toys InvestorsBy Category: Pre-School Games and Toys Video Content Pre-School Games and Toys Digital Text Content Pre-School Games and Toys Digital Games Content Pre-School Games and Toys Digital Audio ContentBy Device: Pre-School Games and Toys Mobile Content Pre-School Games and Toys Non-Mobile ContentBy Regions: Pre-School Games and Toys North America U.S. Canada Pre-School Games and Toys Europe UK Germany Pre-School Games and Toys Asia Pacific China India Japan Pre-School Games and Toys Latin America Brazil MexicoWe Also Can Offer Customized Report To Fulfill Special Requirements Of Our Clients.Purchase this Premium Report (Flat 20% off Apply Coupon Code DISC20):-Table of Contents2018-2023 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption Market Report1 Scope of the Report1.1 Market Introduction1.2 Research Objectives1.3 Years Considered1.4 Market Research Methodology1.5 Economic Indicators1.6 Currency Considered2 Executive Pre-School Games and Toys Market 2018 report focuses on the major drivers and restraints for the Global key players. It also provides analysis of the market share, segmentation2.1 World Market Overview2.1.1 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption 2013-20232.1.2 Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption CAGR by Region2.2 Pre-School Games and Toys Segment by Type2.2.1 Electrical Polisher2.2.2 Pneumatic Polisher2.3 Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption by Type2.3.1 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.3.2 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.3.3 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Sale Price by Type (2013-2018)2.4 Pre-School Games and Toys Segment by Application2.4.1 Automotive Repair Shop2.4.2 Automotive Care Shop2.4.3 Others2.5 Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption by Application2.5.1 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption Market Share by Application (2013-2018)2.5.2 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Value and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)2.5.3 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Sale Price by Application (2013-2018)3 Global Pre-School Games and Toys by Players3.1 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Sales Market Share by Players3.1.1 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Sales by Players (2016-2018)3.1.2 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Sales Market Share by Players (2016-2018)3.2 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Revenue Market Share by Players3.2.1 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Revenue by Players (2016-2018)3.2.2 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Revenue Market Share by Players (2016-2018)3.3 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Sale Price by Players3.4 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types by Players3.4.1 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Manufacturing Base Distribution and Sales Area by Players3.4.2 Players Pre-School Games and Toys Products Offered3.5 Market Concentration Rate Analysis3.5.1 Competition Landscape Analysis3.5.2 Concentration Ratio (CR3, CR5 and CR10) (2016-2018)3.6 New Products and Potential Entrants3.7 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion4 Pre-School Games and Toys by Regions4.1 Pre-School Games and Toys by Regions4.1.1 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption by Regions4.1.2 Global Pre-School Games and Toys Value by Regions4.2 Americas Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption Growth4.3 APAC Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption Growth4.4 Europe Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption Growth4.5 Middle East & Africa Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption Growth5 Americas5.1 Americas Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption by Countries5.1.1 Americas Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption by Countries (2013-2018)5.1.2 Americas Pre-School Games and Toys Value by Countries (2013-2018)5.2 Americas Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption by Type5.3 Americas Pre-School Games and Toys Consumption by Application5.4 United States5.5 Canada5.6 Mexico5.7 Key Economic Indicators of Few Americas CountriesAbout Us:Research Reports Inc. is one of the leading destinations for market research reports across all industries, companies, and technologies. Our repository features an exhaustive list of market research reports from thousands of publishers worldwideWith our expertise and research offerings, we ensure we deliver on all your requirements, whether youre looking for the industry analysis or market trends or anything else, first time and every time!Email us sales@researchreportsinc.comCall: US / Canada Toll Free: +18554192424, UK : +4403308087757
In a comedy scene as dynamic as Portland's, change is a constant. One showcase has set out to prove that just because a beloved show has left town doesn't mean its replacement can't be just as good.

Hosted by Corina Lucas and Jake Silberman, The Alliance is a new showcase on Sunday nights at Alberta Street Pub, taking the time, day of the week and venue of JoAnn Schinderle's vaunted Control Yourself.

When Schinderle moved from Portland to Los Angeles in March, she took her long-running showcase with her, leaving behind an epic hole in the city's local comedy offerings. She also left a space perfectly set up for comedy.

Initially she'd bequeathed Sunday nights at Alberta Street Pub to Silberman, Lucas and Milan Patel in the form of a curated open mic. When Patel also decided to head to California, Lucas and Silberman ditched the open mic format and launched The Alliance.

"Comedy at Alberta Street has been established for over four years. There's enough people in this neighborhood who will come to a Sunday night show. It's a good joint for it, and people are into comedy in the neighborhood," Silberman said. "It was probably a disappointment to them comedy was ending in a showcase form."

Silberman and Lucas are two of the hottest comics Portland has at the moment; they both were finalists in the most recent Portland's Funniest Person contest. Though they'd collaborated with Schinderle individually and had been hand-picked by her to run a show once she'd left town, they were more professional acquaintances than friends when they decided to co-host and co-produce The Alliance.

"We didn't know each other until we did this. The first real conversation we had was onstage," Lucas said. "Thank God it worked out."

Lucas, who also hosts a monthly show called The Gay Agenda at Alberta Street, knew the value of replacing a show like Control Yourself.

"I remember being a new comic and being like, this is the show to be on," Lucas said. "Control Yourself is the show."

But she and Silberman also realize that in order to create a show with a lasting impact, they need to provide something different than what came before.

"We've tried to set our own vibe for it," Silberman said.

Beyond developing their hosting chemistry, Silberman and Lucas are trying to establish a show that nurtures local talent while simultaneously providing a space for out-of-town comics, a level that only the top local shows ever reach and something Schinderle did better than most.

"JoAnn was a pro at promoting. Control Yourself got a name because on at least a monthly basis comics were coming who were either performing at Helium (Comedy Club in Southeast Portland) and staying for a Sunday, or passing through and had done recognizable stuff," Silberman said. "We would obviously love to build that culture again where people are like, 'This show happens on Sunday, we should come through.' That just takes time."

On the local side, Lucas, who is relatively new to Portland comedy but has rocketed to the top of the scene in the last year, wants to make sure The Alliance is doing its part.

"It's an obligation for the scene in general to put on a good show," Lucas said. "If people come and see a bad show ... they won't go to any more shows."

***

The Alliance

When: 9 p.m. Sundays

Where: Alberta Street Pub, 1036 N.E. Alberta St.

Tickets: Free. 21 and older only.
Oregon saw its first drop in the number of homeless students since 2012, according to data released Thursday.

There were nearly 3.5 percent fewer homeless students throughout Oregon during the 2017-18 school year than in 2016-17. However, the number is still high at 21,756 -- and the problem is starting to increase in rural areas that used to have far fewer students without permanent homes.

Last year, Oregons population of students experiencing homelessness hit an all-time high. Officials attributed part of that to new reporting standards, but also to the fact that families with children struggled more than ever to find affordable housing. Oregons homeless population overall has steadily increased with no end in sight.

Beaverton School District continues to have an increase in the number of students with unstable housing. More than 4 percent of the districts enrollment is homeless -- an increase of more than 200 students over last year and a continuation of a several-years-long trend.

Medford serves 1,164 homeless students, and Portland comes in third with 1,142. Portlands numbers show a sharp decline from the past two years, which had reported hundreds more homeless students.

While Multnomah and Washington counties still had the highest number of homeless students in the state, Oregon Department of Education officials attribute the decrease in some urban centers to families leaving the district in search of affordable rent.

These rural districts dont rank among the districts with the highest numbers of homeless students. But rural areas tend to rank high in the districts with the highest percentage of homeless students -- and the same held true this year.

Butte Falls School District in Jackson County had one less homeless student than last year, but the 58 homeless students made up nearly 25 percent of the districts enrollment.

Mapleton School District in Lane County reported 43 homeless students -- 30 percent of the districts enrollment. Unincorporated Mapleton has fewer than 1,000 residents, according to the latest census.

Each school district employs at least one homeless student liaison who tries to make sure students who are functionally homeless -- whether sheltered or on the street -- receive quality educations. Under federal rules, students are considered homeless not only when they live in homeless shelters or outdoors but also when they live in substandard housing, such as that without full plumbing, or doubled up with friends or relatives because they can't afford a home of their own.

The state also tracks how well students who dont have permanent housing perform compared to their peers. The difference is stark -- freshman homeless students are less 20 percent likely to be on track to graduate than their peers with permanent housing.

They have much higher rates of absenteeism and are far behind their peers in all subjects, especially math.

That achievement gap has decreased over the past few years, but only by a few percentage points.
A 45-year-old father admitted in court Friday that he repeatedly injured his 7-year-old son after state child welfare workers placed the boy in his custody despite his lengthy history of domestic violence and an order barring him from seeing his two younger sons.

Robert A. Lamb pleaded guilty in Multnomah County Circuit Court to two counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment.

Moments later, Judge Katharine von Ter Stegge sentenced him to a year and a half in prison, to be followed by three years of post-prison supervision.

In a separate development, court records show that a civil lawsuit filed in August by the boys guardian against Oregons Department of Human Services has settled for $600,000, pending court approval.

The suit alleged the child welfare agency never should have placed the boy in his fathers custody in October 2017, considering his lengthy history of domestic violence.

Laura McGinnis, a department spokeswoman, said she couldnt comment on the settlement.

Lamb was in a bullying-type relationship with his son and humiliated him repeatedly, whipping him with a belt if he didnt brush his teeth or striking his hands with a spatula if he didnt do his jumping jacks just right, prosecutor Amber Kinney said at Lambs sentencing.

An alert school bus driver noticed the 7-year-old limping and in pain as he boarded a bus in February. The boy said he was fine, but the driver reported the matter to the childs school principal, who called the child in and learned details of the abuse, Kinney said.

The boy could hardly move or sit down due to bruises inflicted by Lamb, the principal and police noted, according to court records. The boy told his principal that his father also would repeatedly push him to the ground and demand he get up or force him to run back and forth in their yard in freezing cold and snow, wearing pajama pants and a short-sleeved shirt.

An examination by CARES on Feb. 28 found bruises and swelling on the boys hands, arms, thighs and buttocks.

Lamb initially downplayed his conduct, contending his son was his sparring partner and telling police all about his proficiency in martial arts, the prosecutor said.

He went on and on with law enforcement about his number of wins and losses, Kinney said.

Photos of the boys injuries revealed that what Lamb considered sparring was quite excessive for the type of play you would do with a 7-year-old child, the prosecutor added.

Lambs defense lawyer Shannon Mortimer called the case a tragedy on a number of levels.

Before the state suddenly placed the boy in Lambs care in October 2017, he hadnt had a relationship with his son since the boy was an infant and probably wasnt prepared to parent, Mortimer said.

Lamb, of Gresham, had prior misdemeanor assault convictions and faced several domestic violence restraining orders before he got custody of his son. Two former partners said Lamb threatened to kill them and they obtained restraining orders against him. Court filings from those cases say Lamb struggled with substance abuse and mental health.

Larry Sokol, an attorney for the childs current guardian, alleged the state was aware or should have been aware of Lambs criminal history of violence before putting his son in his care.

The child lived with his mother for most of his life, but also spent time in foster care in Jefferson County, Kinney said. The state placed the boy with Lamb after his mother was arrested on allegations of theft and possession of methamphetamine.

Lamb had been convicted of fourth-degree assault and strangulation in 2008 in Multnomah County, fourth-degree assault in 2002 and driving while suspended in 2000 in Clark County.

The prosecutor described the child as a friendly, talkative boy who has made tremendous progress and now is doing well in a foster home with a relative.

But Kinney asked that Lamb have no contact with his son, unless approved with a safety plan developed by the state and Juvenile Court.

As conditions of his post-prison supervision, Lamb must complete parenting classes, anger management counseling and undergo a psychological evaluation. The judge also ordered that Lamb not physically discipline any child, have no unsupervised contact with any child or live with any child without his probation officers prior approval during his supervision.

If he violates his supervision, he could face another two years and six months in prison, under the plea agreement.

Lamb declined to address the judge at sentencing. But von Ter Stegge questioned him, pointing out that Lamb seemed to have a track record of hurting loved ones in his life.

Im wondering if you know why that is? von Ter Stegge asked.

Lamb, wearing blue jail scrubs and seated beside his lawyer, didnt answer.

The judge asked if he got loving support when he was a child.

Sure, Lamb muttered.

Did you get a lot of tough love? von Ter Stegge pressed.

Yeah, Lamb responded.

The judge asked Lamb if he faced physical abuse as a child.

Times were different then, he said.

Would it be considered physical abuse today, the judge asked.

Id say so, Lamb said.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian
Peter Courtney, already the states longest-serving Senate president, will extend his record run.

The Salem Democrat was first selected Senate president in 2003. All told, he has served 34 years in the Legislature  five terms in the Senate and seven in the House  making him Oregons most tenured current legislator.

Democrats head into the 2019 session with a three-fifths supermajority in both chambers, giving them greater power to pass tax increases. The larger Democratic majority might also make it easier to pass controversial proposals like climate change legislation that have been held up by opposition on both sides of the aisle.

But Courtney told The Associated Press last week that hell still seek bipartisan support, noting that Republicans could doom revenue-raising bills if they sit out the votes.

Senate Democrats selected their leadership at a retreat in Gleneden Beach. They include:

 Sen. Peter Courtney, D-Salem, president designate

 Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson, D-Gresham, president pro tempore designate

 Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, majority leader

 Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, D-Beaverton, deputy majority leader

 Sen. Mark Hass, D-Beaverton, majority whip

 Sen. Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, majority whip

 Sen. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland; assistant majority leader

 Sen. Chuck Riley, D-Hillsboro, assistant majority leader

Courtney and Monnes Anderson both must be elected by a vote of the full Senate on Jan. 14, during Organizational Days.

The 2019 legislative session opens Jan. 22.

 The Oregonian/OregonLive
Mike Anders, a 28-year veteran of the Naperville Police Department who retired as deputy chief overseeing the patrol division, was started working in January as Indian Prairie School District 204s safety, security and preparedness coordinator. He succeeded Raymond Atkins, a 24-year veteran of the Naperville Police Department who held the job from 2016 to 2017.
SEATTLE  Gun dealers and shooting ranges in King County in western Washington will have to post warning signs about the danger of firearms.

The Seattle Times reports that the King County Board of Health voted unanimously Thursday to approve the regulation that will take effect next month.

The signs say the presence of a firearm in the home increases the risk of suicide, homicide and unintentional deaths to children.

Gun sellers and rangers not displaying the signs could receive a warning followed by fines of up to $100 per violation.

Public Health  Seattle & King County is the agency that would enforce the regulation. But that agency doesnt have the $260,000 needed to do so.
ASTORIA  One skipper said it was his worst season in 15 years of fishing. Another classified it a "weird" year with scattered schools and undersized fish. For a second straight year, the news hasn't been good for Oregon and Washington commercial tuna fisherman. According to official figures from the Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PFIN), commercial landings are down from the previous year, dropping significantly from the 10-year average in both states.

August has historically accounted for a majority of the tuna caught in a given season, but this year substantial schools arrived later than anticipated, after a majority of commercial fishermen left or turned their attention to other fisheries.

"It was a crusher month for September," said F/V Oppor-Tuna-Ty skipper Aaron Walker, whose crew set a personal record landing 280 tuna on a single September day. "But it's been a different story for the year. The fish have been small and spread out. It's a weird year again."

Recreational tuna fishermen reported similar results, some canceling charter trips scheduled months in advance.

"It's been the worst season in 15 years I've fished," said F/V Shake N' Bake skipper Mike Colbach.

"Everybody I talk to says it's the worst season they've seen, both sport and commercial," he said. "The fish have been small and scattered. Since the end of August the fish have averaged less than 10 pounds, which is unheard of. We've caught six-pound tuna. It's not good at all."

Colbach, for the fire time in 15 seasons as a charter owner, canceled several trips due to poor fishing.

"I just sent an email and said 'Look guys, it's not worth your money.'"

In Washington commercial albacore landings in 2018 totaled 9,114,780 pounds, generating 23,494,038 generated in 2017, when prices were more favorable.

The ports of Ilwaco and Chinook accounted for 2,253,849 pounds  about 25 percent of the total catch statewide in 2018  generating 1.63 per pound among 161 trips by 73 vessels, according to PFIN figures.

The loss in revenue in 2018 was significant compared to the 2017 season, where the ports of Ilwaco and Chinook caught 3,040,104 pounds, accounting for approximately 27 percent of the total commercial catch in Washington of 11,452,515. The price in 2017, however, was much more favorable at 23 million statewide.

Commercial tuna fishermen brought about 670,689 pounds of albacore to Astoria during the 2018 season, accounting for roughly 11 percent of the Oregon total. Landings generated 1.61 per pound across 67 trips by 33 vessels, according to PFIN figures.

Astoria has averaged around 30 percent of the albacore landings statewide during the previous decade, but only accounted for 10 percent in 2017, while Charleston (22 percent) saw their commercial catch total surge into second place behind Newport (41 percent).

Landings reached a decade low in 2017 when only 4,744,814 pounds of tuna were brought to Oregon ports, a 46 percent drop from the 10-year average. The 2018 season was marginally better, with 5,791,536 pounds landed. If the past two season totals were combined, the total would still fall short of the 10-year average of 9.5 million pounds.

Boom and bust cycles aren't entirely unexpected in the fishing industry. But after five years of steadily declining commercial albacore catch, some are wondering if or when their luck will change.

"Tuna fishing is consistently inconsistent," said F/V Opport-Tuna-Ty deckhand Craig Brewer.

From 2008 through 2013 commercial albacore landings in Oregon exceeded the 10-year average, one year (2010) by as much as 20 percent. From 2014 through 2018, however, landings have fallen consecutively from the 10-year average each season. Since 1929, commercial albacore landings in Oregon have ranged through the years from a low of 27,600 pounds in 1936 to a record 38 million pounds in 1968.

-Luke Whittaker/The Daily Astorian
By Joshua Marquis, William B. Porter and Steve Leriche

Oregon has a long history of reform and experimenting with new ideas. Whether it was requiring deposits on soft drink bottles or decriminalizing marijuana, both are changes in the law that just 40 years ago were considered revolutionary.

But in a misleading op-ed, John Hummel, who has spent his career defending criminals and is about to begin a second term as the Deschutes County District Attorney, argued that when Oregon voters overwhelmingly voted in 1934 to allow 10-to-2 jury votes on verdicts in all felony cases (except murder) that was because of the influence of the Ku Klux Klan. And yet at the exact time when this racist, xenophobic movement was supposedly happening, Oregonians voted in the states first independent, Jewish governor.

Unanimous juries can empower singular racist jurors, and allow them to prevent an acquittal just as much as non-unanimous juries can minimize the impact of a few minorities who might prevent an acquittal. Why is the assumption that minorities will only vote to acquit and not convict? In our experience, minority jurors are just as fair to prosecutors as all other jurors. Oregon has a very small African-American population, for example, less than 2 percent statewide versus 13 percent nationally.

The only thing non-unanimous juries do is reduce hung juries. And the only thing unanimous juries do is increase hung juries. Each is true regardless of race. So the only question is do we want more hung juries or not?

The Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association has been trying to attack our current non-unanimous jury system for the past 20 years. Until the last couple of years, that organization never publicly claimed it was racist. Now they are doing it as a tactic and it should only be recognized as such.

Hummel has been the Deschutes County DA for four years. His prosecutors have been convicting criminals in jury trials under our current law all that time. If he thinks our current law is racist, has he ordered his prosecutors to insist upon unanimous jury trials in all cases? Is he now saying all those convictions that were not unanimous were done in a racist manner? Is he moving to reverse them? Is he calling out his own prosecutors as racist? If not, it is the height of hypocrisy for him to get on his high horse now.

To claim that Oregon was in the grip of the KKK at that point in our states history is laughably ignorant or deliberately deceptive. The law passed by voters granted defendants the exclusive right to decide that a judge -- not a jury -- decide whether the prosecution had proven their guilt. To this day, most states require both sides to waive jury, but in 1934 Oregon voters gave criminal defendants that exclusive right. They also required that an overwhelming majority of jurors agree as to guilt or innocence. Except in murder cases, where an accused killer must convince just 10 jurors that the evidence isnt strong enough and he walks.

To compare Oregon with Louisiana, which allowed murder convictions and life sentences on a 10-to-2 vote, is historically inaccurate. Louisiana passed its law as part of its rejection of reconstruction in 1880, and resulted in nationally high conviction rates for black defendants. Oregon passed its law half a century later in the context of reforms that may seem modest today, like separating adult and juvenile prisoners.

As prosecutors who have argued hundreds of jury trials -- and lost our share -- we trust Oregon jurors to listen to the evidence and render a just verdict. Clearly others dont have the same confidence in their fellow Oregonians.

Joshua Marquis is the Clatstop County District Attorney; William B. Porter is the Tillamook County District Attorney and Steve Leriche is the Jefferson County District Attorney.
Comedian Katt Williams showed up Friday to a downtown Portland courtroom to pick a trial date to fight criminal charges against him. He inexplicably brought his Emmy with him.

Williams left the award outside in the hallway on a wooden bench with a security guard as he went inside to talk to a judge. He's accused of punching a chauffeur at Portland International Airport last month because his dog wasn't allowed to ride in the front seat.

Why lug along the massive statuette?

Were just trying to make sure we bring the Emmy to the places that matter, Williams told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Williams said he has been stuck in Portland since Oct. 5 -- the day he landed at the airport on a private jet to perform in Nick Cannon's "Wild 'N Out" improv comedy show. He was booked into jail about 13 hours later, after chauffeur Wali Kanani called 911. He was arrested on suspicion of fourth-degree assault.

Court papers filed by the prosecution share few details of the allegations against Williams, 47.

But a lawsuit filed by Kanani claims Williams, six other people and a "large, aggressive German Shepherd" met Kanani after getting off the jet. Williams insisted the dog ride in the passenger's seat of the 2017 GMC Yukon XL Denali, but when the chauffeur said no, Williams called him "white trash," swore at him and socked him in the face, according to the lawsuit.

Kanani is seeking $76,000.

The suit also alleges Williams and his dog chased Kanani to an airport terminal but Kanani was able to safely lock himself behind a glass door.

On Friday, Williams defense attorney wouldnt let him comment after the hearing about details of the case, other than to allow Williams to fervently claim hes not guilty.

While Williams spoke outside the courthouse, a grinning fan stopped and asked for a photo with him using her cellphone. Williams obliged.

Court orders say Williams has been able to return to Georgia since the day he was released from jail Oct. 9.

But Williams said hes been banned from Portland International Airport and hasnt been able to make the trip to his home in the Atlanta area. Hes spent more than a month in Portland, he said.

Go Portland, Williams said. Portlandiaaaa!

He added: Its been magnificent. Ive found that there is generally some active force that tries to mess up when things are going to be good for you. And Portland has been 98 percent great for me as an experience. And that 2 percent all happened on that tarmac.

Williams said he did get permission to leave the state to go to Compton, Calif., to feed people at a homeless shelter earlier this week. He made the 16-hour drive back to Portland for his court appearance, but was five hours later than expected because some freeway lanes were closed in Northern California, he said.

That prompted Multnomah County Circuit Judge Melvin Oden-Orr to issue a bench warrant to arrest Williams, whose full legal name is Micah Sierra Williams. The judge dismissed the warrant after Williams showed up in the afternoon with an explanation.

Prosecutor Jenna Plank told the judge that her office is now charging Williams with an additional misdemeanor: harassment of the chauffeur. The charge alleges that Williams made "offensive physical contact" with Kanani.

Oden-Orr also said he would write an order that Williams be allowed to fly home through Portland International Airport. Williams said he hopes that means hell be able to fly to Georgia by Sunday.

Plank said because witnesses are unavailable in December and January and Williams has a full touring schedule in February, his criminal trial will happen no earlier than March.

-- Aimee Green
The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul last month, contradicting the Saudi governments claims that he was not involved in the killing, according to people familiar with the matter.

The CIA's assessment, in which officials have said they have high confidence, is the most definitive to date linking Mohammed to the operation and complicates the Trump administration's efforts to preserve its relationship with a close ally. A team of 15 Saudi agents flew to Istanbul on government aircraft in October and killed Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate, where he had come to pick up documents that he needed for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman.

In reaching its conclusions, the CIA examined multiple sources of intelligence, including a phone call that the prince's brother Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, had with Khashoggi, according to the people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the intelligence. Khalid told Khashoggi, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post, that he should go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents and gave him assurances that it would be safe to do so.

It is not clear if Khalid knew that Khashoggi would be killed, but he made the call at his brother's direction, according to the people familiar with the call, which was intercepted by U.S. intelligence.

Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi embassy in Washington, D.C., said the ambassador and Khashoggi never discussed "anything related to going to Turkey." She added that the claims in the CIA's "purported assessment are false. We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations."

The CIA's conclusion about Mohammed's role was also based on the agency's assessment of the prince as the country's de facto ruler who oversees even minor affairs in the kingdom. "The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved," said a U.S. official familiar with the CIA's conclusions.

The CIA sees Mohammed as a "good technocrat," the U.S. official said, but volatile and arrogant, someone who "goes from zero to 60, doesn't seem to understand that there are some things you can't do."

CIA analysts believe he has a firm grip on power and is not in danger of losing his status as heir to the throne despite the Khashoggi scandal. "The general agreement is that he is likely to survive," the official said, adding that Mohammed's role as the future Saudi king is "taken for granted."

A spokesperson for the CIA declined to comment.

Over the past several weeks, the Saudis have offered multiple, contradictory explanations for what happened at the consulate. This week, the Saudi public prosecutor blamed the operation on a rogue band of operatives who were sent to Istanbul to return Khashoggi to Saudi Arabia, in an operation that veered off course when the journalist "was forcibly restrained and injected with a large amount of a drug resulting in an overdose that led to his death," according to a report by the prosecutor.

The prosecutor announced charges against 11 alleged participants and said he would seek the death penalty against five of them.

The assassination of Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Mohammed's policies, has sparked a foreign policy crisis for the White House and raised questions about the administration's reliance on Saudi Arabia as a key ally in the Middle East and bulwark against Iran.

President Donald Trump has resisted pinning the blame for the killing on Mohammed, who enjoys a close relationship with Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and senior adviser. Privately, aides said, Trump has been shown evidence of the prince's involvement but remains skeptical that Mohammed ordered the killing.

The president has also asked CIA and State Department officials where Khashoggi's body is and has grown frustrated that they have not been able to provide an answer. The CIA does not know the location of Khashoggi's remains, according to the people familiar with the agency's assessment.

Among the intelligence assembled by the CIA is an audio recording from a listening device that the Turks placed inside the Saudi consulate, according to the people familiar with the matter. The Turks gave the CIA a copy of that audio, and the agency's director, Gina Haspel, has listened to it.

The audio shows that Khashoggi was killed within moments of entering the consulate, according to officials in multiple countries who have listened to it or been briefed on its contents. Khashoggi died in the office of the Saudi consul general, who can be heard expressing his displeasure that Khashoggi's body now needed to be disposed of and the facility cleaned of any evidence, according to people familiar with the audio recording.

The CIA also examined a call placed from inside the consulate after the killing by an alleged member of the Saudi hit team, Maher Mutreb, a security official who has often been seen at the crown prince's side and who was photographed entering and leaving the consulate on the day of the killing.

Mutreb called Saud al-Qahtani, then one of the top aides to Mohammed, and informed him that the operation had been completed, according to people familiar with the call.

This week, the Treasury Department sanctioned 17 individuals it said were involved in Khashoggi's death, including Qahtani, Mutreb and the Saudi consul general in Turkey, Mohammad al-Otaibi.

The CIA's assessment of Mohammed's role in the assassination also tracks with information developed by foreign governments, according to officials in several European capitals who have concluded that the operation was too brazen to have taken place without Mohammed's direction.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his government has shared the audio with Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.

In addition to calls and audio recordings, CIA analysts also linked some members of the Saudi hit team directly to Mohammed himself. Some of the 15 members have served on his security team and traveled in the United States during visits by senior Saudi officials, including the crown prince, according to passport records reviewed by The Washington Post.

The U.S. had also obtained intelligence before Khashoggi's death that indicated he might be in danger. But it wasn't until after he disappeared, on Oct. 2, that U.S. intelligence agencies began searching archives of intercepted communications and discovered material indicating that the Saudi royal family had been seeking to lure Khashoggi back to Riyadh.

Two U.S. officials said there has been no indication that officials were aware of this intelligence in advance of Khashoggi's disappearance or had missed any chance to warn him.

Khashoggi "was not a person of interest," before his disappearance, and the fact that he was residing in Virginia meant that he was regarded as a U.S. person and therefore shielded from U.S. intelligence gathering, one of the officials said.

Trump has told senior White House officials that he wants Mohammed to remain in power because Saudi Arabia helps to check Iran, which the administration considers its top security challenge in the Middle East. He has said that he does not want the controversy over Khashoggi's death to impede oil production by the kingdom.

One lingering question is why Mohammed decided to kill Khashoggi, who was not agitating for the crown prince's removal.

A theory the CIA has developed is that Mohammed believed Khashoggi was a dangerous Islamist who was too sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood, according to people familiar with the assessment. Days after Khashoggi disappeared, Mohammed relayed that view in a phone call with Kushner and John Bolton, the national security adviser, who has long opposed the Brotherhood and seen it as a regional security threat.

Mohammed's private condemnation of the slain journalist stood in contracts to his government's public comments, which mourned Khashoggi's killing as a "terrible mistake" and a "tragedy."

U.S. officials are unclear on when or whether the Saudi government will follow through with its threatened executions of the individuals blamed for Khashoggi's killing. "It could happen overnight or take 20 years," the U.S. official said, adding that the treatment of subordinates could erode Mohammed's standing going forward.

In killing those who followed his orders, "it's hard to get the next set [of subordinates] to help," the official said.

-- Shane Harris, Greg Miller, Josh Dawsey, The Washington Post

The Washington Posts John Hudson and Missy Ryan in Washington, Souad Mekhennet in Frankfurt and Loveday Morris and Kareem Fahim in Istanbul contributed to this report.
Don always was a champion for Central Park and that it remain a peoples park. It was his idea before he passed that we have some kind of statue of President Lincoln since throughout history he has been one of the most written about presidents but also one of the most artistic, said Brand Bobosky, president of the Century Walk group. We wanted to get a sculpture of Lincoln that revealed other things about his character. He was a great storyteller and had a great sense of humor among his other talents.
Historic First Congregational Church of Saginaw announces its Advent Lunchtime Concert Series for 2018.

Quincy Dobbs, minister of music at the church, will perform for the concerts called, "Keyboards of First Congregational Church."

The first concert, An Improvised Christmas" on Friday, Nov. 30, will feature the church's recently restored Skinner organ with audience participation. Dobbs will continue the series on Dec. 7 with "A Mid-Century Christmas," reflecting a style of the 1950s and 1960s, performed on the church's Steinway grand piano.

On Dec. 14, the sanctuary's harpsichord provides works from the centuries that are "miniature" in length but full of musical and compositional worth. Dobbs and Steven Prevett will conclude the series on Dec. 21 with its accordion and classical guitar duet of music for the holidays to celebrate the Christmas season. All concerts begin at 12:15 p.m. in the church's sanctuary.

First Congregational Church's building dates to 1867 and is located on the corner of South Jefferson Avenue and Hayden Street in downtown Saginaw.

The congregation, gathered in 1857, is affiliated with the United Church of Christ. As a part of its Phoenix Project that began in 2012, First Congregational Church completed restoration of the 1929 E. M. Skinner organ in 2015, as well as a lighting renovation of the sanctuary in 2012, which helps to solidify the congregation's cultural commitment to the Cathedral District, Saginaw, and the Great Lakes Bay Region. The sanctuary is also well known for its wonderful acoustics and is a favored venue for many concerts and other events. Many areas of First Congregational Church, including Bradley House and Suttner Hall are also available for short-term rentals.

For more information, call the church office at 989-754-6565 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, or visit its Facebook page at First Congregational Church of Saginaw or www.fccsaginaw.org
Jefferson Middle School students recently harvested eight future space plants, the product of space-exposed seeds.

The plants were selected by NASA as part of its Growing Beyond Earth project. Jefferson students learned science while helping NASA meet its challenges with growing plants on the International Space Station and in future missions to Mars.

The project was proposed to the school by the TechnoHuskies, a Jefferson robotics team. As a FIRST robotics Tech Challenge team, the TechnoHuskies (FTC Team No. 10309) work to advance science, mathematics and technology. The project was proposed to introduce more students to the wonders of STEM by helping NASA. Among 157 schools in the nation taking part, Jefferson is the first school in Michigan to participate. T

The TechnoHuskies and Jefferson Science Olympiad club members worked together to apply and learn STEM skills as they followed NASA research protocols. They assembled a grow box, planted space-exposed seeds, and sent weekly research reports to NASA.

"I observed students from my own classes checking the light box to see the plants growing," said Christine Brillhart, science teacher at Jefferson Middle School. "The biggest highlight for everyone was when the seeds were planted and nothing was showing until the Monday when they sprouted! The students were very excited and more came in to view than had to measure that day. Another day was again over a weekend, the plants grew their "true leaves" and the students were amazed that they doubled in size within two days!

For 28 days, the students took turns daily to care for the seedlings and record their growth. They also publicized their work on social media at twitter.com/ftc10309. Plus they interacted in two live webinars with Dr. Massa, NASA veggie project lead, and Trent Smith, NASA veggie project manager.

The harvesting event, on Friday, Nov. 9, coincided with National STEM day. The total fresh edible mass produced 273.1 grams. After harvesting and weighing, students, teachers, parents and siblings were invited to have a bite.

This is really good! Its so fresh! I liked it! were some comments of those who ate the Pac Choi variety.

This tastes like beef," said one participant who had a bite of Mizuna, GBE24.

I was amazed at the growth of these plants," said Brandi Potts, registered medical assistant/technician at Mid Michigan Health. "I would imagine that the space plant would have more nutrition in it than ordinary iceberg lettuce. The TechnoHuskies team really worked diligently to make these plants grow! Plus the team was excited to see the success and taste those plants."

Brillhart said she was impressed with the students' work.

As an educator, this was very detailed and well organized by Lisa Tsay and the Fairchild-NASA program," Brillhart said. "Students had most of the responsibility for caring of the plants and record keeping. The students truly had ownership and interest in this project as it applies to the future of being able to grow vegetables in space."
Saginaw Valley State University has again been recognized for its support of military-affiliated students, earning a place in the Best for Vets: Colleges 2019 rankings by Military Times.

Chaz Fowler, a political science major from Bay City and a Marine Corps veteran, currently serves as a student liaison at SVSU's Military Student Affairs office. He said the transition from working in the military to returning to civilian life can be hard to navigate, but SVSU's resources can make it easier.

"Many veterans are commuter students," Fowler said. "This department gives them a place to be involved and included in university life. It provides a great environment for veterans to be around like-minded individuals and experiences. It really bridges the gap between vets to their academics as well as their community."

For a school to be placed on the "Best for Vets" list, colleges and universities must be considered a good fit for service members, military veterans and their families.

SVSU is rated No. 101 among all four-year institutions nationwide in the 2019 rankings by the independent media organization dedicated to news and information about the military. This is the fifth consecutive year SVSU has earned the designation.

To be considered, colleges and universities complete a comprehensive survey which is evaluated by Military Times. Institutions were then ranked based on survey responses as well as on data collected by three different federal agencies.

Bethany Alford, SVSU's director of Military Student Affairs, said SVSU assists students and family members with paperwork, accessing federal benefits, academic advising, and generally serving as a "one-stop shop" for military-affiliated students. They also take pride in creating a friendly and welcoming place on campus.

"Our office creates an environment that is not just for information, but also a great place for conversations with other student veterans," she said. "They come in and can hear about what's happening on campus, but also can feel the camaraderie they've missed since leaving the service."
Thursday, Nov. 15

12:18 a.m. -- There was a verbal argument between a 53-year-old Lincoln Township man and his 26-year-old live-in stepdaughter. The 26-year-old woman left the residence prior to the deputies' arrival.

2:02 a.m. -- A 22-year-old Greendale Township man was arrested for operating while intoxicated/assault on a police officer and resisting and obstructing after a traffic stop in Lee Township. The man was stopped for speeding and crossing into oncoming traffic.

2:37 a.m. -- Officers made an arrest for operating under the influence of drugs at Eastlawn Drive and Greenwich Circle.

7:09 a.m. -- A deputy checked the well-being of a 79-year-old Lincoln Township man who was not answering his phone. The man had recently been released from ER and the family could not get a hold of him. Contact was made with the man, who said he did not hear his phone ringing.

11:29 a.m. -- A 23-year-old woman came to the Law Enforcement Center to report an unknown subject charged $368 on her credit card. The bank was contacted and the card was canceled and re-issued.

1 p.m. -- A 28-year-old Ingersoll Township woman reported that she observed a 37-year-old Larkin Township man on the same road as her. There is a valid PPO against the man but there was no violation. The man didn't follow or make any attempts to contact the complainant. The deputy went over the PPO with the woman and cited examples of some violations.

3:36 p.m. -- A deputy responded to a Lee Township residence after a dog that was struck by a car while running in the roadway. The dog owner, a 36-year-old man, stated medical attention was sought for his dog's minor injuries and was told that it did not sustain any life-threatening injuries. The vehicle involved is unknown and left the area prior to the deputy's arrival.

5:34 p.m. -- A deputy responded to a Greendale Township gas station for a report of an unknown man calling and threatening an employee. The threats were broad in nature. The deputy was given a phone number from caller ID and attempted to contact the unknown man. The phone number was no longer in service and calls were not going through.

7:42 p.m. -- A deputy responded to an accident in Jerome Township and completed a crash report. The driver was cited for violation of the basic speed law.

8:09 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to an Edenville Township parking lot for a vehicle sitting occupied for approximately four hours. The 60-year-old woman driver said she was playing Pokeman Go.

9:55 p.m. -- A deputy responded to a Mount Haley Township residence for a verbal argument between a 54-year-old man and his 41-year-old ex-wife. Both parties said no assault had occurred and it was only verbal.

10:07 p.m. -- A deputy responded to an accident in Edenville Township. A crash report was completed and the driver was cited for violation of the basic speed law.

11:04 p.m. -- Officers made a warrant arrest at South Sasse and East Freeland Roads.

Wednesday, Nov. 14

3:05 a.m. -- A 20-year-old Jasper Township man had a verbal dispute with his 25-year-old girlfriend. The woman, a Mount Pleasant resident, had a fugitive warrant for her arrest out of Osceola County. The woman was arrested for the valid warrant.

4:21 a.m. -- Deputies responded to a Lee Township residence for an assault between a 44-year-old Lee Township man and a 29-year-old Lee Township man. The 29-year-old man was located at a Homer Township gas station and arrested for operating while intoxicated and assault. The 44-year-old man sustained apparent minor injuries.

5:28 a.m. -- A 63-year-old Lincoln Township woman reported that she's been talking to an unknown subject online, who sent her a Western Union check. The unknown subject asked her to use the money to purchase numerous iTunes cards and provide him with the card numbers. The subject was claiming that there was no money on the cards and requested that she purchase more and provide the unknown subject with those card numbers. The complainant realized something wasn't right and didn't purchase any more cards.

6:50 a.m. -- Officers conducted a K9 perimeter check in the 400 block of West Wackerly Street.

8:48 a.m. -- A deputy responded to a verbal argument in Lee Township. A 59-year-old St. Louis woman was attempting to take her 82-year-old mother to a doctor's appointment against the wishes of the mother's 79-year-old boyfriend. The deputy was able to convince parties that it was better for the 82-year-old mother to go with her daughter. The deputy encouraged all parties to speak with the doctor about the best course of treatment.

9:06 a.m. -- A K9 building search in the 6200 block of Eastman Avenue led to a warrant arrest/bond violation.

9:07 a.m. -- A 66-year-old Lee Township woman reported damage to her living room window that was caused by a BB gun.

11:28 a.m. -- a K9 perimeter check was conducted in the 6100 block of Courtside.

12:35 p.m. -- Officers responded to a larceny in the 800 block of Jefferson Avenue.

2:31 p.m. -- A concerned citizen reported that a 65-year-old Greendale Township man was living without heat and electric. A deputy checked on the man and coordinated some assistance for the man through Michigan Department of Human Services Adult Protective Services and Midland County Senior Services.

3:31 p.m. -- A loose dog in Edenville Township was located and returned to its owner, a 53-year-old woman.

6:49 p.m. -- An 84-year-old Lincoln Township woman reported she has gotten multiple calls from a telemarketer that is asking for donations. She was unsure what to do. The deputy suggested blocking the phone number. The woman gave out no personal information.

6:25 p.m. -- Deputies were dispatched to a residence in Hope Township for a verbal dispute between a 40-year-old man, his 16-year-old son, and his 60-year-old mother. They were arguing about disciplinary actions for the 16-year-old. The 40-year-old man was highly intoxicated and reported he was suicidal. Deputies transported the 40-year-old man to the ER for a mental evaluation and a petition was completed.

7:36 p.m. -- A 26-year-old Midland Township man reported there were multiple dogs outside nearby and thought they needed to be checked on. A deputy checked on the dogs. They appeared to be healthy and had food, water and shelter. This information was passed on to animal control.
I personally cannot describe the shock I felt when an election judge told me how much she regretted having to turn away some early voters because there were no ballots available for them for two whole days. I have spent the past few weeks explaining to my friends and neighbors why a certain candidate was allowed to be on the ballot, why early voters had to put their ballot in an envelope and sign it with their name, why the slot on one ballot box was outlined in green glitter sticky tape, and why all the ballots took so long to be counted.
Nilan has dedicated her life to helping the homeless population. A former shelter director at the Hesed House in Aurora, she has spent the last 13 years traveling the country in a motor home and documenting via camcorder the stories of the homeless across the country for HEAR US Inc.
Poor Jordan Peterson. He famously chose to hang out with visible-from-space members of the white supremacist, neo-Nazi Alt Right:

CBC interview yesterday offers stunning proof of my appalling character (having failed to watch The Metaphysics of Pepe: https://t.co/udlyBEnRED) pic.twitter.com/012Bft8Q6i  Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) January 27, 2018

Now he tries to tell the Freak Show that anti-semitism is bad and the Freak Show turns on him:

Jordan Peterson suggested that killing and making fun of Jewish people is bad and his audience went ballistic.@zei_nabq pic.twitter.com/CbxojQHPAv  BATEGG (@MikeRoach3) October 29, 2018

I commend him for telling off the Jew-hating Freak Show. I hope the bad blood between them continues and that the Freak Show declares him their Public Enemy #1. It is a badge of honor to have the hatred of that crowd of creepy crawly monsters.

But heres the thing: Catholics who have been anointing this guy the guru of the universe should really ask themselves whether it is wise to trust the judgment of somebody who is only just now figuring out that lying down with Nazi dogs means you might get up with their fleas. Anybody of common sense would (and did) try to warn the Wisest Guru on the Internet that hanging around with these clowns was a massively stupid thing to do.

I know, I know. Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. He that is sick needeth the physician. Id take that seriously if I saw the Catholic venerators of Peterson spending any time criticizing the Alt Right racists he was in bed with and not constantly explaining that the Alt Right are not racists.

This is why I have refused to jump on the Peterson bandwagon and why I have long ago concluded that American Conservative Catholics have the worst judgment and the worst sense of discernment in the world. If they are unanimous in their passion for or against something, I go in the exact opposite direction and have never yet been proven wrong to do so. They have been so wrong about so much so many times for so long only a fool would trust their judgment. This is just one more example. And I can hardly wait till my comboxes are invaded by the inevitable kooks explaining that Petersons only mistake was to break with the Jew-haters.

I look forward to blocking them.
Our hearts are heavy, Duffy said. Urgency, urgency, urgency. We brought the idea of a racial equity policy before this board over two years ago. One month ago, we brought a prototype for what it might look like. Tonight, we bring a document with collaboration that says how you might go adopting, implementing and embedding it in the community. The easy work, believe it or not, is the policy. The hard work is putting it into practice and believing it and living it every day. Do not wait until May 31. Thats untenable and unacceptable. Our children are suffering. Our families are crying. I know youre hurting. You ran on these commitments, and we ask you to act.
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant picked a sweet spot for its 16th location.

On Nov. 19, the Delaware-based restaurant-brewery chain will officially open at 101 W. Chocolate Ave. at the Hershey Towne Square in Hershey.

The 9,000 square-foot restaurant seats about 290 diners between dining, bar and outdoor areas. An on-site brewery has the capacity to produce about 900 barrels of craft beer annually.

The chain dates back to 1996 when it was founded by home brewers Kevin Finn and Mark Edelson and restaurateur Kevin Davies in Newark, Delaware. Finn said they aimed to open 20 restaurants, a number that at the time seemed impractical.

You have to dream big, Finn said.

Today, Iron Hill operates in Lancaster, Philadelphia, Delaware and southern New Jersey. In the past year, it has undergone rapid expansion and opened four locations including its first in Center City Philadelphia as well as outposts in Rehoboth, Delaware and Greenville, South Carolina.

Finn said they chose Hershey for the community setting, and while they recognize Troegs Independent Brewing operates nearby, they wanted to bring a brewpub to the immediate downtown. The casual Iron Hill restaurants typically draw a cross-section of diners from families to professionals, he said.

Part of Iron Hills appeal rests with its attention to both the beer and scratch-made food, including signature items such as Drunk Monk Burgers, Philly cheesesteak egg rolls and Korean barbecue wings.

About 75 percent of Iron Hills sales are in food, Finn said.

Were not just a brewery, he added.

Still, beer drives a significant part of Iron Hills business. The restaurants serve 14 to 15 beers on tap, a mix of flagship, seasonal and specialty beers, which are all brewed on the premises. About 99 percent of Iron Hills beer is sold at the restaurants, Finn said.

Fittingly, Hershey head brewer Derek Testerman said they plan to have one chocolate beer on tap at all times.

Being in Hershey, I feel like we almost have to, he said.

The restaurant was designed with floor-to-ceiling windows which allows natural light and showcases the downtown neighborhood. Iron Hill joins Primanti Bros., Jersey Mikes Subs, Freshido and Starbucks at the Hershey Towne Square, where First Watch is due to open early next year.

Iron Hills hours are: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday.
A Virginia man, who pleaded guilty to two counts of vehicular homicide will serve six to 12 years in prison, authorities announced Friday.

Anthony W. Caldwell entered the plea before County Judge Howard Kinsey, who accepted the terms and ordered the sentence, according to the Lancaster County District Attorneys Office.

Caldwell pleaded guilty to other charges in addition to vehicular homicide, authorities said. The charges are listed below:

Vehicular homicide while DUI (two counts)

Vehicular homicide (two counts)

DUI (two counts)

Accident involving death while not properly licensed (two counts)

Five summary traffic violations

The charges stem from a Sept. 10, 2017 crash on Route 222 in West Earl Township.

Authorities said Caldwell was driving a van when he veered across a fog line and struck a tow truck driver and the motorist he was assisting.

The tow truck driver, Ralph Waltrous, 44, of Elizabethtown and the motorist, Robert Buckwalter Jr., 46, of Ephrata were killed in the crash.

Caldwell was drunk at the time of the accident, according to police.
Calling it a one-stop location for information on student and school success, the Pennsylvania Department of Education launched a comprehensive tool on Thursday to help evaluate schools.

The Future Ready PA Index replaces prior systems that gave schools labels or number scores. Instead, the index provides a color-coded dashboard that illustrates student and school achievement and growth in three categories  the academic performance of students, if student progress is on track and whether students graduate ready for college or to start a career and succeed.

Creating the index took around three years, as thousands of parents, educators and community members engaged with state officials to figure out how to more accurately measure commonwealth students.

One thing we heard loud and clear is students are more than a point-in-time test score, and the measure of students successes should be broadened, said Matthew Stem, state deputy secretary of education. The entire tool is built to be one that fosters continual improvement across all schools.

The index uses a three-color system  red, green and blue  to give an initial sense of whats happening in a given school and arrows pointing up or down to track trends. In the most simple terms, Stem said seeing a lot of green and blue on a schools index signifies higher achievement.

If youre seeing areas of red, those should be areas that are stirring conversations, he said.

The dashboard also illustrates progress in the three main categories by student group, including economically disadvantaged students, English language learners, students receiving special education services and racial and ethnic groups.

Assessment measurements demonstrate student performance on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment and Keystone Exam standardized tests. This also includes data from the Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System, which represents the academic growth of students. On-track measurements show regular attendance and indicate progress in reading and math and in English language proficiency.

College and career-ready measurements show how well students are prepared for post-secondary success by showing access to rigorous courses, such as Advanced Placement, and by identifying industry-based credentials earned by students. It also includes, for the first time, data on college enrollment, military enlistment and workforce participation.

The state hopes the index empowers communities to ask the right questions, Stem said. The state will update the data annually.

The index is designed to get parents and business and industry members and educators talking together and having informative conversations about whats happening in their schools, Stem said. Its really important to elevate the role of transparency and equity in our system.

In Scranton, performance among schools varies greatly. For example, Scranton High School did not meet proficiency targets in English language arts or math, but met or exceeded growth measures for both subjects. At West Scranton High School, students met targets for proficiency in both subject areas but missed the growth target for English language arts.

Old Forge Elementary Schools profile shows mostly green and blue.

Superintendent John Rushefski credits those achievements to new textbooks and staff development at the elementary level. The high school is still struggling with math scores, a trend the district has seen over the past five years. Remediation classes and tutoring is now available in 11th period to help improve students math skills, he added.

Abington Heights Superintendent Michael Mahon, Ph.D., called the index a step forward.

It broadens the conversation beyond a score on a PSSA exam, he said. The fact theyre able to broaden the measures that measure student success is very valuable.

To view the index, visit: https://futurereadypa.org.

--

Sarah Hofius Hall and Kathleen Bolus of the Scranton Times Leader wrote this story.

Contact the writers: shofius@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9133; @hofiushallTT on Twitter; kbolus@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5114; @kbolusTT on Twitter
Teresa Wenzel can finally collect her car more than a month after it was stolen from her Harrisburg home and totaled in a crash.

PennLive learned Friday that car will be released to Wenzel at no cost, but for a week, Wenzel said she was told that she owed a towing company $2,400 for towing and storage of her car while police investigated the theft and crash.

This is not common, Harrisburg police Capt. Gabriel Olivera said of the situation, which has been ongoing since Sept. 22.

Thats the day that a thief stole the key to her car from her boyfriends unlocked vehicle  and then stole Wenzels 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt.

I came out the next day, and my car was gone, she said.

Four days later, Wenzel said she got a call from Harrisburg police. She said they told her the thief had led them on a chase that ended in a crash. Her car, she said, was totaled.

Olivera confirmed that Friday, explaining that following the chase, police found Wenzels car crashed into a tree. The man accused of stealing it suffered life-threatening injuries in the crash, Olivera said.

The car was towed from the scene by Dons & Sons Towing and was impounded, Wenzel said. She noted that she did not select the towing company or the impound lot; they were selected by police.

Dons is the citys primary towing vendor, Olivera said.

That has been true since 1978, owner Don Fisher Jr. said, adding that his company does similar work for other area municipalities.

Wenzel said she couldnt get into her vehicle immediately after the incident because police were investigating the theft and subsequent crash. She said she understood the need for her car to remain undisturbed during the investigation.

That situation was drawn out as police waited to see if the accused thief would recover from his injuries, Olivera said. Whether he recovered would determine what type of investigation police would have to conduct, he said.

So week after week, Wenzels car sat in Dons impound lot, racking up fees.

Eventually, the accused thief recovered, and, on Nov. 13, Wenzel said she got word from authorities that she could retrieve her car.

But when she contacted Dons Towing and spoke with Fisher, Wenzel said she was presented with a bill for $2,400.

He said, You are not getting anything until you pay me, Wenzel said.

Fisher said he charges an impounding fee of $40 per day, and Wenzels vehicle had been in his custody for more than a month. The daily storage fee and towing costs added up to about $2,400, he said.

Those prices, Fisher said, are fair. After all, he said, towing and storing the car took up his companys time and space.

Of course we are in business to make money, he said.

The request for payment was baffling to Wenzel. During a Tuesday phone call, she repeatedly explained that she did not want her car to be stolen, crashed, towed or impounded.

In such cases, a car owners insurance typically pays the fees for towing and impounding, Olivera said. Those owners, he said, often have comprehensive coverage.

But Wenzel only had liability coverage, and she said her insurance on the vehicle, which has since been canceled, would not cover the $2,400 cost.

To Fisher, Wenzels insurance issue meant little.

Its her choice whether she has full coverage or liability.  She is responsible for her situation, Fisher said.

Fisher went on to say that Wenzel was being very unreasonable about the cost. Fisher said he told Wenzel that he would take less than the owed $2,400 and asked her to make a fair offer.

She didnt make me an offer, Fisher said.

Fisher also would not allow Wenzel to retrieve her belongings  clothing and a $40 hula-hoop  from inside of the car.

If I give her her things, she has no incentive to come back, Fisher said.

Dons Towing is capable of impounding about 500 cars at various locations, Fisher said, and, each year, the company is stuck with hundreds of abandoned vehicles.

To gain ownership of each those vehicles, Fisher said he has to undergo a lengthy and complicated process. He said he was not interested in doing that to gain ownership of Wenzels car.

On Friday morning, he repeated his lack of interest in undergoing the process to take ownership of the car. But he said if Wenzel agreed to sign over the title to the vehicle, he would give her her belongings.

Wenzel said she was not interested in that offer because she knew if she recovered the vehicle she could turn it in for a few hundred dollars in scrap metal.

But a few hours later, it seemed the entire back-and-forth between Fisher and Wenzel had been resolved. Olivera said he was told that Wenzel could collect her vehicle and her belongings at no charge.

Fisher confirmed that shortly before 3 p.m. Friday. He spoke frankly about why he decided to release the car for free.

I work for the police, and they asked me to, he said. Its the cost of doing business.

Wenzel will have to make arrangements and pay for the car to be towed from his property.

As of 3:22 p.m. Friday, Wenzel said she had not been contacted by Fisher or the police about the arrangement.
Proposal for two-family housing to have public hearing in Petoskey

The strategy is one of many changes the city has been working on in response to the housing shortage.
Off the Felt: Modeling in Nature and Bahamas Time

November 17, 2018 Eric Mertens

In last week's edition of Off the Felt, we had a special Halloween Edition. This time, we have a lot of poker players in the Bahamas and a modeling career for Charlie Carrel.

Charlie Carrel the Model?

Charlie Carrel is well-known for his poker skills and his fashion standards at the table. This week he posted a few nice photos on Instagram, which have us wondering if a modeling career is in his future:

Enjoying Nature

Daniel Dvoress isn't posting many updates on his Instagram but when he does, it looks amazing. Like this one of a canoe trip.

A lot of players are in the Bahamas as we speak and there are beautiful pictures to show it:

Kenny Hallaert had a nice location to celebrate his birthday, although he did soft-bubble the $5,300 Main Event in the Bahamas the next day.

Steven "SvZff" van Zadelhoff also couldn't complain after busting the Main Event in the Bahamas:

Happy Father's Day!

Ilari "Ziigmund" Sahamies had a great day in Finland, celebrating Father's Day:

Well it's not Father's Day in the U.S., but the Merciers celebrated a birthday as a family.

And of course, Instagram dogs
By Alan Devall and Mike Blake

SAN DIEGO (Reuters)  A captain with the U.S. forces deployed in San Diego to fortify the southern border said he does not view the migrants from a Central American caravan amassing in Mexico as enemies after President Donald Trump described them as an invasion.

I dont consider them a military enemy, nor does the United States military doing this job. Theyre simply migrants in a caravan moving towards the United States to seek a better way of life and asylum, Army Captain Guster Cunningham III told Reuters on Thursday.

The military is not classifying them as the enemy in any way, shape or form, said Cunningham, who is the spokesman for the Special Purpose Marine Ground- Air Taskforce 7.

Trumps politically charged decision to send troops to the border with Mexico came ahead of U.S. congressional elections last week. He was seeking to strengthen border security as part of a crackdown on illegal immigration.

The number of U.S. troops at the border with Mexico may have peaked at about 5,800, the U.S. commander of the mission told Reuters, noting he would start looking next week at whether to begin sending forces home or perhaps shifting some to new border positions.

The Pentagon says there are no plans for U.S. forces to interact with migrants and that they had been carrying out support tasks for U.S. Customs and Border (CBP), such as stringing up concertina wire and building temporary housing for themselves and CBP personnel.

As far as us being confronted with migrants, the possibility still remains zero because thats not our job. Our job again is to fortify the fence and enable CBP to do their enforcement job, Cunningham said.

Up to 1,000 migrants linked to the caravans have arrived in the Mexican border city of Tijuana in recent days, with a similar number expected to arrive in the next few days. Thousands more could then arrive in border towns as the bulk of the caravans arrive.

Many of the migrants in the caravans, which include women and children, say they are fleeing gang violence and poverty. However. Trump suggested, without providing proof, the caravans could be hiding extremists.

(This story corrects Army Captain Guster Cunninghams title)

(Writing by Anthony Esposito; Editing by Paul Tait)
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While Robert Mueller has been relatively quiet in recent weeks, counterterrorism analyst Malcolm Nance said on Saturday that its only a matter of time before the special counsel drops a ton of bricks on Trump and his associates.

On MSNBCs AM Joy, Joy Reid said it was highly doubtful that the long list of documented contacts between Russia and the Trump campaign happened without the presidents knowledge.

Nance agreed and said no matter what Trump and his former associates say, they wont be able to talk their way out of their potential crimes.

Video:

Nance said:

Whats happening to Roger Stone and Julian Assange and all of the rest who were the bridge, as I call them, between passing Russian intelligence information from not a Russian agency, right, the internet research agency which is why Assange says wasnt Russian government, supposedly a gray area operation. But they are the bridge between Russia and the United States. Guys like Roger Stone, for all of his experience, he has no idea the ton of bricks that is about to come down on his head because now Robert Mueller is using all of the intelligence from our allies, from other countries, from other agencies, and they are  you know, you cant talk your way out of this. If theres going to be an indictment, hes done. He may as well just come to Jesus and confess everything right now.

Trump doesnt know whats about to hit him

Its almost a certainty that Trump allies Roger Stone and Jerome Corsi are on their way to being indicted by Robert Mueller. Even they have admitted as much.

And as Malcolm Nance said on Saturday, there is no way they can talk their way out of it, especially given the intelligence Mueller has at his fingertips.

What remains to be seen is whether the special counsel has similar smoking guns that connect Trump directly to the criminal conduct of his associates (and family members). As Joy Reid noted on Saturday, though, its hard to imagine a scenario in which Trump wasnt part of these activities.

For clues about whats around the bend, we can look no further than the president himself, whose behavior seems to suggest that he knows Mueller is about to drop something major on him  and soon.

Ultimately, the last few weeks surrounding the midterm campaign have been quiet with respect to Robert Muellers ongoing investigation. But Trumps deteriorating mental state suggests that things are about to heat up in a big way.

Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook.
The Washington Post has reported that the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) believes that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) ordered members of the Saudi intelligence agency to murder Post writer Jamal Khashoggi. They say that the killing of Khashoggi was planned in advance and took place in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month.

The CIAs conclusion contradicts the statements from the government of Saudi Arabia which claimed that MBS was not involved in the killing, according to the Post.

High-ranking U.S. officials have said they have a great deal of confidence in the CIAs assessment of the factual circumstances surrounding the Khashoggi assassination. This is the first time that MBS has been tied directly to the Saudi journalists murder.

On Thursday we reported that Saudi Arabia had detained 21 suspects in the Khashoggi case, eleven had been charged with crimes, and five had been charged with murder. We also reported that the government of Saudi Arabia had announced they would seek the death penalty for the five members of the hit team charged with murder.

This new assessment from the CIA will change the political dynamic at home and make the Trump administrations efforts to maintain close ties with Saudi Arabia much more difficult.

The CIA examined many different sources of intelligence information before reaching its conclusions, according to the Post, including a recording of the murder.

One very incriminating fact is that the princes brother Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, placed a phone call to Khashoggi before he went to Istanbul. It was Khalid who told the Post contributing editor that that he should go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents. In addition, Khalid told Khashoggi that it would be safe to go to the consulate and he would not be harmed.

After luring Khashoggi into the trap, and after sending a hit team from Saudi Arabia to Istanbul, Khashoggi was killed and his body was dismembered and disposed of.

The CIA sources said that they have confirmed that Khalid made the call to Khashoggi after being directed to do so by his brother, the prince.

The call was intercepted by U.S. intelligence gathering assets, allowing the CIA to reach its conclusions.

A spokeswoman for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, Fatimah Baeshen, told the Post that the ambassador and Khashoggi never discussed anything related to going to Turkey. She also asserted that the claims in the CIAs purported assessment are false. We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations.

The CIA also knows that the crown prince is the de facto ruler of the Saudi Kingdom, and is in charge of the government on a day-to-day basis. According to the CIA MBS is very much a micromanager and keeps a close eye on even the smallest matters affecting the kingdom. The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved, said a U.S. official familiar with the CIAs conclusions.

According to the CIA analysts the prince is a good technocrat, but is also volatile and arrogant. One official said he is someone who goes from zero to 60, doesnt seem to understand that there are some things as ruler that you cant do.

The Post said that CIA analysts believe MBS has a firm grip on power and wont lose his status as heir to the throne because of the Khashoggi scandal. The general agreement is that he is likely to survive, a government official said, adding that the crown princes role as the future Saudi king is taken for granted.
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A very powerful Washington, D.C. think tank sent a memo to Capitol Hill on Friday, asking Democratic members of Congress to oppose any measure to fund the government unless it includes a provision to protect special counsel Robert Muellers investigation.

The demand by the Center for American Progress (CAP) to protect the probe into Russian election interference in 2016 has significantly raised the stakes in the upcoming battle over government spending.

When Congress returns from Thanksgiving break they will be forced to pass a bi-partisan spending bill in early December.

Members of Congress should not vote for any spending bill that does not include provisions protecting the Mueller investigation, the CAP memo read. The DOJ cannot effectively operate with an acting attorney general installed to subvert a lawful investigation, and so Congress cannot fund the DOJ without express provisions to protect against such possible obstruction of justice.

One thing the memo does not do is specifically ask Democrats to shut down portions of the government when some agencies run out of funding on December 7th.

The agencies affected include the Departments of Homeland Security, Agriculture, and Commerce.

Through the end of 2018 Republicans continue to control both chambers of Congress. Thus they can control what funding bill is considered for floor votes in both chambers.

If CAP is effective in drawing a line in the sand over a Mueller protection provision, it will increase the chances of at least a partial government shutdown.

Democratic votes are needed for government funding legislation to pass. Thus if Democrats in Congress push for Mueller protections as part of a spending bill they may be successful.

Republican leaders in Congress are already facing a fight with President Donald Trump who is still pushing for funding for a border wall with Mexico.

CAPs memo was written as a direct response to the appointment of acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker. Before his appointment Whitaker has openly expressed his strong disapproval of the special counsel probe.

The Whitaker appointment broke the DoJ, said Jesse Lee, a senior adviser at CAP, were demanding it be fixed.

CAP is calling for Congress to pass the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act as part of the upcoming government funding legislation. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) has said he will withhold his vote on Trumps judicial nominees unless the Senate passes it as a whole. But Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has said he would not bring it to a vote in the Senate since he believes that there is no need to protect Mueller.
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President Donald Trump made a bold prediction on Saturday morning. He said that Rep. Nancy Pelosi, leader of the House Democrats, would once again be elected as Speaker of the House. According to Trump, Pelosi deserves the position of Speaker.

The president tweeted:

I can get Nancy Pelosi as many votes as she wants in order for her to be Speaker of the House. She deserves this victory, she has earned it  but there are those in her party who are trying to take it away. She will win!

I can get Nancy Pelosi as many votes as she wants in order for her to be Speaker of the House. She deserves this victory, she has earned it  but there are those in her party who are trying to take it away. She will win! @TomReedCongress  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 17, 2018

Trumps tweet came as Pelosi continues working to solidify the support she needs to take the Speakers position after Democrats take control of the House of Representatives next year.

Trump has known Rep. Pelosi for many years and knows that she is not likely to lose her position as Democratic leader because she is too competent and plays the Washington inside game better than anyone.

Still, Pelosi is facing a potential challenge from Rep. Marcia Fudge from Ohio, who previously chaired the Congressional Black Caucus. Fudge and other Pelosi critics are arguing that voters sent a message in the midterm elections that they want change in Washington. They believe that message of change includes changing the Democratic Partys leadership team in the House.

Fudge and Pelosi had a meeting on Friday in the Capitol Building and, according to reports, had a candid discussion. The prominent Ohio Democrat said later that she would wait until after Thanksgiving to decide on whether she would challenge Pelosi or not.

Over the past few days Rep. Pelosis many supporters have launched a major lobbying campaign of their own. Their goal is to stifle the insurgency against Pelosi. They want to make sure she will be sent back to the Speakers office in January.

In 2007 Rep. Pelos became the first female Speaker in U.S. history, a position she held until 2011.

Over 60 existing and incoming Democratic women House members rallied behind Pelosi by signing on to a letter pledging to support her. They said they would support her both in a private ballot within the Democratic caucus later this month and also in a vote on the House floor in January.

Yesterday it was announced the Pelosi had cut a deal with the House Progressive Caucus in exchange for their support also. She promised them that they would have plum committee assignments as well as leadership positions in the new House. This got Pelosi the support of such progressive groups as MoveOn and Indivisible.

MoveOn tweeted:

We strongly support and call on all members of the Democratic caucus to support @ NancyPelosi for Speaker. Were it not for her skilled and effective leadership, the ACA would not be law today. Dems must reject attempts to defeat her and move caucus to the right.



We strongly support and call on all members of the Democratic caucus to support @NancyPelosi for Speaker. Were it not for her skilled and effective leadership, the ACA would not be law today. Dems must reject attempts to defeat her and move caucus to the right.  MoveOn (@MoveOn) November 15, 2018

Trump and Pelosi have worked together over the past two years along with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer of New York. They have worked together on deals to fund the government, so there is precedent for the possibility of bi-partisan cooperation in order to achieve joint goals. An example of this might be an infrastructure funding bill that both parties want.

The presidents comments Saturday were similar to a tweet he sent last week in which he also said that Pelosi deserves to be elected Speaker.

If they give her a hard time, perhaps we will add some Republican votes. She has earned this great honor! Trump tweeted on November 7.
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On his way to visit victims of the deadly wildfires in California, Donald Trump threatened to shut down the federal government.

Speaking to reporters while leaving the White House, Trump said it would be a very good time to shutter the government because he isnt getting the funding he wants to build his pet project wall along the southern U.S. border.

Were talking about border wall, were talking about quite a big sum of money, about $5 billion, Trump said.

He added: This would be a very good time to do a shutdown. I dont think its going to be necessary, because I think the Democrats will come to their senses, and if they dont come to their senses, we will continue to win elections.

First of all, Trump can pin this all on Democrats if he wants, but not even Republicans are behind him on his idea to shut down the government over his wasteful wall.

According to The Hill, GOP Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama said earlier this week, Its not a good idea to shut down the government, period.

Second, Trumps claim that Republicans will continue to win elections seems to suggest that his party has been winning them. But last weeks midterm results showed Democrats making more gains in House races in a generation.

Once again, Trump is living in an alternative universe.

Trump cant put politics aside for even a moment

A decent president would understand that threatening a government shutdown just before boarding a plane to visit a wildfire zone probably isnt the best look.

Not to mention: Trumps response to the devastation in California has been a disaster in its own right. Last week, his initial reaction to the deadly blaze was to attack the state.

But Trump, who recently dodged several events to honor U.S. troops because of some raindrops, doesnt seem to care about optics. All he appears interested in doing following the midterm elections is throwing himself a pity party.

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New penalties for vaping and use of all other tobacco products by minors were implemented in Park Ridge after police brought the problem of teens using electronic cigarettes in school before the City Council last year. Prior to the change in the local law, the citys ordinance on tobacco did not specifically address devices used for vaping.
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Hundreds of volunteers participated on projects throughout the lowcountry during the United Way's annual Day of Caring.
Chloe Johnson covers the coastal environment and climate change for the Post and Courier. She's always looking for a good excuse to hop on a boat.
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Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations.
Political Reporter

Caitlin Byrd is a political reporter at The Post and Courier and author of the Palmetto Politics newsletter. Before moving to Charleston in 2016, her byline appeared in the Asheville Citizen-Times. To date, Byrd has won 17 awards for her work.
Political Editor

Schuyler Kropf is The Post and Courier political editor. He has covered every major political race in South Carolina dating to 1988, including for U.S. Senate, governorship, the Statehouse and Republican and Democratic presidential primaries.
Gary Lindberg , the author of a new book, "Letters from Elvis," will sign copies of the book at 2 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble, Apache Mall.

The book is a collection of letters said to be written by Elvis Presley and friends Harry Belafonte, Tom Jones and Marlon Brando, to Carmen Montez, a secret confidant of the men. The letters detail the dark side of Hollywood, including torture and crimes. The letters also address Presley's suicide attempts and reliance on prescription medication.

Lindberg has know of the letters for 30 years and finally secured legal permission to public them. Some critics, meanwhile, have doubted the authenticity of the letters, or the episodes described in the letters.

The author, who lives in Chanhassen, is also a film producer, whose best-known movie was "That Was Then, This is Now."
Isan Elba, daughter of actor Idris Elba and makeup artist and businesswoman Kim Elba, has been named the Golden Globe ambassador heading into the awards ceremonys 76th year.

Elba is just the second ambassador in the organizations history, after the role once known as Miss Golden Globe was updated and rechristened last year.

"Last year, the HFPA renamed the title to represent a more inclusive role that was not only gender-neutral but also spoke to the HFPAs commitment to philanthropy," Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. President Meher Tatna said upon announcing Elba as ambassador on Wednesday.

In addition to transporting trophies and escorting winners offstage during the ceremony, Elba will align herself with a nonprofit organization and work to raise awareness for a cause of her own choosing.

For Elba, thats mental health.

"I feel honored to hold this title and use this role to not only further educate people on the work of the HFPA, but also shine a light on issues that I care about," Isan said at Wednesdays announcement. "Mental health, specifically among African Americans and my peers, in particular, is something I really want to be more vocal about.

"Theres this perceived stigma and Ive seen friends struggle," she said. "We need to empower young people to not be afraid to ask for help."

The HFPA announcement comes after Tuesdays news that the organization had canceled its Golden Globe Ambassador Party that was to accompany the announcement due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

The 76th Golden Globe Awards will take place Jan. 6, 2019, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The nominations announcement is scheduled for Dec. 6.
A third alarm is triggered when the door is closed and locked, so babies generally stay in the heated Baby Box for a few minutes, at most, before help comes, she said. Once the door is closed and locked, the adult cannot retrieve the baby, though, Indiana law allows a parent to claim the child within 30 days.
Minnesota Women of Today , a statewide womens organization with a focus on service, growth, and fellowship, recently honored Stephanie Putzier , a member of the Byron chapter.

Not only is Stephanie active locally, she serves at the state level as the internal vice president, a position in which she oversees the organizations internal programming. For her commitment and efforts, Stephanie received the Programing Award of Excellence.

Both the membership and leadership recognize that Stephanie always goes above and beyond for the organization. Not only does she oversee the programming, but she has stepped in to lead several programming areas that were lacking leaders.

Stephanie joined Women of Today in 2002, seeking not only to serve and improve the community but also to connect with other like-minded women in the process. She was first affiliated with the Rochester chapter, later the Blooming Prairie one, and now actively participates in the Byron chapter.

Whether they are helping with the Festival of Trees, organizing "Egg My House" (an Easter fundraiser), or enjoying enrichment activities, the chapter members are living out the organizations mission of service, growth, and fellowship.

Like many women, Stephanie strives to find a balance between work and family. But she also wants to "give back." In fact, when the opportunity arises, she brings her 7-year old along.

"Getting my kids involved (in service) teaches them that its not just about them," she said.

Women of Today not only allows Stephanie to support her community but has also created a community for her. "I have made so many friends," she said. "Thats why I stay with it. Its very fulfilling."

Behind the camera

Jean-Marie Sobeck, a Rochester native, has always had an interest in acting.

"I attempted to pursue acting when I auditioned for an agency that came to town," she said. "I was accepted into the program, but my parents were concerned about me quitting high school and not receiving a proper education, understandably." Jean-Marie went on to graduate from John Marshall High School in 2008, never having participated in theater or acting while in Rochester.

Flash forward 10 years and Jean has a movie coming to theaters in March 2019. Jean-Marie co-wrote " RIDE," an action-drama based on the true story of BMX biker John Buultjens, with Jack Reher. The film stars the rapper Ludacris.

Currently making the rounds at film festivals, "RIDE" won Best Story at the Boston Film Festival and two awards, Audience Favorite Film and Breakthrough Performance, at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

Although Jean-Marie has done some acting, she said, "I really enjoy being behind the camera at this point. I owe that in part to my writing partner, Jack Reher. I will always have a passion and love for being in front of the camera; however, right now Im more focused on enjoying the experience and allowing myself to put my creativity into writing."
Jeff Tweedy has never been a fan of the rock star memoir. He admits hes not well-versed in the genre.

"They never appealed to me for some reason  I dont know why," he says. "Im sure there are a lot of things I could learn from reading other peoples biographies and memoirs. I just dont have the interest or patience."

But the Wilco frontman and Belleville native managed to muster up enough interest and patience to write one of his own. His "Lets Go (So We Can Get Back): A Memoir of Recording and Discording With Wilco, Etc." is out now.

"Its a pretty low-stakes genre, writing a rock n roll memoir. Theres not a lot of pressure. But I wanted it to be honest."

Deep dive

"Lets Go (So We Can Get Back)" is the first official memoir by Tweedy, one of the most important modern names in rock to come from the St. Louis area. He was part of the seminal alt-country band Uncle Tupelo and now is with Grammy-winning Wilco, an alt-rock band based in Chicago, where he now lives.

The memoir is a deep dive into Tweedys story  his local upbringing, life, music and career  with apparently nothing off limits.

He writes of growing up in Belleville, losing his virginity at age 14, his songwriting process (and stories behind the songs), the rise and fall of Uncle Tupelo, tales of Uncle Tupelos Jay Farrar and Wilcos Jay Bennett, and his own struggles with addiction and depression.

Local references are plentiful: Vintage Vinyl, Euclid Records, Ciceros, the Checkerdome, Chuck Berry, and his first concert, the Stray Cats at Mississippi Nights.

"To be honest, I didnt think of this on my own. I was asked by some book people if I was ready or interested in the process of writing a book, and I thought about it for a while," he says.

Family values

One of his first considerations was his wife, Sue Miller, and sons, Spencer and Sam  how theyd feel about it and how theyd be involved.

He incorporates his family in a unique way, using conversations as part of the narrative. One is titled "A Conversation With Spencer About How Much of Our Relationship He Really Wants Me to Reveal in This Book." Tweedy didnt interview his younger son, Sam.

"Theyre a big part of me and have a role to play in how the narrative goes," Tweedy says. "I felt like, for me to draw the most honest picture, I wanted people to have insight in how my family sees me. I really wanted their voices to be a part of it in kind of a meta way. I thought that was interesting."

Tweedy, 51, had to ask himself whether it was even time for him to write a memoir.

"Im just getting started," he says. "I feel like theres always a sense when somebody writes a memoir, theyre nearing the end of their career or theyre a little bit older than in their 50s."

Eventually, he realized writing the book couldnt hurt anything.

"I might have some stories to share that could help people with the same set of issues," he says.

No escape

Getting started was the hardest part. And getting over his fear of writing prose. He approached it like he was telling a story.

"I wasnt getting out of it," he says. "Id signed a contract."

Tweedy says he felt comfortable putting his life out there, warts and all, and being as transparent as possible.

"Im being open about a lot of things people look at as being difficult to share," he says. "I felt obligated to share some things. I have a position where Im visible, and I truly believe that a lot of the stigma about mental illness and addiction would be a lot less difficult for people if people were willing to talk about it without fear of being stigmatized."

He doesnt think his experiences are particularly unique  or something that needs to be protected or hidden. "But theres a misconception about creativity and that type of suffering and illness, and I wanted to be clear about that."

In prepping the memoir, Tweedy says, dredging up memories he hadnt thought of in decades was cathartic for him.

"Its strange how memories work. When you start to write things down, you allow yourself to be absorbed in the process of writing. You start meditating on these things that happened long ago, close your eyes and start seeing specific pieces of the picture.

"Id always thought of myself as having a terrible autobiographical memory. I cant remember venues played and a lot of things. But the interesting thing about writing is when you focus on trying to convey a specific event, you see the contours of it more clearly."

Tweedy says there werent any particular guidelines or requirements for the book; he was given free reign.

"I wasnt pushed to dig up dirt or make any salacious claims. I wasnt required by contract to be scintillating. And I think I would have had a tough time digging up anything to compete with the Motley Crue bio."

Still, Tweedy discusses for the first time a long-ago encounter with Farrars then-girlfriend, now-wife, in the Uncle Tupelo van that helped bring the end for the band.

Tweedy writes that he drunkenly said he loved her and that she said it too. He says the exchange was innocent though obnoxious. But Farrar heard it.

"Jay has told the story from his point of view, and its more sinister than I remember it," he says. "Its my time to clear the air."

Tweedy would never rule out an Uncle Tupelo reunion, but he doesnt see one happening.

"I personally dont have a deep desire to reapproach the music," he says. "Im proud of it and what weve done. Im proud of Jay and all the music he continues to make. But obviously, Im deeply involved with my own music. And I dont get the sense from Jay that hes eager to revisit."

In the end, Tweedy hopes his memoir leaves readers with the feeling that "somebody sat down with them, and we had a conversation that was honest and natural."
A POST-NATIVE PERSPECTIVE

I do not understand why people subject themselves to the horrors of holiday travel. Youd think by now I would, but it becomes more perplexing Read more
Fisher said the EPA has put together a draft plan for Zone 1; excavated contaminated soil from more properties than expected in 2018; and continued indoor dust sampling and cleanup. He added that ahead of next spring, the EPA will continue indoor dust sampling and cleanup and continue the groundwater study for a portion of the Superfund site.
Republican Gov. Rick Scott leads Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson by 12,562 votes in the Florida Senate race. A margin of victory that large has never be overturned in a recount. According to FairVote, the average vote shift in statewide general election recounts is a meager 282 votes. The biggest swing came in Floridas 2000 presidential election recount, when Al Gore cut 1,247 votes off George W. Bushs lead, ultimately not enough to flip the state to his column, according to a FiveThirtyEight report on what FairVote found.

So even if Nelson were to swing 10 times as many votes in this recount as Gore did in 2000, he would still come up short. Democrats know that recounting the existing votes is unlikely to change the result. So Democrats have filed a series of lawsuits asking courts to change Florida elections laws after the fact. The result would be that they can count ineligible votes in the hope that these will provide the margin necessary to overcome Scotts lead. For example, Florida statute mandates that, with the exception of overseas and military voters, vote-by-mail ballots are counted only if they are received by the supervisor of elections not later than 7 p.m. on the day of the election. But Nelson has sued demanding that mail ballots that arrived after the 7 p.m. deadline to be counted as part of the recount.

Similarly, Florida law says mail and provisional ballots are counted only if the signatures on them match the signatures that elections offices have on record. If there is a signature mismatch, the voter is notified and can complete and submit an affidavit in order to cure the vote-by-mail ballot until 5 p.m. on the day before the election (emphasis added). But Democrats are asking a judge to throw that law out and count ballots with signatures that dont match the voter signature on file.

Federal prosecutors are investigating charges that Florida Democratic Party officials urged voters to fix their ballots after Election Day, including evidence that they changed official state election documents to indicate that ballots could be returned after the polls had closed. Initial reports indicated this was limited to a handful of counties, but a new report in the Naples Daily News has uncovered emails showing that Florida Democrats were organizing a broader statewide effort beyond those counties to give voters the altered forms with the goal to fix and submit as many absentee ballots as possible with the altered forms in hopes of later including them in vote totals if a judge ruled such ballots were allowed.

Florida law also instructs the Department of State to adopt specific rules  prescribing what constitutes a clear indication on the ballot that the voter has made a definite choice.' The Department of State has done so, providing clear standards for determining whether a voter intended to vote for a particular candidate. Now Democratic lawyers are asking a judge to order Florida to ignore this intent standard when reviewing under votes, so they can add ballots that do not qualify under Florida law.

While national Democrats sue in the courts to change election law after the election, local Democratic officials running the recount are accused of engaging in serious irregularities. According to the Tampa Bay Times, Democrat-leaning Broward County submitted vote totals that include ballots disqualified by the canvassing board, while Palm Beach was rebuked by a judge after it duplicated 650 ballots without submitting them to canvassing board.

There is also evidence that officials in Democrat-leaning Broward Country have been dragging their feet in carrying out the recount. Miami-Dade  the most populous county in the state  was halfway done with its entire recount by Monday morning and easily met the 3 p.m. Thursday deadline required by law. But by Monday evening, Broward County had not yet started its recount. And on Thursday, Palm Beach failed to meet the legal deadline.

These counties problems could have many different possible causes, including incompetence, or fraud, or both. But its fair to ask whether these Democratic counties are intentionally slow rolling the recount to delay final election results in the hopes that Democratic lawsuits will work and that a judge will allow them to count ineligible votes in violation of state law. As Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., explained, That isnt a strategy to win an election, that is a strategy to steal an election.

Follow Marc A. Thiessen on Twitter, @marcthiessen.

(c) 2018, The Washington Post Writers Group
The volume of trade between countries in Africa currently accounts for only 15 per cent of total world trade. But, the Executive Vice President (Business Development & Corporate Banking), AFREXIMBANK, Amr Kamel, says the target is to grow the volume to about 21 per cent between now and 2021.

In an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the 18th AFREXIMBANKs Annual Seminar on Structured Trade Finance in the port city of Casablanca, Morocco, Mr Kamel said African countries must rise above the wrong perceptions hindering trade among fellow African countries and take their destiny in their own hands. BUSINESS EDITOR, BASSEY UDO, was there. Excerpts:

PT: Intra-African trade is considered abysmally low against total world trade. What would you say accounts for this?

KAMEL: Africa is perceived a high risk destination to do business. Compliance is one of the main problems Africa is facing. A lot of international banks that were financing trade and providing correspondence banking services have pulled out of Africa, due to the perception of high compliance risks with regulations. This has reduced total intra-African trade to about $150 billion.

PT: How has AFREXIMBANK been able to mitigate these issues and expand intra-African trade?

KAMEL: Our key strategies to expand and promote intra-African trade are through a number of programmes and facilities.

For instance, the structured trade finance workshop is one of the tools to provide information to mitigate considerably the wrong notion of high risk about Africa.

We hope to be able to expand intra-African trade from the current level of 15 per cent of total world trade to about 21 per cent between now and 2021.

The recent signing of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) presented a unique opportunity for improving trade among African countries, with strong expectations of substantial economic growth.

The agreement breaks down the many barriers making it difficult for Africans to trade with each other.

Also, we are hosting the first intra-African trade in collaboration with the African Union in Egypt in December this year. Over 1000 exhibitors and 70,000 visitors would participate, apart from discussions on topical issues bordering on intra-African trade.

Although Africa is considered a high risk investment destination, the issue of compliance is what is making a lot of international banks to withdraw from the continent.

In this regard, we are undertaking two major initiatives. First, we are launching the intra-African trade due diligence repository, called MANSA.

This repository will draw information from all major trusted trade counterparts in Africa. MANSA will provide a data base of reliable, credible information from proper sources on trade opportunities.

This will provide a medium to track back on international banks where they can get reliable information from trusted entities like Afeximbank, to considerably reduce the compliance risk, or cost of doing business in Africa.

Why these international banks withdrew in the first place was because when the cost of compliance in Africa was weighed against the kind of income they were making, what they saw was not to their benefit.

But, with the repository, once reliable data are easily available, it will considerably reduce the risk or cost of compliance in their operations.

The other initiative we are undertaking to bridge the stop gap is the launching of the AFREXIMBANKs trade facilitation facility programme, basically targeting about 500 local banks in different African countries.

Through that arrangement, we will be able to create correspondence banking platforms for intra-African trade within the continent.

With it AFREXIMBANK will be able to receive support and letter of credit (LC) confirmations and guarantees through available correspondence banking services.

Most countries in Africa are almost totally out of correspondence banking relationship. So, it is difficult for them to handle trade finance and other business relationships beyond their immediate environment.

Most of them cannot even make some of the most basic payments. That obviously is a huge problem for any country. Thats why AFREXIMBANK is trying to fill in the gap.

Beyond these initiatives to take care of the emerging problem of compliance, AFREXIMBANK is also doing a lot to remove other normal risk elements in providing guarantees and funding of intra-African trade operations.

PT: Apart from high risk and compliance issues, the other major challenge to intra-African trade is transportation or connectivity. What is AFREXIMBANK doing to tidy up connectivity?

KAMEL: Obviously, this is one of the key problems. A lot of people are debating about the challenges intra-African trade is facing at the moment. Connectivity infrastructure, in terms of roads, rails and all those kinds of facilities are very important.

At AFREXIMBANK, one of the things, we are strongly supporting is the provision of trade enabling infrastructure. AFREXIMBANK considers itself one of the biggest aircraft financiers in Africa.

We have done the biggest syndicated loans for Guinean Airways, for example, about $2billion. We have also done for several others. We are helping with construction of roads that can open up and connect trade centres in different African countries.

We have done both expansion and new construction projects targeted at trade enabling infrastructure as part of the banks strategic plan.

Apart from that, AFREXIMBANK believes there is a fundamental flaw in just pin-pointing infrastructure as the main problem to intra-African trade.

This is why I say so. Total African trade with the rest of the world was close to $1trillion. That means Africa has infrastructure within the continent that can support $1 trillion worth of trade. Yet, we have only been able to utilize only 15 per cent of that volume.

Therefore, AFREXIMBANK does not believe the only impediment to intra-African trade is infrastructure. Another major impediment is actually the dearth of trade and business information across borders.

There are countries importing some mineral products or raw materials from outside the continent which may be available within the continent in the country next door just because they simply do not have the information or because of lack of trust, or so.

Besides, because of their past colonial experiences, most African countries are still strongly linked to their former colonial masters in terms of trade.

Consequently, when a business man in a country thinks about export or import trade, his first thoughts go towards the former colonizing country.

This is true even when the item to be purchased can be bought less expensively from a nearby African country.

Thus, the challenge is to address this mind set by making trade information about African countries readily available to the business community.

That is basically one of the reasons Afeximbank is organizing the intra-African trade fair coming up in December in Cairo, Egypt; to specifically address this kind of problem; to get people together and see the different financial products and opportunities available in different countries.

AFREXIMBANK has done several studies and there are empirical evidence that shows intra-African trade will considerably improve our individual countries economies and gross domestic products.

PT: There is also the concern that African trade is facing the risk of same products across regions. Is AFREXIMBANK doing anything about this concern through value addition across nations and regions?

KAMEL: Again, that is another wrong perception a lot of people are having that because so many of our countries are exporting same products, it would be difficult for them to trade with each other.

But, like I said AFREXIMBANK has actually commissioned studies to look at how other regions are expanding their regional trade. Asia is a very good example. Asia was almost at the same level as Africa.

But, they managed to trade among themselves by creating value chains and specializations, with each sub-region concentrating on the development of areas they have comparative advantages and then become part of the value chain that produces something that would be able to export out of the continent.

So, as Africa is developing intra-African trade, there will be those kinds of linkages and economies of scale that would assist those value chains in automatically leading to something that makes it possible to produce as a continent.

For instance, Morrocco has been able to develop very strong capacity in aeronautics and car manufacturing. There is no doubt these industries would require certain inputs from certain countries close by.

That way, they would be importing raw materials from those countries and exporting some finished products. I think there is still a lot of opportunity to trade together, despite the fact that they produce the same products.

PT: The African Continental Free Trade Agreement presents one of the surest ways to promote intra-African trade. But, there are countries still dragging their feet towards signing the agreement. What do you say to them?

KAMEL: Well, what I will tell all the countries that have not joined the African Trade agreement is that the train has left the station. They will either have to join or will be left behind.

I was present during the signing of the agreement in March in Kigali, at the end of the meeting where 54 countries were expected to sign three agreements, while we were in the session, heads of states, or their representatives were flying in. At the end of the day, 44 countries had signed.

So, one can imagine the kind of attraction to the agreement. I think everybody is beginning to realize the importance of intra-African trade.

We have been talking about the significance of regional and intra-African trade, but the message is becoming clearer now and everybody is now realizing their significance.

Agreed, some countries still have some political issues to deal with in the different countries. What is clear is they will come on board sooner than later. Ratification too, which is very critical, I believe will be up very quickly.

South Africa was one of the countries that did not join from the beginning. But, they have signed now.

But, the South African President later visited countries like Nigeria that have not signed to promote the need for them to do so.

So, one can see the energy that it is going to happen ultimately, whether the people like it or not. And those who do not join are really going to be left behind. Am sure at some point they will realize the significance of their decision to join.

PT: There are others who talk about the impact of terrorism, conflicts and crises in most parts of Africa on intra-African trade? How do you react to this?

KAMEL: If we are not going to be able to help ourselves, who will be helping us? Again, the issue of terrorism is another wrong perception.

I remember when the revolution happened in Egypt in 2011, the media was showing something very close to a war zone happening very close to the office we were (Shell). They said we should get out and get back home.

On my way back from work one of those days, I looked at the road leading to the presidential palace the media said was supposed to be the war zone, I could not see anything of the sort.

Thats the case in many of our countries in Africa. That is why I say there is a big issue of perception we have to manage. I dont think the matter is as bad as it is being portrayed.

Again, if we are talking about terrorism, it is happening all over the world today. It is not restricted to one country or another. I think we really need to take our destiny in our own hands.

We are the only ones who will know our continent best. We are the ones who will know how best to resolve our problems using our own home-grown ideas and initiatives. We have to rally round ourselves.

And AFREXIMBANK is pioneering this process of relying on our own efforts in doing so many things that would allow us rely on Africa for solutions.

PT: The economies of most countries in Africa are driven by the activities of small and medium enterprises. How does AFREXIMBANK hope to support them grow when it is not physically present in all these countries?

KAMEL: That is why we are adopting the correspondence banking initiative with local banks. This is because international banks that were rendering trade services for their local banks were pulling out of Africa. We are bringing a lot of the local banks to fill in that gap by providing a correspondence banking network within Africa.

Generally, AFREXIMBANK is more a wholesale bank. We are not present in all the countries. Therefore, as a wholesale bank, we are not able to satisfy some of the smaller clients some times. So, we have to go through financial intermediaries called trade finance intermediaries (TFIs) and local administrative agents (LAAs) in 50 member countries.

Under our 5th strategic plan unveiled in December 2016, tagged: Impact 2021: Africa transformed, our focus was on promoting intra-Africa trade, facilitating industrialization and export development in the continent.

So, we give credits to those banks for them to be able to on-lend to those smaller clients we are not able to give loans directly in their locality.

PT: What are the criteria for appointing a correspondence bank?

KAMEL: The criteria for appointing the correspondence banks depends on our different lines of credits, which requires the financial institution to be financially sound, has proper systems and procedures and other basic requirements any bank will do before any lending.

But, apart from ratifying our establishment agreement, the correspondence banks must either be central banks, commercial/merchant Banks, export trading companies or export houses, national export credit agencies, export-import banks, national/regional development financial institutions, and factoring companies.

Besides, other minimum criteria for selection of rated entities include an investment grade rating from a reputable rating agency (such as a minimum of BBB- rating from Standard and Poors; Baa3 rating from Moodys for international ratings; a minimum local rating of BBB+ from African-based rating agencies.

In addition, the selected entities must possess a minimum 3.5 per cent net profit and equity funds; 15 per cent liquidity ration; debt service ratio of not greater than 200 per cent and a maximum 63 per cent of overhead ratio.

Also included are a minimum 4 per cent net interest revenue margin; minimum 40 per cent quick cash assets; minimum 10 per cent capital adequacy; maximum 10 per cent non-performing loans; total assets base of about $5 million as well as three years consistent profitability.

The most important thing is for all the trade finance intermediaries to have the capacity to play certain roles to promote trade be creditworthy and seen to identify with our strategy and passion for Africas development.

For instance, if we are lending to an entity in Uganda, AFREXIMBANK is not physically there in that country. There must be some representative to monitor the trade activities we are providing financing. That is where the trade finance intermediaries can assist as our agents.

We already have a team doing roadshows across Africa to get this going. We are already have on board over 200 banks, in addition to what we already have.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Saturday rescheduled its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting for November.

The meeting, which is going to be the last for 2018, was earlier scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, November 19 and 20 respectively.

But, CBN spokesperson, Isaac Okorafor, said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES the meeting has been rescheduled to Wednesday and Thursday, November 21 and 22 respectively.

Mr Okorafor said the decision to reschedule the meeting followed the declaration of Tuesday, November 20 as public holiday by the Federal Government.

The CBN regrets any inconvenience this change may have caused its stakeholders and the general public, Mr Okorafor said.

The committee is a special arm of the CBN constituted with a mandate to facilitate the attainment of price stability through the formulation of monetary and credit policy to support the economic policy of the Federal Government.

Membership of the MPC consists of the CBN governor as chairman, with the four deputy governors, and two members of the Board of Directors of the CBN.

Other members include three appointees by the president as well as two others appointed by the CBN governor.

The meeting of the MPC Is usually held over two days every two months, with the last one held on Monday and Tuesday, September 24 and 25 respectively in Abuja.
There was a time you could look over Gary and it was marvelous, she said. When youre up on the roof, you get a hint of what Gary used to be.
A patient at a Psychiatric Care Facility in Berlin has fled after he stabbed and injured a nurse on Friday.

The male caregiver, 39, died shortly after the attack.

Police said many officers were scouring the area surrounding the facility in Berlins north-western neighbourhood of Wedding for the suspect.

Police warned the locals to avoid contact with the man, described as a 30-year-old with short dark hair, a beard and a round face.

(dpa/NAN)
As 2019 general election approaches, the deadline for the withdrawal or replacement of candidates for the presidential and National Assembly positions by parties elapses on Saturday, November 17.

According to the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the last day for the substitution is just a day before the campaigns, which officially start on November 18.

For the governorship candidates and state houses, the parties still have up till December 2 to withdraw or replace candidates.

The commission gave between August 18 to October 7 for the conduct of primaries and resolution of disputes from the primaries.

During this period, parties picked their presidential and National Assembly candidates. According to INEC, political parties fielded 79 presidential candidates, 1856 candidates for the Senate and 4496 candidates for the National Assembly.

Some of those who emerged as presidential candidates are: President Muhammadu Buhari, flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Oby Ezekwesili Allied Congress Party of Nigeria(ACPN); Tope Fasua of Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP); Sowore African Action Congress (AAC) among many others.

However, on Thursday, Olusegun Mimiko of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) withdrew from the presidential race opting to go for the Senate contest, representing Ondo central.

The national chairman of the party, Dan Nwanyanwu, made the announcement at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday noting the party would approach INEC to withdraw Mr Mimikos name and file same for the Senate.

Different Strokes

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidacy is still dicey as one of its candidates, Jerry Gana, has taken the issue to court despite the fact that the party says it is handling the issue.

The party had zoned its presidential ticket to the North which the former minister was hoping to benefit from, but the primaries of the party produced former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke.

Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) also has issues surrounding its presidential candidate as Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim was reported to have won the partys ticket at its national convention, and the presidential primary election held on the premises of Ibeto Hotel in Abuja with 593 delegates in attendance.

But the partys national chairman, Emmanuel Dania, said Fela Durotoye was duly elected at the partys presidential primary and he remains the only recognised candidate of the party.

This led to the withdrawal of Mr Olawepo-Hashim, from the race on the grounds of breach of the partys constitutional procedures in the processes leading to the September 29 primary.

Mr Olawepo-Hashim is now the presidential candidate of the Peoples Trust (PT).

Ogun

For the National Assembly contest involving the APC in Ogun State, there is still the possibility surprises may spring up as the governor whose list was rejected has been making moves to salvage the matter including meeting with the president.

In Ogun State the governor, Ibikunle Amosun, produced a list of candidates which according to him were produced through consensus but INEC only confirmed the list of the party.

In the list by the governor, Mr Amosun was named the candidate for Ogun Central Senatorial District race, alongside six out of the nine candidates for the House of Representatives.

Apart from Mr Amosun, other adopted candidates for the Senate are Lekan Mustapha (Ogun East) and the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Tolu Odebiyi (Ogun West).

The six adopted candidates for the House of Representatives include the Speaker, State House of Assembly, Suraj Adekunbi (Egbado North/Ipokia); former Chairman of Ado-Odo/Ota, Rotimi Rahman (Ota); and the State Commissioner for Special Duties, Leke Adewolu (Ewekoro/Ifo).

Others are the Director General of Bureau of Lands, Biyi Ismail (Ijebu North/Ijebu North-East/Ogun -waterside); Biyi Otegbeye (Egbado South /Ipokia); and Mikail Kazeem (Abeokuta North/Obafemi-Owode/ Odeda).

Zamfara, Kaduna

In the case of Zamfara, INEC disqualified the APC from fielding candidates for election into various positions because it failed to meet the deadline of conducting primaries. The party, however, countering INEC, said it will present candidates, condemning INECs position.

However, no list of names has come from Zamfara.

In Kaduna State, a crisis erupted concerning the candidate for Kaduna Central Senatorial District for which the party initially named incumbent, Shehu Sani as sole candidate. However, the panel sent to the state, conducted a primary which was boycotted by Mr Sani, and declared an aide to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Uba Sani, as winner.

This led to the defection of Mr Sani, who said his decision was because his name was unfairly substituted.
An Appeal Court judge, Emmanuel Agim, says public office holders convicted of fraud deserve the death penalty for the effect of their crimes on the society.

Mr Agim expressed this view while delivering judgement in an appeal brought by a former governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame.

Mr Nyame approached the appellate court after a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory presided over by Adebukola Banjoko in May convicted him of fraudulently diverting N1.64 billion and sentenced him to a total of 14 years imprisonment.

Nyames Request

Mr Nyame had asked the appeal court to rule that he was not a public servant and so was not bound by public service rules.

He also argued that the lower court agreed with the submission of the prosecution, despite the alleged failure of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prove a valid case of fraud against him.

In the appeal court ruling, read by Mr Agim, the court said since the crux of Mr Nyames appeal borders on the lower courts alleged failure to properly execute its judgement from evidences before it, the appellate court can only access the merits of the judgment delivered at the lower court.

Illegal Payment To Firm

After assessing the various evidences provided by the prosecution on millions of fund transferred to a private company, Salvan Global, on the instructions of Mr Nyame, the judge said the former governor made several transfers to the company despite obvious failure of the private company to provide the requisite services.

At that time, Salvan Global had not provided even a pin, Mr Agim said while noting another payment made to the companys account after previous ones not accounted for.

Mr Agim added that while Mr Nyame claimed he did not partake in the diversion of the said fund, government officials under his watch confirmed receipt of various sums in fraudulent transactions and Mr Nyame ratified the actions of those government officials by describing them as competent and above board.

That amounts to ratification of the fraud they committed, Mr Agim said.

Admission Of fraud

Mr Agim further affirmed the decision of the trial court that the statement accredited to Mr Nyame where he offered to enter into a plea bargain with the prosecution, amounted to his admission of the crime.

The trial court held that the statement amounts to admission. I have looked at it. My view is that it amounts to an admission, Mr Agim ruled.

Fraudulent Rice Purchase From Lagos

Mr Agim also assessed information contained in the lower courts document regarding a fraudulent contract with a rice supplier in Lagos.

He also said that the cash was given to him and that the rice supplier supplied the rice.

He was asked what the name of the rice supplier was, and he said he didnt know.

The judge added that records before the court showed that there was no evidence that rice arrived from Lagos from the unknown supplier.

The court found it reasonable to disbelieve him and I think that disbelieve was a sound judgement, Mr Agim ruled.

Mr Agim noted another illegal transaction to the tune of N101 million and questioned the mode of transfer as well as its purpose.

Regarding Mr Nyames submission about security votes, Mr Agim had this to say.

He said that the security votes given to him as governor does not need to be accounted for and cannot be stolen. The trial court did not agree with that.

Warning On Public Fund

For any public office holder; if you are given funds; whether for security votes or however so called, you have a legal duty to account for the money.

If you fail to account for it, you have a duty to return it to the state coffers as unused. If you fail to neither do both, it amounts to a criminal breach of trust.

He admitted to keeping the money. That is one clear case of admission of guilt.

Public Servant?

On Mr Nyames submission that he is not a public servant, Mr Agim said the provisions of the law have proved beyond argument that a sitting governor is a public servant.

Capital Punishment

The judge added that activities of mostly fraudulent officials which have caused massive cases of poverty, unemployment and increase in crime rates among other things, make it justifiable for them to be awarded capital punishment.

This should go as a notice to all of us; we have a penchant for appropriating to ourselves funds that are meant for public purposes.

A lot of us are guilty of that. The long arm of the law does not expire. It will take on all those found guilty.

The fact that the crimes were duly committed by public servants; their impact on the people and security of Taraba State justifies a capital punishment.

The appellant is a Christian religious leader; a preacher and therefore a man of God. The manner of diversion shows a callous criminal mind. But the courts are bound by law not to exceed laid down provisions, Mr Agim ruled.

Final Decision

The judge however noted the provision of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act that first time offenders should not be given the maximum terms of penalty listed in their crimes. According to Mr Agim, the jail terms listed for Mr Nyame deserve to be reduced.

He added that the law also provides that where a crime, by its nature, should result in a prison term along with the award of a fine upon conviction, the court cannot decide to choose one option and leave the other.

Consequently; the court set aside the previous judgment and awarded the following sums as fine for various counts of offences along with the prison terms against Mr Nyame:

 For counts 1, 2 and 6; Mr Nyame was sentenced to 12 years in prison, with N100 million fine, each making N300 million.

 For count 8; Mr Nyame was sentenced also to 12 years, but with N50 million fine.

 For counts 10, 12 and 14; Mr Nyame was sentenced to the same 12 years, but with 20 million fine, each totalling N60 million.

 Regarding counts 16, 18, 20, 27, 29, 30, 31, and 32 Mr 12 years, with a fine of N10 million each which totalled N80 million.

 The ruling for count 36 was also 12 years, but with a fine of N5 million.

 For counts 9, 11, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, and 21, Mr Nyame was sentenced to a year and nine months, each without fine.

 Counts four and five attracted a jail term of five years, each without fine.

Since all the sentences are to run concurrently, Mr Nyame was thus jailed a total 12 years and a fine of N495 million.
Presumably, tens, if not hundreds of images would have been taken at a meeting of South-east leaders, which had opposition presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in attendance on November 14, 2018.

But only one of those photos elicited a fascinating ripple and set the Nigerian social media alight for its surreal depiction.

The image shows Ben Nwabueze, an eminent constitutional lawyer and one of Nigerias renowned elder statesmen, resting his head on the left shoulder of Mr Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Mr Nwabueze, fitting his signature red cap, clenched his right hand around Mr Abubakar  his eyes soaked.

Mr Abubakar, Nigerias vice president between 1999 and 2007, returned the gesture with his left hand, an iconic embrace that lasted several seconds, per those present. Ben Obi, a former senator, had a place-able gaze from the right side of the photo, and to his left was Chinwike Ejike, deputy chairman of Igbo Leaders of Thought.

The picture, which was sent out by his campaign, was taken at the event in Enugu by Udim Effiong, his official photographer.

The rallying cry

The most influential photos always come with a backstory, and the iconic image of Mr Nwabueze  an Octogenarian of Igbo extraction  projecting his expectations on Mr Abubakar like a Rorschach test, was not different.

The story began last year in Lagos, when Mr Abubakar was invited to observe a meeting of Southern Leaders of Thought (SLT).

It was on a Monday.

The meeting was proposed to advance a common front on restructuring.

Mr Abubakar, who had commenced ground works for a presidential run at the time, even though he had not formally made it public, asked about Mr Nwabueze shortly after arriving the meeting, according to two people who were there.

Mr Nwabueze, co-chairs the SLT.

A few minutes later, Mr Abubakar was notified of the arrival of Mr Nwabueze, and he quickly went to the entrance of the stairway, to welcome him.

With the help of an aide, a quivering Mr Nwabueze made his way gingerly upstairs, spending several minutes on a walk that usually would take a few seconds even for some senior citizens, attendants said.

Prof, why are you doing this? Mr Abubakar had asked Mr Nwabueze. The clock is ticking, and fast, too. I have a sense that this may be my final assignment, he replied.

At 86, Mr Nwabueze rightly noted he might not be around for much longer, and he took restructuring Nigeria to heart.

The need to restructure Nigeria has been at the centre of Mr Abubakars presidential run, even when it might not be popular in his northern region.

President Muhammadu Buhari has refused to subscribe to restructuring Nigeria, a decision his top campaign insiders said is primarily because he knows it cannot be actualised as it is guaranteed to divide the legislature between north and south representatives.

Still, the vice-president, Yemi Osinbajo, has refused to let Mr Abubakar take absolute ownership of the conversation going into a general election in which it might prove pivotal, repeatedly enunciating his long-standing conviction that the federal government should be weakened for a better Nigeria.

But far more than Mr Osinbajo, it appears so far that Mr Abubakar has managed to convince leaders across the south that the restructuring is an agenda he could deliver on, if elected. The southern leaders played a key role in Mr Abukakars emergence as PDPs presidential candidate on October 7.

Echoes of restructuring have grown louder across Nigerias south over the past two decades, amidst claims that the Constitution is largely unworkable for a multi-ethnic, multi-religious entity like Nigeria.

Pro-restructuring agitators also believe some constitutional provisions tilted towards the northern parts of the country at the detriment of the southern federating units, and persons like Mr Nwabueze are amongst those pushing for their dismantling.

Blurring the lines

Mr Buharis critics have heavily accused him of being sectional, especially in his federal appointments which seem too lopsided for a diverse republic like Nigeria.

The president has strongly denied allegations of harbouring an ethnic agenda, and even argued that more positions have gone to the South than to his northern Fulani kindred.

But ahead of 2019, conversation around restructuring could serve as a major platform for unity, according to a political analyst, Shola Olubanjo.

The first take away from that picture is that it elevated restructuring to a platform for unity between the North and the South, Mr Olubanjo said. The leaders who have been pushing for restructuring seem to be very serious about it, and it does not matter to them whether the person to turn that into reality is from the North or a Muslim.

Paul Ibe, a spokesperson for Mr Abubakar, confirmed the meeting that held last year in Lagos over restructuring, but declined to provide specific details.

But I do know that the emotional embrace of Mr Abubakar in Enugu the other day has something to do with the Lagos backdrop, Mr Ibe told PREMIUM TIMES Friday morning.

The spokesperson was unable to say if Mr Nwabueze would be stomping for Mr Abubakar during the presidential campaign, which officially opens on Sunday.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has dismissed allegations that he collected bribes of about $80 million to manipulate the outcome of the party primaries in some states and FCT.

The party chairman spoke Friday night after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari.

Some aggrieved aspirants are accusing Mr Oshiohmole of collecting various sums in bribes to twist the primaries.

Speculations are also gaining currency that he was last week interrogated by the Department of State Service (DSS) over the outcome of the recently conducted APC primaries.

An online media outfit which allegedly accused the APC chairman of collecting about $80 million in bribes, however, reported that Mr Oshiomhole had become a target after refusing $500,000 bribe cash from one of the aggrieved APC governors.

It reported that the affected governor had wanted the APC chairman to adopt his anointed governorship candidate.

It was gathered that many godfathers and governorship candidates were desperate for tickets but Mr Oshiomhole stood his ground that he will not compromise party guidelines, it further stated.

But, Mr Oshiomhole, who spoke to State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, described the allegations of corruption against him as reckless insinuation.

No tree that will bear fruits that will grow in Sahara desert and the fact the publisher of Saharareporters himself is a presidential aspirant; we would soon find out the difference between Sahara and its reporters, and a green forest and its reporters.

The unfortunate thing here, however, is that people, who specialise in libels they take advantage of our peculiar judicial system.

When I was a governor in Edo state, they published all kinds of things against me. At a point I decided to go to court and my lawyer told me that I have to be ready to enter the witness box to make my case  whether I was ready to go through that humiliation.

What is in the governorship? Before I became the governor I entered the witness box and I know after being governor I can still go back there one day. So I went there and I won the case. They awarded damages in my favour.

But by the time you want to check the process of the guy who libeled you and so on, he sells himself everything put together he could not compensate for by legal fee not to talk of really mitigating my paying as a result of the judgment, he said.

On the forthcoming campaign programmes of the APC, Mr Oshiohmole revealed that the partys campaign for the 2019 presidential election would focus on character and integrity of the key candidates.

Mr Buhari is the APC presidential candidate while the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is presenting former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its candidate.

According to the party chairman, the APC is fully ready to flag off the campaigns soon.

He said: We are fully ready, we have done with our primaries and filled our nominations.

President Muhammadu Buhari

As you know, INEC still has a window between now and first of January to deal with issues of substitution. As of campaigns, we are ready.

We are going to announce the date and programme for our campaigns. My idea of kick-off will be the day we will do our first presidential rally where Mr President as our candidate and other candidates, party leaders will assemble in a venue that will be agreeable to all of us.

There will be two sets of messages. One, on what we have done in the past, without failing to remind people of where we were before, what we are going to do in the next four years, and a couple of things we believe we will be doing differently.

President Buhari if compared to the rest of the candidates, there is no basis to compare day and night. The real issue in this election is not going to be religion. It is not going to be about ethnicity.

Central to the issue and given our past experience as a country, we know that what makes a difference is the character, the issue of integrity of the candidates.

According to Mr Oshiomhole, the campaign is going to be focusing on character and integrity of those who want to govern the country.

(NAN)
Brother, buy my groundnut, a young girl in her teens said as this reporter left the arrivals of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, in search of taxi. The girl, who later identified herself simply as Fatimah, had a tray containing groundnut on her head. Together with other teenagers who hawk different items, she sells at the parking space in front of the arrivals section of the Abuja airport.

After much pleas, this reporter soon bought a cup of groundnut and Fatimah moved away, mumbling some words of appreciation. She soon joined others as they struggled to court the attention of passengers looking out for taxis upon arriving Abuja airport.

Apart from Fatimah, visibly present at the departure and arrival entrances are numerous traders, from those selling Kilishi (dried meat) to others hawking keys, padlocks and related items.

When then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo signed the executive order on ease of doing business in 2017, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, in its reaction vowed to end touting at all the ports of entry into Nigeria. It promised to clear the airport environment to ensure the safety and comfort of travellers and officials.

But more than a year after the order was signed, touting and other illicit activities still thrive at the airports. They are part of the rots at Nigerian airports, captured by a series of reports by PREMIUM TIMES. Read the first and second parts of the report.

Touts, unregistered commercial drivers in Abuja, Lagos Airports

As part of its enforcement of the executive order, FAAN ensured that commercial drivers plying the Abuja airports into the city are registered with the agency, with their details recorded. They also have ID cards which they display upon being asked. But PREMIUM TIMES findings show that apart from the registered commercial drivers, many others operate in the airport without ID cards or any record of registration. These commercial operators, this reporter gathered, work hand in hand with touts who help them scout for passengers.

Twice, between July and August, this reporter met an agent  a tout  at the airport who helped unregistered commercial drivers get passengers. For a journey of N5, 000 or less from the airport to Jabi part of the city, the tout collects a tip of between N200 and N500.

Thats how we survive in Abuja too, one agent named Aliyu, said. Business has been difficult lately but we still try put body together, he added.

Investigations also revealed that unlike the registered commercial drivers, those who go about without registration charge less for same distance.

For instance, PREMIUM TIMES findings showed that while most registered drivers charge N5,000 for most destinations in the city, the unregistered drivers could still agree for N3,500 or less.

The drivers explained that it was more lucrative to operate without registering with the help of touts than having their cars registered at the airport.

Most of us have menial jobs we do in town but use this to augment on a part time basis, a driver named Theophilus said as he drove into the city from the airport.

You know, because, of the economic situation in the country, we have to hustle. But youd need more money to register at the airport. Registration is only good for full time commercial drivers.

So thats why we settle those touts so they can bring more people. That guy (referring to the tout) is one of those guys in the airport and they really try for us. Many people dont like to patronize us because of ID card issue but they help bring passengers.

While there is a considerable distance between the airport arrivals and the open parking space where commercial drivers, traders, touts and others operate in Abuja, the reverse is the case in Lagos  in particular, at the General Aviation Terminal. While many of them go with ID cards, some still operate as touts despite the presence of security officials.

Business has been difficult lately but we still find means around it, Tirimisiyu Adio, a commercial driver, told PREMIUM TIMES. There are more security people and things are not the same for touts and drivers, he said.

FAAN spokesperson, Henrietta Yakubu, told PREMIUM TIMES there were measures put in place to stop touting and other illegal activities at the airports. She explained that the agency, in collaboration with security operatives, also ensure that those who do business in the airport are duly registered for safety and security of passengers. Facilities at the airport are also being improved upon, she noted.

Safety concerns

What obtains at the airports are markedly different, though. In addition to the illicit activities that have continued, there have also bee increased concerns about safety.

My heart was literally in my mouth, said Okey, a passenger on an Owerri-bound Air Peace flight which had to take a detour shortly after take-off from Lagos in October. It was scary and some of us were really not in the know.

Okey, who identified himself as a trader, explained that the incident threw many other passengers on board off balance as they tried to know what the problem was. The incident happened when an aircraft belonging to Air Peace returned to base shortly after takeoff at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. Air Peace in its reaction attributed the concern to change in cabin pressure.

We wish to assure members of the public that the incident had nothing whatsoever to do with the engines of the aircraft nor was it a life-threatening situation, Chris Iwarah, Air Peace spokesperson, said.

But Okey told this reporter that he and others on the flight did not find it funny in the intervening minutes the flight returned to base.

The Nigerian aviation industry has in the last few years been free of incidents. Experts say it is largely as a result of regulations on the part of the agencies in charge. In January 2018, however, Nigerians were worried as news of near-mishaps dominated the industry. In less than one month  between January 25 and February 21  there were about four incidents that raised concerns around safety of the aviation space.

On January 25 at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, a Gulfstream G200 private jet with registration number 5N-BTF operated by Nest Oil skidded off the runway on landing at the airport. On February 9, passengers aboard a Dana Air plane were terrified when one of its emergency exit doors fell off as it landed in Abuja airport.

On February 17, days after the Dana Air incident, a herd of cows took over the runway at Akure Airport, preventing an Air Peace flight from landing. On February 20, a Dana aircraft with registration number 5N-SRI flying from Lagos to Port Harcourt overshot the runway and ended up in the bush.

While the incidents generated debates in the media and among Nigerians, regulatory agencies and airlines assured that measures were being put in place to ensure safety of passengers. Between February and October, there has been a bit of stability as such experiences have reduced. But passengers still battle incidences of delayed or cancelled flights, with its attendant loss of manpower and huge revenuefor both airlines and passengers.

Worst Airports

Last November, two Nigerian Airports were ranked top among the worlds worst 20 airports by the aviation organisation, Sleep in Airport. The nations airports in the ranking were the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa and Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

According to the survey, the criteria used included comfort (gate seating and availability of rest zones), services, facilities and things to do, food options, immigration/security, customer service, cleanliness, navigation and ease of transit and sleep-ability. The website explained that the airports that appeared on the list of worst airports in the world are those that have the capacity to truly offend travelers.

INFOGRAPH  INVESTIGATION  Inside Nigerian Airports of extortionists sharp businesses decrepit facilities (3). [By GEORGE KADUNA]

In the rating of the Lagos airport, corruption was also a major factor considered, with details that airport officials demand bribe to get things done.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) rejected the survey, saying the report failed to reflect that Port Harcourt Airport terminal was under construction while the recently implemented executive order had revved up passenger experience at the MMA Lagos. A section of the Port Harcourt airport was recently refurbished.

But some Nigerians who have had not too palatable experiences at the airports disagreed with the federal agency, citing instances of regulatory failures and other concerns at the airport, including epileptic services from airlines.

Delayed, cancelled flights; lost revenues

In January, the Consumer Protection Department of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said domestic airlines operating in Nigeria recorded 30,214 cases of delayed flights between January and December 2017. The report added that 48,319 flights were operated by eight airlines during the period. For the same period, the NCAA said 872 flights were cancelled for various reasons by the airlines. The airlines in operation were Aero Contractors, Arik Air, Air Peace, Azman Air, Dana Air, First Nation, Med-View and Overland.

Earlier in 2016, Nogie Meggison, executive chairman of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), said domestic airlines in Nigeria may be losing as much as N20 billion annually to flight cancellations. But the airlines are not alone in the loss of manpower and revenue occasioned by cancelled and delayed flights as passengers too share in the problem with ripple effects on the economy.

Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. Departure at the Airport.

Last year, I nearly lost a major contract due to delayed flight from Lagos to Abuja, Kazeem Yakub, who heads a logistics company in Lagos, told PREMIUM TIMES. Many of my colleagues have lost jobs and valuable opportunities to delayed flights; it is bad and condemnable.

For Faderera Johnson, a make-up artiste, most airlines do not even handle cases of delays and cancellation with courtesy. Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES at the Lagos airport, she explained that on a number of occasions, most airlines dont care about the welfare of passengers. Ms Faderera spoke immediately she was informed that her flight to Abuja from Lagos would be delayed for two hours.

According to the NCAAs regulation on passengers rights, air passengers have among others, the right to the full value for your money; to compensation for flight cancellation, delays, damaged/loss baggage and denied boarding for reasons other than technical, weather conditions, air traffic control restrictions, security risks and industrial disputes that affect the operation of the flight.

They also have right to the provision of a conducive airport environment before, during, and after flights and right to seek redress for all irregularities during your flight.

Multiple checks by PREMIUM TIMES however revealed that the rules are not adhered to as stipulated. An airport staff attributed it to absence of strict monitoring. It is even better in Lagos and Abuja; it is worse in places outside these two major cities where regulatory officials are not visible, Ms Johnson told PREMIUM TIMES.

While passengers grope in the middle of epileptic services, airline operators also complain of poor facilities at the airports. Last year, the operators said most of the cases of delayed and cancelled flights were caused by lack of landing aids required for night landing and landing in bad weather. They also attributed the poor performance of domestic airlines to multiple taxation by various agencies in the aviation sector.

Failed facilities

The Nigerian aviation industry contributed $685 million to the countrys Gross Domestic Product, GDP, in 2015, an aviation expert said. Speaking at the Nigerian Business Aviation Conference in 2016, Managing Director of EAN Aviation, Olusegun Demuren, added that $50 billion would be needed over the next 28 years to grow the sector and ensure that it positively affect the nations economy.

MM2 after a downpour Toilets at the wing The path leading to the General Park

Experts agree that one major area of focus in the sector is in the provision and maintenance of airport facilities.

In August 2017, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said Nigerias air transport sector contributed $8.2 billion to the economy of the country and supported over 650, 800 jobs. IATAs Regional Vice President for the Middle East and Africa, Muhammad Albakri, said however that Despite significant investment in Nigerias aviation sector, the countrys air transport infrastructure still ranks low among African states. He added that having emerged from recession, aviation can unlock the enormous economic potential that exists within Nigeria.

But PREMIUM TIMES investigations revealed that while governments regulatory agencies claim that facilities in the airport are being upgraded to meet international standard, a number of structures are still in decrepit state in the airports.

In the course of the investigation in October, our reporter observed that the roof outside of the departure section of GAT at the Lagos airport was leaking, forcing passengers to find cover at the side of the entrance as it rained.

At the Abuja airport, the sound system malfunctioned, making announcements of flight details inaudible, according to passengers who spoke to this newspaper.

Similarly, at the international wing of the Lagos airport, checks at the departure lounge revealed that buckets were placed somewhere close to the check-in counters of airlines, because of a leaky roof.

General Park at the International Wing General Park at International wing 2 General Motor Park at International Wing

But the most appalling was the state of the parking space for commercial cab drivers at the international airport. PREMIUM TIMES findings showed that because the space was largely untarred, dirty water stained passengers clothes whenever it rained as the entire space is littered with mud. Many of the commercial drivers who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES complained about the state of the park, saying it is an eye sore.

This is an international airport; can you imagine having this kind of motor park here? wondered Baba Oyo, an airport commercial taxi driver.

Despite the levies and everything and this is where you must pass into and out of airport if you dont have a car, he added, as the cab moved swiftly on the asphalted layer of the airport road, away from the international wing.

Experts Fume

John Ojikutu, aviation expert and former military commandant at the Lagos airport, attributed the poor state of facilities to the problematic nature of the concession agreements signed on management of airports. Mr Ojikutu opined that if the airport would be in good state, the Nigerian government must be committed to providing funding for periodic maintenance.

If you have an airport like Murtala Muhammed that is making roughly, about N5 billionN3 billion to N5 billion, say every month and it cannot get N100 million every month for maintenance then we have a problem, he told PREMIUM TIMES. If we have a system that cannot release N100 million which is probably about 2 to 3 percent for the management of that airport then there is a problem.

It is part of whats leading us to this concession issues. FAAN was supposed to have been commercialized long ago unfortunately we found ourselves where we are today and it is because there is no plan for genuine periodic maintenance of the airports.

Lanre Suraj, activist and head of Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), told PREMIUM TIMES the poor state of affairs in the aviation sector has far-reaching consequences on Nigerias drive to attract investment and boost the economy.

A cab driver calling on passengers

Mr Suraj argued that the state of the airport, being the first point of call for foreigners, could affect how investors perceive the country and their investment decisions.

It has a major setback; there is no other thing about that, he said. If Nigerians are groaning under this level of misrule, what do you expect of foreigners? You think foreigners will feel confident that they experience things they have never seen before?

There is the system of seeing people without any iota of business at the airport, running around the airport. You get to other airports and see a measure of sanity; once you get to Nigerian airport, its outright insanity. They (airport officials) extort money from innocent travelers, embarrass the country and it happens only in Nigeria, he said.

We have a major conference coming up on International Criminal Court and cross-border corruption. The speaker invited from South Africa applied for visa on arrival and for almost two weeks the approval didnt get to him. It eventually got to him some days before event and it was also the wrong one that got to him. It was too late for him to put up with the flight so he is not going to come. So imagine the investment on the programme, on logistics and on his own side from South Africa and the whole thing has just been truncated. There should be monitoring and serious sanction.
Presidential elections are about three months away, and the countrys opposition parties are at various levels of preparations.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has fixed Sunday November 18 as date for commencement of campaigns.

PREMIUM TIMES visited some of the parties headquarters in Abuja, spoke with some officials, to find out how they are preparing.

National Conscience Party: NCP

We are yet to design a letterhead for our campaign organisation so that messages would go round to those who need it. And we would make sure we forward all the information to your newspaper when the ground is clear, a party official who did not give his name said.

It is the campaign committee that would decide the strategy to be used, some of our members may have their individual strategy. We would need more time.

When asked how many candidates the party had, he responded:

I just came back from INEC office so as you can see we are trying to collate them. We had little problems with some names so we are trying to seek them and we do not know if any would be disqualified or would be qualified, he said.

Social Democratic Party: SDP

The party publicity secretary, Alfa Muhammed, said the party was putting some finishing touches in preparation for their campaign.

We are just putting finishing touches for our campaign team. We are just waiting for the period that INEC has marked for the commencement of campaigns. And by then we will commence the action, Mr Muhammed said.

He said the campaign team was being put together.

It is still in progress and they would be unveiled in the next few days. I understand the presidential candidate, Donald Duke just arrived from Lagos today, we are going to have a meeting tonight about it. We would have to conclude the composition and inaugurate the campaign team.

When asked how many candidates the SDP had, he replied that: We have one presidential candidate and others we would make them available on Monday. We have candidates virtually all over the states and they are all contesting in almost all the offices.

Allied Congress Party of Nigeria: ACPN

Its presidential candidate is Oby Ezekwesili, the former Minister of Education and Co-founder of Bring Back Our Girls, BBOG movement.

The party publicity secretary, Paul Isamade, said: We all know INEC would lift the ban on the campaign on the 18th of November. What we have just been doing so far is consultation and sensitising people.

When asked about the composition of the party campaign committee he responded: It is not something you can get on the phone.

Presently I am in Warri, Delta State. And I would be in Abuja on Friday.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance: APGA

In a telephone interview with the partys publicity secretary, Ifeanacho Oguejiofor, he said the party would commence its own campaign on the November 27 but noted that the party would still do some skeletal campaigns across the federation.

Efforts are geared towards having a successful campaign based on issues. We are planning to kick off our national campaign on the 27th of November.

It is going to be a campaign in all the states of the federation, there is going to be a grand opening of the campaign. We would be doing something on a skeletal basis across the states.

He said the Director General of the party campaign committee is Samson Olalere.

Independent Democrats, ID

It is one of the two parties registered in 2013, the other being Peoples Democratic Movement.

It participated in all the four governorship polls held so far, namely in Bayelsa, Kogi, Edo and Ondo. It is already preparing for the November 18 governorship election in Anambra State.

As part of the preparations, ID recently held a congress in the state during which it elected new officials. It said it is determined to take power from the ruling APGA.

Its chairman, and also the presidential candidate of the party, Edozie Madu, said, the party is fully prepared for the campaign.

He also said the party would release the list of members of the campaign committee.

Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN

The partys national chairman, Razak Eyiowuawi, told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview that the party would embark on its campaign sometime next week, adding that a date has not been fixed. He said the campaign would start in Kano State.

People for Democratic Change, PDC

This party can be remembered for only two things since the 2015 general elections. First is the petition filed by its candidate in the Enugu East Senatorial District and former governor of the state, Chimaroke Nnamani, against the winner of the election, Gil Nnaji.

A member of the party, Emeka Igwe told this newspaper that since the party has no presidential candidate, there would not be any campaign from Sunday.
A boat conveying 29 people has capsized in Tafa River, Maun 2 in Ipokia local government area of Ogun State, resulting in the death of 11 people, police and witnesses said.

Two people were missing, police said.

The accident occurred Thursday night but the news only emerged Saturday.

A witness suggested the cause of the accident was engine problem.

He said the boat was in the middle of the river with passengers and their goods from Badagry in Lagos to Maun in Ipokia when the accident occurred.

The Ogun state police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, blamed the incident on overload.

He also said the boat was travelling at night without head lamp, and collided with a pillar in the river.

Yes. There was boat capsize. It was overloaded, he said. The boat did not have light and travelled in the night . It had a head-on collision with a pillar in the river. The passengers were coming from Badagry in Lagos to Ipokia.

Mr Oyeyemi said the boat was the last for the night, and all the 29 traders boarded it.

Sixteen rescued alive, 10 dead yesterday( Thursday night) and one died Friday. No live jacket. There were marine at the site. Two missing. Skipper arrested after he ran away, he said.

He added that the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, had directed that the Divisional Police Officer should ensure that boats must have live jackets.

As at the time of filing this reports, remains of the deceased had been deposited at morgue in Ipokia.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has called on the president, Muhammadu Buhari, to order military officers to stop the use of live bullets in quelling civil disturbances.

The association made the call during a visit to the presidential villa, Abuja on Friday.

In a statement containing the speech delivered by the CANs president, Samson Ayokunle, the association also demanded the release of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and the Shiite leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaki.

Both men have remained in detention since their arrest by security officers in December, 2015.

While the federal government appealed an order for Mr El-Zakzakis release days after the courts ultimatum had expired, the attorney general, Abubakar Malami, has said that government cannot release Mr Dasuki.

During a recent protest by Shiite members in Abuja, military officials killed over 40 of the groups members.

Total adherence to the rule of law as is required by our constitution and full blown democracy by making sure that those whose bails have been granted by competent courts like Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and Leader of the Shiites, Malam Ibrahim El-Zakzaky are released from detention to enjoy the bail granted them by the courts of law. This would ease tension in the land and give credit to your administration, together with respect from the international community.

A Presidential order directing the Army to stop using live bullets in quelling civil disturbances and an order to the Police to provide protection to any group of people engaging in peaceful protest as the law and modern day democracy allow.

CAN also demanded a presidential order from Mr Buhari for military officers to ensure the release of Dapchi Schoolgirl, Leah Sharibu, who was left behind after over 100 people were kidnapped from her school, by terrorists in February.

Ms Sharibu was reportedly left back with the terrorist for refusing to denounce her faith.

Although the Buhari administrators has made several statements, expressing its commitment to the release of Miss Sharibu, the girl is still in hands of captors nearly ten months after she was taken.

More importantly sir, issue a presidential order to the security agencies to secure the release of Miss Leah Sharibu, who has been in the captivity of Boko Haram, and the remaining 112 Chibok girls and other innocent Nigerians still held by terrorists organizations.

They also urged the president to ensure that military officers protect peaceful protesters across Nigeria.

The association also wants the president to direct police officers to ensure a free and fair election in 2019, while observing their constitutional role of ensuring law and order within Nigerias internal territory.

A presidential order to the Police and other security agencies to be non-partisan, neutral and apolitical in the coming general election with a view to securing international respect and honour for our country in the comity of nations. The degree of desperation we saw in the politicians during the intra-party elections that took place recently do not give many people hope concerning 2019 unless serious steps are taken to let decency prevail.

We appeal to you to make sure that the law enforcement agents and the election umpire do their work professionally without intimidation of voters, manipulation and any trace of violence throughout the period of elections. We believe that the survival and peace of Nigeria are greater than the ambition of any politician.

We again request that your administration conducts free and fair election that would add to the accolades the country received from the conduct of 2015 elections that brought you to power.

It also requested for the Restoration of peace and sanity in troubled spots in the country, especially in the States of Adamawa, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Kaduna and Zamfara.

The statement further highlighted that the president ensures the Enhancement of security and flushing out of attackers in many towns as is in Gashish District on the Plateau, in order to allow sacked communities in the various IDP camps return to their towns and villages.

CAN, in its statement, commended Mr Buharis administration for its efforts at combating terrorist activities and corruption in the country. The Christian association acknowledged the considerable success in the war against terrorism but added that a lot is still necessary to prevent future reintegration of the terror groups.

We urge your administration to invest more on intelligence gathering and ensure that our security agents work on them, before the terrorists would strike.

CAN also demanded the setting up of a panel to investigate the various killings in Nigerias north central.

Setting up of a judicial panel of enquiry to look into the incessant killings in the North-central with a view to unmasking perpetrators and bringing them to book to serve as deterrent to others.

One of the terms of reference of the judicial panel, if accepted, should be to investigate the killing of the immediate Director of Administration of the Army, Major General Idris Alkali (rtd), and circumstances surrounding the kidnap and killing of the Paramount Chief of the Adara Chiefdom in Kaduna State, His Royal Highness, the Agom Adara, Dr. Maiwada Raphael Galadima.
Justice Mohammed Aikawa of a Federal High Court, Lagos, on Friday dismissed a contempt application filed by a former Minister of State for Finance, Nenadi Usman, against Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, over inclusion of her name in the looters list.

Mrs Usman is standing trial on allegations of money laundering alongside a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Chairman of the Association of Local Govenment of Nigeria, Yusuf Danjuma, and a company, Joint Trust Dimension Ltd.

Mrs Usman had argued in the application that the inclusion of her name on the list released during the pendency of her trial, was contemptuous.

She, therefore, initiated a suit against Mr Mohammed for alleged contempt of court, claiming that his action undermined the integrity of the court, and was aimed at poisoning the mind of the court.

EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, had urged the court to refuse Mrs Usmans application, arguing that the applicant was never referred to as a looter by the minister.

He said that what was published by some newspapers only bordered on allegations, and could not be said to be prejudicial to the applicants case in court.

In his ruling, Mr Aikawa upheld the submission of the prosecution that the right parties to the contempt suit were not before the court.

According to him, the publications, which the applicant complained of, were made by media houses and not Mr Mohammed.

He said that the right parties to be joined in the application were the media houses.

The judge also held that a mere publication, which did not go to the substance of a case or directly affect proceedings before the court, could not be said to have interfered or influenced the mind of the court.

The judge added that the publication was not an advertorial from Mohammed, and that he could not be held responsible for what was published by media houses.

The judge, therefore, ruled that the publication was not prejudicial to the applicants case in court.

He dismissed it for lacking merit.

EFCC had re-arraigned the accused on a 17-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of theft and money laundering.

According to the EFCC, in January 2015, the accused unlawfully retained a total sum of N4.6 billion, which they knew formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act.

The court has adjourned until January 24 for continuation of trial.

(NAN)
I just want to make the right move. I dont want to drag it on if it doesnt have to be dragged on, he said, adding he would research tight races and the cost of a recount.
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has criticised authorities of the International School, Ibadan (ISI), situated on the campus of the University of Ibadan, over its handling of the recent hijab crisis in the school.

The body in a statement said it is appalled by the odious stench of religious bigotry and intolerance oozing out from the academic precincts of the premier University of Ibadan, with regard to the needless acrimony and vendetta, hatred and hubris being brought to the fore on the plight of the young Muslim girls of the International School, Ibadan (ISI).

The statement signed by Salisu Shehu, Deputy Secretary-General of the NSCIA, said it is highly deplorable and condemnable that the leadership of the foremost academic community where freedom of religion and expression should be held sacrosanct, apart from other freedoms guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Rights document, would allow such development to happen in the school.

What has been going on for years at ISI is an affront to refinement and civilisation, which education should impart, the statement said. The denial of the Muslim girls of the right to use their hijab is just a ring in a long chain of institutionalised religious discrimination against Muslims in the school, which should ordinarily be a centre of excellence where learning, probity, excellence and character are respected.

Does ISI belong to a cantankerous Islamophobic religious Association? What hatred and wickedness would make a school management descend so low as to condemn innocent school girls to the blaze of the sun just because of hijab? Where is integrity? Indeed, where is service in a school that makes a claim to integrity and service as its motto?

It is ludicrous that the anti-Islamic management of ISI, as available evidence shows, has been violating the rights of the Muslim students for several years through various acts of infraction. This is why Muslim students, who are boarders, had been compelled to attend Sunday church services for years and had been denied the knowledge of their faith while the school employed Christian Studies teachers before the school was challenged. That is also why the school management under the watchful eyes of the University of Ibadan engaged in other unbecoming conducts, only reminiscent of the colonial past when Christianity was forced down the throats of unwilling students.

The school has in recent time been engulfed in crisis over female Muslim students resolve to wear hijab to the school. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that some of the students were shut out of school for wearing hijab, a development that triggered protests among Muslim parents.

The NSCIA said in its statement that the management of ISI is dragging itself into the muddle, adding that even in military and paramilitary organisations as well as professions in many countries across the Western world, the religious rights of Muslim ladies are granted through the use of hijab.

Why is Nigeria still tied to apron strings of its inglorious colonial past in virtually every stratum, especially education? it said.

The lesson learnt by conscionable individuals and institutions from the victory of Barrister Firdaos Amosa in being called to the Nigerian bar in July this year, after a resolved misunderstanding caused by the infringement on her right to use hijab in December 2017, is that only those who are living in darkness can deprive willing Muslim girls and women of the use of hijab in schools and work places.

That this execrable height of intolerance and abuse is made to happen actually shows the type of person the principal is, an uninformed and megalomaniac religious bigot whose intent is to provoke religious crisis in the ancient city and the hallowed academic community of the University of Ibadan.

We strongly condemn the management of ISI and warn the principal that she will be held responsible for whatever her administrative incompetence and religious intolerance precipitate in this matter. Muslims in Nigeria can no longer fold their arms and watch their rights being unabashedly trampled upon by minions and tin-gods who find themselves in some positions of authority. Others like her anywhere they are will be named and shamed as agents provocateurs who want to destroy this country by fanning the embers of religious discord.

The prevarications of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Yinka Aderinto, on the matter are rather disappointing. If he is a refined academic that he ought to be, he would have been on the right side of history, instead of pontificating on the private ownership of the school, as if private ownership confers religious abuse on the proprietors. Suggesting ISI is even a private school is shamelessly mendacious. Let Prof. Aderinto name one private investor in the school. ISI is owned 100 per cent by an agency of the government and funded by the public. We challenge him to prove to the contrary.

Now, NSCIA demands that the principal of ISI be sanctioned for dragging the name of the school in the mire and trampling on the rights of her students, against whom the school gate was shut as if they were stray animals. The Council demands that the University of Ibadan wade into the matter immediately by working together with the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria and the ISI Muslim Parents Forum to grant the students their full rights of wearing hijab, which in anyway does not impede their learning. Any code, by-law, rule or regulation that conflicts with the Nigerian Constitution is null and void. Therefore, the argument of some school rules and regulations by apologists in the matter is shallow and diversionary.

Meanwhile, the NSCIA applauded the Lagos State Government for approving the use of hijab in public schools in the state. The statement added that though the approval is not a favour in any way as the government had allegedly been acting ultra vires all this while by refusing to obey the judgement of the Court of Appeal since July 2016 that it was given, it still commends the government for doing the right thing.

The Council urges other Governments across the country, especially in the South West, South South and South East geopolitical zones, to take a cue from the Government of Lagos State and cure themselves from hijabphobia, the statement said.

They should do the needful and honourable just as once done by the Ekiti State Government, under Dr Kayode Fayemi, on the matter of hijab and not wait until they are compelled by the courts, in line with the constitutional provisions, as it happened in Kwara and Osun States before Lagos State now joins the progressive league. This is civilisation and those who deny religious and minority groups rights are the backward, crude and intolerant people and Governments.

The NSCIA said its smacks of illegality to deny any willing Muslim female of her constitutional right of using hijab as enshrined in section 38, Subsection 1 of the Nigerian Constitution (as amended in 2011). It added that the matter was put to rest in Suit CA/IL/49/2009 where the appellate court sitting in Ilorin ruled unequivocally that the use of hijab by female Muslims qualifies as a fundamental right under Section 38 of the Constitution.

NSCIA warns that henceforth, anybody who harasses Muslim students or professionals on the basis of hijab will be deemed a criminal suspect, being a violator of the Constitution. Such lawless persons will individually answer their surnames and charged to court for violating the Nigerian Constitution regarding the rights of Muslims, the statement said.

Muslims have never barred Christians from dressing anyway their religion expects them to do. We have no problem with nuns in uniform or with people who do not wear shoes or ear-rings. They are our fellow citizens and we respect them and their religious convictions. But why should Christians always stand in our way, regarding adherence to our faith within the confines of the Constitution?

We reiterate that bigoted non-Muslims are hereby put on notice that in schools and work places, violating Muslim ladies right to hijab will be legally construed as an infringement or a form of harassment. Principals, teachers and little tin-gods in temporary positions of authority who are fond of persecuting Muslim girls and ladies because of hijab should be ready to go prison as they cannot defeat the Constitution of Nigeria in Court just as it was not, and will not be, possible for even state governments to do. This is a warning; enough is enough!
Ex-governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, may withdraw support for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, in the upcoming presidential election, an aide has claimed.

Mr Lamido was one of the aspirants who lost out at the opposition party presidential primaries held a few weeks ago. Most of the candidates including Mr Lamido thereafter vowed to support Mr Abubakars bid to unseat President Muhammadu Buhari at the polls in 2019.

But Umar Danjani, a special assistant to Mr Lamido, said his boss was not happy with the way the PDP presidential campaign team sidelined him in activities in the aftermath of the presidential primaries.

On Thursday, at a PDP stakeholders meeting at the partys state secretariat in Dutse, Mr Lamido commended party delegates for the election, stating that it was their choices that made some of the aspirants emerge as candidates.

Whoever you elected both at the national convention and in the state you were guided by your conscience, but one thing in life is certain, selfishness is amounting to self destruction, he said at the event.

At the event, Mr Lamido officially endorsed PDPs gubernatorial candidate, Aminu Ringim; the senatorial candidates and House of Representatives in the state but declined to openly endorse Mr Abubakar as the party presidential candidate.

A source close to Mr Lamido told PREMIUM TIMES that, Mr Atiku has not been fair to Mr Lamido, as a co-founder of the PDP and diehard member of the party who has never changed base, but Mr Lamido has been sidelined in the activities of the party ever since Mr Atiku won the party ticket.

You can imagine that they held strategy meeting in Dubai and Abuja but none of these meetings was he invited or briefed on the outcome of the meeting. I wonder whether the meeting is only for the PDP decampees and families because I saw the Senate President and (ex-Kano governor) Rabiu Kwankwaso at the meetings, the source said.

Meanwhile, Mr Danjani told PREMIUM TIMES that PDP presidential campaign team is not ready to win 2019 election because if people like Sule Lamido are sidelined then definitely Atiku should forget about winning the presidential seat.

You are having meeting with Rabiu Kwankwaso who just returned to the party without a structure on ground and having crises with all of his trustees thinking that he is relevant in Kano, you are wasting your time.

Were waiting for Sule Lamido to give us direction on the next political movement, because we cant be slaves in our own house. We are going to organise five million youth rally in Dutse where all Sule Lamido supporters across the country will attend. There we will decide our political faith, Mr Danjani said.
The twin sisters abducted in Dauran town in Zamfara state have been released by their kidnappers.

Hassana and Hussaina were kidnapped last month as they distributed invitation cards for their upcoming wedding.

The abductors threatened to kill them after the girls family said they could not raise the N15 million ransom the criminals demanded.

An audio clip of one of the twins went viral in which she was heard pleading for help from both the government and the general public.

She said some kidnapped victims whose families could not pay ransom to free them were slaughtered in their presence.

One of the kidnappers was heard threatening to kill one of them if payment was not made.

However, reports said the kidnappers later reduced the amount.

A Senator, Kabiru Marafa, Friday donated N6 million as part of contribution to raise the N15 million required by the kidnappers.

There was also crowdfunding on the social media, while the chairman of Zarmi local government Awwal-Bawa Moriki also pledged N5 million.

The online newspaper, Daily Nigerian, reported that it spoke with the girls after they were released unhurt Saturday evening.

When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, the Zamfara police spokesperson, Mohammed Shehu, said he was yet to be briefed on the matter.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole has destroyed a former Boko Haram Terrorist (BHT) Tactical Headquarters at Sabon Tumbun in the Lake Chad Green Fringes.

Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, announced this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

According to Mr Daramola, an air commodore, the operation was carried out on Thursday.

As Operation Green Sweep entered Day two on Nov.15, the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE conducted air strikes that led to the destruction of a former tactical headquarters of the Al-Barnawi faction of Boko Haram Terrorist (BHT) Sect at Sabon Tumbun in the Lake Chad Green Fringes.

Mr Daramola said the attack was conducted pursuant to credible human intelligence reports indicating that the BHTs were regrouping in a group of buildings in the middle of the settlement.

Accordingly, following confirmatory Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, the ATF detailed an Alpha Jet aircraft to attack the settlement with direct hits recorded on the target.

The attack has led to the obliteration of the identified buildings and neutralisation of its BHT occupants, he said.

He said the NAF, working in concert with surface forces, would sustain the tempo of operations with a view to destroying all remnants of the terrorists in Borno.

The NAF through the ATF on Wednesday commenced Operation Green Sweep, an air interdiction targeting selected BHT locations within the fringes of Lake Chad as well as areas around the Alagarno Forest near Sambisa in Borno.

The NAF said the operation was aimed at further degrading the remnants of the terrorists, curtailing their freedom of action and denying them bases from which they could launch attacks.(NAN)
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has said Umaru Fintiri is not its governorship candidate for Adamawa State but Emma Bello.

This clarification is coming following rumours that Mr Fintiri, a former acting governor was a consensus candidate of the party.

The party in a statement on Friday by its national publicity secretary, Alfa Mohammed, said Mr Bello, who emerged as the SDP governorship candidate for Adamawa State in a credible, free and fair primary, remains the partys choice.

For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that Social Democratic Party has not and will not endorse any other governorship candidate aside Chief Emma Bello in Adamawa State, being the best and most acceptable of all the governorship candidates in the state.

Chief Emma Bello, who was duely elected as the SDP Governorship candidate in a credible, free and fair primaries conducted by our party in the state, represents the will of the good people of Adamawa State.

The SDP advised party members and the general public to disregard any misinformation which it described as total falsehood and machination of the agents of the current administration in the state.

The party noted that since the people have given him (Bello) the mandate to run for governorship of the state under it, nobody for whatsoever reason will be allowed to subvert the will of the people.

Chief Bello remains a core party member, known for his integrity, forthrightness and (he is) hardworking. No doubt, he is the most credible candidate and (the) best alternative to deliver good governance to the people.

Therefore, the SDP in the state cannot subscribe to any form of anti-democratic tendencies being exihibited by a faceless group sponsoring these fake media reports. We advise all party members in the state and the general public to disregard those publications as total falsehood.
Food insecurity in the North-East has reduced from 2.6 million persons affected by insurgency in the region to 1.7 million persons in October 2018.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Representative in Nigeria, Suffyan Koroma, disclosed this while inaugurating distribution of planting materials for dry season farming at a farm centre, in Maiduguri.

He was represented by his deputy, Nourou Macki-tall.

Mr Koroma, who attributed the development to the robust efforts made by the Federal Government and the humanitarian organisations, said the exercise targeted 40,600 farmers in Borno.

Other factors leading to an improvement in the food security situation include favourable farming conditions, improved security in some areas and better access to markets, he said.

FAO representative, however, warned that without sustained humanitarian support, this number is predicted to rise to 2.7 million people within the next six months.

He said that the target for the 2018 dry season farming was to reach about 564,000 persons in 80,600 households in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa while the distribution would enhance resilience of the farmers.

Mr Koroma explained that the beneficiaries would be supported with vegetable, maize, rice seeds as well as fertiliser.

FAO representative lamented that the conflict and displacement was preventing large numbers of people from farming and engaging in other livelihood activities.

In his remarks, the governor, Kashim Shettima, said that the state government partnership with FAO had impacted positively in uplifting food insecurity and livelihood of the people in the state.

Mr Shettima said that the outreach would go a long way in boosting food production and socio-economic activities of the IDP returnees in their liberated local government areas.

He explained that the state government had put in place robust policies aimed at revolutionising the agriculture sector during the post insurgency.

(NAN)
The governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, has clarified his comments on the status of the welfare of university lecturers, saying his interview in France was not intended to denigrate members of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

In a statement on Saturday by his chief press secretary, Olayinka Oyebode, the governor said his interview, which was granted to the media a day after an interactive session with Nigerians living in France, was misconstrued as a direct comment on salaries of professors and undue meddling in the affairs of ASUU.

Mr Fayemi, in the said interview, had stated that members of ASUU and tertiary institutions have fared better under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The governor was also quoted as saying that professors earn as much as N500, 000 monthly, as governors of states in Nigeria.

But the union in two universities, namely, University of Ibadan and the Federal University of Technology, Akure, had criticised the governor for his comments they largely described erroneous and lacking in facts.

The union challenged Mr Fayemi to produce his evidence that an average professor earned N500,000, wondering why he would reject an offer for a lecturing job at UI and preferred to be governor, if the welfare of university teachers was as good as he described it.

In his reaction, Mr Fayemi said it was unfortunate that his interview was misunderstood by members of the union.

Suffice it to say, however, that the thrust of the media interview was the need for honest debate on basic and tertiary education in the country, Mr Oyebode said in the statement.

The reference to salaries of professors was only a light hearted response to the question as to whether the governor thought university professors were well paid.

Also, contrary to the insinuations that the governors interview took place during the presidents interactive session with the Nigerian Community, the interview actually took place a day after the event.

What Governor Fayemi did in the interview was an appraisal of the countrys educational system, while emphasising that the Buhari administration, more than the previous administrations, had made substantial investment in the sector, which must be acknowledged.

He said the excerpts of the interview pointed clearly at the direction of the interview, which in all intent and purpose was not an attempt to meddle in the affairs of the union as alleged by some of its chapters.

The controversial Fayemi interview, as produced by Mr Oyebode reads as follows: I (make) bold to say that no government has done as much as this government. Not just for ASUU, but for tertiary education in our country.

Is it enough? Absolutely, it is not going to be enough. We have to keep doing more.

But ask yourself what was the average wage in the university system before. A university professor earn more than me as a governor. My salary as a governor is N500, 000. Most University professors earn about the same amount if not more.

Yes, you may argue that there are other opportunities available, there are also other opportunities that are available that are not being taken advantage of by our academics. I can say a little bit about this because this is my terrain.

I do not think that ASUU, on its own strength, can argue that government has not done well. There is hardly any institution in Nigeria today, including states universities, that have not had the benefit of intervention.

It is either the government is building an auditorium or rehabilitating a laboratory, or improving on students hostels in virtually all the universities as I speak to you. That is what TETFUND does via their intervention funds. That again is not the complete solution.

There is need to revisit a whole lot of things about education policy. Can we continue to maintain a tuition-free education in Nigeria, in even Federal universities? What UNESCO pushes for, what most universal human rights positions argue for is that basic education should be free. Basic education is free in Nigeria right up to junior secondary schools.

As for free university education, I am not so sure that is what we really need right now. But in order to address that we also must elevate the place of technical and vocational education in our country so that we dont see those that go for technical education as inferior to those who go to universities.

Mr Oyebode added that that as someone who is from the university system, there was no way Mr Fayemi could denigrate professors and the teaching profession.

But if we genuinely want to improve education standard, academics cannot be afraid or contemptuous of sincere debate about the future of education, he said.

It must be stated that regardless of divergent opinions of critical stakeholders in the education sector, a robust debate is needed to reposition the sector. This must be done as a matter of urgency. This much was canvassed by Dr Fayemi in the interview.
As Brunei and China have enhanced trade and investment cooperation in recent years, more and more Chinese come to visit the country that has a long history of business and cultural exchanges with China.

In Brunei Darussalam Maritime Museum, close to Brunei's ancient capital Kota Batu, a 500-year-old shipwreck witnessed the history of ancient maritime silk road linking China, Brunei and rest of Southeast Asia.

"The history of communication and exchange between Brunei and China can date back to 1,500 years ago and we have many relics and sites, but the Brunei shipwreck is the biggest one," said Dr. Karim Osman, an archaeologist and former director of Brunei Darussalam Maritime Museum.

The shipwreck was discovered in 1997 during a geophysical survey, 32 nautical miles off the coast at 62 meters deep. The excavations uncovered 13,261 artifacts, of which the majority were ceramics from China, Thailand and Vietnam.

Based on the ceramics found, the shipwreck is dated to late 15th to early 16th century. It is believed that the ship originated from China or Southeast Asia and have sunk due to foul weather or overloading.

The Brunei shipwreck marks the most important discovery in Brunei's maritime archaeological history. This discovery revealed crucial information on the role of Brunei in maritime trade in the late 15th to early 16th century.

Karim said the most important artifacts found in the shipwreck are 4,565 blue-and-white porcelains from Jingdezhen of China's Jiangxi Province, accounting for one third of all the artifacts.

All those porcelains are displayed behind the glass shield, but visitors can still see the details of blue and white decorative pattern, and vivid birds and flowers. Many of them are covered with remains of maritime creatures, but a few are as clean as newly made in modern times.

"This porcelains were transported by river from Jingdezhen to Quanzhou, a major port in China's coastal Fujian Province, and then shipped out to Southeast Asia, including Brunei," the archaeologist said.

"We also found a tomb of Chinese official named Pu Gong, who lived during the Song Dynasty (9601279) and died in Brunei. It means the trade and communication between the two countries started over 1,000 years ago," he added.

Outside the museum entrance, visitors can easily find the Brunei River flowing northeast to the Brunei Bay in the South China Sea.

"When the tide ebbs in the river, we can even see some porcelains glittering under the river channel. The ancient Brunei capital Kota Batu had a port along the river and a lot of ships had run between China and Brunei. The shipwreck is not the only one, I believe many still remain undiscovered under the sea," he said.

Karim pointed to a hill behind the museum and said that near the Kota Batu historic site, even now people can still find porcelain pieces, as the ancient people in the capital used many Chinese porcelain in their daily life.

"It is widely known in Brunei that one of our ancient sultans, the Abdul Majid Hassan was buried in Nanjing of China after he passed away during his visit to the Ming Dynasty in 1408 with a son and two daughters," he said.

"The Ming emperor sent his son back to Brunei with a tablet moaning the Brunei sultan, but the tablet was lost and should be buried near this hill," he said, marveling the long history of ties between the two countries. Enditem




CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, Nov. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today attorneys Bob Hilliard, Steve Berman, and Ben Crump filed a lawsuit against Gilead, claiming the giant drug company intentionally kept a safer HIV drug from hundreds of thousands of patients so as to protect its multi-billion dollar patent on a less safe drug.

Gilead was aware that its less safe drug, Viread (also known as TDF), could damage patient's bones and kidneys, yet the company still decided to hold up the availability of TAF, Gilead's safer version of Viread.

Gileads 15-year delay in offering the safest drug to the HIV community served its intent to extend the profitable commercial life of Viread (TDF) which provided the company billions in profits.

Only when TDF was nearing the end of its patent term did Gilead start to pitch TAF as much safer than TDF and became critical of the dangerous and unnecessary side effects caused by TDF. By doing so, Gilead was able to stifle the generic versions of TDF and limit the potential market for TDF generics by other manufacturers. At the same time Gilead began to warn the medical community about the dangerous side effects of TDF it also began to tout what it said was the much safer option, TAF, a drug whose patent term was just beginning and would last for 20 years, allowing Gilead to continue its stranglehold on the billion dollar HIV market.

Hilliard states, "For nearly two decades, Gilead has been raking in billions of dollars each year from the sale of the TDF-containing drugs that are the subject of our lawsuitmedications used primarily for treatment of people living with HIV."

But Gilead knew even before it asked for and received FDA approval of its first TDF product in 2001, Viread, that TDF was toxic to the bones and kidneys, with potentially fatal consequences such as kidney failure.

Within the first month Viread was on the market, and over the next eleven years, evidence of TDF toxicity continued to mount through post-marketing data and adverse event reportsbut Gilead continued to develop and market TDF-containing products, bringing four additional TDF-containing drugs to market by 2012, Truvada, Atripla, Complera and Stribld.

During those eleven years, Gilead downplayed the safety risks of TDF and had to be repeatedly warned by the FDA regarding its minimization or omissions regarding TDF safety risks.

And even as the risks of TDF began to come to light, prescribers and patients were faced with a knife at the neck and a gun to the backthey were forced to treat a potentially life-threatening condition with potentially life-threatening medication.

For years, Gilead continued to sharpen its double edged blade at the expense of the HIV community. To make the most profits possible it intentionally created a Catch 22 for those who needed the drug. Either don't take the drug and suffer terrible HIV medical consequences or take it and suffer terrible medical consequences of the side effects. All the while, this company's response to the growing concerns of the HIV community seemed to be similar to Col. Nathan R. Jessep's response in A Few Good Men "I'd prefer you just say thank-you and went on your way."

Even before Gilead's TDF-containing drugs were approved by the FDA, Gilead had already identified TAF as an equally effective but safer alternative to TDF.

Despite its knowledge of the risks of TDF and the safety benefits of TAF, Gilead ceased development of TAF based on an "internal business review" and an alleged inability to sufficiently differentiate TAF from TDF. These mistruths are borne out by Gilead's current marketing. Today, after withholding TAF for an entire decade and during which time Gilead made seven patent applications for TAF products it had purportedly abandoned, Gilead openly markets TAF as a safer alternative to TDF. We believe the evidence will show that Gilead withheld the equally effective but safer medication for one primary reasonbillions in profits.

"If Gilead withheld TAF during its patent exclusivity with regard to TDF, Gilead could maximize its profits by monopolizing the market during the exclusivity period, releasing TAF prior to expiration of TDF exclusivity, and encouraging prescribers to switch patients from TDF to the safer TAF medications before entry of generic TDF into the market. This is what Gilead did do, and people living with HIV paid the price. Our lawsuit seeks recovery for those hurt by Gilead's greed, and to hold Gilead accountable for choosing profits over people."

The case is: Cause No. 3:18-cv-06972 Adrian Holley, et al. v. Gilead Sciences, Inc.

ABOUT HMG http://www.hmglawfirm.com/

Hilliard Martinez Gonzales LLP (HMG) has been successfully representing clients in the United States and Mexico since 1986. The firm specializes in mass torts, personal injury, product liability, commercial and business litigation, and wrongful death. Founding partner Bob Hilliard was named 2016 Elite Trial Attorney of the Year (Motor Vehicles) and 2015 Elite Trial Attorney of the Year (Product Liability) by the National Law Journal. His cases have been covered by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox News.



SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW WITH BOB HILLIARD

Contact Lauren Gomez at 361-960-3146

SOURCE Hilliard Martinez Gonzales LLP

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NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until December 18, 2018 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Camping World Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CWH), if they purchased the Company's Class A shares between March 8, 2017 and August 7, 2018, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Get Help

Camping World investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/view-camping-world-holdings-inc-securities-litigation or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

Camping World and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On August 7, 2018, the Company disclosed a wide range of disappointing results for the quarter ended June 30, 2018 including a decline in same-store revenue, adjusted EBITDA 9% below guidance, a continuing decline in its adjusted EBITDA margin of 250 basis points year-over-year, and additional complications with its Gander Mountain Co. operations.

On this news, the price of Camping World's Class A shares plummeted 14%, to close at $19.04 per share on August 8, 2018.

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. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler

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DUBLIN, Nov. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Gene Expression Analysis Market by Product and Services (Consumables (Reagents, DNA chips), Instruments (PCR, NGS), Services (Gene Expression Profiling)), End User (Pharma and Biotech Companies, Research Centers) - Global Forecasts to 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The market for gene expression analysis market is expected to grow from USD 3.2 billion in 2018 to USD 4.9 billion by 2023, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.8% during the forecast period.

Growth in the market is primarily driven by factors such as the rising prevalence of cancer, growing application areas of genomics, and the availability of gene expression databases.

By product and services, the consumables segment is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period



The increasing volume of genetic tests in drug discovery, biomarker discovery, and pharmacogenomics applications are driving the growth of the consumables market. The increasing installation of NGS and PCR equipment worldwide will significantly boost the demand for consumables.

By end user, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are expected to be the largest contributor to the gene expression analysis market



Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies utilize gene expression analysis products and services to achieve their clinical research goals, such as drug discovery and development and biotech research. Biopharmaceutical companies focus on developing targeted therapies, especially for the treatment of cancer, complex diseases, and rare genetic disorders. CROs offer a number of gene expression analysis services, including gene expression profiling services such as NGS. This is increasing the demand for gene expression analysis services offered by CROs.



North America is expected to hold a significant share in the gene expression analysis market during the forecast period



Factors such as the development of gene therapy, focus on gene expression studies, government initiatives, and the availability of funding for NGS research are driving the growth of the market in North America.



The major vendors in the global market are Illumina, Inc. (US), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (US), and Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (US). Other players involved in this market are F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland), GE Healthcare (UK), Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. (US), BGI (China), PerkinElmer (US), Agilent Technologies Inc. (US), QIAGEN N. V. (Netherlands), Oxford Gene Technologies, Ltd. (UK), and Eurofins Scientific (Luxembourg).

Market Developments

Biorad acquired of RainDance Technologies, a droplet-based PCR systems manufacturer. RainDance Technologies has a more focused portfolio, primarily known for its droplet-based technologies for digital PCR (dPCR).

Thermo Fisher Scientific completes acquisition of Affymetrix, a leading provider of cellular and genetic analysis products.

Key Topics Covered



1 Introduction

1.1 Objectives of the Study

1.2 Market Definition

1.3 Market Scope

1.3.1 Markets Covered

1.3.2 Years Considered for the Study

1.4 Currency

1.5 Limitations

1.6 Stakeholders



2 Research Methodology

2.1 Research Methodology Steps

2.1.1 Secondary and Primary Research Methodology

2.1.2 Secondary Research

2.1.2.1 Secondary Sources

2.1.2.2 Primary Research

2.1.2.3 Primary Sources

2.1.2.4 Key Insights From Primary Sources

2.1.3 Market Size Estimation Methodology

2.1.4 Market Data Estimation and Triangulation

2.2 Assumptions



3 Executive Summary



4 Premium Insights

4.1 Gene Expression Analysis Market Overview

4.2 Geographic Analysis: European Market, By Product & Services

4.3 Market, By Product and Services, 2018 vs 2023

4.4 Market, By End User, 2018 vs 2023

4.5 Geographic Snapshot of the Gene Expression Analysis Market



5 Market Overview

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Market Dynamics

5.2.1 Drivers

5.2.1.1 Decreasing Cost of Sequencing

5.2.1.2 Technological Advancements

5.2.1.3 Rising Prevalence of Cancer

5.2.1.4 Availability of Government Funding

5.2.1.5 Novel Technologies to Aid Gene Expression Studies

5.2.1.6 Growing Application Areas of Gene Expression

5.2.1.7 Availability of Gene Expression Databases

5.2.2 Restraints

5.2.2.1 High Cost of Instruments

5.2.2.2 Shortage of Trained Professionals

5.2.3 Opportunities

5.2.3.1 Emerging Countries to Provide Growth Opportunities

5.2.3.2 Growing Use of Gene Expression Analysis in Precision Medicine

5.2.4 Challenges

5.2.4.1 Currency Devaluation



6 Market, By Product & Service

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Consumables

6.2.1 The Market for Consumables is Estimated to Account for A Share of 62.0% of the Total Market in 2018. the Consumables Segment is Further Divided Into Reagents and Microarray/DNA Chips.

6.3 Reagents

6.3.1 Growing Number of Sequencing Service Centers to Aid the Growth of the Reagents Market

6.4 DNA Chips

6.4.1 Declining Use of DNA Microarray Technology Expected to Result in Sluggish Growth

6.5 Instruments

6.6 PCR Instruments

6.6.1 Advent of Enhanced Ddpcr to Aid the PCR Market for Gene Expression

6.7 Next-Generation Sequencing Instruments

6.7.1 NGS to Overtake Microarrays Market in the Coming Years

6.8 DNA Microarrays

6.8.1 Despite Sluggish Growth Rate, DNA Microarrays Will Witness Sustained Use in the Coming Years

6.9 Other Instruments

6.9.1 Growing Focus on Cancer Therapeutics, Genetics Will Support the Market for Sage

6.10 Services

6.11 Gene Expression Profiling Services

6.12 Sequencing Services

6.12.1 Reduction in Sequencing Costs, Technological Advancements Will Drive the Market for Sequencing Services

6.13 Other Services

6.13.1 Wide Application Areas of QPCR Services to Aid in the Growth of This Market Segment

6.13.2 Bioinformatics Solutions



7 Market, By End User

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies

7.2.1 Increasing Clinical Research on Drug Discovery and Biomarker Development to Support the Growth of This End-User Segment

7.3 Academic Institutes and Research Centers

7.3.1 Growing Government Funding to Drive the Adoption of Gene Expression Analysis Techniques in Academic Institutes and Research Centers

7.4 Other End Users

7.4.1 This Segment Includes Non-Profit Organizations (NPOS), Agri-Genomics Organizations, Reference Laboratories, and Consumer Genomics Companies



8 Market, By Region

8.1 Introduction

8.2 North America

8.2.1 US

8.2.2 Canada

8.3 Europe

8.3.1 UK

8.3.2 Germany

8.3.3 Spain

8.3.4 France

8.3.5 Italy

8.3.5.1 Government Funding for Life Science Research to Aid the Italian Market

8.3.6 Rest of Europe

8.4 Asia Pacific

8.4.1 China

8.4.1.1 Domestic Manufacturing of Sequencing Systems to Drive Market Growth in China

8.4.2 Japan

8.4.2.1 Increasing Government Focus on Cancer Research to Drive the Market Growth in Japan

8.4.3 Australia

8.4.3.1 Increasing Research Activities in the Fields of Genetics and Genomics to Aid Market Growth in Australia

8.4.4 India

8.4.4.1 Decreasing Sequencing Cost and Growing Prevalence of Target Diseases to Support Market Growth in India

8.4.5 Rest of Asia Pacific (RoAPAC)

8.5 Rest of the World (RoW)

8.5.1 Greater Adoption of Genetic Testing and Genomic Analysis to Drive Market Growth in This Region



9 Competitive Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Market Ranking of Players, 2017

9.3 Competitive Scenario

9.3.1 Product Launches & Approvals

9.3.2 Acquisitions

9.3.3 Partnerships, Agreements, & Collaborations



10 Company Profiles

10.1 Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

10.1.1 Business Overview

10.1.2 Products Offered

10.1.3 Recent Developments

10.2 Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

10.3 Illumina, Inc.

10.4 Agilent Technologies

10.5 F. Hoffmann-La Roche

10.6 GE Healthcare

10.7 Perkinelmer, Inc.

10.8 Qiagen N.V.

10.9 Oxford Gene Technology

10.10 Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc.

10.11 BGI

10.12 Eurofins Scientific



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/n2lf2z/gene_expression?w=5

Media Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716



SOURCE Research and Markets

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DUBLIN, Nov. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Electric Scooters Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Standing /Self-Balancing, Folding, Retro), By Battery (Sealed Lead Acid, Li-Ion), By Voltage, And Segment Forecasts 2018 - 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global electric scooter market size is expected to reach USD 28.56 billion by 2025 at a 7.3% CAGR during the forecast period.

Growing demand for fuel-efficient vehicles over shorter distances, rising carbon and greenhouse gas emissions, and government initiatives encouraging adoption of green vehicles are expected to drive the electric scooters market. Favorable demographic conditions and ease of transportation have also fueled demand for electric scooters across the globe.

Increasing fuel prices are the most impactful factor driving consumers to find alternative modes of transport. This, combined with the announcement of The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to curb oil output, has favored the adoption of green transportation.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), escalating fuel and oil prices are underpinning economic conditions for alternatives such as electric vehicles and biofuels. Moreover, electric scooter sales are supported by government subsidies in European and Asian regions. These policies are expected to become more resilient with soaring fuel prices.



Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the market over the forecast period owing to increasing investments in vehicle charging infrastructure. Moreover, countries such as China and Taiwan are emerging as manufacturing hubs for electric scooters. In 2017, China accounted for around 87% share in the Asia Pacific electric scooter market.



North America is expected to exhibit the highest CAGR over the forecast period. The goal of reaching 1.5 million zero emission vehicles by the governor of California by 2025 is contributing to regional demand. The market for electric scooters is however, witnessing some challenges owing to new traffic laws being framed by regulatory bodies in lieu of public safety.



Further key findings from the study suggest:

By product, the retro segment is expected to dominate the market owing to significant demand among youth and elderly population for electric scooters fitted with seats

Based on battery, the sealed lead acid segment dominated the market. However, stringent laws to reduce lead released into the environment are compelling manufacturers to incorporate NiMH and Li-Ion batteries

Asia Pacific is expected to be the largest regional market over the forecast period due to massive investments in vehicle charging infrastructure

is expected to be the largest regional market over the forecast period due to massive investments in vehicle charging infrastructure Prominent industry participants include Gogoro, Inc.; Terra Motors Corporation; Mahindra GenZe; Vmoto Limited; Xinri Electric Vehicle Co. Ltd.; and BMW Motorrad International

Key Topics Covered



Chapter 1 Methodology and Scope



Chapter 2 Executive Summary



Chapter 3 Market Definitions



Chapter 4 Industry Outlook



Chapter 5 Electric Scooters Market: Product Segment Analysis

5.1 Retro

5.2 Standing/Self-Balancing

5.3 Folding



Chapter 6 Electric Scooters Market: Battery Segment Analysis

6.1 Sealed Lead Acid

6.2 Nimh

6.3 Li-Ion



Chapter 7 Electric Scooters Market: System Segment Analysis

7.1 24V

7.2 36V

7.3 48V

7.4 Greater Than 48V



Chapter 8 Electric Scooters Market: Regional Outlook

8.1 North America

8.2 Europe

8.3 Asia Pacific

8.4 Latin America

8.5 Middle East & Africa



Chapter 9 Company Profiles

9.1 AllCell Technologies LLC

9.2 BMW Motorrad International

9.3 BOXX Corporation

9.4 Brammo Inc.

9.5 Gogoro Inc.

9.6 Green Energy Motors Corp.

9.7 Greenwit Technologies Inc.

9.8 Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

9.9 Jiangsu Xinri E-Vehicle Co. Ltd.

9.10 KTM AG

9.11 Mahindra GenZe

9.12 Peugeot Scooters

9.13 Suzuki Motor Corporation

9.14 Terra Motors Corporation

9.15 Vmoto Limited

9.16 Yadea Technology Group Co. Ltd.

9.17 Yamaha Motor Company Limited

9.18 Zero Motorcycles Inc.



Chapter 10 KOL Commentary



Chapter 11 Recommendations



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cchvw3/global_electric?w=5

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

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QUINTANA ROO, Mexico, Nov. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Government of the State of Quintana Roo has been in contact with the regional U.S. Consulate General in Merida, Mexico, to open a direct dialog with the family of Taylor Meyer, who lost his life in Playa del Carmen on November 9. The purpose of this dialog is to both express our sincere condolences to the Meyer family and to offer support in quickly completing the required legal process that would grant the family access to all of the information that is currently available in the ongoing investigation into Mr. Meyer's death.

Under Mexican law, next of kin can only receive the information gathered by a police investigation after they claim the remains of the deceased and complete the required legal process. Given the sensitive nature of this process, and the family's understandable grief, the State of Quintana Roo government has offered a comprehensive plan of support for the Meyer family, which includes an offer of travel arrangements, legal counsel, and more.

The ongoing investigation has already resulted in the arrest of the principle suspect in the case and continues round-the-clock. We ask for all media and members of the industry to continue to exercise the utmost level of sensitivity in reporting the facts of the situation without unnecessary speculation, something which the Meyer family has specifically requested as well.

While we wish that this incident had never occurred, we are committed to communicating openly about the advances in the investigation to the industry and media and continuing to offer the Meyer family ongoing support during this time.

Millions of tourists safely travel to Quintana Roo for vacation every year and we are committed to the safety and satisfaction of each and every one of them. While no destination in the world is ever immune to acts of crime and tragic violence, we are committed to doing everything we can to ensuring the safety of all travelers to Quintana Roo.

SOURCE Quintana Roo Tourism Board
Washington, Nov 17 : US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said that the US appreciates the release of an American citizen by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

In a statement issued by the State Department, Pompeo said, "The US appreciates the cooperation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the embassy of Sweden in facilitating the release of an American citizen." Xinhua reported.

The DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported earlier on Friday that the country had decided to deport a US citizen detained for illegally entering the country.

The US citizen, named Bruce Byron Lowrance, was detained on Octoter 16 in the DPRK, the KCNA said, adding that during the investigation, Lowrance confessed he made the entry under the direction of the US Central Intelligence Agency.

The report did not say when Lowrance would be deported.
Beijing's tech hub Zhongguancun, dubbed China's Silicon Valley, will offer grants up to 100 million yuan (around US$14.4 million) for projects with potential for "disruptive innovation", local authorities said Friday.

The management committee of Zhongguancun will provide financial support to companies and teams that are registered within the demonstration zone and whose innovation can "lead to major revolutions in product manufacturing, organizational or commercial models, and potentially change the industry landscape," according to a guideline released Friday.

This marks Zhongguancun's latest move to stay competitive in the fast-changing high-tech sector.

Zhongguancun has more than 20,000 high-tech businesses, with 300 of them listed. The hub just opened a new park for integrated circuits, to draw more companies in the niche that is increasingly important in China's AI push.

Companies in the park enjoy strong talent support thanks to its proximity to some of China's most prestigious universities, as well as its favorable policies for foreign experts. They also benefit from a wide range of tax breaks and funding offered by the government.

The new funds will be offered on a yearly basis over five years, ranging from 2 million yuan to 10 million yuan per year to the projects selected in the program.

Projects with major breakthroughs or those that can be put into industrial production can apply for financial support under another program that can offer up to 30 million yuan per year.

A project can receive up to 100 million yuan, according to the guideline.

The management committee will also introduce an investment fund and venture capital for the selected projects as they proceed to the second or third year.
Madrid, Nov 17 : Iran's deputy foreign minister for political affairs has expressed confidence that the Persian nation can find a way around the US' sanctions regime and thereby prevent the nuclear deal from collapsing.

After meeting with Spanish authorities on Friday in Madrid, Abbas Araghchi stressed in remarks to Efe the importance of finding a channel for preserving the security accord that will facilitate continued economic investment.

A lack of banking channels for transactions is one of the main obstacles to the establishment of economic ties, which Iran had expected would be recovered as a result of the nuclear deal, reports Efe.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator said Tehran was satisfied with the political positions expressed by the European countries, including the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Federica Mogherini.

"Europe has invested a great deal politically in this deal," Araghchi said, adding that it is very important for regional security and also serves as a mechanism for conflict resolution.

He criticised the US for withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was reached in July 2015 between Iran, the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN' Security Council - China, France, Russia, the UK and the US plus Germany) and the EU and is informally known as the Iran nuclear deal.

According to Araghchi, that decision by US President Donald Trump's administration, announced in May of this year, has left it isolated from its own European allies.

Prior to Friday's meetings, Araghchi warned that the US's withdrawal from the nuclear deal and Washington's imposition of new sanctions on Iran had endangered Europe's sovereignty, credibility and security.

"It's regrettable that the US is abusing its economic and political might to impose these demands," the deputy foreign minister said before speaking with Spanish authorities about ways to maintain cooperation in the wake of the new sanctions.

Araghchi's agenda for Friday included meetings with Spain's secretary of state for foreign affairs, Fernando Valenzuela, and members of the Industry Ministry to seek responses to the challenge posed by Washington's sanctions.

Trump's attitude has caused the US to lose credibility, according to the deputy foreign minister, who said no one will trust a government that fails to comply with commitments reached by the preceding administration.

That is an "essential principle of international relations," Araghchi said, adding that "it's very unfortunate and unimaginable."

The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency said in its most recent report this month that Iran continues to adhere to the restrictions imposed on its nuclear program under the JCPOA even after the US's most recent sanctions took effect on November 5.

Trump announced on May 8 that the US would end its participation in the JCPOA and begin re-imposing sanctions on Iran.

In his remarks, Trump accused the Persian nation of being "the leading sponsor of state terror" and said the JCPOA had "allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium and, over time, reach the brink of a nuclear breakout."
Washington, Nov 17 : US President Donald Trump has told reporters that he has completed written answers to questions from Special Counsel Robert Mueller probing into the alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US elections, but has not actually turned them in.

The president said in the Oval Office that he just finished the answers personally, instead of his legal team, Xinhua news agency reported on Friday.

"I've answered them very easily," Trump said.

However, local analysts said the delay in submitting suggests that the president is still consulting with his lawyers.

Meanwhile, he accused that some questions were designed "by people who probably have bad intentions."

No comments were available from the special counsel's office and the Justice Department.

Earlier this week, Trump attacked Mueller's team in a series of tweets, accusing them of "threatening" people to cooperate in the investigation.

"The inner workings of the Mueller investigation are a total mess. They have found no collusion and have gone absolutely nuts," Trump tweeted early Thursday morning.

"They are screaming and shouting at people, horribly threatening them to come up with the answers they want," the president continued, without details or evidence.

Trump fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions and named Sessions' chief of staff Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general on November 7.

Whitaker, known to be sceptical about Mueller's investigation, is expected to oversight Mueller's Russia probe, including approval of budget decisions and subpoenas.
London, Nov 17 : British Culture Minister Michael Ellis on Friday placed an export bar on a unique watercolour painting depicting a traditional musical performance in mid-18th century Northern India.

The move will prevent the painting, considered of significant cultural interest, from being sent abroad to enable a British gallery or buyer to match the asking price of 550,000 pounds, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Trumpeters" by Nainsukh of Guler (1710-1778) is a delicate miniature work, described by experts as of a rarely found caliber. It shows seven village musicians on a terrace, striking differing poses and faces, while energetically blowing the exceptionally long Pahari horns called Turhi in the hill region of northern India.

"It is a fine example of Nainsukh of Guler's trademark gift of detailed observation and complex directional composition," said the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The artist is considered to be one of the most acclaimed of the Pahari (Hills) movement, which were a major and popular genre of Indian miniature painting during the period.

Some of his works are exhibited in public collections in Britain, including the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum.

The miniature is an example of the colour and light of India which inspired its first owner, the renowned artist Winifred Nicholson whose works have been exhibited in world leading galleries including the Tate.

Ellis said: "Nainsukh's artistic influence has been felt around the world for generations and this piece demonstrates the outstanding aesthetic importance of his work. I hope that this piece can be kept in the UK, not only for its beauty, but to help further the study of Indian art and history."
San Francisco, Nov 17 : Indian-American Thomas Kurian, former Oracle President of product development and a respected technologist, is going to head Google Cloud from early next year, the tech giant has announced.

The current CEO of Google Cloud Diane Greene will continue through January, working with Kurian to ensure a smooth transition and will remain a Director on the board of Alphabet, Google's parent company.

Hailing from Bengaluru, Kurian who worked at Oracle for 22 years reportedly quit over disagreements with Executive Chairman and CTO Larry Ellison over the future course of the company as Cloud business gets highly competitive.

"Kurian, a respected technologist and executive, will be joining Google Cloud on November 26 and transitioning into the Google Cloud leadership role in early 2019," Greene said in a statement on Friday.

According to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, under Greene's leadership, Cloud has become an incredible business built on Google's decades of investment in infrastructure, data security, and AI.

"We're really excited to welcome Thomas whose product vision, customer focus, and deep expertise will be a huge asset to our growing Cloud business," he said.

Under Greene's leadership, Google Cloud has moved from having only two significant customers and a collection of startups to having major Fortune 1,000 enterprises betting their future on Google Cloud.

"We've built a strong business together -- set up by integrating sales, marketing, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Google Apps/G Suite into what is now called Google Cloud," she noted.

Kurian said he "is excited to join the fantastic Google Cloud team at this important and promising time".

"I'm looking forward to building on the success of recent years as it enters its next phase of growth."

Kurian stepped down from Oracle in September.

A member of Oracle's Executive Committee for 13 Years, he led 35,000-people software development team in 32 countries with an R&D budget of $4 billion.

Kurian helped in the transformation of Oracle's products with introduction of leading suite of Cloud Services, led 60 software acquisitions and Oracle's 45 Cloud data centres.

His twin brother, George Kurian, is CEO of California-based Hybrid Cloud data services and data management company NetApp and a member of the Board of Directors.
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 17 : A Hindu group on Saturday called for a shutdown in Kerala following the "detention" of few religious leaders the previous night from the Sabarimala temple premises.

The most prominent among the detained on Friday night were Hindu Iykavedi (HI) President and senior BJP leader K.P. Sasikala. She was detained while proceeding towards the Lord Ayyappa shrine.

Carrying the customary holy kit 'Irumudi Kettu' on her head, Sasikala was stopped by the police near the temple. She was asked not to proceed any further as the temple had closed at 10 p.m, but Sasikala refused to do so.

She was taken into preventive custody and currently Sasikala was lodged at the Ranni police station..

Protesting their President's detendtion, the Hindu Iykavedi leaders called for the shutdown backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party state unit.

Shops and other businesses were forced to down their shutters by HI, BJP and Sangh Parivar activists.

Barring private vehicles, all other public transport vehicles stayed off the roads.

Schools and educational institutions are closed for the day.

State BJP President P.S. Sreedharan Pillai told the media in Kozhikode on Saturday that no one knew the reason why Sasikala was detained.

"Things were now becoming very clear that the Pinarayi Vijayan government here wants to destroy Sabarimala by coming out with rules that will affect the traditions of the temple. Vijayan is using the arrogance associated with power to achieve their mission and this will be strongly resisted.

"We are talking with leaders of other states and there will be a huge protest against this, not just here, but everywhere else," said Pillai.

The Sabarimala temple opened its doors at 5 p.m. on Tuesday for two months.

The temple town has witnessed protests by Hindu groups since the September 28 Supreme Court verdict that allowed women of all ages to enter the temple that hitherto banned girls and women aged between 10 and 50.

The apex court this week refused to stay its earlier verdict.
New Delhi : The World Health Organisation (WHO) celebrates World Prematurity Day every year on November 17, to put the spotlight on premature babies.

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a dynamic, time-bound disease that is not present at birth. The condition afflicts the eyes of pre-term babies that have typically received intensive neonatal care (with or without oxygen therapy) that helps to save their life, but severely affects their eye development.

The condition is characterised by the development of abnormal blood vessels in the retina of the eye, resulting in scarring and retinal detachment. ROP can be mild and may resolve spontaneously, but in serious cases, may progress rapidly and lead to blindness.

ROP typically starts only two-three weeks after birth, providing a window for screening and activating treatment at the right time, while the baby is still under neonatal care at the hospital.

ROP can, however, be treated by lasers if detected by proper retinal examination before 30 days of birth. "Tees Din Roshni Ke" (Thirty days for Vision) should become a slogan that is implemented for all pre-term babies. Inability to get the first retinal screening done effectively and on time is a huge gap that needs to be addressed. Shortage of trained personnel to deliver effective treatment at bedside for babies, especially who are still in critical care, and then the difficulties of a follow-up are some of the gaps that need to be addressed.

Image Source: IANS LUSHAN, April 23, 2013 - Yang Yan, a 20-year-old new mother, kisses her newborn son in a tent functioned as temporary hospital in quake-hit Taiping Township of Lushan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, April 23, 2013. Both mother and baby were fine. Yang and her husband Chen Wei arrived at the hospital in the early morning on Tuesday, after taking a long journey for over three hours from their home in Xingmin Village of the Taiping Township. This was the fourth day after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake jolted Lushan County on April 20. (Credit Image:

Chronic hypoxia (lack of oxygen), intrauterine growth retardation and prenatal and postnatal conditions are the most common triggers of ROP. Babies born under 34 weeks gestation and weighing less than 2,000 grams are particularly susceptible to ROP and must be screened within 20-30 days from birth.

High levels of supplemental oxygen and high carbon dioxide levels are also known to aggravate ROP. During neonatal incubation, pre-term babies are to be provided with blended oxygen, strictly controlled and monitored using pulse oximeters. Other risk factors that are associated with the condition include anemia, bradycardia (low heart rate), blood transfusions and intraventricular hemorrhage (bleeding into the brain).

The initial incubators for pre-terms were set up in Boston in 1941 and the first ROP blind baby was promptly reported in medical journals in 1942. Since then there has been a huge amount of research and understanding about risk factors and the successful management of this condition. Today we have vast knowledge to prevent ROP blindness and have successfully done that for more than 90 per cent of the babies. While many babies now get screened for ROP on time and are getting treated in many large and smaller cities of India, there are substantial gaps and hence there are still many ROP-blind and visually-affected premature babies today.

Image Source: IANS LUSHAN, April 23, 2013 - Yang Yan, a 20-year-old new mother, kisses her newborn son in a tent functioned as temporary hospital in quake-hit Taiping Township of Lushan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, April 23, 2013. Both mother and baby were fine. Yang and her husband Chen Wei arrived at the hospital in the early morning on Tuesday, after taking a long journey for over three hours from their home in Xingmin Village of the Taiping Township. This was the fourth day after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake jolted Lushan County on April 20. (Credit Image:

A very tight safety net needs to be put in place for the premature baby to retain the potentially good vision they are born with. Gaps in this aspect can result in irreversible damage and a lifetime of poor vision.

Common gaps include absence of information about ROP amongst various cadres of health-workers and parents during initial critical days; the medical curriculum of only some super-specialists including ROP; and shortage of trained personnel to deliver effective treatment for babies who are still in critical care, among others.

All pre-term children run a higher risk in development of other eye and vision-related complications later in their lives. Common afflictions include retinal detachment, myopia (near-sightedness), strabismus (crossed eyes), amblyopia (lazy eye) and glaucoma.

ROP is a potentially avoidable cause of irreversible and usually total blindness in pre-term babies. This disease has lifelong implications for afflicted children and their families. Survival is achieved because of a huge team effort by parents, the extended family, doctors, nurses and health policymakers, besides technological advances and following the well laid out processes during critical care of the new-born baby.

Image Source: Xinhua/Han Yan/IANS LONDON, May 2, 2015 - The newborn baby girl is seen outside St. Mary's Hospital in London, on May 2, 2015. The newborn baby girl made her first appearance to the public with the Duke of Cambridge and the Duchess outside St. Mary's Hospital on Saturday evening.

The WHO has highlighted ROP as a major target disease in its prevention of blindness programme, "Vision 2020: Right to Sight", to globally combat needless blindness by 2020. On this world Prematurity Day, everyone involved should think not only about "new-born survival" but also their "vision".

(Dr. Subhadra Jalali, is Director, Newborn Eye Health Alliance, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute Network, Hyderabad. The views expressed are personal. She can be reached at subhadra@lvpei.org)
New Delhi : Book: The Indian Empire At War

Author: George Morton-Jack

Publisher: Little, Brown

Pages: 582

Price: Rs 699

World War I was a long and brutal military confrontation between the major powers of the early 20th century, fought across the trenches of Europe and in large swathes of Asia and Africa, resulting in the death of millions of hapless soldiers who became unwitting pawns in the great global "game".

The four-year-long war that led to as many as 20 million dead and an equal number wounded ended on November 11, 1918, when an armistice was signed and a defeated Germany was compelled to accept closure. Over the last decade, there has been a spurt of interest among historians about the Great War; and the Indian contribution which remained relatively obscured has been brought back into focus. Undivided India, then a colony of the British Empire, contributed 1.5 million soldiers and non-combatants to this war and they served with distinction in all the major theatres. It is estimated that as many as 74,000 of them died in that war.

The book under review is among the more recent additions to this slim corpus on the Indian effort in the Great War and is both comprehensive and distinctive. As author George Morton-Jack points out, "This book is the first single narrative of it on all fronts, a global epic not only of the Indians' part in the Allied victory over the Central Powers, but also of soldiers' personal discoveries on their four-year odyssey."

Neatly divided into six major chapters, the book provides the political context, beginning with the Delhi Durbar of 1911, in a lucid introductory chapter and the manner in which Herbert Asquith, then "Britain's brandy-loving Prime Minister", declared in Parliament on August 6, 1914: "We are unsheathing our sword in a just cause."

But when they were swiftly recruited from different parts of British India to be shipped (like lambs to the slaughter) to distant lands in Europe -- for many of these young men it was their first foray outside of their villages and small townships -- they understood little of the complex politics about the War, intrigued about the "Jermuns" and, as Morton-Jack adds: "...the Indian ranks stoically suffered the Western Front's rain and mud, cruelly catapulted by the fates into a war far from home that was never their own yet winning their fair share of VCs." (As a contemporary aside, US President Donald Trump chose to avoid the rain and skip the centenary ceremony outside Paris on November 11, 2018.)

The VC (Victoria Cross) was awarded for the highest acts of gallantry in "the presence of the enemy" and this book empathetically records the incredible valour of the Indian "fauji" in the Great War. As the author recounts, in 1927, the Secretary of State at London's India Office "favourably compared the Indian infantry in France to the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae, 'those whose valour was immortal'".

However, this book is not only about the battlefield exploits of the Indian soldier but a multi-layered, rigorously researched and empathetically interpreted account of the Indian contribution to the Great War. The author's objective of shining "a more filtered light on the Indian soldiers" is luminously met.

Pictures and maps embellish the value of this book and one of the more moving is that of an Indian cavalryman sharing his food with a local woman near Baghdad. Another is of a German officer standing over the body of a dead Indian soldier -- posing for the "trophy" photograph.

Morton-Jack, to his credit, does not shy away from recording the cruel face of the colonial ruler and details the coercive methods used to recruit the reluctant tribal Indian. He notes that despite all the talk in London of "fighting the world war in defence of freedom", the unfortunate experience of the Kuki (Assam) and Marri (Baluchistan) tribesmen -- where hundreds were killed by British and Indian officers for resisting recruitment -- "revealed that as colonial rulers the British had not changed their ugliest spots of colonial control from pre-1914 days".

This is a splendid book and the author is to be commended for the manner in which he leavens the diligence of the researcher with the objectivity of the historian.

(C. Uday Bhaskar is Director, Society for Policy Studies, New Delhi. He can be reached at cudaybhaskar@spsindia.in)
Hyderabad, Nov 17 : TDP founder N.T. Rama Rao's grand-daughter N. Suhasini, who is contesting the next month's elections to Telangana Assembly, on Saturday received support from her brothers and popular Telugu actors Junior NTR and Kalyan Ram and uncle and veteran actor N. Balakrishna.

Suhasini, the daughter of late N. Harikrishna, is contesting from Kukatpally Assembly constituency in Hyderabad as a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) candidate.

Harikrishna, a leader of TDP and former minister and former MP, died in a road accident on August 29.

Balakrishna, Junior NTR and Kalyan Ram are likely to campaign for Suhasini in Kuktpally, a constituency with large chunk of 'settlers', as people from Andhra Pradesh are usually called.

Accompanied by Balakrishna, Suhasini on Saturday visited NTR Ghat here to pay tribute to her grandfather before filing her nomination.

"I am entering the public life with the blessings of my grandfather, father and uncle and I seek the support of Telugu women," she told reporters.

Balakrishna said Suhasini will be carrying forward their ideals. He appealed to people to support her the way they had been supporting TDP. He urged youth, fans and party workers to come together and ensure Suhasini's victory with a huge majority, saying this would be the best tribute they can pay to Harikrishna.

Meanwhile, junior NTR and Kalyan Ram also expressed their best wishes for their sister's victory.

They said in a joint statement that the TDP is a sacred organisation for them as their grandfather founded the party with the belief that people are god.

The young actors said that their family believes that woman should play an important role in the society. "Our sister wants to serve the people with the same spirit. We wish her all the best," they said.

The TDP, which is the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh, is contesting Telangana polls in alliance with Congress and two other parties.

Elections to 119-member Telangana Assembly are scheduled on December 7. The TDP has been allotted 14 seats under a seat sharing agreement in 'Mahakutami' or grand alliance led by Congress party.

TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu picked Suhasini as the party candidate for Kukatpally, a seat won by the party in the 2014 elections.
Srinagar, Nov 17 : Unidentified gunmen on Saturday abducted three civilians from Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, police said.

The civilians, identified as Farooq Ahmad, Shahid Ahmad and Raja, were abducted from a bakery shop in Sadpora Payeen village.

On Friday, a teenager, Nadeem Manzoor, who was also abducted from Shopian was killed in neighbouring Pulwama district, the police added.
New Delhi : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has lived up to his reputation as a Hindutva hawk. There has been no mellowing of his attitude as is common in the cases of other hardliners ascending to the seat of power. Instead, he has taken the opportunity of the authority provided by political power to tell the province and the country that Hindu symbols and signs are of overriding importance.

Hence, the concept of a huge statue of Lord Ram on the banks of the Saryu, whole-hearted support to the Ram temple movement and the erasure of Muslim names of towns.

Starting with the renaming the Mughal Sarai railway junction, familiar to countless travellers, after a person who is little known outside the Hindutva camp -- Deen Dayal Upadhyay -- the Adityanath government has been energetically engaged in changing the names of other places as well.

These include Allahabad, which has become Prayagraj, Faizabad, now Ayodhya, and Muzaffarnagar, which may soon be called Laxmi Nagar if the government accepts the suggestion to this effect by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sangeet Som, who had called the Taj Mahal a "blot" on Indian culture.

Encouraged by Adityanath, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has suggested the name of Karnavati for Ahmedabad. Not to be left behind, the BJP's ally, the Shiv Sena, has sought a time-frame for renaming Aurangabad and Osmanabad.

Hyderabad, too, is under the Hindutva scanner, for the BJP has said that if it won the assembly elections in Telangana, it will name the city as Bhagyanagar.

Although cities have been renamed in the past -- Chennai for Madras, Mumbai for Bombay, Kolkata for Calcutta -- the idea was generally to revive an old name such as the association of Madras/Chennai with a 16th century ruler, Chennappa Naicker.

Or to pay homage to a local deity, Mumbadevi, as in the case of Bombay. Or to bring a name phonetically close to the way it is locally pronounced like Kolkata.

But rarely has been a city renamed with the sole purpose of highlighting a Hindu name and snubbing Muslims.

True, the names of roads and localities (such as Clive Street or Connaught Place) associated with the British rulers were changed. But these steps were taken to do away with a colonial connection although the names of "friendly" foreigners were retained, as in the case of the Corbett National Park.

But the saffron brotherhood's present drive is motivated solely by a desire to erase all signs of Muslim heritage, presumably because of the belief that the community does not -- or at least should not -- have any place in the country.

Hence, BJP MP Vinay Katiyar's advice to Muslims living in India to go to Pakistan or Bangladesh.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP apparently hold the view that the Mughals and the Muslim rulers before them as well as their co-religionists today are basically aliens although the Mughals and the others made India their home unlike the British.

Although the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, argued at a three-day conclave in Delhi that Hindutva is incomplete without Muslims -- thereby acknowledging the country's multi-religious identity, which is the secular camp's view -- Adityanath's acts show that the case for accommodation is not accepted by the Hindutva hawks.

To them, the replacement of the signs of Muslim presence in the country is an expression of Hindu pride just as the demolition of the Babri masjid in 1992 and the Gujarat riots of 2002 were cited as instances of Hindu "awakening".

Obviously, multicultural tenets are anathema to the Hindutva brigade as they militate against the "one nation, one people, one culture" ideals of a Hindu rashtra, where the minorities will be second class citizens.

The Hindus-only tunnel-vision of the hardliners ignores the fact that India is the birthplace of four religions -- Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism -- and the home of the followers of three other faiths -- Islam, Christianity and Zoroastrianism, not to mention the animism of the tribals.

Even if the urgency of the present erasing of Muslim signs in the twilight years of Narendra Modi's government is due to the apprehension in ruling circles that the inadequacies of the government have left it with no option but to play the Hindu card with greater fervour, it is clear that the tactic has only brought to the fore the long-standing anti-minority outlook of the Sangh Parivar.

It is also self-evident that the occasional homilies of the RSS bigwigs in favour of accommodating Muslims and the lectures favouring pluralism given by prominent guest speakers before RSS cadres have little practical effect.

In contrast, the humiliating wiping out of little bits of India's past with their Muslim associations can only widen the gulf between the Hindus and the country's largest minority community even if the latter understands the crass political intent of the provocative acts, which have the support of only the BJP and other saffron outfits, and not of the Hindus in general.

As for the political saffronites, it has been a step by step process from the rewriting of history when Murli Manohar Joshi was the human resource development minister in order to present the Middle Ages as a time of constant conflict between Hindus and the "invaders", to the latest attempt to obliterate the concept of a composite culture or the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb (culture), as it is known in Uttar Pradesh.

(Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at amulyaganguli@gmail.com)
You are here: China

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has urged social media platforms to thoroughly "clean up" subscription-based accounts spreading illicit information, according to statement released Friday.

It follows a campaign launched against illegal social media activities in October, in which more than 9,800 subscription-based accounts popular on WeChat, Weibo or news portals such as Toutiao, were punished.

CAC has summoned 10 social media platforms, including those run by Baidu, Tencent and Sina, requiring them to shut down accounts that spread lewd information, pornography or rumors, or publishing illegal advertisements.

The regulator said that social media platforms should never allow punished account operators to open new accounts to continue spreading illegal information.

The administration will coordinate with other departments for closer supervision over social media platforms and harshly punish those severely violating the regulations, said a CAC official.
Mumbai, Nov 17 : In November 2012, a tigress and her two cubs began a journey from their home in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Uttar Pradesh. She had somewhat uncharacteristically left the forest. Over the next two years, this tigress is recorded to have travelled 260 km -- from the Amariya region in Pilibhit, along the Devha river, criss-crossing through the densely-populated village areas of Gularia Bithra, Khali Nawada, Bishanpur, Surajpur, Bhadsara, Dhaki, all the way up to Kanpur, where she was finally sighted in February 2014. A close-knit team comprising officials of the state's Forest Department and tiger conservators of WWF-India were on the trail of this feline family.

The sketchy story from their sightings, pug mark tracking and camera-trap images unraveled that she was accompanied by her cubs for part of the journey, negotiating past villages, through sugarcane fields and grassy landscapes. On several occasions, she would enter the forest for short durations, only to return to her new habitat. The team speculated whether she had moved out of the forest to protect her cubs from aggressive males. Months later, in September 2014, they also spotted her cubs, now sub-adults, back in Amariya, apparently living and operating independently. Not a single incident of attack on humans or livestock was recorded through this epic journey of this majestic feline and her cubs.

Recently, another nursing tigress's tryst with humans in Maharashtra's Yavatmal region did not end so peacefully. Thirteen humans had been found dead in Yavatmal's Ralegaon forest since June 2016, and Avni or T1, a six-year-old tigress with two 10-month-old cubs, was alleged to have been involved in several of these deaths.

According to a Maharashtra Forest Department official, an investigation had proved that she was responsible beyond doubt for at least two of those deaths. On November 2, this "man-eater", as she was referred to, was shot dead -- by a sharp-shooter appointed by the Forest Department -- in the Borati jungles that are under the jurisdiction of Ralegaon police, according to news reports that quoted police sources.

Defending the circumstances of Avni's death, Sunil Limaye, Maharashtra's additional principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), explained that the Pandharkawada forests house approximately seven to eight tigers. Avni and her two cubs occupied 160 square km of this forest. Over two years, based on various circumstantial evidence, the department suspected Avni and a male, T2, of having caused several human deaths. At that point, though, the evidence was not forensic.

"In August, we investigated and managed to find clear evidence of Avni being responsible for at least two of the recent killings. Based on these findings the courts ordered us to capture or kill the tigress. The death of the forest dwellers was a grave loss to their families. These people, whose livelihoods depend on the forests, feared for their lives. We followed the courts' orders and were saddened by the tigress's death. But we had no other choice," he said.

Controversies and political banter surround Avni's death today. Environment activists and animal lovers question whether the mother tigress could have been saved, or at least captured. Meanwhile, a bitter battle of words has erupted between a Union minister and a state minister, both belonging to the same political party. On Friday, November 9, media reported sources in the Maharashtra government as stating that the yet-to-be-released autopsy report "yielded clear evidence of foul play". It quoted a state government official: "The forensics clearly show that the tigress was not charging at the team, but instead going somewhere else... If she was charging at the team, she would have been shot in her face or chest, not her shoulder."

Juxtaposing this story of loss of life, both human and animal, against the epic journey of the Pilibhit tigress, raises several questions. Could Avni have been monitored like the Pilibhit tigress to avoid such a tragedy? Could locals have been better informed to control panic about a "man-eater"?

Did Avni truly turn rogue and kill people since 2016? Even as news reports on her post-mortem reveal that she had not eaten anything for at least a week, Dr. Jimmy Borah, tiger biologist and consultant at Panthera, an international organisation working on the conservation of wild cats, said: "A nursing tigress would probably only attack human beings for self-defense, if she feels her cubs are threatened. It is highly unlikely that she would choose humans as food for her cubs."

Highlighting the apathy in the investigation process, Borah said, "Tigers are very intelligent animals. They might target easy prey, like livestock and humans, if they are injured or old and weak. A healthy animal would never target humans. If the concerned tigress was suspected of killing 13 people since 2016, it should have been investigated much earlier, given the advancement in forensic tests and methods today."

He said that to safeguard the human population and in the larger interest of saving a wildlife species, it becomes imperative to "remove problem animals" sometimes. "Doing so will help in generating larger public support, especially from communities living in the fringes of protected areas and depending on the forests for their livelihood. However, identifying a problem animal is a herculean task that involves strong evidence, including forensics." He stated that if an animal is identified as a problem, the best forest departments and states can do is to ensure that standard protocols and guidelines are followed closely.

On Avni's orphaned cubs, Borah says: "The best option is to leave them alone. If they have learnt to hunt (other animals), they might probably do well. 'Rescuing' them would be pointless."

(In arrangement with Mongabay.com, a source for environmental news reporting and analysis. The views expressed in the article are those of Mongabay.com. Feedback: gopi@mongabay.com)
Port Moresby, Nov 17 : Taking a veiled swipe at the US, Chinese President Xi Jinping said here on Saturday that countries which embrace protectionism are "doomed to failure" and a trade war will have no winners.

"History has shown that in confrontation, whether in the form of a cold war, a hot war or a trade war, will produce no winners," Xi said in a speech at the Asia-Pacific Cooperation Forum (APEC) CEO summit in the Papua New Guinea capital city.

US Vice-President Mike Pence later said he was prepared to "more than double" the tariffs imposed on Chinese goods.

China and the US, the world's two largest economies, have been engaged in a tit-for-tat trade war this year. The White House said its tariffs were a response to Beijing's "unfair" trade policies.

Speaking at the event, Xi said that the world needs common rules of global governance that do not respond to selfish agendas and added that only openness as well as cooperation can bring more opportunities and create more space for development.

"Disagreements should be resolved through dialogue and consultation, rather than trying to form 'exclusive blocs' or 'impose criteria on other countries'."

Xi further said that "attempts to erect barriers and cut close economic ties work against the laws of economics and the trends of history".

"This is a short-sighted approach and it is doomed to failure," he added, warning that those who close their doors "will only cut himself off from the rest of the world and lose his direction".

But Pence -- who spoke at the forum directly after Xi -- said the tariffs were a response to the "imbalance" with China.

"The US, though, will not change course until China changes its ways," he said.

The APEC forum was founded in 1989, accounts for 59 per cent of global GDP, forms a market of 2.85 billion consumers -- around 40 per cent of the world population -- and aims to establish a free trade zone among the 21 member economies by 2020.

This year's summit hopes to speed up the implementation of a number of free-trade agreements, in the face of growing trade tensions between China and the US.

The trade dispute began when the administration of US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs worth $250 billion on imports from China and Beijing responded by imposing tariffs worth $110 billion on imports from Washington.

Pence's remarks came a day after Trump told reporters he was confident a deal between China and the US "will be made".

However, he said a number of key issues had not been included on a list for negotiation ahead of December's G20 summit in Argentina, meaning it was "not acceptable" yet to the President.
Patna, Nov 17 : Police in Bihar on Saturday started attaching properties of absconding former Minister Manju Verma after a court order in an arms case connected to the Muzaffarpur shelter home horror.

"A property attachment notice was pasted on her residence and the police began the process," Begusarai Superintendent of Police Avkash Kumar said.

Verma is facing arrest under the Arms Act following the recovery of 50 live cartridges from her residences in Patna and Begusarai during a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raid.

She has been absconding for the last three months. The Patna High Court has rejected her bail plea.

Last month a court in Begusarai had issed a warrant against here.

On Monday, the Minister's husband Chandrasekhar Verma, who had been absconding for a month, surrendered before a court after which he was sent to 14 days judicial custody in connection to the shelter home case.

Manju Verma had resigned on August 8 following allegations that Brajesh Thakur, the main accused in the Muzaffarpur case, had links to her husband.

Thankur is currently in the Muzaffarpur jail.

Of the 42 girls lodged at the short-stay home run by Thakur's NGO, 34 were found to have been sexually assaulted. The crime came to light after a social audit by the Tata Institute of Social Science, Mumbai.

The shelter home has been sealed.
Port Moresby, Nov 17 : The US, Japan and Australia will boost infrastructure investment in the developing nations of the Indo-Pacific to counter China's growing influence in the region, the countries announced in a joint statement on Saturday.

"The Trilateral Partnership intends to consult with governments of Indo-Pacific countries, including Papua New Guinea, to identify infrastructure projects for potential development and financing," said the statement cited by Efe news.

US Vice-President Mike Pence, Japanese and Australian Prime Ministers Shinzo Abe and Scott Morrison met at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea.

During the summit, which was also attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the three countries also sought private sector partners for implementation of their infrastructure plans in the region, where China has invested heavily in the last few years.

"These announcements, together with the underlying MoU, represent a substantial new commitment from Australia, Japan and the US to the economic development of the Indo-Pacific through principles-based, sustainable investment in infrastructure," the statement said.

"The Trilateral Partnership intends to work with governments of the Indo-Pacific to support and encourage infrastructure projects that adhere to international standards and principles for development including openness, transparency and fiscal sustainability.

"This approach will help to meet the region's genuine needs while avoiding unsustainable debt burdens for the nations of the region," the statement added.

In a speech earlier on Saturday, Pence had slammed China's opaque cheque book diplomacy of providing soft loans and investments in developing countries to cement its influence.

Pence said infrastructure projects anchored by China in developing countries were of low quality and often led to overwhelming debt.
Panaji, Nov 17 : Former Defence Minister and current Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is suffering from pancreatic cancer, knows a "whole lot of things" about the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said on Saturday.

Asked to substantiate an allegation levelled by state Congress President Girish Chodankar that the BJP national leadership had not been able to replace the ailing Parrikar as CM because the latter knew "dirty secrets" about the Rafale deal, Surjewala said as the Defence Minister when the deal was being worked out, Parrikar "knows a whole lot of things".

"He (Parrikar) had refused to endorse the completely conspiratorial decision to enrich Dassault Aviation at the cost of state exchequer," he said, adding: "Now that the facts are out in the open, questions should be asked to Parrikar and Narendra Modi."

The Congress has been demanding the resignation of Parrikar as the Chief Minister on account of his ill health. Chodankar has repeatedly claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s national President Amit Shah and PM Narendra Modi were unable to get Parrikar to resign, as the former Defence Minister knew several secrets linked to the Rafale deal.

The All India Congress Committee in-charge of Communications, who was in Goa to address a press conference, also alleged that Parrikar had on several occasions resisted the Prime Minister's attempts to inflate the benchmark price for purchase of Rafale jets from France's Dassault Aviation.

Surjewala said Parrikar, as well as the Defence Acquisition Council, which comprises the Defence Minister and the three service chiefs, had refused to endorse the increase in the benchmark price for the fighter aircraft from 5.2 billion euros to 9.2 billion euros, but Modi had powered through with the deal on his own.

"The file was sent to Parrikar. He refused to endorse the higher price of 8.2 billion euros. He took it to Defence Acquisition Council which was then headed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and the three service chiefs. They also refused to endorse the increase of three billion euros," he claimed.

"Finally, the file was sent, as it is, to the CCS (Cabinet Committee on Security) headed by PM. PM Modi there ensured that the benchmark price was increased by 3 billion euros or Rs 23,000 crore. Why did he do so against the advice of his own Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar?" Surjewala said.

Parrikar served as the Defence Minister from 2014-17.
Lucknow, Nov 17 : Three persons were killed in Ayodhya district of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday when the driver of their vehicle lost control and it turned turtle, police said.

The vehicle was carrying pilgrims who were returning to Barabanki from Ayodhya after performing the 14-kosi "Parikrama", according to the police.

Over a dozen people have been injured in the accident of which three are critical and have been admitted to a local medical facility. The critically wounded have been rushed to the Trauma Centre at King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow.

The deceased belonged to Dariyabad in Barabanki.
New Delhi : Lucknow, Nov 17 (IAN) Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Saturday visited the headquarters of the Central Command and the 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre at Lucknow, an official spokesman said.

He arrived in the state capital on Friday to attend the "Uttarakhand Mahotsava", which was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Rawat was briefed by Lieutenant General Abhay Krishna, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Command, on various operational and administrative aspects.

General Rawat expressed satisfaction on the efforts being made to ensure capability enhancement and operational effectiveness of the forces and development of infrastructure in the central sector, the official said.

He conveyed his appreciation to the Surya Command for achieving a high degree of operational preparedness.

During his visit he also attended "Welfare Association Meet" held at 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre.
New Delhi, Nov 17 : Delhi University top officials are tight-lipped, but Delhi Police have confirmed receiving communication from the university saying that it has expelled Ankiv Baisoya after he was found guilty of faking his educational certificates.

"We got the information from Delhi University that his (Baisoya) admission has been cancelled. We wrote to the university asking them to send us a verification report that they got from the Thiruvalluvar University and told them to lodge a proper complaint so that we can proceed further," a senior police officer said.

"We sent the letter to the Registrar the same day. We got the letter in the evening on November 15, the day Baisoya's admission was cancelled," the officer told IANS.

He said he was forwarded the letter sent to the Registrar by the head of the Buddist Department where Baisoya was admitted.

Sources said the police was informed of the cancellation after the university got a letter from the Thiruvalluvar University Registrar confirming that Baisoya was never a student of that university.

Delhi University Registrar Tarun Das and Proctor Neeta Sehgal could not be contacted for confirmation.

Baisoya, who was elected as the DU students union President two months back, said on Facebook on November 15, the day he was expelled, that he was resigning his post.

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student group to which he belonged, too, suspended Baisoya on November 15, asking him to step down from the DUSU post.

Baisoya has been expelled for submitting fake documents from Thiruvalluvar University at Vellore in Tamil Nadu to secure admission in Delhi University where he was a student of Buddhist Studies.
Santiago De Compostela (Spain), Nov 17 : The Spanish police arrested 11 people and seized 650 kg cocaine in an operation against an international drug trafficking network, authorities said on Saturday.

With the help of the US Drug Enforcement Administration and Colombia's Technical Investigation Team (CTI), the police managed to track down and monitor a safe house used by the alleged criminal network in the northwestern province of Galicia, Efe news reported.

The police seized over half a tonne of cocaine during a raid on the property as well as the vehicle allegedly used by the dealers to distribute the substance around Spain.

Six suspects were detained in Galicia and another five were arrested in Madrid.

The Spanish police received a tip-off from the CTI after Colombian investigators learned that several of the Galician suspects were allegedly negotiating drug deals in Colombia.
New Delhi, Nov 17 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday filed a fresh chargesheet against two people for smuggling high-quality fake Indian currency notes (FICN) in 2015.

NIA filed the third supplementary chargesheet against Saddam Hossain, 24, a resident of Kamrup district in Assam, and Syed Imran, 27, of Mandya district in Karnataka before the Special Court in Vijayawada.

NIA has charged them under Sections 489B (using as genuine, forged or counterfeit currency notes or bank notes), 489C (possession of forged or counterfeit currency notes or bank notes) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and various provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

The case relates to the seizure of high-quality fake currency notes of face value Rs 5,01,500 by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in Vizag from the possession of Saddam Hossain while he was returning from Malda in Guwahati-Bangalore Super-fast Express on September 21, 2015.

NIA had earlier filed two chargesheets naming Saddam Hossain, Amirul Hoque, Roustam alias Rustam SK and Mohammed Hakim.

The NIA alleged that the accused had hatched a criminal conspiracy with the intention to threaten the monetary stability of the country by procuring and circulating high- quality fake Indian currency notes.
Tehran, Nov 17 : The Iranian Interior Ministry announced on Saturday that the country's security forces are ready for anti-terror operations on Pakistani territory.

To guarantee the security of common borders, Tehran is prepared for counter-terrorism operations on Pakistani land under the supervision of the Pakistani forces, Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency.

The minister made the remarks in response to the abduction of 14 Iranian border guards by a Pakistan-based Iranian Sunni rebel group in October.

Iran has refrained from any operation against the terrorists on the other side of its border with Pakistan so far, the Iranian minister said.

"It is because we wanted to respect Pakistan's sovereignty."

Fazli said that Iran expected the Pakistani government to enhance security measures along the common borders.

A total of 14 Iranian border guards were kidnapped by the extremist group, Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice), in Mirjaveh border point in Iran's southeastern Sistan and Balochistan province on October 16 and were transferred to Pakistani territory.

On Thursday, five of the abducted border guards were freed in Pakistan.
New Delhi/Jaipur, Nov 17 : The Rajasthan Congress on Saturday suspended party leader Spardha Chaudhary after she accused state party chief Sachin Pilot of taking money for ticket distribution.

Livid at being denied a ticket despite assurances from the party for fielding her from Phulera, Chaudhary accused Pilot of irregularities in ticket distribution while her supporters staged a demonstration outside Congress President Rahul Gandhi's residence in the national capital.

She has been suspended from the party for six years on grounds of indiscipline, said a party source.

The Congress, which released its second candidate list, fielded Vidyadhar Choudhary from Phuelra.

The 200-member Rajasthan assembly goes to the polls on December 7.
New Delhi, Nov 17 : Faced with complaints from institutes, the University Grants Commission has revamped its grievance regulations with "improvements" and will soon be putting a new version to public for feedback, which will include revised norms for appointment of an ombudsman, a top UGC official has said.

As per the UGC (Grievance Redressal) Regulations 2012, all higher education institutes are required to appoint an ombudsman for redressing grievances of students. But a superficial survey reveals that none of the central universities, at least in Delhi, has this figure to arbitrate as an impartial authority, or if they have, they have been appointed against the eligibility criteria.

"We are suggesting new procedure for resolving the grievances and how ombudsman will come in the process at the third or fourth level and what will be the guidelines regarding appointment of Ombudsman. They are also being revised," UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain told IANS.

Asked why the commission has failed in making institutes appoint the Ombudsman, Jain said: "We had been pressing institutions for having an ombudsman, but there were problems which were mentioned by these institutions... so now all the implementation-related problems will be taken care of in the new regulation."

He, however, did not say what these complaints were or pertained to what aspect of the appointment criteria.

The 2012 regulation stipulate that the Ombudsman shall be "a person who has been a judge not below the rank of a District Judge or a retired professor who has at least 10 years' experience as professor".

In a clear violation of the regulation, Jawaharlal Nehru University has appointed as Ombudsman its own Rector and a professor at the university, who is charged with hearing grievances of only faculty members and not of students at that.

Although Delhi University and Jamia Milia Islamia, both central universities, have a grievance cell or committee, but no Ombudsmen -- the authority provisioned for in the regulation to hear grievances of students after they have "availed of remedies available in such institutions for redress of grievance".

Documents accessed by IANS reveal that a portion of the blame for universities' inability in appointing Ombudsman can be laid at the UGC's door. TERI University, a deemed to be university, wrote at least thrice during 2016-17 to UGC's then Secretary for a panel of names to choose an Ombudsman from, but failed to get any response.

"As per the UGC notification ... deemed to be universities are required to appoint an Ombudsman for redressing grievances of students. It is requested that the panel of names recommended by search committee be intimated to the University for appointment of a Ombudsman on part-time basis," read one of the three letters written to UGC by the TERI University Registrar in April 2016, to be followed by more in February and July the next year.

The regulation stipulate that Ombudsman will be chosen from a panel of three names recommended by the search committee composed of five people including UGC Chairman and one Vice Chancellor of a central university.

That the grievance redress mechanism suggested by the apex funding body for the universities is not working can be realised from the fact that it has admitted to being swamped "with sheer volume of complaints" from students over various issues among them non-refund of fees and retention of original certificates.

Jain said that the draft of the new regulation is ready and will be put on the Commission's website for public's feedback once the minutes are finalised. He said the UGC is likely to do that within 10 days.

(Vishal Narayan can be contacted at vishal.n@ians.in)
New Delhi, Nov 17 : The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and other trade unions on Saturday opposed the idea of the Central government to reimburse employers who grant maternity benefits to their female employees.

"The AITUC and all other trade unions are opposed to the idea of the government paying incentives to employers for implementing laws enacted by the government and using either the tax-payers' money or workers' welfare fund for such incentives," the AITUC said in a statement.

The statement said that the Ministry of Labour and Employment had called all the central trade unions on November 14 for consultation with the stakeholders on the proposed scheme.

Although the government has denied using any welfare cess fund, such a proposal was discussed in the 28th meeting of the Standing Committee, the Trade Union Congress said, adding that the government is not speaking the truth even about the sources of funds for this scheme meant to reward the lawbreakers.
Chennai, Nov 17 : In a sudden turn of events, two workers unions in Indias second largest car maker Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) are exploring the possibility of putting a united front before the management for settlement of wage agreement, said the union officials.

On Sunday, leaders of the two unions A United Union of Hyundai Employees (UUHE) and Hyundai Motor India Employees Union (HMIEU) A will have preliminary talks to reach a common ground.

Leaders of both the unions told IANS that they are not seeing much progress in the wage talks with the management and decided to explore the options for a joint front.

"We are hopeful of concluding the wage negotiations by this December. The earlier three-year agreement ended on March 31, 2018. We have submitted our Charter of Demands," C.Chinnathambi, General Secretary, UUHE told IANS.

He said UUHE had given its charter of demands to HMIL management soon after the old wage agreement got over. The HMIEU, too, had submitted its Charter of Demand through the labour commissioner office and negotiations are to happen there.

"The company management has told the labour commissioner that they are negotiating with the majority union (UUHE) in the company," S.Gowrisankar, General Secretary, HMIEU told IANS.

Gowrisankar said UUHE is also feeling there is not much of a progress in wage talks with HMIL management.

The joint front on wage negotiations seems to have a link to the elections that were held for the worker/employee cooperative society in HMIL. Despite being a minority union, most of the candidates of HMIEU won the elections held for the cooperative society.

"The conciliation is pending in the Deputy Commissoner of Labour office. The company has not filed any written counter," E. Muthukumar, President, HMIEU told IANS.

Muthukumar said the union wants worker's wages which are comparable with those of Hyundai workers in South Korea. He said HMIEU does not want to strike work and the issues are to be sorted amicably.

For a long time since HMIL started production at its Irungattukottai near here, it had only one worker's union, HMIEU.

HMIL had refused to recognise HMIEU on the ground that the company has a works committee to take care of workers' issues.

As the committee has no legal standing, workers started a registered trade union which was affiliated to the Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the trade union arm of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).

However HMIL management wanted apolitical union. The UUHE has a membership base of 2,062 and HMIEU has 201 members.

The factory has seen lot of labour trouble. However in 2011 the UUHE was formed with most of workers joining it and the management according it the recognition.
Hyderabad, Nov 17 : Pune police on Saturday arrested Maoist ideologue Varavara Rao here for his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A police team from Pune arrested the revolutionary writer after searching his house and took him to Pune on a transit warrant.

The arrest was made after his extended house arrest came to an end.

The police took the action a day after the Hyderabad High Court refused to set aside the transit remand order issued by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Hyderabad, on August 28 facilitating the Maharashtra Police to take Rao to Pune.

The police had arrested Varavara Rao on August 28 and taken him to Pune. The same day Pune police had conducted raids on some other activists across the country for their alleged links with Maoists.

The Supreme Court had directed the police to keep the activists under house arrest. Following the apex court order, Varavara Rao was brought back and kept under house arrest.
Buenos Aires, Nov 18 : Argentine Defence Minister Oscar Aguad on Saturday admitted that the government lacks the means to refloat the ARA San Juan submarine, which was found this morning in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean a year after it disappeared, and said the next steps will be to gather all the information possible and consider what to do.

"I'd say no, we don't have the means. We don't have the undersea equipment. Nor do we have ROVs (remotely operated underwater vehicles) that can reach those depths. Nor do we have the equipment to haul up a ship of this kind," Aguad told a press conference in Buenos Aires, reports Efe.

For his part, navy Chief of Staff Jose Luis Villan said that refloating the sub, as the families of the crew members demand, has two limits: the legal one, since it is the judge investigating what happened to the ARA San Juan who must decide exactly when the wreck can be removed, and the other is the technical one.

"When we originally asked the company (Ocean Infinity, put in charge of the search two months ago), its people said that while they had some clues, they had neither the exact location nor the exact depth nor the exact mass of the ship that would have to be refloated," and asked for "prudence" since they only had preliminary information, Villan said.

Aguad said the next steps are to get all the documentation in the hands of the US company to study it and "see what to do," adding that the government wants to discover the truth and do the right thing, since everyone, but mostly the families "of the 44 heroes," need to know what happened.

For months a court has attempted to determine what really went wrong with the submarine, as did the navy and an investigative commission in Congress.

The navy, which confirmed that the place the sub imploded at some 500km (300 miles) off the coast in an area of undersea canyons about 900 meters (3,000 feet) deep, coincides with the area from which the commander of the ARA San Juan communicated with those onshore for the last time on Nov. 15, 2017.

"All the ships (at the beginning of the search in 2017) concentrated on this area since there was almost no doubt about the submarine's route because of its last contact with those onshore and because of the place an explosion was reported," Aguad said.

He said they were notified last Thursday night that the company had reviewed all the maps it had and found the point of interest.

"The company said it was ordered to return to the spot where a promising sighting was made," Aguad said, adding that it was last night at midnight when naval authorities confirmed that the image was the missing submarine.
Moscow, Nov 18 : At least 18 Syrian servicemen were killed in an attack by militants in the Syrian province of Latakia, the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation said on Saturday.

Illegal armed formations attacked outskirts of the cities of Aleppo and Hama, as well as the localities of Tall Alush in Aleppo province and Safsara in Latakia province over the past day, the center said in a statement published by the Russian Defence Ministry.

"As a result of the attack in Safsara in Latakia province, 18 Syrian servicemen were killed and one Syrian serviceman was wounded," it said, Xinhua news agency reported.

The center called on leaders of the militants in the Idlib de-escalation zone to cease hostilities and move toward a peaceful settlement.

Meanwhile, humanitarian missions were carried out during this period, with 450 food sets distributed among residents in a settlement in the Dei ez-Zor province and a ton of bread sent to a district to the south of Aleppo, it said.

The center has so far carried out a total of 1994 humanitarian actions, delivering 3124.2 tons of aid to Syrian residents.
Salin is the media solution company which provides new Media Platform, EpicLive.

The social TV platform provider Salin (http://www.salin.co.kr) has partnered with local companies specializing in content production to create a new market for VR content. The company is known for the development of EpicLive, the first broadcasting solution in Korea that enables users to watch TV while chatting with their friends in virtual reality.

Last September, Salin signed an agreement with FreecN (http://www.freecn.tv), a subsidiary company of the live streaming platform Afreeca TV, on joint planning and production of VR content. Under this partnership, the two companies will jointly produce VR content on various topics such as travel, sports, and games. The newly created content will be introduced by FreecNs broadcasting jockeys (BJs) in the FreecN Theater of EpicLive, the social TV platform developed by Salin. In EpicLive, the BJs can broadcast content by taking the form of avatars instead of appearing as themselves. Also, the viewers can invite their friends to streaming sessions and chat with them while enjoying the content.

As a content creating group that identifies promising BJs in various areas such as education, current affairs, beauty, fashion, health, kids, and hobbies, FreecN is actively involved in content production and the development of on- and off-line programs. The two companies have agreed to cooperate in not only content creation, but also the fostering of professional BJs and joint marketing of VR content.

In addition, Salin signed a memorandum of understanding with ComixV (http://www.comixv.com/en), a company that produces VR comics for Korean, English, and Japanese readers, on the joint development of social VR web cartoon technology and the distribution of VR web cartoons to the Japanese market. ComixV has secured more than 70 types of content within a year of its launch, and is known as the worlds largest provider of VR web cartoons, with content regularly updated at least once a week. Meanwhile, Salin, as one of the winners of the prestigious SoftBank Innovation Program, has access to the VR content market in Japan and around the world.

The two companies plan to create social VR web cartoons, which are online comics enjoyed as a group rather than alone, and expect to accelerate developments in both the VR industry and web cartoon industry. In particular, VR web cartoons can be supplied at relatively low cost compared to other types of VR content, and this will address the shortage of content on VR platforms.

Jason Kim, the founder of Salin, said, Besides allowing viewers to enjoy content with their friends, EpicLive can derive new content through interactions between BJs and their fans, and present new VR-based web cartoons, all thanks to the partnership with FreecN and ComixV. We will expand collaborative efforts to Japan and across Asia, so as to emerge as a key player of the VR content market.

About Salin

Salin Co., Ltd. is the media solution company which provides new Media Platform, EpicLive. EpicLive is a VR Social TV Platform. You can invite your friends into a virtual space to chat with each other while watching 2D, 180/ 360  LIVE/VOD. EpicLive is an E2E solution that provides video ingestion, transcoding, streaming, virtual space and avatar management, and VR App. Companies that produce and distribute content can provide VR TV services through EpicLive platform.
A Time For Angels will again be held at St. Olaf Lutheran Church located at 239 North 11th Street in Fort Dodge, Iowa on Sunday, December 2nd at 1:30 pm. This year is the 20th Anniversary of the annually sponsored event by Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

Speakers Rev. Leonard Halvorson with St. Olaf Lutheran Church & Monsignor Kevin McCoy with Holy Trinity Parish assist with the program. During the service, names of those being remembered are read and their family are presented with an angel ornament to take home as a keepsake.

This is the 20th year for the annual remembrance service and has grown to over 1,000 angels provided to the families of those remembered. Each year a new angel is specifically designed for the event. A Christmas Tree displaying all 20 years of Angels is on display at Gunderson Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

An addition this year will be at the beginning of the program with a candle lighting. Lights will be dimmed and everyone attending will be given a candle that they will be asked to light during a special part of the reading and during the opening song.

Phil Gunderson, funeral director and owner of Gunderson Funeral Home, said, We recognize that grief has no timeline, therefore the event is open to anyone and everyone in the community who has experienced the loss of a loved one. Many times, it takes a year or more for people to feel comfortable attending, so we welcome them at any time. Invitations are sent to the families Gunderson Funeral Home & Cremation Services has served in the past year. However, it is an event open to the community as well."

For all that have lost a loved one and would like to attend, they are encouraged to do so. Additional names to be remembered can be added by registering online on at Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services Facebook page.

Gunderson Funeral Home & Cremation Services has been serving the Fort Dodge community and area for over 50 years. Located at 1615 North 15th Street, Fort Dodge, IA. Additional information is available by calling (515) 576-7128 and visiting http://www.gundersonfuneralhome.com. Follow them on Facebook, Google and LinkedIn
Jay M. Atkinson is CEO of AIS Network For the last six years, VITA has trusted AISN to provide state agencies with the mission-critical security, infrastructure services, hosting and application development upon which they now depend to serve Virginia citizens.

AIS Network today announced that the Commonwealth of Virginia has selected Unisys and its team, including AIS Network, to provide server, storage and data center services under a contract valued at $242.4 million over 6 years.

AISN is a leader in data center managed services and information security as well as an award-winning application developer and secure IT managed services expert. For 25 years, it has served large commercial businesses as well as local, state and federal government, including the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The scope of the contract, which was recently signed with the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA), includes assuming all services for server-based compute, storage and facilities, including operations and maintenance of the Commonwealth Enterprise Solutions Center data center facility.

Other areas of scope involve ensuring the integrity of disaster recovery services; mitigating risk and documenting the services environment; evolving the current environment to improve performance and efficiencies; providing services that are flexible, rapidly provisioned, cost effective and transparent; providing detailed plans for any migrations, transformations, new or enhanced technology adoption; and providing new data center services to meet the future needs of VITA and VITA agency customers.

For the last six years, VITA has trusted AISN to provide state agencies with the mission-critical security, infrastructure services, hosting and application development upon which they now depend to serve Virginia citizens," said AISN CEO Jay Atkinson.

We have a unique understanding of the Commonwealths security, governance, compliance and auditing procedures and controls. We are proud to join our esteemed colleagues at Unisys as we continue working with the Commonwealth to ensure that VITA and its agency customers have expanded choices, service transparency and flexibility. Together, we will give them the ability to move to the cloud in a way that best meets each agencys security and business needs, while also achieving substantial efficiency gains and controlling overall costs.

Based in Virginia, AISN is a SWaM-certified small business (#723554) and the preeminent eGov provider for the Commonwealth of Virginia. AISNs multiple Virginia contract vehicles make Virginia government IT purchasing easy for public procurement professionals throughout the commonwealth and across the country. They include fixed price, deliverables-based application development, information security and infrastructure services under the CAI Virginia IT Contingent Labor Contract Statement of Work (SOW); VA-120416-AISN Hosting Services; and VA-120413-BPI Web Applications Maintenance and Operations.

Executive branch agencies, counties, cities, towns, schools and all other public entities throughout the commonwealth and the nation can use AISN as a one-stop shop for information security services, infrastructure management, and to build, host, operate and maintain their mission-critical applications, websites, portals, databases and more.

About AIS Network

AIS Network is a Virginia SWaM-certified leader in advanced information security, award-winning application development and cloud solutions with a wide footprint in Virginia state and local government. Solving complex IT challenges and managing digital risk to help clients thrive in an unpredictable world has been our core business for more than 25 years. As the trusted and reliable partner of the Commonwealth of Virginia since 2012, we drive exceptional value through our deep knowledge of state agency data protection, compliance, governance and internal auditing procedures and controls. Our unmatched customer experience is rooted in decades of expertise engaging with Forbes- and Fortune-ranked global corporations, government agencies and other large enterprise clients to deliver these solutions in addition to multi-cloud managed services for the worlds leading platforms, data visualization and analytics, high security hosting and consultative reviews. Visit http://www.aisn.net.
Seals continued growth, once again recognized by Deloitte, underscores our technical innovation and commitment to digital transformation that helps companies adapt by optimizing key business processes, defining new revenue opportunities and reducing procurement spend. Ulf Zetterberg, CEO

Seal Software, the leader in contract discovery and analytics, today announced the company has been named to the Deloittes Technology Fast 500 for a third consecutive year. The list is a ranking of the 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and energy tech companies in North America. Seal was named the 64th fastest growing tech company in the San Francisco Bay Area, and 337th overall with 239 percent year-over-year growth.

Seal Software is the dominant player in the contract discovery and analytics market. It applies artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technology to automatically find, analyze and report on the entire contract corpus of the enterprise. These contractual insights, which would normally require tedious hours of manual work by expert legal teams to unearth, can be used to identify hidden revenue streams, improve business efficiency and build intelligence around the data already available to an organization.

Seal Software CEO and Co-founder Ulf Zetterberg said, The race is on as companies compete to survive in an ever-evolving digital era, and it is evident that only those who keep up will thrive. Seals continued growth, once again recognized by Deloitte, underscores our technical innovation and commitment to digital transformation that helps companies adapt by optimizing key business processes, defining new revenue opportunities and reducing procurement spend.

The Fast 500 list caps a year in which Seal Software began a close global partnership with DocuSign in support of the companys Systems of Agreement platform that accelerates preparation, signing, enactment and management of digital transaction services.

News also came that the company secured a $30 million investment from Toba Capital, its principal investor, and acquired Apogee Legal, a contract analytics firm with formidable legal domain expertise, as it looks to complement core capabilities in the legal field and expand it into other relevant verticals including financial services, healthcare, and life sciences. Seal now has more than 250 employees including 30 on-staff lawyers.

Congratulations to the Deloitte 2018 Technology Fast 500 winners on this impressive achievement, said Sandra Shirai, vice chairman, Deloitte LLP, and U.S. technology, media and telecommunications leader. These companies are innovators who have converted their disruptive ideas into products, services and experiences that can captivate new customers and drive remarkable growth.

Software, which accounts for nearly two of every three companies on the list, continues to produce some of the most exciting technologies of the 21st century, including innovations in artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and robotics, said Mohana Dissanayake, partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP, and Industry Leader for technology, media and telecommunications, within Deloittes audit and assurance practice. This years ranking demonstrates what is likely a national phenomenon, where many companies from all parts of America are transforming the way we do business by combining breakthrough research and development, entrepreneurship and rapid growth.

About Deloittes 2018 Technology Fast 500

Deloittes Technology Fast 500 provides a ranking of the fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and energy tech companies  both public and private  in North America. Technology Fast 500 award winners are selected based on percentage fiscal year revenue growth from 2014 to 2017.

In order to be eligible for Technology Fast 500 recognition, companies must own proprietary intellectual property or technology that is sold to customers in products that contribute to a majority of the company's operating revenues. Companies must have base-year operating revenues of at least $50,000 USD, and current-year operating revenues of at least $5 million USD. Additionally, companies must be in business for a minimum of four years and be headquartered within North America.

About Seal Software

Seal Software is the leading provider of contract discovery, data extraction and analytics. With Seals machine learning and NLP technologies, companies can find contracts of any file type across their networks, quickly understand what risks or opportunities are hidden in their contracts and place them in a centralized repository. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seal empowers enterprises around the world to maximize revenue opportunities, reduce costs, and mitigate risks associated with contractual documents, systems, and processes. For more information, visit Seal Software at seal-software.com.

About Deloitte

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee (DTTL), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as Deloitte Global) does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the Deloitte name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see http://www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.

Seal Software is a trademark or registered trademark of Seal Software, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other marks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.
On Tuesday, November 13, 2018, the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a ruling in the case of State v. Eileen Cassidy (A-58-16) (078390) that may allow as many as 20,667 individuals convicted of DWI to challenge their convictions. The ruling is the result of the courts determination that New Jersey State Police Sergeant Marc Denniss mishandling of Alcotest breath test devices raises substantial doubts about the reliability of arrestees breath test results.

The NJ Supreme Courts decision applies to DWI convictions resulting from arrests in Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset, and Union Counties during the period from 2008 through 2016, although Ron Helmer of Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A. believes that individuals convicted in other counties could potentially be impacted as well. Helmer believes the decision could also impact individuals with subsequent DWI convictions as well as non-DWI convictions related to their prior DWI arrests, such as driving on a suspended license. According to court papers, individuals impacted by the courts decision should receive notification of their right to challenge their convictions from state authorities; however, those who believe they may be eligible for relief do not need to wait to take legal action.

According to news reports, Sergeant Dennis is, accused of lying on official documents about performing a legally required temperature check while calibrating just three machines, known as Alcotest devices, which gauge the blood-alcohol level of accused drunken drivers . . . . The accusations call into question any test result involving a machine Dennis handled. Despite state authorities claims that the temperature check was redundant and would not have impacted the Alcotests reliability, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that all test results obtained from the mishandled devices are now legally inadmissible in court.

According to the Supreme Courts written opinion, the decision does not mean that all DWI convictions from 2008 through 2016 in the relevant counties will be vacated immediately. Instead, individuals convicted during this time period will need to file formal challenges in court and demonstrate that the admission of their breath test results led to their convictions. Individuals who were convicted based on other evidence (such as the arresting officers observations during their traffic stop) will not be eligible for relief.

For those who are eligible, the Supreme Courts decision is a significant development, Helmer said. In New Jersey, DWI convictions are not eligible for expungement, and a DWI can have far-reaching implications from the cost of car insurance to the ability to pursue certain employment opportunities. As a result, even those who have fully served their sentences should still consult with an attorney about seeking to have their convictions overturned, Helmer explained.

What Individuals Who are Affected by the New Jersey Supreme Courts Decision Can Do

All individuals who are interested in finding out if they are eligible to challenge their DWI convictions as a result of the NJ Supreme Courts decision should seek legal representation promptly, Helmer states. With the potential for thousands of cases to be filed, acting quickly may provide the best chance to secure an efficient outcome.

About Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A.

Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A. is a full-service New Jersey law firm with more than 80 attorneys and staff members and 15 office locations statewide. The firms defense attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience representing clients in New Jerseys superior, county and municipal courts.


After completing the DNR Trilogy, author Don W. Hill, M.D was not initially inclined to yet again pick up pen and paper to craft a new work of fiction. However, when co-author Tom Cavaretta presented a fundamentally challenging query as to whether or not human vampirism was theoretically possible, Hill was compelled to get on board with the Vampiro series.

The first of the serial fiction, Vampiro  Volume I: The Night Crawler Protocol (published by Archway Publishing), presents the concept of human vampirism as a horizontally transmissible infectious disease. If, after all, vampirism is well recognized in a humble lesser mammal commonly known as the vampire bat, could vampirism also possibly appear as a consequence to an infectious disease process in higher primates? the authors ponder.

After a foolish man commits an egregious violation during a spiritual cleansing ritual known as the Huevo Limpia ceremony, the malignant disease of human vampirism is reincarnated in the lower Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico after several years of dormancy. A curandera (folk healer) named Lorena is forced to flee across the Mexican border with a 5-year-old named Nathan who is in peril. Nathans father, Blake Barker, is becoming a lethal vampire and the boy is now hunted  as is Lorena when she takes the child into her care and fights the outbreak destined to destroy her home and people.

In this work of fiction, vampirism is presented as an unfortunate disease process, not as an evil per se. Those infected with the disease in the Vampiro series are presented as characters who, like all people, demonstrate good and bad behavior, bravery and fear. For more details, readers may visit https://www.amazon.com/Vampiro-I-Night-Crawler-Protocol/dp/1480870218.

Vampiro

By Don W. Hill, M.D. and Tom Cavaretta

Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 308 pages | ISBN 9781480870208

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 308 pages | ISBN 9781480870215

E-Book | 308 pages | ISBN 9781480870192

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

A native of Houston, Don W. Hill, M.D., FACP graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, in 1978. After completing his medical school training at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston in 1982, Hill did his postgraduate training in internal medicine, hematology and oncology at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque in 1987. A fellow of the American College of Physicians, Hill is a published scholar but Vampiro is only his second attempt at serial fiction after completing three volumes of The DNR Trilogy.

A native of New York City, Tom Cavaretta moved to El Paso, Texas, with his family when he was only 2 years old. The coauthor the Vampiro series learned to love the desert and he became an avid outdoor sportsman before graduating with a BBS in marketing from the University of Texas in Austin. After completing his undergraduate work, Cavaretta returned to the southwest desert and graduated with an MBA from the University of Texas at El Paso. Currently married with two sons and now living in Phoenix, Arizona, this co-author has worked in the complex technological field of hematology and oncology biotherapeutics for more than a quarter of a century.

Simon & Schuster, a company with nearly ninety years of publishing experience, has teamed up with Author Solutions, LLC, the leading self-publishing company worldwide, to create Archway Publishing. With unique resources to support books of all kind, Archway Publishing offers a specialized approach to help every author reach his or her desired audience. For more information, visit archwaypublishing.com or call 888-242-5904.
PBM is a natural fit for our growing portfolio of B2B titles, events and marketing solutions, said Adam Reinebach, CEO of BridgeTower. Our businesses have a shared mission to connect and inform the business communities that we serve.

Progressive Business Media (PBM) today announced it is being acquired by BridgeTower Media (BridgeTower), the premier provider of business information, research, events and marketing solutions in more than 20 local and regional markets across the U.S. As part of the transaction, PBMs leading magazines, events and industry research services will be integrated into BridgeTowers growing B2B portfolio. Financial terms were not disclosed.

PBM was formed by CEO Matthew Slaine and includes a roll up of home furnishings and gift trade media brands and related sub-brands, including: Furniture Today, Home Accents Today, Designers Today, Casual Living, Exterior Design, Gifts and Decorative Accessories, HFN, and Home Textiles Today.

Based in Minneapolis, BridgeTowers products and services capture the attention of affluent, high-level decision-makers in the business, legal, construction, legislative and B2B retail markets. The transaction with PBM is BridgeTowers fifth acquisition since 2016.

Our talented group of employees have built one of the countrys leading business media companies, with world-class marketing solutions and the highest quality content. Together we launched new brands, new products, and new franchise events that bring communities together. I am pleased that BridgeTower sees the value in PBM and its significant future potential, said Slaine. BridgeTowers knowledge and experience in B2B media will help propel PBM even further in the years to come.

PBM is a natural fit for our growing portfolio of B2B titles, events and marketing solutions, said Adam Reinebach, CEO of BridgeTower. Our businesses have a shared mission to connect and inform the business communities that we serve. Were excited to add PBMs expertise in home furnishings and gifts to our team and are looking forward to leveraging our B2B marketing capabilities to provide additional solutions for subscribers and clients alike.

PBM has grown tremendously over the past several years and I am extremely appreciative of our team and the work weve done to establish a collaborative and innovative workplace culture, continued Slaine. It has been an honor to work alongside so many talented and wonderful people including our extraordinary clients. I am proud of the role we play in the success of our clients businesses and grateful for the relationships we have developed.

Concurrent with the transaction, Catherine Silver is being promoted to President and will oversee day to day operations of PBM. Since joining last year, Catherine has served as Vice President of Sales, playing a key role in PBMs success and growth. Prior to PBM, Silver held executive roles for the Washington Nationals and Variety publications among other senior level positions. Silver will report to Reinebach.

Since PBM was assembled in 2013, it has grown from 70 full-time employees to approximately 100 and diversified its client base to over 1200 unique B2B marketing clients in home and gift. In 2017, the company was named one of the Triad regions fastest growing companies by the Triad Business Journal.

About Progressive Business Media

Progressive Business Media (PBM) is the premier business media and communications company serving the home furnishings and gift industries. It is the parent company of brands including Furniture Today, Home Accents Today, Home Textiles Today, Casual Living, Designers Today, Exterior Design, Gifts and Decorative Accessories, and HFN. PBMs brands deliver original content and research through print and online channels, as well as live conferences and events. The company prides itself on being part of the various business communities it serves: bringing people together to discuss issues of the day and to deliver meaningful content to the right audience, through the right channel, at the right time. PBM was awarded a Triad Business Journal Fast 50 Award in 2017 and a Healthiest Employer Award in 2018. For more information regarding Progressive Business Media, please visit: http://www.progressivebusinessmedia.com

About BridgeTower Media

BridgeTower Media is a leading provider of business information, events and marketing services for the legal, financial, construction and government sectors in more than 20 local and regional markets across the United States. In addition to providing subscribers with content relevant to their daily professional activities, BridgeTower has a research unit focused on employee satisfaction, lead generation services and live events centered on awards and education. For more information regarding BridgeTower Media, please visit http://www.bridgetowermedia.com
A jazz trio played at the Unanet 2018 Holiday Reception, where Unanet held a raffle to support the American Heart Association and WomenHeart. The Holiday Reception is one of my favorite events of the year! This year, Unanet celebrates 30 years of providing best-in-class ERP software so it's time to celebrate!

Unanet, a developer of purpose-built ERP software that helps project-driven organizations manage projects, people, and financials in one integrated system, announces their support of the American Heart Association and WomenHeart. During their 2018 Holiday reception last night, Unanet sponsored a raffle to support these two worthwhile organizations. Despite the snowy weather, we had a great turnout of customers, partners, employees, and friends and will be able to donate to support both wonderful organizations in their fight against heart disease.

Additionally, in the Fall, Unanet was also able to support the Heart Walk with a sizable donation. The walk is the American Heart Associations premiere event for raising funds to save lives from this country's No. 1 and No. 5 killers - heart disease and stroke.

Unanet CEO Fran Craig commented, "The Holiday Reception is one of my favorite events of the year! This year, Unanet celebrates 30 years of providing best-in-class ERP software so it's time to celebrate! The Holiday Reception is always an event to meet and greet new members of the Unanet family, and to re-connect with those firms who started with us all those years ago. We wish a wonderful season to the entire Unanet family, and hope for a wonderful and successful 2019 for all.

About Unanet

Over 1,000 professional services organizations trust Unanets Cloud or On-Premise ERP platform to scale their businesses while drastically reducing G&A in a Single Source of Truth. Professional services organizations include government contractors, technology, digital agencies, life sciences, and management consulting. Unanet optimizes skills management, resource scheduling, budgeting & planning, time & expense reporting, billing & revenue recognition, real-time project management analytics and dashboards, and GL, AP, AR, cost pool calculations, and indirect allocations. A recent benchmarking report of over 200 organizations with similar-size revenue shows customers running Unanet have a 50% lower G&A headcount than those running legacy systems and can reduce effort on administrative processes by 90%. Unanet has several videos available if you would like to learn more about our firm and capabilities at http://www.unanet.com/videos.

Additional press inquiries may be directed to Jessica Primanzon, Director of Marketing at Unanet. She can be reached at 703-429-1821 or at jprimanzon@unanet.com.
Rick is a rare professional with deep experience serving in leadership positions in a number of the top brokerages in the industry. He is an innovative strategist who understands Uniteds models are uniquely positioned to capitalize on the dramatic changes impacting our industry."

United Real Estate Group has named Richard Haase Chief Operating Officer of United Real Estate Group and President of United Real Estate. As COO, Haase will be responsible for leading the enterprise operations based in Dallas, Texas, and will oversee operations of Uniteds six business units including driving the growth strategy for United Real Estate. United Real Estate Group includes its flagship brands, United Real Estate and United Country Real Estate. In this role, Haase will report to Dan Duffy, United Real Estate Group and United Real Estates chief executive officer.

Haase brings over 30 years of experience in leadership and brokerage operations. He has held leadership positions with market-leading companies operating in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio and Connecticut. He most recently served as president of Latter & Blum, Inc., a $4.5 billion dollar residential and commercial sales and leasing brokerage, property insurance, mortgage lending, title insurance & escrow services organization. Over the past eight years, Haase and his team designed and implemented a growth strategy that resulted in his companys national ranking to rise from the 64th to 24th largest real estate business in the nation, routinely placing the business at the top of the regions fastest growing privately held companies.

A net increase in sales force size of nearly 350 percent was achieved through organic growth and mergers/acquisitions including merging a barrier-breaking brokerage model, similar to United Real Estates brokerage, with the 100-year-old company.

We could not be more excited to welcome Rick to the growing United Group family. Uniteds next generation, proprietary technology and decade of development of a global network of 8,500 licensed professionals has achieved unprecedented year over year transaction growth. We are well positioned to make the investment and take advantage of the type of leadership Rick possesses, noted Duffy. Rick is a rare professional with deep experience serving in leadership positions in a number of the top brokerages in the industry. He is an innovative strategist who understands Uniteds models are uniquely positioned to capitalize on the dramatic changes impacting our industry. What we really love about Rick is how he aligns perfectly with our values and guiding principles. He possesses a collaborative approach that has resulted in consistent success and a track record of driving exceptional organizational outcomes. Rick will immediately contribute in major ways as we continue the journey of building the best, most differentiated and largest real estate companies in the markets we serve.

At its core United is an agent-centric, full-service, real estate brokerage which is built on a next generation, proprietary technology platform. It is what most real estate companies would be if they could start with a clean sheet of paper and build based on todays agent and consumer needs and preferences, said Haase. What makes this an incredible opportunity is our ability to bring a set of brokerage assets to both current and new brokerage start-ups across America. United truly understands the future of real estate brokerages and has built an incredible platform for expansion. Their commitment to clearly see the changing landscape and consistently drive innovation to become a market leader is a perfect fit with my strategic perspective. We will intensify our execution and innovation as we bring increasing success to our agents and their clients.

Haase has garnered numerous awards and honors and serves on civic and charitable boards including Chairman of the Board of United Way, The University of New Orleans Research & Technology Foundation Board, Vice Chairman of Police & Justice Foundation, Business Council and various other non-profit and community service Boards of Directors.

For more information about United Real Estate, visit UnitedRealEstate.com.

To learn more about United Real Estates franchise opportunities, visit GrowWithUnited.com or call 800-438-8197.
News

World news

Spain sets out plan for 100% renewable electricity by 2050

'A wake-up call to all the other states across the world'

AUTHOR: publics.bg

Spain intends to massively invest in wind and solar over the next decade

 Pixabay



Spain has set out plans to switch entirely to renewable electricity by 2050, with goals that go further than current European Union plans, Independent reports.



Under the new strategy, greenhouse gas emissions from Spain would be cut by 90% compared to 1990 levels by the middle of the century.



The nation intends to invest heavily in wind and solar power over the next decade, while banning new licences for fossil fuel drilling and fracking wells.



It is also planning to source 70% of electricity from renewables by 2030, and 100 per cent by 2050. In 2017 Spain got roughly a third of its power from renewable sources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat.



The country's socialist government set out this strategy ahead of other European nations in a draft law.



It is exciting to see Spain setting the pace in its commitment to a 100 per cent renewable powered future, said James Watson, CEO of SolarPower Europe. Spains energy ambition is a wake-up call to all the other states across the world, as it demonstrates what we know  it is possible to power large economies by renewables in the very near future.



The country intends to go beyond the current EU target of 32 per cent and install 35 per cent overall renewable energy by 2030, with at least 70 per cent renewable electricity.



It is also aiming to improve energy efficiency by 35 per cent, once again going beyond the EU target of 32.5 per cent.



In their announcement, the Spanish authorities have emphasised a just transition, shutting down coal mines but ensuring that there are sufficient retirement packages and retraining to ensure no one is left behind in the transition.



The draft Spanish climate law is an excellent example of the implementation of the Paris agreement: it sets a long-term goal, provides incentives on scaling up zero emission technologies and cares about a good transition for the workforce, said Christiana Figueres, former executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. As an early mover Spain will gain economically and create new jobs in the renewables sector.



Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation, described the Spanish governments action as groundbreaking.



She said: By planning on going carbon neutral Spain shows that the battle against climate change is deadly serious, that they are ready to step up, and plan to reap the rewards of decarbonisation.



She added that Spain was showing the European Commission the way before it presented its long-term climate strategy at the end of November.
In 1972, Jean McConville, a widowed mother of 10, was dragged from her home in Belfast, never to be seen alive again. Her disappearance is among the most notorious crimes of the violent, 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles. Her body was recovered in 2003, but many questions remain, which New Yorker staff writer Patrick Radden Keefe seeks to answer in Say Nothing (Doubleday, Feb. 2019), his investigation into McConvilles death and the history of the Troubles.

You wrote about Jean McConvilles death, and the Troubles, for the New Yorker. What brought you to the story?

I first sparked to this story in 2013, when a woman named Dolours Price died and I read her obituary in the Times. She had lived an absurdly dramatic life: she came from a family with a long history in the Irish Republican Army and in the early 1970s, when she was scarcely out of her teens, she joined the IRA. She led a bombing mission to London, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, went on hunger strike, defied Margaret Thatcher, got out of prison and married an Irish movie star, and eventually disclosed the sensitive details of her IRA career in a secret oral history project at Boston College. Price had also played a role in one of the most notorious incidents of the Troubles: the disappearance of Jean McConville. As it happened, my boss, David Remnick, read the same obituary, and soon I was off and running on a big article about Dolours Price and the Jean McConville case.

What made you decide to expand into a book-length investigation?

I spent 10 months on the piece, but even as I was finishing it, I felt as though there was a deeper, more profound story to be told about the ways in which the lives of a handful of characters intersected over the course of the Troubles.

In a conflict marked by such violence and so many disappearances, why is this crime so haunting?

Jean McConville was a widow and a mother of 10, so with one squeeze of the trigger, her killer orphaned 10 children. Even in the context of the Troubles, where so many lost their lives, this crime had assumed an iconic dimension.

What did you hope to achieve in writing this book, and how did those goals evolve?

I wanted to weave together the stories of both the victims and the perpetrators on either side of a terrible murder, and to tie in a series of other questions, about the uses of espionage and intrigue during the Troubles, and the fraught issue of how to make sense of the past. Say Nothing starts in 2013, with a couple of Belfast homicide detectives traveling to Boston College to seize the oral history transcripts of Dolours Price. They were investigating the murder of Jean McConville. So this one death from 1972 continues to reverberate, in a very real way, in the present day. In fact, what I did not realize when I embarked on this project is that I would end up discovering the identity of the individual who actually pulled that trigger in 1972and identifying that person, for the first time, in the book.

Return to the main feature.
Leslie Langtrys writing career began in the second grade, when she wrote a story about a family camping trip gone wrong. When the kids in her class laughed, she says she was hooked. In college, she focused on political science, Soviet studies, and art administration. But her love for writingand making readers laughnever left her. As she neared age 40, she joined a writers group and wrote three books, which she says she subsequently buried in the backyard after a ritual burning, so no one would ever, ever read them.

But, after Langtry wrote for a couple more years, her husband challenged her to sell a book in one year. The result of that effort was 2007s Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy, the first book in what would become the Greatest Hits Mysteries series. She sold the first book to Dorchester Publishing, followed by the next four titles in that series. Her publishing story gets a little twisty after that.

Around 2011, Langtry got the rights back to the Greatest Hits books and decided to give the indie route a try, republishing the original Greatest Hits books herself in order to reach a broader readership. They were later picked up again by a small mystery press, Gemma Halliday Publishing. Working with Gemma has been incredible, and Ive hit the USA Today bestseller list under her guidance, the author says.

Langtrys other series include eight Merry Wrath books and two books in Gemma Halliday Publishings Aloha Lagoon series. She has recently self-published a Greatest Hits novella, as well as two horror books, and is looking to self-publish four additional books across two series in the next year. Langtry describes her books as cozy comedies because they have elements that fall into the cozy category, but they seem to make people other than my mother laugh.

Langtry says she has always been a fan of mysteries: I read my first Nancy Drew in the third grade. At some point, I graduated to Agatha Christie by stealing my mothers books off her nightstand and blaming it on my sister.

Recurring themes find their way into Langtrys books. Theres one leitmotif in particular: animals, including a rabbit, skunk, raccoon, and owl, grace the covers of the Merry Wrath books. In this case, art imitates life. I think its safe to say we have a problem, Langtry says. We have three dogs, three cats, and a disturbingly large mini lop bunny we inherited after our daughter broke up with her boyfriend. Other past animals have included turtles, parakeets, zebra finches, guinea pigs, and an iguana named Cedric.

Langtry also writes a lot about the Girl Scouts, having spent 10 years as a troop leader: I must admit my hilarious and precocious troop gave me a lot of material to work with. Some people are surprised when they find out that many of the more absurd incidents in my books actually happened.

Langtry writes funny books, but writing is not all fun and games. Someone once said, Dying is easycomedy is hardand theyre right, she says. Ive written straight books without humor, and I can write those in half the time I write my comedies. The trickiest part is having the right balance of comedy mixed with serious life-and-death situations.

With 23 books and additional short stories both traditionally published and self-published, Langtry has earned her merit badges. She believes that self-publishing has meaningfully transformed the landscapeperhaps most significantly by allowing for more fluid parameters between genres.

Langtry is confident that, as long as authors put out the best versions of the best books they can write, readers will come: You can write a space opera/sweet romance/werefrog novel with nonfiction elements, and you can find an audience who will eat that up. Her next book, perhaps?
In its third year, the BookLife Prizean annual writing contest sponsored by Publishers Weekly and BookLifereceived more than 900 submissions. Of those, 30 books advanced to the semifinals. From there, a panel of six judges selected six titles to advance to the finals. The grand prize winner, set to be announced on December 17, will be selected by the judges and PWs editorial staff. PW caught up with the six BookLife Prize judges to talk about self-publishing, writing, and a whole lot more.

Eleanor Brown: The Power of an Editor

Is there a difference between self-published and traditionally published work? According to Eleanor Brown, a returning judge and the author of three traditionally published novels, there sometimes is, but its not what one would expect.

The difference I find is not about the writing but about the editorial process, Brown says. Folks who choose to self-publishtheir writing and their stories are often just as good. But someone else weighing in could have helped them strengthen the book.

Thats why Brown thinks its a good idea for self-published authors to work with editors or critical readers, even if theyre still in the middle of a project. Editorial insight, even on a single story or chapter, can be useful in the long term, she says.

Brown knows the value of editorial advice firsthand. I have a tendency to want a really happy, tight, tidy ending, she says. With my first novel, my editor said, This is too tidy. So, I always make sure I untie it just a little bit at the end.

As a judge, Brown looks for signs of editorial sophistication in submissions: Making sure the story arc is satisfying without being obvious. Making sure the question the story is answering is the same one it asks at the beginning. Making sure loose ends are tied up, that subplots and themes are rich enough to support something book length. Working with an editor on these and other matters, she says, can help indie authors take their work to the next level.

And BookLife Prize entrants are clearly committed enough to their work to take that step, Brown says. If people are serious enough to enter and serious enough to get to this stage, it usually means theyre serious enough to have developed their work until its something really solid.

Brown selected Anne and Louis by Rozsa Gaston for the BookLife Prize finals, calling it a lively, engaging story, rich with historical detail.

Adam Croft: The Elusive Happy Ending

The story of Adam Crofts self-publishing career is the kind that inspires novice writers. Since 2011, when he self-published his first crime novel, Too Close for Comfort, through Amazons Kindle Direct program, Croft has sold hundreds of thousands of books. As of 2016, according to a profile in the Guardian, his proceeds were up to almost $3,000 per day.

But Croft advises aspiring writers not to read too much into such tales. People often see the success stories out there and think its easily or quickly emulated, he says. Its very, very possible, but it does require applied effort over time.

Croft gained renown with his 2015 novel Her Last Tomorrow, which sold 150,000 copies in the first five months after its publication. The truth is that was my ninth book, he says. Its a case of sticking with it.

Croft does believe in the power of self-publishing, however. After he published Her Last Tomorrow, the author signed a book deal with Amazon, but later ended his relationship with the company and says he wouldnt work with a traditional publisher again. Not unless the deal was extraordinary, he says. Ive been there, and its nowhere near as good.

In Crofts view, the line between self-publishing and traditional publishing has blurred to the point of almost no longer existing. The self-published authors who do it properly tend to use the same editors and the same cover designers as a traditional publishing house, he says.

For readers of crime novels, of course, its the story that counts. According to the Guardian, in 2017 crime overtook general and literary fiction as the most popular book genre in the U.K. That doesnt surprise Croft. I think the reason for that is that we seek happy endings, he says. We like to see the bad guys get caught.

Croft selected A Lady and Gentleman in Black by Kelly Jameson for the BookLife Prize finals, calling the book a fascinating and intriguing twist on the crime genre.

Julie Powell: The Tricky Genre

After an author publishes her first memoir, does she start looking at her life as a potential second memoir? For a while after writing her bestselling debut memoir, Julie & Julia (which later became a film starring Amy Adams and Meryl Streep), Julie Powell, a returning judge, did. She compares the experience to affecting an authentic personality on social media.

On social media I try to present myself in an unvarnished way, Powell says. But, still, youre composing: Oh, this is an incident. All of us do some of that now.

For memoirists, though, it can be more extreme. Immediately after writing Julie & Julia, I was definitely like, What does this mean? How is this going to weave into the warp and weft?  she says. Ive kind of let go of that now, maybe just because my life is really boring.

After all, for Powell, a good memoir is one that brings context to a life, rather than one that focuses on its every particular. Memoir is a tricky genre, she says. You want to hear this persons innermost unique thoughts. At the same time, you dont want to spend 300 pages reading navel-gazing.

Memoirs also need to balance pathos with humor. Readers dont want to feel that theyre slogging through the Bataan Death March of despair all the time, Powell says. Levity is a vital thing.But at the same time, it shouldnt come at the expense of seriousness, she notes. Theres a difference between bringing humor and warmth to a story that might have some difficulties and being blithe and glib. Glib is the enemy of memoir.

Powell also says that she finds herself drawn to memoirs by people with a vastly differentor even subtly differentexperience than shes previously encountered. You want your eyes open to something you havent seen before, she adds. There are only so many memoirs I can read about middle-aged white ladies having a renaissance.

Powell selected Of Monkey Bridges and Banh Mi Sandwiches by Oanh Ngo Usadi for the BookLife Prize finals, praising the authors empathy and vivid storytelling.

Tim Pratt: Honor Thy Fans

Tim Pratt, a returning judge, began his career in self-publishing in order to feed his fans. In 2009, he published the fourth book in his Marla Mason series, about an adventurous witch, with Bantam Spectra, which was then a Random House imprint.

Around that time, the industry entered dire straits. About a third of publishing was laid off, Pratt saysincluding his editor. The Marla Mason series looked to be dead.

Pratt had ended the fourth book in the series on a cliffhanger; he and his editor had planned to publish a fifth title. When it became evident that the series would not continue, readers wrote to him expressing frustration that the story had been left unresolved.

Pratt decided to serialize the fifth title on his website. He set up a PayPal account for readers who wanted to pay for the book. He ended up taking in five figures.

Since then, Pratt has self-published myriad novels and short stories, sometimes collaborating with a small publisher on distribution and design. These include several more titles in the Marla Mason series, which he crowdfunds on Kickstarter. His income from these books tends to be similar to his income from traditionally published works. Random House paid him $20,000 per book in the Marla Mason series. The Kickstarter campaigns for self-published Marla Mason titles have brought as much as $18,000 per book.

Still, Pratt likes to keep a foot in the door of traditional publishing, partly to grow the readership for his self-published output. Im fundamentally a lazy person, so if I can have a publisher get my books out in front of tens of thousands of people through their distribution channels, I like that, he says.

Pratt isnt actually all that lazy. He works full-time as a senior editor at the science fiction and fantasy magazine Locus. He has one weekday off, Thursday, and thats his writing day. I have no hobbies, he jokes. I write, and I hang out with my kids.

Given that Pratt lives and breathes science fiction and fantasy, hes looking for entries that feel fresh: books that couldnt just as well have come from a mainstream publisher and that dont fit an already robust niche in the genre.

Pratt selected Fids Crusade by David H. Reiss for the BookLife Prize finals, calling it one of the most refreshing and lively takes on the superhero genre Ive seen in years.

Rebecca Sky: Know Your Audience

By the time Rebecca Sky published her debut novel, Arrowheart, with Hodder Childrens Books earlier this year, she already had millions of readers. Thats because she originally published the novel in serial format on the user-generated storytelling platform Wattpad. At present, Arrowheartwhich is about female descendants of the Greek God Eros who have the power to take a man's will with a kisshas been read more than 12 million times on that website.

Publishing on Wattpad, Sky says, helped her hone her craft. With millions of people reading each installment of the book, I learned how to take feedback and assess what worked for me and worked for my story and my vision, she says.

It also helped Sky shape her story so as to maximize reader satisfaction. I was learning what my readers were anticipating as I was writing, she says. I was able to change direction or surprise them.

Sky no longer publishes on Wattpad, but she remains connected to the community of readers and fellow writers she found there. Shes also drawing on her experience in publishing to counsel writers who are just starting out. In addition to judging contests such as the BookLife Prize, she works as a mentor with Pitch Wars, a program through which established writers help novices find agents.

Im picking writers out of the slush pile who I think have what it takes, Sky says. It would appear that she has good instincts. All her mentees thus far have landed agents, and a mentee of hers from two years ago went on to sign a six-figure book deal.

Skys success story might inspire first-time writers to publish their work as soon as possible, but she advises caution. Once you put your work out there, thats it, she says. Thats your first work. Dont rush into that.

Sky also recommends that writers do their research. Take time to explore the genre, she says. Read a lot of whats been successful in self-publishing and whats been successful in traditional publishing and compare that to your work.

Sky selected Ray vs. the Meaning of Life by Michael F. Stewart for the BookLife Prize finals. This author has a new fan in me, she says.

Rebekah Weatherspoon: Creating Space for Diversity

According to her website, Rebekah Weatherspoon, a returning judge, has held the following jobs: library assistant, meter maid, middle school teacher, B-movie production assistant, reality show crew chauffeur, D-movie producer, and her most fulfilling job to date, lube and harness specialist at an erotic boutique in West Hollywood. In addition to all that, of course, shes built a career as a romance author. Though she started out as a self-published author, she eventually began working with traditional presses and recently signed a deal with Kensington.

Given Weatherspoons robust resume, its perhaps no surprise that her first advice to novice writers to is to figure out what kind of authorial output they can sustain. I dont write as fast as some really prolific authors, she says. I cant set myself up for, say, a Nora Roberts career. I just dont write that fast. Its important for people to sit down, think about what resources and tools they have at hand, what kind of time they have.

Its also important for writers to take care of themselves. Sleep is really important, Weatherspoon says. If youre sleep-deprived, youre not going to put out a good book, or its going to take you even longer.

Weatherspoon finds it odd that, in the writing world, people dont often talk about the actual labor of composition. At writing conferences and seminars shes attended, theres always a lot talk about what to do after you finish your book, and theres not a lot of talk about finishing the book, she says. A lot of people who are thinking about publishing or working toward publishing, they havent really sat down and thought about finishing the book yet.

And, ideally, when that book is finished, itll offer readers something they havent been expecting. As a judge, Weatherspoon says, shes looking for something a little bit different.

That reflects her tastes as a reader more generally. When Weatherspoon looks for stories that reflect her experience, she often looks to self-published books. Im a black queer woman, she says. Its easier for me to find more romance novels with black heroines and queer people in the self-published realm. There are plenty of wonderful traditionally published books by black women. But there arent as many.

Weatherspoon runs the website WOC in Romance to promote the work of women of color in the genre, and her community of fellow readers shares her sentiments. We share new releases every week, and 80% of the books we share are self-published, she says.

Does Weatherspoon think that self-publishing is putting pressure on traditional publishing to be more diverse? I would hope so, she says. But I think if the pressure were actually there, traditional publishers would have done something about it already. And they havent.

Weatherspoon selected After the Gold by Erin McRae and Racheline Maltese for the BookLife Prize finals, calling the book a light yet magnetic tale of life and love.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the plot of Rebecca Sky's novel Arrowheart.
No Stranger to the List

Liane Moriartys latest, Nine Perfect Strangers, is the #7 book in the country. Her popularity predates the success of her best-known novel, Big Little Lies, which Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon acquired screen rights to just after its publication. 2013s The Husbands Secret, for instance, sold 189K print copies before Lies was released. Anticipation for her new books has been building, as first-week print unit sales show.

(See all of this week's bestselling books.)

The Best Words

The #1 book in the country is Whose Boat Is This Boat?, a parody picture book by the staff of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Its comprised solely of comments spoken by President Donald J. Trump in the wake of Hurricane Florence on September 19, 2018, in New Bern, North Carolina, according to the flap copy; The Late Show is donating 100% of its proceeds to charity.

Its been a good year for childrens book parodies from late night talk shows: A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, a Last Week Tonight with John Oliver production whose proceeds also went to charity, is the 11th bestselling book of the year to date.

Typecasting

The paperback edition of Tom Hankss 2017 short fiction collection, Uncommon Type, pubbed in September and in the weeks since has appeared sporadically on our trade paper list. It got a big boost this week from the authors appearance at Oregons Portland Book Festival; it returns to our list at #12, with the Portland area accounting for more than half of the weeks print unit sales.

New & Notable

Homebody

Joanna Gaines

#2 Hardover Nonfiction, #3 overall

Just six months after the publication of Magnolia Table, the bestselling book of the year to date, Gaines releases her second title of 2018, an interior decorating guide.

Past Tense

Lee Child

#1 Hardcover Fiction, #4 overall

Childs spare prose continues to set a very high bar, our starred review said of the 23rd Jack Reacher novel, which sees the exmilitary policeman visiting his late fathers rural New Hampshire birthplace, a setup that lets fans discover more of this enduring characters roots.

Top 10 Overall

Rank Title Author Imprint Units 1 Whose Boat Is This Boat? The Late Show Simon & Schuster 209,032 2 The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #13) Jeff Kinney Amulet 149,928 3 Homebody Joanna Gaines Harper Design 93,828 4 Past Tense Lee Child Delacorte 69,825 5 The Reckoning John Grisham Doubleday 50,398 6 The Wonky Donkey Smith/Cowley Scholastic 49,267 7 Nine Perfect Strangers Liane Moriarty Flatiron 36,414 8 Girl, Wash Your Face Rachel Hollis Nelson 33,919 9 Every Breath Nicholas Sparks Grand Central 27,754 10 Dark Sacred Night Michael Connelly Little, Brown 25,828

All unit sales per Nielsen BookScan except where noted.
In the days leading up to his scheduled Sept. 16, 2001, visit to the Cleveland Public Library, acclaimed poet Robert Pinsky was stranded in Los Angeles after air travel was restricted following the attacks of 9/11. He was in L.A. taping lines for a guest appearance on The Simpsons, and though he was anxious to return to Boston to meet his new grandson, Pinsky honored his commitment to CPL. And on the first Sunday after 9/11, when churches, synagogues, and mosques around the country were struggling to come to grips with the tragedy and loss of life that had just occurred, the poetry selections Pinsky read for us at CPL transcended grief and offered our community a vision of hope and peace.

I will never forget that day, because I saw firsthand the power of poetry, and because I got to share it with my father. My dad had been visiting Cleveland on 9/11, and he too was stranded, unable to fly back to New York. As part of my job, I oversaw the Sunday programming for the library, and Dad was curious to see whether people would actually attend. He was surprised by the size of the crowd, and even more surprised at how moved he was by Pinskys reading. The signed volume of poetry he purchased that day sat at his bedside until his death.

If my first meeting with Pinsky hadnt been so charged with emotion, I might never have recognized the gift the American people received when he was appointed the 39th poet laureate of the United States in 1997. His Favorite Poem Project inspired more than 18,000 Americans to share their favorite poems and set a new standard for the role of laureates, and writers-in-residence. A brilliant and powerful poet, he also excels as a curator and anthologist. People across the nation, like my father, discover and rediscover the pleasure and power of poetry because of Pinsky.

I recently asked Pinsky about his work as poet laureate. What is it about that position that Americans seemed to appreciate? On the one hand, we Americans are suckers for anything that sounds British and high-class, he quipped. Love them royals! We seem to get more thrill from the sound of laureate than consultant in poetry to the Library of Congress, which is actually the more democratic, nobler, and more American part of the title.

Certainly, the Library of Congress, which oversees the poet laureate position, is a unique institutiona treasure trove of national culture. But 46 states and the District of Columbia also have poet laureate positions, and poet laureates and writers-in-residence are also valued at the local level, including in my community.

At my library, the Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) in Ohio, nurturing these roles has long been a priority. And in recent years, my dream of creating a dedicated writing center in one of our branches came to fruition with the support of the William N. Skirball Foundation, the Cleveland Foundation, and Dominion Foundation. Led by librarian and writing program specialist Laurie Kincer, weve successfully built community collaborations and programs to activate the space and engage professional and aspiring writers. And among the best ideas for our William N. Skirball Writers Center has been the writer-in-residence program.

Our inaugural writer in residence was David Lucas, currently poet laureate of the state of Ohio and part of the faculty at Case Western Reserve University. He is also a born teacher on a mission to help people appreciate the poetry in their lives. In his essay Poetry for People Who Hate Poetry, his opening gambit is, I dont want to convince you that you should love poetry. I want to convince you that you already do.

In Cleveland and across the state, Lucass goal has been to connect people who love language and words to a larger set of experiences. For example, he created Brews + Prose, a regular reading series hosted at a popular Cleveland bar since 2012, bringing a sense of fun to stereotypically stuffy events.

Following Lucas as CCPL writer in residence was Claire McMillan, author of The Gilded Age, and The Necklace. McMillan is a member of the board of trustees at the Mount, Edith Whartons home in Lenox, Mass., and has also been in residence as a writer there. But a library residency was a different experience for this solitary writer.

Being a writer-in-residence offered me an outlet to interact with the community and get out in the world, she says. Through teaching quarterly classes and holding monthly office hours, I got a chance to meet with and engage writers at many different places on their writing journeys. McMillan is also a natural teacher, and the community of writers was better for her involvement in their work.

CCPLs third writer-in-residence is David Giffels, who is best known for his books of personal narrative, All the Way Home and Furnishing Eternity. Giffelss humor permeates his view of his writer-in-residence title. It implies that I will be moving into the library, which is problematic, in part, because I snore, he says. For another, it suggests that the holder of the title is somehow elevated. After the announcement of my appointment, somebody tweeted in protest that this post should have been given to a less established writer, likening the gesture to swag bags being given to already-pampered celebrities at awards ceremonies.

 For libraries, its important to constantly breathe life into the otherwise static volumes sitting on our shelves by celebrating the creative experience. 

Giffels is another outstanding teacher. And he sees the post as an opportunity to share the grittier story of being a writer and navigating the publishing world to those in the writing community. He explains his focus for his time in residence as a platform to convey such realities of the writing life to readers and writers who can themselves benefit from that understanding.

Although Giffels was joking about living in the library, CCPL did host playwright George Seremba in residence from 2011 to 2013, during which time he lived in a small house owned by the library. Seremba came to CCPL through a program that assists asylum-seeking writers. During his residency, he held community workshops and also taught at Case Western Reserve Universitys Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities.

A Ugandan political refugee, Seremba was forced to leave his country in 1980 after an attempted assassination by Milton Obotes military intelligence. He lived in Canada and Ireland before landing in the Cleveland area as an established playwright and actor. We were lucky to have him. And the Baker-Nord Center was an ideal partner. As the librarys writing programs were not fully formed in those years, we learned that leveraging the talent of strong local writing and theater communities created the best opportunities for broader engagement.

The writing programs at CCPL are evidence that libraries can sit comfortably in that place between creator and consumer, fostering both individual and community exploration of the literary arts. We can also demystify the writer and the writing life by bringing authors to our libraries and enabling aspiring writers to meet people who make their living through writing.

And its an increasingly vital contribution. For libraries, its important to constantly breathe life into the otherwise static volumes sitting on our shelves by celebrating the creative experience and actively supporting the people who create. The role of the library as a link between writer and reader is critical if we are to stem the decline of recreational reading in our nation. And really, who better than libraries?

The great director Steven Spielberg actually said it best when he said, only a generation of readers will spawn a generation of writers.

PW libraries columnist Sari Feldman is executive director of the Cuyahoga County Public Library in Cleveland, Ohio, and a former president of the Public Library Association and of the American Library Association.
Walking through the front doors of Seouls Kyobo Book Center, the best-known bookstore in South Korea, the first thing I see are two 40-foot-long tables, each made of 45,000-year-old Kauri wood from New Zealand. On a rainy Thursday afternoon in November, there are nearly 100 people seated at the tables reading, working on computers, and swiping at cell phones.

With 10 stores across the country, Kyobo is one of the most established bookstore chains in South Korea. The flagship Book Center store, in Seouls historic center, is spread across numerous floors of a skyscraper owned by its parent company, the Kyobo insurance company. The Book Center covers more than 100,000 sq. ft. of retail space and stocks some 210,000 titlesof which 14,000 are in English and another 10,000 are in Japanese and other languages. Though the store is teeming with activity on my visit, not all is well.

Book sales in Korea are steadily in decline, of 3%4% a year, said Han Woo Lee, CEO of Kyobo, who blamed the ubiquity of high-speed internet as one reason for the decline.

That theory was echoed by Julie Han, professor of media and publishing at Seoil University. Koreans have constant access to high-speed internet, and if you go into the subway, for example, you will see people are often on their phones sending messages, playing games, or watching videos. Reading is not their first choice. The problem has become so pervasive that some bookstores put out signs that read, Turn on a book, turn off your phone.

Booksellers across South Korea have suffered slowing sales for nearly a decade, and the fear is that smaller stores will begin to close. Like the U.S., South Korea saw a boom in bookstore chains in the 1980s. In addition to Kyobo, Aladdin, Bandi/Lunis, Yes24, and YP Books have multiple locations across the country. Though fixed book price laws have helped bricks-and-mortar stores compete against online retailers and keep revenue somewhat stable, booksellers complain that there are numerous loopholes that enable rampant discounting. Meanwhile, online shopping has become increasingly popular, and bookstores are investing heavily in technology to hold on to customers. And Aladdin and Yes24 have expanded into sales of used books.

To help shore up booksellers morale, the South Korean government began sponsoring a national bookstore day last year; it was held for the second time on November 9. The idea is to help cheer up booksellers and remind them how important they are to the country, said Deachoon Park, chairman of the Korea Federation of Bookstore Association (KFBA). This years event included an academic conference on the future of bookselling, as well as an award ceremony and lunch, at which more than a dozen booksellers were honored for their contributions to culture and bestowed with the title proud bookseller. Writers were also honored, with Eun-Young Choi, author of the bestselling story collection Shokos Smile, named author of the year.

As part of the celebration, KFBAs Park read a multipart declaration outlining the priorities of the organization for the coming year. The top goal, Park said, is to convince politicians to amend the fixed book price law to close the discounting loopholes. Other priorities include working with publishers to establish a consistent discount structure for bookstores that does not favor the chains; modernizing book distribution, which remains fractured and inefficient in many parts of the country; and assisting independent bookstores in their efforts to remodel their stores and make them more competitive.

Though the resolutions were met with enthusiastic applause, KFBA seems to be at a point similar to where the American Booksellers Association was a decade or more ago, when it was losing members. At the preconference academic seminar, in which PW participated, booksellers were looking to the Americans and Europeans on how to revive interest in book buying. Some of the concepts that garnered the best response were the ideas of introducing buy local campaigns and pushing bookstores into serving as community hubs.

Speculating on Reunification

One opportunity for growth booksellers foresee is finding new book buyers in North Koreashould reconciliation between the two nations ever happen. German publishing consultant Holger Eling spoke at the seminar and noted that one thing to keep in mind is that the North Koreans wont have much money. What the Germans did was take truckloads of remainders from West Germany and sell them in the east once reunification happened, he said, referring to the reunification of Germany in 1990.

The possibility of reconciliation has also had a positive effect on the publishing industry, but in a way one might not anticipate: it has turned many publishers into real estate barons. In the early 2000s, the South Korean government established Paju Book City, a special economic enclave for publishers, as a way to shield them from Seouls rising rents and establish a creative business cluster. Paju is 20 miles north of Seoul, close to the 38th parallel and the border with North Korea, and, at the time Paju Book City was established, there were few amenities. To entice publishers to move there, the government offered them cheap, long-term leases. Today, more than 150 publishing houses are based there, and some 10,000 people work in the district, which has also become popular with young families.

Now, with the potential for reconciliation between the two Koreas, speculators and investors have driven up property prices in Paju, which will serve as the gateway city for trade should the border open. Though the overall complex is owned by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, tenant publishers paying below-market rates are looking into subletting their unused space.

The rents there are soaring, said one publisher who requested anonymity. With the book business the way it is, a lot of publishers are joking that they would be better off being landlords than publishers. They are hoping for reunification not necessarily because they think they can sell more books but because they might be able to get rich off their real estate.
From the Newsletters

Tip Sheet

Samantha Harvey, author of The Western Wind, examines how novelists solve problems when writing historical fiction.

Childrens Bookshelf

YA author Sarah Dessen has moved to HarperCollins.

Global Rights Report

Erin Morgenstern, author of the 2011 bestseller The Night Circus, sold North American rights to The Starless Sea to Jenny Jackson at Doubleday.

BookLife Report

Michelle Argyle at Melissa Williams Design reimagines the cover of Spinning by indie author Janine Kovac.

Religion BookLine

Bob Munce of the newly formed Christian Retail Association hopes to both liven up the industry and attract retailers with lower annual membership dues and innovative programs.

Podcasts

Week Ahead

PW senior writer Andrew Albanese reflects on the National Book Awards and how Michelle Obamas blockbuster memoir might jump-start what is expected to be a strong holiday season for bookstores.

More to Come

Writer Jason Sacks talks about his new book, American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1990s, and about comics in the 90s, from the Image explosion to Marvelcution. He also talks about running the Comics Bulletin website.

LitCast

We interview scientist Daniel Botkin about his novel Tsavo, which presents differing perspectives on wildlife conservation.

FaithCast

Gary Jansen, an author at Loyola Press, discusses his contribution to Sharing the Wisdom of Time, a collection of stories from Pope Francis and other elders from around the world.

PW Insider

This years National Book Awards were unique for many reasons. PW associate news editor John Maher recaps the event, and deputy reviews editor Gabe Habash talks about the books.

Blogs

ShelfTalker

A book buyer shares how bookstores can go beyond Sherman Alexie when selling books by Native American authors.
Accused

In the first season, journalists Amber Hunt and Amanda Rossman investigated the cold case of Elizabeth Andes, who was found murdered in her Oxford, Ohio, apartment in 1978. The second season focuses on the death of Retha Welch in 1987. Diversion published Accused, a transcript of season one, in 2018 and has signed up Hunt for another tie-in title, according to editor-in-chief Keith Wallman.

The book: Unsolved Murders (DK, Feb. 2019) by Hunt and Emily G. Thompson, founder of the Morbidology website.

Dirty John

Los Angeles Times reporter Christopher Goffard tracks a Southern California con man who torments and traumatizes a businesswoman, whom he met via a dating website, and her family. The podcast inspired a Bravo limited TV series starring Connie Britton and Eric Bana, which premieres at the end of November.

The book: Dirty John and Other True Stories of Outlaws and Outsiders (S&S, Nov.).

Forensic Transmissions

Mikita Brottman, a psychoanalyst and the author of several nonfiction titles, assembles public domain audio files such as 911 calls, trial clips, police interrogations, and forensic and victim testimony. Recent episodes have centered on Bernhard Goetz, known as the Subway Vigilante, and serial killer Ted Bundy.

The book: An Unexplained Death (Holt, Nov.), which focuses on a single case, the 2006 death of Rey O. Rivera in Baltimore.

My Favorite Murder

Comedians Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark banter about and recount murders and other violent crimes, with an underlying emphasis on vigilance and self-defenseevident in the oft-repeated mantra thats now the title of their forthcoming book.

The book: Stay Sexy & Dont Get Murdered (Forge, May 2019).

Return to the main feature.
Its been a year since the New York Times published a story detailing allegations of assault and harassment by Harvey Weinsteinrevelations that reinvigorated the cultural debate about whose stories are believed, what consequences perpetrators should face, and where society goes from here. As the world at large ponders questions of memory, consent, and power, fiction is proving fertile ground for exploring these issues.

Film rights for Alafair Burkes 2018 suspense novel The Wife (Harper), about a woman with trauma in her past who discovers her celebrity husband may be a predator, went to Amazon Studios for seven figures after a five-way bidding war, and Burke is currently at work on the script. She wrote her novel before the spread of the #MeToo movement; forthcoming titles continue the conversation.

All the Rage

A prime example is Kiss the Girls and Make Them Cry by Mary Higgins Clark (S&S, Apr. 2019), which revolves around a journalist doing research for a piece on #MeToo. A long-buried incident returns to her mind when she learns that the man who assaulted her at a college fraternity party is now a powerful businessman who will do anything to hide the truth about his past.

In Rachel Clines The Question Authority (Red Hen, Apr. 2019), a middle-aged woman reunites with a childhood friend and discovers that the friend had a relationship with their teacher in the eighth grade. As with Clarks book, Clines raises questions of what justice might look like after so much time has passed.

The roots of Good as Gone author Amy Gentrys Last Woman Standing (HMH, Jan. 2019) predate the emergence of #MeToo by several years. In 2013, Gentry, then a freelancer for the Austin Chronicle, began covering women involved in the local stand-up scene and was invited into private online groups where the comedians shared their experiences with sexism and harassment.

Last Woman Standing, pitched as Strangers on a Train meets Thelma and Louise, begins when stand-up comic Dana Diaz meets computer programmer Amanda Dorn. After bonding over the toxic masculinity in their respective industries, they agree to get revenge on each others assailants.

I was trying to look at the bigger systemic reasons why women are traumatized over and over, Gentry says. What drives women out of the tech industry? What drives them out of comedy? She realized, as she began writing, that its often easier for women to feel angry for and protective of other women than it is for them to be angry for themselves.

What keeps women up at night is knowing these men are serial predators, Gentry says. In reality, thats how and why these things come to light. Many victims dont think they will get revenge. Its on behalf of other women that people come forward.

Vigilantism also figures into S.A. Lelchuks debut, Save Me From Dangerous Men (Flatiron, Mar. 2019), which launches his series about private investigator Nikki Griffin. Working out of an office located above a bookstore, the hardboiled PI punishes men who hurt women, humiliating them in order to keep their victims and other women safe in the future.

I wanted to explore what is justified, and where does that become too much? Lelchuk says. Its vigilante work, but not with a bloodthirsty morality. She wants a proportional response.

Lelchuks lead character believes and helps other women; by contrast, the main character in Liz Lawlers debut novel must fight for herself. In Dont Wake Up (Harper, Feb. 2019), Alex Taylor, an emergency physician, comes to on an operating table, with a man wearing a surgical mask standing over her. She then suffers a chilling assault that leaves no physical evidence. After reporting the crime she encounters skepticism everywhere, including from her boyfriend and the police. Alex begins to question her memory, until theres another victim.

Lawler, who worked as a nurse for two decades, says she finds the idea of not being believed terrifying, though she acknowledges that it is a very real issue. Not everyone wants to hear the truth, because its more comfortable to hear the lie, she says. I hope, when women come forward, we hear their truths and say, We believe you. 

Stories that unpack female anger and frustration arent just cathartic for readersthey can be a way for authors to process their emotions, too. Libby Fischer Hellmann traces the origins of the fifth entry in her series about Chicago PI Georgia Davis to a specific source: After the 2016 election, I went through a period of rage that lasted for a year.

In an effort to cope, Hellmann joined a Facebook group dedicated to discussing Russian collusion and interference and became friends with its founder. At the same time, she brainstormed one book, then another, and lost interest because they were too apolitical. She eventually found an idea that excited her: what if the female head of a large resistance group were murdered?

After gaining permission from her friend, to whom the book is dedicated, she wrote High Crimes (Red Herrings, Nov.), in which the nonpolitical Davis must solve a highly politicized case. PWs review noted that for readers who watch the nightly news with dismay, the novel offers a satisfying alternate reality.

Justice League

Authors with legal and law enforcement backgrounds are bringing their experiences to bear in novels that mine similar territory. Retired NYPD detective Ed Conlonwhose memoir, Blue Blood, was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalistasked permission of his former colleague Marie Cirile to fictionalize her 1975 book, Marie Cirile: Memoirs of a Police Officer (Doubleday, 1975), which details her 20 years on the force. In The Policewomans Bureau (Arcade, May 2019), Conlon zeroes in on the Bronx in 1958 and the daily sexism experienced by Cirile working in what was, and still very much is, a mans world.

Former litigator Amy Impellizzeri, who clerked for two years at a Washington, D.C., federal court, examines how #MeToo plays out in the legal and political arenas in Why We Lie (Wyatt-Mackenzie, Mar. 2019). The novel weaves together several narrative threads, all centered on D.C., to look at the ways the powerful tend to escape culpability; characters include a rising political star, a power player who assaults a woman in his corporation and attempts to impede her career, and a woman haunted by the false accusation she made against a real abuser to escape her small town.

Author and former prosecutor Linda Fairstein, who continues to consult on cases, has spent her 45-year legal career focused on sexual violence and crimes against women and children, including a stint as head of the first sex crimes unit in the Manhattan District Attorneys Office, the model for the similar unit in Law & Order: SVU. During that time, Fairstein says, there were a number of occasions when she thought the culture had reached a watershed momentduring the Anita Hill hearings, for instance. But then, she says, the status quo would return.

In October 2017, as Fairstein searched for the right topic for the 20th entry in her series featuring Manhattan prosecutor Alexandra Cooper, she considered whether she wanted to base a milestone book on what might have proved to have been a short-lived moment in the news cycle. But when the #MeToo movement continued to pick up steam, she knew exactly the story she wanted to tell. The result, Blood Oath (Dutton, Apr. 2019), finds Cooper on a case involving a woman who is speaking out about the abuse she suffered by a high-profile law enforcement official while a witness at a federal trial many years earlier.

Even after the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation battle, which Fairstein says has uncanny echoes in her novel, the author remains optimistic about the prospects for lasting change. A year after the Weinstein allegations, she says, #MeToo is still front-page news, noting that in earlier times the press and the public were quick to move on. So that, to me, she says, is distinctly different than anything that came before.

Childhoods End: Mysteries & Thrillers 20182019

These novels seek to answer questions tied to characters pasts in order to illuminate their presents.

False Pretenses: Mysteries & Thrillers 20182019

Psychologically twisted fiction is, by its nature, full of deception. These books dress the classic setup in new disguises.

Noteworthy Debuts: Mysteries & Thrillers 20182019

Rookie authors disclose the motives and methods behind their crime novels.

Gwenda Bond is the author of many novels for young adults and children.
The seismic shift between childhood and adulthood underlies these forthcoming novels, which seek to answer questions tied to characters pasts in order to illuminate their presents.

Call Me Evie

J.P. Pomare, Putnam, Mar. 2019

Pomares psychological suspense debut is set in rural New Zealand, where the author, now living in Australia, grew up. At age 17, his unreliable but sympathetic narrator doesnt know whether shes a captive or a legitimate dependent of Jim, the man she lives with. He calls her Evie, but when her foggy memory begins to give her glimpses of a life she lived in Melbournein which she went by the name Kateshe sets out to find the truth.

The Current

Tim Johnston, Algonquin, Jan. 2019

Audrey Sutter needs to get home to Minnesota to see her father, a retired sheriff who is dying of cancer, and a fellow college student volunteers to drive her. The car plunges into the Black Root River just outside their destination, and only Audrey survives. The incident recalls a similar one from 10 years earlier, an unsolved murder that haunts Audreys fatherand that Audrey feels moved to solve. PWs starred review called the thriller outstanding: The nuanced plot delves deep into how a communityand surviving relativesdeal with the aftermath of a death.

The Last House Guest

Megan Miranda, Simon & Schuster, June 2019

From the author of All the Missing Girls (433,000 print copies sold) comes the tale of an unlikely childhood friendship that ends in tragedy. In the harbor community of Littleport, Maine, its rare for a local and a kid from a family of wealthy vacationers to bond, but Avery Greer and Sadie Loman remain close for 10 summers, until their early 20s, when Sadie, the local girl, is found dead in what police deem a suicide. A year later, the still-grieving Avery is certain people in the community blame her, and sets out to learn what really happened.

Run Away

Harlan Coben, Grand Central, Mar. 2019

In Cobens first novel since moving to Grand Central with his longtime editor Ben Sevier, a father learns that his estranged daughter has been spotted in New York Citys Strawberry Fields playing guitar. Simon follows up on the lead and finds her strung out, a shadow of the girl he remembersand she runs from him. And so he chases after her, into the dark underworld of addiction and something far stranger.

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Rookie authors disclose the motives and methods behind their crime novels.

First Case: Bellini and the Sphinx (Akashic, Feb. 2019)

Investigator: Tony Bellotto, trans. from the Brazilian Portuguese by Clifford E. Landers

Previously published in Brazilian rock musician Bellottos native country, the Sao Paoloset noir follows private detective Remo Bellini, who is investigating the disappearance of several women connected to the underworld and the related murder of a famed surgeon. Bellotto says he modeled his PI on Raymond Chandlers Philip Marlowe, and that the plot, which involves prostitutes and live-sex performers, evokes two classically intertwined themes: sex and death.

First Case: The Break Line (Berkley, Jan. 2019)

Investigator: James Brabazon

In what PWs starred review called an adrenaline-charged thriller, British intelligence officer Max McLean, an assassin with a perfect track record, is sent to Sierra Leone on what looks to be a suicide mission. Brabazon, a journalist and filmmaker, has covered numerous conflicts, and says it was working in Liberia and Sierra Leone during their civil wars that inspired The Break Line. The ethical challenges of being forced to rely not just on the good guys, but, at times, on murderers, and the frustration of not being able to fully capture his experiences in nonfiction, led to a realization that writing fiction could be as authentic and as credible as reportage.

First Case: Evil Things (Bitter Lemon, Feb. 2019)

Investigator: Katja Ivar

Ivars Nordic noir, set during the Cold War, introduces Hella Mauzer, the first female inspector in the Helsinki Homicide Unit. When the wife of an Orthodox priest asks her to investigate the disappearance of a man in a small village on the Soviet border, Mauzer discovers the man was murdered, and that his death may not be the only crime in need of investigation. Ivar says she began the novel as a way to escape the overwhelming grief and pain she experienced after suffering a stillbirth, and spent hours poring over artifacts in Finlands National Police Museum. Elements of her past, she says, worked their way into the story, and it turned out to be a very life-affirming book.

First Case: The Wolf and the Watchman (Atria, Mar. 2019)

Investigator: Niklas Natt och Dag

In 1793 Stockholm, a disabled ex-soldier and former night watchman finds a badly mutilated corpse and wants to give the man a proper burial. That means working with Cecile Wing, a lawyer turned detective who is dying from consumption and hopes for a last redemptive act. Natt och Dag says his research included prowling every secondhand bookseller in Stockholm and buying everything they had on the era in general, and Stockholm in particular, and that the task quickly took on the feeling of an inherited responsibility, to speak for the dead. The Swedish Academy of Crime Writers named the book the best debut novel of 2017.

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Weeks after Dar es Salaam commissioner Paul Makonda, a fervent Christian and loyal ally of President John Magufuli announced plans to round up gay people in Tanzanias commercial hub, Denmark has decided to take a stand.

"I have information about the presence of many homosexuals in our province," Paul Makonda told reporters as he called on citizens to begin reporting homosexuals for round-ups to begin soon.

"These homosexuals boast on social networks," said Makonda,

"Give me their names," he demanded. "My ad hoc team will begin to get their hands on them next Monday."

"I prefer to anger those countries than to anger God," he said.

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Well, he didnt succeed in rounding them all up since Magufulis administration quickly beat a hasty retreat from his remarks terming them personal opinion rather than government policy after coming under severe criticism globally, but not before causing anguish to some poor helpless Tanzanians.

They are raiding houses. It is a horrible thing. It is just going to get worse. So many people are leaving the city, running away. They are targeting the activists, saying we are promoting homosexuality. We have to hide, One LGBT activist, from Dar es Salaam, told the Guardian on condition of anonymity.

Makonda did, however, succeed in angering Denmark, one of Tanzanias biggest foreign donors.

Also read: President Magufuli goes after research firm which carried out survey revealing his popularity was dwindling rapidly

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On Wednesday (Nov. 14) the Danish government said it would withhold 65 million crowns ($9.8 million) in aid citing allegations of human rights abuses.

The minister of development cooperation Ulla Tornaes took to Twitter to announced the decision triggered by Makondas $9.8 million mistake.

Very concerned about the negative development in Tanzania. Most recently unacceptable homophobic statements by a Commissioner. I have therefore decided to withhold DKK 65 million in the country. Respect for human rights is crucial for DK She tweeted. (Translated from Danish via Google)

Ms Tornaes has also postponed a planned trip to the east African country, Danish broadcaster DR reported.

The Tanzanian government has not yet commented.

Makondas anti-gay sentiments may have been the last straw which broke the Camels back but Human Rights and democracy space has been under attack for some time now and has taken a turn to the worse under Magufuli administration.

Homosexual acts are illegal in Tanzania and punishable by up to 30 years in prison and Human rights activists say anti-gay sentiments have only increased since President John Magufuli's election in 2015.

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In 2017, the country's deputy health minister defended a threat to publish a list of gay people.

In its latest attack against Media freedom, Tanzania arrested two journalists working for Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), who were on a work assignment in Tanzania and detailed them overnight.

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Early this year, Tanzania opposition firebrand, Tundu Lissu who survived an assassination attempt, described Tanzania has a land of horrors where the government was determined to crush dissent by all means including assassinating them and cited disappearances of critics as a worrying trend.

Last year, President Magufuli, once a darling of foreign investors and seen as a reformer, attracted stinging criticism at home and internationally, after he said schoolgirls who get pregnant will not be allowed back to school.

Ukishapata mimba ni Kwaheri Translated: (After getting pregnant, you are done.)" he said while speaking at a public rally in Chalinze town, about 100km west of the main city Dar es Salaam.

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Danish move also comes days to European Union statement saying that it will review its ties with Tanzania as it regrets the deterioration of the human rights and rule of law in the country and as a result will be conducting a broader review of its relations with the East African nation.
READ MORE: Carpenter jailed 10 years for impregnating daughter

The father cut a lonely figure in the dock as the state argued against his bail application, in a case that has split the community, Timeslive reports.

The Daily Dispatch reports that Preacher Mase Malgas was based at St Philips Church in Gompo, when this shocking incident  which lead to the 66-year-olds death  occurred on 30 September.

The prosecutor, Constable Lundi Nqwelo, said medical reports confirmed the nine-year-old had been raped, but the courts were still waiting for the DNA results to confirm Malgas was the perpetrator.

The case hinges on this vital detail: If the preacher is found to be guilty of the rape, a host of mitigating factors for the defence will come into play, the South African reports.

READ MORE: Couple who cannot smile because of a rare disease fall in love

East London bail magistrate Joel Caesar expressed his reasons for keeping the suspect behind bars. He claimed that, although the court has empathy for the daughter, the court cannot show that same empathy to someone who carries out their own brand of justice: The state is of the view that this was premeditated murder. When he went to the deceaseds house he had already decided that he wanted to inflict the same pain his daughter went through.
READ MORE: Broke man dumps wife who paid for her own dowry

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The angry mob claimed they got tip-off from a close from of Brown that he was uncicumcised.

He was also stripped naked and forced to walk around the town naked, before the police intervened and took him to Narok Police station.

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We recently got a tip-off from his close friends that he was not circumcised. Ironically he has been insulting people by referring them as kihii (uncircumcised).

"We laid an ambush and when we stripped him, we confirmed that he was indeed uncircumcised, Standard quoted one of the boda-boda.

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READ MORE: Man brutally assaults wife over oral sex
The "inept handling of the banking crisis" has lead to the almost collapse of the local finance sector, Mr Mahama said at the National Democratic Congress delegates congress underway at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra.

"Banks belonging to Ghanaians have been closed and the Akufo-Addo administration predatory approach towards indigenous investors in that sector has created a panic run on the remaining surviving Ghanaian financial institutions," the ex-president said.

According to him, "this has gravely affected small and medium enterprise lending and has led to significant job losses."

Two local banks were collapsed by the Bank of Ghana in 2017 over liquidity challenges.

READ MORE: NDC elects national executives today
The NDC will today [Saturday] go to the polls to elect new executives for the party at the Trade Fair Centre in the Greater Accra Region.

In a post on Twitter, Mr Mahama said the cheques are fake and that he has no account at Universal Merchant Bank.

"This is fake," he said. "I do not have an account with Universal Merchant Bank."

In a separate post, the spokesman for Mr Mahama's campaign team for the NDC flagbearership position urged Ghanaians to disregard it.

READ MORE: Sammy Awuku endorses Joshua Akamba for national organizer position ahead of NDC elections
"I am sure you have seen and heard some of the presidential aspirants of the leading opposition party taking jabs at my government in order, ostensibly, to prop up their campaigns. And, whilst at it, they desperately trying to get me to respond to them.

"Let me state here and now, for the record, president Akufo-Addo will not respond to presidential aspirants. He will respond to presidential candidates that have been duly elected by their parties.

"Then, he will engage those who think Ghanaians have short memories," the president said.

But speaking at the NDC's delegates conference Saturday at the Trade Fair Centre, Mr Mahama remarked that the NDC presidential aspirants are citizens and not spectators.
According to Mr. Awuku, he is rooting for Mr. Akamba because he believes he will make his work easier in the 2020 general elections ensuring that the ruling NPP retains power.

Akamba is the best bait for National Organiser position. I am rooting for Akamba,he stressed.

READ ALSO: undefined

Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo", the NPP Organizer stated emphatically he is hopeful the NDC will lose the 2020 elections but he preferred Mr. Akamba to win the NDC National Organizer bid to make the path smooth for the NPP.
Countless GoFundMe campaigns have been started to raise money for various causes concerning animals in need, from stray cats to Sumatran elephants. INSIDER gathered data for the most successful GoFundMe campaigns for animals of all time, excluding one campaign that has since been deleted.

Read on to hear about the various animals that have been saved with the help of these GoFundMe campaigns.

19. Elephant Conservation: AUD $99,641 ($73,076)

The Elephant Conservation campaign seeks to create an Elephant Patrols Unit for the protection of Sumatran Elephants. In Indonesia, there are fewer than 1,000 elephants left as a result of rampant poaching. The campaign is still taking donations.

18. Homeless People & Animals Together: $83,890

Journalist Glenn Greenwald and his husband, David Miranda, oversee this project based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The couple cares for 23 dogs in their home, all of which were found on the streets of Rio. They are working to create a new form of animal shelter, run entirely by homeless people.

The shelter aims to "create a top-flight animal shelter devoted to finding homes for abandoned and homeless animals in need, while providing homeless people a purposeful job based on their passion for animals, along with a wide array of support to help them exit life on the street and find permanent employment." The project is still taking donations.

VisitINSIDER's homepagefor more.

17. SAVING THE ANIMALS: $86,347

The Pickens County Humane Society in has been working to rescue animals and prevent animal cruelty for over 47 years. Its GoFundMe campaign raised money for a mobile vet unit so that the society can expand its work to more communities.

16. Rehab Baby & Injured Birds: $96,141

Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is an organization based in North Texas that's dedicated to helping injured, sick, or orphaned birds. The center started a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of food and medication, and is still taking donations.

15. Silver Muzzle Cottage Project: $99,456

The Silver Muzzle Cottage is based in Elk Rapids, Michigan, and provides senior, disabled, and hospice dogs the chance to live out their lives with love.

14. Gunnar's Wheels: $135,785

Jason Parker founded Gunnar's Wheels after his dog, Gunnar, got hit by a car and became paraplegic. His GoFundMe campaign

13. Project Open Paw: $142,106

Project Open Paw feeds and takes care of homeless people's animal companions. Paul, the founder, starting taking unused dog food that was being thrown out at the local dog boarding and care facility he worked at, and began giving it to homeless people around town with dogs.

When his food supply was cut off, he started a GoFundMe to pay for food as well as veterinary visits. The project is still taking donations.

12. Plush Bear rescue campaign: 113,788 ($146,000)

Plush Bears Shelter in China has rescued a variety of animals from a variety of places  from dog dens to slaughterhouses. Its GoFundMe campaign is raising money for the shelter to build and maintain its own space, and to cover the food and veterinary costs associated with rescuing more animals. The campaign is still taking donations.

11. Support Rancho Relaxo's Expansion: $147,151

Rancho Relaxo is a New Jersey farm and organization that rescues any and all animals from abuse and neglect. They're home to over 300 rescues, and their GoFundMe campaign seeks donations for an expansion of their property, which will include a volunteer and adoption center. The campaign is still taking donations.

10. PAGAR EL NUEVO SANTUARIO: 129,691 ($148,061)

El Hogar is an animal sanctuary in Spain that takes in underprivileged animals of all kinds. They have more than 300 rescues, and their campaign raised money to pay for a new location, which became the first multi-species animal sanctuary in Spain.

9. SALVEMOS WILD FOREST: 136,860 ($156,246)

The Wild Forest Reserve is a sanctuary for over 50 wild animals in Barcelona, Spain. Due to legal issues, the reserve was forced to close down. The GoFundMe campaign raised money to pay for a new plot of land in order to reopen the reserve.

8. April the Giraffe & Family Fund: $170,510

et up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the annual care of April, her baby, and the father, Oliver, at the facility.

7. Cavalier Puppy Mill Auction Rescue: $188,815

The Cavalier Puppy Mill Auction Rescue GoFundMe raised money for the purchase of cavaliers that were being auctioned in Wheaton, Missouri. Thanks to the campaign, all the cavaliers were rescued.

6. Food for Cows: AUD $269,273 ($221,952)

The "Food for cows" GoFundMe campaign is raising money for farmers to buy food and water for their cows. This has become increasingly hard for them to do as a result of a two-year drought in Australia. The campaign is still taking donations.

5. Spay, Neuter & Feed Stray/Feral Cats: $259,635

77-year-old Willie Ortiz has been taking care of the stray cats in his neighborhood in Connecticut for 24 years, finding and selling scrap metal around town to pay for all of the expenses himself.

His friend set up a GoFundMe so Ortiz could continue taking care of the cats without worrying about the cost. The campaign has raised so much money that it is now in the process of becoming an official non-profit organization. It's still taking donations.

4. Save The Liberia Chimps: $380,945

In 2015, the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International began providing emergency care to rescued chimpanzees in Liberia, West Africa, that had previously been the subjects of invasive testing by a US-based research organization.

The situation has now moved out of the emergency phase, and the Humane Society has taken the chimpanzees into their care. The "Save the Liberia Chimps" GoFundMe campaign is raising money for the Humane Society to develop a high-quality sanctuary for the chimpanzees. They're still taking donations.

3. Help Create Gentle Barn St. Louis!: $405,375

Gentle Barn in St. Louis, Missouri, also rescues a range of animals from abuse and neglect. It raised money through GoFundMe to open a barn to house six cows that escaped a slaughterhouse.

2. Patrick The Tsavo Elephant Guardian: $450,265

Tsavo Volunteers help animals in Tsavo, Kenya, especially elephants that have become endangered duu to poaching.

Fearing a prolonged drought, the GoFundMe is raising money (and still taking donations) to transport water to Tsavo. Without that water, animals must walk far distances to access the increasingly rare watering holes, often perishing of thirst in the process.

1. The Gentle Barn Nashville: $601,710

From cows and pigs to sheep, goats, and turkeys, The Gentle Barn in Nashville, Tennessee, rescues a range of animals from abuse and neglect, most of which are too old or sick to be adopted.
The scene is in Abuja where a sympathiser attempts to tend to the victim covered in blood.

In a clip shared on social media today, the aggressor is angry and lacking remorse, as he argues with persons who tried to caution him.

ALSO READ: Nigerian woman seeks help as husband tries to force her into a mental home

His wife has been made to endure the beating because she has no place to go. An eyewitness confirms this in an IG post.

"I looked and saw the husband still quarreling with people who came to know what the wife did. He spoke with no sign of remorse towards people and even attempted fighting people too.
The Governor made this known during the flag-off of Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki-Ojota Expressway, according to Vanguard.

He said We are not happy that we are making life so difficult for the people living and doing business around Apapa area.

But we believe strongly that the reconstruction of the road in the area is the right step we should take that will ultimately lead to relieving people the burden that this gridlock has always caused.

Ambode also expressed satisfaction that the road reconstruction work has finally commenced.

Speaking at the event, the minister of works, Babatunde Fashola said Apapa Port was built for about 30 million metric tonnes per annum, but now managing cargo of over 80 million tonnes per annum which calls for the construction of new port.

But while work is ongoing on Lekki Port, Badagry Port we have to recover this Apapa road by reconstruct it through Oworonshoki  Ojota Expressway so that traffic that has gone inside the city can bring relief.
Sale is said to be a key member of the sects faction known as Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

This was made known in a statement issued to newsmen on Saturday, November 17, 2018 by Army authorities.

According to Channels TV, ISWAP is the group believed to have abducted Leah Sharibu in Dapchi, Yobe state.

The statement reads: Reports available reveal that one Sale Ahmad Sale a. k. a. Baban Hassan, the leader of Al-Barnawi media group, a faction of Boko Haram was killed by a joint operation conducted by the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force.

The killing of the media leader is indicative of efforts by the NA to eliminate key members of the sect.

It is worthy to note that the sect is directly affiliated to the Islamic State and has carried out several attacks against own troops and innocent civilians in the past.

New terror group

The Army also stated that it has identified one - Abul-Fadl Iyad Gali, the leader of a new terror group known as Jamaatu Nusratul-Islami Wal-Muslimina.

ALSO READ:Borno govt to pay parents for enrolling their children in school

It said The group is a new terrorist group which Ansaru is affiliated to. In the same vein, the identification of the leader of Jamaatu Nusratul-Islami Wal-Muslimina group would enable the NA to target the group effectively using advanced technologies in its arsenal.
Fashola said this during an inspection of the Apapa-Wharf Road Reconstruction project and flag-off of the reconstruction of the Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki-Ojota Expressway in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Apapa-Wharf Road Reconstruction Project was done by AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd and financed by the Dangote Group, Nigerian Ports Authority and Flour Mills of Nigeria.

The Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki-Ojota Expressway project, on the other hand, was awarded to the Dangote Group.

Fashola described port access roads as blood vessels that serviced all activities in the ports

He said they had, however, been abandoned alongside various federal highways by previous governments.

The minister said that the Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki-Ojota Expressway was constructed between 1975 and 1978 and had not been expanded since then.

He said that the major highways had been abandoned by previous administrations until President Buhari picked up the initiative to turn things around.

President Buhari is laying the foundation for economic growth that would release economic prosperity, create jobs. It is this road that releases the opportunity, Fashola said.

He thanked Dangote for investing in the development of Nigeria, pointing out that, four of Dangotes firms paid about N22 billion as annual taxes to the Federal Government.

The minister said that the two major ports in the nation had been overstretched, as they were designed to take 30 million metric tons but now took over 80 million metric tonnes of cargo.

He said that the federal government was planning the construction of the Lekki and Badagry Sea Ports to complement the two major ones, to ease port congestion.

Fashola appealed for patience of the road users as construction work commenced.

Gov Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos while delivering his speech said that the project was the real Lagos solution to the problem of gridlock in the state.

He said that interconnectivity of rail, road and water transportation was important.

Ambode commended the Federal Government for its efforts in reviving the railway in conjunction with road projects to address gridlock, saying it would bring relief to residents of the state.

We are happy that this project has finally commenced, he said.

He promised to increase deployment of traffic and law enforcement agencies to the route to ensure smooth execution of the project.

Sen. Kabiru Gaya, Chairman Senate Committee on Works, said that concrete should be adopted for road construction in the nation as it lasted more, to tackle the huge deficit in roads infrastructure.

Also, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu said that the construction would solve the problem on flooding of the highway.

The project will reduce stress of commuting for us all, she said.

President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, while delivering a vote of thanks, commended the Federal Government for adoption of the Road Trust Fund, which gave the private sector opportunity to participate in infrastructure renewal.

Dangote said that the nation was losing huge revenue due to bad roads and assured that his firm would pay special attention to the reconstruction of the highway by doing good quality job.

He also thanked government for the proposed Lekki ports project and thanked other stakeholders and ministry officials for efforts in completing the Apapa Wharf Road Reconstruction project.

Dangote promised to deliver the Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki-Ojota Expressway project ahead of schedule.

We will not disappoint you (Fashola) and Nigerians; we will make sure we do the best job.

We are advocating rigid pavement not because we sell cement but because we want to give Nigerians the best, Dangote said.

Representatives of Apapa and Ajegunle Residents Association, Truck Drivers and owners unions and various stakeholders took turns to commend the project and the economic development it will bring to Lagos and Nigeria.

The 32 km Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki-Ojota Expressway project will include reconstruction of Creek Road, Liverpool Road, Beach land Estate Interchange, Cele Bus Stop through Anthony Village to the old Toll gate.
It is often said that the law limps behind technology. It is also true that the legal profession, like almost every other profession, is rapidly being transformed and even disrupted by advances in technology. Yet, notwithstanding this reality facing the legal profession in every country, the curricula of most law schools continue to be dominated by subjects focused upon traditional legal knowledge. Few schools have responded adequately to the demands of the market or the broader changes taking place in society. What are some of the reforms required to bring legal education into the 21st century information age?



Leadership and management skills

One reform should be to place greater emphasis on transferable, lifelong skills rather than give so much attention to law content. In the highly diverse and multi-disciplinary world in which professionals must practice, there is too much focus on substantive law content which will quickly go out of date, and insufficient focus on the broad set of skills required. Two of these skills are leadership and management.

Leadership skills, including, e-leadership, are required if tomorrow's lawyers are to navigate shifts in knowledge creation, disintermediation and the need to create new business models that better leverage technology such as big data and AI. This is necessary to deliver better services to clients and devise business models that better serve the large segment of society that cannot afford traditional lawyers' fees.

Management skills are also required to find the best ways to make the delivery of legal services as efficient, affordable and accessible as possible to the wider population.

Better leadership and management may also eventually shift the focus of legal service delivery away from problems and give greater attention to keeping clients legally healthy and preventing problems rather than having to resort to conflict and forms of litigation to resolve them.

Collaboration and effective teams

Another skill demanding attention is effective teamwork and collaboration. The globalization of business, internationalization of trade and the increasing prevalence of multi-cultural interdisciplinary teams (often working virtually and asynchronously) are beginning to redefine the nature of work. Today we are more likely to find legal teams working in different places, at different times and from different legal systems and cultures.

Technology literacy

Tomorrow's lawyers will work in law offices which will operate in a dramatically different environment than what exists in the majority of today's organizations. Sophisticated computer software and artificial legal intelligence threaten those in the legal profession who depend upon performing routine tasks such as conveyancing. It is not that the knowledge acquired by the lawyer will become devalued; only that the type of knowledge that makes a lawyer valuable is changing. Students today need to have literacy in technology so that they may thrive in this new legal environment. For this reason, more and more law schools are teaching such skills as coding. Law firms are encouraging lawyers to develop software applications and new knowledge products that respond to client needs.

New paradigms of legal practice

Today, and even more so in the future, work that focuses primarily on routine transactions will face stiff competition from software programs that can do it faster, cheaper and with greater accuracy. What will be demanded in this new environment are higher order, critical thinking skills. The advent of cyberspace as a major medium for communication and commerce has left lawyers searching for appropriate ways to redefine and reorder their legal relationships. This new technology makes a wealth of information universally accessible, adds to it at an unprecedented rate and puts it in a state of constant flux. In this brave new digital world, long-settled legal precedent can have only limited applicability.

Convergence and the importance of professional networks

As society has moved from an industrial to an information age, there has been a shift in emphasis from goods to services. Yet, much of existing commercial law was designed to facilitate the sale of goods which are tangible and which existing laws provided great certainty. Today, however, the fastest growing sector of the modern economy is that of services and the same laws which deal with goods either often fail to address or inadequately address the needs of this new economic reality. This shift in the emphasis from goods to services requires law makers and law firms to adjust to take advantage of available opportunities.

Not only has there been a shift from goods to services, but those services are increasingly made up of intangible assets, most notably information, as opposed to tangibles. This reflects the reality that in most modem economies, the values which shape society are increasingly intangibles. This in turn has meant a new evaluation of traditional notions of, and rights in relation to, property law.

Modern technology and business practice have converged to make it necessary for all commercial lawyers to be aware of intellectual property law, competition law and so on. This has meant that specialists must increasingly widen their vision and forge new links with other specialists in law. But more than that, the lawyer must work closely with colleagues in management and technology. In this resultant legal and managerial uncertainty, a new expert must also emerge who has both the technical depth and breadth of vision to "manage" the realities of this new information age.

As law becomes an information service, the "divide" between law and other professions becomes less clear as accountants, insurance companies and other professionals challenge the monopoly of lawyers over the provision of legal services. This reality, coupled with the increased competition among law firms themselves, has meant that the practice of law is being defined by the customers  those who purchase legal services.

New models of education

Law schools are part of a system of education. If law schools are to produce better lawyers, then our primary and secondary schools must do a better job to meet the learning needs of students at every level. A monolithic "one-size-fits-all" education system does not allow teachers to customize learning to meet students' individual needs. Innovations in technology and organization offer the opportunity of mass customization so that students are provided with the means to capitalize on their particular learning needs and preferences.

As with primary and secondary levels of education, legal education, too, has assumed a "sameness" and "one-size-fits-all" approach that has not been conducive to either quality or innovation. In part, an accreditation regime that has focused predominantly on outputs has helped to encourage this uniformity. However, the same forces of change are ushering in a period of renewal and innovation among law schools as they seek to respond.

A focus on innovation and the future

Lawyers tend to be conservative by nature and focused on the past and on precedent. They have been successful in the existing system and worked hard to earn their status which regards law as one of the most significant institutions in society. Yet increasingly, the lawyers of the future must learn a culture which places greater emphasis on innovation. In the future, innovation cannot be left to the devices of a few who are technology minded. Law schools, government departments and law firms must play a role in communicating to faculty and students, employees and partners the importance of a culture of innovation. Successful schools and lawyers of the future must see innovation and the need to create and sustain an enduring culture of innovation, not merely as something "nice to do" but a "must do." One must innovate or die.

Conclusion

Change is always difficult, especially for lawyers. Our professional education leads us to look backwards to precedent, rather than forward to innovation. Our education teaches us to be critical and to take ideas and arguments apart. Law students and lawyers tend to react to problems instead of building a system that focuses on general principles and designing creative solutions to meet their respective long-term needs. What is undeniable is that the legal education and the practice of law will and must change, and this change will be permanent. We cannot go back again. We must look forward and design a new form of legal education that is more relevant, diverse, integrated, innovative, outcome focused, evidence based, technology driven, and connected to the practice of law.

The pace of change, the breadth and depth of technological advancements, the national and international scope of the commercial world all call for a new breed of lawyers who are legal and "technological Vikings"  willing to launch their boats into uncharted seas, eager to face and conquer unknown dangers and uncertain outcomes.

Eugene Clark is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/eugeneclark.htm





Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
A recent Reuters report revealed that about 56% of refugee claims finalised between January and September 2018 were accepted, but the acceptance rates are lower for border-crossers, with Nigerians and Haitians forming the largest groups.

Nigerians make up a sizeable majority of thousands of people who have walked into Canada from the United States to file refugee claims since January 2017.

The acceptance rate of Nigerian border crossers stands at 29.3% as 9,898 Nigerians illegally walked into Canada, without going through a designated port of entry, between February 2017 and June 2018, according to data observed by Pulse from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

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Generally, CBC News reported in February that Nigeria surpassed China as the country with the most refugee claim decisions in Canada in 2017. Many of the claims relate to sexual orientation and gender persecution, most notably domestic violence claims from women as well as the practice of female genital mutilation.

Canada cracks down on border crossers with strict measures

The trend of illegal border crossers from Nigeria worried the Canadian government so much that two officials were sent to Lagos earlier this year to work directly with their counterparts in the U.S. visa office to collaborate on how to lower the number of migrants who eventually end up making asylum claims in Canada.

This was because many of the Nigerian border crossers were observed to have arrived in Canada bearing valid U.S. visas after having spent very little time in the States.

Between June 2017 and May 2018, Canadian authorities intercepted more than 7,600 Nigerian asylum seekers with 81% of them having valid U.S. non-immigrant visas in their possession.

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Over the past few months, the Canadian government has implemented measures to protect its borders against the influx of asylum seekers, with many of it affecting Nigerians.

The Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers (CARL) dragged the Canadian government to court over a recent court ruling that would make it harder for Nigerians to be granted asylum. The association was displeased with the IRB's decision to establish as a legal precedent its ruling to deny a Nigerian woman's asylum request.

The unnamed Nigerian woman was denied asylum even though she claimed she fled Nigeria to escape the practice of female genital mutilation. The court ruled that she could have sought refuge away from her rural family home in any of Nigeria's large cities of Ibadan or Port Harcourt, and not necessarily run all the way to Canada.

The IRB seized on the ruling to designate it as a "jurisprudential guide" or legal precedent in considering all future Nigerian asylum cases.

CARL noted that the decision meant Nigerians would likely face a higher bar to gain asylum status than they did in the past with their acceptance rate (33% at the time) already below the average (47% as of June 2018) for all those who crossed the border illegally, according to data from the IRB.

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More recently, the Canadian government adopted a new stringent policy to deal with asylum seekers who illegally cross into the country from the U.S.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the agency responsible for deportations, disclosed to Reuters that it now classifies border-crossers with criminals as a top deportation priority.

This means quicker processing and deportation of people who cross the border unlike in the past when claimants could live in Canada for years while their applications were processed.
Usman is standing trial on allegations of money laundering alongside a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Chairman of the Association of Local Govenment of Nigeria, Yusuf Danjuma, and a company, Joint Trust Dimension Ltd.

Usman had argued in the application that the inclusion of her name on the list released during the pendency of her trial, was contemptuous.

She, therefore, initiated a suit against Mohammed for alleged contempt of court, claiming that his action undermined the integrity of the court, and was aimed at poisoning the mind of the court.

EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, had urged the court to refuse Usmans application, arguing that the applicant was never referred to as a looter by the minister.

He said that what was published by some newspapers only bordered on allegations, and could not be said to be prejudicial to the applicants case in court.

In his ruling, Aikawa upheld the submission of the prosecution that the right parties to the contempt suit were not before the court.

According to him, the publications, which the applicant complained of, were made by media houses and not Mohammed.

He said that the right parties to be joined in the application were the media houses.

The judge also held that a mere publication, which did not go to the substance of a case or directly affect proceedings before the court, could not be said to have interfered or influenced the mind of the court.

The judge added that the publication was not an advertorial from Mohammed, and that he could not be held responsible for what was published by media houses.

The judge, therefore, ruled that the publication was not prejudicial to the applicants case in court.

He dismissed it for lacking merit.

EFCC had re-arraigned the accused on a 17-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of theft and money laundering.

According to the EFCC, in January 2015, the accused unlawfully retained a total sum of N4.6 billion, which they knew formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act.
According to Daily Nigerian, the twins were released unhurt on Saturday, November 17, 2018.

The sisters were kidnapped in October 2018, while they were visiting their sister in Dauran village in Zurmi local government area of Zamfara state.

Their abductors also threatened to kill them if thesum of N15m was not paid to them.

Speaking to their family members on phone on Thursday, November 15, 2018, the girls begged their family members to rescue them.

Hussaiana, one of the twins said The beat us every morning. Please help rescue us. Even yesterday, they slaughtered some people in our presence.

We are starving. Please get contributions even from the general public.

ALSO READ: Council chairman offers N5m to rescue Kidnapped female twins

Daily Nigerian also reports that the money was raised by family and friends, with Senator Kabir Marafa helping out with the bulk of the money.

Marafa is the Senator representing Zamfara Central at the Nigerian Senate.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the five-day public hearing had some cases successfully resolved, while one was dismissed as complainants refused to show up.

Some other cases were adjourned for panels decision and the rest reported to have been settled by necessary authorities.

The public hearing, organised by National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), came to an end after evaluating the inadequacies of the police as well as members of the public.

The panel revealed that failure of some complainants to report as well as bad timing of report of some incidents were challenges in resolving some issues.

NAN reports that most of the cases listened to by the panel exposed the failure of SARS to follow due process in discharging their duties.

According to the Chairman of the Panel, Mr Tony Ojukwu, there are some cases which ordinarily should not be the business of SARS.

He cited such instances to include a case where a SARS official was assigned to handle a matter bordering on debt between two parties.

This is a matter that a policeman can handle in any police station, not SARS. So, when you are called upon that a bank robbery is ongoing, you will say you are taking statements from market women, he said.

The Chairman also addressed the issue of SARS official covering name tags while on illegal duties and questioned why policemen would not register their presence at the nearest police station so as to check issues of illegal duty shifts.

On a case bordering on extra judicial killing, Ojukwu questioned policemen on why they would carry out coroner inquest on a body without informing relatives of the deceased.

If you have invited a pathologist to carry out autopsy on a body without a relation to identify the body, how are we so sure you have the right body?

There is need to always do the right thing. You should have in mind that there will always be a day of account. All of these have to stop.

Some of the reasons we face these inadequacies of the police is because people do not report, as they are not sure if any action will be taken.

This is why impunity continues. Our people are docile and they dont fight for their rights, because if an officer knows that someone will hold him accountable for his actions, he will do what is right.

I know that recommendations of this panel will put things in order, but I hope we dont degenerate into looking for other ways to evade being held accountable for our wrongs, he said.

Ojukwu, however, commended the policemen that accepted their wrongs, saying that it is when policemen try to outsmart the panel that cases keep taking time to resolve.
Jereshak said that UNICEF and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) are targeting 18.6 million people to be vaccinated against yellow fever disease in five states and the FCT.

According to her, the states include Borno, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kogi, Niger and Plateau, as well as the FCT.

The coordinator, who described yellow fever as dreaded disease which needs to be prevented before any havoc, said that over 3 million people are being targeted to be vaccinated in Plateau.

She said that the forthcoming vaccination exercise is the second phase in the state.

The targeted age group is from nine months to 44 years; the vaccination will be free, safe and effective, she said.

She however warned that pregnant women and children who are below the age of nine months should to not take the vaccination as it will be injurious to them.

According to her, those who have jaundice, HIV, sickle cell anemia or are allergic to egg should also not take the yellow fever vaccination.

The health expert said: It is good that people who eventually take the vaccine be carefully observed for any reaction to the vaccine before they leave the venues.

This is to avoid any complication that may arise thereafter.

Worthy of note is that, once a person has been vaccinated against yellow fever, that person doesnt need any again, because once one has been vaccinated against yellow fever, it is forever; you dont need it again, she said.

She said that the PHC would soon meet with all the chairmen of the 17 local government councils of the state and called on all the health directors in the councils to intensify sensitisation campaigns on vaccination.

Jereshak also called on all traditional rulers and religious leaders to use their Churches and Mosques to create public awareness on the exercise, so that no child or adult within the target group misses it.

According to her, everybody must take the yellow fever vaccination campaign very serious because records showed that 60,000 people die annually from the disease in Africa.

She also said that 16,000 cases of yellow fever have been reported with 600 deaths in Nigeria.

This, however, calls for seriousness on the part of government and the people of Plateau to ensure that we are all safe from the deadly disease called yellow fever, she said.

She commended UNICEF as well as the federal and state governments for their efforts to ensure that the vaccination was successful.
It said their decision was garnered through consultation with all the stakeholders in every sector of the region, influenced by brain cracking, arguments and counter arguments as well as careful researched efforts which formed the basis that the APC administration led by Buhari qualified for re-election.

This is because the history of governance in Nigeria, APC under President Buhari has done tremendously well in the sub-region, it said.

According to the statement, Buharis laudable projects had direct bearing on the lives of people in the North East and Nigerians.

It explained that their support was based on the presidents numerous achievements in the areas of security, corruption, agriculture and economy, among others, in the region and the entire country at large.

The group said the need for a second term was in order to also sustain the ongoing war against corruption and effective management of Nigerias resources.

Buharis re-election would ensure continuity in the positive affairs of the nation.

The people of the region must also play their parts in the task of nation-building by supporting President Buhari-led governments effort at moving the country forward.

The group reiterated that its decision was based partly in recognition of the laudable achievements of the president and his team in the last three years.
Alhaji Ahmadu Ogotoyi, the spokesman of the group, made the appeal at a news conference on Friday in Keffi.

Ogotoyi alleged that there was no primary election in their constituency.

He also alleged that the party just filed the name of one Mr Umar Osu as the APC candidate for the state House of Assembly seat for the constituency.

We are protesting against what we described as kangaroo primary election carried out by the All Progressives Congress (APC) which will not stand the test of time.

Name of an aspirant was just written and submitted to the party without primary election conducted, he alleged.

According to him, Mr Abubakar Kana, the incumbent member is the preferred person that the stakeholders and the people of our constituency want but the party do otherwise.

He threatened that the aggrieved constituents would move or defect to other political parties if the national leadership of the party failed to address their grievance soonest.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kana (APC-Kokona West), the incumbent member at the state House of Assembly, lost out during the partys primary election to Osu.

NAN also learnt that Kana has petitioned the national leadership of the party over non-conduct of the primary election in his constituency.
Kwara is holding a by-election on November 17, 2018 to replace Funke Adedoyin,the federal lawmaker who died on Friday, September 28, aged 54, following a battle with cancer.

In a statement issued by Dr Muyideen Akorede, Senior Special Assistant On Media and Communications to the Kwara State Governor, the state government said it has become aware of the reported arrests of PDP members in the four local government areas by security personnel, with no lawful justification whatsoever.

The state government says while it recognizes the right of security agencies to maintain law and order, this should not be done in a manner that intimidates members of a political party while paving the way for members of another party.

The statement called on security agencies to resist any attempt to use them to execute political agenda or any unlawful activity and maintain neutrality and rule of law in carrying out their duties.

The state government also called on citizens and residents not to be intimidated by the heavy security presence across the state, but to exercise their constitutional right to choose representatives of their choice without fear or intimidation.

The statement enjoined electoral observers, journalists and lovers of democracy to be vigilante and speak out against any attempt to intimidate or disenfranchise Nigerians using the so-called Federal might.

Police denies carrying cash in helicopters

The police has denied stories that one of its helicopters was used to offload cash meant to buy votes during the election.

Kwara is home state of Senate President Bukola Saraki who defected to the PDP from the governing APC in July. Today's election is seen as a harbinger of which way the pendulum will swing and bragging rights of some sort, between PDP and APC, when the 2019 general election is held.
In the recording, Saraki is alleged to have said he spent millions of Naira campaigning for President Buhari in 2015.

Saraki, allegedly at a meeting with his supporters, said Use me as an example. In 2015, or maybe 2014-2015, when we left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and began to work devotedly for the All Progressives Congress (APC), we went round.

There is no state in Nigeria that I did not go to campaign for Buhari. Up to the time of the election in 2015 I was still campaigning. Even days before the Saturday election, out of 36 states, I paid money for the elections in 30 states.

I disbursed several amounts, ranging from N200m to N400m. The states I didnt know anything about, were the states in the South-West.

I was putting calls through to my bank and giving payment instructions.

Federal appointments

In the audio recording, the Senate President also allegedly explained why he has not been able to get federal appointment slots for youths from Kwara state.

We were thinking that after all our efforts, when we get to power, when it gets to appointments (remember I was joking with some of you that you will go to Abuja with me), that some of them will be made MDs of agencies (road maintenance, NPA etc).Because I know that if a Kwara person becomes even an ED (Executive Director) of UBEC - Universal Basic Education Commission, I know the amount he can sign from his desk, even if it is N1m or N2m.

Even if you do not want to give us positions, leave us alone, but no, it from one court to the other for three and half years. The point I am making is that it is not my desire to hurt you neither is it my plan for you go through these things. I am just as irritated as you are.

That is why I said that it is not possible for me to work with these people again. If it the whole thing is about me, what can they offer me? You know, it is a risk to challenge the Federal Government.

It is easier to just sit and watch, but challenging the Federal Government is not easy, Saraki added.

Youths in governance

According to the audio, the Senate President allegedly said his agenda since he became Governor of Kwara state, has been to encourage youths to play their role in governance.

Saraki also said All the things you have said today are on point. From the issue of empowerment. Even as you cited that when the G20 group started, you got empowerment. Even a lot of our members developed themselves during that period.

You will agree that in the last three years, it has not been easy. You need to accept that it has not been easy for anybody.

One thing I would like you to know it that when I started the youth in government drive, during my first term as Governor when we agreed that youths should also be given a place in governance, even at the council level.

ALSO READ: Oshiomole threatens to sue Saraki over bribery allegation

"Up to till now, even if it is a commissioner, or Governor, by the grace of God youths have a place.

If you look at our journey from then till now, youths have been given a place in governance. My agenda has always been to make way for youths to grow, be in government and play their role.

Senate President Bukola Saraki announced his defection from the ruling APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in July 2018.
Malam Musa Abdulmajid an agent of the Peoples Democratic Party at the Dembo Abdu polling unit 003 in Ingawa local government area commended the peaceful ambience of the election.

He said he was confident that the election would be free and fair and hoped the loser would take it as an Act of God.

Both sensitive and the non sensitive election materials arrived polling units before 8am, under the supervision of securitymen,politicians and other relevant stakeholders.

Hajiya Mairo Mohammed ,a voter at the Kankiya polling unit 001, lauded the arrangement made by INEC preparatory to the comencement of the election,stressing voters were fully sensitized through media jingles and stakeholders meetings .
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Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister Peter O'Neill agreed on Friday to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership between their countries, featuring mutual respect and common development.





The decision was made during a meeting between Xi and O'Neill, where they spoke positively of the traditional friendship between China and PNG and charted the course for the development of bilateral relations.





Expressing gratitude to the PNG government and people for the warm reception, Xi said it was an epitome of the profound friendship the PNG people have for the Chinese people and a reflection of the development of bilateral relations and the achievements in bilateral cooperation in years.





Xi pointed out that the two countries have enjoyed frequent high-level exchanges and fruitful results in practical cooperation in recent years.





China firmly supports PNG in choosing a development path in line with its own national conditions and highly appreciates the PNG government for staunchly adhering to the one-China policy, he said.





The two sides agreed to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development to strengthen political guidance for bilateral relations, he said.





Xi said the development embodied the traditional friendship between China and PNG while injecting strong impetus into the advancement of bilateral exchanges and cooperation.





China is ready to work with PNG to increase mutual trust, deepen cooperation and foster friendship to lift the comprehensive strategic partnership to higher levels, he added.





Xi stressed that both sides should increase strategic mutual trust under the guidance of high-level exchanges.





He called on the two sides to keep promoting personnel exchanges at various levels and in various fields and strengthening communication between parties, parliaments, at local levels and among peoples.





The two sides, Xi said, should achieve win-win and mutually beneficial results underpinned by practical cooperation.





Noting that PNG, located on the natural extension of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, was the first among Pacific island countries to sign a cooperation agreement on the Belt and Road construction with China, Xi called on the two sides to strengthen the alignment of their development strategies within the Belt and Road framework.





He also called on the two sides to reach a consensus as soon as possible to start negotiations on a free trade agreement, and actively promote the mutually beneficial cooperation in such areas as production capacity, trade and economy, investment and financing.





The two sides should consolidate friendship between the two peoples based on cultural exchanges, Xi said, adding that they should also advance cooperation in the fields of the facilitation of personnel exchanges, human resources development, education, health and tourism.





China and PNG should enrich the content of their cooperation with multilateral coordination as a platform, Xi said.





He said that China is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with PNG within the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, the Pacific Islands Forum and other multilateral frameworks.





China supports PNG in hosting the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and wishes the event a success, the Chinese president added.





For his part, noting that it is the first-ever state visit by the Chinese president to PNG, O'Neill said the visit is an important historic moment for his country.





PNG and China have enjoyed strong momentum in developing the bilateral relations since the two countries established diplomatic ties, he said, adding that PNG will staunchly adhere to the one-China policy.





PNG thanked China for its long-term and precious support in the country's economic and social development, the Chinese medical team for its help in malaria control and prevention in remote areas, and the Chinese side for its assistance in disaster relief and reconstruction after a recent earthquake, O'Neill said.





The country also thanked China for its support in hosting the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.





The Belt and Road Initiative is conducive to strengthening connectivity and infrastructure construction in the Pacific islands region, he said.





Pledging to actively participate in building the Belt and Road, the prime minister said PNG is willing to beef up communication and cooperation with China in areas including trade and economy, production capacity, tourism, infrastructure construction, education and cooperation among local governments, and start negotiations on a free trade agreement at an early date.





The PNG side speaks highly of China's adherence to rule-based international order in global affairs, supports multilateral institutions, and appreciates and supports China's active leading role, he said.





The PNG side is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with the Chinese side, supports Pacific island countries and China in deepening dialogue and strengthening cooperation in areas such as fishery, tourism and climate change, he said.





The two leaders witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperative documents following the meeting.
The presidential candidate of the PDP,Atiku Abubakar nominated Obias his running mate in October 2018, and it did not go down well with some leaders of the party from the South-east region.

According to reports, the leaders felt that Atiku did not carry out proper consultation before picking Obi, a former Governor of Anambra state.

Oshiomhole also told State House correspondents after a meeting with President Buhari on Friday, November 16, 2018, that there is disharmony in the PDP camp, Daily Post reports.

He said It is also not secret that the running mate of PDPs candidate, his home base is disputing his suitability for that position, and this dispute is not being done in the bedrooms. Its being done in village squares.

And they are giving reasons that where they were hoping for gold, they have been given bronze that will postpone their access to the gold side.

You think those guys are going to be fooled?
The three men identified as Abdalla Omar Masudi, Alloys Otieno alias Ismael John Otieno and John Muasya alias Yahya Muasya are believed to be heavily armed Al-Shabaab operatives.

They have been on the radar over links to the Somalia- based terrorist group and have been linked to terrorist activities and crime over the recent past.

On November 12, 2018 police conducted a raid on Abdallas house, recovering an AK47 rifle and a magazine with 30 rounds of ammunition.

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Abdalla who hails from Ndavaya, Kwale County is also reported to have been training Al-Shabaab recruits in Kinango forest.

He has since gone into hiding after escaping the police swoop on his home.

Ismael and Yahya had previously been arrested by the police after the public tipped the police on their plans to travel to Somalia to join the armed terror group.

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They were last seen in Bombolulu after being released due to lack of enough evidence to prosecute them.

They are believed to be headed towards the vast Kenya-Somalia border with the intention of crossing over to Somalia to join the extremist group.

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A planet orbiting a very nearby star and Rocket Lab gets serious. See the latest launch here.

Japan is now at the forefront of space exploration. Check out a nice video here.
Furthering its foray into film, and growing its slate of original animated event programming, SVOD leader Netflix is to produce animated feature film, Escape from Hat from two time Academy Award nominated director Mark Osborne together with writer Adam Kline.





Escape From Hat brings light to the ancient mysteries of magic. In a fairy tale where black cats are bad and magic rabbits are good, balance is threatened when one such rabbit is cast into a mysterious realm of danger and shadow. There, the rabbit undertakes a quest to escape from inside a magicians hat - and return to the human boy he dearly loves.Designed for kids and families around the world, production will commence this month in New York and Netflix expects the film to be released in 2022.Osborne will direct and produce with Jinko Gotoh, who worked with Osborne on the critically-acclaimed feature The Little Prince and serves as producer on the 2019 Netflix animated feature film Klaus, from director Sergio Pablos. The screenplay is by Adam Kline and Osborne, based on the book of the same name by Kline, a new middle-grade novel that will be published by HarperCollins in Winter 2020.Escape From Hat tells a story about friendship and magic, which perfectly mirrors how I feel about getting to reunite with my friend Mark at Netflix after ten years, said Melissa Cobb, vice president of kids & family at Netflix. I cannot wait for audiences around the world to immerse themselves in our fantastical magic trick gone awry, where they will find an epic and imaginative world of good versus evil. Netflix is shaking up the animated feature world in highly inventive ways, including offering filmmakers the rare opportunity to turn their dream project into a reality, added Osborne (pictured). Im thrilled that Escape From Hat is now one of them.
Revenue increased 5% to just shy of $3.5 billion, well ahead of analysts projection of $3.37 billion; meanwhile earnings per share declined 43% from the year-ago period but came in at 96 cents, a penny ahead of estimates.The big story was at the Paramount film studio, which racked up $984 million in revenue in the period ending September 30  amounting to a 25% jump year-over-year. Operating profit rose from the year-ago level of almost nothing, to total $38 million.The gains are largely attributable to the success of Mission: Impossible  Fallout, A Quiet Place and Book Club, but the studio also saw success in television, licensing several shows to Netflix and Tom Clancys Jack Ryan to Amazon Prime. Full-year revenue for TV rose 127% to more than $400 million.The news comes as Viacom announces a multi-picture development deal with Netflix. That will expand an existing relationship which delivered popular TV series like The Haunting of Hill House and Maniac, which stars Emma Stone and Jonah Hill. Paramount now expects to deliver 16 series in fiscal 2019, up from nine in 2018.We successfully turned around our core business, with dramatic improvements across our networks, at Paramount and in distribution, Viacom CEO Bob Bakish said. We also took important steps to evolve Viacom for the future  investing in our portfolio of advanced marketing solutions, digital and experiential offerings and global studio production business. As we head into 2019, we are excited about the companys evolution and expect to return to topline growth.He also indicated that creating original content for distributors will continue to be a focus. added, All of the recent activity around vertical integration only serves the demand for high-quality producers.Viacoms cable nets, like Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and MTV, were less successful. Revenue was down a percentage point to total $2.5 billion, and advertising revenue fell 6% year-over-year. Operating income however was up 2% to $708 million. The company also said that revenue from TV production across Viacom is expected to double to about $1 billion in a couple of years.Overall, the company estimates that growth from both TV and films will continue to push company revenue forward; in fiscal 2019, which began Oct. 1, revenue will rise by mid-single digit percentages. Adjusted operating income will rise in the low-single digital percentage range, it said.The results put a coda on the ongoing turmoil over Viacoms future. An attempted merger of Viacom and CBS earlier this year fell apart after controlling shareholders of both companies, Shari Redstone and National Amusements, settled a lawsuit brought by CBS to block the merger. Redstone also agreed to not pursue such a move for at least two years.Also on Friday, Kevin Kay, a 25-year veteran of Viacom, officially stepped down as president of Paramount. He was pushed out 25 Oct as part of Viacom's restructuring, when it consolidated its brand groups from five to four, with Comedy Central's Kent Alterman taking on Paramount Network.In a farewell memo to his Viacom colleagues he noted, Our business has changed rapidly in unprecedented ways over the past several years and there has been little time for reflection...We tasked ourselves with being strategic about the evolving business, while holding true to the principle that bold ideas, world class execution and a strong point of view is the promised land. Together, we let that be the north-star of our relevancy.
Last week (November 9), Russia finally convened its long-heralded peace conference on Afghanistan. Attending the conference were members of the Taliban as well as the governments of Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and China. A representative of the Embassy of the United States in Moscow also attended as an observer, as did members of the Afghan governments Peace Council, but no member of the formal government in Kabul (Al Jazeera, November 9; TASS, November 12). The so-called Moscow format consultations are intended to coordinate the development of an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue toward promoting the process of national reconciliation and the restoration of peace as soon as possible in the long-suffering Afghan state (Mid.ru, November 9).

More to the point, this represents Moscows attempt to return to a position of influence in Afghanistan by brokering an agreement that includes the Taliban as part of a reconstituted Afghan government. This is also the first time the Taliban has ever attended such a session. But the peace conference in Moscow is by no means a disinterested act of altruism on the part of Russia or a manifestation of concern over international terrorism; the Talibans militant activities, after all, have not stopped even while negotiations proceed. Rather, it epitomizes, among other things, Moscows expanding collaboration with the Taliban that began with intelligence sharing and consultations in 2013 and has continued up to the present (Ifri.org, September 2018). This cooperation has occurred because Moscow claims to be increasingly concerned that the Islamic State might supplant the Taliban in Afghanistan; Russia regards the Taliban as a force that is not likely to threaten Central Asia if it enters the Afghan government. Moscow argues that it is impossible to make peace with the Talibaneven if they are terroristsexcept by bringing them to the table (RT, November 12), which is not typically Russias position on radical militant groups.

In other words, and despite Russian rhetoric to the contrary, the Taliban, like Hezbollah, has become for Russia, good terrorists with whom it thinks it can strike a deal and who can become a means for advancing Russian interests in any postwar government in Kabul. In this context, it is telling that Russias long-serving presidential special representative for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, who played a prominent role at the conference, stated that not only had the US and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) lost the war, their presence in Afghanistan made things worse. He said that the remote South Asian country is literally our underbelly, and the interests of Russia and its allies (whoever they may be) are at stake there. He also observed that only a regional approach, presumably involving Central Asia, Iran, China, India and Pakistan (the latter of which actually sponsors various militant groups all over Afghanistansee Militant Leadership Monitor, September 6, 2017) will work to finally bring security to Afghanistan (Interfax, November 12, 2018).

Russia, like other observers, apparently sees the US as bogged down in Afghanistan and therefore perceives an opportunity to achieve several Russian objectives simultaneously (Ifri.org, September 2018). It aims to regain enduring influence in Afghanistan; discredit US military and political performance; strengthen its alliance with China that is manifested in its warming relations with Pakistanprobably at Chinas suggestionwhose interests will gain from the Talibans inclusion in the government; and also simultaneously retain its influence and strong ties with India, a long-standing partner. Indeed, the fact that neither Washington nor Kabul were officially represented at the Moscow talks suggests the fundamentally anti-US and de facto anti-Afghan motives underlying Russian policy. We should thus not expect much in the way of a viable or acceptable road to peace out of this conference. Instead, like a lot of Russian foreign policy, the Moscow meeting may ultimately be little more than a propaganda stunt.

Nevertheless, if this is the case, why are major governments like India participating? India, of course, has vital interests in the future of Afghanistan as well as long-standing concerns that Pakistan uses that war-torn country to both challenge those Indian interests and incite terrorist attacks there. New Delhi has long supported the idea, therefore, that an Afghan peace must be made and owned by the Afghans themselves, not third parties (Al Jazeera, November 9). However, under the circumstances where even the US, not to mention other parties, have already had discussions with the Taliban (in the US case, bilateral meetings in the Gulf), India is hard-pressed not to attend lest its interests become marginalized as a result of its absence.

In the final analysis, the November 9 conference represents another of Moscows many efforts to convince itself, the Russian people and international audiences that it truly is a global power able and willing to propose constructive solutions to current world crises. Put another way, Moscow is seeking recognition that it deserves a stature comparable to what it had in 1945.

Dr. Stephen Blank is a Senior Fellow and resident Russia expert at the American Foreign Policy Council. Previously, he worked as a professor at the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, PA. The views expressed here do not represent those of the U.S. Army, Defense Department or the U.S. Government.

This article appeared originally at The Jamestown Foundation's Eurasia Daily Monitor.
New York Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wasted no time getting down to business when freshman orientation began Tuesday. She decisively marched to the House Democratic Leaders office, ready to make her stance known to probable-Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

When she arrived, an environmental activist sit-in was set for Pelosis suite. It was then that Ocasio-Cortez showed intrepid leadership byjoining the protest.

She didnt meet with the woman whos likely to become speaker. Instead, Congresss new, youngest member  the supposed posterchild for the Millennial Generation  sat outside the leaders office, like a plain-old activist. It was as though she will never get to vote for speaker or influence the legislative process directly.

Before the sit-in, Ocasio-Cortez explained her reasoning: [W]e need a Green New Deal, and we need to get to 100% renewables because our lives depend upon itThe IPCC themselves  they say we have ten years left.

Just ten years, people. Our very lives depend on decimating Americas economy.

She continued: I  not just as an elected member but as a 29-year-old woman  am thinking not just about what were gonna accomplish in the next two years but the America that were going to live in in the next 30 years. And I dont want to see Miami under water, I dont want to see my own district under water.

Hence her bold, progressive plan: 100% renewable energy. You know, the kind of policy she proudly  without any basis  declared the country is here to support. Because, like, Americans want to lose millions of jobs, stifle a trillion dollars of economic growth and erode U.S. leadership in energy production  all in exchange for sky-high energy prices and the fantastical satisfaction that we just saved the planet.

At an October fundraiser, Ocasio-Cortez affirmed unequivocally, Theres no debate as to whether we should continue producing fossil fuels. Theres no debate  we should not. Every single scientific consensus points to that.

Ignoring the utterly groundless third sentence, her goal is clear: eradicate fossil fuel production. No debate! The science is settled! Act now  or NY-14 will drown!

Set aside how a soon-to-be member of Congress participated in a college campus snowflake-like melt-in outside her partys leaders office  and consider the inconvenient facts about how Congresswoman Millennials plan to gut oil and gas production would crush everyone, including Millennials.

Fact One: The oil and gas and petrochemical industries support 10.3 million jobs and a whopping $1.3 trillion in economic output annually. But lets just pull the rug out from underneath millions of Americans and trash the economy, shall we?

Fact Two: As of 2015, Millennials make up 34% of total industry employment. If youre a math-challenged democratic socialist, thats one-third of all O&G workers nationally who would lose under her proposal.

Fact Three: 88% of Americans own their own car. Imagine an America that didnt produce fossil fuels. Would 286 million Americans either give up our autos or willingly accept a doubling or tripling or quadrupling of gas and energy prices to satisfy environmental activists? How about all the companies that rely on trucks and airplanes for transportation? Who will deliver all that avocado toast we Millennials love to the nearest Whole Foods?

Fact Four: Americans keep rejecting attempts to gut O&G production. We can see this in what the Wall Street Journal called A Green Ballot Trouncing. Colorado voters definitively defeated Proposition 112  which would have made 85% of minerals off-limits in the state. Washington State thwarted a carbon tax  for the second consecutive year. Arizonans and Alaskans killed initiatives, too.

Fact Five: From 2008-2015, American crude production soared 88%; since 2005, natural gas production has risen 48%. Gas prices, fuel imports and heating and electricity costs all declined  along with carbon emissions. With relatively minor government direction, O&G has driven considerable gains in environmental protection. Technological improvements in fracking helped the U.S. reduce emissions to 1992 levels and become the worlds leader in containing them. In 2017 alone  while global carbon emissions from energy rose  for the ninth time in the 21st Century, the U.S. reduced emissions by more than any other country  by about the same amount as the European Union increased theirs.

Fact Six: Ocasio-Cortez might respond that, if we terminate fossil fuel production, it wont take long to retrain workers for new green energy jobs. However, the reality is that the U.S. does not have the resources, capacity or infrastructure to support a rapid shift to renewables, nor could Americans  especially poorer and middle-class folks  afford the astronomical cost of switching over on such a wide scale. It is untenable and unsustainable.

Congresswoman-elect Ocasio-Cortez says shes deeply worried about the America were going to live in 30 years from now because shes a 29-year-old woman. As a 28-year-old man, so do I. Yet the inconvenient facts reveal her solution to be short-sighted and harmful. Im all for environmental stewardship and combatting climate change. But if we do it her way, the entire country  especially our generation, mine and Ocasio-Cortezs  will lose out, big time.

All so Congresss new resident snowflake wont fear of melting from the global warming.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 11/16/2018



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

star Ashley Martson 's former best friend, Natalie Crawford, says she's setting the record straight and not going to allow Ashley and her fiance Jay Smith to drag her name through the mud.Ashley recently revealed some very personal details of her past -- including an abusive relationship, a hysterectomy, and the fact she was kidnapped and raped as a teenager -- claiming she wanted to beat her ex-friend to the punch before Natalie could cash in and leak Ashley's sensitive stories to tabloids.Well, Natalie is now sharing her side of the story, insisting she never had any intention or desire to throw Ashley under the bus, In Touch Weekly reported "Let's get a few things straight. There have been misleading posts about myself, as far as these accusations go, I have not made any posts regarding any of Ashley's personal past," Natalie told In Touch."I also have not thrown any type of shade or dirt about Jay and Ashley to any publicist or tabloid or sold any story! The accusations they have accused me of are lies. Ashley's post of our text conversation is very misleading."Ashley had shared a since-deleted Instagram posting of a screenshot of an old photo showing Ashley with a black eye that she alleged Natalie had texted her on October 22. Above the photo, all that could be read of the text exchange from Natalie was, "You're better than this."When Ashley posted the screenshot, she wrote, "My ex fiance beat me up badly. I left him and pressed charges. I got a [protection from abuse order] against him and he spent time in Jail. He never cheated on me. I said that because this is something that is very personal."In addition to calling Natalie the "worst person" she's ever met, Ashley said, "[Natalie] literally saved this photo from years ago, a photo I don't even have anymore. I'm posting this because Natalie is literally posting every detail of my sh-tty past. I know this is coming next."However, Natalie claims Ashley misrepresented the text message conversation."Let's break down the facts -- the conversation was from the day after the first episode aired," Natalie told In Touch of 's currently-airing sixth season."She had friends over to her house to watch and I was not in attendance... The following morning was when this conversation occurred and she was upset with me. I simply sent the photo as a way to implement a reminder of who had always been there for her by saying, 'Remember when it was really bad,' meaning when I was there for her through all of her rough times just as I have been for all the years we have been friends."Natalie insisted, "I was only trying to reiterate that I am one -- if not the only -- person that has always been there for her." Natalie then pointed out how Ashley's screenshot cut out the texts sent before and after the photo."I at no point stated I was trying to put out any details of her life or made any type of statement that I would post or sell any of her past. I never said anything in that context," Natalie said."She is claiming I did all of this but is providing no proof of me doing any of these things. Instead, Ashley and Jay are both trying to discredit me by low blowing my name and using anything they can against me -- including posting criminal history records to make me look bad."Jay did, in fact, share a screenshot of Natalie's criminal history. In the Court of Common Pleas of Cumberland County docket obtained by the magazine, Natalie was charged with two counts of retail theft and one count of disorderly conduct in 2017."Jay posted my criminal background claiming that because I sold Ashley's story to the tabloid. He wrote, 'Here's some attention for your ass!' Continuing to be malicious and deceitful, they leak a court docket of an incident which involves a mutual friend of Ashley and I," Natalie explained.Natalie then recalled the events that led to the three charges against her."At the time of this incident our mutual friend was struggling with an ongoing addiction problem, unfortunately, I was at the wrong place at the wrong time," Natalie told In Touch."I was arrested at that time and the charges were then changed and worked out in court. The fact that Ashley is collaborating with Jay leaking any information is preposterous. After seeing Ashley's deceptive post, I had to set the record straight with the truth. #facts."As shown on Sunday night's Season 6 episode of , Ashley from Pennsylvania decided to cut Natalie out of her wedding party after Natalie couldn't get over the fact Jay allegedly cheated on Ashley in Jamaica.Both Ashley and Jay, who have been shown settling into their new life together in the United States, were frustrated and fed up over Natalie's apparent lack of support for their relationship.
Camille Grammer is ready to rebuild after visiting the ruins of her burned home.

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The 50-year-old television personality showed "what's left" of her house in Malibu, Calif., in a slideshow Thursday after it was destroyed in the California wildfires.

Grammer included photos of her home from before the fire. She said her longtime assistant Scott died two days before the wildfires started, which put losing her house in perspective.

"This is what's left of my home. We can replace/rebuild our home but we can't replace people we have lost. I'm still grieving and will continues to do so," the star wrote.

"So, to those out there that are yelling at officials and firemen why their houses weren't saved let's put things in perspective here. You are alive. You are safe," she said.

"We are here to help others and gather to rebuild what has been lost."

Grammer said she hosted Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas celebrations and other events in her home, which she shared with her children.

She is parent to 17-year-old daughter Mason and 14-year-old son Jude with ex-husband Kelsey Grammer.

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"I will keep these memories and hold them in my heart forever," the star said.

"My family home will remain in my heart as I start to rebuild anew wherever that will be. My heart is with my family and friends. #malibustrong #woolseyfire."

"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" alum had shared a photo of her house in flames last week.

She and her kids evacuated the area Nov. 10 before the Woolsey fire reached their neighborhood.

"Sadly my house couldn't be saved," she told fans. "Sad we lost our home but grateful that my family is safe. Luckily we quickly evacuated our house yesterday."

Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, and Gerard Butler are among the other stars who have lost homes in the wildfires.

Cyrus posted a photo from her burned down house this week.
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The U.S. White House said Friday it will "temporarily reinstate" CNN reporter Jim Acosta's press pass in response to Federal Judge Timothy Kelly's order, while insisting that "there must be decorum at the White House."





The judge granted CNN's request on Friday morning for a temporary restraining order which will allow Acosta to get access to the White House again at least for now, but didn't rule on CNN's lawsuit against President Donald Trump and several top White House aides over the dispute.





"In response to the court, we will temporarily reinstate the reporter's hard pass," said White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in a statement.





White House "will also further develop rules and processes to ensure fair and orderly press conferences in the future," said Sanders.





She added that the federal judge "made clear that there is no absolute First Amendment right to access the White House."





CNN on Tuesday sued the administration over the suspension of Acosta's press pass to the White House following his heated exchange with the president last week, claiming the decision violated the reporter's First and Fifth Amendment rights to free speech and due process.





The judge said the White House did not provide Acosta with the due process required to legally revoke his press pass, adding that he believes CNN and Acosta are likely to prevail in the case overall, according to a CNN report.





It is thought that based on the judge's explanation, the White House could seek to revoke Acosta's press pass again if it provided that due process.





The Justice Department on Wednesday argued in a legal filing that the president and White House possess "broad discretion to regulate access to the White House for journalists."




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During the 2018 midterm elections, under particular scrutiny were Georgias polling machines, which are 16 years old. November saw breakdowns of these machines, as well as battery depletion and a lack of power chords. Not only that, but these outdated machines were proven to be hackable and left no sort of paper trail.

House Bill 316 looks to address these problems by implementing new voting machines in the state.
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The Richard Nixon Foundation held on Thursday a reception to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic relations.

Addressing the reception, Zhang Ping, consul general of China in Los Angeles, said that though the formal China-U.S. diplomatic ties were established in 1979, the normalization process started as early as 1971, when Dr. Henry Kissenger made his secret visit to China that resulted in then President Richard Nixon's historic visit to China in 1972.

The establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic relations produced far-reaching impact on the evolution of international relations, Zhang said.

"It improved the external strategic environment for both countries and changed the political and economic landscape in the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large, contributing greatly to world peace and development," he said.

The progress that China-U.S. relations have achieved is enormous and unprecedented both in depth and in breadth, bringing tremendous benefits to the two peoples, he said.

Bill Baribault, president and CEO of Nixon Foundation, said since the forging of U.S.-China diplomatic relations, personnel exchanges between the two sides have been expanded, and increasing investment has poured into both countries.

The two countries should cherish and carry forward the friendly ties cultivated by leaders of the older generations of both countries, he said.

Nixon traveled to China on Feb. 21, 1972, starting a week-long visit widely described as one that "changed the world."
The history behind the names of some buildings on the University of Georgias campus has come to light due to the national and local cry for racial justice. The Red & Black compiled five buildings and colleges on the Athens campus that are controversial due to either their namesake or for the history behind them.
Padamsee will be best remembered for iconic campaigns such as 'Lalitaji' for Surf, 'Cherry Charlie' for Cherry Blossom Shoe Polish, MRF's 'Muscle Man', the Liril girl in the waterfall and 'Hamara Bajaj' for the auto major.

IMAGE: Alyque Padamsee with his daughter and actor Shazahn Padamsee. Photograph: Kind courtesy Shazahn Padamsee/Twitter

Veteran ad maker and theatre personality Alyque Padamsee died on Saturday at the age of 90.

Padamsee was the former chief executive of advertising firm Lintas in India and helped it to become one of the top creative agencies in the country.

He later became the regional coordinator for Lintas in South Asia.

He will be best remembered for iconic campaigns such as 'Lalitaji' for Surf, 'Cherry Charlie' for Cherry Blossom Shoe Polish, MRF's 'Muscle Man', the Liril girl in the waterfall and 'Hamara Bajaj' for the auto major.

He also played the role of Jinnah in the Richard Attenborough's award-winning film Gandhi and was also awarded the Padma Shri award in 2000.

Condolences started pouring in on Twitter for the ad and theatre veteran and were led by President Ram Nath Kovind, who tweeted, "Sorry to hear of the passing of Alyque Padamsee, creative guru, theatre personality and doyen of our ad industry. My condolences to his family, friends and colleagues."

"Saddened to learn that Alyque Padamsee is no more. Alyque was a renowned actor & activist who shared my love for Mumbai. We worked together on several initiatives & despite his age & ill health, I always found him energetic & uncompromising in pursuit of his ideals. RIP," Congress leader Milind Deora tweeted.

Photographer Atul Kasbekar also tweeted, "Saddened to hear of the passing of advertising doyen #Alyque Padamsee When he was head of Lintas he'd given me some of my early breaks in advertising photography. Ever grateful for the break and opportunity."

Actor Boman Irani also tweeted that Padamsee gave him the first break in theatre.

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien tweeted, "Goodbye, Alyque Padamsee. #RIP For our generation, you were the #advertising Creative Director we could only aspire to be. Your Big Ideas (like this commercial) will live forever." He tagged an Liril soap advertisement.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Preeti Sharma Menon said, "I am deeply saddened by the demise of Alyque Padamsee. The world knows him for his creative abilities but I know him for his values, for his ability to stand up for causes, his ability to inspire people to fight for justice."

"A mentor to the Aam Aadmi Party, he will be sorely missed by us. He was always there to help us strategize and help us communicate better. I pray he is at peace and pray for strength to all those will be deeply saddened by his loss," she added.
Myntra CEO Ananth Narayanan, who was earlier against the merger of the two fashion e-tail companies, is learnt to be meeting each Jabong employee one-to-one.

Samreen Ahmad and Debasis Mohapatra report.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

Flipkart-owned fashion retailer Jabong will merge with its sister company Myntra, which will continue to operate as a separate brand, in a move that could lead to a 10 per cent reduction in the combined workforce.

Also, Myntra Chief Executive Ananth Narayanan will continue to lead the Myntra-Jabong team, the company said, dismissing speculation about his exit.

The development comes days after Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal stepped down as chairman and group CEO following an allegation of 'serious personal misconduct' against him.

There was tension in the air at Jabong's Gurugram office on Friday, November 16, as anxious employees waited to be told if they were safe or would be let go.

Narayanan, who himself flew to Gurugram, told them that the company would do away with the duplication of roles between Myntra and Jabong to effect a tighter integration.

Sources in the company said job losses due to this integration could be around 10 per cent of the combined workforce of Myntra and Jabong, or roughly 200 employees.

Jabong is learnt to have around 400 employees on its rolls while Myntra has 1,500 to 1,600.

Multiple sources also confirmed that the company would shut down the Gurugram office even though a Myntra spokesperson denied any such plan.

Most job losses are expected in functions such as category, sourcing, and design where there is still a duplication of roles.

Over the past one year, Myntra has merged Jabong's technology and supply chain teams with that of its own.

"From Monday, Myntra category heads have been asked to run Jabong. The sense that employees are getting is that planners from Jabong will be retained because they are the only layer of continuity, but they will be asked to sit out of Myntra's office in Bengaluru," said a source.

Narayanan, who was earlier against the merger of the two fashion e-tail companies, is learnt to be meeting each Jabong employee one-to-one as the company gears up for one of its biggest transformations since US retail giant Walmart acquired a majority stake in parent Flipkart in May.

"November has always been a month of big changes at Jabong, including some unpleasant ones. But somehow, Jabong has always bounced back in a newer and stronger version. We are waiting to see what happens this time as it is not going to be Jabong anymore," said a senior Jabong employee who quit the company recently.

In a separate e-mail issued through its public relations agency in India, the company said Jabongs brand identity as well as independence would be retained after the integration.

'Since Myntra's purchase of Jabong in mid-2016, the two brands have been steadily integrating key business functions and streamlining processes. This has resulted in revenue growth and a significant improvement in customer experience. As the next step in this process, Myntra and Jabong will now fully integrate all the remaining functions including technology, marketing, category, revenue, finance and creative teams,' the statement said.

'The closer integration of Myntra and Jabong is a necessary step in our continuing development,' the statement added.

HR experts said following such restructuring, people would not be out of jobs for long since other e-commerce companies were also hiring majorly and it was just an outcome of location change, skill requirement or the changing DNA of the organisation.

"This move is just an indication and outcome of any merger or acquisition happening in the industry, and the rationale is to get rid of the duplicity. This does not mean that exodus of e-commerce would start happening, said Mayur Saraswat, head of digital, IT and telecom vertical, TeamLease Services.

"However, there may be a rationalisation of manpower, which will happen, and since e-commerce companies are growing exponentially, a lot of inside opportunities must be available," Saraswat added.

Meanwhile, Myntra-Jabong has confirmed that its CFO Dipanjan Roy has stepped down for a better opportunity outside. In the recent past, Myntra has seen the departure of two of its other senior leaders, including chief marketing officer (Myntra-Jabong) and head of Jabong Gunjan Soni and chief strategy officer Ananya Tripathi.

With inputs from Alnoor Peermohamed
'I am a Hindu and I love the Hindu religion.'

'Hindu religion gives high status and respect to women.'

'And if there are some reforms in Hindu religion, then there is nothing wrong in it.'

'I am not trying to hurt Hindu sentiments.'

IMAGE: Activist Trupti Desai, extreme right, and other women wait at Kochi airport on Friday, November 16, after protesters blocked the arrival gate of the domestic terminal, preventing Desai and other members of her group from exiting the airport. Photograph: PTI Photo

Activist Trupti Desai, who landed in Kerala on Friday, November 15, determined to enter the Sabarimala temple in the wake of the Supreme Court order allowing all women to enter the shrine, has returned to Maharashtra after she was prevented from leaving Kochi airport in the face of mass protests against her.

Before leaving for Kerala she had told Rediff.com that she would not return without entering the temple. But seeing the large number of protestors ranged against them, she and her colleagues from the Bhumata Brigade changed their mind.

"We took the decision of coming back to Maharashtra because we did not want to upset the law and order situation in Kerala," Desai tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf.

"When we reached Kochi airport on Friday, our plan was to stay at Kottayam and from there we planned to proceed to Sabarimala on Saturday.

We had anticipated that our entry into the Sabarimala shrine will spark a protest on Saturday, but when we reached Kochi airport thousands of protestors landed at the airport. They warned us not to come out of the airport.

The Kerala police, however, told us that we must book a taxi to reach Kottayam which we did, but the taxi driver refused to drive us when he came to know that his taxi would be smashed if he allowed us to sit in his taxi.

We then booked another taxi and the same thing happened. Not a single taxiwallah was taking us to Kottayam as they were afraid of protestors who did not want us to enter the temple premise just because we were women.

Fed up of waiting for a taxi we decided we will somehow arrange our transport and stay in some hotel in Kochi. But the sad part is that no hotel was taking our bookings as they feared that these protestors will damage their properties too.

And then we saw the protestors crowd swelling in more and more numbers, they did not want us to come out of Kochi airport.

The police then told us that our presence at the airport was causing a law and order problem as the protestors were getting agitated about our entry in the temple.

They were worried that protestors may enter the airport premises and since they were in large numbers, the police themselves won't be able to handle the violent situation.

The police further informed us that even if they give us protection, they will not be able to take us to Sabarimala as there is too much of a risk and danger to our lives.

When we saw that there were no taxis and no hotels for us to stay, we decided at 6 pm that we will go back to Maharashtra for the moment. We turned back because we did not want to cause any inconvenience to the people of Kerala.

The police told us that the next time we must give them our detailed plan and they will ensure that we will get entry into the Sabarimala temple.

Now the protestors think that I am scared of entering Sabarimala, but that is not true. I am not scared to enter Sabarimala temple. I feel the protestors were scared of me as they came from all over to Kochi airport.

They know that if Trupti Desai can reach Kochi airport, she can reach Sabarimala temple too.

These protestors know what I did in Shani Shingnapur and Haji Ali, therefore they came in such huge numbers.

We only turned back because we did not want to create a law and order problem, but let me tell these protestors that we will enter Sabarimala temple with guerrilla tactics.

I don't feel that my going back to Maharashtra is a setback for women's entry at Sabarimala. Right now, the Sabarimala temple is open for many days and I can go any time.

On my next trip to Sabarimala I will come without informing anyone and my visit will be a secret.

We will inform only the Kerala government and the police. This is the only way I can enter the Sabarimala temple.

So far I have not been able to speak to any Kerala government official, but the Kerala police promised us that they will give us security in Kerala whenever I reach next time.

They told us they will need some time to prepare to ensure that I visit the temple because they do not have the required security measures to protect us.

I have come to know that there are rumours being spread that I am doing all this at the behest of the Congress party, but that is not true. I have no links with the Congress party.

Political parties are trying to defame me because they want to do politics in my name. I am only a social activist.

I have also read somewhere that Trupti Desai has converted to Christianity. I am not a Christian, I am a pure Hindu.

Why people are spreading such kind of wrong allegations against me, I don't know.

I am a Hindu and I love the Hindu religion.

Hindu religion gives high status and respect to women. And if there are some reforms in the Hindu religion, then there is nothing wrong in it.

I am not trying to hurt Hindu sentiments.

I am not an atheist, I am a believer.

The Supreme Court of India has given me the right to visit the Sabarimala temple and I am just doing that, so all such fake news is being spread against me just to malign me."
The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, a Bharatiya Janata Party ally in Goa, gave an ultimatum on Saturday that the charge of the chief minister's post be given to its minister Sudin Dhavalikar in view of Manohar Parrikar's illness.

The MGP warned that it would contest the Lok Sabha polls and assembly by-elections in the state against the BJP candidates if the demand was not met.

Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, is recuperating at his residence since October 14 after being discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.

Two assembly seats -- Mandrem and Shiroda -- fell vacant last month after respective MLAs, Dayanand Sopte and Subhash Shirodkar, resigned as legislators and quit the Congress to join the BJP.

"Party's central committee had a detailed discussion on the leadership issue today. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is ailing and, because of that, the administration is completely paralysed for the last eight months," MGP president Dipak Dhavalikar said.

"Therefore, to bring in discipline and efficiency to the administration, we demand that the chief minister's charge be given to senior MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar as early as possible," he said.

"If the charge is not given immediately, we will contest all upcoming elections, that is (assembly) by-election and Lok Sabha polls, by fielding our candidates against official candidate of the government," he said.

Sundin Dhavalikar is presently the second-most senior minister in Goa cabinet after Parrikar.

MGP's central committee will meet again next month to review the situation, Dipak Dhavalikar said.

"We will see if the government has taken our warning seriously or has continued with the same situation," he said, adding that he himself might contest the by-election from Shiroda, while the party would support independent MLA Jit Arolkar in Mandrem.

The MGP is part of the BJP-led coalition, which also includes Goa Forward Party and three independents.

Meanwhile, the Congress demanded that Goa Governor Mridula Sinha summon a special session of the legislative assembly and ask the BJP-led coalition government to prove its majority.

The opposition party, which has been claiming that the state government is in disarray in the absence of ailing Parrikar from office, alleged that it "is a classic case of fraud being played on the people of Goa by the Governor and the BJP at the Centre".

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters here that the party would raise this issue during the upcoming winter session of Parliament and also before President Ram Nath Kovind.

The Congress had submitted representations to the President and the Goa Governor, claiming that the party had the requisite number of MLAs to prove majority in the 40-member House.

"We will put pressure on the central leadership of the BJP in winter session and also before the President for our demand to summon a special session to prove majority," he said.

Accusing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Goa of holding the Constitution "captive", Surjewala said the formation of the Cabinet Advisory Committee by the BJP in absence of Parrikar is a "blatant fraud on the Constitution".

Surjewala said the coalition government should prove its majority and lay down a roadmap for governance and administration.

The government should also settle issues like Regional Plan, mining, unemployment, he demanded.

"This will clear all doubts about who is in-charge in Goa and the floor test will determine as to which party has the rightful claim to head a democratic government in people's interest in Goa," he added.

Surjewala questioned the effectiveness of state government in absence of Parrikar, who is currently recuperating at his residence here after undergoing treatment at AIIMS in Delhi.
The Central Intelligence Agency has concluded that Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, contradicting the Saudi government's assertions that he was not involved, according to a media report.

IMAGE: A member of an activist group participates in a demonstration calling for sanctions against Saudi Arabia while holding a photo of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi outside the US State Department in Washington.. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

The death of Khashoggi, a one-time insider-turned-critic of the crown prince and a resident of the United States, has spurred a wave of international anger against Saudi Arabia and its ruler.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, was last seen entering the kingdom's consulate on October 2 to obtain paperwork for his marriage.

Saudi Arabia had offered a series of contradictory explanations for Khashoggi's death.

After repeated denials, Saudi Arabia finally admitted Khashoggi had been murdered at the compound but blamed it on a "rogue" operation.

American officials have expressed high confidence in the agency's assessment, which is the most definitive to date, allegedly linking Saudi Arabia's crown prince to the killing, according to The Washington Post.

The CIA found that 15 Saudi agents flew on government planes to Istanbul and carried out the killing at the Saudi consulate, the report said, adding that it could complicate President Donald Trump's efforts to preserve US ties with one of the closest American allies in the region.

"The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved," a US official familiar with the CIA's conclusions, told the daily.

Saudi Arabia has denied any such linkage.

Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, said that the claims in the CIA's "purported assessment are false. We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations."

According to the report, it is CIA assessment that the crown prince who is the defacto ruler of the country would survive the crisis.

Officially Saudi Arabia has blamed the brutal murder of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to rogue elements. Khashoggi was forcibly restrained and injected with a large amount of a drug resulting in an

overdose that led to his death, alleged the Saudi prosecutors, who has sought death penalty for 11 of its officials.

Turkish investigating agencies provided the CIA an audio recording that proves the brutal murder of Khashoggi. After his killing, one of those involved in it called Saud al Qahtani, then one of the top aides to

Mohammed, and informed him that the operation had been completed, according to people familiar with the call.

A conclusion that the crown prince was responsible for the murder of Khashoggi could endanger the US relationship with Saudi Arabia, The Wall Street Journal said.

"The assessment that the Crown Prince ordered the murder is not surprising but it significantly undermines the administration's effort to whitewash the Saudi prince," Bruce Riedel, a former top CIA and White House official, who is now at the Brookings Institution think tank, told The Wall Street Journal.

"It raises the question why the crown prince has not been sanctioned by the Treasury Department, Riedel said.

"The CIA just concluded that MBS, the Saudi Crown Prince, ordered Khashoggi's killing. Every literate person knows that MBS continues to order the killing of thousands of civilians in Yemen. It's time for the

US to stop supporting MBS's war in Yemen. Congress must act," Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna said in a tweet on Friday.
Jailtey reiterated that demonetisation increased the tax return filings and also increased the revenue of the states and the Centre immensely.

IMAGE: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley addresses a press conference in Bhopal. Photograph: PTI Photo

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today defended demonetisation, saying it was a "highly ethical" move and not a political one.

His statement comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi engaged in a war of words during the respective election rallies over the decision suddenly announced in November 2016 to junk a bulk of the currency in circulation.

"It was a highly ethical move," Jaitley told reporters in Bhopal in response to a query over demonetisation. "It was not a political move."

Jaitley was speaking after releasing the BJP's manifesto ahead of the November 28 Madhya Pradesh assembly election.

The minister said demonetisation has increased the tax return filings and also increased the revenue of the states and the Centre immensely.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday criticised the government over demonetisation, saying it was the "biggest scam" of India.

Addressing a rally in Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh ahead of the second phase of voting on November 20, Modi claimed people did not have issues with demonetisation, but "only a family".

The prime minister claimed the Congress was "worried" that he took away all the money its "minions and friends" had stashed under their beds and in sacks in one stroke.

Modi had said his government was investing the money recovered post-demonetisation on carrying out public works and funding welfare schemes.

In the wake of the Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal governments withdrawing the "general consent" accorded to the Central Bureau of Investigation to conduct raids and probes, Jaitley said those who had a lot to hide would fear the central agency.

The Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal governments have withdrawn their "general consent" to the CBI to conduct raids and investigations.

The agency would now need permission from the respective state governments to carry out any investigation in these states, except those ordered by the courts and against central government officials.

"It is only those who have a lot to hide will take the step of saying let the CBI not come to my state. There is no sovereignty of any state in the matter of corruption," Jaitley said in response to a query.

"It is believed that Andhra's move is not motivated by any particular case, but by the fear of what is likely to happen. I am not saying anything more than that at the moment," he added.

"We have a federal structure in India and under that federal structure, the CBI was created initially for the employees of the central government and then, to investigate certain kinds of very serious cases in the states, which were referred to it either by the states or courts," Jaitley said.

Referring to the alleged Saradha chit fund scam and the Narada sting operation, he said, "Saradha and Narada in West Bengal cannot be wiped off merely by saying that for the future, I de-notify the CBI."
Facebook investors have called on the company's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to step down as chairman following reports that the company hired a public relations firm to smear its critics, a media report said on Saturday.

The New York Times recently published a report revealing that Facebook at times smeared critics as anti-Semitic or tried to link activists to billionaire investor George Soros, and tried to shift public anger away toward rival tech firms.

It also said that the company also used a Republican public relations firm, Definers Public Affairs, to help repair its battered reputation following intense criticism of the social media platform's handling of a scandal over Russian interference in the 2016 US elections and the Cambridge Analytica scandal, The Telegraph reported.

Jonas Kron, a senior vice president at Trillium Asset Management, a US investor which owns an 8.5m stake in Facebook, last night called on Zuckerberg to step down as board chairman in the wake of the report, the paper said.

"Facebook is behaving like it's a special snowflake," the paper quoted him as saying.

"It's not. It is a company and companies need to have a separation of chair and CEO," he said.

The attack on Zuckerberg is set to complicate the daunting challenge facing Sir Nick Clegg, Facebook's new global head of policy and communications, who joined last month and has been asked to conduct a review of Facebook's use of lobbying firms.

Definers allegedly encouraged the depiction of Facebook's critics as anti-Semites and had published news articles criticising Facebook's competitors.

The business has also been accused of attempting to encourage journalists to report that anti-Facebook groups were linked to Mr Soros, the paper said.

In a call with journalists on Thursday, Zuckerberg denied knowing that his business had hired the firm.

"As soon as I learned about this, I talked to our team and we are no longer working with this firm," he said.

Kron said the new revelations about Facebook's use of Definers offered fresh reasons for Mr Zuckerberg to relinquish his dual role as chairman and chief executive.

"The latest report should remove any lingering doubts that some may have had," he said.

Zuckerberg has retained a high level of control over the social networking business which he founded in 2004 due to his combined role and his ownership of a stake representing 60pc of the company's voting shares, the report said.
MH-60 Romeo Seahawks would add lethal capabilities of the Indian Navy, which experts say is the need of the hour given the aggressive behavior of China in the Indian Ocean region.

IMAGE: MH-60 'Romeo' anti-submarine helicopters. Photograph: Lockheed Martin/Flickr

India has sought from the United States 24 multi-role MH-60 'Romeo' anti-submarine helicopters for its navy at an estimated cost of USD 2 billion, defence industry sources in Washingotn said on Friday.

India has been in need of these formidable anti-submarine hunter helicopters for more than a decade now.

The deal is expected to be finalised in a few months, informed sources said, days after US vice president Mike Pence held a successful meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Singapore on the sidelines of a regional summit.

India has sent a letter of request to the US for an "urgent requirement" of 24 multi-role helicopters -- MH 60 Romeo Seahawk, sources said.

In recent months, there has been acceleration in defence ties between the two countries, with the Trump administration opening up America's high-tech military hardware for India's defence needs.

Bilateral defence relationship was on top of the agenda of the Modi-Pence meeting in Singapore on Wednesday.

The meeting is likely to be followed by a summit-level bilateral between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump in Argentina on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting on November 30 and December 1. Neither side has confirmed the meeting yet.

According to sources, the MH-60 Romeo deal is expected to have an offset requirement.

Sources indicated that India plans to follow up this urgent requirement with a long-term plan to manufacture 123 of these helicopters in India.

Currently deployed with the US navy as the primary anti-submarine warfare anti-surface weapon system for open ocean and littoral zones, Lockheed Martin's MH-60R Seahawk helicopter is considered the world's most advanced maritime helicopter.

According to industry experts, it is the most capable naval helicopter available today designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers.

MH-60 Romeo Seahawks would add lethal capabilities of the Indian Navy, which experts say is the need of the hour given the aggressive behavior of China in the Indian Ocean region.

Lockheed over the years has emerged as a major American supplier of state-of-the-art defence military equipment.

"With this Seahawk deal the overall US-India defense trade will surpass USD 20 billion," an industry source said.

"The pipeline of opportunities for US defense firms can result in another USD 5 billion of sales in the next few years," the source added.

According to US Naval Air System Command, the MH-60R Seahawk missions are anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, surveillance, communications relay, combat search and rescue, naval gunfire support and logistics support.

As the navy's next generation submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk is considered to be the cornerstone of the Navy's Helicopter Concept of Operations.

The MH-60R and its mission systems have replaced the US naval fleet's legacy SH-60B and SH-60F aircraft.
IMAGE: Union minister and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party president Upendra Kushwaha at a press conference in Patna. Photograph: PTI Photo

Rashtriya Lok Samata Party chief Upendra Kushwaha did not reveal his cards on Saturday over the party's continuance in the National Democratic Alliance, serving an ultimatum to the Bharatiya Janata Party to conclude seat-sharing talks by November 30.

Briefing the media after its much-publicised state executive meeting that was expected to be marked by a major announcement, Kushwaha said the offer made to the RLSP was not respectable and, hence, unanimously rejected at the meeting.

"I have met BJP national general secretary incharge Bhupendra Yadav twice in the recent past and made it clear to him that the offer was not respectable and, hence, not acceptable. I also sought an appointment with BJP president Amit Shah twice, but the same did not materialise. Though, I was told over phone that the talks on seat-sharing were not final," Kushwaha told reporters.

The Union minister, however, declined to divulge the number of seats that were offered to his party, saying it would not be proper to disclose it until a final decision on seat-sharing was taken.

There have been unconfirmed reports that, as per the tentative formula, the RLSP, which has three MPs, would be asked to settle for only two in order to accommodate Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United, which returned to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition last year.

The RLSP chief, whose efforts to rope in the BJP president in his tiff with Kumar over the latter's recent remarks against him did not bear any fruit, said, "I am in the NDA as of now."

"I will now make no efforts to meet any BJP leader, except Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom I wish to apprise of the situation in Bihar," Kushwaha said.

He alleged that there was a big group within the NDA in Bihar, which is opposed to Modi becoming the prime minister again. "I wish to caution the PM against being misled by this group. I had been favouring his candidature even before he was named the prime ministerial candidate by the BJP."

Kushwaha, however, declined to name any particular leader whom he considered to be a part of that "big group".

Kushwaha alleged that Kumar was trying to destroy the RLSP and finish him off politically by trying to lure his MLAs and MPs to the JD-U.

Kushwaha, who came to political prominence with the help of Kumar, fell out with him and floated the RLSP, and tied up with the BJP on the eve of the 2014 general election.

A spectre of a split looms large on the five-year-old party as both its MLAs, Lalan Paswan and Sudhanshu Shekhar, are said to be in touch with the JD-U.

Even one of its MPs, Ram Kumar Sharma, who was incidentally seated beside Kushwaha at the press briefing, had openly said he wanted the RLSP to remain in the NDA.

The two MLAs were not present at the meeting, though Kushwaha said the party had made attempts to contact them.

He reiterated the demand for a public apology from Kumar over his "neech" remark.

At a programme held in Patna by a news channel on November 4, in response to a query about seat-sharing among the NDA allies in the state and Kushwaha's reservations about it, Kumar had said: "Do not lower the level of discourse so much."

Kushwaha had construed this as him having been called a "lowly person" by Kumar.

He had also targeted BJP leader and deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi for defending the chief minister.

Notwithstanding, the RLSP chief's meeting Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, the Lok Janshakti Party has also not lent its support to Kushwaha.

Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, which has been trying to woo the RLSP to join the Grand Alliance, claimed that Kushwaha's exit from the NDA was final.

"His exit from the NDA is final. It is just a question of time. He is putting off a formal announcement because the more he is humiliated within the BJP-led coalition, the greater will be the political benefits that he may reap," RJD spokesperson Bhai Virendra said.

Asked whether the RJD was willing to offer a respectable number of seats to the RLSP if Kushwaha switches sides, Virendra said his party had always been willing to make sacrifices for the sake of alliance partners.
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Chinese and Russian senior officials on Thursday pledged to further develop the cooperation in law enforcement and security between the two countries to bolster bilateral ties.

Guo Shengkun, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Secretary of Russia's Security Council Nikolai Patrushev made the pledge when they co-chaired the fifth meeting between China and Russia on institutional cooperation in law enforcement and security.

Guo, also head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, said that China and Russia are each other's most important and primary partners for comprehensive strategic coordination.

This year has witnessed three successful meetings between the presidents of the two countries, which has injected strong impetus into the high-level development of bilateral relations in a new era and set a model of harmonious coexistence of major countries with shared borders, he added.

Guo noted that the cooperation in law enforcement and security is an important part of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination.

Regarding the implementation of the significant consensus reached by the two leaders as their core task, China and Russia are giving full play to the law enforcement and security cooperation mechanism and actively implementing the results of previous meetings, so as to provide a solid guarantee for the development of bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields, said Guo.

Noting the increasingly complicated international situation, Guo hoped that the two countries take the meeting as an opportunity to carry out pragmatic law enforcement and security cooperation, so as to constantly enrich the connotation of the partnership.

For his part, Patrushev said bilateral relations are at the highest level in history.

The two countries have also carried out cooperation at higher levels under the strategic guidance of the two presidents, he said.

Patrushev called for implementing the consensus reached between the two heads of state and carrying out cooperation in various fields including law enforcement and security.

This will help promote the continued development of bilateral relations and achieve more results, he added.

The two sides also had in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues of common concern.
The Bharatiya Janata Party released its manifesto for the Madhya Pradesh polls, including a separate document for women, on Saturday, promising a proportionate bonus to small farmers, creation of 10 lakh jobs per year and two-wheelers to meritorious girls, among other things.

IMAGE: Union minister and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley along with Dharmendra Pradhan, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state BJP President Rakesh Singh releases the party manifesto for upcoming assembly elections, in Bhopal. Photograph: PTI Photo

The BJP, ruling the state since 2003, is seeking to retain power against the backdrop of widespread farmers' protests last year for better support prices and a loan waiver.

In the main manifesto titled "Samridh Madhya Pradesh Drishti Patra", the saffron party promised to distribute loans of Rs 40,000 crore among farmers, expand the area under irrigation to 80 lakh hectares in the next five years and a university to promote food processing.

In its women's manifesto, the "Nari Shakti Sankalp Patra", the party promised to install sanitary napkin vending machines in schools, a Scooty to every girl who gets more than 75 per cent marks in the Class 12 board examination, and to double the intake capacity of the educational institutions for women in five years.

The documents were released by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the presence of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other state-level BJP leaders in Bhopal.

The saffron party promised a "direct payment of a proportionate bonus" to small and marginal farmers -- those owning up to five acres of land.

Chouhan claimed it would benefit 80 lakh farmers, adding that the bonus would be paid on the basis of production and would not entail the purchase of agricultural produce.

The party also promised the Har Hath, Ek Kaj Yojana (the "work for every hand scheme") to impart job skills to one unemployed person in every household.

Chouhan also promised to create 10 lakh jobs for the youth every year.

The ease of doing business would be enhanced by setting up a "CM Hotline" and reducing the administration's response time to investors to 72 hours, the manifesto said.

Chouhan also promised to set up a "global skill park" in Bhopal and a new industrial township in the state.

Investments of Rs 5 lakh crore would be brought to the state in the next five years, the BJP manifesto said.

Besides the construction of the Bhopal-Indore, Gwalior-Chambal and Narmada expressways, the saffron party promised the "Atal Samriddhi Mala" (corridors) and the development of a defence production cluster in the Gwalior-Datia-Bhind-Morena region.

Chouhan said the BJP government would spend Rs 2 lakh crore on urban infrastructure in the next five years.

The manifesto also promised a doorstep delivery of government services and piped water to 10 lakh households.

Chouhan said the manifesto provided a roadmap to convert Madhya Pradesh into a developed state.

The opposition Congress had released its manifesto for the Madhya Pradesh polls last Saturday, promising, among other things, a "spiritual department" in the state, promotion of Sanskrit, development of a "Ram Path", a mythical route taken by Lord Ram during his exile, and commercial production of cow urine and cow dung cakes.

The 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly will go to the polls on November 28 and the results will be announced on December 11.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attended the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Maldives new President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in Male at his swearing-in ceremony. Photograph: Press Information Bureau

During the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, Modi was sitting beside former Maldivian presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga also attended the ceremony.

Modi interacted with leaders from the Maldives and other parts of the world during the oath taking ceremony at the National Stadium.

Solih, 54, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, had surprisingly emerged victorious over incumbent president Yameen in the election held on September 23.

On arrival in the Maldivian capital, Modi was given a red carpet welcome and was received by Maldives Parliament's new Speaker Qasim Ibrahim.

This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.

IMAGE: Modi with ex-Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga, former Maldivian presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom at the ceremony. Photograph: Press Information Bureau

In a series of tweets ahead of the visit, Modi had tweeted, "I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development,"

He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future.

"We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister had said.

The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation or SAARC country that Modi has not visited.

IMAGE: On arrival in male, Modi was given a red carpet welcome and was received by Maldives Parliament's new Speaker Qasim Ibrahim. Photograph: Press Information Bureau

His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then.

India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year.

India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.
Amid tight security, thousands of pilgrims offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa shrine on Saturday, the first day of Malayalam month Vrischikom, even as a hartal against preventive detention of a right wing woman leader caught devotees unawares and disrupted life in Kerala.

IMAGE: Devotees throw ghee-filled coconuts in the Aachi (bonfire/sacred fireplace) at Sabarimala Sannidhanam on the first day of Malayalam month of Vrischikom on Saturday. Photograph: PTI Photo

The Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the shrine, said it would move the Supreme Court on Monday seeking more time to implement the apex court order allowing women of all age groups to pray at the temple.

The temple had opened Friday evening for the two-month-long annual pilgrimage season as a stand-off continued over entry of menstrual age women into the shrine.

All regular pujas began on Saturday morning under the new Melshanti (chief priest) Vasudevan Nampoothiri's supervision.

Pilgrims, including children, queued up in large numbers since the temple opened at 3 am.

Police is maintaining strict vigil in and around the temple complex and are using drones to monitor the movement of pilgrims at Nilackal, the base camp.

Elsewhere, life was disrupted following the dawn-to-dusk shutdown called by Hindu outfits over the preventive detention of Hindu Aikya Vedi state president K P Sasikala early Saturday.

Though shops and hotels were functioning in and around Sabarimala, pilgrims coming from far-off areas were put to hardship as food joints and petrol pumps had downed shutters.

IMAGE: Devotees wait to offer prayers at Lord Ayyappa temple. Photograph: PTI Photo

Director genral of police Loknath Behara met Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and briefed him about the law and order situation.

"Security arrangements are in place to ensure the safety of the devotees so that they can have a smooth darshan, keeping all rituals intact," IGP Vijay Sakhare said.

Besides, he said, Sabarimala was one among the five religious places in India which is under threat of terror attack. "We need to ensure the safety of the devotees coming here," he told PTI at the temple complex.

About the entry of young women, he said "The Supreme court has given a verdict.We will have to act accordingly."

On the large presence of police personnel, Pathnamthitta collector P B Nooh said "there are many khaki clad policemen around. That is for the safety and security of devotees.

Many are projecting Sabarimala as a 'war zone'. But everything is at peace here. All security arrangements are here for the safety of devotees," he asserted.

IMAGE: Devotees wait to offer prayers at Lord Ayyappa temple on the first day of Malayalam month of Vrischikom, in Sabarimala on Saturday. Photograph: PTI Photo

The temple complex and nearby areas had witnessed protests from devotees when it was opened for monthly pujas for eight days in October and early this month against the Left Democratic Alliance government's decision to implement the apex court verdict allowing women of all age groups to pray at the shrine.

Social activist Trupti Desai, who arrived at Kochi airport Friday en route to Sabarimala, was forced to return to Maharashtra following over 13-hour protests from devotees.

About 500-odd women in the 10-50 age group had booked for darshan through a police online portal. However, police sources were tightlipped when asked if any women had sought protection to offer prayers.

The Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the shrine, said it would move the apex court Monday seeking more time to implement the apex court order.

"We will move the supreme court Monday through Advocate Chandra Uday Singh," TDB president A Padmakumar said.

State-owned and private buses and autorickshaws were off the roads in most parts of the state due to the hartal.

At various places, hartal supporters forcibly downed shutters of shops, prevented vehicles from plying, causing hardship to long distance travellersreaching railway and bus stations.

Sasikala was taken into preventive custody at 2.30 am Saturday after she allegedly defied directions not to spend the night near the temple complex.

IMAGE: Police personnel stand guard as the Sabarimala temple opens for a two-month long pilgrim season. Photograph: PTI Photo

Police had decided not to allow devotees enter the temple premises when it was closed for the night.

Sasikala, who was on a fast at the Ranni police station, protesting her detention, was later produced before the sub-divisional magistrate, who is also the Thiruvalla Revenue Divisonal officer, and granted bail.

She later told reporters that if her health permits, she wouldlike to go to Sabarimala.

Several of her supporters, held "nama japam" protest (chanting of Ayyappa mantras) in front of the police station and later at the RDO's office, protesting her detention.

Devaswom (temple administration) minister Kadakampally Surendran hit out at the Hindu outfits and the BJP, saying the hartal was a "proclamation of war" against Ayyappa pilgrims.

Normally during the pilgrimage season, Pathnamthitta district, where the temple is located and areas near the shrine, are exempted from such shutdowns. "No such consideration was given to the devotees this time," he said.

Slamming hartal supporters, Opposition leader in the state assembly, Ramesh Chennithala described it as "needless" and "unpardonable" and flayed BJP for extending support.

IMAGE: Priest opens the 'sanctum sanctorum' of the Sabarimala temple on Friday. Photograph: PTI Photo

BJP president P S Sreedharan Pillai said the detention of Sasikala and others was "illegal".

As the shrine opened, thousands of pilgrims, mostly from neighbouring states, offered prayers. But later in the day, the usually crowded "nadapandal" (approach area to the shrine) was almost empty, probably due to the hartal.

On criticism regarding lack of basic infrastructure, including toilets, causing difficulties to pilgrims, the Pathanamthitta collector said there were some shortcomings due to the deluge in August, but now all facilities were in place.

The BJP, the Hindu Aikya Vedi and the Sabarimala Karma samithi took out a march to the DGP's office to protest the action against Sasikala.
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The Croatian government said here on Friday that the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) is acceptable to Croatia and that the Interior Minister will represent the country at the next month's conference in Marrakech, a city in western Morocco.

The co-called Marrakech agreement, signed by 124 nations on April 15, 1994, brings a series of migration proposals that are addressing the issue of "regular" migration in the world. Countries representatives should accept it at the meeting on Dec. 10-11 in Morocco.

Although it is a kind of document that doesn't need the parliament's approval, the Croatian government decided to send it to the parliament anyway and it is expected to be confirmed at one of the following sessions.

The government's decision to accept the GCM is in contrary to Croatian president's position on the issue. President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic at first accepted the invitation from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to come to Marrakech, only to change her mind last week when she decided not to go.

She told reporters that she neither approves nor disapproves the GCM, but that she is not going because there is no global consensus on migrant issues.

The Croatian government estimates that this is not an international treaty, rather a non-binding document. They claim that each country can apply only those issues from the document that are acceptable for the country's migration policy.

"The content of this document has been embedded in the foundations of the Croatian migration policy, and in the area of illegal migration," Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said at the government's session on Friday.

The Croatian government has assessed that this document also represents the wish of the international community to find a global solution for legitimate migration.
TORRINGTON - The annual model train show and canned food drive returns to the Torrington Armory Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 1-2. The annual event is hosted by the City of Torrington and the Torrington Area Model Railroaders. The armory is at 153 S. Main St.

The show features train layouts in the two most popular scales, HO and N. Trains will run all day. The show is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
There was a time when Thomas Murtha was heralded as one of the top civil litigation lawyers in the country by Super Lawyers magazine..

But all that passed in September,2016 when he resigned from the bar amid allegations that he misappropriated nearly $1 million. That number rose to $2 million taken from at least 20 individuals according to an investigation by federal authorities.

With his reputation already gone, Murtha, 62, formerly of Newtown and currently of Birmingham, Michigan, saw his freedom go. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford Friday sentenced Murtha to six and a half years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Murtha, who operated Maher & Murtha LLC, a Bridgeport lawfirm, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in May. He is free on bond pending the Nov. 26, 2018 start of his prison term.

He tapped into every source available for money for his own gain and benefit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer R. Laraia told the judge in court papers. He betrayed his clients, he betrayed his friends, he betrayed even his family.

Some of the stolen money came from friends and clients who were suffering from physical and mental health issues. Often Murtha submitted false or forged documents and even bounced checks to victims. He also incurred charges on credit cards in the names of others without their knowledge or permission.

The investigation revealed that Murtha used some of the stolen funds in connection with the purchase of a $725,000 house in Birmingham, Michigan. He spent $35,000 on a diamond engagement ring for his new wife and spent approximately $245,000 for the purchase of a show horse as well as horse for a teenage step-daughter, court documents claim.

Murtha practiced law in Connecticut for 35 years from 1981 to 2016. He is a graduate of Fairfield University and Quinnipiac University Law School.

Assistant U.S. Public Defender Moira Buckley urged Shea to sentence Murtha to just three years in prison. She pointed out that his mother died as a teenager and Murtha took on much of the responsiblity for raising his siblings.

Shea ordered Murtha to pay total restitution of $1,994,467.15, as well as forfeit his interest in the house in Michigan and a 2.11 carat diamond engagement ring that the government seized.

The FBI and the Greenwich Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel handled the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang assisted Laraia in the prosecution.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming state visit to Brunei will open a new chapter in the friendly relations between the two countries, China's ambassador here told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Yang Jian said the trip, which comes at the invitation of Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, caps a traditional friendship that dates back to ancient times and has kept growing closer.

Citing Chinese historical documents, Yang said exchanges between China and Brunei, then known as Boni, began during the Western Han Dynasty dating back to more than 2,000 years ago, and bilateral trade started from the Song Dynasty some 1,000 years ago.

During the Ming Dynasty, famous Chinese explorer Zheng He's fleet visited Boni, and a Boni king visited then Chinese capital Nanjing, said Yang, adding that unfortunately the king died of illness later and, in line with his will, was buried in Nanjing, and the tomb is now a national historical and cultural site.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1991, the two countries have witnessed frequent high-level contacts and rapid development of bilateral ties, said the ambassador.

With mutual trust and support, China and Brunei have enjoyed growing exchanges and cooperation in various fields as well as deepening understanding and friendship between the two peoples, Yang said.

In 2013, the two sides upgraded bilateral ties to a strategic cooperative relationship, she recalled, noting that with the care of the leaders of both countries, China-Brunei ties have become a model of relations between big and small countries featuring mutual respect, equality and win-win cooperation.

The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Xi five years ago has added an unprecedented boost to the economic and trade cooperation between China and Brunei, said the ambassador.

She added that since Brunei, along with other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, became a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), bilateral economic and trade cooperation has further picked up steam.

Now China is Brunei's largest source of imports, and more and more Chinese enterprises are coming to invest and develop businesses in Brunei, said Yang.

Construction of the two countries' largest joint venture, the Hengyi petro-chemical project, is moving forward smoothly, said Yang, adding that after going into operation in 2019, it will bring remarkable economic and social benefits and boost local employment.

Meanwhile, the development of the Brunei-Guangxi Economic Corridor is making tangible progress, and bilateral cooperation is also gaining traction in such fields as harbor operation, sea farming, and spice processing and trade, said the ambassador.

Over recent years, people-to-people exchanges have also intensified, Yang said, noting that Brunei citizens have been allowed to visit China visa-free since 2003, and Chinese travelers to visit Brunei with visa on arrival since 2016.

With more and more Chinese cities launching direct flights to Brunei, around 52,000 Chinese tourists visited the Southeast Asian country in 2017, setting a new record and making China the biggest source of international visitors to Brunei, Yang said, adding that the growing exchanges in such areas as education, culture, media and youth have brought the two peoples ever closer.

On global and regional affairs, the two countries share a wide range of common interests, understand and support each other on issues involving their core interests and major concerns, and jointly promote the stable development of China-ASEAN ties, said the ambassador.

Both sides adhere to the dual-track approach in appropriately handling the South China Sea issue and jointly safeguarding the region's peace and stability, Yang said.

She pointed out that Brunei is geographically located in the central area of the ASEAN region and the core of the East ASEAN Growth Area, and it is also an important partner of China in the joint building of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road with ASEAN and other parties.

Brunei boasts excellent infrastructure and a good investment environment, said the ambassador, adding that the two countries share broad prospects in cooperation within both bilateral and multilateral frameworks.

Xi's state visit will open a new chapter in China-Brunei friendly interaction, and with the joint efforts by leaders of the two countries and by the two peoples, bilateral cooperation will bear even richer fruit, she added.

"China is striving to build a great modern socialist country, while Brunei is working hard to realize the Brunei Vision 2035," Yang said. "The two countries can synergize their development strategies, explore new growth points in bilateral cooperation, and expand collaboration under the Belt and Road Initiative, so as to create a better future for the two peoples and make more contributions to regional prosperity and stability."
Pakistani police say a roadside bomb in the southern port city of Karachi has killed at least two people and wounded at least five others.

The blast on November 16 reportedly damaged buildings and triggered panic in the densely populated Malir district.

"A timed device planted underneath a push-cart exploded with a big bang, killing two people and wounding eight others," senior police official Irfan Ali Bahadur told AFP.

Police said vendors at a makeshift market were selling fruit and other items of daily use when the bomb went off nearby. Dozens of people were present at the time.

Police said the dead and wounded were transported to hospitals. At least two of those injured were in critical condition.

Police cordoned off the area after the explosion and bomb disposal officials were called to the scene.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility from any group.

Karachi is the capital of Pakistan's southern Sindh Province, where outlawed Islamic militant groups maintain a presence.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP
Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov has resigned in the wake of weeks of protests against remarks he made about activists for the rights of the disabled.

Simeonov resigned on November 16, saying "the continued media campaign against me...is damaging the government's rating and authority."

Simeonov oversaw economic and demographic policy and is a leader of the United Patriots party, the junior coalition partner in the government of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.

He earlier called rights activists "shrill women" who were "speculating" with their disabled children. He apologized after the remarks became public, but the protests continued.

The opposition Socialist and MRF parties called for Simeonov's resignation and boycotted parliamentary sessions.

Borisov's office said the prime minister had accepted the resignation.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
The death toll among Afghanistan's security forces since 2015 is close to 29,000, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has revealed, providing a figure far higher than anything previously acknowledged by the government.

Ghani disclosed the figure during a video appearance this week before the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, a school where he once taught as a professor of anthropology.

Ghani said that since the start of 2015, when Afghan police and army units took over primary responsibility for Afghanistan's security after a partial withdrawal of NATO troops, "28,529 of our security forces have lost their lives and become martyrs for our freedom."

In the same time frame, 58 Americans were killed, he said.

"I would like to salute the patriotism of the Afghan security forces, every single one of whom is a volunteer," Ghani said.

"We have no conscription, nobody is forced, and if there was not a patriotic impulse, I don't think that people would sacrifice their lives for a pay of $200."

The Afghan government has previously provided casualty figures only for individual incidents of clashes between Afghan troops and militants, but the figures it has provided have suggested the overall death toll might be large.

In one incident alone last year, the government reported that a Taliban attack on a military compound in Balkh Province left more than 130 army personnel dead.

The Afghan government and U.S. military have previously been reluctant to disclose the full extent of Afghan soldiers killed, apparently out of concern that acknowledging the large death toll would undermine confidence and underscore the country's fragile security situation.

Previous estimates given for the total Afghan security forces killed in 2015 were around 5,000, with another 15,000 wounded.

Since that time, estimates have suggested the death toll was accelerating despite claims of progress in the war against the Taliban by both U.S. and Afghan leaders.

A year ago, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan General John Nicholson said casualty rates among Afghan security forces were starting to drop as the United States increased its air strikes against the Taliban and Afghan forces adopted military reforms.

But a recent report from the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction cited the NATO mission in Kabul as saying the toll between May and October was worse than ever for Afghan forces, without providing specific figures.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis this month said more than 1,000 "Afghan lads" were killed or wounded just in August and September.

After more than 17 years of war, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has stepped up efforts to settle the conflict peacefully.

U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad was appointed to start a peace process with the Taliban. He met with Ghani on November 10 after meeting with a Taliban delegation in Doha in October.

With reporting by AFP
Under pressure from Washington, Iraq has restarted exports of oil from Kirkuk that were halted a year ago due to a standoff between the central government and Iraq's Kurdish semiautonomous region.

The U.S. government has been urging both sides to settle a dispute over the oil and resume flows to help address a shortage of Iranian crude after Washington imposed sanctions on Tehran's oil sector last week.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on Twitter on November 16 that the resumption of exports of Kirkuk oil was "another important step in our efforts to reduce Iran's oil exports."

Washington granted Baghdad a 45-day waiver from the sanctions as long as it came up with a plan to wean itself off of Iranian-imported gas and electricity.

Flows resumed at a modest level of around 50,000-60,000 barrels per day compared with a peak of 300,000 barrels seen last year, industry sources said.

The Kirkuk crude is being exported to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan through a pipeline crossing the Kurdish province.

A spokesman for Iraq's Oil Ministry, Asim Jihad, confirmed exports had restarted, adding that an agreement had been reached to resume flows at 50,000-100,000 barrels a day.

"The resumption of Kirkuk shipments of between 50,000 and 100,000 barrels per day will not add to Iraq's total exports," Jihad said.

Iraq is the OPEC oil cartel's second-largest exporter at 4.5 billion barrels per day. Oil exports make up almost all of the government's revenue, bringing in $8.5 billion last month.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
Russia has warned Ukraine that it may take measures to protect Russian ships crossing the Sea of Azov should Kyiv stop or seize any.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call on November 16 that Russia would take measures to protect Russian businesses, sailors, or other individuals if necessary.

He did not give any further details, saying only that "the situation is being closely monitored." He said any actions taken would be in line with international maritime law.

On November 15, Ukrainian border security spokesman Oleh Slobodyan said that Ukrainian authorities had seized or imposed restrictions on 15 ships heading for Crimean ports. It was not clear how many of those ships were Russian.

He claimed the seized ships were illegally operating in Ukrainian waters.

Peskov said that Russian border guards have also been stopping and inspecting Ukrainian vessels in the Sea of Azov, but he claimed such inspections are "permitted" under international law and are taking place "in strict compliance with the law."

Since 2014, when Russia illegally annexed the Ukrainian peninsula, more than 940 foreign ships have arrived at Crimean ports, the Ukrainian spokesman said.

The Sea of Azov borders Russia, Ukraine, and Crimea -- and this year has become a key flash point between the two sides.

A war between Ukraine government troops and Russia-backed separatists still simmers in Ukraine's east.

Russia has control over access to the Sea of Azov as it controls the Kerch Strait between Crimea and Russia.

Kyiv accuses Moscow of harassing ships heading for ports in Ukraine, such as Mariupol or Berdyansk.

Both sides have recently increased their military presence in the Azov region.

Russian lawmaker Frants Klintsevich, who sits on the defense committee in the upper house of parliament, said on November 16 that Russia could "cut off" the Sea of Azov in minutes in response to the detention of Russian ships.

It doesnt matter if we are talking about the detention of Russian ships or ships of foreign states," he said. "By such actions, Ukraine itself really breaks the agreement on the Sea of Azov, from which only it will suffer."

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin earlier claimed that Kyiv, which plans to create a naval base in Berdyansk, is fueling tensions in the Sea of Azov.

With reporting by dpa, Reuters, Vedomosti.ru, and Interfax


U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said Ukraine has "no greater friend than the United States" in its struggle against "Russian aggression."

Pompeo made the remark after meeting with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin in Washington on November 16.

Pompeo said the "United States will never accept Russia's attempted annexation of Crimea," and that Washington will impose "consequences until Russia returns control of the Black Sea peninsula to Ukraine."

Russia seized Crimea in March 2014, a month before it started to aid separatists in eastern Ukraine in a conflict that has killed more than 10,300 people.

The two diplomats met on the 10th anniversary of the declaration of a strategic partnership between Ukraine and the United States.

Pompeo said he and Klimkin made progress in several areas during their talks, including on security and countering Russian aggression, as well as on rule of law and humanitarian issues.

Pompeo also noted the two discussed joint efforts to stop the Nord Stream 2 project that, he said, "undermines Ukraine's economic and strategic security and risks further compromising the sovereignty of European nations that depend on Russian gas."

Nord Stream 2 is a controversial project that would expand the current Nord Stream pipeline, which passes along the bottom of the Baltic Sea to deliver Russian gas to Germany.

The United States, Poland, the Baltic states, and several other EU countries have expressed concern about Nord Stream 2 -- which avoids existing gas pipelines through Ukraine -- and the added leverage on energy security it could give Moscow.

Klimkin said the United States and Ukraine stand shoulder to shoulder in countering Russian aggression. He said such aggression takes many forms, both the war in Crimea and parts of Donbas in Ukraine, and in Russian efforts to undermine democratic institutions in the United States and Europe.

Klimkin also said Kyiv was grateful for U.S. support in strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities, "both through training of our military and through providing defense equipment."

Among other things, Washington has provided Kyiv with Javelin antitank missile systems.

With reporting by AFP
Iran and Iraq have vowed to significantly boost trade despite the United States imposing new crippling economic sanctions against Tehran.

Under the sanctions regime, countries that do business with Iran without U.S. waivers risk hefty fines, a threat that has forced many trade partners to cut ties with the Islamic republic.

But Iranian President Hassan Rohani said annual bilateral trade with Iraq could rise to $20 billion from the current $12 billion.

He made the remarks after a meeting with Iraqi President Barham Salih in Tehran on November 17, some two weeks after Washington imposed new sanctions against Iran's oil, banking, and transportation sectors.

Iran has wielded considerable influence in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

Tehran is hoping to maintain exports to its neighbor despite the renewed sanctions. Iraq is Iran's second-largest market after China, buying everything from food and machinery to electricity and natural gas.

"Through bilateral efforts, we can raise this figure [for bilateral trade] to $20 billion in the near future," Rohani said in comments broadcast live on state television.

Rohani said he and Salih had discussed increasing trade in electricity and oil products and the establishment of free-trade zones along the border.

He said they also discussed joint oil projects and improving transport links between the two countries.

Salih suggested the formation of a "new regional system" including Iraq and Iran, one based on "political integrity, national interests, and cooperation between nations and governments." He did not elaborate.

Baghdad is seeking U.S. waivers that would allow it to import Iranian gas.

Salih later met Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who said "some governments in the region and outside... interfere in Iraq's internal affairs and they must be strongly resisted."

Iran has accused the United States and its regional rival Saudi Arabia of working to undermine its economic and geopolitical interests in the region.

President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in May.

Since then, Trump has announced what he billed as the "toughest ever" sanctions against Iran, and the country has seen its oil exports plunge and its currency lose more than half its value.

With reporting by AP and Reuters
An unidentified woman blew herself up near a police checkpoint in the capital of Russia's North Caucasus region of Chechnya, Grozny.

Police said the bomber died in the November 17 blast but no one else was injured.

Acting Chechen police chief Apti Alaudinov told the RIA Novosti news agency that the woman's behavior made police suspicious.

When they asked her for identification, they noticed the explosive device and opened fire on her, he said.

Chechnya has been the scene of low-level unrest since Russia fought two wars against separatists in the 1990s and the early 2000s.

A state of emergency in the republic was lifted in 2009.

Based on reporting by Dozhd TV, RIA Novosti, and RBK
U.S. President Donald Trump has said Washington will make a final conclusion on who was involved in the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi early next week, following U.S. intelligence agencies' assessment that Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman ordered the killing.



Trump told reporters in the U.S. state of California on November 17 that "we'll be having a very full report over the next two days, probably Monday or Tuesday."



U.S. intelligence agencies believe the crown prince, who is the de facto leader of the kingdom, ordered the killing of the dissident and journalist in Turkey last month.



The Saudi government denied the claim, which was first reported by The Washington Post late on November 17 and later confirmed by other media, including AP and Reuters.



U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said earlier on November 17 that "recent reports indicating that the U.S. government has made a final conclusion [on the Khashoggi case] are inaccurate."



The U.S. intelligence assessment is the clearest U.S. finding yet to link the crown prince directly to the killing.



It could bolster efforts in Congress to further punish the close U.S. ally for the killing.



Trump was briefed on the findings by CIA head Gina Haspel and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on November 17 during a flight to California.



"The CIA is going to be speaking to me today," he said as he boarded the plane for California before the briefing.



"As of this moment, we were told that [the crown prince] did not play a role. We're going to have to find out what they have to say."



"We also have a great ally in Saudi Arabia," Trump added. "They give us a lot of jobs and a lot of business and economic development."



The Post, citing people familiar with the matter, said the U.S. intelligence agencies assessment was based in part on a phone call the crown prince's brother, Prince Khaled bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, had with Khashoggi.



The ambassador denied making such a call in a posting on Twitter on November 17.



Khashoggi, a U.S.-based Washington Post columnist and critic of the crown prince, was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2.



Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor said on November 15 that he was seeking the death penalty for five of the 11 suspects charged in the killing.



The prosecutor, Shalaan al-Shalaan, told reporters the crown prince knew nothing of the operation, in which Khashoggi's body was dismembered and removed from the consulate and handed to a local "collaborator."



Last week, the Trump administration sanctioned 17 Saudi officials for their alleged role in the killing, but U.S. lawmakers have been calling for tougher measures, including a curtailment of arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

With reporting by the Washington Post, AP, Reuters, and AFP
U.S. prosecutors and lawyers for accused Russian agent Maria Butina are negotiating over a possible settlement of her case, court filings say.

The parties "continue to engage...in negotiations regarding a potential resolution of this matter," prosecutors and Butina's lawyers wrote in a joint filing on November 16, without providing further details.

Butina, 30, is a Russian gun-rights advocate and former graduate student at American University in Washington who cultivated ties with mainly conservative U.S. politicians and the powerful National Rifle Association.

She was charged in July with acting as an agent of the Russian government and trying to influence U.S. foreign policy toward Russia, including by establishing a back channel between American politicians and the Kremlin.

She is accused of working with a Russian official and two U.S. citizens to try to infiltrate the gun-lobby group, which has close ties and provides extensive funding to Republican politicians, including President Donald Trump.

Currently in a District of Columbia jail awaiting trial, Butina has pleaded not guilty to the charges. She could face years in prison if convicted.

Her lawyer, Robert Driscoll, has described Butina as a political science student who was interested in networking with influential people in American politics and wanted to see better U.S.-Russia relations.

Moscow has labeled the case against Butina "fabricated" and called for her release.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan this week granted a delay in the case sought by defense lawyers and scheduled a status hearing on December 19, prompting the lawyers to withdraw their motion to dismiss the case.

Negotiations between U.S. prosecutors and defendants sometimes lead to deals in which a defendant pleads guilty to lesser charges to resolve the case.

Driscoll, who is under a media gag order imposed by the judge, declined to comment when asked whether his client may plead guilty as part of a settlement.

Reuters reported that the prosecution has made serious missteps in the case, including erroneously accusing Butina of offering sex in exchange for a position in a special interest group.

They later backed off the claim, prompting scorn from the judge, who said the incorrect allegations were "notorious" and had damaged Butina's reputation.

Butina's lawyers have previously identified the Russian official with whom she was accused of working as Aleksandr Torshin, a deputy governor of Russia's central bank who was hit with U.S. Treasury Department sanctions in April.

They identified one of the two Americans mentioned in the criminal complaint as being Paul Erickson, a conservative U.S. political activist who was dating Butina. Neither Erickson nor Torshin have been accused of wrongdoing by prosecutors.

Prosecutors have called Butina a flight risk, saying she has been in contact with Russian intelligence operatives and kept contact information for several Russian agents.

The case was brought by the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia and is unrelated to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into alleged Russian election interference.

But it has been part of a larger push by the Justice Department to aggressively enforce the U.S. law governing foreign agents, including those accused of working for Russia, who seek to exert influence over the American political system.

The law requires such agents to register with the department and disclose who is providing their funding.

With reporting by AP and Reuters
Mickey Mouse

New Delhi, Nov 17 (PTI): Walt Disney once said, "I hope we never lose sight of one thing- that it was all started by a mouse" and as Mickey, the beloved cartoon character, turns 90, the company is throwing "the world's biggest mouse party". Mickey Mouse first appeared in 1928 cartoon film "Steamboat Willie" and since then, he has been an inseparable part of many lives. "We are pulling out all the stops. We are celebrating not just around the company but around the world. We have the world's biggest mouse party going on at all our theme parks around the world, which will stretch over twelve months," Dana Jones, director of enterprise franchise management at the Walt Disney Company, told PTI.

Fans can also get their own Instagram moment with the ongoing "Mickey: The True Original Exhibition" in New York. The immersive experience is inspired by Mickey's iconic status and his impact in popular culture. "This is an experiential exhibition, which is a very Instagram-able event and blends fine art with the things that we can see, touch and feel. We hope that it will travel to other places as well," Jones said. India also features in the company's grand plans for Mickey's birthday celebrations.

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Walt Disney

"India is one of the important markets for us. We have a great short cartoon that Mickey did a couple of years ago in which he was in India speaking in Hindi. Mickey showed the world that India has a special place in his heart. "There's not a country in the world where Mickey is not known and not loved. And we're focusing as much as possible on India... We are really trying to highlight the relationship Mickey has with India," Jones added.

Mickey is the largest character franchise in India with over 30 million products sold in 2017. To build a connect with the younger generation, Disney launched 'Stay Fit with Mickey & Minnie" programme in 3000 schools in metro cities such as Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai. "We are always looking for new content opportunities for Mickey. The great thing about Mickey is that he lives in a cartoon version of our world so the opportunities to have adventures with him and his friends are endless," Jones said.

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Walt Disney Company

With such storied life, it seems that everything that is to be explored has already been explored in Mickey's life but Jones said the company has always tried to keep the cartoon character relevant. "We are constantly making sure that Mickey is where people are consuming content. So, a lot has been focused on Mickey's digital presence. Over the last few years, we have made sure that Mickey has an Instagram handle and a Facebook handle. It's such a timeless character," she said.
Captain Amarinder Singh

Spokesman News Service: Chandigarh, November 17: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has ridiculed Akali Dal leader and his predecessor, Parkash Singh Badal, for the latters desperate attempts to divert public attention from the ongoing SIT investigation against him in the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing cases by claiming it to be politically motivated.

Reacting to Badals statement that the SIT was working under his influence, the Chief Minister said that the governments job was over after it abided by the unanimous decision of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha and formed the investigating team. SIT is an independent entity and the government has no role in its functioning, said the chief minister, adding that it was now up to the investigating officers to carry out the investigations in the manner they deem fit.

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Parkash Singh Badal

In a statement issued here on Saturday, the Chief Minister said that the SIT comprises highly competent officers and they are free to summon and question anyone. If anyone is found guilty by them, they will make a report and submit it to the court for further action, he said, adding that his government had no role whatsoever either in the ongoing investigations or their outcome.

The Chief Minister said that it was absolutely ridiculous for Badal to even suggest that the SIT report will be written by Punjabs Advocate General. Unlike you, Mr Badal, I believe in the law of the land and fair investigations, said the Chief Minister.

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SIT is an independent entity and the government has no role in its functioning

Accusing Badal of playing the victim and indulging in theatrics by claiming that no democratically elected Chief Minister had been ever called for questioning in independent India, the Chief Minister said that it seems age had caught up with him and he was suffering from amnesia. Under your government, I was summoned and questioned by the police on frivolous charges at the Patiala circuit house, said the Chief Minister, while advising Badal to face the investigations as a law-abiding citizen.
CM lays Foundation Stone of Verka Mega Dairy Plant

Bassi Pathana (Fatehgarh Sahib) November 17: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday emphasised the need to bring synergy amongst the departments of Cooperation and Animal Husbandry & Dairy Development to boost the crop diversification programme across the state. He was addressing a public gathering after laying the foundation stone of the Verka Mega Dairy plant here.

The plant is being built at a cost of Rs.358 crore and will be completed in three phases. It will have milk handling capacity of 11 lac litres per day and generate direct and indirect employment generation of 500 and 80,000 respectively. The Chief Minister exhorted the farmers to come out of the rut of wheat-paddy cycle and shift to dairying as allied farming.

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He said that with the ever increasing production of milk, more such milk plants would be required across the state to give further impetus to dairy development, thereby helping the farmers who were facing acute agrarian crisis owing to low returns due to nearly stagnated Minimum Support Prices (MSP) and ever increasing costs of inputs like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides etc.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Verka Mohali Dairy as a 'Fully Automated Fermented Unit' at a cost of Rs.100 crore through a remote control. The unit will have additional milk processing capacity of 2.5 lac litres, 2.5 lac litres of lassi and 100 MT of Dahi per day.This project has been completed in record period of 18 months.

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As a part of Cooperative Week celebrations from 14th to 20th November, the Chief Minister said that the first phase of the plant would be completed at a cost of Rs.138 crore, with milk processing capacity of 2 lac litres per day, in 18 months with direct and indirect employment generation of 250 and 32000 persons respectively.The second phase would be completed in 2022, with additional milk processing facilities for 3 lakh litres per day at a cost of Rs.120 crore, and direct and indirect employment generation of 250 and 48000 respectively.

Subsequently, in the third phase, additional milk processing facilities at a cost of Rs.100 crore for 6 lac litres per day would be added in 2024, which would have milk drying capacity of 60 MT per day. Lambasting the anti-farmer organisations and other political parties which have unleashed false propaganda against the government over procurement of paddy in the state, the Chief Minister pointed out that out of 160 lac metric tonnes of paddy procured till date, 157 lac metric tonnes had already been lifted and payments had been made to the farmers.

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The remaining paddy having high moisture content over and above the prescribed limit would also be soon lifted by the procurement agencies. He said the Akalis were making an issue out of non-issue just to register their existence as the people had already rejected them and now their own senior party leadership too had deserted them.

The Chief Minister further criticised these self styled leaders of so called pro-farmer organisations for deliberately instigating some farmers to burn paddy stubble in the open farms despite strict guidelines of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The law for the common man and even for Chief Minister was the same and everybody was bound to abide the law of the land, he said.

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Captain Amarinder Singh expressed satisfaction over decrease in the cases of stubble burning this season due to vigorous campaign launched by the state government to create awareness amongst the farmers, as compared to the corresponding period of the last year. The Chief Minister said he had already vehemently pleaded with the Prime Minister for allowing Rs. 100 per quintal as incentive to the farmers, over and above the MSP on paddy to farmers who abstain from burning paddy, but there has been no response to his plea so far.

The Chief Minister mentioned that his government had taken several path breaking initiatives to provide subsidised farm equipment and agro-machinery for in-situ management of paddy straw. Under this programme, the Agriculture department had so far distributed 2149 Rotavators, 2174 happy seeders, 192 paddy chopper combo, 1047 paddy straw mulcher, 1052 MB Plough and 1148 Zero Till Drill machines to prevent stubble burning.

Chiding the Delhi Government, the Chief Minister asked how Punjab could be responsible for all the pollution in the national capital when there was no such pollution in Chandigarh from where it crosses over to Delhi. These leaders should refrain from indulging in blame game and politicking over such sensitive issues and should rather suggest some concrete solutions to tackle this problem, he added.

In his address, Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa blamed the previous regime of SAD-BJP for destroying all the cooperative institutions, which had a glorious legacy spanning over 65 years for their vested interests. He complimented the initiative taken by Captain Amarinder Singh to revive these cooperative institutions, especially Milkfed, Markfed and Sugarfed through modernisation and upgradation of these plants.

He said that the modernisation and up-gradation of existing milk plants at Verka in Amritsar at a cost of Rs.52 crore, and at Jalandhar at cost of Rs.35 crore, would be completed by February-March, 2019. Subsequently, Patiala and Ludhiana milk plants would be modernized at a cost of Rs.20 crore and Rs.100 crore respectively. Similarly, the cooperative sugar mills would be soon upgraded and modernized at Gurdaspur, Batala and Ajnala to enhance their cane crushing capacity with co-generation facilities.

Animal Husbandry & Dairy Development Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said that this modern milk plant would act as a catalyst to add value to the milk produced in the region by the local dairy farmers. He also lauded the state governments campaign against adulterators for selling spurious quality of milk and milk products, which has now resulted in net increase of Milkfed sales by 35-40%.

In his welcome address, MLA Bassi Pathana Gurpreet Singh GP thanked the Chief Minister for fulfilling the long pending demand of the people of the area by laying the foundation stone of ultra modern Verka Mega Dairy plant. Earlier, the Chief Minister planted a sapling in the complex of the upcoming Dairy Complex as a part of the State Governments Mission Tandrust Punjab and visited the stalls put up by various cooperative institutions like Milkfed, Markfed, PUNCOFED, Sugarfed, Punjab State Agriculture Cooperative Bank, Punjab State Cooperative Bank etc.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister honoured the members of eight cooperative societies from the state and five societies from Fatehgarh Sahib for rendering outstanding services to strengthen the cooperative movement. The Chief Minister also released a coffee table book depicting the legacy of Verka and its achievements and activities.

CM lays Foundation Stone of Verka Mega Dairy Plant

Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion were MLA Fatehgarh Sahib Kuljeet Singh Nagra, MLA Khanna Gurkirat Singh Kotli, MLA Payal Lakhbir Singh Lakha, MLA Samrala Amrik Singh Dhillon, Media Advisor to CM Raveen Thukral, Additional Chief Secretary Cooperation & Development Viswajeet Khanna, Special Principal Secretary to CM Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Registrar Cooperative Socities Vikas Garg, Chairman Markfed AS Samra and MD Milkfed Manjit Singh Brar.
Capt Amarinder Singh

SPOKESMAN NEWS SERVICE: CHANDIGARH, NOVEMBER 17: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has expressed shock and grief at the sudden death of his political secretary Karanpal Singh Sekhon, who passed away last night at Aswan Military Hospital, Aswan in Egypt. Sekhon (62), who died of cardiac arrest, is survived by his son and a daughter.

The Chief Minister described the death of Sekhon, who had been closely associated with him for a long time with the two families also sharing close ties for at least four generations, as a huge personal loss.

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Karanpal Singh Sekhon

Captain Amarinder Singh said he would deeply miss Sekhons strength and tireless service to him and the Congress party in Punjab. In a tweet the Chief Minister said, Very saddened to hear about the demise of my dear friend Karanpal Singh Sekhon. He suffered a sudden heart attack during a family trip to Egypt. RIP my friend. You will be missed.

The Chief Minister extended his sympathies to the bereaved family, saying he hoped they would have the courage to bear their loss. May Sekhons soul rest in peace, he added.

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Meanwhile, the Chief Ministers Media Advisor Raveen Thukral also mourned the death of Karanpal Singh Sekhon, terming it as extremely shocking and unfortunate. Thukral said he had known Sekhon as an immensely loyal friend and a fine human being.
Guru Nanak Free ambulance service

Babar Jalandhari: Lahore, 17th Nov'18: Sikhs are known for their helping hands who believe that they have a duty to help the poor and the oppressed. Sharing with the needy was one of the three principles taught by Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Here is a new example coming from Pakistan where two Sikhs have donated an ambulance to a hospital in Lahore.

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Dedicating to Guru Nanak Dev Ji's 550th birth anniversary, Dr. Mimpal Singh and Gurjeet Singh have donated an Ambulance to Mayo Hospital in Lahore for the welfare of people.

The free Guru Nanak ambulance service will be soon available in the Mayo Hospital of Lahore. For this, doctor Mimpal Singh and a student Gurjeet Singh have put all their efforts for the goodness of people.
[NEW DELHI] A newly-developed gel capable of neutralising toxic pesticides is the first real protection that Indias farmers have against toxic chemicals that are indiscriminately sprayed on crops in the near absence of government controls.



Last month (October), researchers at the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (InStem), Bangalore, published in Science Advances the results of their work in developing a poly-Oxime gel that rapidly deactivates several pesticides, including organophosphates.

Their priority is to protect their crops rather than themselves Praveen Kumar Vemula, InStem

Worldwide, some 200,000 people die from exposure to organophosphates. Like war chemicals, organophosphates inhibit neurotransmission mechanisms, leading to neurological disorders, suffocation, paralysis and death, the study says.



Farmers are supposed to wear thick plastic protective equipment while spraying, but this is costly and impractical in Indias hot and humid climate. This situation prompted the researchers to develop a gel using polymers from crustacean shells  a by-product of the seafood industry  that has been proven to detoxify most pesticides used in India.



Tests on rats showed the gel providing 100 per cent protection when exposed to a series of doses that killed unprotected rats in just five days. The researchers have created a start-up to commercialise the active ingredient which can be used to treat lightweight cotton clothing and masks. Human trials may start by next year.



"Until toxic pesticides are banned, farmers can use them (treated clothing and masks), says Praveen Kumar Vemula, assistant professor at InStem and an author of the study.



Lax regulation



Regulation of permitted pesticides is lax, says Amit Khurana, programme manager for food safety and toxins at the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi. Pesticides registered by the government carry no guidelines on safe residue levels and monitoring is almost non-existent, he says.



The result is that pesticide poisoning kills scores of Indian farmers every year due to overuse of toxic formulas banned in other countries. Last year, between September and November, 21 farmers in the Yavatmal district of Maharashtra state died of suspected poisoning by monochrotophos  an organophosphate pesticide banned in more than 60 countries, including Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.



A government review recommended in 2015 the ban of 18 pesticides but this was only enacted in August. The ban excluded several pesticides prohibited or heavily restricted in the developed world like monochrotopos.



Vemula expects farmers to continue using toxic pesticides until they are presented with viable alternatives. Their priority is to protect their crops rather than themselves, he says, adding that the aim of his team is to protect farmers until toxic pesticides are banned or strictly regulated.



Farm labourers are at greatest risk because they carry out the task of spraying crops manually. The reported poisonings may only be tip of the iceberg, says Suresh Babu, head of capacity strengthening at the International Food Policy Research Institute.



"It's a huge problem. And its not just the choice of pesticides; it's the quantity used and the methods by which theyre used, says Babu.



Kavitha Kuruganti, national convenor of the Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture, worries that solutions that only tackle the poisonings could mask deeper health and environmental impacts from excessive pesticide use. Chronic impacts are difficult to establish but they exist and focusing mainly on acute poisonings doesn't help, she says.

Perhaps the biggest barrier to solving the crisis is a lack of education on the proper use of pesticides and safer alternatives. A severely under-resourced agricultural extension system has allowed dealers with little training and obvious interests in encouraging overuse to become farmers advisors, says Babu.

Resolving that information gap is an essential first step, says Kuruganti. Just policy level action without programmatic establishment of alternatives will not work, she says. We need a proper phasing out plan which has grassroots support from farmers.



This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Asia & Pacific desk.


This article was supported by The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center.

Eight years ago, some 2,000 farming households in the Philippines signed up to a project designed to help them better manage how they grow rice and boost their incomes. The idea was to build a stronger system of irrigation, with a mix of other offerings such as marketing support and field schools for farmers.



After a five-year run, the UN agency behind the project  the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)  did an impact evaluation that brought some good news. The project had worked. It led to higher rice yields, better market access, and a higher income for rice farmers in two of the three areas it had targeted.



However, things hadnt gone according to plan in the third area  a part of the country that had been hit by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.



We hadn't factored in this kind of high-risk event, says Paul Winters, IFADs associate vice-president of the Strategy and Knowledge Department. It wasn't that the tsunami destroyed the irrigation system, but it destroyed the collective management of it. People simply had to deal with other, more pressing demands on their lives after the typhoon.



Winters believes the case shows why its not enough to think just in terms of introducing technology  that this type of risk needs to be factored into projects from the start.



He says that, because climate change means conditions will keep changing, food security becomes a moving target. And this means tested methods of managing resources in the face of climate change now have a short shelf-life. It's hard to know for sure whether the actions we're taking will be appropriate for a new context. We need to keep experimenting.



Set up to succeed

Programmes that introduce technology should find fertile ground for this  the drive to experiment is often part of life in agriculture. As a farmer I know that we are constantly looking for ways to improve our lot, says Onyaole Patience Koku, an entrepreneur and farm manager in Nigeria. If [a new] technology is available and accessible, most farmers will use it.



Climate change now adds urgency to the need for farmers to constantly adapt. Journalist Lisa Palmer, part of the Bellagio Science for Development residency taking place throughout November, witnessed this in 2016 while visiting the state of Punjab in northern India. She says a farmer eager to showcase his rice field explained how a process he had used for the first time meant his plants stayed healthy after a difficult season.



The problem was unpredictable rainfall: three months worth of rain had fallen in the course of three days. Normally that would leave soils waterlogged and plants unable to grow. But after taking advice from the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), he held off from tilling or burning residue from the previous seasons wheat harvest, retaining stems and roots in his fields. When the torrential rains came, this allowed water to drain through. For him, that method was a form of risk reduction with the changing climate, says Palmer.





Countless initiatives have put forward methods to boost farmers productivity and income  theres no shortage of proposed solutions. Over the past few decades, scientific and technological advances from crop breeding to fertilisers to a range of irrigation techniques have powered agricultural production in a bid to keep up with the food demands of a rising population.



But for some years now, that growth has faced natural resource limits: land and water scarcity, soil degradation, pollution from synthetic pesticides and fertilisers, and monocultures that deplete soils and crop diversity.



In the Punjab, for example, Palmer says that heavy subsidies for fertiliser and energy to power irrigation systems have led to over-fertilisation and groundwater withdrawal, leaving the area with polluted and dwindling water supplies.



Immediate risk

These count as serious risks. But so does the prospect of having a poor harvest. And minimising that immediate risk is part of technologys appeal: season after season, farmers need to make sure their crops will grow, and governments are eager to have a steady supply of food.



The problem is that technologies which promise greater efficiency and boost production trade off short-term, band-aid solutions against resilience over the longer-term, says Gyorgy Scrinis, a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne and academic writing resident at Bellagio. But there are alternatives, such as agroecology, that do offer that resilience. Technologies are never neutral  they really tend to support particular types of agricultural and technological systems, he says.



Another trade-off, according to Scrinis, is that technologies often come with strings attached. Farmers can get locked in to obligations and contracts, which mean losing control over how they work their land. This can happen with reliance on a narrow range of seeds, for example, or on methods such as precision farming where seeds, water, fertilisers and pesticides are all managed through computerised systems  giving farmers precise control over their farm, but surrendering control and data to companies that provide these systems.



Typically, farmers become indebted to agribusinesses when they take inputs on credit but their harvest gets wiped out by disease, climate shocks and other insecurities, explains Anastasia Mbatia, Agriculture Technical Manage at the NGO Farm Africa.





Scrinis says there is some change in the food system, but its slow. Were heading in both directions  still going down that one path of producing big mega crops, but also diversification is happening on the farm.



Zulfiqar Bhutta, a paediatrician based in Canada and Pakistan, sees similar signs of a gradual move towards so-called nutrition-sensitive agriculture that aims to better align agricultural production with peoples nutritional needs.



Staying resilient

How can farmers keep experimenting to deal with the uncertainty of climate change, without resorting to technology that undermines autonomy?



Theres no easy answer. And farm size matters  a smallholder growing quinoa in Bolivia is very different from one growing the crop for export. But Scrinis believes that, over time, smallholders will play an important role in creating more resilient farming systems. [They] still produce by some estimates over half of the food and the nutrition that we actually consume.



Agricultural systems that integrate livestock and multi-crop farming can help build resilience, according to Rikin Gandhi, executive director of Digital Green. Diversity is important  even among farms of a certain size, environmental conditions and agricultural practices will vary. No institution is going to be able to figure out the perfect package of practices for an individual farmer, he said during a SciDev.Net debate on food security earlier this week.



Gandhi believes that to counter the potential downsides of new tech, development organisations need to really start with the farmers themselves, to empower them with the know-how and data to make their informed own choices so that technology is an enabler, not something that locks them in.

Agricultural advice  for example based on soil, weather, and market data  can enable farmers to make site-specific decisions. He gives the example of Zero Budget Natural Farming , an initiative in Andhra Pradesh, India, which can target an individual farmer or even an individual plot.In pest management, farmers are very innovative, saysRoger Day, a programme executive at the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) in Kenya [CABI is SciDev.Nets parent organisation]. Scientists can play a role to validate, but cant test everything. So farmers should be encouraged to innovate, and through methods such as field schools, empowered to make their own observations and assessments.

Participants at Bellagio stress the role of infrastructure, a countrys organisational capacity, and networks for sharing information  including learning from farmers themselves, rather than always assuming they need help.

With growing mobile connectivity, farmers can share information and resources through SMS services like WeFarm and videos produced by farmers themselves through Digital Green. Weve been able to join over 60,000 farmers to our network each month and weve had our first month where farmers have asked and answered more than one million questions, says Radha Ahlstrom-Vij, global head of brand at Wefarm.



Genuine exchange needs to also include others in the agricultural ecosystem, according to Gandhi  agrodealers, truckers, traders, extension workers. Ultimately, farmers are one of the largest group of small business people, he says. So its crucial that technology be low-cost and adaptable for the diverse, local conditions in which they operate.



This article was supported by The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center. For nearly 60 years the Bellagio Center has supported individuals working to improve the lives of poor and vulnerable people globally through its conference and residency programs, and has served as a catalyst for transformative ideas, initiatives, and collaborations.







From November 5  December 3, 2018, the Bellagio Center hosted a special thematic residency on Science for Development, with a cohort of up to 15 scholars, practitioners, and artists whose work is advancing, informing, communicating, or is inspired by the use or design of science and technology to address social and environmental challenges around the world.
A new study by The University of Texas at Austin has demonstrated a possible link between life on Earth and the movement of continents. The findings show that sediment, which is often composed of pieces of dead organisms, could play a key role in determining the speed of continental drift. In addition to challenging existing ideas about how plates interact, the findings are important because they describe potential feedback mechanisms between tectonic movement, climate and life on Earth.

The study, published Nov. 15 in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, describes how sediment moving under or subducting beneath tectonic plates could regulate the movement of the plates and may even play a role in the rapid rise of mountain ranges and growth of continental crust.

The research was led by Whitney Behr, a research fellow at the Jackson School and professor at ETH Zurich in Switzerland, and co-authored by Thorsten Becker, a professor at the UT Jackson School of Geosciences and research scientist at its Institute for Geophysics (UTIG).

Sediment is created when wind, water and ice erode existing rock or when the shells and skeletons of microscopic organisms like plankton accumulate on the seafloor. Sediment entering subduction zones has long been known to influence geological activity such as the frequency of earthquakes, but until now it was thought to have little influence on continental movement. That's because the speed of subduction was believed to be dependent on the strength of the subducting plate as it bends and slides into the viscous mantle, the semi molten layer of rock beneath Earth's crust. Continental movement is driven by one plate sinking under another so, in this scenario, the strength of the portion of the plate being pulled into Earth's mantle (and the energy required to bend it) would be the primary control for the speed of the plate movement, with sediment having little effect.

However, prior research involving UTIG scientists had shown the subducting plates may be weaker and more sensitive to other influences than previously thought. This led researchers to look for other mechanisms that might impact plate velocity. They estimated how different types of rock might affect the plate interface - the boundary where subducting plates meet. Subsequent modelling showed that rock made of sediment can create a lubricating effect between plates, accelerating subduction and increasing plate velocity.

This mechanism could set in motion a complex feedback loop. As plate velocity increases, there would be less time for sediment to accumulate, so the amount of subducting sediment would be reduced. This leads to slower subduction, which may allow for mountains to grow at plate boundaries as the force of the two plates running into each other causes uplift. In turn, erosion of those mountains by wind, water and other forces can produce more sediments which feed back into the subduction zone and restart the cycle by increasing the speed of subduction.

"The feedback mechanisms serve to regulate subduction speeds such that they don't 'runaway' with extremely fast velocities," said Behr.

Behr and Becker's new model also offers a compelling explanation for variations found in plate speed, such as India's dramatic northward acceleration some 70 million years ago. The authors propose that as India moved through equatorial seas teeming with life, an abundance of sedimentary rock formed by organic matter settling on the seafloor created a lubricating effect in the subducting plate. India's march north accelerated from a stately 5 centimeters per year (about 2 inches) to an eye-watering 16 centimeters per year (about 6 inches). As the continent accelerated the amount of sediment being subducted decreased and India slowed before finally colliding with Asia.

Behr and Becker suggest these feedback mechanisms would have been very different in the early Earth before the formation of continents and the emergence of life. Although their model does not examine the origins of these feedback mechanisms, it does raise compelling questions about the interaction between continental movement and life on Earth.

"What is becoming clear is that the geological history of the incoming plate matters," said Becker, who also holds the Shell Distinguished Chair in Geophysics at UT. "We will have to study in more detail how those possible feedback processes may work."
Researchers have developed a new technique to analyse cell membrane proteins in situ which could revolutionise the way in which we study diseases, such as cancer, metabolic and heart diseases.

The discovery was made as part of an international research collaboration, led by Oxford University, alongside peers including Imperial College London. The technique could dramatically affect our understanding of both how cell membrane complexes work, and in the process, our approach to healthcare research.

Membranes protect all of our cells and the organelles inside them, including the mitochondria -- the powerhouse of the cell. These membranes are studded with biological machinery made of proteins that enable molecular cargo to pass in and out.

This research, published in Science, will enable the development of mass spectrometry (a tool used to analyse the make-up of matter) in biology to be taken to a new level, enabling new discoveries that would not have been possible before.

Studying these membrane-embedded machines in their native state is crucial to understanding mechanisms of disease and providing new goals for treatments. However, current methods for studying them involve removing them from the membrane, which can alter their structure and functional properties.

Lead researcher Professor Dame Carol Robinson, Professor of Physical Chemistry at Oxford's Department of Chemistry, said: 'For decades, scientists have had to extract these proteins from their membranes for their studies. But imagine what you might discover if you could get proteins straight from the membrane into a mass spectrometer?

'I wasn't sure this would ever work; I thought the membrane environment would be just too complicated and we wouldn't be able to understand the results. I am delighted that it has because it has given us a whole new view of an important class of drug targets.'

The technique involves vibrating the sample at ultrasonic frequencies so that the cell begins to fall apart. Electrical currents then applied an electric field to eject the protein machines out of the membrane and directly into a mass spectrometer -- an instrument that can detect a molecule's chemical 'signature', based on its mass.

Not only did the membrane protein machines survive the ejection; the analysis also revealed how they communicate with each other, are guided to their final location and transport their molecular cargo into the cell.

Professor Steve Matthews, from the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial, said: 'With the development of this method, the application of mass spectrometry in biology will be taken to a new level, using it to make discoveries that would not have been possible before.'

Dr Sarah Rouse, also from the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial, said: 'A longstanding question on the structure of one membrane machine from mitochondria has now been solved using this technique. Mitochondria are particularly interesting because there are several diseases that target them specifically, that we may now be able to design new therapies for.'

Of the study's potential impact Professor Dame Robinson added: "The results are particularly exciting for mitochondrial membranes -- we managed to catch a translocator in action -- passing metabolites. Because mitochondrial therapeutics target a wide range of debilitating diseases, we now have a new way of assessing their effects.'
For the first time scientists have identified how to halt kidney disease in a life-limiting genetic condition, which may pave the way for personalised treatment in the future.

Experts at Newcastle University, UK, have shown in a cell model and in a mouse model that gene editing could be used for Joubert syndrome to stop kidney damage in patients who have the CEP290 faulty gene.

Joubert syndrome is a brain disorder, causing varying degrees of physical, mental and sometimes visual impairments. The condition affects approximately one in 80,000 newborns, and one third also get kidney failure.

Not all patients with Joubert syndrome carry the CEP290 gene, but those who do will develop kidney disease during their lifetime and may require a transplant or dialysis.

Significant breakthrough

The study, which was funded by Kidney Research UK, has found it is possible to use a strand of engineered DNA to trick the cells' own editing machinery to bypass the CEP290 mutation that causes kidney damage -- a technique known as 'exon-skipping'.

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Professor John Sayer, from the Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, led the research that is published online today (Friday, November 16) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

He said: "This is the first time that gene editing within the kidney has been performed, even in a mouse model, as the design and delivery of the gene editing to the kidney has previously been thought to be too difficult.

"Our research is a major step forwards as we now know how we may be able to offer a therapy that corrects the gene mistake within kidney cells and prevent the development of genetic kidney disease.

"This work paves the way towards personalised genetic therapies in patients with the inherited kidney disease."

The European study used kidney cells from patients with Joubert syndrome and a mouse model to progress the research.

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Experts used urine samples to grow kidney cells in the laboratory to see how the cells responded to gene editing. They also performed gene editing to halt kidney disease in a mouse that had Joubert syndrome and rodents suffering from kidney cysts and kidney failure.

Challenging disease

Professor Sayer, a Consultant Nephrologist at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "The treatment of genetic kidney disease is challenging, as this requires both the correction of the underlying gene defect and the delivery of the treatment.

"We have shown that the kidney disease in a mouse can be dramatically improved using this exon-skipping gene editing technology.

"This will mean that we can edit out genetic mistakes that are leading to inherited kidney diseases such as Joubert syndrome and we are testing this technology in other mouse models before we move into patient studies.

"We expect that we will start to test treatment of patients with exon-skipping within the next three years."

Scientists are now looking to work with a drug manufacturing company to bring the exon-skipping technology into patients' clinics.

Patient's story

Teenager Asher Ahmed has Joubert syndrome and is likely to need a kidney transplant in the future.

Asher, of Fenham, Newcastle, was diagnosed with kidney damage five years ago and is on a number of drugs to keep him well.

The 19-year-old has a range of medical issues due to his Joubert syndrome, including visual impairment, communication problems and difficulties with balance and coordination.

The teenager has been instrumental in helping further the research as he has provided many samples over the years, allowing the Newcastle scientists to grow kidney cells -- without these the research would not have been possible.

Asher's mother, Nabila, a Civil Servant, says she welcomes the findings of the Newcastle University-led study as it will help give patients a better quality of life in the future.

Mrs Ahmed said: "It is very important that research is done into Joubert syndrome and the linked kidney damage as this will hopefully prevent patients in the future needing a kidney transplant.

"All throughout Asher's life, he has lived with the effects of Joubert syndrome and five years ago he was diagnosed with kidney disease as he has the CEP290 gene.

"Asher is on a number of tablets to keep him well and this is an added complication to an already difficult condition. We know he will likely need a transplant in the future and this is a worry.

"We were happy for Asher to provide samples for the study as anything that helps further understanding into the condition is well worth doing, so it's great to see the study's positive results."
A surprising discovery about a failed pain drug -- and specifically, the pathway it targets, BH4 -- could have implications for autoimmunity and cancer. Neuroscientists report that BH4 also functions as a kind of immunological thermostat, raising and lowering the activity levels of T cells. Inhibiting BH4 could relieve atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, lupus, polyarthritis and inflammatory bowel disease; boosting it could help the immune system attack cancers.

In 2013, Boston Children's Hospital pain researcher Clifford Woolf, MB, BCh, PhD, and chemist Kai Johnsson, PhD, his fellow co-founder at Quartet Medicine, believed they held the key to non-narcotic pain relief. Woolf had shown that tetrahydrobioptrin -- a protein also known as BH4 -- is a primary natural modulator of neuropathic and inflammatory pain sensitivity. Quartet was founded on the premise that inhibiting BH4 production could prevent the progression of acute pain to chronic pain in millions of patients, without threat of addiction or tolerance.

With solid human genetic data and chemical biology, plus $17 million in series A funding, Quartet looked primed for success. But in the summer of 2017, toxicology studies of the company's lead candidate revealed neurologic side effects. Hope for the promising pain drug cratered, taking Quartet with it.

Now, however, a surprising discovery about BH4 will likely rekindle interest in the once-promising pathway and could have profound implications for treating autoimmunity and cancer. In today's Nature, Woolf and his team at Boston Children's Hospital, together with immunologists from the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) in Vienna report that BH4 also functions as a kind of immunological thermostat in the body, raising and lowering the activity levels of T cells.

In animal models of autoimmune disease and human cell lines, the researchers were able to inhibit T cell proliferation by blockading the BH4 pathway pharmacologically. In models of cancer, they were able to enhance T cell responses by elevating BH4 levels.

"By targeting BH4, we are able to suppress T cell activity in inflammatory conditions and increase their activity in the case of cancer," says Woolf, director of the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center at Boston Children's, who co-led the study. "The ability to target the same pathway in opposite directions is significant and represents a whole new therapeutic approach."

An immunological thermostat

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Specifically, the researchers found that BH4 regulates the balance of available iron for mitochondria. To transition to an activated state, T cells need higher levels of mitochondrial energy; to produce it, mitochondria need higher levels of iron. When T cells are under pressure, the body produces more BH4, increasing the supply of available iron, allowing the cells to divide and activate. When BH4 levels are low, mitochondria can't get the iron they need and T cell activity is suppressed. In the case of cancer, the study revealed that a metabolite produced by tumors works to block BH4, inhibiting T cell activation and cancer surveillance. It also showed that this response could be countered by augmenting BH4.

"The beauty of it is that the effect is upstream of specific types of T cell function," says Woolf. "Most drugs being developed now to treat autoimmune conditions are targeting specific kinds of T cells. This covers them all."

The team found that the BH4 pathway is only active in cases of infection or when proliferation needs to occur -- and is not required for the normal formation of T cells.

Finally, the paper reports the development of a highly potent small molecule, QM385, that inhibits the BH4 pathway, blocking T cell proliferation and autoimmunity.

Hiding in plain sight

Shane Cronin, a post-doc researcher from Ireland, arrived in the Woolf lab in 2006. He had trained in Vienna with noted immunologist Josef Penninger, MD, PhD at IMBA, and now planned to shift his focus to the neurobiology of pain.

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"I wanted to leave immunology behind," says Cronin, lead author of the study. "Fat chance."

Woolf's team had just had its first major BH4 publication, which characterized the pathway as a key modulator of pain. To identify compounds that inhibit the expression of BH4, Woolf devised a drug screen using GFP fluorescent mice and asked Cronin to oversee the project.

The screen yielded plenty of hits -- and for Cronin, an odd sense of deja vu. The results pointed to the same compounds Cronin had used in his previous immunology lab to regulate T cell function.

"First I thought, okay, this is a bit of a quip, but it became very specific very quickly and I knew what I was seeing," says Cronin. But just to be sure, he reviewed existing literature on BH4, and used reagents and technology from a neighboring immunology lab to confirm his initial finding. Woolf was intrigued and encouraged Cronin to keep exploring. But Cronin had a problem: at the time, Woolf's lab lacked the tools and equipment for studying T cells.

When an opportunity to move back to Vienna presented itself, Cronin saw his chance. Penninger agreed to accept Cronin back into his lab at IMBA and threw his full support and knowledge behind the project. Cronin now had access to the resources and experience of one of Europe's leading immunology labs.

"And like that, it just worked out," says Cronin.

'Binary' therapeutic potential

Together, Penninger, Woolf, Cronin and the other members of the BH4 group, spent the next eight years extending their finding into models of immune-related diseases -- contact dermatitis, multiple sclerosis, colitis -- and finally cancer.

"There was no magic moment -- just eight years of collaborative effort, putting together a puzzle, taking it apart, starting again," says Cronin. "But I guess that's the beauty of science -- starting with a 'that's odd' moment and finding something incredible."

Working with Penninger, who co-led the study with Woolf, Cronin probed the binary therapeutic potential of BH4. If T cells proliferated in immune-related diseases, he wondered, what about cancer, where the same cells are often suppressed? Penninger and Cronin were able to boost BH4 levels in several mouse models of cancer, and the effect was immediate. Tumors shrank and the metastatic spread all but ceased.

"As a trained immunologist who was involved in defining some of the paradigmatic T cell activation pathways, I had this idea that I basically knew it all and what was left to discover would only be details," says Penninger, who now leads the Life Sciences Institute of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. "It was like opening an entirely new door in T cell biology -- a door we can now rationally close to treat autoimmunity or keep open for T cells to kill cancer."

Which brings us back to Quartet.

Building on a 'successful failure'

In August of 2017, as the company neared completion of its initial IND, leadership received some troubling news. A preclinical study revealed that although the BH4-inhibiting pain drug was "on target," it was also crossing the blood brain barrier at higher than expected levels. Because BH4 also plays an essential role in the production of key neurotransmitters, the team worried that that BH4 inhibition would reduce or prevent certain nerve signals. Ultimately, the decision was made to bring Quartet to a close.

In a blog post, Quartet chairman and founding investor Bruce Booth eulogized the company, hailing it as a "successful failure." The company's three-year investment had characterized the BH4 pathway in vivo in various pain models, developed and tested more than 1,500 potential BH4 inhibitors and produced a vast amount of data.

Those data can now be used to advance the new discovery toward the clinic. Woolf believes that clinical testing for immune-related diseases could begin in as early as 18 months.

"It's unusual to start out with lots of chemistry, lots of knowledge. Normally, you've just got interesting biology and you have to build a startup from there," Woolf says. "Because of the fruits of Quartet's chemistry and data, we're nearly ready to go."

Keeping an open mind

Initial targets of interest for this BH4 inhibitor could include atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, polyarthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. On the oncology side, the team is starting more or less from scratch.

"We're seeing great biological effect in terms of tumor suppression, but we still need to identify an effective pharmacological way to achieve this and address the full safety issues," says Woolf.

The team is exploring compounds to augment BH4 in cancer patients, with the hope they could one day be used either alone or in combination with other therapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors. Although it's still early, Woolf and Penninger are excited about the potential applicability of the technique, and a bit in awe of how it all came together.

"It's just strange," says Woolf. "I'm a neurobiologist -- I never expected to be working in immunology. But these days, I guess we all try to avoid locking ourselves into silos."

"There are many interesting discoveries to be made at the intersections and borders of fields if one keeps an open mind and is willing to follow what nature tells us," says Penninger.
A newborn baby's brain responds to being touched on the face, according to new research co-led by UCL.

Babies use this sense of touch -- facial somatosensation -- to find and latch onto their mother's nipple, and should have this ability from birth.

Premature babies often have difficulty feeding, and underdevelopment of their facial sensitivity may be one of the main causes.

Researchers from UCL, Imperial College London, UCLH and Universita Campus Bio-Medico di Roma developed a new method to study this sense of touch in babies and how their brains reacted using electroencephalography (EEG).

Current methods of evoking brain activity in response to touch aren't suitable for a newborn's face, so academics have developed a device -- based on a transducer -- worn on the fingertip, covered by a clinical glove.

The baby can be lightly tapped on the cheek, and then brain responses are measured as well as the force of the tapping.

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The report, 'A novel sensor design for accurate measurement of facial somatosensation in pre-term infants', is published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Dr Lorenzo Fabrizi (UCL Biosciences) said: "This research provides a way of understanding how pre-term babies process touch information, and could help medical professionals to make informed decisions relating to their development.

"We've proved that we can record the sense of touch from the face. This means that for premature babies, it is possible to study how they process the tactile information that they receive from the face, how this changes as they mature and whether disruption of this process might lead to longer-term feeding problems."

Babies' brains develop quicker than at any other point in life. Facial somatosensation is necessary for breastfeeding; for example if a newborn baby's right cheek is lying on their mother's breast, the baby uses this information to turn its head to the right in order to feed (rooting). Therefore finding a way to measure brain responses to facial touch is important for understanding brain development in newborns.

Professor Etienne Burdet (Imperial College London) said: "We had to develop a stimulating system that was safe to use on the delicate face of the babies and acceptable to their parents. We used an iterative design approach to develop a seamless wearable device that can measure a natural finger tap to the skin.

"After we found that conventional sensors were not practical, we developed a dedicated sensor and packaging using 3D printing."

The study looked at seven babies who were on average seven days old at UCLH's postnatal and neonatal wards, each one having been born prematurely (before 37 weeks).

The research was supported by the UK Medical Research Council, European Commission grants, and a UK EPSRC MOTION grant. The force transducer was developed at Imperial College London and the trial was carried out at UCL and the UCLH Elizabeth Garrett Anderson wing. Ethical approval was obtained from the NHS Research Ethics Committee along with informed parental consent for each baby.
Thirteen months ago, a wildfire ripped through the homes of Sonoma County residents in the early-morning hours and killed 24 people who were unable to evacuate in time. County officials were later criticized for limiting the scope of their alerts to residents, and the Tubbs Fire tragedy was held up as a somber lesson in emergency management.

But a little more than a week since the Camp Fire ignited to become the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history  71 people are dead and more than 1,000 are unaccounted for  the response by Butte County officials has raised questions about how far the state has come in the past year, and whether local governments are doing everything they can to warn people of the devastating blazes before theyre burning at their doors.

Last weeks inferno has become an all-too-familiar scene in what experts call the new normal as Californias climate changes, and, according to some experts, so was the response.

As the Camp Fire raced toward homes in Paradise and Magalia, Butte County Sheriffs officials deployed on-foot evacuation crews and messages through an opt-in system called CodeRed. However, they failed to issue whats known as a Wireless Emergency Alert, or WEA: a mass, Amber Alert-style message sent to all area cell phones that is specifically designed for an emergency such as a wildfire.

California agencies have nearly doubled their use of WEAs in 2018 compared with last year, and the system has been promoted in statewide legislation, various media reports and a pending best practices protocol to be issued by the state.

What would have been nice to see in the Camp Fire (was a) WEA alert to let everyone know about the fire and to prepare accordingly, said Thomas Cova, director of the Center for Natural & Technological Hazards at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Even though it would have been followed shortly by an urgent evacuation notice, people  especially the less mobile  would have been given a fighting chance to ready themselves to go if they hadnt left already.

Its unclear whether the alert could have saved lives lost in the Camp Fire. Cell phone service near Paradise is notoriously spotty, and many of the towns elderly residents relied on land lines. A spokeswoman for the Butte County Sheriffs Office said the fire might also have burned through cell towers.

A new law will require the states Office of Emergency Services to develop emergency notification protocols for counties and improve training and access to Wireless Emergency Alerts. The protocol is in draft form now, but most counties have already received a copy.

It basically says the mass notification system is one of a number of tools in the toolbox, said Paul Hess, emergency manager for the Alameda County Sheriffs Office of Emergency Services. And for an incident of this type, where you have a large fire, they recommend that you use as many of the tools in the toolbox as possible.

The Tubbs Fire prompted officials in Sonoma County to register to send their own alerts. While emergency managers had access last year, now the county Sheriffs Office does as well. The agency has issued two alerts and one test in the year since, said Misti Harris, a Sheriffs Office spokeswoman.

Federal Emergency Management Agency data on WEA alerts show that local California agencies are growing increasingly comfortable with the system. City, county and state agencies issued 66 alerts last year, and 108 by mid-November 2018. The notifications were deployed for a variety of circumstances, including Amber Alerts, mandatory evacuations and test messages.

Butte County sheriffs officials declined to answer questions about their decision not to issue WEA alerts. A spokeswoman said the office is still in emergency response mode and theres been no time to analyze what actions were taken.

At the onset of the fire, the county relied on an opt-in system called CodeRed to alert residents of the approaching threat. Officials sent out about 5,000 emails, 26,000 reverse-911 calls and 5,400 text messages to those who signed up for the service.

We know we used CodeRed messages. We used law enforcement officers in the area, said spokeswoman Megan McMann. No single notification system is 100 percent effective. That is made more difficult with how rapid this fire was moving. When this emergency is over, we will be able to put our attention toward this.

Butte County, like dozens of other counties and cities in California, have WEA alerts at their disposal by signing up through FEMAs Integrated Public Alert & Warning System, or IPAWS.

FEMA records show Butte County became an alerting authority in early 2014 but has not issued an alert since at least January 2017. Butte County also hasnt used the IPAWS Lab Test or training equipment, an official told The Chronicle.

Butte County officials have not explained this inaction, but last year Sonoma County emergency managers said they feared the alert would have reached cell phones far from the area of the fire, potentially causing panic and gridlock during the evacuation. A report issued months later by the California Office of Emergency Services found that the countys response fell short, and specifically criticized its decision not to issue a WEA.

Local emergency managers had a limited awareness and understanding of the WEA system and outdated information regarding WEAs technical capabilities, the report said.

Cova and his colleagues study the way government agencies respond to natural disasters and emergencies, and theyve found many officials are still unclear on WEAs capabilities and its effects.

Theres 50-plus years of research in disaster public response showing that alerts/warnings dont cause panic in disaster events, Cova wrote in an email.

He defined panic as a breakdown of reasoning when people take actions that arent in their best interest.

Its a common myth used to withhold information from the public in a disaster, Cova said. The real problem is lack of information to allow people to mill seek further information and communicate with others  and ultimately build situational awareness and develop a plan to take protective action.

Cova pointed to Ventura Countys response to the Thomas Fire on Dec. 4, 2017, as a testament to WEAs value. County officials issued an alert noting the exact location of a FAST MOVING BRUSH FIRE and directed people to the countys website. Though residents were stunned that the fire traveled so quickly, many were ready to go when asked to evacuate.

End result: no fatalities, Cova said, noting that two people were killed indirectly: a firefighter later died from smoke inhalation and a woman fleeing the fire was killed in a car accident.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

Despite the ubiquity of cell phones, other officials counter that the WEA system is far from perfect.

Right now the way its set up, you cant fine-tune your coverage very well, said Hess, who oversees Alameda Countys emergency responses. If you select a county boundary, chances are its bleeding over (from Alameda) across the bay into San Francisco and San Mateo counties, probably hitting a lot more people than we intend.

Federal officials are working to make the systems alert areas more precise, Hess said.

But were not there yet, he said.

John Pohmajevich, 60, of Magalia (Butte County) said he didnt receive an alert and in a way I think it was wrong. But the way that fire happened, if it wouldnt have been windy, the fire wouldnt have done all this damage. The wind is what did all the damage.

He said there was no way to predict how the Camp Fire exploded and commended the firefighters efforts.

Harris, a spokeswoman for the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office, said the WEA alerts have been helpful, if imperfect, in three instances. The Sheriffs Office issued an alert after an Aug. 3 explosion at a Guerneville Safeway during the towns Lazy Bear weekend. With so many tourists in town celebrating the festival, Harris said, it was helpful to use the devices feature for all cell phones in the geographic area.

But in a test run of the system, county officials found that some people who were in the targeted area didnt receive the message, while others outside the area did.

Theres a lot of inconsistency as to who received it, Harris said.

The states new protocols are in draft form and under review, said Office of Emergency Services spokesman Kelly Huston. California wont require local agencies to abide by one standard but rather will outline an assortment of alert options to choose from, including social media, WEAs, opt-in alerts and reverse-911 calls.

The goal is to educate emergency managers and allow them to choose the procedures best for their community. The plan thats best for, say, Modoc County wont look the same as the one for San Francisco.

Its hard to develop a standard when theres not necessarily one way to do it, Huston said. Ultimately, its their decision, and they need to have the right tools to make that decision.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Sarah Ravani contributed to this report.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
Krystal Rojas sat slumped on an alley sidewalk in downtown San Francisco and peered up from under her hoodie. A cop was walking up. The needle shed just used to shoot dope lay on the cement next to her. She instinctively brushed it under the edge of her ragged suitcase.

You look like you could use a little help, Officer Dominique Ellis called out brightly. Rojas mumbled indistinctly and stared at her feet. Ellis squatted down. A conversation grew slowly. In three minutes she had Rojas, 31, nodding yes to the idea of going to a homeless shelter.

Its terrible out here, Rojas said, fidgeting nervously as she waited for a Homeless Outreach Team car to pick her up. I was clean three years ago. Things got messed up. I just want some stability again.

Thats precisely the kind of thing Ellis and about two dozen other street specialists from a cluster of city agencies were aiming for this week as they fanned out around the Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods. They were on the latest test run of a new program called Healthy Streets Intervention, designed to try to clear public spaces of addicts who openly inject or smoke illegal drugs.

So far theyve gotten 109 addicts off the streets and into homeless shelters, drug rehabilitation centers, sobering respite beds, hospitals and a range of other places where people ensnared by heroin or other hard drugs can fight for a second chance at life. The team is drawn from the citys police, health, paramedic, homeless counseling, public works and probation departments. The idea is not to arrest people, but to route them toward a service that can offer them more help than a few nights behind bars can.

Their problems out here didnt just happen overnight, and they arent going to be solved overnight, said Ellis partner, Officer Steven Ogbonna. Arresting your way out of the problem just doesnt work; weve all learned that. So we do this.

The intervention technique got its first test run Oct. 17, and 26 people were taken to shelters or other services. The second run came on Oct. 30, and 53 got help. The third run happened Wednesday  it went from morning to night, like the others, and 30 people were connected to services.

Usually, its either public health, or housing counselors, or police or others out here separately approaching homeless people, but this problem of open-air injecting is really a combined issue, said Randy Quezada, spokesman for the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, which helps administer the new program as part of the citys multiagency Healthy Streets Operation Center. So it needs a different kind of attention.

Were trying to learn as much as we can each time we go out, so that we can really scale it up if it works, he said.

With thousands of homeless people addicted to heroin or methamphetamine and open-air injection a top complaint for years in San Francisco, there is clearly a mountain of work ahead for the new team. Theres no official count of street addicts, but 41 percent of the 7,499 homeless people counted in the citys last one-night survey, taken in 2017, admitted to drug or alcohol abuse. Street counselors assume the actual number is higher, especially among longtime hard-core homeless people.

And those estimates dont include the addicts who have places to live but often shoot up outside. Health officials estimate there are 22,500 injection drug users in the city.

Mayor London Breed, who often tags along with police or counseling teams as they make their rounds, logged a couple of hours with the crews Wednesday and said she has high hopes for the program. She sees it as a welcome extension of the outreach work already being done.

This is important, because whats going on here is not something young people (or anyone) should have to see in the streets  urinating, defecating, using drugs in the open, Breed said, striding up Seventh Street toward Market Street, stopping every block or so to chat up street people as they connected with counselors. What people have to understand is that its not going to be tolerated.

But I want them also to know that treatment on demand is available, she said. Why do you think I want more mental health stabilization beds? More conservatorship? I want this fixed.

More than half of the people approached by the walking team Wednesday either skittered away before they arrived or refused help. That was OK with the officers and counselors. The marching orders from police Lt. Dean Hall to his team before it set out was give no promises, no guarantees, no lies, but keep your minds open.

Hey, this is a cycle, said Homeless Outreach Team counselor Elester Hubbard. Sometimes it takes two or three times in rehab before it works, and sometimes it takes months or years of talking to people before they even take that chance. But when it all works out? Thats what keeps me upbeat.

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.

Rojas was a prime example. Shed turned down Ellis and Ogbonna several times in recent months when theyd shown up on their own. She wound up Wednesday at the Division Circle Navigation Center, a specialized shelter that tries to fast-track people into housing and rehab.

Been there, did that on just trying to arrest people and fix the problem with jail, said Police Chief Bill Scott, who came along to assess Wednesdays test run. Jail can be important sometimes, but these are complex issues. And if we want to turn the corner on this problem, we need all these people, he said as he waved a hand to take in the team.

Scott smiled as he watched Breed stop on Market Street to exhort 52-year-old Ebony Holt to take counselor Hubbards offer of a shelter bed. Hed just waved the mayor down as she passed by, and told her he hadnt been injecting on the street but was apparently freshly clean of drugs and needed to get inside before possibly backsliding.

Im off coke now, I just need some help for a new start, Holt told the mayor. She leaned in close and pointed to Hubbard.

Hes here to help. You focused now? You ready? she said.

Yes, I am! Holt said.

They grinned at each other. Hubbard took down Holts information. The mayor headed up the block.

Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KevinChron
More than a million visitors a year come from all over the world to marvel at the magnificent redwoods at Muir Woods National Monument, an untouched old forest only a dozen miles from the Golden Gate Bridge.

People wandering through Muir Woods cannot help but notice an ominous sight: dozens of trees bearing the blackened scars of old fires. The flames burned into the heart of the trees, and some of the scars are deep enough and tall enough so that two or three people can stand inside the living tree. The scars, some of them hundreds of years old, show that wildfire is not new to this part of the world. These scarred trees are part of our past  and our future. Fire is as much a part of California as the summer sun and the winter rain.

The oldest trees in Muir Woods date to the 13th century, when Genghis Khan invaded China and the English barons forced King John to sign the Magna Carta. Even then fire stalked the forest.

One of the old-growth trees in Muir Woods was cut down after a localized fire about 10 years ago  and scientists found history inside. There were very many scars, said National Park Service scientist Alison Forrestel. Some of the more recent scars dated from about 1820, others from the period 1835 to 1841. The biggest was in 1822, the most recent in 1863. The scars seem to indicate that wildfires swept through Muir Woods fairly regularly and they were intense enough to blacken tall redwoods.

And redwoods, Forrestel said, are very resistant to fire, with thick bark and wood that is tough to burn. That is one reason redwood is so valuable as lumber and led to the logging of most of Californias huge forests. Old-growth redwoods survived to tell the fire tale in only a few places, including Muir Woods.

The scars in Muir Woods are evidence of wider wildfires. If that old forest burned, it is logical to conclude almost all the wooded areas of California had major fires over the centuries.

But the West Coast fire story goes back thousands of years more  and involves major human impact on the land.

The Native Americans used fire as a tool for 15,000 years, said Jared Childress, a fire specialist with the Audubon Canyon Ranch in Marin County.

The native people relied on acorns as a food source, and often burned the early crop of acorns to eliminate insects. The second crop would then be better, Childress said. They also used fire to clear brush and drive and snare game animals.

They also knew when to burn and how to burn, he said. In that way, the native people could control the fire. The fires, however, changed the ecology of what became California, he said. Because the fires affected the soils and composition of the forests, there were fewer trees like the bay tree and Douglas fir as a result.

Of course, natural causes  like lightning storms  also produce fires. And often fires got out of hand, because once they started, there was no way to put them out. Early European explorers sailing on the coast reported big fires on shore, and in the Spanish and Mexican periods there were times when the Bay Area was choked with smoke, much as it has been in recent days.

But there is a big difference between those times and now. Best estimates put the pre-European population at about 300,000 fewer people than modern Placer County. Now there are 39 million Californians.

To protect those people, almost all fires have been vigorously suppressed. The result has been both an increase in population and in the fuel in the states wooded areas.

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 major problem is in what foresters call the forest understory  brush, dead trees, snags. Its not the big trees that are the problem, Childress said. Its the small ones.

And fires are increasing in number and size: the Santa Barbara fires of 1990, the East Bay hills fires of 1991, the blazes near Yosemite, the deadly Wine Country fires last year. And the Carr and Camp fires this year.

We know strong winds that drive fires are not new to the region, Childress said. And neither are dry periods. But now we add climate change with warmer summers, drier winters, a big fuel buildup  a combination of all those things.

Childress advocates controlled burns under carefully monitored conditions to ease the threat. But thats not easy to do. The last major controlled burns on Mount Tamalpais near Muir Woods were more than 20 years ago. There were a lot of complaints about smoke and health.

And in 2000, a poorly planned prescribed burn set by the National Park Service got out of control and blackened 80 square miles and 400 houses near Los Alamos, N.M. That made it very difficult to use large controlled burns. Conditions have to be nearly perfect.

But Childress continues to advocate controlled burns. California is going to burn, he said. The question is how, when and where we want it to burn.

Carl Nolte is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. His column appears every Sunday. E-mail: cnolte@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carlnoltesf
Blue is the new red in California, with Democrats rolling up victories throughout the state, even in the historically Republican stronghold of Orange County.

Its clear that Republicans slip in California relevance has turned into an all-out slide. The midterm results show that Republicans are being hurt as young adults and other progressively inclined people fan out from the Bay Area and Los Angeles into onetime GOP territory like Orange County and Central Valley cities.

Add in the toxicity of President Trump, and you have a party that is clearly in need of major retooling if it ever again hopes to be a factor on the state level.

Republicans could start by getting rid of the Tea Party and Freedom Caucus types who have made the GOP platform so distasteful to new voters.

But if they really want to make a comeback, the GOP should turn the party over to women. Not only would they give the party a better public face, they would inject a better balance on social issues.

Where theres smoke: Friday morning I looked out my waterfront office window and couldnt even see Yerba Buena Island for all the smoke.

Some people have asked me about wearing a mask.

A black man in a mask? Not a good look.

On a serious note, I cant imagine what it is like for the people up in Butte County. Ive overheard people talking about their plans to go down south, to the Sierra, even to Colorado until the air gets healthier. This while the people of Paradise are living in parking lots.

Have you noticed the celebrity silence about the fire victims? No telethons. No benefit concerts. No nothing.

They are really on their own.

Down for the count: The late vote counting in Georgia, Florida, California and many other places shows just how antiquated our election system is.

We either need to come up to date with a technological solution or go back to the old Chicago style: Close the polls at 8 oclock, announce the results at 8:10 and then start counting.

Bon voyage: I pinged Supervisor Aaron Peskin the other day to discuss our mutual interest in the Chinese Hospital. He called me back from Miami, where he was stopping over on his way to Cuba for two weeks.

When I mentioned this to one of his fellow supervisors, the response was, I hope its a one-way ticket.

Recommended viewing: The University of the Pacific had a private showing the other night of Moscone: A Legacy of Change, a documentary on the late Mayor George Moscone.

It got sky-high ratings when it was shown on the PBS station in Sacramento, and its coming to our own KQED at 8 p.m. Friday. Viewing parties are in order.

Movie time: The Girl in the Spiders Web. If youre a fan of the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy, you will be profoundly disappointed by this one.

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 story is convoluted to the point of incomprehensibility. The subject matter of a father whos sexually exploitive of his daughters is revolting.

I caught it on $5 day at the Century theaters in the Westfield mall, and I still felt ripped off. But I may be alone in this assessment. The theater had a good crowd, and nobody walked out.

Wharf walk: My travels around the city took me to the place every local avoids, Fishermans Wharf. And the streets were packed. The Boudin Bakery is doing such good business that it now has seating in the parking lot.

Nick Bovis, the owner of Lefty ODouls, has found a gold mine at his new Wharf location. The ground floor is a Giants souvenir store with more team gear than the one at the ballpark. The restaurant walls upstairs are lined with drawings of Giants alongside ones of Mayor London Breed, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and Gov. Jerry Brown  all in Giants jerseys.

I didnt see a lot of street entertainers along the Wharf. And no one was sleeping on the sidewalks. Anyone who tried would be trampled by the tourists.

At Jefferson and Taylor streets, a panhandler looked up and said:

Dear friend, Im not asking for the total amount, but could you give me a down payment on a cheeseburger?

I gave him $5, which, given San Francisco restaurant prices these these days, would just about cover that down payment.

Want to sound off? Email: wbrown@sfchronicle.com
A Butte County man was fatally shot by deputies after a confrontation and high-speed chase through the Camp Fire evacuation zone on Thursday morning, officials said.

The 48-year-old man, whose name was not immediately released pending family notification, was shot at 11:05 a.m. after he pointed a metallic object at deputies from Butte County and Shasta County sheriffs officers, officials said.

A preliminary review of dashcam footage of the shooting is consistent with statements to investigators from the involved officers, said Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea during a Friday night news conference.

The man was a suspect in a 2014 double murder in Butte County, officials said. A warden with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife was also involved in the confrontation.

Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey detailed the moments leading up to the fatal shooting in a Thursday night press conference at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico.

He said a sheriffs deputy patrolling the Yankee Hill area was contacted by a resident who said there was a suspicious man who had been staying in a vehicle in the parking lot of the Pines Yankee Hill Hardware store on Miller Flat Road for the past three days, Ramsey said.

The deputy approached the vehicle and found the suspect asleep behind the wheel, Ramsey said. The deputy ran the license plate number and learned the man had been known to the Butte County Sheriffs Office as a potentially armed and dangerous parolee who was a suspect in a double-murder that occurred in December 2014, Ramsey said.

The deputy called for backup and responding deputies surrounded the vehicle, he said. When the suspect came to, police said the suspect jammed his hand into his right jacket pocket as if he had a concealed weapon.

Deputies said they moved back and ordered the man to get out of the car, Ramsey said.

Ramsey said the suspect said something to the effect of You guys should have left me alone and Im not going back.

Authorities told investigators they heard a metallic click consistent with the cocking a gun.

The suspect then hit the gas and crashed into a civilian vehicle before leading officials on a chase on Highway 70 toward Oroville, reaching speeds of up to 90 mph.

After driving over a spike strip deployed by officials at Cherokee Road and Highway 70, his tires flattened at the intersection of Pentz Road and Highway 70. The suspect continued driving about a half mile until the rims started scraping against the highway.

Sutter sheriffs deputies released their K9 named Bandit in an attempt to take town the suspect, but he allegedly rapidly advanced toward Bandit and the deputies, prompting them to open fire.

He did not shoot at officers but pointed a metallic object at officers at the time of the shooting, officials said.

Bandit was shot when deputies opened fire but still tried to bring the man down, Ramsey said. He said a pitbull emerged from the suspects car, attacked the K9 and was shot by a single deputy, killing it.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

The suspect died at the scene. He was shot in the head and torso, Ramsey said.

Six officers opened fire on the suspect, with two handguns and four rifles, Ramsey said. The deputies were not immediately identified on Thursday night.

Bandit died from gunshot wounds.

Ramsey said Thursday night that investigators served a search warrant at the suspects Berry Creek residence sometime after the December 2014 double-murder and found a shotgun, handgun and pipe bomb. He was arrested later that day inside a Canyon Creek store with an AK47, brass knuckles, and a dagger stuffed into his jacket.

He was convicted of building a pipe bomb and possession of methamphetamine among other felonies after being found incompetent to stand trial. He was sentenced to seven years and four months in state prison in November 2016 and later paroled in May 2018.

In July 2018, he stopped reporting to his parole officer and became a parolee-at-large. He had been missing until the day he was fatally shot on Thursday morning, officials said.

Ramsey said Highway 70 would be closed Thursday night while investigators scour the crime scene. He said officials called a bomb squad to investigate a pipe found at the scene.

Lauren Hernandez and Ashley McBride are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: ashley.mcbride@sfchronicle.com; lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com
PARADISE, Butte County  President Trump made a rare visit to smoke-choked California on Saturday, joining Gov. Jerry Brown and Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom to tour what he called the really, really bad devastation of the Camp Fire and pledging to help with the still-unfolding disaster.

Word that Trump was coming to the deep-blue state had initially touched off anxieties among both residents and the Democratic leadership, a tension heightened by the presidents recent claims that Californias poor forest management was to blame for the deadly fire.

But even as Trump continued to plug his case about shoddy forestry, while downplaying the role of climate change in the wildfire season, he and the states top executives appeared to put aside their differences during their two hours together in hard-hit Butte County. At least 76 people have died in the Camp Fire, and that number may grow.

Right now, we want to take care of the people who have been so badly hurt, Trump said during a stop at the burned-out Skyway Villa Mobile Home and RV Park in Paradise. This is very sad to see. As far as the lives are concerned, nobody knows quite yet.

Melted cars and the charred debris of a neighborhood surrounded Trump as his black windbreaker and a USA baseball cap helped fend off blowing ash. Brown, Newsom, Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Brock Long and Paradise Mayor Jody Jones walked alongside the president. Conversation was light in the community that remains under evacuation. But at one point Trump gave Brown a pat on the back.

Jerry and I have been speaking, and Gavin and I have now gotten to know each other, he said. Were all going to work together.

Since Trumps criticism of Californias forest policy last weekend, the president has focused more on the work of fire crews and the losses of residents, expressing support. But when questioned by reporters about his remarks on the states forests, he didnt back down on his contention that land managers had let California become too overgrown with dangerous fuels.

We do have to do management, maintenance, he said. Weve got to take care of the floors, you know the floors of the forest, its very important.

In a new twist on the debate, Trump added that the forest nation of Finland could serve as an example: They spend a lot of time raking and cleaning and doing things, and they dont have any problem.

The president arrived in California on Air Force One, which touched down at Beale Air Force Base north of Sacramento amid hazy skies shortly before 10 a.m. GOP Rep. Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and Butte County Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa were also aboard. A Marine helicopter was waiting to take Trump to the fire area.

A motorcade ferried the president from the Chico Municipal Airport to Paradise on a route lined by hundreds of onlookers, about half wearing masks to protect themselves from the smoky air. There were also several protesters.

The Camp Fire, which began Nov. 8, has raged across more than 149,000 acres, almost completely wiping out Paradise, a foothill town of 27,000, as well as surrounding communities. More than 12,700 buildings have been leveled.

Recent strains between the president and Brown, with Newsom joining the fray, began just days after the fires ignition when the president tweeted that such blazes could be avoided if the state managed its forests better. He threatened to withhold funding for California if the situation isnt fixed.

The tweet drew a widespread backlash, including from Brown and Newsom, complaining of its insensitivity as well as its misinformed premise.

Many of Californias recent wildfires did not burn in forests, but in grasslands and oak-filled prairie. Also, much of Californias forest land is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Fire experts, as well as the governor, have underscored that hotter, drier conditions, attributed to climate change, have been the biggest factor in causing the increasingly intense burns.

Trump also visited the fires incident command center in Chico, where he told reporters he had not changed his position that climate change is not the problem.

No, no, Trump said. I want to have a great climate, and I think were going to have forests that are really safe.

Brown remained mostly quiet on the issue during a meeting of firefighters at the command center. He thanked the president for his support but said he had the situation under control.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

What needs to be done is whats being done, Brown said earlier in the day.

Chico resident and Paradise native Eric Danielli, like many in Butte County, had conflicted feelings about Trumps visit.

The owner of the popular breakfast spot Cafe Coda, whose father lost his home, doesnt see eye to eye with Trump politically and he was especially angered that the president used the fire to take shots at California forest policy. But he believed that the nations chief executive should see the extent of the calamity.

I wish the president would have chosen his words more wisely, but this is what he should be doing, Danielli said.

Paradise residents Fred Bowerman, 56, and his fiancee, Tami Wright, were more excited about the presidents appearance. The couple stood outside the evacuation area in Chico waving a Make America Great Again flag, one of the few items they had with them after losing their home and belongings in the fire.

Id just like to give him a fist bump, Bowerman said, and tell him to keep doing what hes doing.

Trumps visit to California was just his second trip to the Golden State during his presidency. In March, he toured the border with Mexico in promotion of his proposed wall.

After concluding his tour of Butte County at around 1 p.m., the president flew to Southern California, where he examined damage from the Woolsey Fire and met with families of the victims in this months Thousand Oaks shooting.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander
Items have been culled from The Chronicles archives of 25, 50, 75 and 100 years ago.

1993

Dec. 1: The San Francisco Symphony, locked in intense contract negotiations with its musicians all day, last night canceled the Davies Hall concert scheduled for tonight with new music director Michael Tilson Thomas and actress Debra Winger. The musicians would not play the rehearsal, said general manager Brent Affink. We are canceling the concert because the rehearsals did not take place. We are canceling concerts one day at a time. Tilson Thomas, the Symphonys music director-designate, had been scheduled to conduct his own composition, From the Diary of Anne Frank. The musicians and Symphony management have been negotiating a new contract since September. Under the contract that just expired, the minimum base weekly salary for an orchestra musician was $1,240. The disruption of the Symphonys schedule came just as the orchestra was to begin its lucrative holiday programming. It also derails the San Francisco premiere of its new music directors composition. This weeks concerts were to be his first here since he conducted a summer festival of Russian music at Davies Hall.

 Jesse Hamlin

1968

Nov. 28: There was a sad, quiet little demonstration on Kearny Street yesterday. Nobody shouted, and the demonstrators walked rather haltingly, and the signs they carried were more pleading than demanding. The demonstrators were marking the forthcoming end of San Franciscos Filipino community. By January 1, the 196 residents of the International Hotel at 848 Kearny will be evicted. Of the 196 men, 125 are more than 65 years old. Almost all of them are Filipinos. Many of them have been living at the International (rent: $30 or $38 a month) for more than a decade. Most of them live on small pensions. Ninety percent are veterans of some war or other. One sign read: We Want to Stay in Our Neighborhood. The 800 block of Kearny for years has been the center of the Filipino community. But its slated for demolition to make way for a parking lot. This means that by Dec. 1 the proprietors of such establishments as the Bataan Lunch, Manila Town Information shop and Tinos Barber Shop and the Club Mandalay will have to be gone. The property was taken over six months ago by the Milton Meyers Company whose president Walter Shorenstein said yesterday: The building is deteriorated and unlivable. We do not want to be slum landlords. Wed rather improve the property  and if that means demolishing it to replace it with something better, thats what well do.

 George Murphy

1943

Nov. 28: Seven hundred Negroes, employees of Marinship, milled outside the main gate of the yard for several hours yesterday in a protest of what they termed racial discrimination. The crowd dispersed shortly after noon when leaders of the group announced a reconciliation meeting between the Negroes and union representatives had been arranged for tomorrow morning. There was no outbreak of violence, but spokesmen for the demonstrators were adamant in their demands that the AFL Boilermakers Union, Local No. 6, recognize Negro workers and permit them to join the regular organization instead of forcing us to take membership in a Jim Crow Negro auxiliary of the union. The groups spokesmen asserted the Negroes pay regular dues assessed by the union, but derive none of the unions benefits. Ninety Negroes already have been dismissed for refusing to join the auxiliary. Attorney General Robert W. Kenny deplored the firing of Negro workers at Marinship, declaring it would mean, fewer ships produced, and more American boys are going to die, both white American boys and black American boys. In the interests, Kenny declared, of uninterrupted production of ships, and of harmonious race and labor relations for the people of California, I join ... in the demand that discharged Negro workers be restored to their jobs and that nobody else be fired.

1918

Dec. 1: Two Chinese are dead, one is dying and four others were seriously wounded last night in Chinatown when Sin Suey Yen tong-men ignored a peace pact signed last Wednesday and declared war on the Hip Sen Tong. Three gunmen, members of the Sin Suey Yens entered the store of the Chung Sun Wo Hop Kee Company, 832 Grant Avenue and shot down four members of the rival tong. Miss Madge Conroy, of 78 Santa Marina Street, and her uncle, Samuel Cornfoot, 173 Bocana Street were wounded by stray bullets. Miss Conroy was shot in the leg, her uncle in the chest. Waving back the crowd with their revolvers, the gunmen ran out of the store and up the stairs at 834 Grant Avenue to the roof. They made their way over the roofs into Brenham Place. Two of the men entered the headquarters of the Hip Sens at 41 Brenham Place and shot three more members of the tong. Two died on the way to hospital. Leaping from the second story window the gunmen made their escape. A squad of policemen was sent into Chinatown to prevent retaliation by the Hip Sens.

Johnny Miller is a freelance writer.
The tragedy of those affected by the devastation caused by the Camp Fire in Butte County is palpable here in the Bay Area as the region continues to be enveloped in hazardous air quality conditions.

Local air quality levels have risen to purple levels (very unhealthy) around the region. For local farmers markets that typically operate outdoors rain or shine, the air quality poses a major conundrum about whether or not to remain open. Especially considering that the weekend before Thanksgiving is one the biggest food shopping times of the year, many market organizers are faced with a dilemma between economic and health concerns.

Obviously this is a tough situation for everyone, said Andy Naja-Riese, CEO of the Agricultural Institute of Marin, which operates multiple Bay Area farmers markets, including Sunday markets at San Franciscos Stonestown and Marins Civic Center.

Naja-Riese spent Friday morning reviewing air quality numbers to decide whether or not markets would open this weekend, ultimately deciding that the markets will be open to serve pre-Thanksgiving shoppers, as well as those who depend on CalFresh food stamps. But by Friday afternoon, as the air quality worsened, Naja-Riese informed The Chronicle that he had decided to cancel weekend markets, stating: I cant put my staff and customers through this.

The Ecology Centers Berkeley farmers market also said it will be closed on Saturday, Nov. 17 due to unhealthy air quality.

As of Friday afternoon, most other Bay Area markets were planning to stay open.. San Franciscos Alemany Farmers Market, the oldest market in the Bay Area, planned to be open this weekend. The same goes for the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and Jack London Square Farmers Market, which are run by the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA).

California Farmers Market Association, which operates 15 markets around the Bay Area, including Fort Mason on Sundays, decided to run as usual.

Our job as an association is to provide a viable market should (farmers) choose to come and sell their produce, said marketing director Moti Phillips. However, some farmers, like Chicos Rancho Llano Seco are skipping the market. The association will also be providing respirator masks for farmers that may need them.

Jorge Vega, regional manager for Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association, which operates dozens of markets around the Bay Area, said that some farmers have decided to skip this weekend, but its a very small percentage. For its year-round markets, including Fillmore (Saturdays) and Divisadero (Sundays), it will be business as usual this weekend.

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Were just trying to encourage everyone to be as safe as they can, said Vega.

The Chronicle has also reached out to Heart of the City Farmers Market, but has not yet received a response.

All those working or attending markets should be sure take the necessary precautions by limiting their exertion and wearing protective (N95) masks. Those with sensitive respiratory systems should probably stay indoors.

This story was updated to include the cancellation of the Agricultural Institute of Marin markets.
WASHINGTON  The number of undocumented immigrant children in government custody has topped 14,000 for the first time, a rise that shows no signs of slowing as the Trump administration enforces policies that are keeping them in government facilities longer.

There were 14,056 unaccompanied immigrant minors in Department of Health and Human Services custody on Friday, according to a government source familiar with the number. A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that the total had reached approximately 14,000.

That number tops records set just two months ago, putting further strain on an already overburdened system.

The issue of immigrant children in government custody gained widespread attention in the spring and summer when the Trump administration separated thousands of families at the southern border. Almost all those separated children have since left Health and Human Services care, but the total number of children in the system has steadily grown.

The reason is that children who arrive unaccompanied in the U.S. are spending more time in holding facilities before they can be released to suitable adults, often family members. One change that has especially slowed that down is an agreement Health and Human Services signed earlier this year for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to do background checks on potential sponsors.

ICE confirmed in September that it had used that information to arrest undocumented adults who came forward to take custody of children. Previous administrations didnt look into peoples immigration status when deciding whether to release children into their care, but that changed under President Trump.

The Health and Human Services care system was intended to be a temporary bridge for often-traumatized children into a more stable home while they sought legal status in the U.S. But the Trump administration changed course, declaring that no undocumented immigrant was off limits from potential arrest and deportation.

One result has been an increase in children in custody beyond what the network of shelters across the country can accommodate. Health and Human Services has opened tent facilities in Texas that can house thousands more children.

The revelation that ICE was arresting undocumented potential sponsors of children has prompted legislation to try to block the practice.

Sen. Kamala Harris, D-California, co-sponsored a bill this week that would bar the government from using information it collects in the process of resettling children to arrest immigrants. It would also divert funding from ICE to pay for Health and Human Services care.

Right now, unaccompanied children are being held in detention facilities or living in tent cities due in part to potential sponsors fear of retribution from ICE for coming forward, Harris said in a statement. This is an unacceptable obstacle to getting these children into a safe home, and we must fix it.

Health and Human Services spokeswoman Evelyn Stauffer attributed the growing number of children in custody to a crisis at the border and broken immigration system.

Their ages and the hazardous journey they take make unaccompanied alien children vulnerable to human trafficking, exploitation and abuse, Stauffer said. That is why HHS joins the president in calling on Congress to reform this broken system.

Tal Kopan is the San Francisco Chronicle Washington Correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter @talkopan
Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle

Beyond their terrible human toll, Californias wildfires have instantly deepened the states housing shortage and underscored another risk of its tendency to force residential growth into the exurbs. The Camp Fire in the Sierra Nevada foothills now ranks not only as the states deadliest but also its most destructive, having burned down more than 10,000 structures, most of them homes, and shattered a record set just a year ago in Wine Country. The loss amounts to more than a tenth of Butte Countys housing stock and a similar share of annual housing production statewide.

The fires follow an election that returned mixed results for state and local housing measures. While voters approved borrowing for affordable housing statewide under Proposition 1 and a new tax for homelessness services through San Franciscos Proposition C, they rejected affordable-housing funding in San Jose, Santa Cruz and even Santa Rosa, which lost nearly 3,000 homes in the Tubbs Fire last year. Proposition 5, a misguided effort to revive the states dysfunctional housing markets by expanding property tax breaks, came up deservedly short. And while Brisbane voters at long last approved some housing on the vast, vacant Baylands tract south of San Francisco, which had become a symbol of California NIMBYism, cities in Southern California threw up more barriers to housing construction.
The Bay Areas only GOP lawmaker in either the Legislature or Congress, East Bay Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, became the latest California Republican to lose her seat to a blue wave of Democratic votes.

Baker conceded to Democrat Rebecca Bauer-Kahan on Friday afternoon, just hours after she lost the lead she had held since election day.

I have just called my opponent, Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, to congratulate her on winning election to the State Assembly for District 16, and to wish her success, Baker said in an email to supporters. While there remain many ballots to count, the outcome is not expected to change.

Bakers race is following a pattern seen throughout California  as thousands of votes have been counted since election day, Republican candidates leads have shrunk and, in many cases, disappeared altogether.

Baker, a two-term incumbent from San Ramon, had an election night lead of 51.2 percent to 48.8 percent over Bauer-Kahan, a law professor from Orinda. The gap was down to fewer than 200 votes before Friday, when a fresh infusion boosted the Democrat into a lead of 2,170 votes  102,500 to 100,330, or 50.5 percent to 49.5 percent.

Baker is an anomaly in the Bay Area, where Democrats are firmly in control. That includes her 16th District, where the party holds a 41 to 27 percent voter registration advantage over Republicans.

Baker distanced herself from national Republican orthodoxy during the campaign, touting what she called pro-choice, pro-environment and pro-gun control positions to voters in a district that stretches from Lafayette and Walnut Creek down through Livermore.

Bauer-Kahan, a first-time candidate, questioned whether Baker is all that different from other Republicans. She noted that although the incumbent played up her pro-choice stance, it was Bauer-Kahan who won the endorsement of Planned Parenthood.

In other races, Democratic state Sen. Ricardo Lara of Bell Gardens (Los Angeles County) was declared the winner in the contest for state insurance commissioner. While independent Steve Poizner held the lead on election day, Lara pulled ahead and now leads by nearly 300,000 votes, 51.6 to 48.4 percent.

Lara will be the first openly gay person to be elected to statewide office in California.

An estimated 2.5 million votes remain to be counted in the state.

In Orange County, Democrat Gil Cisneros of Yorba Linda now leads GOP businesswoman Young Kim of Fullerton by nearly 2,300 votes. Kim, a former assemblywoman, held the lead until Thursday evening.

In the Central Valleys 21st District, Democrat T.J. Cox crept closer to GOP Rep. David Valadao of Hanford (Kings County). Valadaos lead is now about 1,750 votes, 50.9 to 49.1 percent.

Those races are two of the last congressional races yet to be called in the country. On Friday morning, Orange County GOP Rep. Mimi Walters conceded to Democrat Katie Porter, acknowledging the UC Irvine law professors growing lead.

Trapper Byrne and John Wildermuth are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: tbyrne@sfchronicle.com and jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @trapperbyrne @jfwildermuth
Fashion and costume designer Zaldy Goco has worked with superstars ranging from Britney Spears and the Scissor Sisters to Gwen Stefani and Lady Gaga on their spectacular three-ring concerts and world tours, but his latest project is quite literally his biggest circus of all.

Volta is my third Cirque du Soleil show after the two Michael Jackson shows I designed, but this is also my first proper tent show, says the 52-year-old designer, who was born Salvator Goco and attended St. Ignatius High School in San Francisco. It was fun to go to that kind of setting in the round  its a real traveling circus. The Chronicle spoke with Zaldy, as hes known professionally, about his work for the new production, opening in San Franciscos AT&T Park Nov. 15, as well as his time as a bi-gender model in the 1980s. Zaldy also spilled the tea on his long, Emmy-winning collaboration with drag superstar RuPaul.

Q: Whats the style story for Volta? One group of performers seem very vivid, while the other is more subdued.

A: Theres different performer families in the show that I got to help define. Some were multicolored, called the Free Spirit Family, another was called the Grays. It was about families coming together. The Free Spirit Family are meant to be an evolved group that lived off the land. I asked, Where do they shop? I wanted it to be sustainable, upcycled-looking, bags, and backpacks and netting get cobbled together in a look with hand techniques like braiding, things youd do on your own. Theyre the colors of life, of being out in the sun.

Q: How did growing up partially in the Bay Area influence your desire to go into fashion?

A: In school, I was a mix of preppy meets skater. After high school, I met people outside of school that were more glam and into Prince. It got me out there into playing around with myself as the muse. When I moved to New York, I started doing shoots with Steven Meisel and Steven Klein and people thought I should be a model. I became a model and a drag queen. It sort of entered my life without my thinking, and I went with it.

Q: What was modeling like in the late 1980s and early 90s?

A: The experience was many things. Remember also that I was a special model  you could hire me as a boy or a girl. I was androgynous. I wanted to work for Thierry Mugler as a designer but ended up as one of his models. It was so glamorous then; fashion shows werent as available as they are now. When I walked for Mugler in Paris, it was in a production with Diana Ross, Tippi Hedren and Patty Hearst. That would never happen today! Then you get to the set full of supermodels: Linda (Evangelista), Christy (Turlington), women who I only saw in George Michael videos. It was the height of glamour. My first shoot for (agency) IG was with Kate Moss, I mean, that was WOW.

Q: Your work with RuPaul on Drag Race has won you two Emmy Awards. After 10 years, is it hard to think of new gown concepts for each show?

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A: I remember when Ru approached Matthu (Anderson) and I. We were with Susanne Bartsch in Japan for a party, and Ru asked us to be his image designers. I had no idea what the responsibility would be, but of course we said yes. It was a great working relationship that really hasnt changed; the joy and respect is still the same. We knew we were pushing buttons but it was all for fun. Now its all been elevated into a new arena with these awards. Its pleasantly unexpected to find ourselves here. Its remarkable  the 11 seasons Ive done of Drag Race and All Stars that the deep trust of knowing someones shared progressive vision is still there. I dont sketch, we dont do fittings  I just design them and send them, and Ru wears them. Thats how much we got Drag Race down. Its almost telepathic.

Q: What else is currently in the works?

A: Ru and I are shooting a new series called AJ and the Queen on Netflix by Michael Patrick King, who also created Sex and the City. Im doing sketches for that  Ru and I are left alone to create the best character with the looks for each episode. We get to do things on a scripted show I wouldnt do on Drag Race. Im also creating some custom looks for Katy Perry on American Idol, and we just started work on Gagas Vegas residency. It starts Dec. 28; the looks will be really big.

Tony Bravo is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tbravo@sfchronicle.com
TIJUANA  With about 3,000 Central American migrants having reached the Mexican border across from California and thousands more anticipated, the mayor of Tijuana says the city is preparing for an influx that will last at least six months and may have no end in sight.

Juan Manuel Gastelum said there were 2,750 migrants from the caravan in Tijuana and that estimates by Mexicos federal government indicate the number could approach 10,000.

No city in the world is prepared to receive this  if Im allowed  this avalanche, he said at City Hall. It is a tsunami. There is concern among all citizens of Tijuana.

U.S. border inspectors are processing only about 100 asylum claims a day at Tijuanas main crossing to San Diego, creating long waits. Asylum seekers register their names in a tattered notebook managed by migrants themselves that had more than 3,000 names even before the caravan arrived.

Along the nearly 3,000 miles from the caravans origin in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, to this city on the Pacific Ocean, the migrants have stopped in most places for only a single night, with some exceptions.

That overwhelmed small towns in southern Mexico in particular  but only briefly. The migrants expected long stay in Tijuana has raised concerns about the ability of the teeming border city of more than 1.6 million to handle the influx.

Pleading for financial support from the Mexican government, Gastelum warned migrants against criminal behavior, though authorities reported only seven arrests so far  five for drug consumption and two for disorderly conduct.

A municipal gymnasium and recreational complex that has been converted to a shelter was expected to register up to 1,000 people Thursday night but ended up housing more than 2,000, including more than 400 children.

Tijuana officials said they opened the shelter as part of an effort to keep migrants out of public spaces.

The citys privately run shelters are meant to have a capacity of 700.

At the municipal shelter, long lines formed for showers and meals of tuna casserole or noodle soup with coffee. Outdoor canopies covered rows of mattresses and blankets.

President Trump, who sought to make the caravan a campaign issue in last weeks elections, took to Twitter to aim some new criticism at the migrants.

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Isnt it ironic that large Caravans of people are marching to our border wanting U.S.A. asylum because they are fearful of being in their country  yet they are proudly waving ... their countrys flag. Can this be possible? Yes, because it is all a BIG CON, and the American taxpayer is paying for it, he said in a pair of tweets.

Migrant Ronald Calderon, who picked coffee beans back in Honduras, said he would seek asylum in the U.S. if he felt there was a 90 percent chance of success. But he figures the odds are long and doesnt want to risk being deported, so he hopes to find work and settle in Tijuana.

I see that Donald Trump talks about us as criminals and killers, and I dont think an opportunity may present itself, said Calderon, 23.

Andrea Ramirez, 42, said that her siblings were killed by gangs in Honduras and that she registered her name to seek asylum in the U.S.

The only thing we want is not to go back to Honduras, Ramirez said.

Elliot Spagat is an Associated Press writer.
There has been a lot of talk about how people should protect their lungs amidst the punishing levels of air pollution in the Bay Area due to smoke from the Camp Fire, but should people be concerned about smoke getting in their eyes?

Residents and visitors to the Bay Area have been complaining about increased itchiness, irritation and dryness of their eyes, and blaming it on smoke thats been engulfing the region since the day after the wildfire started on Nov. 8.

The air is full of smoke and it looks and feels like you're on another planet, wrote Twitter user @McclaneCrypto on Nov. 9. My eyes are burning and I have a headache.

Another user, @steven94117, wrote the same day that, At 3 a.m. the smoke is so strong it burns my eyes in San Francisco...the smoke woke me up.

Some Bay Area residents are already taking precautions to guard their eyes from the smoke with goggles. Some said that they are using swim goggles, which would likely make them look less post-apocalyptic when paired with a respirator mask, but some are looking for heavier duty eyewear.

Jackson Palmer, the creator of the joke cryptocurrency Dogecoin, tweeted out asking where he could find non-vented eye goggles. "Respirator is working but my eyes are killing me," he wrote.

A study published in the Journal of the American Optometric Association in 1989 explored the effects of environmental air pollution on the eye. The eye is vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, Joanne Klopfer, the author of the study, wrote.

Manifestations of air pollution can range from minimal or no symptoms to chronic discomfort and eye irritation. There may also be specific situations, in contact lens wearers for example, where the eyes may be adversely affected by air pollution.

Dr. John Balmes, an internist and professor of environmental health at UCSF and UC Berkeley, said that while people could be at increased risk of cataracts with chronic exposure to indoor smoke, Bay Area residents are unlikely to experience long-term effects to their eye health due to exposure to smoke from the Camp Fire.

The smoke in our air is pretty much the same stuff, but its much more diluted than, you know, cooking right over an open fire, he said. [But] nobody is going to have cataracts from being exposed to a week of this air, as obnoxious as it is. He said that people who were closer to the fire  such as residents of Paradise or firefighters battling the blaze  have a higher chance of experiencing an eye injury from the higher levels of smoke in that region.

But he echoed the experiences that some Bay Area residents are reporting of negative health effects in the eyes due to smoke.

The particles are irritating, he said. People do experience eye irritation, increased tearing, which is the response to eye irritation, and [the irritation] could lead to infection because of conjunctivitis ... if people rub their eyes because of the irritation.

But what about people with long-term conditions, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy?

People with conditions like that might be freaking out, thinking that the poor air quality is going to exacerbate their long-term conditions, said Dr. Steven Pascal, an Oakland-based ophthalmologist who has been practicing for nearly 30 years. But they should be relieved to hear that thats not the case.

He said that smoke entering the eyes will aggravate ocular surface conditions like dry eye or blepharitis (eyelid inflammation). People with either of those have a spectrum of either mild, moderate or severe chronic ocular irritation, and their sort of struggling on the daily to ... keep their symptoms at bay, Pascal said.

Folks who are coping on the daily with normal air quality may find that in this environment ... tips them over the edge.

Pascal said those experiencing chronic ocular surface conditions should just increase the frequency that they use their regular medication if they are experiencing increased severity due to the smoke.

He said that people experiencing irritation from the smoke might find relief by using over-the-counter medications like artificial tear drops, gel or ointment for dryness or allergy drops like Zaditor for itching. But if people feel a worsening in the severity of symptoms, or a loss of vision, they should see an ophthalmologist, he said.

And Pascal didnt advise people against using contact lenses, unless they are experiencing worsened irritation or dryness with the use of them.
HELENA, Mont.  About 66 million years after two dinosaurs died apparently locked in battle on the plains of modern-day Montana, an unusual fight over who owns the entangled fossils has become a multimillion-dollar issue that hinges on the legal definition of mineral.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that the Dueling Dinosaurs located on private land are minerals both scientifically and under mineral rights laws. The fossils belong both to the owners of the property where they were found and two brothers who kept two-thirds of the mineral rights to the land once owned by their father, a three-judge panel said in a split decision.

Eric Edward Nord, an attorney for the property owners, said the case is complex in dealing with who owns whats on top of land vs. the minerals that make it up and addresses a unique question of mineral rights law related to dinosaur fossils that no court in the country has taken up before.

His clients own part of a ranch in the Hell Creek Formation of eastern Montana thats rich with prehistoric fossils, including the Dueling Dinosaurs whose value had been appraised at $7 million to $9 million.

Lige and Mary Ann Murray bought it from George Severson, who also transferred part of his interest in the ranch to his sons, Jerry and Robert Severson. In 2005, the brothers sold their surface rights to the Murrays, but retained the mineral rights, court documents said.

At the time, neither side suspected valuable dinosaur fossils were buried on the ranch, court records said. A few months later, amateur paleontologist Clayton Phipps discovered the carnivore and herbivore apparently locked in battle. Imprints of the dinosaurs skin were also in the sediment.

A dispute arose in 2008 when the Seversons learned about the fossils  a 22-foot-long theropod and a 28-foot-long ceratopsian.

The Murrays sought a court order saying they owned the Dueling Dinosaurs, while the Seversons asked a judge to find that fossils are part of the propertys mineral estate and that they were entitled to partial ownership.

It had wider implications because the ranch is in an area that has numerous prehistoric creatures preserved in layers of clay and sandstone. Paleontologists have unearthed thousands of specimens now housed in museums and used for research.

But fossils discovered on private land can be privately owned, frustrating paleontologists who say valuable scientific information is being lost.

During the court case, the Dueling Dinosaurs were put up for auction in New York in November 2013. Bidding topped out at $5.5 million, less than the reserve price of $6 million.

A nearly complete Tyrannosaurus rex found on the property was sold to a Dutch museum for several million dollars in 2014, with the proceeds being held in escrow pending the outcome of the court case.

Other fossils found on the ranch also have been sold, including a triceratops skull that brought in more than $200,000.

Amy Beth Hanson is an Associated Press writer.
A small rocket from a little-known company lifted off last weekend from the east coast of New Zealand, carrying a clutch of tiny satellites. That modest event  the first commercial launch by a U.S.-New Zealand company known as Rocket Lab  could mark the beginning of a new era in the space business, where countless small rockets take off from spaceports around the world. This miniaturization of rockets and spacecraft places outer space within reach of a broader swath of the economy.

The rocket, called the Electron, is a mere sliver compared with the giant rockets that Elon Musk, of SpaceX, and Jeff Bezos, of Blue Origin, envisage using to send people into the solar system. The Electron is just 56 feet tall and can carry only 500 pounds into space.

But Rocket Lab is aiming for markets closer to home.

Were FedEx, said Peter Beck, the New Zealand-born founder and chief executive of Rocket Lab. Were a little man that delivers a parcel to your door.

Behind Rocket Lab, a host of startup companies are also jockeying to provide transportation to space for a growing number of small satellites. The payloads include constellations of telecommunications satellites that would provide the world with ubiquitous internet access.

The payload of this mission, which Rocket Lab whimsically named Its Business Time, offered a glimpse of this future: two ship-tracking satellites for Spire Global; a small climate- and environment-monitoring satellite for GeoOptics; a small probe built by high school students in Irvine; and a demonstration version of a drag sail that would pull defunct satellites out of orbit.

Space Angels, a space-business investment firm, is tracking 150 small launch companies. Chad Anderson, Space Angels chief executive, said that although the vast majority of these companies will fail, a small group possess the financing and engineering wherewithal to get off the ground.

Each company on Andersons list proffers its own twist in business plan or capability: Vector Launch aims for mass production; Virgin Orbit, a piece of Richard Bransons business empire, will drop its rockets from the bottom of a 747 at 35,000 feet up; Relativity Space plans to use a 3-D printer to make almost all pieces of its rockets; Firefly Aerospace will offer a slightly larger rocket in a bet that the small satellites will grow a bit in size and weight; and Gilmour Space Technologies is a rare Australian aerospace company. Theres also Astra Space, which is operating in stealth mode like a Silicon Valley startup, saying nothing about what it is doing.

Rockets are shrinking because satellites are shrinking.

In the past, hulking telecommunications satellites hovered 22,000 miles above the equator in what is known as a geosynchronous orbit, where a satellite continuously remains over the same spot on Earth. Because sending a satellite there was so expensive, it made sense to pack as much as possible into each one.

Advances in technology and computer chips have enabled smaller satellites to perform the same tasks as their predecessors. And constellations of hundreds or thousands of small satellites, orbiting at lower altitudes that are easier to reach, can mimic the capabilities once possible only from a fixed geosynchronous position.

Its really a shift in the market, Beck said. What once took the size of a car is now the size of a microwave oven, and with exactly the same kind of capabilities.

Some companies already have launched swarms of satellites to make observations of Earth. Next up are the promised space internet systems like OneWeb and SpaceXs Starlink.

Until now, small spacecraft typically hitched a rocket ride alongside a larger satellite. That trip is cheaper but inconvenient, because the schedule is set by the main customer. If the big satellite is delayed, the smaller ones stay on the ground, too. You just cant go to business like that, Beck said.

The Electron, Beck said, would have been capable of lifting more than 60 percent of the spacecraft that headed to orbit last year. By contrast, space analysts wonder how much of a market exists for a behemoth like SpaceXs Falcon Heavy, which had its first spectacular launch in February.

A Falcon Heavy can lift a payload 300 times heavier than a Rocket Lab Electron, but it costs $90 million compared with the Electrons $5 million. Whereas SpaceXs standard Falcon 9 rocket has no shortage of customers, the Heavy has announced only a half-dozen customers for the years to come.

The U.S. military  a primary customer for large launch vehicles  is also rethinking its spy satellites. The system would be more resilient, some analysts think, if its capabilities were spread among many smaller satellites. Smaller satellites would be easier and quicker to replace, and an enemy would have a harder time destroying all of them.

SpaceX could have cornered this market a decade ago.

Its first rocket, the Falcon 1, was designed to lift about 1,500 pounds. But after just two successful launches, SpaceX abandoned it, focusing on the much larger Falcon 9 to serve NASAs needs to carry cargo and, eventually, astronauts to the International Space Station.

Jim Cantrell, one of the first employees of SpaceX, said he did not understand that decision and left the company. In 2015, he started Vector Launch. Its goal is to make the Model T of rockets  small, cheap, mass-produced.

Vector claims that it can send its rockets into orbit from almost any place it can set up its mobile launch platform, which is basically a heavily modified trailer. That trailer was inspired by Cantrells hobby, auto racing, and many of the companys employees come from the racing world, too.

The company is still aiming to meet its goal of getting the first of its Vector-R rockets to orbit this year, but Cantrell admitted that the schedule might slip into early 2019. The flight termination system  the piece of hardware that disables the rocket if anything goes wrong  is late in arriving.

There are a lot of little things, Cantrell said. It drives you crazy.

Soon the team will head to the Pacific Spaceport Complex, on Alaskas Kodiak Island, for the first orbital launch. Next year, Cantrell said, the company hopes to put a dozen rockets into space.

Within a few years, he added, it could be launching 100 times a year, not just from Kodiak but also from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and Wallops Island in Virginia, where Rocket Lab agreed in October to build its second launch complex. Vector is also looking for additional launch sites, including one by the Sea of Cortez in Mexico.

Tom Markusic, another veteran of SpaceXs early days, also sees an opportunity in getting smaller satellites to space.

I didnt feel there was a properly sized launch company to address that market, he said.

Markusic said that the need for stronger antennas and cameras would ultimately prompt the construction of slightly bigger small satellites and that it would be beneficial to be able to launch several at a time.

He started Firefly in 2014, aiming to build a rocket, Alpha, that would lift a 900-pound payload to orbit.

The company grew to 150 employees and won a contract from NASA. But in the uncertainty surrounding Britains exit from the European Union, a European investor backed out. A U.S. investor also became skittish, Markusic said, after a SpaceX rocket exploded on the launchpad in 2016. Firefly shut down, and the employees lost their jobs

At an auction, a Ukraine-born entrepreneur, Max Polyakov, one of Fireflys investors, resurrected the company. Markusic took the opportunity to rethink the Alpha rocket, which is now able to launch more than 2,000 pounds.

Alpha is basically Falcon 1 with some better technology, he said.

Firefly plans to launch its first Alpha rocket in December 2019.

Not everyone is convinced that the market for small satellites will be as robust as predicted.

That equation has weaknesses at every step, said Carissa Christensen, founder and chief executive of Bryce Space and Technology, an aerospace consulting firm.

Three-quarters of venture capital-financed companies fail, she said, and the same will likely happen to the companies aiming to put up the small satellites. She also is skeptical that space-based internet will win against ground-based alternatives.

Publicly, theres no compelling business plans, she said.

That means that the market could implode for lack of business. She said a key to survival would be to tap into the needs of the U.S. government, especially the military. Virgin Orbit, Vector and Rocket Lab were the current front-runners, she said.

The small rocket companies also have to compete with Spaceflight Industries, a Seattle company that resells empty space on larger rockets that is not taken up by the main payload. In addition, Spaceflight is looking to purchasing entire rockets launched by other companies, including Rocket Lab, and selling the payload space to a range of companies heading to a similar orbit.

Kenneth Chang is a New York Times writer.
Elon Musk has described Teslas troubles in getting cars to customers as delivery logistics hell.

Jim Fyfe knows what the Tesla CEO was talking about.

A 44-year-old technology specialist at a bank in Jacksonville, Fla., Fyfe paid a $2,500 deposit in June to order a black Performance version of the Model 3 priced at $70,000.

He was given a delivery date in early September, but when he went to collect the car, he was told that it was still in California, Fyfe said. Two weeks later, with no update, Fyfe called the delivery center and was given bad news: His Model 3 had been involved in an accident in transit.

Days later, Fyfe asked for his money back, but quickly received an email saying Tesla had another car for him. Delivery was set for Oct. 27, but as Fyfe was heading to the rendezvous, his phone rang. A Tesla sales representative said this second car was no longer available because it, too, had been in an accident. A Tesla spokeswoman said that was a mistaken reference to the original car.

Two false starts were Fyfes limit.

If they had been straight up with me, I probably wouldnt have canceled, he said. I lost all faith in Tesla. I dont think Ill ever buy a Tesla.

He received a refund of his deposit.

Last month, Tesla reported a third-quarter profit of $312 million, driven by substantial increases in production and deliveries of the Model 3. That lifted Tesla stock, and eased concerns about the companys finances.

The rapid rise in Model 3 sales even persuaded Andrew Left, an investor who had been betting against Tesla, to switch his view. On his firms website, he said he believed that the companys stock was now a good investment.

Despite the good news, Tesla still faces many challenges. The Securities and Exchange Commission is examining past claims about production goals. The commission, in rejecting a request by the New York Times under the Freedom of Information Act for a transcript of Musks deposition in the case, said its release could interfere with active and ongoing investigations related to Tesla.

In addition, the quality of the Model 3s coming off its production line is being questioned. Customers have complained on Twitter and in press accounts of receiving cars with scratches, cracked windows, defective components and other flaws. Some Tesla owners have reported waiting a month or more for repairs because of a shortage of parts. In a quality survey published by Consumer Reports last month, Tesla was ranked 27th of 29 automakers, falling six places from last year.

On Thursday, Musk tweeted that the company had acquired trucking capacity that would allow it to deliver Model 3 sedans ordered by the end of November by the end of the year in the United States.

Tesla may also be facing a new customer-satisfaction issue reflected in the experience of Fyfe. Teslas owner forums show that other consumers have encountered similar problems.

Dealers for established automakers rarely see damage to the cars trucked to their showrooms.

Doug Waikem, owner of seven dealerships in Massillon, Ohio, said he had hardly ever received a car too damaged to sell.

Its not a problem for us, he said. Its pretty rare.

Occasionally, his dealerships have to touch up paint on cars. More serious repairs are disclosed to shoppers before they buy, he said.

The Tesla spokeswoman declined to say how often the companys cars are damaged in transit.

While working on these issues, Tesla is still moving ahead with plans to produce a new roadster, a semitrailer truck, a pickup truck and a small sport utility vehicle in the next few years. On top of that, Musk intends to build a giant car-and-battery factory in China.

Mike Ramsey, a Gartner analyst, said the delivery problems reflected the downsides of Teslas effort to build each car to match a specific order, and its use of its own delivery centers that were not designed to hold stocks of cars. Tesla has 104 delivery centers in the United States. BMW, by comparison, has more than 300 U.S. dealers.

Tesla had a huge volume push in the third quarter, and they probably could have avoided a lot of this if they had traditional dealers, Ramsey said.

Clearly, many Tesla customers are thrilled with their cars. Zachary Pernikliyski, a bartender in a Chicago hotel, took delivery of a Model 3 in June with no problems and is exhilarated by the ride.

The joy is like having sex, he said.

Teslas spokeswoman said that of the customers who bought cars in the past 2 months, 90 percent said they would recommend Tesla after experiencing its delivery process.

But even some customers who love their cars have had unhappy delivery experiences. Russell Rabadeau, an investment adviser in New Jersey, ordered a silver, all-wheel-drive Model 3 with the longest-lasting battery Tesla offers. His delivery date was supposed to be Sept. 25. The day before, looking forward to his new car, he sold the BMW 328 he was driving.

Two hours before he was to pick up the Model 3, Rabadeau got a phone call. A Tesla delivery associate said his delivery center didnt have a silver car for him, and probably wouldnt have one until mid-October.

That was frustrating because nobody called me to let me know sooner, he said. There was no communication.

After walking to work for two weeks, he checked on the status of his car. Tesla had one  but it was still at the plant in Fremont. Tesla rented a Cadillac for him to drive in the meantime. He finally got his Model 3 on Oct. 26.

Its very fun to drive, great pickup, Rabadeau said.

Musk acknowledged that Tesla was having serious problems when he referred to delivery logistics hell in a Twitter post on Sept. 16. At the time, Tesla was scrambling to sell and deliver as many Model 3 sedans as it could, to help turn a profit in the third quarter. The CEO also asked current customers to help out at delivery centers to ease the load on Teslas staff.

Jonathan Berent, a technology executive in California, recounted a particularly frustrating episode. He paid a $1,000 deposit in 2016 to reserve the right to order a Model 3, then $2,500 this year as a further deposit on a Performance version. In early September, he was told that his car was at a delivery center near Teslas Fremont plant, and he headed there with a cashiers check for the balance. When he arrived, a sales representative showed him the car, and gave him his vehicle identification number.

I thought, finally, its here, Berent said. Id been waiting two years for this car.

While his Model 3 was being detailed, however, a salesman said there had been a mix-up. The car Berent had just sat in was actually assigned to another customer, also named Jonathan. After a considerable wait, the salesman found another car in an inventory lot about an hours drive away, Berent said. When the car arrived, it had paint defects that had to be repaired, and he went home.

By then, some friends had told him about problems with their Teslas. Berent considered the paint issue with the car he was assigned, and the delivery frustrations, and decided to cancel his order.

I didnt want a car that might not work, he said. There was no way I was taking that car.

Nevertheless, he was contacted repeatedly over the next two weeks by Tesla sales representatives who said they had a car ready for him. One woman phoned and offered to deliver the car within eight hours, to his home or even to a coffee shop if he preferred, Berent said.

He declined the offers, and is awaiting a refund.

If youre buying an $85,000 car, it should be a great experience, he said.

Tesla said it had no record of Berents canceling his order.

Neal E. Boudette is a New York Times writer.
A Butte County man was fatally shot by deputies after a confrontation and high-speed chase through the Camp Fire evacuation zone on Thursday morning, officials said.

The 48-year-old man, whose name was not immediately released pending family notification, was shot at 11:05 a.m. after he pointed a metallic object at deputies from Butte County and Shasta County sheriffs officers, officials said.

A preliminary review of dashcam footage of the shooting is consistent with statements to investigators from the involved officers, said Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea during a Friday night news conference.

The man was a suspect in a 2014 double murder in Butte County, officials said. A warden with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife was also involved in the confrontation.

Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey detailed the moments leading up to the fatal shooting in a Thursday night press conference at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico.

He said a sheriffs deputy patrolling the Yankee Hill area was contacted by a resident who said there was a suspicious man who had been staying in a vehicle in the parking lot of the Pines Yankee Hill Hardware store on Miller Flat Road for the past three days, Ramsey said.

The deputy approached the vehicle and found the suspect asleep behind the wheel, Ramsey said. The deputy ran the license plate number and learned the man had been known to the Butte County Sheriffs Office as a potentially armed and dangerous parolee who was a suspect in a double-murder that occurred in December 2014, Ramsey said.

The deputy called for backup and responding deputies surrounded the vehicle, he said. When the suspect came to, police said the suspect jammed his hand into his right jacket pocket as if he had a concealed weapon.

Deputies said they moved back and ordered the man to get out of the car, Ramsey said.

Ramsey said the suspect said something to the effect of You guys should have left me alone and Im not going back.

Authorities told investigators they heard a metallic click consistent with the cocking a gun.

The suspect then hit the gas and crashed into a civilian vehicle before leading officials on a chase on Highway 70 toward Oroville, reaching speeds of up to 90 mph.

After driving over a spike strip deployed by officials at Cherokee Road and Highway 70, his tires flattened at the intersection of Pentz Road and Highway 70. The suspect continued driving about a half mile until the rims started scraping against the highway.

Sutter sheriffs deputies released their K9 named Bandit in an attempt to take town the suspect, but he allegedly rapidly advanced toward Bandit and the deputies, prompting them to open fire.

He did not shoot at officers but pointed a metallic object at officers at the time of the shooting, officials said.

Bandit was shot when deputies opened fire but still tried to bring the man down, Ramsey said. He said a pitbull emerged from the suspects car, attacked the K9 and was shot by a single deputy, killing it.

The suspect died at the scene. He was shot in the head and torso, Ramsey said.

Six officers opened fire on the suspect, with two handguns and four rifles, Ramsey said. The deputies were not immediately identified on Thursday night.

Bandit died from gunshot wounds.

Ramsey said Thursday night that investigators served a search warrant at the suspects Berry Creek residence sometime after the December 2014 double-murder and found a shotgun, handgun and pipe bomb. He was arrested later that day inside a Canyon Creek store with an AK47, brass knuckles, and a dagger stuffed into his jacket.

He was convicted of building a pipe bomb and possession of methamphetamine among other felonies after being found incompetent to stand trial. He was sentenced to seven years and four months in state prison in November 2016 and later paroled in May 2018.

In July 2018, he stopped reporting to his parole officer and became a parolee-at-large. He had been missing until the day he was fatally shot on Thursday morning, officials said.

Ramsey said Highway 70 would be closed Thursday night while investigators scour the crime scene. He said officials called a bomb squad to investigate a pipe found at the scene.

Lauren Hernandez and Ashley McBride are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: ashley.mcbride@sfchronicle.com; lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com
This poem was originally posted to Facebook and the Awakening blog.

A poem I wrote the other night while grieving the loss of my hometown of Paradise:

I'm sorry  Please excuse the smoke.

It's just the dreams and hopes of 27 thousand yesterdays.

It's just the minuscule evidence of

That one baby picture,

That painting of the sea captain by my brother,

And those family portraits of the past 40 years.

It's just the piano from my grandmother who passed away years ago that my brother just brought back from Iowa.

Excuse the hazardous air quality.

It's just the thousands of saved kid's drawings and crafts, books, children's toys from years gone by that had been unpacked for grandchildren, wedding certificates, diaries, the favorite pillows, that favorite teddy bear from baby years, the 1960s records and the VHS tapes of birthday parties and graduations.

It's just the houses of my childhood friends where we would play in the late summer evenings and spend nights dreaming of what our grownup years would bring. Not knowing that our futures would all hold this moment in time as our collective yesterdays ascend to the sky.

Please excuse the falling ash.

It's just the church where I grew up attending with all the children's songs, VBS programs and the baptismal where I chose to dedicate my life to God. It's just the aisle where I stood and looked at the man on the day that I said "I Do".

The falling ash  It's just Paradise.

A little non-destination town that's not on the way to anything important. It's just that end-of-the-road town where people settle and know each other and roots run deep. It's just a place where the biggest news was that Taco Bell came to town 20 years ago  until Starbucks finally made it 4 months ago.

Paradise  it's just the place where everyone is your neighbor, as backyards are shared and simple icons are known and loved. Icons that are now ashes falling around you (sorry about that).

Icons like Fosters Freeze.

Gold Nugget Days.

Honey Run Road Covered Bridge.

That one antique store, just to name a few.

Icons like Kalico Kitchen where my dad and I had breakfast on the day of my wedding, just the two of us.

Icons like Darlene's Frozen Yogurt and Round Table Pizza where many birthday parties growing up took place, not to mention the take home pizzas to mom and dad on weekends we would visit.

Personal icons like the Lucas's house where many days and nights were spent as we grew up from toddlers, to grade school, to junior high, taking care of animals, watching movies, going trick-r-treating, and discovering our first crushes together.

Icons like the Muth house, where we made brownies and talked about boys and got ready for banquets and wrote songs, and led out in different high school student leadership opportunities.

Icons like the youth room at the church where we discovered so many amazing things together and planned mission trips and prayer conferences and learned what it meant to be used by God right here and right now.

Icons like Rincon Way house where we would watch different phases of our family's life every year as we gathered for potlucks, game nights or just hear some good music.

Or Country Club where huge gatherings would take place like the 4th of July party for the neighborhood, or just coming together for brunch, or talking about religion and politics.

Or Peterson's house where we would eat the most delicious Swedish treats and have a visit from Santa.

Or all the houses around town that we lived in since age 2, (that are now all gone) and finally settling on what would become home: Boquest Blvd. Boquest, where breakfast was late, like nights, and eras of my life passed within those 4 walls  from preteen, to high school, and as the walls of my room changed their decor as they held my changing eras like a quiet, constant friend. The early mornings getting ready for school, the late nights studying or dreaming of tomorrows that are now todays. The Christmas eves and mornings where my brother would wake me up to go open our stockings. The night I spent in that room with my sister before the day of my wedding, our conversations waning into the early morning. The years and eras fleeting now in hindsight, as most recently these four walls had been a refuge for my aging parents. And not knowing that 1 month ago would be my final farewell to my constant silent friend  my room  where I spent a few nights with my infant son as we cherished time with family.

Icons like Billie Park where I would go on hikes with my friends as a preteen and teen, and then later take my hubby as we dreamt of the future, and then most recently would take my own 2 children to play and romp and just be...in Paradise.

... And not to mention all the lives that were lost: mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, grandparents, beloved pets ...

But please, once again, excuse our smoke.

It's just what's left of what was one of the most unique little settlements in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains: what was Paradise.

Krystalynn Martin is the Vice Principal for Spiritual Life and a teacher at Auburn Adventist Academy in Auburn, Wash. She writes at the blog Awakenings: Glimpses of the Divine in the Mundane.
The 2018 holiday gift guide from Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle website Goop landed this week in all its turmeric and activated charcoal-infused glory, ready to right your chakras, align your energies and purify your toxins, and the internet quickly rose to the occasion of soundly mocking it.

As in years past, the gift guide did not disappoint.

It truly has everything. Rolling papers made with 24 karat gold? Check! A crystal-of-the-month box? You bet! A 10-day detox box that costs $195 and does not come with any food? Yes, there's all that and then some more crystals (including one you can massage your face with!).

ALSO: Things you hate yourself for spending money on in San Francisco

Other notable entries this year include a rose quartz-embellished reusable straw, $68 ("An everyday essential"), a 100 percent electric yacht, and a literal Spanish village (caption: "For when it takes a village"), priced at $172,910, which compared with California real estate prices honestly seems almost reasonable.

"Don't procrastinate  Iberian townships don't last long," reads the guide's intro copy.

Like a fitness accessory straight out of the late Roman Empire, there's also a $100 white marble dumbbell (description: "It's chic. It's design-forward. It's a dumbbell").

WEIRD: I got naked in a sensory deprivation tank in the Marina

"It's so over the top absurd that I think people accept it into their lives as theatre," writer Rachel Syme wrote of the gift guide on Twitter.

There are some colorful suggestions in the kids and teens section as well, including a toy salad, night at the Eloise suite at the Plaza Hotel in New York, and boarding school in the Netherlands, perhaps for the ungrateful stepchild in your life.

"Happy to report that goop's gift guide has in no way been impacted by social or political pressure and includes this $38 baby crown," wrote Twitter user @robotafterbirth.

But it's not all fun and crystals: The guide also dispenses some relationship advice in the form of its suggestion of a couple's tattoo session, captioned: "The couple that gets inked together stays together" (Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande would like a word with you, Goop). Maybe take that one with a grain of Peruvian Pink Salt ($15 for 2 oz). Luckily, that's in the gift guide, too.

Filipa Ioannou is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at fioannou@sfchronicle.com and follow her on Twitter
SUNRISE, Fla.  The state commission investigating the Florida high school massacre has begun discussions on what recommendations it will make regarding student safety, mental health and steps to prevent future school shootings.

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Commission didnt pass any specific recommendations Friday at its latest gathering to consider the Feb. 14 attack that killed 14 students and three staff members at the school in Parkland. But it decided it will focus its initial batch of recommendations on less controversial areas such as school security before addressing difficult issues like mental health.
WASHINGTON  The Justice Department has filed charges under seal against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a person familiar with the matter confirmed Friday after prosecutors inadvertently disclosed the information in court documents.

Any charges against Assange, who has been taking cover for years in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, could help illuminate whether Russia coordinated with the Trump campaign to sway the 2016 presidential election. They would also suggest that, after years of internal wrangling within the Justice Department, prosecutors have decided to take a more aggressive stance against the secret-sharing website.

The person who confirmed that Assange had been charged spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. It was not immediately clear what charges Assange could face or when they might become unsealed.

The charges came to light in a recently unsealed court filing from a federal prosecutor in Virginia, who was attempting to keep sealed a separate, unrelated case. In one sentence, the prosecutor wrote that the charges and arrest warrant would need to remain sealed until Assange is arrested in connection with the charges in the criminal complaint and can therefore no longer evade or avoid arrest and extradition in this matter.

In another sentence, the prosecutor said that due to the sophistication of the defendant and the publicity surrounding the case, no other procedure is likely to keep confidential the fact that Assange has been charged.

It was not immediately clear why Assanges name was included in the document, though Joshua Stueve, a spokesman for the Eastern District of Virginia  which had been investigating Assange  said, The court filing was made in error. That was not the intended name for this filing.

Recently ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions last year declared the arrest of Assange a priority. Special counsel Robert Mueller has been investigating whether Trump campaign associates had advance knowledge of Democratic emails that were published by WikiLeaks in the weeks before the 2016 election and that U.S. authorities have said were hacked by Russia.

The news that criminal charges have apparently been filed against Mr. Assange is even more troubling than the haphazard manner in which that information has been revealed, said Barry Pollack, a lawyer for Assange. The government bringing criminal charges against someone for publishing truthful information is a dangerous path for a democracy to take.

The filing was discovered by Seamus Hughes, a terrorism expert at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, who posted it on Twitter hours after the Wall Street Journal reported that the Justice Department was preparing to prosecute Assange and said, To be clear, seems Freudian, its for a different completely unrelated case, every other page is not related to him, EDVA just appears to have Assange on the mind when filing motions to seal and used his name.

The document, a motion filed in late August asking to keep the other case secret, mentions Assange in two boilerplate sections, suggesting a copy-and-paste error or that his name was inadvertently left in a template used for the common filings. That document has since been unsealed.

Assange, 47, has resided in the Ecuadorian Embassy for more than six years in a bid to avoid being extradited to Sweden, where he was wanted to face sex crimes, or to the United States, whose government he has repeatedly humbled with mass disclosures of classified information.

The Australian ex-hacker was once a welcome guest at the embassy, which takes up part of the ground floor of a stucco-fronted apartment in Londons Knightsbridge neighborhood. But his relationship with his hosts has soured over the years amid reports of espionage, erratic behavior and diplomatic unease.

WikiLeaks has attracted U.S. attention since 2010, when it published thousands of military and State Department documents from Army Pvt. Bradley (now Chelsea) Manning.

In a Twitter post early Friday, WikiLeaks said the US case against WikiLeaks started in 2010 and expanded to include other disclosures, including by contractor Edward Snowden.

The prosecutor on the order is not from Mr. Muellers team and WikiLeaks has never been contacted by anyone from his office, WikiLeaks said.

Eric Tucker is an Associated Press writer.
Alex Wong/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi met Friday with a prominent House Democrat considering challenging her for the speakers gavel, as she continued to confer with incoming Democrats and court votes for speaker.

Pelosi huddled Friday with Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, who has been encouraged by Pelosi's critics to mount a campaign against her. Pelosi, through a spokesman, said the two had a "candid and respectful conversation."

Fudge, 66, whose meeting with Pelosi was brokered by Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., told reporters Friday that she would make a decision on whether to run against Pelosi after Thanksgiving.

"The meeting went very well," she said. "We had a very open and candid discussion."

"What she asked me was, basically, How could we get to a point where I could be supportive? Fudge added.

"We talked about some succession planning. We talked about some other things. I think that the biggest issue that we discussed was the feeling in the caucus of people who are feeling left out and left behind."

While shes favored to become House speaker next Congress, and win the closed-door vote for speaker in the Democratic caucus on Nov. 28, Pelosi has faced determined opposition from a band of current and incoming House Democrats who want new leadership.

Seventeen of those Democrats have signed on to a letter pledging to vote for new leadership on the House floor in January, enough to block Pelosi from winning the 218 votes needed to clinch the gavel.

With three House races yet to be called by ABC News, Democrats are projected to hold 231 seats in the House next year, which would allow Pelosi to lose as many as 13 votes and still become speaker.

Her critics argue that Pelosi, 78, who served as speaker from 2007-2011, has crowded out the partys rising stars and given few opportunities for Democrats to advance in the House.

I was there when she grabbed the gavel with all the children around her [in 2007], it's one of the great moments of my career that Ill always remember, Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, a Pelosi critic who unsuccessfully ran against her for Democratic leader in 2016, told reporters Friday. But we also have a responsibility to Democrats across the country who asked for change.

This is an election of the establishment Democrats circling the wagons, versus the change that the Democratic people voted for across the country, he said.

For her part, Pelosi and her aides say that she has fostered and encouraged younger members, by creating additional leadership positions in the caucus and committees, and provided some member with issue portfolios to manage.

My experience with Nancy Pelosi, is part of her mission actually is to lift younger members, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., a Pelosi ally, told ABC News. Its amazing to me how many hours she spends, in the course of her regular business as leader, check in with the caucuses.

Schakowsky and other Pelosi supporters have accused her critics of sexism by working to sideline Pelosi without explicitly saying the same about her top lieutenants: Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, who is 79, and Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, who is 78. Both men are running to keep the second and third-ranked posts in the majority.

They say about men when they age, they become more experienced, and women, expired, Schakowsky said. Theres definitely an element of sexism, an ageism thats applied to women and not to men.

Pelosi stopped short of calling her critics sexist Thursday in her weekly news conference but defiantly proclaimed that she had enough support to become speaker.

I have overwhelming support in my caucus to be Speaker of the House, and certainly we have many, many people in our caucus who could serve in this capacity. I happen to think that, at this point, I'm the best person for that, she said, while inviting others to challenge her.

Fudge, a former CBC chair and mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, who has served in Congress since 2008, said in an interview with HuffPost that Pelosi has been a very good leader but believes its time for a new one.

She also told the website that she believes Pelosi hasnt been as strong enough of an advocate for African-Americans in Congress.

Fudges potential bid has split members of the Congressional Black Caucus, some of whom had privately encouraged Clyburn and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, a rising star who is running for a lower level leadership position, to move up the ranks of Democratic leadership.

But many prominent members of the group, including Jeffries, Rep. Elijah Cummings from Maryland, the future chairman of the House Oversight Committee, and Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, a civil rights icon, and Rep. Maxine Waters of California, the future chair of the House Financial Services Committee, have backed the California Democrat, who continues to meet with freshmen and undecided Democrats ahead of the caucus vote.

Pelosis office has also promoted a raft of endorsements from major labor unions, pro-choice groups, and other outside organizations active in Democratic politics.

Shes also met with key constituencies in the House Democratic caucus, including Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, a co-chair of the Progressive Caucus who told reporters she plans to support Pelosi, and a group of Democrats in the Problem Solvers Caucus who have pledged to withhold their support in exchange for procedural rule changes to reform the way the House is run.

On Friday, Pelosi continued to meet with incoming House Democrats, and plans to meet with the entire new class of freshmen Democrats.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Last Friday, three days after being elected to the House of Representatives, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez invited more than 600,000 people to chat as she made loaded macaroni and cheese in an Instant Pot.

Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., was streaming on Instagram Live, answering questions submitted through the live chat feature as she grated cheese and sang along to Janelle Monae. It wasnt too surprising to see her there, as her followers have watched each step of her journey since she announced she would be seeking a congressional seat in April 2017.

Over the past week, Ocasio-Cortez has taken these followers behind the scenes of congressional orientation, as shes visited monuments, met with other incoming freshmen and looked through the new member directory  which she joked was like a yearbook.

At orientation you get a swag bag, she said in one story, displaying a shopping bag that she explained held her new secure devices. In another, she walked between government buildings, whispering, Guys, there are secret underground tunnels, adding in a caption, Jk theyre not secret but its cool.

Government officials have always found creative ways to reach their constituents, from President Franklin D. Roosevelts fireside chats to President Donald Trumps use of Twitter.

But Ocasio-Cortez, who at 29 is the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, is especially good at connecting with her followers on Instagram, which can be a more intimate platform  especially when a user speaks directly to the camera.

The video quality isnt great, the audio can get muffled and the lighting can be overexposed. But thats partly the point. Using her cellphones forward-facing camera, Ocasio-Cortez provides civics lessons and discusses her personal highs and lows.

The videos seem designed to be accessible to everyone. Ocasio-Cortez has started using a closed-captioning tool called Clipomatic so that those who are deaf or hard of hearing can follow along.

Ocasio-Cortez is also an active user of Twitter, the preferred clap-back platform. On Thursday, a reporter from the Washington Examiner tweeted a picture of Ocasio-Cortezs back with the caption, Ill tell you something: that jacket and coat dont look like a girl who struggles. It was one of several recent attempts by conservative media to portray her as wealthier than she says she is.

He later deleted the tweet, but not before Ocasio-Cortez responded. She replied to her initial tweet with another, tagging the reporter, Eddie Scarry, and including a screenshot of his original tweet. Oh, does @eScarry think he can delete his misogyny without an apology? I dont think so. Youre a journalist  readers should know your bias.

And she has company among her fellow incoming freshmen. After Rep.-elect Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., arrived in Washington this week, she tweeted, We did not come to play, along with a link to a story in The Cut. The headline: Your Cool New Congresswomen Are Already Hanging Out.

A week earlier, Omar reacted to Democratic Rep.-elect Ayanna Pressleys win in Massachusetts with a Beyonce GIF.

Like Snapchat stories, Instagram stories are ephemeral and automatically delete after 24 hours. But users can save stories and pin them to their pages as a highlight, allowing followers to watch a story weeks after it was published.

Three months ago, Ocasio-Cortez made an Instagram story in which she spoke about how she was feeling. That story, labeled Pep Talk, is pinned to the top of her page as a highlight.

At one point, she sighed deeply and said, Youre supposed to be perfect all the time on every issue.

I think what people forget is if we want everyday, working-class Americans to run for office, and not like these robots, that we have to acknowledge and accept imperfection and growth and humanity in our government, she added.

Ocasio-Cortez did not respond to requests for an interview.

Some have dismissed her Instagram use as merely an example of a young person knowing how to use a platform. But its not that simple, said Jennifer Grygiel, an assistant professor at Syracuse University who studies social media.

Very few people can get away with wearing those animated Instagram glasses but also be taken seriously, Grygiel said. She can command both spaces.

In 2018, social media skills are expected of political figures and their teams.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is a top Instagram user among Republican politicians, with a following of nearly 280,000. But his Instagram presence is distant, filled with professional photography and text cards that do not lend themselves to a sense of authenticity.

According to an analysis in The New York Times, the number of interactions on Democrats Instagram accounts dwarfed those on Republican accounts within a 30-day period ending Oct. 15. The political tilt of Instagram reflects the demographics of the platforms users: Instagram users skew younger, as do Democratic voters.

One of Ocasio-Cortezs biggest strengths on Instagram is that she tries to bring her followers into the political process and convince them that they, too, could someday be in her shoes.

What shes saying is, Hey, develop these skills alongside of me and we will be a community, well be a force,' Grygiel said. Shes not just saying, Hey, support me, support me, support me.'

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
PALO ALTO (BCN)



Palo Alto police are searching for a man who allegedly robbed four businesses and smashed their windows early Wednesday morning while wearing a "The Phantom of the Opera" mask.



The burglaries began at 2:13 a.m. when police received an alarm call at Vin Vino Wine at 437 California Ave. In addition to a smashed window, the cash register was missing.



Police found the same situation at 4:30 a.m. in SimpleBe Salon & Spa at 530A University Ave., at 5:30 a.m. in a Subway at 421 California Ave. and at 8:23 a.m. in Sushi House at 855 El Camino Real.



The suspect was wearing a white "The Phantom of the Opera" mask covering only half of his face during the burglaries, but was captured on camera without his mask outside the burglarized Subway.



Officers believe all four burglaries happened from 2-3 a.m. Anyone with information is asked to call police at (650) 329-2413.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
SAN JOSE (BCN)



San Jose firefighters have received a $77,021 federal grant to replace fire alarms and educate about 600 mobile home residents about fire prevention and safety, the city announced Thursday.



San Jose has the highest number of mobile households in the state at 59 mobile home parks and 10,386 residences, according to the city.



Fire Capt. Mitch Matlow said a combination of factors make mobile homes more susceptible to fires, including crowded living situations as a result of cheaper costs.



Residents of mobile homes are often economically constrained, meaning extended families may live together. This increase in density causes greater fire risk, according to Matlow.



The grant will target high-risk populations, such as elderly or sick residents who may be unable to install their own alarms, or financially unstable residents who cannot afford them.



At each home, firefighters and emergency volunteers will install the alarms, inspect the home for fire hazards with the resident's permission and educate mobile homeowners about fire safety in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.



Firefighters and the American Red Cross are teaming up to administer the grant funds, and already installed almost 250 fire alarms over the course of one weekend in October. The federal support will run through August 2019.



"With the support of this grant, the San Jose Fire Department will continue to fulfill its core mission: To serve the community by protecting life, property and the environment through prevention and response," Fire Chief Robert Sapien said in a news release.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
OAKLAND (BCN)



A judge today maintained a high bail of $3 million for a 23-year-old man who faces six felony counts for his alleged role in an explosive device attack that injured 10 Oakland police officers during a protest in July.



Alameda County Superior Court Judge Yolanda Northridge's decision not to reduce the bail for Giovonni Gaines at a hearing packed with about 50 of his supporters means that Gaines will remain in custody at least until he returns to court on Dec. 3 for a pretrial hearing in his case.



Gaines is charged with assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer likely to cause great bodily injury, two counts of possessing an explosive device, igniting a destructive device with the intent to injure and four counts of maliciously igniting a destructive device.



The explosive devices were detonated in downtown Oakland on the night of July 23, when a group of about 1,000 people marched in memory of 18-year-old Nia Wilson, who was fatally stabbed at the MacArthur BART station in Oakland the previous night.



Police and prosecutors allege that Gaines gave the devices to a 13-year-old boy who detonated them.



Oakland police said the boy has made a full confession, apologized for injuring the officers, cooperated with the investigation and pleaded guilty to felony criminal conspiracy charges.



Police said Gaines, who was arrested on Nov. 1, also provided a full confession, admitted to possessing the explosive device, providing it to the minor co-defendant and then igniting the device.



Oakland police said Gaines could also face federal charges.



Gaines lawyer Robbi Cook, who unsuccessfully asked Northridge to set a lower bail for him, wrote in an email after the hearing that Gaines "is a 23-year-old man who has never previously been arrested and has absolutely no criminal record, either as an adult or juvenile."



Cook said Gaines grew up in East Oakland, graduated from Fremont High School in Oakland, has some college education and was working more than 50 hours a week at two jobs when he was arrested.



Cook said Gaines "has an enormous community of supporters, comprised of former teachers, employers, mentors, friends, family and coworkers."



Cooke wrote, "I respectfully disagree with the judge's denial of my motion to reduce bail. Mr. Gaines in no way presents any danger to public safety."



The defense attorney said, "Everyone who knows him points to his reputation for honesty, generosity, kindness, gentleness and non-violence. The facts giving rise to the charges against him have been mischaracterized."





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
REDWOOD CITY (BCN)



A man who was involved in a June stabbing is finally in the San Mateo County jail after he spent months on the lam this summer, according to Redwood City police.



Abran Gutierrez, 32, was involved in a stabbing along with another suspect, 24-year-old Justin Guidici, police said.



The pair allegedly attacked two young men on June 30 around 3 a.m. at the 7-Eleven at 460 Woodside Road.



Police said Guidici and Gutierrez threatened the two victims, yelling out gang slurs.



The suspects attacked the young men after luring them outside. One of the victims had to have emergency surgery for a stab wound to his side, police said.



Guidici was immediately arrested, but Gutierrez allegedly fled. The U.S. Marshals Service tracked him down in Oregon in September and Thursday he was extradited to San Mateo County.



He was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and participation in a criminal street gang, according to police.



Anyone with more information about the case is asked to call detectives at (650) 780-7672 or the Police Department's tip line at (650) 780-7107.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
LONDON  Supportive Cabinet ministers rallied around British Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday, trying to bolster her leadership after a barrage of resignations over Brexit as rebel lawmakers pushed to force a leadership challenge.

May is battling to save her Brexit plan, and her job, after the draft withdrawal agreement between Britain and the EU sparked fierce opposition from politicians in her Conservative Party who want the U.K. out of the bloc. They say the agreement, which calls for close trade ties between the U.K. and the EU, would leave Britain a vassal state, bound to rules it has no say in making.

A group of hard-core pro-Brexit Conservative lawmakers is working to topple May by submitting letters saying they have lost confidence in her leadership. They are aiming for the magic number of 48  the 15 percent of Conservative lawmakers needed to trigger a challenge to her leadership under party rules. If May lost her job as party leader, she would also lose her position as prime minister.

After a day of conflicting rumors about whether 48 letters had been sent, leading Brexiteer Steve Baker said, I think were very close. He suggested the threshold might be reached sometime next week.

If May faces a leadership vote and wins, it could strengthen her position because the rules say she cant be challenged again for a year.

Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington, one of Mays chief allies, predicted that if it does come to a challenge, the prime minister will win handsomely.

Ive seen no plausible alternative plan from any of those criticizing her, Lidington said.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, another Brexit-backing minister, threw May a lifeline by urging rebels to take a rational and reasonable view of this.

Ultimately, I hope that across Parliament well recognize that a deal is better than no deal, he said.

May got another piece of good news when Environment Secretary Michael Gove decided not to follow two Cabinet colleagues and quit over the divorce deal.

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey quit Thursday, saying they could not support the agreement. Like them, Gove was a strong supporter of the leave campaign in Britains 2016 EU membership referendum.

May has warned that abandoning her Brexit plan, with Britains exit just over four months away on March 29, would plunge the country into deep and grave uncertainty. She appealed directly to voters by answering questions on a radio call-in show Friday. One caller said May should resign and let a more staunchly pro-Brexit politician take over.

Jill Lawless is an Associated Press writer.
BEIRUT  U.S-led coalition air strikes on the last pocket held by Islamic State militants in Syria near the Iraqi border killed at least 40 people, mostly women and children, a war monitor and Syrian state media said.

The coalition confirmed strikes in the area but said no civilian casualties are associated with them, reiterating that it takes measures to avoid noncombatant casualties.

We have witnessed (Islamic State) using places of worship and hospitals as command centers against the laws of war, and innocent civilians as human shields, Col. Sean Ryan, a spokesman for the coalition, said in an email to the Associated Press.

The remote area is difficult to access and it was not possible to independently verify the reports.

Rami Abdurrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the air strikes hit homes in Abu al-Hassan village, near the town of Hajin, which lies along the border with Iraq.

Abdurrahman said the strikes killed at least 43 people, including 17 children and 12 women. He said it was not immediately clear if the men killed in the strikes were militants.

Syrian state news agency SANA also reported the strikes, saying 40 were killed in the remote area of Buqaan, another village next to Abu al-Hassan, in Deir el-Zour province.

Activist Omar Abou Leila, who monitors the war in Deir el-Zour from Europe, also confirmed the strikes but said it was difficult to verify the death toll. Abou Leila said Islamic State militants are preventing civilians from leaving the area, resulting in the high casualty toll among them.

Sarah El Deeb is an Associated Press writer.
SEOUL  North Korea on Friday deported an American citizen it detained for illegal entrance, an apparent concession to the United States that came even as it announced the test of a newly developed but unspecified ultramodern weapon that will be seen as a pressuring tactic by Washington.

The two whiplash announcements, which seemed aimed at both appeasing and annoying Washington, suggest North Korea wants to keep alive a dialogue with the United States even as it struggles to express its frustration at stalled nuclear diplomacy.

North Korea in the past has held arrested American citizens for an extended period before high-profile U.S. figures traveled to Pyongyang to secure their freedom. Last year, American university student Otto Warmbier died days after he was released in a coma from North Korea after 17 months in captivity.

On Friday, the Korean Central News Agency said American national Bruce Byron Lowrance was detained on Oct. 16 for illegally entering the country from China. It said he told investigators that he was under the manipulation of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. It was not clear if the Norths spelling of the mans name was correct, and past reports from Pyongyang have contained incorrect spellings.

A short KCNA dispatch said North Korea decided to deport him but did not say why and when. A U.S. official said Friday that he was on a flight back to the United States.

The Norths decision matches its general push for engagement and diplomacy with the United States this year after a string of weapons tests in 2017, and a furious U.S. response, had some fearing war on the Korean Peninsula.

In May, North Korea released three American detainees in a goodwill gesture weeks ahead of leader Kim Jong Uns June 12 summit with President Trump in Singapore. The three Americans returned home on a flight with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Weeks after the summit, North Korea returned the remains of dozens of presumed U.S. soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War.

Some foreigners have said after their release that their declarations of guilt had been coerced while in North Korean custody. Warmbier and other previous American detainees in the North were imprisoned over a variety of alleged crimes, including subversion, anti-state activities and spying.

The latest detained American is likely a man that South Korea deported last year, according to South Korean police. In November 2017, a 58-year-old man from Louisiana was caught in South Korea after spending two nights in the woods in a civilian-restricted area near the border with North Korea. The name written in his passport was Lowrance Bruce Byron, said police officers at Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency.

Before his deportation, the man told interrogators that he knows lots of people in the Trump administration so that he wants to work as a bridge between the United States and North Korea to help improve their ties worsened by Warmbiers death, said one of the police officers who investigated the man. He requested anonymity.

Earlier Friday, KCNA said Kim observed the successful test of an unspecified newly developed ultramodern tactical weapon, though it didnt describe what the weapon was.

It didnt appear to be a test of a nuclear device or a long-range missile with the potential to target the United States. A string of such tests last year pushed always uncomfortable ties on the peninsula to unusually high tension before the North turned to engagement and diplomacy.

Still, any mention of weapons testing could influence the direction of stalled diplomatic efforts spearheaded by Washington and aimed at ridding the North of its nuclear weapons.

Experts say the weapon test was likely an expression of anger by North Korea at U.S.-led international sanctions and ongoing small-scale military drills between South Korea and the United States. Its the first publicly known field inspection of a weapons test by Kim since he observed the testing of an intercontinental ballistic missile in November of last year.

Its North Korea-style coercive diplomacy. North Korea is saying, If you dont listen to us, you will face political burdens, said analyst Shin Beomchul of Seouls Asan Institute for Policy Studies.

Hyung-Jin Kim and Kim Tong-Hyung are Associated Press writers.
JERUSALEM  Israel moved closer to early elections Friday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus main coalition partner, the ultra-nationalist Jewish Home party, said it wants a vote as soon as possible, and will press for consultations on a date on Sunday.

The call for early elections came after a meeting Friday between Netanyahu and Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett. The two have been locked in a tense rivalry, with Bennett often criticizing Netanyahu from the right.

Bennett had demanded the post of defense minister, after the incumbent, Avigdor Lieberman, resigned this week in protest over Netanyahus Gaza policies.

A senior Jewish Home official said it became clear after the Bennett-Netanyahu meeting that there is a need to go to elections as soon as possible. He spoke on condition of anonymity. The official said leaders of coalition parties will meet Sunday to coordinate the date for early elections.

The apparent failure of the Netanyahu-Bennett meeting seemed to seal the coalitions fate.

The departure of Lieberman and his Israel Beitenu party had left the coalition with a one-seat majority in the 120-member parliament. Without Bennetts Jewish Home, Netanyahus coalition would lose its parliamentary majority.

The political crisis began with a botched Israeli undercover raid in Gaza on Sunday. The raid led to two days of intense cross-border fighting. Gazas Hamas rulers fired hundreds of rockets at southern Israel, while Israeli warplanes targeted scores of targets in Gaza.

After two days, Egypt brokered an informal truce between Israel and the Islamic militant Hamas. Netanyahu averted a war, but drew blistering criticism from ultra-nationalists. Lieberman resigned in protest on Wednesday. On Friday, he toured southern Israel and accused Netanyahu of being soft on terrorism. He said Netanyahus Gaza policy is strengthening Hamas.

Lieberman alleged that the truce will put southern Israel under a growing threat from Hamas, similar to the threat posed to northern Israel by Lebanons heavily armed Hezbollah militia.

Its impossible that after Hamas launches 500 rockets at the Israeli border communities. The heads of Hamas are actually getting immunity from the Israeli cabinet, he told reporters.

But on Friday, Hamas kept border protests widely restrained. Thousands of Palestinians participated in a Hamas-led rally along the perimeter fence dividing Gaza from Israel, but with most crowds staying 300 yards from the fence. Still, Gazas Health Ministry said 40 Palestinians were wounded, 18 by live fire from Israeli forces.

Karin Laub is an Associated Press writer.
WASHINGTON  U.S. intelligence officials have concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. official said Friday. The Saudi government has denied the claim.

The conclusion will bolster efforts in Congress to further punish the close U.S. ally for the killing. The Trump administration this week sanctioned 17 Saudi officials for their alleged role in the killing, but lawmakers have called on the administration to curtail arms sales to Saudi Arabia or take other harsher punitive measures.

The U.S. official familiar with the intelligence agencies conclusion spoke on condition of anonymity. It was first reported by the Washington Post.

Saudi Arabias top diplomat has said the crown prince had absolutely nothing to do with the killing.

Khashoggi, a Saudi who lived in the United States, was a columnist for the Post and often criticized the royal family. He was killed Oct. 2 at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Turkish and Saudi authorities say he was killed inside the consulate by a team from the kingdom after he went to the office to get marriage documents.

This week, U.S. intelligence officials briefed members of the Senate and House intelligence committees and the Treasury Department announced economic sanctions on 17 Saudi officials suspected of being responsible for or complicit in the killing. The sanctions freeze any assets the 17 may have in the U.S. and prohibit any Americans from doing business with them.

Also this week, the top prosecutor in Saudi Arabia announced he will seek the death penalty against five men suspected in the killing. The prosecutors announcement sought to quiet the global outcry over Khashoggis death and distance the killers and their operation from the kingdoms leadership, primarily the crown prince.

President Trump has resisted calls to cut off arms sales to the kingdom and has been reluctant to antagonize the Saudi rulers. Trump considers the Saudis vital allies in his Mideast agenda.

The Post, citing unnamed sources, also reported that U.S. intelligence agencies reviewed a phone call that the princes brother, Khalid bin Salman, had with Khashoggi. The newspaper said the princes brother, who is the current Saudi ambassador to the United States, told Khashoggi he would be safe in going to the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents he needed to get married.

The newspaper said it was not known whether the ambassador knew Khashoggi would be killed. But it said he made the call at the direction the crown prince, and the call was intercepted by U.S. intelligence.

Deb Riechmann is an Associated Press writer.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will not willingly travel to the United States to face charges filed under seal against him, one of his lawyers said, foreshadowing a possible fight over extradition for a central figure in the U.S. special counsels Russia-Trump investigation.

Assange, who has taken cover in the Ecuadoran Embassy in London, where he has been granted asylum, has speculated publicly for years that the Justice Department had brought secret criminal charges against him for revealing highly sensitive government information on his website.

That hypothesis appeared closer to reality after prosecutors, in an errant court filing in an unrelated case, inadvertently revealed the existence of sealed charges. The filing, discovered Thursday night, said the charges and arrest warrant would need to remain sealed until Assange is arrested in connection with the charges in the criminal complaint and can therefore no longer evade or avoid arrest and extradition in this matter.

A person familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that charges had been filed under seal. The exact charges Assange faces and when they might be unsealed remained uncertain.

Any charges against him could help illuminate whether Russia coordinated with the Trump campaign to sway the 2016 presidential election. They also would suggest that, after years of internal Justice Department wrangling, prosecutors have decided to take a more aggressive tack against WikiLeaks.

A criminal case also holds the potential to expose the practices of a radical transparency activist who has been under U.S. government scrutiny for years and at the center of some of the most explosive disclosures of stolen information in the past decade.

Those include thousands of military and State Department cables from Army Pvt. Bradley (now Chelsea) Manning, secret CIA hacking tools, and most recently and notoriously, Democratic emails that were published in the weeks before the 2016 presidential election and that U.S. intelligence officials say had been hacked by Russia.

Federal Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who has already charged 12 Russian military intelligence officers with hacking, has been investigating whether any Trump associates had advance knowledge of the stolen emails.

Assange could be an important link for Mueller as he looks to establish exactly how WikiLeaks came to receive the emails, and why its release of the communications  on the same day a highly damaging video of Trump from a decade earlier surfaced publicly  appeared timed to boost his campaign.

Assange, 47, has resided in the Ecuadoran Embassy under a grant of asylum for more than six years to avoid being extradited to Sweden, where he was accused of sex crimes, or to the United States, whose government he has repeatedly humbled with mass disclosures of classified information.

Barry Pollack, a Washington lawyer for Assange, said he expected Ecuador to comply with its obligations to preserve asylum for him, though he acknowledged a concern that the country could revoke his asylum, expel him from the embassy and extradite him to the U.S.

The burden should not shift to Mr. Assange to have to defend against criminal charges when what he has been accused of doing is what journalists do every day, Pollack said.

Eric Tucker is an Associated Press writer.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A New Brighton man who admitted to violently shaking his infant son two months ago, which resulted in the boy suffering some brain injuries, has been sentenced to five years probation.

The incident occurred at noon on Sept. 10 in the defendant Amari Santiagos apartment, said a criminal complaint.

Santiago, who stands 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 215 pounds, shook the 3-months-old child causing subdural and retinal hemorrhaging, the complaint said.

A law enforcement source said the boy has recovered from his injuries and is doing well.

Last month, Santiago, 21, pleaded guilty in state Supreme Court, St. George, to a felony count of reckless assault of a child.

The defendant was sentenced Thursday.

He faces jail time should he fail to comply with the terms of his probation.

An order of protection has been issued against Santiago in the childs favor.

Mr. Santiago acknowledges that he has to deal with the frustrations of a being a young father in a more appropriate way, defense lawyer Louis Gelormino said after Santiagos plea hearing. To that end, he has agreed to take parenting classes in the hope that he will be back in the childs life soon.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A single patient at The Brielle at Seaview, a senior assisted-living facility in Sea View, was diagnosed with Legionnaires disease, a spokesman for the facility confirmed to the Advance.

The Brielles spokesman said the resident began exhibiting symptoms mid-October.

The resident was briefly hospitalized and is since recovering, The Brielles spokesman said. Due to privacy, further information about the resident is not being released.

According to the city Health Department (DOH), Legionnaires disease is a type of pneumonia that is caused by the Legionella bacteria that grows in warm water. The disease can be spread by breathing in bacteria, usually from a mist coming from a shower or air conditioning unit; it cannot be spread by contact with another person.

Symptoms include: fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, fatigue, headache, and other flu-like symptoms. Legionnaires is treated with antibiotics, and some people may need to be hospitalized, according to the city Department of Health (DOH).

The health and safety of New Yorkers is the top priority of the Health Department. We are currently evaluating the building water system at The Brielle, a senior assisted-living building on Staten Island after a resident was diagnosed with Legionnaires disease," the DOH stated on Saturday.

"The patient has been discharged from the hospital. While results are pending, the Health Department has immediately started working with staff at The Brielle to reduce the risk of exposure to its residents. People who live in this building and are over 50, smoke cigarettes or have underlying medical conditions have been advised to avoid showering until the building water system evaluation is completed.

The patient in question had risk factors for Legionnaires disease," the DOH added.

The Brielle spokesman said, The health and safety of its residents is The Brielles foremost priority, as demonstrated by its comprehensive water management plan which includes regular monitoring, flushing, and testing of the facilitys water to prevent and minimize problems associated with Legionella. The Brielle will continue to work closely with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to ensure the continued safety of the facilitys water for all its residents, .

After a case of Legionnaires in 2016, The Brielle began testing its water quarterly for Legionella and installed new shower heads that filter out the bacteria. It also began applying chlorine to the water and regular flushing of the water supply.

The spokesman said water was last tested in August and was negative for elevated levels of the Legionella bacteria. A second test was conducted on Oct. 9 and the results came back on Oct. 22, after the resident became ill.

Following the residents contraction of Legionnaires, water at the facility was immediately disinfected and flushed, as its regularly done.

According to The Brielle spokesman, DOH visited the facility again on Nov. 16 and distributed a letter to residents informing them of the incident.

The Advance obtained a copy of the DOH letter, which reads: The New York City Health Department is working with building management to test the water in your building because one tenant has been reported sick with Legionnaires' disease within the past 12 months.

DOH outlined symptoms of Legionnaires', the risk of contracting the disease, as well as non-mandatory precautions that can be taken by the facilitys residents:

Take a sponge bath instead of a shower;

Avoid creating mist by slowly running water while filling the sink or tub;

Begin with cold water from the tap when heating up water for tea, coffee, or cooking;

Masks do not need to be worn.

The spokesman told the Advance that the facility will soon install a $50,000 supplemental disinfectant system to monitor bacteria and chlorine levels in its water around the clock.

Should the water levels show any abnormality, the facility will be immediately alerted via an electronic monitoring system.

Installation is expected to be completed early 2019.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A Stapleton woman is accused of leaving her emaciated, urine-soaked Yorkie in a play pen outside on the balcony during Thursdays freezing snowstorm, authorities allege.

Anisha Moore, 42, is facing animal cruelty charges after cops found the starving 11-year-old pup shaking and shivering in the snowy 32-degree weather at around 6:45 p.m., according to the criminal complaint.

The pooch  named Tyson  was laying in its feces and left without food or water nearby, said the complaint.

Police officers said they could feel the Yorkies ribs through its matted fur. Tyson was also unable to open his crust-filled eyes, cops said.

Authorities were conducting a wellness check after receiving numerous 311 and 911 complaints about the animals care. Neighbors claim the Yorkie is always left outside in poor weather conditions, said the complaint.

Moore, of Hill Street, is charged with torturing and injuring animals and violating the law on providing appropriate shelter for dogs left outdoors.

Moore is scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Criminal Court.

Her attorneys name was not immediately available.
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Last week a Grattan Institute paper argued that the federal government should cancel legislation to increase compulsory employer super contributions from 9.5 per cent to 12 per cent as most Australians will be comfortable in retirement. If only that were the situation even for current retirees, funding our ageing population would not be the challenge for governments it is now.

There are compelling reasons why limiting compulsory employer super contributions to 9.5 per cent warrants serious consideration, but not for the reason suggested by the Gratton Institute.

Future retirees will not be able to rely on compulsory superannuation alone to retire comfortably, says Dixon Advisory chairman Daryl Dixon. Credit:Jessica Shapiro

Together with state-levied payroll taxes and workers compensation insurance, large employers face additional on-costs of over 15 per cent on top of the wages paid to employees. This encourages job outsourcing to lower cost jurisdictions and capital equipment and artificial intelligence investments to reduce ongoing labour costs.

Compulsory super also encourages the self-employed to avoid the need to make any superannuation contributions. They can decide if and when to contribute to their super and can, if they wish, allocate all their savings to achieving home ownership. Its no coincidence that since the introduction of compulsory superannuation, younger Australians are finding it more difficult to acquire a home or reduce the size of their mortgage.


THERE GOES OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD



Tuesday 9.30pm, ABC

Gentrification is examined from the inside out in this stirring documentary about an innovative protest against the redevelopment of two inner Sydney housing commission towers. The "We Live Here" art protest that lights up homes in multi-coloured neon is presented in all its fractured glory, as are the lives of those who make up this community. That a property developer agreed to take part disguised with a Darth Vader mask speaks volumes about the issue.

There Goes Our Neighbourhood explores an innovative protest against redevelopment of two inner Sydney housing commission towers. Credit:NIC_WALKER

MOVIE: HALF OF A YELLOW SUN



Saturday 8.30pm NITV

Thandie Newton (Line of Duty) and Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls) headline this 2013 Nigerian historical drama based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's epic novel. As diametrically opposed twins from a wealthy Nigerian family navigating life and love in post-revolution Biafra, the women come to symbolise the clashing of different worlds and ideologies. Although criticised for diluting politics with romance, this is a beautifully executed personal perspective of a civil war.
Half of the 70 trampoline parks in Australia have been accused of prioritising profit over safety and driving up "appalling" injury rates, while only a quarter are planning to comply with tough new standards.

In a bid to curb the rising number of trampoline injuries, the industry, doctors and academics have developed Australia's first official standards for trampoline parks, which cover safety requirements and test methods.

Rebecca Tinning with her children Georgina and Darcy at Sky Zone trampoline park in Alexandria. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

"The injury rate was appalling; we had lots of injuries from the usual sprained ankles to spinal-type injuries that left children in wheelchairs," injury prevention expert and committee chairman David Eager said.

"We haven't had any deaths in Australia, but there's been five around the world."
Sunscreen experts are pleading with Australian consumers to steer clear of so-called "sunscreen pills" and buy Australian-made products over American ones.

In a crackdown on the burgeoning sun protection industry, the US Food and Drug Administration earlier this year warned four companies to stop claiming their dietary supplements could protect people from sun damage.

Australia is the skin cancer capital of the world.

It specifically named products by US companies GliSODin Skin Nutrients, Napa Valley Bioscience, Pharmacy Direct and Sunergized LLC, which don't appear to be available in Australia as they are not on the Therapeutic Goods Administration's (TGA) register.

Some of these companies were basing their claims on the supposed anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of polypodium leucotomos, an extract from a tropical fern found in Central America.
Of all the taboos busted by the truly magnificent Michelle Obama in her searingly frank autobiography, Becoming, there's one that seems to have been rather eclipsed by her miscarriage and IVF revelations.

Michelle Obama's memoir, "Becoming". Credit:AP

I salute her and am grateful that she has elected to share her experiences in an attempt to help other women very often suffering in silence just at the point they need support the most. But it's her revelation that she and Barack had couples counselling that has made me really stop and think  and indeed thank. The news that super-cool, charismatic Obama and super-smart, stylish Michelle do not have The Perfect Marriage is a shocker, but a welcome one.

I am of an age and a stage where I've done the marriage guidance thing, many times  but never dared mention it. But now I know Michelle sometimes finds Obama tiresome, withdrawn and uncommunicative (I infer, as they seem to be the main traits of men over 40), I feel the stigma has been lifted. Hasn't it?

Over in the therapy-obsessed US, celebrities go for guidance in a big way. Often by way of "regular maintenance", which makes sense. Frankly, we all do it every year for the car and that's just to prevent the big end going; how much pricier if it's your happy ending that's entirely kaput?
As a general comment, I assume your wife left the US some decades ago and that country will be much changed since then, while each city and state will have its own character, with both good and bad aspects. And while you are likely to have visited your son in America, holidays often have a different feel to a permanent stay. Have you thought of a short trial stay in the US, presumably near your son, before burning all your bridges in this wonderful Land of Oz?

The best approach would be to Google emigrating from the US to Australia and, among the 346,000 results, you will find some gems. I like the one at austexpatinvestor.com/insider-tips-for-australians-in-america-aussie-expat-usa.

My wife and I are in our early 60s. When we retire within the next 18 months or so, we are intending to sell our family home in Melbourne and move permanently to the United States. My wife is a US national by birth and our son is working full-time in the US. Would know of any financial reference material that would be worthwhile reviewing when one is considering a move such as we are? P.V.

Note that, as mentioned below, an Australian superannuation pension will be taxed there.

Regarding the letter from JS in a the November 4 column, the tax changes related to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act or FATCA for Americans living abroad are much worse than merely having ones superannuation pension taxed. Capital gains on your principal residence and having everything taxed that the Australian Tax Office doesn't i.e. there are many cases of double taxation, contrary to the tax treaty between the U.S. and Australia. The FATCA runs into hundreds of pages each year and only US citizens living abroad must complete it. Failure to submit it carries a 10-year jail sentence. It gets worse since your children are deemed US citizens as well and for the rest of their lives they must comply with IRS requirements. After I completed seven years of past tax returns (which I was never previously required to do before because I had no income or assets in the US), with the mind-boggling detail required by FATCA, I relinquished my US citizenship. They only charged me $A3000. My suggestion to JS is to start the process of relinquishing your citizenship immediately and look forward to several months of looking up old financial data and filling hundreds of pages of IRS forms. B.B.

Thank you for that, although Id leave it to each individual to decide. For other readers, this Act requires foreign financial institutions e.g. Australian banks, to disclose to the US Internal Revenue Service, the names and addresses, account balances, receipts, and withdrawals of US citizens in Australia. Failure to do so results in a 30 per cent US tax on all payments of US-sourced income to those institutions. As you can imagine, they all comply.

The reasoning behind the Act follows the 2009 discovery of 52,000 UBS bank accounts in Switzerland holding some $US15 billion in previously unreported funds. This law was then passed in 2010 as a result of government investigations that estimated $US100 billion in tax was being evaded, given that the US taxes its non-resident citizens on their world-wide income above a foreign income exclusion of $US104,000. I understand much smaller amounts of tax have actually been collected.

I must confess to a dislike of the policy of taxing non-residents. It doesn't pass the pub test. While on the topic of US tax, last weeks column should have read that the US withholds tax equal to 30 per cent of 85 per cent of a US Social Security pension, not 5 per cent. My apologies.
Lonsdale Street was transformed into a swirling mix of colour, music, light and love on Saturday with the Yes!Fest street party marking one year since the "yes" vote on the same sex marriage survey.

After the vote was announced, with Canberra returning the highest percentage of "yes" votes of any state or territory at 74 per cent, an impromptu party broke out on the Braddon street.

Leo Santangelo Hall, 15 months, of Hackett getting involved and dancing during the circle of love parade with Sheba Williams. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

This year organisers decided to do it all again with more of the road closed off for revellers, plus food and drink vans and live music.

The party kicked off in the afternoon with dozens of children making their way to the rainbow roundabout to add their own chalk decorations.
Denman Prospect residents fear their homes could burn after a component of the solar power system installed across Australia's first mandated solar suburb caused a fire that significantly damaged a display home.

An unoccupied Rawson Homes display home caught fire on Kondelea Way about 10.30am on October 13, with the solar isolator switch in the garage identified as the cause.

A fire caused by a component of the solar power system in a display home on their street has Denman Prospect residents Lizzie Christiansen and Anita Chatfield worried their homes could burn. Also pictured are Ms Christiansen's children Freyja, 7, Brynn, 11, and Inge, 9. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos

ACT Fire and Rescue's fire investigation report said the blaze caused an estimated $600,000 worth of damage to the display home, which Rawson Homes general manager Craig Moore said would be demolished and rebuilt.

The fire has sparked concern among residents who are worried there could be a repeat of the blaze in their own homes. But the ACT government has described the blaze as an isolated incident, and says it will not be investigating further.
Keanu Reeves is an actor against whom I will not hear a word. Its true he is often labelled bad and wooden and other nasty adjectives, by people who dont understand his unique talent.

In his defence, Keanu has said he never claimed to be the greatest actor in the world.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who this week dropped a social media video of himself warning against Labors plans to restrict negative gearing, has been similarly accused of robotic delivery and awkward phrasing.

Josh Frydenberg in his video attacking Labor's negative gearing policy. Credit:Frydenberg via Facebook

Frydenberg has reached for the Keanu defence  in response to a satire of his video, by 7.30s Mark Humphries, the Treasurer tweeted: Had a good laugh ... Unfortunately, however, I was never good at acting, as we politicians are too authentic for that.
Maverick businessman Nathan Cuneen once touted a small empire of hair salons around the country.

Launched in Sydney in 2008, Blow Dry Bar was marketed to customers as a simple, quality service with a glass of champagne.

It was a fresh pitch for investors wanting to get into a franchise, and a concept Cuneen would eventually try overseas.

With 16 outlets around Australia, the network turned over $7.9 million in 2011-12, the Australian Financial Review reported in September 2012.

But in early 2015, Blow Dry Bar Franchising had gone into liquidation, and Cuneen was declared bankrupt.
Sydney is a city that has lost its soul, ruined by over-development, expensive real estate, and poker machines.

Thats according to Sydneysiders responding to academic Rohan Millers description of the city as dreary last week, as reported in The Sun-Herald.

Dr Miller, a senior lecturer at the University of Sydney Business School, blamed heavy-handed government policies, particularly lock-out laws and over-policing, for killing Sydneys nightlife.

The lockout laws have been blamed for the decline in nightlife in Sydney's CBD. Credit:Brook Mitchell

The story struck a nerve with readers, with 179 comments in 24 hours, mostly agreeing with Dr Miller. While residents appreciate Sydneys natural beauty, there was a common feeling that over-regulation and relentless pursuit of profit had destroyed the citys creative spirit and sense of fun.
Easy storage for prams. Rooms large enough to play about in. Courtyards visible from kitchen windows. And, of course, a park only a hop or a skip away.

These are some of the principles put forward for how to improve apartment living for Sydney families.

The rising incidence of families and children living in Sydney unit blocks is prompting designers, planners and architects to push for ways to better the environment for the citys high-rise communities.

Parents Sara Carkagis and Tom Anderberg with their kids Wolf and Torsten in their apartment in Centennial Park. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

We know a lot about childhood, and we know a lot about shaping the human environment, said Fiona Robbe, a landscape architect. It behoves us to think about this a bit more." On Monday night Ms Robbe will be speaking at a forum on the topic organised by Fuse architectural studio.
Mistakes are rare, however, because the reports must be approved by so many people - often they'll be checked by the head teacher, year advisor, deputy and principal for errors or inappropriate comments. The structure of reports varies between schools. Some will list 20-odd syllabus outcomes ticked off by the child for each subject; "Jack acquired and communicated geographical information using geographical tools for inquiry," for example. A report card from the 1980s. Others will require a summary of 1000 words per subject about what the child did in class, finishing with a brief personalised comment at the end. "Jane enjoys investigating the history of Australia," reads one. But many parents say they find reports "sterile and technical," as one put it to the Herald. "They are next to useless as an indicator of your child's individual process or personality in the classroom," said another, who is also a teacher.

Some schools are good at simplifying their language for parents. Others are less successful, which can lead to reports that are jargon-heavy and baffling for parents, said education expert Anna Fletcher from Federation University. "Where it possibly goes a bit awry is that part of the teacher's guidelines is they need to report back to the curriculum," she said. One education insider said modern reports were, in many ways, an improvement. "Personal opinions of teachers are no longer there - you can't say surly, or stupid, or uncooperative, they are not constructive comments," he said. "There's also an argument that old reports didn't give any useful knowledge. At least modern reports are attempting to say what kids can and can't do. The problem is that they are saying that in such technical ways, no-one understands them.

"There's also a resistance to anything that would compare students' ability. For parents, it becomes technical and abstract, and a key piece of information - is my kid at the level that's expected? - is pretty hard to find or non-existent." Chris Presland from the Secondary Principals' Council said primary school reports were more difficult to write than high school ones, because they don't have examination and assessment marks to work with. A report card from the 1950s. "As a parent, I remember at primary school that you get reports back with 60 different things they were reporting on," he said. "It was almost like the schools try too hard to give parents too much information." In a survey this year, teachers told their union that school reports were becoming more about compliance than teaching. "Written student reports are becoming ridiculous and disconnected to who the child is," one wrote.

Teachers wanted to communicate with parents, said NSW Teachers Federation deputy president Joan Lemaire. "But they feel restrained by policy requirements that focus on compliance not learning. "The format for reports also constrain teachers by requiring that comments must be a certain number of words. Teachers want to to use their knowledge of each individual student and their learning to help parents support their children achieve their best." Loading For the best part of a decade, schools across sectors and the country have been required by the federal government to use an A to E grading to indicate each year 1 to 11 student's mastery of the syllabus. Most schools re-name those gradings; 'limited' instead of E, 'sound' rather than C and 'outstanding' in place of A. This is called the common grade scale. The same definitions are used across the country. Teachers are given examples of the kind of work that would suit each grade to try to ensure schools measure their students in a standardised way.

Unlike the old days, when letter grades were used to rank students, these grades don't compare students with their peers; they measure the student against the written syllabus requirement. Most get a C, which reflect "sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content". Jennifer Buckingham, an education policy analyst at the Centre for Independent Studies, said gradings had made reports clearer. "They are an improvement on previous years when it was a lot more vague," she said. "There's more external reference points than there used to be. "I think parents are starting to understand that Cs aren't such a bad thing according to the A-E standard - C is the expected level." Parents could also use interviews with teachers and NAPLAN to fill out the picture of how their children were performing. "NAPLAN gives you some sense of whether the school report card is an accurate assessment," she said.

However, Maurie Mulheron from the Teachers Federation said the grading system was a straitjacket. "Parents don't understand what it means," he said. [We shouldn't] reduce a child's performance to simplistic numbers or grades." Mr Mulheron, once a teacher and principal himself, said reports should be simple, short and let teachers give straightforward feedback on how the child is progressing in relation to syllabus outcomes. "A comment should be three things - what the child is achieving, areas that need to be strengthened, and how you go about that." A spokesman for the NSW Department of Education said the state used the A-E scale as required by the federal government, and individual schools could choose to provide extra feedback. Reports must be written in plain language. Reports also need to include teacher comments identifying student strengths and areas for development; information about attendance and achievement; and information about a student's social development and commitment to learning.
Just as importantly, we need to co-ordinate resources and mechanisms for the police to be informed in a timely manner when an individual does get beyond the reach of social and medical services and shows signs of becoming a danger to the community. We need to come up with ethical and legal mechanisms that break down information barriers between law enforcement, social, medical and educational services.

Therefore, we need avenues for friends and family members to seek help for an individual they are concerned about without having to resort to dobbing in their friends and loved ones to the police in the first instance.

Often law enforcement is not the first entity that recognises that someone could become a threat. Unless we want to live in a police state, law enforcement cannot blanket-monitor everyones communications and actions.

When you apply the bystander effect to terrorism, it means that friends, family members, neighbours and co-workers of an individual  the precise people who would suspect an individual could commit a violent act  dont speak up or alert social services or authorities. They dont want to intervene even though they, the people closest to an individual who could be radicalised to violence, are the ones best placed to make a call.

We also have to take a case-management approach to individuals who come across law enforcements radar. A case-management approach brings together a team of people from law enforcement, mental-health social services and an individuals close associates to assess each individual case and come up with an individual course of treatment, monitoring and, when necessary, surveillance and prosecution. Individuals must be managed through a threat assessment process. The threat assessment process, pioneered by the US Secret Service but now used to assess the risk of individuals committing acts of mass violence more broadly, is a structured group process to evaluate the risk posed by an individual in response to a concerning behaviour.

In Victoria, there are already efforts along those lines. Victoria had already begun this process when it established the Fixated Threat Assessment Centre in response to the Lay/Harper Review of counter-terrorism laws. We need to highlight these efforts and find ways to better resource them. We need to make sure that these efforts are bolstered by the latest research on terrorism, radicalisation and violence prevention. We can and should look at successful efforts and best practices to counter other public safety threats like gang violence, domestic violence and mass shootings from around the world to inform this work.

In spite of politicians' calls for the Muslim community to do more and for better co-operation with law enforcement, there is already a lot of that going on behind the scenes. But all too often both the law-enforcement and civil-society actors in the Muslim and immigrant communities are reluctant to discuss the many ways in which they are co-operating for fear of blowback. Counter-radicalisation programs are kept under wraps by government officials. Having worked on programs like this in the US, I certainly understand the sensitivities and controversies involved, but it does a disservice to public safety and social cohesion efforts overall by not speaking candidly about these efforts. It all but guarantees that the politicised and unproductive discourse continues when the public is not well informed.

Lydia Khalil is a terrorism analyst who has worked for law-enforcement agencies in the United States and is currently a research fellow at the Lowy Institute and director of Arcana Partners, a risk consultancy firm.
The Royal Commission into Family Violence in Victoria makes repeated reference for the need to "keep perpetrators in view".

On October 17, the Victorian Liberal Party announced mandatory sentencing for men who use family violence.

Through working with hundreds of men every week, my organisation, No to Violence, does not believe these measures will keep women and children safer or keep perpetrators in view.

We encourage government action that will increase perpetrator accountability and provide men with opportunities to change their behaviour.
Campaigners fighting to preserve a corridor of banksia woodlands in Shenton Park are frustrated and fear for the future of Perths green spaces as their four-year battle nears its end.

Bush Not Bricks Heidi Hardisty and Lyn Jennings have been pushing back against the encroachment of the Montario Quarter development into the neighbouring bush corridor, arguing units requiring parts of the bush be cleared could instead be incorporated into the main development, leaving the woodlands untouched.

The Lemnos Street bush links two high profile areas of bushland. Credit:Google.

They have been pushing their cause for the past four years, organising a parliamentary petition and protests in the course and demanding answers on the processes guiding planning approvals in Perth.

The development has the support of the wider community and City of Nedlands, but it is the retention of the three hectares of banksia woodland that has been central to the fracas.
A Perth man is in stable condition in hospital after he was stabbed in the chest in East Perth overnight.

Detectives are investigating the incident, which is believed to have taken place about 9pm on Friday night.

The 41-year-old man had approached a worker at a Bennett Street hotel for help with his injuries, after apparently walking from the nearby Wellington Square.

The man was taken to Royal Perth Hospital and is in a stable condition, while police have a 49-year-old woman in custody assisting them with their inquiries.

Police are calling for anyone with information about the incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online at www.crimestopperswa.com.au.
An unlikely grouping of federal parliamentarians from across the political spectrum has condemned China's unprecedented crackdown against Muslim minorities and urged a strong response from Australia and the international community.

The politicians  Greens leader Richard Di Natale, Liberal senator Eric Abetz, and Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick  also voiced concern at claims Uighurs living in Australia were being monitored and potentially intimidated by the Chinese government.

Uighurs holding up photos of relatives who are missing, in internment camps or have passed away. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The Chinese Communist Party has escalated a campaign targeting Uighurs and other minorities in the north-western province of Xinjiang, with up to 1 million people said to be detained in a network of mass indoctrination camps aimed at suppressing religious activity and enforcing CCP practices.

According to reports, detainees have been abused and tortured for failing to comply with the "re-education" program. People not in the camps are living in an increasingly advanced surveillance state with heavy restrictions on their freedoms.
The metre was defined accordingly, as the distance travelled by a beam of light in exactly 1/299,792,458th of a second. (The second, another fundamental unit, has been defined since 1967 as the amount of time it takes an atom of cesium-133 to vibrate 9,192,631,770 times.) In effect, a metre no longer needed to be measured; now it could be conjured on demand  "realised", in the parlance of metrology. The kilogram's decline In 1990, metrologists discovered that Le Grand K had mysteriously become lighter than its six official copies by some 50 micrograms. The kilogram standard was in trouble. The mission to redefine it began. Over the years, two possibilities presented themselves: to measure the exact mass of 1 kilogram in terms of the electromagnetic force required to lift it, or in terms of the specific number of atoms in its mass. But like the metre before 1983, neither of those definitions linked the kilogram to fundamental constants.

That link appeared in the form of Planck's constant, which converts the macroscopic wavelength of light to the energy of individual photons of light. But only proper experiments could provide agreed-upon numbers for those constants and make those units forever real. "If you can't do that, your definition is useless," Ian Robinson, who worked closely with Kibble, said. One method of redefining the kilogram sprang from an effort to the revise the ampere, the standard measure of electrical current. In 1975, Bryan Kibble, a physicist at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in London, was handed the unenviable job of improving an instrument called the ampere balance. The device could measure electrical current in terms of weight, but only poorly. "It was a devil to work with," said Anne Kibble, a retired NPL scientist and the widow of Kibble, who died in 2016. Kibble dreamed up a different apparatus, renamed the Kibble balance after his death, that eliminated many of the sources of inaccuracy and error that plagued the original.

"All of the difficult things just melt away," says Robinson. Together, Kibble and Robinson built the world's first Kibble balance, named the NPL Mark I, in the 1970s. At around the same time, physicists elsewhere discovered two new quantum mechanical effects, which linked Planck's constant with electrical voltage and resistance. Kibble's instrument, invented as a way to measure electric current in terms of weight, inadvertently became a way to also measure Planck's constant. Just as with the experiments that measured the speed of light, once Planck's constant was measured with extreme accuracy and agreed upon, the role of the Kibble balance could be reversed, to define 1 kilogram in electromagnetic terms. The Avogadro project Around the same time, 600 miles to the east, Horst Bettin, a physicist at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt in Germany, was working on realising the kilogram in a very different way, by counting atoms.

Another standard unit used by scientists, the mole, roughly describes how many particles are contained in a given amount of mass. Bettin figured that if he could create an exceptionally perfect silicon crystal  ultrapure, spherical and with a very orderly atomic structure  that weighed exactly 1 kilogram, and counted the atoms with the unit moles, he could essentially define 1 kilogram as a specific number of silicon atoms. "That was our idea," Bettin said. "It would be far more simple than with the Planck constant." In effect, Bettin had devised an experiment that would precisely measure a constant known as Avogadro's number, which dictated that 1 mole of a substance contains 6.022140857  10^23 particles such as electrons, atoms, ions, or molecules. Avogadro's number had been estimated but, like the speed of light, never precisely measured and agreed upon. (As of today, Avogadro's constant has been redefined as the value 6.02214076  10^23.) Crucially, Avogadro's constant and the Planck constant are intertwined in the laws of physics. Having measured Avogadro's constant, Bettin could derive the Planck constant. And with a precise measure of the Planck constant, he could validate the results of Kibble's work, and vice versa. An heir to the throne

But the kilogram could not be redefined until the scientists had derived the same answer for the Planck and Avogadro constants within seven decimal places. "What we call 'measurement' is an estimate," Schlamminger said. "Basically you can estimate what the true value is. The true value, only the universe knows." That accomplishment took 20 years. In 2008, the NPL shut down the Kibble balance effort and sold the instrument to Canada's National Research Council (NRC). By 2014, the Kibble balances from NIST and NRC produced numbers for the Planck and Avogadro constants that agreed with the results from Bettin's work. "It's really a miracle because they are completely different," said Bettin, referring to the two constants. "They have nothing in common." Anne Kibble said of her husband: "I think he would have been so very, very happy that it has all come to fruition, I'm absolutely convinced of that. It dominated his life."
A spokesperson for the CIA declined to comment. Over the past several weeks, the Saudis have offered multiple, contradictory explanations for what happened at the consulate. Last week, the Saudi public prosecutor blamed the operation on a rogue band of operatives who were sent to Istanbul to return Khashoggi to Saudi Arabia, in an operation that veered off course when the journalist ''was forcibly restrained and injected with a large amount of a drug resulting in an overdose that led to his death'', according to a report by the prosecutor. The prosecutor announced charges against 11 alleged participants and said he would seek the death penalty against five of them. The assassination of Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Mohammed's policies, has sparked a foreign policy crisis for the White House and raised questions about the administration's reliance on Saudi Arabia as a key ally in the Middle East and bulwark against Iran. US President Donald Trump has resisted pinning the blame for the killing on Mohammed, who enjoys a close relationship with Jared Kushner, the President's son-in-law and senior adviser. Privately, aides said, Trump had been shown evidence of the prince's involvement but remained skeptical that Mohammed ordered the killing.

The President has also asked CIA and State Department officials where Khashoggi's body is and has grown frustrated that they have not been able to provide an answer. The CIA does not know the location of Khashoggi's remains, according to the people familiar with the agency's assessment. Among the intelligence assembled by the CIA is an audio recording from a listening device that the Turks placed inside the Saudi consulate, according to the people familiar with the matter. The Turks gave the CIA a copy of that audio, and the agency's director, Gina Haspel, has listened to it. The audio reveals that Khashoggi was killed within moments of entering the consulate, according to officials in multiple countries who have listened to it or been briefed on its contents. Khashoggi died in the office of the Saudi consul-general, who can be heard expressing his displeasure that Khashoggi's body now needed to be disposed of and the facility cleaned of any evidence, according to people familiar with the audio recording. Funeral prayers in absentia for Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul on Friday. Credit:AP The CIA also examined a call placed from inside the consulate after the killing by an alleged member of the Saudi hit team, Maher Mutreb, a security official who has often been seen at the crown prince's side and who was photographed entering and leaving the consulate on the day of the killing.

Mutreb called Saud al-Qahtani, then one of the top aides to Mohammed, and informed him that the operation had been completed, according to people familiar with the call. Last week, the Treasury Department sanctioned 17 individuals it said were involved in Khashoggi's death, including Qahtani, Mutreb and the Saudi consul-general in Turkey, Mohammad al-Otaibi. The CIA's assessment of Mohammed's role in the assassination also tracks with information developed by foreign governments, according to officials in several European capitals who have concluded that the operation was too brazen to have taken place without Mohammed's direction. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his government has shared the audio with Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. In addition to calls and audio recordings, CIA analysts also linked some members of the Saudi hit team directly to Mohammed himself. Some of the 15 members have served on his security team and travelled in the United States during visits by senior Saudi officials, including the crown prince, according to passport records reviewed by The Washington Post.

The US had also obtained intelligence before Khashoggi's death that indicated he might be in danger. But it wasn't until after he disappeared, on October 2, that US intelligence agencies began searching archives of intercepted communications and discovered material indicating that the Saudi royal family had been seeking to lure Khashoggi back to Riyadh. Two US officials said there had been no indication that officials were aware of this intelligence in advance of Khashoggi's disappearance or had missed any chance to warn him. Khashoggi ''was not a person of interest'', before his disappearance, and the fact that he was living in Virginia meant that he was regarded as a US resident and therefore shielded from US intelligence gathering, one of the officials said. Trump has told senior White House officials that he wants Mohammed to remain in power because Saudi Arabia helps to check Iran, which the administration considers its top security challenge in the Middle East. He has said that he does not want the controversy over Khashoggi's death to impede oil production by the kingdom. One lingering question is why Mohammed decided to kill Khashoggi, who was not agitating for the crown prince's removal.

A theory the CIA has developed is that Mohammed believed Khashoggi was a dangerous Islamist who was too sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood, according to people familiar with the assessment. Days after Khashoggi disappeared, Mohammed relayed that view in a phone call with Kushner and John Bolton, the US National Security Adviser, who has long opposed the Brotherhood and seen it as a regional security threat. Mohammed's private condemnation of the slain journalist stood in contrast to his government's public comments, which mourned Khashoggi's killing as a ''terrible mistake'' and a ''tragedy''. US officials are unclear on when or whether the Saudi government will follow through with its threatened executions of the individuals blamed for Khashoggi's killing. ''It could happen overnight or take 20 years,'' the US official said, adding that the treatment of subordinates could erode Mohammed's standing going forward. In killing those who followed his orders, ''it's hard to get the next set [of subordinates] to help'', the official said.
Beirut: At least 40 people, mostly women and children, were killed on Saturday by US-led airstrikes on the last pocket held by Islamic State militants in eastern Syria, a war monitor and Syrian state media reported.

The coalition did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It maintains that it does all it can to avoid civilian casualties, and looks into all strikes to determine the credibility of claims in the media.

Rami Abdurrahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the early Saturday airstrikes hit homes in Abu al-Hassan village, near the town of Hajin, which lies along the border with Iraq.

Abdurrahman said the airstrikes killed at least 43 people, including 17 children and 12 women. He said it was not immediately clear if the men killed in the strikes were militants.

Syrian state news agency SANA also reported the strikes, saying 40 were killed in the remote area of Buqaan, another village next to Abu al-Hassan.
An Egyptian woman says she married Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a religious ceremony in the United States this year, months before he was killed at a Saudi consulate in Turkey while seeking papers needed to marry a different woman.

The disclosure of the marriage, which Khashoggi appears to have kept hidden from his Turkish fiancee and even members of his family, adds to the complicated timeline of Khashoggi's final months before he was killed by a team of Saudi assassins in October.

In an interview, the woman said she was coming forward to reveal her relationship with Khashoggi because "as a Muslim wife, I want my full right and to be recognised".

She spoke on the condition that she be identified only by her first initial and last name, H. Atr, citing concern for her security and her job.

Atr provided The Washington Post with text messages that she and Khashoggi exchanged and photos of them together, including some from their wedding ceremony, which took place in June in a Washington suburb.
He first raised the ire of the US government in 2010 when Chelsea Manning, then known as Army Specialist Bradley Manning, began feeding classified documents from military computers in Iraq to WikiLeaks. US law enforcement officials began seriously investigating the ties between WikiLeaks and Russia after Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who revealed closely held intelligence secrets, escaped to Russia in June 2013. Sarah Harrison, a WikiLeaks editor and one of Assange's close advisers, accompanied Snowden to Moscow. Law enforcement officials wanted to know what role the group played in brokering Snowden's asylum in Russia. American officials began seriously investigating the ties between WikiLeaks and Russia after Edward Snowden escaped to Russia in 2013. Credit:AP Assange seemed to have crossed into uncharted ground by 2016 with the publication of emails stolen from the Democratic National Committee's servers and Clinton's campaign chairman, former FBI officials said. He was deliberately attacking Clinton over Trump and coordinating with Russian intelligence operatives, wittingly or not, to maximise the damage to her campaign. Pompeo, then a Republican congressman from Kansas, initially praised the WikiLeaks disclosures. But once he took over the CIA, his rhetoric hardened.

His first speech as director came a month after WikiLeaks published the archive of hacking tools stolen from the CIA, seriously eroding the agency's ability to conduct electronic espionage. Pompeo laid down a gauntlet. "WikiLeaks walks like a hostile intelligence service and talks like a hostile intelligence service," he said last April. To support his assessment, Pompeo cited how the group had encouraged followers to join the CIA and steal secrets, and how "it overwhelmingly focuses on the United States while seeking support from anti-democratic countries." WikiLeaks walks like a hostile intelligence service and talks like a hostile intelligence service. Then CIA director Mike Pompeo in April this year

The speech by Pompeo, who has since become Secretary of State, and other efforts were intended in part to pressure the Justice Department to intensify its reassessment of Assange, an intelligence official said. Law enforcement officials had been trying to learn more about Assange's knowledge of WikiLeaks' interactions with Russian intelligence officers and its other actions, and for a time seemed willing to offer him some form of immunity from prosecutions in exchange for his testimony, reaching out to his lawyers. But Assange's release of the Vault 7 tools ended those negotiations. In a speech in April, Mike Pompeo, then CIA director, described WikiLeaks as a "hostile intelligence agency." Credit:AP Senior Justice Department officials pushed in 2017 to declare internally that WikiLeaks was not covered by special rules governing how investigators interact with journalists. The regulations require higher-level approval to obtain journalists' records, like phone logs and emails, as part of investigations into leaks of classified information. By releasing hacking tools and playing a role in disrupting the election, Assange, the senior officials argued, was acting more like an agent of a foreign power than a journalist. Assange may have begun working with Russian intelligence without knowing with whom he dealt, said Kendall-Taylor, now a senior fellow with the Center for a New American Security. The intermediaries and cutouts sent by Russian intelligence to deal with Assange were supposed to give him plausible deniability.

"But as he spent more time, the relationship with the Russians grew closer," she said. "I would expect that he knows what he is doing by the end of this." Federal prosecutors began working on a sealed criminal complaint this summer, a former law enforcement official said. It was not clear whether the Justice Department declared that Assange was not a journalist or whether prosecutors gathered sufficient evidence to charge him without resolving that issue. Assange's case also has implications for Mueller. In July, the special counsel charged 12 Russian military intelligence operatives with interfering in the 2016 election. That indictment contained thinly veiled references to WikiLeaks, identifying it as "organisation 1." Notably, the indictment did not identify the organisation as a member of the news media, and it asserted that the Russian operatives transferred their stolen documents to WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks encouraged "Guccifer 2.0," the online persona of the Russian operatives, to provide it with the Democratic documents because it would "have a much higher impact," according to court papers.

Whether anyone connected with the Trump campaign worked with Assange or others to carry out Russia's scheme to interfere in the 2016 US presidential race is at the heart of Mueller's inquiry. Rod Rosenstein announced in July that 12 Russians were charged with interfering in the 2016 election. The indictment included thinly veiled references to WikiLeaks. Credit:Bloomberg So far, no evidence has publicly emerged that anyone in the Trump campaign conspired with Moscow's disruption, and Trump has repeatedly denied any "collusion" with Russia. But the special counsel's office continues to summon witnesses before a federal grand jury, asking about interactions between allies of Trump and Assange through intermediaries or other means. What has become abundantly clear since the election is that various associates of Trump's tried their best to figure out what information Assange possessed, how it might harm the Clinton campaign and when he planned to release it. About a month before the election, for instance, Donald Trump jnr, a key adviser to his father, sent WikiLeaks a private message on Twitter asking about speculation that Assange planned to soon release documents that would prove devastating to Clinton. "What's behind this Wed leak I keep reading about?" he asked. He has said he got no response and never corresponded with WikiLeaks again.
US President Donald Trump said he had not yet been briefed on the CIA's conclusions regarding the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but that he would speak with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the CIA about the issue later on Saturday.

The CIA believes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country's de-facto ruler, ordered Khashoggi's killing, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday.

But Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House before flying to California, also reiterated that he had been told the crown prince had not played a role in the journalist's death.

"We haven't been briefed yet," Trump said. "We will be talking with the CIA later and lots of others. I'll be doing that while I'm on the plane. I'll be speaking also with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo."
Santos: After a while you get used to it, says Tadeu Afonso of living in an 18-storey apartment block that is tilting to one side by more than a metre.

Afonso lives on the ninth floor, half-way up the tower in Santos, an island-city of nearly 500,000 on the coast of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

All buildings on the Santos beachfront are crooked. Credit:Lia Timson

His floors are on an angle; his furniture has had to be adjusted. The block faces the sea, I wonder if the apartment is out of level with the horizon.

Yes, if you put a ball on the ground it will roll, but thats all, he says, amused his home is something of a tourist attraction. Around here, Santos is as well known for its slanted buildings as for its most famous son, football great Pele.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Thursday, November 15th at approximately 03.15 p.m. a female identified with initials D.P.G. was arrested by the police bike-patrol in the vicinity of Burger Madness on the Board Walk for illegally peddling items to mainly tourists visiting the island. The female in question does not have a permit to do so and on various occasions was warned by police to refrain from selling items illegally and should apply for a permit. This suspect cooperated totally with officers during the arrest. The bag containing items the suspect was selling was also confiscated as evidence.

After the arrest by the police officers, the suspect was taken to Front Street to await transportation by a police motor vehicle to the Philipsburg Police Head Quarters. While on Front Street the officers were confronted by a man who stated that the female in question was his partner and wanted to know why she was arrested. He was informed by an officer on location that he should report to the police station, where all information would be given to him. This man identified with initials L.P. was not satisfied with the answer given by police and started to verbally attack the officers and at one point intentionally made body contact with one officer. This man was repeatedly warned by the officers to conduct himself and not to cause any obstruction in them carrying out their duty. This man did not adhere to these warnings and continued to misbehave.

When the motor vehicle transport arrived on the scene the arresting officers saw when the man grabbed confiscated the bag from the ground next to the female suspect and took off running in the direction of Sea Palace on Front Street. One officer immediately responded by grabbing on to the man, now a suspect, and the evidence. The suspect started to resist ferociously by pulling away from and kicking in the direction of the officers in the attempt to get away. The resistance was very intense and other officers had to get involved to restrain the suspect.

Shortly after the suspect was restrained he was arrested and taken to the Philipsburg Police Station for questioning and further investigation. Both suspects were brought before an Acting Prosecutor and then turned over to Detectives for further investigation.

KPSM Press Release
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Sint Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association announced the winner of its Photo Contest for the cover of in-room magazine VISIT; congratulations go to Richard Hazel with his beautiful photograph that captures the iconic airplane approaching PJIA over Maho Beach. The SHTA thanks all candidates who took the effort to send in their amazing photos.

The Destination Marketing Committee of SHTA selected Hazels picture out of 16 sent in for its photo contest, which ran from September 13th to September 30th. SHTA congratulates Hazel with his dynamic, artistic and atmospheric picture of one of Sint Maartens most well-known landmarks.

His picture will be the cover of VISIT magazine 2019. With 25.000 printed editions, VISIT is the largest and most well-read magazine of Sint Maarten. The Visit magazine is the official in-room magazine of SHTA and exclusively distributed in the SHTA association member hotel rooms. It is used by the association as a business card for visiting tour operators and travel writers as well as our esteemed visitor.

To qualify, the photos needed to show the islands attractiveness after Irma. Contestants sent in scenic beach photographs, footage of the new Rainforest Adventure Park and many more splendid locations capturing the islands resilience. By means of the competition, the SHTA wanted to offer a platform for artistic talent among our residents and visitors.

The Sint Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association is dedicated to bringing quality to all aspects of life on St. Maarten by promoting sustainable economic development for its members in cooperation with the social partners and the creation of a fair marketplace. For more information, please contact our office at 5420108 or visit our website at www.shta.com.
WILLEMSTAD:--- Information reaching SMN News states that the Inspector General of Curacao Jan Huurman was suspended for a period of one month by Minister of Health Suzy Camila Romer. Huurman is also barred from his offices during his suspension. The suspension went into immediate effect as of November 16th, 2018.

SMN News understands that the Minister of Health Suzy Camila Romer held a meeting with Huurman today Friday, November 16th. Huurman it was understood was questioned about his work ethics especially since he is putting severe pressure on some doctors that also filed a complaint against Huurman. SMN News further learned that the President of the PAR a medical doctor by profession also filed a complaint against Huurman for his work ethics.

SMN News learned that Huurman received his dismissal letter around 3:30 pm on Friday.

Jan Huurman was dismissed from his position in Curacao prior to him regaining his position at the Inspectorate of Health in Curacao in 2017.
PHILIPSBURG:--- This week Windward Islands Airways International (Winair) received its 4th Twin Otter aircraft that will increase the airline's airlift for the 2018-2019 high tourist season.

Winair this week in an announcement expects increased demand for flights to and from its hub at the Princess Juliana International Airport.

The 4th Twin Otter will be put into operation on Saturday, November 17, and Winair says that it will be able to meet the additional demand for flights in the Region.

I would like to congratulate Winair on receiving their 4th aircraft of the Twin Otter model, considered a real reliable workhorse. This development once again shows that business is increasing and we are well on our way to returning to pre-Irma levels of economic activity.

Winair, our local airline, since September 2017, has grown by leaps and bounds within a short time after the devastation caused by the hurricanes, and its acquisition of a fourth plane a little over a year later demonstrates the determination of this little airline.

I commend the Supervisory Board, Management and Staff for their efforts in getting Winair back on track which has made a remarkable comeback, Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson said on Friday.
WALLOPS ISLAND, Virginia  A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket lit up the predawn sky over Virginia Saturday (Nov. 17) to launch a privately built Cygnus spaceship filled with NASA supplies (and even some ice cream) to the International Space Station.

The Antares rocket soared into the clear, chilly skies over Virginia's Eastern Shore carrying an uncrewed Cygnus spacecraft filled with tons of science experiments, food and other vital supplies for the space station's crew. Liftoff occurred at 4:01 a.m. EST (0901 GMT) from Pad-0A of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport here at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility after two days of delay due to bad weather.

"What an outstanding launch," said Joel Montalbano, NASA's deputy station program manager, after the dazzling liftoff. Cygnus is now on track for an arrival at the station on Monday (Nov. 19), he added.

There's about 7,400 lbs. (3,400 kilograms) for the station's three-person Expedition 57 crew packed aboard the Cygnus spacecraft. That includes fresh fruit and ice cream, a welcome treat for the astronauts, Montalbano said before launch. [See more amazing photos of the Antares launch]

A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket lifts off carrying the Cygnus NG-10 cargo ship on a resupply mission to the International Space Station on Nov. 17, 2018. The mission launched from Pad-0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia. (Image credit: Joel Kowsky/NASA)

If all goes well, the cargo ship will arrive Monday at 5:20 a.m. EST (1020 GMT) and be captured via robotic arm by station astronauts. The mission, called NG-10, is the tenth Cygnus flight for NASA under a commercial contract with Northrop Grumman.

Northrop Grumman named the Cygnus the S.S. John Young in honor of the famed NASA astronaut John Young, who flew on the Gemini 3 and 10 missions, Apollo 10 and 16, and the STS-1 and STS-9 space shuttle flights. Young died in January at age 87.

Weird science on Cygnus

There's some seriously weird science launching into space on Cygnus.

Tara Ruttley, NASA's associate chief scientist for microgravity research, said there's enough science gear for more than 250 different experiments designed by scientists and students on Earth.

That includes a protein-growth study by the Michael J. Fox Foundation to investigate the structure of the LRRK2 protein, which has been implicated in the progression of Parkinson's disease.

"Knowing the elusive structure of this particular protein could help improve therapeutic treatment of that disease," Ruttley said.

Another experiment is sending the first-ever "lab-on-chip" experiment to the space station to study how muscle cells atrophy in weightlessness. Still another team from Penn State University will use a small centrifuge on the space station to test how to make concrete in space for future bases on the moon or Mars.

And then there's the Refabricator. This combo 3D printer and recycler is designed not only to print items, but also recycle waste plastic back into feed stock for the printer like a sort of proto-replicator from "Star Trek."

"It's a key part of NASA's in-space manufacturing tech demo roadmap," Ruttley said.

The Antares rocket carrying a Cygnus cargo spacecraft toward the International Space Station continues its first stage burn during liftoff. (Image credit: NASA TV)

Cygnus will stay parked at the space station until February, when it will be filled with trash and released to intentionally burn up in Earth's atmosphere. But before Cygnus destroys itself, it will deploy a series of small, student-built cubesats and 105 tiny "chipsats"  tiny wafer-like satellites that measure just 1.4 inches (3.5 centimeters) per side.

"They're like tiny little circuit boards that can integrate potentially a lot of different sensors," Ruttley said, adding that the chipsat test aims to see how they survive. "They're, like, really tiny."

Double delivery for space station

Today's launch of Antares and Cygnus comes just one day after another robotic cargo ship, Russia's Progress 71 vehicle, launched on its own mission to the space station. That mission launched nearly 3 tons of food, fuel and other supplies.

Progress 71 will arrive at the space station on Sunday (Nov. 18) with Cygnus to follow close behind Monday morning.

One thing not on board Cygnus or the Progress 71: a Thanksgiving dinner for the station's crew.

Astronauts traditionally observe the American Thanksgiving holiday as one of many celebrations to mark the diverse cultures of station crews. The Expedition 57 crew, for example, includes American Serena Aunon-Chancellor, Russian cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev and German commander Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency.

So why no turkey dinner on Cygnus or Progress? There's a simple answer: The dinner's already there. It was shipped up on an early resupply mission for the Expedition 57 crew, Montalbano said before Saturday's launch.

"We like to plan ahead," he added.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 7 a.m. EST to include NASA statements from a post-launch press conference. You can watch the arrivals of Progress 71 and Cygnus live here, courtesy of NASA TV. NASA's Progress 71 webcast will begin Sunday at 1:45 p.m. EST (1845 GMT). The Cygnus NG-10 arrival webcast will begin at 4 a.m. EST (0900 GMT).

Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him @tariqjmalik. Follow us @Spacedotcom and Facebook. Original article on Space.com.
CLINTON  The acquisition of Connecticut Water Service by a California utility moved one step closer to becoming a reality Friday as shareholders of the Clinton-based company approved the deal.

The vote to approve SJW Groups offer was taken at a special shareholders meeting at the companys headquarters complex. The meeting lasted fewer than 10 minutes and none of the roughly two-dozen shoulders who attended asked any question of Carol Wallace, chairwoman of Connecticut Waters board of directors.

We appreciate the strong support from our shareholders and look forward to delivering significant value to our shareholders and meaningful benefits to our customers, employees and the communities we serve, Wallace said. Following the close of the transaction, Connecticut Water will continue to be led locally with a New England regional headquarters in Connecticut.

SJW Group officials also have promised there will not be any layoffs as a result of the merger.

The deal still must be approved by utility regulators in this state as well as Maine, where Connecticut Water has a subsidiary. A decision is expected by the end of the year from Connecticuts Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, said Eric Thornburg, chairman, president and chief executive of SJW Group, and Maine regulators issue their ruling in January 2019.

But Fridays meeting could have ended a lot differently. Approval of the deal required an affirmative vote from those representing 66 percent of the companys outstanding common stock deemed entitled to vote at the special meeting.

The deal passed with representatives of 68.9 percent of the outstanding common stock voting in favor of Connecticut Water being acquired by SJW Group. Thornburg put a more positive spin on the approval of the deal by shareholders: Vote in favor of the merger, he said, were cast by individuals representing more than 90 percent of the share that were part of special meeting voting.

We dont look at this as SJW Group taking over another company, said Thornburg, who was Connecticut Waters top executive until November 2017, when he left the company to take his current job with SJW Group. We are going to be working together to build a new company.

What made Connecticut Water an attractive acquisition target, he said, was it allows SJW Group to diversify out levels of risk.

More Business Connecticut Water, environment group agree to protect open space lands following merger

When the deal was first announced in March, the combination of the SJW Group and Connecticut Water was supposed to be a merger of equals. But that ultimately changed when Eversource Energy made a bid to acquire Connecticut Water.

For the next four months, executives with Connecticut Water and Eversource engaged in a very public battle over which offer was the better deal for shareholders. As part of an effort to make that case to shareholders, SJW Group officials decided to offer cash for shares of Connecticut Water stock rather than go through with a stock swap.

Even as the battle between Eversource and Connecticut Water was unfolding, SJW Group became the target of a proposed takeover by a rival California utility. Ultimately, Eversorce officials abandoned their bid to takeover Connecticut Water and Mitch Gross, a spokesman for the Hartford-based utility, said company officials would have no comment on Fridays vote.

The SJW Group-Connecticut Water deal is expect to close sometime during the first quarter of next year. After the closing occurs, Connecticut Water shareholders will receive $70 in cash for every share of the companys stock they own.

Connecticut Water Service is a holding company that is the corporate parent for Connecticut Water Co., The Maine Water Co., The Avon Water Co. and The Heritage Village Water Co. These subsidiaries provide water service to more than 450,000 people in Connecticut and Maine, and wastewater service to more than 10,000 people in Connecticut.

SJW serves more than 1 million customers in Texas and California.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
KENT  Election workers fed the 1,542nd ballot through the tabulator Friday afternoon to a round of applause from a dozen members of the public curious about the outcome of the late recount for the state House District 64 race.

Leila Erskine, Kents election moderator, cut the tape off the machine  which was nearly twice as long as she is  and faced the audience, seated behind a red ribbon in the community room at Kent Town Hall.

Everyone ready? she asked before going on to read almost identical numbers to those that came out for Republican Brian Ohler and Democrat Maria Horn last week when Horn had won the seat with a slim margin.

Ohler, the one-term incumbent, had conceded a few hours after that on Nov. 7, and though there had been talks of a recount locally, the difference wasnt within the 0.5 percent that triggers an automatic recount under state statute.

That is, until two towns discovered they had made a mistake and reported updated numbers to the state Tuesday night, bringing the difference to 51 votes and triggering the recount early Wednesday.

The state notified all of the town clerks in the nine towns that make up the 64th district  Kent, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon and Torrington  that they would have to schedule recounts to meet the new Friday deadline.

As of 6:20 p.m. Friday, the results were still unofficial but Horns total had remained unchanged at 5,876, while Ohler had lost some and now had 5,816 votes, according to the Secretary of the States website.

Those affiliated with the campaigns and the Secretary of the States Office are unsure what happened in North Canaan and Norfolk, especially because it was discovered several days after towns are required to submit their numbers to the state.

Karen Chase, one of Kents registrars, recalled being surprised by the call first thing Wednesday morning.

It started ringing just as my alarm should have been going off, Chase said, adding it was especially a surprise because the state had said a recount wasnt needed after the election.

It was the first recount Chase had been involved in during her five years as registrar and she said her former colleague, who had been there much longer, hadnt had one in town either.

It was a learning experience, she said.

The recount wasnt the only new thing. Kent went through three machines on election night because they kept jamming and there was a problem with the ink in the second machine. The machines were refurbished Thursday in preparation for Fridays recount, but it still kept jamming. Chase said the company is coming back on Monday because it shouldnt be happening.

If anything could have happened, it happened, she said.

Though not the highest turnout percentage, Chase said they had the most voters come out.

We had a record number of people register and a record number of people turnout, she said. Everyone was motivated to come out to vote, which is great. Thats what I like to see.

Neither candidate could be reached Friday evening about the recount but on Thursday, Horn said there had been little change by that point with about 45 percent of the votes recounted and she expected the outcome would be the same.

While the recount was unexpected, she said its an important exercise.
STAMFORD  On the Monday after Thanksgiving, Trinity Catholic High School students will get an extra day at home. Not to be confused with a vacation, the high schoolers will work on their assignments remotely during whats being called a digital day.

Meanwhile at school, classrooms will be moved and shifted. When students and staff return on Tuesday, itll be to a newly rearranged building, the most recently completed phase of a new vision for Stamfords Catholic schools.

The $5 million remodeling of Trinity, on Newfield Avenue, includes the renovation of nearly two levels, plus a new wing where middle school students from the Catholic Academy of Stamford will move in the fall of 2019.

The project was funded by the Diocese of Bridgeport and private donors.

According to Michael Macari, director of marketing and communications for Trinity Catholic, the three-part renovation is part of Bishop Frank Caggianos vision to make the Newfield Avenue campus the hub of Catholic education in lower Fairfield County. The goal is to move all Stamford Catholic schools to one campus. After middle schoolers vacate the Catholic Academy of Stamford building (behind Trinity Catholic), it will be occupied by the Academys elementary school students, who currently attend classes in a different building nearby on Newfield.

Last year, the Catholic Academy of Stamford combined the citys Catholic elementary and middle schools.

Its about unity, said Trinity Principal Scott Smith. It provides that connection. ... This brings us all together.

The high school students will be moving to take up the majority of the second and third floors of the Trinity building, alongside new administrative offices. Almost every classroom will be moved to form clusters by subject, which will help improve collaborative relationships between teachers, school officials said.

The centerpiece of the new high school is the renovated media center on the third floor, which will feature computers and a lounge area where students can take about 40 online courses for credit.

This is big for us because up until a year ago, this media center and the office next to it was a library in a traditional sense, Macari said. This renovation helped it become a media center in a 21st century sense.

From December to February, renovation will also be done to change the appearance of the front of the building.

When you drive here at night, this whole second floor will be lit up, Macari said. Its like a beacon.

This week, with the big move approaching, the smell of fresh paint still lingered in the halls alongside construction signs as the last of the renovation wrapped up. Trinity principal Smith said hes excited and ready for the change.

Were working around the clock. Well be good to go, he said. Im super excited about the whole projection. What were seeing is the vision the bishop had coming to fruition.

erin.kayata@stamfordadvocate.com; (203) 964-2265; @erin_kayata
Ezra Miller is famed for his role in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, but these days he's almost as famous for his red carpet looks.

No boring old tuxedos for Miller - the actor's red carpet looks are both eccentric and laden with hidden meanings.

At the 2019 Met Gala, Miller might have pulled off his best look yet with a truly trippy ensemble. Above Miller's Burberry suit, he held a blank-face mask which was removed to reveal five painted eyeballs on his face. The whole, surreal look was finished with a bright red lip.

(SEI)

This isn't the first time Miller has gone all out. For Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald's UK premiere, Miller paid homage to Harry Potters owl Hedwig, complete with icy eye makeup and copious amounts of white feathers. It was a Potter cosplayers fever dream made reality, especially since Miller - a self-proclaimed "Harry Potter nerd" - also took the time to have the 'Avada Kedavra' killing curse from the books written out on his palms.

Ezra Miller's hands show the Avada Kedavra killing curse. / Getty Images

The actor's owl outfit followed the Dementor-in-a-ski-resort look he donned for the Paris premiere. To open the film in the French capital Ezra wore a Moncler x Pierpaolo Piccioli puffer gown, complete with hood, gloves and a slick of black lipstick.

While his red carpet outfits always deliver, Miller's Playboy interview was equally boundary-pushing. For the photo shoot, Miller wore bunny ears, fishnets, and high heels. At one point, he was photographed in a sheer ruffled negligee.

In the interview with Playboy, Miller - who lives on a farm in Vermont - also opened up about his sexuality. Im trying to find queer beings who understand me as a queer being off the bat, who I make almost a familial connection with, and I feel like Im married to them 25 lifetimes ago from the moment we meet" he said. "And then they are in the squadthe polycule. And I know theyre going to love everyone else in the polycule because were in the polycule, and we love each other so much.
P olice are hunting a teenage boy after a 17-year-old was left fighting for life following a stabbing in south-east London earlier this week.

Scotland Yard has released an image of 18-year-old suspect Jordan Duignan as it continues to investigate the stabbing in Briset Road, Eltham on Thursday.

Officers and Londons Air Ambulance were called to the scene in Greenwich at about 10.30pm. The victim had multiple stab wounds.

He remained in a critical but stable condition in hospital on Saturday.

There have been no arrests, but the Met said: Police would like to speak to Jordan Duignan, 18, in connection with this incident.

Earlier this week London's murder rate hit a grim new milestone, with the number of deaths matching the total for the whole of 2017 on Wednesday.
T hree men were injured following a shooting in north London in the latest incident of violence in the capital.

Two were believed to have suffered gunshot wounds after the incident at around 6pm on Saturday.

Officers found four men in Enfield as emergency services scrambled to the scene on Gordon Road after the shooting, Scotland Yard said.

Three were taken to a hospital in north London, a spokeswoman said. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

There have been no arrests and enquiries are ongoing.

Sotiri Dimpinoudis said witnesses to the shocking attack ran away to try and call police officers.

He told the Standard: "There was a brief panic during the shooting for 15 minutes, and people were running away to hide and called the cops.

"They [said] they saw the gunman running away."

A statement from the Metropolitan Police said: "Police were called to Gordon Road in Enfield at approximately 18:00hrs on Saturday, 17 November to reports of a shooting.

"Officers and the London Ambulance Service (LAS) attended.

"Four men were found at the scene. Three of the men were injured, including two believed to have suffered gunshot wounds. The three injured men were all taken to a north London hospital.

"None of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening.

"The Trident and Area Crime Command has been informed."

The shooting comes just hours after a mother, 75, was stabbed to death in south east London.

The elderly woman was stabbed in her own home, police said, and was described as neighbours as a "lovely lady".
A woman in her 50s has been hit over the head with a machete while her back was turned in south east London, police said.

Police and the London Ambulance Service raced to Rathmore Road, in Charlton, at about 7.20pm on Friday night after hearing reports about a woman being attacked.

The woman, aged in her 50s, was approached from behind by a man who is unknown to her, police said, before hitting her over the head.

Officers said the suspect then ran away from the woman, in the direction of Woolwich Road.

The victim was then rushed to hospital after receiving a cut to her head. Police said her injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

In a statement, police said: Police continue to work to trace the suspect but ask anyone with information, or who may have seen someone matching the description of the male, to call police immediately.

The suspect is described as an Asian man, aged in his 30s, of heavy build. He may be wearing a tanned jacket.
H undreds of protesters today descended on central London sparking major disruption in a "day of rebellion" over climate change.

Police made more than 80 arrests as demonstrators blocked several bridges from 10am on Saturday in a call for the Government to take greater action against the looming climate crisis.

Activists from the Extinction Rebellion group blocked five bridges  Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster, Lambeth and Southwark  this morning.

All roads later reopened, with protesters moving towards Parliament Square.

Police with demonstrators on Blackfriars Bridge / PA

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said the demonstration had a "having a direct impact" on Londoners and the emergency services.

Extinction Rebellion protest - in pictures 1 /15 Extinction Rebellion protest - in pictures Hundreds descended on central London for a climate change protest on Saturday EPA Demonstrators blocked bridges in central London throughout the afternoon PA The demonstration was organised by the group Extinction Rebellion PA Activists took part in the sit in on five London bridges PA Huge crowds gathered at Westminster Bridge EPA The protest started from around 10am EPA Demonstrators highlighted political inaction over pollution and climate change EPA Demonstrators at the event EPA Protesters carried a sign reading "rebel for life" AFP/Getty Images Activists from the Extinction Rebellion group blocked five bridges  Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster, Lambeth and Southwark AFP/Getty Images Police said the protest was affecting Londoners and the emergency services AFP/Getty Images A protester infront of police on Lambeth bridge EPA Police on Blackfriars bridge on Saturday afternoon PA Scotland Yard made dozens of arrests PA The protest was raising awareness over the dangers posed by climate change PA

The campaign group encouraged people to perform a sit-in across the five London bridges in the mass protest, which follows a co-ordinated week of action around the UK.

Hundreds blocked Westminster Bridge for the protest / PA

The five bridges were fully closed to traffic during the protest, TfL Traffic News tweeted in an update.

And there were long delays on the approach to each of the sit-ins, including Strand, Victoria Embankment, York Road, Lambeth Road, London Bridge and Vauxhall Bridge.

Activists from the Extinction Rebellion group blocked five bridges / PA

The Metropolitan Police urged protesters to gather at Westminster Bridge where officers "will facilitate lawful protest".

Officers have so far made 45 arrests for offences under the obstruction of Highway Act ad Bail Act offences.

In a tweet on its MPS Events account, the forced said "emergency service vehicles are currently being hampered from getting across London due to the blockade".

Images and video shared online showed huge crowds gathered on Westminster Bridge.

Jo Khimba, who was taking part in the protest, told the group: "We've got to care for each other, and for god's sake, we've got to care for the world."

Two women - who did not want to be named - attended the protest dressed as bumble bees.

Demonstrators take part in the protest on Saturday / AFP/Getty Images

They told the Press Association: "I have concern for my children and grandchildren. I truthfully believe we're all heading for extinction.

"Climate change is so important, it's coming over so fast and nothing is being done."

Supt Waheed Khan, spokesman for the Met, said: "The demonstration has been ongoing since 10am today and despite calls from us to move towards Westminster Bridge where we can facilitate their protest, the demonstrators continue to block a further three bridges namely Waterloo, Lambeth and Blackfriars.

The demonstration is having a direct impact on others across London who wish to go about their daily business  and the emergency services from using the bridges to travel around London. Given that the organisers failed to engage with police prior to the event, we were unable to work with them around their plan and to make considerations for other Londoners.

So far we have made 45 arrests for offences under the obstruction of Highway Act and Bail Act offences.

Like other protesters, they called on the Government to halt fracking programmes and "work hard to reduce carbon emissions to zero long before 2050," which is the current goal.

Organisers of the protests estimate that 50 people have been arrested for partaking in action over the last week.
A ndrea Leadsom has vowed she will be staying in government because theres more work to be done to get the Brexit deal the Prime Minister wants.

The Commons leader insisted she has no plans to quit the government and will support Theresa May in securing a deal.

Ms Leadsoms announcement comes after it was reported Tory Brexiteers still need 11 letters to trigger a confidence vote.

The Sun reported the number of no confidence letters submitted to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the backbench 1922 committee, stood at 37. The number needed to spark a confidence ballot is 48.

Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom / PA

Ms Leadsom, who attends Cabinet as part of her role, hit back after her SNP counterpart Pete Wishart joked she had upset his "Brexit resignation bingo coupon", adding: "I had her definitely down as a resigner."

Mrs Leadsom replied: "Normally I'm very happy to entertain (Mr Wishart's) banter but I think all he's done today is to demonstrate he's not very good at bingo."

She added: "I am staying in Government because there is more work to be done to get the Brexit that the Prime Minister wants to deliver to the people, and therefore I am determined to support her to do that.

"Now, him bantering about it and mocking it is all very well, but he doesn't suggest anything else and his party has form for ignoring the will of a referendum in Scotland that voted to stay in the United Kingdom.

Theresa May was reportedly facing further opposition to her draft Brexit plan from Cabinet ministers / Matt Dunham/AFP/Getty Images

"What are they doing sitting there? All they want to do is break up the United Kingdom, and against the will of Scottish fishers keep them in the Common Fisheries Policy. How much sense does that make?"

The pair's exchanges came at business questions and amid the backdrop of Cabinet resignations over Mrs May's draft Brexit withdrawal agreement.

Mrs Leadsom is used to receiving a ribbing from Mr Wishart at the weekly session in which she outlines forthcoming Commons business.

Speeches from the frontbench are usually a mix of serious and light-hearted, with Mr Wishart earlier saying: "Can I thank the still in place Leader of the House for announcing the business for next week?

Andrea Leadsom / Getty Images

"She's only gone and upset my Brexit resignation bingo coupon because I had her definitely down as a resigner today.

"I know there are still opportunities later in the day and she'll probably have something to say about her place on all this, and once she's recovered from the hangover from all the unchilled Chardonnay that was consumed last night, we might get a sense of what actually happened at that Cabinet meeting.

"But what we now want to hear from the Leader of the House is what's going to happen now? We need to be reassured that this nonsensical binary choice of a bad deal or a no deal is taken right off the table."
F ive leading Cabinet ministers are reportedly trying to force Theresa May to change her draft Brexit deal.

The BBC reported the group of five, led by Commons leader Andrea Leadsom, are trying to alter proposals on the Irish backstop.

The group  also including Brexiteers Michael Gove, Liam Fox, Penny Mordaunt and Chris Grayling  were said to be seeking change which would see new technology or a free trade deal included in the draft text.

The Irish border issue has been one of the key stumbling blocks of the governments Brexit negotiations, while a number of ministers resigned after the draft proposals were published this week.

Andrea Leadsom, pictured on Wednesday, was said to be leading the group of Cabinet ministers trying to change the Prime Minister's Brexit plan / Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images

But Prime Minister Ms May warned detractors that alternate Brexit plans would not make their problems disappear as she faced a continuing gruelling battle to win over sceptical MPs.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, the Prime Minister bluntly told opponents their alternatives would not work.

TODO: define component type apester

She said: People say: 'If you could only just do something slightly different, have a Norway model or a Canada model, this backstop issue would go away. It would not. That issue is still going to be there.

Some politicians get so embroiled in the intricacies of their argument they forget it is not about this theory or that theory.

Stephen Barclay has been appointed Brexit secretary - but the role has been downgraded (Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament (Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0))) / Chris McAndrew / UK Parliament (Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0))

Ms May appointed Stephen Barclay as her new Brexit secretary, the third this year, on Friday. But the role has been downgraded as she will take sole control of negotiations on EU withdrawal.

Leave-supporting Mr Barclay's job will be limited to the domestic delivery of EU withdrawal, preparations for Brexit either with or without a deal, and shepherding legislation through Parliament.

Prime Minister savaged over Brexit deal on radio phone-in

He said: "We now need to keep up the momentum to finalise the withdrawal agreement and outline political declaration and deliver a Brexit that works for the whole UK."

The reshuffle came just hours after Michael Gove offered the Prime Minister a lifeline by staying on in his Cabinet role.

Mr Barclay's appointment came after Mr Gove reportedly turned down the post, saying he would only take it if he could renegotiate the EU withdrawal agreement.

Downing Street declined to say whether the Brexit Secretary post had been offered to anyone else before the North-East Cambridgeshire MP, saying only: "He was the Prime Minister's choice for the job."

Michael Gove has expressed his confidence in the PM / Getty Images

Ireland's deputy premier has warned British politicians to sign up to the current Brexit agreement or risk crashing out of the EU without a deal.

Simon Coveney said people were "too quick" to write off Mrs May, saying she has shown "resilience, courage" and a "reality check" to Brexiteers in Westminster.

Speaking ahead of Fine Gael's Ard Fheis (conference), he warned it "will be difficult" to find an alternative deal that will prevent a hard border.

"If we are forced into that situation we will have to look at ways in which that can be avoided but that will not be easy," he said.

"It is a far more sensible approach to support what is being negotiated over the last two years as a way that we know provides the guarantees that we have looked for and insisted on that there will be no physical border or infrastructure or checks or controls and that is an issue that goes beyond commerce and trade.

David Davis, who was Brexit secretary before Mr Raab, had earlier used a series of tweets to again urge Mrs May to seek a looser deal with the EU.

He said the United States would be ready to start negotiating a free trade deal with Britain "immediately" after Brexit if Theresa May's plan is ditched, while making a trip across the Atlantic.

The former Brexit secretary revealed he had spent several days in Washington talking to "US Government Trade and Treasury officials" while Westminster had been reeling from high-profile resignations and questions over the Prime Minister's future.

"They have already started on the procedures to allow negotiations to start immediately once we leave the EU in March," he said.

"This will not be possible if we accept the Government's proposed deal with Europe, which will block every avenue of negotiation with America.

"We have to have a Canada+++ deal to allow us to have a free trade deal with America.
A Tory Brexiteer coup against Theresa May as Prime Minister is reportedly 11 votes short of the 48 needed to trigger a confidence vote.

The Sun reported the number of no confidence letters submitted to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the backbench 1922 committee, stood at 37.

Forty-eight letters are needed to spark a confidence ballot among all Conservative MPs. The paper claimed 15 backbenchers have submitted letters in private. Twenty-two, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, have done so publicly.

It comes as Mrs May announced she would appear on Sky News Sophy Ridge on Sunday show to address the Tory civil war over her draft Brexit deal.

After a tumultuous week that saw the departure of ministers including Brexit secretary Dominic Raab and work and pensions secretary Esther McVey, Mrs May has remained defiant over her proposed divorce deal.

Andrea Leadsom, pictured on Wednesday, was said to be leading the group of Cabinet ministers trying to change the Prime Minister's Brexit plan / Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images

But the Prime Minister's critics believe they have the numbers required to trigger a confidence vote within days.

And Brexit-supporting ministers led by Andrea Leadsom are reportedly set to work together on measures to make the deal more acceptable to them.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove / Getty Images

The group, including Michael Gove, Penny Mordaunt, Liam Fox and Chris Grayling, were said to be trying to alter the governments proposals on the Irish backstop, which has been one of the main stumbling blocks in negotiations.

Ms Leadsom, however, insisted on Saturday that she is "absolutely determined" to support Ms May in getting the best Brexit deal for the UK.

She said: "There is still more to be done and we do still have more time before the EU Council at the end of the month, so I'm absolutely committed to getting the Brexit that 17.4 million people voted for."

Britain's International Development Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities Penny Mordaunt / AFP/Getty Images

Failure to reach the threshold for a no confidence vote could mean embarrassment for the Brexiteer group, but a vote could still go ahead next week.

Mr Gove offered the PM a lifeline by staying in his Cabinet role amid a slew of resignations earlier this week.

Meanwhile, one minister warned on Saturday that Remain-supporting Tory MPs could try and stop Brexit entirely if "purists" scupper the Prime Ministers deal.

Middle East minister Alistair Burt responded bluntly to a tweet by Brexiteer Steve Baker  one of the 22 so far to publicly call for Ms May to go  which criticised her deal.

Mr Burt wrote: "Be very clear. If an agreed deal on leaving between the Govt and the EU is voted down by purist Brexiteers, do not be surprised if consensus on accepting the result of the Referendum by Remain voting MPs breaks down. Parliament will not support no deal."

TODO: define component type apester

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell, meanwhile, even suggested Labour could negotiate Ms May's withdrawal agreement before Britain is due to leave the European Union.

He told Sky there was support in Parliament and in Europe for a "unity platform" that avoided a no-deal Brexit when the UK leaves in March.

"I think we can do it with good will, he said. We can change the atmosphere of negotiations into one of mutual interest and mutual benefit.

On that basis I think we can have a constructive negotiation rather than the dreadful way in which the government has negotiated over the last two years."
T heresa May has told how she came through a tough week of resignations, threats of a coup and personal attacks over her Brexit deal - thanks to her "rock" Philip.

The PM spoke lovingly of her husband in an interview with the Daily Mail during one of the most tumultuous weeks of her political career.

She said her husband of 38 years was on hand to provide much-needed moral support throughout the difficult period.

After she returned to the Downing Street flat following Wednesday's fiery five-hour Cabinet meeting, the first thing he did was to pour her a whisky, the PM revealed.

Theresa May at the back door in Downing Street on Friday amid the threat of a leadership challenge / Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

"On Thursday, he served up beans on toast for tea," she said. "I opened the tin! He made the toast - and did the washing up!"

TODO: define component type apester

With furious backlash against Mrs May over her Brexit plan - and demands for a no-confidence vote against her - her husband could not help but feel the hurt of the situation too, she admitted.

"It's often harder for the other half because they are watching it and feel protective and think 'Why are they saying that to my wife?'," she added

But despite the turmoil, Mrs May has remained defiant and has vowed to fight on and deliver Brexit, with her husband firmly in her corner.

"He is my rock," she said.

"It's hugely important to have somebody there who is supportive of you, not involved in the intricacies of politics but there to provide human support."

It is Philip who urges her to keep going, she added, as he encourages her to "keep doing the right thing".

Mr and Mrs May were married in 1980 after meeting as students at Oxford University.
S pice Girl Mel B has told how she had less than 800 in the bank when she left her ex-husband Stephen Belafonte as she opens up about her life in her new book.

The pop star also says Eddie Murphy - the father of her 11-year-old daughter Angel - was the love of her life, and describes him as a "genuinely decent man".

Extracts of the book published in The Sun refer to her acrimonious split from her second husband, movie producer Belafonte, whom she married in 2007.

She says: "In the past 20-something years of my life, I have made more than 80 million.

"When I met my second husband (Stephen), I had a house and a loft apartment in LA and a good career. When I left him I walked away with 936 dollars (729) in a bank."

The Spice Girls have reunited for a new tour / PA

Mel B finalised her divorce from Belafonte in August, bringing their bitter split to an end.

TODO: define component type apester

The mother-of-three, real name Melanie Brown, alleged during the divorce proceedings that he was abusive to her and her children, while he accused her of turning his stepdaughter Angel against him.

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Her autobiography, entitled Brutally Honest, is also said to explore her year-long relationship with Murphy, 57, which ended when she was pregnant.

She says: "I'd been madly in love with Eddie and I lost him."

In the interview with The Sun, she admits: "Eddie was and still is the love of my life. He's a genuinely decent man."
F ormer BBC newsreader Richard Baker has died aged 93, his family have said.

Baker introduced the first BBC television news bulletin in 1954 and went on to become a leading news presenter.

His son, journalist Andrew Baker, confirmed the news in a tweet on Saturday.

He wrote: "Sadly my father passed away this morning at the age of 93. Great broadcaster, great dad and grandfather. RIP."

London-born Baker introduced the first BBC TV news bulletin broadcast in July 1954, the BBC reports.

He later presented the Last Night of the Proms and on Radio 2, 3 and 4.

BBC director general Tony Hall was among those to pay tribute to the broadcaster.

Baker at the news studio in Alexandra Palace, London in 1962 / Getty Images

He said: Richard Baker was at the forefront of the creation of the modern news presenter. He was a calm and assured presence who became the face of news for millions.

Later, he became a great advocate for classical music, presenting many much loved programmes. But more than that, he was quite simply a lovely and charming man. Our sympathies are with his many friends and family.

Veteran BBC correspondent John Simpson tweeted: Richard Baker  was one of the finest newsreaders of modern times: highly intelligent, thoughtful, gentle, yet tough in defence of his principles.

The son of a plasterer, Baker went to grammar school and later attended Cambridge University.

His studies were interrupted by World War Two, during which he served with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.

Following the war, he resumed his educated and joined the BBC in 1950 as a radio presenter.

Social media was flooded with heartfelt tributes to Baker following the news of his death.

ITV New presenter Alastair Stewart said he was "a true gentleman".

He wrote: "A giant. Not a 'journalist, but that wasn't the style in his day. Burnet, Day, Gall et al came along and changed that.

"Richard 'Dickie' Baker was also a master of the arts, especially music about which he wrote beautifully. A true gentleman. #RIP."
T he UK is set to enjoy a glorious weekend of sunshine  before it turns miserable next week.

Sun, clear blue skies and double figure temperatures were expected across the majority of the country on Saturday afternoon and Sunday.

But the Met Office said Sunday could possibly be the last good day of the year before winter takes hold.

Weather conditions are set to deteriorate across the country after the weekend, with lows of 5C forecast on Wednesday.

There is also a chance of snow in some parts of the country, though the weather agency warned people not to get too excited.

For this weekend, though, most of the country will be enjoying temperatures between 10C and 12C.

Met Office meteorologist Steven Keates told the Standard on Saturday: Much of the UK will enjoy a lot more sunshine this afternoon, apart from Northern Ireland and eastern Scotland. But for most of the country, the temperatures will be double figures.

Sunday will be a glorious day for the vast majority of the country. With clear blue skies, it will definitely be the best day of the weekend to be out and about. It will be the last good day for a while, certainly.

If the clear skies remain on Saturday evening, Mr Keates added it would create the ideal viewing conditions for the Leonid meteor shower.

But he went on to warn the weather will become less enjoyable from Monday.

Autumn trees surround a house near Wanborough, Surrey, as the Met Office said there would be 'glorious' clear blue skies over the weekend / Steve Parsons/PA

It wont be exceptionally cold, he said, no annihilations or deep freezes. There will be highs of between five and eight degrees, which is below average by a few degrees. A little bit of ice could be a hazard, but frost is the most likely.

It will definitely feel cold, though, as it will be quite windy and people will need to wrap up warm. Essentially, it will be c**p weather, to put it bluntly!

Of the likelihood of snow, Mr Keates added: Theres a small chance in places across the UK, though I wouldnt get too excited at the moment.

Its certainly going to be much colder, so by mid-week it will be cold enough for sleet over the hills. That includes southern Britain, not just Scotland.

But there probably wont be significant snow. There might be a few flakes, but for most of us it will just be quite cold and unpleasant rain.
U S President Donald Trump has visited California to speak to those affected by twin tragedies, the deadly wildfires and a mass shooting at a popular college bar in Thousands Oaks.

The Camp Fire, in northern California, has killed at least 76 people and left more than 1,200 missing, according to Reuters. However officials say the figure of those unaccounted for could change.

The president walked through the ashes of a mobile home and RV park in a small northern town all-but-destroyed by the wildfires and privately met with people grieving after the shooting at the bar outside Los Angeles.

Speaking in the town of Paradise, Mr Trump claimed poor forest management was to blame for the devastation caused by the Camp Fire blaze.

Mr Trump visits a neighbourbood affected by the Woolsey Fire / AP

"This has been a tough day when you look at all of the death from one place to the next," Mr Trump said on Saturday before flying back to Washington after the visits to areas of Northern and Southern California in the aftermath of the unprecedented wildfires.

"We've never seen anything like this in California, we've never seen anything like this yet. It's like total devastation," Mr Trump said as he stood amid the ruins of Paradise, burned to the ground by a wildfire the president called "this monster."

As he surveyed the wildfire damage, Mr Trump said "hopefully this is going to be the last of these".

The president visited Malibu in California / AP

In a nod to his belief - not shared by all forest scientists - that improved forest management practices will diminish future risks, he added:

"We do have to do management maintenance and we'll be working also with environmental groups. I think everybody's seen the light and I don't think we'll have this again to this extent."

The president also visited Malibu after at least three people were killed in a deadly wildfire in Southern California.

Mr Trump, Gov. Jerry Brown, Paradise mayor Jody Jones and FEMA Director Brock Long tour the Skyway Villa Mobile Home and RV Park / Getty Images

At least 71 people have died across Northern California, and authorities are trying to locate more than 1,000 people, though not all are believed missing.

More than 5,500 fire personnel were battling the blaze that covered 228 square miles (590 square kilometres) and was about 50 per cent contained, officials said.

A burned neighborhood is seen in Paradise, California / AFP/Getty Images

When asked in Paradise if seeing the historic devastation, which stretched for miles and left neighbourhoods destroyed and fields scorched, altered his opinion on climate change, Mr Trump answered, "No."

He was asked during an interview set to air on "Fox News Sunday" whether climate change played a role in the number of serious fires.

He responded that it "maybe it contributes a little bit. The big problem we have is management."

Before returning to Washington, Mr Trump met briefly at an airport hangar with families and first responders touched by the shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks more than a week ago, which left 12 dead in what the president called "a horrible, horrible event."

California wildfires 1 /8 California wildfires A fire fighting aircraft releases water as firefighters battle the thousand-acre plus 'Fish' wildland fire that erupted near the Angeles National Forest, Duarte, Califonia EPA Smoke from wildfires burning in Angeles National Forest fills the sky behind the Los Angeles skyline Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP Jimmy Romo, 73, leads the horses leaving his ranch as a wildfire is burning in Azusa, Calif., Monday, June 20, 2016. New wildfires erupted Monday near Los Angeles and chased people from their suburban homes as an intense heatwave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico blistered the region Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP A television cameraman shoots a thermometer sign which reads 126 degrees in Palm Springs, California Sam Mircovich/Reuters A wildfire burns around homes built near a hilltop in Azusa, California Nick Ut/AP A water bomber makes a drop on a wildfire as it attacks the flames near Campo, California Mike Blake/Reuters A column of smoke is seen rising, viewed through a windshield, from one of two wildfires in the Angeles National Forest above Azusa, California Gene Blevins/Reuters Flames flare up from a wildfire behind a house along a hillside in Duarte, California Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP

Reporters and photographers were not allowed to accompany the president to the session,

He added: "It was tragic and yet, in one way, it was a very beautiful moment."

"What can you say other than it's so sad to see. These are great people. Great families, torn apart," he told reporters. "We just hugged them and we kissed them - and everybody. And it was very warm."

The shooting claimed the lives of 11 people and one officer, Sgt Ron Helus, after a maniac gunman burst into the country and western bar and opened fire on hundreds of young revellers.

A police spokesman said 12 people died in the shooting, including one "hero" sergeant who rushed to the scene to confront the shooter.
T he CIA has said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, according to US media.

The agencys finding, reported in the Washington Post, is the most definitive US assessment to date tying Saudi Arabias de facto ruler directly to the killing.

The Saudi government has insisted the prince wasn't involved, while he labelled the killing a "heinous crime".

Mr Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government and Washington Post columnist, was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. He went there to pick up documents needed for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman. Seventeen Saudis are said to have been involved in the killing.

Jamal Khashoggi entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 / Reuters

The Post reported the CIAs assessment was partly based on a phone call the Crown Prince's brother, Prince Khaled bin Salman  the Saudi ambassador to the United States  had with Mr Khashoggi.

Prince Khaled reportedly told Mr Khashoggi to go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents, giving him assurances it would be safe to do so.

The newspaper reported he made the call at his brother's direction.

The Saudi Embassy in Washington rejected the CIA assessment.

Jamal Khashoggi pictured in 2015 / AP

A spokeswoman said: The claims in this purported assessment is false. We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations."

It further complicates president Donald Trumps efforts to preserve ties with Saudi Arabia, a key US ally.

Mr Trump has said Saudi Arabia must be held to account for any involvement in Khashoggi's death, but also stressed the importance of the alliance.

US officials say Saudi Arabia, a major oil supplier, plays an important part in countering what they see as Iran's malign role in the region.

Mohammed bin Salman pictured in October (Reuters) / REUTERS

On a visit to Papua New Guinea, vice-president Mike Pence told reporters he could not comment on classified information.

"The murder of Jamal Khashoggi was an atrocity, he said. It was also an affront to a free and independent press and the United States is determined to hold all of those accountable who are responsible for that murder.

But he added Washington wanted to preserve its relationship with Saudi Arabia.
S harks have returned to Maya Bay in Thailand months after the tourist spot made famous by film The Beach was closed to the public.

Video footage posted by the Thai government shows a large number of blacktip reef sharks in the bay on Koh Phi Phi Lei island.

Authorities in Thailand confirmed in October that the bay would be permanently closed to the public.

Marine biologist Thon Thamrongnawasawat confirmed that the waters around the bay had improved on his Facebook account.

He said: There are only a few bays suitable for black-tailed sharks but the humans took the bay away from the sharks.

When we handed the bay back, dozens of black sharks returned. This is a clear signal. These sharks are very important to the eco-system. Its a predator that helps the control the amount and fish in coral reefs.

Numerous tourists walk along the Maya Bay, Phi Phi Leh island in Krabi province / AP

With climate change, the environment of the world changes rapidly. A good ecosystem is needed to deal with natural disasters such as coral bleaching.

The return of these sharks is important. Not only Maya Bay or Phi Phil islands but the coral reefs around. Hopefully they will stay with us for a long time.

Tourists enjoy the beach on Maya Bay, Phi Phi Leh island / AP

The spot on Ko Phi Phi Lei island was initially closed for four months in order for the bay to recover from the effects of tourism, however experts decided that it would need a longer time to recover, choosing to close the island indefinitely.

The bay was made famous by the 2,000 film The Beach, directed by Danny Boyle.

Its become a bucket list location for those travelling to Thailand.
I f you go down to Piccadilly Circus today, you will be greeted with a raft of Not Pink as Google transforms 55 Regent Street in honour of the Google Pixel 3 smartphone.

For the next five weeks, from November 15 until December 16, Google will be hosting a range of free talks, events, and workshops, that demonstrate how fashion, food, music, art and tech all collide.

Named the Curiosity Rooms, Google hopes Londoners will come in and explore their curiosity.

The ground floor is given over to all things Pixel 3. Visitors will be able to try out the Google Lens technology in the delightfully pink Laundrette and use the Pixels Group Selfie cam to snap images in the art installations.

On the first floor, there will be mini pop-up stores featuring local London vendors, a neighbourhood coffee bar and a collective of creative experiences.

Down in the basement is where all the magic will happen, with the free talks and events taking place here. All Google is asking for in return is a donation to Crisis.

Google is going all in on live podcast recordings at the Curiosity Rooms. You can catch Fearne Cotton recording an episode of Happy Place, discussing feeling lost in a high pressured world, Scarlett Curtis recording Feminists Dont Wear Pink with a special guest, and Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton are recording their hit show, The High Low.

If its design youre interested in then Liam Hodges sessions in the Hypemaker Studio will be a must-attend. The designer will be holding two sessions, where guests will be invited to create unique items through a hands-on design process, using the Pixel 3.

It's not a London event unless food features heavily on the menu and King Cook of CookDaily will be holding a talk on how he transformed the citys vegan food scene.

Tickets are available for the events now, with more scheduled to be released over the next few weeks.

There is also the opportunity to try out and purchase the new Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL smartphones and other Google products including the Google Home.
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The EU has had a lot of trouble on its hands, as its members, such as Poland and Hungary, are openly challenging the established order. This time its a very serious situation, because Brussels is facing defiance from Italy, the 3rd largest national economy in the eurozone and the 8th largest global economy in terms of nominal GDP. It has a population of over 60 million. It is also a Europhile country and the blocs founding member.

The Italian government has rejected the EUs calls to revise its draft budget for 2019 that includes a 2.4% deficit of GDP, which could dangerously boost the nations public debt. The ruling coalition in Rome, which is made up of the League and the populist Five Star Movement, has decided to increase borrowing so that it can fund its campaign promises, such as lowering the retirement age and increasing welfare payments.

Last month the European Commission claimed that these spending targets went against EU rules. Rome is burdened by the second-highest amount of public debt in the eurozone. Theres a 131.8% difference between borrowing and economic output there, but the government believes it will achieve substantial economic growth, while the EUs predictions for Italy are rather gloomy. Nov. 13 was the deadline for submitting a revised draft budget. Rome did not comply. Now the EU leadership is threatening it with sanctions it until it falls into line. Italy could be slapped with a fine of 3.4 billion.

The Italian government takes an independent stance on a multitude of issues. It is seen as Russia-friendly in its calls for lifting, or at least easing, the sanctions against the Russian Federation. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte believes Moscow should be re-admitted to the G7. The Italian PM visited Moscow in late October, hailing Russia as an essential global player and inviting Putin to visit Italy. Despite the EU-imposed punitive measures that are in place, Mr. Conte signed a slew of trade and investment agreements. Last year, Russias parliamentary majority party, United Russia, and Italys Lega Nord (Northern League), a ruling coalition member, signed a cooperation agreement. The regional council in Veneto, where Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini holds a strong position, recognized Crimea as part of Russia in 2016.

Austria is another Russia-friendly EU member. Even the recent spy scandal that was obviously staged by outside forces to spoil that bilateral relationship, has failed to damage that rapport. "We are a country that has good contacts with Russia, we are aimed at dialogue, it will not change in the future, said Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, speaking to reporters on Nov .14. The conservative People's Party and the far-right Freedom Party  the members of the ruling coalition  are well-disposed toward Moscow. They dont support the EU sanctions policy.

Hungary is another Russia-friendly EU member. Last month, the European parliament voted to initiate the Article 7 sanctions procedure against Hungary. The government led by PM Victor Orban has been accused of silencing the media, targeting NGOs, and removing independent judges. Launching the procedures stipulated under that article opens the door to sanctions. Hungary could eventually be temporarily deprived of its EU voting rights. In reality, the country is being punished for refusing to take in migrants.

This is the second time Article 7 procedures have been launched. The first time was last year, when the European Commission set that article into motion against Poland over its judicial reforms. A unanimous vote is required to suspend Hungary's voting rights and introduce sanctions. That move is likely to be blocked by Poland. It turn, Hungary said it would stand by Warsaw should the EU launch procedures to punish it. The two nations are united in their efforts to support each other and fend off Brussels encroachments at a time when the bloc is undergoing the most difficult times in its history.

Hungary, Poland, and Russia are trying to draw Europes attention to the threat to democracy and peace emanating from Ukraine  a problem that has been largely hushed up by the EU leadership.

Slovakia is another EU member state to nurture what some call special ties with Russia. It has never been happy with the sanctions against Moscow and has openly said so. Last month, its new prime minister, Peter Pellegrini, called on the EU to revise the sanction policy.

A diplomatic row was also staged in Greece but, as in case of Austria, it may have clouded those historically close ties but has failed to sever them. Cyprus has always been friendly toward Moscow, but Nicosia and Athens are not in a position to protect their independence, as both are heavily indebted and dependent on foreign loans.

The battle between Brussels and Rome comes at a time when Europe is preparing for the European Parliament elections in May 2019. Punitive measure taken by the EU against Italy will most certainly lead to growing public support of that government that is standing up to pressure in order to defend its people. It will increase the number of Italian Eurosceptics who win seats. With so many countries dissatisfied with the EU leadership, its hard to predict the outcome. There will soon be other people at the helm who hold quite different views on the problems faced by the EU, as well as on the blocs future. Everything may change, including the relationship with Russia and the sanctions that have become so unpopular and have resulted in many national leaders openly challenging the wisdom of such policy imposed by a powerful few.
Was $25 million in American tax dollars allocated for a payoff to stir up religious turmoil and violence in Ukraine? Did Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (unsuccessfully) attempt to divert most of it into his own pocket?

Last month the worldwide Orthodox Christian communion was plunged into crisis by the decision of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in Constantinople to recognize as legitimate schismatic pseudo-bishops anathematized by the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is an autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox Church. In so doing not only has Patriarch Bartholomew besmirched the global witness of Orthodoxys two-millennia old Apostolic faith, he has set the stage for religious strife in Ukraine and fratricidal violence  which has already begun.

Starting in July, when few were paying attention, this analyst warned about the impending dispute and how it facilitated the anti-Christian moral agenda of certain marginal Orthodox voices like Orthodoxy in Dialogue, Fordham Universitys Orthodox Christian Studies Center, and The Wheel. These self-professed teachers presume to challenge the moral teachings of the faith (in the words of Fr. John Parker) and prowl around, wolves in sheeps clothing, forming and shaping false ideas about the reality of our life in Christ. Unsurprisingly such groups have embraced Constantinoples neopapal self-aggrandizement and support for the Ukrainian schismatics.

No one  and certainly not this analyst  would accuse Patriarch Bartholomew, most Ukrainian politicians, or even the Ukrainian schismatics of sympathizing with advocacy of such anti-Orthodox values. And yet these advocates know they cannot advance their goals if the conciliar and traditional structure of Orthodoxy remains intact. Thus they welcome efforts by Constantinople to centralize power while throwing the Church into discord, especially the Russian Church, which is vilified in some Western circles precisely because it is a global beacon of traditional Christian moral witness.

This aspect points to another reason for Western governments to support Ukrainian autocephaly as a spiritual offensive against Russia and Orthodoxy. The post-Maidan leadership harp on the European choice the people of Ukraine supposedly made in 2014, but they soft-pedal the accompanying moral baggage the West demands, symbolized by gay marches organized over Christian objections in Orthodox cities like Athens, Belgrade, Bucharest, Kiev, Odessa, Podgorica, Sofia, and Tbilisi. Even under the Trump administration, the US is in lockstep with our European Union friends in pressuring countries liberated from communism to adopt such nihilistic democratic, European values.

Perhaps even more important to its initiators, the row over Ukraine aims to break what they see as the soft power of the Russian Federation, of which the Orthodox Church is the spiritual heart and soul. As explained by Valeria Z. Nollan, professor emerita of Russian Studies at Rhodes College:

The real goal of the quest for autocephaly [i.e., complete self-governing status independent of the Moscow Patriarchate] of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is a de facto coup: a political coup already took place in 2014, poisoning the relations between western Ukraine and Russia, and thus another type of coup  a religious one  similarly seeks to undermine the canonical relationship between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Moscow.

In furthering these twin objectives (morally, the degrading of Orthodox Christianity; politically, undermining the Russian state as Orthodoxys powerful traditional protector) it is increasingly clear that the United States government  and specifically the Department of State  has become a hands-on fomenter of conflict. After a short period of appropriately declaring that any decision on autocephaly is an internal [Orthodox] church matter, the Department within days reversed its position and issued a formal statement (in the name of Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, but clearly drafted by the European bureau) that skirted a direct call for autocephaly but gave the unmistakable impression of such backing. This is exactly how it was reported in the media, for example, US backs Ukrainian Church bid for autocephaly. Finally, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo weighed in personally with his own endorsement as did the US Reichskommissar for Ukraine, Kurt Volker.

The Threat

There soon became reason to believe that the State Departments involvement was not limited to exhortations. As reported by this analyst in October, according to an unconfirmed report originating with the members of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (an autonomous New York-based jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate), in July of this year State Department officials (possibly including Secretary Pompeo personally) warned the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (also based in New York but part of the Ecumenical Patriarchate) that the US government was aware of the misappropriation of a large amount of money, about $10 million, from estimated $37 million raised from believers for the construction of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine in New York. The State Department warning also reportedly noted that federal prosecutors have documentary evidence confirming the withdrawal of these funds abroad on the orders of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. It was suggested that Secretary Pompeo would close his eyes to this theft in exchange for movement by the Patriarchate of Constantinople in favor of Ukrainian autocephaly, which helped set Patriarch Bartholomew on his current course.

[Further details on the St. Nicholas scandal are available here, but in summary: Only one place of worship of any faith was destroyed in the September 11, 2001, attack in New York and only one building not part of the World Trade Center complex was completely destroyed. That was St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, a small urban parish church established at the end of World War I and dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, who is very popular with Greeks as the patron of sailors. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attack, and following a lengthy legal battle with the Port Authority, which opposed rebuilding the church, in 2011 the Greek Archdiocese launched an extensive campaign to raise funds for a brilliant innovative design by the renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava based on traditional Byzantine forms. Wealthy donors and those of modest means alike enthusiastically contributed millions to the effort. Then  poof! In December 2017, suddenly all construction was halted for lack of funds and remains stalled to this day. Resumption would require having an estimated $2 million on hand. Despite the Archdioceses calling in a major accounting firm to conduct an audit, theres been no clear answer to what happened to the money. Both the US Attorney and New York state authorities are investigating.]

This is where things get back to Ukraine. If the State Department wanted to find the right button to push to spur Patriarch Bartholomew to move on the question of autocephaly, the Greek Archdiocese in the US is it. Lets keep in mind that in his home country, Turkey, Patriarch Bartholomew has virtually no local flock  only a few hundred mostly elderly Greeks left huddled in Istanbuls Phanar district. (Sometimes the Patriarchate is referred to simply as the Phanar, much as the Vatican is shorthand for the Roman Catholic papacy.) Whatever funds the Patriarchate derives from other sources (the Greek government, the Roman Catholic Church, the World Council of Churches), the Phanars financial lifeline is the ethnic Greek community (including this analyst) in what is still quaintly called the Diaspora in places like America, Australia, and New Zealand. And of these, the biggest cash cow is the Greek-Americans.

Thats why, when Patriarch Bartholomew issued a call in 2016 for what was billed as an Orthodox Eighth Ecumenical Council (the first one since the year 787!), the funds largely came from America, to the tune of up to $8 million according to the same confidential source as will be noted below. Intended by some as a modernizing Orthodox Vatican II, the event was doomed to failure by a boycott organized by Moscow over what the latter saw as Patriarch Bartholomews adopting papal or even imperial prerogatives  now sadly coming to bear in Ukraine.

and the Payoff

On top of the foregoing, it now appears that the State Departments direct hand in this sordid business may not have consisted solely of wielding the stick of legal threat: theres reason to believe there was a carrot too. It very recently came to the attention of this analyst, via an unsolicited, confidential source in the Greek Archdiocese in New York, that a payment of $25 million in US government money was made to Constantinople to encourage Patriarch Bartholomew to move forward on Ukraine.

The source for this confidential report was unaware of earlier media reports that the same figure  $25 million  was paid by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to the Phanar as an incentive for Patriarch Bartholomew to move forward on creating an independent Ukrainian church. Moreover, Poroshenko evidently tried to shortchange the payment:

Peter [Petro] Poroshenko  the president of Ukraine  was obligated to return $15 million US dollars to the Patriarch of Constantinople, which he had appropriated for himself. As reported by Izvestia, this occurred after the story about Bartholomew's bribe and a "vanishing" large sum designated for the creation of a Unified Local Orthodox Church in Ukraine surfaced in the mass media. As reported, on the eve of Poroshenko's visit in Istanbul, a few wealthy people of Ukraine "chipped in" in order to hasten the process of creating a Unified Local Orthodox Church. About $25 million was collected. They were supposed to go to the award ceremony for Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople for the issuing of a tomos of autocephaly. [A tomos is a small book containing a formal announcement.] However, in the words of people close to the backer, during the visit on April 9, Poroshenko handed over only $10 million. As a result, having learned of the deal, Bartholomew cancelled the participation of the delegation of the Phanar  the residence of the Patriarch of Constantinople, in the celebration of the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia on July 27 in Kiev. "Such a decision from Bartholomew's side was nothing other than a strong ultimatum to Poroshenko to return the stolen money. Of course, in order to not lose his face in light of the stark revelations of the creation of the tomos of autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Peter Alexeevich [Poroshenko] had to just return those $15 million for the needs of Constantinople," a trusted source explained to reporters. For preliminary information, only after receiving the remaining sum, did Bartholomew finally give his consent to sending a delegation of the Phanar to Kiev  

Now, its possible that the two identical figures of $25 million refer to two different pots of money (a cool $50 million!) but that seems unlikely. Its more probable the reports refer to the same sum as viewed from the sending side (the State Department, the Greek Archdiocese) and the delivery side (Poroshenko, Constantinople).

Lending credibility to the confidential information from New York and pointing to the probability that it refers to the same payment that Poroshenko reportedly sought to raid for himself are the following observations:

When Poroshenko generously offered Patriarch Bartholomew $10 million, the latter was aware that the full amount was $25 million and demanded the $15 million Poroshenko had held back. How did the Patriarch know that, unless he was informed via New York of the full sum?

If the earlier-reported $25 million was really collected from a few wealthy people of Ukraine who chipped in, given the cutthroat nature of disputes among Ukrainian oligarchs would Poroshenko (an oligarch in his own right) have risked trying to shortchange the payment? Why has not even one such Ukrainian donor been identified?

Without going into all the details, the Phanar and the Greek Archdiocese have a long relationship with US administrations of both parties going back at least to the Truman administration, encompassing some decidedly unattractive episodes . In such a history, a mere bribe for a geopolitical shot against Moscow would hardly be a first instance or the worst.

As one of this analysts Greek-American connections puts it: Its easy to comprehend the Patriarchate bowing to the pressure of State Dept. blackmail not overly savory, but understandable. However, its another thing altogether if Kiev truly purchased their autocephalous status from an all too willing Patriarchate  which would relegate the Patriarch to salesman status and leave the faithful wondering what else might be offered to the highest bidder the next time it became convenient to hold a Patriarchal fire sale at the Phanar?!

To add insult to injury, youd think Constantinople at least could pay back some of the $7-8 million wasted on the Crete 2016 debacle to restart the St. Nicholas project in New York. Evidently the Phanar has better things to spend it on, like the demonstrative environmentalism of the Green Patriarch and, together with Pope Francis, welcoming Muslim migrants to Europe through Greece. Of course maybe theres no need to worry, as the Ukraine sale was consistent with Constantinoples papal ambitions, an uncanonical claim to universal status, and misuse of incarnational language and adoption of a breathtakingly arrogant tone that would cause even the most ultramontane proponent of the Romes supremacy to blush.

Finally, it seems that, for the time being at least, Constantinople doesnt intend to create an independent Ukrainian church but rather an autonomous church under its own authority. Its unclear whether or not Poroshenko or the State Department, in such event, would believe they had gotten their moneys worth. Perhaps they would. After all, the issue here is less what is appropriate for Ukraine than what strikes at Russia and injures the worldwide Christian witness of the Orthodox Church. To that end, it doesnt matter whether the new illegal body is Constantinopolitan or Kievan, just so long as it isnt a Moskal church linked to Russia.
Nearly three decades of defense spending cuts are causing Germany major problems that just keep getting worse. The latest example was the Defense Ministry admitting that most (61 percent) of major items (armor, aircraft, ships) delivered by German manufacturers are not ready for use but must undergo months of additional work (for upgrades and other modifications). Normally this would be an administrative problem that could be fixed by specifying the condition delivered systems must meet before accepted. But this latest humiliation was also part of an embarrassing and seemingly incurable problem; most German military units were not ready for combat or much else. For example, 19 German military helicopter pilots recently lost their flight certification because they had not been able to fly the minimum number of hours a month to retain their flight status. They must now get more flight hours and be retested. For commercial pilots, this only happens because of illness or other reason for not being able to fly, not because there is not enough money for them to fly. Further investigation revealed that the while the NATO goal of 70 percent readiness was the target Germany had been working towards for over a decade, they were rarely able to get it to 50 percent. The core problem here is convincing the political leaders that if enough money is not provided for stockpiles of spare parts and regular maintenance these embarrassing shortcomings will continue to appear and become a permanent part of a dysfunctional German military that can only be sent into combat if you are willing to suffer major losses and, most likely, defeat.

The most embarrassing aspect of all this is that it is not a new problem. It was first encountered in the late 1990s when German was called on to provide peacekeepers for Bosnia and Kosovo. After 2001 it was clear nothing had changed because Germany had even worse problems when they tried to maintain small contingents of troops in Afghanistan. A decade later Germany agreed to send some of its 198 jet fighters to join the air campaign against ISIL (al Qaeda in Iraq and the Levant) in Syria. Even many Germans were surprised when it was announced that only six of the older Tornado fighters could be sent. Questions were asked and the government admitted that all those years of budget cuts had left it with few jet fighters in shape to go overseas and fight.

In 2014 Germany had 89 Tornado fighters but only 66 capable of flying (but some still had minor deficiencies) and 38 that were fully ready for service. In 2015 the number of fully ready Tornados fell further to 30. Thats only a third of Germanys Tornados. These are 1970s era aircraft that require more maintenance the older they get. Most of Germanys jet fighters are the more recent (1990s) Typhoons. In 2014 Germany had 109 of these and 74 were capable of flying (but some with deficiencies) and 42 that were fully ready for service. Thats only 38 percent of Germanys Typhoons. This is not caused by age but lack of resources (people, equipment, spare parts) for maintenance.

In the last few years, Germany has responded to these readiness problems by allocating $6.5 billion to fix serious problems with its Typhoon fighters (radar problems and needed upgrades), NH90 helicopters (the latest of many problems) and the army G36 assault rifle (needs to be replaced). In addition to billions of dollars for upgrades and repairs, the military will receive larger stocks of spare parts so major systems (like ships, aircraft and armored vehicles) can be used intensively (whether it be peacekeeping, training or combat) without being shut down because there are not enough spares available. Some of these problems go back years and despite the new injection of cash, the Defense Ministry admitted recently that it would take up to eight years to apply the additional resources and fix all the problems the money is aimed at. These problems are still unresolved.

The current situation gets worse. The German Navy, which has six modern Type 212 submarines admitted in late 2017 that none of them were available for service. U-35 damaged its steering mechanism in late December when it struck a rock off Norway. The other five 212s were either undergoing repairs or maintenance or waiting for a dry dock to become available for essential work. There were other problems, similar to those that have kept many German warplanes and armored vehicles out of action since the 1990s. One that was frequently mentioned was a lack of spare parts. While that was true, and a common problem throughout the German armed forces, it soon became apparent that there was a larger and more serious problem; poor leadership in the Defense Ministry and among the senior officers (generals and admirals).

This became obvious when analysts and journalists compared German performance in developing and building warships to what other nations were doing. Germany is a major shipbuilder, one of the top five in the world. But its own navy, when given a choice, selects designs that look good on paper but do not perform in reality. That is not a new problem and not unique to Germany. The extent of the incompetence, however, is surprising. Politicians saw building new warships for the German Navy as more about providing jobs and paid little attention to the practicality of the designs selected. This was particularly evident with German surface warships. As Germany replaced its aging Cold War designs the navy sought out and accepted designs that were more suitable for peacekeeping than warfare and now Germany finds itself with a surface fleet of warships that are not only incapable of fighting but often have a hard time remaining capable of going to sea.

For twenty years after the Cold War ended in 1991 German defense planners did not consider the possibility that Germany would again face a military threat. But after 2008 Russia became more and more aggressive and now Russia, with much less efficient shipyards, is building more effective warships. This is particularly embarrassing because the primary combat zone for German warships is the Baltic Sea and Germanys new NATO partners in East Europe (Poland and the Baltic States) are openly critical of Germany not being able to handle its share of the defense burden in the Baltic.

Its not just ineffective surface warships but also naval aviation, including ASW (anti-submarine warfare) aircraft, that are, to put it mildly, inadequate. For decades Germany did not seriously consider the need for modern ASW aircraft because; who would they be used against? Now there is a real threat in the Baltic and the North Sea and Germany must depend on other NATO nations (and non-NATO nations like Sweden and Finland) to protect German access to the shipping lanes in the Baltic and the North Sea.

In one area of warship construction; submarines, Germany remained a world leader and major exporter. To remain competitive German subs had to be designed and built for combat operations. But when the German Navy purchased German-built subs these boats were misused and poorly administered. It was more than lack of spare parts that left Germany with no combat-ready subs in late 2017 and into 2018. It was extremely poor leadership and planning at the top.

Some things were obvious. Defense spending was sharply cut in the 1990s. This was the peace dividend, the expected savings from the demise of the Soviet Union and its enormous military (including the second largest fleet on the planet.) The German Type 212s entered service during this period and the failure to buy sufficient spare parts soon led to subs being sidelined until the spares could be manufactured. In some cases, spares were obtained by taking components from subs sidelined for something else so that two subs would not be out of action. But this was more expensive and the situation just kept getting worse until there were no subs available for service and that situation wont be rectified until early 2018 and wont improve much until the navy gets a lot more money for spares and maintenance. Note that export users of the Type 212s werent having these problems. More Germans began to notice that.

Germany could use its U-Boats right now because they provided a major threat to increasingly aggressive Russian warships in the Baltic and the North Sea. That was always the intent, even though the 212s were developed simply to replace the Cold War era Type 209s and keep a prosperous export business (subs) going. In late 2005 Germany commissioned its first Type 212 submarine, U-31. This was quickly followed by U-32 and two more in 2006 and 2007. Two more entered service in 2015 and 2016. Another two were planned but never ordered. Italy also has four Type 212s.

Type 212s are special boats, as they were among the first use of fuel cells (for AIP, or Air Independent Propulsion), which enable them to quietly operate underwater for weeks at a time. They still have diesel propulsion, but this is only used for surface travel when the batteries are recharged. The 212's are also very quiet, quieter than most nuclear boats in service. This makes them an even match for a current nuclear boat equipped with better sensors. The 1,450 ton 212's are much smaller than nuclear boats (57 meters/188 feet long, compared to twice as long and 6,200 tons for the new U.S. Virginia class SSNs). The nuclear boats are used for a lot more than hunting other ships and subs.

While the 212's are mainly attack boats, and well designed and equipped for it, they can, because of their AIP, be used for intelligence collection and landing commandos. While Germany is an American ally, their development of fuel cell technology for subs, and use of these boats in their own navy, helped this technology mature, and eventually available to many more nations. These 212 boats are expensive (about half a billion dollars each), but that's less than a third the cost of a nuclear boat. The 212's are also highly automated, requiring a crew of only 27. But with six torpedo tubes, and a dozen torpedoes (plus anti-ship missiles, launched from the tubes, as well as mines), they could be, in the wrong hands, a major threat to the U.S. fleet. Cheaper to buy, cheaper to run (you don't need as many skilled sailors for the crew) and very lethal. American admirals always paid attention to who the Germans export these boats to. Most of the exports are the less expensive Type 2014, which are 212s without a lot of the highly classified tech. For export customers, the 212s were reliable and worked as advertised. But the German navy, or at least the senior admirals, refused to read or pay attention, to the users manual.

American admirals see new German surface warship designs as more examples of what not to do. These German designs were dysfunctional to begin with and supervision of their construction (by the navy) so incompetent that these ships failed sea trials (a relatively uncorrupted process in which navy crews take the new ships to sea and compare their performance to what the design promised and what was needed to stay alive out there). You can try and fake sea trials but it is very difficult especially when you have a free press and many sailors willing to talk about a ship design that could get them killed.

Germany remains a major exporter of high tech gear. German defense industries can still design, build and export electronics, weapon systems and other military gear that are competitive on world markets. Their own armed forces are not looking for competitive but for politically correct so German manufacturers concentrate on their export markets. Since the 1990s the home market for defense items has, in many sectors, become poisonous and source of much stuff that German manufacturers keep quiet about because the German Defense Ministry was seeking unsatisfactory weapons and equipment for German forces.

The inability of the German Navy to keep six German-built submarines in service was all about poor leadership and planning, both on the political side (Defense Ministry) and the military side (the senior officers.) But the problems went far beyond submarines. Pass the schadenfreude, it is one thing the German military has plenty of these days in addition to lots of tanks, helicopters and warplanes that dont work.
Art, craft, bric-a-brac, food, produce and plants are all on offer, and with only six weekends until Christmas, now is a perfect time to start gift shopping.

If youre looking for handmade, Taurangas Zee Night Market returns on Saturday, November 17 at the Elizabeth Street Community Hall from 4-9pm. The boutique market features the work of various artisans and craftspeople and is largely indoors. The regular Zee Market can be found in the hall every second Saturday of the month, from 10am-2pm.

Also returning for a fourth season is the Te Puke Community Market in Jubilee Park, with the second market from 9am-1pm on Saturday, November 17. The market provides a platform for community groups to fundraise and raise awareness of their organisations, and is held on the third Saturday of each month until April 2019.

On Friday, November 23, a new market is coming to Katikatis Uretara Domain in the form of the Katikati Xmas Makers Market. A highlight of the market, from 4-8pm, will be a special marquee where children can rent a table for $5 and sell their handmade gifts for sale.

It will run alongside the regular plant and produce market next door in the A&P Showgrounds.

Dinner in the Domain is on offer once again from Thursday, November 29, and continues every Thursday night until the end of March 2019. From 5.30-9.30pm, you can head along to Papamoa Domain and sample the culinary delights of Taurangas best food trucks. Fully licensed, you can also wash it down with a locally brewed craft beer and enjoy some live music.

If Thursday night doesnt work for you, Mount Maunganuis Gourmet Night Market returns to Coronation Park on Friday nights from November 30, until March 2019. Its a great place to put down a picnic blanket, grab a bite to eat and listen to some live music against the backdrop of Mauao. The market gets under way at 5pm til dark.

As well as the summer markets, there are plenty of regular markets breaking out the Christmas goodies as well, including the monthly Night Out Markets held at Bethlehem Hall on the first Friday of the month, from 6.30-9.30pm. A special Christmas market will be held on December 21 for those last-minute shoppers.

The Little Big Markets - always a crowd-pleaser at any time of the year - are on the first Saturday of each month at Coronation Park and the third Saturday of each month at Papamoa Pony Club, from 9am -2pm.

The Black Sheep Bar and Grill is home to the monthly Affordable Art and Artisan Fair on the last Sunday of each month, from 11am-3pm. Presented by ARTbop, all products sold are handmade in New Zealand.

The regions Lions clubs hold a number of regular markets throughout the year, including the Historic Village Market in Tauranga every first and third Sunday, from 8am-noon.

The Papamoa Lions Club Market, every second and fourth Sunday at Gordon Spratt Reserve, and the Omokoroa Lions Market, every second Sunday of the month in the Western Ave carpark, run from 9am-noon.

If its fantastic food youre after, you cant go wrong with the Tauranga Farmers Market, held every Saturday from 8.45am-noon at Tauranga Primary School, and the Mount Farmers Market in Coronation Park, every Sunday from 9am-1pm.

Other markets in the area include the Oropi Sunday Market at Oropi Memorial Hall on the last Sunday of the month (9am-1pm), the Maketu Market on the Village Green overlooking the Maketu Estuary on the third and fifth Sunday of each month (7am-noon), and the Lizard Market at the Omokoroa Settlers Hall on the third Saturday of each month (9am-12pm).
Maybe, but only for those who wernt vaccinated because it wasnt in our city
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One of the craziest speedway nights youll see all season. Thats how Baypark Speedway promoter Bernie Gillon has described the SunLive Baypark Speedway Demolition Derby.

Held at Baypark speedway last night, the show saw the road rules go out of the window, with drivers able to let loose with what is often a road car on its last legs.

Bernie says its not hard to prepare a car for the derby and entries.

Basically, all the glass, including mirrors, must be removed, the correct seat belt installed and a safety pole put in behind the drivers seat, explains Bernie.

Once on the track, its no holds barred.

The addition of a ramp at each end of the track ensured great antics on the night.

The night fully exceeded my expectations, says first time derby goer, Sam Gardner.

Not only did we get to enjoy the derby cars, but the lead up was fantastic with stock cars and super saloons putting on a wild show.

There were plenty of bangs and drama too, to keep things interesting.

The main event, the SunLive Demolition Derby was as great as I expected it would be. It was loud and messy and I even walked away with some dirt in my hair, but I loved every second of it.

As well as the demolition derby, the night also included other classes of racing with the Stock Car Teams race between the Baypark Bulldogs and the Gisborne Gladiators, super saloons, saloons, stock cars and mini stocks.

SunLive reporter Sam Gardner and SunLive photographer Bruce Barnard were some amongst many in the crowd who captured all of the action.
Democrat Stacey Abrams ended her campaign for governor of Georgia on Friday, lamenting voting irregularities that she said tainted the election but conceding that former Georgia secretary of state Brian Kemp would be declared the winner.

Abrams, who had hoped to become the nation's first elected female African-American governor, had worked to force a runoff with Kemp, who as of late Thursday led by 54,801 votes out of 3.9 million cast.

Kemp's 50.22 percent of the tally put the Republican just above the 50 percent-plus-one-vote threshold required to avoid a runoff election in December.

Abrams said that she planned to start an organization to fight for more equitable voting laws and would soon bring "a major federal lawsuit against the state of Georgia for gross mismanagement of this election."

"Let's be clear, this is not a speech of concession," she said.

It was, however, the end of a campaign whose outcome had remained uncertain for days as Abrams pressed for the counting of ballots that had been rejected for minor errors. Kemp drew criticism from Democrats for championing a controversial voting law disproportionately affecting black voters and, days before the midterms, launching an investigation into Democrats, alleging a "hacking" attempt into the voter registration system.

Earlier Friday, Abrams was considering filing a separate lawsuit contesting the results and demanding a new election. That would have been based on a provision in Georgia law that allows losing candidates to challenge results.

But she said Friday evening that she did not want to gain an office if she had to "scheme" to get it.

Kemp's campaign had called the move "sad and desperate" and had called on Abrams, the former Democratic leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, to concede.

"Since the beginning, our campaign has been dedicated to lifting up the voices of every community," Lauren Groh-Wargo, Abrams' campaign manager, said in a statement early Friday. "We have heard from countless Georgians about massive irregularities wrought by a Secretary of State who ran his own election to crown himself governor. We have been transparent that we have looked into multiple legal strategies to count every vote in our state - and that work continues as we decide our next steps."

Kemp, who declared victory two days after the Nov. 6 election, has said he is moving forward with his transition plans.

"Gov.-elect Brian Kemp earned a clear and convincing victory on Election Day. The campaign is over, and Kemp's focus is on building a safer, stronger future for Georgia families," Kemp campaign spokesman Ryan Mahoney said. "Stacey Abrams's latest publicity stunt is sad and desperate. Elections in America aren't decided in the courtroom. They're decided fair and square by the people, at the ballot box."

Abrams, 44, and Kemp, 55, have long clashed over voting rights. Four years ago, Abrams founded the New Georgia Project, with a goal of adding hundreds of thousands of people of color to the voting rolls. Abrams is no longer affiliated with the group that she says signed up more than 200,000 potential new voters, but most of them never made it onto the rolls.

Kemp accused the group of voter fraud and launched an investigation that found no wrongdoing. He has pursued restrictive voter registration and identification laws and has purged more than 1 million voters from the rolls in recent years - actions that Abrams and activists say amount to suppression.

Several of those laws have been successfully challenged in court as violations of the federal Voting Rights Act, including rulings that have come down before and since the Nov. 6 election.

During the past 10 days, the Abrams campaign, through court filings and news conferences, has shared stories of individuals who had trouble casting ballots.

Voters told of having waited up to four hours to vote, not receiving absentee ballots that they requested and getting inaccurate information from county elections officials. The lawsuits also have revealed a lack of uniformity in how counties address problems with absentee and provisional ballots. Although some counties try to contact voters to fix mistakes and omissions in their voting documents, others simply reject the ballots.

Kemp's victory was made possible through a come-from-behind surge in the Republican primary earlier this year, in which he received the endorsement of President Trump and aired a series of provocative TV ads in which he wielded guns and pledged to round up "criminal illegals" in his pickup truck.

Abrams had received support from former presidents Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter as well as media mogul Oprah Winfrey. She made health care a major focus of her campaign, as did other Democrats around the country in this year's midterms.

The issue of race loomed large over the campaign in its final weeks, however. A racist and anti-Semitic robo-call targeting Abrams began making the rounds about a week before Election Day. The call was produced by the Road to Power, a white-supremacist group based in Idaho. Kemp's campaign also came under criticism for an election-eve tweet attempting to tie Abrams to a radical group, the New Black Panther Party.

The razor-thin margin between Abrams and Kemp is reflective of Georgia's march from once-solid Republican terrain toward becoming a purple state. Trump won Georgia by five percentage points in 2016, but Democrats' increasing strength in the suburbs bodes well for their chances in future statewide races.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democrats won the majority. Now they just need a speaker of the House.

The standoff over Nancy Pelosi's bid to regain the gavel intensified as Democrats left Washington for the Thanksgiving break in what has turned out to be an unsettling finish to an otherwise triumphant week that saw them welcome a historic class of newcomers to Capitol Hill and prepare to take control from Republicans.

President Donald Trump is jumping in to offer some help, saying Saturday that he could "perform a wonderful service" by rounding up Republican votes for Pelosi's candidacy. Trump says he genuinely likes Pelosi and looks forward to working with her, but it's an almost unheard of proposition for the party that relied on the California Democrat as a chief villain on the campaign trail.

"I would help Nancy Pelosi if she needs some votes," Trump told reporters as he left the White House for a trip to survey the devastation from the California wildfires. "I like her, can you believe it? I like Nancy Pelosi. She's tough and she's smart, but she deserves to be speaker, and now they're playing games with her, just like they'll be playing with me."

Pelosi, who was the first woman to become speaker and served from 2007 to 2011, was certain that she will hold that post again. Last week she dismissed a suggestion that she could rely on Republican support to help amass the House majority needed in January when Democrats take control of the chamber after this month's election victory.

"Oh, please, no, never, never, never," she said.

Trump went so far Saturday to tweet the name of one Republican congressman, Rep. Tom Reed of New York, who has said he could be open to backing Pelosi if she committed to changes that would shift some power from the House leadership. Reed is a part of the Problem Solvers Caucus, whose members have broached the idea as a show of bipartisanship to help reform Congress. GOP lawmakers considering endorsing Pelosi would open themselves up criticism in their 2020 re-election bids for daring to support someone their base has reviled.

Pelosi met with the group last week, but not with Reed or other Republicans. His office did not immediately respond for comment.

"Leader Pelosi will win the speakership with Democratic votes," her spokesman Drew Hammill said Saturday.

Pelosi was expected to work the phones from California during the break after meeting privately with newly elected Democrats who could be crucial to her bid. Her foes were equally confident they have the votes to stop her ascension.

For now, it's a band of disgruntled Democrats, led mostly by men, in the forefront of the opposition. With a test vote looming in late November, and at least one potential Pelosi challenger stepping forward, Democrats are facing the uncomfortable prospect of the internal squabble that the speaker's vote Jan. 3 could drag on for weeks.

"I think chaos is good if it's productive. I think chaos is bad if it is too disruptive and it divides us too much," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, whose leaders were upbeat after meeting with Pelosi this past week.

Newly elected lawmakers indicated they were having good meetings with the leader, though few said the talks had changed their minds.

"It isn't about her, it's about wanting new leadership," said Rep.-elect Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, a former CIA operative who defeated tea party Republican Rep. Dave Brat in suburban Richmond. "There isn't anything she could say, because the decision isn't about her."

Rep.-elect Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey said he had a "pleasant" meeting, but remains a "no" on Pelosi. He is among 17 Democrats who have signed on to a letter opposing her. Van Drew said they discussed his districts and which committees he'd like to serve on. "I don't feel under pressure," he said.

Pelosi also has met with Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, a potential rival for the speakership who said the two had "a very open and frank discussion."

Fudge said she would probably decide after Thanksgiving break whether she will run.

"To her credit, she wanted to know what my concerns were," Fudge said. "What she asked me was, basically, how we could get to a point where I'm supportive."

One question for some Democrats is what, exactly, Pelosi means when she says she intends to be a transitional leader, a bridge to a new generation. She has led the party for 15 years.

If it were up to most of the Democratic Party, Pelosi easily would win. They see her as a skilled and tested leader prepared to confront Trump and deliver on priorities.

Pelosi, 78, first became speaker after Democrats took control of the House in midterm elections during former President George W. Bush's second term. With President Barack Obama, she was pivotal in passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010.

With a narrow Democratic majority, now at 231 seats in the 435-member House, Pelosi does not have much cushion to secure the 218 votes needed, assuming all Republicans vote against her, as expected. Some House races remain undecided and the Democratic majority could grow slightly.

There is a chance the math could shift in Pelosi's favor if lawmakers are absent or simply vote "present," meaning she would need fewer than 218 votes for an absolute majority.
Steam rises from a pot, cuts through the chilly November air and fills a crowded Market Square with a delightful whiff of lunchtime goodness. Nick Tse gently ladles a batch of noodles from the pot into a container, mixing in sauces and toppings. He then locks eyes with a customer and smiles as he hands over the dish.

Tse opened his Market Square stall, Street Food HK, in July of 2016. The only other staff member is Yan Yu, whom Tse first met while they were both working in a nearby restaurant. While Tse takes flurries of orders and diverts his attention between pots of rice and noodles, Yu tosses around sizzling vegetables and meats in a pan. Together, they seek to ensure the prompt delivery of elaborate meals to locals and visitors alike.

I just like making food, and I like to meet people, Tse tells me in Mandarin. To pass each day chatting with friends  its pretty enjoyable.

When Tse first came to England in 1993, he noticed that there were few restaurants where he could find the food he was used to eating. While some restaurants serve dishes from northern China, few provide specialties from the geographic south, where Hong Kong is located.

I felt like here, there werent too many offerings for people from my area, Tse says. The things I wanted to eat, I had to make them. I couldnt get the same flavors out in restaurants. So the thinking was to make my own things to eat.

Street Food HK is open from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. each day except Saturday. Every morning, Tse loads a car full of fresh ingredients to bring to work. He and Yu start setting up at 7:30 a.m., replacing their business menus, signs and decorations (a Hong Kong flag adorns one side of the stall, with the Union Jack spread across the opposite end). They begin preparing rice and boiling water to be ready for early customers.

Tse says that his most popular dish is the scallion noodles, which can be served plain, with vegetables, with shredded chicken or with a chicken steak. Those noodles use a handcrafted special sauce  an original recipe that Tse and his wife put together at home. Each weeks sauce takes up to five hours to make, he says.

On Mondays and Fridays, Street Food HK also offers soup specials. Cantonese cuisine is known for its soups, and students seem to enjoy them, according to Tse.

People from the southern part of China  we like soup, he says. Its a different soup each day that I make for students.

Tse communicates with customers in English, Cantonese and Mandarin (he says that his English is not very good, but he can make do in basic conversation). With the regulars, he will joke around and perhaps throw in a wink or two. Outside of the stalls busiest hours, he might even join a table of diners to have a chat.

Part of the joy, Tse says, is Market Squares friendly character. He often pops over to catch up with other vendors, such as those across the aisle at Jian Bing House. Its a lifestyle he has come to embrace.

In this market, the atmospheres pretty good, he says. Its lively, everyone around here gets along well. Everyone helps out here and there. The tourists, the students  theyre all quite nice. Im quite happy to work here.
Through the looking glass: The Pixel 3 stands out in some meaningful ways, with possibly the best camera and software experience of any smartphone. New evidence has arisen that strongly suggests both those features will be coming to a new Google Pixel 3 Lite which could come at around $400-$500 and arrive before the end of the year.

The same Russian blog who got their hands on the Pixel 3 XL two months before its release has got a Pixel 3 Lite in their claws, too. Based on their tests of the device, it has a Snapdragon 670 processor, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. The screen is 5.56 (about the same as the Pixel 3), uses IPS technology and has a resolution of 2220 x 1080 (18.5:9). It has the same 2915mAh battery as the regular Pixel 3, and possibly the same dimensions and thickness based on the images.

Probably the most exciting features are the cameras, which are the same 8MP front and 12MP rear lenses found on all the Pixel models. It doesnt seem to have a second, wide angle selfie camera though. The headphone jack is still there.

Theres a bit of debate about how likely this device is to really exist. The Google G logo on the back of the phone is a C instead. Plus, it was only a year ago when Googles head of hardware Rick Osterloh said that Pixel stays premium.

On the other hand, the devices name according to the Geekbench app installed on it is Google Sargo, which was also the name of a mystery device referenced in a couple lines of code in Googles ARCore app.

Its worth considering that Apple has already gone down this path (sort of) with a less expensive iPhone XR and that Samsung is expected to release an S10 Lite early next year. Googles known to be a bit of a follower in the handset industry, dropping the headphone jack and adding wireless charging and water resistance after the iPhone did. Google has declined to comment on the matter.
Campi Flegrei, a supervolcano sitting within the Bay of Naples in southern Italy, is stirring nearly 500 years after its last eruption.

According to researchers, after analyzing the 60,000-year history of the supervolcano, Campi Flegrei has entered the beginning of a new eruption cycle. It will erupt again, although no one can say when and how massive the damage might be.

Campi Flegrei Supervolcano Awakens

In the study published by the journal Science Advances, researchers created a simulation of the conditions that may lead to the eruption of Campi Flegrei. They used data collected from volcanic rocks and glass thrown out by previous eruptions to get an idea of the supervolcano's sleeping and waking cycles.

To note, the last eruption of Campi Flegrei happened in 1538 which created Monte Nuovo, a small new mountain. Two other major eruptions happened 39,000 and 15,000 years ago.

By looking back in time, the researchers were able to identify a rhythm to the supervolcano's upsurges and, right now, they predicted that the magma beneath is already in its building phase.

Campi Flegrei's Cycle

The first stage of the supervolcano's cycle begins with a slow build-up of magma. This will lead to a massive eruption, causing a formation called a caldera. No one knows when this will happen, but the first big eruption will trigger a series of regular but smaller outbursts as magma escapes through new holes in the crust.

Finally, the eruption will be less frequent, although magma will continue to build up until it is ready for another major eruption. The cycle begins again.

When Will Campi Flegrei Next Erupt?

While Campi Flegrei is stirring, the researchers assured that there is nothing to be worried about yet. They cannot predict when it will happen, but a major eruption will likely not occur until far into the future. The possibility that a major event from the supervolcano will happen in this lifetime is very low.

In addition, Campi Flegrei, which has 1.5 million people living within its caldera and surrounding areas, is one of the most monitored volcanoes in the world. Scientists are likely to pick up signs if the supervolcano is about to explode.

"As often happens in scientific research, the data collection and analysis may be more important than the immediate interpretations, which in fact are not so well constrained," stated Claudia Troise of the Vesuvius Observatory, the team that monitors the activity of Campi Flegrei.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A case report details the death of a teen who died as a result of inhaling deodorant spray to get high. Experts warn of the potentially dangerous consequences of misusing common household products.

Teens Death

In a case report, authors describe the death of a 19-year-old in the Netherlands who inhaled deodorant to get high. Evidently, the teen had been admitted to a rehabilitation center for cannabis and ketamine abuse, and had a history of psychotic symptoms. Unfortunately, it was during a relapse last July that he took a towel over his head and inhaled deodorant spray to get high.

The report states that he quickly became hyperactive before his blood flow abruptly stopped, causing him to go into cardiac arrest. He was then rushed to the hospital and placed into a medically induced coma, but died nine days after he was admitted.

According to experts, there are three possible theories behind how inhalant could have caused the cardiac arrest. It might have over-sensitized the heart, decreased the strength of the hearts muscle contraction, or caused a spasm of the coronary arteries.

Inhalant Abuse And Misuse

Evidently, such deaths from deodorants are not exactly new. In fact, similar cases involving volatile substances such as deodorants, paint thinner, and even hairspray have been reported in the last 40 years. Today, it accounts for about 125 deaths each year in the United States alone, and more commonly among teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds.

That said, such incidences are not very common and as such remains to be one of the least known methods to attain an altered state.

Even so, the fact that these substances are quite common in households is still very much a cause of concern because theyre so accessible to those who are vulnerable and more prone to abuse. Particularly in insecure environments, such household products are more easily available than other substances.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Transcendental meditation could help soldiers deal with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, according to a study backed by the United States Department of Defense.

During a clinical trial, researchers found that the effects of transcendental meditation are almost equal to the benefits of exposure therapy, which is a treatment method preferred by the Department of Veterans Affair.

The study was published in the medical journal The Lancet.

The Problem With Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is the most commonly used psychological treatment for patients dealing with PTSD. It involves a psychologist creating a safe environment where an individual, in this case, a military veteran, to relive their combat experiences to reduce their fear.

However, to some, exposure therapy can be too much. Many military veterans drop out from the treatment or refuse to try it at all.

The researchers wanted to find an alternative option that would not involve confronting traumatic experiences. They found that transcendental meditation, with medication, can be as effective as exposure therapy for patients dealing with PTSD.

Coping With PTSD With Meditation

The researchers did a randomized, controlled trial involving 203 veterans who have been diagnosed with PTSD. The participants were split into groups: transcendental meditation, exposure therapy, and educational classes. The trial happened over a three-month period.

About 61 percent of those who were assigned in transcendental meditation reported a significant improvement to their condition. In comparison, only 42 percent from the exposure therapy group said their condition has improved after treatment.

On average, transcendental meditation reduced the symptoms of PTSD in patients by 14.6 percent compared to 8.7 percent from participants who went through exposure therapy.

"Because trauma exposure can be difficult for patients, similarly effective treatments that do not require exposure such as transcendental meditation could be appealing to veterans and other groups with PTSD," stated Sanford Nidich from the Maharishi University of Management who led the study.

About 10 to 20 percent of military veterans are diagnosed with PTSD and more than a third of them do not recover even after many years.

In addition to its psychological benefits, transcendental meditation can be done at home and at zero extra cost. However, Vernon Barnes, who is not involved in the study, warned that researchers need to be demonstrated in larger trials before it is widely implemented.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Authorities in China are working on controlling the growing African swine fever crisis. The illnesses began last August, and have now reached the province of Sichuan, the nations top swine-producing province.

Public Warning

In a document jointly released by the Ministries of Agriculture, Transportation and Public Security, Chinese authorities announced that they are imposing stricter measures in attempts to control the African swine fever crisis. These include stricter nationwide inspections as well as harsher punishments for the illegal slaughter or transportation of pigs.

This is especially relevant to the measures against African swine fever as authorities are blaming the unhygienic transportation vehicles for pigs as well as the lawless elements moving animals out of the high-risk areas for the rapid spread of the illnesses.

To date, 18 provinces are already affected by African swine fever with 200,000 pigs already culled. According to United Nations (UN), the most virulent strain of African swine fever affecting China has caused a 100 percent fatality rate for the infected pigs.

African Swine Fever Crisis

Only recently, the UN warned that African swine fever in China is likely here to stay, and that it could possibly turn into an epidemic. It has no vaccine or cure, and was first detected in Siberia last year. By August of this year, African swine flu had made its way to farms in Europe following multiple outbreaks in China.

Although African swine fever poses no direct danger to human health, its spread in China is still a major problem given the fact that the nation produces a majority of the worlds pork. In fact, China produces about half of the worlds pigs, with the country having a population of 500 million swine.

As such, there is the serious possibility of having supply and price problems in the near future.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
ST. MARTINVILLE  A testy trial over the Bayou Bridge pipeline began Tuesday with an assertion that the plaintiff's share of the land at the c
The words came flying in from Mississippi and they were unbelievable. They were spoken by a politician, and they were so cruel and racist that the distance that they traveled did not soften them.

But in the hostile political environment we live in across the United States, they unfortunately raised only a few eyebrows. An hour later, the media and the public had moved on to bigger and more gruesome bits of bigotry and sexism.

Last week, Mississippi's Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith said while on a campaign stop that if a rancher who had praised her had invited me to a public hanging, Id be in the front row. Let those words sink in for a few minutes. From my vantage point, and that of many  OK, virtually all  of the people who look like me, the whole idea of public hanging is abhorrent.

Now think about this. Hyde-Smith is trying to keep her Senate seat against an African-American challenger. She uttered those words in a state that was the national champion or runner-up in lynchings of African Americans.

This kind of horrible rhetoric comes as a report just out says that hate crimes are on the rise  and that they zoomed up 17 percent in 2017 just as the Medal of Bone Spur winner was riding high and began stoking the flames with incendiary comments about minorities.

There was a time you would look to the leader of this country to use his bully pulpit to denounce such horrid comments as those by Hyde-Smith, especially knowing the widespread use of public and private hangings in Mississippi and around the South.

Yeah, you would think. But not this president. Its those kinds of words that get some of his supporters in a lather, and he knows it

There might be a gentlemens wager somewhere that the president might be upset that he didnt come up with the phrase. He still has his prized comment for the ultra-racists among his supporters. Remember when he said there were some good people on both sides in Charlottesville, when one of those sides were Nazis and KKK members. Good Nazis? Its your viewpoint, I guess.

Getting back to the hate crime report. The Uniform Crime Reporting Programs Hate Crime Statistics Report said hate crimes rose about 5 percent in 2015-2016, but jumped 17 percent in 2017. Hmmm. A closer analysis revealed that 59 percent of the hate crimes were over race, 20 percent over religion and 15 percent over sexual orientation.

But the numbers could be much worse because some law enforcement agencies dont report hate crime at all. Reporting is not mandatory.

Do you think our presidents comments that there are good people among Nazis, his demonizing of Hispanics and constant ridicule of black professionals, especially black women, as dumb and low IQ, fans the flames? Those comments, like the wistful reference to public lynchings, hurt people of color from Washington, D.C. to Baton Rouge. But it revs up many in the anti-minority and religion community. The hate crimes report speaks for itself.

The findings of the report sure seem to indicate that the presidents comments and those like the one from Hyde-Smith have been stirring the pot for some of the recent rash of hate crimes.

Now the president is saying, as one of his growing mountain of lies, and without a smidgeon of proof, that some elections are illegitimate because people were voting, then using disguises to vote again. Of course, his comments are primarily focused on campaigns where African-Americans and other minorities are a large percentage of the voting numbers.

Lets hope that Louisiana can remain above the racism that has been inspired by the nations commander in chief in the upcoming races and in the battle for the governor's office next year. Lets leave the public lynching jokes in the cesspool from which they sprang.

Lets hope the president will curtail his racist comments and be presidential and unify the nation by denouncing people like Hyde-Smith. OK, OK. We can hope.

Email Edward Pratt, a former newspaperman who writes a weekly Advocate column, at epratt1972@yahoo.com.
MONSTER FEST

monsterfest.com.au. Cinema Nova, Thursday to Sunday, November 22 to 25

A celebration of horror cinema and the many sub-genres that erratically orbit it, Monster Fest moves easily between historic tributes and the next generation of filmmakers. Key among the latter in this year's program is Cam (, MA15+, 94 minutes), Daniel Goldhaber's increasingly fractured mix of doppelganger menace and the inexplicable fear that stems from losing control. Broadcasting from her bedroom studio as "Lola", Alice (Madeline Brewer, The Handmaid's Tale's Janine) works as a cam girl, an online performer coaxing money from fans for erotic acts. Her online persona gives her purpose and a measure of control, as well as a frightening ambition, all of which comes tumbling down when Alice is supplanted by a lookalike who takes over her account, and increasingly her life. Outed to her family and dismissed by the authorities, the young woman has been recast, allowing digital fears to seep into real life. As a metaphor it's disquieting, but the telling  with its Cronenberg-like screens, nightmarish brightness, and probing cinematography  makes it throb with uneasy energy.

STRANGE COLOURS 

MA, 85 minutes. Lido Cinemas, Sunday, November 18; Classic Cinemas, Monday, November 19; Cameo Cinema, Thursday, November 22

Smaller Australian features are increasingly finding handcrafted solutions to the issue of commercial distribution, with limited seasons or exclusive runs giving them a chance to get beyond the festival circuit and grow an audience in cinemas. In the case of Alena Lodkina's impressive debut feature it's a series of Q&A sessions following screenings, and from the quietly exhilarating first cut  the pristine night sky above to an otherworldly mechanical excavation below ground  Strange Colours reveals a natural filmmaker who brings her own vision to the Australian landscape. When Milena (Kate Cheel) arrives in the outback NSW opal mining town of Lightning Ridge to visit her ailing, estranged father, Max (Daniel P. Jones), she finds a community of damaged male exiles, loners whose masculinity feels connected to the solitary pools of light and science-fiction mine remnants that cinematographer Michael Latham masterfully captures. The pair's relationship is fractured, but the film's moods avoid easy peaks and troughs, instead "digging along the fault line", as one character describes their mining technique.
How would she react in a Bird Box-type situation? "My husband [actor Sean Taylor] and I were talking about this, and he's a real panicker and I am the one who gets practical. I want to work more, not less, she insists. Im no spring chicken, so I should just keep pedalling as fast as I can while I can. Credit:Getty Images "I don't know why that is. I think some people just have different stress levels maybe, but I'm the calm one and usually don't get hysterical." In January, the youthful-looking septuagenarian suffered her own health crisis, one that must have tested her patience. After routine X-rays at LA's Cedar Sinai hospital to check on minor heart palpitations, she ended up being rushed into emergency surgery for seven hours after they found a tumour on her adrenal gland.

Loading "It turned out I had a rare tumour called a pheochromocytoma," she reveals, spelling out the medical name in anticipation of the next question. "When they discovered the tumour, it was already as big as a mango and I was told they're usually as big as a 25-cent piece, so that was scary." Jacki's able to crack a joke about the topic  maybe because she now has a clean bill of health. "There are only a few thousand of them a year in America and a few hundred a year in Australia, so I'm a bit conceited about my tumour being so rare," she says with a giggle. She recounts a later conversation with her doctor. "I said, 'How do you stand there for seven hours doing surgery?' And he said, 'It's a bit like you on a two-show day in the theatre.' I said, 'Well at least I get a wee-break!' " Will the hard-working thespian take it easy now? You can feel her bristle at the suggestion. "I want to work more, not less," she insists. "I'm no spring chicken, so I should just keep pedalling as fast as I can while I can."

She's just returned to her West Hollywood home after filming the Canadian drama Stage Mother, with Lucy Liu. In four days, her suitcases will be repacked as she travels to New Mexico to shoot the 10-episode television series Our Lady, LTD with Ben Kingsley. Jacqueline Ruth Weaver was raised in the Sydney suburb of West Pymble by an Australian father and an English mother. She started acting professionally at 15 in a lavish theatre production of Cinderella and was 24 when she made her film debut in the 1971 comedy Stork. The theatre veteran has appeared in close to 90 stage productions during her colourful career, including classic plays by Neil Simon, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller, but she has always worked less in front of the camera. She didn't get offered a single film between the 1996 comedy Cosi, with Toni Collette, and the 2008 feature film Three Blind Mice. She then had to wait two years for Animal Kingdom  a game-changer not just for Jacki, but also director David Michod and co-stars Joel Edgerton, Sullivan Stapleton and Ben Mendelsohn. Jacki is surprisingly Zen about all those years missing out on major roles in big Aussie films.

"I was kind of cool with it because I really worked a lot on stage. I never got bitter, but I did get slightly bewildered at times, thinking, 'I could have done that,' and wondering why nobody ever thought of me." When I note that she's in good company  Dame Judi Dench, another theatre vet, was also 63 when she earned her first of seven Oscar nominations  she agrees, "I've kind of made up for it since, haven't I?" Jacki Weaver and Elizabeth Debicki in Widows. Credit:Merrick Morton That's something of an understatement, especially after she scored a second Oscar nomination for the 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook, in which she appeared with Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro. Her list of credits since then is so prolific that neither of us can work out an exact number. "I think since I came here eight years ago, I must have made 29 films," Jacki suggests, "but I've also done a few in Australia [Goldstone, Last Cab to Darwin] and quite a bit of television [Blunt Talk, Gracepoint, Secret City and Squinters]."

She's got a charming habit of reducing her big-name co-stars to terms of endearment. "Sandy is such a darling," she says at one point about Bullock. She also describes her Life of the Party co-star Melissa McCarthy and McCarthy's director husband Ben Falcone as "a gorgeous couple" and says she "adored" Diane Keaton  the pair played elderly cheerleaders in the upcoming comedy Poms. As well as popping up in the 2017 James Franco comedy The Disaster Artist, Jacki has a juicy role in Widows, a drama starring Viola Davis and fellow Aussie Elizabeth Debicki, who plays her daughter. "She's a gorgeous girl," she adds affectionately, "but she's six-foot-three and I'm four-foot-11, so the only way they could get us in the same shot was if she was sitting down!" Jacki sounds pleased at her Hollywood presence being described as ubiquitous. "I like that," she says, trying it on for size. "When people say, 'Oh my God, I didn't know you were in that,' I consider it kind of a compliment that people don't recognise me straight away." She's missing her husband Sean, who is in Sydney, and brightens up when congratulated on their recent 15th wedding anniversary. "He's such a dear," she muses fondly. When asked if this marks the longest of her four marriages, she playfully replies, "Well, I was married to Derryn Hinch for close to that time, and I think he doesn't think we are divorced yet!" Does she consider herself a hopeless romantic? "I think I'm romantic, sure, but I don't think I'm hopeless."
Audience members waiting to see a ballet performance of Spartacus were disappointed when it was cancelled because of a "technical issue" which prevented the curtain from opening at the Sydney Opera House on Friday night.

Ballet-goers reportedly waited half an hour in their seats as the crew tried unsuccessfully to raise the curtain, before the show was officially cancelled.

Ballet fans were disappointed after the performance of Spartacus was cancelled. Credit:Jeff Busby

Artistic director of the Australian Ballet David McAllister told the audience that a winch in the curtain had broken.

"The curtain is somehow broken, it's going to be a couple of hours... to replace the winch," David McAllister told the waiting audience, captured on video by an audience member.
ACT Policing and members of the ACT State Emergency Service will conduct a search on a large area of Mount Ainslie on Saturday and Sunday in relation to a historic missing person case.

SES searching Mount Ainslie. Credit:Jamila Toderas

The search will predominantly take place in an area on the western and northern sides of Mount Ainslie, roughly bounded by the Australian War Memorial, the suburbs of Ainslie and Hackett and Mount Majura.

Police have made the decision to conduct this search following a reexamination of information. The search will be a concerted effort to locate evidence.
Bourke Street's Trolley Man has vowed to have a good crack at staying out of trouble after being granted bail on Saturday.

Michael Rogers shot to fame after ramming knife-wielding attacker Hassan Khalif Shire Ali with a shopping trolley last week as he lunged at two police officers with a knife.

Michael Rogers was confronted by a media pack outside Melbourne Magistrates Court after he was granted bail. Credit: Chris Hopkins

Now he has been banned from central Melbourne as part of his strict bail conditions after facing Melbourne Magistrates Court on Saturday.

Rogers, 46, turned himself in to police at West Melbourne on Friday night. He was subsequently charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of theft and committing an indictable offence while on bail.
Our prime minister has stated, and quite rightly, that Australia's foreign policy will not be determined by foreign powers. So maybe it is just a coincidence that his thought bubble about moving our embassy in Israel follows the action of another foreign power in doing that. One can only speculate as to whether such a thought bubble would have ever surfaced in the absence of the move by the United States. Graham Black, Notting Hill We can't win if the embassy is moved Scott Morrison continues to pursue his vote-losing, trade-losing, diplomacy-losing agenda of shifting our embassy in Israel. Is this the secret policy that American media mogul Rupert Murdoch is pushing on behalf of Donald Trump and Israel, even if it meant sacrificing Malcolm Turnbull and it costs the Liberals the next federal election? Mark Bradbeer, Brunswick

We determine our policies towards third nations Countries have differences of opinion all the time. So I find it deeply disappointing that Indonesia has threatened to delay signing a free trade agreement with Australia if we even consider moving our embassy to a part of Jerusalem that is sovereign Israeli territory and where Israel's parliament and supreme court are located. It is even more galling, given that Scott Morrison's announcement in October explicitly included that he "expected" East Jerusalem would be the capital of a future Palestinian state. But mostly I am unhappy that a foreign country purports to dictate Australian foreign policy. Why does Indonesia think it has any right to determine our policy towards a third nation? How would Jakarta like if if we refused to sign trade deals with them until they ended their policy of refusing to recognise Israel? Athol Morris, Forde, ACT Protecting our relationship with Indonesia

Scott Morrison should have thought about how our relationship with Indonesia is far more important than our relationship with Israel before he decided to shoot off his mouth about moving our embassy to Jerusalem. Reg Murray, Glen Iris No shame in changing your mind, Mr Morrison If our religiously inclined prime minister would like a blessing on changing his mind regarding this Israeli embassy matter, he might take assurance from John Henry Newman's remark that, "To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often". Barry Lamb, Heidelberg West

THE FORUM Being a good neighbour I have just returned from Papua New Guinea. My impression was that the large Chinese investment is being well-received by the local people. It was obvious everywhere in the roads and buildings. It seems the Australian government has not thought about the importance of our ties with our close neighbours and how imperative it is to develop strategies with them. Or, once again, it is late to the party. Worse, it views PNG only as a dumping ground for our immoral refugee policy. Robyn Stonehouse, Camberwell Crack down on cheating

It is unfair to criticise academics for failing to detect students' fraudulent essays (The Age, 14/11). Having been a tutor and marker in international finance and macro-economics for two years, I can vouch for the lack of financial security the job offers. Markers are paid $25 to $45 an hour for correcting papers in business and management  often with specialised concepts. No concrete samples or templates for marking are provided because students' responses in these subjects are meant to be subjective and open to interpretation. Academics are under immense pressure to balance research and teaching expectations with writing assessments, and ensuring students' enrolment numbers and engagement with course content. The Turnitin program to crack down on dodgy papers lacks the sophistication to detect all plagiarism. This usually requires human intervention. Also, tutors need more support  financial and otherwise  to assist them to detect cheating. Prashant Bhatia, Hawthorn An ontological what?

On a recent visit to Sydney, my husband and I were disappointed to miss an exhibition of work by George Baldessin and Brett Whiteley. Consequently we were pleased that it had moved to NGV Australia and been reviewed (Arts, 14/11). We could now discover what we had missed. We learned that Whiteley's early works cultivate a "formalist grand manner" but later works lack the "ontological gravitas", the "exquisite facture" and the "graphic scrupulosity" of Baldessin's work. His work is apparently "smug rather than mysterious" and his installation The American Dream of 1968-69 is "an aesthetically out of control allegory that menaces the lofty enclosures of taste". What did we learn from this overly conspicuous piece of erudition? Not much, except that maybe we need to see the NGV exhibition for ourselves. Anne Cullen, East Brighton Long battle for equality

I found Tim Wilson's article on the same-sex marriage vote (Comment, 15/11) offensive. Firstly, he seems to think this issue was resolved in a matter of months, largely due to the Coalition's actions. In fact, the "yes" result came about through the efforts of the LGBTIQ community and its supporters over many years. He also dismisses the pain and suffering of some people due to the unnecessary plebiscite demanded by the Coalition's conservatives. It has no right to claim credit for the result. The majority of Australians supported the notion, and if Parliament had done its job and allowed a free vote, the cruel postal survey could have been avoided. Brian Pryke, Mount Dandenong The latest scapegoats Randa Abdel-Fateh's piece (Comment, 16/11) struck a chord with me in this strange time of making sure everyone and her fifth cousin twice removed knows we oppose terrorism.

Growing up in an Italian home in the 1950s, I remember my parents' fear when a headline-grabbing crime was committed. Their first question was always: "Was he Italian?" The relief when the detainee was revealed not to have a name that ended with a vowel was palpable. They knew there would be no whispers and sly looks from neighbours and churchgoers. Not that time. I saw the footage of the Bourke Street attack before that deluded man was shot and anticipated the simplistic responses from those who want our votes and scrape the bottom of the barrel to get them. Anna Giovannoni, Ormond Face up to the reality I can understand Randa Abdel Fateh's frustration. However, as a Muslim, she is associated with these terrorists who commit murder in the name of their religion. Instead of isolating herself from what is the core of the issue, she should be coming together with her community to at least try to identify where the minority are going wrong.

Cynthia Fayman, Malvern East The European approach In Melbourne, the death of a knife-wielding aggressor shot in the body appeared to have been the inevitable result of police intervention. In the last 19 months, four knife attackers in Europe have been shot in the legs and apprehended by police: April 2017 in Milan, December 2017 at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, May 2018 at the Hague and June 2018 in Berlin Cathedral. Does our police training have to follow the United States' model? Antonio Pagliaro, Hawthorn East Show some respect

How is that our politicians have sunk as low as to try score political points from the death of a good bloke before he has even entered his final resting place? They used to at least wait until the funeral before they debased themselves in this way. Bill Hosking, Red Hill Try Uber or 'bring a plate' Penny Flanagan, don't "dis" the dinner party (Comment, 16/11). Sitting around a table and sharing food from the heart with friends and family is good for the soul. Surely it does not have to be that hard  getting everyone to bring a plate (preferably with something on it) is one way, and apparently Uber Eats is a thing now. Or you could even have a bit of a barbie. Maybe ditch the bearnaise sauce. By the way, I get why you want to spend more time with your sister (comedian Kitty Flanagan). She totally rocks.

Trish Thompson, Northcote The joy of a shared meal I have the best conversations with close and new friends when we are comfortably around a table in control of our own noise level and usually in comfortable chairs. Conversation flows, unimpeded by waiters taking orders, delivering food and so on. (Mind you, I do love a good restaurant outing.) However, the real issue here is that the relaxed and sensible host or hostess tailors the offerings to what can be simply provided. There is no need for the "absent cook"  that indicates poor planning and anxiety. Guests can even be asked to bring something. Let us never give up sharing our table with friends. Just do not plan to show off or try something you have never cooked before. Stephanie Alexander, Abbotsford

We just want to vote My wife and I are currently in France and we tried to vote via email. The request for forms was submitted the day after the system opened, but it took about five days for the return emails to arrive. We did not have access to a printer, so the three files supplied were downloaded to storage. When they were finally opened, either the format was unrecognised by any common language or the original online site was sourced. When the original Victorian Electoral Commission's mail was re-consulted, it had "timed out" and the forms needed to be requested again. Is this its idea of free and fair elections? Brian Stanmore, Junortoun Another forgotten seat Sandringham is a safe Liberal seat and has been so for decades. One assumes that Labour knows this. Is that why neither party has shown any real interest in sourcing the $47million for essential repairs and renovations of both campuses of Sandringham College?

David Taylor, Brunswick West Get me out of here Decisions, decisions  a flat-screen TV, a new refrigerator or free sanitary products in schools? Whoever comes up with discounted removal fees gets my vote so I can leave this over-populated, congested and crime-ridden state. Melissa Carter, Aireys Inlet AND ANOTHER THING

World Morrison should have been preparing for the ASEAN summit, not answering questions about sausages. Russell Castley, Creswick Perhaps the PM could confer a knighthood on Netanyahu as a consolation prize.

David Allen, Bayswater North If Trump behaves like this after the midterm elections, what will he be like if he loses the 2020 presidential election? Benny Browne, Prahran Apparently Trump's helicopter has to turn its rotors off when he gets on or off. Hair raising? Brian Erskine, Mildura

Politics The more time passes, the more ScoMo looks like being an L-Plate prime minister. Lidio Bertelli, Dallas Why does NZ need our permission to settle refugees from Manus? We're not responsible for them, according to Dutton et al. Neil Wanstall, Mulgrave

I see an "administrator" has been appointed for Victoria. Is it in worse financial shape than we're being told? Jonathan Sanders, Glen Iris John Gerrard, do your own research and place candidates in the order you want, not what Glenn Druery wants. David Torr, Werribee Furthermore

What sort of room at a resort is worth $45,000 a night (16/11)? Les Aisen, Elsternwick Did I get that right? NAB has got mixed up with George Costanza's fake charity, "The Human Fund" (Seinfeld)? Peter Brady, Mount Martha Why change the name of Crossley Street?

Gini Pinder, Hawthorn Society has come to this. We need bollards to protect us as we go about our business in the city. John Manfield, Blairgowrie Mr Bunnings, even with a firm grasp of your sausage, excess sauce may act as a lubricant and result in a loss of control. Colin Campbell, Strathfieldsaye
Doctors at the embattled new Northern Beaches Hospital threatened to withhold treatment from private patients in a desperate move to force the state government to act on their concerns about the under-resourced facility.

Amid claims of a lack of staff and supplies, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said on Saturday that he had ordered hospital operator Healthscope to "get it fixed fast".

The Emergency Dept at the new Northern Beaches Hospital. Credit:Nick Moir

He said Healthscope had "miscalculated" the number of people it needed to serve at the $660 million hospital, which opened less than three weeks ago. Nearly 2700 patients had visited the emergency department in its first 16 days, far more than was expected.

In an extraordinary letter sent to NSW Health boss Elizabeth Koff on Friday, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation NSW (ASMOF), representing 30 "fatigued" junior doctors, listed a raft of "grave concerns" about the private-public hospital.
The Labor donations included money generated at a March 2014 fundraiser at Crown Casino for Mr Perera and two other south-eastern Labor MPs, Ms Graley and Andrews government Attorney-General Martin Pakula. Mr Pakula said he never lobbied about the Cranbourne West rezoning. The fundraiser was organised by Phil Staindl, a well-connected lobbyist and Labor activist whose clients include Watsons and who confirmed helping Mr Woodman on the Cranbourne West rezoning push. Ms Graley, who is retiring this election, confirmed she received thousands of dollars from Watsons in her time as an MP, including at the fundraiser at Crown in 2014. Judith Graley says as a retiring MP her records have been shredded. Credit:Chad Van Estrop She said she thought she recalled writing to Casey council to support the Leighton rezoning after being contacted by residents opposed to industry on the Cranbourne West site. The Leighton/Kelly land is not in Ms Graleys electorate.

However, she said she would have trouble checking her records because, as an outgoing MP she had disposed of 12 years of paperwork. I have to check my records which Ive shredded, Ms Graley said. Labor MPs and insiders say Watsons is a regular and generous donor, especially at election time. Watsons has contributed to lots of campaigns and lots of MPs, said Ms Graley. The company is also an active member of Labor fund-raising body, Progressive Business. Through lawyers, Mr Woodman confirmed that he was a donor to both parties in support of their policies and better government. Loading

Mr Woodman notes that political donations are made to both political parties by a diverse range of donors from many walks of life and industries. These donations are an important part of resourcing the election campaign process, he said. He strongly denied any inappropriate donations. Currently donations of any amount are legal and The Sunday Age does not suggest otherwise. When Leighton first proposed the rezoning in 2014 Casey council opposed it. In 2015 after the state election, the council backflipped and backed the rezoning. Important to the councils rationale for the change of heart was the local community campaign against industrial use of the Leighton/Kelly land, waged by the Save West Cranbourne Residents Group, established in 2014/2015.

Mr Perera - who is also retiring - confirmed he had written to Mr Wynne in support of the Leighton rezoning after being approached by the residents group and by Woodmans close associate, planning consultant and lawyer, Megan Schutz. At various stages of the rezoning process Ms Schutz has represented both Leighton and the Kelly family. The Sunday Age has confirmed that Leighton funded the residents group. Last month The Sunday Age revealed that Ms Schutz registered the resident groups website in early 2015. Consultant Megan Schutz. The revelations highlight the murky confluence of planning, property, politics and cash in the burgeoning Casey municipality, one of the fastest-growing in Australia, which takes in Cranbourne, Berwick, Clyde and Hallam.

They come after The Sunday Age last month reported concerns among staff at the City of Casey about the influence of developers and other property interests. Some calls made by councillors this year have been so questionable that the council received legal advice warning it about "unlawful" and capricious decision-making. In January 2017 an independent planning panel backed the rezoning. It was widely anticipated in Casey that Mr Wynne would also support it. Mr Wynne told The Sunday Age that he had deferred his decision on the rezoning because of concern about a lack of employment opportunities in the Casey area. He said his department was doing more research to guide industrial land use in the south eastern corridor. Lack of jobs is a major problem in Casey where seven out of 10 working residents travel out of the municipality each day for work.

Planning Minister Richard Wynne has deferred a decision on the site. Credit:Pat Scala Leighton Properties is a subsidiary of former Leighton Holdings which was renamed the CIMIC Group in the wake of international corruption allegations. A CIMIC spokeswoman said the company would not comment. She would not say why. In a statement, Mr Pakula said that over the past five and a half years Watsons had attended three fundraisers for him including at Crown Casino. Any contributions made by Watsons have been below the relevant disclosure thresholds, he said.

Watsons have not sought to have me make representations on their behalf to the Planning Minister or anyone else, and I have not done so. Lawyers for Mr Woodman and Ms Schutz have threatened defamation action against The Sunday Age. A written statement on behalf of ALP secretary Sam Rae said: The Victorian Branch of the Labor Party declares all donations in accordance with the relevant legislation. We expect donors to do the same. The Andrews Labor Government has made historic changes to political donation laws, making them the strictest and most transparent in Australia. New rules to take effect next Sunday after this months election include a cap on contributions of $4000 over four years for all donors, and the requirement for real-time disclosure for all donations of more than $1000.
In a clinical review of her case in July 2017, St John Ambulance stated they had found no behavioural or resourcing issues. "Any delays experienced in receiving anti-venom  rest with the clinicians on duty at NRH (Northam Regional Hospital) ED. The time transfers ... requested by the regional hospitals are not influenced by SJA. But emails from some in the ambulance service show that questions were asked about Mrs Longmuirs treatment from as early as February 24, 2017. Stephanie is the sister in law of one of our Koorda volunteers so the concern has also been raised by him regarding delays in getting anti-venom that may be resulting in dialysis and/or kidney damage at the last report from him. One of our Wyalkatchem volunteers has also brought the issue up as was concerned that [Wyalkatchem] couldnt raise a transfer crew and felt there was a fail in that process, the email reads. Dissatisfied with her treatment, Mrs Longmuir wrote to the doctor who oversaw her treatment via video link.

In a letter dated April 10, 2017, she received an apology for her poor experience from the WA Country Health Service (WACHS). The letter also listed key issues including "the presence of a doctor on site, antivenin (also known as antivenom) and laboratory facility access. "This was not present at the Wyalkatchem Health Service and the transfer to a facility that can provide this should be expedited it read. Fast forward to 2018, and in reaction to the death of Mrs Nicholls and the story of Andrea Williams who was bitten by a snake on September 20 at Marvel Loch, WACHS has rolled out antivenom to 81 sites across the state. But a supply of antivenom alone is not the answer. Treating snake bite requires medical practitioners skilled and trained in the latest techniques, with resuscitation equipment at the ready in case the patient has an adverse reaction to treatment or suffers complications.

Brian Nicholls said his wife Mary had thought that a snake had passed over her foot when wheeling a wheelbarrow and although she was adamant she hadnt been bitten when son Stephen inspected her leg, he saw some dried blood on an area of skin exposed near her ankle and treated it as though she had been envenomed. Stephen, who had recently completed a first aid course, bandaged Marys leg from bite to thigh  which was probably the right thing to do, Mr Nicholls said. Loading The Australian Venom Research Unit at Melbourne University explains why pressure-immobilisation is recommended for snake bite. Its purpose is to retard the movement of venom from the bite site into the circulation, thus "buying time" for the patient to reach medical care. Research with snake venom has shown that very little venom reaches the blood stream if firm pressure is applied over the bitten area and the limb is immobilised.

"The treating doctor will decide when to remove the bandages. If a significant amount of venom has been injected, it may move into the blood stream very quickly when the bandages are removed. They should be left in position until appropriate antivenom and resuscitation equipment have been assembled. "Bandages may be quickly reapplied if clinical deterioration occurs and left on until antivenom therapy has been effective. Mr Nicholls said he witnessed the removal of his wifes pressure immobilisation bandage about 10.30am, shortly after her admission to Wyalkatchem hospital. In an interview on 6PR in October, Stephen Nicholls said the Wyalkatchem hospital did not have antivenom.

According to Mr Nicholls the bite was rebandaged some time later but Mrs Nicholls wasnt given antivenom until the RFDS arrived with it on board at 1.30pm. Dr Timothy Jackson, venom specialist and research fellow at the AVRU says: They should not have removed the bandage unless they were ready to administer antivenom. You need to be ready to treat the consequence of the removal of the bandage, to observe what changes and be ready for that. Both Stephanie Longmuir and Brian Nicholls have stated that although they rushed, there was no sense of urgency on arrival at Wyalkatchem hospital. Mrs Longmuir says she waited for three hours, and Mr Nicholls says he and his wife waited at Wyalkatchem for four hours. What is clear is that WACHS and the treating doctor knew of the procedural shortcomings regarding Stephanie Longmuirs case, acknowledged in correspondence to Mrs Longmuir as far back as March and April 2017. In an email sent on March 9, 2017 to the doctor who treated her via video link, Mrs Longmuir wrote: I am struggling since the snake bite which I feel was not taken seriously by anyone on my journey to hospital on the 22nd sept. I have had days of headaches vomiting and now have acute renal failure and on dialysis three times a week".

In his reply the following day, the doctor highlighted what could have been done better. Loading The list reads: 1. Initial transfer by the GP to a hospital with antivenom and pathology services. 2. Better first aid, good bandage, poor immobility. 3. Poor communication in delay of transfer between Wyalkatchem and Northam. And yet, Brian Nicholls said staff at Wyalkatchem wanted to send Mary by road to Northam, but that it was the ambulance crew who insisted the RFDS be called. They were adamant, fly her to Perth he said.

WACHS says for patients with significant envenomation, aeromedical transport to a tertiary hospital within the metropolitan area will always be needed". It is worth remembering that the ambulance crews involved are volunteers. Local people who donate their time and expertise to assist the community. But getting crews at short notice can be problematic. Stephanie Longmuir is right to ask why the RFDS was not called to fly her to Perth. Its one thing to supply the antivenom to the country. But as witnessed by Stephanie Longmuir and Brian Nicholls, there are questions around the capability of some, perhaps only a handful, of medical staff at some (not all) WA country hospitals. There is no doubt that it is hard to staff country hospitals and health services. There is an enormous amount of gratitude from people in the regions to doctors and nurses who elect to serve them.

The hours are long, the work challenging. Medical practitioners, integral to the wellbeing of the community are faced with the full gamut of emergency situations, including snake bite. And the successful treatment of snake envenomation requires skill. It isnt fair on doctors or nurses if they do not have the latest training, skills or equipment to treat snake bite. In emergencies, good, clear communication and up-to-date medical training is paramount. If any of that is in any doubt, patients should be flown to Perth without delay.
Wouldnt it be great if Australia could solve two huge problems with one smart policy?

Barely a day goes by without hearing commentary for or against negative gearing in the mainstream media. Credit:Louie Douvis

The two problems Im thinking of are the heartbreak of long and hopeless public housing waiting lists and their byproduct of homelessness (problem one) and the taxpayer burden (but property industry economic stimulus) that is negative gearing (problem two).

Barely a day goes by without hearing commentary for or against negative gearing in the mainstream media and the matter has been problematic for both sides of politics for successive elections. Should Australia continue the practice of middle class tax-breaks that is negative gearing? Or not? How big will the impact be on property and construction sector jobs if we dont? How big the electoral fallout from Australians who have invested in the property market to help to secure their futures?

Meanwhile in Victoria alone there is a huge shortfall in homes to meet the demand for those currently on public housing waiting lists, not to mention what Industry Super Australia calculates as an overall shortfall of affordable housing nationally of 350,000 units. Then add to those numbers the silent demand  those who have fallen through the cracks into homelessness because they cant see the point in adding their name to an already unfulfilled list. I walk past dozens of them every day in the CBD, as do you if you live or work here. I feel sad for them, but if Im to be brutally honest they are confronting to me. Now isnt that an awful way to feel about a fellow human being? Imagine how much better life would be for be for them, and for everyone else, if they had a roof over their head with lockable doors, privacy and dignity and a shower. Like I do, like you do.
Eager electors cast their vote early in Brunswick this week. Credit:Justin McManus

Victorias state election looks set to thrust a motley bunch of micro parties and fringe groups into the states parliament on the back of complex preference-swap deals.

But if you don't want your vote being used to elect someone you have never heard of, much less agree with, then there is no choice but to spend those extra few moments at the ballot box.

By taking the quick and easy option of voting above the line on the ballot paper, voters are allowing preferences to be distributed on their behalf, based on predetermined deals struck between parties.

Only by numbering their preferred candidates below the line on the ballot paper will voters ensure their votes are really going exactly where they want them to.
Ascending the stairs to the tiny Metropolitan Playhouse above the Connelly Theater is like climbing into an attic: There's always the possibility that you will discover lost treasure. This month, it's Robert Ardrey's Shadow of Heroes, now receiving a heroic revival (its first showing in New York since 1961). Ripped from the headlines when it debuted in London in 1958, its crystalline voice reverberates into our own time, causing chills.

The story takes place in Hungary between 1944 and 1956, and concerns real people: Laszlo and Julia Rajk (Trevor St. John-Gilbert and Erin Beirnard) are die-hard Communists resisting Hungary's Nazi occupation. Their friend, Janos Kadar (Michael Turner), is somewhat more malleable in his commitment to Marx, making him a prime candidate for promotion in the eyes of party bigwigs: "Utterly Enchanting," exclaims Communist leader Matyas Rakosi (Zenon Zeleniuch) upon learning that Kadar is a locksmith as if he's just been introduced to a unicorn. After the war, Kadar and Laszlo are given major positions in Hungary's new Communist government. But when Laszlo rejects the palatial villa expropriated to be his official residence in favor of a three-room apartment, his comrades on the central committee become suspicious.

Erno Gero (David Logan Rankin, center) toasts his comrades with champagne to celebrate their victory over the Nazis.

( Emily Hewitt)

"What disturbs the committee, comrade," warns party secretary Erno Gero (David Logan Rankin), "is that one member should live in a manner so flagrantly  some even say opportunistically  in contrast to the rest." In the name of equality, they insist he adopt a lifestyle vastly more luxurious than the bulk of his countrymen. His resolve to actually live the values he espouses leads to further confrontation and a show trial, as Hungary lurches through a period of instability leading up to the failed revolution of 1956.

Laszlo knows that the villa is a gilded cage and its retinue of servants, spies. Director Alex Roe eerily conjures that atmosphere of constant surveillance with the help of Bill Toles's sound design, which engulfs the audience in a haze of whispers. Vincent Gunn's versatile set of movable blocks seems to stuff the entirety of Budapest into the theater, while Jessie Lynn Smith's targeted lighting helps to create the back alleys through which the Rajks dart, and the prison cells in which they languish.

Joel Rainwater plays the Author in Shadow of Heroes.

( Emily Hewitt)

"Could we have a stronger light?" the Author (Joel Rainwater) asks as a spot goes up on the face of Gyula Szabo (a menacing Steve Humphreys), revealing this Communist secret policeman to be the same man who, in an earlier scene, tormented Julia at the behest of his Nazi paymasters. The metatheatrical conceit of having a character named "Author" step in and provide context works exceptionally well in this revival, the audience for which may not be familiar with the intricacies of postwar Hungarian politics. Roe takes full advantage of this device in his minimalist staging, and Rainwater proves to be a simultaneously engaging and dispassionate narrator.

The performances powerfully resurrect these historical figures: Wreathed in cigarette smoke, Rankin's Gero is positively Luciferian as he seeks to enslave weaker souls (like Kadar) and destroy the indomitable Rajks. St. John-Gilbert dutifully portrays a humorless ideologue in Laszlo, but it's Julia who really emerges as the hero of the story. With an electric mix of fear and resolve, Beirnard portrays a woman who takes on the machine and (briefly, gloriously) wins. While her survival is admirable, Kadar's is shameful. With unwavering humanity, Turner takes a character that could easily come off as a cowardly sleaze and makes him feel downright relatable. Given the same circumstances, would any of us do better?

David Logan Rankin plays Erno Gero, and Michael Turner plays Janos Kadar in Shadow of Heroes.

( Emily Hewitt)

Shadow of Heroes doesn't just pose this as a hypothetical question: 2018 suffers from no shortage of political opportunists. And a scene in which Julia attempts to reconnect with 5-year-old Laszlo Jr. (a heartbreaking James Ross) after spending the previous four years in prison bears an uncomfortable similarity to a real reunion, recently captured on film, between a detained migrant mother and her son. No, this isn't just the stale "relevant" theater of yesteryear, but a devastating record of the kind of cruelty and courage that echoes throughout human history.
An irritated Marchand-area resident took La Broquerie council to task last week over its handling of longstanding complaints about a neighbours farm animals, which she said continue to cause considerable damage to her yard.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/11/2018 (1101 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An irritated Marchand-area resident took La Broquerie council to task last week over its handling of longstanding complaints about a neighbours farm animals, which she said continue to cause considerable damage to her yard.

Louise Tetrault, a resident of Twin River Road, made an emotional plea to councillors last Wednesday, asking them to enforce a zoning bylaw violation and remove the animals from her neighbours property.

"My yard is now killed," Tetrault said. "Why is it not being dealt with? I dont understand."

She and her husband, Marc, later told The Carillon its been painful to watch pigs, sheep, and miniature horses tear up the lawn on the three-acre property where they hope to build their retirement home.

Tetrault told council she was chased into her vehicle by a loose pig as recently as the previous Saturday. A cow and a peacock have also wandered into her yard, she later added.

"All I could do was cry. Ive just had it."

She blamed inadequate fencing and inattentive owners for the at-large animals.

"My yard looks like it was tilled," she said as she surveyed the damage last Friday. Apple trees have already died from root exposure, she said, and nearby pines are also at risk.

The couple estimated one-third of the property is spoiled. Theyve retained a lawyer and intend to sue their neighbours to recoup damages after they receive an estimate from a landscaping company.

"It looks like a little bit of a disaster," conceded Reeve Lewis Weiss after viewing images of the damage.

Tetrault said shes asked La Broquerie administration repeatedly for more than a year to do something about the situation, filing a complaint in September 2017.

"It just kind of evaporated," she said.

Next, the couple approached Steinbach RCMP, who were reluctant to intervene without any obvious intent to cause bodily harm, Tetrault said.

Theyve installed security cameras but still worry children in the area will be injured by a large roaming animal.

Manitoba Agriculture referred Tetraults complaint back to the municipality, she said, despite her concerns about eggs, pork, and chicken being sold from an uninspected farm.

Lynn Fouillard, Tetraults neighbour, said YnL Farms, which she operates with her husband Yvon, is inspected by the province, but doesnt have a business licence.

The farm currently has 30 pigs, nine calves, six miniature horses, and about 200 fowl, Fouillard said. She blamed the loose animals on vandalized electric fencing, which she was unable to repair while her husband was away.

Anne Burns, La Broqueries chief administrative officer, told council the Fouillards have been "extremely uncooperative" with municipal staff. A bylaw officer delivered an enforcement letter in September. Its 30-day compliance window has expired.

Contrary to the Fouillards assertion that their animals are allowed under a so-called "grandfather clause," Burns said the RMs zoning bylaw has always required a conditional use permit for animals in a general development zone.

After another inspection, the RM plans to give the farm 14 days to apply for the permit, Burns said Wednesday.

Council last week voiced support for Tetrault, and said seizure of the animals may be necessary. Several councillors expressed surprise at the size of the farm.

Fouillard said shes skeptical a permit would be granted even if she applied, and said the eggs and meat she sells are an important source of income for her large family.

She added shes offered to sow grass seed on the damaged yard in spring.

Walking through the clumps of frozen mud that used to be his lawn, Marc Tetrault maintained the damage, six inches deep in places, requires more extensive repairs.
71 Dead, Over 1,000 Missing From California Camp Fire

Officials in California said that 71 people have died from the raging Camp Fire and that more than 1,000 people are missing.

The flames have destroyed entire towns and consumed thousands of houses, prompting widespread evacuations amid the carnage.

The death toll was at 71 as of Nov. 16, according to the Butte County Sheriffs Office, which also said that it had identified two sets of human remains as Paula Dodge, 70, and Randall Dodge, 67, both of Paradise.

Previously identified were Ernest Foss, 65, of Paradise; Jesus Fernandez, 48, of Concow, and Carl Wiley, 77, of Magalia.

The flames have consumed 148,000 acres and the fire is only 55 percent contained, Cal Fire said on Saturday. Approximately 12,200 buildings have been destroyed, as more than 5,600 fire personnel try to contain the fire.

The agency said crews made progress, implementing control lines in steep and rugged terrain, even as officials planned to send more fire engines and other resources ahead of projected high winds over the weekend.

More Than 1,000 Missing as Trump to Visit

The number of missing people has steadily risen as evacuations sometimes turn chaotic, with traffic choking up and leaving people to flee on foot.

Authorities said theyre trying to locate 1,011 people, although some of them may have been listed twice by mistake or already been found.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea called the list dynamic and said it will fluctuate.

Its a disheartening situation, she told reporters on Friday. As much as I wish we could get through this before the rains come, I dont know if thats possible.

Trump and California Gov. Jerry Brown have clashed before, but they both said they would work together on the deadly wildfires.

Now is the time to pull together for the people of California, Brown said on Twitter on Friday.

Trump responded, saying: Thank you, Jerry Brown. Looking forward to joining you and Gavin Newsom tomorrow in California. We are with you!

Newsom is the governor-elect. Trumps itinerary wasnt immediately available, but he departed Washington early Saturday.

Paradise

The town of Paradise was nearly completely destroyed. People who fled have to decide what to do next.

Some are thinking of rebuilding, but 56-year-old Kathleen Reed is not.

I love Paradise. I dont ever want to put my kids in the position again where they have to run away from a wildfire, she told the Los Angeles Times. Its just not safe to build in the forest anymore. Its the new normal.

Tim Bolin, the executive pastor of Paradise Alliance Church, said that his house and church were two of the few buildings that survived but all of his childrens homes were destroyed. Theyre going to set up trailers and try to figure out whats next.

Paradise is gone. When I drove through it, its gone, he said. But the sense is were going to rebuild.

From NTD News
A Big Look at a Little Planetary Neighbor

The little planet thats had so little attention will finally get a little more acknowledgementin seven years. A spacecraft, about the size of a moving-truck, is cruising through the darkness of space toward Mercury, the closest planet to the sun.

Unlike past missions, this one is a combination of several spacecraft packed together in a bundle. The entire bundle is called BepiColombo. The European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency each contributed one exploratory spacecraft.

After the seven year journey to Mercury, which began on Oct. 20, the two spacecraft will separate from each other, going into their own individual orbits. They will study the planet for at least a year, possibly up to two.

Mercury is the least studied planet in our solar system, and this will be only the second mission to study the planet at length. The main purpose of this mission is to answer questions about the origins of the planet, its inner and outer structure, its atmosphere, and the magnetic field around it.

Scientific instruments aboard the spacecraft will study Mercurys rocky surface, its magnetic field, and possibly liquid core. The instruments will measure particles, radiation, plasma, and even dust around the planet.

Einsteins theory of general relativity will also be tested. As the spacecraft cruise toward Mercury, it will watch for how fast radio waves bounce off the planet. The waves bounce back more slowly than predicted by Newtons traditional calculations. Einsteins theory says Mercurys mass stretches time-space, making the waves travel further, adding to their journey time.

Despite the useful astronomical information, being so close to the sun presents several difficulties for placing the spacecraft too. Forceful gravity from the sun and severe temperatures are two issues.

Temperatures range from below negative 290 degrees Fahrenheit, all the way to over 800 degrees. The spacecraft must be able to endure both extremes.

Missions, Past and Present

The mission is named after Italian astronomer Giuseppe Bepi Colombo. He helped plan the trajectory of NASAs Mariner 10 mission, the first mission to Mercury.

Colombo was also the first to set up interplanetary exploration using the gravity-assist maneuver. Thats when a spacecraft swings around another planet to change its speed. This is sometimes called a gravitational slingshot.

So far, only two missions have made flybys of Mercury, both launched by NASA. The first was Mariner 10 which made two flybys in 1974 and 1975.

Later came MESSENGER, which orbited Mercury over 4,000 times between 2011 and 2015. Its discoveries include ice and organic matter at the planets north pole. There is also evidence of once active volcanoes.

Mercurial Facts

Mercurys name comes from ancient astronomers. They noticed that it moved through the sky much faster than anything else. Ancient Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans all took names from their own religions, naming the planet after the messenger to the gods. Those names were Nabu, Hermes, and Mercury, respectively.

For those watching from Earth, Mercury only takes 88 days to orbit the sun. However, for someone standing on Mercury, one day there is actually two Mercurian years long. That is, one day for someone on Mercury is about 176 days on Earth. Thats because even though it goes around the sun quickly, it turns slowly on its axis.

Along with its uncommon rotation, Mercury has several other special characteristics.

Mercury is not only the smallest planet, its also the densest. It may also have a molten core. Mercury has almost no atmosphere due to low gravity and solar winds. Solar winds are particles coming from the sun, which also cause auroras on Earth.

Due to the low atmosphere, Mercury is also the most cratered planet in the solar system, similar to our Moon. The atmosphere on other planets can protect them from some asteroids, while, Mercury has almost no protection.

This makes Mercury a target of interest to astronomers, looking for explanations on the origin and development of planets.
Convicted drug pedlar Wang Xiongyin breaks down as she Is sentenced to death for selling 200 grams of heroin for 27,000 yuan back in 1999, in Guangzhou, 26 June 2003, as China marks the International Anti-Drugs Day. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

A Former Judge Recounts Mass Executions in China

Zhong Jinhua witnessed shootings, botched lethal injections, and organ harvesting

In this narrative essay, Zhong Jinhua, a former judge and lawyer in Wenzhou, southeastern China, shares his harrowing experiences as a witness to mass executions, as well as organ harvesting from death row prisoners during his 14-year-long career. Zhong spent five years as a judge in criminal trials, where he dealt with death row prisoners almost every day. His writing has been edited for clarity.

Whether it be China, America, or anywhere else in the world, serving justice in court and donning a judges robes is an honor to which many law practitioners aspire, myself included. With hard work and some luck, I got a position at the Wenzhou Intermediate Peoples Court after graduated from law school in July 1994. After serving as a legal clerk in the criminal division at a court of the first instance for over three years, I was appointed judge, a job I would hold for 14 years. In July 2008, I finally had enough and resigned to become a lawyer.

Throughout my 14 years in court, the nine years I spent in the criminal division were the most difficult to forget. I was the legal clerk for three years and then the criminal trial judge for another five years. I dealt with death row prisoners almost every day, and every month I had to witness a bloody execution on site. Here I want to lay bare the memories that haunt my brain, and hopefully, in doing so, banish the nightmare that has for years bedeviled my heart.

At the beginning, when I saw death row prisoners bound, their identities verified, and their sentences carried out, I thought it was simply a matter of punishing the wicked and maintaining justice, which is, after all, a judges mission. But as time went on and the number of executions I saw increased, I witnessed some brutal and unimaginably horrifying scenes that shook me to the core. My views gradually shifted. It became increasingly difficult for me to handle it emotionally and I was wracked with nightmares.

The first mental shock came around 1996 to 1997, at the Snow Mountain execution ground in Wenzhou. It made a strong impression, for one because it was one of the largest executions by firing squad I have ever seen, with 26 prisoners executed; and because many of them were members of two gangs in my hometown, Wenzhous Cangnan County, called the Refrigeration Plant Gang and the Xu Haiou Gang. It was at the height of another strike hard crackdown against criminal activities across China, and as an economically developed region in the southeast coast, Wenzhou had to play its part.

On the day of the execution, Snow Mountain was filled with Chinese armed police and public security officers. That afternoon, loads of death row criminals escorted by fully armed police arrived in military and police vehicles from all over the country. The prisoners were then moved to a wall of sandbags, against which they were made to kneel known in a row. Each of the armed police officers had a semi-automatic rifle that had been loaded in advance. They pressed the muzzles of their rifles against the prisoners backs, right around the heart.

I was still new to the court, recording minutes at trials, court panel hearings, and executions. It was horrifying to see such scenes for the first time, but remembering the duties entrusted to me by the government, I carefully counted all the prisoners from left to right, then back from right to left  they were 26 in total.

The commander gave the order to shoot, and the air filled with the thunderous report of gunfire. The prisoners fell one after another, their blood splattering everywhere. I began to see stars, and found it hard to stand straight. I rubbed my face and head with my hands in an effort to calm myself. Crematory staff soon came and pulled the bodies away on a flatbed cart.

Serving as a judge, I couldnt tell whether I was a defender of justice, or simply a murderer made legitimate by the veil of law.  Zhong Jinhua , Chinese judge

The scenes at the execution ground have always reminded me of the anti-Japanese war films that I saw when I was young, where Japanese soldiers gunned down Chinese en masse. It also made me think of the slaughterhouse where butchers threw dead pigs on flatbeds to be carted off. Its hard to pinpoint the exact sentiment; my heart felt very heavy.

The second memory that made a deep impression on me was an incident with an executioner from the Armed Police. I cant recall the exact time or place, but it most likely happened after I became a judge.

Im not sure who is tasked with executing death row prisoners in other regions of China, but here in Wenzhou, it normally is done by the Armed Police at the respective detention center. There were fewer prisoners than the previous time, but not by much. Right when everyone had taken their positions, we noticed that one guys arms and legs were trembling terribly. It was probably his first time carrying out an execution. The commander walked straight up to him and ordered him to stop shaking, but he couldnt help himself. The commander scolded him severely and gave the order to open fire.

But when the shots were fired, the prisoner kneeling right before the trembling armed policeman did not fall. He got up slowly and turned his mud-smeared face to look at him. The guard was so scared that he let out a loud cry and threw his gun up in the air, then began dancing like mad. Everyone was stunned. The commander quickly rushed up to the prisoner, kicked him to the ground, then shot him twice with his handgun. I dont know what happened to that executioner, whether he was disciplined or if he had mental scars from the incident, but the look of terror on his face will be with me forever.

Once, on a hot summer afternoon, I saw the execution of a female prisoner, a young woman sentenced to death by the Wenzhou Intermediate Peoples Court for her involvement in the smuggling of over 200 grams of heroin. The Supreme Peoples Court had approved the execution. I remember the whole process because I was tasked with verifying her identity. The drug dealer, clothed in a long white dress, was shrieking and crying desperately all the way from the detention center. She kept calling heaven and mother. Her two hands, tightly cuffed behind her back, had turned dark purple, and she was shaking uncontrollably. The instant she was made to kneel down, she suddenly let out a piercing scream: Heaven! Mother! Heaven! Mother! It was an unbearable thing to witness.

The gunshot rang out, and she in her long white dress fell to the ground and forever stopped crying. The forensic examiner said she was so frightened that she soiled herself.

I couldnt say anything but was overcome by waves of sorrow. Death penalty, how I loathe you, how hate you!

The fourth incident was an accident involving a lethal injection around 2001 or 2002, also at the Snow Mountain execution site. Lethal injection execution has been an execution method, in addition to shooting, since 1997. It was adopted in Wenzhou around 2001 or 2002. Lethal injection is supposed to be a more humane alternative, reducing the terror that the prisoner feels when facing the firing squad.

In this case, however, not only was the pain and fear not reduced, it was made even more horrible by the executioners negligence.

The executioner wasnt tasked with the prisoner in the case I handled, so by regulation it wasnt necessary for me to be there. But because Wenzhou only recently adopted lethal injection, as chief criminal judges we were encouraged to observe the execution process and familiarize ourselves with the method.

We first arrived at the newly renovated lethal injection observation room, which was connected to the execution chamber. The execution table was already in place, and a few staff clad in white gowns were moving equipment. A male prisoner was brought in. The bailiffs fixed his limbs and his head to different parts of the table and attached different injection equipment to. There were two execution buttons. The prisoner was silent and looked stupefied; he was paralyzed with fear.

The execution was carried out by a bailiff. Everything was in place, and the commander yelled ReadyStart! As the bailiff pushed one of the buttons, instead of seeing the prisoner go into the anesthetized sleep as planned, he suddenly began a violent struggle, bawling as though he were being torn limb from limb. Staff and guards tore off the supporting frames and equipment in a flurry, and quickly hauled the struggling prisoner outside. They pinned him to the ground and shot him in the head.

Later we were informed that the executioner had botched the order and mistook the lethal injection button for the anesthesia, leading to the grotesque ending. As a regular judge, I didnt have any power to change anything, all I had was silence and despair.

In addition to executions, it also shocked me to see doctors opening up prisoners bodies to take their organs. I had heard about it before in bits and pieces  the harvesting of organs from death row prisoners for organ transplant surgery was an open secret in Chinese government circles and throughout society  but seeing it with my own eyes was a terrible shock.

It was also at the Snow Mountain execution site, though I cant remember the exact time. It was when we were stilling carrying out the executions by firing squad. After the execution, I hurried to a nearby outhouse to relieve myself. On the way back, I went the wrong direction and entered a small building that was apparently being used as a makeshift operating room. The guy lying on the operating table was the prisoner who had just been shot dead. He was on his back, and there was a large and deep cross shape across his chest, all the way to the stomach. On one side, the abdomen was flipped outwards and hung down from the edge of the operating table as two doctors in white gowns extracted his organs. A strong, sickening odor filled the entire room, and I was so repelled that I was about to vomit. I turned and ran out of the building, then threw up on the grass near the buildings outer wall.

I still feel the urge to vomit whenever I recall that scene. It showed me plainly the existence of that open secret. I didnt know who was responsible for this behind the scenes and who gave them permission. I was completely in the dark on this.

Serving as a judge, I couldnt tell whether I was a defender of justice, or simply a murderer made legitimate by the veil of law.

In October 2003, I was transferred from the criminal division to the judicial supervisory division as the presiding judge. I stayed on for five years dealing with petitioners, miscarriages of justice, and false charges. In July 2008, I resigned from my position at the Wenzhou Intermediate Peoples Court and left the Chinese judiciary for good.

But nightmares continued to haunt me. I often dreamed of being dragged by throng of people to the guillotine. I would wake up, breathless and covered with sweat, at the precise moment when the blade dropped.

The executions took their toll on my colleagues as well. Once, on the way back from the execution grounds, a judge surnamed Zhang passed out and collapsed in a rice paddy.

When I was in China working as a criminal law judge, I opted for lenient punishment in all cases where it was possible to do so. I would fight tooth and nail whenever I had the chance not to give the death sentence. As a result, I offended quite a large number of colleagues and supervisors, but I have always believed that every law practitioner should consider respect for life and liberty as their basic ethical duty. Because everyone only has one life!

About the Author

Zhong Jinhua is an exiled Chinese human rights lawyer, former judge, freelancer.

From August 1994 to July 2008, Zhong Jinhua served at the Wenzhou Intermediate Peoples Court in Zhejiang, China, working as the law clerk in the criminal division, presiding judge, and presiding judge for the judicial supervisory division.

From July 2010 to August 2015, Zhong Jinhua worked at the Beijing Yingke Law Firm, Capital Equity Legal Group in their Shanghai law firm and Shanghai Junlan Law Firm as partner and senior partner, respectively.

On New Years Eve at the end of 2011, Zhong made a public announcement on his personal Weibo blog calling on Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to lift restrictions on political parties, freedom of the press, and democratic elections. He also declared that he would quit the Party and organize an opposing party to overthrow the CCPs dictatorship. As a result, he was summoned by Chinese authorities and was threatened with arrest. He was also dismissed by Dong Dongdong, director of the Beijing Yingke Law Firm. He was forced to leave his home for half a month.

During the 709 crackdown in 2015, when hundreds of rights defense lawyers and citizens were arrested, Zhong Jinhua was also harassed and invited to tea for advocating on behalf of rural petitioners and rights defense lawyers. On July 13, 2015, Chinese police came to his home with orders to arrest him, but he escaped thanks to outside pressure and support.

On August 11, 2015, Zhong Jinhua took his wife and two children to Shanghai Pudong International Airport. After spending three hours of custody and going through body searches, they were able to board a flight to the United States, where they are living in exile today.

Translation by Eva Fu

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Amid Progress Against California Blaze, Number of Missing Soars

PARADISE, Calif.Family members and survivors on Nov. 15 sought news of the 630 people considered missing after the deadliest wildfire in California history reduced much of the town of Paradise to ash and charred rubble, and killed 63.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire, said the blaze, named the Camp Fire, was now 45 percent contained, up from 35 percent on Thursday, even though it had grown slightly to 142,000 acres.

With nearly 12,000 homes and buildings burned, refugees from the fire have taken up residence in tents or their vehicles and filled evacuation centers to overflowing. Search teams, meanwhile, are in burned-out areas looking for bodies, or anything else that might carry human DNA for identification purposes.

Cal Fire said the Camp Fire death toll held at 63 overnight, but Miranda Bowersox, spokeswoman for the Butte County Sheriffs office, warned the number of missing people would fluctuate.

The overall number will go down but in the short term we expect will see new reports of people missing, she said.

In some cases, those unaccounted for have likely survived but not yet notified family or authorities that they are alive, or relatives may not yet have reported people missing. Poor cellphone coverage after the fire has also made communications difficult.

Last weekend, the Butte County Sheriffs office initially put the total of missing people at 228, many of whom have now been accounted for. But as fresh reports from relatives caused the list to rise to 130 from 103 late Wednesday, 297 by Thursday morning and 630 as of Thursday night.

The fire, which roared through Paradise, a town of 27,000 people in the Sierra foothills 175 miles north of San Francisco, on Nov. 8, is among the deadliest to have hit the United States over the last century.

Authorities attribute the death toll partly to the speed with which flames raced through the town, driven by wind and fueled by desiccated scrub and trees.

Weather conditions now are helping the firefighting effort, Nick Pimlott, a Cal Fire engineer, told KRCR TV. He said the winds had died down, allowing crews around Lake Oroville to the southeast of Paradise to construct fresh lines to contain the fire.

Many on the missing list are over the age of 65. Local officials and realtors have long sold Paradise as an ideal place to retire.

Brandon DuVall of Seattle said he last communicated with his retired father, Robert DuVall, in July after his father had bought a new pickup and camper. He received a call earlier this week that his fathers remains might have been found and now will go to California to provide a DNA sample.

Relatives of retired U.S. Navy veteran David Marbury, 66, are waiting to hear from him. No one has managed to speak with him since the wildfire began.

On Thursday, Marburys landlord confirmed to relatives that his duplex in Paradise had burned down. Sheriffs officials told them his car was still in the garage.

I really hope hes still alive and were going to be able to see him, Marburys niece Sadia Quint, 30, told Reuters by phone. We just hope that hes still with us.

Why Am I Here?

Some in Paradise were experiencing survivors guilt. Youre like, Why am I here?' Sam Walker, a pastor at the First Baptist Church of Paradise, told WBUR radio. Why is my family all here? Why are our churches still standing? I dont know. My house is gone, like so many others.

Thousands of additional structures remain threatened as firefighters, many from distant states, try to contain and suppress the flames.

More than 300 California National Guard troops are in the area searching for remains, as well as filling logistical, medical and administrative roles. Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Angle said seven soldiers from his battalion lost their homes in the fire, including one woman who asked to help with the recovery effort because it was better for her piece of mind to be part of it.

There have been other smaller blazes in Southern California, including the Woolsey Fire, which is linked to three fatalities and has destroyed at least 500 structures near the Malibu coast west of Los Angeles. It was 57 percent contained.

Scientists say two seasons of devastating wildfires in California are attributable to drought that is symptomatic of climate change.

President Donald Trump is due to visit the fire zones on Saturday to meet displaced residents.

Smoke from the Camp Fire has spread broadly. Public schools in Sacramento 90 miles to the south, and as far away as San Francisco and Oakland, canceled classes for Friday due to poor air quality.

Some of Paradises older residents who had lost their homes were concerned about where they would live.

Im just very hopeful I can work something out for the future, Norris Godsey, 82, told the San Francisco Chronicle at a church evacuation center in Chico. If thats not possible, I dont know what Ill do.

By Terray Sylvester
Relatives of the 44 crew members of the missing at sea ARA San Juan submarine react outside a hotel where they are staying in Mar del Plata, Argentina, on Nov. 17, 2018. (Marina Devo/Reuters)

Argentine Navy Submarine Found a Year After Disappearing, All 44 Aboard Dead

An Argentine Navy submarine was found on Nov. 17, under the surface of the Atlantic Ocean a year and two days after disappearing.

The Seabed Constructor, a vessel owned by United States-based Ocean Infinity, found the missing submarine.

The Ocean Infinity ship decided to do a new search and, thanks to God, it was able to find the zone, navy spokesman Rodolfo Ramallo told Todo Noticias TV, reported AFP.

Now another chapter opens. From the analysis of the state in which the submarine has been found, we will see how to proceed.

Ocean Infinity has been involved in a number of high-profile searches, including the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, according to the companys website.

The Argentine Navy confirmed in a statement that the vessel was found at a depth of 2,620 feet (800 meters). The submarine, the ARA San Juan, vanished around 270 miles (430 kilometers) off the Argentine coast on Nov. 15, 2017.

Search for the Truth

All 44 people inside the submarine were dead, as was expected due to the length of time the submarine had been missing.

Relatives of the crew indicated a sense of closure but noted that their work is not done.

We have found them, Jorge Villarreal, father of one crew members, told a local radio station, reported Reuters.

Now we are going to search for the truth. For us, this is the start of a new chapter.

Luiz Tagliapietro, the father of one of the sailors had told a local radio station eight days after the disappearance last year, that officials indicated everyone on board had died.

My sons boss confirmed that they are all dead. Theres no human being who survives that, he said. They are all dead. I cant talk much. They called me 15 minutes ago to tell me that it exploded.

Final Transmission Reported Fire

Just before vanishing, a crewman sent a strange message, heightening the mystery surrounding the subs disappearance. In addition, the last message transmitted from the sub reported a fire on board due to a short-circuited battery.

Along with the fire, the captain said water leaked into the ventilation system through the subs snorkel.

The water reached a battery connection tray in the prow and caused a short-circuit and the beginning of a fire, or smoke without flame, said Enrique Balbi, Argentine Navy spokesman.

They had to electrically isolate the battery and continue sailing underwater to Mar del Plata using another battery circuit.

The Argentine Navy also said an explosion was reported near where the vessel vanished, notified of the explosion by the United States Navy, which described the explosion as an unnatural sound.

Officials said that the submarine wasnt armed with nuclear weapons and the explosion was not believed to have involved a weapon. An international search effort was launched to find the ship but didnt turn it up and gradually dissipated.

From NTD News
A medical officer offers consultation to a returnee from Niger upon arrival at the Yaounde Nsimalen International Airport in Cameroon on May 9, 2018. (IOM/Serena Pescatore)

Bruised but Not Broken: Cameroonian Migrants Return Home to Find Solace

YAOUNDE, CameroonStill recovering from gunshot wounds on his left index finger and left leg, Jean Toukam sits in a semi-recumbent position in his small bungalow in Cameroons capital, Yaounde.

Toukams many costly endeavors to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, which he had hoped would positively change his life, proved futile. But the young agriculture and livestock technician is quick to thank God for bringing him back home in one piece.

I was fortunate to cheat death on several occasions, but other migrants didnt have such luckthey died in the desert. In fact, I have been to hell and back, Toukam said of his journey. He left Yaounde, passing through Nigeria and Niger, to the city of Sabratha on the Libyan coast, before falling victim to multiple instances of modern slavery.

Toukam, in his early 30s, is among thousands of desperate young people from sub-Saharan African wanting to migrate to Europe, traveling often dangerous routes, and enduring the harsh climatic conditions of the Sahara Desert and uncertain waters of the Mediterranean.

It is almost impossible to tally the number of adventurers who are Europe-bound, as they often use trafficking networks whose operations largely remain clandestine. The U.S. Department of State in its 2018 Trafficking in Persons Report says that the Government of Cameroon does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.

Against this backdrop, Cameroon continues to register new departures of economic migrants on a daily basis, just like Toukams case.

Illegal Migrants Cross

Toukam initially left Cameroon in November 2016 with the intention of meeting a Libyan friend to work on an agricultural project in Libya. With cash in hand, and a plan in mind, Toukam set out on a more than 3,000-mile trip to Libya.

The migrant says the journey from Yaounde to Ngaoundere in Cameroon, and then from Ngaoundere to Yola, right up to Kano in Nigeria was smooth. But that wouldnt last long.

Before I left Nigeria to Niger, I was robbed of all my cash. Fortunately, I had paid the connection agents [passeurs]. When we got to Niger, the smugglers who received us locked about 200 of us in a room in a bid to evade a state crackdown, Toukam told The Epoch Times. With tears filling his eyes, he described his three-month stay in one of the ghettos in Agadez, Niger, as life-threatening.

When it was time to move from Niger to Libya, Toukam says 25 of the migrants were wedged into the back of a pickup truck. Among the travelers, two died of dehydration in the Sahara Desert, while the smuggler just abandoned the rest.

Toukam succeeded in reaching Libya after a second attempt two weeks later, only to be sold as goods by his passeur. He was again locked up in an encampment, alongside others, by armed smugglers.

We were tortured several times with electric wires and given very little food and water. Two people even died, Toukam recounted. He says he bought his freedom with 800 euros ($900)money sent by his family back home. He then decided to cross to Italy.

Toukams attempt to reach Italy only landed him in more trouble, as he suffered another abduction by armed smugglers. It was then that he incurred the bullet wounds, when he tried to escape after four months in captivity. Toukam says it was thanks to the European Union that he was moved out of the detention facility and taken to a repatriation camp in Tripoli, Libya.

As with Toukam, Malvina (who preferred not to use her real name) was invited to Mali by her friend for a well-paid job. She used her wages to pay for a flight and set off with her 3-year-old son.

I stayed for six months without the promised job upon arrival in Mali. Life began turning a little frustrating, she said. I did a crash training course in transport and logistics, and got a job with a salary of 100,000 CFA francs [$173], less than half of what I used to earn back home, Malvina told The Epoch Times.

Already faced with an adverse situation, Malvina could manage life with her son, but it wasnt long until the company that she worked for faced a financial crunch and she was retrenched.

Life became extremely difficult. At this time, I was sleeping on a bare floor in an air-tight room with no furniture, Malvina recalled, almost breaking down in tears. She said that was the best accommodation she could afford.

She then decided to try her luck in neighboring Algeria. But after crossing the desert on foot, with her child strapped to her back and just two liters of water to survive the scorching sun, her mission wasnt fruitfulshe was repatriated to Mali.

Such are the awful experiences that are spoken about by many returnees from the road to Europe.

Joseph Ambi recounted how he spent over 800,000 CFA francs ($1,381), only to be sold as a laborer in Algeria by an agent in Cameroon.

My dream of setting foot in Europe never came to pass, he said. But his desire to return home wasnt easy either, though it did happen.

Home Sweet Home

Cameroon is overwhelmed with dissuading its youth from engaging in uncertain adventures in search of greener pastures. At the same time, the country is faced with the challenging task of increasing repatriation assistance to its migrant citizens in distress.

Local NGOs say most young people, especially girls, are trafficked out of the country to Europe and Middle Eastern countries such as Kuwait and Lebanon, where they end up as domestic or sex workers. Their conditions of work and living are often inhumane, characterized by forced labor, torture, and other acts of violence.

Under a joint initiative for migrant protection and reintegration, the U.N. migration agencythe International Organization for Migration (IOM)is helping migrants along the central Mediterranean routes to voluntarily return to their home country.

Since June 2017, the number of Cameroonian migrants assisted with return and/or reintegration stands at 2,397, Seybou Boubacar, IOM Chief of Mission in Cameroon, said.

We have so far chartered 10 flightsfive from Tripoli and five from Agadezto bring home migrants who voluntarily wanted to come back, Boubacar said. He says the agency has also covered the cost of returnees who came home on commercial flights.

In addition to giving each returnee 65,000 FCA francs ($112) for incidental expenses and as much as 750,000 FCA francs ($1,295) as seed capital, the agency, in partnership with government, has developed programs for the returnees and also given them psychological support.

More than 850 returnees are now gainfully self-employed in the cities of Yaounde and Douala, IOM officials told The Epoch Times.

Boubacar posits that false information about the successes of those who have migrated is responsible for the rise in new departures.

Now, Toukam, who faced hell on his way to Europe, has created a local association of returnees to make young people aware of the risk of irregular migration.

Others, such as Malvina, have set up small businesses that are flourishing and keep them away from the thought of embarking on such an adventure again.

Home is really home, Malvina said.
The practice promotes antibiotic resistance and risks exposing children to dangerous dosages, expired drugs with harmful products of degradation, and potential allergens, study leader Tamara Kahan of Northwell Health in Lake Success, New York, told Reuters Health by email.

Physicians should emphasize the importance of finishing the entire course of antibiotics so that there are no leftovers, disposing of leftover antibiotics when relevant, and the risks of sharing any type of medication with people for whom it is not prescribed, Kahan said.

Kahan and colleagues recruited parents nationwide through Amazon Mechanical Turk, a crowdsourcing online marketplace. Ultimately they evaluated the responses of 496 parents who met their inclusion criteria. Participants were 61 percent female and 69 percent white, with an average age of 34.

Overall, 454 parents, or 92 percent, said theyd had leftover antibiotics in the house. More than one-third of those parents (159, or 35 percent) said they had redistributed the leftovers to others, including children and adults. Antibiotic diversion, as the tactic is called, was more common with drops and liquids than with creams and pills.

Parents sometimes put other family members on the same dosage prescribed to the child who received the prescription. Or they estimated a new dosage according to the age of the family member.

As many as 16 percent of the survey takers said they gave their children adult medications.

It is unknown precisely how harmful the practice may be, either to people or through the promotion of antibiotic resistance. Those questions will be studied in the future, Kahan says.

The study provides interesting insight into a common problem of leftover antibiotics, said Dr. Jordan Taylor, a pediatric surgeon at Stanford University School of Medicine in California who was not involved in the research.

The researchers found that liquid or solution-based medications are more frequently stored and diverted; liquid or solution medications are used almost exclusively in pediatric patients as most cannot swallow pills. It would appear that more teaching needs to be provided by the providers or pharmacists on how to handle liquid medications once the prescription is complete, Dr. Taylor said.

A limitation of the study is the researchers use of Mechanical Turk to recruit study participants. Dr. Taylor believes that a study of people recruited in this manner might not generate findings that apply to the general public.

Also, Taylor said, It would have been interesting to ask the respondents why they kept the medications, or if they had discussed what to do with extra medication with their provider.

By Rob Goodier
Florida High School Massacre Panel Considers Recommendations

SUNRISE, Fla.The state commission investigating the Florida high school massacre began discussions on Nov. 16, on what recommendations it will make regarding student safety, mental health and steps to prevent future school shootings.

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Commission didnt pass any specific recommendations Friday at its latest gathering to consider the Feb. 14 attack that killed 14 students and three staff members at the school in Parkland. But it decided it will focus its initial batch of recommendations on less controversial areas such as school hardening before addressing difficult issues like mental health.

The 14-member panel must file its initial report to outgoing Gov. Rick Scott, his successor, and the Legislature by Jan. 1.

State Sen. Lauren Book, a member of the commission, said she expects all legislators will read the report and take it seriously, given the magnitude of the tragedy.

We all within the Legislature come from different backgrounds and different knowledge bases, Book said. Giving some information is good, getting too much into the weeds is dangerous.

Stoneman Douglas social studies teacher Ernie Rospierski, who herded students down a stairwell and used his body to barricade the door behind them after being grazed by two bullets, told commissioners to be very careful about putting more safety requirements on teachers because they are already overworked. But, he said, the panel needs to begin writing the playbook for preventing future tragedies.

Until that is finished, we are going to see this again and again, Rospierski said.

The commissioners decided not to go through their items publicly Friday. They said they would review possible recommendations accumulated by their staff individually, submit suggestions and concerns and then debate them publicly at their meeting next month.

Meanwhile, the attorney for the sheriffs deputy who was on the campus during the massacre started a charity website to raise money for the mans legal defense. Joseph DiRuzzo III started a GoFundMe page for now-retired Broward County sheriffs Deputy Scot Peterson in hopes of raising $150,000 to defend him against any spurious claims of criminal liability. As of Friday afternoon, $40 had been raised before the drive appeared to be shut down.

DiRuzzo noted the GoFundMe page in a lawsuit filed this week to block Scott Peterson from being forced to testify before the commission. Many commissioners have called Peterson a coward for not charging into the building with his handgun and confronting the shooter, who was armed with a semi-automatic rifle.

Security video shows Peterson arrived outside the three-story building where the killings happened shortly after the shooting began, about the same time the gunman finished slaying 11 people on the first floor. Peterson drew his handgun, but retreated to cover next to the neighboring building. The video shows Peterson never left that spot for 50 minutes, even after other deputies and police officers arrived on campus and went inside.

Panel members have said they believe Petersons inaction allowed suspect Nikolas Cruz to climb to the third floor, where five students and one teacher were killed. They believe if Peterson, 55, had confronted Cruz and engaged him in a shootout he could have killed him or given others more time to reach safety.

DiRuzzo said in his lawsuit that as the first deputy on scene, Peterson was the incident commander charged with coordinating law enforcements response until relieved by a superior. DiRuzzo said Peterson was never relieved and fulfilled that duty by directing officers into the building and ordering the closing of the school and surrounding streets.

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the panels chairman, said Friday that DiRuzzos lawsuit is a work of fiction.

Peterson did not do his job. Peterson is a failure, and he should be embarrassed and held accountable for what he did not do, Gualtieri said.

Also Friday, the commission learned that eight of the states 67 countywide school districts havent filed safety assessments mandated after the massacre.

State Education Commissioner Pam Stewart, a commission member, said Friday theres little she can do to districts that dont file the assessments, which were due Oct. 31. She said one countys report was delayed because of Hurricane Michael and others are completed but awaiting approval of their district school boards.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, a commission member, said the new state law should require the suspension of a districts superintendent and board chair if the deadline is broken.

The panel has been meeting periodically since April and includes law enforcement, education and mental health officials, a legislator, and the fathers of two dead students.

Cruz, a 20-year-old former Stoneman Douglas student, is charged with the slayings. He has pleaded not guilty, but his attorneys have said he would plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

By Terry Spencer
French Protesters Railing Against Macron Block Roads: One Killed

PARISThousands gathered on motorways across France on Nov. 17, to protest against higher fuel taxes and President Emmanuel Macrons economic policies, in a campaign of road blockades in which one protester was accidentally killed and dozens were injured.

Dubbed the yellow vests, protesters took to motorway sliproads and tunnel entrances, causing major back-ups at some highway tolls and blocking access to airports, including in Toulouse.

The demonstrations, coordinated on social media, and born out of a backlash against rising fuel prices, are the latest confrontation between Macron and dissatisfied voters who view the former investment banker as out of touch with ordinary people.

At a blockade in the southeastern department of Savoie, a driver panicked when protesters surrounded her car and she accelerated, hitting and killing a female demonstrator, French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said in televised comments.

The traffic back-ups and stoppages caused several other accidents and run-ins with frustrated drivers trying to get around them, and police said 17 people were in custody.

At least 47 people were injured across the country, including three seriously, according to the interior ministry, which by midday estimated that close to 125,000 demonstrators were taking part in Saturdays protests.

Police said they had used tear gas to clear the entrance to a tunnel under the Mont-Blanc mountain in the Alps.

Demonstrators were also on the march in cities, including around the port of Marseille and down the Champs Elysees in Paris. Some sported slogans such as give us back our purchasing power on the back of high visibility vests, which the protesters have adopted to symbolize their revolt.

There are just too many taxes in France, said Veronique Lestrade, a demonstrator on the outskirts of Paris, who said her family was struggling to make ends meet.

Hes Arrogant

In 18 months in power, Macron has seen off trade unions and street demonstrations as he loosened labor laws and overhauled the heavily indebted state rail operator SNCF in a bid to reboot the economy.

Derided by political opponents as the president of the rich for measures such as the end of a wealth tax, Macrons popularity has dwindled to new lows of 21 percent.

Tax hikes on fuel and tobacco as well as an increase to a social welfare levy before other tax cuts came into force have left some voters feeling squeezed.

The diesel tax increases, designed to encourage drivers to switch to more environmentally-friendly cars, were approved in late 2017, but bit when oil prices surged in October, angering some in the provinces who rely on their cars to get to work.

Ministers announced funds last Wednesday to help motorists on the lowest incomes, even if Macron is standing firm on his fuel policy.

Prices have eased this month, although protesters on Saturday had other complaints too, as Macrons next test at the ballot box in European parliamentary elections in May 2019 looms.

I happily voted for Macron in 2017, but hes really making fun of us, said Dominique Jouvert, 63, a retired civil servant demonstrating in Lyons city center. Theres no discussion to be had with him, no dialogue, hes arrogant.

Whats certain is that I wont vote for him again.
Brian Kemp attends the Election Night event at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia, on Nov. 6, 2018. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Georgias Brian Kemp Elected as Governor, Stacey Abrams Plans Lawsuit Again

Republican Brian Kemp declared victory as Governor-Elect of Georgia on Friday, Nov. 16, defeating Democrat Stacey Abrams in one of the most closely watched and contested races of the election.

Kemp won with 50.22 percent of the vote, which is just over the 50 percent threshold to avoid a runoff. Out of the total 3.9 million ballots cast, Kemp led by almost 55,000 votes as of Thursday night. Abrams would have needed more than 17,000 votes to push Kemp under the 50 percent threshold to force a runoff on Dec. 4, as per state law.

Abrams admitted defeat in a speech Friday night, but insisted it was not a concession.

Lets be clear: This is not a speech of concession. Because concession means to acknowledge an action is right, true or proper, Abrams said. I cannot concede that. Abrams said she refused to say nice things and accept my fate.

She also said she will start a new organization to advocate for voting rights, called Fair Fight Georgia. She plans to use the group to file a federal lawsuit against the state of Georgia for the gross mismanagement of this election.

Kemp tried to move past the contentious episode even if his opponent wasnt willing to. In a Twitter post on Friday night, he pledged to put Georgians first.

The election is over and hardworking Georgians are ready to move forward. We can no longer dwell on the divisive politics of the past but must focus on Georgias bright and promising future, Kemp wrote. We will be a state that puts hardworking Georgiansno matter their zip code or political preferencefirst!

The election is over and hardworking Georgians are ready to move forward. We can no longer dwell on the divisive politics of the past but must focus on Georgias bright and promising future. #gapol (1 of 3)  Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) November 16, 2018

Kemp had been secretary of state since 2010. He was backed by and supported President Donald Trump.

Trump congratulated Kemp in a Twitter post on Friday night.

Congratulations to Brian Kemp on becoming the new Governor of Georgia, Trump wrote. Brian was unrelenting and will become a great Governor for the truly Wonderful People of Georgia!

Stacey Abrams fought brilliantly and hardshe will have a terrific political future! he also wrote.

Abrams said she acknowledged Kemps victory, but alleged that he had been involved in what she called deliberate and intentional efforts to suppress votes during the election. Her campaign had even planned for possible litigation to challenge the elections certified outcome, under a law that allows losing candidates to contest the election in situations where misconduct, fraud or irregularities applied.

Abrams did not ultimately take this route, which would have required substantial legal burden to prove her case.

Kemp responded to Abrams ending her campaign by praising her passion, hard work, and commitment to public service.

Georgia has not elected a Democrat for Governor since the 1998 election.

Lawsuits in a Tight Race

The election was ripe for controversy since Kemp was also Georgias secretary of state. He resigned from the position on Nov. 8, and said that it was, in part, to give public confidence to the certification process. Five Georgia voters had sued him on election day to block him from overseeing the election, one of the responsibilities of the official position.

On the morning after the election, Kemp was ahead by 1.9 percentage points. Abramss bet to force a Dec. 4 runoff was in large placed on the provisional ballots that are provided to people whose identity or registration cant be verified at the polls. Those votes are only counted if people prove their eligibility within three daysby Nov. 9.

Following Nov. 6, Abrams mobilized her campaign to contact voters and urge them to confirm their provisional votes. She also filed a lawsuit trying to change the rules for accepting ballots with errors and omissions.

Abramss lawsuit (pdf), filed on Nov. 11, asked District Judge Steve Jones to order absentee ballots that are missing correct birthdate information on the envelope to be counted as validJones ruled late Wednesday, Nov. 15, in favor of the request.

However, Jones had declined two requests in the same lawsuitone to extend the deadline for verifying provisional ballots to Nov. 14, and another that would allow people with provisional ballots who tried to vote in a county where they werent registered to have their votes counted.

Abrams did win a previous suit on Nov. 9, when District Judge W. Louis Sands ruled that Dougherty County, Georgia, must accept all absentee ballots between Nov. 6 and Nov. 9, to give extra time for a region devastated and delayed by Hurricane Michael in October. The suit had been filed by the Democratic Party of Georgia on behalf of Abrams campaign on Nov. 8.

Pter Svab of The Epoch Times, and The Associated Press contributed to this article

From NTD News
GOP Holds Senate Win as Florida Recounts End, Lawsuits Ebb

Florida Gov. Rick Scotts victory in the race for a U.S. Senate seat is nearing official acknowledgment. The race already went through machine and hand recounts. A slew of lawsuits filed by Scotts opponents is running out of arguments that would pack enough punch to flip the result.

After the hand recount concluded on Nov. 18, Scott still led by about 10,000 votes against the incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who conceded the race after learning the results.

President Donald Trump congratulated Scott via Twitter.

From day one Rick Scott never wavered. He was a great Governor and will be even a greater Senator in representing the People of Florida, he said. Congratulations to Rick on having waged such a courageous and successful campaign!

The Florida election results are to be certified as official on Nov. 20.

Hand Recount

The hand recount only checked overvotes and undervotesballots where people picked more candidates than allowed or didnt mark a candidate in some races. There were about 93,000 such votes.

Nelsons hope was that the vote-counting machines missed a lot of properly filled ballots for the Senate race in the heavily Democrat-leaning Broward County. About 25,000 more voted in the Governor race than in the Senate race in Broward County.

But the election workers determined otherwise, mostly seeing that Broward County voters really skipped the Senate race, according to Mother Joness Pema Levy, who observed the recount.

Folks on the floor here in Broward seem to agree that the vast majority of ballots here are no votes in the Senate race, she said in a Nov. 16 tweet. Bad news for Nelson, who needs to pick up thousands here. Not on track to do that.

In the end, Nelson collected 410 more votes in Broward, while Scott had 136 votes added to his tally, The Miami Heard reported.

Also on Nov. 16, District Court Judge Mark Walker rejected demands in several lawsuits. One suit, by Nelson, demanded the state nix its rules for judging ballots with errors. Another, by the League of Women Voters, demanded that Scott recuses himself from election-related actions as a governor, the Sun Sentinel reported. Walker also dismissed (pdf) a demand that the deadline for mail-in ballots be extended 10 days beyond the election day, which is now only allowed for the overseas voters.

Scott is to be replaced in office by former Congressman Ron DeSantis, a Republican, who ended up nearly 34,000 votes ahead of Democrat Andrew Gillum after the machine recount. The lead represents a margin of 0.41, above the 0.25 percent threshold that triggers a hand recount.

Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee, refused to concede after the recount, pointing to pending litigation that may still reshuffle a bit the rules for which votes should or shouldnt be rejected. On Nov. 17, however, Gillum changed his mind and acknowledged DeSantis was the winner.

Troubled Election

The Florida election was riddled with law violations and signs of incompetence, if not fraud.

Scott had a judge rule in his favor in a suit that alleged that Susan Bucher, the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections (SOE), didnt allow Scotts campaign representatives to be close enough so they could monitor Buchers staff, who were copying damaged mail-in ballots.

Another judge also confirmed Scotts allegation that Broward County SOE Brenda Snipes violated Florida public records laws. The county was two days late submitting its results for early and mail-in votes. In the few days after the election, Snipes also provided inconsistent answers on how many ballots were still left to count. Scott then alleged that Broward was mysteriously finding more votes to aid his opponent.

On the other side, Nelson had Judge Walker rule partially in his favor, acknowledging that Florida laws have deprived some people of the opportunity to prove the veracity of their rejected mail-in ballots. Those ballots were rejected for having signatures not matching the official record. Walker allowed some voters to confirm their votes by Nov. 17, while the standard deadline was Nov 5.

The judge rejected Nelsons broader request to automatically accept all mail-in ballots with signature mismatches. There were perhaps 5,000 such rejected votes, the judge estimated.

Referred to Feds

On Nov. 9, the Florida Department of State requested federal prosecutors investigate cases where voters were provided with altered forms to verify their rejected mail-in ballots. The forms instructed people to submit them by Nov. 8, while the correct forms list the lawful deadline of Nov. 5.

Emails and other information released by the State Department as well as Naples Daily News indicated the Florida Democratic Party was spreading the altered forms.

The party was hoping a judge would postpone the deadline for the forms, an unnamed Palm Beach Democratic activist told the paper. Judge Walker indeed did so.

Making or using an altered State Department form is illegal under Florida law.

Update: The report has been updated with additional information regarding the results of the hand recount, a lawsuit relevant to the election, the results of the Senate race hand recount in the Broward County, the concession of their races by Andrew Gillum and Sen. Bill Nelson, and a comment of President Donald Trump.

Correction: A previous version of this report misstated the name of Sen. Bill Nelson. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
Great-Grandmother Marries Ex-Fiance After 64 Years Apart

Janet Skillingstad, an 82-year-old great-grandmother from Minnesota, recently got back together with the teenage boyfriend she rejected more than six decades ago, and the pair couldnt be happier.

Not too many people get a second chance, said 81-year-old Gene Ertel in a touching video from Boyd Hupperts Land of 10,000 Stories by KARE11.

Ertel proposed to his girlfriend in 1954, and at first she said yes. However, she started to think about her desire to go to school and become a nurse, and she soon gave the ring back.

I didnt want to tie him down for three years, she said. I thought I was doing the right thing at the time.

The couple went their separate ways, but Ertel never forgot her.

Janet & Gene just got married  64 years after Janet broke off their engagement to go to nursing school. Both married    Boyd Huppert's Land of 10,000 Stories     

Skillingstad and Ertel both later wed other people and had children. Skillingstad eventually lost her partner, and Ertel lost two spouses.

In December 2017, Ertel, a great-grandfather himself, was told he had prostate cancer, and he began thinking hard about his lifeand the girl he once loved.

He talked to a friend who had experience as a private investigator and asked for help. Soon, Ertel had a phone number. Although he was nervous, he found the courage to make the phone call to his former flame.

When I call her, I says, Dont hang up. This is not a prank call,' Ertel said.

Their conversation lasted for 90 minutes. From then on, they spoke nearly every day.

Land of 10,000 Stories: Janet & Gene A Benton County great grandmother has just married her boyfriend  64 years after breaking off their engagement. "I never stopped thinking about her," Gene Ertel, 81, said about Janet Skillingstad, 82, his new bride.Here's the full story: https://kare11.tv/2zXuwTo    Boyd Huppert's Land of 10,000 Stories     

The couple found out they had lived within 30 minutes of each other their whole lives. They soon met up in person and started dating again.

She called me and she said, Well, Eugene wants me to go with him to such-and-such. Is that okay?' said Ruth Beniek, Skillingstads daughter.

Beniek is a middle-school teacher, and she could tell by the way Skillingstad and Ertel behaved around each other that they were falling in love again.

It was very much like two teenagers, said Beniek, laughing.

Just two months after that first phone conversation, Skillingstad had a new ring on her finger.

Could have been quicker, said Ertel.

They finally married in a beautiful ceremony on Oct. 26.

I couldnt turn him down a second time, she said. Thatd be devastating,' Beniek said her mother told her after the repeat proposal.

However, Ertels prostate cancer diagnosis remained on the minds of everyone. Hes now receiving treatment, and he and his new wife are taking life one day at a time.

It doesnt matter if theyve got one day, ten days, or 100 days left. Theyre going to just love, said Beniek.

Although the couple has not yet taken a honeymoon trip together, their happiness and contentment is clear in the smiles on their faces.

Every day is a honeymoon with Janet, said Ertel.
Minnesota Rep.-elect Ilhan Omar speaks at an election night results party in Minneapolis, Minn., on Nov. 6, 2018. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

House May Change 181-Year-Old-Rule After Election of 2 Muslims

The House of Representatives is changing a rule enacted in 1837 due to the recent election of two Muslims.

A ban on hats was enacted 181 years ago by members who wanted to break from a tradition in British Parliament of wearing hats on the floor.

But the rule could be clarified after the election of two Muslims to the House, Rep.-elect Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rep.-elect Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).

Under the proposal, people will be allowed to wear religious headwear and coverings for medical reasons, reported the New York Post.

There are those kinds of policies that oftentimes get created because people who have blind spots are in positions of influence and positions of power, Omar told The Post.

I think it will be really exciting to see the stuff that we notice within the rules that dont work for a modern-day America.

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) also praised the move. Coleman underwent chemotherapy in the past few months and lost her hair. She wears a hat outside but took it off to vote on the House floor.

I dont think I would start wearing a (hat) now, but I recognize that if someone else has the same issue and wants to, they should be able to, Coleman said.

Change Sought

A group of Democrats including current House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Rep. Jim McGovern (Mass.) and congresswoman-elect Omar are working to change the rule, reported the Washington Post.

The rule change isnt certain yet, according to the publication, which stated: It is unclear whether members of other faiths would take advantage of it.

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), whose seat Omar won after he ran for Minnesotas attorney general seat, was the first Muslim in Congress but the rule didnt affect him because Muslim men dont wear religious headgear.

While Omar always wears a head covering, Tlaib does not.

According to an article detailing the history of the hat ban, it was passed with virtually no debate. In the institutions early years, Representatives and guests in the galleries routinely donned their hats while the chamber was in sessiona custom that hearkened to British Parliament.

Proposed bans failed for years. Arguments against them included a reference to how the members of the British House of Commons wore them to symbolize their independence from the King of England, and wearing them in the United States showed a similar independence. After over 15 years of debate and failed proposals, the House finally adopted the rule, which stated: Every member shall remain uncovered during the sessions of the House.
Isolated Tribes Under Threat by Illegal Logging in Brazil

PORTO ALEGRE, BrazilThere is a natural symbiosis between humans and natureand this connection is even stronger between indigenous people and their land. In 1988, after centuries of massacres and harmful policies, the federal Constitution granted Brazilian indigenous peoples rights over their traditional lands.

Some of these territories are granted to tribes that, by option or circumstances, have no contact with the outside world. However, violations of their rights are on the rise.

A major threat to these uncontacted peoples comes from the illegal timber trade. Recently, the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau indigenous reserve in the Amazon region, where at least three isolated tribes live, was invaded by illegal loggers. An international campaign to raise awareness about this situation was launched by Kaninde, a third-sector agency that works with tribes living in the reserve.

The Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau case is not an exception. According to the Indigenous Missionary Council, an organization focused on indigenous rights, 26 out of 112 isolated tribes identified in Brazil have their existence threatened by illegal logging. Brazil has the largest number of isolated tribes in the world.

Ongoing efforts to protect forests have not been enough to prevent illegal logging and deforestation. A report released by the World Wildlife Fund on Oct. 29 states that the Amazon rainforest has lost about 20 percent of its original area since 1970.

And data from the National Institute for Space Research indicates a slight increase in deforestation rates2,682 square miles in 2017 compared to 1,765 square miles in 2012, when the lowest rate was recorded. But it is still much lower than the rates of the 1990s and early 2000s, when it peaked at over 11,000 square miles.

Opening the Way

The idea that illegal loggers tear down all forest trees they find is not accurate. Massive deforestation is more often caused by soybean and cattle farmers who want to illegally expand their lands. Ivanete Bandeira from Kaninde says that illegal loggers destroy the forest in a selective way, as they choose only the most valuable types of wood to harvest.

Despite not causing extensive deforestation at first, the illegal timber trade opens up the way to other criminal activities. Loggers usually steal high-value timber and then leave the region, leaving behind open roads into the area.

These roads can lead to further deforestation, this time of less valuable trees, but still profitable, said Romulo Batista, Greenpeace Brazils Amazon campaigner. So the illegal hardwood extraction is the first step to illegal massive deforestation.

Illegal logging is not practiced by lone wolves, but by organized criminal groups, which usually approach indigenous tribes in two different ways: by persuading them with financial offers or by illegally invading their lands. In the second case, it is not rare for armed conflicts to emerge. Seventy indigenous people were murdered in conflicts in 2017, Brazilian newspaper O Globo reported.

It is very difficult to track the illegal timber market. It is believed that most of the timber stays in Brazil, although hardwood is often also exported to Europe and North America. An example is the ipe tree (also known as Brazilian walnut, frequently used for flooring), an endangered species highly desired among illegal loggers; 500 board feet of the timber can sell for up to $2,700.

Non-Contact Policy

The terms isolated or uncontacted dont necessarily mean that these indigenous groups have never had any contact with the outside world or are unaware of it.

There is an idyllic idea of people living in a pre-industrial era. Many of them already had some contact with society but chose to be apart from it, said Barbara Maisonnave, an anthropologist at the Federal University for Latin American Integration in Iguacu.

The current policy for isolated indigenous people is to restrict contact with them to only life-threatening cases. Only the official National Indian Foundation (FUNAI) is allowed to contact the tribes, as a way of protecting them from diseases and cultural clashes that could undermine their way of life.

This non-contact policy has, overall, been considered positive by many experts. But, according to Maisonnave, it could be improved, especially regarding the relationship between contacted and isolated tribes.

The contacted indigenous who share territory with the isolated ones want to take part in the discussion of new policies, but FUNAI doesnt listen to them. It would be interesting to know what they have to say, she said.

Environmental Harm

It is not only the people who are affected by illegal logging within indigenous reserves, but also the natural environment itself. Inside the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau land lie the sources of 17 of the most important rivers of the Amazon Basin, which are crucial for developing agriculture and as a water supply for the population.

Furthermore, there is a high risk of losing biodiversity.

This illegal market destroys scientific knowledge and chances to develop new medicines, for instance, said Bandeira.

One of the reasons for the increasing threats to the indigenous peoples is that responsible authorities dont have sufficient resources to patrol indigenous lands to deter and apprehend criminals.

Government resources allocated to FUNAI were cut by 40 percent from 2014 to 2017, according to Brazilian investigative journalism agency Publica. In addition, illegal loggers rely on impunity, Bandeira explained.

Even though sometimes they are arrested, the [justice system] often releases them, so it becomes a lucrative business, Bandeira said.

Besides effective forest surveillance, Greenpeaces Batista said the solution for illegal logging lies in making the wood market more accountable and transparent.

Buyers in Sao Paulo or in London should be able to know whether the wood from the pool deck they are aiming to buy was legally obtained or not. This should come along with a vigorous environmental inspection every time logging enterprises are licensed, he said.
Pence Vows No End to Tariffs Until China Bows

PORT MORESBYThe United States will not back down from its trade dispute with the Chinese regime, and might even double its tariffs, unless Beijing bows to U.S. demands, Vice President Mike Pence said on Nov. 17.

In a bluntly worded speech at an Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit in Papua New Guinea, Pence threw down the gauntlet to China on trade and security in the region.

We have taken decisive action to address our imbalance with China, Pence declared. We put tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods, and we could more than double that number.

The United States, though, will not change course until China changes its ways.

The stark warning will likely be unwelcome news to financial markets which had hoped for a thaw in the Sino-U.S. dispute and perhaps even some sort of deal at a G20 meeting later this month in Argentina.

President Donald Trump, who is not attending the APEC meeting, is due to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Argentina.

Pences warning on Saturday contrasted with remarks made by Trump on Friday, when he said he may not impose more tariffs after China sent the United States a list of measures it was willing to take to resolve trade tensions.

Trump has imposed tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports to force concessions on a list of demands that would change the terms of trade between the two countries. The Chinese regime has responded with import tariffs on U.S. goods.

Washington is demanding Beijing improve market access and intellectual property protections for U.S. companies, cut industrial subsidies, and slash a $375 billion trade gap.

There was no hint of compromise from Pence.

China has taken advantage of the United States for many years. Those days are over, he told delegates gathered on a cruise liner docked in Port Moresbys Fairfax Harbour.

He also took aim at Chinas territorial ambitions in the Pacific and, particularly, Xis Belt and Road Initiative to expand land and sea links between Asia, Africa, and Europe with billions of dollars in infrastructure investment.

We dont offer constricting belts or a one-way road, said Pence.

While not referring directly to Chinese claims over various disputed waters in the region, Pence said the United States would work to help protect maritime rights.

We will continue to fly and sail where ever international law allows and our interests demand. Harassment will only strengthen our resolve.

Just minutes earlier, Xi had spoken at length about his initiative and the need for free trade across the region.

It is not an exclusive club closed to non-members, nor is it a trap as some people have labeled it, Xi said of his brainchild project.

He also called protectionism a short-sighted approach that was doomed to fail.

History has shown that confrontation, whether in the form of a Cold War, hot war, or trade war will produce no winners, said Xi.

by Jonathan Barrett, Tom Westbrook, Charlotte Greenfield and Philip Wen
President Trump Says Troops to Stay at Border As Long as Necessary

President Donald Trump said that troops would stay at the border as long as necessary as thousands of migrants poured into the Mexican border town of Tijuana, causing clashes with the locals there.

Speaking with reporters on Saturday morning before leaving to tour the California wildfire devastation, Trump said have built great fencing, they built a very powerful fence.

The fence is fully manned, nobody gets through, he said. When theyre caught, theyre not released.

Trump ordered up to 15,000 troops to the border as up to 10,000 migrants spread across three caravans surged toward Tijuana, beginning to arrive there several days ago. Some 5,900 troops are currently deployed across California, Arizona, and Texas to provide support for Border Patrol agents.

Officials said that they were prepared for a large group of people rushing the fence, which has been discussed by some of the migrants.

We do have who we need in place and just like always, were maintaining our border security. Anybody that is trying to unlawfully enter into the United States in between a port of entryits illegalso this is what were here for, this is what were doing. Were protecting our border, Tekae Michael, Border Patrol public affairs officer for the San Diego Sector, told the Epoch Times.

Anybody coming to claim asylum into the United Statesthe legal way to do it is through a port of entry and presenting yourself and asking permission to come in. If you do choose to cross illegally in between a port of entry, you will be arrested and you will be prosecuted.

Proclamation

Preparing further for hundreds or thousands of people illegally rushing into the United States, President Trump recently issued a proclamation making those who entered outside a port of entry ineligible for asylum.

In the proclamation, Trump noted that the migrants rejected an asylum offer from Mexico before traveling to the United States, and how most migrants claim a credible fear of persecution or torture but only a fraction of those who claim the fear ultimately qualify for asylum.

On Friday, Trump wondered why migrants heading to the United States seem to always be waving flags of the countries theyre fleeing from.

If they have such fear and such problems, and they hate their countries, why do we see all the flags being waved? he asked. For Guatemala, for Honduras, for El Salvador  This has nothing to do with asylum, it has to do with getting into the country illegally.

Possible Government Shutdown

President Trump has discussed negotiating with lawmakers to trade amnesty for some illegal aliens already in the United States for funding for a border wall.

Asked if hed be okay with a government shutdown if he doesnt get the funding, Trump said that this would be a good time, referring to how the lame-duck House of Representatives will change from Republican to Democrat control at the New Year.

Were talking about border wall, were talking about quite a big sum of money, about $5 billion. And I think probably if I was ever going to do a shutdown over border securitywhen you look at the caravan, when you look at the mess, when you look at the people coming inthis would be a very good time to do a shutdown, he said.

I dont think its going to be necessary, because I think the Democrats will come to their senses, and if they dont come to their senses, we will continue to win elections.

From NTD News
Tallahassee Yoga Studio Shooting Hero Joshua Quick to Get $30,000 for College Expenses

The Board of Trustees at Florida State University (FSU) raised $30,000 with their personal money to take care of the college expenses of Joshua Quick, the second-year law student who was hailed as a hero after the Hot Yoga Studio shooting in Tallahassee.

Board Chair Edward Burr made the announcement during a Nov. 16 board meeting, two days after Quick was given the Key to the City by Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum.

Id like to announce that the Board of Trustees has raised $30,000 to the scholarship has been promoted for Joshua Quick, he said.

It was my honor to recognize FSU law student Joshua Quick at the Board of Trustees meeting. In the face of unspeakable tragedy, Josh risked his own life and undoubtedly saved others. He is a true hero, and were proud to call him one of our own. pic.twitter.com/uaqKgzO1N0  President John Thrasher (@FSUPresThrasher) November 16, 2018

Quick and his parents were invited to the board meeting by FSU President John Thrasher in order to recognize his courage: I just want you to know how much gratitude, we care for you and what you did.

In the face of unspeakable tragedy, Joshua was fought back against the attacker, risking his own life and undoubtedly saving the lives of others, Thrasher said as he invited Quick to the podium.

Quick received a standing ovation.

Thank you all so much for the recognition that I dont feel I deserve, but Im very grateful for it, he said.

Preident Thrasher later announced the fundraising for Quick.

Joshua got the Key to the City yesterday from the city of Tallahassee. We dont have a key to give him, but I will tell you what we are gonna do. With deans leadership, were gonna start an effort to raise enough money to take care of his expenses at the law school for the rest of his time here.

Tallahassee Yoga Studio Shooting

On Nov. 2, a man took out a handgun and started shooting after posing as a customer at Hot Yoga Tallahassee.

Quick grabbed a vacuum cleaner and hit the gunman during the shooting. He tried to stop the shooter again with a broom after the gunman pistol-whipped him.

Quick was later seen talking to a first responder with blood on his face and t-shirt.

His actions allowed others to escape the studio.

When presenting Quick the Key to the City, Mayor Gillum said he had no doubt that many lives were saved thanks to his actions, Tallahassee Democrat reported.

The Yoga Studio Shooting left two dead, five injured.

Maura Binkley, a 21-year-old student at FSU, and 61-year-old doctor Nancy Van Vessem were killed in the incident.

Van Vessem was the chief medical director for Capital Health Plan and also a faculty member of FSU.

The authorities have identified 40-year-old FSU graduate Scott Paul Beierle as the suspect. He was also a military veteran.

Beierle was found dead at the scene with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Tallahassee Democrat reported that Beierle was an odd loner and self-described misogynist who had a history of arrests for grabbing young women around the FSU campus.

He lived in Deltona, Florida, but was staying in a hotel while in Tallahassee before the shooting, the Wall Street Journal reported.

According to the Associated Press, Beierle appeared to have made a series of YouTube videos in 2014 in which he ranted against woman and blacks.

From NTD News
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) (L) and Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) update reporters about the election recount happening in Florida during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol November 13, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Top Democrats Coordinate Recount Messaging in Georgia and Florida

Prominent current and former Democratic officials are sending a coordinated message about undecided races in Florida in Georgia, telling constituents and the media that the elections in the closely-watched races will be considered stolen if the Democratic candidates end up losing.

Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton told an audience at the University of Texas at Austin on Nov. 13 that Georgias Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams would have already won her election if the race was fair.

If she had a fair election, she already would have won, Clinton said at the universitys Lyndon Baines Johnson school of publics affairs, where she accepted an award for public service.

Clinton is reportedly mulling a 2020 presidential bid, her third would-be attempt for the White House. During her speech, she accused people on the other side of attacking voting rights.

Stacey is really in the arena and she is fighting for the right to vote and have your vote counted, Clinton said of Abrams.

The message may have appeared noble on its face, but it promoted the idea that the Georgia election would be considered unfair if Abrams loses the states closely contested race for governor. Abrams has not led her Republican opponent, Brian Kemp, at any point since election night, Nov. 6., but the race remains undecided.

Ultimately, the fate of the gubernatorial election and a Georgia congressional seat may be decided in in the courts.

Abrams filed a post-election lawsuit (pdf) to change election rules to allow for absentee ballots to be counted if they have certain errors, such as missing or incorrect birthdates. If successful, her lawsuit could potentially help the Democrats win a House seat in Georgias 7th congressional district, where Carolyn Bourdeaux trails incumbent Republican Rep. Rob Woodall by just 500 votes.

Clintons message contradicts her previous election stance. Shortly before the 2016 election, she accused then-candidate Donald Trump of threatening democracy if he failed to accept the results of their presidential contest. Polls wrongly showed her winning decisively at the time.

We know, in our country, the difference between leadership and dictatorship. And the peaceful transition of power is something that sets us apart, Clinton told a crowd in Ohio three weeks before her election day defeat.

A day after Clintons Nov. 13 remarks, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) echoed her sentiment.

If Stacey Abrams doesnt win in Georgia, they stole it, its clear. Its clear. I say that publicly.

They cant win elections fairly, Brown continued during a Nov. 14 speech at Rev. Al Sharptons National Action Network. We must make sure obviously that every vote is counted in Georgia and Florida and everywhere else.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who like Brown is rumored to run for president in 2020, also said Abrams election is being stolen.

I think that Stacey Abramss election is being stolen from her, using what I think are insidious measures to disenfranchise certain groups of people, said Booker in an interview at Yahoo Finances All Markets Summit on Nov. 13.

The Justice Department should be investigating that election to make sure it was fair and the decisions that were made were not to politically advantage someone but to protect voters and the voting process, Booker said.

Kemp was Georgias Secretary of State during the electionwhich doubles as the states chief elections officeuntil he resigned from the position last week amid the post-election controversy. No wrongdoing has been substantiated, and the Justice Department has given no indication that it will investigate Georgias elections.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer repeated a near identical message to those given by Clinton, Brown and Booker.

On Nov. 13, Schumer, the highest ranking Democrat in the U.S. Senate, held what Politico described as an unusual press conference, and said three-term incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson will win if the ongoing Florida recount is handled fairly.

Republicans know that if this recount is conducted fairly and thoroughly that Sen. Nelson has an excellent chance of being reelected, Schumer said. If this is done fair and square, we believe Sen. Nelson has an excellent chance, a much greater than half chance of being reelected.

As of Thursday evening, Nelson trailed Florida Gov. Rick Scott by roughly 12,000 votesan insurmountable deficit barring judicial intervention. Nelson has filed several lawsuits aimed at extending recount deadlines, allowing late absentee ballots and changing voter intent ballot rules.

U.S. Chief Judge Mark Walker, an Obama-appointee, ruled hours before the 3 p.m. Nov. 15 machine recount deadline, that voters should have until Saturday, Nov. 17, to correct mismatched signatures on ballots, potentially awarding Nelson additional votes.

Like Clinton, Schumer has publicly called for opposition candidates to accept unfavorable results in past elections.

In 2006, while serving as the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) chairman, he called for Republicans George Allen and Conrad Burns to concede their Senate races in Virginia and Montana, respectively. Schumer said conceding was the gentlemanly thing to do.

President Trump called on Sen. Bill Nelson to concede on Nov. 13.

When will Bill Nelson concede in Florida? The characters running Broward and Palm Beach voting will not be able to find enough votes, too much spotlight on them now! Trump wrote on Twitter.

Scott claimed victory on election night and attended a photo opportunity in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 14 with GOP Senate President Mitch McConnell, alongside other newly elected Republican senators.

A warm welcome to the incoming class of Republican Senators, McConnell wrote on Twitter.

Nelson has not conceded as of Nov. 16.
Rift Valley Fever is a disease passed from mosquitoes to animals then to people. It is one of the WHO's eight priority diseases. (Shutterstock)

Whats Needed to Do a Better Job of Pre-Empting Disease Outbreaks

Looking at disease outbreaks more broadly, with more stakeholders, can improve response efforts

The concept of One Health is deceptively simple: its the recognition that human, animal, and environmental health are all inherently linked.

Put into practice, it means approaching global health issues such as disease outbreaks and antibiotic resistance with the combined force of doctors, veterinarians, environmental scientists, and civil society to tackle them more effectively across multiple fronts.

Taking on health issues from different angles simultaneously has the benefit of saving time, money, and lives, rather than addressing a challenge in one area only to later find it emerge in another.

While this concept has proven particularly popular among veterinarians, the wider implementation of One Health practices has remained relatively low. For instance, our team reviewed more than 1800 scientific articles on One Health published since the term was coined in 2003. Only seven papers describe an effort to measure the benefits of the approach.

Research coordinated by EcoHealth Alliance, a global environmental health organization, set out to show how we can better anticipate disease outbreaks by joining forces and considering human, animal, and environmental health as a group. This can allow us to keep ahead of new public health threats and take preventative measures to protect people and animals.

Focus on Rift Valley Fever

We focused on Rift Valley Fever, a viral and zoonotic disease, as a test case to demonstrate the value of adopting a One Health approach, and found both scientific and resource efficiency advantages.

Passed from mosquitoes to animals and from animals to humans with no known treatment, Rift Valley Fever is one of the World Health Organisations eight priority diseases and has all the elements that could quickly turn it into a global public health emergency.

In humans, mild cases can cause flu-like symptoms that last from four to seven days. Rift Valley Fever can also cause severe illness such as hemorrhagic fever with symptoms ranging from vomiting blood, passing blood in the feces, or bleeding from the nose or gums. Almost half of the people who get this form of the disease die.

Rift Valley Fever causes severe illness in animals. Around 90 percent of lambs that get infected die. The abortion or miscarriage rate among pregnant ewes that get infected is almost 100 percent.

Recent outbreaks in Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa have put health authorities on high alert. Some authorities restricted the movement of livestock and even temporarily banned the sale of meat. And there is increasing concern that Rift Valley Fever could spread to Europe.

Rift Valley Fever is an ideal candidate for a One Health approach because of its complex overlapping human, animal, and environmental elements.

Given there is as yet no cure for the virus, the better equipped we are to preempt outbreaks, the quicker we can mobilize to prevent them from spreading and putting animals and people at risk.

Our research found that by tracking a disease with a combined, One Health approach, we could get a bigger, more accurate picture of the way it was spreading. This would allow us a greater opportunity to take preventative measures to protect people and animals, and save lives.

Modeling Disease Interactions

To show how this could work, we built a computer model of the complex disease interactions in people, cattle, and mosquitoes based on real-world data from our field project to demonstrate possible outcomes.

We then ran simulations to compare two approaches: a One Health surveillance system with joint human-animal sampling at the same time and place, and the more traditional approach of independent human and animal surveillance conducted separately.

Our simulations demonstrated that the One Health sampling approach could detect associations in disease transmission between animals and people that would have been missed in typical, non-integrated study designs.

Our research in the field also found that a One Health approach saved up to 35 percent in spending on staffing and resources when compared to conducting separate surveillance or studies.

We also found that engaging the private sector, such as ranchers, farmers, and their associations, which are often left out of One Health efforts, dramatically improved the efficiency and impact of the work.

Engaging small-scale farmers was particularly important. But, in Kenya, where Rift Valley Fever was first detected, and throughout sub-Saharan Africa, convincing smallholder farmers to keep their flocks and herds vaccinated can be challenging if they do not see an imminent risk.

In many parts, outbreaks happen once every five to six years. So many farmers do not see the return on the cost of vaccinating animals annually as well as with every new lambing and calving season, which can be up to three times a year.

Ultimately, the only way for us to reduce the risk of Rift Valley Fever ever becoming a pandemic is to vaccinate livestock.

We can be better prepared to tackle diseases before they take hold and avoid the devastating consequences, but only if environmental scientists, veterinarians, and doctors work together and with the public. This is no easy or inexpensive task but our findings indicate that the returns on investment are manifold, for all of us who share one health.

William B Karesh is the executive vice president for health and policy at EcoHealth Alliance and adjunct professor at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. This article was first published on The Conversation.
A British police officer sets up a cordon near the scene where a man, 20, was fatally stabbed in London on April 5, 2018. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Why Comparing Crime Statistics May Not Pay

Overall crime in New York City continues to decline according to the latest figures released on Nov. 7, with Mayor Bill de Blasio describing the Big Apple as the safest big city in the country.

Its a contrast to headlines over the pond in London, where government figures indicate a rise in serious violent crime, including a recent surge in knife offenses.

But the statistics often dont reflect the experiences on the ground.

A Grain of Salt

Monthly figures from the NYPD show an overall decline in index crimes. This covers murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny, and car thefts.

As we near the end of 2018, I am very optimistic about where we find ourselves, said Police Commissioner James P. ONeill at New York Citys monthly crime briefing on Nov. 7.

Recorded shooting incidents were down by 13 percent this October compared to last year.

While the numbers do show a drop in many offenses, Rafael Mangual, deputy director of legal policy at the Manhattan Institute, says it doesnt paint a picture of whats happening at a local level.

For example, according to NYPD figures, citywide shootings have gone down compared to last year. But the breakdown of data shows that 86 percent of all shootings happened in the Bronx and Brooklyn.

For those neighborhoods, shootings went up in Brooklyn North by 15 incidents, while in Brooklyn South and the Bronx they dipped slightly compared to last year.

It highlights some of the problem areas you might not see by just looking at the city wide numbers, he said.

He says to take average statistics with a grain of salt.

Numbers Fluctuate

Police figures are sometimes susceptible to change.

Earlier this year, figures suggested that Londons homicide rate beat New Yorks in February and March for the first time in modern history. Both cities have similar populations of over 8.6 million.

Going by the latest numbers, this still holds true for February. But more recent police figures recorded on the Mets crime dashboard, show Londons recorded homicide total dipped in March, making the rate lower than its American cousin.

A police spokesman explained in an email, It might be the case that a death, which was originally thought to be a murder was found to be non-suspicious.

In addition to this, the ways that crime data is collected differs, even within the same country.

I tend to hesitate to draw a broad conclusion for city-to-city comparisons at the higher levels, Mangual said.

Instead of just looking at the numbers, he says its important to contrast police practices in different regions.

He said that New York city is a shining example of successful police practices partly driven by the long-term effect of the broken windows policy. He hopes that the city continues to be vigilant to prevent violent crime.

Homicides in Numbers

(Source: Londons Metropolitan Police and NYPD, Oct. 2018)

January

New York  20

London  10

February

New York  14

London  18

March

New York  21

London  18

April

New York  22

London  16

May

New York  34

London  13

June

New York  31

London  8

July

New York  24

London  6

August

New York  23

London  11

September

New York  27

London  7
SAN FRANCISCO -- For years now, Silicon Valley has been searching in frustration for the next big breakthrough.

Innovative businesses that launched a decade ago, such as Uber and Airbnb, are finally making money or heading toward public offerings - but only after years of bruising fights with regulators and costly operational challenges.

At the same time, the dominance of Facebook, Google, Apple, and Amazon, has made it harder for new startups to burst on the scene. And the impact of powerful and much touted emerging tech, such as artificial intelligence and crypto-currencies, has been more incremental than explosive.

Analyst Benedict Evans, of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, says that despite these challenges, society is in the midst of a major wave of innovation, and more is coming next.

In his annual slide deck -- a document that many use to read the tea leaves in Silicon Valley -- Evans walks the line between a tech cheerleader and a realist.

He points out that while tech companies have been successful at putting smartphones in everyone's pocket and connecting people via social media, they have not been as good at convincing people to shop or conduct transactions on these platforms. Just under five percent of consumer spending is conducted online -- let alone through smart refrigerators, microwaves, and other appliances.

"It means we're only at the beginning of that penetration," he said. "We're at the end of the beginning, not at the end."

But other experts have said that these persistently low numbers may be due to limitations in the way physical experiences that can be digitized. These e-commerce analysts doubt all commerce will move online or onto smartphones because many consumers simply prefer to shop in person.

In another part of his presentation, Evans noted that well-known technology companies that launched in the late nineties and early 2000s, such as Google, Facebook, Yelp or Zillow, have focused on indexing massive amounts of information and presenting it to people in more efficient ways.

Now, he said, a new crop of startups has expanded to delivering services on top of that information-indexing. If Zillow provided real estate listings and comparison shopping, five-year-old startup OpenDoor will buy and sell your house for you, Evans noted in an interview. If Yelp provided a directory of local businesses, today any number of food marketplace apps will give you a similar restaurant search experience - and then deliver the food right to your door. Airbnb isn't just indexing homes for travelers and Uber isn't just indexing a directory of cars; they are using the Internet-enabled, location-aware smartphone to create new types of transactions and value in the physical world. Even more recently, startups are now becoming insurers, lenders, and credit providers. Not long ago they would have merely organized financial information.

These digital-to-physical businesses have faced immense challenges in their quest to go beyond software bits. They've disrupted entire industries, but their growth has been slower than their predecessors, because their services come with large logistics and regulatory costs.

"We're moving from business models that didn't need much capital and were about information arbitrage to providing the entire meal," he said. "It costs a lot more money to make cars than to tell you what car to buy, but that is just a consequence of the opportunity. You're also completely changing what the experience of buying a car might look like."

Evans still believes that the next phase of innovation will be in blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and AI. But like the Internet in 2003, he said, it's hard to see all the possible applications and ways that these tools will be used.

Blockchain-based apps will be able to overcome the dominance of technology giants by enabling businesses to grow without relying on the major platforms for distribution, he said, echoing a wish among many venture capitalists that something will come along to break the current cycle. Others have called that wishful thinking.

Artificial intelligence, he said, will create more sophisticated ways to understand the intent of customers, which will in turn engender new models for commerce.

For example, one of his slides showed a photo of a chair. No company has the tools to recognize the chair, he said. Amazon's technology, he argued, effectively sees the chair as a SKU number or a bar code, and it can recommend similar products based on what other customers bought. Facebook can show a person which of their friends liked the chair, and sort consumers into profiles based on their tastes. Google can find the chair across many different websites by looking at links and what you type into the search bar.

Once companies can teach artificial intelligence to recognize objects visually, software will be able to understand the realm of intentions and desires that go along with it. More sophisticated nudges will change commerce.

"Once computers can see, it can really tell what you like, and what you don't like, and it lets you answer questions that were not answerable before," he said.
NORWALK  After several rainstorms that burst manhole covers and flooded roads, the Norwalk Department of Public Works is stepping up its effort to better handle storm-water runoff.

In October, the Common Council authorized the Norwalk Water Pollution Control Authority to amend its existing contract with wastewater treatment plant operator CH2M Hill Engineers, Inc., at a cost of $150,000, to assist with storm-water system design.

The council on Nov. 13 approved a $1 million special capital appropriation  $350,000 in new debt  to increase funds available for the citys Water Quality Management project.

Over the years, numerous Norwalk neighborhoods have experienced localized flooding and asked the city for help. About a decade ago, the public works department made major drainage improvements along Buckingham Place and Lockwood Lane. But flooding, sometimes severe, has continued elsewhere.

The Department of Public Works respectfully requests a special capital appropriation to address identified problem drainage areas, wrote Chris Torre, superintendent of operations at the public works department, in a memorandum to the council.

He specifically noted June 28, Sept. 25 and Oct. 2  dates when the surrounding region experienced significant amounts of rainfall resulting in localized and widespread flooding of public and personal property.

The City of Norwalk is systematically examining all flooding complaints and putting together a scope of work to improve our storm-water system design and to dredge known problem areas, he wrote.

Known problem areas

Last Tuesday evening, Torre told the council the money will be used to address inland  rather than tidal  flooding, such as along Water Street.

He named Lloyd Road, Assisi Way, Saddle Road, Surrey Drive, West Avenue, Clinton Avenue, Christy Street, Benedict Street, North Taylor Avenue, Keeley Drive, Tea Kettle Place, Kettle Road, June Avenue, Glendenning Street, Heather Lane, Fitch Street and Raymond Terrace as areas for long-term improvement projects.

The public works department is looking for short-term solutions along William Street, Cavanaugh Street, Stonecrop Road, East Rocks Road, Smith Street and Margaret Street. Torre named Bouton Street, Scribner Avenue, Chatham Drive, Thorp Lane, Harstrom Place and Columbine Lane as areas needing major (drainage) cleanings that we would have to contract out.

Meanwhile, the department is monitoring and considering infrastructure work along Rebel Lane, New Canaan Avenue, Strawberry Hill Avenue underneath the railroad bridge, Harstrom Place and Glover Avenue, according to Torre.

Prioritizing work

Within the public works department at City Hall is a map board showing flooding complaints received by the Norwalk Customer Service Department. Dots show where the flooding occurred. The problems include blocked drains, culverts and manhole covers.

Lisa Burns, principal engineer at the public works department, described the map as dated given that it reflects the June and September rainstorms but not the early October event. Still, it will help the department prioritize where work is needed.

We take a look at customer service logs and our own knowledge of areas, and then we prioritize areas that have the highest impact  so either the most people flooded in the areas or personal property damage, Burns said. If peoples homes are flooding, its different than if a persons yard is flooding. So we have to make different categories and then were grouping them into watershed areas.

More Information Roads that need work For long-term improvement projects: Lloyd Road, Assisi Way, Saddle Road, Surrey Drive, West Avenue, Clinton Avenue, Christy Street, Benedict Street, North Taylor Avenue, Keeley Drive, Tea Kettle Place, Kettle Road, June Avenue, Glendenning Street, Heather Lane, Fitch Street and Raymond Terrace. For short-term solutions: William Street, Cavanaugh Street, Stonecrop Road, East Rocks Road, Smith Street and Margaret Street. Torre named Bouton Street, Scribner Avenue, Chatham Drive, Thorp Lane, Harstrom Place and Columbine Lane as areas needing "major (drainage) cleanings that we would have to contract out." For monitoring and possible infrastructure work: Rebel Lane, New Canaan Avenue, Strawberry Hill Avenue, Harstrom Place and Glover Avenue. See More Collapse

Past flooding studies conducted for the city, for example by the engineering firms Milone & MacBroom and Tighe & Bond, will also be at the departments disposal when exploring solutions.

No silver bullet

Officials arent promising the forthcoming drainage improvements will eliminate flooding. Torre described the June 28 rainstorm as the equivalent of a 500-year event and the September and October rainstorms equal to 100- and 200-year events.

Burns said the forthcoming drainage improvements potentially will ease but not eliminate such flooding.

The system still isnt designed to handle those three giant storms, she said.

The $1 million approved Tuesday was redirected from drainage improvements planned for the Keeler Brook area but abandoned for failure to secure needed private parcels. The city authorized the expenditure in fiscal year 2012-13 and borrowed $650,000 for the project, leaving $350,000 in unissued debt, according to Norwalk Chief Financial Officer Robert O. Barron.

Were asking for a special appropriation of a million dollars to add to the storm-water account, but then an authorization for $350,000 for me to bond, because I dont need the full million, Barron told the council. Our authorized but unissued debt stays the exact same.
EDWARDSVILLE  If you live in the St. Louis metro area, youve likely seen a military jet or helicopter flying overhead. And more likely than not, that jet or helicopter was flying to or from Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County.

As civilians, most of us rarely think about having an Air Force base in our backyard. But thats about to change for TheBank of Edwardsvilles Kevin Welch. Welch, a business banker in St. Clair County, was recently selected to a two-year term in the Scott AFB Honorary Commanders Program.

Its a great honor to be recognized and chosen for this role, said Welch. I grew up in Collinsville, and although we would randomly see a military plane and generally knew about the base, I really didnt realize or understand the great impact that it has on our lives and our local communities. So Im excited to get a chance to learn all that I can about the base and its culture.

That is the exact reason that Scott AFB decided to start the program, to build a better understanding and connectivity between the base and the businesses and organizations in our local communities.

Through this program, we will provide the Honorary Commanders with opportunities to learn about our strategic, global military role, as well as its impact on the St. Louis metropolitan area, said USAF Col. Leslie A. Maher, Commander, 375 AMW, Scott AFB, IL. We will introduce them to the men and women in uniform whose dedication and hard work help secure our nations freedoms. In the process, we want to get to know them and discover how we can forge stronger connections and build positive rapport between our military community and their organizations.

According to Welch, the economic impact alone that Scott AFB has locally is enormous.

Scott AFB pumps $4 billion into the St. Louis and Metro East economy each and every year, he said. Without that contribution, our area simply doesnt exist the same as we see it today.

During his term, Welch will attend quarterly Honorary Commander meetings and will be paired with a military senior leader and unit. He will be invited to unit tours, commanders calls, promotion/retirement/change of command ceremonies and other special events.

Welch will be paired with USAF Lt. Col. Nichole K.A. Scott, AMC 375 CES/CC. Scott, who joined the Air Force in 1998, leads a 358-person Squadron responsible for training and deploying Air Force civil engineers to open, establish and operate expeditionary air bases worldwide. Additionally, the squadron constructs, repairs, and maintains facilities and infrastructure worth $3.3 billion to support the 375th Air Mobility Wing and 31 tenant units. Furthermore, the squadron provides housing, fire protection/crash rescue, emergency management, explosive ordnance disposal, and environmental stewardship to effectively perform and support Scott AFB missions on 3,600 acres.

Previously Scott, who is a licensed engineer, was Commander, 386 Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron in Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait.
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Phoenix finally risen from seabed

Today (Nov 17) Mrs Basshaya Yaipiem PR Phuket led 40 representatives of the Thai and foreign media on the Pakarang boat of the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment to watch the Phoenix recovery operation.

accidentsmarine

By The Phuket News

Saturday 17 November 2018, 05:17PM

The Phoenix being raised earlier today (Nov 17). Photo: Surachate Hakparn

Royal Thai Police Deputy Commander Gen Rungroj Saengkram, Immigration Chief Maj Gen Surachet Hakparn both travelled by helicopter to the Andaman Sea to track the recovery mission of the Phoenix.

Then, at 2pm, Gen Rungroj Saengkram, along with Maj Gen Surachet Hakparn, came to a press briefing to advise on the progress of the recovery of the Phoenix to the Thai and foreign media.

At the conference room, Mr Li Chun Foo, the Deputy Chinese Consul-General in Songkhla, and Director of the China Consulate-General in Phuket, represented Mr Lyu Jian, China's Ambassador to Thailand, came to listen to the progress of the Phoenix ship recovery.

Li Chau Foo said that the Chinese government is grateful to the Thai government for their dedication of human resources and budget in salvaging the Phoenix. The Chinese government understood the sincerity of the Thai government.

Gen Rungroj said of the progress of the salvage operations that the staff had used a sling and underwater equipment to pull the boat up to the level of one metre below water. And then a team of engineers and divers checked the condition of the boat. Once the vessel was agreed to be in an acceptable state, it was raised a further 30 centimetres before being checked again.

Once ready, the boat was finally pulled to the surface.

At each stage the emphasis was on maximum safety to the recovery team. No other personnel were allowed to enter into an area of 1km around the site. For transparency, each stage of the operation was captured on video by the Singaporean team.

Maj Gen Surachet said the Thai and Chinese officials had a close relationship. Establishing the cause of the sinking is what the government now deems of great importance in order to heal and show sincerity to relatives of those who died from this incident.

The Phoenix boat is an important testimony to be used as a source of information on the causes of the accident, the impact on the country and the tourism industry of Phuket.

Maj Gen Surachet and the recovery crew members mourned the deaths of the 47 dead, as the Phoenix wreck rose to the surface.

Once the Phoenix is in a state to be moved a 34 metre tow boat will tow the Phoenix to Rattanachai shipyard. The forensics team and experts from foreign countries will then conduct a detailed inspection of the ship.

Gen Rungroj said that on this Monday and Tuesday they will inspect the boats structure closely to find information and evidence to understand that the boat was properly constructed in accordance with regulations. This evidence will be presented to a court. The results of the legal proceedings will depend on the information the experts gather from examining the vessel.
Three crew hurt in Samui ferry fire

Three crew members were injured when a fire broke out in the engine room of a ferry travelling from Koh Samui to the Surat Thani mainland on Friday. All passengers were safe.

accidentsmarine

By Bangkok Post

Saturday 17 November 2018, 02:30PM

The Raja Ferry vessel R8 experienced a fire in the engine room on the voyage from Koh Samui to mainland Surat Thani on Friday Photo: rajaferryport

The incident took place around 1pm, said Pol Col Wallop Puangphaka, the chief of Marine Police Sub-division 6. He did not give details on the ship and the number of passengers on board but other reports said the vessel was the R8, one of 14 ships operated by SET-listed Raja Ferry Port Plc. The fire began in the engine room about 30 minutes after the craft left the resort island for Don Sak pier in Don Sak district of Surat Thani. The ship idled in the water until a Marine Police boat came to conduct a rescue. Three crew members were slightly injured by smoke inhalation and were taken to Samui Hospital. The passengers were taken to the mainland, according to the police.
Tourist police launch mobile help centres

Tourist Police Division 3 Chief Maj Gen Angkoon Klaiklueng has revealed to The Phuket News that the tourist police are preparing to establish tourist report centres. They have planned to put the mobile reporting centres near Karon and Kamala beach.

policetourism

By The Phuket News

Saturday 17 November 2018, 03:30PM

New mobile tourist centres will be placed around Phuket locations

The reason for the tourist police establishing these report centres is to provide information for people as well as being a help center. This will include the centres co-working with lifeguards.

After talking with Phuket Governor about tourist safety, I have known that there is a plan for establishing tourist centres in 12 areas around Phuket. However we are finding two containers to put at Karon beach and Kamala beach to be the first tourist centres. I expect that these two centres will be ready before the new year ceremony, Gen Angkoon advised.

He confirmed that these centres will be a one-stop service for tourists to ask for help.

When the centres are finished, tourist police will work with other local agencies such as lifeguards, police, and so on. We will put an ATV at the center for help when needed.

Sometime tourists find it difficult to find police stations because they do not know where the stations are located. So this centre will make tourist and tourist police closer than before. They can come to us and ask help or any information from us, even in the case that we cannot help them we will coordinate the relevant department to support.

For the tourist centres in other areas, Gen Ankun confirmed that he will start on these at a later date.
For Subscribers With six playoff bids, MVFC flexes its FCS muscle yet again

In the FCS playoffs, South Dakota State football will host UC-Davis in first round, while the University of South Dakota will host Southern Illinois.
OTTAWAThe Trudeau government gave one final push Friday to bring the Canada Post labour dispute to a close, suggesting it will act quickly if rotating strikes continue beyond a Saturday midnight deadline for the latest contract offers from the Crown corporation.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week that all options will be on the table to end postal disruptions if there was no progress in bargaining for new contracts.

Decisions on how to end job action by postal workers could come as early as Sunday, said a government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, adding that all the options does include legislating.

The prospect of bridging the impasse all but collapsed Friday when the Canadian Union of Postal Workers said it would not bring the latest offers to a vote of its members, although it said both sides remained at the bargaining table.

CUPW members voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking strike action if necessary to achieve our demands at the bargaining table, the unions national president Mike Palecek said in a statement. We are fulfilling the mandate given to us by our members. A vote will take place when Canada Post presents offers that meet our demands for health and safety, gender equality and more full-time jobs.

At the same time, Canada Post asked its international partners to halt mail and parcel shipments to Canada as it reeled under the weight of a delivery backlog that had grown to 30 days as a result of the dispute.

The Crown corporation said Friday that its domestic customers were also backed up with packages waiting for delivery as rotating strikes that began Oct. 22 continued across the country.

The backlogs are also extending to international mail and parcels entering the country, Canada Post spokesman Jon Hamilton said in an email.

As a result, we have been forced to request that international posts, including the United States Postal Service, refrain from shipping items until we can clear the backlog.

Britains Royal Mail, in a bulletin to its corporate customers, said it would hold any shipments posted to Canada within the last couple of days in its distribution centres awaiting further updates.

As a result of ongoing industrial action, we have now been requested to suspend the dispatching of international traffic destined for Canada, from today until further notice, it said.

This applies not only to us, but all international postal operators, the Royal Mail added.

A similar bulletin was issued by Hongkong Post and online sales giant eBay said it also received a notification from China Post that it was halting deliveries.

Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have been in contract negotiations for nearly a year, with no success.

CUPW began rotating strikes across the country that have shut down postal operations in over 200 communities, hoping to pressure Canada Post into agreeing to contract demands, including better job security, reduced workloads and stronger health and safety measures.

The walkouts have resulted in backlogs at the agencys main sorting plants, particularly in Toronto, where Hamilton said the number of mail-filled tractor trailers awaiting processing had reached 407 as of Friday. Dozens of trailers were also sitting idle in Montreal and Vancouver.

The Crown corporation issued new contract offers this week aimed at reaching agreements with its approximately 42,000 urban employees and 8,000 rural and suburban carriers.

CUPW said the latest proposals made positive steps, but not enough to put an end to walkouts, which rotated Friday through most of Manitoba, as well as communities in Ontario, B.C., Alberta and New Brunswick.

The offers were time sensitive, with Canada Post imposing a deadline of Saturday, at one minute before midnight, for the union to accept them.

CUPW wouldnt say whether it believed tentative deals could be reached by then, but said the union would not be held to an arbitrary deadline.

Palecek was also critical of Canada Post for halting shipments from outside Canada.

There is no reason to halt international shipments, he said in a statement. Let us solve our issues at the bargaining table.

The union said it wants concrete proposals for dealing with an escalating number of work injuries at Canada Post.

Hamilton said the corporation has proposed a way for the company and union to work together to identify ways to make the workplace safer, and offered to fast-track a review of workloads to reduce overburdening of carriers who have seen a rapid increase in the number of parcels they have to deliver while letter volumes have declined.

Earlier this week, eBay called on the government to legislate an end to the dispute in time for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events tied to American Thanksgiving that begin Nov. 23.

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Daniel Loeb is happy to play the barbarian at the gate. Hes got the money, about $3.1 billion (U.S.). Hes got the office, a sleek white space that is a quintessential hedge fund aerie, with art by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jeff Koons and Andy Warhol. And in taking on the old-money family who owns more than 40 per cent of Campbell Soup Co., hes found the perfect foil for his new-money ambitions.

Third Point, Loebs hedge fund in Manhattan, is pushing for the sale or restructuring of Campbell, a slumping food giant that has called Camden, New Jersey, home for nearly 150 years.

Hes up against the descendants of John T. Dorrance, a chemist who devised the formula for condensed soup at the turn of the last century. Dozens of family members depend on the dividends they receive from the company to underwrite their comfortable lives. And for the most part they find Loebs proposals anathema.

Were interlopers whove come in and theyve decided to stick with the status quo, Loeb said in an interview.

His hedge fund and the company have spent months exchanging barbed letters. Their battle will culminate on Nov. 29, when Campbell shareholders vote on a proposal by Third Point to take five seats on the companys board. Loeb has even persuaded one dissident Dorrance heir and a former Campbell board member, George Strawbridge Jr., to join his campaign.

My cousins were complacent and ignored the truth, said Strawbridge, who owns nearly 3 per cent of the company. Its very much a shame. The company has run into very hard times and has been undermanaged and undersupervised.

But Loeb, who controls more than 7 per cent of Campbell stock through Third Point, will need to win over many more shareholders to be successful. His board nominees won the endorsement of Institutional Shareholder Services, a proxy advisory firm, on Wednesday. The hedge fund, ISS said, has presented a compelling case that change at the board level is warranted.

Campbell is clearly struggling. Earnings were down 50 per cent last quarter, soup sales have been eroding, and the companys chief executive, Denise Morrison, stepped down under pressure in May.

Multibillion-dollar acquisitions under her watch have done little to lift profits while leaving the company with billions in debt. In the last two years, Campbells stock has badly trailed the broader market, as well as other food businesses, and has lost more than a third of its value.

Executives and board members acknowledge the companys problems. Simply put, we lost focus, the interim chief executive, Keith R. McLoughlin, told investors in August. But they say Loeb is just looking to make a quick profit on his investment and doesnt have the companys long-term interests at heart.

Archbold D. Van Beuren, a Dorrance descendant and one of three family members on the Campbell board, said the company was working on a plan to turn itself around before Loeb showed up. We need change, Van Beuren said. Were seeking change.

Campbell Soup is more than an inheritance or an investment for the Dorrance heirs. Its a tradition  Strawbridge enjoys a bowl of Campbell Soup every day, usually tomato. As children, family members would summer in Bar Harbor, Maine, and dress up as Campbell kids and soup cans.

Theirs is a world of privilege, complete with flying private planes and breeding and racing thoroughbreds. Like his father before him, Strawbridge rode horses and hunted fox. His son, Stewart, won the Maryland Hunt Cup in 2007, among the worlds most arduous steeplechase races.

Mary Alice Malone, a board member and a granddaughter of John T. Dorrance, splits her time between horse farms in Florida and Pennsylvania and has a net worth of $3.1 billion  putting her at par with Loeb  according to Forbes. Her daughter is also an equestrian, specializing in dressage, and co-founded a high-end shoe line called Malone Souliers.

Bennett Dorrance, another board member, is worth $2.6 billion. He is a real estate developer who collects vintage cars and is a pilot with his own private hangar in Arizona. Dorrances son, Bennett Dorrance Jr., is an organic farmer in Hawaii who owns the Blue Dragon Restaurant and Spa there.

It may be hard to think of a fellow billionaire as an outsider in this milieu, but thats how Loeb and Third Point portray their fight with the Dorrance clan. Its an approach he has used before as an activist investor with a knack for acquiring stakes in companies that have been underperforming. He has previously waged campaigns at Nestle, Yahoo, Baxter International and Sothebys, many of which entailed months of bruising public-relations battles.

Munib Islam, a Third Point partner who is one of the hedge funds candidates for a board seat, said Campbell had lost sight of the interests of nonfamily shareholders. The familys opposition to Third Point, he said, was on the basis of bloodlines as opposed to whats good for the company. If they want to run the business that way, then take the company private.

Michael Silverstein, a former food industry consultant with Boston Consulting Group who is advising Third Point, suggested the heirs were a big part of the problem.

I worked with the family two decades ago, Silverstein said. They are proud of Campbells but introverted. They are fearful of outsiders, fearful of their wealth being taken away. More than 100 family members are dependent on the dividend and fearful of what to do.

Campbell is, of course, fighting headwinds such as declining consumer interest in packaged food and a preference for fresh ingredients over highly processed soup from a can. But analysts say the company has done too little to adapt to those changes. Campbell Soup cans, for example, have barely changed since 1900, and the top sellers remain tomato, chicken noodle and cream of mushroom.

Third Point has proposed modernizing labels on Campbells trademark red-and-white cans, an icon whose status in American culture was immortalized by Andy Warhol. (One of the artists soup can paintings hangs in the companys boardroom.)

But McLoughlin, the interim chief executive, said that Loeb and his deputies had painted an overly pessimistic picture of the company. The company estimates that 95 per cent of American homes have at least one Campbell product in the cupboard.

Weve got a great brand, great products and great cash flow, he said. Theres lots to work with.

In late August, management released a plan to revitalize the company. It calls for selling international operations, such as Arnotts Biscuits in Australia, getting out of the refrigerated soup business and unloading its Bolthouse Farms unit. The company would return its focus to soup and popular snack brands such as Goldfish, Pepperidge Farm cookies and Snyders of Hanover pretzels.

McLoughlin also disputes the idea that the Dorrance descendants wield too much influence at the company or that they are responsible for its problems. He said family board members frequently chime in with helpful advice. He said he had gotten calls from Malone during store visits, complaining about the packaging of its new Well Yes! line of ready-to-eat soups. Shes into clean labelling, no artificial flavours and no chicken antibiotics, McLoughlin said. Shes as strong on the product as anyone on the board.

Bennett Dorrance, McLoughlin said, is an expert in merchandising and pricing for Campbells products. Hell call me and say, Why is Prego at this price point versus Ragu?

These people are committed financially and committed personally, McLoughlin added. Theyre all in. Theyre sophisticated and they know the New York hedge fund game.

When they are not making the case for why their approach is far superior, people on both sides of this corporate fight say they are open to a compromise. Campbell could, for example, give Loeb a few seats on the board while letting the family retain its influence.

Strawbridge said thats the kind of deal he was hoping for when he teamed up with Loeb. Third Point should be an ally, not an enemy, he said. Soup was de-emphasized and ignored and Third Point is right that it is the first thing that has to be addressed. Soup of all products is our saviour.
EDMONTONWith postal workers walking off the job in Edmonton for the third time in four weeks, a growing backlog of undelivered mail leading into the holiday season has prompted Canada Post to table an offer with extraordinary measures.

Postal workers were back on the picket lines on Saturday, with the rotating strike having returned to Edmonton and three cities in Ontario on Friday. Strikes also continue in Saint John, N.B., and Kelowna, B.C., while they ended in Victoria, Winnipeg, Montreal, St. Johns and other locations in Ontario.

On Wednesday, Canada Post tabled an offer to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers which included pay increases for all employees, the extraordinary measure of a signing bonus of up to $1,000, as well as changes they say would address CUPW concerns with health, safety and workloads.

The offer expires at 11:59 p.m. Saturday due to the urgency created by the backlogs and rapidly oncoming holiday volumes.

Canada Post has been working hard to minimize the service impact to Canadians, but the unions strikes continue to cause unprecedented backlogs in our delivery network. As a result, customers could see delays of several days, Canada Post said in a news release.

But CUPW Edmontons president, Nancy Dodsworth, said from what shes seen, the offer still isnt enough.

This one has shown a little bit of improvement. Its more than what weve seen, so thats promising for us because its telling us that Canada Post is now starting to realize were serious in our demands, she said.

It doesnt go far enough, but its a start.

While she couldnt go into specific details, Dodsworth said there are concerns surrounding forced overtime, health and safety, precarious safety and in particular gender equality.

Its 2018. Why do we have to fight for equality? she said.

CUPW, which represents about 50,000 employees (with 2,000 in the Edmonton area), has been negotiating with Canada Post since late 2017.

Dodsworth said the strikes, especially leading into the holiday season, are probably having an impact as seen in the stronger language used in the most recent offer.

She said the reason theyve decided to have rotating strikes in different cities is to send a strong message while trying to minimize the effect on Canadians by keeping the mail moving.

Albeit its moving slower, but were still moving the mail  our intention is never to withdraw our labour completely. Because we are supporting the Canadian public, she said.

She said the negotiators at the bargaining table in Ottawa will determine how long this strike will continue.

In an emailed statement, Canada Post media relations said the situation is still very fluid.

We have not yet received a formal response from the Union at the table. We remain ready to negotiate.

Canadians can visit the CUPW website for updates on where strikes continue.

With files from Hamdi Issawi

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HALIFAXA Halifax pediatrician has lost his medical licence after pleading guilty to child pornography charges, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia said Friday.

In its decision, the college said Dr. William Vitales licence has been formally revoked after the doctor consented to the revocation last month.

Vitale, 75, has had his licence suspended since he was arrested and charged with child pornography offences in February 2016. The arrest, in which computer equipment was seized from a Halifax-area home, followed a month-long investigation by the internet Child Exploitation Unit of the Integrated Criminal Investigation Division.

In written submissions to the colleges hearing committee, Vitales lawyer said no illicit pornographic materials were found on the pediatricians office computers and there is no suggestion that his patients were involved in the crimes.

The lawyer also said theres no evidence of distribution of illicit materials and most of the material consisted of fictional text, drawings and hand-drawn and computer animated anime.

The colleges lawyer did not disagree with any of these assertions, according to the decision.

Vitale pleaded guilty to two summary conviction offences relating to possession of child pornography in September and is scheduled to be sentenced in March 2019, the college said, noting that he had initially faced a number of other charges that were later withdrawn.

The doctor has had a licence to practise medicine in Nova Scotia since 1983 and formerly carried on a family practice in Halifax.

In December 2013, health officials suspended Vitales medical licence after he was accused of improperly mixing vaccinations for about 500 toddlers.

And in May 2015, Vitale was reprimanded for prescribing medication for a family member while that relative was under the care of other health professionals.

At the time, the colleges investigations committee acknowledged difficult personal factors, and that other treating health professionals were unavailable at the time.

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OTTAWAThe federal government will roll out measures to improve the competitiveness of Canadian companies but will stop short of matching U.S. corporate tax cuts in the fall economic update due to the eye-popping price tag.

Finance Minister Bill Morneaus department has calculated it would cost up to $70 billion over five years in lost revenue if Ottawa tried to match two tax measures that business leaders in Canada say put this country at a competitive disadvantage, according to a senior government official.

U.S President Donald Trump cut the American corporate tax rate last January from 35 per cent to 21 per cent, essentially erasing a tax advantage Canada had with its combined federal-provincial corporate rate standing at about 28 per cent.

Trump also allowed companies to immediately deduct the full cost of capital purchases.

But Canadian finance officials calculate a similar broad-based corporate tax cut would mean forgone tax revenues of $40 billion over five years.

And to allow businesses to write off 100 per cent of their capital spending immediately, instead of spreading the deductions over several years or the useful life of an asset, would cost $30 billion over five years.

On top of that, a senior government official said when Canada did have a corporate tax advantage over the U.S. it didnt result in more investment by business, rather in more dividends for shareholders.

Federal officials are mum on what measures the Nov. 21 fall economic statement  sometimes called a mini-budget  will contain, but they cast it as an ambitious update admittedly aided by a strong economy.

Canadas economy is exceeding forecasts and doing quite well, said a source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Were taking measures in a balanced way being fiscally responsible to ensure confidence continues in our economy and good jobs are being created for the middle class.

Morneau met Friday with leading private sector economists, as is custom, to gather their perspectives and expectations for the Canadian and global economies in the months ahead.

Among them was CIBCs chief economist, Avery Shenfield. Before the meeting, Shenfield published an analysis of which way the fiscal winds are blowing, and said afterwards his views hadnt changed.

He said soft oil prices have created a new headwind for the Canadian economy.

Markets, he said, are watching closely for Morneaus response to the competitive challenges posed by last years U.S. tax reforms, particularly a made-in-Canada capital investment boost.

If Morneau delivers on that hope, some will see it as a new tailwind for a Canadian economy that has not fared well in attracting business capital spending.

Shenfield said past updates and budgets show the federal government is lagging behind its plans to spend on infrastructure projects across the country.

In trying to spend wisely, and in concert with other levels of government, its taking longer to get the funds out the door and the shovels into the ground. We might see more of the same in the week ahead update.

Add to that, Shenfield said, the Liberals have an incentive in the short term to keep their powder dry, saving fiscal room against their deficit targets for announcements close to next falls election.

For his part, Morneau is talking only in generalities.

By investing in the things that matter to Canadians while maintaining a clear focus on fiscal responsibility, our government is helping to build a strong middle class, and helping to make life more affordable for Canadian families, he said in a statement.

Nevertheless, the Wednesday update is expected to contain measures aimed at showing the Liberal government of Justin Trudeau is serious about diversifying Canadas international trade.

It could mean new trade promotion offices opening abroad. It will certainly mean more emphasis on new markets.

Morneau, fresh off a visit to China last week, said Canada is looking to pursue sector-by-sector agreements with Beijing, emphasizing trade in agriculture and energy, in the hope that agreements reached in the short term could become the building blocks for an eventual long-term deal.

Finally, the update will also emphasize the Trudeau governments drive to lower and eliminate domestic barriers to internal free trade, an issue Trudeau wants to make a dominant theme at the first ministers meeting in early December in Montreal.

But any new significant measures to deal with skilled labour challenges in Canada will likely wait for a spring budget or even the Liberal governments fall election platform.
PORT MORESBY, PAPUA NEW GUINEALeaders from the worlds two biggest economies put Canada and its allies in the position of picking sides in the battle for world influence, as the United States and China outlined different visions for trade and investment on Saturday.

The tit-for-tat tough speeches on the first day of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders summit  bringing together 21 countries that account for 60 per cent of the worlds economy  framed the discussion that is expected to carry over Sunday when the leaders gathered here, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, try to hammer out a final agreement on a path forward for trade.

There are no plans at the moment for Trudeau to have a one-on-one meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping  although he has had opportunities to bump into his Chinese counterpart, both in the hallways of the busy summit and at a gala dinner Saturday night.

At the dinner, Trudeau sat next to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and spoke about a Pacific Rim trade deal, according to the Prime Ministers Office. Trudeau and Abe will meet again Sunday, where the topic of that trade deal  known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP for short  is likely to come up.

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The deal was originally designed to act as a counterbalance to Chinas growing economic influence in the region. Observers say there is now debate among signatories about whether China should be part of the deal or the United States should be let back in after President Donald Trump pulled out of the pact.

On Saturday, Trudeau was involved in a safer diplomatic push, meeting with leaders from the Pacific island nations, and spoke about funding infrastructure resilient to the effects of climate change.

The opportunity that Canada takes very seriously  to work with you on the very specific challenges facing small island developing states, the importance of capital flows and investments in infrastructure  are things that we are happy to sit down with you about, Trudeau said at the start of the meeting.

Baron Waqa, president of Nauru, told Trudeau that tsunamis, earthquakes and cyclones have created enormous losses for the economies of smaller island states while a rising sea level shrinks their territory and increases water salinity that affects their food security.

Waqa said the island leaders want to frame themselves as key players in the Pacific region  both environmentally and economically.

It is a powerful narrative which we frame  of our region, away from the enduring narrative of small, isolated and fragile to that of large, connected and strategically important ocean continent, Waqa said.

But even those island nations are being pulled into a geopolitical tug of war between China and the United States.

The two powers have been locked in an ongoing trade dispute over American complaints that Beijing provides deep state subsidies for its businesses. The U.S. has also accused the Chinese of intellectual property theft.

Trump mused Friday that he may not have to forge ahead with tariffs on remaining Chinese imports. His vice-president, though, took a hard line to a gathering of business leaders at the APEC summit, saying there would be no backing down from tariffs until China changed its ways.

China has taken advantage of the United States for many, many years and those days are over, Mike Pence said.

Speaking just before Pence, Xi called trade protectionism a short-sighted policy doomed to fail and made a call for greater consultation to resolve any issue.

History has shown that confrontation  whether in the form of a cold war, a hot war or a trade war  will produce no winners, he said.

Trudeaus office said China agreed with Canada about the need for reforms to the World Trade Organization  a group Trump dislikes  when the prime minister met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday in Singapore.

Reforms to the worlds trade referee are on the agenda for this APEC meeting in Papua New Guinea, the poorest member of APEC, which received financial help from China and Australia to put on the summit.

Chinas influence can be seen around the island nations capital.

Outside a newly opened hotel, which hosted Trudeaus first meeting of the day, was a fence covered in a red sign with yellow writing promoting Xis one-belt, one-road project to expand trade routes around Asia. The project, which could take decades and cost trillions of dollars to complete, was harshly criticized by Pence and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, whom Trudeau will meet Sunday.

If it succeeds  China will definitely be a world power even more than it currently is, said Lorna Wright, executive director of the Centre for Global Enterprise at York Universitys Schulich School of Business.

China has spent millions in the host country to help it prepare for the summit, looking to gain some leverage over the islands energy resources.

They (China) are looking at creating long-term deals and guarantees with these smaller countries to extend their own commercial, military and hegemonic interest, said Shuvaloy Majumdar with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, a former Conservative government policy adviser.

Papua New Guinea already has one liquefied natural gas pipeline, and there are plans for a second development not far from the capital to tap a reserve originally found by a Canadian company.

LNG exports are a key contributor to the islands economy and locals involved in projects expect to ship more of the product to Asian markets, including China.

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BOSTONTwo marijuana stores in Massachusetts were given the green light to begin selling to recreational customers next week, making them the first commercial pot shops in the eastern United States.

The Cannabis Control Commission said Friday that New England Treatment Access, in Northampton, and Cultivate Holdings, of Leicester, were authorized to open in three calendar days.

The Northampton store quickly announced it would open at 8 a.m. Tuesday. Cultivate said it would open the same day at 10 a.m.

The announcement ends a long wait for commercial sales to begin in Massachusetts. The states voters legalized the use of recreational marijuana by adults 21 and older in 2016, but its taken more than two years for state legislators and regulators to reach the point where the first stores can finally open.

The target date for retail sales had been July 1.

The commence operations notice from regulators requires the stores to wait three days before opening so they can co-ordinate with local officials and law enforcement. The openings are expected to draw big crowds, based on the experiences of other legal U.S. states and Canada when they first launched recreational sales.

This signal to open retail marijuana establishments marks a major milestone for voters who approved legal, adult-use cannabis in our state, said Steven Hoffman, chairman of the cannabis panel, in a statement. To get here, licensees underwent thorough background checks, passed multiple inspections and had their products tested, all to ensure public health and safety as this new industry gets up and running.

Legal marijuana advocates, who had complained about the slow pace of regulatory approvals in the state, cheered the news Friday.

We can rightfully squawk about state delays and problematic local opposition, but the fact remains that were the first state east of the Mississippi to offer legal, tested cannabis to adult consumers in safe retail settings, said Jim Borghesani, a spokesman for the group that led the ballot question to legalize recreational pot.

Borghesani called it a historic distinction for Massachusetts.

Recreational marijuana is currently sold in the western states of Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, California and Nevada. Maine voters also approved a legalization question in 2016, but stores in that state are not expected to open until next year at the earliest.

The stores authorized to open next week in Massachusetts currently operate as medical marijuana dispensaries and have pledged to continue serving registered patients.

New England Treatment Access looks forward to providing legal marijuana to our customers, but we want our patients to know that we will never waver from our commitment to them and their needs, said Norton Albaraez, a spokesman for the company.

The store has a separate area for medical marijuana patients, and they will not have to wait in the same lines with recreational customers to enter the facility.

The company has already had ongoing discussions with local officials about traffic, parking and other public safety issues when the store opens, Albaraez said.
Ontario Place is fading into history as the Doug Ford government moves ahead with plans to turn the lakeside family playground into a world-class attraction that could include a casino.

The Progressive Conservative government is moving to dissolve the board and corporation that oversees Ontario Place, transferring control of its 51 prime waterfront acres to the province.

Finance Minister Vic Fedeli was asked Friday on CBC Radio about his governments plans for the site which opened as a family-friendly theme park in 1971, but was shuttered by the Dalton McGuinty Liberal government in 2012 to save money.

I think we want to see that become a world-class attraction. Were going to spend a considerable amount of time looking at what we can do there to make the best use of that jewel, Fedeli said.

When asked by Metro Morning host Matt Galloway if a casino is possible on the site south of Exhibition Place, Fedeli said: Look, everythings possible down there.

Im not saying that (casino) is one that has been discussed, because, quite frankly, its not one that has come up in my file, but I think were going to look at every single possibility to make that a world-class centre, and I would say nothing is off the table.

Weve got to start looking at everything. We cant be afraid to look at a bold vision for the former Ontario Place.

The Star revealed in September that Ford has a personal interest and plans for Ontario Place, where his Liberal predecessor Kathleen Wynne in 2017 unveiled a $30-million, 7.5-acre waterfront park on the site of a former parking lot.

For now its business as usual at the site, Ontario Place officials said Friday, with winter activities running from Nov. 23 to March 17, including an artificial skating rink on the West Island, community bonfires, a light festival and films in the Cinesphere.

During his one term as a Toronto councillor  his late brother, Rob Ford, was mayor  Ford envisioned a vast redevelopment for the Port Lands to the east, including the worlds biggest Ferris wheel modelled on the London Eye in Britain and a 1.6-million-square-foot megamall.

In 2013, Doug Ford told the Toronto Sun: I dont see why we cant get a casino downtown, before city councillors rejected Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.s casino push amid a strong public backlash. How can people say no to this? Ford asked at the time.

Downtown Toronto city councillors Joe Cressy and Mike Layton issued a statement Friday saying Fedelis comments raise many concerns regarding the liveability of our city and the use of valued public lands.

Any potential changes to Ontario Place must be made in the public interest, and must include a rigorous public consultation process. Ontario Place is for all Ontarians, they said, adding its future must be decided in public, not in backrooms, and the city must be involved in deciding the sites future

And let us be clear: a casino at Ontario Place does not represent the responsible use of valued public lands. No good can come from it, Layton and Cressy said.

John Tory, who authored a report on Ontario Place before becoming Toronto mayor in 2014, has not yet been consulted by the Ford government on the sites future, his spokesperson, Don Peat, said Friday.

He hasnt been consulted up to this point, but the Mayor, as he said in September, wants the city and province to work together on the future of Ontario Place, Peat said. Tory opposes a casino on the site.

Fords move to dissolve Ontario Place, meanwhile, has blindsided people who do business there.

Business operator Aaron Binder told the Stars Francine Kopun that he was shocked by the decision.

Binder, the chief experience officer of a tour company called Go Tours Canada, said that he just opened a third location at Ontario Place this summer, based on the Ontario Place boards long-term commitment to develop the area into a tech hub and small business entertainment centre.

We are hoping that the provincial government will continue the operation of Ontario Place, so that my business doesnt have to lay off the employees that we hired specifically to work at that location, said Binder.

Go Tours Canada, which has one location in the Distillery District and one in Barrie, offers guided walking tours and tours on Segways.

David Rider is the Stars City Hall bureau chief and a reporter covering Toronto politics. Follow him on Twitter: @dmrider

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The latest report card on the quality of health care in Ontario shows a system under increasing strain, with hallway-medicine getting worse and the opioid crisis growing.

The report from Health Quality Ontario  the arms-length agency that monitors the quality of the health system  signals that the province is once again heading into a flu season with overcrowded hospitals.

As well, it shows that Ontario has experienced its largest annual jump in opioid-related deaths, indicating the epidemic has not yet crested.

Both patients and workers are paying the price for increasing pressures, warns the 76-page report, titled Measuring Up 2018, tabled in the Legislature late Friday afternoon.

It is not that these are new pressures but we are seeing them get bigger, remarked HQO interim president Anna Greenberg. When we see the trends for some of these issues going in the same direction that we dont want them to, it is concerning.

The report, which comes out annually, notes that many Ontario hospitals regularly operate at more than 100 per cent capacity.

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(This) can lead to compromised care for patients and burnout among doctors, nurses and other health-care providers, it warns.

Demographic changes, including an aging population and more people with complex health needs, are increasing pressures throughout the system, particularly hospitals.

Hospital overcrowding is a symptom and a source of cascading pressures throughout the health system, which includes longer wait times, insufficient access to mental health and addictions care, wide variation in quality of care among long-term care homes and rising levels of distress among unpaid caregivers, the report says.

Of every seven days that patients spent in hospital in 2016/17, more than one was taken up by patients awaiting transfer elsewhere, for example, to long-term care homes or rehabilitation facilities. Thats the highest rate in five years and the equivalent of more than 10 large hospitals being occupied every day by patients waiting for care elsewhere.

The overcrowding creates bottlenecks in emergency departments. Wait times for admission to hospital from the ER hit their highest peak in six years. In 2017/18, patients spent an average of nearly 16 hours in the ER before being admitted, more than two hours longer than in 2015/16.

ER visits increased by 11.3 per cent over the past six years, to 5.9 million in 2017/18 from 5.3 million in 2011/12. Visits by high-acuity patients  those with more serious conditions  rose at an even higher rate, up by 26 per cent to 4.1 million from 3.3 million.

Compounding the problem of overcrowded hospitals is the ongoing opioid epidemic.

The report shows that visits to the ER due to opioids more than tripled to 54.6 per 100,000 people in 2017, from 15.2 per 100,000 in 2003.

As well, it reveals that Ontario saw the highest annual jump in opioid-related deaths between 2016 and 2017. Two years ago, the death rate was 6.2 per 100,000 population, while last year it was 8.9 per 100,000 population.

The death rate has nearly tripled since 2003, when there were three deaths per 100,000 population.

Premier Doug Ford campaigned in the run-up to Junes election on a platform that included making headway on hallway medicine and the opioid crisis.

While the time period covered in the report precedes Fords victory, it nevertheless reveals an unfavourable trajectory.

Trying to fix the problems in any one single setting is not going to be enough, Greenberg said, explaining that transitions between various parts of the health system need to be improved.

What it will take is different parts of the system working together so that patients are able to be cared for in the right place as their needs change, she added.

The stresses within the health system are resulting in increased caregiver distress, the report shows. Among clients who received home care for six months or longer, in the first half of 2017/18, more than one in four had a primary family or friend caregiver who experienced continued distress, anger or depression in relation to their caregiving role.

Thats up from 20.8 per cent in the first half of 2012/13. The increase represented 13,244 additional caregivers experiencing continued distress, anger or depression.

Toronto resident Craig Lindsay knows this kind of distress all too well. The retired paramedic had a tough time being caregiver to his mother as she was dying of cancer six years ago.

She wanted to die at home and I tried to manage her at home until it overwhelmed me, he explained.

It was a difficult juggle, he recounted. He did the overnight shift at his mothers home in the weeks leading up to her death. The family paid out of pocket for private nursing help during the day.

Their bad experience is reflective of disparities in availability of palliative care services across the province. At the time, service levels were spotty in Scarborough where Lindsays mother lived.

Lindsay also had his own health problems to contend with. Suffering from kidney failure, he requires three weekly visits to hospital for dialysis.

On top of all this, he had his immediate family to care for.

It was very stressful. It compromised my health. I felt depleted, he said.

In the end, Lindsay was unable to cope. His mother ended up dying at Providence Healthcare where she spent the last three days of her life.

To be blunt, I think I failed her, he said of being unable to meet her wishes to die at home. I think about that often. I dont think that is how she envisioned her last days.

HQOs report contained some good news. For example, longevity is increasing. The life expectancy for someone born in Ontario between 2014 and 2016 is 82.5 years. That compares to 80.8 years for a person born between 2005 and 2007.

Additional bright spots cited include a decreasing rate of hospital-acquired C. difficile infection and a meeting of wait-time targets for most cancer and general surgeries.
The thought of designing a space for abused women fleeing for their lives weighs heavily on Toronto architect Gail Borthwick.

How do you restore a sense of security  and control? Build a feeling of warmth and community? And do it on a tight budget?

These are the challenges facing Borthwick, and what may be the first all-female team of engineers, architects and contractors leading the construction of a shelter for victims of domestic violence.

The team just naturally fell into place, says Borthwick, project lead and principal with Stantec, a global design firm which is overseeing development of the new Green Haven Womens Shelter in Orillia.

It happens so rarely in our industry, she says amid the exposed brick, wood beams and large windows of the former McGregor Socks factory on Spadina Ave. that serves as one of the firms two Toronto offices.

There are some men involved, but its women-led.

The $6.23 million project that broke ground in late August is slated to open in the spring of 2020.

The womens leadership offers a level of comfort that became apparent from the teams first design meeting with Green Haven in Orillia last summer, Borthwick says.

That conversation was much more intimate and personal than it would have been had there been men in the room, she said. We all understood because we were women.

Green Havens original 13-bed shelter in a renovated four-bedroom house in downtown Orillia has been serving up to 200 women and children a year since 1991.

But the facility, which also offers counselling, court support and other programs for some 400 women in the community, is inaccessible and too small to meet the needs of the city of about 30,000 and its surrounding rural area, which takes in cottage country as well as First Nations reserves at Rama, Beausoleil and Christian Island, says Liz Westcott, Green Havens executive director.

Between 35- and 40-per cent of women who use the shelter have First Nations ancestry, she adds.

We outgrew our current location the day we moved in, Westcott says. We are always looking for group meeting space in places like church basements. And this isnt always the safest way to operate.

The current shelter also lacks parking  on the misguided assumption only low-income women, who cant afford cars, would need the services of a shelter, she says.

When we opened, we discovered a lot of women were living in their cars, as it was the only viable route to safety. It was a vital part of their lives we hadnt even considered, Westcott says. We ended up having to hide their cars at the police station, back lots and behind arenas.

The new shelter, in a residential part of town near an elementary school, will have room for parking away from the street as well as a childrens playground. It will be accessible with meeting space and staff offices on the second floor. The womens residence will be on the main floor with 15 beds in nine rooms designed as family suites to allow maximum flexibility for women on their own or mothers with children.

The neighbours  many of whom are seniors  already know about the shelter, Westcott says.

We are looking to create a more open relationship with our neighbourhood and asking them to work with us to keep women safe, she says. So its less of a secret.

Design priorities  security, comfort, privacy and safety  were clear from the teams first meeting with shelter staff, says Olivia Keung, design architect for the project.

Even when we got to a point where we had to slash budgets because we were a little over, those were the things that we would not compromise on, she says.

The 14,000 sq. ft. building on a 1.23 acre sloping lot is designed with both physical and emotional security in mind.

The exterior will be brick and with no windows facing the street to give women privacy and a sense of security. Exterior doors are designed with no handles and will always be locked and monitored by security cameras, Keung says.

It was really important that we have great canopies at the entrance to announce you are here, but also in a safe space, she says.

The interior design is equally important.

The most important space in the building is the family room where women can gather and cook and be together and support each other, she says.

The multi-purpose space upstairs where women from the community will be able to receive counselling and other support is also being designed to be welcoming and nurturing, Keung adds.

We wanted these spaces filled with daylight, warm and easy to access. Places people will want to use.

Bertram Construction, the general contractor chosen by Stantec to oversee construction, is a local women-led firm. And area landscaper, Parklane Landscapes, is also run by a woman who will incorporate Indigenous themes in the design, Westcott says.

With Truth and Reconciliation, we really have an obligation to honour those who have so much to teach us, she says. Were building our landscaping theme on the medicine wheel and looking at ways that will help to promote healing.

During Novembers Women Abuse Prevention Month, Green Haven is selling purple scarves  a symbol of the courage it takes for women to leave their abusers  to raise awareness and $1 million for furnishings and a security system for the new shelter.

For Stantec and the women leading the project from Toronto, it has been an enriching and meaningful experience, says Borthwick.

In a big corporate firm, we dont always have projects that have this much soul.
Ive been living in Regent Park for 22 years now, Saquib Ahsan says. I saw the different stages of the revitalization process and learned what community development really is, and what gaps need to be filled.

When most people think of the massive Regent Park revitalization, they picture the new buildings, but less visible is the upheaval residents experience. However, just as those buildings had architectural blueprints to guide their construction, a social development plan, created by residents themselves, aimed to ensure social cohesion during and after the revitalization. To ensure it succeeds, the United Way is helping create a new $1-million Social Impact Fund to fill some of the gaps Ahsan speaks of.

This community impact investment fund asks how can we continue to activate some of the recommendations in the social development plan, says Ruth Crammond, vice-president of community investment and development at the United Way. You can change the built form of the community, but its really important to look at the social fabric and how all the people interact together.

Some of the community-identified priorities the fund will contribute to are neighbourhood safety, access to space for meetings and group activities, improved communication and employment opportunities, as well as other projects residents will propose.

The United Way was approached by a coalition that included local residents; the Daniels Corporation, which has been building the new Regent Park; the City of Toronto; the Toronto Community Housing Corporation; and other community service agencies in the area. They were tasked with helping these partners create and manage the fund, and to figure out who is eligible to apply for it. That last part is important; the fund is being designed to be open to as wide a variety of applicants as possible.

The plan is still coming together, but there will be four tiers of groups and individuals who can apply, explains Ahsan, who has been part of the steering committee developing the fund.

The tiers include individuals with a project idea, local grassroots groups, larger grants for established groups and a final tier for collaborations between residents and organizations from outside the community.

It ensures people arent left out of the process and that residents are always involved, he says.

Though fundraising is still underway, the fund was launched with a $250,000 gift from Daniels.

Its been a really awesome process to sit around a table and co-create the fund, says Heela Omarkhail, senior manager of strategic initiatives at Daniels. For me, representing a donor, that has been the most amazing part: to come into it not telling people what the fund is, but asking them how theyd like to be a part of it and what theyd like it to do for this community.

One of the social service agency partners involved is the Regent Park Community Health Centre at Parliament and Dundas Sts., active in the community for nearly 50 years.

One of the most important indicators of wellness is a sense of belonging, says Paulos Gebreyesus, executive director of the Regent Park Community Health Centre.

The centre, one of the service agency partners in the fund, has been active in the community for nearly 50 years and understands that social conditions have a tremendous effect on an individuals health.

Weve seen the risk of alienation for long-term residents who see their neighbourhood radically transformed, and the alienation of families returning to the neighbourhood who are trying to reorient themselves to this new space, and weve seen other Torontonians whove chosen to make Regent Park their home.

Gebreyesus says he and his organization want to nurture a sense of belonging and that an effective way of doing that is getting people involved in the process. That requires time and money  resources many residents dont have  but the fund can help them participate and give a sense of control over the changes they face.

Heres my little piece, heres my contribution to the change, says Gebreyesus of that empowering feeling. I think thats a really important element of feeling at home, feeling like you belong and that you have a role to play and a voice.

The fund should be launching the application process in early 2019 and have projects started by spring. Once up and running, the hope is it will be a model that can be replicated and adapted to the needs of other communities.

For his part, Ahsan, who recently completed a political science degree at the University of Toronto and is thinking about law school, would like to see projects that are intergenerational and bridge the condo and social housing communities.

Theres a lot more that we have in common than we think, he says. I want to see projects with condo residents alongside social housing tenants, and some of the most valuable things Ive learned are from my elders. That mentorship is so important; youth can learn a lot from people whove been here a while.

Correction  Nov. 19, 2018: This article was edited from a previous version that misstated Saquib Ahsans surname.
LONDONBritish Prime Minister Theresa May won support for her beleaguered Brexit deal Friday from key politicians and business groups, but she remained besieged by internal party opponents determined to oust her.

In a tumultuous week, May finally clinched a divorce deal with the European Union  only for it to be savaged by the political opposition, her parliamentary allies and large chunks of her own Conservative Party. Two Cabinet ministers and a handful of junior government members resigned, and grumbles about her leadership erupted into a roar.

Friday brought some respite, as supportive Cabinet ministers rallied around her. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, a prominent pro-Brexit voice in Cabinet, threw May a lifeline by urging rebels to take a rational and reasonable view of this.

Ultimately I hope that across Parliament well recognize that a deal is better than no deal, he said.

Britains Conservatives have been divided for decades over Britains membership in the EU, and the draft withdrawal agreement has infuriated the most strongly pro-Brexit members, who want the country to make a clean break with the bloc. They say the draft agreement, which calls for close trade ties between the U.K. and the EU, would leave Britain a vassal state, bound to rules it has no say in making.

The deal drove a group of disaffected Brexiteers to try to topple May by submitting letters saying they have lost confidence in her leadership. They are aiming for the magic number of 48  the 15 per cent of Conservative lawmakers needed to trigger a challenge to her leadership under party rules.

After a day of conflicting rumours about whether 48 letters had been sent, leading Brexiteer Steve Baker said, I think were very close.

He suggested the threshold might be reached sometime next week.

If May lost her job as party leader, she would also lose her position as prime minister. But winning a leadership vote could strengthen her position, because the rules say she cant be challenged again for a year.

Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington, one of Mays chief allies, predicted that if it does come to a challenge, the prime minister will win handsomely.

Ive seen no plausible alternative plan from any of those criticizing her or wanting to challenge her position, Lidington said.

May got another piece of good news when Environment Secretary Michael Gove decided not to follow two Cabinet colleagues and quit over the divorce deal.

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey quit Thursday, saying they could not support the agreement. Like them, Gove was a strong supporter of the leave campaign in Britains 2016 EU membership referendum.

Gove said Friday that he absolutely had confidence in May, adding that he would work with government colleagues to achieve the best future for Britain. But he did not answer when asked if he supported Mays Brexit deal.

May replaced Raab and McVey on Friday with two lawmakers with track records of loyalty. Former junior Health Minister Stephen Barclay replaced Raab as Brexit secretary, while ex-Interior Minister Amber Rudd was named to the work and pensions post.

But Mays Cabinet still contains tensions and potential fissures. Some pro-Brexit ministers, including House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom and International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt, have not resigned but also have not publicly endorsed Mays deal.

May is determined to fight on, warning that abandoning her Brexit plan, with Britains withdrawal just over four months away on March 29, would plunge the country into deep and grave uncertainty.

She appealed directly to voters Friday by answering questions on a radio call-in show. It was not an easy ride. One caller said May should resign and let a more staunchly pro-Brexit politician take over; another compared her to Neville Chamberlain, the 1930s prime minister who tried in vain to appease Nazi Germany to avoid war.

May stood by her plan.

For a lot of people who voted leave, what they wanted to do was make sure that decisions on things like who can come into this country would be taken by us here in the U.K., and not by Brussels, and thats exactly what the deal Ive negotiated delivers, she said.

Businesses, which fear the turmoil that could follow a disorderly Brexit, have largely welcomed the withdrawal deal. The Confederation of British Industry, a leading business lobby group, said the agreement represented hard-won progress.

In a statement, the group said the withdrawal agreement opens a route to a good long-term trade deal.

It warned that leaving the EU without a deal on trade and other relations  a path advocated by some Brexit supporters  is not an acceptable option and would badly damage our economy by disrupting supply chains, causing shortages, and preventing vital services reaching people.

Simon Kempton of the Police Federation, a union for police officers, said a no-deal Brexit could spark protests, and its a real concern that those protests might escalate into disorder.

Its 2018. Its the year that people dial (emergency number) 999 because KFC ran out of chicken, he told Sky News. If that will happen, imagine what will happen if we start seeing food or medical supply shortages.

EU leaders, who have called a Nov. 25 summit in Brussels to sign off on the draft agreement, were doing their best to refrain from commenting on Britains political chaos.

But they stressed that the U.K. should not hope to renegotiate the deal  it is a take-it-or-leave-it offer.

This is a withdrawal agreement which took the best part of two years to negotiate involving 28 countries, all of whom have their own particular concerns and interests, said Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. If you start trying to amend it or unthink it, you might find that the whole thing unravels.

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The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul last month, contradicting the Saudi governments claims that he was not involved in the killing, according to people familiar with the matter.

The CIAs assessment, in which officials have said they have high confidence, is the most definitive to date linking Mohammed to the operation and complicates the Trump administrations efforts to preserve its relationship with a close ally. A team of 15 Saudi agents flew to Istanbul on government aircraft in October and killed Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate, where he had come to pick up documents that he needed for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman.

In reaching its conclusions, the CIA examined multiple sources of intelligence, including a phone call that the princes brother Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, had with Khashoggi, according to the people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the intelligence. Khalid told Khashoggi, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post, that he should go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents and gave him assurances that it would be safe to do so.

It is not clear if Khalid knew that Khashoggi would be killed, but he made the call at his brothers direction, according to the people familiar with the call, which was intercepted by U.S. intelligence.

Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi embassy in Washington, D.C., said the ambassador and Khashoggi never discussed anything related to going to Turkey. She added that the claims in the CIAs purported assessment are false. We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations.

The CIAs conclusion about Mohammeds role was also based on the agencys assessment of the prince as the countrys de facto ruler who oversees even minor affairs in the kingdom. The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved, said a U.S. official familiar with the CIAs conclusions.

The CIA sees Mohammed as a good technocrat, the U.S. official said, but volatile and arrogant, someone who goes from zero to 60, doesnt seem to understand that there are some things you cant do.

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CIA analysts believe he has a firm grip on power and is not in danger of losing his status as heir to the throne despite the Khashoggi scandal. The general agreement is that he is likely to survive, the official said, adding that Mohammeds role as the future Saudi king is taken for granted.

A spokesperson for the CIA declined to comment.

Over the past several weeks, the Saudis have offered multiple, contradictory explanations for what happened at the consulate. This week, the Saudi public prosecutor blamed the operation on a rogue band of operatives who were sent to Istanbul to return Khashoggi to Saudi Arabia, in an operation that veered off course when the journalist was forcibly restrained and injected with a large amount of a drug resulting in an overdose that led to his death, according to a report by the prosecutor.

The prosecutor announced charges against 11 alleged participants and said he would seek the death penalty against five of them.

The assassination of Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Mohammeds policies, has sparked a foreign policy crisis for the White House and raised questions about the administrations reliance on Saudi Arabia as a key ally in the Middle East and bulwark against Iran.

President Donald Trump has resisted pinning the blame for the killing on Mohammed, who enjoys a close relationship with Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior adviser. Privately, aides said, Trump has been shown evidence of the princes involvement but remains skeptical that Mohammed ordered the killing.

The president has also asked CIA and State Department officials where Khashoggis body is and has grown frustrated that they have not been able to provide an answer. The CIA does not know the location of Khashoggis remains, according to the people familiar with the agencys assessment.

Among the intelligence assembled by the CIA is an audio recording from a listening device that the Turks placed inside the Saudi consulate, according to the people familiar with the matter. The Turks gave the CIA a copy of that audio, and the agencys director, Gina Haspel, has listened to it.

The audio shows that Khashoggi was killed within moments of entering the consulate, according to officials in multiple countries who have listened to it or been briefed on its contents. Khashoggi died in the office of the Saudi consul general, who can be heard expressing his displeasure that Khashoggis body now needed to be disposed of and the facility cleaned of any evidence, according to people familiar with the audio recording.

The CIA also examined a call placed from inside the consulate after the killing by an alleged member of the Saudi hit team, Maher Mutreb, a security official who has often been seen at the crown princes side and who was photographed entering and leaving the consulate on the day of the killing.

Mutreb called Saud al-Qahtani, then one of the top aides to Mohammed, and informed him that the operation had been completed, according to people familiar with the call.

This week, the Treasury Department sanctioned 17 individuals it said were involved in Khashoggis death, including Qahtani, Mutreb and the Saudi consul general in Turkey, Mohammad al-Otaibi.

The CIAs assessment of Mohammeds role in the assassination also tracks with information developed by foreign governments, according to officials in several European capitals who have concluded that the operation was too brazen to have taken place without Mohammeds direction.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his government has shared the audio with Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.

In addition to calls and audio recordings, CIA analysts also linked some members of the Saudi hit team directly to Mohammed himself. Some of the 15 members have served on his security team and traveled in the United States during visits by senior Saudi officials, including the crown prince, according to passport records reviewed by The Washington Post.

The U.S. had also obtained intelligence before Khashoggis death that indicated he might be in danger. But it wasnt until after he disappeared, on Oct. 2, that U.S. intelligence agencies began searching archives of intercepted communications and discovered material indicating that the Saudi royal family had been seeking to lure Khashoggi back to Riyadh.

Two U.S. officials said there has been no indication that officials were aware of this intelligence in advance of Khashoggis disappearance or had missed any chance to warn him.

Khashoggi was not a person of interest, before his disappearance, and the fact that he was residing in Virginia meant that he was regarded as a U.S. person and therefore shielded from U.S. intelligence gathering, one of the officials said.

Trump has told senior White House officials that he wants Mohammed to remain in power because Saudi Arabia helps to check Iran, which the administration considers its top security challenge in the Middle East. He has said that he does not want the controversy over Khashoggis death to impede oil production by the kingdom.

One lingering question is why Mohammed decided to kill Khashoggi, who was not agitating for the crown princes removal.

A theory the CIA has developed is that Mohammed believed Khashoggi was a dangerous Islamist who was too sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood, according to people familiar with the assessment. Days after Khashoggi disappeared, Mohammed relayed that view in a phone call with Kushner and John Bolton, the national security adviser, who has long opposed the Brotherhood and seen it as a regional security threat.

Mohammeds private condemnation of the slain journalist stood in contracts to his governments public comments, which mourned Khashoggis killing as a terrible mistake and a tragedy.

U.S. officials are unclear on when or whether the Saudi government will follow through with its threatened executions of the individuals blamed for Khashoggis killing. It could happen overnight or take 20 years, the U.S. official said, adding that the treatment of subordinates could erode Mohammeds standing going forward.

In killing those who followed his orders, its hard to get the next set [of subordinates] to help, the official said.

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NEW DELHIThe death toll from a cyclone that hit the coast of southern India has risen to 33, with the storm leaving a trail of massive damage to homes and roads and driving tens of thousands of people into relief camps, officials said Saturday.

Indias navy assigned two ships and a helicopter for relief work. State authorities rushed drinking water, food and paramedics to nearly 82,000 people who took shelter in more than 400 state-run camps.

They were evacuated from areas in the path of Cyclone Gaja, which struck six districts of Tamil Nadu state on Friday with heavy rains and winds that reached 90 kilometres per hour (55 miles per hour).

Relief workers found 13 bodies Friday and an additional 20 on Saturday, said Edappadi Palaniswami, the states top elected official. Most deaths were caused by flooding, house collapses and electrocution.

The cyclone uprooted 30,000 electricity poles and more than 100,000 trees, he said. Nearly 10,000 workers were trying to restore electricity supply to the worst-hit areas, he said.

Palaniswami said a large number of goats, deer and wild animals have perished in the flooding over the past two days.

Read more:

Cyclone kills 13 in southern India, 80,000 evacuated

Severe cyclone hits eastern India; 9 killed

Coconut trees over thousands of acres of farmland have been uprooted, said Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, a farmers organization.

Tamil Nadu state is prone to cyclones that develop in the Bay of Bengal.

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ATHENS, GREECEA march to the U.S. Embassy in Greece held Saturday for the anniversary of a fatally suppressed 1973 student uprising was mostly peaceful, while police officers and anarchists clashed in Athens and the next two next largest cities long after dark.

About 6,000 extra police officers were on hand to monitor the march from the site of the uprising, the National Technical University of Athens, to the embassy. The military dictatorship that ruled Greece at the time violently put down the uprising, and many Greeks accuse the United States of supporting the 1967-74 regime.

In the end, most of the trouble happened elsewhere.

Police said a group of about 300 agitators in the capital erected barricades and threw firebombs and rocks at officers, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades.

In Thessaloniki, Greeces second-largest city, officers faced off with about 200 anarchists, who threw an intense barrage of firebombs. At least ten people were detained. Another five people were detained in Patras after an unknown number of assailants attacked officers, police said.

About 15,000 people participated in the march held earlier to observe the 45th anniversary of the student rebellion. The precise number of deaths in the uprising is unknown. Estimates range from 18-40.

While the event went off relatively trouble-free, government ministers and other marchers representing Greeces ruling Syriza party had plastic bottles and coffee cups thrown at them outside the embassy.

And in an indication of what would come later, a group that marched past the embassy attacked officers at a subway station across police headquarters in Athens, authorities said. Eight suspects were detained, police said.

Two more were detained outside the university, also known as the Polytechnic.

Municipal workers had removed the trash cans that demonstrators often use as makeshift barricades, so desks and other furniture were brought out from the university in their place. Others climbed onto rooftops inside the Polytechnic complex and threw Molotov cocktails and rocks on officers.

Police brought a water cannon to the scene, but used it to put out fires because firetrucks would not approach the area.

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BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINAIn the year since 44 Argentine sailors vanished aboard a submarine, some relatives of the missing crew members had refused to speak of their loved ones in the past tense as they held out hope for a miracle  or at least clarity as to what befell them.

This weekend, Argentine officials said the wreckage of the submarine had been found, offering the first concrete answers about one of the deadliest and most confounding maritime disasters in modern times. Hours after announcing the discovery the government said Saturday that it is unable to recover the vessel.

Defence Minister Oscar Aguad said at a press conference that the country lacks modern technology capable of verifying the seabed to extract the ARA San Juan.

If we had a speck of hope, now there is none left, said Gisela Polo, the sister of Esteban Alejandro Polo, 32, one of the sailors who died. Weve seen the images. They described the depth where it was found. It makes no sense to keep talking about him as if he were still alive.

The discovery of the submarine  almost a year to the day after it disappeared in stormy weather  revealed that it imploded close to the ocean floor, officials said on Saturday, but that its main hull appeared to be largely intact. Now the government of President Mauricio Macri will have to answer questions from frustrated families about what more can be gleaned from the wreckage.

The disappearance of the submarine had confounded experts and had drawn attention to the dilapidated state of Argentinas armed forces. Relatives of the missing sailors denounced the military as reckless.

This is news that fills us with enormous pain, Macri said in a recorded message Saturday night in which he announced three days of national mourning. Now were opening a period of serious investigations to find out the whole truth.

Ocean Infinity, a Houston-based ocean-mapping company hired a few months ago, found the submarine nearly 270 nautical miles from the port of Comodoro Rivadavia in Chubut province and about 1,000 metres under water. The company used unmanned, robotic devices to find it.

Navy officials said Saturday that the relatively small area in which debris from the vessel was scattered and dents on its hull suggested an implosion caused by high pressure from the depth of the ocean.

The submarine was found in an area that was searched extensively but that is filled with canyons, making finding it difficult. That area became a focal point after the Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, which has sensors around the globe to monitor nuclear tests, recorded an incident deep in the ocean that was consistent with an explosion.

This is the area where we had assigned 90 percent of probability for it to be located, said Vice Adm. Jose Luis Villan, the head of the Argentine navy. He added that Ocean Infinity brought to bear unique capabilities. All the navies looked in this area but absent the technology that this company had, we had not found it, Villan said.

The Norwegian-flagged Seabed Constructor vessel operated by Ocean Infinity was scheduled to leave the coast of Argentina on Nov. 15, as the 60-day search contract was up and the crew was scheduled to head to South Africa in preparation for its next mission, said Oliver Plunkett, chief executive of Ocean Infinity. The company wanted to return in February to continue the search.

Then, as a member of the team was combing through the images they had already gathered in previous sonar sweeps, he said he had found something in the data, something worth postponing the departure by a few days and inspecting more closely.

It was the San Juan.

The remarkable thing about it, it was literally the last thing we were going to do, Plunkett said. It is a truly unbelievable moment, in the last hour on the last day.

The crew of the San Juan was last heard from on Nov. 15, 2017. During the early days of the search, the Argentine military sought assistance from neighboring countries and the United States as rescue personnel scoured the ocean in terrible weather conditions believing the crew could be alive.

After the government acknowledged in late November that the sailors were presumed dead based on the information provided by the nuclear sensors, the search fizzled and it seemed likely that the remains would never be found. But that was unacceptable to relatives, who pressed Macris cash-strapped government to keep looking.

Some relatives said the news, while painful, brought a measure of closure.

I had already assumed he died, said Maria Itati Leguizamon, the wife of German Oscar Suarez, a radar operator on the vessel. But I couldnt help it. There was a part of me that kept holding on to the hope that he could still be alive. But now I know for sure and I can mourn.

Its strange how I feel such a mixture of happiness that they found it but also immense sadness. I just cant describe it, she said.

With files from the Associated Press

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PARISFrench President Emmanuel Macron is under fire again, this time over rising fuel prices.

On Saturday, some 244,000 protesters, many clad in yellow vests, not only took to the streets but, in many places, literally took the streets, according to the French Interior Ministry. The ministry said a network of drivers blocked roads at some 2,000 locations across the country, generating traffic backups for miles and causing one death.

A 63-year-old protester was killed in the eastern Savoie region when a driver panicked by demonstrators accidentally accelerated into the crowd, French media reported. In other incidents nationwide, 106 people were reported injured, five seriously.

The protesters chief complaint: the rising cost of diesel fuel. The recent price hike is a direct result of Emmanuel Macrons commitment to curbing climate change, which included higher carbon taxes for 2018, the first full year of his term. But beyond the diesel issue, many turned out Saturday to voice any number of other frustrations with the so-called president for the rich, who is seen as increasingly removed from ordinary peoples concerns.

Diesel, a fossil fuel, is known for the pollutants it emits into the air. Although it was traditionally taxed at the same rate as petrol, that is no longer the case: taxes on diesel have risen by 6.2 per cent per litre this year, as part of the governments efforts to protect clean air. The problem is that diesel remains the most common fuel in France, leading many to view recent policies as an attack on working people more than an environmental safeguard.

The stirrings of the yellow vest campaign behind Saturdays protest began this summer, with online petitions urging Macron to reconsider. But the loudest voice was that of Jacline Mouraud, a white-haired hypnotist and grandmother of three from Brittany who has become the star of the movement.

I have two little words for Mr. Macron and his government, she said in a YouTube video that has garnered millions of views. You have persecuted drivers since the day you took office. This will continue for how long?

On Saturday, Mouraud was asked to explain the death of the protester earlier in the day. I deplore the death of this woman, she said, speaking to Europe 1 radio. But who is responsible for this situation? The French government is responsible for the death of this woman.

Her view of the government is not a fringe opinion. According to a poll published Friday by the Odoxa agency for Frances Le Figaro newspaper  albeit with only 1,000 respondents  as many as three in four French people agree. Whatever the actual figure, Macrons political opponents, particularly on Frances political extremes, have sought to capitalize on the sentiment, using the yellow vest movement to cast the president as an out-of-touch elitist.

That is a common criticism of Macron, whose approval ratings have recently plummeted to as low as 26 per cent. Even President Donald Trump took notice, noting Macrons low popularity in a flurry of tweets after a tense visit to Paris last weekend.

Laurent Wauquiez, the leader of Frances right-wing Les Republicains, announced he would be demonstrating Saturday. Were offered a punitive environmental policy that involves massive increases in taxes, Wauquiez said in a recent interview. Im tired of the fact that in this country, environmental policy always comes by way of taxes.

In response, Macron has offered his respect and consideration to the protesters but has refused to budge. He is also far from alone in advocating higher carbon taxes.

The United Nations contends that taxing carbon dioxide emissions is an essential component of halting a steady rise in global temperatures. It was a key element of the world bodys major October report predicting that the earths atmosphere may warm by up to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (-16 Celsius) over pre-industrial levels as soon as 2040, potentially triggering a global crisis decades earlier than expected.

Approximately 48,000 people die in France every year from pollution-related causes, according to Frances public health watchdog.

Since his election, Macron has sought to position himself as a leading voice for action on climate change  in notable contrast to Trump. When the latter withdrew the United States from the landmark Paris climate accord of 2015, Macron invited U.S. climate scientists to continue their research in France. In English, he even played on Trumps campaign slogan: Make Our Planet Great Again.

Despite those public interventions, however, the French president has come under fire at home for not making much progress on the climate question. The criticism has come even from within his own cabinet: Nicolas Hulot, a former television personality who served as Macrons staggeringly popular environment minister, resigned during an August radio interview that took the Elysee Palace by surprise.

As Hulot said during the interview: Have we begun to reduce the use of pesticides? The answer is no. Have we started to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? The answer is no. Or to stop the erosion of biodiversity? No.

Still, carbon taxes have been a priority for Macron since the beginning, with France raising its carbon tax from $35 a ton in 2017 to $51 a ton in 2018. The cost is slated to keep rising, eventually reaching $98.50 a ton in 2022.

In recent weeks, the government has acknowledged the impact on the average French pocketbook. But since early 2018, consumers have been eligible for an environmental bonus rebate: trade in a diesel car for a more environmentally friendly model and get money back.

Although the government is sticking to its policies, Macron, in a rare concession, appears to recognize the blow to his image that Saturdays demonstrations represent.

As he said in a recent interview: I have not succeeded in reconciling the French people with their leaders.

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OTTAWAA Vancouver lawyer who helped prosecute two of the Khmer Rouges most senior surviving leaders is breathing a little easier after a tribunal this week found the two elderly Cambodian men guilty of genocide and other crimes.

Dale Lysak says he has been waiting more than a year for the joint UN-Cambodian tribunals ruling against Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan, and that the verdict ensures some accountability for one of recent historys worst atrocities.

Im very satisfied, Lysak said in an interview. Ive been waiting for over a year to get the judgment on this trial and it feels great.

An estimated two million Cambodians were killed during a bloody four-year period after the Communist-inspired movement known as the Khmer Rouge took over the poor Southeast Asian country in 1975.

Lysak was one of several prosecutors during the nearly decade-long tribunal hearings, and he told The Canadian Press he felt the weight of responsibility for all those affected by the murderous regime during his eight years working on the tribunal.

That included when he led the prosecutions cross-examination of Nuon Chea, who served as second in command to Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot, who died in 1998. There were also daily reminders as survivors sat in the courtroom to listen to the trial.

Read more:

Cambodian Khmer Rouge leaders convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity

Khmer Rouge trial fulfills survivor's dream

What drove a lot of hard work over a really long period of time was that understanding that this was kind of the one chance to get justice for one of the worst incidents of mass atrocities in modern history, Lysak said in an interview.

The tribunal has been criticized for its $300-million cost and duration, which resulted in only three Khmer Rouge leaders being found guilty, but Lysak says the alternative is unimaginable.

The alternative is that we accept no one is going to face justice or face a courtroom for what are some of the worst atrocities of all time, he said. And I dont see that as a palatable argument.

Lysaks involvement in the tribunal was almost an accident. After practising commercial law in San Francisco for several years, he did some travelling and ended up in Cambodia in 2008  just as the tribunal was getting underway.

The tribunals lead international prosecutor at the time was Justice Canada lawyer Robert Petit and when Lysak asked the fellow Canadian whether he could volunteer for a few months, Petit jumped at the offer.

While Petit would eventually resign in 2009, citing family reasons as well as frustration with the tribunal, which has long been plagued with allegations of political interference by the Cambodian government, Lysak stayed until closing arguments last year.

And then, after returning to Canada, he and everyone else waited until this week to find out the courts verdict.

Nuon Chea, 92, and Khieu Sampath, 87, had been found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life in prison in 2014 for the forced displacement of millions of people and mass disappearances during the start of the Khmer Rouges brutal rule.

The most recent verdict related to the murders, tortures and other atrocities committed in the years afterward. The finding of genocide was particularly notable, however, as scholars had debated for decades whether such a crime had been committed.

The tribunal judges ruled that a genocide had occurred because the Khmer Rouge targeted Cambodians of Vietnamese descent as well as the countrys Muslim population.

Some have questioned whether the tribunal was worth it given the high cost in money and time to convict only a small number of Khmer Rouge leaders; besides Nuon Chea and Khieu Sampath, only one other person has been tried and convicted.

In 2010, the tribunal convicted Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, who as head of the Khmer Rouge prison system ran the infamous Tuol Sleng torture centre in Cambodias capital, Phnom Penh.

Others have said the tribunal, which likely wont prosecute any more former leaders, should have been able to accomplish more.

While he acknowledged those criticisms, Lysak said international criminal cases are always going to be expensive because of their nature while the Khmer Rouge tribunal was necessarily complicated because of the passage of time.

The tribunals mandate was also limited to prosecuting only the most senior leaders, while Lysak and his colleagues had to prove that the regimes leaders were responsible for the actions of their subordinates.

These international tribunals are expensive by nature, so theres always going to be that kind of criticism, he said.

But I think when were talking about killings of this magnitude, look at the amount of money spent for each person who died and it comes to $100 per victim. Does that seem like a lot of money to pursue justice? No, of course not.

With the verdicts against Nuon Chea and Khieu Sampath, many Cambodians may finally be able to find a degree of closure to the darkest chapter in their countrys history.

Yet Cambodia remains embroiled in new tensions and conflict today, nearly 30 years after Canada and other members of the international community arrived as part of UN peacekeeping mission to set the country on the path to democracy and peace.

The current government under Prime Minister Hun Sen has all but abandoned the trappings of democracy and targeted opposition parties, labour groups, human-rights defenders and the media in a bid to quash dissent.

Lysak, who met his future wife while working in Cambodia, says it is discouraging to see what is happening in the country now, though he hopes the tribunal will inspire the next generation of lawyers and others in the country.

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In the headlines just this past week: Indigenous women coerced into sterilizations across Canada.

The article from the Canadian Press went on: New research shows the forced sterilization of Indigenous women is not just a shameful part of Canadian history. Reports from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and the territories suggest it is still happening.

In Canada, on this issue as so many others, the past is not dead. It isnt even past, as William Faulkner famously wrote.

The weight of history is felt every day by the living, especially those who have borne the heaviest burden of injustice. Indigenous peoples, in particular, live with that every day. As the new revelations about forced sterilizations show, past wrongs are too frequently continued into the present, with terrible effect.

Tanya Talagas series of Massey Lectures, collected under the title All Our Relations and aired across Canada this past week on CBC Radios Ideas program, form a powerful reflection on this reality, one that should renew our collective determination to confront and overcome the legacy of these injustices.

Talaga, a writer for the Toronto Star, drew on her heritage as an Indigenous woman; her mother is Anishinaabe, her great grandparents were residential school survivors, and her family has been deeply affected by that legacy.

So its no surprise that she chose to focus on the effects that generations of injustice and inequality, of separation from land, tradition and family, have had on Indigenous children. Most tragically, it has led to a rate of suicide among Indigenous youth many times higher than that in the general population.

This hardly qualifies as breaking news. For years, decades even, Canadians have been reading about young people in remote Indigenous communities taking their own lives at a frightening pace. In one small community that Talaga cites, 10 committed suicide  the equivalent of 16,000 dying in a city the size of Toronto. If young people were killing themselves at that rate in our big cities, we would declare a national emergency.

No such emergency is sounded when children die by their own hand in far-away, fly-in places that few people visit. In fact, the reaction even from those who are paid to pay attention can be outright callous.

Talaga tells the story of Wapekeka First Nation in northern Ontario, whose chief wrote to Ottawa in the summer of 2016 requesting emergency funding to hire mental health workers because some children had been talking about committing suicide. The request was denied, as she recounts, because the Health Canada bureaucrat who answered the letter said it was an awkward time in the budget cycle.

Not long after, three 12-year-old girls in the community of only 400 people did indeed die by suicide.

The shock in all this is that it isnt particularly shocking: children die, stories flit briefly through the news cycle, and everyone waits until the next time. Talaga worries that this has become utterly unremarkable in many places crippled by the weight of colonial policies working themselves out across generations. What is it like to live in a community where suicide is almost normal? she asks. For too many Indigenous communities world-wide, life is lived in the normalcy of death.

She goes on: You have to have safe housing, you have to have a family that loves you, someone who tucks you in at night, to say to you, You belong. You need nutritious food, you need access to an education, you need access to health care. When youre growing up in a community thats missing all these things suicide is there, suicide becomes normal.

Amid all this, one fact stands out: Canada is the only G8 nation without a national strategy on suicide prevention. Indigenous leaders called for such a strategy, backed by dedicated funding, when a rash of youth suicides briefly shocked the country in 2016-17. But the Trudeau governments view is that such a policy isnt needed. More important, it has said, is to restore hope in Indigenous communities with proper health services, better education and economic opportunities.

Thats all fine, but it will take a long time to reverse the damage done by policies that tore apart communities and families for decades, even centuries. In the meantime, a strategy focused on preventing suicides could save many young people in communities that cannot afford to lose any more.

Such a strategy must be informed by Indigenous peoples own traditions, and take into account as well widespread mistrust of the existing health system. There is still a memory of dedicated Indian hospitals that provided sub-standard care and at times even practised what Talaga describes as harmful medical experimentation and questionable therapies.

In contrast, she describes a model for treatment that might offer real hope. During a visit to the territory of the Sami people in northern Norway she visited a suicide prevention centre that treats entire families. Instead of flying troubled youths hundreds of kilometres away from all they know to be seen alone in a mental health clinic, their entire family moves into the centre for a month and is treated together. It is, she reports, a success.

Developing a strategy that includes such innovative methods would take imagination and a great deal of consultation. It would also take real money, at a time when the federal government has budgeted billions in additional spending to start making up for the short-falls in basic services that have plagued Indigenous communities.

The alternative, though, is to stand by and in effect condone the ongoing but preventable destruction of so many lives. Anyone who reads Tanya Talagas powerful lectures will come away determined not to let that continue.
Photo provided

Illinois State Crime Stopper President Loren Hamilton of Jacksonville was the opening speaker at the Cook County Crime Stoppers 2018 award ceremony in Chicago this month.

Members of the Chicago Police Department, FBI, DEA, ATF, Secret Service , Homeland Security, Illinois State Police, Treasury Department, Cook County Sheriffs Department and IRS were honored for acts of valor.
ALTON  It may not seem like much to many people, but a free turkey for Thanksgiving makes a big difference for others.

On Friday, Edwardsville-based TorHoerman Law gave out 500 turkeys at the Salvation Army in Alton. The event had been planned for Thursday, but was postponed because of the weather.

Right now Im on a set budget, so it will be nice to have a turkey, said Scott Weigler, one of those who came out for the giveaway.

The giveaway was scheduled to start at 10 a.m., but they started early because a large number of people had been standing in line in the cold for several hours.

Lt. Lily Reinier of the Salvation Army, said that people were in line when she arrived at 7:30 a.m.

For a lot of people this is very important, she said, this is the turkey for their dinner.

In addition to a 15- to 18-pound frozen turkey, early arrivals also received a bag of sweet potatoes, courtesy of The Source Juicery, also from Edwardsville.

We handed out 130 (bags), 500 pounds of sweet potatoes, Juicery co-owner Michelle Motley said, adding they decided to tag along because they knew people who worked at the law firm. They ran out of sweet potatoes in the first hour.

Next year, more sweet potatoes, she said.

This is the fifth year the law firm has handed out turkeys.

My wife came up with the idea, said Tor Hoerman. We saw a need where people were struggling themselves to get turkeys for Thanksgiving and we thought we would try to fill the need.

He said they started with 100 turkeys, which lasted about 30 minutes, then increased that to 250 the second year.

Now were up to 500 turkeys, he said, adding if they are a few short those people would be taken care of, and if they ended up with extras they have contingency plans to donate them elsewhere.

Hoerman said he was unsure about the impact on the community, but the impact on individuals was profound.

The importance for individuals who can have turkeys on their tables on Thanksgiving, thats what matters the most to me, he said. What we think about is each one of those birds is going to go to an individual family and make their day a little bit better.

I just needed a turkey for the holidays, said Kenneth Hickman.

Its very good, said Charles Drake Jr., after receiving a turkey. It does let us know that there is fundraising for the poor, and care for those who cannot care for themselves.

The turkeys were handed out by employees and their relatives, including 9-year-old Kayleigh Greer, of Staunton.

It makes me happy, because I feel bad for all the people who cant afford it, she said during a lull in the giveaway. Its not really hard  the turkeys are just too heavy.
GLEN CARBON  The proposed 2019 budget for the Village of Glen Carbon was presented to trustees at the last regular meeting of the full board.

Village Director of Finance Scott Borror presented the proposed $27.5 million budget to trustees and said financially, the village is in good shape.

Operationally we are a very strong municipality. The general fund is balanced, which is always a goal when going into this process, and by that, I mean our operating revenues are projected to exceed our operating expenditures. We are not relying on cash reserves to balance the budget, Borror said.

Borror said the biggest source of revenue for the village is sales tax. It is anticipated that sales taxes will make up 48 percent of the revenue for the village.

Our sales tax revenue continues to grow and we anticipate a 1.5 percent increase in 2019, Borror said.

Sales tax revenue has been on a steady increase from $2.3 million in 2010 to an anticipated $3.9 million in the coming year.

This growth is impressive, Borror said. We are relying more on sales tax as a revenue source and the growth of the retail sector in Glen Carbon is a big part of that.

Property tax revenue for the village makes up 18 percent of the general fund revenue.

Over the past 10 years, the property tax levy has increased from $2.6 to $2.9 million.

I think it speaks volume to the fiscal management that has been in place for quite a while in the village, Borror said. So property values are increasing, while our tax extension is remaining steady and tax rates are going down. Im sure the taxpayers appreciate that.

As for budget expenses, payroll and benefits is the biggest budget item totaling $7.7 million. This number includes all employee benefits as well as pension contributions.

While pensions payments have forced many municipalities into debt, Borror said the village has and will continue to meet all of its pension obligations.

The budget also contains more than $9 million in capital improvement projects for 2019.

Projects in the 2019 Capital Improvement Plan includes work on storm drainage, sidewalks, the annual street program, the continuation of the reconstruction of Old Troy Road, Village Hall improvements, Schon Park, water and sanitary sewer work, the replacement of all water meters to enable remote meter reading and equipment replacement.

The capital projects are part of an overall five year, $42 million Capital Improvement Plan.

Of the 2019 projects, Old Troy Road will cost an estimated $2.9 million while Schon Park will cost $2.6 million.

The entire Glen Carbon budget document can be viewed at Village Hall and is available on the Glen Carbon website at www.glen-carbon.il.us.

The final budget and tax levy will be presented for approval at the Dec. 11 board meeting.
In this column, I have held forth a lot on item numbers, mostly fuming against the crassness and the objectification contained in their lyrics and choreography. Lines like I am a tandoori chicken, wash me down with alcohol... from Fevicol Se, Juicy lips, oh your juicy lips... from Hoth Rasiley, and I am buttery Chameli, I have secretly downed a peg of whiskey and come here... [Chikni Chameli] have given me particular pain.

I mean, why is the woman describing herself as a fast food accompaniment to alcohol, to be chewed, digested and excreted the next day? Why did somebody whom the press insists on describing as a Bollywood A-lister agree to dance to it? Why the need to wax eloquent on the juiciness of lips, while making suggestive gestures? Why the fetishising of a woman who drinks in secret? And why can she not just have her wretched peg of whiskey out in the open like a normal person?

It seems to me that item songs usually follow one of two formats: 1) the item girl throws herself at a man and he rejects her, and she pouts and slithers around him and tries to woo him while he remains impervious to her charms (Kajra Re); 2) the item girl gives the snooty, full-on high maintenance ones, while a group of men salivate around her, indulging in patently fake desperately smitten behaviour. These item songs usually end with the item girl doing something utterly predictable like going off tamely with the main man, whoever he is, or scurrying for cover with her musicians because a big fight scene is beginning, or being kidnapped, or dying cheaply while trying to save the hero/slay the villain in some sort of climactic crossfire.

And that is why I am utterly charmed by the freshness of Suraiyya from Thugs of Hindostan. She lives alone in a plush haveli/kotha, calls all the shots in this establishment (no bossy madam or greasy pimp-uncle in sight) and has absolutely no soft corner for our hero. When a band of harried freedom fighters comes to her haveli looking for a safe hiding place, she agrees to let them stay, declaring, I do not believe in slavery. Nobody should be a slave, either of their loved ones, or of the British. That had me on my feet and whistling faster than any shot of any Bollywood hero taking his shirt off and flashing a poorly defined, starved-looking six-pack. I mean, Wah! Wah! Good on you, Suraiyya Jaan! In the eighteenth century, you had already imbibed the insights Indian advertising and Mothers Horlicks are discovering only today.

Of course, she is just a bit player in this strange, solemn movie. But she definitely has the best bits! The lyrics of her item song feel strong and have agency. (Good on you, Amitabh Bhattacharya.) She gets to sing some pretty sassy lines to her smitten paramour: I have met you, I have fed you, I have sung for you, now what else can I possibly do? Should I have your child, and pack it up, and hand it to you?

I must confess that I thought she was going to dieand that the gaily sung line, Suraiyya jaan degi kya... (Should Suraiyya give her life for you...) was some sort of bitter-sweet foreshadowing of that tragic moment. But I am happy to report that I was fully wrong.

At the end of the song, instead of conspiring to conceal the identity of her suitor (Aamir Khan in a blond wig, in a whites-only club, which has issued shoot-at-sight orders against all Indian trespassers) she whips off his wig, revealing his true identity to the audience packed with goras and plunging him into dire peril, with a sweet pout and a shrug, and absolutely no remorse whatsoever.

It was truly a subversive moment in the item girls narrative. We should celebrate it as such.

editor@theweek.in
In French author Michel Houellebecqs controversial novel Platform, one western character describes Thailand as a place where everybody gets what they want, theres something for everybody's tastes....

Houellebecq (read Wellbeck) was making a contentious reference to the growing influence of the sex industry in Thailand. But, Thailand is not just about tourism anymore, as I discovered last month when I attended the inauguration of the first Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB). Bangkok is a city of culture, traditions, hospitality and gastronomy. However, censorship of the arts is often whimsical and subjective. So, artists find their freedom to express themselves curbed. BAB seems to have put all those concerns to rest with a very bold biennale.

Polka-dotted pumpkins by Yayoi Kusama in Bangkok | Nuntiya

I met Thailands most respected art critic and historian Dr Apinan Poshyananda at Venice, a couple of years ago during a brunch organised by the Biennale Association. He gave me his BAB business card, which reignited my excitement about the number of contemporary art initiatives growing in south and southeast Asia.

Poshyananda is the driving force behind the biennale. With Thailand battling issues such as the conflict between Muslim and Buddhist communities, and the inability to reconcile with the influx of persecuted Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, Poshyananda has pulled off a grand event with great defiance. The other issues addressed in the biennale, particularly by Thai artists, include the exploitation of migrant workers, the plight of women in a patriarchal society and the wrath over environmental pollution of Thailands rivers.

In an interview after the opening, Poshyananda is reported to have said: "People said to me: Why ask for trouble? And yes, we chose to take the difficult path. But under the military we have gone through five years of intense scrutiny and it is time to have a breather and be able to freely express ourselves." Despite apprehension, there has been no interference by the authorities, despite two venues being the citys most famous templesWat Pho and Wat Arun. In a highly religious country, they were the unlikeliest places to display contemporary art. Yet, the government complied.

It is not easy to establish a festival on contemporary visual art. But, the BAB has been able to overcome all adversity. Poshyananda was aided by an advisory committee of prominent art figures. During the inaugural ceremony, he invited the incredible Marina Abramovic to join him on stage, to represent all the participating artists at the BAB.

The exhibition is also taking place across urban public spaces, from historic architectural sites to iconic landmarks like the East Asiatic Company building, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre and Bank of Thailand Learning Centre.

These beautiful venues hosted fantastic paintings by Francesco Clemente, the trademark pumpkins of Yayoi Kusama, Heri Donos kinetic works, AES+Fs huge scale video, Gauri Gills photographs, Mark Justinianis installation and some brilliant performance pieces by Kawita Vatanajyankur. Kawita is a Thai video artist who creates thought-provoking works that emphasise the importance of gender equality. At the BAB, the young artist undertook physical experiments to examine weaving, knitting and printing processes in the textile industry. She was seen performing as a spinning wheel and textile shuttle.

It is difficult to cover 200 works spread over 20 venues. Yet, it was heartening to see that for a country that has been under a military regime, BAB has come as a welcome relief.

editor@theweek.in
Touched by the compassion of the nurses who tended to her...
Hindu Aikya Vedi leader K.P. Sasikala, who was arrested late last night, is expected to visit the Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala on Saturday. Sasikala, who is in preventive detention, will soon be produced at a local court in Pathanamthitta's Tiruvalla where she will be granted bail. "I will proceed to sannidhanam after I get the bail," Sasikala told the media outside a local police station in Ranni where she was detained early on Saturday.

Sasikala, who was on a pilgrimage to the Ayyappa shrine, was taken into "preventive custody" near Marakkootam, close to Sabarimala, at 2.30 am after she allegedly defied the orders, police said. Police had decided not to allow devotees enter the temple premises when it was closed for the night.

Meanwhile, the state-wide hartal, called by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and backed by the BJP to protest against the arrest of Sasikala, affected normalcy in Kerala as thousands of people were stranded due to lack of transportation. Vehicles, including state-run buses, and auto-rickshaws remained off roads in several areas. Incidents of violence by VHP and BJP supporters were also reported from some places.

At the same time, thousands of pilgrims offered prayers at Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala early on Saturday, the first day of Malayalam month of 'Vrischikom'. Pilgrims, including children, queued up in large numbers since the temple opened at 3 am.

Amid unprecedented security, Kerala State Transport Corporation buses were bringing pilgrims from Nilackal to Pamba and no services had been stopped, KSRTC sources said. Shops and hotels near the temple complex were open. KSRTC Managing Director Tomin J. Thachankary said the corporation was running buses in Sabarimala with police protection to help pilgrims reach the temple.

In Balrampuram near Thiruvananthapuram, protesters attacked a KSRTC bus and damaging its windows, he said.

In the state capital, passengers had a tough time in getting vehicles to reach their respective destinations due to the hartal. Many patients and their relatives were unable to reach the regional cancer centre and Thiruvananthapuram medical college hospital.

(With inputs from PTI)
A short story, I might have written in my head, before I put it down on paper. So, I never have trouble with short stories. But with longer work, sometimes your enthusiasm sags or you run out of ideas. Memoirs, essays, poems have suited me best because there you dont falter. Ruskin Bond author

It is deeply worrying that India and Pakistan should regard each other as enemies than as just adversaries on the cricket ground. No other game played between sportspersons of the two countries evokes such hostility. Neeraj Chopra, Olympic javelin champion, beat Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan without Pakistani fans erupting in anger and hate. P. Chidambaram Congress leader

History never termed Ashoka or Chandragupta Maurya great, but it termed Alexander, who was defeated by Maurya, great. Historians are silent on such issues. However, once the countrymen learn the truth, India will change. Yogi Adityanath Uttar Pradesh chief minister

Hindutva is a fake history factory. Chandragupta Maurya and Alexander never met in war. This is yet another example of why we need good public education system. Asaduddin Owaisi president, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen, while responding to Adityanath
During his year-long treatment for cancer at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, Tushar Rishi, 20, felt like a mere speck. The hospital is always abuzz with patients, says the Ranchi resident. A second-year student of English literature at Hindu College in Delhi, Rishi was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his left knee at the age of 16. He had eleven rounds of chemotherapy and a surgery. Everyone at AIIMS is super efficient, but the patient volume in the hospital is humongous, and that makes things difficult for everyone, says Rishi, who wrote The Patient Patient based on his cancer experience.

Countries like China, Taiwan and Singapore have made much headway in preventing liver cancer with Hepatitis B vaccine.

Cancer care is poorly organised in India, particularly in the public sector, says Dr Shah Alam Khan, professor and orthopaedic oncologist at AIIMS. As a result, a huge chunk of patients from north and northeast India come to us, he says. We have patients from Bihar and Madhya Pradesh who have moved to Delhi for treatment. They manage for two or three months. Once the money gets exhausted, they are on the streets. Khan calls these patients cancer refugees.

Improved cancer diagnosis and care in smaller towns seem to be the need of the hour. The overcrowded cancer train from Bathinda to Bikaner is a running reminder of the grave situation. There are about 12,000 cancer patients in the Malwa region of Punjab alone, thanks to exposure to known carcinogens like chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Lack of affordable health care makes these patients travel to Bikaner in Rajasthan for treatment.

But, it is not all gloom and doom. Researchers are trying to develop self-testing devices that will enable women to get screened for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection at home. These at-home tests can detect cervical cancer at stage zero, says Dr Rengaswamy Sankaranarayanan, senior visiting scientist at the World Health Organization-International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France. Pap tests check for changes in cervical cells only, whereas the new tests can check for HPV infections that could lead to cervical cell abnormalities. HPV virus produces certain proteins as it enters the cells. HPV self-testing detects these proteins, allowing early diagnosis of cervical cancer. It makes cervical cancer screening as easy as taking a pregnancy test. A range of such self-tests are now being evaluated in different countries, including India.

Around 70 per cent of cervical cancers is caused by HPV. Self testing could bring down the incidence of cervical cancer in India significantly. If cervical cancer is detected at stage zero, the patient would not even be admitted to the hospital, says Sankaranarayanan, who is also the chief of the cancer screening group at the IARC.

For colon cancer patients, there is Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT), which helps detect the disease at an early stage and gives results within five minutes. Though it has been around for quite some time, there is little awareness about it, says Sankaranarayanan.

Tech up: Clinac iX, used to detect tumours, at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi | Aayush Goel

Also, recent breakthroughs like immunotherapy, robotic surgery and proton therapy offer hope to cancer patients. Precision medicine, for instance, helps doctors analyse the best possible treatment for a patient, based on his/her predictive analysis that includes genomics and immunology study, says Dr B.S. Ajaikumar, chairman and CEO, HCG Enterprises Ltd. This, combined with advanced molecular imaging, can give us a near-perfect status of the disease along with the right mode of treatment, he says.

Simple innovations, too, are dramatically changing cancer care. NIRAMAI is a noninvasive, low-cost breast cancer screening tool that can be used at home. NIRAMAI Solution includes our patented artificial intelligence-based technology called Thermalytix, which analyses the temperature distribution on the chest to identify any abnormality, says Dr Geetha Manjunath, CEO and cofounder, Niramai Health Analytix. Since the test looks at abnormal tissue activity, it enables early detection, much before a lump is felt.

Rosy Lalnunsangi, 44, from Mizoram, never had access to such screening tools. She was 20 weeks pregnant, with twins, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her oncologist suggested an abortion, but Lalnunsangi wanted to keep her babies, who were conceived through in vitro fertilisation. So, she came to Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi. We knew from our previous experience that at 20 weeks of pregnancy, she could get surgery and chemotherapy and [we could] save her life and the babies, too, says Dr Ramesh Sarin, senior consultant, oncosurgery, who along with a team of gynaecologists, foetal medicine specialists and oncologists treated Lalnunsangi at the hospital. A lumpectomy was done, removing the tumour in her right breast.

Breast surgery has evolved since the days of disfiguring radical surgery, says Dr Diane M. Radford, associate professor of surgery, and director, Breast Program at Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital, the US. Advances include the increasing use of an oncoplastic approach to improve cosmetic outcome; reducing tumour size with upfront chemotherapy; and allowing more breast-conserving procedures and sentinel node biopsy rather than full axillary dissection to reduce the complication of lymphoedema, she explains.

Lalnunsangi was given chemotherapy drugs that are safe for pregnant women. At 38 weeks, she had a C-section. Her twinsGrace and Hannahwere born healthy. Lalnunsangi underwent radiation therapy after delivery, saving the babies from its harmful effects.

Vaccination, too, has been a game-changer in the fight against cancer. Some of the deadly cancers like liver cancer are preventable through vaccines. Countries like China, Taiwan and Singapore have made much headway in preventing liver cancer with Hepatitis B vaccine. Around 70 per cent of liver cancers are caused by Hepatitis B infection. While there is no effective treatment for liver cancer, the third most common cause of cancer deaths in the country, boosting preventive measures can help save many lives.

Women who are sexually active can get vaccinated against cervical cancer. It is recommended to get HPV vaccination for all girls before they become sexually active, says Dr Prasad Narayanan, senior consultant, medical oncology, Cytecare Cancer Hospitals, Bengaluru.

Dr Pramod Kumar Julka, senior director, Oncology Daycare Centre at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, Delhi, says, HPV 16/18 vaccination sub-types have been approved in many countries and are common. Protection from these vaccines seems to last four years or longer. However, it is unclear whether these vaccines are effective for women who have been sexually active for more than five to ten years. They are not expected to benefit women with prevalent HPV infection. Julka, however, anticipates a wave of cancer vaccine approvals in the next five to six years, which could further change cancer care.
Police constable Lalita Salve, 29, from Maharashtras Beed district, became Lalit Salve in May. Salve had been born a male, with undescended testes and an undeveloped penis, but was raised as a female. Last year, he had approached the Bombay High Court after he was denied leave for gender reassignment surgery. A medical board, constituted on the courts order, concluded that Salve was a male and would need genital reconstruction surgery. Following this, the then superintendent of police, Beed, gave the go-ahead for the procedure. With the first part of his treatment complete, Salve is now back at work; the next surgery is due in a few months.

The surgery, which was carried out by senior plastic surgeon Dr Rajat Kapoor and his team at the state-run St George Hospital in Mumbai, became significant for two reasons: one, it was talked about publicly, thanks to the wide media coverage, and two, it was recognised and permitted by the state government and the police department.

We had a huge number of people contacting us after reading about Salves case, said Dr Madhukar Gaikwad, medical superintendent at St George Hospital. That is when we decided to open an outpatient department (OPD), dedicated specifically to sex reassignment surgeries, so that patients could approach doctors without fearing social stigma, and also get their gender corrected at a minimal cost in a government hospital. It has been quite liberating for them, I believe. The OPD for sex change, inaugurated by state medical education minister Girish Mahajan and state industries minister Subhash Desai, is the first-of-its-kind in a public hospital in Maharashtra.

During a recent visit to the hospital on a bright afternoon, we find Dr Rajat Kapoor, who is in charge of the OPD, pressed for time. He had taken a break during Diwali, and had ten patients waiting for a follow-up on his return. The problem of gender identity disorders is much more than we think, he said. People keep their feelings suppressed and live with it. A 61-year-old retired engineer came to us to get his genitalia corrected. He said he had always lived like a female, when inherently he felt like a male. After karyotyping, we found that his genetic makeup, too, was that of a male.

Thanks to the support of NGOs and media, people no longer shy away from such surgeries, said Kapoor. In fact, they think it is important and necessary that they actually live the identity they most relate to, he said. So, the numbers have definitely increased after the Lalit Salve episode.

The point of creating a separate OPD, explained Kapoor, was that patients would feel more comfortable to approach doctors on seeing other people with similar issues. Nobody would laugh, tease or ridicule them because they are all there for the exact same reason, he said.

After the first consultation, it takes between three and six months for a patient to complete the legal formalities and get started with the surgery.

We do not begin the surgery until we have all the papers in place, which include a consent form from the employer, a name change in the gazette, and also pictures of cross-dressing (dressing up as a male or female, depending on the sex change one desires) for six months before the date of the surgery, said Kapoor. That is because these surgeries are not reversible, and the patients must be convinced that they want to be identified as a gender different from the one they were assigned at birth.

Among the patients at the St George Hospitals OPD, there was a 15-year-old girl with her mother. She said she could not wait to be identified as a boy.

Last year, a doctor told me that I was biologically a male because I never went through the typical female growth stages, she said, requesting that her identity be kept secret. Now, if this doctor confirms it, then I will also undergo a surgery. Thank God, they do not charge too much here, otherwise I would have never been able to afford it.
When my father was brought home after a bypass surgery, my niece ran up to give him a hug, like she usually does. My mom stopped her, showing her the deep surgical scar on his chest. The little one looked at it and burst into tears.

Robotically-assisted coronary angioplasty and stent implant have created a huge buzz in India.

The real advancement in cardiac surgery will be towards making smaller and smaller incisions, says Dr Sudhansu Bhattacharyya, honorary consultant cardiac surgeon at Breach Candy Hospital and Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai. For patients, it means a smaller wound, lesser surgical trauma and a shorter hospital stay, he says. People are even trying to do coronary bypass surgery through a small hole in the chest. I am not sure whether it will be as efficient as an open-chest surgery and whether complete revascularisation can be done through a small incision in the chest. But, attempts are being made. Whether it is right or wrong, only time can tell, says Bhattacharyya.

Robotically-assisted coronary angioplasty and stent implant have created a huge buzz in India. The heart is the last organ where the robot has entered, says Dr Tejas Patel, interventional cardiologist at Apex Heart Institute, Ahmedabad. Any tremor during these procedures could lead to problems. The robot eliminates the chances of hand tremors. The major advantages of robotic procedures are accuracy and precision, he says. Apex Heart Institute is the first facility outside the US to introduce robotic procedures for the heart. Patel, a Padma Shri awardee, has performed over 275 robotic procedures in the past one year.

Interestingly, the country embraces frugal innovations with equal fervour. Some of these have been real life-savers. Kushal, a 13-year-old from Karnataka with dilated cardiomyopathy, got a new lease of life after a heart transplant. The child used to get easily fatigued and suffered from loss of appetite. He could not walk much or climb stairs. He was in dire need of a heart transplant as he had end-stage heart failure, says Dr Vivek Jawali, chairman, Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru. The heart was harvested from a brain-dead, 20-year-old accident victim from Andhra Pradesh. The donated heart was transported in a commercial flight. The whole process, including the transplant surgery, took just four hours and one minute. The transport of the live heart started at 9:30pm, and it reached the hospital in Bengaluru at 10:56pm. We paid for just one seat, which cost very little money, says Jawali. Transporting donated organs by private jets or air ambulances would cost lakhs of rupees. And, sometimes, there is so much red tape involved that the organs go to waste. Now we can avoid all that, he says.

The heart was transported from Visakhapatnam to Bengaluru in a thermoregulated box with wheels. Just before explanting [transferring an organ from the body to a nutrient medium], the heart is perfused with cardioplegia solution, which stops the heart and minimises heart metabolism. The solution also contains certain antioxidants which improve the preservation of the heart. The heart is then kept in the ice-cold solution. The low temperature reduces the metabolism further and improves ischemic preservation time. With this technique, we can maintain the heart for four to five hours, says Dr Suresh Rao, head of the department of cardiac critical care and cardiac anaesthesia, Fortis Malar Hospital, Chennai. A new device which can continuously perfuse the heart and preserve it for up to 12 hours is now available, says Rao. It is expensive, but offers great hope for people waiting for cardiac transplants.

Kushal had a smooth recovery, thanks to the medical advancements. He was off the ventilator in six hours after the transplant, and was discharged after three weeks. His heart biopsy reports show good acceptance by the body, says Jawali. Kushals mother, Amudhavalli, says earlier he had stopped going to school as he was not able to do any physical activity. I feared he would never have a normal childhood. This surgery was a blessing for him, and he is doing quite well now, she says.

Amudhavalli, who lost her husband a few years ago, could afford the cost of the transplant thanks to frugal innovations like the use of commercial flights to transport the heart. India needs more of frugal innovations, rather than expensive fly-by-night technologies, to make transplants affordable for the poor, says Jawali.

Studies have identified factors that raise ones risk of heart disease and heart attack. It is essential to know your genes. A family history of coronary artery disease (CAD)caused mainly by plaque build-up in the arteries that supply blood to the heartdoubles ones risk of getting the disease. The risk of CAD in the general population is around 12 per cent, whereas children of people who have had established CAD have a 25 per cent risk. Everybody in the general population should start screening by the age of 30. If you have a family history of heart disease, you should start screening by 25, says Dr Naresh Trehan, chairman and managing director, Medanta-The Medicity, Gurugram. If there is any evidence, we do the reversal of heart disease aggressively.

People with diabetes need to be extra careful, says Trehan. They do not experience angina or chest pain as diabetes destroys the nerve endings of the heart. So these patients do not get a warning as normal patients do and can even have a silent heart attack without any obvious signs or symptoms, he says.
BRAZIL, THE LARGEST country in Latin America, endowed with abundant natural and human resources, had come close to realising its potential to be a great power many times in the past. But, the boom was followed by a bust. The last time Brazil was on the top of the world was during the golden years of Lula Inacio Lula da Silva's presidency from 2003 to 2010. From the heyday of socialism, Brazil has taken a right turn by electing Jair Bolsonaro as president.

The election of Lula in 2002 was a historic moment for Brazil. He was a leftist who put workers and the poor on top of his socialist agenda. Yet, he turned out to be a darling of the businesses, too. He transformed Brazil with his Brasilia Consensus model of a balanced mix of pro-poor and business-friendly policies. Lula challenged the US hegemony in Latin America and killed the US-sponsored Free Trade Area of the Americas. He even tried to mediate in the issue of US sanctions on Iran. Such measures caused alarm bells to ring in the American deep state, which started plotting to stop Lula, Brazil and the Latin American left.

Lula finished his second term with the highest approval ratings, and got his chosen successor Dilma Rousseff elected as president. But Rousseff lacked Lula's political skills. Moreover, the leaders of the Workers' Party succumbed to hubris and became corrupt. Rouseff was impeached for fudging the budget, while Lula was jailed in what was effectively a judicial coup led by Sergio Moro, a US-trained judge. The constitutional and judicial coups succeeded in instigating the public. This led to protestssome spontaneous and others sponsoredin the streets and on social media in the last three years. Bolsonaro capitalised on the voters disillusionment and managed to win the election.

Bolsonaro has been a long-time congressman, who loves to glorify past military dictatorships and the atrocities they committed. He thinks they did not kill enough people. He once even spoke about eliminating all socialists and communists. According to Hamilton Mourao, his vice president-elect who is a former general, coups are justified if circumstances warranted those. Bolsonaro himself is a former army captain, and he plans to fill his cabinet and top administrative positions with generals.

Bolsonaro is likely to bring back the Washington Consensus [a set of free market economic policies supported by prominent economic institutions like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the US Treasury] and reverse Lula's resource nationalism [an attempt by a state to exert greater control over its natural resources]. His nomination of Paulo Guedes, an economist trained at the University of Chicago as his finance minister, has confirmed that he will be following neoliberal policies. The pro-poor policies initiated by Lula would suffer budget cuts. Bolsonaros solution for poverty is birth control of the poor.

Right to party: Bolsonaro supporters celebrating his victory | AFP

Bolsonaro favours relaxing gun laws. He could give law enforcement officers power to kill drug traffickers and criminals extrajudicially. He proposes to relax environment regulations to open up the Amazon forest for farming and mining. He has even talked about pulling out of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Under his administration, the protection for indigenous people and minorities could be reduced. Bolsonaro is likely to implement the agenda of the evangelicals, who gave him solid support, on issues such as abortion and homosexuality. Bolsonaro, however, does not have a congressional majority. His Social Liberal Party has just 52 seats in the 513-member lower house of Congress and four seats in the 81-member senate. This could act as a check on his agenda.

With his anachronistic and hate-filled approach, Bolsonaro could turn Brazil back into the bad old country of polarisation. Women, blacks, gays and leftists may become second-class citizens and subject to military style rightist rule.

Bolsonaro's victory, however, should not be seen as the end of the Workers' Party. Its candidate got 45 per cent of the votes in the presidential elections, despite the corruption scandals and the short campaign time the party got after Lulas candidature was rejected by the courts. If Lula was allowed to contest, he might have won as he was consistently leading the opinion polls.

Known as Tropical Trump, Bolsonaro admires and often imitates the abusive and vulgar language of the US president. He is likely to follow Donald Trump's lead in foreign policy. With his Brazil First policy, he has ridiculed the UN as a gathering place of communists, and has threatened to pull out from the world body. He abhors multilateral and global commitments and prefers bilateral deals.

He has promised to shift the Brazilian embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and close down the Palestine office in Brasilia. He would happily support the US attempts to change the chavista regime in Venezuela. It may be recalled that it was because of Lula's support that Hugo Chavez survived the 2002 coup attempt and continued in power till his death in 2013.

Bolsonaro is likely to undermine regional alliances such as UNASUR (Union of South American Nations) and CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States). Guedes has already stated that Mercosur (the customs union of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay) would not be a priority for Brazil.

Bolsonaro will pay the least attention to Asia, Africa and the Middle East. He snubbed China during his campaign by making a trip to Taiwan. China has invested over $60 billion in Brazil and has extended a credit of more than $40 billion. Bolsonaro has criticised the Chinese acquisition of Brazilian assets. China is Brazil's largest trading partner and export market. In 2017, Brazil's exports to China were worth $47 billion as against $27 billion to the US. It enjoyed a trade surplus of $20 billion with China in 2017. Bolsonaro cannot afford a trade war with China, which can hurt Brazil by cutting imports.

India, which has been cultivating Brazil as a strategic partner for the past two decades, should not have big expectations from Bolsonaro. Even before Bolsonaro, presidents Rousseff and Michel Temer had lowered Brazils international profile because of their domestic problems. As a result, proactive collaboration with India on global issues had come down. Bolsonaro is unlikely to work hard on IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). India, however, should look at Brazil beyond Bolsonaro, and adopt a wait and watch policy.

For the moment, India should focus more on economic diplomacy. Brazil is the biggest economy in Latin America and India's largest business partner in the region with bilateral trade of $8.6 billion in 2017-18. With the pro-business Bolsonaro administration, the economy and the market could improve after years of corruption scandals, political crisis and economic recession. Consequent to the indictment of large companies such as Petrobras, Odebrecht and JBS in corruption cases, infrastructure and investment had been affected. Now these companies and projects could flourish again. Recently, Indian companies such as Sterlite and Sterling have entered Brazil's infrastructure sector with contracts worth billions of dollars. There is going to be more business and greater opportunities for Indian companies in Brazil in the coming years.

The author is a former ambassador to Latin American countries.
Can't procure groundnut from Guj this Kharif season: NAFED

Ahmedabad, Nov 17 (PTI) Central agency NAFED has said

it is not in a position to procure groundnut from Gujarat

during Kharif 2018-19, citing irregularities in procurement

and storage in the previous season.

Gujarat Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil shared with

the media Saturday a letter written by executive director

(pulses and oilseeds) of the National Agricultural Cooperative

Marketing Federation (NAFED) to other departments of the Union

Ministry of Agriculture.

The letter said that in view of irregularities in

procurement and storage of groundnut during Kharif 2017-18,

NAFED is "finding it difficult to undertake procurement in the

state of Gujarat" this season.

Another reason it cited was non-utilisation of 3.37

lakh tons of groundnut procured in 2017-18, as the state

government failed to meet its commitment to "utilise price

support system (PSS) stock of groundnut under the Public

Distribution System (PDS)".

The letter is dated November 15.

"I would like to ask the Gujarat government who should

be held responsible for the sufferings of farmers due to

non-procurement of groundnut," Gohil said, reiterating the

Congress' demand of inquiry by a high court judge into

mismanagement in storage of PSS groundnut in Gujarat State

Warehousing Corporation (GSWC) godowns.

"The government should also let farmers know how it

would compensate them," he said.

Criticising the GSWC for not "following the standard

operating procedure for safe storage of procured stock," NAFED

said in the letter that this led to incidents of fire and

adulteration of stock.

"The organisation suffers from acute shortage of

trained manpower and the godowns hired by them are often far

from procuring areas...It would be better to task Central

Warehousing Corporation (CWC) or any other such agency to do

the same before procurement is undertaken," it said.

The Gujarat government had committed to utilise PSS

stock of groundnut procured last season under PDS, but around

3.37 lakh tons are still lying in godowns, it said.

Reacting to NAFED's letter, Union Minister of State

for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala said the government will

find a way to purchase the stock from farmers.

"When the price of the groundnut was down, the Central

government helped farmers under this policy (PSS). If an

institution withdraws (from the process), it does not stop the

process. We will find a solution to this," Rupala told

reporters.

Groundnut stocks worth Rs 31 crore procured by NAFED

were destroyed in fires at godowns at Gondal and Shapar in

Rajkot district this year. A stock stored in a private godown

at Pedhla was found adulterated with sand and stones. PTI KA

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MIO: CM sets 75 pc implementation target in next two years

Bhubaneswar, Nov 17 (PTI) With Odisha receiving investment

intents of over Rs 4.19 lakh crore in the recently concluded

'Make in Odisha' conclave, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has

set a target to implement 75 per cent of proposals in the next

two years, an official said.

The state's flagship biennial flagship investors' meet

concluded Thursday and the result was satisfactory, Industries

secretary Sanjeev Chopra said adding that the conclave had

been a watershed moment in Odisha's industrialisation journey

as it received investment intent of Rs 4,19,574 crore in 15

diversified sectors.

"The chief minister has set the implementation target at 75

per cent during the next two years for the investment intents

received at Make in Odisha (MIO) Conclave 2018," Chopra said

Friday.

The implementation of the investment intents will create

5,91,000 additional jobs in the state. "This is more than

double the investment intent received in the previous edition

in 2016 which was to the tune of Rs 2.03 lakh crore," he said.

The conclave saw tremendous response with 5,074 industry

captains and delegates from home and abroad participating in

the event.

At least 31,806 people have visited the largest-ever

industrial expo set up by the state. Japan was the partner

country for the conclave.

Chopra said the focus of the conclave was not just to

propel the industrial development further, but also to provide

a platform for the stakeholders to engage with the state

government to deliberate on the next phase of overall

socio-economic growth of the state.

"We are extremely happy to have received some of the most

prominent thought leaders for the event. The target by the

chief minister is ambitious, yet achievable. We are committed

to leave no stone unturned in meeting this target," Chopra

said.

Chopra claimed that the state was able to implement 65 per

cent of the 2016 MIO intents in previous two years.

The next edition of the Make in Odisha Conclave will

be held in 2020. PTI AAM PR

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Jammu, Nov 17 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir government is planning to soon infuse capital into the state's ailing cooperative banks in a bid to revive them.

This was revealed by Secretary, Cooperatives and Social Welfare Departments, Farooq Ahmad Lone Saturday at a function organised by Jammu Central Cooperative Bank (JCCB) as part of the ongoing 65th Cooperative Week celebrations.

He said, "The government is planning to bail out ailing cooperative banks in the state soon by infusing capital to revive them."

Addressing the gathering, the secretary said that the main purpose of celebrating the cooperative week is to highlight achievements of the cooperative sector in various areas, reflect upon the shortcomings and chalk out future strategies of growth, based on dynamics of cooperative development in various sectors.

He said that the week-long celebrations provide an opportunity to disseminate the message of cooperative movement among the masses at large by sensitising them on the various aspects of the cooperative movement.

"Cooperative structure ensures that cooperatives are not enterprises run just to earn profits but a business model for long-term sustainability and inclusive growth, he said.

Dwelling on the theme of this year's cooperative week, "Building Public-Private Cooperative Partnership", he said that the cooperative model is participatory and community oriented and due to its grass roots approach the impact of its development is equitable and sustainable.

He said that several revolutionary steps have been taken by the government to revive these cooperative banks in the state.

Lone stated that Jammu Central Cooperative Bank (JCCB) Ltd had done well in the past since its inception. He said that the bank must endeavour to run along thoroughly professional lines, have an enlightened management, a highly dedicated and committed work force and develop progressive plans and policies for the future so as to secure its rightful place in the comity of cooperative banks in the country.

On the occasion, Registrar Cooperative Societies said that the mandate of the cooperative sector is not just to earn profit but to provide services to people with distinction, especially farmers and poor sections of the society.

JCCB chief executive Mohammad Mushtaq highlighted the activities of the Bank. He said JCCB is working at the grass root level in the rural areas through a network of 376 Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) with a membership of 1.53 lakh, out of which 95 PACS are functional.

The bank has a total share capital of Rs 3.64 crore out of which the state government has contributed Rs 1.50 crore. At present, total aggregate deposits of the bank stands at Rs 1,503.57 crore with 3,00,000 account holders and advances are at Rs 370.28 crore.

The bank has sanctioned Kissan Credit Cards to 40,385 members for an amount of Rs 94.89 crore till date. PTI AB MKJ
(Eds: Disclaimer: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire India. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.)

VisionSpring and Varanasi Smart Cities Limited expand eyeglasses campaign to heighten master weavers productivity and quality of life



Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India  Business Wire India



VisionSpring and Varanasi Smart City Limited announced the expansion of the Varanasi Clear Vision Campaign (Ujjwal Drishti Abhiyan) to screen the vision of 1 Lac weavers and textile workers by July 2019. The campaign will extend the working years, productivity and income earning potential for an estimated 65,000 highly skilled weavers who are expected to be identified as needing eyeglasses. The Varanasi Clear Vision Campaign advances the urban vitality and prosperity objectives of the Smart Cities Mission.



Varanasi, a holy city on the banks of the river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh, is home to more than 1 lac weavers who are known for their legendary sarees, which are among the finest in India. Made with gold and silver brocade, and opulent embroidery, these sarees require highly skilled and intricate hand work. Many weavers work under low light conditions in their homes or small factories, which can make it difficult for weavers to see details clearly.



Most weavers master their craft between the prime earning years of age 40 to 45. These years are also when the natural process of aging makes it difficult for eyes to focus on objects held within arms length, due to a pervasive condition called presbyopia. A simple pair of non-prescription reading glasses corrects the problem instantly. A recent study, published in The Lancet Global Health, found that reading glasses have the potential to increase workers productivity by 22%, and by up to 32% for those over age 50.



To date, VisionSpring has already screened the vision of 20,000 weavers at vision camps held in neighborhoods throughout the Varanasi and surrounding areas. Already, 10,000 people have purchased affordable glasses. Among them, 70% are acquiring their first pair of glasses and are seeing clearly for the first time in their lives. Others are getting glasses with new power lenses that match their current vision correction needs.



The goal of 1 Lac free vision screenings was announced by Mr. Ramesh Chandra Singh, Additional Municipal Commissioner of Varanasi Smart City Limited, and Dr. Jordan Kassalow, Founder of VisionSpring, at an inauguration event. The event took place in conjunction with a large vision camp attended by weavers.



Jordan Kassalow said, The tradition of saree making in Varanasi goes back hundreds of years; so too does the invention of eyeglasses. For the first time, we are bringing them together so that Varanasis master weavers and artisans can see clearly. Clear vision is imperative for maintaining the beauty and high level of craftsmanship for which Varanasi textiles are revered. We are honored to be working with community leaders and the government's Smart City initiative so that many more people can see to earn and care for their families.



Mr. Ramesh Chandra Singh, Additional Municipal Commissioner, Varanasi Smart City Limited said, Ujjwal Drishti Abhiyan (Clear Vision Campaign) is a powerful and impactful initiative launched jointly by Varanasi Smart City and VisionSpring to transform the lives of the legendary Varanasi Weavers. Through this campaign, we will conduct vision-screening for all 1 lac weavers in Varanasi in the coming months. We will be providing high-quality eyeglasses to those who require and help them see clearly. This will have a positive impact on their earning potential and well-being and thus lead to economic growth. The wonder of clear vision will make Varanasi truly smart.



About VisionSpring



VisionSpring is the pioneering, international social enterprise accelerating the uptake of affordable eyewear among people who earn less than $4 per day in emerging and frontier markets. Founded in 2001, VisionSpring uncovers latent demand for vision correction; conducts community, workplace and school vision screenings; trains others to do the same; and supplies radically affordable, durable eyeglasses. VisionSpring has sold 4.4 million pairs of eyeglasses, providing vision correction in 43 countries with over 200 NGO, corporate, government and health partners. VisionSpring has been recognized for its innovative work with the Skoll Award; social entrepreneur fellowships from Draper Richards Kaplan, The Aspen Institute, and The Schwab Foundation; and honors from World Bank, Duke University, Fast Company, and Tribeca Film Festival, among others. www.visionspring.org



About Varanasi Smart City Ltd.



Varanasi is selected by the government of India under Smart City Mission Phase  1. Smart City Mission is an urban renewal and retrofitting program by the Government of India with a mission to develop 100 cities across the country making them citizen friendly and sustainable. The Union Ministry of Urban Development is responsible for implementing the mission in collaboration with the state governments of the respective cities. Smart City Plan is to be prepared by suggestions of Citizens, Stakeholders and residents regarding city services like 24x7 Electricity and Water supply, Sanitation & Waste Management, Street Lighting, Transportation, Roads/streets/Pedestrian lane, Health, Education, eGovernance, Tech-savvy (Communication, Internet Connectivity), Clean & Green Environment, Old men, Women & Child Security.



To View the Image Click on the Link Below:

A weaver in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh gets his first pair of eyeglasses from VisionSpring PWR

PWR
(Eds: Recasting overnight story with changes in headline and intro)

New Delhi, Nov 17 (PTI) Walt Disney once said, "I hope we never lose sight of one thing- that it was all started by a mouse" and as Mickey, the beloved cartoon character, turns 90, the company is throwing "the world's biggest mouse party".

Mickey Mouse first appeared in 1928 cartoon film "Steamboat Willie" and since then, he has been an inseparable part of many lives.

"We are pulling out all the stops. We are celebrating not just around the company but around the world. We have the world's biggest mouse party going on at all our theme parks around the world, which will stretch over twelve months," Dana Jones, director of enterprise franchise management at the Walt Disney Company, told PTI.

Fans can also get their own Instagram moment with the ongoing "Mickey: The True Original Exhibition" in New York. The immersive experience is inspired by Mickeys iconic status and his impact in popular culture.

"This is an experiential exhibition, which is a very Instagram-able event and blends fine art with the things that we can see, touch and feel. We hope that it will travel to other places as well," Jones said.

India also features in the company's grand plans for Mickey's birthday celebrations.

"India is one of the important markets for us. We have a great short cartoon that Mickey did a couple of years ago in which he was in India speaking in Hindi. Mickey showed the world that India has a special place in his heart.

"There's not a country in the world where Mickey is not known and not loved. And we're focusing as much as possible on India... We are really trying to highlight the relationship Mickey has with India," Jones added.

Mickey is the largest character franchise in India with over 30 million products sold in 2017. To build a connect with the younger generation, Disney launched 'Stay Fit with Mickey & Minnie" programme in 3000 schools in metro cities such as Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai.

"We are always looking for new content opportunities for Mickey. The great thing about Mickey is that he lives in a cartoon version of our world so the opportunities to have adventures with him and his friends are endless," Jones said.

With such storied life, it seems that everything that is to be explored has already been explored in Mickey's life but Jones said the company has always tried to keep the cartoon character relevant.

"We are constantly making sure that Mickey is where people are consuming content. So, a lot has been focused on Mickey's digital presence. Over the last few years, we have made sure that Mickey has an Instagram handle and a Facebook handle. It's such a timeless character," she said. PTI BK RCJ

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Mumbai, Nov 17 (PTI) Actor Revathi, who will be seen in a short film "Udne Do" that talks about child abuse, believes cinema is a powerful tool to create awareness about social issues.

"Cinema is a powerful medium and if film celebrities talk about social issues they are heard, written about. It is good for creating awareness. I am glad to be part of this film," Revathy said after the launch of film's trailer on Friday.

The film features Revathi as a school principal.

"I have a five-year-old daughter and it is very tough how to say and what to say. All children have sixth sense, as parents we need to tell them don't be scared if anything happens they should tell us.

"Their fear, I feel, is first built somewhere in the house itself. But we need to make them realise that they need to first inform the parents if anything wrong happens," Revathi said.

The 52-year-old actor-filmmaker said "Udne Do" is a sensitively made film and when she read the script she was worried whether the director will be able to narrate and justify the story on-screen.

"Movies are a medium that really helps. Whatever I have seen of 'Udne Do', I'm sure this film will leave a mark. It is essential for parents to understand their children well and observe them.

"Also, institutions do not want bad name for themselves so they don't speak about such incidents. We need to give kids a safer world so that they can fly with their dreams. We need to give wings for them to do what they want to do," she added.

Designer Manish Malhotra, who was also part of the event, shared similar views and said it is parental guidance that is more important in such cases.

The film, directed by Aarti Bagdi, has been produced by Gravittus Foundation.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's wife Amruta and State Minister for Rural Women and Child Development Pankaja Munde were also present at the event, which saw celebrities like Lara Dutta, Zareen Khan and others in attendance.

"In 2014, 34,000 cases were registered and in 2016 there were 36,000 cases. So awareness alone is not going to help, we need to have stringent action," Amruta Fadnavis said.

Pankaja highlighted the Child Rights Safety act and said there are many laws in place to tackle this issue.

"The communication between kids and parents is essential, then comes government and police, everything else. I wish nothing like this happens to anyone," she said.

Talking about the #MeToo movement, Pankaja said, "There is women's commission, police, law, bureaucracy, government to help everyone. In #MeToo movement, the girls had to struggle to share their stories and they faced lot of criticism for it.

"We need to respect the girl. If she is right then she should get justice," she added. PTI KKP RB

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Paradise(US), Nov 17 (AP) President Donald Trump heads to Northern California on Saturday to see firsthand the grief and devastation from the deadliest US wildfire in a century, as confusion continued over how many people remain unaccounted for.

Authorities confirmed a new death toll of 71 and say they are trying to locate 1,011 people even as they stressed that not all are believed missing.

California's outgoing and incoming governors, both Democrats and vocal critics of Trump, planned to join the president Saturday.

Gov Jerry Brown and Gov-elect Gavin Newsom welcomed Trump's visit, declaring it's time "to pull together for the people of California."

The blaze that started Nov 8 all but razed the town of Paradise, population 27,000, and heavily damaged the outlying communities of Magalia and Concow.

It destroyed more than 9,800 homes and at its height displaced 52,000 people.

Details of Trump's itinerary had not been released late Friday.

This patch of California, a former Gold Rush region in the Sierra Nevada foothills, is to some extent Trump country, with Trump beating Hillary Clinton in Butte County by 4 percentage points in 2016.

But Trump has stirred resentment among survivors over comments he made two days after the disaster on Twitter, then reiterated on the eve of his visit.

In an interview taped Friday and scheduled for broadcast on "Fox News Sunday," Trump said he was surprised to see images of firefighters removing dried brush near a fire, adding, "This should have been all raked out."

Asked if he thought climate change contributed to the fires, he said: "Maybe it contributes a little bit. The big problem we have is management."

Those comments echoed his initial reaction to the fires Nov 10 when he blamed the wildfires on poor forest management and threatened then to withhold federal payments. Trump subsequently approved a federal disaster declaration.

"If you insult people, then you go visit them, how do you think you're going to be accepted? You're not going to have a parade," Maggie Crowder of Magalia said this week outside an informal shelter at a Walmart store in Chico.

But Stacy Lazzarino, who voted for Trump, said it would be good for the president to see the devastation up close: "I think by maybe seeing it he's going to be like 'Oh, my goodness,' and it might start opening people's eyes."

Firefighters returning to a command center in the neighbouring city of Chico after a 24-hour shift Friday were reluctant to weigh in on Trump's visit, but some shared their thoughts.

Nick Shawkey, a CalFire captain from rural Northern California, said Trump's visit was the mark of a good leader.

But to imply the state was to blame for mismanaging the forests was based on a misunderstanding because much of the forest land in California is controlled by the US Forest Service, he said.

"The thing he's tweeting about is his property," Shawkey said.

Paul Briones, a firefighter from Bakersfield, predicted Trump's visit would be a huge boost to the community, showing "that this on a national level is a priority."

More than 5,500 fire personnel were battling the blaze that covered 228 square miles (590 square kilometers) and was 50 per cent contained officials said.

Firefighters were racing against time with a red flag warning issued for Saturday night into Sunday, including winds up to 50 mph and low humidity. Rain was forecast for mid-week, which could help firefighters but also complicate the challenging search for remains.

"It's a disheartening situation," Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told a news conference Friday. "As much as I wish we could get through this before the rains come, I don't know if that's possible."

The number of people unaccounted for grew to more than 1,000 on Friday. But Honea acknowledged the list was "dynamic" and could easily contain duplicate names and unreliable spellings of names.

The roster probably includes some who fled the blaze and do not realize they've been reported missing, he said.

"We are still receiving calls. We're still reviewing emails," Honea said.

"This is a massive undertaking. We have hundreds and hundreds of people working on this." Families searching for loved ones have scoured shelters and social media and say they understand the chaos of the situation, But the wait for information is agonising.

For one family, good news arrived by telephone.

Monica Whipple said Friday she was boarding a plane back to North Carolina from Northern California when she got a call two days ago that her mother, Donna Price, had been found alive. Price had been presumed missing but was tracked down at a shelter.

"It was so crazy, I started crying in front of everybody," Whipple said.

"She's doing OK." For too many others, the wait to learn a loved one's fate has ended with bad news.

Sol Bechtold searched for his 75-year-old mother, Caddy, posting flyers of her on bulletin boards and searching for her in shelters.

On Thursday, Bechtold went to the Butte County Sheriff to provide DNA samples.

As he was driving back to his home in Pleasanton, California, he got a call from an officer with the coroner's unit of the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office and was told his mother's remains were found in her home in the community of Magalia.(AP) RUP

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Washington, Nov 17 (AFP) The US Central Intelligence Agency has concluded Saudi's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, The Washington Post reported Friday, citing people close to the matter.

The US assessment directly contradicts the conclusions of a Saudi prosecutor one day prior, which exonerated the prince of involvement in the brutal murder.

According to the CIA findings, 15 Saudi agents flew on government aircraft to Istanbul and assassinated Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate, the Post said.

Queried by AFP, the CIA declined to comment.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, had gone to the consulate to obtain documents necessary to marry his Turkish fiancee.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly changed its official narrative of the October 2 murder, first denying any knowledge of Khashoggi's whereabouts and later saying he was killed when an argument degenerated into a fistfight.

In the latest version presented by the Saudi prosecutor on Thursday, a 15-member squad was formed to bring Khashoggi back from Istanbul "by means of persuasion" -- but instead ended up killing the journalist and dismembering his body in a "rogue" operation.

The CIA scrubbed multiple intelligence sources, the Post said, among them a phone call between the prince's brother -- the Saudi ambassador to the United States -- and Khashoggi.

The ambassador reportedly told the late journalist that he would be safe to go to the consulate in Istanbul and get the papers he needed.

The US intelligence agency also said in determining the Crown Prince's role it considered him a "de facto ruler" in Saudi Arabia: "The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved," the Post quoted an official as saying.

That official dubbed Prince Mohammed a "good technocrat" -- but also someone unpredictable who "goes from zero to 60, doesn't seem to understand that there are some things you can't do."

The CIA conclusions threaten to further fray relations between Washington and key ally Riyadh, which has sought to end discussion of Khashoggi's murder and rejected calls for an international investigation.

On Thursday the US Treasury slapped sanctions on 17 people, including close aides of Prince Mohammed, suggesting a coordinated effort between Riyadh and Washington to pre-empt the threat of harsher actions from an outraged US Congress.

US President Donald Trump has shied from directly blaming the Crown Prince but on Friday agreed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that "any cover up of the incident should not be allowed." (AFP) RCJ
Beirut, Nov 17 (AFP) Coalition air strikes Saturday killed at least 36 civilians related to the Islamic State group in a jihadist holdout in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border, a Britain-based monitor said.

Seventeen children were among the family members killed in Abu Hassan village of Deir Ezzor province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.(AFP)

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New Delhi, Nov 17 (PTI): Following are the top foreign stories at 2000 hours:



FGN25 PM-3RDLD MALDIVES

India looks forward to working with new Maldivian Prez Solih to strengthen bilateral ties: PM Modi

Male: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India is looking forward to working closely with new Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to strengthen bilateral relations with the strategic Indian Ocean island nation.



FGN19 MALDIVES-SOLIH-INAUGURATION

New president replaces autocratic leader in the Maldives

Male: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Saturday took over as president of the Maldives following a fierce political discord caused by the autocratic rule of outgoing leader Yameen Abdul Gayoom. (AP)



FGN14 UK-INDIA-PAINTING

UK minister blocks export of unique Indian painting of 'Trumpeters'

London: Britain's arts minister has imposed an export bar on a unique watercolour painting depicting a traditional musical performance in mid-18th century northern India in an attempt to find a UK buyer for the 550,000-pound artwork.By Aditi Khanna



FGN9 US-H4

Legislation introduced in US Congress to protect work authorisation of H1B spouses

Washington: A legislation seeking to prohibit the Trump administration from revoking the work authorisation of spouses of H1-B visa holders, which include Indians, has been introduced in the US Congress by two lawmakers who said that eliminating this benefit would force many foreign workers to use their talents to compete against American businesses.By Lalit K Jha



FGN8 US-INDIA-HELICOPTERS

India seeks MH 60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters from US

Washington: India has sought from the US 24 multi-role MH-60 'Romeo' anti-submarine helicopters for its Navy at an estimated cost of USD 2 billion, defence industry sources here said Friday. By Lalit K Jha



FGN11 US-KHASHOGGI-LD REPORT

CIA believes Saudi Crown prince ordered murder of Khashoggi: Report

Washington: The CIA has concluded that Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, contradicting the Saudi government's assertions that he was not involved, according to a media report. By Lalit K Jha



FGN12 US-LD WILDFIRE

Number of missing in California fire soars past 1,000 as Trump set to visit

Chico: The number of people listed as missing in a northern California wildfire jumped past 1,000 as searchers found the remains of eight more victims on the eve of President Donald Trump's trip to witness the devastation.



FGN3 US-IRAN

US to accuse Iran of violating chemical weapons treaty

Washington: The Trump administration is poised to accuse Iran of violating an international treaty that bans chemical weapons, two US officials said Friday. (AP) RUP

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Male, Nov 17 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for home on Saturday after wrapping up his visit to Maldives where he attended the swearing-in ceremony of the country's new President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and held talks with him to strengthen bilateral ties with the strategic Indian Ocean nation.

The two leaders, while noting the resilience of the relations between India and the Maldives, expressed confidence in the renewal of the close bonds of cooperation and friendship with the election of Solih as the President.

India is looking forward to working closely with the new Maldivian President Solih to strengthen bilateral relations, Modi said.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar said that it was a "significant day-trip".

"PM @narendramodi departs for Delhi after a brief but historic visit to #Maldives to attend the inauguration ceremony of President @ibusolih. Visit emphasized India's role as a reliable neighbour, supporting Maldives in its progress & security," Kumar said in a tweet.

Solih, 54, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in the election held on September 23.

The ties between India and the Maldives came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China.

Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5.

India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners.The emergency lasted for 45 days. PTI CPS
Male, Nov 17 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited new Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to India during the two leaders meeting here Saturday.

Prime Minister Modi, who was on a day-long visit to Maldivies, held productive talks with Solih after attending his swearing-in ceremony.

"Prime minister Modi extended an invitation to President Solih to make a State Visit to India at his earliest convenience. President Solih accepted the invitation with pleasure," Ministry of External Affairs said.

"The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives will make an official visit to India on November 26 to hold further discussions and to prepare for the forthcoming State Visit of President Solih to India," it said in a statement.

During the meeting, President Solih also expressed hope that Prime Minister Modi will make an official visit to the Maldives in the near future, the statement said, adding that Modi "gratefully" accepted the invitation.

The Prime Minister also interacted with leaders from the Maldives and other parts of the world during the oath taking ceremony.

Modi, who was on the first visit to the Maldives as prime minister, was accorded a red carpet welcome.

Solih, 54, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in the election held on September 23.

The ties between India and the Maldives came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China.

Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi.

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5.

India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners.The emergency lasted for 45 days. PTI MRJ
United Nations, Nov 17 (AP) A key UN committee overwhelmingly approved a resolution Friday strongly condemning the continuing "gross human rights violations and abuses" against Rohingya Muslims who are treated as outsiders in Myanmar and were victims of a brutal campaign by the country's military.

The General Assembly's human rights committee approved the resolution by a vote of 142-10, with 26 abstentions. It is virtually certain to be formally adopted by the 193-member world body in December.

Among those voting against the resolution were Myanmar neighbours China, Cambodia and Laos along with Russia.

Bangladesh, which hosts 1.1 million Rohingya refugees, voted in favour.

The resolution expresses deep concern that violence by Myanmar's military against the Rohingya has forced over 723,000 people to flee to Bangladesh since August 2017.

It urgently calls on Myanmar's government to end discrimination and provide a path to citizenship for the embattled minority.

Buddhist-majority Myanmar has long considered the Rohingya to be "Bengalis" from Bangladesh even though their families have lived in the country for generations. Nearly all have been denied citizenship since 1982, effectively rendering them stateless, and they are also denied freedom of movement and other basic rights.

The latest crisis began with attacks by an underground Rohingya insurgent group on Myanmar security personnel in August 2017 in northern Rakhine State. Myanmar's military responded with a brutal campaign and is accused of mass rape, killings and the burning of thousands of homes.

The resolution, sponsored by the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the European Union and Canada, reiterates "deep distress" at reports that unarmed Rohingya are still being subjected to excessive use of force and rights violations by Myanmar's military and security forces, including killings and rapes.

The resolution expresses "grave concern" at the findings of the UN fact-finding mission on Myanmar, which concluded that some top Myanmar military leaders should be prosecuted for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide against the Rohingya.

It strongly condemns all rights abuses set out in the commission's report and calls for "a full and independent investigation" of human rights abuses against the Rohingya and other minorities.

Turkish Ambassador Feridun Sinirlioglu, speaking on behalf of the OIC, called the commission's findings "devastating."

He said "people have been trapped in a vicious cycle of violence and forced displacement" for years in Myanmar and the events of August 2017 against the Rohingya are "only the latest episode of this cycle."

"Without a comprehensive strategy, reaching an enduring solution to this crisis is impossible," Sinirlioglu said.

He said the OIC believes the only solution is the voluntary return of the Rohingya to their homes with their basic rights "guaranteed"  but he said this will not be possible "without holding the perpetrators responsible for their crimes." Myanmar's UN ambassador, Hau Do Suan, called the resolution "politically motivated and one-sided and discriminatory".

He accused the global media and human rights champions of concentrating on Myanmar and Rakhine state  where the remaining Rohingya live  when money could be better spend helping starving people in Yemen and elsewhere.

"Adoption of this and other ill-intentioned, selective and politically motivated resolutions will not help at all our efforts to solving the issue of Rakhine state, but would rather lead to further polarization and escalation of tensions among different religious communities in the country," Hau said.

"It will only aggravate distrust between the people of Myanmar and the international community." (AP) SCY

SCY
Paradise (US), Nov 17 (AP) President Donald Trump arrived in Northern California on Saturday to see firsthand the grief and devastation from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century amid confusion over how many people remain unaccounted for.

Authorities confirmed a new death toll of 71 and say they are trying to locate 1,011 people , even as they stressed that not all are believed missing.

California's outgoing and incoming governors, both Democrats and vocal critics of Trump, greeted him when he landed at Beale Air Force Base just north of Sacramento and got onto a helicopter. Gov. Jerry Brown and Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom welcomed Trump's visit, declaring it's time "to pull together for the people of California."

The blaze that started Nov. 8 largely destroyed the town of Paradise, population 27,000, and heavily damaged the nearby communities of Magalia and Concow. It destroyed more than 9,800 homes and at its height displaced 52,000 people.

Trump also was expected to stop in Southern California, where a wildfire recently killed three people and a gunman shot a dozen people to death at a country music bar in Thousand Oaks on Nov. 7 before killing himself.

The fire zone in Northern California is to some extent Trump country. He beat Hillary Clinton by 4 percentage points in Butte County in 2016.

But Trump has stirred resentment among survivors for blaming the fire on poor forest management in California, making the comments two days after the disaster on Twitter and reiterating them the day of his visit.

"If you insult people, then you go visit them, how do you think you're going to be accepted? You're not going to have a parade," Maggie Crowder of Magalia said this week outside an informal shelter at a Walmart store in Chico.

But Stacy Lazzarino, who voted for Trump, said it would be good for the president to see the devastation up close: "I think by maybe seeing it he's going to be like 'Oh, my goodness,' and it might start opening people's eyes." Firefighters were reluctant to weigh in on Trump's visit, but some shared their thoughts.

Nick Shawkey, a state fire captain from rural Northern California, said Trump's visit was the mark of a good leader. But to imply the state was to blame for mismanaging the forests was based on a misunderstanding because much of the forest land in California is controlled by the U.S. Forest Service, he said.

"The thing he's tweeting about is his property," Shawkey said.

Paul Briones, a firefighter from Bakersfield, predicted Trump's visit would be a huge boost to the community, showing "that this on a national level is a priority." More than 5,600 fire personnel were battling the blaze that covered 231 square miles (598 square kilometers) and was halfway contained, officials said.

Firefighters were racing against time with winds up to 40 mph and low humidity expected Saturday night into Sunday. Rain was forecast for midweek, which could help firefighters but also complicate the challenging search for remains.

"It's a disheartening situation," Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told reporters Friday. "As much as I wish we could get through this before the rains come, I don't know if that's possible." The number of people unaccounted for grew to more than 1,000 on Friday. But Honea acknowledged the list was "dynamic" and could easily contain duplicate names and unreliable spellings of names.

The roster probably includes some who fled the blaze and do not realize they have been reported missing, he said.

"We are still receiving calls. We're still reviewing emails," Honea said. "This is a massive undertaking. We have hundreds and hundreds of people working on this." Families searching for loved ones have scoured shelters and social media and say they understand the chaos of the situation, but the wait for information is agonizing.

For one family, good news arrived by telephone.

Monica Whipple said Friday that she was boarding a plane back to North Carolina when she got a call two days ago that her mother, Donna Price, had been found alive at a shelter.

"It was so crazy, I started crying in front of everybody," Whipple said.

For too many others, the wait has ended with bad news.

Sol Bechtold searched for his 75-year-old mother, Caddy, and provided DNA samples to authorities. As he drove back to his home in Pleasanton, California, he got a call from an officer and was told his mother's remains were found in her burned-down home in Magalia.

"It's hard to realize your mother is gone," Bechtold said. (AP) CPS
MP polls: BJP manifesto, like Cong's, has cow, Narmada

reference

Bhopal, November 17 (PTI) The ruling BJP in Madhya

Pradesh Saturday released its manifesto promising measures for

the well-being of cows and protection of the Narmada River,

similar to what has been mentioned in the Congress' "vachan

patra".

The BJP manifesto promised that well-equipped cowsheds

would be increased and they would be set up in each division

of the state.

MP goes to polls on November 28 and counting of votes

will take place on December 11.

It also said that a drive would be initiated to

protect the holiness and flow of the Narmada river, revered by

Hindus.

As part of the drive, saplings would be planted along

the river to protect its banks, it said.

The ruling party's manifesto also spoke of setting up

a managing authority to mitigate the problems faced by temple

priests as well as a hike in honorarium for them.

Besides, the manifesto also has other sops for temples

in the state.

"The BJP has come up with these measures after getting

12,000 suggestions. The party had constituted 24 teams to

reach out to them," said senior BJP leader Vikram Verma.

Earlier, the MP government had accorded five religious

leaders the rank of minister of state after one of them,

Namdev Das Tyagi, popularly known as Computer Baba, threatened

a march to expose illegal mining along the Narmada.

However, a month ago, he parted ways with the state

government, accusing it of having no respect for the Narmada

and failing to check rampant illegal mining along the river.

On November 10, the Congress had released its

manifesto with references to Lord Ram, Narmada river and cow

urine.

It promised a "spiritual department" in the state, as

well as plans to promote Sanskrit.

It spoke of developing 'Ram path'-a mythical route

taken by Lord Ram during his 14-year exile- in MP's Chitrakoot

and the commercial production of 'gaumutra' (cow urine) and

'kanda' (cowdung cakes).

The manifesto also talked of setting up 'gaushalas'

(cowshed) in every village panchayat and making arrangements

for the upkeep of injured cows.

It had a host of measures for the conservation of the

Narmada, including developing religious places along the river

at a cost of Rs 1,100 crore as well as enacting the 'Maa

Narmada Nyas Adhiniyam' for its conservation. PTI LAL ADU

BNM BNM
Mumbai, Nov 17 (PTI) Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday said India cannot put pressure on French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation to share details of offset partners related to the Rafale deal just because the Opposition wanted to know the same.

Dassault, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in

the Rafale fighter jet deal, is obliged to share details of the offset partners under contract with India, but has a year's time to do so, she said.

"Just because my Opposition wanted to know it (offset

partner details) yesterday, I cannot put pressure on my OEM

saying the Opposition wants it now, give it now.

"By rule, they can tell me even next year," the minister said at the annual ET Awards here.

"I am waiting for it. Once I come to know, I will tell you. Before that, why should I speculate based on news reports?" she said.

Sitharaman explained that as part of the Rs 58,000 crore deal, the French firm has to give details of the offsets of over 30 per cent of the total contract value, and the Indian government has the right to know the same before giving it the required credits for the same.

She said the Congress, which had alleged a scam in the deal, was moving from one point to another after being unable to prove anything and hoping that something would stick to the BJP-led government.

The Congress first alleged the deal was signed to benefit an offset partner with a malafide intention and is now questioning the "haste" shown by the prime minister in

concluding the contract, the BJP leader said.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has claimed that Prime

Minister Narendra Modi influenced the Rafale deal to save "debt-ridden" Reliance group chairman Anil Ambani's business.

The Centre and the Reliance group have repeatedly denied any irregularities or favouritism in the deal, under which the country is buying 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition.

Last week, the Centre told the Supreme Court that as per the Defence Offset Guidelines, the OEM was free to select its

Indian Offset Partners (IOPs) for implementing the offset

obligation in the deal.

"There isn't anything wrong with the procedure, with the methodology, with the price, with the technical details, with the list of ammunition...so they (Congress) do not know how far they have to go on with it hoping that something will stick on to us," the defence minister said.

Sitharaman asserted that the Rafale controversy will not be able to blemish the Centre's record on corruption and

added that it had achieved feats like making defence

acquisitions middlemen-free.

"For a party which has never had that kind of approach

for governance with transparency, they think they probably will definitely be lucky to get something sticking on to us,"

she said in an apparent dig at the Congress.

The minister also said that her ministry had been able to

increase the 'Make in India' component for purchases.

She said a proposal was on the anvil to induct women

into institutions like the National Defence Academy and the

Indian Military Academy, but it will take long for posting

women in border areas.

PTI AA VT RSY SRY
Kolkata, Nov 17 (PTI) The BJP has deferred its proposed "rath yatra" in West Bengal next month again owing to poll campaigns in other states, a party official said Saturday.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state general secretary Sayantan Basu said party chief Amit Shah would now kick off the "yatra" on December 7 from Coochbehar district, instead of Birbhum district, as was planned earlier.

Due to the ongoing poll campaigning in five states, the party decided to reschedule the dates for the "rath yatra" (chariot march) in West Bengal, Basu said.

The fresh dates were -- December 7 from Coochbehar district in the north, December 9 from Gangasagar in the south and December 14 from the Tarapith temple in Birbhum district, he added.

Shah is scheduled to attend the programmes on all three dates.

Initially, the "rath yatra" was planned to begin on December 3, 5 and 7 from Birbhum, Coochbehar and Gangasagar respectively. But the dates were rescheduled in the last week of October to December 5, 7 and 9 respectively.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had mocked Shah's proposed "rath yatra" as "Ravan yatra" Friday and asked Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers to carry out "purification and unity marches" at all the places through which the BJP's chariots would pass.

Five states -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Telangana and Chhattisgarh -- are set to go to the polls between November 12 and December 7. The results will be declared on December 11.

Basu said the "yatra" would be taken to all the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state with each of the three chariots covering 14 seats.

At the conclusion of the "yatra", the party planned to hold a rally in Kolkata, which was likely to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he added.

Sources in the saffron party said the decision to take out the "rath yatra" was taken during Shah's two-day visit to the state in June.

Buoyed by its performance in the last West Bengal panchayat polls, the BJP has prepared its 2019 Lok Sabha election blueprint, targeting at least 22 parliamentary seats in the state.

The saffron party currently has two Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal -- Asansol and Darjeeling. PTI PNT JM RC
Begusarai (Bihar), Nov 17 (PTI) The Bihar police Saturday attached property of former state minister Manju Verma, evading arrest under the arms act following recovery of ammunition from her home during a CBI raid in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal case.

Armed with a court order, the police initiated the process of attaching Verma's property at Arjun tola village here.

Amid tight security, the police removed the grill, doors, door frames of a house belonging to her, superintendent of police Awakash Kumar said.

All articles inside the house were seized during the operation initiated under sections 82 and 83 of Criminal Procedure Code. It lasted for around five hours.

Earlier in the day, a property attachment notice was pasted on Verma's house, Kumar said.

Verma had stepped down as the minister for social welfare in August, following reports that her husband, Chandrashekhar Verma, had close links with Brajesh Thakur, the prime accused in the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal.

Over 30 girls were allegedly raped and sexually abused at the shelter home.

A few days later, the CBI raided Verma's Patna residence besides her in-laws' home at Cheria Bariarpur in Begusarai from where a cache of ammunition was seized. A case was then registered against her.

She moved an application for anticipatory bail before a Begusarai court which was turned down and a similar plea was rejected by the Patna High Court.

Her husband surrendered before a Begusarai court on October 29.

The Supreme Court earlier this week rapped the Bihar police for failing to arrest the former minister and directed the DGP to appear before it in person on November 27 if she was not nabbed by then.

Police are conducting raids in Bihar and Jharkhand to arrest Verma, who has been evading arrest for over a month and has been proclaimed an "absconder".

On Thursday, the JD(U) suspended Verma from the party's primary membership.

Bihar Director General of Police K S Dwivedi on Friday said the police are making "tremendous efforts" to arrest her. PTI CORR AR SNS DIV

DIV
Institutional delivery increases in Bengal: Mamata

Kolkata, Nov 17 (PTI) Institutional delivery in West

Bengal has shot up to 96 per cent in the past seven years,

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion of the World Prematurity Day,

she said that her government had been working hard for the

welfare of the pregnant women in the state.

"Today is World Prematurity Day. Our state govt is

working tirelessly for the welfare of pregnant women and new

mothers. We have set up waiting huts for pregnant women in

remote areas. In 7 years, institutional delivery in #Bangla

has gone up from 65% to a remarkable 96%," she tweeted.

World Prematurity Day is observed every year to raise

awareness of preterm birth and concerns of their families. PTI

SCH PR

PR PR
New Delhi, Nov 17 (PTI) Following are the highlights at 1730 hours:



NATION:



DEL2 DL-AIR QUALITY

Delhi's air pollution on path of reversal, quality oscillates between poor, very poor: authorities

New Delhi: Delhi's air quality continued to oscillate between 'poor' and 'very poor' categories Saturday due to increased pollutant holding capacity of air after rainfall and stubble burning in neighbouring states.



ELX4 RJ-CONG-CANDIDATES

Cong releases 2nd list for Raj, Manvendra Singh to take on Vasundhara Raje

New Delhi: The Congress released it second list of 32 candidates for the December 7 assembly election in Rajasthan on Saturday, fielding former BJP leader Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra against Chief Minister Vansundhara Raje from Jhalrapatan constituency.





DEL5 RJ-BJP-CANDIDATES

BJP releases 3rd list of 8 candidates for Rajasthan

Jaipur: The BJP released its third list of eight candidates for the Rajasthan assembly election on Saturday.



DEL1 POL-CHIDAMBARAM-PM

Chidambaram responds to Modi, lists out names of Congress presidents

New Delhi: Former Union minister P Chidambaram Saturday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for targeting the Congress, reminding him of the party's legacy by listing out the names of its presidents from outside the Nehru-Gandhi family.



BOM8 MH-LD PADAMSEE

Ad guru Alyque Padamsee dies at 90

Mumbai: Veteran adman and theatre personality Alyque Padamsee, who was the brain behind several iconic advertisement campaigns, died following an illness here on Saturday, his family said.



MDS1 KL-SABARIMALA-LD HARTAL

Heavy rush at Sabarimala, hartal in Kerala against preventive detention

Pamba/Sannidhanam(Ker): Thousands of pilgrims offered prayers at Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala early Saturday, the first day of Malayalam month of 'Vrischikom,' even as a 12-hour hartal against the preventive detention of a Hindu Aikya Vedi leader began. Pilgrims, including children, queued up in large numbers since the temple opened at 3 am.



BUSINESS



DCM1 BIZ-GOOGLE-CLOUD

Oracle veteran Thomas Kurian to head Google Cloud

New Delhi: Oracle's ex-product chief Thomas Kurian will head Google's cloud division, replacing Diane Greene.



FOREIGN:



FGN16 PM-MALDIVES

PM Modi arrives in Maldives to attend President-elect Solih's inauguration

Male: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September.



FGN14 UK-INDIA-PAINTING

UK minister blocks export of unique Indian painting of 'Trumpeters'

London: Britain's arts minister has imposed an export bar on a unique watercolour painting depicting a traditional musical performance in mid-18th century northern India in an attempt to find a UK buyer for the 550,000-pound artwork.



FGN9 US-H4

Legislation introduced in US Congress to protect work authorisation of H1B spouses

Washington: A legislation seeking to prohibit the Trump administration from revoking the work authorisation of spouses of H1-B visa holders, which include Indians, has been introduced in the US Congress by two lawmakers who said that eliminating this benefit would force many foreign workers to use their talents to compete against American businesses. PTI SNE

SNE
Chandigarh, Nov 17 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's political secretary Karanpal Singh Sekhon died at a military hospital at Aswan in Egypt, officials said Saturday.

Sekhon (62), who died of cardiac arrest on Friday night, is survived by his son and a daughter.

The chief minister described the death of Sekhon as a huge personal loss. Sekhon had been closely associated with him for a long time, with the two families also sharing close ties for at least four generations.

"Very saddened to hear about the demise of my dear friend Karanpal Singh Sekhon. He suffered a sudden heart attack during a family trip to Egypt. RIP my friend. You will be missed," the chief minister said in a tweet.

Amarinder Singh extended his sympathies to the bereaved family.

Meanwhile, the chief minister's media Advisor Raveen Thukral also mourned the death of Sekhon, terming it as "extremely shocking and unfortunate". PTI VSD SNE

SNE
New Delhi, Nov 17 (PTI) The CPI(M) Saturday said the CBI was investigating cases in West Bengal under court orders and no state government could "obstruct" such probes.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury asserted that the Left party was against the misuse of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for political gains and expected the probe agency to favour neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

"We are against the misuse of the CBI for political purposes. We are in favour of justice, not in favour of Modi or Mamata," he told reporters at the CPI(M) office here.

The West Bengal government Friday withdrew the "general consent" accorded to the CBI to conduct raids or probes in the state.

The decision came close on the heels of a similar step taken by the Andhra Pradesh government.

Differentiating between the stand of his party and that of Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief, on CBI, Yechury said, "We are (even) against the misuse of the CBI in favour of Mamata Banerjee."

CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat pointed out that the Left party had earlier "criticised the delay by the CBI in a court-ordered inquiry against Mamata Banerjee".

Several TMC leaders are under the scanner of the CBI and other probe agencies for their alleged involvement in the Saradha chit fund scam and in connection with the Narada sting operation.

Yechury said the CBI, which had the powers of the police, had to take the consent of the state governments since law-and-order was a State List subject according to the Constitution.

However, he added that the central probe agency could investigate matters pursuant to court orders.

"The CBI investigations in West Bengal are under court orders. The agency can undertake investigations after court orders and no state government can obstruct those," the CPI(M) leader said.

Banerjee had extended support to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu over the issue, saying, "What the Chandrababu Naidu government has done is absolutely right. We will also look into the rules under which it was done. Earlier, there was no need to use such provisions, but we need to do it now as the BJP is using the CBI and other agencies to pursue its own political interests and vendetta." PTI VIT RC
Panipat (Hary), Nov 17 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday said he was stopped by BJP activists from visiting a state-run dispensary at Karnal, and accused his counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar of "insulting" people of Haryana.

"On an invitation of villagers of Bal Pabhana in Karnal district, I had come to visit a dispensary. But the Haryana Police told me that the workers of BJP have blocked all the ways leading to the dispensary," Kejriwal told reporters here.

"The sub divisional magistrate said they were helpless in removing them (workers) and I should return. It is saddening to note that the administration in Haryana is helpless before BJP workers," he said.

The AAP leader said by stopping him, the Khattar government had "insulted not him, but the people of Haryana".

Kejriwal was stopped at the Panipat toll plaza by police and requested not to proceed towards his destination.

The Delhi chief minister had recently written to Khattar, expressing his wish to inspect some government dispensaries of Haryana. He had also invited his counterpart to visit the 'mohalla clinics' set up by the AAP dispensation to check the "ground reality" of health institutions in the national capital.

Lambasting the Khattar dispensation, Kejriwal said, "The Haryana chief minister is well aware that the condition of hospitals and schools in Delhi is far better than that in Haryana".

"It has been just three years of AAP government in Delhi, but we have completely changed the condition of hospitals and schools, which has not only been acknowledged in the country but also in the world," he said.

It has been four years of Khattar government in Haryana, and the condition of schools and hospitals is pitiable, the AAP leader said.

He alleged only AAP workers were stopped from raising the issues concerning farmers and infrastructure, but the same was not done with opposition INLD and Congress.

"With this incident, the countdown of Khattar government has begun. Khattar is scared, his days are numbered," Kejriwal said.

He claimed Khattar never spoke against the INLD and Congress as "there seems to be a setting between them to run the government turn by turn for five years".

"The posters of INLD, Congress are not torn off, but AAP's hoardings are being removed by the administration at the behest of Khattar," he said.

Taking a dig at the opposition parties, Kejriwal said the Congress was suffering from infighting, whereas the INLD was facing family feud.

"These parties have no time to raise the issues of public interest," he said.

The AAP supremo later recorded a video message for the villagers of Bal Pabhana.

"I have improved the condition of schools and hospitals in Delhi and I am fighting for the same in Haryana. I wanted to meet you, but Khattar did not allow it by blocking ways...I shall continue to visit Haryana," he said.

PTI VSD CHS SRY
Shimla, Nov 17 (PTI) The police have registered a case in connection with an alleged scam in Himachal Pradesh government scholarships for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes students, police said Saturday.

Several students had complained that they had not received their post-matric scholarships.

An FIR was registered Friday under various sections of the IPC at Shimla East police station by a state education department official, Shakti Bhushan, who had conducted preliminary inquiry into the scam, the police said.

The probe was ordered by Himachal Pradesh Education Secretary Arun Sharma.

Bhushan submitted his report in August.

During the inquiry, it was found that 250 students of Kangra district took admissions in Fatehpur and Vadukar (Karnataka) centres of Lovely Professional University (LPU), an education department official said.

At the time of filling up the forms, the varsity's management declared that it will provide scholarship to the students of SC, ST and OBC categories. It said the amount will be transferred to their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts, he said.

However, the inquiry showed that the money was deposited in fake accounts opened using the students' Aadhaar details, he added.

The official said the scholarship scheme was launched by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2008-09.

It was made online from 2013-14, he said.

The official said this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Most of the post-matric SC, ST, OBC scholarships distributed through about 300 private institutions have not been deposited in the bank accounts of the beneficiaries, he said.

The Himachal Pradesh government has already decided to handover the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), a state official said.

The probe agency asked the state government to register an FIR in this regard before handing over the case to it, he said. PTI DJI PTI DIV

DIV
New Delhi, Nov 17 (PTI) Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram Saturday urged Home Minister Rajnath Singh to depute a team of two officers immediately to inspect the extent of damage caused by cyclone Gaja in Tamil Nadu.

The former union home and finance minister also requested Singh to modify the practice of sending inter-ministerial team to a disaster-affected state only after receiving a memorandum from the concerned state government.

"I have requested HOME MINISTER through Home Secretary to depute a team of two officers immediately to visually inspect the extent of damage caused by cyclone Gaja (sic)," Chidambaram said in a tweet.

He said the usual practice is for the state to submit a memorandum after a disaster hits it and a visit by the inter-ministerial team.

He said this takes at least 2-3 weeks and full impact of the disaster is not measurable because of repair and restoration work.

"I have appealed to MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) to modify the practice," he said.

At least 13 people have lost their lives and over 81,000 others were affected after cyclone 'Gaja' hit the Tamil Nadu coast Friday.

Six districts of Tamil Nadu and two in Puducherry were hit by the cyclonic storm which also brought heavy rains in the southern state and the Union Territory.

The National Emergency Response Centre has said altogether 81,948 people were affected by the cyclone.

Cyclone 'Gaja' crossed Tamil Nadu coast between Nagapattinam and nearby Vedaranyam, bringing with it heavy rains in the coastal region Friday.

Gusty winds due to the cyclonic storm resulted in hundreds of trees and electricity poles being uprooted in Nagapattinam and Karaikal districts, officials said. PTI ACB KJ

KJ
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Speaker adjourns Odisha Assembly for about two hours

Bhubaneswar, Nov 17 (PTI) The proceedings of the

Odisha Assembly on Saturday was disrupted for about two hours

as opposition Congress MLAs alleged that the government was

giving appointment to only BJD workers in tribal development

council forcing the Speaker P K Amat to adjourn the House.

The speaker adjourned the Assembly till 12 noon.

The disturbance began when ST and SC Development

Minister Ramesh Majhi was replying a question. The Congress

members led by its chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati alleged

that the state government has been giving appointment to only

ruling BJD workers in the district tribal development council.

They urged the speaker to ask the minister to give a

clarification for furnishing wrong information in the House.

Bahinipati attempted to climb up the Speakers podium

demanding the clarification from the minister. Unable to run

the proceedings Amat adjourned the House till 12 noon.

In a statement to the media later, the Congress chief

whip said that the opposition would bring 'Breach of

Privilege' notice against the ST & SC Development

minister over misleading the House over certain facts relating

to tribal development council.

BJP member Rabi Naik alleged that the minister gave

wrong information. "This is unfortunate," Naik said. PTI AAM

RG RG
GSAT 29 placed in final geostationary orbit

Chennai, Nov 17 (PTI): ISRO Saturday successfully placed

the high throughput communication satellite GSAT 29 in its

final geostationary orbit.

This was done after carrying out the final orbit raising

operation by firing the liquid apogee motor engine for 207

seconds, the space agency said.

The Indian Space Research Organisation's heavy-lift

rocket GSLV-MkIII-D2 on November 14 successfully injected into

orbit GSAT-29, intended to meet the communication needs of

people in remote areas in the North East and Jammu and

Kashmir.

Soon after the launch of the 3,423 kg satellite from

Sriharikota, about 100 km from Chennai, scientists at the

Master Control Facility at Hassan, Karnataka monitored it and

engaged in orbit raising operations to enable it reach its

final destination.

ISRO said in its website Saturday "Final orbit raising

operation of #GSAT29 has been successfully carried out today

by firing the Liquid Apogee Motor engine for 207 seconds.

The satellite is in its final GEO Stationary orbit now.

Both solar arrays & reflectors have deployed."

The GSAT-29 satellite is intended to serve as a test bed

for several new technologies.

The Ka and Ku band high throughput transponders would

provide communication services to remote places in the North

East and Jammu and Kashmir, besides aid the Centre's Digital

India programme. PTI VIJ APR

APR APR
IIT dropouts among 9 held in MLM fraud case

Hyderabad, Nov 17 (PTI): Nine people, including some IIT

dropouts have been arrested in connection with a Rs 30 crore

Multi Level Marketing fraud case, police said.

The CEO of the company, its two directors and six others

have been arrested and their bank accounts totalling Rs 40

lakh have been seized, a police release said.

The company allegedly sold products, including to gain

weight.

The scheme involves members enrolling new members, for

which commissions were promised, it said.

The nine people weree charged various sections of the

Indian Penal Code and the Prize Chits and Money Circulation

Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978, the release said. PTI SJRAPR

APR APR
Jammu, Nov 17 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir Police has deputed its 14 member team to Tamil Nadu Commando school to get training for disposal of IEDs, senior police officer said Saturday.

The four months training will conclude on December 8, he said.

The team of policemen, which have been sent for training, includes 2 head constables, 5 special grade constables and 7 constables, he said.

"Now IEDs are back in J-K. IEDs are the new threat. Last year there were very few IED incidents, but now they have reappeared," Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar had said earlier.

This year, there have already been 14 improvised explosive device (IED) incidents in Kashmir, besides seven instances wherein the devices were detected.

On January 6 this year, four policemen on patrol duty were killed in an IED blast by militants in a market in Sopore township, the first major IED attack in Kashmir since 2015. PTI AB KJ

KJ
Ghaziabad, Nov 17 (PTI) Four juveniles were apprehended for allegedly partially damaging an idol in a religious place in Kavi Nagar area here, police said Saturday.

The four minor barged into the religious place, tried to vandalise idols kept there and fled the spot, Senior Superintendent of Police Upender Agarwal said.

He said the incident came to light when a woman noticed two other teenagers approaching towards the temple. She raised alarm immediately following which one of the boys was caught by the locals and handed over to police.

Tension prevailed in the village after the locals gathered at the Sanjay Nagar police post, demanding the minors' arrest, the SSP said.

A local leader pacified the villagers but while they were returning back to their homes, some men allegedly tried to damage other community's religious place.

The act was prevented due to deployment of police in the area, they said, adding 40 unidentified people involved in the matter were booked.

An FIR has also been registered against the four juveniles.

Police said situation in the area was calm and quiet and additional police force deployed in the village. PTI CORR DPB
Vodafone can hardly be accused of having feeble ambitions. When the telecoms firm launched its improvement plan in 2013, under the codename Project Spring, it said it wanted to become one of the top-two providers in all of its markets.

But five years on, shares have slumped by 25 per cent and investors are beginning to wonder whether those goals are achievable.

The firm has been pushed to pay off its 46billion debt pile, has struggled with exchange rates in some foreign markets and analysts have stubbornly refused to upgrade its earnings predictions this year.

Vodafone shares have slumped by 25 per cent over the past five years

As Vodafone's half-year results approached this week, one shareholder told the Mail there were questions over whether the business would carry on paying its attractive dividend.

As it turned out, chief executive Nick Read  who took over from former boss Vittorio Colao last month  decided not to axe the 3.4billion payout to shareholders. But whether that will be the right move in time is still a matter for debate.

Berenberg analyst Usman Ghazi said: 'It's perfectly fine if you want to cut the dividend and tell investors you're going to do a certain thing with the headroom you've created.

'But at Vodafone that narrative doesn't exist, so cutting the dividend would be a lazy thing to do.'

For some time Vodafone has been struggling to draw investor sentiment on side, and cutting the dividend would at least have given the appearance that management were doing something.

First, Ghazi explains, investors who are looking at the telecoms sectors steer towards companies that have garnered earnings upgrades  where analysts have boosted their estimates for the firm's financial performance.

But the upgrades landscape for Vodafone has remained bleak this year. Part of this is down to currency headwinds in markets such as Turkey and South Africa that provide much of its revenue growth.

Second, government auctions for the new 'superfast' mobile internet 5G have been more expensive than expected so far.

Vodafone won a large chunk of the 5G airwaves in the UK, paying a hefty 378.2million. But it paid 2.1billion in Italy, and such a high price has made traders nervous about upcoming auctions in Germany.

Slashing the dividend would have reassured the market that the firm had a little more cash in its pocket if conditions became even tighter.

Jerry Dellis, an analyst at Jefferies, suggests that the decision to leave dividends flat on last year, while aiming to decrease debt, 'leaves little margin for error as competitive conditions and spectrum outcomes remain largely outside management's control'.

Read, 54, is now planning to cut 1billion of costs in three years instead of five, by simplifying and digitalising the business.

Underlying profits rose 2.9 per cent to 6.2billion in the six months to September. Though sales had slowed, the firm managed to wring out cost savings which pushed up profits.

Analysts at Bernstein called the results 'expectedly wretched', but said the full-year earnings guidance and maintained dividend were 'positive and good news for investors in this beleaguered name'.

Ghazi believes investors will be rewarded further if they have the patience to stick around. 'We don't see risk to the dividend,' he says. 'But you've got to be patient.'
Rolls-Royce boss Warren East urged politicians to support Theresa May's Brexit plan as he revealed the engineering group is stockpiling parts in case the UK crashes out of the European Union.

He said 'any deal is better than no deal' but warned that time is running out.

East, 57, said: 'We are preparing for an exit from the EU without an agreement in place. We know that might be disruptive and that's why we're taking the contingency measures that we have to take to keep operating our business.

Plea: Warren East said 'any deal is better than no deal' but warned that time is running out

'I think any deal is better than no deal at giving us a framework for how we're going to work in future. When there is an agreement it will provide certainty.

'I'm putting forward a fairly unashamed business-centric view, and there are many agendas here, but for our business the UK is very important.'

Rolls-Royce employs 22,300 staff in the UK making engines for aeroplanes and submarines. A further 100,000 workers are employed through its external supply chain.

It also has strong ties to the EU and many of its customers are in Europe.

East called on politicians to adopt a pragmatic approach and back the Prime Minister's Brexit withdrawal plan. 'We are slightly running out of time and, as a business leader, I would like to see politicians on both sides of the fence get on and negotiate a practical deal that works for business,' he added.

'People in business spend their lives negotiating agreements, and we understand that you can't have ideal agreements. You have to end up making some compromises.'

Business lobby group the CBI, meanwhile, said 'no deal is not an acceptable option'.

And Andrew Gray, head of Brexit at accountancy giant PwC, said: 'We urge business to continue preparing for both a deal and no deal scenario until the deal is ratified.'
Jobs and newspaper titles at Johnston Press have been saved after the company was purchased by creditors.

JPIMedia announced it had acquired the publisher on Saturday after it put itself into administration.

As part of the transaction creditors have agreed to inject 35 million of new money into the business and reduce its net debt level by 135 million.

Johnston Press, the publisher of the i newspaper, The Scotsman and The Yorkshire Post, has announced its intention to place itself in to administration

In a statement, newly formed JPIMedia said the acquisition of Johnston Press 'secures jobs and (the) future of its brands and titles'.

'JPIMedia's shareholders recognise the vital role that local and regional media plays in the communities they serve and remain committed to protecting and enhancing the value of the business in the future,' it added.

The National Union of Journalists had previously demanded 'meaningful guarantees' on the future of jobs and titles following the administration process.

An assessment period has been triggered, as the result of the sale for the employees on the defined-benefit pension scheme.

Union officials warned any changes to future payments in line with pension protection fund (PPF) payment rules would by a 'terrible blow' to affected staff.

JPIMedia said it will offer a defined contribution pension scheme to all employees.

There had been reports that publisher DMGT, which owns the Daily Mail and MailOnline, had offered to buy the i, while 'numerous parities, had shown interest in other parts of the business

David King, the publisher's former chief executive, retains his position at JPIMedia.

He said the 'important' sale would ensure 'operations can continue as normal, with employees' rights maintained, suppliers paid, and newspapers printed'.

'We will focus on ensuring the group['s titles continue to publish the high-quality journalism we are known for and which has never been more important,' he said.

John Ensall, director of JPIMedia, said: 'In the absence of another financial solution being available for the business, we are pleased to have reached this agreement to acquire Johnston Press, to protect the value of the business, preserve jobs and allow for the uninterrupted publication of its websites and newspapers.

In August 2018, the company's share price spiked, surging by as much as 70% in afternoon trading amid rumours that a mystery buyer was quietly snapping up more stock

'As part of this transaction we have reduced the level of net debt very significantly and invested 35 million to put the business in a far stronger financial position.

Speculation the publisher might be sold had been growing since it announced a strategic review in March 2017.

The company had been looking to refinance 220 million of debt due to be repaid in June next year.

In an email sent to reassure staff, Mr King said that, at its peak, the company's debt reached 793 million.

Employees were earlier told they would continue to be paid and should turn up to work as normal, with their contracts to be transferred to the new company.

There had been reports that publisher DMGT, which owns the Daily Mail and MailOnline, had offered to buy the i, while 'numerous parities, had shown interest in other parts of the business.'

At its most recent trading update, Johnston reported a hit to revenues, mostly due to changes in Google and Facebook algorithms.

In a statement on Friday, the publisher said 'following considerable interest in the formal sales process', and it was decided that none of the offers received delivered sufficient value.

Matt Hancock (pictured above) said the initial news had been 'very concerning'

'The board has concluded that there is no longer any value in the ordinary shares of the company,' the statement added.

The chief executive of Johnston Press reassured staff of a 'brighter future' after the company announced it was preparing to enter into administration.

In an email to staff, David King said the publisher will apply for court approval to be sold to a newly-incorporated group of companies controlled by creditors.

It informed staff they would continue to be paid and should turn up to work as normal, with their contracts to be transferred to the new company.

Tom Watson (pictured above) said it was a 'grim day' for local newspapers when the announcement was made

In August 2018, the company's share price spiked, surging by as much as 70% in afternoon trading amid rumours that a mystery buyer was quietly snapping up more stock.

Johnston said it has also requested the immediate suspension of shares trading on the London Stock Exchange, with a cancellation of trading due to follow on November 20.

Following the initial announcement Health Secretary Matt Hancock, formerly a culture secretary, tweeted to say the news was 'very concerning'.

'Makes stark reality of the intense pressure on the press,' he added.

Shadow culture secretary and deputy Labour leader, Tom Watson, also tweeted his concern about the 'late Friday announcement', adding that he 'will be reaching out to unions and staff over the weekend'.

In a second tweet he said: 'Johnston Press going into administration is a grim day for local newspapers and another deeply worrying one for local democracy.'

Leeds North West Labour MP, Alex Sobel, tweeted to say he was sad that Johnston which owns The Yorkshire Post and the Yorkshire Evening Post was going into administration.

'Local papers raising local and regional issues are vital for our democracy,' he added.

Leeds North West Labour MP, Alex Sobel, tweeted to say he was sad that Johnston which owns The Yorkshire Post and the Yorkshire Evening Post was going into administration.

'Local papers raising local and regional issues are vital for our democracy,' he added.
Concurs de granturi adresat COMUNITATILOR (APL) pentru sporirea rezilientei lor la schimbarile climatice si FEMEILOR ANTREPRENOARE in vederea dezvoltarii unor afaceri prietenoase mediului
Serengeti Resources Inc. acquires and explores for mineral properties in Canada. It company explores for gold, copper, and silver deposits. The company's flagship property is the Kwanika project that covers an area of 25,928 hectares located in the northern Quesnel Trough, British Columbia. It also has an option to acquire 100% interest in Top Cat project covering an area of approximately 21,600 hectares situated in central British Columbia. The company was formerly known as Serengeti Minerals Ltd. and changed its name to Serengeti Resources Inc. in 2001. Serengeti Resources Inc. was incorporated in 1973 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

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CoreLogic, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides property information, insight, analytics, and data-enabled solutions in North America, Western Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Property Intelligence & Risk Management Solutions (PIRM) and Underwriting & Workflow Solutions (UWS). The PIRM segment combines property information, mortgage information, and consumer information to deliver housing market and property-level insights, predictive analytics, and risk management capabilities. It also offers proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with decision-making and compliance tools in the real estate and insurance industries. This segment primarily serves commercial banks, mortgage lenders and brokers, investment banks, fixed-income investors, real estate agents, MLS companies, property and casualty insurance companies, title insurance companies, government agencies, and government-sponsored enterprises. The UWS segment combines property, mortgage, and consumer information to provide comprehensive mortgage origination and monitoring solutions, including underwriting-related solutions, and data-enabled valuations and appraisals. This segment also provides proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with vetting and onboarding prospects, and meeting compliance regulations, as well as understanding, evaluating, monitoring property values. It primarily serves mortgage lenders and servicers, mortgage brokers, credit unions, commercial banks, fixed-income investors, government agencies, and property and casualty insurance companies. The company was formerly known as The First American Corporation and changed its name to CoreLogic, Inc. in June 2010. CoreLogic, Inc. was incorporated in 1894 and is headquartered in Irvine, California.

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First Data Corporation provides commerce enabled technology and solutions for merchants, financial institutions, and card issuers in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through three segments: Global Business Solutions, Global Financial Solutions, and Network & Security Solutions. The Global Business Solutions segment provides solutions to merchants, such as retail point of sale merchant acquiring, e-commerce, and mobile payment services, as well as cloud based point of sale operating system that include a marketplace for proprietary and third party applications. The Global Finance Solutions segment provides technology solutions for bank and non-bank issuers, such as credit, retail private label, commercial card, and loan processing, as well as licensed financial software systems; suite of account services that include card personalization and embossing, customer communications, and professional services; and call center solutions and back office processing. The Network & Security Solutions segment offers EFT network, stored value network, and security and fraud solutions, as well as other value added solutions to its clients in GBS and GFS segments, smaller financial institutions, and other enterprise clients. First Data Corporation was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

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New York

Three years after it closed its beloved toy store on Fifth Avenue, FAO Schwarz has returned to New York.

A new FAO opened Friday in Manhattan's Rockefeller Center, about 10 blocks from its former home near Central Park.

For more than 150 years, FAO Schwarz was known in New York City for its classy and sometimes extravagantly expensive toys. The fantasyland store it opened on Fifth Avenue in 1986 was a tourist attraction, replete with its own theme song, doormen who looked like palace guards and a musical clock tower. Financial problems at the parent company and rising rents closed that store in 2015, but FAO is now pulling back from the worst financial precipice since it was founded in 1862.

In recent weeks at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, workers drilled, hammered and sawed 24 hours a day to get the new store ready. Employees filled shelves with hundreds of plush animals that have long defined the brand  bears, bunnies, elephants, chicks and more. The big entrance clock tower has returned. And on the second level of the 20,000-square-foot space is a giant piano keyboard mat like the one on which Tom Hanks danced to "Heart and Soul" in the 1988 film "Big."

The 20-foot-long instrument with 60 keys is reflected on the ceiling for people in the plaza below to see. Replicas for sale cost $128.

There is also a toy grocery store where children can shop among artificial produce, complete with small carts, a checkout counter and kitchen supplies. For $75, another interactive station allows kids to adopt baby dolls, while a "nurse" gives lessons on how to care for them. Live magic shows will be staged nearby, next to a spot for assembling custom remote-control cars. A 27-foot-tall rocket ship teems with stuffed bear astronauts.

"We are about experiences. That's what's different from other toy stores," said David Niggli, FAO's chief merchandising officer.

In a global marketing push, pop-up FAO shops are also opening for the holidays in England, Spain and Australia. A March rollout is planned for a permanent store at a mall in Beijing in addition to smaller retail locations in airports and elsewhere across the U.S. and Canada.

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FAO Schwarz has gone through multiple corporate takeovers in recent years as retailers struggled to adapt to online sales. It was purchased in 2002 by Right Start Inc., which filed for bankruptcy twice. Toys "R" Us was the next owner. It sold the FAO name to the California-based ThreeSixty Brands in 2016 before recently declaring bankruptcy itself.

FAO was founded in 1862 by German immigrant Frederick August Otto Schwarz, specializing in high-end toys, some imported from Europe. By the 20th century, in stores across the country, fancy items included a $1,500 jeweled Etch-A-Sketch and a Barbie-themed, hot pink foosball table for $25,000.

There are a few extravagant items to be had in the new store but plenty of modestly priced items, too.

"We have beautiful artisan pieces here, like rocking horses, but we also have items that are $10," Niggli said.
Washington

U.S. intelligence officials have concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. official said Friday. The Saudi government has denied the claim.

The U.S. official familiar with the intelligence agencies' conclusion was unauthorized to speak publicly about it and spoke on condition of anonymity. It was first reported by The Washington Post.

Saudi Arabia's top diplomat has said the crown prince had "absolutely" nothing to do with the killing.

Khashoggi, a Saudi who lived in the United States, was a columnist for the Post and often criticized the royal family. He was killed Oct. 2 at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

This week, U.S. intelligence officials briefed members of the Senate and House intelligence committees and the Treasury Department announced economic sanctions on 17 Saudi officials suspected of being responsible for or complicit in the killing.

The Post, citing unnamed sources, also reported that U.S. intelligence agencies reviewed a phone call that the prince's brother, Khalid bin Salman, had with Khashoggi. The newspaper said the prince's brother, the current Saudi ambassador to the United States, told Khashoggi he would be safe in going to the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents he needed to get married.

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The newspaper said it was not known whether the ambassador knew Khashoggi would be killed. But it said he made the call at the direction of the crown prince, and the call was intercepted by U.S. intelligence.

Fatimah Baeshen, a spokesperson for the Saudi embassy in Washington, said that claim was false.

She said in a statement issued to The Associated Press that the ambassador met Khashoggi in person once in late September 2017. After that, they communicated via text messages, she said. The last text message the ambassador sent to Khashoggi was on Oct. 26, 2017, she said.

Baeshen said the ambassador did not discuss with Khashoggi "anything related to going to Turkey."
The following appeared in an editorial in The Buffalo News:

Child sex abuse victims of the Catholic Church were hoping for action on reforms this week when the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops met in Baltimore. They got thoughts and prayers instead.

The Vatican directed the U.S. bishops to delay their votes on two reform measures until a special council of bishops worldwide convenes on Feb. 8. Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston opened the conference on Monday with that announcement from Rome.

"We are not ourselves happy about this," said DiNardo; he found the decision "quizzical."

More than 250 bishops were gathered in Baltimore. As Jay Tokasz of The News reported, they were expected to vote on the creation of a third-party reporting system to receive confidential complaints of sex abuse of minors by a bishop, as well as sexual harassment or sexual misconduct with adults by a bishop; and a new code of conduct for bishops regarding sex abuse of a minor or adult.

The order from Rome to wait comes as a great disappointment.

The church has been under increasing pressure to be more transparent and to hold bishops accountable in abuse cases, following a Pennsylvania grand jury report in August that documented many instances of bishops covering up abuse.

Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Pope Francis' representative in the U.S., noted in Baltimore that a series of reforms implemented by bishops in 2002, following the scandal in Massachusetts uncovered by The Boston Globe, has led to a sharp decline in the incidence of reported abuse. That has not corresponded, Pierre noted, with a notable increase in public approval for bishops.

"Perhaps none should be expected," Pierre said. "Trust needs to be earned, not presumed."

The Vatican is hardly unaware of how the scandal has been making headlines across the United States, causing a public relations nightmare, as well as drops in financial support for the church.

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DiNardo himself is under scrutiny in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston after reports that he was aware of sex abuse by priests in Iowa and Texas and did nothing to stop them.

A report this month, a joint project of The Boston Globe and The Philadelphia Inquirer, found that more than 130 U.S. bishops have been accused during their careers of "failing to adequately respond to sexual misconduct in their dioceses."

U.S. bishops don't have authority to ignore the directive, though some asked they do so.

"They need to do this now," said Peter Isely, a founding member of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

U.S. bishops continued to refine reform proposals at the conference. But kicking the can down the road until February is not a good look.
[November 16, 2018] Enterprise Cloud Services, Comport, Shares 4 Reasons Why Companies Should Transition To The Cloud

RAMSEY, N.J., Nov. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In order to share their expertise with the business community, enterprise cloud services provider Comport, shares 4 reasons why companies should consider transitioning to the cloud. For many years, companies have relied almost entirely on traditional on-site solutions in order to store their data. Now, more than ever before, however, cloud services offer a superior alternative that keeps companies protected and running efficiently. Listed below are 4 reasons why companies should consider transitioning to the cloud. Better Efficiency. One of the biggest advantages to having information stored in the cloud is that it allows employees to be more efficient. With everything stored in one location and easily accessible online, workers can work from wherever they happen to be and collaborate with one another faster and easier than with traditional on-site storage. Many companies think of cloud storage as a simple place to keep their files, but it can have a real impact on the ability of employees to effectively do their jobs. Cloud Backup. Part of the reason many companies are moving to the cloud is to have a solution in place should the worst come to pass. In the event of a hack or any other sort of catastrophic data loss, having copies of your data stored and maintained by a separate company with a commitment to data security can rally save the day.



Cloud backups are an important part of the "3-2-1" approach to data management, with two on-site copies and one off-site to ensure a quick and easy rebound in the event of a disaster. Scalability. For any business, and especially those who deal directly with the consumer, online traffic and data needs can vary significantly over the course of the year. One of the best examples of this is the holiday season, where there is a notable spike in online purchases and the need to retain that information. Those purchases put additional strains on a company's infrastructure, and unlike physical storage, cloud services can be expanded or scaled back quite easily whenever the need arises.

Mobility. Cloud storage is an excellent way to give employees unlimited access to documents and programs they need while storing the data safely. Rather than having crucial software on a physical on-site computer, workers will be able to take advantage of productivity tools within the cloud server and continue doing business as long as they can access the internet. Giving employees the mobile access they want is an excellent solution for those out in the field or who work at home, and cloud storage is worth considering for a business of nearly any size for this reason. Don't wait until they get back into the office to protect their data! ABOUT COMPORT An award-winning trusted IT partner in business since 1982, Comport helps our customers achieve efficiencies needed to succeed in today's digital world. Our customers include leading enterprises in Hospitals and Healthcare, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Media, Retail, Law Firms and Universities. Comport has established our cloud brand, ComportSecure to help customers deal with new and emerging trends. ComportSecure specializes in solutions in Cloud and Managed Services, Advanced IT Datacenters, and Mobility Security and Networking. Media Contact: Deanna Thorman, fishbat Media, 631-633-4705, [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/enterprise-cloud-services-comport-shares-4-reasons-why-companies-should-transition-to-the-cloud-300752251.html SOURCE Comport

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[November 16, 2018] Maxar Technologies Shareholders Approve U.S. Domestication

WESTMINSTER, CO, Nov. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Maxar Technologies (NYSE:MAXR) (TSX:MAXR) ("Maxar" or the "Company"), a global technology innovator powering the new space economy, today announced that shareholders approved the Company's U.S. domestication at a special meeting held earlier today in Westminster, Colorado. A total of 227 holders of common shares of the Company, representing approximately 76% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares, voted in connection with the meeting, with 99.8% voting in favor of the U.S. domestication and more than 99.8% of the common shares and LTIP Units voted at the meeting, voting as a single class, voted in favor of the U.S. domestication. "We are pleased that shareholders overwhelmingly approved our plan for U.S. domestication and we look forward to completing the process by the beginning of 2019," said Maxar President and CEO Howard Lance. "U.S. domestication fulfills a commitment made as part of the acquisition of DigitalGlobe in October 2017 and marks a major milestone in our strategic objectives to gain a stronger presence in the U.S. space and defense markets and enhance our ability to support classified applications for U.S. Government agencies." Following the U.S. domestication effective date, Maxar will continue to list its shares on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Maxar does not anticipate that the U.S. domestication will have any impact on its employees, customers, suppliers, or other key stakeholders. As previously announced, Maxar will transition to U.S. GAAP accounting standards and U.S. domestic securities filings effective with its U.S. domestication. The Company believes this transition will make its financial results more transparent to a wider audience of investors and provide increased comparability with U.S. aerospace and defense peer companies. Subject to obtaining required court approvals, as well as the satisfaction of other conditions precedent, Maxar anticipates that the U.S. domestication will be completed on or about January 1, 2019. About Maxar Technologies

As a global leader of advanced space technology solutions, Maxar Technologies (formerly MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates) is at the nexus of the new space economy, developing and sustaining the infrastructure and delivering the information, services, systems that unlock the promise of space for commercial and government markets. As a trusted partnr, Maxar Technologies provides vertically integrated capabilities and expertise including satellites, Earth imagery, robotics, geospatial data and analytics to help customers anticipate and address their most complex mission-critical challenges with confidence. With more than 6,500 employees in over 30 global locations, the Maxar Technologies portfolio of commercial space brands includes MDA, SSL, DigitalGlobe and Radiant Solutions. Every day, billions of people rely on Maxar to communicate, share information and data, and deliver insights that Build a Better World. Maxar trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange as MAXR. For more information, visit www.maxar.com .



Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements and other information included in this release constitute "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") under applicable securities laws. Statements including words such as "may", "will", "could", "should", "would", "plan", "potential", "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate" or "expect" and other words, terms and phrases of similar meaning are often intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements involve estimates, expectations, projections, goals, forecasts, assumptions, risks and uncertainties, as well as other statements referring to or including forward-looking information included in this release. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the U.S. domestication and its timing, the required approvals and conditions precedent and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed in this release. As a result, although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. The risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: failure to obtain any required approvals in a timely manner; failure of the U.S. domestication to be completed for any reason (or to be completed in a timely manner); failure to achieve the perceived benefits of the U.S. domestication; the incurrence of costs associated therewith beyond those estimated; unanticipated adverse tax consequences; and the other risk factors and other disclosures about the Company and its business and the U.S. domestication included in the Company's continuous disclosure materials filed from time to time with Canadian and U.S. securities regulatory authorities (including the management information circular filed for the meeting), which are available online under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, under the Company's EDGAR profile at www.sec.gov or on the Company's website at www.maxar.com.

The forward-looking statements contained in this release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. All such forward-looking statements are based upon data available as of the date of this presentation or other specified date and speak only as of such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release as a result of new information or future events, except as may be required under applicable securities legislation. Investor Relations Contact:

Jason Gursky

Maxar VP Investor Relations

1-303-684-2207

[email protected] Media Contact:

Turner Brinton

Maxar Media Relations

1-303-684-4545

[email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/maxar-technologies-shareholders-approve-us-domestication-300752385.html SOURCE Maxar Technologies Ltd.

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[November 16, 2018] UnitedHealth Group Donates $500,000 to Help Californians Affected by Wildfires

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) and its UnitedHealthcare and Optum businesses are donating $500,000 to help residents of California recover and rebuild from the devastating fires in Butte, Ventura and Los Angeles counties. UnitedHealth Group will donate the funds to California Community Foundation's Wildfire Relief Fund. The relief fund supports California communities' wildfire preparedness, recovery and rebuilding efforts including direct support to individuals and families affected by the wildfires. The company is also matching dollar-for-dollar donations employees make to charities supporting recovery efforts. "UnitedHealth Group's meaningful donation will play a critical role in serving the recovery efforts for those whose lives have been uprooted by the fires," said Antonia Hernandez, President and CEO of the California Community Foundation. "When our friends and neighbors need us most, CCF is proud to serve as a trusted place for the business community to come together to support important efforts such as wildfire relief." "We are deeply concerned for the individuals and families whose lives have been devastated by the recent wildfires, and we're committed to helping these communities rebuild," said David S. Wichmann, Chief Executive Officer, UnitedHealth Group. "We also want our colleaues directly affected by these fires to know they and their families will continue to have our support in helping to recover."



In addition to financial support for the affected communities, Optum is offering a free emotional-support help line to people affected by the wildfires. The toll-free number, 866-342-6892, will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for as long as necessary. The service is free of charge and open to anyone. Callers may also receive referrals to community resources. Along with the toll-free help line, emotional-support resources and information are available online at www.liveandworkwell.com. About California Community Foundation's Wildfire Relief Fund

The California Community Foundation's Wildfire Relief Fund supports intermediate and long-term recovery efforts for major California wildfires, as well as preparedness efforts. For more information, visit https://www.calfund.org/wildfire-relief-fund/.

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health care company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and helping to make the health system work better for everyone. UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through two distinct platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health care coverage and benefits services; and Optum, which provides information and technology-enabled health services. For more information, visit UnitedHealth Group at www.unitedhealthgroup.com or follow @UnitedHealthGrp on Twitter (News - Alert). Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for UnitedHealth Group. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181116005540/en/

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[November 16, 2018] National Space Council Gets Report on Human Spaceflight in Low-Earth Orbit

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA and the Departments of State and Commerce have submitted a report to the National Space Council outlining future opportunities and challenges for human spaceflight in low-Earth orbit (LEO), and its potential economic contributions to the broader field of exploration. The National Space Council requested NASA lead an interagency effort to produce the report, entitled 'A Strategy for Human Spaceflight in Low Earth Orbit and Economic Growth in Space,' during its February meeting. The report details four overarching goals for human spaceflight in LEO that were developed in collaboration with NASA's interagency partners: To achieve a continuous U.S. presence in LEO  both NASA astronauts and private citizens  in order to supprt the use of space by U.S. citizens, companies, academia, and international partners and to maintain a permanent American foothold on the nearest part of the space frontier. To create a regulatory environment in LEO that enables American commercial activities to thrive. To conduct human spaceflight research in LEO that will advance the technology and systems required for long-duration spaceflight systems, including systems for interplanetary travel and permanent space habitation. To expand and extend commercial opportunity though international partnerships and engagement.



The report is for intra-governmental use only, due to the inclusion of sensitive information. However, an executive summary is available online at:

https://go.nasa.gov/2TdKjpN For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit: https://www.nasa.gov View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-space-council-gets-report-on-human-spaceflight-in-low-earth-orbit-300752427.html SOURCE NASA

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[November 16, 2018] Motorola Solutions Wins ITC Case; Final Determination Confirms Hytera Infringes Motorola Solutions' Patents

Motorola (News - Alert) Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MSI) today announced that the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has issued a Notice of Final Determination confirming that certain Hytera Communications Corporation Limited (SHE: 002583) products are infringing four Motorola Solutions patents. The ITC has also issued exclusion and cease-and-desist orders for Motorola Solutions' U.S. Patent Nos. 7,369,869, 7,729,701 and 8,279,991, prohibiting Hytera from importing products into the United States and selling or marketing those products. The ITC also rejected Hytera's request to allow it to import infringing products or components into the U.S. to repair or replace those in the field. The ruling also affirms Administrative Law Judge McNamara's finding that Hytera "unquestionably copied certain of Motorola patented technologies." "The Commission's validation of Judge McNamara's findings is a significant victory for Motorola Solutions and another important step in holding Hytera accountable for its serial infringement of our patents," said Mark Hacker, general counsel and chief administrative officer of Motorola Solutions. "Motorola Solutions has invested significant resources researching, developing and delivering new and innovative products for our customers around the world. In contrast, Hytera has brazenly and repeatedly copied our proprietary intellectual property. The ITC's Final Determination further validates our global efforts to halt Hytera's egregious and unlawful behavior and safeguard Motorola Solutions' technology portfolio." A mandatory 60-day presidential review period has now begun, during which the U.S. President may modify the ITC's Final Determination. The ITC's exclusion and cease-and-desist orders will take effect on approximately Jan. 15, 2019, when all Hytera products infringing Motrola Solutions' '869, '701 and '991 patents, including the following products, would be excluded from the U.S. market:



Radios (Subscribers): MD652, MD782, BD302, BD362, BD502, PD412, PD502, PD562, PD602, PD662, PD682, PD702, PD752, PD782, PD792, PD982, X1e and X1p; and

MD652, MD782, BD302, BD362, BD502, PD412, PD502, PD562, PD602, PD662, PD682, PD702, PD752, PD782, PD792, PD982, X1e and X1p; and Repeaters: RD622 and RD982. In addition to today's ITC victory, Motorola Solutions recently prevailed against Hytera in the Regional Court of Mannheim in Germany in a similar patent infringement case. Motorola Solutions will also continue to vigorously pursue its patent infringement, copyright infringement and trade secret theft lawsuits against Hytera in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the Regional Court of Dusseldorf in Germany, the Federal Court of Australia and other jurisdictions around the world. For additional information regarding Motorola Solutions' legal actions against Hytera, please visit https://newsroom.motorolasolutions.com/presskits/motorola-solutions-intellectual-property.htm.

Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements including statements regarding expectations with respect to litigation filed by Motorola Solutions, Inc., and the outcomes possible if successful. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to future events and depend on circumstances that will or may occur in the future and are outside the control of Motorola Solutions, Inc., and its officers. Actual results may differ from those expressed in such statements depending on a variety of factors including those discussed in this release. About Motorola Solutions Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI (News - Alert)) is a technology company that provides mission-critical communications, software and video solutions that help build safer cities and thriving communities. Public safety and commercial customers globally depend on the company's two-way radios, broadband technology, video surveillance and analytics solutions, services and software to keep them connected, from extreme to everyday moments. Learn more at www.motorolasolutions.com. MOTOROLA, MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS and the Stylized M Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC and are used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 2018 Motorola Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181116005551/en/

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[November 16, 2018] ESTERLINE INVESTOR ALERT by the Former Attorney General of Louisiana: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates Adequacy of Price and Process in Proposed Sale of Esterline Technologies Corporation - ESL

Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") are investigating the proposed sale of Esterline Technologies Corporation ("Esterline") (NYSE: ESL) to TransDigm Group Incorporated (NYSE: TDG). Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of Esterline will receive only $122.50 in cash for each share of Esterline that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this consideration and the process that led to it are adequate, or whether the consideration undervalues the Company. If you believe that this transaction undervalues the Company and/or if you would like to discuss your legal rights regarding the proposed sale, you may, without obligation or cost to you, e-mail or call KSF Managing Partner Lewis S. Kahn ([email protected]) toll free at any time at 855-768-1857, or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-esl/ to learn more.



To learn more about KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General, visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181116005552/en/

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[November 16, 2018] Wells Fargo Donates an Additional $1.5 Million to California Wildfire Relief Efforts

Today, Wells Fargo (News - Alert) & Company (NYSE: WFC) announced a donation of $1.5 million to aid in the ongoing recovery and relief efforts resulting from the devastating wildfires in California. Earlier this week, Wells Fargo announced a $250,000 donation to local organizations. Today's donation increases Wells Fargo's support to $1.75 million. "As we watch the tragedy unfold in California, our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the wildfires," said Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan. "We will continue to stand by our team members, customers and local communities for the relief and recovery efforts in the days to come." The donation will be distributed to multiple organizations in Northern and Southern California that are positioned to help with housing and disaster recovery, mental health assistance, firefighter and first responder support, small business recovery and community relief. In addition, a specific donation will be made to the Adventist Health emergency fund to provide direct assistance to 600 employees of Adventist Health Feather River Hospital who have lost their homes. Adventist Health is the largest employer in Paradise, Calif., which has been severely impacted by the Camp Fire. Below is the full list of organizations receiving support: 3CORE, Inc. - $500,000

Adventist Health - $50,000

American Red Cross* - $100,000 in addition to $125,000 previously donated

Boys and Girls Club of Malibu - $25,000

California Community Foundation Wildfire Relief Fund - $125,000

California Fire Foundation - $100,000

LAFD Foundation - $75,000 in addition to $25,000 previously donated

Salvation Army - Chico Corps - $100,000

United Way of Northern California - $50,000 in addition to $50,000 previously donated

Ventura County Community Development Corp - $100,000

Ventura County Community Foundation - $25,000 in addition to $50,000 previously donated

Women Economic Ventures (CDFI) - $250,000



Customers can go to any Wells Fargo ATM in California and select the option to donate. There is no fee, and 100 percent of contributions will be sent to the American Red Cross.

Go Far Rewards customers can access their rewards account at GoFarRewards.wf.com or by calling the service center, 877-517-1358. Customers who are experiencing hardship because of the wildfires can contact Wells Fargo Customer Support at the number on their credit card, debit card or statement to discuss their options. Affected customers can also contact their banker by visiting their nearest Wells Fargo bank branch.

About Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo's vision is to satisfy our customers' financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,950 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 37 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 262,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 26 on Fortune's 2018 rankings of America's largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories. * The American Red Cross name, emblem and copyrighted materials are being used with its permission, which in no way constitutes an endorsement, express or implied, of any product, service, company, opinion or political position. The American Red Cross logo is a registered trademark owned by The American National Red Cross. For more information about the American Red Cross, please visit redcross.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181116005554/en/

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[November 16, 2018] Doctor On Demand Encourages All California Residents Impacted by Poor Air Quality to Stay Inside

The California wildfires are not just affecting those directly in their path, but affecting millions of residents who are now breathing in the hazardous air conditions. Doctor On Demand, the nation's leading virtual care provider, is encouraging all residents to stay inside if possible, especially if you have children, are elderly, or have existing respiratory or heart conditions. "The air quality in the San Francisco Bay Area is the worst I've ever seen with an Air Quality Index reaching over 270. It's a serious matter for many California residents. We all need to be sure we are taking the necessary precautions to stay safe and avoid exposing ourselves to these poor conditions," said Dr. Ian Tong, Chief Medical Officer of Doctor On Demand. "As a California resident with young children, I too am experiencing first-hand what this past week has been like, and want to be sure everyone is doing what they can to avoid any harmful effects from the air." When the Air Quality Index (AQI) passes 150, it is considered unhealthy and everyone is at risk of experiencing negative health effects. If you are experiencing warning signs of too much exposure -- trouble breathing, coughing, and skin and eye irritation -- you should see a doctor. Virtual visits, such as those with Doctor On Demand, are a great option and allow those to stay safe inside their home, while still getting the high-quality care they need -- 24/7, including weekends. "Even if you aren't in an area directly impacted by the wildfires, you are still at risk as smoke can travel hundreds of miles from the burn site," said Dr. Tong. Tips to avoid poor air exposure: Check air quality reports: Learn if your current air quality is unhealthy with online resources like airnow.gov. Additionally, pay attention to local public health messages and their recommended safety measures.

Learn if your current air quality is unhealthy with online resources like airnow.gov. Additionally, pay attention to local public health messages and their recommended safety measures. Keep yourself and your family inside: When air quality is bad, it's best to limit the time spent outdoors. It's especially important to avoid strenuous activities that would leave you gasping for air.

When air quality is bad, it's best to limit the time spent outdoors. It's especially important to avoid strenuous activities that would leave you gasping for air. Keep indoor air clean: Keep your windows and doors closed. When using your air conditioner or heater in your home or car, make sure to only run it with the fresh air intake closed. Avoid further air pollutants such as burning candles or incense, fireplaces and vacuuming.

Keep your windows and doors closed. When using your air conditioner or heater in your home or car, make sure to only run it with the fresh air intake closed. Avoid further air pollutants such as burning candles or incense, fireplaces and vacuuming. Wear a mask: If you have to go outside or take public transportation, wear a mask that will protect you from the small particles in the air, such as an N95 mask which can be purchased at stores, such as pharmacies and hardware stores.



*Receive a fully covered medical visit through November 30, 2018, by entering code CA18 into your account. Not valid on psychology or psychiatry visits. Participants understand that this offer is not redeemable for cash. Doctor On Demand reserves the right to cancel, modify or terminate this offer at any time for any reason. This offer is void where prohibited or restricted by law. If you have any questions, please contact Doctor On Demand Member Support at (800) 997-6196 or [email protected].

About Doctor On Demand Doctor On Demand is a nationwide healthcare service that provides video visits with board-certified physicians, psychiatrists and licensed psychologists via smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers. Patients download the Doctor On Demand app or visit www.doctorondemand.com, provide a list of their symptoms, and are connected for a video visit within minutes. Prescriptions, if needed, are sent directly to the pharmacy of choice. Doctor On Demand physicians can also order lab work, allowing for the treatment of a broader range of conditions and chronic care management. Through its 5-star rated mobile application and website, consumers can access board-certified physicians in all 50 states with an average wait time of 5 minutes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Doctor On Demand delivers services through employers, health plans, and directly to consumers. While insurance isn't required, tens of millions of Americans enjoy covered medical and mental health visits. Doctor On Demand is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Minneapolis and Washington, D.C. To access Doctor On Demand, download the app (iTunes or Google (News - Alert) Play) or visit www.doctorondemand.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181116005571/en/

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OnePlus has staked out a position for itself and its feature-rich, affordably priced smartphones as "flagship killers." With the OnePlus 6T now available, could Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 be another notch in the upstart phone maker's belt?

At $549, the OnePlus 6T is much cheaper than the $999 Note 9.It's got the same processor and screen size as the Note 9, and it promises camera improvements that could close the gap with the best phone that Samsung has to offer.

But the Note 9 is formidable in its own right, offering an improved S Pen with remote- control capability, a huge battery and AI-powered cameras. Here's a closer look at how the OnePlus 6T measures up to the Galaxy Note 9 now that we've had a chance to put both phones through their paces.

OnePlus 6T vs. Galaxy Note 9: The Specs

OnePlus 6T Galaxy Note 9 Starting Price $549 $999 Screen (Resolution) 6.4 inches (2340 x 1080) 6.4 inches (2960 x 1440) CPU Snapdragon 845 Snapdragon 845 RAM 6GB, 8GB 6GB, 8GB Storage 128GB, 256GB 128GB, 512GB MicroSD No Yes Rear Camera 16-MP (f/1.7), 20-MP (f/1.7)

Dual 12-MP (f/1.5-f/2.4) Front Camera 16-MP (f/2.0) 8-MP (f/1.7) Battery Size 3,700 mAh 4,000 mAh Battery Life (Hrs:Mins) 10:23 11:26 Wireless Charging No Yes Water Resistance Splash resistant IP68 Size 6.2 x 2.9 x 0.32 inches 6.3 x 3 x 0.34 inches Weight 6.5 ounces 7.1 ounces

Design

Samsung has stuck with the same look for its flagships for two years running now, but why mess with something that works? The Note 9 puts the Infinity Display front and center in its design, giving this phablet a look that's every bit as distinctive as Apple's handsets. The biggest change to the look of the Note 9 addressed one of the biggest problems with the Note 8, as Samsung moved the rear fingerprint sensor to beneath the rear-camera setup from its awkward position right next to the lenses.

Galaxy Note 9

Similarly, the OnePlus 6T retains the glass design introduced with the OnePlus 6 earlier this year. The biggest change is one that's not likely to be well-received by traditionalists: OnePlus dropped the headphone jack from the 6T, a move that the phone maker concedes goes against the feedback it's gotten from customers. The Note 9 still has a headphone jack.

The new OnePlus phone can boast one big difference from other phones sold in the U.S.  it's got a fingerprint sensor embedded underneath the display. (Other phones had this feature first, but they're not available in the U.S.) The 6T's fingerprint reader is very fast, and an excellent use of the technology.

The OnePlus 6T is more compact than the Note 9, but only by fractions of inches. At 6.52 ounces, it's also lighter than the 7.1-ounce Samsung phone.

OnePlus 6T

Samsung isn't exactly known for taking a chance with colors, but the phone maker has loosened up a bit with the Note 9. The phone debuted with less-conventional Lavender Purple and Ocean Blue options, subsequently adding Cloud Silver and Midnight Black to the mix. That's more options than you'll get with the OnePlus 6T, which just added a new purple model to join its two different shades of black.

MORE: OnePlus 6T Review: Pure Magic, Perfect Price

The Note 9 enjoys one other design edge over the OnePlus 6T. Thanks to an IP68 water resistance rating, the Note 9 can go for a swim in up to 5 feet of water for 30 minutes. OnePlus only says the 6T can resist splashes of water.

Winner: Note 9

Display

Both phones sport a 6.4-inch AMOLED screen, though the two panels take on different appearances. While the Note 9 offers an edge-to-edge Infinity Display with only a hint of a bezel at the top and bottom of the phone, the OnePlus 6T features a notch  albeit a more minimized teardrop-style notch than the iPhone X-like one that descended into the OnePlus 6's screen. At 2960 x 1440, the Note 9's resolution is also noticeably sharper than the 2340 x 1080 panel on the 6T.

OnePlus 6T

Measuring brightness with a light meter, the Note 9's 604-nit result outshone the 405 nits we recorded from the 6T. Side-by-side indoors, we didn't notice much of a gap, but the Note 9's brighter screen makes a difference outside.

Galaxy Note 9

The phones' displays are equally colorful, with the Note 9 reproducing 224 percent of the sRGB color spectrum to the 6T's 222.6 percent. Those colors are just about as accurate, too, with nearly identical Delta-E ratings  0.34 for the Note 9 and 0.36 for the 6T. (Numbers closer to 0 are better.)

MORE: Galaxy Note 9 vs. Pixel 3 XL: Which Big-Screen Phone Wins?

Watching the Detective Pikachu trailer on both phones in their default display modes, the OnePlus 6T's screen looked a bit more washed out and cooler. It definitely wasn't as sharp as the Note 9's panel, which is not surprising, given the differences in resolution. The Note 9 also has better viewing angles, retaining brightness better as we adjusted the angle of the phone in our hand.

Winner: Note 9

Camera

If there's one area where OnePlus' phones have fallen short of the "as good or better than any flagship" mantra, it's with the cameras. Cameras on OnePlus phones are typically good, though they have a hard time keeping up with Samsung's more expensive flagships.

Galaxy Note 9

The Note 9 sets a pretty high bar to beat. While the phone's twin 12-megapixel rear lenses aren't that different from the Galaxy S9+ (right down to the ability to switch the aperture from f/1.5 to f/2.4 as lighting conditions demand), Samsung beefed up the artificial intelligence on the Note 9 to recognize scene and optimize camera settings to produce the best shot.

OnePlus 6T

The OnePlus 6T also puts the emphasis on software improvements rather than changing its 16- and 20-megapixel rear shooters. OnePlus added a Night Mode that lengthens the exposure time for more detailed shots when it's dark. Portrait mode also saw some improvements.

But are those changes enough? Certainly, the OnePlus 6T does a better job than previous OnePlus phones when the lights are low. But as we can see in this dimly lit shot featuring a stuffed bird, a candle and a pine cone, the Note 9 still reigns as the low-light king.

MORE: iPhone XS vs. Galaxy Note 9: Why Apple's Camera Wins

The individual objects look distinct in the Note 9's photo, and you can make out specific colors, even in the low light. The flickering candle flame looks blurred in the OnePlus 6T's shot, and there's a visible lighting artifact on the pine cone. The color's off on that couch cushion in the background, too.

Moving outdoors to a snowy scene didn't change matters any. The OnePlus 6T's shot looks good, with the trees in the background providing fine contrast, and the colors accurately reflect a wintry day. But the Note 9's version is sharper: It's easier to read all of the text on the sign that marks Washington's crossing of the Delaware, and the falling snowflakes stand out a little bit more.

OnePlus may have improved the portrait mode on the 6T, but it's not enough to overcome what the Note 9 can do with blurred backgrounds. At first glance, the images look fairly similar, but there's a little too much blur in the background of the 6T's shot, particularly around my colleague Adam's beard and shirt collar. The 6T's shot also has more of a zoomed-out perspective, which I don't particularly mind, but some of my colleagues didn't care for.





It's not a clean sweep for the Note 9's camera, though. The 16-MP front camera on the OnePlus 6T captured a better self-portrait of Adam. The colors are a little too warm in the selfie shot by the Note 9's 8-MP front shooter, and the right side of Adam's face has an unnatural shine. Things are much more balanced in the 6T's shot.

Winner: Note 9

Performance

You'd expect similar performance from the Note 9 and the OnePlus 6T since both phones feature the same Snapdragon 845 chipset you'll find in most leading Android handsets. And that's exactly what we got when we put both phones through a series of benchmark tests.

Galaxy Note 9

On Geekbench 4, which measures overall performance, the OnePlus 6T posted a score of 8,972. That just edged out the Note 9's 8,876 result, but that OnePlus win comes with a caveat. We tested the base model Note 9, which comes with 6GB of RAM. Our OnePlus 6T review unit featured 8GB of RAM. If we tested the base 6T model, which has the same RAM as the Note 9, it's possible that Samsung's phone would have turned in the better result; then again, that OnePlus 6T model costs even less than the $579 version we reviewed.

The OnePlus 6T also beat the Note 9 when we ran 3DMark's Slingshot Extreme 3.1 benchmark. The 6T recorded a score of 5,183, well ahead of the Note 9's 4,639 result.

OnePlus 6T

Regarding special performance features, the Note 9 boasts a water/carbon-fiber cooling system designed to keep your phone humming along without throttling, particularly if you play a lot of processor-intensive games. We didn't notice a huge difference when testing the Note 9's water-cooling capabilities.

Meanwhile, OnePlus updated its OxygenOS with a new SmartBoost feature that clears background apps you use less often, improving launch speeds  and we definitely noticed this when testing the 6T.

Essentially, the OnePlus 6T enjoys a marginal edge over the Note 9 when it comes to performance. But that gap grows even bigger when you consider how much less you've paid for OnePlus' phone.

Winner: OnePlus 6T

Software and Special Features

Releasing the Note 9 in August helped Samsung beat other fall flagship releases to retail shelves. But it also means that the Note 9 ships with Android Oreo at a time when other phones  including the OnePlus 6T  are shipping with Android 9 Pie. What's more, OnePlus' Oxygen OS, which is built on top of the latest version of Android, offers a cleaner, more sophisticated experience than the TouchWiz user interface Samsung slaps on its Android phones. (Samsung seems to have acknowledged this with its preview of OneUI, the Android 9-based interface coming to the Note 9 and other phones next year.)

It would be a mistake, though, to dismiss the Note 9 just because its operating system is a little bit older. Samsung's phone offers several compelling special features, highlighted by the S Pen. The version of the stylus that accompanies the Note 9 adds Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to use the S Pen as a remote control. Out of the box, that means the S Pen can be a remote shutter for when you want to snap a photo with the phone's camera, or you can use it to control a presentation or music playback when your Note 9's just out of reach. Samsung just released developer tools this month to allow software makers to build S Pen support into their own apps, so the stylus should get only more powerful over time.

Galaxy Note 9

The Note 9 also improves upon the DeX features Samsung has built into prior flagships that turned those phones into mini PCs when plugged into a monitor. Previously, that required a separate dock, but the Note 9 just needs an adapter and HDMI cable, making it easier to convert your phone into an ultra-portable PC, if that's how you roll.

We're less impressed by Bixby, Samsung's built-in digital assistant. Bixby remains a work in progress, even as Samsung fine-tunes it to let you make restaurant reservations or book Uber rides. Those features were hit-and-miss in our testing.

OnePlus 6T

Because the OnePlus 6T's OS is built on the latest version of Android, you can enjoy Pie-specific features like gesture-based navigation and adaptive battery support. Google Lens, the AI-powered object recognition feature is built into the 6T's camera, while other features from the 6T's predecessor, such as Face Unlock and Gaming Mode, return in this iteration of OnePlus' flagship device. These are all nice features, but they really don't offer the expansive capabilities you'll get with the Note 9's S Pen, one of the top add-ons you'll find with any flagship phone.

Winner: Note 9

Battery Life

The Note 9 boasts a bigger battery than the OnePlus 6T  4,000 mAh versus 3,700 mAh. And bigger turns out to be better, at least when it comes to results on our Tom's Guide battery test.

OnePlus 6T

We set up both fully charged phones to continuously surf the web over T-Mobile's LTE network until they ran out of juice. The OnePlus 6T lasted for 10 hours and 23 minutes  a little bit more than a half-hour longer than the average smartphone. But the Note 9 turned in an even better time. It lasted 11 hours and 26 minutes, beating the 6T's time by more than an hour. (We got that result by turning off the Note 9's adaptive display feature. With adaptive display enabled, the Note 9 lasted 11:16, which still topped the OnePlus 6T.)

Galaxy Note 9

The Note 9 enjoys another power advantage over the 6T, as you can charge Samsung's phone wirelessly. You can't do that with the OnePlus 6T, but at least that phone still supports OnePlus' Dash Charge feature, which gets the 6T to a 60 percent charge after just 30 minutes.

Winner: Note 9

Price and Availability

There's no getting around the vast gulf in price between these two phones. The Galaxy Note 9 is the poster child for the skyrocketing price of flagship phones, with a starting price of $999 for a model with 6GB of memory and 128GB of storage. The base model OnePlus 6T has those same memory and storage specs, but costs $450 less.





Even if you were to max out memory and storage on the OnePlus 6T  opting for 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage  you'd still only pay $629. That's a $370 discount off the Note 9's starting price.





The Note 9 enjoys an edge when it comes to offering more storage, with its 512GB model. Of course, you'll pay for the privilege, with that phone setting you back $1,249.

You'll find the Note 9 available from every major U.S. carrier, usually an edge that flagships from Samsung enjoy over their unlocked rivals. But OnePlus negates some of that advantage with the 6T: It's the first OnePlus phone to be available through a carrier (T-Mobile in this case). In addition, the 6T works on Verizon's CDMA-based network in addition to the GSM networks of T-Mobile and AT&T.

Winner: OnePlus 6T

Bottom Line

The OnePlus 6T has a lot of things going for it, chiefly that it delivers top-of-the-line features at a price that's far lower than what you'd pony up for most top-of-the-line phones. But as attractive as that price is, OnePlus's phone is bested by the Note 9 in too many categories  not by a lot, most of the time, but enough to make the Note 9 the better option if you want the top big-screen phone.

OnePlus 6T Galaxy Note 9 Design (10) 8 9 Display (20) 16 18 Camera (20) 16 19 Performance (20) 17 16 Software/Special Features (10) 7 9 Battery (10) 7 9 Price/Availability (10) 10 7 Overall (100) 81 87

Credit: Tom's Guide
Could workers with medical marijuana cards encounter problems at work? An expert in employment law said workers who get medical marijuana cards could soon have problems on the job. Medical marijuana may be available in Missouri in late 2019. Unlike alcohol or prescription drugs, marijuana is still illegal at the federal level.

Before total decriminalization is inevitably enacted, the ridiculous byzantine rules regarding reefer use inspire news stories but thankfully not much police action. Nevertheless, here's fair warning of rule & regs that will be used against locals with litigious enemies.Read more:
Diminished power for Kansas Secretary of State proposed Kansas' attorney general is proposing to strip the secretary of state's office of its power to prosecute election fraud cases.

Establishment Republicans seek to limit this low-rent position thanks to how it was masterfully used to garner the national media spotlight by a loser politico . . . Take a peek:
2nd victim dies weeks after shooting on E. 44th Terrace KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A man died last week after being shot in late October. James Speers, 21, died suddenly on Nov. 8 from complications from a gunshot wound he sustained Oct. 23. Speer was shot in front of a house in the 4400 block of East 44th Terrace off Lawn Avenue.

Tonight's tragic reminder on the consequences of increasing local violence as we record the latest local murder compared to 133 at this time last year. Check Action 41 news more on the story:
Kansas City Holiday Help

KC victim advocacy group providing Thanksgiving help for families who lost loved ones Seven years ago, Rosilyn Temple's son was killed in a shooting the night before Thanksgiving. Every year the pain comes rushing back. "I'm going to make it with the grace of God. I know I am," Temple said. "I just need help." Help is exactly what she is extending to other families coping with loss.

KCPD Looking For This Lady

Kansas City police confirm 27-year-old is missing KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department is looking for a missing 27-year-old woman. Casey Collins was last seen on Sunday in the area of 71 Highway and Longview Road. She is 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 120 pounds. She has brown hair and green eyes.

Help Find Her, Too

Kansas City, KS police looking for missing teenager KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV) -- The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department is looking for a missing girl who is in her mid-teens. Brooke A. Mayhew went missing on Tuesday and was last seen when she was dropped off at school on that day around 7 a.m.

Designing Better World

AltCap winner launching its first Rightfully Sewn-label little black dress Winning $10,000 in this week's AltCap Your Biz Competition will help Rightfully Sewn expand, Jennifer Lapka said - a move coming on the heels of the non-profit releasing the first dress under its own label to support the Crossroads-based seamstress training program.

Inner Suburban Po-Po Good Deeds

Roeland Park police deliver groceries to young mother who sought help on social media ROELAND PARK, KS (KCTV) -- Police offered some early holiday help for a young mother who used social media seeking assistance. Roeland Park officers found a post on Craigslist Friday morning from the mother of two who lives in Roeland Park asking for help to provide food to her and her 2-year-old and 3-week-old children.

Local Life Lesson

Pembroke Hill students assemble sack lunches for Harvesters KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- Less than a week before Thanksgiving and students at one metro school are giving thanks by giving back. Students at Pembroke Hill assembled sack lunches Friday with items like fruit cups and crackers. They collected the food for the project and even decorated the sacks in art class.

Northeast Community Feast

Operation Thanksgiving: A chance to share the holiday Thanksgiving is a time for families to gather around, sharing good food and even better company. However, for many Kansas City residents, traditional Thanksgiving food is an unaffordable expense. In order to give all families a chance to celebrate the holiday, the community services organization Della Lamb is organizing their 26th annual Operation Thanksgiving.

Union Station Family Connection

Dozens of children find forever families on Adoption Day in KC KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- Today, dozens of children became part of their forever families in KC. A family picture in front of the giant Christmas tree is a holiday tradition at Union Station. It is something Nicole Musto always wanted, but she and her husband Doug have never had children of their own.

Artsy Season Of Tribute

Local artist receives national attention for Patrick Mahomes painting ROELAND PARK, Kan. - The explosive offense of the Kansas City Chiefs isn't the only thing drawing national attention. Artist and Kansas City native, Anthony Oropeza, creates dynamic paintings of the nearly picture-perfect Chiefs team. "There's a little extra love added into the work," said Oropeza.

Buy Local Out Of Love

How To Shop Kansas City For Everyone You Love This Holiday Season There's no reason to just give a gift this holiday season when you can give the gift of Kansas City. These holiday craft and art sales will make shopping thoughtfully, and locally, simple. Belger Crane Yard Studios Open House & Holiday Sale Friday and Saturday, Nov.

It's not really our style but the holiday season is creating a great deal of local nice news and so for the most dedicated denizens of our blog community who want quick & easy access to all things local, here's some of the more hopeful, kind, concerned and caring reports from the news cycle . . . For our blog community perusal and cut off from hater comments . . .Developing . . .
Leavenworth County releases statement about commissioner's 'master race' comment LEAVENWORTH COUNTY, KS (KCTV) - The county has released a statement after an embroiled Leavenworth County Commissioner got a lot of heat after making some controversial comments. His remarks were directed to an African American woman at a public commissioner meeting on Tuesday.

Follow-up on a small town public official with a rather grandiose view of his station in life . . . Take a look at small town guv trying to
Furious grandma shocked to hear grandson charged in Oak Park Mall shooting KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Three weeks ago, gunshots rang out outside the food court at Oak Park Mall in Overland Park. Hundreds of shoppers and employees ran for their lives. Police later reviewed surveillance video and said it showed 31-year-old Melgene Martin first put his child in his truck.

To be fair,and it's probably worthwhile to get her perspective on any number of subjects.However, the interview just doesn't feel right and puts a very nice old lady in a tough spot with little value for the public discourse. Undoubtedly, it's captivating but might not be that important . . . We're linking as a study of community journalism rather than a crime report.Moreover, this interview reminds us that the Kansas City news game can get very competitive and merciless. Local crooks should realize that their families might have to answer for any allege misdeeds and local journalists aren't afraid to garner quotes from family members who are nearly a century old . . . Take a look:
The 20th Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) opened on 14th November 2018 at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with calls highlighting the need for reform of the AU in order for the continental organization to achieve peace, development, and the Africa we want.

Addressing the Ministers in his opening remarks, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission, welcomed the Ministers to the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, and pointed out that the meeting is expected to lay the foundation for the success of the first Extraordinary Summit exclusively devoted to the issue of Institutional reforms of the Union.

At the continental level, several initiatives are underway to speed up the economic integration efforts and the end of the multifaceted acts of violence that continue to ravage different regions of Africa. These developments demand that we enhance the efficiency of our Union, said the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

The institutional reforms touch on all aspects of the functioning of the Union and all its organs. The outcomes of this meeting will have a lasting impact, as will be endorsed during the Assembly of Heads of States and Governments to be held on 17th and 18th, setting the path of continental renewal, said the Chairperson.

H.E Dr. Richard Sezibera, Chairperson of the Executive Council in his opening remarks, stated that Africas unity and Africa speaking in one voice has proven to be a positively disruptive force in the international scene.... [T]his should be the norm more than an exception.

As the reforms take place there is need to recognize that self-financing of the Union in a sustainable manner will be a key determinant of our accomplishments, said Dr. Sezibera.

The opening ceremony of the Executive Council, took place in the presence of the Foreign Affairs Ministers of AU Member States, AU Commissioners, Heads of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), AUC senior officials and other invited guests. The Extraordinary Session will prepare for the 11th AU Extraordinary Summit which will be held on 17-18 November 2018.

For two days, the AU Ministers of Foreign Affairs and External Relations will consider and deliberate on the draft agenda, decisions and declarations that came out of the meeting of the Permanent Representative Committee (PRC) from 5-6 November 2018, and the outcomes of the 6th Retreat of the Executive Council held on 12-13 September 2018 on AU Institutional Reform.

The meeting will consider proposals on the reform of the structure and portfolio of the senior leadership of the AU Commission, selection of the senior leadership of the Commission, administrative and financial reforms, and the mandate of the AU Development Agency (AUDA) in line with the pdf Assembly Decision on the Transformation of the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) into the AUDA (972 KB) .

The Ministers will also consider division of labor between the AU, RECs, continental organizations and Member States, strengthening of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Financing of the Union, and AU Peace Fund.

Furthermore, the meeting will have a briefing on the Report of the Chairperson of the Executive Council to the Assembly on the Outcome of the 19th Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council on the ACP Post-2020, and will prepare draft decisions, draft agenda and draft work program of the 11th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly, scheduled to take place 17-18 November 2018. 45 African leaders are expected to attend the 11th Extraordinary Summit of Au Heads of State.

For more on the AU reform process, please visit our African Union Resources page.

Statement of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat

The present meeting of the Executive Council marks a new stage in the process of institutional reform of our Union. It is expected to lay the foundation for the success of the first Extraordinary Summit exclusively devoted to this issue.

The meeting is taking place in a context that deserves special attention.

At the level of the Continent, several initiatives are underway to speed up the economic integration efforts and the end of the multifaceted acts of violence that continue to ravage different regions of Africa, with their litany of suffering and death. At the international level, we are facing a worrying decline of multilateralism and the principles of solidarity that must underlie our common humanity, thus exposing the weakest to all kinds of pressures and blackmail.

These developments dictate that we enhance the efficiency of our Union. On the one hand, the ambitious projects that we have set require that we increase our performance, a capacity to effectively translate our proclamations into action. On the other hand, the ferocious international competition impose on us the need to close our ranks more than ever before and to give ourselves the collective means to make our voice heard and ensure the consideration of our interests on the world arena.

This is to stress the great importance of this meeting. Its Conclusions, as will be endorsed by the Extraordinary Summit on 17 and 18 November, will have a lasting impact on the functioning of our Union.

The ongoing institutional reform is, undoubtedly, one of the most ambitious initiatives for change ever taken by our Union. It touches upon all aspects of its functioning and concerns all its organs. Other attempts were made in the past. These, let's face it, did not live up to expectations, leaving a bitter taste of unfinished business.

It is, therefore, significant that the Heads of State and Government decided, in January 2017, in Addis Ababa, to be directly involved in this process. Obviously, the other organs of our Union have also an important role to play and I welcome their contributions.

But by taking the leadership of the reform process, our leaders clearly indicated their determination to follow up all aspects and ensure its successful conclusion. They put their credibility in the balance.

In fact, our role for all of us, you, as the Executive Council and we, as the Commission - is to contribute, as best as we can, to the success of the action initiated by the Assembly of the Union. I have no doubt that your session will be another step towards the objective to which all our efforts are geared.

The work done by the Permanent Representatives Committee, at their meeting held from 5 to 7 November 2018, will certainly facilitate your task. The PRC considered in depth many issues. This concerns the Commission, with a particular focus on streamlining the structure of its leadership and the portfolios, the method of selecting its members and measures to ensure real accountability both within the Commission and to the Member States.

It obviously behoves you to decide on the action to be taken about the suggested options. But whatever formula is chosen, it is imperative to preserve the fundamental principles that have underpinned the composition of the Commission: gender parity and equitable regional representation. Similarly, it is necessary to take into account the heavy tasks to be performed, which demand that they be properly distributed.

At the same time, I would like to welcome the recommendations made with regard to the process of transforming NEPAD into a Development Agency and the division of labour between the Continental and the Regional levels and the strengthening of the African Peer Review Mechanism.

Reform is a holistic enterprise. It cannot succeed if it is carried out in a partial manner. Its success presupposes that the objective of efficiency, priority setting and mobilisation of greater political will applies to the entire Union.

Admittedly, the implementation must be gradual, to take into account the difficulties inherent in such an exercise: methodical, to avoid falling into an unhelpful and ultimately counterproductive process and consensual, in order to win the support of all.

At the same time, it is important that the vision underpinning the reform be comprehensive, encompassing all its aspects, so that every step taken is part of an overall architecture.

In this context, it seems also as crucial that we seize the opportunity of the Extraordinary Summit to discuss issues on which the moment of decision-making has not yet come. In so doing, it provides general orientations to guide the Commission in the preparation of the studies that will be submitted to you in February 2019.

This must, particularly, be the case for the organs gradually established since 2002 to promote a Continental governance more in line with the aspirations of our peoples and likely to support the more effectively the process of integration that we have embarked upon. I am here referring to the Pan-African Parliament, the African Court and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Committee of Experts on the Rights of the African Child, the Advisory Board on Corruption as well as the Commission on International Law.

These organs make, each in its field, quality contributions to our collective work. Among other examples, I would like to point out, here, the work of the Commission on Human and Peoples Rights and the Court, of the same appellation, in promoting the observance of human rights.

In spite these achievements, there are many challenges related to the delay in the ratification of the instruments concerned, which hinders their universalization on the Continent, the low level of implementation of the decisions adopted, which undermines the credibility of the organs concerned, the lack of human and financial resources, which impede their capacity for action.

Another issue on which we must and can make progress concerns sanctions against countries that do not pay on time their statutory financial contributions. The objective is to put a definitive end to the chronic delay in the payment of the statutory financial contributions. We must all the more move forward and this issue be dealt with separately from the Scale of Assessment, which will has to be agreed upon in February 2019.

As you are aware, at the Nouakchott Summit, it was decided that the Executive Council convene a session enlarged to other relevant Ministers to consolidate the Common Position on Post-Cotonou arrangements with the European Union. This meeting was held in Addis Ababa on 14 September.

Unfortunately the meeting was inconclusive. The main point of divergence has been the role that should be played by the African Union in the negotiation of a Compact between Africa and Europe.

The Chairman of the Executive Council and I will have the opportunity to report in detail on the proceedings of the meeting held last September. Suffice it, at this stage, for me to underscore that the expiry of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement affords us the opportunity to build a relationship that really takes into account our achievements in the areas of peace and security, governance and integration, and serve as a lever for the fulfilment of our aspirations as stipulated in Agenda 2063. I wish to state frankly that the old patterns certainly offer the comfort of familiarity, but they are no longer adapted to the exigencies of the time.

I believe that we can, on the basis of the deliberations of your Extraordinary session, find the necessary compromise between the various concerns expressed and speak with one voice on this matter in the interest of the continent.

Much is expected from this meeting. Intense preparatory work has already been done, including through the Retreat that you held in early September and the meeting of the PRC at the beginning of this month.

It is important to translate into reality the expectations raised with the tangible progress on the path of Continental renewal. The Commission, as regards this ambition, will, as always, be by your side.

I thank you for your kind attention.

Speech by Dr Richard Sezibera, Chairperson of the Executive Council

It is with a deep sense of humility and commitment, that I am addressing you today as a brother and colleague. In my new capacity as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda, I am honored to be steering these discussions on the African Union Reforms, which I am sure we all agree on, are in many ways a rendez-vous for our continents future, as well as our institutions.

As we like to say in Rwanda, Africas unity and Africas speaking with one voice, has proven to be a positively disruptive force on the international scene. We have witnessed this lately, both at the WHOs and Francophonies elections. We should resolve that these results become the norm more than the exception.

Allow me to end this introduction by saying that I see many familiar faces in this room. Friends that I have known for years and worked with in the past, friends that I truly look forward to reconnecting with, in order to advance our common AU agenda for the benefit of the African people.

We gather here today for an important task in the service of Africa. An efficient, fit for purpose AU, able to deliver on the Agenda we have agreed on, and flexible enough to innovate to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

The ongoing Institutional Reform is already registering progress in a number of areas, which AUC Chair Moussa Faki regularly reports on. I wish to commend him, the Reform Implementation Unit, and his entire team at the AU Commission, for the hard work put into seeing the reforms gradually come to fruition.

I also wish to thank Member States, for your support in ensuring that we are determinedly moving ahead. Without it, the reforms would not have reached the point at which they are today. We may have lengthy discussions at times, but they clearly remain healthy ones, aiming to achieve our objectives. We must then continue these constructive debates, while keeping in mind that time is of the essence. Let us not put off for tomorrow, what we can do today.

Our agenda today builds on exchanges held in this very room last September. The Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) diligently prepared the current meeting, and it is only fitting that I thank our Ambassadors for providing recommendations, which we will consider in the next few minutes.

I understand that the Reform of the AU Commission (AUC) was extensively discussed, and strong support made in favor of a leaner, more efficient Commission with rationalized portfolios. I am told that the retreat in September also converged towards these same principles.

Further, we know that a lot of thinking was put into the design of recruitment and selection mechanisms, to ensure that the AUC can leverage the best minds and skills the continent has to offer, while involving Member States in the process.

In the same vein, strong accountability and performance systems are essential. Performance-based measures must be strengthened for the senior leadership and institutionalized across the entire organization, with adequate measures in place to address non-delivery.

As we design performance management mechanisms for our Commission, we must also commit to being more accountable ourselves as member States, to fulfilling our obligations, and being held to account when we dont.

Of course, as we reform the Commission, we know that self-financing our Union in a sustainable and predictable manner will be a key determinant of our accomplishments. I am told there has been a significant reduction in our reliance on partners funding this year, with this trend expected to continue in the next few years.

However, for this to be sustained, we must create the necessary growth to enable us to continue to do so, starting with the ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area; and by honoring our financial obligations, including by adopting the 0.2% levy through our national legislative bodies.

An AU Reform process goes beyond the Commission alone, even if it has been the predominant focus of our talks this year. We know that the entire institutional architecture of our Union has to be addressed.

Whether it is about organs dealing with development matters such as the African Union Development Agency (AUDA) and its pressing need for a clear mandate; about those dealing with governance objectives, such as the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and related financing modalities; or whether about a strategic division of labor among the AU, Member States, RECs and other key continental institutions, there is still much to be accomplished.

Our work over the next two days will be demanding, but we can aim to complete our Executive Council Session with clear recommendations to our leaders on the AUC Reforms, AUDAs mandate, APRMs budget, and proposals on the division of labor among key African institutional stakeholders. We certainly owe our collective people that much.

Let me conclude with a special mention of the post-Cotonou Framework, which we will briefly discuss tomorrow and further submit for consideration to the Assembly of Heads of State. Africa needs to speak with one voice, and negotiate as one. That is the only fitting way for a vibrant Africa, finally taking her rightful place in the concert of nations.

Now we must get to work, and I wish us all fruitful deliberations.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 16

The police have been on high alert since receiving intelligence inputs regarding the presence of Jaish-e-Mohammed militants in Amritsar. Also four persons had snatched an Innova car from near Madhopur on Wednesday.

The Amritsar rural police have strengthened the second line of defence near the international border with Pakistan while senior police officials are conducting meetings with their cadre and also with Border Security Force (BSF) officers.

Parampal Singh, SSP, Amritsar rural, said security had been tightened in the rural belt, especially in the areas close to the border. We are keeping a tight vigil on suspected movements. Efforts are being made to thwart any untoward incident, he said.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (City-II) Lakhbir Singh said that a close watch was being maintained at every entry and exit point of the city. He said the police had a paramilitary force company which has been pressed into service.

As per intelligence inputs, the suspected terrorists, who have crossed over to India reportedly through the Ferozepur sector, can be on their way to Delhi. Security has also been beefed up at vital tourist and religious destinations in the holy city, he added.
shriaya.dutta@tribuneindia.com

New Delhi, November 17

Oracle's ex-product chief Thomas Kurian will head Google's cloud division, replacing Diane Greene.

In a blog post Friday, Greene said Kurian will join Google Cloud on November 26 and transition into the leadership role in early 2019.

"I believe that he'll do an amazing job helping to take Google Cloud to the next level. Thomas has 22 years of experience at Oracle; most recently he was President of Product Development," she said.

She will continue as CEO through January, working with Kurian to ensure a smooth transition.

Greene, who will remain a director on the Alphabet board, had joined Google in December 2015 to run its cloud business.

"...after an unbelievably stimulating and productive three years, it's time to turn to the passions I've long had around mentoring and education," she added.

Greene said the mentoring will include investing in and helping female founder CEOs who have engineering or science backgrounds.

"I want to encourage every woman engineer and scientist to think in terms of building their own company someday. The world will be a better place with more female founder CEOs," she said.

Greene noted that Google Cloud has moved from having only two significant customers and a collection of startups to having major Fortune 1000 enterprises.

"The cloud space is early and there is an enormous opportunity ahead," she said.

Google had in February announced that its cloud division was generating more than USD 1 billion in quarterly revenue.  PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 16

In a significant development, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has expressed its opinion that 15 per cent reservation for students belonging to economically weaker sections (EWS) of society will not be applicable to schools allotted land prior to 1996. The High Court has also asked the UT Administration to furnish the particulars of the schools existing prior to 1996.

The verbal observation came during the hearing of a bunch of petitions on the issue. The matter is pending for further hearing in January next. The development is significant as land to some schools was allotted on a freehold basis before 1973 after which land was allotted to schools on a leasehold basis. The Administration then came out with the Allotment of Land to Educational Institutions (Schools) on Leasehold Basis in Chandigarh Scheme, 1996.

The scheme was, subsequently, amended and the schools were asked to reserve 15 per cent seats for EWS students. The reservation was reduced to 5 per cent seats in 2001, but was again changed to 15 per cent in 2005. Later, the RTE was introduced and it became mandatory for schools to provide 25 per cent reservation at the entry-level class for economically weaker sections.

Taking up a petition filed by Lovleen against the UT Administration and other respondents, a High Court Division Bench directed the authorities concerned to furnish the particulars of the schools existing prior to 1996 and those allotted sites as per the scheme of 1996. The counsel for an applicant, Alka Sarin, was also asked to furnish details of amounts due for reimbursement in terms of the scheme under the Right to Education. The Bench of Justice Mahesh Grover and Justice Arun Kumar Monga also fixed the case for further hearing on January 15 next year. Sarin had earlier told the court that the UT wanted the schools to reserve 15 per cent seats for EWS candidates, instead of 25 per cent under the Right to Education, primarily because the Administration did not want to reimburse the amount.
editorial@tribune.com

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, November 16

The local police have registered a case against 10 persons for their involvement in committing a property fraud allegedly in connivance with officials of the Housing Board, Panchkula, and the Revenue Department.

The suspects first got a conveyance deed of a house prepared after showing a dead woman alive and then sold the property twice in a fraudulent manner.

The role of officials of the Housing Board and the Revenue Department, Panchkula, has also come under the scanner. While Housing Board officials prepared the conveyance deed without verifying the facts, the Revenue Department registered the property twice without verification even though there was a power of attorney in the name of Raksha Kumari, who had died before the conveyance deed was made.

Sharda Bhalla, a resident of house number 414 A in Sector 6, came to know about it and filed a complaint with the police. She also showed the death certificate of the woman. She said her father-in-law and husband had purchased house number 414 A in 1981 from Raksha Kumari. She said instead of getting the property registered in their name, they got the power of attorney. She said the suspects got the conveyance deed prepared on September 26, 2014, by showing Raksha Kumari alive even though she had died on March 19, 2012.

Since the property was in the name of Sharda Bhallas father-in-law, the suspects also involved her husband, Anil Bhola, who, she alleged, was a drug addict. The suspects first transferred Raksha Kumaris property in the name of Sarvesh and Madhur and then the same property was registered in the name of Anil Goyal.

At present, Sharda Bhalla, along with her daughter, stays in Hyderabad, while her husband Anil Bhola, brother-in-law and others live in Panchkula. When she visited Panchkula in 2016, some persons known to her informed her that the house had been sold. After this, she came to know that the house had been sold twice and the second time the house was sold for Rs 2 crore. She alleged that the suspects had threatened to eliminate her if she reported the matter to the police.

Arvind Kumar, SHO of the Sector 5 police station, said a case under Sections 181, 406, 420, 465, 467, 471 and 120 B of the IPC had been registered against 10 persons  complainant Sharda Bhallas husband Anil, sister-in-law Shashi Rajput, Sarvesh Rajput, Madhur Rajput, Arun Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Anil Kumar, Mahesh Verma, Anil Goyal and Rahul Jain.
editorial@tribune.com

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, November 17

In a shocking incident, an elderly woman and her three grandchildren were shot dead in their house by unidentified persons at Khatauli village falling in Barwala block of this district late on Friday night.

The victims have been identified as Raj Bala (68) and her grandchildren Aishwarya (18), Divyanshu (16) and Ayush (12).

The incident came to light when Raj Balas brother Suresh Pal reached the house to deliver milk at 7.30 in the morning. As all gates were open, he suspected foul play and informed one of the neighbours, Mohan Singh. They entered the house and found the bodies of the woman and three children lying on beds in two rooms. They informed the police, who rushed to the spot.

A dog squad was called to the crime scene. But it proved to be of no help as by the time it reached there, a large number of people from the village as well as adjoining areas had gathered at the house. A team of forensic experts took fingerprints from the spot. The police said Raj Bala and her grandson Divyanshu were sleeping in one room while Aishwarya and her younger brother Ayush were sleeping in another.

The police said the accused seemingly entered the house through the rear gate and shot at the victims in the head at point-blank range using a country-made pistol.

The police suspect someone very close to the family could have been involved in the murder as the familys pet dog did not make a noise when the incident took place. Any outsider would not have dared to enter the house from the rear gate where the pet was tied, the police said.

Earlier, it was suspected that the dog was given some sedative. However, the police disagreed while stating that the canine was agile and tried to attack everyone going near it.

It was a miraculous escape for the youngest girl in the family, Shelly (10), who had been living with her paternal aunt Anjana in Zirakpur, Punjab.

Raj Balas husband Rajinder Singh had died a natural death two years ago while her son Upinder Singh had committed suicide under suspicious circumstances in 2008. His wife had eloped with someone two years ago.

Raj Bala had been looking after her grandchildren for the past two years. One of her daughters, Lovely, used to stay with the family often and had left the place on Friday evening.

Divyanshu, aka Vishal, was a student of Class X at Scholar School in Moli village in Barwala while Ayush, aka Vansh, studied in Class VI at KVM Senior Secondary School. Their sister Aishwarya was studying at Government Girls College in Raipur Rani.

Meanwhile, the bodies had been shifted to the Civil Hospital in Sector 6. X-rays were being conducted to ascertain the number of bullets in the bodies. The postmortem examination would be conducted by a board of doctors tomorrow.

Commissioner of Police Charu Bali said they were investigating the incident from every angle. She said the accused had come with the sole purpose of killing the family members as they did not touch any of the household items. She said property angle could not be ruled out as the family owned a large chunk of agricultural land.

Local MLA Gian Chand Gupta also reached the spot.
editorial@tribune.com

Chandigarh, November 16

Romanian national Miclea Lecian Lonut, arrested by the crime branch of the UT police in August for installing skimming devices at Canara Bank ATMs, was granted bail by a local court today.

Lonut and another accused, Paraschiv George, both 37, had arrived in India on a tourist visa in July. They visited the city on August 5, when they fitted skimmers in ATMs, and again on August 7 to collect the devices and information. The accused had brought the devices along with them and had planned to collect data from all over India and sell it abroad.

The accused targeted specific ATMs, which were of an old make. These have a curved structure above the keypad, which can be used to fit a camera. The cameras video recording would help in getting the ATM card PIN of the user as the card was skimmed by another device.

The UT police had also arrested another Romanian, Attila Luhos, from Hotel Sands Inn, Sector 56, Gurugram, on August 12. He, along with another Romanian, Paul Sorin, had installed a skimmer and a camera at an ATM in Mohali.  TNS
editorial@tribune.com

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 16

After a gap of two years, Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal has appointed a regular real estate regulator for Chandigarh. The decision was taken after the UT Administration urged the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation to appoint a single Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) for Chandigarh and Delhi.

Retired IAS officer Vijay S Madan has been appointed the real estate regulator for Delhi and Chandigarh.

Until now, the UT Secretary (Housing) was acting an interim regulator. Gyan Prakash Srivastava and Ramesh Chandra have been appointed members of the regulatory authority.

Madan, a former Director-General of the UIDAI, has been appointed for a period of five years.

UT proposal to Centre

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation had sent the proposal of clubbing the regulators to the Delhi Government. Chandigarh was one of the first UTs in the country to set up a temporary regulator on October 31, 2016.
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Dubai (UAE), November 17

Indian spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar held a meditation session in Sharjah, one of the emirates of the UAE, and imparted lessons on how to lead a happy and stress-free life to nearly 5,000 migrant workers from 20 countries, including Pakistan.

The Art of Living (AOL) founder embarked on a four-day maiden visit to the UAE on Thursday on an invitation from the ruler of Fujairah, Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi.

Addressing the workers at the Sharjah Expo Centre on Friday, he explained how one can lead a happy and stress-free life through ancient techniques of meditation.

The meditation session was attended by around 5,000 workers from 20 countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Philipines and Pakistan.

Earlier in the day, the spiritual guru visited a labour camp for South Asians in Sharjah and held a discourse on happiness.

Around 1,000 people from 10 countries took part in the happiness programme organised by the local chapter of the AOL at the labour camp.

Addressing the blue collar workers at the camp, the 'gurudev' said the most important thing in life is to be happy always.

"Meditation helps you to overcome tough times. Even in odd situations, we have to remain calm. Any job we take up has to be completed with sincerity," he said, adding, "Time has an important place in everyone's life and all the activities should be time-bounded."

Sri Sri also noted that manpower from India played a major role in the development of the UAE.

In the evening, to a packed audience at Dubai World Trade Centre, he began a two-day discourse - 'Unveiling Infinity' - based on the rare Kashmiri scripture, Vigyan Bhairav.

The discourse was attended by a large gathering, including women members from the royal family of the UAE. PTI
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Vishal Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jind, November 17

The Chautala family feud today resulted in a split in the Indian National Lok Dal, with expelled leaders Ajay Singh Chautala and his son, Hisar MP Dushyant, announcing to float a new political party on December 9.

Elated at the impressive gathering at a workers meet here, Ajay Singh said they had collectively resigned from INLD and it had been decided not to exhaust energy by engaging in legal hassles by staking claim to INLD. He added that a public meeting would be held here again on December 9 to announce the nomenclature of the new party, which will follow the ideology of the late Ch Devi Lal.

Ajay Singh hinted at a major role for his MP son Dushyant in the unnamed party. He said the INLD may have a few elected representatives, but the workers had voluntarily backed him.

His sole target remained younger brother and Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala. Terming his sibling Duryodhana, the chief antagonist of Mahabharata, Ajay Singh said the epical character was also responsible for bloodshed in the family.

He said his supporters were always humiliated by the INLD leader at all platforms. He also charged Abhay with forging his expulsion letter.

I had been trying to make my associates overlook the ill-treatment. But the biased leader started maligning committed party workers by saying they were sold-out activists. He even started tagging my sons as individuals paid to by political opponents. I have always worked for the INLD in various states whereas Abhay has been seeking votes for his brother-in-law in Rajasthan who is a BJP leader, he said.

Dushyant said he would continue to draw inspiration from Om Prakash Chautala.

Former Speaker Satbir Kadyan were also present.

Meanwhile, Ajay Singh clarified that since the partys youth wing, Indian National Students Organisation (INSO), was registered in his name, the INLD had no right to dissolve it.
editorial@tribune.com

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Balpabana (Karnal), November 17

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was stopped at Panipat, delivered a telephonic speech to the people of Balpabana village in Assandh in the district. In the around 4.30-minute telephonic address, he accused Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar of not allowing him visit Karnal. What was my fault. I was only going to visit a dispensary in Balpabana village, for which residents had approached me but was stopped by the state government, he said. I wish to make hospitals and schools of Haryana on a par with Delhi. The BJP government has failed on both fronts, he added.

Kejriwal made an emotional appeal to people saying, It was not my insult, but of all of you. So, teach the BJP a lesson in the coming elections".

In Karnal, a handful of people, including BJP leaders, on Saturday blocked the road at the Munak Canal head with tractor-trailers. The protesters accused Kejriwal of opposing Haryanas share of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal waters and also blaming state farmers for pollution in Delhi. The protesters led by Gulab Sigh, BJP leader and chairman of the market committee Assandh, carried black flags and shouted slogans against Kejriwal.

AAP state convener Naveen Jaihind alleged that instead of removing a few BJP supporters from roads, the Panipat district authorities stopped Kejriwal at the behest of the government so that he does not visit Balpabana village. Meanwhile, Assandh SDM Anurag Dhalia refuted the allegation and said that the Delhi Chief Minister's entourage halted at Panipat due to security reasons. He said that had Kejriwal visited Assandh, the situation could have worsened.

The district and state units of AAP had made arrangements for the public meeting at the village and a large number of people had assembled to listen to Kejriwal.
editorial@tribune.com

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Panipat, November 17

The district administration on Saturday stopped Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from visiting Balpabana village in Assandh of Karnal district. Kejriwal was scheduled to visit the village to check health services there and interact with people.

The Delhi Chief Minister alleged that the state government was afraid of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and thats why he was stopped at Panipat and not allowed to visit Assandh. He left for Delhi after staying at the Public Works Department (PWD) rest house for more than an hour.

Kejriwal, while interacting with mediapersons in the PWD rest house, said that the people of Balpabana village had visited Delhi and invited him to their village to see the condition of the government dispensary and the school there, he added.

"I have come here on the villagers invitation but roads have been blocked on the direction of the government," he said.

Kejriwal said, "The district administration informed us that some people have blocked roads to stop us and asked us to stay at the PWD rest house till things are sorted out". Later, the administration informed us that it was not able to remove people from the roads, he added.

Kejriwal alleged that it showed that the government was afraid of AAP. "We have been raising the issues of common people and thats why they have stopped us and don't want us to visit Haryana," he added.

"I am an Indian, and all states are mine. When I am also a Haryanvi, why have I been stopped?" Kejriwal questioned.

"Our posters have been torn everywhere in the state in the last three to four days on the direction of the government," he alleged.

Kejriwal said that the BJP had never stopped INLD and Congress leaders or torn their posters in the state because all of them were hand-in glove to grab power by turns.

Kejriwal said, "I do not want to create a law and order problem in the state and which is why I have decided to go back to Delhi. But I will come here again". Navin Jaihind, state AAP president, was also present.

BJP leader misbehaves with Kejriwal

Gajender Saluja, former district president of the BJP and chairman of the Karnal Parliamentary Nigrani Committee, created a ruckus at the press conference of Kejriwal and also misbehaved with him. Kejriwal said that it was a security lapse. "How the local police, which was at the gate, allowed him to enter the press conference venue," he questioned but refused to lodge a criminal complaint against Saluja.

BJP leaders gather at general hospital

After getting information that the Delhi Chief Minister has arrived in Panipat city, scores of BJP leaders led by Pramod Vij, district BJP president, gathered at the general hospital opposite the PWD rest house to oppose Kejriwal. Former councillor Dushyant Bhatt, Harish Sharma; Surender Rewri, husband of MLA Rohita Rewri; Meghraj, youth district president; Devender Dutta, general secretary; and Deepak Saluja, media in charge, along with scores of BJP workers spent more than an hour at the general hospital till Kejriwal left for Delhi.
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amansharma@tribunemail.com

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Balpabana (Karnal), November 17

Accusing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of playing divisive politics, protesters comprising some local BJP leaders on Saturday blocked road at Munak Canal head by placing tractor-trailers, forcing the district authorities to deny him entry into Karnal district citing security reasons.

The protesters slammed Kejriwal for opposing Haryana's share in SYL waters and also blaming the state farmers for pollution in Delhi.

Kejriwal, who was scheduled to visit a dispensary (sub-health centre) at Balpabana village and was to address a public meeting there, was stopped in Panipat citing the security reasons.

AAP state convener Naveen Jaihind alleged that instead of removing a few BJP supporters from the road, the district authorities stopped Kejriwal in Panipat at the behest of BJP government, so that he could not reach the rally venue.

Assandh SDM Anurag Dhalia refuted the allegations and said the cavalcade of Delhi CM was halted in Panipat due to security reasons. He said had Kejriwal reached there the situation could have worsened.

The district and the state unit of the AAP had made all arrangements for the public meeting and a large number of people had come there. After Kejriwal could not make it to the venue, AAP leaders made arrangements to air his speech through telephone.

Protesters led by Gulab Sigh, BJP leader and chairman of market committee, Assandh, carried black flags and shouted slogans against Kejriwal.

Singh added that Kejriwal was an anti-farmer leader and was not concerned for the welfare of Haryana's people.

Later, in his around over four-minute-long telephonic speech, Kejriwal accused Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar of not allowing him to enter Karnal. "What was my fault. I was only going to a dispensary in Balpabana village after residents had approached me, but I was stopped by the Khattar government," he said.

"I have one wish to bring hospitals and schools of Haryana on a par with Delhi. The BJP government has failed to upgrade health as well as education sector," Kejriwal said.

Making an emotional appeal, he said, "It was not my insult, but all of you were insulted. Teach a lesson to the BJP government in coming elections."

He said the BJP, Congress and INLD were hand in glove as no one from INLD or Congress was stopped from entering any part of the state.

A youth at the rally doubted if it was actually Kejriwal on the phone. AAP district unit leader Amit Kumar alleged that the youth was an "agent" of BJP, who had come here to spoil the rally.
editorial@tribune.com

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 16

People travelling on the Kundli-Manesar section of the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 19, will pay for the distance they travel and not for the entire corridor.

Seven toll plazas have been set up on the 82-km stretch of the six-laned KMP Expressway, which is access-controlled to charge the commuters according to the distance travelled by them.

While passenger cars will be charged @Rs1.35 per km, the light commercial vehicles will have to pay Rs2.18 per km. The truck/buses will have to pay @Rs4.57 per km and multi-axle vehicles will shell out Rs4.98 per km. The maximum toll of Rs8.72 per km will be charged from the oversized vehicles, according to Alok Nigam, Haryanas Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works Department (Bridges & Roads).

Of the seven toll plazas, two of the toll plazas will be in Sonepat district at Abbaspur and Pipli villages, while another two will be in Jhajjar district at Mandholi and Badli. The remaining three toll plazas will be in Gurugram at Sultanpur, Patli-Hazipur and Mokalwas.

With the inauguration of the Kundli-Manesar section of the KMP Expressway, the entire stretch of 135-km highway, which is intended to ease congestion by bypassing Delhi on its western border, will now be open for traffic. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had last year formally inaugurated the 53-km Manesar-Palwal section of the expressway, which was opened to traffic in 2016.

The expressway, which was conceived in 2002, was to be originally completed in July 2009. However, on account of litigation and various controversies, the project continued to hang fire during the 10-year rule of the previous Congress government led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The incumbent BJP government, especially Capt Abhimanyu, then Industries Ministers (October 26, 2014, to July 2016), put the project on the fast-track by resolving the legal issues. The two expressways  Kundli-Ghaziabad-Palwal (Eastern Peripheral Expressway) and the KMP (Western Peripheral Expressway)  were supposed to be the first smart and green highways in India.
shalender@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Jammu/Srinagar, November 17

Voters in the rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir today defied terror threats and poll boycott call by separatists while exercising their franchise in large numbers in the first phase of the nine-phased panchayat polls.

Chief Electoral Officer Shaleen Kabra said the overall voting percentage was 74.1 per cent, which has set the stage for the revival of grassroots democracy in rural belts after urban local bodies (ULBs) witnessed an overall 35.1 per cent polling last month. Kashmir valleys overall poll percentage remained at 62.1 per cent.

A total of 16 blocks spread over six districts of the Valley went to the polls in the first phase. The polling process ended peacefully without any reports of untoward incidents from any part.

The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) group of separatists had called for a shutdown in Kashmir valley against the panchayat poll while the two mainstream political parties  National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party  had decided to stay away even though the elections are being held on a non-party basis. In Kashmir, the highest poll percentage of 71.94 was recorded in Kupwara district, followed by 69.1 per cent in Baramulla and 55.7 per cent in Bandipora.

The major impact of the shutdown was witnessed in central Kashmirs Ganderbal district, where only 11.9 per cent voters turned up at the polling booths. In the other two districts comprising Srinagar and Budgam, the polling percentage was 21.8 per cent and 30.1 per cent, respectively.

Jammu regions seven districts, including the mountainous Udhampur and Doda districts with 83.6 per cent and 80.8 per cent respectively, were joined by the cold desert region of Ladakhs Kargil with 70.9 per cent and Leh following with 59.7 per cent in openly defying the boycott call.

Drass, the worlds second coldest inhabited place, recorded 64 per cent voting while voters in the snowbound Ladakh areas braved all weather vagaries to elect their representatives at the grassroots level.

A total of 5,585 candidates are trying their luck for 420 seats of sarpanch and 1,845 of panch in the first phase.

As many as 1,761 candidates had been elected unopposed for both sarpanch and panch seats. Polling took place at 3,296 polling stations, including 1,303 in Kashmir division and 1,993 in Jammu division.

Kupwara 71.9%

Ladakh 65.5%

Jammu 79.4%
editorial@tribune.com

New Delhi, November 16

The Supreme Court on Friday said it would hear in April a plea challenging the validity of Article 370 of the Constitution, which gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir, following a request by the state and the Centre.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah said it would hear the matter in the first week of April 2019 after Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for the Central government, sought adjournment on the ground that the current situation was very sensitive.

The political situation in the state is such that the matter should not be heard at this time, he said. Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi and advocate Shoeb Alam, appearing for J&K said a letter had been circulated seeking adjournment due to the ongoing nine-phase panchayat poll in the state.

To this, the bench said that it could tag the matter along with a batch of pending petitions challenging Article 35A of the Constitution, under which special rights and privileges are granted to the permanent residents of the state.

The suggestion of the bench was opposed by the counsels for the state, saying that the two issues were different entirely and the plea should not be tagged along with the Article 35A petitions.

The bench then posted the matter for further hearing in the first week of April, 2019.

On April 3, the apex court had said that Article 370 of the Constitution was not a temporary provision.

The top court had said that in its earlier verdict of 2017 in the SARFAESI case, it has already been held that Article 370 was not a temporary provision.

The issue concerned is covered by the judgment of this court in the 2017 SARFAESI matter, where we have held that despite the headnote of Article 370, it is not a temporary provision, the court had said.

The court was hearing an appeal filed by petitioner Kumari Vijayalakshmi Jha against the Delhi High Courts April 11, 2017, order dismissing the plea seeking a declaration that Article 370 was temporary in nature.

The petitioner had claimed before the high court that Article 370 was a temporary provision that had lapsed with the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly in 1957.

The petition had said that the continuance of the temporary provision of Article 370 even after the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly of J&K and that of J&K Constitution which have never got the assent of the President of India or Parliament or the Government of India amounts to fraud on the basic structure of our Constitution.  PTI
shriaya.dutta@tribuneindia.com

Los Angeles, November 17

"Stranger Things" actor David Harbour will star opposite actor Chris Hemsworth in "Dhaka", an action thriller for streaming giant Netflix.

Sam Hargrave, a stunt coordinator who also acts as the stunt double for "Captain America" star Chris Evans, is making his directorial debut with the movie, which is being shot, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

According to Netflix, the script, written by Joe Russo, is set in an underworld of weapon dealers and traffickers, where a young boy becomes a pawn in a war between notorious drug lords.

As kidnappers trap the boy inside one of the world's most impenetrable cities, his plight attracts a skilled mercenary named Tyler Rake (Hemsworth).

Rake is a broken man with nothing to lose, harbouring a death wish that makes an already deadly mission even more appealing to him.

Harbour will play a fellow mercenary, albeit one with secret intentions. The movie was being shot in India and Indonesia, among other locales.

Harbour became a breakout star playing the grizzled and haunted Sherriff Jim Hopper in "Stranger Things", a role that has earned him two Emmy nominations in two seasons as well as a Golden Globe nomination.

He also received a SAG and a Critics' Choice Award.

The actor just wrapped "Stranger Things" season 3 and was seen in "Suicide Squad" and "Black Mass".  IANS
shriaya.dutta@tribuneindia.com

Mumbai, November 17

Kalki Koechlin says it is extremely important for actors to trust each other before shooting intimate scenes and believes such a practice should be made mandatory in the film industry.

Kalki said she has done intimate scenes with actors without even meeting them before, something which should not happen.

"When we are on a film set, no one is going to not have a really choreographed action scene. No one is going to 'by mistake' punch the actor in the face. So why aren't we doing that for intimate scenes?

"There are a number of scenes I've done where I've not even met the actor before I have to bite his lips off. It doesn't make sense. There needs to be trust between the actors," she said.

The actor was part of a panel discussion on code of conduct at work at the 9th edition of Tata Literature Live!.

Kalki said she is currently doing a play where they were given a two-page code of conduct that was drafted by the royal court last year after several #MeToo cases surfaced.

"In this play that I'm doing, about rape of a Roman woman, every morning my co-actor and I have consent between each other where we ask 'Can we do this?' and agree on touch. That has just made us so much more comfortable. We trust each other a lot more.

"There is no 'improvisational bit' that happens. That kind of good practice needs to be encouraged and demanded from those of us in the industry," she added.

Kalki believes it is extremely important for an individual and an industry as a collective to take responsibilities.

"In my industry, we have had a meeting few weeks back with the producers guild, directors, casting directors, crew members to understand what are the problems and how can we ourselves take responsibility," she added.  PTI
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Nagpur, November 17

At least 20 members of a gang involved in the supply of illicit liquor, including its kingpin, were arrested in connection with a police officers murder in neighbouring Chandrapur district of Maharashtra, police said on Saturday.

Police sub-inspector Chhatrapati Chide (45), attached to Nagbhid police station in Chandrapur, was crushed to death allegedly by liquor smugglers on November 6, an official said.

Chide and four other police personnel were conducting a routine check of vehicles allegedly involved in illegal transportation of liquor on the Gosikhurd canal road when the incident happened, he added.

The incident had occurred when PSI Chide tried to catch the vehicle carrying illegal liquor. A day after the incident, Shahjad Shaikh, the alleged kingpin of the gang, was arrested, the official said.

Shaikh has been involved in the transportation of illicit liquor for the past few years, he said, adding that during the probe police apprehended a liquor shop owner, Vishal alias Pappu Advani.

Based on the inputs given by the duo, police arrested driver of a vehicle and a co-passenger. Thereafter, three persons, who were found purchasing the liquor, were also nabbed, he said.

So far we have arrested at least 20 people, including the main accused, and busted the liquor smuggling racket. All the accused were part of the gang involved in liquor smuggling from Nagpur to Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts, he said.

Apart from Chandrapur, Wardha, a place associated with Mahatma Gandhi, and Gadchiroli have also been declared dry districts by the state government. PTI
shalender@tribune.com

Naveen S Garewal

Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, November 17

Failing to secure ticket for the December 7 Assembly elections in Telangana, at least 40 rebel candidates have formed a rebel front to contest as Independent candidates.

This is going to directly bite into the Congress vote bank and in turn, affect the Maha Kutami (grand alliance). The rebels, after giving an ultimatum to the party high command, now say that they would fight it out.

Led by former ministers Boda Janardhan (who aspired for the Chennur ticket) and Vijayarama Rao, who wanted the Station Ghanpur ticket of the Congress, the rebel leaders met at the house of Janardhan and have been working out their strategy.

Janardhan told reporters that Maha Kutami (grand alliance) was handing out tickets to those who had defected from other parties and ignoring its own cadres.

The alliance formed by the Congress is between it and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and CPI. Our demand is simple. We want justice. Now, we have decided to form our own front and around 40 of our rebels will contest independently. If the Congress loses, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Uttam Kumar must take responsibility. He is the one who has meted out injustice and gave ticket to weak candidates, he said.

Meanwhile, Congress today released its third list of 13 candidates. This takes the total number of Congress candidates to 88 for a 119-seat House.
shalender@tribune.com

December 4

2300 Hours: Pakistani formations approach Indian Border Post 635

Midnight: Indian troops report sound of approaching armour; Major Chandpuri apprises seniors of the approaching threat

December 5

0030 Hours: Pakistani artillery opens supporting fire as armour advances towards Indian positions. Indian troops engage Pakistani tanks, stalling their advance. Pakistani infantry mistakes barbed wire surrounding Indian posts to be minefield marker and lose time trying to negotiate it. Tanks get bogged down in sand. Elevated Indian positions and the light from flames of burning Pakistani vehicles make the job of Indian gunners easier

0230 Hours: Maj Gen RF Khambatta, GOC, 12 Infantry Division, contacts Wg Cdr MS Bawa at Jaisalmer for air support, but is told aircraft can take off only at first light

0715 Hours: Sqn Ldr DK Das spots tanks ahead of Laungewala Post, IAF Hunters make first strike. By noon, numerous sorties by IAF decimate Pakistani formations, with a loss of about 100 vehicles, including 22 tanks destroyed by the Air Force and 12 by ground forces
shalender@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 17

Facing strong 15-year anti-incumbency in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP today announced a slew of promises, including 10 lakh jobs per year and start-up opportunities for youth, in its manifesto for the November 28 elections.

In power in the state since 2003, the BJP is pushing hard to retain power amid allegations of corruption and unemployment. Last year, the state witnessed widespread protests by farmers for better minimum support price (MSP) and other demands.

Released by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the drishti patra (vision document) promises 10 lakh jobs and self-employment opportunities for youth. It also promises higher transparency, better governance and education facilities, improved women safety and empowerment, infrastructure development, more income and support to farmers, modernised health facilities and financial support to poor students and women, gaushalas with modern amenities and promotion of Indian-breed cows.

It also promises development and improvement of religious places along the Shipra river and new heritage sites, a merchant welfare fund, Narmada expressway and Chambal expressway to ease transportation and a separate industrial corridor in the state.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is facing strong anti-incumbency, the signs of which became visible by the way his wife Sadhna Singh encountered strong criticism from the electorate recently. Angry voters confronted her while she was campaigning door to door in her husbands constituency Budhni.
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rchopra@tribunemail.com

Pamba/Sannidhanam (Kerala), November 17

Thousands of pilgrims offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala early on Saturday, the first day of Malayalam month of Vrischikom, even as a 12-hour hartal against the preventive detention of a Hindu Aikya Vedi leader began.

Pilgrims, including children, queued up in large numbers since the temple opened at 3 am.

The temple had opened on Friday evening for the two-month-long annual pilgrim season as a stand-off continued over the entry of menstrual age women into the shrine. All regular pujas began on Saturday morning under the supervision of the new Melshanti (chief priest) Vasudevan Nampoothiri.

Amid unprecedented security, Kerala State Transport Corporation buses were bringing pilgrims from Nilackal to Pamba and no services had been stopped, KSRTC sources said. Shops and hotels near the temple complex were open.

However, normal life was hit elsewhere in the state as the hartal progressed; buses and auto-rickshaws remained off roads in several areas.

KSRTC Managing Director Tomin J Thachankary said the corporation was running buses in Sabarimala with police protection to help pilgrims reach the temple.

In Balrampuram near Thiruvananthapuram, protesters attacked a KSRTC bus and damaged its windows, he told PTI.

In the state capital, passengers had a tough time in getting vehicles to reach their respective destinations due to the hartal. Many patients and their relatives were unable to reach the regional cancer centre and Thiruvananthapuram medical college hospital.

The Aikya Vedi state president, KP Sasikala, who was on a pilgrimage to the Ayyappa shrine, was taken into preventive custody near Marakkootam, close to Sabarimala, at 2.30 am after she allegedly defied the orders, police said.

Police had decided not to allow devotees to enter the temple premises when it was closed for the night.

Sasikala was stopped by them on Friday night when she was on her way to the shrine with the traditional Irrumudikettu (offerings to Lord Ayyappa carried by devotees on their head) as the temple would have been closed by the time she would have reached there.

She was later taken to Ranni police station.

Sudheer, leader of another outfit, was also taken into preventive custody.

Aikya Vedi protesters, meanwhile, gathered outside the Ranni police station and Erumeli and began Nama Japa protests on Saturday morning.

Condemning the police action, BJP state president PS Sreedharan Pillai said the state governments effort is to destroy the Sabarimala pilgrimage.

The government wants to destroy the traditions of Sabarimala. Why were Sasikala and Sudheer arrested? The BJP will strengthen its protests and support the hartal, Pillai told reporters at Kozhikode.

VHP state president SJR Kumar alleged that Sasikala was arrested.

Some other activists have been taken into preventive custody, Kumar told PTI at Kochi.

The temple opened on Friday evening for the third time since the Supreme Court lifted the ban on entry of women of menstrual age, though no girl or woman pilgrim in the 10-50 age group has been able to offer prayers because of resistance by devotees and activists opposing any change in the temple tradition.

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the shrine, has made it clear that it would approach the apex court either on Saturday or Monday, seeking more time to implement its September 28 verdict permitting women of all ages to offer prayers at the Sabarimala temple.

Devotees are facing difficulties at Pamba as floods destroyed the facilities there.

Muthu Karthick, a pilgrim from Chennai, said there are no facilities at Pamba...No water, toilets are filthy causing difficulties to devotees, he lamented.

However, at the Sannidhanam (temple complex) the facilities are better. PTI
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Bhopal, November 17

Eyeing a return to power, Madhya Pradeshs longest-serving Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is not leaving any part of this large state uncovered while campaigning for the assembly elections and on his way, he carries home-cooked food and manages with small naps inside his chopper in between rallies.

Responding to chants of Mama, Mamahis popular monikerby children, Chouhan tells them their mama (maternal uncle) would take care of them, while in rallies he never misses any chance to take a dig at leaders of the Congress, which is trying hard in these elections to return to power.

Jab Tak Rahega Diggi (former Congress CM Digvijay Singh) tab Tak jalegi dibbi, Chouhan said during his campaign trail on Saturday, referring to the Congress rule till 2003 and alleging that the people felt at that time that they would have to manage with kerosene lamps as long as Digvijay Singh was in power.

The BJP is banking on Chouhans image for returning to power in the state for the fourth consecutive time, while the Congress leaders feel there is a strong anti-incumbency factor against Chouhan, who has been the chief minister since 2005.

For Chouhan also, listing his governments achievements has equal importance in his speeches as his description of the situation during the Congresss rule till 2003 in the state.

He alleges that the Congress leaders have become frustrated after being out of power for so long and therefore, they dont like his development work.

Dressed in his trademark kurta pyjama with jacket, as he headed for Ratangarh in Jawad assembly constituency in Neemucu district on his Bell helicopter, Chouhan said: They are away from the chair for 15 years and when now they see that I am coming back to power for the fourth time, Congress leaders get angry and level baseless allegations.

Even their president Rahul Gandhi is doing so and not even spared my son by dragging his name in the Panama paper leak case, the chief minister said in between his electioneering.

Chouhan, who just released the partys vision document for the crucial assembly polls, said: The scheme announced to benefit small and marginal farmers will prove to be a game changer.

Unlike loan waiver scheme announced by the Congress, the BJPs scheme will give the farmers right to live with dignity, he said.

In the midst of the flight, Chouhan had a neatly packed home-cooked lunch and also shared the same with fellow passengers.

The chief minister, who remains in campaign mode 24x7, read points of the speech to be given and took a quick nap to give rest to his throat.

Soon after, he woke up to ask the pilot how much time was left to reach the next destination.

There is hardly any time for a proper sleep when the election campaign is in full swing, said his accomplices.

After having tea on board, Chouhan explained why it was important to issue a separate manifesto for women.

They constitute half of our population and it was in my heart to do something for them. They still suffer a lot and therefore, we have made various provisions for them, he said.

When asked about anti-incumbency against his government, Chouhan dismissed such reports and said his government has done a good job on the developmental front and the high voting per cent will definitely be in his partys favour this time also.

In the 2013 polls, Madhya Pradesh recorded a poll turnout of 72 per cent and this time the Election Commission has set a target to take it to 80 per cent.

When asked about his brother-in-law Sanjay Singh Masani joining the Congress recently, he said: It will not have any impact.

On his expectations on the number of seats that his party is expecting, Chouhan said: BJP has set a target of 200 plus and we will form the government for a record fourth time in a row. The elections for all 230 seats will take place on November 28 and votes would be counted on December 11. In the 2013 elections, the BJP won 166 seats.

When asked about political ambitions of his wife, Sadhna Singh, Chouhan said: She is my strength and she supports me in all my endeavors. Asked about his son, Kartikeys chances of entering politics, he said at present he will pursue a career in law.

When told that he made a good beginning in the field of law as he has filed a defamation case against Congress President Rahul Gandhi for dragging his name in the Panama paper leak case, Chouhan just laughed.

As the chopper started receding, Chouhan informed that the venue Ratangarh is one of the most interior area in Jawad constituency in Neemucuh district bordering Rajasthan.

People greeted Chouhan by waving at him and taking his photos with ubiquitous cellphone, as his calvacade approached the venue, .

He assured those present, especially children that their Mama, as he is popularly known will take care of them.

Kids call me Mama I love you and I also respond with I love you too, Chouhan said with children yelling Mama Mama.

After the meeting Chouhan took his medicine in the chopper Khadradi for his throat before his next meeting at Budha in Mandsaur district, as the next destination on a day scheduled with as many as six public meetings. PTI
shalender@tribune.com

Washington, November 17

India has sought from the US 24 multi-role MH-60 Romeo anti-submarine helicopters for its Navy at an estimated cost of $2 bn, defence sources here said on Friday.

India has been in need of these formidable anti-submarine hunter helicopters for more than a decade now.

The deal is expected to be finalised in a few months, informed sources said, days after US Vice President Mike Pence held a successful meeting with PM Narendra Modi in Singapore on the sidelines of a regional summit. India has sent a letter of request to the US for an urgent requirement of 24 multi-role helicopters MH 60 Romeo Seahawk, sources said.

In recent months, there has been acceleration in defence ties between the two countries, with the Trump administration opening up Americas high-tech military hardware for Indias defence needs.

Lockheed Martins MH-60R Seahawk helicopter is considered the worlds most advanced maritime helicopter. It is the most capable naval helicopter available today designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers and would add to lethal capabilities of the Indian Navy which, experts say, is the need of the hour given the aggressive behavior of China in the Indian Ocean region.  PTI
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Washington, November 17

India has sought from the US 24 multi-role MH-60 Romeo anti-submarine helicopters for its Navy at an estimated cost of USD 2 billion, defence industry sources here said on Friday.

India has been in need of these formidable anti-submarine hunter helicopters for more than a decade now.

The deal is expected to be finalised in a few months, informed sources told PTI, days after US Vice President Mike Pence held a successful meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Singapore on the sidelines of a regional summit.

India had sent a letter of request to the US for an urgent requirement of 24 multi-role helicoptersMH 60 Romeo Seahawk, sources said.

In recent months, there has been acceleration in defence ties between the two countries, with the Trump administration opening up Americas high-tech military hardware for Indias defence needs.

Bilateral defence relationship was on top of the agenda of the Modi-Pence meeting in Singapore on Wednesday.

The meeting is likely to be followed by a summit-level bilateral between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump in Argentina on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting on November 30 and December 1. Neither side has confirmed the meeting yet.

According to sources, the MH-60 Romeo deal is expected to have an offset requirement. Sources indicated that India planned to follow up this urgent requirement with a long-term plan to manufacture 123 of these helicopters in India.

Currently deployed with the US Navy as the primary anti-submarine warfare anti-surface weapon system for open ocean and littoral zones, Lockheed Martins MH-60R Seahawk helicopter is considered the worlds most advanced maritime helicopter.

According to industry experts, it is the most capable naval helicopter available today designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers. MH-60 Romeo Seahawks would add lethal capabilities of the Indian Navy, which experts say is the need of the hour given the aggressive behaviour of China in the Indian Ocean region.

Lockheed over the years has emerged as a major American supplier of state-of-the-art defence military equipment.

With this Seahawk deal the overall US-India defence trade will surpass USD 20 billion, an industry source said.

The pipeline of opportunities for US defence firms can result in another USD 5 billion of sales in the next few years, the source added.

According to US Naval Air System Command, the MH-60R Seahawk missions are anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, surveillance, communications relay, combat search and rescue, naval gunfire support and logistics support.

As the Navys next generation submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk is considered to be the cornerstone of the Navys Helicopter Concept of Operations.

The MH-60R and its mission systems have replaced the US naval fleets legacy SH-60B and SH-60F aircraft. PTI
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 17

Warm handshakes, hugs and smiles today marked a new chapter in ties after months of bitterness between India and Maldives as Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the oath-taking ceremony of Ibrahim Solih as the new President of the archipelago nation.

This was Modi's maiden visit to the only South Asian neighbouring country he had stayed away from since assuming office in 2014 owing to internal political turmoil in the island nation. Manmohan Singh was the last Indian Prime Minister to visit Maldives for the SAARC summit in 2011.

Modi was the highest ranking foreign leader in the gathering at the National Football Stadium in Male attended by ministers, officials and diplomats from several other foreign countries too including the Chinese Culture Minister.

"Congratulations to Mr. @ibusolih on taking oath as the President of the Maldives.

Wishing him the very best for his tenure ahead. Looking forward to working with him to strengthen bilateral relations between our nations," wrote the PM on twitter.

Solih (54) after the swearing in ceremony against a backdrop resembling the Majlis or the Maldivian parliament, announced in his public remarks that he would hold a special meeting with Modi soon afterwards in his first official engagement as President."We will strengthen bilateral relations with India and other neighbouring countries, will work to ensure stability of Indian Ocean," said Solih.

Three former Presidents Gayoom, Nasheed and Dr Waheed attended the ceremony, while Solih's predecessor the controversial pro-China Abdulla Yameen boycotted the ceremony.

"As I assume office, billions of Rufiyaa is missing from the state, we do not even know the exact amount missing. We need foreign assistance in recovering these funds," added the new President.

The country's economy was discussed in the brief meeting between Solih and Modi held afterwards. Indian assistance to Maldives and 'pressing need for increased housing and infrastructure development' as well as for establishing water and sewerage systems in the outlying islands were mentioned by Solih.

"The two leaders, while noting the resilience of the relations between India and the Maldives, expressed confidence in the renewal of the close bonds of cooperation and friendship with the election of Mr Solih as the President of the Maldives," said the joint India-Maldives statement after the talks.

"During their meeting, both leaders agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean and being mindful of each other's concerns and aspirations for the stability of the region," said the statement further, adding that the top leaders "expressed their unwavering commitment and support for increased cooperation in combating terrorism".

Solih is expected to undertake a State Visit to India in the next few weeks while Modi will likely pay a full bilateral visit in early 2019.

The new government in Maldives has started easing out visa restrictions for Indians imposed during the past few months as the small nation plunged into crisis after former President Yameen clamped emergency in February this year, arrested top political opposition to judicial figures and ruled with an iron hand.

But democratic forces won in the September elections with Solih as the joint opposition candidate in surprise results. Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has said it will work against 'China's colonialism' and end 'land grab' in the country located strategically on the Indian Ocean.

"Prime Minister Modi also welcomed the expanding opportunities for Indian companies to invest in the Maldives in different sectors for the mutual benefit of both countries. Recognising that nationals of both countries travel extensively between the two countries, the leaders also agreed on the need for facilitating easier visa procedures," added the joint statement today.
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

New Delhi, November 17

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the inauguration ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Saturday.

This will be Modis first visit to the Maldives as Prime Minister.

I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr. Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development, Modi said in a series of tweets.

He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future. We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives, the Prime Minister said.

He also congratulated Solih on his victory in the recent elections and wished him the very best for his tenure.

Modi had recently accepted the invitation extended by Solih to attend his swearing-in ceremony. PTI
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Patna, November 17

Police in Bihar on Saturday started attaching properties of absconding former Minister Manju Verma after a court order in an arms case connected to the Muzaffarpur shelter home horror.

"A property attachment notice was pasted on her residence and the police began the process," Begusarai Superintendent of Police Avkash Kumar said.

Verma is facing arrest under the Arms Act following the recovery of 50 live cartridges from her residences in Patna and Begusarai during a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raid.

She has been absconding for the last three months. The Patna High Court has rejected her bail plea.

Last month a court in Begusarai had issed a warrant against here.

On Monday, the Minister's husband Chandrasekhar Verma, who had been absconding for a month, surrendered before a court after which he was sent to 14 days judicial custody in connection to the shelter home case.

Manju Verma had resigned on August 8 following allegations that Brajesh Thakur, the main accused in the Muzaffarpur case, had links to her husband.

Thankur is currently in the Muzaffarpur jail.

Of the 42 girls lodged at the short-stay home run by Thakur's NGO, 34 were found to have been sexually assaulted. The crime came to light after a social audit by the Tata Institute of Social Science, Mumbai.

The shelter home has been sealed. IANS
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Raipur, November 17

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Saturday promised to waive farm loans in Chhattisgarh within 10 days of assuming power in the state and said the money for it would come from the likes of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Anil Ambani.

Stepping up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetisation ahead of the second and final phase of the Chhattisgarh polls, Gandhi alleged that Modi made the honest people suffer through the 2016 exercise, but spared the rich.

Addressing a poll rally in Koriya district, he alleged that the prime minister had waived loans worth Rs 3.5 lakh crore of a few rich people, but not those of the poor farmers.

As soon as the Congress forms the government here, Modiji, you count 10 days. The Congress will waive the loans of each farmer in Chhattisgarh within 10 days, Gandhi said.

He claimed that BJP leaders used to question the previous Congress-led UPA government about the source of money for granting loan waiver.

Modiji, the money for the loan waiver for Chhattisgarhs farmers will come from the likes of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Anil Ambani...We will take their money and implement the loan waiver, the Congress chief said.

He alleged that liquor baron Mallya fled the country with Rs 10,000 crore of the banks, while Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi fled with Rs 35,000 crore.

Addressing a rally in Ambikapur, Modi had Friday claimed that the Congress was worried because he took away all the money its minions and friends had stashed under their beds and in sacks in one stroke.

Something rankles them (Congress) in such a way that they are still not able to sleep...No one sitting here is crying. Only one family is crying, Modi had said, while justifying demonetisation.

Gandhi reiterated his charge that the prime minister had helped industrialist Anil Ambani get Rs 30,000 crore in the Rafale scam.

Turning to demonetisation, he said Modi robbed the poor and the honest through the exercise, which invalidated the old Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes, and made them stand in queues to exchange the scrapped notes.

Modiji had said he would fight against black money. He had (recently) said those who had stashed money in their houses and or kept it hidden under pillows were thieves and that he had taken action against them.

I want to tell you (people) that you have not committed any theft. The person who has committed a theft is Narendra Modi. He made the honest people stand in queues. Have you ever seen those wearing suit-boot and crorepatis standing in queues (outside banks)? Gandhi asked the crowd.

He said the Congress had always delivered on its promises, unlike the BJP.

The intention of the Congress is very clear. It never makes false promises. In fact, you can listen to my speeches of the last 15 years. I never made false promises. Whatever I promised, I fulfilled it, Gandhi said.

He added that the previous UPA government had brought in measures like the Tribal Bill, the Right to Food Act, the Right To Information Act, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), the Land Acquisition Bill etc.

You can check the records. On the contrary, Modi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh did not fulfil the promises they had made to farmers, the Congress MP said.

Modi and Singh did not fulfil their promises like good returns to farmers on their produce and loan waiver, he said.

In the last four-and-a-half years, Modiji has waived loans worth Rs 3.50 lakh crore of a few rich people, but he has not spoken about farm loan waiver. Similarly, Raman Singh has snatched the bonus of the farmers, Gandhi alleged.

He accused the prime minister of remaining silent on the corruption charges against Singh.

Modi used to speak about corruption in his earlier speeches, but why has he not spoken about the corruption of Raman Singh? the Congress chief asked.

He claimed that the names of Singh and his wife had surfaced in the alleged Rs 36,000-crore civil supply scam.

A Rs 5,000-crore chit fund scam was also perpetrated in the state. His (Singhs) son Abhishek Singh was named in the Panama Papers scandal, but no action was taken in any of these cases, Gandhi said.

The chief minister has denied the allegations against him.

Gandhi alleged that Modi was not acting against Abhishek Singh in the Panama Papers case.

This, at a time when Pakistan has jailed its former prime minister Nawaz Sharif after his name cropped up in the Panama Papers, he said.

The Congress chief also accused the Raman Singh government of creating two states within Chhattisgarh in the last 15 yearsone for the rich and another for the poor.

The Raman Singh government has created two Chhattisgarh. One belongs to the rich and the industrialists wearing suit-boot, while the other belongs to the common men, women, farmers and labourers. We do not want two Chhattisgarh but one, where everybody gets justice, he said.

When Chhattisgarh was formed, people wanted the locals to get the benefits of its natural resources and money, but that did not happen, Gandhi added.

The Congress wants to make Chhattisgarh an agricultural hub and a supplier of food to the nation, he said.

The final phase of polling for 72 seats will be held in Chhattisgarh on November 20. The first phase for 18 seats was held on November 12. The results will be announced on December 11. PTI
rchopra@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, November 17

The Supreme Court has agreed to examine a plea seeking contempt action against the chief officer of a municipal council in Karnataka and a private contractor on allegations of mass culling of stray dogs.

A bench of Justices NV Ramana and MM Shantanagoudar issued notice to Wilson VT, chief officer of Municipal Council of Sakaleshapura town, and contractor V George Robert and sought their response in four weeks.

Advocate Siddharth Garg, appearing for petitioner animal rights activist Neveena Kamath, said the contempt proceedings should be initiated against the two respondents for willfully disobeying the specific directions of the apex court.

He said that on November 18, 2015, the apex court had directed that all local authorities and panchayats should strictly follow the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960, and the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2001, and that no subterfuge or innovative methods to circumvent the order of the court would be tolerated.

Garg said the PCA Act, 1960, and the ABC Rules, 2001, prohibited any wanton catching and relocation of stray dogs and only allowed catching for the purpose of sterilisation and relocation back to the same place from where the stray dogs were picked up.

According to the petition, Wilson had given contract to George to catch and then relocate stray dogs within his municipality.

George was paid Rs 91,537 for catching and relocating 350 stray dogs.

It must be made clear that the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the ABC Rules, 2001, only allow catching then sterilising, vaccinating and then relocation at the very same place. They do not allow any such catching and dislocating, the plea said.

It said the respondents had deliberately and willfully violated the orders of this court and contempt proceedings should be initiated against them.

If such violations are not dealt, swiftly and sternly, by this Court then it will send a very wrong message to society that the orders of the apex court can be trifled with and there are no consequences for even the most open and egregious defiance. The actions of the respondents are making a mockery of the majesty of this Court and invite the wrath of this Court to its fullest extent, the plea said. PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 17

State BJP president Shwait Malik said on Saturday that the party high command would decide the seat-sharing arrangement with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for the 2019 parliamentary elections. The top brass will also take a call on the constituencies the party will contest from in Punjab, he added.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJP candidates had contested from three seats out of 13  Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur and Amritsar. The saffron party had won the Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur seats. However, the BJP had lost the 2017 Gurdaspur bypoll, which was necessitated by the death of party MP Vinod Khanna.

Speaking on the sidelines of separate meetings with the core group, the state executive and district presidents, Malik said: We have sent inputs received from the field to the high command.

We are having meetings with the SAD leadership. We have repeatedly gone together to meet the Governor over the atrocities unleashed by the Congress government, he said.

During Saturdays meetings, suggestions and an action plan on setting up shakti kendras, one each for five polling booths, were discussed.

On the panchayat elections, the Rajya Sabha MP said, These are not fought on the party symbol. However, it is evident that the Congress used force and other unfair means to win the zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls. We are not expecting any major change in the scenario in the panchayat elections as well.
editorial@tribune.com

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 17

Families of 27 Iraq victims, who were killed in Mosul in 2014, today said the government had failed to keep the promise of paying them Rs 20,000 as allowances per month and jobs as per their abilities.

Families of the victims from Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Nawanshahr, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Batala and Dhuri addressed mediapersons here. They said contrary to the promises made by the government, only kin of six victims, three from Hoshiarpur and three from Jalandhar, had been given little-paying jobs of peon. Besides, many of them were not being paid Rs 20,000 for the past many months.

They added that Rs 5,300 per month was very less to sustain their families. They said though some of them were highly qualified, all were given the same job of a peon.

Amandeep Kaur from Khanke Fatehgarh village in Kartarpur, whose husband Kulwinder Singh was killed in Iraq, has received a peons job.

She said, I am the only earning member in the family I have two children, whose school fee is Rs 3,000. We cant even buy groceries from the remaining amount. The government made hefty promises, but now we have been left to fend for ourselves.

Rakesh Kumar from Dhadda village in Jalandhar, son of Balwant Rai, who was killed in Mosul, said, My brother Pawan Kumar has been given a job of Rs 5,300, which isnt enough to sustain our family. Since February, we have not received the other allowance as well.

While families from Jalandhar city and Amritsar hadnt received the Rs 20,000 allowance since June, those from Phillaur tehsil hadnt received their allowances since February.

The victims kin said they had met Cabinet Minister Sunder Sham Arora and MP Santokh Chaudhary, but to no avail.

MP Santokh Singh said, The matter hasnt been brought to my notice so far. I will take it up with the DC tomorrow morning. The government made a commitment to the Iraq victims kin and will honour it. I will also take up the matter with the CM.

Deputy Commissioner Varinder Sharma said, In Jalandhar we have provided jobs to six families as the kin of the seventh victim could not be traced. During the three-year probation period these families will get Rs 8,300 as with any appointment. Later, their salaries will increase on regular basis. They havent received any salary so far. The amount of Rs 5,300 is a false claim. We have also paid them their allowances till August.

The Tribune has a copy of the appointment letter that says they will get Rs 5,300 during the probation period.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 17

Karan Pal Sekhon, Political Secretary to Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, passed away while on a holiday with his family in Egypt on Friday night. He was 62.

Official sources in the Chief Ministers Office said Sekhon had suffered a heart attack. Efforts are being made to bring his mortal remains from Cairo (Egypt) to Chandigarh by Monday evening.

A third generation loyalist of the erstwhile Patiala royal family, Karan had been with Capt Amarinder since 1992.

He suffered the heart attack while on a cruise with his family and was immediately taken to a military hospital where he was declared brought dead.

He studied at Bishop Cotton School in Shimla and later at Government College, Chandigarh. He was OSD to Capt Amarinder during his first term as Chief Minister. Karan originally belonged to Kal Banjara village in Sangrur district. His grandfather Ishar Singh was a nazim in the Patiala State.

His father was in the IIIrd Regiment of the Patiala State and was absorbed in the Army after Independence. Karan had also served for about seven years in a corporate house in Delhi.

Captain Amarinder has expressed shock and grief at the death of Sekhon. He described the death as "a huge personal loss". Capt Amarinder said he would deeply miss Sekhon's strength and tireless service to him and the Congress in Punjab. Health Minister Brahm Mohindra has also condoled Sekhon's demise.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 17

The Congress today asked the Centre to provide CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) security for Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, saying he is a high-risk target due to his anti-BJP and anti-Akali politics.

In a letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress media head Randeep Singh Surjewala cited the hectic election schedule of Sidhu, a star campaigner of the Congress in five poll-bound states, to demand immediate security for him.

Given that Navjot Sidhu is and will be travelling extensively outside Punjab for campaigning as also other party programmes to various states during the current elections to five states as also in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, we request you to take immediate action to provide CISF security cover to him throughout the country, Surjewala said.

The Congress argued that the Centre should rise above political differences to ensure Sidhus safety.

It is your office that is charged with the responsibility of providing security cover through the CISF to individuals, who are at high risk, Surjewala said, telling the Home Minister that the Centre had given CISF security to Bikram Majithia, Akali Dal MLA, against whom Sidhu had taken up cudgels on numerous occasions.

In his letter, Surjewala also mentioned Sidhus highly visibly profile and anti-drug campaign in Punjab as reasons behind growing threat to his life.

After Sidhu left the BJP, the threatening tone and disparaging remarks by various Akali Dal-BJP leaders, including BJP national president Amit Shah are also well known, the letter read.
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 17

Brig Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra for gallantry in the 1971 Indo-Pak war and a well-known city resident, passed away at a local hospital on Saturday morning after battling cancer.

Survived by wife and three sons, the war hero would have turned 78 on November 22. His mortal remains will be consigned to the flames with full military honours on Monday after close family members return from abroad.

Brig Chandpuri was awarded the nations second highest gallantry award for his role at Laungewala, a remote outpost in the deserts of Jaisalmer, where a relatively small group of Indian soldiers held off a massive Pakistani attack through the night in the early days of the 1971 war.

A huge picture of Indian soldiers dancing atop a captured Pakistani tank to celebrate their victory dominates the living room of his residence here.

We were given a choice to stay put and defend the position or go in for a tactical retreat. We chose to stay put and fight, Brig Chandpuri, once told this reporter.

The first attack by Pakistani troops at night was stalled through anti-tank weapons. Reserve fuel drums kept atop tanks were exploded, throwing enough light for our gunners positioned on high ground, while their own smoke blinded their troops.

Though we were outnumbered and surrounded, Pakistani infantry was unable to advance. We held them till dawn when the IAF came in, he added.

When the operation ended, 22 Pakistani tanks had been destroyed.

The citation for his award reads: Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri was commanding a company battalion of the Punjab Regiment occupying a defended locality in the Rajasthan Sector. On December 5, 1971, in the early hours of the morning the enemy launched a massive attack on this locality with infantry and tanks. Major Chandpuri exhibited dynamic leadership in holding his command intact and steadfast. Showing exceptional courage and determination, he inspired his men moving from bunker to bunker, encouraging them in beating back the enemy till reinforcements arrived. In this heroic defence, he inflicted heavy casualities on the enemy and forced them to retreat leaving behind 12 tanks. In this action, Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri displayed conspicuous gallantry, inspiring leadership and exceptional devotion to duty in keeping with the highest traditions of the Indian Army.

Chandpuri passed out from the Officers Training Academy, Chennai, in 1963 and was commissioned into the 23rd Battalion of the Punjab Regiment. He took part in the 1965 war in the western sector and, thereafter, served in the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) at Gaza in Egypt for about a year. He also served twice as an instructor at the Infantry School, Mhow.

The Battle of Laungewala, one of the Armys most celebrated campaigns that was considered a turning point in the 1971 war, was later immortalised by the award winning Bollywood film 'Border', produced by JP Dutta in 1997, with Sunny Deol playing the character of Chandpuri.

A third-generation soldier, Brig Chandpuri was born in 1940 at Montgomery in the Punjab region of undivided India. His family then moved to their native village, Chandpur Rurki in Balachaur, and he passed out from Government College, Hoshiarpur, in 1962 before joining the Army.

A teetotaller and a vegetarian with an amiable personality, he was highly active in social life, pursuing the cause of soldiers and dealing with welfare and civic issues of the locals. Besides actively participating in regimental affairs, he was also on the board of The War Decorated India, an association of gallantry awardees.

Brig Chandpuri was also nominated as a councillor in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 17

Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal has sought the change in venue for his questioning by the SIT probing the sacrilege cases to Chandigarh from Amritsar.

Summons had been issued to Sukhbir by the SIT member Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh on November 11, asking him to appear as a witness in the Kotkapura firing case of October 2015. Sukhbir was asked to appear in Amritsar.

A letter has been sent by Sukhbir to the SIT head, ADGP Prabodh Kumar, saying that he reiterated his commitment to cooperate with any independent and impartial investigation. I shall be available at your headquarters in Chandigarh at the given date and time. I can make myself available to you at your office, or any other place of your convenience, on the given date and time, read his letter to the SIT head.

When contacted, SIT officers said they had received the letter and circulated the same among all members. A decision on changing the venue of questioning, as requested by Sukbhir, would be taken only after due consideration of all five members. Asked about any communication being established with them by actor Akshay Kumar, the officer said so far no communication had been received.

Cong out to disturb peace: Badal

Patiala: Former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday appealed to all political parties to come forward to maintain peace and harmony in the state. Badal was at Rakhra village in the district to attend a function to mark the death anniversary of ex-minister Surjit Singh Rakhras father Kartar Singh Dhaliwal. Attacking the Congress, the former CM said, Attempts are being made by the ruling party to disturb peace in the state and bring back insurgency. TNS

Ex-cm paying for sons sins: Jakhar

Chandigarh: PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar on Saturday said former CM Parkash Singh Badal must explain why he was so keen on forcefully removing protesters from Behbal Kalan even as he was lenient towards dera followers. He said Badal was facing tough time due to Sukhbirs arrogance. TNS
editorial@tribune.com

Rana Siddiqui Zaman

There was a time he would walk for miles to save 25 paise just so that he could fill air in his bicycle tyres. Today, he sells one sculpture for Rs25 lakh. This time has, however, come 40 years after he started devoting his life to sculptures. An onlooker wont be able to make out this pioneer of modern marble sculptures till pointed out. He remains humble to the core, dresses up simply and eats at a refugee colony in Delhi whenever he makes it the venue of his show.

Gyan Singh, often known as the pioneer in modern marble sculpture, is a man surrounded by anecdotes. It is said that sculptor Satish Gujral left his own show mid way to see his works; veteran Amarnath Sehgal declared he should receive a Padma Shri; and passionate painter and late Prime Minister VP Singh made a replica of his mushroom sculpture as a return gift when Gyan presented him his marble mushroom.

A chat with Singh leads to endless such anecdotes. A resident of Udaipur, hub of raw marble, Singh has just concluded his show at New Delhis Triveni Kala Sangam. His marvels in marble at the show included his signature work, melting ice, said to be among the most difficult shapes to get  ice slowly slipping from the mountains, gathering momentum at a place, forming layers, then moving on to turn into water. There was a Ganesha in numerous shapes and style, as lotus petal, to even one seemingly wearing a skull cap, leaf compositions, mushrooms, Shiva, several unusual forms, heads with long, strange headgears akin to African Mongoloids and much more.

One wonders at the amazingly unique shapes Singh creates. He reveals, As a young sculptor, I would wonder what shapes should Imake. So my guru gave me a mantra, Think of just 1 to 10 elements and play with them. Till date, there are some five to six elements that I work around.

Singhs life story is quite filmy, a rags to riches story. Hailing from Udaipur, he comes from a family of underprivileged farmers. Brilliant academically, his father dreamt of him taking up a government job. However, Singh had, as a child, seen his paternal uncle paint the canvas with his volley of colours and taken a fancy to it. He stealthily started painting randomly. Noticing his interest, his uncle gifted him some dry colours and papers. Singh would make unusual drawings and paint them. Once, by sheer chance, he happened to see a wooden sculpture created by the then famous sculptor Akhilesh Rai in his school.

I was astonished at how creatively it was cut into an image. Rai saw me scrutinising his work and asked him why was he coming daily. Instead of answering his question, I counter questioned, Can I also cut wood like this and make a sculpture? And he told me:Why not? But before reaching this stage, you will have to learn quite a number of techniques. Rai took Singh under his tutelage while Singh didnt even know that he was a master people used to revere.

His journey into art had begun. Gyan Singh began with wood, but slowly took to stones and then marble. He realised that wood, with time, is more prone to damages than marble. Watching him carve and chisel stones with iron tools, someone complained to his father, Your son has turned into an iron smith(Tumhara beta luhargiri kar raha hai).

My father got very upset. But when my first sculpture was sold to Lalit Kala Akademi for Rs2500 (in the late 70s), my father was shocked. In those days, a pair of ox would cost Rs1500 to Rs2000, which used to be a huge amount. Seeing me sell just one sculpture for Rs2500, my father told me: Do whatever you want. After that, he never objected to my craft.

Singhs first solo show was held at the prestigious Jahangir Gallery in 1983. In this show, one of my sculptures sold for Rs4lakh. It sent shockwaves among my contemporaries. By the time I reached my third year of graduation in art, I was earning more than my professors. And before becoming a teacher, I was a National Award winner, he says with a glint of pride.

So far Singh has cut 35 trucks of marble, he says matter of factly, adding that he has never used synthetic marble for his images. A victim of child marriage (he got married in class 5), and poor financial background, Singh managed his life by earning scholarships and working hard. Today he has countless shows to his name and clients across the globe. His brother, Lallan Singh, wife and son have also learnt the art to take the legacy forward.

Looking at his own works fondly, the 60-year-old concludes with moist eyes: My doctor says I should not work anymore as I have exhausted my body. But I want to die while carving a marble.
Maninder Singh

Maninder Singh

WE, as part of an official delegation, were in downtown Melbourne on the day when a person of Somali origin stabbed to death the owner of an Italian eatery on the busy Bourke Street. The attacker was shot dead by the police. Later this week, a man called James Gargasoulas, of Greek origin, was found guilty of murdering six persons on the same street in January 2017 by mowing them down with his car. In the court, he claimed he was not guilty and claimed to be a saviour.

Oft in the stilly night, one wonders at the frail, misplaced and miscalculations of these attackers. If the aim was to disrupt life in Victorias capital city, these acts of violence failed to subdue the citizens or the tourists savouring spring in the metropolis.

Only the government of a state, and this is one of the attributes of a sovereign entity, has the legal monopoly over the right to use force for legitimate purposes. There was passing criticism over the decision of the police to shoot down the Bourke Street attacker, instead of incapacitating him, which might have made it possible for the unravelling of the full picture behind this act of terrorism.

What could have been the best course of action may be easy to say, in cold judgment, after an incident. When an attack like this happens, it is the men on the spot whose oft-wavering judgment in the heat of the moment might have to be eventually trusted.

I remember well the only time, thankfully, that I had the occasion to order a posse of men to open fire. Working as SDM in a troublesome area in the aftermath of the demolition of a far-away disputed structure, I was struck by how misguided people could use the incident as a pretext for unleashing violence.

To maintain peace, a curfew was imposed. Never having had the unhappy occasion of inflicting curfew before, I wondered fleetingly about what provision of the law enabled a ban on the movement of people in public spaces. In a trace of quick reminiscence, one recalled the CrPC Section 144. Under the sweeping powers that the section gifts to the law enforcers, any prohibition that is necessary to maintain public peace can be enforced. The enforcement of an order imposing curfew is a killing affair. The failure to enforce such an order can lead to the breakdown of law and order.

On the cold December evening, the diktat was issued for the first time ever in that sub-division, I embarked on a field visit to the main town of my jurisdiction to judge how the curbs imposed by the curfew were unfolding. Imagine my surprise when I saw a flaming redness on the horizon. It was not a redness brought about by a setting sun. Having quickly commandeered a Jeep with six men belonging to the paramilitary, I arrived at the scene of the conflagration. A mob was setting fire to the house of a lawyer, belonging to another community. I lined up those strapping men, asking them if they were afraid to fire. They said they had no compunctions of fear and were duty-bound to obey orders.

An announcement having been made and the mob not having dispersed, two rounds were fired. Those men were such good marksmen that the blazing rounds failed to hit man or beast. With the discharge of another two flaming rounds, an arsonist was hit in the leg. No sooner had the solitary bullet struck, that the mob scattered like a swarm of terrified flies, taking with them the limping victim.

That firing helped maintain the peace in the city and I was thankful that time and destiny did not impose upon me the agonising necessity to line up men in that fashion ever again.
Shahzad Raza

Shahzad Raza

Last month, a senior police official, Superintendent of Police (SP) Tahir Dawar, was kidnapped from a residential area in Islamabad. This week, pictures of his body went viral on the social media. The kidnappers claimed to have taken him to Afghanistan and killed him there.

This incident deteriorates already strained relations between Kabul and Islamabad and indicates that both countries must keep their houses in order. It remindes that the non-state actors still have the capacity to carry out dangerous missions. It also unearthes yet another intelligence failure.

The kidnapping and killing of SP Dawar call for stringent action against the sleeper cells of terrorist outfits. The incident demands indiscriminate action against all non-state actors. It raises the importance of larger cooperation among the intelligence agencies of the neighbouring countries. For that, it is utmost important to improve its bilateral relations.

At the moment, Pakistan does not enjoy best of the ties with three of its four neighbours. Pakistan is like a boxer who enters the ring with one hand tied to its back. This must be changed to survive the strategic realignment in South Asia and beyond.

The government has to invest in deradicalising the Pakistani society. There has been unprecedented growth of seminaries since 9/11. All campaigns to regulate them have failed to yield results. Extremism has also crept into modern educational institutions. For example: the Mashal Khan case. A student of Bacha Khan University, Khan was lynched last year by a mob comprising his university fellows after he was accused of blasphemy.

After assuming power, Prime Minister Imran Khan dashed to Saudi Arabia and China to get necessary financial assistance to maintain the balance of payment. The economic condition of Pakistan is in the state of peril. A so-called accountability drive has already been labelled as a political vendetta.

Herculean task

In his opening dialogues in Mission Impossible-II, Rade Serbedzija says that every search for the hero must begin with something what every hero requires  a villain. So in search for its hero, the nation has created too many villains. And when they finally found what they were actually looking for, the people of Pakistan feel bamboozled. They now seem to be suspending their disbelief. The hero himself has realised that Herculean task of diverting the rivers flow would not be possible within the deadline he has set for himself.

Pakistan needs structural reforms which should have been done decades ago. However, such reforms do not look or sound fancy and flashy like new airports, motorways or metro-buses. These do not offer kickbacks, bribes, etc. So, why the fuss?

When the PML-Nawaz government took over in 2013, the country was under Rs 16,000 billion of internal and external debt. When it left, the debt had climbed to Rs 30,000 billion. The Pakistan government owns 193 state-owned enterprises. In 2013, their annual accumulated losses were less than Rs 500 billion. In 2018, these losses soared to Rs 1,100 billion.

It has been three months since the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf took power, but given the intensity of criticism it seems the party is ruling for the past three years. Nothing can be done in three months, except setting the targets or priorities. However, the government, because of its own ineptness or, perhaps over-ambition, has incurred unnecessary criticism from every segment of society.

Without stabilising relations with the neighbouring countries, the economic woes of Pakistan will never go away. How can a shopkeeper ever survive if he refuses to sell goods to the people living in his neighbourhood?

Since Mumbai attacks, Pakistan and India could never resume a full-scale dialogue on strategic issues. A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then. The decision makers in Pakistan think India will not enter into any sort of dialogue before the 2019 elections. Time will tell whether there will be a change in New Delhi or they will have to deal with Modi Sarkar once again. Whatever the case may be, the Pakistan government has to be pro-active to resolve all issues pending since long.

 The writer is an Islamabad-based journalist
Ajay Banerjee in New Delhi

Ajay Banerjee in New Delhi

Unheralded and unnoticed outside the close circle of strategic community, Indias efforts, in both private and public sectors, in the indigenous defence equipment-making sector are now evident. The pace is slow but steady. It has started generating jobs, creating opportunities for Indian companies to be suppliers to global biggies. Importantly, in the long term, local production can provide strategic autonomy to India. And yes, its moving beyond familiar missile projects like Agni, BrahMos, Akash or Prithvi of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) or the ISRO-aided launch of dedicated military satellites like Rukmini. Engineering giant Larsen and Toubro literally set the ball rolling in 2009 when it made the hull of the nuclear submarine INS Arihant, designed by the DRDO. It is now making the hulls of follow-on vessels to the Arihant. Mumbai-based Walchandnagar Industries designed and manufactured propulsion system and key equipment needed for its nuclear propulsion plant, which was itself made by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) with help from the Russians. Tata Power did the control system of the vessel that was declared fully operational on November 5. By the time third of the Arihant class rolls out, it will be 100 per cent locally made.

In March this year, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), owned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), outsourced key work of the LCA Tejas fighter jet to the Indian private sector. L&T, Alpha Tecol, Vem Technologies and DTL will produce various parts of the plane, including its main fuselage and wings, which the HAL will then integrate at its Bengaluru plant. This is the first step towards having a western style production model where various companies make sections of the plane before one agency integrates these. Another success is the Dhruv Advance Light Helicopters, some 200 are flying. The next version, which will be armed, is based on the same platform. The supersonic BrahMos missile has some parts made by Godrej, the Akash air defence missile again has private sector contribution. New artillery guns, the ATAGS, designed by the DRDO with Tata Power SED and Bharat Forge, have been a success. Similarly, Dhanush artillery gun made by the OFB have been a success. The Army is going to order both. The Vajra K9 artillery gun, made in collaboration between L&T and Hanwha Techwin, was inducted recently. Air Commodore Prashant Dikshit (retd) says, The indigenous aircraft industry is faltering largely because of inadequacy of technological prowess.

The Navy leads the way

From having a design bureau that was set up in the 1950s, the Navy is now leading key Make-in-India projects like aircraft carrier Vikrant (scheduled for commission in 2020) that match countries like the US, the UK, Russia, China and France. Vice-Admiral Sekhar Sinha (retd) says, The latest Kamorta-class anti-submarine warfare corvettes have 90 per cent local content.... Ten years from now, aviation wing (fighters and copters) will also be Indian.

On August 23, the Navy invited its former officer Commodore A Joseph Paulraj (retd), who is a global icon in technology and presently professor emeritus at Stanford University, to discuss self-reliance of Indian defence in critical advanced technologies.

Expanding the footprint

US giant Boeing and Tata have a joint venture to manufacture fuselage (body) of the AH 64 Apache attack helicopters. US company General Electric (GE) and Tata Group is collaborating to focus on aero-engine components. GE currently provides jet engines and marine gas turbines for Tejas and Shivalik class warships. European major Airbus has proposed multiple projects to kickstart a defence-focused industrial ecosystem in the country, including an offer to build the C295W military transport aircraft and has a partnership with Mahindra Defence to locally manufacture military helicopters. The HAL-Kamov helicopter is coming up at a new plant at Tumkur near Bengaluru. This will make 200 of the Russian Kamov 226-T and also the 187 Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) being made by HAL. The entire helicopter is to be made here.

GE-TATA will manufacture, assemble, integrate and test aircraft engines in India, creating highly skilled jobs. The Airbus engineering facility in Bengaluru employs around 400 engineers who focus on core engineering in areas such as avionics software design and testing, system simulation and digital mock-ups and system installation. Airbus works with more than 45 Indian suppliers, who employ more than 6,000 persons in its projects. These suppliers provide engineering & IT services, aero-structures, materials and cabins for several of Airbus platforms. Boeing currently employs 1,200 persons in India, and more than 7,000 persons work with its 160 Indian suppliers. Boeing is expanding its India footprint and leveraging manufacturing capability, talent, innovation and productivity to deliver a cost-efficient supply chain from India.

Meanwhile, the MoD has finalised a strategic partnership model under which select private firms will collaborate to build military platforms like submarines, fighter jets and choppers in India in partnership with foreign entities. The policy envisages the establishment of long-term strategic partnerships with Indian defence majors through a transparent and competitive process wherein they would tie up with global original equipment manufacturers to seek technology transfers for setting up domestic manufacturing infrastructure and supply chains.
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

London, November 17

To leave, or not to leave: Two and a half years since the United Kingdom voted to exit the EU, that is still the question.

The crisis in Prime Minister Theresa May's government over her draft Brexit divorce deal has stirred interest in the possibility that the United Kingdom could change its mind, or 'regrexit'.

In the June 23, 2016 referendum, 17.4 million voters, or 52 percent, backed Brexit while 16.1 million, or 48 percent, backed staying in the bloc.

But ever since, opponents of Brexit have been exploring ways to hold another referendum.

May has repeatedly said there will not be another referendum on membership and the leader of the main opposition party, Jeremy Corbyn, has indicated he is also not in favour.

So what is the path to a second vote?

1) May's Brexit plan fails

The first step, according to campaigners, is that parliament rejects May's draft divorce deal.

To leave the EU on the terms of her deal, May would need the backing of parliament.

The size of the rebellion inside her Conservative Party and the anger of her allies in the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party indicate she would have trouble passing the deal, even with significant support from Labour Party lawmakers.

"I suspect it will get to parliament and parliament will vote it down and once that happens it will be game on for a People's Vote," said Hugo Dixon, deputy chair of the People's Vote campaign group, which wants another referendum.

"Voting down a deal does not mean we crash out with no deal at all; it means we are highly likely to move to a People's Vote with an option to stay in the EU," Dixon said. "The no deal scenario is not likely,"

2) UK political crisis

The collapse of May's deal would thrust the United Kingdom deeper into crisis.

Three of the four former British prime ministers still alive - John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown - have said a second referendum is the way to resolve the crisis.

"I still believe it is possible that Brexit is stopped," Blair told Reuters last month.

The opposition Labour Party, which is also divided over Brexit, has indicated it would seek to trigger a national election if May failed to get parliamentary approval.

But to secure an election, two thirds of the 650 lawmakers in parliament would have to vote for one.

Another way is if a motion of no confidence in the government is passed. There is then a 14-day grace period in which to pass an act of confidence in a new government.

If there is no vote of confidence in that new government, then a new election must be held within about 17 working days, according to the Institute of Government.

Brexit campaigners think Labour would fail to trigger an election.

3) Parliament takes charge

After what would have been weeks of crisis and the failure of various other options - an election, a new prime minister, attempts to renegotiate with the EU - parliament would finally demand a new referendum.

The exact mechanism is unclear but lawmakers could vote for a motion calling for a new referendum as a way out of the deadlock. That would have to be backed up by legislation calling a referendum.

4) Asking the EU for time

Holding a referendum would take months so the European Union would have to be asked for more time as the United Kingdom is currently on course to leave at 2300 GMT on March 29, 2019.

Key to asking for more time is the question of whether the United Kingdom could withdraw Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon nearly two years after May invoked it.

As the clause has never been used before, lawyers have a diverse range of opinions on its reversibility or not.

But the British diplomat who drafted the clause, John Kerr, has repeatedly argued that it can be reversed.

"The die is not irrevocably cast, there is still time and, until the UK has left the EU, the Article 50 letter can be withdrawn," Kerr, who was British ambassador to the EU from 1990 to 1995, said in "The Roadmap to a People's Vote".

Judges at the European Unions highest court will hear a case on the Brexit process on Nov. 27, reviewing whether Britain could unilaterally withdraw its decision to leave the EU.

5) What would the people say?

Unclear.

Many supporters of Brexit say that holding such a vote would thrust the United Kingdom into its biggest ever constitutional crisis, and possibly even provoke disorder.

While polls and academic research show that the country remains divided, a survey of 20,000 voters published this month showed it would vote to stay in the EU.

Many surveys ahead of the vote incorrectly predicted that Britain would vote to stay in the club it joined in 1973. But a vote to leave in a second referendum would surely mean the country would have to leave.

6) What would be on the ballot paper?

It's not clear, of course. Jo Johnson, younger brother of Boris, resigned from the government earlier this month, calling for another referendum.

People should be asked "whether they want to go ahead with Brexit now that we know the deal that is actually available to us, whether we should leave without any deal at all, or whether people on balance would rather stick with the deal we already have inside the European Union", he said.

Supporters of Brexit say having two options for Brexit and one for remain would be unfair as it would split the vote for Brexit.

7) Love EU again?

The prospect of the world's fifth largest economy returning to the fold would surely be welcomed by most EU leaders.

European Council President Donald Tusk said this week that the EU is prepared to cancel Brexit.

French President Emmanuel Macron, for example, has suggested Britain could still change its mind.

8) Neverendum?

Opponents of the idea of a second referendum say it would not solve anything even if voters chose to stay in the EU.

Supporters of Brexit would then demand a third, decisive referendum to resolve the question that has haunted the United Kingdom since it lost its empire: Should it go it alone or partner with the European project? Reuters
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Washington, November 17

Facebook investors have called on the companys chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to step down as chairman following reports that the company hired a public relations firm to smear its critics, a media report said on Saturday.

The New York Times recently published a report revealing that Facebook at times smeared critics as anti-Semitic or tried to link activists to billionaire investor George Soros, and tried to shift public anger away toward rival tech firms.

It also said the company also used a Republican public relations firm, Definers Public Affairs, to help repair its battered reputation following intense criticism of the social media platforms handling of a scandal over Russian interference in the 2016 US elections and the Cambridge Analytica scandal, The Telegraph reported.

Jonas Kron, a senior vice president at Trillium Asset Management, a US investor which owns an 8.5m stake in Facebook, last night called on Zuckerberg to step down as board chairman in the wake of the report, the paper said.

Facebook is behaving like its a special snowflake, the paper quoted him as saying. Its not. It is a company and companies need to have a separation of chair and CEO, he said.

The attack on Zuckerberg is set to complicate the daunting challenge facing Sir Nick Clegg, Facebooks new global head of policy and communications, who joined last month and has been asked to conduct a review of Facebooks use of lobbying firms.  PTI

Silencing critics

A New York Times report has suggested that Facebook hired Definers Public Affairs, a Washington, D.C.-based Republican public relations firm to dug up dirt on the company's competitors and smearing critics as anti-Semitic to shift public anger directed towards it.
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Washington, November 17

The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, despite the Saudi governments denials that the de facto ruler was involved, according to a senior US official.

The official told CNN on Friday the conclusion was based on a recording provided by the Turkish government and other evidence, including American intelligence.

Investigators also believed that an operation such as the one that ended in Khashoggis death would not have happened without Salmans knowledge given his control of the government, the official said.

Reacting to the development, a Saudi Embassy spokeswoman said that the claims in this purported assessment are false. We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations.

The Central Intelligence Agency is yet to make an official announcement.

Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post and also former Saudi royal insider who became a critic of the countrys government, went missing on October 2 after he visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain papers for his upcoming marriage.

The Saudi government offered changing explanations for Khashoggis disappearance.

Included in the US intelligence analysed by the CIA was a phone call the Crown Princes brother Khalid bin Salman made to Khashoggi, encouraging the journalist to make the trip to the consulate to get the documents, according to The Washington Post.

Sources told the Post that Khalid made the call at his brothers command.

Khalid denied the Posts reporting, saying on Twitter that he had never spoken to Khashoggi by phone.

I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the US government to release any information regarding this claim, Khalid said on Friday.

He said the last contact hed had with Khashoggi was via text in October 2017.

Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, told the Post that Khalid, who is the Saudi ambassador to the US, and Khashoggi never discussed anything related to going to Turkey.

The CIA also examined an audio recording from inside the Saudi consulate provided by Turkey and a phone call placed from inside the consulate after Khashoggi was killed.

The location of Khashoggis remains unknown.

US President Donald Trumps administration on Thursday imposed penalties on 17 individuals over their alleged roles in the killing of Khashoggi, CNN said.

Earlier on Thursday, the Saudi Public Prosecutors Office said 11 people had been charged for their involvement, adding that five were facing capital punishment for being directly involved in ordering and executing the crime. IANS
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Washington, November 16

The CIA believes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, sources familiar with the matter have said, complicating President Donald Trumps efforts to preserve ties with a key US ally.

The sources said the CIA had briefed other parts of the US government, including Congress, on its assessment, which contradicts Saudi government assertions that Prince Mohammed was not involved.

The CIAs finding, first reported by the Washington Post, is the most definitive US assessment to date tying Saudi Arabias de facto ruler directly to the killing.

The Washington Post, citing people familiar with the matter, said the CIAs assessment was based in part on a phone call the Crown Princes brother, Prince Khaled bin Salman, the Saudi Ambassador to the US, had with Khashoggi.

Prince Khaled told Khashoggi he should go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents and gave him assurances that it would be safe to do so, the Post said. I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the US government to release any information regarding this claim," Prince Khaled said.

President Donald Trump said he had not yet been briefed on the CIAs conclusions regarding the murder of Khashoggi, but that he would speak with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the CIA about the issue.  Reuters

Claim based on call

The Washington Post, citing people familiar with the matter, said the CIAs assessment was based in part on a phone call the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans brother, Prince Khaled bin Salman, the Saudi Ambassador to the US, had with Khashoggi.
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

buenos aires: The Argentine Navy submarine that went missing a year ago off the country's Atlantic Coast was found by a private company involved in what had been a massive search for the vessel and its 44-member crew, the Navy announced by tweet on Saturday. The submarine ARA San Juan had a seven-day supply of air when it last reported its position on November 15, 2017. It was found some 800 meters (2,625 feet) below the oceans surface by a marine tracking contractor Ocean Infinity. The disappearance gripped the nation's attention as the government struggled to provide information about the tragedy. Reuters

China begins rebuilding friendship bridge with Nepal

Kathmandu: Chinese authorities have commenced the reconstruction of the Sino-Nepal "friendship bridge" that links the Himalayan nation with Tibet and was damaged in the massive 2015 quake. The earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, 2015 severely damaged the bridge in Rasuwagadhi along the Nepal-China road, that had been a major trading route between Kathmandu and Tibet. Nepal and China signed an agreement on June 21 this year and the Chinese authorities started work on the bridge that will replace the earthquake-damaged bridge in Rasuwagadhi border. The construction of the bridge would complete by May 2019, according to officials. AP

Postmen strike, Canada asks world to stop sending mail

Ottawa: Canada's postal service issued a plea on Friday for the rest of the world to stop sending in mail as its striking workers rejected the latest contract offer. Canada Post, facing a huge delivery backlog as the labour unrest looked set to enter a fifth week, recently sweetened its offer to staff in a last-ditch effort to bring the rotating strikes to an end. This followed a warning from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that his government was prepared to step in to settle the labour dispute ahead of the upcoming holiday season. His government has faced pressure from online retailers including eBay to legislate an end to the strike before the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events, which start on November 23. PTI
A few of the participants and facilitators of the workshop. Image: Kizzy Kalsakau
We currently plan to do a heap of train travel using a Three Country Eurail Pass over January/February 2019 through Switzerland, France and Germany. We've done extensive research regarding the pro's and con's of a Eurail Pass vs Swiss Pass vs Point-to-point and, at this stage, it is expected to be Eurail Pass travel. We're aware Eurail Passes have their fans but also plenty of detractors, so for the purposes of this question, please take the Eurail Pass as a given.

The one-off we've come up against is this though.

One of our trips will be from Zurich to Fussen. Most (though not necessarily all) of the routes surprisingly take you through one stop in Austria. Specifically, the route goes through St. Margrethen in Switzerland, across the border, stops at Bregenz in Austria, then continues to Lindau in Germany. There usually isn't a change of train.

I guess the question is, given we pass through Austria without intention of stopping, en route from Switzerland to Germany, will our three country pass do it?

I'd like to think it will, but I'd hazard to guess it won't. If we're travelling Eurail Pass I'm surmising our best solution is to buy a flexi ticket on DB from St. Margrethen to Lindau, which is only 8 Euros each. Given it is a flexi-ticket, I'm under the impression I could use it for any train on the route on the day of purchase, though I haven't looked into that in detail yet. That would be important as we may not know until we're en route just which train we'll be taking that day, so we may pre-book (or, if possible, grab a ticket at Zurich Station as we leave, if that's possible).

Suggestions/corrections gladly received.
Here's a " Mobile call primer ".

I'll try and keep it as short and as direct as I can, but I will add some necessay information. It should covers about everything and everyone. Our friends from across the Pond shoud replace references to the North-American Dialing Plan with their own. But still, the mobile rules apply.

In order to understand the cellular dialing rules, it may be necessary to understand the land line dialing rules first. Then you'll see that mobile dialing rules are much better.

I'll use the 416-555-1212 as an example, but don't call it! Actually, in N-A, XXX-555-1212 is directory assistance for the XXX area code. Most other 555 numbers are fictional.

In North America nowadays, we have 10-digit phone numbers (as in 416-555-1212). But our real (full / international) phone number is actually 11 digits: 1-416-555-1212. We often think of the "1" as long-distance prefix, and it is, but it't also the country code for Canada, the US and parts of the Carribean. Other examples of country codes are: 52 for Mexico, 44 for the UK, 33 for France, 20 for Egypt.

Land line dialing rule

The land line dialing rule is: "use no more than necessary". There are three call cases: local call, long-distance call and international call. For a local call, you dial the 10-digit number. For long-distance but still within the country code, you dial 1, then the 10-digit number. For an international call, you dial 011, then the country code, then the national number (whose length varies by country). You must use no more than necessary, otherwise your call will not complete.

Cellular dialing rule

The cellular dialing rule is: "use as much as you want, we'll strip whatever is not needed". From the start, mobile phones were, well, mobile. This means they could end up anywhere. And since each country has their own rules and idosyncrasies about what is long-distance and how to get an international line, and because the computers and handsets were modern enough, mobile operators went the other way: they allow you to dial the full number, including the international prefix and the country code, and they use only what they need to connect your call. Thus, you can dial the full international number for your friend across the street, you will not be charged an overseas rate! They also came up with a universal international prefix: "+", which is the equivalent to North-America's 011 and whatever code is required anywhere else. I never bothered to learn them, I don't need them since "+" works everywhere.

Thus, from an international point of view, your full Toronto home phone number has the format " +1-416-555-1212 ". You can put that as your home phone in your contact list, and you can call home from anywhere in the world, with whatever SIM card you are using. It will always work. If you prefer the hard way and use the dialpad, long-press the 0 to get the plus sign.

Now, be careful! Dialing the full number (either manually or from the phonebook) means you will accept the cost, whatever it is. My most important numbers (home, Dad, Sister, Wife) are fully qualified (they have the +). All the numbers I do not want to call from overseas do not, but still have the "1" because I have a Canada-wide plan and I use a T-Mobile SIM card when in the US. This means that wherever I am, I can select "Home" from my phonebook and my call will connect and I will be charged whatever. But, if I try to call my boss from abroad, the call will not connect since I did not include the international prefix.

As for incoming call to you, the charge is two-fold:

- the calling party pays the fee to get to your homebase

- you pays the fee from your homebase to your current location.

Examples :

- you're home and your next-door neighbor calls you : it's a local call for the both of you

- you're at your sister's home in Vancouver. She calls you : it's a long distance for the both of you (no kidding!)

- you're in PuntaCana and your next-door neighbor calls you : it's a local call for her and an international call for you

- you're in PuntaCana and your Vancouver sister calls you : it's a long distance for her (Van-TO) and an international call for you

Texting is done the same as calling. (Little known fact : text messages are sent and received in the signaling channel. In other words, dialing a number is actually a message, hence the need to press the "send" key or the green phone icon to send the message and initiate the call). Texting charges follow the same rules as calling. Each party pays according to their location and plan.

Usually, just having your phone on and connected to the network only incurs a charge if you actually use it. For example, if you did not turn data off, you will be charged (either for MB transfered of the daily plan). But if data roaming is off, you should be safe keeping your phone on for incoming calls and texts. You would only be charged if any actually come in (again, by the unit or according to your roaming plan). This shoud either be easy to find on your carrier's web site or by calling them. If the help desk person is not sure, nicely but firmly ask to be transfered to "someone who knows". It's not a very common question, but they should have the answer.

I hope it's clear. It's really easy to remember once you understand how it works.
For ease of commute/no visa issues etc etc, I would choose Singapore first, HK second and as much as I love Hanoi, I would not choose Vietnam as a stopover. Vietnam deserves to be a two-three week holiday on its own, and you dont have the brilliant airport train services like the other two.

If we have a stopover in Singapore we leave our large suitcases at the airport and just take a small backpack with us in to our accommodation which makes it super easy.

Cheers.
Hi everyone. Im from Argentina, travelling to Australia with my boyfriend in February - March 2019. I've spent a lot of hours organising an itinerary, and I would appreciate your help, basically to know if its a feasible itinerary, and also recive suggestions. Im not going to visit Uluru, and I know its a pitty, but it was too expensive for us, and it was difficult to include it. I also know that Im going to the Great Barrier Reef in the worst time of the year, but its the only time I have, and the GBR is mandatory for us. That being said, here goes the itinerary.

- Feb 17 to 19: Sydney

- Feb 20: fly to Hamilton Island of the Whitsundays islands, spent there 4 nights and visit the Whiteheaven beach and relax a bit.

- Feb 24: pick up a campervan in Airlie Beach and drive to Mission Beach to spend the night.

- Feb 25: Mission Beach to Atherton Tablelands, spend a few hours there.

- Feb 26: Kuranda whole day, night in Port Douglas.

- Feb 27: Daintree rainforest.

- Feb 28: Cape Tribulation and back to Cairns.

- March 1: Great Barrier Reef tour from Cairns.

- March 2: fly from Cairns to Melbourne.

- March 3: pick another campervan for the Great Ocean Road, night in Apollo Bay.

- March 4: Grampians NP.

- March 5: Drive to Adelaide. Spend night there.

- March 6, 7, 8 and 9: Kangaroo Island, and then fly from Adelaide to Sydney.

- March 10: flight Sydney Buenos Aires.

I think that the worst parts of the itinerary are: just spending one night in Melbourne (I really prefer nature over cities) and not going to the desert...but I guess I have ni choice.

Hope to receive your reccomendations. Thanks!

Edited: 3 years ago
Hi everyone!

Will be flying into Buffalo (From Malibu) and visiting Finger Lakes & Niagara falls.

After which we plan to visiting New York City and fly out from there to Singapore.

Question is should we drive from Buffalo to New York? Or Should we just drive down? We would be departing from Finger Lakes.
Plenty of useful advices already given. Let me do my part also.

So - can we do a fly drive Costa Rica trip like that? Yes, for sure. Might be not all of your first choices accommodations will be available at last minute call but there will be at least one that will suit your needs.

Where do you really recommend? With 3 or with 4 weeks? Because that extra week might change an itinerary. And, important fact is your arrival and departure airport. However, I would stay mostly on the Pacific side, exploring Between Bijagua and Uvita if having 3 weeks, and adding Osa Peninsula if having 4 weeks.

What should we avoid? Tamarindo area, as it will be just too crowded. Caribbean side as it might be too rainy.

What would be a good route staying how long? You might get some ideas about both by reading my trip report from recent 4 weeks trip:

How bad are the roads/driving? It depends; majority are paved and normal quality, as any two-lane country road is. Some are gravel and bumpy and others are gravel and potholed. But all can be driven, best in an SUV.

How much do you think we should book? First and last night for sure. Rest depends, if you have a must stay lodge then book in advance, if not book before arriving. Using booking.com or airbnb.com works well.

Thanks for your feedback. With pleasure!
A few years ago we went to HCMC as a side trip from our yearly Thailand trip. we stayed 6 days and after seeing the must do sights the kids didn't like it and it has been hard to get them to return as I know Vietnam has so much to offer. So next year have talked then into giving it another chance. I am looking at Hanoi, and the Denang, Hoi An and Hue area and are still in the research area.

We will be flying in from Bangkok and so are looking for suggestions on best way to do it. Can fly to Hanoi and check it out before flying down to the other area.

Am I better flying into Hue or Denang...from the little research I have done so far (not going til August 2019) Denang does not seem the place to stay.

Another possibility is flying from Bangkok to Hue/Denang then fly to Hanoi? Not sure how many days we are allocating for trip til I do my research on the what to see/do but if we enjoy it and don't get to see everything that interests us we will definitely come back next year.

Hue looks amazing for me but do want to see the Golden bridge and dragon bridge in Denang and reading reviews everyone is saying Hoi An is a must.

As I said much more research needed but hoping for a few suggestions along the way to try to make plans easier....

thanks once again

Karin
I wish to rent a car for 2 or 3 days on Yakushima in March next year. I would prefer to pick up the car at Miyanoura port and return it to Yakushima airport. I am having difficulty as the websites that I have looked at are in Japanese, which unfortunately I do not speak. Can anyone direct me to a website in English that would assist my search.

Thanks in advance for your help.
I am travelling to Japan in April 2019 for 4 weeks with my husband. We had hoped to travel from early May but our dates changed due to work commitments and we cannot avoid running into Golden Week at the end of our trip.

We will be flying to Fukuoka first (from Hong Kong) then working our way north to Tokyo. Our itinerary may seem a bit odd but I am balancing two sets of different interests. I want to include some less-visited parts of Japan (Kyushu and Shikoku) as well as re-visiting Kanazawa, one of my favourite places (which I prefer to Kyoto). My husband wants to see significant places in Japans modern history and industrial development. Fortunately, we both enjoy ferries and long walks in beautiful natural environments. We prefer to stay a few days in each place and take day trips rather than travelling each day.

This is what I am thinking to include so far:

10-16 April: Kyushu: Nagasaki/Mt Aso/Beppu, then ferry to Shikoku

17- 19 April: Matsuyama (will visit some of the 88 pilgrimage temples), then ferry to Hiroshima

20-22 April: Hiroshima including day trip to Miyajima, then train to Kanazawa

23-26 April: Kanazawa, including day trip to Tateyama/Murodo along part of the Alpine route.

At the beginning of Golden Week on 27 April we are heading to Takayama (2 nights) then

Nagoya (3 nights) and Matsumoto (2 nights) then train back to Tokyo on 4 May for 4 nights. We fly home on 8 May.

I am interested in any thoughts as to whether these are the best choices for Golden Week? I know Takayama will be crowded as it was busy there when I visited on an ordinary weekend - but cant see how to fit it in anywhere else -or substitute it with somewhere else? Will Matsumoto also be crowded? I figure that big cities like Nagoya and Tokyo may be less busy than usual.

And I worry about how far in advance trains will be fully booked. We will have a 14 day rail pass, starting in Hiroshima so will be able to book Golden Week train journeys 2 weeks in advance once we arrive in Japan. Will this be sufficient?

Tips welcome on how to cope with Golden Week crowds! Or am a worrying too much? With such a long break perhaps many people head overseas.
So my husband and I have just been invited to stay with friends for a week in Tokyo from the 19th Feb, 2019.

After much discussion we have decided to add 10 -14 days onto the trip before we have to be in Tokyo on the 19th. We have commitments in March so cannot do after.

Havent bought flights yet, but assuming it is easier to fly in and out of Tokyo (from Sydney)?

I have been doing lots of research the last few days are am now in a haze of confusion!!

Rough plan;

DAY 1- 4

arrive AM Tokyo.Train straight out of city to Matsumoto or Nagano. stop for a few days to get over flight. Use as base for day trips?

DAY 4-6

TAKAYAMA, day trip to Shirakawago ( or stay another night here?)

1 DAY I read somewhere about an 8 km walk in Kiso Valley to Tsumago.I cant remember the

starting point? Is it doable this time of year? Where should this be slotted into the trip?

DAY 6-10

Kyoto with day trip to Nara and Osaka

DAY 10-12

Hiroshima & Miyajima and /or Okayama day trip.

Day 12-13 Hakone relax in some onsens b4 heading back to Tokyo

Have I got the stops in a logical order for train travel?

We are both in our late 50s, fit and active, however I would prefer basing ourselves in a place for at least a few nights rather than 1 night pit stops.

Any suggestions or comments or improvements on the above are gratefully accepted as I want to start looking at booking accomodation!!
Hi there! A friend and I (both 25/26-year old women) are planning a trip to Japan over the New Year. We will be there for 12 nights, arriving late morning in Tokyo on December 25th, and departing early evening from Tokyo on January 6th.

Currently our plans are to be in Tokyo for 4 nights, then Kyoto for 3, then Osaka for 2, then Hiroshima for 1, and finally back in Tokyo for the last 2 nights. We are also consider a night in Fujieda based on a recommendation from a friend (likely between Tokyo and Kyoto) A few questions that would be immensely helpful to get advice on, as the trip is coming up quickly and we need to start getting everything booked that needs to be done in advance :)

1. Where is the ideal place to be over New Year's? Our currently plans have us in Kyoto for New Year's Eve and then Osaka for the next couple of nights. I have heard there are quite a few closings in terms of restaurants in particular in the first couple of days of the New Year (but these trip dates are set in stone as it's the only time we can take this long of a trip!), so we want to be able to experience as much of Japan as possible without every food option and activity being closed.

2. Any overall feedback on our itinerary, in terms of the order of the cities and amount of time in each?

3. Any day trips that you would particularly recommend from Tokyo or Kyoto/Osaka? We have quite a few on our list and want to choose the best ones, keeping the winter/holiday timing in mind. For reference, on our list of potentials we have Hakone, Nikko, Kamakura, and Jigokudani Monkey Park from Tokyo, and Nara and Kobe from Osaka/Kyoto.

4. Should we be purchasing a 7 or 14 day rail pass? I know this needs to be purchased ahead of time, so want to make sure we have the right number of days for maximum cost effectiveness.

5. Would you recommend a night in Hokkaido, particularly Sapporo? It seems a bit out of the way based on our itinerary, but we are interested in going there if it's highly recommended!

6. Overall, any restaurant, activity, and lodging recommendations would be very welcome!! We are planning to do a mix of hotels (mostly using points) and hostels for a balanced budget. Also, regarding restaurants and activities, it would be helpful to know of anything that should be reserved in advance vs. what we can be more spontaneous about when we arrive.

I am aware this is quite a few questions, so thank you so much to anyone who can help - this is both of our first times in Japan and we are so excited :)
- Imam Said Omar was found guilty of sodomising his nine-year-old step-son thrice

- He was accused of committing the offence in 2016 and attempted to bribe the boy with KSh 50

- The magistrate said Omar had betrayed the trust of the minor who looked up to him for protection

- Senior Principal Magistrate Sylvia Wewa sentenced him to life for sodomy and fined him KSh 10 million for committing an indecent act with a minor

A Malindi Court has jailed a Muslim religious leader for life after finding him guilty of sodomising his step-son.

Imam Omar Said Omar was facing charges of sodomising his nine-year-old step-son on Wednesday, March 23, 2016 and thereafter gave him KSh 50 to conceal the evil act.

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Malindi Senior Principal Magistrate Sylvia Wewa said prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt the Imam Said Omar had defile the minor. Photo: Onesmus Baraka/TUKO.co.ke

Source: Original

READ ALSO: Migori Governor Okoth Obado walks to freedom

In a judgement delivered on Friday, November 16, Malindi Senior Principal Magistrate (SPM) Sylvia Wewa said the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt the renowned Muslim cleric had sodomised the minor.

Wewa said Omar, 37, betrayed the trust of his nine-year old step son who looked up to him for protection, care, love and provision of basic needs and fined him KSh 10 million for a second charge of committing an indecent act with a minor.

"The actions of the accused betrayed the trust the minor had on him. She looked up to him for provision of education, food, shelter and love.. He turned to be the oppressor," said Wewa while issuing the judgment.

She said the medical report revealed the minor had bruises on his private parts with doctors concluding he had been sodomised.

Wewa noted the prosecution and the victim proved the Imam had repeatedly sodomised the minor thrice leave alone, lacking remorse for his actions.

The Muslim cleric was jailed for life for sodomy and fined KSh 10 million for committing indecent act with a minor. Photo:UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: First aid kit, towing rope, fire extinguisher not mandatory for private motorists - Police

"The accused was not remorseful and on several occasions threatened witnesses. He did not spare the victim's mother who was his wife prompting for the cancellation of his bond. The court therefore finds the accused guilty and sentences him to the maximum penalty of life in prison," the magistrate concluded.

He was given 14 days to appeal in case he felt aggrieved by the court's judgment.

Human rights lobbyists including members of the Muslim for Human Rights (MUHURI) who had jammed the courtroom lauded the magistrate's decision saying it would serve as a lesson to potential perpetrators.

Francis Auma, the response officer at MUHURI who was following up the matter said the court's decision sparked a glitter of hope for achievement of children's rights.

There is no room for such kind of people in the society. This judgement will serve as a lesson to all potential and suspected children abusers," Auma said.

Story By: Onesmus Baraka, TUKO Correspondent, Kilifi County

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Kenya News Today: MC Jesse Calls Fan Ugly and Kenyans Are Not Impressed | Tuko TV

Source: Tuko
A hungry man is an angry man is a popular saying President Uhuru Kenyatta can consciously relate to after one of his speeches rubbed some Kenyans the wrong way.

Uhuru found himself on the receiving end after stating that government would ensure all people who looted billions from the National Youth Service (NYS) return the money.

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President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed that National Youth Service looters would be jailed and all lost money recovered during the pass out ceremony. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta/Facebook.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Two women notorious for drugging men in night clubs arrested in Thika

The Head of State was speaking at NYS training college in Gilgil, Nakuru county during the pass out of 16,4000 recruits on Friday, November 16.

"No individual will get away with embezzling public resources. Everyone who has pocketed funds meant for empowering our young men and women at the NYS must be held accountable," said Uhuru.

Kenyans who were not amused by Uhuru's speech and burdened with tough economic times largely occasioned by rampant corruption, blankly told the president on his Facebook page that they were tired of tough, empty talk.

The citizens unreservedly gave the Head of State a piece of their mind and reminded him it was not the first time he had issued such threats, even challenging him to emulate Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i;

"You can sing that 1,000 times for all we care. Why can't you tell that to Waiguru and Sicily Kariuki? Or you can continue singing Big Four all year round. Does it mean you don't know who stole KSh 879 million and KSh 10 billion? Sack all your CSs, parastatals and Mtu wako wa mkono or you shut up instead of crying to Kenyans about corruption," Evans Kirui responded.

Angry Kenyans questioned which action had President Uhuru Kenyatta personally taken to fight corruption. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta/Facebook.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Government explains acute shortage of car number plates in the country

Anthony Wainich, another agitated Kenyan, asked Uhuru to give Kenyans peace of mind since they had gotten tired of his empty threats.

"With all due respect, I think you have acute memory loss maybe related to alcohol. whenever you go for this NYS passouts you repeat the same statement even swearing upon God! And this parades are two or three per year since 2014 they have been about nine. Not even a fly has been jailed, in fact they mocked you by stealing ten times more in NYS," said Martin Mwangi M.

READ ALSO: Cross-dressing comedian Shaniqwa quits KTN after three years

"You have words but no action at all," said Cabdinoor Ibrahim Deriye

Mathews Swot MC'omwanda lauded Uhuru for well articulated words but regretted that they were just words which would not be accompanied by any actions.

"Stop giving other Kenyans threat when your drunkard zero achievement plus total corruption," said Kanathi Paul.

Mutahi Ruhohi told Uhuru that it was sometimes better to remain silent rather than issuing statements which only ended up embarrassing him due to inaction, saying it was time he left State House.

"I love watching series but this one of no one will get away with embezzling public funds is just boring. I have been watching it over and over again but the script is just the same. You know what.? Nowadays, Afro cinema is bae," said Calos Arap Sang

"It is turning out the mouthy bark is not backed by any bite. Secondly, we're beginning to suspect that corruption cases are being used by the judicial system as a scheme to milk the already overburdened Kenyan tax payer dry," Shafie A Bulle said.

The angry Kenyans questioned how the president would boldly promise to recover the money when most suspects in the NYS 2015 scandal had been freed by courts.

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Kenyans React To Reinforcement of Michuki Rules | Tuko TV

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- The medics had raised concern over Marie Stopes campaigns supporting abortion

- Pro abortion advertisements are unconstitutional and were banned by Kenya Film Classification Board

- The doctors' board directed the health provider to review its existing guidelines for reproductive health services

Following hue and cry from the medical practitioners across the country over pro abortion activities' campaigns by Marie Stopes Kenya, the health facility has been barred from offering the services.

In a letter seen by TUKO.co.ke on Friday, November 16, the Medical Practitioners and Dentists' Board also directed the health provider to review its existing guidelines for reproductive health services in conformity with the law, the guideline to be submitted within 60 days.

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READ ALSO: Leaked correspondence reveals Kenya medics are concerned with Marie Stopes pro abortion adverts

Marie Stopes clinic. The hospital chain has been accused of conducting pro abortion adverts against the law. Photo: Marie Stopes Kenya.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Kenyans reject KSh 26 billion from UK meant for safe abortions

The board had on Monday, November 5, accused the hospital chain of advertising and conducting abortions despite the exercise being illegal in the country.

"Marie Stopes Kenya is directed to pull down the misleading information on its current website and any other information channel to ensure any future on its website shall conform to the provisions," Jackson Kioko, chairman of the inquiry committee.

Marie Stopes which has operates in 37 countries, provides free contraception, advice on family planning, sexual health, safe abortion and post-abortion care but the new directive will also see them divorce health service from advocacy programme.

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Carolyne Nduti Untold Story: My Husband Left Me for My Cousin - Kenya Untold Stories | Tuko TV

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A middle aged man from the Eastern Uganda has left friends and family in shock when he devoured a huge serpent on his birthday.

Kenneth Odiom who is a transporter and a resident of Kwapa central village in Tororo district was angered by the gigantic cobra after it reportedly killed one of his chickens.

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READ ALSO: Snake creeps on Museveni while addressing public, forces him to cut short speech

A middle aged man from the Eastern Uganda has left friends and family in shock when he devoured a huge serpent on his birthday. Photo: World Atlas.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Uganda ladies parade their assets in style at the 2018 Nyege Nyege festival

According to New Vision, the birthday boy then enjoyed the deep fried serpent with yet to be identified person in accompaniment of a glass of juice and beer.

The man in the company of the friend, stealthily tracked down the animal to ant hill where it always hides whenever it swallows the birds and he flushed it out.

It remains a mystery how Odiom captured his delicacy then dipped it into a hot boiling water before frying it to make a sumptuous meal out of the venomous animal.

His action has left villagers reeling in shock with many whispering behind their eyes on how exactly Odiom who has never eaten any snake in public was oblivious of the danger he subjected himself to.

Cobra is the kind of snake that spread its hood out when they feel threatened or angry, this action helps them intimidate any opponents as they appear much bigger around the neck.

According to Julius Szanto, the only way cobra venom is toxic is if it is injected into the bloodstream when it bites.

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Carolyne Nduti Untold Story: My Husband Left Me for My Cousin - Kenya Untold Stories | Tuko TV

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The decision by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board to ban Marie Stopes Clinic from conducting abortions with the country has not gone well with many Kenyans.

The decision to have an abortion is generally decided for many reasons with most women citing several reasons for abortion.

Research has consistently revealed similar reasons from women as to why they choose to have an abortion.

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READ ALSO: How young college ladies in Nairobi have resorted to digital prostitution

Marie Stopes clinic. The hospital chain has been accused of conducting pro abortion adverts against the law. Photo: Marie Stopes Kenya.

Source: Depositphotos

READ ALSO: Kenyan doctors ban Marie Stopes from conducting any abortion in the country

Unfortunately, there are not a lot of places where women can talk about their abortion reasons or their feelings after seeking an abortion without being judged.

Marie Stopes which operates in 37 countries, became the stop for many women who seek to undo unwanted pregnancies without fear of stigmatization or being judged.

It provided free contraception, advice on family planning, sexual health, safe abortion and post-abortion care, something Kenyan doctors are not happy about.

READ ALSO: Marie Stopes Kenya contacts and clinics

Following the ban, many Kenyans argue understanding womens reasons for abortion can help personalize the debate over the issue.

They also think it could correct public misconceptions then maybe allow the chance for compassion.

Others argued the only reason Marie Stopes made sense was the mere fact it provided safe abortion unlike quack doctors who risk the lives of women, citing Mugo wa Wairimu.

READ ALSO: Leaked correspondence reveals Kenya medics are concerned with Marie Stopes pro abortion adverts

Hypocrisy and Kenyans go together,always hiding behind the Bible but don't follow it. So the mother better die when her life is in danger or complicated? Or rather go to quack to procure abortion and lose 2 lives. Abortion needs debate not declarations, wrote one Mark Philo.

There were, however those supporting pro-life who vehemently supported the ban noting it was high time efforts were redirected to proper sex education than advocate for shortcuts like abortion.

Here are more of the reactions from Kenyans on the hotly debated reproductive health topic.

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Source: Tuko Breaking News Latest
- The new directive indicated that divisional traffic officers would be supervised by sub-county commanders popularly referred to as OCPDs

- The circular directed that no traffic commander would be of a higher or same rank as that of the Officer Commanding Station

- The police boss indicated all officers in the station would be tasked with traffic duties on rotational basis

All Divisional Traffic Officers (DTOs) and base commanders will no longer be directly involved in traffic operations, a police boss has directed.

The officers who were initially in charge of traffic operations in their areas will be required to work under sub-county police commanders previously referred to as OCPDs in the enforcement of traffic laws and regulations.

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Deputy Inspector General of Police Edward Mbugua said all traffic operations at police division would be overseen by sub-county commanders popularly referred to as OCPDs. Photo:UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Kakamega tycoon vows to spend his wealth to ensure Boni Khalwale doesnt become governor in 2022

In a confidential circular seen by Deputy Inspector General of Police Edward Mbugua on Saturday, November 17, the move was aimed at ensuring stations commanders (OCSs) were fully in charge of traffic matters.

According to Mbugua's circular addressed to regional police commanders, no traffic commander would be of a higher or same rank as that of the OCS.

"No officer will be deployed at station level as officer in charge of traffic if she holds a same or higher rank than head of station. Officer holding such higher ranks especially chief inspectors shall be deployed at sub-County level as staff officer traffic," read part of Mbugua's circular.

He explained staff traffic officers would directly work under sub-county commander (OCPD) for proper management of traffic matters clarifying that directive would not render the former redundant.

The police boss indicated that all officers in the station would be tasked with traffic duties on rotational basis. Photo:UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Kenyan doctors ban Marie Stopes from conducting any abortion in the country

"My directives will not bar staff officer traffic at sub county level from supervising traffic enforcement within area. They will deal with enforcement of laws, advising sub county commander on investigation of traffic cases, holding road safety barazas and conducting traffic operations as directed by OCPD," explained Mbugua.

Mbugua directed regional police commanders and commandant in charge of traffic to ensure officers are deployed on rotational basis at station level.

The restructuring was in a bid to ensure efficiency, curb corruption in the wake of countrywide crackdown to ensure Traffic Act compliance.

Additional Reporting By; Lucky Omenda, TUKO Correspondent, Kiambu County.

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Kenyans React To Reinforcement of Michuki Rules | Tuko TV

Source: Tuko
- National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale said Deputy President William Ruto's aide Farouk Kibet was the only way to meet him in office

- Duale said Farouk's word on when one would secure appointment with Ruto was final

- The vocal Garissa Township MP said his counterparts made sure they are in good books with Farouk because they knew he was the pass code to the DP

- He revealed MPs had developed an art of sweet talking and complementing the long serving aide of Ruto due to his authority

- Farouk was once Ruto's fiercest critique before he was persuaded to shift camp and has faithfully upheld his loyalty to the DP

He is popularly known among his peers and in political circles as Farouk.

This man Farouk Teigut Kibet has established himself as Deputy President William Ruto's confidant to an extent that even politicians who claim to be strongest supporters of Kenya's second most powerful leader fear him.

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READ ALSO: Dennis Itumbi raises more eyebrows after putting rumoured ex-lover Maribes photo as profile picture

Deputy President William Ruto condoles his Personal Assistant Farouk Kibet during the funeral of his late father Paul Teigut. Photo: UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: TV girl Jacque Maribe spotted for the first time in public since being freed

Speaking during the burial of Farouk's father, Paul Teigut Kibet in Chepsaita, Uasin Gishu county on Friday, November 16, National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale said it was next to impossible to secure appointment with Ruto at Harambee House without going through Farouk.

Duale himself once declared he could not question Ruto if the DP told him to jump from the apex of a skyscraper.

He told mourners Farouk who was too close to Ruto for one to be able to differentiate ones opinion from the other's on official issues was feared, respected and loved by politicians who their needs require the DP's input.

"There is usually delicious food in the office of the DP at 1.30pm but there is only one person who can stop you from tasting meal. That person is Farouk Kibet," said Duale.

Farouk Kibet once served as a nominated Councillor in Wareng Municipality and was one of William Ruto's fiercest critiques before the latter persuaded him to join his camp. Photo:UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Police boss reorganises traffic command structure, OCPDs to oversee operations

According to Duale, any word from the DP's trusted personal assistant who rarely speaks in public about an appointment was final, irrespective of the urgency of politicians who wanted to meet Ruto.

"When he says your appointment will be on Tuesday no matter the urgency it will be just that. Many politicians approach him with much caution. Don't see these MPS praising Farouk and think they are fools. They know the benefits of being in good terms with him and consequences of being in his bad books," Duale said.

He revealed no politician that hoped to meet Ruto at some point would try undermine Farouk who once served as Wareng municipality nominated councilor because they knew, rarely would one reach the DP unless through him.

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Kenyans React To Reinforcement of Michuki Rules | Tuko TV

Source: Tuko.co.ke
- The 64-year-old man left his ancestral home following an argument with his wife

- He went missing for 40 years and only returned on realising age was catching up with him

- To his surprise, his kins had buried a stranger who was confused for him in 2011

- The man confused for him had been killed by armed robbers disfiguring his body

- Rituals were however performed to welcome back the man but he never felt at home

- He found solace in doing menial jobs in the area until he succumbed to a liver condition

In a strange turn of events, a family in Kitui was forced to conduct a second burial for a kin who had been missing for over 40-years only to return after they had buried someone else thinking it was him.

Mbithi Kitheka Mukunga, who died peacefully in his sleep after battling liver condition, was laid to rest on Thursday, November 13.

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READ ALSO: Kenyans oppose ban on Marie Stopes from conducting abortions, claim it boxes pregnant women

Mourners carry the casket containing the remains of Mbithi Kitheka Mukunga. Photo: Kenya News Agency

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Family of 8-month-old baby stolen in Mombasa offer KSh 100,000 reward to anyone who finds her

According to his younger brother, Joseph Muasya, Kitheka mysteriously disappeared from their home in 1973 after an altercation with his wife, Kenya News Agency reported.

During that time, the family made efforts to trace him in various parts of the country but it was all in vain.

After losing hope in ever finding him, a group of three men came calling from Embu at the Kanyaa Location Chiefs office with news Mukunga was dead.

The man who had been confused for Mukunga , Titus Kitheka Mbithi, had been attacked and clobbered to death by armed robbers in Embu.

READ ALSO: Two Nakuru teachers arrested for offering holiday tuition, charging KSh 1,200 per subject

Mbithi Kitheka Mukunga disappeared from home after an argument with his wife. Photo: Kenya News Agency

Source: Facebook

The men had come searching for the family of the deceased, he used to tell them that his home area was in Mwingi West. Following clues from Mwingi town, their last stop was at Kanyaa, said the area Senior Chief, Boniface Kasonge

The chief proceeded to dispatch a messenger to his home asking them come to the office and meet the visitors.

After receiving the sad news, as a family we left for Embu in the company of Kithekas friends to identify the body. My elder brother and sister positively identified him and burial plans immediately began, said Muasya.

READ ALSO: Jacque Maribe's detained lover wants judge who called him 'woman eater' removed from case

After a couple of days, burial plans were finalized and the Embu Medical Superintendent issued them with a burial permit and later interred Kithekas remains in 2011, unknown to them their brother was still alive.

In 2014, another shocker hit the family, the real Kitheka came calling, and his brothers were thrown into confusion.

He tried to talk to us, greet us and smile at us but we were apprehensive. We were so afraid. His childhood friends came calling and finally he showed us his identity card. It was our long lost brother, said Muasya as he fought back tears.

READ ALSO: Kenyan priest killed at church compound in South Sudan 17 months after another was killed for praying loudly

Mukunga, the lost sheep, had been working as a casual labourer in Nyahururu but since old age was slowly catching up with him, he decided to come back home.

In ensuring peace among the family, a goat was to be sacrificed at the grave of the mistaken man to appease his spirit in a bid to welcome Kitheka home, said Kioko.

However, following the turn of events, Kitheka found solace doing menial jobs to fend for himself until he was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis early 2018, he moved to the family home in November 2018 and days later, he died.

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Kenya News Today: MC Jesse Calls Fan Ugly and Kenyans Are Not Impressed | Tuko TV

Source: Tuko Breaking News
-State House Head of Digital Communication Dennis Itumbi uploaded a photo of rumoured ex-lover Jacque Maribe

- Itumbi left Kenyans asking a lot of questions after renewed public intimacy with the Citizen TV news anchor

- He splashed his social media accounts with poems and suggestive messages in solidarity with Maribe who was arrested over murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani

- Itumbi was also present during court sessions ahead of Maribe's successful bail application

If the saying that a picture is worth more than a thousand words is anything to go by, then State House Head of Digital Communication Dennis Itumbi has laid bare millions of secrets with his new Facebook profile photo.

With the photo of rumoured ex-lover TV girl Jacque Maribe embedded on his social media account, Itumbi simply insinuated the territory was marked with a razor fence.

READ ALSO: Police boss reorganises traffic command structure, OCPDs to oversee operations

Jacque Maribe's photo which Dennis Itumbi uploaded as his Facebook profile picture. Photo: Dennis Itumbi/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Kenyans oppose ban on Marie Stopes from conducting abortions, claim it boxes pregnant women

To some social media users, the vocal journalist had just ended suspense of a romantic novel he was scripting in police stations and courtrooms.

"Jacque Maribe at Naisula Lesuuda wedding," read a brief caption which accompanied the photo that raised eyebrows online.

Since the arrest of Maribe alongside her lover Joseph Irungu alias Jowie over the murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani on on Saturday, September 29, Itumbis poetic prowess exploded.

He kept scripting poems of encouragement as he stood in solidarity with Maribe until she was finally granted bail after 32 days in remand, making many Kenyans question their intimacy.

Dennis Itumbi with Jacque Maribe when she was arraigned in court ahead of her bail application hearing. Photo:UGC

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: The who is who grace funeral of father to William Rutos PA, Farouk Kibet

Some Kenyans lauded their friendship as one of a kind while a pessimistic and critical lot said Itumbi had taken advantage of Jowies misery to rekindle his rumoured ex-flame.

"We are good friends, only that our bond was born deep in the soul," Itumbi responded when asked about his relationship with the Citizen TV news anchor.

In what could be plainly referred to as a good coincidence Maribe who had been missing in the public domain since her release from remand on Wednesday, October 31 appeared in public for the first time, and just then Itumbis profile picture was her.

She had attended Samburu West MP Naisula Lessuda's invite only wedding ceremony in the company of Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria.

Kenyans who had been following the two soul friends association did not miss Itumbis new development and as usual had their say;

READ ALSO: Michelle Obama reveals she was angry at Obama for bringing her to Kenya before they got married

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Kenyans React To Reinforcement of Michuki Rules | Tuko TV

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Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on the evening of Saturday, November 17, stormed homes of Wajir Governor Mohamed Abdi Mohamud.

The officers visited the governor's homes in Wajir and Nairobi in search of crucial documents in ongoing corruption probe into misappropriation of KSh 350 million from the county coffer.

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READ ALSO: Supreme Court suspends nullification of Wajir governors election

Governor Mahamed's homes in Wajir and Nairobi have been raided by anti-graft agency over corruption. Photo: Mohamed Muhamud Abdi/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Ugandan university disowns Wajir governor's academic papers

During the operations which also saw wife of the head of county treasury arrested, several documents and material were recovered.

Sources say the wife reportedly destroyed some documents so as to conceal substantial evidence of an alleged corruption.

A similar raid has recently been conducted in home of Migori Governor Okoth Obado who is implicated alongside seven members of his family over alleged theft of KSh 2 billion from the county government's coffers.

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Carolyne Nduti Untold Story: My Husband Left Me for My Cousin - Kenya Untold Stories | Tuko TV

Source: Tuko.co.ke
June's inaugural UEFA Nations League Finals will take place in Portugal, after the UEFA Executive Committee formally confirmed the Group A3 winners as hosts.

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In March, Poland, Portugal and Italy all expressed an interest in staging the Finals. As all three nations were in Group A3, the winners were always assured of being hosts. European champions Portugal made sure it would be them with a 0-0 draw in Italy.

They will be joined in the Finals by England, Switzerland and the Netherlands, with Porto's Estadio do Dragao and the Estadio D. Afonso Henriques in Guimaraes proposed as host venues in Portugal's bid dossier.

Match schedule

5 June: Portugal v Switzerland (Porto, 20:45CET)

6 June: Netherlands v England (Guimaraes, 20:45CET)

9 June: Match for third place (Guimaraes, 15:00CET)

9 June: Final (Porto, 20:45CET)

Local time is one hour behind CET

Host bidders were required to specify two stadiums with a net seating capacity of at least 30,000, ideally located in the same host city or approximately 150km apart.
What was it?

The inaugural UEFA Nations League Finals was a knockout tournament that took place from 5-9 June, involving the four group winners of the top-ranked League A: Portugal (hosts), England, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Who played who?

See how Portugal claimed Nations League glory

The draw took place in Dublin on Monday 3 December.

Semi-finals

Wednesday 5 June: Portugal 3-1 Switzerland (Porto)

Thursday 6 June: Netherlands 3-1 England, aet (Guimaraes)

Match for third place

Sunday 9 June: Switzerland 0-0 England, England win 6-5 on pens (Guimaraes)

Final

Sunday 9 June: Portugal 1-0 Netherlands (Porto)

Where were the Finals?

Estadio do Dragao Getty Images

Portugal, with Porto's Estadio do Dragao and the Estadio D. Afonso Henriques in Guimaraes the host venues. Italy, Poland and Portugal all expressed interest in hosting the inaugural finals before the deadline in March 2018. As they were all in Group A3, the winner of that section was always in line to host.

What was the format?

There were two semi-finals, with Portugal beating Switzerland and the Netherlands overcoming England to reach the final. The losing semi-finalists met in the match for third place, England winning on penalties after a goalless draw. Portugal added the UEFA Nations League title to their UEFA EURO 2016 crown with a 1-0 defeat of the Dutch in Porto.

What do winners Portugal get?

First and foremost, a fetching 71cm-tall sterling silver trophy. The prize money was as follows:

The story behind the Nations League trophy

10.5m Winners, Portugal

9.0m Runners-up, Netherlands

8.0m Third place, England

7.0m Fourth place, Switzerland

The figures include the 4.5m all four finalists had already secured, made up of a 2.25m solidarity fee for all League A teams and 2.25m as a bonus for winning a League A group. A total of 76.25m in solidarity and bonus fees was earmarked for the 55 competing national associations.
Russian-backed militants launched 10 attacks, using weapons banned under the Minsk agreements six times, on positions of Ukrainian troops in the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) area in Donbas in last day.

Over the past day, the enemy shelled Ukrainian positions outside Vilne (70km south-west of Donetsk), Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk), Novoluhanske (53km north-east of Donetsk), Marinka (35 km south-west of Donetsk), Krasnohorivka (29 km west of Donetsk), Pavlopol (30 km northeast of Mariupol), Hnutove (19km north-west of Mariupol) and Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol), the JFO Headquarters press center reported.

The terrorists fired grenade launchers of different systems, heavy machine guns and small arms. The enemy used 82mm mortars to shell Ukrainian troops near Shyrokyne, and 82mm mortars and 120mm mortars - near Vilne.

Ukrainian soldiers were neither killed nor wounded in hostilities in last day.

According to the intelligence, two militants were wounded in last day.

Today, the illegal armed formations have already launched attacks on positions of the Joint Forces outside Novotoshkivske, Zholobok and Hnutove, using 82mm and 120mm mortars, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms. One Ukrainian soldier was killed in the shelling today.

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The United States and Ukraine stressed the importance of continued coordination to stop the construction of Russian pipelines, in particular, Nord Stream 2 and the second line of Turkish Stream.

This is stated in a joint statement of the Ukraine-USA Strategic Partnership Commission, published on the website of the Embassy of Ukraine in the USA.

"Both sides stressed the need for continued gas transit through Ukraine, and emphasized their opposition to energy projects that threaten European energy diversity and security. In particular, the United States and Ukraine stressed the importance of continued coordination to stop proposed Russian pipelines that would hurt Ukraines economic and strategic stability, such as Nord Stream 2 and the second line of TurkStream," the statement reads.

In addition, the parties intend to continue work together aimed at developing and reforming Ukraines energy sector to enhance Ukraines economy and security. Ukraine underscored its intention to expand domestic oil and gas production and unbundle the gas transit system, and welcomed the involvement of U.S. companies in these efforts, as well as in programs aimed at increasing energy efficiency.

"The United States reaffirmed its commitment to partner with Ukraine to develop a free and prosperous economy. The United States expressed support for the many economic reforms Ukraine has undertaken, and encouraged further reform and cooperation with the IMF and other partners to achieve strong, sustainable, and inclusive economic growth," the statement notes.

The United States and Ukraine underlined the importance of the work of the U.S.-Ukraine Trade and Investment Council to increase bilateral trade and investments by eliminating existing trade barriers and improving the regulatory environment and business climate

As reported, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin met November 16, 2018, in Washington, D.C., to hold a plenary session of the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission.

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The Minsk agreements are a key tool for maintaining sanctions against Russia for the sake of restoring Ukraines territorial integrity.

U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker said this during a meeting of the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission.

I highlighted the utility of the Minsk agreements, which while signed at a difficult time, reaffirm Russias commitment to Ukraines territorial integrity and is a key vehicle for maintaining sanctions, he wrote on Twitter.

Volker also reiterated the U.S. commitment to ensuring the full restoration of Ukraines territorial integrity and the safety and well-being of all Ukrainians.

ish
The United States once again reaffirmed its commitment to the Declaration of July 25 issued by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the non-recognition of Russias purported annexation of Crimea.

This is stated in a joint statement of the Ukraine-USA Strategic Partnership Commission, published on the website of the Embassy of Ukraine in the USA.

"The United States confirmed its commitment to maintain sanctions against Russia related to its aggression against Ukraine until Russia fully implements the Minsk agreements and returns Crimea to Ukrainian control," the statement notes.

In addition, the parties stressed the need to continue building Ukraines resilience in the face of Russian aggression, reaffirmed the importance of the Minsk agreements in ending Russias aggression, and highlighted the need to restore Ukrainian control over the Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied or controlled by Russia  Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Both sides decided that a robust UN-mandated international security force in the areas of Donbas controlled by Russia, including the Ukraine-Russia international border, would create the necessary security conditions for the full implementation of the Minsk agreements.

"The United States reiterated its commitment to Secretary Pompeos July 25 Declaration on the non-recognition of Russias purported annexation of Crimea. The United States condemned Russias aggressive actions against international shipping transiting the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait to Ukrainian ports. Both sides stressed that Russias aggressive activities in the Sea of Azov have brought new security, economic, social, and environmental threats to the entire Azov-Black Sea region," the statement reads.

ish
Canada continues to consistently condemn the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia and support the people of Ukraine.

We continue to condemn the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia. The people of Ukraine can count on long-lasting friendship and support of Canada, Canadian Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan stated, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

He recalled that the Canadian military was involved in the UNIFIER training mission in Ukraine.

Id like to emphasize that our government strongly supports Ukrainians and the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the minister said.

Sajjan added that Canada "stands in defense of international peace and stability."

Together with our allies and partners, we stand side by side for a better and more secure future, he summed up.

ish
Norway and Ukraine will share experiences and maintain contacts as part of the implementation of national education reforms.

The agreement was reached at a meeting of Ukrainian Education and Science Minister Lilia Hrynevych with Minister of Education and Integration of Norway Jan Tore Sanner in Oslo, the press service of the Education Ministry of Ukraine reported.

Our school education reform has started this year  and it is a priority of the government and the state as a whole. I want to emphasize that, speaking about the secondary education in Ukraine, we mean about 3.9 million students, 441,000 teachers, more than 16,000 schools. This is a huge system, and it is also a challenge for us. The number of children in our school system is equivalent to 74% of the total population of Norway. The Education Ministry cannot do such transformations alone, and we, in particular, are grateful to the European Wergeland Centre (EWC), established by the Council of Europe and Norway, for supporting changes, as it has become our good partner in introducing democratic governance in our educational institutions and in developing civic competence, the minister said.

The parties noted that the exchange of experience would help both countries find mechanisms and share educational practices.

The Ukrainian minister also suggested concluding a bilateral agreement or a memorandum on cooperation in the field of education and science between Ukraine and Norway, since today the cooperation is carried out without such a document and certain priorities.

As reported, Ukrainian Education and Science Minister Lilia Hrynevych was on a working visit to Norway. In particular, she actively participated in the European Wergeland Centre's 10th Anniversary Conference held in Oslo, Norway, November 14  16.

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The "LPR" and "DPR" are bargaining chips.

Andrei Illarionov, a Russian economist and former economic advisor to President Vladimir Putin, has explained why Russia needs a war in Donbas and the so-called "LPR/DPR" terrorist organizations.

The expert believes the "LPR/DPR" will become the Kremlin's bargaining chip, Glavred reports.

"It is necessary to use the correct terms: Russia doesn't need the 'DPR' and 'LPR,' it's Putin who needs them. But Putin is not Russia. Putin really needs the 'DPR' and 'LPR.' He needs them for two reasons. First, they are used like "screwdrivers" that could be constantly stuck in Ukraine's body to destabilize the situation within the country. Secondly, Putin hopes that, sooner or later, Ukraine will have leaders ready to exchange Crimea for 'DPR' and 'LPR.' In other words, he hopes there will be some future Ukrainian authorities that recognize Crimea as part of Russia, and in exchange for this, they will receive the recognition of 'DPR' and 'LPR'," he said.

Read alsoTurchynov rules out any talks with "DPR/LPR"

"Therefore, the 'DPR' and the 'LPR' is like a bargaining chip for possible "settlements" in the future between Russia and Ukraine," he added.
The 2018 Strategic Partnership Commission's meeting featured inaugural sessions of each working group.

Ukraine and the United States have decided to create three new bilateral working groups that will focus on security, rule of law, and economy.

"Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Klimkin reiterated that cooperation between the United States and Ukraine is based on common interests and shared values, including support for democracy, economic freedom and prosperity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, energy security, and respect for human rights and the rule of law. They decided to create three new bilateral working groups focused on Security and Countering Russian Aggression; Rule of Law and Humanitarian Issues; and Economy and Energy," a joint statement on U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership said.

The groups will meet regularly to discuss areas of mutual concern and advance joint objectives.

The 2018 Strategic Partnership Commission's meeting featured inaugural sessions of each working group.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin met in Washington, D.C. on November 16, 2018, to hold a plenary session of the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission. The plenary meeting marked the tenth anniversary of the U.S.Ukraine Charter on Strategic Partnership, a document that enshrines the principles upon which the relationship between the two countries is based. The plenary was also an opportunity to work toward implementation of the goals for the U.S.-Ukrainian relationship as outlined by U.S. President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko during their previous bilateral meetings.

Read alsoPompeo to Klimkin: We'll keep working together to stop Nord Stream 2 (Video)

As part of efforts in security and countering Russian aggression, "the two sides underscored the need to continue building Ukraine's resilience in the face of Russian aggression, reaffirmed the importance of the Minsk agreements in ending Russia's aggression, and highlighted the need to restore Ukrainian control over the Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied or controlled by Russia  Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions," the statement said.

Both sides decided that a robust UN-mandated international security force in the areas of Donbas controlled by Russia, including the Ukraine-Russia international border, would create the necessary security conditions for the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements.

The United States confirmed its commitment to maintain sanctions against Russia related to its aggression against Ukraine until Russia fully implements the Minsk agreements and returns Crimea to Ukrainian control.

The United States condemned Russia's aggressive actions against international shipping transiting the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait to Ukrainian ports. Both sides underscored that Russia's aggressive activities in the Sea of Azov have brought new security, economic, social, and environmental threats to the entire Azov-Black Sea region.

The United States reiterated its commitment to Secretary Pompeo's July 25 Declaration on the non-recognition of Russia's purported annexation of Crimea.
Moscow's activities have brought new security, economic, social, and environmental threats to the entire region.

The United States condemned Russias aggressive actions against international shipping transiting the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait to Ukrainian ports.

"Both sides underscored that Russias aggressive activities in the Sea of Azov have brought new security, economic, social, and environmental threats to the entire Azov-Black Sea region," a Joint Statement on U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership reads.

Washington reiterated its commitment to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeos July 25 Declaration on the non-recognition of Russias purported annexation of Crimea.

Read alsoUkraine, U.S. create three new bilateral working groups: Security, rule of law, economy

The two parties underscored the need to "continue building Ukraines resilience in the face of Russian aggression, reaffirmed the importance of the Minsk agreements in ending Russias aggression, and highlighted the need to restore Ukrainian control over the Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied or controlled by Russia  Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

It was also decided that a robust UN-mandated international security force in the areas of Donbas controlled by Russia, including the Ukraine-Russia international border, would create the necessary security conditions for the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements.

Read alsoRussia redirects part of naval forces near Crimea to new bridgehead  border guards

Besides, the United States welcomed Ukraines prolongation of the law on special order of self-government in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions on October 4, highlighted the many steps Ukraine has taken to implement the Minsk agreements, and called on Russia to fulfill its commitments under the agreements.

The two sides condemned the illegal so-called elections in Russia-controlled Donbas on November 11. The sides reiterated these sham elections, orchestrated by Russia, contravene Russias commitments under the Minsk agreements and flout UNSC Resolution 2202 (2015).
The two countries will also continue joint training exercises and cybersecurity cooperation.

The United States will help Ukraine counter Russia's possible election meddling in 2019, according to a Joint Statement on U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership published on the U.S. State Department's website.

"Both sides noted with satisfaction that robust security cooperation would continue in 2019, including assistance to counter Russian election meddling, joint training exercises, and cybersecurity cooperation," reads the statement.

The parties decided to further strengthen military-technical cooperation and welcomed the U.S. provision of military assistance, which "will help build Ukraines long-term defensive capacity."

Read alsoU.S. condemns Russia's aggressive actions in Azov-Black Sea region.

The United States and Ukraine confirmed the importance of the Budapest Memorandum of December 5, 1994, and called on Russia to fulfill its previous commitments to respect Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

The United States reiterated its support for Ukrainian efforts to implement the security reforms detailed in the Law on National Security, and commended Ukraines continuing contribution to international peace and security operations throughout the globe.

As reported earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Washington had been enhancing technical assistance to Ukraine to counter Russian aggression on the Ukrainian soil.
The United States supports Ukrainian people's efforts to protect their independence and will never recognize Russia's occupation of Crimea.

The United States will continue to impose sanctions against Russia that waging aggression against Ukraine until Crimea is returned to Ukraine and until Moscow implements Minsk Agreements on Donbas settlement, according to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

"During the 2014 Revolution of Dignity, the Ukrainian people sacrificed their lives to protect their independence and self-determination. They demanded that their government maintain Ukraines European orientation and end pervasive corruption. Ukrainians continue to fight this battle as they work to build a modern, democratic, Western state," Pompeo said during a joint press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin in Washington Friday.

A free and well-governed nation is a "hard-won victory, but its worth it," according to the top U.S. diplomat.

Read alsoU.S. to help Ukraine fight Russian meddling in 2019 elections

"The United States supports those efforts and honors the achievements that you have made thus far," Pompeo said. "That same spirit of courage and determination drives Ukrainians to continue to fight to uphold their national sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression."

"Ukraine has no greater friend than the United States in this regard," Pompeo reassured.

Read alsoU.S. condemns Russia's aggressive actions in Azov-Black Sea region.

"As we made clear in the Crimea Declaration this past summer, the United States will never accept Russias attempted annexation of Crimea. We will continue to impose consequences against Russia until Moscow fully implements the Minsk agreements and returns control of Crimea to Ukraine," said the U.S. State Secretary.

Mike Pompeo also recalled that in the past week, the U.S. introduced new sanctions against those who supported Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Participants in the international conference believe that Facebook should work with interested parties in Ukraine to identify and counter the spread of fake news.

MEPs and U.S. experts urge Facebook, Inc. management open a representative office in Kyiv to effectively counter the spread of disinformation during the upcoming election campaign in Ukraine in 2019.

The message was voiced at a Kyiv press conference following an assessment of the situation in Ukraine ahead of the elections made by an international delegation with the participation of members of the American non-governmental organization National Democratic Institute and deputies of the European Parliament, said Laura Jewett, who is a regional director for Eurasia with the National Democratic Institute.

In particular, she noted that counteracting Kremlin interference in the electoral process in Ukraine should be a top priority in order to protect the stability and unity in the country.

According to Jewett, the responsibility for helping Ukrainians in this direction lays with social media in networks and digital platforms.

Facebook should open an office in Ukraine and, together with other digital platforms, build partnerships with Ukrainian stakeholders in order to monitor, detect and counteract disinformation, she suggests.

Read alsoU.S. to help Ukraine fight Russian meddling in 2019 elections

The expert also said that all media and social networks should designate information if it is a political advertisement.

In order for citizens to make an informed choice, all candidates and campaign headquarters must have equal access to the media, while the harmful effects of disinformation must be reduced, according to Jewett.

She also expressed the need to strengthen the efforts of competent authorities and responsible organizations to prevent the facts of political corruption and limit the role of money in politics, originating both from within the country and from beyond.

Read alsoMedvedchuk not Putin's agent but "direct representative" in Ukraine  Ex-PM

When it comes to the election campaign, the preservation of national unity will depend on campaigns that will be constructive and designed to unite, not divide, and meet the aspirations of the Ukrainian people, according to Jewett.

In addition, she stated that the Verkhovna Rada should provide adequate funding from the state budget for the UA: First TV channel (the National Public TV and Radio Company of Ukraine) in accordance with its needs.

In total, experts developed 51 recommendations for Ukraine ahead of the upcoming elections.

On November 15-17, the international delegation held meetings in Kyiv with representatives of political parties, potential presidential candidates, Ukrainian and international observer groups, journalists, officials, members of the Central Election Commission, people's deputies, representatives of civic society organizations, and diplomats.
The top military official said that the troops were being brought to higher combat readiness in connection with threats against Ukraine.

Ukraine is ready to respond to threats not only in the Azov Sea, but also in other areas, says Ukraine's Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak.

We have heard such threats many times, and they were not only about the Sea of Azov, but also about reaching Kyiv within two hours, destroying our major cities, including the capital. I think we need to draw conclusions. We, including myself, as Minister of Defense, are drawing such conclusions, taking measures and preparing to respond if necessary, in accordance with our capabilities, our tasks, and our strategy, Poltorak said, according to 112 Ukraine TV channel.

We will respond adequately to the threats that exist not only in the Sea of Azov, but also in the Black Sea, and in other areas of responsibility of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Poltorak stressed.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine has seized 15 vessels that had checked in the ports of the illegally annexed Crimea. In response, member of the defense and security committee of Russia's Federation Council, Frants Klintsevich, said that Russia could block the Sea of Azov for any Ukrainian vessels "within days."
Russian occupation forces opened fire 10 times on Ukraine positions in the conflict zone.

Over the past day, November 16, Russian occupation forces six times used weapons proscribed by the Minsk Agreements, the Joint Forces Operation HQ said in its daily report.

In the reporting period, the enemy opened fire on the positions of the Joint Forces 10 times.

The militants shelled Ukrainian positions in the areas of Vilne, Luhanske, Novoluhanske, Maryinka, Krasnohorivka, Pavlopil, Hnutove, and Shyrokyne, using 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types, weapons installed on infantry fighting vehicles, large-caliber machine guns, and small arms.

Read alsoRussian-led forces mount five attacks on Ukraine's army in Donbas on Friday, no casualties reported

"The enemy fired 82mm and 120mm mortars on the JF positions on the Svitlodar line near Novoluhanske and on the Popasna line near the village of Vilne," reads the statement.

According to intelligence data, on Nov 16, two invaders were injured in combat.

From the beginning of the day on Sunday, the enemy fired at the JF positions near the settlements of Novotoshkivske, Zholobok, and Hnutove using 82mm and 120mm mortars.

A Ukrainian soldier was killed in an enemy shelling on November 17.
The White House declined to comment on the Post report, saying it was an intelligence matter. The State Department also declined to comment.

The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, the Washington Post reported on Friday, a finding that contradicts Saudi government assertions that he was not involved.

The Post said U.S. officials have expressed high confidence in the CIA assessment, which is the most definitive to date linking Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler to the killing and complicates President Donald Trump's efforts to preserve U.S. ties with one of the closest American allies in the region, Reuters said.

Reuters was not immediately able to verify the accuracy of the report, but a source familiar with U.S. intelligence assessments told Reuters U.S. government experts assess with confidence that the crown prince ordered the operation that led to Khashoggi's death.

Read alsoReuters: U.S. sanctions 17 Saudis over killing of journalist Khashoggi

The White House declined to comment on the Post report, saying it was an intelligence matter. The State Department also declined to comment.

Khashoggi, a contributing columnist for the Washington Post, was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 when he went there to pick up documents he needed for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman.

Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government, had resisted pressure from Riyadh for him to return home. Saudi officials have said a team of 15 Saudi nationals were sent to confront Khashoggi at the consulate and that he was accidentally killed in a chokehold by men who were trying to force him to return to the kingdom.

Turkish officials have said the killing was intentional and have been pressuring Saudi Arabia to extradite those responsible to stand trial. An adviser to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday accused Saudi Arabia of trying to cover up the murder.
The international body is to elect its new president on Nov 21.

One of the two candidates in the upcoming vote by Interpols 192 member states, is from Russia despite allegations that Moscow has used Interpols procedures to pursue political enemies.

Russia's Alexander Prokopchuk, a current Interpol vice-president who previously headed the office of Russias deputy interior minister, will compete with Kim Jong Yang of South Korea, Interpols acting president, according to The Financial Times.

The international body is to elect its new head on Nov 21 following the disappearance in China of its former president Meng Hongwei, which raised fears the organization was open to manipulation

Jurgen Stock, Interpols secretary-general, has urged China to reveal more about the corruption case against its missing former president, as the global police body battles claims that it is vulnerable to manipulation by autocratic countries seeking to crack down on political opponents.

Fair Trials, a UK-based rights campaign group, has written to Mr Stock ahead of the presidential poll to argue it is imperative that the record of the country of which future presidents are delegates is also subject to public security.

It would not be appropriate for a country with a record of violations of Interpols rules (for example by frequently seeking to use its systems to disseminate politically-motivated alerts) to be given a leadership role in a key oversight institution, says the letter signed by Jago Russell, Fair Trials chief executive.
The reason is the passing of new legislation hindering civic society development.

The EU may impose sanctions on Hungary for adopting laws against the development of civic society, that's according to MP Volodymyr Ariev, who is also vice-president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, chairman of the PACE Committee on Culture, Education, Science and Media.

"In Hungary there are very serious problems with the European Union, with Brussels. They stem from those very anti-democratic laws that were passed by the Hungarian authorities, in particular against civic society, against the Soros University, public organizations, and not only that. Now the EU is on the path toward imposing sanctions on Hungary," Ariev told Pryamiy TV channel.

Read alsoHungary's Orban echoes Putin, claiming no solution can be reached with today's Ukrainian leaders

The PACE vice-president is confident that Ukraine should take advantage of the situation and act asymmetrically.

We should strengthen as much as possible our work with the European Union and NATO so that we have a relevant feedback and that it is their partners, behind whose back they are hiding, who speak with them, said Ariev.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Hungary demands that Ukraine postpone the implementation of the language article of its new education law, as well as cancel its action as regards private educational facilities.

After the parliament passed the legislation, Hungary has been blocking Ukraine's cooperation with NATO, in particular, the high-level Ukraine-NATO Commission.
Only one operation could significantly raise the fallen public support rating of the Russian president and maintain it for quite a long time.

A recent statement by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko where he opposed the setting up of Russian military bases on his country's territory shows that he sees the threat of Belarus's annexation by Russia following the Crimea example.

Russia's previous aggressive foreign campaigns show that it is more convenient for Vladimir Putin to start a new mission if Russian military bases, Russian peacekeepers, Russian border guards, or other armed units, have already been deployed in the targeted territory, former advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian economist Andrei Illarionov told Glavred.

So it was in Georgia and so it was in the Ukrainian Crimea, the expert recalls.

Apparently, these examples seemed to be convincing enough for Lukashenko as he is not in too much of a rush to allow deployment of a Russian military base in Belarus.

However, although the lack of a Russian base in Belarus tunes down the threat of aggression, it does not completely rule out such developments.

For a variety of reasons of internal political, foreign political, and ideological nature, Belarus continues to be No 1 target for Kremlin's possible aggression in the near future, Illarionov suggests.

It should also be kept in mind that Russian sociological studies indicate a gradual drop in Putin's public support rating, the last major blow to which was the so-called "pension reform."

Read alsoBelarus leader vows joint response with Russia to setting up of U.S. military base in Poland

"What ways could Putin use to try to raise his dropping rating? On the one hand, for Putin there is no need to significantly raise the rating right now, since the so-called elections have just passed, and the next ones will be only in more than five years. On the other hand, to start operations like that in Ukraine, Syria, or the war in Central African Republic, intervention in Libya, first of all it is a will that is needed, regardless of the ratings," Illarionov believes.

"The only operation that could really raise Putins rating noticeably and maintain it for quite a long time is the annexation of Belarus," the expert says. "Not parts of Belarus as it was in the case of Ukraine, where Crimea and Donbas were occupied, but the entire country."

"Belarus is more homogeneous than Ukraine and highly Russified. A considerable part of Belarusians are very positive towards Russia, Russians, and even Putin. If Putin decides to go for this kind of operation, his goal will not be to capture pieces of Mogilev, Vitebsk or Gomel regions, but to establish control over the whole of Belarus," the expert claims.

Read alsoKremlin could resort to seizing power in Belarus, replacing Lukashenka with some FSB general  expert

At the same time, as UNIAN reported earlier, Belarus citizens might be gradually shifting away from under Russia's cultural influence.

In June this year, a civic petition was put forward in Belarus suggesting that the government ban the "St. George" ribbons, initially used in Russia to honor the WW2 heroes but then becoming one of the notorious symbols of the "Russian world" the Kremlin has been imposing on neighboring states, yet another instrument in its "soft power" toolkit.

There was also a proposal to increase to 50% the use of the Belarusian language in state television broadcasts.
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Minister for Finance Asad Umar on Saturday urged the sub-groups of Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to expedite their recommendations to finalize the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS).

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :Minister for Finance Asad Umar on Saturday urged the sub-groups of Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to expedite their recommendations to finalize the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS).

Presiding over a meeting of EAC sub-groups on NFIS and Fiscal Sector here, Asad Umar emphasized on diligently time-lining the goals, targets and actions to be taken, and cautioned against delaying the implementation process of the strategy.

The meeting was attended by all the major stakeholders and members of the sub-group from the Ministry of Finance, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Federal board of Revenue (FBR) and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).

SBP Governor Tariq Bajwa presented the National Financial Inclusion Strategy to improve quality and increase access to financial services in the country.

He outlined targets and necessitating policy actions to be taken at various levels in coming years to achieve the targets.

Discussion revolved around fast-tracking the digitization of financial services to reach out larger number of consumers, small and medium business and newly emerging entrepreneurs throughout country.

In the fiscal policy sub-group meeting, FBR representatives made a presentation on the problems currently ailing tax administration system, and ad-hoc-ism of tax policy.

It was noted that those issues consequently lead to low tax collection contributing to massive fiscal imbalances.

The sub-group also considered solutions to fix crippling tax system of Pakistan by recommending policy measures targeting two major areas, tax administration and tax policy.

It was noted that the information technology held greater promise in getting more and more people into tax net, and spotting tax-avoiders. It was also noted that coherent and continuous coordination among provinces and between the federal government and provincial governments was of paramount importance in avoiding incidence of double-taxation.

The minister appreciated the work done by the groups which were assisted by senior FBR officers, and directed for setting timelines to various administrative and policy reforms suggested so that the huge fiscal burden facing the economy was reduced to minimal possible level and the government got much needed fiscal space.

The FBR informed the minister that to uphold the spirit of transparency and easing the relations with the tax payers, the Board was starting an awareness campaign to let the people know how their tax money was being utilized.
As part of Abu Dhabi Art 2018, the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, ADMAF, displayed at its pavilion a selection of artworks by eight Emirati and UAE-based artists reflecting the core values of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 17th Nov, 2018) As part of Abu Dhabi Art 2018, the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, ADMAF, displayed at its pavilion a selection of artworks by eight Emirati and UAE-based artists reflecting the core values of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Aligning with the celebration of the Year of Zayed, ADMAFs pavilion was themed "Zayed: The Soft Power" and was opened by Huda I. Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder of ADMAF and Artistic Director of the annual Abu Dhabi Festival.

The specially curated exhibition showcased the works of Abdelghani Al Nahawi, Ebtisam Abdulaziz, Dr. Ahmed Al Faresi, Nayef AlBalooshi, Maha Ali Abdullah, Hussain AlMoosawi, Patricia Millns and Ranim Orouk. Each artist was selected following an open call across the UAE for submissions of proposals or completed artworks.

Upon visiting the fair, Alkhamis-Kanoo said, "In the past decade, the UAE has made great strides in the promotion and sharing of creative and artistic knowledge. Abu Dhabis cultural identity is built on the importance of safeguarding our heritage and development for the future, and Soft Power has played an integral role in the development of our nation. In keeping with the commemoration of Sheikh Zayeds legacy in this Year of Zayed, ADMAF is proud to dedicate its Abu Dhabi Art Pavilion theme to celebrating Zayed: The Soft Power, which features eight unique and diverse masterpieces inspired by his core values: Wisdom and Peace, Tolerance and Respect, Unity, Sustainability and the Environment, Human Development and Knowledge.

The foundations unwavering support and nurturing of Emirati and UAE-based talent continues to be a force for good in delivering on the promise of culture."

During the fair, ADMAF also displayed an emotive and unique piece of art by the Ewa'a Shelters for Victims of Human Trafficking in Abu Dhabi. Conceptualised by the artist Jennifer Simon in collaboration with ADMAF, Skittles, was the result of an intense two years of work by more than 20 survivors of human trafficking. It featured 10 individually painted and decorated, human-sized bowling pins standing before a ball featuring the word life in English and Arabic. The artwork embodies the struggles of the survivors, inspiring them to rise up in the face adversity.

Visitors to the pavilion were invited to participate in a programme of free sessions alongside students from many of ADMAFs university partners. The programme was held over 14th and 15th November, with specially designed student tours for young and aspiring creatives to gain valuable exposure to inspiring contemporary artwork from the middle East and Northern Africa, MENA, region and beyond. Those looking to gain further insights into contemporary artworks featured throughout the fair were invited to sign up for a guided tour by longstanding resident and featured artist, Patricia Millns, on 16th November. Budding photography enthusiasts were also taken on a "mobile photography tour" led by Mahra Almheiri for insights and guidance on how to take interesting photographs of artworks.
The Iran-backed Houthi militia has set fire to the "Ikhwan Thabet" Group in Hodeidah, planted large quantities of landmines on the main roads inside the city, and booby-trapped Yemeni homes and government buildings in continuation of its crimes and subversive acts in a grave violation of international norms and laws that criminalise targeting of civilian installations during a war.

HODEIDAH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 17th Nov, 2018) The Iran-backed Houthi militia has set fire to the "Ikhwan Thabet" Group in Hodeidah, planted large quantities of landmines on the main roads inside the city, and booby-trapped Yemeni homes and government buildings in continuation of its crimes and subversive acts in a grave violation of international norms and laws that criminalise targeting of civilian installations during a war.

Houthi's criminal militia has continued subversive activities, followed the scorched earth policy and destroyed the capabilities of the Yemenis following their successive defeats in Hodeidah.

These acts are desperate attempts by its ranks to undermine the progress of the Yemeni Resistance Forces, which now control strategic parts of the city.

Hodeidah is on the boil because of the terrorist practices of the Houthi and for targeting innocent civilians and infrastructure in the city.

The criminal practices have been rejected by the population in Hodeidah and there is a threat of a popular uprising against the militia, which could see an increase in the frequency of Houthi violations against the people.
Mariam Hareb Almheiri, Minister of State for Food Security, who is currently on an official visit to Romania, met here today with Viorica Dancila, Prime Minister of Romania, and discussed with her ways to enhance bilateral relations and cooperation, especially in economic, commercial and investment fields.

BUCHAREST, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 17th Nov, 2018) Mariam Hareb Almheiri, Minister of State for food Security, who is currently on an official visit to Romania, met here today with Viorica Dancila, Prime Minister of Romania, and discussed with her ways to enhance bilateral relations and cooperation, especially in economic, commercial and investment fields.

Earlier in the day, Almheiri held meetings with Danut Andrusca, Minister of Economy, Petre Daea, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Gabriela Mihaela Voicila, Minister of State for the business Environment, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

The meetings were attended by Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Saeed Al Matroushi, UAE Ambassador to Romania.
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Dr. Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Speaker of Federal National Council, FNC, has met with Bektas Beknazarov, Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, and his accompanying delegation on the sidelines of the World Tolerance Summit, currently being held in Dubai.

DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 17th Nov, 2018) Dr. Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Speaker of Federal National Council, FNC, has met with Bektas Beknazarov, Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, and his accompanying delegation on the sidelines of the World Tolerance Summit, currently being held in Dubai.

During the meeting, attended by FNC Secretary-General Ahmed Shabib Al Dhaheri, the two sides discussed many topics, including enhancing parliamentary cooperation.

Dr. Al Qubaisi said that the UAE has excellent strategic relations with Kazakhstan, which enjoys the full support of the two countries' leaders.

The two sides emphasised the importance of establishing a parliamentary friendship committee, to further strengthen trade and investment, cultural, and political ties between the two countries.

Beknazarov said that the UAE and Kazakhstan have distinguished ties reflected in ambitious policies that are supported by the leadership and governments of the two countries, adding that said ties will only see future growth.

He praised the trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, noting that the UAE is the leading Arab country engaging in economic trade activities with Kazakhstan.

Beknazarov went on to express his happiness at attending the World Tolerance Summit, adding that the event is a platform that supports constructive dialogue and exchange of ideas between cultures, confirming the UAE's keenness to spread the message of tolerance and promote hope and optimism globally.
The UAE media is adopting a clearly-defined approach in confronting the scourge of terrorism, which has become the main challenge facing the world today, said Hamad Mohammed Al Junaibi, UAE Ambassador to Sudan.

KHARTOUM, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 17th Nov, 2018) The UAE media is adopting a clearly-defined approach in confronting the scourge of terrorism, which has become the main challenge facing the world today, said Hamad Mohammed Al Junaibi, UAE Ambassador to Sudan.

Ambassador Al Junaibi made the remarks while addressing a workshop, organised by the UAE Embassy in Khartoum, on the experience of the UAE media in combating terrorism and extremism and promoting the values of centrism and moderation.

Also addressing the workshop were Mohammed Al Hammadi, Chairman of the UAE Journalists Association and a number of renowned Sudanese journalists.

Ambassador Al Junaibi said the UAE had had a 'profound experience' in the media, while Al Hammadi emphasised the great responsibility of the media, especially during this critical time. He referred to the diverse nature of the UAE media, with journalists from different nationalities working in the sector.

At the end of the three-day workshop, Ambassador Al Junaibi said the media is the key tool for carrying UAE's message to the world and for reflecting the country's numerous achievements and ambitions.
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The United Arab Emirates Space Agency, UAESA, has signed a Declaration of Principles with Bahrain's National Space Science Agency, NSSA, and the UAEs Khalifa University, for the Training of the Bahrain Space Team.

MANAMA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 17th Nov, 2018) The United Arab Emirates Space Agency, UAESA, has signed a Declaration of Principles with Bahrain's National Space Science Agency, NSSA, and the UAEs Khalifa University, for the Training of the Bahrain Space Team.

The signing took place on the sidelines of the 5th Bahrain International Airshow, held at the Sakhir Air Base in Bahrain between 14th and 16th November, 2018, under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain.

The document was signed by Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher education and Advanced Skills and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, and Kamal Bin Ahmed Mohammed, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and responsible for supervising Bahrain's NSSA. The signing was attended by Dr. Mohamed Nasser Al Ahbabi, Director-General of the UAE Space Agency, Dr. Mohamed Ebrahim Al Aseeri, CEO of the NSSA, and a number of senior officials and engineers from all parties.

As outlined in the declaration, the parties will collaborate in training the Bahrain space team in satellite technology, design, construction, testing, launching, operations, and control, in addition to cooperating to build a CubeSat to be used for scientific research and carrying out a number of environmental studies.

Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi said, "The signing of this declaration is a tangible result of the close relationship between the UAE and Bahrain in the arena of advanced sciences and will see us working together as strategic partners in the regions nascent but rapidly developing space sector. The ties between our two nations already extend across the political, economic, social, and cultural domains and we have now added the exciting field of space to that inventory. Our growing collaboration in space science and exploration is a testament to our desire and commitment to bolster meaningful partnerships between our two great nations."

"The UAE space sector has reached an advanced stage that now sees it able to transfer knowledge to valued partners in the region. Our growing expertise in the field of space science, research, exploration and telecommunications, is exemplified by the number of ambitious space programmes and initiatives launched by the UAE.

These include the UAE Astronaut Programme, the Emirates Mars Missions Hope Probe project, Mars Scientific City, and last months placing in orbit of KhalifaSat  an advanced piece of sophisticated technology that was designed and built entirely by Emirati engineers," Al Falasi added.

"We are delighted to have signed this Declaration of Principles between the NSSA, the UAESA, and Khalifa University," said Eng. Kamal Bin Ahmed Mohammed. "First of all, I would like to thank my compatriot Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi and the executive management of the UAE Space Agency for their efforts and constructive cooperation which has resulted in the signing of this declaration. This represents a significant step towards fulfilling the goals of the NSSA, in line with our strategic plans."

"We are looking forward to creating a skilled Bahraini team, familiar with the latest satellite technologies, and continuing to train them to expand their knowledge in this field. Such expertise will ensure the sustainability of NSSA projects and will provide a solid base of skilled technicians in this field. We would like to thank our compatriots in the UAE for their cooperation and consistent support. We look forward to continuing to collaborate to the benefit and prosperity of both our countries."

Dr. Mohamed Nasser Al Ahbabi said, "Cooperation between the UAE Space Agency and Bahrains NSSA dates back several years, at a time when the space sector in both our countries witnessed unprecedented growth, prompted by significant government support. With the signing of this declaration, cooperation between our two countries will expand further. We will work to exchange expertise, experience, and information related to the space sector to realise our mutual objectives and interests."

The strong UAE participation at the airshow, alongside Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, is indicative of the long-standing relationships between the neighbouring nations. Fourteen UAE companies specialising in aviation, space and defence are taking part in the airshow.
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The City Traffic Officer (CTO) Lahore has written a letter to the Deputy Commissioner asking him impose a complete ban on selling petrol to motorcyclists without helmets by fuel stations.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :The City Traffic Officer (CTO) Lahore has written a letter to the Deputy Commissioner asking him impose a complete ban on selling petrol to motorcyclists without helmets by fuel stations.

According to a spokesperson of City Traffic Police (CTP), the decision was taken to minimize the number of causalities in accidents involving motorcyclists.

He said it was witnessed that motorcyclists not wearing helmets received fatal head injuries which sometimes caused their deaths.

The CTP on the directive of Lahore High Court had launched a campaign to make Helmets compulsory for motorcyclists, he added.

He said the District Administration Rawalpindi has already issued a notification and imposed a complete ban on purchase of petrol by motorcyclists without helmets.
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Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani, Chairman Senate of Pakistan and accompanying delegation began on Saturday an official visit to the Sultanate of Oman in response to an invitation extended by Dr. Yahya bin Mahfoudh Al-Manthri, Chairman of the State Council.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani , Chairman Senate of Pakistan and accompanying delegation began on Saturday an official visit to the Sultanate of Oman in response to an invitation extended by Dr. Yahya bin Mahfoudh Al-Manthri, Chairman of the State Council.

The visit comes within the framework of positive bilateral relations between the Sultanate and Pakistan, and the two countries' keenness to strengthen the existing cooperation between them in several fields.

The visit of the Chairman Senate and his delegation includes meetings with several senior officials in the Sultanate, signing of a memorandum of understanding between the State Council and the Senate of Pakistan and formal talks between the two councils.

The delegation would visit to some historical and cultural landmarks in the Sultanate.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :Chief Commissioner Islamabad Amer Ali Ahmad on Friday issued a notification about constitution of a committee to investigate the abduction and martyrdom of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Superintendent of Police (SP) Tahir Khan Dawar.

SP Tahir Dawar, who went missing from Islamabad on October 26, was found dead in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province. Later, he was laid to rest in Peshawar on Thursday after Afghan officials handed over his body to a Pakistani delegation at the Torkham border.

According to a notification from the office of the Chief Commissioner Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) here today, the Superintendent of Police Investigation in Islamabad will head the committee.

The committee will also include the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) at Islamabad's Shalimar Circle, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) from the Crime Investigation Department, one representative each from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), and the investigating officer of the case.

The JIT has been formed under Section 19 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997. The JIT will complete investigation within the stipulated time period as laid down in the ATA 1997, read the notification.

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan has also ordered an immediate inquiry into the shocking tragedy.
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Director General Environment Protection Agency Balochistan Mohammad Tariq Zehri on Saturday said climate change has emerged a number of problems in the largest province of the country with worst one of severe drought.

QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :Director General Environment Protection Agency Balochistan Mohammad Tariq Zehri on Saturday said climate change has emerged a number of problems in the largest province of the country with worst one of severe drought

He expressed these views while addressing an event organized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Balochistan government, Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change Islamabad (CSCCC) and AHSAS PK (NGO).

Chairman CSCCC, Ayesha Khan, Dr. Mahmood Ahmed. Professor of LUMS University Lahore, EPA officials and environmental experts were also present on the occasion.

On this occasion, organizing institutions formulated Climate Agenda Implementation Network (CAIN) to deal with the environmental challenges and their impact in Balochistan.

The event was also attended by media community and Media Forum Balochistan formed to fulfill objectives of the CAIN.

Director General EPA, Tariq Zehri, urged media to apprise people of Balochistan about environmental problems including climate change, pollution and drought.

Executive Director AHSAS PK and Environmental Journalist, Watan Yar Khilji, briefed the participants about the aims and objectives of CAIN and Media Forum Balochistan in Balochistan, and lauded the efforts of DG EPA Mohammad Tariq Zehri in this regard.

Ayesha Khan and Dr. Mahmood Ahmed on this occasion expressed contentment over formation of CAIN and Media Forum. They emphasized media to play its full role in awareness campaigns regarding climate change and highlight the environmental issues in different areas of Balochistan.
Senator Anwar ul Haq Kakar Saturday said it was a justified demand of Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain for investigation into use of billions of rupees funds provided to Balochistan by the last federal governments.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :Senator Anwar ul Haq Kakar Saturday said it was a justified demand of Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain for investigation into use of billions of rupees funds provided to Balochistan by the last Federal governments.

Senator Kakar, in a statement here, said the step would help provide due rights to people of Balochistan by ensuring more transparency. "We believe in transparency but corrupt practices in the previous tenures had created a sense of deprivation among the people of province," he added.

He said there should be complete audit of the billions of rupees provided to the province so that the nation might know the truth.

Kakar said transparency into the financial and other state affairs would help improve governance system. The audit of funds claimed to be provided to Balochistan by the last federal governments would be a practical step towards good governance and ensuring prosperity of the province, he added.
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Islamabad Secretariat Police have arrested a female national of Azerbaijan for her alleged involvement in drug peddling and human smuggling, police said.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) : Islamabad Secretariat Police have arrested a female national of Azerbaijan for her alleged involvement in drug peddling and human smuggling, police said.

According to details, a team of Secretariat police stopped a female during patrolling in the area and asked her for checking by a lady police constable.

Police recovered 1050 gram heroin from her purse and later she was identified as Abivia Solmaz, a national of Azerbaijan.

During preliminary investigation, it came to know that she was wanted to Interpol France and was also found involved in human smuggling. Her visa has also expired in April while further investigation is underway from her.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Shehzad Akbar Saturday said the government would continue the difficult process of accountability and would disclose details about looted national wealth of Rs 700 billion in next 50 days.

Talking to a private news channel, he said agreements had been signed with different countries regarding money laundering. The government had information about the looted public money stashed in different countries, which would be back to Pakistan.

He said legal process was under way to bring back looted money from abroad.

It was a cumbersome process and would take time, however, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government would succeed in its endeavour, he added.

Replying to a question, he said the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) leadership was involved in money laundering.

Shehzad Akbar said a large number of Pakistanis had invested huge amounts in the real state sector of Dubai and Iqama (residential permit) was the big problem in the way of investigations into of laundering of money for the purpose.
Robbers looted cash, gold ornaments and other valuables from a marriage party here in the jurisdiction of Jaranwala police station.

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :Robbers looted cash, gold ornaments and other valuables from a marriage party here in the jurisdiction of Jaranwala police station.

Police said here on Saturday that marriage party of Rao Naeem was returning from Multan at night when robbers intercepted the bus near Jaranwala and looted the valuables from the participants and managed to escape.

The police registered a case and started investigation.
Sindh police has formally started Biometric verification service for individual record authentication with the help of National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) record, said DIG IT Sultan Ali Khawaja on Friday.

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Nov, 2018 ) : Sindh police has formally started Biometric verification service for individual record authentication with the help of National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) record, said DIG IT Sultan Ali Khawaja on Friday.

In a statement, he said this in a briefing at the meeting chaired by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. Syed Kaleem Imam, at the Central Police Office here.

He said that the Sindh police and NADRA had entered an agreement last week at Islamabad with regard to the service.

He said that the software would help the police to verify the record of individual with biometric.

The training of the field staffers of Sindh police for using the software would be started from November 19.

The service was available at the Central Police Office (CPO) while the offices of all SSPs of the districts had been provided palm devices, which were linked to the CPO office.

The service would also help to identify the unknown dead bodies, he added.

He expressed confidence that the services would surely help the operation and investigation departments of police in their routine investigations and operations against the criminals.

The IGP Sindh Dr. Syed Kaleem Imam expressed gratitude to the NADRA officials for providing the facility to Sindh police and also appreciated the DIG IT and Director IT of Sindh police for their efforts over successful launching of the service.
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The Foreign Office Spokesperson Saturday said that some of the Pakistanis stranded at Kuwait airport owing to cancellation of flights to Lahore were issued boarding passes on the day while rest would be accommodated by the airline on Sunday.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :The Foreign Office Spokesperson Saturday said that some of the Pakistanis stranded at Kuwait airport owing to cancellation of flights to Lahore were issued boarding passes on the day while rest would be accommodated by the airline on Sunday

In a statement, the spokesperson said due to heavy rains, Kuwait had declared emergency for three days and its airport had suspended operations for few hours on Thursday.

Some Pakistani passengers transiting through Kuwait were stranded due to cancellation of flights of Kuwait airlines to Lahore.

On receipt of information, he said the team of Pakistan's embassy was sent to the airport to get in touch with Pakistanis and provide immediate assistance.

He said the ambassador spoke to the head of Kuwait airlines operations and pressed for accommodating women and children in today (Saturday)'s flight.

"As a result some passengers were issued boarding passes for the flight leaving for Lahore tonight. Remaining would be accommodated tomorrow, Inshaallah," he said.
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At least seven Taliban militants and three government security personnel were killed and eight others, including five insurgents, wounded following a fierce clash in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province, an official said Saturday.

KUNDUZ, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :At least seven Taliban militants and three government security personnel were killed and eight others, including five insurgents, wounded following a fierce clash in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province, an official said Saturday.

The clash broke out at about 03:00 a.m.

local time, when Taliban militants launched a grouping attack on security check posts in Charkhab and Bagh-e-Mir areas of Khan Abad district.

Police forces returned fire, resulting in the death of seven insurgents and three policemen, said Inamudin Rahmani, the provincial police spokesman.

Five insurgents and three security personnel have also been injured in the firefight, said the spokesman.

The source did not give details if civilians suffered in the fighting. Taliban has not commented on the incident.
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According to the results of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit, there are two approaches to the appointment of the new Secretary General, either to use principle of rotation or to choose another Armenian representative, but many members of the organization doubt the effectiveness of the second option, the organization's Acting Secretary General Valery Semerikov said Saturday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) According to the results of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit, there are two approaches to the appointment of the new Secretary General, either to use principle of rotation or to choose another Armenian representative, but many members of the organization doubt the effectiveness of the second option, the organization's Acting Secretary General Valery Semerikov said Saturday.

"Following the results of the discussion of the heads of the CSTO member states in Astana on November 8, there are several approaches, including the rotation principle in the Russian alphabet stipulated by the Collective Security Council (CSC) decision (in this case, the Republic of Belarus is the next) ... Another position is to appoint an Armenian representative for the time remaining before the end of the three-year period: many countries are questioning the effectiveness of such a step," Semerikov said in a commentary published on the organization's website.

The CSTO CSC will continue to consider the issue of appointing a new secretary general in the spirit of constructive interaction and alliance, Semerikov stressed.

"At the same time, I want to emphasize that the decision in any case will be made purely in the format of the six CSTO countries on the basis of consensus, taking into account the interests of all parties," he said.

On November 2, Armenia prematurely recalled its representative at the post of the CSTO Secretary General, Yuri Khachaturov, and his deputy Semerikov became the organization's acting head. At the same time, Yerevan insists it should retain the leadership until 2020.

At the CSTO summit in Astana on November 8, it was decided that the representative of Belarus should become the next secretary general, "because under the charter, alphabetically, Belarus goes after Armenia," Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev said. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday at a meeting with the Ambassador of Azerbaijan that he had three possible candidates for the CSTO Secretary General.

However, Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan told reporters that he would demand explanations from Lukashenko and Nazarbayev in connection with their statements about the situation in the CSTO. In particular, Pashinyan believes that Lukashenko should not have told about the details of the CSTO meeting, which was held behind closed doors, especially to a representative of a country that is not a member of this organization.

The final decision on the issue will be made on December 6 in St. Petersburg.
Armenia does not hide that it would like to retain the post of secretary general of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and has already offered its new candidate for this post, Armenian Ambassador to Russia Vardan Toganyan told reporters on Saturday.

NOVOSIBIRSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) Armenia does not hide that it would like to retain the post of secretary general of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and has already offered its new candidate for this post, Armenian Ambassador to Russia Vardan Toganyan told reporters on Saturday.

On November 2, Armenia prematurely recalled its representative at the post of the CSTO Secretary General, Yuri Khachaturov, and his deputy Valery Semerikov became the organization's acting head. At the same time, Yerevan insists it should retain the leadership until 2020.

"The heads of state have already agreed that they would decide on this on December 6 at an extraordinary summit ... Therefore, we will wait for December 6. Armenia, of course, proposed the candidacy, and we didn't hide it. We want to continue [holding the post of the CSTO secretary general]," the ambassador said without specifying the name of the candidate.

Toganyan has previously named three options for the appointment of the next CSTO secretary general, which can be taken by representatives of Armenia or Belarus, or continue to be led by its acting head, Russia's Valery Semerikov.

At the summit in Astana on November 8, it was decided that the representative of Belarus should become the next secretary general, "because under the charter, alphabetically, Belarus goes after Armenia," Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev said. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday that he had three possible candidates for the CSTO Secretary General. The final decision on the issue will be made on December 6 in St. Petersburg.
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BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) The Belgian government approved a proposal by the country's Defense Ministry to increase the number of troops in Afghanistan more than 2.5-fold in 2019, local media reported on Friday.

According to the RTBF broadcaster, the number of servicemen will be gradually increased to 220 from 80 as of now.

The country will send not only military instructors, but also special forces to the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, it added.

Belgium participates in NATO training mission in Afghanistan.

The United States and NATO initially launched their military operations in Afghanistan in 2001 after the 9/11 terror attacks. While most of the US troops had been withdrawn from the country by the end of 2014, NATO launched a new mission in 2015, called Resolute Support, to provide training and assistance to the Afghan security forces. A total of 16,000 soldiers from 39 NATO countries are currently serving in Afghanistan as part of the mission.
Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), the only canonical Orthodox church in the country, are summoned "for talks" to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), head of the UOC-MP legal department, Archpriest Alexander Bakhov, said.

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), the only canonical Orthodox church in the country, are summoned "for talks" to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), head of the UOC-MP legal department, Archpriest Alexander Bakhov, said.

"As it became known, the SBU began inviting some bishops of the UOC 'for talks' or 'for conversations.' After the recent events around the UOC, this is quite expected, even indicative, but I want to note that the procedural law does not contain such a form of communication as 'talk' or 'conversation.' Therefore, dear our bishops and priests, I doubt that they will talk with you about God," Bakhov said on Facebook.

Kiev authorities are working to establish a single local autocephalous (independent) church in the country based on the non-canonical Ukrainian orthodox churches. In mid-September, two exarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople started working in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate (UOC-KP), which came as part of Constantinople's preparations to grant autocephaly to the UOC-KP.

The initiative has been strongly criticized by the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).

The ROC, in turn, has gone on to sever diplomatic ties with Constantinople. The ROC Holy Synod, the UOC-MP Holy Synod and the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) have also decided to suspend services with the hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. At the same time, the Moscow Patriarchate has noted that none of the local churches supported the Ukrainian autocephaly project.

Father Superior of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra Metropolitan Pavel and other ROC and UOC-MP bishops and priests have earlier repeatedly said that Ukrainian nationalists had threatened to seize monasteries and churches belonging to the UOC-MP, and that Constantinople's decision might fuel the nationalists' efforts.
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Former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, who was sentenced to two years in prison and sought asylum in Hungary, will be returned to Skopje, the incumbent head of the republic's government, Zoran Zaev, promised on Saturday.

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) Former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, who was sentenced to two years in prison and sought asylum in Hungary, will be returned to Skopje, the incumbent head of the republic's government, Zoran Zaev, promised on Saturday.

On Friday, media reported, citing a police source, that Gruevski had fled to Hungary via the territory of Albania, Montenegro and Serbia with the help of Hungarian diplomats. Hungarian Foreign and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto told his Macedonian counterpart Nicola Dimitrov on Thursday that Gruevski had applied for asylum in this country.

"Everything will be as I said. I am telling you that Gruevski will be returned! Because international law and laws are on our side. He will be returned!" Zaev said on air of the Alsat-M broadcaster.

Those involved in Gruevski's escape will also be held responsible, he added.

In May, Gruevski, who served as prime minister from 2006 until 2016 and is also the former head of the largest opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, was convicted of official misconduct by purchasing a luxury vehicle at an estimated cost of over 500,000 Euros ($563,400). On Monday, the Macedonian authorities issued an arrest warrant for the politician after the court turned down his appeal and ordered him to start serving his prison term immediately. However, Gruevski's whereabouts have been unknown since November 8.

The police were looking for the former head of government at home and in the office of his party. On Tuesday, Gruevski wrote on Facebook that he had received numerous threats and was in Hungary, where he asked for political asylum. On Wednesday, the office of the head of the Hungarian government, Viktor Orban, confirmed that the former prime minister of Macedonia had applied for asylum.
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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told reporters on Saturday that he and his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih had agreed to create a free trade zone.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told reporters on Saturday that he and his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih had agreed to create a free trade zone.

Earlier in the day, Rouhani and Salih held a meeting in the Iranian capital of Tehran, during which they discussed bilateral cooperation and regional development.

"We have agreed to create a free trade zone between the two countries, which will enable us to launch joint ventures," Rouhani said at a press conference held after the meeting, as broadcast by Press tv.

Rouhani added that while the Iranian-Iraqi trade currently amounted to around $12 billion, it could be raised to $20 billion in near future if both sides made an effort.

In May, US President Donald Trump announced the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, which triggered the re-imposition of sanctions against Iran, previously lifted under the agreement. Two rounds of sanctions have been reintroduced since then, with the large-scale restrictions covering oil exports being slapped on Iran on November 5. Eight oil importing countries were granted formal waivers, while Iraq was granted a 45-day waiver for natural gas and electricity waivers on November 11.

According to Brian Hook, the special representative for Iran at the US State Department, the Iraqi government is cooperating with the United States on increasing Iraqi oil production and reducing Iranian influence.
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Heading a high-level delegation, Iraqi President Barham Salih arrived here on Saturday to meet senior Iranian officials.

TEHRAN, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :Heading a high-level delegation, Iraqi President Barham Salih arrived here on Saturday to meet senior Iranian officials.

He was received by Reza Rahmani, Iran's Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade at Mehrabad International Airport During the visit, the Iraqi president is scheduled to hold meetings with Iranian officials,discussions on filateral relations and regional issues.

This is his fourth regional trip since Salih assumed office on October 2 after Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
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The Belarusian Foreign Ministry's press secretary, Anatoly Glaz, on Saturday slammed Armenian acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for following "street democracy" rules over the latter's recent comments on the situation regarding the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) secretary general post.

MINSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) The Belarusian Foreign Ministry's press secretary, Anatoly Glaz, on Saturday slammed Armenian acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for following "street democracy " rules over the latter's recent comments on the situation regarding the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) secretary general post

"Perhaps Pashinyan has not understood yet that the rules of the so-called street democracy are unacceptable in big politics. That's a pity, we hope that this will change with time," Glaz said in an interview with local TUT.BY online news outlet.

He suggested that Pashinyan considered himself as an "international prosecutor, authorized to punish and pardon."

Glaz added that Pashinyan could communicate like that with former CSTO secretary general, Yuri Khachaturov of Armenia, but he had to follow "quite distinct protocol and etiquette rules" applied in international relations, when communicating with others.

On November 2, Armenia prematurely recalled its representative at the post of the CSTO secretary general, Yuri Khachaturov, and his deputy Valery Semerikov became the organization's acting head. On November 8, the CSTO decided that a representative of Belarus should become the next secretary general, as "under the charter, alphabetically, Belarus goes after Armenia," Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said.

On Monday, Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko told Azerbaijani ambassador to Belarus that he had three possible candidates for the CSTO secretary general position, and on Saturday Pashinyan slammed both Nazarbayev and Lukashenko for their comments on the situation, claiming that Lukashenko had no right to go into detail about the CSTO closed meeting, considering that Azerbaijan was not even a CSTO member.
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More than 1,400 Syrian refugees have returned to their home country from Jordan and Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for the Reception, Allocation and Accommodation of Refugees said on Saturday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) More than 1,400 Syrian refugees have returned to their home country from Jordan and Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for the Reception, Allocation and Accommodation of Refugees said on Saturday.

"Over the past day, in total, 1,424 people returned to the Syrian Arab Republic from the territory of foreign states: 404 people (122 women and 206 children) left Lebanon for Syria via the Jaydet-Yabus and Talkalakh crossing points, and 1,020 people (306 women and 519 children) returned from Jordan via the Nasib crossing point," the center said in its daily bulletin.

The center added that 207 internally displaced Syrians had returned to their homes over the given period.

One humanitarian delivery was carried out by the Russian side over the period, with 450 food sets weighing 1.95 tonnes distributed in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province, according to the bulletin.

Syrian engineering units have destroyed 29 explosive devices, including two improved devices, the center specified.

As the Syrian government regained control over most of the country's territories that were seized by terrorists, it is now focused on creating favorable conditions for repatriating refugees. Moscow is assisting Damascus in this process, along with providing humanitarian aid to civilians and being a guarantor of the ceasefire.
A peacekeeper died after a UN military base was attacked by unidentified gunmen in the west of the volatile Central African Republic, the UN mission in the country said Saturday.

Bangui, Central African Republic, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :A peacekeeper died after a UN military base was attacked by unidentified gunmen in the west of the volatile Central African Republic , the UN mission in the country said Saturday.

The soldier died late Friday of injuries after the raid on the base in Gbambia at about 2000 GMT, MINUSCA said. He died in hospital.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin during talks agreed to extend joint efforts to reform Kiev's energy economy, the State Department said in a press release.

"Both sides intend to continue work together aimed at developing and reforming Ukraine's energy sector to enhance Ukraine's economy and security," the release said on Friday.

Pompeo and Klimkin also agreed to create a bilateral working group on Economy and Energy to meet regularly to discuss areas of mutual concern and advance joint objectives, the release added.

Earlier, during a joint presser alongside Klimkin in Washington Pompeo said the United States and the Kiev government would also cooperate to try and block Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
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The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has called on Washington to compensate victims and families of the 1989 invasion of Panama, accusing US forces of multiple rights violations as they moved to overthrow dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega, according to a newly released document.

Panama City, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has called on Washington to compensate victims and families of the 1989 invasion of Panama , accusing US forces of multiple rights violations as they moved to overthrow dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega, according to a newly released document.

A 91-page report issued Friday says the United States "is responsible" for violating civilians' rights "to life, liberty (and) security." The report says the US "must adopt measures of economic compensation." Asked by AFP for comment, the US Embassy in Panama said that it "deeply regrets the loss of civilian lives during Operation Just Cause." But it said the operation was justified because it ousted "brutal dictator Manuel Noriega" and helped turn Panama into "one of the most robust democracies in the hemisphere." Casualty estimates varied widely after the invasion, with most putting the number of civilians killed between 200 and 500 but some considerably higher.

The IACHR report refers to 315 people deserving US compensation.

The United States provided Panama with $420 million in "economic support funds" after the invasion, the embassy said.

About two dozen US service members died in the December 1989 invasion by more than 27,000 troops. Noriega was wanted in the United States on drug-trafficking charges.

After an extended standoff, Noriega surrendered to US troops. Charged with drug trafficking, money laundering and "disappearing" political opponents, he was imprisoned successively in the US, France and Panama. He died last year, aged 83, following brain surgery.

Panamanian lawyer Gilma Camargo, who in 1990 sued the US before the IACHR, said the commission's new document was "a forceful and extraordinary report that... pressures the US to be a civilized country." In 2016, the Panamanian government created a special commission to identify victims of the invasion.

The head of that commission, Juan Planells, told AFP he welcomed the IACHR report because it finally provided justice for "a large number of innocent people.""Now, through diplomatic channels, we are going to ask the United States to recognize the damage it caused and do what is necessary to try to alleviate the tragedy," he said.
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Moscow will be ready to consider, in a constructive manner, a solution on the settlement of relations with Kosovo, which would be acceptable to Serbia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) Moscow will be ready to consider, in a constructive manner, a solution on the settlement of relations with Kosovo, which would be acceptable to Serbia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

"If Belgrade considers any settlement option acceptable to Serbia, we will be ready to consider it in a constructive manner. It's inappropriate to speculate about the possible content of one or another option," Lavrov said in an interview with the Srpski telegraf newspaper.
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Several civilians were killed in the Syrian settlement of al-Shafa in the province of Deir ez-Zor as a result of airstrikes by the international coalition led by the United States, Syria's state broadcaster reported on Saturday.

DAMASCUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) Several civilians were killed in the Syrian settlement of al-Shafa in the province of Deir ez-Zor as a result of airstrikes by the international coalition led by the United States Syria 's state broadcaster reported on Saturday.

Earlier on Saturday, the SANA news agency reported the death of 40 civilians in the village of al-Buqa in the same province as a result of the coalition's airstrikes.

The exact number of those killed and wounded in al-Shafa was not reported.

The coalition regularly strikes the city of Hajin and the nearby settlements in Deir ez-Zor. Syrian media repeatedly reported civilian casualties and the use of white phosphorus in the coalition's airstrikes.

The Syrian authorities called on the UN to take measures against the perpetrators and to stop the illegal presence of the coalition in the country's territory. The Pentagon's spokesperson then stated that the US coalition did not disclose the ammunition used in Syria, but insisted it complied with international standards.

The US-led coalition of more than 70 members has been conducting military operations against the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia) in Syria and Iraq since September 2014. The coalition's activities in Syria are authorized neither by the Syrian government, nor by the UN Security Council.
A ship that capsized in July off the coast of Thailand's tourist hotspot Phuket leaving dozens of Chinese tourists dead was plucked out of the sea on Saturday, immigration officials said.

Bangkok, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :A ship that capsized in July off the coast of Thailand 's tourist hotspot Phuket leaving dozens of Chinese tourists dead was plucked out of the sea on Saturday, immigration officials said.

In July, the Phoenix was carrying 105 people when it sank on the way back from a popular snorkelling spot.

Divers and the navy spent more than a week retrieving bodies, some from within the watery tomb, bringing the death toll to 47 Chinese tourists.

More than four months after the tragic incident, Thai authorities were able to retrieve the Phoenix using a 1,000-tonne crane ship hired from Singapore at a cost of 35 million Baht, about US$1 million, said a statement issued by the Thai immigration police department.

"The Phoenix was brought to the surface at 3:20 pm," it said.

According to photos provided by the Thai immigration police, the once-white vessel emerged from the water covered entirely in sea silt, with people in life jackets working to hoist it to the massive crane ship.

Deputy national police chief Rungrot Saengkram said the authorities needed to salvage the Phoenix "to express sincerity to the Chinese government".

He added that they wanted to determine the "real reason" for the capsizing.

The Phoenix was among three vessels which ignored a bad weather warning against island day trips on the day of the accident.

"Investigators, experts and engineers from Germany, and forensics will examine the structure of the Phoenix to see whether the equipment was up to standard," said Rungrot.

One of the worst boating accidents in recent history in Thailand, the Phoenix capsizing and the death of dozens hit the tourism sector hard, with the number of arrivals from China dropping off steadily since July.

The impact was immediate, with August tourism statistics showing a nearly 12 percent decline in Chinese arrivals, as they were scared and angered by the boat tragedy.

"The Thai government sincerely wants to rebuild the confidence with the Chinese government and I hope the situation improves," said General Surachate Hakparn, immigration police chief.

Thailand's tourism ministry revised its forecast of Chinese arrivals -- who typically make up a quarter of the country's annual 35 million visitors -- down by 670,000 for the rest of the year.

Since July, authorities have reacted swiftly to any issues facing Chinese tourists.

In September, a video clip of a Chinese tourist being hit by an airport guard in Thailand prompted a flurry of apologies from the highest levels, as the government went into damage control to stave off more bad publicity.

The immigration bureau has also removed a visa-on-arrival fee for Chinese tourists, who would have paid about US$60 in the past to enter the country. The exemption period began on Thursday and will continue until mid-January.
A Turkish state-run aid agency has donated 80,000 blankets to internally displaced people in Ethiopia's eastern city of Jijiga, the capital of Somali Regional State.

ADDIS ABABA, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :A Turkish state-run aid agency has donated 80,000 blankets to internally displaced people in Ethiopia's eastern city of Jijiga, the capital of Somali Regional State.

Turkish Ambassador to Ethiopia Fatih Ulusoy, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency's (TIKA) country coordinator Mehmet Ali Yetis and Vice President of Somali Regional State Adem Farha attended the aid distribution ceremony held the other day.

Ambassador Ulusoy said that his government would continue to support the development needs in the region.

The vice president of the region noted stability has returned to the region. "We need Turkish investors," he said.

The TIKA coordinator said the donation was only a beginning of the continuous support.

"We will continue to support the needy people and the region. The blankets were produced by Turkish textile company ETUR Textile PLC, which is based in Adama city of Ethiopia," he said.
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KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expressed "a strong protest" to the newly-appointed Hungarian ambassador on Friday over critical remarks made by Prime Minister Viktor Orban about the country's current leadership.

On Thursday, Orban said that Budapest sees no prospect for proper cooperation with the country's current leadership. He also suggested that, if the March 2019 election in Ukraine does lead to further deterioration, it will be a big achievement. He also said that Ukraine's accession to NATO and the European Union seems to be unattainable goal in the near future.

"The newly appointed Ambassador of Hungary to Ukraine, Istvan Ijgyarto, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. The Ukrainian side made a strong protest against the latest comments about Ukraine of Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban and Vice Prime Minister for National Policy Zsolt Semjen," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian side told the diplomat about the need for Budapest to "stop actions negatively affecting development of the bilateral relations."

Ukrainian-Hungarian relations deteriorated over Kiev's 2017 education law, which restricted national minority children's right to study in their native languages. In September, tensions escalated further over reports that the Ukrainian consulate in Berehove, a city located in Ukraine's western Zakarpattia region, near the Hungarian border, issued Hungarian passports for Ukrainian citizens. This was done in spite of the fact that Ukraine does not recognize dual citizenship. The move prompted Kiev to expel the Hungarian consul from the country, and Hungary responded in kind.
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A senior US diplomat on Friday backed gas exploration off Cyprus, as ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum started drilling despite opposition from Turkey.

Nicosia, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Nov, 2018 ) :A senior US diplomat on Friday backed gas exploration off Cyprus , as ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum started drilling despite opposition

Ankara has warned international firms against exploration in the disputed waters off the Mediterranean island, but Cyprus has pushed ahead with energy deals.

Francis Fannon, the State Department's foreign energy official, said Washington had a "long-standing position of recognising Cyprus' right to develop resource wealth".

"We view energy as a catalyst for cooperation, economic development and to benefit all the people in the region and Cyprus has a meaningful role to that end," he told reporters after meeting the country's energy minister, George Lakkotrypis.

ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum commenced drilling operations off Cyprus on Friday, in Block 10 of the country's Exclusive Economic Zone, the energy ministry said.

Ankara argues that Cyprus has no mandate for offshore exploration without a deal between the EU member and the breakaway Turkish-backed north of the island.

Fannon, who will also visit Israel and Egypt, said the US believes "resource wealth should be shared with all communities on the island equitably in the context of a comprehensive settlement" to reunify Cyprus.

Earlier this month Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described those who defy Ankara as "bandits of the sea" who would face a similar response as his country's foes in Syria.

In February, a drill ship contracted by Italy's ENI to explore off Cyprus abandoned its mission after Turkish warships blocked its path.

Cyprus last month invited Total, ENI and ExxonMobil to bid for unclaimed Block 7 in Cyprus' EEZ.
The US-led coalition's airstrikes hit a village in the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor leaving 40 civilians dead, mostly women and children, local media reported on Saturday.

DAMASCUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) The US-led coalition's airstrikes hit a village in the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor leaving 40 civilians dead , mostly women and children, local media reported on Saturday.

According to the SANA news agency, the airstrikes hit the al-Buqa village near the town of Hajin, in the southeastern part of the province.

On Thursday, local media reported that the coalition's airstrikes had killed 23 civilians in the village of Bu-Badran in the province of Deir ez-Zor.

A US-led coalition of more than 70 members has been conducting military operations against the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia) in Syria and Iraq since September 2014. The coalition's activities in Syria are authorized neither by the Syrian government, nor by the UN Security Council.
Delivering impassioned pleas on behalf of 14 million civilians teetering on the edge of famine in Yemen, senior United Nations and civil society leaders emphasized that a new 'window of hope' has now opened in that country's devastating and overlooked war.

UNITED NATIONS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2018 ) :Delivering impassioned pleas on behalf of 14 million civilians teetering on the edge of famine in Yemen , senior United Nations and civil society leaders emphasized that a new 'window of hope' has now opened in that country's devastating and overlooked war.

"Never has so much international attention and energy been given to this crisis, and rightly so, Martin Griffiths, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Yemen, told the UN Security Council on Friday.

Welcoming the light recently shed on the situation, he reminded 15-member Council that the situation nevertheless remains the world's largest humanitarian disaster with an ongoing fight against famine, civilians dying from preventable diseases and an economy on the verge of collapse.

"This is a crucial moment," he said, noting that he has spent the last two months seeking support from the warring parties for an updated version of a framework for negotiations.

Outlining the contents of that newly-emerged framework including the establishment of principles and parameters for United Nations-led, inclusive Yemeni political negotiations, a set of interim security and political arrangements to end fighting, the return of Sana'a's friendly relations with neighbouring countries and a restoration of State institutions he said he plans to visit Yemen next week to draw attention to the continued need for a pause in fighting.

Welcoming the recent announcement by Yemen President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi of plans to move swiftly towards a political solution, he urged Council members to seize the current momentum and pursue a comprehensive and inclusive settlement to the conflict.

Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, recalled his October warning to the Council that a grave economic crisis and escalating conflict had pushed Yemen closer to famine than ever before.

Shortly afterwards, an alert was issued that the world's largest food security emergency faces catastrophic deterioration.

In that regard, he reiterated the five priority requests he previously delivered to the Council, namely: A cessation of hostilities in and around infrastructure on which aid operations and commercial importers rely; the protection of food and essential goods; a larger and faster injection of foreign exchange into the economy; an increase in funding and support for the humanitarian operation; and the parties' full and open engagement with the Special Envoy.

The World Food Programme's (WFP) Executive Director, David Beasley, emphasized that the words heart breaking and tragic do not do the conflict in Yemen justice.

Describing his recent trip to the country, he said soft words cannot properly illustrate what is happening to civilians there, the stuff of nightmares, horror, deprivation and misery.

Beasley said that he had witnessed a country on the brink of catastrophe: "What I have seen in Yemen this week is the stuff of nightmares, of horror, of deprivation, of misery. And we - all of humanity -- have only ourselves to blame." Noting that the value of the Yemeni rial has dropped by 235 per cent since January 2015, he said the price of basic food staples has doubled in the last eight months while household incomes are declining. Meanwhile, Yemen unlike other conflict-affected countries cannot grow its own food, and there are 3.6 million more hungry people in the country than three months ago.

Rasha Jarhum, Founder and Director of the Peace Track Initiative Yemen, said children's cries in Yemen go unnoticed as the conflict parties continue to use weapons in populated areas.

Underlining the severe impacts on Yemeni women and girls, she said rapes and child marriages are soaring. Women have been assaulted by Houthi gangs and have had family members abducted.

Calling for an immediate ceasefire, she also called for a ban on the arms and mines flowing into Yemen as well as on the recruitment of child soldiers.

Peacekeepers from totally neutral States should be deployed to Yemen and the results of the National Dialogue should guide a transition to peace, she said.

As Council members took the floor, many underscored that while delegations are often divided on issues before them, today they stand largely united on the situation in Yemen.

Speakers around the table agreed on the need for urgent political progress, while also voicing support for the Special Envoy's political plans and the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator's five priority requests.

Some welcomed the initiative to relaunch political negotiations in Stockholm, Sweden, at the end of November, while others urged their fellow Council members to use their individual and collective leverage to bring the parties to the table.

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres plans to convene a high-level conference on Yemen with a focus on the 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan, in February.
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As the Catholic Church commemorates World Day of the Poor, this Sunday, Ghanaian Bishops have been reflecting on poverty in the country, migration and youth unemployment among other concerns.

Paul Samasumo Vatican City



We are encouraged to know that ours is one of the fastest growing economies in the world as indicated by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Other studies and our own observations, however, show that there is still a widening gap between the rich and the poor. In our experience, many in the urban and rural areas do not experience this economic growth in their everyday living experience. This is an unhealthy growth, the Bishops observe in a Pastoral Communique released at the end of their Annual Plenary Assembly held at Our Lady of Calvary Pastoral and Social Centre, Asueyi, Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. The Bishops met for their plenary from 9 to 16 November 2018.

The Bishops want the Government of Ghana, as a matter of urgency to roll out the necessary programmes to bridge the growing trend of unequal wealth distribution in the country.

Caritas Ghana to help with the migration crisis in Ghanas Brong Ahafo Region

The Bishops highlighted the serious problems associated with migration, particularly in the Brong Ahafo Region situated in the southern part of Ghana. According to statistics, many young Ghanaians who migrate originate from this region.

We are saddened by the unfortunate loss of lives in the desert and the Mediterranean Sea of young men and women embarking on these perilous journeys. We share the anxieties of families who have lost contact with their relatives, who left for these journeys and pray for their safe return. As part of our commitment to minimise the high level of migration in this part of our country, we have instructed Caritas Ghana, our Development and Relief Organization, to prioritise actions to address this menace in the Brong Ahafo Region and the entire country. Caritas Ghana is to provide relief and other essential services to those who have been caught up in this regrettable situation, the Bishops said.

The Bishops have also made a passionate plea for Ghanaians to heed the call to holiness. In the communique, the Bishops speak about the importance of caring for the environment, delivery of social services, education and youth unemployment.
A woman in mourning in front of the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic. (AFP or licensors)

Violence continues in the Central African Republic, as a displaced persons camp operated by the Catholic Church is attacked. Militants also targeted the Cathedral and the Bishops residence in the southern city of Alindao.

By Christopher Wells

More than 40 people were killed on Thursday when Islamic militants attacked a displaced persons camp in Alindao, in the Central African Republic.

The refugee centre, operated by the Diocese of Alindao, has a capacity of 25,000, and welcomes displaced persons regardless of religion. It was established precisely in order to foster the civil harmony vigorously promoted by the Church, especially following the Pope Francis Apostolic Visit to the country in 2015.

"They told me they were surrounded"

News of the attack spread rapidly on Thursday morning by means of social media. Father Marcellin Kpeou, a Central African living in Rome, received a message from the Diocesan bursar asking for prayers. When he called Alindao, Fr Marcellin said he heard shots in the background. They told me they were surrounded, he explained, and asked him to alert the local authorities about what was happening.

The attack was reportedly carried out by UPC (Unite pour la Paix en Centrafrique) rebels, in retaliation for the killing of a Muslim man by Anti-balaka militia groups. Political tensions have led to ongoing fighting between rival factions, roughly divided along ethnic and religious lines. As a result of the violence, humanitarian aid organization Doctors Without Borders estimates there are more than 690,000 internally displaced persons within the CAR, out of a total population of 4.5 million; as well as approximately 570,000 refugees in neighbouring countries.

More than 40 people killed

Sources in Alindao said many displaced persons were burned alive, and their tents set on fire during Thursdays attack. Initial reports spoke of at least forty victims, although the final death toll may be much higher. At least one priest  Father Blaise Mada, the Vicar General of the Diocese of Alindao  was killed; while another priest, Fr Celestine Ngoumbango, who was wounded in the attack, is missing and feared dead.

Following the attack, Vatican News spoke with Father Mathieu Bondobo, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Bangui. The attackers, he said started burning tents, killing, looting peoples property. Fr Mathieu said the attacks appeared to be premeditated, in view of threats received by the Bishop of Alindao, Cyr-Nestor Yapaupa, who has been unreachable since the attack.

The Church remains strong

The Bishop had notified UN peacekeepers of the threats, but at the time of the attack the Churchs facilities were undefended. When the famed blue helmets did arrive, they did not intervene. Everyone was left to their own devices, Fr Mathieu said, and the rebels had time to do whatever they wanted. And they did.

This is [the reason] for our anger, this is what causes sadness in our hearts, he continued. Humanly, yes, we are sad, but this attack cannot be a threat to prevent the Church from fulfilling its mission. Indeed, the Church remains strong. And we, who are still alive, continue to carry on this work.
The government blamed Speaker Karu Jayasuriya for the ugly and shameful actions by a some government MPs yesterday and said it was a conspiracy hatched by him.

Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara said a large number of foreign diplomats, foreign media including Al Jazeera and foreign correspondents were eagerly following the hideous scenes in the House.

He told a news briefing that yesterday was one of the darkest days in the history of parliamentary democracy in Sri Lanka and pointed out that had not acted according to the compromise reached between President Maithripala Sirisena and the alliance led by the UNF on Thursday.

The agreement was to remove the first paragraph in the no-confidence motion that said the removal of Ranil Wickremesinghe from the premiership and the dissolution of Parliament were unconstitutional. Secondly, the handing of the NCM to the Speaker, deciding on the date of the debate and vote should have been done in accordance with parliamentary Standing Orders and traditions. But nothing of this was done yesterday and this is why the government members protested, Mr. Jayasekara said attempting to justify what happened in Parliament yesterday.

Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said the government MPs who participated at the party leaders meeting pointed out to the Speaker that if the NCM was to be taken up yesterday proper procedures had to be followed as agreed upon at the meeting with the President.

The Speaker did not agree to any of those demands. That was the start of the fracas in Parliament. The government MPs are not responsible for what happened in Parliament yesterday. We did not see a NCM. We demanded that the NCM must remain in the Order Book for at least five days for us to study the NCM. This also was ignored, the minister said. (Sandun A Jayasekera)

Pix by Pradeep Pathirana
Leader of these corporations and groups will be appointed by the Committee for State Capital Management

Yesterday afternoon (November 15), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Committee for State Capital Management have signed the memorandum handing over the rights and responsibilities of representing the state capital in five corporations. The corporations are Northern Food Corporation (Vinafood 1), Southern Food Corporation (Vinafood 2), Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG), Vietnam Forest Corporation (Vinafor), and Vietnam National Coffee Corporation (Vinacafe).

Chairman of the Committee for State Capital Management Nguyen Hoang Anh said that these five corporations and groups under the management of MARD are operated stably, holding significant assets of the country.

MARD is the last ministry handing over state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to the Super Committee. Previously, the ministries of Finance, Industry and Trade, Transport, Information and Telecommunications handed over 14 corporations and groups.

The 19 corporations and groups have total assets in excess of VND2.3 quadrillion ($100 billion) and have already been handed over to the Committee for State Capital Management, which is the sole representative of over VND1 quadrillion ($43.5 million) of state capital in these firms.
95 per cent of subscribers will have to wait until early 2019 to use MNP services

According to the Authority of Telecommunications, launching the MNP for more than 120 million mobile subscribers at the same time would be difficult, therefore, the process needs to be done step-by-step to limit negative impacts.

As a result, three giant mobile suppliers  Viettel, Vinaphone, and Mobifone  have decided to initially apply the service to postpaid subscribers, who account for 5 per cent of total mobile users. The purpose of this is for the carriers to examine inadequacies and work towards comprehensive solutions before wider implementation.

Instead of delaying the service by three months as previously proposed, from January 1, 2019, prepaid mobile subscribers will be allowed to access the MNP service, switching operators (Viettel, Vinaphone, Mobifone, and Vietnamobile) and keeping their numbers. Small-scale Gtel reported that it is not going to carry out MNP.

Customers can switch to the carriers of their choice, as long as their mobile bills are fully paid, said Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Pham Hong Hai, adding that MNP will benefit not only mobile subscribers but also the telecom sector and telecom enterprises, and make administration easier.

Subscribers can visit one of the branches of the operator of their choice to make the switch. The transfer process takes two or three days, however, and service will be unavailable during the shift for a maximum of one hour.

Each switch will be carried out with the recommended service charge of VND60,000 ($2.6), instead of VND120,000 ($5.2) as previously planned. Viettel and Mobifone have confirmed the fee of VND60,000, while Vinaphone is still mulling the decision. Vinaphone said it will announce the service, Vinaphone also announced the charge of VND60,000 on November 15. Subscribers will not be charged any extra fees.

After each switch, customers are required to stay with the current supplier for at least 90 days until they can switch again.

During the first days of implementing the MNP, the telecom market will witness great fluctuations, and stability is expected to return gradually.

According to deputy general director of Vinaphone Nguyen Truong Giang, MNP will doubtlessly affect mobile operators. About 2-5 per cent of global subscribers use MNP, but demand for the service in Vietnam has yet to be ascertained.

Representatives from telecom companies share the opinion that the main purpose of MNP is not to attract more subscribers but to enhance carriers competitiveness by improving service quality, infrastructure, as well as customer care to better satisfy and retain subscribers.
The land rush in Van Don District, Quang Ninh Province has cooled off.-Photo soha.vn

In early May, the provincial authority requested a temporarily stop of land use purpose conversions, handing over land for projects and land ownership transactions in Van Don District to prevent the land price fever caused by the expectation the district would become a special administrative-economic zone.

A report by the Vietnam Real Estate Association showed that land prices in some areas of Van Don rose by around five times at the end of 2017 compared to 2016.

The provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment said that after the ban, land fever in the district cooled off and the real estate market stabilised, adding that it is time to resume land-related transactions following the success of the regulations.

Experts said regular updates about the real estate market and improving market transparency would be more effective than imposing a ban on land transactions.

In September, Van Ninh District in Khanh Hoa Province asked provincial authorities to lift a similar ban in the district, which will likely be developed into the Bac Van Phong Special Administrative  Economic Zone.

Van Ninh and Van Don were two of the three area proposed to be developed into Special Administrative  Economic Zones, in addition to Phu Quoc in Kien Giang Province.

When the land rush occurred, the draft Law on Special Administrative  Economic Units was expected to be passed quickly. However, the 14th National Assembly delayed discussing and passing the law at its ongoing sixth meeting because the draft law needed more revisions and adjustments.
Representatives of Nippon Paint Vietnam, Phuong Nam Insulation, Sam Chem, BASF Vietnam, and MKVN with the beneficiary schoolkids

Under the project, co-sponsored by BASF and 10 customers from Vietnam and Thailand, two new classrooms with a total area of over 170 square metres will be built for Song Ray Kindergarten, located in a remote area of Dong Nai province. Facilitated by Saigon Childrens Charity CIO, the construction project will be completed in 2019, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the establishment of BASF Vietnam.

The two classrooms, currently accommodating 70 children aged two and three, were built five years ago as temporary structures with all-metal walls and ceilings, an uncomfortable environment during high temperatures and in rainy weather. After renovation, the kindergarten will be equipped with brand new facilities, including hygiene amenities and a storeroom. The kindergarten is located in Cam My district, approximately 120 km from Ho Chi Minh City.

A total of approximately $43,000 (VND1 billion), in both money and materials to renovate the school, was donated by BASF and customers in Vietnam and Thailand.

The co-sponsors from Vietnam include Sam Chem Sphere, a distributor of industrial chemicals, industrial lubricants, fleet lubricants, and waterproofing materials, MKVN Chemicals, a company active in distributing care chemicals as well as nutrition, health and other functional products, and Eason Urai Paint, a subsidiary of Eason Group in Thailand, which manufactures and distributes motorcycle coatings and other industrial paints.

The project is also supported by donors from Thailand, including The Sun Chemical, a personal care solution provider, importer and logistics service provider of a broad chemicals portfolio of cosmetics and toiletries, pharmaceuticals, detergent, household, industrial, and institutional products, rubber, textile, and foodstuff. Unique Coating Chemicals is a distributor of performance additives, polymer dispersions, and pigments for coatings and printing inks, and resins for coatings.

Another donor, VITA, is an affiliated company of VIV Group, distributing a comprehensive range of ingredients and providing solutions for nutrition and health in the animal feed, food, and pharmaceutical industries. BAKA is an importer and distributor of pesticides, while Sahaikaset Agrochemicals is an importer, exporter, and distributor of chemicals, fertilisers, and agricultural products.

BASF also donated BASFs Master Builders Solutions waterproofing products to help rainproof the building. The roof panels were donated by Phuong Nam Insulation, a supplier of high-quality insulation roof panels, to keep the school free from heat and noise issues. Nippon Paint Vietnam also sponsored low odour products made with BASF ingredients that reduce impact on human health. The new facility will offer children better learning facilities as well as improved hygiene and safety conditions.

Tanachart Ralsiripong, managing director of BASF Vietnam, said, BASF continuously supports the local community through a variety of programmes with a focus on providing quality education. These include school renovation projects like this one, and BASF Kids Lab, which provides safe, interactive chemistry experiments to inspire childrens interest in science. We are pleased to support this initiative to provide a healthy learning environment for children, ensuring that they have better access to education. The completion of the project next year will mark 25 years of creating chemistry in Vietnam. This demonstrates our strong commitment to this important market.

Petrus Ng, managing director of BASF Thailand, added, At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We aim to make our customers more successful with our innovative chemistry solutions, and to support the communities where we do business. I am proud to see our long-standing customers in both Vietnam and Thailand joining hands in this important effort.

Dong Nai is one of Vietnams manufacturing hubs, with a diverse number of industrial parks. Nevertheless, many areas are still left behind due to the lack of investment in remote locations, impacting both economic and education development. In Song Ray commune, 5 per cent of the population is classified as poor, with an average income of less than VND700,000 per person ($30) each month, while the remaining population earns no more than VND4 million (around $200) each month.

BASF Vietnam has been active in multiple community projects. In partnership with Saigon Childrens Charity, BASF has renovated three schools in Tra Vinh and Hau Giang province, offering enhanced facilities and improved hygiene and safety conditions for about 350 students in this region. In addition, BASF has offered scholarships to nearly 20 disadvantaged university students for their four years of study. The company recently worked with the worlds leading paint manufacturer, Nippon Paint, to offer paint sponsorship that redecorated over 7,500 square meters of school area in the Mekong Delta, benefiting almost 1,000 children.

Since 2011, BASF has brought its global interactive education programme BASF Kids Lab to Vietnam on an annual basis in partnership with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training. A total of approximately 4,000 primary school children have participated to learn about the fascinating world of chemistry and improving the quality of life and conserving natural resources.
Hotels and resorts along Tran Hung Dao Street in Phu Quoc Island.-Photo vietnambiz.vn

According to Nguyen Tran Nam, chairman of the Vietnam Real Estate Association, the real estate sector still had momentum for development next year and this would continue for the next 30-50 years.

Under the national housing development strategy, each year, Vietnam, with a population of 96 million and rapid urbanisation, would have to develop around 100 million sq.m of residential areas each year, creating opportunities for developers, Nam said.

The liquidity of the real estate market will improve if developers make the right decisions about the locations, segments and time for their projects, he said.

Nam added that Vietnamese developers should also promote cooperation with foreign companies with financial capacity in property development in the condition that the credit for real estate was being tightened and most Vietnamese developers remained small.

Nam said that the number of successful transactions in January- September was around 60,000 units, 50 per cent higher than the total in 2015. With increases in successful transactions, stable prices and high occupancy rates of housing projects, I think that the real estate market will continue to grow in the next few years.

Nam said the Government was expected to issue regulations regulating new property products like condotels and officetels, which would help promote their development and ensure the sustainable development of the real estate market.

Le Hoang Chau, chairman of HCM City Real Estate Association, said that the market would see new trends such as the development of smart homes, smart urban areas and green buildings which use renewable energy, environmentally-friendly materials and apply new technology.

Nguyen Trong Thuc from CBRE Vietnam said the rapid development of the transport infrastructure system in provinces and cities rich in tourism potential was also creating momentum for the development of resort properties, like in Ba Ria  Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Da Nang and Phu Quoc.

According to Adam Bury, senior vice president of investment sales, Asia Pacific, Hotels & Hospitality Group at JLL, there was a surge in international hotel operators moving into Vietnam, which would help promote the development of the resort and hotel property segment.

Office for lease also had opportunities for a boom, driven by the start-up trend in Vietnam, he added.

Nguyen Chi Toan, marketing manager of Vietnam  Singapore Industrial Park in the northern and central regions said that the industrial land segment was also supported by positive information from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) which would take effect from the end of this year.

The CPTPP was expected to create a shift in investment by multinational corporations to Vietnam to enjoy tariff cuts.
Prime Minister of Russia Dimitry A. Medvedev and President of India Ram Nath Kovind

The Indian leaders visit is made at the invitation of Party General Secretary, President Nguyen Phu Trong.

The three-day visit by President Kovind is meant to help maintain the sound development trend of bilateral relations, Vietnam News Agency quoted Vietnamese Ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau as saying in an interview.

During this visit, the two sides will review their achievements to enhance connections. They will also discuss issues of common concern, especially regional and global matters.

Chau noted that the political ties and trust between the two countries had been increasingly strengthened through frequent mutual high-ranking visits, especially since they set up the comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016. Meanwhile, defence-security cooperation was viewed as an important and effective pillar of their comprehensive strategic partnership.

Defence co-operation had been lifted to the highest-ever level, and India has become one of the most important defence partners of Vietnam, said the diplomat.

Aside from the sound relations in politics-diplomacy and defence-security, bilateral economic-trade partnerships had enjoyed great strides in recent years, he said, elaborating that India had emerged as one of the top 12 trade partners of Vietnam.

The Russian PMs official visit to Vietnam on Sunday and Monday looks to continue stepping up ties across politics, economy, trade, national defence-security, science-technology, education-training, culture, tourism, and locality-to-locality exchange between the two countries.

The visit, at the invitation of PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, takes place at a time when the two countries will celebrate the Vietnam Year in Russia and Russia Year in Vietnam during 2019-2020, the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on fundamental principles of Vietnam  Russia friendly relations in 2019 and the 70th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2020.

On March 1, 2001, Vietnam and Russia signed a joint statement on strategic partnership. Later, on July 27, 2012, both sides issued a joint statement on further strengthening bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

Two-way trade rose from US$2.2 billion in 2015 to $3.55 billion in 2017. Vietnam mostly exports mobile phones, apparel, farm produce, and seafood to Russia while importing petroleum, iron and steel, fertiliser, machinery and equipment.

Russia now ranks 23rd among countries and territories investing in Vietnam with 116 projects worth a total of $990 million, mostly in oil and gas, manufacturing, mining, transportation, telecommunications, and aquaculture.
National Assembly (NA) deputies called for thorough examination and consideration of any impacts from the revised Law on Public Investment before any amendments are added.-VNA/VNS Photo Phuong Hoa

During the sitting on Friday, the NA discussed the draft of the amended Law on Public Investment with the aim of removing existing hurdles that has slowed down the already unsatisfactory disbursement of public investment capital.

Deputy Vu Thi Luu Mai from Hanoi said "the law is an essential legal document which has direct impacts on the budget resources and national financial security but was so far short-lived". Just three years since it took effect, the law required revisions, she said.

"It should be noted that the law-compiling body must take into consideration the most pressing issues for any revisions. Any regulations that have not been thoroughly examined or are likely to prevent development shouldnt be included in the revised law," Mai said.

Mai also called for a clarification of the limitations related to mechanisms, policies and legal institutions, and restrictions caused by people, adding that "it is necessary to listen to opinions from localities, especially donors and to adequately learn from international experiences."

Speaking of impacts of revised policies in the draft, deputy Hoang Quang Ham of Phu Tho, said a report assessing impacts of the policies only highlighted negatives of the 17 out of 18 policies that need to be amended and positive facets of the replacement of these 17 policies.

"Each policy has its own positive and negative facets. It is important to choose policies with more positive ones whilst identifying negative ones to mitigate [negative impacts]," Ham said.

Stay transparent

Deputy Hoang Van Cuong of Hanoi said public investment projects using public funds must publicise in detail their purpose and process.

"Current regulations detail 14 provisions on transparency in public investment but the provisions are quite general. It is necessary to publicise the whole dossiers of investment projects, excluding those related to national secrecy and security," said Cuong.

"The practice will stop any violations in the process of implementing projects, which will serve as crucial basis for the people, community, and Fatherland Front to exercise their right to supervision."

Agreeing with Cuong, deputy Nguyen Thi Kim Be of Kien Giang said transparency is needed in public investment management whilst supervision and inspection of the use of public investment capital must be strengthened to prevent waste and losses.

Deputy Mai Thi Anh Tuyet of An Giang pointed out a complex situation.

"Urgent projects implemented with simplified procedures facilitate the exploitation of loopholes," she said.

She explained that the law did not specify when stating that "urgent projects are implemented immediately and regulated by the Government" while in fact decisions on investment policies play an important role in promoting the effectiveness of investment.

Deputy Nguyen Hong Hai of Binh Thuan recommended that the maintenance and repair of transport works should be subject to public investment.

"Many transport projects are damaged and flooded as a result of climate change, intensifying possibilities of traffic accidents whilst Central and local funds for inland road maintenance only satisfy 55 per cent of actual demand. So, it is necessary to pour public investment into these projects."
Located not far from downtown of central Da Nang city, Son Tra Peninsula has been considered the most unique peninsula of Vietnam.

Son Tra Nature Reserve has more than 1,000 plants and 370 animal species It is home to about 300-400 red shanked douc langurs, a rare species deemed the A rare kind of butterfly Son Tra forest owns many hundred-year-old trees Linh Ung pagoda on Son Tra peninsula famous for Vietnams highest Bodhisattva Statue at 67 metres Xanh lake - a natural lake on Son Tra peninsula Tho Quang fishing village's market opens every morning VNA/ Bao anh Viet Nam
It is unsure how registered buyers plan to actually pay for their Vinaconex shares

On November 22, the State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) will put its entire stake, equivalent to nearly 254.9 million shares or 57.71 per cent of Vinaconexs charter capital, on sale with the initial price of VND21,300 apiece. SCIC expects to acquire VND5.43 trillion ($236.08 million) from the sale.

Domestic and foreign investors and financial intermediaries will be invited to bid for the shares. Financial intermediaries will need to divulge the number of foreign investors they represent as well as the number of shares purchased to ensure foreign investment caps are adhered to.

The foreign ownership limit in Vinaconex is 49 per cent.

On November 15, the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) released the names of three companies and one individual registering to join the auction for Vinaconex. They are Star Invest Co., Ltd., An Quy Hung Limited Company, Thang Long Infrastructure Investment Joint Stock Company (TJC), and individual Nguyen Van Dong.

However, it remains a question how these investors are planning to mobilise the VND5.4 trillion ($234.7 million) capital for the auction as their companies seem to be far too small for the task.

First of all, Star Invest has just been established on November 9 with the charter capital of VND200 billion ($8.6 million). The director, Dang The Anh, is only 33 years old.

An Quy Hung, established in 2001, has the charter capital of VND360 billion ($15.6 million). The company has total assets of VND1 trillion. In 2017, it reported VND956 billion ($41.56 million) in net revenue and VND62.4 billion in after-tax profit.

TJC was established in 2008 with the charter capital of VND250 billion ($10.8 million). By the end of 2017, TJC had an asset value of VND257 billion ($11.1 million). Its net revenue reached VND2 billion ($85,837) while it reported an accumulated loss of VND2.8 billion ($120,172)  all numbers far below the trillion-dong threshold.

Additionally, it is part of a joint venture that will co-operate with Airport Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) to invest and construct the new terminal T4 for Tan Son Nhat International Airport, which will require immense capital.

The Danang International Terminal Investment and Exploitation Joint Stock Company (AHT)  TJC alliance will partner up with ACV to launch a project company to construct the terminal with the investment capital of some VND4 trillion ($177 million). Besides, the Ministry of Transport also approved TJC to develop the parking area and commercial service centre for Noi Bai International Airport. However, there is no updated information about these two projects. All these mega infrastructure projects will cost a pretty penny for TJC, and it is questionable where the company will find the capital to execute all these engagements.

The only individual Nguyen Van Dong registered to buy entire share volume on offer, suggesting hes got some very deep pockets.
The Frontline Socialist Party should first put into words as to why they want to work with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and should accept us as leftists, JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti said.

Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) Education Secretary Pubudu Jayagoda recently said in a news briefing that they were ready to work with the JVP or any party who call themselves leftists at this juncture where the county was embroiled in a devastating showdown in terms of politics, the economy and the Constitution.

Jayagoda said they would work with anybody except with Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe who should be held responsible for this prevailing anarchical state.

Speaking to Daily Mirror, Handunnetti said the FSP had not officially invited them to work collaboratively even though it was mentioned in a news conference. They left us claiming that the JVPers were not pure leftists. If they wanted to work with us, they should explain on what grounds that they have taken such a step, Handunnetti added.

Unless they come out with satisfactory remarks over their decision to work with us, we will have to ignore their invitation, he added. (Sheain Fernandopulle)
Music Time in Africa is VOAs longest running English language program. Since 1965, this award-winning program has featured pan African music that spans all genres and generations. Ethnomusicologist and Host Heather Maxwell keeps you up to date on whats happening in African music with exclusive interviews, cultural information, and of course, great music -- including rare recordings from the Leo Sarkisian Library of African Music.
Listen as top Washington correspondents discuss the Democrat's influence on President Trump's next two years as their majority widens in the House of Representatives. Join Moderator Paul Brandus along with Emily Tamkin of BuzzFeed News and Tom DeFrank of the National Journal as they discuss these and other Issues in the News on the Voice of America.
Officials in California say the number of people missing from the deadliest wildfire in the states history has risen to more than 1,000 and the death toll has increased to 71.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Friday that a list of the missing, which he released Thursday with 631 names has now increased to 1,011 names.

He stressed that list likely includes people who fled the fire and dont realize they have been reported missing, and said the list will likely fluctuate in number up and down. Honea urged people to inform authorities if they survived the fire.

Search for remains

Firefighters battling what is known as the Camp Fire gained ground Friday in containing and suppressing the flames.

Some 500 rescue workers sifted through debris in and around the northern California town of Paradise Friday, one week after the deadly blaze erupted and quickly raced through the town of 27,000. The blaze reduced the town to ashes, having destroyed nearly 12,000 structures, including at least 9,700 homes, and still threatens thousands of additional structures.

The blaze forced the evacuation of about 52,000 people who are staying in shelters, motels, homes of relatives and friends, and at a makeshift camp on a nearby Walmart parking lot and an adjacent field.

Officials said Friday that at least 25 people staying at shelters following the blaze have been hospitalized because of an outbreak of norovirus.

Authorities say schools and tourist attractions across the San Francisco Bay Area were closed Friday because of smoke from the forest fire.

The cause of the Camp Fire remains under investigation, but officials say it may have been sparked by malfunctioning electrical equipment.

Wildfires common

Wildfires are common in California, particularly at this time of year when warm, dry winds help fan the flames. At the southern end of California, firefighters and rescue workers have been grappling with other wildfires, including the Woolsey Fire that killed three people and burned at least 500 structures near the Malibu coast near Los Angeles.

The Woolsey Fire, which torched nearly 390 square kilometers, roughly the size of the western city of Denver, Colorado, was about 60 percent contained, allowing more residents to return to the area.

The White House announced that U.S. President Donald Trump would visit California on Saturday to meet with individuals impacted by the wildfires. He plans to travel to both regions of California that have been devastated by the blazes.

Trumps visit comes a week after he initially blamed California officials for the wildfires and threatened to withhold federal money. His tweets did not mention Californias drought conditions, which many scientists say are symptomatic of climate change.

California Governor Jerry Brown, U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, and Brock Long, head of the emergency management agency, FEMA, visited the Paradise area Wednesday. Brown blamed climate change and drought for the massive blaze, while Zinke cautioned against assigning blame to any one factor.

Now is not the time to point fingers, Zinke said, saying dead trees, higher temperatures, and poor forest management were among the causes.
The Cambodian military and government officials have denied a report claiming that a Beijing-backed development project would pave the way for a Chinese naval base in the country.

The online newspaper Asia Times reported earlier this week that the deep-water port, which is being developed by China's Union Development Group (UDG) in Koh Kong province, could host Chinese frigates and destroyers.

But Cambodia's defense department spokesman, Gen. Chhum Socheat, denied that the port would be used as a de facto Chinese naval base in the future, which would be illegal under Cambodia's constitution.

"I didn't read that report, but Cambodia's constitution says that we can't allow foreign military bases on Cambodian soil. That's the law. So what it [Asia Times] reported was a fabrication to damage Cambodia's image," he told VOA Cambodia on Friday.

China holds nearly half of Cambodia's $6 billion in foreign debt, and it is Cambodia's biggest trading partner. Chinese investments are transforming Cambodia's real estate market and gaming industry, particularly in Sihanoukville, a special economic zone.

Much of this has been driven by China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which will build $1 trillion in roads, bridges, railways, ports and power plants in more than 70 countries to steer global commerce its way.

Billed as China's win-win drive for creating economic opportunity in Asia and the Indo-Pacific, the infrastructure investments, such as deep-water ports, are being met with increasing skepticism.

Some "argue that Beijing's primary goal is to accumulate political and economic leverage created by Chinese-funded projects," says a 2017 report, Harbored Ambitions: How China's Port Investment Are Strategically Reshaping the Indo-Pacific, by the C4ADS nonprofit research organization.

China's maritime BRI projects, the so-called "String of Pearls" in coastal states of the Indo-Pacific, have long been seen by many analysts as a move "to create de facto overseas military bases for China's military forces," according to the C4ADS report. While studies have found these "ports lack the infrastructure necessary to support a conventional war," the report said, "this finding does not rule out fears that China is attempting to use its commercial ports as logistical support points for long-range naval patrols defending its interests abroad."

The Cambodian port mentioned in the online report is on a concession of land, originally 36,000 hectares when it was signed over to UDG in 2008 for development of an industrial and commercial coastal project, according to the C4ADS report. It added that the agreement violated Article 59 of Cambodia's 2001 Land Law, which states "land concession areas shall not be more than 10,000 hectares."

The concession, which is now 45,000 hectares, includes 20 percent of Cambodia's coast, and in September, UDC board Chairman Li Tao announced plans to invest $1.2 billion to build a Tourism City on 1,200 hectares.

First registered as a Cambodian enterprise, by 2011, UDG was owned and operated by Chinese entities, unnamed in the report. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen reimagined the enterprise in 2015, calling it a Pilot Zone project that was to include medical facilities, condominiums, resorts and hotels, manufacturing facilities, an international airport and a deep-water port.

"The Chinese see commercial ports as a foot in the door for their navy anyway. Any deep-water commercial port can be used for naval ships, so the dual purpose is always there," said Sophal Ear, associate professor of diplomacy and world affairs at Occidental College at Los Angeles, according to the Asia Times.

The article also quoted Sam Rainsy, the former Cambodian opposition leader, who said if Chinese naval vessels were allowed to use the port, it would be a violation of the 1991 peace agreement that ended Cambodia's civil war.

"By abandoning Cambodia's neutrality and being part of a possible threat against neighboring countries, Hun Sen is playing with fire," he said. "Hun Sen has not only suppressed democracy in Cambodia; he is also jeopardizing peace in our region."

However, Phay Siphan, a Cambodian government spokesman, told VOA the "small-scale" port would be used only for commercial purposes. "What is received from the Chinese investments is economic benefits to bolster economic growth, job growth and the social equity growth of Cambodia."

Soksreinith Ten of VOA's Cambodia service contributed to this report from Washington.
A group of concerned citizens of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation in Oklahoma is circulating a petition that calls for a referendum on a recent tribal ruling to rescind press freedoms it guaranteed the tribes media outlet just three years ago.

In 2015, tribal members in the city of Okmulgee passed a law that established an independent media organization, Mvskoke Media (MM), and set up an independent editorial board to protect its print and broadcast entities from tribal government interference.

More than a week ago, the tribe's national council repealed the law in a hastily called emergency session and replaced it with a measure that not only abolishes the editorial board, but places the media outlet under the tribes executive branch. MM staff will now report to the tribes secretary of the nation and commerce.

Monte Randall, an MCN tribe member, drew up the petition, which reads, in part, We do this with the best interest of our nation and for the future generations of MCN citizens to come.

Once he has obtained 100 sponsor signatures, Randall said the group will turn in the application for certification by the Nation. Ultimately, they are hoping to put the matter to a vote of all tribal citizens.

Without a free press as we move into an election year, we don't know what kind of information we would be missing out on, he told VOA via Facebook.

In a statement released this past week, MCN principal chief James Floyd suggested the decision was motivated by funding concerns and promised to continue to support the principles of free press.

During the recent emergency vote, a council representative said Mvskoke Media covered too many negative stories.

Inspired by national rhetoric?

Sterling Cosper resigned his position as the tribes media manager shortly after the vote.

I had inklings in my mind that we might have trouble, he said. The free press bill got passed three years ago in the middle of a tribal election which the incumbent ultimately lost. I think we were basically being used as a political weapon.

The Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) was quick to criticize the new law.

I cant ascribe actual intent, said NAJA President Tristan Ahtone, a member of the Kiowa Tribe in Oklahoma. But I do think that we can probably say that those motivations dont come from a very different place than other governments around the world that try to restrict press freedom.

Ahtone cited comments from U.S. President Donald Trump labeling journalists as the "enemy of the people, saying such rhetoric could have a domino effect nationally and internationally.

As one group loses press freedoms, others will also, he said.

State of the 'red press'

As part of its campaign to bolster protections for tribal journalists, NAJA this year launched what it calls the RED Press Initiative to survey the state of press freedom in Indian Country.

Ahtone estimates that about 200 tribes have media outlets and that about 75 percent of them operate under some form of free speech protection. Most, however, dont have large numbers of subscribers, and because advertising revenues are small, those organizations must rely on tribal subsidies to keep afloat.

Where it gets hazy is whether or not that tribal government is exerting influence over the content of those outlets or not, he said. In a survey we conducted earlier this year, journalists we talked to identified a lack of financial resources and a lack of editorial control as two of the greatest threats to tribal media.

Because non-Native media outlets rarely report on tribal governments, Ahtone said Native outlets are the only means by which those citizens can get information that matters to their day-to-day lives.

NAJA has drawn up a list of elements it believes are essential to free and fair reporting in Indian Country. These include detailed written guarantees of protected speech, independent editorial boards which can act as a firewall between journalists and tribal governments, and tribal policies which include open public forums as well as access to tribal records.

As for Randall, he said he is certain that his efforts will bear fruit.

We feel confident the Nation will hear our voice, and our free press will be returned, he said.
The head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that U.S.-led coalition airstrikes killed more than 40 people in the village of Abu Husn in the region of Deir el-Zor, near the Iraqi border.

Arab media announced the deaths of several dozen people, most of whom appeared to have been Islamic State group fighters, during bitter fighting in the Deir el-Zor region of eastern Syria, not far from the Iraqi border.

Rami Abdel Rahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claims that about three dozen Islamic State fighters were killed in the airstrikes on the village of Abu Husn. A number of civilians and family members of the IS fighters also were killed.

Abdel Rahman insisted that "it was the highest death toll in coalition airstrikes since (U.S.-aligned Kurdish fighters) launched their attack against this (particular northeastern Syrian) Islamic State pocket in September.

U.S. Coalition spokesman Sean Ryan told the French news agency earlier this week "the avoidance of civilian casualties is our highest priority when conducting strikes against legitimate military targets with precision munitions."

Khattar Abou Diab, who teaches political science at the University of Paris, tells VOA that bad weather conditions in recent days have allowed IS fighters to gain ground against the U.S.-led alliance of Kurdish SDF fighters, alongside U.S. and French forces, prompting strong efforts to push them back.

He says that the final pockets of Islamic State fighters have taken advantage of poor weather conditions (and cloud cover) to capture positions and equipment belonging to the U.S. coalition, prompting fierce fighting in an effort to recapture lost ground.

Abou Diab says the Islamic State pocket in the region of Deir el-Zour is one of several he says are supported by different countries involved in the Syria conflict. He argues that a separate Islamic State faction, supported by the Syrian government, has been involved in attacking Druze civilians and holding them hostage in the southern region of Sweida.
U.S. Sen. John McCain was posthumously given the 2018 Sergei Magnitsky Human Rights Award in a ceremony in London on Thursday night. The award recognizes those who have fought for human rights in Russia and is named after a lawyer who was killed in a Moscow jail in 2009.

John McCain's daughter Meghan accepted the award on behalf of her late father. In a speech she contrasted his legacy with what she called the bloody-handed dictator of Russia.

John McCain defended and vindicated the memory of ordinary men and women with integrity, like Sergei Magnitsky. Vladimir Putin has them murdered. John McCain was a strong man. Vladimir Putin is weak mans idea of a strong man. John McCain on his death was remembered with gratitude and praised by the nation he served and loved. Vladimir Putin knows well that the greatest risk to his own life is his own people, and that he will be remembered as a tyrant and a thief, Meghan McCain told the audience in London.

John McCain became a prominent critic of Donald Trumps dealings with Russian leader Putin, criticism that the U.S. president strongly rejected.

McCain died in August from brain cancer at age 81.

Several other awards were made Thursday night, including to Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, and to the Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, who is serving a 20-year jail term in Russia.

Magnitsky was beaten to death in police custody in 2009 after investigating a $230 million tax fraud allegedly carried out by senior Russian officials.

Bill Browder, the CEO of Hermitage Capital Management, employed Magnitsky to investigate the fraud. He campaigned for the U.S. to adopt the Magnitsky Act in 2012, which allows the withholding of visas and the freezing of assets of human rights offenders. John McCain was key in pushing the legislation through Congress. Several other countries have since adopted similar legislation, including Canada and Britain.

And so starting next year, were not just going to honor Russian heroes, but in the spirit of the global Magnitsky Act, we're going to honor heroes from around the world, Browder said Thursday night.

Meanwhile this week, the United States used the Magnitsky Act to sanction 17 Saudi officials accused of killing journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Democrats won the majority. Now they just need a speaker of the House.

The standoff over Nancy Pelosis bid to regain the gavel intensified as Democrats left Washington for the Thanksgiving break in what has turned out to be an unsettling finish to an otherwise triumphant week that saw them welcome a historic class of newcomers to Capitol Hill and prepare to take control from Republicans.

Pelosi, speaker from 2007 to 2011 and the first woman to hold that job, was certain she will hold it again. Her foes were equally confident they have the votes to stop her ascension. And now President Donald Trump is getting into the fray, offering Saturday to provide Republican votes for Pelosis candidacy even though the GOP has long used the California Democrat as an election target.

For now, its a band of disgruntled Democrats, led mostly by men, in the forefront of the opposition. With a test vote looming in late November, and at least one potential Pelosi challenger stepping forward, Democrats are facing the uncomfortable prospect of the internal squabble that the speakers vote Jan. 3 could drag on for weeks.

I think chaos is good if its productive. I think chaos is bad if it is too disruptive and it divides us too much, said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, whose leaders were upbeat after meeting with Pelosi this past week.

We dont have a lot of time, Jayapal said. We need to put forward the vision of who we are as a party and what were fighting for and so that needs to happen very, very quickly.

Pelosi was expected to work the phones from California after meeting privately Friday with newly elected Democrats who could be crucial to her bid.

Those incoming lawmakers indicated they were having good meetings with the leader, though few said the talks had changed their minds.

Rep.-elect Abigail Spanberger of Virginia said she had a wonderful conversation about her districts priorities, but will not be voting for Pelosi.

It isnt about her, its about wanting new leadership, said Spanberger, a former CIA operative who defeated tea party Republican Rep. Dave Brat in suburban Richmond. There isnt anything she could say, because the decision isnt about her.

Rep.-elect Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey said he had a pleasant meeting, but remains a no on Pelosi. He is among 17 Democrats who have signed on to a letter opposing her. Van Drew said they discussed his districts and which committees hed like to serve on. I dont feel under pressure, he said.

Pelosi also met for 45 minutes with Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, a potential rival for the speakership who said the two had a very open and frank discussion, including about the feeling in the caucus of people who are feeling left out and left behind.

Fudge said she would probably decide after Thanksgiving break whether she will run.

To her credit, she wanted to know what my concerns were, Fudge said. What she asked me was, basically, how we could get to a point where Im supportive.

One question for some Democrats is what, exactly, Pelosi means when she says she intends to be a transitional leader, a bridge to a new generation. She has led the party for 15 years.

We talked about some succession planning, Fudge said. I think it is something our caucus is interested in knowing.

If it were up to most of the Democratic Party, Pelosi easily would win. They see her as a skilled and tested leader prepared to confront Trump and deliver on priorities.

Pelosi, 78, first became speaker after Democrats took control of the House in midterm elections during former President George W. Bushs second term. With President Barack Obama, she was pivotal in passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010.

She appears to be winning the outside game in her bid, amassing endorsements from a whos who of the nations Democrats. Inside the Capitol she has support from influential lawmakers such as Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, and backing from some of the incoming House members.

The internal debate is spilling out nationally, especially on social media, where Democratic activists are publicly criticizing Democratic Reps. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts and Tim Ryan of Ohio and others leading the campaign to oust Pelosi.

Its not lost on supporters that a group made up of mostly men is leading the effort. On the list of 17 names whove signed onto a letter against her, just three are women.

With a narrow Democratic majority, now at 231 seats in the 435-member House, Pelosi does not have much cushion to secure the 218 votes needed, assuming all Republicans vote against her, as expected. Some House races remain undecided and the Democratic majority could grow slightly.

There is a chance the math could shift in Pelosis favor if lawmakers are absent or simply vote present, meaning she would need fewer than 218 votes for an absolute majority.

Trump, trying to insert himself into the race, tweeted on Saturday that he could get Pelosi as many votes as she wants to become speaker. She deserves this victory, she has earned it - but there are those in her party who are trying to take it away. She will win!

Trump included the twitter link for Rep. Tom Reed, a New York Republican who has said he could be open to backing Pelosi if she committed to changes that would shift some power from the House leadership.

Trumps latest postelection praise of Pelosi raises questions about his sincerity, given the Republicans election playbook of trying to tie Democrats in competitive congressional districts to Pelosi every chance they can. GOP lawmakers considering endorsing Pelosi would open themselves up to a potential primary challenges in 2020 for daring to support someone their base has reviled.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday that Washington will continue to uphold the Taiwan Relations Act and One China Policy after his much-watched meeting with Morris Chang, Taiwans representative to a regional economic forum in Papua New Guinea.

Pence met with Chang on the sidelines of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit on Saturday in Port Moresby, the first pull-aside bilateral meeting between a top U.S. leader and Taiwans envoy during the high-level regional economic gatherings in years.

Pence is not planning to have a separate bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping who is also attending APEC, according to American officials.

Assertive US policy

That is seen as a reflection of an assertive U.S. policy towards China. China claims democratically self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory. Analysts said strengthening U.S.-Taiwan ties is not an irritant in the U.S.-China relationship.



"The United States will continue to uphold the Taiwan Relations Act and the One China policy. Taiwan is a member of APEC in good standing," Pence told traveling press on Saturday.



The nuance between Washington's "One China Policy" and Beijing's "One China Principle" is that the U.S. position leaves open the possibility that a future resolution could be determined peacefully by both China and Taiwan.



"The conversation with them was about economics," said Pence. "They made a case for being considered for a free trade agreement, which I assured them that we will carry back that interest."



In a tweet, Taiwan's government said the U.S.-Taiwan talks "will strengthen regional connections in promoting inclusive growth & shaping the digital future."

"Given that Taiwan is a full member of APEC it should not be unusual to have head of delegation meetings between the U.S. and Taiwan, but given the weak policy of previous U.S. administrations, this encounter is seen as a breakthrough," said Steve Yates, who was a senior advisor to former Vice President Dick Cheney.



"Meeting with the Taiwan delegation head is not an anti-China or hawkish move," Yates told VOA in an email. "It is a positive affirmation of Taiwan's interests and values being consistent with the Indo-Pacific strategy of the U.S. and its allies."



China has not commented on the Pence-Chang meeting.



U.S. President Donald Trump had met with Chang last year, according to Pence. Chang is the founder of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which will continue to be the sole supplier of Apple's A-series chips in 2019.



Other analysts said a close U.S.-Taiwan tie should not be viewed as a source of irritation in the U.S.-China relationship.



"I don't think this meeting should be exaggerated. I see a lot of consistency in U.S. policy toward Taiwan. I hope that going forward there will be more concrete progress in the U.S.-Taiwan economic relationship. Symbolism isn't enough," said Bonnie Glaser, director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.



In a recent interview, the director of the Hudson Institute's Center on Chinese Strategy, Michael Pillsbury, told VOA that Pence, by describing troubles in U.S.-China relations, did not "engage in self-censorship" and was providing "constructive criticism."



"Taiwan is important," said Pillsbury, "I think it's time for a new history to review, you know, all aspects of relations between China and the U.S., including Taiwan [and] our 'One China' policy."

Taiwan tech prowess

The selection of Chang to represent Taiwan is seen as showcasing its tech prowess instead of its sticky position in geopolitics.



Taiwan has been a manufacturing hub since the 1980s for hardware such as PCs and, more recently, smartphones. Taiwanese firms often make those devices on contract for Apple and other major brands. Much of that hardware carries chips made by TSMC.



"From intellectual property rights protection to cybersecurity, to trade policy in general, Morris Chang is a uniquely knowledgeable counterpart for Vice President Pence to engage on these topics," said Yates.



The Pence-Chang meeting came months after Trump signed the Taiwan Travel Act in March. The legislation is seen as a move to facilitate direct official U.S. contacts with the self-ruled island, which were cut in 1979 when Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.



Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. Since then, the relations between the U.S. and Taiwan have been governed by the Taiwan Relations Act that was passed by Congress in April of 1979.



At a major foreign policy speech at the Washington-based Hudson Institute in October, Pence praised Taiwan's democracy, saying "America will always believe that Taiwan's embrace of democracy shows a better path for all the Chinese people."



Chang's non-political background is unlikely to ruffle China, according to experts.

Toned-down approach

China has a "sort of more toned-down" approach to Taiwanese representation at APEC, said Christopher Johnson, who is a senior adviser of CSIS.



"APEC is a strictly economic forum and so Beijing always makes that point," said Matthew Goodman, senior adviser for Asian economics program at CSIS.



In the past, delegates from China and Taiwan sometimes met briefly during APEC though they did not usually use this economic forum to discuss their own issues.



The 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC,) founded in 1989, is an economic bloc that facilitates trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region.



Despite being a full member of APEC, Taiwan's presidents are traditionally prohibited from attending the leaders' summit because of China's opposition and therefore Taiwan's presidents send their personal envoys to the regional economic gatherings.



This is the second time Chang has represented Taiwan at APEC. He represented Taiwan's then-President Chen Shui-bian in 2006.

VOA White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report from Papua New Guinea.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Chinese President Xi Jinping offered competing economic views as they spoke to regional leaders at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea's capital.



Pence warned APEC members about accepting foreign debt that "could compromise your sovereignty" and urged the APEC members to "protect your interests, preserve your independence. And just like America, always put your country first."



Pence said the U.S. "commitment to the Indo-Pacific region has never been stronger."



Xi spoke to the summit about his flagship Belt and Road initiative, designed to bolster a sprawling network of land and sea links with Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Xi said there is no geopolitical agenda behind Belt and Road.



"It does not exclude anyone," he said. "It is not an exclusive club closed to non-members, nor is it a trap as some people have labelled it."



Pence also met with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Pence welcomed Morrison's recent announcement of significant new Australian assistance to Pacific Island nations.



The two leaders also announced their two countries will build a naval base on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island.



Also Saturday, the governments of the U.S., Australia and Japan issued a statement on their trilateral partnership for infrastructure investment in the Indo-Pacific region. They said they are promoting a region that is free, open, inclusive, prosperous and secure.


The United States have underscored the importance of increasing shared regional interests with Japan, India and Australia to achieve an outcome to political developments in Sri Lanka which is consistent with democratic principles.

The US has also emphasized advancing shared regional interests in supporting the new Maldivian Government.

These sentiments had been conveyed when senior officials from the US, Australia, India, and Japan met in Singapore for consultations on the Indo-Pacific region on Thursday (15).

In a statement, the US Department of State said the officials at the meeting have reaffirmed a shared commitment to maintain and strengthen a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region in which all nations are sovereign, strong, and prosperous.

They further highlighted the complementary visions for the region held by their four countries, grounded in a shared support for a free, open, and inclusive region that fosters universal respect for international law, freedom of navigation and overflight, and sustainable development.

Officials from the four countries focused on their shared goals, including support for sustainable development, connectivity, and good governance.

They reaffirmed their strong support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN-led regional architecture, as well as their support for other regional institutions such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Pacific Islands Forum. Participants highlighted the importance of coordination and collaboration with all interested countries and institutions to support a diverse, peaceful, and prosperous region.

The four countries looked forward to regular consultations on Indo-Pacific engagement and initiatives, the statement said.
U.S. prosecutors and lawyers for accused Russian agent Maria Butina are engaging in negotiations, both sides said in a court filing Friday, raising the possibility the case could be resolved with a plea deal.

Butina, a former graduate student at American University in Washington who has publicly advocated for gun rights, was charged in July with acting as an agent of the Russian government and conspiracy to take actions on behalf of Russia.

She is accused of working with a Russian official and two U.S. citizens to try to infiltrate the National Rifle Association, a powerful lobby group that has close ties to Republican politicians including President Donald Trump, and influence American foreign policy toward Russia.

Currently jailed awaiting trial, Butina has pleaded not guilty. She could face years in prison if convicted.

Potential resolution

The parties continue to engage ... in negotiations regarding a potential resolution of this matter, prosecutors and Butinas lawyers wrote in a joint filing Friday, without elaborating on what resolution might materialize.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan later granted a joint request for a delay in a status hearing in the case that had been set for Dec. 6, scheduling a new hearing for Dec. 19.

After the delay was granted, defense lawyers withdrew motions they had filed Thursday to dismiss the case. Such talks sometimes lead to a deal in which a defendant pleads guilty to lesser charges to resolve a case.

Robert Driscoll, an attorney for Butina and who is under a media gag order imposed by the judge in the case, declined to comment when asked whether his client may plead guilty in order to resolve the case.

Prosecution missteps

The prosecution has made serious missteps in the case, including erroneously accusing Butina of offering sex in exchange for a position in a special interest group. They later backed off the claim and earned scorn from the judge, who said the incorrect allegations were notorious and had damaged Butinas reputation.

Butinas lawyers have previously identified the Russian official with whom she was accused of working as Alexander Torshin, a deputy governor of Russias central bank who was hit with U.S. Treasury Department sanctions in April.

They identified one of the two Americans mentioned in the criminal complaint as being Paul Erickson, a conservative U.S. political activist who was dating Butina. Neither Erickson nor Torshin have been accused by prosecutors of wrongdoing.

Questions relating to Russia have cast a shadow over Trumps presidency. Moscow has labeled the case against Butina fabricated and called for her release.

Prosecutors have called Butina a flight risk and said she had been in contact with Russian intelligence operatives and kept contact information for several Russian agents.
The Central Intelligence Agency has concluded that Saudis Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to U.S. officials.

The assessment by the CIA, first reported by The Washington Post Friday, contradicts that of Saudi Arabia, whose top prosecutor one day earlier exonerated the crown prince in the killing.

U.S. officials say the CIA concluded that 15 Saudi agents flew in a Saudi government aircraft to Istanbul and assassinated Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate.

Khashoggi, who wrote for The Washington Post and was a critic of the Saudi crown prince, was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October while he was trying to get documents for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman.

Saudi ambassador denies call

The Post said the CIA based its conclusion on multiple sources of intelligence, including a phone call that the princes brother, Khalid bin Salman, who is also the Saudi ambassador to the United States, had with Khashoggi.

In the phone call, Khalid told Khashoggi that it would be safe for him to go the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents for his marriage. The paper said it was not known whether Khalid knew Khashoggi would be killed.

Khalid denied he had spoken with Khashoggi in a tweet Friday.

The last contact I had with Mr. Khashoggi was via text on Oct. 26, 2017. I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the U.S. government to release any information regarding this claim, he said.

US sanctions

Saudi officials say the killing of Khashoggi was accidental and say that officials were trying to force Khashoggi to return to the kingdom.

Turkish officials have said the killing was intentional and have been pressing Saudi Arabia to allow those responsible to be tried in Turkey.

The Trump administration this week sanctioned 17 Saudi officials for their alleged role in the killing. However, some U.S. lawmakers have called on the White House to do more, including reducing the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia.

President Donald Trump has said the Saudi government has tried to cover up the killing and has said the cover-up was one of the worst cover-ups in the history of cover-ups.

However, Trump has resisted calls to reduce arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The U.S. president has sought closer ties with Saudi Arabia to counter Iranian influence in the Middle East as well as to increase arms trade deals between Washington and Riyadh.


As thousands of migrants in a caravan of Central American asylum-seekers converge on the doorstep of the United States, what they wont find are armed American soldiers standing guard.

Instead they will see cranes installing towering panels of metal bars and troops wrapping concertina wire around barriers while military helicopters fly overhead, carrying border patrol agents to and from locations along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Thats because U.S. military troops are prohibited from carrying out law enforcement duties.

Whats more, the bulk of the troops are in Texas, hundreds of miles from the caravan that started arriving this week in Tijuana on Mexicos border with California after walking and hitching rides for the past month.

Show of force

Still, for many migrants the barriers and barbed wire were an imposing show of force.

Angel Ulloa stood on Tijuanas beach where a wall of metal bars more than 20 feet high cut across the sand and plunged into the Pacific. He watched as crews on the U.S. side placed coils of barbed wire on top.

A border patrol agent wearing camouflage and armed with an assault rifle, part of a tactical unit deployed when there is a heightened threat, walked in the sand below where the men worked. A small border patrol boat hovered offshore.

Its too much security to confront humble people who just want to work, said Ulloa, a 23-year-old electrician from Choloma, Honduras, who joined the caravan to try to make his first trip to the U.S.

Now, he and his two friends were rethinking their plans. They tried to apply for a job at a Wal-Mart in Tijuana but were told they need a Mexican work permit. So they were considering seeking asylum in Mexico but were unsure of giving up their dream of earning dollars.

Were still checking things out, he said.

Deployment a surprise

On Friday, people walking through one of the worlds busiest border crossings into Mexico passed by a pair of Marines on a 20-foot lift installing razor wire above a turnstile.

Nearby Army Sgt. Eric Ziegler stood guard with another soldier. Both were military police officers assigned to protecting the Marines as they work.

The 24-year-old soldier from Pittsburgh spent nine months in Afghanistan.

Its very different over there, obviously. Its a lot more dangerous, Ziegler said.

He said he was surprised when got his deployment orders sending him to the U.S.-Mexico border.

But Im happy to go where Im needed he added as a man walked by carrying shopping bags headed to Tijuana.

No law enforcement duties

The U.S. military has deployed 5,800 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border.

So far, more are not expected, despite President Donald Trumps initial assessment that 10,000 to 15,000 were needed to secure the border against what he has called an invasion of migrants. Most in the caravan of several thousand are families, including hundreds of children.

Another 2,100 National Guard troops are have also been deployed since April as part of a separate mission. Like the military troops, they are not allowed to detain illegal crossers. Instead, they have been monitoring cameras and helping to erect barriers.

Of the 5,800 soldiers and Marines, more than 2,800 are in Texas, while about 1,500 are in Arizona and another 1,300 are in California. All U.S. military branches, except the Coast Guard, are barred from performing law enforcement duties.

That means there will be no visible show of armed troops, said Army Maj. Scott McCullough, adding that the mission is to provide support to Customs and Border Protection.

Soldiers putting up wire on the border and barriers at the ports of entry will be the most visible, he said.

Border obstacles

Combat engineers, whose duties on the battlefield include setting up tactical obstacles to prevent the enemy from moving freely, are using their expertise to string wire on border walls and erect temporary fencing, McCullough said.

Construction engineers have been assigned to weld together barriers and move shipping containers to act as walls.

In Laredo, Texas, about 100 soldiers have been installing three layers of razor wire along the Rio Grande, working on the banks during the day and on the bridges at night to minimize the disruption to cross-border traffic.

What does this cost?

The current mission is scheduled to end Dec. 15 for now. Its unclear how much it will cost, and military leaders have refused to provide an estimate.

Critics have questioned the wisdom of using the military on the border where there is no discernible security threat. Since the Nov. 6 elections, Trump has said little about the matter and no border threat has materialized.

Some border communities fear the barricades will scare off Mexican shoppers. The city council in Nogales, Arizona, slashed a proposed bonus for all employees in half over concerns about how the militarys presence would affect its sales tax revenue after the military closed off two lanes at its border crossing.

Suyapa Reyes, 35, said she was puzzled as to why she would be seen as a threat. Reyes, her mother, 12-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son left Honduras with the caravan Oct. 13, fleeing violence and poverty in her hometown of Olanchito de Oro.

She does not want to return after coming such a long way but if she cannot get asylum and the border looks too dangerous to cross, she said shell have no other choice.

Im not going to risk my life or safety nor that of my children, she said.
A load of space station supplies rocketed into orbit from Virginia on Saturday, the second shipment in two days.

And another commercial delivery should be on its way in a couple weeks.

What an outstanding launch, said NASAs deputy space station program manager, Joel Montalbano.

Northrop Grumman launched its Antares rocket from Wallops Island before dawn, delighting chilly early-bird observers along the Atlantic coast. The Russian Space Agency launched its own supplies to the International Space Station on Friday, just 15 hours earlier.

The U.S. delivery will arrive at the orbiting lab Monday, a day after the Russian shipment. Among the 7,400 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of goods inside the Cygnus capsule: ice cream and fresh fruit for the three space station residents, and a 3D printer that recycles old plastic into new parts.

Thanksgiving turkey dinners  rehydratable, of course  are already aboard the 250-mile-high outpost. The space station is currently home to an American, a German and a Russian.

Theres another big event coming up, up there: The space station marks its 20th year in orbit on Tuesday. The first section launched on Nov. 20, 1998, from Kazakhstan.

As we celebrate 20 years of the International Space Station, Montalbano noted, one of the coolest things is the cooperation we have across the globe. Then theres the U.S. commercial effort to keep the space station stocked and, beginning next year, to resume crew launches from Cape Canaveral. To me, its been a huge success, he said.

This Cygnus, or Swan, is named the S.S. John Young to honor the legendary astronaut who walked on the moon and commanded the first space shuttle flight. He died in January.

It is the first commercial cargo ship to bear Northrop Grummans name. Northrop Grumman acquired Orbital ATK in June. SpaceX is NASAs other commercial shipper for the space station; its Dragon capsule is set to lift off in early December.

Experiments arriving via the Cygnus will observe how cement solidifies in weightlessness, among other things. Theres also medical, spacesuit and other equipment to replace items that never made it to orbit last month because of a Russian rocket failure; the two men who were riding the rocket survived their emergency landing. Three other astronauts are set to launch from Kazakhstan on Dec. 3.
Dozens of people paid homage to slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a symbolic funeral in Istanbul Friday as Turkish media claimed Ankara has a second audiotape discrediting Saudi Arabias version of the killing.

In the absence of a body, the crowd gathered at Fatih mosque in front of an empty platform traditionally reserved for the coffin.

Supporters from the newly formed Jamal Khashoggi Friends Association were among the mourners.

Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi leadership, was last seen entering the kingdoms Istanbul consulate Oct. 2. Turkish officials say he was strangled and his body dismembered.

We decided to hold the prayers as we are convinced that his body will never be found, Fatih Oke, executive director of the Turkish-Arab Media Association (TAM) of which Khashoggi was a member, told AFP.

The ceremony, which took place under rain, is a message delivered to the world to say that the murder will not go unpunished and that justice will be served, said Ibrahim Pekdemir, an Istanbul resident who attended.

Saudi prosecutors Thursday announced indictments against 11 people and said 21 individuals were in custody in connection with the killing.

But they failed to link the kingdoms powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the crime.

Yasin Aktay, a close friend of Khashoggi and adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, strongly criticized the Saudi version of events.

They want us to believe that the killers themselves made the decision to assassinate Jamal Khashoggi, we do not believe in this story, he said after the prayer.

We will continue to ask who are the true contractors of the homicide.

Turkey has insisted it was a premeditated killing.

Second audiotape

The Turkish daily Hurriyet reported, meanwhile, that Turkey has more evidence, including a second audiotape of 15 minutes, contradicting the Saudi version of events.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir has blamed the homicide on a rogue operation by individuals who exceeded their responsibilities.

Abdulkadir Selvi, a pro-government columnist in the Hurriyet daily, claimed Friday that the newly obtained audiotape proved that a 15-member killer team waiting in the consulate before Khashoggis arrival was discussing how to carry out the murder.

The tape, of the moment shortly before the journalist arrived, clearly showed the murder was planned in advance, he said.

The first tape allegedly proved that Khashoggi was strangled.

Turkey also has evidence that the team made international calls after the murder, Selvi said.

Death penalty sought

Erdogan has said the order to murder Khashoggi came from the highest levels of the Riyadh government, but stopped short of pointing the finger at Crown Prince Mohammed.

Saudi prosecutors said Thursday they would seek the death penalty for five accused who are charged with ordering and committing the crime.

Turkey said the Saudi statement was insufficient, with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu insisting: Those who gave the command as well as instigators should also be clarified and this process should not be covered up.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Ukraine has no greater friend than the United States in resisting Russias attempted annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. He spoke Friday in Washington after meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin.

Pompeo said Washington would continue to punish Russia until it returned control of Crimea to Ukraine.

Klimkin said the U.S. and Ukraine stand shoulder to shoulder in countering Russian aggression. He said such aggression takes many forms, both the war in Crimea and parts of Donbas in Ukraine, and in Russian efforts to undermine democratic institutions in the United States and Europe.

The two men met on the 10th anniversary of the declaration of a strategic partnership between Ukraine and the United States. Pompeo said they made progress on countering Russian aggression in Ukraine; bolstering the rule of law and humanitarian issues; and economic and energy security matters.

In an interview with Voice of Americas Ukrainian service Friday, Klimkin predicted that Russia would try its utmost to meddle in Ukraines presidential and parliamentary elections next year. He accused Russia of spreading fierce propaganda and disinformation.

Its a comprehensive conventional and nonconventional war against Ukraine, he said.

Klimkin also expressed concern about Russian aggression in the Azov Sea, saying it was critically important to keep the peace there.

We need the support of the international community to bring peace to this important region, he said.

Klimkin also told VOA that Ukraine was open to any kind of international mission to help the occupied Donbas region. He said Ukrainian citizens have been suffering from Russian occupation there.

It could be a peacekeeping mission, it could be a police mission, it could be international administration, or all three coming together, he said, to aid the citizens of the region.

VOA's Ukrainian service contributed to this report.
U.S. President Donald Trump again defended sending U.S. troops to the southern border with Mexico, questioning the migrants' motives for making the perilous journey, citing a strong U.S. economy.



Speaking with reporters at the White House House Saturday morning before departing for California to tour the devastation from wildfires burning in the state, the president said, "Yeah, we have a tremendous military force in the south, on the border, on the southern border. We have large numbers of people trying to get into our country. I must say the reason it's increased so much is because we're doing so well as opposed to the rest of the world. And if you look at south of our border, it's not doing so well.



"But regardless, we have millions of people on line to get into our country legally, and those people have preference. They have to have preference. They've been waiting for a long time, they've done it legally."



Trump continued, "They're coming up and they're talking about, oh, their great fear, oh, their problems with their country, but they're all waving their country's flag. What is that all about? If they have such fear and such problems and they hate their country, why do we see all the flags being waved for Guatemala, for Honduras, for El Salvador? We're seeing flags all over the place. Why are they waving flags? This has nothing to do with asylum, this has to do with getting into our country illegally. And we have to know who wants to come into our country."



The number of U.S. troops on the border with Mexico has reached its upper limit, top Pentagon officials said earlier this week.



More than 5,800 active duty and 2,100 National Guard troops are currently deployed to help U.S. Customs and Border Protection strengthen barriers, build housing, operate aircraft and other activities intended to help the U.S. Border Patrol. Earlier this week, President Trump said the force might be larger.



"We're pretty much peaked in terms of the number of people that are down there," Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan told reporters at the Pentagon.



The troops were sent to the U.S. southern border at the request of the Department of Homeland Security. Shanahan said the troops may stay through Dec. 15. The military is legally prohibited from domestic law enforcement, such as arresting migrants crossing the border.



In the meantime, several hundred Central American migrants arrived midweek in the Mexican border city of Tijuana after a month of traveling away from poverty and violence at home, in hopes of entering the United States.



About 800 migrants are now in Tijuana. Many said they would stay there and wait for the rest of their caravan to arrive and for leaders to advise them of their options for seeking asylum in the United States.Some of the early arrivals went to the border fence to celebrate.



The migrants in Tijuana got a generally warm greeting from locals, but some were met with hostility from an upper middle-class beach neighborhood.



Residents shouted, "You're not welcome!" and "Get out!" to a group of about 100 Central Americans. Police kept the two sides apart. One protester said the hostility had nothing to do with race, but with safety.



A Tijuana city official said the city is not prepared for such a large number of arrivals. Most migrant shelters are already full. The official said she hopes the Mexican federal government will offer the migrants asylum and jobs.



The bulk of the migrant caravan of about 4,000 people, mostly Honduras, is making its way through the state of Sonora and is expected to arrive soon in Tijuana.



The San Ysidro port linking Tijuana to the U.S. city of San Diego, is the busiest crossing on the border. But it only processes about 100 asylum claims per day, meaning those in the caravan who seek that route face a long wait.



Trump has sharply criticized the caravans, casting them as a "national emergency."He signed a proclamation last week declaring migrants who enter the country illegally ineligible for asylum.That goes against federal laws stating anyone is eligible for asylum, no matter how he or she entered the country.



The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups quickly filed a legal challenge and sought an injunction against the new rules while the case makes its way through the courts.A federal judge has set a hearing on the injunction for Nov. 19.



In addition to the caravan at or nearing the border, two others have made their way to Mexico City with more than 2,000 people.



Mexico said last week it had issued about 2,700 temporary visas to individuals and families, allowing them to work while their refugee applications proceed.



VOA Pentagon Correspondent Carla Babb contributed to this story.
The fight over President Donald Trump's appointment of Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general has reached the U.S. Supreme Court, with lawyers in a pending gun rights case asking the justices on Friday to decide whether the action was lawful.

Critics have said the Republican president's Nov. 7 appointment of Whitaker, who now will oversee special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. election, to replace the ousted Jeff Sessions as the chief U.S. law enforcement official violated the Constitution and federal law.

Lawyers for Barry Michaels, who filed a lawsuit in Nevada challenging a U.S. law that bars him from buying a firearm because of prior nonviolent criminal convictions, decided to make Whitaker's appointment an issue in their pending appeal before the high court because Sessions was named as a defendant in the case.

The lawyers told the justices that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein should be the acting attorney general.

"There is a significant national interest in avoiding the prospect that every district and immigration judge in the nation could, in relatively short order, be presented with the controversy over which person to substitute as acting attorney general," the lawyers, led by prominent Supreme Court advocate Thomas Goldstein, wrote in a court filing.

The court is not required to decide one way or another and could simply ignore or reject the motion.

Michaels' lawyers argued that Rosenstein, the department's No. 2 official, should have succeeded Sessions under a federal law that vests full authority in the deputy attorney general should the office of attorney general become vacant.

Maryland case

Some of the same lawyers behind Friday's motion also are involved in a similar effort brought before a federal judge on Tuesday. In that case, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh asked a federal judge to bar Whitaker from appearing in an official capacity as acting attorney general in the state's ongoing lawsuit against the Trump administration over the

Affordable Care Act health care law.

Maryland also argued that Trump violated the so-called Appointments Clause of the Constitution because the job of attorney general is a "principal officer" who must be appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

The Justice Department on Wednesday defended the legality of Whitaker's appointment, saying Trump was empowered to give him the job under a 1998 law called the Federal Vacancies Reform Act even though he was not a Senate-confirmed official.

Congressional Democrats have voiced concern that Whitaker could undermine or even fire Mueller. Mueller's investigation has led to criminal charges against a series of former Trump aides and has cast a cloud over Trump's presidency.
The U.S. State Department said Saturday that the government had not reached a conclusion about the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The Trump administration took issue with reports that, according to the Central Intelligence Agency, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist. The State Department called such reports inaccurate."

CIA Director Gina Haspel and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo briefed President Donald Trump on the Khashoggi case by phone Saturday as he was en route to California.

Later, while touring wildfire devastation in Southern California, Trump told reporters the U.S. government would release a report Tuesday about who killed Khashoggi.

The statement from the State Department was issued minutes after presidential spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Trump "has confidence in the CIA."

The State Department also said the U.S. government "is determined to hold all those responsible for the killing ... accountable" and that "numerous unanswered questions" remained.

The CIA assessment, first reported Friday by the Post, contradicted that of Saudi Arabia, whose top prosecutor one day earlier exonerated the crown prince in Khashoggis death.

U.S. officials said the CIA had concluded that 15 Saudi agents flew in a Saudi government aircraft to Istanbul and assassinated Khashoggi Oct. 2 in the Saudi Consulate, where he had gone to pick up documents needed for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman.

Brother's phone call

The Post said the CIA based its conclusion on multiple intelligence sources, including a phone call that the prince's brother, Khalid bin Salman, who is also the Saudi ambassador to the United States, had with Khashoggi.

In the phone call, Khalid told Khashoggi that it would be safe for him to go the consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents. The paper said it was not known whether Khalid knew Khashoggi would be killed.

Khalid denied in a tweet Friday that he had spoken with Khashoggi.

"The last contact I had with Mr. Khashoggi was via text on Oct. 26, 2017. I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the U.S. government to release any information regarding this claim,'' he said.

Saudi officials have said the killing of Khashoggi was accidental and that Saudi officials were trying to force Khashoggi to return to the kingdom.

Turkish officials have said the killing was intentional and have been pressuring Saudi Arabia to allow those responsible to be tried in Turkey.

The Trump administration this week sanctioned 17 Saudi officials for their alleged roles in the killing. However, some U.S. lawmakers have called on the White House to do more, including reducing arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

Trump has said the Saudi government tried to hide the killing in one of the worst cover-ups in the history of cover-ups.'' However, he has resisted calls to reduce arms sales to the Saudis. He has sought closer ties with Saudi Arabia to counter Iranian influence in the Middle East, as well as to increase arms deals between Washington and Riyadh.

White House Bureau Chief Steve Herman contributed to this report.
U.S. President Donald Trump visited California Saturday to get a close-up look at the widespread damage that raging wildfires have inflicted on the state.

Nobody would have ever thought this could have happened, he said to reporters after walking through burned-out ruins in the Northern California town of Paradise. Its like total devastation.

The death toll rose to 76 Saturday with more than 1,300 people unaccounted for. The county sheriff pleaded with fire evacuees to check the roster of people reported missing and to call in if they are safe. At least 9,700 homes were destroyed.

The blaze known as the Camp Fire is now the deadliest in California history. More than 5,500 firefighters were still trying to bring it under control. It is 55 percent contained.

I think people have to see this really to understand it. Trump said.

Trump was accompanied on his visit by Paradise Mayor Jody Jones, California Governor Jerry Brown, Governor-elect Gavin Newsom, and Federal Emergency Management Agency head Brock Long. He flew from Washington to California and back in one day.

He pledged to the California officials the support of the federal government, saying, "We're all going to work together." He vowed also to work with environmental groups on better forest management and added, "Hopefully, this is going to be the last of these because this was a really, really bad one."

But when asked whether the fire had changed his mind on climate change, Trump said, "No, no." He said he believed a lot of factors were to blame.

The president also visited a local command center in Chico, Calif., and praised the firefighters and other first responders. "You folks have been incredible," he said, adding that those battling the flames were "fighting like hell."

More than a week after the blaze erupted and raced through Paradise, it has burned about 590 square kilometers and is about 50 percent contained, officials said.

Woolsey Fire

Late in the afternoon, Trump landed in Southern California, where the Woolsey Fire has burned nearly 390 square kilometers. Fire officials said the blaze had been about 60 percent contained by Friday. Evacuated residents were returning to the area.

En route to Southern California, Trump told reporters he had not discussed climate change with Brown and Newsom, both of whom accompanied him on the flight.

"We have different views," Trump said. "But maybe not as different as people think."

On the same issue, Brown told reporters, "We'll let science determine this over a longer period of time. Right now we're collaborating on the most immediate response, and that's very important."

Newsom added, "Once the cameras are gone, the press is gone, the rest of us are gone, we need to make sure we're there for the folks that have been impacted by these fires the next year or two, five, 10 as we rebuild the communities."

Before leaving Washington Saturday morning, Trump suggested the fire damage could have been mitigated if state officials had acted more responsibly.

"We will be talking about forest management. I've been saying for a long time. This could have been a lot different situation. ...There's no question about it," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Mike Levin, a Democrat who recently won a midterm election to represent Southern California's 49th District, posted a tweet Saturday that was directed at Trump. In addition to appealing for more federal assistance, the congressman-elect told Trump that finding fault was unwarranted.

While in Southern California, Trump was also to meet with family and friends of victims of a Nov. 7 mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, in which a gunman killed a dozen people in a bar before committing suicide.

Before boarding Air Force One for the return flight to Washington, Trump told reporters, "This has been a tough day when you look at all of the death from one place to the next.
UPFA Kalutara District Parliamentarian Kumara Welgama said yesterday that it was questionable for the UPFA to remain in the government by force without the support of 113 members of the House.

Speaking to the media yesterday while leaving the Parliament where pandemonium reigned, Welgama said the UPFA must leave the government if it did not have the support of the majority members of the House. we are used to sit in the Government as well as the Opposition. then why should we stay in the government by force? he asked.

He said nobody listened to seniors today and what happened today was witnessed by the diplomats who were at the Speakers gallery. all these things will go to the world, he lamented. He stated that any issue could be resolved through negotiations. Nobody listens to us, we cannot even approach them. I do not think that a veteran politician like Mahinda Rajapaksa would condone these things Welgama stated.
Turkish police have detained 13 academics, activists and journalists over links to a jailed businessman and human rights defender, and allegations that they sought to topple the government by supporting mass protests during 2013, Turkey's state-run news agency reported Friday.

Anadolu Agency said professors Betul Tanbay and Turgut Tarhanli of Istanbul's Bosphorus and Bilgi universities, and journalist Cigdem Mater were among those detained in simultaneous police operations in Istanbul and in three provinces.

They were being questioned over their links to the Anatolia Culture Association founded by Osman Kavala, a philanthropist businessman who was arrested a year ago and accused of attempts to "abolish" the constitutional order and the government. No indictment has been issued against him.

Anadolu said police are searching for seven other people linked to the association, which says it aims to promote peace and minority rights through culture.

The group is suspected of trying to bring down the government by fomenting "chaos and disorder" through their alleged involvement in efforts to expand anti-government protests that grew from opposition to the cutting down of trees at Istanbul's Gezi Park. Authorities suspect that Kavala used the association, as well as a foundation that he also headed, to finance and organize efforts to broaden the protests, the agency reported.

The detentions drew criticism from the European Union, which called the development "alarming," and from human rights groups.

"The repeated detentions of critical voices and the continued widespread pressure on civil society representatives run counter to the Turkish government's declared commitment to human rights and to fundamental freedoms," the EU said a statement.

The statement said the detentions would be raised during a high-level EU visit to Ankara next week.

Amnesty International's Turkey Strategy and Research Manager Andrew Gardner said: "This latest wave of detentions of academics and activists, on the basis of absurd allegations, shows that the authorities are intent on continuing their brutal crackdown of independent civil society."

Since an attempted coup in 2016, Turkey's government has been accused of stifling freedom of expression by arresting thousands of people for alleged connections to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey blames for the failed attempt, or links to terror groups. It has purged many more people from state institutions and jailed dozens of journalists.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called Kavala "Turkey's Soros," a reference to American billionaire George Soros, whose Open Society Foundations have funded education, health, justice and media projects around the world. Pro-government media in Turkey accuse Kavala of engaging in anti-government conspiracies.

Eleven prominent activists, including Amnesty International's former Turkey chairman, were arrested last year at their hotel on an island off of Istanbul while training. They were eventually released from jail pending the outcome of their trial for supporting terror groups.

Separately on Friday, police detained 86 people, most of them former Air Force personnel, in operations across Turkey and were looking for 100 others for alleged links to Gulen's movement, Anadolu reported.

More than 15,000 people have been purged from the military since the coup, Turkey's defense minister has said.

The cleric denies involvement in the coup.
The U.N. special envoy for Yemen said Friday that he would convene the parties to that conflict "shortly" to begin serious talks to resolve the more than three-year-old war.

"This is a crucial moment for Yemen," Martin Griffiths told U.N. Security Council members. "I have received firm assurances from the leadership of the Yemeni parties  the government of Yemen and Ansar Allah  that they are committed to attending. I believe they are genuine and I expect them to continue in that way and appear for those consultations."

Griffiths' last effort to get the parties together in Geneva in September fell apart, when the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels skipped the talks with Saudi-supported Yemeni government officials. He hopes to convene them in Sweden this time.

"This is an opportunity at a crucial moment to pursue a comprehensive and inclusive political settlement to the conflict," Griffiths said.

The envoy also announced that he had obtained agreement from the Saudi-led coalition to facilitate medical evacuations of some injured Yemenis out of Sanaa and said he was close to concluding a deal between the parties on the exchange of prisoners and detainees.

A Saudi Arabian-led coalition began bombing Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in support of Yemen's government in March 2015. Since then, the U.N. estimates, more than 10,000 people have been killed, mostly in airstrikes.

Food, financial crises

While there is a glimmer of hope on the political horizon, the country is still facing massive food shortages and a collapsing economy.

David Beasley, head of the World Food Program, just returned from a three-day mission to Yemen.

"What I have seen in Yemen this week is the stuff of nightmares, of horror, of deprivation, of misery," Beasley told council members.

He said he saw children who were "skin and bones" dying in hospitals that did not have the capacity to care for them.

"It's hard to walk through a hospital. In room after room after room, you see these little children dying before your very own eyes," Beasley said.

His agency currently feeds 8 million Yemenis each month, but is soon expecting to scale that up to between 12 million and 14 million.

"That may not yet be classified as famine, but we are marching toward disaster," Beasley said. He emphasized that in the last month alone, hunger had grown to include 1.6 million more Yemenis.

The U.N. has been raising alarms for months that the country is facing a widespread famine as a direct result of the conflict. Yemen relies on imports for most of its food, fuel and medicine. Fighting around the country's most important seaport, Hodeida, has hindered food imports and distribution, and an economic crisis is further escalating the humanitarian crisis.

"Starvation is on the horizon unless circumstances change and change immediately," Beasley warned. "The war has taken its toll over four years, but the economic crisis will accelerate that damage in just a matter of months."

He said the country needed a substantial cash injection to stabilize its local currency, which is badly depreciated and ruining the average Yemeni's ability to buy food.

U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock urged the Security Council to help avert a catastrophic deterioration of the situation.

He has asked the council to support his request for a truce in and around facilities and infrastructure used for humanitarian aid; facilitate and protect the supply of food and other critical supplies across the country; help resuscitate the national economy; increase humanitarian funding; and for the parties to the conflict to support the work of the special envoy on the political front.

Britain, which oversees the Yemen file in the Security Council, said it would present a draft resolution with this package of requests on Monday to the council for its consideration.
The outgoing chairman of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee is planning to issue subpoenas compelling former FBI Director James Comey and former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to be deposed about their decision-making ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, a House Democratic aide told Reuters on Friday.

The plans by Republican Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia were immediately criticized by ranking Democrat Jerrold Nadler of New York, who is expected to take over as chairman of the panel next year.

"These subpoenas are coming out of the blue, with very little time left on the calendar," Nadler said in a statement, adding that Comey and Lynch had indicated "months ago" they would be willing to answer questions voluntarily.

The House of Representatives aide told Reuters that Goodlatte was planning to call Comey in for closed-door questioning on Nov. 29 and Lynch on Dec. 5. President Donald Trump, a Republican, fired Comey in May 2017. Lynch left office when Democratic President Barack Obama's term ended in January 2017.

A spokeswoman for Goodlatte did not immediately respond to a

request for comment.

Goodlatte and House Oversight Chairman Trey Gowdy of South Carolina have been running a joint probe into whether the FBI botched investigations leading up to the 2016 vote. They are looking into the FBIs handling of Russias role in U.S. politics and Hillary Clintons emails when she was secretary of state.

Mueller probe

It has been criticized by Democrats, who say Republicans are merely trying to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election meddling and whether Trump's campaign coordinated with Moscow officials.

Trump has repeatedly denied colluding and called Mueller's inquiry a "witch hunt." The Kremlin denies interfering in the election, which Trump won in a stunning upset against Democratic candidate Clinton.

David Kelley, a lawyer for Comey, said he expected Comey to be served the subpoena Friday night or Saturday. Kelley said he told the committee in an Oct. 1 letter that his client would testify but only in a public hearing.

"House Republicans can ask me anything they want but I want the American people to watch, so let's have a public hearing. Truth is best served by transparency. Let me know when is convenient," Comey said on Twitter.

A spokeswoman for Lynch declined to comment.

Comey is seen as an important witness into whether Trump tried to obstruct the special counsel's investigation.

Comey has also been criticized by the Justice Departments inspector general for announcing the FBIs decision not to propose criminal charges against Clinton over her use of a private email server while heading up the U.S. State Department.

Republicans have said Comeys handling of the Clinton matter showed he was biased against Trump. The inspector general found that while Comey acted improperly, he did not exhibit bias.

Republicans have limited time to wrap up the probe before Democrats take over leadership next year after winning back the House in the Nov. 6 congressional elections.

Once that happens, Nadler has said he plans to investigate whether Trump has improperly meddled in Justice Department affairs and ensure Mueller's probe is protected.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday said it would hear oral arguments in February concerning a challenge by a group of states to the contentious decision by President Donald Trumps administration to ask people taking part in the 2020 national census whether they are citizens.

The legal question concerns the scope of evidence that a New York-based federal judge can consider at a trial in the case, which has almost concluded. The Supreme Court said in a brief order that it will hear arguments Feb. 19.

Eighteen U.S. states, 15 cities and a handful of civil rights groups are asking U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman in New York to remove the citizenship question, saying it will frighten immigrants into abstaining from the 2020 census, costing their communities political representation and access to federal aid because of a population undercount.

No Ross deposition

The justices on Nov. 2 allowed the trial to go ahead but blocked the deposition of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, whose department oversees the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Trump administration is terrified of having to explain on the record why it added a census citizenship question, and has repeatedly tried to shield Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross from answering questions under oath. All relevant evidence should be considered, Dale Ho, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement.

The Trump administration argues that the case should be decided purely on the governments official reasoning for adding the question. The challengers have said they need further evidence from Ross and other officials about whether there was an unlawful political motivation behind the decision.

Opponents of the citizenship question have said it would disproportionately affect Democratic-leaning states electoral representation and federal funding. The administration has said more precise citizenship data is needed to better enforce a voting rights law in order to protect minorities.

Trump, a Republican, has pursued hard-line immigration policies seeking to limit legal and illegal immigration. He has sought to portray immigrants who enter the United States illegally across the border with Mexico as a national security threat.

NY trial wrapping up

It was unclear if the high courts decision to hear the case will affect how Furman handles the trial, which began Nov. 5 and has closing arguments scheduled for Nov. 27.

Time is an issue as the final census forms are to be printed by spring 2019.

There has not been a census question about citizenship status since 1950. The plaintiffs have said that in recent decades Census Bureau officials have opposed adding a citizenship question because of the risk of driving down response rates and undercounting the U.S. population.

The U.S. Constitution mandates a census every 10 years.
After spending nine years and more than $300 million to prosecute leaders of Cambodias Khmer Rouge responsible for the deaths of 1.7 million of their countrymen, a U.N.-assisted tribunal has ended up convicting only three people for the communist groups heinous actions.

Was it worth it?

These kinds of proceedings dont come cheap. The longer-running tribunals covering genocide in Rwanda and war crimes in the former Yugoslavia ran up costs of as much as $2 billion, though both tried many more people than were called to account in Cambodia for crimes committed during the 1975-79 regime of the late Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot.

On Friday, the tribunal convicted Nuon Chea, 92, and Khieu Samphan, 87, the last surviving Khmer Rouge leaders, of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, and sentenced them to life in prison. The only other person who has been convicted is Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch, who as head of the Khmer Rouge prison system ran the infamous Tuol Sleng torture center in Phnom Penh.

A hobbled hybrid court

Justice is the primary goal. But international tribunals, trying people accused of crimes on a national scale, also serve to promote human rights and establish a historical record, among other targets.

Even the most bullish observers acknowledge the shortcomings of the Cambodian tribunal, officially called the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, or ECCC. The rules hammered out in extensive negotiations between the United Nations and the Cambodian government hobbled its proceedings in ways that were not always foreseeable.

The ECCC was set up as a hybrid court, meaning every international prosecutor and judge was paired with a Cambodian counterpart. However, what was a political atmosphere encouraging cooperation when the U.N. agreement was signed in 2003 deteriorated, as democratic space has shrunk under Cambodias long-serving, autocratic Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Hybrid courts require domestic and international partners to share the steering wheel. They tend to function well only when the two drivers want to head in the same general direction, said John Ciorciari, a professor at the University of Michigan and co-author of a book about the tribunal. When they do, mixed tribunals can help fill gaps in otherwise frail domestic systems. When interests clash, these efforts to share sovereignty are prone to crash.

The main case in point: Hun Sen  himself a former Khmer Rouge commander who defected from the group when it was in power  declaring no more suspects should be prosecuted, saying without justification that such action could cause unrest. 

Vague guidelines

It didnt help that the U.N. agreements vague wording of who could be targeted for prosecution  senior Khmer Rouge leaders and those most responsible for the atrocities  proved to be more restrictive than open-ended.

All tribunals of this character have political restraints, and so that is not unique to the ECCC, said David Scheffer, a law professor at Northwestern University and former U.S. ambassador at large for war crimes. Other points he mentioned that delayed the proceedings included the protection of due process rights and the unusual combination of a civil law investigating judicial procedure alongside a common law prosecutorial model.

One can always surmise about more being done, said Scheffer, who also served as the U.N.s special expert on assistance to the Khmer Rouge trials. But that was the negotiated reality of this particular tribunal.

Nevertheless, he gave high marks to the tribunals performance, saying its main contribution has been both domestic and international justice rendered against some of the major figures in the Pol Pot regime.

The Cambodian people sought justice and the ECCC delivered a significant measure of it, Scheffer said in an email interview. The ECCC also established a historical record, albeit not comprehensive, that otherwise never would have been uncovered.

Justice and political education

Adama Dieng, the U.N. special adviser on the prevention of genocide, also said Fridays convictions showed that justice will prevail, and that impunity should never be accepted for genocide and other atrocity crimes.

Political education is an area where the tribunal has succeeded, said Heather Ryan, who has monitored the trials for the Open Society Justice Initiative, an independent international human rights organization.

The court has made a huge contribution to helping the world and Cambodians better understand what occurred during the Khmer Rouge regime, said Ryan. It has triggered discussions at all levels of Cambodian society about not only the past, but concepts of impunity, justice and accountability relevant to the current political situation in Cambodia.

Other observers were less impressed.

Complete failure

Theary Seng, a U.S.-trained lawyer, writer and political analyst based in Phnom Penh, Cambodias capital, who is an outspoken critic of Hun Sens government, called the tribunal a complete failure for international justice because it didnt accomplish any of the established goals of reconciliation, symbolic justice and combating impunity.

Seng, whose parents were killed by the Khmer Rouge, pointed out that the hope that at least some of the Cambodian judges, prosecutors and lawyers that the government placed in the tribunal would somehow become champions of judicial fairness and the rule of law has been the opposite of fulfilled: they have all been deeply implicated in government abuse and perversion of the domestic justice system.

She said her top concern now was for the integrity of the tribunals documents to be preserved for researchers.

It is likely that the voluminous documentation used by the tribunal will be handed over to the government or institution controlled by the government, she said.

This means that the printed documents could be selectively destroyed and the electronic version could be subtly altered, she warned. Future researchers writing the history of Cambodia will not know whats what.
Washington faces mounting pressure from China, Russia and South Korea, as well as humanitarian groups, to ease sanctions on North Korea as the Trump administrations denuclearization talks with Pyongyang have hit a snag.

Washingtons talks with Pyongyang stalled last week when North Korea abruptly canceled a scheduled meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo amid U.S. efforts to maintain sanctions while engaging in diplomatic negotiations with the country.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in is expected to bring up the issue of relaxing North Korean sanctions when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their scheduled meeting at the sidelines of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Papua New Guinea on Saturday as an attempt to revive the stagnant denuclearization talks.

On Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence said President Donald Trump is expected to ask Xi to continue enforcing sanctions on North Korea when he meets with him later this month at the Group of 20 meeting in Buenos Aires.

Sanctions eased?

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said in its annual report released this week that China appears to have eased implementing sanctions on North Korea.

Last week, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley rejected the Russian request to ease sanctions on North Korea during a closed-door U.N. Security Council meeting called by Russia.

Haley said North Korea still has their facilities, they have still not allowed inspectors to go and inspect the nuclear facility or the ballistic missile facility. And as long as thats happening, we need to stay the course.

Calls for easing sanctions on North Korea also come from humanitarian groups, a move that could lead China, Russia and South Korea to pressure the United States, Ken Gause, director of the International Affairs Group, said.

In October, a group of U.S.-based nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) sent a letter to Trump requesting him to modify [the U.S.] sanctions regulations and ease the travel ban against North Korea to allow timely delivery of humanitarian aid and other NGO engagement with the country.

Also in October, the U.N. Sanctions Committee on North Korea granted the United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF) a partial exemption from sanctions on North Korea, permitting the organization to engage in humanitarian activities and to allow for the shipment of items to [North Korea].

Responding to the U.N. sanctions exemption, a State Department official said in an email to VOAs Korean Service earlier this week, We continue to support life-saving aid needed by vulnerable [North Korean] citizens to combat transnational threats.

Concrete steps

Experts warn that Washington should not ease sanctions imposed on North Korea until it takes concrete steps toward denuclearization.

It would be premature to ease sanctions at this point, said Troy Stangarone, senior director of the Korea Economic Institute. North Korea has yet to provide a denuclearization of its nuclear program or take substantive steps to dismantle its program.

William Newcomb, a former U.S. Treasury official who was on the U.N. Security Councils Panel of Experts on North Korea, said North Korea needs to take several key steps toward denuclearization before any sanctions could be lifted.

There are a number of actions [North Korea] could undertake to demonstrate a commitment to getting rid of [weapons of mass destruction] and prohibit missile capability, such as withdrawal from proliferation activities and providing detailed, verifiable information on programs and locations, Newcomb said. Should such steps be taken, then reconsideration of some measures would be appropriate.

William Brown, a former U.S. intelligence official and a professor at Georgetown University who focuses on the North Korean economy, said suspending production of fissile nuclear material is the essential first step that North Korea needs to take toward complete denuclearization that would prompt sanctions relief.

The financial and more general trade restrictions should remain until Pyongyang moves toward permanent reduction and ultimate elimination of its nuclear weapons, Brown said.

Snap back sanctions

Robert Manning, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said, The U.S. can suspend some sanctions (to be negotiated) in exchange for agreed-upon steps of denuclearization.

Manning continued, This could be done by getting a new U.N. Security Council resolution that commits snap back sanctions if North Korea fails to comply. Snap back refers to the restoration of lifted sanctions if North Korea falls short of reaching its denuclearization agreements.

Gause, of the International Affairs Group, said he believes Washington will ease sanctions only when it thinks sanctions are ineffective.

The U.S. will relax sanctions once the U.S. comes to terms that the sanctions are not really working on North Korea, he said.

Jonathan Schanzer, a former Treasury Department official and currently a senior vice president at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said, The key to success, to the extent that success is possible, is to sustain sanctions pressure while negotiating simultaneously.

In an interview with NBC News on Thursday, Pence said a second summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un, tentatively scheduled for sometime early next year, will be where a verifiable plan to disclose the nuclear sites must be reached.

I think it will be absolutely imperative in this next summit that we come away with a plan for identifying all of the weapons in question, identifying all the development sites, allowing for inspections of the sites and the plan for dismantling nuclear weapons, Pence said.
What does the First Amendment say?

The First Amendment states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The freedoms in the First Amendment include the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government.

What does the First Amendment do?

The First Amendment is one of the most important amendments for the protection of democracy.

Freedom of religion allows people to believe and practice whatever religion they want. Freedom of speech and press allows people to voice their opinions publicly and to publish them without the government stopping them. Freedom of assembly allows people to gather in groups as long as they are peaceful. And the right to petition the government makes it possible for people to lobby the government, point out where it does not follow its own laws, and to sue if a wrong has occurred.

When was it created?

The First Amendment is part of the Bill of Rights. To protect individual rights, the framers of the U.S. Constitution added 10 amendments to the document in 1791, three years after the Constitution was ratified.

Are there exceptions to the freedoms in the First Amendment?

There are limits to the freedoms in the First Amendment as peoples individual rights must be balanced against the rights of society.

For example, a person cannot force the tenets of his or her religion on others while trying to practice that religion. Similarly, harmful speech, such as yelling fire in a crowded room, is not protected speech, nor is publishing a lie that causes harm to someone. Also, different types of speech have different amounts of freedom. Political speech is considered different than commercial speech, which includes advertisements.

Who determines what is protected?

That is where the courts come in. The meaning of the First Amendment has been the subject of disputes over the years and continuing interpretation by the courts.

Landmark Supreme Court cases involving the First Amendment have dealt with the rights of citizens to protest U.S. wars, burn the U.S. flag, and the publication of classified government documents.

How did the decision about CNN reporter Jim Acosta relate to the First Amendment?

The judge in the case involving CNN reporter Jim Acosta did not rule on the overall First Amendment issues involved in the matter, but instead ruled only on the Fifth Amendment issues, which grants people the right to due process.

The judges ruling today hinged on process or really lack of process that CNNs reporter Jim Acosta was given, Georgetown law professor Joshua Geltzer told VOA.

He said that although the case was not technically a First Amendment case, it was about the free press.

Ultimately, when you are looking at due process, you are looking at the interests at stake of the government and of the individual whom the government is taking some action in relation to, Geltzer said.

The reporter wasnt given an opportunity to go through some sort of process that might allow him to be treated fairly by the government as is required in many contexts when the government takes away something of value, he added.
Fire swept through a passenger bus in Zimbabwe, and police said Friday that more than 40 people died and at least 20 were injured, some with severe burns.



Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said she did not have details about the cause of the accident Thursday night.



A photograph posted on Twitter by the Zimbabwe Red Cross shows the remains of a bus that was completely incinerated. The Red Cross said its teams responded to a horrific accident involving a bus heading to neighboring South Africa around midnight.



The accident happened in Gwanda district, about 550 kilometers (340 miles) south of Harare, Zimbabwes capital.



Last week, a collision between two buses in Zimbabwe killed 50 people and injured about 80.
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Crazy Ex-Girlfriend I See You Season 4 Episode 6 Editors Rating 3 stars * * * Previous Next  Photo: Greg Gayne/The CW

Crazy Ex-Girlfriends biggest annoyance is that it crams way too much plot into some episodes, then twiddles its thumbs in others. This episode is a prime offender. Clearly an attempt to pair up actors who havent already gotten to work together before the show sunsets, it centers on an equally grab-baggy road trip theme. The result feels as authentically, excruciatingly endless as a drive across Southern Californiawith one notable exception.

That would be the near-miss kiss between Rebecca and Darryl, which Im just going to skip ahead to because what the hell? Sure, Darryl is a sweetie, and Pete Gardner is hilarious. In a vacuum, I wouldnt object to a May-December relationship, or two people having a baby before falling in love, or the implication that Rebecca cant have a platonic male friend (actually, I might object to that last one). But as a potential endgame for the series, it hits on a lot of rom-com tropes for a show that once took glee in busting them.

Its possible this is an overreaction; the almost-kiss is played off as a one-time slip-up between friends whove gotten a little too lonely and horny, emphasized by a couple of other comic kiss moments between characters who dont smooch. But if this is really a one-and-done, then it seems odd to have Darryl definitively end things with WhiJo, shave off his mustache for no real reason, and in an eye-rollingly unprogressive aside, cheerfully inform the audience that he has a huge dick (uh, thanks?)

Perhaps this potential relationship needs a once-over from Therapy Josh, whos making his own unexpected transition from lovable sex idiot to cognitive-behavioral acolyte. The concept of Josh becoming more emotionally woke would be funnier if it wasnt buried in a snore of a plot, with Paula inadvertently hiring him as an app-based bro with a truck to help move a desk into her new office.

As Paulas nearing the end of law school, its understandable that shes ambivalent and procrastinating, afraid to confront her new expectations and responsibilities. But emphasizing the obvious with scene after scene of her dithering in a nice Craigslist ladys house, examining her collection of ceramic cats, gets tedious fast. By the end, I was rooting for Josh to just pick Paula up one-handed and load her up with the desk. Its one thing to show a character wasting timeits another to waste the viewers.

The Nathaniel-Heather storyline is slightly better, if only because those characters are so obviously oil-and-water that their conflict feels natural. Interestingly, Heather tells Nathaniel that shes hated his relationship with Rebecca from the beginninga very reasonable character choice that it would have been much more fun to actually see play out on the show.

Instead, we get another look at the softer side of Nathaniel, who we all know by now is a giant softy. He needs to get to Santa Monica ASAP to deal with the contents of a mysterious package, which turns out to be the ashes of his longtime au pair, Heidi. The whole plot feels hacky, down to Heather snatching the package and getting a face full of ashes. (Lets not even talk about Heidis poor family in Austria, who will hopefully never know she was laid to rest in a storm drain.)

Despite being a miss plot-wise, the episode does turn in a surprisingly good song: Trapped in a Car, which seemingly starts out as a Frankie-and-Annette-style beach-blanket tune, but is actually a whip-smart parody of the career arc of the Beach Boys, from their tripped-out Pet Sounds days to the hellish Kokomo era. The songs jokes arent much on their own, but the bigger meta-joke is a ton of fun, and the costumes and visuals really sell it. Josh and Darryl singing Ontario, Alhambra, we already said Alhambra says more about the late-period Beach Boys than a massive biography ever could.

The episode wraps with the expected growing-up stuff: Paula studies, Rebecca decides to get back into dating, and Nathaniel decides to start being nicer to Bert (and everyone else). And Darryls mustache sleeps with the fishes, along with his beard oil and his backup beard oil.

Other Notes:

 I desperately need to know what Maya is doing in Solvang with Emma Watson.

 Shoutout to the props department for amassing that insane collection of ceramics and tchotchkes in the desk ladys house, including a one-eyed taxidermied squirrel. That must have taken a solid week of thrift-store shopping.

 Unsurprisingly, Rebecca is a terrible boss, and has confessed a ton of inappropriate stuff to A.J., including a suspicion that her hymen is growing back.

 Every character being so down on Josh living with Hectors mom kind of bothers me. Has anyone on this show talked to a poor millennial lately? For a part-time DJ/gig-economy furniture mover seeing a therapist that doesnt take insurance, being able to live with a friends parent is probably all Josh can afford. It makes me miss the first season, when the show was more real about money.

 Speaking of money, Im not surprised to see that helicopter parent Darryl sprang for a Snoo, the pricey robo-bassinet. Nothing but the best for Hebby.
Junot Diaz. Photo: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Almost six months to the day after Junot Diaz stepped down as chairman of the Pulitzer Prize board following allegations of sexual-misconduct, the board issued an announcement declaring the end of their independent investigation of the author and welcoming Diaz back as a full member.

This past spring, The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao writer was publicly accused of sexual-misconduct, including forcible kissing, by author Zinzi Clemmons, who confronted Diaz at a literary festival in Sydney, Australia. Several female writers subsequently spoke up, alleging the author had subjected them to misogynistic verbal abuse. While seeming to acknowledge some wrongdoing following the confrontation, Diaz later said he was shocked by the allegations, and denied Clemmons accusation entirely.

But while three poetry editors eventually left the Boston Review after it declined to dismiss Diaz from his position as fiction editor, MIT later cleared the author, who also serves as professor at the university, in their internal investigation of his actions. Now, the Pulitzer Prize Board has done the same, after launching what they say is a thorough, wide-ranging and independent review of the matter conducted by Washington law firm Williams & Connolly.

The review did not find evidence warranting removal of Professor Diaz from the Board, they said in a statement Friday. Accordingly, after full discussion and consideration by the members, Professor Diaz will be welcomed to resume his full duties as a Board member and to fulfill his term, which expires in April of 2019.
The City of Huntsville is working to make streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists as part of the Smart Growth America grant the city received earlier this year.

The first workshop was Friday in Huntsville. Representatives from the Huntsville City Planning office were at the Huntsville Museum of Art where they participated in the workshop.

During the nine-month program, Huntsville will work with representatives from Durham, North Carolina and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to learn different ways to make roads safer for people who like to walk, bike, or who use motorized chairs to get around. The city applied for a grant to participate in the program.

"We're paying for all of the training, the travel, and also paying for half of the demonstration project they'll build," Emiko Atherton with the National Complete Streets Coalition said. "Each city is responsible for demonstrating their new knowledge in a demonstration project they build within their own city."

Huntsville city planner Dennis Madsen said the city is looking at the Jones Valley area, as well as others, to possibly complete their demonstration project. He said if the project goes well, the improvements could end up being permanent.

"An example might be a new crosswalk or bringing some traffic calming measures, like speed humps or a traffic calming circle into a neighborhood to slow down the speed of cars," Madsen said.

The group will have its next meeting in January in North Carolina. The city received an $8,000 grant through the program and matched it to be able to make this possible.
The deadline to pick up all campaign signs from our most recent election is this Saturday.

WAAY 31 learned that if the signs are not picked up, the property owner could receive a notice of violation. We talked with politicians who still have signs out and learned what others think about it.

They start out okay but, by the end, Im sick of it," said Hannah Berryhill. "Im sick of seeing it, Im sick of hearing about it. Im over it."

That was Berryhills answer when we asked her what she thought about campaign signs. She said she gets tired of driving by them, especially when its been days after the election.

I think it keeps divisions strong between people, and were ready to just be united," Berryhill said.

She was happy to hear the City of Huntsville has a rule that all campaign signs must be picked up within ten days after an election, with Saturday being the deadline for those who ran in the midterm election.

I think rules are rules. And if the rules say ten days, then ten days after, they should be gone," Berryhill said.

WAAY 31 noticed a few of Sam Givhans signs were still out, so we gave him a call. He admitted to us that not all of his signs will be up by Saturday, as hes been busy with other things and says the weather hasnt helpedespecially when it comes to getting the bigger signs.

We also talked with one woman who owns a store and says she doesnt think its fair that she cant have signs out when others do.

When we have events, were not allowed to put signs out for our sale, because someone from the city will come pick them up and throw them away," she said.

She and Berryhill agreed that if her signs are being thrown away so should the leftover campaign signs.

I think that we have enough trash without having somebodys name whos already run still out there," Berryhill said.

Givhan said he plans to have all of his signs up before Thanksgiving, but says hes noticed some other signs that are still up from the election in June.
Huntsville Police arrested and charged Scott Crook, 40, for possession of a forged instrument 1st degree and theft by deception 1st degree Friday morning. He was apprehended after an anonymous tip from a citizen.

Crook was sought for the passing of counterfeit $100 bills. Videos and photos were released by Huntsville Police in October from the Firehouse Subs on Carl T. Jones Drive where Crook used a fake $100 bill for a purchase fow which he received change back.

Other businesses also fell victim to the counterfeits. The police department discovered Friday that Crook had six more of the counterfeit bills on him.

Huntsville Police are still looking for another suspect who presented a similar counterfeit as the bill used by Crook at a Five Points business. It has the same serial number.

Anyone with information about the second suspect is asked to call 256-722-7100 or 256-427-7270.
Senator Doug Jones spent time after the Mazda Toyota groundbreaking ceremony on Friday to visiting with local soybean farmers.

WAAY 31 spoke with Jones and learned what he had to say about the farm bill and the impact of tariff's on steel. The senator spent time talking to three generations of farmers including the owner of the farm, Butler & Sons, in New Hope.

"Farm bill will include a lot of things. It'll include crop insurance. It includes a number of things like that that will help in those down years," Jones said.

The farm bill will provide aid to farmers across the United States that are hurting because of the trade war with China and losses from natural disasters. That's especially critical in Alabama after Hurricane Michael destroyed millions of dollars of crops, but cotton farmers aren't the only ones hurting. Soybean farmers are feeling the burn too.

"Even though it's been somewhat healthy, ever since the trade war with China, we have seen a drop and it's a significant drop in the prices, which causes some real concern among the soybean farmers," Jones said.

Jones also talked about the imposed tariffs on steel. He said it's the automobile tariffs that are most concerning to him.

"The automobile tariffs would really, I think, hurt Alabama's economy, because it will hurt not only automobile manufacturers, but it's going to hurt suppliers. It's going to hurt those people that transport automobiles. It's going to hurt gasoline prices," he said.

Jones said he enjoyed his visit to Madison County and that visiting farmers help him and his team know what they need to prepare for future bills that impact farmers.
The State of Alabama, Attorney General Steve Marshall and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management have filed a lawsuit against Tommy Gamble and Marshall D & D, LLC, the owners of the Bishop Landfill. The lawsuit was filed in the Marshall County Circuit Court on October 17, 2018.

The lawsuit claims landfill closure and post-closure requirements for disposal of waste were not followed through an "Alabama Solid Wastes and Recyclable Materials Management Act" and Alabama Department of Environmental Management administrative code.

A prior suit ruled that closure activities were not completed, and it was determined the property on which Bishop Landfill was located and where the violation is said to have occurred was the responsibility of the defendant, Marshall C & D, LLC, according to the lawsuit. Through this ownership, the lawsuit says Defendants Marshall C & D, LLC. and Tommy Gamble are responsible for the proper closure of the Bishop Landfill.

The lawsuit says that on May 23, 2007, an inspection of the Bishop Landfill from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management showed that the defendants Marshall C & D, LLC. and Tommy Gamble failed to complete any closure activities at the landfill.

The lawsuit claims that the landfill is a nuisance to the citizens of Marshall County and that there is "a constant smell and stream of discolored water running off the landfill into waters of the State." It's said that ADEM officials did another inspection of the landfill on February 26, 2018 and that they discovered that access to the landfill is only restricted by a "low-hanging cable." It says ADEM found "discolored and odorous water" seeping from various areas across the facility and that this drainage was allowed to flow off the landfill property onto surrounding areas.

Four counts are named in the lawsuit. These are landfill closure violations, landfill post-closure violations, unauthorized dumping/public nuisance and "injunctive relief." The "Solid Wastes and Recyclable Materials Management Act" is cited.

The lawsuit asks that the defendants assume responsibility for these alleged violations.
Rome taking no chances after last year's "Spelacchio" Christmas tree fiasco.

American media-services provider Netflix is sponsoring Rome's Christmas tree whose lights will be switched on in Piazza Venezia on 8 December.

The 20-metre high Italian fir will be decorated with 60,000 LED lights and 500 baubles, at a total cost to Netflix of 376,000.

Last year Rome's Christmas tree was ridiculed in the national and international press for its "manginess", earning it the derogatory nickname Spelacchio.
16 Nov-18 Jan. Brazil's embassy to Italy in Piazza Navona hosts an exhibition of paintings by Brazilian artist Marcos Duprat from 16 November to 18 January.

Light plays a leading role in the paintings of Duprat whose vibrant, chromatic images of interiors - corridors, windows, mirrors and passages - evoke the luminous reflections in the liquid surface of seas and lakes.

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Duprat has exhibited over the last four decades in some of the most prestigious state museums and cultural centres in Brazil and around the world.

Admission to the exhibition is free, Mon-Fri 10.00-17.00. For details see Brazilian embassy website.
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If I was ever going to do a shutdown over border security  when you look at the caravan, when you look at the mess, when you look at the people coming in, the president said. . . . This would be a very good time to do a shutdown.
Ivan Frishberg, a D.C. parent who sat on the advisory panel, said there was some confusion among the group about whether they would advise the mayor once she began looking at candidates for the chancellors job. But, he said, it was clear that the groups main task was to complete a report about what the community hopes to see in its next schools leader.
Under state election laws, a PAC created on behalf of a candidate must have written consent from the candidate at least 21 days before filing a statement of organization, Card wrote to the board of elections. Cards complaint included an affidavit signed by Bender saying he was unaware of the PACs existence before Election Day.
The affidavit said the Gab post accompanied a picture of Bowers and implies that Jeffery Clark did know more about the attack in the Tree-of-Life synagogue, and that there was more to come. But in court Friday, Cummings said investigators later determined that the post was not related to Bowers but to Cesar Sayoc, 56, who was arrested Oct. 26 for allegedly mailing explosive devices to critics of President Trump.
Since Alvarados arrest, her public defenders have argued Alvarado was not mentally competent at the time. Alvarado has undergone numerous psychological tests and is housed at St. Elizabeths Hospital, the Districts mental health facility. Judge Milton Lee ordered Alvarado to remain at the hospital for treatment until she no longer suffers from mental illness and is no longer a danger to herself or others.
The cyber unit in the Eastern District of Virginia is known for aggressively prosecuting hackers and fraud schemes even if the suspects, like Assange, can be linked to Northern Virginia only by its large population of data centers. Earlier this year, Dwyer won at trial against a Latvian computer programmer who helped hackers test their malicious software against anti-virus programs, a case that exposed connections between cybercriminals and the Russian government. The programmers Russian co-conspirator pleaded guilty and testified at the trial, as did a Virginia college student who used their program in creating his own program that spies on computer users keystrokes. Another co-conspirator, who initially argued he wasnt responsible for the crimes people committed using his technology, pleaded guilty as well.
Were not alone in that. In our ultracompetitive society, it may seem a given that all parents would send their children to the closest school with the best test scores. But that is not always the case in Arlington. I have had discussions with several parents who have spent time considering whether its better to send their children to a closer school with higher scores or to have them travel a bit farther to attend a school with lower scores but more diversity.
Wrote Betsy: Early in her very precisely timed schedule was a stop in Arlington Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. While driving through the cemetery, my father asked if she would also like to visit Sir John Dills burial site. She was very enthusiastic, having been a great admirer of his. So, to the great consternation of the tour planners, the whole convoy was rerouted to let her pay her respects at the beautifully-stirring equestrian monument pictured in your column.
The report discarded an option to put the maglev stop in the NoMa neighborhood, where it would have connected to Metros Red Line with easy access to Union Station. That option, the report concluded, offered poor connectivity with Metro  close to only one station, NoMa-Gallaudet. And it was problematic for construction because of its proximity to Amtrak facilities. Also, being close to the intersection of New York and Florida avenues was viewed as a down side because of heavy congestion in the area that would have made it difficult for people to access the station.
To read the list of unaccounted for persons in the Camp Fire released by the Butte County Sheriffs Office, go to tinyurl.com/yaya7v4s. Authorities are also asking people who know someone on the list that knows that person is safe to call either (530) 538-6570, (530) 538-7544 or (530) 538-7671 to speak with someone on the task force set up to manage the list.
It turns out the costs of living with chronic pain and depression are far greater than the risks of using medical marijuana to help those conditions. This past summer, although I was physically pain-free, a sudden depression knocked me to the ground. Crippled by anxiety and insomnia, I struggled to get out of bed and function for my two daughters, ages 10 and 12, who had both experienced some depression themselves. Id read in Scientific American that mood disorders may be passed genetically from mother to daughter, and I feared what my girls would learn from watching me break down in tears or lash out in rage. Even in the fog of despair, I knew taking care of myself was essential to my ability to take care of them.
In 2003, Martinez, then 20, gave birth to her son Daunte. Born five weeks premature, he was otherwise healthy. Her second son, Antonio, was born in 2006. In addition to the nasal hemorrhage, she developed preeclampsia  pregnancy-induced hypertension that can be fatal if not treated. Antonio was born healthy. Three years later, she again developed preeclampsia while pregnant with her daughter, Elliyana Meade. The baby, delivered by emergency Caesarean section, was premature and spent nearly two weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit.
New Zealand seizes 419 pounds of cocaine: New Zealand police and customs officials said they seized 418.9 pounds of cocaine with a street value of up to $25 million that arrived in Auckland in a shipment of bananas, the country's largest-ever drug bust. A 41-year-old man was arrested in Australia in the seizure, New Zealand authorities said. The haul followed a tip from an Australian investigation into organized crime. Police said the drugs were destined for Australia.
One of us, Tamara Maze Gallman, has personal experience with this. At the age of 37, I was paralyzed as a result of a natural gas explosion in my rental home. I had just moved to Maryland for a new job and still owned a home in Georgia where I previously lived. After the accident, I couldnt return to Georgia because my two-story, split-level home was not accessible and I had great difficulty finding an affordable, accessible home in Maryland.
Surprisingly, Baltimore did not embrace the idea of the nations capital on the shores of the Potomac in Maryland. Baltimore preferred locations along the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, believing the Port of Baltimore would be well served by traffic coming to the new capital. Last year, when Prince Georges County put in a bid for the Amazon HQ2 site, the Baltimore Sun criticized the county for submitting a bid that would compete with Baltimore. (It ignored that Montgomery County and Howard County also submitted bids, with the former named a finalist.)
We have 12 years to reduce our emissions by at least 45 percent. This target is global, so wealthy countries must act faster. We can meet this goal, but only if we rapidly ramp up our efforts. States are doing their best to fill the hole left by the Trump administration, while the administration continues to dig deeper. But the states alone cant solve this problem. Climate change must be the first order of business for the new House, and a real, science-driven solution must be ready on Day One of the Congress that follows, when, hopefully, a new president will be ready to sign it into law.
The axiom that parties define themselves through the process of choosing a candidate has never been more true. Democratic identity is up for grabs; it will be decided through this melee and not behind closed doors thanks to the neutering of the superdelegates. Is this the party of working stiffs or the party of Harvard and Apple? Is it a party of the left or a centrist party? Is it the party for women and minorities, or do white guys still hold some sway? Such questions will be the undercurrents of the race  indeed, they are already swirling in the competition to lead the party as speaker of the House.
Through it all, the prime minister has been stolidly dutiful, seldom varying the formula of her replies or shifting from her technocratic positions. Questioned about the plot to topple her from the party leadership, May does not raise her voice or narrow her eyes. Theater, verve, blood and guts: these are alien to the May repertoire. That is both her strength and her weakness. It makes her look resilient  only a cur would deny the physical stamina she has shown  but it also makes her seem deaf to political reality. The likes of Baker allege that, though she is inflexible at home, she bent like a hazel twig in her negotiations with the E.U. Brussels certainly appears to be cock-a-hoop with the draft she negotiated.
One obvious reform is to require that only a Senate-confirmed Justice official can serve as acting AG. But Congress should go further. Because the attorney general has always served a quasi-judicial function, Congress has the power to make that office more independent from presidential control. One way would be to make the AG more like the political head of an independent commission, though not as independent as the Federal Reserve Board or the Securities and Exchange Commission. The attorney general and a small number of deputies could still be appointed and removed at will by the president, but all major decisions would have to be approved by the commission  including two or more independent members, at least one from each party, with each serving long terms and removable only for cause. These commissioners would at least serve as checks and anti-crony watchdogs.
Trump, similarly, could visit his underemployed troops and give them a sense of mission  even a phony one. Before Election Day, he imagined the caravan to be packed with terrorists, drug dealers and killers. Surely he could now blame the caravan for, say, the California wildfires, Roger Stones text messages, the failure to vet the acting attorney general, the need to furnish identification when buying breakfast cereal or all those people who were able to repeatedly vote by changing hats in their cars.
At the time, technology companies were so enamored with the utility of our own products and so focused on sophisticated attacks from U.S. adversaries such as Russia and China that we overlooked less advanced but still effective propaganda operations. After the election, and having provided our detailed findings to the FBI and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, Facebook stuck to a public-communications strategy of minimization and denial. It was finally jettisoned in early 2018, but the damage to trust has been massive and will take years to repair. To be clear, no one at the company ever told me not to examine Russian activity, nor did anyone attempt to lie about our findings, but Facebook should have responded to these threats much earlier and handled disclosure in a more transparent manner.
Some Democrats are pushing the idea of a new comprehensive immigration plan akin to bipartisan legislation that foundered five years ago. Others want to focus attention on the narrower goal of granting legal status to undocumented immigrants known as dreamers, who have lived in the country illegally since they were children and whose cause is broadly popular with the public.
16 November 2018 (BBC News)  Northern Californias air quality has become the worst in the world, according to monitoring groups, as the state battles devastating fires.

Air quality network Purple Air said on Thursday the air is now worse than smoggy cities in India and China.

Schools have cancelled classes, flights have been delayed, and internet searches for smoke masks are soaring.

At least 63 people have died in the Camp Fire  the states deadliest and most destructive blaze.

The number of missing people has jumped to more than 600, local authorities said, doubling the size of the list in a day.

Three more people have also died in the Woolsey Fire, further south. []

How bad is the air?

The AirNow website ranks the air around San Francisco and Oakland as very unhealthy, meaning everyone in the area could experience more serious health effects. Around Elk Grove and Sacramento, it is classed as hazardous  the whole population is likely to be affected, their website states. A San Francisco Chronicle reporter tweeted that breathing in San Francisco was equivalent to smoking nearly a dozen cigarettes. In Paradise, which was destroyed by the wildfire, it is closer to smoking 22 cigarettes.Internet searches for smoke masks have reportedly skyrocketed, while schools and universities have cancelled classes and held recesses for students inside. Health officials warned people to stay indoors rather than risk the smoke.Wearing a mask may encourage outdoor activity when staying indoors is the best way to minimize exposure to smoke, the Sacramento County Public Health Office said. [more]
We may have all come over here on different ships, but were all here now, Espy said after an event here last week. Yes, there are race issues in Mississippi, cant sweep those under the rug. But I dont want to dwell on that. I want to be the senator of everyone, irrespective of race, irrespective of gender, irrespective of party, irrespective of religion. I want to be the vehicle of progress in Mississippi.
President Trump had called out Love by name at a combative White House news conference the day after Election Day, arguing that she and other lawmakers had been defeated because they had not been sufficiently supportive of him. McAdams was ahead in the vote count when Trump made his remarks, although the race had not been called.
Were happy hes here because we need the funding, said Allison Bazan, a 24-year-old criminal-justice student, who lost the Paradise home she and her husband had moved into three months ago. Wed like our town to be rebuilt. People need to put political points of view aside right now if they want their town rebuilt. We need to look at this from a financial standpoint more so than personal opinion.
Republicans now hold a strong base in rural America. But in this election, their margins were not as big as Trump rolled up in 2016. The presidents advisers argue, fairly, that people should be cautious about projecting forward as to how those rural areas will vote in 2020, when Trumps name is again on the ballot. But if the suburbs are trending away, he will need all the rural ground he had in 2016 and perhaps more.
In any case, Moulton says, the showdown is destined to last until lawmakers cast their speaker votes on the House floor on Jan. 3  the moment when his group will have leverage to push Pelosi aside. He predicted the freshmen who received his support and who are opposing Pelosi would ultimately stand firm.
Just 13 GOP women have won election so far to serve in the next Congress, down from 23 this year. With a half dozen races yet to be resolved, the House GOP  the minority party next year  is all but certain to have the lowest number of women in its ranks since 1994.
Were burdening them over and over again, and I want to know why this is the right thing to do, said Rep.-elect Andy Kim (D-N.J.), who served in the Defense Department and the National Security Agency under President Barack Obama. Kim said Congress should determine whether Trump announced the deployment as a political ploy.
By Chris Mooney and Brady Dennis

13 November 2018

(The Washington Post)  Scientists behind a major study that claimed the Earths oceans are warming faster than previously thought now say their work contained inadvertent errors that made their conclusions seem more certain than they actually are. [cf. Earths oceans have absorbed 60 percent more heat per year than previously thought]

Two weeks after the high-profile study was published in the journal Nature, its authors have submitted corrections to the publication. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography, home to several of the researchers involved, also noted the problems in the scientists work and corrected a news release on its website, which previously had asserted that the study detailed how the Earths oceans have absorbed 60 percent more heat than previously thought.

Unfortunately, we made mistakes here, said Ralph Keeling, a climate scientist at Scripps, who was a co-author of the study. I think the main lesson is that you work as fast as you can to fix mistakes when you find them.The central problem, according to Keeling, came in how the researchers dealt with the uncertainty in their measurements. As a result, the findings suffer from too much doubt to definitively support the papers conclusion about how much heat the oceans have absorbed over time.The central conclusion of the study  that oceans are retaining ever more energy as more heat is being trapped within Earths climate system each year  is in line with other studies that have drawn similar conclusions. And it hasnt changed much despite the errors. But Keeling said the authors miscalculations mean there is a much larger margin of error in the findings, which means researchers can weigh in with less certainty than they thought.I accept responsibility for what happened because its my role to make sure that those kind of details got conveyed, Keeling said. (He has published a more detailed explanation of what happened here.) []Gavin Schmidt, head of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, followed the growing debate over the study closely on Twitter and said that measurements about the uptake of heat in the oceans have been bedeviled with data problems for some time  and that debuting new research in this area is hard. []The key is not whether mistakes are made, but how they are dealt with  and the response from Laure and Ralph here is exemplary. No panic, but a careful reexamination of their working  despite a somewhat hostile environment, he wrote. [more]
Diesel, a fossil fuel, is known for the pollutants it emits into the air. Although it was traditionally taxed at the same rate as gasoline, that is no longer the case: Taxes on diesel have risen 6.2 percent per liter this year, as part of the governments efforts to protect clean air. The problem is, diesel remains the most common fuel in France, leading many to view recent policies as an attack on working people more than an environmental safeguard.
I think the big question now is, did the Justice Department find new evidence that would allow them to charge him with some crime, such as conspiracy to hack into computers or some other crime other than just publication, or does the new administration take a different view on whether he can be charged for just publishing classified documents? said Matthew Miller, a Justice Department spokesman during the Obama administration.
For more than a month, Trump has struggled to balance his interest in maintaining strong relations with the Saudi government with growing pressure in Congress and around the world to punish the Saudi regime. Trump has told aides that he wants Mohammed to stay in power and that he sees the Saudis as the best strategic check on Iran and as a vital source of oil. Mohammed has a close relationship with Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior adviser who helps lead the administrations Middle East strategy.
Concerns about Whitakers appointment stem partly from unanswered questions about what, if anything, the new acting attorney general may do to try to steer the ongoing probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, the investigation is examining whether Trumps campaign conspired with Moscow to influence the elections outcome. On Thursday, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) said that Whitaker told him he has no intention of recusing from the Russia probe, or shuttering it.
Atr said she is 50 years old, resides in the Persian Gulf region and spent time with Khashoggi mainly when business travel brought her to the United States. She said they met nearly a decade ago at a media forum in the Middle East, but that their romantic relationship began over the past year. She said she saw him for the last time in early September, and that while he sometimes expressed concern that the Saudi government might retaliate against him, he did not believe his life was in danger.
The Trump administration has voiced a far harder line against China and its growing footprint and rising assertiveness, spurring talk on both sides of the Pacific of a new cold war. But the U.S. presidents absence was conspicuous this week at two major Asian summits: the Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathering in Singapore and APEC in Papua New Guinea. Xi made an appearance at the latter forum, where he was greeted by a military band and flag-waving pro-China supporters lining the streets.
Australian federal, state and local governments have been urged to harmonise the nations heavy haulage truck permit system or risk further pain for Australia's economy.

The federal government released the review into Australias oversize over mass-access arrangements this week, which made 38 recommendations to create a better working heavy haulage sector.

Over size and over mass loads are causing headaches for trucking companies because of permit delays.

In May Fairfax Media revealed oversize and over mass truck operators were opting to ship heavy equipment across Australia because it was quicker than waiting for permits to transport by road.

The company barged a piece of oversize mining equipment for a big iron ore miner from Darwin to Weipa in Queensland. The truck operator estimated each day of delay cost his client $100,000 of lost productivity.
Occupation Actor. Age 45. Relationship status Married. Best known for Playing Billie Proudman in Offspring. Currently Starring in Orange Is the New Brown.

When I was at university I didnt want to meet the man of my dreams, settle down and start a family. I was more relaxed about it. Credit:Eddie Jim

My dad, Tony, worked as a solicitor in Bairnsdale, Victoria. He used to work long hours and I barely got to spend quality time with him. Then in 1981, when I was eight and he was in his mid-30s, he quit his day job and took the family to Europe for 12 months.

It was a very progressive thing to do at the time. Together with my mum, Kitty, and my two older brothers, David and Jeremy, we spent six weeks on the road in a campervan and moved to London. It was due to Dad's adventurous spirit that we packed up and took off. When we came back to Australia, he had a career change and ran travel agencies.

I went to a co-ed school, Nagle College, in Bairnsdale and always felt comfortable around boys. But at 14, when we moved to Melbourne, I went to Melbourne Girls Grammar and found the cultural and gender shift hard. That's when I started to become giggly around boys.
That's because, like most people pounding the pavement, I multitask. I use that time to return phone calls or listen to podcasts. So, while my body goes through the motions, my mind is often elsewhere.

No, I'm not having some kind of bird-related epiphany. Rather, I have my five senses switched on as I go on a mindful walk. I've done this walk countless times before, but I've never really paid attention to the birds.

When our body is doing one thing and our head is doing another, the disconnect can be problematic. Credit:Stocksy

They speed up with bursts of intense flapping, then dive lower, gliding gracefully. Overhead, flocks form, while others perch on electrical wires, heads turning side to side like sentries.

It's the bird calls I notice first. Some have long, somnolent cries, others sound perkier, more vibrant. Then I watch them fly. Two small black ones seem to dance around each other.

I'm not the only one who multitasks when exercising, says Brisbane-based psychologist Patrea O'Donoghue from Positive Psychology Strategies. She says people often view working out as the perfect opportunity to tick off tasks on their to-do list, mentally plan their days or just distract themselves from an activity they find unpleasant.

But when our body is doing one thing and our head is doing another, the disconnect can be problematic. "The more often we do this, the more likely we are to experience some form of distress," she says. It also perpetuates the feeling of being constantly on a treadmill. Instead of mentally slowing down, you try to occupy your mind, which can create new stresses as you try to tackle your to-do list or problem-solve on the go.

Stepping off that treadmill is as simple as taking the time to connect with our bodies and be present, O'Donoghue says. And she's right. Though I'm walking at a furious speed to stave off the chill, focusing on my senses makes me feel mentally calmer, as if I'm processing life at a slower pace.

New research backs O'Donoghue's beliefs that being mindful while active is good for us. A study published in July in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise followed 158 students for two weeks, asking them to answer questions about their activity levels and state of mind at random intervals.

When the participants were either more mindful or more active, the researchers found they had less negative affect (feelings of negative wellbeing). But when they were both mindful and active at the same time, that effect was amplified. This makes sense to O'Donoghue, who says combining mindfulness  a form of meditation  with exercise creates an incredibly powerful experience.
It was Victorias first trial by television, in which witness testimony was rendered irrelevant and lawyers nearly obsolete.

While police had painstakingly built a 6500-page brief of evidence and gathered more than 1100 witness statements to the events in Bourke Street last year, it all came down to what the jury saw on a small screen in court three of the Supreme Court.

Seven minutes of footage compiled from dozens of CCTV cameras in office buildings and shops provided a second-by-second record of what happened on January 20, 2017.

While human recollections change over time and can be distorted by grief, fear or anger, the camera doesnt lie. It just records.

And while each witness in Bourke Street saw only a split second of the trauma, the overlay of electronic surveillance captured the whole bloody event from multiple angles. It left no doubt as to exactly what happened and rendered the adversarial judicial process redundant. You cant cross-examine a video.
Chico, California: With 63 people confirmed dead in the Northern California wildfire, authorities on Friday were trying to winnow down a slapped-together list of the missing more than 600 names long, hoping many of them got out safely in the chaos more than a week ago.

President Donald Trump, meanwhile, will travel to the disaster zone on Saturday to get a look at the grief and damage from the deadliest US wildfire in a century.

A firefighter searches a burned-out building in Paradise, California. Credit:Bloomberg

He might encounter locals resentful over his suggestions, repeated again on Friday local time, that California is to blame for its misfortune.

Butte County spokeswoman Miranda Bowersox said the "unaccounted for" list released by the sheriff's office late on Thursday was an effort to put names out there so people can call in to say they are OK.
NORWALK  For some city dwellers, Food Rescue U.S. provides their only meal of the day.

Three days per week, volunteers bring meals to the Community Connections Center, a Family & Childrens Agency program that provides day services to people experiencing homelessness.

Chris Jachino, director of Community Connections said, with Food Rescue U.S.s help, his clients basic needs are met.

This is serving the most vulnerable people in our community and the food that they get here may be the only meal or food theyre going get for the whole day, so its critical, he said, mentioning a homeless woman that visits the center each week. We actually give her some extra food, so she can put it in her backpack.

Food Rescue U.S. forged the partnership with Community Connections a few months ago, but thats not the only organization it serves.

Co-founded in Norwalk in 2011 by a software developer and a pastor, the nonprofit has spread to 13 other states since its creation and partners with more than 500 agencies across the country.

They said lets use technology to solve this really societal issue of hunger, said Food Rescue U.S. CEO Carol Shattuck of Greenwich. Together they created this organization, they created the app.

The app  downloadable from the Apple App Store and Google Play  is crucial to the nonprofits mission to slow world hunger.

A volunteer signs onto the Food Rescue U.S. app in search of pickups in their area, which can include grocery stores, bakeries, hospital and corporate cafeterias. (Basically anywhere theres food thats sold or prepared or made, Shattuck said.) The volunteer picks up the food, which is already packed by the donor and then drives it to a receiving agency, like Person-to-Person, New Covenant House or Health Choices.

Their app is very simple. They make it easy, I think, both for the company giving the food, for the runners  as they call us  to the receiving agencies, said Oliver Kaufman, a volunteer of almost one year. Like anything, whether profit or nonprofit, the easier you make it, the better it works.

Kaufman, who lives in Stamford, often picks up food from Trader Joes, Whole Foods and Walter Stewart's Market and drops it off at homeless shelters and other agencies like the Domestic Violence Crisis Center.

The amount of food they offer is huge, he said of donors.

Hunger is one of the most urgent developmental challenges, yet the world is producing more than enough food, according to the Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations. One-third of food produced for human consumption is wasted globally, which equates to 1.3 billion tons lost per year, according to the organization.

The way Food Rescue U.S. works to combat that problem is by rescuing food headed for the landfill and donating it to people who need it, Shattuck said.

Food Rescue U.S. has 80 food donors and almost 700 volunteers in Fairfield County, she said, and there are almost 250 rescues per week in the county. The organization, on a national level, rescues 600,000 meals per month.

Nicole Straight, the Fairfield County site director, said people can combat food waste by starting small and by relying on the human body instead of expiration dates.

If your milk doesnt smell funky, its probably fine, Straight said. Our bodies are specifically tuned to know what we ingest and if it will make us sick or not.

She recommended taking food home from restaurants instead of throwing it out and eating at restaurants that serve reasonable amounts of food. We need to retrain our brains to not be put off from food that isnt gorgeous. Just start small and buy an ugly carrot, she said.

This year, Food Rescue U.S.s goal is to donate almost 2.7 million meals in Fairfield County alone, which would total more than $5.5 million worth of food, Shattuck said. The organization is at 2.2 million meals, which means its on track to reach the goal, she said.

Foundations, corporations and individuals donate to the organization, but staff said, as a nonprofit, help is always needed.

As a volunteer, Kaufman said what keeps him going is the high-quality food organizations are donating, like fruit, vegetables, meat and fancy bread.

One thing I havent gotten from Trader Joes or Walter Stewarts is canned goods or bagged rice, he said.

When Kaufman decided he wanted to help out the Norwalk nonprofit, he could have simply written them a check. Instead, he decided to become a volunteer.

For me, giving my time, it costs me more, but its a lot more valuable and it feels great to do it, he said.
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Ill do you in the back of the head...you wont see it coming!: Wexford man convicted of assault and threats to garda
In the 1980s, Phil Kives  the Winnipeg-based sales impresario who founded K-Tel and practically invented the infomercial and the television pitchman  added a new product to his companys ever-expanding line of household gadgets, kitchen gizmos and compilations of the radio smashes of yesteryear: an album of the hit songs of the day sung  without expletives  by kids.

This article was published 17/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In the 1980s, Phil Kives  the Winnipeg-based sales impresario who founded K-Tel and practically invented the infomercial and the television pitchman  added a new product to his companys ever-expanding line of household gadgets, kitchen gizmos and compilations of the radio smashes of yesteryear: an album of the hit songs of the day sung  without expletives  by kids.

"The Mini Pops" were born, commercials were promptly shot, and millions of CDs were sold at a time when that wasnt out of the norm in the music industry. Kives had a another hit on his hands.

And while Kivess crew of talented youngsters crooned their way to the top of the charts, his own children sang along at home. Now, two years after their fathers death, and amid a rapidly shifting music industry, its Kivess own miniatures who are keeping the family business running smoothly, nearly 60 years after it began.

"Hed always ask us, What do you think of this? and What do you think of that?" says Samantha Kives, a former business consultant who joined the company as an executive shortly before her fathers death at the age of 87. "He always kept us involved," she added.

Kives, who now lives in Toronto, recalls her dad writing scripts for his television ads at their kitchen table in Tuxedo. His calling card was his enthusiastic pitch, which aimed to leave viewers wondering how theyd lived without whatever he was hawking.

"We run the company now with a lot of the same principles that my father created. The same commercial formats, the same ideology," Kives said. "The difference is that theres more to it than TV now. TV cant be all there is now."

On Friday, K-Tel launched the 16th iteration of Mini Pop Kids, a mid-2000s rebranding of the Mini Pops aimed at the pre-teen market. Whereas in 2004 a television ad would lead to solid CD sales, record labels must work harder now than ever before to move their products and make profits.

Supplied K-Tel vice-president Samantha Kives (fourth from left) has relaunched the Mini Pops Kids, a troupe of singing kids who tour and cover hit songs for albums that continue to chart high on streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music.

Kives says K-Tel is still running television ads for the latest album, but the power dynamic has changed: partnerships with streaming giants like Apple Music and Spotify can make or break an artists success. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, streaming accounted for US$3.4 billion of the overall record industry revenue this year, more than CDs, digital downloads and licensing combined.

"(A few years ago) we would sell 70,000 (CDs), and now that might be down to 20,000," Kives said. "But our releases are still in the same place on the charts as they were a few years ago. That tells you the industry as a whole is shifting."

To make up for that gap, K-Tel has had to diversify its approach; while Mini Pop Kids albums still consistently place high on the childrens charts, Kives sounds just as excited that the groups version of Havana, a pop hit by Camila Cabello, reached one million views on YouTube. (For reference sake, Cabellos version has been watched more than 705 million times and counting). Several Mini Pop Kids songs are featured on the Pop 4 Kids Spotify playlist, which has over 320,000 followers. A few slots down from the Mini Pops top-ranking cover song is a version of Bruno Mars Uptown Funk by Kidz Bop Kids, a competitor.

Five years ago, the Mini Pop Kids started touring in support of their albums, something they hadnt done before.

"We saw revenues were going down, so we could either find a new source or close up," said Kives, whose younger brother Daniel is also running the company now. "I wish wed started (touring) earlier." With the new album out, the tweens are heading to 21 cities across Canada  including March dates at the Burton Cummings Theatre and at Brandons Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium.

In addition to the Mini Pop empire, K-Tel continues to benefit from the licensing of the extensive catalogue of songs Kives acquired in the disco era and beyond. K-Tel-owned songs have been licensed for use in films such as the Oscar-nominated Baby Driver, as well as the Netflix hit Stranger Things, and commercials by companies such as Nike and McDonalds. If youve heard Chubby Checkers famed The Twist in any form of media, its likely the version re-recorded by Checker for Kives in the 1970s.

Like her father, Kives makes sure to get her own kids and stepkids excited about the family business.

"When were putting together Mini Pop albums, theyll give me suggestions of what to do," said Kives, who often heeds their advice.

"Everything is changing, but the style is the same as always," Kives says. "We really have not changed dads script."
Considered to be the Ten Best UFO Photos Ever Taken I am sure that we could add more pictures to this list but these are considered ten o...
Im sure you already know this, but Nov. 18 to 24 is the 10th annual Financial Planning Week in Canada. This is a big part of Financial Literacy Month, proclaimed as such by Parliament in 2012.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Im sure you already know this, but Nov. 18 to 24 is the 10th annual Financial Planning Week in Canada. This is a big part of Financial Literacy Month, proclaimed as such by Parliament in 2012.

The FPSC (Financial Planning Standards Council) and the IQPF (Institut quebecois de planification financiere) created planning week in 2009, as part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness of the value of financial planning with a trained professional planner.

All of this is part of a greater co-ordinated effort to raise the level of financial literacy in Canada. As FPSC consumer advocate Kelley Keehn says, it has been "my mission to make Canadians feel good about money."

Its a mission that is shared by all financial planners who hold a professional designation and follow the six-step process of systematic financial planning.

How can this help you?

I suggest in several ways, including taking advantage of available resources, using this event as a motivator to review your personal financial plan and, ultimately, availing yourself of the services of a professional financial planner.

The FPSC (fpsc.ca) has a number of valuable resources available to consumers, including great articles and videos on its website. These cover a wide variety of topics that are valuable to people in many stages of their financial life.

The IAFP (Institute of Advanced Financial Planners) also has a number of valuable articles on its website  iafp.ca  focusing more on the process of planning, the regulatory environment and useful links.

Both financial planning organizations have a "Find a Planner" tool to help you locate a professional in your area, with the speciality you seek.

CPA Canada  the organization of Chartered Professional Accountants  is also very committed to advancing financial literacy. It holds an annual conference in conjunction with Financial Planning Week, called the Mastering Money Conference. In conjunction with CPA B.C., this years event is in Vancouver on Nov. 22 and 23. The fact that it is sold out speaks volumes about the significant need for education on personal finance.

CPAs are traditionally tax and audit professionals, but more and more of those involved in personal tax have obtained their CFP designation, qualifying them to provide financial planning advice in conjunction with tax advice. However, having the designation and expertise does not automatically mean that the tax adviser is holding themselves out as a financial planner.

Before making the assumption, ask any adviser if ongoing financial planning and success measurement is part of their practice. Professionals will give you a clear answer. (And, of course, dont approach a CPA about a financial plan in March or April, when tax practitioners are up to their ears in preparing personal income tax returns.)

CPA Canada and CPA Manitoba (cpamb.ca) are big supporters of Financial Literacy Month, partnering with local organizations to offer free educational sessions. Their website provides resources for attending and even setting up a financial literacy session with your organization.

More specific knowledge about investment adviser regulation can be found at the website  iiroc.ca  of the home of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada, and at website like taxtips.ca.

So, there are lots of resources to raise your knowledge, find a practitioner and get professional advice. Your job is to start the process, which involves developing a compelling vision for your future, setting specific goals that you want to achieve with clear deadlines, then working either on your own or with a professional adviser to develop a realistic plan to reach those goals.

Its not that hard, and I can pretty much guarantee that becoming clear about your finances and regularly measuring your progress toward your goals will make you feel more confident about your future, and your present.

Thats a lasting good feeling you cant buy through "retail therapy."

Dollars and Sense is meant as an introduction to this topic and should not in any way be construed as a replacement for personalized professional advice.

David Christianson, BA, CFP, R.F.P., TEP, CIM, is a recipient of the Fellow of FPSCTM Distinction and repeatedly named a top 50 financial adviser in Canada. He is a portfolio manager and senior vice-president with Christianson Wealth Advisors at National Bank Financial Wealth Management, and author of the book Managing the Bull, A No-Nonsense Guide to Personal Finance.
My parents decided in the mid-1980s that they wanted to do a better job of caring for the soil on our southern Manitoba farm  and tillage had to go.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

My parents decided in the mid-1980s that they wanted to do a better job of caring for the soil on our southern Manitoba farm  and tillage had to go.

However, eliminating tillage meant coming up with another way of controlling weeds that would otherwise choke out a fledgling crop.

One of the tools they could use was a product called glyphosate sold by Monsanto under the name Roundup.

The herbicide killed all vegetation it touched, which made it invaluable as a "pre-seed burnoff" in no-till operations. The farmer could dispatch the weeds and days later, plant into a clean field.

But it was prohibitively expensive. As the patents started to come off in the early 1990s, the price quickly dropped  and the conservation agriculture movement in Canada took off.

Most soil scientists would agree reducing tillage is one of the best things farmers can do to support soil health. On our farm, we saw the soil become increasingly mellow, less compacted and more capable of absorbing and retaining moisture.

Viewed through that lens, glyphosate is one of the greatest evolutions in modern crop farming.

You wouldnt conclude that from reading the headlines these days, which portray this little bundle of chemistry as the bane of all mankind. People sometimes ask me whether glyphosate is bad for you  to which I respond with the question  is a car bad for you? Glyphosate is a tool.

The hysteria  yes, I call it hysteria  over glyphosate escalated with a California jurys decision earlier this year to award US$39 million in compensation and a whopping US$250 million in punitive damages to former groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson, 46, now dying of cancer. The ruling after the first stage of appeal was a win-lose scenario for Bayer CropScience, which now owns Monsanto  and the liability for glyphosate. The judge reduced the punitive award to US$39 million, but reinforced that punitive damages were indeed warranted.

That means two courts have now concluded that the so-called "Monsanto Papers"  thousands of pages of documents submitted as evidence in the trial  substantiate claims that company officials knew there was a risk that the product is linked to cancer and went to great lengths to keep that information under wraps.

CBC Radio has reported Health Canada is now reviewing its data on glyphosate in light of these disclosures.

There is evidence in the trial documents that Monsanto even paid "independent" scientists to attach their names and reputations to documents ghostwritten by the company to discredit unfavourable analysis and the scientists behind it.

One of its targets was the infamous report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which in 2015 cited glyphosate as a probable carcinogen.

For the record, breathing fumes from burning wood, consuming processed red meat and drinking very hot beverages all fall into the same IARC category. So much for sitting around a summer campfire, eating hot dogs and sipping cocoa.

The question isnt whether glyphosate causes cancer. Lots of things we expose ourselves to every day can harm our health  even cars. Of course we need to understand and mitigate those risks.

The development of crop varieties that can tolerate this herbicides use in-crop, and its use as a pre-harvest desiccant, have substantially increased the amount of glyphosate used and are raising new concerns about the herbicides effect when applied on plants that become our food. Those concerns need to be investigated.

The question is whether existing regulatory systems are equipped to properly evaluate the risks when they rely on data supplied by the companies producing the products. Two more reports surfaced this week suggest the glyphosate debacle isnt an isolated case of data manipulation.

Some say just ban them all. However, if that prompts a wholesale return to old methods of pest control  such as excessive tillage  thats not so good for our collective health, either. Healthy soil is the foundation for sustainable food systems.

Policy-makers, industry and the general public need to support a regulatory system for these tools that is open, transparent and not swayed by vested interests. Thats easy to say, but difficult  and expensive  to do.

Laura Rance is editorial director at Glacier FarmMedia. She can be reached at 204-792-4382 or lrance@farmmedia.com
Headlines heralding the news that American citizens make up the third-largest group of refugee claimants making irregular crossings into Canada came as no surprise to one Winnipeg-based immigration lawyer.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Headlines heralding the news that American citizens make up the third-largest group of refugee claimants making irregular crossings into Canada came as no surprise to one Winnipeg-based immigration lawyer.

For years, people without permanent resident status in the United States have crossed into Canada to make refugee claims with their children who were born in the U.S., says Alastair Clarke.

"We regularly see these refugee claimants with American-born children," he said Friday. "Ive not seen an influx."

Fresh statistics on refugee claimants released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada this week drew media attention across North America. The federal departments stats showed 2,550 asylum claims were made in Canada by people from the United States in 2017  "more than six times as many as in 2016," one CNN headline read.

As newcomers wait for their refugee claims to be processed, living doesnt stop, Clarke said.

"With the (lengthy) processing times in the U.S., it can take many years," he said. "During those years, many of these refugee claimants have children. After their claims are refused or their case is abandoned, they see no other choice than to come to Canada."

One example, he said, is a Somali couple he represented recently at the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

"They were there for many years"  so long, they had three children in the U.S. The parents didnt have permanent resident status but their children  ages six, eight and 10  are American citizens because they were born in the United States.

In a decision issued Nov. 6, the IRB granted the couple refugee protection in Canada. As U.S. citizens, the children dont qualify as refugees, but will receive permanent resident status because their parents were granted refugee status.

The scenario is nothing new, Clarke said. "This has been going on for years and years and years."

The numbers hold true to that experience, the press secretary for Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said.

"The majority of U.S. citizens claiming asylum are minor asylum claimants who were born in the United States whose parents are citizens of another country," Mathieu Genest said. "In these instances, the claims of persecution are made against the parents country of origin, not the United States. However, given their citizenship, the minor children appear as U.S. citizens in these tables."

The children are predominantly accompanied by Haitian or Nigerian national adults.

In Manitoba, most of the refugee claimants have been Somali.

The latest statistics show in October just 23 asylum-seekers were intercepted by RCMP crossing into Manitoba from the U.S.  the smallest monthly total since January. In Quebec, 1,334 were intercepted in October.

A small but steady number of asylum-seekers who crossed at Quebec have been migrating west to Winnipeg, Welcome Place executive director Rita Chahal said earlier this week.

 with files from The Canadian Press

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
OTTAWA  A United Nations official says Ottawa should freeze health transfers to provinces that dont uphold human rights, citing issues such as how First Nations access services in Manitoba.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  A United Nations official says Ottawa should freeze health transfers to provinces that dont uphold human rights, citing issues such as how First Nations access services in Manitoba.

"The quality of health services in Canada is very good  if you can access them," said Dainius Puras, the UNs special rapporteur on the right to physical and mental health.

Puras spoke with reporters Friday, ending an 11-day tour that took him to Winnipeg, Vancouver and Montreal.

"Canada has yet to take the leap, to comprehensively incorporate a right-to-health perspective, fully embracing the understanding that health  beyond a public service  is a human right."

He found barriers to how "vulnerable" people access health care, such as undocumented migrants, the poor and disabled, drug users and people with autism. He was most concerned by access to mental-health services and how health systems treat Indigenous people.

Puras spoke with residents of Red Sucker Lake, which sits in Manitobas northeast flank, about the difficulty in being flown to Winnipeg for medical treatment. The month-long stays for treatments such as dialysis disrupts their lives by keeping them away from traditional activities.

He also said stereotypes and a lack of cultural understanding impede treatment for First Nations and Metis patients, including those who live in Winnipeg and fall entirely under the provincial system.

"I have a feeling theres a lack of trust between Indigenous Peoples and those who want to help them," he said. "Indigenous Peoples maybe feel that they are not fully involved; that their views are not fully taken into account. So, this can be an obstacle."

Further, Puras said Canadians have a patchwork medical system, with "discrepancies" in the quality of how provinces offer care, plus a separate federal system for reserves. He said those who move often have to wait three months to qualify for health cards, preventing them from seeking treatment when they notice early symptoms.

Thats why he suggests Ottawa reduce, or even stop, its cash transfers for provinces that provide unequal access to health care, or that do nothing about these gaps.

"The federal government could strengthen its public-health approach with a human rights-based criteria, that permits the withholding or reduction of federal transfers when human rights elements are not protected, respected or fulfilled," he said.

"We have to take seriously not only the needs but the rights of people."

Manitoba officials referred queries to the federal government. "The province looks forward to the United Nations special rapporteurs final report," wrote a spokesman who withheld his name.

Puras said Canadian doctors overprescribe antidepressants and other drugs in cases where counselling might better solve mental-health issues, but is inaccessible for patients. However, he was quick to note communities plagued by suicide crises require better living standards and opportunities and not just counselling.

Similarly, he said waiting times in Winnipeg emergency rooms and across Canada could likely be weaned down if the country spent more on prevention. "I strongly advise to invest in health promotion and primary care, which is the real safeguard, to protect specialized care from unneeded referrals," he said.

He praised the Choosing Wisely Canada campaign, which has physicians and patients trying to cut down on unnecessary tests, treatments and procedures. Puras also hailed civil-society groups for filling gaps left by government health systems, such as the Actionmarguerite palliative care centre in St. Boniface and downtown drug programming for youth by Ndinawe.

Puras noted Canada has opted against ratifying a UN protocol that would provide an extra, international venue for citizens to complain about alleged violations of their right to health care.

It will take Puras months to analyze his trip, largely because he received reams of data that are aggregated in a way that can produce meaningful findings  another fault he found with Canadas health system.

He will make his report public around May, after consulting with Ottawa, before formally presenting it in June, "and then its up to Canada how to use it."

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
OTTAWA  Bureaucrats scrambled to respond to Greyhound's pullout this summer, raising questions as to whether Ottawa expected the private market to fill gaps in service or got lucky as it tried forming plans.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Bureaucrats scrambled to respond to Greyhound's pullout this summer, raising questions as to whether Ottawa expected the private market to fill gaps in service or got lucky as it tried forming plans.

"There is not much we can do," reads an email that appears in 35 pages of correspondence the Free Press obtained through freedom-of-information laws.

Greyhound announced July 9 it would end all passenger and cargo bus service between British Columbia and northwest Ontario (except for its Seattle-Vancouver route), effective Oct. 31.

The Free Press requested emails from Western Economic Diversification, a subsidiary of Industry Canada that analyzes local companies and helps administer grants and loans, up until Aug. 10. The emails show contradicting viewpoints on how the region would fare post-Greyhound.

In an Aug. 2 note to one of the agencys most senior officials, staff wrote: "It is generally expected that private companies will be unlikely to fill the gaps left by Greyhound's departure."

But five days later, a note to an WED policy director suggested the opposite: "With many companies indicating that they can provide similar services as Greyhound, it seems that the market will self-correct and third-party providers could potentially fill the void that Greyhound leaves behind."

The documents show Prime Minister Justin Trudeau directed Transport Minister Marc Garneau to find a solution for communities who dont get a private-sector replacement, because provinces were "pressuring the federal government."

They also show Grand Chief Arlen Dumas raised the issue with Trudeaus office on behalf of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.

In early August, WED held a meeting with numerous staff on how to move forward, but noted a lack of data to analyze the impact of the pullout.

The agency appeared to be waiting on direction from Transport Canada: "Since there is no deadline/mtg [meeting scheduled], adopt a wait + see approach. Try to get some data," scribbled one official.

Officials noted reports of 415 job losses, 64 in Manitoba. They also raised potential impacts on Manitobas bus-making industry and the Winnipeg airport bus depot Greyhound had installed only a decade prior, which has since been taken over by upstart Thompson Bus.

Public servants noted concerns raised by many Indigenous leaders and groups, around missing and murdered women, the ability to access medical services, and job opportunities. Officials noted reports that large parcel-delivery firms such as FedEx and Puralator seemed able to fill gaps in freight delivery.

Officials noted the former Manitoba NDP governments attempts to subsidize Greyhound, which still ended some routes, citing slim profit margins. WED officials also examined a 2010 report by a task force of provincial transportation bureaucrats, chaired by Manitoba after Greyhound last threatened to leave the province.

"The study noted that family visits and reunification efforts will be impacted negatively, witnesses in judicial cases may have difficulty attending court proceedings, and there will be a disruption in health services," officials summarized.

An Aug. 2 briefing also noted Ottawa only regulated trains and planes, while buses remain a federal issue. "No federal programs currently exist that would provide operational subsidies for private intercity bus carriers."

Bureaucrats pondered using the Community Futures Program, which administer grants to stimulate rural businesses, but one official noted "it might be a stretch to expect that they would be in a position to respond," because the funding is meant help create business plans, or deliver short-term projects.

"These desired outcomes don't necessarily mesh with a response to the Greyhound impact," wrote the official.

By Aug. 10, a WED senior policy director said his agency wasnt sure how it would proceed in the 12-week countdown to Greyhounds pullout.

"There isn't much that we can likely do as of Nov. 1 to solve the bus service issue," he wrote. "We do not have data on ridership, communities served by Greyhound, impacts (economic or social) of Greyhound ceasing operations, etc."

The documents suggest there wasn't a high-level meeting with all relevant departments and agencies until Aug. 17  almost six weeks after Greyhound announced its pullout. The meeting involved the Privy Council Office, Transport Canada, Finance Canada and Indigenous Services.

None of the documents mention the mid-July proposal by Manitoba Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler, to have Ottawa pay Greyhound to extend service by at least 60 days, to allow other businesses to take over. Ottawa rejected that idea in late September.

On Oct. 31, Greyhounds last day of service in Western Canada, the federal Liberals announced a two-year cost-share program for routes not yet filled by the private sector, which would have Ottawa and each province share the cost of any subsidy.

By that point, the private sector had filled all routes in Manitoba, leading Schuler to reject the idea. The NDP said it wants the province to keep that option open in case the upstarts go bankrupt.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
The young man steps onto the road, his stride quick as he cuts across the street. He has no idea whats about to happen; he has no idea hell never see his family again.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The young man steps onto the road, his stride quick as he cuts across the street. He has no idea whats about to happen; he has no idea hell never see his family again.

A loud thud echoes into the night. The young mans body soars, twisting and turning through the air. The sound of his head cracking against the pavement fills the eardrums of a witness as the vehicle drives away.

Outside the Sutherland Hotel on Main Street, the young man lies dying next to the curb near a garbage can. His name is Cody Severight and hes 23 years old. His runners, a pair of grey-coloured Nikes, are photographed several feet apart alongside the evidence tags that come to litter the road.

It is the night of Oct. 10, 2017.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Cody Severight was killed after being hit by a car at the corner of Main Street and Sutherland Avenue on Oct. 10, 2017. Const. Justin Holz, 34, was arrested.

Thirty minutes later, the alleged driver, 34-year-old Justin Holz, a constable with the Winnipeg Police Service, places a phone call. He wants to turn himself in. Hes taken into custody seven kilometres north of the crash scene.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba  the provinces civilian-led police oversight agency  quickly takes control of the case. Charges are laid, including one of impaired driving causing death.

As details begin trickling out through the press, its alleged Holz had been out drinking with other officers at a bar located just around the corner from the downtown police headquarters in the hours leading up to the fatal hit-and-run.

What begins as a whisper is later confirmed by the chief of police at a hastily called press conference: it took up to four hours before Holz was given a breathalyzer. Nevertheless, the chief promises justice will be done.

Ten days after the crash, the scope of the IIU probe widens. A secondary investigation is opened into the "irregular and improper" conduct of two additional WPS officers in the aftermath of Holzs arrest.

Rumours are swirling; the investigators are looking into why it took so long for a breathalyzer to be administered. The WPS and IIU both remain tight-lipped.

The incident resurfaces dark memories for Manitobans. Another fatal crash. An officer drunk behind the wheel. A dead wife and mother. A botched police investigation. Lives forever changed. Accusations of a coverup.

But when that tragedy unfolded in February 2005, the IIU didnt exist. Police no longer investigate police. The two WPS officers are suspended, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Two months later, the officers are cleared of wrongdoing, sparking outrage from the victims family. In a press release, the IIU civilian director says hes not convinced the officers acted to "intentionally" obstruct justice or impede investigators.

For those intimately connected to both cases, its deja-vu. Can this really happen again?

Like clockwork, each time the IIU opens an investigation, it issues a news release. Another will come when the probe is complete, briefly outlining the findings.

A final report is also filed, but sometimes not until weeks, if not months, later. Since the IIU began operations June 19, 2015, 56 reports have been finalized.

In some cases, no report has been issued and no timeline exists for when one must be released.

Those releases and reports, however, paint only a partial picture of the police watchdog and its work. The agencys full story is found in private letters and emails, internal documents and reports and investigators notebooks.

And that story involves disappearing complaints, skirted investigations, institutional pushback, disputes over jurisdiction and interference among officers identified in criminal probes.

Thats the hidden record of the IIU thats come to light during an eight-month Free Press investigation.

During that time, the Free Press filed eight freedom of information requests, reviewed hundreds of pages of internal documents and correspondence, compiled clearance-rate statistics never before tracked and conducted more than 20 interviews.

Two questions, in particular, led to those efforts:

In nearly 3 1/2 years, why have only seven  or 4.5 per cent  of 153 investigations conducted or monitored by the IIU led to criminal charges?

(The IIU later clarified it does not track statistics for charges laid in cases it monitors; its possible charges were laid that are not reflected in the data provided by the agency).

Investigations leading to charges Of 153 closed investigations conducted or monitored by the IIU, seven led to charges No charges laid Charges laid Source: Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba Investigations leading to charges Of 153 closed investigations conducted or monitored by the IIU, seven led to charges No charges laid Charges laid Source: Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba Investigations leading to charges Of 153 closed investigations conducted or monitored by the IIU, seven led to charges No charges laid Charges laid Source: Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba Investigations leading to charges Of 153 closed investigations conducted or monitored by the IIU, seven led to charges No charges laid Charges laid Source: Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba

What is the relationship between the IIU and the WPS?

This is the first story in a four-part series outlining what the Free Press has learned. In particular, this series will focus on patterns of disappeared criminal complaints, interference and a lack of co-operation among officers and repeated disputes over jurisdiction between the IIU and the WPS.

Only two WPS officers have faced charges stemming from IIU investigations and  thus far  there have been no convictions. One of them is Holz, now 35, whose case is still before the court. He is no longer a member of the WPS, although the department will not say if he was fired or if he resigned.

The other is 44-year-old Christian Paul Guyot, who was charged with assault after video footage surfaced that appeared to show him striking a 12-year-old boy while responding to a disturbance call at an Inkster Boulevard home in August 2017.

He was found not guilty on Sept. 26, 2018 in a controversial case in which the prosecutor introduced no evidence to prove that Guyot was even a member of the WPS, let alone the officer depicted in the video.

In total, eight Manitoba police officers have been charged in seven IIU investigations. The small number of charges needs to be contextualized within the level of co-operation the IIU has received.

Internal documents reveal Manitoba law enforcement agencies, particularly the WPS, have long resisted the IIUs mandate, either by refusing to co-operate with investigators or stifling civilian complaints entirely.

The Free Press analyzed all 56 final reports written by IIU civilian director Zane Tessler that have been released to the public. In those cases, 81 police officers were identified as "subject officers," meaning criminal charges could be laid against them.

Of those 81 officers, 60 refused to hand over their written notes or sit down for an interview, sometimes both. In other words, 74 per cent refused full co-operation with investigators.

Some officers ignored the IIU entirely and refused to respond to any formal requests. Others showed up only to read prepared statements, with legal counsel in tow.

Under the Police Services Act  which is the legislation governing Manitoba law enforcement  officers cannot be compelled to co-operate during these investigations.

However, resistance among officers has not been limited to behaviour protected by legislation; at times, the line has been crossed into activity that undermines  not just resists  IIU probes.

That includes officers discussing events being investigated among themselves prior to meeting with the IIU and, on at least one occasion, the circulation of a subject officers written report among colleagues.

When caught contravening clearly defined rules governing police conduct during IIU probes, officers faced no apparent repercussions.

Resistance to the IIU has not been limited to police rank and file. Top WPS brass, including Chief Danny Smyth, has also pushed back, refusing to hand over requested materials and disputing the watchdogs right to investigate certain cases.

While the IIU is expected to file annual reports to Manitoba Justice, only one report has been publicly released so far.

Officer co-operation Of 81 subject officers since the IIU was established, only 23 fully co-operated with the investigation Full co-operation Partial co-operation* No co-operation Source: Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba * Partial co-operation includes officers who gave notes or granted an interview, but not both Officer co-operation Of 81 subject officers since the IIU was established, only 23 fully co-operated with the investigation Full co-operation Partial co-operation* No co-operation Source: Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba * Partial co-operation includes officers who gave notes or granted an interview, but not both Officer co-operation Of 81 subject officers since the IIU was established, only 23 fully co-operated with the investigation Full co-operation Partial co-operation* No co-operation Source: Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba * Partial co-operation includes officers who gave notes or granted an interview, but not both Officer co-operation Of 81 subject officers since the IIU was established, only 23 fully co-operated with the investigation Full co-operation Partial co-operation* No co-operation Source: Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba * Partial co-operation includes officers who gave notes or granted an interview, but not both

An IIU spokeswoman said the agency filed annual reports for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 fiscal years, but  for an unknown reason  the department failed to properly pass them along to the ministers office.

As such, the reports have yet to even be tabled at the provincial level. In addition, Manitoba Justice has not conducted any internal reviews of the watchdog, further suggesting a lack of oversight.

When the documents obtained by the Free Press were shown to academics, police oversight experts, retired law enforcement and former members of the Manitoba Police Commission, multiple interviewees questioned whether the IIU is a paper tiger.

Sheila Bedi, clinical associate professor of law at Northwestern University near Chicago, whose academic work focuses on police misconduct and accountability, said she questions the ability of any oversight agency to fulfil its mandate with the level of co-operation the IIU has received.

"If officers are not required to participate in the investigation, its very difficult to imagine how oversight could be effective. Of course, they should have the right against self-incrimination, but they should participate in the interview process," Bedi said.

She mentioned several red flags that can help investigators identify coverups of police misconduct, including efforts by officers to get on the same page prior to filling reports or sitting down for interviews.

"There are certain hallmarks of coverups. Things like boilerplate language in police reports, the same language in multiple reports, general language," she said.

"Cut-and-paste jobs where officers are essentially copying off each other, reports that really do not go into the specific actions that an officer took. These are all things that should raise questions."

After years of effort and a significant investment of taxpayer dollars, the IIU was launched amid much fanfare in June 2015.

The day the unit went operational was a day of hope for many people who had long raised concerns about a system that allowed police to investigate accusations levied against their colleagues.

The IIU, which operates on an annual budget of $2.3 million, is composed of a 10-person investigative wing staffed, primarily, with former police officers. It is led by civilian director Zane Tessler, a former Crown prosecutor.

Who in the IIU is a former officer? Civilian director Director of investigations RCMP Team commander Vacant Investigators WPS RCMP WPS RCMP London Police RCMP Non-police Non-police Who in the IIU is a former officer? Civilian director Director of investigations Team commander Investigators RCMP WPS WPS RCMP London Police Vacant RCMP RCMP Non-police Non-police

The newly formed unit was faced with a tall order: when police are accused of criminal behaviour, restore public faith that theyll be held to the same standards as anyone else.

After years of scandals, accusations of preferential treatment, expensive inquests, alleged coverups and tensions with Indigenous peoples, the birth of the IIU was sold as a new, unprecedented chapter for law enforcement accountability in Manitoba.

But for most of its first year, the agency was unable to fulfil that mandate because of the behaviour of the WPS professional standards unit, which went about its business as though nothing had changed.

Historically, the PSU was responsible for handling accusations against WPS members in-house. The IIU was created, in part, to put an end to that practice.

Instead, month after month, the PSU operated as if the IIU didnt exist.

PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Left: IIU civilian director Zane Tessler. Right: Former police chief Devon Clunis.

The PSU, which reports directly to the chief of police, kept criminal accusations against officers from the agency responsible for investigating them. Its not clear how many officers were shielded from IIU investigations during that period.

On March 2, 2016, Tessler informed then-WPS Chief Devon Clunis that hed learned of the practice. In an email, he outlined how  eight months and 12 days after the IIU began operations  it had become clear the PSU was breaching the Police Services Act.

Zane Tessler To: Police Chief Devon Clunis Re: Notifications to the IIU Date: March 2, 2016 ...I am concerned that there may be internal criminal investigations of WPS members that are not brought to the attention of the IIU, as required by law. In that regard, the IIU is forestalled from discharging its legislative mandate of providing oversight and, when appropriate, undertaking independent investigations into such matters. Read the full email

He went on to explain how hed become aware of the situation. The following section of the email  which discussed a specific investigation into a named officer  is redacted. (This is often the case with documents obtained through freedom of information requests).

Nonetheless, its clear Tessler was "very concerned" by what hed discovered. He said the PSU was breaking the law by delaying  if not discarding  notifications of criminal complaints.

Between June 19, 2015 and March 2, 2016, the IIU opened five investigations into WPS officers. Four of them involved suspects dying or being killed during altercations with police; the last left a suspect in hospital with "serious injuries."

Incidents where the action, or inaction, of a police officer results in serious injury or death trigger automatic IIU investigations. These cases are often so high-profile that keeping the IIU in the dark would be impossible.

But when an officer is accused of misconduct that doesnt result in serious injury or death  for example, excessive force or improper storage of a firearm  it is up to the IIU civilian director whether to open an investigation.

For that process to work, however, the WPS has to operate on the honour system. The police have to inform the IIU whenever a criminal accusation is lodged against one of their own.

Instead, the PSU appears to have notified the IIU only of incidents that triggered automatic investigations. Cases that didnt trigger automatic probes were handled internally.

The IIU was notified only if the PSU found sufficient evidence to lay a charge following its own investigation. That happened just one time, and is what led to Tessler becoming aware of the behaviour.

If the PSU decided there was insufficient evidence, the file was closed. This gave the PSU the ability to make criminal complaints against fellow officers disappear. In the email, Tessler said this rendered IIU oversight in these cases a "nullity."

Zane Tessler To: Police Chief Devon Clunis Re: Notifications to the IIU Date: March 2, 2016 ...The investigation has been substantially completed and a formal charge laid before the civilian director has considered whether the public interest requires independent investigation. It would appear that the decision to notify the IIU is directly connected to the decision to arrest and charge the officer after a substantial portion of the investigation was undertaken.

What this practice ensured, Tessler wrote, was that in cases where the PSU decided no charges should be laid, "the IIU will never know of the existence of the complaint or investigation."

Put simply, it wasnt the PSUs call to make. Tessler called the practice "troubling" and asked for a full list of all internal investigations conducted since the IIU began operations. He signed off by saying the matter called for an "immediate and clear resolution."

Theres no evidence Clunis  who was one week away from announcing his retirement  responded. A handwritten note suggests then-deputy chief Danny Smyth followed up on his behalf.

The note mentions that plans were made to respond in full at a later date. That response did not turn up in the freedom of information requests filed by the Free Press.

Smyth declined an interview request for this project. In a short written statement, he admitted there were "growing pains" during the first months after the IIU went operational, but said the two agencies have a positive professional relationship.

FULL WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM WPS CHIEF DANNY SMYTH I will not be commenting on specific cases. As for the relationship with the IIU, I can say that we have a positive professional relationship with that agency. Civilian Director Zane Tessler and I communicate and meet with one another routinely. click to read more I will not be commenting on specific cases. As for the relationship with the IIU, I can say that we have a positive professional relationship with that agency. Civilian Director Zane Tessler and I communicate and meet with one another routinely. As with any new protocol, there were what I would characterize as growing pains at the beginning of its mandate. At times, we have disagreed on the interpretation of regulations as they pertain to officer involved conduct. We have worked through those matters when they arose. The Winnipeg Police Service is committed to ensuring the success of civilian oversight as it pertains to police governance, and more specifically independent investigation of officer involved incidents that fall within the jurisdiction of the IIU as prescribed under the Police Services Act. Close

Tessler also declined an interview request; instead, the IIU agreed to provide written responses to written questions.

Despite Tesslers request for a full list of internal investigations withheld by the PSU, an IIU spokeswoman confirmed the WPS did not turn one over. No further action was pursued by the IIU and it appears no meeting was held for Tessler and Clunis to discuss this issue.

When asked what  if any  disciplinary or corrective measures were taken against the PSU, she directed the Free Press to the WPS.

"There was no suggestion of any intentional effort on the part of the professional standards unit to be obstructionist," the spokeswoman wrote.

"(The) IIU does recognize there was a learning curve for police agencies when the office first became operational in 2015. The number of notifications from the WPS to the IIU has continued to grow, indicating the service is becoming more aware of its obligations."

In the only annual report the IIU has published on its website, which documents its record from June 19, 2015 to March 31, 2016, there is no mention of the withheld accusations.

The patterns of behaviour exhibited by the PSU continued long after Clunis retired in March 2016. On Nov. 4 that year, Smyth  the son of a former WPS officer  was named the new chief of police.

Three weeks later, Tessler sent him an email saying the IIU was still not being notified of all criminal accusations made against WPS officers. He would make similar complaints in subsequent emails to Smyth in March and August 2017.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Winnipeg police Chief Danny Smyth

The first incident concerned an accusation of excessive force during an arrest in the North End. The allegation was kept from the IIU; Tessler became aware of it only after it was reported by two local news outlets.

Cellphone footage taken by a concerned citizen shows an officer twice strike a man lying on his stomach with his hands cuffed behind his back. The man was taken to hospital and treated for injuries.

That footage was obtained by the CBC, which showed it to police spokesman Const. Rob Carver. He said the officer had been cleared of wrongdoing by a use-of-force expert, claiming it wasnt unusual for police to resort to force even if a suspect is handcuffed on the ground.

The arrest in question occurred on Nov. 22, 2016 and Carver appears to have been asked about it three days later, on Nov. 25.

Zane Tessler To: Danny Smyth Re: Violent arrest violation Date: Nov. 28, 2016 The most disconcerting comment attributed to Const. Carver was that he confirmed that (the) WPS has reported this incident to the IIU but was unclear if an investigation will follow at this point. I can tell you with certainty that this office has not received a (notification), formally or otherwise, or in fact any notice of this incident other than my reading about it on two online services, days after the fact. Read the full email

Tessler asked why the WPS would not notify the IIU given that an accusation of excessive force would "invariably involve an investigation into whether the conduct constitutes a contravention of the Criminal Code." He also pressed Smyth to explain why Carver would misinform the media.

"It is imperative we discuss this matter immediately," he wrote.

The Free Press did not find any response from Smyth as a result of its freedom of information requests. However, that does not mean the chief didnt follow up through other means, or have someone respond on his behalf.

In the IIUs written statement, the spokeswoman declined to comment on what may have motivated this conduct and again directed the reporter to the WPS. A request to interview Carver was not granted prior to publication.

Winnipeg police Const. Rob Carver.

The IIU spokeswoman did say that after Tessler sent this email, the IIU was given a formal notification of the complaint and the matter was subsequently investigated.

"There is no way for the IIU to know (how often the WPS fails to notify it of an accusation) and the agency wont speculate as to how frequently this may occur," the spokeswoman wrote.

"Ultimately, it relies on the integrity of the police service and chief to notify the IIU as required."

In a written statement, Tessler said that despite these incidents, Manitobans can rest assured that the IIU has gotten good co-operation from all police departments in the province.

When disputes happen, theyre usually over differing interpretations of the Police Services Act, Tessler said, adding they are handled on a case-by-case basis.

"Co-operation from all Manitoba police agencies has generally been good.... There was a learning curve in the first couple years of operation, and the IIU has provided  and continues to provide  continuing education for all front-line officers and management," Tessler wrote.

"But that it not to say there (have) not been occasional disputes or pushback."

On May 26, 2017, more than 23 months after the IIU became operational, Tessler again reached out to Smyth to complain that the PSU was withholding accusations.

WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM IIU CIVILIAN DIRECTOR ZANE TESSLER On the high percentage of subject officers who refuse to turn over notes or sit down for an interview, if not both: A statutory privilege to remain silent and not be compelled as a witness against him or herself exists for the benefit of subject officers. This privilege is the same as is provided under constitution rights to all persons. While this can make an investigators job more challenging, the IIU absolutely respects the subject officers right to remain silent. On the other hand, designated witness officers are required to co-operate fully with IIU investigations. click to read more On the high percentage of subject officers who refuse to turn over notes or sit down for an interview, if not both: A statutory privilege to remain silent and not be compelled as a witness against him or herself exists for the benefit of subject officers. This privilege is the same as is provided under constitution rights to all persons. While this can make an investigators job more challenging, the IIU absolutely respects the subject officers right to remain silent. On the other hand, designated witness officers are required to co-operate fully with IIU investigations. You should not confuse a subject officers statutory right not to be compelled to co-operate with the suggestion that co-operation is lagging. Many subject officers have co-operated in IIU investigations by providing notes, statements and participating in interviews. On whether the small number of charges laid by the IIU constitutes a success: The IIUs measure of success is not whether or not charges are laid, or what number of charges are laid. The IIUs mandate is to investigate a matter thoroughly and impartially to determine the facts surrounding an incident. It is important to understand that the IIU never pre-supposes whether an investigation should lead to charges against an officer. We consider a thorough, complete, impartial investigation a success. In turn, the public having confidence that a full and fair investigation was done should also be considered a success. If a subject officer is cleared following an investigation, that should be considered a success. If charges result or are authorized following a full and impartial IIU investigation, that will also be considered a success. In isolation, the number of charges laid is not an indicator of success or lack thereof. On whether its problematic that the majority of IIU investigators are former police officers: Investigators are under my sole command and direction as civilian director, and I myself am prohibited by legislation from having ever worked for a police force. The most important and primary factor is for the IIU to hire as investigators the most qualified and experienced individuals and who have demonstrated the highest level of integrity in their work. We have engaged investigators with non-police backgrounds in our investigative teams. In addition, our case management processes and internal fail-safe reviews provide multiple layers of oversight to further guarantee impartiality. In the end, the civilian director is solely responsible for the decisions out of the investigations and publicly reports all findings. Close

The incident involved another allegation of assault lodged against a WPS officer. In the email, Tessler said that someone had approached the IIU with the accusation.

Since the IIU does not directly handle civilian complaints, Tessler informed this individual that a formal report would need to be filed with the WPS.

"I advised that the appropriate course would be to contact (the) WPS and file a formal complaint of the assault allegation. The IIU would then be notified by the police service," Tessler wrote.

Sometime later, the IIU was again approached by this individual. The person said they had contacted the WPS to report the alleged assault. After experiencing some difficulty, the person was connected to the PSU and lodged the complaint.

However, PSU investigators did not follow up with the accuser and the IIU was not notified.

"It would appear that no investigation has been commenced. (The) IIU has not received any notification from the WPS respecting this formal complaint," Tessler wrote.

Zane Tessler To: Police Chief Danny Smyth Re: REDACTED Date: May 26, 2017 ...It would appear that no investigation has been commenced. (The) IIU has not received any notification from the WPS respecting this formal complaint. Read the full email

Once again, the accusation came to light outside the proper channels. If the IIU did not have direct contact with the accuser, it would not have found out about the allegation. It remains unclear how common such occurrences are.

The PSU reports directly to Smyth. No response from the chief turned up in any of the freedom of information documents obtained by the Free Press.

Institutional pushback and hiccups in the notification process are not unheard of during the early days of a police oversight agency, according to Ian. D. Scott, a lawyer and the former civilian director of Ontarios Special Investigations Unit.

He said similar disputes were common after the SIU was formed in 1990, which helped feed the controversial reputation that dogged it for years and led to skepticism that the agency had any teeth.

During his time as head of the SIU, Scott pushed for legislative changes that gave the agency more power over the police departments that fell under its purview. He said similar reforms could come down the pipe for the IIU if theres the political will to pursue them.

"The overarching issue is a lack of public confidence in policing. That leads to a lack of public confidence in civilian oversight of policing. I think those two things are linked," Scott said.

"What you want is a seamless relationship between what the police do and what the public wants. When that breaks down, its a big issue, so you want to ensure there are strong oversight agencies in place."

Questions of just how strong the IIU is, and what sort of oversight it wields over the WPS, are raised by a disagreement that broke out between the two agencies in August 2017.

On Aug. 10, Tessler reached out to Smyth to complain the WPS had once again failed to notify the IIU of an incident that fell under its mandate. This time, the chief responded.

The Free Press has obtained a copy of Smyths email. He asserted the WPS had done nothing wrong, since the IIU didnt have the authority to investigate the incident at all.

In other words, the WPS refused to turn over the case. And so, the IIU never investigated it.

The long road to establishing the IIU High-profile deaths that led to calls for an independent agency to investigate police March 9, 1988 WPS Const. Robert Cross shoots and kills J.J. Harper 1991 The Aboriginal Justice Inquiry recommends the creation of an independent agency to investigate police officers accused of misconduct Crystal Taman is killed by Derek Harvey-Zenk, an off-duty WPS officer who was driving drunk Feb. 25, 2005 Sept. 30, 2008 Taman Inquiry calls for an independent oversight agency The Manitoba Police Commission is established Nov. 15, 2010 June 19, 2015 The Independent Investigation Unit becomes operational The long road to establishing the IIU High-profile deaths that led to calls for an independent agency to investigate police March 9, 1988 WPS Const. Robert Cross shoots and kills J.J. Harper The Aboriginal Justice Inquiry recommends the creation of an independent agency to investigate police officers accused of misconduct. 1991 Crystal Taman is killed by Derek Harvey-Zenk, an off-duty WPS officer who was driving drunk Feb. 25, 2005 Sept. 30, 2008 Taman Inquiry calls for an independent oversight agency The Manitoba Police Commission is established. Nov. 15, 2010 June 19, 2015 The Independent Investigation Unit becomes operational. The long road to establishing the IIU High-profile deaths that led to calls for an independent agency to investigate police March 9, 1988 WPS Const. Robert Cross shoots and kills J.J. Harper 1991 The Aboriginal Justice Inquiry recommends the creation of an independent agency to investigate police officers accused of misconduct. Crystal Taman is killed by Derek Harvey-Zenk, an off-duty WPS officer who was driving drunk Feb. 25, 2005 Sept. 30, 2008 Taman Inquiry calls for an independent oversight agency The Manitoba Police Commission is established. Nov. 15, 2010 June 19, 2015 The Independent Investigation Unit becomes operational.

Early calls for the formation of the IIU can be traced back to the night of March 9, 1988 when WPS Const. Robert Cross shot and killed J.J. Harper, an unarmed Indigenous man walking alone in Winnipegs Weston neighbourhood.

Less than 24 hours after the shooting, then-Winnipeg Police chief Herb Stephen held a press conference to announce that Cross had been absolved of any wrongdoing.

However, significant media coverage, accusations of a coverup and an outcry from Indigenous groups eventually led to the creation of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry, which was formed  in part  to examine the fatal shooting and the way police dealt with it.

It was then, three decades ago, the idea of an independent police oversight agency was raised.

Calls for such a unit grew louder in the aftermath of the death of Crystal Taman, who was killed by an off-duty cop driving drunk in the cold, early morning hours of Feb. 25, 2005.

Following a night of partying with fellow officers, WPS Const. Derek Harvey-Zenk drove a pickup truck into the back of Tamans car while she was stopped at a red light, minutes after shed left home for work.

KEN GIGLIOTTI/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES RCMP investigate the fatal crash that killed Crystal Taman. WPS Const. Derek Harvey-Zenk drove a pick-up truck into the back of Tamans car.

The 40-year-old mother of three was killed instantly. Photos from the crime scene show her small, yellow Chevrolet Sprint convertible crushed and crumpled in the middle of the road.

Due to a botched police investigation  which saw members of the now-disbanded East St. Paul Police Department accused of lying to protect a brother in blue  Harvey-Zenk got off with what many consider a slap on the wrist.

While he initially faced four charges, including refusing a breathalyzer and impaired driving causing death, a controversial plea bargain saw all charges dropped, except for dangerous driving causing death.

In return, he received a conditional sentence of two years house arrest.

The Taman Inquiry, which was established in the wake of the tragedy, called for a civilian unit to oversee investigations involving police. This time, the provincial government decided to act.

Crystals widower, Robert Taman, was named an original member of the Manitoba Police Commission, which was established Nov. 15, 2010, and helped guide the creation of the IIU. He was determined to see an end to the days of police investigating police.

In April 2016, less than a year after the IIU became operational, Taman resigned his post, due to growing concern over the agencys direction.

"I left because I felt my involvement wasnt going to help move this forward, and possibly by leaving it might bring some light to a very ugly situation," he said.

Taman was concerned the culture of the "blue wall of silence" wasnt being addressed and questioned whether the days of police investigating police had been put to an end or were just continuing under a different name.

Despite those growing concerns, even he was in the dark about the behaviour going on behind the scenes.

Taman was disturbed, but not surprised when shown the results of the Free Press investigation. At times, while reading internal IIU documents, he was at a loss for words.

During the last of two interviews for this project, with all the evidence laid out in front of him, Taman called for a full provincial audit of the IIU.

"Nothing has changed," he said, shaking his head. "Its like nothing has changed at all."

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @rk_thorpe

- Graphics and story presentation by Graeme Bruce; video by Mikaela MacKenzie; Icons by Simon Mettler, Paul Jackson, zidney and Vignesh Raja from the Noun Project
Since the 1970s, the Manitoba chapter of the Alpine Club of Canada has been travelling to the Gooseneck cliffs in northwestern Ontario, where members climb the rockface, camp and hold an annual clean up the mountain event.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Since the 1970s, the Manitoba chapter of the Alpine Club of Canada has been travelling to the Gooseneck cliffs in northwestern Ontario, where members climb the rockface, camp and hold an annual "clean up the mountain" event.

For years, club members spoke about encountering tobacco bundles, ceremonial objects and seeing Ojibwa rock paintings near their climbs  but were uncertain of the significance. They also worried increasing tourism was doing damage to the space.

Inviting an elder from local Wabaseemoong Independent Nations to share the stories of the site, the club learned about Anishinaabe history, how to honour ongoing ceremonial work and why certain areas are sacred.

Committing to becoming full partners in caring for the cliffs, the club installed signs to inform visitors how to act respectfully in the Treaty 3 territory. The club also committed to ongoing education from the Wabaseemoong. Other sections of the Alpine Club of Canada heard of the Manitoba chapters work. Next year, the organization is planning a national training and planning session with elders and traditional knowledge keepers on working ethically in First Nations territories.

This is what responsible tourism looks like.

Tourism has a nasty history. On one end, it looks like theft and exploitation  voyeurs entering a community, taking everything they see, and leaving forever. At the worst of this is the thousands of stolen Indigenous sacred objects and human remains sitting in the British Museum in London, forever held from the nations they belong to.

To be frank, I thought this was what tourism was: exploitation.

My sister, Dene Sinclair, the marketing director for the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC)  who just completed her masters degree in Indigenous tourism  has shown me otherwise.

Legitimate, Indigenous-centred tourism can improve the socio-economic condition of Indigenous communities and show the breadth of their intellectual and cultural contributions to the world.

For years, tourism in Indigenous communities meant hunting and fishing lodges that paid native guides to help find the best game to kill, with proceeds eventually ending up on sportsmens walls. Not anymore.

"Hunting and fishing trips have always had a specific audience," Keith Henry, president of ITAC, says. "However, travellers today are looking for new experiences which connect visitors to a place."

According to research ITAC conducted with Destination Canada, one in every three international visitors (37 per cent) is interested in interacting with Indigenous communities, with France (63 per cent) and Germany (47 per cent) leading the way. Countries that show a growing interest include China (35 per cent) and the United States (33 per cent).

Approximately 20 million tourists visit Canada every year. This means a lot of eyes, a lot of dollars and a lot of opportunity. Indigenous Peoples cant be left behind or exploited during this growth.

"Some museums and organizations give an impression to visitors with storyboards and artifacts that Indigenous cultures are a thing of the past," Henry says, "when these communities are still thriving today."

ITAC recommends, if willing and consenting Indigenous communities want to take part in tourism, they create culturally centred attractions that embody experiences designed by local knowledge keepers and leaders.

Indigenous communities have much to offer and teach the world. Communities have long-held intellectual protocols for sharing information about their culture, how to interact meaningfully with land and water and non-humans, and how to apply knowledge found in the universe in a reciprocal and meaningful way.

All of these, delivered with respect and responsibility, give visitors a fuller  and more complete  view of Canada.

ITAC reports an increase in Indigenous tourism operators offering options such as food tours, "on the land" excursions (kayaking, hiking, traditional history/storytelling tours) and "immersive experiences"  such as Wapusk Adventures in Churchill, which offers dogsledding and overnight trips throughout northern Manitoba.

Other Manitoba tours recommended by ITAC include learning about Indigenous water use in the Poplar River, teachings and ceremonies in Sagkeeng First Nation, and engaging with artists and historians in Winnipeg.

At the seventh annual International Indigenous Tourism Conference in Saskatoon, ITAC and Destination Canada reported such tourism contributed $1.8 billion to the gross domestic product of Canada in 2017  a $412-million increase from 2015.

Meanwhile, Indigenous tourism businesses employ increasing numbers of people, expanding to 1,878 companies employing 41,153 in 2017 (up from 1,579 businesses employing 33,112 in 2015).

"The growth we are seeing within the Indigenous tourism industry in Canada is quite profound," Henry says. "The rapid rate in which numbers are rising, across the board, is really exciting to see and for Canadas tourism industry overall."

ITAC has released its 2018-19 Guide to Indigenous Tourism in Canada (available for free online).

"Our ancestors have been welcoming visitors to our traditional territories for millennia with ceremony, song, dance, gifts and, of course, food," the guide states. "That hasnt changed as new generations share their cultures through the many experiences available to visitors."

Tourism doesnt have to be about theft and exploitation  it can be about building a future as partners, trading gifts and making connections. Building a family.

niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca
The Manitoba government is considering some horse-trading in how it funds the struggling local horse racing industry.

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This article was published 16/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba government is considering some horse-trading in how it funds the struggling local horse racing industry.

Consultants from BluSlate Inc. compiled a 125-page report  requested in March and published Friday  which recommended the province spend annually about $600,000 more than it already does to support thoroughbred, standardbred and Manitoba Horse Racing Commission programs.

According to the report, the impact to the provincial treasury was expected to be roughly $10.2 million in 2017-18 in the form of funding, settlements, grants and VLT operator revenue. The study recommends a streamlined structure which would replace the current funding model, mainly with annual grants, while pushing the total number to $10.8 million.

"What is important to underscore here is that the proposed public investment... will produce an economic dividend much larger that the required investment of tax dollars," the report states. "Further, we do not believe horse racing can survive in Manitoba absent both this investment and this improved accountability framework."

BluSlate estimates the current annual economic impact of horse racing in Manitoba to be some $125 million to $142 million, with total taxes generated ranging from $34.5 million to $40.7 million.

The review cost $135,000 and was submitted to Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler, who acknowledged the horse racing industry "has been facing significant financial challenges."

"Our government will review the recommendations so that we can ensure the horse racing industry remains on solid footing now and in the future," he said in a prepared statement.

Eichler was unavailable for an interview Friday, according to his press secretary, who said the minister will be meeting with affected stakeholders in the coming days before commenting further.

Darren Dunn, chief executive officer of Assiniboia Downs, declined to be interviewed, wanting to read the review in-depth and meet with the minister first.

Peguis First Nation Chief Glenn Hudson didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Peguis members were interviewed for the review, as they have partnered with Assiniboia Downs in recent years to produce events. They are interested in continuing work with the racetrack, according to the report.

"We came away encouraged from our discussions with Peguis First Nation. They are keenly interested in developing the property and finding ways to draw more people to the site," the consultants wrote.

Other recommendations in the review included extending rural racing circuits to 16 days per season from 10, and reorganizing management models for the standardbred and thoroughbred racing divisions.

"In our experience, few horse racing industries would have continued under the uncertainty that the Manitoba industry has experienced. It is to the credit of many individuals that difficulties have been overcome and racing persists," the authors concluded.

"Manitoba horsepersons are tough, committed and determined. Given the opportunity, we believe they will proudly carry on the traditions of horse racing in Manitoba. But they cant do it alone."

jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @_jessbu




Vietnam pangasius exports to US on upward swing

The trade war between the US and China is working to the advantage of Vietnam, especially when it comes to seafood, particularly tra fish or pangasius, the country's exporters said.

The export of tra fish to the US has sharply surged by 42.9% to US$369.1 million in the first three quarters compared with the same period last year, the Vietnam News Agency reports. This, despite barriers hindering US imports of Vietnamese pangasius.

One of these barriers has been the implementation of a new food safety inspection procedure in late 2017, which led the Vietnamese authorities to file a complaint at the World Trade Organisation that the regime constituted an unfair trade practice, as per Globefish, the FAO's fish-trade site.

Globefish noted that in fact Vietnamese exports of pangasius started to trend upward in 2017.

Not only has Vietnamese pangasius exports to the US increased but also to China, to which exports increased 45% in the first quarter this year, reaching $101 million as prices increased.

While exports to China increased by 45%, the ASEAN region also saw its imports of Vietnamese pangasius increase by 56.5% in the first quarter, led by Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines. The ASEAN bloc has also overtaken the EU in terms of market share, and on its current trajectory it will overtake the US in a few years, said Globefish.

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) has set a target of $2 billion in pangasius export revenue this year, of which some 25% is expected to come from Chinese sales.

Target unlikely to be attained

In the first quarter of the year Vietnam has already exported pangasius worth $440 million based on VASEP reported figures. If this figure remains steady or constant for the rest of the year, this target may be hard to attain.

According to Globefish, this export revenue target for pangasius this year would require a total production of 1.3 million tonnes of fish, marginally above last year's 1.25-million-tonne production.

But total pangasius production growth is expected to be low or flat in 2018, Globefish added.

Vinh Hoan, a leading firm in catfish processing and exporting, said that if the US imposes tax on tra fish and tilapia products from China, the company would have more opportunities to occupy the market share in this large market.

With the taxation imposition on Chinese goods exported to the US, Vietnam's processed and fresh seafood will have a competitive advantage in this market, the pangasius processor said.
You might say Dr. Gerard McCarthy was born to deliver babies.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SUPPLIED Dr. Gerard McCarthy sits with patients at a northern nursing station.

You might say Dr. Gerard McCarthy was born to deliver babies.

After all, his parents named him after St. Gerard, the patron saint of expectant mothers and unborn children.

Dr. Gerard McCarthy (Supplied photo)

From that auspicious beginning, McCarthy went on to become a Winnipeg obstetrician renowned for wanting to deliver the babies of all the women who were his patients and spending decades helping mothers-to-be at northern reserves.

"People have told me my father was probably the best obstetrician in the province," McCarthys daughter Fiona, said.

"My friend didnt even know she was pregnant and he walked by and said, Oh, I think you have a wee one there, and she said, no, and her husband said, Its Dr. McCarthy, maybe wed better check. Sure enough, she was pregnant."

McCarthy died on Aug. 23 at the age of 77.

McCarthys family said the doctor never kept track of how many babies he helped to enter this world, but they said a conservative guess would be around 25,000.

SUPPLIED Gerard and Marie McCarthy

Brendan McCarthy, himself a doctor  in fact, both his sisters went into health care, as nurses  said it wasnt just Winnipeg mothers-to-be who were helped by his dad. He would regularly travel to Indigenous communities accompanied with an ultrasound machine and fetal assessment nurses who could operate it.

Brendan said his father would do what he could to stop pregnant women from drinking alcohol while he was around.

"He would go into boarding homes, basically hotels, and drag them out," he said.

Due to his fathers passion for helping Indigenous women, and combating medical issues their communities face, the family asked people to donate to charity  the Indigenous Womens Healing Centre, the Canadian Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation  in lieu of flowers, Brendan said.

McCarthy was born in Portaferry, a village in Northern Ireland. He had three brothers and a sister. He began school early, when he was only three years old, to help his older brother, Sean, who was born with physical disabilities.

By the time McCarthy was 10, he had experienced a change that would affect his life: he was sent to Belfast by himself to attend boarding school.

McCarthy later enrolled in science at Queens University in Belfast, but, when his sister convinced him to switch to medicine, he found his true calling.

He graduated in 1964, completed his obstetrics exams in 1969, and because there were few jobs for obstetricians in Ireland, he moved to Canada. He worked at the Mall Medical Clinic in Winnipeg.

SUPPLIED McCarthy with his two daughters Rachel (left) and Fiona

McCarthy delivered babies at several local hospitals, but throughout his decades-long career he regularly jumped into small planes, as well as snowmobiles, helicopters, and float planes, to help women on northern reserves.

Christina Carpenter, a northern nurse who worked with McCarthy for years, said she asked him once what drove him to continue going up north.

"He said he identified with the north because he was raised in Ireland. He said he knew how poor it was, so he could identify with what people went through up north," Carpenter said.

"He just devoted his time up here. He never let people down. He was just as dedicated to the people of the north as he was his patients in Winnipeg.

"He was just one of a kind."

Carpenter said, because births are unpredictable, he wasnt usually up north for deliveries, but if there was a problem with a birth, he was a phone call away.

"Hed be on the phone with us, he would talk us through the delivery."

Carpenter said when she was in Winnipeg for training to deliver babies, "Dr. McCarthy came in and asked, Who is a northern nurse here?" and I said I was. He said, the rest of you can leave: youre delivering the baby.

"He knew we had to know how because we are the ones doing the delivering."

Rachel King said she met McCarthy last year, after shed had a miscarriage. A few months later, King said she saw him again, after she became pregnant.

"He treated me like his own daughter and even provided me with his personal cellphone number to call him any time," she said.

"I remember him saying to me, Rachel, I want to deliver your baby before I retire. It was really touching. He said Im going to retire, but Im going to wait because youre going to be one of the last before I go.

"He came from his house at midnight and delivered my son and then came to see me the next day at the hospital. I know Ill never have a doctor like him again."

Kathy Strachan, Villa Rosas executive director, said McCarthy visited the institution for many years to see the pregnant single young women there.

"All throughout his career he was always willing to see our moms at a moments notice," Strachan said. "He was gruff, but in a fatherly way. He treated them with the utmost respect and in his soft manner."

Dr. Denise Black, an obstetrician who worked with McCarthy, said everyone knew he always wanted to deliver all of what he called "his babies."

"When he went on vacations, he always expressed concern over who would look after his patients and whether they were up for the job," Black said.

"He had a special dedication to the ladies from the Island Lakes First Nations. He knew everyone by name, knew about their families, and kept an amazing Rolodex of information inside his head, not just about their medical histories, but about their entire lives."

Black said even when McCarthy returned from his exhausting work up north, he didnt go directly home.

"His first stop would be at the hospital to get a feel for what was going on and what had happened during his absence."

Black said McCarthy told her he never became a doctor to get a big salary.

"He had no tolerance for those who viewed medicine as a business. To him, it was a calling and he embraced and respected the privilege of caring for women."

Black said she was touched by how much McCarthy loved his wife and how she loved him.

"Hed comment that she must be a saint to put up with him," she said.

"Shed often come into the office in the morning with a stack of clean shirts and personal toiletry items so that when he came straight from the hospital, where hed been all night, to the office, at least he could freshen up a bit."

Black said when McCarthy talked about retirement, instead of discussing hobbies hed like to do, he always said, "he was looking forward to spending more time with his Marie.

"She often said, He looks after me and I look after him, That they did, and he never had anything but high praise, respect and great tenderness for her."

McCarthy is also survived by his wife of 49 years, Marie, and another daughter, Rachel.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
In the fast-paced, pressure-filled world of the Canadian restaurant industry, Bruce McAdams thought he had seen and heard just about everything.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In the fast-paced, pressure-filled world of the Canadian restaurant industry, Bruce McAdams thought he had seen and heard just about everything.

But the assistant professor at the school of hospitality, food and tourism management at the University of Guelph was struck by the wave of allegations of abuse and worker mistreatment made last week against Stella's, the popular Winnipeg restaurant chain.

Bruce McAdams, assistant professor at the school of hospitality, food and tourism management at the University of Guelph, says the allegations of abuse and worker mistreatment at Stella's is something he has never seen in the industry. (Supplied)

"This thing that has come out of your city is like nothing I've seen," McAdams says.

Since last Thursday, an Instagram account called @notmystellas has received more than 275 stories from people who have worked in various positions throughout the company's seven locations, documenting everything from sexual harassment to unsafe working conditions.

The Free Press has also heard from more than 20 former and current employees whose personal accounts paint a disturbing picture of a company with little regard for the people it employs.

Christina Hajjar (from left), Amanda Murdock and Kelsey Wade are part of the #notmystellas movement that exposed the culture of harassment at the popular Winnipeg restaurant. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files)

As an advocate for a stronger and more sustainable restaurant industry, McAdams has been following this story closely. While it's tempting to view it as a microcosm for the restaurant industry as a whole, he says Stella's is unique.

"Based on the accusations, if they are true, then they are checking all the boxes for things you can do wrong," he says.

"Restaurants do have to work better at things like breaks, sick days, competitive schedules  those things arent rampant, but they are present in the restaurant industry in Canada," he says. "It is a unique environment. Its a transient workforce, a young workforce, its a diverse workforce that includes many members of marginalized groups. There's physical work, its high stress, alcohol is served. Theres sexualization of servers, theres inequity in terms of representation of women at higher levels of management.

'Based on the accusations, if they are true, then they are checking all the boxes for things you can do wrong.'  Bruce McAdams

"Yes, it exists in our industry and is need of addressing. I think weve gotten better in some issues  the harassment issue weve definitely made progress and continue to make progress. When it comes to adhering to labour standards and progressive work environments, Id give us a D. Maybe a C-minus. We need to pull up our socks."

For the front-line staff currently working at Stella's, this past week has been especially stressful.

"We were being harassed by customers," says a current employee, who does not want to be identified, adding that servers were given no guidance from upper management on how to respond to customers.

For front-line staff currently working at Stella's seven locations, this past week has been especially stressful. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press files)

"I had a customer ask me how I could let this happen. We had calls, we had emails. We had people come in, obviously, but we've had people stay away. Our sales have plummeted. I know everyone says 'solidarity with Stella's employees,' but I say hit them where it hurts.

"I'm glad people didn't come in."

She says that people's anger is understandable, even if it's misdirected. It's understandable, too, that people might even feel betrayed by Stella's. This is a company that cultivated an image of friendliness; approachable food, served by approachable people. The fact it's a local chain is precisely what attracted many of its employees, including this one.

"Id eaten at Stellas before," she says. "Everyone seems happy and bubbly and the food is good. It was the first place I applied to."

It wasn't long before she became disillusioned with Stella's sunny-side-up disposition. "Everyone was demoralized. I felt like everyone was walking on eggshells. It was also very competitive. Everyone looks left and right at all times, afraid of making mistakes."

And mistakes could cost you shifts. Many employees the Free Press spoke to talked about "competitive scheduling." According to Noel Pruden, who worked in various kitchen management positions over the five years he was employed, servers are ranked on a scale from A to D. The A's are the all-stars; D's are people with poor skills and poor attitudes. The ranking system could be arbitrary; names could be switched around at random.

The Stella's location on Sherbrook Street closed for two days after the story broke. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files)

'I had a customer ask me how I could let this happen. We had calls, we had emails. We had people come in, obviously, but we've had people stay away. Our sales have plummeted. I know everyone says solidarity with Stella's employees, but I say hit them where it hurts.'  Stella's employee

"We were told to go through our schedules and write these letters beside their names, and put them in that order on the schedule," he says. "They didn't tell us to sit down with anyone and have a meeting. There was no mention of what the followup was supposed to be."

"This is a system to keep people in line and push them the hardest at all times," says the current employee. "It became apparent to me that if you call in sick or if you have a day where you are a little bit off, you will be cut shifts. Its used as a punishment. We work with mostly young women who are right out of high school, barely in university, who are so vulnerable to this. They accept this as a given."

Then, of course, there's the matter of harassment. The restaurant industry has a long history of bullying and harassment which, McAdams says, typically comes from the kitchen and dates back to the late 1800s when French chef Georges-Auguste Escoffier developed the kitchen brigade system still used today.

"It was militarized; he was from the navy, hed had kitchens in the military," McAdams says. "Its what we call a command-and-control, militarized approach to leadership. That became ingrained in our kitchen culture."

The objectification and sexualization of mostly female servers coupled with the toxic masculinity of the kitchen was also a recipe for abuse.

"You have men in aprons cooking, which, in the old days, some would consider womens work, so there was this over-masculinization of their own work," McAdams says. "And then in the '90s and early 2000s, this jocular approach to Gordon Ramsay-ish kitchens, Im a man, and Im the boss and Im going to yell and scream."

Christina Hajjar (from left), Kelsey Wade and Amanda Murdock held a press conference asking for an acknowledgment from the company about the abuse reported by workers and a formal apology from owners. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files)

That said, McAdams notes that attitudes in the industry have been shifting. "I get the feeling we're trying to change, but we need to go faster and be more collaborative," he says.

He points to some guiding lights, including WITHorg (Women in Tourism and Hospitality Organization), which is working to close the gender leadership gap, and Its Your Shift, a five-module online program on harassment developed by the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association. Female chefs such as Amanda Cohen and Dominique Crenn represent a new generation of leaders. The "that's just how it is" excuse no longer flies.

"Ill tell you, that example of Stellas is the exception," McAdams says. "The majority of kitchens are 'fair' to 'good employers, but the other problem is, we have very few 'fantastic' employers. If you look at the list of Canadas Top 100 employers that came out last week, there was not one restaurant company, which is insane, given the number we have."

'It became apparent to me that if you call in sick or if you have a day where you are a little bit off, you will be cut shifts. Its used as a punishment.'  Stella's employee

Statistics back this up. While Stellas has been in the news, there are no shortages of complaints against other restaurants in the city. According to the province's Employment Standards branch, more than 300 complaints have been lodged so far in 2018.

Per Restaurant Canada, there are 80,000 restaurants in this country, employing more than one million people. The majority of those restaurants are focused on being great places to eat. Too few of them, however, are focused on being great places to work  and that, to McAdam's mind, is a source of many of the industry's issues.

"We treat employees more like expenses than assets," he says. "We are very focused on our labour costs. Its our most controllable cost. Theres minimum wage going up, so managers and chefs are trying to get people off the clock, maximizing productivity; they may be working people through breaks because of all these pressures.

"Were in the moment, trying to manage these costs as opposed to looking at people as assets and saying, These people are going to be key to my restaurant's growing revenue and increased productivity.' I think that is innate in restaurant DNA in Canada in how we manage people. There are companies that do look at people as assets  but theres not enough."

That assessment lines up with Pruden's experience as a kitchen manager. "Your expectations were to have a very low labour cost and a very low food cost," he says. "If you managed to meet those numbers you'd be given a bonus at the end of the quarter. I found the expectations put you under so much stress to cut people's hours. It bounced back on to the staff in a negative way."

The current employee says at Stella's, "you are a disposable, interchangeable commodity at all times. And the company makes sure you know that."

"Somebody sat down and developed these ways of making the most out of people, like an orange to squeeze," she says.

The employee who still works at Stella's would like to see a wholesale revamp in how the company treats its employees  from allowing water breaks to managing from a place of motivation, instead of fear.

"This is a chance for change," she says. "This is a chance for them to step up as human beings and give people their dignity back."

"(Stella's) is an unfortunate situation and I feel for those involved," McAdams says. "I appreciate the fact that its been brought out into the public realm, and I think it provides us, as an industry, a huge opportunity to reflect and evaluate where we are and come together collaboratively to try to continue to improve what were doing as employers."

jen.zoratti@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @JenZoratti
A Winnipeg lawyer has agreed not to defend any young person charged with a criminal offence, after being found guilty of professional misconduct by the Law Society of Manitoba.

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This article was published 17/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg lawyer has agreed not to defend any young person charged with a criminal offence, after being found guilty of professional misconduct by the Law Society of Manitoba.

Gisele Champagne was fined $1,500 and ordered to pay the law society $2,500 in costs after pleading guilty before a discipline panel Oct. 26. The written decision was released Nov. 5.

Champagne has also agreed not to practise youth law.

In a five-page decision, the law societys discipline panel said the decision "will ensure protection of the public."

"This client population is often very vulnerable and lawyers must ensure that they take the time to make sure the clients are fully informed. By providing the undertaking, Ms. Champagne recognizes that her service to this population has, on occasion, fallen below the standards demanded by the code of professional conduct."

The disciplinary panel was told Champagne was acting for a teenage client who wanted to plead guilty to robbery in 2017. The teen had been diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and was a ward of Child and Family Services.

During the youths sentencing, when the judge asked the facts of the case be read out, it became clear the Crown and Champagne did not agree on points, especially whether the youth was wearing a disguise during the crime.

As well, during the sentencing hearing, the youths social worker arrived and expressed concern the plea had been entered with no consultation with CFS.

The judge agreed to allow the teen to withdraw his guilty plea. The teen later changed lawyers, pleaded guilty to robbery, and the Crown dropped the charge of wearing a disguise.

"Given the clients deficits, Ms. Champagne needed to take the time to ensure that the client understood the ramifications of his plea," the panel wrote. "She needed to be clear on the facts to which her client was pleading. Moreover, she should have ensured that the clients guardian was informed and had input into the decision.

"She proceeded too hastily and did not provide proper service to her client."

The disciplinary panels written decision also noted it was the fifth time Champagne has been disciplined by the law society.

Champagne was issued a formal caution in 1999, after twice failing to appear in court and being "discourteous" to another lawyer. She received another formal caution in 2000, after scheduling matters in two separate courtrooms at the same time, causing one case to be adjourned.

Champagne was fined $1,000 in 2001, after pleading guilty to giving false information in her application for admission as a student in the bar admission program, and to putting a witness on the stand who she knew would damage her own clients case.

Champagne pleaded guilty in 2012 to accepting instructions from a youth client with cognitive deficits, to plead guilty in adult court, without making sure he understood the ramifications of the decision.

She has worked as a lawyer since 1992.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
A Winnipeg lawyer who practised for 20 years has been suspended for a year and ordered to refrain from illegal drugs, including cocaine, after admitting to professional misconduct.

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This article was published 17/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg lawyer who practised for 20 years has been suspended for a year and ordered to refrain from illegal drugs, including cocaine, after admitting to professional misconduct.

The Manitoba Law Society suspended Michael John Law on Oct. 10. and fined him $6,000.

Law, who was a former president of the Manitoba Bar Association, has not actively practised since 2015.

The societys 15-page decision said the misconduct charge related to violations of trust and misappropriation of funds. The decision said $38,000 from 57 clients had been diverted from his former firms trust accounts.

It also indicated there was restitution.

In delivering the decision, the law society said, "His career, to our knowledge, was distinguished, he was widely regarded and widely respected We take note of the fact that the real (victims) here (were) indeed the partners of the law firm and we accept there has been resolution with the firm and (it) holds no grudge against him."

There were no complaints about the quality of his work, the decision noted.

The decision concluded that if Law practises law again, he will be strictly monitored. Law must agree to be under the care of a medical professional for the first year of practice and wont be allowed to handle money. He must also take part, at his own expense, in an approved monitoring program for addictions disorders for two years and agree to no fewer than 36 random drug tests during that time.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
No one was shot  no suspect, nor any Winnipeg police officers  during last weeks armed standoff at a home on Bannerman Avenue.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

No one was shot  no suspect, nor any Winnipeg police officers  during last weeks armed standoff at a home on Bannerman Avenue.

While thats the goal in any such incident, Winnipeg Police Service officials said Friday its armoured rescue vehicle played a vital role in the result on Nov. 7, when officers were fired on by a person from inside 335 Bannerman Ave.

Officers used the vehicle for protection and for cover when they threw cannisters of tear gas into the house to force out a suspect and end the standoff after five hours. A 16-year-old boy was arrested and faces seven attempted murder charges, along with numerous other charges.

The tank-like ARV1 Gurkha, on display Friday at a news conference, had merely a few paint chips where it had been struck with numerous rounds from more than one long gun. Next to it sat a bullet-riddled police cruiser, with its windshield peppered with spots of shattered glass around bullet holes and its hood dented from bullets.

"What we know is this (car) offers no protection (from gunfire)," WPS Const. Rob Carver said, noting illegal guns have been involved in all of the recent armed-and-barricaded situations Winnipeg law enforcement has faced.

The ARV1 is a game-changer during high-risk situations, said Const. Tyler Loewen, a member of the tactical support team who worked at the Bannerman standoff scene. When the tactical support team arrives in the eight-seat, 7,700-kilogram vehicle, the powerful tactical tool provides protection for officers and a safety net for citizens.

"Were the last line of defence in terms of who you can can call. Theres nobody else to call after TST arrives in these high-risk incidents. Thats why we have extra training, extra tools like the ARV, as well as other tools in order to resolve those situations safely  not only for ourselves but for any subjects that were dealing with, as well," Loewen said, adding the ARV1 "makes the unapproachable, approachable."

The armoured vehicle, in use since 2016, is made by Canadian company Terradyne Armoured Vehicles. It has eight gun ports, a turret and a battering ram, and carried a $342,800 price tag when it was purchased in 2015.

After the armed standoff on Bannerman, WPS Chief Danny Smyth said nine officers from various units were on administrative leave to recover, and would be assessed by a psychologist before returning to duty.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Chipped paint was the only damage to the ARV1, while a cruiser was riddled with bullets.

It was the third armed-and-barricaded incident in the city in six days, which Smyth said was an "unprecedented" number in such a short span.

The chief said around 100 police officers were involved in the Bannerman standoff because there was an active shooter.

"Its an extremely stressful situation, whether youre a general patrol member, or tactical support team member or anybody who goes out there. Thats going to be a stressful situation, to receive incoming fire," Loewen said.

"A big thing is, we have a lot of training, we have a lot of good support through our wellness officers after the fact of being involved in any high-risk incident, and we also have each other to rely on."

All of the recent standoffs ended with no reported injuries.

"Were extremely happy with the fact that weve been able to resolve these situations with a variety of tools, whether its ARV, or gas deployments or whatever the case may be," Loewen said. "To not have to deal with the stress of an officer-involved shooting just makes the team that much more successful and healthier as a result."

Loewen said the ARV1 is used for, among other calls, gun calls in progress about three or four times per month.

Some of the tactical team members are trained medics who can provide emergency first aid at a scene when its too dangerous to bring in paramedics or an ambulance.

Loewen said his time on the team will end soon, as five years is the maximum service on the specialized unit.

"We gain a lot of experience, and we can go back as general patrol and it helps (as a way to share knowledge and training)," he said.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/11/2018 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was a simple, yet poignant observation.

The scene was a forum organized last spring by Mediation Services Winnipeg at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, where I was among people gathered to discuss the often strained relationship between police and Indigenous Peoples. Mediation Services is a non-governmental agency that provides conflict-resolution training and solutions to a wide range of public and private-sector organizations.

CP Bear Clan Patrol volunteers patrol Winnipeg's North End, Saturday, November 5, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

Many interesting people were at this event. Winnipeg Police Chief Danny Smyth was there, along with several of his senior officers. The rest of the crowd was made up of Mediation Services volunteers and a wide array of lawyers and community activists. They had come to hear the keynote speaker, North End activist and organizer Michael Champagne.

There was a wide-ranging discussion about how bridges could be built between police and the Indigenous Peoples of the city, particularly in the North End. At one point, Champagne remarked that while it was important for the people of the North End to have a good relationship with police, what they really wanted was to solve problems for themselves, not have people from outside the North End coming in and delivering their version of a solution.

In a recent interview, Champagne repeated his original observation: "The only way we move forward is if North End people are supported to do important work for the North End."

Its such a simple, beautiful idea. Lamentably, its not always the first consideration when the broader community tries to solve a problem in one area. It seems that far too often, we try to import help and, in so doing, portray everyone who lives in an area of need as dependant and unable to help themselves.

That is, of course, a perverse view of a community, or neighbourhood within that community, in crisis. Even when there are many people in need of help, there are also many people who want to be part of the solution. People like the members of the Bear Clan Patrol.

The original Bear Clan Patrol started in the early 1990s as a purely grassroots, volunteer effort to fend off the creeping influence of Aboriginal street gangs, which were growing in both number and intensity. After some solid, high-profile work, the group fell into disarray and was not heard from again until 2014, when activist James Favel found a dozen or so activists and revived the group in the wake of the murder of Indigenous youth Tina Fontaine.

The early focus of Bear Clan 2.0 was street prostitution. Volunteer patrol members would try to scare off johns cruising North End streets looking for young women. However, the mission expanded quickly: tracking down missing children or runaways, helping drug addicts and discouraging dealers, and general safety and security on the streets of the north and west ends of the city.

What started with a dozen volunteers quickly grew into an organization with a handful of paid staff and, currently, more than 1,400 volunteers. The success in Winnipeg led to the opening of chapters in another 24 communities across five provinces, all of which are supported administratively by the Bear Clan Patrol office here in Winnipeg.

Champagne noted that in a world where government is constantly spouting rhetoric about finding "value" for taxpayers money, programs like Bear Clan are "no-brainers."

"We always talk about building bridges, but the Bear Clan is really acting as a bridge to the rest of the community," he said. "And its also a bridge to other communities as well. Now that there are Bear Clan Patrols in 20-plus communities, were showing that a made-in-Winnipeg solution can help people in other places. Its really one of the more positive stories to come out of the North End, proof that good things happen here."

The inability of all levels of government to establish sustainable support for a group of North Enders who have proven their value is, in a word, maddening.

With a resume like that, you might be surprised to know that the Bear Clan Patrols future is in doubt.

This month, Bear Clan announced that $100,000 in federal funding had been put into limbo while the federal Liberal government reassesses the enormous demand on the Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples program. Bear Clan had received $200,000 from this funding stream before and was led to believe more support would be forthcoming. Then, a review of the program put everything in doubt.

Bear Clan does not rely solely on federal money. It takes donations of money and equipment from local charities and businesses. However, core funding for administrative support is desperately needed to keep the group operating and doing good work at street level.

When word of that possible funding shortfall got out, the province stepped up with $200,000 in support in the form of a passenger van, other equipment and financial resources to help the group meet its commitments. However, the provincial support is one-time only and, as much as it is appreciated, does not create certainty going forward.

The inability of all levels of government to establish sustainable support for a group of North Enders who have proven their value is, in a word, maddening. However, it does serve as the perfect example of how government sometimes undermines the work of high-value community groups  people from the community in need, serving the community in need  with inconsistent funding commitments and intergovernmental wrangling.

Although there may be too many worthy groups and causes to properly fund them all, it still doesnt absolve the federal government from establishing a criteria to identify those groups most worthy of support.

Governments at all levels should work together on a single window for funding of community organizations like Bear Clan, so that they are not constantly scrambling to find long-term financial support.

Groups that truly deserve long-term funding should be immediately put into a separate stream. Support should be provided to help these groups with financial management and reporting, one of the biggest challenges for any organization that evolves from completely volunteer to partially paid.

Other community groups outside that long-term funding stream should be allowed to apply for support in a process that determines whether there is a legitimate need, and whether other organizations are either fully or partly meeting that particular need. Strategic partnerships could be forged between existing groups and upstarts to ensure that as many people as possible are involved without risking redundancies.

What government should not do, in any circumstances, is simply freeze all funding and applications because they dont know what else to do.

The province should be applauded for stepping in to help the Bear Clan Patrol. But if the people of the North End are going to continue helping themselves, then government is going to have to get its act together.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca


By Tampa Bay , Nov. 14, 2018





An unprecedented statewide hand recount is now under way in the Sunshine State, further extending a high-stakes, partisan battle over every last vote in Florida's crucial U.S. Senate race.





Following a five-day machine recount of the more than 8.3 million votes cast in the Nov. 6 elections, Secretary of State Ken Detzner ordered hand recounts Thursday afternoon in the race between U.S. Sen Bill Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott, and also the race for agriculture commissioner between Nicole "Nikki" Fried and Matt Caldwell.

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By BBC , Nov. 16, 2018





The US leader told reporters he had personally answered the questions "very easily", but his responses had yet to be submitted to the investigating team.





Special counsel Robert Mueller has been looking into allegations of collusion between Mr Trump's campaign and Russia.

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There is not enough analysis data for Capstone Companies.

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MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Capstone Companies and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe CAPC will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe CAPC will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

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By Yahoo , Nov. 15, 2018





Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump seethed Thursday that investigators probing alleged collusion between Russian agents and his election campaign have gone "totally nuts" and are a "disgrace."





Even by the standards of his frequent barrages against special counsel Robert Mueller, Trump's early morning tweetstorm was blistering.

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Tim Hortons Inc., is a quick service restaurant in North America. The Company's menu includes premium coffee, espresso-based hot and cold specialty drinks, including lattes, cappuccinos and espresso shots, specialty teas, fruit smoothies, home-style soups, grilled Panini and classic sandwiches, wraps, hot breakfast sandwiches and fresh baked goods, including donuts. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 4,264 systemwide restaurants. Tim Hortons restaurants operate in a variety of formats. The Company's standard restaurant locations typically range from 1,000 to 3,080 square feet. As of December 30, 2012, the Company operated directly (without restaurant owners) 18 restaurants in Canada and four restaurants in the United States.

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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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The following companies are subsidiares of Molina Healthcare: Aetna & Humana - Medicare Advantage, Affinity Health Plan, AmericanWork Inc., Better Health Network, Camelot Care Centers Inc, Children's Behavioral Health Inc., Choices Group Inc., College Community Services, Dockside Services Inc, Family Preservation Services Inc., Family Preservation Services of Florida Inc., Family Preservation Services of North Carolina Inc., Family Preservation Services of Washington D.C. Inc., Family Preservation Services of West Virginia Inc., Florida NetPASS LLC, Hclb Inc., Magellan Complete Care, Maple Star Nevada Inc., Maple Star Oregon Inc., Mercy CarePlus, Molina Clinical Services LLC, Molina Healthcare Data Center Inc., Molina Healthcare of Arizona Inc., Molina Healthcare of California, Molina Healthcare of Florida Inc., Molina Healthcare of Georgia Inc., Molina Healthcare of Illinois Inc., Molina Healthcare of Iowa Inc., Molina Healthcare of Louisiana Inc., Molina Healthcare of Maryland Inc., Molina Healthcare of Michigan Inc., Molina Healthcare of Mississippi Inc., Molina Healthcare of Nevada Inc., Molina Healthcare of New Mexico Inc., Molina Healthcare of New York Inc., Molina Healthcare of North Carolina Inc., Molina Healthcare of Ohio Inc., Molina Healthcare of Oklahoma Inc., Molina Healthcare of Pennsylvania Inc., Molina Healthcare of Puerto Rico Inc., Molina Healthcare of South Carolina LLC, Molina Healthcare of Texas Inc., Molina Healthcare of Texas Insurance Company, Molina Healthcare of Utah Inc., Molina Healthcare of Virginia Inc., Molina Healthcare of Washington Inc., Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin Inc., Molina Holdings Corporation, Molina Hospital Management LLC, Molina Information Systems LLC dba Molina Medicaid Solutions, Molina Medical Management Inc., Molina Pathways LLC, Molina Pathways of Texas Inc., Molina Youth Academy, NextLevel Health Illinois, Pathways Community Corrections Inc., Pathways Community Services LLC, Pathways Community Support of Texas Inc., Pathways Health and Community Support LLC, Pathways Human Services LLC., Pathways of Arizona Inc., Pathways of Delaware Inc., Pathways of Idaho LLC, Pathways of Maine Inc., Pathways of Massachusetts LLC, Pathways of Oklahoma Inc., Pathways of Washington Inc., Providence Community Services, Providence Human Services, Raystown Developmental Services Inc., The Game of Work LLC, The RedCo Group Inc., Total Care Medicaid plan, Transitional Family Services Inc., Unisys -Health Information Management, and YourCare Health Plan.
The following companies are subsidiares of Abbott Laboratories: 3A Nutrition (Vietnam) Company Limited, ABON Biopharm (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AGA Medical Belgium, AGA Medical Corporation, AGA Medical Holdings Inc., ALR Holdings, AML Medical LLC, APK Advanced Medical Technologies LLC, ATS Bermuda Holdings Limited, ATS Laboratories Inc., Abbott, Abbott (Jiaxing) Nutrition Co. Ltd., Abbott (UK) Finance Limited, Abbott (UK) Holdings Limited, Abbott AG, Abbott Asia Holdings Limited, Abbott Asia Investments Limited, Abbott Australasia Holdings Limited, Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd, Abbott B.V., Abbott Bahamas Overseas Businesses Corporation, Abbott Belgian Investments, Abbott Bermuda Holding Ltd., Abbott Biologicals B.V., Abbott Biologicals LLC, Abbott Bulgaria Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Capital India Limited, Abbott Cardiovascular Inc., Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., Abbott Delaware LLC, Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., Abbott Diabetes Care Limited, Abbott Diabetes Care Sales Corporation, Abbott Diagnostics GmbH, Abbott Diagnostics International Ltd., Abbott Diagnostics Technologies AS, Abbott Doral Investments S.L., Abbott Equity Holdings Unlimited, Abbott Equity Investments LLC, Abbott Established Products Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Finance Company SA, Abbott Financial Holdings SRL, Abbott France S.A.S., Abbott Fund Tanzania Limited, Abbott Gesellschaft m.b.H., Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Abbott Health Products LLC, Abbott Healthcare (Puerto Rico) Ltd., Abbott Healthcare B.V., Abbott Healthcare Costa Rica S.A., Abbott Healthcare LLC, Abbott Healthcare Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Healthcare Private Limited, Abbott Healthcare Products B.V., Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd, Abbott Holding (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding GmbH, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited Luxembourg S.C.S., Abbott Holdings B.V., Abbott Holdings LLC, Abbott Holdings Limited, Abbott Holdings Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Hungary Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Iberian Investments (2) Limited, Abbott Iberian Investments Limited, Abbott India Limited, Abbott Informatics Asia Pacific Limited, Abbott Informatics Canada Inc, Abbott Informatics Corporation, Abbott Informatics Europe Limited, Abbott Informatics France, Abbott Informatics Germany GmbH, Abbott Informatics Netherlands B.V., Abbott Informatics Singapore Pte. Limited, Abbott Informatics Spain S.A., Abbott Informatics Technologies Ltd, Abbott International Corporation, Abbott International Enterprises Ltd., Abbott International Holdings Limited, Abbott International LLC, Abbott International Luxembourg S.ar.l., Abbott Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Ireland, Abbott Ireland Financing Designated Activity Company, Abbott Ireland Limited, Abbott Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Abbott Knoll Investments B.V., Abbott Korea Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Bangladesh) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco (Dos) SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Laboratories (Mozambique) Limitada, Abbott Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Philippines), Abbott Laboratories (Puerto Rico) Incorporated, Abbott Laboratories (Singapore) Private Limited, Abbott Laboratories A/S, Abbott Laboratories Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Abbott Laboratories B.V., Abbott Laboratories C.A., Abbott Laboratories Finance B.V., Abbott Laboratories GmbH, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Abbott Laboratories International LLC, Abbott Laboratories Ireland Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited - Laboratoires Abbott Limitee, Abbott Laboratories NZ Limited, Abbott Laboratories Pacific Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Laboratories Products B.V., Abbott Laboratories Residential Development Fund Inc., Abbott Laboratories S.A., Abbott Laboratories SA, Abbott Laboratories Services Corp., Abbott Laboratories Slovakia s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trustee Company Limited, Abbott Laboratories Uruguay S.A., Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises, Abbott Laboratories d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories de Chile Limitada, Abbott Laboratories de Colombia S.A., Abbott Laboratories de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Abbott Laboratories druzba za farmacijo in diagnostiko d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories(Hellas) Societe Anonyme, Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios del Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Abbott Laboratuarlari Ithalat Ihracat ve Ticaret Ltd.Sti, Abbott Laboratorios Lda, Abbott Laboratorios do Brasil Ltda., Abbott Limited Egypt LLC, Abbott Logistics B.V., Abbott Management GmbH, Abbott Management LLC, Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Private Limited, Abbott Mature Products International Unlimited Company, Abbott Mature Products Management Limited, Abbott Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Abbott Medical (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Medical (Portugal) Distribuicao de Produtos Medicos Lda, Abbott Medical (Schweiz) AG, Abbott Medical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Australia Pty. Ltd., Abbott Medical Austria Ges.m.b.H., Abbott Medical Balkan d.o.o. Beograd (Novi Beograd), Abbott Medical Belgium, Abbott Medical Canada Inc./ Medicale Abbott Canada Inc., Abbott Medical Danmark A/S, Abbott Medical Devices Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Espana S.A., Abbott Medical Estonia OU, Abbott Medical Finland Oy, Abbott Medical France SAS, Abbott Medical GmbH, Abbott Medical Hellas Limited Liability Trading Company, Abbott Medical Ireland Limited, Abbott Medical Italia S.p.A., Abbott Medical Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Korea Limited, Abbott Medical Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Medical Laboratories LTD, Abbott Medical Nederland B.V., Abbott Medical New Zealand Limited, Abbott Medical Norway AS, Abbott Medical Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Medical Sweden AB, Abbott Medical Taiwan Co., Abbott Medical U.K. Limited, Abbott Medical spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Middle East S.A.R.L., Abbott Molecular Inc., Abbott Morocco SARL, Abbott Nederland C.V., Abbott Nederland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Netherlands Investments B.V., Abbott Norge AS, Abbott Nutrition Limited, Abbott Nutrition Manufacturing Inc., Abbott Operations Singapore Pte. Ltd., Abbott Operations Uruguay S.R.L., Abbott Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Overseas Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Overseas S.A., Abbott Oy, Abbott Point of Care Canada Limited, Abbott Point of Care Inc., Abbott Poland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Procurement LLC, Abbott Products (Philippines) Inc., Abbott Products (Spain) S.L., Abbott Products Algerie EURL, Abbott Products B.V., Abbott Products Distribution SAS, Abbott Products Egypt LLC, Abbott Products Limited, Abbott Products Limited Liability Company, Abbott Products Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Products Operations AG, Abbott Products Operations LLC, Abbott Products Romania S.R.L., Abbott Products Tunisie S.A.R.L., Abbott Products Unlimited Company, Abbott Resources Inc., Abbott Resources International Inc., Abbott S.r.l., Abbott Saudi Arabia Trading Company, Abbott Scandinavia Aktiebolag, Abbott Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Abbott South Africa Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Strategic Opportunities Limited, Abbott Trading Company Inc., Abbott Universal LLC, Abbott Vascular Devices (2) Limited, Abbott Vascular Devices Limited, Abbott Vascular Inc., Abbott Vascular Instruments Deutschland GmbH, Abbott Vascular International, Abbott Vascular Japan Co. Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc.,      ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics.
Alexco Resource Corp. engages in the mineral exploration, and mine development and operational activities primarily in Yukon Territory, Canada. The company explores for silver, lead, and zinc deposits. It owns interests in the Keno Hill Silver District project that comprises the Flame & Moth, Bermingham, Lucky Queen, Bellekeno, and Onek deposits, as well as 725 surveyed quartz mining leases, 866 unsurveyed quartz mining claims, 8 placer claims, and 2 crown grants covering an area of 233 square kilometers located in Yukon Territory. The company also provides mine and industrial site related environmental services, including management of the regulatory and environmental permitting process, environmental assessments, and reclamation and closure planning in Canada, the United States, and internationally. Alexco Resource Corp. was incorporated in 2004 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

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The following companies are subsidiares of American International Group: AGC Life Insurance Company, AIG APAC HOLDINGS PTE. LTD., AIG Advisors S.r.l., AIG Aerospace Insurance Services Inc., AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd., AIG Asset Management (Europe) Limited, AIG Asset Management (U.S.) LLC, AIG Assurance Company, AIG Australia Limited, AIG Brazil Holding I LLC, AIG CIS Investments LLC, AIG Canada Holdings Inc., AIG Capital Corporation, AIG Capital Services Inc., AIG Claims Inc., AIG Egypt Insurance Company S.A.E., AIG Employee Services Inc., AIG Europe (Services) Limited, AIG Europe Holdings S.a.rl., AIG Europe S.A., AIG Federal Savings Bank, AIG Financial Products Corp., AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd., AIG Global Asset Management Holdings Corp., AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp., AIG Global Reinsurance Operations, AIG Holdings Europe Limited, AIG Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, AIG Insurance Company China Limited, AIG Insurance Company JSC, AIG Insurance Company of Canada, AIG Insurance Company-Puerto Rico, AIG Insurance Hong Kong Limited, AIG Insurance Limited, AIG Insurance Management Services Inc., AIG Insurance New Zealand Limited, AIG International Holdings GmbH, AIG Investments UK Limited, AIG Israel Insurance Company Ltd, AIG Japan Holdings Kabushiki Kaisha, AIG Kenya Insurance Company Limited, AIG Korea Inc., AIG Latin America I.I., AIG Latin America Investments S.L., AIG Lebanon SAL, AIG Life Holdings Inc., AIG Life Insurance Company (Switzerland) Ltd, AIG Life Limited, AIG Life South Africa Limited, AIG Life of Bermuda Ltd., AIG MEA Holdings Limited, AIG MEA Limited, AIG Malaysia Insurance Berhad, AIG Markets Inc., AIG Matched Funding Corp., AIG PC Global Services Inc., AIG Philippines Insurance Inc., AIG Property Casualty Company, AIG Property Casualty Inc., AIG Property Casualty International LLC, AIG Property Casualty U.S. Inc., AIG Re-Takaful (L) Berhad, AIG Resseguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Mexico S.A. de C.V., AIG Shared Services Corporation, AIG South Africa Limited, AIG Specialty Insurance Company, AIG Technologies Inc., AIG Travel Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., AIG Travel Assist Inc., AIG Travel Assist Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., AIG Travel EMEA Limited, AIG Travel Inc., AIG Uganda Limited, AIG Vietnam Insurance Company Limited, AIG WarrantyGuard Inc., AIG-FP Pinestead Holdings Corp., AIG-Metropolitana Cia. de Seguros y Reaseguros S.A., AIGGRE EOLA LLC, AIGGRE Europe Real Estate Fund I GP S.a r.l., AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I GP LLC, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I LP, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund II GP LLC, AIU Insurance Company, AM Holdings LLC, Ageas Protect, AlphaCat Managers Ltd., American General Corporation, American General Life Insurance Company, American Home Assurance Co. Ltd., American Home Assurance Company, American Home Assurance Company Escritorio de Representacao no Brasil Ltda., American International Group Inc., American International Group UK Limited, American International Overseas Association, American International Overseas Limited, American International Realty Corp., American International Reinsurance Company Ltd., American International Underwriters del Ecuador-Holding S.A., American Security Life Insurance Company Limited, Arthur J. Glatfelter Agency Inc., Avondhu Limited, Blackboard Customer Care Insurance Services LLC, Blackboard Insurance Company, Blackboard Services LLC, Blackboard Specialty Insurance Company, Blackboard U.S. Holdings Inc., Chartis Takaful Enaya B.S.C. (c), Commerce and Industry Insurance Company, Crop Risk Services Inc., Eaglestone Reinsurance Company, Ellipse, Fortitude Group Holdings LLC, Fortitude Life & Annuity Solutions Inc., Fortitude Reinsurance Company Ltd., Franklin Life Insurance Company, Fuji Fire and Marine, Glatfelter Insurance Group, Globe and Rutgers Insurance Group, Grand Isle SAC Limited, Granite State Insurance Company, Group Risk Services Limited, Group Risk Technologies Limited, Illinois National Insurance Co., Jefferson Eola Venture LLC, Johannesburg Insurance Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, Laya Healthcare Limited, Lexington Insurance Company, MG Reinsurance Limited, Mt. Mansfield Company Inc., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh Pa., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Vermont, New Hampshire Insurance Company, PT AIG Insurance Indonesia, Pine Street Real Estate Holdings Corp., Private Joint-Stock Company AIG Ukraine Insurance Company, Risk Specialists Companies Insurance Agency Inc., SA Affordable Housing LLC, SAFG Retirement Services Inc., Service Net Warranty LLC, Stratford Insurance Company, SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners Inc., SunAmerica Asset Management LLC, Talbot Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Ltd., Thai CIT Holding Company Limited, The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York, The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company, Travel Guard, Travel Guard Group Canada Inc./Groupe Garde Voyage du Canada Inc., Travel Guard Group Inc., Tudor Insurance Company, VALIC Financial Advisors Inc., Valic Retirement Services Company, Validus Holdings, Validus Holdings (UK) Ltd., Validus Holdings Ltd., Validus Reinsurance (Switzerland) Ltd, Validus Reinsurance Ltd., Validus Ventures Ltd., Volunteer Firemen's Insurance Services Inc., Western World Insurance Company, and Western World Insurance Group Inc..
The following companies are subsidiares of Amphenol: ARCAS Automotive Group (Luxco 1) S.a.r.l., AUXEL FTG, AUXEL FTG India Pvt Ltd., AUXEL FTG Shanghai Co., AUXEL S.A.S., Air LB International Development S.A., All Systems Broadband, Amphenol (Changzhou) Advanced Connector Co., Amphenol (Changzhou) Connector Systems Co., Amphenol (Changzhou) Electronics Co., Amphenol (Maryland), Amphenol (Ningde) Electronics Co., Amphenol (Qujing) Technology Co., Amphenol (Tianjin) Electronics Co., Amphenol (Xiamen) High Speed Cable Co., Amphenol Adronics, Amphenol Advanced Sensors Germany GmbH, Amphenol Advanced Sensors Puerto Rico, Amphenol Air LB GmbH, Amphenol Air LB North America Inc., Amphenol Air LB SAS, Amphenol Alden Products Company, Amphenol Alden Products Mexico, Amphenol Antenna Solutions, Amphenol Assemble Tech (Xiamen) Co., Amphenol Australia Pty Ltd, Amphenol Automotive Connection Systems (Changzhou) Co., Amphenol Bar-Tec, Amphenol Benelux B.V., Amphenol Borisch Technologies, Amphenol CNT (Xian) Technology Co. Ltd., Amphenol Cables On Demand Corp., Amphenol Canada Acquisition Corporation, Amphenol Canada Corp., Amphenol Comercial, Amphenol Commercial Interconnect Korea Co., Amphenol Commercial Products (Chengdu) Co. Ltd., Amphenol Commercial and Industrial UK, Amphenol ConneXus AB, Amphenol ConneXus Ou, Amphenol Custom Cable, Amphenol DC Electronics, Amphenol Daeshin Electronics and Precision Co., Amphenol EEC, Amphenol East Asia Electronic Technology (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Amphenol East Asia Limited, Amphenol FCI, Amphenol FCI Asia Pte. Ltd., Amphenol FCI Connectors Singapore Pte. Ltd., Amphenol Fiber Optic Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Amphenol Finland Oy, Amphenol France Acquisition SAS, Amphenol France SAS, Amphenol Germany GmbH, Amphenol Gesellschaft m.b.H., Amphenol Goldstar Electronic Systems (Baicheng) Co. Ltd., Amphenol Goldstar Electronic Systems (Yulin) Co. Ltd., Amphenol Holding UK, Amphenol Intercon Systems, Amphenol Interconnect India Private Limited, Amphenol Interconnect Products Corporation, Amphenol Interconnect South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Amphenol International Ltd., Amphenol Invotec Limited, Amphenol Italia S.r.l., Amphenol JET (Haiyan) Interconnect Technology Co., Amphenol Japan Ltd., Amphenol Kai-Jack (Shenzhen) Inc., Amphenol LTW Technology Co., Amphenol Limited, Amphenol MCP Korea Limited, Amphenol Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Amphenol Middle East Enterprises FZE, Amphenol Nelson Dunn Technologies, Amphenol Netherlands Holdings 1 B.V., Amphenol Netherlands Holdings 2 B.V., Amphenol Omniconnect India Private Limited, Amphenol Optimize Manufacturing Co., Amphenol Optimize Mexico S.A. de C.V., Amphenol PCD, Amphenol PCD (Shenzhen) Co., Amphenol Phitek Limited, Amphenol Printed Circuits, Amphenol Provens SAS, Amphenol RF Asia Limited, Amphenol Sensing Korea Company Limited, Amphenol Shouh Min Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Amphenol Singapore Pte. Ltd., Amphenol Socapex SAS, Amphenol Sunpool (Liaoning) Automotive Electronics Co., Amphenol T&M Antennas, Amphenol TCS (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Amphenol TCS Ireland Limited, Amphenol TCS de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Amphenol TFC Fios E Cabos do Brasil Ltda., Amphenol TFC MDE Participacoes Ltda., Amphenol TFC do Brasil Ltda., Amphenol Taiwan Corporation, Amphenol Technical Products International Co., Amphenol Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Amphenol Technology (Zhuhai) Co., Amphenol Technology Macedonia Dooel Kocani, Amphenol Tecvox LLC, Amphenol Tel-Ad Ltd., Amphenol Thermometrics, Amphenol Thermometrics (UK) Limited, Amphenol Times Microwave Electronics (Shanghai) Limited, Amphenol Tuchel Electronics GmbH, Amphenol Tuchel Industrial GmbH, Amphenol Tunisia LLC, Amphenol USHoldco Inc., Amphenol-Borg Limited, Amphenol-Borg Pension Trustees Limited, Amphenol-TFC (Changzhou) Communication Equipment Co., Anytek Electronic Technology (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd, Anytek International (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Anytek International Co. Ltd., Anytek Technology Corporation Ltd, Asia Connector Services, Berg UK Ltd., Blueline Product Limited, C&S Antennas, C&S Antennas Limited, CSA Limited, Casco Automotive (Suzhou) Co., Casco Automotive Group, Casco Automotive Singapore Pte., Casco Automotive Tunisia S.a.r.l., Casco Holdings Co. Limited, Casco Holdings GmbH, Casco Imos Italia S.r.l., Casco Logistics GmbH, Casco Products Corporation, Casco Schoeller GmbH, Casco do Brasil Ltda., Cemm Thome Corporation, Cemm Thome SK, Cemm-Mex, Changzhou Amphenol Fuyang Communication Equipment Co., ContactServe (Proprietary) Limited, East Asia Connector Services, Edwin Deutgen Kunstofftechnik GmbH, Ehrlich Werkzeug & Geratebau GmbH, FCI Besancon SA, FCI Connectors (Shanghai) Ltd., FCI Connectors Canada, FCI Connectors Dongguan Ltd, FCI Connectors Hong Kong Limited, FCI Connectors Italia S.r.l., FCI Connectors Korea Ltd., FCI Connectors Malaysia Sdn Bhd, FCI Connectors Sweden A.B., FCI Connectors UK Ltd., FCI Deutschland GmbH, FCI Electronics Hungary Kft, FCI GBS India Private Limited, FCI Japan K.K., FCI Nantong Ltd, FCI OEN Connectors Limited, FCI PRC Limited, FCI Taiwan Limited, FCI USA LLC, FCIs-Hertogenbosch B.V., FEP Fahrzeugelektrik Pirna, FEP Fahrzeugelektrik Pirna GmbH & Co. KG, FEP Fahrzeugelektrik Pirna Verwaltungs GmbH, Fiber Systems International, Filec Production SAS, Filec SAS, Friedrich Gohringer Elektrotechnik GmbH, GE - Advanced Sensors Business, Guangzhou Amphenol Electronics Co., Guangzhou Amphenol Sincere Flex Circuits Co., Guangzhou FEP Automotive Electric Co., Hangzhou Amphenol JET Interconnect Technology Co., Hangzhou Amphenol Phoenix Telecom Parts Co., Holland Electronics, Intelligente Sensorsysteme Dresden GmbH, Invotec Circuits Holdings Limited, Invotec Circuits Limited, Invotec Group Limited, Invotec Holdings Limited, Ionix Aerospace Limited, Ionix Holdings Limited, Ionix Systems Limited, Ionix Systems Ou, Jaybeam Limited, Jaybeam Wireless SAS, KE Elektronik GmbH, KE Ostrov  Elektrik, KE Presov Elektrik, Konnektech, Kunshan Amphenol Zhengri Electronics Co., LPL Technologies Holding GmbH, LTW Technology (Samoa) Co., LTW Top Tech (Samoa) Co., Lectric SARL, Martec Limited, Mocorp Holding A/S, Nantong Docharm Amphenol Electronics Co., PROCOM, PT Casco SEA, PerLoga Personal und Logistik GmbH, Piezotech, Piher Sensors & Controls S.A., Piher Sensors And Controls, Precision Cable Manufacturing Corp. de Mexico, Procom A/S, Procom Antennas AB, Procom France SARL, Pyle-National Ltd., RSI International Limited, S.C.I. Palin, SEFEE SA, SGX Europe SP. z.o.o., SGX Sensortech (IS) Limited, SGX Sensortech China Holdco Limited, SGX Sensortech China Limited, SGX Sensortech GmbH, SGX Sensortech SA, SSI Control Technologies, STEMFI SA, SV Microwave, Shanghai Amphenol Airwave Communication Electronics Co., Shanghai Amphenol Electronics Technology Co., Shanghai Tecvox Trading Co., Shenyang Amphenol Sunpool Automotive Electronics Co., Sine Systems Corporation, Skymasts Antennas Ltd., Societe dEtudes et de Fabrications Electroniques et Electriques, Spectra Strip Limited, TCS Japan K.K., TFC South America S.A., Tecvox Europe S.r.l., Telect, Telect Mfg., Telect de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Teradyne Connection Systems, Thermometrics Mexico, Tianjin Amphenol KAE Co., Times Fiber Canada Limited, Times Fiber Communications, Times Microwave Systems, Times Wire and Cable Company, U-Jin Cable Industrial Co., Zhongshan Feisaide Electromechanical Co., and i2s-sensors.
Nelnet, Inc. engages in the provision of education-related products and services, as well as loan asset management. It operates through the business following segments: Loan Systems & Servicing, Education Technology, Services and Payment Processing, Communications, and Asset Generation and Management. The System & Servicing segment specializes in student loan portfolio and the portfolios of third parties such as loan conversion activities, application processing, borrower updates, customer service, payment processing, due diligence procedures, funds management reconciliations, and claim processing. The Education Technology, Services and Payment Processing segment provides products and services to help students and families manage the payment of education costs at all levels, as well as school information system software for private and faith-based schools that help schools automate administrative processes such as admissions, scheduling, student billing, attendance, and grade book management. The Communications segment is the operation of Allo Communications LLC which provides pure optic service to homes and businesses for internet, broadband, television, and telephone services. Th

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Baker Hughes, a GE company provides integrated oilfield products, services, and digital solutions worldwide. Its Oilfield Services segment offers drilling, wireline, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention services; and drilling and completions fluids, completions tools and systems, wellbore intervention tools and services, artificial lift systems, pressure pumping systems, and oilfield and industrial chemicals for integrated oil and natural gas, and oilfield service companies. The company's Oilfield Equipment segment designs and manufactures products and services, including pressure control equipment and services, subsea production systems and services, drilling equipment, and flexible pipeline systems; and onshore and offshore drilling and production systems, and equipment for floating production platforms, as well as provides a range of services related to onshore and offshore drilling activities. Its Turbomachinery & Process Solutions segment provides equipment and related services for mechanical-drive, compression, and power-generation applications across the oil and gas industry, as well as products and services to serve the downstream segments of industry. Its product portfolio includes drivers, compressors, and turnkey solutions; and pumps, valves, and compressed natural gas and small-scale liquefied natural gas solutions. This segment serves upstream, midstream, onshore and offshore, industrial, engineering, procurement, and construction companies. The company's Digital Solutions segment provides sensor-based measurement, non-destructive testing and inspection, turbine, generator and plant controls, and condition monitoring, as well as pipeline integrity solutions for a range of industries, including oil and gas, power generation, aerospace, metals, and transportation. It serves through direct and indirect channels. The company is based in Houston, Texas. Baker Hughes, a GE company is a subsidiary of General Electric Company.

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Boyd Group Income Fund operates as an unincorporated open-ended mutual fund trust. The company, through its operating company, The Boyd Group Inc., operates non-franchised collision repair centers. Its collision repair centers offer automotive collision and glass repair, and related services. The company operates its autobody/autoglass repair and related services facilities, as well as auto glass retail facilities under the Boyd Autobody & Glass, Assured Automotive, Gerber Collision & Glass, Glass America, Auto Glass Service, Auto Glass Authority, and Autoglassonly.com trade names in the United States and Canada. Further, it provides Gerber National Claim Services, a claim administrator service, which offer glass, emergency roadside, and first notice of loss services with approximately 5,500 glass provider locations and 4,600 emergency roadside services providers. The company is headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada.

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Zayo Group Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides bandwidth infrastructure solutions for the communications industry in the United States, Canada, and Europe. The company operates in six segments: Fiber Solutions, Transport, Enterprise Networks, Zayo Colocation (zColo), Allstream, and Other. The Fiber Solutions segment provides dark fiber, and fiber-to-the-tower and small cell mobile infrastructure services for carriers and other communication service providers, Internet service providers, wireless service providers, media and content companies, large enterprises, and other companies. The Transport segment offers lit bandwidth infrastructure solutions comprising wavelength, Ethernet, wholesale IP services, and SONET services through its metro, regional, and long-haul fiber networks for carriers, content providers, financial services companies, healthcare, government entities, education institutions, and other medium and large enterprises. The Enterprise Networks segment provides connectivity and telecommunications solutions comprising Internet, wide area networking products, managed products, and cloud based computing and storage offerings to medium and large enterprises. The Zayo Colocation (zColo) segment offers data center infrastructure solutions consisting of colocation space, and power and interconnection services to a range of enterprise, carrier, cloud, and content customers. The Allstream segment provides cloud VoIP and data solutions, such as voice offerings; and unified communications, as well as telecommunications services, including Ethernet, and IP/MPLS VPN solutions. The Other segment provides network and technical resources to customers in designing, acquiring, and maintaining their networks. Zayo Group Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.

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Caltex Australia Limited engages in purchasing, refining, distributing, selling, and suppling petroleum products in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It operates through Convenience Retail, and Fuels and Infrastructure segments. The Convenience Retail segment sells fuels through a Caltex network of stores. The Fuels and Infrastructure segment wholesales fuels and lubricants; and manufactures fuels, including LPG, petrol, diesel, and jet fuels. This segment distributes its products through pipelines, terminals, depots, and owned and contracted transportation fleet. Caltex Australia Limited was founded in 1900 and is headquartered in Sydney, Australia.

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Cargojet Inc. provides time sensitive overnight air cargo services in Canada. Its air cargo business activities include operation of domestic overnight air cargo services between fourteen cities in North America; and provision of dedicated aircraft to customers on an aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance (ACMI) basis operating between points in Canada, North and South America, and Europe. The company also operates scheduled international routes for various cargo customers between the United States and Bermuda; and between Canada and Germany. In addition, it offers specialty charter services for livestock shipments, military equipment movements, emergency relief supplies, and virtually large shipments across North America, Mexico, South America, the Caribbean, and Europe. Further, the company is involved in the crew planning, crew training, ground handling, and commercial airline cargo management businesses. As of February 10, 2021, it operated a fleet of 27 aircraft. The company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Mississauga, Canada. Cargojet Inc. is a subsidiary of Flagship International Marketing Limited.

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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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There is not enough analysis data for Connemara Mining.

1.5 Community Rank

Outperform Votes Connemara Mining has received 13 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.)

Underperform Votes Connemara Mining has received 46 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.)

Community Sentiment Connemara Mining has received 77.97% underperform votes from our community.

MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Connemara Mining and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe CON will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe CON will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

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Continental Building Products Inc (NYSE:CBPX) announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November, 12th. The construction company reported $0.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.38 by $0.01. The construction company earned $127.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $127.16 million. Continental Building Products had a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 18.84% and a net margin of 12.12%. The company's quarterly revenue was down 2.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.51 EPS.

View Continental Building Products' earnings history.
Deutsche BArse AG operates as an exchange organization in Europe, the United States, and the Asia-Pacific. The company operates through seven segments: Eurex (Financial Derivatives), EEX (Commodities), 360T (Foreign Exchange), Xetra (Cash Equities), Clearstream (Post-Trading), IFS (Investment Fund Services), and Qontigo (index and analytics business). The company engages in the electronic trading of derivatives, electricity and gas products, emission rights, and foreign exchange; operating of Eurex Repo over the counter (OTC) trading platform and electronic clearing architecture; and operating as a central counterparty for on-and-off exchange derivatives, repo transactions, and OTC and exchange-traded derivatives. It also operates in the cash market through Xetra, BArse Frankfurt, and Tradegate trading venues; operates as a central counterparty for equities and bonds; and provides listing services. In addition, the company offers custody and settlement services for securities; investment fund services; global securities financing services; and global securities finance and collateral management, as well as secured money, market transaction, and repos and securities lending transaction services. Further, it develops and markets indices, as well as portfolio management and risk analysis software; markets licenses for trading and market signals; provides technology and reporting solutions for external customers; and offers link-up of trading participants. Deutsche BArse AG was founded in 1585 and is headquartered in Eschborn, Germany.

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Suburban Propane Partners LP engages in the business of liquefied petroleum gas business. It operates through the following business segments: Propane; Fuel Oil and Refined Fuels; Natural Gas and Electricity; and All Other. The Propane segment engages in natural gas processing and petroleum refining. It also used in residential and commercial applications, industrial applications and agriculture. The Fuel Oil and Refined Fuels segment refers to the marketing and distribution of fuel oil, kerosene, diesel fuel and gasoline primarily to the northeast region of the United States. The Natural Gas and Electricity segment pertains to the generation, transmission, and distribution of natural gas and electricity among residential and small commercial customers. The All Other segment include the sale, installation and service of whole-house heating products, air cleaners, humidifiers, and space heaters to the customer who uses propane, fuel oil, natural gas and electricity businesses. The company was founded by Mark Anton in 1928 and is headquartered in Whippany, NJ.

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There is not enough analysis data for Pacific Health Care Organization.

4.5 Community Rank

Outperform Votes Pacific Health Care Organization has received 101 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.)

Underperform Votes Pacific Health Care Organization has received 49 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.)

Community Sentiment Pacific Health Care Organization has received 67.33% outperform votes from our community.

MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Pacific Health Care Organization and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe PFHO will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe PFHO will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

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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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GTT Communications, Inc. provides cloud networking services to multinational enterprises, carriers, and government customers in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers wide area networking, such as software-defined wide area networking, multiprotocol label switching, and virtual private LAN service; high bandwidth-Internet connectivity and IP transit, as well as broadband and wireless Internet access services; managed equipment and security services; and unified communication services consisting of session initiation protocol trunking, cloud unified communication service, and traditional analog voice. It also provides transport services, such as Ethernet services that enable to design network equipment; and video transport services to support broadcast quality transmission of live events, sports entertainment, and news to media and entertainment industry. In addition, the company offers infrastructure services enabling transport of high volume data between data centers, enterprise office locations, and media hubs; wavelength services to deliver scalable high-performance optical connectivity; colocation, turnkey, duct, and dark fiber services; advanced solutions, including security, hybrid cloud, database, and application management Its IP network consists of approximately 600 points of presence. GTT Communications, Inc. markets its products and services through a network of direct sales force and indirect sales channels. The company was formerly known as Global Telecom & Technology, Inc. and changed its name to GTT Communications, Inc. in January 2014. GTT Communications, Inc. was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in McLean, Virginia.

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DowDuPont Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in agriculture, materials science, and specialty products businesses in the United States, Canada, the Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The company's Agriculture segment produces, and sells hybrid corn seed and soybean seed varieties; sunflowers, wheat, alfalfa, canola, cotton, rice, and sorghum; silage inoculants; and crop protection products that include weed control, disease control, and insect control. Its Performance Materials & Coatings segment manufactures and sells architectural paints and coatings, and industrial coatings; performance monomers and silicones; standalone silicones; and home and personal care solutions. The company's Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure segment offers ethylene oxides, propylene oxide derivatives, cellulose ethers, redispersible latex powders, and acrylic emulsions; sustainable solutions; and chlorine and caustic soda. Its Packaging & Specialty Plastics segment provides ethylene, and propylene and aromatic products; and polyolefin elastomers and ethylene propylene diene monomer rubbers. The company's Electronics & Imaging segment offers materials and systems for mobile devices, television monitors, personal computers, and electronics. Its Nutrition & Biosciences segment provides specialty ingredients, as well as cellulosic- and alginates-based pharma excipients; and enzymes, biomaterials, biocides, and antimicrobial solutions and process technologies. The company's Transportation & Advanced Polymers segment offers engineering resins, adhesives, lubricants, and parts for transportation, electronics, healthcare, industrial, and consumer end-markets. Its Safety & Construction segment provides engineered products and integrated systems for construction, worker safety, energy, oil and gas, transportation, medical device, and water purification and separation industries. The company was founded in 1897 and is headquartered in Midland, Michigan.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 211 E. Russell Road LLC, Air-Relief, Belliss & Morcom Brasil, Belliss and Morcom, Boardwalk Enterprises, Charm Merger Sub Inc., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Canada, CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir Holman Ltd, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., CompAir UK Ltd, CompAir USA, Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Emco Wheaton, Emco Wheaton GmbH Branch, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton UK, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Propriety Limited (South Africa), GD Aria Holdings #2 Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First UK Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings, GD Global Holdings II, GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SA, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Services Ltd, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Hoffman, Gardner Denver Holdings, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica, Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd. Branch, Gardner Denver International, Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Intl Ltd Middle East Regional Rep Office, Gardner Denver Investments, Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan, Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd South Africa, Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd. Branch (Ireland), Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co, Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oberdorfer Pumps, Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Petroleum Pumps, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia, Gardner Denver SudAmerica S.r.l., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas, Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH, Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver UK, Gardner Denver Water Jetting Systems, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, Indonesia Foreign Trade Representative Office, LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MP Pumps Inc., Mako Compressors, Nash, Nash Elmo, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Robuschi, Rotary Compression Technologies, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Syltone, TCM Investments, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, TODO AB, Tamrotor Marine Compressors AS, Thomas Industries, Thomas Industries Inc., Tri-Continent Scientific, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, and Zinsser NA.
There is not enough analysis data for Healthier Choices Management.

4.9 Community Rank

Outperform Votes Healthier Choices Management has received 82 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.)

Underperform Votes Healthier Choices Management has received 30 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.)

Community Sentiment Healthier Choices Management has received 73.21% outperform votes from our community.

MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Healthier Choices Management and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe HCMC will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe HCMC will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

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Infineon Technologies AG designs, develops, manufactures, and markets semiconductors and related system solutions worldwide. Its Automotive segment offers automotive microcontrollers; 3D ToF, magnetic, and pressure sensors; discrete power semiconductors; IGBT modules; industrial microcontrollers; power and radar sensor integrated circuits (ICs); transceivers; silicon carbide diodes, MOSEFTs, and modules; and voltage regulators for use in assistance and safety systems, comfort electronics, infotainment, powertrain, and security products. The company's Industrial Power Control segment provides bare dies, discrete IGBTs, driver ICs, SIC diodes, and IGBT modules and stacks for home appliances, industrial drives, industrial power supplies, industrial robotics, industrial vehicles, and traction, as well as for energy generation, storage, and transmission. Its Power & Sensor Systems segment offers gas sensors, MEMS microphones, and pressure sensors chips; discrete low-voltage, mid-voltage, and high-voltage power MOSFETs; control ICs; customized chips; GaN power switches; GPS low-noise amplifiers; low-voltage and high-voltage driver ICs; radar sensor ICs; RF antenna switches and power transistors; transient voltage suppressor diodes; and USB controllers for use in audio amplifiers, automotive electronics, BLDC motors, cellular communications infrastructure, electric vehicle charging stations, human machine interaction, high-reliability components, Internet of Things, LED and conventional lighting systems, mobile devices, and power management applications. The company's Connected Secure Systems segment provides connectivity solutions, embedded security controllers, microcontrollers, and security controllers for authentication, automotive, consumer electronics, government identification document, Internet of Things, mobile communication, payment system, ticketing, access control, and trusted computing applications. Infineon Technologies AG is headquartered in Munich, Germany.

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 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research.
Horizonte Minerals Plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the identification, acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral projects in Brazil. The company primarily explores for nickel deposits, as well as cobalt deposits. It holds 100% interest in the Araguaia ferronickel project and the Vermelho Nickel-Cobalt project located in the south of the CarajAs mineral district in northern Brazil. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

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iShares Gold Trust's stock reverse split before market open on Monday, May 24th 2021. The 1-2 reverse split was announced on Wednesday, March 3rd 2021. The number of shares owned by shareholders was adjusted after the market closes on Friday, May 21st 2021. An investor that had 100 shares of iShares Gold Trust stock prior to the reverse split would have 50 shares after the split.
Jiangsu Expressway Company Limited invests in, constructs, operates, and manages toll roads and bridges in the People's Republic of China. The company operates the Jiangsu section of Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway, Ningchang Expressway, Zhenli Expressway, Guangjing Expressway, Xicheng Expressway, Xiyi Expressway, Zhendan Expressway, Jiangyin Bridge, Sujiahang Expressway, and other toll roads in Jiangsu Province, the People's Republic of China. As of December 31, 2020, it operated 17 road and bridge projects; and owned approximately 850 kilometers of roads and bridges. The company also offers passenger transportation; and engages in the development and operation of ancillary services along the toll roads and bridges, including refueling, catering, petrol, food, retail, advertising, etc. In addition, it engages in real estate development activities. The company was incorporated in 1992 and is headquartered in Nanjing, China. Jiangsu Expressway Company Limited is a subsidiary of Jiangsu Communications Holding Company Limited.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Lloyds Banking Group: A G Finance Ltd, A.C.L. Ltd, ACL Autolease Holdings Ltd, ADF No.1 Pty Ltd, Addison Social Housing Holdings Ltd, Alex Lawrie Factors Ltd, Alex. Lawrie Receivables Financing Ltd, Amberdate Ltd, Anglo Scottish Utilities Partnership 1, Aquilus Ltd, Automobile Association Personal Finance Ltd, BOS (Ireland) Property Services 2 Ltd, BOS (Ireland) Property Services Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland) No. 2) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland) No. 3) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland)) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 1 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 2 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 3 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 4 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 5 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 6 plc, BOS (USA) Fund Investments Inc., BOS (USA) Inc., BOS Edinburgh No 1 Ltd, BOS Mistral Ltd, BOS Personal Lending Ltd, BOSSAF Rail Ltd, Bank of Scotland (B G S) Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland (Stanlife) London Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Branch Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Central Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Edinburgh Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Equipment Finance Ltd, Bank of Scotland Foundation, Bank of Scotland LNG Leasing (No 1) Ltd, Bank of Scotland London Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Nominees (Unit Trusts) Ltd, Bank of Scotland P.E.P. Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Structured Asset Finance Ltd, Bank of Scotland Transport Finance 1 Ltd, Bank of Scotland plc, Bank of Wales Ltd, Barents Leasing Ltd, Barnwood Mortgages Ltd, Birchcrown Finance Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Financial Services Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Land Development Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Mortgage Services Ltd, Black Horse (TRF) Ltd, Black Horse Executive Mortgages Ltd, Black Horse Finance Holdings Ltd, Black Horse Finance Management Ltd, Black Horse Group Ltd, Black Horse Ltd, Black Horse Offshore Ltd, Black Horse Property Services Ltd, Boltro Nominees Ltd, British Linen Leasing (London) Ltd, British Linen Leasing Ltd, British Linen Shipping Ltd, C.T.S.B. Leasing Ltd, CBRail S.A.R.L., CF Asset Finance Ltd, CF1 Ltd, CM Venture Investments Ltd, Cancara Asset Securitisation Ltd, Capital 1945 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 12 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 3 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 5 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 9 Ltd, Capital Bank Property Investments (3) Ltd, Capital Personal Finance Ltd, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2018-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2019-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Cardnet Merchant Services Ltd, Cashfriday Ltd, Cashpoint Ltd, Caveminster Ltd, Cedar Holdings Ltd, Celsius European Lux 2 S.A.R.L., Central Mortgage Finance Ltd, Chariot Finance Ltd, Cheltenham & Gloucester plc, Cheltenham II Securities 2020 DAC, Cheltenham Securities 2017 Ltd, Chepstow Blue Holdings Ltd, Chepstow Blue plc, Chester Asset Options No.2 Ltd, Chester Asset Options No.3 Ltd, Chester Asset Receivables Dealings Issuer Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings No.2 Ltd, Chiswell Stockbrokers Ltd, Clerical Medical Finance plc, Clerical Medical Financial Services Ltd, Clerical Medical International Holdings B.V., Clerical Medical Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Clerical Medical Managed Funds Ltd, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Spanish Prop Co SL, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Prop Co SA, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Property Company S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Funding S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Investments S.A.R.L., Conquest Securities Ltd, Corbiere Asset Investments Ltd, Create Services Ltd, Credit Card Securitisation Europe Ltd, Dalkeith Corporation, Deva Financing Holdings Ltd, Deva Financing plc, Deva One Ltd, Deva Three Ltd, Deva Two Ltd, Dunstan Investments (UK) Ltd, Edgbaston RMBS 2010-1 plc, Edgbaston RMBS Holdings Ltd, Elland RMBS 2018 plc, Elland RMBS Holdings Ltd, Eurolead Services Holdings Ltd, First Retail Finance (Chester) Ltd, Fontwell Securities 2016 Ltd, Forthright Finance Ltd, France Industrial Premises Holding Company, General Leasing (No. 12) Ltd, General Reversionary and Investment Company, Gresham Nominee 1 Ltd, Gresham Nominee 2 Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 1) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 10) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 11) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 12) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 13) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 14) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 15) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 16) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 19) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 20) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 21) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 22) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 23) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 24) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 25) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 26) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 27) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 28) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 29) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 3) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 30) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 31) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 32) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 33) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 34) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 35) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 36) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 37) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 38) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 39) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 40) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 41) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 44) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 45) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 46) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 47) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 48) UK Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No 3) Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No.11) UK Ltd, HBOS Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS Final Salary Trust Ltd, HBOS Financial Services Ltd, HBOS Insurance & Investment Group Ltd, HBOS International Financial Services Holdings Ltd, HBOS Investment Fund Managers Ltd, HBOS Social Housing Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS UK Ltd, HBOS plc, HSDL Nominees Ltd, HVF Ltd, Halifax Credit Card Ltd, Halifax Financial Brokers Ltd, Halifax Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Halifax Financial Services Ltd, Halifax General Insurance Services Ltd, Halifax Group Ltd, Halifax Investment Services Ltd, Halifax Leasing (June) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (March No.2) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (September) Ltd, Halifax Life Ltd, Halifax Loans Ltd, Halifax Ltd, Halifax Mortgage Services Ltd, Halifax Nominees Ltd, Halifax Pension Nominees Ltd, Halifax Premises Ltd, Halifax Share Dealing Ltd, Halifax Vehicle Leasing (1998) Ltd, Heidi Finance Holdings (UK) Ltd, Hill Samuel Bank Ltd, Hill Samuel Finance Ltd, Hill Samuel Leasing Co. Ltd, Home Shopping Personal Finance Ltd, Horizon Capital 2000 Ltd, Housing Association Risk Transfer 2019 DAC, Housing Growth Partnership GP LLP, Housing Growth Partnership LP, Housing Growth Partnership Ltd, Housing Growth Partnership Manager Ltd, Hyundai Car Finance Ltd, IBOS Finance Ltd, ICC Enterprise Partners Ltd, ICC Equity Partners Ltd, ICC Holdings Unlimited Company, Inchcape Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Software Ltd, International Motors Finance Ltd, Kanaalstraat Funding C.V., Katrine Leasing Ltd, LB Healthcare Trustee Ltd, LB Motorent Ltd, LB Quest Ltd, LB Share Schemes Trustees Ltd, LBCF Ltd, LBG Brasil Administracao LTDA, LBG Capital Holdings Ltd, LBG Equity Investments Ltd, LBI Leasing Ltd, LDC (General Partner) Ltd, LDC (Managers) Ltd, LDC (Nominees) Ltd, LDC GP LLP, LDC I LP, LDC II LP, LDC III LP, LDC IV LP, LDC Parallel (Nominees) Ltd, LDC V LP, LDC VI LP, LDC VII LP, LDC VIII LP, LTGP Limited Partnership Incorporated, Legacy Renewal Company Ltd, Leicester Securities 2014 Ltd, Lex Autolease (CH) Ltd, Lex Autolease (VC) Ltd, Lex Autolease Carselect Ltd, Lex Autolease Ltd, Lex Vehicle Finance 2 Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing (Holdings) Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing Ltd, Lime Street (Funding) Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I Holdings Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I plc, Lloyds (Gresham) Ltd, Lloyds (Gresham) No. 1 Ltd, Lloyds (Nimrod) Specialist Finance Ltd, Lloyds America Securities Corporation1, Lloyds Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Branches) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Colonial & Foreign) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (I.D.) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (International Services) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Stock Exchange Branch) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Asset Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Scotland Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (HP) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.4) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets Wertpapierhandelsbank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (LM) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds LLP, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 7) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 9) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales, Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Holdings Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 11) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 20) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 5) Ltd, Lloyds Bank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Hill Samuel Holding Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank Insurance Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank International Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 6) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 8) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank MTCH Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 10) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 13) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No.16) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Offshore Pension Trust Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 1) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 2) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pensions Property (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Properties Ltd, Lloyds Bank Property Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank S.F. Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Subsidiaries Ltd, Lloyds Bank Trustee Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank plc, Lloyds Banking Group Pensions Trustees Ltd, Lloyds Capital GP Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Properties Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Property Investments Ltd, Lloyds Corporate Services (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Development Capital (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Engine Capital (No.1) U.S LLC, Lloyds Far East S.A.R.L., Lloyds General Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Group Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Hypotheken B.V., Lloyds Industrial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds International Pty Ltd, Lloyds Investment Bonds Ltd, Lloyds Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Lloyds Investment Securities No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Leasing (North Sea Transport) Ltd1, Lloyds Leasing Developments Ltd, Lloyds Nominees (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Offshore Global Services Private Ltd, Lloyds Plant Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Portfolio Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Premises Investments Ltd, Lloyds Project Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 3 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 4 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Secretaries Ltd, Lloyds Securities Inc., Lloyds TSB Pacific Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Rentals Ltd, Lloyds UDT Hiring Ltd, Lloyds UDT Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Ltd, Lloyds Your Tomorrow Trustee Ltd, Loans.co.uk Ltd, London Taxi Finance Ltd, London Uberior (L.A.S. Group) Nominees Ltd, Lotus Finance Ltd, MBNA, MBNA Direct Ltd, MBNA Europe Finance Ltd, MBNA Europe Holdings Ltd, MBNA General Foundation, MBNA Global Services Ltd, MBNA Indian Services Private Ltd, MBNA Ltd, MBNA R & L S.A.R.L., MBNA Receivables Ltd, Mainsearch Company Ltd, Maritime Leasing (No. 19) Ltd, Membership Services Finance Ltd, Mitre Street Funding S.A.R.L., Molineux RMBS 2016-1 plc, Molineux RMBS Holdings Ltd, Moor Lane Holdings Ltd, NFU Mutual Finance Ltd, NWS Trust Ltd, Nominees (Jersey) Ltd, Nordic Leasing Ltd, Ocean Leasing (July) Ltd, Oystercatcher Nominees Ltd, Oystercatcher Residential Ltd, PIPS Asset Investments Ltd, Pacific Leasing Ltd, Penarth Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Penarth Funding 1 Ltd, Penarth Funding 2 Ltd, Penarth Master Issuer plc, Penarth Receivables Trustee Ltd, Pensions Management (S.W.F.) Ltd, Peony Eastern Leasing Ltd, Peony Leasing Ltd, Peony Western Leasing Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 1) Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 2) Ltd, Permanent Holdings Ltd, Permanent Master Issuer plc, Permanent Mortgages Trustee Ltd, Permanent PECOH Holdings Ltd, Permanent PECOH Ltd, Perry Nominees Ltd, Prestonfield Investments Ltd, Proton Finance Ltd, R.F. Spencer And Company Ltd, Ranelagh Nominees Ltd, Retail Revival (Burgess Hill) Investments Ltd, SARL Coliseum, SARL Hiram, SAS Compagnie Fonciere De France, SCI Astoria Invest, SCI De LHorloge, SCI Equinoxe, SCI Rambuteau CFF, SW Funding plc, SW No.1 Ltd, SWAMF (GP) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (1) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (2) Ltd, Saint Michel Holding Company No1, Saint Michel Investment Property, Saint Witz 2 Holding Company No1, Saint Witz 2 Investment Property, Salisbury II Securities 2016 Ltd, Salisbury II-A Securities 2017 Ltd, Salisbury III Securities 2019 DAC, Salisbury Securities 2015 Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 Holdings Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 plc, Sandown Gold 2012-1 Holdings Ltd, Sandown Gold 2012-1 plc, Savban Leasing Ltd, Scotland International Finance B.V., Scottish Widows Administration Services (Nominees) Ltd, Scottish Widows Administration Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Annuities Ltd, Scottish Widows Auto Enrolment Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Europe, Scottish Widows Financial Services Holdings, Scottish Widows Group Ltd, Scottish Widows Industrial Properties Europe B.V., Scottish Widows Ltd, Scottish Widows Pension Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Property Management Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth (ACD) Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Wealth Holdings Ltd, Scottish Widows Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Funds Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Trust Managers Ltd, Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance Society, Seabreeze Leasing Ltd, Seaspirit Leasing Ltd, Share Dealing Nominees Ltd, Shogun Finance Ltd, Silentdale Ltd, St Andrews Group Ltd, St Andrews Insurance plc, St Andrews Life Assurance plc, St. Marys Court Investments, Standard Property Investment (1987) Ltd, Standard Property Investment Ltd, Sussex County Homes Ltd, Suzuki Financial Services Ltd, Swan Funding 2 Ltd, Syon Securities 2019 DAC, The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Plc, The British Linen Company Ltd, The Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland, The Mortgage Business plc, Thistle Financing Holdings Ltd, Thistle Investments (AMC) Ltd, Thistle Investments (ERM) Ltd, Thistle Leasing, Three Copthall Avenue Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (10) Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (7) Ltd, Tranquility Leasing Ltd, Trinity Financing plc, UDT Budget Leasing Ltd, UDT Sales Finance Ltd, Uberior (Moorfield) Ltd, Uberior Co-Investments Ltd, Uberior ENA Ltd, Uberior Equity Ltd, Uberior Europe Ltd, Uberior Fund Investments Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments (No.2) Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments Ltd, Uberior Investments Ltd, Uberior Nominees Ltd, Uberior Trading Ltd, Uberior Trustees Ltd, Uberior Ventures Australia Pty Ltd, Uberior Ventures Ltd, United Dominions Leasing Ltd, United Dominions Trust Ltd, Universe The CMI Global Network Fund, Upsaala Ltd, Vine Street IX LP, WCS Ltd, Ward Nominees (Abingdon) Ltd, Ward Nominees (Birmingham) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees (Bristol) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees Ltd 1, Waverley  Fund II Investor LLC, Waverley  Fund III Investor LLC, Waymark Asset Investments Ltd, West Craigs Ltd, Wetherby II Securities 2018 DAC, Wetherby III Securities 2019 DAC, Wetherby Securities 2017 Ltd, Wood Street Leasing Ltd, and Zurich Insurance Group - UK Workplace Pensions and Savings Business.
The following companies are subsidiares of Pentair: Aplex Industries Inc., Aqua Membranes Inc. , Aquion, Aquion (Xi'an) Water Treatment Equipment Co. Ltd., Aquion Hong Kong Limited, Aquion Inc., Be the Change Labs Inc., Bylin Engineered Systems Inc, Century Mfg. Co., Chansuba Pumps Private Limited , Clean Process Technologies, ClearWater Tech L.L.C., ETE Coliban Pty Limited, Enviro Water Solutions LLC, Epps Ltd., Erico Global, Everpure Japan Kabushiki Kaisha, FARADYNE Motors (Suzhou) Co. Ltd , Faradyne Motors LLC , FilterSoft LLC, Fleck Controls Inc., Goyen Controls Co. Pty. Limited, Goyen Valve LLC, Greenspan Environmental Technology Pty Ltd, Haffmans B.V., Haffmans North America Inc., Hawley Group Canada Limited, Holding Nijhuis Pompen B.V., Hypro EU Limited, Infinite Water Solutions Private Limited, Jung Pumpen GmbH, Ken's Beverage, Lincoln Automotive Company, MECAIR S.r.L., McNeil (Ohio) Corporation, Milperra Developments Pty Limited, Mobile Pool Builder Inc., Moraine Properties LLC, Nano Terra Inc., Nijhuis Pompen B.V., Nuheat, PES Pty Ltd, PFAM Inc., PTG Accessories Corp., Panthro Acquisition Co., Pelican Holding Corporation, Pentair (NZ) Limited, Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems Inc., Pentair Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Pentair Canada Inc., Pentair Clean Process Technologies India Private Limited, Pentair Denmark Holding ApS, Pentair Environmental Systems Limited, Pentair Epsilon Limited, Pentair Federal Pump LLC, Pentair Filtration Sales & Service Company LLC, Pentair Filtration Solutions LLC, Pentair Finance Group GmbH, Pentair Finance Holding GmbH, Pentair Finance S.a.r.l., Pentair Flow Control International Pty Limited, Pentair Flow Services AG, Pentair Flow Technologies LLC, Pentair Flow Technologies Pacific Pty Ltd, Pentair Flow Technologies de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Pentair France SARL, Pentair Germany GmbH, Pentair Global Holdings B.V., Pentair Global S.a.r.l., Pentair Group (Thailand) Limited , Pentair Holdings Inc., Pentair Holdings S.a.r.l., Pentair Housing Inc., Pentair Housing LP, Pentair Inc., Pentair International (UK) Ltd, Pentair International Holding S.a.r.l., Pentair International Sarl, Pentair Investments Switzerland GmbH, Pentair Ireland Limited, Pentair Janus Holding LLC, Pentair Janus Holdings, Pentair Kenya Limited, Pentair Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Pentair Management Company, Pentair Manufacturing Belgium BV, Pentair Manufacturing Italy S.r.L., Pentair Middle East FZE, Pentair Nanosoft US Holdings LLC, Pentair Netherlands Euro Finance B.V., Pentair Netherlands Finance B.V., Pentair Netherlands Holding B.V., Pentair Pacific Rim (Water) Limited, Pentair Pacific Rim Limited, Pentair Philippines Inc., Pentair Residential Filtration LLC, Pentair Sales LLC, Pentair Services France S.A.S., Pentair Sudmo GmbH, Pentair Tamimi LLC, Pentair Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Pentair Transport Inc., Pentair Tubing Limited, Pentair UK Group Limited, Pentair UK Holdings Limited, Pentair US LLC 1, Pentair US LLC 2, Pentair US LP, Pentair Valves & Controls del Uruguay S.A., Pentair Water (Suzhou) Company Ltd., Pentair Water Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Pentair Water Australia Pty Ltd, Pentair Water Belgium BV, Pentair Water Brazil LLC, Pentair Water France SAS, Pentair Water Group Inc., Pentair Water Holdings LLC, Pentair Water India Private Limited, Pentair Water Italy S.r.l., Pentair Water LLC, Pentair Water Latinamerica S.A., Pentair Water Operations Australia Pty Ltd, Pentair Water Polska Sp.zoo, Pentair Water Pool and Spa Inc., Pentair Water Proces Technologie Holding B.V., Pentair Water Process Technology B.V., Pentair Water Purification Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Pentair Water Spain S.L., Pentair Water Treatment (OH) Company, Pentair Water Treatment Company, Pentair Water Treatment Private Limited, Pentair Water do Brasil Ltda., Pentair Water-Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Penwald Insurance Company, Pigeon Point Systems Inc., Plymouth Products Inc., Porous Media Corp., Procam Controls Inc., Rocean, Seneca Enterprises Co., Sta-Rite Industries LLC, Sta-Rite de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Sta-Rite de Puerto Rico Inc., Surface Logix LLC, Tupelo Real Estate LLC, Tyco Flow Control, Union Engineering (NingBo) Co. Ltd., Union Engineering A/S, Union Engineering Holding II A/S, Union Engineering Holding LLC, Union Engineering Latam Ltda, Union Engineering North America LLC, Urban Organics Pentair Group LLC, Urban Organics Schmidt Real Estate Group LLC, Urban Organics St. Paul LLC, Voltea Ltd., Water Ingenuity Holdings Corp., Webster Electric Company LLC, Wicor Industries (Australia) Pty. Ltd., and X-Flow B.V..
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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Everest Re Group Ltd. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of reinsurance and insurance services. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Reinsurance, International, Bermuda, and Insurance. The U.S. Reinsurance segment writes property and casualty reinsurance and specialty lines of business, including marine, aviation, surety, and accident and health business, on both a treaty and facultative basis, through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies primarily within the U.S. The International segment offers foreign property and casualty reinsurance through Everest Re's branches in Canada and Singapore and through offices in Brazil, Miami, and New Jersey. The Bermuda segment comprises reinsurance and insurance to worldwide property and casualty markets through brokers and directly with ceding companies from its Bermuda office and reinsurance to the United Kingdom and European markets through its UK branch and Ireland Re. The Insurance segment writes property and casualty insurance directly and through brokers, surplus lines brokers, and general agents within the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartere

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The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, 2nd Road Pty Ltd., ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Ltd, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Innovation Singapore Holdings Pte, ?What If! Limited, ?What If! Shanghai Co. Ltd, ?What If! USA LLC, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD Dialeto Agencia de Publicidade SA, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Beijing) Mobile Technology Co Ltd, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co Ltd, Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (South Africa) Pty Limited, Accenture (UK) Ltd, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Azerbaijan Ltd, Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BV, Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A, Accenture CAS GmbH, Accenture Canada Holdings Inc., Accenture Capital DAC, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd., Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SAS, Accenture Customer Services Limited, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Ltd, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Ltd, Accenture Delivery Poland sp. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital France Holdings SA, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance (Gibraltar) III Ltd, Accenture Finance GmbH, Accenture Finance GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Finance II GmbH, Accenture Finance II GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Finance II Ltd, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services Srl, Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Ghana Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Ltd., Accenture Global Services Ltd, Accenture Global Solutions Ltd, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services Ltd, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc., Accenture Holding GmbH, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holding GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SAS, Accenture Holdings plc, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company (Accenture Endustriyel Yazylym Cozumleri Limited irketi), Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company (Accenture Endustriyel Yazlm Cozumleri Limited Sirketi), Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture Insurance Services SAS, Accenture Insurance Services SpA, Accenture International BV, Accenture International Capital SCA, Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture International Sarl, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea BV, Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Managed Services SpA, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Middle East B.V, Accenture Middle East BV, Accenture Minority I BV, Accenture Minority III Ltd, Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi (Pty) Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Newco LLC, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations Sp. z o.o., Accenture Outsourcing SRL, Accenture Outsourcing Services, Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations BV, Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru S.R.L, Accenture Peru S.R.L., Accenture Post Trade Processing SAS, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process Ltd, Accenture Product Lifecycle Services, Accenture Properties, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture S.A., Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture SAS, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sendirian Berhad, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Ltd, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.r.l., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services Sp. z o.o., Accenture Services Sp. z.o.o., Accenture Services and Technology Srl, Accenture Services fur Kreditinstitute GmbH, Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Servicos Administrativos Ltda, Accenture Servicos de Suporte de Negocios Ltda, Accenture Solutions Co Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Sp. z o.o., Accenture Sp. z.o.o., Accenture SpA, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc., Accenture Sub Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag KFT, Accenture Technologia, Accenture Technologia Consultoria e Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Technology Infrastructure Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions SAS, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn. Bhd., Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures BV, Accenture Technology Ventures S.P.R.L., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co., Accenture Vietnam Co. LTD, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Limitada, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Customer Insight Limited, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Agave Consultants Limited, Agilex Technologies Inc., Allen International, Allen International Consulting Group Ltd, Alnova Technologies Corporation S.L., AlphaBeta Advisors, Altima, Altima Asia Ltd., Altima SAS, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Appaloosa Technology SAS, Arca, Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Avanade, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade (Thailand) Co Ltd, Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Denmark ApS, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Ltd, Avanade Europe Services Ltd, Avanade Federal Services LLC, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SAS, Avanade GZ Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd. (SH), Avanade Guangzhou, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy SRL, Avanade KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Netherlands BV, Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland Sp. z o.o., Avanade Poland Sp. z.o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain SL, Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Ltd, Avanade do Brasil Limitada, Avanade Osterreich GmbH, AvantBiz Consulting Limited, Avenai, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Benext, Bionic, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Boomerang Pharmaceuticals Communications Ireland Limited, Bow & Arrow, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brand Learning LLC, Brand Learning Ltd, Brand Learning Partners Limited, Brand Learning Pte Limited, Bridge Energy Group LLC, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CadenceQuest Inc., Capable Marketer Limited, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc., Certus Solutions Consulting Services Ltd, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cimation UK Limited, Cirruseo, Cirruseo SAS, Clarity Insights, Clearhead, Clearhead Group, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas (SN) (PTE.) Limited, Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Ltd., Cloud Talent Limited, Cloudsherpas, Cloudsherpas Inc., Cloudworks, Codagenic Pty. Ltd., Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda., Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda., Context Information Security, Coritel S.A., Corliant Inc., CreativeDrive, CustomerWorks Europe SL, Cutting Edge Solutions Ltd, D5 Global Holdings LLC, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd., DMA Solutions Limited, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (Australia) PTY LTD, DayNine Consulting (Deutschland) GmbH, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting France SAS, DayNine Consulting Japan K.K., DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings, Declarative Holdings LLC, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digiplug SAS, Digital Consulting & Software Services LLC, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Ltd., Duck Creek Technologies, Duck Creek Technologies LLC, Deja Vu Security LLC, ESR Labs, Elcurator SAS, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting L.P., End-to-End Analytics, Energuia Web, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Ltd., Energy Quote Private Ltd., EnergyQuote JHA, EnergyQuote JHA Ltd., EnergyQuote Trading Ltd., Enimbos, Enkitec, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V. , Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enterprise System Partners PR LLC, Enterprise System Partners S.A.S., Entropia, Epylon, Ethica Consulting Group, Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Exton Consulting, Fairway Technologies Inc, Fairway Technologies LLC, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, First Annapolis International, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Focus Group Europe Limited, Formicary, Formicary Holdings Limited, Formicary Limited, FusionX, FutureMove Automotive, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, Genfour Limited, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gestion Altima Canada Inc., Gevity, Global Public Firm S.L., GlobalView SAS, GoodFilm GmbH Filmproduktion Stuttgart, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Hytracc Consulting UK Limited, Hytracc Holding AS, I-Faber S.p.A., IBB Consulting, IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INCAD, INSITUM, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Imagine Broadband (USA) Ltd, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Industrie&Co, Infoman AG, Infoman Schweiz AG, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Infusion Development Inc., Infusion Development UK Limited, InfusionDev LLC, Innoveer Solutions India Pvt Ltd, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria Brasil LTDA, Insitum Consultoria Colombia SAS, Insitum Consultoria Europa SL, Insitum Consultoria Peru SAC, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., Intrepid, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Advertisement (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inventor Technology Limited, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, Javelin Group (Bulgaria) EOOD, Javelin Group Limited (UK), Javelin Group SASU, K Comms Group Limited, KCS.net AG, KCS.net AG West, KCS.net Deutschland GmbH, KCS.net Holding AG, KCS.net Osterreich GmbH, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Ltd, Kogentix Singapore Pte. Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kunstmaan NV, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon UKI, Kurt Salmon UKI Ltd., Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LabAnswer, LabAnswer Government, LemonXL Limited, Logistics Market Place Limited (UK), Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Corporation, Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte. Ltd., Mackevision UK Ltd, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd., Maihiro, Matter, Matter Llc, Maud Corp Pty Limited, Maxamine International, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing Corporation, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mindtribe Product Engineering LLC, MobGen, MobGen Technology S.L, Moonrise NV, Mortgage Cadence, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, N3 LLC, NBS Marketing Inc., NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile, Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Chile SpA, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda., New Energy Aborda, New Energy Associates Ltd, New Energy Group, New Energy S.r.l., NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage China Ltd., NewsPage Pte Ltd, Nice Agency Limited, Northstream, Northstream AB, Northstream Holding AB, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology LTDA, Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Octo Technology SPRL, Octoman SAS, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Openmind, Openminded, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium Consulting Ltd, Orbium GmbH, Orbium Holding AG, Orbium Inc., Orbium International AG, Orbium International sp. z o.o., Orbium Licences AG, Orbium Limited, Orbium Pte. Ltd., Orbium Pty Ltd, Orbium Services sp. z o.o., Orbium Sarl, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PCO Innovation Canada Inc., PCO Innovation EURL, PIXO PUNCH Limited, PLM Systems S.r.l, POC Holdings, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, Pach Invest SARL, Pach Invest SAS, PacificLink Group, PacificLink iMedia Ltd., Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald Inc., Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Partners Technology Mexico Holdings BV, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production K/S, Perseroan Terbatas. Accenture, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Ltd, Pragsis Technologies S.L, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Ltd, Procurian Germany GmbH, Procurian Inc., Procurian International I LLC, Procurian International II LLC, Procurian LLC, Procurian Singapore Pte. Ltd., Procurian Switzerland GmbH, Procurian USA LLC, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co Ltd, Radiant Services, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Limited, Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (Asia) Pte Ltd, Redcore (India) Private Limited (India), Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Renacentis IT Services, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Rothco, Rothco Holdings Designated Activity Company, Rothco Unlimited Company, S.C. EnergyQuote S.r.l., S3 TV Technology Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SEC Servizi, SEC Servizi S.p.A., SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Sagacious Consultants LLC, Salt Solutions, Sanchez Capital Services Pvt Ltd, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Airline Planning Group, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace Asia (Hong Kong) Limited, Seabury Aviation Consulting LLC, Seabury Cargo Advisory B.V., Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Human Capital LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Seabury Structured Finance LLC, Search Technologies BPO, Search Technologies BPO Inc., Search Technologies GmbH, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LATAM, Search Technologies LATAM S.A., Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Sente Partners LLC, Sentelis, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Shackleton, Shackleton Barcelona S.L., Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton Madrid S.L., Shackleton S.A., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., Silveo, Simian Pty Limited, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Commerce GmbH, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., SinnerSchrader Swipe GmbH, Sistemes Consulting S.L., Solutions IQ, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Storm Digital, Storm Digital B.V., Structure Consulting Group, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Systor AG, TQuila Limited (UK), Tadata Creative Unlimited Company, Tara Insurance DAC, Tara Risk DAC, TargetST8, TargetST8 Consulting LLC, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica Ltd., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Limited, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Total Logistics Supply Chain Consultants Limited, Tquila, Trivadis AG, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Verax Solutions, Verax Solutions Corporation, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd., Vertical Retail Consulting Hong Kong, Vertical Retail Consulting Hong Kong Ltd., Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd., Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, Weblinc Pty Ltd, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wire Stone Sarl, Wolox, Workforce Insight, Yesler, Zag, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines, Zenta Global Philippines Inc., Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc., Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, and solid-serVision.com GmbH.
Premier African Minerals Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the mining, exploration, evaluation, development, and investment of natural resource properties on the African continent. The company explores for tungsten, lithium, tantalum, fluorspar, xenotime, zinc, nickel, uranium, gold, specialty minerals, limestone, potash and limestone, and rare earth metals. It holds interests in various properties located in Zimbabwe, Togo, Benin, and Mozambique. The company was formerly known as G&B African Resources Limited and changed its name to Premier African Minerals Limited in April 2012. Premier African Minerals Limited was founded in 2007 and is based in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

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Premium Brands Holdings Corporation, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes food products primarily in Canada and the United States. It operates in two segments, Specialty Foods and Premium Food Distribution. The company provides meat products and snacks, deli products, beef jerky and halal, sandwiches, pastries, specialty and gourmet products, salads and kettle products, entrees, panini, wraps, subs, hamburgers, burgers, muffins, breads, pastas, and baking and sushi products, as well as processed meat products. It is also involved in the distribution of food products, including meat, seafood, and halal food products, as well as operation of retail/convenience store and concessionary, and provision of food and seafood processing services. The company operates under the brand names of Harvest Meats, Hempler's, Grimm's Fine Foods, Piller's, Freybe, Isernio's, Expresco, SJ Fine Foods, McSweeney's, Made Rite, Fletcher's, Deli Chef, Belmont Meats, Conte Foods, SK Food Group, Oven Pride, Hygaard, Quality Fast Foods, HQ Fine Foods, Creekside Custom Foods, Stuyver's Bread, Bread Garden Express, Audrey's Patisserie, Duso's, Gourmet Chef, Island City Baking, Skilcor, Leadbetter's, Mclean Meats, Buddy's Kitchen, Raybern's, Partner's Crackers, Shaw Bakers, Oberto, Concord Meats, Country Prime Meats, The Meat Factory, and Golden Valley Farms. It serves chains and large format retailers, independent and specialty retailers, foodservice operators, foodservice distributors, and other food manufacturers and food brokers. The company was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Richmond, Canada.

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iShares Russell 3000 ETF's stock was trading at $158.74 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, IWV stock has increased by 74.2% and is now trading at $276.55.

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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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Sanchez Energy Corporation, an independent exploration and production company, focuses on the acquisition and development of U.S. onshore unconventional oil and natural gas resources. It engages in the horizontal development of resources from the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas. It also holds an undeveloped acreage position in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS) in Mississippi and Louisiana. As of December 31, 2017, the company had assembled approximately 285,000 net acres in the Eagle Ford Shale; and owned approximately 37,000 net acres in the TMS. Sanchez Energy Corporation was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

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The following companies are subsidiares of IDEX: ADS Corp., ADS Environmental Services Pty Limited, ADS Environmental Technologies Inc., ADS LLC, AEGIS Flow Technologies, AEGIS Flow Technologies L.L.C., AWG, AWG Fittings GmbH, Abel Pumps, Advanced Thin Films, Advanced Thin Films Inc., Airtech Group, Akron Brass, Akron Brass Company, Alfa Valvole, Alfa Valvole S.r.l., Band-It Clamps (Asia) Pte. Ltd., Band-It Company Limited, Band-It-IDEX Inc., Banjo Corporation, Banjo Europe S.r.l., BarbIDEX International SRL, CIDRA Precision Services, CVI Laser, CVI Laser LLC, CVI Laser Limited, CVI Melles Griot, Corken Inc., ERC, Eastern Plastics, FAST & Fluid Management S.r.l., FM Delaware Inc., FM Investment Inc., FMD Distribution and Service LLC, FMD Fabrication Services LLC, FTL Seals Technology Limited, Fast & Fluid Management B.V., Fast & Fluid Management Eastern Europe Sp. Z O.O., Fast and Fluid Management Australia Pty. Ltd., Flow Management Devices, Flow Management Devices LLC, Fluid Management Canada Inc., Fluid Management Inc., Fluid Management Operations LLC, Gast Group Ltd, Gast Manufacturing Inc., Godiva Limited, Godiva Products Limited, Hale Products Europe Limited, Hale Products Inc., Hurst Jaws of Life Inc., IDEX Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., IDEX Dinglee Technology (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., IDEX Europe GmbH, IDEX Health & Science KK, IDEX Health & Science LLC, IDEX Holdings GmbH, IDEX Holdings Inc., IDEX India Private Limited, IDEX Italy S.r.l., IDEX Japan GK, IDEX Korea Ltd, IDEX Leasing GmbH, IDEX MPT Inc., IDEX Mexico S.A. de C.V., IDEX Middle East FZE, IDEX Pump Technologies (Ireland) Limited, IDEX SAS, IDEX Service Corp., IDEX Sourcing Corporation, IDEX Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., IDEX Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, IDEX UK Investment Ltd, IDEX UK Ltd., IDEX do Brasil Servicos e Vendas Ltda., IETG, Isolation Technologies, KNIGHT LLC, KVT-Koenig Holding Limited, Knight (Canada) Limited, Knight Inc., Knight UK Ltd, LUKAS Hydraulik GmbH, Liquid Controls, Liquid Controls LLC, Matcon, Matcon (R&D) Limited, Matcon Group Limited, Matcon Limited, Melles Griot B.V., Melles Griot GmbH, Microfluidics, Microfluidics International Corporation, Micropump Inc., Nova Technologies, Nova Technologies Corporation, Novotema, Novotema S.p.A, OBL, OBL Srl, Oil & Gas Process Solutions LLC, PP AWG GmbH, PPE International LLC, PPE LLC, Precision Photonics, Precision Polymer Engineering Limited, Project Gold Acquisition Corp., Pulsafeeder Inc., Quadro Engineering Corp., RV Acquisition Corp., Richter Chemie-Technik, Richter Chemie-Technik GmbH, Richter EP (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., Richter Pumps & Valves Inc., Roplan AB, Roplan GmbH, Roplan Holding AB, Roplan Ltd, Roplan Machinery (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., Roplan Machining AB, Roplan Sales (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., Roplan Sales AB, Roplan Sales Inc., Roplan Trading AB, S.A.M.P.I. S.p.A., SFC KOENIG, SFC KOENIG Flow Control (Suzhou) Co. Limited, SFC Koenig AG, SFC Koenig Beteilgungs GmbH, SFC Koenig GmbH, SFC Koenig LLC, Scivex, Seals Limited, Semrock, Steridose Sales AB, The Fitzpatrick Company, Toptech Systems, Toptech Systems Inc., Toptech Systems NV, Trebor International Inc., Velcora, Velcora Holding AB, Vetter GmbH, Viking Pump Inc., Viking Pump of Canada Inc., Warren Rupp Inc., Wright Flow Technologies Limited, XAM Swiss Holding I GmbH, iPEK, iPEK International GmbH, iPEK Spezial TV GmbH, thinXXS Microtechnology, and thinXXS Microtechnology AG.
The following companies are subsidiares of Allstate: AIMCO Private Fund I Holding LLC, AIMCO Private Fund I LLC, AIMCO Private Fund II LLC, ALIC Reinsurance Company, ALINV Mosaic LLC, ANIHI Newco LLC, AP Real Estate LLC, AP Riverway Plaza LLC, AP Timber LLC, Allstate Assignment Company, Allstate Assurance Company, Allstate County Mutual Insurance Company, Allstate Digital Ventures LLC, Allstate Distributors L.L.C., Allstate Enterprises LLC, Allstate Exchange Services LLC, Allstate Finance Company Agency Loans LLC, Allstate Finance Company LLC, Allstate Financial Advisors LLC, Allstate Financial Corporation, Allstate Financial Insurance Holdings Corporation, Allstate Financial LLC, Allstate Financial Services LLC (1), Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Global Holdings Limited, Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate Insurance Company, Allstate Insurance Company of Canada, Allstate Insurance Holdings LLC, Allstate International Assignments Ltd., Allstate International Holdings Inc., Allstate Investment Management Company, Allstate Investments LLC, Allstate Life Insurance Company (2), Allstate Life Insurance Company of Canada, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York, Allstate Motor Club Inc., Allstate New Jersey Insurance Company, Allstate New Jersey Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Non-Insurance Holdings Inc., Allstate North American Insurance Company, Allstate Northbrook Indemnity Company, Allstate Northern Ireland Limited, Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Settlement Corporation, Allstate Short Term Pool LLC, Allstate Solutions Private Limited, Allstate Texas Lloyds, Allstate Texas Lloyds Inc., Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Company, American Heritage Life Insurance Company, American Heritage Service Company, Answer Financial Inc., Answer Marketplace LLC, Arity 875 LLC, Arity International Limited, Arity LLC, Arity Services LLC, CE Care Plan Corp, Castle Key Indemnity Company, Castle Key Insurance Company, Complete Product Care Corp, Current Creek Investments LLC, E.R.J. Insurance Group Inc. (3), Encompass Floridian Indemnity Company, Encompass Floridian Insurance Company, Encompass Home and Auto Insurance Company, Encompass Indemnity Company, Encompass Independent Insurance Company, Encompass Insurance Company, Encompass Insurance Company of America, Encompass Insurance Company of Massachusetts, Encompass Insurance Company of New Jersey, Encompass Insurance Holdings LLC, Encompass Property and Casualty Company, Encompass Property and Casualty Insurance Company of New Jersey, Esurance Holdings Inc., Esurance Insurance Company, Esurance Insurance Company of Canada, Esurance Insurance Company of New Jersey, Esurance Insurance Services Company of Canada, Esurance Insurance Services Inc. (4), Esurance Property and Casualty Insurance Company, First Colonial Insurance Company, Identity Protection Strategic Solutions LLC, InfoArmor Aggra Inc., InfoArmor Inc., Insurance Answer Center LLC (5), Intramerica Life Insurance Company, Ivantage Insurance Brokers Inc., Ivantage Select Agency Inc., Kennett Capital Inc., NBInv AF1 LLC, NBInv AF2 LLC, NBInv AF3 LLC, NBInv AF4 LLC, NBInv AF5 LLC, NBInv AF6 LLC, NBInv AP1 LLC, NBInv AP2 LLC, NBInv AP3 LLC, NBInv AP4 LLC, NBInv AP5 LLC, NBInv AP6 LLC, NBInv AP7 LLC, NBInv AP8 LLC, NBInv APAF1 LLC, NBInv Riverside Cars1 LLC, NBInv Riverside Management LLC, North Light Specialty Insurance Company, Northeast Agencies Inc. (6), Pablo Creek Services Inc., Pafco Insurance Company, Pembridge Insurance Company, PlumChoice Business Services Inc., PlumChoice Inc., Protection Plan Group Inc., Right Answer Insurance Agency LLC, Road Bay Investments LLC, ST Product Care Corp, Signature Agency Inc., Signature Motor Club Inc., Signature Motor Club of California Inc., Signature Nationwide Auto Club of California Inc., Signatures Nationwide Auto Club Inc., SquareTrade Australia Pty Ltd, SquareTrade Canada Inc., SquareTrade Europe Limited, SquareTrade Holding Company Inc., SquareTrade Inc. (7), SquareTrade Insurance Services Inc., SquareTrade Limited, SquareTrade Protection Solutions Inc., SquareTradeGo Inc., Tech-Cor LLC, and West Plaza RE Holdings LLC.
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4.1 Community Rank

Outperform Votes RWE Aktiengesellschaft has received 32 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.)

Underperform Votes RWE Aktiengesellschaft has received 20 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.)

Community Sentiment RWE Aktiengesellschaft has received 61.54% outperform votes from our community.

MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about RWE Aktiengesellschaft and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe RWE will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe RWE will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

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Vermilion Energy Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of petroleum and natural gas in North America, Europe, and Australia. It owns 81% working interest in 642,300 net acres of developed land and 87% working interest in 376,700 net acres of undeveloped land, and 613 net producing natural gas wells and 3,034 net producing oil wells in Canada; and 96% working interest in 248,900 net acres of developed land and 91% working interest in 222,100 net acres of undeveloped land in the Aquitaine and Paris Basins, and 325 net producing oil wells and 3.0 net producing gas wells in France. The company also owns 49% working interest in 930,000 net acres of land and 51 net producing natural gas wells in the Netherlands; and 36,900 net developed acres and 965,900 net undeveloped acres of land, and 61 net producing oil wells and 8 net producing natural gas wells in Germany. In addition, it owns offshore Corrib natural gas field located to the northwest coast of Ireland; and 100% working interest in the Wandoo offshore oil field and related production assets that covers 59,600 acres located on Western Australia's northwest shelf. Further, the company holds 138,000 net acres of land in the Powder River basin, and 136.6 net producing oil wells in the United States; and 951,200 net acres of land in Hungary, 244,900 net acres of land in Slovakia, and 2.4 million net acres of land in Croatia. Vermilion Energy Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

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Pimco Total Return ETF's stock was trading at $110.14 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, BOND shares have decreased by 0.7% and is now trading at $109.42.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
SemGroup Corporation provides gathering, transportation, storage, distribution, marketing, and other midstream services for producers, refiners of petroleum products, and other market participants. The company operates in three segments: U.S. Liquids, U.S. Gas, and Canada. The U.S. Liquids segment operates crude oil pipelines, truck transportation, storage, terminals, and marketing businesses; stores, blends, and transports refinery products and refinery feedstock through pipeline, barge, rail, truck, and ship; and operates a residual fuel oil storage terminal in the U.S. Gulf Coast. This segment has 18.2 million barrels of storage capacity on the Houston Ship Channel; and 7.6 million barrels of storage capacity at the Cushing Interchange. It also operates a 460-mile crude oil gathering and transportation pipeline system in Kansas and northern Oklahoma; 75-mile crude oil gathering pipeline system that transports crude oil from production facilities in the DJ Basin to the pipeline owned by White Cliffs Pipeline, L.L.C.; 2 parallel 527-mile pipelines that transports crude oil from Platteville, Colorado to Cushing, Oklahoma; 3 pipelines with an aggregate of 106 miles of pipe; 30-lane crude oil truck unloading facility in Platteville, Colorado; and crude oil trucking fleet of approximately 245 transport trucks and 235 trailers. The U.S. Gas segment provides natural gas gathering, processing, and marketing services. It operates 842 miles of gathering lines in Oklahoma; and a 53-mile high pressure gathering pipeline located in the STACK play. The Canada segment owns and operates natural gas processing and gathering facilities with approximately 530 miles of natural gas gathering and transportation pipelines in Alberta, Canada. SemGroup Corporation was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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HERKIMER  Additional counties are reporting final absentee ballot counts in the race for the 22nd Congressional District seat, and one candidate has gained a more than 3,200 vote lead.

The boards of election for Herkimer County and Broome County reported Friday they have completed their absentee and affidavit ballot counts.

Herkimer County says Democratic challenger Anthony Brindisi gained 658 additional votes, while Republican incumbent Claudia Tenney gained 574. That brings the total votes in Herkimer County to 10,223 for Tenney and 8,343 for Brindisi.

In Broome County, the BOE says Brindisi gained 2,959 absentee votes, while Tenney added 1,640. That brings Brindisis overall total to 40,365 in the county, and Tenneys total to 31,382.

Election officials in the eight counties of New York's 22nd Congressional District began tallying more than 16,000 absentee and military ballots this week. Brindisi led Tenney by 1,293 votes before the absentee count started Wednesday.

On Thursday the Cortland and Madison county boards of elections completed their vote counts. The final, unofficial, count in Madison County left Brindisi with 1,063 votes and Tenney with 739, for a net gain of 324 votes for Brindisi. In Cortland County, 612 of the absentees went to Brindisi; 405 to Tenney, for a net gain of 207.

On election night, Brindisi led Tenney 117,931 to 116,638. After adding the four counties which have completed their tallies - Herkimer, Madison, Cortland, and Broome - Brindisis lead over Tenney increased to 3,227. Brindisi now leads Tenney 123,223119,996.

The ballots counted this week confirm what we saw on election night. Voters across the 22nd district wanted change, and they chose an independent voice who will work for them in Washington, said Ellen Foster, campaign manager for Anthony Brindisi. Throughout the vote counting process weve only expanded our lead its clear that Anthony Brindisi has won a decisive victory.

Oneida, Chenango, Oswego, and Tioga counties have not yet completed their absentee ballot counts. Oneida, Chenango, and Oswego have 7,559 ballots left to be counted between them, so the race is not yet secure for Brindisi.

The Tioga County Board of Elections sent out 256 absentees in the 22nd district, and have received 205 back. They are still in the midst of their counting process.

Chenango Countys BOE started their count today. Oswego County says they are trying to have their count completed by Friday.

The Oneida County Board of Elections said Friday their tally may take until the middle of next week.
The Gamasutra Job Board is the most diverse, active and established board of its kind for the video game industry!



Here is just one of the many, many positions being advertised right now.

Location: San Francisco, California

Impulse Gear is looking for a Senior Narrative Writer to help push the boundaries of interactive storytelling in our next Virtual Reality game. Daily tasks will include story development, game dialogue and general narrative contribution. The ideal candidate will have previous success as a game writer or screenwriter, outstanding communication skills, a good understanding of story and game structure, and an absolute passion to tell great stories in various mediums.

This is a full time, on-site position.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with content designers, writers and creative staff in creating original narrative content and believable characters for a Virtual Reality game

Collaborate with writers, designers and cinematic artists to write and edit compelling and unique dialogue for a diverse cast of characters

Communicate story ideas and plans and advocate for excellent storytelling across the team and product

Contribute to other creative areas of the narrative including secondary game content, recording actor performance of dialogue and writing content for marketing materials.

Requirements

A minimum of 5 years of industry or related-industry experience as a game writer, screenwriter or story editor.

Excellent written and verbal communication and "pitch" skills.

Able to brainstorm and collaborate with a team.

Direct experience creating personal narratives about characters struggling with everyday challenges; even if they are on the other side of the galaxy.

Thorough knowledge of the story and game development process.

Solid understanding of story and game structure and how they can integrate successfully.

Passion for gaming and/or storytelling.

Able to produce writing without constant supervision.

Excellent organizational skills and ability to work well under tight deadlines.

Deep understanding of interactive narrative and a desire to push the boundaries of storytelling.

Experience with script writing/Final Draft.

Pluses

College degree in screenwriting, creative writing, or similar discipline

Experience as a game designer or narrative designer

Writing Sample

Please submit at least two professional samples demonstrating strong dialogue and characterization. Samples should represent cinematic writing, such as game cinematics, or film/television scenes. Avoid prose, such as short stories or character descriptions.

Interested? Apply now.

About the Gamasutra Job Board

Whether you're just starting out, looking for something new, or just seeing what's out there, the Gamasutra Job Board is the place where game developers move ahead in their careers.



Gamasutra's Job Board is the most diverse, most active, and most established board of its kind in the video game industry, serving companies of all sizes, from indie to triple-A.



Looking for a new job? Get started here. Are you a recruiter looking for talent? Post jobs here.
DELPHI, Ind. (WLFI)  A lot of work and not enough money, that's the latest roadblock in the city of Delphi after they learned they won't get a 2019 Community Crossings Grant.

The city of Delphi is working to fix more than 21 miles of roadway. The next project on the list was supposed to be reconstruction of Samuel Milroy Road and Dodge Street. However Mayor Shane Evans said those plans have to be pushed back.

"As I understand, there just wasn't enough money in the state of Indiana to go around, I believe there was about $237 million that communities applied for but there was only $100 million to go around," said Evans.

Evans said that's a problem because the city's general fund budget for the year is about $2.2 million and the cost of this project is close to $1.5 million.

"Without state funding it is very unlikely that we will be able to do this project and continue to maintain other roads if we were paying for it 100 percent ourselves," said Evans.

The situation has drivers like Bonnie Clevenger concerned.

"I want to know where all the money is going that we pay in taxes you know it makes you wonder what's going on," said Clevenger.

Evans said the next step is to re-apply and remain hopeful.

"Sooner or later the city of Delphi should have our opportunity to be awarded grant funds."

INDOT will open applications for Community Crossings on January 7. If awarded, the city would recieve the grant money in 2020.
INDIANAPOLIS (WLFI)  For the first time in Senator Ron Alting's career at the Statehouse, a Governor has shown his full support for a hate crime law in Indiana. We are currently one of five states without one.

"It's certainly time for Indiana to join the good list, the nice list, not the naughty list as the holidays approach," said Governor Eric Holcomb on Friday.

Senator Ron Alting is helping to get the bill through this year. He said Senate Bill 12 is already filed for the 2019 session. He's hoping it's sent to his committee next.

"I have a reputation of getting bills through that have not gotten through in the past," said Alting.

Whether Senator Ron Alting's Hate Crime Bill will end up in his Public Policy Committee is up to President Pro Tem Senator Rodric Bray.

"Hopefully in three weeks we will know what committee the bill is assigned," said Alting.

Alting said this version covers more people known to be victims of hate crimes.

"Last year, it was very narrow and it only dealt with individuals, not organizations," said Alting. "Second piece is that it deals with reporting. Mandatory reporting to State Police and the FBI."

But some groups feel this law isn't needed. Indiana Family Institute Director Ryan McCann said the bill could be used to attack religious freedom and free speech.

He said it also sends the message not everyone is currently protected by the law and that Indiana is a bigoted, hateful place.

Alting said recent hate crimes prove it's a real problem in Indiana and it's time to level the playing field.

"Unfortunately, certain entities of people are targeted out for numerous reasons, we listed I think 15 in our bill that are targeted for just hate actions on them, not verbal," said Alting.

Alting said this bill doesn't infringe on people's rights.

"If you want to do a free speech and you want to talk about the KKK and open speech, that's not in this," said Alting. "But if you act upon your thoughts, you make an action, physical action towards it, then you qualify."

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce has also voiced support for Indiana to pass a hate crimes bill this session.
Providence freshman AJ Reeves meets the media in advance of the Friars heading to the Mohegan Sun Arena this weekend. (Video by Brendan McGair)

As featured on Ready or not, Friars head to Mohegan Sun UNCASVILLE, Conn.  Another installment of casino basketball is on tap for the Providence Fr
Lerch, who served 12 years with the U.S. Coast Guard and another 30 in the reserves, died on Sunday evening of cancer.
Tennessee has three official state flowers. The Tennessee coneflower and the passion flower are the designated state wildflowers while the iris is the designated official state cultivated flower.

Why Does Tennessee Have Three Official State Flowers?

The Tennessee General Assembly passed the Senate Resolution 13 of 1919 which required the state to adopt a flower chosen by school children as the state floral emblem. The students selected the passion flower through a popular vote. In 1933, the General Assembly adopted the Senate Resolution 53 that designated the iris (genus Iridaceae) as the official state flower. However, the resolution failed to rescind the passion flower from the official status. In early 1973, the Assembly declared the iris the state's official cultivated flower and the passion flower as the state wildflower. In 2012, the Assembly adopted the Tennessee Echinacea as the second state wildflower.

Wildflowers of Tennessee

The passion flower is a wild plant that grows in South America and the southern United States. It is also known as the maypop or the Ocoee flower. The plant was named Ocoee by Native Americans; the name also applies to the Ocoee Valley and River. Christian missionaries named the flower passion flower because some parts resembled the symbols of the crucifixion; the thorny crown, the cross, the cords, and nails.

Tennessee Coneflower

The Tennessee coneflower is sometimes referred to as the Tennessee Echinacea or the Tennessee purple coneflower. The plant is among the few that thrive in the Cedar Glades and limestones of central Tennessee. The Tennessee coneflower was considered extinct but it was found again in the 1960s. Conservation efforts saw the state purchase land to conserve the flowers and the plants naturally recovered. The Tennessee coneflower blooms between spring to autumn.

Official Cultivated Flower of Tennessee

The iris was awarded the official status in 1973. It was meant to replace the passion flower but the resolution that adopted it failed to rescind the official status from the sunflower. There approximately 170 different species of the iris, the common being the flag iris. The resolution that adopted the plant as the official floral emblem did not specify a specific color or variety of the iris, but the citizenry has for long accepted the purple colored iris as the states official cultivated flower.
Equatorial Guinea is a nation that covers an area of 11,000 square miles in the central region of Africa. Historically, Equatorial Guinea was been to home to different population groups, including pygmies, the Beti-Pahuin, and the Bubi. The boundaries of Equatorial Guinea have been shaped by periods of European colonization and interest from Portugal, Spain and Britain. Equatorial Guinea's current land borders stretch for a distance of approximately 328 miles and are shared with two nations: Cameroon and Gabon. The nation also has maritime boundaries which are shared with Sao Tome and Principe, and Nigeria.

The History of Equatorial Guinea's Borders

One event that shaped the boundaries of Equatorial Guinea was the signing of an agreement, the Treaty of El Pardo, by the monarchs of Spain and Portugal in 1778. Before the treaty was signed, Portugal had colonized two islands within the region, Fernando Po and Annobon. The treaty gave Spain control over certain areas of land, although the territory was ultimately ruled by the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata in Buenos Aires. Although the treaty gave Spain access to land in the region, Spain failed to occupy much of it, which enabled France to expand its occupation in Central Africa. France and Spain later signed a treaty in 1900, the Treaty of Paris, which vastly reduced the amount of land under Spanish control in the contested region. Spain's portion of land would later become Equitorial Guinea, and historical records suggest that the territory was reduced by approximately 105,792 square miles. Spain's control of the region lasted until Equatorial Guinea gained its independence in 1968.

Cameroon

Equatorial Guinea's shortest land border is shared with Cameroon, which is roughly 113 miles long. The border is situated along the northern edge of Equatorial Guinea, and there are some important towns situated along the border. On the Cameroonian side, the principal town along the border is Ambam, which had a population of roughly 1,596 people according to 2005 estimates. On the Equatorial Guinean side, one of the most significant towns is Ayamiken.

Relationship Between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea

Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea have close bilateral ties that date back to the colonial period. These ties have created a favorable environment for trade and migration, particularly of workers from one nation to the other. One reason that has contributed to the close bilateral ties between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea is the fact that both nations are members of regional organizations such as the African Union (AU) and the African Development Bank Group (AfDB). Another factor is that Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon both have diplomatic missions within the other country's borders. In Equatorial Guinea, the Cameroonian government is represented by an embassy situated in Malabo, as well as a consulate located in Bata. In Cameroon, the government of Equatorial Guinea has three official representations: an embassy situated in the capital, Yaounde; a consulate-general located in the town of Ebolowa; and a consulate situated in Douala.

Border Disputes

Despite the positive relationship between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, the two nations were recently engaged in a border dispute. The dispute began after soldiers from Equatorial Guinea killed a fisherman from Cameroon, and later abducted two Cameroonian nationals. The attacks greatly angered the Cameroonian government, which resulted in the closing of the border. The border was later reopened after the dispute had been resolved. In 2018, however, the border was closed again closed in response to fears by the government of Equatorial Guinea that Cameroonians would aid in a coup attempt against the president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema. In both instances, the border's closure had a significant impact on the local economy, primarily because traders were unable to sell goods or replenish stock. In 2018, the border was closed for roughly six months, and its reopening revitalized the local economy. The two nations also have a dispute regarding their maritime border, which is yet to be adequately defined.

Gabon

Equatorial Guinea's longest land border is shared with Gabon, which is roughly 214 miles long. Gabon bounds Equatorial Guinea to the south and east. The key feature that defines the border between the two nations is the island of Corisco, which encompasses an area of about 5 square miles.

Relationship Between Gabon and Equatorial Guinea

Gabon and Equatorial Guinea have a relatively good relationship due to their close diplomatic ties. In Gabon, the government of Equatorial Guinea is represented by an embassy situated in Libreville. In Equatorial Guinea, the government of Gabon is represented by an embassy located in Malabo.

Border Disputes

Despite close ties between the two nations, their relationship has been dramatically affected by a maritime border dispute. The maritime dispute arose because of the possibility of an oil discovery in Corisco Bay. The United Nations managed to convince the leaders of both countries to bring the issue to the International Court of Justice for deliberation.

Security Along National Borders

Security experts believe it is essential to safeguard a nation's borders for various reasons. One primary reason is to safeguard citizens from terrorists who could cause widespread destruction within a country. Another reason why borders should be kept secure is to protect local industries by preventing the market from being saturated with cheap products from other nations.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the CIA concluded, according to the Washington Post.

The newspaper cited four anonymous sources.

"The CIAs assessment, in which officials have said they have high confidence, is the most definitive to date linking Mohammed [bin Salman] to the operation and complicates the Trump administration's efforts to preserve its relationship with a close ally," the Post wrote.

According to the article, the CIA reached its conclusion by examining multiple intelligence sources, including a telephone call between the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. and the prince's brother, Khalid bin Salman, with Khashoggi.

Anonymous sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said Khalid told Khashoggi he should go to Saudi's Istanbul Consulate for documents he needed to get married, assuring him it would be safe.

"It is not clear if Khalid knew that Khashoggi would be killed, but he made the call at his brothers direction, according to the people familiar with the call, which was intercepted by U.S. intelligence," the Post wrote.

Fatimah Baeshen -- spokeswoman for the Saudi embassy in Washington -- said Khalid and Khashoggi did not discuss "anything related to going to Turkey," stating the CIAs "purported assessment are false."

Khashoggi, a frequent contributor to The Washington Post, was killed on Oct. 2 inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

After weeks of denying any involvement in the crime, Saudi Arabia later admitted that Khashoggi had been killed inside the consulate but claimed the Saudi royal family had no prior knowledge of any plot to murder the journalist.

"The CIAs conclusion about Mohammeds [bin Salman] role was also based on the agencys assessment of the prince as the countrys de facto ruler who oversees even minor affairs in the kingdom," the newspaper wrote.

"The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved," the post said, citing an anonymous source.

- Evidence shown to U.S. president

According to the article, U.S. President Donald Trump "resisted pinning the blame for the killing" on the Saudi prince.

"Privately, aides said, Trump has been shown evidence of the princes involvement but remains skeptical that Mohammed ordered the killing," according to The Post.

It added that Trump asked t CIA and t State Department officials where the body of the Saudi journalist is and has grown frustrated that they have not been able to provide an answer."

The CIA does not know where the body is located, according to the sources.

The article also said the CIA received a copy of an audio from Turkish authorities of the Saudi Consulate from the day Khashoggis killing, stating the CIA Director Gina Haspel listened to it.

A call from inside the consulate after the killing of the Saudi journalist of Maher Mutreb -- who is an alleged member of the Saudi hit team -- was also examined by the CIA.

The call was between Mutreb and Saud al-Qahtani -- who was the top aid of the crown prince -- to inform him the operation was complete, said the article.

"Trump has told senior White House officials that he wants Mohammed to remain in power because Saudi Arabia helps to check Iran, which the administration considers its top security challenge in the Middle East," the Post said, adding that Trump "said that he does not want the controversy over Khashoggis death to impede oil production by the kingdom."

Questioning the reason behind the killing of Khashoggi, the article said the CIA developed a theory that the Saudi crown prince "believed Khashoggi was a dangerous Islamist who was too sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood, according to people familiar with the assessment."

Guncelleme Tarihi: 17 Kasm 2018, 10:58
In September of last year, Amazon announced its intention of building a second headquarters in the US, dubbed HQ2. This announcement inaugurated a bidding contest between 238 different cities, during which state and local governments from coast to coast competed among each other to present Amazon with the most favorable terms.

Billions of dollars were offered up to Amazon in the form of tax breaks and subsidies. Democrat and Republican alike, the governments of Americas citiesAtlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Pittsburghall submitted their bids. New Yorks Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo offered to change his name to Amazon Cuomo if it would help win the contest. The town of Stonecrest, Georgia offered to change its name to Amazon, Georgia. The towns mayor asked Bezos, How could you not want your 21st century headquarters to be located in a city named Amazon?

This week, Amazon announced the conclusion of this sordid beauty pageant. Amazon will split the new headquarters between Queens in New York City, a stones throw from Wall Street, and Crystal City, Virginia, across the street from the Pentagon. With these choices, Amazons headquarters will be positioned alongside (1) the headquarters of global finance capital, and (2) the headquarters of Americas state and military-intelligence apparatus. The bids of the loser cities will be used to exact concessions for future Amazon projects.

According to a study highlighted Thursday in the Intercept, Amazons HQ2 will come at a total cost of $4.6 billion to state and local governments. These giveaways will be paid with funds extracted from the population through taxation.

Amazon got everything it wanted. The companys contract with the state of Virginia obligates the state legislature to do Amazons bidding until 2043, regardless of the outcome of elections. But Amazon can back out of its obligations at any time, keeping all of the benefits to date, by providing five days notice.

The Virginia location will doubtless facilitate Amazons lobbying efforts in Washington, for which it spent $13 million last year. It will also position Amazon for lucrative defense contracts and further integration with the American military and intelligence apparatus. We are going to continue to support the DoD [Department of Defense], Bezos said at a recent Wired25 summit, and I think we should.

The New York deal involves allowing Jeff Bezos to have a rooftop helipad, so that he does not have to use the streets or public transportation.

The scramble to turn public resources over to this massive monopoly brings the real state of affairs in society into plain view. The corporate oligarchs dictate their terms, and politicians from both capitalist parties rush to obey.

When it comes to the needs of the population as a whole, such as education, clean water, health care, public transportation, housing, jobs, culture, protection from fires and natural disasters, and measures to address climate change, the population is endlessly told that there is no money for these utopian dreams. But when the worlds richest man comes knocking, Americas political leaders throw open the vaults and shovel money at him.

Democracy is incompatible with this state of affairs. A monopoly, once it is formed and controls thousands of millions, inevitably penetrates into every sphere of public life, regardless of the form of government and all the other details, Lenin wrote in his famous treatise on imperialism. What was true when corporate empires were measured in the thousands of millions of dollars is even truer today of Amazon, which is valued at over a trillion dollars.

On Tuesday, the Washington Post, which is owned by Bezos, ran an opinion column titled, Amazons HQ2 could be a launching pad for a bright future for the D.C. region. This article praised the HQ2 deal as a bonanza and a jobs windfall.

The Washington Post is one of the loudest voices, together with the New York Times, supporting the drive to censor the internet. The World Socialist Web Site has seen its search traffic plummet precipitously as a result of this state-sanctioned censorshipall so authoritative publications such as the Bezos-owned Washington Post can be free to publish pro-Amazon propaganda unchallenged.

Americas antitrust laws, such as the Sherman Act of 1890 and the Clayton Act of 1914, were reforms designed to check the process of monopolization, which was understood at the time to undermine and destabilize democratic institutions. These laws, while they remain formally on the books, are today essentially a dead letter, with nobody to enforce them.

As many as two thirds of all US households are now Amazon Prime subscribers. But the Democratic and Republican parties, stampeding to show their support for Bezos, are incapable of calling for any limits on Amazons power.

The socialist senator Bernie Sanders postured for a time as a critic of Amazon. But when Amazon announced the introduction of a new $15 per hour base pay last month, a dishonest maneuver canceled out in many cases by cuts to other benefits and incentives, Sanders made an abrupt reversal. What Mr. Bezos has done today, Sanders tweeted, is not only enormously important for Amazons hundreds of thousands of employees. It could well be, and I think it will be, a shot heard around the world. Bezos responded with happy gratitude: Thank you @SenSanders. Were excited about this, and also hope others will join in.

Sanders and his praise for Bezos belong to a universe separate from the hundreds of thousands of workers in Amazons warehouses, who are hounded around the clock to make rate for poverty wages. The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health listed Amazon on its 2018 dirty dozen list of employers that maintain unsafe workplaces. At least seven workers have been killed at Amazon warehouses since 2013, including three workers in only five weeks in 2017. In the summers, workers have described ambulances lining up to transport those who drop from the heat.

Inside the warehouses, Amazon has imposed a regime of high-tech tyranny. Talking to other workers is not allowed. Nor is sitting down. Phones are prohibited. Every second of a workers time inside the warehouse is strictly monitored and controlled. More than one worker has described this regime as modern-day slavery.

Amazon has pioneered the gamification of its workplaces, using various strategies of psychological manipulation to try to make employees work harder and faster without additional pay. Like hamsters in hamster wheels, workers are constantly prodded with various metrics and pitted against one another to achieve higher rankings and scores.

A worker who gets injured at Amazon is tossed out and replaced. A workers compensation regime controlled by the employers and insurance companies functions to deny and obstruct medical care. Injured workers receive a small fraction of their wages as compensation, if they receive anything at all. Homeless workers sleep in their cars in the parking lots of Amazons warehouses.

Anger among Amazon workers is reaching the snapping point. But all of the institutions of government and both capitalist parties are powerless to offer any resistance to Amazon. This trillion-dollar monopoly cannot be effectively resisted unless the organized power of the working class around the world is brought to bear.

Amazon must be transformed into a global public utility subject to workers control. Amazon workers take pride in their roles in one of the most advanced information and logistics infrastructures human civilization has produced to date. The workers who operate that infrastructure have a right to a dignified standard of living and a safe working environment, without the sound of whips cracking overhead. Measures must be implemented to bring down the number of injuries, while injured workers must receive full pay and free medical treatment. Above all, Amazons immense power and resources must be put to use for the public benefit, not for private profit.

Nor can humanity continue to afford Bezos salary. His incredible $164 billion in Amazon winnings, as he likes to call his unprecedented fortune, must be confiscated and put to beneficial use. For a start, world hunger can be resolved on an annual basis at a cost of $30 billion.

These measures are not a utopian dream but a question of practical necessity. The Socialist Equality Party is working with Amazon workers to form rank-and-file committees to direct and lead this struggle. To get involved, contact us today.
The University of Readings flagging as dangerous an article by the late Norman Geras, Our Morals: the ethics of revolution, is a major attack on academic freedom and a threat to democratic rights. The move opens the door to widespread censorship of the political perspective of revolutionary Marxism.

Under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, teachers, lecturers and academic institutions have been instructed, under the governments Prevent programme, to spy on pupils and students and to inform the state when they suspect people risk being drawn into terrorism. The threat of terrorism has thus far focused on Islamic groups and right-wing tendencies. It has led to thousands of Muslim students being subject to investigation.

The flagging up of Geras essay confirms that Prevent is an assault on the democratic freedoms of the working class as a whole. It is a police state measure that has now, for the first time, targeted an article discussing socialism and revolution.

After an academic insisted that Geras essay could flout the governments Prevent strategy, Reading students were forced to follow strict safety guidelines before accessing a freely available article included as essential reading in a course on Justice and Injustice. Students had to submit a form detailing the material they were accessing and its relevance to their studies. They were warned not to access the article on personal devices, told to read it in a secure setting and not leave it somewhere it might be seen inadvertently or otherwise, by those who are not prepared to view it.

The lecturer in charge of the module wrote to his students, The University understands its responsibility to require it to control access to security-sensitive material, which includes but is not limited to material which might be thought to encourage the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism; material which would be useful in the commission of acts of terrorism; and material which glorifies acts of terrorism.

In the face of opposition from academics and students the university stood its ground, issuing a statement that it had put policies in place to take steps to prevent students being drawn into terrorism. One aspect of this is to safeguard staff and students who access security-sensitive materials legitimately and appropriately used for study or research.

The situation is Orwellian. It is now for the security services, operating through Prevent, to decide where academic literature is appropriate or legitimately used, even when, as the lecturer noted in his letter, These articles are widely available through electronic databases to which the University offers students access without any checks.

In the place of free academic discussion, a climate of self-censorship is being created. Staff will refrain from recommending certain texts for fear of being branded terrorist enablers. The Reading lecturer closed the message to his class with the words I am very sorry that you have to do this. I was informed of this policy after I had put together the module for this year and would have thought differently about what I included if I had known of its requirements.

Students will be discouraged from signing up to certain courses and to avoid reading texts that might place them on a safeguarding list. According to the universitys statement, Lecturers must inform students in writing if their course includes a text deemed security-sensitive, and then list which students they expect will have to access the material.

The ultimate target of these measures is clear. The definitions of terrorism, and extremism have been deliberately kept loose in government legislation so that they can be applied to just about any form of political opposition. Reading proves that the ultimate aim is to prevent the development of a socialist movement among students, youth and workers.

According to the lecturer, under the law, Academic work defending the permissibility or appropriateness of revolutionary violence might well be thought to encourage the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, and may glorify it, at least where terrorism is understood as the use of violence to encourage the government to do things. An equals sign has been drawn by the security services between terrorism and a mass, popular movement against the government to justify the complete suppression of socialist thought.

Geras essay is written as a polemic against Their Morals and Ours, Leon Trotskys pamphlet against opponents of socialist revolution who criticized the Bolsheviks based on abstract moralizing. Geras states that Trotsky defended revolutionary violence against petty bourgeois moralisers, while insisting that the goal of socialist revolution, the liberation of mankind, means that not all means are permissible. Nevertheless, he insists that Trotskys views have to be rejected.

His essay is part of a body of writing, beginning when Geras was a member of the Pabloite International Marxist Group and ending in his advocacy of imperialist wars of humanitarian intervention, including the Iraq War, as a leading author of the 2006 Euston Manifesto. The manifesto saw lefts such as Geras align themselves with neo-cons in the Henry Jackson Society to assert the duty of intervention and rescue of the international communitya synonym for the imperialist powers.

On this basis, one of his collaborators, Nick Cohen, writes in the New Statesman of the ignorant censorship of Geras who devoted much of his energy to opposing the murder of civilians, and lost many friends on the left in the process. To allow such censorship of a profound and humane thinker would criminalise all the arguments about just war going back to St. Augustine, Cohen writes.

Except it is not Saint Augustine who is being targeted, or even Geras himself. He fell foul of the Prevent machinery because he wrote on the issue of social revolution, above all the October 1917 revolution led by Lenin and Trotsky. And if a hostile polemic on the subject is considered too dangerous to be viewed, then the collected works of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Trotsky will soon be placed under lock and key along with the writings of countless historians, sociologists and, of course, political figures.

Choosing Geras essay opposing Their Morals and Ours indicates the central target of the escalating drive to bring schools and universities under state supervision and control is Trotskyism, the genuine expression of revolutionary Marxism represented today by the International Committee of the Fourth International.

In Germany, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality is leading the fight of German students against the state-sponsored growth of militarism and far-right ideology on university campuses. They have been hounded for this by the local and national right-wing press. Professors and the university leadership at Humboldt University have repeatedly threatened the IYSSE, including with legal suits, to silence their criticisms while the administration is now working to establish and publish a list of politically active students that would lay the basis for neo-Nazi attacks. Other universities have banned the IYSSE from holding meetings. Most ominous of all, the ICFIs German section, the Socialist Equality Party, has been officially listed as a left-wing extremist party and identified as an object of observation by the secret service, citing its opposition to nationalism, imperialism and militarism.

The German events must act as a warning. The International Youth and Students for Socialist Equality calls on all students and academics to condemn Readings action and to demand that universities, colleges and schools end all collaboration with the governments Prevent programme. We call on all those wishing to take part in such a struggle for academic freedom to contact us today.
With the victory of Jared Golden, an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran, in Maines 2nd Congressional District, a total of 11 Democrats with military or intelligence backgrounds have won Republican-held seats in the House of Representatives in the midterm elections.

The military-intelligence apparatus accounts for the largest number of victorious Democratic challengers in Republican districts, more than lawyers (9), state and local government officials (7), businessmen/wealthy individuals (7), or others (8).

Golden trailed incumbent Republican Bruce Poliquin by a narrow margin in the initial vote results. Under Maines ranked-choice voting system, however, since none of the four candidates on the ballot won 50 percent, the votes for the third and fourth-place candidates in the district, about 8 percent of the total, were redistributed, giving Golden the margin of victory.

The third- and fourth-place candidates had urged their supporters to preference Golden over Poliquin on their ballots, and they did so by a sizeable margin. Golden trailed Poliquin by 2,632 first-choice votes, but he won by 2,905 votes, with 50.5 percent of the total, when the votes of the two eliminated candidates were redistributed.

Poliquin has filed a lawsuit against ranked-choice votingbut only after Election Day, when it became clear that the new system, approved by Maine voters in a referendum in 2016, was likely to cost him his seat. On Thursday morning, a federal judge rejected Poliquins request for a temporary restraining order to stop the vote redistribution process, citing the previous referendum vote, but the Republican congressman said he would appeal.

With Goldens victory, Democrats now hold every congressional seat in the six New England states, 21 in all. Poliquin had held the 2nd Congressional District seat for four years, and President Trump carried the largely rural area, which covers two-thirds of the state, in the 2016 election.

Of the 11 military-intelligence Democrats newly elected to Congress, nine defeated incumbent Republicans, while two won seats left open by a Republican retirement. Besides Poliquin, the Republicans defeated by candidates drawn directly from the national-security apparatus include Dan Donovan in New York, Leonard Lance and Tom MacArthur in New Jersey, Keith Rothfus in New Jersey, Scott Taylor and David Brat in Virginia, Mike Bishop in Michigan, and Mike Coffman in Colorado.

Besides Goldenwho enlisted in the Marines after 9/11 and spent four years as an infantryman, deploying to Afghanistan in 2004 and to Iraq in 20052006, the only rank-and-file soldier in the groupthe military-intelligence Democrats who won congressional seats include:

Jason Crow, Colorado 6th District, veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division, leading a paratrooper platoon during the invasion of Iraq,

Chrissy Houlahan, Pennsylvania 6th District, a 10-year veteran of the Air Force, leaving it as a captain,

Andy Kim, New Jersey 3rd District, strategic adviser to US commanders in Afghanistan, then director for Iraq on Obamas National Security Council,

Conor Lamb, Pennsylvania 17th District, Marine captain and Judge Advocate General, won special election in the 18th District earlier this year, redistricted into the 17th,

Elaine Luria, Virginia 2nd District, career Navy surface warfare officer, second-in-command of guided missile cruiser, commanded assault craft supporting Marine Corps deployment,

Tom Malinowski, New Jersey 7th District, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor in the Obama administration,

Max Rose, New York 11th District, Army combat officer in Afghanistan, Ranger-qualified, Bronze Star and Purple Heart,

Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey 11th District, ten years as Navy helicopter pilot, Russia policy officer for the Atlantic Fleet, then federal prosecutor,

Elissa Slotkin, Michigan 8th District, a CIA agent in Iraq, then worked at the National Security Council for Bush and Obama, and as an assistant secretary of defense,

Abigail Spanberger, Virginia 7th District, eight years in the CIA as an operations officer in Europe, speaks five languages, previously a postal inspector (policeman for the Postal Service).

The influx of new members of Congress with recent experience in the CIA or military or civilian national security positions is unprecedented for the Democratic Party in the more than four decades since the Vietnam War era. The 11 include seven military veterans, all but one an officertwo each from the Army, Navy and Marines, one from the Air Forcetwo former CIA agents, and two who worked as civilian decision-makers in the State Department and National Security Council.

Seven military-intelligence Democrats fell just short of winning seats, with one not yet conceding, Gina Ortiz Jones, an Air Force intelligence officer who challenged Republican incumbent Will Hurd, a former CIA agent, in the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. Ortiz Jones trailed Hurd by 1,150 votes out of more than 200,000 cast (0.5 percent), and she has the right to request a recount given the closeness of the contest.

Other military-intelligence Democrats who lost narrowly, and their margin of defeat, include Dan Feehan in the 1st District of Minnesota (0.4 percent), Dan McCready in the 9th District of North Carolina (0.6 percent), Joseph Kopser in the 21st District of Texas (2.8 percent), George Scott in the 10th District of Pennsylvania (2.8 percent), Mary Jennings Hegar in the 31st District of Texas (3.0 percent) and Amy McGrath in the 6th District of Kentucky (3.2 percent).

The remaining 12 of those whom the WSWS has identified as the CIA Democrats lost by wider margins, ranging from 6.6 percent for Brendan Kelly in the 12th District of Illinois to 23 percent for Jesse Colvin in the 1st District of Maryland. Richard Ojeda, one of the most heavily publicized of the military-intelligence candidates, lost by 12.8 percent in the 3rd District of West Virginia, the heart of the Appalachian coalfield. The former Army Airborne major immediately announced the formation of a committee to explore a possible run for the presidency.

There appears to be a regional component in the relative success or failure of the military-intelligence candidates. Nine of the eleven elected won seats in the Northeast, in states from Virginia through Maine along the Eastern Seaboard. Only one won in the Midwest, Slotkin in Michigan, and one in the West, Crow in Colorado. None won seats in the South, although five lost narrowly in that region.

The regional disparity has some political significance. The Northeast has traditionally been a center of antiwar sentiment. The Democrats gained no political advantage there by running candidates drawn from the military-intelligence apparatus, especially given that none of these candidates made any show of opposition to the wars of which they had been part. Rather, the military-intelligence apparatus gained by having its candidates slotted into districts that were likely to be won by the Democrats in the event of a national swing against the Republican Party and the Trump administration, as seen in the November 6 midterm.

The result is that in the Northeast, of 15 Republican seats captured by the Democrats, nine went to military-intelligence candidates. In the other three regions, there were only two military-intelligence candidates among the 25 Democrats winning Republican seats.

The newly elected CIA Democrats have begun to attract considerable media attention, after an election campaign in which the high proportion of military-intelligence candidates seeking Democratic congressional nominations was largely disregarded or directly downplayed by the corporate-controlled media.

Five of the 11 newly elected CIA Democrats are women, a fact which is endlessly celebrated by the media, although there is no reason to believe that female national-security officials are any less ruthless and bloodthirsty than their male counterparts. Both the former CIA operatives elected November 6, Elissa Slotkin and Abigail Spanberger, are women, as are the two former Navy officers, helicopter pilot Mikie Sherrill and warship commander Elaine Luria, and the former Air Force captain, Chrissy Houlahan.

Slotkin did three tours of duty in Baghdad for the CIA, then worked in the White House on Iraq policy under both Bush and Obama, before a stint as an assistant secretary of defense where she had responsibility for drone warfare, among other murderous tasks. She has now emerged as a media favorite, the subject of a gushing 3,000-word front-page profile in the Detroit Free Press, followed by an invitation to appear on NBCs Sunday interview program Meet the Press, as one of two representatives of the incoming freshman class of congressmen and congresswomen.

The author also recommends:

The CIA Democrats: A balance sheet of the primaries

[21 September 2018]

The CIA Democrats and the US midterm elections

[24 September 2018]
Lectures by SEP National Chairman David North and National Secretary Joseph Kishore attracted large audiences in three cities in the US West Coast this past week. The meetings, The class struggle, revolution, and socialism in the 21st century, are part of an international tour on the historical lessons of the Trotskyist movement and their implications for the struggles unfolding today.

Meetings in October in Sri Lanka were attended by hundreds of workers and youth, followed by meetings at universities across the US. North will continue the tour in Australia next.

David North speaks at UC Berkeley

More than 50 people came to hear David Norths lecture at the University of California, Berkeley on Wednesday, and more than 30 attended a meeting the following day at San Diego State University (SDSU). More than 40 attended the lecture by Kishore at Portland State University (PSU) in Oregon on Tuesday. Those attending the meetings included students and workers from the areas.

The meeting in Berkeley was held against the backdrop of the Camp Fire in Northern California, which has left nearly 70 people dead, with more than 1,000 missing.

The meetings reviewed the international political situation, with particular emphasis on the significance of the rise of far-right political forces in the United States and around the world. The lectures reviewed the experiences of the 1930s and the fundamental principles expressed in the founding of the Fourth International.

At the Berkeley meeting, North emphasized the grave danger posed by pseudo-left forces that seek to create a nationalist pro-capitalist populism of the left. He noted that postmodernism and identity politics are the ideological expression of the material interests of the upper-middle class, which dominates the political and academic landscape at UC Berkeley and other campuses.

A student visiting from China asked what North thought about the recent crackdown of Marxist student groups in China. North noted the growing and renewed interest in socialism among Chinese youth and students. He explained, The problems between the Chinese and Russian revolutions were very much interrelated. Both Maoism and Stalinism are nationalist distortions of a Marxist program.

Reporters for the WSWS spoke to several of those attending the meetings.

Chad, a tech worker from the Bay Area noted that Norths lecture gave him a newfound understanding of how essential it was to study the past to make sense of the present. Why isnt this stuff taught in schools? he asked. He described the lecture as awesome and enlightening, and that it gave me a lot to think about.

Jayaraman, a visiting scholar from India attending the meeting in Berkeley, said that what North spoke about in the US and Europe is an exact replica of what is happening in India today.

Beau is a fourth-year student studying political science at SDSU. Ive always been left-leaning, but things are now worse. I like how David North touched upon increasing inequality, and how most people are really disenfranchised by the political-economic setup.

Beau

I think the work of the SEP and the IC are of increasing importance, Beau added. I think we have a very important role to play. Young people are made to join populist groups that dont represent them. A social explosion is going to happen, but we as young people and the working class have to be ready.

Jairo is a former SDSU student who has been attending International Youth and Students for Social Equality meetings this semester. What is interesting to me is the history of the Fourth International. When you look at history you can see the parallels and you can see the common issues. You see the rise of Trump and these Neo-Nazi movements. On the other side you see the rise of Bernie Sanders. But now capitalism is done with reformism and cannot even offer a New Deal anymore.

Brittney, a student at SDSU said, I was really interested in learning more about socialism. My friends know a lot more about it and I feel that it's something that I should know more about. The topics that [David North] spoke about make a lot of sense and affect everyone."

Brittney

Lianna is a former student of SDSU. A lot of people I know are discontented with what is happening here, and many of them think we can find a solution in identity politics or the DSA [Democratic Socialists of America]. Others feel helpless and a sense of doom. This lecture tonight was important to remind us that we can do something about it.

I really enjoyed the meeting, said Charles, a senior undergraduate studying music composition in Portland. "I thought it was a prescient analysis of our current political situation and demonstrated the necessity for socialist revolution."

Lianna

Ned, a graduate student in Sociology from London, UK, has attended several IYSSE meetings at PSU since the start of the term. I think institutional politics has utterly collapsed so some newly organized force is certainly needed. I learned a lot at this meeting about the historical placement of the ICFI, where it comes from and what it stands for, and the current challenges faced by the socialist movement. I'm looking forward to learning in more detail about this movement and what the goals for the next few years look like, and how they can be achieved."

Parker, a computer science student at PSU who is just beginning to learn about socialism, said, The presentation was really convincing that socialism makes sense. Its about giving less power to the rich, more power to the people. It would change the economic framework to gear toward society as a whole, rather than the people at the top. He also enjoyed how the presentation clarified some of the misconceptions that people have about socialism, like its association with Stalinism, and how that history can be used to win more people over to real socialism today.

Charlie, a 32-year-old retail worker, came to the Portland meeting after reading about the Trotskyist movement through the World Socialist Web Siteand Mehring Books. The emphasis on connecting history to the struggle today is crucial.

Charles [left], Ned [right]

Charlie continued, Socialist theory has to correspond to reality as best as possible. Consciousness will never completely reflect reality, but the idea is to approximate it as closely as possible. And not by idle speculation, but through struggle. Marx would have never arrive at his conclusions if he was not a revolutionary. The major question for me now is how to bridge the gap between objective reality and current working class consciousness. I want to get more involved."
The Congressional Progressive Caucus of House Democrats held its first press conference since the midterm elections on Monday afternoon. They used the event to signal their fundamental agreement with the Trump administrations war on immigrants.

The CPC is held up as the left face of the Democratic Party. It includes Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, both members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts. All three were present on Monday.

The speakers defended the Democrats decision to ignore the immigration issue during the election campaign, as President Trump delivered fascistic anti-immigrant diatribes; deployed 15,000 troops to the border against Central American immigrant workers seeking asylum; called for the rescinding of birthright citizenship upheld in the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution; and announced the creation of immigrant tent cities and a ban on all asylum applications apart from designated ports of entry. The Democrats remained silent and claimed Trumps actions were a diversion from the real issues facing the population.

CPC Chair Mark Pocan said that while we are still absolutely going to be pressing that issue, the main goal getting out of the gate is going to be the issues that we ran on across all districts: around healthcare, around good-paying jobs, around opposing the culture of corruption. Not that we cant walk and chew gum, but those are going to be the lead issues.

Veronica Escobar of El Paso, Texas said Trumps anti-immigrant attacks are unnecessary because the militarization of the border by both parties had already achieved the bipartisan goal of stopping immigrants. Weve had 15 years, billions of dollars, a wall, drones, a border patrol thats grown by seven times, ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] thats grown by three times, she said. The border is secure. It has never been safer. We are still, even with the surges of Central American families seeking asylum, at historic lows for immigration. Its time to stop the national obsession with border security.

A reporter at the press conference noted that some members of the CPC had won support based on their calls to Abolish ICE, and asked whether they would maintain this slogan.

In fact, the Democrats never intended to abolish ICE. They saw in this slogan a means for committing themselves to nothing while gaining support from millions of workers and young people who are horrified by the American immigration Gestapo and want to see it abolished.

In July, the Democrats opposed their own bill that included the call to abolish ICE. The Democrats never intended for the bill to come to a vote, expecting that Republicans would block the measure. When Republicans sought to force a vote on the bill, the Democrats announced they would vote against it as well if it came to the floor.

In response to the reporters question on Monday, however, Pramila Jayapal complained that she and other Democrats had been falsely associated with the slogan to abolish ICE. The bill says that ICE would be abolished with the assumption that there is some new agency that will continue to enforce border control, she said. I would love it if you would all read the bill and report on what was in the bill and how we propose building an immigration system that is humane, where the enforcement is transparent, saves taxpayer dollars, and is effective.

In other words, the so-called Progressive Democrats want a border agency that is more effective and efficient at rounding up, detaining and deporting millions of immigrants and splitting up families. They want it done more quietly, with fewer taxpayer dollars, and less of Trumps fascistic rants, which they fear will trigger a social explosion by workers. This was the method of the Obama administration, which deported more than 3.5 million immigrants in the course of its eight years in office.

Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib, whom the DSA-affiliated Jacobin magazine characterized in a November 14 article as an embryonic socialist bloc in Congress, stood alongside their colleagues and nodded and supported these statements and chose not to say anything on the matter. That is because they agree with everything that was said.

Ocasio-Cortez in particular won widespread support from young people for her use of the slogan Abolish ICE. The day after her victory in the New York 14th District Democratic primaries, as her Democratic Party instructors explained how to conduct herself, she had already begun hedging on the demand, telling CNN, We do need to make sure that our borders are secure. In August, she commented that abolishing ICE does not mean abolish deportation. Her comments on the issue dropped to almost zero, with tweets on the topic just twice after September 1.

Horrific and unprecedented crimes are being carried out against immigrants on a daily basis. There are now almost 14,000 immigrant unaccompanied minors detained in internment camps. Reports emerge almost daily of crimes against asylum seekers by fascistic border guards emboldened by the Trump White House.

Silence about what is taking place equals complicity. The complicity extends to the DSA-affiliated Jacobin magazine, which has said nothing that could jeopardize its efforts to channel disaffected workers and young people behind the Democratic Party. Jacobin has published only two articles dealing with immigration since September 1, a rate of one article every 33 days.

Genuine socialists approach the question of immigration from the standpoint of the unity of the international working class and a scientific understanding of world economy. The nation-state system has become an irrational brake on the development of society, which has objectively unified billions of workers all around the world in a common production and supply chain. It leads inevitably toward the persecution of immigrants and to colonial and inter-imperialist wars that threaten the international working class with nuclear catastrophe.

Socialists call for an end to the division of the planet into competing national states and the construction of a rationally planned, socialist economy, with corporations transformed into utilities under the democratic control of workers, to organize production according to social need. They defend the right of workers to reside in whatever country they choose, with full legal and citizenship rights, and oppose all forms of nationalism, which is utilized by the capitalist class to divide workers from their class brothers and sisters.

The DSA is not a socialist organization, but a nationalist and pro-capitalist organization. It fights not to build a revolutionary party of the working class to overthrow capitalism and establish socialism, but to channel workers and young people behind the Democratic Party, the oldest capitalist party in the United States. It explicitly does not call for the abolition of the nation-state system and the provision of citizenship rights to all workers.
The teacher strikes and massive demonstrations from last February to April, in West Virginia, Arizona, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kentucky and other states, fighting for long-overdue wage increases, against attacks on health care benefits and pensions, heralded an unprecedented struggle against the decades-long destruction of funding for public education and the explosive growth of charter schools nationwide.

While these struggles quickly gained popular support from parents, students and the broader communities, the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and their local affiliates swooped down to throttle the momentum of these struggles, shut them down, and, in the words of AFT President Randi Weingarten, transform the walkouts into walk-ins into the voting booth.

The sabotaging of the strike wave by the unions turned into a cynical maneuver for political support to the Democratic Party in the 2018 midterm elections. The anger and frustration of teachers that erupted in the massive demonstrations in defense of public education resulted in hundreds of well-meaning educators deciding to run for public office, particularly for state legislative positions against those legislators seen as the most intransigent opponents of the teachers demands. Most of them ran as Democrats, some as Republicans, both big-business parties of war and social inequality. The union apparatus threw millions of dollars and thousands of man-hours into campaigning for pro-education candidates. While the bureaucrats are now spinning the election results as a big win for education, a closer look is needed.

Education Week has broken down the results of these efforts. Its survey included only those who had not previously declared candidacy or been in office. The publication included only current educators competing for state legislative office who decided to participate in the elections following the teacher spring. Of the 177 educators who chose to seek office following the spring strikes and protests, 57 lost in their primary races, 76 lost in the just-concluded November midterms, and 42 were successful. Of these, nine ran as Republicans and 33 as Democrats.

Grabbing many front-page headlines, and inducing much rapture from the union heads, is the election in Connecticut of Democrat Jahana Hayes, 2016 Teacher of the Year, to the US House of Representatives. But Hayes, whatever her intentions, is a very junior member of a very right-wing, anti-education party which cannot be transformed into a progressive force no matter how many lies the unions peddle. Hayes will vote for Nancy Pelosi for speaker and will accept whatever budget deals Pelosi and the Democrats make with Trump and the Republicans, giving them a bit of left window-dressing.

In all four states where the teacher strikes and protests gained the most national attention, West Virginia, Kentucky, Arizona and Oklahoma, the Republican Party retained control in both the State Senate and House chambers and the governors mansion.

In West Virginia, three of six teacher candidates won state office. Only two incumbent Republican state house members out of 47 lost to a Democratic opponent. Richard Ojeda, one of the CIA Democrats enthusiastically supported by the NEA and AFT, lost his bid for a US House seat in West Virginias 3rd Congressional District. He has subsequently announced his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.

In Oklahoma, every incumbent Republican running for state legislature retained his or her seat, while three Democratic Party incumbents lost to Republican challengers. Oklahoma saw the highest number of educators seeking political office, 66. Of these, 37 lost in primaries, 23 lost in the general election, only six were elected.

In Arizona, one educator won, while six lost in the general election. David Garcia, the Democratic challenger supported by Arizona Educators United and the Arizona Education Association, lost his bid to unseat Republican governor Doug Ducey by a wide margin. And in Kentucky, with 20 teacher candidates originally declared, three were elected, 12 lost the general election and five had been defeated in the primaries.

The NEA and AFT threw all their eggs into the electoral basket, exhorting their members and those who had supported the teachers strikes to campaign and vote for any and every candidate who expressed even marginal support for education, particularly in the Democratic Party. The NEA and the AFT each spent over $20 million between support to candidates, PACs (Political Action Committees) and lobbying during the 2018 election cycle.

Lily Eskelsen Garcia, president of the NEA, hailed the gubernatorial victories of Democrats Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan, J.B. Pritzker in Illinois, Laura Kelly in Kansas and Tim Walz, a former teacher, in Minnesota by saying, Those are indescribable wins for public education. Actually, these are wins only for the union officials, who will gain a place at the table in those states, helping the new Democratic governors decide how best to impose agendas of austerity and budget-cutting, while insuring that the unions continue to collect their entirely undeserved dues tribute from the teachers they are selling out.

There were many state-wide ballot proposals that would impact education spending. These saw contradictory results. Colorado Amendment 73 would have introduced a graduated tax structure, increasing taxes on individuals earning over $150,000 per year, and on businesses. This measure failed by 53.64 percent to 46.36 percent. It was specifically put forward to create a Quality Public Education Fund. The organizations opposing this amendment outspent supporters by nearly 2-1. A similar measure in Arizona was ruled off the ballot by the state Supreme Court in August, when the Chamber of Commerce and other business interests challenged the proposal.

In Arizona, a measure to prohibit the state and local governments from enacting new or increased taxes on services (regressive taxes supported by the teacher unions as pro-children) was passed 64.23 percent to 35.77 percent after business interests raised $10 million compared to the $122,000 raised by Stand for Children and the No on Proposition 126 PACs. At the same time, a proposal to expand scholarships to enable the use of public school funds for private school education for any Arizona student was defeated by nearly the same margin. Governor Ducey, along with the Goldwater Institute and other openly right-wing forces campaigned for a yes vote, while the defeated David Garcia and other organizations supporting public education opposed the measure.

What conclusions do the likes of Eskelsen Garcia and Weingarten draw from the midterm elections? Today we begin the race for 2020, says Eskelsen Garcia. The WSWS statement Teachers and the political struggle noted, the experiences of the teachers have already demonstrated the bankruptcy of such an outlook.

It was clear that masses of working people and students supported the teachers when they marched in the thousands, mobilized initially by rank-and-file educators outside the domination of the NEA and AFT. The groundswell of support from West Virginia to Arizona indicated that independent action by the working class inspired millions across the country, and in fact, across the world. However, without independent, well-organized and principled organization, the teachers strikes were reined in by the NEA and the AFT, and brought to heel. The union apparatus, assisted by the pseudo-lefts in the leadership of Arizona Educators United, for example, sank the rank-and-file movement into the slogan Remember in November.

During the course of the spring struggles, the WSWS and the Socialist Equality Party fought for teachers to build independent rank-and-file committees, to break from the unions and wage a struggle for decent wages, full funding of education, health care and pensions, and for a turn to other sections of workers coming into struggle among Teamsters, communications workers, autoworkers. Teachers will have no choice but to continue to fight for the unresolved issues first raised last spring. The struggles will erupt, and a new leadership must be built.

Last weeks election results demonstrate that the basic needs of teachers and all working people cannot be met through the two capitalist parties and an election process dominated by billionaires, corporate interests and the financial elite. The aim of the sincere educators who sought to make a difference in the elections, and the working class as a whole, must be to break the hold of the banks and corporations and carry out a radical redistribution of wealth. As the WSWS said in June, In the end, the question boils down to this: Which classthe capitalist bankers and corporate owners or the masses of working-class people whose collective labor produces all wealthwill determine how societys resources are distributed?  The working class, the vast majority of the population, must take political power in its own hands and put an end to the dictatorship of the banks and big business.
The ongoing wildfires in California, including the most deadly and destructive in the states history, are a horrific exposure of the collapse of social infrastructure and the consequences of government neglect.

The immense toll is just beginning to be comprehended. On Friday, the official death toll from the Camp Fire in Northern California reached 71, while the number of missing persons skyrocketed from 631 to 1,011.

The Woolsey Fire in Southern California began on November 8 and has destroyed over 98,300 acres, roughly the size of Denver, Colorado. Over 295,000 people have been forced to evacuate the region, and there have been three confirmed deaths as of this writing. The fire is now 69 percent contained.

In Butte County, Northern California, the Camp Fire began on the same day and has caused far greater damage. The fire currently encompasses 146,000 acres, with 50 percent containment, and has forced 52,000 people to evacuate. The fire has destroyed 12,263 structures, including 9,844 single residences and 144 multiple residences.

Another 15,500 structures are still threatened by the Camp Fire, which is not expected to be fully contained until November 30 at the earliest. Statewide, roughly 9,400 firefighters have been deployed to fight the ongoing fires, of whom roughly 1,500 are prison inmates who are paid a meager $1 per hour.

The largely working-class, elderly towns of Paradise and Magalia, as well as multiple smaller census-designated places, have been essentially wiped off the map by the Camp Fire. Each day, an average of eight new bodies have been found in the rubble, as nearly 500 search-and-rescue personnel survey the area.

On Thursday, the number of missing people skyrocketed from 300 to 631, then to 1,011 on Friday evening. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea has said that officials have finally processed all the 911 calls and missing person reports made over the past week.

Officials have not released the names of all 1,011 missing people, but the most recent public list showed that the vast majority are elderly, with 91 percent over the age of 50, and therefore more likely to have perished given the rapidity of the wildfires spread and the complete lack of a citywide warning system.

The Camp Fire will likely rank among the top five deadliest wildfires in US history, and the deadliest since the Cloquet Fire in Minnesota killed an estimated 1,000 people in 1918. The fact that such a devastating event could take place in modern America speaks to the immense social crisis of contemporary capitalism, which subordinates all aspects of social life to the pursuit of private profit.

Beyond those killed or made homeless by the Camp Fire, millions more have been impacted across the Northern California region, as toxic particulate matter has fanned out and spread hundreds of miles westward, creating hazardous air for millions of residents in the densely populated Bay Area, as well as large parts of the Central Valley.

According to the air quality-monitoring network Purple Air, Northern California currently has the most polluted air in the world, worse than notoriously smoggy cities in India and China. On Friday afternoon, the air quality reached the highest hazardous rating on the Air Quality Index scale in the cities of Chico and Oroville, where most Camp Fire evacuees have fled, as well as the heavily populated Sacramento region, affecting over 600,000 people. At least 25 other cities in Northern California ranked in the highly toxic Unhealthy and Very Unhealthy range.

The cumulative, long-term health impact of this air pollution may never be fully known. The toxic air can cause asthma attacks and prompt strokes and heart attacks. Due to the fact that school funding is tied to attendance, almost every major school district in the region remained open throughout the week, until conditions became so bad that they were forced to close on Friday. Ambulances were sent to schools in the region Thursday to hospitalize students having severe asthma attacks.

US President Donald Trumpwho has feuded with the states Democratic politiciansinitially threatened to cut off federal funding to the state. He has since backpedaled slightly, and the White House announced Thursday that Trump will visit individuals impacted by the wildfires this Saturday.

Whatever empty platitudes Trump issues during his visit, his administration will do nothing to make survivors whole or address any of the underlying causes of the epidemic of wildfires that have ravaged California in recent years. Nor will the Democratic politicians who run the state, including Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom.

Both parties are responsible for this catastrophe. Funding for the state agencies that oversee fire prevention and management has been continually cut in recent decades at both the state and federal level, while the energy monopoly Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has been allowed to subordinate public safety to its private profit.

In a report published last June, Cal Fire found that PG&E equipment caused 16 wildfires last year, 11 of which involved violations of state fire prevention codes, making them potentially liable for $15 billion in damages. Southern California Edison, which provides energy for much of Southern Californiaincluding the region impacted by the Woolsey Fireadmitted in late October that its equipment helped spark the massive 2017 Thomas Fire that killed two people and burned over 280,000 acres.

However, in September Governor Brown signed into law SB 901, which limits the potential damages for which utilities are liable. The law also allows regulators to reduce assessed damages when weather exacerbates the disaster, and to take into account the companys financial status to limit the costs to shareholders and allow the utilities to raise rates on the public.

PG&E shares have fallen by as much as 53 percent since the Camp Fire began, as the first ignition point for the fire is reported to have been under PG&E power lines near the Poe Dam. PG&E acknowledged Tuesday that it had submitted an electric incident report moments prior to the outbreak of the fire, sending its shares plummeting.

In response, late Thursday California Public Utilities Commission President Michael Picker held a private meeting with Wall Street investors and analysts, in which he reportedly said that he wishes to avoid a PG&E bankruptcy, and that he will allow the company to pass on wildfire-related costs to customers through a bond-purchasing program. After-hours trading caused PG&E stock to surge more than 44 percent, erasing the days 30 percent decline.

In an interview with the Chronicle, Picker stated, If [PG&E] cant borrow money, if they have liquidity problems and they cant do vegetation management, thats a problem. Thats not good policy, to really let them get financially unstable.

Almost all of Californias electricity is transmitted through above-ground power lines on wooden poles, which are known to cause wildfires due to poor maintenance. Two rational but more expensive solutions are the use of underground lines or above-ground lines mounted on steel. Instead, PG&E has since 2013 begun cutting power to entire regions that experience conditions conducive to wildfires. In the days prior to the Camp Fire, PG&E sent warnings to customers in Butte County that they would temporarily cut power, indicating that they knew conditions were ripe for a wildfire. However, no cutoff was made before the fire broke out.

Both the Democrats and Republicans preside over a capitalist system that has proven incapable of addressing climate change, which is responsible for increasingly extreme and unpredictable global weather patterns. The 2011-2017 California drought was the driest period in state history since records began in 1895. Then 2017 brought one of the wettest years in state history, while 2018 has seen a return of drought conditions. The Camp Fire itself began after 210 continuous days without rain in the region.

The experience of the Camp Fire has affected millions of people and will deepen the ongoing radicalization of the working class. As Robert Starling, a restaurant dishwasher who fled the Camp Fire in Magalia, told the World Socialist Web Site, This country has failed. We need to have an overhaul. I dont know how its going to be done, if its going to take another revolution ... Things like this will make people mad and instill enough drive to do it.

In a socialist society, the major corporations, including PG&E and Edison International, would be nationalized. Billions would be reallocated from the military and the bank accounts of the super-rich toward the rational planning of cities, including the universal use of underground or metal above-ground electrical infrastructure. Emergency response technology would provide instant notification of any wildfires or other extreme weather events, and fire departments would be fully funded to prevent any future outbreaks. Programs to halt and reverse human-induced climate change would create a stable climate and lay the basis for sustaining future generations of mankind.
The resignation of Defence Minister and Israel Beiteinu (Israel is Our Home) party leader Avigdor Lieberman Wednesday has forced Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahus Likud-led coalitionleft with a one-seat majorityto bring forward national elections to early next year.

Lieberman resigned in protest over a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza. The next day, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon of the Kulani Party and Interior Minister Arye Deri of the Shas Party called for an early election, while Naftali Bennett of the Jewish Home Party demanded the defence portfolio for himself as the condition for continuing his support for the coalitiona demand Netanyahu rejected.

The collapse of the coalition government amid furious denunciations of the most right-wing Prime Minister in Israels 70-year history, for being too soft on Gaza comes in the wake of his agreement to a ceasefire with Hamas, the bourgeois Islamist group that controls the impoverished Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory.

The ceasefire followed a series of armed clashes after an Israeli commando unit was exposed during a covert operation inside Gazaone of more than 70 reported ground incursions this year. The clashes killed at least 15 Palestinians, an Israeli lieutenant colonel and a Palestinian inside Israel and looked set to spiral into an all-out war.

With political commentators already talking of an early general election ahead of that scheduled for November 2019, and Israels fascistic parties vying with each other over who has a tougher policy against the Palestinians, Lieberman sought to make political capital out of Netanyahus apparent retreat.

Lieberman has long advocated another war on Gaza to enforce Israels blockade. He unilaterally halted Israels fuel deliveries to Gaza, bringing essential services such as health and sanitation to the point of collapse, until Israels security cabinet reined him in. He justified the slaughter of hundreds of defenceless Palestinians in recent months saying there were no innocent people in the Gaza Strip and voiced support for an Israeli soldier who was filmed shooting a protester.

He also opposed Netanyahus deal with Qatar last month, whereby the oil-rich state pledged $150 million in aid for Gaza, including shipments of fuel as well as $15 million as back pay for thousands of unpaid civil servants. When the latest round of fighting erupted, he demanded a harsh, decisive move against Hamas.

Netanyahu, with his typical cynicism, had defended the agreement with Qatar and the ceasefire as a means of avoiding an unnecessary war. This has absolutely nothing to do with any anti-war sentiments. Israels Defence Forces Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot warned him that a successful war in Gaza to eliminate Hamas would entail a large loss of life and either the military occupation of Gaza or its handover to the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority.

Netanyahu is the political heir to the fascist Vladimir Jabotinsky, whose Revisionist Partyallied to Europes far right parties in the 1930swas the forerunner of his Likud outfit. He has his sights firmly set on establishing a Greater Israel, expanding Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, inciting divisions within the Palestinian national movement to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state and building an alliance with the reactionary Sunni Gulf petro-monarchies against Iran and its regional allies.

Unwilling to court further international opprobrium for a war that had no prospect of successful resolution and would make things politically difficult for his Arab allies, he reluctantly accepted an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire. He hopes that this stance in calling off the war with Hamas will enable him to posture as the only responsible adult in the room during elections next year, under conditions where he and his associates are under investigation in numerous major corruption cases, and his wife Sarah is currently on trial for the misuse of public funds.

At the same time, Netanyahu is busy inciting anti-Arab and anti-Muslim racism both at home and abroad to mobilise his own right-wing political base. To this end, he approved the introduction of the apartheid-style nation-state law that gives priority status to Israels Jewish citizens at the expense of its Palestinian citizens.

He is also supporting a bill going through the Knesset that makes it easier to impose the death penalty for Palestinians accused of terrorism. The death penalty presently requires a unanimous decision by three judges, as well as a request for the death penalty by the military prosecutor. The day Netanyahus government collapsed, Israeli forces wounded at least 40 Palestinians, including three in dangerous condition, protesting near the fence with Israel as part of the Great March of Return.

Lieberman has pushed Netanyahu into an election campaign that will be fought over the Gaza debacle and the prime ministers weakness. His office denied media reports that he had supported an end to Israeli strikes on Gaza last weekend. He called Netanyahu gutless and denounced the truce and the Qatar aid package as a capitulation to terror whose price was severe long-term damage to national security.

Not to be outdone, Liebermans rival, Jewish Home leader Bennett, who has for years sought to present Netanyahu as an irresolute prime minister that lacks the courage to do the right thing and obliterate Hamas, also denied he supported any kind of cease-fire.

Tourism Minister and Likud legislator Yariv Levin called Liebermans resignation a gift to Hamas. Hamas political leader Sami Abu Zahri called it a recognition of [Israels] defeat in last weekends military confrontationparticularly as Lieberman had once demanded Hamas leader Ismail Haniya hand over two detained Israeli civilians and the bodies of soldiers killed in a 2014 war within 48 hours, or youre dead.

The so-called centrist and leftist Zionist parties were no less vociferous in their noxious militarist attacks on Netanyahu. Yesh Atids Yair Lapid, Labours Avi Gabbay and others all rushed to compete in criticising Netanyahus gutlessness in confronting Hamas. Former Labour leader Ehud Barak said, Netanyahu is bankrupt and has caved in to Hamas under fire. As prime minister, Barak sabotaged the Camp David talks with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in July 2000, authorised the ruthless suppression of the Palestinians in the second intifada that started two months later, and then as defense minister presided over the 2008-2009 Operation Cast Lead, which killed at least 1,400 Palestinians in Gaza.

Knesset opposition leader Tzipi Livni of the Zionist Union, which includes Labour, called on the entire government to resign, saying, The government, which has failed in defense, needs to go. There is no peace, no security. She called for an emergency coalition under the Zionist Union to put forward a new defense strategy combining military strength and a diplomatic initiative.

These fetid conditions mark a fresh stage in the rightward shift of the entire Zionist political establishment that is hell bent on militarism abroad that threatens to ignite a wider war with potentially catastrophic implications for the entire region, including Israel itself. Such militarism can only be financed by the further impoverishment of Israeli workers and youth who live in one of the most unequal societies on the planet.

As elsewhere, the working class can find no political vehicle to express its concerns about the lack of affordable housing, poverty, unemployment and badly maintained and inadequate infrastructure, much less the non-stop war against the Palestinians. The Israeli working class can only resolve these economic, social and political problems by uniting with its class brothers and sisters across the region in the struggle for a Socialist Federation of the Middle East as part of the struggle to put an end to capitalism all over the world.
Ten days after eight people died in the collapse of three dilapidated buildings on the Rue dAubagne, located in an impoverished district of Marseille, 8,000 joined a demonstration Wednesday directed at the city council. Government representatives responded by dispatching riot police to attack the protesters.

The clashes are a sign of the explosive social anger that has been elevated to the surface by the building collapsea social crime against the working class. The eight victims are dead because they had could not afford to rent homes in more affluent neighborhoods, while the government of Emmanuel Macron hands out tens of billions of euros in tax cuts to the rich. They are dead due to the austerity policies carried out over decades across Europe.

The protest began late Wednesday afternoon at the Rue dAubagne. From there the marchers moved past the Old Port of Marseille to the Town Hall. Protesters carried pictures of the victims, five men and three women, one the mother of a young boy who is now orphaned. Referring to Mayor of Marseille Jean-Claude Gaudin, they chanted Gaudin the murderer, Blood on his hands, put him in handcuffs!, Elected and responsible, justice now, Gaudin resign and Gaudin in prison.

The tragedy has produced a wave of sympathy from the populace. Clothing collections have been organized for the building inhabitants who survived but lost all their belongings. Following the newspaper La Marseillaise, people across the region have published Tweets under the hashtag #ShowYourSlum, denouncing the conditions in which the authorities and building owners force workers to live in.

At the start of the week, police searched the homes of the building owners and the local city council offices. It is established that these authorities aware of the conditions that the occupants were living in. The day after thousands took part in solemn marches demanding his resignation, the mayor of Marseille was compelled to admit that he had not done enough.

Since the building collapses, 700 more people have been evacuated from their homes as a precaution.

To pay tribute to the victims, protesters tagged the date of the drama in red letters on the city quay. A participant told the Express, I cried a lot, even though Im not from [the neighbourhood] Noailles. The city council, the Regional Health Authority, the government; they are all guilty of murder.

One of her friends proposed to rename the town hall as the place of martyrs.

Violent clashes broke out at the end of the protest. Faced with a second protest against the council, Gaudin, the police prefecture and the council decided to send riot police to intimidate the protesters and prevent them from reaching the council building, further raising tensions. Faced with expressions of outrage against the conditions for workers in the city, the police fired tear gas to force the protesters to disperse.

The clashes lasted more than an hour. At 9 p.m., most of the protesters had left, with 200-300 people continuing to occupy the street facing the town hall, before slowly being forcibly dispersed. Police arrested five people.

The protest takes place against the backdrop of a rise in class struggle in France and across Europe. Since the beginning of 2018, railway workers, workers at Air France, teachers and energy workers, as well as the students who occupied universities have come into struggle against Macron. In Germany, metal workers went on strike, following the example of their Turkish counterparts, and educators and rail workers in Britain. Belgium has been shaken by mass demonstrations against fuel price increases.

Two thirds of young people in Europe say they are ready to participate in an uprising, 50 years after the May-June 1968 general strike in France. In the United States polls show that the youth would prefer socialism to capitalism.

The demonstration in Marseille takes place days before scheduled yellow vests protests over fuel prices. Hundreds of thousands of people, including workers, small businessmen, and truck owner-operators, plan to blockade roads to protest Macrons moves to place the burden of the budget crisis on the backs of motorists. The government is particularly fearful that the protesters will organize themselves independently of the unions, which limits their ability to contain and strangle the movement.

The police repression in Marseille is a warning to youth and workers who are fighting against Macron. A class gulf separates the demands of the protesters from the ruling class, which has no response to the crisis but police repression, in order to suppress opposition to Macrons agenda of austerity and militarism.

The powers provided to police are the outcome of the measures put in place by successive governments aimed at responding to struggles of workers and youth. The previous Socialist Party government of Francois Hollande set in place the state of emergency, providing unlimited powers to the police, which Macron has since inscribed into lawnotably mass surveillance on the population and so-called anti-terror laws. Macron is preparing censorship measures against Facebook to clamp down on social opposition.

The struggle against squalid housing cannot be disconnected from the struggle against social inequality and the police state measures put in place by the PS and Macron. Unable to pursue its policies through the traditional structures of democracy, the ruling class is building a police state to impose its agenda through force, while remaining totally indifferent to the resulting loss of life, be it from building collapses in France, or wars abroad.
French-based transnational Michelins decision to close its tyre manufacturing plant in Dundee, Scotland by 2020 threatens to pitch the plants 845 workers, their families and thousands more in the area into unemployment and poverty.

The conglomerate is acting aggressively to defend its profit margins, dividends to wealthy shareholders, and the immense salaries paid to its top management by dispensing with its Dundee workforce. Michelins statement on the closure made clear the attack on its Dundee workers arose from world conditions.

Michelin blamed the decision on reduced demand for 16-inch and smaller car tyres in the face of low cost, entry-level products from Asia. Despite recent investment, the company claimed the plant was unsuitable and its conversion is not financially viable. A consultation process with employees, employee representatives and the trade union is to start within two weeks.

Michelin, which operates 70 plants in 17 countries and employs around 114,000 workers worldwide, holds around 14 percent of the entire world market in car and truck tyres. In 2017, the companys net sales globally amounted to 21.9 billion, of which around 4.01 billion was profit before tax and one-off costs.

Days before the announcement, Michelin suffered a 9 percent fall in its share price in Paris, warning of collapsing demand and price increases due to currency fluctuations. The Financial Times reported car industry analyst Arndt Ellinghorst of Evercore ISI warning of the ugliest reporting season for car industry suppliers since 2015. Ellinghorst said that 80 percent of suppliers were likely to make less profits than anticipated. Michelin is seeking 1.2 billion in savings over the next three years, an annual operating income increase of 200 million while reducing production.

The Dundee plant has been in operation for nearly 50 years, first opening in 1971. It emerged that Michelins Dundee management was aware of the closure plans for at least a month before finally announcing them, in a 10-minute meeting. Workers were kept in the dark for as long as possiblean indictment of the main trade union, Unite, which has for decades acted as an arm of Michelin management.

On his appointment in 2009, the current manager of the Dundee plant, John Reid, said, Dundees secret, if there is any secret, is its relationship with its workforce. It is their ability to work with the unions and make difficult decisions and make changes quickly.

Following the 2008 financial crisis, Michelin in Dundee responded to a 15 percent slump in tyre sales by cutting hours and production. On this basis, and assured of industrial peace, the plant avoided closure.

Speaking this September, Unites senior shop steward at the plant, Marc Jackson, made clear that Unite was well aware of some level of threat to the plant. He told the Times that a reduction in production will impact the Dundee site more than any other site within the Michelin group, as we manufacture smaller tyre dimensions.

Last week, Unite revealed that the union had for two months been preparing to offer Michelin a two-year flexibility agreement offering reduced shifts and voluntary redundancies in 2018/19. Further redundancies and shift reductions were to be offered the following year if market conditions had not improved. But even this was not enough for Michelin.

In the face of globally organised corporations such as Michelin, trade unions, which workers once relied on to extract better living standards from the employers, now play the opposite function. Organisations such as Unite aim to maintain production at factories by offering industrial peace and a greater level of exploitation than at their rivals. In this way the unions work to divide the working class.

The trade unions have become labour management outfits, devoted to suppressing the class struggle, and who collaborate at the highest level in the plans of corporations, with Michelin a prime example.

Michelin company chief executive officer, Jean-Dominique Senard, salary 1,100,000, pioneered the French term responsabilisation, meaning empowerment and accountability. Senard told the FT last year, We have discussions with the unions today that are extremely frank and direct. I see them regularly, we listen to each other, we negotiate. But that happens in a climate that everyone recognises is calmer.

One of Michelins pioneer responsabilisation plants was in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, which closed earlier this year, with the loss of 860 jobs. A number of Ballymena workers are reported to have relocated to Dundee and now face a second factory closure.

Unite have launched a diversionary and chauvinist Steer Well Clear campaign against inferior Asian tyres aimed at encouraging the British government to enforce European Union regulations on tyre quality.

No confidence whatsoever must be placed in the action group led by the Scottish government finance secretary, the Scottish National Partys (SNP) Derek Mackay. Other members include the British Tory governments Scottish Secretary David Mundell, leader of the SNP-led Dundee City Council, John Alexander, Michelin management, Unite officials and the great and good of local and national enterprise agencies.

Having offered to leave no stone unturned, the groups strategy resolves to explore whether Michelins international management can be bribed. Maybe some more grants, handouts from state spending and productivity concessions from Michelin workers might change their minds? Mackay and Alexander have also floated proposals for some form of research and development centre, which might assist the regional employers but would assuredly not employ the current workforce.

A united offensive must be organised to fight back against the job losses, speed-ups and attacks on workers conditions throughout the auto industry.

At the same time as the Michelin announcement, German car parts supplier Schaeffler cited uncertainty over Brexit as the basis for a decision to close two of its UK plants, in Llanelli and Plymouth. Some 570 jobs are to be lost over two years. Earlier this year, Nissan announced hundreds of job losses at its Sunderland plant. In October, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) shut its plant in Solihull for two weeks, affecting 9,000 workers. This had an immediate impact on 4,000 DHL logistics warehouse workers involved in the plants supply chain, who were also laid off for the same two weeks. JLR then moved around 1,000 workers onto a three-day week, from October to Christmas, at its plant in Castle Bromwich, and carried out a one-week shutdown. BMW is scheduling its annual maintenance period for next April over fears that Brexit will disrupt its supply chain.

In Dundee, days after the Michelin announcement, NHS Tayside announced that it intends to cut staffing levels by 10 percent to save 540 million; 1,300 jobs are to be destroyed to enforce financial restrictions demanded by the SNP-led Scottish government. Local authority workers in Dundee and the surrounding area face relentless assaults on jobs and living standards. Some 4,500 full-time posts at Tayside and Fife councils have been lost since the financial crisis of 2008.

No viable struggle to defend jobs and living standards can be launched without a rebellion against the trade unions.

Recent weeks have seen powerful demonstrations and strikes by local authority workers and teachers in Glasgow. Younger workers have also struck at McDonalds, TGI Fridays, JD Wetherspoons, UberEats and Deliveroo, while earlier in the year Ryanair confronted the first international strike in its history, with pilots and cabin crew involved in stoppages in a number of European countries. These disputes exposed the class divisions between the trade union functionaries, the apparatus they control and the working class. Recently nurses throughout the UK demanded their entire union leadership in the Royal College of Nursing step down.

Workers must turn to the broadest sections of the working class nationally and internationally, all of whom face comparable attacks. Every struggle by the working class today is an international one because of the unprecedented level of integration in the world economy. Michelin workers in Dundee cannot confront a transnational company without their own global strategy based on a socialist programme.

The Socialist Equality Party urges workers to form rank-and-file workplace committees, composed entirely of workers themselves and independent of the trade unions, to take this fight forward.

Contact the SEP here.
The first migrant caravan, which departed San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on October 12, has begun arriving in the Mexican city of Tijuana, across the US border from San Diego. According to the most recent count made by the government of Queretaro, 6,531 migrants are traveling as part of the first caravan and are expected to re-group in the coming days.

On the US side of the border, the Trump administration has deployed nearly 5,900 active duty troops, in addition to 2,100 national guardsmen patrolling the border since April under the pretext of stopping a smaller migrant caravan.

With the Democratic Party entrenched behind Trumps assault on immigrants and democratic rights, the White House has continued building tent cities for tens of thousands more migrants, Customs and Border Patrol agents have been carrying out drills with helicopters and weaponry as part of preparations for a violent assault on the caravan, and Trump has threatened to deny asylum applications outside ports of entry.

The troops at the border, while currently placing barriers and barbed wire, have been given the order by the Northern Command to protect the Border Patrol. Moreover, CNN reported this week on discussions between the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security on securing authorization from the White House for a more direct involvement by the military in the policing of the border, which would violate US federal law.

On Wednesday night, a few hundred members of the caravan who arrived early in Tijuana were attacked with rocks, kicks and punches by a group of far-right thugs calling on the police to deport them. Most in the group of migrants were forced to board buses provided by the police to go to a temporary shelter, an offer they had repeatedly rejected during their 2,400-mile journey crossing Mexico, due to fears of being driven into detention centers.

In fact, one of the buses carrying migrants across Sonora toward Tijuana was intercepted by the Mexican Federal Police on Thursday night, with about 60 migrants being sent to a detention center and reportedly being prepared for deportation. Another one crashed with a patrol car on Friday and flipped over, with ten migrants being sent to the hospital.

Leodan Pineda, a single father who was traveling on a bus that reached the border, told El Pais: This is the toughest experience Ive had to face as a father. Everything has happened to us, theyve tried to kidnap, assault us; we got really sick. I hope to reach a prosperous country, without hunger and so much misery, where my daughter can study.

The members of the caravan are planning on requesting asylum at the US port of entry; however, it currently takes days to even be seen by immigration officials, and applicants are then sent to detention centers. A vast majority of those applying for asylum are rejected and then deported, in spite of the fact that most are escaping the threat of generalized violence from gangs and state forces.

Another migrant in the bus with Leodan, Merlin Hernandez, 26, expressed feeling part of a broader struggle for all immigrant workers: This caravan defines a lot. If we make it through, Im sure that there will be more caravans in the future.

After the initial clashes on Wednesday night, a group of locals bravely intervened to defend the migrants left behind. Im from Tijuana. Let them [the migrants] wage their struggle. When the government fucks us up, all of you stay quiet you dont even care, while they are all united, yelled one young worker at the angry mob. They are waging their struggle against the US government. That country is built with immigrants You dont represent Tijuana, and Im with them because they are struggling.

Having crossed Mexico, the migrants witnessed the common issues facing workers internationally. At the US border, a migrant woman from Honduras told CNN that they wanted to cross into the United States because staying here would be just like staying in my country, referring to the widespread violence and poverty.

Shortly before, on Wednesday, the incoming president of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (known as AMLO), presented his security plan which will create a new military National Guard and place the Federal Police under the auspices of the Defense Secretariat, while seeking to enshrine the unlimited deployment of the National Guard in the Constitution.

Critics and supporters have described this as a planned escalation of a war ostensibly against drug cartels that has left more than a quarter of a million dead since 2006. Not only has the countrys homicide rate continued to set record peaks, but the military has been shown to carry out extrajudicial executions with impunity and has become a central player in quelling protests among workers and students.

At the same time, a report by Doctors without Borders found that 92 percent of Central American migrants who reach the US have directly suffered some form of violence in their countries or in their trip through Mexico, including one third of women reporting sexual assault. The organization describes a pattern of violent displacement, persecution, sexual violence and forced repatriation akin to the conditions found in the deadliest armed conflicts of the world today.

These conditions have led to a veritable exodus of hundreds of thousands each year from the Northern Triangle of Central AmericaEl Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. More and more migrants have been organizing caravans to travel more safely and receive support along the way. Currently, a second caravan composed of about 1,500 migrants, mostly from Honduras, is crossing the state of Mexico and is hoping to reach Tijuana next week, while a third one with 2,000 migrants from El Salvador has arrived in Mexico City.

On Thursday and Friday, heads of state and top businesspeople from across Latin America, Andorra, Spain and Portugal met at the Ibero-American Summit in Antigua, Guatemala, to discuss regional investments and political issues.

The main recurring themes during the conference were the mass migrations from Central America and Venezuela, along with growing social instability across the region as a product of staggering inequality. No official went beyond empty appeals for cooperation and proposing deeper austerity and pro-business incentives to stimulate growth.

For instance, Marta Lucia Ramirez, the vice-president of Colombia, which is facing the influx of approximately one million Venezuelans escaping a growing humanitarian crisis, warned of growing unrest and anarchy across the region. In the same breath, however, she excused the absence of Colombias President Ivan Duque, claiming he is promoting a new bill with sales taxes, tax credits for businesses and most importantly spending cuts. Duque, more precisely, was overseeing the violent repression of thousands of students and workers who were protesting Thursday against the austerity measures.

The approach by the ruling classes to the desperate social crisis in the Northern Triangle has been no different. In Honduras, an electoral fraud last November was followed by mass demonstrations across the country and brutal repression that involved shootings into crowds and daylight raids into homes of protesters, resulting in dozens of demonstrators killed and hundreds arrested.

The widespread opposition by Honduran workers, peasants and youth against the fraudand, before that, the 2009 US-backed military coup that installed a regime even more pliant to the interests of Wall Street and the Pentagonhas been effectively channeled and suppressed by a coterie of left social organizations, including Morenoite, Pabloite and neo-Stalinist parties organized in the National Resistance Popular Front (FNRP) and the Libre Party. Last year, they closed ranks behind the presidential candidacy of Salvador Nasralla, a former Pepsi Honduras CEO, Pinochet admirer and TV personality.

Predictably, Nasralla and Libre Party leader, Manuel Zelayathe same president deposed in 2009, a major landowner and former chief of the Honduran Council of Private Enterprisesought to subordinate mass opposition to brutal repression to their own empty appeals to the State Department, its regional diplomatic arm, the Organization of American States (OAS), and the UN, while isolating protests from the widespread support for their struggle against the coup regime among workers across Latin America and beyond.

Far from the product of some conspiracy on the part of opposition parties in Honduras, as Tegucigalpa and Washington both claim, the most recent exodus from the country demonstrates the devastating consequences of the betrayals carried out by these parties, which have undermined the popular resistance to the continuous social attacks by the US-puppet regime of President Juan Orlando Hernandez.

In this sense, while highlighting the common social issues and economic bonds shared by workers across Central America, Mexico, the United States and internationally, the caravan also demonstrates that workers need to fight for an independent, socialist and international solution to the crisis of global capitalism, in opposition to imperialism and all factions of the ruling elites, which are ultimately governed by imperialism.
On Saturday, November 10, 10,000 people protested against the pro-corporate policies of the liberal-conservative government of Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD), which has been in power for a year. The government has already lowered corporate taxes, and is about to increase taxes on basic supplies, such as foodstuffs and medicine. One particular plan sparked most public outrage: the abolition of dividend taxes, a handout of 1.9 billion euro to shareholders.

The demonstration on the Dam square in Amsterdam was organised by the trade union federation FNV and its Christian counterpart CNV. FNV chairman Han Busker (annual salary: slightly over 100,000 euro) delivered the opening speech. He declared, We're not going to stand for this. We do not accept that the money is spent on the companies and the rich, but not on the people. We do not accept that banks are bailed out, but hospitals are allowed to go bankrupt.

Recently, in the course of just three days, five hospitals and a labour clinic went bankrupt. Patients were moved out and relocated, which led to at least one life-threatening situation.

Just a month ago, the government thought it was a good idea to abolish dividend taxes. We, together, protested and this ridiculous idea was off the table, Busker claimed.

This is, in fact, a lie. The tax handout was included in the coalition agreement of Ruttes government on the behest of a lobby of influential Dutch companies, such as Shell Oil, foodstuffs giant Unilever, medical and electrical equipment maker Philips, plus the employers organisation VNO-NCW. Prime Minister Rutte, who felt with every fiber in his body that this was the right thing to do to create the right climate for multinationals to settle and bring in jobs, strongly supported it.

As it turned out, many foreign shareholders were not too concerned about paying a small tax on their stock profits, which were still enormous. The American Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands (AmCham) announced that a deal exists between the US and the Netherlands that exempts US shareholders of American companies operating in the Netherlands from paying the dividend tax.

Finally the dividend tax remained, not because of the unions, but because Unilever, one of the multinationals that lobbied for its abolition, announced that it has cancelled its plans to move its headquarters from England to the Netherlands. The issue was reconsidered within the coalition, and then dropped.

Later in his speech, Busker acknowledged that it was not public outrage which changed Ruttes mind, but simply a text message from the CEO of Unilever.

Living conditions for ordinary workers have drastically deteriorated under Rutte, who has been Dutch prime minister for eight years at the head of shifting coalitions of parties. Nowhere else has the number of flexible temporary contracts increased as much as in the Netherlands.

Since 2008, there has been a shortage of 10,000 new homes and apartments every year. In the northern province of Groningen, houses are literally shaken apart by earthquakes, which increase in frequency and intensity due to natural gas extraction. Earlier this year, a secretive deal between the state tax service and Shell, which exploits the gas fields, was exposed. Apparently, Shell was able to avoid paying dividend taxes since 2005.

These policies are responsible for growing social inequality. The wealthiest 10 percent of the Dutch population control 68 percent of Dutch wealth, which totals 726 billion euro. The poorest 10 percent have a combined debt of 65 billion euro.

This assault on the working class will continue. Corporate taxes, which now stand at 25 percent for large companies and 20 percent for small to medium-sized companies, will be reduced gradually to 20.5 percent and 15 percent, respectively. Company directors will see a tax cut on corporate loans. Investments in research and development will also be taxed less.

Furthermore, starting in 2021, some 200 million euro will be allocated annually towards reducing the cost of labour. This might include cuts to social security benefits or holiday and Christmas bonuses. All these measures total up to about 1.9 billion euro, the same sum the abolition of dividend tax would have cost.

A new labour law reform has also been presented. Permanent contracts can now be ended on many minor pretexts. Many previous criteria protecting workers have been scrapped. Moreover, the temporary contracts can now be extended over three years instead of two years.

The demonstration on Dam square was followed by a protest-march through the city towards the Museum square, where it ended after a brief closing speech by a union official.

It was a trade union show from start to finish, a rally to boost the position of the trade unions. It was an attempt to channel popular opposition against the governments pro-corporate policies behind the nationalist, social-democratic, dead-end perspective of the trade unions.

The trade unions will never challenge class relations, because their comfortable position at the negotiating tables ensures them a good share of the spoils. With their nationalist approach, trade unions seek to divide the international working class, in order to prevent workers from uniting with their brothers and sisters from abroad and find strength in their massive numbers.

FNV chairman Han Busker, in his opening speech, appealed many times to the government to pursue a more social-democratic instead of a neo-liberal policy. But social democracy today is a nationalistic dead end, abolishing all the social reforms of the past.

During the protest march, many people voiced concern and anger over the governments spending of taxpayer money on companies and international shareholders. The entire parliament has shifted towards the right-wing. There are no left-wing parties anymore, is a much-heard critique.

The social-democratic labour party PvdA was decimated in last years national election, losing 29 seats in parliament. GroenLinks (Green Left) is neither green nor left, and the Socialist Party (SP) has linked their social demagogy with attacks on immigrants.

Most of those on the demonstration had still some faith in the trade unions, and thought that the government will eventually listen to the public, if these demonstrations grow in frequency and proportion.

A janitor at a public school, who has a minor disability, told the WSWS that he is paid according to his productivity. His wage is below the legal minimum and is supplemented by the social-welfare institution UWV, towards the minimum income. What is a minimum-wage good for, if employers can find a way around and still pay you less? he asked.

Max, a young chef who works at a restaurant in the southern province of Zeeland, said that he is participating in the demonstration because the government works for big business, not the people. Max said that Dutch politics was shifting to the right, even to the extreme right, and that workers need an extreme left party to counter that. One of his thoughts was that a state-funded, basic income would be a great first step towards income equality, so people could really develop their talents and pursue their interests.
In recent weeks New Zealands corporate media and sections of the political establishment and academia have ramped up a campaign against alleged Chinese political influence and expansionism.

Last month, opposition National Party MP Jami-Lee Ross left the party after accusing leader Simon Bridges of concealing a $100,000 donation from Chinese businessman Zhang Yikun in exchange for nominating an ethnic Chinese person for a seat in parliament. Bridges denied the allegation.

More sensationalist reports have followed, denouncing Chinas infrastructure investment in the Pacific and calling for restrictions on democratic rights of Chinese and other immigrants.

The aim of the xenophobic propaganda is to shift New Zealand into closer alignment with Washingtons military encirclement and trade war against China. The anti-China campaign mirrors that of the Trump administration, which, without any evidence, accused Beijing of meddling in this months US mid-term elections and seeking to remove Trump. In Australia, strategic think tanks and members of the governing Coalition and opposition Labor Party are pushing for the country to fully support the US threats against China.

On November 4, the Sunday Star-Times published a front-page article saying New Zealands Labour Party-led government had been blindsided by a Chinese plan to invest $15 million to upgrade roads and wharfs in the tiny Pacific country of Niue. The Niuean government signed a memorandum of understanding to join Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aimed at expanding Chinas trade and investment internationally.

Niue, which has a population of only 1,600, was annexed by New Zealand in 1900 and ruled as a brutal dictatorship. The island suffered heavy losses of men sent to fight for New Zealand in World Wars I and II. While Niue was given limited self-government in 1974, the island remains a semi-colony. Its foreign affairs and defence policy is officially determined in Wellington.

Australia and New Zealand view the Pacific as their colonial backyard and are hostile to Chinas growing relations with the region. The Star-Times report quoted Niue opposition MP Terry Doe who accused the islands Premier Toke Talagi of being anti-New Zealand at the moment. Doe noted that Chinese flags were waved at Niues October 19 constitution day celebrations, while the New Zealand flag was not raised.

The newspaper declared there are fears in the Labour Party-New Zealand First-Greens coalition government that the Cook Islands will be the next Pacific domino to fall. The Cook Islands, with just over 17,000 inhabitants, is another New Zealand semi-colony with some self-government. According to the report, China has already paid the Rarotonga administration millions for pelagic tuna fisheries licences, and there is talk of Beijing funding the development of a deep-water port on Penrhyn Island.

The article noted that Foreign Minister Winston Peters, leader of the anti-Chinese New Zealand First Party, had met Cook Islands Premier Henry Puna and is understood to have warned him be careful what you are getting into.

In an inflammatory comment to the newspaper, pro-Washington academic Anne-Marie Brady said Chinas BRI has military-strategic aspects, it is not just an economic project For example BRI partner states are being asked to host Beidou ground stations, Chinas equivalent of GPS used for military and civil purposes.

The nationalist Daily Blog, which is funded by a number of trade unions, quoted Bradys remark and asserted: Chinese expansion into Niue will be followed by military bases.

Such claims are totally unsubstantiated. They are aimed at stoking fears of a Chinese invasion in order to justify war preparations. The Daily Blog previously endorsed the governments military policy, which is aimed at integrating the country into US and Australian military plans against China and Russia.

For more than a year, Brady and her supporters have stoked the anti-China campaign and given it a veneer of academic respectability. Brady has repeatedly called for New Zealands spy agencies to investigate Chinas influence in politics, business, universities and the media. Without any evidence, she has accused Chinese-born National Party MP Jian Yang and Labour MP Raymond Huo of being Chinese Communist Party members.

While the media promotes Brady as a disinterested expert, her research has been funded by the US government-sponsored Wilson Center and the NATO military alliance. Brady supports New Zealands alliance with the US, including its membership in the US-led Five Eyes intelligence network, which carries out mass surveillance throughout the world. She has urged the government to join Washingtons hypocritical denunciations of Chinese expansionism in the South China Sea.

Other academics are joining Brady. On November 6, Fairfax Media websites publicised a policy briefing by Dr Simon Chapple, from Victoria University of Wellingtons School of Government, entitled Building Democratic Resilience. It was published by a NATO-supported think tank, Small States and the New Security Environment, in which Brady plays a leading role.

The four-page briefing contains proposals for restricting democratic rights and promoting xenophobia and nationalism. Echoing the rhetoric of New Zealand First, Chapple wrote that one potential risk to democracy is high and rising rates of immigration from diverse sources, including from countries where democratic norms and institutions are very different or in some cases completely non-existent.

Chapple called for New Zealand to diminish its economic reliance on China, which he called corrupt, economically unequal and authoritarian. He said nothing about NZs support for the US, including its wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and preparations for war in Asia.

Chapple declared: Democratic rights should be consciously limited to citizens. He proposed eliminating the right to vote currently held by permanent residents who have spent more than a year in New Zealand. Hundreds of thousands of people, mostly from China, India and other parts of Asia and the Pacific, would be denied this basic democratic right.

There has been virtually no criticism of Brady and Chapples anti-democratic proposals in the media, academia or the political establishment. This includes the pseudo-left groups Socialist Aotearoa, the International Socialist Organisation and Fightback. Between 2011 and 2014, these three groups joined and campaigned for the Maori nationalist Mana Party, which sought to ally itself with NZ First and repeatedly demonised Chinese immigrants.

The anti-Chinese campaign underscores the correctness of the warnings made by the World Socialist Web Site that the Labour Party-led government is a right-wing nationalist formation. Far from being a lesser evil to the previous National Party government, Labour and NZ First have strengthened the alliance with US imperialism and named China and Russia the main threats to global stability.

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A court document dated August 22 was made public Thursday night which confirms that the US Department of Justice is in possession of sealed criminal charges against WikiLeaks founder and publisher Julian Assange. As soon as he is forced out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he sought political asylum in 2012 and is now being denied any right to communicate with the outside world by the Ecuadorian government, a warrant will be issued for his extradition to the United States.

The court document, which related to a case that had no remote connection to Assange, contained two paragraphs that named him. It stated that the sealing of an indictment was necessary because no other procedure is likely to keep confidential the fact that Assange has been charged. It requested that the charges remain sealed until Assange is arrested in connection with the charges in the criminal complaint and can therefore no longer evade or avoid arrest and extradition in this matter.

Julian Assange

The Department of Justice would only tell media that Assange was named in the document in error. It did not deny that charges against him have been filed and sealed. Sources told the Washington Post that they have definitely been laid.

Regardless of how the existence of charges has been revealed, it confirms all the warnings that Assange and his legal and political defenders have made since Swedish prosecutors issued an arrest warrant against him, in November 2010, to purportedly answer questions over allegations he had committed sexual offences.

The Swedish allegations were fabricated against Assange under conditions in which WikiLeaks had published explosive leaks that exposed US war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq and imperialist intrigues around the world.

The allegations had two purposes. Firstly, they were intended to malign Assange as an individual and undermine public support for WikiLeaks. Secondly, they were to be used to force him to Sweden from where he would have been extradited on to the US to face espionage charges.

Assanges decision to seek political asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy is the only reason he has avoided a lengthy prison term or potentially even a death sentence.

The court document verifies what has been obvious since Swedish prosecutors finally dropped their groundless case against Assange in May 2017, without ever laying any charges against him. The only other criminal complaint against Assange is the British charge that he breached bail conditions when, out of necessity, he sought asylum. The plan of the US state has been to wait until he can be imprisoned by British authorities and then issue its indictment against the journalist and publisher.

The fact that the existence of charges has now been made public may well be an indication that Ecuador has agreed to hand Assange over.

The court document does not reveal the nature of US charges. As well as espionage accusations relating to the 2010 leaks, it is also possible that Assange has been indicted for conspiracy.

In 2016, WikiLeaks published leaked emails that exposed how the Democratic National Committee sought to undermine the campaign of Bernie Sanders on behalf of Hillary Clinton. The documents also provided evidence of Clintons sordid relations with Wall Street banks.

As part of the hysterical campaign in the US establishment to blame Clintons election defeat on Russian interference, the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller has impliedwithout a shred of credible evidencethat WikiLeaks received the leaks from Russian intelligence and published them to assist the election of Donald Trump.

In fact, Assange publicly compared the choice presented to American voters of Trump or Clinton as like choosing between gonorrhea or syphilis. In a statement issued on the eve of the 2016 election, Assange stressed that having received the Democratic Party leaksfrom a source he denied had any Russian connectionsWikiLeaks believed it was obligated to publish them.

Assange wrote: The right to receive and impart true information is the guiding principle of WikiLeaksan organization that has a staff and organizational mission far beyond myself. Our organization defends the publics right to be informed.

WikiLeaks, Assange declared, remains committed to publishing information that informs the public, even if many, especially those in power, would prefer not to see it  It must publish and be damned.

The relentless persecution of Assange has not only been aimed at preventing WikiLeaks from publishing the truth. It is part of an attempt by the ruling class to intimidate and silence all critical and independent journalists and media organisations, as well as would-be whistleblowers around the world.

The attempt to paint Assange as a criminal has been at the forefront of sweeping censorship and an assault on fundamental democratic rights under way around the world. The lurch towards dictatorial forms of rule is being driven by the terror of the capitalist oligarchs and their governments that a mass movement of the working class is developing internationally against ever widening social inequality and the growing danger that economic and strategic conflicts between the major powers will lead to war.

As Leon Trotsky noted in 1937, the true criminals hide under the cloak of the accusers.

The US state, however, under both the Obama and Trump administrations, has only been able to conduct and sustain its vendetta against Assange because of the shameless support it has received internationally.

The establishment media, particularly publications such as the Guardian and the New York Times, has completely aligned with the effort to destroy WikiLeaks and suppress all other independent publications.

Successive Australian Labor and conservative governments have refused to defend Assangean Australian citizen. The entire official Australian political and media establishment, including the Greens, parliamentary independents and the trade unions, has thrown Assange to the wolves. None gave support to the rally organised by the Socialist Equality Party and addressed by filmmaker John Pilger on June 17 this year, which demanded that the government use its legal and diplomatic powers to secure Assanges freedom and right to return to Australia.

In Britain, the role of Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has been particularly pernicious. Corbyn, who once mouthed support for WikiLeaks, has refused to publicly demand that the Tory government drop the bail charges against Assange, guarantee he will not be extradited to the US and allow him to leave both the Ecuadorian embassy and the United Kingdom if he chooses.

The Ecuadorian government, under its current president, Lenin Moreno, has turned on Assange in order to ingratiate itself with Washington. In March this year, it cut off his ability to communicate and has taken additional vindictive measures to pressure him to leave the embassy.

Most striking, however, has been the abandonment of Assange by virtually all the middle class pseudo-left organisations in the US, Australia, Britain and around the world. Flowing from their support for gender- and race-based identity politics and for the imperialist intrigues in Ukraine and Syria, which Assange opposed and exposed, they either maintain a complete silence on his persecution or have joined in slandering the WikiLeaks publisher as a rapist or stooge of Russia or Trumpeven as Trumps administration has stepped up the US effort to silence him.

The line-up of forces serves only to underscore that the defence of Assange, WikiLeaks and all democratic rights requires the independent political mobilisation of the international working class against the entire existing political establishment and the capitalist system it serves.

Every effort must be made to alert workers and youth to the immense implications of the persecution of Julian Assange and the necessity for the most wide-ranging campaign to demand his immediate and unconditional freedom.
Physical clashes, threats and counter-threats continued in the Sri Lankan parliament yesterday as rival factions fought to secure government control following the November 14 no confidence motion against President Sirisenas October 26 appointment of Mahinda Rajapakse as prime minister.

Sirisena ousted Rajapakse through a US-backed regime-change operation in the 2015 presidential election then formed a government of national unity between his faction of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the opposition United National Party whose leader Ranil Wickremesinghe became prime minister. Washington was hostile to the Rajapakse governments close ties with Beijing.

This coalition of national unity has now collapsed under the impact of growing opposition by workers and the poor.

Parliament reconvened on Thursday, one day after the no confidence vote, to hear a statement by Rajapakse. He accused the previous Sirisena-Wickremesinghe of leading the country into a catastrophe and placing economic burdens on the population.

Rajapakse desperately attempted to exploit the genuine anger of workers and youth against the previous governments ruthless implementation of the International Monetary Funds austerity demands. He claimed that Sirisena invited me to take over the government in order to overcome the catastrophic situation created by the former administration.

Rajapakses speech, which included a vague reference to the Western powers backing Wickremesinghe, became the occasion for bitter disruptions when the UNP leader Lakshman Kiriella proposed a vote on the statement. The Rajapakse faction vehemently protested and denounced the speaker, Karu Jayasuriya. Amid loud shouting of slogans and commotion by all the rival factions, no vote was taken and the parliament adjourned until Friday.

Later that day, the United National Front (UNF), the political alliance backing Wickremesinghes faction, held a public rally of several thousand people in central Colombo. The demonstration was aimed at forcing Sirisena to accede to the demands of the Wickremesinghe camp.

Addressing the rally, Wickremesinghe declared that the Sirisena-Rajapakse combine has lost support of the parliament and indicated that the UNF was not ready to go to an election until it recaptures state power.

Attempting to posture as a defender of democratic rights, Wickremesinghe continued, We are not scared of holding an election but it has to be constitutionally called. An unconstitutional election would [only] raise the issues of legality when we win When we are back in power, we can hold any election.

Those with the most rudimentary understanding of Sri Lankan history could not miss the bogus and cynical character of these claims. Wickremesinghe and his United National Party (UNP), the leading party in the UNF, has consistently torn up the basic rights of the working people.

The anti-democratic attacks of UNP governments go back to the first year of Sri Lankas nominal independence in 1948 and include the abolition that year of the voting rights of more than one million plantation workers, the countrys main foreign exchange earners. In 1982, UNP President J.R. Jayawardene used a referendum to postpone general elections for six years. Likewise, the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government since 2015 has used various underhand methods to avoid holding provincial and local elections.

Sirisena responded to Wednesdays no-confidence vote by convening a meeting with Wickremesinghes UNF and the Tamil National Alliance on Thursday. He proposed that the no confidence motion delete its description of Sirisenas appointment of Rajapakse as prime minister as unconstitutional.

The new resolution, he suggested, could retain its no confidence in Rajapakse as prime minister, and his government, but had to be endorsed, not by a voice vote in the parliament but a vote by name.

Fearful of the further discrediting of parliament among the Sri Lankan masses, the UNP and TNA leaders, readily agreed to Sirisenas proposal. This made clear that their concerns had nothing to do with the violation of the constitution or the populations democratic rights but were driven by the political self-interest of the Wickremesinghe faction and the demands of the major imperialist powers.

As Sirisena met with the UNP leaders and its allies, the Rajapakse faction convened an emergency meeting of its parliamentarians in preparation for Fridays proceedings.

While Rajapakse does not hold a parliamentary majority, large numbers of MPs from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), which Sirisena heads, have joined Rajapakses Sri Lanka Peoples Party (SLPP). This includes some ministerial office holders in the former Rajapakse government who have been accused and charged with corruption. Although previously hostile towards Sirisena they are now staunch Sirisena backers and ready to go to any length to defend the illegal transfer of power to Rajapakse.

On Friday, Rajapakse supporters arrived early at parliament, provocatively occupying the Speakers seat and nearby positions to prevent the resumption of parliament.

After more than half hour, Speaker Jayasuriya, entered parliament surrounded by a phalanx of police officers. Chairs, books and bottles of water laced with chilli paste were hurled at the police, UNP and allied MPs.

Unable to reach his chair, the Speaker stopped halfway and conducted the meeting standing up and surrounded by police. He announced the revised no confidence motion but could not take a names vote, so called a voice vote and declared it passed by a majority.

The US, EU and other imperialist powers, have made clear their opposition to any return to power by Rajapakse and openly backed Wickremesinghe and the UNP. Washington, in particular, is determined to prevent Rajapakse or any other Sri Lankan political leader from shifting the country towards any alignment with Beijing and disrupting US preparations for war against China.

Adding his voice to the bogus democratic chorus, German Ambassador Jorn Rohde told the media it was a bad day for democracy in Sri Lanka and that throwing objects at the Speaker and preventing votes is unbecoming of a democracy.

Powerful sections of the Sri Lankan capitalist class have expressed their concerns. A joint statement issued this week by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka, Joint Apparel Association Forum and the Womens Chamber of Industry and Commerce called for an urgent and sensible action in national interests.

We are deeply concerned about the current political situation in the country, it declared. The events of the last few weeks have resulted in absolute instability which is a situation that Sri Lanka simply cannot afford. This will no doubt hinder development and have a significantly adverse impact on the social and economic trajectory of our country.

Sri Lanka currently faces an extreme and mounting economic crisis with declining foreign income, declining growth rates, a rising debt burden and a falling rupee.

A recent report by FocusEconomics predicted growth rates to drop to 4.2 percent in 2019 and noted: The ongoing political crisis could jeopardise Sri Lankas economic prospects, especially as its current account and fiscal deficits already make it vulnerable to shocks.

The parliament is due to reconvene on Monday, but nothing is resolved.

Irrespective of whichever faction of the ruling class secures the reins of state power, the Sri Lankan capitalist class and the imperialist powers all agree that unprecedented social attacks must be unleashed against the population.

The working class must mobilise independently of all the parliamentary parties, rallying the rural poor and other oppressed masses in the fight for a workers and peasants government based on a socialist and internationalist program. This perspective, which provides the only way forward for workers and youth, will be discussed at forthcoming public meetings convened by the Socialist Equality Party.
President Trump has stated he has received a response from China over US trade demands in the lead-up to talks with President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit to be held at the end of the month, amid moves and counter-moves by both sides and within the White House.

Trump told reporters yesterday the Chinese response was largely complete but was missing four or five big issues. He said: They sent a list of things they are willing to do, which is a large list and it is just not acceptable to me yet.

Trumps remarks that China wants to make a deal initially sent the stock market up, only to lose most of those gains after administration officials said not too much should be read into Trumps remarks because it was unlikely an agreement would be struck soon.

No details of the proposed Chinese concessions have been released. They are likely to include an agreement to purchase more US products in the areas of agriculture and energy and possibly to open up some parts of the Chinese economy and financial system to US investment.

But the big issues cited by Trump remain. These involve action by China over the alleged theft of intellectual property rights and forced technology transfers and the use of state-subsidies to back key industries, which the US insists is market distorting.

The Trump administration has not moved from its central demands set out in a document drawn up last May in which it essentially demanded that Beijing scrap its Made in China program for industrial and technological development and assume a subservient economic position in relation to the US.

According to a Bloomberg report, the Chinese list was structured as a written response to the US demands. But Beijings offer didnt address White House concerns over forced technology transfers and also missing were any concessions related to what the US has claimed are state-directed Chinese cyber-attacks on American companies to steal intellectual property.

The initial presentation of US demands was followed by agreement on a series of measures to reduce the Chinese trade deficit after talks between US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinas chief trade negotiator Vice Premier Liu He. However, after Mnuchin declared the trade war had been put on hold, Trump upended the deal a few days later on the grounds that it was not sufficient.

Since then the persistent line coming from all sides of the US administration, including from those such as economic advisor Larry Kudlow who is regarded as less hawkish on China, has been that Beijing must agree to significant structural changes in its economy before any agreement can be reached.

But notwithstanding the broad agreement, there are sharp differences within the Trump administration over the way in which the trade war should be conducted. They emerged into the open last week during an extraordinary address by White House trade adviser Peter Navarro to a major Washington think tank.

He told the Center for Strategic and International Studies that a self-appointed group of Wall Street bankers and hedge fund managers were part of a Chinese influence operation aimed at trying to push the White House into a deal with China at the G20 meeting.

The mission of these unregistered foreign agents, thats what they are is to pressure this president into some kind of deal, he said.

Navarro claimed that if a deal were reached in the scheduled talks between Trump and Xi it would have the imprimatur of Goldman Sachs.

After this outburst, it was reported that the White House had decided to curtail Navarros public activity, following comments by Trumps top economic advisor Kudlow that his remarks were way off base.

But the sidelining of Navarro is very much a manoeuvre as Trump attempts to put a positive spin on prospects for an agreement at the talks with Xi. He would rapidly return to full prominence if Trump undertakes another tactical shift.

Moreover, Navarro is by no means the sole anti-China hawk within the administration. One of the key roles is played by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who has repeatedly made clear that while question of the size of the trade deficit its important, the central issue is the structural changes that must be made in the Chinese economy.

Lighthizer considers that Beijing will only come to an agreement with the US when the trade war measures begin to significantly impact on the Chinese economy and that point has not yet been reached.

While no specific deal is expected to come from the G20 discussion in Buenos Aires, there may be agreement for more discussions. But any further negotiations will raise two central questions for Beijing. Firstly, will any agreements reached in such talks be followed through or will they be simply overturned as happened last May? Secondly, what will happen to the further tariff measures threatened by Washington?

At present the US has imposed a 25 percent tariff on $50 billion of Chinese industrial and a 10 percent tariff on a further $200 billion, which is set to rise to 25 percent at the start of next year. Furthermore, Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on all remaining imports from China.

If there are to be further negotiations, the very least Beijing could insist on is that the tariff escalation set for next year not go ahead. But any such commitment would likely provoke significant opposition from the strident anti-China factions of the administration.

Reports earlier this week that Lighthizer had indicated to industry executives that the next tranche of tariffs had been put on hold brought a swift response. A spokesman for the trade representative said: Ambassador Lighthizer has made no representations to industry executives that future Section 301 tariffs are on hold. The plan for the tariffs has not changed at all. Any reports to the contrary are incorrect.
1700 residents affected : 45 minute power cut in Swisttal

Swisttal Around 1700 people in the municipality of Swisttal were without electricity for around 45 minutes on Friday evening. The reason for the power failure is not yet known.

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Around 1700 people in the municipality of Swisttal were without electricity for around 45 minutes on Friday evening. The reason for the power failure is not yet known. As a spokesman for the network operator Westnetz told the GA, residents in parts of Heimerzheim, Ollheim and Strafeld as well as Dom-Esch in the district of Euskirchen were affected by the failure from 4.47 pm onwards.

What is certain though is that the fault was caused by a line at the Grobullesheim transformer station. According to Westnetz, it is not yet known why the fault occurred. Most of the residents had electricity again around 5.32 pm due to network switches. In the waterworks in Heimerzheim an emergency power generator was used.

Original text: Mario Quadt
High school can be tough for anyone, and students from poor backgrounds have the added anxiety of struggling to keep up with their wealthier peers when it comes to clothes and accessories.

A high school in northwestern England is attempting to level the playing field for disadvantaged students by banning expensive Canada Goose and Moncler coats.

Canada Children Continents and regions Demographic groups Education Families and children Family members and relatives North America Population and demographics Poverty Poverty and homelessness Social and economic status Societal issues Society The Americas Students and student life Europe Northern Europe United Kingdom

In a letter to parents at the beginning of November, the headteacher of Woodchurch High School in Birkenhead explained that the ban was coming in after Christmas as the school was "mindful that some young people put pressure on their parents to purchase expensive items of clothing."

"These coats cause a lot of inequality between our pupils," headteacher Rebekah Phillips told CNN. "They stigmatize students and parents who are less well off and struggle financially."

The blacklisted coats sell for as much as $1,200 -- a cost many parents will struggle to afford. "There has been feedback from children, who say 'Gosh, that is our rent for the month,'" Phillips said.

She said her attempt to "poverty-proof" the school, which has students between the ages of 11 and 16, has been well received by parents.

Phillips added that a former student wrote to her praising the move and saying that school should not be a place where students' "economic background is rubbed in their faces and distracts them from learning."

Parent Andy Treanor, who is a civil servant, said the ban "did not matter" to him as "he would not spend that much on a coat" for his daughter anyway.

Around 46% of the 1,427-strong student body comes from a disadvantaged background and the school has introduced other measures to prevent social inequality from affecting children's performance.

Two years ago, it introduced a compulsory school bag to reduce costs, after parents complained that their children were demanding branded rucksacks. The school has also cut down non-uniform days -- days when students can wear their own choice of clothes to school -- to once a year, after complaints of children "being put down" for the clothes they wore, the headteacher added.

In line with a growing movement

The school also provides free sanitary products to students, a measure put in place after the headteacher noticed a drop in girls' attendance at certain times of the month.

The ban on expensive coats is in line with a growing movement in British schools to protect poorer students. Initiatives have included banning expensive pencil cases and discouraging primary school teachers from asking students what they did on the weekend, so children whose families couldn't afford to do anything wouldn't feel embarrassed.

Campaigners say these initiatives have led to better school attendance by poorer children and improved the behavior of all students by tackling the forms of bullying associated with inequality.

"Poverty-proofing enables schools to identify and overcome the barriers to learning that children and young people from families with less financial resources face," Jeremy Cripps, Chief Executive of Children North East, a nonprofit organization that provides poverty-proofing audits for schools, said in a statement to CNN.
The 100th anniversary of the World War I armistice last weekend underscored the great folly of President Donald Trump's threat to pull out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia. President Vladimir Putin's response that "there would be nothing left except an arms race" shows our world leaders have failed to learn from history.

The Great War, also known as "the war to end all wars," engulfed an unwitting world because the leaders of the great powers did not understand the enormity of suffering they were about to unleash when they stumbled needlessly into conflict.

Conflicts and wars Continents and regions Eastern Europe Europe Government and public administration International relations International relations and national security Investigations Military Military weapons North America Nuclear weapons Politics Russia Russia meddling investigation The Americas Treaties and agreements United States Unrest, conflicts and war Weapons and arms Weapons of mass destruction World War I

Today, Trump, Putin and other leaders pursue their nuclear policies with a similar disregard for the potentially catastrophic effects. They plot their moves as if they were playing a game of global chess. But nuclear weapons are not chess pieces, and nuclear war will certainly not be a board game. War involving today's nuclear arsenals would be a disaster beyond our imagining.

And that may be the root of the problem we face: We literally cannot imagine how destructive nuclear weapons are. Our defense policies treat them like ordinary weapons, and we seek the security of bigger arsenals to ensure our enemies' fear of the nuclear unknown is greater than ours.

For much of human history, a bigger stockpile, or more advanced weapons, granted a greater advantage in combat. But nuclear weapons should be understood as suicide bombs. Even the "successful" use of our own nuclear weapons against an enemy that doesn't fire back could potentially destroy the world as we know it.

Recent studies have shown that even a conflict between smaller nuclear powers such as India and Pakistan could trigger dire consequences. If just a fraction of the world's nuclear weapons (say, 100 bombs the size of the one dropped in Hiroshima) were deployed on urban industrial targets, the resulting fires would put enough soot into the upper atmosphere to cause climate disruption. This could then lead to a global famine that would place up to 2 billion people at risk of starvation, according to one study.

There are enough weapons on board a single US Trident submarine to trigger this kind of catastrophe many times over. To put this into context, the United States has 14 of these submarines as well as land-based missiles and a fleet of long-range bombers. All told, the United States has 6,550 warheads -- most of which are 10 to 50 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb -- with about 1,350, or 1 in 5, deployed and ready to use.

There is no conceivable security benefit from having more of these weapons, nor do we need to worry if Russia has more than we do. Astronomer Carl Sagan compared the arms race between the United States and Russia to two men "standing waist deep in gasoline; one with three matches, the other with five." We all understood how crazy this was, but that is exactly how our current leaders think about nuclear arsenals.

Far from protecting us, nuclear weapons are, in fact, the greatest threat to our security. There have been several instances during the Cold War when either Washington or Moscow began the process of launching their nuclear arsenals in the mistaken belief they were under attack by the other side. Each time, in former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara's words, "We lucked out." Current nuclear policy is little more than hope for continued luck. Pulling out of the INF treaty will only increase the odds that our luck runs out sooner rather than later as the United States, Russia and perhaps China field new nuclear weapons instead of working to eliminate those they already possess.

Last year, 122 nations called for a dramatically different approach and voted to adopt a new Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Here in the United States, a national grassroots campaign, Back from the Brink, is calling for the US government to embrace this treaty.

Rather than destroying agreements such as the INF we should be working with the other eight nuclear-armed states to negotiate a verifiable, enforceable, time-bound framework for dismantling the 14,500 nuclear weapons that remain in the world. Despite the terrible carnage, the world survived World War I and World War II. We will not survive a world war fought with nuclear weapons. We need to eliminate them before they eliminate us.
Axe and machete used : Bonn court sentences brutal supermarket robbers

BONN/DOLLENDORF The perpetrators have all been sentenced to prison since Friday. The cashiers of the supermarkets in Godesberg and Oberdollendorf were severely traumatized.

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The perpetrators have all been sentenced to prison since Friday. The cashiers of the supermarkets in Godesberg and Oberdollendorf were severely traumatized. Masked and heavily armed with pistol, axe and machete, the robbers stormed supermarkets in Oberdollendorf and Bad Godesberg on the evening of the 19th and the morning of the 20th of February and scared the employees to death.

Five perpetrators were arrested, and on Friday the last two were sentenced to long prison terms. Due to particularly heavy robbery and particularly heavy predatory blackmail and, moreover, coercion of police officers, the 8th Grand Chamber of Criminal Investigations in Bonn sentenced a 30-year-old student for seven years, his 24-year-old accomplice to prison for five years and, moreover, ordered her accommodation in a rehab clinic: Both have been drug addicts for a long time and committed the crimes because they had debts with their dealer.

Already in September, the chamber had sentenced the three accomplices to three years and a half, a two-and-a half and one-and-a-half-year imprisonment. Judge Kunkel called what the perpetrators had done after the second robbery particularly audacious: When they struck the stolen cash cassettes with an axe in a forest car park near Oberkassel, they were caught by jogging federal police.

When the officers wanted to turn them in, the perpetrators threatened them with a pistol, so that the policemen first ran on, but immediately alerted their colleagues. Two of the perpetrators were caught nearby. The 24-year-old defendant now benefited from the unreserved and comprehensive confession, said Kunkel, as he named all his accomplices: "Without this contribution,probably not everyone would have been caught. In addition, the accused have to pay: The court sentenced them to pay 3,000 euro in damages to the cashier from Oberdollendorf, as her lawyer had applied for, and 2,300 euro in damages to the owner of the market in Bad Godesberg, where they had destroyed the cash registers. The victim from Godesberg has not yet filed an application.

Original text: Rita Klein
WORLAND  Banner Health Washakie Medical Center has received the Community Star award from the National Rural Health Association, specifically highlighting the leadership of Banner Health Washakie Medical Center CEO Jay Stallings and chief nursing officer LeGay Naseath.

Stallings explained to the hospital board during their monthly meeting Thursday evening that Wyoming Department of Health...
CNN contributor Van Jones offered what he called a salute to President Trump after the White Houses new push to pass prison reform legislation, with Jones saying that  differences aside  he would give credit where it was due.

President Trump said, listen, if this is going to make the streets safer, if its going to give people a fairer chance, some of these forgotten men and women, some of them are in Appalachia, as well, lets do something,' said Jones during an interview with Don Lemon Wednesday evening. I think you got to give him some credit.

Jones compared his view-point to Republicans during the Obama administration who obstructed a Democratic president because of politics even when he did things they agreed with.

Also Read: Don Lemon: 'Biggest Terror Threat in This Country Is White Men' (Video)

On this one, Ill give him a salute and applause, Jones continued. Weve got to come together to help the people at the bottom. If you cant put politics aside to help people who are suffering and struggling in prison when theres a shot to do something on a bipartisan basis, then I think weve taken politics too far.

Jones a former Obama-era official environmental czar who resigned after sustained Republican attacks against him, later reinvented himself as a CNN contributor with a focus on criminal justice reform.

The issue has long been a low GOP priority, but Trump has expressed openness to cutting a deal with Democrats. Jones has cited his personal friendship with Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner as one of the driving forces of the initiative.

Trump has also been lobbied by Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, who are both passionate about the issue. West is famously close to the billionaire president and the pair has pressed criminal justice to him in person on several occasions.

Read original story CNN Van Jones Praises Trump on Prison Reform: You Got to Give Him Some Credit At TheWrap
Figures from various sources suggest anywhere from 8,000 to 15,000 greyhounds currently racing or in training for Florida's final racing seasons will need new homes over the next two years

In a sweep that surprised even its most ardent supporters  and angered its critics  Floridas Amendment 13 passed with 69 percent of the vote, bringing the states greyhound racing industry to screeching halt.

Its one of the largest victories for animal protection in history in the western world, Carey Theil, founder of GREY2K USA Worldwide, told PEOPLE of the move, which bans wagering on live dog races and mandates phasing out of all commercial dog racing in the state by Dec. 31, 2020. It cannot be overstated how significant this win is.

But the real fight has barely begun. Figures from various sources suggest anywhere from 8,000 to 15,000 greyhounds currently racing or in training for Floridas final racing seasons will need new homes over the next two years as their careers and the states industry are phased out.

According to pro-racing lobbyist Jack Cory, the Florida Greyhound Association works with a select group of 102 organizations nationwide that will help get many of the animals adopted. But many more are anxious to help  if theyre granted access.

Thats whats at the top of everyones minds, Kate MacFall, Florida State Director for the Humane Society of the United States who co-chaired the Yes on 13 Campaign, told PEOPLE when asked whats next for Floridas greyhounds. Its too soon to tell.

PEOPLE reached out to multiple organizations that, according to their websites, work with the greyhound racing industry to shelter and facilitate the adoption of retired racing dogs. None returned our messages. That doesnt surprise Sonia Strattemann, founder of Elite Greyhound Adoptions in Loxahatchee, Florida, who said that many organizations that want to help have been blackballed by the industry.

Elite took in an average of 200 greyhounds a year up until last November, she told PEOPLE, noting that untreated broken legs are common, as is the practice of selling retired racing dogs to blood banks, where they can stay upward of two years before being rescued or euthanized. Once Stratteman went public with her support of Amendment 13 a year ago, trainers and owners stopped allowing her to take in their dogs.

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Since then, Ive had maybe 20, she said, noting that those dogs came primarily from veterinarians and blood banks. She suspects organizations are hesitant to speak publicly for fear of drawing the ire of the industry and losing their own opportunities to help.

Emotions are running so high right now, she said.

Of course, the ban is brand new and many organizations likely are in the beginning stages of developing a concerted adoption effort. But in a Nov. 15 Facebook post, Dennis McKeon, a former greyhound trainer and committee member of the Wilmington, Delaware-based Greyhound Racing Association of America, confirmed that pro-ban organizations need not apply.

The best and brightest minds in both the racing and adoption communities, are currently engaged in formulating cooperative strategies to account for every greyhound who will be affected by the travesty of Amendment 13, he wrote. Those best and brightest do not include any person or group who supported the greyhound-averse Amendment 13.

As of press time, McKeon had not responded to PEOPLEs request for an interview. His non-profit organization, Race for Adoption, purchases greyhounds, sells sponsorship shares in each and races them, donating winnings to a small group of adoption organizations, according to its website.

Meanwhile, Cory told PEOPLE that the industry soon will head back to the Florida legislature to get funding to take care of the animals. But when asked how that funding will be spent, he said, To compensate the owners for the loss of the value of their businesses.

When pressed to clarify how the animals, specifically, will be aided by that funding, he said, It is both and the same thing. The animals and the owners who own those animals are one and the same.

Adam Sugalski, founder of One Protest, a Jacksonville-based advocacy organization that supported Amendment 13 and is involved in varied animal welfare issues from Chinas dog meat trade to rhino poaching in Mozambique to Floridas state-sanctioned bear hunts, doesnt have much sympathy for those owners.

I understand that the ban is taking away some peoples livelihoods. But people can find other jobs that dont involve making money off the backs of these animals, he told PEOPLE, pointing to the most recent state report detailing on-track deaths of 493 greyhounds since 2013  the first year that the industry was legally mandated to report them. Of those deaths, more than half, 281, were confirmed to be race-related; 24 were deemed likely race-related and in 29, the cause was unknown or not provided. Common race-related causes listed were fractures, broken necks and backs, fatal head injuries, electrocutions, extreme exhaustion and illnesses caused by bad meat.

These dogs are falling through the cracks of society, Sugalski said, noting that reporting of non-fatal, on-track injuries still is not required. Their welfare is more important than jobs.

Floridas ban ultimately will shut down 11 of the nations 17 currently active dog tracks. Others remain in Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Texas and West Virginia.

Said Theil: This vote is a momentous one. It puts animal welfare at the heart of what it is to be American, proves that its one of the core values that makes us who we are. Its a big deal.

Those wanting to help Floridas greyhounds are encouraged to contact their local greyhound shelters and rescues about fostering, adopting or donating. Advocacy groups like the HSUS and GREY2K also accept donations that will go toward supporting transport and adoption, as well as efforts to end greyhound racing nationwide.
Murder Suspect Allegedly Sent Fake Emails for Months So His Family Would Think He Was Alive Calif. Businessman Allegedly Faked Trip to Cover Up Murder

In June 2010, California entrepreneur Chris Smith emailed his family and friends that he had embarked on an epic travel adventure. Soon after, the 31-year-old former wakeboarder boasted on email that he was exploring the coast of South America on a 45-foot yacht with a Playboy model.

In another email, he said he was sandboarding in South Africa. In yet another he said that he was going to cruise through the waters off the coast of Somalia, which are notoriously trafficked by pirates.

In late December, however, the emails abruptly stopped  and Smiths family became worried that he had been killed overseas.

On Tuesday, Orange County prosecutors announced that Smith never even left California. They believe hes been dead the whole time.

And those emails? Allegedly written by 40-year-old Ed Shin, Smiths partner at the advertising agency The 800 Exchange, who is now on trial for his murder in Orange County, authorities say.

Christopher Smith loved his family, he had substantial equity in ongoing businesses, he had a serious girlfriend, Senior Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy said in court Tuesday as Shins trial opened, according to the Orange County Register.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Chris Smith had a bright future, Murphy explained. He had a financial dispute with Ed Shin. And the evidence is going to show that nobody has seen or heard from him since June 4, 2010.

During opening statements at Shins trial, Murphy said the killing was sparked by Shins desire to settle expensive law suits by former employers who alleged fraud and embezzlement, MyNewsLA.com reports.

According to Murphy, Smith had allegedly become weary of his partner and refused to sign off on any settlement amount unless he was protected against embezzlement.

Chris Smith created a big problem for Ed Shin, Murphy said, according to the Los Angeles Times.

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Shins attorney did not make an opening statement. An attorney for him told PEOPLE in 2015 that he was anxious to have the truth revealed, and Shin has said he killed Smith in self-defense.

He was defending himself within reason, lawyer Edward Welbourn said at three years ago, and what happened was not anticipated and unplanned and was a terrible and unfortunate outcome.

Ed Shin

The day he disappeared, Smith cautioned his attorney against future misdeeds, Murphy reportedly said.

We need to make sure he doesnt have room for fraud, he wrote in an email, according to MyNewsLA. Hes itching to do it again.

That same night, Smiths attorney got an email from Smiths account stating that Smith had agreed to a buyout from Shin and planned to leave the country and travel around the world.

 Read the shocking tales of people lured into cults and controversial groups in PEOPLEs True Crime Stories: Cults, available now on Amazon and wherever magazines are sold.

Prosecutors believe Shin wrote that email after he either fatally beat or stabbed Smith at their office in San Luis Obispo, according to MyNewsLA. He then gave his employees a week off and attempted to clean the crime scene.

As time passed Smiths family began to question the emails and hired an investigator to look into his whereabouts. Private investigators found what they believed to be blood in the The 800 Exchange office and the case was taken over by the Orange County Sheriffs Department.

Investigators from Orange County subsequently discovered blood on the office ceiling and carpet.

According to the Register, Murphy described whatever chaos that killed Smith as helter skelter.
Two Navy SEALs currently serving with the elite unit that killed Osama bin Laden have been arrested on felony murder and involuntary manslaughter charges for their alleged roles in the death of an Army Green Beret in Mali.

PEOPLE confirms charges were filed Thursday against the two members of SEAL Team Six and two Marines, whose names are being withheld.

All four allegedly participated in the hazing of Army Green Beret Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar back in June 2017, according to charging documents obtained by PEOPLE.

All four also face conspiracy, obstruction of justice, hazing and burglary charges. If court marshaled, they could be sent to prison for life.

Melgar, 43, died while serving in Bamako, Mali, according to a Navy statement.

The four defendants allegedly forced their way into Melgars private bedroom on the night of June 4, 2017, after grabbing rolls of duct tape.

Melgar was then bound with duct tape, the charging documents allege, before being strangled to death with a fatal chokehold.

No motive is addressed in the charges.

The suspects allegedly broke into Melgars room with the intent to assault him and allegedly started hazing him while he was sleeping.

The charging documents state that when questioned by NCIS investigators, the suspects allegedly denied using duct tape and lied about being drunk. They also allegedly provided false timelines when detailing their evenings.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

The charging documents further allege one of the SEALS allegedly attempted to disguise the injuries to Melgars trachea by performing on his dead body a cricothyrotomy, which involves slicing open the neck to open the trachea of someone having difficulty breathing.

Melgar was originally from Lubbock, Texas, and enlisted in the Army in January 2012.

His family issued a statement in the immediate aftermath of his death, calling Melgar a loving husband, father, son and brother.

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Logan was a man of integrity and honor, the statement continues. His morals stood larger than most. We as the Melgar family can only hope that true justice is upheld under these unthinkable circumstances. We hope to not add to the division of a nations views by seeking a just sentence, but appeal to the humane unified hearts of Americans, as this is a clear cut example of how we should not be battling amongst ourselves while the tyranny that lies within our control is just as dangerous as the conflicts we deem to be war worthy.

The four defendants will be in court Dec. 10 for a preliminary hearing. Attorney information was not available for them.

Charging documents state the two SEALs were serving with the Naval Special Warfare Development Group  the official name for SEAL Team Six. The two Marines are assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command.

The defendants are free until their upcoming hearing.
Although she acknowledged that former Secretary of State Brian Kemp would be certified as Georgia governor, Stacey Abrams opened her defiant speech announcing the end of her gubernatorial race with stories of voter irregularity and suppression that characterized the election.

Georgia citizens tried to exercise their constitutional rights and were still denied the ability to elect their leaders. Under the watch of the now former Secretary of State, democracy failed Georgians of every political party, every race, every region, she told the crowd of gathered supporters.

Abrams and Democrats had hoped she would become the nations first African-American female governor, but as of Friday, she trailed Kemp by 54,801 votes out of 3.9 million total. That gave Kemp 50.2 percent of the votes, helping him narrowly avoid a runoff election in December.

Stacey Abrams: "To watch an elected official who claims to represent the people in this state baldly pin his hopes for election on the suppression of the peoples democratic right to vote has been truly appalling. So lets be clear: This is not a speech of concession." (via ABC) pic.twitter.com/n4jyBXIFTG  Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 16, 2018

Because so many voters, especially minorities, were disenfranchised by Kemps actions, since he presided as secretary of state over his own election for governor, Abrams announced the campaign will be filing a major federal lawsuit against the state of Georgia for the gross mismanagement of this election and to protect future elections from unconstitutional actions, but she added that she would pray for the success of Brian Kemp that he will indeed be a leader of all Georgians.

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President Donald Trump tweeted Friday evening to congratulate Kemp on his victory, saying that Abrams fought brilliantly and hard and she will have a terrific political future!

Congratulations to Brian Kemp on becoming the new Governor of Georgia. Stacey Abrams fought brilliantly and hard  she will have a terrific political future! Brian was unrelenting and will become a great Governor for the truly Wonderful People of Georgia!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 17, 2018

Kemp issued a statement following Abramss speech and said, I appreciate her passion, hard work, and commitment to public service. The election is over and hardworking Georgians are ready to move forward. We can no longer dwell on the divisive politics of the past but must focus on Georgias bright and promising future.
Shakira Kennedy was 27 years old and living in Brooklyn when she found out she was going to have twins. While many women experience morning sickness in their first trimester, Kennedys unrelenting cycle of nausea and vomiting was so severe that she ended up in the emergency room multiple times throughout her pregnancy. She was treated for a slew of health issues, including dehydration and an inability to keep food down.

I must have lost over 30 to 40 pounds in my first trimester, says Kennedy.

Her body was completely depleted, so much so that she even passed out once on the train while taking her six-year-old daughter to school. She cycled through numerous prescription medications and dabbled in all kinds of over-the-counter fixes, but nothing worked. Desperate for relief that would still allow her to function as a parent, Kennedy turned to cannabis.

She had used it recreationally when she was younger and found it helped with various ailments  from lack of appetite to constipation  and hoped it could now be helpful in treating the barrage of symptoms associated with pregnancy. With New York medical marijuana licenses typically reserved for those with cancer or chronic illnesses, Kennedy sourced her weed through the illegal market. She used it, and it helped.

It was literally the last resort, she says.

At one of Kennedys prenatal visits, she admitted having used marijuana to help manage her debilitating symptoms. She was drug-tested and the results came back positive. Kennedy was told the test would be recorded in her medical file, and she thought that would be the extent of the fallout.

Yet when she returned to the hospital to deliver her twins a few months later, her babies were drug-tested for a range of substances, from cocaine to methamphetamine. According to the one-sheet test results reviewed by Rolling Stone, both infants came back negative for cannabinoids  as well as every other drug.

I thought this would be an open and shut case, she says.

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In March of this year, though, the New York Administration for Childrens Services (ACS) filed a neglect petition against Kennedy in Brooklyn Family Court, alleging that she used marijuana while pregnant with her twins and caring for her daughter. Kennedy was ordered to undergo a substance abuse evaluation and ongoing random drug screens, says Jessica Marcus, an attorney at Brooklyn Defender Services, the firm that represented Kennedy in her case. Shes also been subjected to home inspections by ACS, and asked to attend a drug treatment program as well as a parenting class.

According to the legal definition of neglect in New York State, there must be evidence of not just occasional drug use, but drug misuse. In fact, this misuse must be accompanied by, proof that a person repeatedly misuses a drug  to the extent that it has or would ordinarily have the effect of producing in the user thereof a substantial state of stupor, unconsciousness, intoxication, hallucination, disorientation, or incompetence, or a substantial impairment of judgment, or a substantial manifestation of irrationality.

While ACS declined to comment on Kennedys specific case, a spokesperson for the department says it investigates about 60,000 reports of abuse or neglect in New York City every year, including 11,000 cases that involve allegations of substance abuse.

The law is clear that just one positive test for drugs is not enough, Marcus says. Yet for many pregnant women or new moms, theyre finding themselves caught up in the child services system on much less.

With medical and adult-use cannabis now legal in more than half of the country, situations like Kennedys will become increasingly common. Cannabis use among pregnant women has increased, based on a survey of more than 300,000 women published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in December 2017. According to that survey, Marijuana is now the most commonly used illicit drug during pregnancy, and from 2009 to 2016, prenatal use increased from 4.2 percent to 7.1 percent. Many women who consume cannabis continue the habit into pregnancy; some say it helps ease nausea or combat anxiety, and according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), use is only likely to continue to increase alongside legalization.

So while data shows maternity cannabis use is on the rise, theres a lot unknown about the safety of the practice because theres an extremely limited pool of research on it. While studies have shown that delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can enter the fetal bloodstream, what happens from there  in terms of long-term effects on the actual baby  are still largely up for debate.

Many doctors encourage women to err on the side of caution and, as is par for the course in terms of pregnancy advice, ingest as few questionable substances as possible. Others point to recent articles, like a 2016 piece published in Obstetrics & Gynecology, which found that medical marijuana use during pregnancy is not an independent risk factor for adverse neonatal outcomes such as low weight and preterm birth, and emphasize that even if there are dangers, they are dramatically less severe than those associated with alcohol or opioid use.

With conflicting science on the subject, the jury is still out on the quantifiable dangers of marijuana use during pregnancy.

According to Carl Hart, a psychology professor at Columbia University and expert on drug use and addiction, available data indicates that marijuana has virtually no impact on babies abilities to think, make decisions, and problem solve.

From what I have seen there have been no demonstrated cognitive impacts, said Hart. I can say that with fairly good confidence.

He cites a 1991 study from Jamaica. In it, researchers followed 59 children through the first five years of their life; half of them came from mothers who consumed marijuana during pregnancy. Starting when they were one-day-old and continuing sporadic evaluation until they reached five years, researchers  using standardized models for assessment  found no significant differences in developmental testing outcomes between children of marijuana-using and non-using mothers.

When I see people or hear people saying that mothers put their children in jeopardy by using marijuana, theres simply no evidence to support that data, said Hart.

There are limits on the quality of existing research because often, studies are either conducted on animals or, when involving actual people, can be convoluted by lifestyle differences or the use of multiple drugs. Still, the ACOG cites worrisome findings that indicate possible impaired neurodevelopment of the fetus, and the group discourages doctors from promoting medical marijuana use in pregnancy because the drug has no standardized dosing and isnt regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. In addition, studies have shown that exposure to weed in the womb can negatively impact motor skills, increase the risk of stillbirth and may even impact brain development, Dr. Dana Gossett, an OB/GYN and University of California, San Francisco professor, told NPR.

While researchers remain divided on the impact of cannabis use on a developing fetus, there is at least one proven danger of the drug; its capacity to trigger family services. The main risk of cannabis use in pregnancy is child welfare, says Mishka Terplan, an OBGYN who teaches at Virginia Commonwealth University, who is an expert in opioids.

While marijuana use stretches across all economic and racial groups  in both pregnancy and beyond  its poor, minority women who are prosecuted almost exclusively for the offense, says Marcus, attorney at Brooklyn Defender Services. Existing guidelines on which women and newborns to drug test vary wildly from state to state and even hospital to hospital. Often classified as risk indicators, these factors are really just associations that could easily be indicative of many other things, says Joelle Puccio, a travel nurse who fills staffing needs at hospitals across the country. For example, there are many reasons women may not have had comprehensive prenatal care  from living too far from a doctor to being stuck in an abusive relationship  and all of them have to do with decreased privilege, she says. If hospital guidelines are skewed, directing the brunt of drug testing at minority demographics, the results will be skewed as well.

If you test more people who are poor or brown or unmarried, youre going to find more people [using drugs] who are poor or brown or unmarried, she says. Once mothers flag the attention of child welfare services  for whatever reason  it can be a steep climb out from under the microscope.

Even in states like California where marijuana is legal, consuming it can still be used as a reason to threaten parental rights, says Emily Berger, a senior attorney with the non-profit Los Angeles Dependency Lawyers.

In some ways, this legality issue is a red herring, said Berger. The legal standard is, how is this use creating a [danger] to a child,  what is the nexus? Is this use, or is this abuse?

While the definition or threshold for neglect changes state-to-state, deciding who to drug test is often based on subjective evaluations made at the discretion of medical staff, says attorney Marcus, leaving room for the influence of subconscious stereotyping. This may be why most of her firms cases that originate from a positive drug test at birth, come from public hospitals located in low-income neighborhoods.

They just seem to have a more suspicious attitude towards their patients, again perhaps because of implicit bias, Marcus wrote in an email. The cases that are called in by private hospitals are also more likely to be against poor women (whose income level is usually known to hospital staff because they receive Medicaid) and women of color, again suggesting implicit bias.

Prenatal and postpartum drug testing is rarely conducted on all obstetrics patients that enter a hospital; its cumbersome, expensive and as some see it, unnecessary. Some hospitals  such as the upscale, Beverly Hills-based Cedars-Sinai Medical Center  work off a baseline obstetrics policy in which no mother is required to be tested. Others, like the public system of Los Angeles County, have no written policies or procedures for when pregnant or antepartum women receive tox screening and leave it up to doctors to determine when to order a drug test, says Brandi Miles Moore, health services principal deputy county counsel, in an email.

Across the country, the New York Health and Hospitals Corporation  which operates 11 public hospitals in New York City  released a corporate policy in 2014 that outlines criteria for screening and testing at-risk pregnant women and newborns for alcohol abuse and exposure to other drugs during pregnancy. Included is a list of risk indicators to consider, including minimal or no prenatal care, a history of substance abuse or treatment within the previous three months, placental abruption and severe mood swings.

Generally speaking, a list like this would perpetuate stigma and selective screening is not recommended in most contexts, says ACOGs Terplan.

Robert de Luna, a spokesperson for New York Health and Hospitals Corp., tells Rolling Stone that they their approach isnt punitive and that they are always aware of the potential for stigma, and doing everything they can to eliminate it. They do this in a variety of ways, he says, including reassuring patients of their privacy in an attempt to encourage them to speak openly, and by training hospital staff on issues like implicit bias and how to address subconscious cues, says de Luna.

In using clinical terms, we help our patients know that our interest is strictly health-related, without judgment, he says in an email.



However, for one expectant mother on the East Coast, speaking openly with her doctor was the very thing that threatened to tear apart her family.

Angela was eight months pregnant and living in Colorado with her husband Chris and their two-year-old son when they uprooted to Massachusetts to care for Angelas sick mother. (Rolling Stone is using the familys first names only to protect their privacy.) They settled in quickly; the family found a place to stay, Chris landed a local job, and with Angelas due date just weeks away, prepared for their scheduled C-Section. On a hospital intake form, Angela disclosed her marijuana use  which she said helped treat her anxiety  as she and her husband wanted to be honest with doctors in order to receive the most appropriate care possible.

After all, while federally illegal, recreational marijuana was legal to possess, consume and purchase in Massachusetts at this time, and medical was comprehensively legalized as well.

Angelas decision to be transparent would ultimately result in a widespread ripple effect, as shortly after their daughter was born in August 2017, a social worker paid them a visit. Chris says they were told that because marijuana is a Schedule One drug  in the same class as heroin and LSD  the state would be reviewing their case. The social worker also commented that she better hope no other illicit drugs surfaced in the forthcoming drug test.

To be made to feel like a criminal after giving birth  if I was a different person this could have spiraled me into a very dark place, said Angela.

Medical staff proceeded to take a meconium and urine sample from the baby, but didnt explain what theyd be used for, Angela says. They never signed a consent form for testing, she says, and were upset about the painfulness of the urine test, which involves taping a collection bag to the childs labia.

One of the newborns samples came back positive for marijuana. She became the nurses marijuana case, says Angela.

Once all the nurses knew, it was like, this whole different air they treated me with, she says.

In the months that followed, Angela and Chris received numerous home visits from the Department of Children and Families and were consistently concerned about losing their children to the system. This exacerbated what was already a high-stress period for the family, who was coping with the death of Angelas mom, the birth of a new baby and financial distress from moving across country and paying rent in two states, explains Chris.

We were just dealing day to day, moment to moment, with what came up, not knowing how our lives would unfold, where we would ultimately live, or how or if our family would be torn apart, he says.

Back in New York, Shakira Kennedys case was officially dismissed on September 14th, but her experience with New Yorks Administration for Childrens Services has threatened her own health, employment and relationship with her partner, she says. Its also changed the way she thinks of medical staff.

You cant even be honest with your own doctor, its like your permanent record now, says Kennedy. God forbid I go have children again  and I love children  Im going to go through this whole process again

Child welfare systems have long used claims of drug use to intervene in families lives, says Lynn Paltrow, founder and executive director of National Advocates for Pregnant Women, a non-profit that provides legal aid to people threatened with child welfare action related to pregnancy, abortion or birth.

While professional industry standards indicate that women seeking obstetric or gynecologic care should be able to drug-tested for the purpose of monitoring addiction and seeking treatment, once that report is submitted, it is largely out of the doctors hands. So while prenatal care may help identify conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure, in large part it is simply surveillance, says Paltrow. Her organization will always encourage women to seek medical care during pregnancy, but they have begun advising women in some states to consult with a lawyer before sharing any information about drug or alcohol use.

I think increasingly that should be our advice, she says.

At a national level, organizations like The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists attempt to guide responsible medical behavior by issuing guidelines for urine drug testing that dictate the practice should not be used as a coercive measure or a form of punishment. The test is also not intended as yardstick for measuring new moms; theres nothing in a urine drug test that tells you anything about behavior, says ACOGs Terplan. Its not a motherhood test.
California wildfires death toll climbs to 87, almost 500 still unaccounted for originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

Hundreds of people remain missing in the wake of a pair of deadly wildfires that have been burning across both ends of California.

The two monstrous blazes, which both ignited earlier this month, have claimed at least 87 lives while laying waste to a total area of nearly 400 square miles, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Officials said that the remains of at least 54 people have been positively identified so far.

The vast majority of the deaths -- 84 in total -- were due to the Camp Fire in Northern California's Butte County, making it the deadliest and most destructive wildland fire in the state's history.

The number of people missing or unaccounted for in Butte County was down to 475 on Friday evening after having reached 605 on Thursday, according to the Butte County Sheriff's Office. The number is expected to continue fluctuating as officials account for residents.

"We haven't taken the day off," Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said in a video message on Thanksgiving Day.

There were 820 people in the field continuing search and rescue efforts on Thursday, as well as over 100 law enforcement officers protecting the areas that have been evacuated due to the Camp Fire, according to Honea.

A multiagency task force, at the request of the Butte County Sheriff's Office, has captured detailed aerial imagery maps of damaged properties in most of the burn areas in the town of Paradise, as well as video surveys and 360-degree drone panoramas of all major roads in the area, according to the sheriff's office.

Officials hope the maps will provide valuable information to the search and recovery teams on the ground, multiple agencies coordinating response and to the residents of the community impacted by the Camp Fire.

"This has been a tough situation for all of us," Honea said in his video message Thursday. "We're in this together. We are Butte County strong."

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Firefighters have made significant progress in containing both wildfires in recent days, and much-needed rain doused the scorched areas Friday. However, heavy rain did bring new dangers to the burn scar areas in the form of flash floods and mudslides.

The National Weather Service had issued a flash flood watch for the burn areas in Northern California.

Here is more about the fires that have been devastating Northern and Southern California.

PHOTO: Residences leveled by the wildfire line a neighborhood in Paradise, Calif., Nov. 15, 2018. (Noah Berger/AP)

The Camp Fire in Northern California

The Camp Fire ignited Nov. 8 near Pulga, a tiny community in Butte County nestled in the Plumas National Forest. The blaze exploded as strong winds fanned the flames southwest, enveloping Paradise, a bucolic community of 27,000 people in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

The fire has virtually decimated the entire town.

Melissa Schuster, a Paradise town council member, said her house was among those leveled by the Camp Fire.

"Our entire five-member council is homeless," Schuster said in a Nov. 13 interview on ABC News' "Start Here" podcast. "All of our houses have been destroyed."

(MORE: Deadly California wildfire leaves entire Paradise town council homeless)

PHOTO: Homes leveled by the Camp Fire line a development on Edgewood Lane in Paradise, Calif., Nov. 12, 2018. (Noah Berger/AP)

The death toll from the Camp Fire increased to 84 on Thursday, after officials found still more bodies in the burned-out rubble of homes and melted cars, according to the Butte County Sheriff's Office, which has warned that the remains of some of the missing may never be recovered due to the severity of the fire.

Thom Porter, chief of strategic planning for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said the body count is expected to climb higher as search crews continue sifting through the destruction.

"It is by far the most deadly single fire in California history and it's going to get worse, unfortunately," Porter has said of the Camp Fire.

Many of the deaths have ocurred in Paradise.

"The entire community of Paradise is a toxic wasteland right now," Schuster said om Nov. 13, holding back tears. "In addition to that, and this is the hardest part for me to even talk about, the number of fatalities is [among] things that we don't know at this moment and that's something that has to be determined before people can move back in."

PHOTO: A Sept. 10, 2018, image of the Kilcrease circle community in Paradise, Calif., compared to a Nov. 17, 2018 image this area was destroyed by the deadly Camp Fire. (Satellite image/DigitalGlobe via Reuters)

The Camp Fire, which has scorched a total of 153,336 acres in Butte County, was 95 percent contained Thursday night as thousands of exhausted firefighters worked around the clock to quell the inferno, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

More than 18,600 structures have been destroyed by the blaze.

Two prison inmate firefighters were among a total of three firefighters who have been injured while battling the Camp Fire, officials told ABC News.

Last week, Gov. Brown toured the devastation caused by the Camp Fire along with Brock Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as well as U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

"This is one of the worst disasters I've ever seen in my career, hands down," Long told reporters at the scene Nov. 14.

PHOTO: A search and rescue team combs through the debris for possible human remains at Paradise Gardens, Nov. 16, 2018 in Paradise, Calif. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times/Polaris)

The Woolsey Fire in Southern California

The Woolsey Fire also ignited Nov. 8 near the city of Simi Valley in Ventura County and rapidly spread south to Los Angeles County. The wind-driven flames jumped the 101 Freeway before sweeping through the celebrity enclaves of Malibu and Calabasas.

The entire city of Malibu and a sprawling naval base near the seaside city of Oxnard were among the areas under mandatory evacuation orders, as officials warned the blaze could potentially spread all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

(MORE: Nurse's harrowing escape from California wildfire)

PHOTO: A home is engulfed in flames during the Woolsey Fire in Malibu, Calif., Nov. 9, 2018. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)

Evacuation orders have since been lifted for some areas, including parts of Malibu, as firefighters successfully stretched containment levels.

The Woolsey Fire, which torched a total of 96,949 acres in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, was fully contained by Wednesday night, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

In all, 1,500 structures were destroyed and another 341 have been damaged.

PHOTO: Firefighters knock down flames in the Point Dume neighborhood of Malibu, Calif., on Nov. 10, 2018, after the Woolsey Fire tore through the neighborhood overnight. (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

The blaze burned down a portion of Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills known as Western Town, where hundreds of movies and television shows, including HBOs "Westworld," have been filmed, dating back to the 1920s.

The Woolsey Fire has been blamed for the deaths of at least three people, and three firefighters sustained injuries while battling the flames, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

PHOTO: The Santa Monica Mountains are seen left blackened by the Woolsey Fire near Malibu, Calif., Nov. 14, 2018. (David Mcnew/AFP/Getty Images)

A public health emergency

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has declared a public health emergency in California, where the wildfires forced the evacuation of at least two hospitals and eight other health facilities.

"We are working closely with state health authorities and monitoring the needs of healthcare facilities to provide whatever they may need to save lives and protect health," Azar said in a Nov. 14 statement. "This declaration will help ensure that Americans who are threatened by these dangerous wildfires and who rely on Medicare, Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program have continuous access to the care they need."

The smoke from the flames descended across the Golden State and choked the air in major cities.

(MORE: Trump administration overrides endangered species protections to access water California's firefighters say they don't need)

PHOTO: Smoke from the Camp Fire spreading over Northern California towards the Pacific Ocean, Nov. 16, 2018. (NASA Worldview/EPA via Shutterstock)

Smoke advisories were issued for the affected region amid concerns that smoke from the fires could present a "significant health threat" for people with asthma and other lung conditions, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Residents were advised to stay indoors as much as possible and to wear a protective mask when venturing outside.

Berkeley Earth, a California-based nonprofit that analyzes air quality in real-time, ranked San Francisco, Stockton and Sacramento as the world's three "most polluted cities" on Nov. 16.

Meanwhile, there has been an outbreak of norovirus at a shelter in Butte County housing evacuees, according to Lisa Almaguer, public information officer for Butte County Public Health.

People who are ill at the shelter have been taken to a separate location, are using separate restroom facilities and are being cared for by public health experts, according to Almaguer, who said the presence of the contagious virus is "not uncommon," especially at this time of year and "with hundreds of people living in close quarters."

PHOTO: President Donald Trump greets California Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom, left, as he arrives at Beale Air Force Base in California, Nov. 17, 2018. (Soel Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

President Trump tours unprecedented devastation

President Donald Trump arrived in California on Nov. 17 to survey the scene of surreal devastation and meet with firefighters, alongside California Gov. Jerry Brown and the state's governor-elect, Gavin Newsom.

The president stopped first in the town of Paradise, where he called the damage "total devastation."

"We've never seen anything like this in California, we've never seen anything like this yet. It's like total devastation," Trump told reporters. "I think people have to see this really to understand it."

(MORE: President Trump heads to California to tour damage, meet with firefighters

The president later visited Malibu to tour the destruction from the Woolsey Fire.

Trump pledged federal assistance to California following his visit, just days after he threatened to withhold funds from the state due to what he described as "gross mismanagement of forests."

ABC News' Karine Hafuta, Marilyn Heck, Julia Jacobo and Bonnie McLean contributed to this report
Florida teen accused of killing mom over a bad grade charged as adult with murder originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

A Florida teenager accused of killing his mother over an argument about his school grade has been charged as an adult with first-degree murder.

A Volusia grand jury indicted Gregory Ramos, 15, this week on one count of first degree murder -- a crime that could be punishable by a life sentence, according to Spencer S. Hathaway, a spokesman for Floridas State Attorneys office.

The grand jury charge appeared to catch the state attorney's office off guard.

Im surprised, Im shocked, Im bewildered by the fact were in a position to have to prosecute a 15-year-old for murdering his mother, State Attorney R.J. Larizza said of the decisions in the statement.

Thats a sad day, and its a sad announcement Im making, and I take no pleasure in the fact that the state attorneys office will be prosecuting the 15-year-old for the murder of his mother as an adult.

Ramos' attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday from ABC News.

Ramos confessed to killing of his mother, Gail Cleavenger, 46, according to Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood.

(MORE: Teen accused of killing mom and burying her in a fire pit after an argument over his D grade)

Ramos later led the police to the body of his mother which he buried in a fire pit at a church, Chitwood said.

PHOTO: Gregory Logan Ramos, 15, of Florida, is being held and charged with murder after he allegedly strangled his mother, Gail Cleavenger, 46, seen here in this undated photo. (Volusia County Sheriff's Office)

Ramos allegedly strangled his mother to death on Nov. 2 after the two had an argument about his D grade while his stepfather was on a business trip in Seattle, Washington.

In previous press conferences, Chitwood has said that during police interrogations, Ramos seemed proud of himself.

He believed he was the smartest person in the room and he continued to tell us his theories of what he believed and why: what happened to his mom and where we should be focusing our attention, Chitwood said earlier this month.

Eventually, officials said, the teen changed course, admitted to the murder, and walked investigators through his plot and its execution.

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She was a mom," Chitwood said of Cleavenger earlier this month. "She was a wife. She was a sister. By all accounts she was an amazing human being.

(MORE: To 'ketchup' thief: Police on lookout for McDonald's brawler who allegedly battered manager over condiment)

After Cleavengers killing, Ramos allegedly got two friends to come and help him stage a fake burglary at his home.Ramos and both co-defendants -- Dylan Ceglarek, 17, and Brian Porras, 17 -- remain confined at the Volusia County jail, according to Hathaway.

Porras' attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday from ABC News. It was not immediately clear who is representing Ceglarek.

(MORE: 2 Navy SEALs, 2 Marines charged with murder in death of Green Beret: Prosecutors)

The co-defendants were charged by information with being accessories after the fact of a first degree murder, Hathaway told ABC News. He went on saying that the two could be sentenced to 30 years in prison if found guilty.

The trio are set to be arraigned in December and they have not yet entered a plea.
Frances famous TGV trains will soon connect the coastal city of Tangiers with Moroccos economic capital, Casablanca. The trains, capable of traveling up to 200 mph, will cut current journey times in half. It currently takes about four hours and 45 minutes to travel the 215-mile distance from Tangiers to Casablanca via Rabat. The high-speed train will make it possible in two hours and 10 minutes, according to local news.

The trains are expected to leave every hour and carry about six million passengers within the first three years. There are currently 14 trains, each capable of carrying 533 passengers.

Related: 20 Reasons You'll Want to Visit Marrakesh in 2018

State officials hope that the project, called the LGV, will attract foreign visitors, but also be regularly used by Moroccans. High-speed train costs will be about 30 percent more expensive than the current train route, which costs between $14 to $27.

"If you are a businessman deciding to install an operation in Africa and you are torn between Morocco and another country, this kind of modern world-class infrastructure could help tip the balance," Riccardo Fabiani, a senior analyst at the Eurasia Group, told CNN.

But the project has come under scrutiny. Critics of the train line feel that funding and attention are being paid to the areas of the country with the highest visibility while the poorer parts of the country are being ignored.

The $2 billion project was initiated in 2011 by Moroccan King Mohammed VI and then-president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy. The initiative also included several other Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

French president Emmanuel Macron is expected to be present at the inauguration of the train on Thursday.
Sometimes, complications arise during even the most innocuous procedures. Recently, a Texas resident suffered major brain damage while under anesthesia for plastic surgery in Jaurez, Mexicoand the reason is terrifying.

Laura Avila, 36, traveled to Mexico to get a rhinoplasty operation and breast implant replacement on the morning of October 30, but the surgery was pushed to noon because the surgeons were running late, says Avilas sister, Angie Avila. Lauras fiance, Eric Cruz, accompanied Laura to the Rino Center in Juarez that morning, and was not allowed to see her when he returned to the center around four o'clock, even though he had been told that the surgery would take no more than four hours.

You May Also Like: This New, FDA-Approved Skin Care Drug Could Help Over 7.5 Million People

When Cruz finally spoke with doctors, he discovered that the director of a nearby hospital came in, saw Laura, and said, we need an ambulance right away.

It was then discovered that the anesthesia used for the procedure was put in the wrong place in Lauras spine, swelling her brain, leading her kidneys to fail and causing her to suffer from cardiac arrest for four minutes, CBS News reports. After her cardiac arrest, Laura was placed into a medically-induced coma to prevent further damage to her brain.

Luckily, this specific mistakewhich is most likely attributed to the anesthesiologistdoesn't happen to patients often and is generally a risk all surgeries (not just plastic surgery) can carry. In fact, suffering this kind of trauma during a plastic surgery operation is pretty rare. Plastic surgery itself is extremely safe, and I dont know of a case where it has caused brain damage directly, says Leesburg, Virgina plastic surgeon Phillip Chang, MD.

Laura, who was transferred to a hospital in El Paso, Texas, was brought out of the coma on November 3, and has been on life support since. Her family has been told that they must decide whether to let her go in peace, or to keep her on life support, but they are not ready to give up on Laura just yet. They are working hard to get Laura transferred to another hospital in Dallas for a second opinion.

In order to avoid possible complications like this during surgery, always do extensive research before booking the appointment. And most importantly, make sure to go to a board-certified plastic surgeon for every procedureafter all, the more experience your doctor has, the better.




For most people, a few key mnemonic devices made remembering those not-entirely-thrilling lessons learned in school a whole lot easier: Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally, Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge, and Kids Prefer Cheese Over Fried Green Spinach, to name just a few. With the reclassification of Pluto in 2006 to a dwarf planet, however, My Very Excited Mother Just Served Us Nine Pies lost its P.

As Joni Mitchell pointed out, You dont know what you got til its gone. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Solar System.

Sure, day to day, most of us probably dont think much about the massive celestial bodies that share this corner of the universe with us. Id imagine most of us took for granted that there were nine planetsa fact, once upon a time, as unimpeachable as the sun rises in the east and nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes. But that all changed in 2006, when scientists decided to strip Pluto of its planet status practically overnight, rendering it simply a dwarf planet.

Pluto, once the smallest of the nine planets in the Solar System, was also the most recently discovered, spotted by 23-year-old astronomer Clyde Tombaugh in 1930. He had arrived at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, with the specific assignment of finding the elusive ninth Planet X, and after a year of photographing the night sky, spotted the moving object that would become known as Pluto (a name that 11-year-old British schoolgirl Venetia Burney had proposed).

The discovery was celebrated and hailed by the public and at the time it was estimated to be about the size of Earth. But doubts were soon cast first on the size of this icy new planet (in 1948, it was estimated to be just a tenth the size of earth, then a hundredth the size by 1976, and a 650th just two years later) and its classification.

According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), which has overseen the naming and definitions of planetary bodies and their satellites since the early 1900s, a planet must (1) orbit the Sun and no other object, (2) have sufficient mass to be nearly round, and (3) has removed debris and small objects from the area around its orbit. Its that last rule that created problems for Pluto.

Beginning in 1992, a number of other objects began to be spotted orbiting in the same part of the solar system as Pluto, and it was determined to be part of a donut-shaped group of objects which would be called the Kuiper belt. What was worse: many of these objects were almost as large as Pluto. What ultimately led to Pluto losing its classification as a planet was the discoveryon July 29, 2005, by CalTech astronomer Mike Brownof Eris, an object larger than Pluto itself. The following year, the IAU determined that Pluto failed to meet the third criteria and should be reclassified, along with Eris, its moon Dysnomia and many other large but not that large planetary bodies as a dwarf planet. It was removed from planetary models at schools, museums and more.

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The decision wasnt without its own controversy. A number of scientists protested the IAU decision. The house of representatives in New Mexico (where Pluto discoverer Tombaugh was a longtime resident) passed a resolution that declared Pluto would be considered a planet within the state. Most recently, astronauts aboard the New Horizons mission to Pluto captured pictures of its rich surface and proposed in their subsequent book that the celestial body should be reinstated as a planet.

But, for now at least, the IAU remains unconvinced. From the organizations official blog: These results raise fundamental questions about how a small, cold planet can remain active over the age of the Solar System. They demonstrate that dwarf planets can be every bit as scientifically interesting as planets. Equally important is that all three major Kuiper belt bodies visited by spacecraft so farPluto, Charon, and Tritonare more different than similar, bearing witness to the potential diversity awaiting the exploration of their realm. And if you want to know more about space, here are 30 Reasons Why the Ocean Is Scarier Than Space.

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A man now thought to be one of the most prolific serial killers in the US claims he killed as many as 90 people over four decades.

Investigators have been able to close four unsolved murder cases because of the confessions of Samuel Little.

The 78-year-old, also known as Samuel McDowell, was already serving a life sentence in California for three murders when he confessed to a Texas investigator.

Officers said Little provided details on two killings in Houma, Louisiana, which only the murderer would have known.

Dorothy Richard, 59, was found dead in 1982, and the body of Daisy McGuire, 40, was discovered in 1996. Both had been strangled.

Officers are also investigating his confessions to other killings.

In Macon, Georgia, the Bibb County Sheriffs Office said in a statement issued on Friday that Littles confessions allowed its investigators to close two murder cases, one from 1977 and another from 1982.

In the 1982 case, the body of Fredonia Smith was found in the backyard of a Macon home. She had been strangled.

The 1977 victim has never been identified. Her skeletal remains were found at the edge of some woods in a local backyard.

Two Bibb County investigators travelled to Decatur, Texas, to question Little.

The sheriffs office said he gave them specific details and information linking him to both murders.

Smiths family has been notified about the new developments.

Ector County district attorney Bobby Bland said one of Littles confessions was about the February 1994 killing of Denise Christie Brothers in Odessa, Texas.

Due to the dedicated and tireless work of Ranger Holland and the Texas Rangers, Little will be confirmed as one of, if not the most, prolific serial killers in US history, Mr Bland said in a statement.

As a result of this investigation, not only did the family of Denise Brothers get answers, but so will hundreds of family members know the truth after decades of questions.

Justice for the victims of Samuel Little may have been delayed, but because of these efforts, justice is no longer denied.
San Francisco (AFP) - Airbnb said Friday it took in more than a billion dollars in revenue in the past three months, calling it the best quarter ever for the home-sharing giant as it readies a stock market offering.

"The third quarter of 2018 was the strongest quarter in Airbnb history, and the first quarter in which Airbnb recognized substantially more than $1 billion in revenue," the company said in a memo shared with AFP.

The revelation came as Airbnb prepared for an initial public offering (IPO) as soon as the middle of next year at a valuation estimated to be more than $30 billion.

As a private company, Airbnb is not required to disclose its performance, and the memo offered no detailed financial information. The San Francisco-based service is believed to be on course to be profitable for the second year in a row.

More than 400 million guests "arrivals" have been logged at Airbnb lodgings since the service launched a decade ago, according to the company.

The number of Airbnb guests in the third quarter soared in Beijing, Mexico City, Johannesburg, and Birmingham, England, the memo noted.

Airbnb expected that nearly a million guests will stay in US lodgings booked through its service during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend later this month.

Airbnb has become a target for regulators and critics who contend the service skirts taxes and hotel regulations while increasing pressure on housing by enticing property owners to make homes available to visitors rather than residents.

The main trade group for French hotels has sued the home-sharing giant, accusing it of unfair competition by "knowingly violating" rules imposed as part of a crackdown in one of Airbnb's biggest markets.

Paris has led the charge in France against Airbnb and other home-sharing platforms, claiming they have driven up home prices while depriving municipalities of taxes on income which often goes undeclared.

The moves echo actions taken in other tourist hotspots like Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin and New York.
Beirut (AFP) - Air strikes by the US-led coalition Saturday killed 43 people, mostly civilians, in a holdout of the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, a Britain-based monitor said.

Seventeen children were among 36 IS family members killed in Abu Husn village of Deir Ezzor province near the Iraqi border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Another seven victims had not yet been identified as either civilians or IS fighters, it said.

The US-led coalition has been backing a Kurdish-Arab alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting to expel the jihadists from the pocket around Abu Husn.

"It's the highest death toll in coalition air strikes since the SDF launched its attack against the IS pocket" in September, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The coalition has repeatedly said it does its utmost to prevent civilian casualties.

"The avoidance of civilian casualties is our highest priority when conducting strikes against legitimate military targets with precision munitions," spokesman Sean Ryan told AFP this week.

IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" in land it controlled.

But the jihadist group has since lost most of it to various offensives in both countries.

In Syria, the group has seen its presence reduced to parts of the vast Badia desert and the pocket in Deir Ezzor.

The coalition has since 2014 acknowledged direct responsibility for over 1,100 civilian deaths in Syria and Iraq, but rights groups put the number killed much higher.
Its the state where good elections go to die, says a strategist as recount madness engulfs Florida once again

Republican supporters hold signs in West Palm Beach, Florida, with tense recounts under way. Photograph: Michele Eve Sandberg/AFP/Getty Images

The judges indictment was damning. We have been the laughingstock of the world, election after election, the US district judge Mark Walker told a court in Florida on Thursday. And we chose not to fix this.

The midterm elections took place more than a week ago. New members of Congress are posing for photos on Capitol Hill in Washington. Yet the Sunshine state is still counting votes in the knife-edge US Senate race between the Republican Rick Scott and the Democrat Bill Nelson.

It has been a tortuous 10 days of chaotic leadership, catnip for lawyers, protesters in the streets, clapped-out counting machines and partisan allegations of incompetence and worse. Bob Shrum, a Democratic strategist, said bluntly: Florida is where good elections go to die.

He should know. Shrum was a senior adviser to Al Gore in the 2000 presidential election, which all came down to Florida. Katherine Harris, the Florida secretary of state and co-chair of George W Bushs statewide campaign, announced that he had won the state  and with it the presidency. At first Gore, phoned Bush to concede but, as the margin tightened, he called back to withdraw his concession.

Democrats pushed for a recount; Republicans resisted. Armies of lawyers flew in from both sides. For five weeks they wrangled over how the ballot papers had been designed. There was the question of what voters intended with punch-card ballots when they only detached a portion of the perforated paper (hanging chads) or merely dented instead of removing the punch-out (dimpled chads).

Another mystery surrounded why people in Democratic strongholds voted for the third party candidate Pat Buchanan, a conservative Christian, rather than Gore. Shrum recalled: As Buchanan said to me, There were not thousands of Jewish Democrats on the gold coast wanting to vote for me.

Ron Klein, who was co-chair of the Gore campaign in Florida, elaborated: The biggest paradox of the whole thing was these large Jewish areas. One of them is called Century Village in Boca Raton: 10,000 older people, call them Roosevelt New Deal Democrats. Pat Buchanan was sort of some version of Donald Trump at an earlier stage.

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In 2000, a Broward county canvassing board member, Judge Robert Rosenberg, examines a ballot. Photograph: Alan Diaz/AP

These people would not have voted for him as the last person in the world. And when the ballots came in, it showed that he had won Century Village by 700 votes or something  more than the 537, the final total [by which] Bush won Florida. And in some other big Jewish community areas it was the same thing. They got misled by the ballot.

Klein, now a lawyer based in Fort Lauderdale, and colleagues spent weeks camping out at the Broward county election supervisor office. Also on the scene was the self-declared dirty trickster Roger Stone, who claims he was one of the organisers of the so-called Brooks Brothers riot during the recount, which saw Republican activists chanting outside a meeting of election canvassers. Stone would return with a vengeance to help Donald Trump win Florida and the presidency in 2016.

Democrats sued to force a recount in a few counties where they thought it would help them overturn Bushs narrow margin. The battle went all the way to the supreme court which, in a 5-4 vote, ruled that no alternative method of recount could be established in a timely manner. In effect, this put Bush in the White House.

Sidney Blumenthal, an aide to Bill Clinton who was working with Gores team, said: The Republicans didnt play fair in terms of intimidating vote counters. The Bush v Gore supreme court decision will live in infamy as one of the most twisted decisions ever handed down. Theres no question in my mind that the election was stolen in 2000 with enormous consequences. Theres no telling how different our history would have been.

Natalie Kato, attorney for Susan Bucher, the current supervisor of elections in Palm Beach county. Photograph: Michele Eve Sandberg/AFP/Getty Images

The alternative timeline remains dizzying: would a President Gore have prevented the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, not invaded Iraq and prevented the global financial crisis? What would that have meant for Barack Obama and Donald Trump?

It all comes back to Florida. The 2000 election debacle was part of a wider pattern. Rick Wilson, a Republican strategist based in the state, has dealt with Florida elections for three decades. He says the biggest county, Miami-Dade, does a great job, but Broward and Palm Beach counties have been a train wreck for 20 years. Its always been like pulling teeth, one excuse after another. My Democratic counterparts share this view.

The Broward and Palm Beach county election supervisors, Brenda Snipes and Susan Bucher, have attracted widespread opprobrium for their handling of the midterms. Snipes completed a recount on Thursday but submitted it to the state two minutes late, meaning that several days of painstaking work went up in smoke. Bucher admitted she was in prayer mode during the recount and blamed overheating machines for missing the deadline.

Headlines on 8 November 2000. Photograph: Peter Cosgrove/AP

Florida has 67 counties with 67 election supervisors, each using his or her own methods. Wilson said: Theres not a unified system of tabulation. Its all a crap shoot. There are 67 counties, with probably two-thirds of them not running the same equipment. They all have different standards for their ballots. Its all unavoidable.

He added with frustration: I would love for us since 2000 to have got our shit together. One of the reasons it bothers me is we are a state with enormous resources and our elections are always close.

But Florida is always under special scrutiny, its problems magnified. One reason is that it is the third most populous state in the nation and far more electorally competitive than the top two, California and Texas. Troubles in overwhelmingly Democratic or Republican states do not get any attention because they do not change statewide outcomes. The Associated Press observed: Ballots got wet and couldnt be read last week in New York City. In Utah, some counties didnt have enough machines, causing hours-long lines. Google any state and voting problem and chances are you will find something.

But Florida is a victim of its own importance. Save for 1992, it has voted with the winner in every presidential election since 1964. It is therefore the natural stage for nationwide battles to play out  and could be again in 2020, when Trumps evidence-free claims of vote rigging could wreak further damage.

David Becker, executive director and founder of the Center for Election Innovation & Research, said: Florida is as close to a 50-50 state as we have, or perhaps have ever had, in the United States.

Becker has been involved in Florida elections for two decades and said much has changed since 2000. The only thing deja vu is that the state-wide margin is razor thin. We dont have hanging chads because the technology has been improved. You can imagine how difficult it would have been if hanging chads had been thrown into this. Management and supervision has got much, much better over time. There have been significant improvements.

He added: The biggest challenge in Florida has nothing to do with Florida law. The biggest problem in Florida is all their elections are razor-thin margins. Were talking about all the statewide races decided by 1% or less. That exposes all the challenges.
After a shooting at a bar killed 12 people in Thousand Oaks, Calif., on Nov. 7, the terror of mass shootings was, for some, worsened by a sense of hopelessness. If a state with some of the nations strictest gun laws cant prevent such a tragedy, where can we feel safe? But the story is more complex. And much can still be done.

There are two fundamental approaches to addressing mass shootings, neither of which work perfectly, but both of which could be improved, especially if the public better understands what to demand of its governments.

The first is prevention.

In this realm, Americans most often hear about the need for universal background checks and red-flag laws. Although the vast majority of mass shooters have left a record that would clearly reflect unsuitability for gun possession, this information is often in the hands of relatives and neighbors and even police and prosecutors who have not pursued gun-barring convictions, but not in the relevant databases. Two steps are needed. Increased efforts to ensure that those who act violently and abuse firearms are quickly prosecuted and stripped of their weapons, and those with information relevant to triggering red-flag laws should act with urgency to effectuate those protections. Without these efforts, most mass shooters (including those from the Thousand Oaks bar and the Pittsburgh synagogue) will just appear to be law-abiding citizens free to buy and possess their guns legally  until they kill.

Background checks also fail to address the problem of those who descend into a potentially violent tailspin  whether from addiction, PTSD or some other life stressor  sometime after they acquire their weapons. In the rest of the developed world, gun owners must renew their licenses, which protects the public from dangerous individuals by removing their weapons. Any serious investigation into the background of the California shooter  or the Pennsylvania shooter or the man who, in between those massacres, killed two and injured five at a Florida yoga studio  would have uncovered, albeit not a criminal record, but clear patterns of behavior showing they were unworthy of firearm possession. (In April, mental health experts determined that the Thousands Oaks assailant did not qualify for a psychiatric hold, which would have kept him from owning a gun for five years in the state.)

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At the same time, we need to address the growing problem of how easily firearms are stolen from homes and  in the growing world of gun-carrying  from cars. Approximately four hundred thousand guns are stolen every year in the United States, keeping criminals stocked with the latest weaponry. At Sandy Hook Elementary School, we saw the deadly consequences when law-abiding citizens do not adequately secure their firearms.

After the Pittsburgh shooting, President Donald Trump indicated that an armed guard could have ended the killing quicker. This is a common belief when it comes to the second approach: limiting the damage once a shooting begins. But while armed security personnel have helped in many instances, the dangers they and responding police face in mass shooting scenarios are considerable  and they too often prove ineffectual. The killer in California took out the security guard with his first shot; he also quickly killed a police sergeant who entered the bar. Indeed, four police officers were shot when they entered the Pittsburgh synagogue in trying to end that massacre, which underscores the danger of facing an AR-15.

Worse still, when a lone gunman rampaged through the Washington Navy Yard in 2013, he was able to continue his deadly spree by killing an armed guard and then using the guards weapon after he ran out of his original ammunition.

While the best way to stop shooters is to prevent them from having a gun in the first place, if that cannot be done, the next best thing is to limit the deadliness of their weaponry. Keeping AR-15s away from those who envision mass shootings as their opportunity to achieve some glorious vindication of their perceived grievances is important as is the need to restrict high-capacity magazines, which house large amounts of ammunition that allow shooters to rain destruction on potential victims without interruption.

Unfortunately, in 2017, a federal judge in California stopped the states newly adopted complete ban on high-capacity magazines from going into effect, even after conceding that the existence of high capacity magazines only serves to enhance the killing and injuring potential of a firearm. The gunman at Thousand Oaks proved him right on the facts  although dead wrong on the law.

Nearly every mass shooting illustrates how large-capacity magazines can increase the death toll. Forcing a shooter to reload more frequently can provide both opportunities for counter-attack, as we saw in the Florida yoga studio, and for escape, as occurred during breaks in shooting in Thousand Oaks. Although Californias laws have limited its rate of mass shootings to half that of a more gun-friendly state like Florida, a more dedicated effort is still needed if we are to adequately address this growing menace.
The U.K. was wracked by political turmoil Thursday, after Prime Minister Theresa May presented lawmakers with the draft of her newly-agreed deal on the terms of Britains departure from the Europe Union on Wednesday evening.

A string of high-profile resignation announcements rolled in, including from the minister charged with overseeing Brexit. Some in Mays center-right Conservative Party complained the proposed deal does not go far enough in extricating the country from the E.U.s regulatory binds. Opposition lawmakers in the center-left Labour party were equally unhappy, with many coming out in support of another referendum on membership of the bloc. May could soon be facing a vote of no confidence, battling to keep her political career alive as well.

Over the past two years, the rest of Europe has watched the fallout from Britains 2016 vote to leave the bloc with both a mixture of sympathy and a lack of concern, according to a Reuters Institute study. As Brexit seemed to reach a moment of truth this week, heres how media across the continent responded.

France

The editorial board at French daily Le Monde praised Mays tenacity in staying on as Prime Minister. Rarely has a government leader taken so many punches, suffered so many humiliations and faced so many jibes and betrayals. [] She pulled this impossible deal out of her hat.

But, they warned, lawmakers now face as sad reality: Britain is going to find itself in a worse position than the one it wanted to get out of. With the deal maintaining much of the E.U.s regulatory framework, they said, Britain had failed to take back control of their country, as pro-Brexit campaigners had promised. Unless they want to burn all bridges and put their economy and the union of the kingdom in jeopardy, the Brits will continue to bow to a significant number of European rules, including the customs union, while abandoning their ability to help decide them.

Perhaps in a veiled dig at recent U.S. foreign diplomacy, Le Monde praised E.U. negotiator Michel Barniers civil tone towards Britain. At a time when public exchanges of invective and threat between world leaders have become a fashion in international relations, his display of European know-how was somewhat reassuring.

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Spain

In Spain, El Pais also sympathized with May Its easy to criticize her, but no one else dared to oversee the titanic task of destroying the road the the U.K. has been on for 45 years.

Mays deal presents keeps the U.K. closely enough aligned to the E.U. that it is unlikely to satisfy Brexit supporters, but pulls far enough away from it to cause significant damage to the U.K.s economy, they continued. Its not hard Brexit, but a weak and anemic one.

The paper also lamented the impact on the E.U. A European Union without the British is less European and less unified. We can only fix it by quickly remaking [the links] that are about to be destroyed, particularly in terms of security and defense.

Germany

A columnist for Germanys Frankfurter Allgemeine had harsh words for Brexit-supporting politicians who werent happy with the deal, including just-resigned Brexit minister Dominic Raab.

He said that the agreement negotiated with the European Union did not meet the promises made to the British people, columnist Peter Sturm wrote. The man is right. But thats because the Brexit supporters made insane promises in the 2016 referendum campaign that they must have known they would never realize. To complain now suggests he has little political maturity.

Reporters for center-right German paper Die Welt pointed out that Britains political divisions meant certainty over Brexit is still far off. The deal is still at risk, they said, Great Britain is facing a serious crisis.

They warned the 27 other E.U. member states would be reluctant to approve the deal themselves until the U.K. appeared more stable. Everyone is looking to London. Only when white smoke rises there will the Europeans want to give the go-ahead, they said. Because the bitter experience of the past is that an agreement made with May can fall apart at the last moment because of domestic resistance.

Ireland

The Irish Times also doubted Mays ability to get the deal approved by her own parliament. Its passage through the House of Commons looks perilous, the editorial board wrote. At least now the process is under way and British prime minister Theresa May has taken the leap.

But they added that the deal could mean nothing good for their closest neighbor. [Wherever] this ends up, the U.K. will be worse off and will have less significant clout and influence. But that, unfortunately, is the inevitability of Brexit.
Searchers have found missing submarine ARA San Juan deep in the Atlantic a year after it disappeared with 44 crewmen aboard (Picture: Argentina Navy via AP File)

A missing submarine has been found deep in the Atlantic a year after it disappeared with 44 crewmen aboard.

The ARA San Juan was found more than 2,600 feet deep in waters off the Valdes Peninsula in Argentine Patagonia, the Argentinian navy said.

In a statement, it said a positive identification had been made by a remote-operated submersible from the American ship Ocean Infinity, which was hired in the latest search for the missing vessel.

The San Juan was returning to its base in the coastal city of Mar del Plata when contact was lost.

Argentina gave up hope of finding survivors after a search helped by 18 countries, but the navy has continued searching for the vessel.

Repairs  the ARA San Juan was refitted between 2008 and 2014 (Picture: AP/Mario de Fina, File)

The discovery of the missing submarine comes just two days after families of the missing sailors held a commemoration one year after its disappearance on November 15, 2017.

Argentinas president Mauricio Macri said the families of the submariners should not feel alone and delivered an absolute and non-negotiable commitment to find the truth.

MORE: Woman claims airport valet drove her car 500 miles then got her a parking ticket

MORE: Jamal Khashoggi: US intelligence officials think Saudi Crown Prince ordered killing

After submarine went missing, the president promised a full investigation.

As part of the probe, federal police raided naval bases and other buildings last January, following the dismissal of the head of the navy by the government.

The San Juan  a German-built diesel-electric TR-1700 class submarine  was commissioned in the mid-1980s.

It was refitted between 2008 and 2014 which involved it being cut in half and having its engines and batteries replaced.

The navy said previously the captain reported on November 15 that water had entered the snorkel and caused one of the subs batteries to short-circuit but later said it had been contained.

Some hours later, an explosion was detected near the time and place where the San Juan was last heard from.

The navy said the blast could have been caused by a concentration of hydrogen triggered by the battery problem reported by the captain.

Experts have said that refits can be difficult because they involve integrating systems produced by different manufacturers, and any mistake during the cutting phase can put the safety of the ship and crew at risk.
A submarine that disappeared a year ago with 44 crew members on board has been found around 800m deep in waters off the Valdes Peninsula in Argentine Patagonia.

The ARA San Juan, an Argentine Navy vessel, was travelling to the coastal city of Mar del Plata on 15 November 2017 when contact with those on board was lost.

Crew members had been ordered to return to a naval base on the coast after the submarines captain said that water had entered the snorkel, causing one of the vessels batteries to short circuit.

He later said that the situation had been contained, but a few hours later an explosion was detected near the San Juans last known location.

A woman reads the messages dedicated to the 44 crew members of the missing submarine ARA San Juan (EPA)

The navy said that the blast could have been caused by a concentration of hydrogen triggered by the faulty battery.

Crew members only had a seven day supply of air when the San Juan disappeared.

Argentina gave up hope of finding survivors from the vessel after an international search, aided by 18 countries, ended without success.

Ocean Infinity, a private maritime company that can search and map the seabed, was then hired by Argentinas government to find the submarine.

The navy said a remote operated submersible from the firm had made a positive identification of the vessel thousands of feet below the ocean surface.

Relatives comfort each other (Reuters)

Rescuers found the San Juan just two days after families of the missing sailors held a commemoration event marking a year since the submarine disappeared.

Argentinas president Mauricio Macri said the families should not feel alone, in remarks made on the anniversary.

He also declared an absolute and non-negotiable commitment to find the truth.

The disappearance of the San Juan caused extensive debate over the state of the military in Argentina, which has one of Latin Americas smallest defence budgets relative to the size of its economy, following a series of financial crises in the country.

Argentinas government dismissed the head of the navy in January during a probe into the submarines disappearance.

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Federal police raided naval bases and other buildings the same month.

Additional reporting by agencies
By Noor Zainab Hussain and Arathy S Nair (Reuters) - AstraZeneca said on Friday its immunotherapy drug Imfinzi did not meet the main goal of improving survival rates for patients with the most advanced form of lung cancer, putting pressure on its shares. The study, known as "Mystic", was among the industry's most anticipated clinical experiments and was viewed as central to proving the value of the group's new drug pipeline and its future as an independent company, after it spurned a $118 billion takeover attempt by Pfizer in 2014. The trial looked at stage IV patients -- those with the most advanced form of cancer. Results from the final Phase III trial found that Imfinzi (durvalumab) on its own and in combination with tremelimumab did not improve overall survival versus chemotherapy in patients with a protein called PD-L1 on 25 percent or more of their cancer cells. "We are disappointed that these results missed statistical significance," said Sean Bohen, AstraZenenca's executive vice president and chief medical officer. He said the company remained confident in Imfinzi as the cornerstone of its Immuno-Oncology program and continued to evaluate its potential in ongoing lung cancer trials. AstraZeneca has been seen as having a head start https://www.reuters.com/article/us-astrazeneca-cancer/hitting-cancer-early-astrazenecas-bid-to-outmaneuver-rivals-idUSKBN1JW0N5 in the race for cancer treatments, with Imfinzi the new standard of care in treating early inoperable stage III lung cancer. Imfinzi sales have also been a major focus for investors. FIGHTING LUNG CANCER The results come after AstraZeneca last week announced a return to sales growth in the third quarter helped by strong demand for new drugs -- including Imfinzi and Tagrisso for lung cancer. As the leading cause of cancer deaths, lung cancer represents the biggest opportunity for companies seeking to exploit the power of modern cancer immunotherapies. However, initial results from Mystic had disappointed investors in July 2017 when AstraZeneca's two drugs proved no more effective at stopping disease progression than chemotherapy. Immunotherapy drugs are designed to help the body's immune cells kill cancer and PD-L1 levels are used as a benchmark to determine if they are likely to work for individual patients. AstraZeneca's shares were down 1.2 percent at 6,243 pence at 0930 GMT, making the stock one of biggest percentage losers on London's bluechip index <.FTSE>. AstraZeneca said in September that Imfinzi, the first immunotherapy to be approved in the stage III lung cancer setting, cut the risk of death in patients with mid-stage lung cancer by nearly a third in a closely watched clinical study. The medicine has been approved for Stage III lung cancer in more than 40 countries. (Reporting by Arathy S Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier and Keith Weir)
FOCUS ON DEFENSE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND OCEANIA
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Britain will present on Monday a draft resolution to the UN Security Council to address the crisis in Yemen, the ambassador said Friday, as diplomatic efforts to end the war gathered pace.

The measure will bolster a UN push for peace talks in Sweden and ensure access for humanitarian aid to millions in Yemen now facing famine.

British Ambassador Karen Pierce told the council that Britain will "bring the draft text of the resolution to the partners on Monday."

A vote on the measure could take place quickly, but no timing was announced.

The British decision to move ahead with the resolution came after UN envoy Martin Griffiths said he planned to convene peace talks in Sweden "shortly."

The United States and other western powers have called for a ceasefire and talks on ending the war, which has unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Eight million people are affected by severe food shortages, according to UN officials, who warn that up to 14 million - or half of Yemen's population - are at risk of famine.

The Saudi-led coalition has been waging a war in Yemen since March 2015 to push back the Iran-backed Huthis and restore to power Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, whose government is recognized by the United Nations.
In this aerial photo, a burned neighborhood is seen in Paradise, California - AFP

The death toll in California's wildfires climbed to 71 on Friday as the number of missing people surpassed 1000, while authorities continued the search for survivors and victims.

However, Kory Honea, Butte sheriff, said the list of missing people was dynamic, and could contain the names of people who did not realise they had been reported missing.

"We are still receiving calls, we're still reviewing emails," he said.

President Donald Trump is expected to visit the area on Saturday to see for himself the grief and damage caused by California's most deadly wildfires.

But he may face anger from locals for comments suggesting the fires could have been prevented or contained with better forest management.

In an interview recorded on Friday and scheduled for broadcast on Fox News Sunday, Mr Trump said he was surprised to see images of firefighters removing dried brush near a fire. "This should have been all raked out," he said.

Meanwhile, deputies found eight more bodies on Friday, bringing the death toll to 71.

Authorities are trying to reassure an anxious public that the long list of missing names - jumping from 600 a day earlier - may simply reflect the difficulty in trying to account for everyone thought to be in the area.

Some on the list have been confirmed as dead by family and friends on social media. Others have been located and are safe, but authorities have not yet marked them as found.

An exhausted llama lays in a partially burned field in Paradise, California Credit: Josh Edelson/AFP

Tamara Conry said she should never have been on the list.

"My husband and I are not missing and never were," she wrote Thursday night on Facebook. "We have no family looking for us. ... I called and left a message to take our names off."

Authorities compiled the list by going back to listen to all the dispatch calls they received since the fire started, to make sure they didn't miss anyone.

In last year's catastrophic wildfires in California wine country, Sonoma County authorities at one point listed more than 2,000 people as missing. But they slowly whittled down the number. In the end, 44 people died in several counties.

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Firefighters search a burned-out building in Paradise, California Credit: David Paul Morris/Bloomber

The wildfire this time all but razed the town of Paradise, population 27,000, and heavily damaged the outlying communities of Magalia and Concow on November 8, destroying 9,700 houses and 144 apartment buildings, authorities said.

Firefighters were gaining ground against the blaze, which blackened 222 square miles (575 square kilometers). It was 45 percent contained and posed no immediate threat to populated areas. Crews managed to stop it from spreading toward Oroville, population 19,000.

This patch of California, a former Gold Rush region in the Sierra Nevada foothills, is to some extent Trump country. The the Republican candidate beat Hillary Clinton in Butte County by 4 percentage points in 2016.

But some survivors resent that Mr Trump took to Twitter two days after the disaster to blame the wildfires on poor forest mismanagement. He threatened to withhold federal payments from California.

"If you insult people, then you go visit them, how do you think you're going to be accepted? You're not going to have a parade," Maggie Crowder of Magalia said Thursday outside an informal shelter at a Walmart parking lot in Chico.
The number of names on the missing persons list for Northern Californias Camp fire grew to 1,011 Friday night, nearly doubling the number reported Thursday, though fire officials warned that the list may include duplicate names.

Search-and-rescue officials also discovered eight more bodies in the Camp fires aftermath, bringing the death total to 71. Three bodies have been recovered in the Woosley fire in Southern California, making the states death toll now 74.

I want you to understand that this is a dynamic list. It will fluctuate both up and down every day, Butte County Sheriff-Coroner Kory L. Honea said of the missing persons list Friday night.

Paradise reeling: The death toll from the #CampFire rises to 71 and the number of people missing soars over 1000. The wildfire has scorched 146,000 acres, destroyed over 15,000 structures and is now 50% contained. The search for the missing continues. https://t.co/VOdZlYY6uJ pic.twitter.com/eNuUzk60Mz  Marcus Yam  (@yamphoto) November 17, 2018

Honea said the number of people grew significantly Friday because law enforcement now has more resources to address missing person reports, including a newly established call center and more time to review reports that were emailed to law enforcement.

Honea also noted that the list may include misspelled names and names of people who are not actually missing.

In the initial hours of this extraordinarily chaotic event, as people were calling in, talking about people that they couldnt find ... that information was being entered in as rapidly as possible by public safety dispatchers, he said.

The Camp fire is considered the most deadly and destructive wildfire in the state of California. Investigators continue to scour the town of Paradise and the surrounding areas, searching for additional remains and assessing the damage.

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I keep thinking about a conversation I had with a veteran firefighter about the fatalities on the #CampFire. So many people assumed it wouldn't be as bad as it was and refused to evacuate. When he got back to their homes, they were on fire.  Lizzie Johnson (@lizziejohnsonnn) November 17, 2018

Honea defended the Butte County Sheriff Departments decision to release the raw data on the missing persons.

I cant let perfection get in the way of progress, Honea told reporters. Its important for us to get the information out so that we can get started on identifying these unaccounted individuals.

Since last week, the Camp fire has spread to an estimated 146,000 acres, devastating the town of Paradise and forcing 52,000 people to flee their homes. Officials said the blaze was 50 percent contained by Friday.

The Woolsey fire in Southern California has burned more than 98,000 acres, forcing thousands to evacuate Malibu and surrounding areas. As of Friday, the Woolsey fire was 67 percent contained.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit California to meet with people impacted by the fires and assess the damage on Saturday. The White House has not released details on which locations Trump will visit.

Related Coverage

The Camp Fire Is Now The Deadliest Wildfire In California's History

Giant Menorah Survives At Jewish Summer Camp Devastated By Woolsey Fire

Dozens Have Died In The California Wildfires. Here Are Some Of Their Stories.

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Ottawa (AFP) - Canada will not extend its peacekeeping mission in Mali beyond July 2019, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said in an interview that aired Saturday.

Sajjan, interviewed by CBC Radio on the sidelines of the Halifax International Security Forum, said that UN officials were "working with other nations to look at replacing us."

Canadian media had reported that the United Nations has quietly asked Canada to extend its role.

When asked, Sajjan said that by July 2019 Canada will have fulfilled its promise to head the Mali mission for one year.

"We've said this for a year. We wanted to offer up support for what the UN wanted to do. One big ask they had was the concept of smart pledges," Sajjan told CBC.

"Nations come, take a yearly responsibility. We have done that."

Canada's peacekeeping mission in Mali began on July 1, 2018 in the northern city of Goa, replacing German peacekeepers.

Currently there are 250 Canadian soldiers and eight helicopters deployed in the west African nation, in particular to carry out medical evacuations from the UN Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

This is the first Canadian military peacekeeping mission since 1994 in Rwanda.

Sending Canadian peacekeepers to Africa was a campaign promise by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who vowed to reengage Canada in UN peacekeeping missions.

Ottawa also wants a seat on the UN Security Council in 2021.

amch/ch/mdl
By Charlotte Greenfield and Philip Wen PORT MORESBY (Reuters) - President Xi Jinping made a push to expand China's influence in the Pacific on Friday, holding a forum with leaders of eight small island countries in Papua New Guinea. But Chinese officials barred most media, including reporters from the Pacific, from the forum at which Xi met leaders from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Micronesia, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, as well as Papua New Guinea, in its capital Port Moresby ahead of an APEC summit this weekend. China's efforts to win friends in the resource-rich Pacific push have been watched warily by the traditionally influential powers in the region - Australia, New Zealand and the United States - who were not invited to Friday's forum. But to the disappointment of many of the journalists there to report on China's role in the region, Chinese officials barred access to all media, apart from a small list of outlets, citing space and security concerns. Many of those left out grumbled about what they saw as a lack of transparency around China's efforts to gain new allies. "It just sends such a terrible signal," said Jonathan Pryke of Sydney-based think-tank the Lowy Institute. "It just seems like they are trying to buy influence but not build influence," he said, referring to Chinese aid to the region. Dozens of accredited journalists were turned away despite being invited to attend by PNG officials, who also arranged transport to the well-guarded forum venue. Chinese officials said they had not been informed of the host's plans and had to limit media numbers. One official suggested journalists could look out for reports on the forum published by China's state-run news agency Xinhua. Lina Keapu, photojournalist at PNG's Sunday Chronicle newspaper said it was a "slap in the face". "As the local media, we should be there covering it and getting the news to our national public," she said. Pita Ligaiula, a journalist with the Pacific Island News Association, based in Fiji, said Chinese influence was among the big issues affecting the region and it was important to be able to inform the public about its intentions. "I come all the way from Fiji only to be told we are not invited to cover this," he said. China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Pryke said China had scored an "own goal" by "marginalising domestic media in their own country" when they could have anticipated plenty of positive coverage from the event. (Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield and Philip Wen in PORT MORESBY; Editing by Robert Birsel)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, the Washington Post reported on Friday, a finding that contradicts Saudi government assertions that he was not involved. The Post said U.S. officials have expressed high confidence in the CIA assessment, which is the most definitive to date linking Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler to the killing and complicates President Donald Trump's efforts to preserve U.S. ties with one of the closest American allies in the region. (Reporting by David Alexander; Editing by Tim Ahmann)
Jamal Khashoggi - PA

The CIA has concluded Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to US media.

Khashoggi, who was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month, was reportedly given assurances that it was safe for him to attend the consulate in a phone call with the Saudi ambassador to the US, Khalid bin Salman, who is the brother of the Crown Prince.

The Washington Post reported on Friday night that the US intelligence agency intercepted a call from the Crown Prince to his brother Khalid in which he instructed him to telephone Khashoggi.

It is not clear if Khalid bin Salman knew that Khashoggi would be killed, but it is the clearest evidence yet that the order to murder the journalist came from the very highest levels of the Saudi government.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly denied that the Crown Prince had any involvement in the death of Khashoggi, who had been a fierce critic of Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Credit: REUTERS

The revelation will put further pressure on President Donald Trump to publicly rebuke Saudi Arabia's leaders over the diplomatic crisis. The White House has so far been reluctant to damage their relationship with a key ally and trading partner in the Middle East, with Mr Trump repeating Saudi claims that the murder was the result of rogue agents.

The Crown Prince, who is expected to become the next Saudi king, had been seen as a moderniser by Western allies. However international outcry over the murder of Mr Khashoggi has brought his involvement in the affair under heavy scrutiny.

Saudi Arabia has offered shifting explanations or the incident, most recently claiming that rogue operatives injected Khashoggi with a lethal drug overdose. The kingdom has announced charges against 11 people it says were involved and vowed to seek the death penalty against five. Some of the hit team have been identified as key aides to the Crown Prince and other senior Saudi officials.

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The CIA reportedly obtained the intelligence that Khashoggi's life may have been in danger before his murder but it was not discovered until after his disappearance, intelligence sources told the Washington Post.

Khashoggi was not considered "a person of interest" before his disappearance, and was regarded as protected from American intelligence gathering in part because of his status as a US resident, according to the sources.

It was only after his death that US intelligence agencies began searching their archives and uncovered material suggesting the Saudi royal family had been attempting to lure the dissident back to the country.

Khalid bin Salman issued a vehement public denial of the reports, insisting that his last communication with the journalist was by text message in 2017.

As we told the Washington Post the last contact I had with Mr. Khashoggi was via text on Oct 26 2017. I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the US government to release any information regarding this claim.  Khalid bin Salman    (@kbsalsaud) November 16, 2018

"I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason.

"I ask the US government to release any information regarding this claim," he added.
A Republican politician has been caught on video saying making it harder for liberals to vote is a great idea.

Cindy Hyde-Smith, a state senator in Mississippi facing a runoff election later this month, was filmed speaking to a small crowd in Starkville, a town 25 miles west of Columbus.

And then they remind me that theres a lot of liberal folks in those other schools who that maybe we dont want to vote, the 59-year-old said, in footage shared on social media.

Maybe we want to make it just a little more difficult. So, I think thats a great idea.

Her comments came following a midterms election cycle engulfed by a series of voter suppression controversies  most notoriously in Georgia.

Ms Hyde-Smiths campaign team told The Washington Post she was talking about the issue of polling stations on college campuses to a group of students on 3 November.

Cindy Hyde-Smith on voter suppression: "And then they remind me, that there's a lot of liberal folks in those other schools who that maybe we don't want to vote. Maybe we want to make it just a little more difficult. And I think that's a great idea." Nov 2nd in Columbus, MS. pic.twitter.com/OxNY77XCft  Lamar White, Jr. (@LamarWhiteJr) November 15, 2018

Thats what she said was a great idea, spokeswoman Melissa Scallan said. Someone pointed out that college campuses were liberal and thats when she made the joke about not wanting everyone to vote. That was a joke. The polling places on college campuses is what she said was a great idea.

The senator absolutely is not a racist and does not support voter suppression, she added.

Ms Scallan claimed the video was "selectively edited" and accused the liberal media of using the controversy to avoid talking about Ms Hyde-Smiths Democratic opponent, Mike Epsy.

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The video, which was not edited, was posted on Twitter by local journalist Lamar White Jr, who earlier in the week shared footage of Ms Hyde-Smith telling a crowd at a separate event she would be on the front row if invited to a public hanging by one of her supporters.

Her campaign team insisted she was using an exaggerated expression of regard.

On Wednesday, three days after her comments on voter suppression were made public, it emerged Ms Hyde-Smith had accepted a $2,700 donation  the maximum individual contribution allowed  by Peter Zieve, who authorities say is a notorious racist.

Mr Zieve is being sued by Washington state for discriminating against ethnic minority applicants and imposing his racist views on his employees at his aerospace company, Electroimpact.

Ms Hyde-Smith is facing Democrat Mike Epsy in a runoff on 27 November, after neither candidate won more than 50 per cent of the vote in a special four-way vote in the midterms.

For a state like Mississippi, where voting rights were obtained through sweat and blood, everyone should appreciate that this is not a laughing matter, Danny Blanton, a spokesman for Mr Epsy, said. Mississippians deserve a senator who represents our best qualities, not a walking stereotype who embarrasses our state.
London (AFP) - Hundreds of climate change protesters blocked London bridges on Saturday demanding a dramatic new environmental policy.

Sit-down demonstrators blocked five bridges over the River Thames in the city centre, including Westminster Bridge next to the Houses of Parliament.

"We've basically got three demands," said Gail Bradbrook, one of the organisers.

"One is that the government have to tell the truth. People think that climate change is something happening to somebody else at some other time, but it's coming home.

"We need to go to net zero carbon really quickly. And we're also asking for a people's assembly so people can decide how the change happens."

Demonstrators held placards reading "Stop climate breakdown", "Climate change equals mass murder", "Climate crisis is a health crisis. Act now" and "Denial is not a policy".

The police said the demonstrations were impeding Londoners and the emergency services from using the bridges.

"So far we have made 45 arrests for offences under the Obstruction of Highway Act and Bail Act," said superintendent Waheed Khan.
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP)  Ivan Duque was sworn in as Colombia's president in August after an easy election victory in which he promised to boost the sluggish economy by decreasing corporate taxes, while bringing order to rural areas that have long been plagued by drug trafficking and violence between armed groups.

But as he completes his first 100 days in office his plans to modernize Colombia have been beset by street protests and an unruly congress that has blocked some of his flagship initiatives.

Even his own party members have spoken against a proposed tax overhaul needed by the government to raise $4.5 billion for social programs that include efforts to reintegrate thousands of former guerrilla fighters.

The 42-year-old conservative also faces challenges on the international front. Colombia is grappling with a mass influx of Venezuelans fleeing the economic collapse in their neighboring homeland, and it's under pressure from the U.S. to reverse a boom in coca growing that has put output of the main ingredient for cocaine at record levels.

Duque has seen his approval ratings slump, which could further undermine his ability to push his political and economic agenda. A recent poll said only 27 percent of Colombians approve of Duque's administration, down from 52 percent in August.

"So far he hasn't been able to keep anybody happy," said Sergio Guzman, a political risk consultant in Bogota. "I think he must be realizing that governing this country is very difficult."

The administration has been most recently targeted by a wave of student protests that have disrupted life in Colombia's main cities and led to sporadic clashes with police. Student unions are demanding the government spend at least $1.5 billion on public universities that have seen enrollment quadruple over the past two decades.

Duque has so far promised only a third of that amount, saying the government has no more resources available.

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To raise more funds for education and social programs, Duque has proposed a 19 percent value added tax on staple goods such as eggs and milk. That is part of a broader tax measure that also would raise taxes on large inheritances and decrease the income tax for small businesses in a bid to generate more formal jobs.

The president's own party, the Democratic Center, has opposed the bill, saying taxing food staples could hurt the middle class. It leaves him without enough congressional support to pass the measure.

"We have to strengthen our work in congress," Duque said Friday during an interview with Colombia's BLU radio. He also called on politicians to avoid populist tactics and to engage in a "reasonable" discussion of the tax bill.

Duque's administration has also been off to a rocky start in the countryside, where violence is on the rise in some areas that were formerly controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which has demobilized under a peace accord to end five decades of civil conflict.

According to a report published Friday by the Ideas for Peace Foundation, a think tank, 36 human rights leaders were killed in Colombia during the past three months, twice as many as in the same period last year. The number of people displaced by armed conflict increased by 20 percent, it said.

Much of the violence is happening in areas that are now under the influence of the National Liberation Army, a guerrilla group that hasn't made peace with Colombia's government.

Peace talks with the group have been suspended under the Duque administration, which has said it will negotiate with the rebels only if they stop conducting kidnappings and staging attacks on the military.

Juan Carlos Garzon, a conflict analyst at the Ideas for Peace Foundation, said Duque will have a hard time resuming the negotiations. His party is demanding tougher conditions for talks, including the withdrawal of amnesty for rebels who have been involved in drug trafficking.

"Duque was elected by people who were critical of the previous peace process with the FARC," Garzon said. "But now that he is in power he has also realized that he must defend and pursue a peace process that is widely backed by the international community."

Duque has acknowledged that many of his political proposals have been controversial. But on Friday he urged Colombians to be patient.

"I want the country to know that I will work each day to win the peoples' hearts," he told Blu Radio. "And I want to prove that we are capable of transforming our realities."
The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology called this Friday a turning point for humanity, even though the difference between this day and the day before weighs, theoretically, nothing at all.



But, while something that weighs a kilogram  the basic unit of mass  is just as heavy as it was before, the way that kilogram is defined has changed, after a vote by scientists at the General Conference on Weights and Measures in Paris.

For 130 years, the kilogram has been defined as the exact weight of a cylinder of platinum-iridium held in a triple-locked vault in Paris. Metrologists  experts in the science of measurement  refer to the metal lump as the International Prototype Kilogram, or IPK. Others call it Le Grand K. It is the one true kilogram in the world, upon which all measures of mass on Earth depend.

But thats now changed. On Friday, representatives from 60 countries decided to redefine the kilogram, setting its weight in terms of electric current rather than by comparison to a set object. The decision means that all of the seven base units  the meter for distance, the second for time, the kilogram for mass, the mole for amount of substance, the ampere for electrical current, the kelvin for temperature and the candela for luminosity  are now defined in terms of fundamental constants that describe the natural world.

The change, which will come into force in May 2019, will draw the curtain on the use of human-scale physical objects to define measurement units, and thus end an important era in the history of science.

For most of human history, weights and measures were a local matter, often imprecise and varied. The kilogram was born from an effort to change that situation, in the late 18th century. In 1791, the French National Assembly realized that something had to be done about the chaotic state of French weights and measures. Their aim, redolent of revolutionary zeal, was to create a measurement system for all time, for all people.

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The Assembly decided that a single, immutable system of weights and measures should be established  not that immutability would be the same thing as simplicity. Their new unit of length, the meter, was set at one ten-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the equator, measured around the poles of the meridian passing through Paris. The liter, at one thousandth of a cubic meter, would be used to measure capacity. And the kilogram, which would measure mass, would equal the mass of one liter of water.

And so the metric system was born.

Not that it was widely used at first. More than three-quarters of a century passed after its official adoption in France before dignitaries from 17 countries signed the international Treaty of the Meter in 1875, thus harmonizing systems of measurement across the world. Fourteen years later, the IPK was built and then whisked away to a lab in Sevres, France, where it has been kept ever since.

For 129 years, Le Grand K remained the reference point for measurements of mass around the world. But change was afoot.

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In 1983, the meter was redefined as the distance traveled by light in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second, and it was again redefined in 1997 as the duration of 9,192,631,770 natural oscillations of microwave radiation released by the element cesium.

And in 1989, the perils of using human-dependent standards of measurement, rather than those ultra-precise mathematical standards, were handily illustrated. It was discovered, to the dismay of metrologists everywhere, that the IPK was 50 micrograms lighter than the replicas of it that had been distributed around the world. Since Le Grand K, by definition, is a kilogram, any change to its mass necessarily alters the definition. Either Le Grand K had lost weight, or the replicas had been piling on the (micro)pounds.

Though 50 micrograms might not sound like much, even such a tiny change meant that the weight was no longer accurate enough for advanced research and technological applications. The question, then, was how to figure out a more fundamental  and thus more reliable and precise  way to define the mass of a kilogram.



Read more: The Long, Tortuous History of the U.S. and the Metric System

The new definition of a kilogram will be based on three fundamental constants: the speed of light; the cesium atoms natural microwave radiation; and the Planck constant, which describes the size of the packets of energy that atoms and other particles use to absorb and emit energy.

The current kilogram mass exerts a specific amount of force in Earths gravity  in other words, it weighs something. The revised definition replaces this familiar determination of mechanical force with an electromagnetic measurement tied to the Planck constant and based on electrical current and voltage. Using an instrument called a Kibble balance, after its inventor Bryan Kibble, an electric current is generated in a coil to produce a magnetic field strong enough to offset a mass of one kilogram.

This redefinition is a landmark moment in scientific progress, said Martin Milton of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM), in a statement. Using the fundamental constants we observe in nature as a foundation for important concepts, such as mass and time, means that we have a stable foundation from which to advance our scientific understanding, develop new technologies and address some of societys greatest challenges.

Today marks the culmination of decades of work by measurement scientists around the world, the significance of which is immense, said Barry Inglis, Director of BIPM. We will now no longer be bound by the limitations of objects in our measurement of the world, but have universality accessible units that can pave the way to even greater accuracy, and even accelerate scientific advancement.
Midterm elections proved that Republicans have only a tenuous hold over the coalition that propelled Trump to the White House in 2016

Kyrsten Sinema became the first Democrat to win an Arizona Senate seat in 30 years. Photograph: Alexander Drago/Reuters

As the returns poured in on the night of last weeks midterm elections, a narrative swiftly began to take shape: although Democrats succeeded in retaking the House of Representatives from Republican control, the vaunted blue wave had failed to materialize.

But just over a week later, the assessment has evolved just as rapidly amid a series of gains by Democrats in contests that on election night were too close to call. Democrats have now picked up 34 seats in the House  a tally that may inch closer to 40 with a number of results still outstanding.

On Tuesday, the party was given another reason to rejoice when Kyrsten Sinema became the first Democrat to win an Arizona Senate seat in 30 years. Sinemas hard-fought victory over her Republican opponent, Martha McSally, not only flipped a reliably red seat blue, but also countered the notion that Democrats had taken a beating in the Senate.

The revised outlook has reinforced the Democratic partys momentum in the current political climate, while also exposing the Republican partys vulnerabilities with Donald Trump at its helm.

The president sought to take a victory lap in the immediate aftermath of the 2018 midterms, insisting Republicans had exceeded expectations. And in characteristic Trumpian fashion, he added that those Republicans who did lose their seats were defeated over their refusal to embrace him.

Those that worked with me in this incredible Midterm Election, embracing certain policies and principles, did very well. Those that did not, say goodbye! Yesterday was such a very Big Win, and all under the pressure of a Nasty and Hostile Media!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2018

Trumps claim was dubious then and even more questionable now, in the face of steady Democratic pickups in the week since the midterms. Contrary to the presidents efforts to downplay their outcome, the elections proved that Republicans have only a tenuous hold over the coalition that propelled Trump to the White House in 2016.

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I think Republicans would be foolish to just think that this is simply a conventional midterm, said Rory Cooper, a GOP strategist who served as a top aide to the former House majority leader Eric Cantor.

You have an economy thats roaring and unemployment thats historically low  and so you have to look for other indicators for why youd lose that many seats.

Democrats needed to flip 24 seats in order to win back the House for the first time in just under a decade. The Senate map was less favorable to the party, with Democrats defending 26 seats  including many in states carried by Trump two years ago.

Although election night saw Democrats triumph in the House, their victory was somewhat overshadowed by the loss of a handful of candidates whose challenges in conservative strongholds had garnered national attention.

The Democratic congressman Beto ORourke, whose campaign inspired millions in deep red Texas, came within three points of toppling Senator Ted Cruz. In Kentuckys sixth congressional district, former fighter pilot Amy McGrath ran a similarly upstart campaign, powered by the grassroots, but in the end her Republican opponent prevailed.

Until recently, it had been unthinkable that Democrats would mount credible challenges in such areas  which in part meant a disproportionate amount of coverage on the high-profile races where the party was ultimately unsuccessful.

A similar dynamic played out in two closely watched governors races, where two black candidates had hoped to make history.

In Florida, Andrew Gillum lost to Republican Ron DeSantis by a margin so narrow that state law forced an automatic recount. Although the results did not change the outcome of the race, progressives saw signs of hope in a state that has not elected a Democratic governor in 24 years.

Stacey Abrams, who had been vying to become the first black female governor in US history, conceded defeat in Georgia on Friday to her Republican opponent Brian Kemp. She nonetheless came remarkably close to forcing a runoff, with Kemp having won just a slim majority of the vote.

Democrats took some solace in their newfound competitiveness in the south and south-west and the prospects of transforming what had long been conservative terrain into potential battleground states.

The disappointing results in Florida and Georgia notwithstanding, Democrats otherwise saw more success at the state level than in any recent election cycle.

They flipped seven gubernatorial seats and six legislatures, enabling the party to enact progressive agendas statewide and exert influence over the redistricting process  to carve out future congressional maps  that is due to take place in 2020.

Democrats also made several unexpected pickups in the days that followed the midterms, which earned less focus given the delay in the results being declared.

They include Lucy McBath, an advocate of stricter gun laws whose son, Jordan Davis, was fatally shot in 2012 by a white man in a dispute over loud music. McBath defeated Republican Karen Handel in a Georgia congressional district once held by the former House speaker Newt Gingrich.

In New Jersey, Andy Kim, a former adviser to Barack Obama, ousted Tom MacArthur, a Republican congressman who had made himself the face of the partys efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act last year. MacArthurs loss, officially declared on Wednesday, left the New Jersey congressional delegation with only one remaining Republican.

Democrats also converted three House seats in California, defeating incumbent Republicans Jeff Denham, Steve Knight and Dana Rohrabacher.

This was a great night for Democrats no matter what you want to call it. Im more than willing to call it a blue wave, said Jim Manley, who served as an aide to the former Senate majority leader Harry Reid and the late Senator Ted Kennedy.

Manley expressed frustration with the pundits who claimed on election night that Democrats had underperformed.

The mere sense that we were going to pick up the House was a huge deal, he said. The whole goal, the whole crux of the last two years, was reclaiming the House.

What was at first billed as a Republican rout in the Senate also looks far less certain one week later.

Although three vulnerable Democratic senators  Claire McCaskill in Missouri, Heidi Heitkamp in North Dakota and Joe Donnelly in Indiana  lost their re-election bids last Tuesday, the party held onto seats in Montana, West Virginia and Ohio, also states won by Trump in 2016.

In addition to Arizona, Democrats also moved Nevada to their column; and in Florida, the Senate race called in Republican Rick Scotts favor on election night has since gone to a recount, giving Democrats a glimmer of hope that the incumbent senator, Bill Nelson, might still have a chance.

According to exit polls, healthcare was a top priority for voters as they cast their ballots. Democrats had fervently campaigned on protecting the coverage for pre-existing conditions afforded under Obamas healthcare law.

Republicans, led by Trump, zeroed in on immigration in the closing weeks of the campaign. While stumping for Republicans across the country, the president repeatedly stoked fears over a caravan of migrants headed toward the US-Mexico border from Central America. (Trump has not mentioned the caravan since the midterms.)

The strategy was unmistakably centered on boosting turnout within the Republican base, but did little to draw support from independents, who swung toward Democrats. It also appeared to turn off suburban women, who increasingly disapprove of the president and proved decisive in the Democratic partys success.

Cooper said the midterms revealed that Trumps stunning victory two years ago did not fix whats ailing the Republican party.

The more you win in the short term, the more you can put off fixing long-term structural issues, like the age, race and gender of the typical Republican voter, he said. There was no effort to appeal to anyone outside of the normal base.

That is a huge blindspot for Republicans, if they continue to assume they can just win on turnout.
White House Deputy National Security Advisor Mira Ricardel participates in Diwali ceremony at the White House in Washington - REUTERS

One of Americas most senior national security officials has been forced out of the White House after Melania Trump, the US presidents wife, publicly called for her departure through a spokesman.

Mira Ricardel, the US deputy national security adviser, only took up the post six months ago but will now be moved to a new role in the Trump administration.

Widespread US media reports cited a row between Ms Ricardel and Mrs Trumps team about the First Ladys trip to Africa last month as a contributing factor.

The New York Times reported that Ms Ricardel was frustrated she had not been allocated a seat on Mrs Trumps plane and threatened to withhold resources for the trip as a result. Clashes with other key officials were also reported.

Ms Ricardel, 58, was appointed by John Bolton, the US national security adviser who took up the role in April, and moved into the position from the Commerce Department.

First lady Melania Trump pauses as she speaks to media during a visit to the historical Giza Pyramids site near Cairo, Egypt. Credit: AP

After weeks of reported behind-the-scenes tussling, Mrs Trumps communications director Stephanie Grisham issued a forceful statement making clear the First Ladys stance.,

It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House, Ms Grisham said of Ms Ricardel on Tuesday.

The statement, which amounted to a wife of the president publicly calling for the dismissal of a top security official, was unprecedented in modern presidential history.

White House historians said you had to go back to Nancy Reagan, the wife of Ronald Reagan who was in the Oval Office in the 1980s, to find examples of a First Lady clashing so heatedly with an official, and even then it was not done so publicly.

Melania Trump has launched a 'Be Best' anti-bullying campaign since entering the White House Credit: TASS / Barcroft Images

Initial reports that Ms Ricardel had been escorted off the White House premises proved unfounded, but the writing was on the wall and on Wednesday her departure from the role was confirmed.

Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, said in a statement: "Mira Ricardel will continue to support the president as she departs the White House to transition to a new role within the administration.

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The president is grateful for Ms Ricardels continued service to the American people and her steadfast pursuit of his national security priorities.

It is unclear what new role she will take up.
Beni (DR Congo) (AFP) - Efforts to fight an Ebola outbreak in DR Congo's restive eastern Beni region were suspended Saturday after clashes just a "few metres" from a local emergency centre and the hotels of several response teams, the health ministry said.

UN peacekeepers from the MONUSCO mission repelled an offensive by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia in Beni city's northern Boikene neighbourhood late Friday, a ministry statement said.

The ADF, a shadowy armed group that has killed hundreds of people since 2014 and at least seven peacekeepers in clashes just this week, wanted to "attack one of MONUSCO's bases", the statement added.

"We escaped death thanks to MONUSCO, which is very close to us in Boikene," a resident told the UN's Okapi radio.

The health ministry said that "all field activities were suspended and the emergency operations centre remains closed" on Saturday, adding that Ebola health worker response teams had stayed in their hotels.

Also on Saturday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said 16 of its staff members in Beni had been temporarily evacuated after a shell hit the building they were staying in.

Michel Yao, WHO's coordinator for Ebola response operations in Beni, told AFP that no one was injured, adding that it was not known whether the shell came from the ADF or MONUSCO forces.

Health Minister Dr Oly Ilunga Kalenga said he deplored these acts of violence and the outbreak "remains dangerous, particularly in Beni".

Since August 1, the Ebola outbreak in Beni, home to up to 300,000 people, has killed 213 people.

The UN has said unrest is hampering efforts to contain the disease in a region that has been troubled for decades by inter-ethnic bloodshed and militia violence.

The ADF is an Islamist-rooted group that rose in western Uganda in 1995, led by Jamil Mukulu, a converted Muslim.

Forced out of Uganda, it operates in the border area in the DRC's North Kivu province.

A ceremony was held Saturday in Beni for six peacekeepers from Malawi and one from Tanzania who were killed in an operation against the ADF this week.

Fifteen other peacekeepers were killed in an ADF attack on a MONUSCO base in Beni in December last year.
French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a subtle burn toward President Donald Trump on Wednesday, saying in an interview that he does not do policy or diplomacy via Twitter.

I do not do policy or diplomacy by tweets, Macron said in an interview on French network TF1.

Trump has repeatedly attacked Macron on Twitter in recent weeks, kicking off his visit to Paris last week  where he joined other world leaders in a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I  with a few jabs.

President Macron of France has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the U.S., China and Russia. Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of NATO, which the U.S. subsidizes greatly! he tweeted after Macron called for a true European army to protect the continents countries, even from the U.S.

A few days later, Trump taunted Macron again on the matter.

Emmanuel Macron suggests building its own army to protect Europe against the U.S., China and Russia. But it was Germany in World Wars One & Two - How did that work out for France? They were starting to learn German in Paris before the U.S. came along. Pay for NATO or not!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2018

When asked by a reporter about the tweets, Macron said, At each important moment in our history we have been allies, and between allies there is respect and I do not want to hear the rest.

He later added that Trump is simply doing American politics.

Macron also clarified his comments about Europe preparing an army to defend itself, saying it was not a rejection of NATO or Frances alliance with the United States, but a guarantor of Frances sovereignty and would give France and other European countries the ability to help individual European countries, should they be in need, according to The New York Times.

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Allies are not vassals, Macron said.

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By Jeff Mason and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China's written response to U.S. demands for trade reforms is unlikely to trigger a breakthrough at talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping later this month, a senior Trump administration official told Reuters on Thursday. Beijing provided the Trump administration with its document earlier this week, responding to a months-long request from U.S. officials for commitments that would jumpstart trade talks, Reuters reported on Wednesday. It was a good sign that Beijing had put something in writing after months of declining to do so, the official said, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity. The Chinese document included 142 items divided into three categories: issues the Chinese are willing to negotiate for further action, issues they are already working on and issues they consider off limits, the official said. The items on Beijing's non-negotiable list were unacceptable to the United States, the official said, and the overall list deserved to be looked at with skepticism in part because China has previously made pledges on economic and trade reforms that it had not fulfilled. He cited as an example a past offer by China to loosen restrictions on U.S. ownership of Chinese companies, and said that China had subsequently failed to follow through with licenses for U.S. companies. U.S. officials were still studying the list, which the official said was received on Monday night. With the G20 summit only two weeks away, the official played down expectations of a major breakthrough on substantive issues on trade during talks between Trump and Xi at the gathering of world leaders in Argentina at the end of November. A best-case scenario could be that the two leaders agreed to keep talking and declare the issue is moving in a better direction, the official said. It was too early to tell whether China's offer would be sufficient to preclude an increase in U.S. tariffs at the start of 2019, he said. Trump has imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese imports to force concessions from Beijing on the list of demands that would change the terms of trade between the two countries. China has responded with import tariffs on U.S. goods. The tariff rate on $200 billion in Chinese goods is set to increase to 25 percent from 10 percent on Jan. 1. Trump has also threatened to impose tariffs on all remaining Chinese imports, about $267 billion worth, if Beijing fails to address U.S. demands. Trump, who has made it clear he values his relationship with Xi, and some members of his administration have been optimistic in recent public statements on the possibility of a deal. Another source who has been briefed on the status of U.S.-China negotiations said that the negotiations between the two sides on trade had yet to advance in line with the more positive rhetoric. The person said China's offer was "a rehash" of previous commitments articulated by Xi. One option for a deal, the person said, would be for Washington to hold off on raising tariff rates in return for some short-term actions by the Chinese while the two sides negotiate thornier, longer-term issues. Trump's chorus of economic advisers continue to provide different views on China. Peter Navarro, a trade adviser who has advocated harsh measures against China, was admonished publicly this week by economic adviser Larry Kudlow for "freelancing" with recent remarks in which he urged Wall Street not to interfere on the issue. Despite that, Navarro continued to play a role in trade policy discussions at the White House, the administration official said. (Reporting by Jeff Mason and Steve Holland in Washington; additional reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Simon Webb, Cynthia Osterman and James Dalgleish)
In a courtyard in central London this Thursday, a class of excited schoolchildren were playing. Settling into a chair, the 86-year-old British lawmaker Alf Dubs gazes down from the balcony above.

He was younger than these children when, just before the outbreak of World War II, his mother put him on a train alone, traveling from Prague to London. Aged just 6, he knew nobody. Of the hundreds of other Jewish children on the train with him, more than half would never see their parents again. I didnt know how scary a situation I was escaping from, he reflects, as joyful laughter echoes below.

Both Dubs and the children in the courtyard were there as guests of a major 80th anniversary commemoration of the Kindertransport  the train journeys that eventually saved the lives of some 10,000 Jewish children from Central Europe in 1938 and 1939. German for childrens transport, the trains followed a massive effort led by religious and humanitarian groups to lobby the British state to take in thousands of child refugees. The government accepted, and many who came would remain in the U.K. for the rest of their lives.

Eighty years on, Dubs says, remembering that time is more important than ever.

In 2017, over 68 million people were driven from their homes around the world, more than half of them children, according to the U.N. Were facing a world where theres a tremendous refugee crisis, Dubs tells TIME, his Czech accent barely audible after decades of public service in Britain. And we are not taking our fair share at the moment. On his lapel is a small white badge bearing the words safe passage.

Earlier that day, Dubs and other survivors had issued a statement calling on the U.K. government to learn from the Kindertransport and allow 10,000 child refugees sanctuary in the coming decade. Its a very small ask, Dubs says. I think its too few, but thats another thing.

NOV 15: Lord Alf Dubs speaking at the the 80th anniversary commemoration of the Kindertransport, at Friends House in London.

At the celebrations, a coterie of elderly survivors gathered in a vast hall to remember the acts of kindness that saved them, while also affirming a more political message: that the international community must do more to help child refugees. Accompanying them were archbishops, rabbis and imams, as well as politicians and family members.

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Today, all Kindertransport survivors are in their 80s and 90s  and this celebration might be the last time many of them see each other. But in three hours of speeches and interviews, it became clear that their individual stories and the lessons of the Kindertransport had already entered the collective imagination as well as the history books. Again and again, the Kindertransport was cited as not only a moral achievement, but as one that allowed the potentials of thousands of children to be realized over decades to come.

On more than one occasion, elderly Jews in the audience cheered for young Muslim refugees on stage, who in broken English told of the horrors of their journeys across the Mediterranean and their hopes of building new and productive lives in the U.K., just as the Kindertransport children did 80 years ago.

One of them was Ridwan, 16, who arrived from Eritrea in 2016. His mother and brother, traveling separately to him, both drowned when their boat capsized in the Mediterranean. Now settled in the U.K. and learning English, he told the audience his dream was to be a civil engineer, to build up things, to fix up things. He was met with rapturous applause.

Sitting to his right on stage was Leslie Brent, 93, a Kindertransport survivor who settled in Britain and went on to become an immunologist. His research contributed to the 1960 Nobel Prize for Medicine. Refugees make the U.K. better and richer, Ridwan said. Whats the difference between that day [1938] and now?

Kindertransport documents, c1939. They show photographs and details for three children who were brought to Britain from Austria to escape the Nazis.

Many at the commemoration drew comparisons between the welcome extended to Kindertransport children back in 1938, and the general hostility toward migrants now, no matter how deserving they might be. Under the U.K.s ruling Conservative party, reducing immigration numbers has been a political priority, and anti-immigrant rhetoric rose in the run-up to the referendum on membership of the E.U. in June 2016. A few months later, the British government denied legal passage of unaccompanied minors living in makeshift camps in the French town of Calais in October 2016, giving them no right to appeal the decision. The ceremony on Thursday repeatedly rejected an argument that has blossomed in recent years, one that says refugees only take and never give.

Interviewing Ridwan and Brent on stage was Barbara Winton, the daughter of the late Nicholas Winton, the humanitarian who organized the trains from Prague that went on to save so many children.

The result of letting refugees in is much better than people believe it can be, she told TIME beforehand. What refugees have brought to the country is amazing. They have this drive and motivation to make something of their lives.

Near the end of proceedings, Kindertransport survivors were asked to stand up. An elderly contingent in the middle of the audience slowly got to their feet, and the few in wheelchairs raised their hands. Then the announcer asked their children, and their childrens children to stand too. Around the hall, hundreds of people, old and young, got to their feet. (Though attending the event as a reporter, I was among them; my grandmother came to the U.K. from Berlin on the Kindertransport.) A ripple of applause turned into cacophony as the domino effect of one political decision in 1938 became clear.

Later, a small elderly Jewish woman wandered up behind Dubs  who, as the closest thing to a figurehead for Kindertransport survivors, had given the evenings keynote speech. Smiling, she reached up and tapped him on the shoulder. Get more refugees over.
Snipes, 75, was condemned for sending results two minutes after 3pm deadline in the race between Rick Scott and Bill Nelson

Brenda Snipes told the Guardian on Friday: I dont think anything was a glitch; its just a lot of information to be input. Photograph: Wilfredo Lee/AP

A top elections official in Florida who endured national humiliation after missing a midterms recount deadline by two minutes has told the Guardian that racism is probably a factor in the backlash against her.

Brenda Snipes, elections supervisor of Broward county, was condemned by Republicans and Democrats after failing to submit tallies in the US Senate race between Rick Scott and Bill Nelson on schedule.

On Friday, with a hand count of votes under way, about two dozen protesters continued their vigil in a car park outside Snipess headquarters. Some claimed without evidence that she had missed the deadline deliberately because the results she oversaw boosted Scotts overall lead.

In a short interview, Snipes, 75, said: You know, the protesters have been claiming stuff all week so whatever theyre doing, thats what theyre doing. Thats what they feel like they need to do.

Asked if she felt it was racially motivated, the supervisor replied: Probably. Probably. She declined to elaborate.

Snipes had promised 100% in a CNN interview earlier this week that Broward county, a Democratic stronghold, would complete its machine recount on time. It appeared to do so with just under 15 minutes to spare before Thursdays 3pm deadline. The recount showed Scott, currently the Republican governor of Florida, down 606 votes from the first count and Nelson down 1,385  a net gain for Scott of 779 votes.

But mysteriously, Snipes only sent the results to the Florida secretary of state at 3.02pm on Thursday, rendering the entire exercise a waste of time and money. The state reverted to the countys first tallies instead. Two other counties in Florida also blew past the deadline.

On Friday Snipes offered little by way of explanation. We had a lot of information to input and we ran two minutes over and the deadline was three oclock, she told the Guardian. I dont think anything was a glitch; its just a lot of information to be input.

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Outside the building, where Republican demonstrators included two Bikers for Trump, some claimed without evidence that Snipes had deliberately missed the deadline. Jody Steinlauf, 60, an estate agent, said: It was intentional. They found 760 votes in favour of us. She knew if she waited past the deadline, they wouldnt be counted.

You cant trust anything she does. They were deliberately wasting taxpayers money. Look what theyre doing with the Mueller investigation. They dont know how to lose. They cant lose graciously. They have to fight us.

Nicholas Ciacelli, 64, who owns a flag company, said: If you look up the word incompetence in the dictionary, its Brenda Snipess photograph. Everyone knows shes incompetent but somehow she keeps her job.

A former schools administrator, Snipes was appointed in 2003 by Jeb Bush, then the Republican governor of Florida, but in the wake of the midterms debacle he has called for her removal. He is not alone.

Rick Hasen, a law and political science professor at the University of California, Irvine, and expert in election law, tweeted on Thursday: If there is a worse election administrator in the entire country than Brenda Snipes, Im not aware of that person.

Rick Wilson, a Republican strategist and consultant, posted in response: Im going to say this is a long time Florida and national political operative. Shes the worst anywhere. My Democratic friends hate her with the same robust vigor as do my Republican friends.

Following the state-wide machine recount on Thursday, Scott had a lead of 12,603 votes out of 8 million cast, equivalent to 0.15%  within the threshold of 0.25% that triggers a hand recount according to state law.

This does not review all votes. It involves about 93,000 ballots that were not recorded by voting machines because voters cast either two votes for one race, which is called an overvote, or appeared to choose no candidate, which is an undervote. The idea is to figure out a voters intent.

Broward county had the most overvotes and undervotes of any Florida county: almost 31,000. On Friday officials sat at a big U-shaped table inside a warehouse and reviewed contentious votes one by one, projecting them on to a screen. Snipes could be seen observing the process.

She has been criticised for designing ballot papers so that the Senate race was tucked away in one corner that many voters might have missed.

Nate Silver, editor-in-chief of the FiveThirtyEight website, tweeted: Bad ballot design led to a lot of undervotes for Bill Nelson in Broward county, possibly even enough to cost him his Senate seat. They do appear to be real undervotes, though, instead of tabulation errors. He doesnt really seem to have a path to victory.

Other analysts agreed that Nelsons hopes are fast receding, but the incumbent Democratic senator is refusing to concede and is still battling in the courts for more votes to be counted.

The contest for governor also seem to be all but over, with a machine recount showing the Republican Ron DeSantis with a big enough advantage over Democrat Andrew Gillum to avoid a hand recount.

However, Gillum tweeted on Friday: The deadline has been extended so that we #CountEveryVote. If you had an issue with your Vote-By-Mail or Provisional Ballot, you have until Saturday at 5 p.m. to cure it. Go to andrewgillum.com/vote to get the right information for your Supervisor of Elections.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

Ford is recalling approximately 38,000 of its 2018 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs because of a faulty second-row seat.



The second-row bench seat may be missing a reinforcement bracket, the automaker said. If the bracket is missing, the seat may not be properly restrained in a crash, which could increase the chance of an injury. Ford is unaware of any crashes or injuries related to this issue.



Owners of affected vehicles should move the seat back as far as possible from the front of the vehicle until a repair is performed, Ford said.



Stay informed about recalls that might affect your vehicle using our Car Recall Tracker. Create a free account now to become a CR member.

The Details

Vehicles recalled:



 Certain 2018 Ford Expedition SUVs built at Fords Kentucky Truck Plant between March 14, 2017, and Aug. 18, 2018

 Certain 2018 Lincoln Navigator SUVs built at Fords Kentucky Truck Plant between March 31, 2017, and Aug. 18, 2018



The problem: A bracket used to reinforce the second-row bench seat may be missing.



The fix: Dealers will inspect the seats to see if the brackets have been installed. If one or both of the brackets are missing, dealers will replace the center seat frame assembly at no charge to the customer.



How to contact the manufacturer: Contact Ford at 866-436-7332.



NHTSA campaign number: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet announced a number for this recall. Fords own number for this recall is 18S37. We will update this article if NHTSA issues a recall.





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Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright  2018, Consumer Reports, Inc.
Former Khmer Rouge head of state Khieu Samphan stands inside a dock at the courtroom of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) as he awaits the verdict - REUTERS

Two leaders of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia have been found guilty of genocide. The verdict was announced on Friday, four decades after an estimated 1.7 million people - or up to a third of Cambodias population - were killed.

Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan, now 92 and 87, are the most senior surviving officials of the regime, which ran between 1975 and 1979. The guilty verdict given by the UN-backed trial is the first official ruling that what the regime did was genocide, as defined under international law.

Why is the verdict significant?

The tribunal saw Mr Nuon Chea found guilty of genocide against Cham Muslims and ethnic Vietnamese and Mr Khieu Samphan of Vietnamese alone. As the last two surviving leaders, their convictions have not come a moment too soon for the regime's victims, with other indicted officials having died before they could be prosecuted.

This could also be the final decision of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia. The tribunal has so far convicted just three people for the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge regime at a cost of $300 million (232m).

The Khmer Rouge's crimes have long been deemed the "Cambodian genocide", but academics and journalists have continuously debated whether what they did amounts to crime of genocide. Although Cham Muslims and ethnic Vietnamese died in large numbers, the UN Convention on Genocide speaks of "intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group".

Though the verdict does not end the academic debate around the genocide, Nicholas Bequelin, Amnesty International's regional director for East and Southeast Asia, believes it is a symbol of justice for those who suffered under the regime.

"Today's verdict hopefully brings some measure of justice to the victims, 40 years after the unspeakable mass atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia," he said. "While this second trial of the Khmer Rouge's last surviving senior leaders results in two convictions, and 14 reparation projects, this is bitter justice: the world has waited far too long for this moment. Decades after the crimes and 13 years after it was established, the ECCC should have achieved much more."

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The verdict could also carry implications for future prosecutions of crimes against humanity, including those in Sudan or Myanmar.

Who were the Khmer Rouge?

The Khmer Rouge was a radical movement founded by French-educated intellectuals and led by Saloth Sar, better known as Pol Pot. They originated in the 1960s as the armed wing of the Communist Party of Cambodia.

During a civil war lasting almost five years the Khmer Rouge gradually increased their control in the countryside, seizing the capital, Phnom Penh, in 1975. Pol Pot isolated the population from the rest of the world, emptying the cities, abolishing money, private property and religion in order to create an agrarian society.

The regime was defeated in a Vietnamese invasion in 1979. Leader Pol Pot fled and remained free until 1997, dying under house arrest a year later.

Former Khmer Rouge leader 'Brother Number Two' Nuon Chea sits inside the courtroom of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) as he awaits the verdict Credit: Reuters

What was the Cambodian genocide?

In the four years that the Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia, it was responsible for one of the worst mass killings in the 20th century. Entire families died from execution, overwork, starvation and disease. Children and teenagers were forced to fight for the regime.

Those considered enemies of the state - including minorities, intellectuals and state officials - were tortured and killed. Others were executed for wearing glasses or liking ballet. Civil servants were killed by electrocution with telephone cables. According to accounts, bullets were considered too precious for executions, meaning many died from beatings with axes or bamboo sticks. Detailed instances of forced labour were listed in the tribunal on Friday, as were cases of torture where victims had their toenails removed or were suffocated by plastic bags.

It is thought that 1.7 million people died, earning Cambodia the title of the Killing Fields in reference to the scale of execution. Today, the various sites that are collectively known as "the Killing Fields" are visited by as many as 800 people a day. According to Chhieng Pich, economic counsellor at the Cambodian embassy in Washington D.C, 30 percent of tourists travelling to Cambodia visit such sites.

Why has justice taken so long?

The slow pace of the trial reflects a long standing trend. Craig Etcheson, one of the worlds leading genocide investigators, who established a programme of documentation of Cambodia at Yale University, says it took several years to convince the UN to consider the idea of an international tribunal for the Khmer Rouge.

A lobbying effort was followed by years of negotiations between the UN and Cambodian government, resulting in the establishment of Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia - also known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, in 2003.

Investigating the magnitude of the crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge is a daunting task.

We had to analyse thousand of interviews with victims and perpetrators and conduct many more new interviews on top of those, Mr Etcheson in an interview with the Asia Times. We had to examine thousands of photographs, hundreds of maps and hundreds of films and videos - all to find evidence that was pertinent to the examples of crimes we were selecting.

Opposition to the trials has come from key members of the Cambodian government. The countrys long-serving, autocratic Prime Minister Hun Sen has declared he will allow no further cases to go forward, saying they would cause instability.

In 1998 Hun Sen said that instead of putting Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea on trial, they should be greeted with bouquets of flowers, not with prisons and handcuffs. Hun Sen is a former mid-level member of the Khmer Rouge regime,

According to many living in Cambodia, dividing the population into criminals and victims is almost impossible. Today there are parts of the country where victims and perpetrators live side by side in villages.

Cambodia is a young country - though most of the population lost relatives during the regime, many of them were born after the Khmer Rouge were removed from power. Trials have not been the priority, with many Cambodians paying little attention to the tribunal. Young people in particular are keen for their country to be known for something other than the Killing Fields.
Athens (AFP) - At least 12,000 Greeks took to the streets of Athens on Saturday to mark the 45th anniversary of a 1973 student revolt against a US-backed junta, police said.

The march was held amid tight security with more than 5,000 officers deployed and drones and a police helicopter hovering over the central Syntagma Square, which has often become a battleground in previous demonstrations.

Some marchers held banners with slogans denouncing fascism, imperialism, NATO and US foreign wars as well as austerity.

There were also some 7,500 demonstrators in Greece's second largest city Thessaloniki.

After the march to the US embassy, minor scuffles broke out when a small group of anarchists threw firebombs at the central police headquarters as they headed to the Exarchia neighbourhood.

Police fired stun grenades to disperse them, while dozens of hooded youths put up barricades in Exarchia and threw firebombs from inside the nearby Polytechnic building.

At least 24 people were killed in the 1973 military crackdown on the student uprising at the Athens Polytechnic. The event is generally considered to have broken the junta's grip on power and helped the restoration of democracy.

In recent years demonstrators have used the anniversary to voice opposition to the harsh austerity measures imposed on Greece by its international creditors after the global financial crisis.

"(This anniversary) means a continuous battle for our freedom, for our democracy and shows how timeless the slogans we chant are, " Maria Marougadaki, a doctor protesting in Athens told AFP.

On Friday, youths gathered outside the Athens Polytechnic booed a group of government officials over current austerity measures and prevented them from paying their respects at the memorial to victims of the uprising.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras the country's first radical leftist leader, who was born the year the junta fell, hailed the commemoration.

He called for "new fights" against fascism, the far right and "neo-liberal absolutism".

The anti-junta demonstration is a treasured anniversary for many Greeks.

The bloodstained Greek flag that flew over the Polytechnic that night is traditionally carried at the head of the demonstration in the capital.
Miami (AFP) - Florida election officials were conducting a hand recount of ballots Friday in a closely-watched US Senate race that is tilting in the Republican candidate's favor 10 days after the midterm elections.

Several dozen volunteers lined up at dawn and then filed into a brightly lit Broward County warehouse where they manually scrutinized ballots, following the conclusion of a machine recount beset with problems including equipment malfunctions and missed deadlines in the southeastern battleground state.

Similar scenes were playing out across the state's 67 counties as authorities raced to finish the recount before a Sunday deadline.

Results from the November 6 election were too close to call, and a machine recount was conducted in the race between Democratic Senator Bill Nelson and his Republican challenger Rick Scott, who is Florida's outgoing governor.

Unofficial results showed Nelson trailing Scott by about 12,600 votes out of more than 8.2 million cast, or 0.15 percentage points.

That narrow margin triggered a hand recount of problematic ballots, such as those where a voter filled in bubbles next to the names of Nelson and Scott.

Amid a flurry of partisan lawsuits, there was little sign Friday that Nelson might be able to make up enough ground, and Scott has called on him to concede.

The governor's race, between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum, who is seeking to become the state's first-ever black chief executive, was also subject to a machine recount.

But following that process, DeSantis was ahead by 0.41 percentage points, too large a margin for a manual recount, and the Republican is expected to be declared the winner of that race. Gillum has not conceded.

Florida's results are scheduled to be certified Tuesday.

Trump has repeatedly charged that Florida's elections were marred by vote fraud, but state and local authorities have said there is no evidence of wrongdoing.

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A governor's race in the neighboring state of Georgia also remained undecided.

Stacey Abrams is aiming to become the country's first ever black female governor, but she trails Republican Brian Kemp, Georgia's secretary of state, by 55,000 votes, a margin of more than one percentage point.

Abrams is considering long-shot legal action to address claims of voter suppression. Barring such a move, state officials could certify the election as soon as 5:00 pm (2200 GMT) Friday, The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

Honda is recalling 64,785 SUVs and minivans because an improper coating on a brake component may lead to reduced braking performance, which raises the risk of a crash, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The action affects certain 2017-2019 Acura MDX SUVs, 2018-2019 Honda HR-V SUVs, and 2018-2019 Honda Odyssey minivans, NHTSA says. Acura is Honda's luxury brand.

Honda says the supplier informed it that there was an issue, and Honda launched an investigation. Other automakers, including Audi and Volkswagen, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, General Motors, and Mercedes-Benz have issued recalls for the same issue.

Honda says it is not aware of any crashes or injuries related to this issue.

The Details

Vehicles involved: 64,785 SUVs and minivans, including:

2017 Acura MDX, built from June 22, 2016, through July 28, 2017

2018 Acura MDX, built from March 22, 2018, through Aug. 2, 2018

2019 Acura MDX, built from June 27, 2018, through Sept. 4, 2018

2018 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid, built from April 4, 2018, through July 25, 2018

2016 Honda HR-V, built from Feb. 16, 2016, through March 19, 2016

2018 Honda HR-V, built from March 20, 2018, through June 7, 2018

2019 Honda HR-V, built from April 10, 2018, through May 23, 2018

2018 Honda Odyssey, built from May 3, 2017, through April 17, 2018

2019 Honda Odyssey, built from April 12, 2018, through June 14, 2018

The problem: Because a surface coating was not properly applied to rear brake calipers, gas bubbles may end up in the rear brake hydraulic circuit, which may lead to reduced braking performance.

The fix: Dealers will bleed, or drain, the vehicles brake-fluid system and refill it, the NHTSA said, at no charge to owners.

How to contact the manufacturer: The recall is expected to begin Dec. 17, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 888-234-2138.

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NHTSA campaign number: 18V777. Honda's numbers for this recall are C31 and L30.

Check to see whether your vehicle has an open recall: NHTSA's website will tell you whether your vehicle has any open recalls that need to be addressed.

If you plug your cars 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) into NHTSAs website and this recall doesnt appear, it means your vehicle doesnt currently have any open recalls. Because automakers issue recalls often, and for many older vehicles, we recommend checking back regularly to see whether your vehicle has had a recall issued.





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Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright  2018, Consumer Reports, Inc.
Tehran (AFP) - Iraq's new President Barham Saleh made his first official visit to neighbouring Iran on Saturday, calling for "a new order in the region".

Saleh met his counterpart Hassan Rouhani to discuss trade, transport links and efforts to tackle dust pollution that plagues areas on both sides of the border.

"It is now time for a new order in the region that would meet the interests of all countries in it," Saleh told a Tehran news conference, according to a translation provided by Iran's state broadcaster.

"We believe Iran has an important role to play in this new order," he added.

Saleh, a 58-year-old moderate Kurd, was elected last month to the largely ceremonial role of president.

Rouhani said the two countries aimed to boost trade from $12 billion to $20 billion.

"Security and stability in the whole region is to everyone's benefit. We do not need any foreign interference in the region," Rouhani said.

Iran has been highly influential in Iraq since the toppling of Saddam Hussein in 2003, and was a key partner in pushing back the Islamic State group in recent years.

But Iran has also been blamed for factionalism and poor governance in Iraq and its consulate in the southern city of Basra was burnt to the ground during violent protests earlier this year.
The CIA has reportedly concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul  a finding that contradicts Saudi government assertions that he was not involved.

American officials have expressed high confidence in the agencys assessment, which is the most definitive to date, allegedly linking Saudi Arabia's crown prince to the killing, according to The Washington Post, which originally reported the story.

The CIA found that 15 Saudi agents flew on government planes to Istanbul and carried out the killing at the Saudi consulate, the report said.

The White House declined to comment on the matter, although such a conclusion would likely complicate efforts by Donald Trump's administration to preserve US ties with one of the closest American allies in the region.

The CIAs conclusion about Crown Prince Mohammeds role was also based on the agencys assessment of the prince as the countrys de facto ruler who oversees even minor affairs in the kingdom. The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved,the Post said an unnamed US official as saying.

The crown prince has repeatedly denied any involvement or knowledge of the murder of The Washington Post columnist, who regularly criticised both the royal and his regime in the newspaper.

Saudi Arabia has offered a series of sometimes contradictory explanations for Khashoggis death on 2 October. After initially denying it played any role in his death, the kingdom then went on to claim he was killed by rogue operatives in its consulate in the Turkish capital of Istanbul.

Earlier this week, Riyadh said it would pursue the death penalty for five suspects charged with ordering and carrying out the killing. The Saudi public prosecutor said that Crown Prince Mohammad had nothing to do with the killing.

The prosecutor said that the murder was carried out by a rogue negotiation team  including members of Crown Prince Mohammad's security detail  who had sought to abduct Khashoggi but decided to kill him when he resisted. Khashoggi's body was then dismembered and removed from the consulate.

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After surveying the consulate, the head of the negotiation team concluded that it would not be possible to transfer the victim by force to the safe location in case the negotiations with him to return failed, said the Saudi prosecutor, according to a report by the countrys official news agency. The head of the negotiation team decided to murder the victim if the negotiations failed.

Citing sources familiar with the matter, The Post claims that the CIA came to its conclusion after examining multiple sources of information. Another senior US official reportedly told US news channel CNN, that the conclusion is based on a recording provided by the Turkish government and other evidence.

Among these was a phone call between the crown princes brother Khalid bin Salman  the Saudi ambassador to the US  and Khashoggi, during which he reportedly told the journalist that he would be safe to retrieve the marriage documents.

The Washington Post, citing people familiar with the call, said it was not clear if Prince Khalid knew Khashoggi would be killed, but he made the call at his brothers direction.

The prince swiftly tweeted a denial, shortly after the report was published.

I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the US government to release any information regarding this claim, he wrote.

As we told the Washington Post the last contact I had with Mr. Khashoggi was via text on Oct 26 2017. I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the US government to release any information regarding this claim.  Khalid bin Salman    (@kbsalsaud) November 16, 2018

He later published what he claimed was his full response to The Post, in which he said that he had met Khashoggi once in person, in September 2017 and they had communicated via text message after that.

At no time did Prince Khalid discuss anything related to going to Turkey with Jamal, he said. Amb Prince Khalid bin Salman has never had any phone conversations with him.

He added that people were welcome to check his phone records and mobile phone content to corroborate it.

Unfortunately the @washingtonpost did not print our full response. This is a serious accusation and should not be left to anonymous sources. Our full response was the following: pic.twitter.com/vo1JcNAswx  Khalid bin Salman    (@kbsalsaud) November 17, 2018

A spokeswoman for the Saudi embassy in Washington also said in a statement that "the claims in this purported assessment are false.

She added: We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations."

On Thursday, the US Treasury Department having announced on Thursday that 17 Saudi nationals would face sanctions over Khashoggi's killing.

The sanctions come under the Global Magnitsky Act, which relates to actions by foreigners outside of the US that threaten international stability.

The Saudi officials we are sanctioning were involved in the abhorrent killing of Jamal Khashoggi, said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

The United States continues to diligently work to ascertain all of the facts and will hold accountable each of those we find responsible in order to achieve justice for Khashoggis fiancee, children, and the family he leaves behind, Mr Mnuchin added.

The sanctions did not target the Riyadh government, an important US security and economic ally and allowed Mr Trump's administration to stop short of any action that could affect US arms deals with Saudi Arabia worth billions of dollars.

The report also came less than 24 hours after hundreds gathered beneath a grey, rainy sky for a funeral service to mark Mr Khashoggi's passing at a historical mosque in Istanbul, praying before an empty slab of marble where his missing body should have .

His friends, colleagues, political fellow travellers as well as local and international media, crowded into the courtyard of the 15th-century Fatih Mosque on Istanbuls European side, to hold a jenaziya; the traditional Muslim prayer held before burial.
Donald Trump has said he is awaiting a briefing from the CIA on the death of Jamal Khashoggi, after a US official said the intelligence agency had concluded Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the journalists murder.

The president was expecting to speak to the agency on Saturday to receive an update on its assessment, which contradicts the kingdoms claims that the prince was not involved in the assassination.

The CIA is said to have high confidence in the conclusions of its investigation, according to the Washington Post, which first reported the development.

An official familiar with the agencys investigation confirmed its conclusion.

Speaking to reporters before leaving the White House for California, Mr Trump said: We havent been briefed yet. The CIA is going to be speaking to me today.

As of this moment, we were told that he did not play a role. Were going to have to find out what they have to say.

The CIAs assessment is the most definitive to date that links the crown prince to Khashoggis killing. It is likely to complicate the US presidents hopes of preserving his administrations close relationship with the Saudi regime.

Mr Trump said Saudi Arabia was a truly spectacular ally in terms of jobs and economic development and he would have to take a lot of things into consideration when deciding what measures to take against the kingdom.

He added he would speak to the CIA and lots of others, including secretary of state Mike Pompeo, while on board Air Force One.

The intelligence agencys conclusion will fuel efforts in congress to further punish Saudi Arabia over Khashoggis murder in the kingdoms Istanbul embassy last month.

Mr Trumps administration this week penalised 17 Saudi officials for their alleged role in the killing, but American lawmakers have called on the president to also curtail arms sales to the kingdom or take other harsher punitive measures.

Saudi Arabias top diplomat insisted the crown prince had absolutely nothing to do with the killing.

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Republican senator Bob Corker, who chairs the foreign relations committee, said everything points to the crown princes involvement. He urged Mr Trump to act quickly before the Saudi regime executed those it has blamed for the Khashoggi murder.

He tweeted: Everything points to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, MbS, ordering Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggis killing.

The Trump administration should make a credible determination of responsibility before MbS executes the men who apparently carried out his orders.

Vice-president Mike Pence told reporters travelling with him at a summit of Pacific Rim nations in Papua New Guinea that he could not comment on classified information.

He said the US would follow the facts while trying to find a way of preserving a strong and historic partnership with Saudi Arabia.

Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen who lived in the US, was a columnist for the Washington Post and often criticised the royal family.

Turkish and Saudi authorities say he was killed after entering the consulate on 2 October to get documents he needed for his upcoming wedding.
US intelligence officials think the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to a US official.

The claim, first reported by The Washington Post, has been denied by the Saudi government.

It is thought that the conclusion has been drawn following a detailed assessment of the evidence and is based on the idea that such an operation would need approval from the Crown Prince.

Mr Khashoggi, a Saudi who lived in the United States, was killed on October 2 at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

The Washington Post columnist was often critical of the royal family and Turkish and Saudi authorities say he was killed inside the consulate by a team from the kingdom after he went there to get marriage documents.

Protest  supporters turned out in force during funeral prayers for Jamal Khashoggi (Picture: AP/Emrah Gurel)

The conclusion by US intelligence officials comes as Trump administration sanctioned 17 Saudi officials for their alleged role in the killing, including Mohammed al-Otaibi, the diplomat in charge of the consulate, and Maher Mutreb, who was part of the crown princes entourage on trips abroad.

The sanctions freeze any assets the 17 may have in the US and prohibit any Americans from doing business with them.

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But politicians have called on the administration to curtail arms sales to Saudi Arabia or take other harsher punitive measures.

Donald Trump called the killing one of the worst cover-ups in the history of cover-ups but has resisted calls to cut off arms sales to the kingdom.

Donald Trump has refused to curtail arms sales to Saudi Arabia (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The top prosecutor in Saudi Arabia announced he will seek the death penalty against five men suspected in the killing.

The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, also reported that US intelligence agencies have reviewed a phone call between Mr Khashoggi and the princes brother, Khalid bin Salman.

The newspaper said the princes brother, who is Saudi ambassador to the United States, told Mr Khashoggi he would be safe in going to the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents he needed to get married.

Story continues

Both the ambassador himself and a spokeswoman for the Saudi embassy in Washington have said that the claim was false.

As we told the Washington Post the last contact I had with Mr. Khashoggi was via text on Oct 26 2017. I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the US government to release any information regarding this claim.  Khalid bin Salman    (@kbsalsaud) November 16, 2018

The ambassador tweeted: The last contact I had with Mr Khashoggi was via text on Oct 26 2017. I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the US government to release any information regarding this claim.

In a statement issued to The Associated Press, Fatimah Baeshen, spokeswoman for the Saudi embassy in Washington, said the ambassador met Mr Khashoggi in person once in late September 2017 and they had communicated via text messages but there had never been any phone conversation.

Ambassador Prince Khalid bin Salman has never had any phone conversations with him, she said.

You are welcome to check the phone records and cell phone content to corroborate this  in which case, you would have to request it from Turkish authorities, she said, adding that Saudi prosecutors have checked the phone records numerous times to no avail.
Addis Ababa (AFP) - Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Saturday urged African heads of state to come to an agreement on long-debated reforms to their continental body at a special summit in the Ethiopian capital.

Heads of state and ministers from the 55 African Union member states were gathered at the body's headquarters for what is seen as a last-ditch attempt to push through reforms that have been mulled for nearly two years.

Declaring "the end is in sight" the AU chairman Kagame highlighted the urgency of reforming an organisation often seen as toothless and donor-dependent.

"Events on our continent and across the world continue to confirm the necessity and urgency of this project," he said at the summit's opening in the Ethiopian capital.

"The goal is simple: to make Africa stronger and give our people the future they deserve," said Kagame, whose one-year term as chairman expires in January.

AU leaders already achieved one reform goal on Saturday with the inauguration of a Peace Fund which it is hoped will be worth an eventual $400 million (350.2 million euros) aimed at responding to crises on the continent before they evolve into full-blown conflicts.

"We're very, very bullish about this fund," Donald Kaberuka, the former Rwandan finance minister who's championing the fund, told AFP.

He added that the fund has only raised $60 million (52.5 million euros) from African countries thus far but is open to collaborations with the private sector and other countries.

"Together, I think we'll create a conflict-free continent by 2020," he said.

- A more focused AU -

The AU in 2016 charged Kagame with getting reforms passed, but observers say time is running out because Egypt -- which is set to assume the chairmanship -- is believed to have little interest in the agenda.

In proposals unveiled last year, Kagame envisioned a more narrowly focused AU headed by a powerful commission whose bills are covered by member states rather than foreign donors.

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However key African countries hold reservations about empowering a continental body they believe could infringe on their sovereignty.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an AU official downplayed Egypt's opposition and told AFP to expect an agreement on reforms to the body's administration and financing when the summit concludes on Sunday.

"I think we have 100 percent consensus on this," the official said.

However the reforms the official described fell short of Kagame's initial proposals.

While the Rwandan leader proposed that member states elect a chairperson who could then appoint his or her own deputy and commissioners, AU leaders rejected that proposal, the official said.

Kagame had also floated reducing the AU's scope to focus on four areas: peace and security, economic integration, political affairs and Africa's global representations.

But the AU will instead reduce its eight commissions to six by merging four commissions that were seen as redundant, specifically political affairs with peace and security, and trade and industry with economic affairs.

Meanwhile 24 countries have made progress on implementing a 0.2 percent import levy to finance the union, the official said, despite opposition from the United States which argues it violates World Trade Organisation rules.

"We've had a lot of challenges with the US on this for frankly no good reason and we've chosen to ignore them, which they don't like," the official said.
By Friday morning, the death toll at the hands of the California wildfires currently wreaking havoc on the state had reached 66 while the number of missing Californians had climbed to more than 600. As for the fires themselvesthe Camp Fire, in northern Butte County outside Sacramento, and the Woolsey Fire, in Los Angeles and Ventura Countytheyve burned a collective of more than 240,000 acres and destroyed more than 12,000 structures. The stats are disheartening, and with the Camp Fire only 45 percent contained and the Woolsey Fire, slightly higher, at 69 percent containment, these staggering numbers of destruction are sure to climb.

Relief efforts to help the victims are ongoing, as organizations across the board continue to ask for monetary donations rather than food, water, and goods, as donation centers are already overflowing with contributions. Celebrities, for their part, are stepping up with both their voices and checkbooks to galvanize the recovery efforts. Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth, who lost their home in Malibu, donated $500,000 through Cyruss Happy Hippie Foundation. Sandra Bullock sent $100,000 to the Humane SocietyIm glad to be able to help. Were all family in this, whether it be human, furry, or feathered, she saidand another $400,000 to the Red Cross. Ellen DeGeneres teamed up with Walmart to give $100,000 to firefights who continue to take on the relentless flames. And a slew of other starsfrom Bella Hadid to Patton Oswalt to the Kardashiansare chipping in to ensure those who need help are getting it.

Even so, as destructive as the fires continue to be, its what lies in the wake of the burning that has many Californians worried. Currently, looters are moving into Malibu and ransacking scorched homes for what, if anything, is left to take. And as reports roll out of these high-wealth areas being hit, many residents, celebrities included, are literally calling to arms. Most notably, P!nks husband, Carey Hart, recently posted an image to Instagram, which understandably stirred up some controversy. Actress Shannen Doherty posted a similar image on her Instagram Story, but later removed it and apologized for the insensitivity, adding, Im overly tired. Im exhausted. I may not of [sic] used the best judgment. Reportedly, 300 police officers have been dispatched to the area to ward off lootersbut that seemingly isnt enough for the owners of The Bachelor mansion: The owners have hired their own armed security guards to keep the property and its contents safe.

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Perhaps most worrisome is what lies in the states future, when the smoke has finally cleared to reveal a very different real-estate landscape. As Californias population continues to grow while fewer homes are being built, the state has found itself in the midst of a housing crisis that ranks California 49th in the U.S. in housing units per capita. Further, seven of the ten most expensive U.S. real-estate markets are in California. Compounding all of this are the Camp and Woolsey fires, which have decimated countless homes. The Camp Fire, for example, nearly wiped out the entire town of Paradise, California. And while officials dont yet know exactly how many have entirely lost their homesas many are displacedwhats certain is that of the 52,000 that had to evacuate, many will need new homes in the foreseeable future. And thats a tall order for an area already struggling with a housing shortage and historically with a population of people who cant afford to build new homes.

But, for now, California residents are still struggling with food, water, and monetary support. Heres how you can help.

Related: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Hired Private Firefighters to Protect Their Hidden Hills Home
Jerusalem (AFP) - A truce in Gaza has left Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu battling to keep his government afloat after defence minister Avigdor Lieberman walked out in protest.

Islamist movement Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, welcomed Lieberman's resignation on Wednesday as a "victory" -- but what will it mean for Gaza?

What's the context?

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars in Gaza since 2008, interspersed with simmering hostilities and periodic spikes in violence.

Hamas refuses to recognise Israel. The Jewish state, like the United States and the European Union, defines Hamas as a "terrorist" organisation. For over a decade Israel has maintained a crippling blockade on the coastal strip.

Gaza, already languishing in poverty and suffering shortages of goods and materials, has also been hit by sanctions imposed by the rival Palestinian Authority of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, based in the West Bank.

Tensions have soared since the March 30 start of what the Palestinians call the "Great March of Return," a mass protest movement calling for Palestinians to have the right to return to homes they fled or were expelled from during Israel's creation in 1947-48.

Clashes along the Gaza-Israel border, Palestinian rocket fire into southern Israel and Israeli air strikes have killed at least 235 Palestinians and two Israelis. A Palestinian man working in southern Israel was killed by a Palestinian rocket on Tuesday.

Israel has accused Hamas of orchestrating the border protests and the organisation has shown it can reduce their intensity when it wishes.

What happened this week?

An apparently botched Israeli army raid into the Gaza Strip triggered the worst escalation in violence since 2014 and brought the two sides to the brink of war.

Palestinians responded with massive missile fire and Israel then staged air strikes against dozens of positions of Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad.

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On Tuesday, Hamas and Israel accepted an Egyptian-mediated ceasefire.

Denouncing it as "capitulation", Lieberman resigned from his post the next day, leaving the government with a majority of just one seat in parliament.

What did Hamas gain?

Hamas and Islamic Jihad declared the ceasefire with military powerhouse Israel "a political victory".

It came after Israel in October allowed Qatar to provide Gaza with fuel to help ease its chronic electricity crisis, under a UN-brokered deal.

Last week Qatar began handing out millions of dollars to Gazans, primarily to cover the salaries of officials working for Hamas.

A total of $90 million is to be distributed in six monthly instalments.

In parallel, Egypt and the UN have been seeking to broker a long-term Gaza-Israel truce in exchange for Israel easing its embargo.

What do Gazans think?

The events of the past week gave a boost to Hamas and its allies, said Gaza political analyst Mukhaimer Abu Saada.

"But if there is a war that could change," he said.

After the pounding Gaza took in 2014, most residents want above all to avoid a rerun.

What of the Palestinian search for statehood?

Indirect contacts between Israel and Hamas have eroded the status of the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Although recognised by the international community, it did not play a role in the recent Gaza talks.

Hamas evicted the PA from Gaza in 2007. Abbas, a historic advocate of a peace settlement with Israel, wants to regain his authority in the Strip, but does not appear to be making headway for now.

A peace initiative by US President Donald Trump is expected to emerge in the next few months.

The PA fears that it will drive the wedge even deeper between Gaza the West Bank, two territories long envisaged as part of a unified Palestinian state.

Jamal al-Fadi, a professor of political science in Gaza, says such a divide suits Israel.

"We can not have results against Israel except by unity," he said.

The next flareup?

This ceasefire, like others before it, is fragile and could easily be derailed.

With the Israeli political tensions unleashed by Lieberman's departure, there will be fresh domestic pressure on Netanyahu to hit Hamas harder.

"The coming days will be difficult" for Gaza, al-Fadi says.

"It was a right-wing government and the (next) elections will bring another right-wing government," he said.

"Unfortunately aggression against the Palestinian people will continue."
By Stephen Kalin and Sarah Dadouch JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia/ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Mourners paid their respects on Friday to the family of Jamal Khashoggi, the prominent Saudi writer murdered by agents of his own government, after the authorities said they had identified the culprits and cleared the crown prince of any involvement. Two of Khashoggi's brothers and one of his sons received a few hundred men in the coastal city of Jeddah a day after the Saudi public prosecutor said it would seek the death penalty for five unnamed suspects in the killing inside the country's Istanbul consulate on Oct. 2. Earlier on Friday, tens of thousands of worshippers prayed for the deceased in Mecca and Medina, Khashoggi's hometown, though the imams did not name him. In rainy Istanbul, mourners listened to Koranic recitations. Friends eulogized the 59-year-old royal insider-turned-critic, and politicians who knew him denounced Riyadh's investigation as biased. Saudi authorities say the operation that led to Khashoggi's death was meant to repatriate him alive, but their shifting accounts - including initial denials - have been met with scepticism and furor abroad. Two officials allegedly behind the plan are close to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Turkey and some Western allies, including U.S. President Donald Trump, have said ultimate responsibility lies with Prince Mohammed as the country's de facto ruler. Riyadh says he had nothing to do with the murder. In an unusual measure against an important security and economic partner, the U.S. Treasury on Thursday imposed economic sanctions on 17 Saudis, including Saud al-Qahtani, the crown prince's former top adviser. The decision to hold prayer services in the absence of a body suggests the family does not expect it to be recovered. Despite entreaties, Saudi authorities have not revealed its whereabouts, saying only that it was dismembered and removed from the consulate. Islamic tradition places great importance on the proper handling of the dead, mandating quick burial, so the mistreatment of the body is particularly disturbing. Khashoggi's son, Salah, told CNN last week that he wanted to bury his father in Medina with the rest of the family, saying "We just need to make sure that he rests in peace." Salah had previously met the king and crown prince in Riyadh to receive condolences, then departed for Washington after a travel ban was lifted but has since returned. IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD The reception attracted a who's who of the country's relatively cosmopolitan Hejaz region, including veteran Saudi journalists and former senior officials who had worked with Khashoggi. There were several businessmen - like Saleh Kamel and his sons - who had been detained in a corruption purge last year ordered by Prince Mohammed. Senior U.S. and British diplomats attended. A senior cleric with ministerial rank also came, but no top royals appeared. Incense filled the hall as mourners paid their respects to the family with a few words and a hand on the shoulder or a hug. A relative recited a Koranic verse saying, "Don't think of those killed in God's service as dead, for they are alive and find sustenance in the presence of the Lord." Sipping small cups of Arabic coffee, some chatted about the scandal that has engulfed Saudi Arabia for the past six weeks. "It has turned from a crime into a political matter," one said. Another just kept repeating the word, "Unbelievable." Khashoggi's Turkish fiancee, who had waited outside the consulate for hours on the day he was killed, on Thursday tweeted a selfie of him, writing: "Dear Jamal.. rest in peace. We will meet in heaven inshallah (God willing)..!" The pair had met at a conference in Istanbul in May and soon decided to wed. He had entered the consulate that day to obtain documents proving an earlier marriage had ended. They purchased an apartment in Istanbul and Khashoggi was planning to live between there and Washington, where he moved 18 months earlier fearing reprisals for his views. He obtained U.S. residency and wrote for the Washington Post, becoming familiar to many American policymakers. "I have left my home, my family and my job, and I am raising my voice. To do otherwise would betray those who languish in prison," he wrote in September 2017, referring to intellectuals, activists and clerics arrested under Prince Mohammed. His murder has provoked the biggest political crisis in a generation for Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter and a supporter of Washington's plans to contain Iranian influence across the Middle East. It has also tarnished the image of Prince Mohammed, who has pushed social and economic reforms while cracking down on dissent, upending the delicate balance inside the ruling family, and leading the country into messy conflicts in Yemen and Qatar. (Additional Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun, writing by Stephen Kalin, Editing by William Maclean)
LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May's draft European Union divorce deal will not get the approval of the UK parliament, former Brexit Secretary David Davis said on Friday. "What's more likely to happen than a confidence vote (in May) is this deal will be rejected by the House of Commons... There's no way I can see it getting through," Davis told CNBC. "Therefore she'll have to come up with another alternative." Davis resigned as Brexit secretary in July in protest at May's plans for a long-term relationship with the bloc. (Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
During a day trip to Toronto last year, Melania Trump spent about $174,000 in hotel bills, Quartz reported.

Though the First Lady did not spend the night, federal spending records show six separate hotel charges that added up to eight times what it cost to house the team who traveled with her, the news source reported.

Trumps schedule on Sept. 23, 2017, showed that the trip spanned about 12 hours: She arrived in Toronto around noon, met with Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau around 6:30 p.m., and left just after midnight, Quartz reported.

White House representatives did not immediately return Fortunes request for comment.

The high-priced trip isnt the first time Melania Trump has been scrutinized for spending tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on hotels she didnt sleep in.

Earlier this month, Quartz reported that during an October trip to Cairo, the first lady racked up $95,000 in hotel charges. She stayed for six hours and didnt stay the night then, either, the news agency reports.

President Donald Trump and his family have been criticized for their spending, including many weekend getaways for the president. In his first 80 days, Donald Trump spent $20 million on travel, a trend that put him on track to outspend his predecessors eight-year travel budget in one year. In the first six months of Trumps presidency, Melania Trump remained in New York while their son Barron finished school, which led to more than $675,000 spent on Air Force One trips.
The Daily Beast

Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/GettyThe lone suspect in the SUV attack that killed at least five and injured dozens more at a quaint holiday parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on Sunday has been identified as a 39-year-old sex offender who recently posted bail on reckless-endangerment charges.Darrell Brooks is set to be charged with five counts of intentional homicide in connection with the Sunday evening incident involving a red Ford Escape that plowed through barricades and into the crowd,
Results have showed the midterm elections were better for Democrats than they initially seemed. But what are the real lessons to be taken from 2018?

Democratic Representatives-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell of Florida, Abby Finkenauer of Iowa and Sharice Davids of Kansas on Capitol Hill. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

How to beat Donald Trump? As the final midterm results come in, its clear the elections were even better for Democrats than they at first seemed. Democrats won significant new legislative majorities, lured wayward voters home, reclaimed lost territory and broke new ground.

Yet anxiety is palpable among Democrats yearning to translate the 2018 blue wave into a 2020 White House washout. Is it possible the party might misplay what looks like a strong hand?

Trump is clearly vulnerable, with key pieces of his 2016 coalition  starting with educated women voters  calving off and his victory map in tatters. More than anything else, if suburban white women break against Trump in 2020 the way they broke in favor of Democrats in 2018, analysts say Trump looks like a one-term president.

But interviews with pollsters and strategists from across the political spectrum reveal potential pitfalls for Democrats, too.

Voter enthusiasm could slacken. A hollow economic message could squander the upper midwest. Inroads among educated voters could be reversed. And perhaps most chilling of all for Democrats: the party might nominate the wrong candidate.

So what are the real lessons to be taken from 2018 for voters looking ahead? Heres what some pollsters and strategists had to say.

A record role for women

Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, a Democratic pollster and strategist, said a big story of the midterms was the role of women: candidates, donors, activists and voters.

In all of these close races, to the extent the Democrats win, it will be because women took them over the top, Lake said, adding that Democrats won women by 19 points and lost men by three to four points, depending on the exit poll youre looking at.

The one group that have defected from Trump are college-educated white women, Lake said. Those Trump voters have gone Democratic and some have switched their party identification. That said, Democrats still lost white non-college-educated women by a pretty substantial margin.

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The gender gap is insanely high, and its showing no signs of getting better Evan Siegfried, Republican strategist

Republican strategist Evan Siegfried said the party needed to find an answer to the exodus of women in the midterms.

The gender gap is insanely high, and its showing no signs of getting better from the Republican perspective, he said. And yet the party itself is seemingly going to try and push more Trumpism.

Going state by state, the widening gender gap could spoil Trumps map. Trump lost college-educated white women in 2016 by a 61%-35% margin, according to a voting records-based analysis by Pew Research. But Trump won enough of them to make the difference in large suburban blocks of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, and to come close in Minnesota.

That might be impossible in 2020.

The gender gap expanded dramatically in Pennsylvania in 2018, said Christopher Borick, director of the Institute of Public Opinion at Muhlenberg College in Allentown.

Throughout the south-east of the state, including the Lehigh Valley, you saw enormous turnout among women voters, Borick said. And the break [toward Democrats], according to the exit polls, was just gigantic, and that made a lot of these races non-competitive in terms of Republicans chances.

Start with educated women, these pollsters and strategists say, and you have the first ingredient of what could be Trumps downfall. But while women represent a majority of voters and are the most reliable voters in any election, other ingredients  other voting groups  will be needed for a Democrat to take the White House.

The electorate has changed already

Not every demographic showed erosion in support for Trump. Non-college-educated voters and rural voters, notably, did not show significant movement toward Democrats in the midterms.

The power of Trumps base was reflected in the success of Republicans at knocking off Democratic Senate incumbents in states like Indiana (which Trump won by 19 points), Missouri (+18.5 Trump), North Dakota (+36) and possibly Florida.

But Republican strategists worry that the Trump base is not big enough to win re-election, especially considering how tight his 2016 victory was.

Democratic senator-elect Kyrsten Sinema in Washington DC meets the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, in Washington on Tuesday. Photograph: Alexander Drago/Reuters

The base by itself cant sustain this party, said Siegfried, who has urged Republicans to reach out more to millennial and non-white voters. We need to find things that are going to excite the base without alienating the rest of the country.

One reason Trump will not be able to replicate his 2016 victory  even if he repeats it  is that the electorate has changed already, with an influx of new, younger Democratic voters and a shrinkage of older Republicans, said Borick in Pennsylvania.

Where you have seen declines in voters in the state are in Trump counties, because of age and other factors  that portion is modestly down already since 2016, he said, with new voters coming in on the side of the Democrats.

The new voters drove Democrats to a national popular vote advantage in House races of more than 7%, Dave Wasserman of the Cook Report has estimated, exceeding Republican margins in their huge wave years of 2010 (+6.8) and 1994 (+7.1).

There are some Republicans who have pointed to, Oh, it wasnt really a blue wave because we beat the historical average for seat losses, said Siegfried. Um, we lost over 30 seats [at least 32 and as many as 36]. Its sort of like saying: Yeah, the Titanic hit the iceberg, but all hands werent lost when it went down.

Educated women voters, young voters and some older voters, too  all those categories are on the move. But as Hillary Clinton found out the hard way, a popular majority does not always win the election. The map has to be right, too. So how does it look?

The map

One of the most painful losses for Democrats in 2016 was in Wisconsin, which had not gone for a Republican president since Ronald Reagan but which Trump won by less than 1%.

The midterm result in Wisconsin potentially pointed to a better 2020 for Democrats. The Democratic Senate incumbent Tammy Baldwin beat her opponent by 11 points, winning generous margins throughout the state including the rural west. The Democrats finally threw out the Republican governor, Scott Walker, a top presidential prospect just two years ago.

In Michigan, the story was similar. Trump edged the narrowest of victories in 2016, winning by 0.3 percentage points. But in 2018, the state re-elected its Democratic senator by six points and Democrats picked off two House seats and grabbed the governorship.

These were major Democratic gains across levels of government Christopher Borick, Pennsylvania

In the upper midwest, turnout among non-white voters, especially African Americans, appeared to be robust, a line the Democrats will have to hold if they want to win in 2020. Successful Democrats, meanwhile, managed to keep the margin with Trumps base  non-college-educated, white, more rural voters  close.

In Pennsylvania, the story was similar. Borick said the state saw a really good night for Democrats that could have been even better from their perspective.

There were Democratic blowouts at the gubernatorial and Senate levels, a pick-up of three seats in the House in addition to the one they picked up last year in the special election. They picked up seats in the state legislature, both the house and the senate. These were major Democratic gains across levels of government.

Borick pointed out that the state delegation in Congress went from zero women to four overnight.

In the state as a whole, compared to 2016, you saw the counties that flipped from Barack Obama to Trump go really strongly for Democrats  Luzerne, Northampton, Erie  all Trump counties, were solidly blue across the races that were there. Turnout among Democrats was up.

Analysts say the Democrats are left with two basic map strategies for 2020: take back the upper midwest, where Trump scored his surprise upset, or build on promising signs in the sun belt states across the south, stretching from Arizona, where Democrats grabbed their first Senate seat in 30 years and a majority of congressional seats, to Texas and Georgia, where the party proved it could compete.

Older parts of the Democratic map, however, appeared to be in trouble. States like Iowa, Missouri and Ohio, long a national bellwether, appeared to slide more decisively to the Republican column, despite the re-election of the Democratic senator Sherrod Brown in the Buckeye state. The Democrats appear to have suffered a double loss in Florida, in the gubernatorial and Senate races.

So here's an updated map showing House popular vote winners, mapped onto the Electoral College. Dark blue/dark red means the party won by >= 5 points, light blue/pink means it was close. pic.twitter.com/nehg9YEZ6u  Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) November 11, 2018

Getting stuck in between the Northern Path and the Sun Belt Strategy is a big risk for Democrats: where their electoral college problems become most acute, wrote the FiveThirtyEight elections analyst Nate Silver. And although the potential addition of Texas to the Sun Belt Strategy group of states makes it more intriguing, Tuesday nights results suggest that the Northern Path is still the path of least resistance for a Democrat hoping to win the electoral college.

If Trump has lost the benefit of the doubt from voters in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, he may not have so much of an electoral college advantage in 2020.

The candidate

The Democrats can perfect their demographic and geographic plan, but if they dont find the right candidate, it wont matter.

The dilemma facing a party nominating a presidential candidate is always the same: do you go with the star candidate who can motivate the base  an Elizabeth Warren, a Beto ORourke, a Barack Obama  or a safe candidate with more crossover appeal: a Sherrod Brown, an Amy Klobuchar  an Obama.

Beto ORourke at an event in Austin, Texas, on 4 November. Photograph: Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP/Getty Images

In 2020, there will be an added twist to the puzzle: the Democrats must find a candidate capable of tangling with Trump personally, one who can mix it up enough with the president to stop a landslide among base Trump voters, but not become tarnished in the process in a way that tamps down Democratic enthusiasm.

Tucked into this question is the question of ideology. How far to the left can the successful candidate run? Can Medicare for All be a national platform? To what extent should the candidate foreground hot-button social issues?

Democratic voters might have to judge whether a candidate such as California senator Kamala Harris can hold enough rural voters in the upper midwest, or whether Brown, the Ohio senator whose longer presence on the national scene has produced little glamour, can get rank-and-file Democrats excited.

Democrats will have to judge whether a starry young talent like ORourke can be trusted with a must-win national election after he lost a state election  and thats assuming ORourke is interested.

He used a fog machine at his concession speech, Ted Cruz strategist Jeff Roe told CNN. He aint done.

Record numbers of women won their elections last week, so of course were starting off this week by talking about which of the men who lost should run for president.  Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) November 12, 2018

From another angle, given what just happened, it is ridiculous to begin the conversation with Sherrod and Beto when you have Kamala, Elizabeth and Amy.

Its a long road back  and it was an encouraging result, said Lake. I think Democrats had hoped it would be even more encouraging than it ended up being  but yes, it is encouraging.

The main challenges are to continue to find candidates and messages that mobilize the base and appeal to the swing voter. The second thing is to make greater inroads particularly to white, non-college-educated women. I think thats the single most important thing we need to do.
As speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011, Nancy Pelosi was the highest-serving woman ever to serve in American politics. Should she regain that title in January, she would make history once again. But as she fights a band of insurgent Democrats who want her replaced with a fresh face, some are wondering if gender is playing a role.

Critics include a number of Democrats who won in Republican-leaning areas after saying they wouldnt vote for her as speaker. Her supporters argue that Pelosi was a major player behind the recent House win and an experienced legislative hand at a time when they need that.

Virginia Rep. Gerald Connolly, who is backing Pelosi, noted that its ironic that Pelosi would face a leadership challenge after a record-breaking election for female candidates.

Almost everybody would agree one of the key architects of that [midterm election] victory was Nancy Pelosi, he told reporters Wednesday. And so the first thing we do is we thank that architect who happens to be the only woman speaker in the history of this body? We dont even give her a gold watch, just thank you for your service and get out? Thats an odd thing to do for a grateful caucus that has spent eight years in the wilderness.

Seventeen current and incoming members of Congress have signed onto a letter vowing they will not back her on the floor in January, according to one Democratic source, although the official letter has yet to be released. This number is a fraction of the caucus as a whole, it presents a mathematical hurdle for Pelosi, who will need 218 votes to be elected Speaker.

Read More: Nancy Pelosi Doesnt Care What You Think of Her

Democrats are currently projected to hold 231 seats, with six races still left to be called. That means that, right now, she currently doesnt have the votes, and could potentially be walking a tightrope depending on the ultimate Democratic majority and who else comes out against her.

Pelosi has the weight of the party establishment behind her: Groups like NARAL and Emilys List have endorsed her and are advocating on her behalf. She also is renowned for her ability to count votes, has been courting new and current lawmakers, and may be able to outmaneuver this mathematical hurdle should a letter actually come to fruition.

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Experts who study women in politics argue that this shows a quintessential dilemma women face: they can run, and they can even win. But how far can they ascend in the governing body they serve in?

I think this is what women who try to attain and who do attain really high level leadership positions come up against, said Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers Eagleton Institute of Politics. It seems that women are more likely to be victimized by this than men in leadership.  [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer did not do as well with the Democratic Party in his chamber but there is no problem. Hes not held up as the symbol of all things evil.

As Pelosi noted in her weekly press conference Thursday when faced with a barrage of questions about her bid, 14 of the 17 Democrats who have reportedly signed onto this letter are men. In addition to the three current lawmakers who are opposing her candidacy  Reps. Kathleen Rice, Marcia Fudge, and Linda Sanchez  several women elected this cycle have said they will not support Pelosi because the party needs new leadership. (Pelosi, along with her two top deputies, Reps. Steny Hoyer and Jim Clyburn, are in their late 70s and have held the top three posts in Democratic leadership for over 10 years.)

But female lawmakers who are openly opposed to Pelosis candidacy are frustrated by any efforts to frame opposition as a referendum on her gender, with some arguing that the reason she often touts herself as the only woman at the table is because she purposely orchestrated it that way.

Im a woman, and and a lot of our new members are women. And they should not be made to feel they are anti-women if they dont want to vote for Nancy Pelosi, New York Rep. Kathleen Rice told reporters on Wednesday. We have an enormous number of talented women in the caucus.  I dont think that is fair to put all the incoming women in that position where youre telling them if you dont support her youre betraying your gender. Thats just not true.

Congresswoman-elect Jennifer Wexton, who unseated Barbara Comstock in Virginias 10th district, was undecided who she would support heading into orientation. She was the recipient of outreach from both Pelosi and her detractors, but ultimately decided to throw her weight behind the minority leader. However, Wexton said that dissent within the caucus is in no way a factor of sexism. Im sure that some of the attacks on her are tinged with misogyny; ii have no doubt thats the case. But as far as within the caucus, the disagreement, I dont believe there is a sexist element to that.

In recent days, leaders of the anti-Pelosi faction have been floating Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge as a possible contender to challenge her on the floor. (Fudge said Friday she would announce her intentions after Thanksgiving). Should she run  and prevail  Fudge would make history as the first African-American speaker of the House and the first African-American woman in a leadership role.

Pelosi declined to engage on Thursday when asked about the possibility of sexism being a reason for her trouble.

I have never gone to that place, she told reporters. If, in fact, there is any misogyny involved in it, it is their problem, not mine.
Mr Netanyahu's coalition allies called for early elections - AFP

Israels government was in turmoil on Friday after one of Benjamin Netanyahus main coalition partners said there was no possibility the government could keep working and called for early elections.

The Right-wing Jewish Home party called for the government to dissolve itself and being setting a date for elections after Mr Netanyahu refused to give them control of the defence ministry.

The party stopped short of pulling out of the government, which would have triggered an immediate collapse, but there seemed to be little prospect of holding the fractious coalition together.

As the coalition started teeter, Mr Netanyahu issued a last-minute call for unity and warned that it would be a historic mistake for Right-wing parties to bring down his government.

Prime Minister Netanyahu will continue to talk with coalition leaders on Sunday so that they will not make a historic mistake of toppling a right-wing government, said a spokesman for Mr Netanyahus Likud party.

Mr Netanyahu raised the spectre of the collapse of a Likud-led government in 1992, which led to Labour taking power and signing the Oslo Accords agreement with the Palestinians, to the fury the Israeli Right.

Naftali Bennett (right), the leader of the Jewish Home, wants elections immediately Credit: ABIR SULTAN/AFP/Getty Images

But Jewish Home appeared adamant that there was nothing left to negotiate, saying there was no possibility of continuing the current government.

Jewish Home called for elections as soon as possible and said the coalition parties would meet on Sunday to set a date for the election.

The earliest elections could happen is February but Mr Netanyahu is likely to push for a later date.

The political crisis was sparked when Avigdor Lieberman, Israels hawkish defence minister, resigned on Wednesday in protest at Mr Netanyahus decision to strike a ceasefire deal with Hamas to end 24 hours of fighting in Gaza.

Mr Lieberman accused the prime minister of surrendering to terror and said Israel should have moved more aggressively against Islamist militants in the Gaza Strip. His decision to take his party out of the coalition left Mr Netanyahus government with a majority of one, controlling only 61 seats in the 120 seat parliament.

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Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's defence minister, resigned on Wednesday Credit: REUTERS/Ammar Awad

Naftali Bennett, the leader of Jewish Home, then demanded that Mr Netanyahu appoint him defence minister. The two men met for crunch talks on Friday and Mr Netanyahu refused to hand over the defence post, saying he planned to act as defence minister himself.

The decision means Mr Netanyahu will simultaneously serve as Israels prime minister, defence minister, foreign minister, and health minister.

Despite the chaos of this week and the corruption scandal swirling around him and his wife, Mr Netanyahu appears well placed to win an election and form a new Right-wing government.

A poll for Israels Channel 2 found that Mr Netanyahus Likud would win 29 seats in an election, making it by far the biggest party. The centrist Yesh Atid party would take 18 seats while the centre-Left Zionist Union would win only 11.

However, he will be eager to delay the election as long as possible to give time for the unpopular ceasefire agreement to fade in the memories of Right-wing Israeli voters.

Mr Netanyahu has been prime minister since 2009 and served a brief three-year stint as prime minister in the late 1990s. If he is still prime minister in July next year, he will have overtaken David Ben-Gurion, Israels first prime minister, as the longest-serving leader of Israel.

The current government could continue serving until November 2019 but Israels coalition governments rarely serve out their full four-year terms.
Benjamin Netanyahu hopes to use the cabinet meeting to delay elections - REUTERS

Benjamin Netanyahu faces a showdown with his coalition government partners on Sunday as he tries to stop them from forcing early elections in the wake of his unpopular decision to agree to a ceasefire with Hamas.

Three of the smaller parties in the Israeli prime ministers coalition have demanded elections as soon as possible and want to use todays cabinet meeting to formally agree on a date for the vote.

However, Mr Netanyahu said he wants to keep the government together and is eager to push the date of the elections off for several more months.

Prime Minister Netanyahu stressed that it is important to make every effort to preserve the Right-wing government, said a spokesman for his Likud party.

Mr Netanyahu on Saturday said he wanted his government to see out the end of its term, blaming the centre-Right Kulanu party for the turmoil.

"If the Kulanu faction doesn't bring the government down - there is a government," he said on Twitter. "All Likud members want to keep serving the country for another whole year until the end of the term in November 2019."

Education Minister Naftali Bennett demanded to be given the defence portfolio, threatening to withdraw his eight seats from Mr Netanyahu's governing coalition Credit: MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/Getty Images

He is hoping a delayed election will leave more time for the Right-wing voters of his base to forget about last weeks ceasefire agreement with Hamas to stop fighting in Gaza.

Many Israelis on the Right wanted to see Israeli forces move more aggressively against the Islamist militants, who fired around 460 rockets and mortars into southern Israel during the fighting.

Mr Netanyahus defence minister resigned over the ceasefire and civilians in the southern city of Sderot, which is regularly targeted by Hamas rockets, burned tyres and blocked streets in protest.

If the prime minister holds his ground and refuses to grant elections then coalition party leaders face a choice: they can stay in the government and allow Mr Netanyahu to limp on or leave the government and bring the coalition crashing down.

The smaller parties may be loathe to bring down the government because it will allow Mr Netanyahu to present himself as a responsible leader who tried to maintain Israels stability while other parties clamored for elections.

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The two sides may reach a compromise where Mr Netanyahu agrees to elections but on a longer timetable, possibly with elections in late March, which favours his own political interests.

Mr Netanyahu goes into the cabinet facing off against three of his own ministers. His main irritant is Naftali Bennett, the 46-year-old education minister and leader of the Right-wing Jewish Home party.

Mr Bennet, who was once Mr Netanyahus chief of staff, is trying chip away Right-wing voters from the Likud by promising a tougher line against Hamas.

The two men have a frosty personal relationship, with Mr Netanyahus allies accusing Mr Bennett of leaking material from cabinet meetings to undermine the prime minister.

Despite the chaos in the coalition and the corruption scandal swirling around him and his wife, Mr Netanyahu appears well placed to win an election and form a new Right-wing government.

A poll for Israels Channel 2 found that Mr Netanyahus Likud would win 29 seats in an election, making it by far the biggest party.

The centrist Yesh Atid party would take 18 seats while the centre-Left Zionist Union would win only 11. Mr Netanyahu has been prime minister since 2009 and served a brief three-year stint as prime minister in the late 1990s.

If he is still prime minister in July next year, he will have overtaken David Ben-Gurion, Israels first prime minister, as the longest-serving leader of Israel.

The current government could continue serving until November 2019 but Israels coalition governments rarely serve out their full four-year terms.

The current coalition has 61 seats in the 120 parliament, known as the Knesset.

One of Mr Netanyahus Likud MPs, Oren Hazan, was suspended for six weeks this week after insulting a defence ministry official.

Mr Hazan, who previously embarrassed the prime minister by taking a selfie with Donald Trump, can still vote but is barred from any other parliamentary activity. His suspension gives Mr Netanyahus weakened government even less room for manoeuvre.
Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - Nigerian troops repelled an attack on a military base in northeastern Borno state in which a soldier was killed and four others were injured, military and militia sources told AFP Saturday.

On Wednesday jihadists from IS-affiliated Islamic State West Africa Province killed three soldiers when they temporarily seized control of another base in the town of Kareto, 200 kilometres away.

In the latest attack on Friday, the jihadists in several trucks carrying anti-aircraft guns attacked a base in the Kekeno village near the garrison town of Monguno, the sources said.

The militants were pushed back after a prolonged fight that lasted almost three hours with aerial support and reinforcements from Monguno.

"The terrorists made desperate efforts to overrun the base but were pushed back after heavy fighting," a military officer in Maiduguri said.

"Unfortunately we lost one soldier in the encounter and four others sustained injuries," the officer, who asked not to be named, added.

There was no indication of Boko Haram casualties.

Details of the attack were slow to emerge as telecommunications infrastructure has been destroyed by fighting and there are strict controls on movement in rural Borno state.

"The insurgents could not enter the base despite their number and heavy weapons," said a civilian militia fighting the jihadists who gave a similar account.

"I learnt one soldier was killed and a few others were wounded," the militia said,

Residents of Kekeno fled to Monguno following the attack, Monguno resident Adamu Sheriff said.

"Boko Haram attacked Kekeno around 5:30 pm (1630GMT) and engaged soldiers for almost three hours before they were forced out", said Sheriff who arrived Maiduguri on Saturday.

It was the second attempt by Boko Haram to takeover the base in two months.

In September the jihadists made a failed attempt to seize the Kekeno base and were pushed back after hours-long battle.

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The Nigerian military said on Saturday the spokesman of an IS-affiliated Boko Haram jihadists faction was killed in the encounter with government troops.

In a statement on its Twitter account the military said Sale Ahmad Sale alias Baban Hassan identified as a member of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) was killed in a joint operation by the army and air force.

"The killing of the media leader is indicative of efforts by the NA (Nigerian army) to eliminate key members of the sect," the statement said.

The military did not say when the joint opearation was conducted.

In September 2012 soldiers shot dead Boko Haram spokesman Abul Qaqa at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Kano after he was tracked down through his phone signal.

The leader of Boko Haram offshoot Ansaru was also killed in a raid on his hideout in Kano around the same time.

Gali's death brings to three the number of Boko Haram's media commanders to be killed in the group's nine-year armed campaign to establish a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigeria.

In a December 2016 recording Boko Haram factional leader Abubakar Shekau said he executed the group's spokesman Abu Zinnira over a plot to oust him as the leader.

In recent months, Boko Haram has carried out repeated attacks on military bases in Borno state, although the army has strongly denied reports of heavy troop casualties.

Nigerian authorities maintain the group, whose insurgency has left more than 27,000 dead since 2009, is on the verge of defeat despite an upsurge in attacks in recent months.
In a photo released the North Korean government, Kim Jong-un, (centre), inspects the testing of an unspecified weapon at the Academy of National Defence Science, in North Korea: AP

An American citizen will be released from North Korea, state media in the country reported.

Bruce Byron Lowrance, had been reportedly been arrested for allegedly illegally entering the country from China.

Imprisoned since 16 October, the Korean Central News Agency said he would soon be deported to his homeland.

The state department said that they were aware that the release of an American citizen had been reported, but declined to go into more detail.

At around the same time last year, North Korean officials said they had deported an American citizen with the same name.

They said said that he had been found wandering near the country's border wtih China, and that he had wanted to help resolve international conflict.

On this occasion, Mr Lowrance allegedly wanted to visit to improve relations between the two countries.

North Korea will sometimes release imprisoned Americans as part of a negotiation or as a gesture of goodwill.

At the same time Mr Lowrance's release was announced, the secretive communist state also claimed it had developed an ultramodern new weapon. No details were provided about its capabilities.

Earlier this month US secretary of state Mike Pompeo was set to meet officials from the country.

But North Korea cancelled at last minute, the meeting was cancelled without explanation, although officials had said that the meeting would be rescheduled, without naming a date and time.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observed the successful test of an unspecified newly developed ultramodern tactical weapon, state media has reported, in an apparent bid to apply pressure on the United States and South Korea.

It did not appear to be a test of a nuclear device or a long-range missile with the potential to target the US.

A string of such tests last year had many fearing war before the North turned to engagement and diplomacy.

Still, any mention of weapons testing could influence the direction of stalled diplomatic efforts spearheaded by Washington and aimed at ridding the North of its nuclear weapons.

The North has not publicly tested any weapons since November 2017, but in recent days Pyongyang reportedly expressed anger at US-led international sanctions and ongoing small-scale military drills between South Korea and the United States.

South Korean army soldiers patrol by the national flags attached on the barbed-wire fence at the Imjingak Pavilion, near the border with North Korea (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

Earlier this month, North Koreas Foreign Ministry warned it could bring back its policy of bolstering its nuclear arsenal if it does not receive sanctions relief.

Its North Korea-style coercive diplomacy. North Korea is saying If you dont listen to us, you will face political burdens, said analyst Shin Beomchul of Seouls Asan Institute for Policy Studies.

Diplomacy has stalled since a summit between Mr Kim and US president Donald Trump in June, with Washington pushing for more action on nuclear disarmament and the North insisting that the US first approve a peace declaration formally ending the Korean War and lift sanctions.

Mr Shin said the weapon North Korea tested could be a missile, artillery, an anti-air gun, a drone or other high-tech conventional weapons systems.

Yang Wook, a Seoul-based military expert, said a tactical weapon in North Korea refers to a weapon aimed at striking South Korea including US military bases there, so the North may have tested a short-range missile or a multiple rocket launch system.

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Even if the test was a message for Washington and Seoul, Fridays report from the North was noticeably less belligerent than past announcements of weapons tests, and did not focus on North Korean claims of US and South Korean hostility.

Mr Yang said the latest North Korean test will not completely break down nuclear diplomacy, though more questions would be raised about how sincere the North is about its commitment to denuclearisation.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un listens to a military official as he inspects a weapon testing at the Academy of National Defence Science (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

Asked about the test, the US State Department said that American and North Korean officials are talking about implementing the commitments that Mr Trump and Mr Kim made during their June meeting in Singapore.

Eugene Lee, spokeswoman of South Koreas Unification Ministry, declined to comment on Mr Kims inspection of the weapons test.

US vice president Mike Pence, attending a Southeast Asian summit in Singapore, cited the great progress made on North Korea but said more had to be done.

A year and a half ago, nuclear tests were taking place, missiles were flying over Japan and there were threats and propagations against our nation and nations in the region, Mr Pence said.

Today, no more missiles are flying, no more nuclear tests, our hostages have come home, and North Korea has begun anew to return fallen American heroes from the Korean War to our soil. We made great progress but theres more work to be done, he said.

Mr Pence stressed that UN sanctions had to remain enforced.

Important meeting today with S. Korean President @moonriver365 about our ongoing efforts to accomplish our shared goals of achieving the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea and establishing a permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula. #VPinAsiapic.twitter.com/BfXqg4FWuZ  Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) November 15, 2018

It is the first publicly known field inspection of a weapons test by Kim Jong Un since he observed the testing of the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile in November of last year, according to South Koreas Unification Ministry.

The North said the test took place at the Academy of National Defence Science and that Mr Kim could not suppress his passionate joy at its success.

He was described as so excited to say that another great work was done by the defence scientists and munitions industrial workers to increase the defence capability of the country.

Last years string of increasingly powerful weapons tests, many experts believe, put the North on the brink of a viable arsenal of nuclear-tipped missiles that can target anywhere in the mainland United States.

Mr Trump and Mr Kim are both interested in another summit, but it is unclear when it might happen.

Mr Pence has said the next meeting would allow the two leaders to put what they discussed in their last summit on paper.
DALLAS (AP)  A man convicted of three California murders and long suspected in numerous other deaths now claims he was involved in about 90 killings nationwide spanning nearly four decades, and investigators already have corroborated about a third of those, a Texas prosecutor said Thursday.

Ector County District Attorney Bobby Bland said 78-year-old Samuel Little was booked into jail this week following his indictment in the 1994 death of a Texas woman. Investigations are ongoing, but Little has provided details in more than 90 deaths dating to about 1970, Bland said.

Little was brought to Texas in September, and investigators with law enforcement agencies in several states traveled to speak with him about unsolved homicides.

"They're able to match up over 30 cases so far," Bland said. "So far we don't have any false information coming from him."

If the number of killings Little claims to have committed proves true, it would make him one of the most prolific killers in U.S. history. Ted Bundy confessed to 30 homicides from about 1974 to 1978. John Wayne Gacy killed at least 33 boys and young men in the 1970s.

Arguably one of the deadliest globally was an English general practitioner named Harold Shipman, who an investigative panel determined was responsible for the deaths of 250. He was convicted in 2000 in the deaths of 15.

During his 2014 trial in Los Angeles, prosecutors said Little was likely responsible for at least 40 killings since 1980. Authorities at the time were looking for possible links to deaths in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio and Texas.

Bland said Little recently provided details to Texas Ranger James Holland that showed Little was in Odessa, Texas, when Denise Christie Brothers was last seen in 1994. Her body was found about a month later in a vacant lot. Holland eventually elicited a confession from Little and admissions to dozens of other killings from about 1970 to 2005, Bland said.

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The rangers are an elite team of investigators within the Texas Department of Public Safety. DPS did not respond to requests Thursday to speak with Holland.

Little was being held without bond Thursday in the Ector County jail on a murder charge relating to Brothers' death. Jail records don't indicate whether he has an attorney. He has a court appearance scheduled for Nov. 26.

Little was brought to Texas for questioning in the case from California, where he was convicted in 2014 in the deaths years earlier of the three women in Los Angeles County. DNA evidence collected from old crime scenes was used to match samples of his stored in a criminal database.

Los Angeles cold-case detectives at the time suspected Little was a serial killer, a transient and former boxer who traveled the country preying on drug addicts, troubled women and others. His criminal history includes offenses committed in 24 states spread over 56 years  mostly assault, burglary, armed robbery, shoplifting and drug violations.

Those detectives determined that Little often delivered a knockout punch to women and then proceeded to strangle them while masturbating, dumping the bodies and soon after leaving town.

Little, who often went by the name Samuel McDowell, grew up with his grandmother in Lorain, Ohio. His criminal history shows his first arrest came at age 16 on burglary charges.

For years he had denied to investigators in different states that he was responsible for any killings. Bland speculates that he finally confessed after the appeals to his life sentence in California were ultimately rejected and he no longer had any reason to hide his role.

"People for years have been trying to get a confession out of him and James Holland is the one who finally got him to give that information," Bland said.

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Tami Abdollah in Washington, D.C. contributed to this report.

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The Hague (AFP) - A former Central African Republic militia leader nicknamed "Colonel Rambo" arrived on Saturday in The Hague, where he will stand trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court.

Currently a lawmaker, Alfred Yekatom's extradition was the first of its kind from the CAR.

"The suspect arrived in the detention centre", said ICC spokesman Fadi El Abdallah of the former army officer, who was the target of US sanctions in 2015 for suspected attacks against Muslims, civilian deaths, and for using child fighters.

After being elected to parliament in 2016, Yekatom, 43, was arrested in October for opening fire inside the legislature while its new president was being elected.

ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda welcomed the extradition, saying it "advances the cause of justice in the Central African Republic" and promising that she would continue to pursue her "quest for truth and justice".

Pierre Brunisso from the International Federation of Human Rights watchdog added that it sent "a strong message to the leaders of armed groups".

"Those who think they can claim an amnesty at the negotiating table are mistaken," he said.

The ICC said Yekatom would be tried for "alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity" carried out by so-called anti-balaka militias.

The court launched an investigation in September 2014 into crimes committed in the country since 2012.

A three-judge bench of The Hague-based court's pre-trial chamber issued an arrest warrant against Yekatom last Sunday.

"The Chamber is satisfied that the overall supporting evidence is sufficient to establish reasonable grounds that Yekatom bears criminal responsibility," the judges said in the warrant, made public by the ICC late on Saturday.

This included acts of murder, torture, deportation and using child soldiers younger than 15 years in the anti-balaka group between December 5, 2013 and August 2014.

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In continuing violence the CAR, however, a Tanzanian peacekeeper died late Friday after an attack on a United Nations base and a priest was found burned to death, the UN and the Catholic Church said after sectarian clashes that claimed nearly 40 lives.

The soldier died of injuries sustained in the raid on the base in Gbambia in the country's west, the UN mission MINUSCA said.

- Revenge attacks -

An armed group called Siriri, created this year by Fulani cattle herders, operates in the area. Led by a man named Ardo Abba, its purported aim is to thwart attacks by cattle rustlers.

The UN said the group had attacked Gbambia in mid-June. A Tanzanian UN peacekeeper died that month after Siriri staged an ambush in the region.

Meanwhile, the priest's charred body was recovered in the central town of Alindao, Father Mathieu Bondobo, vicar-general of the main cathedral in Bangui, told AFP.

On Friday, the UN said 37 deaths were confirmed in Alindao -- including that of another priest -- while 20,000 people were affected by the violence. "Thousands" were forced to flee.

The bloodletting began Thursday when Christian militiamen killed Muslims, prompting revenge attacks during which a church was set ablaze.

Alindao is a stronghold of the Union for Peace in CAR (UPC), a Muslim militia. It has witnessed chronic fighting in recent months that has also killed other UN soldiers and a humanitarian aid worker.

- 'Disastrous' situation -

One of the world's poorest nations despite a rich supply of diamonds and uranium, the CAR has struggled to recover from a 2013 civil war that erupted when President Francois Bozize, a Christian, was overthrown by mainly Muslim Seleka rebels.

In response, Christians, who account for about 80 percent of the population, organised vigilante units dubbed "anti-balaka" in reference to a type of machete.

In September, the UN warned of a "disastrous" humanitarian situation in the region, which it said was under the control of armed groups.

The government controls only a small part of the country.

The UN has about 12,500 personnel deployed in the CAR as part of its MINUSCA mission, one of the world body's largest peacekeeping forces.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Lawmakers trying to oust Nancy Pelosi started rallying behind a possible contender Thursday, but the House Democratic leader gained key endorsements and said she has "overwhelming support" to become the next speaker.

Pelosi picked up backing from Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., the civil rights leader, while a who's-who of Democrats  including former Vice President Al Gore and former Secretary of State John Kerry  advocated on her behalf.

"Look, I'm supporting Pelosi," said Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, the third-ranking Democrat and an influential leader of the Congressional Black Caucus. "But I would never tell anybody not to run."

One member of the Black Caucus, Rep. Marcia Fudge of Ohio, indicated a willingness to run against Pelosi for speaker when lawmakers return after Thanksgiving for first-round voting. She's an ally of Ohio Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, who mounted an unsuccessful campaign against Pelosi two years ago and is a leader of the current effort to topple her.

Others may jump in, but have not yet.

Lewis, who marched during the civil rights era with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., said he's supporting Pelosi "more than 100 percent."

Pelosi has faced challenges before but this one  fueled by newcomers calling for change and frustrated incumbents who feel shut out of leadership after her many years at the helm  poses perhaps the biggest threat yet.

With a narrow Democratic majority, now at 230 seats, she does not have much cushion to secure the 218 votes needed on the floor if all Republicans vote against her, as expected. Some House races remain undecided and the Democratic majority could grow slightly.

There is a chance the math could shift in Pelosi's favor if lawmakers are absent or simply vote "present," meaning she would need fewer than 218 votes for an absolute majority. The full chamber will elect the next speaker Jan. 3.

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Pelosi has remained steadfast in her pursuit of the gavel and welcomed all challengers. Her latest catchphrase: "Come on in, the water's warm."

The 78-year-old Californian was bombarded with questions about the speaker's race at her weekly press conference Thursday. "I intend to win the speakership with Democratic votes," she said.

Asked if sexism might block her return as the first woman to hold the office, she countered that's a question for the mostly male lawmakers signing a letter against her.

"If in fact there is any misogyny involved in it, it's their problem, not mine," Pelosi told reporters.

Seventeen Democrats, led by Rep. Seth Moulton D-Mass., have pledged to vote against Pelosi's return as the first female speaker of the House. The list includes a dozen incumbents and five newcomers, including two Democrats whose races have not yet been decided. Confirmed by an aide to one of the organizers, the list was first published in the Huffington Post. It includes just three women.

Rep.-elect Jeff Van Drew, D-N.J., said he signed the letter and is sticking and with his campaign promise to not vote for Pelosi  "not in the caucus and not on the floor," he said.

He said, "There's something to be said for new ideas and showing that it's a change and having a different face."

He said people in his district were looking for "somebody who could be a healer."

Allies of Pelosi have churned out endorsements daily, with support from incoming House committee chairmen; leaders of outside organizations, including women's groups and labor unions; and others who align with Democrats and provide resources for elections.

Many attest to Pelosi's skills at fundraising for the party, corralling the caucus and delivering votes. Her supporters say now is not the time for infighting when voters expect Democrats to stand up to President Donald Trump.

But Pelosi also acknowledges the discomfort some lawmakers face because she's the GOP's favorite election-year villain. Some 137,000 ads were run against her this election cycle, she said. "It makes it hard on the candidates," she conceded.

Pointing to Democrats' midterm success  they regained control of the House with their biggest midterm victories since Watergate  she added, "Obviously those ads didn't work."

"People don't even know who I am  an Italian-American grandmother with lots of energy, a mother of five, a grandmother of nine  who is here to do what's right for our future," said Pelosi.

Referring to her opponents' campaign, she quipped, "Have you seen the letter?"

The letter-writers, led by Moulton, Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., and others, have yet to present it publicly. They promise to do so soon, but Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., said they were hoping to add a few more signatures.

Schrader said it's a "lie" that Pelosi already has secured enough support, and that he would back Fudge. "She has experience in running caucuses, fits the profile I think really well, she's tough," he said.

Democrats seeking to block Pelosi argue it's time to give younger lawmakers a chance to rise to high-level posts. They also say Republicans have done such a good job demonizing Pelosi that it's hard for Democrats to be elected in closely contested, moderate districts.

No declared challenger to Pelosi has emerged, but the group agitating for changes says there would be plenty of candidates should her bid be derailed.

Finding a consensus candidate could prove daunting, and lawmakers hold mixed views about the prospect of a floor fight as the opening act of the new Congress.

Pelosi made history when she became the first female speaker of the House in 2007. She assumed the post after Democrats took control of the House in midterm elections during former President George W. Bush's second term.

As speaker under former President Barack Obama, she played a crucial role in passing the Affordable Care Act.

This year, many Democrats won after running campaigns focused on health care and preserving the law's insurance protections for those with pre-existing health conditions.

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Associated Press writers Laurie Kellman and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

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Devastating wildfires continued to ravage parts of Northern and Southern California this week. The blaze, dubbed the Camp Fire, largely incinerated the town of Paradise and became the deadliest in state history. Meanwhile, the Woolsey Fire in Southern California destroyed hundreds of homes in the Malibu area, including those of Miley Cyrus, Gerard Butler and Neil Young. President Trump blamed the fires on forest mismanagement and threatened to withdraw related federal funding.

Other major headlines of the week included the death of beloved Marvel Comics creator and filmmaker Stan Lee, Kyrsten Sinema beating Rep. Martha McSally for Arizona's open Senate seat and Amazon selecting New York City and Virginia for its new headquarters.

Click through the slideshow above to see photos from all of these events and more, and be sure to check back next weekend for our selection of the best photography from the week.
President Donald Trump will today present the nations highest civilian honor to Miriam Adelson, one of the Republican Partys pre-eminent megadonors.

Trump is hardly the first president to honor a political supporter, and the White House statement announcing Presidential Medal of Freedom winners praised Adelson as a committed doctor, philanthropist, and humanitarian, highlighting her support for medical research and Jewish causes.

But Adelsons Presidential Medal of Freedom  which liberals are mocking as an award for the $113 million Adelson and her billionaire casino mogul husband, Sheldon Adelson, contributed to conservative candidates, super PACs and other political committees during the 2018 midterm elections  comes as some Republicans are fretting about the partys reliance on a handful of aging billionaires.

Several prominent Republican fundraisers and major donors confirmed the GOP is both concerned about keeping current megadonors giving and cultivating a new crop of major bankrollers.

Theres no next generation of financial leadership on the bench, said one Republican strategist involved in raising large contributions, who requested anonymity in order to speak candidly.

And some donors and party fundraisers say its time for the Republican Party to broaden its donor base beyond the super-rich and move away from a fundraising model that requires a lot of personal contact. Many point to the success Democrats have had raising money online.

Ive put the issue on the table to those I think are empowered to make changes but Ive seen nothing, said Gaylord Hughey, a longtime East Texas-based fundraiser for Republican candidates, including Trump and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

Hughey said he has raised the issue with the Republican National Committee and other entities. The RNC did not respond to a request for comment.

There is, of course, no time to lose. Last week, a day after the midterm elections, Hughey got calls about fundraising  for Election 2020.

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Not everyone is worried.

Mica Mosbacher, a former finance chairwoman for the Republican National Committee and a current member of the Trump 2020 campaigns advisory board, pointed out that both Trump and the Republican National Committee have had success with small donors.

Doug Deason, a seven-figure Republican donor, told the Center for Public Integrity that the Republican Partys economic success will seed a new generation of GOP donors.

The current generation of millennials have not been witness to the awesome power of capitalism until just recently, Deason said. Republicans are not an endangered species!

He also notes that the GOP continued fundraising at robust levels despite the loss of Texas billionaires Harold Simmons and Bob Perry, who died within six months of each other in 2013. Both men had given tens of millions of dollars to conservative political groups in the years immediately after the Supreme Courts 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which triggered a new era of big-money electioneering.

But while some of their heirs have remained Republican donors, they give just a small fraction of what either Simmons and Perry did.

Party leaders are taking cash issues seriously. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in the wake of the midterms, told contributors the party has to catch up with online donors, according to Politico. Its unclear though how quickly Republicans can reshape the ways they raise money, leaving the party to continue depending heavily on big donors, at least for the near future.

None of those donors are bigger than the Adelsons  both of whom, fundraisers who have met with them say, are deeply involved with their political giving decisions.

The couples $113 million in federal-level political contributions during the 2018 midterms is more than twice as much cash as the next largest contributors, according to federal campaign finance data analyzed by the nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics.

In astriking example, the Adelsons in 2018 gave a total of $50 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund, the conservative super PAC backing Republican attempts to maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Thats more than a third of the total amount raised by the super PAC from January 2017 through mid-October 2018, filings with the Federal Election Commission show.

In addition to the Adelsons, many of the biggest Republican donors during the 2018 election cycle, including Richard Uihlein, Stephen Schwarzman, Timothy Mellon and Bernard Marcus, are in their 70s or 80s.

To be sure, many of the biggest donors to Democrats  George Soros, Michael Bloomberg, Donald Sussman, James Simons  are in the same range. (Tom Steyer, the top Democratic donor to federal-level political committees during Election 2018, is 61.)

Both major parties have a dependence on big money donors that undermines democracy, said Paul S. Ryan, vice president for policy and litigation at the nonprofit watchdog group Common Cause.

But during Election 2018, Democratic House and Senate candidates benefited from a small-dollar donor boom that helped them collectively outraise their Republican opponents and expand the number of competitive seats in play, fueling sweeping Democratic victories across the map last week.

More than half the contributions to Democratic House and Senate candidates this election cycle passed through ActBlue, a nonprofit fundraising platform used to varying degrees by almost every Democratic candidate, liberal outside group and progressive nonprofits.

Republicans have no single equivalent, and it showed. Democratic candidates more than tripled the amount they raised in contributions of $200 or less compared to the 2014 election cycle, an increase Republicans failed to match, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of federal campaign finance disclosures.

Make no mistake, we are envious of the success of ActBlue, said Deason, who said he had been involved in raising the issue with the Republican National Committee and party leaders as far back as 2014.

In the meantime, Miriam Adelson is slated to visit the White House for the second time this month, having watched election night returns there with Trump himself and other Trump supporters, including her husband.

Since the Presidential Medal of Freedoms creation in 1963, Adelson is among just more than 600 people to win the award. The list of honorees includes notable people from all professions and walks of life, including Mother Teresa, physicist Stephen Hawking, astronaut Neil Armstrong, boxer Muhammad Ali and Bill and Melinda Gates.

Chris Zubak-Skees contributed to this report.

The Center for Public Integrity is a nonprofit investigative news organization based in Washington, D.C.
Port Moresby (AFP) - China and the US crossed swords Saturday ahead of an APEC summit, duelling over protectionism, trade tariffs and "chequebook diplomacy" as they laid out sharply contrasting visions for the Pacific Rim region.

In combative back-to-back speeches at a business forum held on a hulking cruise ship moored in Port Moresby, Xi Jinping and US Vice President Mike Pence pulled few punches.

The feisty exchanges laid the ground for what could be a fiery encounter between the Chinese leader and President Donald Trump at next month's G20 in Argentina.

Xi lashed out at "America First" trade protectionism and stressed that global trade rules should not be applied "with double standards or selfish agendas" -- in a thinly veiled swipe at Washington.

The world's top two economies have been embroiled in a spiralling trade war, imposing tit-for-tat tariffs on each other's goods in a confrontation experts warn could torpedo the global economy.

Xi urged the world to "say no to protectionism and unilateralism", warning it was a "short-sighted approach" that was "doomed to failure".

For his part, Pence vowed US tariffs would remain in place unless Beijing "changes its ways".

"We've put tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods and that number could more than double," he told CEOs from around the region.

Amid fears diplomatic and trade friction could spill over into the military sphere, Pence announced the US would join forces with Australia in the development of a new naval base.

And in a move likely to irritate Beijing, he also briefly met Taiwan's APEC representative.

Trump decided to skip the summit in Papua New Guinea, leaving the door open for Xi, who arrived two days earlier for a state visit and has been the undoubted star of the show.

Xi opened a new road and a school in Port Moresby, where he was serenaded by dozens of people from various tribes sporting parrot feathers, possum pelts and seashell necklaces.

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- 'Staggering debt' -

The APEC summit of leaders from 21 countries across the region has developed into a tussle for influence between an increasingly assertive China and a more withdrawn US.

This appeared to be borne out by the first "family photo" of leaders, which featured Xi front and centre while Pence was absent.

But in his speech, Pence lashed out at Chinese largesse in strong terms, mocking the Belt-and-Road initiative that sees China offering loans to poorer countries in the region to improve infrastructure.

The vice president urged Pacific nations to embrace the United States, which, he said, did not offer a "constricting belt or a one-way road".

He said the terms of China's loans were "opaque at best" and "too often, they come with strings attached and lead to staggering debt".

"Do not accept foreign debt that could compromise your sovereignty," he said.

"We don't drown our partners in a sea of debt... We don't coerce, corrupt, or compromise your independence. The United States deals openly and fairly."

As if pre-empting the criticism, Xi defended the plan amid attacks it is akin to "chequebook diplomacy" to further Chinese interests in the region.

He denied there was a "hidden geopolitical agenda... nor is it a trap as some people have labelled it".

And the Chinese leader warned that no one would gain from heightened tensions between the US and his emerging superpower.

"History has shown that confrontation -- whether in the form of a cold war, hot war or trade war -- will produce no winners," he said.

Pence too stressed that Washington wanted a "better relationship" with Beijing -- if it respects its neighbours' sovereignty, embraced "free, fair and reciprocal trade" and improved its human rights record.

- 'Raskols' -

Officially, the leaders will discuss improving regional economic cooperation under the theme of "embracing the digital future" but the punchy speeches set the scene for a tense gathering.

In the absence of Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the summit itself has been relatively low-key and the focus has turned to the venue Port Moresby.

The capital of Papua New Guinea has been ranked as one of the least liveable cities for expatriates, with a high level of crime, often perpetrated by feared street gangs known as "raskols".

Delegates have been advised not to venture out alone -- especially after dark -- and officials and journalists have been hosted on massive cruise ships moored in the harbour due to safety issues and a dearth of hotel rooms.

Nevertheless, in a last-minute change-of-heart, Pence decided to stay overnight in the city rather than fly in and out from Australia as originally planned.

Resplendent in shiny red or yellow patterned shirts, the leaders enjoyed a respite from negotiations at a gala dinner before starting the formal talks on Sunday.
Demonstrators blocked roads across France on Saturday, November 17, to protest rising taxes on fuel.

The demonstrations were coordinated by the Yellow Vests movement, whose supporters often wear high-visibility jackets while protesting.

Le Monde, citing Frances Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, said one protester was killed by a motorist in Pont-de-Beauvoisin in Savoie on Saturday morning.

This footage shows protesters outside a shopping center in Blagnac, a suburb of Toulouse, on Saturday morning. Credit: Melvin Gardet via Storyful
Panama City (AFP) - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has called on Washington to compensate victims and families of the 1989 invasion of Panama, accusing US forces of multiple rights violations as they moved to overthrow dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega, according to a newly released document.

A 91-page report issued Friday says the United States "is responsible" for violating civilians' rights "to life, liberty (and) security."

The report says the US "must adopt measures of economic compensation."

Asked by AFP for comment, the US Embassy in Panama said that it "deeply regrets the loss of civilian lives during Operation Just Cause."

But it said the operation was justified because it ousted "brutal dictator Manuel Noriega" and helped turn Panama into "one of the most robust democracies in the hemisphere."

Casualty estimates varied widely after the invasion, with most putting the number of civilians killed between 200 and 500 but some considerably higher.

The IACHR report refers to 315 people deserving US compensation.

The United States provided Panama with $420 million in "economic support funds" after the invasion, the embassy said.

About two dozen US service members died in the December 1989 invasion by more than 27,000 troops. Noriega was wanted in the United States on drug-trafficking charges.

After an extended standoff, Noriega surrendered to US troops. Charged with drug trafficking, money laundering and "disappearing" political opponents, he was imprisoned successively in the US, France and Panama. He died last year, aged 83, following brain surgery.

Panamanian lawyer Gilma Camargo, who in 1990 sued the US before the IACHR, said the commission's new document was "a forceful and extraordinary report that... pressures the US to be a civilized country."

In 2016, the Panamanian government created a special commission to identify victims of the invasion.

The head of that commission, Juan Planells, told AFP he welcomed the IACHR report because it finally provided justice for "a large number of innocent people."

"Now, through diplomatic channels, we are going to ask the United States to recognize the damage it caused and do what is necessary to try to alleviate the tragedy," he said.
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran and Iraq could raise their annual bilateral trade to $20 billion from the current $12 billion, President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday, despite concerns over the impact of renewed U.S. sanctions. Rouhani's remarks, after a meeting with visiting Iraqi President Barham Salih, came two weeks after the United States restored sanctions targeting Irans oil industry as well as its banking and transportation sectors. "... through bilateral efforts, we can raise this figure (for bilateral trade) to $20 billion in the near future," Rouhani said in comments broadcast live on state television. "We held talks on trade in electricity, gas, petroleum products and activities ... in the field of oil exploration and extraction," Rouhani said. Baghdad is seeking U.S. approval to allow it to import Iranian gas for its power stations. Iraqi officials say they need more time to find an alternative source than a 45-day waiver granted to it by the United States. "It will be important to create free trade zones at our shared border and to connect the two countries' railways," Salih said. "We will not forget your support for the Iraqi people in the fight against (Iraqi dictator) Saddam (Hussein). Neither do we forget Iran's stand in the recent fight against terrorism," added Salih, an Iraqi Kurd. "UNITY" Salih later met Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who called for maintaining unity among ethnic and religious groups in Iraq and resisting foreign interference. "The only way to counter plots (by Iraq's enemies) is by strengthening the unity of all Iraqi groups, including Kurds, Arabs, Shi'ite and Sunnis," Ayatollah Khamenei said, according to his website. "Some governments in the region and outside of it hold a deep grudge against Islam ... and Iraq, and interfere in Iraq's internal affairs and they must be strongly resisted," he said. Iran accuses the United States and its regional rival Saudi Arabia of exploiting divisions among Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims. Washington and Riyadh denounce Iran as fuelling conflicts in countries including Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. "We seek to boost cooperation (with Iran) at all levels ... in order to serve the interests of both countries," the website quoted Salih as saying. Iran wields wide influence in Iraq, its smaller neighbor, where its Revolutionary Guards played a key role in training and arming the mainly Shiite militias that helped defeat Islamic State. Iraq imports a wide range of goods from Iran, including food, agricultural products, home appliances, air conditioners and car parts. Iranian goods imports to Iraq were worth about $6 billion in the year ending March 2018, or about 15 percent of Iraqs total imports for 2017. Iraqi officials told Reuters last week that Iraq had agreed to sell foodstuffs in return for Iranian gas and energy supplies. Iranian trade officials denied that any food-for-gas scheme could be set up as Iran was a net exporter of food to Iraq. "We have exported more than $6 billion to Iraq in the past seven months and we could import goods for that amount but not food items," Yahya Al-e Eshaq, head of the Iran-Iraq chamber of commerce, was quoted as saying by the ILNA news agency. A spokesman for an association of Iranian gas and petrochemicals exporters said Iraq wanted to pay for the gas imports in its dinar currency, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Gareth Jones and Robin Pomeroy)
Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi Arabia has sought to draw a line under one of its biggest crises triggered by critic Jamal Khashoggi's murder, but an ever greater threat of international scrutiny and pressure hangs over the kingdom.

Riyadh on Thursday exonerated powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of involvement in the murder as it called for the death penalty against five men, and as the United States, a key ally, slapped sanctions on 17 suspects.

The kingdom has repeatedly changed its official narrative about journalist Khashoggi's murder inside its Istanbul consulate on October 2, first denying any knowledge of his whereabouts and later saying he was killed when an argument degenerated into a fistfight.

In the latest version presented by the Saudi prosecutor on Thursday, a 15-member squad was formed to bring Khashoggi back from Istanbul "by means of persuasion", but instead ended up killing The Washington Post columnist and dismembering his body in a "rogue" operation.

Just hours later, the US Treasury slapped sanctions on 17 people, including close aides of Prince Mohammed, suggesting a coordinated effort between Riyadh and Washington to pre-empt the threat of harsher actions from an outraged US Congress.

"The (Saudi) government is accelerating its investigation and prosecution of suspects in the Khashoggi affair to defuse any potential escalation from Turkey and the US Congress," said consultancy firm Eurasia Group.

The regime is still in "crisis mode", it added.

The Saudi prosecutor said the operation was ordered by the deputy chief of intelligence Ahmed al-Assiri, who was advised by the royal court's Saud al-Qahtani. Both were part of Prince Mohammed's inner circle and have been sacked.

"Although the investigation is not particularly independent, it distanced the crown prince from the entire affair," Eurasia Group said.

"Yet... the affair will continue to pose challenges for the Saudi leadership."

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- 'Cover up' -

The Washington Post editorial board on Friday slammed the apparent contradictions in the Saudi narrative, accusing US President Donald Trump's administration of abetting a "Saudi cover-up".

"Congress should... suspend all military sales and cooperation with Saudi Arabia until a credible international investigation of the Khashoggi killing is completed," it said.

Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on Friday that any cover-up "should not be allowed", a Turkish presidential source said after a phone call between the two leaders.

Saudi Arabia has rejected calls for an international investigation.

"It currently seems like the US pressure will not go away any time soon," said Steffen Hertog, an associate professor at the London School of Economics.

"That said, other than sanctions on weapons deals -- which Trump will resist -- it is not quite clear what Congress can do. Direct sanctions against Prince Mohammed... seem unlikely, as do financial sanctions."

But Saudi attempts to punish loyalist officials who were active in the operation could potentially backfire, experts say.

"It is very risky for the prince to threaten capital punishment to those who appeared to be following orders," said Bessma Momani, a professor at Canada's University of Waterloo.

"It can potentially create rogue elements within the intelligence service."

Assiri -- lionised in Saudi military ranks as a war hero -- was not named among the 17 Saudis sanctioned by the US, but he appears sidelined.

In the aftermath of the crisis, King Salman ordered a restructuring of the intelligence apparatus to be led by Prince Mohammed, who has effectively neutered his political rivals and tightened his grip on military and security agencies.

- Shoring up loyalty -

Erdogan has said the orders for the killing came from "the highest levels of the Saudi government", apparently alluding to Prince Mohammed.

Ankara has said the kingdom's latest explanation was "insufficient".

Seeking to keep up the pressure, Turkish media on Friday reported that Ankara had more evidence contradicting the Saudi version of Khashoggi's murder, including a second audio recording.

"The Saudis think they can run the clock on the affair and it will soon leave the spotlight," said Momani.

"The audio tapes are the last leverage that the Turks have and in the past few days they've made it clear they are sharing it widely."

At home, senior Saudi royals seem to be projecting a united front to defend the kingdom.

King Salman and his son, Prince Mohammed, have launched an unprecedented domestic tour to leverage their links with different tribes and religious leaders and shore up support for the leadership.

At Friday sermons in cities including Jeddah, prayer leaders in recent weeks have defended the rulers and pushed for unwavering "loyalty", according to multiple residents.

But the crisis appears to have dented the prince's absolute control on power.

"The era of consensus-based decision-making among senior royals is over, but Mohammad bin Salman will still have to cede some of the powers he has accumulated over the past few years," Eurasia Group said.

"His father has already become more involved in decisions... (and) members of the ruling family are also likely to demand greater say in consultations."
As devastating wildfires continue to cripple the state of California, a pair of viral photos demonstrate how thick smoke from the still-burning Camp Fire is dramatically impacting the landscape in San Francisco, which is located more than 140 miles away from the blaze.

Local resident Marc Stokes showed the before-and-after images in an Instagram post that reveals the stark difference in the skyline from last week to this Thursday. While the photo from a week ago shows a clear view of the city with a pink sunset across a clear sky, the city is nearly hidden behind smoke in the shot from this week.

The air quality in the Bay Area currently ranges from unhealthy to very unhealthy according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, a government air pollution control agency. The District has issued an air quality advisory for the Bay Area until Nov. 20.

The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management released a map showing the air quality in the Bay Area two days ago. The air quality has worsened to

The District advises residents, especially children and people with breathing problems, to try and stay indoors and keep doors and windows closed. Many Bay Area schools have closed in response to the air quality conditions, according to local news stations.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed advised community members to stay inside and announced that MUNI, San Franciscos bus and metro system, will be free during the crisis.
Acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yimou's martial arts epic "Shadow" took the most gongs at Taiwan's Golden Horse film awards on Saturday, dubbed the Chinese-language "Oscars".

Zhang, the maker of classics such as "Red Sorghum" and "Raise the Red Lantern", won best director for the film inspired by traditional ink-brush painting which also bagged three technical awards.

"I've made movies for 40 years and this is my first Golden Horse (best) director nomination. I want to thank the jury for giving me the award," Zhang said at the ceremony at Taipei's Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall.

"Shadow" led the race with 12 nominations including best film but lost the coveted prize to "An Elephant Sitting Still" directed by Hu Bo, who died last year aged 29 in Beijing.

Hu also won best adapted screenplay for his first and last film -- a nearly four-hour-long story about four struggling small characters based on his novel.

"I want to thank the jury and the audience again," his mother told the crowd after she accepted the best film statuette for him.

China's 29-year-old filmmaker Bi Gan lost best director to Zhang for his 3D drama "Long Day's Journey Into Night", which collected best cinematography, best sound effects and best original film score.

Taiwanese filmmaker Fu Yue's "Our Youth in Taiwan" about the island's 2014 Sunflower Movement saw off "Umbrella Diaries: The First Umbrella" on Hong Kong's pro-democracy Umbrella Movement to win best documentary.

Both mass protests were led by young activists and reflected increasing resistance to Beijing's influence.

"I hope one day our country will be recognised and treated as a truly independent entity. This is my biggest wish as a Taiwanese," Fu told the crowd.

China claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification, even though the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war.

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Taiwan's theatre veteran Hsieh Ying-xuan beat better-known Chinese rivals to claim best actress with her first movie "Dear EX".

In the film she played a woman dumped by her husband who came out of the closet and fought for his inheritance against his gay lover.

China's Xu Zheng won best actor for his role as a smuggler of leukaemia drugs who ends up helping the sick in the box-office hit "Dying to Survive."

That movie also won best new director for 33-year-old filmmaker Wen Muye.

"I want to thank every member of the production... it's difficult to create hair on my head and I have two hairdos in the movie," joked Xu, who is bald.

More than 40 films out of a record 667 submitted were nominated for the 55th edition of the Golden Horse Film Awards, which this year were decided by a jury chaired by Chinese superstar Gong Li.
Banda Aceh (Indonesia) (AFP) - A Sumatran elephant has been found dead with its tusks removed in an apparent poaching case targeting the critically endangered animal, an Indonesian conservation official said Friday.

The 10-year-old male's rotting corpse was found in Blang Awe village in Aceh province earlier this week.

"His tusks were missing and there were traces of blood in the location where he was found," Aceh conservation centre head Sapto Aji Prabowo told AFP.

Officials estimated the animal had been dead for at least a week when the carcass was discovered.

The cause of death was not immediately clear because the body was badly decomposed, Prabowo said.

Tissue samples will be analysed for signs of poisoning.

Rampant deforestation has reduced the species' natural habitat and brought them into conflict with humans, while their tusks are prized in the illegal wildlife trade.

At least 11 wild elephants died in Aceh last year, most of them killed by humans.

In July, a Sumatran elephant was found dead from apparent poisoning in a palm oil plantation.

The environment ministry estimates only around 500 Sumatran elephants remain in Aceh.
Donald Trump says he has very easily completed his written answers for special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into possible collusion between his 2016 campaign team and Russia.

The president indicated that the answers had not yet been submitted to Mr Muellers office, although the presidents lawyers are expected to turn them over in the coming days.

My lawyers dont write answers. I write answers. I was asked a series of questions. Ive answered them very easily, Mr Trump said at the White House.

Although Mr Trump has said he was open to an interview by Mr Muellers team, the presidents lawyers ultimately decided on the written questions. The legal team, according to CNN, had issues with the nature of some of the questions, but responses were written for all of them.

Displaying his obvious dislike for the probe, Mr Trump said: You have to always be careful when you answer, with people that probably have bad intentions. Now, the questions were very routinely answered by me.

The president met with lawyers nearly every day this week in sessions to review his answers, including a four-hour session on Wednesday.

The president once again called the entire investigation  which has resulted in multiple indictments against former campaign officials - a witch hunt. He once again denied there was any collusion.

Im not agitated [by the Russia investigation] ... Its a hoax, the whole thing is a hoax, no collusion ... No Im very happy ... There should have never been any Mueller investigation ... Theyve wasted millions and millions of dollars, the president added.

He then launched into a tangent about the 2016 election, saying: From what I hear [the investigation] is ending. And Im sure itll be just fine. The fact is I was a much better candidate than Hillary Clinton. I went to the right states. She went to the wrong states. She was not a good campaigner. I campaigned very well and I won the electoral college.

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Im sure [the questions are] tricked-up because, you know, they like to catch people, Mr Trump added.

Mr Muellers team nor the Department of Justice have indicated the investigation is almost done.

Tensions between Mr Mueller and Mr Trump, and their supporters, has grown in the days since the president asked for former attorney general Jeff Sessions resignation last week.

Mr Sessions had previously recused himself from overseeing the Russia investigation run by the FBI because he was also on the presidents 2016 campaign team.

The president then appointed Mr Sessions chief of staff Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general, who wrote an opinion piece before he joined the Justice Department last year noting Mr Mueller should end the investigation.

Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had been in charge of the probe.

A provision could be attached to the upcoming government spending bill which seeks to have Congress vote to protect Mr Muellers job and allow the investigation to continue despite Mr Whitakers appointment. A vote over a protection bill in the Senate was denied by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell earlier this week.

Democrats have called on Mr Whitaker  who has not been confirmed by the Senate - to recuse himself from the Russia investigation over previous comments relating to the scope of the probe.

Mr Whitaker is said to have told Republican Senator Lindsey Graham that the special counsels probe would proceed, according to a person familiar with the conversation, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

As part of the larger investigation, Mr Muellers team has already brought indictments against several former Trump officials including the former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and deputy manager Rick Gates over lobbying that is not connected to the Russia probe. Mr Trumps former national security advisor Mike Flynn, and former campaign foreign affairs aide George Papadopoulos have also both admitted to lying to the FBI during the Russia investigation.
Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump said Saturday that he had no plans to extradite Turkish preacher Fethullah Gulen, who is accused by Ankara of orchestrating a failed 2016 coup attempt.

NBC reported this week that the White House was studying the legal ramifications of expelling the cleric, who lives in exile in Pennsylvania, as part of an effort to persuade Turkey to ease its pressure on Saudi Arabia over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"It's not under consideration," Trump told reporters shortly before departing on a daylong trip to California to meet with officials and victims, as well as firefighters battling the deadly wildfires there.

"We are doing very well with Turkey," Trump said. "I get along very well with the president (Recep Tayyip Erdogan). He's a friend of mine. He's a strong man, a tough man and a smart man, so whatever we can do, we'll do... but at this point? No."

US-Turkish relations have recently been strained, but they warmed up after Ankara's release in October of American pastor Andrew Brunson.

The fate of Gulen, who has denied any involvement in the attempted coup in Turkey and whom Washington has repeatedly refused to extradite, remains a central point of tension between the countries.

Gulen's teachings inspired the growth of a moderate, pro-Western Islamic movement that includes scores of schools, hospitals and businesses worldwide.

He left Turkey for the US in the 1990s after being accused of calling for the overthrow of the government.

He has denied the charges, and lives with supporters in a rural compound in northeastern Pennsylvania.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert had earlier rejected the NBC report that the White House was seeking a way to extradite Gulen, who reportedly has a US green card.

She insisted that "there is no relation" between the extradition issue and Turkish pressure on Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi's murder at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul.

Trump has been restrained in his criticism of the Saudis, saying on Saturday that "they give us a lot of jobs, economic development (and have been) a truly spectacular ally."
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump says extraditing a Turkish-born Muslim cleric blamed by Turkey for engineering a 2016 military coup attempt is "not under consideration."

Fethullah Gulen (FEH'-too-lah goo-LEN') has lived for nearly 20 years in self-exile at an Islamic retreat in the Pocono Mountains. He denies the allegations made by the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (REH'-jehp TY'-ihp UR'-doh-wahn). The U.S. has told Turkey it must present convincing evidence for any extradition proceeding to go forward.

Trump tells reporters that "we are always looking at whatever we can do for Turkey," and he says the U.S. is "having a very good moment" with Turkey following Turkey's recent release of a detained American pastor.

Trump is praising Erdogan as "a strong man," ''a tough man" and "a smart man."
Trump visits devastation of the deadly California wildfires President Donald Trump waves as he arrives on Air Force One at Beale Air Force Base for a visit to areas impacted by the wildfires, Nov. 17, 2018, at Beale Air Force Base, Calif. He is followed by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif. (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP)

President Donald Trump arrived in Northern California on Saturday to see firsthand the grief and devastation from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century amid confusion over how many people remain unaccounted for.

Authorities confirmed a new death toll of 71 and say they are trying to locate 1,011 people , even as they stressed that not all are believed missing.

Californias outgoing and incoming governors, both Democrats and vocal critics of Trump, greeted him when he landed at Beale Air Force Base just north of Sacramento and got onto a helicopter. Gov. Jerry Brown and Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom welcomed Trumps visit, declaring its time to pull together for the people of California.

The blaze that started Nov. 8 largely destroyed the town of Paradise, population 27,000, and heavily damaged the nearby communities of Magalia and Concow. It destroyed more than 9,800 homes and at its height displaced 52,000 people. (AP)

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Antananarivo (AFP) - Two former presidents of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina and Marc Ravalomanana, came out top in the country's latest election, results showed Saturday, and are set to compete in a run-off next month.

Neither won the 50 percent of votes required for a first-round victory, with Rajoelina on 39.19 percent and Ravalomanana on 35.29 percent, according to final results from the CENI election commission.

The run-off is scheduled for December 19.

Hery Rajaonarimampianina, who was running to hold onto power, secured only 8.84 percent of the vote, the commission said, before adding that the turnout at last week's election was 54.3 percent.

All three candidates, of a total 36, have alleged fraud and malpractice by election authorities, and the result will be subject to fierce legal appeals.

"We have adopted three rules of conduct: transparency, impartiality and independence," CENI president Hery Rakotomanana said as the final results were announced on the Indian Ocean island.

"We have not accepted any orders from anyone in this election... no favours have been given to anyone."

Both leading candidates hope to claim a first-round victory through the courts.

Rajoelina on Saturday described the count as not transparent, adding "that will not prevent us from winning."

Ravalomanana'scampaign welcomed the results, but Hanitra Razafimanantso, an official from his TIM party, said it "would make use of the right of appeal to the Constitutional Court in view of election irregularities."

The court will proclaim the official results after reviewing candidates' complaints.

Madagascar is one of the world's poorest countries, according to World Bank data, with almost four in five people living in grinding poverty.

But the frontrunners spent huge sums in the first round on flashy campaign rallies, helicopters and giveaways such as free T-shirts for supporters.

- Past political violence -

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A European Union observer mission said Monday that it had "noted candidates committed breaches" ahead of the November 7 poll, but concluded that the election was well organised overall.

Both Ravalomanana and Rajoelina were banned from running in the last election in 2013 under international pressure to avoid a repeat of deadly political violence that engulfed the island in 2009.

Ravalomanana, 68, and Rajoelina, 44, are bitter rivals. It is the first time they have faced each other at the ballot box.

Ravalomanana ruled from 2002 to 2009 until he was ousted in a military-backed coup that installed Rajoelina, who was in power until 2014.

Rajaonarimampianina succeeded him, ruling until earlier this year.

Rajaonarimampianina's attempts to change the electoral laws this year backfired, sparking nearly three months of sometimes violent protests in the capital Antananarivo.

The demonstrators forced Rajaonarimampianina to accept a "consensus" government tasked with organising the election in the former French colony, which is burdened by a long history of coups and unrest.

African Union (AU) observers have called on the contenders to "show restraint and respect the law".
By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Friday denied that it was planning an extradition deal designed to persuade the Turkish president to ease off on a probe over the killing of a journalist in an Istanbul embassy. NBC News reported on Thursday that the Trump administration had been seeking ways to extradite U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is wanted in Turkey over accusations that he was involved in a failed 2016 coup, in order to appease Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. It said the move was designed to persuade Erdogan to ease pressure on Saudi Arabia over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month. Trump has sought closer ties with Saudi Arabia, citing Riyadh's role in countering Iranian influence in the region, and billions of dollars in potential arms deals. In a statement on Friday, Justice Department spokeswoman Nicole Navas Oxman denied the NBC report, saying the department "has not been involved in nor aware of any discussions" connecting an extradition of Gulen and the death of Khashoggi. The denial was unusual for the Justice Department, which typically does not comment on matters pertaining to potential cases of extradition. Navas Oxman would not comment beyond the statement. The NBC report said that Trump administration officials had asked U.S. law enforcement agencies to look into whether Gulen could legally be forced out of the United States. The report said that the administration had directed the Justice Department and FBI to reexamine a request from Turkey for Gulen's extradition and also asked the Department of Homeland Security for information about his legal status. A White House official, who declined to be named, also denied the NBC report on Thursday, saying it "has not been involved in any discussions relating the extradition of Fethullah Gulen to the death of Jamal Khashoggi." Erdogan has long demanded that Washington extradite Gulen, who denies any involvement in the attempted coup and has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999. Erdogan ramped up pressure on Saudi Arabia after U.S.-based journalist Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi rulers, was killed at the consulate, where he had gone to pick up documents related to his upcoming marriage. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
New York (AFP) - Last year, the seemingly heartwarming tale of a homeless good Samaritan who helped a woman driver in need sparked a crowdfunding campaign that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for him.

Now, the story has ended up in court -- and appears to have been a scam.

Three people were charged in a New Jersey courtroom on Thursday in connection with the allegedly fraudulent scheme, which allowed them to rake in more than $400,000 on the GoFundMe site.

In November 2017, Katelyn McClure and her boyfriend Mark D'Amico launched the crowdfunding page asking donors to "pay it forward" to a homeless military veteran, Johnny Bobbitt Jr.

The couple said Bobbitt had given McClure his last $20 to buy gas for her car when he found her stuck along a highway outside Philadelphia, and they wanted to return the act of kindness.

The GoFundMe page announced a goal of $10,000 to help Bobbitt rent an apartment, buy a used car and get back on his feet. But it quickly made that amount many times over.

The story made headlines and thousands donated to what seemed to be a good cause.

But the first twist came in August when Bobbitt sued McClure and D'Amico, saying he had only received a fraction of the money -- about $75,000 -- and accusing the couple of pulling one over on donors.

Bobbitt claimed the couple had gone on fancy vacations and bought themselves a new BMW, which was seized at the couple's home in September.

Ultimately, the investigation revealed a second twist: Bobbitt was in cahoots with the couple all along.

"The entire campaign was predicated on a lie," Burlington County prosecutor Scott Coffina told a press conference Thursday.

"Less than an hour after the GoFundMe campaign went live, McClure, in a text exchange with a friend, stated that the story about Bobbitt assisting her was 'completely made up'," he said.

"She did not run out of gas on an I-95 off-ramp, and he did not spend his last $20 to help her," the prosecutor added.

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"D'Amico, McClure and Bobbitt conspired to fabricate and promote a feel-good story that would compel donors to contribute to their cause."

The three were charged with "theft by deception" and conspiracy to commit such a theft. A spokesman for the prosecutor's office said they would be seeking jail sentences "of some length."

GoFundMe plans to reimburse the 14,000 donors, who contributed $403,000, the prosecutor said.
HAMBURG (Reuters) - Volkswagen chief executive Herbert Diess will take on responsibility for the carmaker's business in China, a source said as VW's supervisory board met in Wolfsburg on Friday. Diess will take over the China role early next year from Jochem Heizmann, who will retire, the source told Reuters. "The Chinese government expects that company leadership is routinely present in China," the source added. Volkswagen declined to comment on the news, which was first reported by German newspaper Handelsblatt. VW is due to hold a news conference at 1130 GMT as its board votes on a multi-billion euro investment plan. (Reporting by Jan Schwartz; additional reporting by Ilona Wissenbach in Frankfurt; writing by Thomas Seythal; editing by Tassilo Hummel/Sabine Wollrab/Alexander Smith)
Mar del Plata (Argentina) (AFP) - The crushed wreck of an Argentine submarine has been located one year after it vanished into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean with 44 crew members, in the country's worst naval disaster in decades.

Experts say raising the ARA San Juan submarine would be an enormous undertaking costing a billion dollars or more. Defense Minister Oscar Aguad said Argentina had "no means" to do so.

The navy located at the submarine at a depth of more than 800 meters (2,600 feet), the navy tweeted, confirming the vessel had imploded.

Relatives of the dead sailors were seen hugging each other, holding their heads in despair and crying inconsolably.

The Seabed Constructor, a ship owned by US search firm Ocean Infinity, made the discovery Friday, one day after the first anniversary of the disappearance.

The ship had set out in September in the latest attempt to find the San Juan, whose disappearance cost the navy's top officer his job.

The navy lost contact with the submarine on November 15, 2017, about 450 kilometers (280 miles) from the coast while it was traveling northward from Ushuaia, at Argentina's southern tip.

Admiral Jose Villan, the navy's new top commander, said that the rough terrain on the ocean floor made it difficult for search vessels, which had already trawled the site, to find the sub.

Pieces that were 11, 13 and 30 meters long were spotted in a "moon-like zone with craters and canyons," said Navy Captain Enrique Balbi, adding that the hull had been "crushed inwards."

Aguad met earlier with family members to show photos taken by an underwater robot. They showed a propeller, the sub's bow with torpedo-launching tubes and an upper section of the vessel lying on the ocean floor.

"We are all destroyed here," said Yolanda Mendiola, the mother of crewman Leandro Cisneros, 28.

- 'Never forget' -

"I still had hopes that they could be alive," Luis Niz, the father of a missing sailor, told reporters, even though President Mauricio Macri's government had declared two weeks after the sub's disappearance that there could be no survivors.

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A small group of family members protested outside the naval base Saturday, holding a banner emblazoned with the number "44" -- for the lost crew members.

Another banner declared, "44 Hearts of Steel -- Never Forget!"

Lawyer Sonia Krescher questioned the timing of the sub's discovery, saying it was "weird" coming after the one-year anniversary of its loss.

"We are going to ask them to refloat it," she said. "We need to see the bodies and know what happened."

Cecila Kaufmann, who lost her husband Luis Leiva, added: "now that they've found it, they need to give us back our loved ones."

The discovery came the day after a somber ceremony, attended by Macri, at the San Juan's Mar del Plata base.

Macri said the "whole truth" about what happened can now be examined. But he made no reference to whether there would be an attempt to raise the wreck.

The Seabed Constructor made its discovery before leaving for maintenance in South Africa. Searchers decided to check an area that bad weather had previously prevented them from examining.

- Massive search operation -

Equipped with cameras that can submerge 6,000 meters below the surface, the vessel was set to receive a $7.5 million reward for finding the missing sub.

Ocean Infinity was also assigned the task of hunting for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which vanished without trace in March 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Experts say the submarine would have been crushed by water pressure once it dropped below about 600 meters. They believe that water seeped inside through a defective snorkel valve, triggering the tragedy.

The San Juan's loss was the first major tragedy to hit Argentina's navy since the Falklands War against Britain in 1982.

Argentina's navy has been criticized for its clumsy handling of the case since first reporting the San Juan -- one of the country's three submarines -- was overdue at Mar del Plata on November 16, 2017.

It took naval officials days to acknowledge that the old, German-built submarine had reported a problem with its batteries in its final communication.

And it took them 10 days to say there had been an explosion on board, which experts said was likely linked to the battery problem.

An air and sea search involved 13 countries followed.

Argentina has spent more than $25 million in its search operation.
Paris (AFP) - A protester was accidently killed and more than 220 injured as tens of thousands of people blocked roads across France in a "yellow vest" protest against high fuel prices, which has channelled anger at stagnant spending under President Emmanuel Macron.

Nearly 283,000 people were estimated to have taken part in more than 2,000 protests at roundabouts and on major highways and thoroughfares across the country on Saturday, the Interior Ministry said.

Some 227 people were injured -- seven seriously, including a police officer -- and 117 detained, with 73 then taken into police custody.

Although most of the blockades were carried out without incident, tempers flared at times as some drivers confronted the protesters or tried to force their way through.

In the eastern Savoie region, a 63-year-old woman was killed when a mother trying to take her daughter to see a doctor panicked after protesters surrounded their car, and suddenly accelerated into the crowd.

The driver, who police said was in a state of shock, was taken in for questioning.

Among those injured were a police officer in the Mediterranean city of Grasse, one in eastern Strasbourg and two in northwestern Quimper.

"This is what we were worried about... unorganised demonstrations by people who aren't necessarily used to such things," Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said in a statement.

- 'Macron resign!' -

In Paris, several hundred protesters yelling "Macron resign!" and singing La Marseillaise massed on the Champs-Elysees and the Place de la Concorde, hoping to march toward the Elysee Palace, Macron's official residence.

Riot police blocked their path, but several hundreds managed to get around them using side streets and get close to the Elysee Palace in the afternoon before being driven back by tear gas. They later mostly dispersed without incident.

Officials had warned that police would intervene to ensure no roads were completely blocked.

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Some demonstrators announced they intended to camp out overnight and might continue the protest into Sunday.

The "yellow vests" movement, named for the high-visibility jackets worn by supporters, erupted on social media last month with calls for blockades of roads and highways.

The protesters say they are being squeezed by years of fuel tax increases that have driven prices to levels not seen since the early 2000s.

But analysts say the movement now represents more widespread frustration against Macron, a former investment banker who has pushed through a series of reforms aimed at bolstering economic growth.

"We're showing that the French do not support their government's policies," said Franck Deroo, a 47-year-old electrician at a blockade on a highway near the Belgian border in Neuville-en-Ferrain, northern France.

The popularity of French President Emmanuel Macron has dropped to just 25 percent, according to a poll by research group Ifop published on Sunday in the Journal du Dimanche.

- 'President of the rich' -

The movement enjoys much more public support than others against Macron since he swept to the presidency last year.

An Elabe poll last week found that 73 percent of respondents backed the movement.

Protesters say he is neglecting the lower and middle classes, pointing to tax cuts for high earners and companies.

"Macron is the president of the rich and not the poor. He needs to think about the poor as well," said Andre, a 38-year-old who joined a blockade in Dole, eastern France.

The government last week announced a series of measures to try to quell the anger over fuel prices, including energy subsidies and higher bonuses towards cleaner vehicles.

In a TV interview this week, Macron admitted he had "not succeeded in reconciling the French with their leaders" and that "we have probably not given them enough consideration".

But he said he would not rescind increases on fuel tax -- set to rise again in January.

Ecology minister Francois de Rugy confirmed the government's commitment to the policy Sunday, telling Le Parisien that France needed to get itself out of the "trap" of fossil fuel reliance.

"We want to work, but not for nothing," said Joffrey Gouillet, 27, a protester in Pont-de-Beauvoisin.

"The goal isn't to create havoc but to get our rights back. You can't make it to the end of the month even with two salaries."
Being prepared

For information on the Firewise program, which helps homeowners protect their homes from fire by creating defensible space, go to www.dnr.wa.gov/firewise.

To sign up for the Yakima County emergency notification system, go to http://www.co.yakima.wa.us/350/Emergency-Management.
For 70 years, this book was a dream. The names of thousands of Jews who owned homes in Poland, homes that were later confiscated by the Nazis during World War IIall in one book. Three years ago, the land registry book reappeared when it was bought in an auction by the National Military Academy in Warsaw. After years of a Jewish struggle to reclaim the lost property, and this newly-found book finally provides a list the names of the mostly-deceased homeowners by street names.

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Yoram Sztykgold , 82, is one of those who dreamed of finding this book. For years, he tried to prove his ownership over the properties his family owned in Poland, which were confiscated during the war.

I was probably the last boy to leave the Warsaw Ghetto, just a few days before the uprising, he said, standing where there was once a big house right in the center of Warsaw, behind the large synagogue. Today its a municipal park with tall trees and public benches, filled with parents, children and elderlysome as old as Sztykgold.

Yoram Sztykgold

He looks around, helpless. Nothing here reminds him of the city he knew as a child. Nothing is left of the place where his family home stood in the ghetto. For me, there are two Warsaws, he says. Theres the Warsaw that is gone and will never return, and theres the new Warsaw that came to life. They have nothing to do with each other.

The Poles take their time

Yoram was born in September 1936 to a traditional Jewish family. His father, Mieczysaw Moshe, was an engineer and owner of one of the biggest gas lamp factories in Europe of the time. His grandfather, Meir, was in real estate and owned multiple properties in Poland. He lived in a large house with servants, nannies and a cook. The family had at least 10 properties. And now, 73 years later, they want to reclaim them, or at least get restitution for the rightful heirs.

In September 2016, the Warsaw municipality published a list of 2,613 addresses linked to open property claims, but without the homeowner names. Holocaust survivors had only six months to report to the Polish capital and reinstate their claims once the municipality published the announcement about their property in the local media. They later received three more months to prove ownership before the homes would be officially declared property of the Warsaw municipality or of the Polish Treasury.

So far, homeowners' details were only released for 211 of the properties, dozens every month. Some claim the bureaucracy and short deadlines are meant to make it difficult for the owners or heirs to claim the properties. The Polish authorities, however, claim its a way of preventing fraud.

Yoram Sztykgold in Warsaw.

What good is this list, if the heirs dont know the addresses? This is where the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO) comes to their aid. The organization created a database that allows survivors and heirs to track their assets by address, and learn whether they are entitled to proceed with claims that originated with the 1945 Warsaw Decree.

After the Holocaust, properties that were confiscated under German rule should have returned to their rightful owners. However, the Polish communist government nationalized properties, and so original owners were prevented from reclaiming their real estate assets. Poland, the home of 3.3 million Jews before the Holocaust, is the only one in Europe that doesnt have a restitution of property law. The Warsaw case was unusual and gave hope to many.

A breakthrough was made when Logan Kleinwaks, a Jewish genealogist from Washington, managed to match addresses from the famous Warsaw book to the list of Warsaw homeowners from 1939-1940.

In 2014, Kleinwaks discovered that a Polish book seller is going to sell a copy of the homeowners' book at an auction in Krakow. He was going to attend but missed it, and the book was bought by the Polish Military Library for $3,000. The WJRO's computer database of Warsaw properties is based on the information in this book.

'For the kids and the grandkids'

We went on this journey with Yoram, his wife and his niece. It was a difficult journey for Yoram. One of the family's properties, which was listed under his grandfather's name since 1897, is now crossed by a street and houses a Polish kebab restaurant. Another one is 24 kilometers outside of Warsaw, in the city of Otvozk. A third is a massive property of 6,000 square meters that today is covered by forest and houses a huge villa.

I suggest that Yoram enter the restaurant and introduce himself as the true owner. Hes worried: We shouldn't cause provocation. The Sztykgolds are now waiting for the Warsaw municipality to publish the list of properties from the book. Meanwhile, Yoram is trying to get his hands on documents that would prove his ownership. Apparently his mother filed a claim in 1945 and some documents do exist. The family hopes, but is skeptical that they can get all the paperwork done in six months in order to make the draconic deadline.

Its important for me, for my family, for my grandchildren, to get something for the properties we owned, said Yoram. Why? Because my children, and perhaps grandchildren, suffered through me. They deserve it. For me it doesn't matter, Im 82. Well leave the historical justice to politicians.

Yoram Sztykgold

Yoram cant forget the life in the ghetto, the hardships, the hunger. His grandparents, who were among the richest people in Warsaw, found themselves penniless.

When I left the city, ten days before the uprising, there was no one left in the streets. The only ones left were those who had jobs, it was awfully quiet. My father got me and my mother fake IDs, and we decided to run, but at the last minute he didn't join us, he recalled.

Yoram escaped with his mother, but they later parted ways and met again after the war. I saw miserable people coming out of the fire. Disabled, burnt, he said, when describing his return to Warsaw, which was in ruins. My mother found me half dead, emotionally and physically devastated, exhausted, bloated with hunger. My recovery took months.

Claims of property scams

The Polish property restitution is a sensitive issue, and we want to change that, said Konstanty Gebert, a Jewish journalist in the Gazeta Wyborcza, the countrys most important newspaper. The reason for this is that people see property restitution as unfair, as its going to be funded off tax money. The Poles see themselves as victims of the Nazi and Communist regimes, and they feel its unfair for a few to get property and restitution from other victims.

There is fear that if the property restitution is granted, there would be millions of Jewish claims that would empty the country's coffers, Gebert went on to say.

In recent years, there have been several corruption scandals revolving around property restitution, including arrests of officials who were allegedly bribed by those who claimed properties. Poland's Deputy Minister of Justice Patrick Yaki, who is also the ruling partys Warsaw mayoral candidate, worked on a property restitution law in 2017. But his draft was frowned upon and condemned by the Israeli government and Jewish organizations, who saw it as draconic.

Yakis bill stated that a survivor who wishes to claim property has to be a Polish citizen today, and had to live in Poland when the property was nationalized by the Communist rule. This means most survivors, who left during or right after the Holocaust, are not eligible to claim properties.

In light of the criticism of the bill, Poland withdrew the legislation for further assessment, and it isnt expected to be discussed until after electionsmeaning 2020. Meanwhile, Holocaust survivors are dying, and its unlikely that their heirs would be able to sue for properties and restitution.

Gideon Taylor, chair of Operations and Treasure at WJRO, is angry: Im not pleased by the recent developments. I was expecting Warsaw to disclose all information about properties in a public manner that would allow property owners to file suits. We demand they set up a longer deadline and disclose all details about assets.

Yorams wife, Lusha, cant use the newly-discovered book to retrieve her familys property. To speak of property and assets is no shame, she says. At our age, we are left alone. We are the last survivors left. We want to die in better conditions than the ones we live in today. We need restitution for our sufferingno parents, no childhood. The property claims are claims for justice, since its a disgrace that 80 year olds in Israel and around the world live penniless. The property clams will help me financially. For me, justice is also revenge.
Even the neighbors of Nour el-Deen Baraka didn't know what he really did. He completed his master's degree in comparative Sharia law only this year after a period of intense study and memorization of the Quran. The group of uniformed men that generally accompanied him might have given his neighbors a clue of his other, more valuable role.

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Nour Baraka, 37, married with four children, was known for keeping a low profile. He lived in the family house in Bani Suheila, east of Khan Yunisnot far from where Hamas leaders Muhammad Dahlan and Yahya Sinwar were raised.

Nour Baraka

Nour Baraka was the commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, and was also put in charge of the Khan Yunis tunnels.

But the most famous of the Baraka family is actually his brother, Dr. Suleiman Baraka, a space scientist and astronomer, who studied in Egypt and Lebanon, moved to the United States to complete his doctorate, worked for NASA and won prestigious prizes in Paris and Washington. In 2008, after his 11 year-old son was killed in an Israeli operation in Gaza, Dr. Baraka stopped his work and returned to Gaza.

Recently, Suleiman gave a speech at a Palestinian TED event and received loud applause from the Gazan audience as he recounted his life-story in the Arab world. He described how in Syria he was suspected of being a Palestinian spy, how they were sure that he was a Zionist spy in Lebanon after seeing an Israeli stamp on his passport, how he had not managed to reach Australia and how he had almost settled in despair in Libya. "But in the end, like my brother Nour, I belong to the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades," he said.

Nour Baraka's mother (Photo: AFP)

On the day of the incident, Nour returned from a "work tour" in the north of Khan Yunis and entered his house. According to reports in Gaza, he identified "something suspicious" when he spotted a Volkswagen outside his window. He questioned the Israeli passengers, was not satisfied with their answers, and then the weapons were drawn and the shooting began.

According to reports on social media and news outlets in Gaza, two Israelis from the Volkswagen dressed in women's clothing were the ones who opened fire at Nour Baraka.

Al-Jazeera TV correspondent Wa'il Dahdouh air images on Monday of what was left of the Volkswagen used by the Israelis before they fled. "This is far beyond killing or taking captive a Palestinian, the Israelis planned something much bigger here, and did not succeed," he said.
"It was worth it," grinned Yitzhak Gabai without trying to hide the smile all over his face. It was worth it for the smiling terrorist to set fire to the Hebrew-Arabic bilingual school in Jerusalem. He may have sat in prison for three years, but now, as a released prisoner, he has become a celebrity, the subject of an indulging interview on Channel 20.

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What happened during Boaz Golan's show was a disgrace. Golan, the journalist, sat there surrounded by three lawyersAri Shamai, Yoram Sheftel and Itamar Ben-Gvir. It is bad enough Golan neglected his duty as a journalist and did not check in advance what the interviewee intended to say, but why didn't any of the four put an end to this disgrace in real time?

On the contrary, they sat there smug and chuckling in front of the smiling terrorist, who describes to viewers how he committed arson and explains why he does not regret his actions.

Yitzhak Gabai in court (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

Ari Shamai, who was apparently the left-wing's representative in the studio, gave Gabai a pro-bono tip on how to act if he felt like committing arson again. "It's forbidden to commit such acts," Shamai said with a chuckle. "I am against criminal acts, but if you want to, then do it alonenot with two other guys."

Gabai bursts into laughter. Golan remembers for a moment that he is in a TV studio and not in the circus, and says: "We certainly don't justify such actions." Shamai rolls his eyes and explains that he is very much in favor of the bilingual school, and it's a shame that in Israel, Arabic is not taught from the first grade. "For the sake of knowing the enemy," the arsonist hastens to clarify.

Ben Gvir intervenes with incitement against the bilingual school, which he claims supports terrorists. What his client did not burn with fire, he singes with his words.

Att. and right wing activist Itamar Ben Gvir

"Surely you don't recommend that other young people do that?" Golan asks. Gabai manages to surprise here too: "I can't get into anyone's head," he says. "Let everyone do what he wants and pay the price."

Shamai and Ben Gavir continue to joke. Golan sums up the discussion with a perfectly pertinent statement: "You are an abnormal bunch."

Att. Yoram Sheftel (Photo: Yair Sagi)

The only one, incidentally, who was silent throughout the discussion, is a man who is not known for silence and moderation. "And let the wise man be silent," explains Sheftel. Even he is in shock. And I say, the wise man should rise up at that moment and cry out against the disgrace.

Channel 20's apology is not sufficient. The media in Israel desperately needs balance and diversity. It still often speaks with a singular voice. But if media diversity on the Right means a shallow and heated conversation and giving a terrorist a platform, then no thanks. Definitely not worth it.
Two ancient coins, originating from 325-323 BC, were discovered this week when a Palestinian man attempted to smuggle them into Israel from the Gaza Strip through the Erez Border Crossing.

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The coins were detected when the man, a 40-year-old resident of the Gaza Strip, was stopped for a routine check at the Erez checkpoint.

The Archaeology Department of the Civil Administration seized the coins.

The silver coins confiscated. (Photo: COGAT)

The coins are made of silver and are equivalent to the tetradrachm, an Ancient Greek silver coin. They were coined during the late days of Alexander the Greats reign, or shortly after his death.

One was coined in Babylonmodern day Iraqand the other in Amphipolis, an Athenian colony in modern day Greece. The two coins are highly prized and sought after and are of vast historical and cultural importance.

This isnt the first attempt to smuggle coins into Israel from Gaza. In July 2017, a Palestinian man entering Israel was caught carrying four coins from the time of Alexander the Great.

Alexander the Great, 356-323 BC, was the King of Macedonia and is considered one of the greatest leaders in history. He conquered the land of Israel and Egypt without encountering any major resistance. He established a city named after him in EgyptAlexandriaand then returned to Syria and Mesopotamia, where he famously beat the Persian King Darius in the battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC.

Alexander the Great, featureed in a Roman Era mosaic from the city of Pompeii. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

During Alexanders massive conquests in the east, he started seeing himself as a god rather than a king, and as a bridge between the east and the west.

He married Roxana, a Sogdian princess from Bactria, and tried to force his officers to marry local Persian noble women. Alexanders officers felt uneasy about these demands, as they saw the peoples of the east as lesser, occupied peoples. Several of his officers were executed after they clashed with Alexander about the matter.

In 323 BC, at age 33, Alexander died of a fever, after conquering vast lands from Europe and all the way into India. His empire was split to three after he died and never returned to its former glory.
The UN envoy for Yemen announced Friday the country's internationally recognized government and rival Houthi Shiite rebels have agreed to attend talks aimed at ending their three-year war, which has created the globe's worst humanitarian crisis by pushing the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine.
Iran and Iraq could raise their annual bilateral trade to $20 billion from the current level of $12 billion, President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday, amid concerns in Tehran over the economic impact of renewed US sanctions.
Egyptian Intelligence officials, who had arrived in the strip on Thursday, left Gaza on Saturday. The two sides convened in order to discuss arrangements between Hamas and Israel.
Passengers on an El Al flight from NYC to Tel Aviv attacked flight attendants and threatened to break in to the cockpit due to delays that would not have allowed the flight to reach Israel before the Shabbat.

One passenger said that he saw flight attendants being beaten and burst into tears. Finally, the plane landed in Athens in order to observe the Shabbat.
Around 200 protesters demonstrated in Tel Aviv against government corruption, and carried signs saying the people are not afraid of Bibi, Shaked and Bennett., Crime minister and others.
Traffic navigates along U.S. 2 in Bessemer on Thursday afternoon. City and state officials will hold a public hearing on Nov. 26 on a proposal to reduce the number of highway lanes from four to three.

BESSEMER - Three lanes or four?

The Michigan Department of Transportation is planning to reconstruct U.S. 2 across the city of Bessemer in 2021 and city officials have planned a public hearing on the issue of how many lanes there should be when it's done.

The hearing will be held Monday, Nov. 26, at 6 p.m. in the city hall auditorium.

There are currently four lanes of traffic through the city, but MDOT officials have pitched the idea of three lanes - one for eastbound traffic, one for westbound traffic and a middle lane for lefthand turns.

MDOT officials will be there to take questions an...
BESSEMER  The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners this week went on record as supporting the purchase of land from Pat Steiger for the next phase of the Iron Belle Trail.

The non-motorized trail will extend from Bessemer to Ramsay.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources sought the letter of support from the county.

The land will be purchased from Steiger Timber Operations.

More than $1.1 million has been raised for the $1.4 million trail project and the remaining $300,000 is expected to come through in December from a MDNR Trust Fund grant. The application is currently under rev...
News

Washington, DC - Remarks by President Trump Honoring National Veterans and Military Families Month:

THE PRESIDENT: Wow. That was such a nice introduction, Mr. Secretary. Thank you. (Applause.) And, by the way, just so you understand, hes doing a great job. Please, sit down. After that introduction, I would have to say that even if he wasnt doing a great job, right? (Laughter.)

But hes a fantastic person, who has committed like Ive never seen. And, you know, he came out of Defense, and they werent happy about it. Thats always a good sign  you know, when theyre not happy? When they are happy, you know you picked the wrong person. (Laughter.) But they were not  theyre still not happy about it.

Thank you very much. Where are you? There you are. Thank you very much. Beautiful.

And thank you, everybody, for being here. This is a tremendously important group of people to me. Americas veterans, these are special people.

Today Im thrilled to welcome you all to the White House Conference on Supporting Veterans and Military Families. And we all know how important families are for us. I do want to thank  I understand with us, a man whos really been of great help, is the Utah Attorney General, Sean Reyes. Wheres Sean? Hi, Sean. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Really good.

Earlier this week, our nation celebrated Veterans Day, and we also marked the 100th Anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I. Thats a beautiful, beautiful and important day. On Sunday, I had the immense privilege of visiting Suresnes Cemetery in France to pay tribute to the brave Americans who laid down their lives for our nation one century ago. One hundred years. We will never forget what these heroes did to win  and win they did, the war  and to secure peace.

To everyone here today who has served our country in uniform, and to every veteran and military family across our land, I want to express the eternal gratitude and thanks of our entire nation.

Delivering for our great veterans requires strong partnerships at all levels of government. That is why we are so grateful to you, the state  very important  and local community leaders  it all doesnt work without you; it doesnt work without you  from around the country who are participating in todays very important conference.

Were also glad to be joined by Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta, wherever Alex may be. Where is Alex? Hello, Alex. Hes doing a great job. Thank you. Thank you very much. Who is leading up our efforts to ensure veterans and military families can find great jobs and rewarding careers. And one of the best things we have going is you have maybe the greatest economy weve had in many, many years.

Thank you, Alex. I thought I saw you back there. (Laughter.) Now youre where you belong, right next to each other. Right?

So I want to thank all of the people that are making this economy go. We have so many people working so hard. But its booming.

And veteran unemployment has reached its lowest level in nearly 21 years. And its going to be better. (Applause.) Going to be even be better. And that number will be better  because if you look at the various statistics, African American employment [unemployment] is the lowest level in history. Hispanic employment [unemployment] is the lowest level in history. Asian employment [unemployment] is the lowest level in history. Women  65 years.

So we have to do better for the veterans. I think 21 years isnt the same. I have a feeling that the next chart that comes out, theyll be right up there too. But this is the lowest in 21 years.

Since day one, my administration has also taken bold action to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs and deliver our veterans the care they so richly deserve. Working very hard on it.

Last year, I signed the landmark VA Accountability Act, which, as you know, by accountability, that ensures us the right to get rid of, in a very nice way, or a very rough way  any way we want  (laughter)  the Secretary probably is a rough way, and thats okay; thats okay, too, Secretary  those who mistreat our veterans. And they are going to be held fully accountable.

This was something that for, I would say, four decades theyve been trying to get it approved. Sounds easy; its not. I love the unions; we love civil service. But they didnt make this one easy for many, many decades. We got it done. Were good at getting things done.

Since my inauguration, we have removed more than 3,600 government employees who were not giving our vets the care or respect that they deserve.

In June, I proudly signed into law the most significant VA reform in half a century, called Veterans Choice. Everyone knows what that means. Now, if a veteran cannot get the treatment they need from the VA in a timely manner, they can see a private doctor. They dont have to wait 12 days or 20 days.

I heard horror stories like you wouldnt believe during the campaign, when I was campaigning. And I appreciate the Secretary saying that it was a very major part  the veterans  of all of my speeches. I dont think I left them out of one speech, and I made plenty of them. And they were at the top. And now were really producing I think far greater than anyone would have thought possible.

Since I took office, 2.2 million veterans have been able to receive the care they need outside of the VA system. So theres no more waiting on lines. Literally, people were waiting. You know better than I do. But theyd be waiting three, four, five, six weeks, in some cases, to see a doctor. Now they go and they see a private doctor right outside, hopefully right next to their house or where they live, and we pay for it. And they are very thankful. Its been incredible.

And were actually upping that program quite a bit as time goes by. Were going to be doing certain steps that we always had planned. But were doing it step by step. And weve had great support in Congress, I have to say that.

In September, I signed into law the largest funding bill for the VA in history. We secured $8.6 billion for veterans mental health services; $400 million for opioid abuse prevention; and $270 million for rural veterans health initiatives. The rural veterans have had it pretty tough over the years because theyre pretty far away from a lot of potentially good treatment.

Working with the VA and Department of Housing and Urban Development, weve helped nearly 54,000 veterans in need. Weve helped them find permanent housing and great services last year.

To improve the efficiency of the VA, I signed the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act. Over the last two years, we have taken dramatic action to streamline the bureaucracy, and made tremendous progress.

In the last year, we pro-cessed more than one million total claims  processed  total claims at the VA, along with 85,000 appeals decisions  the most in history  and 62 percent more than the previous year, which is a record. Which is a record. Nobody has ever seen that kind of an improvement.

Since I took office, we have reduced the average claim wait time  such a big factor in what were doing; wait times  by nearly 25 percent. And that number is going to go substantially better with a little more time.

We opened the promised White House VA hotline, which has already fielded more than 150,000 calls and emails from our veterans when they have a complaint, a problem  or in many cases, we receive compliments for whats happened in the last less than two-year period. Its almost two years. Can you believe it? But its still less than two years.

In January, I signed an executive order directing the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs to ensure seamless access to mental health care and suicide prevention resources for veterans  tremendous, hard to believe problem; hard to believe, actually  with a focus on the first year after separation from military service, when a lot of bad things can happen.

We secured $206 million for VA suicide prevention programming. And every VA medical center now offers same-day emergency mental health care. But we must do more, and were working to do more.

We will be working with every state and local leader  so many of you are here and around the nation  to improve vital mental health services for Americas great veterans. This is a top priority for my administration. It has been, as I said, from the beginning  always will be  until we get it right. And were getting close. And once we get it right, were going to keep it right  because it can go bad just as fast as we fixed it. So were going to keep it right. Pretty soon, thats what were going to be working on, Mr. Secretary  just keeping it right. Were getting to a point.

Another crucial element of our veterans agenda is improved access to education. Last year, I signed legislation to allow every veteran to use their GI Bill education benefits at any point in their lives. And earlier this year, I signed an executive order to promote military spouse hiring across the federal government. Military families are the backbone of our nation.

So, in addition to everything else, as you see, I did the promotion of military spouse hiring across the federal government. The fact is, Ive done a lot. (Laughter.) I could  (applause)  goodbye, everybody! Goodbye, everybody! Thats a lot. That is a lot. Thats more than anybody has ever even thought about, and Im proud of it. And were not finished yet. Thats why I figured I did so much, I could leave now. But were not finished. We never will be finished.

To support our heroes in uniform, we have secured a record $716 billion in military funding this year. And last year, we increased it by hundreds of billions of dollars to $700 billion. Americas military might is the best way to prevent war. The stronger we are, the less chance we have of having to go to war.

Its now a new force, a great force. We have the finest equipment, the finest planes, the finest missiles and rockets, ships. Some are being built. Just gave out a tremendous order for brand-new F-35s  fighter jets. Theyre stealth. You cant see them. Other than that, theyre easy to beat. (Laughter.) I said to one of the pilots, I said, How good are these? Well, sir, the problem is you cant see them when you fight them. I said, That sounds like its a big advantage. And he said, Its an awfully big advantage.

Its incredible equipment, everything we make. We make the best equipment in the world. You should know that. I mean, we make equipment like nobody else even comes close. Our technology is far superior to anybody else. Our jetfighters  even our tankers  but our planes, our ships, theres nobody that makes the equipment like we make it. And the beautiful thing with  when you hear $716 billion, its all made in the USA, every ounce of it. Right? (Applause.)

And we will soon have the greatest and most prepared force  military force anywhere in the history of our country, by far. And thats what we need. It was becoming very depleted and very tired. And you people know probably better than anybody in this country what was happening. It was not good. And now its really good.

Its our sacred duty to support Americas service members every single day they wear the uniform, and every day after when they return home as veterans and heroes. We take care of them. Thats very important. And they really appreciate it. I think nothing Ive done is more appreciated. I think weve done a lot for a lot of different groups, but nobody has appreciated it more than the vets. I see that when I go out, when I make speeches and I meet people backstage and onstage. I think the vets, maybe more than anybody else, appreciate what were doing for them.

So together, we will honor those who defend us; we will cherish those who protect us; and we will celebrate the amazing heroes who keep America safe, and strong, and proud, and free.

I want to thank you all. Youre very incredible people. I know the job youre doing; I know how hard it is. I know what youve gone through, especially before we came into office. What you went through is incredible. Horrible, in certain ways. But I know what you went through. And its my honor to be with you.

And God bless America. Keep up the great work. Thank you very much.
Arizona News

Flagstaff, Arizona - A Coconino County Superior Court Judge sentenced Carli Moncher, a former forensic interviewer, to four months in prison for embezzling money from her employer.

Moncher was a forensic interviewer for Northern Arizona Healthcare between March 2014 and April 2017. During her employment, Moncher falsified timesheets, falsified forms to get reimbursement money for travel expenses, and created subpoenas purported to require her appearance to testify in court. In two of the cases, Moncher falsely testified she was only receiving her normal wage, when in fact she was being paid an hourly rate by the prosecutors office.

Moncher pleaded guilty to one count of Perjury and one count of Theft. She was sentenced Friday afternoon.

As a forensic interviewer, Moncher testified in countless cases across Arizona to put criminals behind bars, said Attorney General Mark Brnovich. Sadly, her actions could impact some of those cases where justice was served. There is no excuse for anyone to lie on the witness stand, especially for financial gain.

Moncher must also pay $8,148.15 in restitution to Northern Arizona Healthcare.
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- Deborah Vanessa has revealed that though she is far older than Medikal, she accepted his love proposal because he was respectful and kind

- She said that her mother and her brother Wanlov liked Medikal so much that Wanlov wanted to feature Wanlov in his songs

- Deborah sadly had to break up with Medikal after Fella Makafui snatched him from her

Deborah Vanessa, 34, has revealed that she accepted her former boyfriend, 26-year-old Medikals proposal because he was respectful.

Deborah added that Medikal was kind, hardworking, ambitious and good all in all, attracting her to accept his proposal even though she is older than her.

According to the Uncle Obama hitmaker, Medikal, throughout their almost three two of dating, has never disrespected her before.

Deborah Vanessa and Medikal in good times. Photo credit: Supplied

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Get rich quick, wife snatching killing young people  Mortuary man reveals

Deborahs flattering comments about Medikal will come as a surprise to many who know how Medikal has jabbed her, and also leaked secrets they shared as lovers, after their breakup.

Speaking in a video sighted by YEN.com.gh, Sister Derby revealed that her mother used to like Medikal so much and referred to him as my son.

My mother told me all the guys I dated I said they were annoying and irritating, but she never heard that about Medikal, and so even though she had not met him before, he liked him so much and called him my son, Sister Derby revealed.

READ ALSO: Former Miss Malaika queen Hamamat Montia spotted selling food on the streets

She added that her brother, Wanluv De Kuborlo, also liked Medikal, and expressed interest in helping him succeed in his music career.

Deborah, who appeared all excited in the video as if nothing had happened said she rarely get angry over issues, but there are two things that can really upset her.

One of these things, she revealed, is when someone lied to her.

According to her, she does not tell lies, and does well to avoid situations that would lead her to tell lies, therefore, when she is lied to, she gets really angry.

The other thing is when someone argues with her without accurate knowledge, Sister Derby said.

READ ALSO: I know I dont look good, but I am sexy  Stephen Appiah consoles himself with latest photo

Her relationship with Medikal had been rosy until Fella Makafui intruded and successfully snatched him.

Deborah Vanessa had long nursed the hope of getting married to Medikal, however, it appears that hope will not be realised.

Meanwhile, Medikal had claimed that Deborah was pressurising him with marriage and so he decided to leave her for someone younger.

Wading into the controversy, Medikals mother said her son had made her understand that he was no longer interested in Deborah, and so dating Fella Makafui now.

In a related development, Fella Makafui has shared a video of herself and Medikal going wild in their bedroom.

READ ALSO: Fella Makafui and Medikal put their bedroom skills on display sharing wild kisses

Ghana News Today: Mortuary Workers to Strike / Madina-Adenta Footbridge Demo | Yen.com.gh

READ ALSO: Market women disappointed in Akufo-Addo as they recount hardships they face daily (Video)

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Source: Yen Newspaper
Top Kumawood actress, Christiana Awuni, has called on fellow actresses to do the right thing by quitting their marriages if their husbands failed to support them in their acting careers.

The veteran actress made this known in an interview with Pulse.com.gh which has been sighted by YEN.com.gh

"If you are an actress and your husband does not support your career or roles quit the relationship or marriage."

Christiana Awuni (Photo credit: Ghanaweb.com)

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Meet Fatima Timbo, an Instagram model who is enjoying her beautiful life

She added that the only way for an actress to have a good marriage or relationship is for her to look out for the man who will understand her role in a movie.

Christiana indicated that it will be appropriate for an actor or actress to introduce their work to his or her partner. The partner has to visit the set to see how things are done to reduce insecurities.

She mentioned in the interview that she and most actresses that had unstable marriages because of their work are not to be blamed for their divorce.

READ ALSO: Akua GMB ends eight-year marriage with Dr. Oteng

YEN.com.gh had previously reported a story of Christian Awuni having secret affair with Kumawood actor Bernard Nyarko.

Local fans were stunned with the news after Kumasi-based Nhyira FM reported about their relationship.

Ghana News Today: Adenta on Fire as Angry Residents Protest Over Frequent Deaths| #Yencomgh

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President Akufo-Addo has been named as superintending the most nepotistic government in the fourth Republic.

It is a very common phenomenon among Ghanaian presidents to appoint family affiliations into their governments.

The likes of Jerry John Rawlings, John Agyekum Kufour, John Evans Atta-Mills and John Mahama all tolled the same line during their times as president.

President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Fancy Gadam holds secret naming ceremony for baby boy

When Atta-Mills was president, he appointed his brothers Samuel Atta Mills and Dr Cadman Atta Mills as Aide and member of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC), respectively.

Mahama also gave state contracts to his biological brother Ibrahim Mahama and appointed his aunts daughter, Hon. Joyce Mogtari Bawa as a deputy minister.

Meanwhile, Kufour also appointed his brother, Addo Kufour as Minister of Defense; and Mr J.H. Mensah, Brother-in-law as a senior minister.

However, a latest chart by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) has cited President Akufo-Addo as leading the charge when it comes to nepotism in government.

Executive Director of CDD, Professor H Kwesi Prempeh, attributed the nepotism in successive governments to a cultural phenomenon.

It is a difficult matter for our society because we cant separate the public from the private, he told Accra-based Adom FM.

He said there must be serious education for people to understand that when a relative is not obliged to use his influence to get you a job when he is in power.

READ ALSO: Big men, pastors and ritualists pester me to sell human parts to them - Mortuary man

Fund Raiser for Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Michael Boadi was also of the view that nepotism is not exclusively an African problem.

According to him, nepotism cannot be rated in the same bracket as corruption, but advised political leaders to make appointments using level playing fields, rather than affiliations.

President Akufo-Addo has in recent times faced strong criticism for allegedly practising nepotism in his government.

Former president John Dramani Mahama and the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) have been two of Nana Addos strongest critics.

Nuru Deen Story - The Miraculous Xylophone Manufacturer: Faces of Ghana | Yen.com.gh

READ ALSO: NDC Congress will end Anyidohos political career - Pollster predicts

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Founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Jerry John Rawlings, on Saturday shocked many with his short one-sentence message when he gave an address at the NDCs delegates conference in Accra.

Mr Rawlings, who is known for his charisma and passionate public speeches failed to deliver one to the amazement of many.

The former president as usual mounted the podium to a rousing welcome and cheers. He appreciated the applauds of the crowd but said he would have wished for the spirit of the old days.

READ ALSO: NDC Congress will end Anyidohos political career - Pollster predicts

I can imagine, how we would have wished for the spirit of the old days. Is it possible to bring it back? I hope so, he quizzed.

Addressing the NDC delegates, the founder of the party urged the people not to ignore counsel from its members.

[bringing back the old spirit] can only happen if we cultivate the habit of listening to ourselves. I want to make an appeal, that we listen to ourselves, he concluded.

The last time Rawlings commented on developments within the National Democratic Congress was when he delivered an address at the 39th-anniversary durbar to mark the June 4 uprising.

The 9th National Annual Congress of the NDC will see 65 aspirants consisting of 59 males and six females contesting for various national executive positions of the party.

About 15,000 people made up of 9,350 delegates and 5,650 observers, are expected to be at the venue.

Street Quiz Ghana: What Would Be Your Message to the President Should You Meet Him? | Yen.com.gh

READ ALSO: Big men, pastors and ritualists pester me to sell human parts to them - Mortuary man

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Send us a message via YEN's official Facebook page.

Source: Yen
Kentucky is working to elevate the status of state data and taking steps to develop its inventory and use, with a new leader under the states new chief information officer.Krishna Mohan Mupparaju, a 20-year state employee whose career has seen him rise from enterprise systems architect to chief enterprise architect and executive director of the office of project management, was named as the state's chief data officer and chief technology officer on Aug. 1. Its a combined role he characterized as having been created to support CIO Chuck Grindles vision for positioning the state as an IT leader and as foundational to setting the states vision, technology roadmap and IT strategy alignment with the governors priorities and the Legislatures mandate. The state named Grindle, a retired U.S. Army veteran with federal-level IT experience, as CIO on Dec. 8.Kentucky has been moving toward a tech centralization at least since 2012, when the Commonwealth Office of Technology (COT) became the centralized infrastructure services provider for executive cabinets and some elected offices. Gov. Matt Bevin enabled the ongoing reorganization and centralization of state IT late last year with the signing of Executive Order 244, which furthered IT centralization by giving the CIO authority over IT and spending. Aspects of his dual CDO/CTO role are still being refined, the new C-level executive said, but what is very clear is that it will have a deep impact on the states technology direction and work with data.As CTO, currently an informal role, Mupparaju will be responsible for shaping the states long-term technology vision, optimizing infrastructure and evolving how COT delivers IT services. Its a shift, he said, that will enable the state to have another focus beyond necessary, operational needs around keeping the lights on, performance and putting out the fires toward long-term planning and adapting to newer tech like cloud and 5G.The states infrastructure consolidation should conclude within the next few months, and in mid-October officials completed the second test of Mainframe-as-a-Service with IBM as its provider. The agency is close to cutting over to a Dell-based converged infrastructure thats already in production, and has migrated 2,800 virtual machines and more than 100 physical servers to its new platform  freeing up space in its data center which it can offer to other public entities at a nominal cost.But Mupparajus attention is also on data, where the new executive said his principal short-term requirement is to understand best practices in data management. Somewhat similar to how its hardware and software assets were once divided among cabinets and agencies pre-consolidation, the states data assets are currently de-centralized. Mupparaju said hell work to create a baseline inventory of data assets and how those are defined  a necessary first step in determining how to correlate data and data systems to create meaningful asset from information.Grindle recognizes the states long-term goals will require a fundamental entwining of tech decisions and data repositories, Mupparaju said in an email. His dual role enables a unified view of technology through strategy and planning, he added  but he indicated it is possible the two offices may someday need to be led independently as the states approach and experience mature.Its already going, and some of the long-term efforts are also coming to fruition right now. But now the immediate focus is getting a little bit of maturity into our organization in terms of data. So, that will be my immediate focus, he said in an interview with, referring to consolidated infrastructure and Mainframe-as-a-Service.COT is working on the formalizing of the CDO office and is scrutinizing how to begin documenting data, storage locations and definitions to forge a set of policies spelling out the definitions of data and enterprise data, as well as formulating CIO policies around data and information for the executive cabinet. The compliance officer is currently working to forge a master data agreement at the enterprise level for all executive cabinets, the CDO said. Any use cases with special requirements that cant be covered in that master pact can be handled with an addendum in the form of a business associate agreement, specific to the piece of data in question.Theres considerable interest, Mupparaju said, because officials dont want to wait to access data and are supportive of streamlining the process of data usage. However, he indicated he expects one of his greatest challenges to be in this very area of master data management.Anyone who has attempted to reconcile large data sets owned by different business owners and used for similar but slightly different applications realizes that the effort is not simply a technical challenge. It is a collaborative process that will take effort and good will, he said via email.
(TNS)  Even prayers werent enough for Palm Beach County to make Floridas recount deadline.After battling with decade-old ballot-counting machines only capable of recounting one race at a time, overheated equipment and ballot count discrepancies, the county failed to meet the 3 p.m. Thursday state deadline for submitting updated vote totals in the races for U.S. Senate, governor and commissioner of agriculture and consumer services. Palm Beach, where nearly 600,000 ballots were cast, appeared to be one of only three counties to miss the deadline.Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher had warned that elections staff would not be able to meet the deadline to recount votes cast in the governor and agriculture commissioner races and in a Florida House race, but said on Monday that she was confident her staff would complete the recount of votes in the Senate race.That changed after ballot-counting machines overheated on Tuesday night and gave incorrect vote totals, forcing the county to recount about 175,000 early votes. By Wednesday afternoon the machines had been fixed, but Bucher said she was  in prayer mode to finish on time. The new vote totals didnt match the totals from before the machines malfunctioned, forcing Buchers information technology manager to hunt for several boxes of ballots that had already been recounted but whose tallies were lost when the equipment overheated.We gave a heroic effort and given probably three or four more hours we might have made the time, Bucher said on Thursday afternoon.Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner ordered machine recounts last Saturday after receiving unofficial vote counts from the states 67 elections departments. The recounts were automatically triggered because vote totals in the races between Gov. Rick Scott and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, Ron DeSantis and Andrew Gillum, and Matt Caldwell and Nikki Fried were separated by less than half a percentage point. Palm Beach also had to recount votes for a state House seat that appeared to have been decided by just 37 votes.Counties had until 3 p.m. Thursday to submit new vote tallies based on the machine recount. Detzner ordered a manual recount in the Senate and agriculture commissioner races around 5 p.m. because the vote totals were within a quarter of a percentage point. During a manual recount, election workers have to examine overvotes , which occur when a voter marks two candidates in a race, and undervotes, which occur when a voter leaves a race blank.Shortly after Bucher made her announcement, however, the Nelson campaign sued Detzner and Palm Beach County to demand a hand count of all ballots due to systematic machine failure during the machine recount.Marc Elias, a Democratic election lawyer representing the campaign, explained on a call with reporters that given the problems with Palm Beachs ballot-counting machines, it seems to us that the simplest and neatest remedy is to just do a full hand recount of Palm Beach County and thereby ensure that the voters of Palm Beach County are not disenfranchised.Elias said in a tweet that he was also monitoring results in Hillsborough and Broward counties, where elections officials appeared to have missed the machine recount deadlines. Broward County finished recounting votes , but submitted the results minutes after the state deadline.What happens in Palm Beach now that the county has missed the machine recount deadline?A spokeswoman for Detzner said Tuesday that by law counties should continue counting past the deadline so that final tallies can be included in official results, which are due on Nov. 18 and will be certified by the state on Nov. 20. If Palm Beach doesnt make that deadline, the countys previously submitted results will automatically be considered official.On Thursday, Palm Beach submitted its results from Saturday in lieu of machine recount results. Bucher said Thursday evening that she had decided to finish the machine recount of Senate votes before starting the manual recount on Friday at 11 a.m. Palm Beach has approximately 5,950 ballots with overvotes and undervotes in the Senate race, Bucher said, which she expects will only take a few hours to hand count.After the manual recount is complete for the Senate race, Bucher said she would like to continue with the other recounts if she gets permission from a federal judge. That process could take weeks, however. Bucher told U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in a hearing on Thursday that finishing the full recount could optimistically take until Dec. 15 or possibly until the later part of December, very close to Christmas.Earlier in the day, Bucher blamed outdated machines for the countys failure to meet the deadline. The fact of the matter is that when equipment fails, theres not a lot I can do about it, she said.Palm Beach has set aside $11 million to buy new equipment, but Bucher said the county hasnt yet purchased the machines because the state still needs to resolve a question about voting system compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.In addition to the suit filed by Nelsons campaign on Thursday, another pending lawsuit could also impact Palm Beachs recount.Democratic candidate Jim Bonfiglio first sued the state this week to extend the deadline for a recount in his race for House District 89 against Republican Mike Caruso, who was leading by just 37 votes. The case was moved to federal court, where Walker held a hearing late Thursday afternoon.Bonfiglios complaint argued that Palm Beach was prioritizing recounts by their position on the ballot  moving from U.S. Senate, to governor, then agriculture commissioner  before conducting the recounts in his state House race.Though a ruling was not expected until Friday, Walker floated the idea that he could issue an order allowing the canvassing board to reorder the races that were being counted, permitting House District 89 votes to be counted after Senate votes.On Thursday afternoon, in a separate case, Walker denied a request from Nelsons campaign to have recount deadlines extended across all 67 counties.The judge cited the lack of information provided about the status of Palm Beach Countys recount process and when it might be able to complete counting ballots.There is a complete dearth of evidence before this Court concerning the status, progress, or expected completion of the ordered recounts in Palm Beach County, he wrote. In considering whether to grant the extraordinary relief of a preliminary injunction, the Court is required to balance the equities. ... This balancing is effectively impossible without an understanding of the state and limitations of the current ongoing process.Earlier Thursday, Walker had taken several entities to task, including the Florida Legislature and the Palm Beach County elections supervisor, for issues he said had led to the delayed counts.We have been the laughingstock of the world, election after election, and we chose not to fix this, he said. He also criticized the idea that he might extend the recount process without a new specific deadline, asking lawyers for Nelson who had requested the delay to elaborate on exactly what solution he should provide.You literally have blindfolded me, shoved me in a room, turned all the lights out and said, judge, youre supposed to fashion a remedy, he said.This Court must be able to craft a remedy with knowledge that it will not prove futile, he wrote later in his order. It cannot do so on this record. This Court does not and will not fashion a remedy in the dark.
(TNS)  Evans, Colo., police officer Jason Schissler logs into the departments Computer Aided Dispatch system through Spillman. The Evans Police Department went live with the Spillman system Nov. 4, joining Greeley police and the Weld County County Sheriffs Office, which have been using it since 2013.Earlier this month, the Evans Police Department upgraded its records software to Spillman in an effort to streamline its own operations and promote information sharing with other agencies in Weld County.Evans police went live on Spillman Nov. 4. It replaced the department's 15-year-old system, NetRMS, which was managed by Motorola. The company announced five years ago it would stop providing technological support for the NetRMS system by the end of 2018, prompting the search for a new information management system by Evans police.Evans police Cmdr. Jason Phipps was tasked with researching vendors for a new records system, which was complicated early on by another agency's decision to also move to Spillman.Local residents might remember 2013, when Motorola announced it was dropping support for its NetRMS system, was the same year the Weld County Regional Communications Center, the sheriff's office and Greeley police all transitioned to Spillman. The system received less than rave reviews and within a year county officials were searching for a new vendor for its emergency communications and records management needs.The county would eventually opt to stay with Spillman."We had already invested a lot of capital in Spillman and we later learned we didn't implement it as well as we could have," said Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams. "Rather than go through a whole new set of growing pains by moving to another system, there was a concerted effort to determine if we were using Spillman to its optimal capabilities."It took a lot of effort by the IT department, but I think it's a much more functional system than we thought back in 2014."Evans police decided to join the Spillman system this summer for a variety of reasons, Phipps said, noting it appeared any issues encountered early on by Greeley police and the sheriff's office seemed to be worked out. Costs, information sharing and work efficiency also were highlights of the program.When Phipps began five years ago the process of researching a new information management system, Motorola offered to provide the department with the latest version of NetRMS, which would have allowed Evans police to stick with software it was already familiar even though it wouldn't receive technological support after this year. The cost for the upgraded software was $500,000.Spillman, which also is managed by Motorola following the 2016 acquisition of Spillman Technologies, came with a far cheaper price tag thanks to the county already holding a license to operate the system. Adding Evans as a partner agency to Spillman saved the city hundreds of thousands of dollars, Phipps said.Officer productivity and efficiency also is expected to improve now that Evans is on the same system as Greeley and Weld County, especially when it comes to filing paperwork.Whenever a police officer makes an arrest, there's paperwork that goes along with it, such as a report, an affidavit for arrest, which goes to the Weld District Attorney's Office, and bonding paperwork used by deputies to book a suspect into Weld County Jail. Evan officers would then have to make copies of all of those documents and then manually re-enter them at the department because Evans police was on its own records management system.Spillman is a lot like Microsoft Office in the sense that it is a suite housing a variety of different public safety modules, including Computer Aided Dispatch, Records Management System and Jail Management System, among others. When an officer writes a report in Spillman, much of the information needed by the jail and the district attorney's office automatically transfers to those other forms."One of the obvious benefits is officers are spending less time duplicating reports and more time in the community," Phipps said. "The reports are also more accurate now that we're not re-entering information into multiple systems."Being on the same system also means it's never been easier for Greeley, Evans and Weld County law enforcement to share data, from information obtained during a traffic stop to identifying crime trends affecting each jurisdiction."We're married to Greeley being so close to one another, but we might as well have been continents apart in terms of our ability to share information," Phipps said. "The importance of it might not be fully understood by the average citizen, but internally we understand the importance of information sharing is in law enforcement."
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By Maj. Danny Sjursen

November 16, 2018 "Information Clearing House" - The whole charade plays best as farce. Absurdity incarnate. The sight of former President George W. Bush receiving a medal from Democrat Joe Biden  once an ardent opponent of Bushs war policy  in Philadelphia for his work with veterans, on Veterans Day no less, induced nothing short of a gag from this veteran of two Bush wars  Iraq and Afghanistan.

George W. Bush, after all, led the U.S. military  to which Ive dedicated my adult life  into two ill-advised perpetual wars, one of which was objectively illegal and immoral. In that war, in Iraq, some 7,000 American troops  including three of mine  were killed fighting in an unwinnable quagmire. Furthermore, though it slipped the attention of an American citizenry best known for its provincial inwardness, at least 250,000 Iraqis  mostly civilians  were killed. In a just world this would be labeled what it is  a war crime  but in this era of American hegemony, the populace simply sighs with apathy.

Now, we are told, it is time to congratulate Mr. Bush on his post-presidency work with the very veterans he created. Somehow, his choice to spend his retirement painting the faces of the misemployed, and often damaged, veterans he brought into being absolves him from the crimes of what this author is certain will be remembered as one of the worst presidencies in history. This fanfare is post-factual and illogical, but it certainly reflects our times.

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Only in the era of Donald Trump could such a flawed and ignoble figure as George W. Bush appear gallant. Then again, we should have seen it coming. When a bipartisan consensus of warhawks turned out to share candy and venerate the militaristic legacy of Sen. John McCain  complete with both Barack Obama and George W. Bush as keynote speakers  it was only a matter of time until Bush and his murderous administration were rehabilitated.

And it makes sense that it was Biden who bestowed the medal. Smiling Joe might have turned against that failing Iraq War by 2006, but let us remember that Biden  along with Democrats Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer and Harry Reid  voted for that very war in October 2002. The whole moment was shameful, and a farcical  if accurate  parody of the entire U.S. bipartisan warfare state. Bidens boss, Barack Obama, after all, was the very man who chose not to investigate or indict the veritable war criminals in his predecessors administration. Obama claimed that he did so in the name of national unity; yet given his own militaristic record, it seems he did so only to perpetuate an American warfare state in the Middle East.

Shame on Joe Biden; shame on Barack Obama; shame on all the elite officials who play politics but refuse to forswear the tactics and policies of US government militarism that has been in business since 9/11/2001. One group, at least, refused to bow to the  little reported  Bush award ceremony: About Face, Veterans Against the War, an organization Im proud to be a part of, bravely chose to protest the farce in Philadelphia. As they blocked the entrances to the gala (for which tickets started at $1,000 each), these veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan chanted against the expansion of the warfare state and the shameful award bestowed upon Bush. As is so often the case in apathetic America, hardly anyone noticed, and the mainstream media quickly moved on.

This veteran, for one, did not avert his eyes. His eyes teared as he watched fellow veterans  victims of the Bush wars of choice  protest his absurd award ceremony. I thought of Sgt. Alexander J. Fuller, my favorite soldier, who died at the hands of Iraqi Shiite militias who should have been the natural allies of the United States in the war on terror. Only Bush  who famously didnt know the difference between Sunni and Shiite Arabs  found a way to lead the US Army into an illogical conflict with them, too.

Ill never forgive George W. Bush, no matter how many portraits he paints. Perhaps if I was as good a Christian as he, I would. But Im not that guy. Bushs ill-advised wars stole my friends, my youth, my mental health and my trust in the American state. That cant be replaced. In my younger years, an emotional 23-year-old version of myself probably wished ill on him and his. I no longer feel that way. I wish only the best for Mr. Bush, his wife and his family. But I, and no serious veteran and scholar of the Iraq wars, will ever countenance his rehabilitation or commemoration.

Major Danny Sjursen, an Antiwar.com regular, is a US Army officer and former history instructor at West Point. He served tours with reconnaissance units in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has written a memoir and critical analysis of the Iraq War, Ghost Riders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge. He lives with his wife and four sons in Lawrence, Kansas. Follow him on Twitter at @SkepticalVet and check out his new podcast Fortress on a Hill, co-hosted with fellow vet Chris Henri Henrikson.

[Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author, expressed in an unofficial capacity, and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.]

Copyright 2018 Danny Sjursen

This article was originally published by " TruthDig " -

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November 16, 2018 "Information Clearing House" - At first glance, it may seem like a positive move. The Trump administration and London are both putting pressure on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to implement a ceasefire in Yemens atrocious war. Washington and London are also calling for warring sides to enter into peace negotiations within a month.

Whats wrong with that, you may ask? Well, as Houthi rebels who took over Yemen at the end of 2014 are saying, the country has been under aggression for the past three years from a Saudi-led coalition supported militarily by the US, Britain and France. The unrelenting war on the poorest country in the Middle East has led to the worlds worst humanitarian crisis in decades, with over half of the population  some 14 million people  at risk of starvation, according to the UN.

Therefore, the appropriate legal and moral course of action now is not merely a ceasefire or talks. It is for the Western-backed Saudi, Emirati coalition to immediately halt its criminal aggression against Yemen. In short, stop the foreign interference in Yemens sovereign affairs.

US Secretary of State James Mattis and Britains Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt appear to be impelled by humanitarian concern for the massive human suffering in Yemen with their recent calls for cessation of hostilities.

But a more nuanced reading of their exhortations suggest that the real concern is to burnish the blood-soaked image of the Saudi coalition that their governments support, and, secondly, to inveigle the Houthis into a negotiations framework that will result in undue foreign influence over Yemens politics.

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Last week, Washington announced that it was suspending mid-air refueling flights for Saudi and Emirati warplanes that have been pounding Yemen since March 2015, which has resulted in a horrendous death toll among civilians. The indiscriminate killing of the Saudis and Emirati air strikes has been amply documented, albeit downplayed by Western media. The latter keep repeating a figure of 10,000 dead in Yemen  a figure which has bizarrely remained unchanged for at least the past two years. The real death toll from air strikes is unknown but likely to be near 50,000.

American, British and French military support for the murderous operations in Yemen should have stopped months, even years ago, if official humanitarian concerns were genuine.

The question is: why the sudden effort by Washington and London, as well as Paris, to call for a ceasefire and follow-on political talks?

One factor, no doubt, is the barbaric murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by assassins linked to the House of Saud. Turkish authorities believe that Khashoggi was brutally murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, his body hacked to pieces and dissolved in industrial-strength acid. Audiotapes obtained by the Turkish authorities have implicated the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the murder plot against the dissident journalist.

The gruesome details of Khashoggis killing and the blatant lies that the Saudi rulers have issued to cover up their barbarity have heaped immense pressure on Washington, London and Paris over their close ties with the House of Saud. Public outrage has demanded that sanctions be imposed on Riyadh, such as cancelling multi-billion-dollar arms deals.

It seems significant that the acute disgrace over the appalling Khashoggi affair and the association of the US, British and French governments with such a despotic Saudi regime has in turn prompted these Western powers to mount a damage-limitation exercise in public relations.

This is where the Yemen war provides an opportunity for the Western powers and their Saudi clients to salvage their tarnished public image.

By pushing for a ceasefire in Yemen, Washington, London and Paris can claim to be getting tough with the Saudis for the sake of alleviating humanitarian suffering. By appearing to respond to the Western calls for a ceasefire, the Saudis can then also claim they are relenting out of humane concern.

However, such pleas have not stopped Saudi and Emirati-backed militia on the ground besieging the Yemeni port city of Hodeida on the Red Sea, for which 80-90 per cent of the entire population in the country rely on for food and other vital supplies. In other words, the Western-backed Saudi coalition is using starvation tactics to bring the Houthi rebels and the wider Yemeni population to their knees. That is a monstrous war crime.

What Mattis is calling for in terms of ceasefire is for all heavy weapons in Yemen to be put under the control of United Nations peacekeepers. Washington is also demanding that the Houthis rebels withdraw from the countrys border with Saudi Arabia, from where the rebels have mounted missile attacks which have gravely harassed the Saudis, including in the capital Riyadh. The Houthis have struck Saudi territory in response to the air strikes.

So, what the Americans, British and French are striving for is, firstly, a respite from the sordid publicity over the Khashoggi killing. If the humanitarian appeal over Yemen succeeds to placate Western public outrage, then these governments will be able to continue business-as-usual selling the Saudi regime lucrative weapons contracts.

Secondly, by drawing the Houthi rebels into peace negotiations that will also burnish the Western and Saudi public image, as well as  equally importantly  forcing the rebels into accepting a compromise on their revolutionary government. By entering negotiations with the Saudi-backed remnants of the exiled Yemeni leader Mansour Hadi, the Houthis will inevitably have to accept making concessions and allowing an accommodation with the ousted, discredited regime.

Mansour Hadi, who has been living in exile in Saudi Arabia since the Houthis seized power, was reviled by most Yemenis for his corruption and being a puppet of the Saudis and Americans. His exiled clique is routinely and mendaciously referred to by Western media as the internationally recognized government of Yemen.

When he fled the country in ignominy in early 2015, the Houthi rebels had succeeded in spearheading a popular revolt. The rebels profess a branch of Shia Islam, but there was every indication that they had a relatively democratic program for pluralist governance.

The Saudi and American sponsors of the ousted Mansour Hadi reacted to the overthrow of their puppet by launching an air war on Yemen in late March 2015  a war which has continued unremittingly ever since, with Britain and France also joining the profitable slaughter by suppling warplanes and missiles.

Another lie told by Western media is that the rebels are proxies of Iran, a lie which is used to justify the Western-backed criminal war against the country. Iran supports the Houthis diplomatically, but there is no evidence of arms supplies. Even if there was, so what? That wouldnt justify aerial bombardment of the country and its people.

The devastation inflicted on Yemen and its people has largely been ignored by Western news media. Despite the lack of coverage, the Western public have nevertheless become aware of the horror and their governments complicity. Harrowing images of skeletal children dying from starvation and lack of basic medicines have shamed Washington, London and Paris into taking some action, however despicably inadequate and long overdue.

The recent impetus for a ceasefire and talks in Yemen coming from the US and its Western allies is not due to humanitarianism. Its a cynical PR exercise to whitewash bloodied images  both theirs and that of their Saudi client regime. The Yemen war has been shown to be a sickening charnel house in a futile bid for Western regime change against the Houthi revolution. By forcing the Houthis into negotiations, the Western powers hope to achieve their regime change objective by another tactic  and gain PR capital at the same time.

If Washington, London and Paris were really serious about ending the suffering in Yemen, they would simply demand that the aggression stops immediately, so that the Yemenis are allowed to determine their own political future without foreign interference. But the Western powers will not do that because their interference in Yemen, along with the Saudis, is the very reason why this criminal war of aggression started and grinds on.

Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Masters graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent.

This article was originally published by " Strategic Culture Foundation " -

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By Eric Zuesse

November 16, 2018 "Information Clearing House" - On June 28th, the Washington Examiner headlined Pence pressed Ecuadorian president on countrys protection of Julian Assange and reported that Vice President Mike Pence discussed the asylum status of Julian Assange during a meeting with Ecuadors leader on Thursday, following pressure from Senate Democrats who have voiced concerns over the countrys protection of the WikiLeaks founder. Pence had been given this assignment by U.S. President Donald Trump. The following day, the Examiner bannered Mike Pence raises Julian Assange case with Ecuadorean president, White House confirms and reported that the White House had told the newspaper, They agreed to remain in close coordination on potential next steps going forward.

On August 24th, a court-filing by Kellen S. Dwyer, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Alexandria Division of the Eastern District of Virginia, stated: Due to the sophistication of the defendant and the publicity surrounding the case, no other procedure [than sealing the case, hiding it from the public] is likely to keep confidential the fact that Assange has been charged.  This motion and the proposed order would need to remain sealed until Assange is arrested in connection with the charges in the criminal complaint and can therefore no longer evade or avoid arrest and extradition in this matter. That filing was discovered by Seamus Hughes, a terrorism expert at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University. On November 15th, he posted an excerpt of it on Twitter, just hours after the Wall Street Journal had reported on the same day that the Justice Department was preparing to prosecute Assange. However, now that we know the fact that Assange has been charged and that the U.S. Government is simply waiting until Assange is arrested in connection with the charges in the criminal complaint and can therefore no longer evade or avoid arrest and extradition in this matter, it is clear and public that the arrangements which were secretly made between Trumps agent Pence and the current President of Ecuador are expected to deliver Assange into U.S. custody for criminal prosecution, if Assange doesnt die at the Ecuadorean Embassy first.

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On November 3rd (which, of course, preceded the disclosures on November 15th), Julian Assanges mother, Christine Ann Hawkins, described in detail what has happened to her son since the time of Pences meeting with Ecuadors President. She said:

He is, right now, alone, sick, in pain, silenced in solitary confinement, cut off from all contact, and being tortured in the heart of London.  He has been detained nearly eight years, without trial, without charge. For the past six years, the UK Government has refused his requests to exit for basic health needs,  [even for] vitamin D.  As a result, his health has seriously deteriorated.  A slow and cruel assassination is taking place before our very eyes.  They will stop at nothing.  When U.S. Vice President Mike Pence recently visited Ecuador, a deal was done to hand Julian over to the U.S. He said that because the political cost of expelling Julian from the Embassy was too high, the plan was to break him down mentally to such a point that he will break and be forced to leave.  The extradition warrant is held in secret, four prosecutors but no defense, and no judge,  without a prima-facie case. [Under the U.S. system, the result nonetheless can be] indefinite detention without trial. Julian could be held in Guantanamo Bay and tortured, sentenced to 45 years in a maximum security prison, or face the death penalty, for espionage, in such secret proceedings.

Her phrase, because the political cost of expelling Julian from the Embassy was too high refers to the worry that this new President of Ecuador has, of his cooperating with the U.S. regimes demands and thereby basically ceding sovereignty to those foreigners (the rulers of the U.S.), regarding the Ecuadorian citizen, Assange.

This conservative new President of Ecuador, who has replaced the progressive President who had granted Assange protection, is obviously doing all that he can to comply with U.S. President Trump and the U.S. Congresss demand for Assange either to die soon inside the Embassy or else be transferred to the U.S. and basically just disappear, at Guantanamo or elsewhere. Ecuadors President wants to do this in such a way that Ecuadors voters wont blame him for it, and that hell thus be able to be re-elected. This is the type of deal he apparently has reached with Trumps agent, Pence. Its all secret, but the evidence on this much of what was secretly agreed-to seems clear. There are likely other details of the agreement that cannot, as yet, be conclusively inferred from the subsequent events, but this much can.

Basically, Trump has arranged for Assange to be eliminated either by illness thats imposed by his Ecuadorean agent, or else by Assanges own suicide resulting from that torture, or else by Americas own criminal-justice system. If this elimination happens inside the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, then that would be optimal for Americas President and Congress; but, if it instead happens on U.S. soil, then that would be optimal for Ecuadors President. Apparently, Americas President thinks that his subjects, the American people, will become sufficiently hostile toward Assange so that even if Assange disappears or is executed inside the United States, this President will be able to retain his supporters. Trump, of course, needs his supporters, but this is a gamble that he has now clearly taken. This much is clear, even though the rest of the secret agreement that was reached between Pence and Ecuadors President is not.

Scooter Libby, who had arranged for the smearing of Valerie Plame who had tried to prevent the illegal and deceit-based 2003 invasion of Iraq, was sentenced to 30 months but never spent even a day in prison, and U.S. President Trump finally went so far as to grant him a complete pardon, on 13 April 2018. (The carefully researched docudrama Fair Game covered well the Plame-incident.) Libby had overseen the career-destruction of a courageous CIA agent, Plame, who had done the right thing and gotten fired for it; and Trump pardoned Libby, thus retroactively endorsing the lie-based invasion of Iraq in 2003. By contrast, Trump is determined to get Julian Assange killed or otherwise eliminated, and even Democrats in Congress are pushing for him to get that done. The new President of Ecuador is doing their bidding. Without pressure from the U.S. Government, Assange would already be a free man. Thus, either Assange will die (be murdered) soon inside the Embassy, or else he will disappear and be smeared in the press under U.S. control. And, of course, this is being done in such a way that no one will be prosecuted for the murder or false-imprisonment. Trump had promised to clean the swamp, but as soon as he was elected, he abandoned that pretense; and, as President, he has been bipartisan on that matter, to hide the crimes of the bipartisan U.S. Government, and he is remarkably similar in policy to his immediate predecessors, whom he had severely criticized while he was running for the Presidency.

In any event, the destruction of Assange has clearly been arranged for, at the highest levels of the U.S. Government, just as the destruction of Jamal Khashoggi was by Saudi Arabias Government; and, just like in Khashoggis case, the nations ruler controls the prosecutors and can therefore do whatever he chooses to do that the rest of the nations aristocracy consider to be acceptable.

The assault against truth isnt only against Assange, but it is instead also closing down many of the best, most courageous, independent news sites, such as washingtonsblog. However, in Assanges case, the penalty for having a firm commitment to truth has been especially excruciating and will almost certainly end in his premature death. This is simply the reality. Because of the system under which we live, a 100% commitment to truth is now a clear pathway to oblivion. Assange is experiencing this reality to the fullest. Thats whats happening here.

Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of Theyre Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010, and of CHRISTS VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity.

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November 16, 2018 "Information Clearing House" - I enjoy the vacillations of Chaim Gans, even if I dont always understand them. I have the highest esteem for his intellectual honesty  even if at times, perhaps like everyone, he tries to resolve contradictions with lame arguments.

However, before going into the heart of the matter, I must pause over an annoying mistake  Im certain that at bottom its not deliberately misleading but a folly  concerning my writings. In the article, From rabid Zionism to egalitarian Zionism (November 9), Gans writes, because, according to [Sand], there is purportedly no genetic continuity between ancient and modern Jewry, it follows that the Jewish nationhood engendered by Zionism is a total fabrication, a nationhood created out of thin air.

If my assumption that Gans has perused my books is correct, he appears to have read them both too quickly and at a diagonal. Since the publication of my first book "The invention of the Jewish people" a decade ago, I have made a point of emphasizing that its not only Jews who dont possess a common DNA  neither do all other human groups that claim to be peoples or nations  besides which I have never thought that genetics can confer national rights. For example, the French are not the direct descendants of the Gauls, just as the Germans are not the offspring of the Teutons or of the ancient Aryans, even if until a little more than half a century ago many idiots believed just that.

One trait that all peoples have in common is that they are retroactive inventions with no distinctive genetic "traits." The acute problem that genuinely disturbs me is that I live in a singular political and pedagogical culture that continues persistently to see the Jews as the direct descendants of the ancient Hebrews.

The founding myth of Zionism  which proceeds in an unbroken line from Max Nordau and Arthur Ruppin, to worrisome geneticists in several Israeli universities and at Yeshiva University in New York  acts as the principal ideological glue for the nations everlasting unity, and today more than ever. The justification for Zionist settlement/colonization (choose your preferred term  they mean the same thing) is the meta-paradigm that is expressed in the declaration of the establishment of the state, namely: We were here, we were uprooted, we came back.

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Full disclosure: Even when I believed, mistakenly, that the Jewish people was exiled by the Romans in 70 C.E. or 132 C.E., I didnt think that this conferred on the Jews some sort of imagined historic right to the Holy Land. If we seek to organize the world as it was 2,000 years ago, we will turn it into one big madhouse. Why not bring Native Americans back to Manhattan, for example, or restore the Arabs to Spain and the Serbs to Kosovo? Of course, such twisted logic of historic right will also commit us to supporting the continued settlement/colonization of Hebron, Jericho and Bethlehem.

As I pursued my research, my realization that the Exodus from Egypt never happened and that the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Judah were not exiled by the Romans, left me nonplussed. There is not one study by a historian who specializes in antiquity that recounts that exile or any serious historiographic study that reconstructs a mass migration from the place. The exile is a formative event that never took place, otherwise it would be the subject of dozens of research studies. Judahite farmers, who constituted an absolute majority of the population at the first century C.E., were not seafarers like the Greeks or the Phoenicians, and did not spread across the world. It was Jahwist monotheism, which since the Hasmonean era had become a dynamic religion engaged in conversion, which laid the foundations for the Jews age-old existence around the globe.

Heres where we get to the heart of Gans arguments. This distinguished jurist and political theorist is not prepared to accept the standard justifications for settlement and for Zionisms conception of land ownership since the end of the 19th century. He is well aware that such popular propositions would oblige him to justify continuation of the present-day settlement project, and perhaps also to deny the rights of the natives who still remain in "the land of Israel.

Gans even knows that there never actually was a Jewish nation, which is why he resorts to the literal image of a profile  a surprising and original term in the national context  wholly based on ignorance. For him to understand what Clermont-Tonnerre meant in his famous speech (a subject I addressed in an article in the Haaretz Hebrew edition last August), a perusal of Wikipedia would have sufficed. Hed have learned immediately that by nation, the French liberal was referring to a closed, insular religious community. Did the Jews, in contrast, not see themselves as a people or a nation according to the modern usage of these terms?

Until the modern era, the terms people or nations were used in a variety of senses. In the Bible, Moses goes down to the people and speaks with them directly (without a loudspeaker, newspapers, television or Twitter). The people also gathers to welcome Joshua and to congratulate him on his victories. In the Middle Ages the Christians viewed themselves as people of God, a term in wide use for hundreds of years. In our time, the terms people or nations are applied in a different way, albeit not always accurately. A people is, generally, a human community living within a defined territory, whose members speak a common language and maintain a secular culture with the same, or similar, foundations. Nation, on the other hand, is a term that is today generally applied to a people that claims sovereignty over itself or has already achieved it

I dont think peoples existed before the modern era  that possibility would have been ruled out by the level of communication they had. There were large clans, tribes, powerful kingdoms, large principalities, religious communities and other groups with various forms of political and social bonds  usually loose ones. In an age when few people could read and write, when each village had a different dialect and the lexicon was appallingly meager, its hard to talk about a people with a shared consciousness. Minorities of educated literates do not yet constitute nations, even if they have sometimes created that impression.

I dont understand why all cats have to be called cats and all the dogs, dogs  and only one cat has to be called a dog. The Jews, like the Christians, Muslims or the followers of the Baha'i Faith, had in common a strong belief in God alongside diverse and closely linked religious practices. However, a Jew from Kiev could not converse with a Jew from Marrakesh, didnt sing the songs of the Yemeni Jew and didnt eat the same foods as the Falash Mura, or Beta Israel, community of Ethiopia. The whole fabric of day-to-day secular life was completely different in each community. Accordingly, to this day  and rightly so  the only way to join the Jewish people is through an act of religious conversion.

The Christians, by contrast, viewed the Jews as members of an abominable money-worshipping faith. The Muslims perceived them as adherents of an inferior religion. With the advent of progress in the modern era, many Europeans started to treat them as a defiled race. Anti-Semitism endeavored mightily to cast the Jews as an alien people-race with different blood (DNA hadnt yet been discovered).

But what in blazes was their self-profile? A salient product of the Zionist education system, Chaim Gans tells us that they saw themselves as a kind of nation that dreamed of getting to the Land of Israel. I would not suggest that Gans should read distinctively Jewish authors such as Hemann Cohen or Franz Rosenzweig, or the Talmud, which rejected collective emigration to the Holy Land. Im sure he wont have time for that. I would only ask him to read a short history that is slightly more reliable.

Until World War II, the vast majority of Eastern and Western Jews  traditionalist, Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Communists and Bundists  were avowed anti-Zionists. They did not wish for sovereignty over themselves within a nation-state framework in the Middle East. The Bundists did in fact see themselves, and quite rightly, as a Yiddish people in need of cultural-linguistic autonomy, but they rejected outright the proposal to immigrate to Palestine as part of a project of a trans-world Jewish nation.

And here we come to the last desperate attempt to justify the Zionist enterprise retroactively: Zionism as a response to an emergency situation. History, unfortunately, was more tragic. Zionism failed utterly to rescue Europes Jews, nor could it have done so. From 1882 until 1924, the Jews streamed in their masses  about 2.5 million  to the North American continent of promise. And yes, had it not been for the racist Johnson-Reed Immigration Act that prevented continued immigration, another million or perhaps two million of these souls might have been saved.

Additional full disclosure: I was born after the war in a DP camp in Austria. During my first two years I lived with my parents in another camp, in Bavaria. My parents, who lost their parents in the Nazi genocide, wanted to steal into France or, alternatively, immigrate to the United States. All the gates were closed, however, and they were compelled to go to the young country of Israel, the only place that agreed to accept them. The truth is that for Europe, after its participation in the mass slaughter of the Jews, it was convenient to spew out the remnant of a native population that hadnt taken part in the awful murder, and thereby created a new tragedy, though of a completely different scale.

Chaim Gans isnt comfortable with this historical narrative, especially when the oppression of the natives and the plundering of their land is continuing even now. Zionism, which succeeded in forging a new nation, is not prepared to recognize its political-cultural-linguistic creation, nor even the specific national rights which that process conferred on it. But Gans, ultimately, is right. From Meir Kahane to Meretz, all Zionists continue to view the state we live in not as a democratic republic belonging to all its Israeli citizens  who definitely have a right to self-determination  but as a political entity that belongs to the Jews of the world, who like their forebears have no wish to come here or to define themselves as Israelis.

What remains for me, then, is to go on being a-Zionist or post-Zionist while doing what I can to help rescue the place I live in from an ever-intensifying racism, due, among other reasons, to the teaching of a false historical past, fear of assimilation with the Other, revulsion of the indigenous culture and so on. For, as the Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet wrote, If I dont burn / if you dont burn / ... if we dont burn / how will the light / ... vanquish the darkness?

Shlomo Sand is a historian and professor emeritus of Tel Aviv University.

This article was originally published by " Haaretz " -

Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here

==See Also==
Home Search ICH Thanking Vets For Their Service  Why? By The Saker November 16, 2018 "Information Clearing House" - Depending on the context, the small word why can be totally innocuous or it can be just about the most subversive and even sacrilegious word one can utter. This is probably why I love this word so much: its ability to unleash tremendous power against all sorts of sacred cows and unchallenged beliefs. So,today I want to ask everybody why so many people feel the need to thank veterans for their service? But first, lets debunk a few myths: First, lets begin by getting myth #1 out of the way: the notion that US Americans dont like wars. That is totally false. US Americans hate losing wars, but if they win them, they absolutely love them. In other words, the typical US reaction to a war depends on the perceived outcome of that war. If it is a success they love it (even if it is a turkey-shoot like Desert Storm). If it is a deniable defeat (say the US/NATO air operations against Serbian forces in Kosovo or the total clusterbleep in Grenada) they will simply forget it. And if it is an undeniable defeat (say Iraq or Afghanistan) then, yes, indeed, most US Americans will be categorically opposed to it. Next is myth #2: the truth is that no US serviceman or woman has fought a war in defense of the USA since at least WWII (and even this one is very debatable considering that the US forced Japan to wage war and since the attack on Pearl Harbor was set-up as a pretext to then attack Japan). Since 1945 there has not been a single situation in which US soldiers defended their land, their towns, their families or their friends from an aggressor. Not one! All the wars fought by the USA since 1945 were wars of aggression, wars of choice and most of them were completely illegal to boot (including numerous subversive and covert operations). At most, one can make the argument that US veterans defended the so-called American way of life, but only if one accepts that the said American way of life requires and mandates imperialist wars of aggression and the wholesale abandonment of the key concepts of international law. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Finally, there is the ugly dirty little secret that everybody knows but, for some reason, very few dare to mention: the decision to join the (all volunteer) US military is one primarily based on financial considerations and absolutely not some kind of generous service of the motherland for pure, lofty, ideals. Yes, yes, I know  there were those who did join the US military after 9/11 thinking that the USA had been attacked and that they needed to help bring the fight to those who attacked the USA. But even with a very modest degree of intelligence, it should have become pretty darn obvious that whether 9/11 was indeed the work of Bin Laden and al-Qaeda or not (personally I am absolutely certain that this was a controlled demolition)  this atrocity was used by the US government to justify a long list of wars which could not have possibly had anything to do with 9/11. Hey, after all, the US decided to attack Iraq (which self-evidently had nothing to do with 9/11) and not the KSA (even though most of the putative hijackers were Saudis and had official Saudi backing). Besides, even if some folks were not smart enough to see through the lies and even if THEY believed that they joined the US military to defend the USA, why would the rest of us who by 2018 all know that the attack on Iraq was purely and solely based on lies, thank veterans for stupidly waging war for interests they cannot even identify? Since when do we thank people for making wrong and, frankly, immoral decisions?! Now lets look at another basic thing: what is military service? The way I see it, military personnel can roughly be split into two categories: those who actually kill people and those who help those who kill people kill people. Right? If you are a machine gunner or a tank driver, then you personally get to kill people. If you are a communications specialist, or a truck driver, or an electrician, you dont get to kill people yourself, but your work is to make it easier for those who kill people to kill people. So I think that it would be fair to say that joining a military, any military, is to join an organization whose main purpose is to kill people. Of course, that killing can be morally justifiable and, say, in defense of your country and fellow citizens. But that can only be the case if you prepare for a defensive war and, as we all know, the USA has not fought such a war for over 70 years now. Which means that with a few increasingly rare exceptions (WWII veterans) ALL the veterans which get thanked for their service did what exactly? If we put it in plain English, what fundamental, crucial decision did ALL these veterans make? In simple and plain English, veterans are those who signed up to kill people outside the USA for money. Sorry, I know that this sounds offensive to many, but this is a fact. The fact that this decision (to join an organization whose primary purpose is to murder people in their own countries, hundreds and thousands of miles away from the USA) could ALSO have been taken for patriotic reasons (i.e. by those who believed in what is most likely the most lying propaganda machine in history) or to see the world and become a real man does not change the fact that if the US military offered NO pay or benefits, NO scholarships, NO healthcare, etc. then the vast majority of those who claim that they joined to serve would never have joined in the first place. We all know that, lets not pretend otherwise! Just look at the arguments recruiters use to convince people to join: they are all about money and benefits! Need more proof? Just look at the kind of social groups who compose the bulk of the US military: uneducated, poor, with minimal career prospects. The simple truth is that financially successful folks very rarely join the military and, when they do, they usually make a career out of it. As somebody who has lived in the USA for a total of 21 years now, I can attest that folks join the military precisely for the same reasons they enter the police force or become correctional officers: because in all those endeavors there is money to be made and benefits to enjoy. Okay, there must be, by definition, the 1% or less who joined these (all violent) careers for purely lofty and noble ideals. But these would be a small, tiny, minority. The overwhelming majority of cops, correctional officers and soldiers joined primarily for material and/or financial reasons. By the way, since that is the case, is it not also true that the soldier (just like the cop or the correctional officers) has ALREADY received his/her gratitude from the society for their service in the form of a check? Why do folks then still feel the need to thank them for their service? We dont thank air traffic controllers or logging workers (also very tough careers) for their service, do we? And that is in spite of the fact that air traffic controllers and logging workers did not choose to join an organization whose primary goal is to kill people in their own homes (whether private homes or national ones) which is what soldiers get paid for. Let me repeat that truism once again, in an even more direct way: veterans are killers hired for money. Period. The rest is all propaganda. In a normal sane world, one would think that this is primarily a moral and ethical question. I would even say a spiritual one. Surely major religions would have something relevant and clarifying to say about this? Well, in the past they did. In fact, with some slight variations, the principles of what is called a just war have been known in the West since at least Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas. According to one source they are: A just war can only be waged as a last resort . All non-violent options must be exhausted before the use of force can be justified.

. All non-violent options must be exhausted before the use of force can be justified. A war is just only if it is waged by a legitimate authority . Even just causes cannot be served by actions taken by individuals or groups who do not constitute an authority sanctioned by whatever the society and outsiders to the society deem legitimate.

. Even just causes cannot be served by actions taken by individuals or groups who do not constitute an authority sanctioned by whatever the society and outsiders to the society deem legitimate. A just war can only be fought to redress a wrong suffered . For example, self-defense against an armed attack is always considered to be a just cause (although the justice of the cause is not sufficientsee point #4). Further, a just war can only be fought with right intentions: the only permissible objective of a just war is to redress the injury.

. For example, self-defense against an armed attack is always considered to be a just cause (although the justice of the cause is not sufficientsee point #4). Further, a just war can only be fought with right intentions: the only permissible objective of a just war is to redress the injury. A war can only be just if it is fought with a reasonable chance of success . Deaths and injury incurred in a hopeless cause are not morally justifiable.

. Deaths and injury incurred in a hopeless cause are not morally justifiable. The ultimate goal of a just war is to re-establish peace . More specifically, the peace established after the war must be preferable to the peace that would have prevailed if the war had not been fought.

. More specifically, the peace established after the war must be preferable to the peace that would have prevailed if the war had not been fought. The violence used in the war must be proportional to the injury suffered . States are prohibited from using force not necessary to attain the limited objective of addressing the injury suffered.

. States are prohibited from using force not necessary to attain the limited objective of addressing the injury suffered. The weapons used in war must discriminate between combatants and non-combatants. Civilians are never permissible targets of war, and every effort must be taken to avoid killing civilians. The deaths of civilians are justified only if they are unavoidable victims of a deliberate attack on a military target. (Check out this article for a more thorough discussion of this fascinating topic) Now Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas are hardly heroes of mine, but they are considered as very authoritative in western philosophical thought. Yet, when checked against this list of criteria, all the wars fought by the USA are clearly and self-evidently totally unjust: all of them fail on several criteria, and most of them (including the attack on Iraq and Afghanistan) fail on all of them! But there is no need to go far back into the centuries to find authoritative western thinkers who clearly denounce unjust wars. Did you know that the ultimate crime under international law is not genocide or crimes against humanity? Nope, the supreme crime under international law is the crime of aggression. In the words of the chief American prosecutor at Nuremberg and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, Robert H. Jackson, the crime of aggression is the supreme crime because it contains within itself the accumulated evil of all the other war crimes. He wrote: To initiate a war of aggression, therefore, is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole. So from the 4th century through the 20th century, the people of the West always knew what a just war was, and they fully understood that starting such a war is the supreme evil crime under international law. But this goes beyond just major wars. Under international law, the crime of aggression does not only refer to a full-scale military attack. Aggression can be defined as the execution of any one of the following acts: Declaration of war upon another State.

Invasion by its armed forces, with or without a declaration of war, of the territory of another State.

Attack by its land, naval or air forces, with or without a declaration of war, on the territory, vessels or aircraft of another State.

A naval blockade of the coasts or ports of another State.

Provision of support to armed bands formed in its territory which have invaded the territory of another State, or refusal, notwithstanding the request of the invaded State, to take, in its own territory, all the measures in its power to deprive those bands of all assistance or protection. Finally, it is important to note here that by these authoritative legal definitions, every single US President is a war criminal under international law! This, in turn, begs the question of whether all the wars fought by US soldiers since 1945 were indeed waged by a legitimate authority (as mentioned by Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas above)? How can that be when the Commander in Chief himself is a war criminal? Lets sum it up so far: we have folks who agree to become killers (or killer-assistants), who do that primarily for financial reasons, who then only participate in illegal and immoral wars of aggression and whose commander in chief is a war criminal. And they deserve our gratitude why exactly?! Maybe because so many veterans have been hurt, maimed, traumatized? Maybe because once they leave the armed forces, they dont get the social and medical support they need? Perhaps merely because wars are horrible? Or maybe because the veterans were lied to and deceived? Or maybe because some (many?) of them did try to stay human, honorable and decent people in spite of the horrors of war all around them? When we think of the horrendous unemployment, homelessness and even suicide figures amongst veterans, we cannot but feel that these are people who have been lied to, cheated and then discarded like a useless tool. So maybe saying thank you for your service is the right thing to say? Nope! These are all excellent reasons to feel compassion and sympathy for veterans, yes. But not gratitude. There is a huge difference here. Everybody, every human, and I strongly believe every creature deserves compassion and sympathy. But it is one thing to say I feel compassion for you and quite another to say thank you for what you did because that implies that the deed was a moral, good, ethical deed, and that is entirely false. Major General Smedley Butler put it best when he wrote: War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war, a few people make huge fortunes. If we agree that war is, indeed, a racket and that it is conducted for the benefit of the very few then it would make sense for these very few to express their gratitude to those whom they hired to enrich them. And, in fact, they do. Here is the best example of that: Of course, Google is no more dependent on wars of aggression than any other US corporation. The very nature of the US economy is based on war and has always been based on war. The so-called American way of life but without wars of aggression has never been attempted in the past, and it wont be attempted for as long as the USA remains the cornerstone of the AngloZionist Empire and the world hegemony it seeks to impose on the rest of mankind. But until that day arrives the American way of life will always imply wars of aggression and the mass murder of innocent people whose only sin is to dare to want to live free and not be a slave to the Empire. If you believe that those who dare to want to live free in a truly sovereign country deserve to be murdered and maimed, then yes, by all means  thank the veterans from the bottom of your heart! But if you dont believe this, offer them your compassion, but not your gratitude for their crimes. This article was originally published by " Unz Review " - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Search Information Clearing House === Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load.
President MBuhari has said that the split within the Ohanaeze Igbo socio-cultural group over its reported endorsement of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), did not surprise him.

Buhari said this, while speaking at a meeting with a select group of South-east leaders on Friday, at the State House, Abuja. According to Buhari, the moment the so-called resolution was announced, he got calls from well-meaning leaders from the region asking him to disregard it as it was without any substance.

From that moment, I knew that the resolution would not stand, and alas, there it was.

In a statement by the Presidents spokesperson, Mr Garba Shehu on Friday, President Buhari said that his party, the All Progressives Congress, got it right from the very beginning that the major problems facing the country were mainly on security, corruption and the economy.

We have done so much. Given the chance, we will do more. Given every chance, we will tell Nigerians where we were in 2015 and what we have achieved up to now. We will not get tired of speaking about the golden opportunity Nigeria lost during 16 years of the PDP. We earned money, which we didnt use, he said. The state of infrastructure we inherited was terrible  no roads, the railway was killed and power. They lacked conscience because anybody with conscience will not do what they did. We will report them to Nigerians. Let anybody lead this country but not the PDP. They were so reckless with the resources of the country, the President said. If you ruin the economy, send your children abroad to get education, wont they come back? he asked, adding: I said it 30 years ago that this is the only country we have. We must stay here and salvage it together.

The leaders of the delegation, Engr. Emeka Ekwuosa and the Natl Chairman of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie, informed President Buhari that the Igbos and South-easterners generally understand the good things he is doing for Nigeria.

Which they said, had unfortunately been misunderstood.

They promised to mobilise support for him in the south-east, saying that his re-election will be a national consensus.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria would be looking to tighten their grip on Group E top spot when they travel to the FNB stadium, South Africa, to slot if out with the Bafana Bafana boys of South Africa this afternoon in their Africa cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Nigeria national team side need just a point from the clash today today to ensure that they stay in top spot before going on to win their last match against Seychelles.

However, should they get a win form the tie today, then they would qualify automatically for the 2019 Africa Nations Cup scheduled for Cameron with a match to spare.

South Africa have only gotten the better of Nigeria once in the last 5 attempts and most of these attempts have produced plenty of goals.

As a result of these, we back the encounter to produce the following results:

Nigeria to win which is priced at a whopping 3.46 odds or a more reserved one of Nigeria win or draw which is priced at 1.68

We also tip teh tie to produce plenty of goals with the over 2.5 goals priced at 2.68 odds.

Which do you think is appropriate???
The Super Eagles of Nigeria travel to the FNB stadium, South Africa, to take on the Bafana Bafana boys of South Africa in what has been termed Group E top of the table clash.

The Nigerian national team side need to avoid a defeat to keep them in top spot or go on to beat Seychelles in their next match in order to make it to Cameron 2019.

Nigeria have not been at the competition since 2013 when they emerged as Champions before failing to make it to the last edition of the biennial event.

Former Super Eagles midfielder, Mutiu Adepoju who is known as The Headmaster for his heading skills during his playing years is one Nigerian who has sent them a classy message ahead of the tie.

What he said:
President Buhari on Friday, at a select group of South-east leaders, said PDP left the country in a bad state after ruling for 16 years. Buhari criticized the PDP for lack of conscience. He added that PDP left the country in ruins, stating that the infrastructure in the country was left in a terrible state. .

In his words:

The state of infrastructure we inherited was terrible, no roads, the railway was killed. They lacked conscience because anybody with conscience will not do what they did

Buhari, who will be seeking a second-term next year February, said anybody could be given the chance to rule Nigeria but not PDP. He stated that they ruined the resources of the country. If you ruin the economy, send your children abroad to get education, wont they come back

President Buhari also added that the major problems facing the economy were mainly on corruption, economy and corruption. Meanwhile, Nigeria topped the recently released world poverty statistics provided by the Brookings Institutions, a nonprofit public policy organization in USA. Buhari responded by saying we must stay here and salvage it together
Vanguard



Despite last Saturdays statement by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole that his encounter with the Department of State Security Services, DSS, was not an arrest as being speculated

The Nation



The Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh on Friday disclosed that the Federal Government has approved N60 billion subsidy to support rice industry in the country.He briefed State House correspondents after a meeting of the National Food Security Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.Ogbe who was flanked by the Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu explained that the purpose of the subsidy was to help bring down price of the commodity in the country

This Day



By Hammed Shittuin Ilorin It will be a test of popularity and acceptance today for President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki as they battle for control of Kwara politics in the by-election for Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero federal constituency

Guardian

A presidential order to release detained former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, topped the requests of the leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) as they met

The Sun

The Federal Government has been implored to take urgent steps to save the lives of three Nigerians who have been on hunger strike inside Kuwait Prison since November 1. Making the appeal in a statement jointly signed in Lagos after a special meeting of Prison Rehabilitation Mission International (PREMI),the Osile Oke-Ona Egba, Oba

Daily Times



The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to demand the immediate resignation of Rotimi Amaechi as the Minister of Transportation to demonstrateT

Daily Trust



Pharmacist Sadiq Umar is the Kwara North Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview, he explains how the APC and its candidates will win despite the defection of Senate President, Bukola Saraki,

Leadership



President Muhammadu Buhari has confirmed the appointment of Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi as the deputy governor of the central Bank of Nigeria for a period of five years. This was contained in a statement by the permanent secretary (General Services Office) Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Olusegun A. Adekunle.

Tribune

The Association of Commercial s3x workers, Kaduna State, has commended Governor Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna State for lifting the night curfew imposed on the city following the crisis that rocked the town.
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Senator Shehu Sani has reacted to a recent statement by Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, wherein, he said that he will sell the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) and retain just 10 per cent of the company for the Federal Government, if elected.

In an interview with The African Report, a monthly publication, Atiku, who was the chairman of the National Council on Privatisation during his time as Vice president, said that the NNPC, isnt yielding the much expected profit as for now.

However, according to the Lawmaker from Kaduna state, the campaign promise though a honest one, is highly condemnable and dangerous.

The lawmaker, via a tweet on Saturday noted that, auctioning the country has not helped in the past, and will not help, in the future.

He said:

Selling 90% of the NNPC as a campaign promise is being brutally frank and honest, but its a condemnable proposal and a dangerous intention.

Auctioning the country has not helped in the past and will not help in the future.
Dear Peyton Spanbauer,

While I appreciate and recognize your right to shun all white women who think differently than yourself, I also appreciate and recognize mine to provide a thoughtful response. There are a few things in your piece posted on Iowa State Daily that Id like to address, as they were concerning and frankly not rooted in facts.

Spanbauer: White women voters are failing us Congratulations white women, weve done it again! After 53 percent of white women voted for 

The piece to which I am referring is titled, White women voters are failing us. As a fellow white female voter who is a proud conservative woman who stands strong in her values, the title is immediately and extremely off-putting. Why is it that voting Republican is synonymous with failing everyone who didnt? Secondly, why does the Democratic Party feel entitled to the female vote?

In your last paragraph, you stated:

"Just because we are white in America, does not mean we are no longer held responsible for upholding the rights our gender deserves. Women cannot succeed until every woman of every color and every background has an equal chance in this country. In those regards, white women, it is on us to stop voting for Republicans."

Im confused. Did I miss a memo that says [women] of every color and every background do not have the same rights in America as everyone else? Why is it that we continue to drill the idea into the minds of young girls and women in this country that we already wont succeed because we are women? Statements like these create a dark cloud that looms over the heads of women and constantly whispers, Everyone says we arent equal, so it must be true, and gives us the false conception that weve already been set up to fail. No one is oppressing us. This is America in 2018. We start succeeding when we stop feeling sorry for ourselves.

In combination with stating that we need to stop voting for Republicans, you also mentioned that white, male politicians do not have our best interests at heart. (The first, obvious point to make here is that this blanket statement includes J.D. Scholten, so are you saying the people who voted for him are also in the wrong?) Unrelated to King or Scholten, the main statement I want to make is that the Republican Party played a major role in giving women in America the right to vote at all. In 1848, Gerrit Smith began fighting for womens suffrage alongside the Liberty Party. John Allen Campbell passed Americas first law giving women the right to vote in 1869.

Both of these men were Republicans and both of these men had a big hand in granting us the right to vote. Then, in 1919 when the 19th Amendment was passed, Republicans were considerably more in favor of passing the amendment than the Democrats were. Additionally, most women who voted for the first time voted with the Republicans. Going back to your statement on how we need to stop voting for Republicans, these facts are important because it shows that this is not a new concept. Women have been voting with Republicans since the day we were able to vote.

While those are just a few historic examples, they showcase the phenomenon that Republicans did not become the enemy until people like yourself decided we were.

So, with respect, please stop assuming that we voted blindly or didnt use our minds at the polls. I cant speak for everyone, but most us made very educated decisions in both 2016 and 2018. You stated that overall, 49 percent of white women voted Republican. That is not a mistake. We did it on purpose. We are not ashamed of our mission to ensure our country remains the best in the world, and snarky opinion pieces like yours and many others are not going to change our minds. We will continue to stand strong and we will continue to stand for America.
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President Donald Trump answers a reporters question about the investigation of special counsel Robert Mueller during a signing ceremony of the "Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Act," in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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The United States expressed confidence Friday that North Korea will honor its commitment to denuclearize despite its test of an unspecified "newly developed high-tech tactical weapon."







North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected the "successful" test of the weapon at a national defense institute, state media reported earlier in the day.







This marked the first such inspection by Kim since he watched an intercontinental ballistic missile launch in November 2017.







"At the Singapore Summit, President Trump and Chairman Kim made a number of commitments regarding final, fully verified denuclearization and creating a brighter future for North Korea," a State Department spokesman said in response to a query from Yonhap News. "We are talking with the North Koreans about implementing all of those commitments."







The summit in June yielded a commitment by Kim to work toward "complete" denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in exchange for security guarantees from the U.S.







Follow-up negotiations have stalled, as the North has demanded sanctions relief while the U.S. has refused to offer major concessions before full and verified denuclearization.







"The president has made it clear that if Kim Jong-un denuclearizes, there is a bright future for North Korea," the spokesman added. "We remain confident that the promises made by President Trump and Chairman Kim will be fulfilled."







Trump has said he expects to have a second meeting with Kim early next year.







Meanwhile, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, revealed earlier this week that it had identified 13 of 20 undeclared North Korean missile bases that appeared to be operational. (Yonhap)








U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed appreciation Friday for North Korea's release of an American citizen held there for alleged illegal entry.







Pompeo said in a statement that the United States "appreciates the cooperation" of North Korea and the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang, which facilitated the release.







Pyongyang said earlier that it was deporting an American citizen, identified as Bruce Byron Lowrance, after detaining him for illegally crossing its border with China last month.







He confessed to have entered the North under the direction of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said.







"The United States is grateful for the sustained support of Sweden, our protecting power in North Korea, for its advocacy on behalf of American citizens," Pompeo said. "The safety and well-being of Americans remains one of the highest priorities of the Trump administration."







North Korea has previously been accused of using American citizens it has detained as bargaining chips in talks with the U.S.







In May, the North released three Korean-American detainees ahead of the high-stakes June summit between its leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump.







The latest move comes as U.S.-North Korea negotiations over the regime's nuclear weapons program have stalled.







Pyongyang has demanded sanctions relief and a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War in return for disarmament steps, while Washington has refused to offer major concessions before it sees the full and verified denuclearization of the North.







Trump has said he still expects to have a second meeting with Kim early next year.







Their first summit in Singapore yielded a commitment by Kim to work toward "complete" denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in exchange for security guarantees from the U.S. (Yonhap)






He was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung, and others.

2018 marked Vietnams 20-year membership in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Vietnam is among a few APC members having hosted APEC summits twice, in 2006 and 2017.

It is also among the most active members in proposing ideas and projects, authoring more than 100 projects in various fields.

The country has held many positions in APEC committees and working groups. Its business community also actively participates in and makes many recommendations to APEC.

Vietnam will continue to accompany APEC in the next development period, join hands in building a strategic vision on an Asian-Pacific community of peace, stability, dynamism, innovation, and prosperity, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said in an article titled 20 years in APEC: from a strategic vision to Vietnams imprints./.




A five-member North Korean delegation left South Korea on Saturday to return home after wrapping up their four-day visit to attend an international peace forum.







The North's delegates, led by Ri Jong-hyok, vice chairman of the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, left Seoul earlier in the day, and arrived in Beijing. Sources said it seems they will stay in China for two days before returning home, though it is not known whether they plan to hold any meetings with Chinese officials.







After arriving here late Wednesday, they visited the Second Techno Valley in the Pangyo district of the city of Seongnam, just south of Seoul, the following day, and held a meeting with South Korean officials, including Gyeonggi governor Lee Jae-myung, to discuss various issues, such as pushing for joint business projects.







On Friday they attended the 2018 International Convention for Peace and Prosperity in the Asia Pacific, which took place in Goyang, north of Seoul, during which Ri delivered an address in which he assessed North Korea's recent peace efforts along with South Korea and the United States.







Officials said the delegation's visit boosted chances of governor Lee visiting North Korea.







During their talks, Ri expressed his will to invite the South Korean governor to the North, and Lee replied he is "ready" and would like to make the visit after preparing detailed plans.







"If realized, Lee's trip to North Korea is expected to lay the groundwork for the local governments-level cooperation with the North," a Gyeonggi Province official said. (Yonhap)


US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and South Korea's Minister of Unification Cho Myoung-gyon arrive for a photo opportunity for the news media, prior to talks at the State Department in Washington, DC, Nov. 16. EPA-Yonhap



South Korea's top official handling North Korea affairs met with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington, Friday, to coordinate efforts on getting Pyongyang to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, according to the State Department.



Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon and Pompeo "affirmed their commitment to close coordination" as the allies seek the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, as agreed to by its leader Kim Jong-un, department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement



She said the two also discussed ways to deepen coordination to ensure that inter-Korean cooperation remains "aligned" with progress in U.S.-North Korea denuclearization negotiations.



The minister's five-day visit to the U.S. comes amid growing perceptions of a rift in the allies' approach to the North.






Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill speaks during the APEC CEO Summit 2018 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. AP-Yonhap



President Moon Jae-in held talks with the prime minister of Papua New Guinea and agreed to boost bilateral relations in various fields, Cheong Wa Dae said Saturday.



Moon is in the Oceania country to attend this year's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where he will also hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines.



During the talks, Moon and Prime Minister Peter O'Neill agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in fields such as energy, infrastructure, and maritime and fisheries projects, according to presidential office spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom.





President Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook leave Jacksons International Airport after arriving for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Nov. 16. The 30th APEC summit, which brings together world leaders from its 21 Pacific Rim member nations, is being hosted for the first time by Papua New Guinea on Nov. 17 and 18. EPA-Yonhap




Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison attends the APEC CEO Summit 2018 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018. AP-Yonhap



President Moon Jae-in met with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Saturday, and agreed to strive to maintain solid bilateral relations as "a true friend."



During his talks with Morrison in Papua New Guinea, Moon said the two countries have forged solid relationships in every field by sharing universal values, calling Australia "the optimum partner for South Korea."






China's President Xi Jinping waves after making his keynote speech at the CEO Summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Port Moresby on November 17, 2018. - Protectionist actions are short-sighted and doomed to fail, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on November 17 ahead of an APEC summit at which US-China trade tensions are likely to take centre stage. AFP-Yonhap



South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a summit in Papua New Guinea on Saturday to discuss peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula and other issues.



The meeting on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum came as Moon pushes to elicit international support to keep Pyongyang on a denuclearization track amid an apparent lack of progress in its negotiations with Washington.



"As the two countries' strategic interests of peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia coincide, I hope we can cooperate more closely on the development of China-South Korea relations and the peace process on the Korean Peninsula," Moon said.



Noting the opening of an "unprecedented era of peace" on the peninsula this year, Moon expressed his appreciation for Xi's "constructive role" in progress on the peace efforts.









The South Korean leader also called for joint efforts in addressing a range of pending issues, such as ultra-fine dust pollution.





South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, along with his wife Kim Jung-sook, arrive at Port Moresby's Jacksons International Airport ahead of the APEC summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 16 November 2018. The 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit brings together world leaders from its 21 Pacific Rim member nations and is being hosted for the first time by Papua New Guinea on 17 and 18 November 2018. EPA-Yonhap
Kalitzky's grave at Incheon Foreigners Cemetery, circa 2018.



By Robert Neff



One of the more interesting and puzzling gravestones at Incheon's Foreigner Cemetery is that of Friedrich A. Kalitzky. We can see that he was born in Konigsberg on September 10, 1872, and died on March 19, 1934, in Seoul but the stone was not placed until nearly four and a half years later by Emily. It isn't clear who Emily was  perhaps she was his wife or daughter.



She obviously loved him because his stone is quite large and adorned with an anchor, cross and heart and, as evidenced by the small stone posts, was once protected by a small fence.



A great deal of money was spent to ensure that he was remembered but it seems to have failed for we know so little about him.



The cross and heart are easy to surmise  religious faith and love  but what does the anchor imply? It would be easy to assume he was a sailor but from the little we know about him, this seems very unlikely. There is also the question of his nationality. Some sources claim he was Polish while others claim he was German. Both may be correct, as there was no Polish state in the late 19th century.



It isn't clear when and why Kalitzky came to the Far East but we do know that in 1892 he was a clerk at the German legation in Beijing and working for Maximilian August von Brandt, the German Minister for China.



It was von Brandt's last year as a diplomat. Von Brandt had fallen in love with the daughter of the American Minister to Korea (Augustine Heard) and, despite the age difference of a couple of decades, requested her hand in marriage. Minister Heard approved of the marriage but the German Kaiser did not. Von Brandt promptly resigned and traveled to Korea and married his blushing bride.









Is it possible that Kalitzky accompanied von Brandt to Korea? Probably not, but it is interesting to find Kalitzky working as an assistant at the German legation in Seoul from December 17, 1894, until February 10, 1897.





Jemulpo in the early 1900s.



In June 1897, Kalitzky opened up a general store near Deoksu Palace that sold "first class preserves, toilet articles, drugs, patient medicines, paints, liquors and wines." Apparently, he was a gifted speaker and put this skill to use by working part-time as an auctioneer. At some point, he sold his house in Seoul for a large sum of money ($15,000) and used that money to rebuild his store.



While his store was being built, he obtained employment as the constable at the American legation in Seoul. It was a fairly easy job. The American community in Seoul and Jemulpo [modern Incheon] was fairly small and composed primarily of missionaries and their families. But this peaceful tranquility was shattered when George Lake, an elderly American merchant in Jemulpo, was found bludgeoned to death in his bed on August 30, 1898. Suspicion quickly fell upon one of Lake's friends, a Scottish-American gold miner named John Flanagan.



Before the murder, there was no place to confine Americans in Seoul, so Horace Allen, the American Minister, used his own money to have a jail built on the American legation grounds. Flanagan was not only its first prisoner  he was also the first prisoner to escape. It isn't clear how he escaped but circumstantial evidence seems to indicate that he merely walked out of his cell. That Kalitzky had failed to lock it. I suspect that Kalitzky's fondness for alcohol may have played some role in Flanagan's brief "taste of the joy of freedom."



Flanagan was quickly recaptured (less than a day after his escape) and Kalitzky was as equally as quick fired. But Kalitzky does not seem to have been too concerned about his loss of employment  he had other concerns.





New buildings in Seoul in the late 1890s or early 1900s.


By Emanuel Pastreich, Layne Hartsell





The relations between North and South Korea are changing so rapidly it makes your head spin. The pressing question is no longer what the next step in a process of reconciliation will be, but rather where the peninsula is heading in a political, economic and cultural sense.





For the first time, the door is open to rapid institutional transformation of the "hermit kingdom" as new concepts and technologies are introduced. Moreover, that process will impact not only the North but also the South as the basic principles of what a country is are debated.





The drafting of a unification constitution, the implementation of new approaches to government and the building of new infrastructure could make Korea an inspiring experiment that other nations can model.





Yet, just at the moment that Korean families who have been cruelly separated for 60 years are reunited and efforts are made to reconnect rail services and to make cultural exchange possible again, the Korean media reports that multinational corporations are planning, behind the scenes, to establish an extractive economy that will generate quick wealth from the exploitation of North Korea's rich mineral resources and its cheap labor. The profits will not be for the benefit of impoverished North Koreans, or even of ordinary South Koreans, but rather for international investors.





If we do not offer an alternative quickly, Wall Street, or its Japanese, or Chinese equivalents, will develop North Korea's economy according to the blueprint offered by post-war Iraq.





But there is an alternative, a third way, which offers a path for North Korea to leapfrog dirty and exploitative "growth" to reach sustainable economic and political success. North Korea does not have to choose between following the backward economic policies of North Korea's labor party that have produced stagnation and poverty on the one hand and embracing consumption-based neoliberal "development" policy run by global investment banks and the consulting firms that they fund.





That third way for North Korea is a collaborative economy, the embrace of the emerging global commons in education, politics, manufacturing and economics that is made possible by peer-to-peer (P2P) systems and commons-oriented production (e.g. Linux, Wikipedia).





Because North Korea is essentially starting from scratch, it can adopt the internet of verification (such as blockchain and holochain) in a more comprehensive manner than has been done elsewhere in the world. Such economic innovations will be shared and participatory, in the sense that socialist economies were, but the decision-making process will be distributed throughout the entirety of society so as to avoid authoritarian politics and thereby empower communities to set priorities.





This approach will allow North Korea to benefit from the advantages of internationalization without allowing international finance to dictate what North Korea will become. Concrete proposals for such a sharing economy that are a viable alternative to exploitative and extractive market economies have been implemented by the P2P Foundation in Amsterdam and the Commons Foundation in Seoul.





North Korea can empower its people by integrating them into the global P2P economy that links individuals with their peers in South Korea, and around the world, so that they can realize their full potential through commons-based micro-manufacturing which is controlled neither by the state, nor by Wall Street. Rather than being exploited for cheap labor, or cheap mineral resources, North Korea can develop a model for positive globalization that is powered by people, and not by capital.





The term "Corea as Commons" employed here suggests the fundamental conceptual shift required for such an integral view. The divided nation "Hanguk" is standardly referred to as "Korea" in English. Yet few are aware that this seemingly neutral term is colored by the Japanese colonial legacy. "Korea" was the Japanese version of the native term "Corea" that the Japanese employed when they introduced their colony to the West. The Japanese colonialism strategy that made "Corea" into "Korea" required the demolition of the shared communities for mutual support that once thrived in its villages by means of the Japanese equivalent of the enclosure acts that deprived most Koreans of their land and of their traditional means of production through the secret implementation of new laws and regulations. As opposed to the traditional concept of "hongik," "the spreading benefit through the greater community," the colonial period introduced ruthless competition to "Corea" and transformed it into "Korea."





Choi Yong-gwan, founder of the Commons Foundation, explains,



"The commons is not a new idea in Corea, but rather an economic model with a long history. The village contracts (hyanghak) of traditional Corea defined roles in the community, but did not assign absolute ownership. Those village contracts were destroyed during the Japanese colonial period. The deepening inequality born of inhuman competition and the resulting concentration of wealth started then."





Corea as Commons could serve as a model for how wealthy nations can work together with those less developed in a constructive, not exploitative, manner by creating shared economies that are focused on citizens. Moreover, in a practical sense, because the commons economy is not about foreign investment on a massive scale, or about exploiting North Korean labor, it does not fix with the standard models for economic interaction described in the current United Nations (U.N.) sanctions against North Korea and therefore offers a window of hope.







Getting North Korea on the right path







Although the Western media standardly portrays North Korea as a bizarre, isolated and mysterious nation, the recent negotiations with South Korea about economic exchanges have revealed that it is almost like any developing nation struggling to find a place in a ruthless globalized order dominated by financial institutions. The innovation we are proposing does not consist of a particular technology, but rather of an open platform that gives North Korea access to knowledge, to technology, to expertise, and to financial resources from around the world that will permit it to make an economic transition without following under the domination of oligarchs such as emerged in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union.





North Korea has little of modern technology, but it also has little of the commercialism or the consumer fetishism that have ripped apart the cultures of other nations. It therefore offers unprecedented opportunities for institutional innovation of which other counties are not capable  precisely because we start from zero.





North Korea could require that all buildings employ solar power, that manufacturing allow for open-source innovations at the local level, that services be shared between families without a middleman, and that local government in North Korea be allowed to develop ties with other local governments in other countries for education and social exchange. In other words, North Korea's opening up could present a priceless opportunity to establish a healthy and mutually supportive P2P version of internationalization that benefits local communities.





Similarly, North Korea can establish innovative financial systems that nourish local cooperatives employing cyptocurrencies and crowd funding as a means to build local economic autonomy while also allowing foreign investment in the form of crowd funding, or micro-investments by supporters around the world of $5-$50.





North Korea can put together a shared economy wherein everything, from vacuum cleaners and saws, to washing machines and solar power generators, are held together in trust for the community. It can set up programs for the barter of services (from caring for children or the elderly to cleaning and cooking) that recognize contributions of all citizens. It can even pair elderly people with young people, farmers with city dwellers to create new cultural and economic synergy. North Korea lacks highways or dependency on automobiles and therefore cities with shared transportation, all electric transportation, or even urban planning that eliminates the need for automobiles, are possible in North Korea.





We should also remember that the adoption of a commons, of a shared economy rooted in regional agriculture and micro-manufacturing is essential today in that it reduces the unsustainable overproduction that plagues East Asia and which not only promotes waste and economic disparity, but has also been shown to be a major factor behind military conflicts.







South Korea's role in "Corea as Commons"







South Korea should play a major role in North Korea's development, not only because it shares a common language and the common culture, but also because it has established powerful precedents for a P2P economy. South Koreans have displayed tremendous enthusiasm for participatory politics and economics, culminating in the "Candlelight Revolution" of 2016 that brought millions of citizens together to demand an end of corruption in politics.





The Mayor of Seoul, Park Wonsoon, launched a government program to create local villages across the city four years ago that provides a powerful platform for a sharing economy. More recently, Mayor Park announced on October 5 that Seoul has committed $54 million to establish blockchain systems throughout Seoul and to train a new generation of experts who can use them effectively. Such inclusive digital communities are rapidly moving South Korea away from domination by large corporations and that effort can be rapidly extended to North Korea.





Michel Bauwens, founder of the P2P Foundation, explains,



"I've had the occasion to visit Korea at 18-month intervals, and I am struck on each visit by the rapid acceptance of the commons paradigm. Perhaps such a rapid shift is possible in Korea because of the strong tradition of land commons, a dynamic democratic movement, and a vibrant solidarity economy."



What to do next?







North Korea needs first and foremost a P2P advisory committee that focuses on the ethical implications of economic and technological change, and not on short-term profits. South Korean citizens' groups can play this role well, but it will be important to obtain advice from around the world about how to avoid the traps set for emerging economies.





Above all, the P2P advisory committee must help North Korea stop the irresponsible exploitation of the extensive deposits of coal, uranium, iron, gold, zinc and rare-earths in North Korea (worth around $

according to the South Korean mining company, Korea Resources) that lie beneath its soil.





One of the first recommendations of the P2P advisory committee might be a freeze on the exploitation of subsurface resources until Pyongyang possesses sufficient expertise to assess the long-term environmental impact of such efforts on its own, or through its P2P networks, such as the internet of verification. The vetting of all proposals for the mining of resources; for the building of transportation infrastructure; and for the development of urban spaces by a P2P network of experts could be the first step towards establishing a federated-bioregional society.





Similarly, North Korea must avoid getting itself into heavy debt during the first stage of its opening to South Korea, and the world, so as to make sure that short-term returns for investors will never be a factor in planning, and to assure that there is no risk of capital flight.?"Corea as Commons" is a strategy that will help North Korea avoid a situation similar to the rise of oligarchs after the fall of the Soviet Union by empowering people to form community banks and create their own participatory financing mechanisms.





North Korea does not have to be a mysterious, closed, inscrutable remnant of the Cold War that must catch up with the "advanced" industrialized world. Rather, North Korea can be an inspiring experiment, a space where blockchain technology, micro-manufacturing, sustainable energy infrastructure and a P2P approach to internationalization ushers in a new era for that nation, for Northeast Asia, and for the world.


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This story was updated on Tuesday, Nov. 20.

Retired L.A. County Sheriff's Lt. Alex Villanueva widened his lead to nearly 87,000 votes over Sheriff Jim McDonnell in the latest vote count Tuesday.

Villanueva had already declared victory after last Friday's count showed him surging ahead by more than 57,000 votes. If Villanueva's lead holds up, the previously little-known lieutenant from La Habra Heights has scored a stunning upset.

Based on "our performance in this last batch of votes counted, ... I'm going to declare this race is over. We won," Villanueva, 55, told cheering supporters at his East L.A. campaign headquarters on Friday.

There's been no immediate comment from McDonnell, and Villanueva said he had not yet heard from the sheriff.

After Friday's update, Villanueva has 1,112,673 votes to McDonnell's 1,054,863, giving the challenger 51.3 percent of the vote to McDonnell's 48.7 percent. Since last Friday's update had the two men in a virtual tie, Villanueva has steadily pulled away as officials tally more provisional and last-minute vote-by-mail ballots.

Fernando Guerra, a political scientist and director of Loyola Marymount University's Center for the Study of Los Angeles, said even with more than 400,000 votes left to count, Villanueva appears to have opened up too large of a margin for McDonnell to overcome.

The challenger, who never commanded more than about 40 deputies in three decades with the department, seems poised to take command of the country's largest sheriff's department, with more than 9,500 deputies and another 8,000 civilian employees.

Villanueva would oversee crime fighting in all of unincorporated L.A. County and 44 cities. In addition, he'd be responsible for the problem-plagued county jails, which hold more than 18,000 inmates - one-third of whom are mentally ill.

Asked what would be his first priority as sheriff, Villanueva, who ran as a reformer intent on getting rid of corruption at the top, said, "We're going to clean house."

He said, "obviously it's a very complex process trying to transform a very large organization that's been mired in corruption and scandal year after year. But we're going to put all those wheels in motion."

When asked how much of top leadership he plans to remove, Villanueva said, "the overwhelming majority," then added, "we'll decide everything on a case-by-case basis. We're not going to just say this is exactly who's going to be coming or going, we have to evaluate everybody."

One key factor in Villanueva's strong performance in the election was a mailer sent to more than 1 million people by the L.A. County Democratic Party portraying McDonnell as allied with President Trump.

Sheriff is a nonpartisan office, but the party's mailer featured side-by-side photos of McDonnnell and Trump and asked, "Which side are you on?" - playing on McDonnell's refusal to support a state law that limits cooperation between federal immigration and local law enforcement.

But the flier went a step further, noting sheriffs - including McDonnell - met with Trump once in the Oval office and including a quote from former Attorney General Jeff Sessions: "Honor the Anglo American Tradition of Sheriff." McDonnell's campaign called the mailer unfair.

The one-two punch of associating McDonnell with Trump and his immigration policies in an overwhelmingly Democratic county with a huge Latino immigrant population convinced many liberal voters the sheriff had to go. Villanueva's Spanish surname may have helped drive his message home.

Villanueva's third punch came in the former of a huge independent expenditure on his behalf by the union that represents rank-and-file deputies. Villanueva raised only about $150,000, but the Association of Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriffs threw more than $1.3 million dollars behind Villanueva.

Union officials said deputies were angry about a personnel shortage that resulted in forced overtime. They also resented the sheriff's crackdown on deputies McDonnell said were dishonest.

McDonnell - elected four years ago in the wake of a scandal that saw former Sheriff Lee Baca and more than 20 other sheriff's officials convicted for corruption - implemented a more strict honesty policy that made it easier to fire deputies. The union said he fired many deputies unfairly.

Union officials also were infuriated by McDonnell's unprecedented effort to provide the names of 300 deputies who may have credibility problems in criminal cases to the district attorney. They argued the sheriff unfairly besmirched deputies who may have made one mistake. The union sued and the landmark case is before the state Supreme Court.

The political climate around public safety also helped Villanueva, said Guerra.

"It used to be if you were a tough on crime guy who looked the part you would get elected," he said. "Now people are looking for reformers, it's more nuanced."

During the campaign, Villanueva went to small community groups and Democratic party clubs around the county talking about focusing more on community policing.

Villanueva argued McDonnell, a former Long Beach police chief and one-time LAPD assistant chief, had relied too heavily on members of the old regime.

McDonnell did relatively little fundraising or campaigning. He doesn't like politics and argued sheriffs should remain above the partisan fray, while Villanueva was leveraging a highly partisan anti-Trump atmosphere to his favor.

If Villanueva emerges as the new sheriff, one key question is, how will he navigate his relationship with the powerful deputies union? He's echoed the union's positions on terminations and its concerns about new restrictions on the use of force in jails -- restrictions imposed after a federal investigation into beatings. Those restrictions, Villanueva has said, may be resulting in more injuries to deputies.

Villanueva was born in Chicago to a Polish mother and Puerto Rican father. He joined the U.S. Air Force after high school and came to Southern California, when he was assigned to Norton Air Force base in San Bernardino.

He joined the sheriff's department in 1986 and has served in a variety of assignments, patrolling East Los Angeles, serving as a drill instructor at the sheriff's academy and supervising the women's jail in Lynwood.

He met his wife, also a retired deputy, when she was a volunteer at the East L.A. station.

His last assignment was as one of three watch commanders in the Pico Rivera station, a job that required him to supervise about 25 deputies who patrolled the area during an eight-hour shift.

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Wildfires destroy a lot more than homes. Wooden power poles, PVC water pipes and water mains all take a beating. So utility workers are now swarming the burnt terrain to return everything to working order, which takes a whole lot of effort and resources.

TURNING ON THE POWER

Southern California Edison Fire Management Officer Troy Whitman said the company has more than 500 workers dedicated to recovery in the Malibu area, and the number is only growing: "It really takes a small army to support the operation."

When a wildfire hits, Edison handles it in three phases:

Emergency Response, when workers clear out any hazards so evacuees and officials can get where they need to go quickly. Damage Assessment, which means driving (and in some cases, helicoptering) around to see what's broken. Restoration, which is the process of replacing everything that was damaged

The fire's still burning, so Edison hasn't finished finding what needs fixing. But in the meantime it's started phase three. So far, that means replacing roughly a thousand power poles, and most of the wires that they carry.

But it turns out not all poles are created equal.

"Each one of these pole locations has to be engineered for the pole height and the pole strength. All of the equipment and hardware on each pole is specific to that location, so packages are created for each one of those locations," Whitman said.

SoCal Edison is still assessing damage but theyve started repairing the problems theyve already found. Here theyre loading one of the roughly 1000 telephone poles being replaced after the Woolsey Fire. @LAist @KPCC pic.twitter.com/4WXJihUTJW  Caleigh Wells (@cgrey307) November 16, 2018

Fixing the poles along the highway and the major canyons is as easy as driving up to where they fell. But in some of the smaller, more windy roads, it means digging into the ground by hand, and then using a helicopter to set the pole in place.

Whitman said Edison has been using new insulated wires, like it started using on Catalina. They'll be much less likely to spark when a pole falls down or when debris hits the wire. That could mean fewer fires.

Edison workers uncoil new, insulated wire to replace the fallen power lines in Malibu. (Caleigh Wells/LAist)

"You can touch it with your hand and you're insulated from the electricity flowing through the wire," he said. "On this rebuild we have so much wire to replace. This is a good opportunity for us to do Malibu as well."

While there's still a lot of work left to get done in Malibu, neighborhoods in Calabasas, Agoura Hills, and Westlake are pretty much good to go on the electricity side.

Good news, since a big part of the problem with the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District there had to do with not having enough power.

Workers repair a broken water main after the Woolsey Fire. Photo courtesy of Las Virgenes Municipal Water District. (Caleigh Wells/LAist)

BRINGING BACK CLEAN WATER

The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District covers everything north of Malibu, south of the 118 Freeway, and between Ventura County and L.A. City. That means about two-thirds of its service area burned. General Manager Dave Pedersen said that overwhelmed the district's resources.

"Public water systems are not designed to fight wildfires, they're designed primarily for a structure fire, and to meet people's domestic and home needs," he said. "The system does its best to accommodate the firefighting efforts put on the system, but it can only do so much."

It resulted in some residents being put under a boil water notice, because bacteria may have leached into the system.

But that wasn't just because of the high demand from firefighters as they diverted water to their hoses. The fire also melted PVC pipes and broke water mains, and when the power went out, there wasn't the electricity needed to pump the water.

"Normally when there's a leak in a water system...the only thing that happens is the water leaks out so the system is really safe from contamination," Pedersen said.

But with the drop in pressure from so many demands, contaminates could leak in wherever the pipes were broken. Hence the boil water notice.

As of this week the water district was still in emergency response mode, but Pedersen said 500 residents on the boil water notice could expect it to be lifted by the end of the week.

BOUNCING BACK

Pedersen estimates it could be six months.

"We're beginning to switch into the recovery process," he said. "We recover all the major facilities and restore normal operations first so we serve our customers...then we need to go back and do some of the more detailed repair."

Edison's Whitman said 25 years into his job, he sees the fires getting worse so it's a good time for safer power lines: "The last few years everyone has seen the increase in fire activity, the rate of spread of these fires, the devastation. I see in my job that things are changing."

As for an end date, Whitman said the extent of the damage still hasn't been determined because there's still parts of Malibu they haven't been able to get into to assess yet.

"But we're working feverishly to replace the poles we do know about."

This story is part of Elemental: Covering Sustainability, a multimedia collaboration between Cronkite News, Arizona PBS, KJZZ, KPCC, Rocky Mountain PBS and PBS SoCal.

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George's Burgers had fallen on hard times. Opened by George Sedaris in 1963 (or maybe 1967, depending on which story you believe), the Boyle Heights burger stand had been losing customers for years -- and understandably so. The menu had ballooned to about 60 items. The burger patties that used to be fresh were now frozen. The Thousand Island dressing that was once housemade came from vats at Smart & Final.

"Once George started stepping away, because he was getting older in health, his employees were running [it]," says Armando de la Torre Sr. "And when you don't have a vested interest, you don't care as much. I would still come for my burger but I'd watch it decline."

Chili cheese fries at George's Burgers in Boyle Heights. (Photo by Elina Shatkin/LAist)

His grandfather had started a real estate business next door, on Cesar Chavez near Soto, kitty corner from King Tacos, so de la Torre Sr. grew up eating at George's. It was once located next to Canter's, before the deli shuttered its original Boyle Heights location to concentrate its efforts on its Fairfax restaurant.

Although George's had gone downhill, de la Torre Sr. didn't want the onetime neighborhood favorite to go out of business.

"I didn't want to see it leave the family, because it has some sentimental value to me and I didn't want to see it turned into something that wasn't what it was originally," he says.

His family's real estate firm also owns the land, so they needed a profitable tenant.

He talked to his son, Armando de la Torre Jr., and they weighed the pros and cons of purchasing the business. It had bad Yelp reviews and didn't generate much excitement, but they saw opportunity. Plus, they had a little experience.

In 2010, de la Torre Sr. and a business partner transformed a nearby tamale shop into a taqueria and launched Guisados. Known for its stewed taco fillings and freshly made tortillas, the L.A.-bred chain now has five locations, from Burbank to West Hollywood. De la Torre Jr. helps his father run the business.

Armando de la Torre Sr., Armando de la Torre Jr. and Robert McCord at George's Burgers in Boyle Heights. (Photo by Elina Shatkin/LAist)

Father and son quietly bought George's and brought a friend, Robert McCord, a pastrami maestro, to help them run it. In October, they quietly shut it down for a makeover. They spent four days repainting, spiffing up the beloved yellow and blue sign, moving the pastrami slicer to a spot where customers could see it and revamping the kitchen. The biggest change was the menu.

"These places are all over L.A. and they've always been owned by Greeks and Jews, and they've kind of grown into the culture of L.A., or, at least their immediate community," says de la Torre Jr. "This place, their menu was just growing so large that we wanted to bring it back to what the classical burger stands would carry."

They pruned the offerings down to a dozen or so classic items -- burgers, burritos, a pastrami sandwich, chili cheese dogs, fries, onion rings, shakes. They ditched the frozen food and made sure all the edibles (except the ice cream and fries) were fresh.

George's Burgers in Boyle Heights. (Photo by Elina Shatkin/LAist)

Almost everything at George's is now locally sourced. The chili comes from RC Provisions. So does the black pastrami, a style of pastrami with a dark, peppery crust. The bread comes from El Pavo, the bakery next door. The pickle slices on the burgers come from A-1 Pickles, one of L.A.'s oldest kosher pickling companies. They make their own Thousand Island dressing and they buy fruit from local vendors to make seasonal milkshakes (blueberry, currently).

But they still kept the price point low. The most expensive item, the pastrami sandwich, is $8.

George's reopened in mid-October without any fanfare. After a couple weeks of testing and tweaking, they announced themselves in early November. Since then, customers have started trickling back to the Boyle Heights burger stand that may, once again, be as notable for its breakfast burritos and hamburgers as it is for its sign.

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The visit, at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, takes place at a time when the two countries will celebrate the Vietnam Year in Russia and Russia Year in Vietnam during 2019-2020, the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on fundamental principles of Vietnam  Russia friendly relations in 2019 and the 70th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2020.

On March 1st, 2001, Vietnam and Russia signed a joint statement on strategic partnership. Later on July 27th, 2012, both sides issued a joint statement on further strengthening bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

Over the past years, Vietnam  Russia political ties with high trust have been incessantly strengthened. The exchange of high-level visits has created a strong foundation to develop comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations.

Both sides established the annual diplomatic-defence-security strategic dialogue mechanism at the permanent deputy ministerial level in 2008 and a strategic dialogue mechanism at the defence deputy ministerial level in 2013. They also conducted regular political consultations at the deputy ministerial level within the framework of cooperation between the two foreign ministries.

The two countries have maintained the Inter-Governmental Committee on military technical cooperation at the defence deputy ministerial level. Russia is now the top important partner of Vietnam in the field. Both sides launched the first defence strategic dialogue at the deputy ministerial level in December 2013, the second in March 2016 and the third in November 2017.

Sharing the same views on many regional and global issues, the countries agreed to work closely together at international forums such as the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and the ASEAN Regional Forum. Russia backed Vietnams run for a seat at the United Nations Economic and Social Council for the 2016-2018 tenure while Vietnam also supported Russias bid for 2017-2019.

Vietnam actively assisted Russia in joining ASEM in October 2010 and the East Asia Summit in 2011.

On economic-trade ties, the two nations maintained the operation of the Inter-Governmental Committee for Economic, Trade and Scientific-Technological Cooperation which was established in 1992. In October 2018, the committee convened the 21st meeting in Moscow. The Vietnam  Russia Business Council was set up to facilitate bilateral trade and investment. The two countries recognised each other as market economies in 2007.

Two-way trade rose from USD2.2 billion in 2015 to USD2.7 billion in 2016 and USD3.55 billion in 2017. Vietnam mostly exports mobile phones, apparel, farm produce, and seafood to Russia while importing petroleum, iron and steel, fertiliser, machinery and equipment.

Russia now ranks 23rd among countries and territories investing in Vietnam with 116 projects worth a total of USD990 billion, mostly in oil and gas, manufacturing, mining, transportation, telecommunications, and aquaculture.

Vietnam currently invests in 22 projects worth nearly USD3 billion in Russia, predominantly in Rusvietpetro and Gazpromviet oil and gas ventures, Hanoi  Moscow cultural-trade centre, TH True Milks milch farming and agriculture, among others.

As energy brings significant revenues to the two State budgets, Rusvietpetro, Vietgazprom and Gazpromviet ventures were established to expand oil and gas projects in Vietnam, Russia and the third countries, apart from Vietsovpetro.

On cultural exchange, Cultural Days in Vietnam and Russia are held annually and alternately. Russia remains among the top 10 sources of tourist arrivals in Vietnam. The number of Russian tourists soared from 176,000 in 2012 to 300,000 in 2013, 364,000 in 2014, 340,000 in 2015, 430,000 in 2016 and 570,000 in 2017.

In the past, Russia offered training courses to nearly 40,000 Vietnamese officials and experts in diverse areas. In 2011, Russia provided 345 tertiary and post-tertiary scholarships for Vietnamese students, which rose to 400 in 2012 and 70 others for nuclear experts, 600 ones in 2014, 795 in 2015, 855 in 2016 and 953 in 2017. More than 5,000 Vietnamese students are studying in Russia.

Both sides conducted about 60 research and technological transfer projects while joint work at the Vietnam  Russia Tropical Centre have brought about positive outcomes.

The two countries localities established cooperative ties, especially between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Moscow, Saint Petersburg. In November 2013, the Hanoi  Moscow Centre for Culture, Trade and Hotel was inaugurated in Moscow.

About 60,000  80,000 Vietnamese nationals have been living and working in Russia for nearly two decades, contributing to the host countrys development.

Since 1991, over 100 cooperation documents were signed in the fields of economy, trade, investment, oil and gas, nuclear power, education-training, science and culture, and military technology.

Vietnam has attached importance to stepping up its comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia in a result-oriented, sustainable and efficient manner./.
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Two minutes before the Woolsey Fire broke out last week, ultimately becoming one of the largest fires on record in L.A. County, there was a brief outage at a nearby Southern California Edison substation. It's too soon to tie that event to the devastating fire that ignited shortly afterward -- investigators have just gotten started on the cause -- but there's reason to take a hard look at power lines.

That's because electric utilities' equipment starts about 10 percent of all wildland fires in California. Those fires are responsible for an outsized portion of acres burned -- up to 50 percent -- because they often occur during the worst conditions, high temperatures, high winds and low humidity.

As fires in the state get more frequent, more intense and more deadly, the need to find ways to prevent them has grown in urgency.

Have big utilities done enough to reduce their risk? That's a key question, particularly as upgrading an aging infrastructure will be both costly and time-consuming.

Earlier this month, Edison International CEO Pedro Pizarro acknowledged in a conference call with investors that the company's power equipment may have been the source of a second ignition point of the Thomas fire.

"[Edison] believes its equipment was associated with this ignition," he said, advising investors to brace for a loss if the company is required to cover some or all of the fire damages.

The city of Ventura city and dozens of residents burned out by the Thomas Fire have sued Edison for negligence. They claim the company's failure to cut back vegetation and maintain power lines caused the fire that burned 775 homes in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties last December. Remember: It was in that burn scar where deadly landslides took place after rains came in January.

WHAT DOES EDISON SAY?

Edison announced earlier this year that it plans to spend $582 million upgrading its system so that it's less likely to start fires.

Who pays for that? Well, the company is already working on getting required permission from state regulators to pass the cost on to ratepayers.

Let's look at what those improvements are, and the issues they're addressing:

California Edison Director of Grid Resiliency Bill Chiu displays covered power lines that are being used to replace bare power lines in areas of high fire risk, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Aguanga, California. (Kyle Grillot for LAist)

COVERED CONDUCTORS: PROTECTING US FROM IGNITING PALM FRONDS AND METALLIC BALLOONS

In rural Aguanga, a high fire-risk area outside Temecula, crews are replacing bare power lines with new wires covered in three layers of tough plastic.

Edison wants to replace 600 of its 10,000 miles of power lines with the covered power lines, which are called covered conductors in the industry.

Covered conductors have a thick steel core for strength, surrounded by two layers of aluminum or copper fibers that conduct the electricity.

Here's why that's critical: Uncovered conductors can spark a fire when they come into contact with a tree branch, or high winds cause a pair of conductors to slap against each other.

Southern California Edison's Bill Chiu said the covered conductors provide "very robust protection against potential for ignition resulting from palm fronds and tree branches and metallic balloons that get blown into the lines."

It's true; a stray palm frond or an errant metallic balloon from a child's birthday party can take out our power grid and set the hillsides on fire. Edison says over half the fires that were started by its power equipment in high fire-risk areas were caused by foreign objects like tree branches, palm fronds and metallic balloons landing on the lines.

The use of covered conductors as a way to reduce fires is something new for Edison. It has used older versions of covered conductors as "tree wire" in areas where the wires are likely to touch trees and trimming is impractical.

While the new covered conductors have three layers covering the metal insides, older versions have only one or two layers and are more subject to problems, like UV light damage, lightning strikes, sensitivity to radio transmissions and damage from hitting another wire.

Covered conductors cost about $428,000 per mile, which is 42 percent more than using bare conductors (a figure that assumes other improvements also need to be made at the time of replacing power poles and connections). But it's far less than the $3 million per mile cost of putting the lines underground. And covered conductors are quicker to install and easier to repair than underground power lines.

Edison is taking other steps as well. It will replace some wood poles with fiberglass ones, and it's adopting a more aggressive tree cutting program to keep branches from falling onto power lines.

A screenshot shows the view from Santiago Peak looking north on a High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network (HPWREN) camera. (University of California San Diego HPWREN project)

WEATHER MONITORS: IDENTIFY AND REDUCE FIRE RISK

The utility also wants to vastly expand its network of small weather monitors mounted on utility poles in high fire-risk areas. It already has several dozen and it wants to install 800 more.

Chiu says the monitors record temperature, relative humidity and wind speed and direction.

"Wind is this sort of holy grail of weather prediction," he said.

All that data can help Edison decide when and where to shut off power circuits so they can't start a fire on hot dry windy days, said Chiu. The information will be accessible online by fire agencies and anyone else who wants to view it.

The company also funded new HD firewatch cameras on its equipment tower on Santiago Peak in Orange County. You can see what it sees here.

WHY NOW?

It's pretty simple, fires are getting worse in California.

Nine of the 20 most destructive fires in the recorded history of the state have taken place since 2010, a pace that is only accelerating. Why? Climate change and continuous fire suppression have created more fuel and conditions ripe for fire.

As the destruction and death tolls mount, utilities' role in causing fires is getting more attention.

Cal Fire blames Pacific Gas & Electric's power lines for many of the 16 fires that burned thousands of homes in northern California last year. And PG&E says there was an incident on one of its circuits last week near the origin point of the devastating Camp Fire.

This year, Gov. Brown signed into law SB 901, which among other things calls on utilities to harden their power lines, or in other words take a number of steps outlined above, so they don't cause fires.

Edison's covers a gigantic territory, serving five million customers. Fires can be costly to the utility -- who pays depends on what happens.

When Edison's equipment starts a fire but there's no finding of negligence, the company's insurance covers the cost of the damages. If the insurance doesn't cover the full cost, the utility's ratepayers pick up the remainder of the tab.

However, if the company is found to have been negligent, shareholders, aka investors, pick up the full cost.

But customers may still ultimately see bigger bills. For example, if losses from fires grow big enough, a company's credit rating falls. That makes it more expensive to borrow money -- a cost that gets passed on to ratepayers.

Keeping power lines from causing fires and destroying homes isn't just good public policy, it is good business.

California Edison E-crew foreman Vince Burton works to replace cables and components on poles as part of their effort to make their grid more resistant to being involved in wildfires Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Aguanga, California. (Kyle Grillot for LAist)

IS EDISON'S WORK TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE?

Los Angeles attorney Patrick McNichols represents some Thomas Fire victims. He says the improvements undertaken by Edison, while needed, should have happened long ago.

"I would say it's more of an industry-wide practice which has been remiss over the last few decades, which is upgrading, updating all the equipment," said McNichols, who also represents people who lost homes in last December's Creek Fire, which was in Los Angeles Department of Water and Power territory.

McNichols says San Diego Gas & Electric sets a good example. The San Diego utility says it has spent $1 billion since a disastrous fire in 2007 to make the same kinds of grid-hardening improvements that Edison is just starting.

San Diego Gas & Electric's work so far is "the gold standard for wildfire prevention when it comes to utilities," said McNichols.

Edison has a plan to spend nearly $582 million on its upgrades. That would go to:

About $410 million for covered conductors and other grid hardening costs.

About $41 million for weather stations, high definition cameras and the software to use them.

$131 million for better vegetation clearing, infrared technology to monitor vegetation risks to power lines, and mobile generators for residents to charge phones and mobile devices, among other measures.

They want to pass on those costs to ratepayers. If approved, that works out to about $13 dollars a year per household.

Edison told the Public Utilities Commission considering the request that Southern California is facing fire conditions that the utility hadn't expected to see for a few decades.

"The magnitude of the increased threat and the significance of its consequences did not become apparent until 2017, when CA experienced five of the 20 most destructive fires in its history," the company said in its rate request.

The Thomas Fire, which burned more than 280,000 acres, caught the company by surprise, said Edison's Chiu.

"Frankly, nobody expected what we saw back in 2017," he said.

Since then, the Camp Fire in Northern California has become the deadliest yet, with at least 56 victims and more than 10,000 homes and other structures destroyed.

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On the morning of his 23rd birthday, Leonel Salas had just gotten off the fireline after battling the Woolsey fire all night. "[We] can't get any rest while we're on the lines," he said.

He was exhausted after being on the line for 24 hours, but relieved to be at the base camp in Camarillo, with its hot meals, sleeping pods and mobile showers.

When Salas, who works for the Cambria Fire Department, got the call to head out to the fire after it erupted on Nov. 8, he didn't even have the chance to say goodbye to his parents.

"I hate to compare it to the military, but it's similar to that because one minute you could be there [home] and then all of a sudden, you're gone." he said.

Fighting fires has been compared to the kind of stress that soldiers go through in warfare. In fact, a report by the International Association of Firefighters found that firefighters experience PTSD at rates similar to what's seen in combat veterans.

Salas still vividly remembers last year, when he was in northern California fighting the month-long Carr Fire. He saw people's homes destroyed in seconds. It made him pause and think about how he would feel if he lost his own home.

Besides structural destruction, firefighters see other things they'd rather not talk about.

"There's some things that we see that's basically beyond us that we can't really help," Salas said.

OPENING UP ABOUT TRAUMA

The firefighter and first responder culture is known to be stoic, which makes it hard to open up about trauma. But California fire season is changing. It's become longer and more destructive. Firefighters are fighting massive wildfires one after the other. The cumulative stress of it all can take a toll on a firefighter's mental health.

Last year, more firefighters and first responders died by suicide than in the line of duty, according to the Ruderman Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization that focuses on disability rights and mental health awareness.

So fire officials are trying new ways to alleviate overworked firefighters' stress and change the culture.

In 2015, Cal Fire noticed the need to provide immediate support to firefighters and first responders in the field during the Valley fire, which torched parts of Lake and Napa counties in Northern California for more than a month, destroying 1,995 structures and burning 76,000 acres. During the Valley fire, the state agency placed a peer-support team at its base camp.

Firefighters from various departments work to protect structures as the Woolsey Fire moves through the property on Cornell Road near Paramount Ranch on November 9, 2018 in Agoura Hills, California. (Matthew Simmons/Getty Images)

THE TRAILER

At the Woolsey fire base camp where Salas and other firefighters recuperate, Cal Fire set up a mobile trailer five days after the wildfire broke out.

The goal was to provide a safe, confidential space for firefighters to talk to chaplains and fellow first responders--and to even pet emotional support dogs.

Cal Fire Captain Kevin Molloy is part of the peer support team. He joked, "Sometimes people like to see the dogs more than they like to see us, but that's okay."

But the peer support members are also there to lend an ear to anyone who needs it.

"We are good listeners," Molloy said. "That's our job."

He said some common symptoms he observes in firefighters are lack of sleep, grief, sadness and frustration.

"What we tell those individuals is, those are normal reactions to an abnormal situation," said Malloy. He and the others also offer suggestions on how to cope with the stress, such as suggesting controlled breathing exercises, warning firefighters not to drink alcohol on their day off, and urging them to get enough sleep.

If firefighters need extra help, the team will refer them to a mental health specialist and make sure they'll have the support they need when they get home.

"WE'RE HUMAN"

Molloy hopes having this newer type of support in the field gives firefighters the tools to not only handle stressful events in real time, but the post-traumatic stress that may come down the road.

"They [firefighters] have the tendency at times to take care of others, that's our job," Molloy said. "But we want to make sure that we have the ability to take care of ourselves."

As for Salas, he said he doesn't need peer support right now, although he acknowledges that firefighters aren't superheroes.

"We're human at the end of the day," Salas said. "We go through a lot of the same things that a lot of the citizens are going through as well."

So he's glad the support trailer is there with fellow firefighters who have his back in case he ever does need the help.

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Rocco Carmine Siciliano, a Los Angeles business and civic leader who served four presidents, has died. He was 96.

Siciliano passed away Nov. 6 at his home in Beverly Hills of natural causes, his son John Siciliano said.

As a trustee for the J. Paul Getty Trust, Siciliano played a key role in founding the Getty Center, including finding its hilltop home in Brentwood, a coup that had its origins in a chance encounter.

Siciliano was attending a Republican fundraiser in the early 1980s and had left early after hearing President Reagan speak. He ran into a friend on his way out who also had skipped dinner: Tom Jones, chairman and chief executive of Northrop Corp.

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Jones mentioned that he had been planning to develop homes on a 53-acre parcel he owned in Brentwood, but had grown weary of the process.

You wouldnt want to sell that land, would you? Siciliano asked.

Jones was startled but interested, and the trustees went on to quickly purchase that core property and then quietly acquire adjacent property from UCLA before announcing plans to build the Getty Center in late 1983.

Sicilianos low-key moves to launch the Getty were typical of his behind-the-scenes style of accomplishment, said Suzanne Muchnic, a retired art writer for The Times.

He was not a flashy person, Muchnic said. He played an important role as somebody who was known to be very steady and to have good judgment and to be of impeccable integrity.

Siciliano was born March 4, 1922, in Salt Lake City to Catholic immigrants from southern Italy. His outsider status in that Mormon-dominated community shaped his perspective on life, he once told The Times.

We were a minority in Utah and that makes a person respond in one of two ways, he said in 1981. You can take the secondary position in society to which minorities are often relegated or you can fight it. I decided to achieve something more than the mundane goals.

He served in World War II in the famed 10th Mountain Division, the Armys ski troops, as leader of a special weapons platoon. After combat in Italy he was awarded the Bronze Star for valor.

He graduated from the University of Utah and earned a law degree from Georgetown University before embarking on a career in government and business.

During the Dwight D. Eisenhower administration, he did a stint as assistant secretary of the Department of Labor and then became special assistant to the president. In the late 1950s, he convinced Eisenhower to invite Martin Luther King Jr. to meet with the president in the Oval Office.

In the 1960s, Siciliano practiced law at a private Washington, D.C., firm before moving to San Francisco to become president of the Pacific Maritime Assn. representing shipping companies servicing the West Coast in their negotiations with labor unions.

He returned to Washington in 1969 to become undersecretary of the Department of Commerce for President Nixon.

He returned to the private sector two years later to work for Ticor, a Los Angeles-based title insurance company where he ascended to chairman and chief executive. During that period he also served as a member of the Federal Pay Board for Nixon.

In the 1980s, he became chairman and chief executive of American Health Properties, a Beverly Hills real estate investment trust.

Starting in the 1990s and until his death, he served on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission under presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. In that role, he oversaw selection of the site for the Eisenhower Memorial near the U.S. Capitol and the selection of its architect, Frank Gehry.

In addition to the Getty Trust, his civic positions included chairman of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and founding board member of the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art.

With Drew M. Ross, he authored his 2004 autobiography, Walking on Sand: The Story of an Immigrant Son and the Forgotten Art of Public Service.

His wife of 63 years, abstract painter Marion Stiebel Siciliano, died in 2011. He is survived by five children.

A memorial Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Dec. 28 at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills.
As a child growing up in Studio City in the 1980s and 1990s, composer Reena Esmail invented her own religion. She developed rituals and composed her own prayers, piecing together a uniquely personalized belief system.

Growing up I thought every person just had their own religion, she said with a lighthearted laugh. My parents were really open about the fact that they married someone from a different religion than themselves. They had to be OK with that, and they imparted that to me.

The only child of two Indian immigrants  a Catholic mother and Muslim father  Esmail grew up attending Mass at St. Charles Borromeo Church in North Hollywood. At home, she watched her devout Muslim grandparents pray multiple times a day.

Now 35 and still based in Los Angeles, Esmail continues to define spirituality in her own way. She practices yoga, meditates on texts that resonate with her and explores the duality of her religious upbringing and Indian American identity in the music she creates for orchestras and ensembles across the country.

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That exploration is at the heart of This Love Between Us: Prayers for Unity, a work Esmail composed two years ago against the backdrop of the divisive 2016 presidential election.

Part of me knows I dont look like most composers. Being a woman, being brown, being a minority, I know that Im different. Reena Esmail

Originally commissioned by the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, This Love Between Us was premiered by the historical performance ensemble Juilliard415 and the Yale Schola Cantorum. (Esmail attended Juilliard as an undergraduate and earned her masters and doctoral degrees from Yale.) The piece will receive its West Coast premiere Sunday by the Los Angeles Master Chorale at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Esmail sees This Love Between Us as pivotal in the development of her compositional voice.

Admittedly, up until the point that I wrote this piece, I think I was trying to play things safe, she said. Part of me knows I dont look like most composers. Being a woman, being brown, being a minority, I know that Im different.

In 2016, she said, she started to realize she was in a place where more people were listening to her voice. I had some power, some ability to say something. I needed to use my voice to say something important.

Her message? Unity, we are more alike than we are different. Religion can often divide people, but when Esmail looks at religions, she zeroes in on core truths that unite.

For This Love Between Us, the composer culled texts from the seven major religious traditions of India: Buddhism, Sikhism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Jainism and Islam. At the center of each tradition she sees a call for kindness, for respect.

The thesis statement of the piece, if there is one, is that whatever you believe, somewhere in your religious canonical text it says that you should be good to one another, she said. If you are not doing that, it is not your religion that is mandating it. It is you making a choice to go against your own religion.

To illustrate this message musically, Esmail drew from her very Western, very American musical background  piano, guitar and violin lessons as a kid, Catholic church choirs, East Coast conservatory training  and from her experience studying Hindustani classical music in India as a Fulbright scholar in 2011.

This Love Between Us melds the sounds of a baroque orchestra and Western chorus with those of a sitar, tabla and classical Hindustani soloist. The texts are set in English as well as Sanskrit, Malayalam and other languages.

That combination of styles could come across as superficial or arbitrary, said Los Angeles Master Chorale artistic director Grant Gershon, who will conduct the piece.

But what could be an uncomfortable pairing is just so organic in Reenas writing, he said. She is so at home in the different styles. Im more excited about Reena and her compositional voice than just about anybody that Ive worked with in recent years.

He continued: Shes obviously fiercely brilliant and a gifted musician, but what makes her music special is the fact that shes able to channel this incredible empathy and complex understanding of the human experience into music thats crystal clear, beautiful, thought-provoking and unlike anything Ive ever heard before.

Kindness and empathy are apparent not only in the way that Esmail skillfully fosters connections between Indian and Western traditions in her compositions, but also in the way she structures her career.

Since 2014, Esmail has worked as composer in residence at the Street Symphony on skid row in downtown L.A. In that role, she works closely with homeless and incarcerated populations, singing Hindustani classical music at the Twin Towers jail and composing pieces that are accessible to transient homeless choirs. This week she is busy rehearsing for Street Symphonys fourth annual Messiah Project, which shell help lead on Dec. 7 at the Midnight Mission.

Through Street Symphony Esmail also met and mentored Benjamin Shirley, a former addict and skid row resident who now works for the organization as her co-composer in residence. She mentors young female composers through Luna Lab, and is the co-artistic director of Shastra, a nonprofit organization that promotes musical connections between Indian and Western traditions.

Fully embracing her background and the dualities of her identity, her music sounds different, and her career looks different too.

Im asking Indian and Western musicians to work together. I want them to feel really comfortable, she said. It is interesting to be able to show the Western musicians the light and essence of Indian music and visa versa.

Concentrate on the essence, concentrate on the light, Esmail said, quoting Rumi. Its the last line of This Love Between Us, and it could also be the main tenant of the imagined religion Esmail dreamed up so many years ago.

This Love Between Us: Prayers for Unity will be performed by the Los Angeles Master Chorale at their Bachs Magnificat concert on Sunday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall,111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. lamasterchorale.org

UPDATES:

Nov. 18, 10:53 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details.

This article was originally published at Nov. 17.
Conversations among prominent writers, musicians, architects and dancers have taken place in the Schindler House since it was built in 1921-22. Edmund de Waals installation on view there now makes deeply stirring conversation with the house.

R.M. Schindler, an emigre from Vienna, crafted on the West Hollywood lot a spatial experiment, a live/work space for two couples that invited collaboration and cooperation. As you move through the largely unfurnished rooms, the architecture registers as immersive sculpture. De Waals intervention (titled " One Way or Other  ") heightens that experience through the addition of works in porcelain, steel and stone that draw from the same vocabulary of distillation, intimacy and rhythmic repetition. The union works on a visual as well as a visceral level. Both rigor and reprieve feel palpable.

De Waal, a writer and sculptor based in London, makes skinny, slightly irregular cylindrical ceramic vessels, glazed in a reductive palette of white, black, rich graphite and ashen gray. Some are as modest in scale as a finger, and none stands taller than 8 or so inches. He houses them  and here, especially, the metaphor resonates  in steel-framed vitrines with clear plexiglass sides, where they cluster in small groups, vaguely anthropomorphic assemblies, humble miniature forests, specimens on display.

A thick slab of plexiglass cushions each pristine, architectonic shelter from the table it sits on, so the case and its contents appear to float. The effect is elegant and perfectly attuned to the spare geometry of the house, with its concrete walls and floors, slit windows and redwood-beamed ceilings. Light enters in slim stripes and also broad planes, thanks to sliding panels that allow free passage between indoor and outdoor space. Each room, usually empty, becomes a stage for the play of shadows. This motion of change now enters into conversation with the stillness of De Waals sculptures.

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De Waal has also introduced music to the space, including Anton Webern pieces roughly contemporaneous with the construction of the house, a contemporary cello improvisation, and a composition by Simon Fisher Turner that summons, appropriately and delightfully, the spirit of John Cage, who had some history here. Domestic and urban found sound, recorded in Vienna and London, mixes with the ambient noise of visitors and maintenance workers: keys jingle, trams clatter, footsteps beat, brooms swish. The sounds frame silences in much the same way that De Waals objects shape the empty space around them. He is a sculptor of intervals.

A long table in one of the rooms looks as if it could serve for work or dining, but its surface functions more like a notebook page. De Waal coated it in porcelain slip and inscribed upon it comments about the house, exile, music. The legibility varies; most of the words sink into the formerly liquid surface, and the whole serves less as a vehicle for specific ideas than as an analog of the malleable process of thought itself and the undependable archive of memory.

Schindler designed his house on North Kings Road with synergy in mind. De Waals engagement with the place fulfills that aim afresh, with grace and the concentrated vigor of poetry.

MAK Center at the Schindler House, 835 N. Kings Road, West Hollywood, (323) 651-1510, through Jan. 6. Closed Monday and Tuesday. makcenter.org
Forty years ago, on the Friday before Thanksgiving, something very strange happened. A special television event that had been billed as a dazzling lineup of stars, animation, adventure, music and visual effects turned out to be two hours (including commercials) of The Star Wars Holiday Special.

In a way it made sense. It was the golden age of the variety show, and the cast of Star Wars, which had blown up the cinematic universe the year before, had made appearances on the Bob Hope Christmas Special, The Richard Pryor Show and Donny & Marie. It wasnt entirely without precedent that the most popular movie of the previous year would have a variety show of its own.

Even so, it wasnt quite what fans, or television viewers, were expecting.

The show opened with Wookiees. Ten minutes of Wookiees. Yes, Chewbacca had a family, and they lived in a rad treehouse loft with thick green shag carpeting on a planet called Kashyyyk. Wookiees speak Wookiee, not English, and there were no captions, so it was 10 full minutes of grunting and miming, which is a lot.

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There was something of a plot  Han, played by Harrison Ford, and Chewie had to get home in time to celebrate Wookiee Life Day. But then Harvey Korman appeared in drag as an alien Julia Child. Bea Arthur sang, tended bar at the Mos Eisley Cantina and danced with Greedo. Diahann Carroll showed up for a virtual reality number, and Jefferson Starship played a hologram concert in a box. Luke (Mark Hamill) and Leia (Carrie Fisher) made appearances but so did Art Carney. Boba Fett was introduced in an animated sequence, and at the end, the Wookiees donned red robes, grabbed orbs, and marched into the sun. Princess Leia sang.

This happens. (YouTube)

Not surprisingly, the special was never aired again; neither was it ever officially released by Lucasfilm. It took on an urban-legendary status, occasionally popping up in bootleg VHS trading groups; Carrie Fisher once joked that she had a copy to play at parties when I wanted everyone to leave.

Over the years, as Star Wars morphed from film to franchise, much has been written about its regrettable holiday special. And now, to mark its 40th anniversary, theres even a play about its making. Everybody went into it with good intentions, said Andrew Osborne, author of Special, a semi-factual retelling of how it all went down that opens at L.A.'s Theatre of Note on Dec. 14.

Most of the writers and crew were coming from a disposable pop culture perspective, he said, and while George Lucas was hard at work creating a richly textured and expansive science fiction universe, everyone [at CBS] was like how do we work in more musical numbers?

It all started with the merchandise, or lack of it. When Star Wars premiered, no toys had even been developed. Christmas 1977 came and went without the fans getting to play Jedi and Stormtroopers at home, a situation Fox wanted to correct by Christmas 1978. But if the studio was going to sell toys, it needed something to remind kids how much they loved their heroes from a galaxy far, far away.

Everybody agreed that a television special was a good idea, said Jonathan Rinzler, who worked closely with George Lucas at Lucasfilm.

Lucas was very busy in 1978. Expectations were high for the sequel, and he was moving his production company to Northern California. So he didnt have time to get very involved with the special. He came up with the general concept, Rinzler said: He wanted to expand on the Wookiees and introduce Chewbaccas family; with concept artist Joe Johnston, he designed a Clint Eastwood-style bounty hunter named Boba Fett.

Then, according to first-person accounts, production was turned over to CBS, who put the project in the hands of veteran variety show writers and producers. The first director got frustrated with the budget and fast-paced production schedule of television, and quit. The costumes were so thick and bulky that the actors sometimes passed out. By the end, the whole thing had run out of money: The Wookiees in the final scene were shot wearing Chewbacca masks.

Harrison Ford talks with Carrie Fisher during a break in the filming of The Star Wars Holiday in 1978. (George Brich / AP)

Osborne compares it to the variety show version of Murder on the Orient Express: Everybody participated a little bit in the murder.

He was 10 years old when Star Wars premiered, and hed had the date of the holiday special circled on the family calendar for weeks. And then: Almost immediately, from the opening credits, I started thinking, Wait, why is Bea Arthur in this? Why is Jefferson Starship in this?

The Boba Fett cartoon  widely considered one of the few highlights  came in just shy of the hour mark in the special. After that, Osborne said, his family flipped to The Love Boat. (They werent the only ones: The special came second to Love Boat in the Nielsen ratings that night for the 8-9 p.m. hour, and second to Part 2 of the miniseries Pearl from 9-10.)

Richard Woloski, who with his wife, Sarah, co-hosts several Star Wars podcasts, was 9 years old when he watched it live; he remembers thinking: This is all were gonna get until 1980, we better enjoy it.

And he did  sort of.

I enjoyed it. I was confused. In the ad for the holiday special, it said Han and Luke battle the Empire and get Chewie home before the Wookiee holiday. So I was like, when does this battle take place?

The most important message of Life Day, he said, was clearly, Buy toys.

I told my mom, OK, when the commercials come on, grab a pen and paper and write down everything that you see, he recalled. It worked on me like it was supposed to.

Tricia Barr, co-author of Ultimate Star Wars and Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia, was about the same age when the special aired and while the Wookiees made a big impression on her, the familiar movie characters and the musical acts were all mashing up in this really weird way.

Back in that time in the 70s, television was a little weird and wacky anyways, Barr said.

Is this where you imagined Chewbacca lives? (YouTube)

Eventually, the holiday special made it to YouTube, where it has found new life with many watching it, Osborne says, like you look back on your portrait in a high school yearbook. At the time its mortifying but looking back its like, fine, everyone looks goofy in it. For a lot of people, that portrait was The Star Wars Holiday Special.

He was inspired to write Special, he said, by trying to imagine who or what had happened to bring such a thing into existence.

As a lifelong Star Wars fan who had jarring memories of the holiday special, I always thought that it would be such an interesting story with so many interesting personalities involved, he said. In his research, one thing that jumped out at him was how many people were actually involved in making it  and how all of them have actively distanced themselves from it since then.

Because a lot of those first-person anecdotes contradict each other, and some people have refused to talk about it at all, he describes the play as a true-ish version of events  kind of a tall tale version of it, with six actors playing dozens of parts.

As for people who have never seen the holiday special for themselves, I wouldnt tell my friends who arent into Star Wars to watch it, Barr said. But if you really want to know Star Wars history, then you should definitely check it out.

Tweet me some Wookiee grunts @jessica_roy.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) Governor-General Bob Dadae holds a grand welcome ceremony in honor of Chinese President Xi Jinping in front of the PNG national parliament house prior to their meeting in Port Moresby, PNG, on Nov. 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said here on Friday that he hopes his ongoing visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG) would help boost relations between the two countries.

During the meeting with PNG Governor-General Bob Dadae, Xi pointed out that this is not only his first visit to PNG, but also the first-ever state visit by a Chinese president.

Thanking the PNG government and people for the warm reception, Xi said interactions between China and PNG go a long way back.

Since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1976, cooperation between China and PNG in various areas has witnessed fast expansion, which laid a solid foundation for the development of bilateral relations, he said.

Xi said the Chinese side has attached great importance to relations with PNG, and that he hopes his ongoing visit would help boost bilateral relations, expand all-dimensional exchanges between the two countries, promote friendly communication between the peoples, and push for fruitful results in practical cooperation in a broad range of areas.

The Chinese side is staunchly committed to strengthening solidarity and cooperation with Pacific island countries including PNG, Xi said.

Extending warm welcome to the Chinese president, Dadae called the visit a rare and grand event for his country in years.

PNG and China enjoy profound friendship, he said, noting that there were Chinese traveling to and settling down in PNG more than a century ago.

PNG established diplomatic relations with China the year after its independence, he said, adding that the visit by Xi is a milestone event for bilateral relations.

The governor-general thanked the Chinese side for its precious assistance to PNG in areas concerning national development and people's livelihood such as infrastructure construction, education and health.

He also thanked China for its great support for PNG in hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting.

PNG is ready to join efforts with China to lift the two countries' relations to a higher level, he said.

Prior to the meeting, Dadae held a grand welcome ceremony in Xi's honor in front of the national parliament house, featuring a 21-gun salute and folk dances.

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[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
The first of Elena Ferrantes four Neapolitan novels, My Brilliant Friend has become a television series in eight parts, a co-production between Italian studios and HBO, where it begins airing Sunday.

Ferrante  the name is a pseudonym, the author remains remarkably unknown and unheard from, barring an occasional epistolary interview  is a writer of general appeal and critical plaudits who combines the fizz of popular fiction with a nuanced interest in social mores and and interior states. (My copy of My Brilliant Friend comes with blurbs from Alice Sebold, John Powers, John Waters and Gwyneth Paltrow.)

Directed by Saverio Costanzo (Hungry Hearts), this screen translation  much of it spoken in a Neapolitan dialect that requires subtitling even in Italy  is similarly energetic and thoughtful and redolent of Ferrantes evocative but never flowery prose. It takes awhile to catch fire, and for a viewer even to get his bearings, so numerous are its characters; but it does, and you will.

Superficially, it can be seen as a high-toned Italian turn on Beaches, the Barbara Hershey-Bette Midler film, and Old Acquaintance, before it, with Miriam Hopkins and Bette Davis: decade-spanning tales of female friendship, difficult masculinity and personal fulfillment (and disappointment). It is not what youd call a soap opera, but it simmers with all the ingredients of one  family honor and dishonor, love, sex, class war and a criminal element.

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The books tell the story of of Lila Cerullo (Ludovica Nasti as a child, Gaia Girace as an adolescent) and Lenu Greco (Elisa Del Genio, younger, Margherita Mazzucco, older), from 6 to 66. (The first volume gets them to 16.) Lenu, whose father was a porter at city hall, narrates retrospectively, tracing the course of their variable yet indivisible friendship.

Lila, a shoemakers daughter, is one of those remarkable personalities one does encounter real life, as impossible as they seem: preternaturally self-contained, a person seemingly outside of time and society, whose thoughts seem all original, prodigiously self-taught, perceptive and impulsive, certain in her actions but quite capable of putting a foot wrong.

Ludovica Nasti, left, Elisa Del Genio in Elena Ferrantes My Brilliant Friend. (Eduardo Castaldo/HBO)

Lenu is smart too, if less original, bound by convention and a desire to please. She depends on Lila for inspiration, and their competitive/supportive relationship is the spine on which the novels hang. Other characters come and go, intersecting the orbit, perhaps seeming to threaten it, before heading back into space.

A big-canvas, close-quartered drama populated by whole families variously in cahoots and at odds, among themselves and with each other, it is set in the 1950s, largely in a working-class satellite neighborhood of Naples -- a sort of island of four-story apartment blocks hemmed in by a berm along which trains run and through which a tunnel leads to a highway that leads, it is rumored, to the sea.

As in every adaption, there will be something to disappoint the fans. (Ferrante was involved in the writing in an advisory fashion.) There are some practical compressions and minor chronological rejiggering  the book and the series reach an identical midpoint  but nothing of import was left out, and the novels big scenes  a rock n roll dance party, a fireworks battle, a trip to Naples that, like much else here, suddenly turns violent  and its most striking images are for the most part powerfully rendered. (Lila suddenly flying out a window is breathtaking, even when you know its coming.)

Built for the series in Caserta, near Naples, the neighborhood is itself a sort of a character  containing what for much of the series is the girls whole world. In the earliest episodes, the cityscape feels barren, artificial and dreamlike, like something out of Antonioni or Fellini; shops, such as there are, are seen only from the outside. Later, the palette, at first all dusty browns and grays, grows more varied  though remaining, for the most part, pale, like a hand-colored photograph  the streets fill with ordinary life, stores are entered into.

None of the four girls who play Lila and Lenu acted before My Brillilant Career, and while they arent always quite up to incarnating an emotion, their presence always registers; the camera drinks in their faces with a regard that might be called religious. Lila is an especially difficult character to inhabit. Nasti, who plays her when little, catches her fury, certainly, though one needs to take her intellectual brilliance somewhat on faith.

But Girace, who is just 14, is increasingly fine as the script asks more of her; dark and thin, seeming to keep something secret behind her eyes, she can stand up to older actors and intimidate the intimidating characters they play. And Mazzucco, 15, blossoms as the story sends her out into the world. That both teenagers are tall and can look older than they are makes the often aggressive courtship of adolescent girls by older boys (and men) at least visually less disconcerting than it might be  though disturbing enough when you think for a moment.

The theme of predatory and proprietary men arranging the lives of girls and women makes the series timely (though one might also call it timeless). There is revolution in the air here, though, if tentatively approached. As to what the future may bring, there are three novels still to adapt  and little doubt, given My Brilliant Friend, that they will be.

My Brilliant Friend

Where: HBO

When: 9 p.m. Sunday

Rating: TV-MA (may be unsuitable for children younger than 17)

ALSO:

My Brilliant Friend: How HBOs Elena Ferrante adaptation overcame every obstacle thrown at it

In a rare interview, Elena Ferrante describes the writing process behind the Neapolitan novels

Maggie Gyllenhaal wrote Elena Ferrante a letter. Now shes directing The Lost Daughter

robert.lloyd@latimes.com

Follow Robert Lloyd on Twitter @LATimesTVLloyd

robert.lloyd@latimes.com

Follow Robert Lloyd on Twitter @LATimesTVLloyd
In addition to the baby alpaca throws and cozy cushions that home accessories brand St. Frank is known for, the walls of its newly opened store in Pacific Palisades boast surfboards, which despite their decorative patterns, are designed for hitting the waves out there on the Pacific.

I took one out this morning, brand founder Christina Bryant said of the boards, the result of a collaboration with Oceanside, Calif., shaper Gary Linden. You can mount them on a wall or actually surf on them.

Bryant opened the store  the fourth in the St. Frank family  in Rick Carusos new Pacific Palisades development in early October. A Los Angeles location had been in the crosshairs of the 5-year old brand for a couple of years, given that the city is its second largest market. She also wanted it to feel site-specific  and different from the other outposts in San Francisco, New York and East Hampton.

We wanted to do it hacienda-style, with curved walls, and give it sort of an adobe feeling, Bryant said. The wallpaper here has a little bit more of a Southwestern vibe to it, compared to our store in East Hampton, for example, that has a more traditional New England coastal cottage feel.

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The contents of the boutique, however, are what customers have come to expect from the brand, which was founded after Bryant spent a couple of years in Rwanda working for an NGO. Upon her return to New York, she found herself wanting to decorate her home using the handmade pieces she had discovered in Africa, but noted that the aesthetic didnt quite work for a modern Western customer.

Christina Bryants design team works with artisans around the world, combining their traditional craftsman practices with a Western sensibility. (St. Frank)

I wanted to create a brand that spoke to my values as a world traveler, off the beaten track, in search of authentic products, she said.

Her design team works with artisans around the world, combining their traditional craftsman practices with a Western sensibility; so a linen quilt ($450) is made using Kantha, a style of stitching native to women in rural Bengal, India, most typically adorning their saris. Washed Indigo trays ($450), are made by woodwork artisans in the Philippines. Closer to home, cuffs are woven by Native Americans in New Mexico, using traditional Navajo techniques.

The Hacienda

The new St. Frank store with more natural work in Los Angeles. (St. Frank)

Where: 15259 Palisades Village Lane, Pacific Palisades

When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

Info: stfrank.com

home@latimes.com
Dont expect to find bongs, water pipes and empty packets of Funyuns at the Los Angeles-area home of Will Htun.

When we asked to look inside the home of the CEO of cannabis brand Sherbinskis, we found a sleek and minimal space where he could host chef-catered, cannabis-paired dinners on the rooftop and take meetings in a high-ceilinged front room.

Htun, 34, moved into the 2,700-square-foot townhouse in July 2016, after he and brand founder Mario Sherbinski, who is based in San Francisco, decided it would make an ideal live/work space. With its three en-suite bedrooms, Htun opens up the home to associates in town for business instead of housing them in a serviced apartment.

Our work influences a lot of how we live here, said Htun, who was born in Myanmar and has lived in Africa and Hong Kong. Were so focused on work that we wanted [to wake up], drop into our front room and sit at a giant conference table and get on with it.

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In that front room, floor-to-ceiling glass windows open out fully onto a small yard. The exterior of the building is steel and glass; Htun said he didnt have to do anything major to the interior, which came with white walls and bamboo floors.

Were generally more understated  I feel like were still in startup phase even though were four years into the business. We could be in a big Hollywood Hills house and chalk it up to a marketing budget, but this was more our style, he said.

Overall, shows the conference room/meeting room, located in the entry of Will Htuns home in West Hollywood. Htun is the CEO and co-founder of Sherbinskis Premium Cannabis and Lifestyle. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Displayed in the front office space are pieces that tap into Htuns other interests: a collectible Lego robot and a Jabba the Hutt figurine bought from Colette in Paris before it closed, and a signed bottle of tequila from Clase Azul of its priciest variety; only 500 bottles were made, valued at $3,000 each.

Behind the office is what Htun describes as the heart of the home, a place where he likes to lounge and reset. I travel a lot, but I love this area on the weekends, he said. A stream of DJs and artists  including rappers Rich the Kid  drop in after a recording session nearby. A friend of Htuns owns Capsule, a Los Angeles design studio, and custom-made a cream-colored sectional couch for him, which sits atop a rug from West Elm and is decorated with a sheepskin throw from Room & Board.

One of the few obvious signs of the business: Bright orange trays  the color echoes Sherbinskis packaging  were custom-made, and hold cannabis paraphernalia like buds, rolling papers and vape pens. A set of orange chairs from Modernica is moved around where they are needed. Against one wall is a slab of a walnut table, with stainless steel accents, which is one of the few pieces of furniture Htun brought back with him from Hong Kong.

Given his work and travel schedule, Htun enjoys gathering people on the rooftop over multicourse dinners, where strains of cannabis are paired as a wine might be. (The space is furnished by pieces from fernish.co, a Los Angeles-based company that rents out pieces on a monthly subscription model. Theres a pair of teak chaises in one corner and in the center a teak dining table with polished steel chairs.)

Will Htun, co-founder of Sherbinskis Premium Cannabis and Lifestyle, is photographed on the outside deck at his home in West Hollywood. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Sherbinski, who hangs his hat at the Htun pad when hes in Los Angeles, said these late-night gatherings for as many as 18 people are a way to enjoy good food and a smoke together, as they might do in Amsterdam.

Cannabis and food go hand in hand, said Sherbinski. Here, we sit around and talk about cannabis and culture, and people can have a drink, smoke a little and then crash here afterwards. Its the best kind of evening.

home@latimes.com
Camp fire death toll rises to 86 after burn victim dies in hospital By Alene Tchekmedyian Californias deadliest blaze on record has claimed 86 lives. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) The death toll from the devastating Camp fire in Butte County, Calif., rose to 86 after an 80-year-old man died of his burn injuries, authorities said Tuesday. Larry Smith of Paradise was burned Nov. 8 while attempting to put out flames that engulfed his car, the Butte County Sheriffs Office said. He was flown to the UC Davis Firefighters Burn Institute Regional Burn Center, where he died Nov. 25. Authorities also released the name of one other person who died in the blaze: Shirlee Teays, 90, of Paradise. Of the 86 people killed, 52 have been identified. Three people are still missing. Facebook

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Three more Camp fire victims identified A recovery team searches for human remains after the Camp fire. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) The Butte County Sheriffs Office on Monday released the names of three more victims who died in the Camp fire. Authorities identified the following people and have notified their families: Rafaela Andrade, 84, of Paradise Don Shores, 70, of Magalia Jean Forsman, 83, of Magalia Of the 85 people killed in Californias deadliest blaze on record, 50 have been identified. Three people remain missing.

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Woolsey fire victims identified as mother and son Firefighter Adan Rodriguez douses hot spots on Mulholland Drive last month. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles County coroners officials Monday identified a mother and son who died trying to escape flames in the destructive Woolsey fire. Shoushan Baklayan, 82, and her son Anthony Noubar Baklayan, 57, died in a car Nov. 9 in the 33100 block of Mulholland Highway in Malibu, coroners officials said. Authorities said that the younger Baklayan died of effects of thermal injuries; investigators have not determined a cause of death for his mother. The two were among three people who died in the blaze. The third victim has not been identified. The family released a statement through their spokesman, Brian Glicklich, in which they asked for privacy as they continue to grieve. The blaze, which erupted Nov. 8, ripped through nearly 97,000 acres in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, destroying 1,500 structures. Facebook

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Authorities identify the remains of 3 more killed in Camp fire By B.J. Terhune Firefighters move heavy debris while searching for human remains at a destroyed residence 19 days after the Camp fire in Paradise, Calif. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) The Butte County Sheriffs Office has released the names of three more people who died in the Camp fire. Sheriffs officials said Wednesday that the remains of the following people had been identified and their relatives had been notified: Sally Gamboa, 69, Paradise

Joy Porter, 72, Paradise

Dennis Clark, 49, Paradise Californias worst wildfire killed 85 people when it tore through Butte County on Nov. 8. Officials say 10 residents are still missing.

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Authorities identify remains of 10 more people who died in Camp fire By B.J. Terhune  Weeks after the Camp fire destroyed more than 18,000 structures in Californias Butte County, volunteers from search-and-rescue teams nationwide continue to look for human remains in the rubble. The names of 10 more victims of the Camp fire were released Monday by the Butte County Sheriffs Office, which has notified the next of kin. Helen Pace, 84, Paradise

Gary Hunter, 67, Magalia

Beverly Powers, 64, Paradise

Sheila Santos, 64, Paradise

Andrew Downer, 54, Paradise

Lou Herrera, 86, Paradise

TK Huff, 71, Concow

Gordon Dise, 66, Chico

James Garner, 63, Magalia

Robert Duvall, 76, Paradise Californias worst wildfire has killed 85 people, and 11 residents in the Northern California counties where the blaze tore through in early November are still missing.

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Camp fire death toll is revised to 85 Homes leveled by the Camp fire in Paradise, Calif. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) Authorities in Butte County revised the Camp fire death toll to 85 after investigators determined that, in three cases, human remains collected in multiple bags belonged to a single individual. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said investigators had identified 43 victims. For weeks, hundreds of searchers scoured 18,000 structures destroyed by the blaze looking for human remains, going over some areas more than once. Honea advised residents who head back to their neighborhoods in coming days to call the sheriffs office if they find bones or bone fragments. Investigators have accounted for all but 11 people reported missing in the wildfire. Crews have been working to clear tree hazards on public roads, but urged residents to be cautious because they have not assessed private properties. Facebook

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Strangers from Paradise support one another in hotel lobby far from home By Angel Jennings Over the last few weeks, some Paradise evacuees have made a Best Western hotel home. They didnt know each other before the fire, though they lived in the same small town for years and frequented the same haunts. They have formed a little community at the Corning hotel around the waffle maker during breakfast, passing one another in the elevator and lounging in the lobby, Around the table, they trade stories of dodging embers and feelings of guilt. Together, they try to make sense of the tragedy that unites them. They are among thousands of Paradise residents who fled their homes the day the fire started and have not been allowed to return since. There is growing frustration at the pace of getting people back to see what is left of their properties as well as longer-term shelter plans for those who lost their homes. Read More Facebook

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Rain brings new dangers in Northern California areas burned in recent fires By Hannah Fry As a series of rainstorms begins to move across the state, officials in areas recently scarred by wildfires are on high alert for potential mudslides and flash flooding. The National Weather Service issued a warning of possible flash flooding in three counties in Northern California in advance of a storm expected to arrive late Wednesday. Forecasters predict the second in a series of three storm systems this week could drop more than an inch of rain on the Camp fire burn area in Butte County; the Carr, Delta and Hirz fires burn areas in Shasta County; and the Mendocino Complex fire scar in Lake County. Read More Facebook

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Costs from Paradise fire will likely be in the billions, Zinke says U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke returned to Paradise, Calif., on Monday, saying the cost of Californias worst fires would probably be in the billions and that care would have to be taken in rebuilding the city. When we rebuild, having a frank discussion whether its appropriate to rebuild every place is an important part of the equation, he told the Associated Press in an interview. Facebook

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Some victims of Paradise fire may never be found, officials say By Rong-Gong Lin II Authorities are coming to terms with the possibility that the search for victims of the Camp fire might never be complete and that some human remains wont ever be recovered. Is it possible that there could be a circumstance where someone was completely consumed by fire and therefore we wouldnt have something that we could collect? I would say it is within the realm of possibility, unfortunately, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Monday. Theres nothing easy about this. This is just an unprecedented situation, he added. Read the latest here. Facebook

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New storms bring fresh anxiety in Paradise By Hannah Fry The first of three storm systems expected in wildfire-ravaged Butte County, Calif., dropped a smattering of rain Tuesday. Forecasters predicted about an inch of precipitation, saying the relatively weak system would sputter out by early Wednesday. But a stronger storm will roll in late Wednesday, bringing with it the potential for debris flows and up to 3 inches of rain through Thursday night. The Butte County Emergency Operations Center has prepared for the rain by clearing drainage culverts of debris, said Matt Gates, public information officer for the Paradise Police Department. The California Conservation Corps also has been working on erosion-control measures for mountain slopes filled with fire-damaged pine and chaparral. Ash doesnt absorb water, which complicates things, Gates said. A third storm could bring 2 to 4 inches of rain to the charred region from Friday through Sunday. Its the intensity that can cause debris flows, said Eric Kurth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. If the rain comes over time, theres some opportunity for it to absorb or gradually run off. When we have rapid runoff, thats when it can bring down entire hillsides. The soil in recently burned areas cannot absorb significant amounts of rainwater, so excessive precipitation can lead to fast-moving flows containing mud, debris and even trees and boulders. The devastation can be deadly and often comes without warning. The rain is also expected to complicate the already challenging search for human remains among the rubble of the Camp fire. Typically, crews scoop fire debris into a screen and sift it, looking for bone or bone fragments, but the ash and rain have mixed to form a clay-like substance, making the task nearly impossible. Officials have had to bring in water and gently wash away the clay to expose potential human remains in the charred mess. Facebook

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Mountain lion P-74 believed killed in Woolsey fire By Associated Press National Park Service officials say P-74, a young male mountain lion who lives in the area burned by the Woolsey fire, probably died. (National Park Service) Officials say a mountain lion tracked by researchers probably died in a wildfire that tore through Southern California communities and wilderness areas. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area tweeted Monday that theres been no signal from the GPS collar on the young mountain lion dubbed P-74 since Nov. 9. Thats the day the Woolsey fire swept into the central part of the Santa Monica Mountains northwest of Los Angeles. P-74 was a male born last year. Several other mountain lions and bobcats monitored by scientists in the area have been located. The huge fire charred a swath of national park land thats home to the big cats and popular among hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. The blaze burned 1,600 structures in and around Malibu and left three people dead. Facebook

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88 dead and 203 still missing in Paradise fire zone By Rong-Gong Lin II The death toll from Californias worst fire jumped to 88 on Monday with 203 people still missing, officials said. Searchers have spent the last two weeks combing through the remains of Paradise, where much of the city was burned in the Camp fire. Officials said Monday that they had covered a good portion of the city. Its been a grim task, with most of the remains being found as just bones or bone fragments. The fire, which burned more than 14,000 homes in the Paradise region, was fully contained Sunday morning. A new rainstorm will move into the area in the coming days, and officials are worried that could make search efforts more difficult. Facebook

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Officials believe mountain lion P-74 died in the Woolsey fire By Associated Press Lion P-74. (Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area) Officials say a mountain lion tracked by researchers probably died in a wildfire that tore through Southern California communities and wilderness areas. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area tweeted Monday that theres been no signal from the GPS collar on the young mountain lion dubbed P-74 since Nov. 9. Thats the day the Woolsey fire swept into the central part of the Santa Monica Mountains northwest of Los Angeles. P-74 was a male born last year. Several other mountain lions and bobcats monitored by scientists in the area have been located. The huge fire charred a swath of national park land thats home to the big cats and popular among hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. The blaze burned 1,600 structures in and around Malibu and left three people dead. Facebook

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296 still missing in Paradise fire zone; 85 dead As of Sunday night, the number of people missing stands at 296 in Californias worst wildfire on record. The Butte County Sheriffs Department said the death toll was at 85. Searchers spent the day looking for remains in the Paradise area, where 14,000 homes were lost in the Camp fire. The number of missing has been going down as officials connect with people whose names are on the list. As of last week, it topped 1,000. Facebook

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Searching for anything that looks human: Grim work in Paradise continues By Cindy Chang At the Ridgewood mobile home park for senior citizens in Paradise on Sunday, more than 100 search and rescue workers in white jumpsuits and gas masks combed through the rubble with shovels and rakes. The surrounding pine trees were singed, ringing a neighborhood where every home had been reduced to charred, twisted wreckage. Last week, searchers found the remains of two people there, said Sgt. Dave Thompson of the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office. On Sunday, the grim, painstaking task yielded some bones, including those of two small dogs. But none were human. The searchers, many of whom are volunteers, also found a safe full of coins as they combed through Ridgewood and Ponderosa Mobile Estates next door. Were going trailer by trailer, piece by piece, turning it over for anything that looks human, said Thompson, who led an operation that drew searchers from counties such as Marin, Contra Costa, Shasta and Kern, as well as the National Guard and California Conservation Corps. Facebook photos before the fire of the Ridgewood community at Pentz and Wagstaff roads, where residents were 55 years and older, showed tidy mobile homes with well-kept gardens. The fire came over the ridge very fast, and senior citizens with limited mobility could have had trouble fleeing, Thompson said. As teams wrapped up their work, Thompson dispatched them to other neighborhoods to continue searching for people who lost their lives in the fire. Facebook

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Disaster assistance operations are extended in Malibu and Agoura Hills Operations at disaster assistance centers in Malibu and Agoura Hills have been extended to keep helping residents affected by the Woolsey fire. The centers, located at the former Malibu Courthouse and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation in Agoura Hills, are scheduled to be open through Dec. 8. Hours of operation are between 1 to 8 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. At the centers, residents affected by the fire can get help filing insurance claims and applying for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. They can also receive advice on how to clean up, repair and rebuild their properties. Facebook

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Woolsey fire destroyed 1,643 structures in destructive siege of Ventura County and Malibu Destruction from Woolsey fire. (Los Angeles Times) The Woolsey fire destroyed 1,643 structures as it swept through Oak Park and Ventura County and into Malibu, according to a final report released Sunday. That makes it one of the most destructive fires in Southern California history, though it pales in comparison to the 14,000 homes lost in the Camp fire in Butte County. Hundreds of evacuees from the Malibu, Agoura Hills and Thousand Oaks areas spent the holiday weekend returning to their burned-out neighborhoods to survey their damaged or destroyed homes and to begin rebuilding their lives. Some were still debating whether to stay or leave. The Woolsey fire scorched more than 96,000 acres and left three people dead before it was fully contained on Thanksgiving Day, fire officials said. Pono Barnes, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said firefighters are working on encouraging residents to prepare for winter rainstorms that could move over the burn area. The whole landscape in the area has changed, Barnes said. The vegetation that was there to hold the ground together was burned off. Facebook

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Rain is helping firefighters battling Northern California fire, but a new storm could bring dangers By Ruben Vives Crews work in the wreckage of a structure destroyed in the Camp fire. (Associated Press) Light rains in the area have assisted firefighters in achieving 100% containment of Northern Californias devastating Camp fire, but most evacuations and road closures remain in effect. More than 1,000 firefighters remain on site, assisting with search and recovery efforts. Full containment came as a big relief for fire officials, who noted that the rain sped up the process. Full containment was originally projected for Nov. 30. We didnt get mudslides, so that was good, said Brigitte Foster, fire prevention officer for the Lassen National Forest and spokeswoman for fire officials regarding the Camp fire. We got enough to hamper down on the fire. The rains also gave officials the ability to reduce the number of fire personnel on duty and allow some to go home for the holiday weekend. We still have plenty of resources out there to work from the containment line and make sure there are no smoldering spots along the edge, Foster said. We still have search and rescue teams working in the area. And in preparation for residents being allowed to return to burn areas and assess property damage, crews were helping clear roadways and remove hazardous materials such as trees that could fall down. Its unknown when evacuees will be able to return. There are concerns about another storm approaching burn areas this week. Rain is expected to move into the Camp fire burn areas beginning Tuesday and continue through the end of the week, according to the National Weather Service. Up to 3 inches could fall in some lower elevations, forecasters said. On Wednesday, the same system is expected to deliver a half-inch to 2 inches in burn areas in Southern California. Facebook

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Woman returns to see ruins of Malibu drug treatment center: This place saved my life By Emily Alpert Reyes Along Trancas Canyon Road on Saturday, a woman snapped photos of the blackened wreckage of what was once an alcohol and drug treatment center. A wedge of scorched wall stood at a tilt, like a listing ship, peering over the Pacific below. Someone had taped business cards to a wall bordering the site, advertising a restoration business, but it was hard to imagine what could be restored. The woman, who declined to give her name, said she had been sober nearly seven months. This place saved my life, she said. She stayed in Newbury Park after she was evacuated, and it was the first time she had gotten a moment to see what had become of Creative Care Inc. There were people she had gotten to know there who are now living out of state and wanted photos. Its sad, she said. But its just material. I have sobriety. I have life, she said. And theyll rebuild. Read more here. Facebook

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50,000 displaced by Northern California fire. Where will they go? By Anna M. Phillips Across Butte County  a primarily agricultural area known for its walnut, almond and rice farms  towns are struggling to absorb the roughly 50,000 people displaced by the Camp fire. Through no fault of their own, the evacuees arrival has worsened the states housing crisis and raised the possibility that they could be evicted from the region again, not by fire but by a scarcity of suitable dwellings. Hotels and motels from Sacramento to Redding are full. The vacancy rate in the rental market, which hovered around 3% before the fire, has fallen to near zero. Unable to find single-family homes in the area, evacuees have resorted to renting individual bedrooms, buying recreational vehicles and purchasing travel trailers. Others are simply leaving California for other Western states with a lower cost of living. Read more here. Facebook

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Northern California fire now 100% contained; 85 dead, 249 still missing Destruction from the Camp fire. (Los Angeles Times) The worst fire in California history reached full containment Sunday morning, a milestone for a catastrophic inferno that killed at least 85 people with nearly 250 people still missing weeks later. The Camp fire is now 100% contained, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Sunday, after burning nearly 14,000 homes and consuming 153,000 acres in and around Paradise in Butte County. Much of Paradise was lost in the fire, and search and rescue crews will continue looking through the ruins for more victims. At one point, there were more than 1,300 people listed as missing from the fire. But that number has been dropping in recent days. Over the weekend, it declined from more than 400 to 249 as officials were able to confirm more people on the list were actually alive. Several days of rain last week helped firefighters get a handle on the fire. Authorities expect the removal of ash and other toxic debris from the fire will be the largest such effort ever undertaken by state officials. The amount of debris is expected to dwarf the cleanup effort undertaken from last years Northern California fires. That effort led to more than 2 million tons of toxic debris removed from 6,000 properties in seven California counties: Sonoma, Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Butte, Yuba and Nevada, said Eric Lamoureux of the Governors Office of Emergency Services. County, state and federal governments jump start the process of removal of toxic ash and other debris, and can do so at no cost to the owner, Lamoureux said. Typically, about 80% of owners give the government permission to conduct the cleanup operations, with the rest opting to do it themselves. Read More Facebook

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Schools devastated by California fire struggle to get back to the business of educating students By Rong-Gong Lin II As this region still reels from the worst fire in California history, educators are faced with the challenging task of reopening schools even as the firefighters continue their work and searchers scour the area for more victims. They are working to identify replacement classroom space for schools that were burned to ashes during the fire. Paradise Unified School District was hardest hit, with multiple school buildings lost to the fires. Charter schools in the area also suffered. Read more here. Facebook

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Paradise fire search efforts pick up as firefighters increase containment The worst fire in California remained 95% contained Saturday morning. Rains helped put out the flames but also made it harder for firefighters to access some areas. The fireline that remains uncontained is located in steep and rugged terrain where it is unsafe for firefighters to access due to the heavy rains, CalFire said in a statement. With the rain passing, officials hope to intensify search and rescue efforts, with more than 400 still reported missing. The fire burned 153,336 acres and nearly 14,000 homes, with 84 dead. Facebook

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Some Malibu residents still under evacuation order By Sarah Parvini In Malibu, some residents who evacuated from the Woolsey fire were still waiting to return home as officials worked to restore utilities and road access. That fire, which charred 96,949 acres and destroyed 1,643 structures, is 100% contained. Three people were killed. There is still a lot of work to be done, said Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman Pono Barnes. Strike teams are in the area helping residents repopulate. Firefighters biggest job Friday was working with Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas Co., Barnes said. There was quite a bit of infrastructure damaged during the burn, he said. Edison is working to replace downed power lines and burned-out power poles. As many as 2,000 power poles have been replaced, he said. That is why we still have some evacuations in place, Barnes added. Facebook

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A wheelchair and gurney sit in rain amid devastation of Paradise medical complex By Gina Ferazzi The grim search for victims continued in Paradise on Saturday amid the rain. Times photographer Gina Ferazzi was struck by the image of an abandoned wheelchair and gurney in front of the destroyed Cypress Meadows post-acute medical facility. The rain is making the devastation in Paradise even more eerie and sad, she wrote. The rain is making the devastation in Paradise even more eerie and sad as abandoned wheelchairs and gurney still remain in front of the destroyed Cypress Meadows facility while search teams sift through ashes looking for human remains #CampFire pic.twitter.com/AyeD9io9FU  Gina Ferazzi (@GinaFerazzi) November 24, 2018 Firefighters hand out #Thanksgiving dinners to victims of #CampFireParadise at Chico St @WCKitchen while Saphira Swisher, 6, prays before turkey dinner w/her family at a church shelter pic.twitter.com/o9Drj3dDeX  Gina Ferazzi (@GinaFerazzi) November 22, 2018 Facebook

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Wildfire much worse because of climate change, new report finds By Tony Barboza Camp fires devastation. (Los Angeles Times) A new federal report found that climate change is taking an increasing toll on communities across the United States. It projects widespread and growing devastation as increasing temperatures, rising sea levels, worsening wildfires, more intense storms and other cascading effects harm our ecosystems, infrastructure and society. Among the findings: The area burned across the western U.S. from 1984 to 2015 was twice what it would have been if climate change had not occurred, according to analyses cited in the report. Earths climate is now changing faster than at any point in the history of modern civilization, primarily as a result of human activities, the report says. But the severity of future impacts will depend largely on actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the changes that will occur. The report comes as California faces a series of devastating wildfires that have claimed scores of lives and burned thousands of homes. Read more on the report here. Facebook

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Hes giving $1 million to help the high school students of fire-ravaged Paradise By Morgan Cook With many of their homes damaged or destroyed in the states most devastating wildfire on record, the students of Paradise High School face an uncertain future. On Tuesday, a man they have never met from a city more than 500 miles away will give them a gift he hopes will provide at least a small measure of security, support and comfort in a dark hour. Rancho Santa Fe businessman Bob Wilson plans to personally deliver a $1,000 check to each of the schools 980 students and 105 employees in Chico at a venue that has yet to be determined. Thats a total of $1 million for the wildfire victims to use as they see fit, no strings attached. Read More Facebook

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Camp fire now 95% contained, with help from rain Firefighters battling Californias deadliest fire on record continued to make progress Friday, with containment growing to 95% and the number of homes burned at nearly 14,000. The Camp fire has scorched more than 153,000 acres and killed at least 84 people in Butte County, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection officials. But hundreds of residents are still missing, and thousands more have been displaced by the massive blaze. Read More Facebook

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Another Camp fire death recorded as rain lessens fire danger Rain falls Thursday on the site of a home destroyed by the Camp fire. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) Another day of searching, another grim finding. The death toll from the Camp fire rose by one Thursday to 84, on a day when rain seemed to halt further growth of the states deadliest blaze. By Thursday evening, the Jarbo Gap, where the fire probably started, had received just over an inch of rain in the preceding 24 hours, according to the National Weather Service. Rain totals varied across the region. The forecast calls for more. In the nearby town of Paradise, which was nearly obliterated by the fire, the forecast for Thursday night was more showers, heavy at times, with winds of 18 to 24 mph and gusts as high as 37 mph. Such winds would have fueled the fire just days ago, but instead they are harbingers of precipitation that is expected to drop three-quarters of an inch to 1 inch of rainfall Thursday night. Another 1 to 2 inches could fall Friday. The wet weather has helped bring containment of the fire to an estimated 95% as of Thursday evening. But it also brought damp, chilly discomfort to evacuees living in tents  thousands of residents have been displaced  and new worries about potentially deadly mudslides in burned areas. A flash-flood watch and wind advisory will remain in effect until 4 p.m. Friday. The rain also complicates the search for human remains, which could be washed away. Hundreds of people are still unaccounted for. Crews also are involved in another grim tally, figuring out exactly which homes and business burned. Officials have released a preliminary interactive map that shows the damage, house by house. Camp fire evacuees now have rain to contend with as they occupy tents in a Walmart parking lot in Chico, Calif. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Facebook

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Malibu schools to reopen by early December; other schools aiming for Monday Air scrubbers at work in a Las Virgenes district school library. (Las Virgenes Unified School District) Schools in Malibu survived the Woolsey fire almost intact but they got very dirty, and cleanup efforts will keep campuses closed even as residents are allowed to return to their properties. The fire killed three people, burned 97,000 acres and destroyed 1,500 structures. Malibus four schools have been closed since Nov. 9, when they were included in the mandatory evacuation zones. The tentative date to reopen Webster Elementary is Nov. 28. Point Dume Marine Science School is scheduled to reopen Dec. 3. Juan Cabrillo Elementary School should be ready between Dec. 3 and Dec. 5, pending results of air testing inside and outside for traces of lead, asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Malibu High will be back in business between Dec. 4 and Dec. 10 The district had planned a swifter reopening but slowed down out of an abundance of caution, spokeswoman Gail Pinsker said. We are hearing from parents that they want thorough cleaning and testing, which we plan, but the cleaning and testing and waiting for results take a day to more than a week, she said. Three other districts in the region also had closed campuses. Schools in Conejo Valley Unified, Oak Park Unified and Las Virgenes Unified are aiming to reopen Monday. Residents who had to evacuate included Las Virgenes Supt. Daniel Stepenosky, who estimated that about 90 families with district students lost their homes, as did two staff members. In a video update on social media, he said that everyone is eager for schools to reopen: Everyone wants to get back to a state of normalcy, to be honest with you. To that end, a crew of 200 has been working for several days, and the district had brought in 300 air scrubbers and 300 hydroxyl deodorizers. Playgrounds that are not ready by Monday will be cordoned off. Stepenosky said that a full-court press will continue because the schools are really boring when theyre empty. A worker scrubs down surfaces at a Las Virgenes district campus. (Las Virgenes Unified School District ) Facebook

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We can make ugly pretty again: The fighting spirit of Paradise residents By Laura Newberry Camp fire victims have a Thanksgiving dinner in Chico, Calif. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) Anna Longacre booked her flight home months ago. Back then, the 26-year-old Army sergeant imagined the comforts that awaited her Thanksgiving week, the things that never change no matter how far away from Paradise, Calif., the military takes her. The old cast-iron stove that warmed the entire house during winter. The small stone-fruit orchard that ran along the side and back. Her dads breakfast hash browns. Annas family had lived on their 3-acre lot in the Sierra Nevada foothills for 20 years. She moved away at 18 and has been stationed in Afghanistan, South Korea and Kansas. But her heart stayed in Paradise. Instead of being home Thanksgiving morning, she found herself in a cavernous auditorium at Cal State Chico, where turkey and fixings had been prepared for evacuees of Californias deadliest and most destructive wildfire. She dragged her dad, Bruce, with her. She wanted to get him out of her grandmas house in Chico, where theyd been staying with her mom and dogs. And she had heard celebrity chefs Guy Fieri and Jose Andres were making the food. It couldnt hurt to try and have a little fun, she thought, despite everything. The father and daughter were greeted by volunteers in plush turkey hats and handed sanitary wipes at the door. Read more here. Facebook

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Stories of thanks and gratitude amid the devastation in Paradise By Laura Newberry A young Camp fire evacuee waits in line to receive a free Thanksgiving meal Thursday in Chico, Calif. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) As of Thanksgiving Day, the devastation logged by the Camp fire in Northern California was nearly 14,000 homes, more than 150,000 acres and at least 83 lives. Some of the thousands displaced by the fire, mostly from the town of Paradise, said they nonetheless counted themselves among the lucky and found things to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. Times reporters on the ground in Butte County asked people about the meaning of this holiday. Here are their stories. Facebook

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Authorities warn of fraudulent GoFundMe websites, other scams related to Paradise fire By Rong-Gong Lin II Butte County Dist. Atty. Mike Ramsey warned that scam artists are targeting Paradise fire victims seeking to rent housing. We have seen people who have no right to a particular apartment that go and rent out that apartment and take peoples money. Be very careful. Red flag: If its too good to be true, it is, Ramsey said. Another scam already happening are fraudulent GoFundMe websites seeking contributions for fire victims, he said. We encourage folks to go to the Butte County website to take a look at areas where you can legitimately and safely give your charitable dollars to, he said. He also urged residents to beware of scammers seeking to collect personal information under the guise of pretending to be insurance agents or a sheriffs deputy seeking to cross names off the list of the missing. It will be obvious that these are scammers, he said. Be very, very careful of giving any sort of personal information that will be financially disastrous to you, he said. There have been 11 cases of looting, he said, with suspects mostly interested in vehicles, such as motor homes, left behind by fire victims that fled. Facebook

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Rapid DNA analysis is being used to identify dozens of California fire victims By Rong-Gong Lin II Rapid DNA analysis is being used to identify dozens of California fire victims burned beyond recognition. Of 83 victims, sheriffs officials have made tentative identifications on 58 of them, but they await DNA confirmation. Were working diligently to identify those individuals so that we can contact their next of kin and notify them, said Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea. It used to be that DNA analysis could take months before answers would firm up, but now DNA analysis can be done within a matter of hours, Jim Davis of Ande, a Massachusetts-based company that specializes in rapid DNA analysis, said at a press conference in Chico on Wednesday. Davis said his company has been asked by the sheriff to use its rapid DNA analysis method to help identify victims in a mass casualty incident the first time his company has been asked to do so for this purpose. Davis said hes working with the coroners office in Sacramento County to collect tissue samples from the autopsies of the deceased; 80% of the time, those samples are usable for DNA analysis. Butte County sheriff and California Department of Justice officials are coordinating the collection of DNA samples from living relatives. Facebook

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She lost her home and dogs in the Paradise fire. This Thanksgiving is difficult, but shes grateful to be alive By Laura Newberry Tamra Grays Facebook friends have started posting photos of their newly decorated Christmas trees. When she stumbles upon this display of normalcy, she can barely hold it together. Its hard to think about the holidays right now, she said as she sat at a table in the Chico Mall food court, where she and her husband were discussing their options with a home insurance company representative. I dont have a home to put a tree in right now. Gray and her husband, Scott, lived in their Paradise home on Oak Way for 20 years. What she will miss the most are the pine trees in her backyard and the cool shade they provided, a simple pleasure she could count on even when the mercury hit 100. At 10 a.m. on the day of the fire, Grays 19-year-old son, Dylan, came running down the street. He had gotten stuck in gridlock traffic on Wagstaff Road, and seeing the plumes of black smoke ahead of him, he ditched his car in the closest parking lot and darted home, the only one hes ever known. Theres a fire, we gotta get out, he shouted. They had not received an evacuation alert. Gray did not think the house would burn. They lived a block from a fire station. Before leaving, she touched a redwood keepsake box that contained her childrens first teeth. If I take this to a shelter, it could get stolen, she thought. She left it. The family also left three dogs behind, taking several others with them in separate cars. Grays thinking was this: if there was looting, the big dogs would protect the home. Gray found the animals remains when she returned to Paradise last week. She is consumed by guilt. Gray and her family -- four adults and two kids -- are staying in an RV as they search for a rental. Her 29-year-old daughter, Shannon, also lost her home in Magalia. I feel lost. I just feel so homesick and I cant seem to get past that yet, Gray said, tearing up. Its hard for me to think about where I want to be in the future. Just as she was being asked what she was grateful for on the eve of Thanksgiving, Grays teenage daughter, Victoria, bounded up to her in the food court with several shopping bags in her hand. I got you shoes, Victoria said, pulling out a pair of gray Champion slip-ons. They were on sale. Gray tugged off one of the brown Ugg boots she got at a shelter. She tried on a sneaker. Im grateful that my family made it out alive, Gray said, returning to the question. Its easy to answer that when its staring me right in the face. Its when Im alone that I go into a dark place. Facebook

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You could feel the heat from the flames: Paradise survivor describes horror, survival They called it their little green house in the forest. A two-bedroom mobile home with a birdbath out front on Skyway road where deer and bobcats roamed. It is likely gone, they think, because they have seen a map of the burn area  a cloud of red over where they lived for four years. Steve Weathington, 67, and his girlfriend, Irene Schwab, 65, now lay their heads on green cots in an exhibit hall at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds. Their possessions are few, but they made it out with their two trucks, two dogs and two cats. A fortune, they know, compared with what others escaped with. The morning the fire broke out, the couple had sat down to waffles and eggs when they noticed the sky was a smoky orange. Schwab went outside to settle a patio umbrella that was thrashing in the wind. A manager of their mobile home park had begun driving around, honking. Grabbing clothes, toiletries, medicine and the animals, Weathington hopped into his truck. Schwab followed behind in hers. It was burning on both sides of the road, Schwab recalled. You could feel the heat from the flames. It took them more than three hours to get to Chico, usually a 25-minute drive. They are grateful to be alive, to have had insurance on their home, to be capable and willing to start somewhere new. They may stay and find a place in Yuba City, a community theyve grown to appreciate. When they venture out of the shelter, an act of kindness is usually bestowed upon them. Waitresses have bought them dinner, a barber refused money for a haircut. They have picked out clothes for free and marveled over the donations that file in daily. We get a little teary-eyed because its really emotional, said Weathington, a retired commercial painter and U.S. Marines veteran, his eyes growing red. Still, the timing of everything is hard to take. The couple used to host Thanksgiving dinner for family with a spread of traditional fare, including pumpkin cheesecake and homemade biscuits. The holiday rings a bit hollow now, eliciting memories of what they once had. Facebook

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Number of homes lost in Paradise fire approaches 14,000 as containment increases Firefighters continued to make progress with Californias deadliest fire, with containment rising to 90% but with number of homes burned now at nearly 14,000. At least 83 people were killed when the fire swept into Paradise two weeks ago, and hundreds are still missing, Rain helped firefighters, but the weather has made the search for victims more difficult. Precipitation has minimized fire activity and all fire lines continue to hold. Firefighters and resources continue to be deployed throughout the fire area to patrol and remove hazards, Cal Fire said Thursday morning. Facebook

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Camp fire death toll increases to 83, while 563 still missing By Rong-Gong Lin II The remains of two more people were recovered in the Camp fire burn zone Wednesday, raising the death toll in the blaze to 83. One person was found in a structure in Paradise, while the other was located in a structure in Magalia, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told reporters at a news conference. Were working diligently to identify those individuals so we can contact their next of kin and notify them, Honea said, adding that investigators have tentatively identified 58 of the dead. Authorities have identified six more people who died in the blaze. They are: Teresa Ammans, 82, of Paradise

Richard Brown, 74, of Concow

Marie Wehe, 78, of Concow

Kimber Wehr, 53, of Paradise

Joseph Rabetoy, 39, of Paradise

Joan Tracy, 80, of Paradise About 830 searchers will work on Thanksgiving to look for victims of the blaze, though the search could be suspended if rain triggers mudflows in the area.

The number of people unaccounted for dropped to 563. A total of 2,052 people have been crossed off the missing-persons list. Thats a dynamic list, Honea said. You may see it go up or down depending on the information we receive during the course of the day. The blaze has scorched more than 153,000 acres and destroyed more than 18,000 structures, including 13,500 single-family homes. It was 85% contained. The heavy rain has minimized fire activity. That fire activity is almost nothing,said Josh Bischof of the California Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection. Forecasters expect six inches of rain to fall across the burn area through Friday. Butte County Dist. Atty. Michael Ramsey said his office has put together a team to deal with price gouging. People are not allowed to jack up prices more than 10% of what they were before the fires, he said, adding that people can call (866) 323-6283 to report price gouging. Facebook

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Rain pours down on tent city of Paradise evacuees, causing new problems (Ruben Vives / Los Angeles Times) Rain began to pound on the tent city of Paradise evacuees Wednesday afternoon in Chico, causing more problems for people who have already been through so much. Two women walked around holding a blanket, offering it to anyone who needed it. Standing alone, wearing a red hooded rain poncho, John Owens shivered. I dont know how much longer people can hang on like this, he said. Owens lost his home and car in the fire. He said he was clinging on to what he had left: his wife, his dog and a part-time manufacturing job. I told my boss I cant hang here for too long, he said. If its going to be like this, I wont last long. Ill have to quit my job and go to the shelter. Owens said he said he hasnt left because transportation to his job is best from where he is now. He said he has to commute between Chico and Yuba City. This stinks, he said. Despite the cold, wet weather that is coming down on him and others, Owens said hes grateful to be alive. You only got a short period of time on this place, he said, referring to Earth. You gotta have a good time. Facebook

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California fires: Volunteers out in force to make a horrible Thanksgiving a little better In Chico, where thousands of evacuees have gathered, its going to be a Thanksgiving like no other. Some people who had been living in tents at a Walmart parking lot began to move on, some going to shelters. Volunteers have also been out in force to help. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in Chico has been prepping a Thanksgiving meal that will feed about 2,000 people. The event is in conjunction with other groups who are putting together meals and it includes Cal State Chico and World Central Chicken. The meal will consist of turkey, pork, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy. The meals will be served in waves starting at 11 a.m., then at 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Leslie Jessee, 33, tore sheets of foil and laid them in a stack as she prepped the turkey. She said she hopes the Thanksgiving meal will bring some sense of peace for the people affected by the fire. Nearby, Ken Grossman, the owner of the beer company, worked on making the gravy. On Thanksgiving I always make the turkey, the gravy and mashed potatoes for a big family, he said. This time, its a bigger family. Grossman said about 40 of his employees lost homes to the Camp fire. He also has friends who have lost so much. Hopefully family and friends will enjoy the meal, he said. Facebook

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California fires: Were just trying to get back to normal, whatever normal really is By Rong-Gong Lin II With the public still prohibited from entering the worst-hit areas of Paradise and Magalia, the towns were silent, save for the hum of generators. The gas station was shuttered. Ponderosa Elementary School abandoned. The blackened husks of cars were still visible across the town. At the site of a gym on Pentz Road, all that remained were the contorted remains of elliptical machines atop a pile of ash. Crews worked on repairing utility lines, forcing motorists to just one side of many roads, and continued the process of looking for any signs of human remains, despite the rain. Theyre looking for basically bone fragments. And theyre just systematically going from burned house to burned house, looking to see if theres anything, said Capt. Matt Bergstrand of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection station in Magalia. A day earlier, a hearse was spotted in Paradise, accompanied by the California Highway Patrol. At the fire station in Magalia, things are still pretty devastating, Bergstrand said. Were just trying to get back to normal, whatever normal really is. I dont know what normal is really going to entail. A pretty big chunk of our area has been consumed. #paradise on Thanksgiving Eve. Quiet and wet. The acrid odor of smoke is throat scratching, lingering in the air. Crews are repairing utility lines, still searching for victims. pic.twitter.com/MeAqIYq3Yr  Ron Lin (@ronlin) November 21, 2018 #paradise on Thanksgiving Eve. Quiet and wet. The acrid odor of smoke is throat scratching, lingering in the air. Crews are repairing utility lines, still searching for victims. pic.twitter.com/MeAqIYq3Yr  Ron Lin (@ronlin) November 21, 2018 Facebook

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Stanley the giraffe is safe after the Woolsey fire, but Jillian Michaels isnt satisfied By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde Nicole Padilla, 17, of Diamond Bar feeds Stanley the giraffe at the L.A. County Fair. ( (Francine Orr/ Los Angeles Times)) The saga of Stanley the giraffe continues as yet another celebrity has made the animals welfare her mission despite his keepers assurances. Fitness celebrity Jillian Michaels is demanding that Malibu Wine Safaris move Stanley to a better home. In a letter to founder Dakota Semler, Michaels said that despite the Woolsey fires passing, the giraffe remains in danger as long as it is in on their property. Celebrities and tourists have visited Saddlerock Ranchs safari attraction for years to drink wine and snap selfies with the lone giraffe. But after the Woolsey fire, they used their clout to draw attention to the animals safety as the Woolsey fire roared toward the property. They and hundreds of nearby residents, strangers and animal lovers believed Stanley had been abandoned when Malibu Wine Safaris staff evacuated. A photo of the exotic animal on an open field with flames in the distance circulated on social media. Despite multiple statements made by the company, some people remained dubious. Due to the short notice given to area residents, the animals were not evacuated; instead, they were placed in an open dirt field that did not have much fuel to burn. Stanley is doing fine, said Bob Dunn after the fire passed through. Dunn, a close family friend who has helped care for the giraffe since its birth, said Stanley was completely safe. Hes healthy. Although many have moved on, Michaels isnt satisfied. Like millions of others, I saw and cannot shake off the picture of Stanley that showed flames approaching behind him, and I urge you not to keep him in the same path of danger, Michaels wrote. But fire or no fire, he needs to be moved to a place where he can thrive and hes not just waiting for the monotony of his life to be broken when someone offers him a treat. Michaels is backed by the animal rights group PETA, which has been working to identify alternate homes for the animals, should the Semlers comply with Michaels request. Giraffes special needs simply cannot be met at a roadside zoo like this, Michaels said in the letter, and if he hasnt already, he will soon begin to exhibit neurotic behavior resulting from captivity-related stress, frustration, and privation. Rebecca Smudzinski, a wildlife specialist with PETA, said young male giraffes like Stanley often travel in bachelor herds and roam large savannas. One in captivity is likely to display signs of stress, such as repetitive licking and pacing. The Woolsey fire exposed Stanleys sad, lonely life in that barren enclosure, she said. Hes got nowhere to go and nothing to do, and so he just waits for people to feed him. Organizations housing exotic animals are required to have a permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which follows minimal standards set by the Animal Welfare Act. The permit includes an annual inspection visit to ensure the animal is taken care of properly. But that isnt enough, Smudzinski maintained. PETA wants the animal to be moved somewhere accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries or the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which both require disaster plans to be reviewed and practiced regularly, she said. Michaels referenced Safari West in a Twitter post as an example of an organization that successfully saved exotic animals. Nancy Lang, co-owner of Safari West, said the organization was accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The staff there meet annually with law enforcement, the Humane Society and others to discuss disaster plans and practice regular drills, and partner with organizations that offer their facilities in case of emergencies. When the Tubbs fire approached their property in 2017, they had little time to react, making an evacuation impossible. Lang said whether Malibu Wine Safaris did the right thing is impossible to say without knowing their circumstance. Some of Safari Wests animals were also placed in an open field with little fuel to burn. Its unclear what disaster plan Malibu Wine Safaris had in place, but its staff only had a couple of hours to act. Malibu Wine Safaris did not respond to multiple requests for comment. .@MalibuSafaris It's 100% possible to care for exotic animals in emergency situations. Read the attached @WhitneyCummings is spot on! And if you can't prepare properly for situations like this you have NO business keeping these types of animals. https://t.co/fB00qrtNzm  Jillian Michaels (@JillianMichaels) November 15, 2018 Facebook

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Homes burned in the Camp fire could contain dangerous materials including radiation and residents should stay away, health officials say An aerial view shows destruction from the Camp fire. Homes not reduced to rubble could have high levels of carcinogens, officials warn. (Los Angeles Times) Butte County health officials are urging residents not to try to move back into homes damaged by the Camp fire in Paradise. Some residents have been allowed back into Paradise to survey their homes and collect any valuables still left. There is evidence from recent fires in California that homes and property destroyed by fire contain high and concerning levels of heavy metals, lead, mercury, dioxin, arsenic, and other carcinogens. Some property may have the presence of radioactive materials, the county said in a statement. Exposure to hazardous substances may lead to acute and chronic health effects, and may cause long-term public health and environmental impacts. Facebook

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Assessing the risk of mudslides in Malibu after California fires By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde If the expected rainfall on the eve of Thanksgiving day is intense enough, areas where the Woolsey fire burned would be more susceptible to mud flows than areas affected by the Camp fire, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. USGS researchers created a map that shows the probability that different fire-affected areas will experience mud flows if theres a storm that produces 24 millimeters of rain per hour, or a quarter of an inch in 15 minutes. We have historical information about where debris flows occurred, how big they were and the rainfall associated with triggering those events, said Dennis Staley, a research geologist with the USGS. The model also considers slope steepness, topography and fire severity. The dark red portions of the map indicate between an 80 and 100% chance of debris flows if rain reaches the assigned threshold for the map. Most areas affected by the Camp fire are colored yellow, indicating a 20% chance or less of debris flow. The Woolsey fire area on the other hand is mostly colored orange and red. The reason for the higher probability, Staley said, is that areas affected by the Woolsey fire are steeper than where the Camp fire burned. However, weather experts say rainfall in Southern California likely wont be intense enough for dangerous mud flows. Rich Thomas, with the National Weather Service, said there will only be about quarter to three quarters of an inch of rainfall total. Theres only a 10 to 20% chance the rain will become heavy enough to create mudflows, he said. There could be some minor debris flows, but nothing significant, he said. Rocks over the roadway, stuff like that. Still, Thompson said people should be prepared and pay attention to local authorities for evacuation orders. To the west, the area affected by the Mendocino Complex fire appears to be at higher risk, Staley said. In August, the Mendocino Complex fire consumed more than 450,000 acres, becoming the largest wildfire in state history. The areas steep terrain made it a challenge to firefighters and also increases the likelihood of mud flows. Heavy rain is expected this Thanksgiving holiday and debris flows will be a particular threat in the areas affected by the Camp, Carr, Delta, Hirz and Mendocino Complex fires, the NWS said. Facebook

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After fires, risk of Malibu mudslides will be high through the winter By Tony Barboza (Los Angeles Times) The first rain to fall over the burn-scarred areas of the Woolsey fire is expected to start Wednesday night. Forecasters are predicting it will be a weak storm, not intense enough to trigger significant flows of mud and debris  although it could cause some minor rockslides and mudslides. But experts say stronger storms in the coming months have the potential to send life-threatening mudflows plowing through neighborhoods. That threat has authorities urging residents living on or below hillsides, in canyons and along stream channels to take steps to prepare their homes, keep an eye on the weather, quickly heed warnings and evacuation orders, and be ready to leave well before the rain arrives. If you can see burned hillsides from your house, you are threatened by debris flow, said National Weather Service meteorologist Eric Boldt, who works with emergency planners and other local officials to coordinate warnings. You dont want to be there when the rain starts. Theres just not enough time to wait and see what happens. Read more here. Facebook

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Dramatic NASA images show destruction of California fires from space Burn zone for the Woolsey fire (NASA) Burn zone for the Camp fire (NASA) Satellite image of the Camp fire (NASA) NASA has released dramatic satellite images of the destructive wildfires in California. The data show the progression of the fires and how they burned homes, as well as satellite images of what they look like from space. See more here. Facebook

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How fires can lead to deadly mudslides Mudslides after fires (Los Angeles Times) Rain is forecast this week in the burn zones of Paradise in Northern California and the Malibu/Ventura County area in Southern California. This has prompted concern about mudflows. Soil in a burned area can be repellent to water, creating a flood-like flow on the ground that picks up rock and debris. In an area that has not burned, soil can become saturated. Pressure builds up underground, and soil starts moving and begins picking up mud and debris as it starts flowing downhill. Heres how hillsides that have been burned by wildfire become prone to flash floods and dangerous mudslides during heavy rains. How mudflows occur. (Los Angeles Times) Facebook

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Remains found above Malibu are not those of a Woolsey fire victim, but from earlier death, officials say By Jeanette Marantos A broken skull and a few other bone fragments found in the scorched hills of Latigo Canyon on Saturday came from a human who died well before the Woolsey fire, Los Angeles County sheriffs investigators said Wednesday. A landowner spotted what appeared to be human bones Thursday as he was checking fire damage to his property off Latigo Canyon Road, about a mile north of Ocean View Road, near mile marker 6.92, Sgt. Marcelo Quintero said. The property didnt notify authorities about the bones until Saturday. Quintero said the skull was likely hidden by heavy brush in the area before the Woolsey fire, which scorched much of the land and several structures in the canyon above Malibu. Investigators believe the wildfire may have dislodged the remains from where they were stuck higher up the hilly terrain, and sent them tumbling down into the pathway where they were found, on property owned by the Ava and Cole Weintraub Family Park conservancy group. The skull was broken into pieces but we were able to piece it somewhat together, Quintero said. The anthropologists at the coroners office believe it definitely predated the fire. Coroners investigators believe the remains could been there between six months and 50 years, he said. They have some fire damage, he said, but no bite marks. We only have parts of a skull, parts of a jaw and possibly some cervical vertebra pieces, Quintero said. The Los Angeles County coroners Special Operations Response Team, or SORT, combed the area, hoping to find more remains. They did find additional bones, Quintero said, but they turned out to belong to animals. Were going to do our best to try to identify whoever this person was, he said. But its going to be a long shot, at best. Anyone with information should contact the sheriffs Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. Facebook

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Woolsey fire expected to be fully contained today Firefighter battling Woolsey fire last week. (Los Angeles Times) Firefighters are hoping to have full containment of the Woolsey fire sometime today. The fire, which killed three people, destroyed more than 1,600 structures and burned over 96,000 acres from Oak Park to Malibu, was 98% contained as of Tuesday night. People continued to return to their homes, but officials warned of possible rain in the burn areas later this week. Facebook

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Storms could wash away remains of Camp fire victims, officials fear A pair of incoming storms are threatening to hamper recovery efforts in Paradise, Calif. In a worst-case scenario, the downpour could flood the ruins and wash away human remains, leaving authorities unable to find and identify every victim of Californias deadliest wildfire on record. Authorities fear bones could sink underwater, making them harder to spot and drowning any scent that cadaver dogs rely on to find them. Meteorologists say the Camp fire burn scar  which is larger than the city of San Jose  could see up to 6 inches of rain through Saturday, with the heaviest downpour expected overnight Thursday. The forecast has triggered a flash flood watch for possible rock slides and debris flows. Light showers were falling Wednesday morning with heavier rain expected later in the day. That rain is going to get in that ash, its going to turn into it a paste-like substance, said Monterey County sheriffs Cmdr. Joe Moses, who is helping in the recovery effort. Its going to stick to everything and slow things down. Read more here. First light showers hit Norcal this morning. Heavier precipitation is expected later this morning and afternoon. #cawx pic.twitter.com/UALB0iYUeX  NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) November 21, 2018 Facebook

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Paradise narrowed its main road by two lanes despite warnings of gridlock during a major wildfire By Paige St. John Paradise narrowed its main road through town as well as two other streets in recent years, hoping to slow traffic and improve pedestrian safety. The changes came despite warnings that a major fire would cause crippling gridlock during evacuations, a scenario that became grim reality when Californias worst wildfire swept into Paradise this month. Read the full story here. Facebook

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Paradise narrowed its main road by two lanes despite warnings of gridlock during a major wildfire By Joseph Serna After a fast-moving fire swept into town a decade ago, burning more than 200 homes and trapping thousands of fleeing residents on gridlocked mountain roads, a grand jury called on officials to improve evacuation routes. But six years later, the city decided to narrow a portion of the main road through town from four lanes to two as part of an effort in the downtown area aimed at boosting commerce as well as traffic and pedestrian safety. Read More Facebook

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Number of people missing in Camp fire jumps to 870 The number of people unaccounted for in the destructive Camp fire rose to 870 on Tuesday after investigators were able to work through a backlog of voicemails, authorities said. The surge comes as the death toll increased to 81, with two bodies recovered inside structures in the Butte County town of Paradise. Of the 81, authorities said they had tentatively identified 56 people. By Tuesday evening, investigators had also been able to locate nearly 200 people reported missing, raising the number of people checked off the missing-persons list to 1,864. The blaze has chewed through more than 152,000 acres and destroyed more than 12,600 homes. It was 75% contained. Facebook

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Death toll from Camp fire rises to 81 as searchers continue their grim work A search-and-rescue team scans an area where there might be human remains. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) The death toll from Californias worst fire rose to 81 on Tuesday as the search continued for the missing. The fire has burned more than 12,000 structures, destroying most of the town of Paradise and other nearby communities. As of Monday night, there were nearly 700 people still missing. Rain is expected to hit the area tonight, complicating the search efforts. Joe Moses, a commander with the Monterey County Sheriffs Office who is assisting with search-and-rescue operations, said the rain is a concern for him and recovery crews. That rain is going to get in that ash [and] its going to turn it into a paste-like substance, Moses said. Its going to stick to everything and slow things down. In a worst-case scenario, if torrential downpours were to hit Paradise, the foundations could flood and wash human remains away, increasing the possibility that workers may be unable to locate and identify victims. This concern appears to be greatest in rural areas such as Concow. Authorities fear that bones may also lie underwater, making it harder for workers to spot them, and that the rain may wash away the scents that cadaver dogs seek out to find human remains. Facebook

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California fires: Anxiety and nightmares grip evacuees in Paradise fire zone Deborah Laughlin hasnt heard from her son in nearly two weeks. (Ruben Vives/Los Angeles Times) Inside the cafeteria of Bidwell Junior High School, 63-year-old Deborah Laughlin sipped on coffee and scooped up some apple pie. A lot was on her mind. Laughlin said she lost her home in Paradise. She had been living at Evergreen Mobile Home Park. Since the evacuations, she has been at the middle school, where the Red Cross operates a shelter. She said she registered with FEMA and hopes shell be able to get housing. I dont know what Im going to do, she said. I told the manager of the Red Cross: When you leave, Im going with you. Perhaps her greatest worry is her son, Shawn Evans, 40, whom she last heard from while he was evacuating from Magalia. She said he was driving on Imperial Way with his wife, who is eight months pregnant. I know where my husband is but I dont know here my son is, she said with teary eyes. Please dont tell me he died. Please. She said she is clinging to hope that her son is OK and that theyll be reunited soon. She said shes afraid about the storm that is approaching the region. Shes afraid because she knows theres still people who are missing, people who may have died in the fire. Im scared, she said. Im scared theyll be washed away and peoples remains will never be found. Sitting across was Anthony Salzarulo, 60, who had fought to save his home and five others in Concow. He said the fire was worse than any other blaze that had hit the region. Salzarulo lost his home to a fire 10 years ago. Sipping water, he said his home suffered some damage in the Camp fire, mostly to his solar panels and generator. He lost a bus and a car. When he was leaving the area, he saw animals that had died in the fire. A bobcat that had suffered burns walked near him. Hes had nightmares since. He heard about the storm approaching. He worries a mudslide may take out his home, and its made him anxious. He wants to go home. I hope I have a home after this storm because it sounds like its a pretty bad one, he said. He said the storm had added to his nightmares. I was dreaming that there was a tornado and all these things were sticking to me, he said. They were human bones. Facebook

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California fires: Heavy rains could wash away human remains in Paradise, searchers fear Devastation from the Camp fire. (Los Angeles Times) Four members of the Oakland Fire Departments Urban Search and Rescue Task Force removed a charred mattress spring and began combing through a mixture of ash, dirt, shredded wood and pieces of roofing tiles. Using their gloves to move around the blackened dirt, they looked for human remains. This is hard, one of the recovery workers said. But were trying. Let everyone know were trying. By Wednesday afternoon, the recovery work will get harder. Forecasters said thats when the rain will most likely start to come down over the Camp fire. Joe Moses, a commander with the Monterey County Sheriffs Office who is assisting with search-and-rescue operations, said the rain is a concern for him and recovery crews. That rain is going to get in that ash [and] its going to turn it into a paste-like substance, Moses said. Its going to stick to everything and slow things down. In a worst-case scenario, if torrential downpours were to hit Paradise, a town devastated by the fire, the foundations could flood and wash human remains away, increasing the possibility that workers may be unable to locate and identify victims of the fire. This concern appears to be more evident in rural areas such as Concow. Authorities fear bones could also lie underwater, making it harder to spot them and whatever scent cadaver dogs rely on to spot human remains could be drown out. But Moses doesnt believe the rain wont be too bad and they plan to see their mission through. The fire destroyed much of Paradise, burning more than 10,000 homes. Nearly 80 are confirmed dead, but nearly 700 remain missing in the worst fire in California history. Facebook

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Woolsey fire victims file lawsuit against Southern California Edison By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde Only the top few feet of a utility pole survived the Woolsey fire as it roared over Kanan Road in Malibu. ( (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)) Victims of the Woolsey fire have filed a lawsuit against Southern California Edison alleging the utility was negligent in failing to shut off power before the wildfire started, attorneys announced Tuesday. The lawsuit, filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of 17 plaintiffs, alleges the company ignored warnings of extreme fire weather and only shut power off once the fire started. That delay contributed to the Woolsey fires destruction, plaintiffs say. The fire, which is currently 96% contained, killed three people and destroyed 1,500 structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Attorneys are seeking compensation for plaintiffs damaged property, lost wages and attorney fees. The lawsuit claims that once the electricity was shut off on Nov. 12  four days after the fire started  residents and firefighters lost water pressure, hampering efforts to battle the flames. That in turn heightened the safety risk for firefighters and homeowners who sheltered in place. R. Rex Parris, one of the attorneys on the case, references the utilitys preliminary report filed Nov. 12 with the California Public Utility Commission stating an electric substation experienced a disturbance two minutes before the fire, which started in the same area. The report is preliminary, said Edison spokesman Steve Conroy when the report was made public. We have no other information other than a line went out of service and we dont know why. In the report, the utility said a circuit in its Chatsworth substation near where the Woolsey fire started relayed two minutes before the fire broke out. This means an outage remains until it is safe to manually reenergize the circuit, Conroy said. This is not a Public Safety Power Shutoff; it is simply a safety feature to help mitigate wildfire risk. The lawsuit also blames Edison for potential damage to the environmental and public health caused by the burning of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory nuclear cleanup area, though some experts have said there was no damage. The state Department of Toxic Substances Control, which oversees the long-delayed cleanup of the former rocket engine testing and nuclear research facility, said fire officials believed the blaze did not present any risks other than those normally present in a wildfire situation. Edison said in an emailed statement that it cannot comment on lawsuits related to the Woolsey fire at this time and that it may take some time before an investigation into what caused the fire is completed. SCEs focus at this time is service restoration to customers still impacted in the Malibu area, and providing additional assistance to customers through the L.A. County local assistance centers, an Edison spokesman said. The utility said its offering support for customers looking to turn service on and off, waiving charges associated with extended bill payments and charges associated with relocating and starting new service. Parris said utility companies know of the dangers of high power lines running through fire zones, but that they do little to implement safeguards to prevent potential tragedies. When you have rules that are this important and you know people are violating them its inevitable that these catastrophic events happen, Parris said of Edison and other utility companies. Their view of safety is public relations. Victims of the Camp fire filed a lawsuit against Pacific Gas and Electric Co. also on Friday, alleging that utility is responsible for the fire that killed at least 79 people. ------

2:05 p.m.: This article was updated with statements from R. Rex Parris. This article was originally published at 11:05 a.m. Facebook

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Here are the latest evacuations, road and school closures, animal shelters and victim services Mandatory evacuations Malibu, from the Ventura County line east to Anacapa View Drive.

Monte Nido West of Malibu Canyon Road.

Liberty Canyon West to Decker Canyon and south to PCH For all evacuation areas click here. Road closures Highway 101 offramps from Valley Circle Blvd to Liberty Canyon Road Highway 1 southbound (Pacific Coast Highway) closed at Las Posas Road Bell Canyon Road at Valley Circle Boulevard Borchard at Los Vientos Drive Lynn Road at Reino Road Potrero Road between Rancho Dos Vientos and South Lewis Road Kanan Road between Westlake Boulevard and Lindero Canyon Road Falling Star Avenue at Kanan Road Potrero Road at Wendy Drive State Route 118 eastbound between Topanga Canyon and Yosemite Avenue Mureau Road, Calabasas Boundary to 101 Freeway Cornell Road, Mulholland Hwy to Kanan Road Encinal Canyon Road, Malibu Boundary to Mulholland Hwy Click here to see a full list of closures. Evacuation centers (Los Angeles Times) Camarillo Community Center  1605 E. Burnley Street, Camarillo (accepting small animals) Borchard Community Center  190 Reino Road, Newbury Park (accepting small animals) Goebel Senior Adult Center (obscured on map) 1385 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks (at capacity) Thousand Oaks Teen Center  1375 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks Community Center  2525 North Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks (closed) Rancho Santa Susana Recreation Center  5005 Unit C Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley (no animals accepted) Taft Charter High School  5461 Winnetka Ave., Woodland Hills Pierce College  7100 El Rancho Drive, Woodland Hills (Entrance off Desoto Avenue); Los Angeles County Animal Services (accepting large animals) Canoga Park High School  6850 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Canoga Park Palisades Charter High School (not displayed on map)  15777 Bowdoin St, Pacific Palisades School closures Cal State Channel Islands Cal Lutheran University (except for emergency personnel) Moorpark Community College Pepperdine University (Malibu and Calabasas campuses) For Ventura County school closures, please check the Ventura County Office of Education website https://www.vcoe.org/ Animal shelters Ventura County Fair Grounds  10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura, (at capacity); Ventura County Animal Services (805) 388-4258 Ventura County Animal Shelter  600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo (accepting small animals) Simi Valley Animal Shelter  670 W Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley, (805) 388-4341 (accepting small animals) Pierce College  7100 El Rancho Drive, Woodland Hills (entrance off Desoto Avenue) (at capacity); Los Angeles County Animal Services Hansen Dam Equestrian Center  11127 Orcas Ave., Lake View Terrace (at capacity); Los Angeles County Animal Services Earl Warren Show Grounds (not on map)  3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara (Check-in at Gate C off of Calle Real) (accepting large animals) Shelter Hope  193 N Moorpark Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 (lodging for evacuees and volunteers available) If you need large animal assistance, please call (805) 388-4258

N95 Particulate filter mask availability (Los Angeles Times) Goebel Senior Adult Center (obscured on map) 1385 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks Teen Center  1375 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks Rancho Santa Susana Recreation Center  5005 Unit C Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley Borchard Community Center  190 N Reino Road, Newbury Park Camarillo Community Center  1605 E Burnley St., Camarillo North Oxnard Public Health  2240 E. Gonzales Road, Oxnard South Oxnard Public health  2500 S. C Street, Oxnard Channel Islands harbor master  3900 Pelican Way, Oxnard Las Posas Family Medical Group  3801 Las Posas, Suite 214, Camarillo Sierra Vista Family Medical Clinic  2700 E Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley Moorpark Family Medical Clinic  612 Spring Road, Building A, Moorpark Facebook

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Some Camp fire evacuations are lifted as firefighters continue working to contain the blaze By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde The valley behind it blanketed in a thick layer of smoke, a train sits stopped near Butte Valley along Highway 70. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Officials lifted evacuation orders for several communities near Lake Oroville on Tuesday. The news comes as firefighters make progress in the battling the Camp fire, which as of Tuesday morning was 70% contained. The fire has consumed more than 151,000 acres and killed at least 79 people, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Officials announced that residents of all Berry Creek zones can return home, except the areas northbound Encina Grande Road at Choc Taw Ridge Road, northbound French Creek Road at Stephens Ridge Road and northbound Highway 162 at Four Mile Ridge Road. Communities in the Cherokee Zone B zone can also return to the area, with the exception of areas northbound Red Tape Road at Condor Road, Rocky Top Road at Cherokee Road, Vinton Gulch at Cherokee Road, Crystal Pines Road at Cherokee Road and Highway 70 East of the West branch bridge. All residents of the Messilla Valley Zone B can return home. Facebook

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As California fire slowly is contained, air quality begins to improve in the north By Times Staff Latest smoke model indicates continued gradual improvement in air quality through Tuesday evening. Much better air quality is then expected by Wednesday when gusty winds and rain from a Pacific weather system clean the air. #CAwx #campfiresmoke pic.twitter.com/Vxd3cwZUQM  NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) November 20, 2018 The rain forecast for Northern California is expected to improve air quality in the region, which has experienced unhealthful air due to the Camp fire. Air quality improved somewhat Tuesday, but the smoke was supposed to dissipate more on Wednesday. The Camp fire burn zone could see up to 6 inches of rain through Saturday, which isnt unusual for that region, said Johnnie Powell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. In April, fire-ravaged Paradise, Calif., saw nearly 6 inches of rain in one day in what was its last significant storm. Strong inversions will allow wildfire smoke to continue to impact interior Norcal today although air quality is slowly getting better most areas. Rainfall spreading over Norcal on Wednesday should clear the air considerably. #cawx pic.twitter.com/LKa2b1d7uy  NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) November 20, 2018 Facebook

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In Paradise, the grim search for bodies after California fire: Were finding remains in various states The search-and-rescue team took a break as it waited for an excavator to moved debris from a pair of charcoal gray vehicles sitting next to a burned home in Butte Creek Canyon in Chico. Nearby, a line of fire trucks and sheriffs vehicles drove past the group, their occupants waving. The sun was starting to dip. Monday was coming to an end. Since the Camp fire broke out on Nov. 8, authorities have been combing through crumbled homes and melted metal in an effort to locate and identify human remains. The fire has killed at least 79 people, and about 700 others are unaccounted for, a significant drop from a few days ago when the list was more than 26 pages and had more than 1,200 names, but still a daunting number. Now two storms are moving toward Northern California and are expected bring up to six inches of rain through Saturday, possibly hindering search operations. The pros and cons are that the weather will be in our favor to contain the fire, said Cal Fire spokesman Manuel Garcia. But the cons are that there will possibly be loose terrain, fallen trees, mudslides and downstream flows. The National Weather Service said the first of the storms will move into the region on Wednesday. The second storm will bring the heaviest rain on Thursday night through Friday morning. Forecasters said the soil in the burn area cannot absorb rainwater, which could lead to fast-moving flows of mud, debris and even trees and boulders up to several feet deep that can be deadly. Blocked roads caused by the storms as well as rivers of ash and debris could hinder search crews from conducting a massive search operation in a burn zone that is bigger in area than the city of San Jose. Tom Madigan of the Alameda County Sheriffs Department said that in some cases remains were so badly burned that they could not be recognized or just a few bones could be located. Were finding remains in various states, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. I suspect there are some that will have been completely consumed. There is certainly the unfortunate possibility that even after weve searched an area, once people get back in there, its possible that human remains could be found. I know thats a very difficult thing to think about, but thats the difficult situation we find ourselves in today.  Recovery workers in white jumpsuits and boots, firefighters, coroner employees and police chaplains from across the state have been working around the clock searching neighborhoods destroyed by the fire, but as the storms approach, the possibility of perhaps not finding everyone is starting to set in. A neighborhood reduced to ashes in Paradise. (Los Angeles Times) Facebook

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Firefighters boost containment of deadly Camp fire to 70% as residents prepare for rain By Hannah Fry Ryan Spainhower hugs his wife after he recovers a coin that they made during their honeymoon from the debris of his home. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) The deadly Camp fire grew slightly overnight  to 151,373 acres  as firefighters continued their efforts to get the blaze under control. The fire, which has claimed at least 79 lives and destroyed more than 17,000 homes and commercial structures, is 70% contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Tuesday. At the same time firefighters work to control the blaze, residents in the burn area now face the potential for mudslides as a series of storms begin to make their way into the region. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch through Friday morning where the fire raged through Butte County. While the rainfall will help with the firefight, neighborhoods that were destroyed, and those downstream of them, could see mudslides and debris flows, authorities said. The burn zone could see up to 6 inches of rain through Saturday, which isnt unusual for that region, said Johnnie Powell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. In April, Paradise saw nearly 6 inches of rain in one day in what was its last significant storm. Best-case scenario, itll rain on it and nothing will move. Worst-case scenario, the mud will start moving, Powell said. We just have to wait and see what happens. All we know for sure is, its going to rain really hard. Facebook

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California fire burned more than 10,000 homes, but trees remained standing. Why? By Joseph Serna One of the many striking, horrifying in images from Paradise is that trees still stand next to homes incinerated by fire. Here is why. Fires that spread from house to house generate a force of their own. Embers, broadcast by the wind, find dry leaves, igniting one structure then another, and the cycle is perpetuated block after block. Break that cycle and the fire quits, and destruction can be minimized. Paradise never had that chance. Defensible space and hardened structures could not have kept the firestorm, carried on gusts clocking in the low 50s and feeding on the homes and low-lying vegetation, from reducing the town to ash. Most telling were the trees. Most of the pines that sheltered this community still had their canopies intact. The needles, yellowed from the intense heat, were not burned  evidence that the winds that morning had pushed the fire along so fast it never had a chance to rise into the trees. But as a surface fire, it lit up the homes that lay in its path. Read more here. Facebook

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California fires interrupt TV production By David Ng Netflixs teen drama series 13 Reasons Why was in the midst of shooting its third season in Vallejo when the massive Camp fire and other blazes broke out in Northern California. The sets, which include a sound stage on Mare Island, werent touched by the conflagrations, but the pervasive smoke that has shrouded much of the Bay Area has forced the show to temporarily halt shooting. The Paramount-produced series is one of a number of TV and commercial shoots that have experienced disruptions because of the fires that have devastated California in recent weeks. Some prime shooting locations  including Paramount Ranch, which serves as a set for HBOs Westworld, and the Peter Strauss Ranch in Agoura Hills  have experienced extensive damage, rendering them inaccessible to crews. Large swaths of Malibu that are popular filming sites are also closed to production. Read more here. Facebook

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California fires: New disaster danger in Paradise is mud and ash flows The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch through Friday morning where the Camp fire raged through Butte County, Calif. While the rainfall will help with the firefight  the blaze is 70% contained and has burned 151,272 acres  neighborhoods that were destroyed, and those downstream of them, could see mudslides and debris flows. The Camp fire burn zone could see up to 6 inches of rain through Saturday, which isnt unusual for that region, said Johnnie Powell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. In April, Paradise saw nearly 6 inches of rain in one day in what was its last significant storm. Best-case scenario, itll rain on it and nothing will move. Worst-case scenario, the mud will start moving, Powell said. We just have to wait and see what happens. All we know for sure is, its going to rain really hard. The soil in recently burned areas cannot absorb rainwater. Enough rain can lead to fast-moving flows of mud, debris and even trees and boulders that can be deadly for those in their path. The devastation often comes without warning. Facebook

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Video shows pilots in dramatic Woolsey fire rescue of three people and two dogs The two pilots were dropping water on a flank of the destructive Woolsey fire the day after it broke out when they got a request to rescue people stuck nearby on Castro Peak in the hills above Malibu. Their fuel supply was dwindling and thick smoke filled the air around them. Eventually they found a flat spot to ground the helicopter, and one of the pilots hopped out. Moments later, he emerged with three people and two dogs. The dramatic mountain rescue, involving Los Angeles Fire Department pilots David Nordquist and Joel Smith, was captured in an 11-minute video the agency released Monday. Once the people and pets were in the plane, the pilots took off. Ah, that was close, one says after taking off Yeah, it was, the other replied. Thats enough excitement for me today. The other laughed. You and me both, brother. Facebook

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California fires: Paradise anxiously awaits rain and the dangers it might bring Calvin Daley, 66, sat listening to jazz on his battery-powered radio on the front porch of his two-story home in the charred hills of Chico. Tiny birds hopped from the burned branches of a pine tree to a bird feeder. Nearby, Pacific Gas and Electric crews repaired voltage lines, and other workers used an excavator to move aside hunks of melted metal that once were cars. Daley didnt evacuate. Instead, he hooked up three hoses, stationed them around his home and began dousing everything. Some people who stayed to fight for their homes died. He had at least three hours to work before the fire arrived with fury. He had no goggles, no mask, just jeans, a T-shirt and hoses. Sometimes, the water evaporated before hitting its target. His next-door neighbors home went up: My heart sank; I couldnt go over there and save it. Flames also claimed his wifes ski boat and his 1987 Dodge Ram. Also incinerated was the nearby Honey Run covered bridge. By 10:30 p.m. the fire had moved on. Exhausted, Daley woke himself every hour or so to check on hotspots. It was eerily quiet for three days, then the birds returned. Next door, the neighbors cats had survived. He began feeding them. As heavy rain approaches, hes worried contaminants will run into his well. He also worries for people who have lost homes, for people living in tents. He wishes it were summer. Facebook

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Legally blind and under evacuation: The unknown is the worst part At the Butte County Fairgrounds in Gridley, the five Thompsons live at the end of a row of green cots. Hot meals are served, snacks and water are readily available, as are toiletries and American Red Cross volunteers. Were having to turn stuff away, said M
Mike Crowley stood outside his Malibu home and surveyed the land that surrounds his ranch. The fence behind him lay charred, the pepper trees lining his property singed by the devastating wildfire that has plagued Malibu for a week.

Although the rolling knolls around him sit blackened, he considers himself fortunate. His house, Sky Dog Ranch, was spared by the flames while the homes tucked into the hills above no longer light up the nighttime sky.

Its not going to be the same, Crowley, 72, said. The landscape of Malibu has changed.

As California Highway Patrol officers reopened Malibu to residents Thursday and Friday, many were still coming to grips with the devastation and wondering how long it would take for the city to recover.

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Viewed by many as the playground for millionaires, tourists and millennial hikers laid out in glossy magazines, the famous seaside community is also home to older residents on fixed incomes and lifers who inherited houses purchased years ago  in some cases, generations  back when Malibu was the more affordable alternative to Santa Monica.

Track key details of the California wildfires 

For some in that set, the damage will be too much to bounce back from.

Were both seniors, Crowley said of his wife and himself. If we lost our home, its not worth taking the time to rebuild. Its easier for seniors to sell the lot and move on.

A few people, he said, told him they will likely take their insurance money and get out.

They said they couldnt afford to stay here anymore, Crowley said. Theyll go buy a place near their kids, as much as they like it here. They just cant afford it.

1 / 77 Los Angeles County coroners workers recover a body at a burned home in the 32000 block of Lobo Canyon Road in Agoura Hills on Wednesday. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 77 Residents and volunteers bring in supplies for people in the Paradise Cove area of Malibu. Surfboards, kayaks, small motor boats and stand-up paddleboards were used to get supplies from the boat to shore. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 77 A man ferries cases of water by surfboard to help residents in the Paradise Cove area of Malibu. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 77 Residents and volunteers who traveled by yacht from Redondo Beach come ashore with water and other supplies to help people in the Paradise Cove area of Malibu. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 77 David Carr cries as he hugs his partner Rachel Bailey as they stand at their home in the Oak Forest Mobile Estates in Westlake Village destroyed in the Woolsey Fire. I loved this house, David Carr said. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 77 We lost everything, said Rachel Bailey. Bailey and her partner, David Carr, were vacationing in Mexico. They flew back Monday and saw what was left of their street in Oak Forest Mobile Estates in Westlake Village. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 77 A flare-up from the Woolsey fire creates a large plume Southeast of Lake Sherwood in Westlake Village Tuesday morning. (KTLA) 8 / 77 LA County firefighter Battalion 13 Captain Victor Correa helps put out hotspot in a neighborhood on Harvester road in Malibu. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 77 Bell Canyon residents wait for their name to be called after adding it to a list, to be escorted by police to their homes. If their homes were intact, they were given 10 minutes to retrieve important items, or the same time to view damage from the Woosley Fire. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 77 9-year-old Landon Quirk came with his father Trevor Quirk to help search through the rubble of a friends home in the Seminole Springs mobile home on Mulholland Drive in Agoura Hills. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 77 Landon Quirk holds an object while searching through the rubble of a friends home in the Seminole Springs mobile home park. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 77 L.A. County Sheriffs cruise the Seminole Springs mobile home park on Mulholland Drive in Agoura Hills. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 77 Seminole Springs Mobile Home resident Barbara Sottile walks past homes of friends destroyed in the fire. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 77 AGOURA HILLS, CA - NOVEMBER 12, 2018. Seminole Springs Mobile Home resident Barbara Sottile takes a photo of a rainbow created by spraying water on homes destroyed in the development on Mulholland Drive in Agoura Hills. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 77 Firefighter Adam Rodriguez from Eloy, Ariz., sprays foam on a hot spot in a home on Mulholland Drive in the Malibu Hills that was destroyed by the Woolsey fire. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 77 Firefighters from the L.A. County Fire Department put out a flare-up along Pacific Coast Highway across the street from the Malibu Beach RV Park on Monday morning. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 77 Keith Clark, left, and Shane Clark sift through the rubble of Shane Clarks Bell Canyon home, which was consumed by the Woolsey fire. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 77 A firefighter works to put out hot spots in and around structures destroyed by the Woolsey fire in Bell Canyon on Sunday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 77 Paullette Koenig hugs neighbor Gai Farbenbloom after both lost their homes at the Seminole Springs mobile home park in Malibou Lake. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 77 A Southern California Edison employee hoses down a hot spot off Kanan Road on Nov. 10. The crew was checking for hot spots around power lines. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 21 / 77 A Los Angeles County Firefighter fights a structure fire at Camp 13, an inmate fire crew camp run by the Los Angeles County Fire Department off Decker Road above Malibu. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 22 / 77 A Los Angeles County firefighter runs while working to fight a structure fire at Camp 13 in Malibu. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 23 / 77 Anne Marie Mueller is notified by L.A. County Sheriffs Officer Ernie Ferreras that her friends in Malibu are safe. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 77 A man stands in the middle of the street at the Seminole Springs mobile home park in Malibou Lake. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 77 Matt Sexton goes through the rubble from his house in Seminole Springs. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 77 Michael Quane of El Segundo came to the El Porto area of Manhattan Beach to surf against the backdrop of billowing smoke from the Woolsey fire over Santa Monica. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 77 Mark Cassar, at the entrance of his brothers Westlake Village home his father built in 1990. The home was destroyed in the Woolsey fire. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 77 Garet Anzalone, 23, is tearful as he goes through his grandmothers burned-out property in a mobile home park in Westlake Village. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 77 David Spence, left, with friend Eric Winger, takes photos of his 1976 TR6 after the fire in a mobile home park in Westlake Village. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 77 Lori Jackson, 52, looks for items that survived the fire in a mobile home park in Westlake Village. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 77 An American flag is melted on a burned-out car on property in a mobile home park in Westlake Village. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 77 Garet Anzalone surveys his grandmothers burned-out property in a mobile home park in Westlake Village. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 77 A home on Bell Canyon Boulevard in Bell Canyon was destroyed by the Woolsey fire. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 77 Los Angeles County firefighters extinguish a burning building at a residence off Kanan Road in Malibu on Saturday. The main house was undamaged. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 35 / 77 A scorched sign at the visitor center at Leo Carrillo State Beach, which was destroyed by the Woolsey fire. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 36 / 77 Cars parked in front of the ruins of a house destroyed by the Woolsey fire off Kanan Road in Malibu on Saturday. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times ) 37 / 77 Los Angeles firefighters Ryan Miller, left, Justin Randolph and Kobe Sallstrom grab some brief rest at the corner of Flintlock Lane and Silver Spur Lane in Bell Canyon on Saturday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 77 Los Angeles firefighter Brittney Bebek sprays hot spots on Hitching Post Lane in Bell Canyon on Saturday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 77 A firefighter requests more water pressure as a house burns from the Woolsey Fire along P.C.H. in Malibu. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 77 Firefighters walk near homes that are threatened by the Woolsey fire in Malibu. This homes in the area are known as Native. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 77 The Woolsey fire bears down on Pepperdine University. (Calvin B. Alagot / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 77 A firefighter walks towards his engine after trying to prevent the Woolsey fire from overtaking structures in Malibu. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 77 Bell Canyon residents Kathleen and Eric Lee, left, watch the Woolsey fire at the mouth of Bell Canyon after evacuating. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 44 / 77 Bell Canyon residents Ann and Roger Bloxberg watch the Woolsey fire at the mouth of Bell Canyon after evacuating. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 45 / 77 A resident packs up his car as the Woolsey fire bears down on Dume Drive in Malibu. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 77 Employees of a nearby confectionery use rakes and shovels to battle the Woolsey fire along Agoura Road in Westlake Village. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 77 The Woolsey fire burns near homes in West Hills. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 77 Firefighters fight to save the home of Will Buckley on Dume Drive. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) 49 / 77 Llamas are tied to a lifeguard stand on the beach in Malibu as the Woolsey fire approaches. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 77 A multi million dollar home on Dawn Meadow Court in the High Country neighborhood of North Ranch in Westlake Village continues to burn destroyed by fire Friday morning. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 77 Oak Park resident Tom Duffy hoses hot spots on a burnt house on Wembly Avenue. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 52 / 77 David Spence returns to find his home and belongings burnt in the Oak Forest Estates mobile home park in Westlake Village. (Michael Owen Baker / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 77 Firefighters try to save a burning home on Dapplegray Road in Bell Canyon. (Michael Owen Baker / For the Times) 54 / 77 Maria Narvaez evacuates her home on Almon Dr near Hillcrest in Thousand Oaks as Santa Ana winds continue to blow Friday morning. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 77 Mayor and firefighter Rick Mullen surveys a house on fire in Malibu as the Woolsey fire continues its path to the coast. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 77 Firefighters battle a house fire on Churchwood Drive as the Woolsey Fire burns in the Oak Park neighborhood early Friday morning. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 77 Resident Brett Hammond evacuates in Malibu as the Woolsey Fire approaches. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 77 An owl sits onthe beach in Malibu as the Woolsey fire approaches. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 77 Horses are tied to a pole on the beach in Malibu as the Woolsey fire approaches. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 77 Pacific Coast Highway backs up out of Malibu as the Woolsey fire forced evacuations Friday. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 61 / 77 Horses are turned loose at the top of Las Trancas Canyon in Malibu on Friday as the Woolsey fire approaches. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 62 / 77 Onlookers watch smoke from the Woolsey fire and take photos on Pacific Coast Highway looking southeast toward Malibu on Friday. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 63 / 77 The Woolsey fire approaches the top of Las Trancas Canyon Road on Friday morning. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 64 / 77 Smoke from the Woolsey fire darkens the sky over the Pacific Ocean near Malibu on Friday. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 65 / 77 Pacific Coast Highway backs up out of Malibu as the Woolsey fire forced evacuations Friday. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 66 / 77 Jennifer Carter protects her face from smoke outside her home on Almon Drive in Thousand Oaks where several homes have been destroyed by the wind driven Woolsey fire. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 77 Residents with a home on Las Trancas Canyon Road watch as the Woolsey fire approaches their home Friday. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 68 / 77 A firefighter extinguishes brush threatening a home on Quinta Visa Dr and E Hillcrest Rd in Thousand Oaks early Friday morning. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 69 / 77 Maria Narvaez evacuates her home on Almon Dr. near Hillcrest in Thousand Oaks as Santa Ana winds continue to blow Friday morning. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 77 Jesse Castro with Glendale Fire Dept shoots water into a home on Almon destroyed by the Woolsey fire. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 77 A firefighter battles a car fire on Churchwood Drive as the Woolsey fire rips Oak Park early Friday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 77 Crews battle flames consuming a house on Churchwood Drive as the Woolsey fire tears through Oak Park early Friday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 73 / 77 Crews battle flames consuming a home on Churchwood Drive as the Woolsey fire rips through the Oak Park neighborhood early Friday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 77 A giant plume of smoke from the Woolsey Fire rises above homes in Calabasas. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 75 / 77 A resident evacuates his home in Thousand Oaks early Friday morning with only the clothes on his back. Residents were awoken in the middle of the night by mandatory evacuations from the Woolsey fire. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 76 / 77 Firefighters try to keep embers from spreading to houses off Wembly Avenue and Lindero Canyon Road Thursday night as the Woolsey fire rages. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) 77 / 77 Carolina Heuel, a resident of the Miramonte Palmeras Tierras condominium complex in Camarillo Springs, prepares to evacuate after loading her two cats and a cockatiel into her car. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

The Woolsey fire tore through Malibus scenic hillsides and into the surrounding Santa Monica Mountains last week, charring beloved landmarks such as the Backbone Trail and leaving smoldering ash where Spanish broom once bloomed.

The blaze has chewed through 98,362 acres and claimed three lives in Los Angeles and Ventura counties since it broke out. More than 500 structures have been destroyed. It is 69% contained.

Among the Malibu landmarks damaged by the flames were three beloved Jewish camps where generations of Southern Californians have spent their summers.

Camp Hess Kramer and its sister camp, Gindling Hilltop Camp, suffered extremely extensive blows, said Seth Toybes, the camps director.

Among the remains at Hess Kramer are the dining hall and the conference center. At Hilltop, the arts and crafts building is still standing along with a group of brick cabins.

Weve been telling people basically 90% of the camps are gone and its not a lot of the usable places that remain, Toybes said.

Trump and Brown vow to work together to help California after devastating wildfires 

Toybes hasnt been able to see the wreckage for himself, relying instead on photos from people who have been able to get through the roadblocks.

The menorah and wooden plaque still standing atop Rabbi Alfred Wolf Inspiration Point serve as a literal and figurative sign that the camp will be rebuilt, and that its spirit of empowerment for young people will live on, camp leaders said.

When the tide settles, were going to go pick up the remnants, said Aaron Wolf, grandson of Rabbi Wolf, who founded the camps.

Wolf said he plans on saving whatever pieces he can and placing them on the new walls they build. His grandfather built the camps after surviving Nazi Germany, he said, intent on creating a space not only for the Jewish community, but for everyone.

The camps represent to the Jewish community in Los Angeles a progression after the Holocaust. Its about being free and being able to be who you are, he said. Leaders like my grandfather have always found a way to bring hope in the wake of tragedy.

Nearly half the homes in the Seminole Springs mobile home park off Mulholland Highway have been reduced to a gnarled mess of cinders, metal and rubble. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

In rebuilding, the camps will stand for that hope, Wolf said.

Camp JCA Shalom also plans on continuing its programs, said Rabbi Bill Kaplan, executive director of the Shalom Institute.

We still have to assess, he said. Our goal is to rebuild in some way.

Photos of the damage show its famed sign  shalom in Hebrew  felled by the blaze. Gone too are the amphitheater built by teen campers, the dining hall and the ropes course.

Theres not a lot left, Kaplan said. I think Malibu will be different for years. But people will rebuild, and smarter.

Some residents in the neighboring mountain communities dont know whether they will be able to do the same. Nearly half the homes in the Seminole Springs mobile home park off Mulholland Highway have been reduced to a gnarled mess of cinders, metal and rubble.

Ive lost everything. My cats dead. My house is melted to the ground, said Iris Coyne, a resident who has lived in the community for 21 years. I dont know what my plan is.

Coynes home was paid off. The 66-year-old said she is underinsured and on a tight budget because she is living off Social Security.

Its $40,000 just to move a new mobile home, she said, waiting for a roadblock to be moved so she could go see the damage for herself. I think recovering is going to take a lot longer than most of us anticipate.

At a makeshift resource center in the parking lot of Point Dume Elementary School on Thursday evening, residents mingled, snacked on donated pastries and grabbed food for their pets. A sign pinned to the fence behind them read, Malibu Strong.

A wooden menorah and plaque honoring Camp Hess Kramer founder Rabbi Alfred Wolf are still standing after the Woolsey fire swept through Malibu. (Ben Poston / Los Angeles TImes)

Richard Dean Anderson sat in the trunk of his hatchback with his two dogs, drinking coffee and reliving the battle he faced the week before. The MacGyver actor, who didnt evacuate his Point Dume home, recalled the howling winds and the sensation of being caught in gusts so strong it felt as though he were caught in the middle of a whirlpool.

Theres a stark reality that comes with it, he said of the damage in the neighborhood. If its not you, its friends you love who have lost everything.

Eddie Erickson said he was still processing the level of destruction in the city.

I dont think its really even hit me yet, the Malibu native said. Point Dumes never really been hit before, not like its been hit today. I havent come to grips with it yet.

Last week, Erickson watched as the flames plowed through his street and up to the home his parents left him. He saved his house and a few others in the area with shovels, hoses and prayer.

We took a beating, he said.

Erickson expects recovery will be a long road. But Point Dume is a tight community, he said  its residents will band together to restore the neighborhood, the same way they united to gather food, water and gasoline when the roads in and out were closed.

Some of my friends lost their homes, he said. All I could say to them was, Ill help you rebuild.

Times staff writer Alejandra Reyes-Velarde contributed to this report.

sarah.parvini@latimes.com

For more California news follow me on Twitter: @sarahparvini
The Los Angeles County district attorneys office is reviewing a complaint that straw donors contributed to the campaign of Los Angeles County sheriffs candidate Alex Villanueva.

The offices public integrity division, which investigates official corruption, is handling the inquiry, according to spokesman Greg Risling.

The complaint pertains to a donor, not Villanueva, Risling said in a statement. When our office receives a complaint, our prosecutors review the allegation to determine whether the allegation, if true, would constitute a crime and whether there is evidence to support it. If these conditions are met, our office will investigate.

For several weeks, close observers of the hotly contested sheriffs election have zoomed in on a series of donations to Villanuevas campaign from employees of a company owned by a supporter of Villanuevas. Risling did not confirm that those donations are the subject of the review.

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Villanueva said Wednesday that the donations to his campaign do not concern him and he is not considering refunding any of them.

Im confident everyone who donated did so legally, he said.

Steve Barkan, the campaign manager for Sheriff Jim McDonnell, who is trailing Villanueva by nearly 58,000 votes, had discussed making complaints about the contributions to the district attorneys office and the California Fair Political Practices Commission, according to an email reviewed by The Times.

Barkan acknowledged having those discussions, but said he did not make a complaint because he believed someone else, who he would not name, filed a complaint to the FPPC about the same subject matter. Risling declined to identify the complainant.

Under state campaign finance laws, an individual may not conceal their campaign contributions by using another person  a so-called straw donor  to make the payment under the straw donors name.

According to Barkan, the contributions, each in the same amount, and many falling on the same days, came from employees of the company. Additional donations came from the company itself and its owners relatives firms, Barkan alleged.

One of the employees listed by Barkan and on campaign finance reports refused to say if he had been reimbursed for his donation when contacted by phone Friday.

I dont think I can answer that question. Thats personal, he said when questioned by a Times reporter.

Another employee who was listed said he remembered donating to Villanueva, calling him a good candidate, but denied being reimbursed for his donation.

Villanueva said he has not been contacted by prosecutors about a complaint. He questioned whether it was a conflict of interest for the office of Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, who has been a vocal supporter of McDonnells and co-hosted a fundraiser for him, to be working on the case.

Risling said the inquiry is being handled by experienced prosecutors and that Lacey does not believe there is a conflict of interest.

Our office has not received a complaint about Sheriff McDonnell, he added in his statement.

A representative for the FPPC said he could not confirm whether that agency is investigating such a complaint. The organization typically confirms open investigations, but often not in cases in which another law enforcement agency is looking into the same allegation.

Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.

maya.lau@latimes.com

Twitter: @mayalau
A year ago in August, during her last month of pregnancy, Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind placed a pizza delivery order to her familys Fargo, N.D., apartment before heading upstairs to see a neighbor.

It was the last time LaFontaine-Greywinds parents would see her alive.



For the record: In an earlier version of this article, the caption on the lead photo identified the co-author of a UIHI report as Anna Lucchesi. Her name is Annita Lucchesi.

Kayakers found the 22-year-old woman eight days later, wrapped in plastic, her body jammed against a log by the wicked current of the nearby Red River. Her baby had been gruesomely cut from her womb. Police found the healthy newborn 72 hours earlier on the bed of her neighbor, Brooke Crews.

Crews was arrested, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life without parole. Her live-in boyfriend, William Hoehn, was also sentenced to life for conspiring to kidnap Savannas baby, Haisley Jo.

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Brooke Crews, who was convicted of killing her pregnant neighbor and cutting the baby from her womb, testifies in a Fargo, N.D., courtroom on Sept. 25, 2018, in her boyfriend William Hoehns trial for conspiracy in the death of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind. (Michael Vosburg / Associated Press)

The story might have ended there. But a perception that police reacted too slowly after LaFontaine-Greywinds disappearance sparked outrage that reached all the way to Congress.

On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs unanimously approved Savannas Act, introduced by Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), who named the bill after the slain member of the Spirit Lake tribe.

The legislation would improve and expand access to data on Native American crime victims, establish police protocols and require annual reports to Congress on the number of missing and slain Native American women.

The vote followed release of a report by the Urban Indian Health Institute that argued that too little attention is paid to Native American women who are victims of violent crime in U.S. cities, rather than on reservations. The report identified 506 cases of indigenous women who have gone missing or were killed in 71 U.S. cities since 1943. Of those, 280 were classified as homicides, 128 as missing persons cases, and the remainder were unknown.

The Urban Indian Health Institute, which is funded by the federal governments Indian Health Service, said the cases it found had largely slipped through the cracks and were not included in most statistical surveys of violence against Native Americans, which are focused on tribal areas.

Heitcamp, who recently lost her bid for reelection to the Senate, argued that her bill is needed to improve societys understanding of violence against Native American women.

This is a devastation that has gone on too long, she said. You will never solve a problem that you dont have data on; that you dont have the ability to actually analyze.

The Urban Indian Health Institute, however, argued that the bill is an incomplete solution because it does not include urban women. Nearly three-quarters of Native Americans live in urban areas.

Because cases occurring in urban areas are not federal jurisdiction, this means missing and murdered urban Native women and girls, including Savanna herself, would not be included in the data the bill aims to collect, the institute wrote.

When news of LaFontaine-Greywinds death surfaced in the fall of 2017, it sparked a media frenzy. She quickly became a symbol for the missing and murdered advocacy movement, which argues that the problem of missing and slain Native American women is greater than people realize.

Its unclear just how extensive the problem is. A review of the FBIs 2017 violent crime report lists incidents that occur on tribal lands, but does not tell anything about the gender or ethnicity of the victims.

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that young Native American women are less likely than other women to be victims of homicide.

The Urban Indian Health Institute argues that such statistics may reflect poor data collection, not less violence.

This report wasnt done because Native people needed to know how many women have been killed or have disappeared. It was done because Native people need this report to responsibly advocate for all of their women, said Abigail Echo-Hawk, director of the institute and a member of the Pawnee Nation.

The Fargo Police Department waited four days after Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind disappeared before obtaining a warrant to search the neighbors apartment. Police Chief David Todd indicated that the investigation would have gone differently had officers realized the victim was dead.

This outraged LaFontaine-Greywinds parents, who said they reported their pregnant daughter missing within four hours after she went upstairs, leaving behind her wallet and car keys.

Police do not have the same concern about missing, deceased or injured Native American women than they would have about victims who are Caucasian, attorney Gloria Allred said at a news conference last month. Allred, the well-known womens rights attorney, is acting as an advocate for LaFontaine-Greywind parents.

A few blocks away from the unveiling of the Urban Indian Health Institutes report, Rep.-elect Deb Haaland of New Mexico was taking selfies at Congress freshman orientation.

One of two Native American women ever elected to the House of Representatives, Haaland, who is a tribal citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna, is among those calling attention to violence against Indigenous women.

New Mexico had the highest number of women listed in the institutes missing-and-dead report. The city of Gallup had more unreported cases, 20, than any other jurisdiction profiled in the research.

Its the biggest problem no ones even heard about, Haaland said in an interview.

Last fall, she said she attended a candlelight vigil in Albuquerque for Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind.

This is not a Native congressmans issue. Every congressman should know, she said. And it will require compassion for understanding where we come from and why this is happening to us.

Monet is a special correspondent. This article was supported by a grant from the OBrien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism.
One protester was killed and 106 others were injured at roadblocks set up around France on Saturday as citizens angry at rising fuel taxes rose up in a grass-roots movement and posed a new challenge to President Emmanuel Macron.

Police officers lobbed tear gas canisters at demonstrators on the famed Champs-Elysees Avenue in Paris as groups tried to make their way to the presidential Elysee Palace. Later, hundreds of protesters entered the portion of the street where the palace is located  and where Macron lives.

They were seen on BFMTV talking with riot police when the officers suddenly raised their shields and pushed the group back.

Interior Ministry officials estimated that about 244,000 protesters were involved in several thousand protests around the country, many of them spontaneous.

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The protester who died, a 63-year-old woman, was killed when a driver caught in the blockade accelerated in a panic at Pont-de-Beauvoisin, near Chambery, according to Louis Laugier, the prefect, or top state official, in the eastern Savoie region. According to various French media reports, protesters reportedly knocked on her car as she tried to take her daughter to a hospital. An investigation was opened.

Five people were seriously injured, while the others had more minor injuries, the Interior Ministry said in an early evening statement, raising an earlier count. It said 52 people were detained, with 38 held for questioning.

Protesters, wearing yellow safety vests and dubbing themselves the yellow jackets, pledged to target tollbooths, roundabouts and the bypass that rings Paris. The fluorescent yellow vests donned by the protesters must be kept in the vehicles of all French drivers in case of car troubles.

The ministry said security forces used tear gas in several places besides the Champs-Elysees to unblock major routes, including firing about 30 canisters at the entrance to the Mont Blanc tunnel.

The nationwide protest was unusual due to its grass-roots origins. It arose from within the citizenry, backed neither by unions nor politicians, although some took part in a clear bid for supporters.

The amateur nature of the protests, often spontaneous and therefore illegal, made it tricky for police, who had orders to use dialogue over force but to stop protesters from completely blocking major routes or endangering lives or property.

The situation on the Champs-Elysees, for instance, was confusing, with the protest producing a party atmosphere at some points and angry confrontations at others.

Police fired tear gas when a group moved into a street near the presidential palace. Hundreds of protesters took over the Place de la Concorde at the bottom of the avenue, shouting Macron resign as police looked on. By evening, 1,200 protesters remained, protected by police, the Interior Ministry said.

The rise in fuel taxes, notably for diesel fuel, spoke to those French who feel the president has asked ordinary citizens to make the largest efforts in his bid to transform France.

The taxes are part of Macrons strategy to wean France off fossil fuels. Many drivers see them as emblematic of a presidency they view as disconnected from day-to-day economic difficulties and serving the rich.

The yellow-jacket protests drew supporters angry about other issues too, including diminishing buying power.

Macrons popularity has plunged, hovering around 30%, polls indicate.

Robert Tichit, 67, a retiree, referred to the president as King Macron.

Weve had enough of it. There are too many taxes in this country, he said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister Peter O'Neill attend the hand-over ceremony of the China-assisted Independence Boulevard in Port Moresby, PNG, on Nov. 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister Peter O'Neill attended the hand-over ceremony of the China-assisted Independence Boulevard here on Friday.

The road project has linked the national parliament house and the PNG capital's trunk roads, providing more convenient and efficient transportation conditions for the locals.

The Independence Boulevard connects the profound friendship between the Chinese people and the PNG people and bears the good wishes of the Chinese people to the PNG people, Xi said while addressing the ceremony.

Noting that Chinese construction companies have completed the road project with the highest standard and the fastest speed, Xi said he believes that the Independence Boulevard will bring about more convenience and prosperity to the local people.

China is willing to enhance mutual trust, expand communication and boost cooperation with PNG, and together build a road of prosperity, openness and friendship, he said.

PNG will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, which is a grand event for PNG and all the Pacific island countries, Xi said.

As PNG's good friend and good partner, China has provided support and assistance within its capacity to PNG in hosting the event, he added.

For his part, O'Neill said he is delighted to jointly attend the hand-over ceremony with Xi and thanked China for its long-term assistance to his country.

The Independence Boulevard project is a symbol of PNG-China friendship and of China's important support to PNG, the prime minister said.

Today is another key moment in PNG-China relations, as the inauguration of the boulevard will be a milestone in bilateral ties, O'Neill said.

Calling China a good friend of PNG, O'Neill said his country, which shoulders heavy task of national development, is willing to maintain strong partnership with China.

Xi arrived here Thursday to pay a state visit to PNG and attend the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

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[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Happy Saturday. This weekend was a long time coming for many folks as we prepare for Thanksgiving and give thanks for more than whats on our tables. If youre still planning your menu, refer to our recent stories for both an upscale and a more traditional holiday dinner. If youve got that covered and are looking a bit off the menu, we have an abundance of stories this week about cooking with cannabis. Theres a glossary of terms and lists of edibles and cookbooks. Theyre meant to serve as introductions for novices but also cater to those experienced in putting pot into, well, pots.

The big news this week is our hiring of three additions to our Food team, including two restaurant critics. This is the culmination of a long search following the death of our beloved critic Jonathan Gold, and were very happy to welcome them to our table. Enjoy your weekend.

 Amy Scattergood

WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME

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The Los Angeles Times headquarters in El Segundo in July, with a silhouette of late restaurant critic Jonathan Gold projected on the side. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

A big welcome to Bill Addison, Patricia Escarcega and Lucas Peterson, all of whom are joining our Food section. Bill and Patricia will be our new restaurant critics, and Lucas will be doing food videos and writing food and travel stories. Our section, our coverage and our communal table just got bigger, which is terrific news for all of us. And we will always have a chair at that table for Jonathan.

IN PRAISE OF SINALOAN SEAFOOD

Adina and Oscar Soto and their food truck, El Doctor del Valle. (Calvin B. Alagot / Los Angeles Times)

If you love Sinaloan-style seafood, theres a food truck you should know about, which food writer Hadley Tomicki reports about in addition to his news column (breakfast burritos! Ippudo ramen!). Its called El Doctor del Valle, and its parked on Reseda Boulevard in Northridge. The truck was named for owner Oscar Sotos father, who made and sold aguachiles and campechanas out of the back of his van. Now Soto and his wife sell ceviches, aguachiles, cocteles de mariscos, tacos and quesadillas from their own truck.

CANNABIS COOKBOOKS

Cannabis cookbooks that go beyond brownies. (Illustration by Kagan McLeod / For The Times; photos from Ten Speed Press; Chronicle Books; Inkshares; Mango Publishing; Skyhorse Publishing)

As cannabis is legalized in this state and others  although it is still illegal under federal law  its making its way into more mainstream cookbooks. I take a look at six published recently that take pot cooking from rudimentary brownies to more sophisticated applications. Think grilled steak with chimichurri made with canna-oil, or French macarons with canna-butter in the lemon curd filling, or hot chocolate made with cannabis-infused cream.

EDIBLES TO TRY

We offer a list of some of the bestselling edibles at local dispensaries. (Kagan McLeod / For The Times)

Cooking a confit octopus with cannabis may not be your speed, so we have a list of some of the edibles currently on the market. Recently, as Adam Tschorn writes, the quality THC-infused products available for those 21 and older have included things as craveable as spiked chocolate chip cookies, chocolate-covered espresso beans and lots of fruit-flavored gummies. Just be sure to keep these sweets for those who know how and when to consume them.

WINE COUNTRY UPDATE

The Woolsey fire destroyed multiple vineyards in the Malibu area, including those at Malibu Solstice. (Donald Schmitz)

The Woolsey fire has been utterly devastating to people and property, and also to Malibu wine country. The fire reached nearly half of the Malibu Coast viticultural area of 45,000 acres, reports wine writer Patrick Comiskey. Though only about 200 acres were planted, the destruction has forced some to rethink the business. Some folks will replant, others say theyll retire. Some note the firewall effect of the vines and are grateful it wasnt worse.

101 Restaurants We Love: On the evening of Dec. 3, a celebration of Los Angeles top restaurants brings together the best of the best, serving you samples from their acclaimed menus. Join us as we reveal the Los Angeles Times 101 Restaurants We Love list for 2018. Youll enjoy unlimited bites from our handpicked favorites, along with craft cocktails and live music. At the MacArthur, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.; tickets are $135.

Check us out on Instagram at @latimesfood.

And dont forget the thousands of recipes in our California Cookbook recipe database.

Feedback? Wed love to hear from you. Email us at food@latimes.com.
When fast-moving fires swept through both suburban neighborhoods and rural enclaves in California wine country last year, many residents complained that they only learned of the late-night blaze from neighbors banging on their doors, barking dogs or calls from friends  not from official emergency alerts. With flames at their doorsteps, people had to grab what they could and flee. Some didnt evacuate in time; 44 people died.

That terrifying scene has continued to play out, again and again.

During the Carr fire last summer in Redding and Shasta County, some residents didnt receive evacuation orders in time, or at all. A grandmother and her two grandchildren died when fire engulfed their trailer. Their family said they never got word of the evacuation order and didnt know they were in danger until it was too late.

And this month, many residents in Paradise said they didnt get emergency alerts as the Camp fire closed in on the town. Others said they received official notifications only after it was already obvious that their lives were in danger. More than 60 people died in the fire and more than 600 people were still missing Friday.

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Disasters have revealed that the states emergency warning systems, which are generally administered by cities and counties, are not working adequately.

In each case, local officials said the fires moved so fast and so unpredictably that their emergency alert systems couldnt keep pace. And it is certainly true that California has been experiencing more ferocious, destructive, swiftly spreading fires in recent years  fueled by drought and warmer temperatures.

But the disasters have also revealed that the states emergency warning systems, which are generally administered by cities and counties, are not working adequately. Residents understandably assume theyll receive notification well before they are in imminent danger, and with clear instructions on what to do, even if they havent signed up in advance for alerts.

And why wouldnt they? We live in a hyper-connected world, and were used to being bombarded with robocalls and Amber Alerts. There is an expectation that local authorities will use that technology in emergencies to provide accurate, essential information.

However, a state audit report following the wine country fires found that Sonoma Countys emergency alert procedures were uncoordinated and included gaps, overlaps and redundancies.

Those problems are not unique to Santa Rosa, experts say. Local alert systems across the state are inconsistent, underfunded and ill-prepared for fast-moving emergencies. Many counties and cities in California have relied on reverse 911 systems that automatically dial landlines. But as more people use cellphones instead of landlines, that system becomes increasingly ineffective. Because of that, officials in some communities have relied on residents to voluntarily sign up for emergency phone calls. But sign-up levels are low.

Local authorities can tap the federal Wireless Emergency Alert system to send an Amber Alert-like message to any mobile phone within range of a working cell tower. But investigations following the recent deadly fires found that officials havent used the system much, relying instead on private vendors systems that dont reach as many people. Some agencies, particularly in small counties with limited staff, were unfamiliar with how to use the federal system. Others feared a mass message that went out too broadly could cause a panic that makes evacuations more difficult. Those are legitimate issues.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

In response, the Federal Communication Commission adopted new rules earlier this year requiring wireless providers to deliver emergency alerts to more geographically precise areas by November 2019. That should encourage local authorities to use the alerts more frequently. A bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in September will set statewide standards for when and how to warn the public about wildfires, floods and other emergencies.

If California is going to protect its residents from the growing threat of wildfires, the state has to prepare for the unpredictable. Alerts alone wont save lives. Even if every resident of Paradise had received the first official notification of the fire and had begun to evacuate, they still might have been overtaken by the incredibly fast-moving fire or possibly been trapped in traffic on the few roads out of town.

Yet compared to the other more expensive and more politically fraught work needed to make California more wildfire-resilient  such as requiring property owners to retrofit their homes with fire-safe materials, restricting development in high-fire areas and thinning and burning dense, overgrown forests  developing comprehensive, reliable emergency alert systems should be a relatively easy way to save lives.

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To the editor: One of your articles describes how UC Berkeley law lecturer Charles Reichman kicked off the furor over the appalling vitriol and racism of 19th century lawyer John Boalt against Chinese immigrants. Reichman said he found it difficult to walk into classes in Berkeleys Boalt Hall that were full of Asian American students.

It seems to me that Boalt alumni and students consist of many people of Chinese ancestry who have used his family legacy and support of Berkeley Law to create successful, productive lives, directly making his hatred null and void in the best possible way.

The university should have kept the Boalt Hall name. Having so many Asian students taking law classes in that building seems like the perfect disavowal of Boalts terrible views.

Jane Diamond, Sherman Oaks

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..

To the editor: Because it has come to light that the man who helped finance UC Berkeleys first law school held an extreme prejudice against the Chinese immigrants in the 1800s, the university has decided to change the name of Boalt Hall. Similarly, the founder of Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco behaved egregiously toward American Indians.

By todays standards, Boalt and Hastings were unacceptably hateful. However, changing the names of institutions and removing statues accomplish nothing.

Rather than erasing history, we should congratulate ourselves for evolving into an increasingly inclusive society and leave past reminders in place as teaching tools.

Kathleen Robertson, Orinda, Calif.

..

To the editor: President Trumps anti-immigrant rants sound similar to Boalts anti-Chinese prejudice more than 100 years ago. I guess haters tend not to change.

Robert Dean, Thousand Oaks

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Even before Democrat Andrew Gillum conceded Saturday after a long recount in Floridas gubernatorial race, there was little hope he would prevail, but the campaign was no longer about that.

In the new political landscape, recount battles are being waged with unprecedented fervor, as political parties and activists look beyond the race at hand and see opportunities to reform voting laws, resculpt the political map and motivate and focus the base. There can be victory  and considerable campaign cash  even in losing.

Both parties have assembled these armies, and elections have turned into wars to fight on every front, said Paul Gronke, who studies elections at Reed College in Portland, Ore. One of the fronts they are now fighting is over election procedures. The intensity has ramped way up.

Experts say the fights have become more intense than they were even in 2000, when election day mishaps in Florida threw the results of a presidential race into turmoil.

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Democrats look back on that recount with bitterness, expressing regret that, in their view, they were not as prepared or as ruthless as the GOP in pursuing victory. That recount ultimately ended in victory for Republican George W. Bush.

Since then, the skepticism over the rules that determine who gets to vote and how has festered in both parties.

Republicans say some laws aimed at making ballot access easier invite fraud, despite a lack of evidence of improper voting. And, with control of many state governments since 2010, the GOP has aggressively scaled back voting rights in several states.

Democrats brand the Republican effort an orchestrated campaign of voter suppression, and the dispute hit a boiling point in 2016, when Donald Trump narrowly won the electoral college vote for president.

A swing state presidential recount effort launched on behalf of Hillary Clinton by Green Party candidate Jill Stein revealed how potent a tool recounts could be to motivate the liberal base.

Some 161,000 donors contributed $7.3 million to the Stein recount effort, which wasnt sanctioned by the Democratic Party. The ability of a fringe political player to set in motion an operation of that scale moved the Democratic Party establishment to update its playbook.

Jill Stein showed you could successfully fundraise and energize people by calling for a recount, said Michael McDonald, a political scientist and election law expert at the University of Florida.

He said that while the extended recount campaigns launched by Democrats in Georgia and Florida this year began with candidates looking at vote tallies and seeing a path to victory, donor enthusiasm has propelled them forward even as their chances of victory faded.

That would not have been the case in the past, McDonald said.

In the Florida Senate race, where incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, trailed by a scant 12,600 votes out of more than 8.1 million cast, his recount campaign against Gov. Rick Scott raised $2.5 million in a matter of days. Scott raised $1.4 million. Tens of thousands of volunteers joined the effort on both sides.

Gillum, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, meanwhile, walked back his concession and fought on with a ferocity that belied the bleak odds he faced in a recount. There have been rallies and vigils, fundraising pitches and defiant calls to action.

Gillum formally conceded Saturday afternoon. And final vote counts in Florida are planned to be announced Sunday, though legal action could prolong the deadline.

But the court action stemming from Gillums and Nelsons recount campaigns could help reverse some of the voting restrictions championed by Republicans. That would put Democrats in a better position the next time a Florida race comes down to a small fraction of a percentage point. The 2020 presidential election could easily be that close here.

There is a sense among Democratic voters, and in some cases rightfully, that election reforms that get passed help one side, and that is to make it harder for people to vote, said Steve Schale, a Democratic pollster in Florida. You start getting to a place where people feel like their vote doesnt matter because it is already rigged against them. So what do you do? One option is to lean in hard and fight.

Republicans are equally motivated. Every day, we are watching Democrats break and stretch the law for the sole purpose of winning, while they attack Republicans for wanting an honest count of legal voters, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich wrote in a piece emailed to supporters.

It is not always clear where voter sympathies lie in the debate over who should be allowed to cast ballots.

Florida voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure this year that restored voting rights for 1.5 million people convicted of felonies who have been banned for life from casting ballots under a state law that Scott aggressively enforced. The measures success emboldened Democrats in the recount campaign, which they have framed as being about the rights of voters as much as individual races.

Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams speaks at her campaign headquarters in Atlanta on Friday. (Alyssa Pointer / Associated Press)

That argument has been even more potent in energizing activists in Georgia, where Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams finally acknowledged defeat Friday after a bitter battle with Republican Brian Kemp, the secretary of state.

Kemp is an unyielding champion of ballot security measures that have had the practical effect of purging tens of thousands of African Americans from the registration rolls. Democrats charge that Kemp is overseeing an unabashed campaign of voter suppression, and that he used his authority to rig his own race and to perpetuate GOP dominance in a state where demographic shifts threaten the partys control.

It led to activists wanting to fight that much harder, said Dave Karpf, a political scientist at George Washington University who focuses on grassroots movements. They dont want to let him walk into the governors mansion pretending he didnt try to rig election in every way he could find for himself. It would be dispiriting if at the end of a campaign where he cut every corner, she just said, I will go home.

Abrams recount effort has remained a rallying point for Democrats nationally, even as her prospects for victory diminished. Many of those involved in the push were already looking ahead at how the fallout could help realign Georgia and encourage more African Americans and Latinos to vote.

The fight against voter suppression is so far from over, said Georgia state Sen. Nikema Williams, a Democrat whose recent arrest at a voting rights protest at the state Capitol sparked outrage among activists nationwide. This is not just about one election.

More stories from Evan Halper 

evan.halper@latimes.com | Twitter: @evanhalper

UPDATES:

3 p.m.: This article was updated with Democrat Andrew Gillums concession in the Florida gubernatorial race.

This article was originally published at 10:20 a.m.
President Trump said Saturday that he would speak with the CIA about its finding that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Washington Post first reported Friday that the CIA had assessed with high confidence that the Saudi leader ordered the killing, based on multiple sources of intelligence.

We havent been briefed yet. The CIA will be speaking to me today, Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before leaving to survey damage from wildfires in California.

But the president has already been shown evidence of the princes alleged involvement in the killing, and privately he remains skeptical, Trump aides said. He has also looked for ways to avoid pinning the blame on Mohammed, the de facto Saudi ruler, the aides said.

The presidents most recent comments put him at odds with the findings of the CIA and senior intelligence officials.

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Gina Haspel, the CIA director, and John Bolton, Trumps national security advisor, have briefed the president on the intelligence communitys findings, with Haspel offering the various pieces of evidence that show lieutenants of the crown prince were directly involved, according to people familiar with the matter.

In conversations with his intelligence and national security advisors, the president has seized on the question of whether evidence shows that the prince ordered Khashoggis death, asserting that his advisors havent offered him definitive proof. He has also asked CIA and State Department officials where Khashoggis body is and has grown frustrated that the journalists remains havent been found.

Khashoggi, a Saudi national, was a contributing columnist to the Washington Post.

Referring to the crown prince, Trump told reporters Saturday, As of this moment, we were told that he did not play a role; were going to have to find out what they say.

The president didnt specify who had said the prince had played no role.

The CIA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

But within the White House, there has been little doubt that the prince was behind the killing.

This is a situation where everyone basically knows what happened, said one advisor who talks to Trump often. This person said Trump has repeatedly criticized how the prince has handled the situation and has said it is clear the Saudis are hiding facts.

The Saudis have offered multiple and contradictory explanations for what happened to Khashoggi since he stepped inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on Oct. 2 to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage.

Once inside, Khashoggi was set upon by a team of Saudi agents who had flown to Istanbul to kill him, according to intelligence assessments by the U.S. and European governments. The team is believed to have dismembered Khashoggis body and disposed of his remains.

The CIA analyzed audio recordings from inside the consulate, which were provided by the Turkish government, as well as intercepted phone calls, according to people familiar with the matter. One of those calls was placed by a member of the hit team from inside the consulate to a senior aide to the prince, informing him that the killing had taken place, according to people familiar with the call.

The Saudi government has insisted that the prince knew nothing of the operation, which it has blamed on rogue actors who went beyond their authority in a mission meant to bring Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia. Khashoggi had written critically of the princes policies and was living in a self-imposed exile in Virginia out of concern for his safety in his native country.

The claims in this purported assessment are false, Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, said of the CIA findings. We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations.

For more than a month, Trump has struggled to balance his interest in maintaining strong relations with the Saudi government with growing pressure in Congress and around the world to punish the Saudi government. Trump has told aides that he wants the prince to stay in power and that he sees the Saudis as the best strategic check on Iran and as a vital source of oil. The prince has a close relationship with Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior advisor who helps to lead the administrations Middle East strategy.

Earlier this week, the Saudi public prosecutor acknowledged that a team of Saudi agents had killed Khashoggi, but he claimed that they had been sent with the intent to bring him back to Saudi Arabia. The prosecutor has brought charges against 11 people he characterized as part of a rogue operation, and he said he would seek the death penalty for five of those involved.

The Treasury Department also announced this week that it would freeze the assets of 17 Saudis and prohibit companies from doing business with them.

Trump has accused the Saudi government of trying to cover up its role. But he has looked for ways to avoid pinning the blame on the prince, aides and advisors said. He has continually thought about scenarios in which the prince would not have known what his underlings were doing, one advisor said.

It is possible that this took place without his knowledge, Trump said in an interview last month with the Washington Post. And now they are trying to clean up a mess.

That also contradicts the CIAs findings. The agency determined that because the prince exercises absolute authority in the kingdom, it was inconceivable that an operation of such scale, involving 15 agents traveling internationally on government aircraft, could have been completed without his knowledge and authorization, according to people who are familiar with the agencys conclusions.

Moreover, several members of the hit team can be tied directly to the prince. Some worked on his security detail, and others have traveled in the U.S. at the same time as the prince or other senior Saudi officials, passport records and other public information show.

Trump has made clear to European allies that he is uninterested in a joint response to the killing, even as pressure mounts to hold the Saudi government accountable, according to a diplomat briefed on the calls.

The advisor who talks to Trump said, If the president had his way, he would stay entirely out of the Middle East and all of the problems. This is a problem that he wants to go away.
With California gripped by a homelessness crisis, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and mayors of three of the states other largest cities called Friday for a statewide effort to remove obstacles to affordable housing and give cities more help in getting people off the streets.

The issue was the focus of a panel discussion in Sacramento that also included San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg.

There must be a statewide strategy and approach, Steinberg said during the forum hosted by a group of nonprofit media organizations.

Schaaf and Garcetti said that there is momentum to tackle the homelessness problem and that they are hopeful because Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom has made housing and homelessness issues a priority.

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Is there the will there? Absolutely, Garcetti said. Because any caring Californian knows that this is the issue, and it is everywhere in our state.

California had, by far, the most homeless people of any state 134,000  in 2017, according to the last annual estimate by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. A quarter of the nations homeless live in the Golden State, the report found.

About 23,000 people are living on the streets in Los Angeles, Garcetti said, calling the problem the greatest moral and humanitarian crisis the state faces.

Schaaf was highly critical of the states current approach to homelessness, using an expletive as she angrily recounted how an Oakland police officer recently had to save a woman who was living in her car when she went into labor and gave birth.

This is a fundamentally broken system that needs to be reimagined from the get-go, Schaaf said. But, she added, I am full of hope. There is more political will, more political courage than we have ever seen in California at this moment.

Faulconer, the only Republican mayor on the panel, said the state can remove red tape delaying housing construction. And he called for the Legislature to restore redevelopment programs with the ability to use some property tax revenue to build affordable housing.

This is a statewide problem, he said.

Steinberg said the current, cumbersome system for getting funding and planning approval of shelters makes it unlikely there will be permanent shelters soon for the thousands of people left homeless by the recent Camp fire in Butte County.

Despite the failure of a statewide initiative on rent control, Garcetti said the issue of making sure people can afford rents should not go away.

It is still absolutely a problem, Garcetti said. Steinberg and Schaaf said the state can do more to prevent rent gouging.

The mayors also said more needs to be done on mental health issues in California. Garcetti predicted Los Angeles County will take advantage of a new state law that allows authorities to force severely mentally ill people into treatment through conservatorships.

Garcetti was asked by moderator and CALmatters reporter Laurel Rosenhall whether his ability to make progress on the homelessness issue will be a factor in his decision on running for president in 2020. No, not at all, he said.

One thing I will say is this better be a national conversation, he said of homelessness. If one of us were president, or a mayor were president, or somebody struggling with this were president, this would be a priority in this country.

Garcetti said he is seeing a change in public attitudes about affordable housing, with people supporting his efforts to provide more clustered housing around transit corridors and stations.

We are seeing all these millennials and others who are not working for a developer, who are not ginned up by City Hall, turning out to public meetings now saying, Densify the city. I want to have something I can afford, Garcetti said.

Coverage of California politics 

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

Twitter: @mcgreevy99
The Food & Drug Administration this week announced new initiatives aimed at stemming the increase in young Americans use of tobacco and its primary psychoactive agent, nicotine.

The object of FDA Commissioner Scott Gottliebs ire was flavorings  those minty, sweet, nutty or even salty flavors that cigarette and e-cigarette manufacturers add to their products to make them more enticing.

The prime market for those flavors, Gottlieb said, is no secret: While fewer than one-third of adults over 35 smoke mentholated cigarettes, menthols are the choice of 54% of children too young to buy cigarettes legally, but who acknowledge they smoke anyway.

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At the same time, 3.6 million high school and middle school students surveyed in 2018 said they used e-cigarettes in the last 30 days  a 78% increase since 2017 that Gottlieb blamed on the enticement of flavorings ranging from cola and chocolate to bubble gum and coffee latte. And, of course, menthol, a flavoring derived from peppermint oil.

These data shock my conscience, he said.

With that, he pledged to exercise a stronger regulatory hand over the use of flavorings in e-cigarettes and to crack down on retailers that sell tobacco products to minors.

He also opened a new front in the tobacco war with a proposal to ban the use of menthol entirely in all products that are burned or smoked. That includes cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco.

All of which raises some questions:

Can he do that?

Its not entirely clear whether the FDA has the power to ban menthol in cigarettes.

The 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act gives the agency the authority to establish tobacco product standards where appropriate for the protection of the public health, including provisions respecting the construction, components, ingredients, additives.

By all appearances, that would allow the FDA to prohibit the use of certain flavorings, including menthol. The 2009 law went ahead and did just that, banning the use of characterizing flavors in cigarettes  those used to give a product a distinctive taste and marketing appeal.

But it made an exception in the case of menthol.

What about menthol in e-cigarettes?

Unanticipated by the landmark Tobacco Control Act, the delivery of nicotine by electronically heated dispensers  vaping  became a multibillion-dollar industry in which flavorings, including menthol, have flourished.

The FDA has asserted its authority to regulate e-cigarettes and their flavorings. That claim is furiously contested but hasnt yet been struck down by the courts.

Gottlieb said this week that while hes ready to ban menthol as a flavor enhancer in smoked products, he wants to keep it available for e-cigarettes because many older users like it, and he doesnt want them to go back to smoking menthols.

When it comes to vaping, Gottlieb said he wants to concentrate on kid-oriented flavorings. But he warned that if he sees more evidence that menthol is luring uninitiated kids to e-cigarettes, he would revisit the possibility of restricting it there too.

In the end, new congressional authority may be necessary if the FDA is to ban menthol or restrict the use of flavorings in e-cigarettes. Alternatively, the FDA could simply act, get sued, and let the courts decide whether and how much it authority it has to take such actions.

Any way you look at it, this process will take years to work itself out, said Will Woodlee, a partner with the law firm Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker LLC, which has represented a wide range of tobacco and e-cigarette companies in their dealings with the FDA.

Who uses menthol?

Back in 2011, an advisory board to the FDA estimated there were roughly 14 million Americans who smoke mentholated tobacco.

Dominated by such brands as Kool, Salem and Newport, menthols are especially appealing to new smokers. But longtime users are among the least likely smokers to quit, research has found.

Menthols are particularly appealing to African Americans and Latinos. About 30% of non-Hispanic white smokers choose mentholated cigarettes, as do more than 70% of black smokers and 37% of Latino smokers.

For years, mentholated tobacco manufacturers advertised heavily in magazines aimed at African American audiences, harking back to themes of the civil rights era. Through their philanthropic arms, they have been lavish contributors to leadership organizations, charities and campaigns embraced by black customers.

Women and LGBT people also favor mentholated cigarettes disproportionately, and theyve been targeted by marketing campaigns as well.

What about kids?

Among kids 12 to 17 years old who smoke, 54% smoke mentholated cigarettes. Young adults 19 to 25 are right behind them: 50% smoke menthols. And indeed, the FDAs initiative appears to be highly focused on the role of menthol in drawing adolescents into a smoking habit.

For new or younger smokers, the primary advantage of smoking a menthol cigarette is that the menthol masks the harshness and discomfort of inhaling smoke enough to allow delivery of an effective dose of nicotine, wrote the authors of a 2008 study.

Adolescents and young adults were significantly more likely to smoke menthol cigarettes than were older smokers, they found.

These researchers combed through a trove of internal tobacco industry documents to reveal how companies manipulated menthol levels in cigarettes and introduced new menthol brands to gain market share, particularly among adolescents and young adults. They brought younger customers in with light menthol flavor, and devised more heavily mentholated brands for older smokers who wanted a stronger taste.

Is menthol inherently dangerous?

Apparently not. A 2013 FDA report concluded that menthol in cigarettes is not associated with increased or decreased smoke toxicity.

But there is mounting evidence to suggest that the addition of menthol makes nicotine more addictive.

George Mason University researcher Nadine Kabbani notes that nicotine addiction is not just a matter of getting hooked as a young person. It also depends on sustaining the habit, failing to quit, and relapsing after a quit attempt. On all those fronts, she said, smokers of menthol cigarettes appear to be at a disadvantage.

Kabbani said that she and other researchers are finding that menthol appears to activate receptors in cells that magnify the effects  possibly the addictive effects  of nicotine.

Is the amount of menthol in a single menthol cigarette enough to increase nicotine in the body or to make it more addictive? Kabbani said. Thats the million-dollar question.

What would happen if menthol cigarettes were banned?

Theres plenty of reason to believe that many smokers would quit and would-be smokers wouldnt start.

A 2010 survey conducted by the National Cancer Institute found that 39% of menthol smokers said they would quit if menthol cigarettes were no longer available. That includes 47% of African American menthol smokers and 42% of women menthol smokers.

Has the FDA tried to ban menthol or other flavorings before?

Yes. A number of fitful efforts in this direction have been made. So far, none have succeeded.

In 2011, an FDA advisory panel concluded that the removal of menthol cigarettes from the U.S. market would benefit public health  a key step in asserting the FDAs authority to act.

The effort was quickly met with a lawsuit from tobacco giant Lorillard and by an amendment to the 2012 agriculture appropriations bill that would have severely hobbled the FDAs powers to regulate tobacco.

The amendment didnt make it into law, and the lawsuit managed to tie the FDAs hands only briefly before it was overturned. But their message to the FDA was clear: Back off on menthol.

Nevertheless, the FDA persisted. In 2013, the FDA proposed to act on menthol cigarettes and, in 2016, to limit flavored tobacco products in e-cigarettes. In both cases, the FDA argued that they appear to lower barriers to nicotine addiction for adolescents and young adults. However, the Obama administration blocked both actions.

In May of this year, the FDA requested comments on the role that flavors, including menthol, play in the initiation, use and cessation of tobacco products, especially among youths. And it asked whether and how certain flavors might help adult smokers switch to potentially less harmful products.

For six months, Gottlieb and his agency have gotten an earful from tobacco companies, the vaping industry, anti-smoking activists and researchers. His announcement this week that his agency will advance a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on menthol in smoked products marks the next step on a march down the path of the FDA reasserting, once more, its authority to regulate menthol in cigarettes and flavorings in tobacco.

Why has it taken so long to crack down on menthol?

In addition to the legal uncertainties, some in the African American community have fought a ban as well. With encouragement and funding from tobacco manufacturers, the Congress of Racial Equality, the National Black Chamber of Commerce and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives argued in 2010 that an outright ban on menthol cigarettes would create a black market and increase violence and street crime in low-income communities already struggling with both.

The National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, joined ranks with the American Legacy Foundation, an anti-smoking group, in calling for a ban on menthol.

The tobacco industrys very, very clever and effective marketing has convinced some African Americans that they would be hurt by a menthol ban, said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Assn.

Tobacco firms actually went as far as to say that minorities would be unfairly targeted by not having the opportunity to be poisoned by a very addictive substance, said Benjamin, who supports Gottliebs efforts. These arguments dont pass the laugh test.
A study session two years in the making elicited comments of disappointment, disbelief, anger and frustration from several of the 60 parents who attended a Walt Disney Elementary School modernization get-together on campus Tuesday.

A special meeting of the Burbank Unified school board included presentations by Supt. Matt Hill, with input from Molly Hwang, the schools principal, and district consultant Stephanie Pulcifer.

Hill gave an update on the project to upgrade Disney Elementary, which has been named a California Distinguished School in the past, using Measure S bond funds. Some of the improvements included the installation of two portables, modernization of 11 classrooms and the schools restrooms, along with replacing the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

Hill said the price was estimated to be $6.4 million, which includes contingency funding for higher-than-expected construction costs.

Youll have the same number of classrooms as you have today, including those leased portables, but were going to utilize the space with a better configuration, Hill said.

That answer frustrated many parents. Those who spoke nearly unanimously said the biggest issue was a lack of space on the 2.7-acre, 22-classroom campus.

The problem is we dont have enough rooms, as is, parent Nicole Martin said. What Im seeing is were going to have the same amount of classrooms. We dont have enough after-care for our kids.

The meeting on Tuesday followed up on a March 2016 town hall in which district officials set aside $3.3 million for upgrades.

At the time, the plan was for a two-story structure, rather than the two portables. The estimated cost was $6.4 million.

That proposal was scrapped by Hill, who said that plans price is now estimated between $9.6 million and $9.7 million.

With $3.3 million set aside, the district applied for matching funds from the state of California in November 2016.

Though the districts bid was accepted, Hill said the state is only going to award $1.1 million. On top of that, the money had still not arrived.

We have no idea when were going to get it, he said.

Even so, the district trimmed costs off other district renovation projects to raise the Disney budget to $6.4 million.

As far as expanding Disney, we dont need to expand it, Hill said. We just need to maximize the space you have now for programs and support.

Many Disney parents rejected that premise.

I am completely gobsmacked that this is the plan, parent K.C. Johnson said.

She added that, while pointing to the lower left bottom of the blueprint, I see  this plan was made up in October 2018, and we havent seen any plans since 2016.

When board member Armond Aghakhanian asked parents how many extra classrooms were needed, attendees flipped the question toward Hwang.

Youre putting me on the spot, Hwang said. One, for sure, and two would be ideal, but one to give us breathing room.

Hill said he would ask the districts facilities department for new estimates for a two-story modular plan and inquire about taking control of a vacant nearby Burbank city building for after-care services.

He also said district officials plan to hold another town hall meeting about the Disney Elementary project after Thanksgiving.

andrew.campa@latimes.com

Twitter @campadresports
Much to the dismay of those who oppose various facets of the proposed high-speed rail project or the project itself, the California High-Speed Rail Authority is moving forward with its analysis of the routes the highly debated bullet train is expected to take in Southern California.

The authority unanimously voted during a lengthy meeting at the Holiday Inn in Burbank Thursday morning to identify which routes should be studied further.

Authority chairman Dan Richard reiterated to the roughly 100 people in attendance  mainly residents of Acton, Agua Dulce, Kagel Canyon, Lake View Terrace, Shadow Hills and Sunland-Tujunga  that the boards decision was to determine which routes needed to be analyzed in greater detail and not to set in stone the trains path.

What were saying to communities that, for the last several years have faced uncertainty, as four or more different routes have been looked at, is to tell them Well, we cant say its 100%, [but] this is where were focusing our attention, Richard said. Now that were focusing our attention there, we have to be very, very detailed about understanding specific environmental impacts and impacts on those communities.

The section of the route that has received the most criticism has been the Palmdale-to-Burbank stretch, which has gone through several iterations. The authority opted to further analyze what is called the SR-14 Alternative, which is a 38.6-mile path that, for the most part, follows the 14 Freeway.

The railway is proposed to be at-grade when it leaves Palmdale and transition to be mostly underground through Acton and Agua Dulce. The route deviates from the 14 Freeway before reaching Santa Clarita and heads south through Angeles National Forest and the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument toward Hollywood Burbank Airport via an underground path.

Although most of the route will be located underground, the plans propose to have portions of the railway either at-grade or elevated, which many Acton and Agua Dulce residents told authority members during nearly 2 half hours of public testimony they were against.

Pam Wolter, treasurer of the Acton Town Council, pleaded with board members to look after her community and have the entire railway underground.

Wolter said the proposed elevated portion of the railway would be right next to Vasquez High School  which in 2016 was renovated with much-needed amenities  and would be detrimental to the students and the community.

Come on, guys. I need you here, she told the authority. I need you supporting Acton  I am on the team to make this correct for Acton and Agua Dulce.

On the other hand, Kagel Canyon resident Kelly Decker said she was not happy that all of the proposed routes for the Palmdale-Burbank stretch go through the Angeles National Forest, which she thinks would be detrimental to the area.

The authority had been studying two other routes for that section  called E1 and E2  which were proposed to go under the Angeles National Forest and the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument to a greater extent than the SR-14 Alternative.

Decker added that she would rather see the money that would be spent on the high-speed rail project go toward the wildfire efforts across the state.

The state has a lot more serious issues that it needs to tackle, she said. We have a water shortage and wildfires that are constant and larger than weve ever seen before in history. Those are priorities, not a $100-billion project that we have no money to fund and no one needs.

The two other routes  Burbank to Los Angeles and Los Angeles to Anaheim  have no proposed alternatives.

Michelle Boehm, the Southern California regional director of the project, has said the Burbank-to-Los Angeles route is a critical section that helps complete the entire project.

That proposed 14-mile stretch, which would start on the north end at Hollywood Burbank Airport and end at Los Angeles Union Station, is planned to share the right-of-way used by Metrolink and will mostly be located at-grade.

The Los Angeles-to-Anaheim section is a proposed 30-mile stretch that would continue to use the Metrolink right-of-way, specifically the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo rail corridor, that will transport passengers from Union Station to the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center.

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio
Addressing the opening ceremony, Huynh Van Hanh, Vice President of the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association (HAWA) of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the event promises to become a playground for wood industry startups - enterprises in the field of consulting and design of furniture and architecture, to exchange and cooperate, and approach customers directly.

Being held for the 8th year, VIFA Home 2018 has attracted the participation of foreign businesses from Croatia and China.

Especially, the event gathers nearly 20 famous exporters of Vietnam in the world market such as Scansia Pacific, Duc Loi, Nguyen Thanh, Royal Furniture, Square Home, Woac, and Furniture Maker. The brands have been conquering difficult markets such as the US, Europe, Japan, and the Republic of Korea.

Vifa Home 2018 is expected to be a bridge between the processing enterprises, furniture production, and interior decoration from main economic areas such as Ho Chi Minh City - Binh Duong - Dong Nai province and nationwide.
Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustees unanimously denied a petition Thursday from a charter school seeking permission to operate within district boundaries.

The International School for Science and Culture was turned down three weeks after a public hearing in which supporters and dissenters spoke.

In accord with state education code, the Newport-Mesa board adopted a resolution with specific reasons for the denial.

The petition for ISSAC, submitted Sept. 11, described it as a free public charter school with a focus on STREAM (science, technology, reading and writing, engineering, arts and math) and foreign-language education. The petition sought a five-year term with hopes of opening in August with about 390 students in transitional kindergarten through fifth grade. Students would study Spanish and Mandarin Chinese in addition to English and would rotate among different classrooms.

The school would be able to enroll students from Newport-Mesa as well as neighboring districts.

Newport-Mesas resolution took issue with multiple aspects of the schools planned educational program, including saying that educators qualification requirements were insufficient and that the school did not specify the methods it would use to measure student success.

The resolution also stated that the district found ISSACs proposal to be a repackaging of a separate charter petition for a school called Adrian Hands Academy that was repeatedly denied by the Saddleback Valley Unified School District.

One of the considerations in assessing whether a charter is demonstrably unlikely to be successfully implemented is the petitioners past history of involvement in charter schools, the resolution said. In this case, effectively the same proposal has been repeatedly found to be deeply flawed and has been denied. This is not a history of success.

However, Michelle Anderson, a regional manager for the California Charter Schools Assn., told the board that her organization believes the petition is viable.

We have seen programs like this go ahead and become an actual, fruitful charter, Anderson said. Weve met with their experienced team  they understand charter laws and understand school operations, as they have a series of years under them [at other charter schools] to do this.

Patricia Guild, who submitted ISSACs petition and is in line to be its founding principal, told the board that were not really happy with ... the findings.

ISSAC intends to appeal the districts denial to the Orange County Board of Education, at which time the Charter Schools Assn. will speak on its behalf, Anderson said.

She added that its rare for any charter school supported by the association to be denied. When we put our stamp of approval on a charter, we go all out to support it, she said.

People urging the board to deny the petition  mostly members of the Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers  outnumbered those in support on Thursday.

However, Tho Tran, a professional college consultant and a parent of children attending Paularino Elementary School in Costa Mesa, said ISSAC is exactly the kind of education alternative shes looking for.

As much as I appreciate Paularino and the education my sons are getting there, its not good enough, Tran said. I see a big gap between public education and getting students ready for college.

charity.lindsey@latimes.com

Twitter @CharityNLindsey
A service to celebrate the life of late Costa Mesa fire Capt Mike Kreza drew more than 1,300 friends, family members and fire and law enforcement officials from across the region to Saddleback Church in Lake Forest on Friday morning.

He was the definition of what a professional firefighter is all about, Costa Mesa Fire Chief Dan Stefano said of the 18-year Fire & Rescue Department veteran and father of three young girls.

Kreza, 44, of Rancho Santa Margarita, died Nov. 5 of injuries he suffered two days earlier when hit by a van while riding his bicycle in Mission Viejo in preparation for a triathlon in Arizona. He is survived by his wife, Shanna, and daughters Kaylie, 11, Layla, 9, and Audrey, 7.

The driver of the van, Stephen Taylor Scarpa, 25, of Mission Viejo, is suspected of being under the influence of drugs and has been charged with murder.

Our family memories are going to live forever, Shanna Kreza said in a letter to her late husband read aloud during the service by friend Tiare Brock. You are still here, you are in each of the three beautiful girls you gave me.

You were the heart of our family, Layla read from her own letter to her father, describing him as kind, loving, strong and fierce.

Mike Kreza was based at Costa Mesa Fire Station 6 near South Coast Plaza. While working at the station, which his colleagues described as one of Costa Mesas busiest, Kreza studied for and obtained a bachelors degree and real estate license.

The two-hour service, which included an honor guard and a bagpipes and drums ensemble, opened and concluded with a flag procession led by Stefano.

At the end of the service, Stefano presented Shanna Kreza with an American flag in honor of her husband. Costa Mesa fire Capt. Rob Gagne, along with engineer Steve Cathey, Capt. Brent Turner and firefighter Jeremy Jimenez, presented Krezas helmet to his family.

Retired Costa Mesa firefighter and color guard member Will Moss rang the fire departments bell, signaling Krezas final call.

Stefano made a promise to the departed captain: Well take it from here.

The service really was exemplary of their life, said Rancho Santa Margarita resident Nancy Norris, whose 10-year-old daughter Kristen has participated in theater productions of Annie and Seussical with Kaylie Kreza.

He was always there for his family and kids, Norris said of Mike Kreza. They are the most kind, open, generous family.

Kreza grew up in Irvine and attended Irvine High School and Santa Ana College. He was a paramedic and firefighter in Seattle, Las Vegas and Big Bear before joining Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue.

His aunt Bobbie Kimball remembers him saying I won the lottery when he shared the news of going to Costa Mesa in 2000.

Four members of the Big Bear Fire Department attended the memorial service.

Its hard to put into words, said Big Bear firefighter and paramedic Brendon Medeck, reflecting on the loss of the veteran firefighter.

Medeck said he didnt know Kreza personally but was moved by the tributes from Krezas longtime partners at the Costa Mesa station.

Medeck said the strong showing of solidarity from agencies across the region gave him an awesome feeling.

Outside fire agencies covered duties in Costa Mesa so members of the Costa Mesa fire department could attend the service, the department said.

Mourners gathered outside the Saddleback Church sanctuary to write notes and memories in books in front of a wall of Kreza family photos.

The department asked that instead of flowers and gifts, donations be made to the following accounts established for the Kreza family:

Kreza Family Trust, c/o the Costa Mesa Firefighters Assn., P.O. Box 2141, Costa Mesa, CA 92628

Kreza Family Fund, a GoFundMe campaign that has raised more than $213,000.

julia.sclafani@latimes.com
The Laguna Beach Affordable Housing Task Force decided to move forward on eight proposed sites for new affordable housing units at a meeting Thursday night.

The sites would cater to people such as senior citizens, low-income residents and students. The state defines low income as households making less than 80% of the median income in their area.

The sites include publicly and privately owned land on Laguna Canyon Road, Raquel Road, Canyon Acres Drive, Coast Highway, Crescent Bay Drive and Sunset Avenue.

The task force also explored various funding sources for the proposed sites, including money freed up by Proposition 1, which state voters approved in the Nov. 6 election. The measure authorizes $4 billion in bonds for housing-related programs, loans, grants and projects for veterans.

Members of the task force will file a report ranking the projects by feasibility.

The report, which will go before the City Council in January, is just the first step toward approving the new housing. Planning Commission approval also is needed.

The role of the task force is to create the pathways and possibilities [for affordable housing], according to member Louis Weil.

The effort is part of a bigger push to comply with a new state law, Senate Bill 35, which requires an expansion of affordable housing. Under SB 35, many Orange County cities, including Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, are considered to have insufficient affordable housing. Failing to produce enough units under the laws Regional Housing Needs Assessment can result in loss of local control over building and permitting processes.

Currently a person needs to make $38.42 per hour to afford an average two-bedroom apartment in Orange County, according to the Kennedy Commission, an Irvine-based nonprofit that advocates for affordable housing. Laguna Beach residents need to make about $83,000 a year, or $39.47 per hour, to afford an average two-bedroom apartment, the group says. Californias minimum wage currently is $11 an hour.

Task force member Karen Martin brought up the figures during the meeting.

Laguna Beach is in the middle of the pack among Orange County cities in affordable housing already available. To be fully compliant, changes are needed to the citys general plan and zoning laws to provide for more affordable units.

There has been no affordable housing construction in Laguna Beach since before 2006, according to the Kennedy Commission. The county as a whole needs 92,738 new affordable units to meet demand, the group says.

Task force member Mohammad Honarkar said there are challenges to finding suitable lots in Laguna Beach because steep terrain prevents many open spaces from being developed.

Katie Licari is a contributor to Times Community News.
As I viewed the flags at half-staff and saw vintage airplanes flying overhead during this weeks Veterans Day observance, I wondered what Glendale was like on Nov. 11, 1918, the day World War I ended.

Thanks to the book Glendale Area History, I learned that Glendale was still a relatively small town 100 years ago, although it had just annexed the adjacent village of Tropico, adding 1,345 square miles to its territory  and over 2,000 in population.

Due to its increasing size, the police and fire department (one entity when the city incorporated in 1906) separated in 1918, and the merchants association had grown to more than 70 members.

Some 2,500 telephones were in use by 1918. The Glendale News, formerly a weekly, had changed its name to the Glendale Evening News and became a daily. The Glendale Press was still a weekly.

The Glendale District Council of the Boy Scouts of America organized in 1918. (The name was changed to Verdugo Hills Council the following year).

The Glendale chapter of the American Red Cross had organized in 1917, the same year that two congregations, the First Lutheran and the First Methodist Episcopal, dedicated new church buildings.

Plus, Midwesterners were moving here at a steady rate and the first high school on Brand Boulevard had given way to the new Union High on Harvard Street. Sidewalks had been laid and business and housing construction was rising.

A few street lights had been installed throughout the city. No doubt, the lights were already on when Glendale residents gathered late in the afternoon of Nov. 11 to celebrate the wars end.

Lora Martinolich, with the Glendale Central Librarys Special Collections Room, sent me two articles from the Glendale Evening News, detailing the event.

The Nov. 11 paper carried the following message from then City Manager T.W. Watson: Citizens of Glendale are ordered to assemble as best suits their location at 4 p.m. today at one of three places: Broadway and Glendale Avenue, Brand and Broadway or San Fernando Road and Central Avenue at 3:45 p.m. Captains will be present at these centers to give instructions.

The next days paper had a full account: Glendale had a real peace parade yesterday, starting at 4 p.m., with autos and trucks gay with flags and bunting and gayer still with the happy-faced occupants waving flags, ringing bells, tooting horns and registering joy.

An estimated 375 machines traversed the main thoroughfares for an hour, whizzing by at such a pace that the full meaning of the mottoes with which they were placarded could not be fully appreciated.

One large truck, drawn by the splendid horses of the Kent Contracting Company, served as a bier for a very unking-like figure labeled Kaiser Bill  His Last Ride.

The boys of the fire company, who rode on the city hook and ladder truck, carried a very scared little she-goat placarded They got his Nanny City trustee Hartley Shows auto bore the inscription Good Night Bill.

Outriders on bicycles, small boys, for the most part, trailed cans and pans, which developed comet-like characteristics as darkness crept upon the thoroughfares and showed the sparks they shed from their friction with the pavement. It was as if the nation had said in its relief from the cloud of war, Make me a child again, just for today.

The parade was a carnival of noise, as big for the little town of Glendale as a much larger celebration had been for the city of Los Angeles.

Readers Write:

William H. Gage III grew up in Glendale and graduated with Glendale Highs Class of 1945, although he had to get leave from his Navy boot camp commander in San Diego to return for the ceremonies.

Now a Brea resident, Gage is looking for a home for his grandmothers paintings.

His grandmother, Florence H. Huron, who lived next door to the Gages, was a member of the Glendale Art Assn. until her death in 1956. Known as the Grandma Moses of Glendale, she painted mostly desert scenes and was quite a painter, William Gage said.

Gage contacted the art association, only to learn they have no fixed meeting place and thus no place to hang Hurons paintings. He also wrote to Brand Associates, but they also are not able to take them.

Arlene Vidor, president of the Brand Associates, forwarded his letter to me, hoping that a reader might have some suggestions for Gage and his wife, who are in the midst of downsizing.

Please contact me via the email listed with this column.

Katherine Yamada can be reached at katherineyamada@gmail.com. or by mail at Verdugo Views, c/o Glendale News-Press, 453 S. Spring Street, 3rd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90013. Please include your name, address and phone number.

KATHERINE YAMADA can be reached at katherineyamada@gmail.com. or by mail at Verdugo Views, c/o Glendale News-Press, 202 W. First St., Second Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Please include your name, address and phone number.
A surgical buyer has appealed the rejection of his petition by the National Labor Relations Board to dissolve a union of healthcare workers at a USC-owned hospital in Glendale.

The petition was rejected because it was filed two days late. However, the petitioner argues that the tardiness was excusable because it was based on incorrect information on the boards website.

Mori Rubin, regional director for the National Labor Relations Board, or NLRB, rejected the argument by the buyer, Andrew Brown, in her Oct. 25 decision, pointing to the fact that the website features an explicit disclaimer that it should not be relied on for legal advice.

When someone like Brown, who initially represented himself in the matter, acted in good faith and relied on the boards website but missed a deadline by a mere two days, such buried disclaimers on official government websites breed cynicism  if not contempt  for the NLRB, in particular, and the government, in general, wrote attorney Glenn Taubman in the request for review filed Thursday.

Taubamann and another lawyer from the anti-union group National Right to Work are providing Brown free legal counsel.

Union representative Linda Arnold and spokesman Sean Wherley from the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, or SEIU-UHW, did not respond to requests for comment.

Brown said all he wants is a secret election, so employees can express their views about SEIU, but the union and NLRB are working overtime to prevent that from happening by using a bunch of legal technicalities to prevent an election.

When contacted Thursday, USC Verdugo Hills spokeswoman Meg Aldrich said hospital administrators were unaware the appeal had been filed.

We support all of our employees here, whether they are pro-union or anti-union, the hospitals chief executive Keith Hobbs said the next day. We support all of them and will continue to do that through our journey of bargaining.

According to Brown, there is no time frame in which the NLRB must respond to the appeal. The NLRB did not respond to confirm.

The hospital and union have set a date in mid-December to begin negotiating a new contract. The existing contract is set to expire Jan. 31.

Prior to Rubins decision in late October, the fate of SEIU and its 230 members seemed uncertain, with the initial petition filed by Brown accusing the third-party representation of failing to achieve better wages and benefits since it was brought on board three years ago.

Union leaders countered with accusations that hospital management was turning employees against each other and against third-party representation by offering scattershot raises to non-union employees and refusing to bargain.

They were promising us these big raises and these great benefits, but they went and pretty much accepted the first contract they were offered, Brown said before the NLRB handed down its decision. They didnt really help us or protect us at all.

We agree they are still underpaid and are now fighting to raise their wages in bargaining, SEIU spokesman Sean Wherley said in late October regarding the union, which was formed in 2016 and includes nursing assistants, patient services representatives, obstetrics technicians and phlebotomists.

Unionized environments typically result in a 30% gain in wages and benefits compared to non-unionized ones, according to Kent Wong, director of UCLAs Labor Center.

lila.seidman@latimes.com

Twitter: @lila_seidman
Thanksgiving came early in Burbank and Glendale last week, courtesy of the majority of voters who said yes to increasing the sales tax from 9.5% to 10.25% in both communities, the maximum amount allowable in California.

In the midterm election, 60.71% of Burbank voters passed Measure P; 53.45% of Glendale voters passed Measure S. Both initiatives deal with spending on infrastructure and city services.

However, the most curious election result was Burbank Unified School Districts Measure QS, which did not pass despite garnering more votes than Measure P, 61.68%. So why did the measure with the most votes fail?

Because Measures S and P were sales tax increases needing a simple majority to pass, whereas Measure QS was a parcel tax requiring a two-thirds majority to go into effect.

The average annual property tax hike for homeowners would have been $170, or $14 a month or less than 50 cents a day.

It failed by 1,928 votes. And so has the city in supporting its schools and students.

Pasadena solved the dilemma of raising revenue for schools by foregoing the parcel tax route, asking voters to support a similar sales tax boost but with a supporting advisory vote that one-third of the money go to schools.

The result? Measure I, the sales tax increase, passed (67.685%), and Measure J, the advisory vote, passed even higher (70.43%).

Mayor Terry Tornek told Pasadena Star-News reporter Chris Lindahl that he interprets the advisory vote as a mandate by voters and would spearhead the transfer.

Evidently Pasadenas city council and school board believe in working together, unlike those bodies in Burbank.

While the city of Burbank likes to boast about the quality of its schools, it isnt willing to back them up when it counts.

Burbank Leader reporter Andrew J. Campa reported that in L.A. County, Burbank Unified ranks 46th, or dead last, in spending, the smallest total gross dollars for raises for credentialed teachers over the past three years.

How much longer will Burbank teachers leave the district for literally greener pastures?

Take a look at the starting salaries of Burbank Unified compared to Long Beach Unified.

In Long Beach, a new teacher can automatically earn 16% more than a teacher in Burbank doing the same job: $58,271 compared to $50,647. No wonder some teachers have departed.

News flash: If excellent teachers leave Burbank, then the quality of its schools leaves as well.

Since the yes votes for both Measures P and QS were close in number, one could assume the same group of people who desire improved city services also desire improved city schools.

Why not ask the nearly 62% of Burbank citizens who voted for QS to donate $170 to Burbank Unified? It would serve as a tax deduction as well.

I shared this idea with Amy Kamm, vice president of communications for the Burbank Educational Foundation, and thats exactly the social media campaign already under way. The public would be ensured that their donation would impact as many programs as possible which will reach as many students as possible.

If all 16,354 citizens who voted for QS donated $170, that would generate $2.78 million. While not the $9 million they were counting on, a significant amount nonetheless.

Earlier this year a handful of potholes in Burbank were repaired by Dominos Pizza via its Paving for Pizza national campaign. Where is the corporation who can shore up the financial potholes in BUSDs budget? Nickelodeon, Warner Bros., Disney  any takers?

Brian Crosby is a teacher in the Glendale Unified School District and the author of Smart Kids, Bad Schools and The $100,000 Teacher. He can be reached at www.brian-crosby.com.

BRIAN CROSBY is a teacher in the Glendale Unified School District and the author of Smart Kids, Bad Schools and The $100,000 Teacher. He can be reached at www.brian-crosby.com.
Multi-dimensional impacts

Appreciating the significance of the CPTPP for the textile and garment industry, Cao Huu Hieu, Managing Director of the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex), said that the CPTPP was approved by the National Assembly and the implementation of the CPTPP is a good opportunity for businesses. However, due to the absence of US involvement, the market size is not as large. With the agreement, Vietnam's textile and garment industry is growing but not changing at a high level.

In fact, the market size of the participating countries is not large. Certain new markets such as Canada are small in size, but Vietnamese textiles are gaining strength in these markets. Therefore, the expectation from the CPTPP for the textile and garment sector is helping businesses explore new markets, and diversify the markets and export products of Vietnam.

Although China's plan on joining the CPTPP is unofficial, Managing Director of the Vinatex, Cao Huu Hieu, also said that, if China participates in the CPTPP, Vietnam and the rest of the CPTPP also faces fierce competition because China was the top ranked global textile exporter in both quantity and value. The products of the country are also very diverse, from garments to yarn and textile products. Therefore, if China joins the CPTPP, it will be difficult for domestic garment enterprises.

With the EVFTA, Managing Director of the Vinatex Cao Huu Hieu said that the European Union (EU) is the second largest market of Vietnamese textiles and garments after the US and always has a relatively high growth rate (from 7-10% every year). Therefore, when joining the EVFTA, Vietnam's textile and garment sector will enjoy a lot of tax incentives.

The EVFTA is expected to provide the same effect as the Vietnam-Korea Free Trade Agreement (VKFTA). Specifically, in 2018, Vietnam's textile and garment industry has enjoyed spectacular growth in the Korean market with more than a 20% increase. Currently, in the market, Vietnam is prepared to catch up with China with the rate of Vietnamese products at 34.46% and Chinese products at 36.45%. However, with the current growth rate, it is likely that Vietnam can overtake China in the Korean market this year.

"Hopefully, after the EVFTA comes into effect, Vietnamese businesses will make good use of the opportunities offered by the agreement so that we can dominate the EU market in return for other markets, especially in the case of China National participation in the CPTPP ", Managing Director of the Vinatex Cao Huu Hieu said.

Humans  An important factor

In order to take advantage of the upcoming FTAs, many enterprises under Vinatex have invested in modern machinery and technology to increase labour productivity and improve the competitiveness of export products. Meanwhile, they have also invested in human resources through the plan on upgrading Hanoi College for Textile, Garment and Fashion into the University for Textile, Garment and Fashion, which was submitted to the Government and has been approved. The university is expected to become a training channel for human resources of the textile and garment industry. In the development orientation of the school, Vinatex also requires the training of students to approach the thinking of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with the school subjects on enterprise management, factory management, and corporate governance in the Fourth Industrial Revolution period.

With the workers directly operating machinery and equipment, the group also suggested that businesses regularly organise short training sessions to improve the skills of workers in operating the modern equipment, according to Managing Director of the Vinatex Cao Huu Hieu.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is the inevitable rule, forcing businesses to participate, invest in machinery and equipment, and thus have a redundant labour force. The issue will not be solved by only the textile and garment industry, it is necessary to have coordination between the Government and ministries and sectors to guide vocational training for local workers. Therefore, together with Vinatex, Pham Xuan Hong, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Garment and Textile (AGTEK), said that AGTEK, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City have coordinated with Singapores Training Centre to open training courses for management and technical staff on applying and operating new technologies, including training workers to improve their skills in the field of investment.
Sabarimala : The dawn to dusk hartal began across Kerala on Saturday in protest against the arrest of the Hindu Aikya Vedi President KP Sasikala Teacher.

The Sabarimala Karma Samithi and the Hindi Aikya Vedi have jointly called for the state-wide hartal against the arrest of several leaders of Hindu organisations who were protesting against the Supreme Court order allowing the entry of women of ages into the temple.

The BJP led National Democratic Front had also extended their support to the hartal.
The US Central Intelligence Agency has concluded Saudi's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, The Washington Post reported Friday, citing people close to the matter. The US assessment directly contradicts the conclusions of a Saudi prosecutor one day prior, which exonerated the prince of involvement in the brutal murder.

According to the CIA findings, 15 Saudi agents flew on government aircraft to Istanbul and assassinated Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate, the Post said. Queried by AFP, the CIA declined to comment.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, had gone to the consulate to obtain documents necessary to marry his Turkish fiancee. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly changed its official narrative of the October 2 murder, first denying any knowledge of Khashoggi's whereabouts and later saying he was killed when an argument degenerated into a fistfight.

In the latest version presented by the Saudi prosecutor on Thursday, a 15-member squad was formed to bring Khashoggi back from Istanbul "by means of persuasion" -- but instead ended up killing the journalist and dismembering his body in a "rogue" operation.

The CIA scrubbed multiple intelligence sources, the Post said, among them a phone call between the prince's brother -- the Saudi ambassador to the United States -- and Khashoggi. PTI
Kochi : Hindu Aikya Vedi leader KP Sasikala, who was arrested last night is expected to visit the lord Ayyappa temple on Saturday.

As per the reports, Sasikala who is in preventive detention, will soon be produced at a local court in Pathanamthitta's Tiruvalla where she will be granted bail.

Sasikala was taken into custody near Marakoottam at 2.30 am after she allegedly defied the orders. Meanwhile, the dawn to dusk hartal called by the VHP and backed by the BJP affected the normalcy in Kerala.
The Department of Science and Technology in collaboration with institutional partners will showcase Filipino inventions at the 25th National Inventors Week on Nov. 20 to 23 at the Teatro Ilocandia in Batac City. The event coincides with the 75th (Diamond) Jubilee year of the Filipino Inventors Society Producers Cooperative, one of DOSTs partners. The others partners include the Technology Application Institute, Mariano Marcos State University, the provincial government of Ilocos Norte and the city of Batac. The four-day event will feature and highlight technology and invention exhibits, technology for, training and workshop on entrepreneurship and financial management, training on scientific writing and among others. The activities are mandated under Presidential Proclamation No. 285 of 1993 which encourages them to showcase unique and marketable inventions of Filipinos for the Filipinos. The event has Inventrepinoy for sustainable growth and prosperity for its theme. Among those expected to attend are DOST Secretary Fortunato De la Pena, former PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa, former special assistant to the president Christopher Lawrence Go, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, Batac City mayor Albert Chua, FISPC president FranciscoPagayon, MMSU president Dr. Shirley Agrupis, and DOST regional directors Armando Ganal and Sancho Mabborang.DOST- Ilocos Norte director Joven Viernes said the agency was expecting some 50 exhibitors to present their locally invented products. Experts are expected to share their knowledge and wisdom in developing local entrepreneurs and inventors into innovative InventrePinoys who can push the country towards sustainable economic development. Our inventors have dedicated themselves to creating innovative and customizable inventions. Their self-confidence, vision, wisdom, motivation and delivery skills bring the best ideas to their fullest reality. That is why we, in the FISPC give due honors to local Filipino inventors on this special day. We likewise take this opportunity to render due recognition to all Filipino inventors all over the world, said Pagayon. De la Pena will keynote the event which he describes as an earnest effort to help our Inventrepinoys carve and push sustainable growth and prosperity. The other event partners and sponsors are Splash and Healing Galing, One Store, Air 21, Portasol, Probaton, Filwin, Care x Herb, Misty Kool!, EM-Core Dot.Net, Davis & G Blackseed Soap, Filgenius Enterprise, JOCO, Life Source, E Pick Me Up, Carlita R. Doran Herbal Corp., Plantex, Building Beaver Corp., Phenix Garuda, Hana Land Development Corp., E-Pick me up Corp. and Hilmarcs Construction Corp.
; Sayyaf blamed

Militants have killed five soldiers and wounded 23 others in a major ambush by members of a notorious Islamist kidnap-for-ransom group, military authorities said Saturday. The soldiers were searching for hostages taken by the Abu Sayyaf group when the gunmen attacked them in Jolo on Friday, regional military spokesman Lt. Col. Gerry Besana told reporters. Meanwhile, the Abu Sayyaf Group bandits have released a woman they kidnapped together with her husband almost two months ago in Zamboanga del Norte, police said Saturday. In a statement, the Sulu Provincial Police Office said the victim, Helen Roda, was released around 2:30 p.m. Thursday in Barangay Anuling, Patikul, Sulu. ASG sub-leaders Mujer Yadah and Injam Yadah released Roda following the alleged payment of a P1-million ransom, police said. The ransom was reportedly delivered by two unidentified negotiators who, at the same time, accompanied Roda in her travel to Zamboanga City aboard a commercial ferry, police said. Roda was released 29 days after the ASG bandits freed her husband, Rufo, a militiaman, on Oct. 18 following the alleged payment of P1.2 million in ransom. They were seized on Aug. 31 by five ASG bandits following a firefight in Barangay Piacan, a coastal village in the town of Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte. Six people, including a militiaman, were killed while a child was wounded in the clash that broke out when the militiamen responded to the reported arrival of five gunmen clad in camouflage uniforms. Rodas release has brought down to six the number of hostages still in the hands of the ASG bandits. The hostages include a Dutch, a Vietnamese, and four Filipinos. According to Besana, The effort is part of our mission to rescue the remaining hostages. The Abu Sayyaf is a loose alliance of several hundred armed militants formed in the 1990s with seed money from Osama bin Ladens Al-Qaeda network.Fridays clash was one of the deadliest since an Abu Sayyaf faction joined other foreign and Filipino militants in seizing the southern Philippine city of Marawi last year, leading to a five-month battle that claimed more than 1,100 lives. The Abu Sayyaf is now believed to hold less than 10 hostages, Besana said. The group is based in Mindanao but its members began in 2016 to kidnap sailors in the waters between Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The militants have also raided and taken hostages from resorts in the Mindanao and neighboring Malaysia. Most of the hostages have been ransomed off for huge amounts of money and several were beheaded, including two Canadian tourists in 2016. A Dutch birdwatcher abducted on a nearby island in 2012 is believed to be among those still in Abu Sayyafs hands. The Dutchmans Swiss colleague escaped in 2014 after grabbing a kidnappers machete and killing him. The soldiers who survived Fridays ambush did not see any hostages during the 90-minute clash near the town of Patikul, Besana said. Besana added the soldiers from the Armys 41st Infantry Battalion were on a combat patrol when they encountered the ASG bandits under Almuder Yadah and Sub-leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, identified as two notorious ASG leaders. He said the fighting erupted in different stages, the first lasting for an hour. After a couple of minutes of a lull, gunfire rang anew, sparking a 30-minute battle. READ: Basilan blast kills 11 at
Giang noted that defence cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand over the past years has grown strongly with practical outcomes, especially in delegation exchange, personnel training, air and naval defence cooperation.

The close defence partnership has helped reinforce and strengthen the friendship, mutual understanding and trust between the people and armies of the two countries, he said.

Giang also lauded the cooperation results between Vietnams Air Force-Air Defence and the Royal Thai Air Force, expressing his hope that the two forces will continue promoting their collaboration.

He affirmed that Vietnam backs Thailand in performing the role of ASEAN Chair in 2019 and expects to receive support from Thailand in 2020 when Vietnam assumes the same role.

For his part, Chaiyapruk said that his working visit aims to further foster cooperation between the air forces of Thailand and Vietnam.

He held that the cooperation between Vietnams Air Force-Air Defence and the Royal Thai Air Force has been deepened, especially through the exchange of experiences in aviation safety, rescue, training, and connectivity among young officers.

The cooperative ties between the armies of Thailand and Vietnam has also contributed to strengthening the ASEAN Political-Security Community, one of the three key pillars of the ASEAN Community.
GDX Gold Mining Stocks Q3 18 Fundamentals

The major gold miners stocks remain mired in universal bearishness, largely left for dead. They are just wrapping up their third-quarter earnings season, which proved challenging. Lower gold prices cut deeply into cash flows and profits, and production-growth struggles persisted. But these elite companies did hold the line on costs, portending soaring earnings as gold recovers. Their absurdly-cheap stock prices arent justified.

Four times a year publicly-traded companies release treasure troves of valuable information in the form of quarterly reports. Companies trading in the States are required to file 10-Qs with the US Securities and Exchange Commission by 40 calendar days after quarter-ends. Canadian companies have similar requirements at 45 days. In other countries with half-year reporting, many companies still partially report quarterly.

These quarterlies offer the best fundamental data available for individual major gold miners, showing how their operations are really faring. That helps dispel the thick obscuring fogs of sentiment that billow up the rest of the time. While I always eagerly anticipate perusing these key reports, I worried what this Q318 earnings season would reveal. Lower gold prices, flagging production, and weak sentiment are a witches brew.

The definitive list of major gold-mining stocks to analyze comes from the worlds most-popular gold-stock investment vehicle, the GDX VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF. Its composition and performance are similar to the benchmark HUI gold-stock index. GDX utterly dominates this sector, with no meaningful competition. This week GDXs net assets are 50.5x larger than the next-biggest 1x-long major-gold-miners ETF!

GDX is effectively the gold-mining industrys blue-chip index, including the biggest and best publicly-traded gold miners from around the globe. GDX inclusion is not only prestigious, but grants gold miners better access to the vast pools of stock-market capital. As ETF investing continues to rise, capital inflows into leading sector ETFs require their managers to buy more shares in underlying component companies.

My earnings-season trepidation soared on October 25th. The gold stocks were doing fairly well then, with GDX rallying 14.4% out of mid-Septembers deep forced-capitulation lows. Sentiment was slowly improving. But that day GDX plunged 4.4% out of the blue, and the flat gold price at upleg highs certainly wasnt the driver. The most-loved major gold miner had plummeted after reporting shockingly-bad Q3 results.

Goldcorp has always been one of GDXs top components. It reported mining just 503k ounces of gold last quarter, which plunged 11.9% sequentially quarter-on-quarter and 20.5% year-over-year! That forced its all-in sustaining costs a proportional 20.8% higher YoY to $999 per ounce. Investors panicked and fled, hammering GG stock 18.7% lower. That was the worst down day in the 24.6-year history of this company.

That left it at an extreme 16.2-year low! GG hadnt been lower since August 2002 when gold was still in the low $300s, it was apocalyptic. That really torpedoed still-fragile sentiment in this sector, even though GGs woes looked short-lived. It was bringing a new expansion online at one of its big mines, which was what caused the shortfall. Now in Q418 Goldcorp expects production to rebound to 620k ounces at $750 AISCs.

After GGs Q3 disaster, I worried frayed investors would dump other gold stocks on any hints of less-than-optimal quarterly results. But GDX has ground sideways on balance since that GG shock, weathering this risky earnings season with sentiment so fragile. Ever since Ive been anxious to analyze the collective Q3 results of the major gold miners as a whole, to see if GGs travails were unique to it or more systemic.

GDXs component list this week ran 48 Gold Miners long. While the great majority of GDX stocks do fit that bill, it also contains gold-royalty companies and major silver miners. All the worlds big primary gold miners publicly traded in major markets are included. Every quarter I look into the latest operating and financial results of the top 34 GDX companies, which is just an arbitrary number fitting neatly into these tables.

Thats a commanding sample, as GDXs 34 largest components now account for a whopping 93.5% of its total weighting! These elite miners that reported Q318 results produced 296.4 metric tons of gold, which accounts for fully 33.9% of last quarters total global gold production. That ran 875.3t per the recently-released Q318 Gold Demand Trends report from the World Gold Council. Ill discuss production more below.

Most of these top 34 GDX gold miners trade in the US and Canada where comprehensive quarterly reporting is required by regulators. But some trade in Australia and the UK, where companies just need to report in half-year increments. Fortunately those gold miners do still tend to issue production reports without financial statements each quarter. There are still wide variations in reporting styles and data offered.

Every quarter I wade through a ton of data from these major gold miners latest results and dump it into a big spreadsheet for analysis. The highlights make it into these tables. Blank fields mean a company had not reported that data for Q318 as of this Wednesday. Looking at the major gold miners latest results in aggregate offers valuable insights on this industrys current fundamental health unrivaled anywhere else.

The first couple columns of these tables show each GDX components symbol and weighting within this ETF as of this week. While most of these stocks trade on US exchanges, some symbols are listings from companies primary foreign stock exchanges. Thats followed by each gold miners Q318 production in ounces, which is mostly in pure-gold terms. That excludes byproduct metals often present in gold ore.

Those are usually silver and base metals like copper, which are valuable. They are sold to offset some of the considerable costs of gold mining, lowering per-ounce costs and thus raising overall profitability. In cases where companies didnt separate out gold and lumped all production into gold-equivalent ounces, those GEOs are included instead. Then productions absolute year-over-year change from Q317 is shown.

Next comes gold miners most-important fundamental data for investors, cash costs and all-in sustaining costs per ounce mined. The latter directly drives profitability which ultimately determines stock prices. These key costs are also followed by YoY changes. Last but not least the annual changes are shown in operating cash flows generated, hard GAAP earnings, revenues, and cash on hand with a couple exceptions.

Percentage changes arent relevant or meaningful if data shifted from positive to negative or vice versa, or if derived from two negative numbers. So in those cases I included raw underlying data rather than weird or misleading percentage changes. This whole dataset together offers a fantastic high-level read on how the major gold miners are faring fundamentally as an industry. Was Goldcorps disaster systemic?





Production has always been the lifeblood of the gold-mining industry, since the gold miners can easily sell every ounce they can wrest from the bowels of the earth. While the gold price is also important, generally the more gold they mine the greater their operating cash flows and profits. That generates more capital to invest in future production, which comes from expanding existing mines and building or buying new ones.

Gold-stock investors have long prized production growth above everything else, as it is inexorably linked to company growth and thus stock-price-appreciation potential. But for some years now the major gold miners have been struggling to grow production. Large economically-viable gold deposits are getting increasingly harder to find and more expensive to exploit, with the low-hanging fruit long since picked.

More and more gold-industry experts believe peak gold is nearing, after which global mine production will start declining. For many years now new deposit discoveries and mine builds have failed to keep pace with depletion at existing mines. So production growth is slowing. According to the World Gold Councils latest fundamental data, global mine production only edged 0.8% higher in 2017 compared to 5.3% in 2013!

GDXs major gold miners are the biggest and best in the world, with access to many billions of dollars of capital to expand their operations. Yet many of them are still having trouble finding and adding enough new production to offset the normal declines in their aging operations. So while Goldcorps Q3 production plunge was extreme, it certainly wasnt unique. Out of GDXs top 10 miners by Q3 ounces, 9 saw YoY declines!

GGs anomalous 20.5% was definitely the worst. But the 4 largest gold miners last quarter Newmont, Barrick, AngloGold, and Kinross suffered production drops of 2.0%, 7.6%, 14.6%, and 10.4% YoY in Q3. Excluding Goldcorp, those other 8 of the top 10 still averaged hefty 8.2% YoY declines last quarter. Thats pretty serious by any standard. Overall the top 34 GDX miners gold production retreated 2.9% YoY to 9.5m ozs!

So on the production front they are doing worse than this industry as a whole. That latest Q3 GDT data from the WGC reports overall global mine production actually grew 1.9% YoY last quarter. So the majors are really lagging their peers and dragging down the average. And seeing their production declines mount is even more striking in a third quarter. Q3s tend to see strong production growth heading into year-ends.

Mine managers want to maximize their annual bonuses, which are often tied to the performances of their companies stocks. With Q3 results released 6 to 9 weeks before year-ends, they can really help fuel big late-year stock rallies if good enough. So the managers tend to sequence their processing to ensure that higher-grade ores are fed into their mills in Q3s, yielding more ounces produced despite fixed mill throughputs.

Within individual gold deposits, ore grades vary considerably. Mine managers have to decide which parts of the deposits they are going to dig and haul in any given quarter, and when to run that ore through the mills. They seem to like to process their higher-grade ores in Q3s when bonus calculations are nearing, and their lower-grade ores in Q1s when year-ends are far away. This surprising herd behavior is well-documented.

Again per that comprehensive fundamental data from the WGC, over the last 8 years including 2018 global gold mine production has dropped an average of 9.0% QoQ from Q4s to Q1s! Every one of these transitions was negative, ranging from -6.7% to -12.0%. The mine managers collectively want to take the lower-ore-grade production hits early in years. They stockpile their better higher-grade ore for processing in Q3s.

In that same span between 2011 to 2018, global gold mine production has surged an average of 6.6% higher QoQ from Q2s to Q3s! Every single year saw positive growth between +4.4% to +9.1%. Theres no doubt the top GDX gold miners really wanted to show big Q318 production growth as well, to maximize Q4 stock-price gains and managers compensation. But ominously they still couldnt pull it off last quarter.

Three big South African gold miners AngloGold, Gold Fields, and Sibanye Gold didnt break out their Q218 gold production in that prior earnings season. They instead lumped it into half-year reporting, likely to mask slowing production. But they did report it in Q318 in their quarterly operational updates. So if we exclude them, the rest of the GDX top 34s gold production merely grew 1.1% QoQ in Q3 which is really slow.

If the worlds top gold miners couldnt scrounge up enough higher-grade ore to report strong Q3s, they are really hurting on the production front! As Ive warned for years, investors can and should avoid most of the majors because of this. Growing gold production is always challenging, but incredibly difficult off of really-high bases. The best production growth and stock-price upside comes from the smaller mid-tier miners.

Unfortunately the majors flagging production is a vexing problem for this entire sector because these large companies dominate GDX and the gold-stock indexes. Speculators and investors alike look to their performances to gauge how gold stocks are faring, which heavily colors their psychology and perceptions on gold miners potential. So the majors production struggles weighing down the indexes exacerbates bearishness.

Q3s disappointment wasnt something new either, as the top 34 GDX gold miners also reported sharp Q218 production declines of 7.7% YoY. The majors are starting to get desperate since they cant bring their own new projects online fast enough to offset existing-mine depletion. So they are looking to buy other operating mines and even entire companies at high premiums to restore their flagging production growth.

We just saw a huge example late in Q3, when Barrick announced it was merging with Randgold! The worlds 2nd-largest gold miner and GDX component was effectively buying the 10th-largest gold miner and 7th-largest GDX component in an all-stock deal. The combined company wouldve been the worlds largest gold miner in Q3 at 1458k ozs. But with production waning at both ABX and GOLD, the problem remains.

While Q318s underperformance by the biggest gold miners dominating GDX was striking, it is nothing new. Thats why Ive long recommended investors avoid many of the largest gold miners. Mid-tier miners with growing production as they bring new mines online and much-smaller market caps have far-greater upside potential during gold uplegs. They are bucking the increasingly-evident peak-gold predicament.

Peak gold is likely bearish for the largest gold miners that drive GDX. Capital inflows from investors will wane along with their shrinking production. But lower gold mined supply on balance going forward is wildly bullish for the mid-tier and junior gold miners growing their production! The resulting higher gold prices will catapult their profits and thus stock prices far higher, attracting investors fleeing the struggling majors.

The only way to reap these massive gains is directly investing in the best individual gold miners. Their fundamentals are far superior to their sectors as a whole. While buying GDX is easy, the lions share of that capital is funneled into the major gold miners with slowing production. Their underperformance will dilute away any outperformance among mid-tier miners in this ETF, leading to mediocre overall gains.

With many of the major gold miners seeing lower or stagnant production, their mining costs shouldve risen proportionally. Gold-mining costs are largely fixed quarter after quarter, with actual mining requiring the same levels of infrastructure, equipment, and employees. So the lower production, the fewer ounces to spread minings big fixed costs across. The silver lining to the gold majors Q3 is they held the line on costs.

There are two major ways to measure gold-mining costs, classic cash costs per ounce and the superior all-in sustaining costs per ounce. Both are useful metrics. Cash costs are the acid test of gold-miner survivability in lower-gold-price environments, revealing the worst-case gold levels necessary to keep the mines running. All-in sustaining costs show where gold needs to trade to maintain current mining tempos indefinitely.

Cash costs naturally encompass all cash expenses necessary to produce each ounce of gold, including all direct production costs, mine-level administration, smelting, refining, transport, regulatory, royalty, and tax expenses. In Q318, these top 34 GDX-component gold miners that reported cash costs averaged $631 per ounce. That was indeed up 6.8% YoY, but still radically below even golds $1174 mid-August low.

That was an anomaly driven by all-time-record gold-futures short selling by speculators. The gold miners face no existential peril as long as prevailing gold prices are well above their cash costs of production. Interestingly much of that extreme gold-futures short selling has yet to be unwound, which means gold-upleg fuel still abounds. The gold stocks leverage golds moves since its price levels drive their profitability.

Way more important than cash costs are the far-superior all-in sustaining costs. They were introduced by the World Gold Council in June 2013 to give investors a much-better understanding of what it really costs to maintain gold mines as ongoing concerns. AISCs include all direct cash costs, but then add on everything else that is necessary to maintain and replenish operations at current gold-production levels.

These additional expenses include exploration for new gold to mine to replace depleting deposits, mine-development and construction expenses, remediation, and mine reclamation. They also include the corporate-level administration expenses necessary to oversee gold mines. All-in sustaining costs are the most-important gold-mining cost metric by far for investors, revealing gold miners true operating profitability.

Back in late October when Goldcorps horrible Q3 wrecked gold-stock sentiment, I feared soaring AISCs might be the norm last quarter. Remember GGs AISCs soared 20.8% YoY on its 20.5% production drop, perfectly inversely proportional. So it was a pleasant surprise to see these top 34 GDX gold miners even including GG fully contain their average AISCs in Q3. They only rose 1.0% YoY to $877 per ounce, a big victory!

Thats right in line with the previous four quarters $868, $858, $884, and $856 averaging $867. So while the gold majors have production-growth problems, they are not manifesting on the cost front. These elite companies are optimizing existing mines to lower production costs and choosing new mine builds that are cheaper to operate. That bodes well for this industry going forward, portending surging profits as gold recovers.

Gold-mining earnings are simply the difference between prevailing gold prices and all-in sustaining costs. In Q3 gold averaged $1211 per ounce, implying average profits of $334 at $877 average AISCs. That is still pretty impressive, implying solid 28% profit margins even in a weak quarter for gold prices. So GDX getting pounded to a 2.6-year low in mid-September on forced selling as stops were run wasnt justified.

Those recent gold-stock lows were actually fundamentally absurd, resulting from irrational excessively-bearish sentiment. They had nothing to do with fundamentals. GDX was back down near its stock-panic lows from October 2008, when gold was languishing under $750. Seeing gold-stock prices revisit those levels in recent months with gold prices over 55% higher made no sense at all! Gold stocks are far too low.

Thats true even though Q3 was a tough quarter. It wasnt just the production challenges, but that $1211 average gold price in Q318 was 5.3% under its Q317 average. Gold miners earnings leverage both upside and downside gold-price moves, really hurting profitability. In Q317 these top 34 GDX miners were earning $411 per ounce on average, so industry profits fell 18.7% YoY making for 3.6x downside leverage.

The lower prevailing gold prices along with flat-to-lower gold production certainly weakened the normal accounting metrics of major gold miners health. The cash flows generated from operations by these top GDX components plunged 29.0% YoY to $3155m. Revenues dropped 7.4% YoY to $9599m, mostly due to lower gold prices but also reflecting 9.2% lower byproduct silver production among these major gold miners.

And their hard GAAP earnings reported to regulators looked ugly, weighing in at a considerable $566m collective loss in Q318 compared to $854m of profits in Q317! While lower gold prices naturally lead to lower profits, that was far beyond what golds drop warranted. But thankfully this latest quarters profits were greatly skewed to the downside by a couple of huge mine-impairment charges from GDXs biggest components.

When gold deposits look less economically viable due to weaker gold prices or tougher geology than was originally expected, miners write down their carrying values which flushes big non-cash losses through their income statements. Newmont reported a $366m impairment charge in Q3 on some of its exploration properties in North America. Barrick ran through an even-larger $431m writedown in Q3 on a mine in Peru.

Both of these big impairment charges turned operating profits at the worlds two biggest gold miners into deep losses. If they are excluded, the top 34 GDX gold miners earned $231m in Q318. While still down an ugly 73.0% YoY, at least the major gold miners were still earning money last quarter. So there was nothing particularly troubling on the hard-GAAP-earnings front in Q3, but it was still really weak for gold miners.

But they remain ready to expand, collectively sitting on a big $11.7b cash hoard at the end of Q318. That was merely down 0.4% YoY, reflecting relatively-solid operating cash flows and access to financing capital. I suspect some of this will be deployed in buying up smaller gold miners with operating mines, since it takes over a decade to bring new deposits into production. The major gold miners will fight to show future growth.

Left for dead and neglected, the gold miners stocks are the last cheap sector in these lofty bubble-valued stock markets. Their fundamental upside as gold mean reverts higher on speculators gold-futures buying and new investment demand as stock markets roll over is enormous. This is easy to understand with a simple example. In the last four quarters including Q318, the top GDX gold miners AISCs averaged $869.

During golds last major upleg in essentially the first half of 2016, it powered about 30% higher driven by surging investment demand after stock markets suffered back-to-back corrections. That was even small by historical gold-bull-upleg standards. If we merely get another 30% gold advance from its recent mid-August low of $1174, were looking at $1525 gold. That would work wonders for gold-mining profits and stock prices.

At $1525 gold and $869 AISCs, the major gold miners would be earning $656 per ounce. Thats 96% higher than Q318s $334! If gold-mining profits double, gold-stock prices will soar. Indeed during that last 30% gold bull in the first half of 2016, GDX rocketed 151% higher! So the gold-stock outlook is wildly bullish with gold itself due to power higher as the stock markets roll over on the Feds record tightening.

While gold-stock sentiment remains overwhelmingly bearish, the major gold miners fundamentals are still solid. They are still struggling with flat-to-shrinking production, but their mining costs remain far below the prevailing gold prices. They are still generating strong operating cash flows and some profits without the inevitable non-cash writedowns sparked by weaker gold prices. OCFs and earnings will soar as gold prices recover.

So a big mean-reversion rebound higher is inevitable and imminent. While traders can play that in GDX, that is mostly a bet on the largest gold miners with slowing production. The best gains by far will be won in smaller mid-tier and junior gold miners with superior fundamentals. A carefully-handpicked portfolio of elite gold and silver miners will generate much-greater wealth creation than ETFs dominated by underperformers.

The key to riding any gold-stock bull to multiplying your fortune is staying informed, both about broader markets and individual stocks. Thats long been our specialty at Zeal. My decades of experience both intensely studying the markets and actively trading them as a contrarian is priceless and impossible to replicate. I share my vast experience, knowledge, wisdom, and ongoing research through our popular newsletters.

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The bottom line is the major gold miners fundamentals remain far stronger than implied by their left-for-dead stock prices. While they are still struggling to grow production, they are holding the line on all-in sustaining costs. That fueled solid operating cash flows in Q3 despite weaker gold prices. Both those and GAAP profits will surge dramatically in coming quarters as gold mean reverts higher on big investment buying.

Gold stocks are not only unloved and dirt-cheap today, but they are a rare sector that rallies strongly with gold as general stock markets weaken. While virtually no one was interested in these leveraged plays on gold upside in recent months, that will change fast as these lofty stock markets roll over. And the major gold miners just-finished Q3 earnings season proved they remain ready to fundamentally amplify golds gains.

Adam Hamilton, CPA

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Recently, The Stute received an anonymous tip that Gianforte donated less than half of the final cost of the building.

For the last few months, the naming of the Gianforte Family Academic Center has been a controversy for the Stevens community. The Gianforte Family Academic Center is an academic building that is currently under construction on campus. The Center attracted lots of negative publicity for being named after Greg Gianforte, the notoriously anti-LGBT Montana House Representative, who was also involved in a controversial incident in which he "body-slammed" a reporter. Student protests caused the building to be renamed from the Gianforte Academic Center to the Gianforte Family Academic Center.

By Joseph Dolan
Following the ceremony of presentation of credentials, President Trong hosted a reception for Chinese Ambassador Xiong Bo, Norwegian Ambassador Grete Lochen, Canadian Ambassador Deborah Anne Paul and Uruguayan Ambassador Portell Casanova Maria Del Rosario.

The President expressed his belief that the new ambassadors will fulfil their assigned missions, serving as a bridge to promote friendship and bilateral relations with Vietnam.

He affirmed that Vietnam will create favourable conditions for the ambassadors during their tenure.

Also, he wished that the friendship and cooperative ties between Vietnam and those four countries will develop unceasingly, bringing practical benefits to each nation as well as contributing to regional and global peace, cooperation and development.

Vietnam and China established diplomatic ties on January 18, 1950 and entered into a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in 2008. The two countries have maintained regular high-level visits and meetings. To date, they have 53 cooperative and exchange mechanisms between the two Parties, Governments, parliaments, social organisations and localities. China is currently the biggest trade and tourism partner of and the 8th biggest foreign investor in Vietnam while the latter is the largest trade and tourism partner of China in the ASEAN.

Norway established diplomatic ties with Vietnam on November 25, 1971. The Scandinavian country now has 31 valid investment projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of more than US$86 million, ranking 46th out of 115 countries and territories investing in the country. Most of the projects are in wood processing, building material and interior decor, agro-forestry, aquaculture, information and media.

Meanwhile, Vietnam and Canada set up diplomatic relations in 1973 and lifted their relationship to a comprehensive partnership in November 2017 on the occasion of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus trip to Vietnam for an official visit and to attend the 27th APEC Economic Leaders Meeting. Vietnam is the largest trade partner of Canada in the ASEAN bloc, with two-way trade in 2017 reaching nearly US$5 billion. Canada is 14th largest foreign investor in Vietnam with US$4.1 billion in 149 projects.

Vietnam and Uruguay set up diplomatic relations on August 11, 1993. Since then, both sides have exchanged high-level delegations, maintained bilateral meetings at multilateral forums, and inked numerous cooperative documents in economy, trade and sci-technology.
These firms are running many investment, production and business projects in Vietnam in the fields of biotechnology, product quality inspection, health care, rare disease treatment and tobacco industry.

The Vietnamese government leader congratulated the US enterprises on their successes in business in Vietnam, saying that they have earned credibility among people and businesses in Vietnam.

The US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) has worked closely with Vietnam, and supported Vietnam in promoting cooperation between Vietnamese and US enterprises, thus contributing to balancing the trade ties between the two countries, PM Phuc said.

He noted that US firms have invested over US$12 billion in Vietnam so far, and the two-way trade hit over US$55 billion. The bilateral trade value surged by 35 times in the last 18 years, with the USs export to Vietnam was up 37% - the highest level in recent year.

According to the PM, there is plenty of room for the two nations to strengthen cooperation in the coming time, especially in trade, investment and business. He affirmed that the Vietnamese Government is willing to listen to proposals and dialogues from US investors during their operation in Vietnam.

The US business representatives said they want to expand their investment in Vietnam in health care, hi-tech application in inspecting product quality, and in supporting Vietnamese farmers in improving economic value of the livestock industry.

Touching upon a number of policies and Governments documents in health care, agriculture, livestock and tobacco industry, the business delegates said they wish to hold more dialogues with Vietnams authorities, especially State management agencies. They added that their firms are ready to arrange for US experts and scientists to join the Vietnamese Government in building State management policies for a number of specific sectors.

PM Phuc affirmed that the Vietnamese Government always creates favourable conditions for foreign investors, including those from the US to operate in Vietnam, noting that Vietnam is constantly improving its policies and institutional system to be in line with international practices and comply with trade agreements that Vietnam has joined, towards opening the market for more foreign investors to enter Vietnam.

Vietnam is open to feedback and recommendations from foreign investors so as to remove obstacles to production and business activities, the PM said and called on US firms to continue promoting their investment, production and business in the Vietnamese market.

* Earlier PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the Vietnamese delegation had arrived in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, beginning his visit to attend the APEC Summit 2018.

At Jacksons International Airport, the Vietnamese leader was welcomed by Papua New Guineas Deputy PM Charles Abel, Minister for APEC Tkatchenko and Port Moresby Governor Powes Parkop.

The welcoming ceremony for PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc at Jacksons International Airport. (Photo: VGP)
A woman has blown herself up near a police checkpoint in Grozny, the capital of Russias Chechnya region, in an attempted terrorist attack. The incident did not lead to any additional casualties due to timely police actions.

Read more

The woman was approaching a police checkpoint in central Grozny when the officers noticed she was acting strangely, the acting regional interior minister told the Russian media. The police asked her to stop and show her documents for inspection. The woman, however, rushed to the checkpoint instead.

At some point, the officers saw a suicide belt she was wearing and fired a warning shot. The woman then set off the improvised explosive device some 75 meters away from the checkpoint. The suicide bomber was the only person killed in the incident and there were no additional injuries, the police confirmed.

The identity of the attacker has not been revealed, although earlier local media reports suggested that she was a resident of Dagestan, a neighboring region, and was previously known to security services. Police are now looking for potential accomplices of the assailant.

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Russia prefers to stay out of any fresh oil production cuts led by OPECs leader Saudi Arabia, Reuters reported, quoting two high-ranking Russian sources.

Russiawhich together with Saudi Arabia and some Arab Gulf producers has been raising production since June to offset Iranian lossessaw its oil production set a new post-Soviet record high of 11.41 million bpd in October, up from 11.36 million bpd in September.

However, Russias key partner in the production cut deal, Saudi Arabia, has expressed concern over the oil price slump in the past month. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Monday that based on the OPEC+ group technical analysis, there will need to be a reduction of supply from October levels approaching a million barrels.

While al-Falih reiterated that we need to do whatever it takes to balance the market, Russias official position is wait and see and not to rush into hasty decisions. There is no need to take any action to halt the decline of oil prices that started a month ago, Russias Energy Minister Alexander Novak said earlier this week.

Speaking to Russian reporters about the OPEC+ deal during a visit to Singapore, Russias President Vladimir Putin said, as provided by the Kremlin:

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As for the need to limit production or not, I will not say anything about this for the time being. We must be very careful in this respect because every word is important and affects the federal budget revenues. However, it is obvious that we should cooperate and we will cooperate.

About $70 per barrel suits us perfectly well considering that the expenditure side of our budget is based on $40 per barrel, Putin said.

A senior Russian government source told Reuters that production in Russia shouldnt be reduced, as Moscow has been growing its output and will continue to do so in the future.

A second Reuters source familiar with Russian thinking said that Russia was likely to support smaller cuts than 1.4 million bpd proposed, but likely by other producers. A small cut from the record-high October level could be a win-win for Russia, according to the source, or Moscow could offer not to boost production further.

Russian oil companies are unlikely to be on board with a U-turn and cuts, either. Vagit Alekperov, CEO at Russias second-biggest oil producer Lukoil, said this week that he doesnt see any need of cuts in 2019.

This article was originally published on Oilprice.com
During the talks, the two sides agreed on measures to further foster the bilateral relations in the time to come, including enhancing the exchange of delegations, investment promotion and business links in the fields of their strength such as aquaculture, agriculture, and health care.

Rimbink Pato said his country wants to import rice directly from Vietnam, suggesting the two countries expand cooperation in fishery and aquaculture, and coffee growing and processing.

He also expressed the hope that Vietnam will support Papua New Guinea in training doctors.

For his part, Deputy PM Minh welcomed the ideas and asked for collaboration of Papua New Guinea with Vietnam to address issues related to Vietnamese fishermen and fishing boats in the spirit of friendship and humanity.

Pato thanked Vietnam for its assistance to his country to host the 26th APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, and agreed to work with Vietnam to accelerate the implementation of agreements reached in the APEC Year in 2017 and 2018.

He also affirmed his countrys support for Vietnams candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council for the term 2020-2021.
Thousands-strong yellow vests rallies in France over fuel price hikes have been marred by a death. A person was accidentally killed when a panicked motorist accelerated after being encircled by protesters, officials say.

More than 100,000 people joined the road blockades in 2,000 locations in France on Saturday, according to the Interior Ministry as cited by French media. The rallies were dubbed yellow vests (gilets jaunes) for the high-visibility jackets used in case of breakdown and that were worn by the demonstrators.

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The participants are venting their anger at rising fuel prices, with calls for the resignation of French President Emmanuel Macron getting louder as they blame him for the hikes.

As the rallies gained pace, a demonstration in Pont-de-Beauvoisin, southeast France, lead to tragedy. One woman was killed after protesters surrounded a car trying to make its way through the blockade. Authorities stated that the demonstrators started hitting the roof of the vehicle, and the panicked driver accelerated and ploughed into the crowed.

The woman behind the wheel is said to have been taking her daughter to the hospital. She was reportedly detained after the accident.

The rallies also led to around 50 people being injured in various accidents, French media cited the Interior Ministry as saying. Some 24 people were also arrested during the protests.

Footage circulating on Twitter shows some of the tensions of the day. One video captured people in yellow vests hitting a car in Chambery and smashing the window. The driver was forced to stop as several protesters ran after it and one even climbed on the roof. Police stepped in to try to fend off the crowd.

Another video shows a driver smashing into a police line and hitting an officer, and driving away for several meters while he was still on the hood.

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Education

Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu.

Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu.

Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events:

International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu.

EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu.

Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale  an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s  will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets  June Homecoming: Participant  $18 per person; Sustainer  $25 per person; Benefactor  $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler  Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events:

SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available  for information call 610-275-1960

Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above)

SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m.

Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.  4 p.m.  computers are available during those hours.

Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863.

Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376.

Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com.

The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes:

Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at

other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020.

CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313.

The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events:

Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m.

Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30.

Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301.

For Kids & Families

The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443.

Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950.

Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required.

The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950.

Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus.

Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage.

Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun.

Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train.

Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world!

Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class.

Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org.

Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583.

Community Events at the Ambler Y:

-YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register.

Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org.

Health

Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot.

The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information.

Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245.

Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net.

Spring Aquatic Programs  UDHS Pool:

-Summer is just around the corner  Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required.

 Shallow Water Aerobics  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR.

 Adult Swim Instructions  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR

-Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21.

-Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday  Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m.

-Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons.

-Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates.

Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994.

SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com.

Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org.

Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs:

FITNESS CLASSES

Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month.

Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30  9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000.

Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30  7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047.

New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.  12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30  4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931.

Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325.

Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes.

Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com.

Librarytalk

Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744

www.upperdublinlibrary.org

APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS:

Storytimes: Please register in the library.

o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m.

o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m.

o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m.

o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6.

APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS:

North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee

APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS:

NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org.

One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register  contact info above.

Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744.

o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register.

Meetings:

Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m.

Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m.

Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org.

For children and teens at Blue Bell:

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m.

* May 14  Despicable Me

* June 11  Alpha and Omega

* Special Events

* April  watch for date of spring/Easter events

* April 14 at 4:30 p.m.  Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children.

* April 14 at 7 p.m.  Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided.

* April 16 at 1 p.m.  Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King.

* April 16 at 1:30 p.m.  Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes?

* April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button.

* April 30 through May 3  Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults.

* May  sign up for Science in the Summer

* June  sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children

* June  sign up for Summer Reading, all ages

For adults at Blue Bell:

* Daytime Book Discussion Group  fourth Tuesday, Jan  April at 1:30 p.m.

* April 26  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Night-time Book Discussion Group  third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

o April 19  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges

o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked?

*Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs

* Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class.

* Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class.

* Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m.

* Giant Book Sale, April 29  May 3

o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults!

o Held during library hours.

o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m.

o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join.

* Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series

o May 11 at 1 p.m.  Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society

* Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room.

* Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read.

* Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome.

* Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome.

*Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older.

* Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours

* Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours

* Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday!

Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library.

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* For adults:

* Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn.

* Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net

* Special Events:

* April 14 at 1:30 p.m.  Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian.

* April 19 at 7 p.m.  Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m.

* April 21 at 7 p.m.  Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades.

*May 2 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

*May 10  Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*May 12 at 1:30p.m.  Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman.

*May 17  Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*June 13 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

Meetings and Lectures

The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833.

The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200.

The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/.

LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings.

Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org.

Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org)

-Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them.

The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter.

For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps.

Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin.

Special Events

The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County.

The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065.

Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members.

Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex.

The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com.

The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348.

The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org.

Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163.

The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu.

The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com.

The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net.

Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages.

13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries.

Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family.

The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler.

JPRN  Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them  Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike.

Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies.

Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately.

Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways.

Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table.

Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp  Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall:

-Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store.

Music and Theater

The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220.

Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html.

Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free.

The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org

Religious News

The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276.

Reunions

St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net.

Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572.

Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779.

Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net

Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net

The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411.

Support

New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149.

PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931.

The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296.

Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656.

Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group  every other Wednesday, 7  8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support  second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner  Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers  Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information.

CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7  8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich,
Pennsylvania Horticulture Societys Harvest program ends season with almost 19,000 pounds of produce donated and $30K raised to fight food insecurity
Love Your Park Day touches down on Summit Meadow
Group Photo of the Participants of the CPEC Media Forum in Beijing on 16th November, 2018.

The fourth China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Media Forum was held in Beijing on 16th November, 2018.

The event was organized by the Pakistan-China Institute and China Economic Net in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan. The purpose of the Media Forum was to promote news exchange and partnership between the media personnel of the two countries.

In the welcoming address, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Chairman Pakistan China Institute, thanked the hosts and termed the 5 years since the initiation of Belt and Road Initiative and its flagship project CPEC as an era of a win win co-operation.

He shed light on the significance of CPEC, stating that it was launched when no other country was ready to invest in Pakistan. He termed Belt and Road Initiative as a driver of globalization in 21st century thereby paving way for the rise of Asia.

Ambassador of Pakistan Masood Khalid appreciated the Media Forum for serving as a platform for Pakistani and Chinese scholars and journalists to exchange views on media collaboration and enhancing people to people contacts.

Ambassador noted that the China Pakistan Economic corridor (CPEC) has elevated the already close friendship between Pakistan and China to All-Weather Strategic Co-operative Partnership. Ambassador said that in the changing media environment, media of both countries need to work proactively to give a positive projection by showing stories of human interest. Ambassador also termed the visit to China by the Prime Minister of Pakistan as a beacon of a new era of friendship between the two countries.

Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Dr. Shazra Kamran, former MNA, Mr. Jiang Heping, Director CGTN and Ms. Wang Dongmei, Executive Secretary, All China Journalists Association also addressed the Media Forum.

The Panel Sessions were addressed by renowned academicians and journalists from Pakistan and China, followed by an interactive and informative discussion by the panelists.

Earlier CPEC Communication Award for the CPEC best investigative story of the year was awarded to Pakistani and Chinese journalists.

The media Forum was attended well by parliamentarians, journalists, think-tanks representatives, analysts and academicians from Pakistan and China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) holds talks with Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister Peter O'Neill in Port Moresby, PNG, on Nov. 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister Peter O'Neill agreed on Friday to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership between their countries, featuring mutual respect and common development.

The decision was made during a meeting between Xi and O'Neill, where they spoke positively of the traditional friendship between China and PNG and charted the course for the development of bilateral relations.

Expressing gratitude to the PNG government and people for the warm reception, Xi said it was an epitome of the profound friendship the PNG people have for the Chinese people and a reflection of the development of bilateral relations and the achievements in bilateral cooperation in years.

Xi pointed out that the two countries have enjoyed frequent high-level exchanges and fruitful results in practical cooperation in recent years.

China firmly supports PNG in choosing a development path in line with its own national conditions and highly appreciates the PNG government for staunchly adhering to the one-China policy, he said.

The two sides agreed to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development to strengthen political guidance for bilateral relations, he said.

Xi said the development embodied the traditional friendship between China and PNG while injecting strong impetus into the advancement of bilateral exchanges and cooperation.

China is ready to work with PNG to increase mutual trust, deepen cooperation and foster friendship to lift the comprehensive strategic partnership to higher levels, he added.

Xi stressed that both sides should increase strategic mutual trust under the guidance of high-level exchanges.

He called on the two sides to keep promoting personnel exchanges at various levels and in various fields and strengthening communication between parties, parliaments, at local levels and among peoples.

The two sides, Xi said, should achieve win-win and mutually beneficial results underpinned by practical cooperation.

Noting that PNG, located on the natural extension of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, was the first among Pacific island countries to sign a cooperation agreement on the Belt and Road construction with China, Xi called on the two sides to strengthen the alignment of their development strategies within the Belt and Road framework.

He also called on the two sides to reach a consensus as soon as possible to start negotiations on a free trade agreement, and actively promote the mutually beneficial cooperation in such areas as production capacity, trade and economy, investment and financing.

The two sides should consolidate friendship between the two peoples based on cultural exchanges, Xi said, adding that they should also advance cooperation in the fields of the facilitation of personnel exchanges, human resources development, education, health and tourism.

China and PNG should enrich the content of their cooperation with multilateral coordination as a platform, Xi said.

He said that China is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with PNG within the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, the Pacific Islands Forum and other multilateral frameworks.

China supports PNG in hosting the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and wishes the event a success, the Chinese president added.

For his part, noting that it is the first-ever state visit by the Chinese president to PNG, O'Neill said the visit is an important historic moment for his country.

PNG and China have enjoyed strong momentum in developing the bilateral relations since the two countries established diplomatic ties, he said, adding that PNG will staunchly adhere to the one-China policy.

PNG thanked China for its long-term and precious support in the country's economic and social development, the Chinese medical team for its help in malaria control and prevention in remote areas, and the Chinese side for its assistance in disaster relief and reconstruction after a recent earthquake, O'Neill said.

The country also thanked China for its support in hosting the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

The Belt and Road Initiative is conducive to strengthening connectivity and infrastructure construction in the Pacific islands region, he said.

Pledging to actively participate in building the Belt and Road, the prime minister said PNG is willing to beef up communication and cooperation with China in areas including trade and economy, production capacity, tourism, infrastructure construction, education and cooperation among local governments, and start negotiations on a free trade agreement at an early date.

The PNG side speaks highly of China's adherence to rule-based international order in global affairs, supports multilateral institutions, and appreciates and supports China's active leading role, he said.

The PNG side is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with the Chinese side, supports Pacific island countries and China in deepening dialogue and strengthening cooperation in areas such as fishery, tourism and climate change, he said.

The two leaders witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperative documents following the meeting.
MERIDEN  The recent snowfall lent a just a little more holiday authenticity to the Franciscan Life Centers 27th annual Christmas Fair, held Saturday morning.

Hundreds of people came to the picturesque Finch Avenue campus near the Cheshire town line to pick up Christmas knickknacks, some goodies, and a bit of good cheer with all of the proceeds going to support the centers work offering hospice and home care and mental health counseling.

People come because the fair has built a reputation of having the true spirit of Christmas, which is what the sisters are really trying to create, said Gretchen Rossi, director of public relations for the Franciscan Life Center.

Over 80 nuns comprise the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, and while their mother house is located in Meriden, they also have 12 service centers across the United States, Italy, the Holy Land, and Jamaica, West Indies.

Santa held court for the kids, carols played over the loudspeaker, and a living Creche depicting the birth of the baby Jesus enlivened the festivities. Sister Maria Senas beautiful handmade pottery was on sale, just another example of all of the talents brought to bear on the event. Weve been doing this for 27 years and every year is a challenge. But we work well together, she said. The volunteers really love it.

Volunteers arrived early Saturday morning to celebrate Mass. They then got to work clearing snow away to make room for the tents. It was quite a bit of extra work for the over 100 volunteers, but its all part of the collaboration between the sisters and their friends and supporters.

Obviously we couldn't do this with just the sisters, said Sister Marie Benedict Elliott, who was working in the orders decorated cinnamon bread store. We all have a different vocation. Thats why we are all called differently  to work together.

Meriden resident Pat Brittingham has been volunteering at the fair for the past 17 years, working right by Elliotts side.

I love the Franciscans. Ive never met a group like this, she said. They are so giving and kind and appreciative of everything.

Kelly Wells, a Meriden resident, is another person for whom the fair is the family business. His parents started selling roasted chestnuts at the event when it started almost three decades ago. Now he and his sons do it together. He didnt remember why they first chose to do chestnuts, but he didn't have to think very long about why he and his family were there.

Its fantastic. Every one of their programs is amazing, Wells said, recalling that he participated in the centers peer counseling programs as a young person.

For Sister John Frances LaFever, the Christmas Fair weekend was an impromptu family reunion.

Its like Thanksgiving a week early. Whats great is that the sisters get to work with my family, she said.

Her parents and both of her sisters and their families traveled from Virginia and Florida, respectively, to help out. She was excited to meet her new nephew Alexander, who was born in August.

We want to help to support the communitys primary objectives. That definitely gets people in the Christmas spirit, said Jessica LaFever, Sister John Frances older sister.

Its a busy time for Sister John Frances. In addition to working at the life center, she is in the final two year stretch from being fully professed, meaning fully initiated into the Franciscan order. She happily chatted with her colleagues and with the volunteers giving their all to help out.

A lot of what is needed now is hope and that everywhere we are, whether in the counseling center, in the home and hospice care, or teaching in the schools, we try to bring hope to people in whatever situation they are in, she said. The Christmas Fair is a place where that hope is easier to access.
SOUTHINGTON  Click or swipe through the gallery for photos of Friday nights Forever in Blue Jeans YMCA Fundraiser at the Aqua Turf. The annual event also paid tribute to recently retired Y director John Myers.

SOUTHINGTON  Click or swipe through the gallery for photos of Friday nights Forever in Blue Jeans YMCA Fundraiser at the Aqua Turf. The annual event also paid tribute to recently retired Y director John Myers.

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Attorney Jonathan Chappell joins the Morning Record to talk about a federal complaint against the state over parental input on insulin treatments in school. According to the lawsuit, a policy instructs nurses they cannot take guidance from parents who want to temporarily modify insulin dosages, but Chappell said the Americans with Disalabilites Act negates the policy.

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Regional

Meghalaya Gov promises action in attack on activist

Agnes Kharshiing

Correspondent Shillong, Nov 17 | Publish Date: 11/17/2018 12:07:15 PM IST

Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy on Saturday promised to take adequate action on the recent attack on a frontline womens rights activist Agnes Kharshiing and her aide.

I will do whatever is necessary and whatever action I have to take. But more than that I am not at the liberty to say anything to you, he told journalists replying to a query if he would write to the central government on the attacks on the two activists and the alleged illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state.

Moreover, Roy said that he will discuss with Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and the Director General of Police R Chandranathan on the matter.

On November 8, Kharshiing along with Sangma and Kurbah were brutally assaulted by a group of some 40 people after the activist lodged a complaint on the illegal mining and transportation of coal in the district. This attack on Kharshiing and Sangma is a different matter altogether  and this will have to be handled as a law and order problem. There are vested interest who came to attacked them. Now the police will have to take adequate action, Roy told journalists after visiting the activists at NEIGRIHMS hospital.

Asked if the incident should be probed by the CBI, Roy said, law and order is a state subject and first it should be probed by the state government and only when there are circumstances which indicate that the government is failing in its duty, then the question of CBI can come.

Kharshiing and Sangma have already filed a petition in the Meghalaya High Court demanding a probe by the CBI. The petitioners pleaded that the investigation was not being carried out in the real spirit. Moreover, the court has asked the investigating officer to file the latest status of the investigation and to remain present in the court along with the case diary on November 27.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Automation Anywhere, which specialises in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), has raised $300 million from SoftBank Vision Fund. This is on top of its funding round in July this year. Together, the total financing under its Series A funding stands at $500 million. The funding is subject to regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other closing conditions.RPA technology automates routine tasks in workplaces, thereby increasing productivity and letting people focus on challenging and fulfilling work.

Mihir Shukla, CEO and co-founder at Automation Anywhere, said, RPA is the most pervasive and frictionless path to delivering Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies across the enterprise, and is revolutionising the way people work. With this additional capital, we are in a position to do far more than any other provider.

We will not only continue to deliver the most advanced RPA to the market, but also help bring AI to millions. Like the introduction of the PC, we see a world where every office employee will work alongside digital workers, amplifying human contributions. Today, employees must know how to use a PC, and very soon, employees will have to know how to build a bot.

Automation Anywhere opened its Bot Store, an app store-like marketplace of downloadable bot applications designed to meet specific automation needs in the business processes. The Bot Store has had 65,000 users since its launch in March this year.Praveen Akkiraju, managing partner at Softbank Investment Advisers, said, Enterprises of all sizes are in the midst of a major transition to digital platforms and we are excited to partner with Automation Anywhere to accelerate this transformation.

Automation Anywhere is the only RPA provider that offers a complete suite of products capable of automating business processes at this scale. The companys Enterprise RPA platform, IQ Bot and Bot Insight help in delivering an intelligent digital workforce.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with President of the Federated States of Micronesia Peter Christian in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on Nov. 16, 2018. Xi met here on Friday with leaders of Pacific island countries that have diplomatic relations with China. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met here on Friday with leaders of Pacific island countries that have diplomatic relations with China to exchange views on bilateral ties and pragmatic cooperation.

During the meeting with President of the Federated States of Micronesia Peter Christian, Xi said China appreciates the Pacific island nation's adherence to the one-China policy and is willing to uphold the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests to enhance unity and cooperation.

Xi said he hopes both sides will well implement cooperation agreements reached by the two countries recently on jointly building the Belt and Road, promote cooperation in such fields as trade, investment, agriculture, fishery and infrastructure construction.

Xi said he wishes the tourism event held by China and Pacific island nations in 2019 a success.

Xi added that China is ready to support and help the Federated States of Micronesia in tackling climate change within the framework of South-South cooperation.

Christian, for his part, said his country highly values relations with China and spoke highly of China's stance that every country, large or small, is equal.

He said the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is quite important for the regional development and his country is willing to expand cooperation with China in trade and tourism, as well as to further communication and coordination on tackling climate change.

During the meeting with Prime Minister of Samoa Tuilaepa Malielegaoi, Xi pointed out that the bilateral relations face new opportunities for development.

He called on both sides to adhere to a high degree of political mutual trust, continue supporting each other on issues of their core interests and major concerns, expand cooperation in various fields within the BRI framework and enlarge people-to-people exchanges. He also said that China supports Samoa in hosting the 2019 Pacific Games and will continue supporting the country to improve its capability to tackle climate change.

Tuilaepa said since Samoa established diplomatic relations with China, it has firmly adhered to the one-China policy.

The prime minister expressed gratitude to China for helping his country in infrastructure construction, which is conducive to its strives to shake off the status of being a least developed country and promote its development.

He added that Samoa is willing to advance major cooperation projects with China under the BRI.

When meeting with Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, Xi said China-Vanuatu relations are at the best period of development in history.

China will support as always Vanuatu's national construction and sustainable development, encourage more capable enterprises to invest in Vanuatu, as well as promote cooperation in such fields as trade, infrastructure construction, transportation, communication, culture, education and healthcare within the BRI framework, Xi said, calling on both sides to strengthen coordination and cooperation in multilateral mechanisms.

For his part, Salwai agreed that bilateral ties are at the best period in history. He expressed gratitude to China for the long-term help as well as admiration for China's achievements in reform and development.

Pragmatic cooperation between the two countries are smoothly progressing in various fields, Salwai said, which has boosted the development of Vanuatu.

Vanuatu sticks to the one-China policy, appreciates the BRI and will actively participate in it, he said, adding that the country supports China's stance on major international and regional issues, he added.

In his meeting with Prime Minister Henry Puna of the Cook Islands, Xi said China and the Cook Islands have upheld sincere friendship, mutual respect and equal treatment since they established diplomatic relations 21 years ago, and have achieved mutually beneficial and win-win results.

Taking the signing of bilateral cooperation agreements on jointly building the Belt and Road as an opportunity, China is willing to consolidate friendship between the two peoples, and enhance communication and cooperation with the Cook Islands in such fields as economy and trade, tourism, culture and at local levels with the principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration, Xi said.

Puna said his country is proud of its good relations with China, which is based on mutual respect, non-interference in each other's internal affairs and equal treatment.

The Cook Islands sticks to the one-China policy and is grateful to China's support to the country in various fields including infrastructure construction, he said.

The signing of bilateral agreements on jointly building the Belt and Road has opened up broader space for cooperation, he added.

In his meeting with Prime Minister Samuela Akilisi Pohiva of Tonga, Xi said this year marks the 20th anniversary of the two countries' establishment of diplomatic ties.

China and Tonga have produced fruitful results in mutually beneficial cooperation in the past 20 years, Xi said.

China appreciates Tonga's firm adherence to the one-China policy and welcomes the country to actively participate in jointly building the Belt and Road, he said.

Xi said he hopes that the two sides tap into their potential, boost cooperation in such fields as trade, investment and infrastructure construction, and expand people-to-people, culture and local-level communication.

Tonga speaks highly of China as it treats the Pacific island nation as an equal partner and thanks China's valuable help, especially the recent visit of Chinese hospital ship Ark Peace to Tonga, Pohiva said.

Tonga sticks to the one-China policy, congratulates China on the success of the first China International Import Expo, admires China's foresight and prospect of development, and is delighted to join the Belt and Road cooperation, the prime minister said.

When meeting with Niue Premier Toke Talagi, Xi stressed that China will continue to follow a policy of pursuing the greater good and shared interests and uphold the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith in developing its relations with Niue.

The Chinese side welcomes the active participation by the Niue side in the Belt and Road cooperation, so as to realize connectivity with countries in the region and beyond, he said.

China, Xi said, is ready to strengthen cooperation with Niue in the fields of climate change, South-South cooperation, maritime affairs, environmental protection, and promote green, low-carbon and sustainable development.

For his part, Talagi said Niue adheres to the one-China policy and treasures the friendship and cooperation with China.

Niue speaks highly of China's active efforts in tackling climate change, appreciates China's support in such areas as transportation and infrastructure, and is ready to strengthen cooperation with the Chinese side in various areas and coordination on international affairs, Talagi added.

Xi also met with Fiji Defense Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, who also serves as the representative of the Fiji government.

Xi said the China-Fiji relations maintained a sound development momentum, which brought substantial benefit to the two peoples.

China is willing to work with Fiji to further promote political mutual trust, deepen pragmatic cooperation, strengthen the friendship between the two peoples and push forward the bilateral ties, Xi said.

Kubuabola expressed gratitude for China's assistance to Fuji's economic development and improvement of people's livelihood.

Kubuabola said Fiji hopes that it will work with China to further enhance pragmatic cooperation in various areas.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU : Online fashion retailer Myntra on Friday clarified that it will operate as an independent separate business. The announcement from the company follows reports that Myntra and Jabong would be merged with Flipkart. The US retail major Walmart that owns Myntra, while announcing the resignation of Flipkart Chief Executive Officer Binny Bansal, had brought Myntra and Jabong under Flipkart. It had appointed Kalyan Krishnamurthy as Flipkart CEO and said that Myntra CEO Ananth Narayanan would report to him. Walmart had also said that PhonePe, another entity it owned through Flipkart acquisition, would continue as an independent company under Sameer Nigam.

In a statement issued by Myntra, the company said, Myntras independence as a business is to be preserved. Myntra team will continue to operate independently to achieve even greater success. We will continue to lead the market, serve our customers and do what we do best.

Ananth Narayanan

With the new structure in place post the resignation of Bansal, many market watchers were of the opinion that Walmart will merge Myntra with Flipkart, as the company already had a fashion arm Flipkart Fashion. It had also resulted in speculations that Ananth Narayanan has resigned from the company. However, Myntra, waving off speculations, said that Ananth Narayanan continues to lead the team.

In the meanwhile, Dipanjan Basu, Chief Financial Officer of Myntra and Jabong, has resigned from the company. Dipanjan is now serving his notice period. He would have to serve the period specified for the senior management, said a person privy to the development. At the same time, Walmart has decided to integrate Jabong with Myntra. As the next step in this process, Myntra and Jabong will now fully integrate all the remaining functions including technology, marketing, category, revenue, finance, and creative teams.

The closer integration of Myntra and Jabong is a necessary step in our continuing development. To remain the leader in fashion e-commerce in India, we have to find ways to operate more effectively and innovate more quickly, said a company spokesperson.

The Myntra-Jabong merger will likely to result in job cuts in the company. At present, the company employs about 600-700 people and the integration may result in 40 per cent reduction in employee count.

By better aligning our resources with our long-term plans, we can put the best structure in place to serve our sellers and brand partners, and ultimately benefit our customers, Myntra spokesperson added.
By Express News Service

MUMBAI: Yes Banks woes as of now seem unending. Shares of the company have been on roller coaster ride ever since the news of Reserve Bank of India denying extension to its managing director Rana Kapoor. On Friday, Yes Banks shares closed 7 per cent, down at Rs 191, after the bank said OP Bhatt, former chairman, State Bank of India, one of the two-member Search and Selection Committee appointed to look for a successor to Kapoor, quit. Yes Bank share prices have now come off from its 52-week high price of Rs 404.

The Search and Selection Committee was set up with Bhatt and former LIC chairman TS Vijayan as members. They, in turn, had appointed headhunter Korn Ferry. However, it has been a dramatic succession of exits this week. On Wednesday, Yes Bank chairman Ashok Chawla quit as the Board decided to look for someone who would give more time for the bank, and on Thursday, Bhatt put in his papers, citing conflict of interest.
By UNI

MUMBAI: Businessman Mehul Choksi, an absconding accused wanted in connection of a Rs 13,000 crore bank fraud, may return to India to record his statement in three months provided his health permits him, his lawyer said on Saturday.

The lawyer told a special PMLA court here that the 59-year-old had left India in January for medical treatment in the United States and now, he is not in a position to record his statement.

"There is one option and according to that, investigation can be done through video conferencing.

Officer from India can go to Antigua in order to investigate him.

The third option is that if his condition gets better in three months and if his doctors allow him to, then he will come back to India to join investigation," lawyer Sanjay Abbot said while appearing before the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court.

The lawyer also said that they have always replied to all questions by the court on time.

The PMLA court was hearing the Enforcement Directorate's request to declare Choksi a "fugitive" under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.

Choksi and his nephew, jeweller Nirav Modi, are being sought by multiple investigating agencies after it was revealed that the two extracted crores in loans from banks abroad on the basis of fake guarantees in the name of Punjab National Bank, India's second largest state-owned bank.

Efforts are on to extradite them.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Doctors at Lifeline Institute of Minimal Access successfully treated a rare disease called Gastrointestinal Mucormycosis or Zygomycosis, a deadly fungal infection caused by a class of fungi, in a 35-year-old man from Chennai.

According to doctors, in August, the patient approached the hospital with complaints of abdominal pain, discomfort, weight loss, fatigue and nausea. CT and PET scans showed malignancy like formation in the stomach, so the doctors suspected stomach cancer.

But, the biopsy results were not corelating. So, we had to conduct five biopsies to get the right diagnosis. As biopsies ruled out cancer, we suspected Tuberculosis and others. We spent over two months on the diagnosis. After biopsies were inconclusive, we diagnosed as possible Eosinophilic Gastritis, a rare disease caused by food-related allergy, said Dr JS Rajkumar, chairman and chief surgeon, Lifeline Institute of Minimal Access.

Speaking to the press on Friday, Dr Rajkumar said, Then we put him on a regimen of steroids. But, even after two weeks of steroid therapy, the patient did not show much improvement. We planned for surgery and removed the entire stomach, lymph nodes and fat through a key-hole surgery.

This is the second case of stomach fungus operation and he is the first survivor. First was reported from Pune, but the patient succumbed to the infection. The mortality rate in such cases is over 85 per cent. The case report has been sent to an international medical journal for publication, he added.

A team of six surgeons and an anaesthetist performed the five-hour surgery on October 30 and the patient has been put on anti-fungal therapy treatment. He is doing well, the doctor said.

People with low immunity, diabetes and alcoholics are prone to this fungal infection. Compared to data from a few decades ago, the cases of fungal infection have been on the rise recently, Dr Rajkumar said.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A 25-year-old mobile phone dealer-cum-repair shop owner from Burma Bazaar, who allegedly bought cell phones from snatchers, was nabbed by police on Friday. Seventy mobile phones, including 50 iPhones, were seized from him, police said.

Police identified him as Abdul Rehman of Perambur. Police said that the arrested person allegedly got mobile phones from snatchers, reset the instruments and sold them.

Though he reset the phones, when a new sim card was inserted, the original iphone owner will receive a text message of the mobile number which is using his stolen instrument.

In one such incident, a man who lost the phone received a message saying that a new sim card had been inserted in his snatched iPhone. He showed the phone number to Mambalam police, who traced the phone number and found that it belonged to a person of Kodungaiyur. Police who questioned him found that their counterparts from at least five States had approached him recently, but he did not know the reason.

Police through their intelligence unit found that Abdul Rehman was good at repairing iPhones.

He was nabbed and during questioning, he is said to have told police that while resetting the mobile he used to insert a sim card that he bought using the Kodungaiyur mans voter ID card.

That was the reason why the man at T Nagar got a message.
Mouli Mareedu By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: In what will be their first major assignment, the recently-formed Hyderabad City Rapid Action Force (HCRAF), the special wing of the Hyderabad City Police, will be pressed into service during the upcoming Assembly elections.

It was just a few months ago, in a first for the country, the Hyderabad city police launched the CRAF wing, comprising specially trained personnel, to deal with emergency situations in the city. Now the force is being readied to be deployed in the sensitive localities to prevent any untoward incidents during December 7 elections in the city.

A senior police officer informed Express that the City Rapid Action Force that is created to deal with riots, riot-like situations, crowd control, rescue and relief operations and related unrest, are being trained with experts in handling emergency situations during the Assembly elections in the city.

Police wings like Greyhounds and Octopus are providing regular training to the members of this force and making them physically and mentally fit to deal with any kind of trouble in sensitive localities of the city. The wing was formed with 40 specially-trained police constables, including 20 male and 20 female personnel, will be equipped with non-lethal weapons but well trained to deal with any kind of trouble. The team from this CRAF would be kept in readiness for rapid deployment as and when situation demands. CRAF will be deployed only on the orders of the Commissioner of Police on specific duties and normally not deployed for long duration, the official informed.

The wing members are being trained to deal with communal violence, law and order duties and election duties. With the Assembly elections scheduled to be held on December 7, we have trained them well to deal with different aspects like guard polling stations, storerooms, counting centres and in quick intelligence gathering on violations of law and order. A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) or Inspector rank of the officer will monitor the wing members during emergencies based on advise of Police Commissioner, he added.

Apart from physical training, the senior police officials have also decided to provide theoretical session for members on election procedure, possible issues to be erupted in creating law and order problems, how to cope up situations in emergencies, protecting public properties during communal riots and others.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The Indian Coast Guard ships and aircraft rescued a stranded fishing boat at high seas and towed it to safety. The fishing boat, FB Luminous, had left Thengapattinam fishing harbour in Kanyakumari district on October 15.

On November 10, the Coastguard district headquarters at Mangaluru received a distress call. A Dornier aircraft was launched immediately which located the drifting boat 208 nautical miles away from new Mangaluru and 13 fishermen on board were found safe.

Coast Guard ship Vikram rushed to the spot and provided assistance to repair the faulty engine. The fishing boat crew were provided medical assistance and other facilities on board ICGS Vikram.

The Coast Guard ship towed the fishing boat to nearest Bitra island and handed over to fisheries in charge for further repair of the defective engine and towing to mainland.

Another Coast Guard ship ICGS Shaurya also reached the area on November 15 for providing assistance. A fishing boat IFB Matha is expected to reach Bitra island for towing assistance.
By Online Desk

A fire broke out at Kolkata's tallest building 'The 42'. The 60-storey under-construction building is located on the Chowringhee road in South Kolkata. No casualties have been reported yet.

According to a Hindustan Times report, three fire engines were dispatched to douse the flames. The flames have spread to the 8th and 9th floor of the building.

West Bengal: Fire breaks out at 'The 42', an under-construction skyscraper in Kolkata. Three fire tenders rushed to the spot. No casualties or loss to property reported yet. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/a9uRKeZiaP  ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018

The building is a 879-feet structure accommodating 63 floors and has been under construction since 2008.

Fires have become a common occurence in the city, recently Park Street's Apeejay House caught on fire, though there were no casualties.

Kolkata mayor and fire services minister Sovan Chatterjee was quoted saying that mostly the sparks from welding prompted the fire.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A refresher course for Higher Secondary Teachers held in the capital city turned out to be a refreshing experience for Education Minister C Raveendranath, a former chemistry professor.

The minister who inaugurated the refresher course held at the Government Womens College led a class for the participants on the molecular machine. The minister urged the teachers to focus on inspiring creativity in children and not focus on marks-oriented education.

Education Minister

C Raveendranath

Teachers should be able to give wings to students thoughts. Education should awaken their thoughts. They should ask questions. Vast reading makes a conventional teacher rise above the normal. A teachers reading should not be confined to academic topics. They should be able to identify the distinct skills of every student, he said.

The minister said the people had high hopes on the Public Education Rejuvenation Mission which is receiving national and international attention. The government is following a modern teacher training programme. The way to make the education sector better is to train good teachers. The government is planning refresher courses for all Higher Secondary teachers, he said.

General Education director K V Mohankumar presided over the function. Collegiate Education director Haritha V Kumar, Higher Secondary director PK Sudheer Babu, SCERT director Dr J Prasad, joint director PP Prakashan, deputy directors A Noushad, Narayani, Dr Satheesh and Womens College principal G Vijayalakshmi attended.
By Express News Service

RAIPUR & BHOPAL: PrimeMinister Narendra Modi on Friday hit the campaign trail for the upcoming Assembly elections with a rally in Chhattisgarh and two others in Shahdol and Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh.In his rally at Ambikapur, north Chhattisgarh, the PM said asserted that if a chaiwala (tea-seller) had become a PM, the credit goes to the awareness and the desh-bhakti (nationalism) of the 125 crore people of the nation and not any single individual.

Irrespective of caste, community, we or they discrimination, sabka saath sabka vikas (development for all) remains the BJPs developmental vision. We want support of everyone and there should be growth for all... the PM said. In the run up to the 2013 Assembly elections in the state, Modi, then chief minister of Gujarat, had addressed a rally in Ambikapur from the ramparts of a Lal Qila (Red Fort) lookalike built for him. The BJP however, was able to only win one of the eight seats in the region.

Defending the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)s decision on demonetisation, the PM said nobody but one family has an issue with the note ban. He also claimed that the money recovered during the note ban had helped expedite development work across the country.

He also challenged the Congress saying that if the party really respects democracy, then it should let someone outside the Gandhi family to lead it for five years. I will then believe Pandit Nehru [Jawaharlal Nehru] began the democratic tradition where a committed Congressman can assume charge ... he said.

He kept up his attack on the Congress in his rallies across MP.

In Gwalior, he invoked the personas of Jan Sangh founder Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia, former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former BJP chief Kushabhau Thakre. Harking back to the time that Scindia was jailed during the emergency, the PM questioned, I want to ask those members of Rajmatas family who are now carrying the Congress flag. Why was she jailed for 19 months? Ask your party (Congress)...

He also took a dig at the lack of a CM face from the Congress so far. I have heard that the Congress speaks eight different languages in eight different parts of MP. They are travelling, not with one, but eight CM faces. You (Rahul) must be thinking that you speak one thing in Chhindwara and another thing in Gwalior, but always remember, the era of emergency ... is over. Now, just when you say one thing in Chhindwara, the people immediately come to know about it in Gwalior, said Modi.

Importantly, nine-time Chhindwara MP Kamal Nath and Gwalior-Chambal strongman Jyotiraditya Scindia are being seen as the two potential CM candidates of the Congress. Mocking Gandhi further, Modi said when the head of a party (Congress) cannot even decide who will be its CM candidate in MP, will they be able to decide or change your fate? I dare him to name his partys CM candidate. In Shahdol, Modi also claimed that 62% of the promises made by the Congress in MP during the 1998 polls (when it came to power for the second time running) remain unfulfilled.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (5th L) poses for a group photo with other leaders at the 21st China-ASEAN (10+1) summit, which is also held to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership, in Singapore, Nov. 14, 2018. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

SINGAPORE, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang wrapped up his five-day trip to Singapore on Friday, during which he made a strong push for free trade, multilateralism and a code of conduct in the South China Sea.

With this trip, Li has visited all the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as Chinese premier, showing the importance China attaches to its relations with the ASEAN neighbors.

"FINISHING KICK" FOR TRADE BLOC

Concerns about protectionist headwinds were obvious at the series of ASEAN-related meetings in Singapore, as Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: "The open, rule-based multilateral trading system which has underpinned the growth of ASEAN is under pressure."

Li offered China's assurance on its unswerving support for free trade and regional economic integration as he pushed for progress in talks on a key Asia-Pacific trade deal.

The region needs to "take concrete action to uphold rules-based free trade and to send a positive message of stable, predictable and law-based conditions for the market," Li said.

He urged leaders of countries negotiating the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to unleash a strong "finishing kick" of the talks.

The talks are in the final stage. China hopes the deal can be sealed within 2019, Li said at the 2nd leaders' meeting on RCEP on Wednesday.

RCEP is being negotiated among the ten ASEAN countries plus China, Australia, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.

It is expected to be one of the world's largest trading blocs, accounting for nearly half of the world's population and around a third of global GDP.

UPGRADING FTA WITH SINGAPORE

Li's trip to Singapore was also the first official visit to the city state by a Chinese premier in 11 years.

He made full use of the occasion to strengthen ties with Singapore.

On late Monday, Li and Lee witnessed the signing of an upgraded free trade agreement (FTA) between China and Singapore, among other cooperation deals.

China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with the Singaporean side, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and continuously bring bilateral ties to higher levels, Li said.

In addition to the upgraded FTA, Li assured Singaporean investors of China's business-friendly policy and long-term economic prospect to boost trade and investment, at a welcome dinner hosted by local business organizations on Wednesday.

Li also expressed China's appreciation of the efforts by Singapore, which serves as the rotating chair of ASEAN this year, to promote China-ASEAN ties.

Lee said ASEAN and China should continue to find new areas of collaboration, take advantage of fresh opportunities presented by Industry 4.0, and work together to bring their "peoples and economies r."

STABILITY IN SOUTH CHINA SEA

Li also reassured ASEAN of China's commitment to keeping peace and stability in the South China Sea.

China wants to complete talks on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea within three years, he announced at the 44th Singapore Lecture on Tuesday.

ASEAN leaders shared Li's urgency in clinching the COC.

"We must have the COC" to avoid miscalculations and trouble in the South China Sea, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said, suggesting that any risks were from potential trouble with outsiders.

China and ASEAN already reached a Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) years ago, and have been seeking a more robust COC for enduring peace and stability.

Highlighting recent progress in COC talks and the trend toward greater cooperation and stability in the South China Sea, Li urged the involved parties to speed up consultations.

"In recent years, overall peace and stability in the South China Sea has been maintained, and is moving toward greater stability," Li said, adding that a COC would be "conducive to free trade."

Li said China and ASEAN have reached consensus on ensuring peace and stability, freedom of navigation in and flight over the South China Sea as indicated by the recent adoption of the single draft negotiating text of the COC.

"We all agreed on ways and means not to increase tensions in the South China Sea. And that means not bringing in warships and allowing for freedom of navigation," Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad told reporters.

Li also called for more maritime cooperation between China and ASEAN and making the joint maritime drill between the two sides a regular event.

VISION FOR FUTURE

During this visit, Li also witnessed a milestone in China-ASEAN relations: the approval of the China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership Vision 2030, at the 21st China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting on Wednesday.

The vision describes broad consensus between China and ASEAN on promoting trade and investment. The two sides have pledged to increase two-way trade value to a trillion U.S. dollars and investment to 150 billion dollars by 2020.

It also reaffirms China and ASEAN's commitment to expediting the negotiations on RCEP, and to working towards an early conclusion and adoption of COC in the South China Sea.

Li called the vision a blueprint for the long-term development of China-ASEAN ties. He hoped the vision would create synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the ASEAN Vision 2025.

The vision will lay a solid foundation for the strategic partnership between the two sides in the coming decades, ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi said.
By UNI

BHOPAL: Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday released its manifesto titled 'Drishti Patra' for the November 28 Assembly elections.

The manifesto committee chairman, Vikram Verma released the party's vision document in the presence of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister Arun Jaitley, State BJP President Rakesh Singh and other senior party leaders.

While giving details about the manifesto, Chief Minister said, " farmers who have agricultural land with less than 1 hectare in their possession will be given a grant".

The manifesto promises to enhance 50 reservation for women candidates in government departments and 33 per cent for them in the Police Department.

The election document was released at the state BJP office in Bhopal. Notably, the Congress has already presented its manifesto titled 'Vachan Patra', for the Assembly elections.

Waive off farmers loans at nationalised as well as state government cooperative banks and reduce electricity bills of farmers by 50 per cent within ten-day if coming to power are the major promises of Congress in its Manifesto.
By Express News Service

BHOPAL: Congress national president Rahul Gandhi addressed three poll rallies in Assembly election-bound Madhya Pradesh on Friday, reiterating his partys claim of issuing a loan waiver to the states farmers within ten days of coming to power.

Seventeen days after his two-day tour to the Malwa-Nimar region, Rahul toured the Mahakoshal and Bundelkhand regions, addressing three rallies in Deori (Sagar), Barghat (Seoni) and Mandla, but cancelled the road-show in Shahdol, owing to the partys Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting in New Delhi.

Hitting out at the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in the state, Rahul raised array of issues including the Rafale jet deal, demonetisation, the Vyapam scam and claimed that health and education had gone out of the reach of poorer sections in MP.

While Rahul reiterated his partys resolve of an agricultural loan waiver within ten days of coming to power in MP, he also promised to implement the Land Acquisition Bill, the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act and the Tribal Rights Bill.

All the three important laws which have not been implemented in MP will be enforced in the state once the Congress is voted to power, as we want to protect the farmers, tribals and Dalits against the snatching of their land by rich businessmen and industrialists, who are friends of PM Modi, he maintained.

While attacking the PM over demonetisation and allowing rich businessmen and industrialists to escape the country after having defaulted on their bank loans, Rahul said once the Congress government comes to power, the doors of banks will be opened for youngsters, farmers and small traders.
S Bachan Jeet Singh By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: To curb illegal flow of money during elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has capped the election expenditure through cash transaction in a single day for the contesting candidate or the political parties. From the earlier Rs 20,000 per day, it has now been limited to Rs 10,000 for a contesting candidate per day.

The ECI issued instructions to all the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) in the country including Telangana state this week on the revised expenditure.

The threshold of Rs 20,000 for incurring of election expenditure by cross payee cheque, bank draft or by National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) or Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) has been revisited by the ECI having regard to the amendment made in the Section 40 A (3) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 with effect from April 2017.

It has been decided that henceforth that all election expenditure, donation either by/to the candidates or political parties exceeding Rs 10,000 in all situations should be incurred by cross payee cheque, demand draft or NEFT or RTGS or any other electronic mode linked with the bank account of the candidate opened for election purpose or by the political party.

The instruction of the ECI will come into effect immediately. In cases where elections are to be held by the Commission, instruction should immediately be brought to the notice of Returning Officers, Expenditure Observers, candidates and all the other stakeholders. The decision by the ECI was communicated to Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar.

The cash transaction per day has been reduced to Rs 10,000 to curb illegal money flow during the elections. We are interacting with the intelligence wing of the Finance Ministry on a regular basis, Rajat Kumar said.

The CEO officials said that the candidate will be able to spend a maximum of Rs 28 lakh and if the expenditure crosses this limit, the ticket of the candidates can also be cancelled, the officials said.

As per ECI, nomination form should also be purchased using the new bank account. The candidates must submit their expenditure account data to the election officer. Candidates will not be able to spend more than Rs 10,000 cash as all transactions must be done with cheque or other valid means of banking.

A look-out on social media use

Relating to the use of social media in the context of elections, the Election Commission of India has come out with a few instructions. Any violation would be dealt with seriously, according to CEO Rajat Kumar. The specific instruction are...

Social media accounts of the candidates should be informed in the affidavits in Form-26 to Commission

No political advertisements are released to any internet-based media or websites by political parties or candidates without pre-certification from authorities

Expenditure on campaigning though internet including social media websites shall be included in the expenditure in terms of section 77(1) of RP Act

The content on internet including social media would be subject to the provisions of Model Code of Conduct

VVPATs will soon put down all doubts to rest, says VS Sampath

Debunking any doubts around the genuineness of electronic voting machines, V S Sampath, former Chief Election Commissioner of India said VVPAT will soon eliminate and put down all doubts to rest. Speaking at the launch of the book Electronic Voting Machine a true story, VS Sampath highlighted how the EVMs were always in the ire of the controversy when the parties failed to register a win. It was in our state of undivided Andhra where the techies in 2009 began doubting the credibility of the EVM. However the machine and the EC have stood through those tough years of doubt from 2009-18, debunking all doubts, he noted. The book has been authored by Dr Alok Shukla, former Deputy Election Commissioner of India.

Money power playing major role in poll season: Rajat Kumar

Hyderabad: In what seemed like a shocking disclosure, Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar conceded that money power was playing a major role in the current election season. Claiming that some people took money only because of poverty, he said: They may take money, but they will only vote for the party or candidate of their choice. Participating in a meet the media programme, the Chief Electoral Officer said that, so far, 12 complaints had been filed against various leaders  ministers, TRS leaders and Opposition leaders  for seeking votes by evoking caste and religious sentiments and other violations of the model code of conduct. The CEO has slapped notices in all these cases seeking an explanation.
By PTI

LOS ANGELES: Swedish DJ Avicii, who died early this year, was commemorated at a memorial service in Stockholm which was attended by his family and fans.

The recording artiste, born as Tim Bergling, was found dead in his hotel room in Oman, Muscat on April 20.

His death was later ruled as a suicide.

In honour of his life and his musical legacy, Bergling's family invited hundreds of his fans to a memorial service at the Hedvig Eleonora Church in Stockholm, reported EOnline.

Fans in huge numbers turned up at the church on Friday, with many trying to get inside for the service.

The musician's father Klas Bergling delivered a "beautiful speech" at the congregation about Avicii.

The "Levels" hitmaker's photos were set on the altar and the church was decorated with flower.

A source, who attended the service, told EOnline that members of the choir sang several renditions of Avicii's hit songs.
Avinash Ramachandran By

Express News Service

Director: David Yates

Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller

There is a prophecy. There is an all-powerful dark wizard. His most powerful adversary is a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, who will go on to become the greatest headmaster of Hogwarts. The teacher deputes his students to do his bidding in the war for the greater good. And then, there is the boy who lived. Sound familiar? Thats basically the story of this film.The first part of Fantastic Beasts was a worthwhile exercise that piqued interest with every passing minute. The payoff in the last few scenes alone was worth the ticket price. However, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, the sequel to the 2016 Newt Scamander origins story suffers from a franchise film condition best described as What to do with the middle movies?

Fantastic Beasts has already been conceived as a five-part series.

And director David Yates and JK Rowling, who gets screenplay credits, deliver an underwhelming film that only does the functionary service of setting up the sequels. While the foreshadowing, or as we locally call it, build-up, is perfectly crafted, there is a sense of having been left high and dry after investing the time to watch this 133-minute film, which doesnt have much else.

The Crimes of Grindelwald begins six months after the events of the first film. A pale-looking Grindelwald (Johnny Depp, delivering a measured, yet chilling performance) is part of a prison-shifting exercise, and we all know what will happen next. The aerial stunt sequence that follows is pure technical wizardry coupled with expert choreography that puts us in a tizzy and gets our adrenaline pumping. And by the time Grindelwald is free to unleash his machinations to rule both the wizarding and non-wizarding worlds, we are caught hook, line and sinker.

However, after that, only just avoids being a colossal disappointment. And this largely thanks to the performances of the lead actors, the visual brilliance, and our familiarity with Rowlings universe.

Eddie Redmayne returns as the socially-awkward Newt Scamander, and so do his motley group of friends, Jacob (Dan Fogler), Queenie (Alison Sudol) and Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston). But they have very little to do in this film that only aims to let us know that a young-ish Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) has some unresolved tension with Grindelwald.

There is a nice throwaway line about the homoerotic undertones between Grindelwald and Dumbledore, which would have remained obscure if JK Rowling wasnt on Twitter dropping clues about character backstories to suit whatever is the current trend of wokeness on social media.

Jude Law is a delight and his scenes with a permanently-confounded Newt makes us realise how easy it was for Dumbledore to make students do his bidding. If Grindelwald is a silver-haired, silver-tongued person, whose subtle-yet-inflammatory speeches remind you of a certain someone from the real world, Dumbledore is just his reflection, albeit from the other side of the inclusivity spectrum.

Somewhere in between all this, there is Credence (Ezra Miller) searching for his origins, Leta Lestrange (Zoe Kravitz) and Nagini (Claudia Kim) finding their bearings in the world that despises those who are different, and Newt himself, who feels out of place considering the lack of fantastic beasts for him to find. Aside from the old pesky little nifflers, and of course, Pickett, the Bowtruckle, there are only two new beasts: Kelpie, an underwater sea-weed horse, and Zouwu, a Chinese-origin gigantic elephant-sized cat. And this prevents Newt from being his usual non-chirpy, non-flamboyant, awkward but adorable self. It almost makes you question what he is doing in this particular film.

I wonder if The Crimes of Grindelwald ought to be assessed as a standalone film. Should we be less critical of such films because they are just building blocks? I might say yes, but would I have done so if not for being a borderline Potterhead myself? Im not so sure.

The Crimes of Grindelwald is set in 1927 and the final war between Grindelwald and Dumbledore will happen in 1945. We have 18 more years, and three more films, and innumerable characters and plot points for the filmmakers to tell a fascinating story and redeem themselves. Otherwise, like a war that goes on for too long, the time is not far when allies surrender, and supporters get disillusioned with the magical world that was first created by JK Rowling in a delayed train from Manchester to London in 1990.
By Online Desk

Amid tight security, thousands of pilgrims offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa shrine early Saturday, the first day of Malayalam month 'Vrischikom,' even as a BJP leader was taken into preventive custody from Nilackal, the base camp. The 62-day-long Mandala Pooja-Magaravilaku annual pilgrimage began this morning.

Kerala BJP's general secretary K Surendran and his party workers were blocked at Nilakkal base camp and asked to return. TV reports say that Surendran was carrying the 'Irrumudikettu' (a bundle containing offerings) when the police told him not to proceed citing law and order issues.

The state came to a standstill on Saturday after an unexpected hartal called by right-wing Hindu outfits in protest against the arrest of a VHP leader KP Sasikala at Sabarimala.

Sasikala, the state president of Hindu Aikya Vedi, was let off this evening with a warning. She will be allowed to pay a darshan after getting bail from court, the police said. Along with her, BJP leader P Sudhir was also arrested.

The Sabarimala shrine opened for the third time on Friday since the Supreme Court order allowing women between the ages of 10 and 50 into the temple.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Seven-time independent MLA from Kunda in Pratapgarh district, Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya, on Friday announced the formation of his political outfit. The party, likely to be named as Jansatta Dal, may test the poll waters during 2019 general elections.

While announcing the launch of his party, Singh played the upper caste card and expressed his views against the amendment to the SC/ST Act, calling it a sheer injustice to the economically backward sections among the upper castes. Voicing his opposition to reservation, the Kunda MLA said that quota should be scrapped for the children of civil servants, who had already availed the benefits of reservation and were now well-off.

Justifying his stand on the issue, Singh said that he was not against special privileges guaranteed by the Constitution to the deprived and downtrodden sections of the society, but in criminal cases, the law should be equal for all the citizens of the country irrespective of caste and creed. "All should be equal before the law of the land. But with the SC/ST Act, this is not possible," he said.

"If crime is committed against a person belonging to SC or ST, he is given a different treatment from the one who belongs to an upper caste. This is wrong," he said.

He also opposed reservation in promotions. He said he favoured skill, qualification and merit-based promotions in jobs rather than caste-based, as it would amount to injustice to those who had been slogging and deserved promotions on merit and seniority.

While all other political parties are advocating for reservation to mahadalits from the existing quota provisions, Singh opposed it for the creamy layer vehemently.

The stand taken by Singh, who has been a minister under various CMs, including Rajnath Singh and late Ram Prakash Gupta of the BJP, and Mulayam Singh Yadav of Samajwadi Party, is being seen as an attempt to woo the upper castes in the run-up to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. "It may also be a tactic to mobilise the upper castes against the prospective SP-BSP alliance in the state to benefit the ruling BJP," political commentator JP Shukla said.

His move to launch a new party is also been linked to his efforts to help BJP to sail through in 2019. Notably, in the crucial Rajya Sabha elections in March this year, Singh had voted in favour of the BJP candidate in a crucial fight against BSP's BR Ambedkar, much against the expectations of the Samajwadi Party. Though Singh is believed to be close to SP, sources close to him claim that he got disillusioned with Akhilesh Yadav's leadership and his attempts to align with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

The animosity between Singh and the BSP leadership is not new. He was jailed during the Mayawati regime on the charge of plotting her murder. Mayawati even got National Security Act (NSA) invoked against him.

Singh had recently said that he was ready to ally with any party, but BSP. Since SP and BSP are together now, his dejection with Samajwadis is comprehensible.

He has planned a grand rally in the state capital on November 30, the day he will complete 25 years in state politics. During the rally, Singh is likely to shed light on the structure of his party. He has approached the Election Commission of India for the registration and election symbol of his outfit.
By PTI

NOIDA: Eighteen people, including 16 children, were injured Saturday when a speeding school bus crashed into a pillar at an underpass here, police said.

The incident happened around 8 am when the bus of a private school was crossing through the underpass at Rajnigandha Chowk, they said.

#Noida: Visuals of Apeejay school bus that met with an accident at Rajnigandha Chowk underpass, today. At least 12 students are injured, driver and conductor of the school bus in critical condition, all shifted to Kailash hospital pic.twitter.com/Fm88UXyodA  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 17, 2018

"Sixteen children were injured in the accident. They were taken to Kailash Hospital and discharged after first-aid. The driver, Ganga Saran, has received severe injuries and is being treated," Manoj Kumar Pant, station house officer of Sector 20 police station, said.

The bus has been seized, police said, adding a probe was underway.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: A key prosecution witness in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case Friday identified Congress leader Sajjan Kumar before a Delhi court as one who had allegedly instigated the mob to kill Sikhs.

Deposing as a prosecution witness, Cham Kaur told the court that she had seen Kumar allegedly addressing the crowd in national capital's Sultanpuri area in 1984 that Sikhs had killed "our mother" and instigated the mob to kill them.

"On October 31, 1984 we were watching TV on the demise of Indira Gandhi. On November 1, 1984 when I stepped out to look for my goat, I saw accused Sajjan Kumar addressing the crowed and was saying 'hamari ma maar di.Sardaro ko maar do' (killed our mother. Kill the Sikhs)," Kaur told District Judge Poonam A Bamba.

She further said that the next morning, they were attacked in which here son and her father were killed.

"My son Kapoor Singh and my father Sardarji Singh were pulled out of the hiding place on second floor, beaten badly and were thrown down from the roof," she said, adding that she herself received injuries in the attack.

During the proceedings, Kaur also identified Kumar, who was present in the court.

"I could recognise the accused Sajjan Kumar, as we used to visit him for getting help in making ration card, passport. We used to visit the accused for getting the papers stamps as he was the MP/MLA," she said.

She further named other persons who were shot dead on the same date by the mob.

The injured and the family members of victims were taken to the police station and relief camps by police and army respectively.

She told the court that she had named Kumar earlier also.

Before Kaur, another key prosecution witness Sheela Kaur had identified Kumar as the one who had instigated the mob in Sultanpuri.

The case was transferred from Karkardooma court to Patiala House court here by the Delhi High Court, which had directed the district judge to video record the proceedings at the cost of the accused.

Kumar and two other accused, Brahmanand Gupta and Ved Prakash, had said that they were ready to bear the expenses of the videography of proceedings.

The three accused are facing trial on charges of murder and rioting in the case pertaining to killing of Surjit Singh in Sultanpuri.

The proceedings in the case were earlier stayed after the victim and complainant Joginder Singh approached the high court seeking transfer of the case while alleging that evidence was not being properly recorded.
Chinese President Xi Jinping hosts a collective meeting with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, President Peter Christian of the Federated States of Micronesia, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Malielegaoi of Samoa, Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, Prime Minister Henry Puna of the Cook Islands, Prime Minister Samuela Akilisi Pohiva of Tonga, Niue Premier Toke Talagi and Fiji government representative, Defense Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, and delivers a keynote speech in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Nov. 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and eight Pacific island countries' leaders and officials met in the Papua New Guinea (PNG) capital on Friday and agreed to elevate their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development.

Xi hosted the collective meeting with PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, President Peter Christian of the Federated States of Micronesia, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Malielegaoi of Samoa, Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, Prime Minister Henry Puna of the Cook Islands, Prime Minister Samuela Akilisi Pohiva of Tonga, Niue Premier Toke Talagi and Fiji government representative, Defense Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, and delivered a keynote speech.

The Chinese president put forward suggestions on the development of China's relations with Pacific island countries under new circumstances, stressing that the two sides should seize the opportunity and jointly work for a better future.

Noting that China and Pacific island countries are all developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Xi said they have been good friends who treat each other with sincerity and mutual respect, good partners who work together for development and mutual benefits, and good brothers who understand and learn from each other.

China maintains that all countries are equal regardless of their sizes, respects the rights of the peoples in Pacific island countries to choose their own development paths, and respects the countries' efforts in united self-improvement and equal participation in international and regional affairs, he said.

Xi said China has been supporting the island countries in developing economy, improving people's livelihoods and enhancing their ability in independent and sustainable development.

China has proactively opened its market to the island countries, expanded investment in and import from the countries, and welcomed them to board the express train of China's development, Xi said, adding that the friendship between the peoples on both sides will become even deeper as communication and cooperation between China and the island countries boom.

Noting that the Asia-Pacific region has the fastest growing economy in the world with the largest potential, Xi said the only correct choice for the era is peace, development, cooperation and win-win.

The Pacific island countries are increasingly conscious of independent development with growing international influence, he said.

With strong economic complementarity and enormous cooperation potential, China and Pacific island countries' common interests and cooperation basis have expanded under new circumstances, he said.

Xi made a four-point proposal on deepening relations between China and the Pacific island countries.

Firstly, the countries should treat one another as equals and deepen political mutual trust, Xi said.

China is ready to maintain the momentum in exchanges at high and various levels with the island countries and continue to support one another on issues of their core interests and major concern, he said.

China is ready to jointly host with the island countries the China-Pacific Island Countries Economic Development and Cooperation Forum in the second half of 2019, he said.

Secondly, Xi proposed the countries stick to the mutually beneficial cooperation for common prosperity.

The Chinese side pledged continued efforts in raising the capability of the island countries that have established diplomatic ties with China in developing on their own and in creating a virtuous cycle in economy and society.

The two sides should seize upon the opportunity of the signing of the cooperation document in jointly building the Belt and Road to deepen practical cooperation at various levels, raise the level of bilateral trade facilitation and make sure the 2019 Year of Tourism for China and Pacific island countries a success, Xi said.

Thirdly, the countries should work to increase the friendship among the peoples, he said.

He pledged that China is willing to support the island countries in personnel training, promote Chinese teaching and people-to-people exchanges, as well as strengthen communication among people from all walks of life.

The Chinese side will encourage its provinces and cities to carry out communication and cooperation with the island countries, Xi said.

Fourthly, Xi called on the countries to take care of and support one another to safeguard fairness and justice.

The Chinese side, Xi said, is willing to join efforts with the island countries to safeguard a multilateral and free trading system, strengthen communication and coordination on international affairs and support the island countries to speak "the voice of Pacific," jointly promote the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and support the island countries in advancing the "Blue Pacific" initiative.

China attaches great importance to and understands the particular concern of Pacific island countries over the issue of climate change, Xi said, pledging to provide help within China's reach to the countries, jointly advance the implementation of the Paris Agreement and promote green, low-carbon and sustainable global development.

Xi stressed that no matter how developed China is, it will always be a member of the developing countries and will always stand side by side with other developing countries.

China and the Pacific island countries have unfolded a new chapter in their relations, Xi said.

China is willing to join efforts with the island countries to consolidate friendship and boost cooperation, to create an even brighter future for their relations.

Leaders of the Pacific island countries thanked the Chinese president for proposing and hosting once again the collective meeting.

China is an important partner of the Pacific island countries in realizing their visions for development, improving people's livelihood and addressing global challenges, they said.

The Pacific island countries treasure their relations with China, adhere to the one-China policy, thank China for its long-term support with no political strings attached, the leaders said, adding that they are pleased to see the bilateral relations be lifted to a comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development.

The Pacific island countries are ready to actively participate in the joint construction of the Belt and Road and strengthen cooperation with China in such areas as trade, investment, fishery, tourism and infrastructure construction, they said, which would boost their own economic and social development.

The Pacific island countries spoke highly of the leading role played by China in sustainable development, tackling climate change and other areas, and are ready to strengthen communication and coordination with China on multilateral affairs.
By Express News Service

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Forests Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar on Friday said he was unwilling to hold alliance talks with Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray over criticism of the killing of the man eater tigress Avni.Mungantiwar, who was the state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for two terms before 2013, shared a good rapport with Thackeray.

He had played the role of trouble shooter whenever the alliance between the Sena and the BJP came into trouble over the past four years.

I had thought that we were good friends and he wont criticise facts. However, he did so.... said the minister.Even while everybody else from our party (BJP) was against Shiv Sena due to the harsh language used by their leaders, Ive stood with them. Uddhav ji knows this. And when he criticised in spite of knowing all these things, I was deeply hurt, Mungantiwar added.

I dont wish to be part of the alliance talks with Shiv Sena anymore, he added.While demanding a judicial probe in Avnis killing, Thackeray had questioned the formation of a committee by the state government. The committee nominated to inquire about Avnis killing is just for namesake. How can someone nominate committee where members are part of the killing? Thackeray had said.

Killing of a maneater

Tigress Avni, suspected to have killed 13 people in the state, was shot dead on November 2. Union minister Maneka Gandhi had demanded the formation of a panel to probe the killing
By PTI

SRINAGAR: National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah on Saturday described the killing of a youth by suspected militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district as deeply disturbing, saying there can be no justification for such an act.

"The cold blooded murder of an 11th standard student by the Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit is deeply disturbing. There can be no justification for this act & should force those who sympathise with these outfits to question how these murders make Kashmir a better, freer place," Omar posted on Twitter.

The former J&K chief minister was reacting to the abduction and killing of Nadeem Manzoor -- reportedly a Class XI student -- by the militants on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday at Niklora in Pulwama, police had said.
By UNI

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday condemned the attack on the convoy of former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.

"It is shocking to know about the attack on former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and other senior CPI (M) leaders of Tripura," Mr Vijayan said in his Facebook post.

"Manik Sarkar is one of the prominent leaders in this country. We condemn this attack. All democratic minds must rise against the undemocratic and fascist forces who have carried out this attack," the Chief Minister said.

On Friday evening, the convoy of Manik Sarkar and other senior CPI-M leaders were attacked at Rastarmatha in Sepahijala district, 25 kms from Agartala.

The attack took place when they were returning back after attending a meeting to commemorate the November Revolution.
By PTI

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has courted a controversy over his remarks on rape incidents, with the Congress condemning the statement, saying the state government's "anti-women mindset" was exposed.

At a function in Kalka town of Panchkula district on Friday, Khattar said, "The incidents of rape have not increased. Rapes used to take place in the past and even today as well. (Only) the concern (over such incidents) has increased."

"The biggest concern is that in 80 to 90 per cent of rape and eve-teasing cases, the accused and the victim know each other.

In many cases, they know each other for a long time and, on one day, when there is an argument (between them over some issue) an FIR is lodged, saying: 'He has raped me'," Khattar had said.

Hitting out at the chief minister, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala termed the statement deplorable.

"Anti-Women Mindset of Khattar Govt Exposed! Haryana CM Khattar ji makes an utterly condemnable remark.

Blaming Women for complete failures to control Rapes & Gangrapes? Deplorable!," Surjewala tweeted.
By PTI

CHANDIGARH/ JIND: The INLD split Saturday with former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala's elder son Ajay Singh Chautala declaring he will set up a new party.

"I hand over the INLD and the spectacles (party symbol) to my younger brother as a gift," Ajay Chautala, who was recently expelled from the party, told his supporters in Jind.

He also declared a war of sorts against his brother Abhay Singh Chautala, invoking the Mahabharata.

"Duryodhana," he said, in a veiled reference to the brother, "I spell out my final decision that now there will war, and not any pleas."

"Now, Duryodhana, you will be destroyed," he said in Hindi.

The Jind announcement ended the simmering power struggle in the Indian National Lok Dal, which also saw the expulsion of Ajay Chautala's sons Dushyant Chautala and Digvijay Chautala from the Haryana-based party.

READ HERE: Devi Lal nurtured INLD, but 15-odd people are eating it like termites: Naina Chautala

The two were shunted out weeks after their slogan-shouting supporters allegedly targeted Abhay Chautala at an INLD rally in Gohana.

Ajay Chautala and his brother Abhay Chautala held parallel meetings on Saturday.

The elder brother had termed his Jind event a meeting of the party's 'state executive', while Abhay Chautala held a workers' meeting in Chandigarh.

Abhay Chautala said had his two nephews apologised to their grandfather and party chief Om Prakash Chautala over the 'hooliganism' at the Gohana rally, they may not have been expelled.

Ajay Chautala, who is facing a 10-year jail term along with father Om Prakash Chautala since 2013 in a teachers' recruitment scam, said the new party will hold a rally in Jind on December 9.

He is currently on a two-week parole.

Ajay Chautala hinted that his MP son Dushyant Chautala will be the leader of the new party and suggested that a large number of INLD workers remained with him.

READ: INLD feud worsens as Om Prakash Chautala expels son Ajay Chautala

"Many workers have resigned from the INLD. I will hand over their resignations to Om Prakash Chautala on November 20," he said, indicating a meeting with the patriarch when he returns to Tihar Jail.

"I will tell Om Prakash Chautala that those who resigned from the INLD are true workers of the party and not those who want to break and destroy it," he said.

He claimed that someday the senior Chautala would join him on his platform.

"Just four people sitting in Chandigarh use fraudulent means to take unilateral decisions and then get them ratified from Om Prakash Chautala," he said, hitting out at the rival group over the expulsions.

Ajay Chautala reiterated that Indian National Students Organisation (INSO) was set up by him and nobody else had the right to dissolve it.

The INSO headed by his son Digvijay Chautala was 'dissolved' by party president Om Prakash Chautala last month At Ajay Chautala's show of strength three MLAs -- his wife Naina Chautala, Rajdeep Phoghat and Anoop Dhanak -- out of 18 of INLD legislators were present.

READ HERE: Chautala family feud worsens, Abhay launches blistering attack against elder brother Ajay

Abhay Chautala told reporters in Chandigarh that his brother had failed to demonstrate his strength.

"Claims were being made that most of the MLAs were with them," he said.

"Only two MLAs were there, and 15 MLAs openly supported us. One MLA was neither with them nor with us," the younger brother claimed.

He said the state executive comprising MLAs, district presidents and other office bearers has passed a resolution expressing faith in the leadership of Om Prakash Chautala at his Chandigarh meeting.

"Their attempts failed as 95 per cent of the state executive was present in Chandigarh. Out of the remaining five per cent, I think two per cent may have gone with them," he said.

He predicted that members of the rival group will now try to find a party they can join.

"Forming and running a party is not everybody's cup of tea," Abhay Chautala said.

On a possible compromise between the two brothers, he said the two young leaders should have apologised over the "hooliganism" at the rally.

"We were expecting Ajay Singh Chautala to convince his sons and ask them to seek an apology from their grandfather. But he also went along with them," he said.
By PTI

KORIYA: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Saturday promised to waive farm loans in Chhattisgarh within 10 days of assuming power in the state and said the money for it would come from "the likes of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Anil Ambani".

Stepping up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetisation ahead of the second and final phase of the state polls, Gandhi alleged Modi made honest people suffer in 2016, but spared the rich.

Addressing a poll rally in Koriya district, he alleged Modi had waived loans worth Rs 3.5 lakh crore of a few rich people, but not those of the poor farmers.

"As soon as the Congress forms the government here, Modiji, you count 10 days. The Congress will waive the loans of each farmer in Chhattisgarh within 10 days," Gandhi said.

He said BJP leaders had questioned the UPA government about the source of money for loan waiver.

"Modiji, the money for loan waiver for Chhattisgarh's farmers will come from the likes of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Anil Ambani. We will take their money and implement the loan waiver," he claimed.

"Liquor baron Mallya fled the country with Rs 10,000 crore of the banks, while Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi fled with Rs 35,000 crore," he alleged Addressing a rally in Ambikapur, the prime minister had Friday claimed the Congress was "worried" because he took away all the money its "minions and friends" had stashed under their beds and in sacks in one stroke.

Gandhi reiterated his charge the PM helped industrialist Anil Ambani get Rs 30,000 crore in the "Rafale scam".

He said Modi "robbed the poor and the honest" through notes ban.

"Modiji had said he would fight against black money.

He had (recently) said those who had stashed money in their houses and or kept it hidden under pillows were thieves and that he had taken action against them.

"I want to tell you (people) that you have not committed any theft. The person who has committed a theft is Narendra Modi. He made honest people stand in queues," Gandhi claimed.

He said the Congress had always delivered on its promises, unlike the BJP.

"The intention of the Congress is very clear. It never makes false promises. In fact, you can listen to my speeches of the last 15 years. I never made false promises. Whatever I promised, I fulfilled it," Gandhi said.

He said the previous UPA government had brought in measures like the tribal bill, MNREGA and land acquisition bill.

"On the contrary, Modi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh did not fulfil the promises they had made to farmers," the Congress MP said.

"In the last four-and-a-half years, Modiji has waived loans worth Rs 3.50 lakh crore of a few rich people, but he has not spoken about farm loan waiver.

Similarly, Raman Singh has snatched the bonus of the farmers," Gandhi alleged.

He accused the prime minister of remaining "silent" on the "corruption charges" against Singh and claimed that the names of Singh and his wife had surfaced in the alleged Rs 36,000-crore civil supply scam.

The CM denied the allegations.

"A Rs 5,000-crore chit fund scam was also perpetrated in the state. His (Singh's) son Abhishek Singh was named in the Panama Papers scandal, but no action was taken in any of these cases," Gandhi claimed.

Gandhi alleged that Modi was not acting against Abhishek Singh in the Panama Papers case.

"This, at a time when Pakistan has jailed its former prime minister Nawaz Sharif after his name cropped up in the Panama Papers," he said.

Gandhi alleged the Raman Singh government has created two Chhattisgarh.

"One belongs to the rich and the industrialists wearing suit-boot, while the other belongs to the common men, women, farmers and labourers. We do not want two Chhattisgarh but one, where everybody gets justice," he said.

The final phase of polling for 72 seats will be held in Chhattisgarh on November 20.

The first phase for 18 seats was held on November 12.

The results will be announced on December 11.

Addressing another rally in Darima village in Surguja district, Gandhi attacked Modi over his 2014 poll promise to bring back black money which was stashed abroad.

"When will the money allegedly stashed in a foreign bank by Chhattisgarh chief minister's son be brought back? Modiji had vowed to fight against black money," he claimed.

Abhishek Singh, the sitting BHP MP from Rajnandgaon constituency in Chhattisgarh, has denied the Congress' allegations as "baseless and politically motivated".

Alleging Raman Singh's involvement in the "civil supply scam", Gandhi said, "It was mentioned in a diary recovered earlier that money was given to CM madam and Dr Sahab.

Modi ji should tell who is this CM madam?" "It was referred to the wife of the chief minister with whom you (Modi) had shared stage and the Dr Sahab was referred to Raman Singh with whom you had given a speech from the same stage," he alleged.

Gandhi said the entire country was questioning the prime minister's "honesty" over the "Rafale scam" and appealed to Modi to "break his silence" on the deal and Ambani.

He said, "The Congress would develop Chhattisgarh not only as an agricultural centre of the country but of the entire world.

Agriculture produce like fruits and vegetables will not only be sold in the country but will be exported."

The Congress chief claimed the real objectives of notes ban were to convert black money into white and write off loans of corporates, after snatching the money from the poor.
By PTI

MUMBAI: Stating that Railways should not be blamed for the Amritsar accident, Railways minister Piyush Goyal Saturday said it had nearly eliminated unmanned railway crossings.

"In six months, we have eliminated 3,400 of the 3,479 unmanned railway crossings that existed on the Indian railway network," Goyal said, adding the remaining few would be done away with soon.

Goyal was speaking at the annual ET Awards here.

He said, usually, the Railways used to eliminate up to 1,100 such crossings per year but in order to increase safety and curb accidents, he had instructed staff to do away with the problem in six months in April.

The minister also said the Railways should not be blamed for accidents like the one at Amritsar, which left 61 people dead, saying people had come on to the tracks there.

Relatives mourn at the site of a train accident at Joda Phatak in Amritsar. | PTI

The accident took place on October 19 when a crowd attending a Dussehra function spilled on to the tracks and got mowed down by a train.

Amritsar train tragedy: Navjot Sidhu urges Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to control accidents

Goyal informed that capital investments done by the Railways have risen 2.5 times in the first four years of the government as compared to the ones under the previous UPA government.

He also acknowledged that the railways was under invested on operations and added that investments are essential for a lot of aspects like safety and to ensure that the network is contemporary.

The minister said a few people will always be opposed to projects like the bullet train and pointed out that some within the Railway Board were opposed to introducing Rajdhani trains when the proposal was mooted in 1969.
Dr P K Kuruvilla By

It is almost as if an Orwellian nightmare is in the making. In George Orwells iconic novel 1984, a huge country is under the dictatorship of the omnipresent, but never-seen dictator, Big Brother. Even language is not spared. The English language as we know it is termed Oldspeak and is being gradually pushed out, and the shortened and more business-like Newspeak is coming in its stead. The officials in charge of this are exuberant that Newspeak has a vocabulary that is actually shrinking. No need for a word like bad. All one needs is something like ungood. Or if you need a stronger version of good, why have a string of useless words like excellent and splendid? Plusgood covers the meaning or doubleplus good if you want something stronger still.

It appears that snowballing cybernation is doing something similar in India, without any dictatorship or duress. A leading psychiatrist in Goa, trained at the NIMHANS, was shocked to find out that so many children could not read. She came across Class 5 kids who could not identify alphabets and Class 8 children who could not read a single sentence from their English textbooks, leave alone understand them. Studies done nationwide confirmed this horror. We now seem to be churning out illiterate graduates, she laments. And these were all children with average or above average intelligence with no learning difficulty.

In the remote and disadvantaged villages, only half the children can read books at their level in Indian languages, avers an NGO involved in bringing out affordable books in Indian languages.There is little doubt that the revolution in electronics and IT that has come about in the past quarter century has transformed India into a country where children can dream and aspire to have standards of living way above that of their parents. But a lack of reading and writing skills is the deleterious side effect of the process.

It has been pointed out that in the future, the richpoor divide will depend on computer literacy or the lack of it. In that sense, it is akin to the evolution of the human species, and we can ill afford to put the brakes on it. That would make us retrogress inch by inch, crab fashion. Moreover, children today are all looking for instant gratification, and the internet and TV provide them with this. Why then should they resort to reading?

What percentage of parents would be actively trying to inculcate a love of books and reading? Even when they try to do so, how many among them would be successful in their endeavours?

There is a note of pessimism here. This is more so when one remembers that the very basis of logic and thought is language. The nuances and abstract concepts are the lifeblood of fine sentiment and a rich inner life. One shudders to think of a scenario where Shakespeare, Milton and Chaucer would become memories from a dim past, or worse still mutilated and served up in some form of Newspeak.

Going back to the past would give us some remedial measures in this matter. Just as other forms of literature, childrens literature grew from stories passed down orally from generation to generation. India once had a head start in this regard. After all, we gave the rest of the world the Panchatantra. This came out by 200 AD, and that too in a written version. These tales have inspired countless generations of young minds in India. As someone put it delightfully, a story was just a grandmother away.

Reading out religious passages from scriptures, would, I daresay, improve childrens linguistic abilities. Eminent Indian English writer, the late Khushwant Singh, said that reading parts from the Old Testament, with their beautiful prose improved his language. Mind you, this from a self-proclaimed agnostic! There are translations of the Bible in all Indian languages. As for the Ramayana, Kamala Subramaniam has made a laudable contribution by translating it in a format that is children friendly. In my mother tongue Malayalam, Mali Ramayana, written for children, is widely read.

Likewise, there are versions of the Mahabharata that are primarily meant for children. Some of these are illustrated, and that makes it all the more attractive. Mathuram Bhoothalingam, who wrote in Tamil and English under the pen name Krithika, deserves a special mention in this matter.In India, we should not forget the underprivileged. Attempts are on to bring out cheaper childrens books in multiple languages and formats to help children discover the joy of readingset in locations they can recognise, and telling stories that capture their attention.

A noteworthy initiative is the concept of story cards. Five of these story cards, each with a different story, make up a sachet. A sachet which costs only `20 comes in with laminated form. Efforts are also made to bring them to the very small towns, and remote areas, through kirana stores and railway stations.

The Childrens Book Trust with its multifarious initiatives was started as early as the 1950s. Likewise, the Amar Chitra Katha and the Tulika publications have been with us now for decades. There is a treasure trove out there. India is unique in that Birbal and Biggles, and Jataka tales and Jeeves, coexist happily. Both Tenali Raman and Tintin bring on a twinkle in our eyes. I think that there is room for some optimism. The cup is more than half full, I reckon!
S Viswanath By

Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Even as the governments decision withdrawing general consent to CBI to exercise its authority in the State has raised eyebrows, the TDP leaders have defended the move and described it as a timely step by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

Official sources reasoned that despite the fact that the government cannot prevent the CBI, which deals with central government employees, from exercising its authority in Andhra Pradesh, the State might have issued the order to register its protest against the Centre as well as to highlight how the powers of countrys premier investigation agency were being undermined by exposing conflict between two of its officials.

It is learnt that the State government became alert particularly after TDP MP CM Rameshs name was dragged into the controversy by a CBI official and the same was proved wrong in the subsequent inquiry.

The leaders, while claiming that the decision came in the wake of the internal bickering in the CBI as a result of interference of the Centre in the affairs of the agency, denied any ulterior motives behind the governments decision.

However, they seem to have no idea of up to what extent the move can prevent the entry of CBI into the State. Defending the ban on CBI, the TDP leaders said that Narendra Modi levelled serious allegations against the investigation agency when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat.

What is wrong in the State government withdrawing general consent to the CBI. Except in 10 States, the CBI does not have a general consent to enter several States including those ruled by the BJP. I dont know why the opposition parties are raising a hue and cry, said Andhra Pradesh Planning Board Vice-Chairperson C Kutumba Rao.

Stating that BJP-ruled States such as Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh have not given general consent to the CBI and the same was mentioned in the affidavit submitted to the SC by the agency, he sought to know why BJP leaders such as GVL Narasimha Rao were silent on the same.

Asserting that the AP government took the decision keeping in view the happenings in the investigation agency, he said the ban would prevent the CBI from filing false cases against the State. He termed the

Opposition claim that the move would hamper CBI inquiries into cases in the State as false propaganda.

Making it clear that the State would have no role in the cases filed against central government employees by the agency, he said that as per the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, the CBI has no authority to file cases and investigate on its own and it can do so only as per the appeals made by State governments or Centre or as per court orders. In such cases, no one can object to CBI actions, he added.

SC Corporation chief Jupudi Prabhakar Rao said as a result of PM Modi ruining the image of the CBI, Naidu took the decision to bar its entry into Andhra Pradesh.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: In order to make the use of millets more popular in Karnataka, the state government is planning to introduce its own brand in the market for millets grown in Karnataka.

The crops, procured from farmers, will be branded and sold at outlets of Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) as well as HOPCOMS outlets across the state. Talks are underway with both these organisations for the same, according to government officials. At present, there are 14 different federations of farmers across the state with over 60,000 farmers producing organics and millets registered with them. In the coming one year, all these federations will be brought under one umbrella and will procure the crop directly from farmers and deliver it to the doorsteps of consumers at an affordable price.

This mechanism will be put in place by the state, said Agriculture minister Shivashankar Reddy on Friday. The Farmers Producers Organisation (FPO) will help the farmers avoid middlemen.

Millet menu at Indira Canteens



The state government is proposing the introduction of a millet-based menu once a week at Indira Canteens, government-run student hostels, and even for the mid-day meal scheme, Agriculture Minister said.

Fair to be bigger, better this time



Discussing the upcoming International Organics and Millet Fair, Reddy said the fair would be organised on a larger scale. More than 400 stalls are expected to come up, with roadshows to be held at Pune, Delhi and Dubai.